I'm Megan, a senior at Susquehanna University. My hope is that this blog will cover my four years here, from the firsts to the lasts.

"
In college, you learn how to learn. Four years is not too much time to spend at that." - Mary Oliver

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Time Management

One of the trickiest aspects of being a college student is time management. It’s certainly something I deal with and it appears to be a struggle, to some degree, for almost all of my friends. College just feels busier than high school. Sure, during high school I got up by 6:45 a.m. (EEK!) and was stuck within school walls from 7-something in the morning to 2:45 p.m., no escape, no gap between classes except for that 4 minute walk through the halls, but after that I went home. Even if I had something after school, like musical rehearsal, I’d usually be home by 5:30.  My days start later here—thankfully—but end later as well. Mondays and Wednesdays, for instance, I’m busy from 9 to 4:05, with only a break from 1:00 to 1:45 for lunch.

There’s so much more to do after your school day is over as well. There are social distractions, for instance. Why read The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles for your Romantic Novels class, for instance, when you could be playing MASH with some of your friends? Yes, that may have happened just yesterday—though I did get my reading done, I promise!  There are a lot of very active extracurricular groups that can keep your schedule full as well. Tonight for instance, I hope to be able to go to an InterVarsity Life Group, which is a Bible Study at 7:30 (I've been skipping lately because I haven't been able to manage the time well enough to go), followed directly by pledge class and a chapter meeting for Alpha Phi Omega. There’s also that pesky issue of fitting some homework into that lineup.

Though I’m far from a time management expert, I think prioritizing is definitely helpful when it comes to time management. My strategy usually ends up being getting done what absolutely has to get done. A strategy to get ahead on my work over the weekends, however, might be a bit more practical, though it would seem awfully painful as I stowed myself away on a Saturday afternoon.

Typically, however, getting schoolwork done isn’t the issue for me. Pesky things like laundry are what fall to the wayside. I’ve been saying I need to do laundry since last week, and yet the clothing is piling up in my closet.  I really need to buckle down and get some done tonight. My pledge class’s group service project on Friday is an intergenerational prom at the Graysonview Assisted Living Community, and I have induction to the freshman academic honor society Alpha Lambda Delta on Sunday.  Both require nice clothes which, as of now, are wrinkled at the bottom of my hamper. 

I think tonight I may just skip dinner with my pals to get that laundry done and start doing research for my group project in Applied Biblical Ethics.  Then, before Life Group, I'll grab some Benny's dinner to go.  This actually sounds like a really good idea.  Maybe I should start planning things more often! 

Monday, March 28, 2011

An Eventful Weekend

This weekend was a bit more eventful than usual. 

On Friday, I finally found out that my Scholars House application was accepted, as were my friends Lindsey and Alexis’s.  It’s such a relief to know where I’m living next year without having to undergo that lottery process.  The three of us are very excited that we all got in.  Funny enough, we’re numbers 207, 208, and 209, which might mean we’re in a row.  

That night, my friends and I headed over to TRAX to watch the Battle of the Bands.   Four bands played.  There was really a range of different music, from covers of Lady Gaga, Pink, Blink 182, and Flyleaf to original compositions.  I noted a high percentage of Creative Writing majors among the band members, which is always amusing; really, Creative Writing majors are just crawling all over this campus. 

Saturday afternoon, I worked on decorating my paddle for Alpha Phi Omega.   In APO, you decorate a paddle for your Big, or your mentor-like figure guiding you through pledging, and present it to them during Initiation. 

That night, two friends and I went to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show. What they do in these showings is play the movie but also have a shadow cast on stage, who acts along with the movie.  The audience is encouraged to interact by doing call-outs which involve shouting at the screen, “WHERE’S YOUR NECK?!” at the narrator or booing a certain character.  It was definitely an interesting experience for me.  I had seen the movie before (an interesting experience in and of itself, because it’s strange!), but I’d never been to anything live like that.

