Have you ever sat on Miller Fountain?
I have to wonder if they intended for it to be sat upon.

It’s nice and warm when the sun bathes it in light, and it’s roomy and provides a great in-between-classes workspace.

For all of those who sit on the fountain, why?
Do you do it because there isn’t room on any benches or tables anywhere else?
Do you do it because you see your friends there, and just join them there?

I do it because it’s in the center of Miller Plaza. Because when I sit there, I can see everything all around me. I can see hipsters with their guitars, strumming cheerful fall-time tunes. I can see colorful conversations, and even more colorful outfits. I sit at Miller because it allows me to see the bustling campus around me. When you take the time to sit and take it in, it is quite marvelous. The campus is busy with people rushing to and fro, and it’s a really nice leisure activity between classes in the brisk autumn air.

Next time you need a place to sit on campus…try Miller fountain!! And let me know how that goes for you! What do you see differently there? Why did you choose to sit there?

I’m curious to see your responses!

If you know anything about the Student Ambassador Office, you might know that we take pride in team building, bonding, and fun!

Each year in the fall, the Student Ambassador Program heads to the woods at the Sherman Lake YMCA campsite. The event is a one-night, two-day affair in which students belonging to the Student Ambassador Program participate in activities that encourage and stimulate relationships, dedication, improvement, and so much more.

This year was especially important to me because I was on the retreat committee. I was in charge of facilitating one activity that focused on improvement in our office. My activity focused on how we as an office have improved from the 1970s to now. I really enjoyed coming up with the activity, and the group seemed to enjoy it.

Retreat is always a blast. Think camping, only with nice cabins and indoor plumbing. There were large blazing campfires, and clear starry skies. It was a wonderful trip, and I always enjoy spending time at retreat.

If your job has something like this for you, try to enjoy it, because the memories you make with your coworkers and friends will last for a lifetime.

So, how are you feeling?

With the first week of school out of the way, people can feel pretty exhausted. I can certainly say, that I am extremely exhausted. I have had a rough week filled with trials and tribulations and rushing about. Thank goodness it’s all over… well, not quite.

Next week, and the weeks following bring their own set of things to endure and cope with. Though school is an interesting learning experience, it can also be a rough and tumultuous time. But fear not, for the future looks brighter than the sun itself.

When/if you are ever feeling like you cannot go on with the rigorous patterns of the school and work schedules that you have, just think about how your future will be. One day we as college students will be riding high in our luxurious offices, or attending important meetings, or captaining the helm of a successful business. We will no longer need to study 30 hours or more a week to achieve stellar grades. No friends, we will be the ones to dictate who does the studying and in what subjects. Our eyes, tired from such hours of studying and over-studying will one day be perky and full of life as we shake hands with our brand new employees fresh from interview. Our bodies, exhausted from lack of sleep will be ready to seize the day, and take it by its horns as we parade with energy through the hallowed halls of our corporations. Fear not friends, for though we be tired and baggy-eyed now, we will one day shine with rays of success and pride, and revere the days of bright future before us.

So when you’re feeling glum because you haven’t even begun to ponder what that 6-page paper will be about, just think to those days that you have ahead and look forward to the sunny, brilliant future.

My last post focussed on the first year students, and their future experiences during Fall Welcome. Now that I have completed Fall Welcome week, I am proud of and eager to share my experience with all of you.

The last week has been both fun and stressful for me. For those of you who don’t quite know the program, Fall Welcome is a week of fun and interactive activities, seminars, academic sessions, and presentations. Each day is jam packed with things for them to see and do, and the opportunities to win fantastic grand prizes!

My personal experience was both fulfilling and exhausting. Each day featured a morning meeting among student ambassadors which took place around 7:45a.m. This was followed by a meeting with the lethargic first-year students that were assigned to every group. After morning meetings with both staff and students, the day rolled on with presentations and helpful tips and tricks for college success. Though many of the students rolled their eyes and sighed dramatically, I am certain that at least a handful of students found the information helpful.

My particular group was a good mix of energetic students. Though there were a few heavy sighers and silent protests against some activities, everyone seemed reasonably interested in the things taking place.

The activities featured things like: Meijer Mania, Click Downtown (a downtown scavenger hunt of sorts), the comedic and magical stylings of Curtis Zimmerman and Judson Laipply, and sooo much more!

I must say, that as a whole, I am beyond glad that I made the decision to take part in Fall Welcome, and I don’t regret any part of it!

I must admit, I am really excited to see what happens when fall welcome rolls around. It’s supposed to be a truly exciting week for all of our shiny new students. As luck would have it, I am a Fall Welcome ambassador, and a First Year Seminar student instructor. I am quite excited to see what kinds of wonderful people that I will be guiding around campus next week. It’s sure to be an exciting and fulfilling experience.

This week is the training segment, where we spend just about each day doing training exercises, and fine tuning our people skills for next week. Chances are, we’ll have group activities within the parameters of skits, case studies, and more. I am excited to see what kind of magic this week and the next hold for me. I am sure that I will do nothing but enjoy it.

