German Society Banquet

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Gini

Hi again! Saturday, November 3^rd, was Homecoming and we had an amazing amount of people there, unfortunately I could not stay for the whole game because I went to a banquet for my German class. It was an award banquet for Michael J. Ruck, Sr. of Ruck Funeral Homes and the award was from the German Society of Maryland. The banquet was held at the Zion Church in Baltimore City, which is a very old, beautiful church. They are a Lutheran Christian church and actually have services in German.

There were many different foods they served for dinner during the banquet too and the main dishes were amazing. I got beef roulade, spätzle (fancy German noodles), and red cabbage, which filled the plate to the brim. They served salad and bread before the meal and after they gave each person a dessert dish with three different kinds of desserts. There was so much food and the desserts were delicious. We ended up asking for boxes or something to wrap the dessert in and they gave us tin foil. It was a very nice banquet and I think we didn’t get back until ten at night. There were many different speakers, but because there were some who didn’t speak German, no one really spoke in German.

Before that I went to the Homecoming and sat with one of my friends on a blanket next to the stadium. At one point, we got up to venture around and visit some of our friends. Thankfully, Academic Hall was close enough that if we had to go to the bathroom and didn’t want to use the port o’ pots, we didn’t have to. This week was really a busy week for me and I apologize for not staying up to date. Thank you once again for reading!

De-Stressing

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Gini

Happy Halloween! I know it’s a day after, but still it was fun. So, first of all, I hope most of you were safe during the Hurricane that hit and that your families are well and safe. I know there was a lot of damage, but thankfully there weren’t many people killed or injured from this storm. We were very lucky. I was actually supposed to be back before the storm, but my cat had an emergency and we had to take him to a Pet ER. Unfortunately, we were staying at my new house and we had no internet or cable, which explains my lack of blog posts this weekend. Thankfully, we had a radio that we kept on during the storm.

Now that we are passed the middle for this semester, many people are struggling with stress from classes. This is part of college, but there are ways in which people can de-stress that are really helpful. I know many people that have done these things to de-stress, including me.

Ways to De-Stress:

Exercise- This may just sounds like extra work and stress, but exercise is a really great way to release a lot of stress and work it off. It also helps to produce chemicals within your body that are great for providing energy. So, if you’re feeling lethargic and have no energy, it may help to walk to the gym and get a little workout. Exercise is often recommended when people feel a lack of energy and also for those who may have depression as well. It is definitely also helpful when you may feel angry or frustrated and I know many people, including myself, who use exercise in that way.

Drawing (or Artwork)- This may not be great for people who aren’t that artsy, but for those who are this may be helpful. I know some who say that they would not draw, just because they think they are not good at it, but if you just enjoy drawing for the fun of it, you don’t have to be good. It’s definitely a good way to distract yourself if your need distracting. Another variation of this could be coloring in a coloring book, which I know a lot of college students who do this and I just so happen to have a Spiderman coloring book for this reason. It does not matter if you are good at drawing or not, but it does matter if it makes you feel better and distract you from stressful thinking.

Writing- This is probably my personal favorite because I usually de-stress by writing poetry. Of course, it does not have to be poetry and nobody has to see it. Many people use journals for just this reason. It’s definitely a good way to write out how exactly you’re feeling about situations in your life. The most important thing to remember is that whatever you do does not have to be perfect because whatever way you de-stress is for you and only you, even exercise. Sometimes I just let the words flow into my head and write them down.

Listening to Music- This is another of my favorites. If you feel angry, sad, stressed out, or happy, there is always a song for it. Although I would recommend listening to happy songs after the sad ones because the sad songs can just make those feelings worse. I usually listen to metal if I’m angry and it definitely helps me let it out during the song and then calm down when the song ends. You do not have to be able to create music or even sing, which I know I can’t sing, but I still do.

So, here are some ways to de-stress and if you did not find anything that fits you and then there are always other things that you can do as well. I hope this helps and thank you for reading!

Fall Conference with Intervarsity

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Gini

Hello again! This past weekend, as I said, I went on the trip with Intervarsity to Fall Conference. It’s just a weekend event that was held at River Valley Ranch, which is about half an hour from here, and there were a lot of different activities. If you are interested in Intervarsity or maybe you are not completely sure about it, this weekend was a lot of fun and it definitely made me feel more a part of this group than before. Honestly, I would recommend giving Intervarsity the chance and becoming at least a part of it, if you are Christian. It is nondenominational, so you do not have to worry about being Episcopalian, Catholic, or any other denomination (because really, there is a heck of a lot).

