Oklahom 1 22 proof2

January 30, 2014 | Volume 3, Issue 16 | Norman, OK

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ALPHA GAMMA DELTA: EMERGING FROM THE FIRE page 4

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS! page 11 DON’T BE A TOOL AT THE GYM page 13 LIFE AS THE WORLD’S BEST THIRD WHEEL page 15

SENDING OUR LOVE TO THE WOMEN OF ALPHA GAMMA DELTA IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME Photo provided by: Courtney Blossey

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editor’s note

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no mAtter the letter, We StAnD toGether It’s unfortunate, but in times of adversity we are truly reminded how lucky we are to be Alpha Gamma Delta a part of OU’s Greek family. When we’ve lost Editor-in-Chief loved ones, members or Haley is a senior studying a beloved chapter house, classical languages. You may it is e a sy t o be c o m e contact her at hmowdy@ou.edu. bogged down by the grief and overwhelming anxiety that consume us.

Day to day life is completely interrupted and going back to normal seems like a pipe dream afforded only to the blissfully ignorant. But a look into the aftermath of the Alpha Gamma Delta fire shows me things that I’d never thought I’d see in times of tragedy and I’d like to share them with you. Hopefully this will be a reminder of how great it is to be a part of the Greek family.

The first thing I saw as a result of the fire was fantastic leadership. The officers of Alpha Gamma Delta immediately took charge to ensure the safety of the chapter. New leaders emerged and unlikely heroes were born as girls ripped the charter from the wall, helped each other escape through smoke and others drove halfway across town to deliver a package of panties and t-shirts. Some alums drove more than 50 miles to be at the emergency chapter meeting that night and the women of Kappa Alpha Theta stood up to take on the task of caring for the terrified girls in the hours after.

Campus leaders from all over, other chapter presidents, the Panhellenic advisor and officials from campus took their place among the ranks to do whatever was needed.

hAleY MOWDY

I saw tremendous strength. In the emergency chapter meeting held just an hour after the fire, the girls of Alpha Gamma Delta were poised, attentive and calm. No hysterics, just determination. During the harrowing days that followed, the girls retained their focus and acted with maturity to move on.

I saw generosity. In only a few hours a donation fund set up by one of the recent Alpha Gam alums reached over $6,000 and Sooners Helping Sooners received a flood of donations ranging from $5 to several hundred. Many chapters organized clothing and supply drives, sent gift cards, bedding and essentials, to the girls who had lost everything.

I saw love. Greeks from all chapters, sororities and fraternities, put their entire night on hold to lend a hand to shoulder the emotional burden these girls were facing.

Girls packed anonymous notes of love and support in the supply baskets sent to Alpha Gam girls and the chapter ’s Facebook and Twitter exploded with a network of caring stretching across the entire United States.

At the end of the day, it didn’t matter that these girls wore different letters, lived on a different side of Lindsay Street or even on the other side of the country. The Greek community put aside all differences and took care of the women of Alpha Gamma Delta as if they were your own sisters and, in doing so, created a bond of love and trust between chapters that cannot be broken. You came to us before we even asked for your help and went above and beyond to secure our safety and sanity, and for that we cannot thank you enough.

We are tied together through a unity of shared values, but even deeper than, that we are tied together by our unshakeable love for each other. It’s worth more than all of the insurance checks in the world to know that when times of darkness come into our lives, our Greek brothers and sisters will be there to hold our hands and guide us into better days.

THE ODYSSEY AT OKLAHOMA CREATIVE EXECUTIVE TEAM

rachel Campbell

editor-in-Chief haley mowdy

Jessica Schaefer

Alpha Gamma Delta

Alpha Chi Omega

editor-elect Annie roach

recruitment Chair hunter Graham

Chi Omega

Tri Delta

Contributing editors

pr Chair Dea pennington

Alex Bare Tri Delta

Alpha Chi Omega

Pi Beta Phi

OLYMPIA MEDIA GROUP 888.272.2595 | olympiamediaGroup.com managing editor, Brittany Binowski Graphic Designer, Grant Hohulin

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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 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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LIFE OF A CHAPTER FLAG There are a lot of things that we, Greeks, own that display our pride in our c h a p t e r. O u r l e t t e r s a re everywhere – on date party Phi Kappa Psi shirts, our paddles, laptops and on the rear windshield Jeff is a sophomore studying of our vehicles. These are political science. You may contact a l l g re a t w a y s t o s h o w him at jdscott1993@ou.edu. your pride in your chapter, but there is nothing more versatile than a chapter flag.

This 3’ x 5’ banner starts out shiny and clean, right from the box, the day your big bro gave it to you after initiation.

This young flag has a bright future ahead of it that will end in a blaze of glory.

So, how are we going to christen this thing of beauty? While the flag should be respected, it still deserves to have some fun. At some point in our childhood, we have all tied a towel around our neck and pretended to be a superhero. Naturally, you strap the flag on and act like a king for a while at your initiation party. You deserve it after completing pledgeship. End your night of celebration and hang the flag in its rightful place, above your headboard in your room. Congratulations, not a bad way to break in this new flag.

This flag will surely be a staple of your room’s decor and will spend many days reminding you of initiation night. However, the flag has more adventures to have and can’t remain there forever. Inevitably, rush will come around again in the spring.

You’ve got to help the rush chairmen set up a table for a meet and greet the spring rushees. Your flag will be the key item draped over the table, held on by the Premiere New Member Education plaque and a Chili Cook-off trophy. Spend the afternoon shaking hands, telling rushees that you’re glad to meet them and time will speed by quickly. After a successful day, you can hang her back up with Ol’ Glory back at home, until it’s spring break.

Jeff SCOTT

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Okay, time to pack your suitcase.

Your spring break flight for Cabo leaves in the morning and, once again, you’ve procrastinated getting your stuff together. Clothes, sunscreen, shades, a towel and your passport are all accounted for in your bag. Lastly, you unpin your flag from the wall, fold it up, and head for the white sands on the beach. Fastened to a makeshift flag pole made from a PVC pipe you some how acquired, she sits just below Ol’ Glory and your state flag.

Fly your colors proudly because you never know who will recognize your chapter flag. Just make sure you get back to the States in one piece.

Time passes and you’re a seasoned senior. You’ve been on trips to Bowl Games, spring breaks and summer trips, flying your flag at every opportunity. Sadly, it can’t recover from the years of celebrating that highlighted your college career. There is only one way of properly retiring your old friend when it is in no condition for display. Just like Ol’ Glory, a funeral by fire is in order. Separate the stars, bars and emblems from the flag and burn them separately, while remembering the good times you celebrated.

Every flag is unique to each fraternity. Some display our letters and boldly shout whom they represent, while others are more reserved and humble. The stars, bars and emblems that adorn your flag are special to you and your brothers. They represent what you stand for and why you were founded. You don’t have to salute your chapter ’s flag, but always respect it.

You will always represent your flag and your fraternity, so stay classy Norman.

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AlphA GAmmA DeltA: emerGinG from the fire and mounted to our wall with several screws, and weighs anywhere from 5070 pounds, easily. Between Alpha Gamma Delta the two of us, we started C ourtney is a senior the process of dismounting studying public relations. the ornate piece on top You may contact her at of the case, grabbing the blossey.courtneyrose@ou.edu wooden case, and lifting, pulling, rocking, lifting, pulling, rocking, yanking, and repeating these steps over and over. It became clear that this was not a two woman job, so I anxiously glanced around the situation until my eyes met sophomore member, Esther DeClerck. I yelled her direction to come help with the charter, and she immediately responded, yelling “Alright, Courtney Blossey!” Between the three of us, we repeated the lifting, pulling, rocking movements, and started making progress, eventually rocking it enough off the wall that we could slip underneath the case, and slam our body weight against it to eventually dismount it. We emerged successfully from our house carrying the charter to hear one of my Littles yell: “They saved the charter!”

