News From Houghton CollegeI have arrived! Sunday night I arrived at a very wet, but not very cold, Houghton. All my flights went smooth, as did the drive from Buffalo to Houghton. I was happy to find my dorm room is on the first floor of the old side of Gillette (East) Hall.
My roommate, Sarah, was already there when I arrived. She had already settled in and had left me the bottom bunk, which I was very thankful for. I was surprised at how much room we have in our small dorm room. God has truly blessed me with a great roommate. We get along great and have become quick friends. However, she is they only friend that I have made here so far. It is difficult to make new friends because everyone has been here for awhile and have already formed their different groups.
New York Weather
The weather here at Houghton isn’t too different from winter in Idyllwild, which has helped my transition here. This week the weather has fluctuated a lot. I arrived on Sunday with lots of rain but not very cold temperatures. On Monday there was rain in the morning and later on it started to snow. The snow would come in flurries that wouldn’t last for long and then the sun would come out again. This pattern kept on all day until the sun went down and the snow kept coming on at a steady rate. Tuesday morning we woke up to about 6 inches of snow covering everything and the snow was still coming and continued to come all day long. Wednesday was still cold but no more snow, and then Thursday and Friday warmed up and the snow started to melt away. Today there has been a constant misting that has helped that last of the snow to disappear, which has left many snowboarders very sad as they just opened the lefts here on campus earlier this week and they had to be closed for the weekend. I am enjoying the cool temperatures and the cloudy skies, but we’ll see how long that enjoyment will last.
My Classes
I am taking five classes this semester, which is 15 units. I have four art classes and one Bible which makes me very happy since this is what the rest of my semesters will look like while I am here at Houghton. My Bible Literature class looks like it is going to be a great class in which we will learn how we should read the Bible so as to get the most out of what we are reading. Professor Paige is my teacher for this class and seems to be very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, he also always opens the class with a word of prayer which I really enjoy. I am also taking Modern Art History which looks like I will be seeing a lot of the same art as I saw in my first art history class because the period we will be covering, Rococo to World War II, was part of my Renaissance to Surrealism class at MSJC. All three of my studio art classes look like they are going to be messy but fun. In my book and papermaking class we will be learning different ways to make paper and then we will be making books as well. We haven’t started anything yet, but my teacher said that the process of making paper has a lot of pounding involved, which will help to get out whatever frustrations I might have. My two Tuesday classes both involve clay and are going to be particularly messy, but the two classes I am looking forward to the most. I have the same teacher for both my ceramics class and my 3D design class, but she is only here for this semester because she is filling in for the regular teacher who is on a sabbatical right now. We have already started to make things in noth of these classes, which has been fun. In my 3D design class we made a 12” square slab of clay that is 3” thick (see picture below). This is the first step to what will end up being a relief sculpture. In my ceramics class we made four pinch pots. Mine aren’t very pretty but it was still fun to be able to create something with my own hands (see picture below). Playing in the clay all day reminded of playing in the mud with Laura when we were little.
New York Weather
The weather here at Houghton isn’t too different from winter in Idyllwild, which has helped my transition here. This week the weather has fluctuated a lot. I arrived on Sunday with lots of rain but not very cold temperatures. On Monday there was rain in the morning and later on it started to snow. The snow would come in flurries that wouldn’t last for long and then the sun would come out again. This pattern kept on all day until the sun went down and the snow kept coming on at a steady rate. Tuesday morning we woke up to about 6 inches of snow covering everything and the snow was still coming and continued to come all day long. Wednesday was still cold but no more snow, and then Thursday and Friday warmed up and the snow started to melt away. Today there has been a constant misting that has helped that last of the snow to disappear, which has left many snowboarders very sad as they just opened the lefts here on campus earlier this week and they had to be closed for the weekend. I am enjoying the cool temperatures and the cloudy skies, but we’ll see how long that enjoyment will last.
My Classes
I am taking five classes this semester, which is 15 units. I have four art classes and one Bible which makes me very happy since this is what the rest of my semesters will look like while I am here at Houghton. My Bible Literature class looks like it is going to be a great class in which we will learn how we should read the Bible so as to get the most out of what we are reading. Professor Paige is my teacher for this class and seems to be very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, he also always opens the class with a word of prayer which I really enjoy. I am also taking Modern Art History which looks like I will be seeing a lot of the same art as I saw in my first art history class because the period we will be covering, Rococo to World War II, was part of my Renaissance to Surrealism class at MSJC. All three of my studio art classes look like they are going to be messy but fun. In my book and papermaking class we will be learning different ways to make paper and then we will be making books as well. We haven’t started anything yet, but my teacher said that the process of making paper has a lot of pounding involved, which will help to get out whatever frustrations I might have. My two Tuesday classes both involve clay and are going to be particularly messy, but the two classes I am looking forward to the most. I have the same teacher for both my ceramics class and my 3D design class, but she is only here for this semester because she is filling in for the regular teacher who is on a sabbatical right now. We have already started to make things in noth of these classes, which has been fun. In my 3D design class we made a 12” square slab of clay that is 3” thick (see picture below). This is the first step to what will end up being a relief sculpture. In my ceramics class we made four pinch pots. Mine aren’t very pretty but it was still fun to be able to create something with my own hands (see picture below). Playing in the clay all day reminded of playing in the mud with Laura when we were little.
Prayer Requests
The thing I would ask the most prayer for is finding good friendships. Sometimes Sarah and I can’t eat a meal together and when that happens it means that I eat by myself and that is getting to be rather depressing. I would like it if you prayed for my boldness, which I have been prying for but I still seem to be too scared to talk to new people or even to talk to people I’ve met but not really got to know. This transition has been difficult only because of missing my friends and not having any here to fall back on. Getting used to the new classes and weather is not hard at all, but getting used to the people is hard, so please pray for my social life.
I love you and miss each of you very much. I will be home soon, because the dorms will be closed during our February break and it just so happens that my good friend Cara is getting married that weekend. So if you would like to see me I will be home February 23rd until March 4th, let me know if there is a time you’d like to plan to see me.
1 comment:
Cameo,
My name's Lydia Thornblade, and I saw your picture on Job Tate's blog, and followed the link to your blog. I'm a student here at houghton too, and I also know the Tates! Do you know them from Camp Maranatha in California? I know them because I am also from VT and live near them and our families are good friends. Welcome to Houghton!!! I am a sophomore and also live in Gillette. I'm on 3rd Main. It would be great to meet you. I saw you wrote that you're conserned about making friendships, and I completelly understand. Last year first semester esp. was really tough and it wasn't until this year that I've started to make some good friends. So keep holding on. The Lord will be working.
well, it's so cool that you're here and that we have common friends.
ok, well just wanted to drop you a line, and hopefully we can meet soon.
in Christ,
Lydia
Post a Comment