January Recap

The second semester got off to a cold but enjoyable start due to Intersession. Our guys learned new things in trips to Italy, Colorado, Chicago, and here at IMSA. The guys were greeted with Welcome Back kits of goodies and study snacks. We also enjoyed a Dominoes Wing Dinner when the windchill had gotten down to -46. It was a perfect excuse not to have to walk to Sodexo in that bone-chilling cold. Below are some of the highlights from January.

Laser Tag Outing 

On the evening of January 8th, twelve of us headed to Luigi's Pizza and Fun Center for an hour of laser tag. Made possible by the generous donations made to our Wing Fund, it was a fun evening of strategy, releasing pent-up energy from being stuck inside in the freezing cold, and chasing each other through a glow-in-the-dark obstacle course. The event was especially memorable for two of the Russian exchange students who were staying in 04 then and came along with our Wing. 

New Year's Goal Planning 

On the 13th, our Wing Guide, Leon Wang '15, led the Wing in identifying their 2014 Goals. A great deal of time was spent emphasizing the importance of making goals that were measurable and realistic. Each member of the Wing was asked to offer a goal they had in mind. A lot of them had to deal with academics, productivity, or their future college plans. Others dealt with reducing hours spent playing video games or increasing their sleep. Finally, the guys were asked to write these out on construction paper, and these were taped up in the Wing, as seen below, so as to be a reminder of their aspirations. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation 

        
On January 20th, IMSA put on a Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation celebration. A memorable event, several student skits and choral showcases were included that were well-liked by students. Several speakers shared thoughts with the campus about the importance of the day and today's relevance of the Civil Rights Movement. IMSA was very fortunate to welcome Civil Rights Leader, Dr. Julian Bond, as our keynote speaker. Heavily involved in the Movement, and personal friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Bond shared with the students the actions he took to promote equal rights for African Americans, including his recent 12-year tenure as the President of the NAACP. The remainder of the day was filled with breakout sessions and other events aimed at engaging the importance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s work and that of the Civil Rights Movement.

A photo op with Dr. Julian Bond.

Affirmation Program

The following night, on the 21st, I led the Wing in an affirmation exercise. Each of the Wing member's were asked to sit down in a circle and facing outward. 3-4 of the guys would be asked to be in the middle as I read out a series of statements. They all started with..."Reach out and touch someone who...", and ended with different statements, such as "you think is a leader", or "is a good friend", etc. As each of these statements were read, with roughly 30 in total, the students on the inside of the circle would gently tap the should of those in the circle they felt the statement applied to. This went on in shifts with each of the guys given an opportunity to be in the middle of the circle. Afterward, we discussed the activity. Many expressed how good it felt to know that others thought so positively of them. They also expressed how important it is to try and genuinely compliment another person, from time-to-time. I ended by stressing that in the middle of this dark and cold Winter, we can often feel down or under-appreciated. And therefore, reaching out to others, in this kind of way, can really improve someone's day. 

November/December Recap

November and December went by in a blur. With November being shortened with our Thanksgiving Break, and December being focused on Finals preparation, the guys of 04D certainly had their time taxed by competing obligations. Still, we found the time to have some fun and unwind some of the stress that comes with life at IMSA. 

Super Smash Tournament and Board Game Night

In early November, our Wing Guides, Evan Derse'14 and Leon Wang '15, organized a Super Smash tournament. Residents of the Wing were pitted against each other in a bracket as they fought each other in the popular Nintendo 64 multi-player video game "Super Smash Brothers". The tournament culminated on the evening of the 13th. As the bracket came to its close, those eliminated and those who did not enter the bracket came together and played a game of Lord of the Rings-themed RISK. In the end, one of our Seniors, Nick Golinvaux '14, won the Super Smash bracket. This event was a great way to prepare for the upcoming Wing Wars of 1504.


1504 Wing Wars

During the week of November 18th through November 21st, 1504 partook in the yearly Wing Wars. Modeled after many of the competitions that would be seen in March's "Clash of the Halls", Wing Wars aimed to bring each of the respective Wings together through a series of events. These included a Wing commercial, Dodgeball, League of Legends and Super Smash video game tournaments, a door decorating contest, a talent show, themed dress up days, and an RC trivia game. Every member of the Wing became involved in one way or another and D Wing was tied for 1st place throughout most of the week. In the end, however, we placed a close 3rd with the final two events deciding the outcome. Still, D-Wing earned more participation points than any other Wing and the week's festivities definitely showcased the impressive talents of our guys.

D-Wing vs. A-Wing in Dodgeball

With red being our Wing Color, a Communist theme was chosen for Wing Wars. 

