A Dickens of a Weekend!

This past weekend was Dickens of a Christmas in Historic Downtown Ripon! Dickens of a Christmas is a Victorian-themed Christmas festival as a tribute to the stunning Victorian architecture and homes throughout Ripon. It features something for everyone: Living Windows in downtown businesses on Friday evening, carriage rides through Historic Downtown Ripon, a Tour of Homes on Saturday, Dickens of a Quilt Show, Enchanted Forest of trees sponsored by area organizations, an International Gift Market, Breakfast with Santa and much more! It is fun to see all of my friends in the Living Windows and it always puts me in the Holiday Spirit!

This year there Las Posadas was also part of the Dickens tradition. Las Posadasis a Christmas tradition in many Spanish-speaking countries which reenacts the Biblical Mary and Joseph’s search for lodgings in Bethlehem. There was a reenactment, caroling, traditional foods of Spanish-speaking countries, and a Latino DJ! What fun!


The pressure of the end of the semester is building...this is our last week of classes, then next week it's finals week! So much to do!



The weather forecast for today is 3-4" of snow in additon to the 5" we got yesterday! All I have to do is study, so let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!





--Christy

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!

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!

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

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:

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

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

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

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

Where has the time gone?!

Hello! I am sorry it has been so long since my last post! The time has just run away from me! First, it was midterms week and then I spent Fall Break in Texas on a volleyball trip! It has been a hectic few weeks!

Texas was a BLAST! It was nice to be out in the warm sunshine! We went on an African Safari, ate dinner at a Medieval Times Castle, visited the JFK Museum, did some shopping, and of course, played lots of volleyball!

The volleyball season is coming to a close, sadly. We had our last home game of the season last night, where we lost to St. Norbert's in four sets. Saturday, we play at Lake Forest College in Illinois, and if we win we will be the number three seed heading into the Conference Tournament next weekend! Only the top four teams go, so it would be very exciting!

This weekend is Halloween--my favorite holiday! :) This afternoon I'm going to Goodwill to try and find a last-minute costume! There are plenty of Halloween festivities happening around campus: Theta Sigma Tau is hosting a Halloween Party at the Union tomorrow night and Merriman fraternity is having a Haunted House Saturday night! I am so excited...let the tricks, treats, and hauntings begin! :)

T.G.I. Friday AND Homecoming Weekend!

I am so the weekend is almost here! Today was a very stressful day: I had two exams, a quiz, and corrections for a composicion due! So...last night I took a study break at midnight to make a Kwik Trip run for caffeine and ice cream treats! I didn't go to bed until 2 AM and I got up at 7 AM to study some more before my first exam at 9! So I am runnign on a solid five hours of sleep! I have one more class today, from 2:30-3:40, then I have to run and lift for volleyball, and then the weekend is all mine!

Tonight I am going out to dinner with some of the girls and then SMAC is showing fireworks over Upper Sadoff at 9:15 PM! I'm so excited! What a great way to kick off the weekend!

Then tomorrow the football game is at 1 PM against Beloit College, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is performing at Storzer at 7:30 PM, and Magdalen Hsu-Li will be performing in the Terrace at 8:30 PM!

So much to do this weekend...including studying for midterms next week... :(

Happy Homecoming! GO RED HAWKS!!

--Christy

Give up my cell phone for a day?!

In my Intro to Sociology class we are studying deviance. Deviance does not necessarily have to be something bad, just something outside your norms. On the first day of the unit our professor, who normally wears pumps and business attire, was sitting in the front of the class wearing sweatpants and a hoodie with her feet up the the table! That was her form of deviance, but today is a chance for the students to be deviant! For 10 EXTRA credit points, we had to lock up our cell phones in her office for 12 hours. So as of 9:15 this morning I am going on 45 minutes without my cell phone! I think it will be good for me though; I have two exams to study for today, so I won't be distracted by calls or text messages! :)

On the court last night, the volleyball team beat Lawrence University in 4 sets: 16-25, 25-19, 25-15, and 25-23! It was also Senior night, so we, juniors, had to plan the night! Yesterday Sara and I were running all over town, getting balloons and bouquets of flowers for our five wonderful seniors! But everything went very smoothly and the seniors and their parents really appreciated it!

Today from 3-4 pm there is an Alumni Panel on Graduate School, followed by a panel of Alumni Attorneys, who will speak in detail about careers in various legal fields. This is a great opportunity to learn about graduate school admission process, programs, and the GRE.

