My second semester ^-^

It's only the first week and so much is happening.

My classes are shaping up to be pretty awesome. I don't think I have ever been this excited about a college semester. I've got a Spanish class that I'm a little concerned about, but I should do fine; I got a free Spanish app on my Kindle fire that is really helping. My intro to student ministry class is going to be awesome because I have required field trips. I'm thinking "Sweet! you don't have to tell me twice." One teacher might start to think I'm stalking him because on Thursdays I only have three classes but they are all with him.

One really cool thing is that the library at Geneva got a brand new scanner that can scan documents...or *cough* drawings *cough* and then send them to your e-mail or save them to a USB stick. A librarian walked me through the entire process, and then told me that I was the first student to use it. Then I went back to scan another picture (both of which I will be posting) and someone started watching me use the scanner. I guess I was the guinea pig. Either way I am ecstatic that I know it's there and how to use it, this scanner makes working on drawings so much easier.


Speaking of which, here are a couple of them. 

Sadly the need for money is coming up and slapping me in the face. I won't bore you with the details but I Got a job on campus, in the cafeteria. To top it all off a couple weeks before I left for college my laptop gave the blue screen of death, once or twice, and then one of my roomies found a site called "Find the invisible cow" .com. But for some reason it wouldn't work for me so I had a friend of mine who's in the I.T. department look at it. He just so happen to be in the room and told me to turn on my computer. My computer was taking longer than it normally does to boot up, and my friend told me that this concerns him and that I should back everything up start looking for a new one. I purchased an external hard drive, and the search has begun. I'm looking into an Asus, One of my roommates friends (who works in the I.T. department) recommended it. Maybe if I ask my parents really nicely they'll help me pay for one, or maybe I can get one for my birthday I wish I wish with all my heart. 

I also went on an adventure with a few good friends. We went to this place called Buttermilk falls. I didn't get a picture of the falls but I got some other cool pics.

an old inn

The sun is setting

Perfect end to a great day

 

Paranoid, but adventurous

Spring break was last week and I was able to get a ride from a good friend. It was sooooo good to see my family again. We went to an Asian restaurant and I enjoyed being home. But now I’m at school again, and I’m glad. I’ve made some good friends here and I missed them. The semester is a little more than half over and Geneva won’t let you forget. They are already having students meet with their adviser to pick their next classes for next semester.

I also went back to College Hill Station. Though it will probably be the last time I go. One, I don’t know how allowed I am to be there. Two, It is in really bad shape. Tis abandoned after all. It’s really sad to see it just sitting there though. When I go in I can almost hear, the train whistle, “ALL ABOARD!” The hustle and bustle of passengers, there was even one room that had desks in it…*Brrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing* “College hill Station…how can I help you?” The *tak-tak* of type writers, I almost expect the building to bring itself back to life right before my eyes. To jerk its floor boards back into place. It’s paint to spread and grow more vibrant. To feel the floor boards above me move with the weight of employees. To have time recede and reveal once was.

On a more serious note, when I was going through middle school and high school, each week was fast paced but remained the same. Yes things would change slightly as in life, but things seemed to stay for the most part consistent.  But ever since last summer, it feels like my life has suddenly jerked itself into motion. I’m moving forward fast, and I can’t slow down. Even when I went home, the normal I once knew was gone. Or, maybe it’s the other way around. I am no longer who I was, God is transforming me, and I can’t go back to who I used to be, I am a different person.  Kind of like the end of “The Lord of the Rings.” Frodo and his friends are sitting down for a drink while the rest of the room is buzzing with excitement over a big pumpkin. Like them, I am no longer the same; I’m becoming who I’m supposed to be.

Onslaught

yes this is an over due post but when classes have begun to speed up, and give a steady stream of assignments and lectures; I kind of put my blog on the back burner.

With that, get ready, for the onslaught of font you are about to be bombarded with. First up I finally got my first humanities paper back, and I got an A. The relief I felt was palpable. I was not sure how I was going to do. However that was about a week or two ago and now my next paper on love is due by the end of this week. The teacher is trying to take advantage of the time we have before break and squeeze every last drop of creativity out of us. That last part was my words not his (my teachers). I also had my first ethics test. I was really nervous about that because I didn't feel like I was really grasping the material.

I think I previously mentioned my ethics class, so I won't beat that horse any longer. But I still need to vent, so, here goes. I know I "Accepted the Challenge" but I didn't think I would be dumped in the deep end. I have had to spend extra time looking for web sites that start at the bottom and teach the basics of Philosophy. I like how the site phrases it. "A huge subject broken down into manageable chunks" Click if you are interested. It really does do a good job of explaining things; I was able to do some catch up with the class. We recently had our first test in ethics. It was and open book test so yea, but I was such a nervous wreck about how I did. I actually did better than I thought I did, I got a C. Which I think is pretty good considering how new I am to the subject. But becasue I am paying for my own schooling this time around I pushed myself to do the extra credit response paper that would bump my C grade up to a B.


