February 27, 2014 | Volume 3, Issue 20 | Stillwater, OK
www.theodysseyonline.com | @Odyssey_OKState | Facebook.com/TheOdysseyOklahomaState
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GREEK OF THE WEEK: ALISON SLAGELL page 5 FUTURE COUNSELOR OFFERS GUIDANCE page 9 BEST STUDY SPOTS page 13
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Editor's note
www.theodysseyonline.com
The bulk of stories in
this week’s paper are focused on interesting people. From Pastor James Bond to Calvin, who owns The Barn, it takes all kinds of kinds to
give
Don’t judge a book by its cover
LIBBY NICHOLAS Chi Omega
Editor-in-Chief
Libby is a senior studying multimedia journalism. You may contact her at elizabeth. nicholas@okstate.edu.
Stillwater
i t s s p e c i a l , s p u n k y, homey feel. The goal of this issue is to encourage you all to appreciate the diverse people around you. When else will you live in a house with 100 other people? (For your sake, I hope not after college. That could be weird.) When else will you be in this little community where you recognize most of the names you hear of fellow Greeks, regardless of whether you’ve met them? When else will you be able to
It’s easy to quickly judge someone by his or her appearance. “He’s wearing cargo shorts...” or “She wears heels to class... What?” can cause an instant judgment in ones mind of an individual. Throw it out the window! Opposites attract. Branch out Choose not to limit yourself to a couple friends who are similar to you. Choose to maintain friendships with people who can see things differently. Example, when I think something is the end of the world, my mom says, “Seriously Lib? Relax. C’s get degrees.” And I’m instantly like, “You’re right. Who cares?” That’s why her opinion is one of the first ones I look to. Learn to see the value in that! Learning to see the value a different viewpoint can make you a much more joyful, thankful person.
stroll through the Barn for a drink at 2 in the afternoon because you don’t have
Enjoy reading up on these interesting Stillwater locals – and keep your eye
anything going on? (Again, hopefully we seniors don’t find ourselves doing that
peeled for people who are different from you. Those may be the people who
next fall. Could be a bad sign.)
wind up influencing you the most – for the best!
“It’s funny how, in this journey of life, even though we may begin at different times and places, our paths cross with others so that we may share our love, compassion, observations and hope. This is a design of God that I appreciate and cherish.” - Steve Maraboli. I hear many peers talk about how they can’t wait to get out of Oklahoma, more
THE ODYSSEY AT OKLAHOMA STATE
specifically Stillwater, upon graduation. What a waste of a gift! Let’s open our eyes to all the great, friendly Okies we’re surrounded by – and appreciate them. A couple weeks ago, I found a meme that said, “I would love to help you... but I can’t fix stupid.” I had to laugh, because it completely related to how I felt about most of the people I had interacted with that week. It’s definitely tempting to feel frustrated with people in college – whether you think your professor gave you an unfair grade or your roommate borrowed your shoes the day you wanted to wear them – little things can distract us from appreciating the people in our lives. As it turns out, everyone is interesting. You’ve just got to know how to find that part of them. After all, we’re all a little weird. “We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—true love.” – Robert Fulghum. Stop worr ying about what people think of you Afraid people think it’s not OK to wear leggings as pants? Who cares! Are they comfortable? Yes. Is this the only time in your life that it’s socially acceptable to wear them? Yes. So, you may as well take advantage of it. What I’m saying is, the coolest people I know don’t give a flip about whether people think they’re living right. If you stop worrying about others’ opinions of you, then you’ll start to look more at others than yourself, and you’ll notice the interesting, awesome things they have to offer. As Dr. Seuss says, “Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
EXECUTIVE TEAM President Breanna Fuller Alpha Delta Pi
Distribution Executive Tori Brownlee Alpha Delta Pi
Recruitment Executive Kade Goodwin Phi Delta Theta
CREATIVE TEAM Editor-in-Chief Libby Nicholas Chi Omega
Contributing Editor Thomas Chapman Farm House
Photographer Jamie Barnes Sigma Pi
OLYMPIA MEDIA GROUP 888.272.2595 | OlympiaMediaGroup.com Managing Editor, Brittany Binowski Designer, Grant Hohulin
We want a representative from every house! To apply for a writing, photography or sales position, TheOdysseyOnline.com/creative © 2014 Olympia Media Group, LLC All Rights Reserved. The Odyssey is a private entity not associated or governed by University of Oklahoma or OSU Greek life office. The views and opinions shared in The Odyssey are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Odyssey and Olympia Media Group.
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Scene on campus
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INSIDE LOOK AT SGA CANDIDATES: SLAGELL AND DUNCAN Alison Slagell walked into the SOPHIA basement of Stout GIBSON with her partner in Delta Delta Delta Sophia is a freshman studying crime, Clint Duncan. agricultural education. The team was Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t sophie.gibson@okstate.edu. wearing matching plaid, which they claim was unintentional. These two juniors are running for SGA president and vice president and between their involvement on campus and dynamic personalities, they certainly are interesting people. We began with some silly questions. Describe yourself in 140 characters or less. AS: A passionate person who should probably take myself more serious than I actually do, but life is too short not to laugh at your own jokes! CD: An outgoing person, who is willing to go the extra mile for someone, goofy when it comes down to it, a little sarcastic, but serious too. My dream date is… AS: A date. I would like to have a date. CD: A picnic. And then going geocaching. The song that would describe my life right now is… AS: ‘‘Flawless’ by Beyoncé, because I woke up like this. CD: “Turn Down For What” because I’m up for anything. An interesting fact about me is… AS: I got scarlet fever when I was 14. CD: I’m partially deaf, in my right ear. I can read lips. My biggest advice to freshman would be… AS: Do things that scare you. If you’re worried about people not accepting you or you don’t want to run because you might lose, that’s no way to run your life. Find your passions and pursue them. Focus in on what you actually care about. CD: Study. Just kidding. Try new things, get involved – it doesn’t matter where, just get plugged in. Try something you don’t think you would be interested in. If you were stuck inside a novel, which one would you choose? AS: “Bossy Pants” by Tina Fey. I would love to be stuck in her life.
