Ben, ‘11

February 15, 2009

The weekend may be over, but that still doesn’t mean I’ve recovered. It was quite the weekend for two distinct reasons. One is that I am on leadership for InterVarsity, one of the religious organizations on-campus. My main responsibilities include planning and coordinating the social activities for the chapter. One of the biggest ones of the year is a Valentine’s Dinner and that was this past weekend. While many students and myself celebrated Singles Awareness Day (S.A.D), Valentine’s Day is still a big deal. Not for romance and roses and chocolates, but for the Valentine’s Dinner. The men of InterVarsity throw an elegant dinner for the women of InterVarsity at an off-campus church in order for us to show our appreciation for them.

I was in charge of the planning this year. So, I went grocery shopping for four hours Friday morning. Then, I spent eight hours on Friday evening doing food prep work. I finally left the church at 2:00 AM. The head chef cut himself and had to go to the ER, there were numerous menu complications and alterations, and we were short on help at times, but we pulled off the dinner on Saturday evening. I took over the vegetables and desserts after some initial mishaps and I used recipes from home to create some tasty replacements. We served an appetizer of deviled eggs as well as an Italian salad. The main meal was bacon-wrapped chicken strips and honey glazed carrots on a bed of rice. To complete the meal, there was an option of a chocolate mint brownie or a blueberry cake. I was so proud that my carrots and desserts got such great reviews. Who says that men can’t cook? I think we did a fantastic job. After the dinner, there was a dance, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. All told, I spent twenty hours in the kitchen this weekend either cooking or cleaning. It was a loooooong weekend and I am utterly exhausted. However, I think the women really enjoyed it.

The men hard at work in the kitchen

InterVarsity Valentine’s Day Dinner

The dance after the dinner

The other main event from this weekend was a lecture on Friday afternoon. John Bolton, the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and current conservative think tank member, visited campus to discuss the foreign policy challenges facing the Obama administration. Even though it was open to everyone, it was a very intimate setting with only ten or so students present in addition to many Leadership and Political Science faculty. It wasn’t well-advertised, but I was very excited at the chance of seeing such a prominent figure. Not only did I hear him talk, but I also said two chairs away from him. It was a very cool experience. So, between the Valentine’s Day Dinner and the John Bolton talk, I can say that it was quite the weekend.

Quote of the Week: “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”- Thomas Jefferson
Thought to Ponder: Do siamese twins pay for one ticket or two tickets when they go to movies and concerts?
YouTube Video of the Week: