LdOut

Hey Everyone!

I hope you all had fabulous weekends. I definitely enjoyed mine. I am in desperate need to catch up on the sleep I missed out on, but oh well that is college for you. I would like to tell you about a program I have recently been involved with called LdOut. I am a mentor for high school students. There are six other Hope students on a team that mentors a group of Juniors in high school. Our team’s purpose is to teach leadership skills to juniors in high school for five weeks. Each Hope student is in charge of planning one week’s topic about leadership. I have the topic of accountability and will be leading our group next Monday, when we go to mentor. I have been doing LdOut for three weeks now. I have enjoyed getting to know the high school students and participate in the leadership activities with them. The thing I think is cool about LdOut is that when we are done mentoring the juniors, they will go and teach what we taught them to 7th graders. We will give them our lesson plans at the end of the five weeks, and then they will follow our format and teach the 7th graders. This is a fairly new program to Hope, and I am so glad I have been able to be apart of it.

On Saturday, the juniors and 7th graders who are in the program were able to come and visit Hope. We picked them up from their school and then they came and ate in Phelps dining hall. After lunch, we gave them a tour of the college. Then we all watched the Women’s basketball team win to Albion. It was a great game. During half time, all of the students were brought on the basketball court, and President Boltman gave a presentation about the LdOut program. The students all received a LdOut t-shirt, and then we all walked off the court together. It was a great day, and the students really enjoyed visiting Hope.

Hope offers endless opportunities for its students to get involved. I really like the LdOut program and plan to do it again next year!

Have a great week! 

*Colleen* 

 


Terrific Turkey Time!

Hey Everyone!

I hope you all had wonderful Thanksgivings!

I had an awesome Thanksgiving break. It was so nice to be home and spend time with my friends and family. I definitely miss being home, but I am glad that I am at college where I am happy. It was so nice to be able to reunite with my friends from high school. My high school football team went to states and played at the University of Illinois stadium. It was so cool. I loved being back with everyone from my school. It seemed like half of the town drove to Champaign to see our team play. It had been since 1998, since we played at state. Needless to say, we were all pretty excited.

While on break, I visited my grandparents in Chicago. It was nice to see them. I saw them before I left for school, but it seems like I have been in college for years. However, time flies by here. I cannot believe Christmas is just around the corner and I will be home for break in less than three weeks.

My dad cooked some amazing food while I was home. We had a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner, and he made us breakfast another day. It was nice to just sit back and spend time with people who I have not seen in awhile.

I hope you all have a great week!

***CoLLeeN***

Pedicure Perfection

Hey! I have had an amazing week so far. My parents came to visit me on the weekend and it was fun spending time with them. We ate at a lot of fun places in Holland and drove to Grand Haven. We also spent time at Barnes & Noble so I could get homework done. My parents really like Holland and love visiting me. They think Hope is an amazing college and love its friendly atmosphere. They also liked attending the Central Wesleyan Church in Holland. After church on Sunday we went to a delicious Chinese buffet! I loved the food but ate way too much. 

My friend and I decided we wanted to relax a little bit yesterday so we went and got pedicures together. It was a lot of fun and super relaxing. It was nice to have time to hang out together. I am glad I am making some really good friends at college. I really like the people here. I did not think I was going to be able to make friends this fast, but I guess since we spend so much time together we really have all made friends. It is like a sleepover every night (cheesy, I know but it is kind of true). Of course we all have our school work to do also, but we help each other with homework and study together.

I am so thankful for the friends I have made so far at Hope!

Our beautiful pedicures!

 

My Birthday Weekend

So, it’s that time of year when housing is on everybody’s
minds, everyone is taking midterms, and people are just in need of Spring
Break. Well I was certainly feeling pretty drained from all of the stress that
surrounded me, but you know what? That went away this past weekend because one
of my best friends, Melissa, drove out to visit me. Oh, and it was two days
before my birthday, so that was great timing!

