Event #4- Sporting Event

Not too long ago, I went to a track meet. My roommate wanted to go with some friends so I decided to attend. I have never run in high school and I am definitely not planning on becoming part of the UNC track team but I wanted to blog about a sport other than basketball. UNC has great basketball players (everyone knows that) but I often think that because of all the excitement over this particular sport, other athletes are overlooked. I wanted to get a feel for how different the atmosphere is during other athletic events. I am a pretty laid back person so I definitely enjoyed the more laid back atmosphere of the track meet. It is true that people were cheering for friends or for the UNC runners but there wasn't a huge commotion such as cheers or people screaming in the audience. This allowed the audience to solely focus on the runners themselves. The runners were amazing in my opinion, not just the UNC team. I commend the runners for their agility and mental stamina. I could never compete in a track meet; I simply do not have the physical or mental strength.

As I mentioned earlier, the crowd was definitely not as enthusiastic as it is at basketball or football games. But this doesn't mean that the crowd wasn't interested in what was going on. I could hear some people in the audience talking about particular runners and the crowd would start cheering when one of their runners managed to push ahead or offer words of encouragement when one runner fell behind. I also became interested in watching the runners. You could see the extreme look of determination on their faces and there is something powerful about watching someone run- there is no ball, it is merely the individual controlling their own body and fighting the feeling of exhaustion. This event, like many other events, added to my college experience by allowing me to do something different. It made me appreciate other athletes that don't have as much fame or get as much recognition but that are also extremely talented. UNC definitely has a great sports program full of very talented athletes.

Event #3- Academic Lecture

Tuesday, I went to a lecture titled "Twang: A Southern Note" by Robert Cantwell. In this lecture, Cantwell explored the many ways in which twang shapes southern culture and how it develops relationships and unity among race and social class. Throughout his speech, he had the audience listen to clips of Bluegrass music with a variety of typical bluegrass instruments such as the banjo, fiddle and steel guitar. He focused alot on the banjo and how it encompassed southern twang. However, he also commented on some singers ability to express this twang while singing. Therefore, twang not only refers to the twang of an instrument but also to a twang in a singer's voice. To catch the audience's attention, he first played the introduction to Beethoven's 5th Symphony. This is a common musical piece that the audience (composed of mostly of intellectuals) were quite familiar. Upon playing this piece, it became obvious that this was not the twang of southern music. Cantwell used this realization as an introduction into his lecture by commenting on the stark contrast between this classical piece and southern music. Southern music is in a class of its own.

Cantwell connected with his audience by playing clips of music that allowed the audience to pinpoint the twang to which he was referring to. I enjoyed these clips and I enjoyed the lecture at first; however, as time moved on, his ideas became so complex and complicated that it became impossible to follow. As a speaker, he was very quiet and he read almost verbatim from his paper so that he became somewhat monotone. However, he was very informed about his topic and went into alot of detail to support his hypothesis. The questions that were asked were also very complex. Though, I could not understand the majority of the lecture, it definitely gave me an idea of the work and research that goes into putting together what is considered to be a worthy thesis to give a lecture on. The purpose is to inform your peers; in this case, Cantwell was speaking to an audience composed of fellow intellectuals. Through these lectures, students can get an inside look of the true academic world and learn to appreciate all of the work that goes on in a University such as Carolina.

Autobiography 3

Southerners are known for their southern hospitality. I came from a town that has a nickname "Small Town Friendly" so southern hospitality is quite common in this area. Neighbors are constantly cooking for one another or just stopping by to check in. People always open doors for one another or help each other with unpacking groceries. Whatever people can do to help, they do. I've grown up around this so I'm quite used to people who are interested in other people's lives. However, I can see how this would be quite strange to someone who is not from around here. It would seem like everyone is nosy. Here, a person is considered rude if they don't show this hospitality. They are often deemed an outsider. I think that this hospitality helps define the southern region. It also is one aspect that causes southern pride. Southerners are known for their hospitality and they are proud to be known for it.

