It’s the beginning of September and that means I’m back in school. Almost every student has mixed emotions around this time of year, whether they want to admit it or not.  You’re always sad to see the summer end and feel the pressure of all the school work coming towards you, but it’s nice to be around the people you know, especially if they went back home during the summer and you haven’t seen them in a few months. 

 

Myself, I don’t mind goin back to school. The class schedules keep me on campus and force me to get work done, whether it be getting a quick workout between classes or bustin out a paper during some down time.  My favorite part about startin school back up is meeting the new people in your classes.  Here at the Mount, some classes only have 9 or 10 people in them, so you get to know the people around you fairly quick.  It’s hard to get back into the flow of things at first though.  The new schedule and trying to fit all the responsibilities in can get a bit hectic. But it’s all good! It all falls into place and then by the second week or so, you get used to everything. 

 

And even though school is manageable, I do miss summer. I had some good times. I went to Orlando with the family, traveled down to Clarksville, Tennessee to go shooting and fishing with my buddy, Jimmy, and took a trip down to Myrtle Beach with a friend. Oh and went boating down in Cumberland with my girlfriend, Katelyn, and her family.  Those trips were all really fun and I have a lot of cool and exciting memories.  But on the bright side, cool and exciting memories are still in the works for this upcoming school year. I’ll keep you guys posted as they arise!

 

>Eric M.

Time for a recap of summer happenings in my world.  June was a great month.  I aged another year, which could be good or bad depending on your point of view.  I had a conversation with someone recently who said that they think men dread aging even more than women do. Overall, I think people tend to place too much importance on numerical age.  It’s just a number. Right? RIGHT??? I DON’T WANT TO GET OLD!!!!!Sorry, cough cough.June ended bombastically with my favorite freaking band in the hemisphere coming to Riverbend music center: RUSH.  If you don’t know who they are, smack yourself in the face right now.  And no, it’s not a woman singing.

But that reminds me, I came across a band that covers Rush, Metallica, and others using toy instruments.  Their name is Plastica, and they are hilarious.  Here’s a link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr8BtQRUVq8

 Also at Riverbend was Snoop Dogg and 311. Snoop came out in a Chad Ocho Cinco jersey.  The place was crackin’ as Snoop spat his dope rhymes over smokin’ beats.  I’ve never seen so many suburban white-kids thowin’ their hands up in the err, and wavin’ em like they just don’t kerr. Summer was a time of festivals as well.  The annual catholic church festivals never let you down with their abundance of alcohol and gambling.  I play Big 6, and let it ride on the 4 baby.  Is anybody still reading this blog? Yet again, another reason why Cincy has got it goin’ on is GOETTAFEST.  And not just one Goettafest, rather two Goettafests-one in Covington and one in Newport.  I love it.  Got Goetta? Go get it!  Both festivals were outstanding, but I really enjoyed the Covington one.  The people that live in Covington, Kentucky are so cool and interesting ;) Which leads me to Schützenfest and Germania’s Oktoberfest.  To me, these are the real Oktoberfests as opposed to the downtown one (although thousands doing the chicken dance is not a bad thing).  I wore my green hat, and served Warsteinner at Germania.  To say that it was a good time would severely understate everything concerning the matter. Oh, and I took up gardening.  I’ve got pumpkins well on their way along with cabbage, cauliflower, and squash.  I also started growing herbs such as Cilantro, Mint, Thyme, Oregano, etc.  Going green the old-fashion way! I’ll try to get some pics up soon.  I didn’t realize how much I did this summer until I wrote this blog. Weird.  That brings things up to speed. More or less.  Classes have started. Blahg.  I like Fall, or Autumn.  Which do you say? 

End of recap.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc9wIzi96_E

 

Wow, summer really flew by!  My summer was filled with work, work, a family vacation to Hilton Head and a trip to Chicago for Neo Con.  Now that I have been thrown back into reality I really wish it was still summer.  School started last week, I used to love the first day of school in high school because you never really did anything the first week.  And there lies the difference between high school and college.  My first interior design class I went to the professor started out by saying “well here is your first project, it is due in 2 weeks.”  Nothing like easing you into the routine of things!  This will be my hardest year because of my thesis project.  Although we haven’t officially started our projects yet, I began to research this past summer.  This semester I have a pretty full load of classes.  First semester I am taking Geology, World Art, Pre-Thesis Studio, Capstone, Professional Practice, Glassblowing and I am also co-oping at PS Group.  Well with all these class comes work, which I must get back too.    

This summer was so much fun. Our family had so many events that brought so much joy to my family. First on June 20th, the most beautiful day of the summer, my sister got married. I was the maid of honor so I had alot of duties that required some big responsibilty. It was so nice to have the whole family around to enjoy this happy moment in my family. My whole family is very close but we all live far away from each other, so when we have big events like this you have to make the most of it. Also July 23rd my first nephew was born into the family. He was 8 pounds and 13 ounces. He brought so much joy to this family that all of us love so much. All of us come home just to visit little Will. On top of all this happiness, I had to work 3 jobs at the same place. I was a lifeguard, swim instructor, and assistant swim coach. These may seem like they can be very easy but they need so much patience and understanding. As an assistant swim coach, I had to prepare for all the swim meets by finding out what each swimmer can swim and if we will score any points.

But, by the end of the summer, I was somewhat ready to make a change because I was home for 3 months and it got old. I did almost the same thing everyday. I needed a change in routine.

Find out about how the first 2 weeks went in my next blog!!! Keep reading..

It seems just like yesterday that school ended back in May... Then in just a few short months, it's August again, and we've started school! It's amazing how fast the time went by. I remember getting out in May, and thinking, "Yes! Summer!" Then by the end of May, beginning of June, I wanted to go back to school because I was SO bored! And I wanted the time to fly by, and I got my wish. School just started! But now I wish it didn't go by so quickly, that I had more time to hang with my friends, and spend more time hanging with my family before beginning the adventure known as dorming. Yet, I'm glad that school has started back up again. I get to see all my friends that I didn't get to see over the summer and reconnect to those that I've missed the most. And I have things to do! I'm no longer bored! At least I hope that'll be the case soon...

 

As far as school goes, I have 18 credit hours plus a service learning credit for a total of 19 (but I only have to pay for 18 since the service credit is free at the Mount). I am taking Contemp. Perspectives with Dr. Shannon- love his classes!, Educational Assessment with Mr. Santoro, along with Human Exceptionalities with Mr. Santoro, Philosophy with Dr. Sontag, American Sign Language with Mrs. Ison, and Applied Peer Leadership Seminar with Ms. Mills (it also goes along with the IDS 100 course with Mr. Jenkins, in which I help facilitate a go between with the freshmen students and Mr. Jenkins in the class). They all seem pretty good so far but I may just fall asleep in Philosophy since that's not my cup of tea persay... :)

 

But this year I am also dorming! So that is super exciting! My roommate is Maria. She's a friend I made from last year so she and I are getting along really well and starting to set ourselves up into some kind of discernable routine and schedule... I'm sure it'll work out perfectly. :D Most of my friends are back and living in the dorms- Tom, Jimmie, Sam, and Anne. Along with my other friends still commuting- Alex and Nicole, along with others.

 

In addition to all my school work, I have a ton of extracirricular activities I'm participating in. I already  mentioned the peer leading in the IDS 100 course for freshmen, but I'm also the publicity chair for CAB (Campus Activities Board) so I get to make posters and flyers for all the events that will be happening around campus for the next year (and there's an event EVERY week...); I am the Associate Editor of Dateline (the school newspaper) so I get to find student life stories and put together articles and assign articles, etc., for that kind of thing; and then, of course, I'm also blogging! So I have my work cut out for me this year but it should be very exciting!

 

This year looks to be great and I can't wait to really get it going! Below is some pictures of my dorm and how I've got it set up to begin my dorming adventure! So until next time, think about this, "If you fall in a forest, will a tree hear you?"

 

 

Hey y’all! (I’m from the South today, just kidding lol) So I thought I would just drop by and say hey! Hoping your summer is going well J Mine’s doing okay so far… nothing too much out of the ordinary… just chilling, working, hanging… the normal teenager/collegiate student type stuff…    

Some of the highlights have been: at the end of May, I visited my friends Sam and Maria up North in Piqua- that was a blast. J Then um… in the beginning of June I went with my mom to Nashville, Brown County, Indiana, for our annual mother-daughter get-away. I had a TON of fun there… Then I started my baby-sitting job when I got back from that vacation/long weekend (it was only four days which ironically was during the worst rain and flooding in Indiana’s history- ugh). That’s kept me occupied for about four days a week. I haven’t really been working at my other job lately, just ‘cuz it’s slow going there and they really don’t need my help right now. Um… for the Fourth of July, I went up to Anna, Ohio, to go Maria’s family’s party on July 3^rd. That was awesome! There were 300+ people there!!! I stayed the night and then went to a family party on the Fourth.    

