Semi-Formal, Finals, a Weather Phenomenon, and Cancun!

Hello readers!! Hope y'all had great holidays. Just wanted to fill everyone in on the end of the fall semester. Not too much happened between now and my last post... but it was a fabulous end to a fabulous semester!

The Friday after my return from Thanksgiving, I had semi-formal. Pi Phi's semi-formal was at the Louisiana Children's Museum this year and it was quite a treat to relive some childhood memories. The museum was wonderful and left so many attraction open for us. I played with Lincoln Logs; I lifted 500 pounds of weights (I'm THAT strong); I played in Mr. Roger's neighborhood. There I am in a bubble with my date, Tyler. How cool is that?? I'm INSIDE the bubble :) It was so fun! I also danced like a maniac! We had an awesome DJ right in the main hall of the museum. By the end of the night, all the Pi Phi's and their dates were out on the dance floor bustin some killer moves. There's Christina, one of my suitemates, with her lovely date/construction worker Kyle.

I went to bed right after the buses brought us back from semi-formal (I knew I had to start studying the next day). But first I woke up and went to lunch at the GREATEST new barbeque joint on Oak Street, not too far off campus. It was called "Squeal." Definitely not the most PC of terms, but the food is amazing. We ordered BBQ brisket nachos, pulled pork sandwiches and burgers with grits and cole slaw and french fries and onion rings. We pretty much sampled half the menu. But there's more... "Squeal" also has big TV's everywhere (inside and outside) for watching sports AND playing Nintendo and Playstation. Pretty cool, huh? I'll definitely be going back for a big football game soon.

Unfortunately I had to start studying after lunch. But, alas, the big meal put me right to sleep. Soooo... I studied after my nice long nap. It was so refreshing. I wrote almost an entire final paper on Saturday night (I know what you're thinking, "who studies on a Saturday night?" Well most Tulanians do right before finals week. The study lounges are packed until finals week is over!). Anyway, by the end of the week I had written one regular paper, written three final papers, taken a Spanish final exam, and performed my final scene for acting class. It was a lots of work. And the distraction of a NOLA weather phenomenon didn't help either. It snowed in New Orleans... for hours! The entire campus was blanketed in big white puffy snowflakes! I couldn't believe it. So many of my southern friends were jumping for joy because it is such a rarity for them to see snow. I frequently see snow up in NJ, so I didn't get too excited about the freezing cold temperatures... until I saw a palm tree covered in snow. THAT was pretty ridiculous! Who knows when I'll see something like that again.

Anyway, I was able to eventually see past the distraction, take my one final exam, and finish all the rest by the 12th, when I was able to come home and spend time with my family and friends. Despite the cold, it was great to be back home. Not for long, though, because a week after my return, I set off for Cancun for the Holidays. It was such a nice treat to escape to the warmth with my family. We got lots of sun and ate the best meals!! To the left is a picture of the whole gang on the last night in Cancun.

I'm back from Cancun now... and it's cold again!! BRRR!! Oh well, less than two weeks before I return. Hopefully it'll be nice and sunny, and not astonishingly snowy like when I left NOLA a few weeks ago. Have a happy and healthy New Year readers! I'll write again soon.

Home for the Holidays!

Hello readers!! Hope y'all had wonderful Thanksgivings. I had a great time at home with my family and friends! For the most part, I spent the time relaxing and resting up for finals (ughh I'm nervous!).

I also got to see my twin play in a basketball tournament! And then afterward, her whole team (and parents and friends) came over for dinner. It was really fun and a great way for me to see how school is going for my sister. There I am with my sister, Mere (top left), and some of her teammates after an awesome dinner.



Thanksgiving was also a blast! We always go over to our family friend's house, the Kennedy's house. Mrs. Kennedy and her family cook the main meal and some appetizers, and my mom cooks appetizers and the desserts. It's really, really fun and has become a wonderful tradition with our (extended) families and friends. Here's a picture of some of us girls right before we ate dinner!

So I came back from Thanksgiving Break two days ago and I am still unmotivated to finish unpacking because I leave again to go home in 12 days... I take my finals and depart for the cold, cold weather again! But that feeling won't last too long, seeing as I'll be in Cancun for Christmas this year. But until then, I've got to stay focused on finishing up the semester. It is coming so quickly to a close that I don't know what to do with myself! I guess just study, study, study! This week is a particularly busy week, being the last week of class. Tonight I have USG (Undergraduate student Government), tomorrow I have a GWA (Green Wave Ambassadors) Awards dinner, Thursday I have lacrosse practice, and Friday I have Pi Phi Semi-Formal!! So it's a busy week, but I'm looking forward to it all... even the 3 different group presentations that I have to present on Thursday. I'll keep y'all posted on how all of those events go!

Stay warm!!

I survived Death Valley!

Hello readers!! So much has happened since my last post!! Let's start with Monday before Halloween. Tulane University hosted a very special event under the work of Direction, a nationwide speaker series. This past month, eight days before the 2008 Presidential Election, Republican Governor Mike Huckabee and Democrat Congressman Harold Ford Jr. came to Tulane to participate in a debate. Held in McAlister Auditorium and moderated by one of Tulane's most prestigious political science professors, the debate consisted of questions submitted by Tulane students. Also, there was a Q&A at the end of the debate. It was very informative and definitely gave students clarity on the issues that were most pertinent in the election.

That Friday was Halloween. My Big Sis in Pi Phi had a Halloween party, so a bunch of our friends got dressed up and went to her apartment (a block off campus). It was a lot of fun! They decorated and had bowls of candy and snacks everywhere. There was a huge turn out and the costumes were hilarious!! There I am with my lovely lady Pi Phi's on the left (I'm the angel!).

