Life After Graduation

Sadly enough, I have no plans yet for after graduation. As I mentioned before I am unqualified for a career in my field of choice. So what does that mean for me? It means I will be going back to work at a country club, a job never hated so much before. I will continue sending me resume to places in hopes someone will want me. If not maybe I can suffice by being a nanny because I just cannot stand waiting hand and foot on people who do not appreciate the help.

On the other hand, I feel like everyone else around me has these grandiose plans for the future, and that is really discouraging right now, but I am trying to be optimistic. I am going to miss all of those who are going away terribly -- I don't do well with change.

It has been a great four years and I can deal with a summer break, but I cannot yet deal with the fact that it will be over for good. I know alot of people share different views from mine and that they are so ready for graduation. And, in the academic part of college I am burnt out and over, but not the personal relationships I have made with those around me. So, I thank everyone for giving me the opportunity.

This past Sunday the Tiger SAAC Awards were held at Casey's Restaurant off-campus. Since its inception this event has taken place in the gym and has been catered through the school. However, the company that Wittenberg caters through, Sodexo, is overpriced and too expensive for the athletic budget. It was actually cheaper for SAAC to rent a room and buy meals at Casey's. While it is frowned upon to seek outside sources for events, it was urged by the athletic director to go off-campus. If anything I would think it would be cheaper to stay on campus and within house. But, we also did the same thing for our opening reception for our winter and spring Art shows. We bought and made our own food.

I found this very interesting after remembering Shelly's comment about Sodexo prices and Wittenberg taking more than a fraction of the cost. So who is really getting the money? And what is going on??

If anyone can shed some light on the subject I would be really interested in hearing about it.

Rain, Rain Go Away

April showers bring May showers...no, thats not right.

It has literally been raining for over a month straight and I am getting pretty sick and tired of it to say the least. Not only has it dampened my spirits but all of campus as well. It affected the location of the Wittfest concert and has the potential for ruining graduation. The forecast is not projected that far in the future, but the average has been about 71 degrees so I will keep my fingers crossed.

If graduation is moved inside I am worried I will not have enough tickets for my closest family members coming from out of town to watch me graduate. Each senior is alotted 6 tickets for the ceremony if it is held indoors. Unfortunately I need 13. And as if I am not already stressed about the situation my mom is FREAKING OUT! It would be the first graduation in a long while to have been held indoors so please pray to the rain gods.

April showers bring May flowers, and what do May flowers bring? HAPPY graduating seniors :)

I am all for religion, or organized thought however, it is really bothersome when someone tries to force their beliefs on you. Someone yesterday said they believe in a deity that believes in the goodness of people and that is what I think should be the foundation of religion. I grew up Catholic, but currently am on a path to find out what is right for me. I have found recently several hyper-religious people who feel the need to judge other people for their decisions or actions, and do so publicly via Facebook or other outlets. Do not scorn me. You have the right to believe what you want and so do I. Because my actions do not align with your beliefs does not make me a sinner.

These are the same people who live the Bible so strictly, they still believe gay people are sinners. That they are, and I quote, "giving into the temptation of sin." What sin are they committing? Is love a sin?

People don't understand that the world is always evolving and changing and stuff that might have been right thousands of years ago isn't what is right for us now. It is the same reason why laws have changed, to better suit our society.

Re: Tornado

About a week ago I addressed my safety concerns regarding tornado warning. Chief Loney sent us an email the following day with university protocol for such matters. This has been the only email students have received about what to do in the event of a tornado. However, it is not my concern of what to do. I have done tornado drills since I was in kindergarten: seek shelter, go to the lowest place, avoid windows, remain calm, etc. This is not my concern. My concern is that our only notification system is <150 character text message sent to only subscribers of the system. The university should have sent out a link informing students of how to sign up for such alerts. Also, just GIMME A DAMN ALARM! Then there wouldn't be any question as to what precautionary measures we should take. The university still has yet to confront this issue, after it was brought up during last year's storms.

Blah, Blah, Blogs

So, I haven't been so good about writing blogs for class. What's up with that?

Blogging is the new media outlet taking over. A blog is where one can post entries as often as wanted and viewers can follow and comment back to the writer. Even the ever popular Facebook and Twitter are like mini-blogs, where one can update short statuses that people follow. It has become such a hype.

I think it has honestly just become too much to follow. I enjoy the whole idea since it is becoming very mainstream in our culture. However, it becomes confusing to determine which sources are reliable, or which ones we even care about. I think blogs that work best that I would consider following would have a consistent theme (e.g. sports blogs, craft blogs, or food blogs) something that I could enjoy following, but wouldn't have to rely on for the facts. If I want the news I will pick up a newspaper or check and online news site.

