11 Words With Different Meanings To Elon Students

11 Words With Different Meanings To Elon Students

Brittany Coppla
Brittany Coppla Mar 1, 2016
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views

In the small town of Elon, North Carolina, one would never expect for such a mediocre place to contain such a complex vernacular. But, thanks to the population of Elon University, words that are just as average as the surrounding town take on a whole new meaning.

1. Acorn

To most: The fruit of the oak.

To Elon students: Our 2015 claim to fame when Ellen featured our favorite local sandwich shop.

2. Global

To most: An adjective describing something with worldly qualities.

To Elon students: The most desirable living location for underclassmen and only the most elite students. Some say the dorms are paved in gold. Also, have you seen the Great Hall? Weddings can be held in that place.

3. The Boobs

To most: A woman's breast.

To Elon students: The most central quad on campus, a prime location for studying, playing frisbee, or catching some Springtime rays. Or a place that is totally deserted when it is below 60 degrees on our campus.

4. High Point University

To most: A respected university.

To Elon students: Rock bottom.

5. Root

To most: The part of a plant that attaches it to the ground for support.

To Elon students: Truffle fries and foodie grilled cheese. Life changing experience for all.

6. Bucket

To most: A plastic container often used for storage or to carry things in.

To Elon students: Your favorite drink Saturday night, your worst enemy Sunday morning. You may find yourself wondering why your mouth is stained blue by the end of the night?

7. Phoenix

To most: A mythological bird that rose from the ashes.

To Elon students: Rumor has it, it's our masot.

8. Oaks

To most: A temperate tree that offers shade on hot summer days.

To Elon students: The only conveniently located dorm for upperclassmen.

9. Late night

To most: Midnight, a general time when most people are sleeping.

To Elon students: Tater tots, greasy food, and most dependable post-game. Most frequented by freshmen and sophomores.

10. Snow Day

To most: A designated day off of school due to inclement weather and dangerous driving conditions.

To Elon students: One inch of snow and a couple yaks about possible flurries. Thank you, Smith Jackson, for all the emails.

11. Leo

To most: The lion.

To Elon students: The president of our university, the best host of the annual Christmas party, and our favorite person to receive a wave from when walking through campus. In a nutshell, he is a celebrity.

Cover Image Credit: Texas A&M
Brittany Coppla
Brittany Coppla Mar 1, 2016
At Elon, North Carolina

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To The Girl Who Had A Plan

A letter to the girl whose life is not going according to her plan.
Mary Klepzig
Mary Klepzig Mar 14, 2016
71417
views
“I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” - William Ernest Henley

Since we were little girls we have been asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” We responded with astronauts, teachers, presidents, nurses, etc. Then we start growing up, and our plans change.

In middle school, our plans were molded based on our friends and whatever was cool at the time. Eventually, we went to high school and this question became serious, along with some others: “What are your plans for college?” “What are you going to major in?” “When do you think you’ll get married?” “Are you going to stay friends with your friends?” We are bombarded with these questions we are supposed to have answers to, so we start making plans.

Plans, like going to college with our best friends and getting a degree we’ve been dreaming about. Plans, to get married as soon as we can. We make plans for how to lose weight and get healthy. We make plans for our weddings and children.

SEE ALSO: 19 Pieces Of Advice From A Soon-To-Be 20-Year-Old

We fill our Pinterest boards with these dreams and hopes that we have, which are really great things to do, but what happens when you don’t get into that college? What happens when your best friend chooses to go somewhere else? Or, what if you don’t get the scholarship you need or the awards you thought you deserved. Maybe, the guy you thought you would marry breaks your heart. You might gain a few pounds instead of losing them. Your parents get divorced. Someone you love gets cancer. You don’t get the grades you need. You don’t make that collegiate sports team. The sorority you’re a legacy to, drops you. You didn’t get the job or internship you applied for. What happens to you when this plan doesn’t go your way?

I’ve been there.

