Breakfast of Champions

So if you can't tell, I'm just looking to reach my word count this week. I have completely run out of things to talk about, but judging by how many comments I've gotten lately not many people read my blog anyway, so I guess it doesn't really matter.  In this blog, I have decided to talk about cereal.  Yeah, like breakfast cereal.  Earlier today I had a serious hankerin' for some cinnamon toast crunch.  I went to my kitchen, but much to my dismay it was locked!  So seriously I have been thinking about it since about 2p.m. today.   It's not like I couldn't have had some other kind, after all we have about 10 cereals ranging from Cheerios to Special K (with strawberries of course).  Now cinnamon toast crunch isn't my favorite cereal (fruity pebbles has it hands down), but for some reason today I just reeeeaaallly wanted it.  Although I'm pretty sure no one will respond, I'm curious about what your favorite cereal is.  There are all kinds out there people, so don't tell me you don't have one!  There are fruity ones, chocolately ones, and your basic grain.  Some have marshmallows and are too sugary for the average human, but if you are a health nut there is always something for you too.  There are so many options that when you go to Walmart there is an entire isle dedicated to the simplistic food.  

What I want to know is why they don't sell milk and cereal in same isle?  You can't fully enjoy cereal without milk, and honestly, can't really enjoy milk with out the cereal.  It would be all around more practical because you wouldn't have to take the time to make the trip to the milk AND take the time to choose a cereal out of the 100's of options.  

So to recap: I am out of things to write about.  I really want some cinnamon toast crunch.  What is your favorite cereal? And there are lots of different options.  

Now that this has been the worst blog of my life, I will let you get back to your oh-so-exciting lives. 

Product (Red)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! One of my favorite things about this pre holiday time are the red cups at Starbucks. This means my favorite seasonal drinks such as peppermint mochas or gingerbread lattes. But now the red cups at Starbucks mean a little something different.
Starbucks has become the most recent retail company to hop on the Product (Red) campaign. If you don’t know what Product (Red) is let me give you a little background. Product (Red) was started by the Global Fund. They have teamed up with many different retailers such as, The Gap, Dell, Apple just to name a few, and now Starbucks. These retailers designate part of there sales on their “Red” items to the Global Fund an organization helping fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa.
I became really interested in this campaign after I had the opportunity to spend part of my summer in Nairobi, Kenya a few years ago. The whole experience was very humbling and eye opening. I was just a young adult living in a pretty sheltered world. I went to a great school, drove a nice car, had a great job, and had food on the table for me at every meal. Living among the Kenyans that summer really changed my life. I learned that I have been blessed for more than just my materials things but the fact that I had shelter over my head every night., or the fact that I had access to a doctor whenever I needed them.
That was one thing that really bothered me while I was over there. There were so many sick people! We have all heard about how devastating the AIDS epidemic is over there, but it was not till I saw the sickness even in the poor peoples eyes that I was really effected. The hardest part for me to grasp, is they fact that they can’t get medical attention.
This is why I think the Global Fund and Product (Red) is doing a great thing. I think that Starbucks will be an amazing addition to the team. 5 cents of every cup will be donated to the organization. Think of how many people go to Starbucks on a regular basis. Every 5 cents will add up. Think about the difference you are making in someone’s life across the world in Africa.

http://www.joinred.com/Home.aspx

Ye Olde Facebook

I have discovered something this week that has made my online world a much better place. I have discovered that you can change the language on your facebook account to PIRATE!  Yes, pirate. For those of you who have a facebook account (I'm assuming most of you), I highly highly suggest that you do this.  All you have to do is go to your account settings, click on the language tab, and look for where it says English(pirate).  When you save your language and go back to the news feed, you will notice a few slight changes on your screen.  For example, photos are now portraits, the wall becomes the plank, and applications becomes arrplications.

When I discovered this function on facebook I think I seriously laughed for about a half an hour.  It was around 1a.m., and I must have started to sound delirious because my roommate asked me what I was laughing so hard for.  I told her of the pirate language, and within 5 minutes she was laughing just as hard as I was, if not harder.  After about 10 minutes of hysterics erupting from my room, some of my sisters decided to investigate.  As soon as anyone would peek their head in my room, me and my roommate would yell "AArrgg!" and scare them away (ok, so maybe we were a little delirious, but whatev).  

If you have ever gotten a kick out of talking like a pirate, then you MUST do this.  Finals are coming up... need a study distraction? What better than the facebook pirate language? I promise you won't regret it.

Nothing but black and gold

http://www.indystar.com/article/20081202/SPORTS0602/81202062


So despite the disapointment of the big Purdue Duke game, it is safe to say that boilermaker fans had a great turnout and really showed their spirit all day long. I was so impressed with all the black and gold on campus all day long. Not to mention the crazy campers who sat outside Mackey the night before to get good seats. They even braced the snowy and freezing weather! Now that is dedication. Girls in my house were sending out emails all day searching to see if anyone had extra tickets. I for one am not a ticket holder for this years basketball game, but after all this hype I may be regreting my decision. It was so fun to watch the game and see classmates or friends of mine in the stands! The pool of mostly black and gold was overwhelming. It was awesome to see all the spirit come alive after it seemed to long gone after a disapointing football season. I hope even dispite this loss boiler fans can continue to bleed black and gold and pack Mackey all season long!

Exciting Opportunity!

As a member of Delta Gamma I am excited to announce the speaker for our annual Lectureship! Lectureship is a chance for my house to bring in an exciting guest speaker for a free special seminar somewhere on campus. This year we will be hosting Steve Ford.

Please check out more about this exciting guest to Purdue's Campus.
http://www.speaking.com/speakers/steveford.html

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, here are more details.

When?
Wednesday December 10, 2008
Time?
7:00 pm
Where?
Loeb Playhouse in the Stewart Center
Cost?
FREE!

Please join my sisters and I on this exciting opportunity!

Purdue Blackout?

So we all know what the Purdue blackout game is. But... that's not what my post is about today.  Today I have a question.  It goes out to the administration, staff, whoever is in charge of keeping campus fairly safe at all times.  Why aren't there more lights around; especially near the heart of campus? Recently I have noticed that campus is really dark at night.  Seeing as how this is a very large campus with about 40,000 students, it frightens me to walk through it when it is so poorly lit, especially by myself. You never know where someone could be hiding and just jump out and attack you.  I know, I know, this is a pretty extreme and irrational fear, but I know that I'm not the only one who has it.  I know most of the guys probably feel safe (because they're so big and macho and not afraid of anything, right?), but how many of you ladies can honestly say that if you were walking through campus at say 1a.m., that you would feel secure enough to walk alone, or at least without your phone in your hand.  I know I can't.  I think there should be a significantly larger amount of lights in the memorial mall, and in the engineering mall.  I don't know what makes people think that the lights on the side of buildings alone is enough to make people feel safe.  

