PsiEk's Flags!

Living in Los Angles, many PsiEK members have Disneyland passes and visit the park often, but there is also a growing number of brothers and sisters who have an interest in more extreme roller coasters. One weekend in January, nine brothers and sister ventured to Six Flags Magic Mountain for a day of fun and bonding. In what was a very successful day at a park that normally has two hour wait lines for a single line, we were able to ride many rides. While some brosters in attendance love roller coasters, others expanded their horizons by trying new rides. It was wonderful to experience so many different rides with brothers and sisters. The speed of Full Throttle, the belly-dropping height of Goliath, standing on Riddler’s Revenge, embracing our inner superhero on Superman, and experiencing so many things all at once on X2; every ride built upon the energy level of our group. It was a fun-filled day for the brothers and sister who went and we look forward to having the upcoming B/S events in these coming quarters.

Micah Shaw

Alpha Omicron

1/19/2014

2013 Band Camp!

Here is a little recap about what happened during band camp this past year :)

Band Camp this year was filled with some of our traditional events and some new ones as well. Since the drum line and color guard start band camp days before us we had a breakfast spread for them to show we appreciate their hard work. The Sunday before band camp we had a pizza party so freshman had an opportunity to meet some of us and people had a chance to relax and catch up before all of the craziness began. The rest of the week featured a run to Diddy Riese, an Incredibles Movie Night, and the Hemming Party. We also hosted an Ice Cream social where people got to come and hang out while enjoying some yummy sundaes. Finally, on the last day of band camp we provided the band with Otter Pops so that they could have a nice and cool treat. Overall our band camp activities were really fun and we got to know a lot of new people and enjoy each others company.

Audrey Urrutia
Alpha Omicron

Broster Time In The Kitchen

This is an event that was created by Robyn Monroe in order to encourage bonding between brothers and sisters as well as enjoy some deliciously cooked meals. I met up with Hanna Kim a fellow sister and Two Keenan and Cameron from our brother chapter in Kappa Kappa Psi. We were going to cook spinach ravioli and crescent rolls stuffed with cream cheese and parmesan as the appetizer. Thanks to Robyn’s incredible budgeting abilities, the four of us only needed to pay five dollars each in order to cover the cost of ingredients for the night. We washed our hands and then had Robyn explain to us the recipes and who would be doing each part. As all of us have varying cooking experience, certain terms and techniques were introduced to us as we need to learn them. For example, dicing the onion means to cut them into small cubes and sautéing the onion means to fry the onions over a high heat temperature for a short time or until translucent. To make the appetizers first shredded the parmesan cheese block and then mixed that in with the cream cheese. After that Cameron and Keenan proceeded to make the make the necessary if not unusual shapes out of the crescent roles for the filling to go into. After we all participated in wrapping the flailing we put the rolls in the oven for a few minutes. When they were done we took them out and then it was onto the ravioli. 
The ravioli took more time as it had three separate parts into its cooking. The first of which was to gather all of the ingredients necessary to help make the filling. After the ingredients were gathered and mixed, the mix was put into a blender and then filled to the top with spinach leaves before the blender was turned on. Once all of that was pureed it was time to start making the raviolis. This task proved to be a bit difficult as I lack fine motor control. Basically, we used the wonton wrappers (a substitute for ravioli ones) in order to put the filling into the wontons before wrapping them up. At first it looked like we would have too much filling leftover but then Hanna showed us all how to make the ravioli with just a single wonton wrapper instead of two which turned out to help balance the amount of filling we had. After that, we learned that the wraps needed to be boiled and float to the top of the pot before we could transfer them to the frying pan. Once they were fried to the right color we were able to eat them. 
On the next broster time in the kitchen, this involved myself, Keri Downs and Jorge and Thomas Lindblom from our brother chapter. This time, the menu included an eggplant humus to go with wheat thins for an appetizer and Asia Turkey burgers for the entrée. Like the time before we washed our hands before Robyn went over the recipes and asked about our prior cooking experience. As I had been to broster time in the Kitchen before I felt like a total pro this time around. The eggplant needed to be cut and cooked however before we blended it. As it was cooking we followed the recipe and Robyn made sure that we added the right amount of spices. As this was going on Keri proceeded to dice the onions while Jorge and I diced the red pepper. Thomas mean while helped with cutting the apple pieces. Next we threw the onions and peppers into the frying pan and Keri sautéed it until the onions turned translucent. Following that, Robyn took out the cream cheese and turkey meat and we put all of that into a mixing bowl where I had the satisfaction of mashing it all together. Next I proceeded to make little mini patties while Keri, Thomas and Jorge helped to cook them. This turned out to be absolutely delicious as cream cheese inside a warm burger is a taste sensation that is overwhelmingly awesome. I highly recommend this recipe to everyone and the experience of cooking with brothers and sisters was the icing on the cake.

