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!

Calling all "Pretty" People

We need tall, short, dark hair, little hair, tan skin, pale skin... you name it we could use you! That's right you don't need to be 5'11 and weight 101 pounds for this show. All you need is a confidence, a strong walk, and an eye for fashion. What show am I talking about about? The annual spring Fashion Show put on by the Purdue Fashion Association.

On Sunday September 28, PFA will be holding a models callout. This is your time to show your personal style and strut your stuff and even possibly be cast in the 2009 spring Fashion Show!

Here are the details!

When: Sunday, September 28
Time: 2:00 PM
Where: Matthews Hall- Room 201

Dress to impress and bring heels because you will be walking! We also need more male models!

The Purdue Fashion Show is a great way to get involved! It isn't a huge time commitment but I gurantee every minute you put into this event is well worth it! There are two showings in the Spring. Last year we held our show at the Shively Press Box. It was an incredible view of the field and of all the amazing garments created all by aspiring designers here at Purdue University.

If you don't think modeling in the show is for you, atleast grab a ticket and come see all the excitment that the Purdue Fashion Association will be showing! Don't you worry, I will for sure be keeping you updated when it comes closer to the show and tickets go on sale! But if always dreamed of being on the cover of Vogue or appearing in a TV commercial, but never quite lived out your dream because someone said you were too short or the camera adds 10 pounds... FORGET about them and come live your dream on the Purdue Fashion Associations Runway!

DON'T FORGET...
Sunday September 28 @ 2 pm
Matthews Hall Room 201

Time to Strut your STUFF!

Nothing Prettier Than This

A see of black and gold, one of my favorite images at Purdue. It all happens every home football game. One of my favorite moments of my college career was my first official football game as a student. Growing up, I would always go with my parents to Purdue games. We had killer seats with the John Purdue Club, but I can't even begin to compare my fifty yard line tickets with my crammed, sun baked seats in the student section. What could be better?

My favorite days at Purdue are game days. I love all the school spirit. You walk down the street and you see a guy dressed up like Christopher Robins from Winnie the Pooh who is best friends with the Joker. You can't find the companionship just anywhere. Between the breakfast clubbers and the see of black and gold, I am honored to say we have one of the most amazing and spirited student sections.

I still recall that very first day when I walked in with my student ID in hand into section 109 at Ross Aid Stadium. Nothing can prepare you for Boilermaker football. As cheesy as it sounds, I believe our student section is one of the prettiest things at Purdue University. It's amazing to see all grades and all different types of students come together for cheer on one team. Every Saturday I get a great deal of school pride.

And that is why I choose to include these images. I find them beautiful, black and gold body paint and all!

Famous Fountains

The time has come, my friends.  We all knew it was coming.... the fountain entry!  As we all know, we have some pretty awesome fountains here at Purdue.  And being from Kansas City (nicknamed the city of fountains) I can always appreciate a good fountain to look at/fun through/play in.  First of all, we have the engineering fountain.  It's located in the middle of campus and is possibly one of the most foot-traffic areas on all of campus.  I remember last year one of my friends (who does not go to purdue) asked me what that flash mob was all about.  As you can imagine I was very confused, so I asked him to elaborate.  "You know, it was by the big Atari symbol thing."  It had never occured to me that it resembled that until he said it, but now every time I walk by it or see it in the Exponent that's all I can think about.  It's not until you get closer that you can see all the complex details and cool designs ingrained into the sides and swoops.  I am not sure if they mean anything, or if they are purely there for design reasons.  Either way I think it was a good idea and whoever designed it really knew what they were doing.  Next is the Loeb fountain located next the Beering Hall.  Although I think this is the prettier of the two, if I had to choose to go on a fountain run in one, I would definitely have to choose the Engineering fountain.  I feel like when I run through the Loeb fountain I get extra super soaked and get thrown around by the water.  I feel more like I'm going through a hurricane rather than doing a fountain run.  But then again that is why so many people like the Loeb fountain, so i guess it's just a matter of preference.  Don't get me wrong though, I do love this one too.  I think its surroundings are gorgeous and I like the concrete benches you can sit on.  I feel like the design of where the water shoots is what really makes this one beautiful.  The Engineering fountain relies mostly on its own structure, but the Loeb fountain relies on what the water itself is doing.  The simplicity of it is something that I also find very appealing.  Overall I would say this one is my favorite because it is the most fun for me to look at! 

Lastly there is the one that not a lot of people know about.  It is the one located next to the John Purdue grave.  You can't fun through it, but it offers a peaceful and quiet area to relax or study.  In my opinion it is very pretty, and the attention to detail the creator put into it is great also.  

