Besides that my week two weeks ago was pretty uneventful. I was finishing up my research for my independent study. Also, I was helping with Senior Challenge by tabling, giving out glasses to people who have pledged or taking pledges and giving them their glass. We’re getting closer and closer to our goal of 90% participation so we should get it by this Friday when we present how much we gave at the senior challenge toast.

American National Government has been mostly uneventful. The class has been going well and I am administering the final today. For the most part I have enjoyed the course and it was a great way to end my time here, TA’ing a course in my major. The only problem is that it was at 8AM…not the way I wanted to end my senior year.

Also last week, I helped with the Knox College GOP BBQ and also the Apartments BBQ. Overall they were both pretty successful. When Sukhi, the RA for Exec Apartments, and I went shopping, we bought two carts full of food for the Apartments BBQ. Now I still have two packs of Brats and one bag of Burgers left to cook before I leave. The only problem was that Sukhi and I, with the help of another resident, had to carry the grill over to the apartments last Saturday, which was a huge pain to do.

Also, two Wednesdays ago was my final meeting for the Knox Ambassadors and my last meeting as its president. It was a pretty quick meeting like the others. We discussed elections and had people give their little statements and such. Overall, it was a good meeting and sad to know that I was leaving something that I was one of the original members of.
This week was pretty fun and also the fact that I would be leaving finally started to settle in on me. On Monday, some friends and I grilled for Memorial Day, which was pretty awesome. Also, I finally started to work on my paper for my independent study. It was about time, I was forced to do so. Tuesday, I tabled for senior challenge and continued the paper writing. Also, I had my Curriculum committee meeting to go to and a senior challenge meeting to plan the home stretch of what we need to do to meet the target.

Wednesday, I went home after American National Government so I could go to job training, get a haircut for Commencement, and drop off some stuff back at home. I was pretty successful on all accounts. Another long day of driving, where I avoided a disaster, when I noticed I was low on oil when I was driving and had to refill it.

Thursday I finished up my paper for my independent study…finally! Also, I gave my final tour for admissions, making it my last tour as an Admissions Ambassador. This is the moment I realized I was leaving. After the tour, I went to stock up on drinks at the Grab and Go cart, which is a great place to use those extra meals that everyone has the last couple of weeks of school. Thursday evening, Leah Heister, Erica Jaffe, and Bob King, who works in advancement, made a trip down memory road, literally, to Moline to go to IHOP to remember the greatness of our California trip last spring. After the IHOP fix, we went to the carnival that was next to it, and we saw a double rainbow on the way back. Such an awesome evening!

Friday, I turned in my independent study paper and started saying the goodbye’s to people as Sarah and Beth took me out to lunch at Applebee’s which was pretty awesome. Also, I went to Acapulco’s for the Senior Send off dinner for Knox Ambassadors and it was a great time. We all received our gifts, which I got a leather portfolio. After the dinner, I was dragged to a palm reader on our way back to campus. Then a couple of my former residents and I went to Starbucks to hang out. After Starbucks, I went with other friends to Kaldi’s for more coffee. Later that night, I went to Senior Bowling with Andrew and Adam. For the most part, I bowled pretty decently.

Yesterday was busy. I had to do storage hours from 9-11 in the quads. Then I went to the RA picnic at Lake Storey, which was pretty fun and the food was great. Then I went back and did laundry and ran the study session for American National Government. For dinner I went out with some friends to the Cellar, for probably the last time in a long time. Then Steve and I went to Starbucks and Wal-mart and then said our goodbye’s since he is leaving on Monday.

Now Senior week starts and six days until graduation.

Also, Student Senate ended the year last Thursday, passing 5 resolutions/regulations ending the year, which makes it the most productive meeting in a long time. Also, the election results for next year’s officers in Student Senate were announced. In a side note, most campaigns for offices on the executive board have been low key, the only time signs are put up is usually for the top two four officers and even in that case its only for President and Vice-President who put up the most signs, but this year, anyone and everyone who ran for office put up flyers. Seymour Gallery was covered in flyers for all candidates. After the announcement of the winners for the offices, senate was ended for the year, which for the most part was a very interesting and challenging year for many involved.

Senior Challenge is going well. The people on the committee received a shirt with a picture of Roger, the President of Knox, running to encourage Seniors to give to Knox. Also, we tabled last week, which netted in a few pledges. Also, last Thursday was the Finley Society reception, where seniors who pledged $100 or more become part of this society. Roger and Ann hosted the event and it was a pretty fun time. I won a door prize which was a book about the Underground Railroad in Illinois. Also, so far our class is reaching the all time record for pledged amount of money which is exciting, yet we’re far away from our 90% participation in Senior Challenge, but we have a couple of weeks left to get there.

