I was talking to some of the people in this house a few days ago about how I felt so awkward being at main campus over the weekend. But then, on the drive up North Broad Street, I told them that the first words that popped out of my mouth were: “We’re home.” Isn’t it funny how you feel more at home at a place you’ve been for 4 months compared to a place you’ve been for a year and a half?

Serious and sentimental tone aside, we MCPCers are having a fantastic last few weeks (no, don’t cry yet). Well, I guess with the exception of all the papers and exams and stress. But anyhow, we went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art last week thanks to the wonderful RA of the month AJ (the taller Asian girl with the bigger eyes than the other Asian girl). It was–to be honest–a little overwhelming. But we did some photoshoots, chilled, and all in all, had a wonderful time. Then last Wednesday we headed off to the Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game! Unfortunately, there was only one Pirates fan from MCPC and…the Pirates won. It was my first baseball game in the States; Philly has converted me into being more interested in sports! We had the heavenly Old Bay fries that might not have been so heavenly for our body, but oh well, YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE.

posing in/in front of the Art Museum at night!

At the Phillies game. What a great night with great people and great food!

P.S. Celebration Weekend is coming up! *weeps and rejoices* Keep your heads up for exciting posts to come as we SPRINT through these last moments–together!

With love,

Joy

First of all, I want to start off by giving Boston my heart. I’m praying for you, the families, and yes, the terrorist as well.

Anyways, back to the original topic of the post: Immersion Weekend! MCPC had our second Immersion Weekend and it started off with Cecil B. Moore Freedom Fighters talking to us about who they are, who Cecil B. Moore was, and their vision that they still have today. It was an eye-opening session that made a lot of us more sensitive to the rich history this city and North Broad Street holds. The second day we did a tour of key historical sites led by the Freedom Fighters and then we continued on by attending a session about the Latino community by Pastor Efrain Cotto. Then, we ended the weekend by having discussions about the common reading, Welcoming Justice by Marsh and Perkins.

I’ve noticed, as a foreigner in this country, that civil rights has always been a very sensitive topic to some. Different people have different opinions and different methods of approaching the issues today. This weekend played a part in reminding myself that everyone is equal, yet it definitely doesn’t always seem that way.

But all in all, the weekend was great (mostly) because of cheesesteaks and gelato! *insert extreme excitement and fat here* For more information and details about the two rival cheesesteak restaurants, check out the latest issue of the Broad Street Journal.

Capogiro has THE best gelato, so I’ve heard! Make sure you head over there for dessert sometime after cheesesteak! Don’t worry about the calories; that’s what the gym is for.

Our very beloved beautiful ladies of MCPC at the park in front of Geno’s Cheesesteaks.

Also, there is EXACTLY ONE MONTH left until the grand finale! Keep your head up and eyes open for more fun stuff going on in MCPC as we sprint the last few weeks! <3

Joy

It pains me that there is less than a month left for me to be fully immersed into this community, this city, and this place I grew to love. A lot of thoughts have been running through my mind for the past few days as I was preparing the next issue of the Broad Street Journal. The articles that people turned in were very easy to relate to; sometimes I felt like they just copied and pasted my emotions and wrote it own on a piece of paper.

The semester has started off a little rough because I have had the thought of transferring out of Messiah when I came here. Also, the smaller number of students than usual had me really worried; would I even be able to make friends from such a small pool? But the thing is, I did. In fact, I made strong, deep relationships that I am sure I’ll still be having 10 years from now. Words can’t even express how thankful I am for even making it this far without being a hot mess (although I was very close sometimes).

I love MCPC. I love Temple. I love Philly. I love America. The culture, diversity, air (yes, even with the pollution), atmosphere, history, richness… I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to exposed to more “America-ness” than this.

And with only a month left, Carpe Diem has never had more relevance than this.

Joy

Honestly, I have put off writing this blog post. I don’t want this semester to end. It’s been the best semester of my college years and I am glad to call Philadelphia my new home. I love it here and I’ve had such an awesome experience. However, as finals week comes to a close, I have to start to say goodbye.

