It’s finally here!

Late Knight Breakfast is finally here!

Perhaps the best part about finals week is having your professors serve you breakfast…at night. This has become a beloved Bellarmine tradition, and only occurs twice a year. Which makes it just a little bit better than Christmas.

So, December 8th at 11pm in Frazier Hall…be there for breakfast with ALL your friends and tons of people you may not have ever seen before. Seriously, students come out of the woodwork for this event.
Get there early, and wear your Christmas best!

Winding Up to Wind Down

The other day I registered for my last semester as a Bellarmine student.

Ick. Just typing those words makes me all itchy and faint.

Luckily I, and many of my fellow seniors, are in for a pretty cake last semester. This is the semester we plan for. We get our General Education classes out of the way early, as well as many of our required classes for our majors. All that’s left are electives and filling in the gaps where our hours are needed. Bellarmine students need 126 credit hours in order to graduate. Finding those last few hours your senior year is often a chore all on its own. For instance, I’m taking a music class next semester…I’m a Communication student. So, like I said…filling in the gaps.

Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors are not experiencing the same dread I am at this moment. They have all the time in the world, really, to take their classes and continue enjoying these years before “real life.” But do I envy them? Well, only a little.

The things I’m focusing on now are things like deciding where to live and applying for jobs. It’s scary but exciting at the same time. The whole world is opened up to me (and all others getting ready to graduate) and I could go anywhere and do anything I want.

So, how am I doing this? Kind of the same way I used to search for internships. First, I check in the immediate area: Louisville. I look at companies around town and see what they do. Next, I expand a bit to areas slightly close to here: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, etc. And so on and so forth. I’m boring myself, so it’s time to move on.

The advice I’d like to impart on underclassmen is this: Please, please, please enjoy college while you’re still in it. But also make sure you’re taking the right classes that will prepare you for life outside of this institution. Did you know that Bellarmine now offers a personal finance class? Man, is that a good idea.

Oh, and have I mentioned before to get involved with things? Go to events and such? Yeah, do that. Make friends. Make change. Have fun.

Here are some clubs/organizations I suggest you look to getting involved with:

Alliance for Gender Equality

Bellarmine Film Association

Make Louisville Sweat Free

New clubs: Bellarmine Students Artists and Bellarmine Alliance of Secular Students

 

Have any advice for seniors? Any suggestions for clubs/organizations to get involved with? Leave a comment!

 

-Natalie

What’s For Dinner?

Hello! Man, I feel so much better than I did in my last post. My illness is gone and I’m back on track.

So back on track, in fact, that my appetite has increased ten-fold. (Thank goodness for Bellarmine’s many staircases that keep me in shape.)
I went late-night Krogering tonight, which has always been one of my favorite pastimes.  I typically don’t spend too much money on food at once…I try to spread out my grocery shopping. Mostly so I’m not carrying 10 bags into the residence hall at once, but also to control and maintain good eating habits. If I go to the grocery and buy too much at once, I’m more apt to eat a WHOLE lot of that food quickly.

Making your own food in your room can be a great boon to college students. Sometimes the food on campus gets old after a few weeks, so making your favorite lunches and dinners can be fun and calming, in a way. And totally cost effective! I highly suggest keeping a good stock of healthy food in your room to add a little variety and spice to your eating habits. Try checking out Rainbow Blossom. They’re a great local organic grocery in Louisville, and just opened a store on Bardstown Road (next to Preston’s Art Center, behind-ish where Krispy Kreme is) (don’t break down and go to Krispy Kreme).

On campus food options, however, have gotten immensely better this year…much to the chagrin of recently graduated students I’ve spoken to.
Cafe Ogle has gotten a facelift of epic proportions and added some franchised options: Pizza Hut Express, WOW Cafe and Wingery, AFC Sushi and Einstein Bros. Bagels. My favorite? The bagels and sushi. SO GOOD. I swear to you, I’ve never had a better bagel…and I love bagels.
Seriously.

Kosters has also expanded their repertoire of cafeteria fare with The Balanced Way (created last year) and Simply To Go.

