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, November 14, 2012

A Semester Surrounded by Language

Dragon from the Halloween parade I mentioned :)
On a bus trip to a Halloween parade, I was surrounded by French--French singing, French shouting, French chatter. On another bus trip, this one to some well-known sites around the Causeway Coast of Northern Ireland, I heard more Spanish than I ever have in my life.

In my flat, I will sometimes hear my two Belgian flat mates speaking in Dutch and my two flat mates from Hong Kong speaking in Cantonese, though typically they'll speak English when I'm around. From two other friends, I'll sometimes hear German.

They may need to speak in their own tongues to figure out the word for something in English or simply because it's natural and easier when doing something together, like cooking. Other times people will share how to say something in their language, like, "I love you," or will wish me a good meal with a phrase in their own language.

Though I am in Northern Ireland, an English-speaking country, there is no question that I am more exposed here to other languages than I've ever been in my life. For me, a big part of my study abroad experience has been about getting to know other international students, not just getting to know this country. Hearing snippets of conversation in other languages is now a familiar experience, and I wonder if it's something I might be a bit nostalgic for when I'm back in Selinsgrove, surrounded by English spoken in American accents like my own.

I've come to have such respect for my fellow international students who speak English as a second language. My flat mates, for instance, are all great at English and speak it as much as possible while here. One of my German friends, particularly in the beginning, made an effort not to spend much time speaking German with other German students, so as to work on her English. Many of them also speak, or can get by, in other languages, in addition to English and their first language. It does make me feel a bit inadequate in comparison. I have learned a little bit of German from my education, but not enough that I'd feel comfortable conversing with German friends! When it comes to speaking fluently, I really only have this language.

I also admire them for how they have handled this semester abroad so far. It's a tough adjustment, I think, to get used to a different college in a different country. I certainly had my own difficulties, and I've certainly grappled with my own home-and-Susquehanna sickness. That adjustment would be so much harder if I had to be constantly speaking in a language that was not my first language, which I know requires a lot of thought and effort.

While I get to speak English and can basically understand the Northern Irish accents without too much difficulty, this exposure to other languages does have some ramifications for me and my relationship with English while I'm here. I often am thinking more deeply about the English I'm speaking. Friends will ask me when we use certain phrases in English, what the word would be for something, for correction, etc. When I'm speaking, I sometimes more intentionally consider what words I'm using, if it's slang or colloquial, if the concept is something very American that I would have to explain, etc. Though I know our language is complex and confusing, associating with people for whom English is a second language is a great reminder of that.

And this experience leaves a bit of room to poke fun at myself and my English, too.

Recently, some of my international friends and I were gathered in a flat, and one of the students, who is studying translation back in Spain, pointed out that Americans say "like" a lot. Now that this has been pointed out to some of the people I talk to, I have been caught living up to it. Oh well, that's one American stereotype I admittedly embody (as well as enjoying fast food and having a lot of televisions at my house)! We can't subvert them all!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Just have been busy in Northern Ireland, no big deal

I can't believe it's almost November!

Shopping area in Coleraine
I'm currently studying abroad in Coleraine, Northern Ireland at the Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster. I am very close to the Northern Ireland coast and the famous Giant's Causeway. I've been meaning to blog, but I've been very caught up in this experience. I'm hoping to get some more posts up about studying abroad, though, during this time I have left here (I'm leaving December 15). For now, I'll just catch you up on some of the highlights of my experience so far.

Me at the world famous Giant's Causeway
It was very hard to see so many of my friends starting the semester at Susquehanna while I was still at home. I didn't fly to Northern Ireland until mid-September because the semester here starts much later. I was eager to get the study abroad experience started! Before this semester, I had never left the country and had never been on a plane, so even though I was very excited, I was also kind of terrified. I managed to successfully arrive in Belfast, though, for a short orientation through my study abroad program, IFSA-Butler. After that, I went up to my college in Coleraine.

I'm living on campus in a flat with four other girls. We all have our own rooms. Two of my flat mates are from Hong Kong, and two are from Belgium. They are all really great and sweet! One of the best parts of my study abroad experience so far has been getting to know other international students and talk about our cultures. A big difference here is that I don't have a meal plan, so I've been having to buy my own groceries and prepare my own meals. 

I'm taking three classes here--one about the history of magic and witchcraft in early modern England and Ireland, one on love poetry, and one on twentieth century women writers. My favorite is the class on women writers. We've been looking at some interesting books in it, but the one I liked the most so far was Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. I'm in class for a lot less time than at Susquehanna, so it'll be an adjustment going back to a fuller course load.

Me in front of a monument to Sir Walter Scott in Edinbugh
While I'm here, I've also gotten to do some traveling. Just this weekend I went on a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland with some friends from Susquehanna who are studying abroad in England. It was such a great trip, and the city is absolutely gorgeous! I also went on a weekend trip to Dublin. I really loved the city of Dublin and hope I get time to go back. In November, I'll be visiting London for a weekend and staying with my friend Lindsey.

In front of a cathedral in Dublin
Overall, I'm having a really good experience so far, though there's definitely a lot I miss about Susquehanna. I miss my friends, of course! But I also miss our campus, having a meal plan, free printing, etc. I definitely miss my family as well.

I'm not here too much longer though, so I hope I make the most out of this next month and a half!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

What I've Learned My Sophomore Year

College is supposed to be a time for learning, self discovery, etc. Though it will always sound cliche to talk about what you learned about yourself and life at college, I think there's a lot of truth to that. I tried to reflect on some of the things that I have learned this year. This is by no means an extensive list but is, at least, a little glimpse of what I've been discovering this year.

