Freshman, Communication Arts major
Showing posts with label Kolin Kraning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kolin Kraning. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Finally.
No more finals.
I find it so interesting that I feel so much relief in ending the semester.
I really do not think I was stressed out by my classes, but for some reason walking out of the classroom from my last final felt like such a load was lifted off of my chest.
After so much studying and note-reviewing and even more studying, I began to feel the pressure building up. After hours and hours of preparation I sat down at a desk, test in hand, and thirty minutes later I was done.
I had invested so much time preparing for these tests,and it paid off because I felt like I knew everything on them… well, mostly everything…
(but I guess that is because I actually studied.)
I can’t believe this semester is over. It seemed like it was going by so fast, yet at the same time, it seemed like it was taking FOREVER. I am so happy to be on break, but I miss everyone at school!
Another thing I will miss is this opportunity to blog about my life at CBU! With this being just a semester long venture, my time has come to an end. I was stoked to be one of the guinea pig bloggers, and I am proud to pass the torch on to the students who will take this project to the next level!
So now, with this being my last blog, I just want to say thank you so much to everyone reading this, you guys are the best.
To all my fellow students at Cal Baptist: good work this semester. It is finally over! Enjoy your break, I’ll see you all soon!
And to everyone else: Merry Christmas!!!!!!!
And a happy new year =]
Farewell.
Kolin Kraning
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
It's Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas!!! (By: Kolin Kraning)
This morning’s chapel service had a special twist to it…
To celebrate the Christmas season, the school’s choirs and bands (six groups overall) performed two songs each for the student body! It was very fun, not only to perform for our peers, but also to be able to watch the other groups perform!
First up was the Jazz Band. They are a group of about twenty kids who are all talented musicians. They opened the service with some smooth intro music, then the Concert Band played a medley of Christmas tunes.
After that, the New Song choir took the stage. New Song is the newest addition to the music program. It is an all female choir that was formed because there were far too many girls in the Womens’ Choir (which is actually awesome for Cal Baptist because that means that the music program is growing fast!!!). They performed very well and set the bar high for the other choirs.
Then came my choir, The Male Chorale (woot! woot!), who put on a spectacular performance, I must say. It was way fun getting up on stage and singing for fellow students!! I know I already said that, I’m just reiterating for emphasis!
After we finished singing (a hard act to follow, I know), the Womens’ Choir came up. They ALSO sang very well, two Christmas songs, and had me foot tapping to the beat.
Finally, the Grand Finale: The University Choir and Orchestra, a.k.a.: UCO… BLEW EVERYONE AWAY. I mean, I knew they were good…but, boy howdy, incredible!!!
Basically, the whole morning was great. Lot’s of fun, a lot of entertainment, but UCO stole the show. If you have not had the chance to see them, or any other choir for that matter, you should definitely check them out. All of them! Seriously, there is SO much talent at this school!!!
Kolin Kraning
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Devron, Drum-Off, and LA TRAFFIC!! (By: Kolin Kraning)
Well, Devron “MC Whopper” Suttle went to Hollywood for the regional finals of Guitar Center’s Annual Drum-Off…Devron was representing California (yes, according to Guitar Center, Devron is THE BEST drummer in California!!!!) and the other drummers were from Nevada and Arizona.
I would love to say that I was there to witness the stiff competition and encourage Devron in his event, but unfortunately I can’t.
Devron, along with Daniel aka “Blow Pop”, and his roommate Nate (not YET a member of Penny Candy), left school at about 2:30p.m. yesterday (Tuesday, December 2nd) to avoid traffic. Taylor aka "Jawbreaker" and I, sadly, had to stay for classes and male chorale and were unable to leave school until about 5:30p.m.
We made it down the 91 Freeway without much trouble, but traffic on the I-5 and the 101 Hollywood Freeway was horrific.
The drum-off started at 7p.m. sharp, and Devron went first. Taylor and I didn’t make it until about 7:45p.m. so we were unable to see Devron perform. We made it just in time to hear the announcement of the winner. Unfortunately it wasn't Devron.
