Quinn's Beloit Life

I feel like I talk about my weekend more than anything else but it's also when most stuff happens. During the week I go to class, hang out at the library and work in Admissions. Sometimes a lecture or performance will break up the week but often they get pushed aside to write another paper or study for another exam.

Most of my week is mundane; I just don't know how many people really care about the great lecture Tom McBride gave today on semiotics, discourse and its relation to rhetoric and the Platonic archetypes. That sort of thing is right up my alley (heck, Tom even pointed me out for being a Rhetoric and Discourse major in front of the whole class).

Even my weekends are relatively mellow. I saw the comedian Rob Paravonian on Friday night (thanks programming board!) but otherwise I spent it painting my nails and watching Rushmore. Also that night was the Literary Ball hosted by Pocket Lint, the campus literary magazine. I attended last year but by the time I made it back to my room after seeing Rob Paravonian, it was nearly over. Alas, my Elizabeth Bennet dress will stay in the closet until it finds another use.

Saturday was low key as well. Sure, there was the Playaz Ball (an annual disco-themed party) but I stayed in to watch Sense and Sensibility and drink a pot of Earl Grey. We know how to party it up here at Beloit.

Sunday (was that only yesterday!??!) was busy, though. Starting Saturday afternoon I baked 4 dozen cupcakes to add to the other 10 dozen others had baked. Along with some campus Baha'is and local Baha'is, we hung out in front of Commons for 2 hours to raise awareness that there were Baha'is on campus! And it worked!

Or at least, all of the cupcakes were gone.

We gave out balloons, stickers, and informational pamphlets as well. Some people were happy enough to eat a free cupcake for breakfast while others eyed us more suspiciously, asking "What's the catch? What am I signing up for?" Apparently we're all cynics here!

Other than letting people know there are 5 Baha'is on campus this semester (2 are studying abroad), we also were letting people know that there was a Holy Day celebration that night! The founder of the Baha'i Faith, Bahá’u’lláh, was born on 12 Nov 1917 (190 years!). The local community (some even came from Janesville) were having some devotions before dinner. And since it's on a Sunday, people are always looking for a free meal. We had 4 students from the college come with us and hang out and eat dinner.

For Holy Days such as this, Baha'is are asked to take the day off work and school but I find that hard to do while at college -- it's why I'm in Admissions right now, writing this entry!

Also, my mom sent me a present to celebrate the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh! It's a (fake) sleeping puppy that breathes. It's partially cute, partially creepy (especially since it doesn't have an on/off switch).

Her name is Pumpkin.