  • Having a single is not the worst thing ever. It’s actually kind of nice. At the beginning of the year, I struggled a lot with not having a roommate, but there really are some advantages to having a single.  You don’t have to worry about keeping someone up, for instance, when you want to stay up late. I’ll be having a single again next year. I’ll be switching single rooms with someone else when I come back from being abroad. I'm hoping to have a roommate senior year, but it may be a bit of an adjustment after living so long by myself!
  • Academically, I have more interests than just creative writing! Coming into college, I assumed I was going to be an editor when I grew up, that I'd be an editing and publishing minor, that I would be deeply immersed in this department, that I'd be involved in editorial boards all the time, etc. After all, I'd always been the "writing girl" at school, and being well-rounded isn't really my strong suit. While Creative Writing is still very important to me, my involvement is not looking the way I had imagined it would at the beginning of freshman year, and it's not my only pursuit at this school.  My religion minor turned into a religion major this year, and I am so glad it did. I’ve really enjoyed studying Luther and the Reformation this semester, and I am looking forward to continuing my religious studies during the next two years.
  • It’s actually true—you don’t have to live with people in order to maintain your friendships! This is something I believed all along, of course, but there was a certain level of nervousness and adjustment that came from living in the same dorm with all of my friends to having some of them live elsewhere. I’m happy to say that I feel like some of those friendships with people in my freshman residence hall  have even strengthened this year, without us living together! And I'm excited that I'll get to be living with them again next year (though that means not living with some other friends I've been with the past two years).
  •  I like poetry. Writing it and reading it. I’ve always known that I liked poetry in a vague, I’ll-do-this-sometimes-for-fun-but-not-seriously way, but now I know that I like it in the way that I’d like to dedicate some time to writing it and actually becoming good. As for reading it, I have found that I love the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Sara Teasdale. I also like some poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay. I have a lot more reading to do on this front, though.
  • Reflecting on the past two years, I think this year I've been a lot more comfortable with being outspoken. I’ve been a lot more willing to speak my mind in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship activities for instance, like Bible studies or large group discussions. I’ve also taken risks with talking to people I don’t know, through our spiritual survey questions called Soularium and an activity where we give out free cookies and iced tea or lemonade to people on Friday nights. I’ve also made some new friendships this year or bolstered ones that weren’t so strong last year. 
  • To get a bit deeper, I’ve learned that progress does not always come in a straight, upward line. And that’s okay. Progress, in anything, will still involve bouts of struggle, backtracking, etc.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Finals...Dun Dun Dun!

It's the last week of classes, and finals are almost here! This week I need to get a lot of work done on my final papers. Tonight in particular, I need to make progress on one of my papers because I have a conference with my professor about it tomorrow. This paper is for Aesthetics & Interpretation and is about the sitcom Seinfeld and its intersection with Aristotle's thought son comedy. It's been a lot harder to get started than I anticipated. I will also be getting a final exam for this class soon, but it will probably be a take-home, essay type of final.

My other final paper is for Luther: Life & Thought. It's due later than my other final paper so I'll admit it's been on the backburner. I think, once I have really got my thesis tacked down on this, it'll be a lot easier than my Aesthetics paper. I've actually enjoyed doing the research for it and feel as if I have a lot to draw on already, though I do need research in some more areas now that I've made my topic more specific. My paper has a lot to do with pre-Reformation figures--people who came before Luther--and how their thoughts and theologies paved the way for Luther's more revolutionary ideas.

My only "traditonal" exam, having multiple choice, short answer, essays, etc., is in my Asian Religions class, so I'll have to start reviewing for that shortly. I felt like I had a much better understanding and more interest in the first half of the semester, which focused on Hinduism and Buddishm, than this half of the semester, which has focused on Confucianism, Daoism, Zen, Chinese Buddihism, etc.

For Poetry, I need to turn in a final portfolio. I'll be conferencing with my Poetry professor on Thursday and getting feedback on a lot of poems I've turned in this half of the semester. After that, I feel like I'll have a better vision of which poems I want to work on and how much work they'll need.

Overall, I have a good number of things to accomplish before the end of the semester, but I'm not at the point where I'd say it's an overwhelming amount. I am confident in my ability to get all these things done--while still managing to eat meals, not spending all my time in the library, and not going crazy. During mid-terms and finals times, I always feel like I'm generally less stressed than a lot of other people I know. It makes me wonder if I should be more stressed, and it does make me feel a bit guilty. Even so, I'm going to look at it as a fortunate thing!

There's work to get done...and get done, it will!

Monday, April 16, 2012

Drawing to a Close

The year really is drawing to a close. I'm excited for summer, but I have to admit, I'm not all too thrilled about this school year ending. Being halfway through my college experience is frankly terrifying. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to study abroad for a semester, but I'm also a little saddened about missing a semester with my friends here at SU (especially sad when I think about the juniors I know who I'll only get to see for one more semester). And this year it will be weirder to see people graduate than freshman year since I've actually had time to get to know some of them!

In spite of all that, some good things do come at the end of the semester.

This week I get to share some of my Scholars' House project at the large group meeting of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. My project, which was originally to complete a draft of a Christian YA novel, changed over the course of the year, as my creative focus, for some inexplicable reason, could not stay on novels and drifted towards poetry. I am now focusing on compiling a collection of writing that has to do with faith, which will include what I have of the novel and various poems.

I already shared some of the novel at the Undergraduate Literature and Creative Writing Conference. I'll be sharing poetry at the large group meeting this week. I'm especially excited that I'll be able to share this very personal writing on faith in the context of a discussion about faith--a very different context from that of the lit conference. The poetry is a large segment, but not the whole of my talk for Thursday. I will be sharing my writing in a talk about doubt, faith, honest expressions of both, and God's approach to human doubt in Scriptures. I'm very passionate about my subject matter and very pumped for this chance to present it!

