Top 50 Liberal Arts Colleges

Near a sea of pianos, there were waves of chords
that crashed against the shore in one huge and useless roar.
And there were girls bringing water,
like a dream they came to cure the fever of my brain,
and soothe my burning throat.
And they made me a necklace, hanging beads of sweat on a string of my regrets,
and placed it round my neck


It's almost scary.  It appears to me that almost every person I encounter has an illness of some sort.  Ranging from colds to the swine, everyone is coughing and sneezing. I think this is an important blog for me to write. As illness runs like wildfire in any of the top 50 liberal arts colleges because of the close proximity, it's great to know that we have somewhere to turn.  I've talked to some of my friends recently about the illness at their schools (most of them at huge state schools in Illinois), and the answers for the most part seem to be the same.  There are a lot of people ill, and the waiting list to see a university doctor is seemingly endless. 

At DePauw University we are in luck! Here we are blessed to have the Wellness Center (just a mere 5 minute walk (or less) from basically every point on campus) where it is easy as pie to make an appointment (or counselor if needed) and be able to see a doctor either the day of the phone call, or the next day!  Here's a picture of our M.D....Dr. Scott Ripple.  He is a certified M.D, and got his medical degree from IU.  Very nice.





The wellness center constantly has vaccinations available as well... recently there was a limited supply of H1N1 vaccines, which is awesome! It's great that some people on campus are protected! I was not lucky enough to receive one of these vaccinations, so I'm constantly carrying germ-x in my purse, and forcing all of my friends to "de-germ" before touching me or my things.
 It's awesome how many different types of Germ-X there are.. I have the normal one, but there are actually different scents!! All around campus one is able to find germ-x bottles for student use.  This Small liberal arts college is staying protected and healthy!!

Hello Everyone,

Two top private universities.
Two colleges of Indiana.
Two small liberal arts colleges.

Fighting for the beloved Monon bell. Who will win?

Well, as ya'll may know, I spent 4 weeks of my summer living with Wabash students for a program. I also took a 6-week class there last semester on teaching EFL and ESL--- needless to say, I'm torn!

I'm having a few of my Wallie friends stay with me for the weekend. They know that I am a tiger a heart though, always. I'm also sitting on the Wabash side... shhh, you won't tell will you? I reallllly reeeeeaaaalllly wanted to see the game and our tickets sold out in two days! Awful, right? The things I do!

:-)

Well, here is a picture of my summer Wabash group. I guess I'll have to cheer for both sides. I will keep you posted as to how my divided house will be this weekend. 


Over and Out--

Monon 2009, let's go Tigers!

Recap

 Woo! It's been a little while, but i'm back. Things got really hectic around here for a while, but that's just life at DePauw. What else can you expect from one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges in america? Oh well...

Since I've been gone a lot of things have happened on campus. We recently had our ArtsFest and this years theme was Arts & Power.
 

I must say that this was by far one of our better years for the week! We had world renowned artist and DePauw Alumni, William "Bing" Davis, come to campus and talk to young artists about his experience at DePauw as well as how to expand upon their own art. There was another symposium with Sonja Hinrichsen, an installation artist, a film screening of V for Vendetta, and HUGE inflatable sculptures all around campus!

There was a big Ice Cream cone, a rubber duck in Bowman Park, a giant blue squid in front of Peeler and at one point on top of Julian, a boxing glove at the Women's Center, a sea anenome by the Lily Center, a giant couch on top of Peeler, boobs (yes boobs) in front of Emison!







We also had our Old Gold football game, with DePauw winning of course! 

Keeping it moving.

We are getting close to one of the most anticipated weekends at DePauw. This is hands down, easily, the most exciting weekend to hit this campus. The weekend starts off with the Varsity Swim Team, who by the way recently beat Wabash 200 to 100 Wednesday, swimming against Centre College at the Lily center pool at 7:00pm. Immediately following is the Fabolous and Asher Roth concert held by Union Board in the Lily center starting at 9:00pm. For those who may not know, Fabolous is a hip-hop superstar with hit singles, Holla Back Youngin', Throw it in the Bag, Can't Deny It, Into you, Breathe, Make Me Better, and My Time (which was featured in the opening sequence of America's Best Dance Crew) 








There will be an official after party following the concert hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

However, all of these things pale in comparison to the main event of the weekend. 

