November 7th, 2008
Greetings everyone, I am currently sitting in the Richmond International Airport as I write this and am about to embark on a weekend I’ll be sure to remember. My scholar group is traveling to New York City to stay in a Hilton in Manhattan, see “Faust” at the Metropolitan Opera, watch “In the Heights” on Broadway, and explore the city. I have yet to visit New York City with any type of decent funding whatsoever, so this is really exciting. I’ll post a blog all about what happens.
Since I’m short on time, I’ll keep this blog as short and sweet as I can. This past week was basically dominated by the election. Everywhere on-campus, there was activity and, since I’m in a Campaigns Living and Learning program, I was right in the midst of it all. There was an Election Night viewing party that I attended for a short while, but I ended up watching most of it on my own in my room before joining a few other friends in a pity party. I’m pretty sure that I had approximately seven tabs open on my computer at all times throughout the night. I finally called it a night at 4:00 AM after I determined the Minnesota Senate race would not be decided before the night was done. Now that it’s all over, I am so glad. If I see one more ad or campaign sign (including the ones my roommate has plastered all over the room) or opinion article on the election, I’ll probably flip out. Eighteen months is long enough.
One of my friends watching election results pour in on her computer
The battle between my roommate and suitemates reached full force this week
Another fun event was Jepson Olympics. After being inducted into the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, the upperclassmen plan events to welcome us. This specific event involved us meeting the other new Jepsonians and playing games such as Human Knot, Water Flip Cup, Pin the Tail on Thad, as well as several others. It was pretty fun.
Water Flip Cup at Jepson Olympics
Academically, I am officially done with my Three Weeks of Chaos. This week saw me complete an eight-page paper on the inequalities in education based on race for my Leadership Studies class as well as a ten-minute deliberative speech regarding organ donation for my Rhetoric class. These two things consumed a lot of time and I wound up staying up until 5:00 AM one morning, but I’m very pleased with how they went. I’ll try to post a video of my speech once it’s made available to me. The next four weeks should give me a very nice break academically and should entail very little homework. I’m very much looking forwards to this stretch.
Final notes about this week included me having a Collegiate Disaster Relief Team meeting and a Golden Key induction ceremony, of which I was just accepted. I also gave blood for the second time in my life. My first experience did not go according to plan, so I was a bit hesitant, but this time went well. Sure, I scared the nurse because I closed my eyes a lot (I don’t like to look at blood; my sister took all those genes in my family) and she held me a few extra minutes, but I felt few aftereffects (unlike the last time I gave blood). Finally, I absolutely must comment on the incredible weather that we’ve been experiencing. The leaves are turning and the colors are amazing. Our campus looks spectacular right now.
The fall colors seen on-campus
To celebrate the end of the week, I relaxed by participating in Nerf Wars again. Participants took over my entire residence hall in a Nerf gun war and it got very intense. I was officially the war-time photojournalist, but still saw my fair share of action.
Don’t I look intense as I guard the entrway?
My friends hunting down the enemy in our Nerf war
The Nerf war in full force
That’s all for now. My plane is boarding and I’m ready to give up on all work for the weekend so I can enjoy my much-needed break. Take care and I’ll share all of the fun details about my New York trip in my next blog.
Quote of the Week: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” -Abraham Lincoln
Thought to Ponder: Why does a dime have 118 ridges around the edge, but a quarter has 119?
Shout Outs: Jon the Intern
YouTube Video of the Week:
