Norse Notes: Opeoluwa

Capture the Brandt Flag!

2009-05-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

As I said last week, Ylvi challenged Brandt Hall to a game of Capture the Flag. The two hall council presidents (Justin Marschall and I) got together during the week to set the rules for the game and get things ready. We decided that we would use the whole campus as our battle ground, but encourage play uphill between Brandt and Ylvi. We also revealed to each other on a map, the location of our jails and flags. Separated by the pathway between the Olin building and the Library, both teams met for battle at 2pm on Saturday.

The Ylvi players walked to the pathway, shocked by the number of Brandt players. We were outnumbered by more than 2 to 1. While we were just 12, they were about 38! But, remembering that Ylvi was home to the most athletic of first-year students, we took courage and believed that we could make it. After all, the Persians overwhelmingly outnumbered the Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae, but we all know what happened...

As the game started, Brandt players started flooding our half. They brought the game to our half and at first it seemed like we would be unable to suppress the opposition before our flag was captured. But before long, we started decimating their team, rapidly imprisoning the Brandt players. Very soon, we had close to 20 Brandt players in our prison and not even one of our players in theirs. Then, it happened...

One of the Brandt players seized our flag. He was chased out of sight and we all assumed that he got tagged and things were safe again. So, we continued with game as usual. So far, we were doing pretty well. We now had about 28 Brant players in our prison, still with none of our players in their prison. At this point, we figured we probably had more players than Brandt had, so we were planning on rounding everyone up to go and storm the Brandt area and capture their flag, considering there were too few Brandt players to stop us. Just as we were getting our acts together, the Brandt Hall President walked toward us, holding our flag. This was indeed devastating.

Apparently, what had happened was the guy who seized our flag earlier circumvented the field of play, leaving the Luther campus and going downtown. After close to 20 minutes, he finally appeared at the Brandt side of the field with the flag. This was how Brandt beat us - by cheating! We had agreed that we couldn't take the flag outside the field of play. But like I said earlier, the game was similar to the Sparta-Persia battle. We ended up decimating the Brandt team, even though they finally won the battle.

That's basically what my weekend has been all about - trying to capture the Brandt flag. And even though I failed at it, I am happy we organized one more successful program. It was a really fun game [actually my first time playing Capture the Flag]. So, as the 2008/2009 Ylvisaker Hall Council met for the last time a couple hours ago, it was with a deep sense of fulfillment that we ended. We have organized numerous programs for our hall and even freshmen at large during the course of our freshman year. We have led, built connections, and supported honorable causes. In my opinion, that in and of itself completes the freshman experience....well, apart from the finals next week.

[I apologize for sounding so cheesy]

Have a happy week...

3 Slow Weeks...

2009-05-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

With less than three weeks left in the semester, there are final projects and 'adventures' coming up. I currently have a final Paideia paper, Math project, and Religion papers all due within the next couple of weeks. I've decided to start working hard on those assignments now so as to make things a little easier down the road.

Concerning the Paideia paper, we're to formulate a thesis and write an argumentative paper on at least two of the books we have read so far. The first draft of the paper was supposed to be due in class tomorrow, but my Paideia professor decided that we could just bring an outline of our arguments to class and turn in the draft on Wednesday [that helps a bit]. Nonetheless, the bad part about this paper is, for my section, it is open-ended; we weren't given any specific topic to write on. I literally spent half of my day trying to decide what to write on. But finally, I have the outline done. And that's all that matters...

Last week, we (Ylvi Hall Council) challenged Brandt Hall Council to a game of capture the flag. In order to create some tension, we sent them a really provocative letter [they still feel a little mad about it, but that's okay...] Apparently, it worked; they accepted our challenge and quickly sent delegates to discuss the game with us. What's most exciting is that we are going to be using the whole campus to play this Saturday in the afternoon [we hope the weather behaves]. It seems like it's going to turn out really well if we publicize well enough; each hall council is responsible for spreading the word to its residents.

Ylvi Hall council is also organizing a stress relief titled "CocoLoco" to celebrate the World Chocolate Day [we're really just using this as a stress relief for the hall on reading day before the finals]. We'll have chocolate fountains, make cookies, etc. It's exciting things like this that keep one going for these long, final weeks of the semester...

Take Care!

Free Schedule = Low productivity

2009-04-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

As much as I hate being stressed out with school work, I have come to realize that having a completely empty schedule is not the best atmosphere for that paper or project that you want to work on. This seems counter intuitive, I know. But it actually took me months to realize this...

This weekend has been one of the freest weekends for me. All I had was an RA Spring Retreat, pretty simple Calculus problems, and a book to read for Paideia - Copenhagen. Considering how "free" my weekend was, I decided to do some extra studying on Physics to start preparing for the finals. But in spite of my incredibly light work load [compared to my work load in the past few weeks], I actually just fininshed my Calculus and Paideia assignments this Sunday night. I haven't even opened my Physics text book at all...

This has been a common pattern with days like Tuesdays and Thusdays, where I just have one or two classes. Because I have a "free" day, I initially think I'll be able to make a masterpiece of a paper or lab report that I have, but shockingly I find myself highly unproductive due to numerous distractions. At best, I just manage to start the paper or go halfway when I have actually had the whole day to work on it! So, from my experience so far, to work well on an individual project, I need other competing projects, some stress, deadlines, etc. That's why, when registring for classes, I decided to make my days equally full, so as to keep myself productive.

Next semester looks like it's going to be interesting. I'll be taking Modern Physics [I'm actually pretty excited to learn about relativity], Linear Algebra, Honors 210: Ancient World [It's a class in Luther's Honors Core; pretty cool, too], and Intro to the Hebrew Bible. It also seems like I'll have a manageable workload.

Yesterday, RA's had a Spring Retreat. We played many interesting games, did some planning for the next semester, and finally got our room assignments. We also found out our co-RA's with whom we will be working. It turns out that not only am I remaining in my current hall next semester, but I am also staying on my current floor....

Have a good week!

Getting Pied in the face...

2009-04-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a particularly interesting one for me. Yesterday, the Ylvi Hall Council Relay for Life team, Airforce Fun, organized a fundraiser titled "Pie your RA." Residents would pay a dollar to pie their RA's in the face and the money would go for cancer research. We initially planned to hold it outside Ylvi from 6 -8pm but because it was raining, we had to do it indoors.

So, with our disposable plates, whipped cream [instead of actual pie], and protective polythene bags ready, our RA's were all set to get pied. You'll be surprised how willing residents were to pay to pie their RA's. Some even paid over and over again to take multiple shots and work the whipped cream all over the faces and hair of the RA's! As the pieing was going on, I went around knocking from door to door, informing residents of this golden opportunity that they had.

But you're probably wondering: How did I end up covered in whipped cream as the picture above suggests? Well...I never imagined that it would come to that. Around 7:30pm, when all of the RA's present were covered in whipped cream, one of the Hall Council members, for some reason, said, "You know...I would actually pay two dollars to get Luwa pied." Then, others around thought it was a good idea and also wanted to pie Sally, the Secretary. Although it came unexpected and I was completely unprepared for it, I gave in to the persuasion. It was not until I agreed to do it that I knew that Sally and I were each going to get pied by 3 people at the same time! There was no escaping. Soon, my face and hair were completely covered in whipped cream...

So, that was what lightened my mood this weekend. I was glad that apart from the fact that the event was so much fun and many people participated, we were able to raise some money for cancer research. This was, perhaps, what underplayed the great anxiety that usually surrounds weekends like this when I have a Physics exam the following Monday. That is the good thing about college. Even though you find yourself in a sea of homework and upcoming tests, there will always [or most times] be something to lighten you up, as long as you look hard enough...

Have a swell week!

Back from Easter Break

2009-04-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter in arrears!

I went into the Easter break with a long list of things to do, including plenty of homework and projects. For some reason [probably laziness], I haven't been able to get myself to do even half of those things. Right now, I'm just trying to calm down and not freak out because by tomorrow, some assignments are already due.

So, having said that, how did the Easter break go? First of all, I didn't really look at it as a "break"per se because it was basically a weekend with Friday and Monday off. Nonetheless, it displayed every characteristic of breaks. Luther was very empty as usual and the Cafeteria was closed on Saturday and Sunday. But this time, we students staying on campus did not have to leave our rooms, and the Cafeteria gave us vouchers to purchase food in restaurants close by [that was really nice...] Maybe it was this break 'feel' that kept me from doing very much...

However, it seems like I am not the only one in my situation. I just got back from the library and, contrary to what you might expect, it is full of people working really hard on homework. I had to leave the place because it was looking too tense.

