Christmas in Cullowhee

Have you seen the Christmas tree on the second floor of the University Center, close to the mail room? It's large and pretty with ornaments of purple, gold and white. There is another Christmas tree in the library near the circulation desk. And then there is one in Madison Residence Hall where I live. I stopped to look at these trees often to appreciate being in Cullowhee during the Christmas season.

Earlier this week, I took a ride down Locust Creek Road and found the trailer where I lived for part of my time as an undergraduate. It's been seven years since I've seen that place. I last left it in May 2000 to head to my job in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.

Who knows if I will ever be in this part of the world again for Christmas? I would not mind being here again next year and finishing a Master's degree. But if all goes according to plan, I will be in law school for the fall semester 2008. It is entirely possible that I will never see the Christmas trees on campus or drive down Locust Creek Road in December ever again. Even if I want to come back to this area to practice law, I've learned never to take the next moment for granted. Without trying to sound morbid, I've seen enough of this world to know that death will always surprise me, and there are no guarantees, no protections from when it decides to pay me a visit.

But anyway, I probably would not have understood that as well as an undergraduate. For most people at WCU, your whole life is ahead of you and the world is right at your fingertips. So enjoy the Christmas season in the beautiful sanctuary that is Western and Cullowhee, Sylva and Dillsboro. Once your exams are over, take a look at the Christmas decorations and the campus and remember you were here in December 2007. It will be a special memory you can take with you for the rest of your life.

Until next time,

Nathan Marshburn

Smiling

It's half past midnight in the library right now. They just shifted the hours so that the building stays open until 2 am. Soon it will be open 24 hours for exams. I'm seeing people I don't usually see here this late, and you can feel their stress. But I'm smiling because I'm almost done with everything for the semester. And the stress here is nothing compared with the stress of the real world. It's amusing to watch some of these students cram and rush.

Stop Kiss, a play by Diana Son, hit the stage last week. I saw it on Friday night. Once again, our theater department displayed some great talent. It was truly an enjoyable experience.

Bravo to the director, student Sarah Lipham, for selecting a story that should challenge people's beliefs. Though the play contained a few four letter words and some adult themes, it was not obscene. Stop Kiss raised concerns about some controversial issues. A few people laughed during the play at inappropriate times-- but then they realized it. This is what you want when you are trying to get them to see issues in a new light.

The two lead actresses also did a great job. "Callie," played by senior Hannah Case and "Sara," played by junior Stacie Wilson, worked well together on stage. A scene where they try to coax a cat named Caesar out to sleep on the bed with Sara is hilarious. And later, the scenes at the hospital were both sad and touching. Each actress showed a maturity beyond their years with the depth they brought to such dynamic roles.

So, to everyone involved with the production, thank you. I enjoyed the evening and afterwards spent a lot time considering what the play meant. I hope to see the director and cast in future productions at WCU.

Until next time,

Nathan Marshburn