Quick update from NACA

Hi everyone! I'm currently in Minnesota at a conference called NACA (National Association for Campus Activities). It's a three day event and I am having so much fun! Well, I've got to run to a showcase, more to come, I promise!!

Weekend Recap

A lot happened this weekend, so it seemed easiest to just write about it in one chunk.

On Friday, I had class, Admissions, and then gave blood.  It went very well; it only took 6 and a half minutes to fill the required amount.  The nurse that was helping me said that I was below average, most people take 7-10 minutes to give blood.

For dinner, my friends and I headed to Hacienda Las Glorias, a popular restaurant in Cedar Rapids to celebrate my friend, Kristine's, 21st birthday.  We had a great time and the food was fantastic.  My Friday night concluded with some homework and relaxation.

On Saturday, it was Alison W's birthday and her dad was in town.  The three of us went to Iowa City for the day.  It was a beautiful day out and we just wandered around downtown.  It was a lot of fun, especially since the weather was so nice.

We got back to campus just in time to head over to Dows to watch Drood, the musical that opened on Friday night.  I had several friends in it, including my friend Luke, who has a prominent role.  Our theater does three performances a year (two in the fall and one in spring) with every other spring, performing a musical.  It was a musical year and the department chose Drood.  This musical is based on the mystery story Charles Dickens started to write shortly before his death.  The story was published in sections but he died before he was able to reveal who the murderer of Edwin Drood was.  The musical is interactive through the entire performance, and in the end, the audience gets to decide who the murderer was.  Our decision keeps the cast on their toes, which is fun to watch.  The performance was fantastic!  It was a little weird for me to see a musical without taking some part in it (I was either a member of the cast or in the pit for my high school's musicals), but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.  I'm disappointed that I won't be able to see another showing of it next weekend since I'll be out of town (more to come on that soon!).

My Sunday consisted of laundry (an essential part of my Sunday), homework, soaking up a little sun, and starting the first Budget and Finance Informational Meeting in preparation for Budget and Finance Day later in April.  It was busy, but not too busy.  Have a busy week ahead, but what's new?        

Iowa City Adventure!

On Thursday night, myself and some other members of Alpha Nu ventured to Iowa City for a reading.  Iowa City is a neat town, especially since it's a college town.  The college is a part of the city and the city is a part of the town.  There's a bookstore downtown that is beautiful called Prairie Lights.  They usually offer readings once or twice a week.  Alpha Nu decided to check one of them out.  The author was Kevin Mofett, who had just published another collection of short stories.  When we were there, we ran into Gordon, one of my favorite professors on campus, who said that Mofett taught for one semester at Coe about five or so years ago. 

Mofett's reading was hilarious.  His voice is strong and distinct.  I was laughing for most of the reading.  After about 45 minutes of one of his stories, he answered questions from the audience.  Then the reading was over.  The Alpha Nu gang meandered around the store and of course, many of us found something.  I picked up a book all about sonnets.  Yes, you may laugh at how nerdy that sounds.  But after my English Renaissance Poetry, History of English Literature, and Literary Analysis classes, poems are fascinating to me, especially sonnets.  This book talks about sonnets, has sonnets talking about sonnets, and also goes from the 16th century to the 20th century featuring some of the best sonnets of the time.  It was a bargain book and overall, a good deal.

I came back to Coe, energized and refreshed.  I love readings like that, because it inspires me to write, and refuels me to keep up with my schoolwork.  A good way to end the week. 

Flunk Day 2012

Hi everyone!  This week started off on an interesting note; Flunk Day happened on Monday.  Curious about what Flunk Day is?  Well, you could check out my post from last year.  Or keep reading and hear about my experience this year.

Flunk Day is a long standing Coe tradition, entering its 101st year of celebration.  It's a day where the Student Body President and Vice President from the previous term (so Justin and Kelly this year) cancel all classes and allow the student body to enjoy warm weather and a day of fun.  By 7 AM on the appointed Flunk Day, an email will be sitting in your inbox and people will be getting up to soak in the day.

This year, Flunk Day really caught everyone off guard, which is what should happen.  I woke up expecting classes and homework and instead, was treated to a day of sun and fun.  Alison P. and I went to Riley's for breakfast (a Flunk Day tradition we started last year).  Once we were back on campus, we hung out with more friends and had lunch (a cookout) on the Armstrong-Douglas quad.  The rest of the afternoon was blissful; Alison W. and I decided to grab a blanket and park out on the library quad.  After applying sunscreen, we soaked up the sun and kept adding more people to our group.  By the middle of the afternoon, we had 20 people laying on blankets and people watching with us.

After dinner, it was back to schoolwork.  I had Coe Review that night and we started to put the issue together!  I can't wait to see what it looks like.  Flunk Day 2012 was a huge success and a great way to start the week.

St. Patrick's Day Fun

Well, as you know, St. Patrick's Day was yesterday and boy, does Cedar Rapids know how to celebrate a day.  I was asked to march as a Coe student in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Cedar Rapids.  This parade is on its 37th year and over 10,000 line the parade route over a mile long to watch all the floats and people walk by.  My friends and I walked down to our staging area where we met other Coe students and finished decking ourselves out in green.  Around 1:30 PM we started marching and handing out candy to all the kids.  It was a lot of fun, although I ran out of candy a little before our route was over.

