So, I recently wrote a story for the Ipulse about having a green holiday (and I’m not talking about the adjective).

I thought I’d post it as I really think its something every one should think about. This holiday season, I decided that instead of having a christmas tree, I’d decorate my potted tree (Rather pathetic looking tree as I always forget to water it… which reminds me!).

A Green Christmas
By Ashlea Evans

The holiday season is a time for giving, so why not give back to the environment? When you set out to celebrate the holidays this year, consider going green. Christmas takes its toll on the environment, with tons of extra garbage, millions of chopped-down trees and megawatts of flashing lights. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. When you set out to celebrate the season this year, take a little time to consider how you can make your Christmas a green Christmas. “Most countries produce too much waste,” says Bernard Londoni “It is only through recycling that we can help diminish the waste amounts. Many of the plastic products we use today are either recyclable or made of recycled materials.”
Before you rush out to pick your Christmas tree, there are a few things to keep in mind. Fake trees are non-recyclable, while real trees can be recycled and used for much more. The best option would be to have no tree at all, and rather decorate a potted tree. Wrapping paper and gift boxes can be recycled, as well as all the glass and plastics collected over the holiday. Why not replace your old string lights with low energy lights, such as LEDs? The U.S. Department of Energy completed a study and found that if everyone replaced their holiday lights with LEDs, in a month two billion kilowatt-hours of electricity could be saved, that would be enough to power 200 thousand homes for one year.

So, this week has been mad! My parents flew in, I’ve had papers to write and projects to complete… and flights back home to book!
The weekend could not have come sooner!

Well, it’s 4 PM and I am still working. Whilst I’m typing this, I’m digitizing the footage Jena (the glue in the productions we put on – the most amazing, multi talented producer you’ll ever meet!) and I shot last night at the Lynn University Second Annual Project Runway Fashion Show. It was such a glamorous event!

Jena and I started at about 4 PM. We went to the salon (Studio 10) where the models were having hair and makeup done. I interviewed a few of them. Then we rushed back to campus and got ready for the event. I rehearsed my intro and outro (with much help from Jena teaching me how to say apparel the american way) (a-pear-rel).

We then went behind the scenes to get footage of the girls getting dressed and the designers rushing around etc. I interviewed a couple of models and designers there. We then came out to the front of the catwalk to shoot my intro…and we started rolling… and discovered the wireless mic we had, was no longer working!!! *panic* As any communication student at Lynn knows, the first thing that comes to your mind in a moment like this is: ANDY!!! Andy is the most amazing guy, he’s always there when you need him, and he knows more about the cameras, equipment, editing etc. than everyone at Lynn combined. And, there was Andy! (*phew*) He was such a super star, he saved our show… within two minutes he had brought us a new wireless mic and set it up for us.

So, the show continued…

We then found our position for the night. We took tons of footage of all the beautiful designs waltzing down the runway. I’m not much of a ‘Fashionista’ so I actually learnt a lot last night! The first thing I learnt is that heels are horrid! I tried to dress ‘glam’ for the event, but all I was left with were sore feet!

Well, all I have to do now is edit the footage and it will be up on the Lynn website soon… so make sure you keep your eyes open for that!

Well, my Thanksgiving was very, well American! I did the whole turkey thing and my parents were down so it worked out well. We bought a turkey and all.

Well, I’m writing a story for the Ipulse on the Class Gift for 2008, and thought it would be a great blog topic.

A friend of mine, Elias Parra, is the chairman of the Class Gift Committee. This year the class of 2008 is not going the usual route as all the past years have, in donating the clock outside the cafeteria, the benches in the Perper Plaza, or the BBQ grills outside Freiburger. This year each graduating student is asked to donate $20.08 (symbolizing the class graduating year: 2008). The students will be donating money towards an endowed scholarship that will go towards an upcoming senior. As Elias said “We decided to make the gift more focused on the students this year, and give something that will actually create an impact in the lives of the students”. One of the Lynn Knightline Callers called me last week and told me about the class gift, I made my donation over the phone with my card, but you can also make your donation over the website or through the Office of Development. They are asking all students and parents to donate a little something, as the scholarship may very well be benefitting them!
“Some people ask for a bench with a plaque,” says Elias “but I think that helping a senior finish school is more important than a plaque.”

I know I’ve said this a thousand times before but, *GULP* I can’t believe I graduate in two weeks!

Well, my mommy and dad finally arrived! Yesterday we went Thanksgiving food shopping. Well, my fridge has never been this full in its life!
Tomorrow we’re going to cook a turkey. Thanksgiving is not a celebration we have in South Africa, but when in the USA, do as the Americans!

So, I figured considering its Thanksgiving, its a time to give to others. So, I’ve done a spring clean and have tons of clothes I’m donating. And on Thanksgiving day, when you sit down to your meal, think about how you could make a difference in some one else’s day. I’m going to take a big plate of food down to the security guard on duty in our community.

