lauren_wappelhorst

Good Luck With Your Choice!!

As I am getting ready to graduate, it is a blast thinking about where I was four years ago. I took cosmetology for fun in high school, and I remember sitting at one of the computers and looking up UIW on the web. In fact, I even wrangled in a friend to come visit the school with me. I came to an overnighter, and I had so much fun! Up until last year when she graduated, I saw my host everywhere on campus when I got here. It's so funny being able to hang out with people that really helped you make the decision to come to UIW. Even this year, I have had the most random encounters with people who said that I was their tour guide when they came to the University. It's just so cool that this school is so close knit. I mean, can you imagine? The summer after my freshman year, half of the orientation leaders that I worked with were actually my orientation leaders! Not only that, but I met Heather Rodriguez on my very first campus visit. I didn't put my pass on my car quickly enough, and I ended up getting a ticket, because I had parked my car in the premium lot. I took it to Heather, and we got to officially meet. When I came back to campus for the second time, she actually remembered who I was. That meant a lot to me, and I know that, that was a huge factor into deciding to come to UIW. The professors and faculty that I met during my visits actually kept up with me.

I came into UIW with a scholarship from campus ministry. They have this program where they set up freshmen to be mentored within campus ministry, so that they can be full time peer ministers after their first year. I was applying for one of the scholarships when I met Beth, the director, for the first time. When I came for training, she spotted me right away and asked how the rest of my summer was. Of course, a lot of people claimed that they knew me, because I have a funny last name. It doesn't matter though, I still felt like a rockstar!

I met Reverend Trevor in an elevator randomly, and then he turned out to be my boss!

I learned all of the Colbert traditions my first semester, and I talked to Amanda, my RA, about how to become an RA. I was so nervous during the application process, but they ended up putting me in Colbert just like I wanted. I had an amazing team with Dre and Alma. We were unstoppable! We had dances and cheers for our halls, and everyone was a super tight family. I am still close with a bunch of my girls today, and I can't imagine having to leave San Antonio and not have them in my life.

If you are looking to come to UIW, I am so glad that you are taking the time to look at the blogs. I totally checked out the blogs when I was considering the school. I remember, because I read all about Andrew's life on campus, and then I ended up meeting him, because he was only a year older than me! Honestly though, you have to know what makes you happy! When you are considering where to spend the next four years of your life you can't depend on your parents. It's not their life. They will not be living on the dorms, eating in the cafe, meeting new people, attending all of the campus activities, or going to class for you. YOU will be doing all of that. You need to find the environment that is right for you. If it's not UIW, then I hope that you find exactly what you are looking for.

However, the University of the Incarnate Word has a ton to offer, and you will have a truly life changing experience. I have made life long friends, studied abroad, made great connections to help me in the future, attended fantastic events, lived on and off campus, and I have learned a lot about myself. Also, ya know, I have had a great education! My classes have taught me to challenge myself and work to reach my potential.

There are a ton of factors you need to consider when choosing a school. Don't stress! Ask all the questions you can possibly think of. Visit the campus. Talk to students. Figure out what the degree plans entail. Take your time and really find the school that is right for you!! Whether you are still in high school, looking to go back to school, or looking to transfer, UIW has a great program to fit your needs!

Good luck!!

Day of Love

Here in America, we absolutely love to show our love with money. Every year 180 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent out; of course most of these are bought the last six days before the 14^th. Putting cards, flowers, and candy together, the total that Americans spend annually is about 14 billion dollars. Women tend to spend an average of $72 on gifts with men spending an average of $135. About 25 percent of people are treated to dinner by their significant others and there has even been a 51% rise in money spent on pets for this special day.

With all of this focus on spending money and romantic relationships, people lose sight on this amazing celebration of LOVE. This means love of everyone. I have the best Valentine’s Day stories from friends! Even just tonight, I went to the store with a couple of friends and we got the cutest matching cups! I know it’s small, but it’s still exciting. My friend did a year of service in Ecuador, and she says that on Valentine’s Day they had a great festival and it was amazing! It was a great day of music and food and celebrating everyone’s existence.

