BSC Student Blog

Hello from England!!

2008-07-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

Hello! I apologize for the being possibly one of the worst bloggers ever. I have not made a post in over three months! Exams and the relaxation of summer captured me!

I am writing you from OXFORD, ENGLAND! I am studying abroad through a program called British Studies at Oxford. There are four Birmingham-Southern students here, and we are all taking different classes at St. John's College of Oxford University. I have only been here a week, but it has already been amazing!

Oxford as a city is beautiful and rich with history. In my history of science class, my professor always says, "Just a five minute walk" or "Just 300 yards from where you are sitting" and names some major discovery in science, and thus in history, that happened near where we are. Oxford brings out this amazing drive to work hard, study hard, and play hard for me. I am surrounded by the most brilliant minds in the world. I am just a lowly undergrad student from Indian Springs, Alabama, but I can discuss Aristotle, Galileo, and even Thomas Jefferson with some of the most intelligent people this world has ever seen. I am learning form the people who wrote the books on the subject. Seriously, for both of my classes, the professors gave us copies of their books or works on the subject. How amazing is that?

Dr. Tatter and Dr. Ullrich, two members of the English Literature faculty, are teaching classes here. So far it has been more than I have ever imagined. This weekend, two of us BSC-kids are going to Ireland. The weekend after that we are all going to Stonehenge through an excursion with BSAO. The weekend after that, a few of us are going to Brussels, Belgium. You basically can't come to Europe and not go to more than one country. As my Dad says, traveling country to country in Europe is like traveling state to state in America.
I hope you are having an enjoyable summer!

The Birmingham-Southern crew at the garden party behind St. John's College. It is an honor (and big deal) that we are allowed on the lawn two specific times during our weeks at the college. Left to Right:Matt Maloy (sophomore), David Miller (senior), Sarah Kloewer (senior), and Kerry Patterson (senior)

At St. John's college pub for coffee or tea in between classes and before our common lecture. I will probably come home with an addiction to coffee. We should start a tea/coffee time at Birmingham-Southern.

Hello from England!!!

2008-07-07T15:47:00.000-07:00

Hello! I apologize for the being possibly one of the worst bloggers ever. I have not made a post in over three months! Exams and summer time just captured me.

I am writing you from OXFORD, ENGLAND!!! I am studying abroad through a program called British Studies at Oxford. There are four Birmingham-Southern students here. We are all taking different classes at St. John's College of Oxford University. I have only been here a week, but it has already been amazing!

Oxford as a city is beautiful and rich with history. In my history of science class, my professor always says, "Just a five minute walk" or "Just 300 yards from where you are sitting" and names some major discovery in science, and thus in history, that happened near where we are. Oxford brings out this amazing drive to work hard, study hard, and play hard for me. I am surrounded by the most brilliant minds in the world. I am just a lowly undergrad student from Indian Springs, Alabama, but I can discuss Aristotle, Galileo, and even Thomas Jefferson with some of the most intelligent people this world has ever seen. I am learning form the people who wrote the books that I need to read for class. How amazing is that?!

Dr. Tatter and Dr. Ullrich are here with us. So far it has been more than I have ever imagined. This weekend, two of us BSC-kids are going to Ireland. The weekend after that we are all going to Stonehenge through an excursion with BSAO. The weekend after that, a few of us are going to Brussels, Belgium. You basically can't come to Europe and not go to more than one country. As my Dad says, traveling country to country in Europe is like traveling state to state in America.

I hope you are having an enjoyable summer!

Pictured: The BSC crew at the garden party on the St. John's lawn. It is a BIG DEAL that they let us on the lawn two times during our weeks at the college. Left to Right:Matt Maloy (sophomore), David Miller (senior), Sarah Kloewer (senior), and Kerry Patterson (senior)

2008-03-21T09:50:00.001-07:00

This week has been rough. Sleeping didn't happen too much but that's ok because now it is SPRING BREAK!!!! Midterms are killer- I always end up with a ton of stuff due in every class at the same time the week before spring break. It makes it even worse because all I can think about is being at the beach! Well, all of my papers are done, take home midterm exam complete, Art critique- survived, project proposal submitted... With all of that behind me I will be leaving this afternoon to go home for the weekend. On Sunday after church I am catching a flight to the Bahamas for 6 days!!!!