Besides that, being a TA has gone well for the most part and I am on my way to starting my paper for my independent study. I have paid the second part of my deposit for Mizzou law school, so I am in for good. Also, I went for an interview for a summer job at a day camp a week and a half ago, which I found out on Friday I was hired, so I am good for summer employment! Well, that’s it for now, more later on this week!

Anyway my flunk day was, to be honest, pretty tame. I went outside for lunch and for the softball game and for the rest of the day, hanged out with friends and such. For my last flunk day at Knox, it could have been a little more exciting, but I really enjoyed the day and it was nice to be able to sleep in for once.

Two weeks ago, it was another ok week in the whole realm of things. In American National Government, I graded and added scores for the class’ first test, which went pretty well. For my TA duties, I just administer the tests and then grade the multiple choice test and add together the two scores. I know, very exciting. I continued to do research for my paper in my independent study project. Also, two weeks ago I worked the admitted students day, which was the last chance for some to get information to help make their college search. For the most part I picked up a couple of students from the airport. I also had lunch with some people as well. Also during this week, I continued to wrap up detail for John Ashcroft’s visit.

Two Friday’s ago, I went to Milwaukee for a Knox Club event with a friend of mine as part of my Knox Ambassadors duty. We left after the lunch at the Admitted Students Day and drove up. We went to Buck Bradley’s, a pub, and talked with alumni and such. It was a fun time and I saw some people who graduated during my time here. It’s also great to see that people are still interested in the school and telling stories of Flunk Day! By the way, it’s coming up, I can feel it. After the event, we stayed at my friends house, who lives about 1 and 1/2 hours away from Milwaukee.

For the most part, two weeks ago was pretty slow, but this past week was nothing of the like.

Tuesday finally came and I spent the day running around trying to shore up last minute details. I picked up the programs, reserved rows of seats, and made sure security was informed of what was happening. I then went to Curriculum Committee and as I got there, John Ashcroft was touring around Old Main and the campus and he came into the Alumni Room, where Roger, the president, introduced me to him. After the meeting, I went back to the apartment, took a shower and then went to the dinner at the Ingersoll House, the President’s residence. It was pretty cool since I was seated right next to Ashcroft and we discussed what law school I was going to, favorite restaurants in St. Louis and Missouri, ice cream, baseball, and other subjects. Overall, the dinner went well.

After dinner, we headed back to campus for the speech. After the introductions, he spoke. For the most part it could have been worse than what actually happened. But, I was very disappointed in how a very small group of students decided to laugh at him and also to ask questions that did not have a lot of research behind it. Also, some in the audience decided that instead of giving him a fair chance, they decided to attack him through their questions. Ashcroft tried to be calm, but at a point he became frustrated due to the atmosphere surrounding him. Overall, many students were embarrassed how some students treated the Attorney General and felt that no matter what his views are, he still deserved respect. The College Republicans were excited that we actually pulled it off. In the days after though, some in our group were harassed and criticized that we brought Ashcroft here. Unfortunately it was a very small group who did this and many students did not stand for it. Overall, we did it and the group is planning to invite more speakers in the future!

Tuesday was a fun day. First off, I received my hoodie and shirt from Mizzou! Also, Knox had its annual graduation fair where seniors pick up our cap and gowns, check to make sure that we are graduating, and other necessities. I was there to table for senior challenge. The Senior Challenge is a yearly event where the senior class puts forth a donation to go towards the Knox fund or a project of our choosing. I am on the committee and we help by soliciting donations by taking a group of seniors and contact them about giving a gift towards the senior challenge. The class chose a certain project to give our gift towards and the committee chose Wallace Lounge to help with the cost of furnishings. I am really excited about this and so are the other members of the class. Anyway, I was tabling on Tuesday discussing what senior challenge is and taking pledges, some with a little bit of extra encouragement. It was a successful day though! The rest of Tuesday was spent going to Curriculum Committee and also leading a study session for American National Government, where people actually showed up for it.

