All Grown Up

I feel like college causes people to grow up a lot. Well, actually, it can go either way. I don't know if I've ever known so many people far more mature than high schoolers and so many people far LESS mature than high schoolers... especially living in the same general vicinity.

It's just that college changes a lot of things. You're away from home for probably the first time; you have to fend for yourself when it comes to food; you're doing your own laundry... the list goes on. And on top of all those things, I recently bought a car and moved into a pseudo-apartment.

Yep, I'm all grown up now..

Although, I must say, I never really felt grown up until recently when I went to Hy-Vee and bought my own toilet paper. It was the unnerving thrill I got when I saw Charmin was on sale that pretty much sealed the deal on my adulthood. I stood there in line, preparing to spend my hard-earned money (ok, maybe not "hard"-earned... mostly just earned) and the checker lady said,
"Would you like your toilet paper in a sack, ma'am?"

Buying my own toilet paper and suddenly I'm a "ma'am"? Gosh, I really am all grown up...

Ross Hall

This summer I'm an RA in Ross Hall and so far, so good. Then again, residents haven't moved in yet or anything so there are only five of us living in the building now.

I had never been within 30 yards of the building before I moved in and let's just say I was pleasantly surprised. A lot of upperclassmen I've talked to said that Ross is the "ghetto" hall or whatever, but I completely disagree. Ross is the only apartment-style hall. All the other buildings are typical dorm room types of things.

I have a two-person room and there's a bit living room, bathroom, hallway closet, and bedroom (the beds are bunked in mine). I think it's really nice. And, despite it's "ghetto" reputation, Ross is always the hall that fills up the fastest during upperclassmen room selection. That's also partly because it's a much smaller building. Still, I think Ross is a great place to live because it's a bit further away from campus (just a LITTLE bit) so it's like being off campus, but not. Plus, it doesn't feel like a traditional dorm like all the others do.

The downside is that there are no kitchens in the apartments. There is a community kitchen which is pretty nice, but it's a bit inconvenient to go all the way downstairs to cook dinner.

Here are some pictures of my apartment (before all my stuff was put in).


The view when you walk in


The cabinet/counter area - I suspect this USED to be a kitchen. Very crooked... sorry.


The hallway to the bedroom/bathroom


Bad picture of bathroom


Bedroom

Vroom, Vrooooooom!!!!!!!!

Beep... beeep... BEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!

You hear that? That's me HONKING at you. You know why I'm honking at you? Because I can. I just got a car! Check it out... 2008 Hyundai Accent...

PICTURES!!!

The 2007-2008 Carpenter Basement

It was a very bittersweet moment today as I looked around at all 17 of my girls who were waiting for me in the lobby with cupcakes they baked and a big card they had all signed, thanking me for being their RA. It was our last floor meeting and while we had some nuts and bolts types of things to take care of, I thought I'd take a moment to tell them how much I've learned, how much fun I've had, and how much sleep I lost by living with them. They drove me crazy... SO crazy sometimes... more so toward the end, but looking back on it now, I couldn't have been more fortunate to have the girls I had.

I'm really just proud. A lot of those girls had a lot of obstacles to overcome - big, hairy, ugly obstacles, and they rose above. They didn't always do it gracefully, or legally, but they learned from their mistakes. At least, I like to think they did. And the ones who didn't learn... well, they will. Hopefully it'll be sooner than later. I'm also proud that they were able to come together to form a real community. A strong, supportive, weird, crazy, community. Not all their lifestyles meshed, and there were a pretty wide range of interests, but everybody took time to find common ground with everybody else. I'm also proud of myself. Watching your RA do this job is NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING like doing it. I tell everybody who asks me that an RA has to do about nine hundred things you never see your RA doing. This job is just as much behind-the-scenes as it is center stage. I'm proud I made it. It took a toll on me, definitely. It took a toll socially, emotionally, academically, but I made it and I can honestly say I think I did it well. I probably should have been more supportive at times, harder other times, and more present a lot more towards the end, but for someone who had no idea what they were getting themselves into... well, I think I did a decent job.

And this card they made me (that made me cry..) with messages like "You were there for me when I needed you most," and "you made the transition to college so much easier for me.." helps me support that theory.