In other news, two weeks ago Birmingham-Southern launched the Destiny: Delivered Campaign. Basically BSC will be raising 100 million dollars over the next ten years which is exciting ( Get more info here http://www.bsc.edu/advancement/campaign/). For the launch there was a huge party on campus for Alumni. 60 or so students helped out with the event because it was massive. I got to host one of the awesome alumni being honored at the event; Ansley Collins a BSC graduate of 2001 who now works for NASA as a TOPO- basically she coordinates the docking of the space shuttle with the international space station. It was really fun. Below is a picture of newly elected SGA president Trey Cotney and I at the event. I wish everyone could have been there it was so pretty and all of the speeches and presentations made me so proud to be a Student ( and soon to be Alumna) here at Birmingham-Southern. Of course that was the desired effect. The point of the evening was to impress the alumni so they will give the big bucks toward the campaign. I was convinced and I don't have the big bucks that's for sure. It takes a lot of money to run BSC ( an average of $100 a minute). Tuition, while expensive, is only half the cost of a student's time at BSC and most student's don't pay full tuition- they have scholarships from the School which are funded by the annual fund ( which is where the $100 Million from the Destiny: Delivered campaign is going). Anyway I guess what I am trying to say is that while I may spend a lot of my time stressed out and angry that I have big papers due or what not I know that it is all worth it for a degree from this place. Not only is it an outstanding college in the academic realm it also has left me more well rounded- knowledgeable of the problems in the world around me globally and locally, comfortable to discuss tough issues, more open in my world view and a little less socially awkward :) .

History in the Making...

2008-03-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

At the risk of sounding like a complete nerd, I am going to tell you a really cool story that happened this past week. Every history major is required to take HI 270, the Practice of History Seminar. In the class, we are learning about the process of history, reading, researching, and writing, using the American Civil War as a focus. Every student is working on a specific research topic that is interesting to them. Dr. Mark Lester (pictured side right) and Dr. Guy Hubbs (pictured bottom left) are the instructors for the course. Last Thursday, Dr. Lester and Dr. Hubbs had Dr. George Rable (pictured top left) from the University of Alabama be a guest speaker for the class. He is a renowned Civil War historian and scholar. Google his name and you will see how interesting he is. Dr. Rable walked into class, looked at a list of every students research questions for our papers, and gave every student advice on their topic with a list of books they should consult. Obviously he had prepared before he came to the class, but the fact that he just rattled off advice for every topic, minor or major, was astounding.

After class, Dr. Lester and Dr Hubbs invited the students to coffee in the cafe with Dr. Rable. We in the SGA-couch area in the cafe, just chatting. I wanted to ask Dr. Rable, as well as my professors, a simple question about history. I am studying to become a high school history teacher. I know, why in the world would I want to go back to high school? I posed the topic of improvements in teaching history in the secondary classroom setting. What happened after was amazing. To keep this post to a minimum, I'll just say that Dr. Lester, Dr. Hubbs, and Dr. Rable provided the encouragement I needed to re-strengthen, if you will, my commitment to teaching high school history. One thing Dr. Rable about teaching is, "Rule #1: Know something. Rule #2: Be enthusiastic. Rule #3: If you are not enthusiastic about it, act like it." As I left the coffee time, I thanked Dr. Rable for his time and he responded, "Get them fired up!"

I am genuinely excited about teaching history. I still have a long way to go before I am certified and in a school, but I can't wait to get there. Part of that enthusiasm is knowing that I can make a difference. Dr. Lester, Dr. Hubbs, and Dr. Rable reaffirmed my belief that teaching can change lives even though I know it is going to be hard. Some of you reading this post might be laughing or thinking that I am naive, but I am up for the challenge. Check back with me in 2010, I'll let you know how it turned out.

