I hate college essays.

I hate college essays. I don’t like the idea of pinning myself down in five hundred words, and I don’t like prompts that make me force myself into pretending that I am what the perfect University of Wherever student is, thinks, and does. Around two years ago, when I was applying to schools (foolishly thinking that I belonged anywhere but Wilson), I found myself wondering why the colleges of the world are obsessed with leadership skills. While I value the leaders of the world, I did not consider myself one of them. Let’s admit it – sometimes group projects are as frustrating as teaching kittens how to jump rope. I’m not saying that I refuse help or don’t like the company of other people – it’s just that I’ve always been better at badminton than soccer, kayaking than crew, and term papers than biology labs. I’m fiercely independent and value taking on all the responsibility I can handle, and nothing stresses me out more than being forced to tell my peers what to do. And you know what? I think that’s one of my biggest strengths. I think that it’s beautiful to be a committed and faithful follower and to know when someone is better qualified to do the leading. I believe in the power of the individual striking out on her own and the empowerment of doing something by oneself. So, I sent in just about the sassiest essay you ever did read about why my lone wolf nature was an asset to the community. Unfortunately, all my honesty got me was the opportunity to put my name on the wait-list of a fine educational institution, which I joyously refused. I have since embraced the leadership abilities we all have hiding deep inside our introvert psyches, but I still have not learned how to quit sassing my superiors.

That being said, part one of our essay section tends to freak people out a little bit. It’s not that we’re asking you to do something particularly difficult. We’re just not really asking you to do something in particular at all. That’s a really scary concept after writing dozens of five-paragraph explanations of why you absolutely positively are the model of perfection. Really, our first essay can be happiest ray of sunshine in your college essay world. So let’s define the boundaries of the revolutionary boundary-free essay. Here’s what you do: Write something down. Tell us a story about playground politics. Make a youtube video. Compose a poem about your dog. Analyze what being in the marching band did for your personality. Make us laugh. Illustrate it. Write about how your mother taught you to cook. Explain how exactly you became a communist. Incorporate Ani Difranco quotes wherever possible. Translate it into every language you know. Whatever! We’re not asking you to outline your leadership skills or explain in excruciating detail why your trip to Costa Rica / Nepal / Guatemala / India made you want to save the world. The thing about our applicants is that every one of them would love to save the world/trees/environment. Tell us something that is outstanding about you, that makes us wonder how we’ve gotten through our lives without meeting someone quite as rad as you.

Go forth and tell us why you’re cool. Isn’t that refreshing?

Where Can’t You Knit a Cardigan?

Right before the semester started, I spent an hour and half at the local yarn shop with an unbelievably patient and helpful yarn-store-girl. We thumbed through books of patterns together, touched probably every single ball of yarn in the whole store, and debated what color yarn would look best on my mother (not, of course, that this woman has any idea who my mother is). Regardless, I left a) feeling like I had made a new best friend, and b) with 1400 yards of a lovely lavender merino/alpaca blend. And then I had to start knitting a sweater.

Regardless of what you think college might be like, Warren Wilson students have a very limited amount of time for sitting around eating bon-bons and the like, so I’ve managed to perfect knitting-on-the-run. Here’s a selection of places in which I’ve worked on the cardigan for my mama:

-making an oven pancake at 7:30 AM in the EcoDorm kitchen
-walking across the footbridge to class, after consuming aforementioned pancake
-during Chemistry class, while we were discussing quantum mechanics (and again when we were learning about stoichiometry, and nuclear chemistry, and electrolytic solutions)
-sitting in rehearsal with the 50-voice College Chorale, WWC’s folk choir (yes, I can even knit while standing up and singing)
-while reading poetry and eating chocolate-pumpkin cake at my friend Merrin’s apartment in Black Mountain
-working the cash register for Cowpie, our vegetarian dining hall, while Sara (who was serving food) made bets with me on whether the blueberry or everything bagels would run out first (for the record, I won: it was the everything bagels)
-during 4 consecutive weeks of Sunday Night Study Snack (the weekly tradition in Eco of a couple of pairs of roommates preparing some delicious snack for everyone in the dorm)
-during a plant walk with my biology class to identify as many different phyla of plants as possible (I stopped knitting when we waded across the river to observe liverwort growing on the side of the broken-down dam)

With all of that, as of today, there’s only a few inches left to knit...

Lindsay

Family Weekend

My family, to put it simply, is the bomb. I usually jump at chances to spend time with them, especially now, living 8 hours away. My brother, Merrill, who has just started his freshman year at Cogswell Polytechnical College in CA, is witty and wise beyond his 18 years. My dad, Piers, is a good listener and often quite and is definitely hilarious. My mom, Janet, is punny and beautiful and without a doubt one of the most wonderful women I know.

I was graced with my mother’s presence for Fall Family Weekend. She drove down from Maryland with a friend (the mother of an ’05 social work graduate) on Friday and showed up at the barbeque hungry and tired of being in her car. We spread out our blanket and dined on pulled pork and orzo while watching all of the parents and students mingle. At one point I went to get her water and on my way back to the blanket I pointed her out to my friend Sam, who howled with laughter and said, “You are going to be just like her!” Not only am I ok with the idea of becoming my mother; I am looking forward to it.

On Saturday we woke up early and ate breakfast with the president, complete with tiny muffins and strawberries and thought-provoking questions for Mr. Sandy Pfeiffer. Afterward I went to work in town while she visited a mock class and went to the festival on the field with her cousin and his family, who came to visit for the day from Charlotte.

On Sunday we made our way to Charlotte to visit our 94-year-old aunt and her cousins. We spent three hours visiting with family members that I haven’t seen in 10 years and it was one of the nicest afternoons I’ve had in a long time. I often forget how wonderful extended family can be and Sunday was a pleasant reminder.

