I just attended a very powerful rally on campus against suicide and anti-gay comments that led five children under the age of 11 this year alone to commit suicide.
It was powerful. I’m not sure what to think of the fact that there have been 5 CHILDREN under the age of 11 that have committed suicide this year due to anti-gay comments directed towards them, two of which never specifically identifying themselves as homosexual.
[Right: Yellow ribbons are used to represent anti-suicide awareness and support for the cause of eliminating discrimination that leads to suicide attempts]
It was intense. There was an article read from the Des Moines Register. Sickening.
If another person is happy and living their life, who gives anyone the authority to judge someone else? This could sound like a rant from some college student on liberalism and socially progressive ideals, but danggit, it’s human dignity that’s at stake.
It’s children’s lives.
Such as Jaheem Herrera. Read here.
Warning, it is emotional, so please click if you are able.
Think about this. College is about finding out how you are, how you fit into the world.
If 11 year olds are having trouble with this, it’s bound to get harder.
Make sure when you are in college, you find your niche. Be yourself and go where you fit in. Don’t let anyone judge you for who you are- you deserve to be happy, and that’s what you should be.
Until next time,
Seanna
great because the raffle was at the end of the night and so anyone who hadn’t bought something in the store or the auction could use their tickets for the auction.
Tonight was our hall-wide event sponsored by the Hall Council and run by the Community Advisors of Buchanan. It was called Mocktail Night, and it was an educational program on college student drinking, with facts, quizzes, mock cocktails, or “mocktails” such as virgin strawberry daiquiris and pina coladas. I was the drink master of the night, whipping out cups and using blenders like a pro. 
HAWAIIAN PUNCH, and quarters with SODA, but also the educational information that went into the event. We were educating not only about drinking but also safety at parties, and other things. Community Advisors all had a bag of skittles, and if anyone left their “red party cup” unattended at the event, we dropped a “roofie,” i.e. a colored skittle into their drink. When they discovered the skittle, they were required to give us one of their Buchanan Bucks, which are “currency” that we pass out when you promote community, shows good grades to Community Advisors, or attend hall or floor events. We are having a Buchanan Auction on Sunday, so my post will talk about that then. 
board games, a ROOT beer pong tournament bracket, and a flippy cup tournament as well. We also provided dinner- we had Jeff’s Pizza [the BEST pizza in Ames] for $1 per 2 slices, and free drinks, fruit, cookies, chips, etc. It was really fun, and it was a great way to end the semester before Dead Week [the week before finals where no extracurricular activities are allowed to meet, to help for studying].
Time: 11:30 PM
I think he went out with the pit afterwards to Old Chicago or something!
In between performances in the Great Hall was “The Enigma,” a guy born Paul Lawrence, who has his entire body tattooed, and performs sideshow stunts. Some of the things he did were CRAZY, like eating fire, using a chainsaw to carve an apple in his assistant’s mouth [with himself blindfolded], eating glass, drinking through his nose and it, well, coming back out again . . . and more. It was interesting, but made me squirm. I guess that is the point [?]. Oh, and he also swallowed neon . . . what the heck!? 
Location: Fisher Theatre
Today was wonderful! I went on campus for lunch and had some AWESOME barbecue. There were students sitting all over campus, eating and talking. It was great to see faculty hanging out with students, people singing karaoke and dancing, and even children from the Lab School came out on central campus and danced and played, too! There was an inflatable National Guard Padded Fighting Pen, and people were dueling!! The comedian was hilarious! There were some good students, some not so funny students, and some interesting jokes, heh. 
