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This is Derrick the Oiler, signing off...this site.

Remember when you were a kid; your whole life belonged to only you! You didn’t have to worry about what day it was, the time of day, or what you were going to eat for dinner (because you ate anything). Your day-to-day was the center of a much smaller and very simple universe.

Welcome back to Findlay! Break is over and the second half is underway! The leaves are gone and the air is much cooler since you left campus. Did you work over break? Did you sleep for three weeks? Travel? What did you do? What was the best gift you gave…or received?

I had a great break! I got some good stuff over the holidays too. Check this out…

There is no stopping it; the cold weather is close and starting to settle in and make itself at home. As I’ve grown accustomed to all weather conditions (I’m an Oiler, c’mon), I’m always ready for Findlay’s weather!
 
Here’s a fun fact: minus 40 degrees is the same regardless of the scale you use. Yep, 40 below is 40 below in both Celsius and Fahrenheit!


Beginning in late August or early September, the common cold increases slowly and remains high until March or April before it declines. That’s eight months of high-risk sick-season! The seasonal change to cold weather prompts everyone to stay indoors, which increases the chances that viruses will spread from person to person. Wish you had signed up for that intermural so you could leave your room now, huh?

The common cold-causing viruses survive better when humidity is low, meaning the colder months of the year (right now). All of the following increase your chances for getting sick:

You've moved out of your parents’ house for a fun-filled school year at The University of Findlay! You've started out great and have a couple weeks under your belt. You're getting to know campus and your professors, and you’re meeting new people. You may be thinking that something might be missing: a beard!

WELCOME BACK TO UF!

My summers at The University of Findlay are always rough when the students aren’t here. The last couple of weeks have been very exciting with the arrival of the UF football and soccer and the Marching Oiler Brass (M.O.B.)! Hearing and seeing students back on campus again is very exciting!

Today was the first day of class and by now you’ve made seven trips to Walmart making sure that you have all you need for this all-important day. I’ll admit; I have to laugh because I always notice who the first time students are and who the returning students are. Freshmen are always dressed so well for the first week, and I love it! You can spot them from across campus. Ha! I have to say, the new Oilers were looking great today!

So you lie down and take a picture, that's all? What’s next? Those of us with large noggins, extremely chiseled jaws and high energy levels are ready for more! In my last blog I broke down the art of planking for you and taught you how to pull off the perfect plank. But what other trends have evolved from the idea of planking? I found a few trends that you have probably heard of and some that are just starting to go viral! 

Owling 
“The act of sitting in a perched position while looking off into the distance as to mimic the posture of an owl.” 

This could be a worthy successor to planking; owling is beginning to explode in popularity. The craze was only founded in 2011 and is quickly becoming more and more viral and certainly has the potential to really fly (get it?…”fly!”). 

Batmaning 
“The act of hanging upside down from your ankles mimicking that of the bat.” 

On August 29, 2011, a group of college students uploaded a video titled “Original Batmanning Video” onto their YouTube channel. It was created by a group of friends at Purdue University. This is a tribute trend to the scene in the 1989 "Batman" where Michael Keaton's character Bruce Wayne is caught doing the same thing. 


Tebowing
“To get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.” 

Tebowing is a photo fad named after Tim Tebow. This involves getting down on one knee, placing one’s elbow on the knee and fist against the forehead, similar to a prayer or the thinker’s pose. Tim Tebow was photographed in the position as early as December 2010. According to EA Sports' game creative director, the Madden NFL 13 video game will feature "Tebowing." 

So you lie down and take a picture, that's easy! Well, maybe a little difficult for those of us with large noggins and extremely chiseled jaw lines... But anyway...

Even a mascot can get a little sentimental. Four years (or more - I'm talking to you, Adam Houser) can go so quickly. For my senior friends who are getting ready to walk across stage tomorrow, here are some moments in time that I know you all will relate to.