Richard's Blog

Communism... in the classroom?

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:18:00 PST

One of the best applications of learning here at Santa Clara is employing many times abstract and irrelevant topics to a contemporary issue. So imagine*. Karl Marx* the father of Communism* the creator of the Proletariat movement*what if was a Santa Clara Professor? Would you take his class? Would he have anything meaningful to say? Would he spark a revolution on the Mission Campus? These were some of the questions outlined in my last Political Philosophy class on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Half the room divided and supported for more communism to be taught at SCU, while the other half were in opposition and desired less communism in the classroom? Interests ranging from comprehending how former states like the Soviet Union and North Korea ticked in their communist agenda and openness to more political systems were the common reason for bring more communisms into the classroom. While focus on individuality and deterring away from our Jesuit ideal were the cons in decreasing communism in the classroom. From frequent shout outs that the US won the cold war to how AMERICAN we are, were frequent laughing moments amidst this serious topic. What do you think: would you be a student under Karl Marx? Such exercises allow us to learn from the book and then apply it in a way that is relevant to us. Just one of the many exercises that SCU professor try to make us think!

Dear Finals... I wish I could punch you in the face

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:53:00 PST

Sorry for being violent, but my constant rant on finals week must
continue. Three papers and one final separate me from lying around on a
beach, from dawn to dusk. Yes, such a difficult life. Before then, my
priority list includes: having a dialogue with Thomas More, Karl Marx,
Socrates, and John Locke, the cultural rise and demise of the Mughal,
Safavid, and Ottoman Empire, how Jewish was Jesus, and the importance of
love at a young age. Oh, did I say that I need to describe love in
another language besides English! Hello coffee, sleepless nights, and
cocooning myself in the library until Thursday at 2 PM. At that exact
hour, I will be able to jump for joy, run around in the Benson fountain,
and say good bye to 8AM classes! This could be epic. Wish me luck and
hopefully I’ll come out on the other side (hopefully on a sunny,
beautiful beach).

Weekend of Victories, Food, Pie, and Catching Up

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:47:00 PST

Memorial weekend brings out the best of Santa Clara students. From
camping to exploring new places in San Francisco to going home for the
long weekend, memorial weekend provides the appropriate time before
finals week takes over our lives. While a bunch of my friends planned
adventurous expeditions around California, I decided to return home. The
last time I stepped foot in good ole Oregon was during Christmas time
last year and how much I miss the green luscious trees and the great
tasting water. Plus having my best bud, Drew, running at the Oregon
State Track Meet was another plus for my weekend. After leaving early, I
began my trek up Interstate 5 to Eugene. There, on historic Hayward
field, I saw the finest Track and Field athletes in the state of Oregon.
One of those fine athletes, my friend Drew, brought home two state
titles to lead the Black Tornado to its first every trophy. I could be
more proud of how my best bud competed and bringing home two gold
medals. Driving 8 hours was all worth it in seeing my best friend
succeed and seeing all the hard work he put in pay off. After finishing
the festivities in Eugene, I headed home to my grandmas for a home
cooked Chinese meal. When you’re away from grandma’s home cooking for so
long, you forget how great food tastes. Instead of Safeway or Benson
meals, an authentic meal of steak, rice, noodles, and the random
combination of American and Chinese food filled my tummy. Next, a late
night with my good friends, Joey and Brady, allowed me to catch up in
their lives and what happened in the 541 when I was gone for a whole
five months. When you’re off in college, 6 hours away, you lose contact
and connection with your hometown. From former classmates getting
married to local businesses shutting down, so many things change and
happen when you’re away. But after a fun filled weekend of victories,
food, pie, and catching up, I had to go south on I5 and return to my
cushy life in the Clara. Now the only thing that separates me and summer
are three papers and one final. Wish me luck in the following weeks, but
with this past weekend I feel rejuvenated and ready to end my sophomore
year with a bang.

3 weeks.....

rzhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:26:00 PST

Time is counting down. 3 weeks separates me from freedom. 3 weeks is in the way from the conclusion of sophomore year. 3 weeks divides 2 years of college, said and done. How the time flies by. Before long, I’ll be out in the real world and fighting real battles. Forget the cushiness and comfort of the SCU community, hello real life world.

