This is September.

2014.09.30

This has been a big month, especially on the medical school front. I've been working on secondary applications, and last week I received my scores on the MCAT (which were quite good!). The work for the Star, of course, continues, and I did six assignments for the paper this month: the front-page community clean-up, a reunion for children who had spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit, two different beer festivals, the IUPUI Regatta, and a charity event called Dancing with the Johnson County Stars. And since the last entry, my photos have wormed their way into five editions of the dead-tree newspaper.

So, uh, September has been pretty good. Let's see what good things October brings.

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Taylor Webb, vice president of finance for Purdue Dance Marathon, and Riley Lesh, 12, prepare to take care of baby dolls in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit demonstration booth during the Riley Hospital for Children NICU Reunion at Fairbanks Hall, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. Lesh stayed in the NICU after being born 90 days premature; now she volunteers for Purdue Dance Marathon. Alex Farris

Braden Tamosaitis, 9, pitches an oversize softball to Notre Dame outfielder Megan Sorlie during the Riley Hospital for Children Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Reunion at Fairbanks Hall, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. Members of the Purdue and Notre Dame softball teams visited Riley to staff booths at the reunion and visit children at the Riley Hospital for Children Cancer Center. Alex Farris

Levi Riddle, 23 months, tries to blow bubbles with Notre Dame softball player Karley Wester during the Riley Hospital for Children Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Reunion at Fairbanks Hall, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. Alex Farris

Ava Caserotti, 6, climbs out of an inflatable obstacle course during the Riley Hospital for Children Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Reunion at Fairbanks Hall, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. Caserotti was born three months premature and stayed in the NICU for three months. Alex Farris

Bradley Grove, 10, tosses a ring with his brother Blake, 7, during the Riley Hospital for Children Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Reunion at Fairbanks Hall, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. Bradley was in the NICU for five weeks for a left diaphragmatic hernia; he currently plays hockey and soccer, has completed four mini-triathlons, and earned an orange belt in karate. Alex Farris

$Cool Rowings leads the first heat of the IUPUI Regatta in the Downtown Canal, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. In the regatta, teams race up and down the canal from the head at Fairbanks Hall to the Walnut Street basin and back. Two of a team\'s four rowers paddle from the start line, then exchange the canoe with the other two team members at the basin.$ Cool Rowings leads the first heat of the IUPUI Regatta in the Downtown Canal, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. In the regatta, teams race up and down the canal from the head at Fairbanks Hall to the Walnut Street basin and back. Two of a team's four rowers paddle from the start line, then exchange the canoe with the other two team members at the basin. Alex Farris

$Engineering and Technology Alumni team members Akram Khatib and Jerry Hohn capsize after an exchange during the IUPUI Regatta in the Downtown Canal, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. In the regatta, teams race up and down the canal from the head at Fairbanks Hall to the Walnut Street basin and back. Two of a team\'s four rowers paddle from the start line, then exchange the canoe with the other two team members at the basin.$ Engineering and Technology Alumni team members Akram Khatib and Jerry Hohn capsize after an exchange during the IUPUI Regatta in the Downtown Canal, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. In the regatta, teams race up and down the canal from the head at Fairbanks Hall to the Walnut Street basin and back. Two of a team's four rowers paddle from the start line, then exchange the canoe with the other two team members at the basin. Alex Farris

$Dental School\'s Drillers and Fillers wins the fourth heat of the IUPUI Regatta in the Downtown Canal, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. In the regatta, teams race up and down the canal from the head at Fairbanks Hall to the Walnut Street basin and back. Two of a team\'s four rowers paddle from the start line, then exchange the canoe with the other two team members at the basin.$ Dental School's Drillers and Fillers wins the fourth heat of the IUPUI Regatta in the Downtown Canal, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. In the regatta, teams race up and down the canal from the head at Fairbanks Hall to the Walnut Street basin and back. Two of a team's four rowers paddle from the start line, then exchange the canoe with the other two team members at the basin. Alex Farris

$Lentulo Spiralz cheer before the start of the fifth heat of the IUPUI Regatta in the Downtown Canal, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. In the regatta, teams race up and down the canal from the head at Fairbanks Hall to the Walnut Street basin and back. Two of a team\'s four rowers paddle from the start line, then exchange the canoe with the other two team members at the basin.$ Lentulo Spiralz cheer before the start of the fifth heat of the IUPUI Regatta in the Downtown Canal, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. In the regatta, teams race up and down the canal from the head at Fairbanks Hall to the Walnut Street basin and back. Two of a team's four rowers paddle from the start line, then exchange the canoe with the other two team members at the basin. Alex Farris

$Jag Rage, sporting \$ Jag Rage, sporting "YOLO" on each team member's sunglasses, begin the fifth heat of the IUPUI Regatta in the Downtown Canal, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. In the regatta, teams race up and down the canal from the head at Fairbanks Hall to the Walnut Street basin and back. Two of a team's four rowers paddle from the start line, then exchange the canoe with the other two team members at the basin. Alex Farris

Arthur Murray Studio dancer Barbara Leininger talks with other performers before the Dancing with the Johnson County Stars charity fundraiser at the Historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin, Friday, Sept. 26, 2014. Alex Farris

Arthur Murray Studio dancers Tony Crosby and Leah Drobat open the Dancing with the Johnson County Stars charity fundraiser at the Historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin, Friday, Sept. 26, 2014. Alex Farris

Arthur Murray Studio dancer Lindsay Koenings and Rafael Sanchez, WRTV-6 reporter, compete in the Dancing with the Johnson County Stars charity fundraiser at the Historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin, Friday, Sept. 26, 2014. Sanchez danced for donations for Kic-It. Alex Farris

$Children\'s church director Aaron Beasley of Emmanuel Church and Arthur Murray Studio dancer Cristen Witney compete in the Dancing with the Johnson County Stars charity fundraiser at the Historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin, Friday, Sept. 26, 2014. Beasley danced for donations for The Refuge.$ Children's church director Aaron Beasley of Emmanuel Church and Arthur Murray Studio dancer Cristen Witney compete in the Dancing with the Johnson County Stars charity fundraiser at the Historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin, Friday, Sept. 26, 2014. Beasley danced for donations for The Refuge. Alex Farris

Rosalie Hyde, craft teacher at the Franklin Active Adult Center, and Arthur Murray Studio dancer Kyle Massenburg compete in the Dancing with the Johnson County Stars charity fundraiser at the Historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin, Friday, Sept. 26, 2014. Hyde danced for donations for Johnson County Senior Services. Alex Farris