It's More than Just Corn!

Update on my life:

I had a fabulous weekend. :) I was able to spend a bunch of time with my friends [including a dinner with my roommates!], Coe won our football game, I spent a night dancing in Iowa City, didn't worry about homework AND went to the prettiest place EVER: the Palisades.

SEE:



This is a state park only 15 minutes from Coe. It was such a beautiful fall day on Sunday, that I couldn't help going to wander the trails and checkout all the trees changing color.

All that sunshine and happiness has shrunk down to a faint glow as the clouds moved in and my workload seemed to quadruple! I have received all of my final projects for my classes and have a LOT of work to do in the next month. I can't even believe October is over...no idea how I'll get through November. Also...I take GRE in 2 weeks. This is the ACT of graduate schools--I'm so nervous!! So, this week is full of homework and studying and time management. At least I have pictures of my blissful weekend to help me through!

Rock & Roll!

Rock and Roll: the theme of my life for the past 4 days.

I just returned from Cleveland, Ohio (my first visit to the state) where I attended a Business Communications Conference with 2 Coe professors and 5 other students. The theme of the conference: Communication Rocks!

What's with all the rock and roll? Cleveland is home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! And we were lucky enough to spend an entire morning there! I loved it. Anything from Woodstock to Elvis' purple Cadillac to Micheal Jackson's sparkling glove....I saw it all! Probably could have spent days at the kiosks full of hit music.

The rest of the trip was really good too. At the conference I was able to attend a resume, apprentice, and networking workshop where the panel consisted of professionals in the PR field. SO COOL! I basically spent 3 days brushing sleeves with people who have been in the business for years and really know there stuff. (PR is where I hope to be someday!).

I even had a glimpse of fame when I was selected out of the 200+ crowd to come on stage by one of the keynote speakers. Long story, but I ended up on stage with a full body suit and mask with the nickname, "pudding girl" haha.
[http://twitpic.com/m566p or http://twitpic.com/m56kl]

Anyways, I'll stop rambling about my trip and show off some of the pictures I took!

Cleveland skyline :)

Me with the guitars of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum :)

Nick and his best Micheal Jackson move at the Rock and Roll Museum, haha.

GIANT billboard of Lebran James. Can you see Erin? She is the tiny person in front!

Pretty fountain in downtown Cleveland.

The Cleveland Browns! (I don't really watch football, lol)

Back to the Grind

Well, fall break has come and gone. It was a great 4 day weekend...I wish I could extend it! My adventure began Saturday morning when my roommate Kim and her boyfriend decided they were driving up to St. Paul, MN to see our friend Sarah. I was torn between going with them and going to Iowa City to tailgate the Iowa homecoming game, so I flipped a coin. Minnesota it was! We drove up in time to catch the end of the artist crawl in downtown St. Paul followed by an awesome dinner with Sarah's family. Sunday morning Ben, Kim and I started back to Cedar Rapids, but not before stopping at the Mall of America!! I was my first time there AND Kim and I rode the roller coaster at 10 AM...it was awesome!

As soon as we were back in Cedar Rapids (5 hours later), we picked up Jenna and Ethan and drove out to Wilson's Orchard in Iowa City. It was such a cute place to be; we had a great time! We weren't able to pick apples because of the frost, but found some sweet pumpkins to decorate our apartment with. Also ate the best apple turnover of my life. We were going to end the night with Quarter-mania Bowling, but we were beat and all ended up watching movies.

So Saturday and Sunday were my relaxing and adventure days. Monday and Tuesday I spent a bunch of time on homework (over 6 hours in the studio for Painting I!) and worked on my grad school applications/search. I also found time to go shopping and do some arts and crafts :) . Overall a fabulous weekend!

Classes start back today, but it will be a short week!

Sponge Bob at Nickelodeon Universal in the Mall of America. "Think Happy!!"

"Having fun at Wilson's Orchard" with Kim, Ben, Jenna and Ethan :)

Kim and I with our cute little pumpkins.

Cutest picture ever! All of us in the rows of the orchard.

Homecoming Pics :)

As promised! A brief recollection of my fabulous week:

The senior powder-puff team huddled up. We were the champions!

Me and the corvette I rode during the parade :)

Some of the Homecoming Court at halftime of the football game. Note the King and Queen on the left!

My roommates and me ready to head to the dance. We stopped for a photo opportunity with Elvis! [Yes, we have an Elvis cutout in our apartment]

As I walked into the dance I found my name on a star! This is my friend Ethan, co-chair of the Homecoming committee--he helped plan it all!

A few friends at the dance! :)

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!