#bblc

A little picture of a bun run we had today (07/17/2023)

And since it's pride month, the theme was rainbow colors!

My character was in the middle in a pastel green color (added a little arrow to make it easier to find :3)

Steam’s Summer Seal is raring to go once again, much to the dismay of backlogs everywhere. I haven’t taken any damage to mine yet (although I am eyeballing 3 or 4 different 50+ hour RPGs...), but here I am nonetheless to encourage you all to take a lot of damage to yours, like I did last year.

New here? Read this and join the fun!

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Pyre

Pyre! Pyre, get Pyre. Get it. Go get Pyre right now. I’ll wait.

Congratulations! You just bought what is currently my GOTY, and one of my favourite games of all time. The cosmic basketball might not be to everyone’s tastes (as someone who shirks sports games entirely, I actually really enjoyed the Rites), but the real treat is in the family of misfits you find and, hopefully, liberate. It’s beautiful, and I’m not just talking about the visuals. Even weeks after finishing it, thinking about the ending has me wailing. I’m an absolute sucker for found families- and I’ll never forget the time The Nightwings welcomed me into theirs. (Steam / BBLC)

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Invisible Inc.

I so nearly binned this, but something told me to just give it one more shot... and it swallowed me whole. Fantastically tense strategy/stealth game, it’s a little bit rogue-like which is what turned me off to start with. You have never before, nor will you ever again, be so aware of doors being left open. Story gets kinda weird, but as long as you have a passing knowledge of cyberpunk tropes you’ll have a good time here. (Steam / BBLC)

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fault

Official word states the title of this series should be presented in lower case. I don’t like it, but fault’s earned enough of my respect that I’ll acquiesce. Holy crap, it’s hard to explain without spoiling anything, but if you have any tolerance for visual novels at all, and a strong stomach for terminology, these games will blow you away with their presentation alone- and you’ll stay for the plot. First five minutes of milestone two had me staring agape at my screen. Next level stuff. (Steam / BBLC)

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Wonderboy Girl: The Dragon’s Trap

A gorgeous refreshening of the Master System’s best game (controversial!), I already gushed about this at tedious length in my original post. It’s got some retro trappings that are moderately eased by optional difficulty settings, and the inclusion of Wonder Girl is handled with absolute elegance. (Steam / BBLC)

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My name is Lynnea Lee and I am a sophomore at UWEC. I have always wanted to study abroad! After looking into different programs at Eau Claire, I decided that I wanted to go on the Guatemala trip. I chose Guatemala because it was during winter break, two weeks long, the most affordable, and I really wanted to go to a Latin country. This program also focused on really getting yourself immersed in the culture and service learning; this program was basically perfect! I am so glad that I chose this program because I had such an amazing experience.

For the first few days of the trip, we stayed with a non-profit organization called De La Gente. They work with small-holder, local coffee farmers and cooperatives in Guatemala. They help improve the quality of life for families and communities by giving economic opportunities. They create direct connections with the buyers and farmers. Usually, farmers get paid the least out of everyone (exporters, shippers, roasters, and retailers). De la Gente is able to cut out the “middle-men” and allows the farmers to get paid more. The money is no longer split up and now goes directly to the farmer. This improves their income. They also help the cooperatives with farming techniques, financial stuff, etc. Another thing that De la Gente has are community tours (such as a coffee tour) and group trips (which is what we went on). These tours and trips they host allows the community to improve their income and also allows travelers (like us) to get to know Guatemala, the people, and the culture better.

During our first few days with De la Gente, we explored Antigua, worked with coffee farmers, hiked an active volcano, and got to do artisan workshops. Antigua is such a bright, beautiful place. We visited some ruins and Cerro La Cruz. It was also fun working with the coffee farmers. We got to learn about farming, pick some coffee on their farms, and learn how to grind and roast coffee. You don’t realize how much work gets put into producing coffee until you actually experience it firsthand. They hire some people to help on their farms. These people usually pick for 8 hours a day and pick about 100-150 pounds and get paid 60 quetzals ($8) for the day. It also takes 3 years for a coffee plant to start harvesting. We also ate lunch at the coffee farmer’s house. We had a delicious meal and got to converse with his family. 

