1-2-3-4…Please Sir, May I Have Some More?

Orientation that is…
Today was the June 19th orientation for the class of 2013. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to go to that one. I plan to attend the one on July 10th. I was just on Facebook and everyone was so excited about orientation and how they can’t wait for school in the fall. It got me excited. Orientation is like the Oreo’s on my ice cream sundae….the best part!!!

High school orientation was somewhat similar to sheep heading off to slaughter. We all got in a circle and followed the person in front of us, mindlessly collecting our paperwork. Of course orientation at MVNU is entirely better than that. I wish I could go to all of the orientations and meet everybody, but I guess I can wait until this fall.

That is the hardest part….waiting. Waiting for school to start, work to end, and the fun to begin. I guess I’m getting super excited about my classmates and surprisingly the schoolwork. I’m sure that part will change with time. ;P But while I wait I guess it’s good to understand that I can only experience my pre-Freshman summer once.

Until next time….Peace, Love, and Happiness

2 comments June 20, 2009

Let’s Breakaway from the Norm!

Recently I attended an event @ MVNU called Breakaway. What an experience. The event was for prospective students who really wanted to spend a day in the life an MVNU student. I was so excited to go. It was really a lot of fun.

Besides meeting people and getting to see more of the campus, there was bowling and bull riding. When I tell people about it I leave out the part that it was mechanical. ;P It was still classic. One of the friends I met there won the bull riding competition. I played corn hole for the first time ever with some of the upperclassman.  They made me feel like any other student and not like fresh fish about to drown in the overwhelming experience of being a freshman.

We met the president of the school, who was really cool. My newly found friends and I got to talk with him. It was neat how I didn’t feel stiff around one of the most important people on campus. It was a great experience.

I got to stay with some upperclassmen in their dorm. My hosts were so nice to me. They gave some insiders and advice. We stayed up pretty late talking and having fun. The girl dorms are very cute and able to be molded with your own style and personality. I know that’s one aspect I will fully enjoy come fall.

The following pictures, in my opinion, define Breakaway and how much fun my friends and I had. Unfortunately we were so wrapped up in the bull riding experience that we didn’t get any pictures of it. Regardless, Breakaway was completely awesome, the beginning of my college experience.

Add a comment June 14, 2009

The 4-1-1

I wanted to give a you a better idea of who I am and what you have to look forward too ;P My name is Jasmine Manigoe and I am currently 18. I just recently graduated from high school. I’m the second of three teenagers. My oldest brother, Josh, is just about 20. My youngest, Jordan, is 15. I’m sandwiched in the middle of two boys. At times it can be an interesting arrangement, but I wouldn’t trade it. I don’t think I would want a sister, but then again I’m sure it would smell better ;P Then we have an “adopted” brother, Brad, who basically lives at our house. I currently live in Gahanna and went to the only high school in Gahanna, Gahanna Lincoln High School. I will never know why there is only one high school, it’s bulging at the seams. For four years I learned to cope. I was involved in speech and debate, volleyball, a mentorship program, kids vote, and worked at Giant Eagle. Being a senior at the time…I had to make a lot of decisions. One dreaded decision was where I was going to spend the next four years of my life. I always consider high school a prison sentence. You have to serve four years and then you make parole only to do another four years. But that wasn’t the case this time.

I had originally decided Capital University. I knew since freshman year that it was going to be Capital. I want to study law in college, and for Ohio, Capital has a highly regarded law program. So because of that I had already made my decision. I go to Faith Life Church in Johnstown, which isn’t even a Nazarene church. I had never heard of MVNU….I had only heard of Mount Vernon, Ohio because their volleyball team brought doom to our gym every year. (Props to Mount Vernon’s volleyball team, I will eternally fear you ;P) But at my church, a couple of my friends got their Associates at MVNU. They were telling the youth group about it, but at that time I didn’t think anything of it. In my mind I was Capital bound for sure. So like any eager senior I did many, many, many college visits. Miami University, Ohio Dominican, Denison, Otterbein, Capital. I don’t want to put down any Universities, because clearly they are “trying”..or something like that. I was appalled when I attended one particular University. The bathrooms were co-ed.  At that point, I was getting nowhere. Oh, but there was still Capital. I visited a couple times. Then a couple more.  I couldn’t vibe with the atmosphere at all. I couldn’t see myself there. To be completely honest, it was everything MVNU’s not….for lack of a better way to put it. But it wasn’t until I met Lauren Heatherly that I would finally discover that inevitable fact. I don’t know what made me go to that “in-school” college visit. I truly believe that there was a higher power (GOD!!) orchestrating that. I had never considered MVNU but something told me to go check it out. Lauren Heatherly came to my school’s guidance office in this small back closet-like area. I was totally oblivious as to who she was. I went back there and come to find out, I was the only one. It was just me and Lauren. What a moment ;P She was so genuine and wasn’t trying to sell me her school. I felt like I had known her for years, we were just talking our heads off. I didn’t know college admissions counselor could be so…..cool. In those 45 minutes my perspective completely changed. MVNU went from unheard of to “let’s check it out”. So I went home and went on and on about MVNU. So my dad took me to one of the Slam Dunks and Slices. I must say, it was so much fun. Way better than high school. I met a few future classmates there and saw some awesome administrators. But I wanted to get a deeper feel for the University, it is a four year commitment. I went to a MVNYOU day. Which is thee coolest way to get to see the campus and people. I loved it. I was slowly falling for MVNU at this point, as where my parents. My dad loved the close-knit family atmosphere and how safety is a priority. My mom loved the people and how “cute” the campus is. I just knew it wasn’t like anything I’ve seen. It wasn’t all smooth sailing from that point.

I was debating between an awesome campus and people plus Christianity, or pretty good law program but no community. That was some serious prayer closet time. I knew in my mind which one I wanted, but I had to make certain. MVNU was the Ali in that boxing round. I love everything about it. The people are great. I love the community and unity there and how people want to see you succeed, spiritually and academically. When picking a college, there has to be something about it that just makes you say, “Wow the other one didn’t have that. I could really see myself here.” I said that about MVNU quite frequently. So now that I know I’m going to MVNU, I plan to major in philosophy pre-law. I have soooo much I want to do on campus. Before I decided on MVNU I promised myself that I wanted to be apart of the campus, not just live on it. Because then it would feel like high school all over again.

The students, and soon-to-be students at MVNU are awesome. There is a group on Facebook for upcoming freshman. It’s a class of 2013 group where new students can meet and get to know each other in a little better light. I think that’s very useful because sometimes you meet students at Breakaway (look for more info in upcoming post) and then you meet students at Slam Dunks and Slices. But those students in between that don’t get to go to the events can still hear stories and comments about the events on the class of 2013 wall. And even if you just want to talk, it’s very cool and convenient.

Hopefully that was a better summary of who I am and how I chose my new home MVNU. I’m currently gathering pictures of Breakaway to display and comment on. Until next time…

Peace, Love, and Happiness

4 comments June 7, 2009

Stage 1: The Genesis

This is my first “post.” I wish I knew exactly what to say or how to start. I guess I can start everything by saying…I’m just so excited.

Continue Reading Add a comment June 2, 2009