Here we go!

We've finally made it - the last week of classes. It has taken a long time to arrive, but in hindsight, it seems like nothing. I've also received some good news about my finals schedule. Originally I was planning to have three finals on Saturday (the first day of finals) and one on Wednesday, but some recent changes have lightened my load substantially. Now, I only have two on Saturday, and am free. Well, not entirely; I still have a paper I must finish and submit by Wednesday, but I will get the bulk of my work done early and be able to relax while everyone else is stressing. Sure, I feel a little spoiled, but I do not think that my two finals on Saturday will be walks in the park. My chemistry exam is comprehensive over the entire year (not to mention it is at 8 am!) and my botany exam requires me knowing over 20 different plant families and their respective attributes. It will still involve a lot of studying, but I am glad to have a few days free before moving on to the next thing.

 

I am getting excited for summer, once again. I have my wilderness first aid course for 9 days in Iowa City and then am home for about a week before I head out to Colorado again to work as a whitewater rafting guide for the summer. I hope to do some training on the class V river, which, for those of you who do not know, is very intense - the hardest class run commercially. I am a bit nervous about leaving town again, trying some new things, and missing some folks back home, but I think it is good for all of us to step outside of our bubble for a while and see something different. I hope to be refreshed again upon my return and ready to start an even bigger adventure.

 

I must run to botany now - time to memorize all those families. I hope you are all having a great spring day; it is beautiful here in Decorah, so I plan to enjoy it as much as possible. Take care, everyone.

 

Peace,

Collin

One Down, Three to Go

It has been a pretty hectic week, especially these last few days. Things are starting to pile up as finals grow ever nearer. I've been struggling to finish a couple papers, study for a lab exam, get some hours at work, and finding some time for myself, as well. College is all about time management. Unfortunately, I am not that great at it.

 

This past week was pretty typical. The normal schedule of classes and homework. However, I have rediscovered my addiction to mountain biking over the last couple weeks. It has been pretty warm and sunny, apart from a couple overcast days, and it has gotten me out on the trails once again. It had been a while since I had spent any significant time riding off-road, but it only took one good ride and I was hooked again. I have been trying to fit in some rides between work and school, but I wish I could devote more time to it. I may have mentioned before, but Decorah is a great spot for all types of riding. If you are interested in biking, you should check out the website www.bikedecorah.com. It's got all sorts of information about the local trails and road rides. It is also a good resource for hikers since it has electronic versions of the local trail maps.

 

This weekend was pretty fun. I went to a couple musical performances on campus, both put on by student groups. I spent some quality time outdoors, putting off homework, which was a bad idea because the weekend ended with a beautiful Sunday, which I spent inside writing an ethical analysis of climate policy options for my Paideia Capstone class. It was a bit rough.

 

Today was pretty tough, too. I spent most of the day studying for a chemistry lab practical that I just took tonight. It was a comprehensive lab exam that covered information from the entire year. Needless to say, it was pretty brutal. We shall see how that turns out. But I can now check one final off the list, only three more to worry about.

 

If you are a student, hang in there, we are almost done. If you are something else, I hope you are enjoying springtime and the blooming of the wildflowers. Go outside and enjoy it.

 

Peace,

Collin

The Numbers Just Don't Add Up!

Hello all, I am starting to feel it. The slow, steady creeping feeling that can only mean one thing. Finals and the end of the year are lurking just around the corner. Yes, we still have a couple weeks of classes left, but that doesn't mean that there is still time to relax. It hit me last night at chemistry lab when we were reminded that next Monday is our lab exam, and shortly after that we have all the others. These last few weeks are really strange in that they make up a small portion of the semester, but they represent up to 40% of the class grade sometimes. Math can be tricky, but this seems a bit odd!

 

In all honesty, I have a bit of trouble stressing out about schoolwork. Some would envy me for this "problem," but it can be a curse at times. I tend to procrastinate because I don't have that nagging feeling to get me going. So we'll have to see how these next few weeks go; stress may be mandatory. 

 

On Sunday we filmed the commercial footage I mentioned last week. I had so much fun dancing with all the other folks and doing a little acting as well. They gave us all free pizza, which got everyone excited, and those in charge seemed to be genuinely pleased with how it all turned out. So in the next couple weeks, watch for a link, I'll be sure to post it up here.

