Thanksgiving thoughts and feelings

When I was looking at colleges, I knew I wanted to get out of Berea, my hometown. I had seen so many of my friends graduate from Berea HS, go to Baldwin-Wallace (the college IN Berea), and stay. And do nothing. They’d hang out with the same people, they’d go to the same shops, eat at the same restaurants. That always puzzled me. Why stay with what you know? Are you so scared to venture out and find out what else is out there? And truthfully, it always bothered me. I sometimes wanted to just shake them and say “LEAVE! There is so much more you will never know if you don’t go!”

I’m proud to say I left. I got out, as it were. And I truly believe I’ve had the best college experience I ever could have had. I guess that’s why it’s so weird for me to come back home and realize how much I did leave behind. No, not leave behind- move away from. I knew that going away was only semi-permanent.

The point is, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. About life, about how I want to live mine, about how I want to impact places, people, things. I see people that I know from high school now that stayed, my friends, the ones I want to see when I come home. And you know what? They’ve made a life. They may go to the same restaurants, they may see the same people, but not ALL the same people. They have moved on, grown up. I think they really get it, this whole “life” thing.

I always feel so nostalgic whenever I come home. Some of this is because of that, some of this is a lot of my sitting down on a bus and thinking about life for 4 hours.

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I’m back in Peoria now, and procrastinating on a paper. And my house is incredibly COLD. Like, freezing.

And I think I’m ready to not be a student any longer.

Till then,

Kevin

Thanksgiving already?!?

I feel like I was just talking about homecoming and fall break.

It’s almost time for Thanksgiving, which means that classes are winding down… lots of papers, tests, quizzes, and projects are happening all over campus. For me, it means I’ve got a big paper to do! Luckily I’ve still got some time before it’s officially due.

What’s really weird is that I’m starting to apply for jobs… I just put in my first application yesterday to a radio station in Phoenix, Arizona. They’re looking for a social media editor for their station, and from the job description it basically means I get to play around on Facebook and Twitter all day. And get paid for it! Imagine that!

In campus news the men’s basketball team plays their first game tonight downtown at Carver Arena, and women’s wbasketball season officially starts tomorrow… Butler is coming to town! And I’m mad because I can’t go to either… the chorale is singing with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra tomorrow night on a concert, and there’s a rehearsal tonight at the same time as the game… *sigh* sometimes I hate being overscheduled!

On that same note, I got my class schedule set for next semester… however, I don’t want to make you all jealous with how awesome it is so I’ll just leave it at that

Off to do some reading… have a great weekend!

Till then,

Kevin

Homecoming fun

Hi all!

So fall break was this Monday and Tuesday… a very welcome two days off from school. But yesterday we jumped right back into it… and this week is homecoming! So last night we had the Lighting of the B ceremony– it’s tradition every year to light a B on top of Bradley Hall. Back in the day, Bradley Hall was one of the tallest buildings in Peoria, so they lit the B as a symbol to help guide alumni back to campus and also to let the city know that it was indeed homecoming week!

I was there at the lighting of the B ceremony not just for fun, but because I had to be… I’m actually on homecoming court and am running for homecoming king! woo! Very excited about that. Danielle, who also works as a STAR here in the office, is running “with” me- there aren’t any official pairings but everybody kind of has someone as a running mate. So we’re representing the admissions office, and we’re both raising money for a couple of different philanthropies.

And the whole weekend is jam packed with stuff to do! We’re having a bonfire on campus on Friday, which I’m told is the first one in a long time. After the bonfire is Hoopla on the Hilltop, which will be the “official” introduction of the men’s & women’s basketball teams to the campus- and that’ll be in the new arena. After THAT will be Late Night BU and the homecoming court will be pitted against each other in some kind of competition… but they won’t tell us what!

Saturday is the tailgate party before the soccer game, and then the soccer game, and at halftime they’ll announce the winners! Also, coincidentally, I’m actually broadcasting the soccer game that night… so I’ll have to run out of the booth at halftime and go to the opposite side of the field for the announcement! haha.

