Lake Forest is cut off in five!

Last night we played Lake Forest College and won...improving to 9-7 overall and 4-1 in the Midwest Conference! It was a great match and I'm really proud of all of my teammates! We came out strong in the first game, winning 30-22, but then lost the second and third games 18-30 and 23-30. But we fought back in the fourth game, wimming 33-31 and took the fifth, 15-10. It was such an exciting, roller-coaster of a match! And I am SO glad we pulled it off! Today we'll just have a light practice and then we travel to Lawrence University in Appleton tomorrow!

Today is a light day of classes for me, but the beginning of a weekend heavy with homework. Next week are mid-terms, so I will be spending a great number of hours with my head in a book this weekend. But since my boyfriend and I each have a game tomorrow, tonight will be a homework party for both of us. The last thing I want to do on a Friday night is homework, but I know if I don't I won't have enough time the rest of the weekend! We might just have to take a break to go to the New Found Flavor reggae concert at 8:30. It's a benefit concert sponsored by Sigma Chi and the Blue Mountain Project to help the hurricane-devastated town of Hagley Gap, Jamaica.

My family is coming for my game tomorrow, so I will probably spend some time with them after the game. Then tomorrow night, Phi Kappi Pi (Merriman) is hosting Toga Party in the Lower Union, so I have to find/make something to wear to that! But I figure Toga Party is just embracing the Roman Culture...afterall, I am a student of Latin! :) But Toga should be fun, I wasn't able to go last year, so I'm really looking forward to it. There's a live band and everything, so it'll be awesome!

--Christy

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad's birthday, so I had to dedicate the title to him! :)

Yesterday was a gorgeous day! I swear it felt like 80 degrees outside! I didn't get to spend much time outside, but when I was in the library I sat in the window seat (my favorite spot!) and pretended I was outside! :) I actaually finished my homework before 9 o'clock and was able to get to bed early! I got EIGHT hours of sleep!!! I am just going to be bouncing off the walls today!

But that's a good thing, because we have a game tonight against Lake Forest, so we'll see if we can keep our 3-game winning streak going! Today I only have one class, Latin, from 10-noon, then it's lunch, work, a few hours for homework, and then game time!

--Christy

Autumn is Falling Upon Us!

I think Fall is here to stay. Yesterday walking to class, the wind was blowing through the trees and the leaves were just dropping off! They are beautiful, and oh so fun to play in! :) But I'm not sure when I'll have time to play in the leaves...

Today I have classes from 8 a.m. until noon, then I am off until practice at 4:15...and by off I mean doing homework and studying like crazy! Next week are mid-terms; I have two exams and my reasearch project proposal due all next Friday, so it will be a long week. At least our game is close to home this weekend; we are at Lawrence University in Appleton, and tomorrow we play host to Lake Forest College.

--Christy

Catch-up day

Today my Latin class from 8-10 a.m. was cancelled, so I got to sleep in this morning! I also didn't have much homework last night, so I got to bed early too! Early bedtime + sleeping in = catching up on sleep (the perfect beginning to a day!) Last night my friends and I went out to dinner to celebrate one of my friend Peter's birthday. Monday nights are "All You Can Eat Wings" at Pastimes, Downtown. So it's a pretty popular place among college boys, but it's fun because you always know someone when you go there!

After dinner, I worked on some homework and unpacked my things from the weekend while my boyfriend had his night class. When his class was over, around 9:30, we watched the Bachelor and caught a little of the Monday Night Football game.

Today I only had Spanish from 10:10-11 a.m. and then I have a Statisics lab from 2:10-4, followed by practice at 4:15. During my break between class and lab, I swung by the library to get a few last-minute journal articles for my research project and then continued unpacking and cleaning up my room...and I'm still not done! But I'll have time to finish tonight. The only committment I have tonight is a S.M.A.C. meeting at 8 p.m., the rest of the night will be spent cleaning, organizing, and doing homework!

--Christy

The 1000 Mile Weekend!

Over the past weekend I traveled by bus and by car 1000 miles! The voyage began Friday at noon when the volleyball team left Ripon for Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, some 325 miles and 6 hours away. We swept the Pioneers in three games: 30-20, 30-25, 30-18 to win our second conference match. After the game, we had dinner at the restaurant of a one of my teammate's family friends and drove 2 hours to Moline, Illinois. We spent the night there and drove to Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois for our 1 p.m. match on Saturday. The game was a quick one; we won in three games, finishing them off in only an hour: 30-15, 30-12, 30-12. My mom drove down five hours to see that match, so I that meant a lot to me! :)

I went home with my mom after the game because my family was headed to the Packer/Viking game on Sunday. We drove the 300 miles back to Rochester Saturday night, and then Sunday morning it was up to the Metrodome in Minneapolis for the game! What a great game! Brett Favre broke the record for most career touchdown passes and the Packers won! Yes, I am from Minnesota, but I am definitely a Packer fan! :)

After the game, we were stuck in traffic for an hour and a half before we could get out of the cities. We drove home to drop off my sister and my dad, packed up the rest of my things, and headed back to Ripon, 200 miles from Rochester. With the pouring rain and poor visibility, we made the trip in three and a half hours, putting me back at Ripon at almost 10 p.m., but my mom still had to drive home another three hours!

You're probably wondering when I had anytime to do homework. I did some Friday on the bus down to Grinnell, but the rest was done when I got back to campus last night between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., so today is going to be even longer than usual since I'm going on only four hours of sleep! One cure: coffee!

--Christy

Rock and Roll is Here to Stay!

Homecoming week is rolling right along...Todd Carey's concert last night was AMAZING! I bought his CD, "Watching Waiting" and also a t-shirt! My boyfriend really liked him too! He got a t-shirt too! So now we can be matching! :) After the concert I worked on some homework, I'm trying to get ahead because we're on the road to Grinnell and Knox for volleyball this weekend.

Tonight is "School of Rock," which will be playing in Bear Auditorium since it is too cold to show it outside. Since I'm gone all weekend, Damico and I are having a date night: we're going to Roadhouse (the college hotspot for pizza) and then to the movie afterwards! It should be a fun night!

