Category: Features

The University of Oxford in England is one of the top universities in the world. Journey Joslin, an SAU student, has the privilege of completing her 2021 spring semester at this prestigious university. Today, Joslin tells us about her experiences studying abroad in Oxford and how she is both commemorating and sharing her stories with others through her blog.

“Oxford is intense,” said Joslin. “I’m in the middle of the eight-week Oxford term right now, and I understand now why this is one of the premier universities.”

The intensity of the workload doesn’t put a damper on Joslin’s mood, though. She said it was an amazing experience. The classes are personalized to the subject she picked so she gets to tailor her classes from one week to another.

“That means my tutors — the Oxford equivalent of professors — expect me to really dig in and produce quality essays,” said Joslin, “but it also means that I get to study whatever really interests me.”

Joslin said she appreciates Oxford’s beauty and rich history. The university she is studying at is older than her home country. Just down the hill from her housing and around the corner from the Radcliffe Camera is St. Edmund’s Hall Library. The library is housed in a church built in the thirteenth century. This rich history is her favorite thing about studying abroad.

“When I need a break from my latest essay assignment, I get to walk out the front door and straight into history,” said Joslin. “You can’t go anywhere without running into a building that is hundreds of years old or was once the haunt of some of the most important cultural figures in the Western world.”

Joslin’s Oxford experience has been incredibly educational for her. She said the most important thing she had learned was that she was stronger than she thought. She has been learning to trust God and His plan as there had been a lot of hiccups in the process. She has faced COVID restrictions and finances problems, but it all worked out.

“We just have to keep walking, keep trusting, and let God do His thing,” said Joslin. “And He will, even if it doesn’t look like you wanted it to. Most of the time, it looks even better.”

Joslin started writing a blog about her experiences. She said the main purpose in starting her blog was to allow people back home to keep up with her adventures. She has discovered new things about her experience and herself while slowing down and writing.

Joslin hopes her blog will inspire others as well. She said by taking time to write, she is able to appreciate the beautiful and special things. She hopes that reading the blog will allow people to take in the small blessings that everyone has in their normal, everyday lives.

Joslin has some advice for students who want to study abroad in Oxford.

“Don’t give up. It seems really overwhelming when you’re working through all the paperwork and the funding. Then, you come up to the reality that you have to produce academic work for tutors who are working at the world’s top university, and that can be really intimidating.” said Joslin. “Being here is so worth whatever headaches or fears you have to deal with in the months leading up to your arrival.”

Students can follow Joslin’s journey at Oxford through her personal blog.

For more information about the Scholars’ Semester Abroad in Oxford, contact Diane Kurtz, the Director of Cross Cultural Studies, at Diane.Kurtz@arbor.edu.

By: Merry Castle

Besides the deserts offered on the Thursdays of February, more special events might be offered to the Cougar Den in the future.

Cougar Den manager, Barbie, said she missed being a baker. She chose to offer deserts as extras on Thursdays because she had room on her line on that day.

She said had made Apple Crisp on February 4^th and felt they went “so and so”. Last Thursday, she made Brownie Hot Lava Cakes.

“…I did 6 large pans, and everybody loved it,” Barbie said.

She chose the deserts by what she knew how to make, how simple it was, and what was not being offered in the cafeteria.

On February 18^th, she will make Hot Fruit of the Forest. The Hot Fruit will be gluten free. On February 25^th, she will make Red Jell-O Poke Cake.

Barbie is also planning a Care Package Raffle for March and April. She is still working on the plans but wants to award 5 care packages for exam week. When a student spends cougar cash in the Cougar Den, they will get a raffle ticket. Barbie will draw a certain number of tickets during March and then April.

“I just thought it would be really cool to give care packages. I am working on making my own cocoa bombs so I will be making… some cocoa bombs for that,” Barbie said.

Barbie is going to ask around and Google other things to include in the packages.

Along with planning the raffle, she is working on her own deep-fried Mac n Cheese. She’s planning on adding this as an appetizer for Cougar Cash.

Comment below with what you think should be in a care package.

By: Sarah Williams

Elizabeth Pruitt

It seems so strange to say, but in just a few short days, I will be a college graduate. There were moments throughout my time at SAU where I was convinced I would be a college dropout, yet here I am. I have made some of my best memories while at SAU, but have also experienced things I wouldn’t even wish on my worst enemy. Through it all, my friends and SAU family helped me through it all and I am eternally grateful. I wanted to write a short thank you to all the people who helped me throughout my SAU career.

My four years at SAU have been anything but normal. Freshman year, I enrolled in SAU just two weeks before the semester started. I met my roommate, Faith Skidmore ’19, on move-in day. The next year, Faith and I moved onto Beta One in Lowell and became members of the “Beta Onesies,” a group of girls who had all lived on Beta One their freshman year. This group welcomed us in with open arms and they have become some of my favorite people and closest friends. The first two years at SAU were where I really found my people and grew to love the SAU campus, which is exactly what I needed to prepare myself for what junior and senior year had in store for me.

Fall semester of junior year, just two weeks into the semester, I took a medical leave. In a previous article, linked here, I wrote about my experience with my diagnosis of endometriosis. The pain was unbearable and attending class was just completely impossible. My professors, academic advisor, and the staff here at SAU made these medical leave and my transition back to campus the following spring so easy. Knowing they were all praying for me eased my mind on my hard mental health days. When I did return in the spring, I got into two car accidents within six days of each other. My professors were kind enough to allow me to miss classes as I healed.

On April 26th, 2019 my father passed away unexpectedly. My roommate, Hayley Wiseley ’21, left her class to drive me home. Many of my friends and even Brian Kono drove to my home town to attend the funeral and Dr. Chuck White gave me an extremely generous extension on my COR 300 coursework. My professors allowed me to miss my classes. My partner for a final assignment was kind enough to take on the brunt of the project work as I grieved. We received flowers from President Ellis. Every single person I spoke to about the situation was completely understanding and offered me prayers, assistance, and a shoulder to cry on. The SAU community allowed me time to grieve but also allow me to finish my semester. I am eternally grateful for that.

In the fall of 2019, the second semester of my junior year, I realized I was not happy in my major. I was an elementary education major and I realized I simply did not have a passion for it. The Education Department was understanding and helped me make the switch to the Communications Department. My advisors and professors helped me dive into the major. Making this switch was hard for me, as it was late in my college career and I felt like changing my major made me a failure, but it instead opened my eyes. I started enjoying my classes a lot more and I was actually excited to go to class. Professors like Mary Darling, Paul Patton, Jen Letherer, and Wally Metts pushed me to become a better writer and communicator. College was becoming fun in both my academic and social life for once.

Now, as I go out into the dreaded real world, I am so excited to see what community I find myself in next. SAU has taught me the value of surrounding yourself with good people and finding a community no matter where you are. Without the help of the SAU community in some of my darkest days, I do not know where I would be. It was hard to speak up sometimes about my struggles, because I thought no one would care or I was exaggerating my pain, but the help I received was worth it. If you are a student who is struggling, please speak up. There are people that care about you and want to see you succeed. It may be embarrassing or hard for you to admit that you are not okay, but I can promise you that it is absolutely worth it.

Thank you, SAU, for the most interesting four years of my life.

Sarah Williams  

My name is Sarah Williams and I am majoring in English and minoring in Philosophy. I enjoy writing and hope to make a career out of it. I am considering going into journalism! I decided to minor in philosophy after taking a required class and finding the subject enthralling.

I choose Spring Arbor University because the campus was small and safe. I enjoy how the campus is a community and everyone is friendly. My favorite thing about SAU is the writing classes I’ve taken.

Something fun about myself is that I like to grow succulents and cacti. I have a collection of the plants and I am always looking for more. The plants have so many interesting shapes, colors, sizes, and personalities!

Merry Castle

Junior Visual Communication major Lily Bauman finds beauty in everything. When her digital influence course required her to pick a sustainable interest to promote online, Bauman said she knew right away that she would choose photography. Bauman created a photography Instagram account and developed a website to showcase her work.

Photography is a big interest for Bauman. “There are so many photographers in the world, but everyone goes about it differently,” said Bauman. “I am constantly learning new things from seeing the different styles that each different photographer showcases, and it inspires me to get creative and unique with my own photography.”

Bauman said she believes photography is a sustainable topic because it’s something she can enjoy for the rest of her life. “I have a passion for photography and producing images that point to the beauty of our Creator and the beauty of the things He has created,” Bauman said. “I have been into photography for about five years now.”

Sports are Bauman’s favorite subject to photograph. “I started taking pictures for my high school’s sports teams in my sophomore year of high school and haven’t stopped since,” Bauman said. “I have been blessed with the opportunity to continue gaining experience in this area, as I work here at Spring Arbor as a sports photographer.” 

Her goal is to someday become a photographer for the Seattle Seahawks. “Whether or not that happens, or whether or not photography becomes my main career, I know it will always be sustainable for me,” said Bauman.

As an assignment, Bauman had specific goals in mind. “My goals for this project were to stay active on my photography Instagram account through posts, interacting with other photography accounts that I follow, and making connections,” she said. “Another goal was to update my website and always look for ways to improve it.”

This experience has been educational for Bauman. “I have learned that it takes time to be intentional,” said Bauman. “I did not want to be posting just for the sake of posting, but rather I really wanted to be intentional with my account and my content.” 

Bauman hopes others will learn something from her project. “More than anything else, I hope people see and experience God’s beauty and love,” said Bauman. “I hope that a picture of sunset, a person’s smile, or an athlete using their gifts points directly to the Creator of them.”

Students can view Bauman’s photography by visiting her Instagram or her website.

Emily Selby

I started writing for The Pulse because I love to write and I was looking to be a part of some groups that shared the same passions as I do. I have gained a lot from this experience and I am truly thankful to have had the opportunity to join. I got to work with some amazing people this semester and even work as an editor, which was truly incredible. I got to broaden my experiences and take a few steps out of my comfort zone, so I am thankful for that. My favorite part about The Pulse is getting to learn about new topics and the opportunity to share my voice with others. I believe that we will only make a difference if we speak up, so I am thrilled to be using this platform to do so.

Leslee DeRossett

I started writing for The Pulse as a required assignment for my Multi-media and News Reporting course at SAU. Being a commuter, I was not aware of all the different groups and activities that are offered around campus, so it has been really neat to be apart of those and get a better look into the community life outside of my on campus courses. I enjoyed the people that I have met while writing for The Pulse. I like that I had the freedom to chose topics that interest me to write on. I really hope that others join The Pulse because we sure could use more voices and opinions!

Sarah Williams

I started writing for The Pulse to learn about journalism. The Pulse has taught me how to become a better interviewer, editor, and writer. I really enjoy spending time with fellow members and meeting new people. My favorite part is turning information into an entertaining story. I recommend the Pulse to anyone who enjoys writing!

Elizabeth Pruitt

I joined The Pulse as part of my Multi-Media Reporting class. I had been wanting to write for The Pulse for a few years but always found an excuse not to do it. I’m so glad I finally joined and regret not joining sooner. This has been a really rewarding experience, as I’ve seen growth in myself as a news writer. I’ve even found myself applying to be a reporter when I graduate next week. My favorite part about writing for The Pulse has been learning about things happening on campus and getting to have fun and engaging interviews with a wide variety of people.

Merry Castle

I started writing for The Pulse because I wanted to apply the skills I learned in my News Reporting and Media Writing classes. Writing for The Pulse has allowed me to grow more confident in my abilities as a writer. Additionally, this has been a fantastic opportunity for me to gain valuable experience and develop marketable skills. My favorite part about writing for The Pulse is having the opportunity to reach out to people, form connections, and tell their stories. Every article I write is an opportunity for me to help someone feel like their voice is being heard.

Sarah Williams

SAU senior communications major Elizabeth Pruitt’s love of thrift shopping made her 2020 less boring when she opened her own thrift store on the app Depop.

Pruitt’s store is named that’s hot thrift. The name was inspired by Paris Hilton’s catchphrase ‘that’s hot’. Pruitt said she wanted the name to have an early 2000’s feel since she sells mainly vintage and early 2000’s clothing. She has sold hair accessories, purses, and shoes, but mainly clothing.

Her items come from her own closet, garage sales, her friends, and thrift stores. She then lists the items on her Depop and adds a description that covers the basics, like size and condition. Pruitt also uses her Instagram account to boost her sales. She posts pictures of the clothing on her account and Instagram Stories to tease what she will list later. She offers any of her Instagram followers 10 percent off any item in her store.

She was inspired to open her thrift store after a friend told her own experiences selling on Depop. The friend did not make a business out of it and supported Pruitt when she did. Another friend models the clothes for Pruitt’s pictures. She also gets support from her brother who reposts her Instagram posts. Her brother’s girlfriend, an artist, drew a logo for the shop. Pruitt hopes to make stickers out of the logo one day to either sell or include in orders as a source of advertising.

As a communication major seeking employment in social media marketing, the thrift store has given Pruitt much practice in that field. It has also taught her about the fashion industry.

