Finally…

Finally, I am almost able to step back and take a deep breath. The ability to take time out and relax is a “must-do” in college. Although there is always time for fun, exercise, and whatever else you want to do…there is a certain time at the end of the semester where your focus is on one thing. STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!!! I collect all my old quizzes and tests up and study all of those questions, and typically that is all that is required to do well on the final exams. It is just the factor of numerous tests in just a few days that stress most students out.

The good thing is that there are so many different kinds of people who desire to help college students do well. Main Street Baptist Church for instance is located right off of campus and is home to many different students on Sunday mornings. During the week of finals, they offer both group study rooms and quiet study rooms with all kinds of food and drinks. Some professors, especially the ones that attend Main Street Baptist Church will come and help students study at night. They are open until midnight all throughout finals. There are other places around campus as well that offer food (Subway, Arby’s, etc.) to students for free while they study away.

The end of the spring semester is always exciting too because most everyone has their summer jobs lined up, whether it be at church camps, in foreign countries, or back home on a golf course (like me). You get to find out where everyone is going to be over the summer and find out ways to keep in contact with your friends. Parents are always excited to see their kids after a hard last couple weeks of school and for the most part, everyone is always happy because school is almost out!!!

April Fools!!!

So the sun has not been out as much as I wish, however, we have been able to get outside here and there. Working in the sports information department, it has been a blessing on some days to get some rained out games. The down side to the rain is that you do not get the opportunity to enjoy the surrounding areas of the college. Usually in the spring, I will take my mountain bike up on top of one of the “mountains” and take an all day ride, go golfing, or just take the girlfriend out to a nearby park and sit with her.

Finally, I am able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. School work really is not that bad, but in reality, anything that takes up time in which I do not find fun in is kind of a downer for me. School does have its up sides though. Now that it is getting warm, we are starting to have our intramural events outside. Looking into the next couple of weeks, I am looking forward to the free round of golf at Crooked Creek Country Club. My golfing partner and I are looking forward to the competition and the free golf.

The semester continues to grow closer and closer to the end, which means that summer jobs should be lining up, your last few grades should be close to perfect, and you need to take time out to say goodbye to your senior friends. We have three seniors leaving us from the sports information department and it is really sad to see them all go. They already have their plans lined up and are ready to get started, but at the same time they are also disappointed that they have to leave all of us. We grow as close as a family here and the Cumberlands and every time another class graduates, it is difficult to comprehend that they will not be there next year. All in all, summer is almost here, the weather is getting warm, and I personally cannot wait until classes are over to enjoy a full season of golf, family, and friends!

WOO HOO…SPRING BREAK!!!
Awww…Spring Break, the best week long break of a student’s life. At this point in the semester, we are looking at only one or two more tests, however, all the teacher’s are wanting to get their papers graded over spring break, so they are all due before. If you are like me, you wait till the week before to start thinking about your papers and then you get frustrated at yourself for procrastinating. Thankfully, my only paper that I have left is due after spring break, so I’ll have a little bit of time to work on it. This past week has been one of the busiest though due to all the tests and papers that have been due, but the relief that leaves the body when they are all done is a great feeling.

Finally, after almost two years of writing a research proposal and getting forms approved through ethics committees here at the Cumberlands, I am set to begin collecting data when I come back from break. With the data results, I will be able to come back my senior year and show my research at the Kentucky Psychological Convention and get published. This all goes to build my resume for graduate school and for my future career. This research talk may not mean anything to you now, however, when you get to be a sophomore and even more so a junior, you will begin to see how much research can really help your future! It’s an exciting time in my life, understanding that I am finally ready to collect my data and get results.

For spring break, I am going to get to head back home. I haven’t been home since Christmas, so being able to miss a couple days of work and get to be with my family is such a blessing! As I have already mentioned, my summer job is on a golf course, so I will be spending the middle part of the week in job training for this summer, the first part of the week with my girlfriend who is coming home with me, and the end of the week with my dad, mom, brother, and sister-in-law for my dad’s birthday and Easter. I am super excited about it all and I cannot wait till I get home safely and am able to relax.

