Midnight Breakfast

The posters for this year's Midnight Breakfast went up today, and the information included on them shocked both myself and my friends. This year, the infamous celebration of the end of the semester is not entirely free for the students. Each hungry scholar is required to bring one canned food item that will be donated to the food pantry.

Don't get me wrong-I think providing people who are in dire need of food with canned goods is a wonderful idea and something more citizens should do on a regular basis. My beef with the food drive results from the fact that I thought the Midnight Breakfast was a reward for hardworking students, not a fundraiser. I feel as though I'm being used to make the college look good, not being served warm pancakes because I busted my butt over the past four months. But whatever.

Maybe I'm overreacting. Post your comments and let me know what you think.

College at any age

This winter, it will not be uncommon to see an 80-year-old student at Taiwan's National Chung Cheng University. For three weeks, the school is opening its doors to senior citizens who never had the opportunity to attend college. And, according to an article in The China Post, these scholars are getting the full college experience. They will live in the dorms and eat in the dining halls during their five day stay at the university.

How cool is that? There's a large university in my hometown, but the most senior citizens can do there is audit a class. Marietta could stand to try this. I know I'd be willing to share my room.

Economy to blame for lack of education

As I've noted before, it's hard to pay for college. Tuition alone is outrageously expensive, and the cost of textbooks and living only increases the exorbitant price of higher education. According to an article in today's issue of The Tartan, Carnegie Mellon's student newspaper, 70 percent of students who choose not to attend college do so because of economic reasons.

It saddens me that many students are robbed of the chance to further their learning because they are limited by funding. I don't think that's right. If you ask me, it's time for the government to step in and solve this problem. Because, as expensive as college might be, the benefits reaped from attending a university far outweigh the cost.

What do you think? Feel free to post your comments.

Professor evaluations 2.0

An untraditional list of best professors and institutions was released this morning by marketwatch.com. Unfortunately, this ranking probably won't be taken into consideration by news magazines as they compile their issues about the best colleges across the nation. That's a shame, because I'm willing to bet that this rating system is fairly accurate.

The winners were not determined by the amount of financial aid the schools provide or the breadth of their academic programs. These top finishers were chosen by students on ratemyprofessors.com. The Web site allows the people who are actually experiencing a professor or the college to cast their vote. That sounds like a smart idea to me.

And here's the extra fun part: Marietta College has a page on this site. If you'd like to visit it and cast your vote, click here

After all, people should know the truth.

College on the coast

It's snowing in Marietta today. And regardless of how many of us love the floating flakes, there are a vocal few who wish they were somewhere warm. Too bad they didn't go to a beach school.

Nowadays, you can choose a college simply because of its location. A Saturday article from signonsandiego.com humorously titled "College life's a beach" included a list of the top ten surfing colleges in America. I mean, colleges that are located on a beach and therefore provide students with the opportunity to go surfing. Whatever.

I guess you could pick a college merely because of it's proximity to the ocean. But should you? A couple more months of snow, and it may not look like such a bad idea.

Adjusting to college made easy

An article in today's online version of U.S. News & World provides African American students tips for feeling more comfortable on a primarily white college campus. I think that this is a great idea, but I would argue that the advice can be used to benefit students of all races. For most scholars, college doesn't immediately feel like home. That said, I have tweaked the list of helpful hints and included it below:

1. Identify resources

2. Immerse yourself in the campus culture

3. Attend class regularly.

4. Find a faculty mentor.

5. Find a sympathetic upperclassperson

6. Find a "cohort."

7. ...but also go outside of the "community."

8. Establish and maintain a spiritual network.

I would encourage you to read the original article for even more ideas.

'High impact activities' a must

According to an article from the Nov. 10 issue of USA Today, college students learn best when they participate in "high impact activities," such as community service, internships, or study abroad. Apparently, it's best not only to gain knowledge about a concept but to implement those lessons learned by doing and experiencing.

