Monday, October 30, 2006
Class Anxiety
(from Linda) .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Laura recently had a funny, confusing experience that I guarantee happens to every college student at some time—she got the days and times of her classes mixed up and then she showed up at a class that wasn’t hers. But it’s easy to get things muddled when you have so much going on and so many things to remember. This has brought back memories for me, too. Apparently, some things never change. I have had enough class anxiety that I actually dream about it. One of the weirdest dreams I’ve had off and on is that it is the end of the semester and I find out I’m enrolled in a class I’ve forgotten all about and have never attended! Talk about panic attack!
When Laura also mentioned in her blog about going to the right class but finding no one there (due to a change in location), it reminded me of a crazy incident that happened to Perry and me when he was in graduate school at Abilene Christian University. It was Perry’s birthday, and I wanted to plan something special for him, so I ordered a balloon bouquet for him. The plan was that it would be delivered to one of his lecture classes by a “cute clown” delivery girl. I gave specific directions to the building and the classroom where she could find him. I also had planned a special birthday lunch at home for him and invited some of our college friends for the “surprise party.” The lunch hour came, and we anxiously awaited his arrival at home. I could hardly wait to hear about how surprised he had been by the balloon delivery! When he finally arrived (a little later than expected), he came into the house empty handed, greeted our friends, and inquired about lunch. (His favorites.) Talking about balloons, I felt like one that had suddenly been deflated. What had happened to the surprise that I had so carefully planned? No balloon bouquet was in sight. So I “went fishing” and asked if anything interesting had happened at classes today. He said, “No, it was just the same old routine.” Then he said, “Oh, I almost forgot…they did change where my Restoration History class meets, and we had to go to the library auditorium instead of our classroom.” OH, NO. My heart plummeted to the ground. No wonder he didn’t get the balloon bouquet! Then he grinned and said, “But… she found me anyway!” WHAT?! That wicked imp was having a lot of fun with me! He went back out to the car and brought the balloons in, and the birthday lunch proceeded as planned.
Now what are the chances of a class location changing on the one day that I have a special delivery planned? I guess it was just one of those things…but the cute clown still found him, sat on his lap, sang Happy Birthday, and delivered the balloons as planned. Best of all, she thoroughly embarrassed him! So we all had a good laugh. Perry was afraid that the teacher would be a little grumpy about having his class disrupted by clowns, songs and balloons, but I guess Dr. Humble likes cute clowns too, because he sang right along!
The moral of this story is that if you ever count on a class being held right where it is supposed to be, THAT is the exact time it will be moved to a distant location at the top of a high hill on a cold windy day! That’s college life!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
“BIG W,” Mama!
(from Linda) .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
On our quick visit to OC, we did what most visiting parents do—took our child on a shopping trip to Wal-Mart to “load up” on whatever supplies she needed. Surprisingly, a large part of it was groceries. After visiting the cafeteria with Laura for lunch, we understood why she needed extra groceries stashed in her room. Though we are very appreciative of the flexible cafeteria eating schedule (7:15 a.m.-7:00 p.m.), we did not have a good dining experience. Someone informed me that many of the main menu items are soy-based and don’t taste “real.” I don’t know if that is really true or not, but I do know there was not a good selection (at least on that day). Maybe we’ll try it again on another trip and see if that was just a “bad food day” in the cafeteria. I hope so!
While we were shopping with Laura at Wal-Mart, we bought her an old movie called “Poltergeist.” (Don’t you know we dinosaurs are experts on “old” movies?!) We didn’t let Laura see this movie until she was in high school—for a very good reason. She has been blessed with the most vivid imagination of anyone I know. In fact, the imaginary world was quite real to her for a long time. (Oh, how we were able to tease her, too!) I have often thought that she should be a children’s author, considering the amazing things she has dreamed of—really. But now she will take “Poltergeist” back to the dorm and have fun (we hope) sharing this old, scary movie with friends.
And just in case you’re wondering about the “Big W, Mama!” title of this blog entry, it’s an old family joke. When Laura was 19 months old, we were teaching her the alphabet, and “W” was the first letter she learned. The next day we were driving down the road right past Wal-Mart when I heard a little baby voice piping up from the backseat, “BIG W, Mama!” Was I ever surprised! And Laura’s been an avid Wal-Mart shopper ever since.
Now I couldn’t tell all these embarrassing (to her) things about our college daughter except that I am reasonably sure that Laura won’t be reading this blog entry—after all, it is “just a boring old parent blog!” (She’ll never know what she missed!)