CD: “The Great Gatsby” by Scott Fitzgerald. I’d get to drive a cool car. If I were a kitchen appliance, I would be a… AS: A large Dutch oven because I thinks it’s so cool that in cooking that you can put a lot of things that don’t necessarily work together and make something delicious. CD: I think I’m more of a toaster than a whisk. AD: Yeah, toasters are more rustic and you have a very warm heart. What makes you special? AS: My mom says, it’s my heart, but I think I’m a very loyal person. I’m one of those people who truly would do anything for you. Sometimes I get mad because a bunch of people think our generation is full of punk kids, but a lot of us really care. CD: I’m sincere in my words. If I say something I mean it. I don’t just talk to talk, unless I’m being goofy. Finally, we spoke about their campaign for Student Government. Slagell pointed out that this is a year of transition for SGA because a lot of the staff is changing and many of the participants are graduating. “So this next year is going to be a time where you need people who are experienced and strong leaders,” she said. “We both have a huge love for SGA and it has taught us so much. It’s the bridge students have to the administration, other schools and the national government, so I can’t imagine a greater opportunity to push that forward.” Duncan pointed out that SGA already has an amazing structure, but is in need of a bit of an attitude change. “It used to be that every senator came to every meeting – there was a line just to get in – but at last week’s meeting only 41 out of 50 senators showed up.” We discussed making SGA more accessible to students, in order to make sure everyone’s voice is heard. Slagell mentioned that it would be great for everyone to tweet at SGA anytime they notice something they would like to have changed, for example, a place to add a crosswalk or a street light that’s gone out. They both mentioned that they’re “working to put students first.” Slagell finished by stating, “we’re not running because we want the titles, but because we have a clear view of what SGA should be and we have the tools to get it there. We care deeply about the students and that’s 100 percent our motivation for doing this.” “That’s what makes us a good team, we’re both on the same page,” Duncan agreed. “We’re not doing it for the resume. We don’t need stuff to build our resumes, we just see things that can be better and we want to make them that way.”
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Scene on campus
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GOURMET CHEF WORKS TO REVAMP THE WAY GREEKS EAT Are you sick and tired of chicken for dinner at your chapter? Well, good news. Four years ago, a man with an entrepreneurial vision started College Chefs, a company with a goal to change the way Greeks eat.
NINA BLASDEL
Kappa Delta Nina is a sophomore studying hotel & re s t a u r a n t a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t nina.blasdel@okstate.edu.
There is no question that from time to time we get a little burned out on what’s for lunch. Whether it’s Hotdog Monday or Glazed Ham Thursday, sometimes the food our chapters serve just doesn’t quite suit our appetites. Kevin Gadus, award-winning chef with over 20 years of culinary experience, was living in Champagne, Ill. when his concept for College Chefs struck. Champagne is the home of the University of Illinois, which has one of the most prominent Greek systems in the US. Gadus learned that many members of U of I’s Greek community were dissatisfied with their in-house meals so he founded the company with the mission to serve fraternities and sororities “ridiculously good food,” prepared fresh, daily. It started with just one chapter in Illinois and now, four years later, College Chefs has over 75 accounts nationwide. So what makes it so successful, and how can we get this “ridiculously good food” to OSU? I spoke with one of my professors, Dr. Bill Ryan, about the feasibility of this type of operation coming to OSU. Dr. Ryan has over 15 years of experience in university dining management and was previously the department head of OSU’s school of Hotel and Restaurant Administration. Ryan has also been a part of the Food Service Advisory Committee to the Oklahoma State Board of Health for 15 years. “There are two types of questions that would need to be addressed, if this type of program was to be successful at OSU,” Ryan said. “Number one – would this be carried out by the entire Greek community as a whole, or on a house-by-house basis? And number two, what are your needs, on a cost versus quality basis? The entire concept is worthwhile to look into, however, it would be necessary to develop a common philosophy amongst the chapters,” Ryan said. “and to establish a set of expected standards for the food services you would be receiving.” I interviewed the general manager of College Chefs, Dave Tarrant, for some details on the operation. “The concept of the company is simple,” Tarrant said. “We bring classically trained chefs into your sorority or fraternity, customize a meal plan and bring you the freshest food possible – innovative and from scratch every day. Having the right chefs helps save money, because they know what they’re doing,” Tarrant said. “Sorority and fraternity kitchens aren’t necessarily the Ritz Carlton, so our chefs write their recipes and menus according to the desires of the individual house they work for, accommodating as necessary.” Tarrant explained that one of the benefits of this specialized type of catering is that because there are a high number of students per chapter, the price per meal is considerably reduced, because ingredients are purchased in bulk sizes. Since College Chef’s main mission is to provide us Greeks with fresh, never frozen meals, we could say goodbye to that semi-frozen, deep fried chicken stuffed with broccoli forever! Each chapter has its own classically trained chef and sous chef (“sous chef” is French for assistant chef), which means that the people cooking our meals would have culinary degrees from accredited institutions. What does a typical meal prepared by College Chefs consist of, anyway? I checked out their website and here’s what’s for lunch on Monday: Grown-up Grilled Cheese: fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and smoked Gouda on toasted garlic bread with orange fennel salad and couscous cucumber salad with fresh parsley and lemon. Mmm, sounds like it’s straight from a menu in a fancy restaurant. “We promise our customers that we will never miss a meal. Even through rough winters and snow days, we’re there for our students. If we’re expecting bad weather, we’ve even provided nearby hotel rooms for our chefs so they can make it to their chapters to cook
a great breakfast in the morning. It’s all about planning ahead.” College Chefs has slowly but surely found their success and 100 percent of their clients from previous years continue to do business with them. ”You don’t want to get carried away too fast, ” Tarrant said, in terms of their future business plans. “Focus on your first customer first. If the first one is a success, then try to move onto the second. Once you find success, then you can build it from there. Long term thinking is very important, but in any type of new business, don’t get too hung up on the future and forget what’s going on right now.” From the other perspective, Dr. Ryan made the important point that, like any company, College Chef’s primary goal will be to earn a profit so the price-per-meal might be much higher than what we are used to. “Think of relocation costs, for example,” Ryan pointed out. “It would be much harder to find 35 classically trained chefs in Stillwater, Okla., as opposed to Chicago.” At OSU, most of our food is currently catered by US Foods, a company based out of Oklahoma City. If you’re interested in making the switch to College Chefs’ “ridiculously good food,” check out their website, www.collegechefs.com and let’s make a change for the healthier.