But before then, the lively events of spring quarter are ahead. One of the great things of participating in organizations, of any sort on campus, is the ability to make and meet new friends. The ability that SCU is able to attract a diverse campus can be seen through the various organizations that make Santa Clara great. One in particular, the Ambassador program, brings together a wealth of people from different backgrounds. But all share their love and joy for SCU. To be around a group of students who are so highly motivated is humbling and enjoyable. Some of my Ambassador friends I look to highly and only wish I could earn a fraction of their accomplishments.

After an amazing year of attracting the largest application pool in SCU history and the highest returns in deposits, the Undergraduate Admissions Office wanted to thank us for all of our hard work and dedication. They, repeatedly, give thanks for our devotion and providing a real life experience to prospective future students. Without us, SCU would not be able to grow as a university and attract such a diverse and enjoyable student population. So after a lovely meal at BJ’s, the hilarious rendition of senior stories, and the awarding of very special awards, the Ambassador program called it a year for the Class of 2014. Once these students step on campus, we will know that we made an impact in their decision to come to SCU that will change their life forever. Thank you to Ariel, Mike, Ryan, Caroline, Jack, and our other seniors in providing the perfect example of an SCU student: determined, encouraging, helpful, appreciative, and driven. You guys will do amazing things, I just can’t wait to hear about them!

Anxiety, Challenges, Colors.....

rzhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Wed, 19 May 2010 14:11:00 PST

Inclusion of Excellence; what comes to mind with these three simple words. How does acceptance create success? How can we as individuals succeed as a community? These questions were just of the few on the plate during my forum with other first generation college students of color.

As a campus of diversity, the Santa Clara population is made up of different races, socioeconomic backgrounds, lifestyles, and lives at home. In working with the Department of Student Life, a forum was held to find a smoother and better way to make the transition for first generation colleges easier. Instead of finding a solution, we discussed the expectations, the adversity, the challenges, the humiliation, the support, and the success of being a first generation college student of color. We, all, identified ourselves as being held to a higher purpose, being the beacon of hope for our immigrant families. Each one of us identified ourselves as the representative of minorities in every single classroom. At the same time, we identified the ignorance that exists in the classroom, dorm room, or library that we face everyday. Finally, we discussed how our parents were loving and supporting, but didn’t realize what we were actually going through during our time at SCU. The frustration, the anxiety, the pressure, and the expectations were common elements that linked us all together and made me realize that Santa Clara is so much more than a “rich white” school. It is a university of diverse backgrounds and situations, some of which I could never ever understand. Regardless who you are and where you come from, SCU provides a voice and hope to grow into the person you came as and the person you will become.

Avatar and a 12k race!?!?!?!?!?!?

rzhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:09:00 PST

Imagine: thousands of Santa Clara students boarding three trains. All dressed in fluorescent colors, scandalous arrangements, and who knows what ideas SCU students were thinking. All of this can only mean one thing: Bay to Breakers 2010. At the wee hours of 6 AM, thousands of SCU students spent one crazy, claustrophobic, and chaotic car ride down into the heart of the bay: San Francisco. Dubbed as one of the greatest foot races on earthy, Bay to Breakers has a party in the back. From your typical Avatar to a massive carrot to the hive of bumblebees, Bay to Breakers is practically Halloween at 8 AM and minus the candy. Students from Berkeley, Stanford, Santa Clara, and San Francisco State stormed the streets for a good old time. Bay to Breakers is a once in a lifetime event, which defines the Bay Area: an area of diversity and good times. From meeting new friends, old friends, reuniting with friends, and running the entire 12k race, a cold windy Sunday in San Francisco couldn’t be any better.

So I'm locked out of my dorm room with just a towel....

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:27:00 PST

There are moments in everyone’s lifetime known as “why me” moments. Laughing “why me” moments where you trip in front of a massive group of teenagers during a tour of SCU and you can’t help laughing that a squirrel tripped you up. Also, the furious “why me” moments when you’re walking through the grass, in front of Benson, and the sprinklers decide to hose you from head to toe before class. Then, there are those “why me” moments where you are flat out confused why your luck has turned on you, like when a flying bird does business on your English essay that you slaved for 20 straight hours beforehand. Yes, life is filled with moments where we wonder how we gotten ourselves into these situations,where we question how unlucky we actually are. From getting locked out of your dorm room while taking a shower to getting lost in San Francisco to fighting a cougar with a stick and stone, these moments may not be enjoyable when they’re taking place. But after time, they become greatmaterial to recite to your friends on a carefree Friday night.