 

I mentioned earlier how I tend to procrastinate; here is proof. Not only is this blog late, but I also have to write a 5-page paper that is due tomorrow, which I have not even started thinking about yet. So I guess I had better get on that. I hope you all have a great week and wish me luck with these upcoming challenges.

 

Peace,

Collin

Sore Feet

Hello all. I'm sorry, I guess it has been a while since I updated the ol' blog. So here we go.

 

Easter break was great. I spent time some quality time with my family. I saw my sister kick some major butt in tennis, my older brother was back in town, and we visited my grandparents for the Easter holiday. It was short, but sweet.

 

This week has gone by pretty quickly. There has been a lot to do. I have fallen behind in my readings a little bit, so I am playing catch-up. There was also a paper due for my Paideia Capstone class. It was a rather frustrating undertaking. I was having trouble gaining momentum when I started, so I ended up scrapping it twice and rewriting it. But I finally finished it and it was a relief to turn it in.

 

It is hard to believe, but we only have a few more weeks before finals are upon us. It is very exciting because that means summer is almost here, but it is a little unnerving as well, considering there is still much to do before I even think about finals. In addition to the stress of finals I have to keep in mind that I must move out and leave town early for a Wilderness First Responder (wilderness first aid) class I am taking in Iowa City at the end of May. So I will have my plate very full for the next few weeks. But that's what it always is like, and that's okay by me.

 

This weekend was pretty fun. On Friday, SAC Diversity, one of the branches of the Student Activities Council, brought in an Irish band called An Dochas. The music was really lively and fun, just like most Irish music. They played amazing instruments, too, including a set of Irish bagpipes, which was the highlight of the evening for me.

 

Last night we had a celebration for four of our friends who had April birthdays. We cooked a bunch of food, danced like mad, and just enjoyed each others' company. The four birthday girls were international students, and the international students tend to be some of the best cooks on campus so I ate way too much, but it was all very enjoyable. 

 

Today was also a very interesting day. The photo bureau on campus is putting together a Luther commercial that I agreed to be part of. It involves a lot of dancing and music, so today we had a four hour practice during which I learned some sweet dance moves. I was a little nervous going in because I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had fun the entire time through learning dance steps that the dance groups on campus had prepared. I am not going to give too much away about the commercial, but when it is done, I hope to put a link to it on here so I can share it with all of you. 

 

That is about all that has happened over the last week or so. I hope you are all doing very well and I will talk to you soon!

 

Peace,

Collin

Dancing, singing, and bowls.

It is cold and snowy in Decorah, which is good because there was and still is much to do this weekend, and it would be hard to finish everything this weekend carried if I were to be distracted by warm, sunny weather. And, boy, has it been a busy week and especially weekend.

 

I had a chemistry exam on Friday that involved some preparation, but the rest of the school week was pretty normal in terms of workload. This next week is going to be a little different. I am finishing up a lab report for chemistry lab, I have a couple of papers that will need to get written, another paper I must plan for and start researching, and I get to top it all off with a hefty botany exam on Thursday. Wish me luck!

 

However, there have been a lot of positive things happening this weekend. On Friday, I went to the final Center Stage Series concert in the Center of Faith and Life. It was the New Zealand String Quartet and Richard Nuuns. I had seen the quartet while living in Dunedin, New Zealand, so it was a nostalgic experience for me. They are fantastic musicians, and this time they performed with Richard Nuuns, who is an expert in traditional Maori (New Zealand native) instruments. It was fascinating and very entertaining. Saturday was a busy day. I went to my friend's junior vocal recital, and was amazed by his talent. There are so many good singers and musicians at Luther. I have a hard time keeping up. After that, I went to a performance done by a group of guys from Guatemala and Mexico. In May, there was a large immigration raid in Postville, Iowa, which is only a stone's throw from here. It was a very chaotic, painful, and in my opinion, poorly handled occurrence. These guys decided to tell their story in a play form in order to explain to people the terrible things they had to live through and hopefully shed some light on the crooked immigration policies in our country. It was very eye-opening. I have spent a bit of time with a few of the guys who performed, so I had a vague background of their stories, but it was shocking to hear it in its entirety. They are truly amazing individuals.