The next day I woke up really early for the LSU v. Tulane football game in Baton Rouge. It was the most insane thing I had ever seen. People started tailgating at 7am for a 7pm game. I went with three people that live (or have lived) in Louisiana, so they all knew a lot of LSU students at the game. We hopped around from tent to tent in our Tulane gear, with LSU fans yelling "TIGER BAIT" as we passed by. It was pretty funny... especially since LSU fans knew that Tulane was no match for their top 20 ranked football team. Nevertheless, we braved the Tiger roar in our Tulane gear!

So we ate some jambalaya and cheeseburgers (and crab cakes and sausage and nachos) and watched some football on TVs in the back of pick-up trucks all day. It was so much fun. And before I knew it was time to enter Death Valley. With 90,000 seats, 20,000 more than the Superdome, the LSU stadium was booming with Tiger roars and bleeding purple and gold. To the right is the almost full LSU student section... forty minutes before kick-off! Luckily, Tulane brought a pretty large following from New Orleans to cheer on the Green Wave! We didn't win, but we played really well against a nationally ranked team! It was such a crazy experience seeing Death Valley. And even though I was tiger-baited, I survived the mayhem!

The following Tuesday was the election... and campus was buzzing with chatter about the two candidates. For most students, this was the first election that they were able to vote in, and many of them chose to register in Louisiana, including myself. My polling place was right inside the LBC (Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life) so it was really easy to cast my vote. It was exciting to get so involved in the election and it was great to see that so many other students on campus came out to do the same.

Another big event that happened last Saturday was Hip-Hop for Hope. Hip-Hope for Hope is a Tulane student-run organization that puts on a fundraiser every year for a charter school damaged by the hurricane. The event is at Tipitina's, a bar that is famous for their live music. Hip-Hope for Hope featured artists such as DJ Raj Smoove, Raw Dizzy, The Show with DY and the local favorite: The Rebirth Brass Band. For a ten dollar donation to MLK Charter School in the 9th Ward, students were able to enjoy a night of amazing entertainment with transportation to and from Tipitina's.

And this week is the much anticipated Greek Week. Today is the big fraternity cook-off and sorority bake-off; tomorrow is Greek trivia night, Thursday is Greek Sync night, and Saturday is Greek Olympics. I'm really excited for Saturday because I'm on the Pi Phi dodgeball team. I was pretty good in gym class in middle school... I'm hoping those skills translate over into college!

I'll let y'all know how Pi Phi's team does during Greek Week! I go home a week from today for Thanksgiving! YAY! And then when I return... Pi Phi semi-formal... Stay tuned.

Catching the Wave...

Hey y'all! Sorry it's been awhile. It has been one exciting event after the next. First off, I have to tell y'all about homecoming. The theme this year was "Catch the Wave." It was SO much fun. Now, at most schools, homecoming takes place over one big weekend, but at Tulane, it last an entire week. That's right, folks. Sunday, September 28th through October 4th. The party began with our lighting ceremony in Pocket Park (a courtyard next to our UC or Lavin-Bernick Center) We ate FREE VooDoo Barbecue, lit candles for the football team. THEM and Green Envy performed (our Capella groups), as well as Shockwave (our dance team) and the cheerleaders). We were also introduced to our homecoming court. On Monday was the McAlister Mile Fun Run! That's a mile race with more free food and shirts for the top 25 finishers for men and top 25 for women. I ran it with my running buddy, Sean. Although he kind of sped up and finished before me. I ran my best mile time, though, at 6:25. Afterward, the Tidal Wave Committee (Homecoming committee) provided World's Healthiest Pizza and drinks. It was sooo fun. And just in case you were wondered, I did indeed get a free t-shirt!

On Tuesday, the school set up a big outdoor projection screen, gave out homecoming blankets, fresh Kettle Corn, Raisin' Canes chicken, and projected the movie "The Sandlot." It was sooo much fun! On Wednesday there was a powder puff tournament. Freshmen v. Sophomores and Juniors v. Seniors. I was unable to play because I had a test the next day, but it was fun to watch. It was also fun getting my free Creole Creamery Ice Cream... yummy! Thursday rolled around and I was so excited because my mom and her boyfriend, Rich, flew down for the weekend.


To preface her visit I kept telling everyone that homecoming is her favorite holiday (little exaggeration). Thursday night we had the homecoming concert and awesome local Cajun food. Guess who came this year?! The Benjy David Project AND Reel Big Fish!! It was the best concert... right on the LBC quad. And I got to share the entire experience with my mom and my friends. On Friday I went out to breakfast with my mom and Rich, went to class, went shopping on Magazine Street, and then napped. At night we had the big parade/pep rally down McAlister and fireworks! Then I went downtown with my mom and Rich and my family friend. We went to Pat O'Brien. Such a great meal!! Then I stayed downtown with my mom and Rich for awhile on Bourbon Street, but I was tired and went back uptown relatively early so I could rest up for the football game.

Saturday was the big game! I went out to breakfast with my mom and Rich and our family friends from home. We went to Slim Goodies on Magazine. Best Omelet ever! Then we went to the game at Tad Gormley Stadium. Normally we play at the Superdome, but Tad Gormley Stadium is a homecoming tradition. All the tailgating was there too, right in City Park.

Pi Phi had the best tent with Sig Ep! My mom loved meeting everyone and eating and drinking. She also loved getting all of the free Tulane gear from different tents! The game was really great because the stadium was packed (it's definitely harder to fill the Superdome!).

