Category Archives: College
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Christian Martine
John Paul Beall
Mihai Cirstea
Robert “Rob” Humphreys
Parker King
Michael Leung
Haiying “Hank” Lin
Joseph Liu
Yates Wilburn
TREA$URY NOTE$
Long before I left for summer school at Oxford or enrolled at Washington and Lee for college, my parents started to save. In this months Trea$ury Note$, the monthly broadcast of West Virginia State Treasurer John Perdue, my father and I walk through the process of just how easy college savings can be.
Click here to view the episode.
Term Recap
Just over three months ago, I started my first term at Washington and Lee University. I knew college would be great, but I never imagined the time there flying by so quickly. Since I’ve been at W&L, I’ve made great friends, learned how manage an eightTEEN-hour day, and found my interests to be constantly expanding.
My classes were challenging, and I’m happy to have taken what I did. Nevertheless, for all the hours that I labored, I’ve managed to condense my classes to one line apiece.
American Government: James Madison Rules America
Microeconomics: MR = MC
Writing: Destroy passive voice
Calculus: I am never becoming a mathematician
Merry Christmas, everyone!
“Every student must be a gentleman”
—Robert E. Lee
When Robert E. Lee assumed the presidency of Washington College, now known as Washington and Lee University, he bestowed upon the school an atmosphere of trust, removing all formal rules but imposing just one: “Every student must be a gentleman.” Today, this value translates into the Washington and Lee Honor System.
The Honor System of Washington and Lee is one of the most guarded traditions of the university. A completely student-run system, the Honor System insures that the W&L diploma is only earned honorably. Last Saturday, as thousands have done before me, I signed the Honor System book, pledging that I will uphold the values of the university. More importantly, however, each student at W&L takes the same pledge which truly leads to a community of trust.
The 2002-2003 Washington and Lee Executive Committee (President Gerald Titus happens to hail from West Virginia) compiled two videos which are currently used during the orientation of the Honor System for first-year students. They contain a great deal of information and can found below:
Ready for class
Today begins the winding down of Orientation Week at Washington and Lee University. Earlier, we all received our class schedules, visited the activities fair, and sometime in between took a swim test. (Washington and Lee is one of the few schools that continue to require students to be able to swim before receiving a diploma.)
As one who is interested in business and law, I registered for politics and economics classes and picked up calculus and a writing seminar to complement. I also had my first experience of sticker shock after purchasing my textbooks.
This week has been great. I’m sad to see it come to a close, but happy to know that I will be spending the next four years in Lexington with the great people that I have met and will meet very soon.
An Appalachian Adventure
For many college first-years, the beginning of the year normally begins with sitting through orientation classes and getting to know the friends that you will grow with for the next for years. My year begins just a bit differently.
Washington and Lee offers a couple different types of pre-orientation trips. The first being service ventures and the second being a backpacking trip. I have never been camping or spent a great deal of time in the woods; and because of that very fact, I chose to take part in the backpacking trip. One comforting thought is that I know other students will have the same level of inexperience that I possess.
Madison Bowles, one of my friends who just started her first year at West Virginia University, gave me a little taste of what her backpacking trip was like. As expected, she said that it was rough and dirty, but a trip that she is happy to have experienced. From what she said and what I have gathered from others who have taken these trips: it’s mostly a mental endurance challenge.
Nevertheless, I am excited and looking forward to this experience. I will keep a journal of my trip, and depending on how things go, may even have a before and after pic. The best line from the Web site: This year’s motto is yet to be determined…something like “NO RAIN, NO RAIN, repeat.” Wish me luck and please hold off on your rain dances for a few days!
“A Change of Operation”
In the coming days and weeks, my life will be changing quite dramatically. Like thousands of other students, I will be heading to my first year of college.
Looking back over my years, I can honestly say that I have experienced wonderful opportunities and learned many valuable lessons—both inside and outside of the classroom. These lessons and memories I would not trade for anything for they have become a part of me and made me a better person. As I have expressed on many occasions, I owe so much gratitude to my parents who selflessly raised me to achieve a better quality of life than they were given the opportunity of having.
Nevertheless, it is an interesting transition that both my parents and I are on the brink of undertaking. Yes, I am filled with many emotions, but all of them are surpassed by the drive and excitement that I have to progress to the next chapter of my life. (I hate clichés too, but hang with me.) I am so excited to meet new people and experience new challenges and opportunities that will inevitably serve as a foundation for the rest of my life.
My goal is to blog about as much of my college experience as is (at least moderately) interesting. The next post should be a good start. I am starting college already climbing a mountain…literally.
Research Paper: Green Energy Policies
Last month, I attended the Close Up Student Summer Academy in Washington, D.C. The Academy was an outstanding experience that furthered my knowledge of government. An optional part of the program was to complete a research paper for the University of Virginia. I chose to do my research paper on green energy policies and why they are greatly important to the success of our nation.
I wasn’t allowed to solicit help for the assignment, but now that I have submitted it, I would really like some feedback. The paper has been uploaded to the link below as a PDF.