In one sense, I'm glad that I'm not going to be an RA again next year because I want to always remember this floor and these girls as my residents. I don't want new ones. I want to keep these girls in my memory and in my heart. I want to call them "my girls" forever. Sometimes they didn't make the best choices, and a lot of times I wanted to smack them silly, but I care about them very much and can't wait to see their track meets and white coat ceremonies. I can't wait to meet their residents when they become RAs themselves. I can't wait to see all those senior recitals and student directed performances. I can't wait to see them succeed as upperclassmen.

They're my girls. They'll always be my girls. And no matter where they go or what they do, this year is a part of them (and me), and that is the tie that will always bind us as the 2007-2008 Carpenter Basement.

The end is near

Classes are officially over. THANK GOODNESS! They've been seriously kicking my butt lately. But, then again, this week is finals week so I don't know if that's much better. Mostly because EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD IS DUE MONDAY AND TUESDAY! AHHHHH!!!!

On Monday I have a big paper due for one of my English classes that I THOUGHT was due Wednesday. Nope. It's due Monday. I also have a big paper due for one of my journalism classes. And that's after I got an extension because it was originally due this past Thursday, but had ANOTHER big paper due for my other English class then and I couldn't get them both done. Not only do I have two big papers due, but I also have an exam in the journalism class. But, part of the exam is an essay that we get to take home. Now, that's a good thing, right? I'll have all my notes and readings and whatever to help me write it? Yeah, but that still doesn't take away from the fact that I have two other big papers to finish, that essay to write, and the exam to study for.

Then, after all that is over and done with, that night I get to come home and pull an all-nighter to somehow finish my magazine project and PRAY that the journalism lab color printer isn't low on toner like it was YESTERDAY! Ah!!! My beautiful magazine was all streaky! Stupid printer. Stupid lab. Stupid magazine. Please, the prototype is the least of my worries. I also have this 20 page business plan that goes with it, and a presentation that goes with that. That'll probably take up most of my Monday - just guessing.

All I have Tuesday is my magazine presentation, so that shouldn't be too bad. It'll all be done so all I'll have to do is get through the class period.

For the rest of Tuesday and ALLLLLLL of Wednesday I plan on studying for my physical science exam which is Thursday morning. I originally had it written down that it was on Monday, which added to my stress considerably since I really need to rock that test. But, much to my surprise, it's on Thursday. That leaves me plenty of time to study.

Keep in mind, though that while I'm studying for exams and writing papers and preparing for presentations, I'm also helping residents who are done with finals check-out of the building and leave. That's why each RA makes a check-out schedule. The hall directors say it best: "You're a student first, and an RA second." Our schedule allows us to block of time for studying and testing, which is wonderful, might I add.

Personally, I'm not leaving until Saturday. All the RAs have to stick around until all the residents leave and have to help shut down the hall. Renovations start Saturday morning at 7, and all the residents have to be out by noon. So, somewhere in the middle of studying, testing, checking out residents, and shutting down the hall for renovations, I have to find time to move my own stuff - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Thursday afternoon/Thursday night, but we'll have to see.

It's going to be one crazy week.

LIVE from Providence, Rhode Island... IT'S KENO DAVIS!!!!!

It's kinda old news around campus, but I thought I'd let you blog readers know that Keno Davis, Drake's men's basketball coach this year, high-tailed it to Rhode Island. Under his leadership/direction, as you know, the Bulldogs had an outstanding year.

As such, naturally, his departure pretty much devastated fans. And Drake students got the ultimate revenge - they made Facebook bumper stickers that had Keno's picture with "SELLOUT" stamped across it. There are others that use different words, but I won't repeat those here.

According to the article in the campus paper, The Times Delphic, the players understand and are going to miss their coach, but are looking to maintain the "winning legacy" of the basketball program.

I can see both sides of this story. Keno was offered a 7-year contract with Providence College at $1 million a year. That's A LOT of money. Tempting. Then again, there's something to be said for loyalty. But, to play devil's advocate with myself, rumor has it that Keno has a lot of family on the east coast - so maybe a move out there has been on the horizon for some time and he couldn't pass up this offer.

Can I blame him? No. Would I have done the same thing? I can't say. Having family out there would have been a strong selling point for me, though. Does it suck? Yes.

Here's the story from the TD: http://media.www.timesdelphic.com/media/storage/paper1086/news/2008/04/22/News/Keno-Takes.Money.Runs.To.Friars-3338574.shtml

Here's info about Mark Phelps, the new guy: http://media.www.timesdelphic.com/media/storage/paper1086/news/2008/05/01/Sports/Mark-Phelps.To.Take.Over.As.New.Mens.Basketball.Head.Coach-3358978.shtml