Also, I feel that I have enough opinions that no one wants to hear me rant about what I have to say. Therefore, I feel like my blog is simply unimportant. To comment on what Shelly had written in her blog I agree that we should have discussed them more in class. Maybe pick three out a week to talk about so that we know our stories and opinions are being read. If they aren't being read maybe we can discuss how to improve them so they are more interesting or of value to our followers.

Having said that I don't really enjoy reading other peoples rants either. I think informative blogs work best, BUT it is nice to just get what you want to say out there every once in a while.

My Least Favorite Thing About Wittenberg

Remember when getting a degree qualified you for a job? Yep, doesn't seem to be the case any longer. I would think a BA Studio Art degree with a concentration in graphic design and photography would teach me the skills I would need to get a job in Advertising, especially when I have been paying 100 of thousands of dollars for an education. However, the required courses for this major have not prepared me for a career in my area of expertise. Sadly, enough.

The jobs I am seeking are graphic design positions. I am highly knowledgeable in the Adobe Creative Suites programs, which would make me fit for any print job. Then there is the whole realm of web design, which hasn't even been covered during my career at Wittenberg. I now am unprepared for the real world, because Wittenberg is short-staffed in the Art department. There are simply not enough teachers who have the knowledge to teach the information, let alone have the time to teach it to a class. There is one professor for all photography and graphic design courses. I would have to say this has been my least favorite thing about Wittenberg. I just wish someone would have warned me. Isn't that what advisors are for?

Word on the Street

The forecast for this Saturday is projected to be partly cloudy with a high of 67 degress and 10% chance of rain. Sounds like an almost perfect Ohio day for Wittfest right? A quick break from the torrential downpour that has bombarded Springfield for the past month. However, word on the street is that the Girl Talk concert may still be inside due to the previous weather conditions. It has been said that the Hollow is too wet or damp to support the stage, all the equipment, and transportation of the vehicles in and out. It would prove damaging. Another solution that has been talked about would be holding the concert in the HPER parking lot. I wasn't aware that the HPER had a parking lot. Unless of course they are considering the eight spot lot which would not nearly be big enough for any form of entertainment.
On a brighter note, an indoor concert for Girl Talk may not be a bad thing after all. I have heard good reviews about his light shows, which would be more intense in an enclosed space. I am interested to see how it all works out and have my fingers crossed for the best.

Having survived the threatening ten minute tornado warning, I would like to consider the safety precautions taken by Wittenberg University and Clark county. The emergency email sent out to the campus of Wittenberg included coverage from News Center 7 and it says, "There are no tornado sirens in that area, so residents are being instructed to take cover immediately."
Hmm..So if I'm not checking my email during class I won't be informed of these severe weather conditions? The only reason we sought shelter was because someone had checked their cell phone during class and had received the emergency text from Chief Loney. Not everyone is signed up for this service and we are not supposed to have cell phones in class. Obviously, we aren't tuned in to the weather channel either. We took precaution and moved to Ness auditorium, since it is an enclosed space with no windows, yet the class in Ness was unaware of any situation happening at all.

This comes directly from Chief Jamey Barnett of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the United States FCC regarding "Multiple Technologies to Bring Alerts and Warnings to the Public":

It is absolutely critical that members of the public have access to timely and accurate emergency alerts and warnings about impending disasters and other emergencies.
One of our top priorities at the FCC has been and continues to be ensuring that all Americans have the capability to receive timely and accurate alerts, warnings, and critical information regarding emergencies, irrespective of the communication technologies that they use or have in hand.

The conditions are clearly not being met in the Miami Valley, Ohio area. However, Clark County Emergency Management Agency has implemented the W.A.R.N. (Wide Area Rapid Notification) system, to notify citizens who have signed up for the emergency notifications. This was only found after thorough research and am still trying to locate the situation with the sirens, the most basic informative alert system. What positive measures can we take to better handles these kinds of serious situations?

What if there really had been a tornado? I think it is something we need to take a bit more seriously and do some investigating for the safety of ourselves and those around us.

Better Late Than Never

For those who do not know me, I have played soccer since I was 4 years old, and I can still remember my first practice behind some random church with my dad as my coach. Soccer has always taken up most of my time, having daily practices, weekend tournaments, and 6:00 am fitness sessions, ultimately making up a 4 season sport. It came to me as no surprise that by the time college visits came around soccer was not on my agenda after competing for 15 years.