Since I live so far away from home, friends are rarely in
the area, so it’s especially nice when I am able to Skype with them and text,
but it’s even better when we are able to actually go and visit each
other. Melissa was able to visit from last Friday until Sunday morning and let
me tell you, it was a blast!!! I was finally able to introduce her to my college
friends so now she can put a face to a name because I’ve mentioned them all so
much. We were also able to just catch up, talk with our friends back at home,
and we did some other fun stuff as well!

Friday, we just hung out in my dorm for a while, but on
Saturday, Melissa was able to experience a typical weekend with me. Melissa, my
friends Cheryl and Connor and myself all went to the beach to see all of the
ice on the pier. Surprisingly, there were a lot of people there doing the exact
same thing as us, particularly because it was such a nice day.

After our adventures at the beach, we went out to dinner at
Buffalo Wild Wings with Cheryl, and my friends Danny and Scott. That was
another hot-spot that day but the wait was definitely worth it! Later that
evening, a bunch of us went out to get slushies. Yes, I’m aware that it’s still
winter and a brain freeze can be obtained just walking outside, so drinking a
cold drink is not the wisest thing, but it was delicious to say the least. Once
we had finished our drinks and our tongues were a bright blue and red, we ended
the night with two hours of playing Apples to Apples. Yes, two hours. I’ve only
played that game like once or twice in my life, so after that evening, I think
I made up for about half of my childhood.

Sunday morning we went to Phelps for breakfast and got to
hang out for a few more hours until it was time for her to leave. It’s
definitely really hard to see your best friend leave, but I was so thankful and
grateful that she was able to visit me because she has never really been in
Michigan, let alone been to Hope before.

In addition to having Melissa spend the weekend at Hope, I
was able to celebrate my birthday with my friends on Monday. A bunch of them
gave me huge bear-hugs and a few got me some gifts, which was super nice. I’m
not sure if many of you have heard of Zours before, but they are a sour Mike
& Ike and are my absolute favorite candy ever! With that said, my friends
bought me nine boxes of them. I no longer have taste buds because I’ve pretty
much inhaled about three boxes at this point. Not only is it cool being twenty
years old, but having another birthday made me realize how lucky I am to have
such great friends, both from home as well as at school that truly care about
me and want me to have a great day. I am truly blessed with every single friend
I have in my life and I’m sure it will only get better with time!

That’s it for this week but don’t forget to follow me on
Twitter @hopeleslie15.

Life as a CASA Tutor

Have you ever struggled with
homework? Did you lack confidence at some point in your life? If you answered “yes” to either or both
of these questions, you have an idea of what CASA students are feeling.

Let me back up for a second. If you
are unfamiliar with what CASA means, it is simply “Children’s After School
Achievement” and it a program through Hope where students volunteer to tutor
elementary, at-risk children. The program is broken into semesters and is a
time when volunteers tutor children for four hours a week and help them build
confidence in their social and academic lives.

Last semester was my first semester
participating in the program and I definitely learned quite a bit from it. My
experience was very interesting last semester because my student struggled with
confidence and really needed motivation and guidance. Those were just a few of
the things that I learned to work on and help develop with her as well as
patience. However, after last semester I thought I would benefit by continuing
the program and helping another child that simply needs someone to look up to
while getting help in more way than one.

This past Wednesday was my first
day back at CASA and when I first walked into the classroom, something I noticed
that twice as many people showed up to volunteer than last semester! Tutors and
children were EVERYWHERE! I was amazed to see so many people giving up their
afternoon to be there and volunteer. If you’re wondering what you really do
during these two hours, two days a week, I’ll give you a walkthrough. First,
tutors show up and sign in, grab a snack, worksheets if they are offered, and a
progress sheet for their student. Then you wait for the kids to show up and you
frantically look for your student and head to a classroom in Lubbers and begin
doing homework with them. The day is divided into two phases: academic and
enrichment time. Academic time is simply doing homework and reading, while
enrichment time consists of doing a life skill activity or playing games to
help with the social aspect of the children’s lives. When academic and
enrichment time are over, you walk your student outside to their respective van
or bus and then fill out an evaluation form and write in a journal about what
you accomplished during the day.