THE MONON BELL GAME! 
 
This si the time of the year when campus erupts with Tiger Pride! This year we will be hosting the game at Blackstock Stadium and our team is looking better than ever! We're playoff bound and are going to destroy those Wallies   (It's all friendly competition though) This year will be one of the largest crowds that DePauw has ever had! The tickets sold out in record time this year, both at DePauw and at Wabash!

I am so looking forward to this game! I went my freshman year, the year that we reclaimed the bell! I have never been so proud to be a DePauw student. We won that game with a 49 yard field goal kick by Jordan Havercamp with 4 seconds left on the clock! It was amazing! It made sports center highlights, which is a phenomenal feat for a school best known for it's academics and not necessarily it's sports team. I somehow managed to snag TWO tickets too! This is going to be a great game!

 Mascots shaking hands before the game


DePauw emerging victorious with the bell held high!











I'll be back soon with more updates and more things going on at DePauw. Until then, stay classy.

Yesterday was a fall preview day. Fall preview days are when prospective students and their families are invited to DePauw for a full day of activities designed to give them a comprehensive view of what DePauw has to offer. The day was kicked off by an address from our amazing President, Brian Casey. The rest of the day had a variety of activities including mock classes for prospective students, campus tours, Q&A sessions with current students and an activities fair. At the activities fair, families can learn more about the different aspects of DePauw by talking with representatives from every department (everything from career services and dining services to academic programs and financial aid).

I participated as a current student in the Q& A session for parents and helped at the Management Fellows table in the activities fair. I really enjoy talking with prospective students because it gives me the opportunity to brag about DePauw and all the wonderful opportunities at this top 50 liberal arts college. 

Next weekend is Monon. I am so excited. I have a lot of work to do though before then.

~BB

Well morning came
And it dressed the sky
In a lovely yellow gown
And the shops they are
All opening
In that narrow hallway of downtown
Filled with people who
Are shopping for
Their lovers and their friends
So they won't ever be lonely again

Martin's is found on the Greencastle square.  It's an awesome little boutique and a favorite shopping place of students who attend the Best Liberal Arts College, DePauw University! Here's a picture of Martins (it's the shop to the furthest left in this picture =D  )

Tonight is going to be wild!!






Oh yes, I mentioned the Kappa Formal that went down last weekend, here are a couple pictures from there.  Obviously I am no great photographer! Haha..





So here's myself and my date Jon gettin our groove on out on the dance floor.  Look how nicely his blue and silver tie matches my silver dress, and blue necklace. Excellent planning.














Here we have my good friend Kelly and myself, once again boogying down.
As you can see, I am even peaceful when bustin a move.















Here's a picture from the bus ride to the formal location. The theme was masquerade... so everyone got sweet masks!  Ours are rasta colors! How fun =)
Sadly, I appear to have missed one of my eyes. One would think that a student of one of the top private universities in the country would be able to properly hold a mask, but alas, we are merely human.

I. Am so. EXCITED!!!!!  I found an off campus study program for next fall that seems really, really interesting.  One of the great things about small liberal arts colleges is that it's relatively easy to get face time with advisors.  And not only that, but the advisors are actually helpful.  I went to the off campus study office a couple of weeks ago actually to talk about summer internships abroad.  I left with a few pamphlets about a cool program in Spain and the advise to go check out the OCS website (www.depauw.edu/univ/international/OCS/index.asp).  A couple of days ago I got back into finding an off campus program and found this one.  It's called the Buenos Aires Intermediate Program.  DePauw is one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges definitely because of its off campus study program.  What makes DePauw cool is that we can actually choose a program from lists of programs sponsored by DePauw, another liberal arts college, or we are even able to create our own off campus study program.  It's great.

So, now I just need to fill out the application, get accepted to the program, and fly 5,390 miles south!