During the weekend, we did have a schedule, but don’t let that discourage you! There is free time and there was a lot on Saturday. We did have early mornings, but thankfully we left around 12:00, so there was time on Sunday for a nap and doing homework. Basically, Friday we settled in to our campsite and had dinner after we arrived. Then we had worship, which is with music, and a speaker session. This year Michael Koh was the speaker and he discussed a lot about faith and how it can heal lives. That was followed by campus time, which we spent playing the game “Never have I ever” with a circle of chairs. Someone stands in the middle and says something that they have never done and if you have done it, then you have to run for another chair, but if you don’t get a seat, you get to stand in the middle and say something that you have never done. It was a lot of fun. Then we had free time, which people could spend in the gym, playing soccer or basketball, or playing different games, especially card games. I ended up playing soccer, until someone was injured and then we played the card game “Drug Dealer,” which I have to admit is one of the funniest and most awkward games I have ever played. The next day was breakfast, a speaker session, worship, lunch, free time (I went with my friends to a corn maize, which was a lot of fun) , and seminars (they had five choices for which seminar to attend). Then Sunday was a little depressing because most of us had so much fun there that we didn’t want to leave and go back to our homework.

So, this past weekend was a lot of fun because I went on that trip. If you ever consider going to Fall Conference, I would recommend going. They do offer scholarships if it is unaffordable, but it is a little over a hundred dollars. I was able to get a scholarship to go, thankfully. Thank you for reading once again!

Midterm Grades Arrive

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Gini

Hi! So I received my midterm grades, which people can check via archway (the main website for registering for classes, checking for requirements, and checking grades). The school does send emails to students when midterm grades have been posted and they will also email that you should talk to your advisor and parents about your grades, especially if you have concerns. Some professors will post individual grades on blackboard occasionally, so if you want to check specific grades or check the grade before it gets posted on archway, you can do that. Some professors do not post them and if you are concerned, then you should speak with that professor. I made plans to have dinner with my parents last night and I talked to them about not just my grades, but about how school was progressing. It helps to talk to your parents sometimes when you get stressed out, plus a nice dinner at Baugher’s! I think I’ve eaten there three times this week. It’s definitely worth it, despites my attempts at dieting.

This weekend I’m going to Fall Conference with Intervarsity and I’ll probably write some about that. Then the weekend after is the weekend I’m finally moving into the new. The weekend after that, I’ll actually get to stay on campus! I’m really excited to just have time during the weekend on campus. I miss my roommate, although I’m not sure how much she misses me.

The week has been a sleep deprivation week for me, but I’m not one of those people that can pull all-nighters. I personally feel, as a psychology major, that all-nighters are really unhealthy. Sometimes you do need to do them, but if you can learn how to manage your time, which is really valuable in college in general, then you’ll be fine. It throws off a person’s sleep schedule and deprives them of something that their body needs. Education is important in college, but people should not be pushing themselves to extreme. It is a common thing for college students, but that makes it sound like it is okay and a perfectly normal to do, which is not good. This is something I feel strongly about because you see students drained of energy, which does not make college seem like a good choice to people. The movie Accepted draws on this idea of students straining themselves to be perfect, but perfection does not exist even though the school expects it of them. The movie is a comedy, but it does emphasize the fact that not everyone is the same and college should not be so unhealthy.

Thank you for reading again!

German-American Day!

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Gini

Hello again! So today was German-American Day at McDaniel College and I got back yesterday to help with sorting through t-shirts and preparing for the flood of high school and middle school students. Basically, we invite a bunch of different high schools and middle schools to McDaniel’s campus so that they can learn about German culture. I was one of the assistants for the German Music presentation that our house director, Sa Rah, was the presenter for. This was the largest amount of students we have had here for German-American Day. The assistants had to guide the students to their presentation and then after that to Glar, our cafeteria. Unfortunately, there were so many students that we, the other assistant, Sa Rah, and I decided to go to the Pub. After that, the students went to the Baker Memorial Chapel to see the band Artig. We had posters available for the students to buy and many of the students really seemed to enjoy the band. The nice thing about this event is that it not only offers information to these students about German culture, but it also shows them McDaniel’s campus and allows them to get to know the German Department at the college. It’s been a long day, but very productive.

This weekend I mostly packed up the rest of my things for moving because the next weekend, not this weekend, but the one after, will be the weekend we are moving in. This week will be pretty busy because I have a test tomorrow and then a test Thursday. The best part of having my parents come visit on the weekends is definitely having Baugher’s for dinner. Their desserts are amazing and so are their Reuben sandwiches.

