Monday, May 21, 2012

And the World Spins 'Round....

    Today some people died, some people were also born. Some people were told they had cancer, some people were told that their surgery went well and they will live many more years. Some people got married today, and someone's daughter went on her first date. Today I watched movies and made grilled cheese sandwiches and bought a melon with my friend. I gave myself another henna tattoo and took a nap. I opened my window to let in the sunshine, and I sewed a pocket on a shirt. I didn't do anything extraordinary today; but yet, in some way my life, my being alive, made a difference to someone. 
    It's genuinely incredible to think about all of the amazing things that go on around us. I remember the summer before I started college, I was working in a pizza place and it was 9 or 10 at night when this man came in, on top of the world. He came up to the counter and told me that his wife had just had a baby, a little girl. He showed me photos and told me how happy he was. Then he got his pizza and he went back to his wife and his brand new daughter, but for a few minutes, I got to be a part of one of the most important days of that man's life, the day he became a dad.
    That memory will always stick with me. Even though plenty of people I know will have babies and get married and live and die. I think it's the fact that I didn't know that man or his wife, but he so gleefully allowed me to be a part of his story, and the very beginning of his daughter's life. Ever since that night, I've thought a little more about the things that go on around me, and to tell you the truth, it's a pretty remarkable world we have.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Graduation 2012

    Another year has come and gone, and that means another class of Seniors leaves the Blackburn community for the life they're meant to lead. Many of these people have meant a lot to me and have helped me with homework, moving, or just by being amazing friends. I am proud to have been able to share in their lives for two awesome years. I have sung with them in choir, studied beside them in class, had fun with them at college events, and dined with them at dinner. The class of 2012 is full of some very special people and I feel very blessed to call them my friends.
    So, Class of 2012, I leave you with the words of Genesis 31:49, "May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent, one from another."

Congratulations and best of luck in every future endeavor.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Magical Things About College: Part 1


  • If you're not tired, NOBODY MAKES YOU GO TO BED ANYWAY!
  • If you have no real food, Chex Mix and Mountain Dew is a completely acceptable substitution.
  • If you want to stay up until 6am and then sleep until 3:30pm on Saturday, nobody cares!
  • "Laundry Day" is a magical phrase which excuses wearing ANY combination of absurd, back-of-your-closet clothing.
    On that note, my dear readers, I bid you goodnight (or good morning) because it's 5am and I have somewhere to be at 11. TTFN.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Blackburn: Home Away from Home

    So, I found a scholarship that requires me to write a short essay on why my school is special. I could spend my time telling you about how Blackburn is located in a small town with a low crime rate, about our great faculty-to-student ratio, how our Softball team did incredibly this year, how we were ranked #2 best value in the Midwest by US News,  or how we are the only school in the country student-managed work program. However, that stuff is just what makes Blackburn good, what makes Blackburn great, is the people.

    With less than 600 students, Blackburn is personal to say the least. It’s virtually impossible to get lost in the crowd. If you’re not in class, somebody notices and calls you to make sure you’re okay. My advisor, Bob, not only knows my name and what I’m studying, he remembers my sister and what she wants to study when she gets to college, he knows my parents’ names and what they do for  living. When you come to Blackburn it’s hard not to feel welcome. Upperclassmen in your discipline or your dorm welcome you, ask if you need any help, help you carry your boxes in to your dorm. You walk into choir and older singers immediately welcome you in with a hand shake, a hug, and questions about your range, your experience, what you’re studying, where you’re from. There’s always someone up for a trip to nearby Springfield or St. Louis. I feel especially lucky because not only do I have awesome friends, I have two amazing roommates who not only have fun with me, but will stay on me about studying and homework. The people in the work program are also a huge part of what makes Blackburn unique and amazing. Your bosses aren’t just there to make sure the work gets done; they’re there to help you network, build a resume, and help you plan for the future.

    Here at Blackburn, we aren’t just a college or a community, we’re a family, and that’s what makes us really special.


This scholarship is sponsored by CenturyLinkQuote.com.