Lee Experience

After two years of working in the Admissions Office, I have gotten a lot of experience working with prospective students. I have made my fair share of phone calls and given countless tours of campus. But it is the big events that are most vivid in my memory.

Frontline and Lee Day require so much time and energy, but they are totally worth it! I’m always exhausted when they are over, but I love the interaction with people who are excited about Lee.

As I’ve been looking ahead to Lee Day this year, I’ve done a lot of thinking about my job and my experience at Lee. What is it about my job that I enjoy so much? What motivates me to give tour after tour after tour, no matter what the weather is like? The answer is simple… I love Lee!

I have had an amazing experience here, and I am so thankful that this is where God directed me to come. I have learned so many things, grown in so many ways, and met so many wonderful people while here.

It is wonderful to be able to honestly share with others the wonderful experiences I have had here. What better way to earn a paycheck than sharing my wonderful experiences with others and helping prospective students find a place where they can have similar experiences of their own?

This post was contributed by Erin Weeks.

Rain, Rain, Go away

Honestly, I’m thankful for the rain. After the drought that consumed last summer, it is refreshing to feel little moisture in the air and hear the ground squish each time you take a step. However, along with the rain come certain feelings that I could definitely do without….

Never-ending sleepiness! It doesn’t seem to matter how many hours of sleep I got the night before; if it’s raining, I’m sleepy. The two go hand-in-hand. Being sleepy wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t make me yawn all the time. It is pretty hard to disguise the fact that I’m exhausted when every time my professor looks at me I’m yawning!

Rain also gives me an urge to wear sweatpants and watch a movie. I just want to be comfortable and lay on the couch all day (this would definitely appease my sleepiness). But this is never a possibility! I try not to be too bitter when I have to dress up to go to work in the rain…. I’m not usually very successful.

For some odd reason, the rain makes me want to eat. I don’t know why, but I crave sweets uncontrollably on dreary, rainy days. It doesn’t matter what kind… cake, cookies, brownies, ice cream… any will do.

So, in order to keep my impulsive urges under control, the rain must end. If not, I am going to end up sound asleep on the couch in sweatpants with a plate of half-eaten chocolate chip cookies beside me. But wait a minute… that doesn’t sound so bad… bring on the rain!

This post was contributed by Erin Weeks.

Wal-mart takes another wrong turn

I love pictures. End of story. As a little kid, my friends joked about the fact that I always had a camera with me anytime we went anywhere. Yep…that was me. The weird little fourth grader taking pictures on field trips…

My defense has always been that you can NEVER have too many pictures! As life marches forward, people usually get some strange enjoyment from looking (and laughing) at images of their former self.

Thanks to my avid picture-taking through the years, I will be able to do that for years to come! What adult doesn’t want to look back and reminisce over memories from that trip to the Governor’s mansion in fifth grade? Or the trip to the beach where I felt the need to take pictures of stuffed animals posed on the balcony of my hotel? These were crucial points in life that thankfully were documented by an over-zealous adolescent.

My parents know how much I love pictures, so sometimes they get a few extra printed for me when they print some for themselves. Over Christmas break they did just that, but my dad decided to try the “true digital” photos that were being advertised on the Wal-Mart website.

Well it turns out that “true digital” photos are about four inches tall by five inches wide. Imagine my dismay when I realized that none of these pictures would fit my picture frames and that they would all leave random space in the slots of photo albums.

Since four inches by six inches has been the standard size, this throws a bit of a kink in my entire concept of photos. The pictures are still great, but what am I going to do? Will companies now start making smaller picture frames? What happens to the countless numbers of picture frames that line my walls and book shelves?

For now I am content knowing that I can still have pictures printed in four by six size. But if they ever take that away, I might have to demand that they throw in all new picture frames…

This post was contributed by Erin Weeks.

No Namesake...

Personally, I feel like a building without a namesake on a college campus seems kind of sad and lonely. As I began to ponder this, some questions were brought to my mind…

Why is it that the School of Religion building is not named for anyone? Take a brief walk through campus and you will quickly see buildings that bear the names of many different people.

All of the other major buildings at Lee are named for someone who has had a profound impact on the university. Higginbotham Administration Building, Walker Memorial Building, Deacon Jones Dining Hall, Paul Conn Student Union, Curtsinger Music Building… the list could go on and on.