I heard a story recently that a girl was walking around on campus, felt like she was being followed, and pressed the button on the blue light box.  At the time, that particular box wasn't working.  Luckily, the next box worked and the police came, but what if it hadn't?  It wasn't the middle of the night (just around 10 or so), so why wasn't there more people around?  This is something else I have noticed also; why are there no security guards around campus?  My small private high school of 500 even had security guards.  Reader's Digest ranked us 82nd out of 135 schools that they surveyed for campus safety.  THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!  Seriously, this has made me very concerned recently, and we don't need another Wade Steffey on our hands here, people.  

In my opinion, there needs to be more lights and, at the very least, some security guards on campus.  It is unfair to everyone who attends Purdue that they might even feel the slightest twinge of unsafety.  When looking for colleges, one of the main things my parents wanted for me was to be safe with no chance of being hurt.  Was I successful in choosing a school that met their expectations? I think not. 

BYOB

I assume that most 0f you have discovered the Purdue party scene by now. I mean come on, it's almost the end of the first semester, folks. If you are a sophomore then you might be noticing some distinct changes in how things have been going this year- especially after October break. As you may or may not have noticed, most open fraternity parties have required you to be on a "list" recently. Now for those of you who don't know, frats used to have parties where anyone could come, hang out in the rooms, wander aimlessly, etc. Yes, they would have the occasional "list" party, but those are restricted to one or two rooms in the basement and get way overcrowded really easily. Everyone who was on the list (sometimes getting close to 1000 people) would show up because they felt special to be on said "list." They really are not that much fun unless you are REALLY dedicated to waiting in a line for half an hour with 50 other sweaty, crammed together, kinda pissed people just wanting that half of a warm Keystone. And let me tell you, I'm not that dedicated. This year, IFC has passed new restrictions saying that all parties or functions must be b.y.o.b.

In theory, this is supposed to make it where you absolutely have to be 21 to drink. They say that you now either need a third party vendor (bartender who checks ID's), or you must bring your own. They all know that here at Purdue we like to have a pretty good time, but on some occasions it gets a little out of hand. Technically, these rules have always been there, but most people weren't aware of them, or if they were just ignored them completely. IFC said this would be strongly inforced after fall break, so naturally people have already started to find loop-holes or just blantantly disreguard the rules. Fraternities have been having more "list" parties because they think lower board (the guys who come in and bust the party who aren't cops) will be too overwhelmed to go around checking everyone's ID's, or be too intimidated by the door men to want to come in. Now, after the break I havn't been to any of these parties because honestly, they're just not my style. Crammed among 50 people grinding on me, spillinig my drink, and making it unbearably hot in that basement does not a good time make. So far I have not heard of any of these parties getting busted and people getting in trouble for under aged drinking, I just want you all to be aware. After these rules have been inforced, I have rediscovered the great art of apartment parties, but to be honest I kinda miss the old ways. If you have noticed any changes, or are just frusturated in the lack of good parties recently, fear not. It's only a matter of time before everyone starts ignoring the rules again.

I need your input!

Hello bloggers!
So a while back I mentioned the annual Purdue Fashion Show. It is a great show put on by student majoring in Apparel Design and Technology. The show is in the spring, but now is about the time of year when things start kicking into fast gear. We have selected our show theme, date, models, and now we are beginning the actual garments. Here are three sketches that I did the other day. I would love your feed back or even just a vote. Please pick 1, 2, or 3! Easy as that! One of these pieces is going to come to life and be walking down the runway this spring!

Green Team

So my last blog about going green was lacking images of all the cool graphic tees that are out for sale these days. I don't know why I feel so passionate about this topic. I think that Purdue over all as a campus needs to become more aware of easy and practical ways to make our earth more environmentally sound. I think an easy example would be with our Exponents. How many times do you walk into a class room and find random papers that have been read through a couple times just lying on the floor. I would guess seven times out of ten those newspapers could easily be recycled. That is such an easy habit to start! One thing I have noticed in my house full of 80 girls is how wasteful we can be. We have water jugs all through our house with paper cups. I don't even want to think about how many cups we go through a day. I for one was noticing that it is too easy to gulp half a glass of agua and then go back for another cup an hour later. A very easy solution is buying a water bottle that I can easily refill when I need to! Here are a few cool tees I found! You can be fashionable while spreading a positive message!

Green in the new black

In fashion black is a timeless color. You always hear about a black suit or a little black dress. It is sliming and looks good on almost anyone. It never goes out of style. But this season black has been given a run for it's money. Green has made it's move, but not just in the fashion scence. In the enviromental scence. Our country is making a big movement to "go green". Efforts include raising awareness of the current environment conditions, getting people to recycle, buying environmental safe bottles and many other examples. Just the other day I was watching some stupid reality show about Kimora Lee Simons, like anyone really know who that is. Anyways she was teaching her children to "go green". She bought them new bed sheets made out of bamboo. They changed all the light bulbs in their house to environmentaly sound light bulbs. Even though I hate random show about "D" list celebrities, I thought this was really cool that they were making a big movement to refashion their house in green. Today I am supporting this movement as I sit here in Panera bread. I am wearing my "Little Green Tee" shirt. For me this is just a little reminder to save my Exponents and dispose of them properly, or to re fill my water bottles instead of getting new one. Just little steps can make a big difference in the long run. So be fashionable and join the trend, Go Green!

Let there be light!

The other evening my friend and I were cruising around Waldron and Russell looking for a parking spot, when I noticed something twinkling in the distance. As we drove a few blocks I saw a beautiful display of Christmas twinkle lights! I was so excited because Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I personally don't think that 25 days before is enough time to enjoy all the wonderful festivities. My friend on the other hand was completely annoyed because it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet.
Maybe my Waldron neighbors just wanted to add a little light to their house since it gets dark out so early. Is that completely tacky that they are decorating so early? I personally think it's tacky when people leave their lights up all year round! Yikes! When is too early to beginning the holiday cheer? My room mates freaked out on me the other day when "Jingle Bell Rock" played as my ring tone. Okay so maybe I am a little too excited for Christmas. I just can't help it. If you go into a store like Target or Macy's you will see Christmas decorations and occasionally hear a little Christmas Carol played over the loud speaker. I am interested to hear what others think about Christmas in November. I for one am so excited for the most wonderful time of the year!

Home, Sweet, Kansas City

Well, as I have recently discovered, none of our 106 class lives more than a few hours away from the Purdue campus. Most of us live either in Indiana, or in the Chicago area. I, on the other hand, live slightly further away... in Kansas City. I live on the Missouri side (yes, most of KC is in MO, but since it has Kansas in the name people just assume I live there) and if you ever say otherwise we might have a problem. Granted, I live about a half a mile away from the state line, but it's still not Kansas! When people talk about Kansas City, they are usually talking about the MO side (it has all the shopping, downtown, cool areas, and tourist attractions), but once again, people like to assume it's the KS side. Being so close to the state line you may ask, "Why all the hostility? Why do you think Kansas sucks more than Missouri?" I'll put it this way, it's like the IU/Purdue rivalry. Both are basically the same, you just have to factor in preference and stubborn opinions.

