Falcon Footnotes

One of the really cool things about Messiah is the huge international student base we have right here in the middle of campus. We actually have students from over 45 states and 30 different countries. That, plus the number of exchange programs and countries in which we have study abroad programs (40+) ranks us 14th in the US for sending students abroad. Even if you’re studying on campus though, you’re going to get a taste of international life, thanks to the large number of international student boards and committees. Whether it’s the African Student Union, the Asian Student Association, ISA/MUKAPA, La Alanza Latina, or the Middle Eastern Student Association (to name a few), students have a ton of opportunities to get involved in an international base. These groups are responsible for a huge number of festivals and other events on campus, often featuring food, dancing, and customs native to their respective cultures. It’s always a really educational and fun experience, and can be found right here at Messiah!

Alright, everybody. I’m gonna be even MORE honest with you than my in last post (not to say that my last post wasn’t honest, really, it was). Ever heard of visitation hours? No? Well, they’re basically periods of time during the week that guys can go on to girls’ floors and vice versa. Think of this what you will. For first-years, visitation hours are Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Pretty good amount in my opinion. Keep in mind the hours keep getting more expansive as you get older. Honestly, when I first came here, I kind of just thought that it was a stupid policy, and didn’t really make any sort of difference. But now that I’ve lived in the dorms for 2 years, I’ve actually come to appreciate them. It leaves room for the “school” part of school, you know? That, plus the fact that there’s tons of places across campus to hang out all day, every day. I think that you’ll be able to see what an asset the policy is in your time here, too!

Alright, so I’m going to be totally honest with all you incoming first-years. In case you haven’t heard: there’s no first-year parking. *Dun-dun-duuuuunnnnnn* Unless, of course, you happen to live over 300 miles away or have an off-campus job or internship. Other than that, though, no dice. I know, I know. It stinks to hear, but trust me, we REALLY try to make it work for first-year students. Worried about food? Try Lottie, the Union Cafe, the Falcon Express, or Southside Cafe (open late all the time)! That, plus we have SO MUCH to do on campus, and all of them are fun things, I promise. Whether it’s hanging out and eating at our cool Student Union, watching a movie at our on-campus movie theater, seeing one of our killer concerts, going to an on-campus festival, or just talking with friends in one of our student-run cafes, you’ll almost never be bored. The Student Activities Board (the people in charge of all the fun things on campus) does right by us, I swear. I really appreciate what they do, and I’m sure you will, too!

As a College Student, you’re going to be really keen on free things. Trust me. I guess that’s all part of the experience, but that doesn’t mean it has to be difficult to find free fun things to do on campus. Remember my whole spiel [sound it out: "shpeele"] about the Yellow Breeches and how it’s free AND fun? Well, here’s yet another thing that’s free and unbelievably awesome. B-SIDES. Every Wednesday night at 10 PM, our super cool SAB (Student Activities Board) brings in bands from all over to play for an hour or two, giving us students an excellent midweek break. I go every Wednesday, it’s now something I NEED to go to. These bands have been from every genre I can think of, including indie, rap, metal, country, electronic, and whatever else there is. Usually they bring in smaller bands, but sometimes even go for the big guns (Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s, anyone?); our B-Sides board always tries to bring in bands that will expose students to different, exciting, and definitely refreshing music. B-Sides is by far one of my favorite things about this school. Try one out every Wednesday at 10 PM in the Union!

Hey again everyone!

So, what’s the first thing you think about when you think, “College?” Yup: no sleep. Sometimes this can be an awful thing. Trust me. The night before a huge test, pulling an all-nighter? The worst. BUT fun all-nighters are possible too. I’ll admit, I’m kind of boring, so I didn’t pull my first real all-nighter until this past Spring. But once I did, I was hooked. One night, some friends and I were trying to figure out what to do with ourselves for the rest of the evening. I jokingly suggested, “let’s go to the beach!” And then one of my bolder friends made it happen. So we drove the 2 hours to the Jersey Shore, played on the beach all night, then drove back after dawn and a delicious breakfast.

