Falling Back In

 Hello!

Well, a new semester is upon us and that means so many different things.  Summer is coming to an end, fall is around the corner with all its crunchy leaves and spooky vibes.  People are excited and anxious about new classes, new people, new experiences, new teachers.  We are seeing friends and acquaintances in the hallways and noting that some of them are gone.  Everything is new, but some things will never change.  Here are ten things I know to be true (borrowed from a TED talk by Sarah Kay).

1. Faculty are excited to be teaching you.
2. Things you never thought you could do will be accomplished.
3. You will succeed at so many things.
4. You will fail at some, too.
5. You will surprise yourself.
6. You will get more out of your experiences here if you become involved.
7. Honors might change your life.
8. You matter to someone on campus.
9. You will have great days and bad days.
10. You have survived 100% of the days you've been here and that's impressive!

Honors is important to me, and I hope it becomes something important to you, too.  No matter what, though, I hope you have a fantastic semester that is filled with more of #3 and less of #4.  But for every #4, I hope you come out of it better and stronger and wiser.

Be curious.  Stay curious.

Welcome home.

CowCat, Mascot of Honors and Queen of Everything

Call Together

Convocation

from Latin convocare, from con- ‘together’ + vocare ‘call’.

Consider this your call - your call to come together to celebrate the incredible work that Honors has folded within it.  May is always a time of celebration as we reach the end of the semester and we are beginning to really see the fruits of our labors.  COVID pushed us all apart and so I haven't been able to call us together for what feels like forever.

But this year - we can do so.

This year, this semester, we can celebrate Honors.  It may look a little different, it may sound a little different, we may be figuring out different ways of doing things, but it should feel as it always has.

Celebratory.  Inclusive.  Congratulatory.

So, what IS Convocation?

Well, it is a two part event.  The first part is open to all students who have taken an Honors course this academic year.  All you have to do is make a poster that showcases something you learned in your Honors course.  Something big or small, life-changing or interesting, exciting or inspirational - anything.  We are going to have posters from several classes so far - Introduction to Reading Literature.  Myths and Monsters.  World Literature I.  Composition II.  Environmental Science. Why not join them?  Just make a poster and come to Convocation at 4:00 on Thursday, May 5th in Stage 14.

The second part is the celebration of work in Honors from four students who have been asked to share their work.  So, this is what you will see and hear...

Amanda Brockner ('22) sharing a presentation and poetry about mothers that she did in Myths and Monsters last semester.  Nicholas Muscato ('23) sharing his memoir from Composition I.  Alicia Nolan ('22) will share her experiences with an Honors contract she did for Introduction to Psychology.  Last but not least, Connor Bateman ('22) will demonstrate a lab relating to water quality from Environmental Science.

This part of Convocation will take place from 5:00 - 6:00 in Stage 14.

So, this is your call to gather with us.  Two hours of your time - come and celebrate Honors!

Honors Convocation

Poster Session:  4:00 - 5:00

Presentations:  5:00 - 6:00

Stage 14

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Ask Them Anything - Nonbinary, Storytelling, Gaming Extraordinaire

They will argue with this title, but I'm still using it because they are a pretty amazing human and they are willing to come share their amazingness with us.  I hope you will come.

Meet Ro Williams (they/them), Narrative Writer at Riot Games.

Ever wonder what it was like to work on video games?  Ever have a burning question about the industry and no one to ask it of?  Well, here is your chance.  

Ro is once again willing to 'come' chat with us for an hour, answering questions and telling us what it has been like to be first a woman...and then a nonbinary person in a world that is largely dominated by men.  Trends, industry news, how to get started, indies vs. triple As, what it's like from the inside - you can ask it all and Ro will share what they know.  This is a great opportunity for those looking to break into that world, those curious about nonbinary spaces out in the so-called 'real world', the use of an English or writing degree, and so much more.  Because what do all of theses things have in common?

Stories.

Ro will tell stories about how they have made a living out of telling stories to countless gamers across the country and around the world.  

