Tag: student life

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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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How does a college student ‘Pray without ceasing’?

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

1 Thessalonians 5:14–22 ESV

If you’re ever in the market for a formula to give you a fulfilling life, this is it.

It reads almost like the ultimate daily checklist —

  • Admonish the idle
  • Encourage the fainthearted
  • Help the weak
  • Do good to one another
  • Rejoice always
  • Pray without ceasing… wait, really? how is that possible?

A few weeks ago I read through this particular group of verses with the purpose of adopting them in my daily routine. I had heard the phrase so many times, but for the first time I actually let my brain munch on the words “Pray without ceasing”.

The phrase is so common in the Christian community that I had become desensitized to the commitment it asks of us. We are clearly called to ‘pray without ceasing’ but what does that mean for a busy college student? How can I engage in the world around me while constantly praying?

I decided to dive into the question. I read articles, spoke to my pastor, got input from a few wise friends and most importantly, read the Bible.

Here are my findings —

‘Praying without ceasing’ cannot mean a continuous and conscious stream of thought directed to God.

My original thought was that maybe we are called to a perpetual state of multitasking. Maybe what it means to pray without ceasing is to always have God in the back of your mind, speaking to Him as you go about your day.

It is a nice thought to be sure but it does not quite add up.

Nancy K. Kapiner, contributor to psychologytoday.com, writes,

“Much recent neuroscience research tells us that the brain doesn’t really do tasks simultaneously, as we thought (hoped) it might. In fact, we just switch tasks quickly. Each time we move from hearing music to writing a text or talking to someone, there is a stop/start process that goes on in the brain.”

This may seem a little inconsequential to the question at hand, it does, however, tell us that unless we are 100% fixated on prayer, ‘without ceasing’ is not what it seems. A constant unwavering focus on conscience prayer is impossible.

So, how do we fulfill Gods calling to ‘Pray without ceasing’ as busy college students? I found that the answer lies in not how we define prayer, but how we define ‘without ceasing’. As it turns out, the original Hebrew translation more closely resembles ‘constantly recurring’ than ‘without ceasing’.

This, from my perspective, is a clear command to pray in all circumstances by relating your daily life to God’s purpose. If we have the mentality of constantly praying, we will never be able to properly focus on our surroundings. If however, we live with the purpose of telling God about our daily actions and experiences, we will be able to pray ‘constantly recurring prayers’ about the good, bad and mundane aspects of college life. This will increase our ability to connect with God and our environment.

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Going to College With a Sibling

Sophomore Gretchen Basham and her brother Sam Basham ’18 (Photo courtesy of Gretchen Basham)

There is something unique you may notice within the student population at Grove City College. Almost every student here at Grove City has some family connection to the College. Whether it is that their great grandpa went here, or that their mom went here, or even that their sibling attends Grove City College with them, and that they get to share in the experience.

At other schools this might not be a normal occurrence, but here at Grove City, legacy seems to matter, because many generations seem to admire Grove City College so much. I know many students on this campus who have had several family members attend Grove City College in the past, and many students that attend college and do life side-by-side their siblings.

Sophomore Gretchen Basham had an older brother, Sam, attend Grove City at the same time as her last year. When Gretchen was just coming to Grove City as a freshman, she had her brother on campus as a senior. When talking to Gretchen about what college was like when she went here with her brother this is what she had to say, “Going to college with my brother Sam was a good experience for me. He made coming to a school where I didn’t know anyone more comfortable. He was always across the way if I needed anything, and he was instrumental in introducing me to his friends, which added to the familiar faces on campus and led to new friendships.”

According the Gretchen, having a sibling at Grove City made the College more attractive because she was hesitant to go somewhere so far from home, where she did not know anyone. She was able to hear from him about his experience at Grove City College. Sam loved being at Grove City College, which was very helpful to Gretchen.

Gretchen told me, “Now that Sam has graduated I have realized how much I enjoyed him being here. His steady presence allowed me to be able to get advice and insight from his experience. We grew closer during the year we were at school together and now that he has graduated that has become more obvious.”

Gretchen said she had an expectation of going to college with a sibling and that it was as if she would feel like they were keeping tabs on her or that she would be annoyed by seeing her sibling everywhere. She told me that she was pleasantly surprised by the way she grew closer with her brother at college and the freedom she was still able to maintain while at Grove City.

Gretchen has a younger sister, Meredith, who is a senior in high school. Gretchen encouraged Meredith to apply to Grove City, and hopes they will form a stronger relationship, and have the joy of knowing she has a sibling around campus to always talk to once Meredith arrives here.

