I'm tired.

For some reason I just haven't been sleeping well this week. I really don't know why, but I've been going to bed, laying there for an hour or so, and then getting back up for a couple hours because I'm not able to fall asleep. It hasn't been all bad though because it has given me more time to hang out with my friends late at night, which is a lot of fun. I can definitely tell that my body just needs a good rest though.

Today was a pretty good day. My only class was cancelled, which is always nice. Also, today was Focus the Nation, which is an event that a myself and a few others from the Student Senate Recycling Committee have been planning. (See my last entry for a little more explanation.) There was a pretty good turnout and the professors had a lot of insightful things to talk about regarding global climate change.

Tonight a couple guys from my floor and myself went to the Flying J in Beaverdam just a few minutes away. It's just a truck stop restaurant, but there's something about it that just screams "college hangout". I'm not sure if it's the huge amounts of greasy food, the interesting people that dine there, or the fact that you can pay for a shower, but it's a Bluffton favorite. One of the guys had never been there before, and that's always a great experience. I have spent countless hours at the J during my time here at Bluffton. Everything from midnight trips with friends to sleepless nights when I went by myself at 4 a.m. It's definitely one of those college things I'll miss.

I also scheduled my first job interview this afternoon! It is with a marketing firm in Indianapolis in about 3 weeks. And I think I have another one for around the same time, as soon as this other company calls me back. It's crazy to think that I am interviewing for a real job. I mean, I've interviewed for things before like high school jobs, my Resident Advisor position, and my internship this past summer, but this is real stuff. This is moving out on my own, wearing a suit, paying rent, doing all my grocery shopping type stuff. This is crazy stuff.

I am excited about my trip to Indy that time because in addition to interviewing, I will also be attending a job fair. So even if nothing comings of the interview(s), I will hopefully have some more ideas after I leave. As much as I am so excited about all this, it still doesn't seem real at times.

This just seems kind of all over the place tonight. Maybe I just need some sleep.

Until next time,

Scott

It's already the 4th week of the semester?

I've been doing a lot of reminiscing lately in my blog posts. I don't have a lot of deep thoughts or memories for you today though, but I did get to wear my favorite outfit to my internship today (see below, minus the jacket). And someone even said I looked "chic". I guess there is a first time for everything.Speaking of my internship, it just seemed long today. Whenever you start a new job it always takes some time to adjust, but sometimes it takes awhile. With an internship I think it's more challenging because while the point of an internship is to be challenged, it's hard to do that before you get the hang of the environment, what is expected, etc. Also, an intern typically spends only a couple months at the internship, so you don't really have the luxury of time to get really get settled in. That being said, it was still an ok day, just long.

Nothing too crazy happened this weekend either. I was on duty, which means I had to miss the Winter Formal. Mary went though, so you can read about it here. But basically it's a toned down version of prom. I did go out to eat with Mary and her friends before the dance though. And I made sure to really stick out by wearing slippers to the restaurant. Go big or go home, right?

Then last night I ended up watching Scrubs for a long time. It started out as just my friend Jake and I wanting to watch a couple episodes. Then, after every one, we looked at each other, realized we had nothing better to do, and decided to watch another one. That, combined with some random things I had to do, kept me up way later than I would have liked. I've done a better job of getting to bed at a reasonable (college) time this semester, but I saw 3:00 am this morning. And then I paid for it when I had to get up.

I'm thinking it's gonna turn out to be a busy week. I just realized I have an essay due Wednesday for my night class that I haven't started yet. Also, I'm a member of the Recycling Committee for Student Senate and we are hosting an event called Focus the Nation. It's a national event that as of now has just under 1700 universities, schools, churches, and other organizations taking part in a national teach-in. There is a set schedule for the whole day on their website, but since we are a smaller institution we are going to have two sessions where 3 professors will speak on the issue of global climate change and how it relates to their discipline. I probably didn't do a very good job of explaining that, so you can check out the main website by clicking on the link above.

