4:02 am

• College should be fun. If it stops being fun...it is time for a serious talk with yourself

• College is a rather expensive investment. Use it wisely. Come to class...ask questions....challenge the professor. Believe nothing simply because the professor said it is true. Seek other sources. Become intellectually curious and come to each class with relevant and interesting issues to discuss. Being a slack-jawed doofus whose main purpose in life is to find the next party is not cool. If that describes you...please do not sign up for my class.

• Do not fall asleep in class. That nap is costing you way too much money. Same goes for instant messaging friends and purveying porno....you didn't pay thousands of dollars to look at some internet trollop.

• If you miss an exam or assignment do not lie or make up a story. I know when you are lying. I was teaching college before many of you were alive, do you really think I'm that clueless? Be honest...you may be pleasantly surprised at the result.

• Professors do not get emotional satisfaction out of your pain or distress. This is my job and my primary sources of emotional support or frustration are not in class or at work. I have had my students express every possible emotion both verbally and in writing and it has never had any effect on their grade. I do admit being pleased when students do well in class but this is a vicarious pleasure.

• Related to the previous item....professors do not try to write "tricky" exam questions on purpose. Whenever I hear this it brings an immediate smile to my face. I imagine myself sitting at my computer with a wild look on my face          " I'LL GET THEM THIS TIME...HAH HAH THIS QUESTION WILL REALLY STICK IT TOO THEM!!!! "

• If you are pursuing a degree primarily to make a lot of money I would suggest signing up for long-term mental health counseling. There are so many things problematic with pursuing a degree as primarily a money item that it can only mean that you are heading for Zoloft/Prozac/Buspar/Lithium Carbonate land. There is good money in televangelism, organized crime and internet pornography. Academia should be about other things. 

• Since you have decided to make Lourdes your college destination take time to find out why so many folks have made this place their life's work. Many faculty have been here for a very long time. Ask them why?

Friday, August 03, 2007 4:02:30 AM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [3] | 

3:07AM

Sharon died this past week. I despise death. I despise change. Both are inevitable...but so are taxes and I despise those too.

Sharon and I shared so many wonderful moments over the years. I remember stopping into her office over in Lourdes Hall (now Bob Turek's office) and hashing out the latest political news and controversies. I remember her hunched over an IBM Selectric typing our NCA report all the while telling me of the evils of Ronald Reagan.

My favorite memory of all was at the first Franciscan Follies. Sharon donned a baseball cap and proceeded with a satire of my teaching/life/political philosophy. Part of the skit was "my" announcement of a 2:00am class on the genetic basis of being a Republican. It was hilarious and great fun.

As I have moved along my own life's journey, I find myself embracing a more libertarian stance than a traditional Republican one. Because of this shift, our political debates lost some of their sting and I ended up agreeing with Sharon more often than in our early years.

I purchased her book of poetry last spring.

I already miss her.

Friday, August 03, 2007 3:15:32 AM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [1] | 

So classes start soon, and there are probably a lot of new students milling around, wondering what they got themselves into. No worries. I was you, a year ago, and I learned many valuable lessons that I am passing on to you.

 Lesson number one: Beware the fat squirrels. No, really. You'll see them, edging closer and closer to you, flanking you, beady eyes fixed on whatever food you have in your hand. There is a reason why the squirrels are so fat. Be observant, watch carefully, and you, too, may learn the secret.

 Lesson number two: Get to know the library. Go browse around some quiet afternoon. Find all the rooms, play with the computer, get to know the layout. You can thank me later.

 Lesson number three: Parking is a problem. Get to campus early, unless you enjoy hiking. And by early, I mean, at least 10 minutes, but preferably the night before.

 Lesson number four: Take your religious classes early, your first semester, if at all possible. You'll appreciate Lourdes so much more if you do. Trust me on this.

 Lesson number five: Take a walk around campus some nice fall afternoon. Inside and outside. Look at the architecture, the artwork, the shrines, the trees. This is probably the prettiest campus in the state, if not the nation. Take time to appreciate it.

 Lesson number six: Do not be afraid of your professors. The entire staff is extremely helpful, and the people who are teaching you are approachable. There are some amazing people here, hanging out in the classrooms - get to know them.

 Lesson number seven: Take a class you never thought you would take at least once.

 Lesson number eight: Put your advisor to good use. They are here to make sure you take what you need to take, when you need to take it.

 Lesson number nine: Don't be afraid to ask, 'What building is this?' Or get a map. For a small campus, this place can be surprisingly confusing.

 Lesson number ten: Smile. You made a good choice when you decided to come here. Enjoy your time here, make friends, learn, and feel secure in the knowledge that you are getting a top-notch education, worth every penny of the tuition.

 And don't forget to beware the fat squirrels!

Wednesday, August 01, 2007 10:36:53 PM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2] | 

Robin has joined the LourdesWorld Blog Center as a new alumni blogger!

