Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!


I am heading home today for Thanksgiving Break! We have classes tomorrow, but I have an appointment at the Spanish Consulate in Spain to obtain my Visa for studying abroad next semester! It's hard to believe it's Thanksgiving Break already! When we come back we will have two weeks of classes and then it's finals week! The semester is just flying!

I hope you all have a fun-filled and relaxing Thanksgiving!




Monday, November 24, 2008

Winter Wonderland!

Last night campus was transformed into a beautiful Winter Wonderland with five inches of snow! I think the campus looks gorgeous with the fresh layer of snow, and it puts us all in the Holiday Spirit! Friday night, Untied, an all-male vocal group made up of six upperclassmen, performed a benefit concert to raise money for the Santa Squad, a non-profit organization started by a junior at Ripon to raise money and purchase toys for children. At the concert Friday night they raised over $600!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! We have classes until Wednesday this week, but I'm heading home tomorrow and then down to Chicago on Wednesday to apply for my Student Visa to study abroad next semester! But the break isn't going to be very relaxing with all the homework I have to do! The last two weeks of class I have two presentations, two papers, a Spanish composicion, and an exam! Then it's finals week. :(

But if the scenery stays like this I think I'll be able to manage! Check out the beautiful sights around campus!













Thursday, November 20, 2008

Something for Everyone!

There are so many activities going on this week around campus! I have to write them all in my planner so I make sure I get to everything I want to do! All week, the Office of Community Engagement has been sponsoring Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week including activities such a food drive, the opportunity for students to build a cardboard shack and sleep in it tomorrow night on the Village Square, an "Empty Mugs" pottery sale at Vox Coffee on Saturday, and also a trip on Saturday to volunteer with a food drive at the Council of Spanish Speaking Milwaukee (which I'm attending! :))!

Tonight, there are a TON of great things happening!

- Open Mic Night in the Terrace

- Ripon College Professors are leading a discussion about the country's current economic state
- The Sociology club will be having its FIRST meeting

- The Residence Life Staff of Tri Dorms, Johnson, and the Senior Apartments are hosting a night of scarf-making in the Johnson main lounge

- The Student Education Assocaition (SEA) is having a meeting tonight

- The Student Volunteers for the Blue Mountain Project is having a meeting tonight


--Christy

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

America's Next Top Model could be a Ripon College student!

Tonight, as many of you may know is the season finale of America's Next Top Model! There is a lot of excitement on campus as we root on our fellow classmate, Brittany "McKey" Sullivan! She is a sophomore here at Ripon and in the final three competing for the title of America's Next Top Model! At least for the girls on campus tonight is as exciting as the Super Bowl! :)

Here are a few of McKey's past photos:

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The weather outside is frightful...

Yesterday it was snowing all morning, and when I woke up today I was happy to see the light dusting of snow still on the ground! Hopefully today's sunshine doesn't melt it away!
Yesterday I had two exams and a quiz and I am so thankful they are over! Now I can concentrate on my papers and presentations I have to prepare for several of my classes! It never ends!

Today I only have one class, then I'm selling Autism Awareness t-shirts for Psi Chi during lunch at the commons. This is the second chance to buy t-shirts; during the first sales we raised over $600 for Autism Speaks, a foundation to raise awareness and fund Autism research.


--Christy

Thursday, November 13, 2008

And the crown goes to...

Last night was Ripon College’s second annual fund raiser for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. It was put on by the Communication Department and raised over $3,000! It was full of entertainment with competitors trying to win the title, and prizes, of Mr. Ripon! Contestants showed off their skills--dancing, singing, and telling jokes, but in the end there was only one Mr. Ripon. A senior took home the crown!

Today is a very relaxing day for me...I don't have any classes! I work for a couple hours and then I'm participating in a psychology study, after that the day is mine to work on homework and catch up laundry!

This afternoon Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and The Environmental Group of Ripon are sponsoring a presentation by Ripon Alum, Steve Sandstrom, entitled "Global Climate and the American Consumer: How You Can Make a Difference." It should be very interesting and educational! In addition, tonight the Spirituality Association of Ripon (SARC) and Campus Cristian Fellowhip (CCF) are presenting Sister Lynne Smith of the Benedictine Abbey in Madison (an ordained Presbyterian minister), who will speak on the work of her religious community to restore the environment. She will also explain how she, a Protestant pastor, came to be a Catholic nun.
Peace,
Christy

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The ending of another season

This past weekend was the Conference Tournament at St. Norbert College. At the end of the regular season the top four teams make it to the conference tournament, where they play to see who will move on to the first round of the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Tournament. We were the number three seed and played the number two seed, Beloit College, in a tough match Friday afternoon. We lost in three sets, 15-25, 18-25, 25-27. After staying to watch the Championship match on Saturday, I went with my parents to catch the last quarter of the football game at Lawrence University. The boys won 42-14!

I went home with my parents Saturday night and went to the Packer-Viking game in Minneapolis on Sunday! What a game! It was a tough last-minute loss, but it was a fun game!

Today, in honor of Veterans' Day, Ripon College Republicans and ROTC will be sponsoring a Veterans' Day Celebration at 7 pm in Great Hall.

--Christy

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

What a day!

Today is an exciting day around campus! The College Democrats and the College Republicans along with Student Activities Committee are offerinf rides to the polls, but I'm going to walk and enjoy this beautiful weather! It's a balmy 70 degrees! I love it!

Over lunch, I went to a study-abroad luncheon where students that traveled to Spain last semester met with students who are going next semester. It was very informative and has made me even more excited "ir a Madrid"!

I was recently invited to join Psi Chi, the national honor society in Psychology. Psi Chi was founded for the purposes of encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship, and advancing the science of psychology. Receiving an invitation to Psi Chi is a great honor! In order to be eligible you must have had 9 completed semester hours in psychology, have declared a psychology major or minor, have a GPA of at least 3.0 in psychology and a 3.0 overall, and must be ranked within the top 35% of your graduating class! So I am very excited to have been invited to join Psi Chi!

This weekend's Halloween festivities were so fun! Merriman had a Haunted House open to students after donating a canned food item for the Food Shelf. It was a spooky good time and for a great cause as well!

Also this weekend, the Red Hawk Volleyball team beat Lake Forest College and earned the number 3 seed in the Conference tournament coming up next weekend! It was a great match and a great end to the regular season!

--Christy