I finished my St. Patrick's Day by going to a Roughriders game.  They were playing a team from Green Bay and it was intense.  The score was 3-3 after three periods and then they played five minutes of overtime.  No one had scored after that so they went into a shootout.  The other team won.  But it was okay because the atmosphere and the excitement of the game was worth it.




 

Power Outage Adds to a Beautiful Day

For about three hours this afternoon, we lost power in most of our buildings on campus.  Luckily, it was gorgeous outside so many students ended up outside on freshly mowed green grass with blankets to enjoy the sunshine.  People threw around frisbees, footballs, or played pick up games of soccer and beach volleyball.  It sure was a nice way to spend part of my afternoon!  The power came back on a little after 4 PM and then we got internet back after dinner.  So it's back to the library (or the WC for me) for some studying before it gets too late!

Busy First Week Back

I feel like I've used the adjective "busy" so many times this semester.  But, it's the perfect word to describe how I am.  On Monday we dived right back into classes and I've just kept going.  The big news is that the Writing Center successfully moved from the Peterson Tunnel to the Gage Annex.  I forgot to bring my camera with me today so once I take some photos of our new space, I'll be sure to put them up here.  Personally, I like the new space and think we can do a lot with it.

Cedar Rapids has also had the most beautiful weather this week.  Shorts, skirts, and dresses are being worn and many students have elected to study on the sunny quad during the afternoon.  We can only hope this weather lasts!

Well, I've got to get a few things ready for my Senate meeting at 7.  Sorry for the short posting, I promise to post more soon!

Woah, Spring Break Flew By!

I can't believe it's already Friday.  It seems like just yesterday I was coming back to Wisconsin and in a little more than 48 hours I'll be leaving.  My Spring Break, although fast, was lovely.  I spent some quality time with my family and enjoyed sleeping in.  When I return to campus, there will be some changes.  The Peterson remodel is now underway and the ground around that lovely brick building will be a little torn up.  I guess I'll have to alter my tour path a bit to accommodate!  It's exciting that the remodel is underway and I can't wait to see what it will look like next fall.  The other thing that is changing is the location of the Writing Center.  During break, Physical Plant moved all our things from our home in the Peterson Tunnel to our new space in the Gage Annex.  I can't wait to see the new space although I will probably walk to downstairs to Peterson a few times before I get it into my head that I have to go to Gage instead!  I'll snap some new pictures and upload them once I get back.  

Happy Friday! :)

Spring Break 2012!

Well, I got through midterms and am back in Wisconsin enjoying snow!  It feels like it should be Winter Break and not Spring Break!  Oh, well, a break is a break in my book.

Even though I'm on break, I definitely won't be relaxing the entire time.  I've got some homework to do, things to get ready for my May Term adventure, and family and friends to see.  I will say that I have taken advantage of going to bed early and sleeping in!  It has been quite lovely.

But never fear, posts will still go up this week!  I'm in Wisconsin but there's always something happening at Coe!  

Music in Iowa City

On Wednesday night, Alison W. wanted to take me out for a day after birthday dinner celebration.  After my Senate meeting, we drove to Iowa City to see a concert and then grabbed some food.  The concert was an addition to our adventure but it was a concert I'm so glad we went to.  Alison plays the cello in Coe's orchestra and her director, Professor Dangerfield, suggested this concert for her to attend.  It was the University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra with special guests Wolfgang David, Timothy Gill, and Ksenia Nosikova.  Wolfgang and Tim were just recently at Coe and had a clinic with the orchestra.  Wolfgang plays the violin and Tim plays the cello.  Both are amazing; the sounds they produce from their instruments is unreal.  The concert was amazing.  I don't know if I can fully describe it in words.  It was moving and beautiful and wonderful.  We were all on our feet once it was over.

Post concert, Alison and I roamed around looking for food.  We discovered Sparti's Gyros in Coralville.  It was delicious!  Alison and I were definitely proud of our choice in food.  We eventually found our way back to campus; I did some homework before going to sleep.  

Birthday Celebrations!

In the WC with my cookie! :)

It was my 20th birthday on Tuesday and boy, did my friends do a fantastic job celebrating it with me.  My day started off with coffee at Brewed with Ariana and Peter.  Then it was off to Literary Analysis.  I brought biscotti to go with our coffee and we felt like typical English majors.  I had lunch with Alison P., talked to my parents, and then went to my Honors class.  After class, I spent time in the Writing Center and then had my usual Budget and Finance meeting.  In between meetings, I swung back to Brewed for more coffee with Whitney.  Next, my Alpha Nu meeting followed and finally, it was time for dinner.  Alison P., Anna, Ariana, and I ordered excellent Chinese food from Ting's Red Lantern.  We brought the food back to the Writing Center, ate it, and started homework.  Our dessert consisted of cupcakes and a giant cookies Ariana had picked up.  It was such an amazing birthday and am I lucky to have some wonderful friends.