Lancer Diaries

This Is It! (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-05-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

It was a long, but wonderful weekend! It was graduation, so of course my family and friends drove down to see my 10 seconds of glory, walking down the stage and shaking President Ellis' hand. My family arrived on Friday and stayed until Sunday.

Graduation went so smoothly. All week I was worried about how hot it was going to be, then on Friday there were chances of rain, but after all it was one of the nicest graduations there has been in a while. I didn't expect Riverside to be 70's with a breeze in May, but it was! After graduation, my roommate Ryan and I had a bbq at Citrus Park. It is a beautiful park, and we were blessed to have so many family and friends there to celebrate with us. This was my favorite part of the weekend because it was a chance to see a lot of my friends that I will not see for a long time.

It has been very sad thinking about leaving all of these great friends that I have been blessed with over these past four years. This has become my home. They have become my family. The thought of moving away has shown me how much I care for these people. It has given me the strangest feelings, and I know that I will miss this community sooooo much.

I am ready for change and am excited to see where the Lord is going to take me next, but I know I will never have an experience that resembles college. CBU has been a wonderful place and a perfect fit for me. I have grown, I have seen, and I am much more ready to face the world than I was when I first came in. CBU's environment and community has allowed me to figure out myself (as weird as that sounds).

I will miss it dearly.

Tim Cahill

Graduation!! (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-05-03T23:18:00.001-07:00

Graduation was yesterday, it was awesome. There is nothing like wearing a black trash bag (not literally) and cardboard hat with hundreds of others just to hear your name called. It was supposed to rain and it didn’t which just made everything more perfect. After finding all of my friends and taking pictures in our academic regalia my whole family went out to lunch to celebrate (YardHouse).

Afterwards, my family came back to my apartment so my dad could attach Josephine (my bike, remember?) to my car so she wouldn’t fall off during the long drive home. Once she was secure, they left! I was so happy that my family was able to come down and enjoy the day with me because they are so much a part of my education (if it wasn’t for their constant support, I would have never come to CBU or gotten through it). Hillary and I then did what we do best, we went to Disneyland. Of course we couldn’t go in our regular clothes but had to sport or new and appropriate CBU Alumni Shirts. When we got into the park, we got pins that said “JUST GRADUATED!!” that we wore proudly. We were sure to tell everyone that we graduated (Hillary even asked the guy on the tram ride to announce it on the way back to the car).

By the time we got home we were dead tired but knew there was work to be done. We spent the next few hours packing our cars and cleaning the apartment. I worked on the bathroom and let me tell you that the Comet detergent I was using in the bathroom was so strong it was making my nose burn. When we woke up this morning we had a few things to do and then we did our very last check out! We then went to Panera for our last breakfast together.

Surprisingly I haven’t cried about this whole process. I’m not really an emotional person (it drives Hillary crazy) but I am surprised I haven’t shed one tear yet. Probably because I still can’t believe that I am graduated already! I think it will all start to sink in around August or September when I am supposed to be heading back to CBU for school. - Pray for me then!

I have loved all of my time at CBU but know that moving on is also great and something we have to do. Experiences are what help us to grow and I know my experiences at CBU helped me so much. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me next in the next chapter of my life.

Well, that’s all for me. Thanks for reading!!

Courtney Weatherly

Fin (end): By Christina Fuentes

2009-04-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

+Finals - check.

+Bags packed - check

+Return apartment key - check.

Lancer Diaries has been such an awesome opportunity for me. In these past couple of months, my only hope is that someone (even if it was just one person, anywhere in the world), was encouraged to live their life for God and share Jesus with someone that didn’t know Him. It was cool to write some fun posts about the shows I’ve been to, Christian university stereotypes and the random in-betweens. But more importantly, I was more stoked to share what God put on my heart.

Thanks for letting me show you my heart.

*Special thanks to my amazing roommates (Alex, Lauren, Nikki & Kelli) who previewed all my blogs and the several revisions I made to them. I’m more than blessed to call them friends and share my CBU experiences this year with them.

Well, folks- I’ll see you around campus next year. Don’t be shy too say what’s up.

~Christina [You can find my personal blog here].

+Last Lancer Diaries post - check.

Christina Fuentes

The End of Something is the Beginning of Another (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-04-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

This past week we got our yearbooks. Usually, when the yearbooks are handed out, you know the school year is just about over. It's surreal to me that this has come to an end! I remember freshman year, thinking that I never wanted this to end, and I mean how could it, I still have 3 more years of this! But now here I am, done with everything, and looking forward to this weekend of graduation; the gateway into the "real world".

The question I am always asked is, what do you do now? I am not sure, I don't even know how to make that decision properly. It's such a strange feeling knowing that so much weighs on where to go next.

Even though I am unsure, I know that my time here at CBU has prepared me to face whatever life presents me. I have grown so much spiritually, socially, and academically. I know these things would not have been possible without my friends and professors at CBU. I truly believe that CBU presents this opportunity to all students, and although we experience different things here, I would venture to say that most people feel the same way I do when they graduate.

We may not feel professionally ready, and we recognize that we still have a lot to learn about life, but we are confident that we will be successful in our endeavors after our time here.

It has been very sad to think about leaving friends and this amazing community. I plan to move back up to Northern California, and pursue a teaching career in mathematics. I would love to teach high school, either in the states or overseas, wherever I have the opportunity. So as this chapter in my life ends, I am excited to start a new chapter in my life.

This is it for my time blogging, it's been fun!

Tim Cahill

Time to Say Goodbye!! (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-04-25T00:52:00.000-07:00

So here I am in the final week of school at CBU. The end brings mixed emotions, excitement, nervousness, overwhelming feelings of sadness, the feeling of accomplishment, and a sense of moving on. I have worked so hard on my education at CBU and am ecstatic to finally receive my diploma on May 2nd. Graduation night, Hillary and I will head on out to Disneyland to celebrate the only way we know how. On May 3rd I will be moving home to Visalia. I will be home for the month of May and will travel to Ukraine with my ISP team in June. In July my older sister is getting married and so I will be helping her with the final touches of wedding planning (not that she needs any help, she is very organized) and beginning in August I start school again. Because I want to be a high school teacher, I will have to continue my education and get a California credential. I will be credentialing at Fresno State (go Bulldogs!).

Though I will be moving back home and to a different school, CBU will always be a second home, and it will always be MY school. I have had so many memories here and I know that they were all part in making CBU what we know and love. I am able to say I have survived Intensive Training Weekend, I have played in Fortuna Bowl (and won), I understand that recreation sports is more than just a hobby, I have participated in Campus Days, Some of my favorite Breakfast’s were served by staff and faculty, I know what a kugel is and I feel unimpressed when I see one at Disneyland, I have cheered with the CRAZIEST and most rowdy crowd in the GSAC (Golden State Athletic Conference), and I know exactly what comes after “C-B What??? C-B What???”.

This week really put everything in perspective when I got my cap and gown and acquired my first CBU Alumni t-shirt. I will miss CBU but I am able to take what I learned here and apply it in a different place.

So rather than listening to Vitamin C’s “Graduation (Friends Forever)” or Green Day’s “Time of Your Life” I think I will enjoy my last few days as an Undergraduate student focusing on the friends I have made and cleaning out this old apartment. (Plus working on walking and receiving my diploma without tripping on stage like this unlucky guy I know of...)

Thanks for reading my blog, whether it be the first time or the tenth. God Bless!

Courtney Weatherly

No Butts About It

2009-04-23T14:34:00.000-07:00

Usually, as a break from finals week, CBU puts on a little diddy called Campus Day. This is where all of the living areas on campus (and even commuters) get to compete in different games. My Team consisted of the awesome ladies of the Lancer Arms apartments. Our team was named “No Butts About It”- our shirts had a zebra butt on the back, clever, right? If you saw us we were probably recognized best as Team Zebra. We came into the competition with face paint, giant flags and the coolest shirts. This wasn't just my opinion... other teams and even the boys thought they were pretty sweet. Those names will be kept confidential.
I competed in the giant obstacle course, over-sized basketball (where I got elbowed in the ear) and the toilet races. BOOYAH. It was brutal, but we had it handled. Other games were human foosball, bocce ball, extreme pictionary, and, of course the team cheer (*note it had to do with zebras going extinct and the judges giving us points to save us, trust me you had to be there). To the tune of "I don't know but I've been told...", a call and response, if you will. I present to you, the Zebra cheer:

Listen Judges hear our plea
Save our lives we're on our knees
Campus days are mighty fine
On our backs is a zebra behind

We competed to the best of our abilities. We won some, we lost some. All in all, we won 3rd best cheer and one of our girls won most spirited. Shocking? Not at all, when the Zebras came around, we made ourselves known.

Zebra, out.

Christina Fuentes

Pass le Torch and other CBU greatness

2009-04-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

Pass the Torch- Wednesday night, I went to “Pass the Torch” (or Pat's the torch- as evidenced by the Smith Hall guys), where current RAs passed the torch to the future RAs of 09-10 (woot woot!). R.A. stands for Resident Assistant, which is basically like the supervisor of a designated living area. Anyway, the current RAs of each living area put together a short presentation of experiences and introduction to welcome us to the Residence Life staff. Among some of my favorites were UP Men (hip hop dance off), and the Cottages (the possum song). Needless to say, I am proud to announce that I have been chosen to be an R.A. next year, and I am stoked! Congrats to the new 09-10 Residence Life staff (or as we like to say "Rez Life")!

ISP Commissioning Chapel- ISP, a.k.a. International Service Projects a.k.a. CBU missions is an awesome opportunity to spread the gospel to the nations as God commands us to. Today we got to worship and pray with the teams that are embarking on this summer mission. Among them, my roommate Alex who's going to Panama, SO proud of her! If you missed chapel, remember to pray for the teams and for the lives that will be forever changed as a result of their courageous and willing hearts. CBU is truly a university dedicated to the Great Commission.

Only a week left of school, folks! It’s the final stretch! Best of luck to you all!

Campus Days!! (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-04-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

It's finals week, I cannot believe how fast this semester went by! There's something different about finals during the spring semester. Fall semester finals have a very different feel, maybe because there's the excitement to have a Christmas break, see family, and start new classes soon; but whatever it is spring semester ending is much different. There's a graduating class, schools going to be out for 4 months, we are all ready to be done with classes, but are sad to leave friends.

