Orientation http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation en kep7@calvin.edu Copyright 2007 2007-07-24T15:16:00-05:00 thoughts. http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/thoughts1/ so previously Dan wrote about his love for pickles. well. if there is one thing that you should know about me and pickles it is that i eat them when i am stressed. ok. so i ate them when i am stressed. ok. so ate them often when i was stressed during high school. if you think about it. pickles are probably the most perfect food to eat when you are stressed. they have a good crunch. a little bit of spice. and some pickles even have a little extra kick. so back in high school when i was stressed about coming to college or finishing up my senior year. i would open up the fridge door and reach for a jar of pickles. wow. if i would have known it then, there might have been a million other more beneficial ways i could have beat the stress than eating pickles. such as go for a run, take a long hot shower, or talk to one of my good friends. but now that i am in college and sometimes do get stressed. although eating pickles is a very beneficial way to beat stress. as i am in college i am learning that perhaps it is not just the pickle that helps me beat the stress. perhaps it is the quiet moment that i spend alone with the pickle that gives my mind a chance to breathe. perhaps i really like eating pickles because the same moment that i bite into the green, crunchy, and sometimes even salty pickle, my mind is at ease. perhaps it is not even about the pickle. perhaps in the middle of a crazy situation it is more important for me to have some time by myself. alone. so often it is being alone that scares us most. but why does it scare us?  Karen Paul so previously Dan wrote about his love for pickles. well. if there is one thing that you should know about me and pickles it is that i eat them when i am stressed. ok. so i ate them when i am stressed. ok. so ate them often when i was stressed during high school. if you think about it. pickles are probably the most perfect food to eat when you are stressed. they have a good crunch. a little bit of spice. and some pickles even have a little extra kick. so back in high school when i was stressed about coming to college or finishing up my senior year. i would open up the fridge door and reach for a jar of pickles. wow. if i would have known it then, there might have been a million other more beneficial ways i could have beat the stress than eating pickles. such as go for a run, take a long hot shower, or talk to one of my good friends. but now that i am in college and sometimes do get stressed. although eating pickles is a very beneficial way to beat stress. as i am in college i am learning that perhaps it is not just the pickle that helps me beat the stress. perhaps it is the quiet moment that i spend alone with the pickle that gives my mind a chance to breathe. perhaps i really like eating pickles because the same moment that i bite into the green, crunchy, and sometimes even salty pickle, my mind is at ease. perhaps it is not even about the pickle. perhaps in the middle of a crazy situation it is more important for me to have some time by myself. alone. so often it is being alone that scares us most. but why does it scare us? 

]]> 2007-07-24T15:16:00-05:00 Munchies and Mannerisms http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/munchies_and_mannerisms/ I don’t have much to say about mannerisms.  Nothing to say, in fact.  I just decided I needed an alliteration for my headline to follow to the trend set by my previous entry.  On the subject of munchies, however, I have some insight.  For me, munchies fall in to three categories; sweet, crunchy, and moist.  Sweets are things like chocolates and cookies that, when I’m in the right mood, are enjoyed in mass quantities with a tall glass of milk.  Crunchy munchies are things like crackers and popcorn that I enjoy eating while multitasking with either water or Diet Pepsi.  Then come the moist, my favorite.  Things like grapes, snow peas, celery, and other such fruit and veggie like snacks.  They stand alone, because their natural moisture makes it so they hydrate and cure my desire to munch.  While this has no relevance to life, the universe, or much of anything, perhaps you can now better understand why I eat a lot of grapes. We’re busy getting ready for PASSPORT III right now, and I’m excited to meet another group of students and their families!  It’s been so wonderful to hear parents and students alike say that they’re less anxious about the transition to Calvin as a result of what they learn and experience at Orientation.  This week we’re taking a special day to focus on planning for QUEST, the Fall Orientation program.  The summer is going by SO fast!  Michaellynn Hannink I don’t have much to say about mannerisms.  Nothing to say, in fact.  I just decided I needed an alliteration for my headline to follow to the trend set by my previous entry.  On the subject of munchies, however, I have some insight.  For me, munchies fall in to three categories; sweet, crunchy, and moist.  Sweets are things like chocolates and cookies that, when I’m in the right mood, are enjoyed in mass quantities with a tall glass of milk.  Crunchy munchies are things like crackers and popcorn that I enjoy eating while multitasking with either water or Diet Pepsi.  Then come the moist, my favorite.  Things like grapes, snow peas, celery, and other such fruit and veggie like snacks.  They stand alone, because their natural moisture makes it so they hydrate and cure my desire to munch.  While this has no relevance to life, the universe, or much of anything, perhaps you can now better understand why I eat a lot of grapes.

