Hurricane Sandy

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Jess Hague

As everyone knows, the East Coast was severely affected by Hurricane Sandy. Places not that far from my hometown of Voorhees, New Jersey were completely destroyed–houses all up and down Atlantic City were flooded and completely destroyed. Part of the boardwalk, near the inlet, floated away due to the storm. Parts of New York City were flooded out, including the subways! However, at McDaniel College, we got pretty lucky. Yes, we had heavy wind and rain for two days, but we managed to pull through and still have power the entire time! Classes were cancelled on Monday and Tuesday, which gave a lot of students a chance to relax and catch up on sleep and homework. However, things in our apartment went a little differently. As a Resident Assistant, some of the responsibility of keeping students safe falls on me. On Monday, we had a meeting about what to do during the emergency, and what to do if the college lost power. We were supplied with flashlights and sent off with instructions to check in with our residents for things like refrigerated medications. This way, if we did lose power, we could find a way to keep those medications cold. I went around to each of my apartments to ask them about this and also ask them to not push their trash outside for now, so it wouldn’t fly around in the wind. I also made sure that one person from every apartment had my cell phone number, so if they needed me, they could reach me. All RAs were also on standby, because if we lost power, we would have to go on Fire Watch in order to make sure residents stayed safe.

Once my responsibilities as an RA were over, I was resolved to have fun, after being somewhat productive. One of my apartmentmates and I had to watch Frankenstein for a class, so we paired Frankenstein with Frankenstorm. We decided to keep the lights on while we watched the movie, since watching a scary movie during a storm like last night’s would have been really scary! Trust me, the movie was creepy enough with the lights on! After watching the movie, we decided to play video games. We went old school and played Super Monkey Ball on the Play Station 2 that sits in our living room. It was so much fun to take turns playing the different stages of the game. Even though it was a competition, we still had a lot of fun cheering each other on and encouraging each other with tips on how to pass the levels. We resolved to play some more video games tonight while we were stuck inside, once we no longer felt like being productive and doing work.

This afternoon, once we all woke up, two of my apartmentmates made breakfast for us: a big breakfast of Mickey shaped chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon! It was fun to eat brunch and just sit around and talk with each other after we were done eating. Even though the devastation of Hurricane Sandy up and down the East Coast is terrible, it was nice to have a few days off to relax and catch up on homework and sleep! I hope that everyone is okay after the Hurricane!

Fundraising at it’s Finest!

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Jess Hague

This week, we had a fundraiser for the 10th Anniversary of The Vagina Monologues. The show is done as a fundraiser itself, since all of the profits are donated: 10% goes to V-Day, 45% goes to Rape Crisis Intervention Services of Carroll County, and 45% goes to Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland. As the co-director of this year’s production, it is my responsibility, along with my co-director, Whitney, to come up with fundraising ideas that will help us fund the cost of the show. We decided that in addition to doing the traditional raffle that is done every year, we would do a “Pie in the Face” fundraiser. We gathered six administrators on campus that would be willing to get pied in the face. We asked students, faculty, and staff to donate to whoever they would like to see get pied in the face. The person who raises the most amount of money will get a pie in the face, and the person who raises the second most amount of money will get a cupcake in the face. We will be pieing the winners in the face on Tuesday!

As we were sitting outside Glar (the dining hall) asking people for donations, people were laughing like crazy. Some people also responded with “That’s mean…” but once we reassured them that it was for charity and that everyone agreed, they donated! Between the raffle and the money we collected for the pieing in the face, we raised enough money to cover some of the t-shirt costs for the show! Whitney and I were very proud of our fundraiser and the amount of money we raised! Not only did we raise money, it got the word out about Vagina Monologues, which was really our main goal. We’re so excited to put on this show in February and make all of the past directors proud!

Tailgating: McDaniel Style

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Jess Hague

I woke up on Saturday and was very excited because I knew exactly what the day entailed: food, friends, family, and football. My parents decided that since I am a senior, they should take advantage of tailgating at McDaniel before I graduate. They have been here once before, but since it was over a break, there weren’t a lot of people on campus to stop by. This time was completely different, since a lot of people stopped by and hung around our tent for a while, including our President, Dr. Casey, and his wife, Robyn!

I knew my parents were coming prepared with lots of food, snacks, and drinks. However, I didn’t expect everything that they brought. My mom decided that she would bring her pink tent (she uses it for her business), so that everyone would be able to find us easily. We tailgated in style under the pink tent with chairs and blankets as well. They also brought a South Jersey staple: Philly soft pretzels! It was like having a taste of home, because nobody makes soft pretzels like people from Philly do! Also on our table overflowing with food: two different two-foot long hoagies, three bags of chips, and all of the necessary condiments. Not to mention, we had a cooler full of different drinks that we could enjoy throughout the game.

