26 December 2006
Banana Night Special!
The second installment of "Gandhi Gazoo" was made just before exam week here at Campbell featuring his most recent adventure: Banana Night at Lynch House. Gandhi Gazoo is a fun (if not extremely dorky) way for us all to release some college stress and Banana Night was a welcomed relaxation before the storm of tests and studying. The entire idea was created by none other than Wee Wan, aforementioned in the entry on Thanksgiving and also our favorite Malaysian housemate. "We should have a party with all things banana," he told us early on. Not only did we have that party, but we were proud to welcome Gandhi Gazoo too. Thanks for a great night Banana King Wee, it was fantastic!
27 November 2006
Giving
Thanksgiving was a wonderful break for me, my family and my friends. This is worth noting, I think, because it was also a special trip for my friend Wee who was able to visit home with me. Wee is an international student from Malaysia who had never celebrated Thanksgiving (which makes sense) and had also never been to Kentucky (or Kentucky Fried Chicken Land, as he calls it). We drove for hours and hours, went to some of my favorite places in my hometown of Hickory, visited with my best friends, had Thanksgiving Dinner with my grandparents in Kentucky, dove in leaves with my little brother and even made a funny movie that’s now on YouTube and Facebook. All this to say I think thanksgiving isn’t just about being thankful for what we have, but instead asking what we can give to others. Wee filled what would have been an empty seat in our car during a fantastic trip and we are all thankful that he did. Our Thanksgiving would have never been as great as it was and I venture to say his wouldn’t have either.
20 November 2006
Family Life
One of the most certain things that happens in college is that your family life changes. Holidays are a time you feel this especially. From freshman year until now, my relationships with my brother, sister, mom and dad have changed dramatically. This includes seeing my brother and sister as friends, teachers and admiring siblings and my parents as people, individuals, mentors and friends as well. I think most students, at first, feel a strong need to pull away from their families. This is good in that it promotes individualism, independence, free-thinking and personal responsibility. However as years go on I think a lot of students begin to draw back toward their families, seeing them not as threats to their independence but instead partners and friends whom they want to be around. As a senior planning to move back in with my family, atleast over the summer, this is comforting. I am not going to be around a family that’s holding me back, but rather around very close friends and supporters who hold me up and have helped me throughout my entire life. For me, I am glad I pulled away enough from my family in college to realize just how close I want to keep them for the rest of my life.
20.November.2006
Focus
Over the last four years one of the most important things I think I have learned is focus. When most students come out of high school, they are on top of things. They have priorities, ambition, determination, an identity and expectations. Some of that might change with time but my advice would be to stay focused on what is truly important to you, whether you are a freshman or senior. When you go through your time in college, find out what you admire in others, what you would like to develop in yourself and what really drives you personally. Then develop those things and follow your passions. It’s hard but honestly, I think it’s what separates the great students from the average students. They are still open to options, but they have a compass. Whatever direction your compass points, be confident, focus and follow through. Campbell can be a great place, especially for those who know what they want and go after it.
13.November.2006
Plan
As we go through pre-registration week here at Campbell (when we sign up for next semester's classes), I am reminded of one of the most advantageous things I did as a college student four years ago: develop a four-year plan. I did it before I even started classes my freshmen year and since that time I have given the same advice to dozens of other students. It's not that you can't do it when you are a junior or senior, it's just that by then you are so deep in your major you probably won't have time to fix much. Imagine finding out your last semester that you need a class you had no idea you had to take; that is a reality for most students. Imagine you have to postpone graduation to take it; that's an unfortunate reality for some.
All you have to do to make a four-year plan is sit down and read through your major's requirements in Campbell's Online Catalog and then add on the General College Curriculum requirements to that. Include in your individual plan what credits you have transferred in, what you have or will CLEP out of and then you have what you need to take. There will come a moment when you are an upperclassman and you will either say "I'm glad I did that," or, "I wish I'd done that." With a little time and effort, I'd prefer you make it the former.
