Bell Week is here and if you're on campus, it's not too hard to tell.  It's a nice feeling to know you can hear the bell from your bedroom window, although it's probably not as pleasing for me as it is to those who know what it's like not to have the bell.  As a freshman, I was fortunate enough to experience the midnight cookouts on the chapel steps with the bell; This year is the same.  For some reason, I'll always crack a little smile when I hear the chants and shouts across campus in the middle of the night.  However, the load of studying that somehow always seems to simultaneously coincide with bell week is relentless.  I'll have had three tests this week and a paper due, but that's nothing compared to some other students.  By the weekend, most won't care and will have just been glad to make it through the week. 

Last night I played with the jazz band in a joint concert with the brass ensemble.  I actually really enjoyed myself and was excited to perform for my first time this year.  Overall, I think it went extremely well.  Though I've only been active in the music department the short year and a half that I've been here, I think it's improved a lot.  I was able to play in the brass ensemble last year, and after listening to them this year, I thought they sounded superb.

For now I'll just make sure to get through the week in good shape and then get ready for the big game.