We’re working under some constraints and greatly appreciate your patience.

Once you get your assignment, feel free to check out room dimensions on our website. 

So Russia is my first study abroad experience, and it was AMAZING!!  Saint Petersburg has the looks of any Western European city, since Peter the Great designed it to be European in every way possible.  It’s such a beautiful city with canals, palaces, cathedrals, and charming cafes.  There are only four cities in the world that were planned before they were built, and St. Pete’s one of them.  I never pictured Russia to feel so much like home.  But I did not want to return to the States at all…  Well, I definitely missed being able to turn the TV on and understand every word of what I was watching…  But that’s a luxury.  And you don’t need to know Russia to appreciate football (AKA: soccer) or hockey.  hahaha.

But walking around in Russia totally reinvigorated my desire to learn Russian.  I’ve been taking it for a year now, but being in that country, made me crave to know what every sign was referring to.  I thought I had a pretty significant vocabulary, but it all came to very little (especially when we had to try to explain that our luggage was lost at the airport…).  I adapted as best I could, but I never could express myself fully.  I could talk about my family, house, town, school, classes, and friends.  But I could not discuss politics, music, or culture.  Not to mention I was having a pretty hard time figuring out menu descriptions.  haha.  In time I suppose.  And I assume it will be a long time before I can discuss politics anyway…

There are so many stories to tell from the trip, that I might just have to devote the remainder of my summer posts to the experience, but we shall see what inspires me.  I bet it’ll be Russia, but who knows.  It could be a leave on a windshield for all I know.  But I must go to bed so that I may rise early in the morning to run.  Gotta love that summer heat!!!  So if you’re awake at 5:45 in the morning, know that I want to sleep just as bad as you do.

~Colin

It is very important that you complete the Housing Information form.  We use this information to make housing assignments.   Please do not let a family member or friend complete the form. 

Rhodes houses students in double and triples.  We even have a few quads (groups of four) for first year students.

Factors we look at in making housing assignments:

Roommate requests:  This must be a mutual selection.  Each person must select the other.  Please talk about theme housing and/or learning community interest as well as co-ed or single gender housing.  You may request up to two roommates.

Learning Communities.  Rhodes is offering five learning communities based on academic course work.  You will have an opportunity to sign up for these different environments during Open Rhodes.  Learning Communities will be housed in co-ed environments. 

Theme housing:  If you are interested in theme housing, please mark it.  We will work to accommodate this request.  Theme housing options include: Substance free, quiet study, and restricted visitation. Every year we hear complaints about folks being assigned to theme housing when they did not want it.  Well, yes you did. Or least the information we received noted that you want theme housing (remember you should be completing the housing information form) 

Athletic Coaches will often assign players together. 

Potluck vs. self-selecting a roommate.   The majority of incoming students do not select a roommate prior to coming to Rhodes.  Some meet folks during Open Rhodes Orientation while others may meet folks on Facebook.  If you do wish to denote a roommate after you submitted your housing information form, please have all parties notes this on the Housing information form or contact Marianne via email at lutherm@rhodes.edu. All roommate requests must be submitted by July 14. 

We spend time reading each Housing Information form and take into consideration the above factors.  Ultimately, we try to match people up with folks who share at least a few similar traits. Since Rhodes attracts students from all over the country as well as the world.  We also look at geographic diversity as well.   We try not to match up folks from Texas together or folks from Tennessee together, etc. 

We do our best to make good groupings but we understand that each person is more than what can be represented on a piece of paper.   Each student brings different experiences, perspectives, and expectations.  The key is to remain open and flexible as well as work on communication.   I will have more about keys to a successful roommate situation, next week.

Our goal is to have housing assignments in the mail by July 21st.  This gives you less than month to contact your roommates to discuss items to bring, living habits, etc.   

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Thanks,
Marianne

Anyway, I have spent the past three weeks researching. I know that I initially told you that I would be researching protective effects against neurodegenerative disorders, but some things have changed. We are actually now researching the long term effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin). One of the main things we are testing are the addictive properties of the drug and whether living in an enriched environment can effect the tendency to become addicted. Below are some pictures taken by another student working in the lab (courtesy of Stephen Spainhour).

Any free time that I have had so far this summer I have tried to spend at my lake house. I had my first experience with wake boarding and my first experience with… a banana. That’s right, a banana- not the kind you eat. Rather, the kind you ride. Okay, that sounds dirty, if I dare say so… see the pictures for a better description!

