It's Homecoming Week!!!

One of my favorite times of the year! Seriously a great Coe tradition. Tonight marks the beginning with some male volleyball and powder puff football competitions. Seniors are totally gonna win! :P Thursday night are the Coe Follies. This is basically a talent show that takes place outside. Anyone can do anything and the Homecoming Court always has a great act. On Friday evening there is a bonfire with the coronation ceremony for the King and Queen followed by some Kohawk spirit as sports teams get up and talk about their seasons so far. Saturday (the best day ever!) starts off with a parade on the streets surrounding the football field. All of the clubs and organizations participate. Then we have a bit of tailgating and the Homecoming football game. This year it is against Dubuque. Saturday night Coe rents out a ballroom down at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and there is dance complete with lots of free food! This year's Homecoming theme is Rock and Shine in 2009...so I guess it is going to be a rockin week! I'll definitely have pictures next week! Oh, and guess what? I made Homecoming court...double rockin :)

Took a Trip

So I left Coe for the weekend (doesn't happen very often!) and took the train to Kansas for my cousin's wedding. Technically I guess I took the train to Nebraska where my uncle picked me up at 3:30 AM. It was a rough trip, but the 5:30 am trip to IHop made it all better :) . I really enjoyed seeing all of my family--cousins I hadn't seen in forever and my dad, mom and little brother who drove down. The wedding itself was cute and small...very nice. Of course I had to get back on the train at 2 am on Sunday morning, but was back in Cedar Rapids by noon! It was a quick trip, but worth it!

Me & my little brother at the reception!

Watermelon

Hi. Sorry I missed my post last week. I don't remember what was up, but I assure you it was important. I've just been trying to keep up with the never-ending stream of homework. I'm working on two digital media projects for my independent studies test, trying to finish a painting in art and I have a social psychology test coming up! Still found time to enjoy myself this last weekend though. It was the annual Lambda Chi Alpha [a fraternity on campus] Watermelon Fest. Basically it is a morning filled with watermelon fun including throwing contests, a three-legged race [while carrying a watermelon, of course], an eating contest, and more. It ended in a giant watermelon fight! I couldn't get my friends up and out of bed in time to put a team together, but I hung out as one of the official photographers! Here are some of my masterpieces:

From the watermelon carving contest.

Someone about to lose the tug-of-war.

Watermelon fight!

A Super Exciting Semester at Coe

I've survived the first week and am well on my way to making through the second! I am LOVING my classes this semester. Here is my schedule:

--Social Psychology: a really fascinating class looking at how people's environment influences their behavior.

--Creativity: this is a psychology seminar class meaning it is an upper level, discussion-based class where we have already explored some interesting questions surrounding the origins of creativity and the association between creativity and psychosis (mental illnesses).

--Painting I: an entry level art class with the same professor I had for 2 courses last semester. We've already started our first painting--it is a bit abstract helping us learn about shape and value relationship before we dive into still life. I spent a leisurely hour after class yesterday working the project :)

--Directed Studies in Writing: this is an arranged course meaning it is just the professor and I--we meet when it works for the both of us. I chose one of my favorite professors at Coe for this course, Susanne Gubanc, and am loving it. This class is the last of my PR major and is designed to help me build my portfolio (writing and designing things like news releases and such). Susanne is taking it to the next level introducing me to some online and digital media work. My first project is to create a digital picture story using my new Flip camera.

--Intro to PR: I am not actually enrolled in this course, but am auditing it. This means I can sit in on classes lectures, but do not do the homework nor do I receive any credit for the course. The class is being taught by the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Coe so it is really interesting hearing his real work perspective. I am not taking the course for credit as I do not feel I have enough time for a fifth class this semester, but am really grateful for the opportunity to be part of the class anyways.

Anyways...that's my awesome schedule in a nut shell. I am really looking forward to the semester and all that will come!