Week 4, It's Birthday Time

Dear Family,
     Birthdays at Hillsdale College are quite fantastic. Though initially apprehensive about turning 19 without all of you around, I have to say that Hillsdale is making it pretty incredible.
     To begin with, my friends have been great about saying "Happy Birthday!" I think the constant reminders I keep putting out there might help. Oh well. I still feel loved. Additionally, my RAs put a lovely "Happy Birthday" sign on my door. It's pretty hard to miss.
     The gifts from back home are really great too, thank you! I must say though, you know me too well. It was probably a good idea to include the instructions forbidding me to open the package early. It does, however, still irk me that you anticipated such a move. Just so you know, I followed the instructions to a "t". Shaking packages, weight them, and trying to develop x-ray vision does not really count, does it?
     The crowning achievement of my birthday, though, is my once again being mistaken as younger than I actually am. At my birthday dinner, it took us quite a while to convince the waitress that I was, in fact, in college. Nearly every other freshman is shocked when they hear I'm turning 19. I think there is a rumor going around that I am, in fact, a very smart 12-year-old. I'm not really sure if I prefer reality.
     I'm off to bask in my birthday glory. I love you, miss you, and extremely grateful for your gifts!
                                                                                                                            All my love,
                                                                                                                                       Leah

Week 3, Can you believe it?

So, I realize that this is a little late. This week has been a little crazy. :D Anyway, here it is.

Dear Family, 
     There is no better study break than orchestra, especially for a violist. You may interpret that however you'd like. Seriously, though, there's something so great about being part of something bigger than you are--music is one of those crazy things that makes you feel like you have a purpose. The softer I play, the more beautiful the orchestra sounds. I wonder if there's something to this.
     In other news, I think I'm making friends. That is, everywhere but in my German class. I may or may not have reminded the teacher to give our homework assignment on Friday. Though the intent was to make sure I hadn't missed something, the reaction of the class was immediate. they all swiveled in their chairs, eyes locked on their target. Terror gripped my heart. Jokingly, the professor said he would leave the room while they all pummeled me. I don't think the other students took it as a joke.
     On a totally unrelated subject, I've been walking in groups of at least twenty, my dorm room door is always locked, and I make sure someone tastes my food before I eat it. Safety first!
     Fall is beginning to settle in, which means only one thing: sweater season! I love sweaters so much. A sweater is the key to a perfect autumn day. Really, the weather is great here. I don't think the students from below the Mason-Dixon Line agree with me. Maybe I should be less vocal about my love of autumn. I wouldn't want them to be after me too.
     Off to construct an impregnable fortress around my room. One can never be too careful!
                                                                                                                       All My Love,
                                                                                                                                    Leah

P.S.

Oh yeah. And this is my face paint job. It isn't exactly a "thick layer" but my editor liked that phrase better.

Week 2, Makin' in Big...or something like that.

    I promise my ego is not the size of Texas. Only Alaska. Kidding, kidding. I still am having trouble getting info on my column from the online version of the Collegian, so I am going to put article number two on here. And, if you stick around until the end, you'll get to hear about my unique responses.

Letters Home
by Leah Bernhardson
Dear Family,
     I went to my first Hillsdale football game this week--I figure that astonishes you. Please, please erase form your mind all the horrible things I've said about football in the past. I repent! Watching football is not a waste of four hours of my life. Referring to a team I'm not a member of as "us" is not ridiculous. Screaming at the television is not a mark of insanity.
    I went to the game in gorgeous blue and white and a thick layer of face-paint. And guess what? The Chargers won. My voice is a little worse for the wear, but I hope I recover.
    Football, however, isn't the only thing occupying my mind these days. There's this fantastic book titled The Iliad that I spend a great deal of time reading. Have I ever mentioned that I really like English? I really like English.
    Oh, oh, oh! I received cookies this week! I know they weren't from you, but I'm still extremely excited. See, this appears to be a sign. If I merely wish for things to appear in my Hillsdale mail box, they will! I can foresee endless possibilities here. Cookies, large steaming mugs of hot chocolate...Oh! And maybe even a home-cooked meeal. Hmm. Must go wish things into my mailbox!
                                                                                                                     All my love,
                                                                                                                             Leah

Alright? Still there. Ok. Now for the funny part. So, after this ran in the paper this morning, I received a rather unique email response. Ready? Ready? I'll copy it in full...
"Leah -

 

Enjoyed your article - glad you liked the game!

 

Does this mean you plan to take football class in the spring?

 

Have a great week - God's blessings,

That illegible signature happens to be that of the head football coach at Hillsdale college. Most random thing to ever happen to me? Quite possible. I'm still not entirely sure how to respond. 

I guess when you make it big...Just kidding. But the email did make my day. I think college shows substantial possibility to be one of the most fantastic experiences ever. 

My First Published Article

     I might be a little bit excited about this. Perhaps. Ok, breathe. So, I got published in the first issue of the Hillsdale College school newspaper, The Collegian, in what I understand to be an ongoing column. Knowing me,  it attempts to be humorous, achieves being nerdy, and generally heaps a bit of ridicule on myself.
     Either due to my lack of technological savvy or a delay in putting things online from the Collegian, I don't have a link to the article yet. Feel free to do some digging yourself, if you'd like: http://www.hillsdalecollegian.com/     Without further ado, the text of my article. Oh, and attached is the picture that accompanied it.

Letters Home
by Leah Bernhardson

Dear Family,

Greetings from Hillsdale, land of the free and the home of those bravely awaiting grades from daunting professors!  I’ve finally settled into my dorm. I think. Perhaps.  Ask me this time next week.

                This place is really, truly great. In fact, I’m not homesick at all. I mean, uh, I miss you all like crazy and can’t wait to go home… Ahem. Anyway, did you know that at Hillsdale saying “I was homeschooled” doesn’t get you the what-planet-are-you-from look? I think this nearly makes up for the fact that I’m convinced every professor is working together to intimidate students. I feel like reciting Socrates’ “All that I know is that I know nothing” speech ad nauseam.

                Classes started this week. I haven’t gotten any grades yet, so I really enjoy them. I’m developing a callus on my finger from all the notes I’ve taken. I’m going to name it “The Good” so that I have some answer for Dr. Arnn’s famous question.

                I spend most of my day studying and lamenting the food in Saga. My favorite place to study is the Heritage room. There’s nothing like a collection of bald eagles in attack mode to inspire serious concentration.

                I check my mailbox every day. This does not make any cookies appear. Please send cookies. And Daddy, could you send more money? Caffeine is a necessity for every college student. Really, it is. You wouldn’t want me to be ill-prepared, now would you?

                I’m off to study again. I’m pretty sure the novelty of spending hour upon hour in the library will wear off after a few weeks. For now, though, I’m going to make the most of it.

                                                                                                                              All my love,

                                                                                                                                          Leah