Facebook....

What is facebook? According to Wikipedia (yes, Wikipedia) Facebook is a social networking website that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. Since September 2006, anyone over the age of 13 with a valid e-mail address can become a Facebook user. Users can add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. Additionally, users can join networks organized by workplace, school, or college. The website's name stems from the colloquial name of books given to students at the start of the academic year by university administrations in the US with the intention of helping students to get to know each other better.
So… what does that mean for College students?? Facebook is what keeps me from doing my homework, can keep me up at all hours of the night, and can be frustrating at that. It allows for me to look at pictures of friends from high school that I rarely talk to anymore, and it allows me to post random nothing about myself so that other people can read it. Hmmm, why do I do this?
Well—because everyone else is? Not a good enough reason. I love facebook, but I am learning to live without it. That in itself is a difficult task. I’ve spent the past 4 years updating my status, uploading pictures, writing on others “walls” and staying in contact with friends. And I probably am not the first person to tell you this, but facebook is brilliant. When I was in Ireland for a semester, facebook kept me posted on what was happening back home, my parents could see my pictures online, and my sisters could still communicate with me. Brilliant, but now that I am graduating and will be looking for a job within the next year, it might be wise to begin setting up security settings on my “profile” or getting rid of the people that I am not really in contact with.
Thanks for listening to my rant about facebook--- and if you are coming to college (facebook is a good thing).

Blessings of Peace,
Anna

Something new and exciting...

I love getting emails. I am one of those people that checks frequently to see if anything new has shown up in my inbox. It brings a smile to my face (unless it is junk mail). A few days ago I recieved an email that I would like to share with you...

Bluffton usually has a newspaper that is printed ever few weeks. Until this year, it was something would arrive in the regular mail and be thrown away soon after. Due to budgeting and other issues, the Wit is now available online!! So... I hope you take a little time to skim through the news on Bluffton's campus!! :)


Blessings of Peace--

Anna

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From the Witmarsum student staff...


In the past years, The Witmarsum has been Bluffton University's school newspaper, reporting campus events and news. Due to a low number of readers, the high cost of print, and the convenience of the internet, the Witmarsum has now moved online!

Please bookmark this website, TheWitmarsum.eznuz.com, and check it often! It will be updated at least twice a week, constantly adding new articles and pictures. The Witmarsum wants to let you know everything that is going on at Bluffton University.

Want to write something for the Witmarsum? Have a topic you want to discuss? Artwork or poetry you want to show off? An event to inform students of? Please e-mail Jake Short (shojra@bluffton.edu) your article, any information, or pictures. This is a student written paper, and your input would be wonderful.

Thank you. Please remember to check the website weekly!

I have been changed... for good!

Have you ever heard of the Musical Wicked? Its based off of the Movie and Book, The Wizard of Oz. It basically is the “pre-story” to Dorothy, the Wizard, the Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man. Its about the Witches and how they became who they were in the movie. I LOVE this Musical, not just because its clever, because it is, but because of the music. The lyrics to one song in particular For Good, are always in my head.
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I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives
For a reason, bringing something we must learn
And we are lead to follow those who help us grow
If we let them and we help them in return

Well I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you…
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How incredible are these lyrics? They are the ones that stand out the most to me, but also the ones that I cherish. I think about the relationships that I’ve made at Bluffton the people that I’ve met, the best friends I can walk out with and the lives that have touched mine and I literally start to tear up. I know that I have plenty of days left, but it is actually difficult to think about what will happen after college. Bluffton has prepared me for life after this…. After living in a dinky room with a girl that I’ve grown to love and call my roommate and best friend, after worshiping with 20 incredible people every year in this music ministry group, after staying up late writing papers with my dear friend until 3:30am. I have been touched by this campus, I have been loved by this campus, and also frustrated by this campus.
Where do I go from here? I know what I am doing, where I am moving, but is that going to be the similar to Bluffton? Will I be able to fit in as easily or adjust to the world outside of this small town?? I was talking to a friend that goes to Bowling Green and how life on campus is for them and I realized that Bluffton is different. It isn’t just a school that I attended for 4 years, it is my life. I’ve grown in my beliefs, my friendships, my knowledge and experience at Bluffton. It has been the perfect fit for me, and even though sometimes throughout the past 4 years, I know I’ve been angry and frustrated at a few things, this place was where I needed to be.

A few things I think about for life after Bluffton,
1. To stay in touch with the people here
2. To stay in touch with the people that leave with me
3. To encourage all of you… to find your place and think about the people that have changed you… for good.

Blessings of Peace,
Anna

A Realization of sorts

It is funny when things happen. When friends you have grown to love and adore find things that they are going to do for the next few years. As a Senior, there are a lot of things that we tend to worry about. What is coming next? Where will I be? What am I going to do without the same girls in my life everyday? How am I going to leave Bluffton after this May? These questions have been running through my mind for a long time, and when I see my friends find some answers... it makes life better. :)

As I sit on my futon today a few things run through my mind...
1. That I need to get my paper finished for class next week.
2. That I need to start studying for my LSW exam
3. That I need to spend more time with my girlfriends.