Monday, October 23, 2006
If Muhammed won’t come to the Mountain…
(from Linda) .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
700 miles was just too far for Laura to come home for the short fall break… so the parents had to make a quick dash to Oklahoma right after the break to check on our little chick. (Quick dash means 12 hour drive!) We were eager to see Laura after this new separation, and it was great for our family to spend a little time together again. Not that we had much time…the nursing program schedule and Laura’s part-time job kept her pretty busy, but we managed to sneak a little time together.
Parent Orientation in May was a very informative program for us to attend, but I don’t think I really thought some of the things they predicted would happen to us! But they told us that we would notice “changes” in our children after they started college, and, lo and behold, we did.
The little girl we sent away on a college adventure is showing signs of real maturation and independence—it felt odd. I think all parents want to feel needed (and we still are), but we also need to see our children able to make decisions on their own and begin the break to independence. So we were pleased with her self-confidence and newly discovered independence, even as we felt pangs of sadness. Of course, as she ventures forth, she still knows she has her “safety net” with parents behind her.
So when any of you go to Parent Orientation, believe what they “warn” you about! Our children will never be quite the same again after leaving home. It’s called growing up. Get ready! These conflicting feelings—pleasure and pain—are part of the process, I guess. But I think there will be a lot more pleasure as we watch her blossom into the happy, confident young adult we’ve always hoped she would be. And OC is a great place to help that happen.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Testing…1-2-3
(from Linda)
It’s that time of year when thousands of high school seniors are taking the infamous ACT and SAT exams and waiting with bated breath for the results. Last year, Laura was among that pack of students, and she’s really glad to have that behind her now.
The scores earned on these tests can be of great significance since academic scholarships are based on the results—the higher the score, the better the scholarship. For that reason, many college-bound kids will repeat these tests, hoping to achieve a higher score the second or third time, thus being awarded a bigger scholarship. Like most other seniors, Laura registered for the National ACT test and took it right here in our hometown. (As you know, the National exam may be taken on six different predetermined days each year.) She did very well and was awarded a good academic scholarship. But then we discovered the “Residual ACT” exam, which changed everything. And that is why I’m so excited to tell others and would love to talk to you about it!
What is a Residual ACT? An on-campus or “residual” testing program is provided for an ACT-particpating college, like OC, to administer the ACT to admitted students. Results are reported only to the college administering the test. No, it is not easier than the National exam because the exact same ACT exams are used, the same testing rules followed , as well as the identical strict monitoring. So what are the advantages of taking the Residual ACT as opposed to the National ACT? (which OC also administers four times yearly.) After all, the Residual ACT is only applicable at the school which administers it, while the National ACT is accepted everywhere. Well, the surprising fact that we happily discovered is that students taking the residual ACT exam score an average of three points higher than they do on the National exam.
I would be interested to read some research about why this is true. Some have said that since the student takes the test individually or with a very small group of students, they are able to concentrate more easily, have fewer distractions and less test anxiety. Whatever the reason, it works. And another nice benefit is that the student receives their score on the same day that they take the exam. Dr. Banister, OC Registrar, personally scores it, which dramatically decreases waiting time. Another anxiety-lowering advantage!
So we made the long trip to OC during the summer for Laura to take the Residual ACT. Yes, it happened for her—she scored three points higher, which pushed her into the next scholarship level! There was major rejoicing that day in the Greene family!
If you were not aware of the Residual ACT, contact your Admissions Counselor and discuss it. Katy Watson in Admissions had excellent advice for us—it is best to take the National exam (in your hometown or at OC) at least once before trying the Residual ACT. A student then has a good idea of what is involved in the exam and is more prepared for the testing.
I’m SO glad Laura found out about the Residual ACT in time to take it. It surely made a difference for this family! And it just might make a difference for yours, too…
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Saturday, October 14, 2006
Taste of Home
(from Linda)
This weekend begins the much awaited “fall break” for OC students. Most of them will be headed home for a few days, but a few students like Laura are too far away to come home during this brief holiday time. Fortunately, she has been invited home with her roommate, and so she is planning on spending her fall break with Leah and her family. When I talked to Laura yesterday on the phone, she mentioned how much she was looking forward to a home-cooked meal. OC’s cafeteria food is great, but it just can’t compare to Mom’s home cooking!
