Let's Go Fly A Kite...

Well, we are officially on the third day of EYW, and things are going great! Due to camera issues and some spotty wi-fi here at Dry Gulch, I'm just now posting about what happened on Wednesday, which was the beloved KITE DAY! (I'll post about what happened today tomorrow, and so on.)
Ask almost any upperclassman, and they will probably tell you that this was their favorite part of EYW. Every year, the kids from Stanley Hupfeld Academy at Western Village come to hang with the freshmen and staff and fly lots of kites on campus. We love the kids, and they love coming to OC!



Lining up to make a really long tunnel for the kids and teachers to walk through.




The freshmen try to remember how to fly a kite!







Even though we lost the wind a couple of times, some of the kites got really high in the air!
We're having a great time up at Dry Gulch, which you will find out about...tomorrow! :)

It's HERE!

Ladies and gentlemen, Earn Your Wings 2011 HAS BEGUN! My feet hurt, my voice is shot, and I am so happy!

The evening began with every freshman filing into the auditorium amongst a crowd of screaming, dancing, clapping, tie-dye-clad upperclassmen. We then proceeded to dance our little OC-lovin' hearts out for the freshmen, and lead them on a photo scavenger hunt!






Yay directors! We love these people.


I think many people wish their school was this cool.



I don't know this guy's name yet, but I like his excitement!


This guy has awesome hub pride!


Trying to get all those photos taken as fast as possible!

The evening ended with worship and a great message from OC's own Chance Vanover, as well as a late-night pancake breakfast in the caf! Tomorrw: Kite Day! We're all so excited to meet the kids, and I promise there will be lots of pictures!

Dear Future Eagles...

It came to my attention this summer that I am 1/4 done with college. This revelation managed to make me sad, excited, nervous and extremely nostalgic at the same time. My first year went by so fast, but at the same time, I don’t feel like I’ve missed out. I have studied till the wee hours of the morning, I have slept till 11, I have taken more notes than I thought possible, I have rolled out of bed 20 minutes before class and still made it, I have guzzled SO much coffee. I have written a paper in a day (Amanda and Caroline FTW), I have aced tests, I have failed tests. I have laughed so hard I cried and my sides hurt, I have cried my eyes out on friends’ shoulders, I have given about a million hugs, I have taken hundreds of pictures. And I have come to love OC, and know for sure that I couldn’t spend the next 3 school years anywhere else. I can’t believe that I will be one of the “old pros” this year, and that there is already a new group of freshmen coming in.

So here's my letter to the next generation of OC Eagles:

You’ve picked such a great school. I’m so happy you want to come. You couldn’t ask for a closer community, better teachers, more stupidly fun activities or more spiritual growth opportunities. I hope you’ll take a soon-to-be-upperclassman’s advice and have a wonderful freshman year.

First off, during Earn Your Wings week, stay out of your room as much as possible. You’ll have plenty of time to chill in your dorm once school starts, and your dorm meeting will give you a chance to meet the other girls. But for the first week, get out and meet people! Stay out on the commons till curfew, playing name games and tag. Get excited about your hub activities. Go to Wal-Mart and make your first “shopping trip” as a college student just because you can. Enjoy the fact that you don’t have homework and go lay in the grass, get sunburnt (and if you’re like me, acquire a nickname due to said weird sunburn), take pictures, be in pictures and go to all your hub meetings!

During EYW, make the most of it! Cheer loudly till you have no voice. Learn that cheesy hub chant, and don’t worry about looking stupid because nobody cares about that. Have fun with your little kid on Kite Day. Be nice to your hub leaders, they like you. Please, please ask a sophomore about the Amy Kelly chant. It will make us happy. Wear every OC t-shirt you have. (This school is the best about free t-shirts. And cute merchandise.) Be in the hub video. Wear comfy shoes. Join the dance parties at Dry Gulch. Learn the alma mater–WITHOUT the whoop. President O’Neal hates the whoop. Participate in the theme days like there’s no tomorrow. And enjoy it, because believe me, you’ll want to go back and do it all over again.

Once school starts: don’t stress. Go to class…I cannot even tell you how much it hurts you to skip class. (actually, I can. It makes all those aced tests kind of pointless if you skip a lot.) Ask for help. TAKE NOTES. Don’t stress. Get your homework done as soon as possible or it will come back to bite you in the butt the night before it’s due. Study with friends–much more fun and, as long as you actually work, it can be a lot more helpful. Have a planner. Use it. Use your awesome computer and your iTouch or iPhone to your advantage. STUDY. That paper that’s not due till the end of the semester is due sooner than you think. Learn to like coffee. It is your friend. And remember, when confronted with a gen-ed that you can’t stand, no matter how much you hate a class, it will be over in a couple months. You can do it.

