Personal Life and Project

Hey there,

It’s time to wrap things up--the semester, big life decisions, a million unpacked things in my dorm, and the results of my personal project.

My personal project came about in an effort to gain more control of my time. Life in college dictates so much more of my every day than I was expecting. It isn't the classes or studying. I enjoy that. I think it is the little moments of time. The constant sharing of space with someone else. The dull glare of the lights and walls in my dorm room. All the time I wish I was at home with my family or with my friends. Mediocre meals eaten alone in the Marketplace. The accumulation of all these moments of accommodation made me feel off balance like all the things that make me who I am just don't matter as much here.

With my project, I wanted to invest time in myself, in creating a life here that had more purpose.

Remember my little idea called “Bike, Books, and Big?”  Consider those done, done, and done.

Bike  

Okay, I admit this is a tad misleading. I do not have a traditional bicycle that I ride around campus. This refers to Spin Class. For some of last semester and all of this semester, I hopped on a cycling machine next to my lovely gal pal, Kate, and that was how we spent our Thursday nights. If you would like proof of the this feat, then maybe just check out my calves or ask our delightful instructor, Bri.

Cycling is one form of exercise that I really have fun doing, and it allowed me to invest in my health while also bonding with a friend. So win-win! Also I hope to find a cycling class to take at home this summer! Win!

Books

If you've read any of my blogs or know me at all, then you know that I find sanctuary in written word. But I've discovered that even though I packed 65 books and found a place for all of them in my tiny half of the room, I haven't had much time to read.

In the midst of everything else this semester, I made my way through three books--each one matching an aspect of my personality.

• Evicted by Matthew Desmond. It was on dozens of Must-Read lists from NPR to New York Times to Amazon to Barack Obama. Evicted is a non-fiction book that follows the stories of eight families in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as they try to have meaningful lives in the midst of poverty while others make large profits off their troubles. At times, I had to put the book down because I was overcome with a mixture of anger and sadness at the systems that seek to make the lives of the poor even harder. However, I am happy that I finished it and happy with the time I decided to read it. This semester, I spent more than 30 hours volunteering at the Johnson City Housing Authority, and what I learned from this book helped me be a better service to the agency. I even think I want to focus my future studies on Public Policy regarding housing and urban development.

• To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. This one took the longest to get through even though it was technically the shortest in length. Virginia Woolf is an amazing writer, but she writes in “stream of consciousness” style, so sometimes it requires very close, slow reading. I thoroughly enjoyed it and all the time it took to finish. Hard books like that often result in a better feeling when you finish, and it was just lovely to read.

• The Idiot by Elif Batuman.  This was an impulse buy when I was in a little bookstore in D.C, and it was one of the best decisions I made all semester. The main character is a lot like me, a freshman in college and trying to understand how to be an adult and communicate online (set in the 90s so by online, I mean e-mail) and how to find meaning in what you study. It was all such dry humor and interesting observations about this time in life. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in words and identity and awkward college experiences.

Big

The final facet of my project was my time at the Boys and Girls Club, where every week I visit my "Little Brother". Every Thursday afternoon I go and hang out with him for an hour or so. We eat snacks, read books, and play games. It's a nice way to forget about schoolwork for awhile, and just focus on making it a good time for this little kid I've grown to adore. Unfortunately, this Thursday will be my last afternoon with him, due to a factor explained below.

*Final* Thoughts

Overall, the combination of these activities has greatly benefited me personally, and I am glad that I was required to prioritize this type of self-improvement.

I have one huge personal update to tell everyone though.

This is my last blog and last “Collo” assignment.  I have been accepted to transfer to Rhodes College in Memphis. There are so many reasons that this is the right decision for me (like my major, my family, my relationship, my love for Elvis [mostly a joke]) but none of them mean that I regret my time at ETSU. I’ve met some wonderful people and learned so much from incredible professors and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery and memories I’ve made here.

So while I will no longer be a “Colloquist” in the same sense, I will always remember my days here as meaningful and use the experience to shape my next few years in college.

Until Some Other Time,

Maddie

Charity Ball Shenanigans

Hey everybody, 

It is hard to believe the Charity Ball is over. 

As a member of the Honors College Student Council, I have been anticipating and planning this event since the beginning of the school year. Now that it has come and gone, it is time to share some thoughts and pictures. 

Thoughts! 

• Venue: Amazing! I have been characterized as having "extravagant taste", so the Carnegie Hotel did not disappoint with all the gorgeous light fixtures and decorated ceilings/walls. I'd like to live there. 
• Food: I had a delicious red velvet cupcake! That was the highlight, but there were also small snacks for everyone like mini quesadillas, chicken on a stick, vegetable eggrolls, and spinach dip.
• Friends: I suppose Kate was my date. We got ready and rode together, then joined our pals Steven, John, and Jonah at a table with some of their friends. They are lovely company and ~interesting~ dancers. 
• Charity: We raised over $6,000 for the local charity, Small Miracles, an equestrian therapy facility that serves members of the community who have disabilities and even veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress. Overall, it was an extremely successful fundraising partnership with CIDA, and I know our hard work was worth it!  