Well, that's all I have for you tonight. Until next time,

Scott

More memories...

In talking with my friends, as well as prospective students that come for tours and overnight visits and events like that, I have discovered that for the most part there are two kinds of high school seniors- those that are really excited about leaving for college and would go the next day if you let them, and those that are nervous and scared and not sure what to expect. You may fall on either extreme (or somewhere in between), and that's ok. Everybody goes through it a little differently.

I remember around this time of my senior year of high school when I just couldn't wait to leave home and go to college. I didn't necessarily know what to expect, but I just knew it had to be awesome. All I talked about was how I couldn't wait to get out of Berne and start figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. (I still don't know, by the way, but I'm getting closer.) I was getting restless and I was ready to figure out if I could handle college.

Graduation came and went, and then it was just my summer job standing in the way of me leaving. At the time I was working as a manager at a local drive-in restaurant. It was an ok job, but I remember counting down the days til I was done and out of there. It could not come fast enough.

And then, it came. The night before move-in day. A few guys from my high school were going to Bluffton with me and we all decided to hang out together that night. I could hardly contain my excitement, and I remember talking for hours about what we would do and how we would all have such amazing experiences. (We also watched "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", which I thought was a dumb movie, but that's a whole different story.) I had a feeling I wouldn't fall asleep easily that night because of all the excitement. Turns out I was right, but for a different reason.

You see, I am, and always have been, a last minute kind of guy. By the time I got home around 2:00 a.m., I realized that I still hadn't packed. This posed a problem since we were all going to caravan together at 8:00 a.m. As you can imagine, I was up pretty late. And it was in that time that I all of a sudden felt something in regards to college that I hadn't known before- fear.

I don't know if it suddenly hit me or what, but all of a sudden I was terrified. What if classes were too hard? Would I make any friends outside of the few Berne friends that were also going? What if I just didn't fit in?

I remember the first weekend pretty well. After moving in, there were several activities for all the first year students to participate it. At times it was fun, at times it was just long, and I remember it being in the upper 90s the entire time. But somewhere in that time I think I realized that I was going to be ok.

It's amazing how soon Bluffton began to feel like home. Within the first couple weeks I had my routine figured out, made some new friends from my floor, and realized that college classes weren't going to be the end of me. I was starting to realize what it meant to be a college student, and I was loving every minute of it.

So anyway, I guess the point of this long, random story is that no matter what stage you're at right now- excitement, terror, nervousness, unsuredness (if that's a word)- you'll be ok. I went through a range of emotions by the time I got here, and I think that's normal. Just enjoy where you are right now, even though it can be hard sometimes. I'm going through a similar situation right now in which I can't wait to get out into the real world and see if I can make it working a full time job, paying bills, living in my own apartment, etc. But I know soon enough I'm going to miss this place that I couldn't wait to get to.

That's all I have for you tonight. Until next time,

Scott

Top picture= All of the Berne boys that were going to Bluffton on our last day of high school-Tyler, Andi, Kyle, Eric, and myself

Bottom picture= High School graduation day with a friend from high school

This seems familiar...

So the last few months I've been spending time preparing for and now doing a job search. With graduation just around the corner, I've been polishing up my resume, signing up to attend job fairs, and hitting the internet hard trying to find that perfect job. It's more work than I had anticipated, and I feel like looking for a job is about as challenging as actually working at a job.

But anyway, it got me thinking about my senior year of high school when I was doing a college search. Taking college visits, taking the SAT, and sending in applications were the big things 4 years ago for me. It's a lot of work and it may seem like more trouble than it's worth at times, but trust me when I say it's worth it. It's more than just a diploma that you can frame on your office wall someday, it's your life for the next 4(ish) years. And just like I'm not looking for a job just based on how much it pays, I would encourage you to not let price be the deciding factor for your college decision.

No matter where you end up going, make sure it is where you really want to be. Don't go somewhere just because you feel pressure from friends or family to attend a certain college or university. While it is important that you listen and let that influence your decision, you need to do what's right for you. Factors such as the institution's values and mission statement will tell you a lot about what that place is all about.