This past weekend also provided plenty of fun though mostly of the busy variety. Last year I participated in an event called Lutheran Youth Day. I was able to do this again this year. Lutheran Youth Day brings middle and high school students from around the area to the Susquehanna campus for a day of worship and large group sessions and small group sessions looking at the Bible. I was a small group leader which meant I, with some other SU students, got to lead discussion and activities with these students. I had a small group of high schoolers--sophomores through seniors, I believe--who all seemed very mature, and we had some great and deep discussion! During Lutheran Youth Day, I also performed in an original skit with the organization Acts 29 about the batteries that fuel us in our everyday lives. Acts 29 is a ministry group that uses theater, puppets, etc. I've only very recently gotten involved with this group and was excited that my first performance with them went well. That Saturday I also got to play some frisbee in the rain and dance at a fake prom at TRAX!

I am hoping these last weekends will be filled with fun as well, though maybe, ideally, of the less busy variety. 

Monday, April 2, 2012

Study Abroad, Service, and a Trip to the Opera

I can't believe how little I posted in March! Sorry about that!

I don't think I have much that's particularly exciting to share. I've made substantial progress on the filling-out-study-abroad forms front which is a relief. I've turned in my paperwork about the courses I want to take abroad, and I've also submitted my program contract, deposit, and a scholarship application to the program provider, IFSA-Butler. It's so strange that this semester is almost over and that next semester I won't be here at Susquehanna.

I am being completely honest when I say I love this school. This Saturday was Accepted Students Day, and as part of a service project for Alpha Phi Omega, I got to help out with this day for a little. I was directing foot traffic and pointing people out to specific buildings. A girl approached me looking for the Admissions Office. Before she followed my directions, she introduced herself and told me--beaming--that she was about to hand in her deposit. I was so excited for her.

While I didn't decide to come to SU right on Accepted Students Day, I had left feeling confident that Susquehanna would be a great choice for me. I also reconnected with a girl from the summer Writers' Workshop for high schoolers that day, and she ended up being my roommate freshman year!

I also got to do some other service this weekend. A nearby church has a preschool, and they were putting on an art show this weekend. I went with some of my other brothers to take down the artwork. Sunday, after chapel and brunch, I joined up with Alpha Phi Omega brothers again to pick up trash around Selinsgrove--our attempt to clean up after our fellow SU students. I've discovered that I really enjoy these serviec projects where I feel like I'm physically getting things done. They can get repetitive, but it feels very productive and as if my work is needed.

Another fun part of this weekend was going to see an opera on campus with my friend Karen. The opera was called Die Fleidermaus and was performed by Susquehanna students. I was amazed by the vocal talent on display! It was also fun because I had never seen an opera before so it was great to have that new experience.

Now I only have a four-day week before I can go home for Easter which is definitely exciting. The only not so exciting part is how little of the semester will be left when we come back.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

A Trip to The Library

Right now I’m in the midst of participating in the 30 Hour Famine. During the 30 Hour Famine, people fast for 30 hours (though they drink plenty of juice to keep safe) to raise awareness, as well as money, for world hunger.  I have about 4 hours and 10 minutes until I can break the fast. This is my second year doing the 30 Hour Famine, and it’s seemed a lot easier this year than last! I think it must help this year to know I am capable of doing this.

Because of the 30 Hour Famine, I couldn’t go to lunch today—or I could’ve gone to lunch to chat and been tortured by the sight of others eating, not a great plan. I also had my class right before lunch cancelled. This gave me a free block of time between my first class, Intro to Asian religions, and my work in University Communications that I don’t normally have.

I decided to spend that time in the library. Honestly, although I love libraries and am seriously considering a future working in them, I don’t go to my school’s library all that often. I don’t know why I didn’t take advantage of my location last year—my dorm was right next to the library! I ended up mostly doing work in my dorm room, though, probably a bit afraid that I might miss something fantastically fun. I have to admit, I usually enjoy distractions from work. This year I’m on the other side of campus, so it’s not as convenient for me to hang out and do work there, especially since that would mean having to trek all the way across campus after a late-night work session.

But when I do get to spend time in the library, I really enjoy it. Two of my classes have final papers, and I decided to use today to get a start on my research.  For Aesthetics and Interpretation, I’m hoping to write about theories of comedy, in line with and inspired by Aristotle, as they apply to sitcoms.  I was able to get some good articles from the library databases and two books.  I then moved onto my paper for my religion class on Martin Luther. I decided to just start by checking out some books.

For me, there’s something very satisfying—and maybe even soothing—about the process of finding research materials. Or at least, there’s satisfaction in the culmination of it, in finding that article that is exactly what you need or is a great springboard, in finding a book that covers just what your research interests were.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Seasons Ahead--Making Plans

Plans are coming together--both for this summer and next fall.

Over my Spring Break, I visited a possible internship site--the Historical Society of Dauphin County. I have an interest in a career in academic libraries or archives, and I really wanted to have an internship this summer that would help explore that interest. While there, I received a tour of the John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion, a historical mansion in Harrisburg, and was able to look at the archives part of the society's office. I found out that I would be able to work with unprocessed manuscripts and scanning and writing descriptions for photos. I was definitely interested!

After coming back to school, I found out that this internship will be able to count towards the internship requirement for my Creative Writing major. Not only do I get to do something that's really interesting to me, but that's one less thing to worry about completing during the school year. I still have to fill out a form, though, and turn it into the Registrar, so I need to work on that.

Though I have been approved for study abroad by Susquehanna, I've also received my official acceptance to the University of Ulster-Coleraine campus in Northern Ireland for next fall. I have been able to get some things decided, like my course (module, as they say in the U.K.) and housing preferences. Over break, I also was able to apply for my passport. There's still a lot left to do to prepare for study abroad, though. Studying abroad seems to come with a never-ending supply of forms--just a warning to other students out there! For instance, I still need to get together my scholarship application for study abroad.     

Anyway, I'm looking forward to both of these things a lot. Though it's always a little bit stressful to get things planned, I feel confident that things are working out pretty well so far!