Mid-terms…What?

Now that the “love” season is over, spring comes about. Well, love is still and will always be in the air for me! Candace (my girlfriend) and I are doing great and just passed the 6 month mark. There is a picture of us with this blog! Being from Ohio, I am used to the crazy weather from day to day instead of season to season, but even I have not seen this much variation in our weather in Kentucky. One day it will be snowing and 20 degrees, then the next day, the chirping of the birds wakes you up to a nice 70 degree sunny day. There is never a dull moment in Williamsburg (“the burg”), even in the weather.

During the fall semester, all the students are excited to get into their dorm room, get back with friends and sometimes are even excited for classes and work, whether they will admit it or not. Then comes the spring semester; a time where every student looks forward to one thing…summer. Well, before the summer, comes a wonderful break we like to call “Spring Break”. At our small, Christian campus, there are TONS of opportunities to go on mission trips and do things for people around the community as an alternative to going home or partying. One of the mission trips sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a trip to Panama Beach. This trip provides an opportunity to make pancake breakfasts and hang out with people all week. Other mission trips vary from going and playing sports with kids, to building a whole house! This Spring Break, I will be going back home to work at the golf course where I will be employed this summer. In addition, I will be visiting all of my family and friends that I haven’t seen since Christmas!

Mid-terms…yes, they are here, but what can a student do about them? Everyone gets the dreaded call from home when the parents hear about the midterm grades and you get a “talk” about time management, not getting involved in too much, blah, blah, blah. The thing about midterms is that usually, one or two test grades are the only part of the midterm grade for each course. Midterms really aren’t that big of a deal, however, they do serve as a great reminder of to how important studying really is. The spring semester goes by so quickly and as the weather gets warmer, the more fun we all have.

The Season of Love…

By this time of the year, everyone is getting Spring Break plans ready to go and looking ahead toward the summer. Tests, papers, and homework are getting harder and harder to concentrate on because the weather is warming up, March Madness is coming about, AND…Valentine’s Day!!! Having a wonderful girlfriend, my plans for Valentine’s Day include taking time for her of course.

Working in Sports Information, I have to work at the basketball game on Valentine’s Day, so I have planned to take her out on a different night. The grill, a place where students go to eat, offers a nice FREE Valentine’s Day dinner for you and your significant other, but do to work, I’ll probably take her to the local Mexican Restaurant (her favorite place). Flowers and chocolate are always a good choice as well.

Anyways…tests continue to go on and on and the end of the semester is looking closer than it really is. I’ve found out that I am going to be working at a golf course this summer and my training is over Spring Break. I’m personally, really excited about this job. I get to ride in a golf cart and work around the golf course all summer. I’m looking forward to the rest of the semester as things start to wrap up. I got my graduation application and my mom cried. I’m the youngest son, so it is yet another turning point in my parent’s life and mine as well.

Finally, the international student population continues to grow every semester, which means that us Americans begin to culturally grow more knowledgeable from them. I have made so many good friends with the students from Nepal and China. They love the campus and anywhere that we take them, they are fully enthralled. I encourage you, whatever college or university you go to…to talk to the international students and hang out with them. They bring a lot of different ideas to our university and I am always excited to meet another person from a different culture!

Back In the Game

So classes have started back, first tests are right around the corner and the weather is cold. My classes this semester are not that bad…thankfully. I do have all upper level courses, but they are very spread out. Everything thus far seems to be going pretty well for me. If I had to compare this semester to all my past semesters, I would say that it has been one of the better ones.

At the beginning and end of pretty much every semester, you sometimes find out that your friends are transferring out to a different school. These times can get a little depressing, but usually new friends come along and you can always count on your roommate to be there for you. We were all excited to get school started again, not so much for all the classes, but mostly just to get back in a routine. I tend to enjoy the routine I have at Cumberland because I feel relaxed and in control of everything that goes on in my own little environment.