The opposition simply got the better of us (yes, I am speaking of us as a team). Devron played his best, but someone else was simply better. It was saddening to learn that we would not be able to watch Devron perform again, but there is always next year. All in all, it was a fun experience, I loved the long talk with Taylor while stuck in traffic, and I'm sure Devron will do even better next year. YOU ARE #1 IN MY BOOK!!!
Kolin Kraning
Monday, December 1, 2008
"Home" For The Holidays (By: Kolin Kraning)
I can’t believe Thanksgiving break is already over…
I feel like every day that I have been away from school has been so long – time has moved by so slowly – but the final day of the break came out of nowhere! I do not fully understand why, but I am excited to go back to school. I truly do enjoy being on campus; this is why…
First, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved my time at home: I got to see my cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents,
I LOVED THE
How couldn’t I? I mean, who doesn’t love eating a bunch of Tryptophan (an amino acid in turkey that has been proven to make you tired) and then passing out, a victim to what I like to call a “food coma”. I absolutely love it!
Being home during the break was nice. I got to work at Forest Home Family Camp for the weekend. It was nice having a time away from cell phone service and internet, a good break from the hustle-n-bustle of everyday life.
Hanging out with the Forest Home staff was great; I have some great friends in that group of people. Yet, I was still SOOO excited to come back to school.
I realize more and more every day how much I love this community, and how great the friends that I have made here are. They say “absence makes the heart grow fonder”, and it is so true, even when talking about school and friends.
I am so blessed to be here and be a part of this school, and I thank God every day for the opportunity I have to be here. I truly feel at home here, and it is no longer strange to refer to a dormitory as my home. So there you have it, this is my home now, and these people are now a part of my family!
Kolin Kraning
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Dilemmas (By: Kolin Kraning)
Does anyone else find it ridiculous that it costs $10.50 to see a movie in theaters these days? I find it so incredibly frustrating!
First of all, I am a poor college student. I can’t afford to see even half of the movies that I would really like to go see in theaters.
I seriously have a list of movies that I have either been unable to see or that I am still hoping to see, it saddens me.
I have missed out on some movies that I would have really enjoyed, due to a lack of money.
But wait, like an answer to my prayers, there is a cheap and simple solution: The C.A.B. Office!!
The Campus Activities Board, a.k.a. CAB, has the perfect solution, offering ticket vouchers that can be exchanged for any movie ticket FOR ONLY $7.50!
Yes, I said it, for three dollars less you can purchase a ticket. That makes me nostalgic for the 1990’s, when life was easy; when movie tickets were only seven bucks!! Since discovering the CAB office I have saved money on all of my ticket purchases, which really adds up over time!
In fact, I saved money on a purchase this week. I bought tickets for the midnight showing of “Twilight” (the movie based on Stephanie Meyer’s best-selling novel), which I am incredibly excited about. Don’t mock me. The book is so good. I am not some girly guy for reading a romantic novel about a high school romance and vampires. True, the book could be classified as romantic, but it is also about vampires and werewolves (last time I checked, those were not girly) and crazy fighting and stuff. So how is this feminine?
…that’s what I thought.
I am in the process of reading it right now, which is stupid because I have been in this process for two months and the movie comes out tomorrow night.
I have found myself in quite a dilemma: I do not know whether to not finish the book and be one of “those people” who go see the movie without reading, OR to sacrifice sleep to finish the book, which I really have enjoyed so far.
I know that I am going to finish the book, but I do not think I will be able to finish it before the movie in just about… 29 hours.
So, now that you know my dilemma, I am off to finish homework, then to continue reading with the hopes of finishing in the short amount of time I have left.
Wish me luck…and go see “Twilight”!!
Kolin Kraning
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Family, friends, and fun!!
Family, football, futból (soccer), and home-cooked meals. “Can life get better?" I submit that it can not!
(Oh…have I mentioned that I am a Brian Regan fan? Well…I am. And you should be too.)
This weekend past was so much fun. On Friday I had a doctor appointment to check up on my knee, and I was given a new brace that allows me to bend my knee! …Progress!
Again, I want to thank everyone who prayed for my health and swift recovery; it totally helped! I have been so blessed with friends and family, who not only care for me, but also believe in my God who can heal!