The whole experience was such a blast. Not only was it a gorgeous day outside, but it was a lot of fun to hang out with my friends and family while watching the Green Terror play. We ended up getting a spot next to another family from New Jersey and my dad made friends with all of the people around us. There was even a puppy to play with at the tent next to ours! The entire time was full of laughs, good food, and of course, entertainment from the football game. While it was an exciting game, it was not a pretty ending. McDaniel had done very well throughout the entire game and Dickenson tied the game at the very end of the 4th quarter and then ended up winning during overtime. Regardless of the score of the game, tailgating at McDaniel is still a fantastic experience that everyone should take part in during their four years here. Go Green Terror!

Fall Break

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Jess Hague

For me, Fall Break is supposed to be a great time to relax a little and spend some quality time with my family and friends. At least, that’s what I imagined as I was driving up I-95 on Friday afternoon. While it is true that I got to spend a lot of time with my parents and some of my friends, my break was not as restful as I would have hoped. I ended up working two eight-hour shifts at my job, at Bed Bath and Beyond. Now, for most people, that doesn’t seem like that’s a hard thing to do, but trust me, eight hours of running around the store and being really nice to everyone makes you tired. That meant that those days involved nothing more than sitting on the couch and watching TV after work.

There are many positives to Fall Break. I think by far, the biggest positive was my puppy. He’s an 18 month old Rottweiler puppy, and he’s adorable. He’s my biggest fan in my house and always wants to play with me. He was so excited when I got home that he didn’t stop jumping for twenty minutes. We spent a lot of time this weekend playing fetch, cuddling, and practicing his tricks (I taught him a new one over the summer, so it’s fun to practice now). I don’t care what anyone says, there is nothing better than puppy love to lift your spirits. Of course, seeing my parents was also a positive, since I love spending time with them. We had a lot of fun spending time together, including family bonding time in Atlantic City! I live 45 minutes away from AC, so it’s fun to go down there for a few hours. My mom and I also did a lot of shopping on Saturday, since we were on a mission to buy baby gifts for my cousin. She’s having a baby girl and we wanted to send her a fantastic gift. We ended up making her a clothesline full of onesies, socks, bibs, and other clothes. Plus, we topped it all of with a Winnie the Pooh blanket that I made for the baby!

The food of the weekend was also definitely a plus. On Friday night, on our way down the shore, we went to a place called Ott’s Grille. I had the “Jersey Burger”-a burger with American cheese, bacon, and pork roll. Yes, it was a heart attack on a plate, but it was absolutely delicious. Saturday morning, I went to my favorite bagel place to get a bagel. I know this seems a little extreme, but Jersey bagels are just so much better than the bagels you can find in Maryland. Anyone who has tasted a bagel from the Bagel Bin will understand…it’s heavenly. On Sunday, my mom made a fantastic dinner of pasta with shrimp, spinach, mushrooms, and broccoli with an Alfredo sauce. And of course, you cannot forget the garlic bread. If there’s one thing I didn’t do on this break, it’s lose weight.

Even though I love McDaniel, it always feels nice to go home from time to time and get the comforts of home. It makes me appreciate what I have at home, but it also makes me appreciate the things that I do on my own here, like when I make my own delicious meals in my kitchen.

The Aftermath of Midterms Week

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Jess Hague

If you have looked at any of the blogs this week, then you’re well aware that this week marks the middle of our 15-week semester. No matter how many midterms a student may or may not have, this week is super stressful. Yes, I know I am definitely one of the lucky students, since none of my professors actually gave me a test this week. Granted, I did have a rather large test in my Literature by Women class last week, so that makes up for it, right? And even though I didn’t have any tests, I was still plenty busy. I taught an 80-minute lesson in my high school practicum, wrote five more pages of my Senior Seminar paper this week, and did tons of other things for extracurricular activities I’m involved in on campus. I also spent two hours grading a bunch of assignments that were done by my 9^th grade students. In all reality, this is the easiest Midterm week I’ve ever had, just because I’ve always had four or five classes, but this semester, I only have three.

