GSA Chapter 5: Weekend Duty and Other Exciting Adventures

I have absolutely no recollection of what happened this last week or what I did because the weekend itself has felt like a week. This weekend was my first official weekend on duty. The deans work in teams of two so that there is always one boy's dean and one girl's dean on duty during the weekend. This weekend my shift was the PM shift every afternoon/evening starting on Friday. Friday night we went to Lizard Butte which is an absolutely gorgeous spot to usher in the Sabbath hours. In order to get to the top we had quite the climb; not a long climb just one that was very steep.  The speaker that night was an alumni of 2011 and he spoke about how we need to choose to play for the right team. (In his illustration that was the BSU Broncos and not the Oregon Ducks.) After vespers the students enjoyed sometime to just goof around and enjoy the evening.

Sunset over the river from Lizard Butte

On Sabbath, Sabbath school was cancelled because no one wanted to teach it, which I think is a really pathetic excuse since we actually do have a chaplain. At any rate, church was, interesting to say the absolute least. After church and lunch we loaded the bus for some outreach in the park called the green belt because I think its the only green spot in the valley and is probably visible from space because the surrounding area is so brown. Anyway, it was absolutely gorgeous. We handed out water as we walked about a mile and a half to where supper was ready for us. The posters claimed it would be a barbecue but that was a lie. There was no barbecue, just sandwiches, potato salad and brownies; more appropriately known as a picnic. I honed my frisbee throwing skills and enjoyed the pleasant evening in the park. Later that night we watched Soul Surfer which was just as good the second time around, I just cried less.  

Sunday was the first time I had to dorm worship. I read them a story out of one of the Jesus Freaks books and they seemed to like it ok. I was reassured that there would indeed be a fall and that it would eventually cool off enough for me to wear sweaters. However, I also learned that it will only get as low as the teens at night. I may as well not even bring my coat back after Christmas. How lame. That night during study hall, I offered to help one of the girls with her algebra 1 homework. She brought it to me and showed me the problem that was giving her trouble. I looked at it and instantly knew that I was in trouble. It was a word problem. Give me an equation and I'll be able to figure it out eventually. Word problems...not so much. If she didn't know the answers to the odd problems were in the back of the book she knows now... 

Monday night I foolishly stayed up until 3am, knowing full well that I had to be up at 6 to open the dorm. I was running on three hours of sleep. Tuesday was rough, I thought I might have to call in sick but I made it until about 1:15 when the next dean came into the office and said he was bored and offered to go on duty and hour and half early. He was a life saver. I willingly relinquished the desk and ran to grab my purse. I drove to the mall, went shopping, got my nails done, got food, came home and crashed hard at 9pm. I woke up this morning at 10:30 after 13 and a half hours of glorious sleep. I looked at my phone to see that I had a text and realized that it was picture day. I jumped in the shower and got ready for pictures in 20 minutes. I was pretty impressed with myself. I walked into the library where they were taking pictures, signed my card thing sat down they took one picture and I was done. That was highly annoying. After that I checked my mail where I found a lovely letter from my awesome friend Jared and I got to skype with Katie during my lunch of pizza rolls and yogurt. Now I'm sitting at my desk watching my new fish, Sven the Spaz and Ingrid the Introvert. They are pretty funny. This weekend is my weekend off, it should be pretty boring. If anyone reads this call me or something. TTFN!

-Ashley