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.