As you can see, it was fun! Also in the past week, Stephen came to visit me. It was really exciting and we had a fantastic time together. Here is a picture that he took of one of the sunsets we watched at the lake. (You know how I love my sunsets!)

This summer has been an interesting journey so far. I’ve been applying to med schools, taking the mcat, doing research and learning how to be in a long distance relationship. I’m almost done with my applications; I’m done with the mcat (at least for the ‘09 application cycle); our research is going strong (despite some problems in the beginning); And I learn something new about my relationship every day; all of which is absolutely fantastic!

Anyway, I’m off to see if maybe I can see some 4th of July fireworks from campus somewhere….

Happy 4th! Happy Summer!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Peace,

Sarah

Now this brings up another question: what other movies can be connected with Rhodes College and Memphis, Tennessee?  Well, more recently you can see some of Memphis in Johnny Cash’s story Walk the Line.  You may remember the Grammy winning song from Hustle & Flow.  Fan of Tom Hanks?  Then you must remember the role of FedEx in Cast Away!  And who can forget The Client and The Firm?  Other titles include 21 Grams, Great Balls of Fire and Forty Shades of Blue.

So what do you think, any notable films I might have missed?  Now, these movies don’t even begin to include any notables related to the King, so maybe that will be a topic for a later post for the month of August around Elvis Week.  Leave a comment and let us know what other movies to include or your thoughts on the ones already listed!

- Timothy

I am looking forward to returning to my home state of Virginia to continue my work in college admissions.  If you are ever in Lexington, Virgina, then feel free to look me up and let me know what I can do to help with your college search process.  I am looking forward to being “back home” in some regards, but it will be very hard to leave such a special place.  Rest assured that the other counselors here in the admissions office will be posting throughout the summer, along with the current cohort of student bloggers, so we will be sure to keep you informed as to what’s happening around campus.

As always, all of us here at Rhodes hope that you will be able to visit the campus and possibly find the right match for your college choice right here in Memphis.  Best of luck with all of your endeavors and be sure to visit the Inside Rhodes Blog and the main Rhodes website often for updates on things on campus and throughout Memphis!  Oh yeah, and if you want the real inside scoop on the bluff city, check out Vance Lauderdales’ blog on local mysteries.  Be well and enjoy your summer!

- Robert

The Rhodes campus is always pretty quiet during the summer, as most of our students go abroad, do internships or return home during the summer months. We do our best during Discovery to provide time for prospective families to meet those current students who do remain on campus or in Memphis for the summer. We kicked off the program in the morning with summertime music as families checked in by the Lynx Lair. Our visitors mingled with current students, ate breakfast and toured the campus before the program “officially” began.

During the morning, parents and students separated to attend different sessions on Rhodes and the college search process. Students learned some great essay-writing tips from Caroline King, our resident Grammar Queen in the Admissions Office. They met with Robert Koch to get advice on how to really connect with colleges (i.e. what to do during a campus visit, what to expect from an interview, etc.). Parents received advice from Forrest Stuart, Director of Financial Aid, on how to pay for their child’s college education. Timothy Gibson had parents laughing as he explained the parent’s role in the college search process. We also had a panel of current students and faculty available for both parents and students to learn what life is really like at Rhodes.

The day ended just before it got really hot. Families had the option to meet with Athletics, take an afternoon tour or eat lunch on campus or at one of Memphis’ great restaurants.

Our Admissions Interns were a huge help the whole day! They helped give tours, worked the Check-In table, chatted with families and took pictures of the day. They created a Facebook group for students who have visited Rhodes called “Rhodes: Saw It, Loved It, I want More!.” That’s where they posted their pictures from Discovery, in case you want to check it out.

In addition to that, we’re planning RA Training for the fall.  I also work with organizing the events for The Big Diehl, which has a fall schedule that will be better than ever!  In addition, we’re working to revamp our website to include more information for the students and their parents.  So, if you have ideas about what we should add or edit, please let me know.  Before long, Marianne will start to work on making roommate matches and room assignments for the first year students.  And, before any of us realizes, we’ll be in August and welcoming RAs back to campus and getting ready for the arrival and return of the students.

And, for now, I’m getting ready to go on a summer vacation to the great state of North Carolina.  I’m really excited to be able to spend some quality time with my family.  And, I’ll be there for the 4th of July, which means that I get to go to the best small-town parade ever in Oakboro, NC.  Here are some pictures from past years: