Interviewing Strangers

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Cassie

Besides being an English major, I’m also pursuing a minor in Writing as well as Journalism. Last semester, I interned with the Baltimore Sun’s Features department and got a taste for what it would be like after I graduated. To put it simply, I was terrified. After I got over my fear of driving into Baltimore during rush hour, I concentrated on just keeping up with the day to day projects. But as I was just beginning my Journalism minor, I was unprepared for interviewing people on the spot.

Small talk is not my forte with strangers. I listened a little too well to my mother when I was younger about not talking to them. I felt like I was intruding when I would call people and ask them questions, even if they weren’t personal. To make matters worse, I had a night class last semester, Intro to Journalism, where I had to do the same thing. To complete my minor, I needed to take Adv. News Reporting (Intro 2.0 basically).

Every week we have to create a new article, prepping, researching and interviewing for it. While for my first article I based it on the Vagina Monologues and the process of creating a student-led, volunteer production, my second is about student-jobs on campus and the workers’ relations to the rest of campus. To say I was nervous is putting it mildly. As I said, I don’t converse well with strangers, but this was somehow worse. These were people that I saw around campus, that served me food or helped me fetch books, people that I interacted with regularly. Would they shut me down? Would they laugh at me?

I approached each person warily, starting with general questions. But no one seemed to notice the awkwardness I expected. No one laughed or stopped me. In fact, they made jokes to lighten the mood. McDaniel students and workers alike were jovial, helpful, and surprised me. My class work technically depended all on them, but they came through. McDaniel Campus, though small, is a closeknit community at heart. The small size allows for us to be connected to everyone with only a few degrees of seperation. We can depend on that, even when we least expect it.

Turning 21

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Cassie

Birthdays are always worth mentioning. My birthday was this past Monday, the 11^th, but as any child will tell you, it lasts the whole week. Especially in college, when packages and cards arrive sporadically. But this time, it was extended for a different reason: Westminster’s night life. As my actual birthday was on a Monday, my friends took me out for dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. A local favorite sports bar and restaurant, it was the perfect place to celebrate. As a vegetarian, they offer great options, including their black bean burger. The waitress even went out of her way to get me one of the kid crowns so that I could pretend to be a princess. For my first drink, I ordered a margarita, which was supposed to be the sweetest drink they had. Well, the waitress wasn’t quite right on that, but she still got bonus points for my crown. The good thing about being a late comer to this new age is that everyone else is already 21 and I easily pawned my drink off on to someone else.

College is about persistence and determination, though, and I wasn’t going to end my week without finding a drink I liked. I tried some at Applebee’s and some at J&P’s (each both have amazing food but I just couldn’t stand the taste of their “sweetest” drinks). Finally my friends convinced me to go to Rafael’s. Raf’s, as it is known to the locals, is a restaurant and bar, but converts into a bar and dance floor at night. There are two other bar spots in Westminster, Down Under and Johansson’s. We went at 7:30 (prime restaurant time) on Thursday (which is also college night after 9:30). Somehow, I forgot that it was Valentine’s Day. There was a special romantic menu and everything for our lovely group of seven single women. To be honest, we all had a great time, especially with the free chocolate covered strawberries and white roses. Half of our group left as they cleared away the tables (as it was now 9:30), and we moved over to the bar. Nothing has ever felt as weird in my life. But really, it’s just another part of being comfortable in the new world I’m entering. Whether I’m walking into the Baltimore Sun as an intern or a bar for a drink after work, this is what comes with being an adult. Campus is no longer both my limitation and my protective bubble. I’m grateful for the year left of college I have, to slowly venture forth and to postpone the moment I’m forced out of my nest to fall or fly. Baby steps. Even at 21.

Gala and Show: The Vagina Monologues

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Cassie

Saturday was a full day. As a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma, a service organization, we frequently make time to help out our sisters with their events when we can. One such event was the Vagina Monologues (a show held worldwide dedicated to ending violence against women). Two of our sisters were directing the production this year, and several of our sisters were members of the cast. Before the show on Saturday, however, there was a gala for the tenth anniversary of hosting the Vagina Monologues on McDaniel Campus (the fifteenth anniversary of it being held worldwide).

