The Cats

By Marissa Cianchetti

Since Christmas break is over and I am back in Kentucky, I have had the privilege to attend the last three Kentucky basketball games. First off, I should tell everyone that I don’t like basketball as much as football even though I know that basketball in this state is like a religion to some.

t is very hard for me to sit through a basketball game when my favorite team is down by 20 points, especially to Louisville. They won against Florida International on New Year’s Eve and had a very good performance which made the New Year even better. However, they lost against San Diego and Louisville. San Diego has an awful record and for the Cats to lose to them hurts their prestige as being the best program in the country.

To lose two out of three games at home, you have to think this is going to be one of the worst seasons in recent memory. I had a feeling they would lose to teams like North Carolina, Louisville and Indiana but not teams like San Diego and Gardner-Webb. I hope the Cats can pull it together for conference play and at least have a winning record.

Hope all had a great Christmas. Happy New Year to all!

Finals Week and the Chicago ice storm

By Marissa Cianchetti

First of all I just wanted to apologize for not writing a blog last week. Last week was finals at Centre, which was a rough week. It is my only week when I can forget about all my outside responsibilities. I can actually disappear into a black hole, which is also known as the library.

Finals are the most stressful time for any college student. For all my classes, I was on the border, so my finals decided my grades. I worked really hard and spent all my time in the library. After sitting in the library for nine hours, I started to go crazy.

Now that finals are finally over I have never been more relieved. I finally got to relax and do nothing for the past few days. Since Thursday I have done nothing but watch movies.

I also had the pleasure to go with Philip Hendrickson when he received the Kentucky Golf Association’s award for Kentucky Player of the Year. It was really fun to be able to go with Philip and his family to watch him win the award.

After going to the KGA awards ceremony, I was able to go home to Chicago to visit my family with one of my best friends. We made lots of plans for this week. However, we haven’t been able to do much of anything so far. It has been too cold, and also Monday and Tuesday we had a bit of an ice storm, so we can’t walk around downtown Chicago.

So far it has been really nice to see my family and spend lots of time with them, but I do miss Danville and cannot wait to get back!

Home truly is where the heart is

By Marissa Cianchetti

Most people at Centre are excited to go home for the holidays, and in some ways I am too. It’s not like I don’t love all my parents or the rest of my family back home, but I don’t share that same excitement, or the desire to spend a month at home for Christmas, or the five days for thanksgiving.

As I write this blog on the plane home to Chicago I really wouldn’t mind if I had to go back to Danville. I already miss my friends from Danville and the people who take care of me.

I especially miss Mrs. Hendrickson’s amazing home cooked dinners and hugs after I had a bad day of classes. I can only look back upon the past year and a half of living in Danville and smile realizing that is where home is.

It also makes me laugh because of the way perceptions change so much. When I first got to here or there, I thought this town was awful, it was so small and I thought it had nothing to offer me. (Now I actually think Danville is big and traffic downtown is awful!) I was ready to transfer and if I stayed I was gone, back to Chicago, the day I graduated.

Now I cannot imagine living anywhere else, I would love to raise my family here. My parents have to drag me home, even if it is just for four days. I cry when I leave the city every time, unless it’s a golf trip.

I guess I just wanted to thank everyone in Danville for making me a part of your family. I couldn’t have a picked a better place with better people. That’s what I am thankful for and of course my family. Oh, and that this plane ride is almost over!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Habitat for Humanity

By Mariessa Cianchetti

This past Saturday I had the chance to help build a house for habitat for humanity in Garrard County. This is one of the most memorable experiences I have had in college.

About 25 Greek Women from Centre went out to Lancaster early Saturday morning to help build this house. When we got there all that was up was the foundation and the frame of the house. Before lunch all the plywood walls were up and the holes for the windows were cut out.

When we left for lunch, at a local Church, we were ready to put the frame for the roof up. We ate this homemade lunch, with sandwiches, potato salad, chips, brownies and cookies. It was the best lunch and it felt especially rewarding after all the work we had put in earlier.

