Students all over the Saint Louis University campus will be breathing a sigh of relief come Friday afternoon, if they have not done so already.
Friday marks the end of midterm week and the beginning of spring break.
The week off from classes will provide time to catch up on lost sleep and simply relax, to have adventurous vacations or to go on service trips. Several groups of students are gearing up for a week on the beach, partying just across the border, SLUCAP trips and other vacation plans.
On Saturday, March 9, nursing student Lisa Bausano and physical therapy student Mary Kwapiszeski, both seniors, will be traveling to Los Angeles to attend the taping of “The Price Is Right” on the following Monday. This game show attracts thousands of people-a great number of them college students-from across the country and world to try their luck at crazy games for the possibility of winning incredible prizes like cars, money or vacations.
Since everyone who gets a ticket for the show is not necessarily guaranteed a seat for the show, people usually start lining up outside the studio at 4:30 a.m. Bausano and Kwapiszeski plan on thwarting those efforts by camping out in front of the studio to ensure that they will get in for the taping. Bausano and Kwapiszeski will wear red SLU T-shirts for the show, and they plan on adding “loves Bob” to attract a bit of attention.
Though there is no guarantee that their red “SLU loves Bob” t-shirts will get either Bausano or Kwapiszeski called to “Come on down,” they are ecstatic about just being there. “I have been counting down the days till we’re on the show. I’ve never been so excited about something before. Hopefully I’ll win lots of prizes and bring them back to St. Louis. And maybe Bob will ask us to be Barker’s Beauties on the show,” Bausano said.
“Ever since I was little girl and my brother and I used to watch `The Price is Right,’ I dreamed of the day when I could go on the show myself. I am now fulfilling my lifelong dream and I can’t wait to give Bob a big kiss on the cheek,” said Kwapisezeski.
Bausano and Kwapiszeski also plan on visiting other tourist attractions in California, such as Disneyland, Universal Studios and Hollywood. They will also be visiting friends at the University of California-Los Angeles and the University of California-Santa Barbara.
Several students are opting to use this week off to just relax and sleep, either at home or at SLU. “I am just going to go home to Iowa,” said Megan Kinney, a sophomore in the John Cook School of Business. Kinney plans on relaxing and visiting friends in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.
There are 123 students engaging in service activities for their spring breaks. Campus Ministry, the Center for Leadership and Community Service and the Office of Alumni Relations are sponsoring 14 mission trips that span the country and also go to international sites. There are groups going to Arizona, Colorado, West Virginia, Michigan, New York, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“I had an amazing experience last year. I felt like I had a remarkable time and was able to help others at the same time,” said Alison Lind, a sophomore studying nursing pre-med. She is going on the mission trip to Cuatro Cienegas, Mexico, and this will be her first time out of the country.