"In the words of AC/DC: We roll tonight... to the guitar bite... and for those about to rock... I salute you."

--Dewey Finn, School of Rock

--Christy

Homecoming Week for the Red Hawks!

I can't believe it is already Homecoming week! In honor of our Rock and Roll themed Homecoming, S.M.A.C. has planned many events this week! We kicked off the week on Sunday with window painting in the Commons and a brat fry at the soccer game. On Monday, dinner was a picnic on Memorial Lawn (which was delicious!). Today, musician Todd Carey will be performing at the pub at 7 p.m. Tomorrow S.M.A.C. will be showing "School of Rock" on the Union Lawn, then Friday comedian Rob Paravonian will be performing in the Terrace at 8 p.m. followed by FIREWORKS on Sadhoff! Saturday, of course, is the game at 1 p.m., but at noon is the Walk-to-the-Game, where rally towels will be given out!

I am so excited about Todd Carey tonight! I just checked out his music for the first time today and I am so glad I did! I was planning on going shopping in Oshkosh after practice tonight, but I am definitely going to go see Todd Carey tonight!!!

Check out his website: http://www.myspace.com/toddcarey

With all the awesome events going on, this week is sure to rock!

--Christy

T is for Tuesday and Two Tests

Hello there!
What a hectic couple of last days it has been! I don't even know where to begin! Let's see...a quick re-cap of the weekend: Friday night we had our conference opener against Monmouth College (we lost 3-1), but Saturday afternoon we had another conference game, against Illinois College (we won that one 3-0!) and afterward we had a potluck/grill-out with all of the parents! It was delicious! Sunday was a day of studying, all day. So was yesterday. Today I have two exams; I already took my Spanish one and I am off to take my Research Design and Statistics one in 15 minutes!

I have come to the conclusion that exams and projects come in cycles, so when I have one exam, chances are I will have another exam or some other big project due the same week. This is one of those weeks! But after today it should be all downhill! We don't have a volleyball game tonight, so I am able to go to the SMAC meeting at 8 p.m. and it's Homecoming Week so we'll have a lot to talk about! Other than the SMAC meeting, tonight I am going to catch up on sleep! No more 4-hours-of-sleep nights! :)

--Christy

I love Thursdays!

Thursdays are probably my favorite day of the week! I don't have to be anywhere until 9 a.m. and what a treat that extra hour of sleep is! I only have one class on Thursdays: Latin 430, from 10-noon. Other than my one class, I also work in the morning from 9-10 a.m. and then again in the afternoon from 1-2 p.m. My only other committment is volleyball practice from 4:15-6 p.m. So I have a good hour and a half available for a nap!

Tonight is also the Equestrian Club's kick-off event: wagon rides and a BBQ at Cedar Ridge! I really want to go to that (plus my roommate, Jess, is the president and founder of the club!), so I am going to try and talk my boyfriend, Damico, into going after practice! He's usually pretty tired after football practice, but how can you turn down BBQ and a wagon ride? :) I can't wait!

But if we decide not to do the wagon ride and BBQ, there's always the Iron Chef Cooking competition! Sponsored by Residence Life, the 4th Annual Iron Chef Cooking Competition involves whipping up a tasty creation with a secret ingredient in only 30 minutes! I don't know that I could cook, but it would be interesting to see what some of the chefs come up with!

--Christy

Avast! It's International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Ahoy mateys! Today is September 19th, which means one thing: International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Although no professors celebrated this day, I had some fun with arrrrrrr few friends! Today I only had three classes, and was done by noon...but I had to work in the afternoon, so I wasn't able to enjoy the beautiful weather! I sure hope this weather keeps up! Although I did buy a few scarves when I went shopping on Sunday, I'm not ready to break out the winter gear quite yet!

Tonight the Greek Council is sponsoring "Making Greek Great" with Lori Hart Ebert, who will be speaking on issues concerning Greek Life and informing independents about Greek Life and some of the benefits. On campus, we have five fraternitites and three sororities, but it is important to know that you don't have to be Greek to hang out with them. As an independent, I feel very welcome by all the Greek organizations on campus and they all get along well with eachother.

At Ripon, as a first-year student, you are not able to pledge until second semester. I think this is a great thing; it gives you the opportunity to get to know people and decide if Greek life is right for you, and if so, which organization matches your personality and your beliefs. Greek is great, but so is independent life! To each his/her own! :)

...And if you decide to be a pirate, we support that too! ;)

Take arrrrrrr easy!

--Christy

!Un Bonito Martes!

What a beautiful day! The weather sure made it easier to get out of bed this morning! After being up late finishing homework, it was nice to wake up to a beautiful sunny day! I only had two classes today, and I'm on my way to my Stats lab soon, from 2-4 p.m. After Stats, I have a couple hours to work on homework and grab a quick dinner before heading down to Storzer for my volleyball game at 6 p.m. We play Edgewood tonight at 7 p.m., the last of our non-conference play. This weekend marks the beginning of concerence play for us.

Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) is making Red Hawk Nation fan t-shirts for volleyball and they're supposed to be in tonight, so I can't wait to see them! I ordered one for me, and also for my mom, dad, and sister! I think they are such a great idea and a good way to get fans! :)

So most of my evening will be taken up with my game tonight, but after thatI have some homework to do and then hopefully I can watch a movie, or even go to bed early!

Go Hawks!

--Christy

Here We Go Again...

Another weekend has ended way too fast. My mom came up Friday and Saturday for my volleyball tournament, so that was a big highlight of my weekend! We played two mathces Friday night, losing both to St. Norbert's and UW-Steven's Point. After the matches, my mom and I ran some errands: we got groceries and a few odds and ends for my room from K-Mart, picked up some pictures I had develped from Walgreen's, and then went to the Comfort Inn, where we ordered a pizza from Pizza Hut. It was a very relaxing night and it was sooo good to catch up with my mom! I hadn't seen her in a MONTH!