There's good news, though. We have just 36 days of classes to go! How do I know? Over the break, our hall director hung a countdown on every door in the hall. I will faithfully follow it, marking out every day until it is finals week, and then summer holiday. I'm really looking forward to that because I get to go home to Nigeria!

Oops...thought it would snow...

2009-04-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

Last night, it was predicted that we would get about 6 inches of snow here in Decorah, so Ylvi residents requested that they have a snowball fight with Brandt Residence hall. We sent out facebook invitations to Ylvi and Brandt residents to have as many people show up for the snowball fight at 3pm. When I woke up this morning, it was actually lightly snowing, consistent so far with the weather predictions. But gradually, the snow started changing to rain and before 11am, even the little snow on the ground had disappeared. Disappointingly, the weather predictions we got turned out to be wrong. We probably can't have any snow fights until next year...

As part of our job training next semester, the newly hired Resident Assistants are supposed to take staff classes on Thursdays. The purpose would be to give the required preparation and leadership training for the job. Last Thursday, I had my first RA staff class. I really enjoyed it. We had workshops on what to expect on the job, the responsibilities, and minimum requirements RA's have to meet in the course of their job. Although it was very informative, the class was handled such that it would also be interesting.

To fulfil Luther's general education requirements, students have to take a Fitness and Wellness class. The class is for half a semester and I'm currently taking mine for the second half of this semester. Apart from the fact with this class, I now have 8am classes every day of the week [which really sucks], there are good signs that the class will be fun. On Thursday, we had this cool lab where we determined our VO2 max [kind of like how much your body uses up the oxygen you take in]. We also found out how flexible our shoulders and backs are and did some running. I got back to my room a little sweaty, but doing all that exercise felt really good. I'm actually looking forward to my class on Tuesday; we're also going to have another lab.

Although we just got back from Spring break, on Friday, we'll also go on Easter break. Not that I'm complaining [I mean...I would want as many breaks as possible, of course], but I would just have wished the break came when I was just a little more stressed out, close to how I was before Spring break. That way, I would really appreciate the break. Nonetheless, I'm still looking forward to the break [the CAF will be open and we (those staying on campus) don't have to move to other dorms].

The International Student's Break

2009-03-28T21:36:00.000-07:00

Spring break just ended and I just moved my things back from Miller to Ylvi Residence Hall. Like during the Christmas break, most of the Residence Halls at Luther were closed and people who intended to stay on campus (mostly international students) were required to move their things to the Towers (Miller and Dieseth), Baker Village, or College Apartments, to stay during the break. This is usually the case during long breaks when some maintenance work is to be done around campus.

This provides an opportunity for the international students and the few people staying on the almost empty Luther campus to come together, thus making the break seem less lonely. Also, considering the fact that the cafeteria is closed, people are able to cook together and it makes things more manageable. However, it could get slightly inconvenient. Searching for a room and moving your things from hall to hall could be slightly tedious [everyone eventually finds a room, though]. Nonetheless, after my first break, I kind of got used to how things worked and got a feel of what I needed to do.

Contrary to what people might think, it's possible to have lots of fun remaining on campus during the break; I actually did some really fun things this break. On Tuesday, my host parents and I went to see the Mississippi river. We ate lunch at a Restaurant just at the bank of the river. After that, we went eagle-watching. Tuesday was actually the closest I've ever gotten to an eagle. They're really amazing. We also saw other birds like cranes and pelicans. Then we had some ice cream and I returned to Luther.

Also, the break is a good opportunity to get together with your professors. Yesterday, my Paideia professor invited Kyo Suk [in my Paideia class] and me to have dinner at his house. He came to pick us up around 6:00pm and showed us round his house. It was really cool. We met his wife and talked about so many interesting things; time flew by so fast. The food was also really good.

Overall, I would say I had a good break. I had time to hang out with my friends and do things I would not have had time to do when school was in session. As a nice conclusion to the break, my friends and I went over to have breakfast in a Chinese restaurant. Really good food.

Now that the break is over, I have to start doing the new Paideia reading and getting my room back in order...

Take Care!

My Craziest Week at Luther

2009-03-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome again to my blog. It's finally Spring break. Although I am writing in the peace of mind and euphoria that usually accompany times like this, I have to emphasize the fact that the path to this break was extremely torturous. This week was, in fact, my most stressful week at Luther so far; you'll be surprised how many things happened...

Last Friday, I felt no excitement for going into the weekend because I knew the enormous amount of work that lay before me. Apart from the fact that I was going into the week of Midterms, just so many projects were due that week. I had a Religion paper due on Tuesday, a Paideia Paper due on Wednesday, a Physic exam that same day, and Paideia and Calculus exams on Friday! I frankly wondered if it was humanly possible to carry out every one of those tasks effectively.

I spent my whole weekend working on my Religion and Paideia papers but had almost no time to study Physics. As you can imangine, I worked tirelesely throughout the day with only very little sleep. On Monday, I explained my situation to my Religion professor and asked if I could get an extension to turn in my paper. He said I could get one, but I would lose half a letter grade for late submission. So, if I was supposed to get an 'A,' I would get an 'A-' instead. After considering my options, I decided it was better to just submit the paper with whatever I had. At the brink of time on Wednesday, I was also able to finish my Paideia paper and turn it in at the right time. The only problem was that I had to take my Physics exam without having studied for it [I probably shouldn't tell you how that went].

But that wasn't all my week was about. On Wednesday night, after the first half of that monstrous week, the Ylvi Hall Council organized a "Stress Relief" for all Ylvi Residents. We had peanut butter and jelly sandwich with kool-aid, while watching The Office. It was very well attended. Personally, I was really stressed out and starved of sleep, so the Stress Relief was something I really needed.

On Thursday, the results of our RA application came out. The anxiety about the results of the application must have also added a lot to my stress level. Nevertheless, I got the job! I'm going to be a Resident Assistant in Ylvi next year! Just looking at the letter I got, I stood there beside my SPO [Student Post Office], not know what to do. I was ecstatic. I spent my whole morning thinking about it and trying to take the news in and, as a result, I didn't finish my Religion homework in time for class. I had to turn that one in late and receive the late penalty [crazy week indeed!]

This morning, I had a calculus exam. It wasn't the hardest of exams, but after all the twists and turns of the week, all that was on my mind was to get it over with. It was with this same state of mind that I took my Paideia exam. To me, all that mattered was leaving that class and knowing that it was Spring break. And I think I was right. I just went through my craziest week at Luther so far and all I want to do right now is relax, catch my breath, and have fun...

Enjoy your Spring break!

Could Profs get any more Approachable?

2009-03-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

After two days of perfect weather, I was shocked to come out of my room to face the cold angry winds again. I thought the Winter had finally gone and Spring had come to stay. It's actually funny how our minds and bodies work. Back in Nigeria, there were times when it was so hot that I sweated and wished so much that it were colder. But now, I remember those moments with nostalgia. I wish it were so hot that I would have to wear a T-shirt, shorts, and slippers [not a winter coat and boot] to go out...

On Monday, we turned in the drafts of our Paideia research paper. After lots of workshops, searching for sources, and reading books, it was indeed gratifying to finally write that draft and take it to class. But you know how papers are: The first time you write them, you think it's the best piece of writing ever made, but after a couple days, you realize that it is highly flawed. That was exactly what happened to me. Last night, I reread my paper and realized that I had a lot more work to do. I immediately scheduled an appointment with my Paideia professor because I really needed help restructuring my paper.

At 1pm today, my Paideia professor discussed my arguments with me, read through my paper and made important recommendations. He even suggested some sources that would be useful to my topic. Overall, I was in his office for about an hour and a half and I left there with a clearer sense of direction, knowing just what I needed to do to improve the quality of my paper.

Throughout my stay at Luther, it is difficult to imagine how hard my classes would have been if I was unable to get this kind of help from my professors. Often times, you'll be working on your Physics homework in Valders [Physics building] and your professor walks by and actually stops to ask if you're having any problems with your work. He/she is willing to work with you outside the classroom to make sure you understand the concepts and the class isn't more strenuous than it needs to be. These are the things make the academic rigors at Luther so much more bearable and I really appreciate the fact that you have professors eager to make your work easier...

Wish I had 4 more Hours in my Day!

2009-03-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

Right now, I can't wait till it's Spring break. I just need an escape from all the things going on around me right now. Of course, some are actually interesting. But some are just nerve recking. It's funny how sometimes all the difficult papers, exams, and projects seem to come together in one week!

