With Every Step - A Memory

 Hello Hello!

It has been a while since my last post because I have been staying very busy with my senior seminar paper and the end of cross country season. 

Senior Seminar Update:
I am on page 17 of my final paper and it is going well. Since I like my class, teacher, and topic so well, I am working really hard to make this one of my best papers  - which means it is taking a while!

Cross country update:
We won Conference! 7 time champs (I was wrong on the below post... we are now 7 time champs!!)
We also just had our regional meet in Terre Haute on Saturday. We did not run our best, but we still got 4th - which means we will get an open bid to the National Cross Country meet in Cleveland, Ohio next weekend! It is super exciting but I am also super nervous!

Here is a picture of all of the senior girls on the famous Boulder! (The boulder is in the middle of campus and it is a school tradition that on the first snow of the year, you are suppose to run "naked" to the boulder!!!)

This weekend was also the historic Monon Bell game!! 
The Monon Bell Rivalry has soooo much tradition. This was the 116th game ... that is such a long history. The game has been written about in ESPN and Sports Illustrated as one of the all time best sports rivalries in history. 
I love the rivalry, because deep down inside both school really do respect each other. We are both great, small liberal art schools in the midwest that have a lot of tradition. OBVIOUSLY- DePauw is better .... haha, had to get that in there! 

Once of my teachers is a DePauw Alum, and throughout the week he would tell us some crazy stories from the past when each school would try and steal the bell from the other school. Lets just said people are very creative!!! 

As you may know, we did lose the bell this year! It was such a beautiful day, but it was a bummer that we lost! But that is what makes the tradition so great - it goes back and forth, so our turn next year!!! 

Well, the weekend had been filled with running, football, and family, so back to work! Only a little over a weekend until Thanksgiving! 

Cheerio!
Julie

Cross Country is driving to Atlanta, Georgia this weekend for our big conference meet!!!

The girls cross country team has won 7 conference championship in a row.... so wish us luck this year!

Since this weekend is Halloween, all of the girls are going to the banquet on Friday night in costume. We are all going to be billiard balls. It should be really fun!

Updates to come!

Runner love,
Julie

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

  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!

First I just want to give a little insight to DePauw's senior seminars ... As a senior at DePauw, you are required to take a senior seminar. Seminars are different for every major. For example, Economic majors take a writing intensive seminar in the fall and then they have to take a big test in the spring called Comps, and some seminars are research based and others involve giving big presentations.
I am a Political Science major, and my seminar is called Revsiting American National Government. There are 5 other senior, Political Science majors in my class and our class is all discussion based and we write a long paper at the end of the semester. 

Basically I am in love with my seminar! My teacher is really unique and funny, and we are reading some really interesting, modern poli sci books. Also - super exciting .... we get a have a phone interview with the author of each book when we are finished. We interviewed David Mayhew (really important poli sci researcher), and got to ask him anything! Today we are interviewing another really famous author! It is because of DePauw's prestigious liberal arts program, and small class sizes that allows us to have this opportunity.

So... Today was the first day that I had to pull out my coat! Fall is officially here! I don't like being cold, but I like everything else about fall!
DePauw has an amazing Nature Park, and it is gorgeous at this time of year! I love hearing the crunching leaves under my feet on my long runs. 
Also, Union Board (a student organization that organizes a lot of fun concerts and activities throughout the year) is hosting a first annual campfire this Friday. Campfire = fall!!

The final sign that it is fall, is the fact that I just walked into my duplex and my roommate had bags and bags of apples because she just went apple picking at a near-by orchard! Whoever said Greencastle is in the middle of nowhere was completely wrong! Greencastle is such a charming city and once you start looking you realize there are so many fun opportunities. Such as apple picking, or visiting near-by Cataract Falls, or the playing the new frisbee golf course that just opened by Wal-Mart!

So... I challenge all of you to go put on your jeans and a cozy sweatsuit and enjoy the Fall season! 

Cheers,
Julie 

 I love fall, because that means it is XC season and FOOTBALL season!!

This weekend was the first home football game of the season, and DePauw played another team in our conference (Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference - SCAC) from Kentucky called Centre College. Unfortunately, DePauw lost 34-24 - but we kept fighting until the end! I am excited for the rest of the season, because I think this weekend put a lot more "fight" into the players.

Another reason I love football is because of the tailgates and school spirit! I hosted a tailgate on Saturday for Mortar Board members. Mortar Board is a senior honor society that focuses on scholarship, leadership, and service, and I am president this year. We had a lot of members show up, and we played washers and ate a lot of good food! President Casey also hosted a tailgate for all first-years and invited other students to come out and use community grills that were set up around the parking lot. It was really encouraging to see so many DePauw students wearing black and gold and coming out to support fellow students on the football field. 

Speaking of athletes and sports, our conference is very unique. 
As an athlete, I love our conference. DePauw is one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges in the nation; therefore, our conference is made up of other other prestigious schools. The schools we play are stretched out all over the country: Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Colorado.
For cross country this year, we are traveling to Atlanta, Georgia! It is fun to travel with the team, and we never miss very much school because it is planned so well. 

