This week has started off great. First of all, we somehow slipped by the predicted snow storm yesterday, leaving the roads all clear for running and leaving my pants without the snow/salt line on the bottom.
Secondly, my classes have been pretty entertaining, possibly even fun. Now I know that may be hard to believe, but perhaps the profs have gotten a bit of spring fever and decided it was time to add a little pleasure to class. In my biology class we are beginning a new unit on microbiology. For part of our lab these next few weeks we, the students, get to come up with our own experiments dealing with microbes in the soil.
At first I wasn't too excited about this because it requires more work than other labs. But now that my group has decided what we're going to test, I realize that WE are actually in charge and I think it will be a good time. Although I will admit, the most fun part may be getting the soil samples from under 4 feet of snow!
So that is definitely hands-on and more interesting than just doing a lab out of the lab manual. The other class that I will venture to say is actually FUN is personal fitness and wellness. All freshman have to take this class that lasts for 7 weeks and is a 1 credit class. My class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8-9:30 AM. On Tuesdays we do some sort of physical activity and Thursdays are a lecture.
This semester our activities have included lifting weights in Legends, walking on the indoor track, jumping rope, a stretch-band workout, and competitive 2 on 2 baseball! I'm a pretty active person so I enjoy doing all this, but today was absolutely fantastic. It was an open gym day where we could play basketball, raquetball, ultimate frisbee, go to Legends, or do an aerobic workout with Greg Lonning the Wellness Director. I chose the aerboic workout and I'm super glad I did, although I'm sure I'll feel it tomorrow.
We were in a dance studio with some pretty groovy music playing. Greg led us through some hard-core sets of push-ups and sit-ups, then a kickboxing routine, followed by a stretch-band workout. We did that for 45 minutes, and then repeated all of it again at a lot faster pace for the last 15 minutes. The kickboxing was the most fun, with all of us jab-stepping and doing combinations that made us feel like pros. One combination of kicks ended with the WWF "skull crush" as Greg called it and made me smile every time we did it. The move is quite simple: bring your left knee up to your chest as you bring both arms down from over your head, but just thinking of all of us girls doing "skull crushes" makes me laugh.
It was a great way to get my heart rate up and start my day off right. Now I'm in a great mood and energized, ready to take on the day. Bring on more fun!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Running in Circles
At times college life feels to me like I'm a hamster on a running wheel, working very hard but not really getting anywhere. I get into this routine of eating, sleeping, studying, running that just repeats each day. It's a bit overwhelming when I finally get one major assignment done and feel a sense of accomplishment, and then another professor assigns something big. Oh the rigors of college classes!
Ultimately I know that I am gaining knowledge, that all of my hard work will pay off, and that I will get it all done. It's important to take a deep breath, realize that many other students have gone through these exact same feelings before, and that they've succeeded. If they can do it, I can do it.
Better than just feeling like I'm running in circles with homework, I actually have been running in circles for track! We have now completed two of our four indoor track meets. Our first one was held here at Luther two weekends ago, and it was a small field: us, our Alumni, and Iowa Central Community College. I was really excited for that meet because I got to run the 2000 steeplechase for the first time ever. It was definitely a fun race and I hurdled over all of the barriers. Success!
This past Saturday we traveled to UW-Platteville for a much larger meet that was an all-day event. We left Luther at 7:45 so that we could make it there for the first events at 10 and we didn't end up getting back until 10:45PM. It was a long day but very much worth.
We started off the meet in an awesome fashion with one of our senior ladies winning her heat of the 5k. There were more exciting races as the day went on and I got to learn a lot more of my teammates as I spent a lot of time cheering. My 3k race was originally scheduled for 6:15 PM but I didn't actually race until 7:15 due to us getting behind schedule. It was really difficult waiting for 9 hours to race. I was pumped and raring to go at about 11 AM!
When the gun went off for my race, another freshman and I hung together toward the back before moving making our move. We ran really well together and were able to push and support each other for all 15 laps. I felt great and the results were better than I expected. It was so neat racing at that time because most of my teammates were done with their races and therefore spread out along the whole track cheering as loudly as possible. Along the homestretch it was just a sea of blue cheering us on, giving us the "WHOOSH!" as we went by. That is the beauty of Luther sports: constant support.
Now I can't wait to see what's in store for the next races, and I've learned that running in circles can be very rewarding.
Ultimately I know that I am gaining knowledge, that all of my hard work will pay off, and that I will get it all done. It's important to take a deep breath, realize that many other students have gone through these exact same feelings before, and that they've succeeded. If they can do it, I can do it.