As far as the family goes, I was so happy to get to spend a whole month with them. We had a great time over the Christmas Break with traditions, hanging out, and visiting other family. Mom’s birthday was on Christmas Day, like it is every year, but for the first time; we had an extra family member with my sister-in-law. Next Christmas, my brother and his wife should have a baby and we can have another addition to our ever-growing family.

As of now, I am continuing my work in the Sports Information Department. I go to the basketball games and keep stats and I am also preparing for baseball season to start. Being in charge of the football aspect of our office, I feel like it is always football season. So, I’m keeping busy, enjoying friends (especially the girlfriend), and always trying to find time to relax.

The Boy Is Back in Town

So, the past month or so has been absolutely wonderful! It is a little difficult after an extended break from classes, work, and the cafeteria food to come back to school and jump right into things. Christmas Break was very beneficial to me… for the most part. Not only did I get A LOT of rest and relaxation, but I also found out that I am going to be an uncle! The family was very excited and my parents began to feel very old all of the sudden, but I do believe they will be alright.

I ended up coming back to school a couple of days early to get back to work and settle back into the dorm room. I also enjoyed getting back to town to see my girlfriend, who is a local to Williamsburg. Getting back to work and having a little bit more time to rest and take my time with preparations for the upcoming semester helped me to settle back in slowly. There isn’t much you have to do before classes start, but there are a few things. It always helps to get your books and folders prior to going to class so that you are ready for anything the professor throws out at you. Also, checking to make sure all bills are paid, your class schedule is correct, and you know where your classes are, always helps.

Personally, I get kind of excited about my new class schedule and feeling the sense of accomplishment from the semester. The new professors and seeing which of your friends are in each class is always fun too. I am nearing the end of my time here at the Cumberlands, so for me, this current semester entails a lot of work toward getting into a graduate program. Although the class schedule tends to ease up as you enter your senior year, the responsibilities tend to increase. It’s a new semester, a new year, and this boy is back in town to get ready for anything that comes his way.

Finally Final

After a wonderful Thanksgiving Break, the critical final exams have finally come. For some, it is the first time they have taken an exam which determines their final performance in the class, and for others final exams were just another step closer to the end of college. Being a junior, I realize that I have three more semesters of the classes and exams, but this semester has been my hardest, so being done with class and having final exams is a great relief to me.

Another important part to final exams is to have fun. A lot of times, especially freshmen, tend to really stress out about the exams to the point where they lose sleep and do not eat as healthy as they should. A lot of times, simply studying the old tests helps a lot more than people expect. Throughout finals, a bunch of us guys usually get together and go out just to get away from everything. We eat very well and enjoy our break from studying and the tension brought on by both work and school.

A few different places offer a break for students as well as offering the most important part of final exams…food. Main Street Baptist Church has a very big spread of food each night, the Cafeteria has specialty foods each night (Arby’s, Taco Bell, Subway, etc.), and at the end of the final’s week, Cornerstone Church offered a movie night with hot chocolate. The school may be small, but the surrounding community is wonderful with the college students. Once finals end…Christmas Break finally comes about and we are able to look back on our accomplishments and look ahead toward our future.

Run with Endurance

Thanksgiving break ended up to be one of the best breaks I have ever experienced from school. I went home to a warm house and my own bed, which offered me much comfort and warmth! As always, Thanksgiving offers the opportunity to eat without stopping, which is precisely what I did. Gaining 5-10 pounds and catching up on my much needed sleep, I ended up not working on my term paper, which I talked about in my previous blog. Like always, I allowed my friends to get up the day after Thanksgiving for the ultimate shopping spree, while I slept in and woke up to The Price is Right.

The most difficult day of the break is Sunday after Thanksgiving. The realization of coming back to class, the long drive, and the understanding of how much was not accomplished over break all hits at the same time. In coming back to campus, I was really able to get into research mode for my paper and ended up completing the paper the night before it was due. My stance on procrastination is that is needs to be a learned practice. Eventually, we will all partake in the ritual of procrastination, but it does not need to be looked at as a bad thing.