Feeder 3.1 Rough Draft

In the literary works of Horwitz and Mason and the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou?” the South is portrayed as a culture that feels obligated to uphold past traditions because of its overwhelming southern pride even though these traditions may be detrimental to individuals and society. In the chapters “Dying for Dixie” and “Cats of the Confederacy,” Horwitz seems to portray the South in a negative light; the southerners whom he comes across seem to be completely consumed by past traditions and beliefs that they call southern pride. They are so consumed that they dwell in the past which not only is detrimental to themselves but the region as a whole. In “Drawing for Names” Mason also discusses the detrimental effects of following a dying tradition but on a more personal level. Although the authors of the three texts seem to paint a negative picture of the southerners, they are warning people about the dangers of blindly following traditions and how this can be detrimental to society.
The movie “O Brother Where Art Thou?” follows the adventures of three “brothers” named Delmer, Pete and Everetts as they break out of jail to uncover $1.2 million that had been buried by Everetts. Come to find out, the money was only a ruse made by Everetts to convince the other two to break out with him because he could not have accomplished the task alone on account of they were all chained together. The motivation behind this deception was his family. Because Everetts had been thrown in jail, his wife divorced him and planned to marry another man. Everetts, being raised in the Deep South, could not allow this divorce to happen so he was willing to sacrifice his life along with his two companions’ lives to win her back. His pride “would not allow this to happen” therefore, even when his wife did not want to take him back at first, Everetts would do anything to stop the shame that came with losing his children and his wife as a result of a divorce. One of the other characters, named Pete, also displays this undying loyalty to his family even when he is betrayed by his brother for ransom. Pete becomes angry with Everetts when he steals something from Pete’s “kin”. Both of these characters display this undying loyalty to their family which forms the basis for their motivations and personalities, and is one aspect in which southern pride arises.
In “Dying for Dixie”, Horwitz discusses the previous symbols of southern pride, including the Confederate flag and the Confederate soldier, and how these lead to tension and violence within Guthrie, Kentucky. In Guthrie, a man by the name of Michael Westerman was murdered because of his display of the Confederate flag on his truck. Whereas the Confederate flag had previously been the symbol of southern independence during the Civil War, Westerman put the symbol on his truck for its aesthetic appeal. His girlfriend, Hannah, said that “He’d do anything to make his truck look sharp. The truck’s red. The flag’s red. They match.” Though the flag had lost its meaning to Westerman, he displayed it on his truck and as a tattoo because he had grown up around the flag. His school proudly carried the flag; it’s mascot was even a Confederate soldier. Guthrie, because it was a southern region, was trying to uphold tradition though the tradition was not necessarily theirs. Horwitz says that Guthrie had not been a rebel state yet the citizens of Guthrie annually participated in Confederate memorials such as the election of “Miss Confederacy.” This southern pride as demonstrated by the confederate symbols caused tension within society that often resulted in violence. Yet, the citizens of Guthrie blindly followed this tradition.
Whereas, Horwitz discusses the detriments to society in “Dying for Dixie” and “O Brother Where Art Thou?” explores the detriments to family and companions, Mason discusses the detriments to the individual. In her short story, “Drawing Names,” she paints the picture of a typical southern family gathering together for a Christmas dinner. However, there seems to be no happiness within this scene. The family feels obligated to uphold this southern tradition even though it no longer holds the glory and happiness of the original tradition. The grandfather is no longer asked to say the blessing before dinner, the mother no longer puts out tablecloths or napkins and the family no longer buys one another gifts but draws names out of a hat. One of the three sisters is also getting a divorce; however, she still brings her soon to be ex-husband to dinner so as not to ruin the tradition or destroy the family pride. However, in the process of trying to uphold this dying tradition, each one of the family members sacrifice their personal happiness.

Autobiography 2

Because my family lives so close together, it's tradition to have Sunday supper at my grandparents' house after church. My grandma usually spends all day cooking fried chicken, corn bread, sweet potatoes, okra and pecan pie for the family. It's usually not too big of a gathering; it's just for the family nearby and every once in a while my uncle and cousins will come up from Georgia. I really don't have a huge family. My mom is from up north so her brother and his family is in Illinois so we don't get to see them much. My mom's parents both have passed away so the family is composed of my dad's side of the family. My dad has one brother and one sister and they both have families but his brother lives in Georgia. Though these Sunday get togethers don't have alot of people attending, my grandma still prides herself in cooking a feast.

Christmas is different; we have more people over, not just the immediate family. This includes my step-uncle's family and my grandmother's sister and her husband. We usually have two get togethers, one on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas day. It's tradition to go to my grandmother's house on Christmas Eve and. She, like always, cooks a feast and allows each child to open one gift. It is also my grandma's birthday on Christmas Eve so she opens her gifts then (She still insists on cooking even on her birthday). Then, on Christmas day, my family gets up and opens presents and we go down to my aunt's house for breakfast.

These get togethers definitely represent the importance of family in Southern culture. These meals are traditions in my family and it is expected that the whole family will be there. However, unlike "Drawing Names," my family is really close. It is a time for the whole family to enjoy each other's company and some good southern cooking.

Response to Dying for Dixie

This article was definitely more controversial and more sensitive a topic than the previous article. It's hard to believe that people are so steadfast and obsessed in their old ways that it leads to violence. Yet it is not uncommon to hear about someone getting killed or seriously hurt because of a disagreement. People like to think that they have to always defend themselves and their beliefs or throw it in other people's faces. There's this belief that it's us versus them and this mentality adds the fuel that starts the fire. This was the case in Michael Westerman's murder. Though Michael was just a regular guy who supposedly didn't really think much about the Confederate flag, he put it on his truck so he could look cool. As a result, a group of people got offended and resulted to violence because they thought it would fix the problem or it would allow them to prove themselves. I don't think anyone can argue for these boys' actions; what they did was wrong. However, the response of the public to the murder was also wrong. Michael was just a regular guy but the public wanted to turn his death into a huge issue or attack. I honestly think that the only way that people will be able to move on from the past is when people realize that the color of a person's skin doesn't matter. I'm not saying that people should forget or be ashamed of their culture, not at all. I'm just saying that people should try to move on and not become offended so easily; the past is the past. This means that people should not look down upon people who have a different skin color or culture. However, this also means that people should not be held on a pedestal because of their skin color. A person's worth should not be determined by a person's skin color but by their actions, their character and thier merit. Only when people can view each other with a sense of colorblindness can the world finally move towards acceptance and justice.