Anyway, after my doctor appointment I headed to my house, sporting the newest addition to my wardrobe, my brand new brace! I was able to see my little brothers and hang out with my family, which was awesome. My three younger brothers – Johnie, Kristian, and Kalen play soccer, and one of my older brothers, Kraig, plays football for the University of Redlands, so Saturday means “game day.” Starting at
We met my Nana and Papa (my mother’s parents), and my oldest brother Kory and his roommate Matt that morning. We all attended the games together.
My youngest brother, Kalen, sadly lost his soccer game (but he made the all-star team for his league, so we are happy!
Kraig’s team won. I do not remember the exact score, but I know that the last 2 minutes of the game were INTENSE!!! The other team was only down by seven points, and they had the ball. They pretty much tore up the field and made their way down the field in only a few short minutes. But once they reached the goal line, the defense said “NO!!!”
First down, we stopped a run; no gain. Second down, another run; we stopped the fullback for a loss! Third down, they tried a throw; incomplete. Fourth down, another pass, and the receiver was
It was a picturesque moment. He was fully horizontal, arm stretched out: totally perfect form! The fans went insane!
It was such an awesome moment!
After the game, we all waited around to take pictures with Kraig, and I must say, we took some great pictures, which I do not have (I’ll post them when I can), but maybe my mom can email them.
Then my parents and grandparents went to Johnie and Kristian’s soccer game while the rest of us went up to the house. The night was so much fun. Home cooked meal, some Catch Phrase, some Mad Gab, and some wonderful memories. After a few intense rounds of the games, it was time for Chris and I to leave. We went to his grandparent’s house in Palos Verdes and we had a great time hanging out and catching up.
The next morning, he drove me back to school – quite a nice gesture, considering the fact that my school is nearly 50 miles from his house – and we said our goodbyes (with plans to meet again!).
So here I am, back at school, thinking back on an amazing weekend. Relaxing has been great, but it is time for school, new friends, and more memories.
School is incredible but every now and then a little R&R (a.k.a.: Rest and Recuperation) is direly needed!
So, to you children at home: savor every moment with your family, because you will miss them! And to my fellow students: … go visit your family!! It is awesome!!
Kolin Kraning
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Knee Surgery (By: Kolin Kraning)
I had surgery on my knee last week…
It went well, which of course is a huge answer to prayer!
Recovery has been so rough, but it has just been another display of how awesome this school is. Everyone has been so helpful, going out of their way to help me. I haven't had to figure out how to get food by myself in the cafeteria because every time I walk into the cafeteria someone jumps up and offers to help me. It is really nice!
The only major difference is the motorized scooter/wheelchair thing I use to get around campus. I was able to check it out for a week from our public safety department, so that I don’t have to use my crutches to walk all the way across campus. I must say: it is pretty cool. I just sit down and accelerate. I can pick between multiple speeds, “turtle” which is the slowest, and “rabbit”, the fastest. These terms are also interchangeable with “tortoise” and “hare”.
(there are literally pictures of a turtle and a rabbit, with a circular dial that chooses between the two! Haha!)
I have headlights, turn signals, hazard lights, and arm rests. I really cannot think of a way to make it better.
No, wait. Yes…yes I can think of ways to make it better.
If I had the capabilities, I would do many things to it in order to make it more accommodating to my needs. First things first, I would install a sound system: some tweeters, subs, a big amp, and a flashy display in the dash with an iPod adapter. Then I would get some new wheels: bigger, flashier rims, and gold-plated brake pads that show through. I would put windows on it, so that I could tint them. I would cover the seat with plush leather, and I would put a roof over the whole thing so I could drive in the rain.
Finally, I would put something crazy in there, like a popcorn popper, or an easel for painting, or perhaps speakers and amps to play my guitar through my car. I am not sure what I would do, something to keep up with the ridiculous additions (MTV’s) “Pimp My Ride” makes to people’s cars on a daily basis.
