New Beginings

It seems like an eternity since I've last blogged. Let me update you on what’s been going on…

I was blessed to be able to attend the Altitude Project 2011, a Christian running camp in Mammoth Lakes, CA for three weeks in late July and early August. I had an awesome time enjoying fellowship from other like-minded college students and young adults from all over North America, growing with the Lord, and getting some training in for the upcoming season. All things training wise didn’t go to plan, I unfortunately got food poisoning the first week, and it took me about two weeks to recover and feel “normal” on runs again. A big part of this was the extremely difficult terrain (many runs up mountains and steep hills) and the lack of oxygen (Mammoth is based at 7,500 ft. above sea level, but many of our runs were at an elevation of 10,000 ft. or higher). All things considered, it was good to go through a mini trial of health before the school year started, it tested me to see where my priorities are. It’s comforting to know that God is in control at all times.

Classes started yesterday, and I’m in for probably my toughest semester I’ll have to experience at Drake (academic wise). My class schedule is:

Physical Chemistry (3 credits)
Physical Chemistry Lab (1 credit)
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (3 credits)
Inorganic Chemistry Lab (1 Credit)
Applied Differential Equations (3 credits)
Junior Chemistry Seminar I (1 credit)
Analytical Chemistry Research with Dr. Mark Vitha (1 credit)

I’ll be spending a lot of the time in the lab; my guess is 15 hours minimum per week, not including time spent working on reports. This will be good for me though because as of now I am planning on attending graduate school for Analytical or Physical Chemistry, which consists of many, many hours in the lab.

I look forward to blogging about this journey as the semester progresses, I know I will need to manage my time very proficiently in order to do well in class, have a good cross country season, be a good president of the chemistry club, and be involved with bible study and other church activities.

It’s another transition period for me, my adventures in Europe and California have now come to an end and a new semester has begun.

 I was recently reminiscing about high school. Often, some friends and I would go midnight bowling at a local ally. Once the new day struck, they always played the song “Closing Time” by Semisonic. The last line of the song goes, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Very fitting right now. It's a great jam, check it out below.

In Christ,

Mike