Buenos Aires would be such a great place to study music and the Spanish language and culture.  The architecture is so different from everything I've seen in the US, with the mix of old and contemporary styles, and of course there's the Argentine tango and the food and the people... I can't wait!!

I have a serious. . . serious case of the Monday's. But, thanks to the time change and the cancellation of my early morning class, I had one extra hour of much-needed sleep.

What keeps me going you ask? I am trying to study abroad. The application is over 20 pages with lots of specifics; however, the thought of spending next fall in the Dominican Republic is more than enough inspiration.
Can you imagine? I know what you're thinking: if you guys are such a small liberal arts school, how can students get these opportunities? Well we are also a private liberal arts college with a really strong alumni basis and support system, and they want to make sure that we remain one of the best liberal arts colleges in the nation (a top 50 liberal arts college to be exact). The professors guide their students and offer advice and support. And actually over 80 percent of DePauw students go off campus for some type of credit.

So, wish me luck. Santiago, hopefully I'll see you next fall. Chao chao, y nos vemos. Hasta pronto.

Peace and Love,
Danni

Monon in TWO weeks! Let's go Tigers!

  Cause everything it must belong somewhere
Sound stage in California, televisions in Times Square
Yeah, everything it must belong somewhere
I know that now, that's why I'm staying here
Well I know that now, that's why I'm staying here


I can't believe that it is almost November here at DePauw University!  The time is just flying by, and the leaves are changing colors like mad.  Yesterday I was hangin out on the lovely swings in the front of Kappa with my good friend T-Love, and we were bedazzled by the amazing scene that we were able to see.  There was seriously a square that had like every color imaginable in it. I wish I would have had a camera, because honestly it would have blown your mind.  I am a strong believer that 4/5 of the students who visit DePauw during this week will end up coming here just because of the beauty of the campus.

I've been pretty bogged down with work this week.  One test after another... actually I found out what a BlueBook is this week.  Basically it's a book of lined paper that you use on essay tests.  I didn't know they existed, but in just this week I have had two essay tests and have used the BlueBook TWICE in one week.  Insane.   I can't believe how quickly the week off went, and I'm even more baffled at how quickly professors start assigning mad amounts of work following the break! However, that is the norm in the life of  student attending one of the Top 50 Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States!

Another exciting thing that happened this week was that tickets to the Monon Bell game went on sale!  There are already less than 100 tickets left! Basically this is the biggest football game of the year... so exciting.  We play against Wabash College (one of the oldest rivalries in the entire united states).  The winner gets to take home an actual 200 lb. Bell.  Right now we have it, it is sure to be a good game.  This will be the 119th Monon Bell game, and the scores are tied 53-53 with 9 ties.  So this will be an intense year.

Here you can see our DePauw cheerleaders practicing hard in order to cheer the Tigers on to victory! Woo!  Tryouts for cheerleading are held in the Spring, so they have been doing a lot of practicing since!












This is kinda random, but I think it's pretty sweet.  It was actually before FallBreak, but each year there is a "Trash our Runway" fashion show.  Students are able to design their own clothing using only trash.  Magazines, chicken wire, newspapers, etc.. all of these things used to make clothing!!   

Here's an awesome picture, courtesy of  my Kappa sister, Stacie.  Bri, another Kappa (second from the right) was the winner of the fashion show with the amazing dress that she's wearing!

Random note: the neon bikini was actually made completely from USED tape.. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about that.






Well, Kappa formal is Friday, and Halloween in on Saturday so hopefully there will be some high times this weekend that I will write about next time!!  I will charge my camera tonight so that I have no reason not to give sweet pictures of this amazing Liberal Arts College in action.  

I had a wonderful fall break!  It was always sunny, and I got to spend a lot of time with my family and friends.  A lot of schools don't have a fall break, but at DePauw, one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges, we really appreciate the break we get after those crazy (difficult) midterms. 

