Finals Week

So finals week sucks!!! Not only do i have to study all week and take exams, I also have to pack to go home.  Packing is the worst for me.  I have to move all of my stuff home in one trip back to Texas, and I don't know how I am going to do it.  There is no way that everything is going to fit.  This week is also depressing because it means that I am not going to see all of my friends all summer.  The majority of my friends will be in Alabama, but I  will be in Texas.  Don't get me wrong, I love home and miss it dearly, but all of my friends, that I have lived with for the last year , will be here without me.  So in my last post, I just want to say that I am excited to go home, but I will miss TTown and all of my friends dearly.

TOP Graduation

This past semester I worked as a mentor and tutor at Holt Elementary with  Tuscaloosa's One Place.  I tutored 2 third grade kids.  Yesterday was their graduation celebration.  They performed a song.  Then they all received their certificates and their gifts.  All of the kids had so much fun at graduation.  All of their smiles were so exciting to see.  I am going to miss my kids so much this summer, but I am excited to come back in the fall and see my kids again.

Farmer's Market

Yesterday I went to the farmer's market at the Episcopal church near campus.  This was my first farmer's market, and I had a lot of fun.  There was only about 8 booths, but they all had great stuff.  There was a great tomato stand that had extremely red tomatoes.  Another stand had baked goods, and another had lots of green vegetables.  There was a TV crew from the local news station that was filming.  Overall I had a great time at the farmer's market. 

The Quad

Today two of my really good friends and I went out for a walk.  It was so nice outside that we just had to be outside.  The Quad is so pretty this time of year.  There is always people hanging out there with their friends.  I saw some guys playing with a frisbee, and another group was playing with a football.  I just had fun watching everyone.  But my favorite part was all of the dogs.  It seems that whenever it gets warm, I see so many guys with dogs.  I am a sucker for a dog, and we saw so many cute ones today.  So guys if you want to attract female attention on the Quad, walk your dog, and girls will flock. :)

Panhellenic Weekend

This past weekend was Panhellenic Weekend.  It is the big pre-rush weekend for sororities here at Bama. I had a girl stay with me, and we had so much fun. I remember what it is like to be almost graduated and get to come stay for the last time before I actually moved to Alabama. We had a BBQ and a brunch for the rushees. I had never really been in any of the neighborhoods around Tuscaloosa that weren't predominately student housing. So going to our advisors' houses for these events was a first for me. The houses were so beautiful.  I had so much fun. Seeing my advisors' houses made me want to explore the residential neighborhoods around the campus, so I think that sometime during dead week I will explore the neighborhoods in Tuscaloosa.

Alpha Pi's Promotion Week

This week Alpha Pi (the newest sorority coming to the Alabama campus in Fall 2008) representatives were on campus to introduce the students to Alpha Pi and what they are all about. I have had several conversations with some of their representatives as I have seen them this week. I told them how excited that we are adding a new sorority to our campus because it gives more female students the opportunity to become part of Greek Life. Alpha Pi's philanthropy is women's heart health. As part of their philanthropy promotion they sponsered fitness classes at the Rec. On Thursday, my pledge sister Amelia and I attended yoga to support Alpha Pi. We had so much fun. Yoga is not a classical workout is any way. It focuses on your core and strengthening it through holding positions and focusing. It was such a good thing. Today I am sore, but I feel calm and stronger. I will continue to do yoga because I feel that it will help me become a stronger and more toned person.

River Walk Cookout

Yesterday Campus Crusade for Christ had a end of the year cookout at the gazebo on the River Walk. I had never been to the River Walk so I was really excited to get to hang out there with some of my friends. When were go there, I realized how beautiful it was. The gazebo was large and had a red roof. There was a trail that ran along the Black Warrior River. The trees and just the whole atmosphere was so relaxing. I had so much fun hanging out there. I think that I will go back during dead week just to get away and relax. I am so excited to find a new place were I can relax and be alone.

