Author: Hannah Freyvogel

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Home Away From Home

Keys to home

There are few people as intimately involved in creating and nurturing your new home in the residence halls as the Resident Directors (RDs) and Resident Assistants (RAs). I spoke with two RDs to bring you an inside perspective on dorm life from the ones who see it all.

Meredith Gross is the Assistant Director of Residence Life and also the Resident Director of Harker Hall, one of the women’s dorms. When I asked what she thinks is the most important lesson one can take away from living in a dorm, she discussed the real life social impact of learning to live well with others. “Living in a residence hall is great! It is fun and enjoyable, you get to live with your friends and create a new atmosphere away from home, but you also get the chance to learn to live with people who are not your family,” Meredith said, talking about the joys and struggles of living with new people. She highlighted that a strong social life has a positive correlation with doing well academically, and the students who live in residence halls are learning valuable life skills like negotiation, compromise, and leadership. Meredith strongly believes that the life skills you learn as a residential student translate well to being prepared for your goals beyond graduation.

James Phillips is the Resident Director of Ketler Hall, one of the largest men’s dorms. He cited the importance of fostering true, genuine investment in students who want it, and fights to prevent a superficial sense of belonging just by nature of being in a certain dorm or hall. As James put it, “That is more my aim – not to create an artificial sense of belonging, but to give my students space to opt in if they want to. At any given time or given day, there are people in Ketler who want to listen to what they have to say.” Community is a lot more complex than we tend to realize, and difficult to put into words. James makes it a priority to let his students know that there are Resident Assistants and himself available at any time, while making it clear that he does not intend to force a sense of superficial community. It is a hard balance, but one that he carefully tends to so that his students have fulfilling community wherever and whenever they may need it.

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Major Spotlight: History

history major grove city college

I spoke with Julia Wooldridge, a sophomore History major, about her experience with the Department of History at Grove City College. She has always had a passion for history, spurred by a childhood love for Indiana Jones, so when she came to Grove City she knew she would study History. She crystallized the major for those interested, and shared some of her favorite parts of the department.

A basic overview of the major starts with the classes. World History I and II are the first core classes for any History major or minor, going over everything from western to eastern history both ancient and modern. The classes then become more specific and diverse, including classes on specific countries and time periods, such as American history, ancient history, early modern Europe, and eastern history.

Each professor has unique knowledge and specializations that bring different views and opinions. Dr. Graham is affectionately considered the ancient history professor, but has a specialization in the late antiquity period. Dr. Mitchell teaches a lot of Spanish and European history, and Dr. Harp is very learned in American history. Julia mentioned that she loves the different frameworks that each professor brings to their classes, and it makes the classes more interesting with different approaches and methods of teaching.

The History major is perfect for bookworms! Julia spoke fondly of the supplementary materials that History majors read in many of their classes that bring diverse positions and thoughts to discussions about historical periods and specific countries. There are not many worksheets or daily homework, but instead class discussions and papers on the historical topics at hand. In terms of how the department feels, Julia said “It is a smaller major, so it is a tight knit community! Even if you are not close friends, there is still a connection there. You kind of know everyone. With professors, it is easy to get close to them because it is so small.” Julia recommends this major is for students who have a love for reading and learning about all different kinds of cultures across time.

If you think that the Department of History may be for you, learn more here!

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Major Spotlight: Mechanical Engineering

mechanical engineering grove city college

Rachel Ault is a junior mechanical engineer at Grove City College who spoke with me to shed some light on the Mechanical Engineering major for those who may be interested. She was interested in the major since high school, where she took some pre-engineering classes that she excelled in and enjoyed. With a strong background in math and science, Rachel knew that engineering would be a great way to apply her skills in a career.

During your first and second years as a Mechanical Engineering student, the classes you take are broad looks into different industries. These classes begin to give you a feel for the kinds of industries you enjoy and may want to focus on as you progress in the program. Rachel spoke highly of the variety of avenues and applications in engineering that you can pursue at Grove City College. She recommends getting internships to experience the industry in a real-life setting, and notes that the professors are very helpful in obtaining internships.

Rachel really likes that the professors all have different specializations that bring new methods and variations to each class. Dr. Bardy has had experience in the heating/cooling field, so his class in thermodynamics is highly detailed (and Rachel’s favorite class). Dr. Clauss is a chemical engineer, which brings a different perspective to the mechanical industry. Finally, Dr. Archibald and Dr. Allison both have experience with design and manufacturing, which rounds out the department with a variety of expertise.

The workload of a Mechanical Engineering student is nothing to sneeze at in Grove City College, which is recognized for having one of the most prestigious mechanical engineering programs in the United States. Rachel noted that the “one hour in class, three hours outside of class” maxim holds true, and you have to be a highly self-motivated individual to excel in the program. When I asked her what her favorite part of the department is, she responded: “I really like that with our labs we have experience in the shop, and that we get that hands on experience with mills, lathes, and various other things like that. I like that since it is a smaller college, you get more one-on-one time with professors, and professors are more willing to spend time with you and help you.”

If you think the Department of Mechanical Engineering may be for you, learn more here!

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Eating Healthy in a Cafeteria

sara-dubler healthy food

One of the last questions prospective students typically ask when looking at a college is “how is the food”? At Grove City College, there is a wide array of options at your disposal with two separate cafeterias, and it can feel overwhelming at first. In the months leading up to my wedding this past summer, I was very careful about what I was eating, and I learned a lot about how to eat healthy in the Grove City cafeterias. Whether you have gluten allergies or you are trying to lose some weight through healthy eating, it is all possible at Grove City College.

