The Semester of Excellence (TM) is an idea that several of us had after a lackluster fall semester. Few can explain exactly why, but I've talked to many people who considered it a pretty much crappy semester, overall. I agree completely with this assessment, and for a variety of reasons that don't need to be explained. It doesn't seem to be limited to myself, the BCM, or even the University. People from all over don't think that their Falls met their potential.

To counter the less-than incredible Fall 1997 Semester, the Spring 1998 Semester has been proclaimed as the Semester of Excellence (TM). Whatever was wrong with last semester will be fixed, and the SOE is destined to become a semester to remember. This will be accomplished in the following ways:

Excellence in Academics
Nikki's even pledged to have perfect class attendance! Ricky will be transformed into a Calculus Machine, while Brandon will quit slacking off and making A minuses. Everyone's GPA will rise instead of falling. This is the first and most important aspect of SOE, and the original reason that it was formed.

Excellence in Spirituality
No more slacking off on quiet times, prayer times, or anything else. God deserves better than our best. Oh yeah, and no more forgetting to say a blessing before meals either.

Excellence in Bidding
Karey and I's traditionally horrible bidding at Spades will be replaced full-time by the streaks of brilliance we occasionally achieved last semester. As for everyone else, there's always room for improvement.

Excellence in Exercise
The Ab-Flex will be busted out more than twice during SOE, and more moving around instead of sitting around playing cards will be had by all. Anyone for tennis?

Excellence in Entertainment
Playing cards all weekend won't cut it anymore...that's what we do all week! New heights of entertainment will be reached, and 1122 will have a VCR at last!

Excellence in Friendship
We're all just one big happy family, ya know. But on a personal note, I don't really know anybody besides Brandon on much more than a surface level. More in-depth talks will happen.

Excellence in Turning On the Answering Machine
Okay, so this probably only applies to 1122, but still...we really need to do it.

Excellence in All Things Culinary
This includes Excellence in Cooking (more than just macaroni and cheese and spaghetti, plus talking more chicks into making food for us), Excellence in Grocery Shopping (see the carrot and pickle fiascos of last semester), and Excellence in Nutrition (mostly for Brandon, who's going to low-fat foods and major reduction of caffine and carbonated drinks).

Excellence in Everything
This list can and will be amended to, but until then, SOE means just this. Slacking must be a thing of the past. Excellence in Everything can and will be achieved...from little things like cool new decks of cards to important things, like those already mentioned.