Take Back the Night

This week has gone by sooo slow, yet the month just flew by. It felt like yesterday that I was marching the streets of Bowling Green yelling and chanting, “1, 2, 3, 4! We won’t take it anymore! 5, 6, 7, 8! No more violence! No more hate!”

Why, do you ask……??? Well, March is sexual assault awareness month and as a community, with the help of Hope Harbor, we broke the silence and stood up against violence. Not only people from around the Bowling Green community, but WKU’s community was there marching the streets, sharing poetry, and speaking up with their own stories. Every March I get a group of girls together from Western to participate with me. This year it was Emily, Regina, and Lauren. The event was a big eye opener.

As the sun went down that evening, candles were passed around and we lit them to remember all those who have been a victim and we sang “This little light of mine”. The stories told were very moving and at times I had to wipe away the tears from my eyes. How could someone put up with that?! IT’S NOT OK!!!! This event was put into place to let other victims know that it’s ok to speak out and tell your story. We as a community are behind you!!!

I originally heard of this event through the Health Education Department and have attended the past three years now. Every year more people attend and GUESS WHAT??? You get free t-shirts!!! You will learn about so many events like these on the bulletin boards in the halls, from your professors, and/or fraternities/sororities. It’s a great way to get involved with the campus and the community!

P.S. I’m sure some of you have heard of the Swine Flu that is making its rounds, so just take the right precautions: cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue and don’t forget WASH YOUR HANDS and no one will think you’re weird if you’re singing the ABC’s to make sure you’re doing it long enough! Haha!!! Have a good one!!!

Ubercoolness

"YOU WON!"
"Huh? Me? Amber? I won something??? But I never win anything."

Yes indeed. Yours truly actually won something. Yay! How often does this happen?!? Like, never. But I did win a World Topper Scholarship last week *insert happy dance here*. It's a scholarship that WKU gives away to assist with the costs of studying abroad. Go me! There are other scholarships that are offered as well for studying abroad. A friend of mine won a full, all-expenses-paid scholarship from the Student Government Association. How cool is that? Go girl!

During my high school summer breaks I studied abroad in Denmark and Japan. Then two years ago, I spent a semester studying in Argentina. And although I'm sure my family is tired of asking me, "Where to next, Amber?" they congratulated me and wished me luck anyway. Maybe you are thinking I should attend a Study Abroadaholics Anonymous meeting? No way, José! Or maybe you are thinking I must be loaded. Again, no way. Scholarships are out there begging for you... apply for them!

Needless to say, I am absolutely THriLLeD and beyond tickled pink to get the opportunity again!!! You can never travel too much and a study abroad experience is worth 100% of the price, I promise you that.

Spain and Morocco: here I come!!!

Once I depart later on this summer, you will certainly continue to hear more about rewards of globe-trotting.

By the way, my celebrations from last weekend were amazing and loads of fun. And I was incredibly danced-out by the end of both nights. Somehow I even managed to make the front page of the university newspaper. At least I've finally learned how to sign a stunning autograph :P

Spring has finally arrived on the hill! The weather has been absolutely fantastic this week and everyone has been taking advantage of it. As I was eating lunch outside yesterday, many other students had found a nice place on the grass to study or to bathe in the sun before class. Some professors have even submitted to their students' requests to take learning outside for the day! Unfortunately, I have not been that lucky yet.

Our campus truly is a sight to see at this time of the year. As I walk to Cherry Hall in the mornings, I pass fully bloomed cherry trees planted to celebrate A Century of Spirit, creative statues, and the Centennial Fountain, located in between FAC and the library. WKU has put so much into making our campus the best in the nation and it really is beautiful. Despite the long walk up the hill, exploring and seeing it for yourself is definitely worth it. Until you can find the time to visit and schedule a tour, enjoy the photos I have taken as I am out-and-about here at Western

It's all about the climb

Do you ever have weeks where you're extremely stressed and have no idea how you'll get through the week? The tests and papers are never ending and everything seems to be due at the same time! Ahhhh!!!!!....can you hear me screaming? There are only two weeks left before finals week and so much to be done. Looking back, it seemed like it just flew by.
I think about all the cool stuff that has happened since January and all I can do is smile. At the beginning of the semester I decided to take a fun class that had nothing to do with my major or minor. I only had three required classes to take before student teaching so, the verdict was sewing. I have completely surprised myself after seeing all the wonderful things I’ve made. I thought I wouldn’t even be able to sew on a button, much less make an apron, a backpack, or 3T size pajamas! I’m working on my final project now and can’t wait to see the finished results.
I have overcome many obstacles and have enjoyed the ride it took me to get there. This past weekend I went to see the Hannah Montana movie with my niece Elizabeth, who just turned six, and Miley Cyrus’ new song “The Climb” described my journey at WKU to a tee! I didn’t know it, but these were moments that were going to be remembered most and it isn’t about how fast it took me to get to this point, but it was the climb.
It’s going to be a good weekend! Have an awesome weekend yourself and enjoy this beautiful weather!!!!!!! Maybe you’ll hear some Miley Cyrus and think of WKU! Haha!!!

