Welcome back to Student Stories. This is Jen,
and today I am joined by a new friend. Friend,
would you please introduce yourself to our listeners?
Hi, this is Rosslyn Johnson. I'm a dual degree
student, and I go to high school at Blue Valley
Northwest. but I attend full -time here. Wow.
So like me, you are a non -traditional student.
You are, as you mentioned, on the other end of
the spectrum because you're in high school. So
tell us a little bit about how you came to study
here at JCCC and why specifically you chose JCCC.
Me and my friend were debating on graduating
early together or... doing JCCC and when we talked
to our counselors they suggested that doing JCCC
would be a better option and after taking campus
tours and learning more about the social life
here, and just JCCC in general, I thought it
would be a pretty good fit. And it's been great
so far. Awesome. Awesome. You mentioned before
we were on the air that you were interested in
becoming a sonographer in an OBGYN practice.
So tell us a little bit about what made you lean
in that direction. Well, I've always wanted to
be a mother, and growing up, my mom's been a
big part of my life. And I also have always wanted
to go into something medical and help people.
And at first, I wanted to be a nurse, but...
I don't know. I just think that. You are helping.
You know what I mean? When you're a pregnant
person, which I was once 23 years ago, a pregnant
person, and I had a high -risk pregnancy. So
every health care professional that touches your
journey is meaningful and impactful. So, yeah,
thanks in advance for all of the good work that
you're going to do. Plus how wonderful, you know,
to share in the journey and see pictures and
be like, oh, there's three in there. You know,
like you probably weren't expecting that. Yeah.
So, yeah, no, that's exciting. That's exciting.
Oh, go ahead. I'm sorry. The relationship between
mother and, like, child is just so. amazing.
So I just wanted to be a part of that. Yeah.
Yeah. And how lucky are we to live today, you
know, with this technology where we're able to
see those pictures and, you know, God forbid,
find any kind of abnormalities and get those
fixed. You know, it's just, we're pretty lucky
to live when we do. Where are you considering
going to school after JCCC to continue your education?
I'm planning on attending KU because it's in
the area and I'm a very big family person. So
I'd want to be close to family. And my sister
goes there right now and she loves it. And they
have a good medical program. So I think it would
just be a good fit to go there. Wow. So would
you stay here at home and commute up to Lawrence?
Or do you think you'd move actually to Lawrence?
I think I would go there and probably go into
a dorm and just live the whole like college life.
Yeah. Yeah. It's beautiful up there. There's
never like a shortage of anything to do in Lawrence.
No. We love mastery, you know, going to walk
mastery and go shopping. So when you and I were
first getting to know each other, you mentioned
being a person that enjoys going to the gym.
You like being outside. You like going for walks.
This weather is fantastic for that. Yes, definitely.
So isn't it great that it's finally, you know,
sunshine. It's not too hot and it's certainly
not cold anymore. Would you say in your estimation
that you've always been a fitness buff? And if
not, what made you become interested in wellness
and health? Definitely always been pretty active.
Growing up, I did softball and gymnastics throughout
my life and then I did cheer in high school before
I came here and softball my freshman year. But
then once I stopped that, I wanted to continue.
doing something so now I've just gotten a gym
membership and go there regularly and I love
going on walks with my mom because I mean we
get to talk for hours and it's just great. But
and the weather is amazing. I feel like my whole
mood changes with the weather. Absolutely. Absolutely.
Something else that you mentioned when you and
I were talking before we taped today's episode
was that you like to bake. Me too. Is there any
one recipe that you love making and what is it?
And can you tell us the story behind it? Yeah,
I. Okay, well, we took a vacation to New Orleans
when I was pretty young. Yeah, and do you know
that one bakery? It's really famous. Oh, I've
never been there. It's always been in my heart,
but I'm like, oh, New Orleans. I forgot what
the one bakery is called, but it's really a famous
bakery. And they're famous for their beignets.
No. They're incredible. And then so right after
that, this was like sixth grade, I wanted to
make beignets. And so me and my whole family
made them together. I forced them to do it with
me. And then ever since then, I've just made
them like once a year probably because they're
kind of hard to make. Oh, are they really? Well,
no. I don't know. They just take a long time.
Like the oil, it's a mess. I don't know, really.
Yeah. It's just not. But the cleanup is not fun.
Well, I love that that's something that you do
with your family. You know, not only are you
eating it together, but you're making it together.
I think I shared my cheesecake story with you.
Did I share that story with you? I don't think
so. So my husband and I have been married for
500 years. But, you know, as girls do or as girls
did back in that day since I'm a little older,
you know, you want to impress the new parents
-in -law. And, you know, you want to make something
yummy and, you know, make a good impression.
And so my family had this recipe for cheesecake.
And it's just like a chocolate cake bottom. And
it has, like, cream cheese and powdered sugar.
You know, like it's not fattening at all. And
I made it. And my now mother -in -law was like,
oh, my God, that's a butter cake. I'm like, what?
She's like, that's an ooey gooey butter cake,
but you make it wrong. So what do you mean I
make it wrong? She's like, no, no, it's an ooey
gooey butter cake if you have like a yellow cake
at the bottom. So like all these years, my family
ate the chocolate and his ate the vanilla. So
it was just kind of like a funny story. Yeah,
that is a great story. Yeah, yeah. So do you
have any fun plans coming up for this summer?
There's a lot of grad parties to go to this year
because I have a lot of senior friends. Yeah.
And then just I think we might go on vacation
to Florida maybe. Nice. We're in Florida. Wow.
Bahamas, I think. Wow. Wow. So yeah, that's pretty
exciting. Yeah. And then we always visit my family
up in Wisconsin. Okay. So yeah. And my grandparents
live on a farm. So it's like four wheelers and
stuff like that. It's pretty nice. Where in Wisconsin?
Cumberland. Oh, I don't know where that is. Yeah.
It's a really small town. It's in the country.
Oh, I have friends in Oshkosh. I have a sorority
sister from college in Oshkosh. Thanks. Yeah.
I don't know where that is either. So tell us,
tell our listeners about some of your favorites,
like favorite movies or songs or TV shows, books,
anything. Yeah, I love Iron Man. All the Robert
Downey Jr. ones are just amazing. Yeah, it crushed
me when he died. Oh, no, maybe I shouldn't say
that. Yeah, I was going to say it was spoiling
something. No, when I cried. Every single time
I watch it, I cry. So definitely my favorite.
And I'll have a full -on debate with someone
who says Captain America is better. Okay, I will.
I've done this with my family every time. And
then TV show rise is probably Grey's Anatomy
right now. Grey's Anatomy. My daughter got me
into that. Yep. When I started doing my CNA course,
I started watching it. And, yeah, it was just
– it hooked me. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. What about
your Spotify playlist or your Apple Music playlist?
Anything good that you're listening to? I've
been listening to a lot of like 60s, 70s. Ah,
you're speaking my speak. Yeah, lately. Because
it's like so much happier, I feel like, than
the music nowadays. Maybe, okay, not the pop
nowadays, but like a lot of people my age like
to listen to rap. And it just, it gets old sometimes.
And it's kind of like depressing sometimes. So
when I listen to like... Like sugar, sugar, sugar.
How does that go again? Yeah. Happy music. Yeah,
exactly. It's more uplifting, I feel like. Do
you have a favorite from that time? Like a favorite
artist or a favorite musician? I'm sorry, song
from that time? Because that's... I grew up in
the 70s and the 80s. Yeah. I really like Billy
Joel. Oh, best concert I ever went to. Billy
Joel. Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. Yeah.
Uptown Girl is one of my favorites from his.
You know that's about his first wife, right?
No, I didn't know that. Yeah. So there was this
woman named Christy Brinkley. And she's still
gorgeous in like 60s or whatever. But she was
a model. And that song was about her. And she
was in the video. And he was this short little
guy from Jersey. And here's this like knock.
out beautiful girl yeah yeah oh that's and it's
such a great song it is yeah yeah he puts on
one heck of a show or he did all those years
ago I don't know if he's still touring um switching
gears for a second you and I had talked about
um our experience here at JCCC and the students
and the staff and the faculty and how everybody
has been so friendly and welcoming and kind um
for me I think that was my biggest surprise when
I got here I thought because I was an older non
-traditional student that others might look at
me and be like oh she's weird you know like what
is she doing here because she's so old but what
I found is that folks are so welcoming in bringing
me into their communities and into their conversations
and tell me a little bit about your experience
with that. Has there been a really great experience
where you felt the kindness of the campus or
has there been anything that has surprised you
about being a student here? Oh, definitely the
environment here is really welcoming. And it's
different from my high school because people
actually, like, will open the door for you and
hold the door open. That's one thing I really
noticed. And I can tell that the campus is really
inclusive, like, even just with all the handicap
areas. And there's, I think there is a spot,
like, on the walls I've seen everyone can be
a math person. Just stuff like that is really
encouraging. And, yeah, I just think it's a really
encouraging place. And everyone's been super
nice so far. Yeah. I think that's kind of one
of the underlying themes here is that everybody
is successful when everybody is successful. You
know what I mean? Like, I wouldn't feel good
about myself if I knew my friends here weren't
doing well. You know, we all take joy in each
other's accomplishments. On the topic of accomplishments,
you're, you know, you're really juggling some
heavy lifts here, you know. course load here,
two schools. Can you talk a little bit about
the difference between your academic work and
your responsibilities here versus at the high
school level? So right now, I'm just doing full
time here. But last semester, I took a class
at the high school as well. And I would say a
big difference between high school and here is
that it's very test heavy here, I would say,
like the tests are worth a lot more. And they're
It's more of like the work and the assignments
that you do. So I feel like that's the biggest
difference I've noticed. And it's you can build
your own schedule. Like at the high school, you
have to be there. So I think that's really a
nice part about it, too. Yeah. And something
that I think is great here is that classes are
typically offered early and late and weekends
and virtual. You know, they really try to make
learning accessible here at JCCC. And because
there's not just one type of student. You know,
maybe back in the 1950s, everybody went to campus,
but that's not the way. way it looks today. So
that's really wonderful. And I'm glad that that's
been your experience. What would you say to a
student that's your age, to another high school
student that was thinking, hey, maybe I might
do that. I might go to JCCC at the same time.
