Homecoming.

I am Christy Hamilton, a member of Student Alumni Relations Team (St.a.r.t).  I am very excited about Homecoming week and all the fun that comes with it.   As I was starting to get overwhelmed with school work and event planning as I was staring at my planner yesterday, the idea of me being a senior hit me.  I thought to myself, this is my last and final Homecoming.  However, being on St.a.r.t and hearing the hype of Homecoming from an alumnae perspective refreshed my thoughts.  There is a lot more to Homecoming than the collegiate experience.  In addition, there is more to tailgating than drinking.  Sometimes as students, we miss the point of tailgating.   Tailgating in all its glory is about the atmosphere of several people of all ages getting together for a common interest and to have fun, eating amazing junk food, being apart of the crowd, and experiencing the history of Ball State University through the visiting alumni, and the overall personal experience.  Therefore, the Homecoming theme is fitting for years to come.  Homecoming no matter what year really is the “Best Week Ever!”

 

Fun leads to exhaustion… result: no fun!

One student. 15 credits. One job. 3 organizations.7 days.

Sometimes you think you have enough time but you don’t. I just hit the brink of exhaustion this week. I enjoy all that I do but how do you know when you’re involved in too much. Here is a list of everything I’m involved in…  five classes, working at the Alumni Center, Athletes In Action (AIA), St.A.R.T. president, BSU club soccer, and volunteering for Union Chapel on the weekends. Needless to say my plate is overflowing… I feel like the gravy is running down my arm or something. Am I doing to much? I don’t know. Am I doing a good job at managing my time? I’d like to thimk so. What will I quit participating in if school gets more intense… I don’t know…

Although I’m not sure exactly what to do, I did come across some things that help with feeling exhausted or stress from the site Stress Management: How to reduce, prevent, and cope wtih stress

Healthy ways to relax and recharge

Go for a walk. Spend time in nature. Call a good friend. Sweat out tension with a good workout. Write in your journal. Take a long bath. Light scented candles

Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea. Play with a pet. Work in your garden. Get a massage. Curl up with a good book. Listen to music. Watch a comedy Take a nap

My favorite tricks are taking a nap, watching a comedy, workout. After I take a nap I feel so energized and fresh. I like watching comedy’s because when you laugh you release endorphins which actually lowers blood pressure and reduces stress hormones, according to Dr. Stanley Tan of Loma Linda University in California who has been studying the effects of laughter. And lastly, I love to workout because it really does help me get out all my frustrations on a machine – something that won’t try to give “helpful advice” or talk back to me!

So what do you do with stress? How do you handle your feelings of exhausion? I’d love to try some of your tricks of the trade!

-Sally

“I’m thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.” Woody Allen (American Film director)

Fall is in the air…

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love watching the trees change colors and walking to class in my comfy fleece jacket.

So get out there and enjoy the outdoors, attend a local fall festival or get all your friends together and have a bon fire…Fall is in the air! 

ps. Homecoming is almost upon us!!! CHIRP CHIRP

-Sarah Gretencord

life…

Can one honestly ever say that life is boring? I’m not sure one can. There is ALWAYS something knew to learn or learn about. For example, this summer I learned how to change my own oil. I did it! It was the most invigorating  feeling to know that I didn’t have to rely on someone else to change my oil and it’s cheaper! It’s true. And with that said, I just learned how to change a spark plug on a 1978 motocycle this Labor Day weekend. It was a little frustating becuase the plug was hard to reach but I did it too (with a little help). But back to life just can’t ever be boring because there is ALWAYS new things to learn or learn about…

What are some different and interesting things have you learned about lately?

Here are some pictures of things I learned about this weekend…

1. I am afraid of cornfields. Yup, that’s right , I learned that I, SALLY P., is afraid of CORN– well cornfields! You know, I think I’ve known this for a while but I had the chance this weekend to actually step into a cornfield… I didn’t like it – not one bit! I only made it past the first row and I couldn’t get myself to go any further. Here’s one of the shots I got before I scrambled out of the deep, dark rows of dirt, husks, and corn.

