Wake Forest University Edged Out Of Top 25 Spot by Monsters U

By Caroline Drew

Wake Forest University has frequently been ranked at the bottom of the top, so to speak, but now their era of almost-excellence has come to an end. This past week, US News released a new set of rankings, placing Wake Forest out of the top 25 schools. Who's taking their spot? None other than Monsters University. 

"Usually we wait until late August, or September to release our rankings," stated US News writer, Lisa McNeil, "but after finding out about Monsters U, we knew we had to act fast."

Apparently, for a staff members birthday party, McNeil and many other US News reporters went to see the new Pixar film. They came for laughs, but they left impressed. 

US News Staff watching Monsters U

"It's truly an exceptional institution of learning," said McNeil. "Sure, it's not perfect, but it definitely deserves to be in the top 25." 

Naturally, Wake Forest students, alumni, and faculty were none too happy about this decision. Student tour guide, Danny Cunningham, was particularly upset. 

"What am I supposed to say on my tours now? 'Wake Forest is proud to be a top 26 school?' We pay 50 thousand dollars a semester  and we can't even beat out an animated university?"

When questioned about what gave Monsters U the leg up over Wake, McNeil offered some insight. First off, she referenced the diversity factor: 

"Wake Forest is 80% Caucasian. At MU, they don't even have white people. Heck, they don't even have people! Their student body has almost every kind of monster in the world: one-eyed or two-headed, fluffy or scaley. Any monster would feel like they had a community here." 

Just a sampling of the diverse MU student body

Secondly, McNeil compared the social lives of the two campuses. Though less total fraternities and sororities, MU's campus features a Greek Row. "This allows for more on-campus functions," explained McNeil, "which is always safer. At Wake Forest, they only offer the fraternities and sororities 'lounges.' These lounges are basically the basements of dorm buildings which include tile floor, low ceilings, and one, maybe two, bathroom stalls." 

A MU fraternity house

A WFU fraternity lounge

Finally, McNeil discussed Monster University's top notch Scare Program.  After pointing out that it was the absolute best in the country, she then highlighted the fact that in comparison WFU's Business school is found at the not-so-impressive #47 slot. "You can't argue with numbers like that," said McNeil. 

Dr. Nathan O'Hatch, President of Wake Forest, was eventually reached for comment. When asked about the new rankings he said, "I don't know what you're talking about! My school is number 17!" After minutes of discussion, he realized we were not talking about Notre Dame and neglected to say anything further. 

A few MU/WFU demographics compared

All above information was found from their respective websites:  http://www.wfu.edu/ and http://monstersuniversity.com/edu/index.html. 

(disclaimer: I could not love WFU more-- this was all in fun, and as you probably know, Monsters U is not a real school...also Wake is technically ranked #27 in the US News rankings, with two schools tied at 1, and two other schools tied at 24)

Emotions with Dad

Let me just preface this by saying my dad is a very kind person who is not, though this post might lead you to believe otherwise, a robot leading a man’s life.

That being said, he’s not exactly what I would call “emotional.”

My dad’s outlook on life and the role our feelings play in it is a little…dry.  One of my favorite moments at our dinner table was when my little brother was complaining about the crushing pressures of school work combined with chores around the house. My dad responded with,

“Well son, life’s tough. And then you die.”

I think Hallmark just found a new card don’t you?

My dad also has a unique approach to movies. Mark Drew’s criteria for a well-made film:

•           An ample number of explosions/guns/other harm-inducing weapons
•           Suspense of some kind (otherwise, he will be sleep in 15 minutes)
•          No animation whatsoever
•           Romance not needed, but it can be present if it all works out in the end
•           Which leads us to our final point, NOTHING SAD CAN HAPPEN.

My dad does not want to have his heartstrings pulled upon or even lightly tapped.  This isn't because sad movies truly move him, it's because he finds it unnecessary.   Who would pay money to watch something that makes them sad? That's just bananas.

 For example, my parents went to see Silver Linings Playbook, which most people agreed was one of the best movies this year. My dad’s review?

