CSC in 1-2-3: RCIA

1. What is RCIA and who is it for? RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is a process of conversion for adults who seek to be baptized or who want to join the Catholic Church from another tradition or who want to be confirmed.

2. Is RCIA a new process? Actually, RCIA is not new. In the earliest centuries of the Church, Christians invited adults to join the community of faith. Those who accepted the invitation became candidates for the Sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) and entered into a step by step process toward full membership in the church. This process, called the catechumenate, included a lengthy period of formation, instruction and testing, lasting one to three years or more.

3. What happens during RCIA? Each week we look at the Sunday readings and a particular topic of faith. The catechists open up the Word and the lesson through their own faith stories, explanation, discussion and prayer. One of the most important elements of the process is the welcoming, prayer and witness of the community. This happens through the RCIA team members and the community gathered for Eucharist on Sunday and informally in between sessions.

Written by Sr. Linda Straub, Campus Minister

Congratulations to our 2011-2012 RCIA Candidates! Our thoughts are prayers are with you as you prepare for Baptism and Confirmation this Easter.

February Secret Staff-er Revealed: Mark Zaegel

     Congratulations to Kayla Piorkowski, whose name was drawn from our raffle after she correctly identified Feburary's secret staff-er as Mark Zaegel, one of our campus ministers.

     Mark Zaegel is a 2008 Wash U graduate and has worked at the CSC for one year. He majored in Religious Studies and Anthropology, and lives with his wife and dog. His biggest fear in life is, “That I’ll look back on my life and think that I should have done so much more to help people.” His favorite TV shows are Jeopardy, The Big Bang Theory and Friends, and his favorite radio station is 99.1 Joy FM. The most interesting place he has ever visited is Ghana, and his hobbies are card games, board games, volleyball, running, biking, and ‘anything active and/or competitive!’ His favorite dessert is Betty Crocker brownies, because you “can’t go wrong with Betty”, and if he could be any superhero, he would want to be Jesus.

      Thanks to Mark Z. for sharing with us, and thanks to everyone who participated!

      Don't forget to seize the opportunity to get to know your CSC staff personally—nothing enhances Mass like exchanging the latest events on your favorite television show, and nothing enriches life like connecting to those around you!

Lenten Reflection eBooks Available Online

Each Lent Catholic Student Union leaders gather and compile student reflections on the Lenten daily readings. We share these reflections with you so you can appreciate how college students regard God, faith and life. The unedited words reflect their honest faith.

Fr. Gary says, "What do university students think about God and life and love and work? When they read God’s Word, where do they hear it connect with their lives? How do they challenge themselves and us in this early 21st century?

These unedited reflections are entirely theirs. We offer them to you in the hopes that their reflections on these ancient texts will bring them alive for you and help you discover how ‘forever young’ these old words are. And show you that the young church has so much to teach to all the generations if we let ourselves listen.  God bless you all for taking Lent seriously this year."

Catholic Student Union writes, "We hope the reflections in the book with help guide you through this Lenten season. And bring you closer to God's undeniable love that can be seen on every face of this community and world."

Download a PDF of the Lent Book. Save it to your desktop and open it every day.

CSC in 1-2-3: Social Justice

1. Our Catholic faith tradition contains a long-standing commitment to social justice. Our Catholic understanding of Social Justice is rooted in our recognition of the dignity of each human being. Its relevance can be found in the Gospel narratives of Jesus, papal encyclicals on Catholic Social Teaching (CST), theology in the Catholic intellectual tradition, and a lived commitment in Catholic communities all over the world.

2. Social Justice is evident in the Church's social teaching on human dignity, human solidarity, and principles of justice and peace; the moral judgments about economic and social matters. The term "social justice" emerged in the Catholic faith tradition in the 1800s. The modern tradition of CST begins with Pope Leo XIII's encyclical, Rerum Novarum in 1891, since that time there have been more than 10 papal encyclicals on CST, the latest being Caritas in Veritate by Pope Benedict.

3. Social Justice at the CSC includes local service opportunities, domestic and international service trips, as well as on-going dialogues on issues of injustice and marginalization. During Lent we will be participating in Operation Rice Bowl and WashU's PB and Joy program.

