Although Jennifer Riggs is tired, she won’t have time to rest until the presidential campaign is over.

Riggs, senior in anthropology, has been campaigning 30 hours a week since June for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.

“Things can get pretty stressful, but at the same time your adrenaline’s running so much and you know you’re pushing for something worthy, so you just keep going,” Riggs said. “The first time I heard Dean speak, there was something about him — the charisma he had, the way he excited the crowd, both young people and old people. Everybody there was so excited to see him.”

She hasn’t been home much.

“I haven’t seen her in three days,” said Lisa Latimer, Riggs’ roommate and senior in apparel merchandising, design and production.

Jan. 14, 2004

8:27 a.m. — Official Dean Headquarters, 118 Kellogg St.

Riggs works with fellow campaigner Drew Miller, senior in computer science, organizing a box of T-shirts and Dean fliers to be given out during their full day of manning a table in front of Parks Library for Dean.

“It smells like armpits in here!” Riggs yells to Miller from the other office as she grabs her cell phone and laptop. She begins making phone calls to fellow volunteers to remind them of their commitments.

9:23 a.m. — south of Parks Library

Riggs and Miller have the Dean table set up in the 39-degree weather and approach students as they walk past. Riggs approaches a tall student in a stocking cap and asks him who he’s going to vote for.

“Bush!” the student replies in a gruff voice.

“Not for fucking Dean!” another shouts.

“Going to caucus on Monday?” she asks someone else.

“Probably not.”

“Don’t you want to have a voice in what’s going on?” she yells.

“Not really.”

11:20 a.m. — Hub

Riggs and Miller take a break from tabling to warm up inside the Hub.

“Are you OK?” Miller asks.

“No, I’m in terrible, terrible pain,” Riggs replies while blowing on her hands and rubbing them back and forth.

Riggs and Miller set up a laptop and begin making calls to find out who the next volunteer to table will be.

11:34 a.m. — Memorial Union

Riggs is trying to get a room reserved in the Union for a crowd of about 1,500 at Dean’s speech Monday. However, the state director’s credit card has been declined for the $900 amount needed to reserve three rooms.

Riggs and Drew are both on their cell phones in an attempt to straighten out the situation.

“This is stressing us out,” Riggs says on the phone. “We’re trying to reserve a room and the credit card just got declined; I have not eaten anything today; and I’ve been up since seven.”

Finally, campaign officials decide to write a check and deliver it to Ames.

12:49 p.m. — Ross Hall

Riggs goes to class for the first time this semester.

7:30 p.m. — Welch Avenue

Riggs and two other volunteers meet to start canvassing.

They split up and Riggs starts knocking on apartment doors. Many residents are not at home, but those who are aren’t interested.

“Hi, my name’s Jenn Riggs and I’m on the Dean campaign,” Riggs starts out by saying. “I was wondering if you were planning to go to caucus on Monday.” Most say “not really” and “I’m not interested.” However, a few residents do invite Riggs and her fellow campaigners inside from the cold.

10:30 p.m.

The day of campaigning is finally over.

“I’m like falling asleep right now, but when I talk to those people it’s like, woo! The fact that I saw them all listening, even if they don’t show up to caucus,” Riggs says.

Riggs and three friends meet at Lumpy’s for non-Dean related conversation.