One Year Down

I can't believe the first year of college has already gone by so fast!

The last couple weeks seemed to rush by in a blur. There was Springfest, with the Reliant K concert and the carnival (you have to love rock walls!). There was the usual rush to finish final papers or study for a final exam along with students starting to pack after putting it off for ages, scrounging around for cardboard boxes and tape. And all of the "lasts;" the last party, the last weekend, the last Monday, the last paper, the last test, the last class, the last few friends to hunt down and say goodbye to before leaving.

I'm glad to have summer break after a year of hard work, and I'm going to catch up on reading all the books I haven't had time to read. But I'll miss having friends as close as the floor lounge; the walk the Quad is nothing compared to hours of driving when it comes to visiting a friend. Hiram has become my home over the past few months and I will miss it over the summer. At least I'll be back early, with the rest of the RA's. Until then, I will patiently wait, check up with friends on Facebook, work at a summer job, read as much as I can, go hiking and enjoy the hot Ohio weather.

I'll see you next year. =)

--Derek Green

The 3-Week

My 3-Week class this semester is Creative Writing. My Professor is Jeff Swenson, who is in charge of the writing center, a place on campus where students can get help with their writing for classes from other students who are trained to work there.

Class has been pretty enjoyable. We have plenty of reading and writing assignments, of course, and we have plenty of in-class discussions. On a couple of warm days we went outside to sit in the class for our in-class reading. Once we took a field trip to the field station, a forest and wildlife reserve a few minutes off campus that is a common haunt by Biology students, and walked around the woods for part of our writing exercise for the day.

Jeff is a wonderful professor to have. He makes a 3 hour class enjoyable to be in, and everyone in the class seems to be learning plenty about writing.

Term Break

I decided to stay at Hiram during the term break. I was taking care of Quince, a neighbor's leopard gecko.

A lot of my friends and neighbors also stayed over break, and we entertained ourselves with movie nights and macaroni parties -- one giant bowl with a few boxes of Kraft. We also put one friend's rice cooker to use quite a bit.

On Tuesday there was the annual Theatre Retreat. It was at Rick Hyde's house (the department director) since he lives just off campus. We had some wonderful chili, rice, salad, and dessert before discussing the past year. It was great to see some of the professors in an off-campus setting, having dinner with them.

Break!

These past two weeks have been insanely busy for me!

I had two presentations due -- one in FSem, the other for Biology Lab. Our group's presentation for Bio Lab went very well, it was fifteen minutes about nervous systems in all sorts of organisms. I focused on the nervous action of plants, while Phil and Colleen researched humans and animals.

I had a short paper to write for Biology Lecture about careers in biology due last Monday. This Saturday was the African Ensemble concert, which went very well. Our leader, Olu, actually led us in a completely ad-libbed rhythm at the end, catching us all by surprise!

Then all this last week I had a final paper due in British Literature (about identity issues in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest), my final research paper to write for FSem, and an essay for my Education class. I also had an exit interview with the professor of the Education class, which went pretty well. Then on Thursday I had a short exam for FSem, followed by two exams for Brit. Lit. and Biology today. Both Brit. Lit. and Biology went better than I was expecting, I think.

After I finished with Biology, my last exam, I can't even begin to describe to you the relief I felt after finishing these last two weeks of the 12-week! I'm going to catch up on sleep over term break.

Variations on a Dream

"Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

The Hiram Theatre Department had one more production for the year on March 27, 28, and 29: "Variations on A Midsummer Night's Dream."

The play is one of Shakespeare's most famous comedies and even our modern audiences loved it. The play focuses on several subplots that relate: Theseus, the Duke of Athens, is getting married to the Amazon Hippolyta. Meanwhile, the King and Queen of the woodland fairies, Oberon and Titania, are quarreling over a changeling child. Oberon sends his henchman Puck to bewitch Titania into falling in love with a country bumpkin named Bottom (after transforming him into a man with an ass's head). Four young lovers (Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius and Helena) also get bewitched into loving the wrong people, causing all sorts of wonderful drama and hilarious scenes.

"What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here?"

In the background of it all, Bottom and his group of "rude mechanicals" are putting on an overacted performance of Pyramus and Thisbe. Everything about the show was beautiful: the set, the lighting, the costuming, the puppets. Thankfully, Sammy Adams captured plenty of amazing photographs of one of the performances. You can see them all here.

"My mistress with a monster is in love."

