UC Celebration at Patriot Days!

On April 16, there was the UC Celebration for Patriot Days. When I saw the flyer talking about the mini food show and the caricature artist, I got ridiculously excited. Freshman year, we had an artist who would draw people’s backsides! I love the variety of events that UT Tyler brings to our campus. There was so much great energy in the UC.

#no filter #foodie

-I stood in line and got some Ciobani Greek Yogurt, along with some delicious Arizona tea. There was some really neat food, like the potato balls. Those made me so excited, but when I got up there, they were all gone. That means that they must have been absolutely delicious!

Land in a spot and get a discount? Don't mind if I do!

-One of my favorite things was the Bookstore Twister game. I saw brightly colored spots on the ground with different percentages. The point of the game was to throw the eagle and have it land on a discount spot. My aim was so great that I got a 20% discount off any item in the bookstore!

Always say yes to a free smoothie and t-shirt

-There was also a Fitness Expo, where we got a ‘passport’ with different fitness challenges like flexibility and vertical jumps. If you completed all of the fitness checks, you got a stamp in each category. I found out that when you get all the stamps from each station, you could win a free t-shirt! Also, there were free smoothies. I was completely sold. I love smoothies!

Noms for Humanity!

-Humans vs. Zombies registration is up and running! They were having a bake sale in the hallway by the One Stop Shop. With treats like cookie brownies, cheese biscuits, and brain shaped jelly cupcakes, it is clear who the favored winner is. Grab your Nerf gun and get ready to fight for humanity! 

It was so great to see so many people celebrating in one place and being excited to be patriots. Nothing brings people together like free food and loud music (: If you missed it this semester, that's okay! There will be another one next semester and it is going to be fun too!

Japan: A Culinary Enrichment Experience

Here at our fine campus, the Center for Global Education via the GATE (Global Awareness Through Education) Program has been offering an awesome experience every semester for foodies in an event called Foods of the World.

So far, we’ve had three other events like this one, each of which featured desserts, street foods, and high tea. This semester, in light of the impending trip to Japan that the GATE 13’ students are about to undertake, we partook in delectable dishes that one would expect to see on a visit to the country.

There were many interesting things to try that evening, all foods being catered from the local Japanese restaurant Yamato (Which I recommend to any fan of Japanese cuisine).  Some of the selection included:

• Udon Noodles
• Fried Rice
• A selection of cooked sushi, including crunch shrimp rolls, citrusy fish rolls, California rolls, cream cheese and crab rolls, among others
• Vegetable tempura
• Chicken tempura (A dish that a Japanese woman declared to be decidedly non-traditional)

Unfortunately, none of the raw delicacies that are so trademark in the Japanese culture were able to be offered simply because it was difficult to plan it out and keep it safe to eat.

The event took place in the UC Theatre lobby area, where plates, napkins, chopsticks, and seating were provided and the event was free to the public! It was a really fun experience to try new and delicious foods from a country that has always held my interest.

If you’re as much of a fan of new cultural culinary experiences, don’t miss out on this bi-annual occurrence. I have no idea what the next one will have in store, but I can guarantee that you won’t want to miss it!

Forever Alone!

          So today is Valentine's Day here at UT Tyler, and love is in the air. Unfortunately for me, I am left yet again single on this one horrific day of the year. Like most people left single on Valentine's Day, I despise everything that has to do with love today.
          Well, that's not completely true. I do enjoy receiving candy and chocolate and food! So anytime somebody offers any of the above things to me, I quickly accept and consume. But hey, I always convince myself that "It will be different next year, Chandler. I Promise." But every year always turns out to be the same. Only this year, I can't even get candy from my parents. But hey, I won't let that bring me down! So far, today has turned out to be one of the better Thursdays of the year so far!

          In the words of my history professor, "Valentine's Day doesn't always have to be about romantic love!! It can also be about the love that you have for your friends and family!" And I totally agree. If couples can express their love for one another, then why can't I say how I love my friends? After all, it IS Valentines Day! So just so all of my friends know, I love you.
          Later tonight, the staff and RA's at O-Hall are throwing a Singles Party, or otherwise known as a "Forever Alone Party." It starts at 8 pm, and they will be celebrating being single by playing games, eating food, and watching movies with other single people! Everyone will be together alone! :) Hope all of you singles out there can make it!
And I'd like to thank Megan E. Allen for bringing us pizza and Valentines cards! :D

Tell us how you're spending your Valentines Day this year! Leave a comment below!

~The Aftermath of UT Tyler Homecoming~

                 Last week was homecoming week, and it was crazy. Every day, there were different things to do. Homecoming was one of the favorite weeks of the semester, no doubt. Some of my favorite things were Patriot Idol, Patriot Madness, the soccer games, and Patriot Alley.
               Homecoming this year was a much needed week of fun to me. I love to have fun, and I love to hang out with people, so it was really a win-win situation for me! I even got free food at some places. Never turn down free food! You'll can never be let down. If it's free, you take it.

               Another good thing about last week was that the weather is changing, and the air is getting colder! I feel like it’s finally Autumn. On Saturday, we had our homecoming soccer games and Patriot Alley, and the weather was perfect! I love the way things are right now, and I want them to stay like this for a long time! At Patriot Alley, they had free food, games, and a helicopter!

                Later on, a hot air balloon came in, and people could get in and go up in the air! I was amazed at the sight, because I have never seen a hot air balloon in real life, ever. Earlier on during the day, the university hosted a family brunch. My mom and my sister Claire came to visit me, and it made my week so much better!               

                Altogether, Homecoming was amazing, and I’m definitely looking forward to next year’s homecoming! What did you think about homecoming, and what were some of your favorite things? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think!

Patriot Days

So, it's about that time of year again where we start kicking up activities around the University. What I mean is, we start our Patriot Days, which is a campus wide event spanning a week. There's a variety of things that go on during this week of the year. We've got Capture the Flag, baseball games, movies on the lawn, shows in the University Center, and all sorts of other stuff going on that you should really be trying to get to.

Unfortunately for me, I only have time to go to one or two events during Patriot Days every year, but I always make my way to the crawfish boil they have on the first day. And it's not just me. From what I've seen, it's one of the most popular events during Patriot Days. That may be because of the amazing buckets of crawfish, corn, and potatoes they serve, though. They usually play Zydeco music when they're serving the food, but today they had a band from Jacksonville, Florida called Son of a Bad Man play. They were a pretty good listen, if I do say so myself.

Anyway, there's still a full week of Patriot Days to go, so there'll be plenty of time for us to enjoy what's going on on campus. With any luck, I'll be able to see something before the week is out. If you want to see the whole Patriot Days schedule, go to http://www.uttyler.edu/sll/campusactivities/patriotdays.php.