Saturday I had two more matches, at we lost our 10 a.m. match against UW-River Falls, but won our 2 p.m. match against Martin Luther. Our last match went to five games, so we didn't finish playing until 4:45 p.m. I was bummed I didn't get to play in the frisbee golf tournament, or see any of my boyfriend, Damico's football game, but I made him a sign before the game, so he was pretty happy about that. :) After the tournament, my mom and I went out to dinner at Big Stella's with Damico and his dad. It was fabulous! We also managed to take a few pictures by some of the Septemberfest decorations! After dinner my mom helped me unpack, and then she left for Minnesota. I took a nap, then spent the night with friends.

After brunch on Sunday (my favorite meal of the week!), Jess and I went to the Fox River Mall in Appleton to do a little shopping. The trip was definitely successful! That mall is overwhelming! We stopped at Taco Bell when we got back to Ripon around 6:15 and then Jess had to go to Youth Group while I unpacked and worked on homework. I didn't have very much homework and I was able to get to bed before midnight!! :D

Today should be a busy day, and I have a volleyball game tomorrow night, so I have to work ahead on homework for tomorrow too. I have class until noon, lab from 1-4, practice from 4:30-5:45, and I'm also on a Marketing Advisory Committee, through the office of Marketing and Publications, and we have our first meeting today, but I think I'll have to miss it due to practice. Mondays are just insane!

--Christy

Finally Friday!

What a week it has been! I am so glad today is Friday! I survived my chemistry exam and am ready to cruise into the weekend! Today and tomorrow we host the Ripon Invitational volleyball tournament, so we have matches tonight at 4 p.m. against St. Norbert College and 6 p.m. against UW-Steven's Point. I'm excited because my mom is coming over for the tournament too! Ripon is three hours from Rochester, Minnesota, where I'm from, so she is coming over tonight and then we're going to stay at the Comfort Inn tonight and then she'll come to the games tomorrow and then we're going to go to the football game together!

Thank goodness I had two exams this week and I am able to relax a little this weekend, because there is so much going on! Tonight, SMAC is sponsoring a magician, Peter Boie, but I'll have to miss that because of my tournament. But that's not all! Tomorrow Theta Chi, one of the fraternities on campus, is hosting their James Bond-themed 30th Annual Frisbee Golf tournament for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and also a Thunderball Volleyball Tournament.

Going on Downtown Ripon this weekend is Septemberfest, which will include a custom car show on Watson Street, a dog walk parade through Historic Downtown, a Brat Fry, live music by Dave Sky, Taste of Ripon, Cookie tossing, a lip-sync competition, the New Tuba Dan Band on the Square, and a World Record Breaking Twist Attempt! Ripon will attempt to break the world record for the most people doing the twist at the same time. The previous record was set in 2004 at a high school dance in Yorkshire, England, which is where our sister city, Ripon, England, is located. They had 1,692 people dance the twist for 5 minutes and we're going to break their record!

So as much as I want to relax this weekend...there is so much to do! It is sure to be a fantastic weekend though!

--Christy

Chemistry Crunch Time!

The countdown begins...less than 24 hours until my chemistry exam, then I can finally relax! Last night I took a break from studying to go to one of the volleyball captain's apartments for rootbeer floats and poster-making, then it was back to chemistry. I attended a review session this morning at 8 a.m. and there is another study group tonight, but I think I'll miss that one due to practice. I just can't wait for this exam to be over with! Then tomorrow night, my mom is coming over for my tournament and we're staying in a hotel for the night! It will be so nice to see her and just talk, relax, watch a movie , sit in the hot tub. :)

Today I only have chemistry and latin, so I'm half-done with my classes for the day! I am done with class at noon, work from 1-2 and then I'll be a hermit for the rest of the day: studying for chem and only taking a break for volleyball practice.

--Christy

Half-done and Half-asleep!

Wednesday is here, it's all down hill from here, right? My Spanish exam is over with and I did well on it! Now I just have the dark cloud of Organic Chemistry hanging over my head until Friday. But that's not all I have to do! I have been going, going, going, and I am so tired! Last night we had a home volleyball match against Maranatha BAptist Bible College; we won in three games, which was nice! We were supposed to have a girls' night last night and watch a chick flick, eat ice cream, and just catch up, but suprise, suprise, everyone had too much homework! But we will try again soon; with me playing volleyball and all the other girls' committments too, it's hard to find time to get everyone together to just hang out and talk. Hopefully we will have time this weekend! My roommate, Jess, and I are already planning on a shopping trip on Sunday! :)

As for today, though, I already had Chem, from 8-8:50, next I have Spanish from 10:10-11, followed by Research Design and Statistics from 11:15-12, then it's an hour (for napping!) and I work again from 1-3! Volleyball practice at 4:15, dinner, studying, and a volleyball dessert night at one of the captain's apartments! I'm excited, it will be a nice study break! And hopefully I can get to bed at a decent time, and work on this enormous sleep-debt I've accumulated this past week!

--Christy

The Week of the First Exams...

Another Monday is here...that means another week of classes, rain, and first exams. This week I have my first exam in Spanish and also in Organic Chemistry. My Spanish exam is today and O-Chem on Friday. This past weekend we didn't have volleyball at all, so I was able to get ahead in my schoolwork, which will be nice during the week. We have a volleyball game tomorrow night at home against Maranatha Baptist Bible College, so it is nice to be a little ahead!

But the weekend was pretty fun! Friday night Theta Chi hosted a thug party, full of tinfoil grills, fake tatoos, velour, and lots of ice. I got dressed up with some of my girlfriends. It was fun to go around and collect items from the boys! We got jerseys, bandnas, hats, boxers, shorts, pants--everything! We were pretty thuggish! Check it out!

Today is also a blood drive on campus, so I might have to stop by that too! Good thing I only had a fake tatoo! :)

--Christy

Naked Roommate On the Loose!

Today is a beautiful day, and I only had one class! Granted it was two hours of Latin, but I'm done! I have volleyball practice this afternoon from 4:15-6 p.m., but some of my girlfriends are all going to Green Lake for a picnic, so hopefully I can meet up with them after practice! Then tonight SMAC presents Harlan Cohen, who will be giving advice from his best-selling college student handbook: The Naked Roommate: & 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College. I have read a little of this book...and it's pretty interesting...here is a section Harlan wishes he could have told himself before going to college, from his website: http://www.thenakedroommate.com/

Just relax.