Later that evening she brought all of her food from the weekend to my suite, and she and my suitemates and I dined on leftover spaghetti, meatballs, and salad. And while all of the students were sitting around reading, doing homework, and talking about politics, my mother happily crocheted and chatted the evening away, fitting in like any of our friends. I am very lucky to have such a wonderful mother, and a wonderful family, and I’m glad that Warren Wilson offers a time when students can invite their families to visit and experience all of the goings on here at campus.

Laurel

A Canadian in the Woods - Go Figure

This past summer, instead of going back home to Ontario, I decided to further my connection in this area by working at a summer camp in Brevard, NC. Walking up to my cabin with bags in hand on a root-covered trail that I would soon learn to navigate in the dark of night, I could hear The Sound of Music's "I Have Confidence" running through my head. I could identify with Maria Von Trapp, feeling a bit apprehensive about entering a strange place and having 15 young teenagers under my care.

Being a camp counselor turned out to be more demanding than I had expected. This type of work requires you to be on call 24/7. It’s not the kind of job where you go home at five and come back at eight the next morning. In addition, not only did I supervise my campers, I also acted as a first-aid-fix-it-woman, a backcountry cook extraordinaire, and a teacher of life skills. Having to juggle a variety of tasks was not new for me. Working at our vegetarian Cow Pie Café taught me that. So, in fact, I realized that I did not go into this new experience empty handed. My experience with the work program at Wilson had provided me with a toolbox of skills that I was able to apply this summer.

I soon learnt that I was blessed with one of the most sought out counseling jobs at camp. Working with the oldest group of campers meant that I was able to have remarkably mature conversations with my campers. We covered religious topics, the environment, and even the upcoming election! In addition, unlike the younger campers, my 7th and 8th graders were able to reflect on their camp experience. During each three week session, my campers learnt to be themselves. Many of these kids were accustomed to a school culture where one’s image and social spheres are of prime importance. Being immersed in nature allowed my campers to let go, be themselves, and appreciate others for who they truly were.

Every moment of my summer was memorable, from reminding my campers to do their dishes, encouraging them up mountains, or joining them out on a field to gaze at the heavens. All in all, it was a wonderful summer indeed!

Lora

From the British Parliament…to the jungle...

This summer I had the opportunity to represent Warren Wilson College as an ELC intern, in Tres Piedras, Costa Rica. The Environmental Leadership offers a variety of paid summer internships, available to Warren Wilson College students every year. As a researcher for the Tropical Forestry Initiative, I took part in a variety of projects ranging from tree planting, to studying the water infiltration rates of various tropical soils. As a Political Science/History and Global Studies double major, I came into the internship without any previous comprehensive knowledge of ecology. Though I initially found this factor to be inhibiting… I came to appreciate the connections I began to make between ecology, and the political realm of the world, I am familiar with. I also came to realize the connections between our actions and choices at home in the United States, and the impact it has on the people and the environment of the tropical rain forest. As someone who has always been interested in a career dealing with the “policy” aspect of politics and international relations; I feel as though I now may have a more legitimate voice having actually worked in the field. I am very grateful for have been given this opportunity, and encourage all students at WWC to take advantage of the ELC internship program!

Caitlin

I Don’t Like Owls!

As an Outdoor Leadership major, I am required to complete an internship to round out my learning experience. The internship requires that I find a job in the outdoor education field, keep a journal of my experiences, and then hold a presentation about my summer in an outdoor leadership class. I chose to work at Nature Discovery Camp for Kids, a day camp in Shepherdstown, WV, which is close to my home of Myersville, MD. The camp is funded by the Potomac Valley Audubon Society (http://www.potomacaudubon.org/) and is held at the Yankauer Nature Preserve.

Having worked at this camp last summer I knew it would be a good place for me to complete my internship. So all summer long I led groups of children ages 6-10 on hikes on the 3 miles of trail at the preserve, made fun crafts related to plants and animals living in the area, and played so many games I didn’t know what to do with myself. The camp held six sessions with themes such as “Earth Artists,” “Camp Survivor,” and “Bird Brains.” The summer ended with a family camp-out on the preserve, which included a night owl prowl. We called to and listened for great horned owls, and when we heard an owl reply with “Who cooks for you?” a nervous child near the back of the line cried out, “I don’t like owls!” We ended the hike shortly after that.

I am so pleased that I’ve been given so many opportunities to work with people in the outdoors. It gives me great pride to know that I’m educating children about their natural environment at such a critical age. I have the chance to influence the next generation in a positive way and that the knowledge I pass to them might be the reason they care about the world.

Laurel

If I Could Save Time in a Bottle...

My first week back at Wilson from summer break brings mixed emotions. First and foremost, I feel at home nestled among these grand mountains. As I turned down the winding Warren Wilson Road, the Swannanoa River Valley stole my breath yet again.

However, this heart-warming homecoming also brings a new set of concerns as I adjust from a summer work schedule back to Wilson mode. As any Wilson student will tell you, time management skills are crucial on this campus. That life lesson was reinforced again this week.

My organizational proficiency was tested when I attempted to construct a schedule that accommodated not only my work and class schedule, but also allowed for me to become a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. This particular organization brings at risk youth on campus for mentoring during the week.

After modifying my classes, shifting my work schedule, and collaborating with the Service Learning Office, I realized that participating in the program would be impossible due to an interfering term class. While I am disappointed about this news, I look forward to next week’s service fair. The fair, hosted by the service-learning department, brings a plethora of organizations to campus to present various service opportunities. I am sure that I will be able to find a project that is both rewarding and feasible with my schedule.