Naturally, several sisters showed up at the gala to lend a helping hand: selling tickets, serving food, auctioning off the moans for that night’s show, refilling the lemonade, greeting guests and alumni, etc. Although I have never been a part of the show, I was swept up in the joyous atmosphere and reunions. I was particularly amazed by Professor Carpenter’s dress. As it was a gala, people went all out on dressing up. It’s always a pleasure when alums return to campus and reminisce about old classes and teachers. I was introduced to the original directors of the production and the future (next year) director, and was amazed by the spirit of them. This was my first year watching the show (which followed the gala). I laughed, I cried, and I was truly surprised by the skill of my sisters and fellow students. I was touched by genuine depths that the production reached while dancing in and out of brief moments of levity. The final three questions of the show were the most poignant though.

A member of the cast asked: “If anyone has been the victim of abuse, rape or molestations, please stand up.” Some of the cast and a couple of the audience members stood up.

She next asked: “Anybody who knows anyone who has been a victim of abuse, rape or molestation, please stand.” The entire cast stood up, as did most of the audience.

Last, she asked: “If you are committed to making sure these things end, please stand up.” At this point, the entire theater was on its feet. Men, women, personally affected or distantly connected, we were all unified. I could not have been prouder of my community.

Staying Healthy

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Robert

Getting sick sucks! I spent most of this week either lying in bed hugging my tissue box or in class wishing I was back in bed hugging my tissue box. The common cold has reached McDaniel luckily it’s not as bad as the flu epidemic but its still bringing down even the healthiest of students. My friend down the hall had it worse than me. Being the get up and go student I am, I don’t really believe in missing class for a simple cold but her case was so bad that we nearly locked her in her room and wrote quarantine on the door.

When you’re that sick, there’s always relief to be found in the services that McDaniel offers. When you come to campus, your orientation leaders and FYS instructors will beat the concept of the Wellness Center into your head. It’s useful and if you’re really not feeling well, it can be a good resource.

Another nice service that the school has just started is meal-to-go which is basically a room service option for sick people. If you call in, Glar workers will make you a meal and bring it to you. It’s a good way to convenience the sick and prevent spreading illness. I think it has something to do with the flu fear that’s in the back of everyone’s minds.

As for keeping up with your work, make sure you have at least one reliable person in each of your classes. Professors are not super useful for catching up on missed work so you’re going to want to have someone to depend on. If you don’t know anyone in your class, make a new friend. That’s what college is all about! Didn’t mean for this to turn into an advice column…but I hope you found it useful anyway. Bottom line is, stay healthy and when in doubt take EMERGEN-C. It’s like a Hulk sized dose of vitamin C, I swear by it.

Join the Rush

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Cassie

There are eight social sororities and fraternities on campus. But there are also two lesser known service groups: APO, a service fraternity, and Gamma Sigma Sigma, a service sorority (although both are coed). Last night, Gamma Sigma Sigma held their Meet the Sisters event. Now I know, there are many reservations and assumptions that come with the “Greek” title, and I had many of my own. I chose Gamma Sig because not only did it look great on my resume, but it actually was a great deal of fun getting to know this wide variety of girls. My MIT (member-in-training) class even had three guys, the first in several years). But more than that, this organization is focused on serving the community through volunteer service for great local groups.

But last night was focused on getting to know the prospective, our future members and sisters. Yeah, that sounds a little cheesy, and even I was hesitant to go, what with the mounting homework teachers continue to thrust my way. The theme “Welcome to the Wild” had everyone dressed up in colorful and crazy prints, from pink leopard-spotted leggings to cheetah fur hats and every color of the rainbow in our Gamma Sigma Sigma lettered shirts. With food, snacks, and the latest top 40 pop songs playing in the background, students from all grades filtered in. A jungle path was laid out on the floor for interested students to walk along, with current members standing at each point to answer any and all questions. Afterwards, we played the classic “Rock, Tree, Bridge” for a little friendly competition. Conveniently, each team one once, which didn’t exactly appease my competitive nature, but it was a great way to end the night.

The great part about Gamma Sig is getting to know people from all of the nitches and groups across McDaniel Campus that I wouldn’t normally have gotten to meet. From girls (and guys) involved in other Greek organizations, sports teams, various majors, and a number of clubs, the people are all unique. I couldn’t ask for a greater college experience and I’m excited for our new members.

Fraternity Travels

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Robert

This past weekend I did something that many fraternity members will never do, I attended a leadership conference sponsored by the Alpha Sigma Phi national headquarters. Let me start by saying that if you ever get a chance to attend a leadership conference of any type, you should do it. I learned so much about myself and got so many ideas about what I can brink to my fraternity and to McDaniel. A lot of times we lose focus, getting caught up in our social lives, putting importance on things that truthfully just won’t matter once we graduate, but this conference helped me realize that we can leave a legacy for ourselves if we live everyday being the best men and women that we can be.

Three of my brothers and I flew out to Indianapolis last Friday. It was an early flight. I arrived at BWI at 6am so I would be sure not to miss my flight. The Alpha Sig national headquarters paid for the flight and for the hotel and dinners for three nights. It was a great deal, plus I love flying. We arrived at the hotel, the luxurious Crowne Plaza, only 40 minutes or so before we were supposed to meet down in the lobby so my brothers and I had to quickly get up to our room and change (most of us had traveled in sweats in the name of comfort). Once in the lobby we were quickly filled into a large room with almost 250 brothers from colleges and universities across the country.

There was something cool about being in a room with so many guys who had committed themselves to similar values to your own and been through similar experiences all to find themselves in Indianapolis on this particular weekend. It was nice in making conversation since you already had one major thing in common with every guy in the room. Over the course of the next few days, I met all kinds of guys of different backgrounds and from different states, and together we helped define and strengthen each other’s commitments to our core values as brothers and men.

I know that you’re probably thinking about how cheesy all of this sounds, but it really did make a difference in how I view the world. I’m not saying that if you’re a guy you should come to McDaniel and pledge Alpha Sig, I mean you should come check us out cause we’re awesome, but what I am saying is that you should take advantage of opportunities like these as they arise in college, and they will. Lessons learned: you never stop growing, you never stop learning, there’s always something you can change to make yourself, and the brothers from Murray State know how to have a good time.

For those who love choir music around the Holidays…

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Robert

Never fear because every year the McDaniel Choir puts on a wonderful performance of a variety of Holiday Songs. From Silent Night, to international Holiday songs, even being sure to include a few songs for Hanukkah, they’ve got everyone covered. Last night’s performance was very pleasant. Dr. Boudreaux, the director of the choir, has a knack for taking edgy and unique music and creating a theme based out of it. This year’s choice was Shakespeare. For those who may not know, Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter and eloquent lyricism have often lent themselves to be put to melody and sung by choirs. Last night’s selections featured a variety of madrigals and classical pieces that brought new light to the Bard’s hallowed poetry and dramas.

Though I am an English major, I have never been fond of these artistic liberties. In my mind, if Shakespeare had wanted his words to be written in song form, he probably would have written melody to go with them. However, last night’s performance was rare in that it altered my stubborn opinion. There are still reasons that I would say I prefer other choir music to the recreations of Shakespeare’s writing but Dr. Boudreaux did a very nice job with these pieces. Having sung in choir last year, I’m familiar with her style. She focuses intently on rhythm and notes to begin with and then lyric comes last. This benefits the choir’s performance because every beautiful note that the person who arranged the music put in is articulated with perfection, because that’s what it is all about in the end anyway, the music.

Going to the performance really made me miss choir. I quit because of the time commitments of everything I had chosen to focus on in my college life; there just wasn’t time for all of it. And that is a huge part of the experience is realizing your limits and deciding what is important to you and if you have enough time to dedicate yourself to everything. I don’t regret dropping out this semester, but I may be considering rejoining next semester. Of course I’m really only in it for the Christmas music, so maybe next Fall is a better choice.

Still, it was very nice to still be able to enjoy the choir in some way, even if it was just from a pew in the back of Big Baker (the chapel on campus that is now used mostly for performances since McDaniel is non-denominational). At the end of the Holiday Concert each year, the choir sings a song called Still, Still, Still. This is a traditional lullaby and to me embodies the spirit of Christmas since it both embodies the quiet anticipation of Christmas morning while respecting the relaxing nature of the holiday. The resonance in the chapel was beautiful and the performance in its entirety really put me in the mood for Christmas.

Home Alone In Boston Is Not So Alone After All

Posted on November 22, 2012 by Robert

Of course we all look forward to Thanksgiving Break here on the Hill. Though we love our campus and friends dearly, we also love a few days without class and a fantastic home-cooked meal. I chose to spend the break with my friend Barnabas in Boston. I saw it as a chance to meet some new people and explore a new city, but I didn’t think it would changed the way I viewed myself as a McDaniel Student or McDaniel as a whole.

We left at 7pm after classes on Tuesday and arrived at Barney’s house in Boston at 3am Wednesday morning. After sleeping for most of the morning on Wednesday, I awoke to meet both of Barney’s parents and enjoy a delicious breakfast that made Glar pale in comparison. However, there was a feeling I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I felt like a Cowboys fan in the middle of a pack of Redskins’ fans at the game on Thursday (Go Skins!), and I realized it was because I was not with my family on this holiday for the first time in nineteen years.