You can learn a lot about a place by talking to students, faculty, and staff. So I encourage you to take visits to several colleges/universities if you haven't already. Ask questions that are important to you about what you feel should be included in your college experience.

Anyway, that's all I have for you on that one. I've been in a "looking back over the last 4 years of my life" mood lately, so be prepared for more of that to come in the future.

But other than the job search, things have been going pretty well. I enjoyed the long weekend with Martin Luther King Jr. Day off of classes, and it gave me a chance to just relax a little bit. I have a feeling that a lot of the responsibilities I have this semester will be nearing an end by around the beginning of April, so the last month should be a lot of just hanging out with my friends and enjoying my last few weeks of college. I am definitely looking forward to that.

Well, it's off to bed for me. Until next time,

Scott

That was quick...

The past few months I've been doing a lot of looking back on my time here at Bluffton. These past 3 and a half years have produced some of the toughest and best times of my life, and all kinds of things in between. It's weird to think, but a lot of the people here probably wouldn't recognize the high school me. There's something about college that changes you in ways you would never expect.

I remember about half way through my senior year of high school when a friend of mine, who was a year older, came home to visit. He went to a college a few hours away so I hadn't seen him for several months. But it was different. He wasn't the same guy that I knew from high school. It was weird, and I didn't like it. I mean, it wasn't like he was bad guy all of a sudden, but there was something different that I just couldn't put my finger on, and I didn't like it. I wanted it to be like old times.

So anyway, I made up my mind then and there that I wasn't going to change- I would be the same person that I was when I started. I didn't want to be some weirdo when I came home to visit. Then, it just happened without me having any say in it. And you know what? I'm ok with it. In fact, I don't think I would have gotten my money's worth had I not been changed.

Change can mean so many different things really. For me, it means learning to think globally and not just about myself. It means being more responsible (which I'm still working on, but I'm getting there). It means tackling some tough issues and finding out where I stand in my beliefs. It means being open to whatever life brings my way.

So, I guess the point I'm trying to make, is to be prepared to undergo a transformation when you go to college. I can almost guarantee that you'll be surprised with how you turn out. With a little hard work and an open mind, I can also guarantee that you'll be pleased with how you turn out. Be prepared to be stretched, to be shaped and molded, to be changed. It can be uncomfortable at times, but I think you'll like what you see when it's all said and done.

Oh and by the way, it goes by faster than you think, so enjoy yourself. Until next time,

Scott

Another week

The second week of classes is already upon us. Weird. I'll probably say this a lot this semester, but it seems like the school year just started. But at the same time, it seems like I've always been here. Like I said, weird.

So this past weekend was great. I already talked about the all night craziness that was "The Office" lock-in, but I should tell you that I think I'm caught up on sleep. Saturday was very much a relaxing day filled with hanging out with Mary and watching movies. Oh, and going to bed earlier than I usually do on Saturday nights.

Then on Sunday I spent the afternoon watching football. Any other year this would have brought me immense joy, however this year has been a little rough on me as a sports fan. First of all, Notre Dame was just pathetic. But then I thought my Dallas Cowboys were going to make a run at the Super Bowl, which gave me hope. It wasn't to be however, as they were the first ever #1 seed in the NFC to lose their first game of the playoffs. Watching the Colts lose was fun, but my joy quickly faded as the Cowboys followed a couple hours later. Oh dear.

Yesterday just seemed a little off. I can't really put my finger on it, but for some reason everything was just kind of blah. You, one of those days when you just don't seem to have the energy to make it through the day? Yeah, one of those. My guess is that part of it was a result of the lack of sleep from the weekend. By the end of the day I was feeling better, but I was glad when it was time for bed. (Which, incidentally, came at 11:00, something that I can't remember happening for a long time.)