Wow, I got tired just reading all of that stuff to do! Now it’s off to class for today, and then I’ll be in the quad for penny voting… gotta love being busy!

Till then,

Kevin

We’re baaaaack!!

WOW this school year is already in full swing! How ridiculous is this… I’m a senior! I’m still grasping the fact that I’ll be out of here in May…

Things are going well around the admissions office. We’ve got a few new faces that JUST finished their tour training, and just in time- today’s our first official visit day! woo!

Fun news for you all- we’re in the process of re-vamping our website, and we’re going to launch it pretty soon. So you’ll be able to read my blog and the blogs of some other really cool kids, too

More fun news- I am officially the PA announcer for the women’s volleyball AND basketball team here on campus in our NEW ARENA!!! REALLY EXCITING stuff for me. AND I’ve got a lead on an internship for the rest of the semester AND next semester. Boo-yah.

Well that’s about all I’ve got for now. Stay tuned and keep checking back for updates and to meet our new bloggers!

Welp, I’m a senior now.

That’s weird to say.

Sorry I’ve been lax on my posts. My finals/projects snuck up on me in a hurry… BUT luckily I’m just plain done with finals now! All I have is a chorale rehearsal during our “final” time (and chorale is too much fun to be a burden) and then I have to present my website (www.kevindmcclelland.com) that I made for my final project for interactive media.

Aaaand I am getting REALLY excited for the chorale trip to Denmark! We leave a week from tomorrow… and I am PUMPED. We’re going to be doing a LOT of sight-seeing and we’re even traveling to Oslo, Norway on a cruise ship! And we may even give a concert on the ship while we’re traveling… haha!

Other than that, things are winding down. There are lots of cars coming and going and taking people and things home, and I can tell the end of this week will be quiet. I know for me I’m moving out of the fraternity house and into an off-campus house, so I’m slowly taking things off the wall and moving stuff around, and seeing what I can jam into my car… it’s a spooky feeling. It’s kind of like taking your life, throwing it in a box, and putting it on a shelf for a while. It’s in transition, it keeps moving. Regardless of what I think or feel, I know that in a year I’ll have to pack up permanently, and right now that freaks me out. For real. Because I don’t know what’s ahead. I’ve got an idea of how I want to start my job search, but right now that’s just another idea in a box on a shelf. I am in transition, and it’s the recognition that college is just one big transition that I’m coping with right now.

Ok, enough of that junk. Have fun with your last few weeks of class, your finals (if you have to take them) still count, so don’t mess up.

Till then,

Kevin

Stiiiillll waiting.

So the Bears still haven’t called me or emailed me… I PROMISE once I know you will all know!

The weather here has been waaaaaaaaaaayyyy too nice. Like, I’m planning my meals around eating outside, I take out-of-the-way paths to/from class so I can spend more time outside, etc… Oh, and the quad is ALWAYS PACKED. I love it- I see so many of my friends just hanging out outside and enjoying the day. It kind of defines college, in a way… it’s very stereotypically college.

I’m also happy because the Ice Cream Shack is now open, AKA I’m definitely getting ice cream with my girlfriend tonight. It’s a bit out of the way, but it’s so delicious that it’s worth it!

I’m off to do a bit more work out on the quad… it’s too nice to keep blogging…

Till then,

Kevin

Winding up, winding down…

I hate to be a downer, but I did not win the election for student body president

Aaaand I still haven’t heard back from the Bears. So this week has been kind of weird. Fun, but weird.

The barbershop quartet is officially releasing our CD this Friday! We’re really excited. We’re meeting up Saturday to package all of the ones that need to be mailed out… it should be a good time.

I’ve got a couple really cool projects coming up for both Audio Production and Interactive Media. I get to record a 3 minute newsbreak for audio, and for IM I get to photograph my room and make my own personal IKEA ad about things that are important to me, both of which sound like a lot of fun but a LOT of work. In fact, I’ll go get started on them right now…

Till then,

Kevin

Boy do I have a lot to talk about…

So I decided to run for student body president… yeah, that’s right. Student. Body. There’s only one candidate for president, and I thought it was unfair for the entire campus to HAVE to vote for only one person to represent them, so I figured I’d throw my hat in the ring. It’s too late to be on the “official” ballot so I’ve started a write-in campaign on facebook and a friend of mine is making posters… so far so good!

