This Week At Western

I wish I did not have to sleep. A theme I keep coming back to is how much goes on here. I mean, it's to the point now where I can sometimes get into adventures just from taking a lap around the library floor. But tonight, I came back up to my room to drop off some books and check my computer. Running on about five hours of sleep in the past 48, I had a headache and decided to lay down for just a few minutes... Bam! It's three hours later.

I want those three hours back. You can take them off at the end of my life when my body and brain are too old to feel and sense as much as I can right now.

Like I've said before, life happens here, at WCU. I've been in the drudgery of the real world routine, and I know that right now is a very special, very privileged time.

So these are a fraction of the things that happened this week in Cullowhee:

My favorite class...

Twelve years ago I took a class here as an undergraduate called Astronomy 101 with Dr. Heckert. It was my favorite college class of all time. Worth four hours of credit, I also took the night lab with a girl named Amy Stewart. I wonder what she is up to, now?

Earlier this week I saw Dr. Heckert again for the first time since I graduated. He looks pretty much the same. His red hair and beard were much bushier when I had his class, though. It was after dark when I saw him, and he was looking up at the stars as he walked across campus.

"Anything special up tonight?" I called out to him.

He stopped and looked at me. To my surprise, there was recognition in his eyes.

"When were you my student?" he asked.

I smiled. "About ten years ago. My name is Nathan."

"And your last name?"

"Nathan Marshburn."

"That's right. I remember you. You wrote a paper about an asteroid hitting the earth."

I was amazed and pleased that he recalled this. We spoke for a few minutes and caught up. Norton Hall and a softball field now occupy the place where we used to have the astronomy night lab. Dr. Heckert told me that the class now goes up to the airport, Wednesday nights at 8 to conduct the lab. There is a building that houses the telescopes up there, unofficially named "Heckert Hall." He invited me up to attend the lab with his students.

This Wednesday, however, I plan on going to see The Vagina Monologues, but I will take him up on his offer later this semester. It was great to see him again.

Tough Girls...

Today I watched our female rugby team take on the University of South Carolina. It was a valiant effort, but we simply had too many rookies out there. The girls put in 100%, and unfortunately I watched one get her ribs cracked while another probably sprained an ankle or broke her leg. The stretchers were called in.

Female rugby players and their entourage are some of the most interesting people you will meet at WCU.

And then the LSAT...

Today, I also took the Law School Admissions Test for the second time. Last night I stayed out to about 2 or 3 am socializing with some international students at an apartment off campus. I got up at 7:30 this morning to take the test.

It was a wise strategy. The first time I took the test, I went to bed early. But I could not sleep. During the test, I had too much energy and was too nervous. It was hard to concentrate. I received a decent score, but I felt like I could have done better.

This time, however, I was too tired to be nervous. It was much easier to relax and focus on the test, and I feel much better about the potential results. I am eager to get the score back, as this effort felt like it was about the best I could do.

Okay, that's enough time for the blog. Though I could go on and on, there are books to read and papers to write.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn