2017 | John Brown University Student Life Blog

A Step-By-Step Guide for an Adventure You Won’t Forget

Mar 29 2017

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I blame Billy for this whole fiasco. If he hadn’t mentioned a previous student biking to the sea, Erin and I never would have gotten the idea in the first place. As it was, Billy shared with our small group some of the benefits of studying abroad in Ireland and told us about all the adventures we could have on the weekends. BAM! Erin and I got bit by the adventure bug. It was decided. We were going to bike to the sea. Step One: Rely On Sense Of Direction (Even If You Don’t Have One) Did we research where[…]

Mar 15 2017

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There was one thing at the forefront of my mind as the first semester approached. Friends. Who will they be? What will they be like? What will life with them look like? If you’re like me, community is your lifeline. Trying to do life without it is like being four years old in the wave pool without your floaties. It’s exhausting, and it’s easy to feel like you’re drowning. As I was preparing to come to JBU, I worried about community. The more I thought about it, the more building a community from scratch seemed daunting. I can tell you now that a community of[…]

Mar 09 2017

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“Let’s go biking!” I look at Hannah like she’s crazy. “It’s 20 degrees outside.” “So? I’ll buy you coffee!” I deliberate for a moment, but she definitely has me. I’ll do anything for free coffee. “Fine.” The sky is bright and the sun looks warm and inviting, but the outdoors is deceptive. The cold hits me like a wall of death, freezing my nose off and turning my fingers into icicles. Even sitting on my bike seat feels cold and painful. “Why are we doing this?” I ask, but start to laugh when Hannah gives me that look—the one that[…]

First Day of Class Preparation

Mar 07 2017

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It’s your first semester of college and, plainly stated, you are clueless. Everything is changing. Suddenly, you are saying goodbye to friends, then your parents. You find your new closet empty of clothes, and the wall bare of posters. You are at college. Still, you’re clueless. Why are you here? Ah, yes. College education. But where is the classroom? What supplies are needed? Here are five tips to better orient to the college classroom as a student. 1. Email the professor ahead of time—Before school commences, I recommend composing a quick, polite email to your professors. Introduce and give them a little[…]

Mar 06 2017

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There aren’t very many college kids who get up at 6:15 every morning. I love it. My alarm goes off and I wake to a dark room, the blinds are drawn and my roommate is a lump under her blanket. I pad out of the room as quietly as possible, go downstairs, open the blinds, brew a pot of coffee and watch the sun start to rise. I’m the only one awake. I curl up on the couch under my soft, comfortable blanket and crack open my Bible for my morning devotion. I sit in the stillness, watching the world wakeup.[…]

Mar 02 2017

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In my two years of dorm living, I’ve noticed a common thread. Hardcore gamers are some of the most isolated people on campus. Having lived in J. Alvin, the loudest, most boisterous, testosterone-filled dorm on JBU’s campus, I understand that dorm life can be anyone’s nightmare. For someone shy, introverted, quiet, or in need of time alone, retreating to the dorm room with just the console and a headset seems like such a relief. However, too much of this can result in isolation, loss of friendships, and missed opportunities. Last year, one of my suite mates spent the majority of his time in[…]

Feb 28 2017

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You’re scanning. As you hopelessly search, your cafeteria spaghetti is getting cold. You see someone across the room. “Is that Jack? No. Definitely not Jack. Wait, there’s a spot next to Ryan.” You greet everyone at the table with a quick smile and begin winding up your noodles. Then, like a mouse snapped in a trap, you realize your fate. You hear the words “Donald Trump.” Politics. The favorite table topic. Great. If you’re a lover of harmony like me, you panic. Your mind begins to race. “Should I say anything? Should I share my REAL opinion? Is it worth it?” All you want is to blend in and[…]

Feb 22 2017

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One of my favorite parts of pursuing a degree in communications at John Brown University is gaining real-world experience. In several of my major classes, I have had the opportunity to work with both internal and external clients in the fields of marketing and public relations. These classes have shown me what my career will look like. I have been able to experience creating plans and also working to enact them. My first experience with an external client was in my principles of marketing class. My team created a plan for a local restaurant, and the restaurant used our plan for[…]

Feb 20 2017

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I’m a missionary kid (MK) from Guatemala, Central America. I grew up there and didn’t spend a whole lot of time in the United States before moving to John Brown University. I was so excited, but also terrified. I wasn’t just moving out of my parents’ home, but also changing countries and cultures—all with no family or connections within a ten-hour drive. I flew up from Guatemala alone. Walking away from my parents before entering security was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I knew my life was changing forever but wasn’t entirely sure what future I[…]

Feb 08 2017

It was surreal, driving onto JBU’s campus for the first time since last May. Seven months doesn’t sound like a long time, but so much had happened in my life that it felt like a lifetime. I’d spent the summer working in Iowa, and then had flown to Northern Ireland to study for three months and explore the culture and country. There were 20 of us who lived together, grew together and formed our own tiny little family. I lived in Belfast, Northern Ireland this past fall semester, learned philosophy, theology and literature from Irish professors, got to know and love a[…]

Archive - 2017

A Step-By-Step Guide for an Adventure You Won’t Forget

Community—Finding Your Floaties

Which Do You Need More: Fingers or Coffee?

First Day of Class Preparation

Why You Should Get Out of Bed Earlier

Don’t Let Video Games Control Your Life

Spaghetti Politics

Classes Provide Real-World Experiences

Transitioning is Hard

How I Returned From Cloud Nine