Don't Stop Believin'

Summer is almost here, but there's still that big push that comes at the end. As of Tuesday, I'll be home free, but today will be mildly unpleasant. I found some refreshment this weekend, though. I went home yesterday to experience the glory that is Gainesboro's annual Poke Sallet Festival, and it was a breath of fresh air. It wasn't the festival itself, but it was the car trip with Heather Pierce and having dinner (a really good dinner) with my family. Good conversations and some time away from the dorm room and the homework were helpful, and I know it will all be over soon enough. I just have to survive until Wednesday, and then summer is in full swing. There will be moving, reading, list-making, and general merriment, and I can't wait to get all of that started.

In other news, Brett Favre is on the fence about retirement yet again. As much as I like the guy, it was weird to see him playing for New York, and I'm just not sure I could handle him going to Minnesota. With John Madden retiring and Brett Favre wearing purple, I don't know if I would recognize football. Just keep the Wrangler commercials coming, Brett, and maybe you should just work as an announcer. I would definitely watch that.

The wisdom of Journey is necessary over the next 48 hours. Most of the words are irrelevant, but the ones that stick are the ones that matter:

Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south detroit
He took the midnight train goin anywhere

A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night

Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

Dont stop believin'
Hold on to the feeling
Streetlight people

I am two papers, one video, a set of reader's notes, and a 5-minute presentation from summer. Those things are somewhat stressful, but I know I'll be fine. I don't have to work anymore this week, which is awesome. I feel like all my time has been spent in class or at work this semester, so not having to do either of those makes me happy. Exactly one week from today I will once again be a full-time employee. I don't know if I'm excited about that or not. I am excited, however, about living with Heather and Erin. It's going to be a great summer, and we will be collectively blogging about it.

I've got to stop procrastinating and get to the homework, but I am excited about things to come.

5 Useless Ways to Exercise at College

Everyone hears about the freshman 15 when they start college, but I'm a sophomore so I'm past that. Actually, from my Facebook pictures I can tell I have most definitely lost weight since freshman year. This semester I made exercise a priority, but the end here has been a little stressful and my exercise routine has suffered because of it. I thought I would do a search and see if anyone had practical tips for making time to exercise in college. I thought I might have struck gold when I came across this article: 5 Ways to Exercise at College. As promising as the title sounded, this was the most worthless article I have ever read. Here's why, reason by reason.

#1: Walk to Class

• The idea here is that one should walk rather than drive to class. I don't know how your university is set up, but at Belmont driving to class is not really an option. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure in the normal college world you either live on campus and always walk to class or you get to campus, park a significant distance from your classes and walk. I decided to give the article the benefit of the doubt though and kept reading.

#2: Take Advantage of the Gym

• All I can say here is, "Duh." If you aren't exercising in college, it isn't because you don't know there's a gym. It's because you don't want to use it or you feel like you don't have time. If you met the requirements to get into a university, you can probably figure this one out on your own.

#3: Walk in between Courses

• I might call this a good idea. I don't think it's groundbreaking, and the article mentions, "If you're lucky, you [sic] college has a hiking trail or at least a walking trail." I'm not one of the lucky ones, so the trail thing isn't an option. Also, if I'm on campus I'm probably carrying books. While walking with my books may burn more calories, it's not kind to my back. I'm still not sure whether I will concede and say this was a decent tip, but I think it's the most practical one the article offers.

#4: Take Classes

• Yes, most schools will require you to take a physical education class; however, most school require one PE, so that's only got you covered for one semester. I would love to take an extra hour long class every semester, but tuition is expensive, and I don't have hundreds of dollars per credit hour to spend on classes that won't count.

And finally,

#5: Get Involved in Sports

• I have to quote the whole thing here because it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard:

"Sports are a wonderful way to get scholarships and it's not too late to get involved. Try out for a sport that you enjoy. This is a wonderful way to exercise and it's a wonderful way to ensure that you have enough money to keep attending your school of choice. Not only will you get exercise at the games, but you will also be required to practice several days a week, which will also be a great workout."

Now really, if you are talented enough to play a sport at a college level, especially well enough to get a scholarship, you are not just looking for practical "walk in between classes" exercise tips. You can't just walk on to a college team because you're looking for some exercise! How the heck is this good advice for exercising in college?!

Overall, I found this article useless. If I come up with better ways to fit exercise into a college schedule that don't involve having a large savings account or major athletic talent, I'll post my own tips.

The End is Near

It's finally here--my favorite part of the semester! There are two class days left before finals, and for me at least this is the time when my life becomes most organized. It seems like now is the time when most people begin to freak out and start losing it, but for me this is always the time I start my leisure reading. The biggest perk of this part of the semester is that I now have time to do the assignments I need to do. There are no new readings and no looming projects. I know exactly what I need to do, it's a manageable amount of stuff, and they even give me dead day to work on it all. Plus, when the actual finals hit there aren't anymore classes. So rather than trying to get things done while spending several hours in class every day there is enough time to study, write papers, and finish up projects.