I’ve had a chance to play mini golf, go on a scavenger hunt throughout the city, go to a Phillies game, see a Temple Football and Basketball game, see several documentaries at UPenn, produce a documentary about a comic book store, make my own documentary about veganism, write a 50 page script, learn about Christian ethics, drink A LOT of coffee, go biking in the city, eat at some amazing restaurants, participate in two service projects, have intellectual conversations, master the SEPTA system,  and meet 35 new wonderful people!

I never thought I’d be able to list that many things at the end of this semester. At the beginning of each semester, I make a list of the things I want to do over the course of the next 3 or so months. It usually doesn’t get completed. However, this semester at MCPC, I was able to do everything on my list, and more!

My time here in the city is something I never thought I’d be able to do. Like I said before, I’m from the rural part of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and the city is a place I’ve just traveled to for a few hours. Living in the city has opened my eyes to some horrible and some beautiful things about our world. It’s different living here than just visiting for a little at a time. I will never forget anything I saw.

At Messiah, we are taught that community is important, however, I never felt more community than I have here at MCPC. The staff works right in the house, your friends are right down the stairs, and dinner is a big family event every night. I never thought I would be able to say that I have 30 some new friends at the end of the semester.

I could keep writing about this semester until my finger fall off, but I won’t do that for you. I hope you all have enjoyed reading this blog this semester and I hope that it’s inspired you to spend a semester at MCPC. I promise, you won’t regret it. I can honestly say it’s been an experience of a lifetime.

Thank you again for reading, I will miss you all dearly.

Caroline J. Phillips

As this semester comes to a close and finals begin to loom above our heads, new beginnings and ends are forming.  As long as the end of the world predictions are false (hahaha) Christmas is right around the corner.  Between December 13 and 14, we will all say our goodbyes and venture home for break.  Some of us will return in the spring, while others may even return to Philadelphia for life.

One thing about MCPC stands above the rest: the community.  The people here are amazing.  Dr. Gladwin (and his family), Judy Walterson, Freeman Miller, and Meg Hoover (and her family) all do a great job in overseeing the community life in Philadelphia.  We are sad to see the Hoovers move away, but we are anxiously awaiting the new “Meg” in the meantime.

Hoover Family!

Of course, this semester would have been crazy without the help of the RA’s: Jeremy Zimmerman, Dylan Kalogris, Dani Bausher, and Kelly Valentin!

The RA's

PSAB wouldn’t have been as awesome without Allen Fernandez and Erika Campbell!

And thank goodness for all the work studies: Caroline Phillips, Jake Doré, Justine Robillard, Sarah Seneca, Scott Hoffer, and Laura Good!

And everyone here… (takes a deep breath) like Andrew Algier, Max Sacra, Rolando Vega, Christie Heimbach, Derick Esch, Tony Allevato, Kelsey Peachey, Serena Dixon, Mitch McClure, Sarah Stevenson, Tim Chamberlain, Tim Minnick, Alexa Weaver, Kaity Zook, Joey Pulomena, Billy Martel, Ally Self, Joelle Czarnik, Jess Oldja, Brandi Holladay and anyone else I forgot to mention!  (I’m so sorry!)

Almost Everybody!

This is a shout-out to all of you!  You’ve made this community what it is: amazing.  It just wouldn’t have been the same without you!  The times we’ve shared and the experiences we’ve had are all nothing short of awesome.  I just hope the next semester is anywhere as good as this one!

Thank you!

-Jake

After a long 10-day break that my class schedule allowed me to have, I’m back at MCPC for the rest of the semester. Can you believe we only have 2 weeks left?! This semester flew by! It’s a bittersweet feeling I have; I am glad that the semester is coming to a close because of classes finally wrapping up, but at the same time I am sad that I am leaving my new home.

However this time of year, it’s hard think about the fun part of the city as we are stuck inside doing papers, projects, and finishing up things we haven’t completed yet. I’ve spent a few hours already sitting in the dark editing lab in Annenburg Hall, working on my documentary.

