Rosedale Student Blog

Friday night, a long-standing Rosedale tradition was carried out like never before.  All-night volleyball has never seen this level of craziness and creativity. J Planning began weeks before as teams made t-shirts, cut out cardboard, and brainstormed entrances.  The volleyball court was no longer limited to those who actually enjoy the game but was open to anyone who felt like testing out their skills or simply making a memorable scene.

Team S.O.A.P., also known as School of a Pizza, decked themselves out in graduation gowns and caps.  They entered to the strains of Pomp and Circumstance creaking out from a mini-accordion. The honored representative of pizza played with a cardboard cutout of a large slice of pizza hanging on both sides of him. 

Another interesting team was Team Doom.  The players dressed in anything that was deemed intimidating.  They drew on their faces and taped rolled up newspapers all over themselves.  Certain team members jumped around and yelled like maniacs.  They had made little men out of newspapers and ripped them to shreds.  Needless to say, at the end of their first couple of games, the floor was littered with scraps of newspaper.   

                  However, not all of the teams were this crazy.  Some valiant teams remained until the bitter end at 8:15 A.M. when tired eyes squinted in the morning sun.  Everyone enjoyed themselves, whether their enjoyment came from goofy behavior or serious play.  The weekend was full of catching up on sleep before a busy school week began bright and early on Monday and S.O.A.P. and Team Doom were only a memory. 

Spring time is arriving. The birds are buzzing. The bees are chirping. The breeze is swaying to and fro and to and fro. Campfires will soon be lit, and songs will soon be sung; a wonderful noise to accompany the wonderful taste of smores. And among the smoldering of ash and flame will bring forth a dull, yet sharp realization that our time here at Rosedale Bible College will soon come to an abrupt end, so we better have a lot of fun while we can.

We as a student body expect great things on the Rosedale Bible College campus in this upcoming spring. The glorious weather that is delivered down upon us from our glorious God, promises us lots and lots of Ultimate Frisbee. There have been a few games planned already, but unfortunately, there have not been enough people to make an appearance to actually play a worthwhile game. Maybe the efforts of our students will be a little more satisfactory in the future.

Frisbee golf has been a well played game on our campus as well. Discs have been bought by multiple students to try to up their game a little. (My best game was finished at par.) Discs will fly and chains will clank with the sound of inevitable victory. (Maybe not from me though.) Round after round of the acclaimed game of future fame will be played with the utmost satisfaction.

Probably the most renowned activity that will be delved into is…….. (Drum roll please)…….. laying out on the field being lazy, or quite possibly doing homework. Not quite the spectator sport, but it is critically acclaimed to be rather relaxing. So grab your blankets and your sun-screen and your textbooks and stretch yourselves out on the grass and chillax. Or grab your Frisbees and meet me outside on the golf course or in the field sooner or later (sooner rather than later) to have some fun in the sun (or rain and wind w/e.) See you there.

Some of us go home on break or go to our girlfriend or boyfriend’s house, or to family and friends. Some of us do a mixed combination of the previous. I went to my girlfriend Amy’s house over the first weekend of break, and then spent the rest of my time on break hanging out with Hans Shenk and his loverly family. Amy and I hung out  and went to the thrift store. We even got some Chinese food and watched some movies. Her mother bought me a GI-JOE and some candy from Wal-Mart. She even made me some peanut butter and jelly French toast (I know, it was amazing). The quickest way to get to a man’s heart is through his stomach and his inner child (also his sweet tooth.)

Like I said a few moments ago, I spent the rest of the time with Hans. We just hung around and were super lazy for almost a whole week (that’s what you do on break in case you didn’t know. Unless you worked and made money, then you are exempt.) Bennet Wenger came to hang out with us as well, so we grabbed Levi Ziegler and made an evening of it. We went to the thrift store also (I love the thrift store.) Levi and Hans bought some emo clothes and altogether it was a blast. It was almost as fun as my time with Amy. Hey, I said almost. Hans and I also went to the Plain City Public Library and went skiing on the web. I borrowed a book and a movie.

There was even a group that went on tour with Veritas, a group of individuals that perform in a band in different churches in various states. They traveled to Maryland, Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania for their tour over our break from Feb. 14 to Feb. 22. It is usually a lot of fun but if you are like me then you will eventually want to come back to the Rosedale Bible College campus, and hang out with friends and just ultimately goof off until classes start.

Whatever you may choose to do on your break, have fun with good friends and even better family, even band members. Eat good food (**smiles at Amy**) and watch movies that are edifying (Well, I guess that is a matter of personal conviction). Have lots of fun and do a ton of stuff that you normally wouldn’t do on campus. Tell me about it later so I can put it in a future blog.