Also tonight, Ripon College's Ethical Leadership Program is sponsoring a forum to discuss Wisconsin’s Drinking Age and the Amethyst Initiative. The Amethyst Initiative is a statement signed by 129 college presidents, including Ripon College’s President David Joyce, that does not prescribe a particular policy change but states the signatories' belief that the legal drinking age of 21 is not working as well as the public may think, that its unintended consequences are posing increasing risks to young people, and that it is time for a serious debate among our elected representatives about whether current public policies are in line with current realities. The forum is intended to open the discussion about Wisconsin’s legal drinking age as well as encourage student, faculty and community participation to bring forth as many positions, beliefs and questions as possible. It should be a very interesting and well-needed discussion.

--Christy

Homecoming Week!

This week is Homecoming Week at Wild Wild Ripon and there's a great line-up of events! The week kicked off on Saturday with a brat fry at the soccer game. Yesterday campus organizations grabbed thier paintbrushes and painted the windows of the commons, and today SMAC sponsored Monday Music Madness in the Pub during lunch. On Thursday, comedian Chad Daniels will be at the Terrace. Friday there is a Fireworks show on Upper Sadoff and Couch Potato Playoffs, and Saturday is the Parade and the Big Game! The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is also performing Saturday night at 7:30 in the Rodman Center.

Homecoming week is a fun week to show our school spirit and attend activities around campus! GO RED HAWKS!!!

--Christy

Madrid, Here I Come!

Today I received my acceptance letter from the Academic Year Abroad - Madrid Program! Now the next step is filling out an academic questionnaire, a health/insurance questionnaire, a housing questionnaire, and signing a contract for payment...

I am so EXCITED!!! :)

Working Hard...or Hardly Working?

Today is my "day off" so to speak! I don't have any class, so I am going to use my time to walk a few blocks to Ripon Drug and pick up a few things and then cruise over to the Thrift Store and see if I can find any treasures! It's kind of chilly, but definitely worth it! Maybe I'll even stop in at Vox Coffee for a sip of heavenly warmth! :-) After my shopping, I'll probably cook up a little lunch with Nick, and then decide if I want to do some homework or consider taking a little nap! This cold, cloudy weather is not good for my spirit! All I want to do is stay inside and sleep the day away! Especially since Plant Department turned the heat on in all the buildings on campus yesterday!

Even though I'm hardly working today, the construction crew is hard at work, tearing up the streets of Elm and Seward! I think the students are ready for the project to be done...the construction crew starts long before any college student ever wants to be awake! But the project should move quickly; the goal completion date is the first snowfall...which I hope is not coming any time soon! Here are some pictures of the current campus conditions!

--Christy

Peace, Party, and Volleyball

Today I went to a presentation by Dr. Ann Frisch of the Nonviolent Peaceforce. Dr. Frisch is a retired professor from the University of Oshkosh, who is now a member of the US Fundraising Board and a returned international civilian peacekeeper. She talked a lot about her organization, Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP), which is a nonpartisan unarmed peacekeeping force composed of trained civilians from around the world. I am very interested in Peace Studies, after taking a Peace Studies Maymester and traveling to Hagley Gap, Jamaica last spring. I spoke with Dr. Firsch after her presentation about internship opportunities and I hope to be in contact with her in the future.

Tonight for dinner, Student Activities is sponsoring a Block Party to celebrate the closing of the streets! WRPN FM, Ripon's own radio station, will be providing the music, Student Activities will provide chalk for drawing on the roads, and dinner will be served outside too! What a great way to celebrate!

This weekend, the Red Hawk volleyball team went 2-0 against Grinnell and Knox! Putting us at 3-1 in conference and 7-9 overall. This week we are getting ready for our conference match against Beloit on Saturday...

--Christy

A Greener Campus!

Today work is set to begin on removing two streets that run through campus: Seward and Elm Streets. The removal of these two streets will make camus greener and more pedestrian and bike friendly. This is such an exciting time to be a student at Ripon College! In the two short years I have been on campus, I have seen so many positive changes: the remodeling of the Pub, the building of the Senior Apartments, rennovation of Todd Wehr building, addition of field turf on the football field, rennovation of the Pickard Commons to create more space for students and student organizations...and now this! I can't wait to see how the new, "green" campus will look!

This weekend we have two home volleyball games, against Knox and Grinnell. Going into the second week of conference play, we are 1-1, and ready to mark up two more wins! Also happening this weekend: Mentalist Wayne Hoffman will be on campus tomorrow night, Capture the Flag tournamnet sponsored by Kappa Delta sorority and showing of "Get Smart" on Saturday.

