football and Fall Break

October 8th, 2004

Well, I have to admit that I'm ready for Fall Break. Mid-October means midterm season, and try as I might to finish readings for the semester in the library or Starbucks, I keep finding convenient ways to distract myself. Fall Break, a no class period next Monday and Tuesday, will at least separate me from the friends who provide the most common distraction.
It doesn't need to, though. Students were rewarded with Fall Break as an answer to their pleas for more study time at mid-semester - its official name is "Reading Days" - but quite a few students take advantage of it as a mini-vacation of sorts. My friend Jocelyn is driving to New York to visit friends, and I know a group of 3rd-years who are taking an impromtu trip to Montreal! I have my doubts that they'll do anything productive in terms of homework. Fall break just happens to land on the same weekend as the Chicago Marathon, which my sister is running in, and so I'm flying to Chicago for some laid-back city shopping and good Sicilian pizza. And to cheer her on in the marathon while wondering about the possible inadequacy of my "eh, if I feel like it" workout schedule.

This week has been too exciting to finish most of the work I aimed to have done for Fall Break. Last night we played Clemson in football and won 30-10. The scene was unbelievable. Though a Thursday night game - technically a school night - most students had few things due because of the upcoming break and so the turnout was awesome. Craig Littlepage, our Athletic Director, invited me to join him in his private box for this game as a return favor for a presentation I gave to the ACC directors last fall. That is certainly NOT a typical football game; don't be fooled! My friend Erin and I had a blast in Mr. Littlepage's suite, eating chicken wings and watching the game sitting down (for once - I usually stand for the whole thing). I've got to add that aside from hanging out with some interesting people and calling friends from the box, one of the most exciting moments was meeting Charlottesville resident John Grisham. Erin and I were very proud of ourselves for keeping it cool, as if we meet best-selling authors every day. We were bouncing off the walls after the game, and I found it very difficult to sit at my computer to finish an American Studies paper when I could hear everybody celebrating at the restaurants on the Corner from my bedroom window.

Tonight, my friends that are staying in town are driving to see Bruce Hornsby perform at nearby Hamden-Sydney before spending the weekend catching up on work. A couple of good friends have the same research paper due on Wednesday for Dean Ed Ayers class, "The Rise and Fall of the Slave South." Based entirely on primary documents, the papers need to incorporate years of microfilm in an analysis of their specific topics. I hear amazing things about Dean Ayers' lectures and would love to take the class next fall. Apparently the lines back up at the microfilm machines the day before the paper is due, so those smarter kids are taking advantage of the break to get a head start.

Off to finish packing and drive to Baltimore, where I'm flying out of Baltimore-Washington International Airport. It wouldn't kill me to read that paper one last time before I turn it in, too.

Shannon