Written by Cynthia Enghauser, Service and Social Justice Campus Minister

Please contact Cynthia at enghauser@washucsc.org to get involved in these or other Service and Social Justice initiatives.

Msgr. Bill Lyons Memorial Mass Transcript

From http://www.pnac.org/2011/11/the-funeral-of-msgr-lyons/ (complete with video):

"Msgr. William J. Lyons, 81, a priest of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis, who had served faithfully as a spiritual director for the North American College since 2003, passed away on Monday November 21, 2011. He passed away as a private Mass was concluding in his room, receiving viaticum. As the 81 year old man we loved so much succumbed to death after battling cancer, his priestly heart of 55 years shone brightly, witnessing and revealing the profound love of the heart of Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd."

Below is the transcript of Fr. Gary Braun's memorial Mass for Msgr. Lyons here in St. Louis:

Most of us here tonight are believers I suspect. Some not, perhaps. And we are
especially glad you’re here. But if you are, who helped you to believe? Who is it
who prepared the way of faith for you? Who leveled the mountains and filled in the
valleys between you and the Mystery we call God? Who opened the door for you
between Heaven and Earth? Who over the years of your life made a path for you to
the One-Who-Is-Love?

That’s the Advent question. It’s raised for us in this Gospel tonight. And it is no
small question. For most of us here tonight, I suspect one of the names we just
might whisper would be Fr. Bill Lyons (better known as MSGR, or just plain Bill)

Bill and I lived together at the Catholic Student Center for 10 years and every
summer for the next seven after he moved to Rome. If you knew Bill, you know
that he was kinda cheap. Kinda…
It was not unusual that he would run out of
toothpaste and show up at my door with his empty tube held up in front of him and
ask to borrow mine. Then proceed to squeeze my tube of toothpaste into his right
there in front of me! And yet, who could begrudge the little bit he borrowed
from any of us because of how much he gave to each of us?

Yes, Msgr was somewhat eccentric. A bit like John the Baptist in tonight’s Gospel
eccentric. Doing what John did, Bill came to many of us in the wilderness of
growing up and college life and being seminarians, and he opened a Way for us
to God and God to us, helping us across the chasm of our young emptiness and
loneliness and helping us lower some of those seemingly insurmountable obstacles
that loomed along the way.

Perhaps one of the greatest ways he helped many of us was that he taught us
something of what it means to be a man. At a time when many of us young guys
had no idea how to “talk deep”, to communicate things like “feelings”, to express
ourselves in words and even discover the power—the transforming power—of
being vulnerable to another human being, he was helping us learn trust, the same
trust that is at the heart of faith. This was so new to many of us in those days,
so exciting and scary. Still is. It is an amazing thing to be able to choose to trust
someone. We quickly discovered that relationships are what life is all about. And
what God is all about as well.

And he showed us we could talk to God like that too.

For us who did not know how, or at least did not know where to begin, Bill told us we
could pray. And he made prayer possible, and he made us want to pray. And he told us
we could relate to God as to a dear friend. One of Bill’s Directees told me just yesterday
that “Bill had a way of describing God in the most loving of terms. You were
convinced you were loved beyond all comprehension.”

Many is the night over the last 17 years when I saw Bill sitting in the back of
our Chapel over by the Baptismal font, praying. Hands on lap, a few simple
gestures, and in a conversation with his friend--God. It was just so human. I hope

to God he felt there what he helped so many feel: that he was “loved beyond all
comprehension.”

Bill ended every email with a quote from Cardinal George written back in 06: “In the
end we have only what we surrender--- we have only what we have given to the
Lord. We have only the relationships that are established in that surrender...."
In all humility, Bill did not cling, nor grasp, nor need to control, just a non-judgmental
presence and an encouragement to be our best self and somehow he communicated that
we could do that. That sort of ‘holy detachment’ was all part of what two of his best
friends and travelling buddies, MSGRS NICK SCHNEIDER AND ED GRIESEDICK
would describe when they said to me that he lived simply, travelled light, (and often, I
might add ), and imaged Christ’s openness along the way.

It was obvious to most all of us, that Fr Bill Lyons’ abiding passion was the young
Church! Whether it was in his teaching years or his work right across the street at
UMSL for 27 years or his ongoing work in the seminary here and in Rome, he took
those young lives that are invisible to so many in our Church and he made them
visible. He dismantled the obstacles that made them invisible to us. He made us
look at them, invisible to at who they were and who they were becoming and the
impact they were capable of having and reminded us in no uncertain terms that they
need mentors and coaches they can trust to help them become their own best self.
Bill would not let them stay invisible! He knew they are too important to us being
Church and to our future on this planet.

Is it any wonder that so many followed him into the seminary and so many
seminarians and priests confided in him? Maybe because they wanted to do for
others now something of what he had done for them?

This man, this priest, made a lot of lives a little less lonely. One person at a time, he
made the world a little less lonely. He brought a little light into our Advent night.
And if that is not filling in some valleys and leveling some mountains, I don’t know
what is.

How could we not do the same?! In Bill’s memory, in the name of the Advent
Prophet John, how could we not do the same for each other?!

CSC in 1-2-3: Science and Faith Scholars Program

1. The program is made possible by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, whose goal is to provide
congregations with the resources to collaborate with scientists and science educators in the development
of a deeper engagement between science and faith.

2. The CSC Science and Faith program will extend through 2012 and will include a series of discussions, led by a scientist and a theologian and facilitated by the CSC Young Catholic Scholars.

3. Our 2012 Young Catholic Scholars are David Bundy, a 4th year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering, and Joe McDonald, a sophomore in Biomedical Engineering. Both of them bring a lot of great experience, passion, and enthusiasm to the program, and Fr. Mike Demkovich and Dr. Irene Schultze (our program directors) are very excited with what these two are capable of.

Science & Faith Poll

CSC in 1-2-3: Catholic Student Union (CSU)

1. Catholic Student Union (AKA CSU) is the Catholic Student Center's link to Wash U. Although the CSC has a great relationship with Wash U, the CSC is not part of Wash U, nor does the CSC receive funding from Wash U. The CSC is a separate entity (it's part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis). We're allowed on campus and in the dorms because we are a recognized organization that is linked to Wash U through CSU, which is one of many official student groups at Wash U.

2. CSU consists of a board of six Wash U undergrads who meet on a weekly basis to discuss, plan and execute various student-related activities at the CSC. Campus minister Mark Zaegel serves as the staff contact for CSU, but the CSC is merely a resource for CSU--the CSC does not control the CSU.

3. The Catholic Student Union is a great way for students to develop into leaders of church and society. And remember students: Even if you're not on the CSU board, you can participate in CSU by being a member at large or simply by participating in CSU events.

January Secret Staff-er Revealed: Cathy Deneault!

Congratulations to Brittany Berg, whose name was drawn from our raffle after she correctly identified January's secret staff-er as Cathy Deneault, our Pastoral Administrator.

Cathy Deneault is a University of Missouri graduate and has worked at the CSC for 5½ years. Her favorite school subject was History, and her least favorite was Math. The most inspirational person in her life has been her grandmother Helen, and the most important lesson she has learned in life is “not to expect people to be something they are not.” Her favorite CSC soup is spaghetti and meatball, and her favorite TV shows are Castle, Criminal Minds, Fringe, The Mentalist and NCIS. Cathy's biggest fear is spiders, and the craziest thing she has ever done is “getting locked out of my house in a revealing night gown having to go to my neighbors’ to make a call.” If she started a band, she would call it “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”, and if Hollywood made a movie of her life she would choose Natalie Portman to portray her. Thanks to Cathy for sharing with us, and thanks to everyone who participated.

Check out our bulletin board to try your hand at February's Secret Staff-er Challenge! E-mail Theresa at weeklye@washucsc.org by Fri., Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. for your chance to win. Most importantly, seize the opportunity to get to know your CSC staff personally—nothing enhances Mass like exchanging the latest events on your favorite television show, and nothing enriches life like connecting to those around you!

Job Opening

A community member is looking for a responsible babysitter for 1 year old baby girl. Mondays and Wednesdays 7:30AM to 3PM at their home in Crestwood. $10/hour. Family owns two cats and dog as well.