Unfortunately we lost to Army, but Tulane put up a good fight, that's for sure! Saturday night we went out to a nice dinner at Drago's. It was the best meal ever (yummy charbroiled oysters)! So great, in fact, that I just went back there two nights ago! Sunday I went shopping with my mom all day and then stayed in the hotel with her that night. It was nice to get the alone time with her before she left.

So that was homecoming... It really is my favorite time of the school year. No school does it the way Tulane does it: free food and prizes everyday... and lots of entertainment! I can't wait for next year.

Other exciting things that have been going on: sorority functions. Pi Phi has had some of the best mixers!! To the right is a picture from our mixer with Sig Ep. We just had a Super Heroes mixer with AEPi the other week, and tonight we're going to have a Holidays mixer with KA. I'm dressing up as my birthday! Some other ideas are Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day, Labor Day, and Easter (just to name a few). I'm really psyched for that.



But the best party I think Pi Phi has had so far: our crush party! It was at this past Saturday at a place called One-Eyed Jack's (downtown). Basically, we don't invite our dates. We submit their names to our Social Chair and she send out one big massive e-mail telling each recipient that he, or she, has been crushed by a Pi Phi. Some people don't even know who their dates are! It's a great way to mix and mingle. I think everyone enjoyed it a lot.


I'll keep you posted on the Holidays mixer and some of the other events on Tulane's campus! Stay tuned, y'all! And ROLL WAVE!

We made it!

Hey y'all. I'm reporting with some very exciting news! Tulane's campus opens up tomorrow, Saturday, September 6th! And classes resume on Monday (thank goodness... I actually miss my professors/classes). I never thought that I would be this psyched to delve back into my classes, but I am. I guess since all of my friends from home are well into their semesters, I'm a little jealous, and antsy to really start the semester! My professors have been very communicative, e-mailing revisions to syllabi and notes about the upcoming weeks in class. Like I said before, the support network between faculty and students and amongst all of the students in general has been remarkable. We've all been e-mailing, texting, calling "did you make it out okay?"; "where'd you end up?"; "have you died of homesickness for Tulane?"; "when are you getting back to campus?". This constant communication is so comforting... and not to mention unique to our university. I am so excited to get back to such a wonderful place... my true home away from home!

NO ME GUSTAV!!

Hello readers!! I'm reporting to you now from New Jersey after a few long days of travels. As many of you know, Hurricane Gustav threatened the Southern Coast of Louisiana this past week, and made landfall this morning, forcing not only Tulane, but the entire Orleans Parish, to evacuate. Now Gustav is whipping through Louisiana as a Category 1 Hurricane, thankfully leaving our cherished city of New Orleans with little damage, at least compared to previous storms such as Katrina. Yes, Gustav is a much weaker storm than Katrina was a little over 3 years ago, but the reason that our school and city, and the friends and families that reside in such a place, are okay: we were prepared! The state took every precaution needed to ensure that the levees were ready, communication systems were in place, and evacuations preparations were properly instituted. I am so thrilled with the level of school, city, state, and federal cooperation. Furthermore, the school has done an incredible job keeping students, faculty and staff, and parents in the loop! I receive text messages and e-mails from the Tulane emergency website everyday (emergency.tulane.edu). President Cowen even had a live chat yesterday, allowing anyone interested to log in and read/ask questions about the storm and the impact it will have on Tulane University. And it is because I am receiving such constant updates that I can rest assured that our school and city will be just fine!! The only wave that I see rolling right now is the Green Wave!! And it is with that update that I leave y'all with the Tulane Fight Song. I feel that it's appropriate given the circumstances. We can overcome anything! This whole experience just bonds our community together even further... and I could not be more proud to be a Tulanian, a New Orleanian.


Green Wave Green Wave,
Hats off to Thee.
We're out to
Fight Fight Fight
For our Victory.
Shout to the Skies
Our Green Wave War Cries.
The Bravest we'll Defy.
Hold that Line for
Olive and Blue.
We will Cheer for You.
So Fight, Fight, Old Tulane
Fight on to Victory

One week left!!!

Hello there readers!! I hope y'all have had a stellar summer; I know I have. I've been home in New Jersey, but that hasn't stopped my from seeing so many of my lovely Tulane ladies. Over Memorial Day weekend a bunch of my girlfriends came down to the good ole Jersey Shore. It was sooo much fun! From Georgia to South Carolina to Washington DC and New York, six of my friends trekked up/down the Garden State Parkway to visit. It was a blast and so fun to see each other in a different setting; it was very surreal. We laid on the beach like total beach bums, went ocean kayaking, barbequed, and went out for an awesome seafood dinner; however, we all agreed the seafood in New Orleans is far better! Here we are on the back porch, most of us unintentionally matching with our Tulane sweatshirts. Haha.

They left... which was soooo sad... but my internship started that next week at Capital One Bank. I had so much fun!! Although all the long days of school and late nights of studying/going out in New Orleans could not have prepared for being a REAL PERSON in the REAL WORLD!! A forty-hour a week job wiped me out! On some days the 60 year-olds had more spunk and pazazz energy than I did. Shocking, I know. But I had the best time. I learned so much about the banking industry (a career option that I had not previously considered, as I'm a Poli. Sci./Comm. major) and loved the people with whom I was privileged enough to work. And the dressing up for work wasn't half bad either... I was able to get a lot of new outfits from J. Crew! lol.

So my internship ended last week. I was really sad to leave! But don't think I haven't been super busy... The day after my internship ended I flew out to Ohio for my Grandma's 75th Birthday Bash! So much fun to have the whole family dress up together... and after a few days in Ohio I just flew home yesterday and drove straight to the shore. Which brings me to the present: ONE WEEK AWAY FROM RETURNING TO NOLA!

