Stauffer kept sane by the 432

Think your semester is busy? Imagine if you were a student who was involved in a varsity sport, active in on-campus theater productions and had 17 credit hours. Could you survive?

Michael Stauffer, an EMHS alum and currently a senior here at EMU, actually has that schedule this semester. "My life is crazy busy right now," said Stauffer, who is from New Market, Va. When asked how he was able to stay sane this semester, Stauffer didn't hesitate in saying that he couldn't imagine this semester "without the guys here at 432 E. Elizabeth Street."

The guys Stauffer mentions are his housemates Adam Savanick, Matt Ruth, Zach Bower and Mike Dezort. Together they make up what they call the 432--taken from the address--which is where Stauffer says he can relax. "The 432 keeps me sane really. The guys here know how busy I am and how frustrating it can be, so they're great about it. Sometimes they'll stay up late, waiting for me to get home so we can play Nintendo 64 (NFL Blitz, Smash Bros. or Mario Kart) or watch a movie which helps me unwind a little bit."

Stauffer quoted a Beatles lyric, "I get by with a little help from my friends," to describe the 432 and the impact they have on him. His recommendation to other students with full schedules is "to develop some amazing friendships" since they will "only make life easier...and more enjoyable. Everyone needs a personal 432."

Sanity might be hard to keep without his friends since his schedule is as jam-packed as it sounds. "I have 17 credits with six classes. I'm also playing soccer and I am in the current theater production of 'Fuddy Meers,' but I'm not taking those for credit. Soccer practice goes about two and a half hours a day, with two to three games a week normally. Play practice can be up to four hours a night, but usually is less than that. Both soccer and play practice are five to six days a week," said Stauffer, describing the hours allotted to each commitment he has every week.

With such a busy schedule, you may wonder if, given the chance to do it over, he would change anything. To that, he says that although his numerous activities can be overwhelming and time-consuming, the benefits of "great friends and memories" outweigh the negative.

The ever-busy Stauffer said that he has had a great semester so far in spite of the workload. He went on to say that "it's all about finding the balance between fun/making memories and actually getting some work done."

For those who interested in getting to know Stauffer, good luck. Between soccer practice, schoolwork, theater practice, sleep, and chilling with the guys in the 432, he is a hard person to find. It seems as if Facebook would be a good method to try: Stauffer admitted that he has "gotten quite caught up in the Facebook frenzy" which he claims is "great for eating up that little bit of time that I have left."