“Oh gosh, I hated it. It was depressing.  Everyone was unhappy. Why would I want to go watch a bunch of unhappy people for an hour and a half?”

“But Dad,” I said, tearing up just thinking about the movie, “it was a beautiful expression of the defiantly optimistic human condition reflected against the trials of mental illness.”

...Okay fine, I don’t talk like that in real life. My real response was something more like “But dad, it was so good! And the acting was really good too! And, I mean, everyone thinks it’s good. Like everyone.”

Ah, such eloquence.

Here are some imagined, yet possible, reviews by my dad of other beloved movies:

The Notebook: "They ended up together and then they die. Why did I even watch that?"

Finding Nemo: "It was a cartoon about fish. I fell asleep in the credits."

Braveheart: "Pretty good except the main guy died in the end. I could have stopped watching it before that and liked it better."

Any of the Die Hard movies: "Great flick. I'd watch it again."

Shockingly enough, when it comes to interactions with real people my dad likes to keep it light and impersonal.

Last night at dinner he explained that “When someone asks you how you’re doing, that is not an invitation to tell them your life story.”

The conversation went on like this:

 “Why even ask then?”

“Because it’s polite.”

“Okay but what if someone isn’t fine? What if you ask how they’re doing and they have a malignant tumor? What are they supposed to say, ‘Everything’s great thanks for asking!”

“Why would you tell someone you have a malignant tumor?? That doesn't make any sense!”

My mother, as those who know her might have guessed, was taken aback by all of this. You see, when my mom asks someone how they’re doing, she hopes they share their life story. Whether it’s her sister or the cashier at the grocery store, there is nothing she’d rather do then talk with them for hours about the weird pain in their left leg or their high school volleyball coach who passed away last week (It’s a hard loss, but we all have to go through it).

“Honey,” she said, “you better tell your coworkers not to respond with actual answers then, because they probably have no idea what you think about this.”

My dad shook his head knowingly, “Don’t worry, I’ve learned my lesson there.”

Though not at all plausible, I like to imagine my dad calling a firm wide meeting. He’d be at the front of a business-y business meeting room (you’ve seen the TV shows), with a power point presentation ready to go. With some handy-dandy internet magic, I have attached the imagined presentation here: 

Mark Drew's Business-y Business Presentation for Business People

(Excuse the clip art on the last slide, but I couldn't help myself. I'm an art enthusiast, what can I say?)

The truth is, my dad just sees emotional issues as a private affair. Against all odds, he still managed to raise a daughter who cries watching life alert commercials.  

To reiterate, my dad really is a nice person. And hey, if he ever asks you how you are, I encourage you to say whatever you like! In fact, here’s a challenge: the person who can give my dad the longest, saddest, most personal response to a “how are you?” gets a prize.

I can’t reveal what the prize is now, but it rhymes with schmuthing and looks like the words “no” and “thing” but just a little different!

p.s. About the guy in the banana costume, I know what you're thinking and yes, I did think about adding a picture of bananas in pajamas instead. In fact, here's a picture of that dashing duo now, just for good measure: 

Prepping for Abroad

If you are connected with me on any sort of social media, then you know that I am spending my next semester of college in Prague.

Some of you might be thinking: What about people that are just connected with you in real life? Are you addicted to your computer? Are you one of those people who has weird yellow-y, translucent skin because you've replaced your time in the sun with time in front of fluorescent screens?

For the record, I am currently less pale than usual (not dark enough to say tan), and come on- who has face-to-face conversations these days? What is this, 2009?

But I digress.  I am studying abroad in Europe this fall and I want to make sure that come August I am ready to completely immerse myself into the Czech culture. As soon as I step off the plane, I will shrug off any traces of my American identity and become a Bohemian-chameleon.  I've heard many a tale about “rude, loud, obnoxious Americans” who study abroad.  Well, those students clearly didn't prepare like me. Every bit of my persona, from my lack of eye contact to my dark, leathery clothes, will mark me as one of them. Or, as I will soon be saying, one of us.