The fall here is absolutely gorgeous.  So far it hasn't been too cold, thankfully, and the trees range from bright green to deep red with shades of orange and yellow, too.  I love it.  I'm glad DePauw is one of the small liberal arts colleges, because I feel like I can really enjoy the weather and the trees as I go from class to class because the buildings aren't extremely far from each other.

I've only been back for one day, and already the workload is piling up!  There's more music history, of course, and I have a lot of Spanish homework to do before tomorrow.  I'm really enjoying the classes that I chose for this semester.  Making the decision to study at a liberal arts college was the right choice for me because if I had chosen a really large university, I probably wouldn't have been able to continue my studies in Spanish, which would have been unfortunate, especially since I found out yesterday that I got an A on an important paper in Spanish! :) 

Even though I'm feeling like a palm tree in a tsunami as far as homework goes, the second half of this semester is off to a great start!

Hi Everyone:

I suddenly had as really string urge to blog. So, here I am. I am sitting in Julian, our math and science building, and it's absolutely beautiful. It's newly renovated, open with natural lighting and comfy chairs. Basically, it's an ideal place to blog. It's actually named after Percy L. Julian who was the first black graduate from DePauw in 1928. He went on to get a PHD from Harvard, and win the Nobel prize. That's totally not my point.

My point is that I love my liberal arts college. A whole bunch. The titles Top 50 liberal arts college or best liberal arts college mean nothing if the student is not valued and at the center of the learning experience. Well, here at my beloved private liberal arts college, we are human beings with feelings, needs and we are treated as such.


I am a little bit geeked (really excited) because something reminded me how great our professors are here at DePauw. I wrote a Spanish essay of about 3 pages for an upper-level class. I was nervous because he is a pretty tough grader with high expectations. I speak Spanish. I speak Spanish really well, but there is a difference between discussing the new Aventura CD with friends and contrasting two works of 15th century Spanish literature in an academic setting. Get my drift? Yes, I can survive quite well in a Spanish speaking country for months at a time, but can I write a strong analytical essay with a thesis, argument, textual support and still maintain my personal voice in a language that is not my own? It's tough. Well, I managed to pull off an really high A and I am beyond geeked. It proves that unconventional learning styles like full-blown immersion are valid in the classroom. I learned to speak Spanish before learning to read or write it, which is kind of out of order. I started in 4th grade learning from friends. But my main point is that teachers offer constructive criticism that makes the assignment less about a letter grade and more about actually learning something. There is a dialogue. This is helpful. And for that reason and several other reasons, DePauw is the best liberal arts college. . . ever.

Tiger Pride
Peace&Love,
Danni

Take the fruit from the tree, break the skin with your teeth
Is it bitter or sweet? All depends on your timing
Like a meeting of chance with the train station glance

From: Cassadaga (2007)

 

 

(This song was really only chosen because it has the word "Break" in it. Which is happening. Literally. )




Fall.. it is in the air right now! Well, besides the rain I guess..but thats just today! Okay, so I'm home this week. Seeing as it's fall break at DePauw University, most of the students are home!

Some will take their "Spring Break in fall" during Fall Break, but with lower prices because its not the high demand time! I am spending my fall break here in good ole' Cary, IL hangin out with the family, and reasearching for my future here at DePauw University.  By that I mean the amazing study abroad experience that I am going to have during my junior year.  The deadline is coming up for my application, but DePauw really pushes for every DePauw student to have an off campus experience (even if within the United States)! This is another one of the benefits of a Small Liberal Arts College.  There are even scholarships that I can apply for for some financial help finding the experience!


One of my good friends is studying abroad in Italy right now!! He took a trip to Rome for the weekend and took some awesome pictures.. this is one of my favorites =)















Another one of my friends is abroad right now in Spain! Here's an awesome picture she took of Barcelona! 
Being a Spanish speaker and possible  Spanish major, Spain is definitely the place that I want to study.  There are awesome programs offered by only some of the Top 50 Liberal Arts Colleges in the country! So, Madrid is where I am, as of right now, planning to study abroad!  On DePauw's website there are so many links that can help you find exactly the right program for you to attend, and for these programs you pay the same tuition and  scholarships are applied! It's awesome!! I'm also looking at a another program in Chile that's pretty cool too.. so I have some decisions to make before the applications are due! haha.
Well, only three more days of break, and I can't wait to get back to DePauw, but this is a busy week full of tests and papers, so hopefully I'll have something awesome to talk about next time!

