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!

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.

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!

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!

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!