Empty aluminum cans, once full of energy drinks and Mountain Dew, clutter rooms and lounges. Study parties quiz each other frantically in hopes of maximum retention. Learning and forgetting, learning and forgetting. Forgetting and learning, forgetting and learning. Study guides cover tables. Highlighters cover study guides. Studying for one class, then another and visa versa. Last minute corrections are made to last minute papers. Frustrated students make empty threats to empty printers. Bed times extend for hours, and some don’t even go to bed at all. Students in their bedrooms. Students in the lounge. Students in the coffee shop. Students in the classrooms and prayer rooms. Students that share one common goal, study until your eyes are too heavy to hold open.

For some reason, the last three hours of ones night life are filled with conversation containing information that is the farthest it could be from the contents of the study guide. Relationships, breakfast, plans for break, and plans for future pranks (just to name a few of many) clot minds, and motivation for study starts to slowly deplete. Some manage to make it to bed for a healthy few hours of sleep. Alarms are set and hearts regret past procrastination.

Morning arrives and breakfast is eaten as some even study while eating. Students carry themselves towards the classroom building in vague attempts of preparation. Tests are taken and crowds of students later congregate in miscellaneous meeting places and discuss how much easier or harder the test was to what was originally expected.

They compare answers and rejoice over the ones they got right, and declare vain utterances over the ones they did not. And even remember answers to questions they left blank, wishing they could go back and fill in the answer.

More tests are taken and yet again, more answer comparing meetings take place. Test result prophecies are declared, mumbled and grumbled. Some good. Some bad. Some ugly.

Test taking fiascoes are concluded with the packing of clothing, stowing away of suitcases and the ill-fated extended goodbye. Tears are shed in the girls lounge, as those who who have joined us only for the short time of the winter term, prepare for their departure. Hugs and cards and prayers and emails, phone numbers, and addresses are exchanged. Waves and blown kisses. Final hugs and loving wipes of tears of joy and sadness are among us. Cars are started. Seat belts are strapped. Goodbyes are no longer needed as vehicles drift away, taking pieces of us with them. Break begins.

A few students (including myself) have recently had the opportunity to go on student recruiting expeditions. A group went to Delaware, another group went to Michigan (that’s where I went) and another group will be going to Applecreek, Ohio in the upcoming weeks. Student recruiting involves just talking to prospective students and tell them about Rosedale Bible College in hopes that they will come and attend our lovely school.

 I went to Pigeon, Michigan with a group of five students total plus the actual student recruiter, Jason Ropp. We were given sweat shirts as a reward for our time. We also got a free chapel skip, and were able to skip two classes to take a road trip. It was awesome!!!!!! The students that went to Pigeon, Michigan are as follows: Tara Brenneman, Melanie Beachy, Larry “Bito” Beitzel, Jackie Yoder, Richard Stein, and Rosedale’s student recruiter Jason Ropp. 

At Pigeon, Michigan we attended a pot luck, and had the opportunity to talk to some teens that love God and are planning to attend college soon. What better place to go than Rosedale Bible College. We got to serve the youth root beer floats and hang out with them. We played pool, ping-pong, foosball, and even guitar hero. Some of us took along books and stuff to study since we were missing class but only a few actually read or studied anything. (Come to think about it, everybody read and studied except me. I blame guitar hero and my addictive nature.)

While we were there we sat on a panel of chairs and were asked all kinds of questions concerning student life and faculty and staff and our tight knit Rosedale Bible College community. We were more than happy to answer people’s questions and help them get a better idea of what Rosedale Bible College is really like. Somebody spilled the beans *cough* Jason Ropp*cough* that I was lactose intolerant and I was eating ice-cream. Everybody got a good giggle out of the deal. My stomach hurt so good.

This past weekend was a special time of growth and renewal.  Jeremy Miller came and spoke Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Throughout the weekend, he continued to talk about the different aspects of holiness.  God opened eyes and planted seeds that I think will reach farther than this weekend.

In the first two sessions, Jeremy talked about the incredible universe God created and the difference between trying to be like God and simply being with Him.  A college student faces a somewhat open-ended decision.  We can choose whatever we want to do or become.  The challenge lies in being able to completely give our futures over to God and allowing Him to be the Lord of our lives.  Sometimes we fight so hard to do good things for God that we forget to actually listen to His voice and follow His leading.

 Jeremy grabbed everyone’s attention by wearing an Arnold Schwarzenegger mask for the majority of his next talk.  He made the point that so many Christians today try to hide behind their good works that they think will somehow make them deserving of God’s grace.  He gave time to respond, and people gathered around in small groups.  Everyone drew together in support and encouragement of each other.  I was blessed to see God working in such an obvious way.