Puck -- Sarah Polly
Bottom -- Daren Niemi
Oberon/Theseus -- Bassel Hage
Titania/Hippolyta -- Aimee Thompson
Lysander -- Jessie Ogden
Demetrius -- Derek Green
Hermia -- Kelly Hanahan
Helena -- Karen Cover
Egeus/Flute -- Rachel Kahn
Stage Assistants -- Leah Rectanus, Claudia Alvarado, Lindsey Kuhn
Sirius (Moonshine's Dog) -- Satchel

FSem Presentations!

For the past few weeks I've been working on a presentation for my First Year Seminar, "Capturing Creativity." Each FSem is designed to focus on critical discussion and writing (specifically, writing research papers). My FSem, Capturing Creativity, focuses on the creative process. We've read about different creative geniuses through history and how their processes differ and relate.

Part of the class is that we must choose a person and research that person's creative process. We must write a research paper around this person and prepare a presentation for the class. I chose Robert Lang, one of the most famous origami artists alive today. For the project, I was actually able to interview Dr. Lang via email, which was very exciting.

For the presentation I recreated several of Lang's origami models, including his most famous piece, the Black Forest Cuckoo Clock. I folded the Clock from one sheet of paper 3 feet wide by 30 feet long. There are no cuts made to the paper and no glue is used to keep it together. I've worked on the clock off and on for a month and a half in the lounge of Whitcomb Hall.

I took some pictures during the whole process, and here they are:

Leadership Positions -- Looking for a Job?

Every year there is an application for leadership positions at Hiram. These positions include Resident Assistant (RA), Teaching Assistant (TA), Orientation Leader, International Orientation Leader, and Community Council.

RA's are in charge of making sure that everything in the dorms is going well -- making sure quiet hours are quiet, dry floors are alcohol-free, and making sure that roommates don't kill each other. RA's also get to coordinate fun floor programs, keep students informed of the goings-on of campus so they can be involved, and basically take charge in any emergency situation, such as fire alarms or the blackout.

Teaching Assistants help freshman colloquium professors in many different ways -- in fact, there really isn't a clear definition of a TA. TA's generally help first-year students adjust to Hiram, grade rough drafts of papers, run errands, lead discussions, give grammar lessons, and any combination thereof.

Orientation Leaders are in charge of, well, leading First Year Orientation, where next year's students will tour around campus, receive information about the New Student Institute, and register for classes. The Orientation Leaders are there to make sure that your orientation runs smoothly and is an enjoyable experience. Also, they are usually students who are very involved on campus, so they should be able to answer any questions you have for them, or at least be able to point you to someone who can. The International Orientation Leaders do the same, but for the international students' orientation.

Community Council Members are involved in enforcing college policies.

If you are interested in participating in any of these positions during your sophomore year, you have to go through a relatively rigorous application process. Around February there will be a few informational meetings on applying, and you can pick up an application. You simply have to fill out the form, write a resume and a cover letter, and get two recommendations filled out. After you've turned them in, you will participate in interviews and group activities. Then, sometime around spring break you will learn if you got any positions!

Next year I will be both a Teaching Assistant and Resident Assistant. I will be a TA for David Stoughton's colloquium called "Let There Be Light." David is new to the Theatre Department this year, and is the department's Technical Director. That means that he is in charge of a lot of the fun stuff involved with the shows, such as lighting design and set construction. His Colloquium will focus on an interdisciplinary perspective on light -- its uses, its effects, where it comes from (in both scientific and mythological contexts). It should be an enjoyable colloquium, and Dave is a fun professor to have, so consider signing up for "Let There Be Light" when you're at your orientation!

Also, I -- along with James Ross and Kim Miller -- will be an RA in Henry Hall. I hope to see you next fall!

Early Spring Break

Hiram had a rather unfortunate encounter with mother nature on Tuesday. Tuesday night, we had a great big ice storm. Throughout the whole week, the snow and ice kept meting and refreezing, and the trees were covered in a thick layer of ice. On Tuesday, everything outside was one big sheet of ice, and the Hiram staff had to continuously salt the sidewalks so that they weren't so hazardous. Tuesday night I was in a friend's room, studying for a Biology exam scheduled for the next day. Around 10 o'clock, the power began flickering. It would go off for a second and come back on, just to flicker again a few minutes later. Students were told not to leave the residence halls because the ice storm was too dangerous -- the wind kept blowing off frozen tree limbs. Finally around 11, we saw a transformer explode in the distance, and the entire campus was out of power.

By morning, the power still had not returned and classes were canceled for the day. I was excited because I had extra time to prepare for biology. The entire campus was closed, but food was still being served at Miller, mostly cold foods for breakfast, and cold sandwiches for lunch, although I did hear that they used an outdoor grill to make some hot dinner meals.

There were fallen branches everywhere, and in one place a tree had snapped over completely. All cell phone calls were kept short and sweet to prolong the battery. Internet was not an option, and laptop batteries eventually went out. So the entire day was one of spending time with friends, which was really great. There's a lot to be said for being without the distractions of everyday life.

After excavating the car from a 1/4-inch ice coccoon, a few friends and I went out to lunch and spent the afternoon walking off our desserts in a mall. We returned late that afternoon and promptly learned that Spring Break was starting a few days early, and everyone had to be off campus by 8 PM because of safety concerns. Out-of-state and international students were encouraged to go home with local friends or, if that wasn't an option, Hiram provided free room at a nearby hotel. I helped a few of my friends pack up, said a buncho f early goodbyes, and I too left by 8. And a happy extra three days on your spring break, everyone!

The Trustee Scholarship Competition!

Yesterday, the 23rd was the annual Trustree's Scholarship Competition. Every year, the brightest students applying to Hiram College compete for the chance of winning some very nice scholarships. The competition includes three parts: a group discussion on an article, an impromptu essay, and individual student interviews. Based on these three challenges, the powers that be determine how scholarships are distributed to the applicants. Scholarships range from $1000 to 50% to 75% to full tuition (unless it has changed since last year, I believe that 3 students recieve full scholarships, a few receive 50 and 75% scholarships, and everyone else receives $1000 scholarships).

I was involved in the competition last year, so I was invited to help with the student interviews. Each of the trustee scholars meet with a Hiram staff member and student for individual interviews. These interviews help determine which students show good leadership qualities and general well-rounded personalities. I was with Professor Mark Taylor, who teaches physics. I actually met him back in the fall on Campus Day -- we dug post holes together for Habitat for Humanity! Anyway, we interviewed four students throughout the day. It was really great to talk with prospective students. I really enjoyed talking with them, listening to their responses, and answering any questions they had for me as a first-year student. All four students I met with had great personalities, and I can't wait to see them here next fall!

After we finished evaluating the students we interviewed, Mark and I went to go eat an excellent lunch with the Trustee Scholars. We sat with a prospective student and his father and had a nice conversation. I really enjoyed answering all of their questions! If you ever want to really get to know a college, I recommend talking with the students who go there. I had very little idea of where I wanted to go to college one year ago, but I knew I wanted to come to Hiram as soon as I spent a night here.

Good luck to all of the Trustee Scholars, and to all seniors making those college decisions -- you're nearly there!

Free Rice!

I've been thinking that I should use my little power on this Freshman Blog to do some good, so this week's blog is a shameless plug for a good cause.

If you haven't heard of it already, I highly recommend checking out freerice.com

Free Rice is a recent internet phenomenon that promotes vocabulary improvement and combats world hunger. It works like a game; you are given a word and four synonyms, and you simply have to choose the correct answer. For every correct answer, ten grains of rice are donated to hungry countries. In no time at all, the rice accumulates and you have donated quite a bit of food!

Companies pay for the rice and get free advertising on the free rice website.

Also, Free Rice adapts to your own level of vocabulary. For every three questions you answer correctly, you get to a new level, which has slightly more difficult words. For every question you answer incorrectly, you drop down one level, which has slightly easier words. This way, people of all kind can play. You can even watch as your vocabulary improves over time. My average level is 35.

But most importantly, it's for a good cause. So, even if you only have a few minutes, check the website out and give it a try. You have absolutely nothing to lose!

Food, Fashion, and Friends from Around the World

Hiram's own Intercultural Forum, a club assembled of international students and students interested in other cultures, held its annual Talent Show this weekend.

The night began with an excellent dinner at the Kennedy Center. International Students worked all day preparing ethnic dishes representing their own countries. I filled my plate with a good variety of foods; some white rice, spring rolls with glass noodles, a spicy onion and pepper salad, a delicious Nepalese variation on a potato pancake, korokke (a Japanese food made of fried potato and meat), and a Japanese pecan sweet roll. It was all very delicious, not to mention quite a learning experience.

