So Evan wrote this essay... :P

So I'm sitting in the Gilette main lounge, watching Dr. Who with Carina, Kaitlyn, Evan, Nathaniel, and Tyler (Jensyn and Cede are nearby working on something else)...and I'm working on a paper for my Fitness for Life class. Evan hijacked my computer, as he is wont to do, and I thought I'd post the essay he wrote. I wrote the first sentence...the rest is all Evan. :P do enjoy. 

Erika Snell

Mr. Trini Rangel

Fitness For Life

30 Sept 2013

“10 Things You Need to Know About Dieting” Response Paper

            Dieting is a hot topic these days. Hi, I am Erica.  You should give me an A because I am a watermelon!  If you don’t, I will slaughter you and all of your loved ones!!  ;)

            In order to slightly diffuse any retaliation from this revelation, I will probably blame it on Evan when I turn it in, who is a handsome rogue if there ever was one.

            Anyway, dieting.  If you diet enough, you disappear!  It’s called dying and decomposing.  It might take a while, but, in perspective of all of history, it’s only a second!  Or a millisecond!  I dunno.  That requires some suggestion of mathematical skill, which I do not possess.  In fact, when it comes to math, I drool!  Square roots reduce me to gibbering!  It’s a great party trick.

            I was once a piñata.  That was fun!  My head is lopsided, now.  Also, there is no more candy in my stomach!  Sadness :’(.

            By the way, Mr. Professor Man.    Be afraid!  We are not alone.  Not even when you are alone.  You may think you’re just having a drink by yourself, but – ha! – joke’s on you; you haven’t checked the closet.  And even if you did, don’t you think he would be smart enough to scramble up to the ceiling?  Like a cockroach?  And stare down at you?

            Then, of course, the police find your remains spread over the lawn the next morning.  Then you diet extremely quickly!  You don’t even have to starve to death first.

The End

First week of classes

So, the first week of class is over. I think I'll just tell you some stories, instead of being all update-y...

Once upon a time this week, Jessie and I were sitting in Intro to Christianity, and we decided that the freshman fifteen is actually all layers of sweaters that you put on as the year progresses and the weather gets progressively colder and the air conditioning vents keep spewing out cold air.

Once upon a time a couple days ago, I was eating lunch with Jensyn, Nathaniel, Evan, and Tyler, and they were trying to get me to tell them something. So Evan suggested that Jensyn tickle me til I told...and those of you who know my extreme ticklishness probably know where that ended up :P tickle wars galore since then.

Here is a picture of some of the people I hang out with:

Ok, so the girl next to me is Jensyn, and she's an awesome freshman who I'm already planning to bring home with me over break. The bearded guy behind her is Evan, who's a transfer. The girl behind me is Emily, a freshman...the guy next to her is Tyler (the only one without glasses), and the guy next to me is Nathaniel. In our little group, we also have JP (aka John, Paul, John-Paul, or PJ), Karina, Kaitlyn, Hannah, and others as they float in and our of our little bubble. This picture was taken at a soccer game, which HC won...something like 10 to 0.

Last night, I watched The Dark Knight Rises with Jensyn, Karina, Kaitlyn, Tyler, and Evan. It made walking back to my dorm rather traumatizing. It didn't help that Tyler texted me when I was halfway back and said "Look behind you" :P

I think I should put in some stuff about my academics...seems like I've been talking a disproportionate amount about my social life. I'm taking 5 classes this semester, plus chapel 3 times a week and a transfer orientation thingy once a week. They're all good classes...I have some great profs. For those interested, I'll talk about each class...those of you not interested should skip ahead.
-Intro to Christian Ministry: the title is fairly explanatory. The prof is a pastor, and he's super nice. This class is a half-semester class, so it'll be over the end of October...and it will be replaced with the second half of the class (please don't ask why they didn't just combine... :P I have no idea).
-Intro to Christianity: This one will be fairly difficult. There is a lot of homework...readings and questions, plus a couple papers. The good thing is that it is a full semester class, so I have a while to work on the papers. The prof is really nice, but smart. Jordan, he's like Dr Arnold, only a Christian. He went through a time (between his second and third master's degrees...or PhD's or something...where he basically gave up on Christianity. So he's coming from a perspective where he truly understands the struggles and questions that one might have. I like it.
-Biblical Interpretation: well, this one will be interesting. I think it will end up being my least favorite class...but we shall see.
-Christian Formation of Youth: now this is a col class! It's exactly what I like doing. This morning, some fellow classmates and I went to our teacher's church and helped her with the kids program she does Sunday morning. It was a lot of fun...I got to hold a cute, squishy little kid, and draw penguins for a couple squirmy little boys.
-Fitness for Life: this is your basic, core course, health class. The prof is interesting, though...he likes what he does and tries to engage us and keep it interesting.

Here's another story: Once upon a time a couple days ago, Linda (my roommate), Tyler, Evan, Nathaniel, and I went creek walking. We splashed down the creek from my dorm to the guys' dorm, so not too far, but it was fun. We saw lots of fish.

Okay...I need to close this post and go work on one of my many papers :P keep in touch, folks!

Life at Houghton thus far

Well, I would love to do a Day in the Life post later on, once I get on a good schedule, but here's a random little post of what I've been up to so far.

On Friday, my mom, Rachel, and Hosanna brought me out to campus. We moved my stuff in and unpacked, and then ate lunch, walked around the campus, and then went to the new student welcome and dedication service.  They left around 4:30 or 5, and I had supper with my floor. I'm living on the first floor of Lambein, but the way that Lambein is built on the side of a hill, I enter on the 4th floor and take 48 stair steps down to my floor. Also Friday night, my friend Jacob stopped in to hang out...he lives only about a half hour away (as opposed to an hour and a half), so he's conveniently close for hanging out purposes!

Yesterday we had a lot of transfer orientation classes. They had all 50 of us transfer students together for a few morning sessions, then lunch, and then a few more sessions. After that, we were exhausted and basically went and crashed for a while. Last night was their Hough'down thingy...square dancing...I went for like the last half hour and got to dance the Virginia Reel.

This morning, we had chapel and then lunch. I met a guy yesterday and invited him to sit with my roommate and me for chapel, so after chapel, Nathaniel and two of his friends (Matt and Tyler...I think) and I hung out and then had lunch. We're planning on meeting up for chapel and then lunch tomorrow too, which will be good!

Classes start tomorrow. I'm most of the way organized and ready for classes to start. This evening, I'll pack my backpack so that I'm all ready to go. My first class is at 9 am, and I have class, chapel, and lunch until about 3.

So that's a short update...I'm going to go find a comfy place to go read, and I'm sure I'll write more later!