PBA’s urban location offers numerous activities

This past weekend was one of the best I have had in a while. I am very glad that a few of my friends who graduated in May were able to be in town to make it awesome. I am exhausted right now, and am really going to need a nap this afternoon. I really had a blast, participating in many different activities across the community surrounding campus. This weekend was parents weekend and there were tons of activities for students to do, alongside their parents. The cafeteria food was extra good; the school hosted a murder mystery dinner, and theater production Nunsense just to name a few. That being said, my parents have never visited me during this weekend, and since I am now a senior they did not start.

The weather was nearly perfect all weekend, albeit still very hot, and I took advantage by spending quality time with friends and the Atlantic Ocean most of the day Saturday. The water is a perfect temperature this time of year, and almost perfectly crystal clear. Saturday night was when most of the student population at PBA was at one of two places. A huge number of students went to the Blink 182 concert featuring Fall Out Boy, All-American Rejects and Asher Roth. It was at the Cruzan Amphitheatre just down the road from campus. West Palm Beach is a fairly large city and has been able to bring a lot of good bands to the area, especially at Cruzan. Another large group of students, including myself, went to a free show at City Place, within walking distance of campus, featuring Kate Vogele, and Andrew McMahon (lead singer from Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate). My roommate and a few friends and I had such a great time at the show, we actually decided that we would drive across the state to Ft Myers to see the same free show again last night! We did not get back home to West Palm until a little after 2am this morning. It was definitely worth it. One of the great parts of college life is making random spontaneous decisions, like my road trip to Ft Myers yesterday, and just spending quality time with friends.

College is Busy

These past two weeks have been incredibly busy around campus. Last week was connection week, which is a weeklong event with different ways to plug in on campus and in the community of West Palm Beach. Potential employers, different churches and nonprofit organizations set up tables on the Rinker Green to connect the student body with the city and surrounding communities. As for on campus connections there was a club rush event where all of the different campus organizations set up tables to allow students to join. As the president of the college republicans club, I had a lot of work to do to recruit new members at the event. The entire connection week was a success.

This week, as you already know, is Christoval which is our spiritual emphasis conference week. It just so happens that this week I also have 3 exams, a paper due and a presentation. Needless to say I have only been able to make it to one Christoval so far, but I plan on attending again today. Life sometimes gets busy, but it is nothing that I cannot handle. I like the busyness actually. I am definitely looking forward to this weekend to rest up from the last two weeks. A bunch of friends who graduated from PBA are coming into town this weekend and I am very excited to be able to spend time with them. Life is great.

Francis is Coming to Town!

Next week Francis Chan is coming to PBA to speak at our very own Christoval Festival! To say we students are excited, would be an under statement. To get an idea as to why we're so pumped about having Francis on our campus check out this video: http://www.juststopandthink.com/movieextras_movielg.php

my summer adventures

It is truly great to be back for another year at PBA! I missed the city of West Palm Beach, and just being around fellow sailfish. I had a very enjoyable summer break full of many adventures including two epic road trips with PBA friends and I also went on a Travel Study trip to Greece and Turkey. The first, of the epic road trips, was from Florida to Arkansas for a wedding of two of my very good friends, who just graduated PBA last may. On the way back we made a pit stop in Mobile, Alabama to stay with one of my first friends at PBA before returning to Florida. The second road trip was back to school from Chicago with my roommates. Altogether I visited 10 different states this summer, having a great time. If you ever want to take an extremely boring drive through nothingsville USA, you will have to drive across Arkansas or Illinois. Luckily in both cases I was in a car full of sailfish and we were able to make the best of it. It is great that even though I have been away from school for the summer, I have remained completely connected with all of the many friends I have here at PBA. The student body and especially your close friends that you make at PBA honestly become a second family.

I cannot even begin to describe how blessed I feel about being able to visit the beautiful and historical countries of Turkey and Greece. I went on the trip with the Honors College at PBA as an extension of our learning. The biblical studies department also came with us. Three of the best professors the university has to offer, came with us and acted as our mentors and friends as we visited the numerous historical and biblical sites the two countries had to offer. We saw such historical sites as the Parthenon, ancient Ephesus, Corinth and the Homeric city of Troy just to name a few. My life will seriously never be the same. It was one of the most profound religious experiences I have had in life, visiting many of the ancient biblical cities. It makes the faith real and alive to visit the places where Paul and many others walked and lived their lives. Just wow. I would highly recommend that everyone experience a travel study trip at least once during their time spent in college. Traveling is one of the best and most fun ways to learn about a new place, but even more so about yourself.

*TOP - Some of the group outside the Grotto where John recieved his Revelation on the island of Patmos, Greece

*BOTTOM - The whole travel study group in front of Hagia Sophia in the old city of Constantinople (now Istanbul), Turkey