Welcome our 2009 Blogger: Annie Powers

The school year has once again begun, and it is time now for our Gettysburg Semester students to begin their sojourns around Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and more. The Civil War Era Studies Department is pleased to introduce Annie Powers, our 2009 Blogger. Annie hales from the University of California at Berkeley, and is one of two students we have this year who've made the trek to Gettysburg from the "Golden State." Annie will be writing about her weekly travels with Dr. Guelzo and her fellow students. Look for her first update from the field (Harpers Ferry, WV) next Monday.

Below is Annie's first submission, a recap of her first experiences at Gettysburg College and with the Gettysburg Semester during the Orientation Week. Without further ado, here's the news from our students:

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Orientation Week

Gettysburg. A small, historic-minded town with a population of about 7,500 and a college with 2,600 students. After living in the San Francisco Bay Area and attending the University of California at Berkeley, a state university with nearly 26,000 undergraduates, I didn’t quite know what to expect. But when I arrived at the Appleford, our residence for the semester, and the idea of studying the Civil War in Gettysburg began to sink in, I realized (as trite as this will sound) that this place would quickly become home.

When I arrived at the Appleford, I all but collapsed onto my bed after getting almost no sleep on a red-eye flight from California into D.C. Thankfully, Dr. Guelzo, Cathy Bain, and a bunch of other students helped me haul my heavy luggage upstairs and got me acquainted with the house. Admittedly, those first few hours were blurred by my exhaustion, but I was delighted to finally be in Gettysburg.

After dealing with logistical issues and bonding with my darling roommate Sam, Dr. Guelzo treated us to dinner at the Dobbin House. It was super delicious and, as Jacob Dinkelaker described it, “olde-timey.” When we returned to the Appleford, most people played a game of Monopoly, but personally, I was fast asleep by 10:00 pm.

The next day, we were given a tour of Pickett’s Charge by Dan Welch, a Gettysburg Semester student from 2005. I was both impressed by his walk and excited about the opportunities that studying here at Gettysburg College clearly offers us.

Later that evening, we participated in the First Year Walk, a tradition in which first-years follow the path that Pennsylvania College students and faculty took in 1863 to see the dedication of the National Cemetery. All of us Gettysburg Semester students were at the front of the crowd, unmistakable in our blindingly orange T-Shirts. (We were even featured on the College website!) Upon arrival, we listened to the Gettysburg Address read by former NAACP president Bruce Gordon. There is something so powerfully eloquent about the Gettysburg Address that captivates me no matter how many times I have read it or heard it spoken. Dr. Guelzo then treated us to Kilwin’s Ice Cream, which had the best waffle cones I have ever tasted and will probably be the place where the majority of my money is spent this semester.

Over the weekend, we all tried to visit the battlefield in some way, going in groups or exploring the ground alone. This week, classes and internships are beginning, and I am extremely excited to see and experience absolutely everything uniquely Gettysburg over the next three months!