Time to Celebrate!!!

So, I made it. A huge challenge was thrown at me this week with the combination of assignments, tests, a presentation, and a paper all due within two days of each other. Thank goodness this week is finally becoming history. Hasta luego, week of "no-sleep-for-Amber"! I made it through the gauntlet!!! Hooray!

To celebrate, there should be lots of fun things to do this weekend. Tonight is International Night and it is an annual event that has grown quite large. There will be lots of food, traditional clothing, dancing, henna tattoos, and many other very cool things from all over the world. The best spectacle of the night will be yours truly—dancing! A group of us will be performing a traditional Nepalese dance. We have had a fabulous time practicing (whenever we were not goofing off). I cannot wait for tonight!

Then, tomorrow night there is a formal event that I need to start getting ready for now since it takes me quite a while to get all “prettied” up ;). Dancing the whole night long, making a meal out of the tiny snacks that will be available, and having my hair a complete mess by the end of a night sounds like my kind of Saturday night.

Please enjoy your weekend as much as I will!

Hey incoming Hilltoppers!!! My name is Lee Ann and I’m from Cloverport, KY or if you go by counties, Breckinridge. Some usually have no idea where that’s at, so I always explain that it’s on the Ohio River and there are more cows than people. Haha! I’m not the only native from that area to attend Western; my cousins Jesse, Jaclyn, Jill, and Anna all attend or have attended here. I originally attended University of Louisville my first year of college and decided to transfer to WKU. Their campus was too big and I felt that I needed to be closer to home. At the time, my mom lived in Glasgow and so I started out at the extended WKU campus there. Two years went by, I arrived at the main campus and was finally home…..

I’m now a senior and have changed my major several times, which will probably happen to you and that’s o.k., from Biology to Health and finally deciding on English and Allied Language Arts in the end. As you can see, I have explored many different areas, but am very excited that I’m going to be a high school English teacher!!! Not only will I be certified in English, but will also be getting my certification in Health Education. This coming fall semester will be my last semester at WKU and I will be student teaching. I’m super excited, but will definitely miss the hill when I leave.

My favorite activity outside of school is dance. I have had many opportunities to coach like at Glasgow High School and currently help Greenwood High School’s dance team, which is cool because their head coach is also Western’s dance coach. This campus has many ways to get involved outside of the community.

There have been so many great experiences here at WKU; like in 2004 I represented Glasgow campus as a Homecoming Candidate! This gave me a chance to meet some other successful, sweet girls, attend many activities on the main campus and meet Big Red, who is my hero. As a student worker in the Admission’s office I have also been able to represent WKU in the roadpiece that is sent out to prospective students like you!

WKU during the spring time is the best! The dogwood and cherry blossom trees come to a close second to the bells that chime throughout the day as my favorite feature of the hill. I find myself humming or actually singing out loud to the tunes that are being played, like the Beatles. This could be a scary thing, but I’m usually not the only one joining in. This was definitely the college for me. I have made wonderful friendships and have memories here that I will take with me forever.

So, sit back and get ready for some exciting tales of “The Adventures of Hilltopper Land”!!!!!

When does Western Kentucky University become more than just a big hill, more than just a college that has accepted one's application? Although future students come to visit and take a tour, spending the day on campus, usually buying his or her first authentic Western t-shirt or hoodie, can they truly begin to call themselves Hilltoppers?

Thinking back to my ATP last March, I remember being so excited to finally have my Big Red ID card, so I could show my friends back home that I was officially a WKU student. I had already signed up for classes and was eagerly awaiting graduation, the final step before I could move onto to something bigger and better. Sure, I was going to be waking up early four out of five days of the week in the fall for Calculus at 8 in the morning, but I was looking forward to it because a GSP (Governor's Scholars Program) friend would be there with me. I was told of the limitless opportunities I would have while at WKU. There were tons of clubs to join, a wide variety of classes to take, and a potential new friend in every direction I looked.