When:  Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Time:  5:00 - 6:00

Where:  Webex Link

Password:  GamersRock!

POSTERS and Pizza

 

TL:DR

April 12 (Laker Day) - poster planning and creating from 11:00 - 1:00 in room 4245

May 5 - poster session with Q&A from 4:00 - 5:00 in Stage 14 followed by presentations from Honors students from 5:00 - 6:00

So, what am I talking about? This...

Are you doing something amazing in your Honors class this semester? Have you been working on a project or a paper that you are really putting your all into? Are you thinking a lot about some issue or topic that you are especially fascinated by?

Did you do any of those things last semester in your Honors class?

If so, why not make a poster for Honors Convocation? We are bringing back this special event in the hopes that it will help showcase the amazing things that Honors students do in their classes. Rather than trying to recreate the wheel, here is what I said about the third Convocation (I said more for this one than the others, and I like what this says) about posters and their role in academia:

Poster sessions are a staple of student and faculty conferences and research across all disciplines and in all sorts of contexts. It's more than just a chance to be creative and colorful, it's also an opportunity to think about what is truly significant and important about the work you are doing. Showcasing this work celebrates the importance of intellectual rigor and taking the value of your learning beyond the walls of the classroom. Faculty at North Carolina State University describes this kind of poster as a "[a] source of information, [a] conversation starter, [an] advertisement of your work, [and a] summary of your work" (Hess, Tosney, Liegel). To be effective, a poster has to be a "visual communication" so that you can "get your main point(s) across to as many people as possible" (Hess, Tosney, Liegel). We aren't a formal conference and you won't be judged on your poster, which makes this the perfect place to practice a skill that will serve you well as you move on in your academic career. So, plan a poster!

• “Creating a Successful Poster” – Brown University (even more links on this page)
• “Creating a Poster” – University of Wisconsin-Madison (more in-depth steps here)
• “Poster-making 101” – Bates College (some technical help here, too)
• “An Effective Poster” – North Carolina State University

Want to work on ideas together?  I will be in room 4245 from 11:00 - 1:00 on Laker Day with some poster board, markers, colored pencils, crayons, rulers, pencils, and erasers.  Oh, and pizza.  Come hang out and talk posters and let's be crafty together!

To sum up:

April 12 (Laker Day) - poster planning and creating from 11:00 - 1:00 in room 4245

May 5 - poster session with Q&A from 4:00 - 5:00 in Stage 14 followed by presentations from Honors students from 5:00 - 6:00

Want to do a digital poster?  Send me an email and let's talk about it: trista.merrill@flcc.edu

CowCat has begun gathering materials for HER poster.  Your turn!

Come for the Tacos....Stay for the Poetry

 On Thursday, March 31, an exciting thing is happening...

The return of the Honors Dinner.  

This per-semester event is one of my favorites when it comes to my Honors commitments.  The chance to gather together in a relaxing environment and celebrate learning, curiosity, passion, and community.  How can you beat it?

Well, mostly with tacos.  And shirts.  And the secret prizes that I always have.

And what ISN'T made better with tacos and free stuff?

On a serious note for a moment...I know the pandemic is not really over and COVID is not gone, but things have calmed down enough so that many of us can come together - carefully - and share in each other's company.   Isolation can have lasting impacts on our mental health and even if you've been strong throughout, it's still nice to have a get-together with like minded people now and then.  The dinner is a chance to do that, not just for Honors students, but for any student who is interested.

That's right...you don't have to be an Honors student to join us, but you have to want to hear stories of the Honors experience.  But don't worry, it's mostly students talking about how their semesters are going and what they love about the Honors class or classes they are in or took in the past.  You also have to want to hear about Honors offerings next semester and   

Someone almost always cries...for the best reasons.  There is a lot of laughter and some gentle encouragement of those who are hesitant to share - but no one is every forced to say anything.  It's all very laid back and casual.

This year, it is going to be made even more special by the fact that directly following the dinner, in the same location, is an Open Mic hosted by Prism, the LGBTQ+ club on campus.  You don't have to be a member of that community to take part as a reader or an audience member - all are welcome.  Come listen to your fellow students share their work or the work of someone they love.  

I'm looking forward to both events and I hope you will join us.  Here is the formal information:

Thursday, March 31, 2022

Dinner from 4:00 - 6:00

Open Mic from 6:00 - 8:00

Stage 14

Come for as much as you can - you are not remotely required to stay for all of either event.  Schedules are busy, so do what you can for as long as you can!  I also want to take this opportunity to share the rest of our events this semester so far:

• "Sheep!  From Wooly to Wearable" with Lydia Garafalo - 4/13 from 1:00 - 2:00 (location TBD, but in person and remote)
• Deaf Culture event - 4/13 from 3:00 - 4:00 in Stage 13
• "Working is not Like Colleging" with Brianna Smith - 4/19 from 6:00 - 7:00 (Virtual)
• "AMA about Working in the Gaming Industry" with Ro Williams of Riot Games - 4/27 from 5:00 - 6:00 (Virtual)
• Trail and Arboretum Cleanup with John Bateman - TBD

Join us....please?  Cowcat would like this.

Take A Deep Breath....For Yourself

Have you ever noticed how hard to can be to take some time for yourself?  To really sit down and rest for a moment?  To give your mind and your body and your heart and (if you believe in such things) soul time to really breathe?  I mean, REALLY breathe.

We just had a glorious spring-like day yesterday - and it brings me hope that warmer days really are coming.  There are so many things going on in the world and I, for one, desperately need all the help I can get in keeping myself feeling as positive and as relaxed as I can.  It helps me to deal with everything going on in the world; it helps me sleep better and generally have the energy to keep smiling and helping others.  But I need help with that...and I bet you do, too.

Those warm spring days aren't here just yet and as much as I love the sun, I suspect many of us are likely probably going to still be struggling then, too.  At least a little bit.  The semester and the world will continue doing what it does, and our lives will still be asking things of us that sometimes feel like more than we can deal with.  So, let's take some time to learn how we can take care of ourselves so we can better handle any kinds of stress thrown our way.

How?  Well, by being taught and guided through some mindful meditation.  Did you know we have a room on campus dedicated to that?  Did you know that we have a certified mindfulness coach who is amazing at teaching others how to not only understand this kind of practice, but can also lead us through a session.  This fellow is a math professor, so I am not surprised he needed to learn how to settle his mind.  I also cannot stress (no pun intended) enough how special this event will be.

Or maybe pun intended.

Anyway....this week's Honors talk is a little more present in that we are going to meet in person for it.  I will have my personal Webex open for people who want to listen in, but we are going to gather in person for a little deliberate practice and fellowship.

And I hope you can join us.

Wednesday, 3/9:  1:00 - 2:00

Room:  2064

SAVE THE DATE - March 31.  Taco Bar.  You know you want tacos.

What Is Honors? An Invitation.

"What IS Honors, Anyway?"

We have lots of new folks in Honors courses and it just may be that you don't even know what Honors is.

It's not about the smart kids.

It's not about grades.

It's not about outshining or outperforming.

It's not about more work.

Rather, it is a way of being in the classroom and a way of sharing in the energy of those learning around you.  It's a different way of teaching and learning that is meant to encourage curiosity and passion when so often the schooling system doesn't invite that at all.

It's how learning SHOULD be.

Though, I might be biased.

It's also a lot of things like points and paperwork, contracts and events.  And you may very well have questions.

Come chat with us about Honors.  Ask questions about everything I've talked about here.  Maybe hear from some Honors students who have done the things you are curious about.  Talk about your own experiences in Honors and what it has come to mean to you.  If anything.

And I hope it does.

You have SO much to offer your classes and your classmates, your college and your community.  And Honors can help you do that.  So, join us.  

Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 2, at 1:00, virtually.

Meeting link to join.

Join us, or fear Cowcat's wrath.  Okay, she's yawning...but still!