One thing people don't expect when I tell them where I'm from is how far away it actually is. KC is about 8-9 hours driving distance from Purdue depending on how fast you go and how many stops you make along the way. Contrary to popular belief, flying doesn't make it much better either. Every single time I have flown home out of Indy, my flight has been delayed at least 3 hours. With the hour it takes to get to the airport, the THREE hours you have to wait before you board and take off, the 1.5 hour flight there, going through half hour baggage claim once you get to the KC MCI airport, and then driving the hour home, it ends up taking about the same amount of time to fly home that it does to drive!

On the other hand, that long drive is not something I ever look forward to. I pass a lot, a lot, A LOT of corn fields, and 8 hours of driving can make me uncomfortable, restless, and extremely bored. I have to start finding ways to entertain myself such as listening to music as loud as I can while still being able to sing(scream) over it, occasionally have an in-depth conversation with myself, count the white lines down the center of the road, or keep track of the number of silver cars I pass in 30 minutes. Sounds like a blast, right?

Actually, it is a blast once you finally get there, and I always look forward to/can't hardly wait for the next break to come up (whatever it may be at that time). There are lots of things most people don't know about my beloved KC. First of all, it has the second largest number of fountains in the world (just behind Rome), and is sometimes even called the "City of Fountains." It is also the largest city in Missouri, even thought most people think it's St. Louis.  Secondly, if you ever visit, you must go to the midtown/Westport area. This is where anyone who is between the ages of 15-35 go when they want to have a laid-back lunch or dinner, try unique food ranging anywhere from middle eastern to Ethiopian cuisine, maybe see some art or street performers, and not spend too much money. If you are the type who loves to shop (especially at high-priced designer stores) then the Plaza is the place for you with it's upscale outdoor shopping and entertainment. The shops there span from Lucky and Victoria's Secret, to Tiffany & Co., Dior, and Burberry.  Not only do we have some fab shopping, but we have so much art that sometimes we are unsure of what to do with it all.  Every first Friday of the month we have what we like to call First Fridays (original, I know) where local artists put their work in galleries down in an area known as the Crossroads district.  There's food, live entertainment, and of course great art.  There are 2 main art shows a year (which are much much larger than First Fridays), one at the Plaza, and one in Westport. Both are in the fall and totally worth the chilly September weather.  Lastly, Kansas City is full of so much history!  I won't bore you with all the details, but just know this: it was the site for many civil war battles, we are famous for our bar-b-q and steaks (ahem... the Kansas City strip, anyone?), and we are home to lots of national business headquarters such as H&R Block, Sprint, and Hallmark.

Now that you have the basic rundown of what to do when you arrive, I hope that some of you will at least consider going, and experience it all for yourself.  I also hope that some of you get an idea of why I am so in love with home... and so in HATE with Indiana.  Now I've got myself all excited for the holidays!

Where to Rest the Ride

I don't know why some of my posts have been so transportation oriented lately, but here we go again.  If you have a car on campus, or even have a friend who does, I'm sure you know how hard it is to find a parking space.  A lot of people don't have a parking pass, and have to resort to scavenging for a space that is within a half mile of their domestic or academic location.  Yes, there are parking garages such as the one on Grant St., but at times they can get pricey.  Plus, no one wants to park in a garage for too long.  Someone could break in, key your car, or do god knows what to your precious baby before you return to find her in a state of shambles.  

I am lucky enough to have a parking spot at my sorority house right now, but I know of many others who are forced to park on Waldron or Russell.  Since there are so many people who also find themselves in this situation it can often times get impossible and extremely frusturating when looking for a place to park your little Bessy, but there is nothing.  I live between 5th and 6th streets, and some of my sisters have their cars all the way down by State St.  That's a lot of hassle if all you are looking to do is take a quick trip to Walmart.  

What I want to know is, why won't Purdue spend some of their budget on finding or making some new parking for it's students?  I find it hard to believe that paving a new parking lot somewhere nearby would cost even a substantial fraction of what we spend on sports or their facilities each year.  I'm not taking this time to rag on the athletic department, but I do think there is the money for it out there, they just need to start spending it on things that benefit more people.  If there was more parking offered, game days might not be so hectic and confusing for everyone coming in from out of town, or even from just down the street.  

There is space around the university, but some of it has gone untouched.  The black fields are one option that could be utilized.  I'm not saying all of them, because they are used for sports such as all kinds of intramurals, philanthropies,  and lacrosse.  But using a section closest to campus wouldn't be too devastating considering people tailgate there and park their giant RVs on the grass every time there is a home football game.  Maybe they would like some actual pavement to park their vehicle on.  So come on Purdue, and start working on something we really need: room for our transportation.

Zip It

Since the election there has been much talk and continuous debate about the outcome of that night.  McCain supporters are up in arms because they think our country is going down the crapper.  Obama supporters are celebrating and gloating at the McCain supporters, telling them to get over it and there is nothing they can do about it now.  There are ignorant rants and opinions on both sides, but one that I'm sure a lot of you have heard about is something in the Exponent on Wednesday.  One particular freshman stated that she voted for McCain because she is not "poor and stupid."  I believe that comments like this one are the sole reason that that our country might actually end up with another epic economic fail under our belts.  Instead of harassing one another because of one man they put a "X" next to on a screen on Tuesday, we should focus on how we are all going to change to make where we live the place you want it to be. Instead of claiming you are leaving the country soon, you should focus on yourself  and make an example of what you want others to be like. You might be surprised.  Your positive actions could have more of an impact on people than your negative comments.  

I'm not saying I was for McCain, and I'm not saying I was for Obama.  That's not the point I'm trying to get across here.  All I'm saying is that we will get nowhere if we continue to bicker and argue.  If you want to continue to make yourselves look ignorant then take up writing in a journal because I'm sure I am not the only person who is tired of hearing it.  

Ugg Boots: In or Out?

In the world of fashion this is a very debateable situation. It sounds silly, but did you know that there is Ugg etiquette? I chose to write about these boots, because I have noticed many people on campus sporting Uggs recently. If you don't want to pay over $120 for boots, you can find many knock off brands, which I like to call "Fuggs" (fake uggs). I myself own a pair of "Fuggs" that I found on Alloy.com for half the price! Going back to proper etiqutte, here are a few tips I found to be very beneficial when it comes to wearing boots!

1) In Indiana, Uggs look most practically worn when the temperature is 40 degrees or cooler.

2) If you wish to wear your boots with a skirt or dress, please pair them with leggings or tights.

3) If you are wearing your boots with pants or jeans, tuck them into your boot. Do not roll your pants, it just looks messy.

4) No boots and shorts combo. This is walking the fine line of trashy.

5) Uggs are NOT rainboots. Side note, this is a huge pet peeve of mine. I don't understand how someone can pay over one hundred dollars on boots and then ruin them by wearing them when it rains! They are cloth, they soak up water! Water stains look really bad!

6) White and pastel color boots are out of style. Plus they get dirtier a lot easier!

7) Keep your boots clean! Try the protective spray!

These are just a few tips I found helpful since it is getting cooler out and people are whipping out there Uggs and Fuggs!