 2. And here is a picture of part of  motocycle that I changed the spark plug on. Enjoy it. I do!

And today, I learned how to use SECOND LIFE! Second Life is a combination of World of Warcraft and Sims. I’m using it in my Spanish 202 class (Remember the class I’m struggling with) And I just found out Ball State actually offers real classes via Second Life. And not only does Ball State offer classes but the Alumni Association offers meeting friends/Alumni via Second Life . It’s pretty cool!

So, I’d love to hear about some of the interesting facts you know – let me know and add a comment below!

Enjoy the weekend! Football Game Saturday Sept, 12 @ 7:00

Chirp, Chirp,

Sally P.

 

“Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study.  Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life.”  Henry L. Doherty

Redo and Reintroduce

I realized that I will be blogging from here on out every week at least once a week. Hopefully three times but don’t put all your eggs in my basket  just yet. (laugh/smile)

So if I’ll be on here that much I thought I’d let you know a bit more about myself and maybe that would help you figure out why I might think they way I do…

My name is Sally Prosen. I’ll be working for the Alumni Association this year. I will be blogging, coding and updating the website. I’m a junior, majoring in telecommunications with a focus in news broadcasting and getting a hopeful minor in social work. I hope to work for National Geographics as a reporter or photographer possibly one day. I am also highly considering going into the Peace Corps. but we’ll see where God leads me. Which reminds me, the biggest part of my life is Jesus. I love Him and I was just recently baptized this summer on July 26, 2009. It was wonderful. I will talk about my beliefs but I will NEVER force them on you or anyone. I can talk my head off about what God has done in my life but ultimately God changes hearts and I’m going to leave that up to Him. When I hear his voice I will listen…. that’s just me. A friend once told me, ” When someone gives their life so that you may live yours, you owe every moment, every decision you make to honoring their brave sacrifice.”

Some of the organizations that I’m involved with here on  Ball State’s campus is Athletes in Action (AIA), which is basically a bible study for student athletes or anyone that wants to know jesus and enjoys sports. I’m currently a bible study leader for AIA.

I am also a part of the Student Alumni Relations Team, or St.A.R.T., in which I was honored to be selected as President. It is a great organization to get involved in especially if you are intereseted in networking, serving others and helping plan events.

I’m invovled in Ball State University Club Soccer. I play center midfielder. I really enjoy soccer  but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to play or not this year. Only time will tell if I will add club soccer to my long list of things to do.

Lastly, I just offered to volunteer at my home church Union Chapel. I plan to hopefully work with the middle schoolers but first things first – background check. So I’ll have to let you know in a few days/weeks what ends up happening with that.

So yeah that’s a little bit about me. If you have any questions, regarding me , school or a specific question about BSU, I’d love to hear from you!

My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man’s doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny. ~ Elaine Maxwell.

School then retirement, no downtime!

So this blog goes out to the alumni… I have a urgent question for you that I sincerely need answered, for my sanity please. OK, the question is (drum roll please)… Does life get easier after college?

(sigh) There it is. Man oh man I feel better since I’ve finally asked someone else whos been through what I’ve been through… I won’t have any classes so that’s good huh? Yeah? I’ll have to work though won’t I? Yeah that’s where I get caught up because I’ve just heard from a lot of people that working isn’t alway so fun.

Hmmmmmmm……

Well you know I was thinking about the idea of just not doing the whole “working thing”… yeah I just want to skip some steps and immediately go into retirement! That sounds like a wonderful idea doesn’t it? If I were retired right now I think I would try accomplishing some of the many items on my bucket list, such as… 1.) Go to a fish market in the very morning in New York 2.) spend an entire day in bed – not because I’m sick either 3.) donate $300.00 to a cause that my heart beats for 4.) see an elephant in Africa 5.) have a family of my own.