Personally, I have a younger brother, Lukas Blizzard, who is a senior in high school and applying early decision to Grove City. I encouraged him to apply and was able to share different perspectives and campus experiences with him that made him excited about the College. I look forward to experiencing college life alongside him and helping to guide him along the way.

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New Life Ministry – Helping At-Risk Youth

Photo courtesy of George Junior Republic

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Life Ministries at Grove City College is an organization that sends groups of six or seven students to George Junior Republic each week, to go into cottages of the boys living in the residential treatment facilities. There are about 10 boys living in each cottage. A cottage is basically just a “group-home” where all the boys live like it is a normal home, and they have two cottage parents, which are employees of George Junior Republic. Those cottage parents oversee the boys and their well-being and live in the cottage full time with them.

George Junior is an all-boys institution, working to help at-risk youth re-enter society with more of an education, and better life skills. George Junior is one of the nation’s largest private non-profit residential treatment facilities. According to the George Junior Republic website, their mission statement is: “George Junior Republic is dedicated to helping at-risk youth become successful, well-adjusted adults, capable of achieving a higher degree of citizenship and a better understanding of his responsibility to society, family and self.”

Each group of Grove City students goes to George Junior once a week, on the same day every week. They spend about two hours there, and they visit the same group each week to continue building up their relationships with the boys. During those two hours the students “hang-out” with the boys, and form relationships and bonds. During that “hang-out” time they do multiple different things, such as play basketball or other sports, play games, eat snacks, talk about life, and most importantly, at the end of each visit the Grove City students are able to have a time of Bible study and prayer with the boys. They can pour into the hearts of the boys, and pray for them, and teach them about the Word of God.

When talking to sophomore New Life Ministries member Linnea Fairfield, I asked her what New Life means to her. “New Life is an opportunity to pour into other people’s lives,” she said. “For me, that means forming relationships that are more than just social, shallow friendships, but rather reflections of Christ’s love. The boys are hurting. Their pasts are filled with years of broken relationships, abuse, and betrayal. Getting to show them what real love is, and what the love of Christ is, is an opportunity I will never take for granted.”

I am excited to be joining this awesome ministry this year, and start going to George Junior and forming bonds and relationships with these boys. Thursday, Oct. 11 the New Life Group and I went to the George Junior facility. There we met with the Chaplin and had a meeting about different rules to follow for the year. The New Life team plans to start heading out to George Junior on Nov. 4!

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Off-Campus Activities

One of the many great things about Grove City College is that there is always something to do. Whether it is a guest lecturer, an intramural (IM) sports game, or some kind of event hosted by one of the many campus clubs and organizations, it is a rare night on campus when nothing is happening.  

The Grove City College campus is amazing, but that does not mean that you will never want to go somewhere else for a while. Sometimes the best stress relief after a week of exams and papers is to get some friends together and go somewhere else for an evening. But what is there to do? Grove City is a small town, which means that sometimes your options are limited, but the city of Pittsburgh is only an hour away – which may seem like a long drive, but it is nothing if you have a great playlist.

The convenience of the city is fantastic, and there is always something to do. Usually, the Friday nights before a break are pretty uneventful on campus, so that is a great chance to explore the city. This semester, my ICO (Inner City Outreach) team traveled down to Pittsburgh for the annual light-up night on the Friday before Thanksgiving break.

We had a fantastic time seeing the massive Christmas tree at PPG Place, an even taller tree at the Point, fireworks, an Andy Grammer concert, and drinking fantastically festive coffee. It was a fun night out away from the stress of school with some great friends. Light-up night only happens once a year, but there is still plenty to do in Pittsburgh the rest of the year. Students often travel to the city to go to concerts, museums, and restaurants. Grove City College may seem like it is in the middle of nowhere, but with a thriving city like Pittsburgh so close by, you will never be at a loss for something to do.  

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The Commuter Kitchen- A Hidden Gem

Grove City College is full of hidden gems, but one of my personal favorites is the commuter kitchen. Designed mainly for commuter students (duh), it has a microwave, coffee pot, refrigerator, sink, and toaster oven. I love it because it allows me to bring a lunch with me that is not Ramen noodles or Easy-mac. I can bring real food, store it in the fridge, and reheat it whenever I want. It is a fantastic arrangement, especially for students who commute or who live in the lower-campus apartments.

I call the commuter kitchen a hidden gem because very few students know it even exists. Tucked away on the second floor of the student union, the kitchen is out of the way for most students despite being in one of the most highly trafficked buildings on campus. It is not really a place to hang out, but it is one of the most functional and useful places on campus.

Even though I do not spend a lot of time there, the commuter kitchen is kind of like my dorm room. It is a place where students who live off-campus can make tea, heat up lunch, wash dishes, and hide yummy snacks. It is so simple, yet so wonderful. Oh, and did I mention that housekeeping does all the cleaning? This is just another wonderful service provided by the College for its students.