Wednesday, August 01, 2007 4:49:15 PM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

Lourdes College 50th Anniversary year kicked off with much success! Recently, three departments at Lourdes have received important grant funding.

The Department of Theological Studies received an Ohio Learning Network grant which will be used to revise two traditional courses - Christian Ethics and Introduction to the New Testament -to technology enhanced courses. To read more visit: http://www.lourdes.edu/content/files/1382/PR_OLNGrant.pdf/

Theater Vision received an Ohio Arts Council grant. This grant will be used to provide dynamic curriculum-based theater arts education opportunities through Theater Vision at Lourdes. To learn more go to: http://www.lourdes.edu/content/files/1401/PR_OACGrant_07.pdf

The Department of Nursing received, for a second consecutive term, a Career Ladder grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Resources Administration (HRSA). This 3 year grant will be used to help increase nursing enrollment at Lourdes, continue enhancements to the department, and to help improve the diversity of practicing nurses. For more information visit: http://www.lourdes.edu/content/files/1400/PR_HRSA_07.pdf

Wednesday, August 01, 2007 12:54:27 PM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

The Department of Art at Lourdes College will exhibit works of art in partial fulfillment of the Bachelor of Arts degree by Kelly Eridon, July 30 to August 14, 2007, at the Lourdes College Franciscan Center. An opening reception with the artist will be held on Saturday, August 4, from 5 to 8 p.m., in the Franciscan Center Boardroom. 

For more information visit: http://www.lourdes.edu/content/files/1415/PR_ArtExhibit07.pdf 

Wednesday, August 01, 2007 12:36:52 PM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

I have often used the phrase in the Office of Admissions, "I am not good with the words."  I have to admit, I am a terrible writer.  Every time someone asks me to write an article, newsletter, important email, etc., I pretend that I didn't hear them, that way I don't have to do it.  I have a hard time putting my thought down on paper (or blogs).  So when I was asked to blog, I was quite surprised, but excited.  I think blogging is going to be fun and I think being a recent college grad, I can relate to a lot of Lourdes students and what they are going through.  Trust me, I went through it too in college.  So if you can put up with my rants, my terrible misspellings, grammar, and a lot of digressing, you will enjoy my blog.  If there is anything you would like me to blog on, please leave a comment or email me at kreichert@lourdes.edu. 

Stay tuned and enjoy!

Wednesday, August 01, 2007 9:56:17 AM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

Okay.  Grades were posted today.

I have already vented to Jenna for the past 2 hours, and I just got off the phone with my mother.

I think I am in shock and incapable of processing the news.

I knew that I had in A in Consumer Behavior.  I was worried about the grade for my internship.  I was ready to accept an A- or even a B.  I was in no way prepared for the grade I was given.

If you have read my previous posts, you know that I strive for perfection.  I know that I did not write my final paper to the best of my abilities, but I still believed it was an average, college level paper.  However, I know that I did very well with the actual work that I performed for the internship itself.  This is how I rationalized a grade no lower than a B.

I had to prepare myself for the possibility of a B.  I have never in my entire life ever received anything less than an A for a final grade in a class.  I repeatedly had to assure myself that my world would not end, and my academic life would not come crashing down upon me if I received something less than perfect.  Meditation and visualization have kept me from stumbling into an anxiety attack over the past week. 

As I scroll down the webpage to view my grades, my breathing starts to accelerate.  I come down to Summer Semester 2007 and my eyes fall upon my grades.....

My brain does not register what my eyes are clearly viewing.  Then it sinks in.  My chest starts to hurt, my palms start to sweat, I start shaking, and my breathing becomes even more rapid.

A C+..........

What!?!

How did that happen?  I don't understand.  That means that my paper had to have been below average, and frankly, that is just not possible. 

Now I'm starting to get lightheaded. I need a cigarette.

Damn - I stopped smoking.

I might need to take a semester off to recover.  My 4.0 GPA of 3 years has now dropped to a 3.93.  I will never be able to recover that again. Ever. Nevermind - I might need two semesters to cope.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007 6:19:19 PM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2] | 

When I was in college, I always found it difficult to write the introduction to a paper…where on earth should I begin? Of course, this was before the days of word processors so you couldn’t just jump into the middle and worry about the intro later.

So while I’m waiting for some feedback from people (or for some inspiration), I suppose that I could introduce myself. I’m Sister Barb – a Sylvania Franciscan and the Campus Minister here at Lourdes College.

A funny thing happened on my way to becoming a Campus Minister…I started off as a math instructor (Ok…this is where you either cheer or make one of those ‘oh, yuck’ faces.) In fact, I was a math instructor long before I ever became a Sister of St. Francis (that’s right…I wasn’t born a Sister). But life takes a few unexpected turns here and there, and God is full of surprises.