Not that I know, but I would assume that there is probably a lot of debate over the person(s) whose name will forever be associated with another one of the many structures on campus. For a Christian university, is it not a bit odd that the long-anticipated Religion building would not be bestowed this same honor?

But maybe the fact that it is known simply as the School of Religion is an honor in and of itself. Perhaps this suggests that it was intended to stand out from all the others.

So, what have I taken away from all of this seemingly senseless thinking?

Well, to put it quite simply, a new mission…

What would it take to have a building named after me? Hmmm…. I better start working on that…

This post was contributed by Staff Writer Erin Weeks.

Tada!

Three short days ago, it was square root day.

However, today is my 21st birthday!

My favorite part of the day, you ask.




Lame, I know. But today marks the beginning of our long awaited Spring Break, also!

(I also like when my mommy tells me happy birthday, just for the record.)

Now, to a wonderful birthday.. first to sleep.

HAPPY SQUARE ROOT DAY!

Square root day, you ask?

Today is 3/3/09, 3 is the square root of 9, so all of you math enthusiast out there, well I don't really know what you'd do to celebrate this day, but have at it.

Now, square root day is a special day, it's not like it comes around every year, it's a holiday that only happens nine times during a century.

The last square root day was 2/2/04, the next will be in seven years, 4/4/16.

Let's celebrate!!!

New Roller Coaster!!!!!!

In an economy like today's, I find frivolous spending, simply ridiculous.

That's why when I came across this article, I was shocked.

Who has $4500 to throw around?

I must say, I'm from Ohio, the best state for amusement parks, EVER. Between Kings Island, an hour and half south of my home and then Cedar Point, two hours North of my home, before paying the nearly $5,000 to have the first ride on the newest coaster, I would opt to wake up super early and camp out in line...

Road trip anyone?

Kings Island's Diamondback coaster's Web site describes the new attraction as "the tallest, fasted and meanest roller coaster ever to hit Kings Island, it unleashes its fury with over 5,200 feet of steel track. At 230 feet tall, this monster twists and turns through 10 acres of terrain, wooded hills with a spectacular splashdown ending to give you the ultimate thrill without the venom."

The coaster is set to open when Kings Island opens for this year's season.

For more photos and statistics, visit the site.

Napping on the job... Can't you be fired for that?

As you may already know, both Circuit City and Goody's are going out of business.

I'm sort of abnormal and live a little bit of a drive from campus, over by Target.

Though the going-out-of-business sign holders only work on the weekend, they always catch my attention.

As I drive to work, at Food Lion, I take a left onto Paul Huff Parkway in front of Denny's, and the parade of sign holders begin.

My first question is how do you get that kind of job; my second is how much do they get paid?

Each with their own personality and technique. Some are really into their job, some are merely holding the sign, listening to headphones, while others smoke their cigarettes.

However, there is one sign holder that takes the cake. He stands on the side of Paul Huff Parkway in between IHOP and Outback with his "going out of business" sign held up by a street sign (that may or may not be important to the drivers). He takes the opportunity to lean against a nearby electrical pole, his duffle bag as his makeshift pillow and nap.

That's right, homeboy is getting paid to nap.

Who's jealous?

Bedside lamps=expensive light bulbs

Introducing..... my new bedside lamp.

Why, you ask, am I making such a big deal out of my new bedside lamp?

First, you'll have to back up about two years with me. I bought a perfect bedside reading light, in the weeks before I pack up my car and left Ohio for my first semester of college. It match my decor, it was the perfect size and let off just enough light for me to see and was just dim enough for my roommate to sleep.

I've had this lamp, for two years, we've been through a lot. Three semesters in Simmons Hall, a semester in Keeble and it traveled with me now living off campus. The amazing thing, it's always fit in with the changing decor.

About two weeks ago, I went to turn on my faithful lamp and it's light had burnt out.

First time, in two years.

So I dug out it's light bulb and took it down the street to Target to purchase a new one. The new one, yea, was $7.67, for a light bulb, OUTRAGEOUS.

But, I decided to spend the nearly $8 on the light bulb anyways.

A week and a half later, I go to switch on the lamp so I can lie in bed and read before passing out for the night, and POP, it was out. No more light.

Even more angry, I let it sit there, unusable for another two weeks.

Finally, getting up enough courage (and money) to walk back into Target again, I went straight down the aisle toward the light bulbs, walked right past them an purchased myself a new bedside lamp that takes normal light bulbs, for $9.99.

I could have saved myself money earlier and bought it to begin with.