Tomorrow on campus, an organization is throwing probably the best event ever!! They are bringing a whole bunch of puppies onto campus to play with on Dubuis Lawn. Everyone is invited to come and play with the puppies in celebration of love. Of course, it is also a great ploy since people seem to mope if they are single on the 14^th of February. That’s why I wish there was more emphasis put on all forms of love, not just romantic. It’s a great day to call your friends and family and just say thank you for their presence in your life. Yes, of course, all of the romantic stuff is a lot of fun, and people constantly propose on this day, but don’t forget everyone else in your life as well.

Also go play with some puppies! It sounds like fun!!!

 

A Country in Chaos

By now, everyone should at least know that something is going on in Egypt. President Hosni Mubarak has been in power for over thirty years. At first glance President would suggest that he has been elected into power by the people. Whether or not that is how he got power, he has kept it through very undemocratic means. Mubarak has been oppressing the Egyptian people, and now they want change. Protestors have been gathering in Cairo, and the United States has been covering the event on a daily basis. Basically, the people are calling for a revolution. They want to take Mubarak out of power and put in a proper democratic system that will give everyone rights. Seems fair, doesn’t it? Don’t we all deserve to have basic human rights? Don’t we all deserve freedom? Isn’t this how America was formed?

Last night in Christian Ethics, we had a great debate about whether or not America needs to be doing something to help what is going on. I have a whole other side to the debate that I thought was more important to talk about. Mubarak has been in power for over thirty years. He has met with several presidents during his reign, and the United States has supported him in several ways, including monetarily. Every year Mubarak has received money from the United States for his alliance with us. Egypt is seen as a key ally in the Middle East and it seems that our country is now going to be torn in this uprising.

We knew that the Egyptians were being oppressed. Our American government knew that Mubarak had unjust power and yet we have backed him due to how it helps us. Now the media is trying to portray Mubarak as a horrible dictator. Does anyone see the contradiction? Palin called for Mubarak to reform his ways. Are you kidding? The people want him out altogether! They are done being exploited, and they want a democratic system free of him. As this event unfolds, it will be very interesting to see where America lies.

History has proven shown over and over that America has supported dictators or even put them into power when it proves beneficial for us. Is this the kind of government that we want? Do we elect people to make these decisions so that we can live our lives in blissful ignorance, completely unaware of the millions of people being killed and tortured for our sake? I am trying to reconcile these social justice issues with being an American, and, honestly, it is becoming really hard for me to stay positive about the morals that we subscribe to.

Win the future? At whose expense?

I am Part of History in the Making

Isn’t that an exciting thing to say? Sometimes it’s for something horrible that happened. The generation before me remembers exactly where they were when the President was assassinated, and I, along with all of my peers, will always remember where I was when I first heard that the twin towers had been hit. Thankfully, the news that I have for you today is much milder. In fact, it will just become a part of mindless trivia that the creators of UIW THE GAME could use as one of their questions. As you know, due to several complaints from me, a cold front came in last week. In fact, due to lack of heat, I had to sleep on friends’ couches. That doesn’t bother me though. What I found funny was the fact that I was jarred awake at five thirty last Friday morning with a text blaring from my cell phone. Who was texting me that early in the morning? Why UIW of course!! Due to horrible weather conditions, the University was officially shut down last Friday. At first they thought it was going to be just for half of the day, but time came to prove that they would keep the University closed for the entire day!

Fantastic!! Given, it would have meant a lot more to me if I had Friday classes. However, if I had Friday classes in general, then I would complain that I have Friday classes in the first place. Is it weird that, that is a major selling point of UIW for me? Most of the classes are Mon/Wed or Tue/Thur. You will only have special labs or interest classes on Friday. I love that! Four days of class a week is so perfect! Plus, then you get to take advantage of college nights on Thursdays around town without having to wake up early the next morning. I am going to have to work hard to get used to the real world when I graduate. Coming into work on Friday mornings as well?!?! What is this nonsense?! Ok, I am totally just kidding.

