Meagan Nouis hopes to go into broadcasting when she graduates from the University of Minnesota. But if all else fails, she could always join the circus.

On Thursday, Nouis spent her lunch hour on Northrop Mall leading half a dozen other students in the fine art of juggling.

"I've been juggling for 7 1/2 years," said Nouis, 20, a senior from Little Falls who's majoring in communications. She returned from study abroad in January, determined to revive the U's dormant juggling club.

Now, it has some 15 or 20 members who gather once a week on Thursdays to practice their craft. In fact, they're hosting a three-day festival - "FlipFest" - on Nov. 1-3 at Coffman Union.

Nouis says juggling is "absolutely" a stress reliever, and insists that she's taught some people how to do it in as little as 20 minutes.

"We totally encourage anyone who's never tried it before," she said. "We tell them anybody can learn."

--MAURA LERNER