August « 2011 « IU East Blogs

30Aug/11

The Canterbury Tales…sort of

I can honestly say that a year ago, I would have never predicted I’d be doing this, writing a blog for IU East about my upcoming year abroad. Last year, like all of you, I was starting a brand new year on campus, attending all of the welcome back events and hanging out with my friends, discussing the woes of Organic Chemistry and pessimistically predicting our future grades-“Like, SERIOUSLY?! How in the world am I supposed to understand what resonance is?!” Now , as I am preparing to leave my small town and venture to England for a year, my dramatics of last year seem so trivial- and I completely understand resonance now all thanks to my awesome professor and SI instructor! Seeing all of the Facebook posts about starting school yesterday really makes my upcoming year abroad seem more real since I’ve been sitting on the couch watching, what else?-awful reality television. Ha! I don’t start school for another month, but believe me; I have plenty to do in the meantime.

Sometimes I do things, and looking back I wonder, “What in the world made me decide to do that?” This entire study abroad decision sparks that exact same question-let me give you background as to how I’ve gotten to this point. So like most young girls, I was OBSESSED with the Spice Girls. I am still completely OBSESSED with Harry Potter and I love David Beckham (who doesn’t?) Now, these things don’t directly have anything to do with my story, but they did help and I thought it could give you an opportunity to get to know some of my interests! Due to my love of all things English, I had always wanted to go to England and I dreamed of one day living there, cue study abroad. On the Saturday before returning from Christmas break I was looking at IU East’s study abroad link on our website at like 2 am. From there, I went searching for trips and found a direct link to IU’s study abroad page. There I found OVER ONE HUNDRED (no, really) opportunities to study abroad. I was looking at Australia and Germany, but wanted something more familiar to me, and since Harry Potter is like my BFF (I’m really not THAT weird, promise!) I looked at choices in England. There were summer internships and semester long choices, but the yearlong Canterbury option stood out to me. I’m not sure why, again, “what in the world made me do that?” but I clicked on it and started to apply. The next day I continued my application until I hit a road block. The application was due that Tuesday (the day we got back from break); I needed two professor recommendations, an essay describing why to choose me and a bunch of other things to fill out. So I forgot about it moved on with my day AND the next day, which I don’t think I thought about it once. That Tuesday morning, my class let out WAY early since it was just the first day and I started telling my friend who was also in the class about my interest in study abroad and how there was no way I could finish the application because it was due that day and I didn’t have anything done, etc, etc… Now standing upstairs in Whitewater right outside of the professor offices she told me verbatim, “You’ll regret it if you don’t even try.” She went with me to ask for two recommendations, which the professors wrote on the spot, she came with me to computer lab to sit with me as I busted out an essay and filled out everything. I turned in the application that night and TRULY expected nothing to come out of it, maybe just a phone call or email declining my application. Instead, I got an email telling me about the interview I needed to have at Bloomington with the selection committee before they decided on the students who would be chosen for this program. Well, I live in Ohio 20 minutes from Richmond, and they offered to have an over-the-phone interview with me instead so I wouldn’t have to drive so far. I was SO nervous the morning they called, because I didn’t even think I’d get an interview! And now I had to do one over the phone?! But I survived and the interviewer was so nice and easy to talk to. Flash forward two weeks and I was sitting in a meeting at school and I got an email telling me, “Congratulations! You’ve been chosen for the Junior Year Abroad program at the University of Kent in Canterbury.” After I picked my jaw and phone up off the floor, I frantically tried calling my parents, who didn’t answer, but I needed to tell someone, ANYONE?! I ended up running down to Admissions and telling Angie and whoever else would listen. I hadn’t planned for this, I wasn’t expecting this, and I had no clue what to do next. I felt like a chicken with its head cut off. From then on, for the next three months or so, I had to mail things and fill out medical forms and I had to read books about the trials tribulations of study abroad and what to expect and so on. I then had to travel to Bloomington one Friday for an orientation where I got to meet the others in my program, a student who went to Kent the year before and a student from the UK who attends Kent and is studying abroad at IU. Tidbit time: this program is through IU Bloomington. Any opportunity Bloomington has, we have, or any regional campus for that matter. Nine students were chosen for my program and I am the only one from a regional campus. Now back to story time. At that meeting, we got to ask questions about what it’s really like and how we should pack and dress and the differences in the UK versus the US and what school is like at Kent and any question that popped into our heads. I left that meeting SO excited and wanted to leave for Kent that day! I don’t think I ever imagined how quickly time would fly, because then, my countdown was at 110 days until I got to leave and now I’m down to 18 days! I leave September 16^th, I will be back for Christmas for 2-3 weeks and I leave again to stay at Kent until late June. This whole experience is just now becoming real to me, now that everyone is back at school and I’m not. My pre-departure jitters have been pretty high lately, but don’t get me wrong, I am SO excited to begin my journey overseas. IU has bloggers dedicated solely to the study abroad experience and I have religiously read every one written about the Canterbury program. You can like the IU Overseas Study page on Facebook and read about a lot of programs that are just starting this year. I would definitely recommend checking out all of the blogs! They’re like a mini vacation sometimes; travelling through Spain and China for free!

