Gustavus has seen a lot of change in the one semester I have been back on campus. GAC has elected a new president to run the college after Jim Peterson announced his retirement. Jack Ohle will become the president of Gustavus next year, and I am excited to see his vision for Gustavus in action.

Another change took place in the Gustavus cafeteria. In an effort to move towards environmental sustainability on campus, the cafeteria has announced that it will offer tupperware containers instead of disposable boxes for customers that want to take food to-go. This change is a symbol of the environmental progressiveness that the Gustavus community has adopted.

I am excited for the warm weather and relaxation of the summer months ahead. Yet, I can’t help but already be excited for the next year at Gustavus. It is a special place, and I look forward to my final year here on the hill.

I invite all of you interested in Gustavus to visit the College during the summer months and learn about a college experience that truly is extraordinary.

This semester, I have two final exams, two final papers, and a final presentation. I certainly have a lot of work to do, but I think that if I budget my time well, I should be able to finish up my work just fine. Like any other part of the academic semester, budgeting time wisely is important during finals week.

Finals often contribute a good portion to the final grade one receives in a class. My final examinations have typically constituted 20%-40% of my final grade. This may seem like a lot, and it is, but it is also important to remember that finals are simply the conclusion to a semester long of learning and discovery. Finals are a chance to show what you know.

Final exams require a lot of work. However, the feeling you get after completing all your tests is extraordinary. I don’t look forward to finals season, but I do view it as a positive challenge. It is one last extreme moment of academic devotion, followed by a blissful release of stress.

The mission of the Gustavus Arboretum is to offer environmental education programs and to foster environmental stewardship. Another goal of the Arboretum is to provide a natural space for recreational activities. A unique example of a recreational activity that takes place in the Arboretum is the Spring Dance performance. This event consists of several of the Gustavus Dance classes doing wonderful performances right in the Arboretum.

I live in an apartment very near the Arboretum, and I often see groups of people socializing with friends, playing catch, and just relaxing in the peacefulness of the Arb. The Linnaeus Arboretum showcases the beauty of a southern Minnesotan environment, and Gusties are lucky to have such a place right on campus.

The bookstore is open Monday through Saturday. They have a cheery and helpful staff that are proud to serve the Gustavus community. Every time I have shopped at the Bookmark, I have been treated with an almost motherly type care.

The Book Mark is especially convenient for Gustie students because it is on campus and close to all academic buildings. I especially appreciate that I can easily stop by the Book Mark and purchase shampoo, contact solution, or toothpaste if I run out.

The Book Mark sends out coupons to GAC students during the their birthday months for the bookstore. I have used my birthday coupons to purchase Gustavus sweatshirts and other clothing.

The Book Mark is the store that I purchase all of my course textbooks at. They have a great website, where I am able to purchase new or used books, and then pick them up once I arrive on the Gustavus Campus. Check out the Book Mark’s website here.

All in all, the Book Mark is a all purpose bookstore that is convenient, helpful, and just another unique part of Gustavus.

This semester, I am enrolled in the awesome activities course Tai Chi.  Tai Chi is a relaxing martial arts technique that focuses on healthy, flowing movements.  My class meets twice a week for about an hour, during which we learn and practice new Tai Chi techniques.  My favorite technique is called Cutting the Path to Clarity, which requires both arms to move in opposite directions in a natural and soothing way.

Now that the weather is nice in St. Peter, my Tai Chi class has been meeting outside for our class periods.  We usually find a central, grassy location on campus, and then practice Tai Chi.  We regularly draw some stares from other Gustavus students and staff, but mostly because they are curious as to what 30 students are doing moving their bodies in unison.

It feels especially great to practice Tai Chi outdoors.  I find the whole technique to be relaxing, energizing, and interesting.  I am grateful to be able to learn such a unique activity right here at Gustavus.

The weekend of Thrill on the Hill has historically received some pretty good Minnesota spring weather. However, this weekend may be a bit different. Rain and high winds are expected, which could make an interesting couple of days. Fortunately, if the grass is a little damp, I think players will be more keen to dive for discs, which is one of the true highlights of any ultimate match.

Most teams will play around six games in two days for Thrill on the Hill. I am sure that this will resulting in some sore bodies come Sunday, but part of the joy of frisbee is the magnitude of games during any given tournament. Thrill on the Hill promises to be an exciting weekend, and I can’t wait to play a full weekend of ultimate in the backyard of beautiful Gustavus.

The theme for this years event was “Troubled Water.” Scholars from many different regions made their way to Gustavus to present informational lectures. Lectures focussed on global water consumption, sustainability, and the social and economic challenges associated with providing water to a global community.

The keynote speaker for the conference was Aaron Wolf, a research scientist from Oregon State University.

I had the opportunity to attend a very interesting documentary during the Mayday Conference. The documentary highlighted the environmental issues associated with building dams. The writers of the film encouraged people to become aware of the enormous impact dams can have on the environment (through flooding, soot accumulation, etc), and to choose sustainability for out nations rivers.

The Mayday Conference is an annual reminder of the important social issues that the global community faces. Furthermore, I have always left the Mayday Conference feeling equipped with some basic tools to make change.

Anne Fausto-Sterling is a professor of cellular and molecular biology at Brown College, and her lecture for the Gustavus community was titled “Emergent Difference: How to Avoid the Nature/Nuture Trap while Maintaining Respect for Biology, Psychology, Sociology, History and Anthropology.” In her lecture, Anne Fausto-Sterling suggested that the way we typically approach the nature nurture discussion is inadequate because of the complex connectivity between the two concepts. She argued that biological and sociological methods need to be synthesized into future studies in order to give the most complete picture of human behavior.

Anne Fausto-Sterlings ideas were fascinating, and I felt fortunate to be able to listen to her talk. Every time I attend a lecture outside of class, I am reminded of the value and uniqueness of the college experience. On any given night, Gustavus is host to numerous activities. Taking advantage of those unique scholarly opportunities is a wonderful way to stay intellectually involved in the Gustavus community.

G-net is an awesome online resource, offered by the Gustavus Career Center, that lists available jobs and internships for GAC students. Through G-net, Gusties can browse summer employment positions by payment type, location, field, and duration. G-net lists relevant contact information of the employers and a brief job description of offered positions . Through G-net, GAC students can make contacts with Gustie Grads and other experts in a variety of fields, and start working towards gaining a meaningful position for the summer.

My particular goal for the summer of 2008 was to find a summer internship related to environmental law. After a few searches in my hometown, I started using G-net. Through G-net I noticed a job opportunity through an organization that works on environmental quality and awareness issues. I applied for the position, and a week later received the good news that I would be able to intern with them for the summer.

G-net was an invaluable tool for me in finding a summer internship. G-net provides an impressive listings of jobs, and allows Gusties to get on the right track towards a rewarding summer job.

Contestants competed in the following areas: Gustie Pride, a Question/Answer Portion, a Talent Contest and Evening Wear. The event occurred in the Market Place, and a good portion of the student community attended the event.

I was very impressed with the contestants, and I especially appreciated the talent contest. A few contestants played guitar and sang, others told jokes, skateboarded, and even danced. My favorite talent was performed by the eventual winner of Mr. Gustavus, Dave. Dave did a choreographed dance to the Daft Punk song, Harder, Better, Faster Stronger. Check out a similar dance to Dave’s contest winning performance on youtube here.

All of the Mr. Gustavus Pageant proceeds went to the Lupus Foundation, and organization that assists those affected by the Lupus disease.

The title of Mr. Gustavus is in great hands for 2008, but I hope to see another competition next year.