This weekend is also Family Weekend, so tomorrow's classes are open to parents! There are informational sessions about the History of RC, Updates about what's happening on campus, Off-Campus programs, and Seed Collecting with Professor Skip Wittler! It's sure to be a great autumn weekend!

Enjoy it!

--Christy

Weekend Roadtrip!

This weekend marked the start of conference play for the Red Hawk volleyball team! And what better way to start off the season than with a 7 hour road trip to Illinois College and Monmouth College, two schools in the Southern part of the Midwest Conference. We left Thursday night and arrived at our hotel in Jacksonville, Ill. at 2:30 AM! It might have been a long trip, but it was very comfortable! We watched movies, listened to music, slept, and of course, did homework!

We opened Friday night with an awesome win against IC, then lost to Monmouth on Saturday. My mom drove down from Minnesota to watch the games, which I loved! I rode back with her Saturday after the game and was abel to spend some time at home and see my family.

Today, my Spanish professor, Dr. Fuerch, is holding a meeting for all students interested in studying abroad in Spain next semester! I have already sent in my application and am excited to learn more about study abroad! The program I am going through is called Academic Year Abroad. It's program is located in Madrid, but there are also programs in Toledo, Sevilla, and Alicante.

Not to mention all of the other study abroad programs Ripon offers:

-Botswana
-Budapest
-Costa Rica
-Argentina
-Florence, Italy
-Montpellier, France
-Paris, France
-Bonn, Germany
-Turkey
-India
-Japan
-London and Florence
-China
-Russia
-Semester at Sea
-Tanzania
-Ripon, Yorkshire, England
-Bangor

If you want to learn more about these great opportunities, check out the Ripon Website, http://www.ripon.edu/Academics/special_programs/off-campus/index.html! Happy surfing!

--Christy

Mondays aren't so bad after all!

Most Mondays are usually my least favorite day of the week, but yesterday there were a lot of great things happening around campus! During lunch, SMAC sponsored "Monday Music Madness," a free concert in the Pub. Ari Herstand, a native of Minnespolis, MN :), performed. He sounds like a mix of Dave Matthews meets Ben Folds...check him out on iTunes!

Last night was also the kick off of Sigma Chi's Derby Days, a week-long series of events, raising money for the Children's Miracle Network. Last night the guys sponsored a bon fire behind Storzer Athletic Center. What fun!

Tonight we have a home match against Marian College at 7 pm...I'm excited! I love home games! The students really come out to support one another and it's a fun time for everyone! I'll let you know how we do!

Have a great Tuesday!

--Christy

Updates!

A lot has happened since my last post! We've played three volleyball games, against Edgewood College, Alverno College, and Wisocnsin Lutheran College. Our overall record is now 2-5. We are off to a slow start, but we haven't started conference play yet, so we are looking to work out all the kinks before our first conference match of the season, which will be against Illinois College a week from tomorrow.

In other news...
-I am studying abroad in Madrid, Spain next semester, so I have been working on my application for the Academic Year Abroad program. I'm so excited! :-)

- I am volunteering through the Spanish department to help teach English to the Hispanic population of Ripon and assist with homework, documents, and other paperwork.

- One of our Politics and Government professors, Dr. Colucci, is making a presentation today about his new book, Crusading Realism, which examines the shift in American foreigh policy after the 9-11. He's also doing a book signing following the presentation...I'm thinking Christmas present???! :-)

- A new photography exhibit, "Small Arms," is opening tomorrow night as a part of the Caestecker Fine Arts Series. Artist Michael Kientz descirbes the exhibit as "a collection of children dealing with the impact of social and economic conditions dictated by adults and their politics." After taking a photography class last summer, I have a deep appreciation for photography. This exhibit sounds so interesting and I can't wait to check it out!

- This weekend, Theta Chi fraternity is holding their annual Frisbee Golf tournament! The course leads golfers all around campus and proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

- On Saturday there's also an Intramural Kickball tournament, but I don't think I'll be able to play because we have a volleyball tournament this weekend too!

Hopefully between volleyball and homework I can check out some of the wonderful things happening on campus in the next few days! Have a great weekend! Go Red Hawks!

~Christy

It's that time of the year again...

Welcome Back! And welcome to the inside scoop of what's happeing at Ripon College!

This week is actually our second week of classes; we had our first day last Wednesday, but I've been back since the 16th of August for volleyball! It's great to be back and see everyone again, but, as always, it is hard to get back to the grind of homework!

For those of you who don't know me, I'll quickly tell you a little about myself. I am a junior at Ripon this year, and I am originally from Rochester, Minnesota. As I mentioned earlier, I am an outside hitter on the Ripon Volleyball team. When I'm not playing volleyball, I am in the classroom with a full schedule this semester! I am a Psychology and Spanish double major with a minor in Sociology, so I am definitely keeping busy! I work in the Admission Office and am also on the Marketing Advisory Committee on campus.