Hahahahahaha, sorry, I just started laughing because the idea of that happening is just silly. I am a born and raised American. I’m from Alabama, no less.  Europeans will be able to spot me from a mile away.  I don’t have enough black in my wardrobe to last me more than a couple of days.  As for being loud, I’m pretty sure my whisper is the equivalent of a European stage voice (“Say it like your grandmother is in the back row!”).

My inability to transform into a Euro-chic version of myself does not mean I will stomp around in neon colored overalls demanding a cheeseburger and fries...at least not unless I’m really hungry. It's just that people keep giving me tips on how to blend in, and let’s be honest: that’s a battle I’m destined to lose. 

I’ve tried this kind of thing before.  When I’m at school, I study at this coffee shop, Camino's, which is very hipster and trendy.  It is a hot spot for twenty somethings who wear those sock-like hats which hang a little off of your head (picture at bottom). I  often felt the judgmental stares radiating off of my non-ironic t-shirts. Finally, I decided to take destiny in my own hands. I arrived wearing skinny jeans, a flannel shirt, converse shoes, and had replaced my backpack with a side satchel.  Everything was working perfectly until my Mumford and Sons ringtone started blasting.  This was a dead giveaway. We all know that true hipsters will have nothing to do with Mumford. Nothing says “try-hard” like a bunch of guys with banjos wearing suspenders (Hey Mumford and Sons, I know you read this blog, and I just wanted to say I think you’re super talented and will continue to be a fan…until the Lumineers come out with another album).

The moral of the story is this: Don’t try to hide who you are, unless you’re good at it.  

I have heard about some American students who, whence studying abroad, will tell people they are Canadian.  I am a little tempted to try this out, but then not so much because this is how I imagine that conversation: 

Dominik: Hallo. I am Czech. Vhere are you from?

Me: Oh hello there! I’m actually from Canada. Better than the States, eh?

Dominik: I do not know about that but you seem nice. You and I vill be friends.

Me: Actually, I lied. I am American. But now you know how you really feel about me.

Dominik: So you’re a liar? Ve cannot be friends.

Dominik walks away.

Me: So just because I’m American you think it’s ok to be rude! Real mature you litte European-

Bystander: Think about it.

Me: ....ooooh. 

Bystander: Yep.

Me: Hey, do you want to be friends?

Bystander: Are you kidding me? You’re an American.

Bystander walks away.

And that  is why I'm studying abroad with other Americans. They have to like me. That's how it works. 

I promise, I will be trying to prepare myself for my five months abroad. I am starting to take Czech lessons soon, or as I refer to it, The Language Without Vowels. Wish me luck! Or as they say in Czech- Krfpst nvlyf ris*.

<< anyone else notice how hipsters wear these hats year round?

*Not real Czech

** did you notice I used the word ‘whence’ in this post? Intellectual is my middle name. Just kidding, my middle name is actually English Major with a Superiority Complex. 

Local News Makeover

This summer, I am working part time as an intern at Starnes Publishing. Starnes Publishing produces five local newspapers (280 Living, The Homewood Star, Hoover Sun, Vestavia Voice, and Village Living) for the Birmingham area. 

As I’m only an intern, my job can consist of the more basic tasks such as copy editing or reformatting the upcoming Vestavia library events. But sometimes, I get to be the reporter (If I was a famous reporter my articles would have a spunky picture of me at the top with the tag line “She’s not afraid to go there”). My latest reporting assignment? I interviewed the owner of a new Italian restaurant in Hoover. Being on the field like that, with fancy camera and even fancier legal pad in tow…you just can’t put that kind of rush into words.

However, most people know nothing of the thrilling underbelly of the local news scene.  Sure, readers trust these newspapers to tell them about the high school girls’ soccer team winning state, but they don’t expect any shock value. This is ridiculous. Our publications may not report on world-wide affairs, but they do report on Birmingham suburbs.  Here’s some insider scoop for you: the streets of Birmingham suburbs are filthy…filthy with hard hitting news.