Overall our campus has some really cool fountains (as you can see), and once again I am going to suggest that you check them out now before the cold winter months come and takes them away.

Gorgeous Memorial Mall

Continuing on my theme of beautiful places to sit and study, Purdue's Memorial Mall seems to be a very popular choice among students.  Other than its surprisingly quiet atmosphere (despite the thousands of people walking around, the MM seems to remain relatively quiet) the Memorial Mall also offers as much space as you want/need, much needed shade in the blistering sun, and a very aesthetically pleasing landscape to lose yourself in.  As you may be able to tell by now, I enjoy trying find places around campus (other than my sorority house) to study/spend extra time throughout my day.  Spending time outside and taking in my surroundings is one of my favorite things to do, and the Memorial Mall is a great place to do so.  

This may sound a little shallow, but one of the things I was looking for while visiting colleges when I was a senior in high school was a pretty campus that would actually allow me to sit around and take in nature.  The minute I stepped onto Purdue's Memorial Mall I knew this was the place for me.  The chris-crossed sidewalks and huge trees were definitely a huge selling point for me (if I would have known about the squirrels that might have helped too).  Little did I know that it would actually be where I spend a majority of my time in between my classes and my free time.  Once again, Memorial Mall is at its finest in the warmer months, so go check it out for yourself now so you don't miss it!!

The Newest Addition

If you don't live on this side of campus, you might not have seen the latest addition to residence halls. On the west side, next to Harrison Hall, a new hall is being built and is supposed to be ready to live in by August, 2009 (seen to the right still under construction). Unlike the other residence halls, such as Meredith or Shreve halls this new (and still nameless) hall will be more like apartment living. Each student in this new building will have his/her own room AND bathroom! How awesome would that be? Just think about it... not having to share a bathroom with fifty other people! (Not to mention, its got air conditioning!)

Each "cluster" of rooms will have its own gathering place, kitchenette and laundry area. Some say that this setup will give the students who grew up with their own bedroom more of a feeling of home and sense of privacy. In my opinion, students living in the new hall won't be getting the same experience at college as other students who live in regular dorms or other residences that have roommates. There's nothing better than waking up four times to Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" as your roommate's ring tone for her alarm after she pushes dismiss on her phone three times. I would know. Though having a roommate has its small disadvantages, students living in the new hall may be missing out on a great dinner partner or maybe even a possible life-long friendship. On the other hand, things could be reversed. Your roommate in a dorm could be a complete nightmare that very well could have popped right out of a Stephen King novel. In this instance, I wouldn‘t want a roommate either. If you’re not exactly a people person or just don’t want to take the chance of getting “Emily Rose” as your next roomie, it might be a good idea to look into the new place.

There is even more than I thought!

I am really excited about this blog because as I was just browsing the web and randomly googling, I found some really interesting images that I didn't even know existed. I know that my fellow bloggers from "Pretty at Purdue" and myself have been encouraging our readers to stop and take a moment to soak in all the beauty and interesting sights around us. I have found that I myself could work on this concept! Let me give you an example.

Last year I took at dance class located in PAO. Everyday when I left the building I noticed this rather large sculpture across the street. It's hard to miss actually. I never really stopped to look at it. I couldn't even tell you what it's called, it's artist or purpose. Although I am completley unknowledgable, I am still interested so I was originally going to compose a blog about this unknown sculpture seen below .




Pretty cool huh? What is even cooler is that when I was searching for this image I found even more images of scuplture around Purdue and surrounding areas that caught my eye! How is it that I walk by Beering every single day and I haven't noticed this cool piece of art!




Even cooler is that I learned this scuplture located outside of Beering Hall is made out of railroad tracks! The art that is around us has purpose and stories behind each and every work. I myself know that I learn to apperciate a piece of art more when I know the story behind it. Check out even more interesting images and learn about why they are here at Purdue. Better yet, go see them in real life!

www.homeofpurdue.com/outdoorart.html

So now instead of just telling my readers to open their eyes and enjoy Purdue at its best, I myself will give that concept a try. I guess the moral of this blog is practice what you preach!

I Can Hear the Bells!