CoUrtneY BLOSSEY

I would be lying to you if I said I wasn’t an emotional wreck this last week. I am so emotionally overwhelmed and exhausted from what was supposed to be a simple first week of the spring semester. The night of January 14, 2014 will forever be etched into my memory. As a senior member of Alpha Gamma Delta, there was absolutely no question where I wanted to live during my last year of college. Living at 930 Chautauqua Avenue with all of my sisters has been one of my most beautiful memories. In light of the recent events, I choose to take the time to reflect back to January 14.

It was a casual Tuesday night at 930 Chautauqua Avenue; our new members had just finished a pledge class meeting, and I found myself in our cozy basement with two other sorority sisters, working on homework and catching up on our favorite TV shows. We had cozied in for the evening when the piercing sounds of our fire alarm system echoed all throughout the house. I quickly checked my cell phone for the time, and remarked how weird it was that we’d be having a fire drill at 10:46 p.m.

Thinking that the alarm could just be a malfunction and nothing serious (our house is on historic Chautauqua, and is over 100 years old), we all ran up the basement stairs to a first floor that smelled oddly of burnt rubber and smoke. It became apparent to me then that this might be something more than an alarm malfunction, or someone over-microwaving popcorn.

By this point, Norman Police Department responded, and a good 15-25 minutes later, Norman Fire Department had assessed the scene, and had five fire trucks surrounding our house, dousing it with water. The night was frigid, and our women watched, shaking and crying. The women of Theta graciously opened their home immediately for our women to take cover, and opened their doors to us for water, shelter, and sisterhood. I’ll never forget looking at a home that has housed so many meaningful memories for me, and seeing large flames lap from the roof, consuming it. It was a stark contrast against the dark night.

Since it was a cold night, we all gathered quickly in our dining room until it could be confirmed that we were indeed experiencing a real fire. Women emerged from every level in sleep and lounge-wear, anxiously looking about. One of our women emerged from the back door, running into the house yelling that there was a fire on the roof, and everyone went into emergency mode. It was clear that our women, our home, and our belongings were in imminent danger, and immediately, our Chapter President and Property Coordinator started yelling orders to get out of the house per our fire drill practices. Calmly, but assertively, it was yelled to call 911.

I watched as everyone ran out of the house and flooded the street, making their way to a safer location. The events flashed before my eyes in slow motion as I tried to place where I needed to be at that point to be of the most use. I made eye contact with one of our sophomore members, Kallie Patrick, who was assertively asking if we needed to grab our charter, our founding document from 1919. It was because of Kallie that saving the charter was even remembered during that chaotic night. I ran over to her in my slippers and norts, clutching my laptop and cell phone, yelling, “Yes, grab it!”

However, “grabbing” our charter is no easy feat. It is sealed in a wood and glass case,

Phone calls were made to home as my boyfriend, friends, alums, our housing association, and surrounding sororities and fraternities gathered outside Theta for comfort and support. Our in-house chef arrived at Theta, declaring, “I just wanted to make sure all my girls were okay!” If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.

Immediately, we were greeted inside Theta by Clarke Stroud, Kristen Partridge,

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Jill Tran and Dean Damphousse.

They started laying out options for us, telling us that all deans had been notified, and that our Sooner family would embrace us, and work side by side with us to make sure we were fully accommodated. No woman left that evening without absolute confirmation that she had a place to stay, and that the university would be helping in every way possible.

As the outgoing Social Media Coordinator, my phone immediately started buzzing with Facebook and Twitter notifications; all directed to OU Alpha Gam’s Twitter and Facebook pages. The outpour of love, support, and blessings directed at my sisters and me were so immediate and present that it was outstanding. I’m sitting at my desk writing this, humbled and in tears just thinking of everyone’s generosity! Sincerely, my sisters and I thank you from the very bottoms of our hearts.

The events didn’t really sink in until I awakened Wednesday morning, not in my sorority house. I gazed about the current room I was staying in, beside myself, and cried. I have cried so much this past week, that right about the time I’m sure my tears are exhausted, more start to flow. I randomly think of something, remember the house, my sisters, or run through old Facebook photos taken at the house, and find myself suddenly overcome with a deep tug at the heart, and tears welling up in my eyes. You see, Alpha Gam was more than just another organization. Alpha Gam has molded my college years into something more beautiful than I could’ve ever dreamed, and has given me the courage, confidence, and character to actively pursue my interests and passions. Alpha Gam has filled my heart with memories that I wouldn’t trade for the world, shared with sisters, houseboys, our housemother, and our family staff. I cannot begin to describe how much Alpha Gamma Delta has blessed me throughout the years!

The amount of love, support, and blessings my sisters and I have received has been so beautifully overwhelming. If I have forgotten to thank anyone in this article, I sincerely apologize, but please know that your kindness is more than appreciated, and hasn’t gone un-noticed. To the women of Delta Gamma, thank you for allowing us to hold our emergency chapter house meeting in your home. And to all of the fraternities and sororities who have opened their homes to us for housing, meals, clothing, support, meetings, and care, we cannot even begin to thank you enough.

Thank you to all of our Panhellenic sisters for immediately responding to our needs, and putting together INCREDIBLE care packages with essentials! You went over and beyond without hesitation to make sure we had everything from DVDs to face wash, to towels, shampoo, lotions, handwritten letters, candy, socks, and so much more! I can’t even begin to describe how humbled and whole we all felt after receiving your

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generous gifts. It was a reminder that at the end of the day, “No matter the letter, we’re all Greek together!” You all have reminded us of the beautiful community that we are all blessed to be a part of, and for these things, we thank you!

Sooners Helping Sooners, you are sincerely incredible! Your immediate response to our situation has been so incredibly helpful (and that is putting it mildly). Your organization has gone above and beyond to make sure that all of our women are taken care of in every way! Our university, and our women, are blessed with your organization! Thank you so VERY much for your continued, persistent support and fundraising efforts to make sure all of our women can return to a sense of normalcy.

To our fellow sisters all across the country (and in Canada!), as well as our housing association, alumnae, fellow OU Greeks, fraternities and sororities across the country, our Sooner family, family, friends, Norman police and fire departments, and countless others who have supported us, prayed for us, and assisted and continue to assist, my sisters and I are overwhelmed with gratitude, and extend a very heartfelt thank you! You all are incredible! A very special thank you to our Sooner family for opening up campus housing options for every in-house member!

Having the opportunity to return back to the house on January 15, I was given five minutes to gather whatever I could. It’s an odd thought to ponder what you’d grab in five minutes if you absolutely had to, but for me, I grabbed my purse (my only access to money for food), my car keys, my Bible and daily devotional book, an important novel, a handmade quilt from my mother, a cross-stitch from my mother, my backpack, a suitcase filled with smoke damaged clothes, chargers, toiletries, and my violin. We gained limited access to the house on January 16, and our home was officially turned over from Norman Fire Department to our chapter on January 17.

No official statement has been given on what started the fire, although we know the flames were first spotted on the roof. Our house has been deemed “unlivable” for at least the remainder of the Spring 2014 semester due to excessive fire and water damage. It’s an eerie, unsettling feeling to walk the hallways of your old home and see dilapidated, empty rooms where items have been ruined, damaged beyond salvage, and abandoned. While many of us were lucky to only sustain smoke and water damage (a lot more complicated and smelly than it may sound), many of my sisters lost everything. I saw rooms where the sky took the place of ceilings, ceilings had collapsed on personal items, and water, soot, and fire damage had consumed my sisters’ beloved items.

Despite all of this, my sisters have taken a strong stance on moving forward, and embracing our sisterhood. We are not defined by the brick and mortar that make our chapter house, but rather by each woman who has blessed our chapter with the gift of herself. We look forward to a bright future for our women, and will not let this slow us down. We will rebuild, and we will restart. Our physical house can be revived, and our women will continue to lean on each other, and the strong foundation we have all established the very minute we pledged to Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta. These things, coupled with your love and support, allow me to confidently say that I know my sorority can overcome. We’re like coffee—when put in boiling water, we emerge stronger.

As a senior taking a step back and assessing everything, I am overwhelmed with how much you all have done for my sisters and me! My thank yous don’t seem to be enough. If you’d like to donate to Alpha Gam during this time, please visit the following links for ways you can help!

Sooners Helping Sooners: http://www.ou.edu/give/shs.html.

Go-Fund-Me Account created by an OU Alpha Gam Alum: http://www.gofundme. com/697f8s

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campus connections

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MINORS TO CONSIDER You may have your major picked out and your path planned out, but can you say the same for your minor?

Minors are really important – almost as important as your major! If you do not have your minor path planned, I have compiled a list of different minors you might want to consider.

hUnter GRAHAM

Delta Delta Delta Hunter is a freshman studying nursing. You may contact her at hgraham@ou.edu.

As a pre-health major, having a minor in health and exercise science is a good idea, just in case you do not get into your intended field the first time you apply. Having this as a backup can still get you a job as your work towards your ultimate goal.

If you are in Gaylord, having a minor in communication or public affairs and administration would be beneficial because they deal with major public events and you will know how to appeal to the different audiences. Plus, it would be a bonus for your resume.

For business majors, an economics minor, or maybe even a minor in international enterprise studies, will be more appealing to potential employers and this could help you get the job over somebody who doesn’t have as much knowledge and experience as you.

Want to work in politics or get into law school at some point? A minor in political science, constitutional studies or Latin will give you an edge over the competition. For constitutional studies, all the classes about the constitution tell the admissions board at a

law school that you went above and beyond to expand your knowledge of the law. Latin is used often in law. Many root words are derived from Latin and if you minor in Latin, you are more likely to be successful while trying to learn the law.

To make your resume or portfolio more diverse, or if you want to work with people from different cultures, a minor in African and African American studies, Native American studies or Native sustainability would be perfect for you.

As a psychology or sociology major, diversify your resume by minoring in the opposite!

OU also offers a minor in social justice. The OU websites states that a minor in social justice will, “utilize multidisciplinary and feminist approaches that recognize the struggles for liberation and the importance of social movements, advocacy, and activism locally and globally.”

A language minor is always a good idea. Whether it’s Arabic, Mandarin, Classical Greek, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian or Spanish, OU has a great selection of foreign language minor choices. Spanish as a minor would be a good idea for an education major or anyone who will work directly with people. Since America is becoming more and more diversified, being bilingual greatly increases your potential for success in the job market and on the job.

When you have a free minute, look up all of the minors OU has to offer. And for those of you looking to get your MRS degree, we even have medieval and renaissance studies, which according to the OU website, focuses on “medieval and Renaissance arts, literature, history, science, and philosophy.”

THE SCRAMBLE FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES Ahh shopping for school supplies, a perennial time of year for most children under the age of 15 or so. With a new semester upon us, we all have the task of buying more supplies for our educational escapades. My question is, why do college students get the short end of the stick like 97% of the time when it comes to school supplies?

I know when I was a youngster I thrived upon shopping for school supplies. Now it is something I dread. So lets compare and contrast for a little while the joys of buying school supplies versus the horror of purchasing school supplies whilst in college.

I don’t know about y’all, but when I was a kid I was overjoyed to go shopping for all of my notebooks, colored pencils, folders and red pens. I don’t want to brag but I had the 64-set of crayons (WITH THE SHARPENER IN THE BACK). Nowadays I really don’t need that much more than a few notebooks and some pens, maybe the occasional folder.

However, I still can’t seem to even find everything that I need when I go shopping for all of my school supplies. Everything is sold out every time I go to the store. Now I know that k—12th grades begin earlier than us some of the time, but hey! Leave some of the goods for the old timers you hear? Those munchkins clear out the shelves like nobody’s business, leaving just the scraps for those of us attending higher education.

In addition to the awful speed at which kids buy up all of the supplies someone needs to print the wide-ruled/college-ruled distinction in BOLD LETTERS. A couple

times I have accidentally p u rc h a s e d w i d e - ru l e d notebooks instead of college ruled and there’s arguably nothing more regrettable Delta Gamma than that particular mistake.

Emilee is a sophomore When you open up that studying public relations.

You may contact her at notebook on the first day Emilee.B.Ohair-1@ou.edu. of class your whole mood just sinks. Hmm these pages look weird. Oh…oh no. For the love of all that is holy don’t tell me that I bought a wide-ruled notebook. That’s it, I’ll have to just remember the lectures for this class because I can’t use this. I’m nearly certain I used this exact notebook in the 3rd grade when I was learning to write in cursive. WHY DO THESE THINGS HAPPEN TO ME?

emilee O’HAIR

Not only do the wide-ruled notebooks catch us by surprise, but the prices make us take a lap around the anxiety pool as well. Pens that cost over three dollars?? Give us a break, it’s not exactly uncommon for college kids to check their bank accounts and realize ten dollars is going to have to suffice for the rest of the week. Not only do we have to worry about other highly important purchases for the uh, weekend, but we have to spend a decent chunk of our hard earned cash on necessities for our classes. We can’t be throwing around George Washingtons on fancy mechanical pencils and .7 lead. Give us one-dollar notebooks and .75-cent ballpoint pens. Trust me, sales will go through the roof.

I think college students of all kinds can agree with me on this one.

All in all, school supplies shopping seems to have lost its glamour since we all have grown older. No more dilemmas over which Lisa Frank folder is going to look cutest with your zip-up binder. No, these are the days when we rummage through the shelves of notebooks, looking for the cheapest (college-ruled) 5-subject on the market. So happy shopping for this semester my fellow students, and God speed.

business

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CITIES FOR SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

appearance of being a founding worker of a business.

Rachel Campbell

College students constantly pour themselves into classwork, clubs and extracurricular activities.

Their parents and society have taught them to climb the ladder of achievement in these areas, building their resumes, scaling to the top in search of the ultimate goal- a job.

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rAChel CAMPBELL

Alpha Chi Omega Rachel is a sophomore studying professional writing.

You may contact her at rcampbell@ou.edu.

H o w e v e r, above the extracurricular activities and the grades, getting an internship is arguably one of the biggest resume boosters for college students seeking jobs when they go out into the “real world.” A decent amount of time spent as an intern is worth more than simply having a high GPA. The commitment proves that the college students spending their time in an internship are able to not only learn, but to apply their knowledge in a practical situation. Essentially, they’re proving their worth.

When looking for an internship, although the company is important, it is also vital for students to examine city they’ll be interning in. While it’s obviously imperative to find a city that is full of fun and nightlife, there are key components that make certain cities the ideal locations for internships.

International traffic: It’s very beneficial to find a city that is a hub for international travel. These cities will usually have an international airport that brings both diversity and opportunity. More than likely, the internships in these cities will look better on a resume because of the prowess of working with an international company.

Cities like these also foster a better environment for establishing connections and contacts that can help secure future jobs. If it’s an option, finding an internship abroad would also be a great option for adapting to diverse environments.

Growth: Growing cities constantly have internships popping up that are looking for eager college students to fill positions. The lure of large cities is often tempting, however, it’s easy for big city businesses to become stagnant. Thriving cities allow a healthy pool of competition that provides valuable experience. Jumping onboard with a new business or new business location is a good way to prove loyalty and have the

Company headquarters: Cities with well-established company locations are perfect for finding large quantities of internship opportunities as well as prestigious positions at company headquarters. There will also be a wider variety of internship opportunities, while smaller branches of businesses would have limited options.

Environment: It seems like it should go without saying, but many do not put a lot of thought into the climates that they can tolerate for summer internships. An internship in Seattle isn’t a great option for those who are adamant about getting the perfect summer tan. The sudden switch in cultural climates can also cause people to stumble while pursuing an internship. Big cities can sometimes seem harsh and unwelcoming compared to Norman’s southern hospitality. Interns who feel uncomfortable in their environments can sometimes perform poorly because of the stressful change, leaving a negative impression on their employers.

Living expenses: Even if a city has exponential growth, global travel and prominent businesses, it will be out of the question if it’s unaffordable. New York City appears to be a glamorous, thriving metropolis, bursting at the seams with opportunity. However it’s an uphill battle for a college student to live inexpensively while working at a likely low-paying internship. The living expenses and late nights out can make it easy to spend every hard-earned penny without realizing it. Many southern cities are much more reasonable to manage money for a modest college student budget.

Here are a few cities that are great for summer internships: Kansas City, KS Tulsa, OK Dallas, TX Minneapolis, MN Atlanta, GA Cleveland, OH Washington, D.C.

FIVE TIPS TO FIND A SUMMER INTERNSHIP So, you’re looking for a summer internship but you have no idea where to start? Here are some pointers on how to secure the best internship opportunity possible for you this summer. #1: Be Teacher’s Pet

DeA PENNINGTON Pi Beta Phi

Dea is a junior studying public relations. You may contact her at dpenn@ou.edu.

As much as I hate to say it, using your professors to your advantage is the easiest way to receive an internship. Many employers will look to professors to recommend their best students for internship opportunities. Therefore, being “teacher’s pet” isn’t such a bad thing in college. My latest internship I received was solely through a former professor’s recommendation… I did not even have to do an interview because the employer respected my professor’s endorsement!

How To Do It The best place to start is to go to office hours and chat with your professor. To start a conversation, ask a simple question. Even if you know the answer to your own question, it’s a great way to open up lines of communication and get you noticed as a student. #2: Word of Mouth As Greeks, we are blessed with a pretty strong network. Be sure to use this to your advantage by finding out who is in your major in the pledge classes above you. You will find that those a year or two ahead of you are currently doing the internships you will eventually be competing for. Connect with those people early on so that they can tell you about their experience.

How To Do It Sometimes, an internship opportunity is not what you were expecting. Use LinkedIn, email, or even set-up a coffee date to talk to those already in the program to a) make sure it is the direction you want to go and b) receive contact information of the employer. There are so many great internships out there and you deserve the best one! #3: LinkedIn Speaking of LinkedIn, this social network can be a lifeline when it comes to internship opportunities.

Many companies go ahead and post their internship opportunities solely to LinkedIn and go no further into the web space.

How To Do It If you are unfamiliar with how LinkedIn works, you have the chance to follow your favorite companies

on the website. Take some time, follow these companies and check back often for updates. It is also a good idea to educate yourself on these companies in case you do receive an interview. #4: Collegefeed Collegefeed is a new website dedicated to connecting students to employers. Everyday, the website sets up dozens of students with job opportunities and the CEO of the company promises at least three job matches for each member on the social network. This is an up-and-coming networking tool so get on it while its new!

How To Do It Setting up a profile is easy, just go to collegefeed.com and connect with your Facebook and LinkedIn account. Don’t forget to upload your resume and follow your various companies! #5: Search, search, search Unfortunately, sometimes you just have to use the big, bad Internet to find internship opportunities. Remember to keep you social media clean and write a new cover letter for every place you apply to.

Employers can tell if your cover letter content is general, and they will take students who seem more interested in their specific company than those who do not.

How To Do It Google, Yahoo!, Bing, Ask Jeeves… You know the drill.

Bonus Tip: After making the first contact with an employer, ask for an informational interview or a shadowing opportunity. This way, you can really get a feel for a company and the company can really get a feel for you.

Happy internship hunting!

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debate & discuss

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JANUARY: A NECESSARY EVIL? With January comes resolutions, a new semester and hope for the new year. This month may seem rife with new opportunities, unfortunately it is accompanied with the downfalls of the new year like: getting back into the routine of school, re-starting your job and the occasional slip-up of your newly-made resolutions.

ellen PEARSON Chi Omega

Ellen is a sophomore studying journalism.

Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t ellen.p.pearson-1@ou.edu.

We all go through the same roller coaster of stress during the first month of the year for the same reason: we went from Christmas break to full-on school mode in a matter of weeks. And I think I speak for all when I say that breaking out of your cozy, Christmas break sleeping schedule is a Herculean task. It takes all the strength in the world to slink out of bed and trek to your early morning class, which is not easy in the freezing cold of January.

Part of it, admittedly is our own fault. We knew that eating Christmas cookies, candies and cakes throughout the break would make us cringe at the very thought of the Huff. We knew that watching movies all day long would make us run away from responsibilities. And we all definitely knew that staying up ‘til 3 A.M and waking up at noon wouldn’t help us wake up for our 8 A.M. class Monday morning. So, fess up, college kids, we know we do all of these things with the attitude of “I’ll figure it out later,” during the break.

College students or, “Not-quite-ready-for-the-real-world adults” as I like to call them, have the tendency to plan things for things far into the future which usually results in them forgetting that plan and just staying at home watching TV. This tendency is especially prevalent during the break because home reminds you of high school friends. So you make all these plans to see this person and that person almost every day for three weeks. After a few days of seeing old friends and reminiscing on high school days, you slowly begin to stay at home more, sleep later and spend a lot more time at the mall with your mom. It’s the false hope of a lazy life that Christmas break tricks us into believing we can have. Then, after a well-rested break you look back and realize you haven’t done half of the things you planned to do during the break. If your immediate thought is: “Oh well,” then you will be less-than prepared for school, to say the least.

With all of these downfalls and the lost hope that lingers in January, the only important thing to learn is how to slowly trudge through this month. You have to ease yourself in it. You’re not Superman; you can’t be used to your 3 A.M. bedtime and wake up at 7 A.M. with the greatest of ease. You’ve got to go to bed earlier a couple days before school starts to really make sure you can make it that first day. And it terms of getting back in shape, your life is not a diet pill commercial. Forcing yourself to some trips to the Huff will be hard but easier if you do it slowly and not run five miles the first day.

Lastly, the keeping of resolutions is mostly on you, tell your friends so they can keep you accountable but for the most part make that your number one goal to accomplish. Once you do that, everything else will just fall into place.

Only thing to remember: January is almost over, February is right around the corner.

GRANDPARENTS SHARE THE GRANDEST WISDOM Many things happen in college that make it one of the most significant growing experiences in Sigma Alpha Epsilon our lives. We leave home, Nick is a junior studying lose the jurisdiction of our journalism. You may contact parents, and learn to live by him at nickcallaway@ou.edu. our own judgment. This liberation from parental authority often makes for a strong distancing between college students and their parents –but that is completely irrelevant, because today I’m not talking about our moms and dads. Nope!

I’m talking about those old, kindhearted people that we call our grandparents.

niCK CALLAWAY

In the midst of our studies, activities, and the everyday busyness of college life, it is easy to become self-absorbed. Old friends, hobbies, and even family can fall by the wayside –some of which should never be taken for granted. I was making the drive to Norman today when I was taken back by the memory of a road trip with my late Pappy when I was about nine. He spent the day teaching me all about highway signs and mile markers, and we shared a lot of quality time together. Since I’ve been away at school, I have definitely had my shortcomings when it comes to spending time with my grandparents, and I would guess it is a similar story for most. I’ve lost two grandparents since I’ve been at OU, and if I’ve learned anything it’s that having these people in your life is one of the most special blessings you could ask for. Every day I think of at least one thing that I’ve learned from these wonderful role models, and I treasure the memories I have with them.

I think that too often, older people get a bad wrap. Sure they can be wrinkly, odd, and terrifying behind the wheel of a car. They may be baffled by technology, take their dentures out in public, and eat dinner around 3 pm. Well make an early reservation at Luby’s for two, and spend the evening with a grandparent! None of these “displeasures” compare with the incredible wisdom that only they possess. These are the people that have been on this earth the longest –the people that have actually lived through the times we read about in history books. Odds are, your parents have played an enormous part in your upbringing and taught you a majority of what you know. Well these are the people that potty-trained your parents. Think they might know a thing or two?

Not only are grandparents an endless source of information for younger people, but they are also the kings and queens of our families. They made decisions in the past that account for what our families are today. Heck, you wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for them! It’s important that their legacy be passed on from generation to generation. You can learn things you probably never knew about your family from spending some quality time with a grandparent. Now they might tell you the same story 20 times without realizing it, but that doesn’t take away from the quality. Every time I visit my grandparents, I take into account each and every detail in the stories they tell me so I can be sure to pass them on correctly to my kids and grandkids.

Anyone who has lost a grandparent, or anyone close for that matter, will most likely tell you they wish they had more time with that person. My message is to not have any regrets. Spend time with these living legends, and soak up every bit of wisdom they have to offer. Odds are, both parties will benefit tremendously.

debate & discuss

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TEXTBOOKS: PIXEL VS. PAPER

A lighter backpack and a thicker wallet. Who can argue with that logic?

Long gone are the days when your teachers pass out your textbooks, only to have you return them at the end of the class…FOR FREE. When you enter college everyone talks about how much books cost and you think to yourself, “Whatever, how much could they cost? They are just books.”

While e-books are definitely an economic force to be reckoned with, the physical textbook does still have some tricks up its sleeve.

(Ha-ha, get it? Like a book sleeve?

Okay, never mind.)

Then it hits you like a ton of bricks, literally. College students have been plagued for decades with the symptoms of college-textbook-itius. These symptoms include but are not limited to: Empty wallets Sell-back anxiety Post traumatic book purchasing disorder Nightmarish migraines And much more.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, have no fear. There may be a cure. Enter the digital textbook.

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KelSeY GOSDIN

Alpha Omicron Pi Kelsey is a junior studying public relations. You may contact her at Kgosdin@ou.edu.

After some Internet research, I’ve compiled a list of why some people think that physical textbooks are superior to digital ones.

1. During those all nighters at the Bizz, your physical textbook will never run out of batteries.

2.

Your physical textbook will survive a mocha-latte spill disaster 3.

Its easier to keep physical track of progress 4.

It is easier to flip back-and-forth between pages 5.

It’s easier to concentrate without the other distracting features of a tablet or laptop.

Lucky enough for college students, the digital textbook market on the rise. While some traditionalists long for the scent of a highlighter and the smell of a textbook, the rest of us could trade those things if it meant a little more cash in our pockets. Am I right or am I right?

Lastly and most interesting is the fact that according to tested.com, physical books actually help us retain information better. The claim that their research proves, “The physical presence of the printed pages, and the ability to flip back and forth through them, turns out to be important to the mind’s ability to navigate written works, particularly lengthy and complicated ones.”

There are several options for those looking to buy a digital version of a textbook. Amazon offers digital versions of books for the Kindle and Barnes and Noble offers comparable versions on the Nook. Some textbook companies also offer digital copies on their websites as well. What is even cooler is that some formats allow you to take notes right on the screen. They download on to PCs, Macs and tablets, which makes them super convenient and light. Sounds better than a 50 lb. backpack right? So what’s not to love?

In this paper versus pixel battle, both sides seem pretty stacked in my opinion. While digital textbooks may be a wave of the future, I don’t think that colleges could ever really do away with textbooks all together, no matter how beneficial and cost-effective digital textbooks are. I will be buying both physical and digital textbooks this semester. The best of both worlds, right?

NEW POPE; NEW HOPE If you follow any kind of media and do not live under a rock, I can pretty easily assume that you have Pi Kappa Phi heard something about the Hunter is a freshman studying new Pontiff. From denying political science & public relations. You may contact him at decadence to his positive hwm_95@yahoo.com. and progressive views, he is changing what it means to be the Pope. By living in a way that casts a shining light on his 1.2 billion followers he is bringing a lot of hope to a world in dire need.

hUnter MATTOCKS

The first Pope from the Americas, Pope Francis, was formerly known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was born in beautiful Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Pontiff led an interesting life and worked not only as a Chemical Tech, but also a bouncer before joining the seminary.

Keeping with his fashion of being a pioneer; he is the first Jesuit Pope, the first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European Pope in 1272 years! He scaled the ladder of Catholicism and was ordained a priest. After serving as Provincial Supervisor for The Society of Jesus, he was named Archbishop of Buenos Aires and was eventually created a cardinal. When Pope Benedict XVI resigned, he was elevated to Pontiff by his fellow cardinals. The College of Cardinals made a very intelligent decision in doing this. The landscape of Catholicism is changing and moving southward. The geographical landscape isn’t the only one changing; however, because the new Pontiff is mixing up the political side of the papacy too. When he took office, he immediately began to change the way things were run. He refuses to stay in the

lavish Papal Apartments in the Apostolic Palace. He regards women with the upmost respect.

He also, like most Catholics, opposes abortion, and same sex marriage. Pope Francis does include caveats though. He believes that the church needs to spread a message of love, and that the church has dwelt on issues like: contraception and abortion while graver problems like poverty remain unresolved. He also passes no judgment on those in the LGBT community who actively seek to live a Christian life. He has been cited saying “who am I to judge?”.

The fact that this Pope is different himself may play into the fact that he accepts alternative people. He is a Jesuit, a sect of the Catholic Church. He is Latino. He understands what it is like to be different. This is one reason I truly admire the Pontiff. I believe that the new Pope has done amazing things. He chooses modest outfits. He had the gaudy throne removed in favor of a simpler wooden one. He has kissed the cheeks of lepers, and he has been known to sneak out at night to minister to the homeless. This Pontiff is shaking things up. He truly is a representation of the teachings of Jesus. I am not a Catholic, but I highly regard and respect this man and all he is doing. He really has a heart for service. He is a product and an example of the changing times. With dwindling middle classes around the world and income inequality quickly rising we have a need for people who care.

The Pontiff is very preoccupied with those stricken by poverty. He has an immense love for the impoverished. He rejects worldliness; concerning himself with real problems that plague the world. The poor in this world are truly loved by this man. I can only assume that he also likes everyone else a little. With Pope Francis leading an army of a billion people, we can rest assured knowing someone cares.

10 travel & adventure

www.theodysseyonline.com

FIVE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE U.S. AND SPAIN

1. Business hours Spain is known for its tradition of siestas when businesses close shop during the middle of the Kappa Kappa Gamma day to take a little nap, right?

Not exactly. Although some may nap during the siesta hours, the Alexis is a junior studying Public primary purpose of a siesta is to Relations. You may contact her at have lunch. In Spain, lunch is the alexis@ou.edu. largest and most important meal of the day. This is why, in most cities in Spain, businesses shut down from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., or 4:30 p.m. This tradition has been difficult for me to grasp. Naturally, the urge to run an errand generally strikes during the siesta period. On the other hand, it’s nice to have designated downtime.