I remember quite clearly my first visit home from college, and how I looked forward to my mother’s cooking, too. (I still do, and I wish I had some right now!) In fact, decades later, I still remember the exact menu and everything she cooked—it was wonderful! Moms (or Dads), you are creating a cherished memory for your college kid as you prepare that special home-cooked meal on the first visit home, so take extra care to make their favorites—they’ll appreciate it as never before!
But if you’re far away and can’t make that home-cooked meal for your college kid until Christmas break, you might come to the same conclusion as I did.
It’s time for a care package filled with their favorite home-baked goodies…and stuffed with lots of parental love! A sweet reminder that “there’s no place like home” ...and Mom’s home cooking!
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Friday, October 13, 2006
The Winning Reason
(from Linda)
Last summer, when Laura was interviewing for the blogging job, our family had the opportunity to meet and talk with Dan Lovejoy, Manager of Web Production in Marketing. One of the first questions he asked us was “Why did you pick OC?” (Of course someone employed in marketing would be keenly interested in this!) There were many positive things, including the academic excellence, that we had to say about OC, but, first and foremost, the spiritual atmosphere so obviously present on this campus was the winning reason. OC was a place for Laura to safely and happily experience growth and spiritual maturation, while finding her own faith under the influence and mentoring of sound Christian faculty and administration.
If you’ve read any of my past blog entries, you’ve probably surmised that I am very much “pro” Christian education. In fact, I don’t know anyone who feels any more strongly about it than I do. And the bottom line is this—what would it matter if Laura attended the most “prestigious” secular educational institution in the country, earning a highly coveted degree, if that choice meant that her soul was not fed during this critical time that she is finding her own faith, apart from her parents? We would consider that all was lost. Sadly, it is reported that 50% (and even more) of Christian young people who attend a secular college end up falling away from the church by the time they complete their undergraduate degree, as opposed to 6% at a Christ-centered college.
OC’s mission statement includes “transforming lives for Christian faith, leadership, and service.” Yes, this sounds great, but as we looked into many aspects of OC, it seemed to us that these were not merely words—it is really happening. We had already been impressed with the obvious commitment to the “second mile initiative” as we continued to experience it with whomever we dealt. And after reviewing Dr. Mike O’Neal’s letter to the churches of Christ, we had a clearer understanding of OC’s goals and the direction it was headed. One of Dr. O’Neal’s stated responsibilities is assuring that the University remains true to its faith heritage and Biblical truth. In addition, we looked into the local congregations and were pleased with the varied opportunities available for Laura to grow spiritually.
I will never forget the exact moment when Katy Watson, Laura’s OC admissions counselor, said the “magic words” that helped seal the deal—she informed us that OC has one of the highest percentages of church of Christ students, as compared to our other Christian universities. Shortly after this conversation, a most informative article by Bobby Ross Jr. came out in the Christian Chronicle (November 1, 2005 “Outward Focus fueling growth at universities”) dealing with that very topic. If you want to read it (and I hope very much that you do), you will see that the exact statistics were not given on all the universities mentioned in the article. So, I personally contacted these schools and asked about their percentages. (I was disappointed.)
In my opinion, this is one of the critical points in choosing a school. You see, we not only hope for Laura to receive an excellent academic education, we are praying that she will find a Christian mate to spend her life with, together faithfully serving God. For in the end, what else will matter?
If you as parents are in the process of helping your son or daughter choose a college, I hope that you will seriously consider the spiritual factor as a top priority. Be informed and decide on your own: talk with the faculty, read Dr. O’Neal’s presidential messages (especially “The Spiritual Mission of Oklahoma Christian University”), listen to his interview, purchase the book “College Bound,” and listen to the podcast interview with Dr. Thomas Shaw from Moody Bible Institute.
The choice of a college may be the single most life-changing decision our children will ever experience.
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Saturday, October 07, 2006
“Tour de OC”
(from Linda)
At the “Dirty Pond” on our first visit to OC: Neil Arter, Laura and Alfred Branch
At this time of year, many families are journeying to “tour the schools,” just as we did. The initial visit to the campus may be the deciding factor for your children as they consider their choices. As for our family, we arrived at OC’s campus with one idea and left with a totally different impression. Katy Watson, admissions counselor, did her job well!
If you have a planned visit to OC, your admissions counselor will probably have a tour schedule arranged for you, like Katy did for us. But if you just happen to be traveling through the area and decide on the spur of the moment to stop (as some of our friends did), be sure you go to the admissions office for direction. This visit is a great time for you to ask questions face-to-face and get information. Take a list of questions with you, and while you’re there you’ll probably have several additional queries. (I’m told I ask a lot of questions—hey, inquiring minds want to know!)
Included on our schedule were appointments with the department head of Laura’s major (nursing), and a stop at financial aid, as well as a tour of the major buildings and “residence halls” (which are still “dorms” to me!) I would never recommend that anyone choose a college based on how impressive the facilities appear, but we were pleased with all that we saw and especially happy with the housing. Remember, we had just completed touring several other schools, so we were “comparison shopping.” Although I’m sure that our Christian universities do their best with allotted funds, it makes a student (and parents) feel important and cared about when they see time and money spent to provide more than adequate housing. When the “lowly freshman housing” is so nice, you can look forward to something much nicer for the sophomore year—and sure enough, when we toured University House (complete with top of the line fitness room), Laura’s eyes got as big as saucers. (This mom and dad even thought the lobby was like an upscale hotel! Wow!)
Of course, an important stop on the tour for many of you (like us) will be at Student Financial Services. I believe that Perry mentioned in a previous blog the unsatisfactory experience we had just had at another university that we were visiting: when we asked our admissions counselor about financial aid, he said, “That will be a short conversation.” And that was it! End of conversation. Not even a paper to look at. What a totally different experience we had at OC—we were provided with all the information and help that we needed, and we didn’t even have to ask! Something new that is now available is Clint LaRue’s Financial Service Blog, which is very helpful. And I can tell you from personal experience that he responds promptly with the answers to your questions when you contact him.
We also got to experience chapel, the Magic Bean (a coffee and sandwich shop), and the cafeteria. One of the best services provided by the cafeteria, in addition to the multiple food bar buffets, is the open hours policy—from 7:15 a.m.—7:00 p.m. on weekdays. So if a student has an unusual schedule, he can go in for a meal at his convenience (and as as many times a day as he wishes), rather than have to miss a meal because he couldn’t be there at the prescribed times.
We picked the perfect day to visit chapel. After a meaningful period of worship, the announcement was made there would be a gathering at the “dirty pond” to watch Dr. Neil Arter, dean of students, don his frogman gear and swim the pond! (With Neil Arter being an OU fan and Alfred Branch being a Texas fan, the outcome of the OU vs. Texas game determines who gets to swim the dirty pond—you guessed it—OU lost!) What fun!
I recommend that you try to experience as many activities as possible during your visit, so you will get the “big picture” of OC. And something very helpful to me last year was reading the freshman blogs. As soon as we got home from our visit, Laura started reading the blogs and then got me reading them too. That gave us a real view into what life at OC is really like. So I would encourage you to read the blogs and comment or ask questions, if you would like to.
As I am remembering our pleasant experience and positive impressions on our initial visit to OC, I also know that none of these things were THE reason Laura is now at OC. (And there were SO many things we liked there.) These were simply added bonuses. I will share in a future blog entry the #1 reason OC was the right choice for Laura. (As for me, this reminiscing about our first visit to OC has made me excited once again, and I wish so much I could enroll too—really!!)
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Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Choosing A College—Why OC?
(from Linda)
Katy Watson and Laura at the “reserved” spot for Laura at OC
Many families know for years ahead where their children will be attending college, and often it is the parent’s alma mater where there is already a family history established. Yet there are many families like ours that are undecided and carefully consider several schools before choosing.
Actually, the process of choosing a college can be quite exciting. I have always remembered and appreciated my parents letting me “comparison shop” for the right college to continue my education. The sequence of gathering information, studying catalogs, and visiting campuses was quite a heady experience for me, yet a major factor in my ultimate satisfaction and happiness with my final decision, I believe. So we let Laura follow the same path and choose the college that seemed “right” for her, rather than assume she would automatically choose one of our alma maters or the college closest to us. We are blessed that there are several outstanding Christian universities for Laura, and others, to consider. (I remember when I was her age, I wished I could attend them all! I was afraid I might miss out on some fun!) And, on our “tour of schools,” we almost didn’t visit OC simply because it was a little farther away from our home in Alabama than some of the other Christian schools.
Over a series of blog entries, I plan to share with you why OC became Laura’s choice for her college education. And, amazingly enough, it was not just her choice—it was also the #1 choice of her father and me for her, too! As all the pieces continued to fall together perfectly, Laura said, “Mom, I really believe that my going to OC is a God-thing.” Yes, it certainly seemed that way to all of us…
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