2008-03-02T09:42:00.000-08:00

This weekend several students from BSC, myself included, attended the YMCA's Collegiate Legislature. It is the college version of Youth-Leg for those of you who are familiar with that. It was BSC's first time to send a delegation to the event and we did really well. Of the 5 bills we took 3 passed, one in both the house and senate. We were chosen as the best delegation at the conference. One of the members of our delegation was selected as the outstanding delegate and one of our bills was chosen as the best bill at Collegiate Legislature. Basically we dominated as expected. Above is our delegation in Montgomery on the steps of the capitol building.

My roommate and I were talking earlier about how weird the weather has been this week. We realized that we have had hail, sleet, tornadoes, snow, rain and 73+ degree weather all in just 7 days. It is a little insane. Every morning I wake up and put my hand on the window pane to see how warm/cold it is that day. A cold window pane means I should wear layered clothing since it will most likely be much warmer by lunch time. During my time at BSC I have learned to love my pink rain boots which I bought in the spring of my freshman year. When it rains around here if you aren't wearing boots then your feet are going to be soaked. It is all of the hills I think. The rain water is running down the hill as you are walking up the hill... you get the picture. Bottom line- this week we have had crazy weather!!!

Until later...

Apparently I'm an Avid Sports Fan... Who knew?

2008-02-23T11:23:00.000-08:00

So one of my favorite parts of the spring semester is SPORTS!!! In my spare time lately I have found myself at several sporting events. I have friends on most of the sports teams here so going to games is even more special because you can support your friends and BSC at the same time. Allison, Ashley and I went to a basketball game earlier this week and took some signs for our friend Mark. We thought it would be fun to embarrass him so we made these posters with inside jokes ( which no one else probably got but we thought were hilarious!). BSC won this game and over all we have a GREAT record especially considering the fact that we are a brand new team. Both the men's and women's basketball teams have their last home games today so I'm going to go this afternoon.

Speaking of brand new teams, this year is BSC's first time to field a women's lacrosse team. I went to their first game earlier this week too. They played the University of Alabama and beat them 15 to 5!!! I was totally impressed. Oh yeah, we made posters for this game too ( this poster business has just been happening this week- I guess I was in need of a creative outlet or at-least an excuse to doodle with a marker...).

It is weird to think how much controversy there was over the switch we made form D1 to D3. Some people were very upset and some people still are but the switch has been so great in my opinion. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't originally onboard with the idea, but now I'm so glad it happened. We have gotten more sports and more students are able to participate plus the money we had tied up in the D1 program has been distributed to other parts of campus so there is more money to work with for many departments. And did I mention BSC Football!? Go Panthers!! I'm so proud of all of our teams this year- they are laying the foundation for an athletic program of excellence that will be around for years to come at Birmingham- Southern.

Breathe Deep...

2008-02-20T20:51:00.000-08:00

Wow. I don't even know how to describe this past week, and it's only Wednesday!

Monday was insane. I went to work, class, and drove to a school in Birmingham for my first tutoring session. Not to metion I had to drive home for dinner with my parents and then drive back in time for a meeting at 9:00 pm. Crazy, I know! It is days like this Monday that make me feel like I am making progress though. I know I am busy because I am teaching, learning, and working. That is really all I want to do anyway.

This Saturday is Scholarship Day. Students from across the nation are coming for a competition for scholarships. It is really stressful for the students who come, but a lot of fun for the current students. Despite the fact that we have to get up early on a Saturday, we get to meet prospective students. It is always cool to meet people from different places.

I am just going to try this, but if there is anything in particular that you want to hear about from one of the bloggers, e-mail us! Seriously, let us know what you want to know! So, let us know if there is something you want to know. Talk to you soon...

Valentine's Day Love!

2008-02-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

Hello again!

Yes, school is back and in full-force. I am already working on two different research papers, covering the Civil War to the People's Republic of China. So far, I have been set up to go tutoring at a local high school, and I have learned how to write a program for a computer game. If you can't tell, I am in two history classes, one education class, and a computer science class. I was really nervous about computer science, but it really isn't that bad.

My birthday is tomorrow! Yes, it is Valentine's Day. Since everybody goes out to eat tomorrow night, my friends and I are going to eat at Chick fil A. I know, big party, right? But, I like the simple things. This weekend is going to be pretty crazy though. Thursday night is my birthday! Friday night, my best friend from high school is coming to visit. Saturday night is my sorority's formal. Not to mention homework. But, I love being busy.