I am looking forward to finals, even though they are about a week and a half out. In the past, during finals week, I have been able to partake in many adventures such as: caving, hiking to Dogslaughter Falls, going to Knoxville, TN with a bunch of my friends, and the list goes on and on. Final exams can be difficult, but there is always time given to enjoy life a little bit in the last week of the semester. In Hebrews 12:1, Paul encourages the Christian to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Giving Thanks

As the weather gets colder and the precipitation begins to come down, sometimes in the form of flakes, college life begins to hit a new stage. This time of the year, we are looking forward to the upcoming seasons. Soon it will be Thanksgiving, where we all get to go back home for five days and enjoy a break with lots of food and family. For some, Thanksgiving break consists of a lot of sleep and a lot of eating, but for many in my situation as an upperclassman, it is a time for writing the research paper. Being a psychology major, there’s usually a paper for the majority of classes. The problem for me comes in my procrastination of the inevitable paper. It is always a good idea to get a good jump on your papers and finish them as soon as possible!

Another great thing about Thanksgiving break is the fact that when we come back to school, it is only for two more weeks of classes and then half a week of finals. These two and a half weeks rush by so quickly, the assignments get fewer and fewer and before you know it, you’re studying for you last examine of the semester. Sometimes, things can get harder toward the end of the semester, but overall, the last few weeks are really an enjoyable time with friends before a month off of school.

In preparing for finals, a perfect student would attempt to study little by little everyday leading up to a particular class’s final exam. Final exams typically consist of anywhere from 50-150 questions that cover the courses studied material. Although it may sound like a difficult task, most of the questions come off of old tests, and studying in groups is a great help. The cafeteria opens up at night, along with Main Street Baptist Church to offer many food options the week of finals. All in all, this time of the school year is a great time to be giving thanks for all that has been accomplished and all that is to be accomplished in the upcoming weeks.

Kaleidoscope

We have officially entered into the fall.  With leaves changing colors, college football wrapping up, and only one or two more tests left in the semester, we will miss a lot of our memories from our past season.  My life seems somewhat like a Kaleidoscope, due to the ever-changing schedule I have.  I am never able to simply settle down and focus on one event at a time, but just like a Kaleidoscope, I am able to contain all the craziness within my head.  The colors in the Kaleidoscope vary all the time, but they derive from blue, red, and yellow (the primary colors).  As I peer through the hole into a Kaleidoscope, I see complexity, yet beautiful images.  I hope you are not only seeing the complexity of my life, but view my experiences as I do…beautiful happenings. 

On Fall Break (a break after midterm for 4 days), I was faced with the opportunity to either go home or stay at UC and house sit for my girlfriend.  For all that my girlfriend’s family has done for me recently, I made the decision to stay and help them out by watching their house and feeding their animals.  Along with taking care of those things, I worked a little bit and got caught up on my school work.  I view the importance of my relationship with my girlfriend and her family as the color of red in my life.  Our relationships in life, like the color red, are hard to duplicate and difficult to put aside in life, due to its intensity.  Without the color red (relationships), we would not be able to incorporate many of our complex situations into a simplistic ideal.

I took the opportunity with the weather cooling off to go hiking and climbing out by Cumberland Falls.  Going into nature, for me, is a very sentimental relaxing time, which gives me the opportunity to reflect on my life and everything going on around me.  I attribute nature and my ability to escape into nature as the color yellow.  Yellow stands out among the trees in its brightness.  Many people base the beauty of fall by the brightness of the yellow in the mixture and complexity of all the trees on a mountainside.  I’m very thankful that nature can play into the complexity of myself, and that I am able to evaluate myself based on the mixture of yellow (nature) which I partake in.

The final color is blue that makes up the primary color spectrum.  Blue is what I nominate for the boldness within my life.  I believe we all have opportunities to further ourselves right in front of our faces on a daily basis, but so many times, we set them aside to please someone else.  Everyday, I wake up and wish to get an early start on my papers, call and check on my grandparents, get ahead on studying for tests, look into summer internships before it’s too late, etc., etc.  I put off the important and necessary things in my life, day in and day out just to play Ultimate Frisbee, Nintendo, or just take my “afternoon nap”.  Lately, I have been able to set aside my own wants and desires and focus on my future…hoping everyday for the color blue (boldness) in my life.