Have fun.

Enjoy it all.

Your job is simple:

Be your personal best,

Meet lots of new people,

Make new friends,

Make smart decisions,

Possibly find a career,

Possibly find love,

And take risk after risk so you can find out what you love and what you don't love. Expect that all risks you take will not always go as planned. Some will, but not all. When it diesn't go as expected, don't go on the attack, don't give up and hide--instead, look inward, look woutward, and then move forward. If you do this, you'll leave college with more than a degree. You'll leave knokwing what it takes for you to be happy. Really, what more could you want.

I think that is great advice! And I can't wait to hear more tonight! Harlan also plays the guitar, and includes a lot of audience participation, along with a unique brand of humor, he is sure to be a hit tonight!

--Christy

Red Hawk of the Week!

I found out on Monday that I was voted Red Hawk of the Week after my performance in last weekend's Ripon Invitational! As Red Hawk of the week, I get my name up on the Announcement Board at Storzer, and on the website, and I get a free pizza from Roadhouse! I love Roadhouse pizza...I still have left-overs sitting in my fridge from Saturday after the tournament when my dad and I went there! :) This weekend was a lot of fun, here are a few pictures a player's dad took!

Yesterday we had a game at Wisconsin Lutheran Collge, in Milwaukee. We won pretty handily in three games: 30-22, 30-15, 30-23. I finished with 1 kill, 3 aces, 5 digs, and 2 blocks. It was a pretty short night, so we stopped at Wendy's for some dinner before coming back to Ripon. I finished up some homework when we got home, and went to bed, trying to get rid of this little cold I have! We don't have a game until next Tuesday, so hopefully I'll be healthy and caught up on sleep by then! :)

--Christy

You can view the Red Hawk of the Week at: http://www.ripon.edu/athletics/redhawk_pow/2007/2007_Fall_POW.html

Happy Labor Day!

I cannot believe Labor Day has already crept up on us! And for the record, yes, we did have classes today! Crazy, I know. And what a long day it was; I am still tired and sore from the tournament this weekend. We ended up 2-2 on the weekend, beating MSOE and losing to Rockford College on Friday, and beating Clarke College and losing to St. Mary's University on Saturday. I thought we played very well for the first tournament, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the season has in store for us! We have another non-conference game tomorrow night at Wisconsin Lutheran College, in Milwaukee, so hopefully we can take what we learned this weekend and put it to use against WLC!

Today has been tiring so far, and tonight I'm finishing up homework for tomorrow, but also working ahead on my homework for Wednesday. We leave tomorrow afternoon at 3:45, so I will actually have to get out of my Research Design and Statistics Lab 15 minutes early, and will be busy all night, so I must labor hard tonight!

--Christy

Welcome to the Big Show!

I can't believe it's September TOMORROW! It seems like just yesterday I was sitting at home bored and counting down the days until it was time to return to Ripon, now here I am finished with two weeks of classes and playing in the first volleyball tournament of the season! Today I have classes until noon, then I am going to eat lunch and run to Family Video to pick up some movies for tonight! I am having a Disney movie and back massage night with some volleyball and football players. Since we have a tournament tonight and tomorrow and the football team has their first game tomorrow, we are all just goign to stay in, watching The Little Mermaid and Aladdin and trade-off giving back massages! I am looking forward to it!!

But before Disney and backrubs, I get to play in our first tournament of the season! The Ripon Invitational is this weekend, so we play four matches spread over tonight and tomorrow. We play MSOE and Rockford College this afternoon at 4 p.m. and at 6 p.m., respectively, and then tomorrow we play Clark College at 10 a.m. and St. Mary's (MN) at 2 p.m. I'm really looking forward to tonight, I can't wait to see what we can do! For fun, the team has "Secret Spikers" a spin-off of "Secret Santas"; everyone draws a name of a teammate, and whoever you draw you have to make signs or goodie bags for...just fun little motivational things! So I have to think of what I am going to get for mine. We have to be down at Storzer Center and ready by 3 p.m., so I'll have to make something before that!

The 2007 Red Hawk Volleyball Team (I'm #3!)

Don't worry if you can't make the games, you can watch them online! Just go to http://www.midwestconference.tv and you can watch a webcast of the game! :)

--Christy

Happy National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

National Marshmallow Day is just another reason to celebrate today, because today also means one more day until the weekend! It's only the second week of classes, but I feel like I've built up two weeks worth of sleep debt!! Hopefully I'll be able to catch up a little this weekend, because I sure won't be able to tonight. After volleyball practice tonight, Coach Witte is having the team over to her house for dinner, and there's also a hypnotist coming to campus tonight, and I want to go to that too, but of course I have homework and studying to do too! So sleep is definitely not a priority tonight! :( But with a good dinner(I think we're having tacos...or maybe spaghetti) in my stomach, and possibly some marshmallows, in honor of National Toasted Marshmallow Day, I should be able to get everything done that I need to...and maybe even a nap!

The hypnotist that is coming tonight is Daniel James, a comedy hypnotist from Las Vegas, who is supposed to be absolutely HILARIOUS! I really hope I can get enough homework done, so I am able to go!

Hump Day!

Thank goodness it's Wednesday! Wednesdays are one of the lighter days in my schedule, I get my morning of to a good start at 8 a.m. with Organic Chemistry, folllowed by an hour in the Admission Office between classes, from 9-10, Spanish from 10:10-11, and then Research Design and Statistics rounds out the academic part of my day from 11:15-12:05. I have an hour off for lunch or a nap, and then I'm back in the Admission Office from 1-3 p.m. I have another hour break and then volleyball practice and weightlifting from 4:15-6:30 p.m. After practice tonight, it's a quick dinner then off to the Student Activities Fair. The Student Activities fair is put on by the Office of Student Activities, and is a great opportunity for students to learn about all of the different organizations on campus and get involved in those they are interested in.