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Midterms and Spring Break

It’s midterm time here at Susquehanna which means it’s almost time for Spring Break! I’m so excited to be going home on Friday. Unfortunately, there are some things I have to finish up before then.

My main task to complete before break is my Aesthetics and Interpretation midterm. This was a take-home midterm. I have to write 2 essays, roughly 2 pages each, which didn’t sound too difficult until my professor estimated it would take four to six hours. I really need to start on these essays tonight. I’ve blocked out two hours today to work on them. I’ll have to see how far that gets me!

I also have some more work to do for study abroad. As I mentioned before, I’m already approved by Susquehanna, but I have stuff to do for the program provider, IFSA Butler. I need to do a few paragraphs about myself and an academic statement, among other things, and get them sent out to Butler as soon as I can. I also have to make some choices on my housing preference form for where I’d like to live that semester. At least I have my ideal courses selected—Magic and Witchcraft in Early Modern Britain and Ireland, Writing the North: the Literature of the Troubles, and From the Vote to the Pill: Twentieth Century Women’s Writing. This would give me the elective credits I need for my Creative Writing major, as well as one religion elective for my Religion major.

For my Poetry course, I need to turn in three revised poems, but fortunately, the due date for that was pushed back to Monday so I will have some time to work on them at home, if need be.

At least I have one midterm done. Today I took my Intro to Asian Religions mid-term exam which included multiple choice, true or false, short answer questions, and an essay. I took up all the allotted exam time (I was jotting down my last sentence with 90 seconds to spare), but I feel confident about how I did.

I do not have many plans yet for Spring Break, though I certainly want to get in some sleep and relaxation.  A lot of friends from high school seem to have overlapping spring breaks this year so I’m planning on hanging out with them for sure! I am also going to be meeting with a historical society in Harrisburg to discuss a summer internship possibility in their archives. I also have a dentist appointment which is decidedly less exciting. No matter what my plans might be, I’m quite excited to be heading home Friday. 

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Joy Castro Reading

I’ll admit that I don’t go to nearly as many readings as a Creative Writing major should, and usually the ones I go to are because a Creative Writing professor required—or strongly encouraged—me to do so. Maybe it’s because my tastes aren’t always so literary. Or maybe it’s because it’s harder for me to make sense of things when they’re read aloud. The latter is especially the case with poetry. Unless read slowly and sort of obviously, the lines of the poem become wispy and too much for me to hold and make sense out of—even when I think I’d be able to get the poems just fine if I read them on paper.

However, on Monday, as part of the Undergraduate Literature and Creative Writing Conference, I went to the Joy Casto reading without being required to do so, and I think it may have been one of my favorite readings I’ve been to so far as Susquehanna.

I had never read any of Joy Castro’s work before but I was very impressed. Castro is mostly a nonfiction writer. She read to us some standalone essays as well as excerpts from her memoir The Truth Book. She also read to us from her first novel, Hell or High Water, which is coming out in July.

Castro’s writing was lyric and evocative. It was often dark, but there was also humor laced through some of her work. Certain scenes and essays stick in my mind, including a scene of young Joy questioning religion and Truth Book, Joy and her mother peeling apples, an essay about her deceased friend whose life path had diverged from her own and an essay about aging and marriage. 

There's definitely an added impact to nonfiction when hearing it spoken by the person who has gone through it all. Though I am not much of a creative nonfiction writer, hearing Joy Castro read reminded me of the power and creativity behind the genre. 

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Alpha Phi Omega Updates

I don’t think I’ve updated this blog recently on my activity with my service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, so I figured I’d bring you up-to-date.

This is the first semester I’ve taken a Little. A Little is someone who is pledging the fraternity that you help through the pledging process. It’s definitely exciting since last semester I was a tiny bit envious of all the other people who had Littles. So far there hasn’t been that much to do as a Big, except decorating a binder filled with all the information she needs for pledging and making her flashcards with the pictures and names of all the other pledges. Bigs and Littles have to meet once a week, and our meeting spot is in Mellon Lounge, a part of Degenstein Campus Center.  Last week we both got Java City, which is a plate to get coffee on campus. Due to me being a bit strange and not liking coffee, I ended up getting apple juice. 

I’ve also become our chapter’s Alumni Secretary. I am working with another member on Alumni Relations to keep alumni informed about what’s going on in our chapter. Hopefully, we’ll also be able to relay information about alumni successes to current members. Maybe we will even have some of them come in to speak!  This was an appointed rather than elected position, and it’s kind of a nice way to get my feet wet, in terms of leadership. I don’t usually classify myself as much of a leader and tend to do things solo, so I think this will be a good experience for me.

The next big service project I’m signed up for with Alpha Phi Omega is the Relay for Life. Last year, I did it with some girls from my freshman residence hall. It’s definitely exhausting, since it goes from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., but it should be worthwhile to do it again! I’m hoping that APO will be able to raise a lot of money. I think we are going to have at least 3 APO teams. Of course, I also hope Susquehanna, as a whole, is able to raise a ton.  Other big projects coming up include 30 Hour Famine and Lutheran Youth Day, both of which I did last year. 30 Hour Famine raises awareness of hunger around the world, as well as money, and Lutheran Youth Day brings a lot of students from Lutheran youth groups to campus for worship and sessions. Both of those were very fulfilling projects next year, and I look forward to doing them again.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Undergraduate Literature Conference--Year 2!