Like every other Tulane student, I am literally counting down the hours until I get back to school. I'm going to be sad to leave my family... probably just as sad as last year when I cried in the airport. lol. Nonetheless, once I'm on the plane, headphones on with my iPod blasting the Cupid's Shuffle and the Bunny Hop, it'll be smooth sailing.

A lot of you may be wondering why on earth I'm going back so early... the reason for that being that not only am I an Orientation Coordinator, but I'm also a pre-Orientation Coordinator for NOLA Experiences. I'm so thrilled to be returning to this program again, as I was a participant in it last year as a freshman.

I believe it was my first post as a TU blogger that scratched the surface of how truly amazing my NOLA experience was last year. I got to hang out on campus and move in before anyone else, write for the first issue of the Tulane Hullaballoo, tour the city of New Orleans, and meet some of my best, best friends (I'm living with some of them this year in Irby, an 8 person suite).

Here we are, on the second day of NOLA, at Camp Istrouma. I cannot wait to be a part of it again this year and help freshmen have the same experience that I had last year. This year I'm an OC for the TUBE track, so instead of working on the newspaper, I get to work at the Tulane television station with my co-OC and 15 freshmen!

I can't wait for the Cajun line dances, the Creole cookin', the smokin hot heat, the Boot, and last, but certainly not least, the irreplaceable company of my fellow Tulanians!!

Initiation + reelection + formals + Crawfest + Jazzfest + finals = A perfect end to a perfect year

Hello fellow readers!! I apologize for the major posting delay. I was so bogged down with end of the year mayhem that I was unable to keep you guys informed. Never fear... I have lots of AWESOME stuff to report!

We'll begin where I last left off: Pi Beta Phi initiation. The night before initiation, our pledge class had a pink party. It's called a pink party because we're transitioning from pledges, white, to actives, wine, therefore being pink, the transition color. It was really fun. It was like a massive slumber party. You'd think as 18, 19, and 20 year old girls we would have outgrown bonding activities, pink food, and a pinata, but you are all sorely mistaken. We soaked up every ounce of girlie-ness... and more than that, it really brought our pledge class together. Here's a picture of all 50 of us and our amazing pledge mom's, Layne and Sam.


So we all went to bed pretty early in order to wake up for initiation, which started at EIGHT AM (thank goodness they had donuts or I would have been cranky). Of course I can't tell you about the actual initiation, because that's a super sacred and secret tradition, but I can tell you that it was really special and that the after-brunch was delicious! And it was at the most beautiful New Orleans home. Here's a picture of two Pi Phi families... (from the left) Taylor, Tracy, Me, Lindsey, Christina, Vanessa. Lindsey is my big and Vanessa is my twin. We have a huge family, but the other girls in my immediate family that aren't pictured are my grand big, Hilary, and my great grand big, Beth (she's graduating in a few days!).

Another exciting thing that happened was that I was reelected to serve another term on USG (Undergraduate Student Government)! I was so happy. I'm officially a senator for the class of 2011. I didn't campaign as hard as I did for the Freshman Senator elections, but I still had a Lolli for Lauren party... with free cookies and lolli pops. I think that really won everyone over. Haha.

Now as I mentioned in my previous blog, there are many ways to tell when it's spring time in New Orleans. It happens almost over night, but there are some obvious indications: there are blooming flowers, it's 15 degrees warmer, it's humid, there's always a crawfish boil somewhere, and it's formal season!! I was lucky enough to get to go to TWO formals. My Pi Phi formal AND Delt formal with my friend Jimmy (we've been friends since NOLA). Pi Phi formal was a blast. It was at a really classy place with delicious food. It felt like prom all over again. Here's a picture from Pi Phi formal. It was actually taken to show my English professor from last semester. We were all in the same class.

Our formal was on a Thursday night so I laid low all day on Friday and watched a movie at night. Then Saturday was CRAWFEST!! Crawfest is an Associated Student Body and Tulane University Campus Programming endeavor. A lot of other governments/organizations on campus pitch in too! It was only the second annual Crawfest, but it was such a huge success that I think Crawfest is guaranteed to be around for a lot longer. Crawfest is an all day long party on the LBC (Student Center) quad. Basically the Crawfest Committee orders tons and tons and tons of crawfish and beverages so that the students and community members can have unlimited crawfish free of charge. And other vendors come out too. There were hot dogs and burgers and snowballs... for those of you crazy kids that don't like crawfish (I LOVE IT). And there are free prizes and tons of activities. But I haven't even told y'all the best part of Crawfest: THE MUSIC! We have two huge stages set up on either end of the quad, and different bands play on them all day. Big New Orleans names came to our school... like The Revivalists and the Soul Rebels. Here's the link to the website... definitely check it out! http://www.crawfest.com/

After a long day of sunning on the quad with friends, eating food, and listening great music, I got ready for my next formal with Jimmy. It was downtown ON Bourbon Street with an awesome balcony. It was awesome to be on downtown and to be reminded of how truly unique New Orleans really is. Afterall, where else do you have people throwing beads at each other from one balcony to another? After formal, Jimmy and I went to the Rat (an all-night grill-type hang out in the basement of the LBC or, rather, the UC). It was so yummy. Then on Sunday I had to do homework all day. It was not fun! But I finished my paper for American Government two days before it was due, which never happens! On the right is a picture of me and Jimmy at Delt formal.

