Andrew's Blog: Freshman Edition

Okay, so it FINALLY sunk in today, that, NOT ONLY am I no longer a freshman, but now I HAVE GROUPIES!!!!! I LOVE BEING A POP!!!!! This is just so awesome! I'm making an actual IMPACT on the lives and times of the future of Albright. It's seriously amazing, though, b/c I never quite realized that the entire feeling of community and family found at Albright is almost entirely based on the orientations period. These budding young minds are left to our devices, and we're left to mold their talents and abilities into something beneficial for the whole. In the end it comes down to what we each desire and what we each, as individuals, are willing and driven to accomplish, but it's that group dynamic that really brings about something SOOOOO much bigger. I'm certain that this will be a year to remember, not only for me, but for all of my groupies and the other over 500 new members of the Albright College family. I'm mentally and physically EXHAUSTED, but it's worth it to know that I could be one of the many, like the many who've come before me, to ease the transition and give some nervous, unsure students the serenity to make all that they have to make happen HAPPEN! WHOOOOOO!!!! I'm on SUCH a high... but I'm also REALLY beat, so I'm feelin' NAPTIME ;o) MUCH LOVE!

Posted by Andrew at 11:51 PM | Permalink

Well, maybe not so much AMAZING as interesting, but I'm too lazy to change the title... I LOVE VACATION! Anywhoo, so, hanging out with all of my friends at home has made me realize something... aside from the fact that I miss my Albright crew a LOT, I kinda wish that my friends from Albright and my friends from home could meet up. They would get along UBER-well! I'm sure that TOTAL INSANITY would ensue! It would be a good time... I smell an Albright/Pen Argyl get-together coming on!!!!!!!! If only my Albright friends weren't from all around the globe... oh, well. They're all in my heart, making me the person I am, so I guess they ARE all together ;o) It's a beautiful thing!

Posted by Andrew at 1:12 AM | Permalink

Well, it's time for all of those special summer endeavors, and, gee, I do have a LOT of them!

Continue reading "Summertime!" »

Posted by Andrew at 6:20 PM | Permalink

WHOA, GANG!!!!! WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?!? I just realized that I haven't blogged in FOREVER! I missed you... Anywhoo, life's been NUTZ! It's finals week, and I have my jury for my voice lessons at 2:30 and a paper due at 5, then my spanish final tomorrow and my LAST paper due, then TWO finals on Thursday, psychology at 8 IN THE MORNING and The Vampyre at 1... IT'S NUTS, BUT IT'S SOOOOOOO WORTH IT!!!! We've had some really successful concerts and such in the last month, and last night we had dinner with our director. The food was amazing, and it was a TON of fun, but, at the end of the night, I realized that I couldn't find my keys... THEY WERE LOCKED IN MY VAN!!!!!!!!!!!!! I FELT LIKE SUCH A DOOFUS! We called AAA, and they got out within the hour. SHEESH! What a night! We all had a blast, though!!!! Well, I gotta get crackin' on this paper, b/c I've also picked up some more hours in Admissions this week WITH MY FAVORITE PEOPLE!!!!!!! I LOVE MY ADMISSIONS CREW!!!!!! I'll catch y'all later, and I'll actually probably blog a little in the summer as well, b/c I have some EXCITING THINGS going on!!!!!!! We'll chat ;0)

Posted by Andrew at 11:57 AM | Permalink

Here's that e-mail that I was telling you about!!! If you're looking for something REALLY uplifting and just mind-bending, LOOK NO FURTHER!!!

Continue reading "Big Rocks" »

Posted by Andrew at 6:46 PM | Permalink

So I was chilling in my room, doing some Spanish homework that I've put off all weekend and listening to some Alanis Morissette (it's actually very manly, thank you), and her song Not the Doctor off of her acoustic album came on. Anyway, there's this lyric, "I don't wanna be your other half, I believe that 1 and 1 make 2..." and I just kinda stopped and went, "WHOA!"

Continue reading "Life Update/ Randomness Advice" »

Posted by Andrew at 10:55 PM | Permalink

It's been quite an experience this whole blogging thing. I know that I've changed a lot since I arrived at Albright. I'm much more aware of my actions, thieir consequences, and my own self. Like now, I'm taking the time out to blog because I don't want to study for finals. This is BAD! I know that. I just kinda wanted to wish you all a very happy end of the year, whatever your plans are for your vacation time! Just remember to love one another, strive for peace, and enjoy a happy, healthy, and safe winter break! I'll see you upon our return, but right now I have a bio final to study for! Peace, love, and harmony, all!

Posted by Andrew at 4:26 PM | Permalink

So, the Mane Men and Albright Angels (our two Accapella groups here at Albright) were on our way to give a show at the Lincoln Park Church about 15 minutes from the school, and we encountered a few... technical difficulties...

Continue reading "Have I got a story for YOU! (and important challenge for readers)" »

Posted by Andrew at 10:01 AM | Permalink

The man I envisioned myself becoming has changed in only my first semester at Albright. Everything that I set myself up for, everything that I saw myself doing... it's just all changed. I'm excited, but in a way it's a very strange feeling to be going full speed ahead towards one goal only to veer off course and find yourself in a foreign, albeit exciting, locale.