I encourage you in your search for meaning in life, or what university you wish to attend, your relationships, or whatever situations you put yourself in, that you continue to search out and find the intensity, brightness, and the boldness it takes.  For me, noticing these aspects of life has encouraged me to continue on the right path in life, and seek out what is best for my future.  I pray and hope that you can see your own life in your own…Kaleidoscope.   

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

What does the word “midterm” actually mean for a college student?  For some, it may be defined as the middle of the semester. For others it may be defined as the time to take tests. But to me… it one step closer to the end.  Not really an end to life per say, but definitely a step closer to the end of yet another stage in my life.  Being a junior in college is exciting because you know that you are over half way finished with your undergraduate schooling.  On the other hand, you are forced to look into the future and begin to develop the next plan of action to keep you busy so  you’re not another lazy bum, mooching off of mommy and daddy. 

The middle of the term also means capturing all the important times, events, and moments in life that you see slipping by.  Recently, we had our family and alumni weekend along with our homecoming festivities, and it seemed to be a great success.  I work with the sports information department, so I had to go to the football game and keep stats, along with writing the newspaper article that recaps the game.  Therefore, my time to spend with all the alumni, family, and friends was cut short.  Due to my grandfather’s death that I wrote about in my last blog, my family was unable to attend this past weekend’s events, but they are planning on coming down on October 27th for the football game against Georgetown College.  The Patriots won the football game on homecoming weekend and have just capsized another victory to make them 6-1 on the season.  They were ranked #22 in the nation (NAIA), so hopefully, they will continue to perform and be able to attend the post-season play!

As for classes and such, the next few weeks will continue to be a little hectic.  Now with two or so tests under our belts, we understand how each teacher does their testing and are able to study a little better for each class.  Usually by now, we are looking two more tests in the face as well as a final test to complete our grades.  Midterm grades just came out, and we have to step back and evaluate what it is going to take to achieve the grade that we want in each class.  For me, it’s time to buckle down, focus on finishing my major strong, and plan the rest of my courses out, to ensure that I graduate on time.  The middle of the term does not always have the same meaning for everyone and it is my hope that you can find your own definition to help you see the “light at the end of the tunnel”.

Keeps going, and going, and going…

This time of year, the students tend to wake up every morning looking forward to the next break.  Fall Break is coming in mid-October, followed by Thanksgiving Break toward the end of November. So even though the time is not too far away, it seems like forever!  Tests in college come in four different waves.  Typically, there are four tests, homework, and a final test within a semester.  We have accomplished our first wave of tests and our second wave is coming just before Fall Break.  First test jitters can get to some people, but after the first test, you are able to understand the way your professors organize their thoughts.  Therefore, your other test scores usually come out better than the first. 

After all the tests, work, and homework are done each day, you need to take time to keep in touch with family and friends from back home.  I was given the chance to watch my roommate in a Civil War Reenactment in Barbourville, and enjoy a great cookout with his family last weekend!  Civil War Reenactments are very interesting and I would suggest you attempt to attend at least one in your lifetime.  From time to time, unexpected or unplanned real life situations come up, for which you need to attend to.  Just this past week, my grandfather became very ill and I had to go home to be with family.  Although missing class can be difficult, sometimes it is a must and the professors are very considerate to aide in helping you get back into sync. 

On the up side of things at the Cumberlands, the athletic teams continue to keep up their winning records and Homecoming is on its way.  In two weekends, UC will be hosting Alumni and Family Weekend, along with a Homecoming football game against Belhaven College.  Just as the weather is cooling off, football season is heating up and intramurals are underway!  There are many intramural sport opportunities at UC, such as corn hole tournaments, miniature putt-putt tournaments, flag football, volleyball, etc.  At UC it is easy to find your place among a variety of people.  Even though from time to time things can get rough in other aspects of life, UC provides a home for all who come.  Classes and tests may get in the way of relaxation and fun, but as the energizer bunny always does. . .“He keeps going, and going, and going. . .” 