Changing Majors

How many of you have changed your major? Some of us maybe even a few times! Many students come to college with an idea of what they want to study and then realize that they couldn't spend the rest of their life with an ocupation in that field. I have many friends who started Undecided as freshman. This seems to be a very popular trend this year as well. I was lucky enough that I knew what I wanted to study when I applied to Purdue. I am also lucky that I have enjoyed my major and continued to stick with it.
I was searching the Exponent website searching for ideas for a topic for this blog when I came across and article that catch my eye. I was immediately attracted to it because it is about a Fashion Designer. Joelle Arondoski graduated from Purdue in 2002 as a fashion designer. That was not her orginal path or intention. She thought she wanted to be an engineer, but soon into the curriculum she realized that engineering was not her passion, fashion was. Arondoski is now a sucessful fashion desinger. She has designed clothing lines for Galyans, had her own accesory company in New York, and now is working for an active wear company in Oregon.
This article really inspired me. Not only because I hope to one day be a fashion designer, but because there are endless opportunities for all of us if we put our mind to it and work hard. I hope this article can also been encouraging for those who are out there still wondering if they are in the right major or are still undecided. I really admire Arondoski for realizing her real passion and pursuing it!

The Gateway to the Future

Ok, so I know I write alot of posts about dedication ceremonies and such around campus but I just find them so interesting! There are so many different reasons behind why each structure or statue was built.



This new structure is the Purdue University Arch. It's also known as "The Gateway to the Future Arch". It is located between the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering building and the Civil Engineering building near Stadium Avenue and like the Unfinished Block P sculpture, it was a part of the homecoming festivities last week having the dedication ceremony on Saturday October, 25th. The classes of 1958 and 1959 raised the money to build the arch which was around $500,000! That's half a million!! The arch consists of two 27-foot columns constructed of Indiana limestone which are crowned with brass lanterns with glass lenses and each lantern itself is 5 feet tall. As you can see in the picture, the arch spells out, in all capital letters, PURDUE UNIVERSITY and concrete pavers and landscaping decorate the ground beneath and around the gigantic arch. Not only did the class of '58 and '59 raise the half million dollars for the arch, they also raised around $150,000 for student scholarships to commemorate their 50th anniversary of the two classes graduation from Purdue. How awesome!

Your Right to Choose

As you all know (as it has been shoved down your throats for the last year) it is finally election time.  In one week from today American history will have been made and possibly changed forever. Tuesday is election day, and it is by far the most important/critical/controversial election we have seen in our short lives; and for most of us, the first we can actually voice our opinions in.  I'm not going to sit here and try to convince you who to vote for, because I believe I would be wasting my time... not many people can be persuaded this late in the game.  What I am going to insist on is that you actually GO VOTE!  

I know, I know, you are tired of hearing this, but it is probably one of the most important decisions you will make all year!  Our futures could be on the brink of changing forever, and how will you feel 20 years from now knowing that you did nothing to support the situation, or to fight it? For those of you who didn't register... shame, shame.  Do better next time, and stand up for what you believe in!  If you are having trouble deciding who you want to vote for or don't exactly know where each party stands on important issues, I encourage you to read up (this is a really good site with all the important information), and make a damn decision!  We only have one week here people, and I believe you should make the decision you feel is really best, and being educated on the subject is the only way you can really make that decision in confidence. 

If you are dreading the 4th because of the painfully long lines, fear not.  You can vote early at the Court House located in downtown Lafayette, right across the 26th/state street bridge.  Big stone building, you can't miss it.  All you have to bring is an Indiana driver's license or your Purdue student ID.  There was also early voting last week on campus in the Stewart Center that I'm sure you all heard about, so there should be no excuse for you not to have cast your ballot by the end of Tuesday!  

Whoever you choose, I beg you (and slightly demand) that you utilize your right as an American citizen, and go out there to make a difference for once!

More Than Just a Party

As most of you probably know, I am a part of the greek system here at Purdue. I'm not one of those people who go on and on about it all day, so please try not to roll your eyes or scoff while reading this particular post. Most people think that the greek system is just an excuse to go out and party all the time while completely disregarding schoolwork, employment, or any other kind of responsibility. This is a complete myth. Although we do like to have a good time, we actually take on a lot of projects and responsibility.

An example of this would be philanthropy. Just last weekend my sorority had what we like to call "Fuzzie Football." It is a flag football tournament that we put on each year in which any or all fraternities can participate. It includes a week of events such as Boiler Market night (tell the people at Boiler Market which house you are from and a certain percent of what you spend goes to our cause), sheet sigh contests, serenades (dances or skits we make up and go perform at all the fraternities who participate) and, of course, the actual tournament itself. Each fraternity that wishes to play and participate in the events during the week must pay a predetermined amount of money that we donate to Lafayette Group Homes for Children. It is a good way to raise money for a good cause while still having fun.

Of course we are not the only ones on campus with philanthropic events. A good thing too, considering we are required to do at least 3 external (not put on by us) philanthropies a semester. Other things we have participated in in the past are an adult size tricycle race, mechanical bull riding contests, powder puff football, and a watermelon bust. A lot of time and dedication are put into each of these events, and it's really fun to get out there and see what others are doing. I hope this gives some of you a more positive view of the greek system, even if that slight change is that not all of us are partying slackers.

The Block "P"

Who ever knew one single letter could stand for so much? The Block "P" has been a part of Purdue's history for more than one hundred years! Now there's a new sculpture to show it. The new Unfinished Block P is located in Academy Park just north of the Stewart Center, outside Hevilon and Weatherill Halls. The sculpture was intentionally left unfinished because it was designed to "symbolize the importance of lifelong learning and self-improvement" showing that even after we leave Purdue, we still grow and will never finish the learning process. The dedication, just last week, among many other homecoming events, unveiled the 8 foot sculpture.

The Block P firt became a part of Purdue tradition on the football field in 1907 thanks to the "All American" Marching Band. It is said that Purdues first Marching Band director, Paul Spotts Emrick, came up with the idea to stand all of the individual band members in the form of the letter "P". He came up with this idea from watching a flock of geese fly in a V formation and it is believed that this was the first time a marching band formed a letter on the football field.

Sculptors, Rick and Rita Hadley made the unfinished P statue to look like it had been carved out of stone. Rick and Rita started by making a clay model of the statue while members of the Iron Key worked on campus getting the necessary approval and raising money to fund the building of the sculpture.

"The Block P sculpture will serve as a reminder that even after you've left Purdue, the educational experience is never complete," said President France A. Córdova. "All students become lifelong Boilermakers and lifelong learners and should strive to always continue to learn and grow throughout their lives."

What's For Breakfast?

