Senior Year Festivus Extravaganza...and no, not like Seinfeld

Senior year has been a great time to experience all the things at Elon and college I have yet to do or always wanted to do. I've incorporated the "now or never" philosophy almost everyday since I started the school year. There have been some very rewarding experiences and some very interesting and/or enlightening ones too.

Unlike many of my colleagues on the rugby team and some other seniors I have not been to Festivus since my sophomore year. Despite my original reservations about going in the first place it was the MOST FUN I have had in awhile. So in true Elon tradition I returned this year for a last horrah! It was bigger than I remembered, perhaps because the entire mudpit was moved to the bottom of the hill giving more people the opportunity to participate in the craziness. I was a little turned off at the enormous amounts of crushed Solo cups I crawled over and fell on during the event. It left my knees in especially gruesome state but other than that (and the not-so-nice cut up barefoot walk back to my apt) I had a great time! Evidence of my messiness is shown below:

 Mixed cocktail before noon!

The aftermath

Pride Week & Prom Dress

Another interesting week at Elon. Although I have been a horrible Spectrum member the entire year I wanted to at least make an appearance at some of the events during Pride Week. Before classes Monday I put my rainbow pin on my backpack as a sign of support and of course pride! Tuesday at College Coffee I renewed my vows with my life long "partner" Lindsay. It was such a bittersweet moment considering this would be the last 30 minute marriage of our college careers. At least this year I looked somewhat healthy and put together. I was so embarrassed the last few times looking back at the photos. In my defense I was sick one year but another year I just looked silly and so immature. 

After a full day's schedule including going to the Boys and Girls Club in Burlington I went to the panel that evening which was somewhat interesting. I particularly liked Dr. Swimalar who discussed human rights violations within the international community and focusing on LGBT issues abroad part of human rights. 

Later in the week aka Wednesday was a busy BUSY day. Ceramics class is picking up in momentum and I can't determine whether or not I'm behind or on-track or what. None the less I went to class in the morning and then had back-to-back engagements. I ended up staying in the library until 3am but the good thing was that I scored big with late night Panera. 

I got a bagel, carrot cake muffin and an entire pkg of cookie!!!

Thursday I got extra credit in my PR class since nearly 1/2 the class was absent so that was nice. Friday was another back-to-back starting with early rise at 830am to get ready to go to Cummings H.S. in Burlington with a group member to collect our surveys for the anti-bullying campaign we're required to do as a final project. Ugh have I mentioned how annoying and pointless college and school group projects are? At least my group members are nice and tolerable otherwise this would feel more like torture. I also got a cupcake at the Spectrum pride table in Moseley on my way to Irazu for a coffee. I had an interview with Enter the Haggis (check this band out HERE) who will be performing at MerleFest on Thurs. April 26. The Pendulum will be publishing a "preview" article about MerleFest featuring a Q&A interview that I will be writing. 

That night I spend almost 4hrs in Arts West working on bowls. Lindsay came for a bit to hang out. I needed to relax and zone out from work. Saturday, per usual, is a rugby day. However, what is truly unfortunate is that both teams we were supposed to play bailed on us last min. But EWR will prevail. We divided up the team and played 4-15min quarters. It was the longest, gruelling, fun, emotional rugby games I've ever played. And of course the last game I'll ever play as an undergraduate. Prom dress galore and fans unite! Thanks to everyone who came out to support us. Purpose. Pride. Passion.

Even the Alums came back to play - Cobra showin off her bum

after one of the opposing teammates ripped off part of her dress

Team captains: Schmidty and the Ruddster

The Seniors 

Happy Holi

My spring internship at The Washington Center was a great experience that I would not trade for anything in the world but it came at a price. I wasn't around to hang out with some of the seniors that I had made close relationships with, the beautiful blooming of flowers all over campus....

 and I missed out on a couple of new and/or exciting events. Like the Holi celebration. Former WSOE staff member and now Elon Alum Raj Rawal was and still is one of the most notorious Indians within the Elon Community. Thanks to his emense pride and dedication to his faith we had our very first Holi celebration last spring. While I was running around the Capital students were caking each other is colorful powder to commemorate the coming of springtime and happiness. Despite the fact that Raj as most seniors last year - with the exception of one on the rugby team whom we love stayed an extra year to be with us :) - I feared Elon would not revive Holi this year. To my surprise when walking down the halls of the Moseley Student Center I saw a digital flyer for Holi!

Before the battle...

