Thursday, October 27, 2011

Impressionists, Poets, Penguins- Oh My!

It has been quite an eventful week. Thursday- Sunday, I was in Tulsa for NACA. We saw some pretty incredible acts. We are bringing Melissa Villasenor to campus in April during Hawk Wild Week. She is a hilarious impressionist whose impressions are spot on. She did Wanda Sykes, Justin Bieber, Christina Aguilera, and Owen Wilson… and all of them sounded perfect. What a wide range! I remember seeing her on America’s Got Talent this summer, but when we saw her in person, we were dying! She was SO funny. I can’t wait to share her with the campus in April.

(With Melissa Villasenor)

We also booked a few comedians and a spoken word poet for the fall semester of 2012. It was so strange to book acts for after I graduate. It’s sad to think that I won’t be here anymore to see the talent that we book. It really put things into perspective on just how close graduation is. I am disappointed I will miss the poet. His name is Carlos Robson, and his poems were just incredible. I remember being really touched by one about the challenges our soldiers face. My stepbrother is currently serving in the Army in Afghanistan, and I really connected with this poem. Carlos was able to beautifully tell a story without being political, which I think is rare. Look out for Carlos, coming fall 2012.

I had a blast at NACA. It was great to pass the torch onto our younger members of e-board. Upon our return to campus, it was time for me to prepare for my sorority’s philanthropy week. The philanthropy that we sponsor is the American Heart Association. We had some great events planned for the week to raise money for AHA. My favorite was Hoops for the Heart, a student vs. faculty basketball game.
(The penguin suit at Hoops for the Heart)
The mascot of our sorority is the penguin. I was a co-host for this event, and I wore the penguin suit. It was really a freeing experience.  When you’re in a costume, you get the courage to do things you might not normally do. My penguin disguise allowed me to come out of my shell. I was dancing like it was nobody’s business. We had a really great turnout, and we raised a lot of money for AHA. As a senior, I was happy to see the success of the event. Our sorority is still learning the ropes here on campus, and I think we did a great job. I have absolutely loved my experience with RU Greek Life. I will miss this part of RU so much, and I can’t wait to see how much our sorority continues to grow in the future.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

NACATTACK!

It’s that time of year again. Every October, SAB prepares for the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) Regional Conference. This conference serves as an opportunity for members of SAB to interact with students from the programming boards at other schools, network with professionals in the talent business, and watch performances by countless musicians, comedians, poets, and magicians that we hope to bring to RU’s campus in the future. I, along with 5 other members of the SAB e-board and our advisor, will be traveling to Tulsa, OK tomorrow morning for a three-day whirlwind of educational sessions, showcases, and meet and greets.

NACA is one of my favorite things about SAB. This will be my 6th NACA during my time here at RU. I have been to three national conferences in Nashville, Boston, and St. Louis, as well as two other regional conferences in Texas. Even before I was a member of the executive board, I was chosen to attend a NACA conference my freshman year. It was a huge honor for me to be selected by the upperclassmen on the executive board who saw enough potential in me to believe that I could contribute to the conference delegation. Choosing to get involved on campus right off the bat truly paid off. I showed my dedication to a campus organization as a freshman, almost from day one, and was rewarded with this honor. NACA is what inspired me to run for Concert Chair, VP, and eventually President.

My biggest piece of advice: find an organization that allows you to do what makes you happy. Then, put your heart into it, and you will get so much more out of your college experience. You will meet great people with whom you will form lasting friendships. You will be given opportunities to foster your own leadership abilities while also helping others become leaders as well.  You will create memories that will hold a special place in your heart.
 (NACA Nationals in Nashville- February 2009- my freshman year)

(NACA Regionals in Arlington- October 2010- the conference was right across from the baseball stadium, and the World Series was there the same time we were.)

This will be my last NACA conference. I have so many great memories from past conferences. One year, while on the shuttle from the airport to the hotel in Arlington, TX, I found a sweet potato. Yes, a yam. I took it into the conference with me. For the whole weekend, our group of students played practical jokes on each other, such as putting the yam under each other’s pillows, or slipping it into each other’s backpacks. I will never forget times like this one.
(The infamous yam)
I recently purchased a framed piece of artwork from a local craft fair with the quote, “Enjoy the little things in life… for one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.” Even seemingly insignificant things, like finding a yam under your hotel pillow, have now become memories that I will treasure for many years to come.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

For the Love of the Game

Last week was quite exciting. I am a huge fan of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team, and as of last week they were still in the playoffs. Even though I now live in St. Louis, I am not a Cardinals fan. I am originally from the East Coast, and my mom’s entire family is from Philly. Growing up, we frequently visited the City of Brotherly Love, and my childhood is filled with Philly memories: running up and down the stairs of the Art Museum like Rocky, being downtown for the St. Patrick’s Day parade with my grandfather dressed like a leprechaun, and, of course, eating Rita’s water ice and Pat’s cheesesteaks until I could no longer move. To me, being a Phillies fan isn’t just about baseball. It’s about holding onto a part of my childhood that seems very distant now that I live in the Midwest.