We’re busy getting ready for PASSPORT III right now, and I’m excited to meet another group of students and their families!  It’s been so wonderful to hear parents and students alike say that they’re less anxious about the transition to Calvin as a result of what they learn and experience at Orientation.  This week we’re taking a special day to focus on planning for QUEST, the Fall Orientation program.  The summer is going by SO fast! 

]]> 2007-07-23T15:38:00-05:00 one down, three to go http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/one_down_three_to_go/ Hello again.  It’s been a while since I last wrote, and we have been BUSY!  We had our first PASSPORT last week.  It was so much fun.  Most everything went really smoothly, and it was kind of an adrenaline rush for us to see everything we’ve been planning for months finally coming to life.  We met a ton of people; your freshman class is looking pretty good thus far.  :) One of my favorite parts is meeting parents.  They just have no shame.  Whether they’re asking tons of questions, trying to embarrass their kids, teasing me about my lip piercing, or gushing about our opening session videos, it makes me happy to see them getting excited about and involved in their kids’ college experience.  I get to be an RA one of the nights for PASSPORT this week.  Pretty pumped about that (although the dorms can be super hot these days).  It’ll be so fun to be in the dorms again.  Oh I can’t wait to meet more of you freshmen.  I’m so glad I get to be part of your Calvin experience.  Get hype, cause it is going to be the time of your lives. Amy de Jong Hello again.  It’s been a while since I last wrote, and we have been BUSY!  We had our first PASSPORT last week.  It was so much fun.  Most everything went really smoothly, and it was kind of an adrenaline rush for us to see everything we’ve been planning for months finally coming to life.  We met a ton of people; your freshman class is looking pretty good thus far.  :) One of my favorite parts is meeting parents.  They just have no shame.  Whether they’re asking tons of questions, trying to embarrass their kids, teasing me about my lip piercing, or gushing about our opening session videos, it makes me happy to see them getting excited about and involved in their kids’ college experience. 

I get to be an RA one of the nights for PASSPORT this week.  Pretty pumped about that (although the dorms can be super hot these days).  It’ll be so fun to be in the dorms again.  Oh I can’t wait to meet more of you freshmen.  I’m so glad I get to be part of your Calvin experience.  Get hype, cause it is going to be the time of your lives.

]]> 2007-07-16T15:45:01-05:00 PASSPORT 1! http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/passport_1/ PASSPORT One came and it went. Amazing. All day Sunday night I was so excited for early registration because all it was finally here. You, the Calvin College class of 2011 were really beginning to come to Calvin College. Let me tell you, you have a wonderful class. From the opening session videos to PASSPORT lounge to the For Students Only session to the Vespers worship session. It was wonderful. Wow. Now we are busy preparing for the next PASSPORT session. Number two. So if that is you, I look forward to seeing you next week! Get excited!  Karen Paul PASSPORT One came and it went. Amazing. All day Sunday night I was so excited for early registration because all it was finally here. You, the Calvin College class of 2011 were really beginning to come to Calvin College. Let me tell you, you have a wonderful class. From the opening session videos to PASSPORT lounge to the For Students Only session to the Vespers worship session. It was wonderful. Wow. Now we are busy preparing for the next PASSPORT session. Number two. So if that is you, I look forward to seeing you next week! Get excited! 

]]> 2007-07-11T21:23:00-05:00 Yo Yo Yo! Happy 4th of July all!! http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/yo_yo_yo_happy_4th_of_july_all/ Hello My First Year Friends, So today is the 4th of July.  We are currently working because we had Monday off instead of today, but don’t you worry we still had the opportunity to partake in the 4th of July festivities.  This morning we participated in the Hollyhock Lane Parade.  This is one of Grand Rapids oldest parades.  So we decked out one of our golf carts that we use for Passport in all calvin gear and got a spot in the parade.  We were technically in the “environmental” group for the parade so we said that we would use the theme of “agents of renewal in God’s world”.  We figured that fit with the environmental theme.  Anyways we did the parade and screamed Calvin’s name and we actually got a ton of support from people who went to Calvin.  We also threw some candy which i think helped.  So at the end of the parade i guess they vote for the top 3 in each category and our float got 3rd place!! and we got ribbons and $10! so awesome! Well i hope that all of you have a safe and fun 4th of July and are getting pumped to get to Calvin!  We’re excited for all of you who are coming to Passport 1 (it’s coming fast, only 4 days!) ok homies, Peace out Atriez Allison Triezenberg Hello My First Year Friends,

So today is the 4th of July.  We are currently working because we had Monday off instead of today, but don’t you worry we still had the opportunity to partake in the 4th of July festivities.  This morning we participated in the Hollyhock Lane Parade.  This is one of Grand Rapids oldest parades.  So we decked out one of our golf carts that we use for Passport in all calvin gear and got a spot in the parade.  We were technically in the “environmental” group for the parade so we said that we would use the theme of “agents of renewal in God’s world”.  We figured that fit with the environmental theme.  Anyways we did the parade and screamed Calvin’s name and we actually got a ton of support from people who went to Calvin.  We also threw some candy which i think helped.  So at the end of the parade i guess they vote for the top 3 in each category and our float got 3rd place!! and we got ribbons and $10! so awesome!

