And We're Back...

It's been quite some time since I last wrote about my experiences at W&L but I'm glad to be back and blogging again.

Sophomore year has gotten off to a great start--one much different than my first year. I moved to Lexington earlier than most for RA training. That was a great start to my time in Lexington but before I knew it, first years were moving into their rooms. Fastforward about 5 weeks and here we are. I am more than settled into my room as the RA for the second floor of Davis Hall, the site of the first Co-Ed hall at W&L. Classes have begun, the leaves are changing, and Homecoming is this weekend. So much has changed since I wrote this post a full year ago. Still, some things are the same, just multiplied. Example: figuring out a major.

Putting Knowledge to Work

I've learned a lot in Geology this Spring Term and this weekend was when I decided that it was time to put all of that new know-how to work. Particularly, my new understanding of what the great outdoors has to offer in and around Lexington. This weekend I drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway for hours with friends and went to swim at Goshen Pass. And really, the weekend was just the finale to a week where I went hiking at least once on 5 consecutive days.

Here is some photographic evidence:

Goshen

 

St. Mary's Falls

Meet Dave...

This is the Geology Professor I speak so much about. Here he is taking a seat on the side of a mountain as our class takes notes. We learned that the section of sedimentary rock that Dave sat on was once at the beach.

Our System is alive...

Our Honor System is like no other. Tonight we will have a Student Body meeting, an event that only occurs so often. Students have taken hold of the Honor System and called for an open dialogue on the issue that matter on our campus. The event is surely a testament to what the Honor System means to students at W&L. 

Geology

So not everyone can be good at everything and my weaknesses are math and science. I came from a humanities based magnet program within a very humanities focused high school which meant that I was freaking out when I remember the lab science requirement for graduation. It looks like I will survive though thanks to Geology 100. It is my only class for this spring term.

Yesterday my professor, Dave, took us out to a popular site called Panther Falls. Students often go swimming there on the hottest days of spring but we went to see the awesome bits of geologic history found at the site. This part sounds a little weird but it was pretty awesome. Dave is talking about rocks when he starts taking off his socks and shoes. And then his shirt and pants to reveal a bathing suit that the was wearing totally by coincidence. Before I knew it, Dave dove into the water and we saw him pointing out these really cool places of erosion that the water of the Pedlar river had carved out. Dave swam up and down the river and at somepoint it felt like we were in class at Sea World.

Only at W&L...

Check This Out!

Not that this is a shameless plug or anything but you guys should really check out this new admitted students page that the admissions office has developed. I'm sure you have seen similar pages on other universities' websites but I'll say that the admitted students page really does capture a lot of what it means to be a W&L student. I wish I had that sort of resource when I was deciding... It would have made things much easier.

go.wlu.edu/accepted

Flashback

It's crazy to think that it has been a year since I had to make a decision about what university I would attend. That was undoubtedly the toughest part of my senior year and I struggled to make a decision and dealt with the insecurity of my decision for months. My advice is to do what you think is best on all fronts. I found that my decision worked out really well and I think that is the case for almost every student that chooses W&L. That might seem like a shameless plug but, speaking from first hand experience, I honestly thought I made the wrong decision. But I didn't and that is what matters!

Good Luck!