Sunday was not particularly eventful.  At 7 p.m., I went over to the Selinsgrove Church of the Nazarene for a Lent service.  There was worship, and then the choir performed the first three scenes of their Easter musical, which was really good.

Of course, I left my homework to Sunday, like the procrastinating being that I am.

This upcoming week, I have both of the pledge service projects for Alpha Phi Omega, one on Friday and the other on Saturday.  On Sunday I have induction into Alpha Lambda Delta, the freshman academic honor society.  My parents and my brother are coming up for the occasion, and afterwards, we will probably hang out, go to the mall, and head to Red Robin for some dinner.  I’m looking forward to that, especially since my brother is moving very shortly to Los Angeles, so it might be a while before I see him again.

I’m predicting that the month of April will be very busy for me.  Hopefully that means it will just fly by, though that may end up being bittersweet.   I don’t have that much time left as a freshman and not that much time left in Hassinger!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Scheduling for Sophomore Year!

Here at SU, we're already gearing up for fall 2011.  Students' mailboxes were recently filled with papers of all the classes offered not only next semester, but spring as well; this way students can plan their entire 2011-2012 academic year.  I've already endeavored to make a tentative schedule. 

Before I register for my classes, I need to get my minor declared, Religion, so I can have a better chance of getting into the religion courses I want.  Declaring a minor basically consists of getting a form and having your advisor and the head of the minor's department sign a piece of paper.

Deciding on courses can be somewhat tricky.  There are a lot of balls up in the air, so to speak. Requirements for one's major.  Requirements for a minor.  Requirements for the Central Curriculum, or what other schools might term general ed. classes.  This is why the degree audit is particularly helpful.  A degree audit basically tells you what requirements you have fulfilled (or are currently working towards fulfilling) and what you still have left to do; it also lists the courses that apply to each requirement.  Many courses knock out multiple requirements so there's a certain amount of strategy involved in planning a schedule that is, in some regards, efficient as well as interesting for yourself. 

For the fall, I plan on taking a course for my Honors program, probably Thought & the Natural Sciences, which explores the history and philosophy of science. This would also take care of my science class.  Each SU student needs to take one science with a lab component; admittedly, this fills with me some dread.  Also for the Honors program, I need to do a Sophomore Essay, which could happen in the fall or spring depending on the availability of faculty sponsors.  I've already talked about my idea--representation of faith in young adult literature and whether it adequately addresses the spiritual needs of teens--and now I just need to find a faculty member who is interested in my idea and has a helpful expertise, as well as the time to work with me. Dr. Winans, who conducts the Sophomore Essay class, has already been great with suggesting some names to me.

In the fall, I also want to take English Writing & Grammar and Intermediate Fiction.  Both of these go towards my Creative Writing major.  I'm especially psyched to get back to fiction. My other course would be The Hebrew Bible, which contributes to more than one Central Curriculum requirement, my Honors minor, and my Religion  minor.  That's getting a lot out of one class so I suppose you could say that's a strategic choice, but I also am very much interested in the subject matter.

It's very strange to me that I already have Spring 2012 planned out as well--though very, very tentatively.  Right now, that schedule would consist of Aesthetics & Interpretation, a course required for Creative Writing majors that I've heard is quite difficult, Introduction to Poetry, Intro to Asian Religions, and...okay, well one other class that is totally slipping my mind right now.   

It feels good to have these ideas of what next year will be like.  I'm sure it'll feel even better once my fall schedule is actually settled!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

30 Hour Famine

Some drinks I brought for work
30 Hour Famine is an annual fundraising effort for Christian relief organization WorldVision. By abstaining from food for 30 hours, participants raise awareness and experience hunger themselves. Right now, I'm currently in the middle of this famine--with less than 9 hours to go! A lot of people I know at SU have participated in this famine before or in similar fasts, either on campus or with youth groups at home, but I've never really done anything like this before, especially not on this scale. I remember doing a fast once during confirmation classes when I was in 7th or 7th grade, but it was very short comparably.