Hey yal!

So I was born in the south and I've been raised in the south. I live in what has got to be the smallest town in North Carolina called Cliffside or Henrietta (very southern sounding names, i know). People say I have a southern accent though I really don't think I compare to some people; however, I do say yal. I used to be somewhat ashamed of my southern upbringing. I thought it made me a redneck and after college, I had this grand plan to move to a huge city and become this successful businesswoman. However, I've learned to love and be proud of my upbringing. I went to New York City and Chicago and I really didn't like the environment. I really don't think the city life is for me. I'm more of a laid back person and I'd prefer to have a house in the woods with lots of land, maybe a few horses and dogs (I love animals). I like living close to my family so that I can walk down the street and say hello to my grandma or call my cousin to hang out. It's a good atmosphere- very friendly, family oriented and safe. Of course there are a few crazy southerners in my town but there are a few everywhere. So all in all, I've had a pretty good life in the southern countryside and if that makes me a redneck, well then, so be it

Response to the Reading

Growing up in the South, I definitely met some southerners who seemed to prefer to live in the past. I used to see the Confederate flag every once in the while hanging in someone's backyard and hearing that ever so popular saying "the south will rise again." I have to say that I have to give some of those people credit; they do have a strong sense of pride in their family dating back generations when some people have no clue where they came from. However, people can get obsessive. Is there really a cats of the confederacy? If so, I would have to say that this group would be on the verge of craziness. I guess some people just want to find something that they have in common. It's funny how the Civil War was a division between the North and South yet remembering it causes so many people (Southerners) to become united.

I would definitely say that not every Southerner is obsessed with the Confederacy (myself included) and I could see how it would annoy some people. However, I think everyone needs to stop obsessing or living in the past. There is a difference between remembering the past and becoming lost in the past. If people want to remember the Confederacy, they can do so but they need to keep in mind that you can't move forward if you dwell on the past. And in my personal opinion, that goes for everyone.

Event #2: Performance at Memorial Hall

Tonight, I went to the performance of Orpheus et Eurydice by Compagnie Marie Chouinard. It was about the Greek tragedy of two lovers named Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus was a poet who fell in love with a tree nymph named Eurydice. However, Eurydice was bitten by a poisonous snake and was sent to the underworld ruled by the Greek god, Hades. Orpheus journeyed to the underworld to bring Eurydice back to earth so he made a deal with Hades: Orpheus could take Eurydice, but he had to walk in front of her and not look back when they were leaving the underworld. Hearing all of the horrible noises made by the demons as they were leaving, Orpheus looks back and loses Eurydice forever.

I must admit that the performance was not what I expected. There were really no props, backdrops or costumes. This allowed the audience to focus specifically on the dancers and their movements (minimal clothing only added to this fact). Also, the dancers were not quiet but they screamed and contorted their faces often having their mouths hang wide open and sticking their tongues out... definitely not what is typical of dancers. However, these strange antics made the audience become focused on the dancers and ask why they were behaving that way. During the middle of the performance, one of the lead dancers actually jumped out into the audience and started climbing over people and seats. This definitely caught the audience's attention. I particularly liked the introduction to the Greek myth when one dancer stood up and told the story while the others acted it out. This dancer told the story like he was in pain (this represents the Greek tragedy) and he also danced while he talked which made it seem like he and the audience were part of the story.

Overall, the performance was very strange and haunting. However, Chouinard did add some comical areas into the performance that were effective in lifting the audience's mood. It was definitely an experience that will not be forgotten; it helped broaden my horizons from what is considered to be typical and I will probably try to go see another performance before the end of the semester.

Observation Re-do

Because the three previous observations were done on one day, another observation was made for one hour to see if the new results were similar to the original results. Instead of observing for one hour within each section of Caribou Coffee, each section was only observed for twenty minutes for a total of one hour. The observation began in the back room. Results were similar to Observation 5. There were three people working individually, each with a laptop on the table. Once again, none of the individual students had books in front of them and each seemed to be absorbed in their own world and therefore, not interested in socializing. This observation was consistent for the twenty minutes.

For the next twenty minutes, the study room was observed. There were two women in this room who were dressed up in dress pants and dress shirts. At first they talked informally and socially about school, work, activities, etc. However, after about ten minutes, they began talking about Marshall Interviews. One of the women was in charge of the committee and the other was trying to help her plan. Also, on the sign in front of the room was “Marshall Interviews”. Therefore, unlike Monday, the purpose of the meeting was academic in nature.

For the last twenty minutes, the front room was observed. There were five individual studiers, each with a laptop in front of them. However, these individuals also had books in front of them so they appeared to actually be studying and taking notes. There were no group studiers for the allotted time. However, there were three separate groups of older couples sitting and socializing. Overall, there were more group studiers on Monday.