This is the fourth time around, and for some reason I feel like this is a phenomenon only I experience at the end of the year. I haven't quite figured out why everyone else gets stressed while this is my most relaxing time of the year. But to the stressed, this is what I recommend: take some time to chill out and forget about school. Sprinkle the homework time with some breaks to watch tv (or my personal favorite, Gilmore Girls dvds) or start reading something fun and easy (I just started the Janet Evanovich books). If you didn't learn it during the semester, you aren't going to learn it now, so don't stop sleeping in order to cram. This is the most wonderful time of the year, even though Christmas isn't involved in the spring semester. Embrace it, and realize how much extra time you have. Have a dance party. Go to Sonic. Just calm down because it's practically over. Summer is here!

I Can See the Finish

Why does Christmas only come once a year whereas finals come twice? It's not even finals that are stressing me out right now, but it's that point where everything is due. Ever semester leads up to this point, and every couple of weeks at the end of a semester suck. It will all be over soon, and I will eventually move beyond page 2 of my 20-page paper (I was only on page 1 less than a half hour ago, so progress has been made). This is just the point where I need a little boost.

We're on the home stretch, and Heather and I found a little encouragement yesterday from Relient K. I'm going to keep listening to this and working away. Hopefully if you're stressed this will be helpful for you too.

I think we're going somewhere.
We're on to something good here.
Out of mind, out of state.
Trying to keep my head on straight.
I think we're going somewhere.
We're on to something good here.
There's only one thing left to do.
Drop all I have and go with you.

Somewhere back there I left my worries all behind.
My problems fell out of the back of my mind.
We're going and I'm never knowing (never knowing) where we're going.
To go back to where I was would just be wrong.
I'm pressing on.

Pressing on, all my distress is going, going, gone. (pressing on, pressing on)
And I won't sit back and take this anymore.
Cause I'm done with that, I've got one foot out the door.
And to go back where I was would just be wrong
I'm pressing on.

I think we're going somewhere.
We're on to something good here.
Out of mind, out of state.
Trying to keep my head on straight.
I think we're going somewhere.
We're on to something good here.
Adversity, we get around it.
Searched for joy, in you I found it.

Somewhere back there I left my worries all behind;
My problems fell out of the back of my mind.
We're going and I'm never knowing
(Never knowing) where we're going.
To go back to where I was would just be wrong;
I'm pressing on.

Pressing on, all my distress is going, going, gone
(Pressing on, pressing on).
And I won't sit back, and take this anymore.
'Cause I'm done with that, I've got one foot out the door.
And to go back where I was would just be wrong
I'm pressing on.

And to go back where I was would just be wrong
I'm pressing on . . .
On, pressing on, all my distress is going, going, gone
(Pressing on, pressing on).
And I won't sit back and take this anymore
'Cause I'm done with that; I've got one foot out the door,
And to go back to where I was would just be wrong.
I'm pressing on.

You look down on me, but you don't look down on me at all.
You smile and laugh, and I feel the love you have for me.
I think we're going somewhere.
We're on to something good here, and we're gonna make it after all.

Sesame Street Made It Look Easy

I decided to be a real city-kid today, and I failed. A friend and I took the bus to the library downtown. The trip down there was fine, and I loved the library (I will be in the grand reading room next time you can't find me), but getting back was an adventure. We watched several buses pass, but none of them were the one we were waiting for. Finally, the number 2 bus was in sight, but it got to us and continued to drive. If it didn't hurt enough that we were left standing on the corner where we had been for an hour, it was worse that we recognized the driver as the same one who dropped us off earlier! The number 2 was supposed to run every 35-70 minutes, so at this point we were desperate. We hopped on a bus that took us closer to Belmont but not quite all the way. We walked the rest of the way, but we were tired and I was sunburned. I tried to embrace the city, and the city rejected me. No more riding the bus.

Bye Bye, Bottled Water

Belmont University will no longer be selling bottled water in the fall because we're going green. But will this really be effective? Students drink bottled water because it's convenient. Even though they are "investigating BPA free, reusable water containers that can be provided to members of the Belmont community at a minimal cost" the fact is you have to carry those things around with you, and a lot of students just won't. Instead, people will turn to the "variety of sodas and sports drinks, including energy and vitamin waters" that will still be available on campus. Translation: they're going to drink a lot more Pepsi. They will still use bottles, but now they will have less healthy liquids in them. I understand that Belmont is trying to care, but I'm just not sold on this.

I personally have a Nalgene bottle that I try to use; however, when I forget it I like having the option of buying water. Now it looks like I'm out of luck on those days. My other real issue with this is that those bottles (and also water fountains) are going to be germ-infested. College students are not going to wash these bottles well or often. And how many of these bottles will show up without owners because college students frequently lose things?

Dear Belmont, we hosted a debate. We've been on the news. If this is a publicity stunt, can we call it off?

The Announcement
The Press Release
The F.A.Q.s