The clock tower at Purdue isn’t only known by its students. Reaching above the campus at 160 ft., its seen from many places around the school. The original clock tower was a part of the old Heavilon Hall which was demolished in 1956. According to Wikipedia.com, four days after being dedicated as a part of Purdue’s Engineering School in 1894, the building caught on fire and was destroyed. In 1995, as a gift from the class of 1948, a new bell tower was built and, like the original, has four clocks on each side of the tower. The tower sounds every half hour and also plays Purdue’s fight song and the alma mater. At the base of the tower is also a time capsule that is scheduled to be opened in 2095. The seal under the tower is believed to be cursed and is said that if a student walks underneath it, across the seal, he or she will not graduate in four years! Watch where you’re walking!

Mid-Campus Grotto

Speaking of stopping to notice what is around you, has anyone ever noticed the mini pond next to the bell tower?  It is right behind Stanley Coulter, and is surrounded by an array of lovely shrubs and flowers that range in lots of different colors and sizes.  The first time I discovered it was last year, and I was taken completely by surprise.  It is in a quaint little location, and is actually almost completely hidden by all the plants in the spring and summer months.  One day I got bored and I decided to go check the area out and see what it was all about.  

First of all, there are little stone ledges and steps to sit on, as well as nooks and crannies that allow you to sit and escape into your own little world.  When you are in the encircled area you get this strange feeling like everyone walking by can see you and is watching you.  It is so out in the open, yet in reality most people don't even know it is there.  The pond has a fountain in the middle, but for some reason is turned off most of the time (this is a mystery to me, and I really want to know why sometimes it's off for no reason).  If there are other people there when you visit, don't plan on making new friends anytime soon.  It's not that people are standoffish or unfriendly, it's just that every one that I have ever seen there has been studying/doing homework, reading a book, listening to music, etc.  It is kind of like a secret haven of relaxation in the middle of an otherwise (at times) chaotic campus. 

The one downfall of the mid-campus grotto is that in the winter, it's not one of the most relaxing places to be.  Other than the frequent frigid temperatures that Indiana is notorious for, in the wintertime the otherwise beautiful little pond becomes a vision of death and depression.  All the water is drained, the flora has died, and no one wants to go near the sad little patch of hard stone ground.  It is at this time that you can not even begin to picture the beauty and loveliness that it was just a few months earlier.  

But in the warm months, this place is a truly alluring and calming getaway from all the stress and hectic deadlines that college students have to meet.  We are really lucky to have a place on campus that can allow us to enjoy the great scenery (and squirrels) that our awesome alma mater has to offer.  I strongly suggest you go check it out and spend time there now because within a month or two it will be otherwise out of commission for quite some time.  If you are looking for a new place to just relax, this is definitely it. 

Design at Delta Gamma

Dorm rooms. How would you describe them? Without all the fancy futon covers and colorful desk lamps I would have to say cold and desolate. I had the same reaction when I moved in my sorority DG this fall. Bare beige walls and all the furniture pushed in one corner was not the most inviting introduction to my new room! So after a few hours and a few yards of fabric, I turned my plain little square box into a cozy haven!

I took a few photos of my room and another one of my sisters.
Here are a few easy tips for decorating and jazzing up your dorm rooms, sorority, apt. or whever you call home!



Up above is a great way to cover up ugly ceiling tile!

Nature's Alive!

There are so many things to look at while you're on Purdue's campus but one thing that I love is just the nature that surrounds us everywhere. Yes, there are beautiful, historic buildings each way you turn but Purdue has done a great job of keeping nature alive. There are trees left and right and lawns are pretty much always well kept and when the sun is shining, it makes it even more beautiful. I think its just one of those things that we take for granted everyday. I mean, we see trees and grass all the time! What's so great about that? We often don't have time to sit and dwell on these things but when you really think about it, those trees are just as much a part of history as are the buildings at Purdue. They've been around for a while.

I can't wait until Autumn and the leaves show us all their colors! Its my favorite time of year; right before the leaves fall and before it turns cold, when all you need is your little jacket and a pair of jeans and the trees are beautiful. So go recognize all the beauty before it turns blistering cold and the new beauty of SNOW comes in!

Hello Bloggers!

Hello fellow bloggers! As my group and I pondered on an idea for our blog we all decided that we apperciate the pretty things in life. All three of us are interested in all aspects of design from interior design, fashion design, painting, drawings or even just the design you see when you look at the brick buildings that cover campus or the famous bell tower. As a group we wanted to explore more of what Purdue has to offer visually. Through this blog we want to expose the beauty of this big ten campus.

I usually take the walk to class for granted because I am either half asleep or rushing to make it on time because I am always a late arriver. But next time you are walking to class take a look around you and see what Purdue has to offer. We have such diversity of buildings, nature and people at Purdue. All the uniqueness around us makes Purdue pretty!