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There's No Place Like SOM
by Yasmin Sanchez

Ruby red slippers need not be sought-after for one to participate in "There's No Place Like SOM", the theme of this year's John Gokongwei SOM WEEK slated from September 13 to 20, 2004. Now on its second year, the school administration collaborates with business organizations and the Sanggunian to produce a truly fun-filled week for the Ateneo community. The weeklong celebration is packed with the challenging activities that aim to foster deeper friendship and camaraderie among the different student organizations of the school, its faculty, staff and administration. This includes several competitions that will put creativity, endurance, innovativeness and wit to the test. These will be open to SOM students representing 11 different organizations. To spice things up, each student organization will receive points to serve as credit depending on the success of their respective activities. The group with the highest number of points by the end of the week will receive a corresponding award from the school. Organizations holding competitions will likewise award points to their winning contestants.

SOM WEEK kicks off with the opening ceremony, followed by tree planting at the newly landscaped SOM garden, an icing on the cake to SOM's "clean and green dream". A Marketing Competition will then be  conducted, where different teams will have to prepare a strategy for their given company. The Advertising Contest, on the other hand, will serve as a venue for participants to prepare a full-blown advertising campaign after being given a specific product to endorse. Another event to look forward to is the campus-wide Amazing Race, to be held across the Ateneo's grounds, with stations and challenges that need to be surpassed in order to advance. Sports enthusiasts, in the meantime, can participate in the Sportsfest, which will feature basketball, volleyball and other non-traditional relay games.

A twist to the usual quizbee will also be witnessed in Clash of the Intellects, where contestants will have to answer amusing yet intellectual questions that will surely entertain the audience. If that's not enough, drinking will be given a whole new meaning with " Drink SOMe, Give SOMe", a lemonade-drinking contest for a good cause. Art is also featured in the Entrepreneurial Expo, a showcase of outstanding business ideas, achievements and entrepreneurial output that will be on a weeklong display within the Ateneo campus. To further showcase artistic talent and at the same time help save Mother Earth, an ingenious rendition of the popular show "Art Attack" will also be launched. Here, participants will have to use only recycled materials and old garments to produce frame-worthy (that is if they can fit into a frame) work.

A big opportunity for the future stockbrokers also comes through Blue Chip, a weeklong stock marketing trading simulation game that will definitely keep participants on their toes. SOM Night will then cap the week off through a celebration loaded with musical talent, drinks, food and dance. The highlight of this week will be the Mr.and Ms. SOM, a pageant that goes beyond beauty, focusing instead on brains, talent, wit and creativity. With an interesting line-up of activities, the week will surely live up to its title, bringing students to no other place like SOM.

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