After the dinner, we went to Hayden Auditorium to enjoy the talent show. Members of the Intercultural Forum entertained us with a variety of amazing displays. The shows commenced with a fashion show featuring costumes from around the world. Different shows included Scottish dance, tai chi, and ballet. My roommate, Wenhao, sang a Chinese R&B song called Zai Mei Bian ("Beside the Plum Blossoms"). The students from Nepal amazed us with a spirited group dance, followed by a black-lighted routine from the HC Street Dance Crew. I would have to say my favorite performance was the Japanese students' performace of Sakura, Sakura with accompaniment on piano and flute.

The night was fun, entertaining, and informative!

The Laramie Project, and Decelerating

Last night was the final showing of the play The Laramie Project, a story about a hate crime in Laramie, Wyoming and the reactions of the town. The show went very well.

It has been an honor working with such an awesome group of students. Everyone brought something creative and new to the stage and I think we worked together very well. Toni, a Junior Theatre major who directed the play, was amazing throughout the entire process. She was personable, fun to be with, and very helpful as a director. Opening night we all received cards from Rick, Betsy, and Dave, the three people who make the Theatre department possible here at Hiram. It couldn't have been better.

Now that the play is over, my life is slowing down and catching up as before.

A New Semester

Well, the semester has officially begun and I have never been busier! I am at the full 18 credit hours for this semester. This is what my new schedule is like...

On Mondays I have 19th Century British Literature, which is a 300-level English course that is going towards my major. Kirsten Parkinson is the teacher and I enjoy it so far. After English I have about an hour to grab some lunch before I have a Biology class. I have not taken Biology since tenth grade, and so it's all coming back to me slowly. Hiram has many students looking to go into scientific careers, so my Biology class is the first time I've ever been in such a big class; most of my classes at Hiram have so far had no more than 15 to 20 students. I am continuing with the African Drum Ensemble, which meets on Monday nights.

On Tuesday I have my First Year Seminar (FSem), which is sort of a Freshman Colloquium Part 2. The focus of the FSem is to develop skills for critical discussion and writing research papers. My FSem is called Capturing Creativity and it is very interesting. We discuss the creative process of different individuals throughout history, from musicians to artists to athletes. The main project involves individual research into one specific person and their creative process. I am doing my project on Robert Lang, one of the most famous American origamists living today. Tuesday afternoon I have a piano lesson, and I'm moving right along with that.

My Wednesdays are by far the most hectic. I have English and Biology again, but in between them I have an Education class -- so that's three classes in a row over the lunch block. Thursdays I have my FSem and then a three hour Biology Lab. Fridays I only have
English and Biology.

My main classes are very reading-intensive, so I am constantly reading for homework on top of "normal" assignments. I have play practice every day but Friday, and those generally take three hours each, so my days are pretty well packed! But I still manage to make time to relax and be with friends. For example, last Friday a group of friends and I went to see the movie Sweeney Todd and had dinner.

As always, working hard, playing hard,
Derek

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Now playing: Travis - Sing
via FoxyTunes

The Food Revolution

Students here have had quite a pleasant surprise upon returning to Hiram. The college has changed food provider companies, and Hiram's dining services are now controlled by AVI.

For the past few days, the campus was abuzz with excitement over the food. The food here at Hiram has drastically improved over break. I highly doubt we are on the Princeton Review's "Worst College Food" list any more.

Since I'm on about eating at Hiram, I might as well let you know about the different dining options here. As of this year, Hiram has four basic food centers. Miller Dining Hall is the main place for students to eat. In Miller, the food is laid out cafeteria style. Different stations are laid out, including the main entree location, a salad and fruit bar, a sandwich station, a pasta bar, a pizza counter, and a "Fusion" bar (where employees prepare hot food for you!). And Miller has a wonderful ice cream station and a long line of soda, milk, and juice fountains.

Another popular place to grab a bite is the KC, which has wonderful late-night options on the weekends, with made-to-order food, including wraps, subs, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, chicken tenders... that sort of food. The KC also has a sort of mini-mart, where you can buy cold sandwiches, drinks, ice cream, fruit, etc.

Above the KC is a small cafe sort of coffee house. And for the vegetarians and vegans, the Stone Soup Co-op is a great option. Students apply to be a part of the Co-op, where they takes hifts to cook for everyone in the Co-op.