Locks of Love

If you had taken a tour with me in the past two years, you may remember that I was the girl with the long, brown, curly hair. As of this past Friday, however, I am an entirely new woman. I cut fifteen inches of my hair and donated it to Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for children who have lost their hair while undergoing chemotherapy. Although now when I reach back to twist my hair into a ponytail and get a fist-full of nothing, I am slowly getting used to my new do.

You may be aware of the Service Learning requirement at Warren Wilson, 100 hours of community service to graduate. Unfortunately, inches of hair, pints of blood, and ounces of love cannot be converted into service hours. Thus, when a WWC student gives these immeasurable objects, it is simply for the benefit of others. Through the Service Learning Program at WWC, I have learned to give others what I can afford to give without reward or incentive. I have completed my requirement of 100 hours for a while now, and I continue to attend games night at Presbyterian Homes. Whether it be hair, time, or love, I have learned to love the simplest act of giving to others.

Rachel

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!