A couple weekends later, I went to Jazzfest! It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Basically it's a huge festival with music and food and cool authentic New Orleans activities and apparel. I only got to see The Benjy Davis Project and Billy Joel because my finals were during most of Jazzfest, but let me give you guys a little inside scoop as to what else was offered at Jazzfest (besides the oodles and oodles of delicious food and drinks, and t-shirts and memorabilia): Stevie Wonder, OAR, Al Green, Jimmy Buffet, Elvis Castello, Tim McGraw, Cupid, Widespread Panic, Sheryll Crow, Santana, The Roots... JUST TO NAME A FEW! Where else can you experience that kind of music and culture? Only at Tulane, only in New Orleans can you see all of that. Here I am with some of my friends waiting for Billy Joel. It ended up pouring rain right before he came on, and it continued for the rest of the night, but that didn't stop us from rocking out to Billy.


I was lucky that I was able to go to one day of Jazzfest, but I was jealous of my friends, who were able to go 3 or 4 times to Jazzfest. Maybe next year!! My finals seemed to have taken over my life at the end of the semester. I guess my finals schedule kind of stunk: Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Thursday. I never thought I'd make it through all of them! But I survived. I managed to finish my semester with a 3.9 GPA! I guess all of my studying in the James Lounge in the LBC really paid off.

I packed up on Thursday and on Friday and managed to go out to dinner and then go to happy hour at the Boot with my friends. I ended my night at the new Sig Ep house... and I thought to myself, Sig Ep was my first fraternity party as a freshman, and it will be my last fraternity party as a freshman! It couldn't have been a more perfect end to the most perfect first year!

I can't wait for next year. Hopefully I'll see some of y'all for NOLA and/or orientation. Stay tuned for some blogging over the summer! And thanks for reading!

From Maine to Jersey to New Orleans... I'm back after break and better than ever!

Hey y'all! It feels so great to be back in New Orleans after going up north for spring break. The sun is shining, the flowers are in bloom, and the outdoor social pool is open!! It's definitely spring time down here in NOLA. But let me give y'all a little recap on the past few weeks...

The week before spring break was so chaotic, seeing as I had a Spanish exam, a spanish oral exam, an American Government Exam, and an Evolutionary Biology quiz. YUCK! As you can tell, it was most definitely hell! But I got through it, and it made my spring break so much more enjoyable! I left early friday morning to fly up to Maine to see my sister.

Brrrr... it was so chilly up there; although the snow covered Colby campus was beautiful. This was my first visit to Colby and, after not seeing my sister for over two months, I was overjoyed when we finally reunited. It was really cool to see the life she was living so many miles away from me. I got to see the campus, meet her friends, eat the food, and form great memories with Meredith. And I guess I was there for a big weekend as well, a weekend called Doghead. It's in celebration of St. Patricks Day, where you stay up all night on Friday. It was reallllly fun... but I'm sad to say I couldn't stay up all night. My sister and I took a nap and woke up really early in the morning to join in on the festivities. It was snowing too! I loved it.

I stayed until Sunday and then I went home to New Jersey. I had a really mellow trip, seeing as a lot of my friends had already had their spring breaks and were back at school. Nonetheless, I had the most wonderful time with my mom and dad. My mom and I had quite an adventure one day, when we went to the city (New York City... I guess depending where you live, "the city" could have a different meaning!) to have lunch and see a Broadway show. We went to Virgil's, a barbeque joint very close to Times Square. I live in the South now, and I still think that this restaurant has some of the best barbeque I've ever had! Afterward we went to see one of the newest shows to Broadway: Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein. It was the most hilarious show... and even a little bit vulgar... to say the least, it was a VERY Mel Brooks comedy. It was one of the funniest shows that I've seen, actually! My mom and I also went to see something of a little less quality theater, Step Up II. It wasn't quite as good as the first Step Up, but the dancing was awesome. And don't worry, the leads were still so good looking.

The rest of the week, I just kind of hung out. My sister came home for her spring break on Thursday so I got to spend even more time with her! On Sunday I came back here. The dorms were open throughout all of break, so I had no problem returning early. Since school didn't start until Tuesday, I was able to unpack, get settled, work out and eat at Bruff with Stacey and Joe, and go to the Boot for a bit. It was a very relxing night! The next day I worked out (again!!) and then I had a tour in the afternoon. Later I reunited with my girls... and just in time for ordering in food and watching the Greek season season premiere. It was soooo fun! A bunch of us had work to finish up, so I went to be relatively early.

Tuesday was awesome! I woke up for my 8am and then had appointment after meeting after appointment for most of the day. I even had USG and Pi Phi at night! Somehow, though, I got all of my work done and was able to go out with the girls to the Boot. It was so fun! And I was wearing the most adorable and summery shirt from J. Crew (bargain buy at the outlets! you can never go wrong there). So naturally I was in a good mood because of my outfit and it was a perfect night!

Wednesday my sister came into town!!!!! It was her first NOLA visit. Unfortunately her flight was very very very delayed, and we were unable to go out to a nice dinner. But I did take her to the Crepe stand, which is always delicious. Then she got to meet all of my friends. I was so happy to show her off to everyone, and visa versa. Thursday was awesome. Mere and I woke up early, had a hearty Bruff breakfast, worked out at Reilly, and then laid at the pool until my Bio test at 3:30. To understate it, we got A LOT of color. It was really relaxing.

After my test I had to shower and go to Emerging Leaders. Then Katherine, Christina, Dani, Amanda, Mere and I went to Fresco's for dinner. Always yummy. Then we went to a new place called Philip's. It was ladies night, so of course we had to check it out. We got all dressed up too which was fun. We first went to a ZBT party,... and that was so fun! Mere, Becky, and I dominated flip cup like nobody's business. Yeah baby!! So then we went to Philip's and didn't leave until pretty late. Friday was fun, too. We woke up early and laid out by the pool again. We pretty just hung out on campus all day and then went to Superior Grill for dinner. Another delicious food excrusion!