The famine started at noon yesterday. After my class, which ended at 11:35 a.m, I got in a quick meal--a chicken ceasar salad--before the famine started. Then I headed over to the chapel where we had a commissioning service. We all lit candles. As one of the deacons read out startling hunger statistics (like that a child dies of hunger every 10 seconds), we blew out our candles one-by-one to represent the lives being taken by hunger. Then, as a Bible passage was read, we re-lit our candles to represent the spreading of hope. There are also other events throughout the famine. During dinnertime yesterday, Alpha Phi Omega hosted a game night for fasters to distract us from the meal we were missing.

During the famine, I can drink juice and water. I've been drinking plenty of both. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not feeling hungry, and I'm sure to feel hungrier by the end of the famine. I've heard from experienced fasters that lunchtime today and the last few hours will be the worst.

For me, trying to go to sleep last night was a really moving experience. As a middle class American, I've always had enough food to eat, and I've never truly gone to bed hungry. I struggled to fall and stay asleep last night as my stomach rumbled for food. This is not a fun experience, not even for one night, but there are people for whom going to bed hungry is a daily experience. It's their normal. Moments like that make me realize just how rich and fortunate I am as well as how much I need to be contributing to fighting world hunger.

This is another great example of college introducing me to do new things. I never thought I'd voluntarily take on a 30 hour famine, that's for sure!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Professor Accessibility...It's True!

Something cool about Susquehanna University is the accessibility of professors.  This is something I heard a lot about as a prospective student and perhaps something I have taken for granted thus far (especially when, at some schools, most of your interaction is with TAs!), but it really hit me yesterday. 

For the first time, I attended a Bible study hosted by two of Susquehanna’s religion professors, one of whom teaches my Applied Biblical Ethics class.  This Bible study happens every other Sunday and is currently exploring questions about God and human suffering.

A few friends and I met up with fellow students behind the Degenstein Campus Center, where we divvied ourselves into two cars.  We then drove over to the house of these professors which is located pretty close to campus.  The group, which I sensed was larger than their usual crowd, sat in their living room to discuss some of the book of Job.  There were also cookies and juice, a pet cat, and an enthusiastic dog they were pet-sitting. 

I really enjoyed the Bible study—even if my introverted self barely talked—and am definitely planning on attending again.  It was one of those instances when I thought to myself that what they say about Susquehanna, those things you suspect might be just to sell you on the school, are really true.    

Even the president himself seems more accessible than presidents normally are considered to be, whether that’s in reading ‘Twas a Night Before Christmas to a group of students in pajamas before Winter Break or whether that’s in shaking his hand during a chapel service earlier that Sunday.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Collaboration

I will admit that some part of me, a rather dominant part, wished group work would be over by the time I got to college, but I've learned that's not necessarily the case.  I'm not too huge of a fan of group work for a variety of reasons.  I have a very stereotypical writer personality in that I enjoy working independently and am somewhat introverted, and I can also be a bit controlling.  I also tended to be the person who got stuck with most of the work.  It'll be interesting, with group projects coming up this semester, to see how any of that differs in college.     

One requirement of the Central Curriculum is a Team Intensive Course.  I'm happy I fulfilled this in my first semester through Intro to Fiction, which is team intensive due to its workshop focus.  However, that doesn't mean the rest of my classes will suddenly stop using collaboration.

In my Thought & Civilization: Romantic Novels class, I am presenting a project today that we had to do in pairs. Fortunately, I was able to pair up with my friend Lindsey.  It has actually been nice doing this together because we were able to split up the work whereas having this all due myself might have sent me into a state of complete chaos.  I think--or hope--we will be able to complement each other well as we present later today.  