What follows is a technology rant...

I get so irritated with technology sometimes! I was using DA Muro while I was listening to the Bible on Bible gateway.com and I was doing well. I was just drawing a face from a dramatic angle, but I guess my computer couldn’t handle both listening to Bible gateway and drawing at the same time. The slow script warning was coming up more frequently so I figured I should probably save. So I start saving and before DA muro can finish saving the script crashes. It’s like my drawing never existed! Then the next day while I’m writing this, I finally had something good to submit, and had submitted. However when I went to delete a post that wasn’t going anywhere, ever, blog spot decided to change the order of posts so I unintentionally deleted what I had just finished meticulously writing. GAAAAAAAH!

Valentines Day

This was a hard entree to write, soo much has been happening. "IN THIS CORNER, WEIGHING IN AT A WHOPPING VALENTINE CARD WEIGHT!" Bipolar Valentines Day. "AND IN THIS CORNER! THE HEAVY SET. FIRST 3 PAGE ESSAY IN HUMANITIES!" Who Will come out on top?

The hardest part for me was not that it was valentines day and I'm single. I don't care if I'm single or not I'd rather bring smiles to the faces of the people I care about. I also think couples can be really sweet. Just don't rub it in my face! No the hardest part was here I am listening to The Last Battle By C.S. Lewis and there was a part where that reminded me of a story that my dad told me when I was really young. He even made a CD of the story and gave it to me for Christmas one year. It plucked a homesick heart string, and I had the hardest time not crying. It was one of those moments, you just don't see coming! And you can't tell anybody unless they are really close to you, because it is extremely personal. 

A few random bits:

• I have never this many classes before, so planning what homework is going to get done and when is a little difficult. I think I'm starting to get it figured out though.
• Sadly the Bible is becoming a text book I use for almost all my classes. At the end of the day my laziness kicks in and I really don't want to open up my Bible again.
• On the bright side I'm learning new things about the Bible every day and to me, that is extremely exciting.

Gather round as I spin a yarn

Some of the required reading for my classes is difficult for me to get through, with my attention span. I start reading a paragraph only to find that I have zoned out and have to reread the last paragraph. So I have been scouring the Internet for free audio books. It is not easy, every one I have looked up is either free to sign up for a free trial, or they are free but don't have the book your looking for. I have to read "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" Oh what fun it is to read about Ivan Denisovich tonight!

Speaking of stories I've got one of my own.

There are some days when I just need to get out and explore, I've been asked around to see if there are any hiking or biking areas within walking distance. I found out that I could follow some train tracks that were right next to the college and find a bike trail. So I find out that you have to go down this hill to the schools rugby field. Cut diagonally across that and there will be this path to the tracks. Follow those and you'll find a bike trail. Sounds easy enough.

WHEN IT'S NOT WINTERING OUT! 

Well this "hill" is more like a slope. With packed down snow, it was clear that someone was using it to snow board down because about half way down I saw one of those skateboard ramps and a snow board left near it.

The "Hill"

 OK first challenge conquered. Next the Rugby field. Not to difficult.

The Rugby Field

 Now where is that path? Oh here it is.

 

Doing good so far found the path and the train tracks.

I think I'll follow these for a while.

 

Oh look a train!

Wait, what's this?

 

An abandoned train station?! COOL!

Reminds me of the one back in CT but I am always driving past it and never think to look inside. 

I think I'll poke around.

Guess I'm not going to the bike trail ^-^

 To those who know me well this will come as no surprise, but I was drawn to this like a mosquito to a bug lamp; just without the electrifying conclusion. 

Fair warning:

There were cans of spray paint around and it was evident that people had been using them. I apologize if anyone finds anything offensive. I was exploring and not really paying much attention to what was written/depicted.

Now I was a little leery to enter because of the decrepit state, and the drops in the floor. 

As evident: Here 

 

And here

 

These are some cool shots!

 

I did not feel brave enough at the time to go in because the wood floor had some holes in it. I had on a backpack and some heavy boots, I may be a light person but I did not feel lucky. 

Perhaps I might go in on day when I'm feeling a little more bold, and it's a little warmer.

Well...thoughts racing I went back to school and looked up what I had found. 

Here's what I found. 

College Hill Station

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

College Hill
College Hill Station
Station statistics
Platforms	2
Tracks	1
Other information
Opened	1910

The College Hill Station is a former train station located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, USA. The structure was designed by architect Joseph Ladd Neal and built by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad to help transport goods and passengers in and out of the neighborhood of College Hill in Beaver Falls. Downtown Beaver Falls once had a passenger station of its own, but it has since been demolished, along with the freight station in 2007.