My internship has allowed me an in-depth look into the world of local news: there’s scandal, intrigue, and parenting advice.  Lucky for readers, I have some ideas of how to give them this same look into the real news of their neighborhood.

     1) Gossip Column: Naturally, this is at the top of my list.  Everyone knows that celebrity gossip can’t touch the scandalous lives of housewives.  Don’t believe me? Well my friends of The Real Housewives of New Jersey/Beverly Hills/New York, etc. beg to differ! A famous person might assault a paparrazi, O.D. on a drug you haven’t heard of, or marry someone half their age…but wouldn’t you rather read something like this?

Sources tell us that Gina Jones* was heard whispering (not so quietly) that the cookies Terri Henderson* brought to the PTA meeting were “definitely store-bought”, not homemade like Henderson claimed. Jones went on to say that she could “feel the processed food dye staining [her] teeth”; a close friend of Henderson’s commented that she would never lie about homemade desserts, adding “Gina's sweet and I've known her forever...but she shouldn't talk about Terri’s cooking when her pecan pie tasted like rubber cement.” The informant was made aware that her comment “rubber cement” makes no sense, but she neglected to revise her statement. Henderson could not be reached for comment (*Names have been changed for discretion). 

I don’t know about you, but People magazine seems incredibly boring all of a sudden.

     2) Political spotlights: This is technically already a feature in local news, but these reports only nibble at the personas of our local politicians. It’s time to take a bite out of community leaders and see what’s inside (Too far? I’m working on being “punchy” with my writing). Right now, we ask mayors and city council members questions like “What’s up with Mountain Brook’s new sidewalk plan?” and “What do you love most about Homewood?” Their answers are predictable and tell us nothing about their true personality as a local authority. “Well, I’d have to say that Homewood’s unique sense of community, blah, blah, blah, I'm not interesting, blah, blah, blah.” This is the kind of interview I’d like to see:

Village Living: Mayor Oden, tell us your stance on the campaign to invade Vestavia Hills.

Oden: Excuse me? Mountain Brook does not want to- I mean honestly, invade Vestavia, that’s just- why would- we couldn't- that’s ridiculous.

VL: You seem a little unsure of yourself.

Oden: What? No. No, I am sure. We would never, I repeat never, invade a neighboring community.

VL: So you’re stance is negative then?

Oden: …

VL: Mr. Mayor?

Oden: …

VL: Okay, I’m writing down that you are officially against all attempts to conquer Vestavia and claim it for the Villages of Mountain Brook.

Oden: I didn't say that.

VL: Now we’re talking.

You might be saying to yourself, “This is silly. Mountain Brook would never take over Vestavia. The suburbs of Birmingham aren’t in a constant, underground tug-of-war like battle for dominance.” …Or are they?

     3)Anti-Parenting Advice: Before my internship, I had no idea that parenting advice was a column included in local news publications.  I can’t say much about the merit of these articles as I am not a parent myself (take that teen pregnancy), but I have been a parentee. With this in my mind, my next idea would expand our audience out of the 35-75 year old female demographic by appealing to a younger set of readers.  For every parenting column, I propose there be an “Anti-Parenting” column to answer the needs of mischief-making adolescents.  Imagine articles such as “Blaming it on your Brother”, “Where to Hide your Alcohol: Better places than your closet” or “How to lie and not feel bad about it.” For this idea, I recruited local 16 year old, MK Turner, to give us a taste of what could be:

Cars: They Wreck Themselves

BY MK TURNER

Being 16 is hard enough, and then that wall had to come out of nowhere. Now you're sixteen and your car is totaled. 

We’ve all heard the stories, and for many of us, we are the story. Wrecking the car you’ve only been driving for 3 months totally sucks.  You don’t need a lecture from your parents to add to your misery. Just because they paid for the car, told you to drive the speed limit, and not to text and drive doesn’t mean they get to be all high and mighty.