One great thing about the spring semester ending is all of the events. The school goes all out, and there are so many closing events to look forward to.

By far the best event is Campus Days. This year it is on April 22nd. Campus Days is the competition between all of the living areas to battle it out for the Pot. The Pot is like a witches cauldron that has been in the CBU tradition for over 30 years. The winner of campus days wins this gaudy Pot, with signatures of previous winners tagged all over it.

The teams are formed, matching t-shirts, and war paint, they come to the front lawn ready for battle. Nearly every game is ridiculous and fun. There is motorized toilet races, human foosball, giant basketball, crazy inflatable relay courses, and the list goes on. You play team after team, station after station for over an hour. There are chants and cheers, and everyone is staring at the coveted prize, the Pot.

Now there are some rules about the Pot, here are a few key ones: 1. It must be on campus at all times. 2. You may take the pot as long as no one is touching it. 3. It must be brought to Campus Days. 4. Hide it well, because people are looking for it.

The day comes to a close, the scores are tallied and everyone gathers to hear. The points are announced and the winners are crowned. It is a day of defeat for most, but for those lucky ones it is a day of victory. They will all sign the pot and hide it as best they can for the next year.

This will be my last campus day. I've come in 2nd place twice and I've never won the Pot but hopefully this will be the year!

Jesus + Me = BFF. (Courtney Weatherly)

2009-04-16T23:27:00.000-07:00

I always knew I wanted to go to college upon the completion of my high school education but never really knew where I wanted to go. There were some of my friends who knew exactly where they wanted to go and what it would take to get there, since the 5th grade. My older sister, Sam, went to Fresno Pacific so I was familiar with the Christian school thing. I loved how small the school was and how friendly the people were. Because she played volleyball and my family never missed a game, we got to visit a lot of schools (mostly Christian schools) all over California. By the end of my senior year, I decided that I wanted to go to a Christian school because I simply liked the idea of a Christian school. I began looking around and ended up applying to 6 schools (too many applications). I applied to CBU because my mom saw it online and thought it was worth a shot. Later on in the year, I visited CBU and could see myself fitting in with every aspect of the school. As acceptance letters started to come in and financial aid began to work itself out, I could not see myself anywhere but CBU.

After 4 years of being at CBU it is has become clear to me that God led me here. When I took a tour of the campus, I cannot explain the feeling that came over me that I was right where I was supposed to be. The people were so great (and if you’ve visited, that’s not just an act), the campus was beautiful, and the cafeteria dominated all others. I chose to come to CBU for the surface reasons and never imagined what would happen when I got here.

Looking back, I have realized that my spirituality and faith had never been really challenged before. Something that I can say that CBU truly believes in is encouraging its students to grow in academics as well as in Christ. Through Christian courses, leadership and ISP (International Service Projects) I have found that I have grown more in my time here than in any other time in my life. I have been encouraged to ask questions about what I believe and to not trust in what I have been told. More than anything I have been motivated to share Christ with others. Because CBU has such a great quality of students, I have surrounded myself with people who believe the same as I, and have felt that I have grown with their encouragement and love.

In coming to college, I knew I would grow in academics but never imagined how much I would grow in the Lord. I am so grateful for this progression and cannot put any price or loan amount on how evident this change in me was. These years of growth have been so positive and I am so appreciative the God used CBU in such a great way in my life.

Oh The Places You'll Go. (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-04-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

I never imagined I would make it out of Visalia (my hometown). When I was growing up I figured I would go to college in Fresno, move home, and live the rest of my life in Central California. So when I chose to move to Riverside and attend CBU, I was beginning to change all of those plans. However, I never would have guessed where I would go during my 4 years at CBU.

Sophomore year I accepted an internship for a program the FOCUS class at CBU uses called inFOCUS, or UPEERS. The site is used for networking as students are beginning to enroll at CBU. I accepted the internship not because I was interested in networking but because I needed money. Over the course of the semester, I worked with Tracy Ward in developing the new program at school. Every week we contacted the main office for the program in New York City. I was told at the beginning of the internship that at the end of the semester I would have to give a presentation to the CEO of the company. In turn they would pick ten of those who presented to live in New York for the summer to intern for the company. Of course I figured I would never get the internship in New York but decided to give it a try. A day after my presentation our contact from the main office called to let me know that I was one of the ten chosen to live and work in New York. Before I knew it I was packing my bags for a summer in the city. I was nervous because it was my first long term commitment away from my family and friends. I was moving to a city where I knew no one.

As soon as I arrived I was whisked away to our apartment which was in SoHo (south of Houston st.). I knew nothing about New York but heard it was a great neighborhood (I would later find out that David Bowie lived across the street and Heath Ledger lived around the corner). We lived on the top floor (no elevator) and had roof access which was very convenient for the 4th of July. My nine roommates moved in soon after. Most of them were from the South and spoke with awesome accents. I was quickly learning the tricks of the city. During the day I would go to work and during the night I would enjoy the city lights reading books on our rooftop. I began to attend a church and hung out with the people there who really made me feel at home. The more I lived in the city, the more I became independent. I had the chance to see three Broadway shows and see a number of famous people.

In the end, my trip to New York was awesome and I am so grateful I got to have such a great experience. Without being a student at Cal Baptist I doubt that I would have ever had this amazing experience.

Courtney Weatherly

Southern California Attractions, Discounted! (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-04-10T09:33:00.000-07:00

At CBU, Chris Hofschroer, is the director of the Campus Activities Board, aka CAB. He puts a lot of hard work into our school's activities, and this presents the students with awesome opportunities to go to events and participate in activities. Over the four years that I have been at CBU, I have taken advantage of most of the events that Chris and the CAB has provided us with. The great thing about these activities, is that they're always discounted for CBU students.
They have offered various events over my four years here. They've hosted and gone to concerts, designed our own Tom's Shoes, gone to professional sporting events, gone to broadway shows like Wicked and The Lion King at Pantageous Theater, and these are all at a fraction of the valued price. It is an awesome opportunity which our school presents us to get out and see the attractions in Southern California! Tickets go fast, so you have to be on top of it.
This past weekend, I got tickets to go to the LA Galaxy soccer game. They were playing the Colorado Rapids, and I love soccer. I'm not the biggest fan of MLS, but it's still soccer. But that's not all, Chris got us field level seats with all you can eat food, and we only had to pay 20 bucks (Oh, and that included the bus ride there and back!). My friends and I couldn't pass on this opportunity, so we snagged tickets and went to the game.
It was a blast! The Galaxy lost and David Beckham is still at AC Milan, but I did have 2 hot dogs, 3 nachos, and a couple of sodas. I'm usually a pretty healthy eater, so needless to say I didn't feel too good later that night, but it's so hard to say no when it's free! When we got back on the bus, I think everyone felt like they shouldn't have gone for that last hot dog. We took a poll on the bus, and the person who ate the most had 9 hot dogs, 2 nachos, and 5 sodas. Ridiculous!!
It was a memorable time. CBU offers so many good opportunities to fit whatever form of entertainment you enjoy. And even if you are unsure of what you like, you can try them out because they are at a discounted price.
Thanks Chris and the CAB, for all the hard work you put in so that we can have fun for cheap!

Tim Cahill

Down In My Heart, Where? (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-04-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended an Easter musical portrayed through the eyes of Pilot’s wife, Claudia. She had dreams of Jesus and wanted to warn her husband not to have anything to do with him. And although she tried, Jesus was still crucified. After His resurrection, Claudia understood that Jesus had to die for the sins of man and was overwhelmed because Jesus is not only alive, but alive in her heart.

If Jesus is in my heart, I feel like I should look and feel and act differently. But I seem to get so caught up in my day-to-day schedule that I forget what that looks like. I’m only a mere human, but as I’ve said in my previous blogs, my only life’s purpose is to glorify God.

This Sunday I’m going to an Easter Sunrise Gathering with some close friends and family. We’re going to a park in Corona to worship and celebrate the resurrection of Christ. My friend Chris, who’s organizing this event said "I heard once that when people gather in the name of Jesus, they shouldn't be able to leave without the community around them knowing that God was there". So he's encouraging us to bring donations for the Corona-Norco Settlement House, where people are hurting and in need.

This, is what it looks like to have Jesus alive in your heart. I am at a loss for words when I remember what God did for me today. He sent His only son to die on the cross, for me. The least I can do, is live like Jesus is alive in my heart.

Christina Fuentes

Crash (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-04-03T01:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight I attended CRASH- a discipleship meeting with other students here at CBU. We learned a practical way to share the gospel with unbelievers. Prior to the last half of our meeting, we watched a YouTube video of a comedian who was an atheist.

The comedian explained that after one of his shows, a businessman spoke with him; complimented him and gave him a pocket-sized Bible with a phone number and email address inside for follow up. The comedian was quite impressed by this because he knew that the businessman believed that heaven and hell existed. He knew he wanted to share this with the comedian because he didn’t want him to go to hell. Plain and simple, right? What was the comedian’s response to this, you ask?

How much do you have to hate someone not to share your faith? [Whoa.] The comedian gave this analogy: If you knew someone was about to be hit by a truck, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to save them? Even throw yourselves on them to get them out of the way?

You see, there’s no difference when we're faced with sharing our faith. We all have our opinions of what strategies do or do not work, but in reality, are we even sharing at all? God didn’t save us so we could keep salvation to ourselves. In Acts 20:24, Luke writes “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

I find myself 100% guilty, so don’t take this for some type of holy rollin’ trip. I’m challenging myself and I’m challenging you to share the gospel with others. We need to have compassion for the lost, develop relationships and reach out to them. I would hate to think that I had the opportunity to share with someone and didn’t because I felt awkward or exposed. Let's put aside meaningless conversation and get real with people about our faith. This kind of conversation is the most important one we could ever have.

Christina Fuentes

We've got spirit yes we do...(By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-04-02T22:59:00.001-07:00

In High School I loved going to the football games. Maybe it was because I lived in a small town and there was not much to do, but nothing compared to a Friday night football game. Since the amount of enthusiasm for a school’s team can make or break a school’s community, I was worried about the level of spirit I would find at CBU. I knew CBU was a small Christian school so I figured fifteen people would show up at games praying over the other team. NOT TRUE.