I have two big upcoming group projects as well, one in Principles of Sociology and the other in Applied Biblical Ethics.  Both projects are actually somewhat similar.  In Principles of Sociology, we have to take a look at a social problem--through a sociological lens, of course.  For Applied Biblical Ethics, we'll be examining an ethical issue, um, in light of Biblical Ethics--surprise!  Both of these projects have to culminate in some sort of presentation, creative if possible.  I really hope that these projects go well and that my groups have good dynamics.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Common Ground

One of the really awesome things about college, or I suppose life in general, is finding people who are interested in the same things as you are, whether that’s a fandom, like Harry Potter, or something more influential in your life, like your faith.  I’ve been very lucky to find people who share my interests at SU.
My Harry Potter Poster

Creative writing is huge in that regard.  Some of my closest friends, including my roommate, are fellow Creative Writing majors, with whom I can be nerdy about books or discuss the pains of revisions, conferences, and critique letters.

Speaking of books, I am a die-hard Harry Potter fan.  This love goes beyond the books and includes A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel, two parody musicals on YouTube about Harry Potter.  Very few of my friends were familiar with these musicals at home, but it seems like a lot of people here know about them.  In the beginning of the year, I was often singing “Gotta Get Back to Hogwarts” and “Granger Danger” with a friend here who’s also a big Harry Potter fan.  Additionally, I have people who can understand my raving about Ron and Hermione, my favorite literary couple, and my ranting about Ginny and Hermione, a couple that I find fairly irritating.

TV shows can be another area of common ground.  Just last night, I watched Glee with my roommate and my friend Karen.  It’s a lot more fun to watch, squeal and laugh and sometimes mock, with friends rather than alone.  I also had an awesome Boy Meets World marathon with my friends once and towards the beginning of the year had many viewings of one of my all-time favorite shows Freaks and Geeks.

As I said earlier, college has also been a great time to find and connect with people who share my faith.  I have great Christian friends in my dorm, and especially through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, I’ve been able to meet so many more people who share this important aspect of my life and values.  Particularly, the small Life Group I've attended has helped me make friendships with others of my faith.  

I love how natural it has been to find these people with common interests, and I love how these common interests have evolved into friendships! 

Monday, March 14, 2011

Spring Break--An Overview

It seems to happen whenever I set out to write a blog post, but again, I am impressed and slightly terrified at how fast this year is flying.  Today is my first day of classes post-Spring Break—the last quarter of the year!  I’ll admit, I was wishing for a few more days of break. 

I was lucky enough to have classes cancelled on Friday so I went home Thursday night.  When I got home, however, I still had to work on an essay for Romantic Novels that was due Friday at 4:00.  I, being me, had procrastinated.  The essay was about Wuthering Heights and Emma and how they portray intelligence in their female heroines.  This got sent in at 3:51 p.m., exactly 9 minutes before it was due.


Backstage during my last HS musical
Friday I did get to have some fun, though.  That evening I saw my high school’s musical.  My high school had a complete renovation since I’ve graduated.  It was very strange to be there—and it was especially strange to be viewing the musical, rather than being in it.  They performed The Wizard of Oz, and it was spectacular and adorable.  The effects, sets, and costumes were particularly great.  After the Friday show, the cast traditionally goes out to eat, and I suppose you could say I crashed.  It was nice to be able to spend time with friends in the show who I hadn’t seen in a while.

I also got to hang out with my friends Robert, Bev, and Kimber that weekend.  We went to Friendly’s for lunch and then headed back to Bev’s house to play a Wii game Just Dance.  My performance was horrifying—I think I lost every round I played—but it was still fun. 

Over break, I also had to go on a quest to find a paddle.  For Alpha Phi Omega, I have to decorate a paddle to present to my Big.  I’m worried about this since I lack all crafty skill.  At least I have a paddle and supplies, though.  When I went to Michael’s, there was only one paddle and it was cracked.  Then I went to A.C. Moore’s and they only had oak paddles that were very costly!  Fortunately, my dad was able to find a paddle for me at a different Michael’s.

A lot of my break was, admittedly, spent being lazy, sleeping in, watching television, going online, hanging out with my brother, etc.  The only schoolwork I really did was read Daisy Miller for Romantic Novels, not all that impressive since it’s a mere 81 pages, revise my personal essay a little for Intro to Creative Nonfiction (speaking of which, I have my conference about it today; I’m less nervous than last time, but not what I’d call excited) and go to PawsAbilities, a dog expo, for the experience component of my literary journalism piece. 