My advice? Explain to them in a calm, mature way (You’re 16, not 6) how the car just like took control of itself. You didn’t wreck the car. The car wrecked the car. It’s just like your dad said, guns don’t kill people. People kill people. This is the same I think.

I can only assume there's a lot more of where that came from. 

These are just a handful of my ideas to bring the spark back to the local newspaper publications. For now, I’ll keep working at my intern post, doing my best to bring the real news to readers in suburban Birmingham.

Until next time,

Caroline “She’s not afraid to go there” Drew

(p.s. I am incredibly lucky to be working for Starnes Publishing and hopefully nothing in this post communicates otherwise!)

Teachable Moments

Being away at school for the most of the year, I naturally don’t spend as much time with my parents. Subsequently, I miss out on a lot of, what I like to call, “Teachable Moments by Tricia”

My mom, like many moms out there, has a lot of advice to give.  What I find to be…unique about my mom though, is her manner of giving the advice. There you’ll be mid-conversation, talking back and forth, and then- BOOM- Teachable moment. It’s subtle, but not quite subtle enough to go unnoticed. Especially if you know the signs to look for. Here’s a few key phrases that directly lead to learning something new a la Tricia Drew:

-          1)“Let me tell you somethin’”: This phrase means you need to settle in, because a speech is coming your way. “Let me tell you somethin’” is often followed by a “now it might just be me”, a “I can’t make you agree” or a “I may not be a scientist” and the teachable moment goes on from there.

-         2) The finger point: Though not a phrase, the index finger point is equally important. It is used to emphasize contrast and is a great lead in for a teachable moment. The point could be at you (“Your generation doesn’t have music like ours), a friend (“You don’t think Annie’s mother lets her drive to Atlanta, do you?), or even the sage herself (“I’m not perfect, but I keep my nails painted”).  

3) “Did you hear about (insert celebrity name here)?”: This question means my Mom has participated in one of her rare, yet affecting, dives into the world of pop culture. I’ve always admired the way Mom doesn't care too much about celebrity gossip, but when she happens upon a piece of it, it can fuel her teachable moments for months. “Did you hear about…oh what’s his name…Justin Beiber? It’s just so sad. But with all that money, what can you do? Let me tell you something, you should be glad that wasn’t you making all that money so early on in life”, etc., etc. 

Note: Interestingly enough, these teachable moments always end in a reference to Beyonce. “I don’t think any of them are normal except for that Beyonce. She seems so down to earth.”

4) "Caroline, I've got an idea": This one is just for me, but is still worth mentioning due to its frequency of use. I am what my Mom refers to as her “eclectic” child. This might be because I’m in a comedy group. Or because I major in Religion/English. Or because I wear Free People clothes. Whatever the reason, my Mom has devoted herself to the harrowing task of figuring out my future career. The ideas are always…outside the box, and they are always told to me as a teachable moment. “Caroline, I’ve got an idea. What if you wrote Hallmark cards?” “Mom, I hate Hallmark cards.” “But a lot of people love them. And I bet you that job pays well (*insert finger point here).”

5) “Google it”: This phrase actually comes at the end of a teachable moment. It serves as rebuttal if you are to counter any advice given that she considers to be factual, and not just opinion. I can’t remember the day that my Mom learned the function of Google in arguments, but now we are at a point of no return. No claim of hers can be refuted until Google says otherwise. Ironically enough, if Google does say otherwise, “Well that’s the internet, any old person could get on there and say something.”

Often my friends will come over and it won't be long until we're all sitting around the kitchen table listening to my mother warn against the dangers of alcohol, or sharing clothes with people you don't know very well ("They might return it completely ruined. And that's if they return it!). At the end of the day, my mom does have some great advice, and I'm lucky that she cares enough to share her expertise with me.

Love you Mom!

The Quarter Life Crisis

I am having a QLC. A Quarter Life Crisis. This is when a person who is roughly a quarter of the way done with their life becomes irrationally nervous about getting older and becoming a part of the "real world." 

