48 episodes

University Communication’s own Dave Blanks wanders the earth over in search of answers to all of life’s questions... great and small. Okay, so he mainly stays on Appalachian State University’s campus... he still wanders though... and he definitely wonders as he wanders. Listen for silly asides and revolutionary revelations. Priceless.

Dave by the Bell Appalachian State University

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    • 5.0 • 9 Ratings

University Communication’s own Dave Blanks wanders the earth over in search of answers to all of life’s questions... great and small. Okay, so he mainly stays on Appalachian State University’s campus... he still wanders though... and he definitely wonders as he wanders. Listen for silly asides and revolutionary revelations. Priceless.

    048 What I Wish I’d Known: College Applications

    048 What I Wish I’d Known: College Applications

    Dave and App State's social media manager Ginny Scheer roam about Sanford Mall interviewing App State students to find out what they wish they had known way back when they were applying to college. Maybe don't procrastinate but chill out and follow your heart while not stressing...something along those lines anyway.  
     
     
    Transcript:
    Dave Hey folks! I'm Dave Blanks from University Communications back with Dave by the Bell. It's October. It's chilly. I'm out here with Ginny. She is the manager of our social media. We're interviewing App State students. We're talking to them about advice during the application process. What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
    Ginny ScheerMmhmm
    Dave So we’re out here on Sanford Mall. All right. Well, let's find somebody to talk to.
    Sarely Zavala-DuranI'm Sarely Zavala-Duran I'm from Indian Trail, North Carolina.
    Dave Saley?
    Sarely Zavala-DuranSara Lee like the bread company.
    Dave Sara Lee! Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee! All right. Sara Lee, are you a freshman here at App?   
    Sarely Zavala-DuranYes.   
    Dave You are. Okay. Well, when you were trying to choose a college, would there be a piece of advice that you might give to yourself, Sarely?
    Sarely Zavala-DuranYeah. It’s not that deep, honestly. You make a choice, choose what school you think is right, and if it doesn't work out, just change it. I know people that have dropped out from schools already that didn't like it. Just choose a school and go with it. Don't force yourself, but also just try to enjoy the time that you have here.
    Dave Nice. But we got you, right? I mean, like, you're officially a Mountaineer and you’re gonna stay?
    Sarely Zavala-DuranYeah I am! Right here on Sanford!
    GroupRoll Neers!
    Dave Roll Neers! Absolutely. All right. So I guess next, we'll ask you. Hey, what is your name?
    Maya TongueMaya Tongue.
    Dave Maya Tongue! Hey, nice to meet you. Where are you from?
    Maya TongueCanton, Georgia.
    Dave You heard my question to Saraley.
    Maya TongueJust know that it like not getting into a college doesn't mean you're stupid. I didn't get into UGA, and, like, that was really hard. But I love it here and I love the people I've met and it just makes me...
    Dave Look at em! They’re awesome!
    Maya TongueIt’s the right thing. It's meant to be here so...
    Dave What about this person looking at their phone? Maybe I could talk to them.
    Sam CrabtreeMy name is Sam Crabtree. I was clueless. All of middle school, all of high school. And it wasn't until senior year when the pandemic hit, when I was like, okay, this is where I want to be.
    Dave Okay, so if you could talk to yourself back then your senior year.
    Sam CrabtreeDon't overthink it and ask for help. There's always people around to offer some advice. I think I was like really scared about jumping into it, but it was a really simple process and as long as I had my parents and I know I could reach out to like admissions people and knew that they would offer some advice.
    Dave So this is Kaitlyn Witte. Kaitlyn, it's nice to meet you. Where are you from?
    Kaitlyn WitteI'm from Charlotte.
    Dave Okay, cool. How long have you been here at App?
    Kaitlyn WitteI'm in my freshman year, so only like two months.
    Dave So if you, Kaitlyn, could go back and give yourself a piece of advice, what would it be?
    Kaitlyn WitteI say just follow what I wanted to do versus what my friends want me to do and where they wanted me to go and just doing it for myself versus my friends.
    Dave Alleah, Hello.
    Alleah Trunzo Hi.
    Dave How's it going?
    Alleah Trunzo Good! How are you?
    Dave I'm good.
    Dave You got some Chick fil A?
    Alleah Trunzo Sustenance.
    Dave Need your sustenance.
    Dave So if you, Alleah, could go back and give yourself some words of wisdom.
    Alleah Trunzo I knew I wanted to go to an NC public university and I think I really did choose the best one for me because I really do love living here. I think even beyond being a student and just living here as an adult would be rea

    • 7 min
    047 What’s Next Graduate?

