A Post from Home

Currently Playing Phantom of the Opera By Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman see related

Currently Reading How the Irish Saved Civilization By Thomas Cahill see related

After one year of college, I have returned home!

I have to say, I missed being home. I missed my family, and I missed the pets. And there are very nice things about this summer. I am no longer a lowly freshman, for example.

There's a problem in that, though. If I'm no longer a lowly freshman, then that means one-fourth of college is OVER already!

Wow. I just scared myself.

Alas, the end of the year crept up on me really suddenly. However, I got everything ready for housing, classes, financial aid, work, and meals for next year, so I'll be ready there.

I'm going to have a great room next year. I had a good room this year, but having to close the door every time I went into the living room got old (wasn't it bad enough we perpetually had a key in the door?), and it'll be nice to have a toilet that doesn't clog every few weeks. I have a good schedule of classes, too. I have a nice history class and THREE journalism courses, plus a Christian Studies core and an English night class that starts after fall break. Quite a spread of class times, but I'm in good shape. I'm going to be adventurous and try the new "block" meal plan, which has a little bit fewer meals included but includes a nice rollover feature, so rather than hitting a mark every week at which unused meals disappear (I had several disappear on me over the year), you just have a set number for the semester, which is rather nice.

It's rather sad to have reached the end of the year, though. For a lowly freshman, I got to know entirely too many seniors, most of whom are now graduates. A few of them (namely Patrick and Alaina) will still be around next year, staying in town, but it's sad to see a host of others go, like Adam Winters, Allie Campbell, Ashley Mitchell, Brandon Emerson, Brian Taylor, Drew Holladay, Jill Martin, Jodie Curtis, Jon Blair, Josh Howerton, Lindsay Young, Melissa Gruver, Tim Weisemann, Trae Cadenhead, Tyler Malone, Wayne Campbell, and others, all great people who I hope I'll be able to see again someday (not to mention the fact that we're losing people like Debra Howell and Bryan Robison to transfers).

Well, now that I'm home, I have a job. A lady from Mimi's ice rink called wanting to know if I had a summer job yet, so I'm working snack bar and skate rental, which is nice, because it's an easy job, but there's always something to be doing, and it's lots of hours.

And, just for the official record, I'll relate one of my favorite stories one more time: The last day of finals, I had an 8 am exam in New Testament survey. We had been told that it was going to be over the book of Revelation, on which we only had maybe a page and a half of notes. The night before, I had been to see the midnight opening of Revenge of the Sith, so I was - like lots of people - a little tired going into the exam, and everyone was wondering just what was going to be on this test.

Dr. Poe arrived, passed out exam papers face-down, and began giving us long, detailed instructions on not talking and other standard exam rules, and finally told us to turn our papers over. A few people started laughing, and he got after them for the "No Talking" rule and went back through the exam rules spiel. By the time he finished, David Kartzinel was already bringing his exam forward, done. No one else took much longer, though he waited about seven minutes before having us all pass them forward.

The questions were as follows:

1. In the book of Revelation, to how many churches does John write?
2. How many golden lampstands are there in the vision?
3. How many stars is Christ seen holding?
4. How many spirits are cited to represent the Holy Spirit?
5. How many seals are on the scroll?
6. How many angels are seen holding trumpets?
7. How many trumpets are blown?
8. How many bowls of wrath are poured out upon the earth?
9. How many days are in a week?
10. I'm thinking of a whole number between 6 and 8. Guess the number.

TEN QUESTIONS, AND EVERY ANSWER WAS "SEVEN."

I love Dr. Poe.

Anyway, I'll update again soon, especially if there are any major developments here.