Birmingham-Southern has a lot of things to offer, we just have to reach for them. I feel better when I am involved with different organizations and clubs on campus. Being active makes this campus even better than it already is.

Also, I want to thank you for sending me e-mails! I love to get mail. If you ever have any questions about anything, please just let us know!

Getting Back in the Swing of Things

2008-02-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

We are now in the second week of the Spring semester here at BSC and there is already so much going on! Last Saturday, was the competition for scholarships in the arts and this coming weekend will be the scholarship competition for the theatre department followed by our academic scholarship competition day the following Saturday.

While I miss the calm that was interim, it is nice to be getting back into a steady routine with my classes. This semester is going to be a little rough for me, but I am nonethless excited about that which lies ahead. To get specific about my schedule, I am taking a Biology course, two Psychology courses, and an Art History class; as you can see, I'm going to be taking several types of courses...which is the cornerstone of the liberal arts education that BSC provides.

Well, my well-rounded curriculm calls, so that's all for now. Until next time!

All Good Things Must Come to an End...

2008-01-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

Interim term is slowly drawing to a close. While I am excited about friends returning from travels abroad and internships, I am still sad that the month is winding down. Here at BSC, Interim term provides us with the opportunity to explore and to encounter so many things that we might not have a chance to experience otherwise. In my opinion, Interim is one of the features that makes BSC's such a great school because it provides we students with an opportunity to learn/think "outside the box". It's also nice to just be able to focus all of your attention on one course. Well, even though I feel like I haven't said very much, I guess that's all I have for right now. Until next week!!!

Slowing to a Stop

2008-01-24T08:41:00.000-08:00

Well, interim is winding down. People are coming back from their various trips around the world. I love looking at people's pictures. Of course, Facebook does help with that.

I met with my Interim Sponsor, Dr. Ott. She is amazing! She has helped me SO much with my project. I am watching historical movies and writing about whether or not they can be utilized as teaching tools in secondary classrooms. It might sound boring, but it has actually been really fun. Some of the movies I have watched were made in the 1930s & 1940s. I just got an e-mail from Netflix that my "silent epic" is being sent to my house next. I had NO IDEA my new film would be silent. I'm not too excited about that. But, I am excited about finishing interim and being back at school. I miss seeing all my friends everyday!

A group of my friends and I are going to the airport on Sunday to pick up a friend who is coming back from the Italy interim. I'm sure it is going to be a fun experience seeing her again. We are probably going to cause a scene at the airport. I hope that is not a problem.

I am going to Auburn this weekend to visit some friends from high school. Interim is the perfect time to get away for a weekend and not be too worried about school work while you are gone. I can't wait to drive down there. I just don't want to see any cops on my way. :)

I can't wait for the next semester to begin! I hope you are enjoying this blog of BSC students! E-mail us if you ever have any questions!

Piano... Who would've thought?

2008-01-22T08:27:00.001-08:00

As my freshman year at BSC pushes forward I look have found myself in a situation that I never thought was possible. I am learning to play the piano from a world-renowned pianist! I have always had a longing to learn to play the piano, but as I started getting older I thought that I would never have the time or opportunity to be able to learn. However, BSC's 4-1-4 academic schedule has given me that opportunity. The interim term was designed to do exactly this for students. It's a time for students to be able to explore something that they might not have had the opportunity to do otherwise. We have classes ranging from piano to rock climbing and even classes that travel to places such as Italy and the Carribbean. I have enjoyed my class so much. Professor DeVan is an awesome teacher, and he does an excellent job communicating the way that we should be playing. I hope that I can motivate myself to continue playing long after I am done this January!

And It Begins Again

2008-01-15T12:01:00.000-08:00

Hello all, I apologize for not posting sooner, but since I got back last week I have been quite busy. I had an amazing Christmas break, but it is great to be back at BSC...especially because interim is one of my favorite times of the year. For those of you who aren't familliar with what interim is, please check out our web-site because it explains what the term is much better than I'm sure I could haha.