I know things like this are difficult to visualize, so here are a few pictures!

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10 Reasons I am Grateful to be a Grover

1. I have a new home-away-from-home, and it’s beautiful!

Seriously, have you seen this campus? If you have not, you need to! Here are a few pictures to hold you over until you can come visit us.

2. So many amazing people have been Grovers.

All it takes to be impressed by past Grovers is a quick perusal of the alumni achievement award winners. Find them here: alumni.gcc.edu 

These stories just scratch the surface. Countless entrepreneurs, business executives, authors, lawyers, and engineers have used their Grove City degree to make an impact.

3. So many amazing people ARE Grovers!

Did you catch that subtle difference? Hint: I put it in all caps to help you out. 

I could go on for hours about the phenomenal people I have met here, but I will save some time, and let you find out for yourself.

4. As a Grover, I have the privilege to learn from some of the best professors around.

I couldn’t imagine going to college without these professors. The faculty here is more caring and understanding than I expected college professors to be. They really are here to help their students learn and grow as people. Not only are the profs incredibly intelligent, knowledgeable, and helpful, they are also fun and enthusiastic about their respective areas of expertise. Fun story: I once had a professor jump off of a table because he was so excited about Vivaldi. That is the kind of passion you find at Grove City.

If you want to find out more about our outstanding faculty, check out some of the faculty feature blog posts or this link: Faculty Directory

5. Being a Grover means I am challenged everyday.

Grove City College prides itself on rigorous academics, and there is a reason for that. The nature of the curriculum ensures that you will not be able to get away with sleeping in class. But why would you want to do that anyway? You will learn so much (even in the humanities core) that your tuition dollars will be well worth it.

6. It has taught me what it means to live, learn, and worship in community.

Because Grove City is a relatively small school, students have the opportunity to a much larger proportion of the student body than at a larger college or university. I personally know the majority of people in my major, but I have also had the opportunity to meet people outside of my major through core classes that all students are required to take.

Not only do Grovers live and learn in community, we also worship together, both during weekly chapel services and on Thursday night Warriors services. Warriors is a student-led worship service held in the chapel. If you want to read more about it, check out this student blog:

7. I understand things that only Grovers get.

King McNulty. Shoe in the door. The swim test. The scooter gang.

Hierarchy of people at Grove City:   1. Jesus    2. Ronald Reagan    3. C.S. Lewis    4. President McNulty

These might not make a lot of sense to you right now, but Grovers get it.

8. By the time I graduate, I’ll have spent four years in a community that strives to glorify God in all things.

Yes, even sports.

9. I get to learn from the unique successes and failures of Grovers who have gone before me and come back to campus just because they care.

I can’t count the number of alums who have come back to speak on campus. Their stories are always inspiring, informative, and insightful. The best part is that they come back because they love the College and they care about the students.

10. Most of all (as you may have guessed already), I am grateful to be a Grover because of all the wonderful people here.

Considering five of my points have been about people, this should not be a surprise. These ten points can be summed up as follows: You will not find people like those at Grove City College anywhere else!

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To Commute or Not to Commute?

So you have made the big decision. Grove City College is for you. Time to celebrate!

But now you have another decision that you may not have anticipated. You live close enough to campus to live at home, so you have to decide whether you will move to the college and live on campus in a dorm, or if you will stay at home and make the commute to campus every day.

As someone who made that very decision, I am here to offer you some friendly (and hopefully helpful) advice. This might seem obvious (or maybe not), but it is important to know that your college experience as a commuter student would be vastly different than you experience would be if you were to live on campus. But do not let this scare you away! You are still just as much of a college student as everybody else and just as valued as a part of the Grove City College community. Your daily routine, however, will be slightly different from that of your peers.

As you know, commuter students do not have an assigned dorm room. You will live at home and drive to campus every day. There are certainly good things about this arrangement, and there are also some drawbacks, which I will get to in a second. First, you will not have to pack up ALL YOUR STUFF and cram it into a car, just to unpack it a few miles away. You might be surprised at how much less stressful this makes the beginning and ending of the academic year.

Second, the transition to college life is a little slower, and you can take it at more of your own pace – you are not just dropped of and expected to survive. 🙂 Because you do not live on campus, you can gradually spend more time there outside of your classes. A small warning though: do not spend all your free time chilling at home. Become a part of the vibrant college community!

