View Feedback | Send this Article | Published 4/18/03

My first year at RU was lacking in all departments. I had few friends, none of whom I considered close. I didn't like my classes, nor was I doing well in them (or at least as good as I would have liked). I gave myself a year and thought if things didn't improve, I would be off for greener pastures. Well, guess what? They did, and I owe it all to Whim.

I joined Whim in the fall of 1999 and, from the start, I began making new friends. The highlight of my first meeting was Chris Hollomon talking to me about my Sandman t-shirt. It went from there: Jeff Davis, Brian Korte, Rachel Pastirik, Olivia Lewis, Jeff Pollard, and Jenn Peterson. The Whimmers became my family and the memories I formed during that time remain some of my most cherished. Some of those memories include: being promoted to Ritz Section Manager, taking over the newsletter, Joe's Diner after production meetings, the April Fool's editions, the parties, the Midnight Run, and all sorts of insane craziness it would take me forever to write about.

Beyond the fun, Whim gave me invaluable experiences that helped in my academic career as well. After being accepted into the group, I found a new level of self-confidence that carried over into my studies. Whim also gave me experience working in a professional environment, learning how to establish priorities and meet themã something that has benefited me greatly in my current teaching job.

There is really no way I can repay Whim and Radford University in general, for all that they have done for me. I've made friendships that will last a lifetime and formed memories that I will always hold near and dear. In short, it breathed life into a once dead existence, and that's a hard debt to repay.

Although, this is a start.

Later Days.

Shaun Corley is amazed he made it four months, let alone four years.