Probably one of the most difficult parts about leaving the classroom and becoming a campus minister is that I actually see FEWER students. Think about it, when I was in a classroom I had a captive audience several days each week…and the faces changed every semester! Now I have to go out in search of people. That’s a big change when you consider that a huge part of what we Franciscans are all about is building relationships. So now you know my challenge for the coming year...get to know more students!

Hopefully, this blog will give more people a chance to hear about all of the opportunities that are available to Lourdes students through campus ministry. Join the conversation!

Enough for now…and in the spirit of Francis of Assisi, I wish you pax et bonum, pace e bene, peace and all good!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007 6:09:45 PM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [1] | 

You missed out on tons of fun if you didn't go to the Alumni Social Sunday (July 29th)! It was my daughter's (Sheena) idea to get the tickets & participate in this event. I was worried that my guide dog, Iris, would be a bit stressed out over the whole ordeal. But, once she found out that she would get her picture taken & see friends, faculty, & staff from Lourdes she was one happy camper! Oh, I forgot! She wanted me to tell everyone that the food was just fabulous! Aarf!

I agree with Iris. It was wonderful to talk with faculty, staff, students, & alumni who I have haven't seen in a while. I fact, Iris assisted me with that very thing. She would notice someone that we knew, such as Sister Shannon & lead me to them to a short visit. What a pup!

It was such a joy to see everyone enjoying themselves! Sister Shannon did a wonderful rendition of the National Anthem. The kids were able to run the bases after the Mudhens won the game. There was even a boy out there running bases with his assistance dog. The fireworks display was fabulous; much better than I had expected.

I would encourage all Lourdes College alumni to go to these events. You'll have a good time, I promise!

Here's Muddy!

Muddy with my husband, Bill

Muddy cheering the crowd on!

My nephew, Keith

My soon to be sister-in-law, Inga

This is Iris. She didn't understand why she couldn't go on the field & chase after the ball with the guys. She also wanted to chase after a cat that wondered on to the field!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007 12:53:56 PM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [3] | 

  So this is my first blog for Lourdes... I think. Technologically, I never advanced past the Commadore 64, so this may be interesting.

  I bought my books for fall today, and it didn't hurt too badly. I'm glad to see that most of my books appear fairly user friendly. I think it is just plain mean to make a Social Work student take anything other than Social Work classes, but my Anatomy book doesn't look too scary, so maybe I'll be OK. Time will tell. Eventually I will have to venture out into the world of mathematics <shudders>.

  Well, I'm going to push the button that sends this into cyberspace now, and see what happens. Wish me luck!

Monday, July 30, 2007 3:23:05 PM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [1] | 

This is one of the things that I love about Lourdes College....the fun things that we get to do together!

THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF LOURDES COLLEGE ENJOYING THE GAME

Tonight was the Mud Hens game.  Students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends, and family of the Lourdes College community banded together and tackled Fifth Third Field.  With lots of food and great entertainment, it was a great way to spend the evening.

MY MOM AND DAD - BOTH ALUMNI, AND MY SOON-TO-BE AUNT INGA

CARRIE, JENNA, AND JOHN

We made a family outing out of it.  Myself and Jenna joined six family members and three friends down at the ballgame.  It's always great to spend time with faculty and fellow students outside of the classroom.

This was actually my very first baseball game.....ever!  I was raised on soccer, thanks to my grandfather, and was never really "introduced" to baseball.  I've watched plenty of games at my old high school, Springfield, but tonight was definitely a first for me.

President Helmer threw out the first pitch.  Sister Shannon sang the National Anthem.  Some guy - don't ask me who - broke the bat because he hit the ball with such force.  A white cat stole the show when he wiggled under the fence and ran out in the middle of left field.....I think it was left field......

ME AND KELLY - BOTH CURRENT STUDENTS

All in all, it was a great night - the Mud Hens even won the game!

Sunday, July 29, 2007 7:39:05 PM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

Hmmm....it looks like the system is displaying the incorrect time by one hour. It is 2:45am yet the post is labeled as 1:45am.

For a moment I thought I was more disoriented than normal :)

Friday, July 27, 2007 2:47:05 AM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

It was two years ago that my Dad asked the question "What is a blog?" I never imagined that I would be participating in this form of psychological exhibitionism. Despite the fact that I am a hardcore tech nerd, I have only read a few internet blogs. They appear to be a hybrid of personal diary and socio-political rants. Since I love to talk about myself and I really dig ranting....this should be fun.

I will be writing 99% of my entries in the middle of the night so it is only right and just that I label each entry with the current time. As I write this it is 2:35am...sitting at my desk in my office in Carmel Hall. Grab onto this mind picture, crazy professor hunched over at his computer, listening to Led Zeppelin in the deepest part of the night. This should clue you in to what will follow.

This is gonna be fun.....

Friday, July 27, 2007 2:44:05 AM (Atlantic Standard Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [1] |