Maybe that laziness is why I’m missing it! 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Scholar's House: Plans for Next Year

After much thinking and analyzing and generally freaking out, I have landed upon a tentative plan for my living arrangements this year.  Ideally, I’d like to live in the Scholar's House.  The Scholar's House is a small living environment that houses about 23 people.  To live at the Scholars House, you have to be embarking on a personal project, somewhat academic in nature.  Getting into the Scholar's House is not based solely on lottery numbers, like it is for groups to get a place together or for two roommates to find a double.  Rather, there’s an application process to get into the house, and your project idea is reviewed. 

A few posts back, I talked about how I want to do my sophomore essay about representation of faith in Young Adult literature.  My project idea goes hand-in-hand with this.  Ultimately what I want to do as a writer is write novels, and in fact, those were the type of things I worked on before I came to Susquehanna.  This year I think I’ve made strides in my writing, but my only significant completed pieces have been for my Creative Writing classes.  Next year I really need to be working on a novel, and making it my project would ensure that I’d set aside that time for writing.  Also, I would like to start up another blog about Faith and Fiction that would provide reviews of novels that include or speak to faith, particularly those involving teenagers.

I am very excited about this idea and also about the environment of the Scholar's House.  Two of my friends are also applying, but I would still have a chance to meet new people.  Also, I love Hassinger which is a small environment (though not nearly as small as the Scholars House) so hopefully I would enjoy a small environment again.  Additionally, I’m actually looking forward to the idea of a single.  At first this wasn’t all that appealing to me, but I’m beginning to realize the benefits—one being that at the Scholar's House, I can try the single experience and it doesn’t cost me an extra $1000 like the rest of the singles on campus.

The applications are due March 18th, and I should find out if I get in the following week.  Depending on the result of who does or does not get into the Scholar's House, back-up plans might mean I'll end up in a triple, which is a room that is bigger than average and specifically designed for 3 people (Hopefully, this would be in West Hall.) or in a double.   Hopefully whatever happens will work out for the best!  

Spring Break

In the world of television and movies, Spring Break equals hitting the beach with friends and going to wild parties and getting up to all sorts of college-aged shenanigans. In my world (and it seems like the world of most I’ve spoken to), Spring Break means getting to go home! It means relaxation and much watching of the television. It means getting together with friends. It means doing laundry because a massive amount of dirty clothing has accumulated in my dorm room closet. It means getting in a few volunteer hours towards my total for Alpha Phi Omega by going to the library where I volunteered all four years of high school. It means hopefully getting to go see my high school’s production of The Wizard of Oz. It means working on my literary journalism piece for Intro to Creative Nonfiction. It means sending in my application for housing next year. Two friends and I are both aiming for the Scholar’s House.

It also means I am halfway through my second semester of my freshman year of college, which I talked about in my previous post. It just sounds so kooky to me! I can’t believe I only have a quarter of the year left.

Even if I’m a bit freaked out by the quickness of this year, I have to admit how excited I am to go home. I’m very fortunate in that, unlike a lot of my friends, I can leave Thursday instead of Friday. My classes end at 4:05 Thursday, and both of my classes are cancelled the next day. It will also be awesome because my older brother will be picking me up and this is the first time he will get to see my dorm room in person. Also, I will be making him take me to Red Robin after he picks me up, which I’m currently craving as I type.

More so, I think this is a point in the semester where a lot of people, at least among my friends, are ready to escape from campus life for a bit. With midterms coming up, the task of figuring out rooming arrangements for next year, and a bunch of activities in full swing, the past few weeks have gotten a little rough. And though I love SU and am not and will never be the go-home-every-weekend kind of kid, I’m definitely ready, and definitely in need of, a stretch of time at home.

I only have to get through two more days, write a 6 to 8 page essay on 19th century romances (I have about 2 pages...procrastination!), and take a midterm in Applied Biblical Ethics tomorrow.  Not so bad in comparison to the schedules of many.  I'm almost free!