Make time for your friends, too. Your college friends are a second family, no joke. They can make this one of the best school years of your life if you make time to develop close relationships. You CAN develop a close group of friends without being a “clique”. But do make an effort to get to know a lot of people. Sit with someone that you don’t know in chapel or the caf and introduce yourself.

Go to chapel. Seriously, it’s only 20 minutes. You can do it. Save your absences for when you need them–for when you don’t feel well, for when you forgot to print that Bible assignment, for when you forgot that room check is right after chapel and you haven’t washed your dishes. It really is worth it.

Beware the hot water in Gunn-Henderson dorm. It heats up FAST.

Make your grill points last as long as possible–the caf food isn’t bad, but it gets old after a while.

Don’t forget to leave a note on your door if you’re not in your room at curfew-check. Your RA doesn’t like searching for you. (it took me a long time to remember this--sorry, Shayna.)

Always, always sleep with shoes, a jacket if it’s cold, etc. close by. We have sensitive smoke detectors. And some girls don’t know how to work microwaves. Catch my drift?

And above all, enjoy being a freshman. Yes, I know you have curfew, and you want to rush a club, and you can’t wait to be done with your first year so you can move out of Gunn and Warlick/Fails, but believe me, you will miss it. Freshman year is wonderful, so make the very most of it. I can’t wait to help you all get started on this awesome journey called college.

Love,

Caroline

Meet your male AD's!

You met the girls, now here come the guys!



My name is Jared Payne, I am 21 years old and i was born and raised in St.Louis, Missouri. I like long walks on the beach, shiny things, and world class spartan training on the weekends. One of my favorite places in the world besides OC (which is my favorite place in the world) is my church camp, Camp Ne-O-Tez. I am going to be a junior at OC and this will be my third year being involved with EYW. My favorite memories i have had about EYW have all been during the Summer Singers concerts. That concert is a really great time to just hang out and have fun while listening to some of your fellow talented students. I have met a lot of new people the last two years at the concert and I look forward to this year. As I mentioned earlier OC is my favorite place in the world, no joke. My favorite thing about OC is that the entire campus seems to operate together. The teachers are involved in the students lives and the staff is at all the events that are hosted on campus. This really helps the campus operate smoothly because everyone knows each other and is focused on how to help make the campus better for each other. I also love the sporting events at OC--I encourage all the incoming freshmen to be involved and come support all the athletic programs. When I first came to OC I only knew a few people but I really got involved with EYW and that helped me get to know all my awesome friends I have today.



My name is Jacob White. I am a super senior liberal arts major. I am also going to be the president of a super club for a super second year in a row. I transfered to this super University as a sophomore so I really have no insight as to what it means to be a super OC freshman. Although, I have super Christian liking for Amy Kelly. She is a strong, bold, wise, and super sister in Christ.
Good luck getting those super wings to fit. They run a bit small.




Hey my name is Caleb Shough, I am a "super" senior accounting major. I would say that my best qualities are responsibility and an uncanny ability to make good decisions. My favorite thing about OC is our brand new police department! My favorite OC memory is Delta rush I got to meet a lot of my current friends and did really fun activities. I do not really remember much from my freshman year Earn Your Wings, but I do think that it is cool that for one week you can go around and talk to anyone like you have known them all your life and it is not weird at all. Good luck, have fun freshmen.




Hey guys! My name is Caleb Mitchell. I’m a senior Bible and Psychology major from Broken Arrow, OK. I have been at OC since the beginning of college, and have loved every year. I love extreme sports like skydiving, white water rafting, and I got my scuba diving certification this summer! And I especially love traveling and Harry Potter! One of my favorite memories of EYW was crowd surfing for the first time at the Summer Singers concert, but also meeting hundreds of people who believed things like me and just wanted to have fun. It’s truly made OC amazing. This year is going to be an awesome year, and I'm excited to meet all of you!



Hey guys, my name is Blake Mullins. I’m really looking forward to being one of your Assistant Directors this year. I’m a 5th year senior from Chicago, IL, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I love to read and I also really like to go rock climbing. If I could only choose one favorite memory from EYW, I’d have to say it was during my freshmen EYW at Dry Gulch. If you’ve never heard of Dry Gulch, it’s an old-western-style camp that has tons of sweet outdoor activities. Unfortunately, however, it rained the WHOLE TIME we were there. But yes, I am talking about my favorite memory. To make the most of our time there, three other people and I went to one of the arcades/billiard rooms. Playing pool and arcade games all day was just okay (we did take a break at one point to go jump in puddles, though), but what makes the memory so great is the fact that those people and me are still friends to this day. This goes right along with my favorite part of OC. I love how much of a community OC is. You always see someone you know walking around campus, whether it’s a student, professor, or even administrator. I’m pumped for you guys to be part of our community soon!