5 weeks of torture

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Thu, 06 May 2010 15:15:00 PST

70 degree weather, sunny skies, birds are chirping, and the bathing suit is the most common form of clothing, what more can one ask for on a beautiful sunny day in Santa Clara, CA. Well, all of this is seen through a window, in a classroom while your teacher is attempting to throw Plato or Machiavelli down your throat. This might be torture. Not the Machiavelli part, but being in school when everything is gorgeous outside. Oh the dilemma of a college student!

Anyway, week 6 is upon us. 5 weeks until summer, 5 weeks of work, essays, and exams are the only thing stopping us from finally enjoying 3 blissful months of rest. No more late nights of studying, no more pop quizzes, and no more essays, until next year. But besides the countless hours in the classroom, library, or studying our lives away, SCU is the perfect backdrop for the occasional game of ultimate Frisbee, lounging around the pool, or night on the town. Before you know it, its 9 o’clock and you’ve got a 10 page essay due tomorrow. Awesome! I’ll survive, but if summer could get here a little quicker, it would be swell.

April showes bring Election hours!

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:29:00 PST

Extra, Extra, Extra, Read all about it! Yes, it’s that time of year. Where the chalk, snazzy photos, and every attempt to get your name out to the general SCU public is common on the Mission campus. So you’re wondering, what does all of this entail? April showers bring Election hours! April 27th is when we decide who should represent the student population in the government and internal affairs of the university.From president to VP, to Senate Chair to your average old senator, every seat is up for grabs. So who are the candidates and what do they represent.

Mosier and Le’s platform of “we run for you” takes roots in their cross country roots. This ticket details strengthening alumni ties with graduating classes which will lead to increased employment opportunities after graduation. Also, the likes of better cell phone service and a comprehensive organizational website that will link the entire university are also on the agenda.

Yu and Martini promote that “students support what they help to create”. In recognizing the diversity of organizations and encouraging all these groups and clubs, off and on campus, Yu and Martini call for greater collaboration and connection.

Finally, “Promoting the Spirit of SCU” is the catchphrase for Plescia and Morales tickets. They advocate for greater school spirit in athletic and non athletics organizations. From athletics, dance, ethnic clubs, and beyond, Plescia and Morales promote the support of all SCU students in all organizations.

Well, SCU students have their hands full on Tuesday. With so many qualified and inventive candidates, it might be a tough decision to make. This is all part of the democratic process and let the games begin.

So Mike Singletary saw me run

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:19:00 PST

Ask any runner and they’ll have a story for you. With each footstep,each mile, each breath, there’s a story to tell. From jumping fences to running away from the police, runners tend to have hilarious stories that non-runners would think are crazy. One of these stories involves me, my track team, and Mike Singletary. So you’re thinking, how are the head coach of the 49ers and the Santa Clara tracks team connected. Well, wouldn’t you want to know?

As we were warming up, stretching out, running drills, and getting ready for our weekly workout, a rather large man with 49ers logoed jacket came up to ask a few questions. As the avid sports fan on the team, Kevin Oliver was bouncing up and down. A devoted 49ers fan, Kevin could tell you every member of their defensive line and what prospective draft picks Singletary could pick from.

Mr. Singletary came by to ask which lanes we were using and before anyone could answer, Kevin dropped his two cents about who he thought was going to drop in the NFL draft for Singletary’s team. Luckily, Singletary was agreement. After deciding which lanes on the track would be used for us and for Mr. Singletary, we began our workout.

Only one lap into the workout, we were suddenly stopped by Singletary in an outraged manner. Just envision 12 skinny runners stopping dead halt in front of a massive NFL coach. Mad that we had broken our lane agreement, Mr. Singletary came up and asked why we had ventured in his lanes. Before long our coach, who was in no comparison of size to Singletary, calmed him down and realized where the confusion took place.

After almost coming into a fight with the 49ers head coach, scared crap-less, we re-began our workout without a finger touched by Mike Singletary.

