A Blog on McConnell Center Life

By Emily Bevins  If you’re anything like me, then you were probably offended when Tiktokers like Addison Rae and Dixie D’Amelio were invited to the 2021 Met Gala. The Met Gala is a staple of the American fashion industry, and with this year’s theme literally being “American Independence,” seeing Addison Rae in a poorly tailored gown (you can SEE the dress’s ribbing) she claimed was “vintage” (even though it was designed in 2003), it only added insult to injury. While Rae did not make it on the best-dressed list for the night, her attendance did solidify one thing—TikTok has actual weight in the fashion industry. TikTok soared to the height of its popularity during the height of the pandemic. Tweens, teens, and people way too old to be the app’s demographic all flocked to the time-sucking venture to cure their boredom. TikTokers grew followings practically overnight and began reaching audiences of hundreds of thousands, sometimes even millions of people. During this time, every bric...

 By Katie Hayden  The start of a new semester brings all kinds of new and exciting things. After a year of living in a dorm, one of these new and exciting things was moving into an apartment with three roommates. Each of us brought items we had from home that we knew would be necessary throughout the year, but some have grown to be important in more ways than one.  When I graduated from high school, I received a coffee mug from a friend that said, “Beautiful Girl, You Can Do Hard Things.” I have always thought the mug is cute because of its bright colors and floral design, but I had never thought much of the quote written on it until one of my roommates mentioned it. I was sitting at the table in our apartment, drinking coffee out of my mug and complaining about homework, when one of my roommates looked at me and jokingly said, “Beautiful girl, you can do hard things.” At first, we all laughed at the trivial comment, but then this came to be a daily saying in our house. E...

 By Caleb Aridano   Anyone who knows me knows that I love to cook. Cooking is a simultaneous form of challenge and relaxation for me: a retreat from the melancholy of the day and a studio to practice art in an artless world.  I became acquainted with good food from a very young age. My mother, a commanding force in the kitchen, exposed my brothers and me to good, clean, flavorful foods. This, I attribute in large part, is a reason why I find comfort and solace in the confines of my kitchen. Having moved out of the freshman year dorms and into an apartment with a full kitchen, I have experimented with all different kinds of food and flavors this year. Living with some of my best friends, I have relished the opportunity to cook for them and enjoy some “semi” home-cooked meals. While I have enjoyed the breadth of dishes that I have been able to put together in the kitchen, I have enjoyed the conversations I have had there even more. This year, our kitchen has transformed in...

 By Bryson Sebastian   “There are some pleasures which are almost impossible to account for and very difficult to describe.” - C.S. Lewis, Hedonics  At the end of every summer, the McConnell Scholars all pile into cars and vans and proceed, from every corner of our Commonwealth, to gather together at one of our state parks. This Retreat gives the Scholars the chance to unwind, relax, catch up, and prepare for the semester ahead. On its face, it is evident that such a retreat would clearly be enjoyable. But there is more here. Whether it is a hike with the one and only Reggie Van Stockum, or a conversation with the evergreen Dr. Kleber, there is a unique euphoria to the McConnell Center Retreat. There is something in the air that brings back alumni year after year to “help chaperone” and implores 3 dozen college students to drive hours into areas of the state they may never have traveled.  My thesis is that the unique characteristic that defines a McConnell Center ret...

 By Paighton Brooks  This semester I decided to take American Sign Language as my foreign language requirement because I thought it would be a unique language to study. Through learning ASL, I would also have the opportunity to learn about the significance of Deaf culture, which I had not been exposed to before. I did not think learning ASL would be easy by any means, but I was surprised at the level of discomfort I have experienced attempting to fully grasp the language. In my initial understanding of ASL, I thought it was just communication with your hands, which I soon found out was not the case. ASL mostly relies on facial expression rather than hand movement. While hand movements are important, a sign can be confusing or completely wrong if the signer does not use the correct facial expression. This added element adds to the beauty of the language but has been slightly uncomfortable to navigate and learn. As a part of our curriculum requirements, we must attend a designat...

 By Yelena Bagdasaryan  One of my biggest comforts in life is film. Since college, I do not have the time to watch as many movies as I used to, but there is a misconception that movies are just vessels for entertainment. This is false. Film is one of the finest ways to show the complexities of human nature and our environment in a way that is available to the general public. My father is an avid movie watcher and he exposed me to many of the films that I saw as a young girl. To him,  movies were the way that he acclimated to the United States when he first immigrated in his 20’s and he credits movies as a reason that he learned the language. As a result, I was allowed to watch many different types of movies, may it be thrillers, classics, silent, action, romance, and foreign movies. And as I entered a performing arts school as a theater major, I had to watch a lot of movies and plays that were considered revolutionary in their respective fields. Now, I proudly have an 11-...

 By Jacob Banta  The fool opens his mouth faster than he inclines his ear. For what reason does this kind of man speak at all? Perhaps it is for pride. The man who makes excuses for his lack of reading would have you regard his opinions as on par with an Oxford scholar. He has the audacity to compare his knowledge to an inkling. He would declare himself a philosopher and consider you blessed for hearing his rhetoric. This kind of man delights in you hearing him talk with his fancy words and savvy descriptions rather than in making you ponder about truth. Well, let’s not be so cynical. Maybe this fool just suffers from a lack of understanding instead of a prideful heart. The poor lad! He doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. Who could blame him for that! Go ahead and enlighten this young man on where he misstepped or lacked knowledge. He might even thank you! Unfortunately, we will stumble over the problem once more. Behind that thank you or smile or perhaps even an apology there ...

 By Mary Catherine Medley  Yesterday, I woke up and almost immediately texted my mom, as I do most mornings. Between classes, I texted her about what I was up to and how my day was going. Once she got off work at 5, we had our daily facetime session where we shared how our days went and what we were looking forward to for the rest of the week. She made sure to text me goodnight and that she loves me, as she does almost every evening, and I did the same. I went to sleep taking the time to realize for the first time in a while just how lucky I am to have a mother that is also my best friend. I fully understand that most people my age might think I’m crazy for saying that, but that simply reminds me to be all the more grateful. As the seasons of life change and new friends come and go, I know that I will always have someone there to love, support, and listen to me without fail. Don’t worry, I have some pretty amazing friends that I’ve made during my time in college too, and those...