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8CWednesday, October 19 2011 // The Statement
PERSONALSTATEMENT
THE MOST EXCITING WEEKEND
H-W "TIT ""
J EN D
NI
in the process of being hit by a car
- a white sedan, if you were won-
dering. Sometimes I think that
sedan had been waiting for me my
whole life.
People often ask me what it felt
like - to which is difficult to reply
anything but "it felt like a car." I
played lacrosse in high school, and
the closest comparison I can mus-
BY ELLIOT ALPERN
can't imagine most people
would be able to answer imme-
diately when asked: "What was.
the most exciting weekend of your
life?" In fact, I'm not sure many
people have such a weekend, the
one you'll never forget. But seri-
ously, shut up about that one time
at whatever camp you went to in
high school. Nobody cares that
you drank beer from insert-piece-
of-equipment-here. I'm talking
about pure adrenaline-pumping,
stomach-heaving, roller coaster-
like madness. And for me, the
weekend of Sept. 10 and 11 of last
month was one that will live in
both fame and infamy. That Sat-
urday, the Michigan Wolverines
pulled off one of the most nerve-
wracking comebacks in the his-
tory of college football and that
Sunday, I was hit by a car.
Let me explain first and fore-
most that it was the burrito's
fault. It's very important for me
to get that straight. I could tell
you the culpability of each person
involved, as there's some degree of
blame that could be levied on me,
the driver and my housemate (who
shall remain unnamed in dis-
grace). However, to remain non-
accusing, it's safest to condemn
the burrito because burritos typi-
cally can't yell back. You see, that
Sunday I had very modest plans. I
would watch the Steelers play the
Ravens until 4 p.m., when I had
an important meeting to attend.
Other than that, I had cleared my
schedule, so when the unnamed
housemate inquired if I would go
with him to grab a burrito, I fate-
fully obliged. I'm a sucker for bur-
ritos.
I must also disclose that from
where I live, I have to cross State
Street at the five-way intersec-
tion with Packard Street. As I
only had about an hour until my
meeting, I was in a bit of a hurry.
As we approached the crosswalk
running from east to west on
State Street, I noticed there was
five seconds left during which we
could safely cross. Or so I thought, ter is getti
as I yelled, "C'mon, we can make sided by an
it!" and bounded into the street. instead of a
The moment I got a few yards stop (and n
into the street, a number of things after he's la
occurred simultaneously, so I'll ton and a h
"in truth, I only remember
fragments. I felt some inherent
stupidity as I rolled across the
hood. But I was mostly focusing
on not dying, something that
requires a surprisingly large
amount of concentration."
try to adhere to any semblance to lock thef
of chronology. For a fraction of a only remem
second, I heard my housemate yell some inhere
the beginning of a warning, and I across the h
began to turn back (though it's not focusing on
like I really had a chance at that that require
point). Then, just as quickly, I was amount of c'
ng completely blind-
opposing player. But
guy in pads who will
naybe get a bro-five)
id you out, this was a
alf of metal and glass.
If you played
lacrosse against a
team of robots, it
probably wouldn't
have been that
strange.
Another ques-
tion I get is,
"What were you
thinking when
you got hit?" as
if I was wonder-
ing whether I
left the oven on
or if I happened
front door. In truth, I
ber fragments. I felt
nt stupidity as I rolled
ood. But I was mostly
not dying, something
s a surprisingly large
oncentration. Not that
I'd admit it in person, but maybe I
was wondering if my burrito was
in jeopardy too. Don't judge.
It was all over in a matter of
seconds, but the aftermath last-
ed much longer. I immediately
picked myself - and my flip-flops
which had mysteriously flown
off - up and limped to the side-
walk. Though I was miraculously
unhurt, I was pretty pissed. I
hadn't broken a bone in my entire
life, and my foot was swelling
large enough to put that streak in
danger. I was told to sit down and
was examined by a passing doc-
tor. Someone eventually called
the police and an ambulance, and
even a fire truck, but only because
the law requires them to respond.
I got off lucky enough for the
doctor to prescribe a sprained
ankle that would only require
crutches for a few days. Add to
that my unbroken bone streak,
and everything turned out
alright. Actually, scratch that.
The driver, who also shall remain
nameless, never uttered a word
of apology. Though considering
I broke his windshield and his
side-mirror while his car broke
nothing of mine, I'm not too hung
up about it.
- Elliot Alpern is an LSA
sophomore and an arts writer
at The Michigan Daily.
I
STUDY ABROAD
From Page 5C
ens, stray dogs roamed the streets
and houses were packed on top of
each other. Her location was also
five minutes away from the Gree-.
cian protests this summer, giving
her insight into the struggle.
"We got to walk through that
a lot and we got to see tear gas,
riot police, fire bombs, things like
that and just to see the Greek peo-
ple come together," she said.
The fellowship of the Greek
people, coming together to orga-
nize black outs and taxi strikes,
also contributed to Cooper's
desire to travel abroad again and
learn more about the world.
"It definitely just made me
realize how many different types
of cultures that are out there that
I've never experienced and that I
want to," she said.
Tn the School of Art & Design,
students are required to com-
plete a three-week international
experience in the form of a for-
credit or not-for-credit program,
an internship or a volunteering
program.
The requirement is in place
because the faculty has seen that
study abroad truly helps students
in terms of their personal growth,
according to Joe Trumpey, an
associate professor of art in the
School of Art & Design.
"We expect students to come
out of the experience a better
person with these new ideas of
self-confidence, independence,
resourcefulness, flexibility, prob-
lem-solving," Trumpey said.
Studying abroad also helps stu-
dents' art, Trumpey said, whether
they gain inspiration from gothic
cathedrals, cutting-edge art in
China or traditional African art.
"It's the idea of creative
insights, being able to understand
globalization in a new way and
go out and find something that
you're inspired by," Trumpey
said. "Finding your voice is a big
part of your development as an
artist and as a leader."
Art & Design senior Ellen Rutt
studied abroad in the small col-
lege town of Loughborough, Eng-
land, filling three sketchbooks
with inspiration for her special-
ization in graphic art and illus-
tration.
As she traveled around the
country and the continent from
February to June last year, Rutt
said she drew inspiration from
ancient English ruins as well as
the modern architecture of Lon-
don.
"Some of the styles in design
and art are a little bit different
and it certainly influenced my
art," Rutt said.
While Rutt found inspiration
outside the classroom, inthe insti-
tution itself, class occurred only a
few times a week and professors
only helped to guide assignments
when directly approached.
"(In Ann Arbor) I'm in painting
class six hours a week, and there,
I would be assigned a painting
and I could work on it whenever
I choose," she said.
Trumpey said the degree of
independence and less commu-
nication with faculty is common
at many of the art schools abroad.
But he added that all the pro-
grams are approved by University
faculty and thus the programs
are, "comparable not identical."
"It's not going to be exactly as
we have here, which is part of the
value of the contrast," Trumpey
said.
Though assignments could be
completed as desired and meet-
ings with professors arranged
only if needed, Rutt said the
experience helped her grow as a
person and as an artist.
"I think it was really good to be
tested on my own level of moti-
vation and self-discipline," Rutt
said.
Because of this personal
growth, Rutt said she appreciates
the Art & Design requirement as
a way to broaden her education at
the University.
"To step outside of Ann Arbor
and get another perspective for
even just a moment, that's really,
really important in a well-round-
ed undergraduate education,"
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