Mon. March 23, 2010
The Process is the Point
I keep a very tight schedule, which was completely thrown off last week. I was aimless. I ate. I slept. I was unproductive. It was great.
As we get back into the swing of things after what was hopefully a relaxing and, in for some students, life changing and rewarding week away from classes, I’m thankful for the weekly grind.
Returning to campus and to classes was a welcome re-entry into real life. After all, if I’m where God has called me to be, (and I believe I am), shouldn’t I be happy with what I’m doing—even the seemingly dull, mundane parts?
I’m not saying I wake up every morning overwhelmed with excitement for another day of classes, but I do think it’s important to be content with our daily responsibilities—even the unpleasant ones.
It was good to get back with the rest of The Lance staff to produce this week’s issue. Working on the paper makes us pay attention to small details. We follow a process when we edit each page, and it requires us to make tough decisions about things that often don’t have quick fixes. But this kind of care for the small, stubborn, pixel-sized corrections that we make remind us that making something worthwhile takes work.
And when we work through the small, frustrating details, we can begin to see something bigger and better emerge.
Mon. March 15, 2010
How long does it take to become comfortable around a group of people?
What has to happen before we allow others into our circle of friends?
If The Lance staff has an answer to these questions, it would probably be that struggling together to accomplish a goal goes a long way in strengthening friendship bonds.
I have truly enjoyed my time on The Lance staff for the relationships I’ve built with other staff members. We spend a lot of time together in the wee hours of the morning when we can’t help but be ourselves. We give ourselves working, shaping and polishing something that it takes effort to produce.
Many students on our campus are taking time to focus their efforts on a great cause over Spring Break. The beauty of these trips is not only the lives that are affected, but also the friendships that are formed as a result. It’s interesting to note that no student will be venturing out alone on a mission trip.
Something about accomplishing a goal as a part of a group gives me a deeper sense of fulfillment. It takes work, and it requires each member giving up control, which is a lesson we all need from time to time, and it’s a lesson I’m grateful to be learning alongside my fellow Lance staff members..
Austin Jacobs
Chief Copy Editor
Mon. March 1, 2010
It’s finally almost time for Spring Break. Senioritis has definitely hit me; actually, I think it hit me right around the second semester of my freshman year. But with a little over two months left in my entire college career, I’ve begun to think back on my time spent at Evangel and what has really stuck out throughout my four years here. There are always those classes that you are taking just because you have to, and sometimes there are those classes that really make an impact on your life. My time at Evangel would not have been the same without the Bible classes that are required of every student. The information, concepts and life lessons I’ve learned in those classes will stick with me even after I have left this place. Then, there is my time spent on the Lance and writing stories for the paper. The experience I’ve gained simply from writing stories for a publication is something that will always stick with me. Rather than just being taught how to do something from a classroom, I am actually going out there and doing it and it is so much more effective to me. I encourage every Communication student to get involved in some type of student media, because experience is such an important thing to have. Of course it’s important to learn in the classroom as well, but unless you are able to apply what you have learned, there won’t be much point to it. Hang in there for the second half of the semester, and don’t forget to keep picking up a copy of the paper on Fridays! J
Have a great Spring Break!
Michelle Nunn
Asst. Copy Editor
Mon. Feb. 22, 2010
A Note on Archives
Have you ever heard a song that made you drop whatever you were doing and sit still?
I stumbled upon a radio station playing something I had never heard before, and I realized at that moment that I would probably never again hear the same song in my life.
The depth of the thought surprised me. I had no way to find out the song's composer or title. In an era where nearly every song is accessible at the click of a mouse, I came to terms with the fact that I could do nothing to recover its beauty. So I did the only thing I could do. I sat and listened.
In the Lance production room, dozens of old books filled with newspaper articles from previous years tell the story of our campus and community. Evangel University existed before we got here, and it will continue to exist when our time here comes to an end.
With this in mind, I encourage you to look through the online archives. Write a letter to the editor. Make some sort of mark on paper that shows you were here, alive, shaping the way you'll think about the world and your faith and how it all fits together.
One thing that makes a student newspaper so exciting is that we're all here to think.
And to unthink.
We're reading.
Discussing.
Learning.
Discovering.
The paper that comes out every Friday is yours, and through it, our campus has been given the opportunity to catch and to hold a thing. Don't miss out on your opportunity to be a part of what's happening around you. Engage in this process. What we say here won't be lost.
Austin Jacobs
Chief Copy Editor
Mon. Feb. 15, 2010
This year, the Lance has been doing well. With a few new staff members and old staff members in new positions, the paper has been looking good, despite the many changes that have occurred throughout the year within the staff. Getting back into the swing of things after a long break can be difficult at first, but eventually it starts to get better and a routine is established. There have been many changes in the Lance staff this year, with new people joining and learning the workings of the paper, and old staff members fulfilling new positions in which they are learning the new responsibilities they must take on. The new staff members seem to be adjusting well to becoming a part of the Lance team. Training sessions took place at the beginning of the semester to enable new staff members and those in new positions to fulfill their duties in the best manner possible. As we come towards the end of the first half of the semester, the paper continues to get stronger with each issue. Every Friday, a new issue of the Lance comes out across campus, so don't forget to pick one up!
Have a great day!
Michelle Nunn
Asst. Copy Editor