We also hiked Pacaya, an active volcano. It took us about 4 hours total. You could either ride a horse up or hike. We all decided to hike and got walking sticks for 10 quetzals (about $1). We ate lunch on the volcano and also roasted marshmallows from the hot lava that was beneath some of the cooled lava. There was also a lava store located on the side of the volcano that sold jewelry made out of lava! The view and whole experience was spectacular!

After our hike, we got to choose from three different artisan workshops. We could either learn how to make peanut butter, make coffee burlap bags (which I chose to do), or make a huipil bag (a bright bag made from traditional Guatemala woven fabrics). This was a great experience because we got to meet more local families and learn about their work.

We then went to San Lucas Tolimán and worked with the San Lucas Mission there. We stayed at a hotel down the street from the mission. San Lucas Mission has made a clinic, school, and a women’s center in the community. They also do construction projects (building homes or stoves) for people who live around the area. During our time here, we explored San Lucas and built stoves/homes.

We then did homestays where we stayed with ex-guerillas. They formed a community in Santa Anita called “Santa Anita la Unión”. They formed this community after the 36-year civil war between the people vs the government. The community has 32 families, two schools, a daycare center, a library, and a pharmacy. They all also grow bananas and coffee. During our time here, we got to know the families, did agricultural work, and also hiked to a waterfall. This experience allowed us to get closer to the community and understand more about the war.

We stayed with our host families for three days, two nights. After our time here, we went back to San Miguel Escobar to the De la Gente guesthouse. We only had a few days left. We did another workshop where we prepared the national dish, went to the market to get ingredients for one of our dinners, and did more coffee related things. We also went to Guatemala City to look at the dump. It is home to the largest dump in Central America, bringing in around 500 pounds of trash each day. People work in these dumps and take the trash home to repurpose or sell it. NONE of the trash is separated. All the hospital trash, chemical trash, recyclables, all go into the same trash and are brought to this dump. This is a poor quality of life because they are being exposed to so many hazardous things while working in this dump. It was really sad to see. We toured with Safe Passage which “brings hope, education, and opportunity to the children and families making their lives around the City’s garbage dump”. They have three education centers for children and for parents. They educate more than 500 children and more than 100 adults. I really suggest you look up Safe Passage to learn more! They are a great organization.  

Our last night, we celebrated Ginny and Rachel’s birthdays! We ate delicious cake and all hung out. It was sad to leave Guatemala because it really was becoming home to me. I learned so much through my experience and truly felt like I grew as a person. All of the people in my group were amazing. This trip was so great because it wasn’t the typical tourist vacation.  I really got to immerse myself in the culture and learn so many people from Guatemala. I highly suggest you all study abroad- somehow, someway. I know money can be tight but try to find a way. I was able to win a scholarship that covered half of my trip expenses – this trip ended up costing me only $500 to go on! The $500 covered the flight, housing, and all of the meals. All of the meals were home-cooked, too! Look for scholarships, fundraise, do something. Later in life, you may have the money to go abroad but you might not have the time. We have so much time to explore right now – so take advantage!

On the eve of my graduation, it seems fitting to take some time to reflect back. When I first stepped foot on the UWEC campus, I knew what I wanted to do- become a veterinarian. At the time, I did not know I would end up changing my major to psychology and become passionate about issues that I didn’t even knew existed. It’s hard to believe how 5 years can change you, but I am so grateful for it. One of the biggest influences that would end up changing my life would be Blugold Beginnings.

My freshman year is where all the doors opened for me. I was part of the Blugold Beginnings Learning Community (BBLC) and I loved every minute of it. I did as much as I could to contribute to an organization that values community and education. By Spring of my freshman year I was president of the Blugold Beginnings student organization and was confirmed to be a camp counselor to the next cohort of BBLC members. Being a camp counselor for the next group was so exciting for me! In doing this position, I found an unknown passion for guiding people into the next phase of their life, but it would be the Civil Rights Pilgrimage that would give me the final shove to make a career change.