Last year, during interim, I had the opportunity to travel abroad and study Spanish in Argentina and this year, I am staying on campus and taking a class...the possibilites for what you can do are endless. I really enjoy this term so much because it gives me the opportunity to fully immerse my time and efforts into something that I find interesting.

Well, I guess that is all for now...I need to get back to work. Until next time!

Interim is Here!!

2008-01-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

Hey all! Students are back at BSC from break for interim. Interim is the month of January in which students can take one call, internship, or trip. Really, all options are open for what students can do.

This year, I contracted my own Interim. I am studying historical movies and determining whether or not they are historically accurate and if they can be utilized as teaching tools in secondary history classrooms. It might sound boring, but it is really interesting. Who wouldn't want to watch movies for a month and get credit for it? In the mean time, I am living at home to spend more time with my family and working with an accounting firm that I have worked for since high school.

During Interim, BSC provides many opportunities for students to have fun. They include a variety of things, from hip hop dance classes to movie trips, to Mama's Home Cooking. Moms bring a home-cooked dish to BSC, and students can come eat all the amazing foods in Bruno Great Hall. It's a pretty big deal. There is a countdown until that day in Norton Campus Center.

Since I am living off campus, I have missed most of the activities. However, this past weekend, my old roommate and I went to Atlanta to visit my sorority sister who graduated last year. She graduated majoring in Business and she is now the marketing director for a business outside of Atlanta. She played volleyball at BSC and now coaches a club team down the street from her office. She showed us the ropes of Atlanta. We visited Georgia Tech, the CNN center, IKEA (my favorite), and many other things. It was a great weekend trip! We tried to make it as cheap as possible so we stocked a cooler with food from the cafe and convenience store at school. It really helped! We didn't have to buy snacks or lunch for each day that we were there. The entire trip was fun! It was also really encouraging to see a current BSC graduate with a great apartment, great job, and great plans for her future. You can always hear about all the amazing opportunities, but to see them in real-life is wonderful.

Well, I hope your January is great! I will catch back up with you later!

Headed Home for the Holidays

2007-12-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

Well, it is almost over; the end of the semester is near. I have one more final left this week and then I'm headed home for the holidays. I am so excited!!! As it draws to a close and I look back, I see that this semester has flown by so quickly. It seems that it was only a few weeks ago that I was helping move in new students, and now those same students are finishing their first semesters as college students.

Though I am very excited about the break, I must admit that I will definately miss my friends at BSC while I am gone, but we will all be back for interim very soon. I guess that is all for now, I need to get back to preparing for my final exam and finish my packing. Happy Holidays!!!!

2007-12-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

Stop--StudyTime!

2007-12-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that the year is almost over. Our last day of class is Tuesday! This year went by so quickly.

Tonight, I volunteered with the Church Relations office and the President's Student Service Organization to work the 71st Annual Service of Lessons and Carols. It was awesome! Southern Chorale, Concert Choir, and Alumni Choir all perform different songs. I love the alumni choir! It is really cool to see all these graduates come back to still sing in the service.

Speaking of alums, I had a thought hit me the other day that really made me think. One thing that I love about Birmingham-Southern is the spirit of learning. I am surrounded by individuals, students, professors, and staff, who are constantly working to improve themselves and others. There are always conversations about interesting topics, debates over intense issues, and events raising money for philanthropies. This spirit pushes me to reach my goals. No matter how cliche or hoakie it may sound, I love that feeling that I am surrounded by successful and ambitious people. When I graduate and start working, will I still be surrounded by that feeling? I can only hope so.

Exams are this week and next week. I am not really sure how I am going to survive these next two weeks. I'm sure there will be lack of sleep, forgetting to eat, and anxiety attacks accompanying every study session. There is one thing that I know for sure. I am working and fighting for success. After that happens, I am going to go home, eat my Momma's cooking, and sleep. Oh yeah, and watch TV. I have missed a whole season of Ugly Betty!

Christmas is near...but so are finals

2007-11-26T12:12:00.000-08:00

Hello all! I just got back from Thanksgiving break and I am getting ready for the busy weeks ahead; we have a week and two days of classes left followed by five days of finals...but who is counting haha. This week especailly is going to be quite busy for me because I have a lab practical as well as a test in Biology. Though everyone around campus is busy getting ready for exams, we are all very excited about this Wednesday's guest lecturer, Elie Wiesel. In addition to this, the annual service of lessons and carols will be held this Friday evening as well as this coming Sunday. Well, I guess that's all until next week!