(Click to enlarge)
I actually saw an episode in which they installed a sink in a girls car so that she could wash people’s hair because she was going to a beauty school to be a hair stylist. How
I think it's kind of silly but I'm not gonna lie, I always watch the show and think “woah, that would be so cool”. So maybe I just wish that it could happen to me… definitely possible. In all honesty though, if I were on that show, I would tell them that I did not want a sink in my car. Just make it a car. Make the leather nicer, make the stereo louder, don’t worry about stuff that should not be in a car!
Let us move on to more important matters… food.
I still have not eaten today. It is nearing dinnertime, so I have decided to change that.
My stomach is rumbling, and I am off to eat breakfast, at dinnertime.
Farewell!!
Kolin Kraning
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Weak Knees
Today, in Focus, we talked about decisions.
We discussed the obvious truth that every decision we make has consequences, good or bad, and they directly affect our life and the lives of people around us. This really is not a new idea for me – I hope it was not a new concept for any of the kids in our class – but I think that today I thought of it in a new light.
It occurred to me the other day that time has been flying by. I would always hear my parents saying to treasure every moment because every moment is fleeting. All I would ever think is that time was perfect. It never flew by…often times, when I was young, time would not go by fast enough. I am beginning to understand what my parents meant: time really does pass by before I have the time to really notice (which is, indeed, ironic…that time does not allow me enough time to realize that time is slipping through my fingers. Read it again, it makes sense).
I feel as if school just started, but then I realize that we just finished midterms (well, my friends finished their midterms) and we are over halfway through the first semester. One half of a semester is not that much time, but before I know it I will find myself enjoying Christmas break…then summer, and all of a sudden an entire year has gone by.
It is times like this, when I realize how quickly time is leaving me, when I know that I am growing up. I am already (to an extent) on my own, and in a few short years I will be entirely dependent. It is just now that I see how my decisions have brought me to where I am today. All this time that I call my life has flown by and I often cannot differentiate one memory from another because of how they all bunch together. But I can see the ways that I have affected my own life, the decisions I have made have brought me to where I am today.
One decision that is still to this day affecting my life is one I made in the first week of July 2008. I made the choice to play soccer without my knee braces. I have dislocated both of my knees more than once and have been instructed to wear knee braces whenever I do any sort of physical activity. On this particular day I did not have my knee braces with me and I should have turned down the opportunity to play, but my poor judgment took control of me. After about 20 minutes of playing I ended up dislocating my left knee, which affected me in many ways instantly.
First off, the pain I felt was excruciating. The feeling of my bones grinding together has never been a pleasant one, and this experience did not change the pattern. Secondly, all the fun ended. I was taken to the hospital and I have a feeling that not too many people really felt like playing after witnessing what had happened to me. Third (and probably most severe) I had lost my ability to play sports for quite some time following the injury, and at the time I was planning to attend William Jessup University with soccer scholarships (which are hard to keep without the ability to play soccer).
Knowing that I would be unable to play the season at William Jessup, I turned to California Baptist University (which was my second choice at the time) with hopes of finding an answer to my new, difficult question: where am I going to attend college?
I did not lose my soccer scholarships, but I knew that even after I healed it would be unwise for me to play too competitively and risk further injuries. CBU became my first choice for college. I began to pursue it more and found out that I would be able to receive a large amount of financial aid, which was a huge relief. Door after metaphorical door flew open, making it clear that God had wanted me to attend CBU all along, and after being here it is obvious that this is where I am supposed to be.
I could never have imagined that I could feel so at home, so loved by people who only months ago were complete strangers. I have felt so strongly loved and cared for in the past few weeks and I cannot thank God enough for surrounding me with such awesome friends.
I am having surgery on my knee tomorrow (Thursday, October 30), and all of my fears and nerves have been subsided and calmed by the love I have felt from my friends here at CBU. I have had many people pray for me, including the Male Chorale group and my hall in the dorms (2B! I love you guys!), and many others individually. I have been strengthened through their love for me and I can still say without a shadow of a doubt that I feel at home here--loved, prayed for and encouraged by my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I know that this blog may so far seem like me rambling, but there is a point, and it is this: my decision, in June, to play soccer without my braces has brought me here. I sincerely believe that if God kept me in good health I would have ended up at William Jessup, not that it would be bad to be there because it is a GREAT school, but I don’t think it would be right for me.
