So here I am in the middle of one busy week, in the midst of studying, paper writing and book reading, and what better way to spend my time than to reflect on this past April Reign? I loved it last year to be absolutely sure, but this year was even better. Now, April Reign is basically BW’s last hurrah, since it’s the weekend before finals weekend, the weather is as nice as it can get, and the school has weekend-long activities that the whole campus gets into. The activities usually pit teams–Greeks or Independents–against one another in competitions like the obstacle course or tug-of-war. The weather treated us very well, as it was 80+ and sunny the whole time. But the best part is seeing the entire campus alive, with everyone outside, walking around, going to events… the vibe is just amazing, and I’ve heard people who visit from huge schools like OSU and Kent saying that April Reign kicks some major butt. That’s something I love about BW: it’s small enough so that a sense of community can be created, especially in situations like in April Reign where everyone is able to gather together and have a good time, and you can always expect to see a decent number of people you know at events like that. This year I actually woke up in time to see all the events, and the tug was pretty cool, and I got into it by the end and was shouting at chanting for who I wanted to win (but I won’t say who I rooted for…). Saturday night I went to see the Matt Nathanson concert, which was pretty dang good. I wasn’t familiar at all with him beforehand, but he rocked the set, and two of my cousins even came here to see him, so that’s always a nice bonus. Sunday was gorgeous too, and even though April Reign was over then, I still got outside and played ball pretty much all day long, soaking up rays from that golden sun that seems to have run away these past few days. All in all, the weekend of April Reign has been my favorite weekend at BW two consecutive years, and I’ll look forward to it always. Except for the fact that it signifies the year’s end, I don’t like that… but otherwise, I DO have some work I ought to be doing, so until later.

Hey guys!
I’m finally feeling the effects of one seriously long and eventful weekend. April Reign is a weekend where greek life and different clubs around campus get different teams together to compete in as little as one and as many as all 4 events. Chariot, Obstacle, Tug, and Boat. The events started on Friday with Chariot then Obstacle and Saturday morning with Tug and Boat. It was an amazing weekend filled with fun in the sun and to top it off, A concert with MATT NATHANSON! Now im not the biggest fan, but i went and tried my hardest to sing the words. I’m now going to finish the MASSIVE AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK I HAVE TO DO!!!
One more week….soooo weird
till next time
-Jehu R. Shamlin

So… Today’s Monday is quite a celebration for many students. It is the last Monday of actual classes. It is an amazing feeling when you can say to yourself… “Oh Man, last Monday!!.” Monday for myself started bright and early at 6:30AM, I had a statistics test and wanted to be refreshed and ready for the test. I think I did well… but then again, it is I think…

Anyways, the weekend had been one of the best weekends here at B-W. As previous mentioned by myself and a few others, it was called April Reign. April Reign consisted of a boat race, a tug of war match, an obstacle course, and a chariot race (more like this bulky bike setup that is pushed.) My fraternity participated and we didn’t do so well, but it’s a competition and not everyone wins, but it was fun tho. The weekend ended with a concert featuring Matt Nathanson. I gotta say, I was skeptical of this guy, and I already casted it off as a lame concert. I was wrong, Matt Nathanson was a really good singer/musician and he sure can sing. Yay to B-W and free concerts for students.

Gonna throw on pics when I get the chance. This computer I am on won’t allow me.
-David

This weekend the theatre program is putting on Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Last night I went with some friends to the evening show. Even though it was only the second night, all of the performances were sold out. So we sat in the lobby at the theatre to see if, by some miracle, people didn’t come to collect their tickets. At the last minute the stage manager sat all of us who were waiting because there were so many open seats (Psych!). The audience was actually on the stage with the performers. Because we were so physically close to the actors, it was easier to connect with the actors and the play in general (a very “intimate set-up). I had never read the play before so it was really cool to see it staged the first time that I was exposed to it.

Besides the story in general and, of course, the excellent acting, the costumes were my favorite part. Each one was really exquisite and detailed. Especially the women’s dresses. Seeing the play made me want to act in a similar setting. I’m not sure if I will ever get the nerve to audition for anything but I really do want to be in at least one play sometime.

Anyway, I was ecstatic that I was able to attend especially since yesterday was Shakespeare’s birthday (how perfect!). And I have been feeling rather Shakespeare-deprived as of late. Hopefully next semester they will put on another Shakespearean play!

Yesterday there was a rummage/rubbage/garage sale at the Methodist Church on the corner of Bagley and Seminary. My friends and I traipsed across campus after dinner to see if there was any “junk” in need of saving and purchasing and adding to our already cluttered dorm rooms. Garbed in Nineties attire, the old lady at the door droned on about their “two dollars a paper bag” deal, her voice cracking in odd places. After we got past her rules and stipulations for the sale, we dove into the piles of toppling children’s books and dusty trinkets. A half an hour later we had thoroughly stuffed our grocery bags, determined to get our money’s worth. My most prized finds were a sad little plant in need of some water and an neon orange ceramic bird, doubling as a decoration and a “piggy” bank. The day had been a success!