The Civil Rights Pilgrimage was an eye-opening experience for me. I thought about topics that I never thought about before, I saw perspectives on issues that I didn’t see before, and I experienced things like I never did before. The Civil Rights Pilgrimage taught me to be the person I should strive to be everyday; a person that advocates for the opportunities and outcomes of others. I loved my experience so much that I applied and became a coordinator for the trip. The to-do list to make the trip happen was exhausting, but finally loading the bus and seeing the eager participants made it all worth it. The lessons I learned on this trip and the new interests that I developed finally made me reconsider being my major and pre-veterinarian emphasis. After a semester of searching for the right major, I finally declared psychology spring of my junior year.

I’ve been very involved in my major and internship so I have not spent much time with Blugold Beginnings or the Civil Rights Pilgrimage in the last year. Even though I haven’t been involved, I keep a quote from Mary Church Terrell, that I learned through those experiences, close to my heart- “Lift as you climb.” If there is one lesson that I have learned it is to help others reach their goals and aspirations as you do for yourself. When I graduate on Saturday, I will be thinking about all that I have learned at UW-Eau Claire. I know that most of all, I’ll keep this lesson with me into my career and life. 

Beginning college at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire was challenging as a first-generation college student. Although my undergraduate experience took longer than anticipated I was able to get my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. It was an incredibly proud moment for myself and my family. I remember celebrating my achievements for weeks after graduation. Mentors were instrumental in getting me through college. Not only was I able to finish my degree I had a new hunger for more. Only a few short weeks after graduation I began graduate classes at UWEC. It was a whole new set of challenges for me but with constant encouragement and guidance I was not afraid of this new venture.

Being around so many encouraging mentors and other students with similar struggles was instrumental to my success. When you see those around you succeed and accomplish their goals it helps you to dream bigger. The motto for Blugold Beginnings is “dreaming big, making it happen” and that it certainly what can happen with so much support from staff and fellow students. 

As 2017 comes to a close and finals fast approaching it is hard to believe that I have now registered for my last classes in graduate school and begun the thesis process. Not only have classes been successful but I have accomplished things I couldn’t have dreamed of. I have had internships, helped a professor edit one of their books, done research with a professor and am now preparing for an amazing study abroad opportunity over the summer. My one regret from my time as an undergraduate was not studying abroad and now I am happy to say that I am preparing for a trip to Berlin, Germany, Prague, Czech Republic, Vienna, Austria, Budapest, Hungary and Krakow, Poland. To be able to travel to these places is something I would not have access to without UWEC.  

In the fall of 2018 I will be finishing my thesis and applying to Ph D. programs. With so many people believing in my dreams I know that I can accomplish them and continue to find bigger and better dreams. No matter what obstacles have been in my way the continued support and encouragement from Blugold Beginnings has allowed me to have a life I wouldn’t have imagined several years ago. 

In 2018 I am also preparing to marry a fellow Blugold Alum and graduate student and I truly cannot think of what would have happened without UWEC and Blugold Beginnings. Thanks to all of the support and encouragement, I think I will always be hungry for more learning.

As I near the half-way point of my college career, it provides a good opportunity for me look back on what I have been able to experience at this institution. Coming five and a half hours north to Eau Claire from my hometown of Chicago, I had no idea to what to expect. Quickly after my arrival on campus, I knew I made the best decision of my life. I was connected with Jodi Thesing-Ritter, Dennis Beale and the Blugold Beginnings program, which set me up for success right away. Having resources on campus who truly cared about me like those two, a great group of men around me and the opportunities the program afforded me made me feel right at home.

I’ve been playing football since I was five years old and I have loved the game for as long as I can remember. UW-Eau Claire allowed me not only to get a top-notch education, but has also let me live out a life-long dream of being a college football athlete. As I wrap up my third year of football, I have met awesome teammates who will surely be brothers for life, already made countless memories and have become a tougher, better-rounded individual. If I wasn’t recruited to this university as an athlete, I would’ve never been exposed to the resources that have helped me excel as a student.