                The weekend was finished off Sunday morning with some ideas about “transformational holiness.”  We talked about practical ways to become true followers of God and specific “keys” to open the door for transformation, including unhindered worship, continuous prayer, renewed minds, generous giving, and careful speech.

                After a rich and full weekend, I am even more grateful for the support of a place like Rosedale.  I feel so blessed to be in such an intense growing environment where everyone is reaching farther for God.  So many friends surround me that are willing to hold me accountable.  I think that when I look back at my year at Rosedale, I will be grateful for friendship and learning, but most of all, I will be grateful for the amazing ways God worked in my life.

Traditions have come and gone, but some have still managed to stick around on the campus of Rosedale Bible College. Applebee’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, all-night volleyball, ice-cream after Sunday night services, late night theological conversations in the resident director, Brian Miller’s, office, thrift shopping, and even the occasional trip to Wal-mart to goof off and pick up the week’s rations of Ramen and other “necessities” that the average college kid needs to survive. On Friday nights Applebee’s is flooded on a regular basis with anywhere from five students to half of our campus. Half-priced appetizers are a poor college kid’s dream. Boneless wings and mozzarella sticks are consumed in unhealthy amounts, and waitresses receive enough in tips to put a down-payment on a small car (well, maybe not.)

Tuesdays are the usual Buffalo Wild Wings (“b-dubs”) nights because they have 40­-cent wings (more cheap food to satisfy our souls.) All-night volleyball is coming up in a few weeks. Teams are formed, and the set teams have their tournament until the wee hours of the night (no curfew, whooo!) and the balling of the volley is usually followed by an early morning trip to Steak and Shake for a hearty breakfast. Breakfast is usually followed by a well deserved slumber. And for some strange reason, beyond any scientific explanation, the majority of the students who partake in the volleying, end up with colds or others sicknesses and ailments.

Thrift shopping is probably my favorite of the time-honored traditions of Rosedale Bible College (sorry for the repetition of being Mennonite and cheap.) Rummaging through racks and racks of old and unwanted clothing, deciding whether or not to buy that leopard print leotard that you think is hot, even though everyone else is leaning towards the contrary. You stare at the yellow, brown, and green retro style 70s couch in anger and resentment, because it won’t fit inside of your dorm room. Finally you settle for the sweater that reminds you of your favorite childhood hero, Mr. Rogers, from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. You know what I’m talking about. The one that the girls make fun of when you’re not around. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Wal-Mart trips are just as fun but not as much cool stuff is there. Wal-Mart trips are a lot of fun when you go in huge groups of people and embarrass all of your friends. What’s even better than that is when you jump inside one of those electric cart thingamabobs designated for the elderly, disabled, and just plain lazy. Cruising around, winds blowing through your hair, as you try to pop a wheelie to impress your friends. Even though they pretend like they don’t know you inside the store, they’re still your friends. Another classic is ice-cream after the Sunday evening service. Nothing like a nice, refreshing bowl of Rocky Road after praising God in the chapel. For those of us (including me) who are lactose intolerant, we must limit ourselves or our roommates will not like us very much.  

And last, but most certainly not least (of the traditions that I choose to put in this blog), the late night theological conversations in Brian Miller’s office. We sit in Brian’s office and talk about life, love, God, girls and everything in between. Exact details are forbidden to be told, as I fear that my life will come to a very sudden and tragic demise under the hands of the men’s dorms occupants.

Traditions carry on for generations. Sometimes they only stick around for a few years. Let us hope that these time-tested traditions of Rosedale Bible College will remain long enough that our children will pass their time at Rosedale the same way that we did. Great lessons and even greater friends make these traditions even more attractive and enjoyable. May your Applebees and “B-dubs” ventures be as amusing and creative as mine have been. Play volleyball until your little heart is contented, even if you get sick – you’ll always get better. Plus the trip to Steak and Shake is worth it anyway. Buy the leopard-print leotard or you’ll regret it all the days of your natural life. Cruise around the Wal-Mart in the electric cart thingamabob while you’re young, because you can make a natural assumption that they’re not as exhilarating when you get old and feeble and actually need to use them. It’s a little more difficult to pop a wheelie when you have gout. Eat the ice-cream, even if your roommate follows you around the dorm halls with a can of Axe. Talk until 2 in the morning in the RD’s office about all of your confidential stuff. Your buddies will only spill the proverbial beans if they need to black-mail you.  Enjoy the Rosedale traditions as much as I have. Maybe you can blog about your experience later.