Usually I can sleep in until 9:30, hurriedly get dressed, and get myself to class right on time. Today, though, I was up early for the annual Undergraduate Literature and Creative Writing Conference. For the eighth year, the conference brings together undergraduate students, not only from Susquehanna but from other colleges as well, to present scholarly papers and creative works. It also features speakers.
My panel was at the crazy early time of 8:30 a.m.—the same time that I had to read last year!  I’ll admit that this year was much more convenient, though, since last year it snowed and I had a much farther and wetter trek to the campus center, Degenstein.
Despite this 8:30 a.m. time, my friend Sarah (she’s also my Big from Alpha Phi Omega) showed up to support me, which meant a lot. It’s always nice during these kinds of events to know there’s at least one person there to see you.
The other readers on my panels had interesting things to say though it’s a bit hard to focus when you’re getting nervous. Two of the readers shared scholarly papers, one on Faustus, the other on Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, and the other Susquehanna student read poetry.
I was sharing a part of my Scholar’s House project by reading an excerpt of my Christian Young adult novel Who Makes Things Grow. I think my voice was a bit shaky at first, but after a few pages, I got into the swing of things. Though I’m not in as far as I’d like to be in the novel, and though I certainly didn’t share a polished draft, I was pleased, overall, with the excerpt I shared. There was a lot of dialogue, but it was pretty representative of the tone of the writing. I also managed to get some amused smiles at certain lines; that’s always appreciated.
Afterwards, attendees had a chance to ask questions. I was asked about why I thought writing about religion was important for teenagers, which I was able to answer both with personal experience and some of the knowledge I attained from writing my sophomore essay (though, in hindsight, I can’t help but wish that I had more of that information ready to articulate). Someone else drew a connection between me and another presenter’s use of visual art in our writing. One of my main characters is a collage artist, and one of the dominant scenes in the excerpt featured him doing a collage of the cross. I talked a little bit about the role of art in establishing his character and conflict with his friends. Again, in afterthought, I have many things I’d like to add to that explanation. All in all, though, none of the questions caught me too off-guard, unlike last year when I was stumped by a question from a professor.
The panel ended early, and with some time to spare, Sarah and I grabbed breakfast—an act that’s tremendously rare in my world. I also got a cancelled class out of the conference since English professors spend their day there.
Soon I’ll probably attend the reading of visiting writer Joy Castro. I’m not familiar with her work, but a lot of my friends are going and it should be interesting.
All in all, I had a good experience with the conference today, and it's made me feel more prepared for the reading I'll eventually be doing for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Preparing for a Semester Abroad

Last month, I was approved for studying abroad a semester in Northern Ireland at the University of Ulster.  Specifically, I’ll be spending my fall there. Though that was definitely exciting, it was only the beginning of a long process. Some of Susquehanna’s study-abroad, or GO (Global Opportunities), options are available directly from our university, such as SU in London: Regent’s College. Others, though, are through outside providers. The program I’m going to attend is through a provider called IFSA-Butler. Because of that, my application journey was not over once I had Susquehanna’s stamp of approval; I also have to apply directly to IFSA-Butler by March 1st.
On Monday, I attended a Q & A session about the application process and learned more about applying, as well as the other steps I have to take before I go abroad. Hearing about these details makes everything seem more real. 
One of the most important things I have to do is get approval for the courses I want to take while abroad. While I’m in Northern Ireland, I hope to take something that can count for one of my Central Curriculum requirements—my Artistic Intensive requirement. I also will probably be taking a course or two for my Creative Writing major. To make sure courses transfer, I need to get approval from department heads. For the Central Curriculum ones, I need approval from the registrar. There are a lot of great courses available at the University of Ulster-Coleraine, where I’ll hopefully attend, including tons of interesting literature courses. The hard thing is that, there, a full course load is only 3 classes. I’ll have to limit myself! Depending on the courses I take, I may be able to leave, after a semester, with a Certificate or Advanced Certificate in Irish Cultural Studies, which would be cool to have.
Another concern is my living situation when I come back to Susquehanna in the spring. Typically, students enter a housing lottery to get the room they want for the next year, but I can’t do that when I’ll be gone first semester. My basic options are to find someone who won’t be here in the spring and switch places with them or to let Residence Life find me somewhere to live. Something I have to consider is whether or not I want to have a single next year. I’d much rather have a single than room with someone I don’t know well or at all. Also, at that point, I will probably have lived in a single for 1.5 years (all of this year, sophomore year, and I think my semester abroad) so it might be a tough adjustment having a roommate again—especially if it’s not the ideal situation. However, singles are also more expensive.
I’m expecting that getting ready to go abroad will get a little stressful at times, but I am convinced it will be more than worth the hassle once I’m actually there!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

At Schools Not So Far Away

Last night, I went with some members of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship to Bucknell University for a talk and a Q&A with David Lamb, author of God Behaving Badly: Is the God of the Old Testament Angry, Sexist and Racist? and Old Testament scholar. He addressed some of the problematic texts in the Old Testament and our popular conceptions of God, as portrayed in the Old Testament. Then the room was opened up to questions. This was particularly interesting since people came into the talk with vastly different opinions about the Bible.

According to Mapquest, Bucknell is about 13 miles away. Its proximity is what allowed for such a short-notice trip. Our InterVarsity chapter didn't plan on going until the night before.

A few weeks ago, for my Introduction to Poetry course, we met at Bucknell to attend a poetry reading by Mark Doty. The class broke up into different cars, got oursevles there, attended the reading, and got back to Susquehanna all within, approximately, the normal timespan for our class.

These two times, I've only seen Bucknell in the dark, but I'll be able to see it in the light later this month. Bucknell will be hosting InterVarsity's Dig-In, a weekend-long conference that brigns together students from different colleges in the area to study Scripture. Last year Susquehanna hosted, which was super convenient for us. This is also convenient for Susquehanna students because, at the end of the day, we'll be able to return to our dorms rather than stay overnight with Bucknell host students, which is what students who come from farther distances will be doing.

Penn State is much farther away than Bucknell but it is still a reasonable distance for special trips. This semester, I went with a gorup of friends to a concert at Penn State's Bryce Jordan center called Witner Jam.

Visiting these colleges inspires some reflection on Susquehanna. Penn State, for instance, feels like an entirely different world. It's enormous and bustling and overwhelming, and I can't really imagine going there. Bucknell also seemed to have a different atmosphere than SU.

I know that other students and student groups sometimes visit these schools for concerts, readings, etc. It's not something I usually take advantage of since I don't have a car; in fact, these are the only three instances wehre I've been to other schools while at Susquehanna. Still, though there's plenty to do at Susquehanna, it's nice that there's the option to drop in on other colleges when there's special events that interest you. The best part is that after said events, at least if at Bucknell or Penn State, it's not too long before you're back to being cozy in your room at Susquehanna.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

A Broadened Path

Going into college, I was fairly confident about what I wanted to do with my life. I was going to go into publishing, preferably young adult or children’s publishing, be an editor, something like that. And I was also going to be a Young Adult novelist. Pretty simple.
But as freshman year proceeded, I felt myself opening up to different possibilities. The prospect of publishing became less attractive, and the idea of librarianship came into the picture. With that came ideas of different kinds of librarianship—university librarianship, rare books librarianship, even work in archives.
Now, this year, particularly this semester, I feel myself opening up to even more possibilities as I become engrossed in my second major. I feel like the academic study of religion potentially holds something important for my future. But I don’t know what. What could I do with a graduate degree in religion--become a professor? That idea is fairly intimidating. I never thought of myself as a teaching type of person. Still, I’m drawn to the idea of graduate school, research, academia, etc., albeit hesitantly. This hesitance is, of course, appropriate because most of these ideas are wispy, newly floating in my head; plus, grad school would only be an option if I was fully or nearly-fully funded. Still, I can’t help but feeling like there is something there—something in this Religion major that may translate into a direction for my career.
Perhaps religion and librarianship would somehow find a combination in theological librarianship or the archives of a religious denomination--though that's a slim, slim field.
There’s communications to consider as well. My scholarship at Susquehanna includes an Assistantship in Advancement Communications. When I graduate, I’ll have four years of internship experience that would give me an edge in obtaining an entry-level communications job. Do I want to be in communications? I’m not sure. It’s the most practical choice out of everything I’ve considered, and the idea of communications for a non-profit I care about has a certain level of appeal. Maybe I’d be able to combine Communications with religious studies and work for a non-profit that deals with something like ecumenicism, which promotes unity and understanding between Christian denominations.
Even writing possibilities have expanded. For my scholar’s house project, I originally planned on completing a full draft of a Christian Young Adult novel, but I have found myself hardly motivated, in terms of fiction. Instead I keep turning to poetry. I’ve even adjusted  my project so my end-product is not a novel draft but a collection of writings dealing with faith—including both a segment of a novel and poems.  
For a girl who’s always been fairly set on what she wanted to do—at least the be-a-writer part of the equation—it’s unsettling that college hasn’t narrowed down my path but broadened it.  I’ll admit, I hope this broadening will suddenly contract senior year—that I will be led, clearly, to a pathway that is both fulfilling and financially viable. In fact, I would like for that contraction to take place now. In the meantime, though, I’ll have to try to make the best of this broad path of possibility.  

Monday, February 6, 2012

The Bounce Funplex and Other Weekend Events

Yet again I’m at the start of another week—the fourth week of classes! This semester already seems like it’s flying by. It’s hard to believe that after this semester is over, my next semester will be in Northern Ireland (a prospect that is kind of scary but also very exciting). After that I’ll only have three semesters left at SU.
There are still so many Susquehanna firsts I have left to explore. This weekend, I participated in something that must be akin to a Susquehanna rite of passage; I went to the Bounce Funplex. The Bounce Funplex is very close to our campus. Basically, it has this huge floor of trampolines to bounce on, with trampoline walls as well. There is also a foam pit to jump into, with a trampoline floor leading up to it. On Saturday, friends and I went for one hour of bouncing. We could’ve paid for two, but I’m glad we stopped when we did. It was fun but absolutely exhausting! I definitely left sore, and I hadn’t even dared to attempt flips or other hardcore jumping feats.
When we arrived back on campus, friends and I grabbed dinner and took it to the Open Mic Night sponsored by the literature and slam poetry clubs. This night was at Susquehanna’s coffeehouse, Charlie’s. The place was packed so we ended up sitting in the back. Though we didn’t stay the whole time, we got to hear a few great poems, a song, and some of a nonfiction piece.
Later on that night, I headed over to the Sock Hop at TRAX, Susquehanna’s nightclub. I wasn’t sure I would stay that long, but I had a lot of fun. The dance was 50s themed and featured older music to swing dance to as well as contemporary music.
SU Swings! offered a swing lesson in the beginning of the night. As a not-so-skilled dancer, I was a reluctant participant. I kept feeling bad for my partner about the stupid things I was messing up (I'm a bit directionally challenged)—but I still feel like I learned a little bit. I've discovered that I don't like being bad at things, which sounds like a trait everyone probably shares. However, I think I get particularly frustrated when I don't have a natural aptitude for something--so frustrated that I stop before I can learn the new skill. In that sense, I’m a bit excited for myself that I participated in the lesson at all.
Sunday was not as interesting, as I mostly just stayed in sweatpants or pajamas, did laundry, worked on an essay about the Bhagavad Gita, and generally ignored the Super Bowl's existence.
I am hoping this will be a good week leading up to an exciting weekend, as well. Already on the agenda is a reunion of my friends from my freshman dorm, Hassinger, on Friday evening. I basically see all of them but rarely all at once, so it will be great to have them all together.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Appreciating My New Major