Meet Some More of your Awesome Staff!

EYW is getting closer and closer! Here's a chance for you to meet some more of the great people working EYW this year!

SPIRITUAL LIFE:




Hey Freshmen! My name is Sarah Gregg and I am your other Spiritual Life Committee Head. I am a junior biology major from Duncan, OK and I absolutely love OC. I am excited for Earn Your Wings to be here so I can get to know your Freshman class, and you can start falling in love with the university that I call home during the school year!

This summer has absolutely flown by! I know you are excited to get to OC and start making friends that will last forever, but you may have a little bit of what I like to call a “freak out moment” before you get here. You may get worried feelings, anxiety about roommates or leaving home, or uneasiness about this whole college situation. Don’t worry. Everyone gets them. When this happens to me (it happens A LOT) I turn to Philippians 4:4-7.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

God is in control. He knows what’s going to happen before it happens. He knows the plan. He gives us peace. Not just any peace, but peace that we really can’t understand, but there is a promise that it’s AWESOME!

I pray that the rest of your summer is great, and you are staying cool! See you soon-
Sarah Gregg


FEMALE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS:


My name is Sarah Graham. I am a twenty-one year old senior from Coffeyville, Kansas. I enjoy being creative, traveling, spending time with my friends, and watching sports. My favorite athlete is Michael Phelps. I transferred to OC after one year at a community college and have been so blessed by the community of OC and the many friends I have met throughout my journey. My favorite memory at EYW was spending time with all my new friends in my hub at Dry Gulch. My favorite thing about OC is Student Life. They really know how to bless the students at OC and have been my family away from home.



Hey there, future Eagles! My name is Teaven Taylor. I’m from a small town in Southwest Missouri, and have been at OC since my glorious first time at Earn Your Wings. I will be a senior mechanical engineering major once classes start. My favorite memory from EYW is either crowd surfing for the first time in my life at the Summer Singers concert, or playing in the volleyball tournament with a bunch of awesome people I had just met. That's part of why I love OC. I know the relationships I have made here will last a lifetime, and even beyond this life!




Hey Guys! My name is Madison and I’m a Senior Theatre Performance and Vocational Ministry major here at OC! I have performed in several musicals in my years here as well as in the Opera! I am a freshman link, an intern at Memorial Road Church of Christ, and one of your Assistant Directors for this years Earn Your Wings! I love bright colors, no-name bands, rain, all things soft and fluffy, the Texas Rangers and I LOVE Harry Potter. Can’t wait to meet y’all!
My favorite memory of Earn Your Wings was getting to know my hub leader, Kayla. She was fabulous and we are still great friends! She made sure that we were having fun and making the most out of our EYDub experience! :)
One of my favorite memories in my time so far at OC is when one of my best friends Laura and I stayed up half the night singing “Kiss the Girl” and yelling Emperor’s New Groove quotes out the window at couples “talking” behind Gunn Henderson dorm...we were really cool.


Hey future freshmen and transfers! My name is Andrea Beekman and I am cannot wait to meet you all at EYW 2011. I am a senior nursing major from Portland, OR. I love to bake, eat chocolate and enjoy spending as much time as I can with my family and friends. I have loved the past three years at OC, it has molded me spiritually and academically in order to prepare me for what God’s plan is for me after my college years. My journey at OC began 3 years ago at EYW, where I met some of my best friends and role models that have changed my life in so many different ways. We are so excited for all of you to have the opportunity to have this experience so get PUMPED because EYW will be a blast!



Hey! My name is Kaci Shough. I am a junior nursing major and I can't wait to start clinicals this fall. I enjoy running and playing most sports, my favorite being soccer. My favorite food is cheese and my favorite color is blue. I am a part of Theta Theta Theta social club, where I am proud to be this next year's rush director.
My favorite EYW memory is when we first got to Dry Gulch. It started raining and my friend Caroline and I danced in the rain to "Singing in the Rain". I also loved the SummerSingers concert! My favorite part about being at OC is the people. I have made the best friends of my life at this school, and everyone cares for you as if you were family.
I have a strong love for EYW and OC because of what they have done for me. My hope is that each of you will get the same experience. :)


Are you excited yet? :D Next up, you'll get to meet your male ADs!

Meet Your Directors!

Hey there, everyone! Hope your summer is going great! I want you guys to meet Jacob and Kirby, your amazing directors for this year!




