A Quick Visit to Longwood

A couple weeks ago, we made a last minute decision to head up to Longwood for the Friday of Spring Weekend.  So last minute that I didn't even know until I was on the way home from work! haha.  (We talked about it on Thursday and I thought we were talking about the NEXT Friday, not the very next day, lol.) We'd been wanting to go to see all of the construction progress that's been going on since we were there, so it was a perfect time to go.  We knew we'd be able to see a few people we knew, which is always nice!

This may have already been changed for past Spring Weekends/Oktoberfests, but this was the first time we'd seen the stage set up here, in front of Stubbs.  While I'm normally one to say keep things the way they are, I really liked this new set up!

This is the first residence hall I lived in, ARC.  During my freshman year, there were trailers about where I was standing to take this picture.  Those were the athletic offices.

NOW. There are 2 new residence halls and a courtyard in front of ARC! It's so awesome looking.

This building was our home-away-from-home, as the majority of both of our classes were held here in Willett.  Also the location of the Vice Presidential Debate!

Marshall, you're our "and Guest." ;)

Longwood started this cool tradition during Abby's senior year, I believe.  There's a fence where you can sign/decorate a lock and add to the collection.  As alumni go back to visit, they also add their locks.  It was neat to see the wide range of graduating classes.  Abby was one of the first people to put a lock on, and I was determined to find hers!  I need to remember to take locks for us next time we go.
 

Last time we visited Longwood, I don't believe there was any structure built yet. Just grass/dirt.  This is so crazy to see a new building being built where the last residence hall I lived in was.  This is going to be the new Student Center, and I really do think it's going to be awesome! I can't wait to see it finished!

Abby, your old room used to be somewhere here....haha...

Marshall was either
a) tired
b) cold
c) not impressed
d) all of the above

He did enjoy watching Oozeball though! :)

It's always nice to go back and visit Longwood.  As cliche as it may sound, those 4 years at Longwood were some of the best years ever.  Met some great people and made lots of memories!!

Longwood's Making Headlines!

The Longwood love I see all over Facebook today makes me so happy!

Everyone is SO excited about everything going on at Longwood and in Farmville today/this week, and it’s so fun seeing the pictures everyone is sharing.

Finding out that Longwood would be hosting the VP Debate today was awesome news!! Not many people know about Longwood, and how great of a school it is. You always hear the jokes about Longwood being in Farmville, VA. Yes, FARMVILLE. Don’t even try to make a joke about the Facebook game when you’re talking to a student, alum, faculty member or even Farmville resident, because trust me, we’ve heard them all! Ha! You can check out this article here or this article there to hear how Longwood was chosen to host this historical event. I’m so glad to that more people will know about Longwood now after this debate!

The Longwood University Facebook page has been sharing pictures of all of the set-up that’s leading up to tonight’s event. Campus looks INCREDIBLE. The same gym we'd watch LU basketball games in has been transformed into an amazing debate space. I would love to see it all in person! Back in August, Matt and I stopped by Longwood for a quick walk around campus, and we couldn’t believe the construction that was already in the works. It must be such a cool experience for those that are there to see everything and participate in all of the fun events they have planned.  And come on, who DOESN’T want a Longwood Debate Scarf?! The Longwood scarves will always be fun and special to Matt & me, as we used one in our engagement pictures, another in our wedding pictures, and even in pictures on our honeymoon! I hope they’re still making these scarves when Marshall is a Lancer ;)

I'm sure I've said this many times before, and I'll say it plenty more times in the future: I'm proud to be a Longwood alum!

Students Today. Alumni Tomorrow. Lancers Forever.

The Cunninghams

When we went to Longwood last weekend for Abby's birthday, we also drove to campus so we could see some of the changes that are being made on campus.

If you don't know, The Cunninghams are (were?) a residence hall in the middle of campus..the perfect distance to anything you need on campus.  This is where I was a RA my senior year at Longwood...right inside the two sets of front doors was my room.  All of my years at Longwood were great, but the year I lived in the Hams was probably the best!  I LOVED the picnic tables out front, overlooking part of Brock Commons, and I loved when the weather was perfect and I could study outside. It was fantastic!!  I loved being on duty with awesome staff members, and doing rounds at 7...9...12...and sometimes 2.  Our staff was so much like a family.  Speaking of family, Abby actually lived in the Cunninghams this year, as well.  I thought it was so great that her first year there and my last year there we ended up living in the same resident hall--that wasn't planned!

When I graduated and it was time to head home for good, the Cunninghams was the last place I was. On May 12, 2012, when I left Longwood, I left from the Cunninghams.  (Yes, this is turning into a sappy post, but oh well.)

But, with time comes renovations and progress.  This year, the Cunninghams were torn down to create a space for the new Student Union. 

Luckily, with the construction going on, there have been opportunities to get your own personal piece of the Cunninghams.  Abby so wonderfully got two bricks for Matt and me.  Even though they look like just bricks to anyone else, we know what they really are!  Also, Abby's senior class is doing a fundraiser where you can purchase a piece of the hardwood floor from inside the Cunninghams with an engraved plaque on it (which reminds me...I need to purchase mine ASAP!).  Who knows, the piece I end up with could have been the floor in my bedroom.  It probably won't be, but you never know.

Here are a couple pictures of the Cunninghams from August 2012.

In the picture on the right, you can see the picnic tables I mentioned.

And now, there isn't much left!

This is how the lack of my last Longwood home made me feel..

 

This sign was hanging on one of the fences, of what the new Student Union will look like from the parking lot we were in.

I know we'll be going back at least once this Spring, but I'm looking forward to going more in the future to see the progress of this building, and then of course, the final product!!

Abby's Senior Convocation

Thursday, Mom, Dad and I headed to Longwood for Abby's Senior Convocation. It's crazy to think that it's her last year at Longwood! Her first year there was my last year, which doesn't even seem that long ago, but I guess time really does go by that quickly!

The Longwood tradition for Longwood is every senior chooses an underclassman to decorate their cap and "cap them" at the end of the ceremony. It's a lot of fun to see all of the decorated caps and the creative things some people come up with!  

Lined up, and ready for the processional!

Here's Abby and one of her littles...who decorated her cap and capped her!

President Reveley

If you've never heard Dr. Jordan speak at anything, you're really missing out!

 

It was really neat to have Abby's convocation outside, whereas mine was outside. Hers was right beside the Cunninghams, just outside the window from her very first room at Longwood!

 

Abby and her other little!

 

So many decorations!

 

Abby's WOULD have a huge, red, white and blue bow on the back!

 

The seniors of Tri Sigma.

 

Seniors and their cappers.

 

Seniors in Ambassadors.

 

Family pics!

 

 Love these next two pictures Dad took...

Then, before we left, I had to say one last goodbye to the Cunninghams, my last home at Longwood, before they start construction to take them down and build the new student center.