Every decision has a consequence, whether it is good or bad, and sometimes it can be both! I definitely had to suffer for my poor judgment, but God used my mistake to bring me to this place where I have grown closer to Him and found myself surrounded by incredible people who love me and care for me!
I am so thankful to be here at Cal Baptist University. I am thankful for my bad knees, whose lack of durability caused me to come here. I am incredibly thankful for the way that God has used the people here to comfort and encourage me in preparation for my surgery. I am so happy to be where I am today, and it is all because of my weak knees.
That is the end of my blog for this week, but I have an important announcement to make!! Devron Suttle (a.k.a.: Whopper) will be competing in Guitar Center’s regional finals for the annual drum off on Tuesday, November 11, at the Guitar Center in Rancho Cucamonga!! If you can make it, come show your support!!
Kolin Kraning
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Midterms and Parents (By: Kolin Kraning)
Midterms. The sound of the word makes every college kid shudder.
Well….except for myself, that is.
While everyone has been stressing out and wishing this week would simply end, I have had an exceptionally easy week of school. I only had one midterm, and it was for my Freshmen Orientation class; it wasn't very difficult at all. It seems like Focus has been one of the most laborious courses on my schedule, not by measure of its difficulty, but by the amount of small assignments given to us.
Now a note to prospective freshman: don’t think that just because Focus gives out assignments every week that it is a hard class, or a boring one; it really is not. As a matter of fact, it has been a huge help in adjusting to college life and academics, and surprisingly it's REALLY FUN... The truth is that college is entirely different than high school.
While midterms attack people all over CBU, you can literally see the anxiety in people’s eyes and through their facial expressions. It really makes me sad to see so many tired, stressed, and frustrated students walking around campus repeating test answers to themselves. I feel like I am the only person who is not worried about a test in some class, or a project that is due by Friday. I’m going to be honest, it is a REALLY nice feeling, but I almost feel guilty.
Not only do I feel bad for not having a midterm, but now I have to see these students putting so much time and effort into preparation (while I play Xbox, sit on my computer, and complain about not having any clean clothes) for a test they do not think they will pass.
It is hard to think of ways to encourage so many people when everyone is so morose. I really don't know what to do. I suppose my only hope is the weekend; perhaps when Friday comes the tension will ease. I sure hope so because all of this stress is becoming unbearable!!!
Anyway, on a different note...
It turns out that I miss my parents for more than home cooked meals and spending money. I never would have thought it, but I actually miss having my parents to tell me to focus on my homework. It seems that I always put off my homework until the last second, and it is starting to catch up to me!
There are many differences between high school and college. For instance, no longer are they called "teachers", in college we call them “professors”. They assign homework at the end of class, some of my teachers never even talk about homework in class! It is entirely up to the student to check the syllabus (a single paper with every assignment of the semester outlined for reference) to see when the next assignment is due. If you never look at your syllabus, then you just might fail the class!
I kind of also wish that my parents were here to put me to bed at a decent hour of the night. Yeah I know that sounds lame, but when you have an 8am class it's not very wise to stay up until 2am. I just wish that someone would just say “Kolin, this is not wise, you do not need to sit in the lobby talking about monkeys and vitamins for three hours, you need to go to sleep!”
But no, there is no one to send me off to bed, and as a result, I am tired.
So tired, in fact, that I am going to go take a nap, right now.
I wish all of my friends luck on their midterms…
Wish me luck on my nap =]
Monday, October 20, 2008
GOOD NEWS (By: Kolin Kraning)
Sooo…
GOOD NEWS
Devron Suttle, a good friend of mine (and Penny Candy member, goes by the name of Whopper), competed in Guitar Center’s Annual Drum-Off, and I was able to go watch him contend in the store finals Tuesday night!!
I hopped into the car with Aaron Scott a.k.a. “Gummi Bear” and my friend Sal Garcia, we are still trying to get him to join Penny Candy, no such luck. =]
We drove out to the Guitar Center store in Rancho Cucamonga and made it in time to see Devron before the competition started.
We listened as two other drummers showed off their skills, I’m not going to lie, we were slightly impressed, but we knew that Devron a.k.a. Whopper was going to blow the competition out of the water! Once the MC called Devron’s name, the crowd went crazy!