Finally, the best things about living at home, in no particular order:

  1. No communal bathroom – this is always a plus
  2. More options for food – you can eat at one of the dining halls OR bring your own
  3. Pets! You will be the envy of all your peers because you did not have to say goodbye to your beloved dog (or cat) for 3-4 months.
  4. Did I mention the money you will save by not paying for room and board??? Yeah, that is a big one.

At this point, commuting to the Grove probably sounds like the best idea ever. But let me caution you. Do not make this decision hastily. For nearly every one of these positive reasons to live at home, there is a downside. The biggest challenge of a commuter student is building lasting friendships and community on campus. This is exponentially more difficult to do when you do not live in the same buildings and eat in the same dining halls as your peers. You might think this is not a big deal, but, I assure you, it is. This decision should not be made lightly. Take some time to consider pros and cons of each option, and most importantly, pray about it. What is right for someone else might not be right for you, and vice versa. No matter what you decide, know that we are excited to have you at Grove City College!

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8 Do’s and Don’ts for Freshman Commuters

Hello again, commuter friends!

This might seem obvious, but it is important to know that your college experience as a commuter student will be different from that of your peers. You will be driving to and from campus every day, you will not have a dorm room (who needs ‘em?), and you likely will not be eating every meal at the dining hall. Your transition to college will also be a very different experience compared to students who move to campus. Here are a few handy Do’s and Don’ts for your transition to college as a commuter. (Most of these also apply to literally every college student ever, but are especially important for commuter students.)

1. DO go to Connection Group Activities

Connection Groups are put together by Orientation Board right when you get on campus. They are small groups run by two upperclassmen for freshmen to get to know one another the first few weeks of college. They may seem awkward, and take up time that you may not think you have, but they are a great way to meet people and build friendships when you first arrive on campus.

2. DO go to the org fair…and sign up for things!

Do not be afraid to sign up for email lists of clubs that you think you might possibly maybe want to be a part of. Even sign up for clubs that meet later than you think you want to stay on campus. The worst thing that can happen is that you have to unsubscribe from their email list.

3. DO find 1 or 2 clubs or organizations to join

This is good advice for all new college students, but it is ESPECIALLY important for the commuter student. Because you do not have a roommate or live on a hall with RAs and 20 other people, it will be more difficult for you to build community on campus. Joining an organization or club (or two) is a fantastic way to counteract this and build friendships right from the start of your college experience. Take it from someone who has been where you are, it is totally worth it to stay on campus a few extra hours for a club meeting once a week!

4. DO come to campus for more than just your classes

This should not be unexpected, given point #3. But seriously, and I cannot emphasize this enough, COLLEGE IS MORE THAN JUST THE CLASSES YOU TAKE! If you only come to campus to go to class, then you probably will not have much fun – again, I speak from experience. Take the time to go to events at night or on weekends. It will be worth it! Remember, you’ll have to be intentional in becoming a part of the wonderful community we have here at Grove City, so just be here!

5. DON’T treat your classes like a 9 to 5. Have fun!

I know it seems like I am beating a dead horse here, but this is key. If you only come to campus to go to class, then you will end up treating your college experience like a job, which it is not. You are (most likely) a full-time student, but so much learning happens outside of the classroom, and if you clock out after your last class ends at 4, then you’ll really miss out. Do not short-change yourself by acting too much like an adult.

6. DO buy a meal plan

This was some of the best advice I was given at the start of my freshman year. Through Bon Appetit, the College offers partial meal plans for students who live off campus or in the apartments on lower campus. You can buy 25, 50 or 75 meals in advance. This might sound like an extra, unnecessary expense (not paying for room and board was probably a deciding factor in your choice to live off campus), but I assure you, it is 100% worth it. Purchasing a meal plan will allow you to get meals on campus with your friends who live here. It will also give you much more freedom in planning your schedule because you won’t have to worry about bringing your lunch/dinner everyday.

7. DO hang out with people in the dorms and Student Union

You can hang out with people wherever you want, but the point here is just to talk to people – build friendships with people outside of the classroom. There is a commuter lounge with tables, comfy chairs, lockers and a kitchenette located on the second floor of the Student Union, which I would encourage you to use, but do not just stay there! Sit downstairs in the Student Union where you can run into people you know and catch up while you are doing some homework. It could be as simple as that, or just chilling with somebody in their dorm room in between classes.

8. DO learn to manage your time well

This is another one that goes out to every college student, but as a commuter, you will lose some time driving to and from campus every day, so it is especially important for you to know how to plan ahead. For students who live close to the College, this is not as much of a big deal, but the further away from the College that you live, the more time you will lose driving every day, so it becomes all the more important to plan ahead. This may sound difficult and a little ominous, but it is completely doable. You can, in fact, be a full-fledged college student even if you live off-campus.     *Pro tip: use a planner!*