Meanwhile, school is starting soon, and people are arriving left and right to get ready for the school year ahead. It ought to be a real blast!!

See you all soon!

So I have this friend, her name is Amber, and she attends Western with me. Amber is one of the most colorful people that I have ever met, and her silliness is inspiring to all. With her free and fun-loving spirit, she’s always ready to try something new, and here is her outlook on life at Western…and in general.

Pasha: What’s the best part about Western to you?

Amber: “The best part about Western is that I can genuinely say that there is friendly environment in Kalamazoo, and I can’t say that about a lot of places.

P: What has been your greatest moment at Western?

A: Having a professor that inspired me to see the world.

P: Why did you choose Western?

A: I came to Western because after my tour, I talked to a random girl at the bus stop about why she chose Western, and I had only heard positive things before coming, so
I figured it must be great.

P: How is college life for you?

A: I’m really glad that I got the full college experience and moved away, just because I feel like it helped me learn a lot of life lessons on my own. College life is treating me quite fantastically.

P: How is being 20? Is it hard being independent and entering the adult world?

A: I love being twenty. I love the fact that I’m young and my days are filled with fun. I take advantage of the fact that I’m young, yet still understand that I am on the road
to adulthood. I’m young, and I love it, but I gotta understand that I have to get my stuff done.

P: What do you think is the biggest challenge of your future?

A: Now that I know what I want to study, now I have to figure out what I want my career to be. There are so many things you can do with communications.”

Summer has been many things. Hot, sticky, ice cream-y, and more. And although everyone loves summer, I personally do not. Summer is overwhelmingly hot, and insects swarm through the skies. It’s terrible. And besides all that, my friends all depart from Kalamazoo for the summer, and leave me an empty husk of loneliness in my apartment.

But all the fretting, and nail biting, and kickin’ around the apartment is about to come to an end. School is on the horizon, and I cannot wait for it to come around. I jump up and down like a giddy preteen as I wait anxiously for the days that my friends will slowly begin to come back to Kalamazoo from home. I cannot wait until they all reappear with happy smiles and summer tans to greet me with wide open arms.

Soon after they arrive, classes will begin, and my life will find its perfect balance once again. How I cannot wait until the air cools off, and the fall fashions make their seasonal debut on Western’s campus. The now barren concrete paths and grassy knolls will once again be populated with eager college students strumming acoustic guitars and parading up and down the walks.

Oh how I LONG for those crisp fall afternoons under the lazy September sun.

I will be the first one on campus the days classes start…I cannot wait.

Hey there blog fans, I hope that you are enjoying the Olympics. And I know that I certainly am. The Olympics is an amazing opportunity for the United States athletes to really strut their stuff and show the entire world just exactly the kinds of things that they are made of. Recently, I have been spending much of my time watching the Olympics, and rooting for America as we take home gold in several different events. It didn’t dawn on me that the Olympics was two weeks and not just a few short days. Apparently, each day is a new event in which the athletes perform at their very best with hopes of getting an Olympic gold. I couldn’t believe the swimming events and the gymnastics competition. There are some amazing athletes on the US team. I think that the Olympics is a really big opportunity for Americans to really have something to join together and be proud of. There are not too many things in North America that people feel they’re proud of, and I really think the Olympics is a chance for people to bond together and cheer for our Olympic athletes.

I don’t know how interested you are in sports, but I would recommend getting into the Olympics if you have the time. It’s broadcasted on major networks usually in the evenings, and you can catch some pretty spectacular events. I’m not sure if it’s live or not but there are tons of things to see. And for those of you who’ve been with the Olympics since day one, you know that it is located in London and it’s opening day saw a spectacular night of pyrotechnics and videography, as well as some amazing choreography and cameos. It wasn’t as good as Beijing to me, but I still enjoyed curling up with my mother and watching the queen of England spiral down from a helicopter.

Take this time if you will, to celebrate being an American, and what that truly means, as we enjoy our US athletes taking home as much gold as they can!

Are you a biker?
Do you enjoy riding bikes for fun? Or for transportation?

Well friends, I am a biker, and I am newly added to the biking community. I got my bike a few weeks ago, and I have been riding it ever since. Bikes are great ways to travel, and a great way to be eco-friendly!

Kalamazoo, being a college community, is very bike savvy, and many of the streets accommodate for bikes with bike lanes. These lanes give people a chance to ride their bikes in peace without worry of being honked at by antsy car drivers.

Bikes are a great way to stay fit, and have some fun! I suggest that you invest in this great way to keep active, and get you where you’re going.

As a movie goer, I enjoy the discount that my student ID provides me with. At 5 dollars a show, the movies are frequented by me and my friends. Not only are the tickets cheap, but the flicks are huge! The latest and greatest are always showing and I am always attending.

My latest movie endeavor was The Dark Knight Rises. Not only was the movie exceptionally good, the effects were visually stunning, and the story was beautifully done. I didn’t think that I would like it because I am more of a Marvel fan, than a DC fan, but the movie was more than I could have ever hoped it would be. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but get ready for visual magic my friends…The Dark Knight Rises is one of the best movies of the day.