It was a tad scary, because a lot of roads were still closed Friday. There was ice everywhere, and since people in San Antonio already don’t get an award for driving well, it was an extra special major hazard! I finally got on the road around one in the afternoon, and it wasn’t all bad. People were being cautious, so I was lucky enough not to witness or be part of any fender benders. I just wanted to tell everyone how excited that I was that the UIW campus was closed. SAN ANTONIO GOT A SNOW DAY!! Yes, this one is going down in the books!

Everyone bundle up and stay safe. Though I am sure tomorrow, everyone will be back in shorts and t-shirts. Oh the glory of cold fronts. 

 

Ice, Ice Baby

Ok, a cold front came in from nowhere! I was finally getting happy with the temperature in our house, but then the weather man announced that there would be a cold front coming in through the city. Literally this happened two days ago, and that evening I woke up to loud, howling wind. My trees were being pushed against my windows, and it sounded like a tornado was coming. When I am jarred awake like that, my mind tends to jump all over the place, and I really started thinking off all the places to hide from a tornado. The situation was made worse, because my roommate is out of town, so I was all alone in the house.

Last night was worse, because the cold has officially set in! There is no heat in our house. None! We don’t have any form of space heater or warm air coming through our house at all. My hands are turning red from pain. It’s horrible! I never thought I would run into these problems living in San Antonio. My roommate told me that there was six inches of snow in Abilene, so the cold has spread all over! I am trying to get everything I need to do in the house done, because then I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening up at the school. Oh UIW how I miss your warmth.

I do have to say that I truly appreciate my neighbor though, because he brought me soup and green tea yesterday when I couldn’t leave my blanket hut. I have super sensitive ears due to surgeries, and the cold set off my sinuses like no other. I am going to go eat lunch now at Panera and then head to campus. I will be totally warm very soon, but for now I feel like I am going to lose my toes to frostbite.

This is the number one thing that I miss about living on campus! They have cold and heat and you don’t have to worry about your electricity bill running up, because it is all covered under your set living rate. Sometimes I feel like my roommate and I torture ourselves just to save an extra buck, so I am truly missing the days of a warm dorm room.

If you are from San Antonio grab your gloves, sweaters, and heavy wool socks, because the cold is upon us!! 

 

Where is the Responsible Middle Ground?

I am taking Christian Ethics this semester, and I love it! Every night at the beginning of class, we go over news stories that force us to look at some sort of ethical issue. Of course, ethical issues can be found in just about every news story that you can think of, so it has become very interesting seeing what different perspectives have been brought into class.

Last week the biggest thing on my mind was that the last police officer in Juarez had gone missing. Now, they think that she has been kidnapped by the drug cartel, but they said this might not be the case since her family didn’t file a missing persons report. For me that seems obvious that they wouldn’t, because then they would be in danger of being harassed by the same people that could be responsible for the kidnapping. This story really stirred up some torn emotions, because it was published in the United States. In fact, it was in our daily paper here in San Antonio. Here in San Antonio we are very aware of the drug war that is taking place on our borders, so what are we doing to stop it.

The other night I was in my World Religions class, and we were talking about how no one helped stop the Holocaust. We went through several newspapers that published articles during the Holocaust, but no one rose up to stop it. This makes me nervous. Now, I understand the argument that we have a lot of problems in our own country that we need to solve. I realize that we should use our funds to help fight poverty and crime in America. That being said, I do feel like we live in a very individualistic society that focuses on what we can do to help ourselves. If things aren’t directly affecting us, it’s hard to culminate the empathy needed to rise up and make a difference.

This excuse doesn’t work for me anymore. I am not saying everyone needs to abandon their normal lives and devote every waking moment to a cause. No. That would be ridiculous. However, we could, as a nation, at least acknowledge the atrocities that are going on across the world. I don’t have idealistic views that we can stop all the evil in the world, but I do know that we can make a difference. I am trying to live my life by the famous quote:

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

This has inspired me at least be informed about what is going on around the world. I might find something that really hits close to home and find a realistic way to get involved. 

 

Optometry School

Congratulations to UIW for opening up the new school of Optometry. Right now we have “Preliminary Approval,” which is the highest accreditation that a new medical program can have. This means that the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association has decided that our program is on the right path to success. The people who go through this program will come out very capable doctors in the future. Since this campus is not located on the main campus, I decided to do some research and find out more about it.