Our field trip in English was to explore the art gallery in the Feguson Center. We walked to the Ferg expecting to se a fun and exciting art exhibit. However, when we got to the art gallery, the exhibit was one put on by the Women's Resource Center. There were painted wooden hearts all over the walls. Each heart was painted in a different way by sexual assault victims or their advocates. The exhibit was very powerful and moving. I was so proud of our University for supporting the Women's Resource Center. Although sexual assault is not something was want to talk about, I am so happy that the University is concerned with our safety and takes measures to keep its students informed and prepared for something that is now prevalent in America. I feel that making students aware of the dangers and educating them in how to avoid sexual assault will help students to feel safer on campus. The art exhibit is extremely sad, but it helps to raise awareness because it is found in such a high traffic area.

Ferguson Plaza Music

Today on my way to class, as I approached the Ferguson Plaza and began to here some loud music. When I got to the Ferg, I saw a band set up in the Plaza.  The band's name was Crystal Twilight.  Although their music is not my favorite type of music, they were exciting to see and listen too.  There were many students hanging out around the band.  I did not know that the Ferguson Plaza held musical acts there. I was excitedly surprised by my new discovery.

Stewards Retreat

Over the weekend of April 5th and 6th, I, along with the other stewards, went on a "bonding" retreat to Camp Cosby right outside of Pell City.  I have been to camp since I was in the 2nd grade, and I am working at that camp this summer, but I still wasn't sure what to expect because my first Alabama camp experience on pledge retreat wasn't so pleasant.  The camp ended up being somewhere in between my home camp and the horrible pledge retreat camp.  We were on a lake and were able to do a vertical apparatice, go spulunking, and rock climb.  I had so much fun because even though I don't look like it, I love the outdoors.  The vertical apparatice was just your typical ropes stuff, and rock climbing is also pretty much self explainitory. But spulunking was something completely new for me.  We put on our coveralls and climbed down into a cave.  Ya thats right, I said DOWN.  I managed to get myself stuck almost immediately but was able to get myself out of that situation rather quickly.  The experience was rather fun until the intructors told us not to touch the BATS.  I was not ok with bats.  Even though there were tiny and hibernating, I didn't like them.  When we returned to camp Saturday night we had planned to have a camp fire and make smores :), but it had rained just a day before hand and the wood was wet.  The guys said that it would be impossible to make a camp fire with wet wood, but the girls were determined.  I dried kindling with my hair dryer, and after much trying, we were able to make our fire.  So much for boys telling us that it couldn't be done.  Overall the weekend was a lot of fun, and I was able to get to know the other stewards better.

My Bamalog

I was selected last summer to participate in a program called Bamalog.  It is a recruiting tool used by the admissions office of the University.  I blog twice a month about my experiece as a freshman.  Here is the link to the web site. bamalog.ua.edu

University Stewards

On Monday, I interviewed for University Stewards--a program sponsored by the Admissions Department of the University that helps with recruiting for Bama.  I found out this afternoon that I was selected to become one of the 14 new members. When I visited Bama, I ate lunch with some of the Stewards, one of which is now my sorority sister.  They're insight and willingness to talk to me helped me to make my decision to come to school at the Capstone.  I am very excited to see how my involvement in this group will help to shape our university and our future as a school.

Before Spring Break, I was able to visit the Alabama Natural History Museum. I did not know that there was a museum, other than the Bear Bryant Museum, on our campus. The museum was very interesting and not exactly what I expected. When we walked in the door there was a huge stuffed bear there to greet us. The structure of the museum was very unique. It was not set up like a normal museum. The third floor was a kind of balcony/porch type of set up so that you could see the second floor also. On the second floor is was intrigued by the prehistoric skeletons and fossils. They were all so large and very different from the animals we see today. But the thing that interested me the most was the CSI: Alabama exhibit on the third floor. There were many exciting things to see up there. The human body on the autopsy table and the shrunken heads were the things that I found most interesting. I was glad that we, as a class, were able to experience this great museum.

Tide Basketball

On Saturday, I went to my first Tide basketball game. It was quite an experience. When I got here I realized that Tide athletics were a big deal, but I thought that football was the only really big "fan sport." I was convinced that basketball was just something to keep you occupied until football season started again. Boy, was I wrong. When we got to the Coliseum, there were so many people. The thing that amazed me the most was the "Mark's Madness" group.  I didn't know that basketball had an overenthusiastic section like football does. I had so much fun at my first game and plan to go again. And if you haven't been to a basketball game, I suggest you all go.