CBU has a first class fan base. Regardless of the sport, students are out there wearing their CRAZIES shirt supporting our school and athletic program. I’m pretty sure we are the most crowd in our conference. I would venture to say the most popular sport is basketball. Before the season officially starts, the CAB office (Campus Activities Board) puts on “Midnight Madness” that shows off both men and women basketball teams, complete with a dunk contest. Our biggest rivalry is against Azusa Pacific. Whether the game is in Riverside or Azusa, students from both schools attend and get LOUD. The rivalry just seems to get more intense with every year.

Lately I’ve been going to baseball games. The baseball field was built only two years ago so its very new, and very nice. My friends and I usually go to 7-11 just around the corner from the school to pick up a slurpee and sunflower seeds for the game. Occasionally, we take a book or homework and sit in the sun enjoying the All-American sport. Baseball games are typically in the afternoon when the weather is close to... perfection.

Though I love going and supporting our school, I am not one to make up chants or cheers. I have come to notice that I yell the most stupid things at games. The other day at the baseball game I caught myself yelling “Run Fast!” As if they had never thought to do so. After a few attempts at trying to be an inspiration, I ended up going along with the crowd and stuck to clapping and woo-hooing.

I guess it’s just easier to support a school where athletic ability comes so naturally... Or maybe I’m just biased.

Courtney Weatherly

Man Week/Mustache March (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-04-02T21:34:00.001-07:00

Man Week, dedicated to all men, worldwide.

This past week at CBU, was the first (hopefully) annual Man Week. For those of you not in the loop, let me fill you in, that meant every night of the week there is a CBU sponsored event for the men on campus.

Monday night was the kick off to the week, and it started with a huge Rockband video game tournament. Students prepared outfits and judges were set in place. Students were practicing like two months in advance for this night, I think that’s crazy! Each band was able to perform one song, and they were judged on their style, ability, and stage presence.

Tuesday night was a guys event, but the girls were also able to get involved. The men dressed up in slacks and ties in order to serve the women a classy dinner. At the dinner, there was a live band and it was a great environment. Although, I think the men went a little overboard on serving the girls, anytime they went to take a drink, the men were on it filling it back up (give the girls a little space to breathe!). But seriously, it was a great time.

On Wednesday night, there was a session called “Don’t Be a Fool”. This event consisted of a late night pancake breakfast and a guest speaker. Matt Brown, pastor of Sandals Church, took time to share with the men about the dangers of lust and how to combat sin.

Thursday was the 3 on 3 basketball tournament. The men were able to show off their skills and we had our own little March Madness Tournament of 16 teams (even though it’s April). There was music, a DJ, and even brackets to fill out. The night ended with a slam dunk contest on a (lowered) 9 foot hoop.

The best part about man week, is also the fact that it is Mustache March. This is the month where all men (or at least those who can) grow out their mustaches. I love walking around school and seeing all of the mustaches. There are strict rules and regulations because it’s a competition! On Friday, the closing ceremonies occurred. This is where the judges came out to see who would win the various mustache awards. There are the class stache, best stache, and my favorite, the trash stache. Just so you know, around the world there are mustache contests that are actually taken very seriously.

One of my residents (and good friend) looked the most ridiculous for man week, so I wanted to share his glorious mustache and hair with you.

That is a lancer logo, the lance goes across his upper lip.

Tim Cahill

In the Midst of Crunch Time (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-03-27T00:31:00.000-07:00

I basically had a bit of a meltdown earlier today. Spring break passed me by faster than Lindsay Lohan’s musical career. And now my friends, we’re down to the final stretch of the semester. I just about hit my computer screen in the face last night because I had a midterm and two projects due today… I’m sure now you can see why. As I sit here, winding down from my rollercoaster of a day, here are some of the things that have lifted my spirits:

Twilight Midnight Release Party- Yes, I am not ashamed and I have the special edition DVD to prove it.

Twitter- Please note, I am no stranger to this social network. Twitter is easy, just answer the question "what are you doing?", trust me it gets interesting. I’ve had a twitter account for over 2 years now. Follow me.

Disneyland Pass- you can now pay monthly, hence the reason for my purchase. Only $16 a month to visit the happiest place on earth whenever … I … want.

Conflict Management- Watching my two roommates duke it out at the Lancer Arms event Funna Punch ‘Em. As you can see, here at CBU we like to solve our conflicts using large padded weapons.

25 Things I Hate About Facebook- I couldn’t agree more. And yet, I’m still a slave to it.

It’s really difficult to focus on anything when my mind is on full blast summer mode already. Alas, I shall return to my paper writing and intellectual thought. Thank you for allowing me to ramble and a very happy weekend to you.

Christina Fuentes

f.r.i.e.n.d.s. (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-03-27T00:28:00.000-07:00

As the final weeks are winding down and graduation drawing near, I have started to reflect and think on what CBU has given me... some of the greatest friends.

First is Ashleigh. I first met Ashleigh when I was a freshmen. She was an outspoken, water polo player who came from Miami. What I remember most about meeting Ashleigh was how clean she kept her room, how it always smelled like cholorine (from all the swimming), how she loved Keith Urban, and how annoyed she got of anyone who said anything bad about Florida. The summer after sophomore year, Ashleigh married Sterling, also a great guy. Ashleigh is such a great friend. She is always there for me when I need her and is always willing to lend a hand. (Not to mention she’s pretty good at water polo and I don’t mind telling people I know her.) More than anything, I admire Ashleigh’s strength as she is so positive when Sterling has to go away (he is in the NAVY). I am so appreciative of Ash and all of the time that we have had to spend together.

Next, Julie. Sophomore year, some roommate things got changed around and I found myself living in a completely different area with completely new roommates. Julie was one of those roommates. I had known Julie freshmen year but not anywhere close to where I would get to know her in the next semester. Fortunately for she and I, we bonded immediately and had so much fun getting to know each other. We rode our bikes around campus very late at night just talking, we would wait for each other so that we went to bed at the same time, we had myspace wars (where we posted embarrassing pictures of each other on our myspace profiles), we played multiple pranks on each other, and we watched Pride and Prejudice weekly. (I guess that’s the recipe to creating a great friendship.) Though those might seem like the little things, I know our friendship is so strong, and I can go to Julie for anything. I am so happy that Julie and I wound up living together and can’t imagine where I would be without her.

Then there’s Hillary. Freshman year, Hill and I lived on the same hall; but I only knew her as the crazy, blonde girl who liked to dress up. We hung out a few times but it wasn’t until our sophomore year that we really began our friendship. We learned that we have a lot in common: we are both Liberal Studies Majors, our dad’s are both named Bob, our mom’s name both start with an “S”, she is one of three girls - as am I, and we both have an animal named Jack. Hillary is so easy to talk to and the most sincere person that I know. Over the years, Hillary has grown so much and her love of Christ is so evident. She pours into so many people and takes any opportunity she has to share about Christ. I love spending time with Hillary because she makes me laugh more than anyone I know. She can say one word to me and I know exactly what she is thinking. We are also commonly mistaken for each other, not because we look alike but because we are always together. I love Hillary so much and am so grateful for her friendship. When I think about graduating from CBU I am excited but at the same time very sad that I will live over 3 hours away from my best friend. I have grown so much during my time here at CBU and I can attribute so much of that to Hillary.

As you can see...it will be VERY hard to say goodbye.

Courtney Weatherly

Poor Starving College Students (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-03-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

The most common characteristic that I have found among college students is that they don’t have money. The common title for students is “starving student”.The typical “poor starving college student” diet consists of Top Ramen noodle soup, while their entertainment normally consists of being creative. Luckily, I have not had this much trouble. Although I try to be wise with my money, I have been blessed at CBU to have a job on campus.
Since my freshman year, I have had a job on the campus of CBU. I worked in the Financial Aid office for almost a year, and then switched over to the Bookstore a few months after leaving the office. There are two things that make on campus jobs better than all others: there is no commute (which is so nice), and your boss' understand that academics are a priority.

The bookstore has been my favorite job ever! There are many reasons to love the bookstore. First, I think my bosses are amazing. Carol is the manager of the bookstore and she is like my Southern California Mom. She takes care of all of us. She brings in cookies, doughnuts, and fruit (for when we're trying to be healthy!). Not only does she bring us food, but she is also concerned with what is going on in our lives. Carol supports us in school, sports, and family. She’s the best boss I’ve ever had, and it would be very difficult for anyone to beat her at it. Secondly, my co-workers are great people. It is a great way to get to know other people on campus that I may never have hung out with! I have loved every minute of working there (or at least most).

There are a lot of jobs on campus, especially at the beginning of the school year. It is a great opportunity that CBU offers their students and should definitely be taken advantage of. Working on campus doesn’t mean that you’re going to make tons of money, but it has been a means for me to make some money and not be the typical "starving student". It can be difficult to juggle school, work, and fun; but I have definitely enjoyed the opportunity!

Tim Cahill

Road Trippin' (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-03-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

This was the last spring break of my college career. I really wanted to make the most of it with my friends. It is like our one last hurrah before we face the real world. So, we planned a little road trip.

We headed out of Riverside the next morning at 7 am. The five of us squeezed into my little Honda Civic and all of our luggage and supplies barely fit! We were crammed for space (three girls and two guys), especially with all of the girls luggage.

We drove up the Pacific Coast for about five hours and finally reached our destination for the next two nights, Montana de Oro State Park. This campground is just south of Morro Bay and really close to San Luis Obispo. It is a beautiful campground, but it did have some drawbacks. There was no plumbing, which means no showers or flushable toilets. The girls were great though, and really toughed it out with no complaints. The issue that really made camping rough these two nights, was the wind. It was cold and loud all night, which made sleeping, cooking and camp fires difficult.

We spent two nights there and then traveled further up the coast to Sunset State Beach, which is between Monterey and Santa Cruz. This was by far the best night of camping and sleep. It was so calm and sunny all day. The sunset was beautiful (hence the name Sunset State Beach), and our neighbors were great. Tom Faith was more than willing to give us tips on what to do in Santa Cruz and Monterey, even though we had no time for any of them.

