Never Gets Easier...

    Regardless of your age or grade in school, this time of year is always anticipated because of the many holiday breaks that students get from school.  I know that when I leave Wittenberg for Thanksgiving or Christmas break, I am in a very very happy mood.  I am eager to get home and relax with family and friends, and escape from the stresses of school.
    Last Tuesday, I was packed to go home the night before and got on the road north to Toledo as soon as I could.  However, my mood is the opposite when I ventured south today back towards Springfield.  It has always been difficult to leave home after a holiday break.  It is just enough time to get settled in to the routine of home; eating home-cooked meals, sleeping in, seeing friends and family, and releasing all ties to school.  And then, that comfort is taken right out from underneath you and on you go back to school.
   This feeling has not changed.  I remember experiencing this infamous holiday break remorse my freshmen year and I felt the same way on my drive back today.  The only thing that has changed is my reaction.  I remember I cried my freshmen year leaving home after Christmas break.  I have thankfully gotten a tad bit tougher when it comes to leaving home.  Regardless, I am so thankful for the wonderful Thanksgiving break I had with my family and that is why it is always so hard to leave home.

I May Have an Obsession...

   Books, Movies, Cars, Beauty, Pop Culture, Music.  All typical topics people are interested in when they turn on the TV or pick up a magazine or scroll through their pintrest page. 

   However, I have come to notice and I am sure others have too, that I have a particular topic that I am interested in. Food. And this is not just an interest, it is an obsession.  Now, don't automatically jump the gun and assume that when I say I am obsessed with food that all I do is eat it.  Yes, granted, I enjoy eating food but this relationship is based on so much more than that.

  First and most importantly, I love to cook and bake.  I am constantly thinking of new creations and fun desserts I can make for friends and family.  This contributes to how I spend a lot of my free time; looking up recipes.  I have several sources for my recipes; my collection of cookbooks (its very small but I imagine it'll grow), the Food Network, the Food Network magazine, several food blogs, etc. The list goes on and on.  On a bus ride home from a volleyball tournament, a teammate happened to look through the seats in front of her to where I was sitting and she wondered what was I doing? As she put it, "looking at food porn" on my ipod.  Of course it was not food porn, that's gross people, but that's how she described it because the website was just images of food that linked me to their respective recipes. 

   I know that it may seem crazy or obsessive but food is my hobby.  With volleyball over now I have much more time to devote to baking, my true passion.  Just this week alone, I will have made pumpkin ice cream, a brown butter apple tart, and cupcakes for my volleyball coach's daughter's birthday.  And a big question on my mind is what I am going to bake for Thanksgiving; I have several recipes that I want to make including a homemade apple pie (something every baker has to have under their belt), pumpkin creme brulee, and possibly some sort of layer cake. 

   Looking at this blog right now is even more evidence of my passion for food.  This is probably the longest blog I have written, so if you are still reading, cudos to you! I even want to pursue food sustainability and nutrition in a future career.  I think that it is so important for children and even adults to understand where food comes from and how to prepare it properly to make it both healthy and tasty! It is possible! Believe me! 

   Thinking about a topic to write about for this blog, food immediately entered my brain.  Haven't written about it yet and with the holidays around the corner, it is consuming a big portion of my daily thought processes. So now I have let you in on my food obsession and if you ever have a request of something you are absolutely craving, chances are that I will cook or bake it for you!

Difficult Times for Wittenberg

     The fall of 2012 has marked a difficult beginning to the academic year for Wittenberg University because of the rise in sexual assaults, the arrest of a French professor on charges of rape, and now the potential cuts that several departments are facing.  The latter issue is the focus of this post and is something that should not be taken lightly.
     Some of the departments that are up for elimination are Geology, Dance, Music, and French; it is these departments that face removal because they draw the lowest amount of students for a major or minor.  It is unfortunate that any department has to face this fate because Wittenberg is an institution that values community and the education of every student by offering avenues to study many different disciplines.
    I know that a department that students are particularly sensitive about and adamant about saving is the dance and music departments.  People argue that if you take aways the art disciplines, then you are essentially lowering the standards that Wittenberg has set as a liberal 'arts' university.
  The administration is offering a way for students to voice their opinions online regarding the departmental cuts.  I think that this is good and it encourages student participation in a decision that is going to undoubtedly impact the future of the university.  I only hope that the students who are most distraught by the potential elimination of several departments express their opinions through the online application provided.  

Saving the Best for Last

     Last Tuesday, the Wittenberg womens volleyball team traveled 6 hours on a charter bus up to Grand Rapids Michigan to participate in the NCAA regional tournament in hopes of achieving back to back national championships.  However, this journey would not come without its' battles and this is exactly what the tigers faced in their three days of competition.
    Day 1: the only obligation the volleyball team had on Wednesday was attending the 55 minute practice mandated and observed by an NCAA representative.  After that, we went to see a movie and had a great team dinner at Olive Garden.
   Day 2: game day#1!! We were set to play Ohio Northern in the first round and beat them in three.  On to the next opponent!!
   Day 3: On Friday, we played Hope College, #5 in the nation vs. us, #2 in the nation.  Big, big game that I think a lot of people did not expect the tigers to handle so confidently and poised.  We beat Hope in three.
   Day 4: Regional Finals. #1Calvin College vs. #2 Wittenberg University.  Basically the national championship match in the third round of the NCAA's.  We knew it was going to be a all out battle, but it was not something we weren't willing to fight for.  My team already had accomplished so much in our season, far beyond anybody's expectations.  So we decided, to enjoy the moment.  Live in the incredible atmosphere we had in that arena with 2,000 fans screaming after every point.  We definitely embraced the challenge with open arms and did not hold anything back.  Unfortunately, we lost to Calvin in 5 sets, ending our season and for the four seniors, our volleyball careers.
   This may seem sad, and it was in the aftermath of the match.  But as we sat back and reflected on our season, my team and I realized that we had already won.  We had created some lasting friendships, learned so much together, and accomplished some amazing feats in the time from August 11th to November 10th. I will forever cherish the times spent as a tiger volleyball player; but especially the moments I had with my team this past season.  Once a tiger, always a tiger! KKHHMMMHHWWB.

First Time Voter in a Suspenseful Election

    Tuesday November 6th 2012 is a day that many Ohioans will remember forever.  Not only was Ohio extremely influential in determining the outcome of the presidential election, but Ohio also saw an influx of new voters taking a stand and voicing their opinions.  Our generation's contribution to politics and elections has always been of interest and we, as college students, have been especially targeted to take part and vote.  If you don't believe me, take a look at my mailbox.  I changed my voter registration to Clark County in September so that I could conveniently vote while at Witt.  Every since I did that, flyers and pamphlets swarmed my mailbox and I even received a few phone calls from a campaign office.  Needless to say, the election has been in our faces for the past 3 months and I think that students actually listened to the campaign materials! My friend and I, both first time voters, walked downtown to the Heritage Center early Tuesday morning and spoke our voices.  We felt very excited and empowered after we turned in our ballots, regardless of who we voted for and who inevitably won the election.  I think this is the lesson to be learned, not if our candidate won or not.  We, as the college student generation, have a responsibility to take a stake in our future and the future of our country.  Step 1: voting, and I am proud to say that I, as well as many of my friends, voted for the first time on Tuesday and will continue to be politically involved in the United States, Ohio, and even in Springfield.