Memory Lane...it's a short walk

2007-11-15T10:52:00.000-08:00

Hello, again!

I hope this is greating you well! It is another busy week on the Hilltop. I am finishing up my 15-page research paper on the American Revolution. I am writing about women's contribution to the Revolutionary war itself. It is called, "Girls, Grab Your Guns and Spinning Wheels, the British are Coming". I am so glad that our professor lets us get a little creative.

I wanted to share something with you that has become a tradition on BSC's campus. Halloween on the Hilltop is an event we do every year. We open up the gates of the school to the community around us. Organizations and groups on campus set up booths and games for kids to play. This provides a safe place for kids across Birmingham to come trick and treat.

This picture is during set-up before all the kids arrived. We had a witch's brew. Kids dug in the "brew" to find a ping-pong ball. The ball had a number that corresponded to the pieces of candy they could receive.

The kids faces when they get candy is great. It is good to be active in the community around us. Halloween on the Hilltop is so much fun! Plus, who wouldn't want to wear a costume to class?

Channing: Fireman
Me: Tracy Turnblad (Hairspray)
Jessie: Witch, owner of the brew!

If you ever get a chance, come join us on Halloween. See you October 31, 2008!

2007-11-12T18:46:00.000-08:00

We all sound so stressed out! Haha! Right before Thanksgiving it always gets like this!

In happy/not stressful news, Sarah and I left campus today and went to get Mexican food! It's the little things in life that make you smile!

Also, NPR's "Says You" is going to be on campus this weekend. If you know what that is you are most likely really excited and want to know when and where it is going to be (find info at www.wbhm.org). If you don't know what that is then you probably think I'm a nerd because I listen to NPR- that's kind of true!

To all bloggers and readers- I wish you the best as you work through your stress!!

2007-11-12T17:56:00.000-08:00

Where to begin? Things are very hectic for me right now, so please forgive the brevity of this post.

Today was Black and Gold Day; it is a day here at BSC in which prospective students come to visit, observe classes, and tour. I had the pleasure of giving two tours today, but I'm now quite tired and I still have lots of homework to do:(

I have a research paper due for my Plural America class tomorrow and though I have been mulling over it for weeks now, it doesn't seem that it will ever be finished...I guess it will only be done when Dr. Nicholas, my professor, pries it from my hands tomorrow morning haha. I am also trying to finish up my lab homework for my psych lab tomorrow.

Also, this week is Alcohol Awareness week and I'll be busy helping out with events for the different programs associated the week.

I guess that's all for now...my paper is calling me

Until Next time!

Late, late, for a very important date!

2007-11-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

Well, my goodness. I usually post on Tuesdays, but I totally forgot this week! Please forgive me.

The last time I wrote, I was waiting for news for many different aspects of my life. Was my Interim approved? Did I get into Oxford for the next summer? When am I going to finish my history research paper? These types of questions have consumed my mind. I have good news! My interim project was approved, with some minor changes to be made. I was accepted into the Oxford program, and I got into my top choices for classes! That research paper... well, it is still haunting me. Two out of three is not bad! At least my plans for the future are working out!

I am really ready for Thanksgiving Break. I have a history research paper, sociology research paper draft, and education website all due before I leave. However, next Tuesday after my class is over, I am heading home! I have not been able to go home as much as I would have liked, but Thanksgiving will be a great catch up, especially on sleep.

I saw Taming of the Shrew this weekend. It was great! I was a little confused at the beginning, but by the end I had a permanent smile on my face. One character was absolutely hilarious. Five of my sorority sisters were in the play and two of them were the lead roles. I was really excited to see what they have been practicing for so many weeks. I love our theatre department. They put so much effort and work into every show, and it pays off. As cheesey as this may sound, Go theatre!

This week is going to be a little crazy, but hopefully, all will work out. I still need to finish that research paper. How is it that something I have known about since September crept up on me? It is a mystery I have yet to solve...