I am here to give you a student's perspective on life at Ripon College, so if you ever have any questions or would like to know more about events on campus feel free to email me at LookerC@Ripon.edu!

--Christy

Jamaica Me Crazy!

This week I have been on campus for my Maymester class, Peace Studies. We are studying peace and ways to create peace in societies, specifically in Hagley Gap, Jamaica. Tomorrow we head down to Chicago to prepare for our flight early Saturday morning to Jamaica! We will spend two weeks in Hagley Gap doing service work and helping to improve the community. One thing that really struck me was that the children only go to Primary School. If they want to go to high school they must walk two hours to the nearest school, and they must pay too, since it is private. Going to a university is even harder. But as a part of our work down there we are helping to bring education to the people of Hagley Gap through laptops and educational software. Each of the 16 students going are bringing an entire suitcase of donations for the people of Hagley Gap. It is going to be a great experience and I can't wait to get there!

Hagley Gap, Jamaica

If you want to learn more, check out the Blue Mountain Project website at http://www.bluemountainproject.org/!

~Christy

Finals Week!

It's hard to believe, but it's finals week already. Today is my last day of classes for the semester! Wednesday is reading day, and then Thursday is the first day of final exams! I have my Spanish final on Friday, Stats and Sociology on Monday, and Chemistry on Tuesday. I will head home on Wednesday for the rest of the week and then come back to campus Sunday to start my Maymester! We are in Ripon for the week, then we fly out to Jamaica for two weeks!

It's hard to believe that I'm almost done with my sophomore year of college! The time has just flown! I ran into some alums over the weekend and they said to stay in college as long as possible! :) So I'm glad that I'm making the most of the opportunities Ripon has to offer!

~Christy

Springfest!

This weekend is one of the biggest weekends on campus! It's like the "last hurrah" before finals and the end of the semester. It begins at noon with t-shirt tye-dyeing and a Rugby game...the activities start at 12:30 including inflatable boxing & jousting, bungee run, inflatable obstacle course, and mechanical bull...at 1:30 Mark Little will be playing on the Union Patio...RSee3 (a Ripon-based group) is performing at 2:45...the Dance team is performing their Guy/Girl routine at 3:30...Kyle Man Combo is playing on the Union Patio at 5pm...then the Main Stage starts up with Danger Is My Middle Name at 8pm, Treaty of Paris at 8:45pm, and the headliner, QUIETDRIVE at 9:30pm! It is going to be a great day!

Tonight is the drive-in movie. The Student Assistant Hall Directors and Residence Life are showing "Transformers" in the West Storzer parking lot tonight at 8pm! I don't have a car, so I'm just bringing down a blanket and a radio! I am so excited!! Also happening tonight is a Pool Party in Storzer. WRPN FM is going to be broadcasting live from the pool! So we might have to go for a dip after the movie! :)

Then Sunday the volleyball team is playing in a tournament at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee! So it's going to be a busy week! I also need to find time to start studying for my finals (which begin in a week)...

~Christy

Busy Busy Busy!

Today I have SO many things to do! Tonight there's an EarthWeek BBQ, De Novo Dahl in Concert at 6:30, then they're showing Blood Diamond in the Pub at 8! I have to sell Springfest t-shirts for SMAC, so I will get to eat dinner and enjoy a concert at the same time! :) YES! Before that though, the volleyball team is practicing, since we have an off-season tournament on Sunday! I might have to miss the Student Appreciation dinner put on my the Admission and Financial Aid Offices for their student workers, but I definietly need to have some of the dessert! Toni makes the best desserts!

The end is growing near...and so are deadlines! I have so many projects and papers due! But hopefully I can get them done before this weekend, so I can enjoy Springfest!

Ciao!

Christy

Red Hawks are thinking Green!

This weekend was BEAUTIFUL! And we definitely took advantage of it! Saturday, Merriman hosted their annual Ultimate Frisbee Tournament to raise money for a local girl with leukemia. It was a great cause, good exercise, and a nice way to get a tan (or burn!) too! Then Sunday, Phi Delta Theta had their annual Firefighter's Run to raise money for the Ripon Fire Department. The guys put on the firefighter gear and run laps around the quads and they also grill brats and hamburgers. It was a lot of fun! I played sand volleyball, which was a blast!!!

This week on campus is a week-long celebration of Earth Day! Let me give you a run-down of the events!