(The St. Pat's Day Parade in Philly in 1994. I'm the one in the front right. I know you're jealous of my bowl cut lol.)

Before the big loss to the Cardinals on Friday the 7th, it still seemed that the Phillies might go all the way. My family was fortunate enough to come across tickets to the NLDS game on Tuesday the 4th. My boyfriend (who is a Cards fan) and I drove out to STL after class on Tuesday for the game. This was my first Phillies playoff game, and I was overwhelmed. It was incredible just to be in the stadium while my favorite team battled to continue on the journey to the World Series.  It was an amazing game, and they won that night. My mom and I had to quietly celebrate the victory since the stadium was filled with Cards fans. 
(My boyfriend and I at Game 3 of the NLDS at Busch Stadium.)

Unfortunately, the Phils ended up losing the series on Friday. It was pretty upsetting. Contrary to what Tom Hanks might have said, there is crying in baseball. It was hard to understand why the team with the best record in baseball wasn’t going to the World Series. Like Charlie Manuel, the manager of the Phils, said after the loss, “I feel empty inside.” It was a difficult loss to say the least, especially since I had no other Phillies fans with whom to commiserate. However, I look forward to next year, especially Spring Training. This will be my third year in a row going to Phillies Spring Training in FL.

Many students at RU are from St. Louis, and it is difficult to find support from other Phillies fans in the middle of KCMO. However, there is at least one other Phillies fan at RU to whom I can always turn when it is time to celebrate our victories or lament our losses. That fan is Father Curran, the President of the University. When I think about my RU experience, I can’t help but realize that RU is truly a special place. How many schools have you heard of where the President of the university regularly interacts with students, eats at their lunch tables, and helps carry their fridges and microwaves on move-in day? Fr. Curran’s involvement with the students is truly unique to RU. It is one of my favorite things about Rockhurst, and our shared love of the Phillies is something I will always cherish.

Until next year, I have chosen to be a fan of the game, recognizing that anything can happen in baseball. Only 4 months until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in Clearwater :-)

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Bittersweet Symphony

I knew that my senior year would be filled with bittersweet moments. I didn’t anticipate them quite this early in the school year, though. Last night, SAB sponsored the annual homecoming dance. It’s similar to most high school homecoming dances. Everyone gets dressed up and grabs a group of their friends to celebrate school spirit with a night of dancing and fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, but there were multiple times when I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.

One such moment occurred during the Run DMC song “It’s Tricky”. Since I was a freshman, this song has been very important to my friends in my sorority and me. It has become more or less “our song”. When the DJ played this song last night, all of us gathered in a big group and shouted the words like we have always done. The same feelings of excitement and belonging rushed over me. However, a new emotion was in the mix as well: sadness.
(At the dance with some of my sorority sisters)

In the middle of the song, I felt sad that this would be the last time I would get to sing this song with my friends at homecoming. I became incredibly nostalgic for the girls that had graduated last May and were no longer there to dance with us. I realized that, next semester, I would be one of those girls. All at once, I felt happy and sad; happy to be able to enjoy another moment like that with my friends and sad that we probably won’t get the chance to do it again.

Toward the end of the dance, other members of the SAB executive board and I were sitting at a table waiting for the last few songs to be played. As usual, the DJ played “Don’t Stop Believin’”. Watching the students, many of whom were freshmen, belt out the song with their friends brought a smile to my face. I couldn’t believe that I had been in their shoes just a few short years ago. My time here at Rockhurst has gone by way too fast. I find myself lost in my life’s timeline, wondering where the last few years have gone. However, my time has not been filled with regret. Quite the contrary.

The biggest reason I am going to miss Rockhurst is that it has become home to me. In this school, I have found a place where I truly belong. I’m not referring to membership in a particular club or organization but to the school as a whole.  I know this would not have been possible if I had gone to a larger univeristy. Because of RU's size, I have really been able to find my place and to grow as a person.
Throughout my experience here, I have been blessed to make strong connections with other people in the RU community. The friends I have made will forever have a place in my heart. I am so thankful for the staff members who have watched me grow as a leader and who always encouraged and supported me. After the dance last night, I have been reminded of the importance of treasuring my time here at Rockhurst. May is going to be here before I know it, and I plan to cross that stage at graduation knowing that I took advantage of all RU had to offer, most especially the relationships I formed with others.