Have a great week! Talk to you soon!... well, type to you soon!
-Sarah

One last thing before my nap...

2007-11-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

This has been a crazy week! I had a paper due on Monday, a revision to a paper due on Tuesday, a group project paper due on Wednesday and a group presentation to do on Thursday- not to mention all of my regular homework and such. This week I also gave a campus tour, went to a luncheon, had 9 meetings, and went to work (both jobs). I’m so glad it is the weekend!!!!

I am going home on Saturday for the first time this semester and even though it has been a long time, I still don’t really feel like going. I would rather take a nap. That may be due to my lack of sleep this week though.

I am glad the weather is cooler. Winter is my favorite season. I just love coats and scarves and the way you feel when you walk into somewhere warm after you have been out in the cold. I don’t really know what to do about the static though. I was walking around campus yesterday and my hair was standing up and my skirt was basically adhered to my legs because of the static. I was touching every metal thing I walked near and not shocking anything. If you have any solutions to such static problems, I would love to hear them!

Tonight I am going to see Taming of the Shrew- the production the theatre dept. is currently showing. Two of my good friends are the main characters. Taming of the shrew is a play by Shakespeare but BSC is doing it a little differently. The theatre department is using the original text from the play but have it set in the 1960’s. The main character is wearing white go-go boots and Beatles music is used throughout the production. It should be pretty cool!

I can’t think of much else to say today. I guess my brain is just maxed out. I’m going to take a nap now. Hopefully next time I post on here I will be capable of forming thoughts and better sentences. My apologies!

P.S. If you are not already an avid napper, by the time you are a senior I hope you have learned the art. I have mastered it!

Hello!

2007-11-05T15:53:00.001-08:00

My name is Mitchell Dean. I am from Memphis, TN. I am a freshman at BSC and a newbie to whole blogging world as well.
I came out of high school as the kind of jock kind of kid myself. I played football and baseball and threw in a little rec basketball on the side. I also had the opportunity to serve as the president of my senior class. That was one of the most rewarding experiences of my high school career. I got to lead a great group of seniors and establish awesome relationships with them in the process. I was also very involved in many other school organizations as well including Spanish Club, FCA, and Business Club just to name a few. I was always out on the weekends with hanging around with my group of friends looking for new and exciting ways to pass the time. (we found some interesting ones at that) :)
I was the kid who made good grades in high school, but I was never the type to study a lot. However, I knew when I was going to college that I needed a place with high quality academics and a positive social life as well. I figured there would never be a place that I could make the kind of friends like I had in Memphis while getting everything that I wanted out of an education. Yet, when I came to Southern I found that I could get just that. Upon the completion of orientation I had already started making some great friends. Everybody was so nice! I was surprised at how close knit the community was here. Then classes began and I quickly realized that the academics were no joke either. Classes are tough, but very very exciting. The small class size really fit me well, and, as a business major, I feel that it is very important to helping me progress in my field.
I can't wait to see what is to come!

2007-11-05T13:54:00.001-08:00

Hi! My name is Matt Matlock and I am a sophomore at Birmingham-Southern College. I’m from Gadsden, AL which is about an hour north of Birmingham. My major is Psychology and I am also pursuing a minor in Biology. After college, I want to either pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology or attend Physical Therapy school…I still have a little bit of time to decide, or at least that’s what I tell myself haha.

In addition to my school work I am also involved in several campus organizations. I am a Southern Ambassador, a member of SOS (Students Offering Support), and a I am also in the Honors Program. In addition to these activities, I work in the Admission Office.

This semester I am taking Organismal Biology, Intro to Acting, Statistics for Psychology, and Plural America. Though my classes keep me busy, I enjoy the challenges that they bring…most of the time anyway.

I guess that’s all I have for now, but I’ll update soon.