On Friday, I'll have a Calculus exam covering all we've done in the semester so far. It helps that I actually like the class and I don't think I'm lost. Nonetheless, there's still a significant amount of studying to be done. I have to review the homework and practice tests posted on Katie. On that same day, the introductory section (first 2 pages) of my Paideia research paper [on the blues] is due, and I don't feel like I'm ready to write anything at all. I still have a lot of research to do and I still have to look for sources to support my thesis. We have a draft due on Monday, the same day my Religion paper is due [this weekend should be fun!]

It's interesting how I actually haven't been spending any time in my room lately. In the past few days, I've been using my room just for sleeping. The routine is: I go out for classes by 8:00 am, go for work-study, get bogged down doing homework in the library, go for dinner, return to the library, the library closes 12:00 am, and I go to bed! I know this isn't a good habit and I should probably loosen up a bit. But, given the present conditions this is the best option, until I can get about 4 extra hours in my day...

I'm excited for tomorrow, though. I'm going to have my final one-on-one Resident Assistant (RA) interview. I don't really know what questions to expect, but after coming this far in the whole process, I'm just happy to give the final push. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep my nerves down and do a convincing job in spite of all this stress.

That's all for now.

Take Care!

Thinkin' about RA application, Black-out Party, Physics exam, Math quiz, Paideia Paper!

2009-02-25T18:51:00.000-08:00

Trust me when I say this past week has been extremely hectic for me. I spent my weekend studying for my Physics test on Monday. Our Physics Professor already told us it was going to be HARD and told us the usual average in his tests [I won't give you the figures but trust me it's not very encouraging]. So, full of anxiety for this test, I spent my whole weekend studying thoroughly. On Sunday night (around 8 pm), the Professor actually came to do some final revision with us [really nice of him].

On Monday morning, we took the test and it was actually harder than I had expected. There were several of those times where you look at a problem but just cannot figure out what to do [absolute brain freeze!] I left that exam knowing that I had bombed it. And that has kept me a little down for a while. In any case today, two days after the exam, the Professor returned our sheets to us and it wasn't nearly as bad as I had thought it would be. Here's the thing with my Physics class and many other similar classes at Luther. Sometimes, there's no fixed boundary for grades. What happens is grades are curved and an individual's grade is determined based on the performance of the entire class. So, although my score wasn't very high, I'm glad that based on the curve, the grade it will get me won't be that bad.

Now, about more fun stuff. Yesterday, I had my Resident Assistant (RA) interview. As of yesterday, there were a hundred and fourteen applicants for just twenty-eight slots! This is clearly extremely competitive. So, after turning in my application form and three recommendation letters, the next phase was to go for a group interview. The idea behind this interview was to assess how well we could work each other to carry out a task. Overall, I would say it went okay. However, I also think so many other people did well and these group interviews might not be sufficient to select the twenty-eight needed. And this explains why we have private interviews next week.

At this point, I realize that many times, all that is required in college is having so many projects, exams, and deadlines looming and still being able to manage all this and stay on top of things. Right now, I'm in such a situation where I really need to stay on top of things. On Saturday, the Hall Council is organizing a Black-out Party for Energy Evolution Month [and I'm sort of heading that]. In Paideia, we're currently working on a Research Paper and I don't seem to be making that much progress [I've been distracted so much by the demands of other classes]. I also have a Math quiz on Friday to think about...

Nevertheless, the good thing about all this is that you get better and better at managing your time. You keep discovering new techniques to make your schoolwork easier and you find out what work is necessary and what is not necessary to do. For example, I realize that there are clearly some reading assignments that you don't really need to do; many times, all you need to do to keep up in class is just a quick skim [take note, though, that this doesn't necessarily apply to Paideia; it's almost like you have to read everything]. So, although work load increases, you'll find that things get easier.

Take Care!

Ethnic Arts Festival - "Love"

2009-02-18T18:34:00.000-08:00

Hi. Last week, the diversity center held an ethnic arts festival themed 'love.' It was on Valentine’s Day, and being my first Ethnic Arts Festival at Luther, I was both curious and excited about seeing how it would turn out. The festival comprised many events, including cultural display, a dinner, and an evening show. It was indeed a colorful day at Luther, with the international students beautifully dressed in their cultural attires [I know... This isn't my cultural attire. I later went to change clothes]. I had my Ankara and local beads on.

At one o’clock that Saturday afternoon, international students set up tables for the various countries represented at Luther, displaying items peculiar to their home cultures. A student was present at each table to talk about his/her country and the various items displayed. These items included works of art, clothing, musical instruments, jewelry, photographs, maps, currency and lots more. And while some of these items were provided by the Diversity Center, some were brought from home by students. At the Nigerian table, I actually had a slingshot [I played with that a lot as a child] and many records from Nigerian artistes. More people than I had expected – both Luther students and visitors – came and were very interested in knowing more about my country. With great passion, I told them even more than they needed to know!

At four o’clock, we dissembled our tables and headed to the dinner in the Noble Room at four thirty. Tickets for the dinner were available for sale (although I got a free ticket for participating in the events). I don’t think I’ve ever eaten as ‘diverse’ a meal! It was a really nice buffet with delicacies from India, Ghana, Jamaica, Mexico and other countries. It was really good food, too. Although there were so many people there at the Noble Room, there was more than enough to eat. After the meal, we spent time taking lots of pictures, after which we went to the Center for Faith and Life (CFL) for the performances to start at seven o’clock.

The event kicked off with a display of each country’s flag. At the mention of our countries’ names, “flag-bearers” walked into the CFL to display our countries’ flags and walked across the stage. Written beautifully on the stage was the word ‘love’ translated into several languages. Following the flag-carrying were presentations from various groups. Among the presentations were dances, songs, dramas, a fashion parade and more. The presentations were indeed amazing and the audience seemed electrified by the performance. There was an interesting slide show presentation titled “The Africa They Don’t Show You.” It displayed pictures of really stunning sites in Africa and their exact locations. I was so excited when I saw the picture of Zuma Rock in Abuja! After two hours of presentations that had been nothing short of extraordinary, the Ethnic Arts Festival came to a close.

Concerning school work, right now in Paideia, we are supposed to be researching about a particular topic of interest. Each Paideia class has a topic chosen by the professor and my class is focusing on the Blues. Our research paper is supposed to take about 35% of our final grade. Frankly, I think this will be a lot of work, probably more work than I will have to do in my other classes. I really have to try to find a balance because my other classes are also pretty demanding. On Monday, we'll have our first Physics exam. Our professor already told us outright that he likes to set HARD questions so I have to stick my nose to that huge physics textbook all weekend [I don't expect it will be so fun a weekend]...

My First Birthday at Luther

2009-02-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog. The Spring Semester has just started and I'm already feeling overwhelmed by homework. It seems like this semester might be a lot more challenging than last semester; and certainly, the classes are much more difficult.

Yesterday (Tuesday), I had about 15 calculus homework problems, a calculus mastery test, a religion homework that took forever to do, and seventy pages of Paideia reading! As you might expect, I wasn't able to finish all my homework; I still had to finish it up today. Nonetheless, I was glad I took the mastery test and passed [a mastery test is an optional test in my Calculus II class; you get 15 extra credit points if you pass it the first time]. So, I can slack a bit on my future calculus homework [well...not really].

Last Sunday was my birthday. I turned 19 [the legal clubbing age here in Iowa] and I wanted to exercise this legal right by going to Roscoe's on Saturday night/Sunday morning [In case you're wondering, Roscoe's is pretty much the club in Decorah - patronized primarily by Luther College students]. It would not have been a prudent use of my time [and money] to go after 12:00 midnight so I had to go around 11:00pm. The problem, however, was that if I went at 11:00pm on Saturday, I would technically be an hour short of being 19 years old. All the same, I still decided to go, keeping in mind that I was born in Nigeria [currently 7 hours ahead in time]; which means I was actually already 19 years old by 11:00pm. But now, when I come to think of it: Why was I even bothering myself about all these things? I would have been let in anyway...

It turns out, I was indeed bothering about things that didn't matter at all. The guy collecting the money simply looked at my ID and let me pass without asking anything. I was very curious to see this Roscoe's that everyone talks so much about. And, apparently, it isn't famous for its beauty or any rare marbles in it. What makes it fun, as I discovered that night/morning, is the fact that the place is full of many of your friends who, like you, want to have a good time and relax from the rigors of college work. And Roscoe's is certainly efficacious for that purpose; I really had fun. I got back to my room around 1:00am and, fully aware that I had lots of events lined up for that day, I set my alarm to wake up 8:30am [I had no choice; there was so much homework to do].