Service Day

I guess someone in upper management read my blog about Work Day, because today I found myself in a very similar position in what I call Give A Religious Studies Major a Pitchfork (part 2).

Service Day is kind of like Work Day’s cousin that lives in the next town. While Work Day focuses on projects around campus (generally landscaping of our public spaces and trails), Service Day sends around four hundred new and returning students, faculty, staff, and miscellaneous helpers to sites in the greater Asheville community. It falls on the Friday of orientation week, and is the single most unifying event of that week. Nothing bonds you to your new friends, your new home, and even your professors quite like manual labor.

As a peer group leader this year, I am assigned to a group of fifteen freshmen, all in a first year seminar class focusing on the philosophy of Wilson’s triad. Basically I serve as their cheerleader, ringleader, campus compass, and friendly face while they try to figure out who and where they want to be for the next few years of their lives. It has been an incredibly rewarding role this past week, and so it was with great pleasure that I headed out with them, pitchfork in hand, to our site. We were working at Lake Tomahawk Park in Black Mountain, a few short miles from Wilson’s campus. We weeded endless flower beds, mulched everything that was even remotely mulchable, built picnic tables (it was surreal to see a pile of lumber in the morning transform into five fully assembled tables by the afternoon) and benches, hedged, and trimmed some bushes a nice lady on a bike asked us to trim.

Service Day this year included eight sites like ours (including several public parks, a dog park, and landscaping for a women’s correctional facility and an orphanage), tackled by a total of twenty-two freshman seminars and groups of transfer students. As with every large project that we take on as a community, I was reminded of exactly what a group of committed individuals can accomplish. With our large group and willingness to work we were able to take on tasks that would not have been possible with Black Mountain’s limited resources. My favorite part of Service Day are the smiles and gratitude of the citizens enjoying the park, proof of the positive relationship our college has with the community around us.

Michelle

Carolina Wildlife

Sometimes the things you love and care about the most can be the most frustrating bits of your life.

For me, this issue came to a head on a July day earlier this summer – the heat index in my hometown of Irmo, South Carolina was 110 that day, and I was weighing a crow. Well, making an effort to weigh a crow. My coworker was steadying a bucket on a Weight Watchers scale while I chased Maggie (the crow hero of this story) around a wooden and chicken wire enclosure. I got Maggie as far as into the bucket and we both put our hands over her, but it took only seconds for the wing flapping to tip everything (and everyone) over. Frustrated and overwhelmed, we prepared for try number two. In the back of my mind I knew that there were doves that needed to be tube-fed an hour ago, opossum bedding to be changed (for everyone’s sake), a bird that needed a wing wrap and six others on antibiotics, chimney swifts that needed to be exercised for their release the next day, someone was at the door with a new patient, and the timer was going off to feed the nestlings.

Wildlife rehabilitation rides that fine line between meaningful, important work and some of the most desperately comedic situations that you can encounter. I found myself painstakingly feeding tiny baby opossums every four hours while good ol’ boys ran them over daily, nursing turtles back to health after being weed-whacked, chasing ducks around the break room, consoling crying strangers leaving orphaned babies at our door, and raising six crows from nestlings while hunters devoted weekends to killing hundreds of their cousins. Often it felt like swimming up a waterfall, and I was starting to get bogged down in the repetition of feeding the same nestlings every thirty minutes and dealing with the same angry questions from the uninformed public.

An older coworker with lots of experience in wildlife rehab realized my frustration and gave me some advice that has slowed me down on many occasions since: Focus on the release. The crutch of your life is not in filling out paperwork, sixteen feedings of the same birds in one shift, studying for AP tests, packing boxes at a food bank, or begging peers to sign a petition. The value of any work or service is the “release” – the feeding of a hungry belly, the realization of a concept, the overturning of an unjust law, a grateful smile, and, yes, watching a bird that had no chance of survival before you took responsibility for him fly into the sunshine. Even if we can’t take back every wrong that has been inflicted on our furred, feathered, and scaled friends by the human race, the point is that someone notices, someone cares, and someone is making efforts to change the world for the better. www.carolinawildlife.org

Michelle

P.S. I am super SUPER excited to meet of our new freshmen and transfers next week! I’m a peer group leader and I’ll be around all orientation week, so I’m looking forward to saying hello to each of you!

So What’s The Problem?

So, I have a problem. I have been doing the same service project for over two years at The Presbyterian Homes for Children just down the road in Black Mountain. I have more than completed my community service requirement for graduation from Wilson. So what’s the problem? It’s a really popular service trip because we go on games night, which means I play sports with the kids. There are only five slots altogether, and between my friends and I, we have the trip completely filled. I was considering giving up my slot in favor of another service trip for a few reasons. One is that I’m going to be a senior this coming year, and I want another person to have the chance to get to know the kids before the other volunteers graduate and leave. Also, I have recently moved off-campus and was thinking of volunteering in my new community.

A few weeks ago, I went to the volunteer appreciation dinner hosted by PHFC. After watching the kids receive participation awards and seeing them be so happy to see all of the WWC volunteers, I knew that I would not be giving up the trip. Is that selfish? Possibly so. But the way I see it, we both need each other right now, and I think I can make peace with that by the time fall rolls around.

Rachel

ELC Internships

Making travel decisions can be terrifying, but it can also be very exciting. For example, Caitlin is currently reconsidering her decision to visit the town of Viejo after hearing it described in less than flattering terms. Caitlin is my suitemate, and she also works on the Admission crew with me. As we speak, she is on the computer next to me researching a sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica. Caitlin is one of the many fortunate WWC students to receive an environmental internship through the Environmental Leadership Center (ELC). Interestingly, Caitlin is actually doing the exact same internship that her roommate, Heather, did last summer. While Caitlin does not yet know what environmental project she will be undertaking, Heather studied various butterfly species in Costa Rica and which of them would return to a secondary-growth forest.