So that brings my to today! Mere just left and I'm definitely a little sad. I miss her already! Luckily I have lots to look forward to this weekend... including initiation. I cannot wait! I'll keep y'all posted.

Until next time, stay classy, readers, stay classy.

Oh, to Be Seen in Green!

Hey, hey, hey!! So much has happened this past week! I cannot wait to fill y'all in! I'm just gonna do bullet points because there's just so much to cover.

-I just joined Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity! Basically it is a chapter of an organization that does community service projects all over New Orleans. Since it's a fraternity and there aren't as many members as some of the bigger organizations, it's a lot more intimate and allows people to become a lot more involved. Last sunday we went to New Orleans Animal Shelter, where we walked dogs and took care of the other animals. It was really great to help out because the NO Animal Shelter was founded as a non-profit organization to protect and find homes for all of the animals after Katrina. It's a great cause and it was really fun to be around animals since I miss my puppies so much!

-On monday it rained pretty much all day... and at night there was an awful thunderstorm! But around 11:30 I received a mass text message from a Pi Phi senior saying that my New Member class was expected to be on the Monroe Quad in 15 minutes for some mud football. AH!!! I didn't know what to do... it was so stormy! Luckily it cleared up, and my friends and I ran onto the quad with our game faces on. I'm sure it must have been absolutely hysterical to watch this as an outsider: A bunch of sorority girls trying to play football in the mud and rain... sliding everywhere and running in the opposite direction of their respective teams end zone. I'm laughing just looking back on it. And I loved the spontaneity of it all. It should definitely be a Pi Phi tradition. Afterward I was pooped (seeing as I worked so hard out there? or something), and needless to say I slept like a baby that night.

-Tuesday was the start of Green Week, with free snowballs and t-shirts. It was a huge success. It definitely made all of the stress of planning it worth it. And on Tuesday there was a great turnout for the baseball game as well. It was awesome. It set the tone for the rest of the week, as so many Tulanians came out to all of our events. It was awesome. ROLL WAVE!

-Thursday was unbelievable! On tuesday, wednesday, and thursday I had been receiving tons of Pi Phi goodies from my mystery Big Sis! All three days I came back to my dorm with tons of goodies all over my side of the room: Pi Phi key chain, pins, umbrella, fleece throw, t-shirts, sweatshirt, cups and coffee mug, ice chest and chair, and candy and a fun fetti cake. How ridiculous?!?!? It was so special. So, since thursday was the last day of goodies, it also meant that later that day we would have Big/Lil' reveal. I put on one of my new shirts and headed over to the house with a bunch of my very antsy and anxious Pi Phi ladies. We all had to close our eyes and then the older girls placed in front of our Big Sisters. I opened my eyes and I couldn't have been happier when I saw that Lindsey was my Big Sis! And Vanessa, my twin. It was very exciting. Then my entire Pi Phi family went out to a new sushi restaurant. It was sooooo delicious!!! Afterward we went to the Boot for the Sig Ep Pledge Auction. It was so hilarious. I didn't buy any boy, though. Afterall, I'm on a college kid budget... and those Sig Eps, they're no cheap dates!

-The week flew by! I gave a tour in the morning on friday and then went to class. Later I had a random craving for crawfish, and opted to treat my friend to a crawfish picnic dinner in the Monroe 8 common room. 12 pounds of crawfish, corn and potatoes later, our craving had certainly been slaked. Ahhh, what an amazing dinner! Then we went to PhiStock, Pi Phi's Woodstock themed date party. From the left: Me, Brittany, Blakely, Stacey, Lynleigh, Christina. We look so fab. in our hippie attire, I know. This was also my first date party as a Pi Phi!!! It was soooo fun. Everyone was so dressed up and hippie-ish and happy! I swear the costumes threw us right back to the good ole days of 1969. There I am again (below)! With my date, Blakely, and Blakely's Big Sis, Alison.

-After the date party I was to Der Ratskellar, a restaurant in the LBC that's open from 8pm to 8am, and got some delicious cheese fries! Then I went to hang out with some SAE's that couldn't make it to our date party. To wrap up my night I went back to the Boot, just to see if just maybe something else was going on. I quickly decided that I had done enough party hopping for the night and should probably go to bed. All and all, though, it was an extremely awesome night!! So awesome, in fact, that I felt no need to go out on Saturday. Which means I made up for all of the sleep that I didn't get on Friday. Mission accomplished, for sho!!

A One, A Two, A Helluva Hullabaloo!

Hey y'all!! As usual, Tulane has left me with not a single dull moment to blog! Between GWA and USG (Undergraduate Student Government) and Pi Beta Phi and the start of baseball season and hanging out with friends it's been nonstop action. It's exhausting just recounting it all. But don't worry, my lovely readers, I have not left you hanging!

Pi Phi has been such a blast!! I love my sorority so much... especially my insanely awesome pledge class. I never thought that it could be done, but somehow all 52 have bonded in such a unique way. We have all become so close. It's so cool that I have another whole outlet of friends. And we've had some awesome parties. We had our first date party two weeks ago. Except, instead of bring our own dates, we brought a whole fraternity instead. We went to the Red Eye Grille. It was a blast. The theme was "America." Ambiguous, right?!? Well... girls in our sorority like to think outside the box anyway... so there were all kinds of costumes!! Some people dressed up like white trash, some just wore American flags somehow (I wore an American flag dress), my friend Blakely dressed up as Barbie, and Christina as an Indian. It was such a crazy fun time. And an awesome way to get to know another fraternity (SAE). I loved it!!