I am currently studying journalism as I hope to have a career as a sports writer. Another opportunity this university has allowed me to take part in is The Spectator, our school’s newspaper. Now in my second semester as a Staff Writer for the paper, I have written stories ranging from opinion pieces on local and national topics, game recaps to student feature stories and much more. This has helped me gain valuable experience and get weekly practice in the field I wish to pursue after graduation.

Another aspect of my college experience that I hold dear to my heart is the formation of a group I helped found, Black Male Empowerment. Along with five of my best friends and our mentor, Dennis Beale, we decided to form a group to expand on our brotherhood, improve the perception of black males on our campus and have a positive impact on our community. As of now, we are 18 members strong, meeting every Wednesday night in business professional attire and planning and taking part in events in the community to get our name out there. We have plans in place to travel as a group to the United Kingdom to do research related to the role and dynamics of the black man in the world.

All these experiences have made me not only grateful for Blugold Beginnings and people like Beale and Thesing-Ritter, but also very excited for what my future holds. The opportunities presented to me from the moment I stepped on campus have undoubtedly helped shape the course of my college career. I am eager to see where the second half of my college career takes me.

As a first generation student going to college, I feel challenged every day. I almost did not choose the path of post-secondary education because of the expense and not having anyone to guide me. However, my uncle offered to help me with tuition at the same time that a coach began recruiting me to come to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. I became motivated to find a career path to suit my personality. When I came to campus I met Dennis Beale who helped me to feel safe and at home on campus. I came to campus early for football so I got to build a connection that felt like a family before school started and it was good that I did because it’s always good to be around family.

At the end of football camp, I started the Blugold Beginnings Jumpstart Camp, a weeklong program designed to help prepare students for the rigors of college life, which exceeded my expectations. In Jumpstart Camp, I met so many close friends that are always there for one another. We did so many different activities that really brought us out of our comfort zone but, helped us become that person we always wanted to be but, were too afraid or shy to do. We became a family in two weeks and that is something that has sustained me through my first year of college.

Blugold Beginnings is and will always be my number one resource on campus. Every single person in the BB office will help you out in a heartbeat and I encourage anyone that is ever in a jam to go see them first. That office will truly help you out with anything. BB also has a mentoring program that I think is an awesome opportunity for me to give back to young people.  I truly love being a mentor because everyday I get to change a child's life and help them be a better person in life. Every time I come to their school, they always are so glad to see me and always greet me with hugs and a giant smile. I truly believe that they get better and in the process help me to become a better me.

I also had the opportunity to take a Woman’s Studies course where I got to learn about the many contributions of women to the civil rights movement. In addition, I was challenged to think differently about how history is taught. I began to see the many voices of color that are absent from our history books. I loved going to class and learning about the important role my ancestors played in United States history. I had a caring instructor that really motivated me to want to learn more. As a part of the class, I got to work on a social change project with my classmates where we were able to host a ‘citizenship school’ for fifth graders to teach them about issues in our society that need work like hunger, homelessness, and poverty. We developed ten stations where we taught about the issues and some things that we can do to help make positive social change. I helped my group collect socks to add to care packages for people who are homeless in Eau Claire. I know that whoever got the care packages that we created they felt so grateful and I know that I felt so grateful giving to and helping the community.

The final part of the class was a ten-day experiential learning trip known as the Civil Rights Pilgrimage.  This trip really blew my mind with all of the historical information.  I had a life-changing experience.  On the trip, we met so many people from the past that have paved the way for us. I was so happy to meet all of them because they really encouraged me to educate others and to use my skills to make change for the future. Every time I meet someone special and that has a deep dedication for solely helping people every day, it motivates me to do the same.

I really encourage any incoming or transferring students to get involved in the programs on this campus. This is where your family of Eau Claire will start.  I have big dreams now. I know the first generation challenges will still come my way, but I’ve got my UW-Eau Claire FAMILY to help me navigate the road ahead. I cannot wait to see where the ride ahead will take me.