-Hey freshmen & transfers! I hope you all are enjoying your summer before you start this next amazing chapter of your lives! My name is Kirby Killen and I am one of the Co-Directors for Earn Your Wings this year! We wanted to introduce ourselves to you ahead of time and let you know that we are so excited to meet you. I am from the beautiful state of Oregon, and along with that comes a huge love for the outdoors—from camping to snow skiing, I love being outside and active! One of my favorite hobbies is spending time with my beautiful niece and nephew, who always put a smile on my face. Being this far away from home has been much easier than I could have ever imagined thanks to the help from my OC family. Whether I’m in class, playing intramurals, or joining in on a devotional, I always feel welcomed and supported. My love for OC started with meeting all my friends at Earn Your Wings, which quickly became one of my favorite OC memories! Both the students and faculty are constantly going out of their way to make you feel comfortable, and the Student Life Staff will always help you out in any way they can! My prayer is that you let us join you as you step into this awesome experience!

-What’s up freshmen & transfers?! My name is Jacob Shuart, and I am one of your Earn Your Wings Co-Directors (or EYWCD for short—I love acronyms). I’m from Blackwell, OK, and while it’s not the beautiful Northwest that Kirby’s from, Oklahoma still has its charms. I love playing frisbee golf and hanging out with the international students on campus, including my best friend and roommate from China. Being globally engaged is just one of the countless ways to get involved at OC, as you’ll soon find out for yourselves! We are so excited for you to come to Oklahoma Christian University and begin a collegiate career that will undoubtedly change your life. I could write for hours about the many great experiences and memories you’re going to create, but it honestly all begins with Earn Your Wings. I was pretty apprehensive when I first came to OC because I didn’t know any other freshmen, but EYW introduced me to some of the strongest relationships I have in my life today. There is so much OC has to offer aside from academic excellence, beginning with EYW and ending with wherever the wind may take us! (Muppet Treasure Island anyone?) I hope you are all pumped for Earn Your Wings—the beginning of the rest of your lives! HAGROYS! (Have a great rest of your summer!)

And whatever you do....

Hello future eagles! My name is Spenser and I am one of two directors for Spiritual Life at Earn Your Wings 2011! One of the many things we are going to do is write a blog entry about once a month leading up to EYW, hopefully for the benefit of all of our mindsets as we approach the coming school year. These posts will be centered around a bible verse and have just a few thoughts that are related to school, life, and all that jazz.

There are so many things that could be said, but as I thought about how to set the stage for all of this, one particular verse came to mind.

Collosians 3:17 - And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Some of the most uplifting experiences in my life have been when I can honor God with the average, the normal, or even the seemingly weird. Ripping apart firewood with a twenty-six ton wood splitter (all the guys go “ahh yeah”) to help out tornado victims, struggling to set up a new DVD play and spending lots of time on the phone with customer service so that a youth group can have a movie night and fellowship with each other, all of these are ways that God can be glorified through our actions. The letter to the Collosians reminds us that everything we do should bring glory to God, whether you’re doing relief work for tragedy victims or simply cleaning your room spotlessly so that your mom doesn’t have to do it after you leave for college (this may or may not be a personal confession).

Coming to OC is also one of those decisions that I truly believe can glorify God. This is not to say that those who go elsewhere will not be able to bring God glory with their decisions, but with your decision to come to OC, you are saying that God matters in your life and you desire Him to be a part your education and college career. However, it is very possible to come to a place like OC or anywhere for school and not bring glory to God. So while at school, bring God glory in all that you do. You will be presented with countless opportunities to serve and I pray that you take those opportunities. I pray that you grow closer to God during your college experience and that OC can be a service to you as you pursue Him.

Here to serve for Him, Spenser

Welcome!

Hey there, future Eagles!

I'm so happy you chose OC, and I'm looking forward to telling you all about the awesome experience that is Earn Your Wings!

Your EYW staff is already getting really excited about seeing you this August--we had our first staff meeting a couple of weeks ago and let me tell you, this is going to be an awesome year.

We started out by playing “the shoe game” and getting to know each other! If you don’t know how the shoe game works, you basically get everyone to take off one shoe, and you put all the loose shoes in a pile in the center (yes, it does stink a little. There are college guys there, what did you expect?). Then everyone sits in a circle, and when Amy yells, “GO!” you run to the middle, grab a shoe, find its owner and ask them three questions. It was really fun, and I got to meet some really nice guys that I hadn’t met before!

"Is this yours?" 

"Hey, I have a red tennishoe!" 

(Fun fact: I think that's one of my blue TOMS being held up on the left...)

I honestly cannot explain this picture...but these guys are gonna be leading you guys. Get excited.

Then we introduced the directors, staff and committee leaders.

Jacob and Kirby, your awesome directors for this year!

We’re already really pumped about meeting you guys! Keep checking this blog for more exciting EYW news!


Caroline
EYW Blogger