Please contact Jamey if you're interesting in getting in touch with this family: stegmaier@washucsc.org

From a young alum and community member:

I'm looking for a full-time job for the spring (and possibly summer depending on which occupational therapy graduate program I go to). Jobs I would be interested in are:
- regularly scheduled babysitting/nanny (I have a year of experience with children with autism so I'm comfortable taking care of people with special needs. I've also volunteered over 100 hours at Children's hospital and I enjoy playing games and doing crafts with kids)
- cooking meals for people (I really enjoy cooking)
- helping out around the CSC

If you have a job connection for this community member, please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org and he'll put you two in touch!

What is your favorite part of an Oreo?

After listening to this week's homily (http://www.onlinehomilies.com/sessions/3047), a community member sent in this photo. What's your favorite part of an Oreo?

The End of the World

This is a guest blog by community member Frank Freeman. If you're interested in sharing your thoughts about spirituality and theology with the CSC community, please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org.

The following item was copied from a journal (http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/rabbi-and-archbishop-connect-and-thoughts-new-theologians) telling about an experience of speaking to Catholics:

"As part of the deal, I was asked to deliver the convocation address, which presented a rare opportunity to speak directly to a sample of the next generation of theologians. Here's a synopsis of what I said.

First, I delivered a simple two-word message, one that, in my experience, theologians don't hear nearly often enough: "Thank you."

Thank you, I said, for putting your intellect, your passions and your lives at the service of faith seeking understanding. It's an arduous enterprise, and you're probably more likely to hear from people mad at you than from those quietly grateful. The vitality of the church, however, depends in no small way on your work."

The above words call attention to the need for theology to interpret for us the end of the world theme in the Gospel of Matthew. Theology tells us what we can’t just “see” without help. Simple morality, the life of the heart, and the pursuit of justice all will continue in existence to the very end of time. And those things all matter now and will come again to matter a second time.

Without the theology, we would be easily subject to the flood of symbols and thoughts that circulate just below the surface.

Just below the surface, we are cynical. We feel that justice and simple morality and the feelings we have are unimportant. Theology helps us to put our faith into perspective and to try to understand that we really are important. Theology can tell us not to become cynical and that God will not buy into it when we become cynical and dysfunctional.

What theology wont do is to “freshening up” our images. Those images are too deeply embedded to change. Theology goes around them, not through them. Theology tells us that even to the end of time, what we are now is what God sees and responds to. Our images don’t tell us that belief. Our images tell us to give up hope! Matthew teaches us about our images and “threads” the images with the moral lessons we need to live without fear and with hope. Otherwise, Matthew’s knowledge of the end of the world is the same as the pagans have.

It seems like very bad news, and Matthew does nothing to cover it up or give it a sugar coating.

Our “Catholic” beliefs about the end of the world (and Matthew’s direct images) come from our pagan ancestors. They also come from certain Protestant and Evangelical non-Catholic-Christians, most of whom do not acknowledge how pagan they actually are. It is tempting to fall for the Protestant non-Catholic theological rhetoric and to believe that we are privileged in a special way. That somehow some of us will be privileged. The Catholic theologians say, “no sale.” They don’t buy into the message that we are privileged. They buy into the message of hope: that God loves us as we are. The Protestant-non-Catholic is selling a privilege. The privilege of watching the end of the world from a box seat where nothing bad happens to the spectators. Not so. God will destroy what he chooses. There are no exceptions.

Sell? We are not sold. We are pretty much the same as the pagans.

Jesus says as much when he says that no man knows, only the Father. He could just as easily have said, the pagans have as much right to their beliefs as you do because you are doing guess work about a subject of which you are ignorant.

Our theologians teach us to accept our images of the end of the world because they are built in. Even though they are nothing other than the common, pagan, estimation, they are what we have inside us. We may substitute a scientific belief; but we will soon find out that even the scientists love science fiction more than their own predictions about the running down of the energy reserves. The point is that we are all caught up in that fiction. We don’t know; but that doesn’t stop us from trying. The fiction points out to us that the world will end. It isn’t stable, and it will, at some point, exhaust itself or else just run out of time. It will fall upon itself; or it will come to a staggering defeat due to some or other force. A merely natural force could do us in. A powerful god might give a decree that also does the job.
We pray that God not extend the end time so long that everyone on earth loses all hope and all faith.

