Return of the Blog

Yes... thanks to the summer break I completely forgot to keep up with the  blog "Better than Dear Candler." Resuming activity let's jump right in....

Enjoying certain professors can take a certain fines of expectations. What I mean is when you start to observe particular behavioral patterns of your professors... latch onto them, share them, and start to play games in class centering on them to maintain your sanity and humanity.

As this can follow let's make this an opportunity to share some of the ticks, buzzwords, and internal logics some of your professors exhibit...

Finals Week... We're almost at the end...

For those that still have one or two left, here's a present from Mayjean:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/spenceralthouse/the-33-stages-of-finals-week-a078

Overheard

"I don't want to be a theologian. I basically just want to be a sacramental pez dispenser."-Overheard by 3rd year MDiv

When people are cheering in the halls of CST that they're finished, and I still have papers due

Gambling

(In a conversation concerning a misrepresentation of the Quadrilateral)

"That makes us roll the dice"
"We can't roll dice.  We're Methodist"

Emory vs. Duke

"Someone put Duke and Emory in the same category. I thought, 'Really?!' That's like saying Ohio State is like Michigan to a Michigan alum."-Professor

Freudian Slips

"There are only two things considered infallible by the Roman Catholic Church: The immaculate deception..."-3rd year MDiv

When someone at Candler interchanges evangelical with fundamentalist

Free Food

"I always miss the free food at Candler. Its like I walk in and hear, 'Wow, that was some great lobster.'"- overheard from a 2nd yr

College students, grad students, and anyone with a job in Atlanta enjoying free concerts this weekend:

Seminary Students this weekend:

(On a Saturday Night) "I just quoted both Jesus Christ Superstar AND the Lutheran version of the Nicene Creed in my systematics paper...  Saturday nights used to be a lot cooler before I started seminary."-2nd Year MDiv

How HT tests feel

When the first year said "seminary hell" is having to repeat first year.

(Just in case you were wondering, it's actually having to repeat second year)

Location, location, location

Dear Candler, I never thought of doing this until you tempted me.  Such a wonderful idea, though!

That awkward moment...

Sometimes, the subliminal messages get to you, and you only realize much later.  Evidence below.

Emory Bookstore/Undergrad admission hallway:

My bedroom, after I painted it (please don't judge the mess, I just moved):

In case it isn't clear, this was not done on purpose.  Emory, you have gotten under my skin.

Candler Bucket List

As the token 3rd year on this thing, I must wrap up my last 2 months with a few more laughs, a few more tears, and maybe even a little bit of reminiscing.

It's true, I actually care about Candler.  Despite my snarky comments and my sleeping at the back of the class (no, wait, that wasn't me... that was a first year), I actually came to Candler to make long-lasting friendships, learn about some Bible-y stuff (to steal from a beloved MTSer), and maybe even to become a better pastor at the end.  (Sad to note, this jig about my actually caring was up when it was discovered that I actually do my homework and study for Greek, despite it having no bearing on my ability to graduate, nor is it necessary for ordination.)

So, here I am, ready to reveal what I deem the Candler Bucket List.  Some real, some snarky, some stolen, but all in good fun.  At the end, I'd love to hear what you would add to this list.

1-Beat the law students at Maddio's trivia
2-Go to a grad student event
3-Live with another Candler student
4-Ignore the reading one night, just so you can have an all-night conversation with another Candler student
5-Go study in the grad student lounge (or find it)
6-Take Bishop White's class and go to Montgomery for the Civil Rights Tour (best Candler experience ever)
7-Pick a Con Ed II that makes you uncomfortable
8-Sit at a table in Brooks with someone that you don't usually sit with
9-Tell a professor that you think someone he disagrees with is a genius (I find the conversation that comes after this is well worth the chance you'll look like an idiot)
10-Tell ten professors they are your favorite... and mean it
11-Take a picture with a cardboard cutout of Dr. Strawn outside the CNN building (I doubt they make these, but I really hope someone gets this one done)
12-Do everything touristy in Atlanta
13-Take a shower in Candler
14-Have a conversation with someone you strongly disagree with... and keep it civil
15-Learn to love someone whose views you hate
16-Keep your Con Ed I and II evaluations and your entrance essay... you never know when you'll need them
17-Argue with a professor, not because you dislike them or even really disagree, but because it will sharpen your own knowledge
18-Find one class where you shine
19-Sing in Candler Chapel
20-Sleep in Candler Chapel
21-Ride the elevator down one level.  Bonus points if you do it with me and manage to survive my glare.
22-Go to a student organization meeting just for the free food.  Learn something while you're at it.
23-Go to a Candler party (do they even have those anymore?)
24-Ride your bike to class
25-Get snowed in and have a slumber party with other Candler students (sorry first and second years that you missed this little adventure)
26-Take a class you think you'll hate
27-Take a class you think you'll love
28-Take a class from a professor you disagree with
29-Take a class from a professor you loved even before meeting
30-Have a conversation with Dean Love
31-Have lunch with an undergrad
32-Go to a C3 meeting
33-Hide inside jokes in a paper
34-Take a class that you know will be difficult
35-Argue with someone at Wake, Duke, Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, etc... over the superiority of Candler over those other places
36-Skip class, just to have a mental health day
37-Go to Candler Prom
38-Hang out with your classmates on a weekend
39-Utilize the gym
40-Study in the reading room
41-Sleep in the reading room
42-Tell a professor that one of their TAs (or all of them) is doing a good job
43-Go get help from the writing center on a paper
44-Go overseas
45-Apply for an opportunity outside your comfort zone
46-Go to a lecture by a visitor (Shane Claiborne, Adam Hamilton, etc...)
47-Take a class from President Carter
48-Volunteer for something with other students
49-Go to worship with a student whose church you hate (and don't critique but find the good things about it)

And finally...

50-GRADUATE!

Comment below with anything you think should be on this list.

Facebook

Dear First Years, Facebook is not the appropriate outlet for your theological discourses. From experience, I have found it usually pisses off the masses in your churches because it challenges the comfortable theology they have ben sitting with for so long. Just friendly advice from a meager 2nd year who like to learn from all the wrong mistakes.

Overheard

"If you plan your typing just right, it'll look like you're paying attention."-One student gchatting with another

(Then again, that sometimes requires actually paying attention)

Overheard on Twitter

"I don't understand why we spend so much time trying to understand the Trinity, I mean its not that complicated..." #gotakeST

Dear Twitter Followers

I am working on posting your tags to the blog.  I just realized they hadn't been going to the correct e-mail address for a while and that's why I was missing them!

Overheard

overheard: student: "so sociology vs anthropology is numbers vs no numbers?" prof: "yeah, pretty much."

Brooks is not a library

From a fellow student: "Some of us don't know what Brooks Commons is for."

(Editor's Note: "Commons" does not, in any language, equal library.)

"En garde, classmates"-2nd year MDiv

(See picture here)

Overheard

My senior pastor possesses a D.Min.-Overheard by 2nd Year

Student Submission

Dear Candler
You know you're a third year in Pitts when you:
A) Pay tribute to other third years
B) Glare at infiltrating undergrads

C) Actually do work

D) All of the above

3rd years?

"You two are third years, right?  I can tell, because you're really laid back like you don't have a care in the world."-2nd year

We have cares, for the record.  Like, which graduation countdown should we use and what in the world will we do with all of our spare time in 3 months?!

"That's SO Andy Stanley of you!"-3rd year

Inclusiveness

Tonight for dinner we be serving gender rolls. - Overheard at Candler

What's that Island?

I just saw "St. Bart's" on TV and couldn't believe they misspelled it...

Before realizing that Barth has nothing to do with the island.