Observation Hour 3

For the third hour, the group study room was observed. A group of four women came to use the group study room. However, they did not seem to come to study but to socialize. I observed that every person within that group went to get some beverage from the counter before they sat down. When they settled down, they immediately began a long, loud conversation in which everyone within the group seemed to participate. This conversation did not relate to studying or academics but was more of a “catch up “time. Though they did have books in front of them, they kept getting distracted and spent most of their time talking and gossiping. They also laughed very loudly though it did not seem to bother anyone within the area. The group also did not stay very long but only for approximately thirty minutes; just enough time to finish their beverages and go about their day.

After the first group left, another group came into the room. This group was not focused on studying because it was made up of a man and a son. They could be heard talking but they were not as loud as the previous group had been. The two people seemed to be enjoying their beverages and snacks (the boy even commented on how good the food was) in the warmth of the coffee house.

Observation Hour 2

For the second hour, the back room of Caribou Coffee was observed. In this room, there was only one table that could seat four people whereas eight tables could only seat two people. Where there had been loud music in the other section mentioned in Observation 4, there was no speaker in this room so the music was not very loud. Two people were studying individually with their laptops; however, one group of two people were not studying. In this group, the woman was braiding the man’s hair. Though the individuals within the room did not socialize at all, the group was quietly talking. However, this room became somewhat loud when a group of about seven gentlemen decided to socialize outside. There was also an area where there could be a fire and I observed that the individuals and the group situated themselves near this area though the gas logs were not on. The individuals also did not have any beverages with them for they were too consumed with their laptops.

Within the hour, both individuals got up to talk on their cell phones. They left caribou coffee to talk on their phones outside and they left all of their belongings including their laptops for an extended period of time. However, after the time interval, both individuals came back to their laptops and continued to study.

Towards the end of the hour, another individual came to study. She also pulled out her laptop and did not socialize but started working. Therefore, at the end of the hour, there were a total of three individual studiers and one group of two people who were not studying.

Observation: Hour 1

In order to conduct accurate observations, observations were broken up into three parts according to the location within Caribou Coffee to correspond with each hour. The first hour, observations were made within the wider area of the shop; this area is closest to the counter and therefore is louder. Upon my arrival, I noticed that there were many two person tables among the back of this area that were full of students that seemed to be avidly studying. They were not socializing but studying individually, absorbed in their laptops, with coffee cups in hands and headphones on. In the lower section of this area were larger tables. There were two separate groups that appeared to be studying. One group had books and laptops all over the table and though they would do some individual work; within a few minutes, they would be asking each other questions or explaining a topic. However, they would also include personal statements within the conversation so that they would sometimes get sidetracked from studying. However, they seemed to be effectively studying. The second group, upon closer observation, was not studying for a particular subject. Instead, they seemed to be having an educational discussion about a previous lecture or practicing for a speech. There were some notes on the table that were looked at and taken but for the most part, one person discussed a topic while the other asked questions.

While in this area, I noticed that the music was louder. The workers would also carry loud conversations with one another and their customers but this did not seem to bother the studiers or prevent them from accomplishing their task. Towards the end of the hour, conversations seemed to curiously get louder and where previously, the higher area of the coffee shop seemed to attract individuals, some people joined the individuals upstairs. Therefore, where there had been only individuals, there was one group of two studiers upstairs. And upon leaving, I noticed that there were four study groups composed of two people within this area

Feeder 2.2

At a university such as Chapel Hill, the rigorous curriculum requires that students study for their classes. Whereas, some students may choose to study within their dorm rooms, others may prefer to study where there are more students such as a coffee shop. The preferences that college students demonstrate by choosing places to study might provide some insight into their personalities, such as whether they are more extroverted or introverted, as well as showing their personal study habits. The microculture that will be observed will be the students that choose to study in the coffee shop called Caribou Coffee located on Franklin Street. I have personally observed this microculture gathered in groups to study when I have been to Caribou Coffee getting a warm beverage, and I have always wondered if it is beneficial to study with fellow classmates. Whereas I prefer an isolated, quiet environment, this microculture seems to thrive in the social setting of Caribou Coffee; they are able to study in an environment that has many distractions that would make it impossible for me to focus. Based off of initial observations, these students tend to be more extroverted, social and group oriented. For example, when one member of the group decides to get coffee, the other members follow suit. Therefore, the atmosphere of the coffee shop tends to attract more extroverted students when it comes to choosing a study environment.

The hypothesis that will be tested is that the students who choose to study in the coffee shop called Caribou Coffee prefer a more social environment in which they can interact with peers within a group, instead of studying individually; therefore, these students demonstrate more extroverted qualities. This hypothesis will shed light on how a preference for a certain studying environment provides insight on whether a person has the qualities of an extrovert or introvert; a student who prefers a social studying atmosphere may be more social himself. The hypothesis will also provide the university with information about the study environments in which these students feel most comfortable. This will allow the university to address the needs of all students outside of those who prefer dorm rooms and libraries. Thus, the university will be able to provide a more convenient learning environment for all students.