I can cleary recall my first real interaction with a Breakfast Clubber. I was a junior in high school and my family and I were tailgating with close family friends from home. My friend and her family had just moved from California, so my parents, both Purdue alums, and myself wanted to show them what Big Ten football is all about. Not to mention my favorite part, tailgating. While enjoying our grilled goodies and refreshments we were greeted by a rather large guy dress up in a Winnie the Poo costume that looked like it had been borrowed from his 6 year old sister. Our visitor went up to my gorgeous blonde friend and stuttered, "Christopher Robin is a piece of s**T!" Needless to say she did not apply here. Totally kidding. But as a junior in high school I was a little overwhelmed with this whole idea of waking up at 6 to go to the bars in a crazy costume. Now that I am a student at Purdue I love the crazy tradition! I didn't realize how long students have been "clubbin" before games. According to an article in the Exponent, the tradition of Breakfast Club has been around for 30 years!
Living in a sorority I get to see what a lot of my older sisters create to wear early Saturday mornings. I have seen everything from a box of crayons, to a bouquet of flowers, to the Purdue Cheerleading Squad! My so far favorite theme that my house participated in took place after the famous DG house fire. All of the older girls dressed up as fire fighters, and our football buddies dressed up as dalmations!
One thing I find really ammusing is the more and more alcohol consumed the more into character the breakfast clubber becomes. I once saw Shaggy give Scooby Doo a Scooby snack before going into the game. Or one time as I was exiting my house, three guys who looked like walked out of the Village People's YMCA, started directing traffic.
Even though it seems like mass chaos, there is something special about this tradition. For me it makes turning 21 even more exciting, so I can take part in these festivities. And with Halloween coming up I have gotten many great ideas!! Thank you Clubbers!

CityBust

Going along with my previous post about the vroom vroom waltz and Purdue transportation in general, I have decided to comment on the infamous CityBus.  As a freshman last year I lived in Hilltop Apartments.  Not my first choice, but I ended up really liking it.  The one downfall was that I was so far away from campus.  As many of you know (or may not know) Hilltop Apartments are located between Ross-Ade stadium and the Tower Acres.  The walk from Hilltop to to campus can take about 10 minutes, and can be even longer of a journey when there is a foot of snow outside and is impossible to trudge through quickly without falling down.  Citybus is usually pretty reliable way to get from the acres or hilltop to campus.  It's not the quickest way to get there, but it is by far the laziest.  In the warmer months it's not that bad of a walk to campus, but in the winter it is way beyond cold outside and the walk is completely unbearable.  

But you know what really grinds my gears?  When the temperature is -4753472348532 degrees outside, the ground is covered in snow, and the wind is blowing so hard you think for a minute you might be in the arctic... yet the bus is so "full" that it will not stop to pick you up.  So there you are, waiting in the freezing cold for at least ten minutes, and the acres bus flies past without even the slightest intention of stopping.  Then you have to start thinking about what you will do next.  Wait for the next bus? But who knows when another will show up.  And will the next one blow past also?  Should you start walking to class? But how long will it take? How many busses will pass you on the way there? As you can see, this becomes a vicious circle that can end in mental madness.  

We are lucky to have a campus with a public transportation system because I know a lot of colleges in the nation are not lucky enough to have one.  But at the same time it's very irritating when all you want to do is get to class warmly and safely and these series of unfortunate events keep happening to you.  I'm not saying not to ride the bus, I just want everyone to be aware of the winter hardships of Purdue!

King and Queen 2008

I am just curious about how many students even know how to vote for Homecoming king and queen? In high school Homecoming was the biggest week of the year! Everyone knew who was running for Homecoming and people were really excited about voting and then at the game finding out who would be Queen! Granted I know that my high school was a lot smaller than Purdue University, but I was shocked when I saw the numbers of voters this year compared to even just last year! I a recent article in the Exponent shows the drastic differences. One factor that may be contributing to the low numbers is no longer use of flyers. Purdue is trying to impliment a new system called "Get Involved" which serves as a way for students to contact and see what organizations at Purdue are doing. It is kind of like a Facebook in the sense that it is a way to see how students are connected. I think the concept is a good one, but I honestly think that flyers, even though they end up soggy when it rains, attract more students.
My sorority has a homecoming canidate again this year. We have all done a lot of work trying to get her name out there to be recognized. I think it would be a lot harder for those running who aren't connected in the Greek system. Not only did my house of 80 girls make tee shirts and bag tags, but we also serenaded (performed a little skit and dance) 20 fraternity houses one week night to introduce our canidate. Even with all of the efforts that we have put into this homecoming tradition, the overall campus involvement is shockingly low! How many of you even knew about voting? I hope that this tradition does not continue to spiral down ward. I remember being a little girl coming to football games with my parents and thinking that the Purdue Homecoming Queen was the coolest girl ever. I hope that that tradition can one day be carried out for even my child!

Cue the Lights!

Here at Pretty at Purdue we always talk about the cool, interesting or just plain pretty things at Purdue (duh!) but have you ever thought about what could really be improved? One thing, I think this campus desperately needs is more street lights! Although I do think Purdue is a fairly safe campus, things can still happen. I think I would feel even more safe walking around at night if it was lit up a bit more.
As I'm sure most of you are aware of, the majority of crime happens at night. More street lights would help with the crime and more than likely give every one more peace of mind.
Not only would more streetlights help with crime and things like that, it would also liven the place up! Everytime my friend and I walk past the Union at night she always mentions how pretty it would be if they put more lights around it so you could see the building at night too. I totally agree. There are alot of buildings that would look so awesome if there were lights around it or shining up at it.

Try the Dough

So I have gotten a lot of good feedback on my post about the Discount Den. I think that readers really responded to this post because this is a place that we all know and love. Even when I have friends or family from out of town come visit me at Purdue I love taking them to the Den because it rings tradition. Another place that does that for me is Bruno's. If you have never eaten at Bruno's I totally suggest it! There is usually a wait on the weekends but it is well worth the wait! When I was younger and would come to basketball and football games, my family would go eat at Bruno's afterwards. You will always find a crowd of well spirited fans there! Bruno's is a great family place, with a home like atmosphere and large pizzas! Delicious might I add! They are also famous for their Bruno dough, which comes with dipping sauces. I am totally making myself hungry right now! Bruno's is located at the Levee. There is more information on the website.

NEW LINK

Hello There! Sorry for some reason my link didn't work for the video in my previous post. I really love this video so I wanted to make sure the link works! Let me try again!!

Homework Break!

As a college student I have discovered that when attempting to do homework we are easily distracted and will often actually search for things on the web to waste our time on.  Rather than trying to focus on studying and academics (the reason we are actually here), we find things to fill every boring moment.  In my opinion the most popular sites people like to fiddle around on are facebook, bored.com, YouTube, myspace, and google.  I often get bored with my homework, log on to facebook, and look at random meaningless pictures for hours.  Knowing how excited I get when people give me a reason to be distracted or slack off, so I thought I would provide this little break for you guys too.

Although everyone loves YouTube, I'm not usually the kind of person who goes and watches things like this, but lately I have found something new that has really caught my interest... Bo Burnham.  You may have heard of him, but if you haven't here is the run-down.  He is an 18 year old guy from Boston who likes to make up songs with his guitar and keyboard.  They range from rapping to nice melodies and everything in between.  He sings a little bit about his life, but mostly he uses well thought out satire and word play to complete his tracks.  He has become famous because of his videos on YouTube and has even become so well known that you can now buy his music on iTunes.  In my opinion though, the songs just aren't the same if you can't see him actually performing and recording them like you can in the videos.  His most popular tracks are My Whole Family, Bo Fo Sho, and (my favorite) Cookout.  Some of the lines can be slightly offensive, but it's all supposed to be for fun.  If you are one who likes to start arguments and uproars about nothing, I would suggest that you not click on the links.  These are for people who are looking for a good laugh and maybe some quotable lines down the road.  