There are some very important things to remember while caught up in the overwhelming atmosphere of Midterms week:

Manage your time wisely. Nothing is worse than realizing that you have a bunch of things due at the end of the week and you haven’t started. Professors give you your syllabi way at the beginning of the semester, so theoretically, you should know what’s coming.
Remember to take some time for yourself. Things like eating, sleeping, and relaxing are even more important this week than most weeks. The weather is changing, which means people are getting sick, and nobody wants to be sick for Midterms week. Take care of yourself by making sure you still have enough time to sleep and eat. Also, don’t be afraid to take a study break and do something fun. I find that coloring or watching a movie relaxes me, plus it gives my brain a chance to rest.
Coffee is your best friend during Midterm week. Coffee is usually one of my best friends, but during Midterm week, it’s even more important. The caffeine can help you focus and hopefully it will help you get things done faster and more efficiently. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can always substitute with soda or energy drinks!
Find a good place to study. Some people are able to get a good amount of studying done in their dorm rooms, but other people need complete silence. If you find out that you’re one of those people when you come to McDaniel, go to the silent floors in the library. The library is open later during Midterm week, so you’ll be able to get a lot of work done.
Facebook is the enemy. No matter how much you don’t think it will distract you, it will. Stay away from it as much as possible. There are websites that you can use to block websites like Facebook and Twitter from your internet browser, that way if you have to be on the internet for research, you can keep yourself from getting on those distracting websites.

These tips can help you help you make the best of your Midterm week! Keep these tips in mind when you have your first Midterm week at McDaniel, and remember—there’s a light at the end of the tunnel! After Midterms week comes Fall Break, so you’ll get a chance to recharge your batteries!

A New Experience

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Jess Hague

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to teach an 80-minute lesson at the school I am currently interning at, Manchester Valley High School. Even though I was confident in the lesson that I had written for my students, I was still really nervous. I had never taught a class for 80 minutes before. Not to mention, I was given the task of teaching this lesson to a class I had only met once before, simply because they were the students that were ready for my lesson. How did I know that they would actually pay attention to me for that long? Did I have enough for them to do to fill all 80 minutes? Would they like my lesson?

I designed a lesson on Thinking Maps and Patterns of Text, with the help and guidance of my wonderful mentor teacher. For those of you that don’t know, Thinking Maps are graphic organizers that are useful to students when reading different types of texts. They help the students with their reading comprehension and note-taking skills, so my mentor teacher and I felt like our students needed to learn these things in their Freshman Seminar class.

The coolest thing about teaching the lesson for the entire mod was that I ran the class from start to finish. I stood at the door and welcomed my students in to the classroom, gained their attention once the bell rang, and reminded them that they had a large homework assignment due on Friday. I reminded them that there were things projected on the Good Day slide (something my mentor teacher does to let the students know what they should take out before instruction starts) and that they needed to get those things out so that we could start the lesson. Then, we dove right into the lesson full force and the students listened to what I said, took notes, and participated. I’ve always been really scared that I’m going to get up in front of the classroom, ask a question, and all of the students are going to stare at me like deer in headlights, but that didn’t happen. Luckily, there were a few students in the class that were very eager to participate and kept raising their hand every time I asked a question. Teaching the lesson from start to finish was a fantastic experience and it was really great to have those moments where I could tell that my students understood what I was saying. After sitting here for two hours grading their classwork assignments, I know that the information that I was giving them sunk in, at least long enough for them to complete their classwork. I can’t wait to see how my students use these skills to enhance their reading comprehension and note-taking in the future! Not to mention, this makes me even more excited for my student teaching next semester, since I’ll get to do things like this every single day!

Tips From A Tour Guide: Tip #3: Be Excited

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Jess Hague

Tips From a Tour Guide: How to Make the Most out of your Tour of McDaniel

Tip #3: Be Excited

Have you ever heard the saying “Treat others the way you want to be treated?” Well, the saying stays true while you’re on tour. The Tour Guides at McDaniel love their jobs, but it makes it even better when you have a prospective student that is excited about being here. Your energy is infectious to us, and makes us happy as well. Not to mention, having an excited student on tour helps our energy stay up throughout the whole tour. The tour can feel long, especially by the end, since we throw so much information at you—which can be a little intimidating. However, if you’re excited about being here, then everyone gets more out of it! Not to mention, if you’re excited to hear our stories, you’ll be able to process more of what we’re saying.

Being excited is easy—just show up with a smile on your face and armed with questions (going back to Tip #1: Ask Questions). It doesn’t matter if you know what you’re interested in studying as long as you’re excited about something: campus life, the food, a certain department, extra curricular activities, anything. We share a lot of little fun facts with you on tour, so you can get excited about those. We’ll share stories of what has happened to us on campus, but we encourage you to tell us your stories as well!

Another thing: make sure you know which college you’re visiting, so that you can reference the things that you know about the college (which goes back to Tip #2: Come Prepared). Reference any facts that you already know about the campus—it always excites us to have people on tour who are interested in what the college has to offer. Even if this is your third of fourth college visit of that week (which happens to some people), keep your energy up. Every college has different things to offer and your campus tour is the best time to find those things out. Don’t let tiredness stop you from finding out as much information as possible!