In another hemisphere, my roommate, Tori, also has an internship through the ELC. She will be working for the City of Asheville, designing marketing initiatives and incentives for city employees to reduce their energy consumption and waste production. Her boss is an Aries, just like her, and I think that they will work fantastically together. Tori is already bubbling with ideas about her internship. “Like, maybe I could write down a description every time I see a ‘green’ commercial on T.V.” Tori is a Creative Writing Major, and she sees this internship as her entry into the ‘green-collar’ workforce. Tori’s dream is to write for an environmental leader, and the City of Asheville is making amazing strides in becoming more sustainable.

Both of these women, I’m sure, will have amazing summers. And me? I’ll be giving your campus tours and answering your questions all summer. But I’ll also be interning with the Asheville Lyric Opera. Not bad, eh?

Rachel

Kerala Model of Development

With only two weeks left in term four classes, my academic workload has nearly doubled. Just last week I completed two research papers. And yet, I still have three papers, a group project, and a portfolio to complete before the onset of summer break.

Of my recent projects, my favorite to work on was a paper for my comparative third world government class. In this essay I examined the Kerala Model of Development in India. To elaborate, Kerala is one of the twenty-eight states in India. In Kerala, leftist parties have been in power for a number of years and as a result, the earmarks of human development are comparable to that of the United States. In addition, Kerala has been called a model in sustainable development for third world nations. Here is an excerpt from my paper.

“Sustainable development has been defined as, “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability if future generations to meet their own need.” Govindan Parayil provides examples of just how Keralans participate in environmentally responsible practices.

Electricity in Kerala is produced exclusively from small to medium scale hydroelectric projects. Large-scale deforestation did not take place as a result of these projects. Energy for cooking comes, mostly, in the form of bioenergy, which is derived from household plots and renewable marginal forests and hills. Although the acreage of the rain forests has declined from pre-independence figures, popular campaigns to preserve the existing forests seem to be successful. It appears that the energy use and consumption pattern is stable and sustainable.”

Cait

P.S. Here is a picture of me and my best friend. Her family is from Gujarat, India.

“Second star to the right and straight on ‘till morning!”

A cast of wonderfully talented individuals, including two staff members, from Warren Wilson College performed Peter Pan this past weekend. The run of the show was Thursday through Sunday – and the Saturday night show sold out! It was the best show Kittredge Theatre has seen in many years – at least according to some. Director Charlotte Lawrence, student at Warren Wilson College, chose to direct Peter Pan as her senior project. Some had doubts about the show, but as of this weekend, all of those doubts dissipated when they saw Never Land brought to life in Kittredge Theatre.

As a member of the cast, playing Tiger Lily and Liza, I can tell you it was not easy … but I can also tell you that it was worth every minute of late nights, long fight rehearsals, and lack of energy. It is a lot of work to be in a show, but it was so rewarding. The cast had wonderful energy and a great connection – we were all so excited about the show that it turned out to be a total success! Made up of Peter’s shadow (Asha Disu) cackling as she tried to keep away from Peter, Heely shoes to make the children and Peter fly, a mermaid who attacks Wendy on Marooner’s Rock, a very talented crocodile who crawled across the stage more than once each show, fog that covered the stage, and many other very talented people bringing Never Land to life for those who came to the theatre! One of my favorite parts was the kids that came to see the show. They were all so excited, and they got scared during the right parts and excited during the right parts. It was a blast. One little boy came running up to Peter after the show and gave him a huge hug saying, “I believe, Peter! I believe!”

Charlotte Lawrence, a student here at Warren Wilson, directed the show and a wonderful job she did indeed. We presented her with a bouquet of flowers after the curtain call of the last show and several of us were crying. It was such an overwhelming success!

Theatre here at Warren Wilson is open to anyone and everyone! Students auditioned, even if they are not part of the theatre department, as did faculty and staff. David Mycoff, who played Captain Hook, is a professor at Warren Wilson, and Ian Robertson, who was the narrator, is the Dean of Work. The rest of the cast was made up of students, and a wonderful group of people it was!

Congrats to the cast and crew! I’ll miss Never Land, but it lives on in our hearts forever.

Adrianne

Work Day

There are certain things I didn’t expect to do at college. One thing that wasn’t necessarily at the top of the list, but definitely on it, was group mulching. And that happens to be something that Wilson has helped me cross off.

Work Day is an age-old tradition here at Wilson. It celebrates one prong of our Triad through a day dedicated to serving the college as a community. The day begins with reporting to your respective crew and partaking in whatever your crew supervisor has in store for you. Here in Admissions, that means we deep cleaned the office – windows, carpets, bathrooms. The entire office was buzzing with cheerful activity, and even our admissions counselors got down to the floor to help out.