11/03/2007

2007-11-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

This is my first official post as a blogger : )

Hello Blogging World! I guess to let the world know a little about me. My name is Jannese. I am a junior Biology major, History minor, pre-med. I grew up in L.A., as in Lower Alabama ; ) During high school my family moved to Birmingham, which is where I’ve been ever since.
I am currently doing molecular biology research, with the wonderful Dr. Gretchen Repasky. We’re doing research through our fellowship, which makes me a Vails Fellow. I am the vice president of the Commuter Student Union and am a general officer of Students Offering Support. I am also involved in ‘Southern Ambassadors, BSC Students for Life, the Mentoring Program, Circle K, and Beta, Beta, Beta. In addition, I am currently an inactive member of BSC College Democrats and the Black Student Union. And last but not least, I tutor through the Academic Resource Center.
My life is a little hectic right now, as I try to juggle all of the above and maintain good enough grades that will get me into Med. School. This semester I am taking Genetics, Organic Chemistry, History since the 1940, and research with Dr. Repasky. I LOVE all of my classes and professors this semester. Especially Organic. Everybody keeps saying that Organic is so hard and so many people have had to retake it. But I’m actually enjoying it, and am doing fairly well. Well until next time…

First Blog!

2007-10-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

Hello!! This is my first blog ever!

My name is Sarah and I am a junior at BSC. I am a history major, but I am in the process of getting my secondary certification to teach school. I am from Indian Springs, Alabama, which is not far from BSC.

I am the Vice President of Finance for my sorority, Academics Editor for the Southern Accent (yearbook), and I am also a member of Wesley Fellowship and Council for Exceptional Children. I am a Southern Ambassador, which is the group that gives campus tours. I am also a work-study in the Admissions office.

I should catch you up on where I am right now in school. There are a few exciting things happening! I just applied for British Studies at Oxford. If I am accepted, I will be studying history in England for the summer! I really want to go, so I hope to hear back soon. Also, I contracted my own Interim. In case you didn't know, Interim allows students to study one specific subject, travel abroad, or contract an internship during the month of January. I contracted my own study of historical films and documentaries. I am really excited about it! I am supposed to hear back from the Interim Committee sometime soon!

I am constantly busy at Birmingham-Southern. There is never a dull moment. I will keep you posted, literally!

Kacey's first post!

2007-10-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hello blogging world!
I guess I need to introduce myself. I’m Kacey and I am a senior at BSC. As you can read in my profile I am an International studies major with a minor in studio art. I am in the leadership studies program as well. I am from Athens, Alabama which is near Huntsville (about an hour and a half north of Birmingham). I am in the process of registering for my final semester here at Southern’ and am so nervous and excited at the same time.
Here on campus I keep myself quite busy. This semester I am taking Spanish 350- Latinos in the United States with Dr. Jessica Ramos, Environmental Studies 150- Intro to Environmental Studies which is being co-taught by Dr. Scott Duncan and Jeanne Jackson, and Political Science 340- Comparative Elite Behavior with Dr. Natalie Davis. I am also taking the junior year practicum for leadership studies. I started the Leadership Studies program last year, as a junior, instead of as a sophomore as is usual. So I am taking the junior year class this semester and in the spring I will be finishing up the program with LS400- the senior capstone in Leadership Studies. The junior year practicum requires that each student volunteer with a community organization for the semester and observe the leadership styles and organizational structure. I am interning at KPI Latino, which is a company that markets to the Spanish speaking population of Birmingham. I work there three days a week in the mornings before class. After class I work a couple of nights a week at “Phone-A-Thon.” This is a branch of BSC’s office of Institutional Advancement. We call alumni, update their contact information and then see if we can finesse them into making a contribution to the annual fund. The annual fund provides for scholarships, academic programming, faculty salaries and whatever else the college needs. It is all students working at Phone-A-Thon and we have lots of fun. Talking to alumni is pretty entertaining too. You learn all kinds of stuff about Birmingham Southern and what it was like in years past. My favorite alumni are the older ones. They have the best stories and they, for the most part, really enjoy talking to current students and catching up with what is going on around here. They receive plenty of mail from Southern with updates but hearing the opinion of an actual student seems to really make them happy. I guess you always want to think of something as how it was when you left it, but in a world of change that just can’t be so. In 20 years when someone calls me- you better believe they are going to be on the phone for a while. I have a lot of stories to tell about this place and I will want to make sure it is still as fantastic as it was when I left the hilltop.
More later…