    047 What’s Next Graduate?

    Dave fumbles about campus somehow managing to find a bunch of seniors who are about to graduate. Dave grills them on their plans for the future! It’s every new graduate’s dream come true!

    • 11 min
    046 The Most Romantic Place on Campus

    046 The Most Romantic Place on Campus

     
     In this Valentine’s Day edition of Dave by the Bell, Dave and University Communications intern Madi chat it up with friendly passersby to get at the heart of this question — “What is the most romantic place on campus?”
     
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Hello, friends. I'm Dave Blanks from University Communications, and I was going to talk today about Valentine's Day. What we're going to do is ask students what the most romantic place in all of campus is. I was going to go see if Madi , our intern, wanted to come along. So, let's go do that.
    Hello.
     
    Madi:
    So, jacket?
     
    Dave Blanks:
    I'm not wearing a jacket, based on what you said. You said you got hot.
     
    Madi:
    Fine. We won't wear jackets.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Madi , no jackets for this one. There are romantic places on campus. We're walking right now by the-
     
    Madi:
    By the hand statue.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    ...church hand statue thing with the wheelbarrow. I don't think that's a place.
     
    Eliza:
    My name's Eliza.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    So Eliza, Valentine's is coming up. Did you know?
     
    Eliza:
    Yes, it is.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah, it is. Is that an exciting thing for you? A positive thing?
     
    Eliza:
    It is exciting.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah?
     
    Eliza:
    We're going to go up here.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay, let's go up here.
     
    Eliza:
    I got my first boyfriend a couple months ago, so this will be... We're going to go this way?
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah, let's go this way.
     
    Eliza:
    This will be my first Valentine's Day with someone.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Very sweet.
     
    Eliza:
    So it'll be fun.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Cool. Yeah, yeah. Are you a freshman at App?
     
    Eliza:
    Yes, I am.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    All right. Excellent. You're doing the whole college experience thing.
     
    Eliza:
    Yes, I am.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah. Good for you. Okay, so if you had to spend it on campus somewhere, where's the most romantic place?
     
    Eliza:
    I really like the duck pond.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah.
     
    Eliza:
    That little shelter.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Oh, yeah.
     
    Eliza:
    I think that's fun.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    All right.
     
    Eliza:
    Get bagels or something.
     
    Dave:
    Dude…the duck pond!
     
    Savannah:
    Savannah.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    If you had to pick one?
     
    Savannah:
    The duck pond.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    The duck pond?
     
    Savannah:
    I think it's cute.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    You think the duck pond?
     
    Savannah:
    Could be kind of cute. Yeah, you could do a little picnic or something.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Oh, okay. That's good. That was a good answer.
     
    Jacob:
    I'm Jacob. The solarium, maybe.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    You think the solarium?
     
    Jacob:
    Yeah.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    All right. Why the solarium?
     
    Jacob:
    There are a lot of plants and sunlight, I guess.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Right?
     
    Jacob:
    Yeah.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    What about outside?
     
    Jacob:
    It's cold.
     
    Derek Carter:
    I'm Derek Carter. A romantic place on campus?
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Right.
     
    Derek Carter:
    I'd probably just take her to my job, the cafe. Cascades.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Oh, yeah. Yeah. Cool. Right on.
     
    Derek Carter:
    They have a Valentine's Day drink, so I'll probably give that.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    What's the Valentine's Day drink?
     
    Derek Carter:
    It's like chocolate and strawberry.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    That sounds good. Is it expensive?
     
    Derek Carter:
    It's like $6.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    College student can swing that for Valentine's Day, right?
     
    Derek Carter:
    Yeah.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    All right. All right. Excellent.
     
    Evan Rice:
    I am Evan Rice. Okay. This is a curve-ball. Me and my girlfriend just broke up a week ago.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.
     
    Evan Rice:
    I'll probably just go for a picnic. I'd start here.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    We're on Sanford right now.
     
    Evan Rice:
    Yeah.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay.
     
    Evan Rice:
    Maybe a walk on the trail back there. End up at the baseball field.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah. Yeah.
     
    Evan Rice:
    What have other people said?
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Duck pond. How do you feel about duck pond?
     
    Evan Rice:
    That’s gross. Like you just get like wafts of smell. Does Gastown...
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah. Go to Gastown, dude.
     
    Evan Rice:
    Ye

    • 7 min
    045 Location! Location! Location!

