The weekend was a blast. 

     I drove to Indy the first time for my interview which went really well. The only problem was that I think they are looking for a year round employee whereas I was searching for summer employment - we'll see how it goes. I interview again this Friday at Community East. After a pit stop at home, my sister can drive now (crazy, I know), I came back to C-ville for dinner then loaded up for Indy again.

     The seniors all got dropped off in Indy with house money to spend for dinner and then they went out to the bars at Broadripple later. I spent the night hanging out at Nobbe's girlfriend's apartment before picking up the guys at 3AM. The way home was hilarious. We convinced the 2nd car that I couldn't find the 3 guys I was supposed to be picking up and really had them going for a while. After a bathroom break at WhiteCastle in Brownsburg, we headed back to Cville with 30 WhiteCastles for the guys in back.

     Saturday was a lot of cramming for me. I usually don't study on Fridays and since we had a chemistry test this morning I had a lot to cram. About 8:30 I couldn't do it anymore and got dressed up in my toga and hung out with some of the guys and visiting girls before the Delt Party which turned out to be a really good time. Sunday was, as usual, another study day along with formal association for some of the Spring Rush guys. All in all, things are going well, no more chemistry tests this semester except for the final, freshman tutorial field trip tomorrow, and Pan-Hel(Greek) week all week long.

     4 Weeks to go...

Posted by Jake Ezell at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

     First, I overslept and didn't wake up until 10:30 this morning. That doesn't mean I missed class, only that I have more to do tonight. Lunch was meat ball subs. We debated in my tutorial - I guess I just find debating fun. Philosophy is still probably my favorite class. Then college mentors for kids.

     College Mentors (CMFK) started really pretty crazy. We were waiting for some extra pairs of shorts to show up for the kids and thus they were running around the classroom for about 20 minutes, very hyped up about getting to go swimming. You can see a video of this here: YouTube Video Once we finally made it to the pool, we had the rules explained to us and asked the kids who could and couldn't swim. We decided they all had to wear some kind of life jacket, which turned out to be aqua jog belts that barely fit the kids, at first. Most were able to take them off eventually but it was comical at first. Even more funny were the kids who we had to get gym shorts for. We ended up getting sizes too large for the boys and had to actually tape them around their waists - I kept thinking of the classic example of when like a Dad is forced to stay home with the kids and mom comes home to find the kids with clothes on backwards, mismatched, and running around wildly. Typical Wabash. The pool went off without a hitch though, it was really good to see no one get hurt, or even anyone need to get rescued, all the mentors and guards at the pool stepped up and created a pretty fun environment for the kids. Its fun to just run around and play with the kids. 

     Near the end, several of the kids were shivering pretty bad, but refused to remove themselves from the cold water - it's a competition pool. We managed to get them to the bathrooms and changed then out the door and on the bus. Whenever they leave it always pulls at my heart to hear them pleading to stay or to do one more thing, just one more time. It's a sort of bittersweet feeling. It's great to see the kids love to be on campus and around us, and its kind of sad to see them leave, and all. Its really a good feeling to be able to have an opportunity like this to impact the lives to young kids.

     Not a lot for tomorrow, job interview and driving the seniors. Probably stop by Butler while the seniors are out going around Indy. 

Heres a photo album from today: College Mentors for Kids Swimming

Posted by Jake Ezell at 06:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     I made it back to school late Sunday night and finished up some odds and ends I had due for class the next day. I guess you could say I've been a bit lazy this week but really its just that I don't have much going on other than a few papers and a calc test next week. Hopefully, I'll be able to work ahead on all that. 

    Yesterday was a pretty regular Tuesday, I woke up, showered, did some homework, went to class, drank the kool-aid (just kidding), threw the baseball with some guys, ate, lifted, did homework, talked on the phone, then called it a night. Really your standard Tuesday. Outside of that, today was a pretty regular Wednesday except chemistry lab was pretty cool. We're synthesizing different coordinate compounds over the course of the next three weeks and its kind of up to us to figure it out. It's pretty neat to have that freedom to mix and match chemicals and all. I suppose I could just be a big dork and find that really cool whereas the rest of the world may see it was nonsense. No matter though - I enjoy it. =) 

     This Friday and Saturday should be really busy. Friday I have a job interview in Indy, then we drive the seniors to Indy for their senior dinner. Then Saturday night we have a big party with the Delt house. I'll try to remember to take my camera to something this weekend so you can get some pictures outside of my room or even the house here.

    Zombie survival club passed in the Student Senate, first meeting tonight.....