As it turns out a bunch of my teammates also wanted to participate this year. So we rallied the troops and met on the "boobs" for the event. After hearing about the Hindu myth about why Hindus celebrate Holi and that its ok to join the celebration even if you are not Hindu we did just that. Grabbing cups half-full with bright orange, yellow, hot pink and kom kom red powder. Let the Games BEGIN!!! We showered each other with powder, dancing, trying to wipe away powdered-inked teeth and most importantly having so much fun.

 Koala (L3) and Jess (L1)

 EWR 

 More friends

Easter & Cherry Blossom Tournament: The Last Hurrah

So in fear that I'm getting too old for childhood pleasantries like trick-or-treating I wasn't sure I'd have an Easter basket sent to me at school despite the past few years surprise in the mail. I called my Mom a week before I left for spring break to remind her I would love to receive some goodies. To be honest asking for an Easter basket isn't the same as getting a surprise when you walk downstairs or walk to your PO BOX in Moseley to find a packing slip you know is not anything you ordered online. None the less I was grateful she sent me a little somethin' somthin'.

About a year ago this June Mom bought me one of my favorite films, The Easter Parade, on dvd. If you are not familiar with this fabulously entertaining and musically thrilling piece of art I will encourage you to rent the film with a spoiler - the best of the best actors of the our time play the leads: Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. As the holiday weekend approached I knew that I would like - as I have for the past three years while at college - to see the movie. Its a tradition my Mom and I started when I was younger  so I feel a personal connection, a memory of the 'good ole days'. Once the dvd was in my possession I kept it in the top drawer of our entertainment cabinet back home in New Jersey. Sad day :(

These days I've been quite nostalgic reflecting about my days in our nation's capital this last spring. I remember it was the centennial of the Cherry Blossom festival and my mom visited me a few weeks after the blossoms bloomed. It was a super quick spotting of the blossoms lasting about three days if that and the rest of the season the trees remained flowerless. This year, however, the warmer temperatures are gradual and not as shocking as the year before. Also different from last spring was that I went to the Cherry Blossom Tournament as a player not just a stand-by member of Elon Women's Rugby.

Huge breakfast spread

This time around was the best yet and its appropriate the last one would leave me feeling accomplished. Although we did not officially win any titles we played hard. It was extremely exciting to play in front of my Mom and other family members of other players. We had so much support from the sidelines which felt really nice. The Simesons per usual are a delight. They are saints in my book opening their house for the past three years to a bunch of ruggers who eat a ton, sleep sloppily and make a lot of noise when together. At least we are not partial to breaking things like when boys get in packs. Breakfast casseroles, yummy snack foods, homemade lasagna...I haven't ate that good in awhile other than the usual dishes I cook for myself. It was especially sweet to have Dennis around because my mom and I were treated to lunch the first day of the tournament. We went to Outback and got the Bloomin' Onion as an appetitizer. YUM!!!!! I have not had one in over five years. It tasted sooooooooo good and it made me feel less guilty eating a 1500 calorie dish among two other people.

I should also mention a great trip up on the Megabus to D.C. from Durham. Never done that before but it seemed to go smoothly with the exception of cramped leg room and the fact I had to leave my apartment around 9am to take the train to the bus depot. No biggie because it was worth meeting up with Kristi, Dennis and Mom for dinner at the hipest italian restaurant in non other than D.C.'s Chinatown, Vapiano's. It was buzzing that night like I'd never seen it and I was so happy Kristi and I's pregame appetitizer and round of drinks around the corner at Bar Louie made us late. Mom and Dennis caught the best spot in the place. After a much satisfied meal we walked it off around the national mall around late dusk. We walked from the Dept of Justice to the Pearl Harbor memorial and turned back going north back to Chinatown. I had to admit how much I do miss life in D.C.

The ride back was an adventure to say the least. While at a rest stop for lunch and bathroom break we locked ourselves out of the van. Yep. That would only happen to van riders. Lucky for us one of our rookies, Lexie, was our savior. AAA Plus member had her card on her, called for service and within the hour a guy appeared and helped us unlock the driver door. In the meantime we were fortunate enough to be surrounded by a plethora of shops. We made rounds to the pet store and Michael's before the towe truck arrive with help.

 Our Savior arrives!!!

Near ready to get out of the van after one hell of a trip Steph plays around 

with the plush dog Natty got from Blaine as a V-Day gift last yr. It talks, dances and sings...well not really but Steph seems to think so :)