    045 Location! Location! Location!

    In this only just barely adjacent to homecoming edition of Dave by the Bell, Dave and University Communications intern Madi chat it up with almost always friendly passersby and pose the question, "If you could live anywhere on campus that was not a residence hall, where would you live?"   
     
     
    Transcript:
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Madi, you're our intern.
     
    Madi:
    I am.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    And we're going to do a Dave by the Bell.
     
    Madi:
    We are.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    What are we talking about?
     
    Madi:
    Well, did we decide what we're talking about?
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah, yeah. I think we finally landed on an idea.
     
    Madi:
    Did we land on the roommate idea?
     
    Dave Blanks:
    No, we're not doing the roommate idea.
     
    Madi:
    Oh.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    But we will do that one in the future.
     
    Madi:
    Okay.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    No, no, no. We're not going to do the roommate. We're going to do-
     
    Madi:
    If you could live anywhere on campus.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yes.
     
    Madi:
    That's not your residence hall/dorm room...
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Right.
     
    Madi:
    ...where would you live and why?
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah, that was it. Good job. Perfect. So, yeah. Do you want to go to Sanford Mall?
     
    Madi:
    I sure do.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay, let's do that.
    I usually just find a person and go, "Hey, excuse me." Like this guy.
     
    Madi:
    Hey, you want to be in our podcast?
     
    Anonymous Solarium Lover:
    No, that's okay.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Oh, come on man. Do you want to hear the question and then say yes or no.
     
    Anonymous Solarium Lover:
    Okay.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    All right. All right. So the question is, if you could live somewhere on campus, where would it be and why? So is there a little spot that's your spot? That's your go-to?
     
    Anonymous Solarium Lover:
    Oh, God. The Solarium.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah. Okay.
     
    Anonymous Solarium Lover:
    I love that.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Why would you live in the Solarium?
     
    Anonymous Solarium Lover:
    It's very peaceful.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Right?
     
    Anonymous Solarium Lover:
    I really like it.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Right.
     
    Anonymous Solarium Lover:
    It's very calming.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    It's like the opposite of this moment.
     
    Anonymous Solarium Lover:
    Yes, exactly.
     
    Quin Hernandez:
    I'm Quinn Hernandez. There's a little lookout up by Greenwood.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay.
     
    Quin Hernandez:
    I like looking over it, specifically in the wintertime, because the snow makes it really bright and you can ... The stadium lights up everything.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay. All right. You would live up there?
     
    Quin Hernandez:
    Yeah.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Because it's beautiful.
     
    Quin Hernandez:
    Yeah, it's really pretty up there.
     
    Madi:
    What a lovely answer.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    I know. That was so good.
     
    Madi:
    She was ready.
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    I'm Andrea Martinez. Ooh. I would probably live at Walmart.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Wait, wait, wait. That's not on campus. Andrea.
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    Technically it's not, but it is
     
    Dave Blanks:
    It's on the Appalcart stop.
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    Yes.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    So in that respect, I mean, it is definitely a part of your student life, right?
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    Yeah, definitely.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay. But with all the options, explain to me why you would live at Walmart.
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    Well, I mean, it's just a place I frequent a lot.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay.
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    But it's also got everything.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay.
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    You've got a TV.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Yes.
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    You've got blankets, you've got food. It's the perfect place.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    I knew you were thinking like that. It's very practical of you. All right. Well, thank you for your answer and have a great day. Are you headed ... Where you headed?
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    I'm heading to the bus stop, actually.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    Are you going to Walmart?
     
    Andrea Martinez:
    I am going to Walmart.
     
    Dave Blanks:
    No way. Oh, my. That's funny.
     
    Phillip Lavey:
    I'm Phillip Leavy. Chapel Wilson, second floor, I guess. That's where the theater department kids seem to hang out. That

    • 11 min
    044 Move in Vibes 2022

    044 Move in Vibes 2022

    Dave and photographer Kyla strike out to interview first year students and their helpful parents as they move in to Thunder Hill Hall on the beautiful campus of Appalachian State University.
     