 

Saturday night was a little less heavy. It was the first Highlandville folk dance of the season. Each month, a great band called Footnotes performs in a small schoolhouse in a town called Highlandville which is about 15 miles north of Decorah. They play folk music and we all dance waltzes, polkas, two-steps and others until our legs are too tired to hold us any more. I have been going to these events consistently for the past few years and it seems to have transformed more into a gathering of younger people. There were lots of Luther students, as well as Decorah High School students. It was such a great time dancing and having fun with all those wonderful people. I cannot wait for the next one.

 

Finally, today is going to be another busy day. Another couple of my buddies have their junior recital, so I will undoubtedly go to that. Pretty soon here I am going to head over to the Center for the Arts for an event called Empty Bowls. It is a fundraiser for a couple agencies dealing with world hunger. Potters from around the area come together to make hundreds of bowls to sell for $20 dollars, which goes on to these organizations. Local restaurants donate soup and bread to fill those bowls. So it is a meal that goes toward a good cause. I have gone the last two years, and the soup and craft are amazing. There is music, good company, and a pleasant atmosphere. It is incredible what people do with their talents. 

 

So that is what my life has been like for the last few days. Hopefully this next week will be as enjoyable as the last. I wish you all the best. If you are getting snow, keep warm. If you are getting sun, send it our way. Take care.

 

Peace,

Collin

Spring Break

Hello everyone. It has been a great week for me, mostly because of the brief break from school, and all the adventures that came with my time off.

 

As I mentioned before break, we were planning on heading out to Aspen, Colorado to enjoy some spring skiing. This was a trip that I helped organize as part of my duties as a leader of Luther's Backyard Wilderness Pursuits. We left on Saturday at 5:30 am, drove all day long and arrived in Aspen around 10:30 that night. It was a long haul, but definitely worth it. The next three days we skied Snowmass and Aspen Highlands enjoying 4" of snow on the second day and a whopping 13" on the final day. We then made the long journey home.

 

We had a group of 15 fun, easy-going students come along. It was really great getting to know some new people and learning more about friends and acquaintances. On top of that, one of my best friends from Durango, Colorado (where I worked this summer) came to snowboard with me the last day. It was fantastic seeing her again, and she was lucky enough to come when the powder was perfect. We were fantasizing about the upcoming summer and the time on the river we are aching for already. 

 

This break was unique in that I got the opportunity to help create an opportunity for students to do something a little out of the ordinary (being from Iowa) and also to see it come alive. It is really neat how Luther provides so many opportunities not only to take part in activities such as this, but also help make them available to others. It gave me a sense of responsibility for the fun other students were having, and it made it even better that I could enjoy it with them. 

 

I hope that spring time is welcomed by all of you. And I apologize if you did not have any time off this last week and I am tempting or teasing you by describing the fun I have had. I am sure your time will come. Have a great week everyone, and I will talk to you soon.

Peace,

Collin

Spring is here

Hello everyone, I hope I find you in good health and spirits. It is warming up here in Decorah, and the warmth brings a few things. First, all the people that had been hiding away inside their warm dorm rooms are coming out to enjoy the fresh spring air. Bikes are now out of winter storage, people are tossing frisbees again, and I finally got to set up my slackline again! In addition to the outward migration, spring is a sign of something many people are excited for: Spring Break.

 

In just a few short days, students will be heading away for a whole week of relaxation. Some are heading home to spend time with friends and families, whereas others are taking trips to places far away from home. There are student groups heading to Georgia, The Dominican Republic, Louisiana, Mississippi, and of course, Colorado. Like I mentioned before, I will be heading out to do some spring snowboarding in Aspen, Colorado, and could not be more excited to do so. However, there is still much to get done before break. 

 

This week before break is also a time of midterms, which is surprising in itself. It does not feel as though the semester should be half over already. But it is here and with it comes last minute cramming and stress due to procrastination, lack of attention, or any other not-so-honorable practice. However, I seem to have it pretty easy this time around. I have only one midterm because my three other classes are either not requiring a big test, or we have already had some sort of exam to cover this requirement. 

 

I do, however, have to aid in working out any last-minute details for our BWP trip. Because I am one of the leaders taking this group out to Colorado, I must help organize the hotel stays, the lift tickets, and the transportation, not to mention the funding. Most of this has already been taken care of, it is just a matter of tying all loose ends up before departing on Saturday.