The Fresh Mountain Air…

There is just NOTHING as good as waking up in the morning and walking to your 8:00 a.m. class to start off your day .  Of course, if you took the 8:00 a.m. part out and the class part out, it would be a perfect start to the day.  Coming from Ohio, I honestly do get the opportunity to step outside every morning and enjoy the fresh mountain air, the scenery, and my friends.  Classes have officially begun now and have been underway for about a week and a half.  Already, we get to have Labor Day off, so the complaints around campus are few and far between. 

One of my friends told me that this year was the beginning of the end for him.  Although with three 400 level courses myself, I could see where he was coming from, I also viewed this “beginning” as the beginning to NO end.  The classes, the friendships, the degree, etc. are things I will be taking from the Cumberlands for the rest of my life.  Sometimes going to an 8:00 a.m. class every morning can get tiresome, but the end result in being faithful to your classes out ways every consequence. 

Before classes began and even as classes have been going on, there have been many great opportunities for everyone to meet people.  As a freshman, I was really afraid of meeting people and wondering what other’s thought about me, but now as a junior, I realize that everyone else is in the same boat.  I also had the misconception that all the activities at the beginning of the year were only for freshmen to get to know each other.  After my freshman year though, I understood that the whole campus comes to every event, desiring to get to know fresh faces and build relationships, while having a great time (and there’s always free food!).  From carnivals to watching a movie on a huge projection screen late one night in a field, the first couple weeks of college are some of the best times I’ve had. 

Our first football game of the season was this past Saturday night against a big divisional rivalry, Union College.  My position in Sports Information enables me to sit in the press box and keep stats for the whole game.  Not only do I get a good seat, but they were passing out free t-shirts and everything!  The game was a very exciting experience and lots of fans showed up.  We beat Union for the second year in a row with a 24-19 victory.  Because it is only the second year we’ve had Labor Day off, I wanted to enjoy it to the best of my ability.  I went swimming most of the day, hung around with friends and my girlfriend, and tried to do some homework so I wouldn’t get too far behind.  I can already tell this semester is going to be amazing with the things I’m involved in, and I am really excited to see what God brings my way every morning, as I wake up to that fresh mountain air! 

Another Big Step . . .

Over the past few weeks, summer seems to have gone by so slow, but now that I have arrived back at UC, it seems like I hardly had a summer break at all. My summer consisted of landscaping from 8:00 A.M. till 5:00 P.M. I had the opportunity to go back home to Springboro, Ohio and hang out with my friends from church and high school. I was able to help around the house from time to time and make some money to bring back to college! If there is anything I have learned this past summer, it is to never do landscaping again. So . . . I’m already in search of a summer position for next summer. This past week has been spent sorting through clothes, shopping for new clothes, and trying to organize everything else to bring back to school. After a couple years of dorm living, I’ve learned exactly what one needs to be happy. I have the same roommate this year as I have had the last three semesters, so we have the living part down pat by now. In talking to my roommate though, we have come up with some different ideas and we each know what the other is going to bring!

My final preparations have not only been organizing everything, but also more important things. If you are at all like I am, I have chosen to live away from home. Although only a four hour drive, I normally stay at school during breaks and every weekend due to my job. It is hard to get the opportunity to just go home whenever I want and hang out with friends and family, so I had to say my goodbyes. Going to lunch with friends helps to learn what they’ll be getting into and usually makes it easier to get back with them whenever the breaks from school come about. The hardest part of leaving for UC came in saying goodbye to family. With serious health problems floating around my family, I have had to just put everything in God’s hands and trust Him to take care of my loved ones. Seeing mom and dad saddened is not the best part of leaving either, but it only gets easier with them. I still talk to my parent’s quiet a bit and they help to keep me updated on what’s going on back home too.

All in all, the transition from home to college can be challenging, but if you don’t let it get the best of you and look ahead, it is a pleasurable experience you’ll never forget. Some people call moving to college another transition in life. At first, it feels like a HUGE transition, but after a while, it’s just another big step in the whole process. It’s a big step that you’ll never forget!