Photo by the author.

Red and green hot air balloons floated to a baby blue the sky on the Rock in celebration of McCormick senior JJ Cheo’s 23rd birthday Thursday. Friends of JJ included the uplifting message “The sky is the limit.”

JJ shares his birthday with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jim Henson.

Are you one of JJ’s friends? Are you JJ? (If so, happy birthday!) E-mail us at news@northbynorthwestern.com.

Photo by the author.

Cast and crew members of the Web series (Un)Dead Seriously painted the Rock early Tuesday morning with haunting messages from the “living” to promote their online “zombicomedocumentary.” With splatters of red dye, the crew warned students to run for their lives on the first day of classes and brought awareness to the concerns of zombies on campus.

Over the course of the evening, (Un)Dead Seriously posted a nine-part video series depicting founding members B. Makota Kawabata and Paul Foryt guarding the Rock and looking for love. The group also posted an online photo slideshow of the painting of the Rock.

(Un)Dead Seriously is in production of its first season. Five episodes have already been released since May 23.

Photo by the author.

Wildcat Welcome staff members painted the Rock Monday night with a greeting for new students. The message coincided with Tuesday’s move-in activities and the beginning of Wildcat Welcome week. The staff of peer coordinators, peer advisers and members of a board of directors work to acclimate incoming students to their new homes during their first days at Northwestern. Welcome events include information sessions, comedy and music performances and a trip to Six Flags Great America.

Photo courtesy Samantha Brown.

From Weinberg senior Samantha Brown:

Seniors in the Integrated Science Program (called Entering Class 2005, or EC 05) painted the rock to celebrate our last days together, but more importantly to promote science! All over the rock are various science-y things, like a dinosaur, a paramecium, the wave equation, a volcano, a beaker and an atomic model. On the front wall, the top is painted with chalkboard paint to make an interactive writing surface, and acknowledge the countless hours we’ve spent, chalk in hand, working on problems. The middle reads “SonBinh, will you marry me?”, in reference to our program director Prof. SonBinh Nguyen who has devoted so much time and effort to his students that we might as well make it official.

The Shakespeare-oriented theater group Lovers and Madmen painted the Rock on Tuesday to advertise their upcoming performance of Much Ado About Nothing, and continued painting it today. Although painting the Rock during the day is generally frowned upon as unacceptable behavior as per tradition, the performances will be taking place at the Rock and the painted Rock will serve as a backdrop. The original advertisement was painted at night.

If you are interested in seeing this performance, stop by the Rock at May 28 at 7 p.m., May 29 at 7 and 10 p.m., and May 31 at 2 p.m. In case of rain, the performance will move to the Bergen Theatre in the Theatre Interpretation Center. There is no charge for watching all or a part of the performance.

Photo courtesy of Bethany Marzewski.

Pennsylvania State University sophomore Skyler Marzewski, brother of Medill senior Bethany Marzewski, painted the Rock on Sunday.

Bethany sent me an email to notify me of the Rock being painted and included a picture. She said in her email, “I’m not sure if we’d like to endorse the whole ‘kid coming from another school to paint our Rock’ thing, but I figured I may as well send it to you, anyway.”

The members of the sorority Alpha Chi Omega and the fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha painted the Rock on Friday to advertise their joint spring philanthropy, Watermelon Bust, which took place on Saturday.

NSTV painted the Rock on Thursday to advertise the premiere of their annual sketch comedy show. It will take place this Saturday, May 23 at 8 p.m. in Tech Auditorium.

Wrestlepocalypse III painted the Rock on Wednesday to advertise their show, taking place in Shanley Pavillion on May 28 at 8 p.m. and May 29 at 8 and 11 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the Norris Box Office. The show is sponsored by Vertigo Productions.

The Northwestern Ski Team painted the Rock on Tuesday to advertise their “Ballin’ for Charity” volleyball tournament. It’s taking place May 23 at 10 a.m. at the North Beach Courts. There will be free food and live music. It costs $35 to register a team. Up to six people can be on a team. Students should register online at nuskiteam.com.

Northwestern’s women’s rugby team painted the Rock on Friday, May 15 to promote their game the next day against the University of Chicago. The Wildcats trounced the competition, winning the game 49-0.

The members of the fraternity Delta Chi painted the Rock on Thursday to advertise their spring philanthropy event, Island in the Sun: Beach Party. The event takes place at the beach north of campus. It starts at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 16 and costs $7 for entry.

Relay for Life painted the Rock on Tuesday night to advertise their fundraiser, which is taking place tonight at The 1800 Club (nicknamed “Hundo”), located at 1800 Sherman Ave. There will be a $10 open bar and a $3 cover charge. Relay for Life starts this Friday and goes through Saturday.

The new initiates of the female music fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota painted the Rock on Tuesday.

The members of the sorority Zeta Tau Alpha painted the Rock on Friday to advertise their Light the Way luminary event, taking place from the Arch to the Rock at 8 p.m. Sunday, May 10. If you wish to support the fight against breast cancer, you may purchase a pink ribbon from any Zeta for $1.