Michael Mehlberg 

Alpha Pi

Melting Pot of Holidays

Although it is already March, I always like looking forward to (and back on) the winter holidays! This past December, Psi-EK had a great B/S event: Christmahanukwanzikah. This holiday party for everyone offered sisters and brothers an opportunity to enjoy the winter festivities together. The evening was full of food, games, gifts, and even some holiday Drum Corps watching! May and Josh—the Directors of Brotherhood/Sisterhood Relations—executed this event well, moving from activity to activity through the party. One of my favorite games of the night was “Would You Rather.” That game really taught me a lot about my sisters and brothers.

Christmahanukwanzikah is definitely one of my favorite events of the year. It is always around finals week, so life tends to be a little more hectic. However, taking a break to spend time with brothers and sisters was a great choice! The joint bond is so great—seeing everyone in a cheery holiday mood is so calming. And by the end of the night I had given and received my first holiday gift! 

Sarah Cox

The Spaghetti Dinner

     The room was a twitter as sisters of Tau Beta Sigma supplied the glowing apartment with ice, sodas, garlic bread, and trays upon trays of pasta. These preparations could only mean one thing: the annual TBS spaghetti dinner was finally here.
     Sisters, proudly wearing their UCLA-TBS navies, staffed and ran the event. Groups of people (non-members), some brought together by instrumentation, others brought together by class, entered the venue and kicked off the evening with libations and a name-tag ice-breaker game instigated by some active sisters.
As the evening continued on, people continued to mingle, but slowly, everyone made their way through the buffet line. The room now echoed not only with effervescent conversation, but also with the pleasant hums of happy, no-longer-hungry people.
     After awhile, bonding took new form as the group divided into two groups to play a round of the band’s favorite game: “Spanking Yoda”. Hoots and hollers resounded with the sight of odd cartoons, and equally odd phrases. During this time, home-baked sugar cookies were passed around and joy permeated every attendee.
     As guests left the apartment, everyone was full: full of spaghetti, full of delight, full of sisterhood.

-Emily Crook, Alpha Pi

Band Alumni Reunion 2012

As an enthusiastic member of the Bruin Marching Band and avid collector of all things having to do with UCLA history, one of the football games I look forward to the most at the Rose Bowl is Band Alumni Reunion Day (BAR).  As you probably already know, once every two years past marching band members come from far and wide (greatest distance awards have gone to alums from Korea and the Netherlands!) to relive their college band days.  One of the reasons BAR is so successful is because the Psi and the Epsilon Kappa chapters of KKPsi and TBS at UCLA work on overdrive the weeks preceding the grand day, doing everything from stuffing envelopes with music to calling lists upon lists (in very tiny font) of alumni for confirmations.  Spearheaded jointly by our respective chapters’ alumni officers and band staff, we succeeded in hosting over 200 alumni this year!  Although BAR involves a lot of planning and man-hours, or shall we say brother-and-sister-hours, every phone call is worth it when we get to meet all the awesome past marching band members.  It is so interesting to hear their stories about what has changed in the band and, surprisingly, how much has stayed the same.  Some of our pep tune arrangements are multiple decades old!  Woah! 
I personally got to bond with an alumni female snare drummer and was amazed at her story.  She joined band her senior year of college because that was the first year that females were allowed in the UCLA marching band!  I remember her saying that joining band was one of the best decisions of her life.  Hearing her fond memories of her only year in band made me pause and appreciate that I get to have four years of band with all my sisters and brothers.  I can’t wait for the day that I get to attend BAR as an alum!

Keri Downs, 
Epsilon Kappa Secretary 

We all scream for Diddy Riese!

The annual band trip to Diddy Riese, a great ice cream sandwich shop, is one of my favorite band camp traditions! Besides getting a delicious dessert for a great price, I love that this event really encourages band members to meet one another! This year we set off for the famous little shop after the second day of band camp. As more and more people arrived, the line grew until it was at least a 30 minute wait for ice cream. But that was the best part.

Emily, Michael, and Marlee waiting in line for Diddy Riese

While waiting patiently for my turn to order, I walked down the line to meet new band members! There are always a ton of attendees, so it really is an easy and fun way to get to know people outside of your section. As a fourth year band member, this event helped mark the beginning of an amazing senior year in band. Walking through the crowded line, I was reminded of how much band has influenced my years in college. The people surrounding me were family. Introducing myself to freshmen was like being at a reunion and meeting the distant relatives who you share so much with! The event was successful and sweet, and based on the excitement in the line, the Bruin band members are ready to rock!

Sarah Cox, Alpha Xi