It is a prayer for mercy. Did Jesus command us to pray that way. Yes. He commanded us to pray that way. The prayer will play a role in what God chooses. That much insight comes from our faith. The pagan images don’t seem to leave a lot of room for the fruition of our prayer life. Jesus says that it will be that way and it will be very bad if our prayers are too weak or so nonexistent that God has to act on his own. Jesus has commanded us to hold up our end of the bargain. And that it will bear fruit if we do. Just like the famous fig tree that unlike the faithless one, brought forth fruit. The other one earned a curse for only doing leaves. We seem to be one or the other of those two trees. And we have a command as to which one works. Our prayers will work. That form of belief is not cynical,of course; but we are born to believe otherwise and have to go the whole nine yards to trust in Jesus. We will always have the gut feeling that our prayers are the empty sound of an empty water reservoir. The old kind that each town mounted on stilts. We will never actually see our prayers accumulating into the fruition of the end time events. Until it happens. Until then, have faith. And make your faith produce works worthy of God’s trust in you. Theologically speaking, of course. Who knows any better than that?

Job Seeker: Piano Lessons

From a young adult and community member:

"I have a Bachelors degree in Music from Truman State University and offer piano lessons to students of all ages either from my home or in yours."

If you have a job connection for this community member, please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org and he'll put you two in touch!

Joplin Service Trip Reflection by Mark Levand

A Reflection from CSC Intern-in-Service Mark Levand following the Joplin service trip

We just went to Joplin, MO and saw some pretty intense broken houses. A lot of the debris was cleaned up, but there was still much chaos present. Broken houses, crap all over, chairs in yards, bikes in bushes, trees with no leaves...or branches - that was all pretty face-value. Broken was broken; that's it - it gets fixed or it doesn't. But one of the most interesting things I found was the way impact of this devastation on people's relationships.

There was an old couple who were married for some 35 odd years who had all of their possessions blown away and had minimal insurance. We talked for a bit and they seemed pretty high-spirited. That was cool. The more we talked the more I put my self in that position; I am with my wife, living my life normally and suddenly everything is gone. Ok, that's fine, all our possessions - furniture, pictures, family heirlooms, appliances, bed sheets, my collection of bottle caps, notes from my wife from 40 years ago, my favorite T-shirt, my assortment of medications, that one thing we brought home from our honeymoon that we had that inside joke about that would always make us laugh in the midst of our stressed, child-rearing lives - all gone. Ok, that's big, but they're still just things - it would be tough, but still it would be "just things." I still have my wife, whom I love more than anything that the tornado splintered and threw all over town. and we have nothing but each other.

At this moment, I thought of Kenny Chesney's song "Honey, would you stand by me?" in which his partner was asked if they would stand by him if "your coat was thin and your shoes were old" and if "you didn't have nothin' but boots and jeans, honey, would you stand by me?" I thought of how much more sense this song made when we are faced with this reality in our lives. There certainly are marriages that crumble because one or both parties cannot deal with the situation at hand. There are also couples that get to experience love in a different way. A love that was there all along but now making them feel safe and blessed in a way that has never before been realized. A love that can allow them to say "yeah, we have nothing, but we have each other." A saying that is often heard and used. Perhaps to the point of the listeners missing the gravity of the concept. The feeling of losing possessions is nothing compared to the feeling of losing that love and support which has allowed us to grow safely and securely. Conversely, the absence of the material things that we have accrued over our years together, makes the presence of all of the intangible realities that we have accrued over these many years all the more real - all the more indestructible - and all the more life-giving.

So my experience of the "devastation" throughout Joplin has been more joyous than anything else. Much has been lost - clothes, shelter, cars, canned goods, that drawer of ugly sweaters that we are obligated to have that we only open by accident only to realize that we never use them and wonder why we even have them in the drawer in the first place - many gathered objects through our lives. But much more has been revealed. The dedication, fidelity, and support of people. The love between many of the couples I had met was practically tangible. Their love was inexplicably evident.

I suppose this meant a lot to me because I will never be rich. I will likely be in a position of minimal necessities several times in my life. And the concept of having someone stand by me in those times is wonderful. I cannot wait for my wife and I to encounter life at its best and worst with the love we have for each other. I cannot wait for the times when we 'aint got nothin' but boots and jeans' but still love and support one another. I cannot wait for the opportunity to have a love that is not only comforting but also empowering; enabling us to be the best people we can be, together.