The Stress that comes with the week before spring break

The week before Spring Break seems to be like the week of final exams. As I studied in the library this afternoon, I noticed that it was full of students. I had to stop at several floors to get a group study room so that I could work on my lab report with my lab partner. And then as I was leaving, another group was waiting for the study room. Everyone in the library was very focused on some sort of work whether it be studying or writing a paper and there was not a sound within the library. It was definitely one of those creepy silences where you are scared to make any sort of noise without disturbing someone. All of the students also seemed very sleep deprived with large coffee cups in hand or a bottle of soda nearly empty. I have never seen the library like this before except during final exams. But then again, I am only a freshman who has not experienced the pre-spring break week. I know if someone was observing me though, they would note the same things: bottle of soda, look of sleep deprivation caused by stress. I do hope these weeks get easier; I don't want this to become a routine. I'm so tired of being stressed.

Feeder 2.2 Rough Draft

At a university such as Chapel Hill, the rigorous curriculum requires that students study for their classes. Whereas, some students may choose to study within their dorm rooms, others may choose other places where there are more students such as a coffee shop. The preferences that college students demonstrate by choosing places to study provides some insight into their personalities such as whether they are social or shy. The microculture that will be observed will be the students that choose to study in the coffee shop called Caribou Coffee located on Franklin Street. There is not much information known specifically about this microculture besides that they usually work in groups instead of studying individually. They also prefer to work in a separate room so that they can discuss the information with coffee in hand without being disturbed. Based off of initial observations, these students tend to be more extroverted, social and group oriented. For example, when one member of the group decides to get coffee, the other members follow suit. Therefore, the environment of the coffee shop tends to attract more extroverted students when it comes to choosing a study environment.
The hypothesis that will be tested is that the students who choose to study in the coffee shop called Caribou Coffee prefer a more social environment in which they can interact with peers within a group setting instead of studying individually. This hypothesis will shed light on how preferences for a certain environment for studying provide insight on whether a person has the qualities of an extrovert or introvert. It will also provide the university with information about the study environments in which these students feel comfortable. This will allow the university to address the needs of all students outside of those who prefer dorm rooms and libraries and thus, provide a more convenient learning environment for all students.

Observation #3: Disruption

I decided to disrupt the norm of the workout room in Granville. To do this, I went into the room and got on a bike like I was going to work out just like anyone else. I then pulled out a Snickers Candy Bar and started to eat it while working out. There was one guy in the room who was working out on the machine next to me and he got off and moved over. He then kept looking at the candy bar; he did not directly stare at it but he used the mirror located on the wall. When I looked at him, he quickly looked straight ahead refusing to make eye contact. He did not say anything to me but I could tell by his face that he was very curious as to why I had a candy bar while working out. After a while, he got used to my presence and started working out, completely ignoring me. I then got up and moved closer to him but he just turned the treadmill up a little higher and continued his workout, completely ignoring me. Overall, the experience was very awkward for both me and the other guy in the room. Disrupting an accepted norm within our culture takes everyone out of their comfort zones.

Observation #2: The Agora on a saturday afternoon

I went to go eat in the Agora, which is the cafeteria for Granville residents, around 12:30. I noticed that unlike other days, on Saturday, there is more of a relaxed atmosphere. People are dressed for comfort in sweatpants, sweatshirts, slippers and even pajamas. Most people are sitting by themselves or in small groups of two or three. There also seem to be more girls in the Agora at this hour than guys; there is one group of five guys who are sitting together over by the TV and every once in a while a guy, will be sitting with a girl at a small table. People are sitting at tables that are far away from the center of the Agora so there is a lot of space between people at different tables. There is not alot of noice, only a quiet murmur of people talking. Some people are doing homework (usually the people who are sitting alone) but most people are relaxing and people watching. Most people are also eating breakfast foods, particularly the waffles from the Agora waffle maker. Some people seem very tired and they are usually drinking cup after cup of water. All of these observations are the norm for a Saturday morning.

Observation #1

I went to work out this afternoon and while I was working out, I decided to observe the people working out alongside me. Granville Towers has its own mini-workout room so everyone who uses this room has to be a Granville resident. The room is divided into two parts: a weight area and a cardio area with treadmills and bikes. During my observations, I noticed that the guys perfered the weight room whereas the girls prefered the treadmill. Maybe this is because the guys are more concerned about building muscle whereas, girls tend to be more concerned about losing weight. I also noticed that there were alot more people working out maybe because of spring break; people are trying to get into shape for swimsuit season.
There was not much interaction taking place. Most people had their i-pods on or were reading a book. Everyone seemed to be focused on their own workout with no desire to carry on a conversation which is the norm for this kind of environment. The guys, however, were more likely to interact with one another with a high five or a pat on the back after benching a good amount of weight. The guys were also more likely to work out their arms and legs whereas the girls seemed to focus solely on the treadmills.
The majority of people working out did not seem to be athletes. The two guys who were lifting weights may have been athletes because they seemed to have a workout schedule, spending a certain amount of time on each piece of equipment. However, I observed that most of the girls seemed to just be trying to fit that last workout in before spring break; that's why I was there...