Pictures! 

The ever-so stylish Luke and I 

Kate, Steven, his famous bolo tie, and I 

There isn't much to say except that the night was a success! Everyone seemed to have fun dancing and hanging out with friends! If you are reading this and you did not have a good time, please let me know so we can fix it for next year!

In other news: I am trying to find somewhere else to wear my dress. 

Until Next Time, 

Maddie 

March for Our Lives

Hello hello hello!

Happy Final Month of Classes!

If you read/watch/hear the news at all,  you know a few things:
1. Yet another school shooting has taken the lives of students.
2.  The majority of America wants Congress to do something about it--the breadth of which can be determined by your political beliefs/ constitutional interpretation, etc.
( Main thing we can agree on: desire for safety in our schools, churches, and communities)

These past few weeks have been full of activism on the national stage, but sometimes it is hard to feel that same fervor locally. I didn't expect much to be happening for this issue in East Tennessee. Last week, however, I was fortunate enough to experience something that changed my mind: March for Our Lives.

The day of the March was a Saturday. It was cold. It was raining. It was the middle of the afternoon. All of these factors could typically contribute to a small turnout. My brother and I arrived, expecting to see a few other college kids and families. In reality, I was blown away by the number of people in our community who showed up on this dreary Saturday to march for change. It was 2 miles, and I was surrounded by fellow citizens from every generation. An older couple--both using walkers--were doing the march next to us and said, "We've been fighting against gun violence since we were about your age!" This comment put the movement into perspective for me. It may be frustrating as a young person to see these shootings time and time again, and wait as congress does nothing to protect us, but others in our nation have been going through this for decades. The American epidemic of gun violence is not a recent epidemic.

We stopped in a park about halfway through the march to share a moment of silence for those killed in the Parkland school shooting and all other victims of gun violence in our nation. Then we continued and ended at the ETSU Cave patio to begin a rally. Starbucks donated some hot coffee to warm us up, and as we drank, local organizations handed out information and voter registration forms.

Speakers from many different perspectives shared their personal encounters with gun violence and voiced support for common sense reform. The group included ETSU students, Johnson City teachers and law enforcement, a local Moms Demand Action organizer, and even the Vice-Mayor of Johnson City. It was truly a remarkable display of democracy right here on campus and in our city.


Some pictures are included below:

My brother Garrett and I post-march and pre-rally

I know that the current political climate can make every issue polarized, but this is one thing we can all come together to work on. We should not have to fear for our safety in public spaces.

If you want to become more informed and involved, please check out these links. 

Everytown for Gun Safety

Moms Demand Action (not just for moms) 

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence

Signing off to send a letter to Congress (Join me!), 

Maddie 

Project Proposal

Greetings everyone! 

For Collo this semester, we were asked to pick a personal project. Something we have wanted to work on for awhile, but feel like there is no time. 

I gave this assignment a lot of thought, and what I've come up with is a three-tiered self-improvement plan. 

The "Body, Mind, and Soul"  approach or alternatively "Bike, Book, and Big" 

The first facet of this project will relate to fitness.Voluntary exercise has never been an interest of mine. Ya know, I wouldn't exactly call myself a gym rat. Alas! this past semester I discovered an activity that I really enjoy: cycling class. It's a "fun"-filled hour of hills and sweat and pop music. It is one way to be active, and I actually love it (plus my bff Kate does too). 

We usually go to class on Thursday nights, but I'd like to take the commitment as step further. As part of my project, I will be spending at least 10 hours cycling. I'm also giving up sugary drinks for Lent, only drinking water, tea (of the herbal variety, not sweet), and coffee for the next 40 days. This should also contribute to a general improvement in my health. 

The second facet of my project regards a topic I have written of extensively: books. I love reading, but as a Political Science and English double major, it seems most of what I read is infuriating (news) or required. However, I would really like to get back into reading for fun. So as the "Mind" part of my project, I'm going to work on reading books. To accomplish this, I will cut out pointless scrolling on my phone before bed and pick up a book instead. Then I can blog about what I'm reading. 

My first choice is called Evicted by Matthew Desmond. It is about  "poverty and profit in the American city"; it has fueled my desire to work on housing issues and become a better volunteer for my Service Learning job at the Johnson City Housing Authority. After that one, I would like to try a classic fiction book like a Virginia Woolf novel. 

The final facet has to do with my soul. Every week, I continue to mentor my "little brother" for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. My time with him--just playing games or helping with homework-- reminds me of the good that comes from just being a friend. This kid is so sweet, and I love being a person who can just encourage him. It's like having a younger sibling without all the hassle of arguing and driving them around. 

I think it will be more than 25 hours worth of work, but all of it is meaningful to me. Anyway, I think this project will help me to focus on the values I chose last semester: justice and love. 

I hope I come out of this semester with a greater appreciation for my health,  a couple new book recommendations, and a better relationship with my little brother. 

Maddie