We took off the next morning, and drove to our final destination, my hometown Pacifica. It's just south of San Francisco. It was so good to be at home and to get some good rest.

This was my best spring break in college! It was great to spend time outdoors, with close friends, and with my family.

Tim Cahill

SENIORITIS (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-03-20T01:03:00.000-07:00

Senioritis: the word senior plus the suffix -itis (which refers to inflammation but in colloquial speech is assumed to mean an illness), is a colloquial term used in the United States to describe the decreased motivation toward studies displayed by students who are nearing the end of their high school or college careers (defined by Wikipedia).

I know that Wikipedia is not a “valid source” but I’m pretty sure this sums up what I am feeling. Here we are in the final weeks of school and the end is so far away. My countdown currently says 43 Days 7 Hours 29 Minutes and 40 Seconds until May 2, which of course is Graduation day. Every time I think of something productive that I have to get done, immediately thoughts of running through fields of daisies come into my head and I forget everything productive I was trying to accomplish. I end up going on a bike ride, talking on the phone, or even sitting in the library aimlessly staring. However, this week is different. It is here! The one week I can try to cure this senioritis, the one week I don’t have to think about homework.

SPRING BREAK!

Now I know what you are thinking, take a trip to Mexico, lay by the pool, soak up the much needed sun, and shop but that is nowhere close to what I do. I hate Mexican food, I don’t like swimming, I don’t tan - I burn, and I do not have the resources to shop. What I needed more than anything was to go home.

There is something so refreshing about coming home after a long time at school. It seems like you forget the little things about home until you come home and experience them all over again. I know for me, I love to hear the football game on Sunday after church in the living room while my dad is watching. I love being able to go to the store with my mom and push the cart around adding things when she’s not looking. Driving is much simpler here, the one freeway that goes through town only has 2 lanes and is never jammed. I especially love coming home to my dogs and playing fetch with them. Going to my home church is so refreshing because I have grown up with everyone there and I feel so comfortable. Though I love being at school, I also love coming home to spend time with friends and family to rejuvenate (getting laundry done for free is also a major plus).

So for the rest of the weekend, I am going to try to get in as much rest and relaxation so that I can cure this bad case of senioritis. A little home cooking, loving on my dog and being with my family should hold me over... for a week or two.

Courtney Weatherly

And the Beat Goes On (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-03-20T00:19:00.000-07:00

Turn on a good song and I'm the friend in the car who knows each lyric and guitar riff to almost every song. And if I don't, I'll learn it and add it to the library of music that makes up my mind. I have major difficulty answering the question of my favorite song or type of music because I take interest in various artists and genres.

Music strikes the chords of my heart in unexplainable ways. Whenever I go to a show I find it absolutely imperative that I find my way up to the front so I can literally feel the music and almost completely lose my hearing. This may sound painful to you, but to me, it's the closest to heaven that I'll ever be... and I don't want to go home right now -- what the?! (Goo Goo Dolls, get OUT of my head).

Here are a couple of pictures of bands that rocked my socks live, mostly rock/alternative bands:

Say Anything at the Grove in Anaheim. These guys are seriously out of control with their energy. Every band member had a mic and I'm pretty sure that was to emphasize certain parts of their songs, and it worked. The crowd was totally into it. Oh and the lead vocalist Max Bemis sticks out his tongue after every other word he sings. Why? Because he can.

Angels and Airwaves at the Wiltern in Los Angeles. Probably one of the most amazing shows I've ever been to. Even thinking about the lighting and ambiance of the entire night makes my hairs stand. Their music makes me feel like I'm flying, which is their intention, I'm sure. Their set was pure perfection.They rocked... end of story.

The Almost at the Soma in San Diego, a smaller venue but fantastic nontheless. The lead singer, Aaron Gillespie is the drummer from the band Underoath and The Almost is his side project. Aaron, you genius, you.

Anberlin also at the Soma in San Diego. This was just after they released their new album New Surrender. Stephen Christian, the lead singer was so sincere and thanked the crowd several times after each song. He seemed really, well, nice. The drummer threw a water bottle and it landed in my crossed arms. It was unopened and quite refreshing in the midst of the blazing heat and sweat in the crowd.They were awesome and so is their new album.

Among others that are not pictured:

Sleeping Giant at a venue in Chino. So powerful. You need to see them live for yourself. It'll do you some good, humble you, and make you crazy for Jesus.

Emery also at the Soma and they were SO much fun. These guys can work the stage. Personally, I'm not that into them, but if you can give me a legitimate reason to be, I'll reconsider.

I absolutely plan to and MUST see:

Coldplay - I seem to have missed them EVERY time they're in So Cal. Not okay, not okay at all.

Blink 182 - reunited and it feels so good. I know you're excited to see them too. This brings back major teenage memories.

Incubus - one of my favorites. Hopefully they release something new and tour in our area soon.

What rock experiences have you had?

Christina Fuentes

You and Me (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-03-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this incredible opportunity I have this semester as a Lancer Diaries blogger. I believe that my position is much bigger than myself and the things I do. What’s been on my heart lately is our generation.

We’ve become people who claim the Christian title, and become satisfied with being perceived as just that. It’s not enough.I believe God wants more of us, and our world needs more of God. Are we making this a reality? Or are we depending on others to take on responsibility so Christians (as a whole) can get the credit? Like I said last week, we were created to give God glory.

In chapel on Wednesday, John Montgomery spoke about one of my favorite scriptures Matthew 16:24, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”The three main points he emphasized were to DENY ourselves, TAKE UP THE CROSS and FOLLOW HIM.

God is moving in such a powerful way today, and I am STOKED about it. He is revealing Himself in incredible ways to people who didn’t know Him, and now believe. The time to act is now. Not when we’re done with college, or older, or more spiritual. We can’t keep putting off sharing our faith with others. We put so much stress on where God wants us to be in the future, when all along, He has us right where we are for the purpose of those who need Him. We come in contact with people who don’t know Christ as their Savior every day, even on campus. I’m totally talking about myself here, too. If a person died tomorrow and you HAD a chance to talk to them about Christ, what would you feel?

Here at CBU, we’re blessed to have awesome professors and leaders who would be more than willing to help you:
1. Accept Christ (if you haven’t)
2. Share the gospel with others (not just for pastors or missionaries... for you and me)

God has set apart our generation… and we need to r e s p o n d.

Christina Fuentes

The Great Outdoors (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-03-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

I love to camp! Basically, every summer my family and friends would drive to Memorial Park in Pescadero, CA and spend the week camping. This tradition started when I was just a little tyke about six or seven. We always tent camp! I'm sorry, but using an RV or trailer is not true camping, especially when there is a TV in there, sorry! For this spring break, four of my friends and I are taking a road trip up Hwy 1 and camping along the coast. I am so excited!

Planning for this trip has brought back memories of another trip with my roommates last year, Sam and Ryan. Ryan and Sam packed up one Friday, and drove up to Holcomb Valley. I had to leave a little later because I had to attend my physics lab. Sam and Ryan made it to the campsite fine and called me just before they went into the mountain. They gave me directions, they were vague and I barely listened because we planned on just using the cell phone. Bad idea! I tried calling them when I got up there for better directions, but everything went straight to voicemail.

So I saw a sign to Holcomb Valley and turned onto a dirt/rock road. I drove an hour straight on this road without seeing anyone except a ranger in a huge 4x4 truck! Oh, and if you didn't know, I was in a little 2000 Honda Civic. During the ride I hit a rock protruding higher than the others and I felt it hit my feet from under the car, uh oh! My car began to make weird noises, but I had no where to go and no service, so I trudged forward.

It was beginning to get dark, and I was lost in the middle of the mountain. I hit a fork in the road, saw a freeway sign and decided I would head home. On my way, I saw a campground and one little tent, so I decided to check it out I arrived at the campsite, and no one was there! I waited for 30 min, and now it was pitch black in the middle of the forest, so I headed for town. Luckily, I got cell service on the way and had like 3 new messages and 5 texts, all from Ryan and Sam. They were in town waiting until they heard from me.

We met up at the campsite and it was so nice to have company. They also brought along some bad news, we couldn't have a fire since it was dry season, we had no flashlights or cooking supplies, only hot dogs, buns, smores and water. It was also the month of November so we knew it was going to get cold. Also, fires are one of the best parts of camping. It started getting cold around 9pm, so we rolled up in our sleeping bags, and it go worse and worse through the night. We barely slept, and at 5am we went into the car and turned on the heat!

We only brought a polaroid...

We came back to Riverside, and I took my car to the shop. I had dented some major pipes around the engine and ruined my catalytic converter, which totaled in $1700 in repairs. Ouch!! This was the most expensive camping trip ever!

This seems like a completely terrible trip, but honestly it is one of my favorite memories at CBU and I am so ready to go camping again. This time we are prepared, partly because of this experience, and partly because we have girls going this time.

Tim Cahill

I TURN 22. (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-03-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

March is a good month. The sun is shining, flowers are blooming, and it’s my Birthday. Though I never had a birthday party at McDonalds (it used to be cool), or a party at RollerTowne, I have never had a reason to complain about my birthday parties. During my time at CBU I have had some of the best birthdays! Usually, my older sister Sam makes her way from Fresno to Riverside to go to Disneyland the day of my birthday. Last year, in addition to a trip to Disneyland, my roommates threw me a Surprise Party. I was so surprised and had no idea. (The picture is from the Surprise Party last year)

This year, my Disneyland pass no longer worked in March so both of my sisters came down early and celebrated with me at the end of January. I decided that the next best thing to do for my birthday was visit the zoo. I invited a handful of my friends and we decided that we would take a trip to the San Diego Zoo. So on Saturday morning, the 7th of March, the five of us piled into the car and made the hour drive to the San Diego Zoo. As soon as we got into the car, Hillary brought out a list of things that I would have to do throughout the day. Most of them taking pictures with people (Someone wearing a Hawaiian shirt, someone wearing birkenstocks, etc.) At first it was a little embarrassing but by the end of the day I had embraced it. We had so much fun exploring the zoo and checking out all the different animals. (The orangutans were by far the most interesting and exciting exhibit.) My 22nd birthday was awesome and I am so happy that I got to spend it at the Second Happiest Place on Earth!