Collaborative Learning

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Jess Hague

Tonight, in my education class, I had to teach a 15-minute reading-based lesson to the other students in my class. I never thought that teaching a class full of teachers would be so intimidating! While I was very nervous to receive criticism, however constructive, from my peers, I did not realize how helpful it would be to hear their ideas. Throughout the night, we each got up and presented our reading lessons. I enjoyed seeing all of the different ideas that a room full of Secondary English teachers comes up with when the only thing they’re told they have to do is teach a reading-based lesson that meets the teaching standards. We had a wide variety of lesson that were taught that ranged from using context clues to discussing logos to using thinking maps to help organize thoughts.

The coolest thing about teaching this lesson to my class was that it was a trial run for me, since I will actually be teaching an 80-minute lesson to my freshman students next week. My lesson was about thinking maps that students would use to help them summarize articles from newspapers, which ultimately could be applied to any text that they read. I only taught my education class one portion of the lesson, since it was a shorter amount of time and then just explained what I would do for the rest of the lesson. Thanks to the feedback from my peers, I was able to gather ideas that I will be able to use when I teach the lesson to my actual class. I would have never thought of having a note sheet for my students to use while I was teaching my lesson. The feedback was very constructive, and I believe that it will help me to teach a better lesson to my students. I am also hoping that these ideas will allow my students to comprehend more.

Not only have I learned that I should not be nervous to teach to my peers, since they will be able to help me find new ways to teach my students, I should also be grateful for the types of classes we have at McDaniel. If I was at a large university, I never would have the opportunity to be in a class that is so discussion-based and allows students to get feedback on everything that we do. I have learned to love the small class sizes at McDaniel because they allow a much more personal feel to classes.

Scarecrows, and Raffles, and Bracelets–Oh my!

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Jess Hague

This weekend, I volunteered at Westminster’s Fall Fest, which is held every fall and raises money to benefit four local charities. I volunteered at the Make-Your-Own-Scarecrow Tent that was operated by the Stacy Davis Breast Cancer Fund. At the tent, which was decked out in everything pink, people could pay $10 in order to build their own scarecrow. The coordinators from the Breast Cancer Fund also had us selling raffle tickets and jewelry so that we could help them make as much money as they possibly could.

Making a scarecrow was something I had never done before, so when I had to help the little kids make their scarecrows, it took a lot of effort. In order to make a scarecrow, you have to shove handfuls of hay down pantyhose to create the arms. Then, you shove the “arms” through a shirt. After that, you tie the pants legs so that they are shut, and then shove the pants legs with hay as well. Then, you connect the shirt and the pants to finish making the body. Each child was given a face kit so that they could decorate the faces of the scarecrow and then finish it off with a hat.

The children that were making the scarecrows had a lot of fun and thought it was really cool to see their scarecrows come together. For me, it was a new experience that I feel like I will never forget, since it was something that I have never gotten a chance to do. I also really enjoyed having the chance to help the little kids make their scarecrows, since I felt like I was really making their night better while also helping a great cause.

Tips From a Tour Guide: Tip #2: Come Prepared

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Jess Hague

Tips From a Tour Guide: How to make the Most out of Your Tour of McDaniel

Tip #2: Come Prepared

Do you want to make sure you get the most information out of your college visits? Then, whatever you do, do not go into a college visit blindly. Make sure you know what you are looking for when you visit colleges. What are you thinking about majoring in? Do you want to play a specific sport at the college? Are you going to be interested in joining a certain club? More specifically, conduct some research about the school before you get there. This can help you avoid that embarrassing moment on tour when you ask a question about something that has nothing to do with the school you are looking at, because trust me, after ten or twelve tours, you’ll start to get confused. You can even make a list, just so you don’t forget things. I’ll admit, I hated being that kid on college visits with the mom that had the list of questions written down in a notebook, but in the end, I appreciated it. Having specific questions that I asked at every college really helped me decide that McDaniel was the place for me.

The more information you come into a visit with, the more you will be able to get out of your visit, just because you know you will walk away knowing exactly what you want to know. It also helps to have the same information that you want to get from every school, that way, you’ll be able to compare them, which ultimately will make your lives easier when it comes to decision time. For example, ask every college about your general education or liberal arts requirements that you will have to fulfill before graduation and also how many credits their majors are. That way, you will be able to know just how much you will have to accomplish in your four years and you will be able to evaluate whether or not that is the right school for you. In fact, ask for flyers that explain it. We have a whole packet in Admissions all about our liberal arts requirement, which is called the McDaniel Plan. It can seem rather daunting at first, especially during a tour, so being able to sit down later and look it over can be helpful.

Don’t forget: use everyone you can as a source for information. If you come prepared with questions and different things you want to know, the wonderful people of McDaniel will help you. I found myself even just talking to random students when I came to visit, since someone told me that they were studying what I was interested in.

Stories from the Hill

Category Archives: Jess Hague