5 Things I WIll Miss About Rockhurst

Since I will soon be graduating from Rockhurst, I have decided to create a reflective countdown each day until the "big day." Walking around campus fills me with such nostalgia and memories of the past, that I feel like I need to express them! I hope this little reflection will interest you in taking time out to enjoy the things that make you happy, and be grateful for all the blessings you have been given...even the small ones :)

What I Will Miss About Rockhurst

1.) Senate Midnight Breakfast

Senate Midnight Breakfast has always been a highlight of my Rockhurst experience. This breakfast feast, hosted by the student senate, is held every semester right before finals begin. I am proud to say that I have never missed one. It is so popular among the students, that I would dare to say it is one of the Rockhurst events with the most turn out. The only cost to participate is either $1 or a canned good. Not a bad deal! And it is not possible for you to leave hungry. They have pancakes, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, bacon, french toast sticks, and as much soda and coffee as you can drink.

While the food is delicious, Midnight Breakfast has given me so much more than something to munch on. Every year at this time is bittersweet. I am excited for summer to come, yet as soon as finals are over I know everyone will be gone. This breakfast is kind of like a last "hurrah" where all your Rockhurst friends come together at the same time. Looking back on my freshman year midnight breakfast, I remember me and a couple friends toasting to all the memories we made during our first year at college. After each "Here's to..." we took a sip of orange soda. I refilled my cup multiple times that night! Another year, after being all sugared up, we started a mini dance party in upstairs Massman. I remember laughing until I cried (and also being quite sore the next day). All these memories flooded back to me this year. As I looked around the cafeteria I realized how thankful I am for this Rockhurst experience, which has allowed me bond with friends, given me reason to look forward to finals, and eat some delicious food in the process. 

Eat Mor Chikin

Throughout my college years, I have discovered that a great place to go when you need a study break, a little ice-cream pick-me-up, or a delicious dinner is none other than the wonderful Chick-Fil-A. This past week my housemates and I were feeling a little overwhelmed with our end of the year papers and presentations, so we decided to just put down what we were doing and bond over some chicken sandwiches (and fries and ice-cream, of course). As we walked into Chick-Fil-A, we were immediately greeted by the friendly staff. I have found that not only is the food here delicious, but the employees are so incredibly kind that they always just brighten my day! 

Great conversations and good food did the trick for me that day. I’m beginning to realize that my days as a senior are numbered, which is why I’m so glad that my housemates and I were able to set this time aside to spend together. You may think ask, “What’s the big deal? You just went out to eat.” My response is- yes, we just went out to eat, but not at just any restaurant. It was Chick-Fil-A. And it was delicious. While I realize that this may seem like a menial event, I also know that these are the sort of moments that I will look back on once my friends and I depart- the simple moments filled with laughter, food, and friends.

A Taste for Something Different

my friend Anna tasting her barium juice

One of the classes that I am currently taking is called Clinical Management: Adults. This class is taught by a speech pathologist who works in the adult setting, helping stroke patients learn how to swallow again and teaching people with aphasia strategies to help them comprehend what they hear, read, say, and write. To help us students really get a grasp of what it is like to treat a stroke patient, the other day our professor brought to class an assortment of different foods and beverages. When a person is having trouble swallowing, the have to begin practicing with thin liquids and then gradually work their way up to thicker consistencies. Our professor began class by pouring barium into juice. Barium is a substance that is mixed with other foods, and that shows up when giving a person an X-ray. This allows clinicians to see how a person swallows and if any substances get left behind somewhere along the process. It was a great experience seeing how barium is mixed into juice so that a swallow study can be performed. However, the fun didn't stop there. Not only did we mix it, but we had to try it. Stroke patients don't have too many options of what they get to eat, so our professor was helping us to see what it's like in their shoes. And after trying the barium juice, I must say I have compassion for them. The texture of the juice was strange, and the barium took away from the sweetness of it. After finishing our juice, we also blended up chicken alfredo so that we could try a thicker consistency. The texture felt so weird that I mentally had to remind myself that it still tasted delicious.
I really appreciate our professor engaging us in this activity. I feel like I learn best through hands-on assignments, and this activity really brought home how difficult the whole "relearning how to swallow process" must be for our patients.

Giving off a Glow

Last week I experienced something that I never had done before: my first ever neon paint dance party! And I tell you, it was amazing. This dance was put on by Alpha Delta Gamma, one of the Rockhurst fraternities. I had a feeling even before I bought my ticket that this event was going to be a unique one, for the advertisements were eye-catching with all their bright colors and cool designs. I felt that the PR just had to be a sign of what was yet to come. In addition, along with the tickets you could also purchase a crazy tie-dyed T-shirt that was to be worn the night of the dance.

Upon entering the venue that night, I was caught off guard by all the colors and lights that were flashing and glowing in the dark. The music gave off a beat that just wouldn't let me stand still and before I knew it, I was out on the dance floor. While my unsuspecting friends and I were busting some moves, we were quite surprised when we felt a splatter of paint land on us. We soon realized that some of the guys had filled neon paint into water guns and were shooting it into the crowd, adding a little color to their clothes. Soon, it felt like a contest of who could become the most colorful. I was so covered in paint that by the end of the night, I felt like a walking glow stick!

I think I can honestly say that this was my favorite Rockhurst dance that I have been to. It had all the elements of normal dances that I love- friends, great music, awesome venue- but with some colorful additions!

The Results Are In!

After much hard work and effort, phone calls, emails, and a waiting period that has seemed like an eternity, I have finally heard back from several of the graduate schools that I applied to! I am very happy to announce that I have decided upon....drumroll, please....my very own alma mater, Rockhurst! 

The day my acceptance letter arrived in the mail, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I opened the envelop. Thankfully the first word on the letter was Congratulations, which sent a wave of relief throughout my body, quickly followed by a surge of excitement! I think I just stood where I was, staring at the letter, until I finally processed what had happened. My first choice!

The reasons why I wanted to remain at Rockhurst are not only because it is the shortest driving distance from home (2 1/2 hours), that I already have the Rockhurst Speech-Language Pathology fleece jacket, or that the cookie twisters here are to die for. I feel that I have received a wonderful undergraduate education at Rockhurst, from some very smart and experienced professors. I love the fact that I am living in a city with over 90 different sites in which I can observe, volunteer, and/or potentially work at some day! While I did debate, for a time, on whether or not I should go out and experience what another school could be like, Rockhurst just seemed to feel right.

Now that I have a sense of security for next year’s plans, I feel more at peace and able to enjoy the last quarter of my senior year. It has absolutely flown by, but I want to enjoy as much as I can before I blink again!

Up, Up and Away!

One incredible spring break adventure that I forgot to mention in my last post was that I went skydiving. That's right, skydiving!! Ok, so maybe it was a skydiving simulation, but this experience sure didn't fail to send my adrenaline pumping. At the conclusion of our Disney World vacation, we were on our way back to the airport when we passed by a building with a sign that said "Ifly." Upon recognizing the building, David's dad pulled the car into the parking lot and told us about his experience at a similar indoor skydiving location. After hearing his story, I was sold on trying it out myself...for the most part. I must admit that I got a case of cold feet once I observed a group ahead of us. The skydivers each took turns flying in a glass tunnel, with air blowing up through the bottom. The tunnel looked a little intimidating! I saw a huge fan at the very top and couldn't help but be reminded of the scene in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when Grandpa Joe and Charlie nearly hit the fan in the burping tunnel. However, the maneuvers the flyers practiced seemed very simple, and my confidence began to rise when I realized that I could surely do the same (that, and the flyers were no where near the daunting fan!)
Before we could hop in the flying tunnel, we attended a little session where we were taught how to fly. The instructor had each person practice the position we were to use in the tunnel, which was basically laying on your stomach with arms out to your sides but hands in front of you, and legs bent. We practiced and practiced until I was pretty sure I could instruct a class on it myself.  We were given jumpsuits, helmets, goggles, and earplugs, and we headed to the tunnel.
The confidence I felt in our practice session was just about equal to my floppiness inside the tunnel. Everything that I had learned left me once the wind hit my body, and my muscles couldn't seem to figure out how to move! Thankfully the instructor was in there helping to position us. At one point, my body figured out what it was doing and I was flying solo- that is, until I felt myself going higher and higher. I tried to maintain my position but the thought of the spinning fan that hovered above me made me crumple and fall. I may or may not have smacked into the wall once...or twice...
I quickly realized that indoor skydiving was much more difficult than it appeared, and that I would not only need practice to gain skills in it, but private instruction! But I will say that I had a blast. And now that I conquered indoor skydiving, who's to say that my next adventure won't be the real thing??

Days at Disney

Although it fell early this year, I was more than ready for spring break. With the arrival of Friday afternoon, David and I wasted no time in kicking off our week-long break. As soon as my last class of the day ended, I ran home to grab my suitcase, and before I knew it I was on a plane flying to the happiest place on earth...Disney World!

This time around, we spent most of our time at Epcot and Magic Kingdom. We were able to travel around the different countries at Epcot, take a ride with Peter Pan, Nemo, and Winnie the Pooh, and have our photos taken with Mickey and his friends! What I think I like most about Disney World is that while it's geared towards children, there are a lot of neat things for older kids and adults to enjoy, whether it's roller coasters or attractions that are educational but fun at the same time.

I had a great time while in Florida, and now I feel refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to tackle the second half of the semester!