It wasn't until I came to Wittenberg (my dad has to DRAG me to a tour, what was Wittenberg anyways?) that soccer came back into the picture. It was my dads dream that I continue to play throughout college, but not so much the case for me. I had been recruited and contacted by the coach and unwillingly signed myself up for something I wasn't looking too forward to. I even ignored several calls and emails from my future coach (that made for an awkward first meeting) because I was so hesitant on continuing my soccer career.

But, THANK GOD I got that little extra nudge from my dad, a little pressure makes the best recipe for success. Though I had been hesitant and pessimistic, the Wittenberg Women's Soccer team has been my favorite thing about Wittenberg and my entire college experience. It has built bonds between friends and teammates that I didn't know could exist, and has provided me with a backbone for other endeavors I have undertaken. They have been included in all of my favorite times and memories. And though it wasn't always a smooth, easy road. It was worth every minute and I am so thankful to have been given the experience and shared it with life long friends.

Bucket List

The other day in class Drew made the comment, "I have 36 days to get my whole life together." 36 days is roughly a single month of my 960 month life. Therefore, not very much time to gather my maturity and face the intimidating real world lying in front of me. As a nearing-the-end senior, I pray my "Wittenberg bubble" won't ever pop.
While classmates are figuring out future plans, most are still trying to cram in the last bit of fun of their college experience. That is where the bucket list comes in. A bucket list is normally a list of things you would like to accomplish before you die, or "kick the bucket." However, for college students the bucket list consists of activities they would like to do before they graduate. At Wittenberg we have so many traditions that what ends up on the list seems very alien to an outsider. Here is the break down of a few:

1. Streak the Hollow - The act of getting naked, alone or with company, and running the length of the land from Myers to Recitation Hall. You must touch the doors of Recitation to actually complete the task.
2. Completing the Circuit - This is for the buff's of streaking (no pun intended). Once you have completed the elementary task of streaking the hollow, you continue your path from the hollow, through Hollenbeck Hall, and straight to the turf (many students, including athletes, take a break outside the natatorium). The trick is not to get caught!
   
3. The Gauntlet - This is for the brave few. You must drink one of every beer on tap at Station one totaling 36 pints of beer. I only know of two fellows to complete this task and they said, "it is a marathon, not a race."

So before you graduate, think about letting loose for awhile. If you haven't done the first two they are a MUST.

What I Like About Witt

I know this may be a big drawback for a lot of people, even students attending Witt, but I like that it is a smaller school in several aspects. First, Many people hate that it is so small because they hang out with the same people all the time. I enjoy all of my friends here at Wittenberg, so that has never been an issue for me. Also, I like being able to say "hi" to ten people on my way to class every day. Students at big schools don't have this opportunity and a lot of the time they will meet a person once and never see them ever again.

Second, we don't have to leave thirty minutes early to arrive on time to class. Our biggest distance here is a ten minute walk, and people still choose to drive (okay, I am guilty but its because its raining or I am running late!)

Third, since we have a lower enrollment we have smaller classes. By biggest class I have had here is maybe at a maximum 35 students. We don't have huge lecture halls with hundreds of students. I like being able to have personal relationships with my professors and it makes the whole learning experience more effective. I am still on a name to name basis with teachers I had freshman year and my class is still invited to my Wittsem professors house for dinner every semester.

I think before people always complain about Wittenberg they should think about the positives it has to offer that other schools lack entirely.

Aviva Captiva

Destination: Captiva Island, FL

I've never heard of Captiva Island before but I know it is on the gulf side in the Southern most parts of Florida. I just saw what the house looks like (see above) and I have never been more excited for Spring Break in my life. I get to spend it with 10 of my close friends and we get to spend a full week just relaxing and laying out. It will be such an enjoyment to not have to worry about academic and social life and do absolutely NOTHING. I don't even think I will pack nice clothes just sandals and shorts. Springfield has thrown us a curveball in February with temperatures in the low 50's this week, but surely it won't last. Projected temperatures are around the 80's and sunny for the whole week. Florida here I come 8)

Witt Wednesday. What Does It Mean?

Could it be possible to write a story about the new switch of karaoke night at McMurrays back to Monday nights? I know that attendance considerably dropped when it was moved to Wednesday nights. Freshman year, there wasn't a student on campus who didn't go out and end up at McMurrays, but I think since they switched karaoke night Wednesdays people stopped celebrating "Witt Wednesday." Seriously though, it was like the Sabbath for students -- always respected. Now, after gathering opinions from students, the bar owners have switched karaoke back to its original night of Monday. I think this was a good business decision for them and it gives students a fun option for Mondays as well and Wednesday can go back to how they used to be. I want to inquire what was the ultimate deciding factor in making this decision and maybe find out why they even switched it in the first place. I would also like to explore the transition of "Witt Wednesday" over the recent years and why it has lost such appeal and gather students reactions...