Wednesday was again ok. After class, I worked on my independent study topic and also did some more research. Next I helped table again for Senior challenge before and after lunch. Then I went to the Model UN Conference planning meeting, which we are in full swing in trying to drum up schools to come. After dinner, I went to McGillacuddy’s for a meeting with Carol Brown, who works in the alumni relations office, and other students to discuss a possible program that would connect alumni and students in helping students receive advice about what to do after Knox and such. Later that evening I went to Senior Meeting, which this week was in the Oak Room. The theme was 90’s night and honestly before most of the people showed up, it was like a middle school dance.

Thursday was a semi-busy day and very windy and wet. After working in admissions, I met with Dean Romano and discussed many issues from Model UN to the arrival of John Ashcroft to certain issues popping up about Greek life at Knox. After that meeting, I went to lunch and then off to discuss my independent study project with Prof. Hulett. My topic will be about Sino-Soviet Relations in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. After that meeting, I stopped in to talk with Prof. Powers about how life was going. Then I ran off to the Knox Ambassadors officer’s meeting and then back to the apartment before helping out at the admissions office for Admitted Students Day. Then I had Student Senate, where we discussed the ongoing plans for Wallace Lounge.

Friday was busy, since I was helping with Admitted Students Day in talking to admitted students and escorting students to class. In between that, I was having meetings with some fellow RA’s for a possible BBQ in May. Also, a photographer from the Galesburg Register-Mail showed up to take pictures of us hanging up posters for the arrival of John Ashcroft, which the article is in today’s paper and on the Register-Mail website. Unfortunately, the signs we hanged up were torn down by who knows. Again, the downside of Knox has reared its ugly head.

Well, it’s the weekend and I need to do research and preparing for another study session!

With our recommendations, we brought them to Senate, where after long debate on adding the house the committee rejected to the list, the senate did not support that amendment and voted to approve the committees suggestions. Now they go to the Student Life Committee to be approved of officially.

Now at the same time that was all happening, I was doing other things. On Monday, I took my car into the shop to get spark plugs changed, well I needed to get new tires and a complete tune-up. Now, this was a pretty expensive job that went onto the credit card and now I will be in debt forever. Then on Tuesday, I left 6AM to go to Mizzou to visit the law school, which after a four hour drive I arrived in Columbia, which is a pretty nice city. After taking a tour of the law school, talking to the admissions rep. and sitting in on a class, I decided that I was going to Mizzou and gave them the deposit check.

After leaving Mizzou, I went to Truman State in Kirksville and visited a friend for an hour and the drove back to Knox. All in all, I spent about 9 to 10 hours driving from Knox to Columbia to Truman and back to Campus. All on four hours of sleep and with having coffee, an iced coffee, and water. I know, not the healthiest thing to do, but I made it back alive. I think that trip completely messed me up for the rest of the week and left me groggy.

To end the week, I went with a friend to the driving range in town to hit some golf balls and on Saturday, I went to Lake Storey to walk around and to enjoy the warm weather (FINALLY!). Now I am ready to get another week started and hopefully, it will be a lot easier than the last week.

Anyway for this term I am a Teacher Assistant for American National Government. No I am not teaching the course, but I run study sessions and take attendance, and whatever else the professors wants me to do, i.e. make copies. The big downside to this is that it’s a 1st Period course, and 1st period starts at 8AM. I have already adjusted my sleep schedule to fit this in, which means going to bed at 11PM. For the most part I am adjusting well to it.

I am also doing an independent study on the Cold War for my full credit. I am going to end up writing a 20-25 page paper for the course. I am in the process of looking up books and articles and coming up with a final topic after talking to Prof. Hulett, who is my adviser for my independent study.

Besides that, I will be visiting Mizzou’s law school on Tuesday, which I am pretty excited about, yet I might need to take my car to the shop for new spark plugs…I am really not liking having a car on campus, the expense is killing me!

You have been accepted to the law school!!!! (I’ve added the exclamation points to it for the sheer point of excitement)

So now that I have been admitted to Mizzou, I now must make the difficult choice of trying to decide which law school I want to go to. I better find that dart board that helped me make my decision for choosing a college.

On the law school front, I made a decision yesterday on where I would most likely end up going to. If I do not hear from the University of Missouri at Columbia by the end of the week, I will go to St. Louis University. For the most part, I have focused all of my attention at SLU and started to look up apartments in St. Louis on craigslist. Also, I want to move back to St. Louis after my four year exile in Illinois, so that’s a great drawing point as well. So if any Mizzou Law Admissions Reps are reading this blog, you have a week to tell me I am in or out!

Besides that, it’s quiet around here…very quiet.