Some of the organizations I am involved in on campus include the Student Media and Activities Committee (SMAC), which organizes and schedules almost all of the events on campus; Chef's Anonymous, a small club for those with an affinity for cooking (or eating! :D); Orientation Committee, which is responsible for helping first-year students make a smooth transition into college; and I also play intramural sports such as inner-tube water polo, volleyball, and softball, and I think I am also going to get involved in the Pre-Med Society this year as well (in my spare time of course!) But I think getting involved on campus is the best thing you can do in college; it's a great way to meet people, and it's fun too. It really allows you to take charge of your college experience and make the most of it and what it has to offer!

--Christy

New Year, New Ripon!

When we came back to Ripon this year, there were a lot of people on campus already--consruction workers--who had been busy working throughout the summer to finish the many renovations on campus! Since first coming to Ripon, one year ago, I have seen the new College Apartments Senior Residence hall go up, the mailroom and the Pub rennovations, which are still being completed, the building of a new facility for our Plant Department, the rennovation of the Todd Wehr building, and still coming this year, the remodeling of the Pickard Commons.

The new Senior Apartments, located near Tri-Dorms and the Evans Admissions Center, are beautiful 4-person units, that come completely furnished, with air conditioning, and cable TV... they hardly sound like a dorm! I have spent a lot of time in the apartments so far and cannot wait to live in them my senior year! :)

The mailroom and the Pub are nearing the tail-end of their rennovations; the Pub actually opened for carry-out orders only today. The remodeling of these two spaces will open up a lot of space, and make the area more student-friendly, with more seating, computer terminals with internet access, and also a stage for concerts, comedians, or open-mic nights. I can't wait until the Pub is done; it will be a great place to eat, study, or just hang out with friends!

The Plant Department is in the process of building a new facility down by the Rodman Center for the Arts. Currently, the Plant Department is housed in the basement of the Pickard Commons, but the college is looking to free up that space and make it available for use by student organizations and clubs. The rennovated space in the Commons will have offices for a lot of the organizations on campus, and also serve as another place for students to have meetings, study, or just hang out...Starbucks is so close! :)

Todd Wehr, in 2005 (left) and newly rennovated (August 2007)

Lastly, our main classroom building, Todd Wehr, received quite a face-lift over the summer! Todd Wehr houses the education department, the psychology department, the business and economics departments, and the math and computer science departments. The rennovations over the summer include the addition of an elevator, removal of the window grates, new windows, a new heating system, enclosing the breezeway and the addition of 6 beautiful new classrooms!

--Christy

Another year at Ripon begins!!

It's hard to believe I am starting my sophomore year at Ripon this year! The summer went so fast, but I'm so glad to be back! I was on the Orientation Committee this year, so I returned to campus a week early for Fall Orientation training and also to begin volleyball practices. Fall orientation went well, except for all the rain, and classes began before I had any time to relax! Today will be the fourth day of classes already! I am a psychology major and also thinking pre-medicine, so I have a busy semester ahead of me! I am taking Organic Chemistry from 8-8:50am, followed by Spanish 211 from 10:10-11am, and then the Psychology course, Research Design and Statistics, from 11:15am-12:05pm. I start a little earlier than I would prefer, but that also means I'm done a lot earlier--except for Mondays when I have Chem lab from 1-4pm, or Tuesdays when I have Stats lab from 2-4pm.

Besides classes, I have also been busy with volleyball. During the pre-season, before classes started, we were practicing an average of twice a day, but with classes having begun, we are down to our usual once-a-day practice from 4:15-6pm. We had our first scrimmage this weekend at St. Norbert College, and I think the season looks bright for us! We have 9 returners, 5 of those starters last year, and 4 rookies this year, who will make a great contribution! I am looking forward to the season and to our first tournament this weekend!

Finals are right around the corner...

This weekend was beautiful! I ran in the RC2 half-marathon/10k on Saturday morning...and finished the 6 miles in 58 minutes! I was pretty tired after that, so I took a nap, did some reading, then it was time for Springfest! Springfest was a blast! :)
Sunday I went to the baseball double-header, where I read a little, got a little sun, and watched the boys beat Lawrence!

Here are a few pictures from the weekend!

Me finishing the 10k!

My girls and me!

The Hush Sound!!!

Today was the last day for a lot of my classes...I had a Latin final test and two other classes. Tomorrow is the very last day of classes, then Wednesday is Reading Day (no finals), then the exams begin! I have one on Thursday, a couple of take-home exams due Friday, and then my last final is next Monday.

--Christy

A Run, Fun, and a whole lot of studying!

Tomorrow morning is the Ripon College/Ripon Community half-marathon and 10k for my Theories in Motivation Class. It leaves at 8 am from Storzer, and I am only doing the 10k, so I am expecting to run for about an hour, but I am starting to get nervous!! After the race, the festivities of Springfest begin! From 1-4 pm there will be activities around the Union, including: Inflatable Laser Tag, Cooler Racers, and Bungee Bull, then at 4 o'clock the bands start! Elements of Style kicks it off, followed by Modern Giants at 5, Northern Room at 6:45, Villains of Verona at 7:45, and the Hush Sound at 9! After the music it's time for a little dancing, as Theta Chi hosts a Springfest lounge party!!

Sunday the baseball team hosts a double-header against Lawrence at 1pm and the Equestrian Club is going riding at the stable from 1-3...so I am torn! But one thing is for sure: this weekend will be fun, but also a lot of studying!

Tonight the Senior Art Majors' Exhibit opens and there is also a Jazz Ensemble concert, which I am planning on going to, my friend Tyler plays the sax and tells me he has lots of solos! So I can't wait to hear him!!

--Christy

Busy Busy!

Today I only had one class, but here's what my schedule looked like for the afternoon:

work 12-2 pm
English 2:10-4 pm
IM softball game 4 pm
Orientation Committee meeting 5-6 pm
Dinner 6 pm

Smoking Aces 9 pm

Tonight SMAC is showing Smoking Aces in Bear Auditorium at 9 o'clock...they are giving away over $700 in prizes, including 2 30GB iPods! So I am definitely going to go to that!! :-)

Tomorrow I only have two classes; at 1:05 and at 2:30, so it will be a good chance to rest up before the 10k on Saturday!

