The Collegiate Conundrum that is Thanksgiving

I hope everyone enjoyed the four f's of Thanksgiving: family, friends, food, and football. Some people think that Thanksgiving gets lost in the shuffle between Halloween and Christmas, and this to some extent may be true. But if you think about it, Thanksgiving is really awesome. You sit around with loved ones all day eating delicious food while watching the Cowboys win. Sounds like a great day to me. You even get extra time off from classes. This is where the conundrum comes in.

After Thanksgiving break is over, there is a minimal amount of time left in the semester. Like most students, I am ready for my hard earned, much deserved break. Most everyone is really ready for a break by this time of year, and the general concensus is that it can't get here soon enough. The problem is, the time period between Thanksgiving and Christmas break is perhaps the most difficult time of year for a college student. Everyone has visions of breaks and catching up with old friends and rest and relaxation and a White Christmas dancing in their head. Professor's, on the other hand are envisioning 10 page essays, fifteen minute presentations, and three hour long final exams. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I have a lot to do before break begins. But that's ok, I'm guessing most of what I have left is a product of my own procrastination at some point so I have no one to blame but myself. I'm sure I'll be spending more time being amazed in Brookens over the next couple weeks.

In the meantime, if it's going to be cold, I could really go for some snow.

Brookens Never Ceases to Amaze Me

Brookens Library blows my mind. Plain and simple. First of all, from a structural standpoint, I don't think there is a right angle in the building. That doesn't seem that special until you think of how weird it is to walk around never seeing a right angle. Next, I'm always finding different nooks and crannies in this building. Every time I think I've exhausted every good place to study, I come across some place new.

I had no idea until this past week the selection of movies Brookens has. And I'm not just talking Casablanca and Gone with the Wind, the really old classics. I found The Departed and Borat on the shelves this past week. I know I don't personally associate Borat with a library.

Perhaps the most mind blowing thing about Brookens is the stairway to nowhere. That's right, there is a stairway in Brookens that takes you straight up to a concrete wall. I can never find the thing by myself either, which is frustrating, but people have taken me there, and I can verify that it exists. Nonetheless, that makes it no less strange that someone built a stairway that leads to nothing. Anybody know the backstory on this thing?

A Super Saturday in Sports

Despite the fact that my Hurricanes are currently getting destroyed in their last home game at the Orange Bowl, this has been a fantastic day in sports. For starters, my highschool's football team, the Greenville Comets won again today remaining undefeated, advancing to the Final Four of the Class 3A football playoffs. Pretty sure this is as far as we've ever been, so cogratulations are in order, but I know the coaching staff won't let them be satisfied until they win the whole thing. Good luck to the Comets next week against Columbia.

Also, the Illini upset Ohio State today. As much as I love the Illini, I detest Ohio State that much, if not more. And I would have really hated seeing them go to another National Title game only to be destroyed by another athletically superior SEC or PAC-10 team. So kudos to Illinois for a big win, and thank you from saving the world from another title game blowout.

Perhaps the most exciting news of the day, my IM Soccer team brought home the championship today in 6 on 6 soccer. I have finally captured the elusive third IM t-shirt in one year. I am pumped, to say the least. I'd like to thank Chance, Chad, Zach, Rob, Brett, Kasey, and Tabatha for hooking me up with that because we all know soccer is not my strong point. Feels good to have the proverbial monkey off my back.

It's Saturday night with Lonestar

After another busy week at UIS, yesterday was a great opportunity to have a relaxing evening. The Prairie Stars men's basketball team played its first home game in the TRAC yesterday afternoon, looking pretty impressive in doing so. The new monstrous gym is a far cry from the old beloved Assembly Closet, but I know I personally couldn't have loved it more.

After the game, some friends and I ventured to Lonestar for supper. The wait was 45 minutes when we got there, but Brett's girlfriend Lindsey works there and already had a table waiting for us. Having connections is awesome, kind of like my New York Strip Steak. That thing was delicious. After that we all came and chilled and my place til 1 or 2, depending on what your daylight savings time interpretation is.

Today kicks off a pretty exciting 8 day period for me. Today marks the 5 year anniversary my girlfriend Amy and I have been dating. It is kind of rough that we can't spend it together since she is in New York, but she'll be home in just a few short weeks, and I can't wait. My high school's football team remained unbeaten last night in advancing in the IHSA state playoffs, and I will get to see them play for the first time this year next week. Congratulations to those guys. And just when week from today is when I turn the BIG 21. Yes the monumental twenty-first birthday and I am really looking forward to being able to... go to the casino. Man I love poker.

Bold prediction: Colts beat the Pats today by a field goal, you heard it hear first, 41-38 final score.