Odes, Proposals, and the KKK

Ode to the Dorms
I just realized that I'm in my last month of ever living in the dorms. While I'm excited to be finally escaping this strange form of pseudo-cohabitation with terrible food, I have to admit my love for that silly brick-and-cement-block place that has been my home for 3 years: the FARC. The FARC, not to be confused with the Columbian revolutionary forces, is the Fine Arts dorm on campus. While I'm not really an artist or a musician (at least not anymore) this place has served as my home for the better part of three years, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I can't imagine another place on campus that's, to quote Cheers "somewhere where everybody knows you're name". FARC is a unique place where everything goes, except being normal. If you're strange, quirky, creative, or otherwise cool, you belong in FARC. FARC is the kind of place where building four 20-year olds (I'm rounding up for you, KJ!) building a cardboard castle is considered very cool. It's the only res hall I can think of where the doors really ARE open with the open door policy, and people have no anxiety about walking straight into your room and simply beginning a conversation. Sure, the close atmosphere can cause terrible ingrown gossip, but it's also a support network like none other. Where else does the guy who sings Klingon folk songs live across the hall from a brilliant artist and two doors down from an aspiring screenwriter and an almost normal-seeming journalist? I have years of amazing memories of FARC, but the best are: streakers, 10:00 club, writers club, learning to crochet, pies in the face, dunk tanks, cardboard castles, euchre nights, gallon challenge, movie nights, and endless conversations with the coolest people I know. Thanks to all the people who have made FARC home for the last 3 years.

Decent Proposal
First, before you get the wrong idea, I have NOT been proposed to, nor did I propose to anyone, nor does this have anything whatsoever to do with sex. I would merely like to recommend that anyone who ever plans on proposing to anyone should check out my genius cousin's recommendations. (http://www.angineer.blogspot.com) For real, yo. Very smart girl, my cousin.

Is that the KKK?
One of my school's great traditions is Tap Day, when the six secret honor societies announce their newest members to the campus community. Now, I'll admit that I don't adhere to very many school traditions. I went to Tiger Walk when I was a freshman and I've been to a few football games. I plan to go to Senior Send-off and graduation, but other than that I'm a slacker. However, I did take part in Tap Day on Friday. I got tapped by Mortar Board, but that's not the interesting part. The fascinating part of this is the responses I got from my friends. One of the rules of a "secret" society is that new members aren't allowed to tell anyone other than their parents about their membership until they're revealed on Tap Day. This puts several of us in a conundrum, wanting our friends to be there without being able to tell them to come. So, I tried to ask people about the event to get their takes beforehand. The amusing thing was that the response was often "No, I don't know anyone who'd ever get tapped!" or "What the heck is Tap Day?". My personal favorite was, from the people I talked to about it afterward but who didn't go, "Yeah, I walked by the Quad, but it looked like some sort of weird KKK meeting or cult ritual or something." To which I had to respond that I was one of the weirdos in the robes and hoods. The responses were classic, really. Though, before I forget, I want to say thanks to the folks who guessed/figured it out and showed up: Chris, KJ, Stef, Rachee, Vegas, Katie, Kris, Mike, Andy, Bina, and Chrissy.

Quote of the Week
This quote is entirely unrelated to the above post, but I really like the song ("No Life Without Wife") and movie (Bride and Prejudice), so I'm throwing it in for the fun of it:
"I want a man who gives some back,
Who talks to me and not my rack.
I want a man who likes to cook,
Who'll talk to me and share my books.
I who's light and free
Who'll hold my hand walk the world with me."