You see, don’t all those bucket list goals sound much more fun than work?… They do but I must share with you something my Mom just recently taught my younger sister, Megan. Megan, 15, is taking a college credit class in our hometown. After her first day, she came home and made it very clear to my mother when the last day was to drop the class was. My mom then explained to Megan that “hard work isn’t always fun but hard work pays off.”

So even though I’d rather skip to retirement after graduation, I’m afraid that’s not the best idea (I’m also sure that wouldn’t fly with Mom either.)

But goodness that’d be fun… retirement right after graduation or atleast a year to do whatever you wanted without having to worry about money. A year long vacation from life would be the BEST graduation gift ever!!!

But life’s not like … you knew all this already didn’t you? Yeah I figured… well as for me I just realized that I’m have to work hard, really hard. And when I’m struggling having the deisre to wokr hard, I’ll pick myself up, dust off, and keep keepin’ on.

In other words, I won’t stop daydream about the marvelous places I could go but I will keep working hard to get to those marvelous place I want to be! Here is 21 suggestions for success by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.. Brown is an American author who wrote Life’s Little Instruction Book which was a New York Times bestseller.

This cardinal will keep soaring and hopefully you’ll consider soaring higher,

Sally Prosen

Back and refreshed

It is the first day of classes. Some students arrive in new shoes or clothes while some have changed their outward appearance by having a tan or getting a new hairstyle. Everyone looks so different. When we get down to it though, we’re all students at Ball State University trying to get an education. And speaking about getting an education, I had a whopping two classes today. I had Political Science & Spanish 202. And being that it is the first day of classes while some students are dreading a new semester, others are entertaining the idea of a fresh start – I fall in the latter of the two categories. I must admit that I do like school, as nerdy as that sounds.

My summer was wonderful, life-changing actually but I’m excited to get back into a rhythm of going to class, working, and spending long nights “relaxing” on a Mac at Bracken Library. I use the word “relaxing” because, for me, it is a more pleasant way of saying I’m doing tons of homework. I must also admit that I am somewhat nervous about the semester. I am taking a Spanish class, like I said earlier, where my teacher speaks completely in Spanish. I know what you are thinking, “well its Spanish class isn’t that what you are supposed to do?” Yeah we are supposed to speak Spanish, but there are times I had no idea what she was talking about. So this class is going to take a lot of work but instead of complaining I’m going take the advice from a friend, “look at every opportunity as just that, an opportunity.” Looking at Spanish 202 I’m have the opportunity to take this course. I get to take a class other students don’t have the opportunity to take. This is a blessing and I will have to remind myself of that continuously throughout this semester.

I know that this tidbit of advice isn’t a monumental discovery but I hope that you remember that thought some time during your day today. Maybe today this concept of “having the opportunity” will pop to mind when you complain about taking your kids to school, you grumble about cooking dinner, you get frustrated that the T.V. doesn’t work. Remember, you have the opportunity to life, make the most out of it. You know how the saying goes, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” So what are you going to do today? Take advantage of the opportunity you’ve been presented or let it pass you by?

I’m not mentioning all of this to make you feel guilty, that is not my intent. My intent is that you may realize, like I have, that focusing on the negatives aren’t going to get you anywhere; therefore, focus on encouraging parts of your unpleasant situation because once you do you’ll notice that bad situation doesn’t last as long.

Chirp Chirp,

Sally Prosen

“As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily.  The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world.”  Author Adabella Radici

Ps. I’ll have to let you know at the end of the semester how much I applied my own advice this semester!

Would You Retire in Muncie?

This week the alumni association will be sending out a survey regarding that very question. For most of us in our late 20s, 30s, and even 40s retirement seems something of a far off distant land. Of course, that may be true for some of you that were getting ready to retire before the down turn of the economy.

Regardless of where you are in your career I am sure that at some point all of us have at least daydreamed about where and how we would like to retire. Maybe retirement would be moving to Florida or somewhere south. Or maybe it is the thought of being able to golf everyday and not have to check email, cell phones or be tied to a desk for 8 hours a day.  But, did it ever cross your mind to retire at your former college or university?