Wing Wars Lavish Dinner

As a reward/incentive for placing 1st in each of the participation events that were held during Wing Wars, the guys knew that we would put on a "lavish" Wing Dinner shortly thereafter. (A 1st place finish would have resulted in a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings as my treat) And since they succeeded in meeting that participation challenge, on the 4th of December we had a large and enjoyable Wing Dinner. In addition to a plentiful amount of pizza and pop being available, the guys also enjoyed some brownie sundaes topped off with Oberweiss ice cream. The event was a big hit and it offered a great opportunity to relax for a little bit as they were gearing up for upcoming projects and papers. I would especially like to thank the Parker family for making the Wing Fund donation that made this event possible. 

December Dinner Date

In the final week of classes, we held our 2nd Dinner Date. Another formal affair, the guys of 04D were able to invite their own dates this time and enjoy their company as we had some great food and games. This time around the Wing prepared a large dish of spaghetti with sauce, garlic bread, and put out Christmas-themed desserts and hot cocoa. The big hit of the night, however, were the trays of sushi that students were able to enjoy. As picked out and prepared by Brennan Wakey '14, having sushi as an option majorly impressed our guests and dates. All and all, it was a very fun time that offered some relief from studying.

October Recap

During October, the guys enjoyed many Wing Dinners, courtesy of generous parents, and we had fun with activities both on and off-campus. Here are some of the highlights.


Starved Rock State Park

On Sunday, October 20th, I led a day trip to Starved Rock State Park. Justin Orr'16 and Cameron Hudgins'16 were able to attend along with another Sophomore, a girl from 1506. We enjoyed nearly four hours of hiking along beautiful paths and seeing some amazing Fall foliage and waterfalls. It was a welcome opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle from IMSA and enjoy what nature has to offer.

October Dinner Date

On the evening of Tuesday, October 22nd, 04D hosted its first Dinner Date. For this Dinner Date, each resident's roommate fixed him up with a date. The dinner, which was made possible by the generous donation of the Hudgins family, consisted of a Sarpino's pizza and pasta, salad, desserts, and drinks. The event last approximately two hours and a fun time was had by all. This offered an excellent opportunity for socializing with other peers and many board games were also enjoyed.

Two nights later, the 24th, the Mrs. Hudgins also treated the guys to a delicious Wing Dinner comprised of pulled pork, cheesy potatoes, salad, and drinks from their hometown BBQ joint. At no surprise, the food was a BIG hit with the guys and raised the spirits of many who had tests and projects due the next day.

The BBQ was a huge hit!

Pie Your RC

On the 29th, the 1504 Hall community, led by our Wing Guides and Community Developers, came together and put on a truly memorable event. The idea was simple: come to the Hall Commons and donate $1 to benefit the local Hesed House organization committed to ending homelessness. In exchange for that donation, the donor could take a paper plate full of whipped cream and pie their RC. This event also offered our Wing Guides and Community Developer up for being pied. The event was a great success and raised nearly $200 for the organization.

RCs Joe, John, Ish, and Eric lined up to get pied. 

RSLs Leon, Braden, Yash, Kyle, and Kent were popular targets.

September Recap

The guys in 04D have kept very busy. Between classes, sports, SIRs, extracurricular activities, and much more, it’s hard to imagine that they've had time for much else. Since our arrival in mid-August, the wing has had a number of events in the wing that has brought us closer together and proved to be a lot of fun. Below are a few of the events we had in September.

Sister Wing Proposal

After weeks of practicing, our guys performed a great rendition of “Careless Whisper” for the ladies in 02D, after 10-check on the 10th of September. This act featured Erik Nam’15 on guitar, Jon D’Souza’14 on saxophone, Daniel Collins’15 on keyboard, Elliott Krause’14 on stringed bass, and Guy Adelman’16 on tambourine. The proposal was a big hit and we are eager to hold events with the ladies of 02D throughout the year.

                                                     Sister Wing Proposal Practice


S’mores by Campfire

After 10-check on the 17th, the wing went out to the 05 slabs and enjoyed a campfire event, accompanied with S’mores, and followed by Frisbee. The wing enjoyed being outside the hall and taking a break from work.

                     William Drennan’16 and Leon Wang’15 enjoy some tasty S’mores at the campfire event.


Birthday Party

On the evening of the 24th, the mother of Omar Hafiz’15 hosted a wing dinner with food from Buffalo Wild Wings that also included cake and ice cream (from Oberweiss) in order to celebrate Omar’s 16th birthday. You should have seen the faces light up when they walked in and saw all that food. And boy did it go fast. Thanks to the Hafiz family!


Brother Wing Proposal

The next night, the 25th, our Wing went over and performed our Brother Wing proposal for 07D. It was a memorable event and a lot of practice went into pulling it off. Some snacks and socializing followed.

07D RC Kevin Lim thanks Wing Guide Evan Derse '14 for a truly memorable Brother Wing Proposal.