Posted by Jake Ezell at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     A while back, Samer and I challenged Michael Nobbe and Richard Roomes to a tag team match in the house's chapter room. This challenge went ignored until this past week when the challenged(Nobbe and Richard) decided to take us up on the match. Both Nobbe and Richard are significantly larger than Samer or I; nonetheless, Samer and I hold the belt after 4 hard fought rounds, and Richard getting stuck.

     That was Wednesday night, Thursday my 1:10 got cancelled due to an emergency, then the little buddies for CMFK were out for Spring Break so really it was a lazy Thursday for me.

     Friday went fast. All the studying for calculus paid off, I did very well on both tests I took this week. I packed up after class, ate lunch, went to my Chem professor for help on our ridiculously long lab write up (I hope he's reading this), then headed home for Easter weekend. I think there were like 4 guys left in the house on Friday.

     The weekend was a good chance to catch up with some of my other friends who were home for Easter. My bracket got owned when Duke lost -  I had them winning it all - I know best pick I ever made. But after that I really spent some time with the family and have been doing some odds and ends for school today. This week shouldn't be anything crazy - I just start studying for the chem test thats a week from monday today so that will occupy most of my free time.

5 weeks left...

O, and I got a job interview at Community East for either a Rehab technician of transporter job.

That and I love the weather now - it really makes things optimistic.

Posted by Jake Ezell at 03:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     Monday's calculus test went well. I ended up putting in about an hour Sunday night, getting 6 hours of sleep, waking up at 7, showering eating breakfast, studying, then caught 20 minutes of news before I went to class at 9. I was pretty happy with that routine.

     This morning I ended up being contacted about a job interview which is pretty cool since it was basically set up by an alumni. The alum sort of let the person in charge of applications know I was from Wabash and put in a good word for me. So hopefully I'll be able to take physics at IUPUI and then working at the hospital after class.

     Other than that not a lot more has been happening. We have a lot of events coming up at the house such as the faculty dinner, founder's day, and a party but since it's Easter weekend its sort of the down week. I got the hammock my brother brought back from the Dominican Republic hung up in my room today - followed closely by an hour nap. Really not a whole lot to say tonight. 

Posted by Jake Ezell at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     It's only Saturday morning, but all in all it's been fun meeting with the prospects. I was just talking to a couple of guys about the fact that this is probably the only college that will bring in some 300 prospects for a weekend. It's pretty cool. I was talking to our cook on Friday afternoon about how fast it has gone - from me being on campus for honor scholar last year until now. That really kind of amazes me.

     Yesterday, the campus had some excitement in the air. Amidst the concerned parents and curious prospects, walking to class just seemed to have a certain element of excitement in it. Not to mention it was beautiful outside. We had quite a few prospects come through our house and I hope it was like that at all the houses. I'm not sure what all tonight will bring but nonetheless, it's neat to sit back and reflect. I spent some time talking to a few kids about some Wabash-only experiences I've had already - chapel sing, guarding the bell, the bell game, etc. 

     The week ended pretty typical. I can't begin to express how ecstatic I was when my calc test got moved to this Monday. That means I have to study over the weekend, but that also means I didn't have to stay up all night this week. The rhynies are out cooking before the baseball game, its good to see the cookouts starting up again with the nice weather. Spring is so close...

We ended the basketball season 5-3 on Thursday - it was a pretty solid experience.

Posted by Jake Ezell at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

     Break was a solid time - restful to say the least. I was up before 10 everyday except that first weekend and maybe a day. Honestly, I really didn't have much to do. I managed to put off most, if not all, of my homework and studying until this past weekend - I know, that's impressive. I met with an old friend on Wednesday afternoon and it was good to catch up - yeah, that's just there as a shout out. It was also pretty cool to learn how similar my science classes are to Notre Dames. You always here about how crazy Notre Dame is and it's neat to think I'm getting an education tantamount, if not better. Friday was pretty interesting. I met with an Alum at Community Hospital East, whom I had never met before, and walked around the hospital talking about possible summer employment options. On a side note, when we met in his office, a very high up director walked in and made an aside about how it would be a lot easier if their were more Wabash men around. Also, this was the first time I saw the real sheepskin diploma. It's a pretty neat tradition - Wabash diplomas are printed on sheepskin. You've got to love tradition, this one kind of cracks me up though. I managed to make it out to Dayton safely on Saturday amidst the 16'' of snow they received. One of my buddies had a formal he managed to take myself, 2 other guys, and a girl to - I'm not sure exactly how that worked out, but it was fun nonetheless. 

     I didn't make it back to Wabash until early Monday morning for my 9AM. I did well on 2/3 big mid-term grades before the break. Thankfully I get to redo the calculus test =). I also met with Dr. Axtell, my advisor, today to talk about next semester(already). Unfortunately, I don't get to take a PHI class, but instead he thought it would be a good idea to knock out an art credit - so I'm enrolled in 2-D Drawing. I'm pretty excited for it, I used to be in AP art in High School. Other than that, I'm getting owned. Organic Chemistry, Bio 111, and Cultures and Traditions. It's going to be a fun year. 