 

 

 

As for upcoming events, I am helping out at the July orientation for the incoming freshmen at the Mount on July 18^th. I helped out at the June orientation too so that’s why I’m doing this again. I’m sitting at the CAB (Campus Activity Board) table during the lunch on the first day if you wanna come visit me or find out about the CAB. Last time we gave away free t-shirts to those people who took a quick survey. So I’m looking forward to that. Also, my cousin’s wedding is next weekend, July 19^th, in Indianapolis so that’ll be exciting to go to- I love this side of the family’s weddings! At one wedding, they actually got the bride to roll around on the ground to one of the songs, and for another, my dad and my uncles “kidnapped” the groom and took him out on the town- of course, their sister (my aunt), freaked out and to this day does not forgive them for doing that but it’s all good.    

What else… Oh! At the end of July, we’re having a family weekend/vacation together. My parents, my brother, and I will be doing a weekend of all things Cincinnati. It’s just like any other life in any other big city. You live here all your life and you never go to the tourist attractions. So we’ll be doing that… Then school starts August 25^th and since I’m dorming, hopefully, I’ll be moving in the week before school starts and before all the out-of-towners decide to move in. So that’s exciting- of course, I still need to buy and arrange and pack all the things I need for dorming… J    

Well, here’s a funny and ironic story for ya: so I was shopping the other day with on my best friends, Alex, and while in Icing, the clerk asked if she and I were sisters. We said no, obviously, but the more we thought about it, it almost seems like were sisters separated at birth. Here it is though: I have a twin brother, who is ironically named Alex. I was born at Good Samaritan Hospital on November 7^th and my friend Alex was born at Good Sam on November 9^th. This means, that, she and I were “nursery mates,” (as my mom puts it) while we were there! In the end, this means, that I’ve had a best friend since, literally, birth! I thought that was an awesome story that I had to share with ya… But maybe it’s only funny to me or one of those “you had to be there” or “you had to be them” kind of stories… but still, I thought it was cool… J    

But, any who, summer is moving pretty quickly, not to mention the year 2008. It’s all so very exciting but very sad considering how fast time really is moving… So I hope all is going well and summer’s going good for you… Let me know what you’ve been up to- I’d love to know what fun things go on for others. Story-telling and sharing is one of my favorite things to do, as you already know. ;) So, until next time, see ya later alligator! (This is where you say, “After a while, crocodile!”)

Hey everyone!

 

Well, this is it! The last blog before school is out.  This year went so quick.  In fact, after this week, I’m going to be half way done with my college career.  That’s pretty weird to think about.  I don’t feel like that’s the case at all.  These first two years flew by!

 

Anyway, I thought I’d talk about the exams, since they seem to be on everyone’s minds this time of year.  Myself, I’m not too worried or stressed. I’m usually a good test taker and a few tests don’t hold a candle to the papers and projects I’ve had to complete these past few weeks. 

 

The way the exams work is pretty simple. You can search “exam schedule” on inside.msj.edu to find our schedule.  The schedule is listed by the time of day the course usually meets.  Then, it lists what day the respective exam will take place and what time. For example, my Age of Ideology class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00.  The exam takes place on Thursday at about 1:15 till 3:05.  After that, I’m done with the course (which is a pretty tough course, just for future reference).

 

You will also find that some classes don’t meet for the exam.  One of my classes has an optional exam, only if you need the extra points to boost your grade. I have an A in the class, so I don’t really need the points, so I opted out of taking the exam.  Out of 5 classes, I only have to meet for 3 exams, and they are all on different days.  This laid back scheduling helps ease any stress students feel when faced with the exams and definitely helps me feel more comfortable with them. 

 

So when faced with the final exams, just relax, use the free time created through the exam schedule to study as much as you can, and just take the tests. There isn’t much more you can do, so relax, do your best, then go enjoy your summer! A lot of people get over-stressed, but there really is no reason to. By this point, you will have been working for 10 weeks for a good grade, one week isn’t going to kill ya.

 

If you’re in college, push through these last weeks, and if your in high school, enjoy the time you have left.  Then enjoy the summer time!

 

I’ll try to post up a few blogs over the course of the summer break, just to let you guys know what’s goin on.

 

See ya!

 

>Eric M.

Anatole France, a French novelist, once wrote: “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.” I’m starting to realize how right he was.

It’s really that way about school this year. I do want the school year to end. I need a break! Finals and everything really wears you down by the time you get out. But, at the same time…I’ll miss so much about this place. After being so busy for so long, when I go home and have nothing but my summer job to do.

I’ll miss how much art I make during the school year, that’s for sure. I do assure you, I’ll be doing plenty of my own art over the summer! But I’m never as productive on my own as I am in a group setting. Thankfully I’ve found that my roommate, Jimmy, doesn’t live too far away from me! So I think we’ll probably be hanging out a bunch over the summer. Maybe I’ll get him to work on some art with me over the summer. Maybe we’ll both keep each other working!