The answer for that is “I have this hope that is an anchor for my soul.” Soon we all realize we are not the captain of our fate. We don’t have everything under control nor will we ever have control of every situation in our lives. But, there is someone who is working all things together for the good of those who love him, who has a plan and a purpose for the lives of his children. His name is Jesus. When life takes a turn you aren’t expecting, those are the times you have to cling to Him the tightest, trusting that His plan is what is best. That is easier said than done, but keep pursuing Him. I have found in my life that His plans were always better than mine, and slowly He’s revealing that to me.

The end of your plan isn’t the end of your life. There is more out there. You may not be the captain of your fate, but you can be the master of your soul. You can choose to be happy despite your circumstances. You can change directions at any point and go a different way. You can take the bad and make something beautiful out of it, if you allow God to work in your heart.

SEE ALSO: To The Girl Patiently Waiting With An Impatient Heart

So, make the best of that school you did get in to. Own it. Make new friends- you may find they are better than the old ones. Apply for more scholarships, or get a job. Move on from the guy that broke your heart; he does not deserve you. God has a guy lined up for you who will love you completely. Spend all the time you can with the loved one with cancer. Pray, pray hard for healing. Study more. Apply for more jobs, or try to spend your summer serving others instead. Join a different club or get involved in other organizations on campus. Find your delight first in God and then pursue other activities that make you happy; He will give you the desires of your heart.

My friend, it is going to be OK.

Cover Image Credit: Megan Beavers Photography
Mary Klepzig
Mary Klepzig Mar 14, 2016
At University of Tennessee

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The Most Important Things I've Learned From Taking Philosophy

The biggest takeaways that I have collected from my time in my Philosophy class.

Sean Woytowitz
Sean Woytowitz Oct 18, 2018
255
views

When registering for classes for Fall 2018, I found myself drawn to Philosophy 126: Mind, Brain, Self & Evolution. I figured the class would give me the opportunity to perform a lot of introspection during my first semester at college while also helping me fulfill some General Education requirements, and I couldn't have been more right. I've never had the pleasure of taking a class with such a loose agenda and the freedom to discuss every aspect of the information we are learning. That said, there have been a few major takeaways from this class.

First is the idea that you are not the sum of your parts, but the sum of your parts and the parts of everyone around you. Most people have heard the overused quote "It takes a village to raise a child," but this idea couldn't be more than true. We subconsciously pull so many of our habits, preferences, etc. from the people around us that we ultimately grow to become a community within ourselves, and there is something truly beautiful about that. It takes a village to raise a child to become a village.

Second, I've learned how important it is to understand that if some big philosophical or psychological or physical problem has not been solved yet, there is rarely going to be one solution to it. Millions of years of group thought have placed us in the intellectual shoes we are in, and yet we still question every day what our "purpose" is. There are thousands of theories and possible answers to this question, but who's to say that they aren't all correct? Some aspects of life are just too subjective to be answered objectively.

Lastly is the separation between gaining knowledge and experiential learning. Both are arguably equal in their significance, but we don't truly think about how immensely different the two concepts are until we are forced to. In philosophy, there is a theory centered around this experimental design called "Mary's Room." The story is that a woman named Mary has lived in a black and white room her whole life but has grown up learning everything about color and the human reaction to it (biologically, psychologically, etc.).

Once the door to her room is opened and she sees the color red for the first time, she has just learned something new despite already knowing everything there is to know about the concept of color. Experience is the most important part of the human condition and should not be disregarded when it comes to learning.

There are so many aspects of our existence that we never consider on a daily basis simply because we don't have to. There is something unique about people who are in touch with themselves spiritually: they have a greater understanding not just of who they are, but of who they are in relation to the rest of the world. In a fast-paced, Type A world it is especially easy to lose sight of the importance of experiencing humanity, and we often take this beautiful gift for granted.

Sean Woytowitz
Sean Woytowitz Oct 18, 2018
At Emory University

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