If you have allergies or eat only vegetarian or vegan foods, Grove City is extremely accommodating. Both cafeterias have gluten free sections, with the main option being a gluten free version of what is being served at the regular stations. There are gluten-free cereals and breads, so you can make your own meal, and they are careful to not cross-contaminate any of the foods. At other stations, there are signs denoting whether the food is vegan, vegetarian, or gluten free friendly. Additionally, the salad bars are nicely separated so that you can pick and choose the kind of food that you can eat and build your own salad or other meal. Hicks has fresh chicken and beef made to order, so you can create a healthy meal with your protein of choice. MAP has Meatless Mondays, which are perfect for vegetarians and vegans looking to get a tasty meal.

Here is an example of how I ate on a given day: MAP cafeteria has an omelet station, so I would start my day with a healthy dose of protein and veggies in a green pepper, onion and spinach omelet. For lunch, I would create a grilled chicken salad at Hicks with its made to order chicken and the salad bar. Finally, I would end my day with the main meal being served and some roasted veggies with pepper. It was simple, quick, and an effective food schedule that kept me full and healthy! Grove City has loads of options, and it made my meals easy to create with the variety of foods.

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3 Tips for Successful Planning

Diary planner

If you were like me in high school, I was happily winging my schedule at any given time. Small group meeting tomorrow? Totally fine – I will just file that away with the rest of my life’s schedule that I have memorized! When I arrived at Grove City, however, I realized that my laissez-faire attitude toward planning was not going to work anymore. Juggling anywhere from four to six syllabi in a given semester on top of any internships, jobs or social events that I had planned was not going to be covered by a note jotted down in my phone. Learning how to effectively organize your school, social and work life is pivotal to being successful when you transition into college. Here are three easy tips that can jump start your college planning.

Your first order of business: get a planner! This handy little notebook will become your best friend as you navigate the busy waters of life at Grove City College. The real first thing you should do, however, is write out your entire syllabi schedule in your planner. From every homework assignment, group project and exam, make sure you know when everything is due and what resources you may need to complete the assignments. If your planner has margins, write in the office hours of each professor or their email addresses so you can contact them with any questions. No matter how organized you try to be, you will probably lose at least one syllabus in your college career; make sure that information is written down in a planner so you do not have to worry as much about lost syllabi.

Second, make sure you write down every social engagement or when you have to work. When I say every single event, I mean it; the amount of times my friends and I have double-booked ourselves because we forgot to write down who we were having lunch with is embarrassing! This will not only help you keep a clear schedule for any additional meals or events you want to attend, but it will help you see when you have free time for yourself. College is hectic, and finding alone time can be important for your mental and emotional health. Being consistent with your schedule can help ease the stress of being in college.

Finally, schedule in time for homework. When you do not specifically plan to do homework, it can be easy to flip on Netflix and squander the next several hours bingeing the latest TV show. Instead, schedule time in your day to work on specific homework in your favorite workplace. When you have a homework goal and it is scheduled into your planner, you are more likely to get it done before it becomes last minute. It may feel tedious, but the feeling of freedom on the weekends when you have already finished your homework is totally worth it.

These three tips are simple, but powerful. Learning to schedule wisely can do wonders for easing you into your college career.

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Grove City Good Eats

Beef and Vegetables

Grove City may be small, but there is an abundance of great places to eat out when you are looking for a change from the cafeteria. I was pleasantly surprised when I came to Grove City to find amazing food in such a small area. Here are four of my favorites, two within walking distance and two within a short 10-minute drive!

Jin Sushi is a cozy, new Japanese restaurant on Broad Street across from Beans on Broad. They craft delicious sushi and authentic Japanese and Chinese cuisine with over 15 years of experience from their chefs. If you come in around lunchtime, they have sushi lunch specials: miso soup and two maki rolls for $9, or soup and three maki rolls for $12. The atmosphere is calm for a nice sit down meal, or you can get your meal to go if you are running between classes.

The Broad Street Grille is the classic Grove City comfort food restaurant, located on Broad Street across from the parking lot. Whether you are in the mood for wings, burgers or a simple sandwich, the Broad Street Grille has you covered. They will often run specials such as wing nights, and it is a lively scene with music and good times in the evenings. If you are a Grove City student and you have yet to visit the Broad Street Grille, do not miss a chance to experience the quintessential Grover restaurant.

If you have a car and are willing to drive to the Grove City Outlets, Primanti Bros. is a comfort food restaurant that has been serving western Pennsylvania since 1933. They specialize in “almost famous” sandwiches, but you can get anything from wings to pizza to salad. You can check their website for promotions and deals, and it is a popular destination for large student groups going out to eat for celebrations.

If you want to take that special someone out to a nice dinner, TimberCreek Tap & Table is a rustic chic restaurant serving everything from steak to seafood. It is a more expensive option, but the atmosphere is amazing, and the food is spectacular. TimberCreek looks like a log cabin, and the central floor is glass so you can see below into its own brewery. If you are looking to impress, TimberCreek has your back with some of the highest quality food and best atmosphere to be found in or near Grove City.

These are my four favorites, but there are even more restaurants in Grove City that I visit and enjoy. Each of them has their own unique feel and niche, and the diversity of flavor is a culinary adventure.