 

The next time we speak, I will hopefully have some good news about our break and some pictures to illustrate the fun had. I hope this fine weather is making you all feel refreshed and I urge you to spend time outside. Reintroduce yourself to nature.

 

Peace,

Collin

 

p.s. There was a speaker by the name of David Abram who came to Luther on Thursday night. He prepared an amazing presentation about how humans are becoming disconnected to the natural world and no longer see ourselves as part of it. It was really fascinating and inspiring. So I hope you all will do some research on him and the Alliance for Wild Ethics, and take his advice to reconnect with nature (you've got a lot in common:)).

Energy and Community

Hello everyone, here's the news from Luther College.

 

Friday was the end of the Energy Evolution. This is a campus-wide event that lasts for a few weeks and promotes energy awareness and conservation. There were all sorts of events, from blackout movie screenings to energy audits of rooms, as well as contests with great prizes for those dorms and floors that showed great initiative in conserving energy. Larsen hall, the dorm in which I live, managed to reduce energy consumption by 14% during the Energy Evolution month. Some halls did even better. 

 

It seems as though there has been a shift, and it is most noticeable in the college-aged generation of today. There is such a drive for people to take action in order to understand and combat the negative effects of over consumption, dirty energy (coal, oil, etc.), and the lifestyles many of us lead that are hardly sustainable. It is a beautiful thing to see; heaps of college students running around campus, turning off lights and promoting wise use of electricity. This sense of energy awareness is definitely a large part of Luther's community and set of ethics. Not only is it present in the students, but large steps have been made to reduce the tremendous carbon footprint that a college community of this size leaves. From upgrading old architecture and energy systems and green building techniques to exploring the possibilities of wind power and biomass heating; Luther is doing its part to manage its emissions and sending a positive message about sustainability and possibility.

 

We learn from events such as Energy Evolution that each individual plays a part in the larger picture. We all must make some contribution to work towards a sustainable future. Change out those incandescent light bulbs, take shorter showers, buy second-hand items. It is not difficult, but it does require a conscious effort. It's up to you.

 

I hope everyone is well. All comments or questions are welcome. If you want me to write on a specific topic, or want to know more about something I have already written, don't be shy. I would love to hear from you.

 

Peace,

Collin

The Plight of the Student

It's that time of the semester already. I am getting bogged down with studies for upcoming exams. I have a botany exam tomorrow, followed by a chemistry exam on Wednesday. In addition to that, I have had the never-ending load of readings, lab reports, and other homework. It is nothing unexpected, but it is also nothing to be grateful for.

 

This kind of perplexes me when I think about it. Why is it that we, as voluntary students, decide to complain about the workload that accompanies the role of student? I decided to come to Luther College to pursue a degree in biology. How could I possibly complain in any way about having to do work to expand my mind in ways that I desire, or to obtain fascinating nuggets of knowledge in my field of study. It seems almost exactly opposite of what I should be doing; that is, thanking professors, faculty, staff, my parents, and whomever else made this opportunity possible for me. I understand this all in theory, but it is a bit more difficult to rationalize all this when I must sit in my room studying photosynthesis until wee hours of the morning. Oh well, it will undoubtedly benefit me in the end.

 

So that is where we are at currently at Luther College; the first wave of exams and due dates. It is the authentic initiation back into "real life" on campus after the lull of J-term. I must admit, I am still in that mode a little, so I am struggling to make this new schedule and set of commitments work. However, I feel as though I am having an easier time understanding and engaging in the material which I am studying. It may be because of the set of classes I am taking, or it may be because it is still early in the semester. Either way, I hope to maintain this momentum for the rest of the year.

 

I hope I find you all in good health and spirits. Enjoy the coming of spring, even during those moments when it is still very wintery. 

 

Peace,

Collin

The Sound of Music

Hello all, I hope this last week as been good for you all. I am here to tell you that mine was quick, productive and entertaining.

