Holiday happenings
Morningside suite mates prepare for merriest of seasons
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Morningside College suite mates Nick McGraw, Troy Weber, Brady Helmink and Derek Nolan pose in front of their Christmas tree and decorations. (Staff photo by Joanne Fox)
Martha Stewart would have been proud of Morningside College suite mates Brady Helmink, Nick McGraw, Derek Nolan and Troy Weber.
'Twas a month before Christmas and all through their suite was a decorated tree, icicle lights and snow on the mirror with the words Merry Christmas etched in.
"You haven't seen nothin' yet," insisted Nolan. "We're going to string cranberries and popcorn and do stuff with wrapping paper and more lights."
The Thanksgiving turkey is barely cold and the guys have swung into high gear for the merriest of seasons. But first, they all took time to reflect on what they gave thanks for Nov. 22.
"We usually travel to my aunt's in Minnesota, but stayed home this year," said Nolan, who hails from Hawarden, Iowa. "I liked staying home and having a big meal and watching football. I got to proclaim my Viking pride!"
"We went to Storm Lake, because my grandma's in a nursing home there," said McGraw, who lives in Sioux City. "But when I was back, I got to meet up with friends and we went to Hunan Palace which is one of our favorite places."
"Lots of family time for Thanksgiving," said Weber who lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa. "And my grandpa fixed my car which was great and saved me some money."
"This year we stayed at our house," said Helmink of Fairbury, Neb. "My grandma passed away this year and my dad's dad was in the hospital with pneumonia. It was a real reality check for my family for what we're thankful for."
Like the Briar Cliff University girl roommates, the boys also felt discomforted by being away from each other.
"It was immediate for me because once Thanksgiving was over, I came back to the room," said McGraw. "At first I liked the quiet, but then it was awkward. I even missed Troy's loud music. I called Derek and said, 'Come back and hang out with me!'."
Nolan surprised McGraw, returning to the suite on Black Friday.
"Yeah, I was thinking no one was around, so I'm sitting watching TV in my boxers when I hear somebody messing with the door," McGraw said. "So I think it's maintenance and I run into the other room and I hear Derek and his friends."
McGraw continued, "And that wasn't the only time I was spooked. Saturday night I came home and tried my key in the door and it was already unlocked. Then I opened the door and the light was on and I was really freaked until Brady came walking around the corner because he was here for basketball practice."
Unlike Briar Cliff University, Morningside is on a semester system. The guys are facing the end of their first classes on Dec. 14.
"I'm so sick of papers," McGraw said.
"Finals," Nolan said with a shake of the head.
"Finals," Weber echoed.
"I'm looking at three As and a high B in biochemistry," Helmink said. "I've got to keep the grades up so I can be competitive for pharmacy school."
Perhaps the biggest change in the lives of the roommates is Weber's decision to leave the Mustangs' basketball team.
"I felt like I busted my butt for basketball and I wasn't getting to play," he explained. "And I just lost my love for it."
"I know what he's saying," Nolan interjected. "If you lose your love for something, it takes away from the joy of it. And basketball, you invest a lot of time and you have to enjoy it. So, I agreed with Troy's decision."
"I encouraged him to stay. I told him, 'Buddy, you're a hard worker and you shoot well. Next year, you'll play more.'," said Helmink, who is a member of the basketball team. "But it was clear he was not having fun and you've got to have fun because it's like a job. You have to enjoy it because you work so hard at it."
Weber will continue to be a student athlete. He will be on the tennis team.
"I played tennis with my dad every day this summer so I got to be pretty good," he said. "I talked to coach (Jim Sykes) and told him wanting to leave the team and my interest in tennis and everything worked out. I was able to keep my scholarship to play tennis and I left the basketball team on good terms."
Care to see for yourself?
The Morningside College suite mates will be holding an open house from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, at Lags Hall, Room 202.
'Twas a month before Christmas and all through their suite was a decorated tree, icicle lights and snow on the mirror with the words Merry Christmas etched in.
"You haven't seen nothin' yet," insisted Nolan. "We're going to string cranberries and popcorn and do stuff with wrapping paper and more lights."
The Thanksgiving turkey is barely cold and the guys have swung into high gear for the merriest of seasons. But first, they all took time to reflect on what they gave thanks for Nov. 22.
"We usually travel to my aunt's in Minnesota, but stayed home this year," said Nolan, who hails from Hawarden, Iowa. "I liked staying home and having a big meal and watching football. I got to proclaim my Viking pride!"
"We went to Storm Lake, because my grandma's in a nursing home there," said McGraw, who lives in Sioux City. "But when I was back, I got to meet up with friends and we went to Hunan Palace which is one of our favorite places."
"Lots of family time for Thanksgiving," said Weber who lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa. "And my grandpa fixed my car which was great and saved me some money."
"This year we stayed at our house," said Helmink of Fairbury, Neb. "My grandma passed away this year and my dad's dad was in the hospital with pneumonia. It was a real reality check for my family for what we're thankful for."
Like the Briar Cliff University girl roommates, the boys also felt discomforted by being away from each other.
"It was immediate for me because once Thanksgiving was over, I came back to the room," said McGraw. "At first I liked the quiet, but then it was awkward. I even missed Troy's loud music. I called Derek and said, 'Come back and hang out with me!'."
Nolan surprised McGraw, returning to the suite on Black Friday.
"Yeah, I was thinking no one was around, so I'm sitting watching TV in my boxers when I hear somebody messing with the door," McGraw said. "So I think it's maintenance and I run into the other room and I hear Derek and his friends."
McGraw continued, "And that wasn't the only time I was spooked. Saturday night I came home and tried my key in the door and it was already unlocked. Then I opened the door and the light was on and I was really freaked until Brady came walking around the corner because he was here for basketball practice."
Unlike Briar Cliff University, Morningside is on a semester system. The guys are facing the end of their first classes on Dec. 14.
"I'm so sick of papers," McGraw said.
"Finals," Nolan said with a shake of the head.
"Finals," Weber echoed.
"I'm looking at three As and a high B in biochemistry," Helmink said. "I've got to keep the grades up so I can be competitive for pharmacy school."
Perhaps the biggest change in the lives of the roommates is Weber's decision to leave the Mustangs' basketball team.
"I felt like I busted my butt for basketball and I wasn't getting to play," he explained. "And I just lost my love for it."
"I know what he's saying," Nolan interjected. "If you lose your love for something, it takes away from the joy of it. And basketball, you invest a lot of time and you have to enjoy it. So, I agreed with Troy's decision."
"I encouraged him to stay. I told him, 'Buddy, you're a hard worker and you shoot well. Next year, you'll play more.'," said Helmink, who is a member of the basketball team. "But it was clear he was not having fun and you've got to have fun because it's like a job. You have to enjoy it because you work so hard at it."
Weber will continue to be a student athlete. He will be on the tennis team.
"I played tennis with my dad every day this summer so I got to be pretty good," he said. "I talked to coach (Jim Sykes) and told him wanting to leave the team and my interest in tennis and everything worked out. I was able to keep my scholarship to play tennis and I left the basketball team on good terms."
Care to see for yourself?
The Morningside College suite mates will be holding an open house from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, at Lags Hall, Room 202.
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Barb Waterman wrote on Dec 4, 2007 1:20 PM:
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