Did I make up "Quarter Life Crisis"? ...Maybe. It was either me or Freud. You know what, maybe it was Locke. Obviously, there's no way of knowing for sure, so let's just move on. 

I know this is silly because I'm still young and 10 years from now I'm going to look back on this and want to kick myself but still. I'm having a QLC and that's that. I can  now say the phrase "when I was a kid..." without being ironic. Sure, it's not a tragedy, but it's pretty sad, right? 

It started on my birthday in January.  My twentieth birthday was the first birthday I really didn't want to happen.  I called my mom that morning, crying, because it had finally hit me: I am becoming an adult. I recognized that it was foolish to cry on your own birthday, but there I was, crying all the same. 

(Side-note: crying in my pajamas on the phone with my mom...look out adult world, I'm coming for you)

My mother's response to my anxiety about entering my twenties? It went a little like this: 

"Yeah, well, this is a big decade honey.  This is when you get a job, get an apartment or a house, get married, maybe have kids- it's the most important decisions of your life, really."

...Thanks Mom. Now I'm totally relaxed. 

But she's right. This is an important decade. What did I do from ages 10-20? Have fun. Get taller. Decorate some posters for class projects.  For some reason, when I now look back at this past decade it feels like a blur of classrooms, family dinners, and car rides.  I'm lucky enough to have friends who have been around since before I was 10 even, and it's odd to know that I have actually seen them grow up. I have grown up beside them, and in the next 10 years, we're going to grow even more. I never understood how, as you grow older, the history of yourself truly builds.  It gets heavier, and richer like a tapestry being spun slowly out of a loom. Perhaps I never understood this because I never felt I had too much of history to claim until I turned 20. 

The QLC remained dormant for a while as I buried myself in the very college-ness that is my life.  There is no better way to live in denial of the real world than to be a student at Wake Forest. It's called the Bubble for a reason, my friends.  Sorority functions, going to class, planning for abroad, planning a philanthropy event, staying up late with my friends, eating an absurd amount of frozen yogurt- life was young, and completely non-adult. I wore sweatpants to class one day. My thirties self, who is (fingers-crossed) employed will look back on that day with envy. 

(Side-note: My hometown, Mountain Brook, is also referred to as the Bubble...so I like bubbles, sue me)

But then...it came time to celebrate the senior class.  Towards the end of spring semester, it seems that every other day you are celebrating some group of seniors.  No more kidding around, you have to face the fact they're leaving you and the Bubble because that's the way it works.  These celebrations are quintessentially bittersweet.  It's your classic reverse-sour-patch-kid moment: first it's sweet, and then it's sour. It's sweet when all of your friends come together and you realize how much you love everyone and how lucky you are to know them. It's sour when people start giving speeches and toasts to those graduating and your realize how much you love the seniors is an exact prediction of how much you're going to miss them. 

Guess what? I'm only two years behind these seniors. Thus, the QLC gets kicked up a notch. 

I know, I promise, I know that I will be fine. I do still have two more years of college ahead of me and, being realistic, I most likely have some grad school in my future (what's up Religion/English major).  Still, it's hard to shake that feeling of unpreparedness.  As my history grows, I feel like I don't have anywhere to put it. As if I'm trying to fit this big, bulky tapestry into my backpack when really, it's time I bought a suitcase. 

Here's to the next decade. Here's to having a mid-life crisis and wishing I could have a quarter life crisis in stead. Here's to the seniors graduating (please don't go) and here's to the good parts about getting older. Because, let's be honest, in just 5 short years I'll be able to rent a car and reserve a hotel room. Now that's living. 

Okay, now let's get back to studying.

Hydrated

Tonight was easily one of the best nights of my life.

That's why I can't sleep. My body is exhausted (I think), but the endorphins level I'm working with right now is keeping me up and happy!

Why was tonight so great you ask? First off, if you're asking that, it means you weren't at the first annual Hydrating Humanitate, and let me tell you- you missed out...big time. There were a cappella groups, student bands, raffle prizes, a dance-off, and pizzas on pizzas on pizzas!