I had received a heart-warming call from my parents at 10:30pm the previous night to wish me happy birthday [I was already 19 in Nigeria] and my brother and sister also called me in the morning. After doing homework till about 11:00am, I went with my friends to the Noble Room for Peace Brunch for two of my other friends' and my birthday. [Peace Brunch is a really fancy meal on Sunday; it's much more expensive than regular meals, but the food is great]. We ate, made jokes, had fun, and everyone sang happy birthday to the three celebrants [although there was a bit of confusion at the "Happy birthday dear........." part]. I wish the celebrations continued till now but, sadly, I'm back to dealing with the challenges of college life.

I am currently applying to become a Resident Assistant (RA) for the next academic year. Although there's a lot of sacrifice involved, it gives you a lot of leadership experience and the pay is quite attractive [free room and board]. However, from what I can see so far, it's going to be really competitive, with over 200 people expressing interest and only 20-30 available slots! It seems like it's going to be interesting, though; we are going to have group interviews and private interviews and we have to ask our current RA's and Professors to write recommendations for us. By Spring break, we'll know whether we were selected or not...

Thanks for reading...
Take Care!

J-Break

2009-02-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

It's been a wonderful break so far. The temperature has been just a little below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the last couple of days and, for the first time in two months, I've actually been able to go out of my residence hall without wearing my coat. I've also been able find time to catch up with the CAF food [I'm still not up to a quarter way through my freshman-15].

On Wednesday, I had my philosophy exam. Fortunately, it went quite well. The questions seemed relatively alright and there was ample time to write as much as I wanted. As a result, many of us exhausted the space given for the essay and even got extra paper. Hopefully, when the results are out on Tuesday, they will be satisfactory.

For some reason, Luther isn't nearly as empty as it usually is during the breaks. Only one of the four RA's on my floor is not around, there is a good number of non-international students in my hall, and the CAF is usually quite full. We are currently rehearsing for the Ethnic Arts Festival on Valentine's Day, which I'm really looking forward to.

Generally, I think the break has been helpful in preparing my mind for the anticipated rigors of next semester, with eighteen credit units and fifteen hours a week of work-study to take care of. It's next semester that I write my twelve-page Paideia research paper and find out whether the scary stories I've heard about my next Physics class are true. No doubt, on Wednesday when classes resume, I'll be able to verify them. And hopefully, I'll be able to handle it. We're going to be just about seven in the class so things should be a lot easier.

Although I'm not really looking forward to next semester [at least as far as classes are concerned], one thing still excites me. Next week, I'll be turning nineteen! It might seem like just another birthday but it actually holds some significance. It means, legally, I will have more options during my weekends at Luther [I can now go to the club Roscoe's]. Don't worry, I'm only curious to see what it's like, even if it means just taking a peek; it's not like I'm aspiring to become a "Scoe's regular" or something. In any case, by next week, I'll be able to tell you how everything, including my birthday, went.

Until then...
Take care!

The Winter Luau

2009-01-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

When you're in a philosophy class, you ought to expect to hear so many things you would have initially considered bizarre. It is a world where arguments about the fundamental questions could be presented such that they seem indisputable, yet incompatible with everyday life. On Friday, in my philosophy class, we spent such an extensive period of time talking about freewill and determinism (the idea that everything has a prior cause), and a very interesting debate ensued; I found it really exciting.

Yesterday, Ylvi Hall Council [of which I'm president] held a dance party, The Winter Luau, that went from 9:00pm to midnight. After having made arrangements for a DJ, decorations and food, our major concern was whether or not enough people would come. So, in addition to announcing the event on first-year Facebook groups, we printed numerous fliers and put them all around campus - in Ylvi, Brandt, Olson, the Cafeteria, etc. - just to make sure we could get it widely publicized. But, as events unfolded, that actually turned out to be the least of our problems.

We had decided that all the council members would come down to the social lounge at 7:50pm to set up for the party. We had also arranged for a speaker to be sent over to us at 7:30pm and it had not arrived. So, we had to start making frantic calls to find out if we could borrow speakers for the night. Fortunately, while we put up the food and decorated the place, the DJ was able to get us speakers. But that was not the last of our challenges. For, at 9:30pm, we had only about ten people in the social lounge even though everything else was set up.

By 10:30pm, however, the whole place was full of people from Ylvi, Brant, Olson, and of even upperclass students. At that point, I felt so relieved. The music was good, everyone seemed to be having fun and I met new people. The experience was especially gratifying for me because this was actually something we organized ourselves and put so much effort in. Last night, although many of the hall council members were exhausted from all the work involved in setting up the place and/or too much dancing [I was in both situations], we were all happy that everything turned out well.

So, even if I don't do anything else this weekend, I feel like I've had a fulfilled weekend. On Wednesday, I'll have my J-term exam. My professor has already given us a review sheet and it doesn't seem like it will be too scary...

Peace!

2009-01-19T15:13:00.001-08:00

Hi, everyone! Hope you had a good weekend. For some reason, I didn't really do much this weekend. I know this sounds nerdy but I actually spent Friday night doing all my weekend homework. Although it felt a bit awkward, I think it's a very good idea, especially during Fall and Spring semesters.

As I said earlier, my J-term philosophy class is characterized with quite a lot of reading and writing. However, unlike the fall or spring semester where everything is spread out into four months, all the work in J-term is actually compressed into three weeks. So, as you might expect, everyday comes with its own reading and essay and, not only is it somewhat monotonous, but it is also quite some work. And, in order to free myself from the burden and guilt of lingering homework during the weekend, I decided to do my homework on Friday night. Of course, I still had time that night to watch some TV and goof around.

I woke up really late on Saturday, fully aware that there wasn't that much to do. I had a really slow day that I mostly spent in my room. In the evening, however, I saw one of those crazy conspiracy theory movies with friends on my wing. Although quite weird, it was really interesting. On Sunday, the hall council held a meeting to finalize our plans for the our dance party - the Ylvi Winter Luau - this coming Friday. Initially, one of our fears was that the turn-out might be low. But after all the posters we've put all around campus, I'm thinking the Ylvi study lounge might actually be too full on Friday!

Speaking of excitement, there's so much buzz about the Presidential Inauguration tomorrow. Personally, I'm so excited about the historic event. I think it's going to be spectacular.

Thanks for reading my blog...

Assassin

2009-01-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

It's the second week in January term and it's so cold outside. Everyone is in their warmest clothes; you'd be amazed how many layers I wore this morning! Anyway, I'm having a good time so far and I really had a really exciting weekend. J-term has truly lived up to its name with all the fun events, games and activities going on.

On Friday night, my floor - third floor - had forth floor cook for us. They prepared beef and vegetables, which we ate with Tacos. There was enough for everyone to eat and it actually tasted really good. On Saturday, I signed up for the game assassin. Assassin It was played among members of my floor and everyone was assigned a target to 'assassinate' with a 'knife' [ruler or hanger] or a 'grenade' [ping pong ball].

Still playing the game, I had the option of going for the dance party in Americana or going to swim and watch a movie in Regents. My friends and I chose to swim and I really had a good time. We swam, played some cool games and everyone won gifts (I won M&M's and a T-shirt). After having spent about 2 hours at the pool, we set out to return to the dorm. It was on our way back that I got 'stabbed' in the back with a ruler by a close friend with whom I went to the pool! Isn't that sad? I had not even played the game for long enough to get eliminated.

This morning, I had my first shift working at the Technology Help Desk. I'm so glad I applied for the job because I've found it so exciting. Although there's plenty of work to do of different varieties, I've also learned a lot in this short time so it's certainly worth it. My J-term philosophy class is still going as well as it started. The class discussions are quite interesting and I'm convinced I chose the right class.

That's all I've got for now. Have a fun week!

'Back' to School

2009-01-07T06:59:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Happy new year! I hope you had a good break. So much has happened from the break till now that I feel we have a lot to catch up on. About my last semester results, I'm glad they went quite well. I was very anxious to see my grades, though, because my finals didn't go exactly as I had predicted. So, I'm really glad things went okay.

As you may have guessed, I stayed at Luther during the Christmas break. Those staying on campus, mostly international students, were required to arrange to move their things to Miller or Dieseth hall for the break. So, that made it much less lonely than it would have been if we remained in our various halls. The bad part is that the cafeteria was closed during the break and we had to buy cooking ingredients and cook on our own. Fortunately, I got to stay in Kansas with a family friend for one week and had a really good time there before returning to Luther. And as weird as it may sound, I actually began to wish for the break to end because I wanted my friends to come back. Overall, though, I had a really good break.