2. Living arrangements There are many distinctions between the living quarters of Spaniards and Americans, and smaller living quarters is just one of them. To give you a more concrete idea of what I am referring to, I measured the shower in my apartment. It is two feet wide by two feet long. Another difference is the variety of ages living under the same roof. In Spain, college dormitories are uncommon and students live at home with their parents or in apartments amongst all ages. Subsequently, there is a law against loud noise after 11 p.m. that is not taken lightly. After our first night out in Barcelona, my roommates and I had a visitor and the woman who lived directly below us, threatened to call the police if we were ever that disruptive again. At OU, living in the dorms freshman year is not only mandatory, but also one of my most cherished memories.

As a result of the lack of dormitories in Spain, the sense of community within Spanish universities is much weaker than in the U.S.

AleXiS HAMES

3. Party culture As Americans, we like to think we can hang with the best of them, with regards to partying. I have found this to be, predominantly, untrue. At home, when the bars close at 2 a.m., I am ready for slumber, if I even make it out that late. Here, the clubs don’t close until 5 a.m. and the crowd doesn’t even start thinning until 4:30 a.m. Although the drinking age is 18, I have yet to notice anyone who looks nearly that young at the clubs, which I suppose explains why they don’t check IDs. On top of all that, the clubs are extremely nice in Barcelona. Think over-the-top stages, two stories and VIP rooms, all with a much more upbeat, club vibe than Oklahoma bars.

4. Transportation In almost all of the United States, cars are the primary source of transportation. Barcelona boasts an extensive network of railways that run underground in central Barcelona and above ground into the city’s suburbs. With a total of 163 stations, there’s guaranteed to be a stop near your destination. The bicycle sharing system is also impressive in Barcelona. This type of transportation is simple and efficient, as bikes are made available for shared use to Spaniards on a short-term basis. Using a smartphone app, one can view locations of nearby stations and see how many bikes are available there. It doesn’t matter which location you return your bicycle to – as long as you do!

5. Food According to my CEA Study Abroad tour guide, Barcelona has more fresh markets than any other city in the world. Frequenting local markets is typical for locals, but the hustle and bustle, the variety of produce and the aroma of fresh baked bread always enamors me. As opposed to three meals a day, Spaniards are likely to eat five! Two small meals before lunch, one (often three course) afternoon lunch, a “merienda” (snack to tide you over until dinner) and then a late dinner around 10 p.m. Overall, the food in Barcelona is magnificent. I could write a book, and I have only been here two weeks. My favorite dish, thus far, has been paella, which is a rice dish containing land animal or seafood, beans and vegetables. ¡Muy sabroso!

11 LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS! philanthropy & service

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Last week, I talked about the sororities on the OU campus and all of the great things they do for their Delta Gamma philanthropy each year. This Morgan is a sophomore week, I think the fraternities studying public relations.

You may contact her at on campus deserve the same Morgan.L.Brunelli-1@ou.edu. recognition for all of the hard work that they put towards their philanthropies as well. So let’s sum up a few ways that these fraternities have been helping out around the community!

morGAn BRUNELLI

Let’s start on North Greek with Beta Theta Pi. Beta was founded in 1839 and their philanthropy works with the American Heart Association. Each year, Beta hosts their annual “Frensley 5K” that raises money for the American Heart Association, as well as Second Chance Animal Sanctuary. This is always a successful event on the OU campus.

Keep up the good work, Beta!

Down the street from Beta, we have Sigma Phi Epsilon. Sig Ep was founded in 1901.

The Sig Ep chapter at OU holds their annual “Oklahoma Run for Diabetes” each year, which is always a campus favorite. Sig Ep also teamed up with Delta Delta Delta last year to host “Coffeehouse,” a philanthropy event including live music, sweet treats and good company. The money raised from Coffeehouse went straight to St. Jude, Tri Delta’s philanthropy. Thanks for all of your hard work, Sig Ep! Next, we have Phi Kappa Psi, which was founded in 1852. Phi Psi works directly with the Boys & Girls Club of America. Boys & Girls Clubs offer programs and services that promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of belonging to these children. Phi Psi works directly with the Boys & Girls Club in Norman. Great job helping out the children, Phi Psi! Sigma Alpha Epsilon is next on the list! SAE was founded in 1856 and at OU, SAE works with the Children’s Miracle Network. Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization that raises money for children’s hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children’s health issues. SAE does a great job in raising money for Children’s Miracle Network!

Lambda Chi Alpha is down the street from SAE. Lambda was founded in 1909, and the OU chapter specifically works to raise money for various philanthropies. Lambda has their annual “White Rose Pageant” each year in support of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Oklahoma. Lambda also partners with “Feeding America,” where multiple canned food drives have been held. Keep up the good work, Lambda!

Next up, we have Delta Upsilon, which was founded in 1834. DU works directly with the Delta Upsilon Global Service Initiative, which offers members a unique opportunity to engage in direct service in developing nations and United States while uniting their

actions with the principles of the Fraternity. This is a great organization that DU is lucky to get to work with! Good job, DU! Pi Kappa Phi is next on the list! Pi Kapp was founded in 1904 and Pi Kapp at OU works directly with Push America, an organization that serves people with disabilities. Pi Kapp holds various events each year to raise money for Push America, including benefit nights, as well as the Pi Kappa Phi Empathy Dinner, an event that makes learning about, and supporting, those with disabilities fun! Thanks for all that you do, Pi Kapp!

Down the street is the soon to be built Sigma Nu house. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869.

Sigma Nu at OU works with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. No one who receives care from St. Jude has to pay for anything, so St. Jude relies solely on donations, such a the ones that Sigma Nu donates. Keep it up, Sigma Nu! The newly built Alpha Tau Omega is next to Sigma Nu. ATO was founded in 1865.

ATO works with the non-profit organization, the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation. This foundation depends on regular financial support, so ATO is a big help in raising money for this foundation. Thanks for your service, ATO! Down the street from ATO, we have Delta Tau Delta. Delt was founded in 1858. Delt has held multiple events in the past years, raising money for various causes. “Delt Dive” was a volleyball tournament held to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Delt also held “Delt Dogs” in 2012, which benefited Second Chance Animal Sanctuary.

Great job, Delt in always being so involved in helping the community!

Down the street from Delt we have Phi Delta Theta. Phi Delt was founded in 1848. This year, Phi Delt teamed up with Gamma Phi Beta in hosting the “Pre-Dally Rally” benefiting Miracles for Mary. This event was a huge success, and the event included live music, free food and so much more! Great job, Phi Delt!

Kappa Alpha Order was founded in 1865, and works with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. KA holds various philanthropy events each year to help raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Thanks for going above and beyond in your fundraising, KA! Last, but certainly not least we have Sigma Chi down on South Greek. Sigma Chi was founded in 1855. Sigma’s Chi’s national philanthropy works with the Huntsman Cancer Institute. This institute is dedicated to finding causes of cancer, developing new and better treatments, and preventing people from developing cancer. We appreciate all of your hard work, Sigma Chi! While I may not have touched on every single fraternity on the OU campus, I hope this can give you an idea of how hard each fraternity works in giving back to the community and their philanthropies. Great job, guys!

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sports & fashion

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IT’S A GREAT YEAR TO BE A SOONER

Every day is a great day to be a Sooner, but this year is turning out to be one for the record books. Though winning the Sugar Bowl against the two time defending National champions might be the highlight of sports season already, our athletics program still has much more potential to offer.

But let’s not overlook our great achievement in football this year. Winning the 2014 Sugar Bowl has earned Bob Stoops a championship in all BCS bowl games. Not a bad way to send off the BCS era, while sealing it with a victory against college football’s juggernaut, Alabama.