Well i hope that all of you have a safe and fun 4th of July and are getting pumped to get to Calvin!  We’re excited for all of you who are coming to Passport 1 (it’s coming fast, only 4 days!)

ok homies,

Peace out

Atriez

]]> 2007-07-04T18:18:00-05:00 Tripping and Falling http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/tripping_and_falling/ It is not often that I don’t have much to say.  This, however, is one of those times.  I sincerely, have nothing of worth to say.  Instead, I’ll just ramble on for a paragraph or two and probably make no real impacting, deep statements.  So I guess what I am trying to say is: don’t expect too much. Have you ever been walking by yourself and you accidentally trip?  You don’t fall down or anything, but you do that awkward stumble thing that makes you look like you are on roller blades for the first time. I do that all too often.  However, each time I do it, I make this weird smile thing afterward to make it look like, “Man I know I am an idiot but it’s still cool because I’m just going to shake it off like nothing just happened.” And as you look around for the people to read that look on your face, you realize that no one is around anyway to see either your stumble your look that you felt compelled to conjure up?  Then you make another face of slightly embarrassed that you went to all that trouble to make yourself look like less of a fool but also you’re humored by the whole situation.  At this point however, you’re also thinking to yourself, “Man, I really think and talk to myself entirely too much.” Like I said, nothing of worth to say. Andy Allen Andy Allen It is not often that I don’t have much to say.  This, however, is one of those times.  I sincerely, have nothing of worth to say.  Instead, I’ll just ramble on for a paragraph or two and probably make no real impacting, deep statements.  So I guess what I am trying to say is: don’t expect too much.
Have you ever been walking by yourself and you accidentally trip?  You don’t fall down or anything, but you do that awkward stumble thing that makes you look like you are on roller blades for the first time. I do that all too often.  However, each time I do it, I make this weird smile thing afterward to make it look like, “Man I know I am an idiot but it’s still cool because I’m just going to shake it off like nothing just happened.” And as you look around for the people to read that look on your face, you realize that no one is around anyway to see either your stumble your look that you felt compelled to conjure up?  Then you make another face of slightly embarrassed that you went to all that trouble to make yourself look like less of a fool but also you’re humored by the whole situation.  At this point however, you’re also thinking to yourself, “Man, I really think and talk to myself entirely too much.”
Like I said, nothing of worth to say.

Andy Allen

]]> 2007-06-28T14:27:00-05:00 a real entry http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/a_real_entry/ Hey y’all.  I hope there are tons of people reading these, because I am about to tell you what is really going on around here.  No, we’re not eating our poop; no, we’re not arguing over which Disney princess is the hottest; we’re not even eating pickles.  We are actually doing some work.... Guess what we did yesterday.  We packed more than 2000 folders full of information for you and your parents!!  It was a party, tell you what.  It’s all about the assembly line.  And then we ate pizza. Things are definitely getting crazy around here.  We have a whiteboard full of tasks, which we cross off as we go.  Don’t you love crossing things off to-do lists?  It’s probably one of the most fulfilling and satisfying things you can do.  So, I guess we’ve been feeling REALLY fulfilled all week.  Yeah.  That’s a good way to look at it. Do you know what an air-bazooka is?  Unfortunately, everyone in the office now does.  Andy’s favorite activity is to shoot a blast of air at us when we least expect it.  But hey, whatever “blows your hair back.” Literally.  (Get it?  Bwahaha.) Alright, time to get back to work.  Gotta cross some more things off the list today. Get hype for Calvin. Amy de Jong Hey y’all.  I hope there are tons of people reading these, because I am about to tell you what is really going on around here.  No, we’re not eating our poop; no, we’re not arguing over which Disney princess is the hottest; we’re not even eating pickles.  We are actually doing some work....

Guess what we did yesterday.  We packed more than 2000 folders full of information for you and your parents!!  It was a party, tell you what.  It’s all about the assembly line.  And then we ate pizza.