Some of these things are fairly important... but the one that I want to focus most of my time on doesn't seem to be one that I am going to be graded on. :)

I hope you all enjoy the good weather that is to come and make sure to spend time with friends... that's what I plan to do. :)

Blessings of Peace,

Holy Smokes... where did the time go.

Well, hello week 10? Or is it 11? I am a student here and I don't even know the answer to that. Things are in that crazy mode, where students are getting antsy to be in the building and are beginning their search for summer jobs. What a blessing it is to know what is planned for this summer. I am one of the lucky ones.
Although I am graduating this May, I am not searching for jobs in my field. I have the next year planned and I am actually just floating through. (I actually like this feeling a little bit)

This summer I am working for Bluffton. There are certain summer jobs that are open to students that apply ahead of time. I was a lucky one. I will be on the "conference crew". I'm guessing this is cleaning in the summer and preparing for different events that might be happening on campus. It is a job and I will be working for my "boss" now, Mark. I'm not very worried. So my summer is planned....

After summer, comes alot more fun. I am moving to Pittsburgh in August to live in a house with 8 people from different places and will be volunteering my time in a nonprofit in Pitt. I am attaching the link to PULSE's website so you can look into it. www.pulsepittsburgh.org

I always knew that I wanted to do voluntary service right out of College, I just had to make a decision where. :) :)

Blessings of Peace,

Anna

Well... how many days left??

This past week I have realized a few things...
1. That Spring Break is over.
2. That I wish I was at a beach soaking up the sun.
3. That the sun makes the world a better place.
4. Spring is literally right around the corner.
5. Friends are incredible. (Thanks, Joel)
6. I love Bluffton in the Spring.
7. I only have (about) 21 days left at my internship.

It is quite difficult to come back to class when the past 10 days were filled with 23 of your friends crammed into a small mini bus. This past break was one for the books. Shining Through took off for our every other year Spring Break tour filled with adventures. Whether we were laughing on the bus, playing trivia games, making hemp bracelets, worshiping at a church, beach, or high school, making new friends or sitting in silence, this past week was one that I can look back on and smile. I made memories that I will always remember.

So, after that week of greatness, it is hard to come back to Bluffton and jump back into things. I have talked to many of my friends who are feeling the same way. Most of our status' said that the beach looked really great right now, or that we want to have 10 more days together... obviously Administration, we need to make Spring Break LONGER!!! (Who would I go to about this??) :)
A few things that have made this week better, knowing that Spring is almost here, and that the sun is or will be shining. People are happier when the sun is out, and coming home from my placement to a "sun warmed car" is one of my favorite things. :)
Today has been a busy day. I drove into Lima for my placement and then couldn't get my car started once I was there. So after a long process of calling AAA and towing my car back to Bluffton, I realized that I was stranded in Lima. This is where friends are great!! I texted as many people as I could and found out that alot of them were busy at their own internship/student teaching. So I turn to people on campus. My dear friend Joel was able to take a break from sitting outside doing homework (don't get me started) to come and pick me up. :) What great people I know. After a small detour, he made it with a laugh on his face. This is why I LOVE my friends.

On Monday I walked on campus and stopped in my tracks. The green grass is starting to make an appearance, the sun was shining down on campus, the sky was blue and things just seemed at peace. I fell in love with the feel of this campus 4 years ago, and enjoy the fact that I still love it. :)

It is difficult to come back to things after a break, but one thing I did notice is that I only have 21 more days left of my internship. This fact is astonishing to me. I couldn't believe that time has gone by so quickly, but that i'm ready for it. Graduation things are appearing in my mailbox and I only seem to panic a little. I guess that is because I know what I'm doing... which in itself is exciting to say!!

I hope you all have a blessed Thursday tomorrow!!

Blessings of Peace,
Anna

Catch up....

This past week was Spring Break. Oh how I needed those 10 days filled with friends. :) I am going to put up some pictures for today, but I hope to actually inform all of you what Shining Through accomplished that week!!! :)

Sunshine makes a difference..

When it is winter, the first few months people love it. Christmas would be coming, snow is new, its a lot of fun.... after a few weeks of that people being to drag....

Well, we are finally at that point when students are getting antsy. They want spring and sunshine, birds and warm weather. Today was our first little glimpse of that. It wasn't too warm, but students saw the sunshine and walked outside without a coat. What a difference the sun makes in lives. I can be honest and say that my smile was bigger than normal today... I will blame it on the sun. :) After a long day of teaching, my roommate came back exhausted, but hyper. We blame it on the sun.

This Friday starts the beginning of Spring Break tour for Shining Through. We are going to be traveling to North Carolina, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. All of this will be occurring within 10 days in a bus full of people. It might sound horrible right now, but it is actually one of the greatest trips ever. :)

I am going to be pretty busy this week, and I hope for some time to breathe, but that might not come until Friday morning as I load myself into a bus filled with excitement.

Blessings of Peace,
Anna