First off, Optometry is a great field to go into if you are looking for a career in the medical field. You get to have one on one interaction with your patients that some other doctors just can’t. Whether you work for a corporation or are interested in starting your own private practice, you will get to meet people of all ages and all walks of life. It’s a challenging job that will help you continue being a lifelong learner. There are lazy eyes in children to diagnose and talking to patients about refractive surgery. The earning potential is great if you are interested in being financially stable and paying off those school loans! Unlike other medical professions, the work is flexible and there is time to have a real life outside of the office. Once you earn your certification there are tons of opportunities and job security for the rest of your life.

Now that you have decided Optometry is the path for you, you should really consider getting your education from the UIW School of Optometry. Whether you are from Texas or out of state, San Antonio is an amazing city to live in! It appeals to a diverse crowd, the cost of living is one of the best in the country, and there are always things to do. Your unique UIW experience will combine your classroom education with patient interaction, and you will have lots of case-based seminars and problem-based learning. The facilities are new and state of the art, which will provide you with the advanced technology that you will be working with after graduation.

Interested in learning more? You should check out the school’s website for the Optometry program at http://optometry.uiw.edu/index.html

They have a ton of great information about the program and everything it has to offer. I like to read up on the other schools that we have at UIW since I don’t get to experience them through my major. However, it always makes me want to change my career plans. So if you are at all interested in Optometry, proceed with caution, because it will make you want to apply today! 

 

Renaming of Colbert Hall

Ok, so I want to say up front that this is just sarcasm. My friends and I have been joking about this for four years now, and it just came back into mind. Stephen Colbert is the host of the Colbert Report on Comedy Central. Have you seen it? If not, then you should check it out ASAP. He also co-wrote I AM AMERICA (AND SO CAN YOU!) Of course, these are just two things from his laundry list of satire and comedy gigs that he has been part of. I got this audio book before college, and I have randomly re-listened to it at least ten times by now. He provides commentary on all facets of life: sports, politics, family, etc. It's all written in a satiric form, and he narrates with perfection. Basically, it's hilarious.

I am saying all this to provide some back story as to why my friends and I love Stephen Colbert. Now, if you have never visited UIW before, then you might not know that on top of the Administration Building is Colbert Hall. It's a women's freshman dorm. Side note: If you are looking to live on campus, I strongly suggest this dorm!! Yes, it has community bathrooms, and I realize that can be scary. However, it was my first dorm, and I was an RA there my sophomore year as well. No other women's dorm on campus has such unity. Yes, living on campus in general provides a new, unique kind of family, but this is THE dorm to live in for your family away from home. On top of that, double plus bonus, it's on top of the building where most of your core classes are located. My tangent is complete, so now I will go back to the point about Colbert Hall. Right now, the dorm is named Colbert, with a hard T, after a prior President of the University. Our suggestion is to rename the dorm Colbert, with a soft T, after Stephen Colbert. THEN, once we have renamed the hall, we can dedicate it to his performance and have him come to campus with comically large scissors and cut a giant red ribbon.

Why should we dedicate this dorm to Stephen Colbert? First, several students on campus support him. His name is on the lips of students and faculty, and his comedy is enjoyed by a diverse group. Second, he supports college education. He is a college graduate, and he makes appearances at Universities across the states to support students in their process. Third, he is Catholic. He is openly Catholic in the media, and he teaches Sunday school. Yeah, cool, huh? 

Obviously, this is one of the best ideas that I have had during my time at UIW. Of course, I cannot truly take credit for it, because it was not my idea, but for the sake of this blog, it is. If you support this, then I suggest calling the Admissions office and letting them know that your application to the school depends on the review of this idea. 

Have a great day! If you haven't yet, check out Stephen Colbert through the Colbert Report or his books. He has some great stuff to share with the youth of America! 

