Still a month to go until the end of the semester. Do you happen to feel overwhelmed? Do you experience anxiety at the mere thought of what you need to turn in by tomorrow?

Don’t worry if you do, here’s a page from an ancient non-verified Roman scroll; the writer would definitely sympathize with you.

April 11, 25 B.C. (Give or take a few years)

Why do I have such a miserable life? There’s so much to do today. Me, Pseudolus, a slave has to take care of my master’s love-stricken son. I must make a list to keep everything straight in my head.

Today’s to-do list:

1.Get Philia for a girlfriend for my master’s son Hero.

2.Figure out what to do with a big captain to whom Philia is already promised.

3.Dress the head servant in drag to pretend to be a dead Philia.

4.Make the big captain believe Philia is dead (that’s going to be difficult).

5.Pretend to kill myself to save me from the captain’s wrath if he finds out Philia is not really dead.

6.Plan Hero’s escape with Philia.

7.Make sure Hero gets me my freedom.

8.Don’t forget to…

The diary ends without an explanation to the eighth item on the list, but if you want to see a recreation of Pseudolus‘ life then go see “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” playing April 11-14, and 18-20 at the Palmetto Theater.

More info, click here.

By NVC Student Paul Northrop

It’s taking schools by force. Young and old join together. Never has such a force united so many people of such a variety at NVC. Such a spontaneous force can only be one thing – the Harlem Shake!

In the Palmetto Center for the Arts, a diverse group of students came together to make history in the back hall. The windows were blacked out, glow in the dark gear was passed out to the excited crowd, the camera crew set up dolly track and a jib, and the time came to crazy it up. The first shot featured NVC’s mascot: the Wildcat, who demonstrated great team spirit; and after a few moments the rest of the crowd got into the swing of the dance, and jumped up to get in on the action.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is worth much, much more. There’s no way to tell you everything that happened without writing a thesis paper, so instead I’ll give you something you might enjoy. I’ll give you the Harlem Shake link.

Get ready to see something, nothing, sorta’ like every other Harlem Shake video on YouTube. Turn up your speakers, throw on your special crazy hat, and try to spot someone you know in the NVC Harlem Shake video.

[youtube http://youtube.com/w/?v=_qA_xF5YKHc]

By NVC Student Peter Northrop

Raise your hand if you are just getting over a second-degree sunburn. Don’t be embarrassed, it’s only terrible when you are trying to be Edward or Bella, and are nurturing vampire-white skin.

Those of you who didn’t raise your hand can join my side of the table. I didn’t even get a tan. Es muy triste, but we’re not going to talk about that.

But for a group of NVC students, they got something more valuable than a tan for spring break. They took part in the United Way Alternative Spring Break in Tuscon, Ariz. that included working at Boys & Girls Clubs, taking part in educational activities and sprucing up the facilities.

The best part about the trip, it was free! I would use more exclamation marks, but I’m trying to prevent everyone else getting too excited and signing up for the next available bus before I do. The travel alone makes the experience worthwhile, but the great thing is that the group went to serve others. They had a positive impact on the people they met in Tucson, and they did more over spring break than just get a pre-spring burn. I don’t know the next time they’re going, but stay connected with the student life office if you want in.

http://alamo.edu/nvc/current-students/student-life/

By NVC Student Peter Northrop

Do you remember when money grew on trees? Do you recall when a pot of gold sat at the end of every rainbow? You might, but I’m too young to remember any of that; I don’t even know the last time I saw a leprechaun.

According to biology class, the sad truth is money no longer grows on trees. It’s pitiable that we’ve come to these times, but I’ve found something that may help! Those who are independently wealthy or have Rich “Uncle” Penny bags as a relation need not read further, but then again it might be helpful all the same.

What I discovered is something called a scholarship, and it’s pronounced [skol-er-ship]. Scholarships are great because it’s money for school that might as well be growing on a tree. All you have to do is apply. There are complainers about how hard it is to apply, there are doubters who warn that somebody else will win it, and there are those who don’t care what other people say and apply anyway. Those who are still willing to stake a bit of time on winning a scholarship keep on reading. I found a golden opportunity to apply right here at NVC. There’s one important key to applying: do it by April 1 if you want the best chance of winning, and here’s where to apply:

http://alamo.edu/nvc/academics/scholarships/

I’m off to take my chance at winning, but please let me know if you see any leprechauns.

