Overheard in the Halls: Homecoming Edition

by Laura

Harold will be updating the blog with his Homecoming report shortly – but in the meantime, here’s a few highlights:

A Half-Century Club member after my own heart, commenting on a lecture about reading:

“For me the library is like the bar on Cheers – I go there because everybody knows my name.”

A library tour guide commenting on signs of the times:

“Students have been known to instant message the reference desk from about 40 feet away, so they can continue to multi-task while they wait for the info.”

A freshman proving that some things never change:

“Homecoming was lame, until we got to the free booze – and then, of course, it was AWE-some.”

An anxious kid sitting next to us at the very wet football game:

“Don’t worry.  I watched the news.  There isn’t going to be any thunder and lightening.”

(This kid then proceeded to ask Harold 5,000 questions, half of which centered on the effect of rain on the band’s instruments.  He became particularly alarmed when they announced that Nike was our official team sponsor.  As an NCUU fan, he looked down at his feet in dismay and resolved not to wear his own Nikes any longer.)

Football coaches emerge from the tunnel amid an impressive smoke effect.

I have only one thing to say about the game itself – the NCUU football team may have been chosen to ensure a Duke victory, but their marching band was fantastic.  Any band that has its own Michael Jackson impersonator gets my respect, clearly.

Also, coming back to campus you realize two things:

1. What an incredible experience you had, and how fortunate you were to be given the opportunity to be a Blue Devil, and, 
2. How much luckier the current students are – inevitably, the University will have made all sorts of upgrades since back in the day, when you attended.

What I was most jealous of – porch swings on the main walkway.  Seriously – how did I miss out on this??  I love a good porch swing!

I made us go sit on these at least five times, despite the surrounding puddles.

And, there’s a new part of the library called the Link, which is absolutely freaking amazing, even by non-dork standards.  It’s an experimental learning space with a video wall, chairs on wheels, voice thread and video equipment, mobile white boards, numerous flat screens to project laptop images during group work, and classrooms with game-show style clickers for answering impromptu quiz questions.

Funky chairs in the Link meant to accommodate those who prefer to study in well-designed purple cushions.

Those of you who went to undergrad with me will be happy to hear that despite my recent affiliations, home is where the heart is.  D-U-K-E!