beyond the green

I’d like to think that’s what the score was, at least. Semester one is officially OVER. I can’t quite say for sure, since not all of my grades are posted yet, but I feel pretty good about it. The last week of school was probably the most fun yet stressful. I was expecting finals week to be full of hours in the library and no fun, but it was actually kind of exciting. I was lucky enough to have my finals schedule evenly spread out so I only had to focus on one test at a time. Some people were not so lucky and had 3 finals in one day, but professors are very understanding and most will let you take a final on a different day if you have 3 or more scheduled the same day.

Campus is more or less empty now, which is kind of depressing. I’m going to work next week at the bookstore and Mojo’s is still open as well, but it won’t be the same. Now I just have to wait for everyone to come back for Interterm! Merry Christmas everyone!

This week is the last week of our Fall Semester and so naturally it is filled with exams. Many students have been posting on Facebook how hard their classes were, how stressed they are and finally when all is said and done how happy they are to pass and are almost on Christmas Break. As for myself, my last final of the week is here at 2pm and then I just have some loose ends to tie up. I get to enjoy hanging with my friends one more night before moving home (across town) for two weeks. Christmas break is always a welcome thing but it is also bittersweet. Since we are constantly surrounded by friends and loved ones, it is a sad thing to realize we may not see eachother for a couple weeks, a month and a half…or ever again. Some students may leave at semester or are graduating…and so this week is also a week of goodbyes.

In any case, I hope you all enjoy your Christmas break!! Become refreshed and ready to come back to school and dominate the Spring.

“If you relax, it comes. Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand. RELAX. If you relax it is there. If you relax…GOD shows you the way.”

Bethel is one of those small colleges that has so much to offer including some things you would not find out about until you get here. The biggest two traditions of the beginning of winter are during the same week. The Lighting of the Green is a powerful event that always occurs on a Sunday night before Finals week. The college students all come out to our beloved Green and are handed a candle to hold. Once the ceremony starts, singing can be heard from all directions. The first candles are lit and then progress around the circle in different directions. You will be lit by your neighbor and get to light your other neighbor’s candle. The whole ceremony is very beautiful and unique and is something everyone must attend at least once! We are usually blessed with nice weather but watch out for the wind!

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People usually get very busy and stressed around finals week, but this semester I am looking forward to this finals week!  Today is reading day, a day which there are no classes or finals and everyone spends the day studying and preparing for their finals.  I have 3 finals, one on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  They are spread out very well, so I do not have much to stress about.  I have plenty of time to get all my studying in.

I also look forward to finals week because of all the food and parties that occur during this time.  Almost every club schedules a party for Reading day of finals week.  There is good food and good times!  Also, there are Christmas parties for each dorm, Voth Hall’s being tomorrow night.  Also, Voth Hall has a food cart that travels the halls during finals week.  If you ever need a break from studying or even a quick “pick me up", the cart and all its food and drink is available to you.  There is also a Christmas Party in the Cafeteria, serving nachos which is held by the Bethel Parents Association.  They also give out gifts to every student who attends.

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The Christmas season at Bethel is my favorite time of the year. Not only are the students oh-so-close to finishing out the semester, but there are lots of time-honored BC traditions to experience. This past Friday was the Messiah Sing, which is the final (and my personal favorite) convocation of the year. Once again, my penchant for singing in community reveals my bias, for the Messiah Sing is just that – singing Handel’s Messiah in Bethel College Mennonite Church. The BC band and orchestra plays, several of the very best Concert Choir singers perform arias and recitatives, and the audience (segregated into soprano, alto, tenor, bass) sings the rest. It is a beautiful thing, hearing the voices and instruments weave seamlessly together. And when the final “Hallelujah” reverberates around the church, I can’t help feeling a bit sad that I shall have to wait 364 days to hear that moment again.

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