AND! They have a fancy schmancy new website where students can review the menu before making their way aaallll the way to Kosters. Neat, huh? I’m actually rather impressed with it. Good job, Sodexho!

I know it’s tempting to just wait until 2am to finally eat a meal (probably at Taco Bell…) but I have to stress to you all the importance of eating well while at school. Your family isn’t cooking for you anymore, so it’s up to you to make sure you’re getting everything you need. And contrary to popular belief, triple layer nachos and Red Bull are not part of the food pyramid. If you’re not sure what is, go ask the nutritionist we have on campus!

Anyway, after all this food talk…I’m starving. Oreos and milk here I come! (The milk is organic…so I’m still being healthy…)

–Natalie

Sick Day

My first Bellarmine video blog! Sad that it’s about being sick, but it’s chock full of helpful stuff.

Enjoy!

It’s a Madhouse.

Oh.

My.

Word.

How did there get to be so many students on campus? Don’t get me wrong, having lots of students is GREAT. But man alive there are a lot of them this year.
Last Thursday, the first day of classes, Kosters experienced a backup so colossal I turned on a dime at the sight of it and did not turn back.

But everyone seems so happy to be back at school. Sure, upperclassmen are exchanging the typical “back to school” dialogue: “Hey, how was your summer?” “Great! But I’m not ready for classes to start yet!” “Me either!” But deep down we all know they’re glad to be here again.
The freshmen are learning the ropes as we speak and, from what I hear, they’re a great class. My roommate has been a CREW member (leader on BU’s Freshmen Orientation called Crossroads) since she was a sophomore, and she said this class was just excellent and a lot of fun.

Back to school events have been great so far. Bellarmine Radio’s concert with FLOORD was incredibly fun, as was the shaved ice truck. Seems like people really like their shaved ice around here.

Last night was the back to school Luau sponsored by Residence Life. Students flocked to the slip n’ slide. That was even better to watch, trust me.

But now it’s Monday, which means it’s the first full week of classes. Now is the time to finally get on a schedule and stop staying up until the wee hours of the morning playing video games. Not that I’ve ever done that…ahem…anyway.

This week I hope to bring you a video blog, because a) they’re fun and b) not everyone has time to read, therefore a video will be a nice change of pace. Right? Right! So…that’s what I’ll be working on.

That and class. And going to work. And being a grown up and such.

I’ll save the whining about being an old old old person/senior for another post. In the meantime, tell me about YOU! How has your “back to school” experience been?

–Natalie

School v.s. Home [Part One]

T-minus 10 days until school beings at Bellarmine University. Summer is almost over! What a shame. When one is finally in college, summers typically take place at home, wherever that may be. Vacations are taken, old high school friendships are rekindled and perhaps one gets a summer job being a nanny to an “adorable” 5-year-old. Ok, that last one is probably just me. But regardless of what you may be doing, you’re probably relaxing on the home front. If you’re not spending the summer at home, you probably have an internship. Internships are an excellent way to prepare you for your future and help you decide if the career path you are on is right for you.

This summer I’ve been interning at Bellarmine in the Marketing and PR department as a design intern. I was allowed to live in the Residence Halls all summer long, which was interesting, but not the story I’m here to tell. Living in Louisville for the summer was simply amazing and I learned a lot, met some great people and overall really made the most of my time there. Usually my summers consist of staying home (which is in Richmond, KY…if you even know where that is) and hopefully finding a job of some sort. I typically pine for Louisville, my college friends and class. Yes…I even pine for class. What can I say, I love to learn! (…I sure hope some of my professors read this.)

So, to make a long story short, living and working in Louisville this summer meant I went home and saw my family only once from May to August. Not seeing my family was difficult. I like my family! They’re pretty cool people. And they feed me well. So, while I’ve enjoyed my time in Louisville quite a bit, I very much missed home. So now, a little more than a week before school is to begin yet again (and, strangely for me, the last time EVER) I am home.

As I write this I’m eating my mother’s famous meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Things couldn’t be better for me right now.