Today's been pretty good so far. I was able to get a decent amount of sleep and then got up and worked out and then went to forum. (Forum is an event every Tuesday at 11:00 am where a speaker is brought in to talk. These speakers range from just about any academic discipline you can think of and talk about everything from health care to the quality of drinking water to poetry.) Today's forum featured a Bluffton alum who was my admissions counselor during my Senior year of high school and Freshman year at Bluffton. He was actually a huge reason that I ended up choosing Bluffton. I was really excited to see him, and he did an awesome job. He just graduated with his master's degree and he came back to perform a one man play that he wrote.

Well, I need to wrap this up so I can get to class. Have a great day!

Until next time,

Scott

All Night Madness

It is currently 8:30 on Saturday morning and I am writing a new blog entry. Why, you might ask, would a college student be up this early on an ever so precious chance to sleep in? Well, I actually haven't slept yet.

Last night MCB had an lock-in in Bob's Place where we watched the entire 3rd season of The Office. It was pretty cool, and I won a talking Michael Scott bobble head, but man that's a lot of any tv show straight. (It started just after 10:00 pm and got done around 7:40 am.) But it was a lot of fun hanging out with everybody and trying to stay awake.

So far so good for this semester with classes and everything. I was a little unsure of my internship at first (and still go back and forth), but I think I'm really going to enjoy it. Some of the stuff I am doing is a little more daunting then I originally thought they would be, but it should stretch me to do things I haven't done before. My main project is an analysis of the bank's products and services compared to their top competitors, along with some suggestions of new products to add or how to better market existing products. It feels a lot like some of the work I've done in various marketing classes I've taken, but on a bigger scale. So we'll see how it goes.

This weekend should be pretty fun (if I ever sleep). Mary is planning on coming over around lunch (around 3 hours from now) and we're just going to spend a good portion of the day together watching movies and being lazy. I can tell that I'm not going to have the energy to do much else, so it will definitely be what I need. Sometimes days like that are needed.

But yeah, that's what I've been up to. Just living the dream, being a college senior, and dreaming about sleep. I'm not sure that made sense.

Until next time,

Scott

I'm back

After a great Christmas break, I am back in action here at Bluffton! It's been a little rough getting motivated after doing what I wanted (which was nothing) for over three weeks, but I'm getting by.

But as I alluded to above, it was an awesome break. Getting to spend some time with my family and friends from home was good. My friends from high school have stayed pretty close even through college, so it's always fun when we get together. We played a lot of Eurorails (a board game that people who aren't boring probably have never heard of) and watched some Planet Earth (the show from the Discovery Channel) and ate too much good food. Yep, great times.

The picture at the top has a pretty sweet story to it, or at least I think so. From left to right it goes Tony, Doug, Bob, me, Eric, Josh, and Tim. All of those guys are my friends from home except for Bob, who was a starting offensive lineman for Notre Dame last year! We were at Josh's house around the South Bend area for New Year's and he's friends with him. It was crazy because I had no idea he knew him and it was awesome to get to meet him. I'm am a huge Notre Dame fan, so it was definitely a high point of the night.

I also got to spend quite of bit of time with Mary and her family. Her family got together the weekend before Christmas, and then we went to visit her extended family in St. Louis the following weekend. She came on Christmas to my house and got to hang out with my cousins and I, which was a lot of fun. This was our first holiday season together, so it was really a lot of fun.

Enough about break though. The new semester is upon us and I am excited! It should be a pretty cool semester since I am only taking two classes. With the rest of my academic load I am doing an internship at a bank about 10 minutes away, which should be some great real world experience. I was there yesterday for the first time and I think it should be fun.

It's crazy to think that it will only be a few more months before I am out in the world on my own. I'm very excited, but at the same time I am a little nervous about the whole job/apartment search. I'll keep you posted on how it's going.

Alright, that's all for now. If this post seems a bit random and unorganized, it's because I'm still trying to get back into college mode where I have to make sense when I write. I'm not sure that last sentence made sense. Ok, I'm done now.

Until next time,

Scott