So I wish I could have snagged a picture of this today - you know one of those times where you're in some environment or setting and wish you could have a picture of it but have no camera, nor someone to take the picture. Anyways, I sat across from the Dean of Students with my Rhynie pot on, grey sweats and crew top, orange hunting vest, sock hanging from my waist, torn and duct taped poster board with the events of the week on it  next to me; and had a talk about campus life and even asked advice. I guess this sort of struck me as one of those very Wabash moments in which I wouldn't expect a Dean from any other college to sit down with a 20 year old young man, unshaven, wearing sandals, dressed in an orange hunting vest and talk for 30 minutes without ever questioning his attire; competely unrelated to any disciplinary matter may I add.

     I simply caught the Dean's attention in the lobby of Center Hall, asked what he was doing this afternoon, to which he replied, "well, what do you mean, I mean, do you want to play catch? What do you need?" with a smile. I suppose this sort of interaction may be rare among most college students and hopefully, not taken for granted. I enjoy having this close contact with the administration.

Posted by Jake Ezell at 12:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     Especially in comparison to last week, this week was long. It just seemed to take forever getting to the weekend. Maybe this was because of long hours in the library studying - I'm not sure. It was not long because of a lack of things to do though. I spent most of the week studying for a biology lab practical and organic test. In comparison to the last organic test, this one went much more smoothly. I was not near as braindead going into this one as the last, so thats good.

     College Mentors for Kids was pretty fun this week. We took the kids over to our house and had some of the LCA brothers teach the kids Tae Kwon Do. I think overall the kids really enjoyed it and learned something from it. It was kind of neat to see them focus in on something instead of being so scatter brained as they usually are.

     I usually don't talk much about in classroom stuff, but CNT discussion today was pretty interesting. We started the African American unit and were specifically discussing the narrative of Frederick Douglass. It was a pretty reflective class for me because the discussion leant towards the education as empowerment topic and how learning can create power, freedom, and anguish. I guess when I look back at when I first came to Wabash I have seen that sort of transformation. I feel like I've learned so much coming here, have an incredible desire to learn more, but understand the limits of knowledge - somewhat. I can't really elaborate it other than I enjoyed class today.

Posted by Jake Ezell at 06:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

      As prior mentioned, this was Honor Scholars weekend. While it is somewhat uneventful at our house as we typically watch some of the games, play some cards, give house tours, and meet prospects, it was still neat for me to play a role in bringing in the new class of LCA as co-rush chair. All in all, I feel we were able to find some kids that would be great prospects of LCA. I think on the weekend we gave 18 bids and had 6 accepts which is about on par with past Honor Scholar weekends for our house.

     This week should be fairly busy, theres an organic test lurking in the midst on Friday and a biology lab practical on Thursday. Also I need to start a research paper and CNT paper. Not too much right? =)

Posted by Jake Ezell at 07:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     The past two days have brought about a bit of excitement in the house due to the increasing presence of prospects on campus. I'm not exactly sure why, but it just brings a new sense of excitement to the campus; recruiting the new class that is. I'm pretty amazed at how much of a collective effort it is across the campus. It's not just the admissions or just a few professors, but the students, faculty, staff, deans - it's literally everyone. But the point is, last night our house was full of energy, this morning, all afternoon, and I'm sure tonight will be just as energetic.

     College Mentors Thursday was an affirming this week. We did little buddy interview and I was responsible for interviewing the 3rd graders. It was really positive to hear there responses on some things. Everyone of them wanted to go to college and even had gained understandings of college as a place you go to get a good job and live on campus, etc. We get pretty dumbed down sometimes and can't really look at the big picture when you've got 30 kids hyped up on sugar running around campus paying zero attention to anything but there next half formulated idea, but this was a really good affirmation that we are having results and doing some really great things.

RUSH LCA

Posted by Jake Ezell at 05:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I arrived back into my room at Lambda Chi, 12:30 Sunday night after having spent a week in Italy following the life of Francis through Frescos, Mosaics, and Churches. My feet and knees ached a bit, my back a little sore, eyes a little heavy — but smirk still on my face. As I laid down and closed my eyes, contentment and awe washed over me. It was a magical week.

Having never been abroad before, I probably could not have asked for a better week. First, Dr. Cook is a great tour guide. I cannot say enough about the man. I really feel like we could have videotaped him in every church or museum and distributed copies as a professionally scripted tour. The man was on top of everything through and through.