This semester i’ve been slacking on my duty here at Baldwin Wallace (I, of course, speak of attending MNM and not studying, duh). But i feel i want to (regardless of it happening) finish out the year strong and go to at least one of the final two events. I always like price is right, and i’m not sure what it is tonight. But i started out college with all my friends with MNM that first thursday and it just seems fitting to go to a few with them before they depart. Some of my best memories come from MNM (mostly Bingo, but that’s because Bingo is the game of Olympus). Maybe I’ll revive the old crew and go out for one last night of madness this Thursday. Who knows? like i said, it’d be fun to go full circle, at least on this.

So it’s been quite a busy weekend. Saturday instead of sleeping in like the rest of the student population here on B-W, I had to show up at work at 8:30am. I was helping out with the Junior Visit day, which is where Juniors in High School can show up at B-W for a tour and other informational sessions and see well, if B-W is right for them. I met a bunch of Juniors who are already doing their college shopping. ‘Mind you that I didn’t start looking for colleges till my Senior Year. So Kudos to all of them.

So the day went on and everybody went there way and what not. My fraternity, Pi Lambda Phi had an event on campus called, The “PLP Plop”. This was a fundraising event for our Philantrhopy The March of Dimes, which goes to funding, research, and care of prematurely born babies.

Anyways, we grid off a huge section of the lawn on B-W and it’s essientially Bingo with an animal. The animal will walk all over this grid, and wherever it “plops” (defecate, poop, etc) the person that bought that square wins! We had several gift cards, random gifts, and other items that were given out to several winners. So yay for a great day and a great cause!!! ANNDDD!! There’s only 2.5ish weeks of school left. Yay!!!

-David
**pics to be up soon**

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure it was like 70 degrees and sunny the other day… but whatever, at least it’s not snowing like it was last week. I made sure to enjoy that super nice Saturday by spending the whole day outside. this weekend was such a solid weekend, and I swear it lasted so much longer than any normal one… midday Saturday I kept freaking out amazed that it wasn’t Sunday. But anyway, there’s a lot of things coming up over the horizon as the end of the year draws closer and closer. You’d think this would be as a stressful time of year, but other than reading I have no real work for the remainder of the year (not taking finals into account). I’ll have to finish up some community service for my education class these last days as well and prepare for a speaking exam in Spanish, otherwise it seems like it should be a fairly relaxed time before the end of the year. I can’t really believe how rapidly the year has gone by, though, and that there’s only like two weeks left. I don’t want to get too mopey, however, since there’s definitely reason to be excited with April Reign coming up on the weekend. And, thinking of that, I remind myself I have to get tickets for the concert on Saturday. I don’t know the performer, but I’ll be more than willing to go to a free concert. Plus, I’ll be getting tickets for my cousin so that show should be a good time. Still, the year is wrapping itself up and I’ll be preparing for the end ahead of time. I’ll have to go take my car out of a garage where I put it every winter and start taking some stuff home that I won’t be using. I’ll also probably start lightweight studying soonish, because I know there’ll be some intense finals coming up. I’ve been struggling in Spanish all year, so not only will I have to work extra hard in that, but extra hard in all the others to make up for the bad grade I know I’ll get in Spanish regardless. Then again, any good student should be working “extra hard” all the time, you figure, so hey. I’ll give the old college effort. But, I haven’t been seeming to be able to sleep well lately (the radiator kept me up for SO long last night) so I’ll probably take a small nap right now then wake up and get ready for night class. Ugh, night class. Until later, though.

There are only two more weeks of classes before exams. I can’t believe the semester is almost over! It went by twice as fast as the fall. I barely feel like I even took my spring classes. Though I am really excited to go home (because I haven’t been back since Christmas) I am definitely going to miss all of my friends from school. It will be strange not to see everyone on a daily basis. I guess it’s the same as not seeing high school friends every day in college, though. I’m also really worried about exams. Ah! There are so many assignments before finals that I feel like I won’t have time to study until the last week of school. Well, I know that God will provide me with the time I need and that in not too long I will be back on the East Coast with all of my exams behind me.

Here’s to long summer days with nothing to do but read good books!

This month is Christian Unity Month on campus. All of the Christian organizations come together in a series of events to promote each individual program as well as to further unity between them. This year the theme is “Killing the Giants”. On Tuesday at the Campus Crusade meeting the topic was Sex 101. At first I wasn’t really thrilled about going. I had heard many preachers talk about relationships and marriage and purity etc etc. What could possibly be said this time that I hadn’t already heard? But I went anyway just like every other Tuesday night.

Dan Burgoyne, the pastor from Worldview Church in Olmstead Falls, was speaking. I had heard him before in the beginning of fall semester and had really enjoyed his talk. Anyway, there was an overwhelming turn out overall and the speech ended up being amazing. God clearly had something else to tell me than I had previously thought. I was really glad that I had attended.

I am excited for the rest of the Killing the Giants events and am glad that I’ve been able to participate in the previous speeches and gatherings.