I'm proud to say that Marietta has hit the nail on the head when it comes to making sure that students have the opportunity to participate in all these activities. Many majors actually require that students have an international experience or an internship, and the college proudly participates in Make a Difference Day and Community Service Day each year.

Feel free to post comments about your thoughts on these experiences.

Presidential election over

All the mudslinging and campaigning is over. Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States. It happened so quickly that I didn't even realize a final decision had been made. The polls hadn't even closed before John McCain gave his concession speech.

Whether or not you support Obama, this election was still a monumental even for a country and, I believe, a step forward. That's pretty cool.

But you have your own feelings about this election. Please feel free to post your comments below.

'Overscheduling' not always the best choice

Apparently, it is a miracle that I have not failed at life yet. This is because I am an over-scheduled overachiever, and, according to an article that was posted today on bnd.com, people like me are not on the path to success. Despite our best efforts, our impressive list of after-school activities are not enough to get us into college. Actually, they may keep us out.

The article states that what colleges look at when choosing a student really is the scholar's transcript. The current belief is that, if students focused on one or two activities and dedicated the rest of the time to their schooling, they'd be much better candidates for elite colleges.

I'm not sure that this argument holds much weight. (This may be an appropriate time to mention that I had a perfect GPA and a slew of extra-curricular activities and AP classes, but no one wanted me.) If you ask me, I think it's more important to be a well-rounded individual than a straight A student.

School shootings always a tragedy

The school shooting that occurred at the University of Central Arkansas this week didn't receive the same amount of press that previous situations have warranted. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't have known about it if someone hadn't casually mentioned it in my Monday lab. Since then, I haven't heard another word about it.

Why is that? Is it because fewer people were wounded? Or are we just becoming desensitized to the magnitude of violence that occurs on college campuses? I'd hate to think that was the reason.

Leave a post and let me know your thoughts.

'World Class' provides entertaining weekend

No blog about Marietta College would be complete without a post about Homecoming. Amidst the myriad of events including a 5K run, a football game and a luncheon enhanced by the musical stylings of MC's most talented, it seemed that many most enjoyed the social aspect of the weekend. After all, that's what Homecoming is really about--taking the opportunity to reconnect with friends, faculty and the people at Marietta that feel like family.

While for me, Homecoming really translates to running-around-the-mall-in-a-choir-dress-so-as-not-to-be-late-for-yet-another-singing-committment, I still managed to enjoy myself. I'm curious to know what your favorite part was. Because, personally, I really liked the croon. (There's something about singing that gets me.)

College requires blogging

Most summer reading assignments follow the same pattern: Read the book, write the essay and do the best you can to never think about the topic again. Wouldn't it be fun to switch it up a bit? Dartmouth University certainly thinks so.

According to an Oct. 20 article in The Herald News, Dartmouth took the doldrums out of required reading by having incoming students blog about their reactions to the novel. And tomorrow, the author of their summer reading book will be speaking at the school.

I feel having students blog about books would be a great way to encourage them to create relationships with their fellow classmates before arriving on campus. It also would get them thinking about the topic of the novel in a more unique, personal way.

If you have any thoughts about college blogging, please leave a comment.

Sandella's gives way to subs

Eating on campus may never be the same again. While it could be argued that college dining is never the most appetizing choice, as of today, it got a little worse. Izzy's has undergone a monumental change.

Now, instead of serving nice, warm paninis and wraps, Izzy's will be offering sub sandwiches. Which is kind of exactly like Upper Gilman. Which kind of sucks. Sandella's has left the building.

The college Web site doesn't have anything to say about this upset, but students certainly do. Please feel free to leave your thoughts below, and enjoy your cold sandwich.

Locks of Love event tonight

This evening, five sophomores from the leadership program (including myself!) are holding a Locks of Love hair drive at the Gathering Place from 7 p.m. to midnight in honor of Make a Difference Day. This day celebrates a national weekend of service. Citizens are encouraged to complete a project or volunteer in their communities.

The event tonight will feature approximately 15 people cutting off six or more inches or hair. This hair will be give to Locks of Love, an organization that uses the donations to create wigs for children who are suffering from cancer.