Better than just feeling like I'm running in circles with homework, I actually have been running in circles for track! We have now completed two of our four indoor track meets. Our first one was held here at Luther two weekends ago, and it was a small field: us, our Alumni, and Iowa Central Community College. I was really excited for that meet because I got to run the 2000 steeplechase for the first time ever. It was definitely a fun race and I hurdled over all of the barriers. Success!
This past Saturday we traveled to UW-Platteville for a much larger meet that was an all-day event. We left Luther at 7:45 so that we could make it there for the first events at 10 and we didn't end up getting back until 10:45PM. It was a long day but very much worth.
We started off the meet in an awesome fashion with one of our senior ladies winning her heat of the 5k. There were more exciting races as the day went on and I got to learn a lot more of my teammates as I spent a lot of time cheering. My 3k race was originally scheduled for 6:15 PM but I didn't actually race until 7:15 due to us getting behind schedule. It was really difficult waiting for 9 hours to race. I was pumped and raring to go at about 11 AM!
When the gun went off for my race, another freshman and I hung together toward the back before moving making our move. We ran really well together and were able to push and support each other for all 15 laps. I felt great and the results were better than I expected. It was so neat racing at that time because most of my teammates were done with their races and therefore spread out along the whole track cheering as loudly as possible. Along the homestretch it was just a sea of blue cheering us on, giving us the "WHOOSH!" as we went by. That is the beauty of Luther sports: constant support.
Now I can't wait to see what's in store for the next races, and I've learned that running in circles can be very rewarding.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Valentine's: Loving What I Used to Dislike
With Valentine's Day coming up this week it's natural for students to be thinking about the people and things they care about: family, friends, pets, sports(ok so maybe my love of the game isn't on quite the same level as my love for family and friends.)
As I walked through the Union yesterday the line to pick up something at our Luther post office must have been thirty people long. That can only mean that something really good is waiting for all of those anxious students in their SPOs; something like homemade cookies, or candy, or better yet, a card with some money in it!
Many students are receiving care packages from home and I find it a bit ironic that now, as a college student, I look forward to some of those things from home that I used to dislike. For example, I remember getting annoyed with the kisses that my mom would plant on me each morning before she took off for work, and the conversations each night at the dinner table with the parental units inquiring about my daily activities. But now, I'll admit, I miss those things. A lot.
When I came to college in the fall it was an exciting time. I was stepping into new, unchartered territory with hopes and dreams. Now, coming back after J-break I know more of what to expect, and the newness of college life has kind of worn off. So at times I find myself wishing I had a parent around just to give me a hug, kiss, or back rub. I wish I could open my door and smell fresh waffles baking in the kitchen. I wish I could have someone inquire each night how my day was. Granted, I do have a lot of friends to support me, but it's just not quite the same as the love of a family you've had your whole life.
So, this Valentine's Day, no matter how fed up with your family at the moment, enjoy their presence and be thankful for all that they do. Take in all of the love that people send your way and don't forget to pass it on. And parents, FYI, those care packages, baked goodies, and phone calls are always welcome, even if it isn't Valentine's Day. :)
As I walked through the Union yesterday the line to pick up something at our Luther post office must have been thirty people long. That can only mean that something really good is waiting for all of those anxious students in their SPOs; something like homemade cookies, or candy, or better yet, a card with some money in it!
Many students are receiving care packages from home and I find it a bit ironic that now, as a college student, I look forward to some of those things from home that I used to dislike. For example, I remember getting annoyed with the kisses that my mom would plant on me each morning before she took off for work, and the conversations each night at the dinner table with the parental units inquiring about my daily activities. But now, I'll admit, I miss those things. A lot.
When I came to college in the fall it was an exciting time. I was stepping into new, unchartered territory with hopes and dreams. Now, coming back after J-break I know more of what to expect, and the newness of college life has kind of worn off. So at times I find myself wishing I had a parent around just to give me a hug, kiss, or back rub. I wish I could open my door and smell fresh waffles baking in the kitchen. I wish I could have someone inquire each night how my day was. Granted, I do have a lot of friends to support me, but it's just not quite the same as the love of a family you've had your whole life.
So, this Valentine's Day, no matter how fed up with your family at the moment, enjoy their presence and be thankful for all that they do. Take in all of the love that people send your way and don't forget to pass it on. And parents, FYI, those care packages, baked goodies, and phone calls are always welcome, even if it isn't Valentine's Day. :)
Friday, February 8, 2008
CAF creations
This was our first week of full classes and it was tough after 2 months of not having any homework to suddenly have 5 classes to stay on top of. So to reduce the stress that a lot of the students were feeling and to give us something to look forward to, the cooks in the cafeteria got creative. In the first week and a half of classes we've had 3 special themes: Orange Day, Mardi Gras-CAF style. and a Chinese New Year meal!