At about 11:30 came what is arguably the best part of Work Day – the food. We had a real, honest-to-goodness picnic on the admissions patio, complete with eight pints of ice cream (please consider – eight pints). After eating a remarkable amount of food (we had to get our strength up for the day, you see) we set out to Gladfelter to get a group picture with all Work Day participants (including our two beautiful draft horses, all rigged up) and split into groups.
My group mostly consisted of my advanced Spanish class, which made for a bilingual mulching adventure. We had been given a huge pile of mulch, dozens of buckets, a few pitchforks, and nearly thirty people to repair the trail by the pond and meditation hut. Somehow I ended up with a pitchfork (which produced lots of jokes about religious studies majors and our trustworthiness) knee-deep in a pile of hot, damp mulch. As soon as a bucket was filled, it was thrown into an assembly line with shouts of "Cubo! Cubo!" Each bucket was tossed on the upswing, caught in the air, and effortless passed military-style until being dumped on the trail. Two layers of mulch and some invasive species removal* later, the trails were looking gorgeous.
After hours of hot, dirty work we celebrated our way to the pavilion, where we were greeted with food from our dining hall (our barbecue tofu is probably the top most reason I will never leave Wilson) and sweet bluegrass tunes, complete with dancing. Following work awards for our exceptional student workers, Work Day officially came to a close. But you can't end such a productive day with anything other than leaping off the rope swing into the pond with your friends as the sun sets over the farm. Oh, sweet work college. You give me so much.

Michelle

* A word on invasive species removal - against what I believed to be common sense, this is not, in fact, weeding. There were groups (not, mind you, effortlessly) yanking full-grown trees out of the ground to make way for native plants. Also on their list to remove were vines which I believed to be part of the actual tree before its removal. These plants are creepy.

April Showers Bring...

April showers bring May flowers! And what do May flowers bring?
College decisions!!!

It is spring and the flowers are blooming, the baby cows are romping around in the pastures of the Warren Wilson College Farm, the weather is getting warmer, and high school students around the country are trying to decide which college they want to go to in the fall! I remember the spring of my senior year of high school trying to decide between two colleges. I had been accepted at what had become my top two schools and my father was trying desperately to get me to come to Warren Wilson College. I had every intention of going to another college, but when my it came right down to it, Warren Wilson had all the things I wanted. My admission counselor at Warren Wilson answered all of my questions in more detail than I ever could have hoped for and she painted a realistic picture of Wilson, pointing out both the pros and cons. She made the decision easy for me – Warren Wilson it is! It was hard though … the application process, waiting to hear back from the colleges, being denied from some and accepted to others, then visiting colleges and picking one to attend for the next four years of my life. It was a big decision, but it was the right one and I am very happy here at Warren Wilson.

My advice for picking colleges? Listen to your parents because they usually know you better than you think and they might just have a good point or two. But – follow your instincts and go with your gut feeling. If you visit a college, no matter how much you like it on paper, and it doesn’t feel good – forget it. The college itself makes all the difference in the world. Warren Wilson felt great when I came to visit and here I am!

Good luck with all your decision!

Adrianne

Spring Break ’08, Warren Wilson Style

Spring break. The words sound like bells ringing to students as they plan an entire week of activities with one major goal: having fun! At Warren Wilson, some students achieved this by going home; others made pocket money by working on campus. Five service-learning trips also went out to various locations. Here are spring-break notes from a few Warren Wilson students….

Emma Frappier woke up at 6 a.m. each day to work on the college farm. She burned brush piles, collected eggs, milked and helped manage more than 60 beef cows and their calves.

Matt Williams of Vermont and John Wright of New Hampshire both boiled sap to make maple syrup. They’re having a tasting contest to settle once and for all which state produces the ultimate syrup.

Emily Shanblatt hiked solo for 3½ days on North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail, starting at 6,643-foot-high Clingmans Dome.

Mandy Monroe and Chelsea Maier led a service trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. Their group of 12 swung Pulaskis and dug water bars to improve the Appalachian Trail.

Kevin Lane and Brian Hill ran a 50K race, in Charlottesville, Va. Lane placed second, right between WWC counselor Ann Lundblad in third and her husband Mark in first. Swannanoa swept the race!

Tessa Currie brought some friends to her aunt’s Welsh pony farm in Arkansas. They mucked out barns, trimmed a giant holly maze and survived a 25-year flood.

Rachel Hawkins worked on the Admission Crew and gave 10 tours to prospective students who all arrived on time.

Lizzy Doyle and Vanessa Emery were humiliated on television when a local reporter, from ABC News 13, asked them on the streets of Asheville why they weren’t inside watching the basketball game. “What game?” they replied.

Compiled by sophomore Vanessa Emery.

People at Wilson

People at Wilson tend to have done amazing things (and, of course, we’re all sure to do a lot more). One of my closest friends here on campus spent a year after high school WWOOFing in Italy, practicing sustainable agriculture on a farm. Another spent nine months in Americorps, traveling around the United States doing service. So when Debra from the Service Learning Office asked me to give a tour to ten students and two faculty members from University of Louisville on a spring break service trip (some of them Bonner Scholars), I figured they would be cool people. Wilson only attracts the best in not only students and faculty, but also visitors (just go contra dancing some Thursday and talk to a stranger - you’ll understand). These students, however, exceeded my expectations.

After taking the group on my largest tour thus far (and probably one of my most entertaining – it involved tree climbing), one of the perks of my job here in Admissions kicked in. They liked me, I liked them, and I was invited out for hiking and tacos.

Now, it’s midterm week. My Spanish oral exam was the next morning, and I had had no prior intention of going anywhere that evening. But let’s be serious – who turns down hiking and tacos? So to Montreat I went.

Montreat is a town / college / conference center about twenty minutes from Asheville. It’s set in between a few mountains and features unusual rental houses, shops, and is right by the quirky town of Black Mountain. I usually go hiking with my friends along the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway, but I must admit that Montreat was stunning. We arrived at the top of the mountain right as the sun was falling in the sky, and streaks of blue, purple, and red painted the sky. As we sat on a craggy cliff looking out over the Appalachians, I never felt more proud of the place that I call home. Nothing is more fulfilling that sharing a place you love with friends.