By NVC Student Peter Northrop

The theater, the theater, what’s happened to the theater? Even though Danny Kaye in “White Christmas” doesn’t know, I do. It’s strong and thriving. Northwest Vista College just had a magical two weeks of theater. We performed short plays written by five local play wrights. Yes, for full disclosure I admit performing in one of the plays. If you attended any of the shows, you would know me by the line “There is magic in the world.”

All plays were set in a diner. The diner was odd because in one play it would fade and exhibit magical qualities. In another, it was similar to a bus station for dead people waiting to get on with the afterlife, and for the other three it was set in various parts of Texas. Though the diner was interesting to watch change during the shows, the people who inhabited the diner during were far more varied and colorful than any change seen in the diner.

There’s a diner owner who’s allergic to cedars in a town where a big cedar festival is held, and he gets threatened with a pitchfork by the Dad of the heroine. There’s a control-freak daughter looking for her crazy mother. There’s the dancing sexpert with the “white-as-Kraft-mayo” couple. To fill out the ensemble there are the troop of dead people waiting for something to happen, and the lost souls who finally find what they need.

If you missed the event make sure you show up for the next event. Check it all out at:

www.alamo.edu/nvc/PalmettoCalendar/

By NVC Student Peter Northrop

The kitchen is the heart of the home, so it’s no surprise that the Cypress Campus Center cafeteria is the hub of the Northwest Vista College campus.

As Gregory Lemon, cafeteria manager, says, “The world of food is an opportunity for communication.” Open from 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Thursday and 7 am to 2 pm on Friday, the cafeteria is one of the most crowded areas with lots of smiles and satisfied customers.

An evolving menu that changes annually and options for vegetarians have helped the cafeteria feed its customers – 70 percent students and 30 percent employees.

The cafeteria uses a four-week cycle menu that can be accessed on the NVC website at the Food Services page. In addition, special requests are welcome, as the cafeteria is “not bound to the menu.” So if you would really like to eat veggie lasagna on an almost constant basis, then just let the staff know. Also, the cafeteria strives to accommodate individuals with food allergies, so inform the servers if you have an allergy.

The cafeteria also provides catering for campus-related events. The number of people that can be served in catering events is unlimited. Customers may specify the food to be served, ranging from large-scale pizza to full0course meals.

Gregory also says that food is not the only way that he and the cafeteria staff help the campus. Last semester, he volunteered to be in the water-dunking fundraiser. He said it was a worthwhile cause and was glad to have participated, even though he got sick for the following two weeks due to the repeated dunking.

Overall, Gregory views the cafeteria as a place to not only serve food, but to get to know the students. He can be regularly spotted talking with students. His goal is for all students to achieve success, especially through graduating and great grades. He tries to instill confidence in them when visiting with them.

“There’s nothing hard about being nice to one another” says Gregory.

But Gregory has one request from employees, “Trays belong to the cafeteria. I’m running out of food trays. So if you have any trays in your office or you see one kept out of place, please do return them back to the cafeteria!

By NVC Student Kimberly Redgate

 

Welcome back to school folks!

Just in case you didn’t get the memo, it was seventy-six degrees and about six inches of snow fell at Northwest Vista College! I’m not pulling your proverbial leg. It snowed at about 11AM and 1PM, and in full sunshine, and it was real. This can only mean one thing: miracles do happen!

How many students at college can go to class, take a break and go sledding in balmy t-shirt and shorts weather, and get back to class with ten minutes to spare? At NVC you can.

Students enjoyed sledding down a snow slide, throwing a blizzard of snowballs at anyone who strayed into their line of fire, and watching other people get their faces “white-washed” in the snow. Even our shy mascot (the Wildcat, in case you didn’t know) showed itself in the warm sunshine and partook in the general festivities.

The winter festival was even accompanied by a few talented movin’ and groovin’ break dancers, while in the early afternoon Frosty showed up in a cowboy hat. If you were here when it snowed at NVC you know what I’m talking about. If you weren’t here, well then you must check your ACES email more often so you stay up to date on all the not-to-miss events that Student Activities is planning this semester.

See you when it snows next time.

By NVC Student Ambassador Peter Northrop

Thanksgiving is over, and even though I still feel like a bloated panda in a bamboo forest, finals loom like the Great Wall of China.

