Been missing the OG Video Blog? We know it's been awhile, but we've been busy compiling a very special edition for you this week — some exotic vlogging, all the way from Wisconsin!

Shoompie, a rock-fusion band consisting of five Uni students, won third place Wednesday night at the Champaign Park District's seventh annual Battle of the Bands. Another Uni student, freshman A.J. Martinez of the Champaign group Saint Syke, also participated. Check inside for photos and audio of Shoompie's winning performance at the Virginia Theatre.

Students for a Better World hosted a benefit dinner Feb. 13 to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The event featured handmade pasta and other hearty foods, with live music. Dinner-goers got to hear librarian Frances Harris and her klezmer group, and they also got a sneak peek at Shmoopie, prepping for the upcoming Battle of the Bands at the Virginia Theatre.

The Class of 2009 will be heading off to the Wisconsin Dells on Friday for three nights and two full days of living on their own (chaperones provided, of course), with a little skiing and swimming and lots of bonding thrown in. It's the annual senior trip, and it's a tell-tale sign that the end of the school year is finally within sight.

The OG Video Blog is back! Unable to find time in their equally busy but non-interfering Agora schedules to film together, Lauren and Lor filmed separately. Their commentary was surprisingly similar, causing the splice to emulate what they would have been like if they have been together — minus the copious giggling, of course.

Lizzy Warner and Lor Sligar update you on the happenings at Uni this week in an all-new way, through a video blog! With an interlude from Lauren Piester about Uni's spring production, "West Side Story," this video blog (or "vlog," if you will) will catch you up to some current events, such as the Valentine's Day Dance, the weather, and the imminent arrival of Agora Days.

The freshman pianist won $500 and top honors last weekend at the Danville Symphony Orchestra's annual contest for young musicians. Qiu will perform at the DSO's March 14 Classical Masterworks concert. Jennifer Roloff (Class of 2008) won the contest last year. Check inside to hear Qiu perform.

In 2008 YouTube was going strong as the Internet's main source of videos from a variety of categories. It has influence all over the globe, and its videos range from funny to educational. Here are 10 videos that caught our eye last year.

Hours before a Uni play, you'll find your favorite thespians backstage applying their makeup, putting on their costumes, and getting into character. Student Productions 2008 was no exception. Check out this audio slideshow as cast members Lauren Piester and Lor Sligar take us behind the scenes at opening and closing night.

Students in David Stone's field biology class took a trip to Wolf Park, a wildlife education and research facility in Battle Ground, Ind., on Thursday. Wolf Park is home to wolves, foxes, bison, and coyotes. Check inside to see what the students found when they got there.

While many of Uni's thespians are still recovering from weeks of little sleep and extreme fun, it's time to look back at this year's Student Productions, which featured six plays and seven unexpected interludes. Check inside as directors Natsuki Nakamura, Hadley Hauser, Sierra Marcum, Hannah Leskosky, Lauren Piester, and Kareem Sayegh discuss their plays.

School dances offer the opportunity for students to take a more unique route with their clothing options. Some choose to throw on a simple shirt and jeans, while others decide to add a little flair. Kahlilah Cooke takes us back to the most recent Uni dance for a look at what some of us were wearing.

Student Council hosted Uni's second annual ice skating party at the U of I Ice Arena Saturday night. The event turned out to be a huge success with more than 125 students, faculty, and parents attending. StudCo officers decided to host another ice skating party this year because dances have become less popular, and they are aiming to offer a variety of fun alternatives.

Hilarity reigned supreme in the North Attic Playhouse from Nov. 6 to 8 in Uni High's production of "Shakespeare in Hollywood." Directed by Barbara Ridenour, the play imagined what might have happened if two Shakespeare characters, Puck and Oberon, were cast as themselves in a 1930s film version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Uni High's production of "Shakespeare in Hollywood," performed Nov. 6 to 8, was a rousing success. Directed by fine arts teacher Barbara Ridenour, the comic fantasy combined 1930s Hollywood with Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for an evening of hilarity. Check inside for a look back at Uni's fall play.