Greek life traditions
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GREEK OF THE WEEK: ALISON SLAGELL
Slagell has made an impact in Kappa Delta and on campus and hopes to continue that with the rest of her college career. This past year, she has had the opportunity to be the internal affairs chair for Student Government Association and has been able to help students be more involved and engaged in the legislative process.
Alison Slagell, junior and member of Kappa Delta, has got it all from homecoming director to Student Government Association and watching Beyonce music videos. Slagell, from Hydro, Okla., was bleeding orange the day she was born. The choice to come to Oklahoma State seemed easy at first, but because of the expectations and the large student body, Slagell was not so sure. In the end, though, she knew OSU was the only place for her. Slagell went through recruitment and easily chose Kappa Delta to be her home. “I love how supportive everyone is of each other,” Alison said. “That support has given me the confidence to try new things and take risks because I always know that these women have my back.”
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TAYLOR FELGENHAUER Gamma Phi Beta
Taylor is a junior studying strategic communications. You may contact her at taylor. felgenhauer@yahoo.com.
While Kappa Delta has given this support and sisterhood to Slagell, she has also spent time giving back. In her three years as a Kappa Delta, she has been on the slating committee for council elections, a new member mentor, a homecoming director and a co-head homecoming director. “I enjoyed being a new member mentor because I know how difficult the transition between high school and college can be and I liked making that transition easier for the girls in my group,” Alison said. “I loved being a homecoming director so much, because I not only got to meet so many people, but I love being able to help design and put together something that our members and visiting alumni can be proud of.”
Involvement plays a huge role in Slagell’s college career, but she doesn’t leave out the fun parts. “My junior year I got put in the recruitment skit to beatbox,” she said. “And during the alumni skit showing, I had been speaking with alum and missed the skit so, obviously, I am now a show god.” Slagell said that her weirdest moment in college was when Danielle Pullen was teaching them how to wall twerk during recruitment. The memories are never ending, she said. Slagell was a homecoming director last year when they were paired with Fiji. “The coolest moment was during the OSU Homecoming game when KD and Fiji won House Dec and Sweepstakes,” she said. “Being in the stands with everyone and hearing that you swept homecoming is the coolest thing I have ever been apart of. Slagell has a strong passion for the students at Oklahoma State University. She has a played a huge role within the student body by being a part of SGA. “I want to be able to inspire and equip students to be more involved in OSU, both clubs and activities on campus, but also in the decisions that impact our school,” Slagell said. Slagell is an agriculture communications and business double major. “I grew up on a farm, surrounded by agriculture and I really have a passion for sharing it with others,” she said. She also has a passion for helping other people overcome their fears and getting involved in things they were once afraid of. “I want to help students get involved and do things that might scare them, because if you don’t, you will always be wondering, ‘what if’ and nobody should live with regrets.”
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Greek life traditions
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PI BETA PHIHOUSEBOYS Sekine enjoys seeing the women relax and be themselves. “I think their stereotype is a little more stiff, I hear that a lot,” he said. “But when you get in there and everyone’s having fun, they’re like any other sorority, I would think. Everyone’s there for the sisterhood and to make friends and to have a good time.”
Two houseboys of Pi Beta Phi spoke with me about life behind the scenes in the Pi Phi kitchens. Serving spoonfuls of stories this week, I met with Joseph Barnes, a junior biomechanical engineering major and member of Sigma Pi, and Tyler Sekine, a junior computer electrical engineering major with a music minor and member of Alpha Tau Omega. Barnes works through Keystone Food Service at several sorority chapter on campus, Pi Phi being one of them. He works primarily at Delta Delta Delta, but also picks up shifts at Pi Phi, Kappa Delta, and recently, Chi Omega. Sekine has been working for Pi Phi for two years, and said he picked up the job from a friend of his. To be a houseboy, you have to know a houseboy, right? Wrong. Barnes is the first exception to this rule I ‘ve interviewed since starting this series. He said he heard about the houseboy position from a friend whose dad met his wife through being a houseboy. Barnes recalled that a week later one of his Sigma Pi brothers asked who was interested in being a houseboy, “and I was like, sign me up.” Unlike most houseboys who inherit their position from a friend or brother, Barnes didn’t replace any other houseboys. “No, I was completely fresh,” Barnes said. Boys will become houseboys for a variety of different reasons. For some, they need the free food and the money. For others, like Sekine, it’s an opportunity to expand one’s social circle, which he said is his favorite thing about being a houseboy. “We (all the Pi Phi houseboys) are all there to get to know the girls and make relationships, in different ways,” Sekine said. “Getting the houseboy position and getting to know the girls in their home is a little different.” Sekine said this is because he sees the Pi Phi women in their natural environment. “I think they act a lot different than in public places, because when you’re in your home, everything’s kind of let free and that’s the atmosphere that’s always around the dinner table,” Sekine said. “So when we’re eating with them, everything flies. The secrets fly, the gossip sometimes flies, so I think they are a lot more free when they’re around the house.”
Speaking of gossip flying, the most overheard topic at Pi Phi dinners is who’s dating whom, according to Sekine. “Everyone’s looking for boyfriends, so I hear a lot about their dates and outings,” Sekine said. With all that insider information, Sekine puts his talents to good use. “We bought them a bunch of chocolates for Valentine’s day, serenaded them, played the guitar and sang to them,” he said. “Every Christmas I come by and I play the cello, so I’ll play Christmas tunes for one of the dinners for an hour or so.”
MEGAN NOBLE Zeta Tau Alpha
Megan is a sophomore studying When it comes down to english. You may contact her at actually working at the megancn@okstate.edu. house, Barnes said they do the “typical kitchen stuff.” Right now at Pi Phi, there are four or five houseboys, so they all work a lot. “I’m at different houses. At Tri Delt they have four shifts a day, at Pi Phi they have way more and different hours, so I can work at this house and go straight over to that house and get two shifts in, because they don’t all match up,” Barnes said. “And if one house makes a better tetrazzini, you can just go to that house [for dinner].” “The most annoying thing is just the aspect of actually working,” Sekine said. “Just the fact that when I’m eating lunch with some girls my boss comes out and starts yelling at me to get back to the kitchen and working.” At Pi Phi, the houseboys come into the dining room and eat every dinner with the girls, so they pick up on some interesting conversations. “Just last week I heard a conversation about the longest it’s been since they’ve showered,” Sekine said. “And some of them were ranking up there, they were counting the days, and we were like, ‘What? Are you sure about that?’ but they said that was a long time ago, so I’m sure they’re clean now.” Both Barnes and Sekine agreed that the houseboy position is perfect for college guys, and that they would tell other guys to become houseboys. “Just so long as they don’t take any shifts that I have,” Barnes said. “It’s a pretty good gig. I’m always trying to get my friends to join and I don’t know why they don’t. I guess I just bring home too much food for them.” Fun fact: Sekine told me that he met OSU president Burns Hargis and that Hargis said he met his wife Ann while working as a Pi Beta Phi houseboy.
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Greek life traditions
PASTOR BOND SEES GREEK COMMUNITY AS VITAL TO STILLWATER Although he was never a pledge or president of the IFC at OSU, Pastor Bond’s story is enormously important to my fraternity. Just as FarmHouse has recognized Pastor Bond as a man who exemplifies the ideals of the fraternity, many other chapters have initiated respectable individuals as honorary members.
Initiated in 1992, he has the same paddle hanging in his home as any other FarmHouse alumni might, however, as an honorary fraternity member his story is quite unique. Local pastor James Bond, better known as JB Bond, served as pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in Stillwater for 27 years until a little over a year ago, when he and a group of local families set out to establish the new Stillwater Bible Church. Pastor Bond graduated from Delta State University in Mississippi and spent the first part of his career coaching in a variety of capacities. Starting out as a high school coach, his great leadership abilities propelled him onto the athletics scene at Mississippi State University. After spending eight years on the coaching staff at the university, he left to follow a calling to enter into ministry. He graduated from the Dallas Theological Seminary in 1985 and accepted an offer to become the first full time pastor at Countryside Baptist Church here in Stillwater. In the early ‘90s, the members of FarmHouse started the tradition of kicking off each semester attending church as a chapter and Countryside Baptist was the church of choice. Countryside was also the local church home for many FarmHouse members for many years. The men of FarmHouse were drawn to Countryside Baptist likely due to the fact that, unlike many professors on campus, Pastor Bond has the innate ability to capture the full attention of whomever is listening. When tragedy swept in and a young member of FarmHouse passed away, Pastor Bond was there to pray with and support all the members. The men of FarmHouse came to admire Bond so much that it was decided to ask him to join the fraternity as an honorary member. The admiration was mutual. Pastor Bond had developed a great appreciation for the men of FarmHouse and the ideals upheld by the fraternity. “It was a great honor to become a part of this great group of men,” Bond said. “It was very encouraging to be asked to become an honorary member. I am proud to be a part of the FarmHouse Fraternity.” Since becoming an honorary member, Pastor Bond has taken the time each year to meet with the new members of FarmHouse to encourage spiritual growth and to provide inspiration for diligence and hard work throughout life. As members of the Greek community, we strive to serve not only our alumni, our campus and the world, but also each other. We go the extra mile to give back to the community that has given us so much. Bond said he views Greeks as “ leaders on campus and in the community.” As a Stillwater resident and father of two women who were Greek at OSU, Pastor Bond has much respect for the qualities exemplified by members of the fraternities and sororities and sororities here at Oklahoma State. It is reassuring to know that all the work your chapter puts into homecoming and its various philanthropic endeavors does not go unnoticed. “Both the campus and the community would be vastly different without the presence of the Greek community,” Bond said. “I am thankful for the impact of Greeks on campus and in the city of Stillwater.”
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CASEY BURSON Farm House
Casey is a freshman studying construction management technology. You may contact him at Casey.burson@okstate.edu.
Grover Cleveland became an honorary member of Sigma Chi in 1893. First Lady Lucy Hayes was an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Barbara Bush is an honorary member, or alumni initiate of Pi Beta Phi. I could go on, but the point is that when we graduate from college and enter the real world, we may not always have a fellow Greek to look up to. We should all be able to recognize those individuals who embody the same ideals we hold dear, despite that person’s Greek affiliation or lack thereof, and look to them for guidance when needed.
