I love it when the sun is shining, faces are smiling, and good vibes are all around.

Here are some events/activities that happened recently that fulfilled those requirements:

I explored Creve Coeur Park with these lovely people (Iris, Carlos, Ben, and Bryar who isn't pictured).

Fontbonne Current Students and Alumni got together to volunteer at City Seeds Urban Farm with Gateway Greening.

I got to visit Grant's Farm for the first time with a group of Students and Residence Hall Association.

We even got to feed baby goats at Grant's Farm!

Enjoying a spur of the moment picnic at Oak Knoll Park!

Having some picture-taking fun in Medaille Meadow on campus.

Peace, Love, & Beautiful Weather.

It’s crazy that winter break is already over. It seems like just yesterday I was walking out of my last exam, and now it’s 2013! A part of me just cannot believe how fast time is passing. But I’m excited for this semester, and I feel it will be full of a lot of surprises. I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing break. I know I did. My best friend returned home from a semester of studying abroad, and I was able to see all my friends who go to school out of state. I would have to say the best part of break was spending some much needed time with my family.

It was right around this time last year that I made my very first trip ever to St. Louis. I was in the midst of figuring out what to do with my life. My options were a couple of drastically different directions. Long story short, I could play it safe and stay on the east coast (where I was born and raised), or I could spread my wings and try living in a new city. Needless to say, I was beyond torn. I wanted to stay close to my family and my friends, but I also wanted to gain some life experience by living in a city and exploring a different part of the country.

My parents and I flew into St. Louis for a two-day visit. One day consisted of my interview at Fontbonne and one day consisted of tourism and sight seeing. I remember my initial drive into St. Louis. I looked to the right and to the left. Saying something along the lines of “what’s with all the brick houses?” I slumped down in my seat to adjust the radio dial. I look back and think of myself as a bungee jumper. I was standing on the ledge, gripping onto my bungee with white knuckles. Looking down, I could only see how far the jump was and how jagged the rocks below appeared. Over the course of the next two days, I dominated my interview, ate some delicious BBQ, meandered my way through Forest Park, dipped my toes in the Mississippi River (that’s a big deal for an East Coaster!), and stood below the Gateway to the West. The bungee jumper in me began to embrace the cool breeze on my face, the beauty of the view, and the exhilaration of the moment. I realized that St. Louis has charm, beauty, history, pride, and culture. As my eyes slowly came into focus, I noticed that the trees throughout the city were magnificently exploding in pink and purple flowers. The brick architecture that I once mocked suddenly seemed to play a role in the distinct flavor of the city. After those two days, I became hooked–my inner bungee jumper took a fateful leap.

I am falling in love with St. Louis, particularly in the spring. Whenever I walk beneath the flowering trees, I am reminded of the decision I made around this time last year. I’m grateful to be here, and I’m grateful for my surroundings. I always try to slow my pace and absorb not only the beauty of the trees, but to also take note of the message that they so naturally emanate: I am exactly where I want to be.

Psssstt…hey you! Guess what? IT’S SPRING TIME! Maybe it’s not calendar-official, but with the dogwoods in full bloom and green grass everywhere and temps in the 70s and 80s – 80s! – I’m declaring it springtime in the STL. I even saw a bunny rabbit munching on some grass today, which reminded me of the approaching Easter holiday. This week is Spring Break, and the season is just right for some R and R (but, really, everyone I know has a ton of work to get done next week…) Hope you can find some time to enjoy the nice weather!

This week has had the most beautiful weather! Every day, students have been out in the Meadow hanging out, doing homework, and being very active. Everyone is enjoying this weather!

On Monday, I  attempted to get some homework done, but it was too nice out to focus, so I just enjoyed the sunshine. I decided to drive home and get my soccer ball, volleyball, football, and softball gloves and balls so that later this week, and after break, I have things to do when it is this nice out!

Tuesday was the BIG Spring Event! There were all sorts of games going on, including ladder golf and bag toss. There were also drinks and frozen yogurt available. A lot of people showed up for that and it was a great deal of fun!

Wednesday, yesterday, a couple friends and I decided to play soccer in the Meadow, and it turned into this huge circle that took up the entire Meadow. It had to disperse because well over half of us had class at 1, but after class, some of us went back out and picked it right back up. It was a lot of fun!

I am so excited for this kind of weather, and I hope it stays for our Spring Break that begins this weekend!

And I can’t forget to wish you all a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  May the Luck of the Irish be with you!