Tuesday
- Earth Day Golden Hour: The Urgency of Incorporating Sustainability in Higher Education--An Ethical Perspective; Dr. Peter Blaze Corcoran with an introduction by ELP Green Certification Students
- Earth Day Presentation: Earth Charter Ethics--Supporting Young People on the Journey to Sustainable Societies; Dr. Peter Blaze Corcoran
- EGOR & SMAC Present the Earth Day film, the 11th Hour

Wednesday
- Sodexho & EGOR “Zero Waste” Earth Week BBQ
- Environmental Group of Ripon, SMAC, College Dems, & College Republicans present De Novo Dahl in Concert

Thursday
- Dedication of trees to Ripon community
- Nature Photo Art Show and Contest co-sponsored with Photogenesis
- Organic T-shirt Tie-Dying co-sponsored by SMAC & Bonner Program

Christy

Thinking Pink...

Last night my Living Group, Think Pink, did our activity for the semester. We made pink ribbon pins and sold them around campus. We made over $150 for Relay for Life! Relay for Life is tomorrow night at Ripon High School, so we're going to head down there to volunteer and donate our pin money!

The weather yesterday was beautiful! There were intramural softball games, sand volleyball matches, kites being flown, and frisbees being tossed around campus. The campus really comes alive with the warm weather! :)

Today i'm headed to the JV baseball game to see some of my friends play! Then it's time to hit the books! Tomorrow I'm making up a Chemistry test I missed on Monday when I was sick, so I need to review some more for that!

~Christy

What a Week!

This week has been crazy. And crazy seems to be the forecast for the rest of the semester.

I have two exams next week, then projects and papers due the following weeks. This month is going to be busy and stressful! But at least there are awesome activities going on around campus to offer a break and some fun during this stressful time! Last night Ripon Afterdark sponsored a comedian, Multicultural Club sponsored an Open-mic night, and SMAC had a speaker talking about sex. Tonight SMAC is showing Hairspray and it's also Spring Fling, a Sadie's Hawkins Dance with the theme "Rollin' through the Decades." The one-act student-directed plays are also this weekend (I'm going tomorrow night!).



It should be a fun weekend!




~Christy

Ripon on YOUR Resume

Last night Jess and I went to the Resume-Building Workshop hosted by Professor Judy Roy, Professor Brian Smith, and Professor Diane Mockridge. What a great opportunity it was! We learned what grad schools and scholarship committees are looking for and how Ripon will help us along the way. Grad Schools and scholarship teams are looking for well-rounded individuals... at Ripon you are involved not only in your education, but in your community and extracurriculars...they are also looking for community service...Ripon has an Office of Community Engagement dedicated to making students aware of volunteer opportunities and professors who make opportunities aware to you as well because they know what you're interested in. Grad Schools and scholarship teams also look for great recommendation letters, which you are sure to get at Ripon. Your professsors know you personally and are able to really speak about your accomplishments and character. No matter what your goal is, the professors are willing to help you get there, and that's what makes Ripon so special.

While I want to figure out my future plans soon, tonight I am finishing a paper for Friday and doing my laundry! :)

~Christy

Happenings around campus...

If you've ever thought there's nothing to do on a small campus in the middle of Wisconsin, think again! Let me give you a run-down of all the things happening around campus:
-Saturday was the Bags Tournament hosted by Sigma Chi to raise money for the Jamaican Maymester
-Sunday was the Mud Run sponsored by the Pre-Med Society
-Last night there were IM floor hockey games
-Today Besty Nadler, an athletic trainer at the Olympic Training Center spoke about her work as a trainer at the Center, as well as her involvement as a Medical Director in Winter Olympic Games and the Paralympics. (Betsy was actually my sociology professor's undergraduate roommate!)
-Tonight the National Scholarship Team is offering a resume-building workshop
-SMAC and the Cultural Diversity Committee are showing "Last King of Scotland"

There are even more activities coming up this week, but I will tell you more about them as they come...I have to write a paper! And go to the resume-building workshop, a SMAC meeting, and an intramural volleyball game! :)

~Christy

GORGEOUS.

One word to describe today's weather: gorgeous. It is 52° and sunny! And tomorrow's supposed to be even warmer! :D

That's great because tomorrow Sigma Chi is hosting their annual Bean Bag Tournament! The profits go to help the Jamaican Maymester in Hagley Gap (which I'm going on this year!). It's a great cause and who doesn't love bean bags?! Then, tomorrow night, Sigma Chi is having their annual Graffiti Party...t-shirt + Sharpies = Graffiti!

