Life at Ripon College

2008-04-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is coming up, and with that in mind, we should all be a little bit more Eco-friendly! Keeping this in mind, Ripon has decided to have not only an Earth Day, but an Earth Week! Many of the events scheduled are speakers and sponsored events put on by differnt groups around campus, but one of my favorites is going to the the organic t-shirt dying that we will get to do. I am pretty excited, who doesnt like tye-dying tshirts?! I included a link to check out some of the events on Earth Day, to check out more of whats happening the whole week, check out the ripon website!

http://www.ripon.edu/news/2007-08/earth_day_041508.html

Rainy days...

2008-04-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight there was supposed to be a drive in movie on campus, but due to the weather (aka, lots of rain) it has been moved. I was pretty excited, we were going to get a big group and all go down together to watch Transformers. Most people have seen it, but not me, so I guess I will just have to keep waiting.

Also this weekend, one of the fraternities on campus is raising money for the Ripon fire department and having what they call, a "Fire Fighter Run". It always looks really fun, you can dress up in the firefighter gear and do obstacle courses and stuff and while having all that fun, your team is raising money. Yea, having fun and raising money at the same time- that is always good!

Nice Weather!

2008-04-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

Lately there has been so much to do around campus! Last weekend my sorority had our spring formal and it was probably our most fun one yet! I took one of my close guy friends as my date and we had a blast! We went to a place right in town for the dance and we also eat there. The food was really good and we had a really good DJ too. It seemed like everyone was really excited with how things went.

Also, this weekend, Relay for life is coming up, along with the Ultimate Frisbee Tournament hosted by one of the fraternities. It is a couple of big fundraising events for one weekend and people will be spread out, but it will be really fun I think.

Also, my favorite thing to do is go and walk through the prairie now that it is warm, if you come up for a visit, maybe ask about it, or even go and check it out for yourself, its pretty great! :)

Spring Cleaning!

2008-03-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

I feel like I learned a very important lesson today. Really. This is not a joke. Ok, maybe I am a little overboard, but it was intense at the time.

Going Back: My roommate and I are pretty clean people, even if we happen to make a mess the night before, it will get cleaned up the next morning. Our room doesn't smell, or have stuff laying around. Yea, not the typical dorm room, and not the type of room you would expect to find a bug in, but there it was, in my garbage, eatting part of a kiwi (or at least sitting on it, i dont know what it was doing)! This bug was so big, and so scary, that we had to drag it out into the hallway to smash it in the garbage can, causing a big racket and everyone came out, causing more madness and it ended up being really fun! All just because we wanted to make sure this bug was dead before we threw it away. yea. I think I was mostly just surprised by it because it was the first bug I havce ever seen in my room while I have been here, and, how it got in my garbage, I dont know, but the best part is, it made us clean everything! We vaccuumed, dusted, took out garbage, everything. Even though we were pretty clean before, we are really clean now!

Lesson learned: even if you arent the messy one in college, someone on your floor might be, so if they are your friend, help yourself by helping them and keep things clean!

Spring is Coming!

2008-03-19T11:36:00.001-07:00

So today is beautiful weather and I am so excited for summer! When it gets warm I can go out to the prairie and Red granite Quarry, all such exciting things that you cant do, or are hard to do in the winter! The changing of seasons is almost like a change of scenery for me because it opens up new places for me to explore and thats such a fun thing for me to do! Much of the snow is melted now, but it is pretty puddly (perfect for football in the mud?! I think maybe!) anyways, its nice that we dont have to wear jackets anymore and freeze on our way to class, it always amazes me not only how much the seasons can change, but also how quickly!

Rain X 2!!!!!

2008-03-05T11:18:00.000-08:00

So the other day the weather decided to really start changing and we had a thunderstorm which really helped to melt away some of the snow! It was so nice to have it feel like spring again a little bit! It is kinda cold again, but at least we can see grass again (even if its not green and growing yet)!

Since I labeled the post Rain X 2, you are probably wondering where the other rain comes in, welllll...... on saturday I took a trip with SSS (Student Support Services: the trip and dinner was completely free for me cuz im in it!) and we went to Madison to see Rain: the Beatles Experience! It was amazing, especially if you like the Beatles music! Let me just tell you, they looked realistic, they sounded realistic, and man it was sure entertaining! I want to go again, I am still singing the songs (although, I guess cuz I love Beatles music, I am just always singing it)! The theatre was mostly filled with people my parents age, but it was funny cuz they were all up dancing and waving their arms and singing and it is what the 60's and 70's concerts must have felt like... it was very hippie-like, kind of a neat experience if you ask me :)

Study Abroad

2008-02-25T11:21:00.001-08:00

Studying Abroad is quite a large part of student life here at Ripon College. It seems as if you can study anywhere as close as Chicago, Illinois, or go adventure as far as around the world! Programs are worked out so that tuition does not cost extra and all you have to work out is travel fees and spending money (cuz come on, who doesnt want to buy souveniers when they study abroud in Africa like my sorority sister?!? yea... thats what i thought!) Anyways, there are always many students who go, and trips are even customisable and available for all majors, and self-design majors! Since we always miss those who go, we had them create a blog, just as I am doing! Want to check it out? See the link below!

http://www.ripon.edu/academics/special_programs/off-campus/blogsSp2008.html

I suggest checking out Liz, Lee, and Heather's blogs. I also happen to know that they are very friendly and would enjoy some comments! Feel free to leave messages or questions for them or me!

Grocery Bingo

2008-02-22T11:36:00.000-08:00

There is a group on campus called Ripon After Dark. This group is made up mostly of the residence life staff and the residence assistance (RA's). So, they put on an activity called grocery bingo, this was going to be great (i thought) because I was running out of food. I imagined myself going and just winning a stack of food, and just not having to go grocery shopping for a while, just a mountain of food to bring back and be happy about, all just cuz i won it at bingo. Well... i guess thats what everyone else imagined too. Lets just say i wasnt the only one trying to play 3 cards, and you know what the worst part was? Other people were playing 6 cards. yea. thats right. Needless to say, I didnt win, BUT my roommate got some applesauce and my friend got some Loaded Baked Potatoe flavored Pringles and he shared them (nice guy, right :) lol) and it was really fun anyways, so it was totally worth it in the end!

Snowed In, Almost......

2008-02-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems that every time we turn around lately there is more and more snow! I am NOT a winter person and I am really NOT a snow person, but I do have to admit that it has been kinda cool though. The paths have been pretty clear and well salted and so its not too bad getting to classes. Also, since it is such a massive amount of snow, it is tons of fun to play in! The other night we were hanging out in the quads (the main upperclassmen buildings) and a couple of girls decided to go spur of the moment sledding- no jackets, no boots, just two girls sitting on a snow board slidding down a hill. It was so funny! They got all full of snow and their clothes got so wet! While they were trying to climb back up the hill we were throwing snowballs at them, that was really funny too!

With Valentines Day recently passing (happy valentines day late!!) most of us have also been getting a lot of mail too, and thats actually more exciting then you might think! A bunch of people passed out cards on valentines day, so it made it really fun to celebrate! I also got a package from my mom, packages from home containing surprises are always the best, my personal favorites are things like cookies, money and the random stuff my mom finds at the store cuz they are always so cool! This package had a dog stuffed animal (pink of course!) and a card and some cookies! Sounds like a pretty good box to me! Just remember, before you leave for school (or whenever you know your school address) pass it out to all your family members, you never know what kinda mail they will send you, either way, its just plain old fun to get!

Going Green with RC

2008-02-13T11:15:00.000-08:00

Ripon College is begining a new chapter in it's environment conservation theories, up until now Ripon College has established a large, natural (completely untouched) prairie, not just for educational purposes, but for environmental purposes (yea seed picking in the spring!). Biological and Environmental classes study the land, and now, a new program is beginning, it is called velorution! This program is offering a bicycle, lock, and helmet to every first year student attending Ripon as long as they do not bring a car to campus during the entire academic school year (its not that hard, I am a sophomore and havent had a car here yet).

To check out more about the Velorution, go to:
http://www.ripon.edu/velorution/index.html

MLK Jr. WEEK!

2008-01-25T11:25:00.001-08:00

This past monday many highschools had a day off of school due to Martin Luther King Jr. day. Although we did not get a day off of school (which would have been cool, but I dont wanna make it up later!) we are celebrating MLK Jr. and diversity all week! So far, there have been poetry readings and speakers all week! Campus visitors are always a neat experience because they always have something really cool to say and a really cool view of how the world works. Aside from campus speakers, the commons also had cake at lunch today (friday) with MLK's face and his speach (and man, it was really good cake!) I think we did a really good job celebrating him and what he has done for us!