There are times in my life when I meet people who belong in Appalachia, and specifically Swannanoa, and don’t know it yet. These people were certainly Wilson students mistakenly living in Kentucky. To clarify: There was a boy in plaid flannel. We discussed corn subsidies, factory farming, the meat industry, and other reasons to eat local. Everyone helped with dinner. There was singing and a guitar, and we made it all the way through Old Crow Medicine Show’s Wagon Wheel (at full volume, no less), the song that always seems to come up at Wilson events.

I have the smells of garlic and sweet earth in my mind, a song in my heart, and gratitude for the opportunities Wilson tosses into my path (she’s not a subtle one). She may not give you what you expect every time, but she always sends you where you need to go.

Michelle

http://www.wwoof.org/
http://www.americorps.org/
http://www.bonner.org/campus/bsp/home.htm

Power Vacuums!

With just under a week until spring break, things at Warren Wilson are getting a bit hectic and the student body is beginning to show the telltale signs of ware. My nights are becoming later and later and my room smells like a coffee shop. Midterms are this week; I have four essays, a portfolio, and a project to complete before next Friday.

Even with midterm insanity setting in, over one hundred students attended a student caucus hosted question and answer session with our president. The meeting took place in the Sage Café and last about an hour and a half. Our president, Sandy Pfeiffer, is a new addition to the campus and some students question his plans for the future of Wilson. Rumors had it the Sandy planned to double or triple the student population. Fears that this supposed expansion would turn Warren Wilson College into a run of the mill, mainstream, learning institution had many people upset.

Students began to trickle into the Café at about 6:45 and by 7pm there was only standing room available. The meeting commenced when Sandy entered the Café and took a seat among the Caucus members. Tension filled the room. A heated debate was expected.

As students began to ask questions, Sandy eased our fears. No such plans for expansion existed. He was adamant about keeping our little college just that - little. Through the course of the meeting, Sandy agreed to eat lunch at least once a week with the students in the cafeteria, provide more vacuum cleaners for dorms, and continue attending student caucus meetings every three weeks.

Cait

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

When I got dressed on Monday, I put on my favorite blue sundress and my Chacos. It was in the 60s and sunny, and I walked barefoot between classes and work. The crocuses have been up for a few weeks, and the daffodils were starting to shoot up. Needless to say, I love spring.

So you can imagine my dismay when I woke up on Wednesday, turned my face to the window, and saw….snow. Snow?! Sure, it was only a light dusting, but it was cold, and it meant I had to dig out wool socks and wool sweaters and mittens and shoes that weren’t sandals. I grumbled. But it turns out that I can’t stay in a sour mood for too long, and the past few days have been lovely. A few highlights:
-Last night, I tromped through Dogwood Pasture and across Suicide Ridge on a blustery night-hike with a few girls from my dorm. We left our flashlights and home and let our eyes adjust to the darkness. It was lovely!
-This morning, it snowed again, and as I headed to work at 8, I noticed lots of students on the landscaping crew sweeping know off the walkways and sprinkling salt around to keep us from slipping. While I was enjoying the warmth of my bed, they had been up early taking care of us.
-When I went to get the mail, I noticed and Outdoor Leadership class cooking pancakes on a camping stove in the sunroom of Cowpie Café—we never do that sort of thing in Social Work classes!
-Finally, perhaps the best part of the day was the homemade cornbread they served with lunch. My friend Brian works in Cowpie, and has made it his mission to bake as much fresh bread as possible. His bread alone is worth the tuition I pay to go here, and I never pass up an opportunity to give him a hug. Something about warm baked goods on a cold day makes every worry you have go away.

With that, it’s time for me to don my mittens and head to my 2:30 class, and here’s hoping that the midday sun has warmed things up a bunch. Think warm thoughts!

Lindsay, (who shouldn’t be complaining because she’s from Boston)

Chipmunk Amok

People often ask me on tours, “What’s your favorite thing about Warren Wilson?” I know I asked that very same question when I came to visit the college. We all know how unreasonable that question is. You want me to narrow down my immeasurable list to one attribute of the college? I know, I know…it’s exciting to hear what people can come up with on the spot!

Yesterday, I had some free time, so I decided to do one my many favorite activities on campus. Walking our trails! I set out on our River Trail, which winds its way along the Swannanoa River. It’s hard to stop once you get going, and as a result, I found myself far off on the Berea trails. It was an unusually warm day, and the animals were out and about. I saw my first North Carolinian Chipmunk! I gave him quite a fright, sneaking up behind him to get a closer look. It’s nice to go out for a walk, take a nice breather from our busy schedules.

The great thing about the location of our campus is that we are tucked away in the breathtakingly beautiful Swannanoa Valley. We have access to over 600 acres of forest, and 25 miles of trails on campus. You don’t need to fret if you need some time in town. Asheville is a free, short bus ride away, where there is always something going on!

So this week, if I were to give you a tour, I would answer that hefty question with a definitive reply: the Trails!

Lora

From our friends at Wikipedia

Running *amok, sometimes referred to as simply amok (also spelled amuck or amuk), is derived from the Malay word amuk, meaning "mad with rage" (uncontrollable rage).

Dorm Love

My roommate and I sped up I-26 on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, hustling back to school after a weekend out of town. We were late for Dorland’s dorm potluck, and the vegan brownies in the seat between us were getting cold.

I love my dorm. I know it’s weird. I know that sometimes it smells funny, and when the window’s open it’s cold and when they’re shut it’s hot. I know that our toilet doesn’t always flush and sometimes you really don’t care to know what the people upstairs are doing (I swear they’re moving furniture), but none of this matters in the long run. I love my dorm because when we walked into the kitchen, all of our friends were sitting around the dinner table, and they were happy to see us. The food was on the stove (tacos!) and Sufjan Stevens was on the speakers. It was a low-key, relaxed night at home, and I couldn’t help but think of Thanksgiving dinners.