To all the special F words:
Friends,
Family,
Fate,
Forgiveness,
and Forever.

In the last few weeks, many people have approached me and told me that they read my blog.

Every one from parents on the campus tours I give (yes, I am a campus tour guide)
and even teachers and students.

I would just like to send a special thank you to Ellen, who I am told regularly reads my blog
to ease the stress of her bathroom alterations. I hope you have a great day!

Finally it has rolled around to that time of the week… FRIDAY.
Although, this weekend is unfortunately going to be lots of working… very little playing!
I can’t believe I graduate in a month!!! A MONTH!!!

I think I’d be a whole lot more nervous if I didn’t have a plan for next year. I can’t imagine entering the big wide world just yet! Additionally, I have no desire, what so ever, to leave Lynn just yet! So, I will be starting my Masters in Communications at Lynn in January! I am very excited and can’t wait to begin. Each course will be eight weeks long and I will be taking two courses a term. The courses meet twice a week in the evenings (generally from 6 pm – 10 pm). And my degree will be a year long. I am taking the accelerated course – so, I hear it’s quite intense with many papers. I’m not too worried, however, as English is my favorite subject and I love writing papers. Just don’t give me anything to do with maths!
Well, I am off to start my weekend.

“Join me next time for an update and some great footage of Founders Day at Lynn! Until then, Good night and good luck.”

So, I still am not used to this whole daylight savings thing! Luckily I knew to turn back my clock this year…
However, I have come up with a solution to my tardiness. When I turned my clocks back, I only turned it back about 45 minutes.
You may question why I did this, but it’s rather clever, actually. This way I intend not to ever be late… I just wish I didn’t know that my clocks are 15 minutes ahead of time!

I can just imagine what’s going to happen… I’ll look at my watch, realize I’m running late, and then think: “Oh, I actually have another 15 minutes” – so, I won’t really hurry… and will end up being very late! oh well, I’ll have to try it out and see what happens.

I hate tardiness, yet it’s one of my flaws. Actually, to be fair to myself, it runs in my genes. My parents are renowned for being late. I was late for school everyday as a child, and it wasn’t actually my fault at all. It became a daily game my father and I would play: Who could be ready and waiting at the door first. It worked for the first week, and then I got bored of being on time, waiting for him, and still being late!

Additionally, I think that, as Lynn is unlike many of the larger universities with their gigantic lecture halls, it is more of a disturbance to other students and the professor when you arrive late. So, I suppose at most other universities you can get away with it…but not at Lynn. If any of my professors or teachers happen to read this, may I recommend you turn your watches back 5 minutes…

In the last three and a half years I have been blessed with the arrival of several hurricanes. In fact, when I first arrived at Lynn in August 2004, Frances graced us with her presence, after her came Ivan, then Jeanne… and I suppose the rest is history! I think the storm that left the largest impact was Wilma. I was an RA (resident assistant) when Wilma hit around this time two years ago. School was canceled, the residence halls went into lock down and we all held tight for the storm. Below are some photos from Wilma.

Wilma’s damage outside cafeteria

After the clean up a few days later

Students helping clean up the debris

Students collecting their lunch during the lockdown

Being an RA during a storm is quite a difficult task. Someone has to be on duty all the time, so the RAs end up getting very little sleep and having to work long hours. Additionally, during the lock down, the campus becomes a dry campus – thus the RAs have to confiscate any alcohol and ensure that no one (regardless of age) consumes alcohol. The lock down can be rather fun. During Wilma we played a mass game of man hunt in E M Lynn! It is so bizarre how natural disasters seem to bring people together. It was wonderful to see every one roll up their sleeves after the storm had passed, and begin helping with the campus clean up.

During the Summer, I left my boyfriend in charge of shopping for hurricane supplies. This afternoon I went to our ‘hurricane supply cupboard’ to check that we had enough supplies and to see what exactly he had bought. Well, it was a typical man shop. Clearly he has never experienced a hurricane, and did a quick run around Walmart at the last minute. Our Hurricane Supply Cupboard looked extremely bleak, with ten cans of tuna (no mayo), four cans of baked beans, a can of fruit, a can of chickpeas, a can of kidney beans … well so far this seems like a concoction for serious stomach trouble! And then there was a bag of doritos and a box of crackers. How are we to survive on that? Firstly, he didn’t buy any chocolate – the most important supply!!! However, we do have a cupboard full of gallon bottles of water. Clearly, we are going to have to revise our supply cupboard!

This afternoon I went down to the beach. I love going to a windy beach and watching the stormy ocean. I find that when you stand, open to the elements, you realize how powerless you are in comparison to nature.

I love the feeling of the wind whipping through my hair, and the sand beating against my face. It probably sounds awful, but it makes me feel alive.

As you can imagine, there were very few people on the beach, except for a few adventurous surfers. We forget how fortunate we are having such a beautiful beach so close by… I really must start going down there more often.