Why the AT

I have made taken my first official steps to deciding what I am going to do when I grow up. With graduation looming over my head, I feel like everyday I am faced with the small, but constant, panic of what I am going to do after May 10. Over the past four years I have gone through several phases. I came into college wanting to be a youth minister. My passion for youth is still there, but I don't feel called in that direction at this time. My sophomore year I was sure that I wanted to become fluent in Spanish and go to law school and help immigrants in the United States. After looking into different law schools, I realized VERY QUICKLY that it's not for me. I have gone through a slew of social justice issues which has raised interest in policy for inner city schools, prison administration, and helping abused women. All of these interests have arisen due to what I am learning in school. Basically, I love school. I want to be a student forever. How can I do that? I am going into academia! Yes, I am going to be a University Professor when I grow up. I am going to go to grad school and then work on my PhD. I am going to go to class and teach all of the interesting things that I have learned while continuing my own education. I am very excited! 

That being said, I am excited for a break from school. I have worked very hard these past four years, and I have worked up an appetite for some peace and quiet. That's where my best friend from high school comes into the picture. She is not graduating until next December, and when she does, she is planning on hiking the AT, The Appalachian Trail. 

What does this have to do with me? She has invited me to join her!! 

Imagine! 2,179 miles stretching from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Five to seven months with a heavy pack on my back and tons of dangers to run into. I could run into trouble through my own fault, which would come in the form of me falling down and twisting my ankle. I could be bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear. A stranger could come up onto the path where it crosses through town and attack us, and, of course, I could get dehydrated and need to be carried off. I am putting all fears behind me, because this is something that I want to do. I want to commit myself to this intense challenge, and then I will go to grad school. Then, when I am tired and don't want to study anymore, I can say, HEY, LAUREN, YOU ROCKED THE AT, YOU GOT THIS! Hahaha ok, that's not the reason why I want to hike it, but that is some pretty great motivation nonetheless. 

Over these next few months I will be preparing for the GRE. After that I will start applying for grad schools for the following fall. I am really excited for this year off, because I think that it will help me prepare mentally for furthering my education. I love learning. I don't ever want it to become something that doesn't excite me, so I am going to back off from intensive studying after graduation. Now all I have to do is figure out what I will be doing from the time I graduate to the time we start hiking, which won't be until the end of March or beginning of April. 

I am going to start reading up on the AT, and I will let you know all about the planning! 

MLK Day 2011

It always falls so perfectly every few years or so. MLK Day always falls on the same Monday in mid January. My birthday is January 17, and this year it lined up perfectly with the holiday. I just wanted to throw that in there before I started talking about the march. I got so excited, because this is my last year in San Antonio, and I wanted to be a part of the history that is made in this city every year. 

10 am yesterday, THOUSANDS of people gather to form the largest MLK march in the United States. I think that is such a beautiful bragging point here in  San Antonio. I like it, because it illustrates the diversity and commitment of this city to human rights. Everyone goes in one big straight shot from the MLK Freedom Bridge to the Pittmas-Sullivan Park. The VIA bus system gets on board for this epic event. There are shuttle services provided from different points in San Antonio, depending on where is easiest for you to park. Also, it is a discounted rate, because the city truly supports this endeavor. 

This march sheds light on human rights issues that still exist in San Antonio and the United States today. There were tons of rainbow colored signs urging for gay and lesbian rights. Going to a Catholic University I truly appreciate this struggle for political rights among the gay and lesbian community. I love Incarnate Word, because it is such an accepting campus. Sometimes the Catholic Church can get a bad rap on this issue, but I believe that our campus embraces all forms of diversity to make every student feel welcomed and loved on campus.

The march also has distinguished awards and scholarships associated with it, and if you get the chance you should really check out their site. http://www.sanantonio.gov/MLK/ This is one of the many events that strongly urge you to get involved in here in San Antonio. Tons of student organizations on campus go together, and you can also go with local churches. We got really excited, because it turned out that a lot of people who graduated UIW last year still went out for the March. This is a family event that everyone can enjoy. 

Martin Luther King Jr. did so much for civil rights here in America. With this march we can gather together and open up a discussion about what other changes need to be happening here in San Antonio. With such a diverse community, there are hundreds of different organizations that are working to make a difference! You should definitely check them out.