In Southwestern there are these things called Border Wars. They are basically a competition set up in such a way so that people contribute to the program and feel more like a team. This Border war was held against three different "org"s and we all drove to Memphis, TN for it. That was a four hour drive for me and my two roommates, but luckily I am a first year and I got to sleep on the way.
Our Org, Rubberband, ended up in second place -- so we didn't get pied. The first place org gets to throw a pie in the face of every member of the last place org -- regardless of whether you had your best week ever or what. There were so many people in the last place org that some people from our org got to pie people too. I threw pie! Wooo!
I ended up getting the highest number of hours worked for a first year during recognition. I was going for that, because I know that I don't really have everything in place just yet -- so I wanted to show that I am willing to put in a first-rate effort and at least give this program all that I've got.
Now that Border War is over we are going back into a more laid-back schedule again. That doesn't really mean much other than about 15 more minutes of sleep a night and normal work stats.
I think that this Border War thing was smart. It pushed us really hard to the point of nearly breaking (some people did seem to break -- quit) and then after a week when we go back to "normal" bookmen mode it actually feels like things got easier suddenly. So, now we are still going to work over 80 hours / week but it will feel suddenly easier.
Posted by David at May 31, 2004 09:15 AMOK, Pie-ing someone so rocks....I had to be repeatedly Pied as a youngster, for I was in a "play" where we competed against other schools and in the finale of the play I got a face full of whipped cream (which caused a great inner disdain for the topping for years to come). Actually I was pied by a magical wizard named "killer miller" who jumped out of the back of our cardboard car after we completed our mission of traveling through time ridding the world of polution...we came in 5th in states! I was the star of the production, which became a musical in which I was the main composer and choreographer...who knew I had such inner talents..haha
Posted by: JennJula at June 4, 2004 05:22 PM