University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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Moinore finance major and J phreys RA Richard Watkins j n es in his room decorated iheine an l Rlatk R a ort)ack on h° S ' le pa e: aikins lounges Saj(| ' j l)ed ins ' c e Humphreys. I le [i llrl . (J s l )eni about two weeks ( ] e lfle Perfect style and uet °rating l0s by Gigi Holder c o vn room c ecor

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Studen their space into works of art. From polka-dot curtains to yellow and purple paper lan¬ tern lights, students spent weeks decorating their small dorm room spaces to create a home away from home. Decorating a 14x11 cinder block room was quite a task at hand for the thousands of students living in residence halls. The first thought that crossed many students’ minds was the question of space. “When I was looking at the room plan online, I was thinking ‘Where am I go¬ ing to put all my clothes?”’ fresh¬ man Casey Sowers said. A complete makeover was en¬ sued for students who added curtains to dress up the drab windows, colorful bedspreads, carpet, rugs and lamps. “My roommate and I put up curtains for decoration, and we each chose a wild printed bedspread,’’ Sowers said. “We just talked about it during the summer and decorated it all before classes started.” Sophomore Richard Watkins began his dorm decorating process early, when he found out he was a resident assistant on the sixth floor of Humphreys Hall. Watkins moved into the dorms at the beginning of August for RA training, and he began the process of moving furni¬ ture and furnishing his room. “I was constantly changing things until I found a style I liked,” he said. Watkins transformed the small space into an apartment- style home by arranging the furniture differently than the standard layout of the dorms. He moved his desk around, added a futon, a new com¬ puter desk and chair, and two coffee tables. “I wanted to give my room more of an apartment look and feel to it because the rooms in Humphreys are really old,” Watkins said. “I didn’t want to feel like I was living in a jail cell.” The cinder blocks certainly did not add to the “home” feel of the rooms, so many students added photographs, bul¬ letin boards and plenty of posters to fill the walls. Watkins chose a Razorback theme and spruced up the room with Hog flags, blankets and the school colors. “I wanted the colors to represent the Razorbacks, of course, and also wanted to try a new color scheme because all my stuff back at home is blue and green,” he said. Electronics like computers, playstations, speakers and big screen TVs made the room feel much more like home. Decorating the small space was no easy task, but students found creative ways to bring their own style into the room. by Carolyn I innie

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a famil zur Stud R smyvv relatives the ropes of UA life during annual Family Weekend. The disappointing loss to Vanderbilt on Sept. 10 would stick in many UA students’ minds for several days to come. However, some would forever remember the 2005 Family Weekend and the activities planned to celebrate the event. The famed weekend first began in 1998 and had since grown into a favorite among families in the UA commu¬ nity. Attendees typically included first year students, but the event was open to all students and their families. Registration packages were available to purchase de¬ pending on the guests’ own interests. Over 60 guests chose the Pork Chop Package, which included admittance to all scheduled weekend activities. The other option was the Hog Wild package which contained all activity admittance and one ticket to the Vanderbilt game. Around 750 guests decided to purchase this package rendering the option unavailable for latecomers. “We always encourage families to be actively engaged in their student’s life while at college. When students are away from home in a new place, it’s very comforting to see the student experience together,” said Craig Willie, associate director of First Year Experience. The weekend began with families attending Friday classes with their students and wrapping up the night with Friday Night Live and the pep rally at the Greek Theatre. Saturday morning came early when families were given the chance to meet faculty, staff and student-athletes. The meet and greet was followed by campus tours, Union activities such as caricatures and face painting, a program about first- year experiences in college and, of course, a Hog Trough Tailgate Party. “I wanted to be a part of Family Weekend so I could show my parents and brother what I do here at Fayette¬ ville,” said freshman biology major Melissa Kershaw. “I got to take them to the Quads for food, my sorority house and a football game. It was really fun for them to experience what I do on a daily basis.” The event was not only busy for guests, but for others on campus as well. For instance, resident assistants were required to be on their floors ready to meet family and friends that were visiting. “It’s really cool to see the parents come in and experi¬ ence their first Razorback football game,” said Lance Sharp, junior biology major and Walton Hall RA “A lot of them were excited and amazed to see all the students’ spirit and enthusiasm.” “My parents love it at the UA and think it is the perfect place for me,” Kershaw said. “They really enjoyed getting to see the places I talk about everyday. My brother went to school here so he’s so excited I chose to be a Razorback as well.” The weekend was a long and eventful occasion that pleased all who helped organize it. Some were a little hesi¬ tant about the new expanded schedule, however it turned into a successful venture. “We host this event early in the year because it makes both the student and family feel more strongly bonded to the UA and they can see the atmosphere early on in the year,” Willie said. That atmosphere of school pride and unity was, with¬ out a doubt, shared among all who were a part of Family Weekend, and would carry on in those families for years to come. by Honda I ewallen