Also what makes this victory so sweet has been the aftermath of getting more and more recruits. Joining the Sooners next season will be the Army Bowl’s MVP Joe Mixon, the number 1 recruit from Oakley, California. Although our football team will be losing a lot of seniors, it looks like we’ll have plenty of room for new talent to occupy our title run next season starting as number 6 in the nation.

Speaking of achievements, OU men’s basketball handing Iowa State their first loss of the season while they were ranked number 9 is a pretty big one. Surprisingly the biggest stars of the season have been two sophomores on the team. Buddy Hield and Ryan Sprangler have been huge factors in the Sooner’s victories. Putting out amazing stats and awesome plays, these two are huge assets. And when two sophomores are some of the best starters on the team that only means more great seasons in the next couple of years from Sooner basketball.

Most schools can only dream about being ranked as high as our school is on such a consistent basis. Our Olympic sports don’t mess around. After rocking both of their openers Men’s and

Women’s Gymnastics were both ranked in the top five at the start of the season. Men’s Gymnastics holds the number 2 spot in the nation, while the women’s team holds number 3. If you want to check out the awesomeness, Men’s Gymnastics has a meet this Saturday in the Lloyd Noble Center at 5p.m.

Jennifer NYGREN Alpha Phi

Jennifer is a freshman studying journalism.

You may contact her at jennifer.n.nygren-1@ou.edu.

OU wrestling has also been a force to be reckoned with this season. They’ve jumped around a little bit in the rankings but haven’t left the top five. Fans can head to McCasland Fieldhouse tonight to watch the number 4 Sooners to take on number 7 Missouri at 7 p.m. Kendric Maple and the team are making their mark in this year’s season.

Both Men’s Basketball and Women’s Basketball are bouncing around in the rankings, but even when they aren’t ranked both teams are receiving votes to be in the top 25. If the wins like the one against Iowa State continue, we should have nothing to worry about for our Sooners making the NCAA tournament this March.

What is the final reason why it’s so awesome to attend OU games? There’s a pretty good chance that you could see Toby Keith watching too. I mean how many other schools have a country music super star that consistently attends their games? Whether it’s standing on the football sidelines or sitting behind a basketball goal, Toby Keith is usually there with Athletic Director, Joe Castiglione.

So as we’re getting closer to the end of the year, it looks like there’s a reason to take a little pride in every sport.

FASHION-FORWARD LOOKS FOR SEMI-FORMALS It’s that time of the year again- formal season. It’s the best and worst time of the year because the dress code is simple, but finding a dress is a whole issue onto itself.

Fashion month concluded in September, giving bloggers, writers, analysis’s, and design houses time to synthesize the spring 2014 trends.

Of course, not everything that took a trip down the runway will be influential so it’s a process of looking at all the larger patterns across all shows, cities and designers.

If a shape, color or detail is seen repeated across all four fashion capitals, it’s safe to say it’ll be trending on the streets soon. There are a few new trends for spring 2014 are all over the runways and are sure to be all over campus sometime soon!

Quirky prints will be big trend in 2014, especially for dresses and formal wear.

You can trace the roots of the trend to Raf Simons’ Flag Day of Dior Couture show in July. Patterns are edgy and modern and can be dazzlingly slimming. Designers took inspiration from all over the globe, from Sarah burton’s warrior-worthy pieces at Alexander McQueen to the pagan princesses on the Valentino runway, it’s a good time walk a little on the wild side.

Fringe is a big trend and I have never been happier about it. This boheme mainstay has a firm hold on the runway. It’s far from the grungy hippie roots this piece-y trend is known for. Seen in leather, lace and everything between, this swingy style is decidedly modern. Fringe is perfectly paired with chunky heeled, open-toed booties.

Metallic/iridescent is shining as a new trend. Metallics are seen in the flashy silk lamé, textured fabrics and slinky chain mail, creating an ultra-luxe feel. It’s been seen in collections from Diane von Furstenberg to Proenza Schouler to Tory Burch. In

one of these dresses you’re sure to steal the spotlight in any photo!

Sophie ORLICH

Chi Omega

Two piece dresses are S o p h i e i s a s o p h o m o re another obsession of studying English. You may mine. Thanks to the rise in contact her at sophie.orlich@ popularity of the crop top, ou.edu. these two-piece dresses scream “I’m so edgy and trendy”. Crop tops are everywhere this spring, seen at virtually every show in every city, it’s one of the easiest trends to translate from the runways to the streets. With structured fabric and rich color, this trend is getting an upgrade from Miley’s cut-off wife beater that she can’t seem to take off.

Pleats have broken free from the uniform look and bust onto the high fashion scene.

Appreciated for their structure and movement, this classic look is being reinvented for 2014. The return of the classic knife pleats was seen at Prada, Rochas, and Givenchy.

Armed with these ladylike precision pieces, you can rule every room you enter!

Pastels have always been in vogue for spring, but this year they’re seen in all kinds of fabrics and forms. Voluminous, airy, and sheer, each ensemble can make the wearer feel like a chic wisp of cotton candy. Lilac in particular appeared most often on the runways, from Giorgio Armani to Zac Posen. This flowery hue flatters most skin tones and feels fresh as Violet ice cream.

This collection of cutting-edge trends can be found (in some capacity) locally at Dillard’s, Forever XXI, J. Crew and Cayman’s. Online I would check out asos.com, renttherunway.com, zappos.com, and nordstroms.com because these companies carry quality pieces that reflect current trends and have low or free shipping rates. Try a trend and share with a friend because we know the best dresses are shared!

health & fitness

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DON’T BE A TOOL AT THE GYM

You always see them at the Huff, Gold’s and anywhere fitness-based. That’s right; I’m talking about gym-douches. These guys are the bane of any gym goer’s existence. However, there are a few easy steps you can follow to avoid being one of these meatheads.

When it comes to physical appearance, the gymdouche has several noticeable traits that make him distinguishable from other gym goers. He or she may be wearing clothes that are several sizes too small in an effort to look bigger. Also any individual who has gone to great lengths to dress up and do their hair just to go to the gym is a tool. It’s a gym, not a beauty pageant. While the physical difference between the gym-douche and the average gym goer can be subtle, the real way to tell these individuals apart is by the way they act.

Firstly, anyone who posts more than one gym picture every six months is obsessed. Gym selfies should be taken very sparingly, if at all. The only socially acceptable reasons are if you are getting paid to take them or… nope, that’s the only one.

This includes Snap Chat! Also, any individual who uses the word “swoldier” is, without a doubt, a gym-douche.

These individuals are also generally screamers.

By that, I mean they sound like they’re giving birth to an elephant while in a squat rack and have a few hundreds pounds on their shoulders. The shouts during their “rage-lifts” have been known to burst the eardrums of those standing near by.

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Seriously though, everyone’s working and none of it is easy so, while you don’t have to be silent, try not to bellow with every rep.

Lambda Chi Alpha Another thing that will merit you a low-level douche Eric is a junior studying status is consistently skipping chemical biosciences. You may leg day. Everyone’s had those contact him at snosrap@ou.edu. days where they just do not have leg day in them so they skip it. But if you never work legs, you’re skipping a part of your workout just because it’s hard. And you end up looking like a reverse T-Rex. This obsession with just the upper body is ridiculous and makes you look like a tool.

Another pastime gym-douches enjoy is staring at themselves for extended periods of time.

While everyone will do a little of that when they have a good pump and are at their best, the obsession with staring is an annoying one. If I have to wait for a bench because you can’t stop looking at yourself, there is a problem.

A strong indicator of the gym-douche is the precisely cut rag that, at one point, was a shirt.

Now, it manages to cover just enough so they don’t get asked to leave, but it still exposes their nipples. At what point did that become cool or even okay?