Hello Hello!

So .... It is officially Fall Break. Since DePauw University is one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges in the country, the students are expected to work hard the whole year. To be rewarded for our hard work, we get a WHOLE week of school off for Fall Break.

I am actually staying on campus until Thursday for cross country. We had a meet in Osh Kosh, Wisconsin this past weekend. I ran well, and made the varsity team that continues on to conference. Here is a video link of the girl's XC team warming up for the meet ... it was very cold out, as you can see by all of our clothing.
http://striggo.smugmug.com/gallery/10001463_6KQDh#684142505_WZWaa-A-LB

Our conference meet is in Atlanta, Georgia - on Oglethorpe's campus. Their mascot is the Stormy Petrols. Can anyone tell me what that is exactly?
I am really excited to take a big trip down to Atlanta with the whole team! As a student, our sports conference is so much fun because we get to travel all over the USA. Once of my favorite college memories is flying to San Antonio for track conference my freshman year. We got to eat along the Riverwalk and see the big festival that was going on during the time we were there.

So far, Fall Break has been very fun! On Sunday, my XC teammates and I went to the Covered Bridge Festival in Mansfield, Indiana. It is about a 30 minute drive from DePauw. The Covered Bridge Festival is a week-long event that supposedly draws over a million visitors to Indiana. It is a big deal! It has a lot of craft stands and lot of good fair food! The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the fall landscape was so pretty to drive through. Here is a website about Parke County and the Festival: http://coveredbridges.com/
This festival just proves that there is still a lot to do in and around good old Greencastle.

Other than running - I plan to catch up with homework over Fall Break!
Also, this coming weekend, I am also going to Kentucky to visit my brother and his wife. We are going to go to Keeneland horse track in Lexington, Kentucky. This horse track is very fancy, and we are going to get all dressed up! I am very excited.

Off to do a little reading!

Cheers!
Julie

The Monon game is tomorrow!!  Monon is one of the biggest DePauw events of the year.  Throughout the 115 years that Wabash and DePauw have been competing in football, Monon has become about more than just the game.  It's a tradition.  A lot of groups on campus become involved.  For example, tonight at midnight will be the Monon pancake breakfast in the Union Building, sponsored by the company that supplies our food.  Free food + perpetually hungry college students = huge crowd.  I'm sure it'll be fun! 

Then on Saturday is the actual game.  I was one of the lucky ones who made it to the ticket office on time!  We were given the opportunity to claim free tickets to the game, but of course there was a limited number of tickets, so not everyone who wants to go will be able to.  Some people are selling theirs for $50 or more!  I think it's a little rediculous.  But on the other hand, this game is going to be a big deal.  Out of the 115 games played, DePauw has won 53, Wabash has won 53, and there has been 9 ties.  This is the tie-breaking game, and we have the homefield advantage (does that apply to football as well?). 

The Monon Bell is the highly coveted trophy awarded to the winning team.  We've won for the past two consecutive years.  Hopefully we can keep it up!  I'm looking forward to all of the festivities this weekend!

*sigh*

It is that time of year. It is time for a well-deserved and much needed break. This week has been quite hectic with papers and midterms. I am in the process of editing papers and doing regular homework. However, I will not complain  because there is a light at the end of the tunnel: Fall Break! I am driving home with my best friend and we are going to just vegetate and sleep like we are in a coma. I am looking forward to it. Most campuses adjourn for a few days in October; however, DePauw sets the bar high as one of the best liberal arts colleges so we get 7 days off. We work hard, that is why we are a top 50 liberal arts college, but we need a break like the rest of the colleges of Indiana and students nationwide.

Sweet Home, Chicago! Here's too you! It won't be soon before long, DePauw. See you in a few days.