Continue reading "Drive, Determination, Desire, and Destiny" »

Posted by Andrew at 1:23 PM | Permalink

I was getting a little worried there for a while, but things are settling down again. It's just great being active here on campus. Life's about what you're giving to the world, whether the world sees it or not. It's the little things we do that make all the difference. Volunteering here, giving some money there, turning off the lights when you're not in the room; just being considerate, active, and compassionate. I've almost made it through my first semester of my first year of college, and I don't have A's in all of my classes, and I may very well get my first C, but the experience has just been phenomenal so far. I have a ton of new friends, and I know that they'll be with me forever. I have learned so much in my studies and about life. The true lessons aren't taught, they're just learned. The best part is, you don't have to study to pass life. As long as you're living it with a passion and a fire for mankind, life will never be a loss. Potential is like a check, and passion is the bank teller who takes that and turns it into something useful and tangible: a true, fulfilled, meaningful life.

Posted by Andrew at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

*Disclaimer* "College-related stress is not for the weak of heart or those who may be pregnant or have any disease effecting their immune system..." [Read at your own risk]

Continue reading "Gettin' a Little DEEP..." »

Posted by Andrew at 10:54 PM | Permalink

I'm not sure if that title makes a WHOLE lot of sense, but I'm just gonna put in my two cents about what's really important in life... Grades are NOT so important that you should wall yourself off from people so that you don't have any distractions, but they are important enough to do homework on a Friday night every once in a while. In the same token, friends and family and your ties to them are VERY, VERY important, and you don't want to sully those waters but letting a lust for success overwhelm your life. It is not the end of the world if you don't have your hand in every club or get an A on every test!!! When it's time to crack down, crack down, but the rest of the time, keep it balanced between a happy, fulfilled future and the people you ineviably want to share it with. I know that I've neglected my friends since coming to college, even my friends here, and my family see me only when I'm breezing by them here or there at home. These people are IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!! They've helped get you to where you are. You'd be a different person without them, and while you can't let anything stand in the way of your dreams, don't let them just fall by the wayside. I know that I surely need to spend more time with my family, but in the hullabaloo of school, work, clubs, grades, future, pressure, uncertainties, your family's often the first thing you push aside, b/c they're a constant in your life... I don't know... It's just something to think about...
I LOVE YOU, READERS!!!!!!!!

Posted by Andrew at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This weekend was CRIZZAZY!!! I went home for Fall Break, to my small town of Pen Argyl, PA, and I've managed to see Albright people not one, not two, but THREE days this weekend!!! I saw someone who lives on my floor at a football game, an English classmate at a band competition the next night, and then TWO of my choir-mates at a festival where I went to donate blood!!!!!!!!!! It was insane!!! It just goes to show that the bridges you build at Albright truly do stretch all over! Good night, and God bless!

Posted by Andrew at 8:52 PM | Permalink

I'm gonna try to make this one quick, b/c I'm a little depressed, so it might make this a dark entry but it was a really rough day for me. It does speak to Albright's character, however, that everyone really pools together to lift the school spirit. I just came from an ACF (Albright Christian Fellowship) meeting, and some of the members mentioned how they've noticed this sweeping depression, and how they pray often for the morale of the school. Most of campus, you must know, are closet depressives... like me. We hide it, keep it in, hoping that if we can just make some headway on our work, it'll all clear up, but what we really need are those kind words that everyone provides. Albright truly is a strong, intricate support system. I feel better already! The problem is, however, there are some things that I just can't "happy" away...

Continue reading "Rough..." »

Posted by Andrew at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So, I was just looking up at my ceiling, because I'm a little depressed and feeling majorly stressed out, and it made me realize that I never shared my ceiling with you, which is a grave oversight on my part, and for which I am very sorry and about to rectify.

Continue reading "Footprints" »

Posted by Andrew at 7:13 PM | Permalink

I've resolved to start blogging every day that I'm here at Albright, even if it's just a two minute note to say what I'm thinking/doing/worried about/signed up for today, whatever! I'm doing this for everything I'm into, because I figure, looking over your notes for two minutes a night 3 days before a test is better than cramming stuff you haven't looked over in weeks the night before! Got me? So, anyway, today was my crazy day... and you know what, I'll tell you about that stuff later! Maybe I'll get around to posting my schedule or something. Would you like that? 'Cause I just got a better idea! I want to tell you about my relationships with the other Albright BLOGGERS!!! Oh, ho!

Continue reading "Determination" »

Posted by Andrew at 8:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Your social life in college is an important thing to balance with rest of the strange new things you have going on. I learned today that while you definitely can't rush into college relationships, you can't rush into friendships either. You want to take the time to get to know what people are really about, not just the front they put on when you first meet. You don't want to come to trust someone only to have them turn on you, but you also don't want to snub someone only to find out later you could have had a meaningful friendship. Outside of who to be friends with, you also have to learn what priorities come before parties, hangin' out, video games, or whatever. It's your responsibility to get the work done. It's not going to be as easy as it seems, as I now realize. Even if you skated through high school and still got straight A's, the time will come when you kind of study for an exam and get a C+. That'll wake you up! You sort of go, "Hmmm... Maybe I need to start putting more time into just studying, start doing homework more thoroughly, and... regrettably... dismiss myself from one or two organizations... [yeah, mom was right...] It's not easy, folks, but we'll work harder together...
I don't really have a verse to leave you, but I can leave you with "H-O-P-E." Here's to getting through it one step at a time...

Posted by Andrew at 7:13 PM | Permalink