But tonight, I am helping Jess with a lock-in at the UCC Church just off campus. I am so excited for it! I haven't been to a lock in since high school! But it's kind of sad that I am so tired all I want to do is sleep! But hopefully we'll get some sleep tonight! :)

The Ethics in Health Care Conference continues tomorrow with a presentation from the Honorable Tommy Thompson, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services: “The Covered and the Uncovered: The Ethics of Failing to Ensure Health Coverage for all Americans.” I'm not sure if I'll be back in time to see his presentation, but it would be really neat to. We just finished watching Super Size Me in Sociology this week, and Tommy Thompson was featured in the film!

Also going on this weekend is the Mud Run, sponsored by the Pre-Med Society. It's a 5K run through the Prairie to raise money for the Palestinian Children's Fund, which helps Middle Eastern children with medical needs. Very cool!

Have a great weekend!

~Christy

Take Me Out to the Ball Game...

Today there are so many things happening on campus! I just finished eating a brat from the brat fry sponsored by the Office of Community Engagement--Yum! Also, over the noon-hour, E.G.O.R. (The Environmental Group of Ripon) sponsored guest speakers Paul Linzmeyer and Steve Dunn, who discussed "The ‘Grean’ Journey to Business Success in the 21st Century." The first home baseball game is also today, at 1 p.m. I would really like to go to the game, but I have a Sociology exam and a Stats quiz tomorrow...so I'll probably be inside studying. But if I open my window I can hear the announcing! :)

Tonight, as a part of the Ethics in Health Care Conference, the movie "Sicko" will be shown in Bear Auditorium followed by a faculty panel. It's at 7:30, so I hope to have all my studying done before that! I'll miss my intramural volleyball game, but I am confident the team will go on to victory even in my abscence. Go Vicious and Delicious! :)

~Christy

30 days!

As of yesterday we officially have ONE MONTH left of classes! I can hardly believe it! But things are definitely getting busier, and as they do my room gets messier and messier! I just don't have time to keep it as tidy as I would like!

Friday and Monday were Accepted Student Days, so Jess and I hosted overnights Thursday and Sunday. The girls that stayed with us were great and I hope they both decide to come to Ripon! :) Accepted Student Days went really well overall (except for the rain Monday), and it was great to meet the people that I have been sending letters to all year!

Yesterday I got to sleep in! I had Chemistry lab from 1-4, then I practiced with the volleyball team, went to dinner, worked on homework, went to a SMAC meeting, went to an Intramural Volleyball Game (GO VICIOUS AND DELICIOUS!), and finished up the night with some more homework and HGTV! :)

Today is absolutely GORGEOUS outside, so hopefully the sun will help keep me awake and give me energy! I have a full day of classes, but nothing going on tonight but homework. So hopefully that means getting to bed early...we'll see how that goes! Ha!

~Christy

Busy times on Campus

There is so much going on around campus these days! Let me give you a brief run-down: Next weekend (April 4th-5th) is the Ethics in Health Care Conference, but there have been events and speakers this week too. On Tuesday, Edmund Pellegrino, M.D., the Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Medical Ethics at the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at Georgetown University Medical Center, gave his speech, "Bioethics and Politics: Mixed Marriage or Shotgun Wedding?" Then, today the Advanced Public Speaking Class presented a forun on "Ethics, Health Care and Today's Student." Then next Thursday there will be a film screening of Michael Moore's "Sicko" followed by a faculty panel. Friday will open the Conference and Dr. Jocelyn Elders, former Surgeon General of the United States, will be speaking on "Differential Health Care in African-American Communities." All day there will be other various panels and presentations. On Saturday, Tommy Thompson, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, “The Covered and the Uncovered: The Ethics of Failing to Ensure Health Coverage for all Americans.” He will also serve on a panel, discussing End-of-Life Issues.


I am really excited about this conference. Right now in my Social Problems class we are learning about Health Care and the problems associated with our health care program in the U.S.


Also happening on Campus: Mary Strange is speaking about Women and Hunting tonight in East Hall Little Theatre...tomorrow is the Friends of Lane Library Used Book Sale (books are $0.50-1.00!!)...Fiction writer Justin Cronin will be in Lane Library and also do a book signing...and there is also the Alumni Association Board of Directors Meeting this weekend! So there will be a lot of people on campus! But, as they say: the more, the merrier!


Christy

Over the hump!

I am so happy today is Wednesday! I had a Chemistry test this morning that I spent ALL of last night studying for, so I'm glad that's over. The rest of the week should be downhill from here...I have a take home portion of my Stats test due Friday so that's the only "long-term" project I have to plan for! Then Friday and Monday are ACCEPTED STUDENT DAYS!! Jess and I are hosting girls for both nights, so that should be a lot of fun!

