Augghhhh!!!

You are sitting at the television, innocently watching Full House. It's commercial time, so you decide to flip through the channels. You come across a horror film. Someone is being murdered, fake blood is spurting everywhere, and one of the actors is yelling things from the script that he would otherwise never say in real life. You become addicted right away, you can't turn away now, you have to see what happens. You tell yourself it's just a movie. These are just actors doing their job, and none of this will affect you. Or will it? 

What kind of minds write horror stories? Everything you see on television was made up by somebody. The actor is onscreen worshiping the Devil because that is what the script calls for, but Satan doesn't think it's acting, he doesn't care. Murder isn't right in real life, so why is it interesting in a movie? We do not support people in prison who have actually commit crimes like this, and yet we watch it on t.v. What a sick world we live in. We find murder, gore, and devil-worshiping amusing. 

You  finally convince yourself to turn off the t.v, and you pray to God that you don't get nightmares that night. You also pray for the actors in the film. I wonder how they are sleeping tonight?

The Multi-Purpose Boathouse

I have never been to a boathouse party. I've heard it's an honor to be invited, and it's a rule to clean up afterwards if you're a first year. I've heard the parties can be a little wild at times, but I'm sure this isn't true for all of the parties. I bet some parties have balloons, cake, and absolutely no under-age drinking. This could also be my naivety speaking. What I do know about the boathouse at Sweet Briar is that it is also used for Easter morning sunrise service. This I attended along with  around twenty other students. For some reason, I think the parties outnumber us.

As I sat there it was very pleasant. Most everyone was wearing their Sunday best, the fire was going, and there was breakfast in the other room. Chaplain Adam gave a very good sermon about the importance of faith and prayer. He told a story about his walk to the chapel at a convent, and a nun stopped him. She asked where he was going, and he told her he was going to the chapel to pray. She said, "Thinking about praying is in itself a prayer." Thinking about doing something is just as effective as actually doing it. Thinking about the next boathouse party is just the same as being at the next boathouse party. What is it like? What are you doing at this party? 

I couldn't help but wonder what else happens between these walls. What kind of celebration takes place in this boathouse besides the celebration of Jesus' resurrection. Is it a house of God, or is it just a house of celebration? Any house is worthy of God's praise. And it just so happened that the boathouse at Sweet Briar College saw a new kind of celebration this morning. There is only one more question remaining, where were all the boats?

Airport Etiquette

Ever since I started flying alone back and forth between California and Virginia, everything has gone wrong. I have not had a normal flying experience yet, and I'm wondering if I ever will. The airport is the worst place to meet someone. I do not think it is possible to get a good impression of anybody when they are traveling. The airport has the ability to bring out the absolute worst in a person. The hardest thing to do is to remain pleasant and composed. 

Every time I have flown to and from school I have had an awful experience. I am used to cancelled flights, missed flights, being rerouted, spending the night in a strange city, going through high security check, losing luggage, paying fees for overweight luggage, and even getting filed off an airplane when we were about to take off because it was one minute over the time Federal Law permits the crew to be working. I have had a very hard time keeping my cool, and there have been so many times when I have wanted to scream at the person at the ticket counter. When I was stuck in California for a week because of foggy weather, I had seven flights cancelled before I drove to Los Angeles to fly out of an international airport. When I walked up to the ticket counter for the seventh time I was about to scream at the woman who was only hired to help with our flight problems. Another customer beat me to the counter, and she started yelling and cursing at the woman for reasons I couldn't quite understand. As soon as the customer was finished yelling, the woman behind the counter looked to me and asked what it was I needed. With the most polite voice I could manage I told her what my problems were and if she could help me book a flight through Los Angeles. 

The customer who beat me to the counter saved me from making the mistake she made. I would have yelled at the woman behind the counter, but I realized how awful I would have sounded by observing the way she conducted herself. No matter what situation we find ourselves in, it is important to act the way we know is right. My airport experiences always turn out awful, but the people who work there are only trying to help me, and I should act gracious and kind. And maybe my example will help others waiting in line behind me realize how they need to act. 