Courtney Weatherly

Closer (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-03-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

Last week in class, I watched a video on the Islam faith. More specifically, the last of the 5 pillars of faith, the pilgrimage to Mecca called Hajj. During one of the highlights of Hajj, Muslims stand all day and pray to Allah. I watched as they prayed with tears coming down their faces, longing to be close to Allah.

This convicted me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. As I watched these Muslims cry out to Allah, my heart was burdened for them because they are trying so hard to seek God, but because they do not believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, they are so far away from Him. Our hearts should be burdened. I was hurting for them and in the same moment, upset with myself. This brought two questions to mind:

Do I long for God so completely that I find myself in tears, desperate to be as close to him as humanly possible?

Am I living my life in such a way that people can see Christ through me and want the relationship with Him that I have?

I thank God for being gracious and merciful. I thank Him for not founding my relationship with Him by a ritual of works. But does this mean that I should take Him for granted? Should I only visit Him on Sundays and carry on with the rest of my week? No. God’s purpose for creating us is so that He can be praised. I find myself selfish in many ways, claiming my life as my own at times. I forget why I’m here. I want to seek God and be completely enveloped in everything that He is.

Do you?

Christina Fuentes

Riverside, Beautiful Riverside (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-03-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

When I first arrived at CBU, I knew that the campus was beautiful, but I didn't know much else about the city of Riverside. Over the past four years, I have discovered many beautiful places in Riverside. First, there is the Mission Inn. Yes, the Mission Inn is a hotel, but it is not just any hotel, it is also a museum, and a landmark. A national historic landmark, as well as California landmark No.761. It is over 100 years old and is absolutely breathtaking, with artwork and historic artifacts imported from Asia, Mexico, and Europe. It is located in downtown Riverside and is a fun place to visit any time of the year. It may be pricey to stay at, but you don't have to spend money just go and explore. It is completely free to walk around in, and you can even take a tour. Guided tours of the inn and museum, I have heard from a reliable source (my mom), is definitely worth it.

My mom is currently staying at the Mission Inn for a conference, and my friends and I are taking full advantage of it. Last night we went over and enjoyed the pool and hot tub.

Downtown Riverside as a whole is amazing! On Thursday nights, there is an art walk. On Saturday morning, the farmer's market is alive and kicking with fresh produce and trinkets. My two favorite places in downtown are Simple Simon's and The Downtown Bookstore. Simple Simon's is a delicious breakfast and lunch cafe. Their best item is homemade granola with fruit, it is delicious and nutritious. You can quote me on that! The Downtown Bookstore is tucked away behind other stores, but is full of used books. It's stacked and a bit cluttered, but you can find so many great classics at a reasonable price.

Riverside also has beautiful parks and hikes. Mount Rubidoux, Citrus Park, and Fairmont Park are great places to go have picnics, ride bikes, and watch the California sunsets. The weather is almost always comfortable so it's a shame if you don't go out and take advantage of these opportunities.

As you can see, Riverside is a city that you can easily fall in love with. Only 2 months away from graduating, it is going to be difficult to leave this place.

Tim Cahill

The Most Dramatic Rose Ceremony In Bachelor History Party. (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-03-06T00:59:00.000-08:00

Well it happened, Bachelor Jason Mesnick officially made himself the most hated man in America. Millions of viewers tuned in as Mesnick made the ultimate flip flop, proposing to one girl, then turned around, dumped her on national television and minutes later asked the other girl to give it another go. My roommates and I are no strangers to "The Bachelor" we love the show and even feel like we know so much about the bachelorettes that we argue as to why one is better than another.

Due to our beautifully decorated apartment and the fact that we always have tasty treats on Monday nights, we tend to have a pretty impressive showing for the Bachelor every week. So, this year we decided to have a viewing party for finale of The Bachelor. We hand crafted invitations and personally invited several of our friends to the showing.

The Invitation: "You are Cordially Invited to THE MOST DRAMATIC ROSE CEREMONY IN BACHELOR HISTORY Party. The Second of March, Two Thousand and Nine given by Miss Courtney Weatherly, Miss Hillary Clarendon and Miss Greta Anderson. Arrive Promptly at seven forty-five in the evening. Hors d’ouerves will be provided. Fancy Schmancy attire is required.
Please be sure to notify the hostess’ if an escort will be accompanying you.
Yours, The Final Rose."

About fifteen people showed up in their "fancy schmancy" clothing (seriously) and we all watched the dramatic show together. As soon as the guests arrived, they were given a name tag with the picture and name of the bachelorette that they would be acting as throughout the evening. During commercial breaks we had a game of trivia and guests won prizes! We served piggies in a blanket, strawberries, pie, chocolate velvet cake balls, chips and dip, crackers and cheese, and most importantly puppy chow. The apartment was even decorated for the occasion with roses everywhere and candles scattered around the apartment.

Though we were all disappointed by our Bachelor’s final choice, we all had a good time watching the show together and just hanging out!

Courtney Weatherly

Nervous About College... (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-02-27T08:40:00.000-08:00

As I near the end of my CBU career, I can't help but reflect on my time just prior to moving to Riverside and my college experience.

Deciding on which college to attend was extremely difficult, there were so many factors involved in choosing my future school. Large or small school? What field of study do I want to go into? How far from home do I want to go? Christian or non-Christian based? These are just a few questions I asked myself. After getting advice from every person I knew, I found out that I had to come to a decision on my own. I eventually decided to come to CBU because of it's size, reputation, and Christian community.

I was nervous about starting college. I didn't know a single person at CBU and I was moving 7 hours away from home. This scared me because I really value good friendships, and I was so unsure of the life ahead of me. Would I ever find good intimate friendships? How long would it take for that to happen? This was a huge concern for me and I spent a lot of time praying about that, during that summer.

I met a lot of people my freshman year. There were a lot of great people, and with every person I met I wondered if we were going to be close friends. After 2 months of school, I realized that I didn't have any close friends. I remember in October of my Freshman year sitting in my dorm thinking about my friendships and it made me very sad. I still didn't feel like I had made the friends that I wanted.

After another week, I began to hang out with this guy Ryan and some of the guys on the other hall on my floor. We started to hang out more and more, and these became my closest friends. To this day, I have been blessed with great friends at CBU. Ryan has been my roommate for the past 3 years, and he has been my best friend.

I may eventually forget what I learned in school, but I can never forget the great friendships that I have been blessed with these past 4 years! I will leave you with a man that can speak truth better than I ever will:

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." -C.S. Lewis

Tim Cahill

Intramural Sports. (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-02-27T01:26:00.001-08:00

Intramural Sports are a big deal here at CBU. I would say the most popular is the flag football season (in the fall). The games take place in the afternoon on the front lawn. I love sitting out on the front lawn watching teams face each other. It’s a great time of the year when the sun is still shining and the weather is perfect. Each team plays each other in hopes of making it to the Fortuna Bowl, which is the CBU flag football equivalent to the Super Bowl. (On the front lawn, there is a statue of the greek goddess Fortuna, thus the name.) As the season progresses, little team rivalries are seen which of course makes everything all the more competitive. Fans even begin to claim their team and show their support by dawning their teams colors. Fortuna Bowl takes place at night which adds to the excitement, it makes us feel like pros under the Friday night lights.
Teams prepare fun and outrageous entrances (mostly the girl teams), lights are brought out, bleachers are set up, and announcers call the game. This year my team (Smooth Criminals) made it all the way to Fortuna undefeated and beat #2 S.W.A.T 16-0. It was epic! (Photos Taken By: Trever Hoehne)

Last year intramurals’ got a major revamp when Chris Hofschroer (Director of Recreational Sports) took over and soccer was introduced into the intramural year. This week was the first week of intramural soccer for the year and I can already see that the campus is taking hold of the popular sport. I am predicting in years to come, soccer will become just as big as football season is. As the weather is (or should be) beginning to warm up, the thought of taking a book to the front lawn while watching a little soccer sounds just perfect for spring. I can’t wait ‘til the season really gets underway.

In addition to football and soccer, volleyball (my team Volley-Shizzle Ball-Dizzle woop woop!), bowling, and basketball are also offered. They are all fun, and are just what us washed up high school athletes need.

Courtney Weatherly

Allow me to REintroduce myself (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-02-27T00:58:00.001-08:00

I’m here to give you an insight to my story, which consists of a number of things both in and outside of CBU.

For instance, I come from a family of 7 kids. I know, I know, bring on the "cold winter" and "'did your parents own a TV" comments. My parents are wonderful and have been married for more than 30 years (cue applause.)

Like many of you, I’ve been through some tough patches and challenging times in my life. Since then, I've rededicated my life to Christ and try to live my life for Him in every way.

I'm a leader at South Hills Church in Corona; I co-lead worship at The Furnace, the next-gen group there.

This past weekend my boyfriend Ryan and I did a skit for the Inland Empire Marriage Conference, which was a bit awkward because we're not married. But hey, it was a blast and because of that conference, relationships were renewed and blessed. That's good enough for me.

This weekend I'll be up in the mountains co-leading worship with Ryan at a youth retreat. I'm seriously so stoked on what God's going to do in the lives of the teens there.

Living my life for Christ goes much further than singing a song or performing a skit. It has everything to do with our relationships, our efforts and our responsibilities. I was at a night of worship earlier that was put on by the school's student club Praise Divine Worshipers, here on campus. There was a poem that was recited that spoke about getting out of the groove of our everyday lives. I don't think I could have agreed more with every word in that poem. It was a reminder not to remain caught up in our own selves but with God and His purpose for us.

It's 1:29am and I am seriously beat. All my roommates are asleep, which means I should be too.

Christina Fuentes

Word To Your Mother (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-02-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

I’m a transfer student and this is my first year here at CBU. This year has proved to be a great transition in my life; attending a different school, Iiving on campus, meeting new people, and taking new classes. In the midst of all this, it’s been up to me to make this my home.

A school can only do so much until a person decides what to make of it.

I’m quite guilty of keeping to myself during my first semester here. In all honesty, it’s difficult to put yourself out there. Starting over in a new atmosphere makes you vulnerable to just about anything, especially when you don’t know many people.

