Jan
23
New textbooks- check!
First meal back at the Caf- check!
Reunited with old friends- check!
Syllabus week of second semester-check!
And where does this leave us? 15 weeks closer to the end of freshman year!
This is your vice Chair for the Class of 2017 Council, Annie Bradshaw. It’s crazy to think that only 5 months ago, we were wondering around the OU campus for the first time, making new friends and getting adjusted to college life. While the month long break at home was well spent (complete with home cooked meals, a normal sized bed, free laundry and no class), I began to realize how many memories I had made and how eager I was to come back. I was so eager that I started packing my stuff up 6 days before I left. And that Sunday, I loaded up my 8 bags and headed Northbound on I-35 for a traffic-less drive back to Norman.
After going home about 3 times last semester, therefore loading and unloading my bags 6 times, you would think I would’ve learned how to pack wiser. But no. There I was, on my 3rd trip from the parking lot to Couch, cutting off the circulation in my arms because of how many bags I was carrying that way I didn’t have to make a 4th trip. After I finally got all of my stuff out of the car and into my room, it came time to get all of the stuff from my bags and into my 4 dresser drawers and wardrobe. This was going to be the hardest part. As I was unloading my first bag, I heard the hall-door slam and someone yell “HELLO!” My suitemates were here! So I darted in their room and we spilled about our breaks. Forty-five minutes later, my roommate tried to stumble through my maze of bags with her bags and then she spilled about her break. After an hour and a half of stalling, we decided that we needed to hurry and unpack that way we could enjoy the rest of our night. So we did and then rewarded ourselves by going to our favorite Norman restaurant, Coolgreens, for dinner followed by Classic 50’s for dessert.
Wow- it felt so good to be back.
I woke up the next morning to six alarms, rolled out of bed, got ready and started my cold, windy trek to the Physical Sciences Center. On my way down the South Oval, I realized that I had forgotten to eat breakfast. Debating my food options for the day, I saw that CAC was on the South Oval with free breakfast for Winter Welcome Week- my lucky day! I grabbed a bagel and headed off to Calculus.
This first week back in Norman has already been filled with great memories! From the snowball fight on Walker-Adams mall, to the ice-skating rink in the Union Courtyard with our Miracle Child Zak Elshire, to finally going to see the movie Frozen, I am so happy to be back and I cannot wait to see what this semester holds! Be on the lookout for more updates from the Class of 2017 Council.
Jan
23
Hello fellow Sooners, Abbey Taylor here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Norman’s elite. It is now officially the year 2014 (unfortunately not quite the year 3000 yet, sorry Jonas Brothers) and my first semester of my freshman year is halfway over. Time passes differently in college, especially your first year. Too much happens. Every freshman month equals six regular months—they’re like dog months. Believe me. Reflecting on my semester, it feels like I moved into my trusty ol’ dorm room and then pulled all-nighters during finals in about the same week. Did I really make it through every episode of Gossip Girl, New Girl AND Scandal all in one semester? Did I EVER study? Judging by the amount of times I realized it was 3 AM and I was holed up in a study room in the penthouse of Walker Tower surrounded only by my Calculus notes, Spanish book, an endless supply of fruit snacks and my dolphin slippers, I would safely say I studied more that semester more than I ever have in my entire life. Yet, through all of the turmoil involved with the transition to college, these past 5 months have been absolutely incredible. I have made some of the best friends in the world, discovered that Donut King isn’t near as appealing as it sounds, and found out that I love college.
This year I am the Chair of the Class Council of 2017. If you had asked me in August I would have never believed I would be holding this position. When I heard of the council and the variety of positions it beholds, I was amazed. It sounded like such a great organization and something I would really like to be a part of. So, I took a shot in the dark and applied for the position of Chair. Go big or go home, right? The interview process was supposed to be a large, friendly, welcoming, group interview, and it was. For everyone else. The night before my scheduled interview I had to make one of those glorious late night hospital runs to kill a 105-degree fever and respiratory infection that was just too stubborn for my Nyquil to tackle. I had to reschedule my interview for later that week. I walked into my interview and there was only one other girl in the room with me. I walked out of the office 20 minutes later, sweating bullets. I had never been through an interview before! The question “So, tell me about yourself” still haunts me. The best advice I can offer regarding the interview process is this: give a confident handshake, breathe, don’t be afraid to talk, and be yourself. It worked for me!
The purpose of the Class Councils is to connect students to their Class and their classmates. Our mission as the Class of 2017 Council is to create a greater sense of class unity through tradition events, class specific information, and class branding. Soon after the positions on the Council were decided, we all got together and had a retreat in OKC. It was a day of great fun! We were all gathered up and shuttled out without being told where we were going. When we arrived at our destination, we found out that we would be rowing down the river! It was a great team building exercise and we all got to know each other really well in the process. After rowing, we spent the rest of the day learning our own leadership styles and planning out our goals for the Council.
We immediately set to work to accomplish our goals. We had three major events this semester: Homecoming, football tailgates, and an event called Finals Frenzy. For homecoming we set out with a plan to maximize our class brand. We set up on the South Oval and handed out free t-shirts to the freshman. It was a huge success! We ran out of t-shirts within one day! The football tailgates went equally well. We would publicize the tailgates all week to attract students to attend. Once the game finally rolled around, we would set up a tent and blast some bumpin’ tunes, dance our hearts out, and hand out free food. (There’s a theme of “free things” running through all these events, can’t you tell?) Our last event of the semester was a program that we titled Finals Frenzy. This was held during dead week and consisted of free tutoring, review sessions, food and drinks, and quiet study areas. The Class Council of 2017 organized it all. We even sent out postcards to the mailboxes of every freshman at OU. We had a busy semester and it’s only going to get better this spring. We ended up closing out the semester with a Holiday Party with our very own Miracle Child named Zak Elshire. He was a blessing of a child and brought such a special glow to our holiday party. Everyone enjoyed getting to meet him and it was an unforgettable night.
This semester of Class Council was an amazing one. Although meetings were only one hour on Monday evenings, they soon became the highlight of my week. Class Council is going to be back in full swing and better than ever. Be sure to look out for all the innovative things we will be doing this semester! Boomer Sooner!