“Some of the items I list I think, ‘this will never sell’ and it sells right away. Other things I think, ‘this is going to sell immediately’ and they either still haven’t sold yet or took a long time to sell. It has been interesting to see what people want in the fashion industry,” said Pruitt.

Pruitt has received many positive reviews due to her shipping and customer service. She said she tries to get the items shipped the day they sell to give her customers an easier experience. She also tries to be upfront and honest about the conditions of the item and people have appreciated that.

When shipping, she tries to use packaging that is made out of recycled materials and can be reused or recycled. She believes thrift stores are a great alternative to fast fashion.

“…It’s just a way to help the environment because the clothing industry wreaks a lot of havoc on the environment, so I am just trying to do my part,” said Pruitt. “I am pretty environmentally friendly.”

The price of the items depends on the brand. The price range is around $10 to $20. She usually sells the stuff cheaply because they are secondhand goods, but occasionally there is an exception. One of her sales involved a vintage Calvin Klein 100% leather jacket. Since the brand, style, and materials were in style, it was one of her most expensive items.

Since Pruitt sources her items quite cheaply, she makes enough money to turn a profit. She has made around $500.

When asked if she recommend others opening a thrift store, Pruitt responded:

“Oh, yeah. I would recommend this to anyone, especially college students. Not only is it a good way to sell your own old clothes…it is a fun way to make extra money and I know us college kids are always looking for that so I do recommend it.”

By: Emily Selby and Leslee DeRossett

By: Elizabeth Pruitt

Besides germs from hundreds of other students and improper diets, college students are meant to be relatively healthy. We are young and often think of ourselves as invincible. Many college students, however, are suffering from a wide range of chronic illnesses.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines chronic illnesses or diseases as “conditions that last 1 year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.” They estimate 6 in 10 adults in the United States suffer from a chronic illness.

College students are not immune from being diagnosed with a chronic illness, and I, like many other students, had to learn that the hard way.

Since my junior year of high school, I have been in immense pain for days on end. My sophomore year of college, I began experiencing sharp pain in my lower left abdomen. Consultations with doctors, MRIs and CT scans, and emergency room visits were no help at diagnosing me.

After dealing with this pain for six months, I received an unofficial diagnosis of endometriosis. According to endometriosis.org, endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus. It affects about 176 million people throughout the world.

I took a semester off of college after my diagnosis because I was in too much pain to continue attending classes. The severity of my symptoms vary depending on the day, but I can always guarantee some sort of pain and exhaustion.

SAU’s sophomore, Arielle Knight, struggles with two chronic illnesses: ulcerative colitis (UC) and stage four kidney failure. UC is a chronic, inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract and affects an estimated 750,000 North Americans. After a diagnosis in March of this year, Knight has been struggling with a myriad of symptoms, such as kidney stones, flare-ups of pain, and rapid weight loss.

Although our diagnoses are very different, we share things that those without a chronic illness would often not be able to understand. Loss of friendships, a change of diet, a severe lack of energy, and cancelled plans due to a flare-ups are just to name a few.

As college students, struggling with a chronic illness can be tough. Assignment deadlines and absence policies often are a source of anxiety for those with chronic illnesses, as we never know how our bodies will feel that day. Thankfully, the professors at SAU have been extremely kind to both myself and Knight. They have offered extensions and virtual class attendance.

The social lives of college students with chronic illnesses are also affected. As previously stated, Knight has lost friends because of her diagnosis, and we both have had to miss out on plans with friends because of a bad flare-up, or just pure exhaustion.

“I don’t know when a flare up is going to happen. I don’t know how I’m going to feel 10 minutes before I’m going to have to leave my house. I used to be able to hang out with my friends for hours and hours on end and go fun places with them. Ever since I got diagnosed, one hour into hanging out and I want to go home and go to bed,” said Knight.

Knight has a close friend who recently got diagnosed with endometriosis. My best friend was recently diagnosed with the chronic illness laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). We both are able to have a friend who understands what we are going through.

Although there are no cures for our illnesses, we do our best to manage pain and other symptoms through medicine, homeopathic treatments, and self-care. Knight has created an Instagram to document her journey with UC and kidney failure and you can follow it at @aknightucfight.

If you have a friend with chronic illness, please be patient with them. Know that the things they are feeling are out of their control, and often cannot be helped. Although you cannot cure them, offer them a shoulder to cry on, grace and understanding when they cancel plans, and a prayer for peace and relief.

For more information and resources on battling a chronic illness in college, check out this link.