 

I had one of those odd experiences over this past week in which time was a little messed up. I felt either a day behind or a day ahead each morning when I woke up. For this reason, some days seemed to whiz by, whereas others passed at a snail's pace. I am really liking my schedule for this semester, though. I have two classes each day, which provides some breaks in between for relaxation or homework. I've tried a few combinations now, I've had a semester during which I had no class on Tuesdays and Thursdays (although I did have lab), and I had a semester with heavy course loads on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have now reached a balance, and I think it is my favorite so far. I am loving my Botany class, which is mostly lab work. My religion class (Buddhism & Animal Welfare) is also quite fascinating. I am enjoying chemistry more than last semester, which is a bit surprising. The only class that I may have some complaints about is my Paideia 2 course. It is a little slow moving, and quite repetitive. However, the subject matter is really important (global warming, climate policy), so I find it worthwhile to read and participate.

 

Besides class, the semester has proven to be rather entertaining thus far. For example, we held an event at the rock climbing wall on Friday. Its theme was "Love is Blind," and people were encouraged to scale the wall blindfolded. Only a few people showed up, but it was a great time, nonetheless. Right after that, I headed to Marty's (a social hangout and cybercafé on campus) for a concert by a band named Maritza. They play eastern European music, which was amazing. After that, I went and played some music of my own with some of my buddies. The following night was the Center Stage Performance of the Harlem Gospel Choir, which was quite a treat. I have not seen a Center Stage Performance with so much energy and excitement. They were also quite fantastic. Check out the video posted below. It isn't the Luther performance, but you can get the feeling. Last night I raced downtown after a quick dinner to play a gig with my friends at T-Bock's (a sports bar and grill) monthly Open Stage Night. It was a very full weekend which tended to focus on music in one form or another. Not bad at all.

 

In other news, people are already discussing their plans for living situations next year as room draw is showing up on the radar. A lot of people are really excited to have new rooms, apartments, or roommates. I am not entirely sharing in this excitement, due to my current plan of taking a year off for myself. However, it is a definite indication of the coming of spring and with it all of the talk of the end of the year, the summer, and even next year. It is amazing how time can just fly on by.

 

I am off to do some religion readings on animal liberation before heading down to the rock wall. Take care everyone, and I will speak to you soon. Again, feel free to leave any comments or as any questions you may have. We can make this as interactive as you would like.

 

Peace,

Collin

I Want to be a Bollywood Star

Hello again everyone, I hope you have had an excellent week since we last spoke. Much has happened in the last week for me, so let's dive right in.

 

First off, Saturday was the date of the annual Ethnic Arts festival here at Luther. I have been attending this since I was very young, and it gets better every year. Basically, it is a festival in which anyone who wants to represent their heritage or culture can do so in multiple ways. The day starts off with a fair of booths set up in the Center for Faith and Life (CFL). These booths represent specific countries or regions and there are arts, crafts, information, and activities about or from each location. The most popular part of the festival comes later in the day: dinner. Students and volunteers slave away in the kitchen for hours preparing mouth-watering dishes from all over the world. My plate consisted of food from Jamaica, India, Serbia and Wisconsin, and that was only a tiny portion of the variety that was to be enjoyed. After the dinner, there is the ever-famous talent show for which people prepare all sorts of acts. There was dancing from India and Egypt, songs from China and Rwanda, and comedy from all over the globe. Several of my friends were involved in the performance, so it was especially fun to watch. I am always amazed at how much talent is concentrated on Luther's campus.

 

In addition to the Ethnic Arts Festival was a Center Stage Series concert in the CFL. This series of concerts usually brings in some amazing artists, and this time was no exception. The Alison Brown Quartet featuring Joe Craven came and played a little bluegrass, celtic, and jazz music. They were quite fantastic and told some great stories. The next Center Stage Series concert is this Saturday. It is the Harlem Gospel Choir, which should be a very energetic and exciting performance.

 

So, this is what has been on my mind lately. Currently I am considering what I want to do next year. I am planning on taking a year off from school and doing some independent travel. I was considering doing a study abroad, but find the programs to be too confining, or just too expensive. I will come back and graduate at the same time as expected. I am thinking about doing some volunteer biological research abroad, some bicycle touring here and abroad, and visiting a few friends who will be scattered around the globe for study abroad experiences. If any of you have any tips, suggestions, or comments, I would love to hear them or hear of your own travel experiences. 

 

Take care of yourself and others and keep warm.

 

Peace,

Collin

Buddhism and Botany

Here we are again; a brand new semester, a brand new schedule, and a brand new workload. It is a time of refreshment, but some harsh realities come along with it. I'll explain a bit more.