After lunch we went back to the worksite and helped lift the beams to put the roof up. We also put up weather stripping around the house to protect it from wind. Although we needed a lot of help because most of us had never even used a nail and a hammer, we got a lot of work done in the four hours there.

It was so amazing to meet the family who we were building this house for and how much it means to them. Without everyone who donated time they wouldn’t have a place like this. It brought a tear to most of our eyes seeing them and how much they appreciated our help.

Most of us, including myself, have been very lucky with what we have been given and to give so much back to this family is such a great feeling that I will never forget!

A win in the Chili Scramble

By Marissa Cianchetti

This past weekend I played in Old Bridge’s annual Chili Scramble. I had a lot of fun playing in the event not just because I got to see everyone I play with all summer, but also because my team won!

Golf scrambles may be one of my favorite activities because I am such an asset to my team. I get to play from the red tees at Old Bridge during scrambles, and on a lot of holes I can come pretty close to driving the green. I am also a pretty good putter, which is very important in golf scrambles.

On Saturday when we came in with a 15-under score, we thought we had done well, if not won. Another team with our assistant coach (at Centre College), Scott Bolin, also came in with 15-under. Since we tied, we had to have a playoff, starting on number one.

We both tied with a birdie on number one and went on to number two, which gave us such a distinct advantage since I can almost drive the green. Needless to say, we ended up winning that hole, and beating Scott’s team.

My team was pretty pumped, especially because we won gift certificates. I think I was even more excited because we beat Phil Hendrickson’s team, and our assistant coach’s team.

Now that the season is over, I have two scramble wins under my belt and look forward to summer and hopefully I can win more scrambles.

More stresses of College Life

By Marissa Cianchetti

Even though I am not in sports season, my life is still busy. I think I might actually be busier now than two months ago. Even though golf is over, I still have only made two parties, and one was because it was homecoming. The second, I went out for the Halloween party on Tuesday.

This will be the last time I go out for the rest of the semester. I think this year I have spread myself too thin and I am involved in too much. For example, I have sorority stuff to do; Big Brothers/Big Sisters; preparing for spring golf season; friends to see; and not to mention all my school work. Besides this week, for the rest of the semester I have a test or paper every week, and one week I have two tests and paper.

Talk about busy! I thought after golf season, I could get my social life back, but instead I feel I have less of a social life. I sit in my room or in the library for countless hours, doing work that never seems to end, until I can’t read anymore. At least during golf season I was doing homework with my team. Someday I know it will pay off. However, for the next two and a half years my schedule is going to be so tight since I am a double major and have almost the same amount of classes I need to take and slots I have left.

See, I have 19 classes I have to take to graduate and I have only 23 slots to fill. At Centre, since it such a small school, there is a lot of overlapping conflict, so I am on a strict schedule. Thinking about all this stuff makes my head spin, and makes my blood pressure go through the roof.

If I last through the next two years without a heart attack I will be very grateful, but then I will have to hope I get a job before I get kicked off my parent’s health insurance plan. This is all too much for me, and I also have to remember that I have to be practicing golf because if not my average will go up. I am not even sure if that’s possible because it is about as high as it can get right now.

Believe you me, as Dusty would say, I cannot wait for Christmas break.

Phil Hendrickson Day

By Marissa Cianchetti

October 23rd was officially named Philip Hendrickson Day.

Over the past several months I have gotten to know Phil, and even play golf with him.

One time when we played together he stopped playing so he could watch and help me. I guess you could say he was almost like a caddy.

Anyway, after getting to know Phil, I couldn’t think of a person who deserves this more than him and I think the majority of Danville would agree with me.

Phil is very dedicated to golf. He was worked very hard to accomplish everything that he has. When it comes to golf, he is one of the most driven people I have ever met and I admire him for that. With his talent and dedication, I am sure he will go far in life.

Not only is Phil an amazing golfer, he is one of the nicest guys. He would do anything for his friends as long as they “ask and don’t demand”.

So Phil, if you actually read this, I wanted to say congratulations on having your own day in Danville. Plus, I really wanted to write a blog about him, so when he is on TV I can say I wrote one about him before he was famous even though in Danville, he already is famous.

Beating Number 1 was an experience

By Marissa Cianchetti

This past weekend, over my fall break, I was privileged enough to go to the UK football game. Before the game I got to tailgate with a lot of cool Danville people and then see the game from some of the best seats since my friend’s family had season tickets. Our seats were right behind the end zone on the lower part of the stadium.

During the first part of the game some people were sure, not me since I have faith in the Cats, that we were going to leave at halftime. Sure enough they were wrong because the Cats were playing great.

After three overtimes we finally won and it was one amazing celebration. Some people around us cried, others just screamed and jumped, while others stood there in shock. I screamed until I couldn’t breathe, then got tackled by two people who are each twice the size of me.

It was one of the most amazing games to ever be at. Come to think about it, I think it was my first live college football game ever. It was so much fun to cheer on the Cats and watch them beat the number one team in college football. Being a Kentucky fan is a lifestyle and to watch them make history is one of the best experiences that I will never forget.

Sororities sometimes get a bad rap

By Marissa Cianchetti

I received an e-mail the other day from a friend defining sorority girls. It was from the urban dictionary. It starts off like this, “I am a sorostitute. I’m better than you and I know it. You can find me on campus in the SUV my daddy bought for me, rocking my Chanel sunglasses, North Face jacket, Nike Shox or Rainbow sandals. I never leave my sorority house without my letters somewhere on me…”

The definition continued by going into many inappropriate and untrue things about sorority girls and their actions. Although I was offended, I did get a laugh out of it. My roommate, on the other hand, did not find it funny at all.

Case in point: articles like this give sororities a really bad reputation that they don’t deserve. Yes, there is drama. What could anyone expect with a 100 girls in a room? However, we do many great things that would be impossible without such a big group of girls. For example, my sorority, Delta Delta Delta, donates millions of dollars to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital ever year. In two weeks, I have 35 letters due, addresses to my friends and family, asking them to help us raise money for St. Jude’s. At the main hospital in Memphis we even built a Tri-Delta wing, with money that we had raise nationally.

Another philanthropy we have is Big Brothers/Big Sisters. We even had a party that all the bigs and littles could come to with ice cream and games. I am a big sister to a girl in Danville which helps support our philanthropy.

The other week Tri Delts from UK, Transy and Centre came together and were the largest organization at the Race for the Cure in Lexington.

How would any of that be possible without sororities? We actually do more good than harm. I’m not saying a sorority is the most important thing, but the different philanthropies each sorority has receives a lot of money from the fundraising events we put on. Yes, we do gather socially and go out together. I see those formals as a reward for all the hard work we put into helping out others.

The Greek Women of Centre College are some of the most involved women on campus. They are a part of clubs, they do community service, they are on student government and there are athletes, along with supporting their Greek organization So the next time you hear about a negative going along with a sorority girl, remember that we actually do a lot of good.

Still at Centre - and still studying!

By Marissa Cianchetti

To the few people who read my blog,

Unfortunately this week’s blog will not be too exciting.

Apparently I have to study for my midterms. My professors told me if I spent too much time writing my blog and not enough time studying they would have to fail me.

If I failed, my dad would call me and say something along these lines, “You spend too much time partying Marissa Cianchetti and not enough time studying which is exactly why you failed your midterms.”

To which my response would be, “Dad, didn’t you read my last blog? I don’t even go out anymore.” Then he would tell me he doesn’t care and I need to study more.

Anyway, I need to get back to my studying so I can stay enrolled at Centre College, even though everyone thinks I transferred already.