Once I got past my reservations, I was determined to be more involved in campus activities and meet new people this semester. Just because you live on campus doesn’t mean that building relationships and creating memorable times just magically happen. It takes effort, you have to be intentional.

...I had to be intentional.

A word to the wise (those who decide to live on campus), be aggressive, B-E aggressive! Well, don’t tackle people and force them to befriend you… but you get the idea. Friendships and memories don’t just happen. You actually have to make an effort to get to that point.

We’re only in the second month of the spring semester and I can already see the change in my experiences here at CBU. We have such an incredible community here and I encourage you homebodies to jump on the train before it leaves the station. Trust me, it’s more fun to hang out with people than it is with your laptop or TV. If you’re not sure where to start, just ask.

PS: I’m all about suggestions when it comes to blogging. If anyone wants to shine a light on some campus fun or other thoughts that you might have, let me know and I’ll write about it. I don’t want to hog the "sploglight" (spotlight for blogs, I made that up, in case you were scratching your head, wondering). ~Christina

Christina Fuentes

Temperature Rising (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-02-20T00:37:00.000-08:00

I hate being sick! It seems like every year around this time I feel the swell in my throat and the stuffiness in my nose. When I first came to CBU I was stressed that no one would be here to take care of me while I stayed in bed, however, that could not be far from the truth. It seems like girls are just sitting outside the door waiting for me to call on them so they can go get anything for me. Typically the things I like when I am sick: NyQuil, Sprite, Frosted Mini Wheats, popsicles, Saltine crackers, Excedrin, and Pride and Prejudice.

My good friend Ashleigh fully believes in the ice-cream remedy. Basically, you eat all the ice cream you can so that you forget about all your other symptoms and just focus on the stomach cramp. Sometimes I even think it works....

My roommate Hillary is the best nurse I could have ever asked for (that is second to my mom). Since my doctor is over 200 miles away, I make the trek to Riverside Community Hospital to sit in the waiting room for what seems to be hours just to see a doctor. Nevertheless, there is Hillary, sitting alongside me and asking the doctor all the questions I should be asking. My favorite thing about my nurse is she ALWAYS tries to feed me Airborne. Whatever the symptom, Hillary believes the best prescription is Airborne. (She even dressed up as a nurse once.)

So, here I am. Feeling sick again but with my nurse at my side and Airborne in my water. I’ll be alright!

IN OTHER NEWS:
Last night I was riding Josephine to the cafeteria when I heard a loud noise and when I looked down, the chain was hanging off! Stopping was a bit difficult and you can imagine my despair as I jumped off and evaluated the damage. I will be pricing new chains this week and hope after a little tender love and care she will be back to her old self. I will keep you updated.

Courtney Weatherly

Getting Involved at CBU (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-02-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

Over the past three years I’ve had the privilege of being involved in many leadership programs at CBU. There are so many ways to get involved in the community and at our school that it is hard to choose!

After freshman year, I realized that being involved in student leadership school was the best way to get the full experience here at CBU. I started with FOCUS (First-Year Orientation and Campus University Success) a program put on by the Campus Life office. Being a FOCUS leader has two basic responsibilities: 1) Run the orientation week for incoming freshman. 2) Teach a weekly class about adjusting to college while investing time, friendship, and a listening ear to a group of 15-20 freshman students assigned to you and a partner for the whole first semester. I enjoyed teaching the class, but the best part of the position is orientation. It is the best week of the year for freshmen and those involved! There are so many events and new people; it never seems to stop. There’s clash and bowl, opening night, ice cream social, but and a three-day retreat. The entire incoming class travels in buses up into the mountains and spends 3 days hanging out, playing camp games, meeting new people, and worshiping God. I did FOCUS for two years and each year was a new experience, I am thankful for that opportunity.

This year I decided to transition from "Campus Life" to "Resident Life". The position I have this year is Resident Assistant. For those who don’t know, Resident Assistant or "RA", is similar to an apartment manager, but a lot cooler and a lot nicer. This job has more responsibilities because I do have to enforce the rules, but with these responsibilities comes better relationships. I have thoroughly enjoyed putting on events and getting to know my residents more.

This past week we had an event that was school wide, we called it WOOfest. Basically, for Valentines Day we put on an event where men could show off their skills and try and woo the CBU women. Guys sang, danced, played music; it was so much fun! Our RA staff of 11 guys made fools of ourselves on stage! We had a mix of music, something like a music time machine, and we danced to all different songs: “can’t touch this”, back street boys, E-40 aka hyphy music, “walk it out”. I was so nervous to get up in front of 300 people and make a fool of myself, but everyone in the crowd loved it. We got a standing ovation, and it was totally worth it. Life lesson: when you go out of your comfort zone and risk becoming uncomfortable, you will be satisfied.

At CBU, you will hear a lot of things about leadership, and my advice to you is not to judge it by its title, but step out and go for it.

Tim Cahill

Ring By Spring (By:Christina Fuentes)

2009-02-12T23:59:00.000-08:00

It has been brought to my attention that ladies who attend Christian Universities have been marked with the stereotype of receiving a Ring By Spring, or the infamous Misses Degree.

For those of you (which I’m sure are few) who are not familiar with this term, please allow me to enlighten you. In a nutshell, a female's intention of attending Christian University, Bible school, etc., is to find their soul mate and thus, receive an engagement ring by the spring semester. I admit, before coming to CBU I had no clue what this was. Once informed, I was sure to do everything in my power to cease such nonsense.

Here's my opinion (in hopes of ceasing the nonsense), I’m pretty sure that a large percentage of the female population at these schools are bothered by the whole Ring by Spring deal (abbreviated as RBS).

To regulate for all of the ladies, I’m sure we’d prefer that others believe we’re here at school to work toward our degree first, and everything else, second. I've heard that most married couples meet each other in college... cool. You know what else is cool though? A college degree.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all in favor of engagement excitement. Seriously, P R O P S to those who are married or engaged and in school. How do you do it?

So, common users of the RBS theory, my proposal to you... Let’s keep this one in the 1950’s where it belongs.

I'm interested in your thoughts on this. What do you think?

Christina Fuentes

Destination: ITW/Ukraine. (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-02-12T23:25:00.000-08:00

It is impossible for me to talk about CBU without talking about ISP. ISP (International Service Projects) are 3 week service projects during the summer where students serve all throughout the world. This is such a great opportunity to serve and is impossible to pass up. Last year I was able to serve on the team to Panama. There, we worked at a local middle school. We worked alongside a church putting together Vacation Bible School. After my experience last year, I could not imagine spending 3 weeks of my summer doing anything else. This is, however more than a 3 week journey. Student’s apply for ISP in November and do not know where they are going until late December. In January, teams (about 10 students) begin meeting together once weekly for 3 hours a week. The more teams meet, the more they get to know each other and bond. By the time the teams travel, they are already accustomed to each other and the transition happens naturally. (As you can see, a lot of work is put in to ensure that our time in the country is time well spent). My team last year was amazing and I could not imagine better team than last year. However, I was very wrong. This year, I as well as 9 others are traveling to Ukraine. There, we are working with an orphanage through an organization called “Little Lambs”. My team meets every Wednesday night and I love meeting with them. We have bonded so much in the last few weeks, it feels like I have known them forever. Every Wednesday night, I look forward to meeting with them and get more excited for our trip.

This past weekend, we went through ISP boot camp, more commonly known as ITW, Intensive Training Weekend. From 5:30 p.m. on Friday night until Sunday at 5:30 p.m. We dedicate ourselves to ISP. Without cell phones, a schedule, or any , we step into ISPland. I am not going to give away all the secrets of ISPland but during this short time, we are pushed to our limits and at the end come away with a new perspective. Our eyes are opened to new cultures and places. More than anything this is a time to work and function as a team (a preview for the field) and to prepare ourselves as a whole. This year, ISP is sending out about 300 students all around the world, so you can imagine the strength when we all come together to serve.

This weekend was especially great for me because my team was so awesome. Regardless of how tired, hungry, or smelly everyone was, we made sure to do everything with a positive attitude and everyone was focused serving others more than themselves. I cannot wait to see what we will be able to accomplish in Ukraine!

“Ukraine is Premium”

Courtney Weatherly

Ode to the Front Lawn (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-02-12T21:53:00.000-08:00

The CBU front lawn: my haven, my refuge, my utopia. As I mentioned in my video interview, which I hope you’ve already seen (If not click here), the CBU front lawn is my favorite place to be on campus. In my opinion it is by far the best thing to see and experience at CBU. Let us recognize the front lawn for all that it does for us CBU students:

Let’s be honest, the CBU front lawn is one breathtaking strip of grass. It’s green and beautiful all year round and I think sometimes we forget to take the time to stop by and admire it, enjoy it, and most of all use it.

The couch is a comfortable place but give me a blanket on the front lawn in the fresh spring air, and it is unbeatable. It is so pleasant to read on, sleep on, and day dream on. Don’t get your hopes up guys, you can’t take off your shirt, and ladies, no bathing suits. Making it an excellent place to catch that farmers tan.

Now, not only is it a great place for meditation, but it also serves as a battlefield for some intramural sports like flag football and soccer, where CBU students fight to the death every year. Some of my most triumphant moments have been on the CBU front lawn during intramural flag football season and intramural soccer season., it is a BLAST! There are boys and girls teams, and dare I say I think the girls may get more competitive than the guys when it comes to football season. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? I’ve played for the past 3 years on the webelos flag football team, and we have had way too much fun. Our uniform consisted of cut off jean shorts and white t-shirts. We would set up a huge tent to host our team meetings and half-time pep talks in on gameday. All teams worked hard and fought hard to make it to the Finals… The Fortuna Bowl. Hosted every year, the equivalent of the Super Bowl. It’s a pretty big deal here at CBU; delicious barbeque, lots of happy and angry football fans, and of course the big game under the “Friday night lights”.