One of my friends introduced me to him and now I'm hooked.  Instead of going on facebook as often, now I will go watch Bo and not only waste my time slightly more productively, but I'm honestly entertained and don't feel like I lose thousands of brain cells when I watch it!   So when you are obviously procrastinating and looking for a good way out of homework, go check out Bo. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Pretty is Patriotic

Hello Readers! So I am going back a little bit on what I said I was going to blog about! But no worries if you enjoyed my sketches I will continue to put them up. Today I wanted to talk about something pretty and important... voting! It's that time for all of us who are old enough to take advantage of our rights as free citizens in the United States of America to stand up and vote. I know I totally just sounded like a political commercial, but everything I just said I really believe in. We are so privelegded to be able to have our voice be heard. Why wouldn't you vote? I actually am curious... Is it because people think their vote doesn't count? Is it because they don't know who to vote for? Is it because they dont' know how to register?

I feel very special that I go to a campus that cares a lot about the election. The past few weeks ago there was always someone out on the memorial mall with a clip board getting people registered. Just the other day I was walking through Stewart Center and there was a table set up right there for student to fill out absentee ballots. We are having this vital information handed right to us. SO please if you are registered... VOTE! But also be educated. Here is a little clip I found interesting! Please let me know what you think! (Just a little warning.. there is a little language.. but I think it does a great job of getting the point across)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UaRXvRwhOk

The Dating Scene

Being here, so far from home for some of us, without a car, often prevents us from going anywhere too far off campus and sometimes limits our options for non related college activities. Bummer, isn’t it? If you don’t go out and party all the time and aren’t in every extra-curricular activity offered here, it seems almost impossible to meet people! But let’s just say you do meet someone here, whether it be through those extra-curriculars or a party or just through a friend and you want to enjoy the other’s company without being interrupted by you roommate(s), where do you go? This is a question I’ve been asking myself because I have NO clue and I’d appreciate some help. I’d love to hear some feedback and see if you readers have any idea what would be a good couple of places for a date and some of what these places have to offer and possibly write about them in the future. It could be anywhere within walking distance or maybe a short bus ride. Thanks, readers!! =]

Help!

Dear Bloggers,
I am need of some help! I need input, questions, concerns, ideas! I have what they call, a writers block. Do you enjoy my blogs on my sketches? I love sharing my ideas and creative inspirations, but I want to also please the reader. As you can tell me and the other authors of this blog have kind of hit a road block. Even though there are endless pretty things at Purdue, I have come to a point where I can no longer search for them. The pretty things in life will come to you or stand out to you. I feel as though me writting about the pretty sculpture by my class is boring and unenthused. I myself find sculpture and art work to be pleasing and interesting, but I don't want to force that upon my readers. What one person may think is crap, another my find very beautiful. It's like the saying, "One man's trash, is another man's treasure." I hope that from this blog I can accomplish two things. One being, a better feeling that I am going in the right direction with my focus on fashion. I love fashion and my sketches but I want something you the readers can enjoy and be inspired from. I would even love feed back on ideas for sketches! Favorite, food, movies, cities, seasons, animals... you name it I need the inspiration! And the second thing I would like to accomplish goes back the quote about trash and treasure. I just would like to encourage my readers to think about what are their treasures. What pleases you? Visually, emmotionally? Just something to stimulate your brain. I guess my treasure would be found in fashion and in my designs! ... AH treasure.. I just thought about pirates.. maybe a new inpsiration?!

A Slightly Different Route

Can you believe it is already the middle of the semester? We are currently in week 7 and I feel like time is passing in a dead sprint. Getting this far in the semester, I have found myself in a bit of a predicament. The original "common interest" (of pretty or visually interesting things on Purdue's campus) that myself and the other members of my group first decided on has left me a little bored and quite at a loss to find things to talk about. Don't get me wrong, I had some fun with it at first, and really enjoy reading what the other members of the blog come up with to write. But now it seems like all the ideas I come up with are a little cliche. I am the kind of person who, when they get too bored or distracted, can be impossible to set back on track. So to keep this from happening I have decided to broaden my horizons a little. Instead of talking about things that are strictly "pretty at Purdue," I will also discuss general student life such as some of my (or other's) favorite places to eat, things you may get involved in, or other things that i find generally interesting (not just strictly beautiful). I am hoping that by doing this I will not only keep myself interested and excited about writing and what I have to say, but will also keep you, the audience, interested as well.

Boiler Apartments

Sure, dorms are cool and all, but have you ever thought about staying in an actual apartment while you're getting your higher education? There are many apartment places around campus if you prefer to stay close to your classes or you could go just outside of campus and still be within walking distance. Personally, I live in Purdue Village Undergraduate apartments and while it may not be the ideal situation… having two roommates in a one bedroom place, and being almost a mile from the academic buildings… its certainly much better than a dorm, in my opinion. Its really nice to know that if one of my roommates is listening to music at her desk in the kitchen/study/dining room/living room area, I can always go into the bedroom and get a little peace and quiet. The only problem with that is the other roomie might be in the bedroom talking on her phone. Sometimes its super difficult to get any privacy. For instance, the other day, I mentioned to the girls that my date and I were going to watch a movie tonight (hinting that I might hope they have somewhere to be or something) and ten minutes into the movie they were going in and out, doing laundry, talking on the phone, flipping lights on and off and such. No one wants to cuddle with two other people walking about and making noise!!

When you get an apartment and you don’t just live by yourself, it may get a little frustrating when it comes time to do the dishes, take out the trash, clean the bathroom and so on. My roommates and I just had a “meeting” about who would take out which trash bag whenever it got full. That kind of thing is necessary if you don’t want to live like a bunch of slobs. When living with multiple people, respect is a MUST if you don’t want to go crazy. I got very lucky when I got roommates who are very respectful when it comes to all of our things and belongings. Different people have different ways of living. One of my roomies has a bit of an organization issue. Her stuff is EVERYWHERE! And the other has a major phobia of germs so she’s cleaning allllll the time (which doesn’t quite explain why I’m the one doing the dishes everytime….. hm……we might have to have another “meeting” about that...).

An apartment complex just off campus that seems to be pretty popular is the River Market Apartments. Just a short walk down Chauncy Hill from campus and you’ll be home! River Market Apartments has a number of shops in the ground floor such as The Silver Dipper ice cream parlor or Marco’s Pizza (as seen below) with three floors of apartments on top.

This isn’t the only place around either. By clicking here you can go to a website that will help you find exactly what you are looking for just by entering in a bit of information. Let them know your price range, and preferences such as a pool, game room, club house, if you want pets etc. and it will spit out a lengthy list of possible apartments for you!

My Apologies

Dear Pretty at Purdue Bloggers,
I would like to take the time to apologize for my lack of images! I realized I wrote a whole blog entry on how the beginning process of creating a garment are the initial sketches. I also began to tell you I was working on a few sketches.. and I failed to include them for you to see!
Here are a few that I am working on. For the first sketches you will see, the inspirations was Twislers candy, and A Gatorade bottle I found.