Living only an hour away from my home at school, I see my parents plenty. Still, there is something very nerve racking about breaking a tradition you had not realized the importance of; then add the feeling of lost in a big city and you have an early nineties Christmas movie. (Home Alone 2, best Christmas movie ever right?)

Later in the day Barney and I went into the city to see the historic sites which put me in a better mood. My mom is a huge fan of American history as was my grandfather; so if there was any acceptable way to spend Thanksgiving away from my mom, it was to spend it looking at important pieces of history like the burial grounds of John Hancock, John Adams, and Paul Revere. Touring, what locals call, the “North End,” which to this day embodies the image of colonial Boston complete with crooked streets, alleyways that you have to turn sideways to walk through, and the Boston Harbor all these sites representing the precursors of the ensuing fight that would allow our nation its freedom.

All this time I had been wearing my McDaniel College hoodie to proudly represent where I come from just as Boston boasts a proud history of brave men. And it was just as we were outside of Paul Revere’s house on North Street that I was stopped by a guy shouting “Hey! Do you go to McDaniel College in Westminster?” Of course I said yes,and the guy proceeded to tell me that he was an alumnus of the school. He had attended McDaniel back in the eighties. He described in detail how Red Square used to be a parking lot, and what it was like to have Gill Gym only be composed of the single gym brick building we refer to as old Gill these days. He told me his time at McDaniel was the best of his life and that he wouldn’t trade it even for a free tour of Paul Revere’s house (okay so I made that up, but good lord the house looked so cool and tours were so expensive).

It was so cool to encounter randomly someone who had attended and graduated from McDaniel, a student body of about 1700 students, in such a large city with over 600,000 people. I didn’t feel so homesick after that because I realized that home is all around. At McDaniel, a huge part of your education is to make you a citizen of the world. I’ve never been out of the country, but I can definitely say that I feel as though I am quickly becoming a part of a great community of alumni and students in this country and that when I wear my McDaniel hoodie I am home as far as I’m concerned.

Fall Visit Days

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Kaitlyn Vadenais

We’re almost done our Fall Visit Days for prospective students! Some of you reading this blog might have even been in attendance today or will be attending the upcoming, and final one next Monday.

As a student ambassador and tour guide, I love Fall Visit Days. I love socializing with prospective students and their families and telling them everything I love about McDaniel and why I decided to come here.

I love remembering the first time I visited McDaniel and how inviting everything was and how nice all the people were. I try to make the prospective students who come visit have one of those same inspiring visits.

I also love meeting people from back up north because they are friendly reminders of home. This weekend I met families from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. It’s nice to talk with them about my experiences going to school farther away and the tips and tricks that I’ve learned to make it easier for them.

If you are considering McDaniel and have not signed up for one of our visit days, call admissions and sign up today! We only have one left for fall, however there will be more come spring. Not only do you get to experience everything the campus has to offer and learn about the admissions process, but you could meet some of your potential new classmates. I would highly recommend it!

Ghosts

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Annie Brown

Tonight I went on a tour of campus, but not the sort of tour that you’ll go on with student ambassadors from the admissions office. Instead, this tour was a ghost tour of McDaniel, and I really enjoyed it.

When I heard that Alpha Psi Omega, the National Theater Honor Society on campus, was putting on ghost tours last night and tonight, I knew I had to go, especially since I enjoyed the ghost tour I took of Westminster last month (which I wrote about here). Though urban legends and folklore exist on campus, I’d never really heard any of these stories and wanted to learn about them.

Tonight was a perfect night for a ghost tour too. It was pleasantly warm outside, which isn’t so spooky, but the fogginess of the night contributed to an ideal atmosphere. Our tour was led by two theater students who were very familiar with the stories and even claim to have experienced paranormal activities themselves. Theater majors supposedly encounter ghosts a lot, since the theater boasts three ghosts. They think their ghosts are pretty friendly though, especially one named Harvey, who watches out for crew members when they do lighting and likes to watch rehearsals.

A lot of the stories that have been passed down over the years seem a little outlandish, and I’m a little skeptical about them. I think I’m going to have to do a little research to see how these legends originated. Still, I found the stories to be really interesting, and going on the tour was a great way to spend part of my evening.

And don’t worry–chances are, you’ll never encounter a ghost on campus. Unless you look for them…

Stories from the Hill

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