Research has shown that retiring or even living near a college campus can help keep you mind sharp and help delay the on set of Alzheimer’s and dementia. In addition, college a campus can give the opportunity to continue some part time work whether volunteering or being an adjunct professor. And with all the cultural experience a college or university has to offer on the campus it does not sound like a half bad idea.

But do the amenities out weigh the city in which some college and universities reside, which would include Muncie?

For years Muncie has been on the front lines of the struggle between blue collar and white collar. I am not here to say that one is better than the other because both have there good points and bad. With that said there has been an underlying resentment between Muncie residents and Ball State.

As a journalism major I have seen this resentment first hand trying to do different stories in the community and being stonewalled by residents. Part of me does not fault them as there are students at the school that do not respect the Muncie residents however, there are some of us that do.

It is my opinion that the growth of the university into areas such as retirement communities and other expansions like it heavily depends on the relationship between the Muncie community and Ball State.  As a future retiree I would want the entire package, the college atmosphere in a community that supports the university as well a university that supports the community.

As far as the mending and cultivating of the relationship between the two I think that the university should take a more proactive stance.

Getcha graduation on, party people

As the year draws to a lovely close, for many this will be their last week of tests for their college career! But that doesn’t mean life won’t give them a few tests and trials! I’ve realized recently that life is messy and when life gets messy I just need to declare it as so, and then move on. My perfectionism sometimes gets the best of me and while I working on my news project I realized something. Here’s a shocker – there is no such thing as PERFECT! It’s impossible. As I finally finished my project, I just  tried my hardest and quiet freaking out over the small details that I could spend hour after hour fixing, re-fixing and finally just getting frustrated. Life’s not perfect, but that don’t mean we need have to accept it. And so as Ball State bids farewell to some promising students at graduation on May 9, 2009 I’d like to leave graduates with some adivce as they make their trek into the real world… (ehm ehm )

As you go off into the world outside of Frog baby and Happy Friday guy, remember where you came from, Ball State (chirp chirp) You spent a good deal of time here – for some more than they would have liked- but never the less remember the moments, cherish the friends you made and don’t forget Muncie, IN (I mean, hellooo, how could you?) And then secondly,  always try your hardest. Don’t give up. Others won’t hold you up, they might encourage you but you have to be your own source of motivation most of the time!  Also, be deaf to people’s negativity, it’ll get you down. But with that said, realize when thier criticism could benefit you in a postive way. Lastly, send thank you cards whenever you can to who ever you can. Let the people in your life know that you are happy to have them in it! Relationship are far more valuable than any job, boat or… well.. well anything! 

I’m sure there are a ton more words of wisdom to grace you with but there is limited amout of space. I wish you best of luck with your future though. And don’t forget, remember where you came from- BSU! Keep bleeding red cardinal pride! Heck, cardinals are the most fierce mid-size birds!

God bless,

Sally Prosen

From student to Alumni

One paper, one project, one report, one interview. That’s all I have, one interview. After all of those applications. Now all my eggs are in one basket, and that makes me so much more nervous. If something else were going to come along, I wish it would come sometime before Thursday so I could take some pressure off of this. Until then I will squirm. After it’s over, (which won’t be long) I will just have to wait. On that note, I have to say that (barring some strange twist of events where I end up, at the last minute, going to grad school at the CAP Indy center and somehow work for the Alumni Association remotely) this is my last blog post. I will be going through commencement on Saturday and will no longer be a student at Ball State University. Instead I will be an Alumnus. I will be moving on and reading this blog, continued by my replacement. I will be participating in Alumni activities whether I live here in Indiana or halfway across the country. I truly appreciate what this school has done for me. I have to say that I have enjoyed my time here. I would recommend the school to any and all who find an interest in one the many disciplines taught here. I would tell them to get involved and take advantage. I would tell them to enjoy themselves but push themselves. I would advise an open mind and motivation to learn everything you can, not just here, but everywhere and always. -Tim