This past Wednesday was very
hectic with all of the new tutors, but also because tutors and students were
anxious to get started and worried how things would go. For me, I was not yet
assigned a new student so I substituted for another tutor who could not make it
that day. When the student arrived, I found her and we went to a classroom and
did some homework worksheets she was assigned and then we talked for a bit and
got to know each other. It’s important to build a friendship with the child so
they feel comfortable talking to you so you can help them if the situation
permits. Simply being a positive influence in their life means the world to
them and even if they don’t realize it, they are benefitting extremely from
CASA and the experience. I encourage anybody who has the time and willingness
to volunteer for this program to do it because it’s a great way to meet new
people, make a new little friend, and make a difference in their lives. If you
have any questions about CASA, I’d be happy to answer them or direct you to the
head of the program!

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @hopeleslie15.

My Parents… are the best!

Later this week, I will be
celebrating my 21st birthday. It is a little crazy to think that I
have been alive for almost twenty-one years. I remember when I was younger
thinking I would never make it to age 10, 16, or 18, and now, I am quickly approaching
21. However, the point of this blog is not the fact that I am turning 21, the
point of this particular blog post is to thank the two people who have helped
me more than anyone else in the world: my dad and mom.

It always seems like kids (or even college students) are talking about
how the have the greatest parents. But that isn’t possible, because I am
confident that I have the best parents in the world! Since I can remember, my
parents have always been sacrificing for me. My mom made the sacrifice to stay
home with me and teach me while made dad has made the sacrifice to send me to
private college in a completely different state. I know that raising one child
hasn’t always been easy, but I can say that everything they have done has
helped me become the individual that I am today.

Being an only child who was
home-schooled, I spent a large amount of time with my parents. While some kids
might not enjoy spending that much time with family, I greatly enjoyed the time
we spent together. Because we were always together when I was younger, I have
consistently had a strong relationship with both of them. I always remember my
parents being there for me no matter what the situation was. I hope that
someday I can follow in their example and be the same kind of parent for my own
children.

So Dad and
Mom, no matter what direction God takes me in life, I will always be thankful
for the two of you. Your love, support, and teaching has helped shape me into
the person I am today. The older I have gotten the more I have realized just
how special you both are to me. Thank you for everything you have given me
throughout my life. I can’t wait to see you later this week! I love you both!!

Fall Break 2012: Everthing’s Bigger in Texas

This past weekend, Hope College
students enjoyed a special holiday called Fall Break. For me, being from Texas, going home on a
long weekend break is a rare occurrence. However, on this particular break, I
was able to take a trip home to Texas
to spend time with family and friends. It was wonderful to take several days
off just to relax and enjoy the company of close ones.

To start off Fall Break, my dad and I drove the sixteen-hour
drive back to Texas
together. We had a great time in the car talking about classes, work, sports,
internships, and life in general. When we arrived home (at 2:00 AM) my mom was
awake and waiting for us – what a woman she is! The next few days were filled
laughter, stories, crafts, cooking, shopping, football watching, and more
shopping. In fact, here’s a list of things we did:

  1. Enjoyed
    Chick-Fil-A for lunch – I had my favorite… Chicken sandwich with extra
    pickles
  2. Did
    some shopping at my favorite mall which just happens to be the oldest mall
    in the Dallas
    area
  3. Cooked
    Mexican food for dinner with my parents
  4. Went
    to my favorite coffee shop
  5. Picked
    out pumpkins for the front porch
  6. Painted
    and decorated my roommates first initials to hang in our rooms
  7. Watched
    football
  8. Tried
    out a new recipe with my mom – it was pretty tasty
  9. Completed
    some homework for classes
  10. Attended
    a Bible study that my dad leads

All-in-all, I would have to say that it was a very
successful weekend in Dallas,
Texas!

My life in slow motion.

SO!…. I’ve been so busy the past month, I can’t believe that I’ve been back in Holland a MONTH already. That seems ridiculous. 