Now, it's J-term and it's supposed to be the freest time possible at Luther because you're required to take only one class throughout January. But here's the problem; you'll take that class everyday and, if you're in a class like mine, you will have readings and essays to write for every class. So, after having had two classes of Philosophy: Big Question, I realize that although it's a really interesting class, things might not turn out to be so free for me afterall. Nevertheless, I'm still determined to have as much fun as I can have during this period.

Speaking of fun, the Ylvi Hall Council is working on a series of events for J-term. We are organizing a party this Friday and an even bigger one in about two weeks, among other events. So, I'm really looking forward to that. I think things are going to turn out really well...

I guess that's it for now. I wish you a prosperous 2009!

Peace

It's "finally" here!

2008-12-12T23:01:00.000-08:00

In less than 57 hours, I'll start having my first college final exams! I won't pretend I'm not nervous; at 8:00am on Monday, I'm starting with two hours of Classical Physics that account for thirty percent of my grade. And studying for this particular exam is probably all I'll be doing this weekend. I have to work on the practice exams posted on Katie in addition to reviewing homework problems. I have a feeling I have a lot of work to do.

It's really amazing how it's finals week all so soon. During my first week at Luther, I was constantly told by the older students that time goes so fast here. It is true that this is what you hear everywhere you go but I assure you that the situation is quite different here at Luther. I find it impossible to believe that, while I feel like I've spent just a month here, I've actually spent over three and a half months! It still puzzles me how we've moved so quickly from a honeymoon orientation to a nerve-recking finals week!

I attribute all this largely to the vibrant campus life. Whether you're banished to the library till mid-night working on that paper, in that rave, in the CFL getting involved in Christmas at Luther, or in the Union having a club meeting, there's always bound to be something to do here at Luther. Sometimes, it's not even the campus organizations that takes your time; what takes up time could be hanging out with friends. For example, yesterday evening, I was working on a reflection due finals week and my friends invited me to have free pizza at Marty's Cafe at 8:15pm. I thought to myself that it could turn out to be a good fifteen-minute break from work, after which I would return right back to my paper. Little did I know that I would leave Marty's at 11:00pm, retiring straight to my bed for the night [And that's really bad]!

Thinking back through the semester, though, I realize that the all-round development I've undergone at Luther so far is indeed amazing. I came to Luther with an expectation that I would be able to benefit profoundly from the strong liberal arts program available here. Now, when I compare my current perception of life to that which I came in here with, I am certain that there is a highly significant difference. And this difference in my first semester appears to me as an auspicious sign of more years of great multifaceted development. However, right now, I still have to prove to my professors what I've learned so far through those scary finals...

Overall, I've indeed had a swell semester. I've also really enjoyed sharing my experience here at Luther with you; I really hope you have found my blogs interesting. So...for those with finals to sit for, I wish you all the best! Have a great week everyone!

Take Care,

Opeoluwa

It's coming...

2008-12-06T21:23:00.000-08:00

Hi, all! Hope you enjoyed your week. Here at Luther, I'm in the process of trying to prepare for the finals. I still find it very difficult to believe that it's just one week to the big exams. It's amazing how fast my classes have gone and how many topics we've covered this semester [I can't really remember the first topics we did]. I don't like exams that much because the idea that your grade in a class depends so significantly on just a couple hours freaks me out. I guess I'll just have to calm down and draw confidence that I can do this...

Apart from the number of topics we've taken in class this semester, another thing that complicates issues is the fact that right after the finals is Christmas break. And this just gives an unpleasant mix of feelings. On one hand, you're super excited that you're going to be free from going to classes and doing homework, and you're finally going home to celebrate Christmas [for those who live close]. On the other hand, however, you know very well that right before all this becomes a reality, you have to face one scary week of your first final exams in college! I guess I'm going to have to struggle not to think about the break at all until after my exams [I don't know if that's possible, though].

Luckily for me, this weekend is the one with the least amount of homework ever. Today, my floormates and I went to Wal*Mart to do some much-needed shopping. Besides that, I've spent time hanging out with friends and watching TV. This evening, though, I was able to do some homework and get ready for next week; I have a Calculus quiz on Wednesday. I'm so excited that I'm finally going to talk to my big brother tomorrow; I've not spoken to him since the first week I arrived here. Also, we have a hall council meeting tomorrow in which we have to finalize our plans for the Christmas party in Ylivi. That should be fun...

Well, I guess that's it for now...Have a good day!

Opeoluwa's Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T07:50:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mine was indeed spectacular here at Luther. First of all, my break started with good news - something I have been hoping for for quite some time. Then, on Thanksgiving day, I had a wonderful time at my host parents' house. I was able to talk with many of my friends from Nigeria [and that was really special]. Also, we international students had plenty of fun together. It was these things that made my break so exciting.

About two weeks ago, I sent an online application to work with the technology help desk for my work-study. So, on Monday, I was invited to have an interview with the manager and two other interviewers. The four of us went into a room at two o'clock and I was asked quite a wide range of questions, even including my extra-curricular activities. Toward the end of the interview, they began to tell me more about what the help desk does and how much I would learn by working there. So, I was a bit encouraged that the interview must have gone well. Then, on Wednesday, I was sent an e-mail saying I got the job! I was so excited because, beyond my longing to work with the help desk and learn more about computers, it was my first interview at Luther and it was productive.

On Thursday, my host parents picked me up at 12:30pm to celebrate thanksgiving with their family. There were about fifteen of us there in the house, including family friends, children, and even grand nephews and nieces of my host parents. It was a pretty diverse crowd too. There was a Congolese church member who said the prayer in his native language [he had to say 'Amen' like twice before we knew he was done]. There was also a freshman there from Iowa State University majoring in Aerospace Engineering. He told me about how some of his classes have close to 200 students! It's why I now appreciate our small class sizes here at Luther more than ever. Overall, I had a really good time there [plenty of good food and turkey to eat, too].

Speaking of food, the cafeteria was closed during this break. But they were kind enough to give us vouchers to buy food downtown. So, on Friday evening, we international students contributed our vouchers and bought food ingredients downtown to prepare in the kitchen of Miller Hall. We were going to have a small social with a sound set and good music. The best part, however, was the food; it was indeed amazing. There were also drinks and snacks. I was having such a nice time there but I had to leave the place before 8:00pm because I had signed up to be an acting RA in Ylvi Hall during the break and I was on duty that night [I feel one step closer to becoming an RA next year!]

The bad part, though, with all these activities, is that I actually didn't do any schoolwork with my time until 10:00pm on Saturday. I spent most of my free time playing my guitar [I'm actually getting better], watching tv, and facebooking. And facebook actually proved to be a productive tool during this break [contrary to the detrimental role it plays in the life of a college student]. I was able to get in touch with my friends from Nigeria whom I hadn't spoken to in ages. And, for the first time, my new pictures attracted more positive comments than negative ones! However, with the amount of fun I've had during this break, it would be interesting how I reajust to going to classes and doing homework. And, with the final exams coming up in just a couple weeks, there is no doubt that I have to get back on track as quickly as possible...

Have a good day!

So far, so good

2008-11-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

Wow! It's so cold outside! When I woke up this morning and looked out the window, the ground outside was covered in snow. Now, it's almost noon, the snow is still outside, and it's as cold as ever. It's times like this that you just want to be in your bed with your comforter wrapped around you. I really wish I could do that but, although I'm still a bit sleepy, I have a six-page Paideia Paper to write.

Last week was registration week, and it was quite interesting. I was scheduled to register at 8:00pm on Tuesday for J-term and Spring Semester. After setting up my preferred sections, I monitored the classes I wanted to take anxiously, hoping a spot would be left for me. Fortunately, my registration was relatively early and there was a good chance that I would get into the classes that I wanted. However, registering for a class wasn't the problem, especially for Spring Semester; the problem was choosing my J-term class. With over 30 interesting courses of different disciplines to be taken and a constantly dwindling number of available spots, I had a hard time deciding which one I wanted.

After a lot of contemplation, in order to reserve a spot for myself, I decided to register tentatively for Chem 185: Molecules that Changed the World, until I was able to make up my mind. At 7:50, I had set up my preferred sections and I was ready to hit the register button. A new season of Heroes was out and so I watched it to pass time [actually getting more and more exciting]. At exactly 8:00pm, I hit submit and I was able to register for my all my sections, including Chem 185. But my registration didn't end there. I've changed my J-term course up to 5 times since my registration time, switching from Intro to Programing to Energy Problems to Atomic Weapons, etc. But I've finally made up my mind. With encouragement from my Paideia Professor, I've chosen to take Philosophy 185: Big Ideas; I'm convinced that I'll find it interesting.

