Student Blogger: Bonnie Hardie

Happy Earth Day!

What a wonderful day on Guilford campus.  In honor of Earth Day, the caf served lunch outside and provided compostable plates.  The food was delicious and it was extremely beautiful weather.  Thanks so much beloved staff for preparing this for us.  Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, Jim Dees was merrily educating about ways to be more sustainable and encouraging eaters to use compost bins instead of trash cans (after all, the forks, knives, and spoons were the only non-compostable items we were disposing.) Their goal was to have a 3:1 compost:trash waste by the end of the meal, and when I disposed of my plate, it looked like they were more than on their way to meeting that goal.

Later this evening the German Club hosted April Fest.  Bratwurst, Sauerkraut, and Brot were in abundance.  Hoards of peolple flocked to the Guilford lakeside to enjoy some good old fashion Spass (fun)!  People came decked out in lederhosen and danced to the melodic tunes of our polka band.They even played a rendition of Pokerface (POLKAFACE) haha! A grand timewas had by all.

Thanks to everyone who put energy into making this day so phenomenal.  That is what Guilford is all about!

This has been a crazy, wonderful, overwhelming week, and I cannot believe it is already Thursday.  Yesterday I played a piano piece by Mozart in the Mid-day Musicale.  It was nerve-wracking and I messed up quite a bit, but I was proud that I did not lose it completely.  I was especially glad to have a chance to perform before I audition to be a music major in a week and a half.  The variety of the music in the performance yesterday really impressed me.  I particularly enjoyed Vann Kolodin's guitar piece written in commemoration of an Indian American chief. 

Ah! Already time for class! 

The final haul!

Four more weeks to this semester and campus is bustling with activity! Performances, exams, concerts, and cramming for all my classes mean that I am not getting enough sleep.  Last week I had the pleasure of hosting three of my friends, which was wonderful, but added stress to an already busy time of year.  I have gotten in the habit of trying to include a few words of advice in each of my blog posts, so my advice on the subject of friends visiting is to not underestimate the exhaustion that entertaining guests can bring. In general, I would opt for weekend visits rather than during the school week.  (But I still had fun Hannah, Madeline, and Alix!)

This weekend my boyfriend is visting from Atlanta, Georgia.  I do not know where to begin on advice for long-distance relatioinships in college.  Perhaps it might be comforting to know that it can be possible and completely worth-while; wonderful even, to remain in a relationship despite the state-line inconvenience. Anyway, I bought him an extra ticket for the performance at UNCG that my dance class is attending this Saturday night.   

This Saturday will also be filled with fun events to help the continuing efforts of "Stop Hunger Now!" (group collecting funds for Haiti victims) Events will take place from 1:30 to 3:30 location TBA.  So be sure to stop by on Saturday afternoon if you are on campus for Spring Into Guilford!

Enjoy these high temps and strong rays of sunshine!

I recently decided to declare my majors officially.  I am officially a Music/Environmental Studies double major! 

A visual recount of the semester so far.

A blanket of snow covered our bustling campus.
 
 
 

Guilford's performance of The Vagina Monologues. (A Guilford tradition on Valentine's Day Weekend.)

The QLSP first years incorporate the art of weaving into worship.

 
 

Enjoying sunshine on Binford/Hobbs lawn.

And then it snowed.  Again.

Peace Fest during Serendipity.

I went to see Deerhunter at the Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill. Great venue for good music. 

 

What will the semester bring next?

Back from Break

Ah the wonderful Spring Break.

I had a lovely break.  I went home to Nashville for most of the week and then drove back through Atlanta and stayed there last weekend before coming back to Greensboro.  Going home is always strange and feels really short.  I have decided that I enjoy spending quality time with a few friends rather than seeing more people for minimal amounts of time. 

College students find themselves living in two worlds.  I was surprised to miss my bed at Guilford when I went home.  At least for me, college life is extremely convenient and simple.  It has an energy and vivacity that is dependably present.  Home, on the otherhand, is unpredictable.  It is wonderful and cozy, relaxing for sure; but at times it can be confusing understanding where you now fit in the scheme of things.  It is natural that friends and family have changed, but is still challenging adjusting to these changes.  There is a sort of whip-lash that comes about when I go from Guilford to home or vice versa.

Anyway, enough on that. Serendipity is this weekend!  Serendipity is a weekend of merriment and music.  After a previous selection of washed up 90s bands, the wondrous committee who plans Serendipity managed to get Man Man to come! Yay Man Man. The weather should be gorgeous for this gala affair.  I will try to take pictures to publicize the greatness that this weekend will bring.

Until next time, Cheers.

Don't stress. Breathe.

It is that time of year when students across Guilford are doing midterms.  Everyone I know is sleep-deprived and exhausted.  Spring break is in one week, but before we can indulge in a week of relaxation, we must conquer the academic challenges put before us.  I am finishing up my last midterm exam for this week, which is of the take-home variety.  By "finishing up" I mean starting.  Next week I have a few midterms to take, but this week has really caused the bulk of my academically-related stress.

My advise for any potential Guilford students next fall:  Do your work ahead of time.  Sometimes it is impossible to do this, but when you have the opportunity do work before a deadline, seize it!  Talk to teachers before things are due; they are usually so willing to help out ahead of time.  Every single one of my teachers has been extrememly receptive to my needs as a student.  Guilford teachers are supportive, nourishing, and treat every student as their priority. 

The most important slice of wisdom I can give is to take care of yourself.  At the end of last semester, someone had written, "Don't stress. Breathe."  on the circulation desk at the library.  I think it is vital to remember that your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical help are more important than and paper or exam.

Take care of yourselves,

Bonnie

Spring!

I am so incredibly ready for spring.  This winter has been extremely harsh for a Southern pansy like myself.  However, Greenleaf drinks are delicious in the winter time, like this tasty light and foamy chai I am sipping on as I type.  The Greenleaf is Guilford's student-run co-op in the basement of Mary Hobbs.  Normally, my favorite drink from the Gleaf is a half and half lattee with a shot of hazlenut (very decadent) but I am giving up caffeine for Lent, so I went with a chai tea tonight.

Everyone has been in a scramble as of late to figure out their housing plans for next year.  The whole situation is a breeding ground for passive aggressive behavior, because noone wants to upset anyone.  I am trying to avoid this.  My roommate for next year and I are remaining immune to these passive aggressive tendencies, and getting super excited for sharing space!  We want to live in Mary Hobbs, but it might be a difficult task for a pair of sophomores. 

This month has been very busy and hectic.  My classes have been more intense this semester; taking a full course load and having two jobs working 22 hours a week does not help.  But I enjoy every experience I have here at Guilford.  Today I really appreciated the community that Guilford fosters.  I do not particularly know why.  There are just some days the unique community is striking. 

Last night I helped co-chef a meal with my friend Mark for Cooking Club.  We made Strogenoff (a beef and a veggie version), Eggplant Caviar, and Marinated Cucmbers.  Mmm-mmm!  I really enjoy cooking, but do not often get an opportunity because Binford's third floor lounge/kitchen is being used as residential space.  Plus, with my meal plan, I am usually very satisfied with the caf and grill selection.  Today was sushi day at the grill.  I was ravenous so I got two boxes of sushi.

Cheers!

How to begin? My name is Bonnie and I am a first year here at Guilford College.  I reside with the lovely Alison Mooney in Binford Hall.  Today is Alsion's birthday and we celebrated her coming into her nineteenth year of existence when the clock struck midnight early this morning.  Alison, I hope your day is flawless.

I am an Environmental Studies/Peace and Conflict Studies major, but that is subject to change by the week.  Thankfully, I do not feel any pressure to box myself into a major or minor at Guilford.  I feel extremely supported by the faculty here in whatever department I may land.  My advisor, Kami Rowan, is especially nurturing.  She is a great teacher and has a heart of gold.  If you have the chance, take her Freshman Year Experience class.  

My interests include creating art, music, and community.  I am in the Quaker Leadership Scholars Program (QLSP) and would love to talk with anyone interested in knowing more about this spiritual community.  It has helped me greatly in my first year of college. 

I like a lot of other things like letter writing and gardens.  I am classically trained in voice and piano, and am considering being a music minor?  Possibly? I like making visual art as well, and attended an art high school in Nashville.  I am a fan of the Guilford geese.  So regal and pretentious in the best sense of the word.  Guilford is a great place and I hope to communicate this in future blogs and maybe sprinkle in a few pictures.

Wishing you a jovial end to this week.