     
    Transcript:
    Dave Blanks:
    Hey folks, how's it going? I'm Dave Blanks from University Communications. Today on Dave by the Bell, I'm going to be talking to people who are moving into Thunder Hill, trying to figure out what the moment's like for them. Maybe talk to parents, maybe talk to students. Also, get an idea of what their aspirations and hopes are for the coming year. That's the plan. Let's do it.
    All right. There's a lot of folks in here. We're actually going in one of the residence halls. This is Thunder Hill, I do believe. Yeah, that's correct. We have a lot of folks. You've been taking pictures of move in day, Kyla, and those will probably be some of which will end up on our Facebook page.
    Kyla:
    Facebook and Instagram.
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I don't like it in here.
    Kyla:
    It is chaotic.
    Speaker 3:
    Excuse me.
    Kyla:
    Yeah, no problem. Yeah, let's go upstairs.
    Dave Blanks:
    Let's go upstairs.
    Tia Proctor:
    I'm Tia Proctor. It is so exciting. I'm just ready to get everything in and get everything sorted and stuff. And then just go explore the campus and just go to King Street-
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah.
    Tia Proctor:
    ... and just have fun.
    Dave Blanks:
    When you look forward to the coming year, what is something that you're anticipating?
    Tia Proctor:
    I'm excited for game days.
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah. Awesome.
    Tia Proctor:
    And learning about business and going through the business college and stuff.
    Dave Blanks:
    Cool. Tia, thank you so much for your answers. I really appreciate you. You passed with flying colors. Good job. Yeah.
    Tia Proctor:
    Thank you.
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah.
    Tia Proctor:
    Yeah. Good one.
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay. And who is this? Your roommate?
    Tia Proctor:
    Yes.
    Dave Blanks:
    Hello? What is your name?
    Maddie Henry:
    Maddie Henry.
    Dave Blanks:
    Hey Maddie, how's it going?
    Maddie Henry:
    It's good. How are you?
    Dave Blanks:
    I'm good. How's your room? It looks pretty cool to me.
    Maddie Henry:
    It is amazing.
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah.
    Maddie Henry:
    I was expecting so much less actually.
    Dave Blanks:
    Right.
    Maddie Henry:
    And I'm so excited that we got our own bathroom.
    Dave Blanks:
    Okay. Maddie, what's the moment like for you right now? What's the feeling?
    Maddie Henry:
    Nervous, excited, everything. I just want to get everything unpacked and be settled in, have everything go smoothly.
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah. Well, has it been so, so far so good?
    Maddie Henry:
    So far so good except for the rain.
    Dave Blanks:
    I know, but at least you're inside right now. Right? Did you get everything in before it started really coming down?
    Maddie Henry:
    My parents are actually out there.
    Dave Blanks:
    Oh no. Your poor parents. All right. Well, shout out to Maddie's parents.
    Maddie Henry:
    Yeah.
    Dave Blanks:
    Be strong.
    Maddie Henry:
    I'm from Pennsylvania, so I'm very excited to just meet new people. Get a fresh start and make a lot of friends.
    Dave Blanks:
    Tia and Maddie, good luck. We're happy to have you as new Mountaineers.
    Maddie Henry:
    Thank you.
    Dave Blanks:
    All right. Bye y'all.
    Silas Dickerson:
    I am Silas Dickerson. I got here about 15 minutes ago. It feels great. Yeah, I'm ready to be here. I'm just ready to be more independent.
    Jennifer Leaver:
    Hi, I'm Jennifer Leaver.
    Dave Blanks:
    Who are you helping move in here today?
    Jennifer Leaver:
    My daughter, Lauren.
    Dave Blanks:
    Is this your first kid to come to college?
    Jennifer Leaver:
    No, I have a son in Boulder, in Colorado.
    Dave Blanks:
    All right.
    Jennifer Leaver:
    It's been nice to have her close by.
    Dave Blanks:
    When you look forward to Lauren's first year, what is it that you're excited about for her?
    Jennifer Leaver:
    Just meeting new people, finding her tribe of friends, and big football games, because she didn't have a school that was oriented around that and-
    Dave Blanks:
    Yeah. She's definitely got t

    • 9 min
    043 In like a lion...

    043 In like a lion...

    On this March-centric Dave by the Bell, University Communications' Dave Blanks asks Appalachian students to finish the old adage, "In like a lion out like a..." He also discovers what they are planning for spring break.
     