I love Dorland because of those nights where we build a fire in the fireplace and pull the couches into a circle. Max shows up with his guitar, then Marcus with a banjo, and Hannah brings her nyckelharpa (it’s Sweden’s national instrument, in case you didn’t already know). Dance parties are spontaneous, and last semester we learned that our RD makes a bangin’ pumpkin pie. From the swing on the porch you can watch the activity in Sage Circle and enjoy the breeze, and you’re sure to be joined by anyone looking for a little sunshine. When you play the Beatles in your room, people show up just to sing along.

So, I know it’s strange to love an old building with a questionable layout. I know you’re supposed to be chomping at the bit to move off-campus and get a “real place.” But the truth is, I love Dorland and the people who live there, and wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else.

Michelle

Color Me Java

I put my book in my bag, along with my coffee mug, and got on thebus from Warren Wilson College to go to downtown Asheville. I wandered around for a bit and then found my way to the Dripolator Coffeehouse – one of my favorite downtown hangout spots. Saturday afternoon is a very busy time for the Dripolator – lots of Warren Wilson students and various other groups gather there to study or to catch up on life. It was hard to find a spot to sit, but my friend and I finally found a little table nestled into a corner. It happened to be a wonderful place to sit – people to watch, and not too much noise. I got sucked into my book and read for as long as I could. I sipped from my vanilla latte until it disappeared and decided that it was probably time to head out and catch the bus back to campus.

One day earlier this year I rode the bus into Asheville and ended up spending almost all day there. I had most of a book to read and a paper to write. I was so excited about getting a cup of coffee – 50 cent refills – and sitting down at one of the black tables in the window to write and read. The Dripolator has several different seating options – there are tables with chairs like in any coffee shop, short tables on the window sill, couches and big comfy chairs, and a bar-type seating area looking out the window. I did end up spending all day there and had way too much coffee, but I got my reading and my paper finished!

I have found the Dripolator, both in Asheville and Black Mountain, to be a wonderful place to hang out and study – alone or with friends. The drinks are very tasty as are the various baked goods. They have desserts, muffins, bagels, scones, biscotti, fresh fruit, and so much more! Despite the noise that bothers some people, I find it relatively easy to focus at the Drip. There’s a nice buzz of the music along with various conversations going on. I’ve seen loads of people plugged into their iPods, computers, or other MP3s or CD players. It makes for a chill place to hang out and catch up – or curl up and read a good book.

Adrianne

V is for...

So, folks, it’s that time of year again: crocuses are blooming, the spring calves are being born down at the farm, and the word vagina is in the air. Wait…vagina? Huh?

Yep, vagina. The Vagina Monologues is being performed this Friday and Saturday in our lovely Bryson Gym, and I’m co-directing it with my friend Erin, who was in the show with me last year. We’ve been spending the week scrambling to get things done: getting lost in the warehouse where we bought t-shirts to sell, learning Photoshop to design our poster, working with the folks at the WWC Print Shop to get the program printed. It’s been a lot of work, but the play is finally coming together, and people have been nothing but helpful.

Never seen The Vagina Monologues, and not sure what it’s all about? Well, it’s about vaginas (duh). But it’s also about women sharing their stories and being able to connect. It’s funny, and heartbreaking, and enraging, and comforting. It’s about saying the word vagina so many times that people stop being afraid to say it or talk about it. And me, I’ve probably said the word vagina thousands of times in the past three months, and that’s fine with me.

Lindsay

A Kentucky Southerner in King Arthur’s Court

Looking back on my fall semester in London, England, I find myself longing to be back in the heart of Westminster once again. Waking up in my flat at 6 Knaresborough Place, dressing in a suit, grabbing the London Paper, and forcing myself onto an all-too-packed underground car at Earl’s Court, was all apart of my daily routine to the Houses of Parliament each morning. Working as a researcher for Nigel Evans MP, proved to be one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

On my first day of work, (I'm the one in pink under Big Ben) I recall sitting on the terrace of the Houses of Parliament overlooking the River Thames, eating lunch with my new co-workers. I remember thinking what was I, a Kentucky girl from Warren Wilson College doing here in London working for the British Government? How was this even possible? My two mentors, Andrew an Oxford History Graduate whose father is the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, and Daniel a Durham Law Graduate whose father is a barrister on the Queen’s Court, both had been working with Nigel for over a year now. My feelings of being ill-equipped for this internship soon faded as Andrew and Daniel walked me through the “who’s who” and “what’s what” in Parliament.

Within two weeks, they had given me an all access pass, and left me to run the office while they went to the Party Conference in Blackpool, England. I felt comfortable answering the phone and dealing with questions. People had actually begun getting used to hearing an American southern draw when they called Nigel’s office. As I became more involved in constituent correspondence I became familiar with British Ministers’ names and positions and had a real understanding of the issues and concerns of the Ribble Valley (Northwest England). I fell in love with British politics and how Her Majesty’s Government is run. During the four months I was there, I saw the State Opening of Parliament by the Queen, shared an elevator with the Leader of the Opposition (David Cameron), and had the honor of being Nigel’s guest at the Stranger’s Bar, a “MP’s Only” establishment directly under the speaking chambers.

Each day was an adventure, a new learning experience, and an absolute blessing. My Worldwide experience in London has forever changed my life. I will never forget the things I learned and the friends I have made. Though I deeply miss my life in London, my job in Parliament, and my jet set lifestyle of living in Europe; I now feel more secure in where I am in my life, and where I am going.