New Carpet

2008-01-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

As most students do here at Ripon College, I live in one of the Residence Halls on campus (I live in Johnson Hall with my sorority on third floor) and over break they were getting new carpet put in (and just finished it!!) and we are all really excited to have it done!! It is really nice new carpet and now we can have hallway parties again! See, we define hallway parties as a bunch of us girls (sometimes guys, whoever is there) going out into the hallways when we are bored or have nothing to do and we all line the halls and talk a lot, or gossip, or do whatever we do. There was always carpet, but now its a lot nicer because its new! :) We always have fun times there!

Back From Break

2008-01-21T11:53:00.000-08:00

So we are finally back from winter break and we (we meaning a student in greek life) jumped right into the bidding process. Before break we were having round parties (informal parties) which were used to let student who were interrested know what sorority life is about. After break we have one big final formal party and then they get to choose where they want to go and the sorority gets to send a bid card to them. It is a really neat process with a lot of steps. After everyone gets all of their new members we all go out and have a great time and eat dinner at the commons and sing our songs and it is really a blast. We really all bond with each other. I think it is one of my favorite days of the year!

TONS OF SNOW!

2007-12-05T14:22:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend and last night Ripon and much of Wisconsin got a lot of snow! Although I normally dont like snow, not only did the school and community do a good job at clearing it away, but we also had tons of fun in it! When we saw the first signs of the snowfall, the first thing we thought of was, of course, sledding! My friends and I got so excited and wanted to go, but the snow froze over really fast, and we couldnt go. It was really disappointing until it snowed again, light, puffy, white snow, and that was when we all pulled out all of our winter gear and walked out the the hills and pushed off! I couldnt believe how great the hills were just right on our campus! It was really funny too cuz everytime I tried to get back up the hill I would either slide back down or one of my friends would sled into me, it kinda turned into a game! I think the first time I got up the hill was about a half hour after we started sledding! It was a really good time! It seems as if we are going to be getting more snow in this whole next week coming up, and now I am prepared for it (well not really with finals and everything coming up!) but I kinda like being in it now :)

A lot to do on campus!

2007-11-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

Wow... since last week there has been a lot going on around campus, and the best part is that its all fun stuff!
Last monday night there was a Soul Food dinner brought to the campus by BSU (Black Student Union). I got to help make some of the food, and man it was good! There was everything from mashed potatoes to tacos to desserts, all home-made by the students! Tip:get there early, by 30 before the event, the line was out of the building we were standing in!
Next up, on wednesday was Casino Night for one of the fraternities. It is an event open to all first year and independent males, and they invited 4 girls from my sorority to help out at the event. It was pretty cool, they set up their lounge to look kinda like a casino and the girls walked around greeting people, serving food and drink, and having fun! By the end, everyone makes money from the games and there was an auction for some pretty cool prizes, all donated by the guys.
Then on friday there was TOTU (Take Over The Union). This is an annual event where all the Resident Assistance staff and Student Life groups put on games, activities, and lots of food and drinks in the union and pub areas. Its pretty fun because there are prizes to win and tons of students there!
Finally on saturday there was a formal for one of the fraternities, and it was a ton of fun, especially after my sorority's formal the weekend before. It was a lot of dressing up, but formals are some of the best events on campus!
Then after tomorrow, it will be thanksgiving break! We are all looking forward to seeing our families and having a good home cooked meal (and maybe some christmas present shopping on black friday to get all the sales!!) We get off from wednesday to sunday, although its not a whole week like some schools, we did just have a week long fall break that most other schools didnt get!

Its starting to get cold!

