HU- • Ir APileof brightly wrapped pres-- ents, a gooey cake glowing with candles, Mom with the camera poised ready for action - this was the scene most students pictured when they thought of past birthdays. At college, however, birthdays tended to be a little less stereotypical. For many students, freshman year was the first time they had been away from home on their birthdays, but they learned that the conventional cake and ice cream was not the only way to have a great birthday. "We usually just take the person out to Little Rock for dinner and a movie," sophomore Amber Heffington said. "It is always a lot of fun." More simpler plans involved staying on campus. "On OUI friends' birthdays, we all go in together and buy a cake and nave a little party on the front lawn," sophomore Anne Reinstein said. Freshman Jessie Petersen's friends sUIprised her by toilet-papering her JUNIOR RACHEl THIES OPENS abirthday ca rd at her birthday party in the Ptyor mUlti-purpose room Oct. 5. Some students said that while they missed their families on their birthdays, they found unique, entertaining ways to celebrate the special day with friends. ,A. INGRAM Students find creative ways to celebrate at school room and sticking plastic forks to the wall. "I was really worried, because it was my first birthday away from home, and I didn't know many people yet because it was only the second week of school," Petersen said. "My friends made it much easier to be prised, and it was hilarious." Finding the perfect birthday gift could be difficult for college students living on a budget, but creativity often overcame this problem. "For my friend [sophomore Scot Jackson's] birthday, we borrowed an orangeconsbuction l::encl," away from my family." Surprise parties were also a popular way •,.~fI~'l. freshman Katie UIliman said . "We kidnapped to celebrate birthdays on campus. Friends of freshman Jessica Custer pretended all day that they had forgotten her birthday Oct. 1. That night a friend took Custer out until curfew, and Custer's friends decorated her room while she was away. Unfortunately, the friend returned Custer too early, and Custer surprised those at the surprise party. "My friends were all yelling at me, because I had come back too soon," Custer said, "but I thought it made it more memorable. I was still surhim and drove out to where there were tons of construction banels and told him that was his birthday present." Junior Matt Alexander said he liked giving unusual gifts. "The best thing I ever did was pretend to propose to one of my friends on her birthday," Alexander said. "I bought a huge glow-in-the-dark ring from Wal-Mart and stuck it in her roll at Colton's. When she noticed her roll was glowing, I dropped to my knee and popped the question." -LAURA KAISER 117 - FRESHMEN
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