It’s not every day you can say that you almost got into a fight with Mike Singletary. But hopefully, we will never say that we DID get into a fight with Mr. Singletary himself.

Whats that ruckus outside?....But I smell Hawaiian chicken!!!!

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:23:00 PST

Churros, Tacos, Noodles, Sushi, and Hawaiian chicken are mouthwatering treats that make any stomach grumble for joy. Flamingo dancing, hip hop, and the typical dunk tank are events that SCU students enjoy on any occasion. Combine both food and fun activities, then throw in a multicultural twist and you’ve got Global Village. Shutting down the entire Alameda, the festival represents ethnic diversity on campus and beyond. Global Village is a fun-filled day where SCU students realize the diversity that exists on our earth. Walking from booth to booth, the vibrant color, music, and culture of each individual group or display is amazing. Questions arise… how can you dance in that dress? What type of animal is that guy eating? How do they shake their hips like that? Where can I get that type of makeup? These questions enable SCU students to discover new forms of dress, new accessories, new foods, and even new games to play. All at the same time, you realize how SCU students are so invested in their culture and how it is such a big part of their lives. SCU students are proud to be Mexican, Philippine, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Gambian, Argentinean, and every ethnicity on the earth. Such diversity and culturally rich individuals makes SCU a campus of rich ideas, customs, and beliefs. But the one thing that unites us all is that we are all Broncos at heart as well.

Rain or Shine: the show must go on!

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:09:00 PST

There are times when you want to slam the alarm clock and sleep in until the sun rays creep in. There are times where its pitter pattering outside, without a blue sky in sight. There are times where it hails and down pours and if you go outside you’re going to get pelted. But regardless of the weather, the attitudes we had, or the time of the day,

Preview days had to go on. After a bizarre weekend of wind, rain droplets, and cloudy dark skies, nearly 2,000 high school seniors and their families stepped on campus for a real life Bronco experience.

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate but the Ambassadors and the amazing Undergraduate Admissions team dealt with the extreme conditions to brighten our visitor’s days if the weather didn’t. From the introduction speeches of the Father Engh and Michael Sexton to the amazing renditions of SCU Acapella group, the morning started with music, applause, and plenty of sweaters to bundle up for the rest of the day. As the nearly 2,000 visitors traversed throughout campus to discussions on the importance of the RLC system to real life robotic experiments to discussions of ethics, SCU was a place of information,intellectual growth, and warm faces on a gloomy weather day. Guests under umbrellas, ponchos, garbage bags, and whatever you can name it were helped by the lovely SCU Ambassadors with helping hands and warm smiles. Once lunch time came around, Bucky the Bronco, SCU cheer leaders, various organizations and clubs like Associated Students invited the guest to a complementary lunch. As the rain began to come down harder, the Bronco spirit grew and became louder. Rain couldn’t discourage this SCU event from going off successfully.

To all those guests that spent Saturday or Sunday with us, I thank you for this opportunity to meet the future class of 2014. Hopefully, my fellow Ambassadors, the Undergraduate admissions team, friends, supporters, and families of Santa Clara University left a lasting impression with you to join our family on the Mission Campus. Hey as much fun as you had on a dreary and rainy day, do you wonder how much fun you’ll have on a warm sunny 85 degree day on the SCU campus. Go Broncos!

Preview Days, here we come!

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:44:00 PST

Sunshine, flowers, Frisbees, and sun bathing describe SCU perfectly during the spring times. As the sun peeps after a long winter of dreary, rain, and overcast skies, SCU students are excited to finally starting sun bathing by the Leavey pool and on every possible patch of grass on campus. It’s like Baywatch but instead of the beach, we’ve got the Mission church. Asides from the good times outsides, spring quarters introduces tons of events on campus. This weekend, 2,000 eager SCU admitted students will come to campus and decide if this is where they will spend the rest of their life. It is an exciting and stressful time for any high school senior regardless of whatever school you are looking at. SCU provides the opportunity, with the lovely help of the Ambassadors on campus, to get a real glimpse of college life on the weekend of April 10th and 11th. As a member of the Ambassador organization, we go full out to make this an event a success. From having Bucky the Bronco and the pep band welcome our future broncos to exploring every possibility within the Business, Engineering, or Arts and Science schools on campus. Preview days is a fun-filled two days of seeing new faces, seeing new places, and realizing your future. The best feeling of all is making that impact on an unsure student realize that SCU is the perfect place for them. So I hope I see every single one of you guys at Preview days this weekend and get ready for a day you won’t forget.

