beyond the green

Hello! I’m Jenae Janzen, a senior from Newton, Kansas majoring in Literary Studies and Bible and Religion. This is the very first blog that I’ve ever written, and I have to admit that the whole idea of blogging has been stressing me out all week. I’m not really sure why; as a lit. major, I’m more than used to writing (last spring I had forty-five pages worth of essays due in the last two weeks of school). Yet, for some reason, the idea of writing something that’s not an essay or a fictional story makes me tongue-tied. However, I’ll try my hardest to say something interesting and pertinent here.

I guess I’ll start by saying a bit about myself.

I grew up in Newton and have lived in the same house my whole life. It’s a nice town, I guess.

I work at Mojo’s Coffee Bar, here on campus, and it’s really a wonderful place to work. For one thing, I love coffee, and the coffee at Mojo’s is fantastic. The other reason I love Mojo’s so much is the people. At work, I’ve met so many people from Bethel and the greater Newton community, and I definitely enjoy spending time with all of my coworkers and my boss, Patty Meier.

Some of my hobbies include reading, walking, tennis, yoga, writing abstract poetry during class, drinking coffee (or tea) and searching for the meaning of life. I have not yet found the meaning of life, but someday I will. But when that day comes, I won’t tell anyone so that everyone can have their own fun figuring it out.

Bethel is a pretty cool place. Today was fancy Friday–a student-generated effort to bring classiness to classes–and everyone looked fantastic. I’m really looking forward to this year of school, even though it’s my last year here.

So have a great year, everyone!

Peace and love,

Jenae

Dear Blogosphere,

My name is Becca Epp. It’s my junior year here at Bethel and my first year blogging. I had a blog once before, but I did a poor job of taking care of it and it died. I very much hope that the same fate will not come of this one. Anyway, I’m a Literary Studies major and a History minor. Reading and writing are two of my favorite hobbies (which is good considering my major) along with movie watching, rain walking and strange conversations at the dinner table which happen daily - one of the many perks of coming to Bethel. If you’re into that kind of thing.

We’re almost through our second week of classes for fall semester. Summer days are slowly fading away, although the heat is not necessarily going with them, and I can’t stop feeling a sense of weirdness. Something about this year is just weird. There have been a lot of changes made to Bethel this summer. Remodeled cafeteria where there are so many options you always end up seeing something better after you already got food, a revamped Academic Center which looks peculiarly like a hospital (especially when the nursing students are out and about in their adorable uniforms) and all the new landscaping changes (where did the bushes outside the caf go?!). I’ve felt like a freshman so many times this week. Seriously, I’m supposed to be able to find all my classes after two years here. Or maybe the weirdness stems from my new mod (full of gorgeous ladies pictured above). I mean they are pretty odd, but I don’t think it’s them. Still. Weirdness.

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Hello everyone, I am Samantha Wilkerson, a junior from Hartford, Kansas (If you’ve heard of it, I’m impressed). I am also a Communications major and Marketing minor, but if you ask what I want to do with these I could give you an endless list. The truth is, I am not sure what direction I am going to take, but I do know that coming to Bethel has been a wonderful experience! This year already looks promising and I look forward to the new adventures I will embark on.

As a first year blogger, I am more than happy to share aspects of the Bethel experience with you all. One of the greatest parts about attending BC is how involved you can be. Take me for example, I am on the women’s basketball team, sports editor for the Collegian (our student-run newspaper), and a member of FCA. While those are just a few of the opportunities available here,  it is enough to keep me busy. Who knows though, maybe I’ll join one of the many other clubs on campus!

It’s great to be back on campus, studying, and making new friends! I am also happy to be living with my awesome modmates and especially my roommate, Haley. Year 3 at BC is sure to be a good one!

Hi, my name is Madelyn Weaver, and this will be my first year blogging. I am a sophomore here at Bethel majoring in Social Work and minoring in Management, as well as playing tennis for the women’s tennis team. I am from Hesston, Kan. seven miles down the road which I love because it’s close enough that I can go home often to see family and do my laundry but far enough away that I feel like I am living in a completely different area.

So classes have been going for about one and a half weeks and this school year is a year full of changes for us. Of course new freshman and transfers, and many new faculty, but many new building changes as well. The newly completely renovated Schulz Student Center is now up and running and it’s amazing. It has lots of classrooms and offices but also includes computer labs and places where you can sit and socialize or study as well as a kitchen.

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Hi, my name is Rebecca Trumble. I’m a junior from Newton, Kan. and am an Elementary Education major with a special education liscensure. I’m also involved in a lot of music things here at Bethel. I play trombone in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble I, and soon will be playing in the Jazz Combo II. The Student Alumni Association and the Student Ambassador program are a couple other things I’m also invovled in.

Since I’m an El. Ed. major I really enjoy working with kids and had the opportunity to spend a second summer working on staff at Swan Lake Christian Camp in South Dakota. Being at camp was so exhausting at times but it was worth every moment. One our longest but most memorable days of the summer was the morning we had to wake up at 4am to help with staffing at the Swan Lake Marathon. We had marathoners come to camp from all over the United States. It was pretty cool to get the chance to eat meals with them, worship with them, and hear their stories.

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