2007-11-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

The weather is beginning to change quickly and man is it getting cold! There have been some snow flurries already and boy, I am not ready for winter yet! It does mean though, that its almost Thanksgiving and I love the thanksgiving food!
Tonight on campus there is an open forum which I am very excited about. It will allow any students who go to hear about changes that are taking place around campus, and it will also give us an opportunity to speak on our opinions about the changes. There are a lot of students that plan on attending and it should be really interesting!
Also coming up is formal for my sorority, and then the fraternity formal next weekend, I get to go to both! Formals are always very exciting and really fun! For me, it really shows how the greeks get together within their houses and really show how they are a society of sisters and friends. Its tons of fun!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today is Halloween! I am very exited because there is lots going on! Tons of groups on campus have stuff planned and "Much Ado about Nothing" one of the plays is performing tonight also! It is so nice to have so many options for things to do on campus, I know that I could hang out with my friends and have a low-key kinda halloween, or I can go see the play, or I can go out and do some of the cool activities that are planned around campus!

Gettting closer to thanksgiving!

2007-10-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend one of my friends and I went home to where I live near Chicago. It was a pretty spur of the moment trip, but it was pretty exciting and fun! We left on Saturday morning and by that evening we were in Gurnee Illinois at Frightfest at 6 Flags Great America! It was a really fun day! We laughed a lot about how it seems in movies that kids go on road trips but I never really had, and now, I kinda feel like I have! The next day, on Sunday, we drove back and did lots of homework! It was a great trip!

Then today, monday, it was REALLY hard to get out of bed because I think my roommate got me sick... Its cool having a roommate, except when they are sick, and you werent! Good think, I went home and got lots of stuff for school! :)

Crush Party is Tonight! :)

2007-10-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

Tonight, for my sorority we have an event which we call Crush Party. All of the sorority sisters get to invite a 'date' (anyone from your best friend to your boyfriend, or of course, your crush!) and we all go bowling! Its a pretty cool event and we do it twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. We always have such a large group that almost the whole bowling alley is rented out and we get to stay and bowl, eat munchies, hang out with each other, and take lots of pictures! Its pretty exciting!

Last week, my sorority along with one of the fraternities had a date auction. Ten girls and ten guys were auctioned off to the Ripon College campus in the pub with all proceeds going to both the greek houses. I was one of the girls being auctioned off and I was really nervous, but it ended up being really fun! We went up there and they read about you and played a song that you had picked and then the bidding begins! I was bought for $62.00!! Thats quite a bit for college students to pay! I was really surprised, I would love to do it again, it was a lot of fun!

Also, over the weekend, a couple girls and I went to the quarry at Red Granite. It is a really deep man made lake (quarry?! lol) and we got to jump off the rocks and swim in the water all day! It was really nice because it was so hot, but now it is getting really cold like fall weather, so I guess we will have to wait until next summer to do it again!

Stuff to do on campus

2007-09-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

There is always lots to do on campus! Two weekends ago one of the fraternities on campus hosted a frisbee golf tournament. We were all able to pick out teams with our friends and the caddy we wanted and play a round of frisbee golf throughout the campus. It was a blast! The goals were pre-existing landmarks, like the Abraham Lincoln statue, or the admissions sign.
Last weekend, one of the other fraternities held Derby Days. This is a weekend full of fun events such as a scavenger hunt (searching for random items like a stuffed elephant), dunk tank, races (through a GIANT blow up obstacle course!!), and a water balloon launch (hit the derby daddys at the bottom of the hill)! Depending on how well teams do, points are given and prizes are awarded at the end!
I am also very excited for this week because it's homecoming week. People always get very spirited, we paint the windows in the commons representing our clubs and activities, and tons of people go to the football game to cheer on the team! I know my sorority even got shirts so we can all cheer on the team together! I am very excited!

HI! I'm Emily!

2007-09-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

My name is Emily Lukacs and I am a sophomore here at Ripon College. I am so excited to be writing this blog so you can all read about my experiences here! I remember my senior year in high school, I was pretty nervous about what to expect from college, but with this blog, you can get a first hand experience and see what kinds of things we do here!
Ok, some more about me so you know what to expect: I work here in the admissions office and I am a psychology or a psychobiology major (I haven’t decided between those yet!) and I want to be a pediatric psychologist one day. On campus I am involved in chefs anonymous, and our very popular greek life system. I love hanging out with friends and going to all the on campus activities I can (like Iron Chef!). There is always a lot to do!
Please feel free to leave comments or send me and e-mail! I love comments or questions and I try to get back to you pretty quick! Also, I think one of the most important things about the college search process is visiting the school! We would love to meet you and have you see the campus! It’s a great way to see what we have and meet some cool new people! I hope to see you soon!