Not in love with the CBU front lawn yet? Did I mention that this is also where “Campus Days” is hosted? Campus Days is one of the longest running traditions at CBU. Most freshman don’t even hear about this until the end of the year, but I’ll fill you in. During Campus Days, different living areas join together to make teams and go head to head in different games from relays to human foosball. It’s comparable to the last day of summer camp, where they have a mega relay or huge challenge, but this is your entire school on the front lawn. The whole purpose of competing in Campus Days is to win the coveted “Pot”. It almost looks like a witch’s caldron, but it is a tradition that has been passed down for decades. The winner gets the Pot and tries to keep it for the next year, but anyone can steal it if they find it. It is a great tradition and just another reason why I love the front lawn.

Last but not least, it is where I will be graduating in May!

Tim Cahill

Dorm Dreamin... (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-02-05T23:33:00.000-08:00

CBU has such great community which starts in the living areas, the staff really puts a lot of time and effort into getting students involved and preparing RA’s to be a part of our lives. Since this is my last year at CBU I have had the pleasure of living in all of the living areas. Currently, I am living in the University Place apartments (UP) with my two roommates Hillary and Greta. Last year I also lived in UP. Sophomore year I braved Lancer Arms and my Freshman year, I lived in Simmons Hall (3B BABY!). After thinking about all the living areas I have decided that my favorite and most unique experience has to be the dorms.

When I lived in the dorms, I longed for privacy, a kitchen and most importantly my own bathroom. It wasn’t til much later that I realized how much I really did love and appreciated the dorms. Initially, I was petrified to live with some girl I had never met before and honestly did not know what to expect. Turned out I had a ton in common with my roommate Theresa and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. My hall was on the third floor which was apparently too much of a climb for visitors and so my hall found fun things to do on our own. I met my very best friend (Hillary) on my hall that year. At the beginning, we weren’t necessarily close but as time went on we began to see our odd similarities which blossomed into our solid friendship now. If we didn’t live on the same hall that year, who knows if we would have even become as close as we are now. I remember staying up late into the night studying, writing a paper, (catching up on all the work that I procrastinated on) and could easily find someone to talk to while working on whatever “it” was. I pulled my first "all nighter" (very common for college students) in the dorms and it wasn’t half as bad as I imagined it to be. Girls were so creative and it was easy to see who was, just simply by looking in their rooms and seeing how their decorations matched their personality. My favorite thing about the dorms was the atmosphere, everyone’s door was always open and it seemed like everyone wanted to talk. Late night dress up, slurpee runs and facial masks were never out of the question and bedtime was when the hall quieted. I loved the dorms and would do it again in a second!

* I wore that obnoxious bright jacket for every occasion. Still do. I'm attached.

Courtney Weatherly

Facebook's New Fad (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-02-05T20:22:00.000-08:00

The newest aspect of Facebook, at least for my group of friends, to come across is the 25 Things You Might Not Know. I usually hate chain mail and the like, but this one is unique with each person; you find out some interesting facts about your friends. So here's how it goes: all you do is write 25 random things about yourself and tag 25 of your friends that you want to read it. Those people read it, and make their own list. You can be funny, serious, or talk about anything you want. I want to share with you my list, so that you will know a little more about me. You should also check out the videos or check out our profiles to find out more about us!

25 random things:

1. I am speaking tomorrow night in front of 400 students in Minneapolis, MN about social justice, and am currently procrastinating.

2. I like to do math, when I can figure it out, that's why I'm going to be a math teacher, so I can prove my dominant mind over them.

3. I am only competitive when I think I should win, or when others are arrogant and I want to put them in their place, otherwise I don't mind losing (at least not as much).

4. I think that the teenage years are awkward, fun and really interesting, that's why I want to be a math teacher.

5. My mom is the best cook/bake, and I have been extremely spoiled in this department. Every time I come home, there are three batches of fresh cookies/brownies and a cake, and when I leave there are always cookies to go along, you should pray for my future wife:)

6. I live with Ryan Christie, who vicariously has a Facebook through me.

7. I was terrible at naming pets. (i.e. "tickley" the rat because when he ran on my neck it tickled, "fluffy" the dog because he was a little fluff ball, crest the lizard, because i liked crest toothpaste, etc.) I guess I'm very descriptive in my names.

8. I was spoiled to grow up in Pacifica, CA; and have been at a loss living in Riverside the past four years, dreaming of being by the beach again.

9. I played Golf four years in high school, I don't play much anymore.

10. I'm scared and unsure about the future. I'm afraid of losing friendships.

11. One of my biggest fears is being replaceable.

12. I love eating international food, especially Thai food as of late. Sawadee Cap, Pad See Aew is delicious, but I think Red Curry is my fav.

13. I love my sister, and wish that we could hang out more, unfortunately we live far away.

14. I would rather be cold than hot, but not too cold. I like to wear jackets and pants rather than shorts and a tee shirt.

15. I admire John Sach's thoughts and Ryan Christie's diligence, Daniel Abrahamson's athletic ability, and Chris Smithson's mind.

16. I have gotten a ticket for going 47 in a 25, I've been pulled over because the cop thought I was too young to be driving, and I've been a victim of a hit and run by a Lexus RX300 and have despised them ever since.

17. I love quality time and views. I need to experience things with another to really enjoy it, even if we do not talk.

18. I want to learn another language, but cannot get motivated enough if I'm not going to use it on a consistent basis.

19. I just found out that I am at least 1/16 Jewish.

20. I like to read (Fitzgerald, Lewis, Steinbeck, Hemingway, etc.)

21. I've never been to the Grand Canyon, but I would like to go soon.

22. I enjoy cooking, when i have time, I probably will not enjoy cooking if I have to do it every night. My favorite meal to cook is Stuffed Green Bell Peppers.

23. I went to an all boys Catholic high school, our colors were purple and gold, and it was in San Francisco. I do not regret going there, but I'm pretty sure my junior and senior year of high school were harder than my freshman and sophomore year at college.

24. I would love to live like the guy in Into the Wild.

25. If I randomly got $32,000, I would travel with friends around the world and do whatever we wanted with it and give it to whoever we wanted. That's based off a book, but I think it sounds really cool.

This is just a closer look into my life. I hope you feel closer to me now that you know them.

If this tag hasn't reached you on Facebook yet, just wait....it's coming soon!!

Tim Cahill

Now We Know (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-02-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

I went to chapel today.

One of my professors, Dr. Amy Stumpf spoke. There were two things that caught my attention the most.

1. She said in a recent study that the only things that statistically separated Christians from everyone else, were:

We say the "F word" less and buy less lottery tickets

2. She spoke about the battle between God and Satan and how it has already been won. God has overcome evil, period. But since evil still exists in our world, we need to fight it and seek justice.

Some of our students recited scripture about God’s judgment. And at the end of chapel, one of them recited a monologue about a young girl and her sister who were looking for work to support their family. They were tricked into believing a woman who promised them work in a café. They were drugged and brought to a place where they were beaten and used for sexual exploitation, clearly against their will.

That little girl was forced to have sex with 10 different men a day.

As far as we know, sources for women and children for human trafficking are: Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Albania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, China, Thailand, Cambodia and Nigeria.

The countries that are in demand are: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Thailand, Turkey…

Demand for human trafficking doesn’t just happen in foreign countries,

… it’s here in the United States too.

What comes to mind when you hear the word justice?

To me, it means righteousness, integrity and making things right. I’ve always been in agreement with organizations that fight human trafficking. But today made me realize that just because I agree and believe something is wrong, it doesn’t fix it.

One of my favorite artists Brooke Fraser wrote a song called “Albertine”. The lyrics to the chorus are:

“Now that I have seen, I am responsible. Faith without deeds is dead…”

Now that we know, what will we do? As Christians we have a responsibility and it’s not to say the “F word” less and buy less lottery tickets. The Bible says “To whom much is given, much is required.” The truth is that we don’t deserve anything. But God blessed us with a purpose in mind. It’s not enough to read this and just agree with me or get your chapel credit for the semester today. It’s about justice.

You heard. You’re responsible.

I stopped by the Justice Tent outside of the bookstore and got some info on WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

*Inform yourself and sign up for news about Sex Trafficking at iast.net

*Find out how products you buy are made stopthetraffik.org/getinvolved/act/chocolate

*Shop freesetbags.com and shopinlight.com – the beautiful women who make these products have been rescued from sex trafficking

*Donate to organizations that fight human trafficking ijm.org; chabdai.org; love146.org

*FAAST’s Rapid Response Kits - $60 provides basic clothing and hygiene and transportation to a safe place. Faastinternational.org

*Pray for justice.

There are some awesome students on campus who can give you more information on how to help and get involved here at CBU. Leave a comment or send me an email and I’ll be sure to point you in the right direction.

Christina Fuentes

January Event...Taco Thursday!! (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-01-30T00:11:00.000-08:00

As a Resident Assistant in the University Place apartments at CBU, I have the privilege (and responsibility) to have an event every month. There are no stipulations on what the events need to be specifically, our goal is to get as many residents involved as possible. Every time I have an event, I try to make sure that there will be food involved. If there is one thing that is true about guys, it is this: if there is free food, they will be there.

Every Tuesday and Thursday there are taco nights, whether it be Del Taco or El Torito nearly all Mexican restaurants have one. There is a favorite of mine and of many other CBUers and that is Taco Thursday at the Little Green Onions. The restaurant prepares hundreds of tacos in a night because they’re only 75 cents, so everyone wants them! The restaurant is packed every Thursday night, but it is worth the wait!

This past Thursday, ten of my residents and I left for the Little Green Onions. When we arrived we realized how long it was going to be. A one hour wait! We were already really hungry!! As we stood in the parking lot we debated our other options, but it’s so hard to beat 75 cent homemade tacos! One car went exploring for other deals while the rest of us sat and enjoyed catching up with one another about life. The other car eventually came back, and we decided we could wait another half an hour for the tacos.

Without fail, every Thursday that I go, I always see others from CBU. Tonight we saw about five recent CBU graduates coming out, because it’s a meal for three bucks. It was so painful talking to them about how many tacos they just ate and how full they are!!! I’m ready for my tacos already!! One aspect of waiting for a table that I find is humorous, is how everyone wants to get ahead. Every time you see someone get up and leave because they are tired of waiting you are secretly yelling “woohoo!! that’s one more table we’re moving up!” Or, whenever the hostess comes out and calls a name like “Jack party of four…..Jack party of four……..Jack?” Everyone is thinking, “stop calling his name, he’s missed his turn, move on down the list, he’s gone,” because they don’t want him to come back and get his spot. When people are hungry, the situation becomes more urgent and people lose their politeness. And honestly, I was guilty of this tonight!

So we finally got all 55 of our tacos, and we devoured them! They were so delicious! The hard shells are made fresh and so are all the ingredients. It is one of the best meals for the best price that I have found in Riverside!

You must go!

Tim Cahill

Is This Thing On? (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-01-30T00:07:00.000-08:00

8 quick things that I'm stoked about...

1. CBU's celebration of the Lunar New Year in the ADC on Monday night. Asian inspired décor and food.

2. CBU game room- I may be late on this one, but I’ve just discovered the fun inside of the game room. I played several intense games of Air Hockey. I’m embarrassed to admit that my arms and shoulders are sore as a result of these extreme matches. Pathetic, I know.

3. Facebook- I now declare my crossover to Facebook. Sorry Tom, MySpace is so
amateur. However, I will only keep my MySpace profile to sustain my place for friends. You know, to keep in touch with those who have not yet caught up with the rest of us technologically savvy people.

4. Thriller the Musical- Seriously, a spin off of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is about to be on Broadway. Way to make a 47th comeback MJ, you rock! Random fact: I used to be terrified of this music video when I was younger. Now, no longer afraid, I know the entire dance routine. I'll have a dance-off with those zombies...any time, any day.

5. My new black and white polka dot umbrella. I'm impatiently waiting for the rain so I can finally use it. It seems like it's raining everywhere else in the world but Southern California. Yesterday's, Today's and Tomorrow's forecast is, you guessed it, sunny with a high of 75 degrees and 0% chance of rain...

6. Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte from Starbucks- I can't even pronounce it correctly, but I highly recommend it if you don't mind mixing the whole tea and latte concept.

7. Superbowl commercials- probably the only reason I’ll be watching on Sunday. Those commercials are a hoot.

8. MTV's America’s Best Dance Crew Season 3- I live vicariously through the group Quest Krew but I am rooting for the clogging group Dynamic Edition. Their moves are seriously out of control. But you can decide that for yourself.

Thanks for lending your eyes when you should be studying (or paying attention in class),
~Christina

Christina Fuentes

Ode to Josephine. (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-01-29T23:13:00.001-08:00

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." John F. Kennedy

Some people scooter, some people walk; I... BIKE. I love my bicycle. I ride it everywhere. Sophomore year, I told my parents I wanted a bike, preferably a beach cruiser but I would take anything. To my surprise, a week later my dad called with news that would change my life forever. He said that he was given a black beach cruiser and it was mine. Immediately I imagined myself riding my bike in a cute dress, wind blowing in my hair, flowers in my basket and of course ringing my bell. My dad warned me that the bike wasn’t in top condition but he could make it work. However, the first time I laid eyes on her she was nothing but perfection, my dad had completely “tricked out" my bike without telling me. He added a basket, a bell, new handle bars (complete with stylish and girly flames), white walled tires, a new seat, and my name on the back (on those little license plates). Ever since, my experience at CBU has been pure bliss. I have even gone as far as giving my bike a name, Josephine Martinez (don’t be alarmed, my friend Julie has named her bike too, Belle) and am willing to stand up for her if anyone thinks their bike is superior. My roommate also has a bike and we are convinced our bikes are best friends just like she and I. We never leave our apartment without them. We feel naked without them. Walking seems to take "for-ev-er" (think Sandlot). I think deep down we like the feeling of riding our bikes to chapel passing herds of people who left at least 4 minutes before us and we still beat them. More than anything I like riding my bike around campus with friends late at night. Usually, not many students are out, the Southern California weather is just perfect and I tend to forget I am in Riverside. It’s always enjoyable, it's a great study break, especially if you are writing a paper. Michael Scott would probably say that we would be more productive (when we got back) to make up for time we lost actually on the bike ride. Regardless its always a good time and I would much rather remember bike rides than papers. As you can see, I love my bike. I would not trade her for the world and am thankful she has been my trusty steed these past years.

I leave you with some pictures:

Celebrating my Birthday!

She even dressed up for it...

Check out that fancy license plate!

Courtney Weatherly

Video Interview with Courtney Weatherly

2009-01-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

Video Interview with Christina Fuentes

2009-01-28T15:21:00.000-08:00

Video Interview with Tim Cahill

2009-01-28T15:19:00.001-08:00

DISNEYLAND! (By: Courtney Weatherly)

2009-01-22T00:54:00.000-08:00

If you were to ask any four year old what they want to do for their birthday, or any football player where they are going when they win the Superbowl. Nine times out of ten their response has something to do with the "Happiest Place on Earth". In the four years here at CBU I have been fortunate enough to receive a Disneyland Annual Pass every year for Christmas. Because of its location to the school (30 minutes), many students purchase passes and frequent the park throughout the year. My friends and I even take a quick trip after a long day of classes or a relaxing Sunday afternoon, always a good way to start the week! This is my last year of school, and my plans afterward are to move back home; buying a Disneyland pass was not smart because I will no longer live close enough to get use out of it. In lieu of the fact that I will no longer be a part of Disney magic after February 15, 2009, I have decided to look back at times that were filled with dolls singing a song that is near impossible to forget, Jack Sparrow, Indiana Jones, Sleeping Beauty, and most importantly middle aged men walking around the park with their children in hand and a set of large black mouse ears on top. I have also decided to share some of the ways that my friends and I can go back to Disneyland over and over again and never get bored of it! For starters, we like to go in full character. We find ways to interact with almost every employee. Here are a few of our favorite ways to keep with the Disneyland spirit while waiting in line:

Soaring over California:
- Asking if a Passport was required to board the flight.

Indiana Jones
- Requesting to be in a Jeep that is 4WD and has air conditioning.
- After getting in the vehicle, asking the driver to see either a valid drivers license or proof of insurance.
- If we end up in the seat of the driver we assure the whole vehicle of our safe driving record and assure them they are in good hands.

Buzz Lightyear
- Asking if the laser will have long term effects on our eyes.

Matterhorn
- Asking if a coat is required at the top of the mountain.

Tower Of Terror:
- Mentioning to the attendant at the gate that the letter “O” is out on the word “Hollywood” ... unacceptable.
- Asking for a room on the 3rd floor.

They may sound stupid and like a waste of time, but hey its DISNEYLAND - you have to embrace it! I'll now leave you with some pictures as I reminisce on my days at the Happiest Place on Earth!

Courtney Weatherly

Delta Spirit! (By: Tim Cahill)

2009-01-21T18:26:00.000-08:00

Delta Spirit, an indie rock band from San Diego, gave one of the best live performances I have ever seen.

On Friday evening, Ryan (my roommate), Sarah (his girlfriend), John and I stopped at the cafeteria for the infamous to-go meals and headed for the City of Angels (not Anaheim! all you angels fans out there who may have thought that). Personally, I like the new to-go system. It's healthy and it’s very quick. I will tip my hat to the new to-go, it truly is as easy as A B C. Anyway, back to the topic, we took off for the El Rey Theatre on Friday night at 4:30pm. There’s one thing that will always be a part of So Cal, and that is traffic! We sat in the car for two and a half hours trying to get to El Rey, and by the time we got there we were even more excited for the show.

We met up with a couple of other CBU students and went inside the theater.

If you’ve never been to a show in LA, you must go! It is definitely a unique experience. At this particular venue there were huge chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and the walls were painted with a deep red color that gave it an extraordinary look. Also, get this, in the bathroom there is a man standing there that passes you a paper towel and sells a variety of candy. Sounds kind of shady…Don’t worry, he’s legit, at least I think, I mean he was wearing a tux! I trusted the guy and got a blue raspberry tootsie roll pop, oh yeah, so good!

So the show finally started around 8:30pm with Romany Rye as the opening band, needless to say I wasn't impressed by their performance. Delta Spirit came on... wooohooo!! I was so excited to see them come on stage, and they did not disappoint in the least. The lead singer Matt Vasquez was amazing! He played with so much passion..They have an amazing sound, I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is into indie rock. opening up. I enjoyed his music thoroughly. He played a 30 min set and then Everest came on, and honestly I was not impressed. Sorry to any Everest fans out there, maybe they had an off night but I just wasn’t feelin’ it! Finally, around 11pm.

We ended up standing for a good five hours and although the show was amazing, I was so relieved to finally sit down. The show was great, but it wouldn’t have been the same without the people I went with. That is one thing that I have come to really appreciate at CBU, the people, especially since it’s my last semester at CBU. I may forget most things I’ve learned in class, I may not remember all of the activities, but I will always remember and maintain the friendships that I love.

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Tim Cahill

Do I Have to Answer That? (By: Christina Fuentes)

2009-01-20T14:46:00.000-08:00

The one question that college students hate answering... What are your plans after you graduate?

Um, back up; be kind and rewind. Can I please enjoy my college years and then get back to you on that? How do we respond? Well, we have a golden answer we always use that makes it sound like we have it all figured out. But let’s be honest... a lot of us really don’t know! I changed my major this semester. I thought I knew what I wanted to do. I realized I didn’t want to do it, and (like we say in New York)... "badda bing - badda boom", now I’m a Liberal Studies major.

I talked to this cool guy in my World Geography class named Austin. Basically, he pointed out that attending college is clearly more common today than ever before. Because of the economic crisis and lack of job opportunity, he suggested selecting a major that would be a constant need in society, regardless of economic circumstances. I think that’s a great idea. Thanks Austin!

So here’s the b r e a k d o w n :

God created us all differently. We have different likes and dislikes, personalities and passions. If you ask for my advice, I suggest you find yours and match it to a major. Next, graduate and take on the big bad world! Take advantage of the endless opportunities offered here at CBU, do what you’re called to do. Live your purpose! Don’t hesitate to ask questions, be daring, even if you have to change majors a million times to figure out what fits you. Find what your good at and do it well. College is a time to experience, so before you get stuck in a career that you don’t want, switch it up a bit. And hey, if you have it all figured out, kudos to you.

ALRIGHT… off to eat pizza and play some Rock Band 2 with my roomies and friends.

Please know that if “Being a Rock Star” was a major, I would be ALL over that.

Christina Fuentes