Like I said - it was a successful, football-filled weekend! (I will try to post pictures soon)

Now (Monday) - starts Greek Week on campus, which also brings a lot of students together and shows school spirit and sorority and fraternity spirit. It is a fun week filled with lots of silly events that get everyone cheering! The highlight is Greek God and Goddess that is held this Friday at 9pm. Each sorority and fraternity makes up a dance/skit/ presentation to do in front of the whole student body. There are faculty judges that decide which sorority and which fraternity is the most creative and successful! It is always amazing to see what every house thinks of... I will definitely try and post some pictures from the event. 

Well - off to class and a new week! Wish me luck, because I am finishing up studying for the LSAT all week, because the big D-day is this Saturday!!! Oh future .... can I just stay at DePauw forever???

 Senior Year/ oh Senior year!

So we have officially been in school for about 3 weeks, and I am finally getting back into the groove of the never-ending reading and school work that is needed to succeed at a top 50 liberal arts college. 

Like I said earlier - I studied abroad in London last spring.
Oh- you would like me to tell you about it? ok!
Well I was in a program called EPA Internships, which means that I did an internship and took 2 classes at Birkbeck University. I did my internship with a member of the House of Commons - which meant that I got to work in Parliament (which is the prettiest building ever! I am in love with Big Ben - see picture)
Insider Secret - The Parliament building had everything you can imagine in it - 4 restaurants/ 2 bars/ a hair salon/ apartments.... galore

I also took 2 classes - British Art in London and British Politics. I am not an artistic person, but I loved learning about the history of Great Britain through art. 

These classes taught me a lot - but they were not quite as "intensive" and "educationally difficult," as the classes at DePauw -- so I had a little dance with reality this fall. BUT - as I said I am back in the groove and enjoying all of my classes and even my endless reading! 
My schedule this semester is:
* Ballroom Dancing
* Media, Culture, and Society 
* Electronic Journalism
* Senior Political Science Seminar - Revisiting American National Government

Basically, I am just excited to soak everything in this semester!

Off to cross country practice!
cheers!

 Since DePauw is considered one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges, it has very loyal alums. 
A benefit of having loyal alumni, is what they bring back to the campus. A great example of amazing alumni making a difference on campus is Timothy and Sharon Ubben and The Timothy and Sharon Ubben Lecture Series - which brings the world's leaders to the Greencastle Campus. 

During my four years on DePauw's campus, I have been able to see Ralph Nader, Mitch Albom, and even Tony Blair speak to large audiences of students on pressing issues! 

This Friday, there will be a debate between Howard Dean and Karl Rove. For more information go to this link: http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=23845.

As a political science major, I am SUPER excited to see this debate - because I think it could get pretty controversial and many of the pressing issues that are going on in the public will be discussed!
I am also very proud of DePauw for allowing students, alumni, and faculty to come up with their own questions (not even pre-screened). I have to admit, that I was one of the lucky students to be drawn out of a large lottery, and I get to ask question number 7 to KARL ROVE and Howard Dean!  
I think I am showing my political "geekness" right now, but I do think that the Ubben Lecture series is a great opportunity for DePauw students to hear from some of the greatest leaders of our time.

Well off to research my question!
Cheerio!

Hi! (firm hand shake and looking you in the eye)

My name is Julie Southworth and this is my first time as an "official" blogger. I am super excited to chat about my daily ventures as a SENIOR here at DePauw University.

First let me introduce myself:
As I said, I am *senior* political science major, and communications minor. I am from a small town outside of St. Louis called Eureka. Which means I am a huge St. Louis Cardinal fan!! 

As far as my life at DePauw - I run cross country and track ... I love those long distances!
I am also a member of Alpha Phi sorority and President of Mortar Board Senior Honor Society and VP of Order of Omega (they are both honor societies on campus). 

As far as me - I love cupcakes (I secretly want to open a cupcake shop in the future). I also love to travel and see new places. I am not a good dancer, but attempting to get better by taking Ballroom dancing this semester! 

As far as future - let's steer clear of this topic for a while, because I get really nervous and can't breathe when I think about graduating! I don't want to leave my safe/fun/perfect DePauw bubble quite yet. I am planning on applying to law school, and also apply to a few political jobs - so wish me luck!

How am I already a senior?!? It seems like just yesterday I was looking through college books. I knew I wanted a small school and DePauw's liberal arts education caught my attention, but when I learned about DePauw's travel opportunities (winter term and study abroad), I was hooked. 
Now that I am an old wrinkly senior - I can look back at the last 3 years and see that I have taken advantage of some of the awesome opportunities DePauw has to offer (especially as far as traveling goes!) I studied abroad  in London during the spring of my Junior year (don't worry I will chat about this a lot! obsessed!) and I went to New Mexico for an outdoor adventure program my freshman year WT (winter term) and went to Japan for a cultural trip my sophomore WT. Basically, DePauw has given me so many opportunities to learn in exciting new atmospheres, and I have grown so much from these experiences. 

I can't wait to blog about my senior year adventures and just DePauw in general! 

As they say in London - Cheerio!