The following weekend we had mixer with Pike. It was a little classier, as we all had to wear cocktail attire. I was so psyched because I had just gotten a new dress that had not yet made its Tulane debut. After that mixer, I decided I was hungry, so I went to the Boot to see who was around, and then quickly went next door to the Crepe stand, and had the most delicious crepe EVER... at one in the morning! Only at Tulane, only in New Orleans!

That same weekend was also the opening weekend of the Tulane Baseball season... and the grand opening of Turchin Stadium, our brand new, GORGEOUS baseball stadium. It was so fun!! There were fireworks and a bunch of alumni came to throw pitches for the first inning of the first game on Greer Field. It was really exciting. I went to the game with one of my friends who, as a local, had been going to Tulane games since he was a little kid. His family was there too. It was really cute. There are so many families that come to the games: little kids in Tulane baseball caps with their old siblings, parents, and grandparents. The sense tradition radiated throughout the stadium as Tulane scored a home-run and ROLL-WAVE-ROLL-WAVE roared from the stands. I was never really a baseball fan in high school... I just went to watch my cute friends as seniors! But now, I love it... and I'm so excited to be a part of this Tulane tradition.

To let you guys in on the tradition, I'm gonna post the Hullabaloo lyrics... the song that the crowd always sings after every home-run.

A one, a two, a helluva hullabaloo!
A hullabaloo ray, ray
Hullabaloo ray, ray
Hooray, hooray
Varsa-, Varsa- tee-ay
Tee-a, tee-ay
Varsa-, varsa- tee-ay
Tulane!

Now that you know it... there's no reason why you can't come check out a game and sing along!

And Tulane spirit has even been pouring over into USG. Lots of stuff has been going on with USG. I'm the committee chair for Green Week, a kind of spirit week that Tulane has in the spring to show our support for Basketball at the end of its season while getting students psyched about the upcoming Baseball season. We have so many events planned for this week I can't wait. And of course, like always, Tulane is giving out tons of free stuff. We're giving out the coolest "Be Seen in Green" t-shirts, food (Raising Cane's Chicken, Lucky Dogs, cotton candy, and snowballs), and awesome raffle prizes like Tulane Baseball jerseys.

Sorry y'all! I was too busy Mardi Gras Mambo-ing to blog!!

I am so sorry that it's taken me this long to blog... especially since there has been so much worth blogging about!! To go in chronological order...

The first weekend back at school marked the kick-off of Spring Sorority Recruitment. It was so intense!! Since our class is so large (approximately 1,400 students), we also had an incredibly large amount of girls rushing sororities (almost 450). Overtime some girls drop out, though, so there weren't THAT many girls joining our six sororities on campus at the end of the whole process. The entire Recruitment Schedule panned out over two weekends... and, just my luck, I caught the flu and was in bed the week between Rush weekends. It was awful to be that sick! Luckily, though, my friends helped out and took such good care of me! Some of them shared class notes, some brought me food/drove me to get food and medicine, and some just kept me company. It was really nice. The final weekend of Rush I still had a very, very unattractive cough, but was otherwise feeling okay. And thank goodness I was feeling better because I would have been so sad had I missed that weekend. It was a blast. On sunday we piled into McAlister Auditorium and got our bids from houses... and I became a Pi Beta Phi!!!! I was so excited. I knew a lot of girls in my pledge class, but there were also a lot of girls that I didn't know. The Pi Phi girls took us out to lunch to celebrate, though, and I quickly learned who my new sisters were. It was so exciting!!! I love my Pi Phi sisters so much.

Then, without even a little break, Mardi Gras rolled around. As the biggest celebration of the year, and in the heart of New Orleans, Mardi Gras became every student's priority. And I can now, after experiencing it all, see why. The tradition and culture is totally unparalleled, the sense of community and togetherness unreal! 24 hours a day there was something going on, whether it be concerts with groups like the Soul Rebels and Galactic, or parades like Muses and Orpheus, some kind of event continued to attract Tulanians, New Orleanians, and tourists alike. I loved the parades because I got so much free stuff... beads, cups, bags, cup holders, stuffed animals (I lost my teddy bear, bob. It was sooooooo sad), crowns, even coconuts. It was amazing.

All the parades that I went to ran right down St. Charles and into the French Quarter. A lot of the fraternities had tents or trucks (with couches set up!) all along the street. So I became a nomad and trekked up and down St. Charles visiting my guys friends who have become newly dubbed "frat boys." My friends and I had a blast. I got to hang out with a lot of my new sorority sisters too. Pi Phi even organized two mixer-type events with two different fraternities... such great times! Mardi Gras was without a doubt the time of my life. I enjoyed it so much that I actually stayed up for the Lundi Gras night/Mardi Gras morning. Basically since Tulane students get "Carnival Break" I was able to go out on a Monday night and stay awake until the parades the next morning on Mardi Gras (THE Fat Tuesday). I'm already ready for next year to come around for my second Mardi Gras!

And just when you think Tulane couldn't get any better after Mardi Gras, it does!! Barack Obama came to visit right here on campus!!! He spoke in Fogleman Arena on Thursday. It was incredible!!! I cannot believe that I was in the presence of the potential next President. How thrilling? His speech was wonderful and very motivating for Tulane students and New Orleanians (a lot of people even came from outside New Orleans to hear him speak). The line was sooooo long to get in. People that arrived over an hour early didn't even make it into the arena because it was so packed. Some of my friends woke up at SIX AM to get in line. It was truly an experience... and definitely another indication of how much Tulane students want to involve themselves in politics and the world. I was so impressed. This was a lot more fun than when Ann Coulter came to visit.