Here are the some of the highlights of my past month:

My Mom and Sister came to visit me in Holland!

I can use my meal plan now at the Kletz because I have >70 credits. SCORE!

I have fully utilized the Make-Your-Own-Cookie bar at Cook!

My sister taught me how to organize my t-shirts by color!! [I fully accept that  this makes me a nerd] – but isn’t it pretty?

I went out to Chinese with my roomie and ate DELICIOUS food. Yum.

FINALLY, I was an OA (Orientation Assistant) and I got to welcome all the incoming students (freshman and transfers) to Hope with awesome activities!!

I hope your month was as fabulous as mine! 🙂

Follow me on Twitter: @hopeamanda15

xoxo

-A

TEDx = Totally Terrific

Well, if you want to be completely depressed about your life and how little you’ve accomplished, check out Adora Svitak. She also has a lot of very potent and truthful things to say. Her topics and speches will definitely give you something to chew on throughout the day. 

Where did I hear about Adora? TEDx Macatawa!!! I was fortunate enough to be invited (yes you have to apply; 400 people were given ticks) to this AWESOME event hosted by some of Holland’s finest business leaders. You may have heard of the TED talks, given nationwide by leaders in industry and business. Well TEDx is an independently organized, but still totally fantastic branch of TED. The Holland business leaders really did a fantastic job with the event. Better yet, it was supported and held at Hope, and took place (literally) in my backyard.

Our topic of discussion was Do More Good. In our community, in our schools, in our relationshipes, in our world. There were 16 fabulous speakers that each gave a 15 minute presentation/talk about something in their lives where they have realized  how to do more good or areas that they imagine they will be able to do more good. Presentations varied from learning about Kids’ Food Basket to Chris Klein speaking about building relationships to our own Dr. Peaslee, the Head of Chemistry at Hope. You can read about all the speakers here. 

Read some of the things I learned throughout the day, not to mention all the wonderful and brilliant people I networked with, branching more into the greater Holland business area:

  • Instead of avoiding conflict, take a step towards it with Resorative Conflict Circles
  • “We all have a disability that we mask, mine is just able to be seen. It’s time to stop pretending we have it all together and share each other’s stories.” -Chris Klein
  • “Generosity with no obligation of reciprocity is inspirational.” – Nancy DeBoer
  • “Those who quietly live to give, plant a better future that is simple, profound and possible.” – Nancy DeBoer
  • “Bloom where you are planted. Be a player, not a watcher.” 
  • “Some people make things happen, some people watch things happen, and others wonder what happened. Which will you be?”
  • “Pursue your authentic voice to create and contribute to the greater good. Gratification does not come from this; but contemptment does.”
  • “There are two things we own: This moment and our story.”

So do what you can, and strive to do more good.

— A

Giving Thanks

What a great Thanksgiving break this has been! I ate WAY too much, didn’t do ANY homework, and had such a relaxing time. But, it made me think about the things I haven’t always been so attentive to this school year. I always need to remember that I am ever so grateful for them. So here it is! My Top Five:

5. My Clustermates – I have made some of the best friends at Hope. With my recent trip to Chicago, I’m reminded that it doesn’t get much better than what I have. These girls are caring, thoughtful, and full of spunk! 

The tree my roomates and I put up in our room!

4. My Roomates – I was seriously so blessed to have received the best housing assignment ever. My two roommates mean so much to me and I don’t know what I’d do without them! I’m looking forward to watching them grow and see our lives develop side by side.

3. An Education at Hope – I am loving classes and really seeing myself grow not only in academics but in beliefs. Hope has really helped me reassess my goals and formulate a great plan to get there!

2. My Family – Always supportive and ready to encourage me, my family is always there for me. I am so thankful for their love!

1. My God – He’s an Awesome God and has blessed me with so much!

Memories from Thanksgiving Break:

My sister and I fit our cat, Simba, into my stocking!

My grandma made delicious pies for Thanksgiving!

My sister and I enjoyed Chinese from our FAVORITE place. It’s tradition!

I hope your break was as splendid as mine! 

-A