     6.5 weeks + finals = the end of freshman year and a ponderous student questioning where all the time went

Posted by Jake Ezell at 02:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     With Honor Scholarship weekend coming, I felt it important I take at least one entry and address the prospects. To this point I've tried my hardest to make this blog an account of a freshman's experiences at Wabash apart from what admissions would like me to say, and I plan to hold true. Thus the following is my own thoughts and was not externally motivated in any way. 

     I remember coming to Wabash for honors scholar weekend, I ended up having to take all the tests on Friday since I had a track meet on Saturday. Anyways, after asking to be assigned to an independent, I was assigned to eat at the Delt house. Following my tests, I had decided I wasn't going to go eat lunch since I wasn't even considering joining a fraternity. However, my hunger got the best of me and I ended up over at the Delt house. The hospitality I received there created a spark in me and really got me moving on the fraternity thing and I really can't express enough thanks to those that helped me out that weekend. Thus, I think it is first and foremost important to stress at the very least giving fraternity life (at Wabash) a chance - no matter how against Greek life you may or may not be. Trust me, the Greek life at Wabash is something different than you will find anywhere else.

1.  60% of Wabash men are in fraternities. This means a large majority of events are centered around fraternity life. While the events are open to all, being in a fraternity tends to make them mean a bit more.

2. Tradition. Founded in 1832, Wabash is a place of great tradition. Undoubtedly that is one of the many reasons you're considering the place. All the fraternities have some aspect of tradition rooted in them that creates a better overall connection with Wabash. For instance, the Beta's still lock arms at Chapel sing on the front steps of the chapel; this is something the Beta's have and always will do -  a chance to be apart of that creates a connection with hundreds of Wabash men before you.

3. Friendship. The first thing one of the freshmen in my class at LCA said was how great it was to feel like he had just walked into 50 friendships as a freshman. Joining a house creates an immediate bond between you and the upper classmen, these people want to get to know you and want to know more about you. Regardless of your opinions about them a year from the move in, they still will be there for you in the time of least familiarity - something that can really help push you through freshman year.

4. It's an all-male college. What's the difference between living in a dorm of 60 guys and living in a fraternity of 60 guys? Quite frankly the largest difference is implicitly stated above. As a part of a fraternity, you're requesting to be apart of their brotherhood; simply by taking an interest in that almost forces the brothers to get to know you. I can honestly walk into any room in our house and have a talk or ask for help from any of the brothers. While this may be true of any of the independent halls, I know in the Greek life there is almost a calling to reach out and try to help through that rigorous freshman year. 

5. It's unlike frat life at big schools. The fraternity life at Wabash is different than the typical party fraternities of most big schools. While the fraternities will have their share of parties, it's not centered around them. Most of the students will live in the fraternities for all 4 years instead of the two years like other schools. Also, most houses have between 30 and 60 men living in them. The fraternities at other schools will rush classes of 60 which can make it easy to get lost. Also, most of the fraternities at Wabash are very involved in the community or in some philanthropy organization. For example, the majority of mentors in College Mentors for Kids are Delts. The houses at Wabash understand they have an immense power to help those in need.

6. Schoolwork help. I think I mentioned this above. The brothers are all more than willing to help you in any class you may have. Most have taken the courses you have or have at the very least had the professor. You may not fully understand it but Wabash is academically rough, any and all help should be welcomed.

7. Study Tables. While they may seem like a pain, being required to study x number of hours a night by the house does help. It helps to teach the freshman when to study and how to put in a lot of time studying. I know some freshmen that attribute study tables to the only reason they made grades first semester.

8. Opportunities. It's not that being independent is going to rob you of any opportunities or chances to excel at Wabash, its that fraternity brotherhood is prevalent and enables Wabash men many opportunities such as housing over breaks or over the summer in different cities if you were say taking summer classes or had an internship. Ultimately, it enables Wabash an easy opportunity to develop lifelong friendships.

     All the above are my reflections thus far on Wabash fraternity life. As I said earlier, I as much against fraternity life as you could be before I came to Wabash. The Greek life here is different and worth checking out on Friday night of Honor Scholar weekend. I just wanted to make a side note that the reason fraternity life has such a bad name, I think, is because of the media. Some of the incidents and misfortunes of fraternity life at colleges has become a highlight of news stories and has really put a negative tag on Greek Life across the country. Hope to see you all around and at LCA (we're across the railroad tracks).

Posted by Jake Ezell at 01:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)