     
    Transcript
     
    Dave Blanks: Hey, folks, I'm Dave Blanks from University Communications back once again with a Dave by the Bell, and on this edition it's March, the month of March. In like a lion, out like a... Right? Out like a lamb is the saying. On this podcast we're going to talk to Appalachian State students and ask them to finish the sentence, "In like a lion, out like a..." and then hopefully they'll come up with something silly. I don't know. We'll see what happens.
    Dave Blanks: Well, so for today to be like a lion day, it's really nice outside. Whoop, I said that and then I got outside and it's a little chilly, but it's really pretty. A lot of people with short sleeves. Surely we'll find some people to talk to.
    Robert Armstrong: I'm Robert Armstrong. I'd say I'm a lamb.
    Dave Blanks: You think a lamb? And why do you believe you're a lamb?
    Robert Armstrong: A little meek, honestly.
    Dave Blanks: All right. Okay, cool. So also, what are you doing for spring break?
    Robert Armstrong: I'm going to Chicago and watching a hockey game.
    Dave Blanks: Sweet. Are you from Chicago?
    Robert Armstrong: No. A lot of my family is though.
    Dave Blanks: Oh, cool. Well, enjoy yourself.
    Robert Armstrong: Thank you.
    Dave Blanks: Hockey in Chicago for spring break.
    Emily Stasiak: I'm Emily Stasiak.
    Dave Blanks: In like a lion, out like a...
    Emily Stasiak: ... tiger.
    Dave Blanks: That's two tigers in a row. Yeah. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Maybe that's why. No, it's in like a lion, out like a lamb.
    Emily Stasiak: Oh. I would say I'm more of a lamb. More innocent and I don't feel like I'm big enough to be a lion.
    Dave Blanks: Do you think you'll grow into being a lion?
    Emily Stasiak: Maybe eventually, but not right now.
    Dave Blanks: Well, I hope you maintain your lambness for as long as you can. And where are you going for spring break?
    Emily Stasiak: I'm going home. I'm just going to work.
    Bryan Gertz: Yeah, I'm Brian Gertz.
    Dave Blanks: So Brian, it is March and there's an old saying that goes along with March, and I want you to try to finish the saying. You may be familiar. In like a lion, out like a...
    Bryan Gertz: ...lamb.
    Dave Blanks: Good job. The first one to get it so far. All right, a check mark for Brian. So would you say, Brian, that you are more of a lion or more of a lamb and why?
    Bryan Gertz: I'm a lion because I'm a go-getter. I'm always working. I'm always hustling, never really lay down for anything.
    Dave Blanks: What are you doing for spring break?
    Bryan Gertz: Oh, spring break I'm heading over to Wrightsville Beach. Heading down the mountain.
    Dave Blanks: Cool. What are your plans there, what?
    Bryan Gertz: I'm going to hang out on the beach, dip my toes in the sand. All the good stuff.
    Dave Blanks: Nice. You got to take a break from the hustling sometimes. Thanks, Brian.
    Bryan Gertz: Yeah, take it easy.
    Nikki Parker: I'm Nikki Parker. I don't know. A cat? I don't know.
    Dave Blanks: Out like a cat?
    Nikki Parker: I don't know.
    Dave Blanks: Okay. Well, okay. So, in like a lion, out like a lamb. Do you think that you are more of a lion or a lamb?
    Nikki Parker: I don't know. Probably a lion because a lot of people just say I'm intimidating with my personality, so I just feel like that's probably it.
    Dave Blanks: What are you doing for spring break?
    Nikki Parker: I'm just going home to spend time with my family.
    Tayah Hichue: I'm Tayah Hichue. I don't know. I'd say lamb. I'd like to think I'm more gentle.
    Dave Blanks: Yeah. All right, cool. And the last part, what's spring break look like for you?
    Tayah Hichue: I think I'm going to go cave camping.
    Dave Blanks: What? Where?
    Tayah Hichue: Worleys Cave.
    Dave Blanks: Where's that?
    Tayah Hichue: It's in Tenness

    • 14 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
9 Ratings

9 Ratings

Gameebrobro ,

He DOES have a Micarophone

Whenever I have the burning question about life in Boone. The best days to wear my white jeans. The best times to go to Fat Catz. The most ping pong tournament times posted on the Huey Hall bathroom door. The information about “The Sign.” Daniel Boone, that old flint-faced hee-haw biscuit selling goat herder. The Doc Watson talks about the roofing he did. I know Billy Blanks won’t sell me no tells outside the school house. Billy Blanks ain’t like that. He has a lot of arrowheads. I’ve seen em.

basicallyerin ,

It’s a good one!

Local celebrity Dave blanks is back at it casting the pods and spinning tales of college life. Funny and heart warming and down right educational. They don’t call him Dave blanks for nothin! #yassss

Ol Slip ,

Like Looking at Old Pictures and Listening to Tori Amos

This is without a doubt the best App State podcast. Dave, aka The King of Boone, brings humor and levity to many of the important topics concerning ASU students today. The more outlets students have for their voices, the richer their experience at App will be. I only wish episodes were produced more frequently. As an engaged alumnus, I enjoy this glimpse into modern day student life as captured by the hilarious and warm Dave Blanks.

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