Being home has made me think about the importance of coming home once in awhile while in college. Believe me, I’m a huge proponent of staying at school during the weekend. You miss so much if you pack up and go home all the time! The best PART of college life is hanging out on the weekend when there is no class to worry about. But on the other hand, your family really misses you, and I bet you miss them too. So, going home once in awhile isn’t such a bad thing. You get to detox from being at school all the time, relax, and not think about class for a little while.

“Why is this a “Part One?” you, my intrepid reader, may ask. Well, in my next blog I would like to discuss the benefits of staying at school more in depth. So come back, my friends! I have more gems of wisdom to share with you.

Is there a topic you’d like to see me cover in the blog? A burning question you need answered? I’ve been through it all, guys! Ask away!

Thanks for reading.

–Natalie

I’m a Dorm-Dweller

For incoming freshmen, move-in day is the exciting beginning to their college career. They may be meeting their roommate for the first time, or it’s the first time they’ve ever seen a dorm before [though they'll soon find out it's not actually a dorm, it's a "Residence Hall." Confused? Ask an RA or Leslie Maxie-Ashford and you'll understand].

For sophomores, juniors and seniors, however, move-in day is just old hat. It’s no longer a spectacle full of wonder and mystery, but a chore they dread all summer. As a senior, I’ve experienced the moving in process four times (with an extra thrown in since I lived on campus this summer). I’m still not tired of it, though. Getting all of my things into a new room is still pretty exciting. Hanging posters, arranging furniture, laying down rugs…it’s just neat to me the transformation a plain, drab room can undergo with the addition of one’s personal taste and belongings.

I was fortunate enough to be able to move into my room early this year, and I’m actually in the process as I write this. Yesterday I moved in the essentials and tried moving the furniture around to make the layout more appealing. I thought I could do it all by myself. I’m no weakling! Except, that’s a lie…I’m pretty weak. Oh, and really sore.But I like the room so far, and I’ll get the rest of my belongings in this evening.

It’s not very common for seniors to live on campus. Bellarmine’s policy is that students must live on campus until their senior year, and at this time they are free to move out on their own into houses and apartments. Well, I thought about it. And then I thought about how much I like waking up 15 minutes before class and still making it there on time. So, the apartment idea was nixed and my friends and I decided to move into Anniversary Hall.

There’s nothing wrong with living off campus, don’t get me wrong. While I’m still going to school however, I enjoy the benefits that come with living on campus. Being close to all the students and student life, convenient food, study spaces, zero commute time and more.

The rest of the student body will be moving back to campus shortly. Freshmen on the 15th and 18th, and the rest on the 19th. There will be several events for students to welcome them back:

Freshman Move-In, Aug.15th and 18th: Bellarmine Radio will be providing music for the freshmen and their families to enjoy during the move-in process

Aug 22nd: The band FLOORD will be performing on Anniversary’s Lawn at 2pm. Students can enjoy the great music, games [including corn hole] and food! Presented by Bellarmine Radio

Back to School Luau, Aug.23rd: Res. Life is hosting a Back to School Luau on Anniversary’s Lawn for residents. Games, food and snow cones!

There’s plenty more fun stuff to do on campus during the first few weeks, and I’ll be keeping you up to date with everything.

Have any questions, stories or tips about moving onto campus? Share them with us!

–Natalie

All Aboard the Ark! (Or Knight Line)

How ironic that my first post for Bellarmine’s brand new blog should be one of epic proportions.

I’m sure most everyone has heard by now the floods our fair city of Louisville endured yesterday. Newburg Road and Bellarmine itself were one of the luckier parts of town. How fortunate we are to be “high on a hill” and have a relatively new drainage system.

The BOB  parking lot was not so fortunate, however. Or should I say BOB pond? Staff were asked to move their cars up to campus and were then shuttled back to work on the trusty Knight Line.

This morning everything looks a little better on our end. Louisville as a whole is still working to get roads clear and businesses back on their feet, though.

As the start of school draws ever nearer, I hope we can avoid more cataclysmic set-backs.

Do you have a “Flood 2009″ story? Tell us!

–Natalie Fisher