This is the third or fourth time this school year that we've had Orange Day at lunch and I think I've figured it out. It's always the first day after a break and the idea is, "Orange you glad to be back?!" Ha ha ha. For that meal the main line has tomato soup, grilled cheese, and cheetos. When I first saw that day on the menu I was a little shocked, but it's kind of fun at the same time. I just wish they had meals for the other colors too!
For our Mardi Gras dinner this past Tuesday night the main line served blackened shrimp and chicken, crawfish boil, red beans and rice, spicy cabbage, and Mississippi mud bread pudding. That night you could smell the fish from way down the hall, which made me a little wary of the meal because I'm not a huge fish fan. I did try the blackened chicken and it was actually really good. It had quite a bit of zing to it as you would expect from Cajun seasoning. The Mississippi mud bread pudding was, let's just say, interesting. The girls at my table who got it thought that it was just a brownie. When they tried it they found out that it definitely wasn't a brownie, yet it definitely wasn't pudding either. We discovered that it was somewhat like the consistency of Play-Doh and even bounced a bit!
The last themed meal of the week was Wednesday night, which happened to be the Chinese New Year. One of the exchange students on campus actually cooked some authentic Chinese food, and it sure looked really good, which explains why the lines were super long. I, unfortunately, didn't have the patience to stand in the long lines, but I did get to try some really good lettuce wraps with sauce in the salad bar. Here's what the menu consisted of: Hot and Sour Soup, Asian Mixed Green Salad, William Lu's Grilled Special with pork or beef, Fried Rice, Make your own Lettuce Wrap, Pad Thai Mandarin Orange Cake, and Green Tea Ice Cream. That dinner seemed to be a hit with most students. Too bad the Chinese New Year only comes once a year.
Normally the cafeteria food is pretty decent. There's always a main line, a salad line, a pasta line, soups, a deli sandwich line, and the cereal bar. At lunch a grill line is also open where you can get hamburgers and then usually a grilled chicken or some other meat. I've started to realize that the menu kind of recycles itself after a month or so. Not too often do the chefs get creative and brighten up the lives of the students. I really like it when Chef Nic makes his homemade soups. Those are usually really good and differ from the normal day-to-day caf soups. For example, today Chef Nic has a roasted red pepper and tomato bisque that I had. It's just nice to get a change because after a while I find myself getting the same food. For ambitious students you can always make your own stir-fry at dinner, pizza, pb&j, panini, or anything else that creative minds can come up with.
I can't wait to see what exciting themes come up the rest of the year...perhaps a wonderful, loving Valentine's dinner?
This is the third or fourth time this school year that we've had Orange Day at lunch and I think I've figured it out. It's always the first day after a break and the idea is, "Orange you glad to be back?!" Ha ha ha. For that meal the main line has tomato soup, grilled cheese, and cheetos. When I first saw that day on the menu I was a little shocked, but it's kind of fun at the same time. I just wish they had meals for the other colors too!
For our Mardi Gras dinner this past Tuesday night the main line served blackened shrimp and chicken, crawfish boil, red beans and rice, spicy cabbage, and Mississippi mud bread pudding. That night you could smell the fish from way down the hall, which made me a little wary of the meal because I'm not a huge fish fan. I did try the blackened chicken and it was actually really good. It had quite a bit of zing to it as you would expect from Cajun seasoning. The Mississippi mud bread pudding was, let's just say, interesting. The girls at my table who got it thought that it was just a brownie. When they tried it they found out that it definitely wasn't a brownie, yet it definitely wasn't pudding either. We discovered that it was somewhat like the consistency of Play-Doh and even bounced a bit!
The last themed meal of the week was Wednesday night, which happened to be the Chinese New Year. One of the exchange students on campus actually cooked some authentic Chinese food, and it sure looked really good, which explains why the lines were super long. I, unfortunately, didn't have the patience to stand in the long lines, but I did get to try some really good lettuce wraps with sauce in the salad bar. Here's what the menu consisted of: Hot and Sour Soup, Asian Mixed Green Salad, William Lu's Grilled Special with pork or beef, Fried Rice, Make your own Lettuce Wrap, Pad Thai Mandarin Orange Cake, and Green Tea Ice Cream. That dinner seemed to be a hit with most students. Too bad the Chinese New Year only comes once a year.