Concerning current schoolwork, I still can't believe we have a Paideia Paper to write after turning one in just recently. This one seems a lot more straightforward than the last one but six pages seems like a lot. It's why I can't wait to go for Thanksgiving break to be free from schoolwork [at least momentarily]. My host parents invited me to their family dinner on Thanksgiving and I'm really looking forward to it. Also, the diversity center is taking us out [I think to Rochester] on a shopping trip; I can tell it's going to be lots of fun! But that's not until four days' time. Anyway, I still have Gospel Choir, Hall Council, and a movie to watch with my friends this weekend [Osuofia in London]; hopefully, they should keep me going...

It's almost Over...

2008-11-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

With all the registration and sign-ups for work hours going on, I am constantly reminded that the semester will be over very soon. Many activities on campus are directed towards preparation for J-term and Spring semester. Priority of registration for courses is based on the number of credits one has acquired and so I'm getting a bit anxious at the rate at which the J-term courses are filling up. I'm really hoping I get to take the course I intend to take. For work-study, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get a decent number of work hours. I'm already turning in my applications; hopefully, I'll get a good job.

On Thursday, during the cold rain, the multicultural students met in the CFL to have soup and bread. Besides the fact that the soup was amazing, the meal seemed to have been perfectly timed for the cold. Surprisingly, though, I don't find the cold that scary anymore. Despite the fact that I am forced to reduce the amount of time I spend outdoors, I think it's very beautiful when it snows; and the nights are actually more pleasant. The bad part, though, is that it gets more and more difficult to get off your bed in the mornings, especially when you have those 8:00am classes. For people still yet to register, I'd advice that you avoid them as much as possible. There's always that lingering possibility of sleeping through your alarm, especially after sleeping at 2:30am. Besides, you don't want to be feeling drowsy in class.

Perhaps due to the general increase in the amount of schoolwork, I don't think there was any major party this weekend. However, I still did some fun stuff. This evening, I went for Gospel Choir practice and it went quite well. It was an opportunity to talk to many of my friends whom I hadn't spoken with in a long time. And the songs were actually interesting. The practice went on for about two hours and we learned 3 songs, in parts. Afterwards, the whole group went to eat dinner together. It became one of those 'social' dinners in which you laugh a lot and make a bit of noise.

I expect next week to be a bit busy. I have to register for classes on Tuesday, and I think I might have a work-study interview and other work study sign-ups due. In addition to those, I have physics and calculus tests [hopefully, those will go well]. Anyway, I still have the weekend to enjoy. I have a hall council executive meeting on Sunday and I have a movie to watch in the evening. At least, that should spice things up a bit...

Peace!

The Marathon (II)

2008-11-09T20:48:00.000-08:00

Last week wasn't very exciting for me. I found myself behind in almost everything. I've come to realize that college life is very 'sensitive.' Every moment counts. You can be up in your game in one moment and be way behind in the next, depending on what you do with your time. So, that was my experience last week. A particularly challenging day was Wednesday. To no avail, I stayed up late trying to think of something reasonable to write on my Paideia paper due that day. I finally gave up and went to bed, making a mental note to wake up and do it in the morning [It's this kind of procrastination that keeps haunting us].

I was woken up by my alarm at 6:30 on Thursday morning - the time I had set to work on my paper. But it was at that moment that I realized how much I loved my bed; I just couldn't leave it's warmth and comfort. Besides, I was still very tired and I had had only a few hours of sleep. So, I decided to stay in bed until 7:15, after which I would go for my work shift and return at 9:00 to work on my paper. After doing the best I could and submitting my paper, I went for my other work shifts and ate lunch. When I got back around 2:00, I decided I needed to take a 'short' nap. But this nap lasted more than 3 hours.

I wasn't able to get any work done until 7:30pm, after dinner. It was then I realized I had about 12 calculus problems, 10 physics problems and 40 pages of Paideia reading due the next day! Then, anxiety set in. I knew it would be impossible to finish all my homework for the next day. And, indeed, at 10 o'clock, I was done with only Calculus. So, I started my physics problems, went about half way and decided I would do the rest and my Paideia reading the next day, Friday.

What's sad is that I wasn't able to do a good job on my physics homework because I rushed through it and I couldn't even do up to one quarter of my Paideia reading. Friday left me with feelings of regret and disappointment. Nevertheless, what's good about experiences like this is they hard-wire in you lessons you'll probably never forget [well, not in a long time]. Now I've learned to check all my homework immediately when it's issued to find out how much work is involved. I've learned that weekends are a very important time in college; they give one the opportunity to prepare well for the week, which helps a lot. Above all, I've learned that one of the best things I can do for myself is to avoid procrastination at all cost and take advantage of the time I have to do some work...

Cheers!

Spookes Day in Ylvi

2008-11-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

This week, the hall council finalized the plans for the Halloween party in Ylvi. After holding an extensive meeting on Sunday to decide what games to do, fundraisers and items to buy, and delegating responsibilities over the various activities, I realized that we had a substantial amount of work in our hands. On Tuesday, we went knocking on doors in Ylvi to register people to participate in the games and to also raise funds for the hall council. On Thursday, we went to Wal*Mart to pick up the remaining supplies for the party, including drinks, popcorn, candy and decorations. So, by Friday, all that was left was to set up the games and decorations and put up the signs.

The kids started coming around 5:00pm on Friday. In the study lounge downstairs, we had games like Fishing Pole, Spin the Wheel, Quarter Toss, and Nintendo Wii. On fourth floor, we had Face Painting and Sucker Pull. So, Ylvi was actually bubbling yesterday. We had kids trooping around, playing the games and 'trick or treating' on the floors. An interesting thing also was the spread of Halloween costumes around Ylvi; people's costumes ranged from The Grim Reaper to Iron Man.

My RA, Bryan, was dressed up as a pumpkin and my roommate and friends on my wing were 'Joe dirt.' Mine was a slight variation of 'Joe dirt.' I wore the 'Joe dirt' wig, but I stuffed a balloon under my shirt so I was a pregnant woman instead. It was really funny. There was also plenty of candy of different kinds literarily flying around (A parent actually confessed that Ylvi had the best candy among all the halls). After the kids were gone, around 8:00pm, we cleared all the games and decorations and set up the lounge downstairs for a movie. There were drinks, chocolate and, of course, candy. I slept slightly exhausted but fulfilled yesterday; I think the hall council did a great job organizing the halloween party and social.

Last week, I tried to make sure I slept before 12:00 midnight each day. That enabled me to get an average of 7 hours of sleep. It was really amazing how much more work I could do and how much better I felt with myself. It got really cold early last week, though. It even snowed [mildly] and rained on Sunday. I remember feeling very shocked as I came out of the dorm to face the unexpected rain, snow and cold. It took two jackets and multiple layers to keep me warm. The weather is more tolerable now, anyway.

Right now, we have our most challenging Paideia paper so far. We're supposed to develop a thesis on our own and write a paper involving two books. It sounds a bit scary so it's something I have to start thinking about. Apart from that, classes seem to be going well so far. I took a Calculus exam on Friday and it went okay. Nevertheless, with all this talk about registration for J-term and spring semester, I'm beginning to realize that I will actually miss taking classes with my current professors. Although I would like to have them next semester, due to the classes I'll be taking, I'm likely to be able to keep only one professor - Storm Bailey - my Paideia professor [and he's awesome]. Well, on the brighter side, I'll be able to meet more professors, and I think that's a good thing...

Cheers!

Back in the Game

2008-10-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to see my friends back from the break. I must say, despite the fact that I stayed on campus, the break went quite well for me. I actually had the whole time to watch TV [heroes], play games, feast, and rearrange my room. And I was able to speak with many of my friends from Nigeria and my family. I also enjoyed the trip to the mall in Lacrosse during which I ended up buying a lot, including my fat winter clothes and boots. Reports say this winter is going to be the coldest in years. It makes me a bit anxious; I'm hoping that it won't be too harsh.

Finally, in our Paideia section, we're doing something that isn't related to some hard-core theology or philosophy, as were my last two Paideia books. We're reading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Although I read the book back in High School, I'm so excited that we're studying this Nigerian text for Paideia at Luther. People are already asking me to pronounce the Ibo names in the book and explain some traditional terms. And the book is really interesting to read and much less difficult to understand than Luther's theological writings or Lewis and Blackburn's meta ethical books [though I kind of liked them]. So, I can't wait for my Paideia class on Monday to hear what my Professor has to say; I know it's going to be a very interesting class.

