The 60/40 Ratio At Its Finest

Next source of stress and anxiety: Valentine’s Day. Ladies, relax, he’ll ask you. Fellas, the pressure is on. You may have someone in mind, but you don’t know exactly where to go from there.

Well, aren’t you in luck?! Here we have some pointers on unique things to do around JMU’s beautiful campus. Day or night, we have scoped out some of the finest spots that suffice as date-material without emptying your pockets.

When the sun goes down…

First up is a classic: some chow. Downtown is a great place to go, filled with Harrisonburg gems such as Dave’s, Clementine’s, and Ham’s. Now I know it’s no D-Hall but it should do the trick. These places all have great atmosphere and are reasonably priced!

Come to campus and hit up Grafton to see what movies are playing! After dinner, you’ll probably have time to catch a 9pm showing. Only $2.50! $3 total if you want popcorn! Who says you have to spend big bucks on a date?

Some daytime digs…

Take a trip to the Dayton Farmer’s Market. Make a meal together! This is a great stop for picking up locally grown food. Not only can you cook, you’re concerned about the environment and sustainability as well! There are also local vendors selling unique gift items, toys, and jewelry!

JMU has its very own beautoretum, the Arb. Saturday afternoons in the Arb aren’t as cheesy as they sound. If it’s sunny one day, go for it! They have two little parking lots so you can drive yourself, your date, and a picnic basket over to nature’s best and use the picnic tables by the pond. Weeping Willow and waterfall included!

After that walk in the Arb, you can head to Greenberries. They have a great selection and comfy chairs where you can sit and chat. When it gets a little warmer, they even have outdoor seating! This is a fantastic way to spend the late afternoon hours warming up and calming down, and your date is sure to love it!

Now that you have a reservoir of great date spots in the Burg, day and night, get out there and find your date! You’ve still got some time for Valentine’s Day, where UPB is providing the knock-out punch: Sex Rules is taking place on Friday, February 12^th at 8pm in Memorial Auditorium. See you ladies and gents there!

- Amy

Happy Snow Day!

3 Minute Crash Course in Dating

When I came to JMU as a freshman, I was so excited to leave old high school romance and move on to my sophisticated, handsome, gentlemanly, and soon-to-be successful boyfriend. This prince charming persona of a mate was one that I thought would be unproblematic to discover. We would fall in love, get married, have two kids, a big house, and a golden retriever behind a white-picket fence—Okay, so maybe a bit of a stretch but a girl can dream right?

But I’m not the only one dreaming. My guy friends complain that they can’t find a lovely lady with whom they see a future and I constantly hear girls use the words “I can’t stand men.” Who would have thought at a school filled with friendly people, we would have trouble finding a romantic match? We all know the select few couples that we see cuddling on the quad, so in love. Along with reminding you of your terrible love life, and sex life for that matter, they make you want to either vomit or find someone that makes you as happy as they are.

With Valentine’s Day rolling around, being single can seem more depressing than ever. However, there may be a solution to finding the cheese to your macaroni. Speed Dating. Here, you will be lined up to have three-minute conversations and have several dates in one night. So stop sitting and complaining about how you’re going to die alone or be a crazy cat lady and come out and meet some folks! Who knows, you may even spend your first three minutes with the love of your life.

- Natalie

From the Waist Down… and a side of Humor Column

I saw Michelle Buteau at the National Association of Campus Activities Conference in October. The comedian had the pleasure of hosting one of the showcases, and I had the pleasure of falling in love with her! Maybe it was the ghetto side of me, the one that snaps her fingers and swings her head back saying, “Get it gurl!!”

You may be wondering what the title “From the Waist Down” is all about . That’s her signature saying. It’s like adding “in bed” after every fortune cookie (if you’ve never done that you should, it’s hilarious!!) After the showcase I made the rest of our program board run with me to meet Michelle. I stood in line for 30 minutes so I could get a photo and autograph. Then I turned to her agent and said, “I want her at JMU!” We started working on a contract there and I began the anxious wait to see my straight crush again =)

The combination of Michelle Buteau and humorist Michael Larrick from The Breeze has pushed this Funny Freakin’ Friday on February 5^th to my number one all time event! I’ve worked on a lot of events with UPB and seen some pretty amazing people. None compare to the happiness in my heart right now. So be there! And get yourself some free Campus Cookies too!! =)

- Patrick

Happy Groundhog Day

Tim Blane: My “New Favorite Band”

The unlikely combination of Jazz/Acoustic/Pop have never really gotten along in the past. That all changed when I heard Tim Blane’s music. While their sound rocks, it also reminds me of my 12+ years of piano lessons, Thelonious Monk (aka one of the greatest jazz pianists ever,) and of the four eccentric music teachers I have had in my time.

I don’t think people should be allowed to teach music unless they are somewhat off-the-cuff, and the music teacher I most associate with jazz was probably one of the coolest (and strangest) ”cats” that I have met in my life. During our lessons (which, to be honest, were more like story-time) he told me about his time playing in the army band, all the friends he encountered there, crazy “ex” stories, and gigs he had played.

One of my favorite experiences that he shared was about playing with Ray Charles at Galludet University. Apparently Ray had freaked out when somebody had asked for a request and refused to play any more songs. (Mind you, I have no idea whether or not this was true, but it was still amusing to hear).

So, in honor of crazy music teachers everywhere, but also in honor of some really excellent jazz/acoustic/pop, come to the Tim Blane Band concert this week, and I’ll see you there!

- Elyse

Making Executive Decisions

So much changes in the span of one year. Last February I would never have imagined that I would be on an Exec Council and be spending 10+ hours a week working for any organization on campus (especially with COB300 looming over my head in the fall).

I was lacking ambitions going into my Junior year, and thought that I would have been completely happy going through the same old motions that I’d gotten used to over the past two years.  However, I started to question this outlook when a coordinator in the student activities office told me that they thought I would make a good fit for the University Program Board.

Fast forward a year. I can without a doubt say that joining Exec of this organization has been the best thing that I’ve done in my entire JMU career. I know that looking back on my experiences, all the classes and all the parties start to run together in my mind. However, I have forged many unique experiences and lifelong friendships in my short time with the program board (such as the behind the scenes of a Third Eye Blind concert production, meeting comedian Aziz Ansari, and working all the great movies in Grafton).

Not only do I enjoy my time with UPB, but I also get a lot of great professional experience. While I tend to get frustrated with the all the theoretical information I learn in classes, I actually get to put my knowledge to practical use in my role as the Public Relations Director. I strongly suggest that anyone out there who is looking to enhance their time in college apply to take a leadership role with the University Program Board.

Pick up your application today in Taylor 234 or online at the UPB website.

- Stephen