--Christy

The Ending of a Beautiful Weekend and the Beginning of A Busy Week

This weekend was beautiful, and we sure took advantage of the weather here on campus! Friday night SSS (Student Support Services) took a bus to the Brewers game, SMAC sponsored an outdoor acoustic concert featuring Michael Wideburg, and the Alpha Delta Pi sorority sponsored a relay for life and brat/hamburger fry in the Save-A-Lot parking lot.

Saturday was Merriman's Ultimate Frisbee Tournament to raise money for a family striken with leukemia, and also the WFCA State Froensics Tournament on campus, so that was neat as well! I had a volleyball tournament at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee all day, so I missed out.

Sunday was Expo, I gave a speech on the College Search Process, cabossed a tour, and chatted with prospective students and their families. Sunday was also Phi Delta Theta's "Firefighter Run," so the guys were dressed in full fire attire, running laps around the Quads to raise money for our Fire Department and fire awareness. The weather was beautiful and everyone was outside--participating in the firefighter obstacle course, playing volleyball, football, frisbee, soccer--you name it! The music was playing and everyone was having a good time! Sunday night Residence Life sponsored a cook-out in the Quads, which was nice too!

The Fire Truck!

Look at those fine Firefighters!

The Phi Delts running!

It was a great weekend and I am sorry to leave it behind, because these next couple of weeks are going to be very busy!

--Christy

Rolling Toward Another Weekend

I cannot believe how fast the time is going! Yesterday I had class all day then volleyaball practice from 5:30-7, Chef's Anonymous had a smoothie and frappachino night, and there was also an Open Mic night at the Terrace sponsored by SMAC, but I was so exhausted, I ended up just going back to my room to relax after volleyball.

Today on campus there is a Blood Drive, so I might try to stop by there, I only have one class from 2-4, but I am showing my room for Admission tours and then hosting a prospective student from Colorado tonight, so I'm really looking forward to that! It should be a lot of fun! I have an intramural volleyball game at 8:30, but other than that I will probably just relax tonight, and maybe play some frisbee or throw a football around! It should be a nice night for that!

--Christy

Tuesday Tournament!

Yesterday the weather was gorgeous, so last night I went for a run in the prairie with my friend Cameron, it was my first time ever being out there, and it was BEAUTIFUL! I am so sad that I didn't go out there sooner! There is a bench out there, at the top of the hill, and it's Cameron's favorite spot on campus...and it's quickly climbing the list of my favorite spots on campus! :o)

Today I have two classes: Spanish from 10:10-11 and then English from 2:10-4, but I might have to leave English a little early because we have a volleyball tournament at Lakeland College tonight. There are seven of us driving over in vans, and we play three matches. I am pretty excited!! But I have to miss my intramural volleyball game, and we are playing the other team that is undefeated tonight! I am sure the "Diggas" will overcome my absence and continue our winning ways!!

--Christy

Two Weeks to Go!

The time sure has flown, I can't believe we only have two weeks left of classes! The weather is finally turning around and it's looking more like Spring! Yesterday was the Chi Bowl, and the weather was beautiful! My friend Jess and I brought our homework and a pair of sunglasses and went out to watch the boys play on Upper Sadhoff. There was quite the crowd! The Sigmas ended up winning it, but I'm not sure what the score was. After the game I went back to my room to do some homework and laundry before volleyball practice. Then after practice it was more homework.

Here are a few pictures from the game:

The Boys

Watching the Game

The Boys of Sigma Chi

Today I have an exam in Psychopathology and a project due for Latin, but tonight looks to be more relaxing, so I am planning on going for a run and going to bed early!

--Christy

T.G.I.F.

Ahhh, it is finally Friday. Time to kick back and relax. Just kidding! This weekend is going to be very busy! Tonight I am going to the Heidel House for dinner with some friends to see another friend that is working tonight, then we're going to the One-Acts tonight, student-directed plays that are supposed to be very funny, but I'll have to miss the Murder Mystery! There are just too many choices! Today is also my friend Eugene's birthday, so we're celebrating that tonight too!
Tomorrow I am going shopping with the girls and then to the Graffiti party and then Sunday is the Chi Bowl and somewhere in there I need to do a project and study for an exam!! It doesn't look like I'll be catching up on very much sleep this weekend!

--Christy

Tired Thursday

Today I only had one class: from 2:10-4, and I worked before from 12-2, but I am so exhausted! All of my late nights earlier this week have caught up to me! But there is no end in sight! I have a psychopathology exam on Monday and also a Latin project due Monday. And this weekend looks to be busy! Tomorrow is one of my friend's birthdays and also a Murder Mystery sponsored by Residence Life, and then Saturday Jess and I are taking a day trip to Appleton to go shopping, and then Sigma Chi is having a Graffiti Party Saturday night, but there is also the "Mud Run" going on Saturday afternoon, a 5k run for the Pre-Med Society, and on Sunday is the "Chi Bowl": Theta Chi vs. Sigma Chi in football! So that should be a lot of fun to watch! Now I just need to get some of this homework done so I do some of these things this weekend!

--Christy

Winter Returns for Round Two :(

Today when I woke up there was snow on the ground! I was so disappointed, I want the warm weather back! We only have a month left of school--it should not be snowing! But students are not letting the snow get the best of us! There are a TON of activities goiong on tonight! Residence Life is sponsoring a Karoke Night at the Terrace, SMAC is sponsoring a trip to a private show at Comedy Sportz, a comedy club in Madison, the Equestrian Club is having its kick-off event, and Chefs Anonymous is hosting "A Night at the Ballpark," where we will be cooking homemade Crackerjacks, nachos, and beer-brats. I also have volleyball practice tonight, but I'm going to go to Chefs Anonymous after, and try to make it to the Karoke Night later! It's going to be a busy night!!

--Christy

Another Tuesday...

Today hasn't been very exciting so far...I had a Spanish exam this morning, then English this afternoon. I sent in my registration for the Ripon College/Ripon Community Half-Marathon/10k, which is coming up in three weeks!