The Sweet Briar Voice Speaks Too Loudly

When my parents came to visit me at Sweet Briar for parent's weekend last semester, I made sure to tidy up my room. I made my bed, vacuumed the floor, and hid the school's newspaper. The reason I hid the Sweet Briar Voice is because I was embarrassed by some of the content, namely the column titled Vixen In the Sack. Every month, Vixen In the Sack publishes a new article, which I always try to avoid. How is it that an article like this finds its way into a newspaper that everyone is allowed to read? Students, friends, parents, and even faculty have read these articles. 

This newspaper represents our campus and its students, but I do not want to be part of this representation. I want to be associated with the articles about art, sports, and politics. I do not mind typifying these subjects because I am proud of our art, athletics, and government.  But I do mind being characterized in quotes such as "Many of Sweet Briar's single girls have an unfortunate habit of whoring themselves at every Hampden-Sydney frat party and VMI football game..." I am a Sweet Briar single, but I have never had the habit of "whoring" myself. Not to mention that the word "whoring" is used in a slang context. It is possible to be a whore, or to go whoring, but it is not possible to whore oneself. Using the word is almost as humiliating as reading it. 

 My parents found a copy of the Sweet Briar Voice before they left for home, and they read it. They were also embarrassed in what they read. Even though they know I am not the type of person who is partaking in these activities, they are still baffled as to why a school newspaper would reveal such indecent behavior in the the students at Sweet Briar College. 

Supporting Reality Television

Like most teenagers, I watch and enjoy reality television shows. My favorite channel is Bravo, and I never miss an episode of "Project Runway" or "Make Me a Supermodel." Bravo Tv represents many different ways of life that I disagree with, yet I still support the channel every Wednesday and Thursday night. I love fashion, which is my initial interest in these shows, but when I watch the shows I feel guilty. There are inappropriate scenes as well as inappropriate language. It is not sinful to be tempted, but giving into temptation is sinful. So are we sinning every time we  watch a reality television show? 

Unlike a fictional movie or series, reality television follows other people's lives. There are still writers for the shows who make it more dramatic, but the way all of the situations are handled is under the participant's control. If we are going to support reality television, I think we should know about the people in the show. There are blogs, diary entries, and portfolios for the participants in the shows of Bravo Tv. I read about the designers and the models that I choose to support. Some of the people on these shows are struggling with their faith and their religious values because of what exists in the fashion and modeling industry.

 My friends and I look forward to the drama of our favorite shows every week. They are tempting to watch, but we must pick and choose what we will let affect us. And we must keep in mind the people that are participating in these shows. I think there are a lot of talented people on these shows, and I will continue to pray for them and support them. 

Holly is a contestant on Make Me a Supermodel, and this is what she has to say in response to a challenge: Holly's diary 

Freshman Orientation at Sweet Briar College

During orientation it is important to explain what college life will be like to the new freshman, but sometimes all the information can be a bad thing. There were three specific lectures freshman were obligated to attend, and they were all about sex and alcohol. For the majority of the students, it was accepted as normal college behavior; however, some students felt uncomfortable sitting in the audience. The talks were presented in a very vulgar way that included unrefined words and dances. I asked three religious students how they felt during the orientation "sex talks" and they described it as "awkward, shocking, and weird." 

-Overall, how comfortable did you feel?

"I wasn't uncomfortable about the topic, but I felt uncomfortable about them saying it was okay to sleep around if you already had the intention to in the first place." -Anonymous(non-denominational Christian).

 

"They were saying everything in a way that we were all doing it. They were giving a lot of advice." -Anonymous(Moslem). 

-Do you feel like the lectures should be optional for future incoming classes?

"No, but I would want other speakers or multiple speakers so it would suit everyone's needs." -Anonymous(non-denominational Christian).

Sex and alcohol are obviously topics that are difficult for many religious teens to face during their college years. We are aware of what our classmates are doing, but we do not need to understand everything they are doing. It is difficult to follow our way of life if we are being made to listen to vulgar advice. The lectures made the topic sound like it was acceptable behavior for college students, but according to the religious it isn't acceptable behavior for anyone.