A few weeks prior to the competition, the judges narrowed the competition down to the top five. Tonight’s show, round 2, was the final five competing for the “store champion” title. Since it was the second round of the competition, the crowd, and the competitors, already knew he was pretty amazing. Devron began to play, and it was instantly clear that he was going to be the victor that night.
At one point I saw the mother of one of the competitors turned to her son and say “You played well too, honey,” which, in my opinion was another way of saying “This kid is just too good!!”
By the end of the competition it was obvious that Whopper had won, and we were going crazy! Jumping around, cheering and yelling for him, we even helped carry all his winnings to the car so he wouldn’t have to. After, we headed to the mall so that our friend could take his iPhone to the Apple Store for something, and the entire time we were running through the streets singing, and screaming about how our friend Devron won the drum contest.
Needless to say, the night was fun. Devron is now moving on to the Districts level of the drum-off, which will be held sometime in November. I’ll keep you informed. YOU SHOULD ALL COME!!! He needs as much support as possible.
The following night, the fun continued with Whopper, Gummi Bear, Blow Pop, Fun Dip (Aaron and Daniel’s younger brother Stephen), Gum Balls (Christian Tucker), and a few other friends totaling 15 in our group all together. We piled into the Scott’s 15 passenger van (perfect fit!!!), and headed off to Knott’s Scary Farm.
I hadn’t been to Knott’s years, or in any kind of haunted house for that matter. We practically allowed ourselves to be afraid which made the night far more fun.
As we walked into the first haunted house (apparently people call them mazes now, but I like the traditional way better, so we will continue to call them haunted houses) the theme of the first house was based on the new movie “Quarantine”. My buddy Daniel decided to be brave and enter first. The entrance was on a slightly declining ramp, and halfway down the ramp Daniel was unpleasantly surprised by the first monster of the night. The blood soaked fire fighter jumped from behind the door and came within inches of Daniel’s face, sending his feet into the air. Daniel was so scared that his feet came out from under him and he fell straight onto his back! We laughed uncontrollably!
We went into about ten different haunted houses that night. The night was full of embarrassingly scary moments, but it was so worth it!
We stayed at the park until closing at 1am, then headed back home (STILL strange that I call a dorm room my home!). We arrived at around 3am, and I remembered “I STILL HAVE HOMEWORK!”
I ran up to my room, I needed to knock out this assignment ASAP so I could get some sleep before my 8am class, (I know, I didn’t exactly pick a great night for staying out so late, but everyone was going, so I had to). I finished my assignment within twenty minutes, and passed out. I honestly do not even remember my head hitting the pillow.
The next day was a LONG day, to say the least.
Moral of the story, do your homework ahead of time!
Kolin Kraning
Friday, October 10, 2008
And The Thunder Rolls (By: Kolin Kraning)
3:30 in the morning, not a soul in sight.
Walking around campus, in the still of the night.
Talking with my friend Megan, about practically nothing.
Say “goodnight,” walk back to my dorm, get in bed and go to sleep.
Haha.
(That is my pathetic attempt at rewriting Garth Brooks, so forgive me.)
But that can’t be thunder, it does not rain and storm here often.
No, no thunder at all, I’m in Riverside, so that is probably a train; a train that passes through town at unholy hours of the morning to disturb sleeping college students, causing them to fall asleep in class the next morning. See, professors? It’s not our fault! The trains pass through late at night and wake us poor students up from our peaceful slumber!
…If only it were that easy.
I have been doing some thinking, trying to figure out why exactly it is so hard to find time to sleep while in college. Every night I try to be a good student. I walk to my room, turn off the light, get in bed and then…someone calls, or my computer magically makes its way to my bed and says “check your Facebook!” All of the sudden I find myself online, or leaving my room to hang out with friends into wee hours of the morning (RIGHT WHEN THE TRAINS COME!!)
Now, don’t think for a minute that I don't like hanging out late at night. There is always so much to do. One thing I love about attending a smaller university is that the majority of the students live on campus, and it is very easy to hang out with everyone because we all live so close to eachother. From In-N-Out to Seven Eleven, and CVS to Wal-Mart, the options are never eneding! You can always hang out on campus, but if you don't then there are tons of other things to do in the area!