Tonight, the Pre-Med Society is selling hot dogs in the Quads for $1! It should be a beautiful night to be outside and I could definitely go for a hot dog or two! :)

Christy

Mini Spring Break!

Yesterday afternoon I returned from a whirlwind weekend in Milwaukee! It was a perfect little get-away! I wanted to go home for Easter, but it's a long drive for my parents to pick me up from Ripon and then drive me back home and then bring me back and drive back home, so I went home with Nick for the weekend and then my parents came over and met us in Milwaukee! We went to a show on Saturday night called "Hula Hoop Sha Boop" and then went out to dinner and walked around downtown Milwaukee. It was a little chilly, but it's always fun to be in a big city!

Reality set in though when I got back to campus. I have an exam today and another one on Wednesday, so I will be busy studying for the next few days! It was worth it though! I had a great mini-vacation of a weekend!

Christy

Happy SPRING!!!

I am so happy that it is finally and officially Spring! And boy are we glad! The view around campus is cheerful as we start seeing less snowbanks and more shorts! I can only hope this sunny weather continues!

Today I had two classes: a chemistry discussion at 8 a.m. and then a lab for Research Design and Statistics from 10:10-12, but I got done early! Now I am spending this beautiful afternoon inside doing homework! :( But hopefully that means I can go to bed early tonight!!

Tonight SMAC is sponsoring "Funny Money," which includes a speaker and fun activities to help learn about budgeting our money. There are also going to be CASH prizes, so I might have to check that out!

Happy Spring!

Christy

Back in the Swing of Things!

I'm back! Spring Break was great; I was able to relax and rest up! But it is always good to come back and see everyone again! The Commons is probably the best place to see people after break, so of course I had to go there for dinner Monday night!

It's hard to believe, but this week is registration for next semester! On Monday I picked up my registration packet and a course listing, now I have appointments to meet with my advisors to plan my schedule. I am also going to officially declare my Psychology and Spanish majors and my Sociology minor! Exciting!!

It's pretty busy around here, as usual. Today I am giving a presentation in Spanish, I need to talk to the Chair of the Art Department to see if a course I want to take this summer will transfer, I need to meet with my THREE advisors, and do homework! ...I also want to get some sleep! We've only been back three days and I am already exhausted! :)

~Christy

Goodbye Midterms, Hello Spring Break!

I just finished my last midterm! What a relief! Now the time is mine to relax and enjoy! I am staying on campus tonight, then tomorrow I have to ref a Junior Olympic volleyball tournament on campus, then it's home to Minnesota! My dad is coming to get me tomorrow, so I have to get packed up! ...I'll do that after I go to a fish fry tonight with some of the baseball guys! :)

See you in a week!

~Christy

So close I can almost taste it...

Spring Break is 48 hours away! This morning Jess, Lindsey, and Theresa left for their Alternative Spring Break Service trip to Panama, so it's going to be a quiet night on 3rd East! :( I'm not doing any service trips or going out of the country...I'm just going back to Minnesota. I haven't seen my family in over two months now, so it'll be great to catch up and spend time with them.

Today I turned in the introduction to my Psychology research project, so all I have left this week is a Spanish exam tomorrow! It's the first of the two exams all semester, so I'm a little nervous! But I'll spend the afternoon studying, so I should be good to go! Then hopefully I can get to bed early and enjoy breakfast in the Commons tomorrow morning! I love the omelets! :) mmm!

Ciao!

Christy

I love my roommate!

Yesterday morning both Jess and I didn't have class until 1 p.m. so we had a little getting ready party! We played music--everything from Disney to Dispatch to Hanson--and we danced around the room as the sun poured in the windows! It was so fun. We decided that sunny days and music make all the difference in the morning!


My day was off to a great start! Then I had lab from 1-4, followed by dinner, a little studying, and a S.M.A.C. meeting. In S.M.A.C. we're planning for our biggest event of the year: SPRINGFEST! It is a day-long celebration held in the end of April featuring live music, activities, and great food. This year Quietdrive is headlining, along with Treaty of Paris...and others! It is going to be a lot of fun!


This afternoon Joe and I are recording in the WRPN FM recording studio! I am really excited! After we get the passage recorded we will be set to start running our study after Spring Break!


Then tonight Jess, Lauren, and I might go shopping! Jess is going on an Alternative Spring Break Trip to Panama through the college and needs to pick up a few more things. And I, of course, am never opposed to shopping! So I think we might go to Oshkosh or Fon du Lac sometime this evening!


