My first week of classes is almost over and it's been a pretty busy one, hence the reason I haven't posted anything.
Classes are wonderful so far. My Western Thought and Expression through the Renessiance almost makes me want to switch my major to history. But my Foundations of Digital Visual class and Fundimentals of Drawing will keep me in my original graphic design major for a little while.
I was chatting with a friend and we've both come to a conclusion that we just need to freeze time for about 20 years so we can study everything we want to and then still come out of college as 22 year olds.
After being sent all over campus from one place to another, I did mangage to drop that one freshman seminar class and instead am now taking a survey of the Old Testament, bringing my credit hours to 16 for this semester. I'm also taking "Bible and Literature". We spend most of this class discussing our reading in a way not unlike my old high school Humane Letters class.
I'm leaving in about 4 hours for an overnight retreat for the Outreach ministries here on campus. The event intrigued me and, following the tradition of activites being cheaper at college, it was only 5 dollars, so how could I resist?
Friday, August 31, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Pre-class jitters
Classes start today! I'm very excited and pumped up for my classes.
Today schedule is Western Thought and Expression to the Renessiance, Symposium and Fundamentals of Drawing.
Symposium doesn't count as any credit hours, but is a simple discussion about a book once a week over dinner. This semester, we read "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson.
Currently I have 6 classes or 15 credit hours, but I hope it'll soon be 14 because one of the credit hours is for a very easy, dummy freshman seminar class where I learn how to study and write papers. Since I'm in the honors program, I believe that class is not required and so I'd rather have that hour every Wednesday to study for my more challenging classes. Hopefully I will be able drop that class.
The only slight dent in this day so far is that none of my online-ordered textbooks have arrived yet. I suppose I'll check the mail center later today.
Today schedule is Western Thought and Expression to the Renessiance, Symposium and Fundamentals of Drawing.
Symposium doesn't count as any credit hours, but is a simple discussion about a book once a week over dinner. This semester, we read "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson.
Currently I have 6 classes or 15 credit hours, but I hope it'll soon be 14 because one of the credit hours is for a very easy, dummy freshman seminar class where I learn how to study and write papers. Since I'm in the honors program, I believe that class is not required and so I'd rather have that hour every Wednesday to study for my more challenging classes. Hopefully I will be able drop that class.
The only slight dent in this day so far is that none of my online-ordered textbooks have arrived yet. I suppose I'll check the mail center later today.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Dry Gulch USA
Yesterday, I returned from Dry Gulch USA where I had been staying for the past few days and the amount of joy I feel at returning to my dorm room where I have a nice bed and good showers is immense. (Let's just say I was afraid to touch the sides of the shower stall and don't get me started on the floor. Thank goodness I brought shower shoes with me.)
Besides the showers, Dry Gulch proved to be pretty neat. It's basically a few blocks of western buildings which, so I was told, used to be the set for some TV show. The owners refitted the hotels and other small buildings to be cabins while making other buildings the dining hall, an autotorium (or the "town hall") and an arcade with pool tables, old N64 and playstation consoles, and half basketball courts.
There were many Sweet Sixteen hub group meetings (the theme and name of our hub group) where we learned about the different aspects of Oklahoma Christian, played games, and imagined a skit/cheer to present before everyone in a fierce competition to determine what hub group was the best.
...
While our cheer was good and certainly better than some of the other HUBs, we sadly did not win.
What, however, I did win was a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Now I get 10 dollars/points to spend on what I choose on campus, which means I'll be heading straight for the coffee shop.
The last night of our stay there was a very enthusiastic, fun concert where everything from Gwen Stephani's "Sweet Escape" to various country and rock songs to Smashmouth's "I'm a Believer" was played. I was down with my friends Emily and Mallory in the throng of people jumping and clapping with the rest of them. I didn't, unfortunately, work up the courage to body-surf on the top of the crowd, so that opportunity was lost.
It would be very lengthy and probably not that interesting for me to go into every single event that happened, so those were some of the highlights. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask in the comments.
Besides the showers, Dry Gulch proved to be pretty neat. It's basically a few blocks of western buildings which, so I was told, used to be the set for some TV show. The owners refitted the hotels and other small buildings to be cabins while making other buildings the dining hall, an autotorium (or the "town hall") and an arcade with pool tables, old N64 and playstation consoles, and half basketball courts.
There were many Sweet Sixteen hub group meetings (the theme and name of our hub group) where we learned about the different aspects of Oklahoma Christian, played games, and imagined a skit/cheer to present before everyone in a fierce competition to determine what hub group was the best.
...
While our cheer was good and certainly better than some of the other HUBs, we sadly did not win.
What, however, I did win was a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Now I get 10 dollars/points to spend on what I choose on campus, which means I'll be heading straight for the coffee shop.
The last night of our stay there was a very enthusiastic, fun concert where everything from Gwen Stephani's "Sweet Escape" to various country and rock songs to Smashmouth's "I'm a Believer" was played. I was down with my friends Emily and Mallory in the throng of people jumping and clapping with the rest of them. I didn't, unfortunately, work up the courage to body-surf on the top of the crowd, so that opportunity was lost.
It would be very lengthy and probably not that interesting for me to go into every single event that happened, so those were some of the highlights. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask in the comments.
Voices
Sometimes when I'm walking around campus, I overhear other students and their tone, word choice and other things in their speech remind me of one of my friends and sometimes family back in Arizona. It's rather sad because for a brief instant I think that they are here and then remember that, no, they are hundreds of miles away and I miss them.
Though I do miss my family and friends, I'm not feeling homesick and am really enjoying myself here at college.
Though I do miss my family and friends, I'm not feeling homesick and am really enjoying myself here at college.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
First weekend
(The following is taken from a note I wrote on facebook about my college experience thus far)
Saturday (the 18th of August) began with move-into-the-dorm day. In case you hadn't heard, I had been stranded without a roommate, so I was a little nervous that I'd end up all alone. However, it all worked out and I now have a really cool roommate who's on the cross country team and so wakes me up at 6:00am when she leaves for practice. She likes Spider-Man thought, so all is forgiven. If you want to harass her (but in a kind and loving fashion of course), she's the Melyssa Cardenas in my friends list. As soon as I get my camera cord in the mail, I’ll be able to upload pictures (hopefully) of my room.
Saturday was also the day I spent most of my time in Target, buying things for my room and convincing my parents that “Yes, I do need Poptarts.”
I also wandered through the dorms a bit and said "Hi. My name is Rachel." to whoever I saw. And thus was invited to watch Labyrinth in a room down the hall from mine. David Bowie is very…amusing in his role with his wild hair and eyeliner and shiny, oh yes, very shiny outfits.
Sunday was church browsing. Morning was a Baptist church and evening was the Church of Christ that is practically on campus. That, and I saw Hairspray with my parents. We all are in agreement that John Travolta in that movie is disturbing, to say the least. But the music is very catchy. In fact, that is what I’m listening to while I write this (Thank you OC for providing a free music download service for your students!)
Monday…hmmm…Monday was frustrating. We had registration and freshman orientation, both of which went well. The enrolling and getting my schedule all settled – not so much. My advisor was sick or something so he wasn’t there to help me. Thus, I was sent back and forth to different people about 4 times, all the while worrying about how there were only a few available spaces left in a class I absolutely needed to take. Eventually it worked itself out and now I am enrolled in 6 classes for 15 credit hours: 2 art classes, 1 freshman art seminar, 2 honors classes and 1 class that very much resembles my old Humane Letters class from high school. Basically it’s meeting for an hour for dinner and discussing a book we’ve all read.
Tuesday (the 21st, in case you can't keep track): The beginning of the freshman camp-like experience called Earn Your Wings where we’ll “learn to soar like Eagles.” With Eagles being our mascot and team names, this is a rather poor pun/joke thing. Still, I have managed to learn a few things from the guest speaker, such as this important hierarchy of pain from having your finger slammed in a door (from least painful to most):
3) A hollow, fake wooden door such as those used for bedroom doors.
2) A front door or back door. Heavy wood or metal and glass.
1) Car door.
