I remember my first blog…

September 27, 2011 by in Campus Life | Comments Off

I don’t write in first person. Ever. (For those of you who haven’t passed the 8th grade that’s I, me, we…) I have been advised by English teachers past not to. So I haven’t. Until now. After being asked to blog for Bethel, I decided it was time to break the rule.

I’m not suggesting that I referred to myself in writings without the use of personal pronouns as if I were a professional athlete with half a million followers on Twitter. Justin Baldia would never consider such an antic. However, I digress.

Now in my junior year and relfecting on my arrival and time spent at Bethel, I realize that I’ve done things that I swore I would never do or never thought I would do. Most, if not all, of these things are positive, sans the 2 AM trip to the emergency room after falling from my bed during a game of “nut ball” and the trip to the orthopedic specialist after jumping from the cafeteria roof and injuring both of my heels so badly that I could hardly walk. (Both freshman mistakes) There are opportunities and experiences that I have had at Bethel that I wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else. Read More

Fall Concerts

September 26, 2011 by in Fine Arts | Comments Off

With the school year in full gear, all of the musical ensembles here on campus are presenting their first concerts of the year. This is a really exciting time for all of the ensembles because it’s the first time we get to show off our new members as well as feature upperclassmen that are stepping up to the plate and leading both sections and the ensembles themselves.The Wind Ensemble, in which I play the oboe, kicked off the concert season with their first concert “From the Stage to the Screen,” which featured both classic wind ensemble repetoire, like Molly on the Shore by Percy Grainger, and famous movie music, like the music John Williams wrote for Harry Potter and Star Wars. It was a fun concert and it even featured the Concert Choir, Bethel’s mixed choir which anyone and everyone can audition for, singing Morten Laurdison’s O Magnum Mysterium. This concert was a lot of fun and the audience was one of the biggest I’ve seen in my short tenure here at Bethel. Read More

Joys of Being a Student Athlete

September 24, 2011 by in Athletics | Comments Off

Of course the beginning of the year can be the easiest and the most stressful time of the year. You start every class by going over syllabuses, the easiest thing ever. But when you start your first tests and quizzes you realize that school has really begun. Luckily, classes don’t stress me out too much (the hardest part for me is reading a chapter every night out of textbooks.) It gets a little tricky when you throw a sport into the mix.Don’t get me wrong I love basketball and being a part of the team. I’m so glad I decided to play once I got to college. It keeps me in shape, you always know you will always have friends because a team is the best place to start meeting people, you never have to sit alone at lunch, I get to keep doing what I love and have fun. But when it comes to the time part, it takes up a lot of time. Read More

Grounded and Growing in Love

September 22, 2011 by in Campus Life | Comments Off

The thunder and lightning gave voice to the night, the little lame child cried aloud in her freight. Hush, little baby, a story I’ll tell of a love that has vanquished the powers of hell. Alleluia, the Great Storm is over, left up your wings and fly.

The rich melody swept over me as a hundred voices raised together in union sang these words. One of the richest musical experiences is singing with a group this size, united with a common goal—to praise and sing the theology that shapes us. This past Wednesday was the fall hymn sing chapel. A favorite of many on campus, it was wonderful to sing with this group of students, faculty, and staff.

Fall Frenzy

September 21, 2011 by in Campus Life | Comments Off

Wow! It seems like we have been back at school forever and it’s only been a month. Most classes have had their first exams and musical concerts are just over the horizon. The freshmen have started to look a lot less like lost puppies. My modmates and I finally finished decorating our lounge and it looks spectacular.

We have four double rooms and one single room with a shared lounge. It’s a lot cozier than my hall last year, but it’s with people that I love and who I’m ok with running into early in the morning. We also love the mods around us. Some mods tend to emit unwanted things like loud noises and undesirable smells, but we’re pretty happy with our neighbors.

Convocation

September 12, 2011 by in Academics | Comments Off

There are few classes that are required of every student at Bethel College, and only one that is required for every student, every semester that they attend Bethel. Convocation occurs at 11 am on Mondays and Fridays. There are 28 scheduled convocations, of which a student must attend 16.Convocation topics vary widely. Favorites of students include the study abroad convocations, during which students who have spent a summer or semester abroad report on their experiences; talent show convocations featuring singing, dancing, or instrumental music; and the Messiah Sing convocation, when students get together and sing Handel’s Messiah at the Bethel College Mennonite Church.

This semester, two very interesting convos occurred back-to-back. Last Friday was the study abroad convocation. This past year, almost a dozen students studied in almost as many countries – Germany, Turkey, Israel, Ecuador, Spain, Australia, Guatemala, Greece, and India among them. The students spoke for about five minutes apiece on their experiences, sharing photographs, stories, and a unilateral exhortation to study abroad.

Beginnings

August 31, 2011 by in Campus Life | Comments Off

“The secret to living the life of your dreams is to start living the life of your dreams today, in every little way you possibly can.” – By Mike Dooley

I saw this quote and it made me think about all that college is about, but let me take a minute to introduce myself before I get deeper.

This is my second year at Bethel College and I love it. I grew up just across the tracks in Newton (less then 5 minutes away from campus.) I’m majoring in Communication Arts and minoring in Art and Literary Studies. I hope to use this degree to get a job in journalism. I play basketball and throw in track. Also, I work on the Newspaper staff as the news editor. And lastly I am working this year on campus as an RA (Resident Assistant.) In my free time, I spend it hanging out with friends, watching movies, playing basketball and sleeping. I spend a lot of time on facebook, my new addiction is Tetris battle. Read More

And so it begins…..

August 26, 2011 by in Campus Life | Comments Off

My name is Jennie Warkentine, and I’m a senior Elementary Education and Bible & Religion major from Wichita, Kansas. This year I’m active in chapel planning, and have sung with the Women’s Chorus. I’m a transfer student from Hesston College, and this is my second year on campus. I love to read, quilt, and play board games. I chose Bethel because when I graduated from Hesston College and was looking at a Christian college with a strong education program, I learned that Bethel’s teacher education department is well-known and highly respected in the state of Kansas (where I hope to be teaching next school year). I also have family ties to the college (my grandma was the manager of the bookstore for over 20 years and numerous family members have attended here).

Last First Day

August 23, 2011 by in Academics | Comments Off

My name is Claire Unruh. I am a senior at Bethel, dual-majoring in Biology and Bible & Religion, with minors in Spanish and Chemistry. I am originally from Clay Center, Kansas, which is about an hour and a half drive to the north. My parents met at Bethel and so I’ve always been to Fall Fest and a few assorted activities on campus, such as the Summer Science Institute. Once I reached my senior year of high school, I looked into their science program (excellent), campus size (small) and probability of being involved in activities (high). Based on these criteria, I decided to apply and was accepted. Read More

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

August 23, 2011 by in Academics | Comments Off

Hello all! My name is Jocelyn Wilkinson, and I’m a sophomore from San Antonio, Texas. I’m majoring in both Communication Arts and History, with a possible minor in Psychology. I chose communications because it allows me to keep in touch with theater (which I did a ton of in high school) while learning the basic concepts behind it; history I chose simply because I love the subject. Read More

There's more to life at Bethel than classes & seminars

Concert Choir Tour 2015

Bethel in bloom

Spring Fling 2015

The end of another school year