 

I think I am going to have a very interesting set of classes. I am taking a religion course that investigates the link between animal welfare and well-being with Buddhist religious practices. I am also enrolled in a Paideia Capstone course that will focus on energy usage and ethical decisions regarding this topic, along with current policy regarding the US's energy usage. I finish it off with the second half of chemistry and a botany course, which should be quite enjoyable.

 

That is the refreshing part, it is nice to be taking courses that are interesting and new. However, after the first half-week of classes (we started on Wednesday) I had over 200 pages of reading to do and a hefty amount of supplementary work. I was pretty overwhelmed this weekend, especially after enjoying quite a bit of freedom during J-term. I think that this semester is going to really test me. I don't know that I have had this heavy of a workload for a semester, so it will be a challenge, but a good one, I am sure.

 

I've got some news regarding what I may be planning for next year that I will not go into right now, but will let you in on at a later date. I may need some input, too, so come back and help me out. But for now, I leave you. I need to do MORE reading for my botany class. I hope you are all well and happy. 

 

Peace,

Collin

A Reason to Love Decorah

Another reason why I decided to stay in Decorah for college became clear to me last night. The fourth Sunday of every month hosts T-Bock's (a bar and grill downtown) Open Stage Night. It is an open mic performance in which anyone can perform - music, comedy, anything. So the band with which I have been playing was scheduled to play last night. We arrived to find that the emcee and organizer of the performance was a no-show. This also meant that there was no sound equipment for the musicians who had arrived to perform. After multiple failed attempts to contact the fella in charge, we gave up on him. 

 

People still wanted to perform and share what they had been preparing, so everyone came together and tried to figure something out. We pieced together a list of what sound equipment individuals had and/or were able to get a hold of. After a few different set-ups and changes, we had a full sound system with four microphones and several instrument inputs. It was just as good, if not better, than the typical system that is provided.

 

It was not so much the fact that people had equipment that we all could use, but rather the collaborative effort that went into maintaining a community event that would have otherwise not taken place. All the musicians and performers decided that, rather than give up and forfeit the event, we would use everyone's talents and contributions to have a fantastic performance.

 

The music that followed was great, and everyone had a little more invested in the performance, which made it even more enjoyable. I ended up running the sound system, and playing the last act of the night. Our set was so much fun to play; I absolutely love playing with my band mates. It was the four of us (vocals, guitar, mandolin, bass, and banjo) and another friend playing washboard and tambourine. 

 

It was a fantastic night, not just because it was graced with good music and company, but also because it showed me something very impressive and heartwarming about the community in which I live. It is truly a wonderful place to be.

 

I hope you are all well. Come visit Decorah sometime and you will see what I mean.

 

Peace,

Collin

Congratulations America

First off, I want to congratulate the US on choosing Barack Obama as 44th President. What a day.

 

I won't get too much into politics since that is not the purpose of this blog but more so because I could go on forever, and that probably would not be a great idea.

 

Let's examine life with a sharper focus. This is the news at Luther:

 

This past weekend held the annual Brandt Open Mic Bar (BOMB). It is sponsored by Brandt Hall Resident Assistants and Luther College Wellness. It was a fantastic open mic show with free "mocktails" all night. It is mind blowing to go to this sort of event because of all the musicians and performers that come out of the woodwork. I was incredibly impressed with the lineup this year, and had a great time. There were a few acts during which I could not stop smiling because of the quality. Some of my friends performed, and it was fun because it was not a setting in which I know them. These are people I live with or know from class or campus activities, and it is sometimes a surprise that they have such talent on stage.

 

Speaking of performances, I will be having a nice little experience of my own next weekend. A bar and grill downtown hosts a monthly "Open Stage Night" and the bluegrass band that I've been playing with is scheduled to make an appearance. We had a jam session on Friday night, which is always a blast and I think we are going to have some fun tunes to perform.

 

We are nearing the end of J-term already, which is pretty unbelievable. This is my last full week at the high school for my observation period. I think it will be good to start something new again, I am always a fan of semester changes. I am also looking forward to seeing some of my friends again who have been gone for the month on off-campus excursions, abroad and otherwise.

 

So that is mostly what I have for you today. It's been a tiring day, I'm still struggling with the high school schedule, so you will have to forgive me for that. I hope I am finding you all in good health and spirits, and enjoy the week.