The next two sketches the inspiration came from modes of transportation. One came from a taxi which you will see is pretty obvious. The other comes from a picture of a jet. The sketches I created reminded me of a modern day flight attendent.







I hope this gives you a better idea of what I am talking about when I refer to sketches! If you have an ideas or inspirations PLEASE let me know! I am always looking for new ideas. The crazier and out there the better! Thanks for looking at my rough copies! More art and sketches to come!

My favorite pit stop

Dear Readers,
Many of you may find this post out of place and a little random but today when I was walking on campus I spotted a bright colored tee shirt sporting the words, "I love the Den!" Wear this shirt at IU or any other campus and they will never know what greatness the Den brings to Chauncey and our Purdue University Campus.
I myself am one of the many who make a stop to the Den a part of their daily routine. For only 60 cents you can indulge in almost every kind of soda pop that you can imagine. If you are tired of being original you can try one of their signature mixes. A hand written list on the wall reads mixtures such as "The Sorostitue" which consist of Cherry Coke, Diet Coke, and Dr. Pepper. Or my favorite, Diet Mt. Dew and Blue Powerade, named "Mr. Popular".
One of my favorite features of Discount Den is you pre buy a den pop for your friends. This is really popular for birthdays, congrats, or thank yous! You will find the fountain machines decorated with note cards reading "Great Job Jenny! Go Get your free den pop up front!" Or "Happy Birthday Brooke! Love your sisters!" As cheesy as it sounds I always love reading the note cards. To me they read community. I know its a silly note card for a 60 cent coke, but I think it is something that makes Purdue so special to me, community!
To me the den is like how the on the OC the spoiled teenagers all hang out at the same coffee shop. Or on Saved by the Bell you could always find them after a hard day of classes hanging out at the Max. If I have had a rough day I can always count on a friend or one of my sisters to walk with me to the den. It is one of the things I most look forward to, den pop runs! I hope that the den pop run tradition continues and becomes a classic pit stop at Purdue University!

Not a French Sandwich!

What is a croqui? I have heard many interpretations of this word. No it’s not flakey bread that you enjoy with your lunch salad. Nor is it an outdoor game where you hit large balls through little fences with wooden mallets. Although I enjoy both croissants and croquet, a croqui has become part of my everyday life.
According to Webster dictionary a croqui comes from the French word croquer, which means to sketch, rough out, literally, to crunch. As a fashion designer, I define croqui as my little best friend. A croqui is the basic starting point or building block for all my designs. It is where I first layout the form of my garment. Before coming to Purdue I used to sketch outfits out all the time. My bodies were always so un proportional. Either the model was too top heavy or her arms were somehow drawn out longer than her legs. This posed a major problem. Then after a few weeks in the college of Consumer and Family Sciences studying Apparel Design, I was introduced to the term croqui and my sketches were forever changed!
I have included a few examples of what a croqui is. As you can see the sketch can be drawn in different poses or movement. I like to mix it up a bit depending on what type of garment I am sketching. Each week I have to create 10 croquis with my inspired ideas. I feel as though my little croqui has become like my little side kick.
Check out these images and see if you are inspired from these sketched human forms!

Fall Has Arrived!

It’s finally here and you can feel it as soon as you step outside. It has grown increasingly chilly over the last few days, and when I walked to class today a common sweatshirt was barely enough. I found myself frustrated that my hoodie wasn’t just a little bit thicker—you know how you can feel the wind coming through a few specific gaps in the stitching… no bueno. Huddling in closer on yourself isn’t much help either; it just causes other parts to get cold. Let’s face it people… fall has arrived!

Aside from half way freezing to death (and I say only half way because the temperature right now is blistering compared to what we will be experiencing in just a few months) fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love when it gets a bit chilly because that says to me that Halloween is coming! And that is by far my favorite non-religious holiday. I love the eerie feeling that this time of year brings. I don’t know what it is, but something about it makes me feel slightly… nostalgic? It could be from the memories of trick-or-treating when I was younger. Or it could be the anticipation of being able to jump into a giant pile of raked together leaves, which yes, I still do. It’s as the leaves start to change into beautiful hues of red, yellow, and orange that the memories start to become reality again. They act as a reminder of how beautiful things can get here right before everything dies and all hope of a bearable winter go right out the window. It’s time to throw on that scarf and face the elements head on.

To me this is one of the most colorful seasons also. Not only does nature change its colors, and very rapidly might I add, but people change their colors too. I find it fun to watch how people start to mimic the colors that nature has chosen. We see more reds and oranges at this time I think than at any other time in the year. Browns too become increasingly predominant as the season progresses. Being in an art major here at Purdue I feel that I notice things like this maybe more than your everyday engineer walking down the sidewalk. One thing I have found myself doing while walking on campus is squint so all the colors blend together; sort of like a painting. Autumn is my favorite time to do this, because as I said people’s clothing start to blend in with the trees and other plants around them. It makes for a very entertaining walk to class.

In the end, even though it’s annoying to have to deal with the weather starting to get more and more frigid by the day, I still find myself really enjoying fall each year. Yes it signals that school is officially here to stay, but there are so many other fun aspects to brighten back up your day!

The Boilermaker

“The Boilermaker” is a statue here at Purdue among many others symbolizing what Purdue is all about. This statue is 18 feet tall, weighs about 5,400, and is made of bronze. The statue was dedicated in honor of Eugene R. Grotnes and his family for their strong ties to Purdue and was dedicated in memory of Grotnes’ father, Carl. Former Purdue President, Martin C. Jischke said, “The Grotnes family represents the same roll-up-your-sleeves and get-the-job-done attitude that ‘The Boilermaker’ depicts. It is this tireless work ethic and intergenerational Purdue pride that we will celebrate.” The statue cost about $500,000 and took almost two years to complete!

According to Purdue News, Eugene Grotnes of Atlanta, Georgia graduated from Purdue with a mechanical engineering degree in 1951. His father, Carl C. Grotnes, was born in in Chicago, Illinois in 1895. Together Carl and his father, Charles joined in business to develop some of the first machines for producing rims for the automobile, truck, and agricultural industries. In the 1940’s more than 90 percent of rims in the United States were produced on their machines! Carl continued to invent new machines as the times changed and was recognized by Rice University in Houston for his contribution to the industry.

With every new statue that I look at, its amazing to see just how much history is behind it. Its really cool to see just how prestigious and world-renowned Purdue actually is!

Inside the world of Apparel Design

When I tell people that I am majoring in Apparel Design I usually get two different responses. The first one being, "Oh that's cool, what's that?" or "SO why are you going to Purdue, isn't it an engineering school?" Yes Purdue is known for its top in the nation engineering program, but does anyone know how amazing the Apparel Design and Technology program is? Well I have decided to make it known. Being a student in that major I know how much time and skill and talent goes into making this program sucessful. I want to expose it to my readers and other students so they can learn more about Apparel Design!