Things are definitely getting crazy around here.  We have a whiteboard full of tasks, which we cross off as we go.  Don’t you love crossing things off to-do lists?  It’s probably one of the most fulfilling and satisfying things you can do.  So, I guess we’ve been feeling REALLY fulfilled all week.  Yeah.  That’s a good way to look at it.

Do you know what an air-bazooka is?  Unfortunately, everyone in the office now does.  Andy’s favorite activity is to shoot a blast of air at us when we least expect it.  But hey, whatever “blows your hair back.” Literally.  (Get it?  Bwahaha.)

Alright, time to get back to work.  Gotta cross some more things off the list today.

Get hype for Calvin.

]]> 2007-06-28T13:44:00-05:00 blah http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/random_thoughts_from_a_calvin_college_orientation_intern/ Phil Deboer 2007-06-28T13:27:00-05:00 thoughts. http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/thoughts/ Well. I hope that the beginnings of your summers are going well. I just have this feeling that the summer is going to fly right on by. Things are busy here in the office. We are busy working on the passport programs. There is only two and a half more weeks until the first passport! Here are some of the highlights from the office this past week. First, Amy and I created a new group game called Parachute Scuttle. I promise you it will change your life… or perhaps your college career… or perhaps your passport experience. Any ways it was pretty funny when Amy and I “scuttled” around the office. Also, right now I hear Disney songs in the background and I hear voices singing LOUDLY! But I think the highlight of my week so far was playing a three hour long game of uno. I do not think I have ever played UNO for that long. It was a new version of UNO called H2O Uno. Yup. Exciting. Well. Enjoy your summers. I think fondly of the time we will share at Passports together. Perhaps we will have time for a short game of UNO?  Karen Paul Well. I hope that the beginnings of your summers are going well. I just have this feeling that the summer is going to fly right on by. Things are busy here in the office. We are busy working on the passport programs. There is only two and a half more weeks until the first passport!

Here are some of the highlights from the office this past week. First, Amy and I created a new group game called Parachute Scuttle. I promise you it will change your life… or perhaps your college career… or perhaps your passport experience. Any ways it was pretty funny when Amy and I “scuttled” around the office. Also, right now I hear Disney songs in the background and I hear voices singing LOUDLY! But I think the highlight of my week so far was playing a three hour long game of uno. I do not think I have ever played UNO for that long. It was a new version of UNO called H2O Uno. Yup. Exciting.

Well. Enjoy your summers. I think fondly of the time we will share at Passports together. Perhaps we will have time for a short game of UNO? 

]]> 2007-06-21T19:53:00-05:00 Sandals and Summertime http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/orientation/more/sandals_and_summertime/ So I got to talking to some people today about buying new sandals.  My favorite flip flops (which I’m obviously wearing right now) are perfectly formed to my feet, held together by duct tape, and three years old.  But I can’t buy another pair of sandals, because it would take another three years to make them as comfortable as these ones, and then I’d be back in the vicious cycle all over again.  While I contemplate this more, I think I’ll just continue to wear my favorite flip flops until they completely disintegrate. I’m so excited for the first Passport!  It’s coming up in a little over two weeks, and I can’t wait for the program to start.  As I look over the mess that is my desk, I can see how far we’ve come, and how much we have left to do (more done than not, thankfully).  I’m continuously amazed at how much happens behind the scenes that you don’t know about until you work with the wonderful people that make it happen.  I also love watching the Calvin WebCam (http://www.calvin.edu/resource/cool/webcam/).  It’s fun to watch people play games or relax on the Commons Lawn.  It’s also cool to watch people during the winter making snow sculptures - I think my favorites were this year’s squirrel and cupcake.  Michaellynn Hannink So I got to talking to some people today about buying new sandals.  My favorite flip flops (which I’m obviously wearing right now) are perfectly formed to my feet, held together by duct tape, and three years old.  But I can’t buy another pair of sandals, because it would take another three years to make them as comfortable as these ones, and then I’d be back in the vicious cycle all over again.  While I contemplate this more, I think I’ll just continue to wear my favorite flip flops until they completely disintegrate.

I’m so excited for the first Passport!  It’s coming up in a little over two weeks, and I can’t wait for the program to start.  As I look over the mess that is my desk, I can see how far we’ve come, and how much we have left to do (more done than not, thankfully).  I’m continuously amazed at how much happens behind the scenes that you don’t know about until you work with the wonderful people that make it happen. 

I also love watching the Calvin WebCam (http://www.calvin.edu/resource/cool/webcam/).  It’s fun to watch people play games or relax on the Commons Lawn.  It’s also cool to watch people during the winter making snow sculptures - I think my favorites were this year’s squirrel and cupcake. 

]]> 2007-06-21T18:28:00-05:00