family weekend choral showcase.

This past weekend was UVa's Parents' Weekend -- Grounds was flooded with tons of parents, siblings and relatives. I did my usual crazy whirl of schoolwork, studying and hanging out with friends, but also performed in the Choral Showcase on Saturday night with the Virginia Women's Chorus.

I have to say, the showcase was pretty amazing -- and not just because I was one of the performers. Four groups performed that night, and then we all came together at the end as one massed choir. To be able to sing in a wonderfully talented group of around 200, in a breathtaking concert hall, to a captivated audience, that's an experience you don't have often in your life. Women's Chorus also sang a song that was composed by our director, and invited an alum of '86 back as a soloist. What really got to me was the end of the night, when we all linked arms and sang the Good Ole Song. At that moment, I was so happy to go to UVa, where truly, all is bright and gay.

The day before Parents' Weekend started was also the Third Year Ring Ceremony. I was (and still am!) pretty excited to get my class ring. It was also a sobering half hour though, sitting underneath the stage of the Rotunda, looking around and seeing classmates that I had already progressed through half of college with. Hmm, if I'm like this now, there will be plenty of wistful entries next year.