The moral of the story: Don't buy expensive light bulbs... er, check how much a light bulb costs beofre buying lamps.. er.. I know you've learned something from this experience of mine.

Just another addition..

Today, Facebook decided they wanted to add another reason for Americans to be anti-social and lazy.

Instead of typing (because we all know how much work that takes) that you like someone's status, picture or note, the social networking site allows us to click a button.

Adding the button right beside the comment button, allows users to think about whether their friend, that they usually don't know, really deserves some personalized attention. Whether they are important enough to write a personal message to.

Facebook, I salute you.

Love is in the air...

It's springtime.. and, well you know what that means at Lee. The rush for the ring-by-spring is on for ladies.

Many girls at my age (c'mon, I'm only 20 & 10 months old) are searching for their perfect match, but don't worry guys, my mommy told me like it was.

When I first came to school in Tennessee, she said, "Michelle, you're too independent to have a boyfriend."

And let's be honest, she's right.

While most girls are slaving away over a list of the perfect qualities to look for in a mate, I simply sit back and point out some of the things that annoy me the most about relationships.

For instance, some couples are determined to spend every waking moment together... Let me just state my opinion about this matter. By the end of the day, I would be so annoyed with hanging out with that one person so much, that I wouldn't want to date them anymore. Let's just say, long distance is the way to go with me.

Some girls just need a boy to open their eyes, to be a southern gentleman, to show them how to have a good time. Let me tell you. I'm from Ohio, which doesn't mean I'm rude or that a door being held open for me here and there isn't nice, but don't get crazy. I'm a human, I can open the door myself, it ain't gonna hurt me. Frankly, I can pull my chair out for myself, I can feed myself and I can order for myself also.

And beyond that, boys just don't know how to express their feelings. They are either too emotional or not enough; either way is bad. I don't want a boyfriend that will cry on my shoulder every other day, but talking about feelings isn't always bad. Is there ever a happy medium?

However, over the past few months, I've crafted a list. A list of what I am looking for...

1) Grandma must approve - Grandma is the hardest to get by. No need to worry about my mom, dad, brother, nephews, uncles... Grandma knows best. She's knows what she's talking about.

2) Good last name - Yes, I went there. I'm not going to take a ridiculous last name... I'm not afraid to hyphen it up.

3) Culinary abilities - This is a recent addition to the list. I'm a busy woman, I've got things going on. I need someone who is willing and able to cook. I mean, I can cook and I like to... but it's just too crazy.

4) Domestic - I understand I'm abnormal. But I could live in my own filth for months on end and it would never bother me. On top of all of that, remember the busy thing from the previous statement? I don't have time to do laundry or dishes or take out the trash. Ew, I hate taking out the trash.

Ok, now that you think I'm the perfect mix between shallow and CRAZY... you'll understand why my mom said I'm too independent.

If you know anyone who fits my mold, let me know.

What do you look for in a boy? Share with the Lee Clarion by leaving your comment below.

REALLY?

So. I've always wanted to write a post like this...

First off, you've got to understand where I'm coming from. I love SNL, I particularly get a good laugh out of their Weekend Update. On Weekend Update, they do a skit called "Really!? with Seth and Amy." If you've never seen the skit, they make fun of ridiculous things and situations, while repeatedly using the phrase "really." If you'd like to view it, a portion of it can be seen here. (I would recommend skipping ahead to the 2:00 time marker.)

I'd now like to present to you, Really!? with Michelle Bollman, news editor....



After months of advertising and millions of dollars spent, you're pushing back the date of the "switch to digital?" REALLY?

REALLY, Congress, you have been planning this switch for years and with two weeks to go you decide that you want to push the date back another five months? REALLY?

The commerce department simply ran out of money to send $40 coupons? REALLY?

REALLY, how does that happen? 3.7 million homes are still waiting for their $40 coupon? REALLY?

I didn't know 3.7 million homes went without cable, REALLY?

REALLY, are you sure this isn't just another marketing scam to make Americans run out the stores to buy their HDTV's still? REALLY?

What's new, the government wants to make some more bucks off the unsuspecting customers, REALLY?

You're going to use the extra months to step up better "customer service" and "customer outreach and support," REALLY?

REALLY, if you haven't heard about this program yet, you're just REALLY deaf and blind, REALLY.

This has been Really!? with Michelle Bollman, news editor....

Read the full CNN article about the push back of the switch to digital, here.