Classic Bev

IS Monday is still a blur, it all happened so fast!!! The march was probably the best part, there was so much electricity and energy. Once the pipers started playing, the crowd went nuts. Dean Garg, our Dean of Faculty, led us around campus in her full academic regalia holding a Tootsie Roll banner and followed by the bag pipers. The best part? Everyone lining the walkways. It was the most surreal experience of my life. All of my friends were there, my professors, all of my coworkers, the entire student body cheering and waving signs…::sigh:: it was amazing. Greatest rush of my life. We walk through Kauke Arch to the south end of the mall and then loop around on our way to Kittridge, which is where the IS pizza party is held. The administration is there, a good number of faculty, plus free pizza, which is always a plus. After that, I’ll be honest, I went to sleep. Most seniors don’t make it past about 8:00pm, the sheer fatigue from working so hard on IS and finally turning it in does most of us in. I woke up at 9 the next morning, so yeah…I was tired. Well-rested now though!

So as I look back to Monday, I can’t even really believe I’m still done. I’m actually in DC right now visiting my sister and brother-in-law with Gump (she’s visiting a Peanut alum). My sister is due in early May so I’m the family ambassador to her baby shower, which was so much fun. I wouldn’t have been able to go if IS had been due this Monday, but with IS over, I’m as free as a bird! (Not quite, but I certainly feel that way) Everyone is getting their assignment dates for oral defenses; I haven’t gotten mine yet, but it’s pretty simple since I only have two professors in my department. The way IS works after you turn it in is that you’re assigned a second reader, who ultimately gives your grade. Most people are getting their assignments now because each department has to sort out second readers and get on top of all of their majors. Classics, on the other hand, only has three seniors and two professors, so it’s a lot easier.

I heard at work that they had an IS celebration here in DC on Monday. I think that’s so cool, I love that IS continues to be a meaningful experience. I was talking to a coworker who is a Wooster alum who said that when he and his college friends get together, they still talk about IS. I hope that’s me in a few years—I loved my IS topic so much and I actually can’t wait to defend it. I know that sounds weird, but oral defense is the part of IS that makes me the least nervous. I love speaking in front of people, I love my topic, and I know it inside out.

In Wooster, they had a big spirit weekend to celebrate IS. There was a huge bonfire on Friday night where seniors got to throw in all of their drafts and any other random IS-related materials. Last night was the Mr. Wooster pageant, our first year for the event and a huge success from what I hear. My friend Alex got first runner-up, so I’m pretty sure there’s some free Chipotle in that prize somewhere. I’ll have to investigate…

I’m off to pack up and drive back to Wooster, there’s a huge admitted students visit day tomorrow and I’m sitting on one of the panels. I hope I get to meet a good number of them, these visit days are how I decided on Wooster. I went to the overnight one during the middle of April and literally sent in my check the next day. Four years later…pretty happy I did