Falcon Footnotes

Service learning. What does this phrase mean to you? I find it easier to break it down a little before trying to understand exactly what is meant when the words “service” and “learning” combine. To me, service is the act of giving of oneself in order to benefit others. You could do a service to someone by spending time with them, or you could do a service by raking their leaves or babysitting their kids. The important part of service is not the act that you complete, but the intention behind it. If you are acting selflessly chances are you are participating in an act of service! The next part of our key phrase is learning. In this context I think learning can be defined as gaining knowledge from your experiences. Therefore, service learning is gaining knowledge from selfless acts. (more…)

For the typical college student, missing home is an inevitable part of the post-high school venture. But what happens when you miss your college? This emotion, though unexpected, is one I have experienced during each of my first two collegiate summers.

Now into the final weeks of my summer “vacation,” I am steadily anticipating the transition back to life at Messiah. Suddenly, I will jump into a world of 2,900 students who have been excitedly anticipating a similar transition, many of whom will return with stories of their own. These stories will be shared over late-night hamburger grilling, late-morning pancakes, weekend soccer games, and salvation army shopping trips, allowing us to realize that we simply love this place. While the freedom and flexibility of summer is certainly something to recognize, the pure excitement that the Messiah community shares – specifically during the opening weeks of the fall semester – brings us back to childhood.

24 days….

At Messiah there are a lot of different classes that students are required to take, which are called General Education courses. My favorite Gen Ed. was most definitely my First Year Seminar class. I was in one titled What Little Girls Are Made Of and it was taught by Dr. Kris Hansen- Keiffer. I think a lot of times FYS’s are either a hit or miss on whether you love it or hate it based on the professor and subject matter. Fortunately, I found a class with both a great professor and great topics to discuss. This course opened up my mind to different ideas like feminism, relationships, and how the media affects how girls view themselves. It was through this class that I realized I wanted to be a Human Development and Family Sciences major instead of an English major. That is why I am really glad Messiah requires students to take courses from all ends of the spectrum because it helps students to be more open-minded.

The first few weeks of college everything is new and exciting, including the dining hall. I know I was impressed with Lottie Nelson Dining Hall and almost overwhelmed by the variety of food available. But, after awhile you begin to decide which foods in Lottie are your favorites. There were a couple things that Lottie provided that I really really loved. First, there is the yogurt bar. It is amazing!! There’s different yogurt flavors and all these different toppings like toasted coconut and chocolate chips. Yum! I also really loved the burrito bar. This was my go to food when nothing else seemed appealing. You pick your own meat or beans and then add in any other toppings you want like guacamole, pico de gallo, corn, lettuce, etc. That is my favorite thing about Lottie. The fact that you can make a lot of food the way you want it to be whether it is in the pasta line or using the deli line to make a panini. The possibilities are endless if you know where to look.

Messiah has some of the best food amongst all colleges!! The variety, quality, and flavor of Lottie (our cafeteria) is superb! My favorite Lottie food is definitely the Mac n’ Cheese! Every Friday at Lunch they make and serve delicious Mac n’ Cheese! If we are lucky there will be leftovers for Sunday Lunch!

A complete list the entire Messiah Dining locations and menus can be found here…Messiah Food Awesomeness!!!!

While at Messiah, I have become overwhelmed with the number of opportunities to use the gifts God has given me. Although I admit that this is a good problem to have, I have to ask myself: where do I draw the line? These experiences are teaching me how to answer this question.

Prior to my sophomore year, I accepted a position as an R.A. on Miller Residence Hall. I knew the role would be demanding, though I had too many alternative interests to pay my concerns any attention. As the year progressed, I accepted a second job in the admissions office, committed to serving Public Relations Student Society, became a writer for the Swinging Bridge, and began a sports-talk radio show. I thought I had the resources to excel in each of these roles. My emotions, it turns out, were lying to me. I began reaching my bed later and later until 2:00 a.m. became regular; I rarely had the energy to reach out to my friends; it became difficult to adequately man my floor; and homework was continually pushed back until late into the evening.

Somewhere along the way, it hit me: although I have all of these interests, I don’t have to cater to all of them. In order to effectively fulfill my roles, I would need to lighten the load and pour into a small number of commitments. And so, as I anticipate the arrival of my junior year, I am staring into a a period of hard work and leadership, but also rest and relaxation. It is through this down time, I am learning, that I am able to sufficiently reach others, carry out my own involvements, and do what I love. With growth ahead of me, I will continue to set these boundaries, all the while experiencing life as a healthy college student.

“There is no spin in PR,” my professors say, and “we must cultivate ethical behavior in this field.”

These ideas, presented so vividly for the past four semesters, make me wonder: Am I simply learning to become a Public Relations professional, or am I learning to fulfill this role with a living, breathing faith within me? The latter option seems to better replicate my Messiah experience. Through all of my education, I am beginning to understand my role as a student: I am called to work in this World while holding tightly to His World.

On the surface, this idea presents several challenges. How can I reflect honesty and integrity during a period of crisis management? How can I adequately present my organization’s message without exaggerating its expertise? At Messiah, I have woven intellect and faith together, pairing two seemingly opposing ideals to create a rooted Christian perspective. The answer, then, is quite simple: I must cultivate an ethical behavior in my field, allowing my work to speak of an inspired, God-seeking professional. This, I now understand, is the essence of my Messiah College education.

I believe at Messiah we have the best Professor’s on the planet! They are incredibly personable and friendly. My academic counselor always encouraged me to come visit him whenever his door was open. We talked about school, internships, friends, jobs, and life. We meet about once a week to just chat! He has taught me so much and made a huge difference in my life. He has guided and mentored me throughout my time at Messiah. He has impacted me in a way that a class, test, or project never will. My Academic Counselor has made “THE DIFFERENCE” in my college experience at Messiah!!

When I first came to Messiah I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life or what type of career I wanted to pursue. But, I was scared to come into college as Undecided because then everyone else around me would also know that I had no idea what I was doing with my life. So I decided to enter college as an English major, even though I knew that I was not passionate about English. Throughout my first semester I started to panic because I was working towards meeting the requirements for a major that I no longer wanted. My main problem was not that I did not love English, but that I had no clue as to what I really was passionate about.

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J-term, short for January term, is the 3 weeks in January where students can opt to come back to campus and focus on one class, or choose to study on a cross-cultural. These 3 weeks on campus are some of the most fun we as students have every year. You go to class everyday, Monday through Friday, for 3 hours. The rest of the day, is full of infinite possibilities. Hanging out in the Union with friends, studying, sledding (after the snow storms) the most difficult decision is where to start.

For those students who enjoy getting off campus and hitting the slopes, J-term is a great time to get out and ski or board a couple times. The local mountain, Ski Roundtop, is a nice mountain to get out to ski or even to get out and learn how to ski or board.

Every Wednesday evening, Roundtop has special offers for college students. College students can go and Ski/board for $30.00. This one time $30 price includes rentals if needed! So even if you do not have your own equipment, you can still enjoy this great offer. For an extra $30, those who would like to learn to ski or snowboard can receive a lesson from a Roundtop employee.

So when you are thinking about taking a J-term class or not, remember the many benefits that come with a J-term class. You earn 3 credits (over a 3 week period) making it easier to take 18 credits in your spring semester. You get to spend quality time with your friends after 3 hours of class a day. And for all of the snow junkies, you can spend some nights skiing and boarding the nights away at Ski Roundtop!