I’ve mentioned previously how much I’ve been enjoying my classes this semester, but I wanted to talk a bit more about how much I’m enjoying my religion classes. Last semester I bumped up my Religion minor from a Religion major. There was a decent amount of stressing on my part as I debated this decision. I’d be adding more requirements! I needed to be sure I’d get things finished! I didn’t want to majorly overload! And anyway, I’d be studying abroad for a semester! You know—those types of things. But I knew it was something I really wanted to do, and I ended up doing it.
This semester has definitely been confirmed that I made the right choice.
I am enjoying my Intro to Asian Religions class because everything is entirely new to me, so I feel like I’m learning a lot. I had a bit of background on the religions from a World History class in high school, but not an extensive understanding. For example, I know I once learned the caste system. But now I’ve read some of Hinduism’s most important texts, The Bhagavad Gita,  know the different forms of yoga (they don’t all have to do with meditating and stretching; in fact, the most popular form of yoga in India is bhakti, which is all about devotion to a god), and have an elementary understanding of concepts like rta and  dharma. I know the Hindu story behind creation and that the escape from the cycle of the reincarnation, into the Brahman, is called moksha. And this is really just the beginning of the course!
 I appreciate learning about a religion that shapes much of the world and is foreign to me, and I also appreciate its interaction with my faith. Rather than acting as a threat to my own Christian point of view, I think it actually inspires reflection on my faith.  I would love to one day take some comparative theology or comparative religion courses to engage even more heavily in that type of reflection.
My favorite class of the semester, though, is my Luther: Life and Thought course. As someone who, up until freshman year, had never attended a non-Catholic church service, I’m not exactly a Luther expert.  However, I think this contributes to my interest in the Protestant Reformation. Though I probably have more Protestant leanings, I think I have some Catholic sensibilities as well. Because of all these things, I find the divisiveness and lack of understanding that sometimes occurs between Protestants and Catholics really upsetting; I also find the relationship, differences, and history academically intriguing.

Anyway, I am learning a lot about the practices and theology of the Catholic church during Luther's time, as well as information on Luther's life (I'm particularly interested in the fact that he was often, in his early years, in spiritual crisis) and some of the figures in it (like Johann Von Staupitz—a very fun name to say; also, that almost everyone important was named Johann). Probably the most interesting part is learning about some of Luther’s theological concepts, like his ideas on free will (which I think I disagree with) and the state of a Christian as simultaneously saint and sinner.
I am actually enjoying these classes so much that it’s been making me think how I can incorporate my Religion degree into whatever my future career may be. I don’t have anything about that figured out yet, but I do know that I am excited to keep on taking Religion courses and learning more!

Monday, January 30, 2012

College Family

College is a home away from home. Any good home away from home requires a family away from family. People to support you emotionally, give you advice, help you grow--sure, the family can and probably should do all these things. But there's also the simple matters of having people to spend time with on the weekend or to go with to meals--the people who are consistent characters in chapters of our life (and we reciprocate in their storybooks as well.) Unlike my immediate family, which hasn't added new members since my birth, college families are more flexible. Dynamics can shift. New people can be taken into the fold. Those farther out on the limbs of the family tree can come closer and closer. The college family is a family that you have to actively pursue in friendship, a family that, often, it looks like you choose, even I think it's a matter of fortuitously falling into these right friendships--a blessing.

If you can't already tell, I feel as if I have family at college. Maybe even multiple families.

The campus organization closest to my heart, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, is an example of one of these families. I will not pretend that I know everybody in the organization super well, but many of my friendships have been found or developed through InterVarsity--including some of my best friends. Plus, there are always people in it to get to know better! I can liken it to an extended family, in some sense. Every week I have some time with this family--whether that's merely hanging out with friends from it, outside any structured activitise, getting together for our weekly large group meeting the Banquet (and then chilling after--usually for way too long, as my homework cries for attention in my room), or going to a small, Life Group where I can talk about the Bible or simply my life with fewer people. Just this weekend, InterVarsity had its annual Lock In, which is basically just a big hang-out session until everyone decides to go to bed. From around 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m, I hung out with InterVarsity friends, playing games, talking, etc. It was so much fun! Thinking about what a great time I had with all of my InterVarsity friends that night has helped inspire these ideas of family.

InterVarsity is definitely not my only family, though. I have great friends, also some of my best friends, outside of it. In particular, I think of two of my friends who I really became close to living in Hassinger last year. We all live in a row this year in the Scholar's House. We do a lot together--eating dinner or lunch, frequently ordering pizza on weekends, chilling and watching movies, etc. Even when I'm getting totally over-emotional, they are completely there for me--even if that involves tears and unintelligible ranting. They're a huge part of my life.

Don't get me wrong--nothing can replace the family I grew up in and love! But when you're away from home, I think having a family of friends is a neccesity. It is also one of the greatest things about college. Sure, the learning can be lovely at times, but learning alone just doesn't result in the same kind of hugs.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

A Boardwalk, A Band, And More

This weekend--my first full weekend back at school--was filled with a lot of fun activity with friends. I'll admit that the beginning of my Saturday was quite lazy, but hey, it's nice to sleep in after the first week of classes!

The day picked up when I went to the opening of the art exhibit Up Routed For with two of my friends. First, we heard the artist talk about her work. Then we were able to look at it all in the gallery. I'm far from an art expert, but the exhibit seemed fun and unique to me. It featured video scuplture, a medium that I wasn't very used to seeing. One of my favorite things, at least in terms of experience, was the boardwalk that we were encouraged to walk on. It incorporated a video of the word "foreigner" being written in sand. Another fun video sculpture was called "Jacob's Ladder;" it was a tower of televisions playing video of escalators going up. There was also some really great photography that included houses and bridges made of postcards set against architectural backdrops.

Later that night, I met with those same friends to head over to TRAX, where the band Kingsfoil played a show. They had performed as an opening act at the fall semester's Neon Trees concert which I hadn't been able to attend, so this was my first time seeing them. They were good and super nice when we met them. Overall, it was a lot of fun! After they finished playing, TRAX kept playing music so we stuck around to dance.