Hello Everyone,

So this week I just wanted to point out how bipolar St. Louis weather is. Just the other day, it was pouring down rain and in the high 30s. NOW, it is 80 degrees, windy, sunny, humid, and everything else that comes with spring. The problem is… it ISN’T spring!!! By the time most of you read this it will most likely be thunder storming or a blizzard will be happening. Who knows!!! The point is, when you come to St. Louis, be prepared for anything. I, personally, do not bother separating my clothes for the seasons because St. Louis can have all four in one day! Don’t worry, though, it is not as bad as you think. You just keep moving forward without a care in the world. What is the craziest weather you’ve had in your life? It can be as tragic as a tornado or as beautiful as a spring day in the middle of winter. The worst weather I have been through was during a float trip on the Meramec. I was probably 9 or 10 and we decided to do the 10 mile float instead of the 6. Much to our regret, not even halfway through, the BIGGEST thunder storm fell right on top of us. It seemed like it came out of nowhere! The water was turning us every which way, I was freezing, and it took all of us to get to the check point and back to camp. I love thunder storms as much as the next person, but I didn’t want to be floating in one! On a brighter note, probably the best weather would be today. Everyone at Fontbonne takes advantage of the incredible weather. You can find a huge gathering in the meadow of people playing soccer, lacrosse, football, Frisbee, or just sitting around on the patio. Fontbonne’s atmosphere was a mixture of elation and anxiety for spring break to start. Luckily that is the end of this week! So enjoy the weather while you can and be prepared for the least expected! That weather app isn’t always right!!!

Jeanne

I thought I would take this week’s blog to discuss this unbelievably warm weather we are experiencing at Fontbonne. The past couple weeks have been consistently and unusually warm. Spring is on its way and one can surely tell on campus. The dull mood that occurs between the holiday season and spring has been lifted. Everyone on campus seems to be more cheerful than usual (perhaps this is because we are two weeks away from spring break). The Environmental Club is now offering bikes free to rent for students. I’ve seen a couple of people riding them around Clayton and back and it looks like so much fun! It sure would be a great way to kick off the spring season. Maybe I will rent one soon. The warm weather does not reflect on the class size though. Fontbonne students are dedicated no matter how nice it is outside and surprisingly everyone has still been in class. I cannot wait for it to get even warmer and spend my first spring at Fontbonne University! I see many trips to the zoo in my future!

Spring does not only bring warm weather but Spring Training for baseball. In the last blog I discussed the Cardinals, and here’s a little update: The Cardinals have played three games in the last three days. Many minor league, young players are being used. Lance Berkman has yet to play (he is on the lineup for tomorrow), and Freese and Holliday have only played one game. Nineteen year old Tyrell Jenkins pitched today, and I have to say I was impressed. He will surely be one to watch for the next few years. Unfortunately, we tied today and lost the previous two games. I am anxious to see how the team will play with all the veterans in the lineup. Only time will tell, but the first major league came is less than a month away! The excitement of spring continues!

Last weekend I brought my bicycle back from home. It is one of those remade old fashioned beach bikes with a basket. I thought that riding would be the perfect thing to do when the weather consistently stays a little warmer then it is now. I am really looking forward to riding it down Wydown and through Forest Park. I was walking up to my room a couple days ago and saw the flyer about renting bikes. If anyone needs a buddy to ride with, I would love to join you in the adventure.

School has been picking up due to Spring break coming around the bend. Riding a bicycle around to get some fresh air and exercise is a great way to relieve stress. Let your inner kid out and do something crazy; rent a bike from student affairs.

It’s weird that we’re so rapidly reaching the end of the school year. I can’t believe that we will be out of school a mere week from today!

Though this entire school year has been a great experience, I’d have to say that I’ve been having the most fun in the past few months. I’ve made a lot of great friends from the biology department this semester, and, though our rendition of “hanging out” usually involves studying, we did manage to have some fun. The BSO was definitely more active this semester than last; we took a field trip to the Butterfly House, and we had more random meetings, which are always very fun. Also, I, along with two of my very good friends, Dillon and Steph (both of whom are bio majors) finally took our unofficial field trip to the zoo that we had been talking about for a long time. While we were there, we were able to feed the stingrays and pet the sharks that had just arrived for their summer stay in Saint Louis.

Springfest, which was yesterday, also offered a lot of fun. The BSO sponsored a dunk tank in order to fund our gorilla adoptions. A few biology majors (including me!) got into the tank, and we even got three of our biology professors (Dr. Rayhel, Dr. Paine-Saunders, and Dr. Truong) to get in as well. Let’s just say that the straight-from-the-hose water was quite refreshing!

So, as we enter the ever-dreaded exam week, we’ll have some fun memories to look back on and a whole summer to look forward to.

One thing that I absolutely loved about high school was Spirit Week. The themed dress days, the pep rally, and of course, the Homecoming dance to wrap it up. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Fontbonne has a Spirit Week, too!

Of course, this being college, things are a little different. The activities are mostly things like a kickball tournament, volleyball game, or window painting. There aren’t any specific themed dress days (although there was a Cinco de Mayo party!) but one thing remains the same – the big finale!

Friday was the most exciting day of the week – Springfest! There were games and activities all day, and a live concert in the evening! It was great. SO much better than high school.