During the drive back home, I realized that I would have to suffer through high school for a few more months, completing a portfolio that would never again be opened, and counting down the final days with my friends. Now do not get me wrong, I was not miserably trudging through my last days as a senior; I enjoyed spending time with people I would probably never talk to until our 10 year reunion, and relishing in the fact that life would never be that easy and stress free. Although I had a super long summer ahead of me - WKU was one of the last colleges to begin in the fall - and I wanted to be there at that instant, I did not feel that sense of belonging that had always been with me in my small hometown. Of course, I felt at home at WKU, but I could not yet call it my home. When would that change? What could possible happen over the summer that could transform me into a "college student"?

I cannot exactly describe the process, let alone find a fitting title for it, but I do know that I am no longer the same person I was when my high school principle shook my hand, smiled, and handed me my diploma. For my story, the drive away from home, leaving my mom, who would soon be crying; my sister, who was indifferent, although glad to no longer share a bathroom; and my stepdad, who would miss me, but didn't like to admit it; subliminally marked a new chapter in my life. Never again could I return to Brandenburg, KY the same person as everyone in the entire town knew. I was ready for the chance to prove to the world, but mainly myself, that I could do just fine on my own.

I asked a few of my friends, who are also in colleges across the state, what they thought had changed them from high schoolers to college kids. Most agreed that returning home for the first time was when it truly sank in; "...and while it sank in that I was really in college when I went home the first time, it came back and smacked me in the face over winter break when all I wanted to do was be back in my room on campus and with my WKU friends." I agree one hundred percent. The six week winter break seemed like an extremely long time away from Bowling Green, the place most of us were now referring to as our "home" in regular conversations. Returning home and spending time with high school friends is also a shock to some. You really notice how much you have grown up and changed when you compare yourself to the group you used to hang out with. Another widely agreed on source of change is freedom. I think one friend said it best when she told me that, "There's something about being entirely independent from your parents and being able to make your own choices 24/7 that makes you a college student. Sure, you can party every night, and it's ok if you're able to maintain your GPA. That doesn't happen in high school."

As you get closer to saying good bye to high school and hello to college life, know that the change does not happen over night. You will not wake up and magically be transformed the first time you sleep in your dorm room bed. Growing up takes time and living on the Hill is the perfect place to do just that.

The Guantlet Week

Welcome back:) I hope everyone who celebrates Easter did so with bottomless stomachs and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I did and I am still craving the yummy leftovers I will relish tonight.

My first conversation of the day:

Mr. Alarm Clock: (unnecessarily shouting) Rise and shine, princess! Today is your day!

Me: Are you seriously shouting at me already, Mr. Alarm Clock? Leave me alone for just a few more minutes [by the way, do not mind me; I have a tendency to bring inanimate objects to life]

Mr. Alarm Clock: Well yeah, you have a full day ahead of you, so please make me stop shouting at you before I overheat.

Me: (A gigantic pillow magically appears to knock me quite forcefully out of the bed) Oooooouuuch!!!! Augh. Whatever.

Well, needless to say, this week appears to have a gazillion challenges set-up already. Two tests, one presentation, and one paper due by midweek will have me studying like crazy and eating, drinking, and surviving in the library. I will almost enjoy the challenge, but that is a definite "almost". On top of that, my team has a soccer game to play tonight, there is a musical performance, an advisor meeting and some other huge application deadlines coming up this week. This week is definitely fully loaded.

If it had been any earlier in my college career, I may not have been able to successfully handle the workload, but that is why all of the "old veterans" always stress the process of a positive adjustment to college. It is highly advisable to develop great study skills within your first semester because from then on you will not freak out as you are learning how to stay caught up in your classes. One of the advantageous courses that freshmen are required to take is the University Experience class. Those classes get you prepared to tackle all of those unexpected things you may face once you begin college. You will learn about being proactive with your time, using library resources, various student organizations, influential community involvement, enhancing college-level cognitive skills, balancing your social life as well as general advice for academic success.

Also, if you ever need extra help beyond the University Experience course, there are always additional programs set up specifically to help you succeed in and beyond college. And should you ever be pleading for even more challenges, do not worry because those are certainly available as well in the form of one-on-one research with professors and other scholarly development projects.

After taking advantage of the college success programs, you will be able knock out those weeks that are entirely out of sync with your zen equilibrium. You and those toughspots will be great buddies once you reach your junior year. Like me, you might even begin to have fun with the challenge of completing the seemingly-impossible.

Please, cheer me on as I tug myself through this gauntlet of a week!

To Facebook or not to Facebook - a post by Jennifer H.

Hello again!