Otherwise things have been humming along just fine. After Hours finished recording our CD, and on top of that we also got featured in Hilltopics magazines! here are the links…

CD: www.ahquartet.com/albums-media.html

Article: http://www.bradley.edu/hilltopics/10spring/profiles/page4.shtml

I mentioned last post about the NJCAA and the Bears… I’m still waiting to hear back from the Bears, but they said about the 2nd week of April. You’ll know as soon as I know

The NJCAA games went really well, too. It was a great experience, and I was honestly surprised by the competitive atmosphere of the games! I learned a bit about the structure of the NJCAA and how it all works, which was helpful when calling the games, too.

Classes are going well also. I just finished helping my group for interactive media get the first part of some editing done for our video project, and I’m recruiting my roommate Paul to help me with voiceovers for my audio production project… it should be a fun next few days!

Till then,

Kevin

SPRING BREAK!

ok, so, the barbershop quartet went to Omaha and Lincoln Nebraska over the weekend to sing for a gig… it was awesome. Two VERY early mornings of travel, but the hot tub at the hotel made it worth it.

Tomorrow is another early morning- the Bradley Chorale leaves at 6:30 AM for our annual spring tour! We’re singing a ton of exchange concerts with Chicago and Rockford area high schools, and singing at some really cool churches, too.

After tour ends on Monday, I’m going to stay in Chicago with a fraternity brother because my interview with the Bears is on Tuesday, and it makes no sense to drive back to Peoria from tour on Monday night then turn around and drive to/from Chicago again on Tuesday. So that should be fun.

Tuesday night I’ll catch the Peoria Charter back to Peoria, then Wednesday morning the barbershop quartet has a gig and then we’re recording our last song for our CD!!! After that… NOTHING. that’s my first real “break”…

So more fun job-related experience stuff…The Women’s National Junior College Athletic Association is having its NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP at Illinois Central College, AKA the community college 10 minutes away… and they were looking for help with play-by-play and broadcast stuff. I signed up and will be working 3 of the 18 games from March 17-20th… how cool is that??? All the games will be streamed live on the internet, so it’s great experience and will only be helpful, I’m sure. The pay doesn’t hurt either… haha!

Ok, I’m off to finish off my paper… then I can relax and enjoy chorale tour!

Till then,

Kevin

Time is FLYING

Ok, so this week, LOTS of exciting things happened… I OFFICIALLY have my interview set up with the Chicago Bears, my friends and I got a lease for an AWESOME house to live in next year, and I’ve actually been pretty productive, which is a plus. This weekend should be fun, too- I’m going with my friend to her sorority formal, and my other friend is having a birthday party on Saturday, which supposedly includes watching X-Files re-runs… which means I’m dressing up as Mulder… haha.

It’s really weird to go look at a house, too… it’s almost an eerie feeling. I mean, I’m going to be a SENIOR next year… which means lots of new things coming as well. I’ve got to start job hunting; ironically, I already am- there’s a job fair in Chicago on the 26th that I’m going to with some fraternity brothers of mine. But this means moving out on my own, cooking my own food, making my own way… which is both a scary and exciting thing. I’m REALLY excited to go do my own thing, but part of me is really scared about leaving this place that I’ve called home for almost 3 years.

Ok, enough of the sappy stuff. I guarantee if my mom reads that, she’ll cry. Speaking on which, my mom and sister are coming to visit the first week of April! I’m so excited! They’re coming to A) see the barbershop quartet and B) hear me speak at the annual Annual & Endowed Scholarship Luncheon… I’ve been chosen to speak on behalf of all the scholarship recipients IN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, which is an honor and privilege, and also kind of intimidating. I’m still in the process of writing my speech, but I’ll let you know how it turns out

In other news… SPRING BREAK IS SOOOOOON!

Can’t wait… so until then,

Kevin