And the very next day, my dad came to visit!! It was so much fun I took him to the Boot and then we went to K-Pauls Louisiana Kitchen (DELICIOUS food). That brings me to today. My dad and I just got back from the Tulane Men's Basketball game. We played Houston. It was such a good game and we were even winning for a long while! We ended up losing in the end, but not by much!! After all, no matter what... the Green Wave rolls on!!

Home sweet home!

It feels so great to be back at school!! Everything pretty much picked up from right where it left off. Except instead of everyone looking tired and run-down from finals, everyone is refreshed and totally full of life again. I think that our break gave everyone the down time they needed to get back to the swing of things again. I, for one, dove right back in. I even gave a tour to transfer students on first day dorms were open. It was really fun and a great oppertunity to get to know some new faces. And the weather was perfect. low 70's and sunny! I'm sure the transfer students must have been thinking, "Phew... I made the right choice. My tourguide is able to wear a skirt and t-shirt in january!" I know that's what I was thinking.

So I was able to unpack before my tour and really get organized. I even went to the bookstore and got my books/school supplies for the semester. It was such a productive morning. After my tour I laid in my bed, trying to take a nap, but really just basking in the fact that I was back in my room. My roommate and I had a good bonding sesh too! Meanwhile everyone on my floor was coming back... very exciting to reunite Mo8! Later on I went to Bruff. I actually missed it while I was gone so my early bird special/very late lunch was very delicious! Bruff was repainted and everything. It looks so revamped. AND, among other things, there is a new pannini maker (adds a little something special to your average turkey sandwich!).

After lounging around some more, my friends and I got together for our very postponed secret santa. It was very fun... and for the most part we were all very secretive and sneaky about our gifts. I loved my gift!! I got a gorgeous silk top from J. Crew (very stylish) and the cutest black headband with a bow on it. My secret santa nailed it! It was the perfect gift. Afterward all of us secret santas went out to the Boot to see everyone else who had just arrived back in the NO (New Orleans). It was so fun to catch up with everyone and hear how their breaks had gone. It was a very relaxing night.

The next day I had class. And I have to tell y'all... I LOVE all of my classes. I got so lucky with my teachers. But I picked up an extra class (International Relations... so interesting) and dropped British Literature II (I'm sad, but no one signed up for it this semester so I'm going to take it next semester) which means I have one class on friday. Still, not too shabby of a schedule if I do say so myself. And my professors are awesome. All full of energy, all passionate about their subject matters. My political science professors are awesome because they are also very much involved in the field (outside of teaching). My American Government professor actually works for NOPD. It's really interesting.

So that is how my first week is going. Tomorrow is the Spring Activities Expo. I'm really psyched for that as well.

Some other things to look forward to: Mardi Gras lacrosse tournament, Sorority Rush, and, last but most definitely not least, MARDI GRAS!

Stay tuned!

Break Flew By...

I feel like it was just yesterday that I took my last final (Religion and Politics) and hailed a cab to take me to the airport. And now I have less than a week left until classes begin! And as sad as I am to leave my friends and family, I could not be more excited to get back to Tulane. I miss everything about school and I miss everything about New Orleans! Basically, the break was timed perfectly... I enjoyed every minute of it... and I'm ready from break to end. I actually even miss studying and doing school work. TRUST ME when I say that I loathed having work on my vacations on through high shcool, but not having any kind of academic worry or care in the world for a whole month is too much to handle. I'm going crazy!

Anyway... a quick update on the events of my life. Mountain Lakes has been pretty low key... lots of sleeping, watching movies, shopping, and working out. VERY EXCITING. I went to Cincinnati for Christmas to visit my grandma, aunt, uncle, and cousin... a very tradition... always fun. I came back a few days before New Years and I got to see Stacey from Tulane... she lives about 30 minutes away. It was so fun to see her. We had a slumber party. We're such party animals.

On New Years I went to see my friend Jackie.. who I have known since the summer we met in 6th grade at Camp Birch Hill. She also lives really, really close to Mountain Lakes. It was so refreshing to see her. We don't get to talk as much as I would like, but it's nice to know that we can always pick back up right where we left off when we get together.



A few days later I went to Florida for my sister's basketball tournament (Mere that goes to Colby. She plays basketball there and is, if I do say so myself, AMAZING!). Florida was so much fun! We had such a large family clan down there. We represented quite well. To the right is a picture of some of my family and some of Meredith's team out to dinner on the first night. Notice... I am not tan because the weather was so crumby! Of course on the day that we leave, it's 80 and sunny. Just my luck! Nonetheless it was so wonderful to see my sister play basketball. I haven't seen her play since last season!! I miss her so much because she's back at school and I'm here in Jersey (boring!).

This is Meredith (Blue). She is going to hate me for putting this picture up... but I had to. I'm her biggest fan. And I just learned how to put pictures on my blog... so I'm going a little picture crazy. Mere made that shot, by the way. No big deal.

In other news, my roommate, Katherine, came over to my house last night after a long afternoon of shopping at The Mall at Short Hills, or what I like to call, the mecca of all shopping places. It was so good to see her and she got me so excited for this coming weekend... when we reunite at Tulane!!!!

I'll let you guys how my first week is back at school. I'm anticipating a very, very busy return. Still, I'm so psyched for my classes. I'm taking American Government, Brit Lit II, E. Bio (not too happy about that.. but at least I'm getting my lab science requirement out of the way), and Spanish. And I love my schedule too. I don't have class on fridays... which means a relaxing 3 day weekend. Am I lucky or what?

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Happy 2008.