Environmental Pledge Ideas

--I will walk, ride a bike, carpool, “WeCar” or ride the Metrolink to work/school at least once a week (Reduce your carbon footprint by 1 pound for every mile you do not drive).

--I will decrease my shower time by five minutes.

--I will join an environmental organization.

--I will use my tax refund to buy trees (Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per tree per year).

--I will only buy 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

--I will replace all of my incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star bulbs (Reduce your carbon

footprint by 450 pounds/year).

--I will only run my dishwasher, washing machine and/or dryer when it is full (Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40/year).

-- I will move my heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer (Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98/year).

--I will turn my thermostat back 10-15 degrees when I am away during the day (Save 10% on heating and cooling bills).

--I will use a designated reusable bag for shopping to cut down on plastic and paper bag usage.

--I won't leave the tap running while I brush my teeth (Save 25 gallons of water/month or 14,600 liters of water/year).

--If I have to print, I will print 2 pages to a sheet or print double sided (Save over half a tree being destroyed/year).

--I will turn the lights out when I leave the room (Save 68kg of CO2/year).

--I will reuse or refuse a plastic bag at least 3 times a week (Save 156 bags going to landfill/year).

--I will use a push mower to mow the lawn (Save 80 lbs of carbon dioxide/year).

--I will air-dry my clothes when the weather permits (Save 700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $75/year).

--I will change my car’s air filter monthly (Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130/year).

--I will write a letter to my Congressman and/or Senator asking him or her to support legislation to stop global warming (Visit www.nrdc.org/policy or www.nrdc.org/legislation for more information).

--I will use plastic/reusable plates rather than paper ones.

--I will not burn my leaves, which leads to air pollution, health problems and fire hazards. I will start a compost pile at home instead (Visit http://www.compostguide.com/ for more information).

--I will switch off my power strips and unplug device chargers when they are not in use.

--I will set my computer and monitor to sleep when not in use, and turn off my monitor, PC, copier and printer at the end of the day (Can cut your computer’s electricity use roughly in half).

--I will take the stairs rather than the elevator at least twice a week.

--If I work in a research lab, I will close the sash on my fume hood while not in use (Can reduce total energy consumption in buildings by 17%).

--I will begin a composting program in my home/apartment or at work.

--I will reduce my meat consumption by choosing a vegetarian entree at least once a week.

--I will use a reusable water bottle rather than bottled water.

--I will use a reusable lunch box rather than paper or plastic bags.

--I will take notes on my computer at least twice a week rather than using paper.

--I will create an environmental awareness signature for my e-mail accounts (for example: “Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail”).

Want to do even more? Contact Theresa Schmidt at schmidt@washucsc.org for more information on or suggestions for the CSC's environmental efforts.

Job Seeker

A young adult in the CSC community is offering the following to any parents in the area:

"Babysitting on Tuesdays & Thursdays & Fridays. I canusually be anywhere by 3:45/4 pm for pick

up. I can also cook any meals and do any cleaning / ironing /etc. I can do some weekends."

If you'd like to get in touch with this person, please first contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org. If you're looking for a job or have a job opportunity, you can contact him with that info as well.

WUSTL 101: Do’s and Don’ts for Surviving Your First Year

Whether you are a first-year or transfer student, it can be difficult adjusting to a new place, new

lifestyle and new people. I hope this list of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” will help make that transition

easier, and allow you to enjoy and thrive during your time at Washington University in St. Louis.

Do:

--Make a difference. Are you a total tree hugger? Do you enjoy tutoring or mentoring children?

Research shows that volunteering improves health and self-esteem, so pick that issue or cause

that means the most to you and get involved with it. The Wash U Community Service Office

offers a wide variety of programs to choose from, and there are many clubs that raise awareness

of issues, such as the CSC’s Pax Christi or Wash U’s Environmental Justice Initiative for

grad students. In addition, these programs and clubs provide another way for you to meet

people who share the same goals and ideals as you. CSC extra: Contact Cynthia Enghauser at

enghauser@washucsc.org to find out about service and social justice opportunities available

through the CSC.