Hopefully by now many of you have already visited Western’s campus and attended an ATP (Academic Transitions Program) to get one step closer to actually being a “college student” this fall. How exciting – your high school days are numbered! I am sure there is already a Facebook group dedicated to the incoming class of 2013. As someone who eagerly anticipated college and getting to know people I would be going to school with, I too joined groups like “Western Kentucky University Honors College Students,” “I’m a Western Kentucky University Freshmen of ’08,” “The Official WKU Class of ’12,” “Minton Hall ’08!” and “I Survived the Minton Lobby “Flood” of 2008.” Yes, I just listed five different social groups on Facebook that I am currently a member of. Silly? Maybe. Pointless? Maybe not.

Joining groups such as these and talking to new people, sharing majors and the decision to rush (to be Greek) or to stay independent, or possibly getting to know your future roommate are all perfectly fine ways to spend your time. You are becoming an adult, and how much or how little you tell others is your choice. I just want to pass down some advice because not too long ago I was in your shoes. Know this: not everyone you talk to on Facebook is who he or she appears to be in real life. Getting to know someone online can be much different than getting to know him or her in person, so sharing every little detail about yourself may not be the smartest decision. Also remember that about 20,000 students go to WKU, so you might not even meet half of these people.

Your days here on the lovely hill of WKU will be some of the best of your life. You will make friends for a lifetime, develop some nice calf muscles (unless you take the Big Red Shuttle every day), and learn more than just inside the classroom. But I will save the life lessons for another time. :) Until next time, have a great spring break!

From the fifth corner of the room

Well hello again!

My imagination goes to the fifth corner of a square room sometimes, so please bear with me now as I reveal a secret passion of mine, okay?

There is something that I absolutely love in life more than my clothes, more than a good movie, more than my phone, more than a Beyoncé concert, more than my new laptop, more than my I-Pod (ahem… clarification on the assumption of “spoiled-ness”: the last two were unexpected gifts from loved-ones which I greatly appreciated). If you were to put my “true love” in front of me, I would turn down all of the above. It is simple. My true love in life is really good food. Seriously, I am not joking. My friends can attest to this true love of mine. I mean, some foods are original, yet others are so complex. The options never end. It is always evolving and its flavors constantly intensifying.

Food reminds me of the majors available at Western Kentucky University. If you want something sweet perhaps you can go for half a dozen donuts dunked in child studies. Maybe you want to opt for something a little more challenging; hence you would go for a plate of crab legs served with a side of physics. Or maybe you like fancy desserts like six-tiered wedding cakes. In that case you might go for a slice of art. Maybe you prefer something a little more controversial; thus you might want to go for the bag of chocolate covered grasshoppers double-dipped in political science and religious studies. Perhaps you enjoy metropolitan cuisine which might inspire you to choose the new popular culture studies sushi roll this time. Perchance you can handle spicy foods and you are longing to order the habanera sauce poured over Spanish and Latin American studies. Or perhaps you would rather have something that is a bit more of an American staple food and in that case you cannot go wrong with mashed potatoes and a large spoonful of History flavored gravy. You possibly have a deep connection with Southern cuisine and cannot part with your grits sprinkled with anthropology and folklore. If a diet has you in the mood to eat healthy, then maybe the salad with pecan-crusted chicken would go well with the Nursing dressing. Maybe you are a part of that new organic food trend and opt for the hummus and plate of chemistry or agriculture. Perhaps a black-tie event encourages you to decide on something a bit more formal like caviar served over a bed of business. If you are a true chef, then maybe you want to create your own flavors to invent a new major dish. And maybe you are starved and cannot limit your options and just want it all. In that case, the buffet allows you to choose up to three majors to fit on your dinner plate.

No matter which food you pick to appease your appetite of the day, you cannot go wrong because it all tastes good if prepared correctly. Just as any food requires a great chef to be prepared correctly, so too does any student. Students require great chefs in the form of professors who are knowledgeable about whichever flavor may be their specialty. From personal experience, I have benefitted tremendously from the great “chefs” we have here at WKU. So do not be afraid to appease the appetite of your life because it is always fun to mix things up a bit. Go on and go for that fried catfish although you just ate spaghetti and meatballs (kind of like an architectural sciences and dietetics double major). You are unique, so make it personal and perfect for your own interests, desires and long-term appetite. Whichever food you choose it should satisfy your craving and give you the pleasure of eating the best (*insert your favorite food here*) you have ever put in your mouth. At WKU, you can order the major that is just right for you and there will be an advisor who is helping you out all along the way. I have benefited from the large menu available to us students and hope that your taste buds will help you decide which major you would like to order as well.

I am a little hungry now so I will see you all later!

By the way, wish my intramural soccer team good luck as we play in the semi-finals! All of us were surprised that we made it this far!