Every year Purdue Fashion Association puts on a Spring Fashion show. The show is open to the public and gives aspiring designers a chance to be exposed. Before coming to Purdue I never really apperciated all the hard work that goes into producing a fashion show. I have been in a few at my highschool wdere I got to walk across our auditorium in my home made dress, but nothing to the caliber of what is produced here at Purdue.

You better believe that this years show has been in the works minutes after last years show concluded. Everything from hiring models, dj, lights and sound, to designing the garnments is already beginning! It's a long but exciting process. My goal for this semester is to walk you, the reader, step by step to see all the work that goes into the Spring Fashion Show! Along the way I will through in other blogs about interesting topics but for the most part I want to focus on fashion. This is something I have always been very passionate about and want others to see all that hard work that goes into my major.

Right now as a designer we are beginning our first sketches. Some of my sketches I will never use but others will be made into beautiful garnments that will walk down the runway this spring! In my apparel construction class each week we are given an inspiration or an object that we are supposed to create into a garment. It actually reminds me a lot of this purpose of this blog, taking an everyday object and apperciating it for its beauty. I have learned to do this better through this class. Here are a few of my inspirations turned into sketches!

One Giant Leap

If you’re a student here at Purdue, there’s no way you could have missed the big statue of Neil Armstrong right outside none other than the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering. The 8 foot tall, 125 percent scale, bronze sculpture sits right behind the new arc at Stadium and Northwestern. Trailing along behind it is a number of sculpted moon boot impressions made from a REAL moon boot given to the university by the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. How cool is that!? These some 20 moon boot impressions are parallel to the walkway and are spaced just right to show the idea of a “leaping moon walker”. These moon boot impressions give us the chance as students here at Purdue to literally “walk in the footsteps” of a great astronaut. I've always seen the sculpture but I'd never even seen the moonboots before! Thats crazy! Artist Chas Fagan did a great job with detail in the sculpture. He made the retired astronaut look as if he was on his way to class, being a former student at Purdue. The statue is wearing a button down shirt, khaki pants, penny loafers, and a typical button down college windbreaker (well, at least typical for the 1950’s…). The artist got to meet with Neil Armstrong himself to get input from him in the design of the statue. There were no pictures of Armstrong’s profile before the making of this sculpture so when Fagan met with him he took pictures of his face in different angles to make sure it was as life-like as possible. Although Mr. Armstrong is much older than the time this statue recreates, the profile of someone’s face never changes so Fagan was able to create an image of what he looked like in the 1950’s.

In honor of Neil Armstrong’s accomplishments, this statue was unveiled at a dedication ceremony for the new engineering research and education building and named after him for being the first astronaut to walk on the moon. When President of the university, France A. Cordova was asked about the sculpture she said, “When our students see this sculpture, I hope they’ll believe that they, like Mr. Armstrong, can achieve the unimaginable. I hope it will inspire them to reach for the stars.” There’s so much history here, I can’t believe it! Pretty cool, huh?

Vroom Vroom Waltz

Last year when I was a freshman, I obviously didn't have my car and was forced to walk to wherever I wanted to go. This year, being a sophomore, I have my car here at school and have been forced to learn the intricate "dance" that Purdue pedestrians and drivers demonstrate every day. I like to refer to it as the Vroom Vroom Waltz, and I didn't realize just how detailed it is until this year. Just like any art form, your first year here at Purdue is all about getting to know the basics. First, you must learn that, when walking, it is absolutely imperative that you look before you cross the street. I know, sounds obvious, but when there is a biker coming from one direction and a car from the other, you have to be able to think quickly about what you will do and where you want to go. You must learn the basics to move on to a higher skill level. If you do not learn this step you run the risk of injury, even death. Not only do you have to look around you when you cross a street, but also if you decide to go off the strait walking line you are taking to class, because if not you WILL be hit by a biker. You also learn that when crossing the street you must get as close to the cars as you can (without touching them) as they pass you. This optimises the walking time and in the end will save you about 10 seconds of getting to class. It is actually a lot harder than it looks because it is almost impossible to judge where the car will go next. Will they turn? Change lanes? Speed up? Attempt to purposely run you over? In my eyes, this is a totally legitimate way of getting where you want to go without annoying the drivers at all. In fact, we LOVE it when there are so many people walking around our cars that is is literally impossible to move the car an inch without facing some sort of lawsuit! It's our favorite part of this little dance. So... let's review so far.... 1. Look before you cross the street (or for random bikers on campus). 2. Get as close to the moving cars as possible while waiting to cross the street. 3. If you are in a group of people, crowd around the car so it is impossible for it to move. All of these things so far together paint a gorgeous picture of multicolored Purdue University shirts and who-knows-what colors and types of cars. If you look at State St. on any given day, you can witness this Purdue mosaic.

So, now that I have taught you the basics, let's move on to year 2. You have your car and you are so excited! I mean, it's not that hard to drive through campus.... right? The easiest of the second year steps to learn is the stop lights. They tell you when and where you can go, when you have to wait for cars, and when you have to wait for the walkers. This is actually one of the most important parts of the dance, because without the stop lights driving would be an absolute nightmare and nearly impossible on some parts of campus! It is the stop lights that actually create the dance. First it goes, Red, Red, Red, GREEN! But wait, left hand turn. Creep, creep, ccrreeeeeeepp with your car. Let cars pass. Cars turning right, left, going strait, WRONG WAY! People pass. Slowly, slowly, ssllooooowwllyy... people pass.  Speed up quickly as to get through the light before it goes green, green, yellow, RED! Slam on your breaks as you get through the light, because there are wonderful pedestrians adding to the beauty of the dance right in front of you (and almost all over the hood of your car)!  As you proceed down the street, the weaving waltz continues.  In every gap of people walking in the street you will think it is an opportunity to speed up a little as to get to your destination faster. WRONG!  The second your foot touches that gas pedal a dancer will spin out in front of you, doing one of the most beautiful things of all... actually crawling across the street! 

Last, but far from least, there are the absolutely fantastic ONE WAY streets that Purdue is notorious for.  I must say, this is positively my favorite part of the Vroom Vroom Waltz.  Once you have gotten around the charming pedestrians, bikers, and all others on foot, you may think the best part is behind you.  Once again, you would be wrong, my friend.  The best is yet to come!  If you are a new driver to Purdue, you may think that you can get to where you want to go with the most logical routes possible.  Instead what you will find is an intricate, complicated, obviously thoroughly planned out way to get to your destination.  For example, traveling East on state street, you might think, "Hey, I need to go somewhere on Russell. Let's turn left..."  This would be impossible considering Russell is a one way street and you will end up creating a new dance all together if you try to go that way... it's called involuntary manslaughter, and that would be an entirely different blog in itself.  With the Vroom Vroom Waltz you must be very creative in finding alternative routes to get to where you need to be.  

So let's review one more time.  First year, learn how to cross the street without dying and still find a way to surround stopped cars... they love it!  Second year, learn how to waltz without bumping in to anyone, and avoid all lawsuits.  Lastly, master the one way streets as to again avoid any lawful situations.  Now that I have given you a crash course in Vroom Vroom Waltzing, let's get out there and do that dance!