Today has been one of those days where I admire the city. I got up and had a very brisk walk to the gym. It was a chilly morning, but the sun was shining and the city looked beautiful. After I ran, I came back to campus, where I found myself trying to do homework, but just too distracted to do so. It was such a nice day and I really didn’t want to be sitting behind a computer. I was able to grab lunch with a few MCPC students and we had a great time just talking and reflecting about our professors here and the students. Now I am working on a few things for my screenwriting class, which is actually something I like to do! I have been trying to put things into perspective before I think too much about the work I have to do in the coming weeks. I’ve felt as if I’ve been extremely productive today, but I really haven’t done anything! Oops!

I have been struggling to write these blog posts because I know that my time here is almost up and I don’t want to think about it. This semester is flying by. I only have two more weeks until all this work is behind me and I am back on the road to Maryland. However, instead of being sad about leaving, I need to remember to celebrate the wonderful things I’ve done this semester. This weekend is celebration weekend and I know I have a lot to celebrate. My time here has been awesome and never boring. So stay tuned for a blog post next week about all that we celebrated this weekend!

-Caroline

Sorry that this one’s a little late being posted, but this time of year is very demanding of all MCPC students, I assure you.

Say Hello To Meg's Little Friend

Thanksgiving is one of my all-time favorite holidays because its a time for the 3 F’s.  Family, Football, and Food!  As MCPC is a family by itself that comes together to watch football and eat: its only natural that we would have our own Thanksgiving!

Food!

On November 18, the MCPC community came together with plenty of food to give thanks.

Danielle brought stuffing and cranberry sauce.

Jeremy made plenty of biscuits and crescent rolls.

Kelly made some macaroni and cheese.

Ally and her sister brought chicken.

Dylan made salad while Carlyn made a cherry pie.

Justine brought her peanut-butter surprise.

Billy and I made some mashed potatoes.

Joey brought his… apple sauce and gravy combo.

Allen made some rice.

Erika made green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole.

Judy and her husband Ray made baked corn.

And finally: Meg and Brandon brought the turkey (and some more desserts).

More food!

WHEW!!!  Thats a long list.  The real issue wasn’t whether we would have enough food, but how we would get rid of the leftovers!  For the students who weren’t interested in bringing a dish or money to the event, they could wait for leftovers in the fridge after the event.

MCPC Turkey Time!

Then again… I guess that wasn’t the biggest concern of the night.  Actually, getting everyone to clean up after the event was a bit tricky, but thanks to the group effort, we were able to manage the cleaning process efficiently.  It took some effort to get up after all of that food, but we did it!

Yes, men can cook too.

This upcoming weekend, we are looking forward to the MCPC Christmas party!  There definitely won’t be as much food as there was for Thanksgiving, but it will be great to spend some time as an MCPC family before finals and goodbyes.

Marshmallows!

-Jake Doré

This Thanksgiving I am very thankful for many things as my semester in Philadelphia comes close to ending.

I am thankful for…

1. My new friends and family at MCPC. They have been so welcoming and loving. I never thought I’d leave Philly with 30-some new friends.

2. The city. It’s a whole new lifestyle that has never been nothing but exciting.

3. My family. They have been supportive and loving throughout my entire life and I am so thankful.

4. Holiday TV Specials. I have been watching so many Thanksgiving and Christmas specials on TV, especially the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.

5. God. I thank God for everything on this list and just blessing me with a wonderful life.

I am especially thankful to everyone who reads this blog and who supports us at Messiah College Philadelphia Campus. It’s a great place and I am glad you all follow along!

-Caroline

In a month we will be done with finals and headed back home. A MONTH!? Where did the time go? So much has happened this semester and even though I am ready for the work to be over, I am in no way ready to leave the city.

It’s that time of year when everyone is stressed with the amount of work they have to do.

If you ask someone in the house how they are doing, their common response is, “Busy.” Everyone is busy with papers and projects and we are all running around trying not to go insane. This semester is different in terms of work and finals since I have a lot of film classes, so I am doing a lot of editing and writing scripts.

Here are some tips I have for students, whether they are at MCPC or in Grantham, to help ease the near-end semester slump

1. Breathe. Remember that you are still breathing so life is still okay.

2. Post-Its. Seriously, post-its are how I stay organized. Write down what you need to do on Post-Its and stick them at your desk or somewhere where you will see them. Also, when you complete the task, cross it off. Nothing feels better.

3. Have a laugh break. Watch a 30 min comedy or just hang out with your funniest friends. Even your favorite YouTube video could do the trick. They say laughter is the best medicine.

4. Sign off of social media. Just log off. Don’t go on it until you are completely finished with that paper or reading. It’s distracting when you don’t need it. Don’t worry, I doubt you are getting tagged in pictures while you are studying.

5. Exercise. Run, bike, swim, walk, or whatever you do to exercise. You’ve probably been sitting all day while studying and that’s not good for you. Get up and do something and get those endorphins going.

6. Change your scenery. Sometimes I hate to study in my room, especially after I have been sitting in there for hours. Go to a coffee shop or if it’s nice, go outside and read or write. I find that the change of scenery energizes me and makes me relax and ready to do my work.

7. Pray. Spend some time with God. My good friend said something the other day that I found useful: “Don’t take time to “squeeze” Jesus into your life. Start with Him and let the rest fall where it may.”

I hope that these tiny tips help you in your stressful times. Remember to just stay positive and your work will be positive. I am sure that I will be taking time today to follow some of my own advice.

-Caroline

Last weekend MCPC participated in Immersion Weekend. This is a weekend long event, featuring author Miguel De La Torre, service projects, and just overal good community time.

We started off the weekend with an optional lunch with Dr. De La Torre, the author of our common reading, Reading the Bible From the Margins. I was able to go with a few other students and Professor Gladwin. Dr. De La Torre is a vegan so we went to an all-vegan restaurant on South St. I was so excited to talk to someone intelligent over lunch, especially over a vegan lunch! We had a great time discussing things such as Colorado and started to talk about what he was going to discuss later that night.

At 7pm on Friday, Dr. De La Torre spoke to us about Immigration and the Church. He is very passionate about helping immigrants and changing the way they are treated. We were able to gain a new perspective on how the church interacts with immigration and how the government deals with it. His speech gave me a lot of insight into the lives of immigrants that I hadn’t known before.

Bright and early on Saturday morning, we met Meg and went on a service trip. We went to Nations Worship Center for a church clean up. The church had recently bought a new building that they were going to turn into their church. Let’s just say that this place they bought hadn’t been touched in more than 10 years and it looked like it. We had our hands full with the amount of cleaning, but we were ready to help! The building was an old night club that had stood in time. There were disco balls, old letters, jars, clothes, and a room full of records. Even though we were working, it didn’t feel like work because it was a treasure hunt as we went through all of this stuff. It was nice to help out while learning more about this building that was once hip and alive. We hope that our work helped them out! I know I wouldn’t mind going back to help out!

After we came back and cleaned up, we had large group time again with Dr. De La Torre in the chape. We sat in a huge circle and discussed the common text reading. I was impressed by the intellectual conversation that lasted for 3 hours! And I think we could have gone even longer. It was interesting to hear De La Torre’s perspective of the Bible and his views on the marginalized. There were conversations that not necessarily lined up with some of our views, but it was great being able to question our faith and really think about why we believe what we believe.

We thanked Dr. De La Torre for an awesome weekend, and then went off in small groups to several restaurants for dinner provided for us! My group went to Banana Leaf near Chinatown. It was amazing! I ordered some salmon sushi (which was amazing!) but my favorite meal was Kelsey’s, which was pineapple fried rice, in a pineapple! It was nice to go out with some students that I hadn’t seen in while. At MCPC it can be hard to always have someone to talk to, but due to schedule differences, sometimes I don’t interact with certain people. So that night was nice to do so!

On Sunday we had the option of visiting a new church! A group of students and I went to Meg and Brandon’s church. I loved the fact that it was bilingual and the congregation was filled with a diverse group of people that were very welcoming!

To complete the weekend, we had an optional PSAB lunch at Reading Terminal Market. We each got $10 and tokens. I went for a veggie wrap and then topped it off with some pumpkin ice cream!

So overall the weekend was busy but exciting! I was happy to be engaged with the city in a new way especially after being here for a few months now. I can’t believe that it is almost over! I was happy to immerse myself into the city while I still can.

-Caroline