Study Breaks

Watching a track meet with some pretty awesome friends

Wow! It is crazy to think that it is May already, and that means that finals here at Coe are quickly approaching! There are only four days till finals start, which means that the last week has been pretty jam packed with studying! In this last week, I was also lucky enough to get to take a few pretty awesome study breaks! On monday, I actually got to go home and watch a track meet, and hangout with all of my great friends from home. It is always nice to be able to get away, especially during times like this, where the stress is overwhelming. While I was home, I got to eat some great food, and even help decorate a cake, before going on a downtown Naperville adventure!
The next day when I returned to Coe, I got back to intense studying, and working on Final projects. After all of this hard work, I again found myself needing a study break, So I headed to the our writing center, where I found a bunch of our freshman also in need of a break, we ended up goofing off and listening to some Taylor Swift ( I am in love with her) to get our minds off of finals. We also talked alot about all of our summer plans, which will be included in my next blog (Keep Reading!)

End of the best tour of Naperville ever!

Writing Center Family

Even though everyone here at Coe is stressed out about finals, I love the fact that we are all still close and able to work through our stress together. I am lucky to have a pretty great place to escape to back in Illinois, but I am also lucky to be surrounded by some amazing people here at school. I know that a week from now all of the finals will be over, and the study breaks and great relationships are what we will all remember years from now. I know I am lucky to have a great group around me, who are always willing to get breakfast together, or walk a block to the Dairy Queen, and I wouldn't trade that for anything, even if it meant not having to take finals ever again.
Until the Next Adventure, Ryan Rey

Flunk Day

All of us, with our free sunglasses!
 

Coe College has some pretty awesome traditions, but in my opinion our best tradition is one that happens once every spring semester; Flunk Day. Flunk day is a day on campus where our president rewards us for all of the hard work we have put in throughout the year, and suprises us by cancelling classes for a whole day! This years flunk day came on the first really nice day of the year, and it was beautiful outside! It was awesome to get to spend so much time just hanging out on the quad with everyone. There were alot of great activities on the quad, free food, sunglasses, bags, face painting and balloon animals, that we got to spend the whole day enjoying. It is really just cool to see how close everyone here at Coe really is, and I love how warm weather and cancelled classes really bring out the best in everyone!
Until the Next Adventure, Ryan Rey

Phi Kappa Tau Luau!

Hula Hoop!

Dj Lockdown!

This spring, our fraternity has been focusing on one huge event, and that is our Luau that took place yesterday in the PUB! It was the first time that we have done this Luau, so no one really knew what to expect, but it was a huge success. At our event, we had so many things to do, we had snocones, a limbo contest, a fashion show, a hula hoop contest, and a giant dance with a real DJ. It was really great to see so many Coe students come out and support us, and have an awesome night. I'm excited to see our Luau keep growing year after year, and hopefully continue to be more and more successful!

Until The Next Adventure,
Ryan Rey






Crazy Weekend!

       This weekend was one of the best, and most event

Gotta love free food!

filled weekends I have ever had in my LIFEEE! On thursday night, I went to Panchero's in town, where I got a free burrito! This was just the beginning, but it was clear that if my luck continued, it was going to be a great weekend.

Pretty impossible to turn down a chance to be here

        The next day, I had class, and it was a beautiful day on Coe's campus. After my classes, I went to practice, and then spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out with some close friends, and even got to see a really funny comedian, who came to perform at Coe. After the comedian, we all went to Jimmy Johns, where we were given about 15 extra loaves of bread! I also got a call from one of my close friends at home, who said that they had an extra Cubs ticket, and it was mine if I could get down to Chicago on Sunday. Being from a suburb of Chicago, there are a few things you learn immediately, and one of those things is that no matter how bad they are, or how many games out of the playoffs they are, there is no experience in the whole world that even comes close to a sunday afternoon game at the most beautiful ballpark in America, Wrigley Field. I immediately bought my mega bus ticket for sunday!
         The next morning, we had a meet at Luther College, in Decorah Iowa. I ran the mile and the 800, and I felt smoother racing than I had since I have been back, and overall, even though it was a little cold, we as a team had a great performance!  It was also great to get to explore Decorah a bit, and goof off with the team!

            That night was Presidential Ball, which is a giant dance that takes place in our gym, that the whole school and faculty all goes to. It was nice to get to dress up, and spend a little time with the whole school, before going to sleep really early, and preparing to spend my Sunday in the most beautiful place in America.

always great to get to see family!