Ok, so I know we are supposed to be talking about how people interact within different environments like a dorm room, cafeteria, etc so I think it would be appropriate to talk about my lab today. As I've mentioned before, I have chem lab on wednesdays. It's been going pretty well actually... until today. When we first arrived, everyone seemed a little anxious to get started because we had all heard horror stories about this lab. The earlier you start, the earlier you finish so everyone was kind of rushing, trying to set everything up. No one was really casually talking like we normally do; everyone was pretty focused. About half way through the lab (about the two hour mark), you could see people get frustrated one by one. Students were no longer standing up straight but were leaning over their computers, looking like they got hit by a bus. The TA was being called over more and more for assistance and she was starting to get a little tired herself. At the 3.5 hour mark, the remaining people were obviously irritated (including myself). Some lucky students had managed to finish the torturous lab and all of the remaining students were extremely jealous of this fact. Lab partners were starting to snap at one another and calculator buttons were definitely being pushed much harder because of frustration. When the four hour mark finally came around, the TA told the remaining students to go home. She had another class to go to and she couldn't stay with us to finish the lab. There were definitely mixed emotions over this: there was some defeat and discouragement, maybe some dread over having to finish the calculations over the weekend. But mostly there was relief because once we were out of that door, we were free of lab for a week...

I am going home for this weekend and I am definitely looking forward to it. I haven't been home since the first week of school and I'm excited to see some of my friends, family and my dog (i know, i know... but i miss him too!). I'm hoping to see some movies because I honestly haven't been to the movie theatre in I don't know how long. I feel completely cut off from the outside world because I have no clue what movies are playing, what songs are popular and what TV shows are playing. I also really don't know what else is going on when it comes to world issues or the government. It's weird because in college, I feel like I have more of an opportunity to become involved yet I feel like I truly am living in a bubble. The only newspaper I read is the Daily Tar Heel and mostly, the only information I hear is about activities going on at Chapel Hill. Does anyone else feel like that sometimes? I find that feeling really weird. But I guess, college allows you to figure out who you are as an individual without the distractions of the media. You can focus on your goals in life and who you want to be as a person. But I still like to go home and find out what's going on, feel like I'm part of the loop again...

Event #1: Student Organization

Thursday, I went to a Cornerstone student organization meeting. Cornerstone is a Christian organization and it is part of Campus Crusades which not only meets at Chapel Hill but at other colleges within the area. I was surprised at how many people were there and my friend said that normally, there were more. I recognized alot of people that I had seen around campus, there seemed to be a pretty good amount of freshman there. At the beginning of the meeting, we sang songs of worship and watched some of the leaders perform some funny skits to lighten the mood and allow the audience to mingle. The mood became a little more formal when a guest preacher came to talk to us about what God wanted us to do at this point in our lives as college students. He talked about what we need to do spiritually, socially and physically to honor and become closer to God. To grow spiritually, we need to read our Bibles and pray even when college life becomes crazy. Physically, we need to honor our bodies and take care of ourselves that we tend to overlook when the stress of college exams come around. Socially, we need to surround ourselves with good people but at the same time, don't cut ourselves off from the rest of the world. Share God's love and wisdom with those around you and try to become a role model to others.
The preacher was pretty young and he talked about how he was a college student not too long ago and how he remembered wondering what God wanted him to do when it came to picking a major, becoming involved in activities and eventually picking a job. He said that if we listened, we would know what God wanted us to do and we would eventually follow His direction because God has no plan B because He doesn't need one. We can fight Him all we want but everything works out the way He wants. I really appreciated his personal accounts because many of us are experiencing the same feelings of uncertainty. The preacher was able to give a serious sermon that was not too formal and relate to his audience of college students. Throughout his sermon, he used "we" and "us" to include the audience in his sermon. He walked all around the lecture hall making it seem that he was talking to each one of us and not just a huge crowd. He also managed to work in some basketball and football references particularly the basketball game on Wednesday against Duke. He didn't seem to press any beliefs onto us or condemn us for any actions. His sermon was not too "preachy" and therefore, the audience listened to him and what he had to say. I was very glad that I went and I look forward to hearing some more sermons in the Thursdays to come.

Franklin St.

I live in Granville Towers so I am very close to Franklin St. So of course, I had to join my suitemates in the run after the basketball game. O and on the way I learned how many people can get on an elevator at one time. It was definitely crazy. Because I am so close, my suitemates and I were able to get there before the other 10,000 people. It was funny seeing everyone sprint towards one area. People were screaming, hugging one another and of course, doing the famous Tar! Heels! cheer. Before I knew it, more people were running to Franklin and people started to climb on signs and telephone wires (not the smartest thing to do though). I looked up and there were like 3 news helicopters giving live feedback about Carolina's reaction to the win. And there was a pretty big bonfire going on at one point. After a little while, I came back to the dorm because I hadn't really gotten much sleep over the week. But we still had the TV on from watching the game and it was really cool seeing Franklin St. when I had been there around 5 minutes ago. All I know is that it's a good thing a Duke student was no where close to Franklin..

Krispy Kremes, chem and valentine's day

So for anyone who wants to know, the Krispy Kreme challenge was a success. There were over 5,000 participants and I think the record was around 27 minutes. It was very strange watching for my friends to come across the finish line and seeing people all dressed up as Elvis, Superman, etc (I even saw some speedos which I am still traumatized from). But thankfully, my friends were not sick and we were able to hang out for the rest of the day...
So this week... well, it's going to be brutal. After a wonderful weekend, I have to go back to working like crazy. I have two papers, a lab report, chemistry exam and I have to start studying for my econ exam next week. Most of its due on Wednesday so I figure that if I can survive til then, I'll hopefully have it a little bit easier. I didn't do well on my math test from last week (but according to class average, no one else did either) so that is definitely frustrating. I'm praying to do well on my chem test because for anyone who has taken/is taking chem knows that the grades that come from that class are never good. So I'm trying not to stress yet I can't seem to stop... this whole freshman year has definitely been very stressful. I'm just trying to take it one day at a time to keep me from becoming too overwhelmed.
O and on a side note, as everyone knows, this Saturday is Valentine's Day. Because both me and my boyfriend are college students, we are both broke so I was wondering if anyone had some fun cheap Valentine's Day ideas?

Krispy Kreme please

So the week is looking up and I'm definitely in a better mood because the weekend is so close. Tonight, I went with my suitemates to a mexican dinner at a sorority house. It was nice to bond over some good food in an environment that was not focused on academics. I'm definitely looking forward to Saturday because my best friend is coming to visit from UNCG. We've been best friends since sophomore year in high school and because of our busy schedules, we haven't gotten a chance to hang out since last semester.We are both going to watch and probably take care of some of our friends who are participating in the Krispy Kreme Challenge. Apparently, you have to run two miles to the Krispy Kreme in Raleigh, down a dozen glazed donuts and run back all under 1 hour. So this should be interesting. And ESPN is going to be there. Apparently it's a big deal, some people train all year for it and I think the record is around 30 minutes. I don't know why they would want to film kids getting sick but I guess it's some form of entertainment. But regardless, it should be fun. O the things college kids will do for food...

Cause you had a bad day...

So I hate to be a downer but I have not been in the best mood this week. I guess I'm experiencing the usual freshmen syndrome in which I feel like I don't exactly fit in. Everyone keeps telling me that I just need to make the transition into college but I don't think that's the problem. I was used to college after about the first week of fall semester. I went to all of my classes, studied hard and worked towards getting those credits towards my major. This semester though, the freshmen syndrome has gotten worse. I find myself wondering why I'm taking all these classes that I don't enjoy to receive a major in something that I may never work in. To receive a major in biology (and possibly go to med/vet school), I have to take Physics 1/2, Calculus 1/2, all the chemistrys offerred, a few business classes and way too many labs. And I'm definitely not that great in those areas. I enjoy biology so I want to take biology classes. It's depressing to think about all the other amazing kids working to get into med and vet school; that's major competition. I also find myself going to state more and more over the weeks so I can spend time with my boyfriend and friends. I know it's a UNC sin to go over to state (at least its not duke) but its nice to be among people who know and care about you

Ok so it's Thursday night, the party night at college campuses. I've never understood this, most people have classes on Friday so why would you party the night before? I guess if it works for them. Anyway, while everyone's out clubbing and drinking, I'm in my dorm working on homework and doing some laundry. I learned my lesson the hard way that Sunday evenings is probably the worst possible time to do laundry ever. On Thursdays though, the laundry room is empty so I'm taking advantage of this. I'm not a partier anyway so I'm not missing out on anything. All of my roommates are gone so it's kinda nice to have the room by myself particularly after this week. I have probably averaged about 4 to 5 hours per night this week and I'm definitely experiencing some symptoms that point towards sleep deprivation. Maybe that's why I'm finding this blog so hard to write. I wonder if sleep deprivation really leads to hallucinations? Well before I find out, I think I'll just finish my homework, take a shower and go to bed. Sorry, my blog wasn't that interesting... maybe next time.

Chem Lab

Ok, so I got back from my Chem 102 lab little more than an hour ago. I have taken chem lab before so I kinda knew what to expect and how everything would work. So all of the chem 101 and 102 kids are piled into chapman211 and we are all trying to size up the TA's to see who looks friendly, praying that we get someone nice and that he/she can speak english. Then, as a group, we read all of the lab policies and you can see everyone getting nervous at that point. Because the lab policies basically say that from that point on, you are responsible for everything that goes wrong during or concerning chem lab. Let's say you go to use your beaker next lab and you realize that it has a crack in it. Well, if you missed this little detail during check in, you have to pay for it. If you break something during an experiment, you pay for it. If you don't do your learning device before you enter the lab, you will receive a zero and not be allowed to participate. The most concerning policy is the one that talks about computers. Let me just say that technology pretty much hates me. Well, we have to upload our lab reports so that we can turn them in online. But apparently, you have to make sure that they are in the right format. So even if you turn them in before the due date but they are not in the right format, it will be considered a late lab which automatically comes with a 10 point deduction if you manage to turn in a hard copy to the director before noon the next day. O and they made it clear that they really don't care if your computer crashes...

I know that we have to be responsible during the lab but all of the policies and warnings take all the fun out of lab. We don't get to blow anything up in the first place so lab isn't the most exciting. And to make all the students paranoid isn't helping anything. Labs should be somewhat enjoyable. You would hope you could spend 4 hours on something that it interesting.

Here's something else I found ridiculous this week. My roommate got a zero on her statistics homework. She's been doing really well and she would have done well on this assignment but she apparently committed an academic sin by not stapling her paper though she had her name on both pages. The crazy thing is, they put the grade she would have received at the top in big numbers (which would have been a good grade) and then they put "please staple-- 0." The TA must have been having a REALLY bad day...

Folk Belief

I am doing salt on bee stings... sounds painful to me but my friend stands by it

Inauguration Day

Considering the huge celebration on Franklin Street after Obama was elected president, I was quite surprised that more people were not watching the inauguration. In fact, there were only two people in the study lounge- me and my suitemate. Several people came in but when they saw that the inauguration was on, they left. I don't know, maybe they were more concerned about the snow...

It was nice to have my suitemate with me though. We kept commenting on Obama's face which seemed so solemn. He kept clenching his jaw, maybe realizing the responsibility that he took from ex-president Bush after his oath. He definitely held himself together better than I ever could though, I would be freaking out. Though I did not vote for him, I have to say that he did not let the people down with his speech; he managed to stay his usual charismatic self under all of the watchful eyes and the pressure. I was quite disappointed with the poet's delivery of her poem; she shouldn't have gone after Obama.

I couldn't help but think that I would never trade positions with the president. It is not a glorious job and I would not want to have the responsibility of the country upon my shoulders. Obama has to live up to even more expectations because he has been seen as the savior of the United States. That bothers me. I personally am not looking for a savior, I already have one. As Obama proved by his oath and Bush has proved by his mispronunciations, the president is just a man, not a god and he shouldn't be treated like one. I just want a president who will do his job to the best of his abilities, love his country, take care of his people and to be a good person. I also don't want a celebrity within the White House, a president shouldn't be associated with the Hollywood scene; the celebrities definitely shouldn't be given more influence.

I wish Obama well. What kind of Americans would we be if we wanted our president to mess up so we could stomp him into the ground? The president should have respect whether you are Democratic, Republican or Independent. I also hope George Bush is able to go back to his ranch in Texas and carry out the rest of his life stress free. In my personal opinion, he has been treated horribly over the years and yet, he has still managed to keep a smile on his face... that deserves respect in itself

Leave the drama for the stage

Ok, so I'm not one who likes confrontation and I definitely don't like it when I have to confront someone. I prefer to just ignore the drama or better yet, avoid it all together. So you can imagine that I would rather do anything else than have to confront my roommate. Don't get me wrong, she's nice enough, I can sleep with both of my eyes closed at night but she has no clue about the manners and courtesy of living with another person.

It wasn't that bad last semester. She would party ALOT but she wouldn't bring it back to our dorm. I don't mind if she doesn't come in til 3:30 AM as long as she doesn't wake me up. I don't mind if she sleeps through her classes as long as she lets me get enough sleep at night so I won't miss mine. But this semester... her philosophy has changed. She keeps saying she wants to clean up her life yet she is still coming in at 3:00 in the morning but she is waking me up in the process by turning on all the lights and slamming the door.

But here's the major problem... instead of going out to socialize with her friends, she is bringing them to the dorm. I went home for the three day weekend and she had some friends over (and her boyfriend). They were supposed to be gone by Monday but they ended up staying the night. Well, I came walking in the door monday and the room was not in the best condition. Suitcases and pizza boxes were all over the room and on my bed. My desk had been moved around, my sodas in the fridge had suddenly disappeared and someone obviously slept in my bed. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to in front of her company (they are still here as I'm writing this blog by the way). And I do have an 8:00 class on Tuesdays so I didn't appreciate the movie in the background til about 2:00 in the morning.

I just want some respect, is that too much to ask for? I would definitely appreciate some advice on this one... how do I get that respect without her getting angry and offended?

Since everyone is introducing themselves, I will not break the trend. My name is Bailey Green and I live in Cliffside, North Carolina. I'm sure noone has ever heard of it, it is a small town in the foothills but maybe someone has heard of Shelby. I am 18 years old and I am a freshman. I am thinking about majoring in Biology and becoming either a zoological veterinarian (lions, tigers and bears... o my!) or a doctor in pathology. I have never blogged or read any blogs before so this is definitely a new experience...

Let me just say, I really enjoy three day weekends. It gives me a chance to visit friends and family, sleep and just relax. So this weekend, I went home with some of my friends from N.C. State. It was nice to see my family and to spend some time with my boyfriend (he goes to State and was nice enough to give me a ride). I know it's only been a week into this semester but my family is very important to me and I wanted to see them before our long semester with very few three day weekends. The only problem about going home is that I feel like a visitor. It's weird seeing my room all cleaned and my bed made up. Everyone keeps asking when I have to go back to college. It definitely is strange being a visitor in your own house but I guess it's a sign that we really are growing up...