So much to do!

~Christy

In like a lion...

March is definitely roaring in like a lion! Last night as I was watching HGTV with Lauren and Jess we all oohed and ahhed as the lightening bolts flashed outside the window--it was beautiful! We wanted to go on a walk but we knew the rain would be coming soon. And it did. Followed by snow during the night. That combination made for very slippery sidewalks this morning!

But I have exciting news! I'm headed to Spain in a year! I just met with Professor Fuerch on Friday and we talked about studying abroad...for an hour! I was so excited to learn about all the opportunities Spain has to offer; it truly is incredible. I also found out that it's possible for me to major in Spanish! I didn't think it was an option for me. I had taken three years of Latin in high school, so I had started my Spanish career at Ripon in Elementary Spanish 111. I stopped taking Latin after two years, but I have continued with Spanish. It will tough, but extremely rewarding in the end!

Tonight I'm going to Pastimes for all you can eat wings! I can't wait! :) mmm mmm

~Christy

The Countdown begins...

Seven days until Spring Break!!!

Not that I have any exciting plans or anything...I'm just going home to Minnesota to spend the week relaxing at home with my family and my dog!

But I am definitely in need of a break! I have been so busy lately with everything, it's crazy! I can't wait to have a week to catch up and relax!

Last night I went to the play, Arcadia, with Jess and Lindsey...it took up my entire evening because it was 3 hours long!!! Good thing I didn't have any homework for today! Today I have homework to do and I have to start reading some journal articles and doing research for my Psychology project...AND the volleyball team is going to play tonight! I miss playing and I'm ready to get out of the weightroom and finally spend some time in the gym now that the basketball season is over!

~Christy

Hello!

Hello! Yes, I'm still alive! Last week was crazy, but things are back under control now! Saturday night my roommate Jess and I hosted a slumber party--complete with fort-building, junk food, and Drop Dead Gorgeous! It was great! Sunday was spent studying. ALL day. I had two exams Monday.

Monday was then spent catching up on the homework I didn't do Sunday while I was studying...it's a vicious cycle! :)

Yesterday was relaxing for the most part. I got to sleep in and then spend three hours in a chemistry lab!

I am going to study abroad in Spain next year so I am currently trying to get all of my business lined up for that! I talked to a few current students who have studied in Spain to hear thier perspective and later this week I am going to meet with the Spanish Professor who is in charge of the program! I am so excited!

Tonight the Spring play, Arcadia, opens! I can't wait to see it!

Ciao,
Christy

SO MUCH SNOW!

Yesterday the snow just kept falling and falling! I think we got something like 10 inches of snow! I didn't want to walk down to Storzer to workout, so I just went to the Fitness Center in Bovay, which is in the Quads. It was a shorter walk, so I was able to use that time to work out instead! Emily and I worked out for two hours!! It was good, but now I'm sore!

Today I am hosting an overnight visit. At Ripon, if you are an accepted student, you are able to do an overnight stay on campus in the Residence halls with a student. So tonight I'm hosting a girl from Minnesota! :) I'm pretty excited!

~Christy

P.S. I'll get some pictures of the snow around campus, it's incredible!

Freezing on a Friday...

It is so cold out today! The fire alarm went off during my Chemistry lecture this morning, so we had to go outside! I'm not sure what happened, but we weren't out there for too long. At least it's not snowing today! Yesterday it snowed ALL day! I think we got something like 8 inches of snow! The snowbanks around campus just keep growing and growing and growing!

I am so glad today is Friday though! I just can't catch up on sleep during the week! Last night I had dinner with Nick, then I spent the rest of the night studying for my Social Problems exam today. During my two-hour break after Soc, I have to prepare for my composición in Español! After I write my composición I work for an hour and then it's the weekend!!

I don't have too many plans for the weekend...tomorrow I am helping out with "Mind Your Money," an activity for high school students, who come to campus to learn about money management and financial planning for their future. It's from 1-3 and SIFE is helping with it so it should be a lot of fun! Then the rest of the weekend is free!

~Christy

Love is in the air...along with lots and lots of snow!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I have eaten more cookies today than I did over the Holidays! Cookies are just flying at me left and right (along with the ocassional chocolate kiss!)!! My stats professor this morning made cookies, then Jess' mom sent her cookies in the mail, I got two more cookies from girls on my floor, and then one in Admissions!


Today is such a fun day...for lunch the girls did a Valentine's Day Lunch date...Nick has already covered my room with chocolate kisses...and he says he has more suprises in store...


I can't wait to eat chocolate as I study tonight! :) mmm mmm


~Christy