Very useful trivia to keep in my head, although I definitely don’t plan on finding my fingers being smashed in a door anytime soon.
There was lots of insane cheering with each HUB trying to outshout each other. Don't ask me what HUB means, but it's basically a group of 20 or so people placed together to get to know each other, to learn all about activities and clubs at OC, and battle other HUB groups to be champion.
Overall, I'm having lots of fun and am very excited to see what else college has in store. Classes start on the 27th.
Any questions? Comments? Etc, etc.
Saturday (the 18th of August) began with move-into-the-dorm day. In case you hadn't heard, I had been stranded without a roommate, so I was a little nervous that I'd end up all alone. However, it all worked out and I now have a really cool roommate who's on the cross country team and so wakes me up at 6:00am when she leaves for practice. She likes Spider-Man thought, so all is forgiven. If you want to harass her (but in a kind and loving fashion of course), she's the Melyssa Cardenas in my friends list. As soon as I get my camera cord in the mail, I’ll be able to upload pictures (hopefully) of my room.
Saturday was also the day I spent most of my time in Target, buying things for my room and convincing my parents that “Yes, I do need Poptarts.”
I also wandered through the dorms a bit and said "Hi. My name is Rachel." to whoever I saw. And thus was invited to watch Labyrinth in a room down the hall from mine. David Bowie is very…amusing in his role with his wild hair and eyeliner and shiny, oh yes, very shiny outfits.
Sunday was church browsing. Morning was a Baptist church and evening was the Church of Christ that is practically on campus. That, and I saw Hairspray with my parents. We all are in agreement that John Travolta in that movie is disturbing, to say the least. But the music is very catchy. In fact, that is what I’m listening to while I write this (Thank you OC for providing a free music download service for your students!)
Monday…hmmm…Monday was frustrating. We had registration and freshman orientation, both of which went well. The enrolling and getting my schedule all settled – not so much. My advisor was sick or something so he wasn’t there to help me. Thus, I was sent back and forth to different people about 4 times, all the while worrying about how there were only a few available spaces left in a class I absolutely needed to take. Eventually it worked itself out and now I am enrolled in 6 classes for 15 credit hours: 2 art classes, 1 freshman art seminar, 2 honors classes and 1 class that very much resembles my old Humane Letters class from high school. Basically it’s meeting for an hour for dinner and discussing a book we’ve all read.
Tuesday (the 21st, in case you can't keep track): The beginning of the freshman camp-like experience called Earn Your Wings where we’ll “learn to soar like Eagles.” With Eagles being our mascot and team names, this is a rather poor pun/joke thing. Still, I have managed to learn a few things from the guest speaker, such as this important hierarchy of pain from having your finger slammed in a door (from least painful to most):
3) A hollow, fake wooden door such as those used for bedroom doors.
2) A front door or back door. Heavy wood or metal and glass.
1) Car door.
Very useful trivia to keep in my head, although I definitely don’t plan on finding my fingers being smashed in a door anytime soon.
There was lots of insane cheering with each HUB trying to outshout each other. Don't ask me what HUB means, but it's basically a group of 20 or so people placed together to get to know each other, to learn all about activities and clubs at OC, and battle other HUB groups to be champion.
Overall, I'm having lots of fun and am very excited to see what else college has in store. Classes start on the 27th.
Any questions? Comments? Etc, etc.
Purpose
As the title so boldly states, this little blurb of text is about the purpose.
No, not the purpose of life.
But, yes, the purpose for this blog.
The purpose is, simply, to provide an account of my college experience for those who don't have facebook. For those of you who do have facebook, I will be putting more stuff on here anyway, so you might as well check this too.
As to the reason behind the name of this particular blog, I do not know. It just popped into my head after I flipped open a book and the words "Internal Monologue" leapt out at me.
No, not the purpose of life.
But, yes, the purpose for this blog.
The purpose is, simply, to provide an account of my college experience for those who don't have facebook. For those of you who do have facebook, I will be putting more stuff on here anyway, so you might as well check this too.
As to the reason behind the name of this particular blog, I do not know. It just popped into my head after I flipped open a book and the words "Internal Monologue" leapt out at me.
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