It doesn’t seem fair; I’ve been more or less a model student for most of the semester, and now I have homework biting at my heels like a pack of mangy hyenas. There’s no escape, and the only way to survive being nipped by the pack is by climbing over that wall. If you are someone like me, who has a crippled brain then you might be feeling a little stressed.

Luckily I have traveled the breadth and length of the bamboo forest, and I know a place where trained counselors and licensed professionals have experience dealing with bloated pandas with crippled brains.

Their skills not only reach stressed individuals, but also those who need help setting goals, bucking depression, or even having a better relationship with another panda, errr… I mean person. They have other services as well, and they are all free! Check out all they do @ http://www.alamo.edu/nvc/student-health-center/ or call them at 486-4342.

They are located in the Cypress Campus Center on the second floor.

The Great Wall is still standing, but I know even in this crazy bamboo grove the Wellness Center has my back. So if you need that extra boost getting over the last or beginning ten feet of the final wall, give the center a visit. If you happen to stop in at the Wellness Center, I’ll probably see you there. Catch you on the other side.

By NVC Student Ambassador Peter Northrop

Halloween is past and I’ve survived another year without being chewed on by a demented zombie. I’m relieved to say the least, but doubts are still whispering that all is not well. The reason for this uncertainty is that I feel there are zombies lurking still.

….. Lurking in Live Oak Hall.

I visit LOH often because I’m taking Business and Professional Speech, and for any person who isn’t a zombie yet, there’s a sanctuary of hope at the end of a long corridor. Within the room is everything I might need to be a competent speaker: a coach who listens, records, and evaluates the speeches; computers for working on homework; separate rooms to practice in, and even textbooks that I use while I’m there. Here’s the path to safety, check it out:

http://www.alamo.edu/nvc/tutoring/speech/

Now back to what’s important. Yes, as I said zombies have infested LOH. I see them every day on the way to the speech lab. I can tell they are zombies because of their blank eyes which are easily hypnotized by glowing devices. They are sitting on the benches, lounging against the walls, and stumbling down the corridor; I manage to act just like them, and luckily they’re the kind of zombies that don’t seem to notice much, so I usually get by them unnoticed. They don’t seem to have the capability of making intelligent speech, and they usually exist in a hunched over position, which shows a lack of proper muscle control.

Though the situation looks bleak, there’s hope for the poor unfortunate zombies! I have done a study while in my speech class (which I’m sure my teacher will love), which proves that through the power of oration, zombies will follow a person’s commands.

It is grand!

There will soon be no more zombies to fear, as long as there’s a shepherd to guide them. All that will be required is a calming speaker, and the zombies will be docile lambs.

The first test starts today. I need to get to the speech lab and warm up my calming voice, but after… Gahh … someone’s texting me, let me see … hmmm … uh … ooo, it … glows.

By NVC Student Ambassador Peter Northrop

There are many benefits to attending Northwest Vista College. I especially enjoyed rock climbing at the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. The entire trip was free to NVC students and transportation was provided by the college. I have been attending NVC for a couple of semesters, but I have never signed up before because I had no time. I did not know what I was really missing until I went on this trip.

The trip was on a Saturday. I signed up a couple of days before the trip. I was told that the bus was full, but that I could be on the waiting list. I saw that 4 people were ahead of me and I thought I wasn’t going to have a chance to go but I did.

On the morning of the trip, I arrived at 6:30 a.m. at the gym. When I arrived the coordinator had each student read a safety and procedures sheet and then have us sign a waiver. We also were given a pouch with a mini safety kit and bottle of water. I got to meet and talk with other students. We got on the bus about an hour later and it took us an hour and a half to get to Enchanted Rock.

When we got there, we all started walking on the hiking trail and then walked up on some big rocks. There was rock after rock to climb on and some to jump over. I am not in good shape and I struggled going up those rocks, but it was still fun. When we got to the very top it was very windy and I looked around and down and it was such beautiful scenery. Some of the students sat down to rest and others took pictures. After a while we kept going to a different route. There were more rocks to climb on and we got to a place where there was a cave. A couple of students have brought their own headlights because the inside of the cave was pitch black. So the students were split up with some going into the cave and the rest were to meet up at the other side. When we all met up we went back to the bus to have lunch. After lunch we went on the last route and then headed back to NVC. We got back at 5:30 p.m. I had a great time at Enchantment Rock because I met some new friends and enjoyed a free journey.

By Jolene Rodriguez
NVC Ambassador