Peace and Love,
Danni

Fall break is here!  My flight leaves in less than four hours.  I can't wait to feel that warm Arizona sunshine on my face, and the sunsets are absolutely beautiful.

 












That being said, yesterday was rough.  I took the Music History midterm, a Spanish quiz, and the second econ exam.... not a fun day.  I actually feel really confident about the MH. I think the studying all weekend and staying up until 2 am was probably worth it.  Spanish really wasn't that big of a deal, it was only vocab.  Econ is definitely where I had problems.  I'm pretty good at multiple choice, but The short answer I believe is where I'm going to lose a lot of points.  I read the first question, and had no idea what to write down.  Eventually I was able to guess through it, so at least I wrote something down.  I tried.  Really.  But it's ok, because I decided to take this class in the first place in order to get a more rounded education, the kind that makes DePauw one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges.  

  My love for DePauw was renewed this weekend! 

 

I had a cross country meet this Saturday in Terre Haute, Indiana (about 40 minutes from DePauw), and my whole family came to watch me: my brother and his wife, my other brother and his girlfriend, my grandma, aunt, and mom and dad. It was a big party! 

I race went pretty well, and DePauw's women's team got 1st place! It was perfect, fall running weather... but the real party started after the meet when everyone came back to DePauw.

 

My aunt had never seen DePauw before, so I was very excited to show her one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges. Once we got on campus, we decided to take a little walk and enjoy the fall colors. It was soooo much, and I saw the school through the eyes of my aunt. She kept saying how pretty everything was, and wanted to stop and take pictures of everything. At first it was a little annoying, but then I realized that she did not walk the sidewalks everyday and she did not get to hear the chimes of East College every hour. I have been taking all of the gorgeousness of DePauw for granted. I was seeing the prestigious buildings in a bright new fall sunlight.

 

When we got to the 4 pillars by the Union Building (Hub) building, my aunt asked me what each pillar meant, and it made me stop and reflect on their meaning. These are my interpretation of each pillar:

1) Intellectual Engagement - President Brian Casey has really tried to improve intellectual growth around campus. I find myself getting into political and life discussions all the time at DePauw ... all of the students are so intelligent and enjoy learning and helping each other!

 

2) Unique Opportunities - I cannot say enough about the many unique opportunities that I have gotten since I have been at DePauw. As far as traveling - I have been to the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, Japan, all around Europe and more ... DePauw has so many connections and great opportunities!

 

3) Supportive Relationships - As a senior, I have realized that the DePauw Alumni is one of the best examples of a supportive relationship. All DePauw Alumni want to help DePauw students in any way that they can ... it has been such a relief as I figure out my life plan!

 

4) Community Engagement- Greencastle is a little slice out of the midwest. I enjoy all of the small town quirks! Greencastle has a farmer's market every Saturday 

 

After our enriching tour, we went back to my spacious duplex and played cornhole and washers on the front lawn. It was such an awesome afternoon and I loved showing off all of the amazing aspects of this top private university.

GREAT WEEKEND!

Hi All:

On this gloomy Thursday evening, I can't help but wish that it was summer again. I miss the days filled with sunshine, warm breezes and cool refreshing rains. Campus is especially gorgeous during the summer months. Even though we are a small liberal arts college, we have over 36 major buildings and our campus spans over 600 acres including our nature park. There are tulips, perfectly trimmed lawns, and large magnificent trees that exude history.


This brings me to my main question: what did you all do this summer?
One of the benefits pf attending a top private university and a top 50 liberal arts college is that we have opportunities that most students only dream of. I participated in a brand new DePauw program my freshman year called "DePauw in Ecuador Program." We spent 3 weeks on campus and 2 weeks in Quito, Ecuador. I met my best friend on the trip and discovered my love for Ecuador. After that I vowed to return.

This past summer I spent 3 and a half months in Ecuador teaching English, traveling, and studying Spanish. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I owe the opportunity to my favorite liberal arts college, DePauw University.