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Feature story
CAMPUS WOULDN’T BE THE SAME WITHOUT CALVIN
We all know the liquor stores are closed on Sundays, but who runs the liquor store scene around here the rest of the week? If you live in Stillwater, then you probably know it’s Charles Calvin Smith.
NICK CHARLTON & DAVID DUNKEL Sigma Alpha Epsilon
David and Nick are sophomores. You may contact them at davidadunkel@aol.com.
He is known by most as Calvin and his natural habitat is the Barn Liquor Store, although sometimes he’ll venture to the adjacent drive through if he’s feeling adventurous. This humble establishment can be found on the strip across from Outlaws which, by the way ladies, is a great place to find Cal after work, if you’re looking for a little two step action. Born in Bixby, Okla., Calvin found himself attending college in Talequah as a member of Phi Lambda Chi fraternity. If you ever venture to the Barn, you can see his pledge cap displayed over the counter. Its been rumored that sometimes after a long day of work, he blows the dust off the cap, puts it on, and shotguns a warm six point to remember the good times. Calvin then met his lovely wife Brenda, to whom he has been married for 44 years. Brenda is also a regular at the Barn. Originally, employment brought Calvin to Stillwater, however on a trip to Texas, he came across an idea that he thought would change the game in Stillwater. No, he did not come up with the vodka soaked watermelon – that idea was thought of in Cabo a few years after. Calvin’s idea was to open up a drive through that sold beer. So in 1994, two things were established: the North American Free Trade Agreement (we still have no clue what that is) and the Barn. From that day on, Calvin cemented his legacy, along with other Stillwater greats, such as Boone Pickens, Eddie Sutton and Preacher Bob. The Barn was in full swing, up until two and a half years ago, when Calvin suffered a tragic
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accident while working on a project. A terrible fall put him in the hospital for almost a month. In a coma for almost two weeks, Calvin finally came out of it and was functioning. Brenda says she calls him her “walking miracle.” However, the hospital called him their little escape artist. Fed up with the hospital life, Cal tried to leave numerous times and was finally put under the watchful eye of hospital security. When Calvin’s son, Travis, heard about the accident he feared that the business would take a huge hit and possibly perish without someone taking over. Practicing law at the time, Travis dropped everything to help his father and take over the family business. “There was no thought, it was just natural. He had taken care of me my whole life, it was a no brainer,” Travis said. Over time, Calvin made a miraculous recovery and went back to his classic spot behind the counter. There have been many twists and turns throughout the Barn’s history but Calvin definitely has his favorite memories. One of his favorites was back in 1995, when our men’s basketball team took down the Tim Duncan led powerhouse, Wake Forrest, to put us into the Final Four. “You could hear a roar from campus, people were coming through, cheering, hanging from telephone poles, it was great,” Calvin said. “Believe it or not, a few cats even loaded up a truck bed with kegs and drove down University handing out Stillwater’s favorite beverage to all who could run fast enough.” Although the store hours haven’t changed since the ‘90s, the culture definitely has. People like Justin Blackmon and Russell Okung come back to the Barn whenever they are in town just to see Calvin and reminisce about the college days. Whoever you are, whatever your story, if you are attending OSU then Calvin Smith will touch your heart at some point in your stay here. Whether it be a nice, “hey, how,s it going?” or an hour-long conversation about sports and life, Cal will be there behind the counter. The next time you are at the Barn and happen to see Brenda, Travis or Calvin, say thank you because without all of them, we would be missing a major Stillwater staple. So here’s to the most interesting man in my and Dave’s eyes, and many others. Keep it kosher, Cal, because we will be back tomorrow.
9 FUTURE COUNSELOR OFFERS GUIDANCE
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Feature story
Technology presents a variety of ways to keep up with your money. Most banks offer mobile banking to track your spending at your fingertips. Smartphones also provide access to budgeting apps, such as Mint, to not only track your money, but also plan how to spend it.
HANNAH NEMECEK Chi Omega
Hannah is a junior studying agricultural communications. You may contact her at hannah.nemecek@okstate.edu.
5. Knowledge of self. Being away from home and on your own can be difficult. Students tend to act as if they have it all together. However, it can be scary to face things you have never encountered before. “Be patient,” Hobbs said. “You will figure out what you want to do with your life and it will be okay. Figure out your own values and beliefs and do not rely on others.” Any OSU student needing assistance with an issue can contact University Counseling Services, located in the Student Union. To learn more, visit ucs.okstate.edu or call 405-744-5472.
Jordan Hobbs, a Chi Omega, longs to help others. Majoring in child and family services, her dream is to be a family and marriage counselor. “Things happen in people’s lives that can really affect them,” Hobbs said. “Sometimes you need someone else to help you find a solution.” Hobbs wants to use counseling to encourage and strengthen others. She is an Oklahoma State University undergraduate research assistant completing research with the Developmental Disabilities Services Quality Assurance. Because of time spent both in class and in research, Hobbs was able to pinpoint five major issues most college students struggle with. 1. Anxiety and worry. Every individual deals with anxiety differently. Hobbes suggests looking at the bigger picture. “You have to know that whatever you are anxious about will pass. You just have to do your best.” 2. Pressure to be successful. Most people come to college to get a degree and find success in a career and life. Throughout this process, students often struggle with failure and fear of being unsuccessful. However, Hobbs said, “You’re successful if you’re doing what makes you content and happy.” 3. Sleep loss. Most college students stay up too late studying or wasting time. While it is difficult to go to bed early and sleep in late, Hobbs said students must make sleep a bigger priority. “Get more sleep! It is so good for your body. All nighters don’t work. You have to sleep to remember.” She also suggests time management. Students need to plan ahead and study in advance, rather than staying up late to cram. 4. Money. Aside from buying a house or a car, college is the only time in life when one spends a large sum of money in a little amount of time. It can be stressful to keep up with money for tuition, rent, food, clothes and more. “Just be aware and budget,” she said.