Secondly, I was taken aback by how much being in the cities really helped us to understand what we had been reading. It's cliche, but there is such a difference in seeing artwork in person versus in a textbook. So much a difference that I cannot possibly elaborate in words - you'll simply have to experience it yourself. Go see a fresco that's 24' by 48,' a statue that's 10 times the size of you, or a church with 100-foot vaulted ceilings, then you may understand what I am describing to you. Being in the cities and walking the steps Francis and the Friars would have walked truly was a learning experience for me. I opened the textbook for class last night and began to read and immediately was able to put a picture with a description and a location with a name. Furthermore, I went home last evening to show my parents my pictures. They were shocked at how much I learned. I think my Grandma was amazed.

Now the fun stuff. =) Every evening, when we weren't going out to dinner as a group, Dr. Cook would corral us and speak to us as adults, "Gentlemen, we will be leaving from this fountain at 8:30 in the morning, I expect you all to be here and in walking condition." And we were. Those hours from about 4:30 every afternoon until whatever time we got back to our rooms had some of the most learned experiences. We learned how to approach Italian women, how to order food on our own, ask for directions, communicate to people who have never spoken a sentence of English in their lives, and to haggle a bit. It was a really empowering experience to be able to approach a person of another country and have a conversation not as Americans and Italians, but as people. I have shed such a fear of traveling abroad from this single experience.

All in all, I cannot possible say enough about the trip, how beautiful Italy was, or what all I learned. I can only help all Wabash students have the potential to experience an Immersion Trip and can honestly say it was a chance of a lifetime — I simply could not have afforded and would not have considered this without Wabash College.

Posted by Jake Ezell at 05:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     It's 4:30 in the morning, 6 hours before the bus departs for the airport for Italy and I just finished packing. Plus, I've got a test in 3 hours over 22 typed pages of biology notes - wouldn't have it any other way.

     I've reflected a lot on the fact that I'll be in Italy this coming week during the course of the day and it's really been, well I want to say, it's kind of made me awe struck. I'm not really sure what to expect. Not only is it the first time I've been on a plane, but its the first time I've left the country. Now I realize to most this is probably not as big of a deal to them as it is to me, but I'm nonetheless hit with a sense of anxiety mixed with excitement.

     I don't know how much I'll update over the course of the next week, but I'll try to save some thoughts and pictures for when I get back, for now, I'm too tired to overindulge in blogging and am going to bed.

Bus leaves 10:30 AM and we should arrive in Florence, Italy approximately 24 hours from now. =)

Posted by Jake Ezell at 04:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     Once again, I find myself on the third floor in the library slaving over another set of bio notes. However, periodically, I drift off and start thinking about the trip to Italy for my Saint Francis of Assisi class this Friday. I literally could have a million things to do this week and not care because of that trip. We spent probably the first 20 minutes of religion class today talking about specifics in terms of packing and all for the trip and while I'm a bit nervous since it's my first trip out of the country, I'm almost overly excited for it.

     I was home Sunday to celebrate my brother and sisters birthdays. As I was leaving my father made sure to point out to me that I am the first member of our family to go back to Europe since however many generations ago my great great (however many greats) grandfather came to America. I think thats pretty neat and truly do feel this is an opportunity I only would have had at Wabash. I will be studying abroad next semester, but to be able to go to Italy as a part of a class is something I do not feel I would have gotten at IU or Hanover which were the two other schools I was seriously considering.

     I realized I've said this many times, but really the opportunity at Wabash to do literally anything is almost unfathomable. Anytime I find myself on the third floor of the library slaving over my notes, ready to pull my hair out and wanting nothing more than to be partying at a co-ed college, it just takes a little bit of rationale to realize why I love this place and why I put myself through it all.

     On a side note, we've been reading These Fleeting Years for Rhyneship and it's really given me an appreciation for the college as well. I guess I'm very unfamiliar with college history, but its pretty neat to be able to read a book like that and see how much our mission and traditions have been shaped by some really great minds throughout history. Again, I've yet to regret going out for the Sphinx Club, I think its something so unique to Wabash and has given me such a better appreciation for this college that it would be hard to regret. Not to mention I've picked up some pretty close friends that I can call up on the weekends and have over to the house or go see. I realize the club takes a lot of criticism at times, but really, as a current Rhynie, I would encourage anyone to seriously consider the club - its really embibing of what Wabash is.

    That picture is from semi-formal a two weekends ago - that really was a fun time - and I sweat a lot when I dance.

Posted by Jake Ezell at 10:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)