What was your summer like?
Peace&Love
Danni

Fall break is just around the corner!  One week from tomorrow I will be basking in the Arizona sunshine.  My classes are really starting to get tough.  One of the things about attending one of the top private universities is that the professors expect a lot, which is good and bad.  It's good because it means I'm getting a great education, but on the other side it also means that I have a lot of work to do!  But that's what college is, right?  Classes, plus homework, plus hanging out with friends, if there's time.  Lately the only way I've been able to spend any time with my friends is to study with them.  I just finished studying with my friend Jane for our Music History mid-term exam coming up this Wednesday.  The class is really interesting.  The semester began with an analysis of Ancient Greek music, then through the Medieval and Renaissance eras, and now we've reached the 1600's and Baroque music, thankfully.  I definitely prefer the Baroque style because it's when instrumental music gained importance.  So, my classes are going well, but I will definitely be ready for a break next week after my Music History mid-term and economics exam (both on Wednesday, unfortunately).

One of the things about Indiana colleges and universities that I was not expecting when I arrived at DePauw last year was the amount of rain and wind.  It has been raining the entire day, and there's a 100% chance of rain for tomorrow.  To me, all of this rain is crazy.  But I guess that's how the grass stays green, so I suppose the consecutive rainy days aren't too bad.  Rain definitely encourages studying at this liberal arts college, which is good during this time of the semester.  It also encourages many visits to the cafe in the GCPA for hot chocolate.  :-)

I'm really excited about the next orchestra concert, during ArtsFest.  We're playing the overture to Mozart's opera the Marriage of Figaro and also Shostakovich's fifth symphony.  I played both pieces in high school a couple of times in various youth and honor orchestras, but they're both tons and tons of fun.  Performing them again will be great. The theme for ArtsFest this year is Art and Power.  The Shostakovich is perfect for this program because Shostakovich was a composer in Russia under Stalin, and it was written as a protest against communism.  It's very powerful, yet well written.  I'm excited.

Back to the books!

 First of All (had to plug the fraternity :P), Happy October!



As you know this kicks off the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month! That means that sometime later I should be posting pictures from around campus of the different events going on to raise awareness. For now here's a link to the Susan G. Komen website (http://ww5.komen.org/), designed to raise awareness and earn funds for Breast Cancer research and development. 




















 


























Moving right along though, this weekend also marks off Old Gold Weekend. 

I'm really excited about this weekend! It's basically DePauw's homecoming and we have A LOT of stuff going on this weekend, including the game, the parade, the first annual campus bonfire, President Casey's birthday, tailgating (WITH FREE CORN!!!!), and some other stuff that I really can't remember. 







Man I love it here. It's just something that's been floating in the air recently that's just made campus that much more lively. I don't know if it's the impending weekend, Sigma Chi's 150 year celebration on campus, this last weekend of Parent's Weekend, my little sibs (a mentor program started by AAAS *the Association of African-American Students* that provides underclassmen with upperclassmen guides that mentor and build friendships with them to help African American students feel more comfortable on campus) or the Free Hugs that the men of Alpha Phi Alpha were going around giving out. Anyway something has really been going on on campus that has made me fall in love with it all over again.

Looking back on my time at this wonderful institution I can easily say that it's been fun. Though I'm not leaving this year, I can only imagine that it's really going to hurt to have to say farewell to Good Ole DePauw. I'm going to miss the late night study sessions that magically turn into random journeys through Greencastle, exploring all of the hidden caves of wonder, the intellectual conversations that range from Uganda to Peace in the Middle East, to transcendentalism, to which pizza place is the best on campus. Then there are the little moments that I really start to look back on. Like falling asleep on the lawn in the middle of the day only to be woken up by the President of the school gently nudging me awake. The hours spent sitting in my room lazily wasting away the day. The Pomegranate Limeade Odwallas, that random orange flower in a bed of yellow tulips. All of these little Indiana college quirks.

I love it here. Trapped in this little middle of nowhere Indiana bubble. Where the top minds in the country come to meet, exchange courtesies and then continue about their day. Here in one of the top colleges of Indiana, one of the top private universities in america and in my opinion the best private liberal arts schools in the world, I've found freedom.