It was, without a doubt, the most fun I’ve ever had. Stuff like this is definitely why I love college so much. It keeps you on your toes. Try it if you come here, be adventurous!

Hey everyone!
Want to hear a cool thing to do around campus…for FREE? I bet you do! The Yellow Breeches, a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River, is the body of water that flows right through Messiah’s beautiful campus. I don’t know why it’s called the YELLOW Breeches, but don’t let the name fool you, it’s not yellow. It’s a beautiful creek that is perfect for tubing or kayaking. It’s also fun to go swimming or fishing in, in fact, during the First Year Games in Welcome Week, all the first years playing jumped in for a giant game of tug-of-war. So fun.

Anyway, just know that the Yellow Breeches is a pretty cool thing to have on campus. Recently I went tubing down it with some friends, and it was a really good time. I hope you’ll check it out if you’re ever on campus!

Let’s face it, we all get stressed from time to time. Say it’s the perfect storm of schoolwork and three tests end up on the same day… back to back… with a paper due. While this never really happens and since the professors are all kind and willing to save your hair from the obvious tugging and ripping as well as the gnashing of your teeth, it’s unlikely it will ever be this bad, but stress will still abound at different times. Luckily there are ways to de-stress and let off some steam.

Usually my go to is to play some PS3, Call of Duty and let my mind veg out for awhile. If the weather is nice, a relaxing tube ride downw the breeches might be in order. Nothing is quiter than a nice bike ride around the area at two in the morning. Good time to think and relax and hang out with friends. I also really enjoy a midnight run to Sheetz or Bakers. Bakers is one of the best diners I have been to outside of New Jersey which lets face it no diner can compare to a good Jersey 24 hour diner.

Movies, board games, and walks around campus are really nice too. It’s always fun to take some friends down by the breeches and throw a frisbee or a football. Really you can do many things as long as it doesn’t involve schoolwork to relieve stress.

Not every moment in college will be spent on campus. There are plenty of great ways to have fun off Messiah College’s campus while still staying within 15 minutes of the college. Some of the fun places I’ve visited: City Island, Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Dillsburg and many more! While the places may be familiar to most, the people and the moments make the mundane extraordinary, or at least memorable. I remember breaking into dance parties in glow of disco balls and laser lights while glow bowling or ghost hunting in the woods outside of campus, even though we never found anything supernatural. Midnight runs to diners or Wal-Mart to break the long nights spent working on papers, while on the surface unimpressive, made great memories for me. It’s the simple moments that often leave the biggest impact.
Don’t discount any moment as ordinary or you may miss out of the extraordinary!

The college climate would be far from complete without tradition. This, I soon found, would be the key to surviving an 18-credit, 10-hour work week. As spontaneous as we were in our first year, trips to local Baker’s diner in Dillsburg became commonplace. Eleven o’clock on a Tuesday night? Class at 8 a.m.? Somehow, Baker’s seemed like an appropriate destination. Their egg and bacon sandwich on a croissant is insurmountable; their appetizer platter constantly kept us up beyond midnight. This is our tradition.

If you are hungry and just want a quick bag of chips or a soda or a coffee, then Sheetz is the destination for you. It’s no Wawa, but it is a nice alternative. It’s fun to get some friends together especially at midnight and do a late night sheetz run. Whether you’re getting a shorti or a shmonster it’s an all around fun trip.

If you are more looking for places to shop at the local wal-mart has everything you need! Plus it’s on the carlisle pike which has basically every restaurant you can think of as well as a lot of shops and car dealerships (if youare looking for a car haha). The other stop of Interest is the Salvation Army or Sal-Val as we call it. Little treasures from times past can be discovered there as well as a good Halloween outfit, powder puff cheerleading uniform, or even a rec teams uniform. It’s always a fun time there.

The best place to go in my eyes is Bakers diner on 15. Delicious food, fun wait staff, and good atmosphere are all in store for you. Whether you are craving food after a dance or maybe you just need a nice place to do some homework where you can get a killer omlette at the same time, Baker’s is the place to be. I think when I graduate the place I will miss the most is Baker’s. It will always have a special place in my heart.