 

Peace,

Collin

The Other Side of the Desk

Hello everyone. I'm back to give you a little insight on my J-term experience.

 

It all began this past summer. I was riding my bike to work one day and thought to myself, for some odd reason, "Maybe I should be a teacher." It was quite a long bike ride, so I had a lot of time to think it through. I decided that elementary and middle school were not right for me because I wanted to be able to discuss more advanced topics in the field of biology. I was also hesitant to take the college/university professor route because of all the school I would have to go through. So I temporarily concluded that I was destined to be a high school biology teacher.

 

Now, this kind of made sense. I have several teachers in my family, and admire each one of them for what they do. I like the idea of having summers free to use how I please, and I also think that it would be very rewarding to have a positive influence on young minds. As I think back to some of my best teachers, I can recognize what influence they had on me. If I could offer that inspiration or support to someone else, I think I would have some sense of purpose or satisfaction in life.

 

So this is where I am at. I am currently exploring the idea of becoming a teacher further by taking the required first course in the Education department at Luther. It is an off-campus observation period in which I am thrown into a classroom and given whatever responsibility the teacher allows. I am currently at Decorah High School, the same exact high school from which I graduated a couple of years ago.

 

This is very convenient in some ways. For instance, I do not have to get up ridiculously early and drive an hour like some other students have to. Also, I am familiar with the school and how it is run. However, with this convenience comes much difficulty. It was stated that we must maintain a professional attitude while in the classroom. We are there as future teachers, and must separate ourselves from the students accordingly. For me, though, it can be difficult to maintain that boundary when I know many of the students in the school. They know me as Collin, not Mr. Thompson. They know things about my personal life and who I am outside of this professional setting. It is hard to balance the relationships I have had for years, for some, and this new obligation to be professional.

 

Along with that come other difficulties. I am having trouble getting really inspired by what I am experiencing. I am realizing the bland repetition that is required when teaching six sections of the same course. I am concerned that I would get burnt out by the end of the day and not be able to offer my full self to the students. There are several factors that contribute to this attitude, and I won't bore you with them, but this experience is serving its purpose. I came into it wanting to know whether or not teaching was something I could see myself doing years down the road. And although I am still not sold one way or the other, I am getting valuable information about what it means to be a teacher; what the struggles are, what a typical day consists of, and what the rewards are. I guess I will just have to see how I feel at the end of the month.

 

I hope this blog post finds you well and happy. I wish you warmth on these bitterly cold days. Remember, though, there is something to be said for each season.

 

Peace,

Collin

I'm back!

Wow, it has been a while since I last posted. I apologize for that, but it has been such a crazy time lately. First we had our winter break, and now I am trying to get in the swing of things for my new course during J-term.

 

Winter break was very nice. It meant the end of the fall semester, which in turn meant the temporary release from school-related responsibility. I did a bit of traveling; my family and I headed to Chicago to visit my mother's side of the family. These reunions are always exciting and action packed. I have a big and goofy family that is always sure to entertain. After that, we visited my father's side of the family in Moline, Illinois. Once again, this is always a treat. My grandmother is a firecracker. She always has something new up her sleeve and is still kicking hard at 94 years old.

 

Before I knew it, though, the break was over and I found myself starting a new course. The way January Term works is each student takes one course, which typically meets every day. These courses are usually the same workload as a full-semester course, but are a bit more compressed. This is also a time when a lot of students do off-campus studies. For example, I have friends who are living with the Maasai in Tanzania, attending several plays in England, and fighting off the cold in rustic huts in the Boundary Waters. I am doing a sort of off-campus study, but not exactly the same. I am currently observing at Decorah High School in the biology classroom. This is the first step of many in order to get an education major/minor, and eventually in becoming a teacher. This is something I have thought about for a while now, so I figured I would try it. It is too early to tell now if it is something I will still want to pursue after this month, but that is exactly what I am using it for. It is an exploration of the profession to determine if it is something I could see myself doing down the road. I'll get back to you about that later.

 

So there you have it; a recap of what has been going on in the life of Collin. Obviously it is not all inclusive, I've left out stories of snowboard trips, dogsitting, and seeing old friends. Maybe I can touch on that later. Have a fantastic week, and I will talk to you soon.

 

Peace,

Collin