Secondly, this is why: tonight Wake Forest students raised $4,212 to support the efforts of Hydrating Humanity. The goal was $3,500- enough to build a well in an Eastern Sub-Saharan African village- but THE GOAL WAS SURPASSED! Though that may not seem like a grand sum of money, the funds raised tonight will save lives. It's hard for us with access to clean water to imagine the impact this new well can and will have on the village it's constructed within.

And that leads me to my first thank you of the post...you know what, let's be real, I'm just going to start thanking people now.

THANK YOU WAKE STUDENTS! Every single one of you that brought a ticket is responsible for making the dream of this well a reality. And not just your ticket purchases- we also appreciate those of you who bought t-shirts, raffle prizes, and some who just gave flat out donations. We loved getting to see you all out and having fun tonight!

THANK YOU WAKE FOREST ADMINISTRATORS! As this was Hydrating Humanitate's first year, the committee and I had a few missteps, missed guidelines, and plain misunderstandings of the expectations for an event such as ours. That being said, Wake Forest administrators were incredibly forgiving, helpful, and enthusiastic about our cause. I know for a fact that tonight could not have happened without them and I am truly grateful. Specifically, I want to thank Mike Ford, Mary Gerardy, Ken Zick, Kathy Arnett, Jessica Wallace and (of course) our wonderful advisor, Billy Hamilton.

THANK YOU DANCERS! Guys, I know that for some of you, this event marked your first time participating in a choreographed dance...ever, BUT you all made the night. For those of you that missed it, we had 7 all male groups put on quite the show. They shook, spun, and swiveled for the hundreds of Wake students in the crowd! Our celebrity judges (Dr. Billy Hamilton, Quarterback Tanner Price, and Homecoming King and Queen, Storm Saponaro and Mo Earley) did a fabulous job voting and commenting on each dance. A special shout out to the men of SAE for being the first ever victors of the Hydrating Humanitate all male dance-off!

THANK YOU FACILITIES AND ED POINDEXTER! The lights, the sound, the water, the hot chocolate, and, yes, even the beer- this is all due to the wonderful help and expertise of WFU facilities and Ed Poindexter. I don't know a thing about any of these areas, so to say I'm grateful really doesn't cover it.

THANK YOU MOM AND DAD! They did, in fact, donate a keg to this event. I'm not sure how thrilled they'll be with me sharing this information...oops...

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS! We had around 35 amazing, incredible, proactive volunteers sign up to help with the actual night of Hydrating Humanitate. I wish I could hug each of you right now because without your help, tonight could not have gone half as well....nay, a third as well. These students sacrificed their night to support our cause and I remain impressed with how skillfully they completed all of their tasks.


THANK YOU EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS! Wow, where do I even begin? Just to set the stage for you all, John Lineberger (my fellow co-chair) and I came to these 10 other sophomores in September. We told them we wanted to raise money in the spring for a non-profit called Hydrating Humanity, and we would like them to be a part of it....that's all we had. These people did not hesitate to say yes.  I knew John and I were recruiting some talented students, but I had no idea just how perfect each of them would be for their job. They went above and beyond our expectations. They dealt with constant curve balls from me and John, but took all of it with a smile. I love them all as friends, but also respect them as co-workers. I know they probably got annoyed with constant emails, text messages, and phone calls always asking them to do yet another task, but they rose to the occasion perfectly. Each person had multiple jobs, but they made it look easy. The executive committee was the heart of the planning for tonight and I'm still trying to figure out how to show them my appreciation.

and, naturally THANK YOU JOHN! I could not have asked for a better co-chair to work with. For those of you that know me, I can get a little carried away with stress at times, and no one deals with stress better than John. He calmed me down, and was able to remind me that everything was going to come together (spoiler: it did!!). His leadership was key to the success of tonight, and if you see him please Congratulate him on a job well done.


All I have to say now is...I can't wait until next year!