10 STUDENT REFEREE GAINS SUPERVISOR POSITION Self health & fitness
A line of symmetry bisects the life of a student who has duties to study and to serve.
JAKE BLASDEL
John Grant is a senior Sigma Sigma Nu Pi here at Oklahoma State, Jake is a junior studying originally from Greensboro, b i o l o g i c a l s c i e n c e . Yo u North Carolina. He studies may contact him at business management and is jacob.blasdel@okstate.edu. also minoring in marketing and human resources management. Grant also happens to be a former intramural official at the Colvin Center, who now has a role as a supervisor. I talked with Grant about his involvement with intramurals at the Colvin. “Before becoming a supervisor, I was an official for one year,” he said. “I officiated flag football, volleyball, basketball, wheelchair basketball and softball.” He sounded like he was very involved compared to the average official. Yet, Grant says that is it very common for an official to work more than one sport. “There are those who prefer to only officiate a certain sport, but the majority of those who work for intramurals officiate multiple sports.” From my point of view, it seemed like a hectic job. These guys are literally running around all over the place. I was interested to know how much time an official tends to dedicate to his or her job during a given week. “The hours our officials are assigned tend to vary based on the sport and how far in the season it is,” he said. “Each official is assigned roughly two to three shifts per week for our larger sports, like football and basketball. Officials are allowed to trade shifts, so if someone
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wanted more hours, there are usually opportunities to pick up extra shifts.” Grant said that he really does enjoy being employed at the Colvin Center. “Being an official for intramurals really was a great fit for someone like myself who enjoys being around people and who has always loved sports.” Why, then, did he make the transition to a supervising position? “I had officiated every sport, so the supervisors knew who I was and asked me if I wanted to interview for a supervising position. I said yes and interviewed, and they offered me a job.” I wanted to hear about Grant’s favorite and least favorite part of his job. “My favorite thing about being an official was the work environment,” he said. “I was getting paid to be around the sports I loved to watch while building friendships with co-workers.” Sounds like a good reason to me! Of course, I wanted to know Grant’s least favority aspect of being a supervisor. “My least favorite part was blowing a call. I know it may be difficult to believe, but sometimes the correct call is not made during intramural games. There were definitely times when I was yelled at by players and fans that made being an official difficult,” Grant said. Grant has a few words to say to students about intramural officials. “It is important to remember that our officials are students, too. There is a lot going on during each game and unless you have been an official before, you may not realize just how difficult it can be. Our officials do a great job of keeping the game safe for everyone while providing a fun, competitive environment for all participants.” I hope you take his words to heart and remember to be a more relatable sportsman or woman, whether you’re playing the game or merely spectating. We thank Grant for his time and all that he and the other officials do to serve our OSU student body!
Sports local
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OKLAHOMA STATE WRESTLER SPEAKS ON SEEKING ANOTHER TITLE The most historic sports program at Oklahoma State is looking to claim another National Championship this year. With 34 national Farm House championships and 136 individual titles, Oklahoma Thomas is a freshman studying sports media. State wrestling is one of the You may contact him at most successful dynasties in tmchapm@okstate.edu. college sports. This season, OSU has consistently ranked in the top 10 and is looking forward to making another run during the tournament. “We are just trying to get better for the NCAA, we want to win it all.” Anthony Collica said, a freshman wrestler. Anthony Collica has been a contributing factor to this year’s successful season. As a true freshman, Collica has a winning record of 23-7, wrestling at 141 pounds. During the season, all the wrestlers have morning workouts and an hour a half practice everyday at three in the afternoon. “I wrestle Jon Morrison quite a bit since he is near my weight class.” Collica said. “Sometimes I’ll roll around with Chris Perry. He’s real good, real tough. He teaches you the small things.” Chris Perry and Jon Morrison, both seniors, have been in the top three of their respected weight classes this year. Each one wants to leave a legacy and bring Oklahoma State another championship. Coming off an individual championship win, Chris Perry is has been named Big 12 wrestler of the week twice. “Not many people get to say they wrestled with a national champion, its
THOMAS CHAPMAN
been an honor,” said Collica. “These seniors bring a lot of experience and definitely want to go out on top.” Coming into this season, Collica was not even sure if he was going to wrestle, “I didn’t know if I was going to wrestle or redshirt, but wrestling as a true freshman has been awesome.” Anthony won three state titles from sophomore to senior year in Solon, Ohio. Only losing 14 matches throughout high school, Collica was a five star recruit for OSU. “I really wanted to come here because of the great tradition, the most successful program in the country, the great coaches and a nice campus.” John Smith, Oklahoma State’s head coach, is one of the most decorated athletes to come through this University and considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. “Its been an honor to wrestle for John Smith, he is a great coach and gets the most out of his guys,” complimented Collica. As a head coach, John Smith has produced five national championships and is in pursuit of a sixth. In order to continue to aid the team, Collica has worked harder than ever before to stay competitive. “In high school, one in 15 matches were tough but college every kid is tough. I’ve got to be ready for every match,” explained Collica, “Got to stay motivated, keep my body motivated. It’s a grind of a season.” Anthony is aiming for an All-american season and hopes to help build the legacy of Oklahoma State. As a team, the wrestling squad has the ultimate goal in mind: national title. “We want to be seeded as high as we can and go for it all.” With eight nationally ranked wrestlers and an all time great at head coach, Oklahoma State always has a chance to further their legacy and claim another title.
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Lookbook fashion
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HOT IN STILLWATER Spring is around the corner. When it comes to what shades will be on the cutting-edge, it looks like black and white will be sticking around, along with some pastels and icy pinks. According to Neiman Marcus’ Spring 2014 List, pink lips and accessories, summer booties, layered bracelets and backpacks are a few of the trends we can expect to see this spring. Check out these photos for some ideas!
