Look! Up in the sky! It’s a . uh . what the heck is that?

This is the question du jour at Red Bull’s annual Flugtag, German for “flying day,” contest which consists of five-member teams (four pushers and a pilot) scheming up outrageous homemade flying machines that are pushed up and over a ramp with a 30-foot drop to tempt fate in the skies.

On June 23, a few brave Bulldogs will attempt to defy gravity.

“We used to see the commercials all the time, but we never really paid attention to it,” said University junior Celine Higgins.

With attention now paid and the proper forms filed, Higgins and her teammates Christopher Lazarus, a sophomore from Marietta, Kristin Claire Schert, a sophomore from Valdosta, Buddy Tesar, a senior from Marietta and Rob Muller, a junior from Thomasville, are scheming up their own craft for this summer’s contest at Nashville’s Riverfront Park.

“We’re aiming for the crowd pleaser, and we’ll be building with anything that comes to mind,” Higgins said. “As long as it fits the rules, we’ll use it!”

Fun aside, the obvious question remains: Why would anyone want to subject themselves to a 30-foot fall in which both they and their machine might crumble like a wet paper towel?

“Because we can,” Higgins said. “Why not enjoy our college lives?”

The group is yet to finish its schematics, but the final design will be kept secret until after the April 24 acceptance notice – though they were willing to share some of their early idea rejects.

“Some ideas for our creation have been a giant piece of sushi, Britney Spears’ bald head and a lawn gnome with wings,” said Higgins.