Tonight I have a SMAC meeting at 8pm, so I won't be able to go to the last SARC (Spirituality Association of Ripon College) speaker tonight, professor Paul Jeffries, who will be talking about the role of spiritual practices in the Christian tradition. Other than the SMAC meeting I will be working on a case report for psychopathology and studying some new vocab for Spanish.

--Christy

What a WICKED weekend! :-)

Happy Easter to all!

Most students on campus went home to spend the weekend with their families, but my family came to me! My parents and my sister drove over on Friday night and my sister stayed with me in the dorm. On Saturday I helped with a volleyball camp at the Boys and Girls Club in Berlin and after that we drove down to Chicago for the night to go to the musical Wicked.
Wicked was amazing! We bought the soundtrack, so I have been jamming to it in my room! :)

These next few days will be busy though, I have a Spanish test tomorrow and have to finish my workbook and write a "mi diario" and then I have a case report due by Wednesday, so I will be running on little sleep and a lot of Dr. Pepper!

--Christy

Intramural Tuesday!

Today is Tuesday, which means one thing: intramural volleyball tonight! I absolutely love playing intramurals, and so do a lot of other people on campus, as more than 60% of students participate in IM's. Right now I'm just playing volleyball, but softball is coming up soon, so I'm pretty excited for that too!

This past weekend three ftaternities on campus had their formals and I went to the Theta Chi one, it was a blast! It was at Wedgewood in Algoma, about 25 minutes from Ripon.

Here are a few photos from formal:

My friend Jess and me with our flowers from our dates!

My date, John, and me on the bus to Wedgewood

The Theta Chi boys!

--Christy

Tired Thursday

One more day until Spring Break, but it will definitely be a tiring one! My one class that I usually have today was cancelled because my professor's dad is very sick, so I have a few more hours to study for my exams tomorrow and to finish up my paper!
Then tonight I have my first meeting for Orientation Committee. OC is responsible for helping to make the transition from high school to college a smooth one. I am so excited to be on OC! It is the best group of people on campus and we are sure to have a ton of fun!
We also need to finish up our application for our living group next year, "Think PINK." Me and five of my girl friends are creating this living group to stay together next year and also to increase awareness about health issues facing women today, such as breast cancer, osteoporosis, and many others. Hopefully it all works out!

--Christy

Spring Fever

With only two more days until spring break, many of us are catching spring fever! This last weekend many of my friends went home to pack for their vacations. A couple of my friends are going to North Carolina on a service trip through the college and I know a lot of people who are going to Florida, some who are staying with family, and a few who are going down to support the baseball team! I am going to Mexico with some friends from home, so I am pretty excited!

I am excited for Spring Break, but I'm not on vacation yet--I have three exams this week and a paper due, so I have been pretty busy studying. Monday and Tuesday were elections for next year's Student Senate executive positions, so there are flyers everywhere from the doors to the showers. Last night in the Commons was a candlelight ceremony in honor of a woman who had worked in the commons and was killed in an automobile accident on Saturday. It was a very moving dinner. Also last night, President Joyce spoke at the SARC (Spirituality Association of Ripon) meeting about his personal journey through Christianity. I wish I could have been able to attend, however I had a SMAC meeting at that time.

--Christy

A turbulent Thursday!

It is VERY windy out today, and with the mix of snow, sleet, and rain, I am very glad I don't have any classes today. My English class was cancelled because the professor is attending a writing conference in Atlanta. So all I am doing today is working, doing some homework, and then tonight I am going to see "A Plague of Angels" which is being produced by the Theatre Department. It was written by Mark St. Germain, and is “Typhoid Mary” Mallon’s story of detainment and the public’s health. A drama that deals with the legal system, responsible medicine, scientific advances, personal struggles for identity, the power of life and death over others, and religion. So it should be very interesting!

Yesterday was a pretty busy day as well, I am in charge of designing the Student Planner for next year, so we took the photograph for the cover yesterday, it turned out well! We had open gym for volleyball, worked out in the Fitness Center, and watched a video for my Half-Marathon class in the Collaborative Learning Center.

--Christy

Tasty Tuesday

Today was a good day to catch up on sleep--I took two naps! :-) Tonight Black Student Union is sponsoring "Soul Food" in Great Hall -- it is soooo good! The Spirituality Association of Ripon College is hosting psychology professor Joe Hatcher, who will be speaking about psychology's view of religion and spirituality tonight. Also tonight SMAC is voting on a president for next year, and I'm on the ballot! I better go get some homework done so I can do all of these things tonight!!

--Christy

A Wintery Weekend

This weekend was was a sudden return to winter--we got about two feet of snow in all! Friday night, I had a prospective student stay with me from Colorado, which was a lot of fun! We attended a presentation by a former porn and sex addict, Michael Leahy, which was very interesting and well-attended by the student body. Saturday was the final Pickard Scholarship Day, and I was on the current student panel again. Then Saturday afternoon we took a trip to Oshkosh and Fon du Lac in search of beads for the Mardi Gras lounge party hosted by Theta Chi that night. On Sunday, SMAC sponsored Winterfest, which consisted of sledding on Sadhoff, Plank Teamwork Skiing, Pictionary Face Painting, and Dress the Snowman.
Today, a few classes were cancelled because of professors traveling in the snow, but fortunately (or unfortunately) I had all of my classes today!

--Christy

Last day of our pseudo-spring?

The last few days have ben gorgeous out! This morning when we went for our 3 mile run for the Half-Marathon Class, the weather was perfect! Today I also woke up before that and got to the Fitness Center just as it was opening at 6:30, so I started the day off well! I had a Spanish exam and then the rest of the day has been downhill from there! Tonight there is a speaker coming in, Michael Leahly, to talk about his addiction to sex and porn. It is called "Porn Nation" and it should be very interesting. I also have a prospective student coming to stay with me tonight from Colorado, so that should be fun as well!

Hopefully I will be able to catch up on some sleep as well this weekend with all the snow that is expected!

