Posted on | by Sam Swift

After two weeks off for spring break, we find ourselves right in the heat of things with just 4 weeks to go.  Push practice started this week and has enjoyed absurdly comfortable March temperatures.  Rolls are scheduled for all 8 remaining days before raceday, so lets hope the good weather continues unabated.  So that’s how our 10 (hopefully 11, SAE?) orgs are preparing, what are you doing to get in shape?  Nothing yet?  Don’t worry, we’ve got some ideas for you:

Pre-Order the second-ever BAA T-shirt

We’re making T-shirts for the first time since 2008, and I think you’re going to want one. They will be available at carnival and we got a great deal which we’re passing on to you:

  • $10 for members
  • $15 for non-members
Pre-ordering will ensure that we have your size saved for you when you show up to carnival.  Payment will be collected when the shirt is picked up.  We have both Men’s and Women’s shirt types.  Pre-order now by filling out this super quick form

Reserve a room at the Hampton Inn by Friday, March 23rd (tomorrow)

If you need a place to crash for Carnival and beer-stained couches are no longer your top choice, reserve a room at the Hampton Inn with our exclusive members discount.  This post has all the details, but basically: become a member by making a gift of any size to the BAA, and then proceed to save $40 per night.  Here’s the new info, our special deal is only good through this Friday, so don’t stall.

Think about doing some Raceday broadcasting

cmuTV and WRCT are looking for alumni talent for their raceday broadcasting team.  At least half of the team we’ve had for the past few years is going to be absent this year, so it’s time to get some new talent.  The current students would especially like to find someone who is in Pittsburgh, will be visiting before carnival, or is up for some good Skype sessions to run through a rehearsal or two and work out the kinks before R-Day.  Having multiple alumni participants do smaller fractions of the full event has also been discussed so that you needn’t commit your entire carnival.  E-mail admin@cmubuggy.org and cmutv@andrew.cmu.edu if you are interested.

Get involved with the committee

Next year will be a transition for the BAA as at least half of our committee will be moving on.  The organization needs new blood to continue pushing forward with the most interesting alumni organization around.  We will have some kind of elections or transfer of “power” after carnival, but you don’t have to wait until then to get involved.

  • If it has ever crossed your mind to get more involved and maybe join the BAA committee, let us know and we’ll put you on our committee dlist now.  You can get a better idea of what goes on, help out with anything you want, and hopefully next year won’t be a totally new experience to whoever joins the board room.
  • If you’ll be out at rolls in the next 4 weeks, we could use your help.  We did pretty well with a series of collaboratively generated reports last semester, and it’s time to do some more.  I will be gone these dates, so if you’re around, come out, take some pictures, take some notes and send them to admin@cmubuggy.org :
    • Saturday, March 24; Sunday, March 25; Saturday, April 7; Sunday, April 8

How else are you getting ready for Raceday?

A few of us in Pittsburgh brewed this (not BAA endorsed) batch of “Freeroll” a Pittsburgh-Belgian Pale Ale.   What do you have in the works for an exciting raceday 2012?