ANNA-MARIE AHRBERG Pi Beta Phi
Anna-Marie is a sophomore studying sports media. You may contact her at anna-marie. ahrberg@okstate.edu.
500 words on pop culture
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BEST STUDY SPOTS When it comes to studying, finding the perfect spot is almost more important than the material you’re studying. The perfect spot must have minimal distractions because otherwise, your ADD will start to kick in, like a squirrel.
BREANNA FULLER Alpha Delta Pi
Breanna is a senior studying animal science. You may c o n t a c t h e r a t b re a n n a . fuller10@okstate.edu.
A good study spot has caffeine and snacks readily available, because we all know you must refuel the brain in order to stay on that study grind. “Well, I love studying at Starbucks or coffee houses because it’s more cozy than the library and you can get drinks, food and see friends, which can be a nice study break,” Aubry Mayfield, Kappa Alpha Theta, said. Here are several places in Stillwater that are perfect for finally breaking the seal of your textbooks and getting down to business just in time for midterms. Edmon Low Library. Monday to Thursday 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Friday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Naturally, this is the obvious choice for most students. Edmon Low Library provides endless resources for studying: textbooks, computers, printers, free wifi and a coffee shop where you can bursar a
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Red Bull and a snack. Edmon Low is perfect for those late night study sessions during the middle of midterms. Aspen Coffee. Monday to Sunday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Aspen Coffee is a local Stillwater favorite, with three locations spread across town. Aspen is perfect for studying off campus. It has an exquisite menu for lunch and drinks, which makes your study session a little more rewarding. Aspen features different flavors of coffee from all around the world. So if you’re like me and looking for a little taste of adventure, settle for a cup of coffee from another country. Starbucks. Monday to Sunday 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Bribe yourself to study by going to Starbucks, which is the classic sorority girl favorite. At any given time, almost anyone is down for a Starbucks drink and studying. Starbucks contains a secret ingredient that allows any girl to conquer the world by the time she finishes her venti vanilla latte, no whip, with a touch of half and half. “I enjoy getting Starbucks because it gives me motivation for the day,” Caroline Horn, Alpha Omicron Pi, said. Don’t forget to earn more stars on your Starbucks Gold Card so you can get that free drink! Wherever you chose to study, don’t forget your headphones because you will not be able to accomplish a single thing without good music. I also make sure I have an accountability partner to keep me focused and to hang out with when I need a little break. Good luck on your upcoming midterms! May the odds (curve) be ever in your favor.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF FILM Slow cinema, originating from European art cinema, is a sort of rejection to
watching the scene. Since
Hollywood’s fast paced blockbusters and features long takes and a concentration
the shot does not change or
on non-event action.
move every three seconds,
Slow cinema is about less dialogue and more character ambiguity, leaving most
as in more traditional or
of the plot and motivation for the viewer to discern and puzzle out. Shots in these
contemporary films, viewers
films last significantly longer than contemporary films and focus on everyday action,
are able to notice more about
instead of obvious plot building events. For example, there might be an eight minute
the background and make
scene of a piece of driftwood being manipulated by the ocean tide. Yes, that is an
deeper reflections about the action unfolding.
ANNA MCDOUGAL Kappa Alpha Theta
Anna is a sophomore studying english. You may contact her at anna.mcdougal@okstate.edu.
actual scene I have watched in my international film class. Although this may seem
Other than the driftwood scene, I have only seen one slow cinema film that I enjoyed
ridiculous, and some critics find this genre to be unoriginal and non-progressive,
more than I expected to. In the City Of Sylvia is a non-extremist version of this genre,
some of the less radical versions of this genre can be quite entertaining if the viewer
about a man searching the city for a woman he met six years previous. Although
is trained to watch them.
there was not a whole lot of action in every scene, being able to critically analyze the
One extreme example of this is Andy Warhol’s Empire. This is an eight hour film
filming techniques and small details within each shot was more entertaining than
of the Empire State Building shot from a static camera. The entire eight hours is like a
some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters. If you find this intriguing, even in the
view from a security camera, not moving or changing. I can’t say that I will watch that
slightest, I recommend taking a look at In the City Of Sylvia to gain some exposure
– in fact, I know I won’t – but the point of these extreme films is to allow the viewer
to an unpopular genre that will train you to watch films in a whole new way.
to let his or her eyes wander and concentrate on what he or she is thinking while
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500 words on
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PARTY GOING PEOPLE Stillwater doesn’t have very many sophisticated forms of entertainment like big cities do, so weekend entertainment doesn’t mean going to see a play, opera or concert. For Phi Delta Theta most college students here at OSU, the weekends consist of Kade is a senior studying political going to the bars or a house science. You may contact him at party where guys are creepily kade.goodwin@okstate.edu. on the prowl or girls have the same balance and walking ability as a newborn colt. Both are good ways to unwind from a long, hard week, because, let’s face it, taking 12 to 18 hours of class a week has caused far too many people to go insane.
KADE GOODWIN
If you’re staying in Stillwater for the weekend, you’ll experience the monotony of seeing the same type of people at the bars or parties every week. Let’s take a look at the types of people you see out and about on the weekend. The Fighter. This guy would rather fight than make money or friends. He’s pissed off all the time. Why is he always so mad? Who knows? It could be because he wants to go see West Side Story this weekend, but can’t leave Stillwater. Everyone knows The Fighter and no one likes him, but you see this guy all the time at the bars or parties in Stillwater. With this guy, everything is a reason to throw down. Brush up against this guy while trying to order a drink? He wants to take it outside. Look in the same zip code as this guy’s lady friend and he’s about to chin check you. Who is this guy who keeps staring you down? He’s the guy who’s about to smash your face for bumping into him. Most guys are just out to have a good time, not this guy. He’s out to do two things: drink beer and break somebody’s face. I imagine him sitting at home drinking Bud Heavy, waiting to go out, listening to Justin Moore and fantasizing about beating up the guy with a full set of teeth who won’t let him cut in the dirty curty line.