I’m sitting in the art gallery now, working my last Saturday this year. And it’s a beautifully sunny day outside. I can see the quad from here, and everything’s in bloom. It all looks so beautiful! I wish I had time to walk about campus a few more times and take another look at all my favorite spots.  Living on campus is sort of like having a really big, really nice front yard. I’m going to miss the convenience of having room to throw a baseball right outside my door. I’m definitely going to miss being able to see the river from my window!

Also, the end of any school year always comes with goodbyes. Maria, my RA who has been so wonderful to us this entire year, is graduating. I don’t know how we’ll get by on the 6th floor without her. I know she’ll do wonderfully I whatever career she finds herself in. Good luck, Maria!

Also, our good friend Sarah is moving on to Bowling Green. She’s been with us all year, and I was so disappointed to hear that she was leaving. I know that she’ll do well though. Good luck, Sarah, we’ll miss you!

And all of our seniors that I’ve gotten to meet and work with this entire year, including a few of our bloggers! Good luck to EZ, Jodi, and Kristen. I know you guys will do well in whatever careers you find along your path in life. Good luck to each one of you. We’ll miss you here at the Mount.

But of course, with every ending there comes a beginning. We’ll have a brand new class of Freshman coming in this fall. And hopefully a few people reading this now will be joining us! I’m looking forward to starting our new clubs and organizations and performing in new plays and musicals along with newcomers from the incoming class. I know next year will be even better than this one.

And with that, I’ll leave you folks! Over this summer there’s a lot of work and preparation to be done…I’m already looking forward to next year!

I hope you all had a wonderful school year, and I hope you all have an even better summer. And I hope to see you all next year, right here at the College of Mount St. Joseph!

Its that time of the year- summer!...vacations, sleeping in, laying around not doing much of anything sounds pretty good right about now. Except, I have to take summer classes! A lot has happened this year for me, one being that I declared a DOUBLE major. I am double majoring Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing AND Sport Management. It’s a heavy load to take on and I will definitely be here for 5 years. So summer classes are a must for me. This summer I will be taking 15 credit hours, one of which is a co-op that I got that should be fun because some of it has to do with volleyball J Vacation will give me a break in the smack dab middle of summer. My family is going to Florida!! Family vacations are fun, especially when the decision has been made to fly (thank goodness). Sleeping in will happen a little bit because I won’t be working full time. In addition to co-oping I will continue to work on campus a little and coaching still.

This week has been hectic with finals approaching, and the thought of moving alllll the stuff I have crammed in my room to the house I’m moving into. Since the place is only 5 minutes away it shouldn’t be too bad- but I’m sure you know the overwhelming feeling that I’m talking about that just sits in the back of your mind.

I have a feeling that the summer will just fly by, much quicker than it normally does. I’ve already got a lot planned and can’t wait to spend time with my sister who’s graduating college this Sunday and coming home for the summer! We both have The Beach Water Park passes so we’ll be laying poolside once a week. It’s been a hectic, fun, and quick sophomore year, but one well worth it. Go on vacation, sleep in, and lay around. Most importantly, remember to have fun because they are they days you can’t ever get back.

 

Here's to the nights when the sand is your seat,  

the waves kiss your feet, and your friends outnumber...
all the stars in the sky.

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                  

 

I know that people have been talking about stress and relaxation and exams but I had something fun to talk about for that.  

But first, I wanna tell you that I don’t stress out easily. I usually just wait until the weekend to do homework or projects and just do it all in two days. That’s how I do things and I seem to do well with it. All my homework is done from Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening and then it’s done for the week. 

And as for a stress reliever, I usually just hang out with my friends, watching TV, playing games, or just surfing the internet. But I thought I should share this picture with you. I took it today at about 11 AM. Not to mention, the temperature this morning was not even 50 some odd degrees. So… needless to say… it was quite interesting to see:

 

 

I can only assume that Damon, in the pool (there was no water), and Steven were just having too much fun hanging out in the Quad. (Notice how freaking green the grass is! Wow… I love spring!!!) I thought it was just really cool that they found a way to relax and just hang out. So a shout out to them! But what were you guys really doing? (If either of you read this, leave a comment at the bottom if you want) J    

So some people have some really interesting ways of relaxing and getting ready for summer. Only three days of school left and four days of exams. I have three days of school, only two exams, and one project left so I am sooo excited to finish and have an awesome time during the summer!    

So keep up with your studies, relax, take a deep breath, and have fun!!! J

P.S. Alpha Phi Omega ended up raising $515 for MS :) Congrats guys!!!