Spring Break

Hello everyone once again. Here I am at my home in Decorah, Iowa, and not the one on Luther College's campus. That's right, many students have migrated to their hometowns or to other parts of the globe to spend spring break as they wish. 

 

I will be in Decorah for a while, but like I have mentioned before, the Backyard Wilderness Pursuits (BWP) group is heading out to Aspen/Snowmass in Colorado for three days of skiing. We will be leaving Decorah bright and early on Thursday morning, so I've got some time to relax at my house before leaving for another adventure. 

 

Well, I just wanted to let you all know what was happening at Luther, in Decorah, and elsewhere. Sorry it is so brief, but you can expect a more extensive write-up of my spring break travels when I return. Until then, take care and enjoy the first days of spring!

 

Peace,

Collin

Yellow Paper

Hello everyone-I hope life is treating you all well and you find yourself in good fortune and health. I am feeling well, but am lacking a resonating voice after a short illness. However, it is warm, the birds are singing, and everyone is letting out a huge sigh of relief.

 

Paideia papers are in and once again, a little relaxation is attainable. We had to turn in our first drafts of our papers on Monday, so you can imagine that the weekend was a little stressful for everyone. I must admit, I procrastinated a bit, but not up to a point where I hit the panic line. I finished it, and feel decent about how it turned out, so I am not worried. Sunday night holds the record for the most people in the Brandt study lounge at one time for this year. I have never seen so many people focused so intently on their computers and all working on the same project.

 

I really enjoyed researching my subject (relation between the practices of the Griots of West Africa and hip-hop of the modern world), and it was a really nice breath of fresh air when all the other papers had to do with Scandinavian immigrants and the such. I expected to have difficulty finding sources on my topic, but it was surprisingly easy. It is amazing how many scholarly articles have been written on hip-hop culture and related topics.

 

In other news, last Monday was the Ben Folds concert here on campus. It was a lot of fun. A fella by the name of Eef was the opener and had some interesting lyrics to share with us. Ben rocked the stage as always, and played a lot of music that has not come out yet, but is in the process of becoming a record. The crowd at Luther will be included in the record as cheering and sound effects! How great. But really, it was a good time, and if he is ever playing in a town near you, definitely check it out.

 

Well, kiddies, that's all I got for now. I predict that I am going to have a hard time focusing on a computer screen as the weather continues to facilitate outdoor activities, but I suppose I can make some time for all my Internet buddies. Thanks for reading!

 

Peace,

Collin

VDay

Hello all - I hope you have had good health and sunny days like we have here at Luther College. Yesterday it was 51 degrees! However, I am not going to bore you with talk of the weather.

 

So it has been a busy week/weekend. Paideia is taking up the majority of everyone's time. If you are unaware, Paideia 1 students have to do a research paper during the second half of the year. Each section's professor assigns a general topic (in my case "Ethnicity in the Upper Midwest") that leaves it pretty wide open for students to find a more specific topic to write about. I am doing a study on the hip-hop scene in the Twin Cities and how it arose from the Griots storytelling of western Africa. It will be an interesting topic I think. However, a lot of work is involved; we need to have scholarly and primary sources, an annotated bibliography and endnotes, and all citations must be in the correct format. Also, there is a plethora of information that needs to be sorted through and compiled into a coherent, and interesting, essay of about 12 pages. It is a bit daunting, but it will be over soon.

 

On Saturday I went to a performance of the Vagina Monologues. It is a set of monologues written by a woman after several interviews with women of all walks of life. It is incredibly funny, but also has parts that really make you think. It is a fundraiser for an international group that is centered around the Vagina Monologues and works to create safe environments for women and girls across the globe. So not only did I get to watch a fantastic performance, but it is also aimed at helping people. Wonderful.

 

Today is the due date for my study abroad application for next year. I am applying for a semester program in Tanzania that centers on wildlife ecology and conservation. It seems like an amazing program and I hope it works out. If not next year, I am hoping for junior year. It took me a while to fill out this application - it consisted of 14 pages of paperwork, plus two essays, and a lot of reading on cultural learning. But I have completed it, and I am satisfied.

 

Well, I have to get to Biology. I hope you have a nice winding-down-of-winter period. Take care all.

 

Peace,

Collin