Concerning school work, it's still a bit difficult integrating back into all the activities associated with college life. Although I resolved during this break to maximize my weekends by doing all the homework I can do for the following week, it's still just tempting to stay back and watch some movies or push the homework until Sunday. That, then, would lead to a hideous cycle of sleepless nights and semi-conscious days [I've had many of those]. And that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. In fact it's the last thing I want because schoolwork will only become more tedious. We have two heavily weighted Paideia papers due and the materials that are going to be covered in other classes will be a lot more difficult, considering the fact that we would now be getting into the core of the course with all preliminaries behind us.

It's less than one week to Halloween and the hall council is getting deep into preparations for the 'trick or treating' and Halloween party. We're going to have kids from Decorah knock on our room doors and ask for treats. Then, that Friday evening, we'll have a party. It all sounds like it's going to be fun. My roommate actually has this really scary mask. He even freaked me out with it when he got back from the break. Imagine if we scared the kids with the mask when they knocked on our door... That would be hilarious. But we're not allowed to do that because the hall council decided it would be a bit harsh on the kids [and mean too].

I guess that's all I have for now. By next week, we will be fully back into college life with so many events coming up and deadlines looming. I'm also very excited about the Presidential Election coming up in just a little over a week [I'm glad my candidate is leading]. Until then...

Peace!

At Last, some Respite...

2008-10-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad it's finally fall break. It's really amazing how time flies; I can't believe the first half of the semester is actually gone. And I must say, the last 7 weeks have been ones of very significant learning and development in my life. But last week turned out to be my most hectic week at Luther. On Wednesday, I had my Physics and Math mid-semester exams and Paideia open unit quiz. I had to stay up late studying particularly for my physics exam, which from experience, isn't usually very easy. On Friday, I had my Paideia mid-semester exam and my Honors Discussion mid-semester reflection due. The Paideia exam was actually more difficult than I had anticipated; I think it went quite well, though. I had to stay busy until about 5:00pm that day finishing up my Honors reflection.

Nevertheless, the most important thing right now is that it's fall break! I can finally breathe! It's been a very hectic semester so far with plenty of homework to do, meetings to attend, a tight schedule, and a maximum of 6 hours of sleep per day. But yesterday, I actually slept for more than 10 hours. And this morning, I had a well-deserved feast, actually eating all I felt like eating [a luxury I'm not able to afford very often because I'm usually always in a hurry]. I spent the whole day relaxing, watching tv, hanging out with the other international students, and keeping schoolwork as far away from my mind as possible...

Despite my extreme gladness that I have this much-needed break, I can't seem to shake off the loneliness I feel from staying on campus with everyone back home. My hall is virtually empty and it feels very weird being in my room alone without all the noise from my roommate and friends. Mere walking around campus without people around you walking briskly to a class or flashing past you with bikes or skateboards feels strange.

Beyond all this, however, despite the fact that I've accepted the reality of not being able to return to Nigeria until after at least a year, I also can't shake off the nostalgia I feel toward going home and seeing my parents, siblings, and faithful canine. All the same, I'm glad I can use this opportunity to talk to them more frequently [and even make video calls if I can]. Right now, I'm keeping an upperclass friend, Sylvia, company at the KWLC Decorah (Luther Radio Station) studio. It's pretty cool; I'm having lots of fun influencing the music that goes on air. I'm also looking forward to the shopping trip to La Crosse, WI on Monday by the diversity center; I already have on my mind a long list of things to buy...

Until then, thanks again for reading my blog. I wish you a wonderful and relaxing fall break!

Cheers!

A Whole New World...

2008-10-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome again to my blog! It's my first time in America and when I was coming here I didn't know what to expect. I've come to America and found that it's a whole new world. Everything (or almost everything) is different. I thought I had prepared my mind enough from the Hollywood movies I had watched, the internet, and books, but I've realized that America is totally different from what I had initially imagined.

It's finally getting deep into fall. The trees are changing color and shedding their leaves, and it's getting quite cold, especially at night. Very soon, we'll probably have to start using the heaters. And I'll have to go to Wal-Mart to get some warm clothes in preparation for winter. Back in Nigeria, the coldest it usually gets is 20 degrees centigrade, but I hear winter in Iowa feels colder than drenching yourself in cold water and locking yourself in a deep freezer! And that sounds really scary.

I think I'm doing quite well adjusting to American food [actually, I realize it's a combination of foods from different parts of the world]. Nonetheless, it's still a lot different from Nigerian food (which I miss a lot). During my first meals at Luther, I didn't know which food was which and so I would just pick the ones that looked good to me, and this determined the proportions in which I served my food. Then, I would return to my table and discover my assumptions were completely wrong - the items I took too little of were the ones I liked and the items I took a lot of were the ones that didn't taste good to me. And this happened over and over again. So, I had to make conscious efforts to know the specific kinds of food that I liked - by name and appearance - to avoid wasting food. Now, I think I'm much better than I started off. In fact, things I didn't like before now taste a lot better [as if I've discovered a new way to eat them different from the way I used to eat them before].

When I just got to Luther, it was a bit hard to communicate. Back in Nigeria, I always assumed that we Nigerians had a neutral accent and it would be easy for anyone to understand us because we stress every syllable. In fact, it seemed to me that it was people from other parts of the world that had accents. But it turns out nobody has an accent, and everybody has an accent. In my first days at Luther, I couldn't make a complete explanation without the person I'm talking to asking me to repeat myself, or even having a complete blank look on their face! And it was really frustrating. Now, I think it's a little better; people are finally beginning to understand me much more easily. Could it be that I'm beginning to talk 'American,' or my roommate and friends are just beginning to get used to my 'Nigerian accent?'

So far, I don't think it's been such a huge culture shock for me. I know I've found it difficult adjusting to the different weather, accent, food, greetings, and a lot more, in America; I've even had difficulties with jokes - someone says something to me that he feels is completely funny, and I seem not to get the joke, and someone just says something carelessly and I find myself laughing [and it makes me feel silly]! However, the good thing about it is that people at Luther are not out to make fun of cultural differences but embrace it and try to learn from it. They want to know how things are done in other parts of the world and clarify their initial views of other countries. And this makes me feel more proud of my culture and happy to contribute to the diversity at Luther College.

Peace,

-Opeoluwa

Hello, Jupiter!

2008-10-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

You simply can't believe how fun-packed my weekend was! On Friday night, the physics department held this really cool astronomy observatory on the roof of Valders Building (where we have the physics laboratories). The whole place was dark, and about six telescopes were set up and focussed on the stars in the sky. In one of the telescopes was a star cluster in our galaxy. It was amazing. I was able to see a star about to have a supernova. Clustered around it was a mass of gas forming the shape of a doughnut. However, most interesting of all was the view of Jupiter. It seemed so real and close to me, almost as if I could touch it. It was big and yellow, and had some black bands across its center. I really had a wonderful time because it's experiences like this that keep one going through all the frustration of resolving complex tension forces in my physics class.

Speaking of classes, it's fascinating how much students contribute in class. In my Paideia class, for example, we actually spend a lot of time debating about the book. Everyone has an opportunity to say what he thinks, and the professor doesn't simply walk to the front of the class to give us 'lectures.' This helps a lot because it actually reinforces the ideas in your mind and makes you recognize various possible interpretations of the text. I've also realized that the professors are actually very happy when you ask questions about things you don't understand. If you have a paper or homework set due, or you are confused about a concept, there's absolutely no need to hesitate to ask your professor for help. He'll explain the concept until it's pellucid.

On Saturday morning, the Ylvi Hall Council carried out its first assignment - representing Ylvi for the homecoming parade. Instead of just walking through the parade like everyone else, we biked in a diamond formation [I was in front]. It was particularly interesting when we would leave the formation, go in circles and chuck candy at kids. We also had a really good cheer. Although it ended up being a bit tiring (with all the screaming and biking), the parade was quite interesting. Right after the parade, I went to the diversity center for a small 'dance party' with snacks, drinks and good Nigerian music [it actually made me feel nostalgic].

On Sunday, Blessing and I (the Nigerian students at Luther) were invited to attend a catholic church 15 minutes away from Decorah. The church runs a mission that assists orphans in Nigeria and so contacted the Luther Diversity Center to find out if they would be able to discuss with the Nigerian students. We gladly attended the church service and made ourselves available to talk to them about our country during the post-service tea. They asked us lots of questions ranging from the cultural values to the types of fish eaten in Nigeria! It felt very good sharing my culture with them and offering the help that I could offer to their noble cause.

Thinking about my life at Luther so far, I think I can confidently say it's the kind of college experience I've always desired. I've always dreamed of attending a school that would not only have a strong academic program but also increase my intellectual curiosity and expose me to the diversity of cultures, ethics, and views - learning that goes far beyond the classroom. I'm glad I chose Luther because, in just one month since I got here, I'm beginning to think deeply about complex issues of life that never even crossed my mind before. That, I believe, is a proof of the holistic educational program available here at Luther. Thanks for reading my blog...