Normally the cafeteria food is pretty decent. There's always a main line, a salad line, a pasta line, soups, a deli sandwich line, and the cereal bar. At lunch a grill line is also open where you can get hamburgers and then usually a grilled chicken or some other meat. I've started to realize that the menu kind of recycles itself after a month or so. Not too often do the chefs get creative and brighten up the lives of the students. I really like it when Chef Nic makes his homemade soups. Those are usually really good and differ from the normal day-to-day caf soups. For example, today Chef Nic has a roasted red pepper and tomato bisque that I had. It's just nice to get a change because after a while I find myself getting the same food. For ambitious students you can always make your own stir-fry at dinner, pizza, pb&j, panini, or anything else that creative minds can come up with.
I can't wait to see what exciting themes come up the rest of the year...perhaps a wonderful, loving Valentine's dinner?
Saturday, February 2, 2008
LOST again
Thursday was not only the first day of our second semester, but it was the season premiere of one of my favorite shows, LOST. This is going to be the fourth season of the hit show on ABC and I'm really looking forward to it. I got started watching LOST sometime during the first season and now it doesn't seem possible that this is already the fourth season. The producers decided to do something really smart in order to please viewers- they show the whole season of new shows all in a row, instead of including some reruns every so often. This is great because LOST needs to be watched sequentially in order for viewers to understand the plot and backgrounds of the characters. It could be really confusing to new viewers if reruns were thrown in the mix. The only down side to this setup is that the show is only on for a limited of time. The plan was for there to be 3 more seasons of LOST, including this season, with each season consisting of 16 new episodes. Now, with the writers' strike, only 8 shows for this season are made. That is a bit disappointing but it also makes me enjoy the 8 shows even more.
So, for all of you LOST fans out there, who do you think is in the casket at the funeral home Jack goes to? As my friends and I were watching the recap of the previous seasons and anxiously counting down the minutes to the season premiere, a few possibilities were thrown out: it could be Sawyer, Ben, or even Michael. I personally think that it's Sawyer because why else would Jack call Kate to see if she had seen the obituary? Kate and Sawyer have some sort of relationship so that makes the most sense to me. Also, who do you think the "Oceanic 6" are?
I think this season will be really good since they are now including flash forwards, instead of just flash backs, to tell the story. This will keep viewers intrigued and guessing. Already I have lots of questions which I can't wait to get answered. Hopefully the 8 shows will help answer some of them.
Other than getting together with friends to watch LOST, I've been doing quite a bit of homework for my classes. Despite only having 2 days of school this week, I am grateful for the weekend to be able to get some work done. I think that my classes this term will be enjoyable, but I know it will take me a while to get used to my new schedule. This term's schedule is a lot different than what I had first term. Last term on MWF I didn't start until 11. This term I start at 8 and my last class getting done at 3:45. The plus side is that I'll be up and moving, and I'll be able to can get homework done and study between classes. I know it'll work out fine, I just need some time to get used to it.
Let me know if you have any questions I can answer, and I would really love to hear from LOST fans about what they are thinking about the season. I can't wait for next Thursday's show!
So, for all of you LOST fans out there, who do you think is in the casket at the funeral home Jack goes to? As my friends and I were watching the recap of the previous seasons and anxiously counting down the minutes to the season premiere, a few possibilities were thrown out: it could be Sawyer, Ben, or even Michael. I personally think that it's Sawyer because why else would Jack call Kate to see if she had seen the obituary? Kate and Sawyer have some sort of relationship so that makes the most sense to me. Also, who do you think the "Oceanic 6" are?
I think this season will be really good since they are now including flash forwards, instead of just flash backs, to tell the story. This will keep viewers intrigued and guessing. Already I have lots of questions which I can't wait to get answered. Hopefully the 8 shows will help answer some of them.
Other than getting together with friends to watch LOST, I've been doing quite a bit of homework for my classes. Despite only having 2 days of school this week, I am grateful for the weekend to be able to get some work done. I think that my classes this term will be enjoyable, but I know it will take me a while to get used to my new schedule. This term's schedule is a lot different than what I had first term. Last term on MWF I didn't start until 11. This term I start at 8 and my last class getting done at 3:45. The plus side is that I'll be up and moving, and I'll be able to can get homework done and study between classes. I know it'll work out fine, I just need some time to get used to it.
Let me know if you have any questions I can answer, and I would really love to hear from LOST fans about what they are thinking about the season. I can't wait for next Thursday's show!
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