Tonight, will also be a raffle, pool and darts tournament, open mic night and free food for both the donors and those who wish to stop by and support them.

You have an opportunity to make a difference every day. I encourage you to find a way to change your community for the better this weekend. Please feel free to post your experiences and share them with the rest of us!

Joe Biden in Marietta

Last night, a democratic rally was held outside the armory on Front Street featuring Joe Biden as a guest speaker. The vice president hopeful expressed his desire to make "the American Dream" attainable for all American people, stating that he and Barack Obama will lower taxes for 95 percent of the country if elected. Biden also said that he and Obama will implement a community service plan to make college more affordable for students. Perhaps the most surprising of Biden's promises was his pledge to bring the Delta Queen back to Marietta, which elicited a rousing audience response.

If you missed the rally, you can check out an article about event at WTAP.com

Library lowdown

It's come to my attention that a few Marietta students aren't so happy about the library construction. For starters, the campus is loud. It's difficult to trek from McKinney to Hermann without pausing for a roaring dump truck.

Also, the campus smells. While we students can appreciate the fact that the library will one day be nicely landscaped, whatever it is they're using to grow grass just smells like poop. That's kind of a shame, seeing as we recently had a batch of prospective Marietta students touring the school.

The final (and perhaps most trivial) complaint I've heard is that the bricks being laid for the library that connect with the mall don't match. They're too red.

I tried to look up information about library progress on the Web site, but it's nowhere to be found. Feel free to post your library knowledge and complaints.

Debate between Palin, 'Obiden'

There is something about Sarah Palin that fascinates me, and I can't put my finger on what it is. While I personally felt that Senator Joe Biden won the debate last week, I couldn't help but watch Palin instead. Perhaps it was her use of phrases such as "Joe six-pack" or her continual references to soccer moms that drew me in. Maybe it was the way her hair never moved, or the fact that she looked directly at the camera while delivering most of her reubutals.

If you missed the debate, you can access it on youtube. I'm curious to hear what you think. Because, while impeccable delivery isn't everything, it certainly is an important skill for a president to possess; don't you agree?

Mischief in Marietta

Today in my 9 a.m. class, 15 cell phones buzzed simultaneously with a warning from the college that a thief was on the loose and could potentially be roaming campus. We were directed to the college Web site for more information. Upon investigation, our class found that we should be on the lookout for a 5-foot-6-inch African American male weighing 192 pounds.

I'm curious to hear what the rest of you heard about this situation. Various news sites were reporting the incident differently. Our school's Web site says that the man was apprehended in a local Kmart. To get the basis of the story, check out the article in the Marietta Times.

Write it down

Today, naturalnews.com published an article including tips to get through college healthfully. In addition to the standard advice usually given to students, such as sleeping eight to 10 hours a night (Who has time for that?) and eating a nutritious diet, there is also another suggestion that may be more feasible for college students to stick to: Keep a journal.

I have to admit, I began jumping up and down (in my head) when I read this. I love my journal. I write in it almost every day. And the point the article makes about the benefits of writing things down resonates with me. Not only does keeping a journal provide me with an opportunity to remember all the fun (or lack of fun) I'm having in college, but it also puts those experiences into perspective. I can sort out all the thoughts and feelings that are tumbling around in my brain and put them into cohesive sentences on paper. It's pretty cool.

So go out, have an experience, and write it down. Organize your emotions. And if you already do that, I guess your next task is to get 10 hours of sleep a night. Good luck!

Pets prevent stress

An article in the Sept. 24 issue of USA Today says that having a pet reduce stress levels and can even making getting adjusting to college easier. That's why some schools are beginning to allow students to bring pets into the dorm rooms or even supplying the furry friends themselves.

Marietta College would be an even happier place if it were filled with cuddly, lovable animals. Many students get excited just to see a puppy on campus. Imagine their enthusiasm if they got to take that dog home with them at night. I say it's a cause worth investing in.