Really?

I know this blog won't attract most business buffs or journalism minors but as an Art major this drew my attention. While scaveging my brain and internet for a new blog post I found this in the Columbus Dispatch:

BEREA, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio college has made $1.4 million selling off an art collection that it wasn't displaying and was anxious about storing.



First, this place is the liberal arts college Baldwin-Wallace. Two, this collection of art included works by James Whistler and Roy Lichtenstein.



If only Wittenberg held works of esteemed artists like Whistler and Lichtenstein I might sleep in the gallery. My confusion comes as to why in the hell wouldn't Baldwin-Wallace make room to permanently display these timeless pieces? But rather hide them away in a basement and later sell them. How did they even aquire them? Luckily, I've had my chance to see a Lichtenstein piece at the Columbus Art Museum, but I am still waiting to be able to enjoy the works of other great artists as well.

Photohunt League

My current story that I am working on is almost finished and is about the new Photohunt league that is taking place on campus. I am sure everyone who is reading this knows what Photohunt is from Doppelgangers (the game room), but for those who are uninformed about the popular game Photohunt is a bar game where you must find differences between two photos under time restraint. My article basically explains the rules, the dates and times, the prizes, and upcoming Photohunt events. I talked to Jon Duraj, the director of student activities, and Marcus Richardson who is the manager of the Student Center. Also, I was in contact with Jess Weaver whose team holds the current high score of Photohunt. I don't know how they do it! Read this week's issue of the Torch to read my article :)

Never Have I Ever

Now that I've got your attention, never have I ever had 3 snow days in a row, or shotgunned a beer, but that's besides the point. I didn't think Wittenberg would ever close the University, but I think it was a well deserved break for students. Am I right? After having two days of complete laziness that consisted only of watching TV and baking, we decided it was time to do something CRAZY. We had heard of people ice skating, sledding, even ice skiing (they got their picture in the newspaper for that). What's more crazy than that? Turns out nothing. It was a sunny day and we couldn't think of one crazy thing college kids could do. We actually went to Yellow Springs and took pictures for class. Yep, it was a snow day and we did school work. Crazy kids...

"Look at the doggy!"

Yesterday marked the arrival of golden retriever, Vic, in our home of 40 West, and also the sixth month commemoration of his birth. After weeks of stress wondering if my roommates would first apply for a service dog and actually preparing myself and house if they did, all I could think was, "this is the cutest dog in the world!" But seriously, when nuzzled up next to you Vic makes a good excuse for a blanket...and a friend. His big round eyes and floppy ears are reason for any person to smile even if you had to clean your whole house top to bottom so it was pet-friendly (Well, I didn't do that but my roommate did).
It is such a wonderful thing knowing that all of someone's hard work and hours put into training a puppy can change a child's life for the better. The tricks they learn facilitate the lifestyles led by families affected with a member's mental disability, such as autism. But then again lets be honest, who wouldn't want to spend as much time as they can with the cutest dog in the world? Vic puts Hache in a run for his money! Or maybe they can just be good friends :)

The Wittenberg system is flawed.

I agree that attention needs to be called to the student body and administration about the recent events, especially when it is crimes against race, gender, sexuality, or whatever else anyone could consider a difference. When they do, the community responds in a positive way that can overcome the emotional damage caused. But when happens when crimes pertaining to this matter aren't always addressed, and emotional as well as physical damage has been caused?

If a Springfield resident assaults a student, Carl Loney will send an email within 5 minutes catching wind of the incident.

From personal experience, I know students who have been attacked, unprovoked, by another student on campus. AND, after all that the victim was called a racist -- for doing absolutely nothing. No one on campus was informed of this by email, word of mouth, or any form of address. In my opinion, I think situations where personal safety is at danger the students should know about it. I don't think it is right to have it be swept under the rug.

Puff the Magic Dragon

DISCLAIMER: Alcohol and Marijuana are not considered hard drugs for sake of my argument.

Drugs are common on college campuses -- no earth shattering news there. However, for me at least, I think drugs are more prevalent by word of mouth. By this I mean that I know people are doing drugs, and probably a lot of people I know, but I don't know personally which people. I don't ever see the actual drugs, so I guess I am naive about it. People are going to do what they want to do, so be my guest. I only see it as a problem when it interferes with everyday life and relationships. If you are on the show "Intervention" you have probably had enough.