Sunday was also a busy day. It started out with a chapel service honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. The music was especially great. Some of his favorite hymns had been chosen for the service. Afterwards, I had a long brunch with friends; Sunday brunch is one of my favorite meals of the week. Later that day, I helped my friend Karen cook dinner for a young adult service we go to at the Selinsgrove Church of the Nazarene. I am not much of a cook, but I was happy to help; the meal ended up being delicous. That night, friends and I met in the student center lobby to have a homework party.

Now the school week has started, and I am still feeling really great about my classes! My religion classes, I think, are going to be the most interesting this semester. I feel as if I'm learning a ton in Intro to Asian Religions. Right now we're learning about Hinduism, which I knew a bit about from World History classes; however, this class is totally expanding my understanding. I am also completely interested in my Luther: Life and Thought course.

So far, this semester has been off to a great start, and I'm hoping things continue that way!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

An Ode to Good Cafeteria Food

I will not lie to you, blog readers, and say that college cafeteria food equals culinary greatness. It's even harder for me because I am notorious for being a picky eater. However, even for my very particular self, there are foods that make lunches at the cafeteria worthwhile. Mostly, the following:
  • Mac and cheese. I used to be really picky about the type of mac and cheese I ate, but I am glad I had the courage to set aside my picky eater habits for some of Susquehanna's delicious mac and cheese.
  • Bread sticks. I'm always so excited whenever I see them and tend to get three. It's a perfect side dish to whatever I'm having!
  • The right kind of fries. The caf serves a variety of fries, and people tend to have their favorites. I've definitely gotten into debates for praising one kind of fry and denigrating the other.
  • Cheese lasagna. Again, I'm a really picky eater, and lasagna isn't something I ate a lot at home. I'm glad I shook that up a little here because I love when they have at lasagna.
  • These really good sugar cookies. Now, they don't appear too often in the cafeteria desserts section, but when they do, their deliciousness makes my day--or week.
  • We also have good ice cream. A few times last semester I would take a cone for my walk from the student center to the science center. Writing about it is making me really wish I got some today.
Another great meal to have at the caf is Sunday brunch (I can't comment on breakfast since I can't wake myself up that early). I admit, I'm mostly a fan of the bacon, but they offer an array of breakfast and lunch foods.

For dinner, you'll usually find me at Benny's, which is in the student center basement and you can order your meal. I typically get a chicken caesar wrap (but with ranch dressing), fries, and a water, but sometimes I'll have chicken tenders or a slice of pizza.

Even though I do have my food favorites, I doubt anyone would say the best aspect of meals at college is the food. Even when eating on-campus seems to pale in comparison to dining options at home, it does have that great element: time, everyday, that you can set aside to connect with friends. 

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Happy Kind

It’s the second day of classes, and I still feel quite optimistic about this semester. This schedule is more tailored to my interests than any other semester. All four of my courses apply to my two majors. Aesthetics and Interpretation and Intro to Poetry go toward Creative Writing, while Intro to Asian Religions and Luther: Life and Thought obviously go toward Religion.

So far, I’ve liked all the classes I’ve had. The only thing left to experience is my Intro to Poetry class. That class is as night class, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I haven’t had any night classes yet so it’ll be interesting to see how I like that. I’m guessing it’ll be good that, out of all classes to have at night, I have poetry—something creative that I’m interested in, and something that will often be interactive because it’s a workshop course. One of the big problems I’ve heard from those who have taken night classes is that it’s difficult to pay attention, especially towards the end of class and especially if the subject matter doesn’t interest you.
Other than that, I’m still in that period of adjusting back to school life. I think I’ll feel like things are back to normal once the activities I’m involved in restart. Beyond changing classes, there are a few other differences between this semester and the last. Some people I know have gone abroad this semester, while other people have returned. Our dorm got new mattresses which I’m still getting used to as I fall asleep, though when I wake up it feels perfectly comfortable (though, then, getting up and going to class is the alternative). Speaking of my room, it’s, as always, in a bit of disarray—this time from half-unpacked bags strewn all over my floor; I mean, I’ll get to them eventually. I’m also still working out a lunch routine since last semester I had pretty standard days of who I ate with and when.
Mostly, though, being back at school requires a completely different mindset from over winter break. I spent 30 plus hours at work each week at home, hanging up clothing at a thrift store—hard work, but not mentally challenging. The rest of my time I spent relaxing and watching a lot of television—some Parks and Recreation on DVD with my brother, and some Friday Night Lights, one of my new favorite shows, on Netflix on my own.  Though I saw my friends a few times over break, generally it was a break from a lot of social activity—and I’m definitely ready for that break to be over!
Overall, this week is a week of adjusting, but so far, it’s proving to be the happy kind.

Monday, January 16, 2012

And We're Back!

I am ecstatic to be back on SU's campus for the latter half of my sophomore year. All I seem to do on this blog is marvel at the passage of time, but it really is so hard for me to believe that it's my fourth semester here. Winter break, about a month long, gave me plenty of time to miss school and my friends here--especially since I spent most of it working.

This semester I am looking forward to continuing activities with coed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. For Alpha Phi Omega this semester, I will be having a "Little," which is a pledge who you mentor through the pledging process. I have no idea who my "Little" will be, but I am excited to have one! I'll also be getting to work on my Scholar's House project--a novel and a blog. The blog, about faith and writing, can now be found here, if you're interested. I really need to buckle down, in terms of the novel draft, and get things done.

I'm  rather optimistic about my classes this semester, as well. I'll be taking Intro to Asian Religions, Aesthetics & Interpretation, Luther: Life & Thought, and Intro to Poetry. I am most excited for Intro to Poetry since I've been in somewhat of a poetry phase lately. So far, I've already had Intro to Asian Religions and Aesthetics & Interpretation. Both of the classes left great impressions.

All in all, I'm excited for what this semester has in store. Hopefully, I'll keep a great record of it here!