Even on the coldest days at Penn State, there is one room on campus that always smells like spring.
Overflowing with a myriad of flowers, Room 123 of Headhouse 1 hosts a class that offers students a more hands-on approach to learning: HORT352 (Flower Arranging).
Meeting every Monday from 5:30 to 8:35 p.m., this two-credit class with no prerequisites has a laid-back atmosphere that puts students at ease as they concoct their newest floral creation.
"I took this class as a stress reliever from my other classes," Karen Sander (senior-architecture) said. "I heard about it from my roommate, since we were both looking for something fun to take."
When instructor Kathy Shumac told the class on Monday their assignment was to make a cascading arrangement -- also known as the wedding style arrangement -- the class buzzed excitedly as they selected what flowers they were going to use.
"This is definitely a class for creativity. I loved it when I took it," said Shumac, Class of 1987.
As students set up their area with floral shears and flowers, most agreed the best thing about the class is taking the arrangements home and seeing people's reactions.
"When people see you walking around with these elaborate arrangements, people are like, 'Where did you get that? It's not Valentines Day,' " Lilly Zuckerman (senior-art ceramics) said. "My roommates are seriously addicted to them."
One night in class, they even got to make corsages and boutonnières. Because some students didn't want to waste an arrangement that one typically wears out on the town, many of them put on their newest creations and went to Mad Mex, 240 S. Pugh St., to show them off.
The assignments, which continue to keep the students excited for class, sometimes even cater to what some might say reflects a college lifestyle. Sara Giotto said her favorite class activity was when she made a miniature floral arrangement in a shot glass.
It's a popular class. Students said they had wanted to join for a long time, but it had always been full. But Giotto said the seat limit didn't stop her from getting in.
"I have wanted to take this class since last year," Giotto (senior-broadcast journalism) said. "Even though it was full, I e-mailed the teacher in order to get in."
As Shumac walked around, helping students, the class members worked meticulously on their floral designs -- intricately placing a few Mums here, a few carnations there -- to make a perfectly tailored piece. Though there is a myriad of academic backgrounds among the students, there is one thing common element in Floral Arranging this semester: All
23 students are women.
Many of the students enrolled said they would actually prefer some men in HORT352.
"[Men] should take this class to learn how to arrange flowers," Zuckerman said. "And, of course, meet really nice girls."