Thankfully, we have cable TV on campus and this weekend I got to see the season premiere for the Walking Dead. I was so excited and I honestly was not disappointed. I do like the comics better, but the TV show is really worth watching if you’re into survivalist and zombie sorts of movies. Thank you for reading once again!

Midterms and then Fall Break!

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Gini

Hello! So this week is the actual week for most midterms and unfortunately I have one tomorrow night for my three hour class. Thankfully, I talked to one and the other girls in my class and we’re going to study tomorrow morning. This weekend is also fall break and we get Monday and Tuesday off! If only I could actually enjoy them. The German program here hosts German-American Day on Tuesday for Middle and high schools students in Maryland (I’m not sure how far they actually are from Westminster). So I get to assist and help out with that. It’s kind of a relief to have one day at least to be at school resting (Monday). Since I have spent every weekend at home lately, I’m kind of sick of going home. I do have to go home for at least this weekend if I can get a scholarship to go to Fall Conference with Intervarsity. Everyone has said really good things about Fall Conference, so it’ll be really cool if I can go. Unfortunately, our monetary situation is a mess, so we have to be careful and Fall Conference does cost money. Thankfully they do have scholarship available for Fall Conference and also for Urbana, which is an event held every three years by Intervarsity and they have seminars and things like that.

My pigeon has been doing really well in our lab class and has shown (according to the tables we enter the data into) an increase in learning. It’ll be interesting to write up our lab reports, but it’ll also be a hefty graded assignment at the end of this semester.

So I actually deactivated my Facebook account not too long ago, but the problem is that I keep finding new ways to procrastinate. Thankfully, it has helped alleviate some social stress, which is difficult to handle when I’ve been this busy. I do think sophomore year is definitely the year when you realize that you have to mature a bit (at least I do, but I know some who haven’t realized this) and some people may become better friends, while others have been at a distance. I do think college is where people develop their person and improve as well. I’ve already said that, but it can apply to people not even in college and maybe in a different kind of situation where they learn how to mature.

I never watched TV last year because I considered it such a distraction and neither me nor my roommate really felt the need for one, but I find myself watching “Family Guy” almost every night. It is definitely nice to have some technology other than my laptop. I feel like I’m on my computer constantly, typing up papers, homework, or just surfing some random website.

Also, I have elected not to be in the belly dancing performances because I just do not have the time to put into it this semester. I may next semester, but I’m also a little shy about belly dancing in front of a bunch of people. Thank you for reading again! I’ll definitely write about German-American Day next week.

Midterms and All that Jazz

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Gini

Hello again! This weekend I went home, but I would have preferred to stay on campus just because of the amount of homework I have to get done on Sunday. On Friday, I went to visit family in Philadelphia and on Saturday, all day, I went to a Maryland (College Park) football game. Now, don’t misunderstand, I full heartedly support our McDaniel Football team and actually wore a McDaniel shirt under my hoodie, but going to the homecoming game at Maryland is a tradition for us for three years. I ate so much food! I will be going to the gym a lot when I get back. Today is also a Ravens’ game and I thinker there is an Orioles’ game too.

So the week coming up is Midterm week, for most students (some professors assign midterms the week before and maybe the week after). I have a midterm Thursday night for my Mediterranean Traditions class and thankfully our professor gave us a Study Guide. When a professor gives you a study guide, you should definitely make sure that you study everything on it. They are the most useful things that a professor can give you for a test. I usually will write down the answers or details on notebook paper and then transfer it onto a word document, which helps to solidify the information twice. Then I will print the word document and study that and try to recite the information without the help of the answer sheet. I know I already probably mentioned this, but I thought it might be good to bring it up again because it is not only useful with any test, but it is really helpful for the midterm and final exams.

I did say that I was going to try to be involved in ACC, but unfortunately most of their meetings are on Friday nights when I go home. I do not plan on going home this often after we move, but I do go home for family and other traditions that we have. I told my parents already that I’m going to stay at school for the next weekend and spend most of my time in the library doing homework. I had this idea at the beginning of the semester to get all my homework done for the week on the weekend so I wouldn’t have to worry about it during the week, but then life happened and that didn’t really work out. It’s nice to idealize, but sometimes you have to work out a new plan when things happen.