…Ok maybe there aren't a "A TON" of things to do late at night, but that's the truth in any town other than NYC and Vegas (so I’ve heard). So we can’t be too disappointed! But in all honesty, it is crazy how my friends and I manage to turn something as simple as a trip for fast food into a late-night extravaganza. We run around, make loud noises, act like obnoxious teenagers, and in the end we call it a “great night.”
One of our favorite pastimes in Hall 2B of Smith Hall (the boy’s dorms, where I live) is playing Halo. We have three Xbox 360’s on our hall, combined, and we connect them all via network cables and play “system link” games: 8-16 players (depending on how many systems are linked, four players for every console) in different rooms, against each other. It's intense! We play over and over, for hours on end, and it never gets old! At times I get this feeling that we, as new arrivals on the college scene, are relishing the fact that our parent s can no longer limit our “play time,” but when I look at the upper-classmen I notice that quite a few of them do the same thing.
I am totally and completely in love with this school, the campus and the people have made it such an incredible place to live. I am excited to spend my college career here. I can tell that it is going to be an amazing experience, and I am always excited to go on new adventures and make new memories.
Kolin Kraning
Monday, September 29, 2008
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things! (By: Kolin Kraning)
College Life:
So much fun!!
I feel like everyone who is not here is missing out. So if you’re reading this and you’re not here, you’re missing out!
Seriously.
I can’t even begin to explain all of the awesome things I have been a part of since I came here. But here goes one, I have to tell you about Penny Candy, but I must clarify: Penny Candy is NOT an official club at
The current members are:
Aaron Scott, aka: Gummi Bear
Daniel Scott, aka: Blow Pop
Marc Davenport, aka: Peeps
Alex Abarca, aka: Pixie Stick
Taylor Fagg, aka: Jaw Breaker
Christian Tucker, aka: Gumball
Tommy Solares, aka: Rolo
Devron Suttle, aka: Whopper
Joe Mayer, aka: Sugar Daddy
Stephen Scott, aka: Fun Dip
Joe Younes, aka: Tooty Fruity
James Kerr, aka: Reese's Pieces
Kolin Kraning, aka:
Sessions are the equivalent of our shows. We stand in a circle, play instrumental beats through boom boxes, amps, or iHomes (depending on our resources), and rap. The raps can be about anything we choose, ALWAYS CLEAN CONTENT of course (no swearing or inappropriate topics), and we flow until we simply can’t flow any longer! Sessions always vary in length depending on how many people are rapping, how large the audience is, and how tired we all are. Sessions tend to be short when we’ve had a long day, but when we’re all well-rested and energetic our sessions last for 30-40 minutes!
So there you have it (in a nut shell), the Penny Candy club, as of now (we are always searching for new members!). Be sure to stop by and listen sometime, you might pass us by on your way to class. We are also creating a YouTube channel to post videos of our sessions, I will post the URL when it is established!
Now here is my second favorite thing to do on campus. Every Wednesday night there is a club called iWrite that hosts an open-mic music night, in the Staples room at
As a musician, I believe it is vital to share your talents with others. I believe God blessed everyone with unique gifts to share with the world, and that every gift should be used to glorify Him, which is what we do every week at iWrite.
It has been such an awesome opportunity because I have been able to connect with other kids who share the same passion I do. So there you have it, Kolin’s two favorite things to do on campus; the place to be.
Well, it’s time for homework, so off I go!
Thanks for reading!
Kolin Kraning
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
WHAT A WEEKEND!! (By: Kolin Kraning)
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Wow! I am not entirely sure what else I can say in response to this past weekend.
TWIRP Week was amazing! “T.W.I.R.P.” stands for The Woman Is Required to Pay… it is basically the equivalent of a Sadie-Hawkins dance, where the girl asks the boy, but instead it is stretched out into a whole week, yes a whole week of girls asking, planning, and paying for dates - it’s awesome!
Just to give you a taste… Saturday morning my date Lauren Maestri and I boarded one of the school busses to
We also rode Riddler’s Revenge, the Batman themed roller coaster. On this ride, not only do you stand up while you wait, you also stand up while you ride! It was the strangest sensation. Then of course the classic Goliath: a 260 foot plunge taken at 85mph, one word… exciting! Last and definitely least was Viper. A classic ride, unfortunately in this case "classic" and "ancient" are synonymous.
For the most part, my day was simply awesome. I cannot think of a better way to have spent a Saturday.
But wait, my weekend wasn’t over just yet. Sunday was the first Male Chorale concert of the year. You see, I am a part of an all-men’s choir directed by Dr. Judd Bonner, we go by the name of the Male Chorale a.k.a. “The MC Boys”. Haha!!! In only weeks Dr. Bonner has taken a group of 90 male students with some musical talent and transformed us into a choir powerhouse! Sunday morning we sang for a church in
Needless to say, I had a pretty awesome weekend, and I can’t wait for more like it!
My college experience is becoming more than I had ever imagined.
=]
Kolin Kraning
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Beginning (By: Kolin Kraning)
Ever since the opportunity to be a part of the “Lancer Diaries” team arose, I have been incredibly excited to be a part of it. In a way I feel honored. I mean just to think that I, of all people, was asked to do something like this; to represent the school to the entire World Wide Web! I feel like this is a bigger responsibility than speaking on National Television. Then again, who watches television anymore? My younger brothers follow You Tube videos more closely than TV, except for Lost and Heroes (arguably the two greatest things modern-day entertainment has to offer the world).
Anyhow, I am honored, right?
I simply love writing, so when we were told to write our first post, I was ampe! I think I still am. I rushed to my computer, sat on my bed, opened up Safari, and realized that I had no idea what to write about!
So, after a good ten minutes of staring at a white box underneath the word “Create” I discovered my problem. I had no music! Music is my home, my retreat, and my comfort zone. Whenever I am frustrated, confused, hurt, or even happy, I turn to music. Obviously at the moment I was very confused, so I turned to my wing-man, iTunes.
I opened the program, already having decided to listen to The Bowerbirds, one of my favorite bands. Just then, my flow was instantly cut off by a little message that popped up on my screen: “A new version of iTunes (8.0) is available. Would you like to download it now?” of course, I would!!
I found myself, twenty minutes later, simply looking at all the new features in iTunes 8.0, especially the Genius Sidebar. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, stop reading this, and download the newest version of iTunes now, I won’t be offended, (it’s worth it in every way imaginable).
Then I remembered, “BLOG!”
I had completely forgotten about the blog! I was kind of embarrassed that I was so easily distracted, but suddenly I knew what I would write about.
How often do we set out to do something that is usually a mundane task, and discover something far greater along the way? So here I sit, listening to the Bowerbirds, realizing that my entire experience at Cal Baptist has been one of the greater experiences in my life.
I came here with my entire college experience planned out. After having 2 older brothers go through college already, I pretty much knew how things were handled. I would sleep in a dorm room, across from a stranger, and go to class with people I knew by face and name, nothing more, and then hang out with my 5 good friends who I would be close to for the rest of my life…right?
Wrong!
Every person here has been nothing less than incredible. I have met so many people who I know, without a doubt, will be a part of my life for a very long time. There is never a dull moment! I always want the next day to begin so I can live it all over again. I feel so appreciated here. Even the upper classmen are so hospitable, as if they are sharing their home with me, and in all honesty it truly feels like home.
I love life at CBU, almost to the point where I find myself not wanting to visit home. I just went “home” last weekend, and even though it was nice to see family and friends, I was looking forward to Sunday with great anticipation, because I wanted to return to MY home. Not my parents’ home.
I truly feel blessed to be here, I can’t put into words how incredible this school has been for me already. I never thought I could feel so at home without my brothers to hang out with, my dad to talk to, and my mom to make home-cooked meals (oh, don’t worry, mom, I love you for far more than that, but I do miss the food!).
The truth is, I do feel at home here. I feel accepted and loved, and I would not trade this experience for anything. I keep thinking, “Things simply can not get better than this.”
Then I remember:
This is only the beginning...
Kolin Kraning
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