--Christy

The Winding Down of a Busy Week

This weather this week has been absolutely gorgeous, however homework has kept me indoors for much of my time. Last night the volleyball team got together to play Wallyball in the Recquetball courts, which was a lot of fun! Chefs Anonymous also had their homemade bread night last night! Tonight SMAC is showing the movie "Ray" with Jamie Foxx in Bear Auditiorium at 9pm, so if I'm finished with my homework, hopefully I will be able to catch a little of that!

--Christy

Mega-packed Monday!

Today was pretty busy! I had three classes and I lunch-hosted a prospective student from Minnesota for lunch. I worked for two and a half hours and then had a quick dinner before my first Italian class. My professor that I had for FYS is originally from Italy and speaks at least five different languages, and she is offering an introductory Italian course. There are elementary and intermediate levels and each are offered three times a week. However, it is not offered for credit (at least this semester!). I had talked to her last semester about teaching Italian at the college, so I'm very excited she is now! Hopefully it will be offered as a course for credit next year!!!

Fun Friday!

Today I lunch-hosted a student from Minnesota, which is where I am from, so that was really neat. We went to the commons where they were giving out free hugs because it was Friday, so I obviously had to take advantage of that and I ended up walking away with three hugs! :-) Today there was another Psychology candidate, a visiting professor from Beloit, who made a presentation this afternoon entitled "Risks for Binge Eating During the Transition to University." It sounded very interesting to me, but unfortunately I was unable to go.
Tonight is Exrava-GAME-za, an event sponsored by Residence Life, where you can go and play in game shows such as Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, and the Price Is Right. And I heard there are over $500 in prizes!!!
Tomorrow night the Black Student Union (BSU) and the fraternity Sigma Chi are hosting a lounge party, and Sunday night is open gym for volleyball, so with all that is going on, it is sure to be a fun weekend!

--Christy

The Caring Spirit Still in the Air!

Yesterday for Valentine's Day I went out to dinner with a bunch of girls to the Red Apple, only a three-minute drive from campus. They have a bit of everything--from breakfast to wraps to Itlaian and Stir-Fry. It was a lot of fun, and not very expensive either! Then we went to the Chapter 6 concert, which was really neat! The things they could do with their voices were just amazing! I know a lot of couples on campus cooked dinner for one another in the kitchens in the dorms or in apartments or houses, but there were a lot of people just hanging out too, loving the single life. There was definitely something for everyone to do!
Today, students and staff on campus still have love in their hearts and are participating in the Community Blood Center Blood Drive today in Great Hall. Almost everyone I've talked to is donating blood, so hopefully we can help out a lot of people!

--Christy

Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! YYY

Tonight on campus we have a Valentine’s Concert: an cappella group from Southern Illinois, Chapter 6. Their shows are filled with a comedy-infused blend of pop, jazz, gospel, and rock and are sure to bring about spontaneous bursts of laughter and applause throughout the show. Their high-energy performances feature diverse repertoire ranging from freshly arranged swing standards and pop/rock covers to signature pieces such as “Ode to Krispy Kreme,” Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and their very own version of “The Wizard of Oz.”
I have a paper and a case report due today, so tonight is my night to celebrate! I am going out with some girlfriends for dinner downtown and then to the concert!

Y Christy

Finally Friday!

I am so glad the weekend is here! I need to take some time to catch my breath and catch up on sleep! It was quite the week...I ran 12 miles this week in training for my half-marathon, wrote a paper for English, filled out an application to be a member of Orientation Committee, completed my Spanish workbook, wrote two paragraphs in Spanish, and also studied for a Spanish exam! But thank goodness that exam is over with! The first exam with a new professor is always a mystery, you don't quite know what to expect! But I soon forgot about the exam and I lunch-hosted a prospective student who was interested in playing volleyball, so that was a lot of fun.
Tonight is the St. Jude's "Up 'Til Dawn" finale at Storzer from 10pm-5am and it's a Costume themed too, so that should be a lot of fun! Tomorrow night is Merriman's formal and then Sunday I am participating in an online chat with students from 3-5, so come chat with us!!

--Christy

It feels like a Friday!

I have been mixed up all week, and today definitely feels like a Friday to me! But thank goodness it's not! I have a Spanish exam tomorrow and I was supposed to have an exam in Psychopathology also, but we convinced Dr. Petersik to move it back to Monday! So I will have to study for that tonight, but I also need to train for the half-marathon and I've always wanted to go to one of the rRRUMBA dance classes! Tonight they are teaching tango! But I'll have to see how the studying goes, I didn't really study last night because I went to the mall in Fon du Lac to find a dress to wear to Merriman's formal this weekend. I found a dress--for $7!!--but I missed Chefs Anonymous' Mexican Night! :( Oh well, there are many tasty nights to come!

--Christy

We had our fingers crossed...

I think the entire student body had their fingers crossed that classes would be cancelled due to the below-zero temperatures, but we weren't all that surprised when we found ourselves waddling to class dressed in layers and wrapped in scarves! But the cold temperatures haven't stopped candidates from coming to Ripon College. These last couple of days we have had a couple candidates for professors in the Psychology department and in the English department on campus. They both made presentations yesterday and I really wish I could have attended them, especially the psychology one entitled "The knowing hand: handwriting and human cognition."

--Christy

A nice but COLD weekend!

This weekend was very very cold! Friday morning I went for a three-mile run with my half-marathon class, and Professor Hatcher actually gave permission for us not to do the run, but with the class being "Theories in Motivation," I found myself wanting to prove that I could do the run even when he gave us an opportunity to quit.
Then Friday night we had our first off-season practice/open gym for volleyball. Everyone came and we scrimmaged with some Alumni and a couple baseball guys, it was a lot of fun and great to play again! We will start having open gyms on Sunday nights and whenever the basketball teams are away.
Saturday was the first of two Pickard Scholarship Days and I was on a Current Student Panel for that, which was a lot of fun. It's hard to believe that only a year ago I was in there! The time sure flies!
Last night Sigma Chi had a Super Bowl party in their lounge, so for $5 it was all the brats, nachos, chips, soda, hot dogs you could eat! It was a lot of fun, but we had a lot of disappointed Bears fans!

--Christy