         The next day, I woke up really early, and began my trip back home for the Cubs game. I arrived in the City pretty early that morning, and was able to get an awesome breakfast with my Family in the city, before taking the train to the game. It was great getting to spend that time with my family, and I love being only a few hours away from them. After breakfast, I went to Wrigley Field for the game, where I met up with my friends, and we watched an incredible Cubs game. Unfortunately they lost in extra innings, but I still have plenty of faith that this is their year! After the game, I ended up having a few free hours before having to head back. I am extremely lucky that I also have some great friends in the City. I ended up meeting with my friend, and we hung out and had some awesome pizza as she showed me how awesome going to school in the City really is.
  For me, what really sticks out about this whole trip for me is all of the thinking I did on the long car ride back. I love the city of Chicago, and I would love to maybe even study for a whole semester there. Coe is awesome because it has a program where students can study in Chicago for a whole semester, which is an opportunity I am definitely interested in exploring. It was great to get to be home, and see all of my family and friends. I am ready to get back to school, and begin focusing on my finals, as the end of the semester comes up.
Until the Next Adventure,
Ryan Rey
       

Picking Classes and Declaring my Major

         This week has been a really big (and stressful) week on campus! It is that time of the semester again, where everyone picks all of their classes for next semester. It is crazy to think that I will be a junior next year, it seems like just yesterday that I was coming to Coe as a freshman. Also to add some pressure to the situation, I guess that since I am a sophomore, it is time for me to officially declare my major!! One thing that is great about being at a school the size of Coe, is the personal attention that every student gets from teachers. Before I officially chose my major, I was lucky to get to meet with three different teachers, and my advisor, and sort of get their help on choosing the right one. After all of these meetings, I officially declared myself as a Business Administration and Environmental Studies double major, with minors in Economics and Politics. I am really excited to get to continue to take classes in all of the fields that really interest me. The classes I picked for next semester are Business Law, Human Resource Management, Money and Banking, and European Politcs! I can honestly not wait for next fall! Until then it is time to start buckling down, and then enjoying my May in Yellowstone! Keep reading!
Until the Next Adventure, Ryan Rey

First Race Back!

So good to be back!

This past saturday, we had our first outdoor track meet at Augustana! I was finally cleared to start racing, which means that this was my first race since conference for cross country, which was in October. Being injured has been pretty miserable, and there were even times where I thought about just giving up. Saturday morning came along, and we were pretty worried about the weather, but luckily it was mostly sunny, with just a little wind. My race wasn't until 4 in the afternoon, so I had some waiting to do! Like always, it was great to get to watch all of my other teammates race, and support them.


Awesome having a close friend supporting me at my first meet back<3



 At this meet, I was honestly more nervous than I have been in a very long time, what if my leg got worse? What if I couldnt even finish the race? What if I got last? When that gun finally went off and the race started, all of those stupid thoughts just became so trivial. In the past three months, I forgot how great it feels to race.  When I looked around during my 3k, I saw so many people cheering me on;  teammates, parents, coaches, and I realized how lucky I was to be a part of this team. Whether I am racing for a win, or racing to beat my own time, I know that I will always have  this great team and coaching staff behind me one hundred percent. I look forward to the rest of the season, and getting back into shape!
Until the Next Adventure, Ryan Rey






Still have some work to do!

 

Formals

Best looking family ever!

     One thing that is really exciting about the spring here at Coe is all of the different fun events! We have our Pres Ball, we have a giant concert, graduation, earth day dance and each greek organization has a formal. These past two weeks, I was lucky enough to get to go to two different Formals. The first weekend was my Formal, at the Clarion in Cedar Rapids. We all went swimming early (where i got to show off my life guarding skills). Afterwards we all got really dressed up, and went to a great dinner and dance. I loved getting to hang out with all of my brothers and their dates. Overall, after that formal we all learned two things, Phi Taus clean up really nice, and no matter what when you put 32 brothers together, we are going to have a great time!

Dinner table!

Kayliee

The next weekend I was lucky enough to get invited to the Alpha Sigma Alpha formal. This formal took place at the Marriot in Coralville, and unfortunately at this one, we didnt get to swim:( My teammates and I came straight from a track meet, and made it just in time for a great dinner. It was again a great night, with alot of great friends, and I already cant wait for formal season next year!

Best Friends since day 1

Until the Next Adventure, Ryan Rey

The 2 best tour guides in Coe history!