What kind of advice would you have for them?
I would say to do it, honestly, it's a really
good, like it helps. with your career in the
future, helps you understand what you want to
do more. Like I said before, the campus is amazing.
I would just obviously say that it can get difficult
at times with the workload and it is slightly
different. You do actually have to study for
the test is one major thing I've noticed because
they're with a lot of your grade, obviously.
And it is a little bit of a faster pace because
everything's in one semester rather than the
whole year. So I guess those are the types of
things that I would tell them. Teachers at the
high school will get on you if you have late
assignments. But here, you have to be very self
-motivated. So yeah, definitely those pieces
of advice I would give. Yeah. On the topic of
advice, what would you say is the best piece
of advice that you've ever been given? Maybe
by a family member or a friend or a professor
or teacher? I've been a perfectionist throughout
my life. So, yeah, no judgment. I used to get
really down about myself if I wasn't doing good
enough in my eyes and or if like I would get
critiques, especially when I did cheer at the
high school. That was hard because you're constantly
getting critiqued and constantly did not feel
like I was doing good enough in the sport. But
something my mom would always say to help me
after like hard practices would be if as long
as you're trying, then that's all you can do.
No one can really be mad at you if you're trying
your best and your hardest. And it's like you
can't do anything more than that. So you shouldn't
let it stress you out if you're not. Up to par,
even though you probably are. Right, right. And
the best person to be in competition with is
yourself. Yes, exactly. I'm very much like you.
We share that, you know, in being a perfectionist.
And I've mentioned this on the podcast before
that I came here thinking I have to get all straight
A's. I have to be, you know, the 4 .0 girl. No,
you don't. You know, you're here to learn, right?
If you knew everything, why are you wasting your
time coming here? Exactly. One of my very favorite
professors. said something to me once. I got
an 83 or something in her class on a project
and just fell to pieces because I was the 98
girl. And she said, Jen, there's something I
want you to keep in mind. Perfection is the enemy
of good. And that has really stayed with me.
You know, just because it's not perfect doesn't
mean it isn't great. So I'm really glad that
you're finding that out at your age. You know,
don't wait and be an old person like me to learn
that. Is there a favorite place here on campus
that you like to go to study or that you like
to hang out at? Or really, do you get to come
to campus much at all or are you more of a virtual
student? No, I come to campus fully for all my
classes. Fabulous. I do really like the resource
centers because sometimes if I get stuck on something,
it's really nice to just be able to go down there
and get help with it. And the fact that there's
cafes like everywhere is really nice. There's
coffee everywhere. I love coffee. I just did
a research paper on it and coffee is actually
good for you. So it's feeding my addiction. Probably
not 12 a day, but yeah. But yeah, I guess just
anywhere. that has coffee and food. Yeah, yeah.
Can you talk about your experience at the resource
centers? Maybe our listeners aren't familiar
with them and maybe you can share some info.
Basically, when I've always went down there,
there's always someone. You might have to wait
a little bit, but there's always someone that
can help you with what you're stuck on. And there's
science, math. english writing sections that
you can go to for help and it's really just a
great place if you ever get stuck or even if
you just want to go there to study and like like
even if you're not completely stuck and you just
need like a little bit of guidance or someone
to do it with there's usually something there
yeah We have really, really great student resources
like that. I'm a music major, and they even have
music people there. So if you get stuck on music
theory, just call them up. And then something
that I have found, and I don't know if our listeners
are familiar or if you guys are familiar in this
room, at the library, if you, and I've done this
a million times, they'll do Zoom calls with you,
or you can go, I guess, and see them, but I'm
more of a Zoom kind of girl, where you're like,
okay, here's all the resources for my paper.
I think it's all in MLA format. Is that correct?