History

The College Hill Station was constructed in 1910 by "The Little Giant", and was mostly used by Geneva College students and community members of College Hill. Between the 1950s and 1980s, many railroad stations in Western Pennsylvania, and across the United States began shutting down. Unlike many stations in the area, College Hill did not close down and survived well into the 1980s. During this time, the P&LE ran a commuter train between Beaver Falls and Pittsburgh with the College Hill station located at the north terminus. On July 12, 1985, the P&LE made its last commuter run, making College Hill the last station to be used by passengers on the railroad. This would also be the final passenger train for the station. By 1993, the P&LE was bought by CSX Transportation, and the station was abandoned.

Current status

The station building is still standing as of 2012, but is slowly deteriorating after being closed for more than twenty years. It is also located at the bottom of a large embankment along the Beaver River near the Eastvale Bridge. Because of its locale, the station can easily be missed. Many students at Geneva College are unaware that the station even exists. As of 2012, there are no plans to restore the structure.

The End?

Wait...I needed a Bible for this?

Rhythms have begun to emerge. I am discovering the personalities and tendencies of the various teachers. Enjoying my various classes.

Highlights:
Was a part of a group exegesis. This is the first time I've ever opened a Bible commentary, not a big deal to everyone else, but pretty epic to me. 

It's strange though, I haven't opened my Bible once. Yeah, uh nope! If any readers of this blog are going to a christian college, I can't stress this enough. Invest in a Bible. Hardcover, study, red text, shows Jesus dancing on the cover. Seriously if you can get your hands on that 5 ton whopper Bible that sits at the front of any church sanctuary, get it! I don't care if picking up said Bible off the table releases a trigger and lets loose an Indiana Jones sized boulder. Invest in a Bible!


Findings:
White noise, pink noise, brown noise http://simplynoise.com/
Spotify on facebook. Yeah I heard of it before but never actually used it until youtube started being rebellious.

Whoa who put that snow there!

So here I was all ready to complain about the weather, when a verse sent to me from a friend in WI came to mind. It goes like this

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
    he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’So that everyone he has made may know his work,
    he stops all people from their labor.^[a]The animals take cover;
    they remain in their dens.The tempest comes out from its chamber,
    the cold from the driving winds.The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.He loads the clouds with moisture;
    he scatters his lightning through them.At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.He brings the clouds to punish people,
    or to water his earth and show his love.

Job 37:5-13

This verse might not get me out of hibernation, but it definitely makes me see the snow through different eyes.

Highlights of the week include but are not limited to:

• Making a couple new friends outside of the group I transferred in with.
• Seeing a movie call "Life is Beautiful" (loved it)
• Going to Applebee's with buddies to celebrate a couple B-day's. I'm really glad we did that cause I really wanted to get off campus. Anyone from CFS will understand, there is a point where you need to leave camp or campus and do something.
• Got my first package from home YEA! It smelled just like I dreamed it would! 

What will next week bring?

The First Week

What a week. Geneva is not like a community college. The professors are much more friendly, the food is a lot better, and there's more to do on campus. In fact I can't really compare them. This is stating the obvious I know, but PA is not CT. It may just be the time of year, but it's either raining snowing or a combination of the two. I haven't even seen the sun in DAYS! I know it's there! I know it is! I'm really close to going outside and singing:

Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me.

But mini rant aside. Classes have only just started so I can't really spin a yarn about them yet. The only really unfortunate part is that I don't know my way around yet. I only know of a few places to go. I kind of have to invite myself on different outings with people and learn the lay of the land. This is going to be harder than I thought. PA is a bunch of small towns literally jammed together, it can get kind of disorientating. I might need a map.

Orientation weekend

Well the weekend before school started was awesome. Geneva really makes sure that all new arrivals get to know each other. Which is really awesome because when I was going to Manchester Community College. I felt like I was just another student to them. Geneva on the other hand really wants to get to know you and help you succeed.

Things we did for orientation included:
eating Homemade pies
Hibachi dinner
Bowling
Games to get to know everyone.

Generally just hanging out with the new arrivals so you know somebody before your first day. Gotta say It's really nice to see some familiar faces around campus.

I'll try to start getting pictures up.

Before I Leave

Well the living room is in total shambles right now. My mom and I are making sure that cloths, shoes, and laundry detergent are being packed, shifted, then repacked. I don't know if everything will fit in the car @-@ Mom is working from home today in an effort to help me pack. I've already heard her talking about my leaving while she's on conference calls. I can't help but laugh. She's more excited about this than I thought.

On a slightly more serious note. I may have done all the paper work and received all the letters. But I don't think it's dawned on me that I'm leaving yet.  I mean I'm not nervous at all.  My hearts not pounding. My mind isn't racing, and I'm not worried. All that might set in when I actually get there but then again. I trust God. I know I don't have to worry because He has had this all planned out from the beginning.

Zip-Lock Fresh

Wow! Everything is happening so fast. After doing so much research and paperwork; the drive to Geneva is creeping up fast. I should really start packing. The only thing I have left to get...is my schedule. I come from a community college background where the student picks all their classes; so this is new to me.