--Budget your time and money. Without Mom and Dad constantly nagging you to get your

homework done, it is easy to fall behind and perhaps lose that scholarship you need. While

you are supposed to enjoy college, it is important to remember that the main reason you are

here is to receive an education and prepare for the future. A great way to stay on-track is to set

up a rewards system: if I read fifty pages from my English novel, I can watch half an hour of

television. The same system works for budgeting money: if I do not eat out this week, I can rent

that DVD I wanted to see. If you have a reward or treat to look forward to, it makes it much

easier to save that money or get that homework done.

--Find a “study buddy” in every class. Sometime during the semester, the inevitable will

happen when you will, for whatever reason, be unable to make it to class. This is where

the “study buddy” comes in handy: at the beginning of each class, find out the name of that nice

girl or guy who sits beside you, and add them as a friend on Facebook. Then, when you cannot

make it to class, you can easily get the notes or homework assignment from your “study buddy”

instead of needing to contact or track-down the teacher. CSC extra: The CSC offers a ton of

great rooms for study session groups, including our library and dining room. The building is

accessible 24/7 with the key code (contact a staff member) and has free Wi-Fi.

Don’t:

--Put yourself on overload. Going to college is like traveling to another country: there are

so many things to see and to do, and you want to experience and participate in all of them.

Unfortunately, this can get you over-committed and cause you much un-needed stress. Do not

join every club or sorority that solicits you; attend a meeting or activity of all the clubs or groups

you are interested in and then decide which most excite you. Make sure you understand the

time and work commitment expected of you in each activity, and figure out how that will fit it

with homework, job and class commitments. Finally, make sure you save room for “me” time

and relaxing: you are not an asset to anyone else if you are completely frazzled from being on

overload. CSC extra: Relax with us! The CSC offers Mass on Sundays at 11am and 9pm in the

CSC Chapel, as well as Adoration on Wednesdays from 8-9pm.

--Hesitate to contact your teachers. Do you have some kind of mental or health condition that

may interfere with class somehow? Be straight from day one: send all your teachers an e-mail

describing your condition (I have diabetes, which is this, and means I have to do this) or conflict

in your life (my parents are getting a divorce, my grandpa is dying) and how it may interfere

with the class. If you let the teacher know ahead of time what issues you might be facing, it

makes it easier for them to understand if you do need to miss class and lets them know that you

are not lazy or “skipping.” Always let your teacher know if you are going to miss class, and try

to get the homework ahead of time if possible. If you are having trouble understanding a concept,

set up a time with your teacher to explain it: believe it or not, but the majority of them do not

want you to flunk their class.

--Stereotype others. High school has an uncanny ability to put labels on people and organize

them into groups. There are the jocks, the nerds, the preps, etc. Leave those high school

stereotypes behind, and look at each person as an individual, not a member of a group. If you

do not limit others, they will not limit you, and you are much more likely to discover true

friendships than if you stick with your specified group. College gives everyone a new beginning,

and by broadening your horizons you may discover a side of yourself that you never knew you

had.

--Skimp on sleep. Research shows that sleep deprivation negatively affects mood and decreases ability to pay attention and retain information. You might have a great time making a midnight Taco Bell run with your friends one evening, but when you have to wake up at 8 A.M. the

following morning it can negatively affect your entire day. Always plan what time you need to

go to bed in order to get the recommended eight hours of sleep you need each night. Include

plenty of time to get ready for bed, fall asleep, and get ready in the morning. Arrange midnight

rendezvous with your friends when you do not have class early the next morning. If you

do have to stay up late one night, schedule time on the following day for a 30 to 45 minute

nap, and make sure you can get to bed on time that night. For more information, check out

www.sleepfoundation.org.

Overall, college is about balance. Learn how to prioritize and organize your commitments

now—it will help you succeed both in college and in the work force.

On behalf of the Catholic Student Center staff, welcome to Wash U!

Job Opportunity

Young couple in the community looking for full-time daycare in someone's home for their newborn starting in February.

Contact Jamey (stegmaier@washucsc.org) if you'd like to be put in touch with the couple.

Job Opportunity

Family looking for after school care for their two boys (5 and 7). They live in Kirkwood. 3pm-6pm ideally M-F.

Contact Jamey for more info at stegmaier@washucsc.org.