And they're like, nope, that's not right. Fix
this. Nope, that's not right. Oh, you should
do this, you know. So it's this really valuable
source because that's difficult, you know, when
you're juggling between the formats and that
kind of thing. So I'm really glad that you gave
a shout out to the resources on this campus.
For anybody that's listening, just go to the
JCCC webpage. Those are very easy to find. And
yeah, as we're coming up closer to finals, I'm
sure those guys are getting booked up. So make
sure that you're getting on their schedules,
friends. Would you? this was not on our pre -planned
list of questions but I'm curious is there a
class that you've really really loved here that
has stood out to you as your favorite and and
if so why is that I think my favorite class so
far has been anatomy my teacher was incredible
I just I love what I've noticed is that I like
health care things and sciences and stuff I loved
learning about the different parts of the body
yeah and All the intricacies. How do you say
that? Intricacies? I don't know. But all the
different parts and how they all function together.
It's kind of crazy how everything works and we're
just born that way. Who do you have? I had Sandy
Brown. She was incredible. Oh, really? Are you
enjoying it too? She's great. Wow. I hate anatomy.
Really? How come? It just doesn't stick in my
brain. Yeah, she is. She is so nice. She'll like
talk to us. She even like would walk with us
to get coffee sometimes. Oh, wow. That's cool.
That's really cool. I mean, then when a professor
does something like that, you feel like they're
invested in you. You know what I mean? I have
professors like that, too, that talk to you and,
you know, want to know how your family's doing.
You know, I mean, it just feels really, really
good. And it kind of circles back to what we
were saying earlier about JCCC being such a supportive
place. is another fun question i like to surprise
my guests with um assuming you had unlimited
money time was not an option i'm sorry an object
forgive me no work no school no nothing a gajillion
dollars okay what would you do i would travel
everywhere nice really want to visit paris that's
on my bucket list i've never been to new york
i oh i love new york it's my favorite city in
the world favorite yeah i want to visit there
the winter i think really i will tell you it's
cold we went to thanksgiving it was cold yeah
i bet but i want to visit there paris um everywhere
in europe oh yeah Yeah, the pyramids in Egypt.
Oh, wow, in Egypt. Yeah. Wow. We went to New
York City right after the – well, actually, when
the tree, the Rockefeller tree was being lit.
And it's incredible. And then we went another
time on Tony night. So the Tonys were at Rockefeller
Center. And, like, there's Josh Groban just walking
right by. I'm like, oh, my God. You know, like,
because I'm from the Midwest. Celebrities don't
just go walking right by you. And we went on
a tour at Rockefeller Center. And Joss actually
bumped into my shoulder as he walked by. So I'm
like, thanks. And my daughter was like, Mom,
that's cool. I'm Jost. I'm like, dude, no. Oh
my God. Yes, it is. That's crazy. So yeah. Oh
yeah. You'll love New York. You'll love New York.
Just, it gets cold there. Take them gloves and
them scarves, my friend. Did you try their pizza?
Oh my God. Yes. Yes. Our favorite is, where is
it? It's in Hell's Kitchen. I'd have to think
about it. Shoot. I will send you an email when
I think of it. But yeah, Island Burgers is great.
So many great things to do. you can go online
and put your name in the raffle for SNL. We actually
went to Seth Meyers, but not the show, not the
Seth Meyers show. Before the show, and I think
Jimmy Fallon does this too, they put all of these
audience people in the middle of the auditorium
and all the writers are on the right. And they
put the fear of God in you and they're like,
look, Seth is going to come out and he's going
to do his routine for tonight. If it's not funny,
don't laugh. Because the writers are over there
taking notes, you know, like throw this joke
out, this joke is terrible. And so when we watched
it that night, we're like, oh my God, those are
the jokes that we heard. So that was really fun.
And I think Jimmy Fallon does it too. SNL does
two tapings, and I don't know if that's commonly
known. 8 .30 is their dress rehearsal, and you
can get tickets for that. And then, of course,
11 .30 is when it goes live, at least our time.
But, yeah, it's pretty cool. So go. Definitely
go to Rockefeller Center and check it out. I
think that's about all I had for you. Is there
anything that you'd like to share with our listeners
in the way of parting words? Just that JCCC is
a great place to be. All righty. Well, you heard
it here, friends. JCCC is a great place to be.
If you are studying for your finals right now,
we wish you all the luck and all the success.
Again, as we mentioned today, as we tape this,
which is Wednesday, it is beautiful outside.
So if you are able, get out and enjoy this beautiful
sunshine. Be well, be happy, have a great day
and a great week, not just a good day and a good
week. Does anybody know where that's from? I
got that off TikTok. Okay. All right, guys. Jen
and Rosalyn and Zach signing out. Be well. Bye.