THE OL’ BALL GAME It is America’s pastime. Everyone loves to go out LANE to the games with the HUGHES unbelievably green grass Sigma Chi and the perfectly blue sky Lane is a junior studying animal to watch their favorite team science. You may contact him at play. Although many other lane.hughes@okstate.edu. sports have had songs written in their honor, few have been as iconic as the numerous tunes about baseball. The musical numbers are a big part of the experience of attending a baseball game. The national anthem, “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” and “Centerfield” can usually be heard at every game. With college baseball just underway and MLB season rapidly approaching, here is a quick playlist to match the excitement of the beginning of baseball season.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Key. “The Cheap Seats” by Alabama
“Take Me Out To The Ballgame” “All The Way” by Eddie Vedder
“Tessie” by dropkick Murphy’s
“Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio by Les Brown Orchestra
“Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen
“The Greatest” by Kenny Rogers
“Centerfield” by John Fogerty
“Nolan Ryan” (he’s a hero to us all) by Jerry Jeff walker
It doesn’t matter that this guy hasn’t seen the gym in seven years or has brittle bones due to his steady diet of Marlboro Reds and chicken McNuggets. This guy is a lean, mean, fighting machine. Don’t be too scared of The Fighter. Pretty soon, I imagine you won’t see him for another five to 10 years. The Interrupter. If you’re looking to have a nice conversation with someone at a party or especially the bars, you’ve gone to the wrong place. Everyone interrupts each other during conversations. Everyone. I’ve done it and I’ve had it done to me. However, there are a couple different types of interrupters. We’ve all seen the guy hitting on a girl who is obviously not feeling it and he’s just about to make things really awkward when the girl’s friend comes in with, “Oh my gosh, Becky, I have got to tell you something!” She pulls Becky aside and they disappear into the night, leaving the guy to wonder if she meant it when she said, “I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.” On the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s the guy who enters a conversation that’s been going on for 30 minutes only to ask, “Wait, what happened?” This conversation is not a DVR. You can’t pause and rewind at your pleasure. If you want to know what’s going on you’re going to have to pretend like you’re at the movies and sit through the whole thing. If you’re looking for a conversation with no interruptions, look elsewhere. The Uninvited Inviter. You can always tell who doesn’t belong at a party or a bar by the people who are trying their hardest to blend in. The person who isn’t invited to a party finds the dimmest lit area to set up camp and only talks to the group he came with. If he is separated from his friends, his smartphone becomes his closest companion. Yeah, he came to a party he wasn’t invited to, but he doesn’t need to introduce himself to the homeowners and make sure it’s cool. No, he needs to call up all of his friends to come to the party. This guy has become the host of the party. Eventually, after this person has invited The Fighter, his entire high school graduating class and several members of various university athletic teams, the original host is left with nothing but a trashed house and a reputation for throwing sketchy parties. Going out on the weekends can be fun, but just remember that a few can spoil the good time of many.
SORORITY SUE’S WEEKLY SCOOP Hottie of the Week: Nolan Wilson; Alpha Gamma Rho; freshman; single. Don’t let his good looks fool you, he’s actually smart. Who knew that Edmond had cowboys? #TheMostGenerous. Those brunette locks have all the girls swooning. Sorority Sue’s weekly scoop: VR is officially here. Yay for singing, dancing and cast parties. Homecoming pairings are coming out. May the odds be ever in your favor. Spotted: ATO’s flying kites on their lawn. Do I see some Gator/KAT romance in the future? Shoutout to all the Greeks running for SGA office. You do you, campus climbers.
Humor tweets
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@AlisonSlagell: Update: @jordanltidwell weighs 211 pounds and we are 95% sure our scale is broken.
@CamiloCabrales: I’m having one those day where my middle finger is answering every single question.
@MackenzieKulka: my wallet needs a free refill. @CullenDuke: Dr. Bunce. Making fun of dumb kids in his class since 1950. @ the girl who sits in front and asks stupid questions. @chaceyschoeppel: “You can bring a notecard to the exam” is more of a challenge of “can you fit 4 weeks of notes into 15 square inches?” than anything.
@WShep: I get this “Fire Ford” business, but I’ve always appreciated that we weren’t the type of fan base to pull that in-season. #okstate. @kadegoodwinning: Tomatoes never took off as a hand fruit. @Cchelf10: Pom girls with an impressive first half performance.
@b_brownlee: If you’re having a bad day, just know that when I got my wisdom teeth out two years ago, I cried for 30 minutes because I’m not a wizard.
@jessika_curry: Someone must have stolen my flowers from Chi O.
@HilaryShmilary: Overhear on Greek walk: “Aww, poor ducks…Thanks OSU.” Because if class was cancelled the ducks would be in their warm houses? #dingus
@divamatter: Confusing Oklahoma things: 1) whatever the heck Tulsa time is, 2) people assuming everyone knows 405 is their area code, 3) pop not soda?
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@NaderShaker: I swear I have nothing to do with the bomb threat. @Alexadkins: FarmHouse is going to Branson for formal? Say hi to my grandma for me. #turnup. @libbynicholas: High school me: wear a pink dress for Valentine’s Day. College me: wear a pink hat with yogas to class for Valentine’s Day. @JakeBlasdel: My date for this valentine’s day is February 14 ha ha ha how clever @AnthonyLinken: I refuse to drink vodka while the Olympics are in Russia, out of respect for American patriotism.