Caitlin

Valentin-less Junior comtemplates Love.

Today is Valentine’s Day, and I forgot to wear red yet again this year. I don’t have a valentine, but I do have lots of chocolate (which is better anyway). As today is a day about love, let me take a paragraph or two to describe my infatuation with the liberal arts system of education.

I am in six different classes right now: Photography I; Literature of the Restoration and Queen Anne Period; Shakespeare; Jazz Ensemble; Applied Voice; and The Literature of AIDS (Independent Study). My schedule is comprised of classes that do and do not fullfill requirements for the English major. Photography and Jazz Band, are classes that I have never had any previous experience with, which is one of my favorite things about the liberal arts education: I can take pretty much anything that I am interested in regardless of my choice of major.

Within the English Major though, I have an all-star team of professors to help me explore my various interests. First, there is Carol Howard, a brunette bombshell whose name is on the contributors page of the Bedford Handbook. Then, there is David Mycoff, a Medieval, Shakespearean, and Chaucerian scholar who acts in many of the school plays. And last, but not least of course, is Sam Scoville, a metaphorically-minded linguistics professor who has been at Warren Wilson for decades. Their interests are as diverse as their teaching styles.

Thanks to the support I’ve received for my intellectual pursuits at WWC, I no longer cringe when people ask me what I want to be when I grow up. I have become confident in not knowing specifically because I know that the knowledge and experience that I’ve gained will be valuable in many different professions. I know for sure that absolute certainty is a myth. The liberal arts system of education has spoiled me, and I have fallen in love with possibilities.

Rachel

Yoga at Warren Wilson College

Monday afternoon at 4:30 I went to the Lower Fellowship Hall for Sattva Yoga Flow with Brooke Sullivan. When I got there it was packed – there were probably 40 people with their yoga mats spread out on the floor. Brooke started like she usually does with sun salutations, and off we went! It was wonderful and so rejuvenating. We are told to focus on our breath, which by tightening the vocal cords becomes audible and it sounds like the ocean when everyone is breathing together. When I left to go to dinner I felt so energized and like I was really in tune with my body. One thing I really love about this yoga is that the instructor embraces the fact that not everyone’s bodies move in the same way and she shows different variations on the poses to accommodate everyone.

The Wellness Crew here at Warren Wilson has a weekly calendar of Wellness Activities. Some of the activities offered are yoga – twice a week, two different types, as well as bouldering, drumming, African dance, pilates, salsa dancing, contra dancing, juggling, and Everyone Cooks. I’ve been to Everyone Cooks in the past with Michael Gentry which has been a lot of fun. We cook a vegetarian meal together in a community space with wonderful ingredients, some from the Warren Wilson College Farm. Then we sit down to eat together.

I have also been to Contra Dancing, which takes place every Thursday evening from 7:30 to 11:00. It takes place in Bryson Gym on campus and lots of people from the surrounding community and some from even farther away come to dance together. There is a live band every week and a caller who calls the dances. There is a waltz in the middle of the dance and then more contra! Contra, for those who don’t know, is kind of a mixture of line dancing and square dancing.

The Wellness Crew does an excellent job of making these activities available to students on campus. Check out the Wellness Crew website to see the schedule of events at http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~wellness_office/

Adrianne

My Warren Wilson Valentine

This Thursday is Valentines day. Let me tell you about one of my loves here at Wilson. She is a beautiful, natural looking woman. Simple yet and homely...like Jane Eyre. Her name is Ellison, and she is our library here at Wilson.

I love the library. She is one of my dear, dear friends here at Wilson. I love everything about her, from the people who frequent her stacks, to the couches upon which we take much needed naps. I've had a pretty steady relationship with the alternative magazines, one that fills me with regret for the time I've missed with the great works of literature housed in her depths.

I love studying in the library. Finishing my homework before dinner, while the sun sets behind those Appalachian mountains I've come to call home. I delight in glancing up from my homework to watch the squirrels dancing in the trees, with the leaves fluttering in the breeze. You'd be pleased to know, that I spent some quality time with her today, up in her loft, reading for my World Cinema class, with a nap as the intermission, and finishing off with some of my mathematics homework. It was a great date.

Lora spent the rest of her evening doing homework, and making* no-bake cookies with two dear friends and distributing them to more friends scattered around the campus.

* making here is defined as helping clean out the chocolate lining the mixing bowls

Lora

Wait, we're already thinking about summer?

Summer might seem like a long way off, but lots of Wilson students are already planning for it. People do all sorts of crazy things (my friend Hannah, for example, wants to hike from Asheville all the way up to Vermont). Other people will be doing things as varied as maintaining a community garden in Black Mountain, NC, monitoring and restoring indigenous trees in Costa Rica, working to protect threatened seabirds off the coast of Maine, and working with the City of Asheville’s first Energy Coordinator to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Pretty cool stuff, huh? Now, here’s a question for you: what do all of these have in common?

If you guessed that they’re all summer internships offered through Warren Wilson’s Environmental Leadership Center, then you’re obviously either clairvoyant or have spent a ton of time on our website. The internships are a fabulous opportunity for Wilson students to get their feet wet as they learn about what it’s really like to work in different environmentally oriented fields. All twenty or so spots are open exclusively to WWC students, and all are paid, making them a great option for any motivated student. And, come on, who wouldn’t want to spend a summer walking up and down the beaches of long island watching colonies of piping plovers and least terns…and make money doing it (my friend Nora can’t stop talking about it!) If you want to know more, check the ELC internship page out at http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~ELC/New_ELC_Website_/internshipofferings.php

Lindsay, who had her 20th birthday this weekend and celebrated by milking Katy the cow at 7 AM.