Have a great day!

-Opeoluwa

An Outcome I Can't Believe

2008-09-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

Although I was unable to attend the Hall Council meeting on Sunday, I got an e-mail from Melanie - the Ylvisaker hall director - asking if I was still interested in being in the Council and if I was considering running for any of the executive positions (President, VP, Treasurer, Secretary...) I knew that it would certainly be a good experience to play one of those roles but I was a little nervous because the whole hall was going to vote.

Notwithstanding, I decided to run for president (I still don't know where I got the nerves). On Thursday, the election day, I went knocking on every single door in Ylvi, asking for votes (crazy, right?). And my friends actually accompanied my in doing this - very kind of them. They even almost made me wear posters around the whole hall saying "VOTE FOR LUWA!" And, after asking everyone I could see for votes, I was at a loss of what to do next. So, I had to endure a painful wait from 9:00 to 10:30 pm, when the results would be announced.

Contrary to what I had expected, at 10:35 pm, I got an e-mail from the hall director congratulating me on winning the election! I just couldn't believe it because I was actually the last person to put up their poster and start campaigning. I'm really happy about this because it gives me a sense of belonging. Being given the opportunity to serve in such a capacity helps me feel integrated into the Luther community. It also goes a long way in showing that everyone has a fair chance at pursuing their dreams at Luther completely regardless of their minority status.

Just when you think your Paideia class can't get any more interesting, you receive a huge shocker. Yesterday, my Paideia professor actually dressed up in a gown and hat and played Martin Luther during the class. It was so funny! We spent most of the class questioning the consistency of "Luther's" religious views as applied to "his" Admonition to Peace and, remarkably, "Luther" defended himself flawlessly. In the end, it proved to be a very effective teaching strategy as it helped us better understand Luther's views.

On Friday morning, I took my Calculus and Physics exams. Although they were more difficult than the previous ones, I don't think I'll do too badly. I've come to realize that the most effective time to do homework and study is not in the night when you feel you're done with all the activities of the day but in the daytime, when you are still having classes and work-study. Those one-hour breaks between classes and work shifts provide a very effective working time to either take up my Paideia reader or solve a few problems in my math homework.

For now, I'm looking forward to the Lakota Sioux Indian dance at the CFL tonight. I'll be going with my friends on my wing; I think it will be a lot of fun. Also, despite my previous addiction to swimming, I have still yet to try Luther's swimming pool out. And that's something I plan to do tomorrow morning. I really hope to have a relaxing weekend from the rigors of the week.

Have a great weekend,

-Luwa

The Marathon

2008-09-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

Phew...I'm so glad the week is over! Throughout last week, I could only barely catch my breath. It was always from one activity or assignment to another. But I guess it's a learning process; it means I'll just have to focus more on my priorities.

Classes aren't going that bad for me. I'm finally beginning to understand the methods of instruction of my professors, which I think is very important. In my physics class, for example, it's not very helpful to take so many notes because my professor uses his touch-screen laptop to teach and solve problems. And at the end of each lecture, he posts the notes on katie. So, it's just better to focus on trying to understand the topic in class.

I took my first Calculus test at 8:30 am on Monday. I was only semi-conscious because I stayed up until 3:00 am that morning doing assignments (it's something you should never do; I don't even know how I got myself in such a situation). Nevertheless, my performance was pretty good; though, I made some silly mistakes. Next week, I have a couple of tests and my first Paideia paper due (sounds a bit scary).

I'm glad I'm making new friends. It's always good to know that you have people with which you can hang out and have fun. It was especially comforting last week when I would return to my room stressed out and find lots of things to laugh about with my roommate - Eli - and Jacob. I've also been able to identify some upperclassmen like Sylvia (from Uganda) who seem to have solutions to every problem (amazing isn't it?).

I'm really looking forward to my soccer game at 3:45 pm tomorrow. Although I couldn't play last week, I hope to put up my best performance tomorrow. I'm also going to be on the Ylvisaker Hall Council. We'll have our first meeting tomorrow and I think it's going to be interesting.

I guess that's it for now. If you have any comments concerning my blog or anything at all, please feel free to post them on my blog.

Take care,

Luwa.

One more song!

2008-09-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been to a dance party that ended at 11:00pm and you didn’t realize you enjoyed it so much until the musicians said goodnight? On Friday night, the Salsa musicians from Argentina left us chanting One more song! One more song! That was my first Salsa Dance Party, and it was amazing. Initially, I knew nothing about Salsa. But after some professional training from my RA, Bryan, and Sharon – an expert Salsa dancer – I was good to go. I couldn’t believe how much I had learned that night. With the wonderful music from the Argentineans and the awesome Luther dancers, that party was the perfect emollient for all the stress and anxieties of the week.

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Last week, my assignments were definitely more than those of my first week of classes. However, they seemed much less tedious – perhaps, due to the fact that I’m getting better acquainted with my schedule. On Tuesday, I realized what a wonderful resource the Student Academic Support Center (SASC) is. It was there that I got advice on how to better plan my schedule with my new custodial work-study shifts and changes in classes. I got incisive tips on pre-class reading and note-taking, and I realized that I could take the Honors Colloquium – a course I had always dreamed of taking. The SASC is definitely a place at least every freshman should visit.

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For some reason, my classes are getting a lot more exciting. Last week, I was actually looking forward to every Paideia class. So far, I like all my professors; they’re quite friendly and approachable. I talked with my Physics professor on Friday and he told me about this cool research he’s into. I can’t give you all the details but it has to do with isolating and annihilating sub-atomic particles, and further decomposing the quarks produced. I really wish I could be a part of it (don’t worry, I’m not a nerd).

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I've discovered a way to get anywhere on campus at the speed of light – the bikes from the Luther Wellness Program! Seriously, those bikes are awesome. I even use them to go downtown to Wal-Mart. They can also get addictive, considering the fact that you can rent them every day for free (which is what I do).

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Right now, I feel bad that I had to miss the trip to Rochester. The diversity center was going to take us shopping in Rochester today and, after looking forward to it all week, I mysteriously woke up this morning with a sore neck. I guess I’ll still be able to go some other day. For now, I can console myself with the Capitol Steps show last night [I cracked a rib laughing; maybe I also cracked my neck], the man-made dinner at Ylvi [wonderful Filipino dish], and the intramural sports this evening. Luther just seems to get more and more exciting, doesn’t it?

What an Exciting Orientation!

2008-09-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! I find it pretty awesome sharing my experience at Luther with you. Before coming to Luther, I had absolutely no idea of what to expect. I was a bit nervous, excited, anxious…had all the feelings you can imagine! Nonetheless, I should tell you that I found Luther to be so different from what I had expected.

When we (the new international students) arrived at Luther on Friday, we immediately reported to the diversity center. The diversity center staff welcomed us very warmly, and was very eager to help us get settled. We discussed extensively about our hometowns and cultures before going to eat at a Spanish restaurant downtown.

On Sunday, we had a fabulous picnic with the Diversity Center staff (plenty of food to eat). We also played a really cool Cameroonian game – Yankaloba. Then, that evening, the International Student Assistants took us downtown to see the cool spots in Decorah. It’s actually a beautiful small town. The people are very nice and friendly too; many of them (people we hadn't met before) even waved and smiled at us as we strolled by.

By Wednesday, after having listened to so many talks, getting lost on campus a couple of times, and having not slept well due to jet lag, I wanted the other new students to arrive. I wanted the orientation to be over. But that night, we had this really cool dance party at the Union. There was plenty of music, dancing, laughing, pictures…I had lots of fun.

After the international students’ orientation, when the other freshmen arrived, time seemed to move so quickly. Before I knew it, classes had started. My first class was Paideia. I actually like my Paideia instructor; he’s such an interesting person. He makes the class very interactive and makes us think so deeply about the text even before we realize. And all my classes so far seem to have taken the same shape. However, it won't be too long till I start wishing it was still orientation because right now, I seem to have been bombarded with tons of assignments from all my classes!

For the short period that I’ve been here, though, I’ve realized that Luther is made up of faculty and students who are determined to make things work. The members of staff and students are ever so nice and approachable. They want to know you and your culture, and offer help anytime you need it. So, I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to handle all my school work, with all the support I have on campus.

Well...I guess that's it. Next week, I’m going to form a soccer team for the intramural soccer tournament on the 14th. I’m also going to try out for drums for a jazz band on campus . I’ll brief you on the exciting outcomes of these events and more the next time you read my blog. Until then…Have fun!