Bio in History class?

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 14:48:00 PST

During my time at Santa Clara, some of the corkiest and downrightweirdest stories take place in the classroom at the most unpleasant times. One of these once of lifetime stories involved a confused and frightened bird during my Culture of Islam class. As I entered class, a deafening chirping welcomed me into class. Before long a helpless bird was flying through class in a sign of distress. This poor critter unfortunately attempted to find a place to lay her nest and only found chalkboards, desks, and a closed windowed room. The first several minutes of class were distracted by this mother bird in her attempts to escape the confines of O'Connor hall. As she attempted to escape through the open door, she banged her head on the upper class above the door and a heavy thud resonated through the room. Our visitors wanted to escape but didn't have the knowledge of how she should escape. For over 45 minutes, this creature tried over and over again but with no success.But finally after several failed attempts, off she went and with the cheers of the class followed to celebrate her escape. After the spectacle in my history class, a three day weekend was upon every SCU student. One of the bonuses of going to a catholic university is the cancelation of classes for Good Friday. In honoring our lord, the campus becomes focused on our lord with services available to the entire public on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for Easter. This weekend in devotion toward our lord is another example of the religion on campus and our identity as a Catholic university. This identity also devotes and encourages its students to not only religion, but ethics, history, society, science, literature and so much more. The university*s goal to teach each student to become "global citizens" is a based on the plethora of diverse classes and perspectives that you will be introduced to on Santa Clara's campus. This unique education and experience cannot be replicated at other universities but only at SCU.

Beach runs, funnel cakes, cartwheels and more

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:09:00 PST

Spring Break: sunshine, beaches, tans, and water. All of these nouns describe a perfect week away from books, professors, exams, and essays. Who: Me. What: the Beach. Where: Santa Cruz, CA. When: Spring Break 2010. One of the best parts of going to school in California is the opportunity to lounge around on beautiful California beaches. Just a ride down the 17, Austin, Robbie, Oli, Matt, Erin, Chris, Rebecca, Marcos, Kenji, and I embarked on our joyous trip away from campus. After a pleasant 90 minute run in the serene Nicene Park, we headed to the world famous Santa Cruz boardwalk. Icees, corndogs, funnel cakes, and vanilla cones were the nutritious treats that all of us indulged in. After taking in these festive foods, five hours of bronzing, tanning, and laziness was on the plate for all of us. From cartwheels, beach running, football, and sand castles described our lovely day on the beach. But all good things must come to an end and our day adventure in Santa Cruz had to come to an end. After a stressful week of exams, papers, and long sleepless nights, the healthy dose of sunshine and beach cures up every college student.

5:30 AM and my computer breaks during finals week... crap!

blogscu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:05:00 PST

Finals week is a glorious week of coffee, broken morals, and hysterical college students. 4 finals or papers crammed into one gut wrenching week is already hard enough for the head to comprehend. But throw in a broken laptop screen and your week might be a doozy.

I was fortunate enough to have my finals spaced enough that no mental breakdowns would ensue. But staying up until 5:30 in the morning on a Thursday night is not one of that I wish to spend my evening.

5:30 AM: Printed by 15 page paper (which I started 15 hours beforehand. Procrastination at its best)

5:32 AM: Laptop screen goes black and laptop charger doesn’t work.

Luckily amongst all of these sleep deprivation and was able to print my paper. Luckily my computer died minutes after my paper. Luckily I didn’t pee my pants if I didn’t print my paper before my computer crashed. Luckily I got an A in the class and the 15 hours were well worth it.

Now spring break is here: beaches, tanning, and sun are on the horizon. This is a great escape from the hectic week of finals week and I’ll get back to everyone on the inevitable adventures of spring break. Hopefully no broken computers can ruin this week.

From the Track to the Birthday

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:29:00 PST

After nearly 13 hours of bus rides, track meets, and sitting, you would think I would be wiped after a long day in good ole Turlock, CA. Once the bronco victory bus rolled into the Leavey Center, my focus had been on one thing, actually multiple things. Shower, get dressed to be classy, and spend an amazing night with some of my best friends. So let’s backtrack. Birthday dinner with some of the 10 most special people in my life was the plan on the first weekend of March. Pasta Pomodoro was the setting. After arriving dressed up in style, getting pleasant smiles and looks from our fellow patrons, we took our seats for an amazing night of conversation, funny stories, and amazing recollections. From how one button can define humanity to how obscenely rude Leah’s DET exam teacher was to how amazing Shudder Island was to how amazingly cute Leonardo de Caprio is, our conversations ranged different topics. But being together with few of my best friends, celebrating the birthdays of Albenis, Caitlyn, and me, I couldn’t ask for a better night. All of this ended with one splendid brownie puck to share between the birthday boys and girls. Before long, the employees of Pasta were asking us to leave after the 11 o’clock closing time. We had spent two and half hours in deep conversation, laughs, and discussion that we lost track of time. This night was filled with laughter, tears, spontaneous calling outs, food, hugs, and classic style that I will never forget. It is only until next year that we can do it all over again.

Forget those powerpoints...

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:52:00 PST

College is the time of advancements, innovation, and learning. When you take it seat in a Santa Clara classroom, forget boring powerpoints, stupid cardboard reports, and monotone speeches. But say hello to snazzy online classes and real-life simulations. Case in point is my Technology and Communication class. The primary theme of the class is to how technology affects communication and society and vice versa. One of the innovative ways how the class is taught is through a periodical online class format. Think of 30 plus students discussing on topics ranging from what is appropriate to put on facebook to how private our online lives really are. Some of the advantages, besides not going to a physical class room and taking a class in your pjs, are that we as students are able to use the medium of technology enrich our college experience.

My next snazzy class room experience is a Conflict Resolution Simulation. Imagine, you are Israel and now you must decide how you are going to go about with the Palestinian-Israeli crisis. Even with little political background, this is no easy task. But with our simulation, each individual in the class takes a role of president, prime minister, or foreign minister and attempt to solve the current problems of our generation. The Middle East is an area where decisions will make or break the region. With the simulation, my classmates and I are able to think like a Syrian, Israeli, or Egyptian and try to solve the problems of the Golan Heights, US withdrawal in Iraq, or the continuing nuclear research in Iran. Scary stuff, but our ability to replicate these real life scenarios makes class so much more enriching and fun. I’ve heard worse comes worse, just bomb everything. Just kidding. Happy March and to those high school seniors, hope those application letters are coming in handfuls. Just two months until you make the biggest decision of your life. No big deal, stay cool and let your heart choose the right school.

When the parents come in to town...

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:46:00 PST

Parents Weekend is a bittersweet event. A massive influx of parent parade on to campus and see what they money is doing. But students learn that they actually have to see their parents again. I’m joking about seeing your parents again, but it a great weekend where families are able to reconnect again. From showing how extraordinary our library is to those exquisite meals in Benson, parents and families alike are able to experience everyday SCU life like their own children. Maybe it rekindles old memories of college days or introduces new experiences; Parents Weekend is an escape into the lives of their children which they dearly miss. Plus, one great aspect of Parents Weekend is having your friend’s parents buy you dinner and bringing you out of the confines of your dorm room. Hey I would do anything for some Olive Garden or a nice juicy steak. But the greatest thing about Parents Weekend is hearing the stories of former alumni parents reliving the days of yesteryear. Going to the Hut and spending a grand old time with your children or heading to the Mission Gardens for a lovely picnic. Once a Bronco, always a Bronco.

Dance like you're in high school

RZhu@scu.edu (Richard Zhu) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:38:00 PST

The days of corsages, awkward prom pictures, and limo rides are the past, living in the yesteryears of high school. The great times of dancing the night away with some of your best friends for one final hurrah in a sweating and clammy are my fondest memories during my time in high school.

With the help of the Communita’s RLC, those memories of high school bliss are rekindled with Dormal Formal. Minus the tux, pricy limos, unnecessary flower arrangements, and awkward slow dancing, dormal formal is a great event where you and your friends are able to dance the night away. Crappy music and the occasional silence between songs are trademarks aspects of Dormal Formal. But to be able to get dressed up without the drama that surrounds prom, with some of your best friends is a night to remember.