This week, I will also be attending a lecture for a German speaker at John’s Hopkins University on Thursday, depending on whether or not we can find someone with a car. I can’t drive yet, but I don’t really feel a huge need to get one because I’ve ridden buses and the light rail when I was in high school. I also think walking is healthy, so I don’t mind walking to Safeway or Baugher’s or Heinz Bakery. Anyways, I will definitely be writing about that later in the week and I hope you enjoyed this post!

Pigeons are Silly

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Gini

Hello! This week has been just as busy as the last, but I do feel productive. I was not planning on going home this weekend, but my great-aunt passed away Saturday morning. I’ll be leaving Thursday after my 7 to 10pm class, and then driving up to Philadelphia to see my family. Sometimes things happen during the school year that you can’t control and you have to deal with them the best you can. If you don’t think you can complete an assignment or assignments, or you don’t think you’ll be able to make it to class, then notify your professor for that class as soon as possible, so that they can understand and work with you to get the assignment or assignments completed.

So today in my animal lab I had to take care of the pigeon that the other person had during my lab hour. That pigeon was really aggressive and kept trying to bite me through really thick gloves. It really made me appreciate how gentle my pigeon is, despite the fact that he hates going in the pitcher (which we use to weigh them). It took longer than usual, but the person who had this pigeon had pinched a nerve in her back and her partner could not make it. As strange as it was, I felt awkward being alone with the pigeons, so I talked to them. Don’t worry, they didn’t respond. I have three dogs and a cat at home and I’m used to talking to them and my family took care of a small baby for a while, who couldn’t talk.

I found out yesterday how helpful it is having a German student living in our apartment when I asked her if she could review my essay for German and explain her corrections to me. I get very intimidated with native or fluent speakers, so it took me a while to actually ask her for help.

I know I am constantly talking about doing homework, but that’s not all I have done this week. I did go to a sophomore girls’ Bible study and everyone there was super nice. We made collages using old magazines and made it relate to the lines that we had discussed from the Bible. McDaniel has a lot of activities for Christian students to get involved in, but there is also a Jewish Club. There are also classes for learning about other religions, like Buddhism, which I took last semester and I found it really interesting. Honestly, last year I wasn’t involved in really any clubs, including the German club. I took the time to put into my assignments and now this year, I hope to be more involved and just as hardworking with my assignments. A good goal to keep here is to constantly improve. Despite it being difficult, you can always improve. Anyways, thank you for reading again!

A Busy Week

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Gini

Hi again! So my Thursday and Friday, although not usually busy, became pretty busy because I had a lot of little things to take care of. I had a little retail therapy and purchased some clothing and a pair of shoes, so I had to pick those up at the Post Office. We are assigned small mail boxes for letters and magazines, but for parcels, we have to pick them up from the Post Office during their hours. They are usually open until 4pm, so I just picked the packages up before class. Then I got a response from the SASS (Student Academic Support Services) about tutoring someone for an Introduction to Religious Studies class, which I took last year. I recently emailed the student and we are going to set up an hour once a week that I can help her understand what is going on in class or with her homework. It also pays $8 per hour, so it helps to have a form of income. I had to fill out the paperwork for that and get that settled.

For my Psychology of Learning class we had a test on Thursday and I studied pretty well for it. Thankfully, my hard work paid off and I got an A on that test. It is always good to make sure that especially if you have a specific study guide that you are able to repeat the definitions or answer the questions without referencing notes or the internet or the book. If you’re just skimming words and not actually working on being able to recall them for a test, it will most likely result in a lower grade. Study guides are the best because you can record the answers and use them to recall the information as a reference. These are things that I would hope people would learn in high school, but they are often never explicitly told what would help them study for a test. I like not having homework assignments due every class and instead having a unit test after every four classes. It helps me space out the work with my other classes. Of course, for some this encourages procrastination, which is a problem in college and with the internet.

I am at home today because I decided to visit a museum, which was recommended for one of my classes. I visited the Walter’s Art Museum in Baltimore and, since it was for my Mediterranean Traditions class, wrote down information about three objects relating to ancient Egypt. It was really cool to be able to understand what I was seeing at the museum because of taking the class. I also took time to visit the other areas of the museum, such as the Medieval, Renaissance, and Asian areas. It was neat to see the Buddha statues that represent what we learned about in my Buddhism class last year too. If you can’t tell, I’m a total history nerd, but it makes these classes interesting and motivating for me. I think that’s what college students need to look for: the subject that interests and motivates them the most. That is where you find your major and not because it pays the most or is what a student’s parents want them to take. Anyways, thank you for reading once again.

Stories from the Hill

Author Archives: Gini