This is The University of Kent's Campus at Canterbury!

So there you have it! My first blog, EVER! I’m the rookie blogger this year and I thought since the majority of posts will be about my new life in England, I should give everyone insight into how I got here. Through my experience and blogging I hope that you may live vicariously through me, or that I may spark an interest in you to study abroad! No matter how petrified I am to have to live thousands of miles away from home and family, I have to keep reminding myself that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity; I mean, really, when else in my life will I be able to pack up, live and study in Europe for a year? Never! I know one of the reasons that sealed the deal for me to be chosen was that I told my interviewer from Bloomington that I want to make it known that even though IU East is a small school in Richmond, Indiana, students have the same, big opportunities that IU does and that I would be happy to be a sort of ambassador for study abroad at IU East. I decided to blog for MY school instead of IU because I hope to show everyone that going to a small school requires zero sacrifices and that it is up to you to make your college experience what you want it to be. 'Til next time-

Kelsey

Popularity score: 9286 (76%)

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Filed under: Student Life

29Aug/11

Good-Bye Summer = Hello School

Hey everyone! Are you excited about the new school year? I am doing almost all online with my classes again. I have 4 online classes and 1 class on Fridays. So hopefully I will get to see some of you on campus I do want to make it to some events on campus this year as well. Alright so how was everyone's summer? Mine was great, busy, awesome, crazy, and fun!!! Lets take it back to June: Went to Florida July: Had our summer dance recital and went to Myrtle Beach August: Had my 22nd birthday and moved into my new house with 4 equally crazy girls that you will hear a lot about this year!

In Panama City Beach! This was our sunset view for dance nationals. Oh yeah i'm a dance teacher, 7 years now!

How amazing is that view? In June I traveled to Panama City Beach for dance nationals with Cole Academy. I've worked for Cole for 7 years now and been a dancer since I was 4! It is really my entire life. But Panama was more than amazing! I love it a lot more when it is not Spring Break season. I went on a jet ski dolphin tour and that was the best experience ever to have wild dolphins swimming right up to you!

Then came July and I flew to Myrtle Beach with my boyfriends (Travis) family for a much needed vacation! This was the 2nd year we traveled down there in July and it was basically perfect! His whole family goes down the same week and stays in this huge house! At times it can get so super hectic but the warm weather/beach thing kinda eases the stress level.

And then in August:::: I celebrated my 22nd birthday (old) and moved into my new house with 4 other girls!! As you know I do not have classes everyday on campus so I actually live in Muncie, and I live on Ball States campus. My roomies and I refer to ourselves as JAMSS because of our names: Jordan, Amina, Marisa, Sara, & Sam.

ROOMiES

Okay everyone - Have a great semester and get off to a great start! Plan on hearing from me every week Also find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @jordiewhitt

xo <3 jo

Popularity score: 4520 (37%)

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Filed under: Student Life

29Aug/11

9 games in and school just started

Today is the 1^st day of classes. I only have 1 class today; however, I have 3 online classes that I have to check out! This semester’s schedule is looking much tougher than my previous one. I’ve got 5 classes total: 15 credit hours. Unfortunately, I can’t take the Spanish class I would like to. IUE only offers it in the evening when I have volleyball practice/games… I’M VERY BUMMED.

Although I’m upset about not being able to take the Spanish class, I’ve got a smile on my face… for a couple of reasons. Each year a new wave of freshman pour in. IUE is relatively small and closely knit. In saying that, the freshman are pretty easy to point out. Not only do I not recognize them, but they are wide-eyed, anxious, panicked, worried, smiley, friendly, etc. I could go on and on trying to describe what a “freshman” looks like, but most upper classman already know. I’ve already had a young man come into my office and ask where 202 was. Once I told him, he asked if I would walk him to the class. I laugh and happily assist him while thinking, “Man, was I like this?” The answer is yes. We were all in his shoes our first day of college. So this is for the freshman, TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND TAKE IT ALL IN. College is an awesome experience and the faculty and staff here at IUE will be with you every step of the way.

I’m also smiling because my volleyball team is 8 and 1. We're 9 games in and we’ve got so much to prove. We have already beaten #12 and #25 in the nation (we are ranked 26^th). Unfortunately, we lost to #17 Indiana Tech. For some reason we can never give them a good game. The scores were close, but we played nowhere near our fullest potential… We’ll get ‘em though.

We’ve got a home game on Wednesday at Seton Catholic @ 7pm. Come out and support us!