I’m not talking about people who frequent the gym and make fitness a priority. That, actually, describes me. I’m talking about the people who go to the gym to put on a show, rather than work out seriously. If you’re so hungry for attention that you have to head to the gym and put on some wild display, then resolve that issue so that we don’t have to wait for you to quit looking at yourself before we can use the bench.

It’s better to go to the gym to get stronger, healthier and fit rather than to look good and put on a show.

eriC PARSONS

SOAP MADE SIMPLE Although it isn’t the most exciting activity, picking the right hand soap is important.

When you go to the store there are nearly endless Pi Kappa Phi Ta y l o r i s a s o p h o m o r e options, so which do you studying health and exercise buy? Probably the first one science. You may contact him at you see or, if you’re like Taylor.T.Lapham-1@ou.edu. me, the cheapest option.

There are many reasons it’s important to pick a hand soap based on more important factors that the ones listed above, but it all comes down to the fact that not all soaps are created equal. The FDA just released a statement that, soap companies much prove that their antibacterial soaps are more beneficial than they are harmful, or they are to remove them from store shelves by 2016. This comes after years of research that suggest that many of these antibacterial soaps have agents that may be harmful to our health. Ill list the biggest reasons you should start checking your soap labels, and what to look for there.

tAYlor LAPHAM

Triclosan is an antibacterial agent used in a vast majority of liquid soaps, and about a third of bar soaps. Although other antibacterial agents are found in soaps, triclosan is the most common and was the subject of the tests that led to the FDA to make its statement. It was originally used only in medical settings, but is now used in household products such as cutting boards, mattress pads, wipes, and hand gels. The FDA was asked to set guidelines for how triclosan could be used in household products in 1972, but only published their results last year. On one hand, they probably could have come up with general guidelines a bit sooner, on the other, good science takes time. Multiple studies must be performed over a long period of time to ensure that the results are consistent and verifiable. A number of problems have been found with using triclosan in an everyday household setting: *The studies suggest these issues with triclosan, the actual severity of issues may vary with each individual person

Super Germs- Prolonged use of any antibacterial agent brings the risk of creating antibiotic resistant bacteria. The more frequently you wash with antibacterial soap, the more likely that some of the bacteria will experience the antibiotic, but won’t die from it. This can cause mutations in future generations that make the bacteria resistant, or even immune to, that specific antibacterial agent. This is a huge concern in kitchen settings, where antibiotic resistant bacteria could grow on any surface, including a cutting board that has triclosan in it.

Friendly Bacteria- We live with bacteria in and on our body every day that helps to carry out normal body processes. Using antibacterial soaps not only kills the bad bacteria that can make us sick, but also the good bacteria such as the ones that build our immune system and help us digest food. If an antibacterial agent makes its way to our stomach through transfer from washed dishes or hands, it can cause deficiencies like peanut allergies and hay fever.

Growth Issues- Preliminary studies in animals have shown that triclosan is similar enough in structure to thyroid hormone to trigger early onset puberty, some cancers, and even lead to infertility. Due to the issues found, it would be unlikely for tests to be performed on humans.

However it is speculated that the results would be similar.

I will elaborate on my disclaimer, although the studies show that these issues are possibilities, there’s no guarantee that every person will experience any of these problems in any severity.

While it is true that triclosan kills more bacteria than standard soaps, this does not translate to better health benefits. Antibacterial agents target bacteria, not the viruses that often causes illnesses like the flu. Because of this, washing your hands with antibacterial soap after being in contact with someone who is sick, does no guarantee that you won’t still catch or spread the virus. Medications specific to each virus, in conjunction with your immune system, are required to eradicate the infection. Don’t go throw away your antibacterial soaps; it’s fine to use the rest of the bottle. Just think about looking for a different kind the next time you’re at the store. Soaps are not likely to contain an antibacterial agent unless they explicitly say so.

Non-antibacterial hand sanitizer is still a good option to keep your hands clean because it uses alcohol to kill germs. In summary, it is unlikely that the benefits of using antibacterial hand soaps outweighs their possible health risks.

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entertainment news

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THE BAND YOU NEED TO KNOW

I recently had the chance to sit down with a local band that is starting to make a name for it’s self, especially locally. Those of you who have Kappa Alpha Order been to local venues such as Brother’s, Kamp’s Lounge, or Ryan is a sophomore studying the Brewhouse may recognize advertising. You may contact him at ryanbarrett@ou.edu. the band Regg. They are an up-and-coming band that is quickly gaining momentum as they continue to spread their unique genre of music.

“It’s like, if The Strokes, had a rapper,” said Regg’s lead guitarist Parker Rhea describing their sound. The five-member band combines a variety of influences including Marvin Gaye, The Roots and Tupac.

They are composed of two guitarists, one bass player, one drummer, and one rapper. The group’s bass player and visionary, Troy Cheshier, holds vocals with support from the two guitarists.

Regg has been performing together for over two years and has opened for touring artists such as Chief Keef, G-Eazy, and Maggie McClure. In addition, they have performed at Missouri’s Hempfest and the Norman Music Festival; as well as countless venues all over the state. According to lead rapper Deus Eyezslow, growing up around campus has greatly influenced their music.

“We’re relatable. We’re a product of our culture: the college party life. ” Eyezslow said.

Deus Eyezslow, or Rodney Hulsey as his friends know him, met lead singer/ bass player Troy Cheshier at a house party two years ago and was performing with the band weeks later.

rYAn BARRETT

“Rodney was like the Chemical X to our Powder Puff Girls,” said Rhea jokingly.

The band’s latest EP, Nice to Meet You (available on iTunes and Spotify), has been blowing up on the Internet, being featured on music websites such as goodmusicdaily.com and even appearing on Munich, Germany’s Ego FM. The EP features six original songs included “If I Fall Down” and “Meal Ticket” which have been receiving praises since they were first released. The band is currently in the studio working on their new album, which they plan to release this fall.

“We’re trying to take advantage of where we are at right now in Norman with the OU campus,” said lead guitarist Parker Rhea. The band has been doing just that. Regg is quickly becoming known at local venues such as The Brewhouse, The Opolis, The Red Room and Pepe Del Gatos to name a few and it is partly do to their energetic and entertaining shows.

“We are very animated on stage,” said Eyezslow, a sentiment that was seconded by the rest of the band.

“If we’re not moving around or talking to the crowd, or doing something obnoxious, I’ll get nervous. It’s funny after all these shows I’ll still get butterflies. Even if it’s a small venue, because it’s a different experience every time,” added Cheshier.

You can follow Regg on both Facebook and Twitter (@reggmusic) to see when they will be performing near you. Regg will be performing at the Deli, Tuesday January 28th February 19th and Wednesday. Check this band out now so you can say you knew them before they blew up! . In addition, you can find Regg on YouTube, iTunes, Spotify, or at Regg.bandcamp.com.

SUPER BOWL SNACKS One upcoming event that will tempt you to break some of your New Years resolutions is Super Bowl Sunday.

Especially those regarding your diet and I won’t really be helping considering what I’m about to share. As soon as you finish reading this article, you will know how to make pigs in a blanket, pizza pockets and peanut butter balls.

Homemade pigs in a blanket must sound better than those that have been sitting in the glass case at the donut shop. This recipe will take about 35 minutes total to prepare and cook. It will make four to six servings.

The ingredients you will need are 1 can original crescent dough, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, 20 mini hot dogs or cocktail franks, 1 egg (lightly beaten for egg wash), poppy seeds or sesame seeds and a tangy dipping sauce (recipe to follow).

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Next, cut each triangle of crescent roll dough into thirds lengthwise, making three small strips from each roll. Brush the dough strips with Dijon mustard and put the mini hot dogs on one end of the dough and roll them up.

Arrange them with the seam side down on a greased cookie sheet. Brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

To make the dipping sauce, mix all the following ingredients in a bowl: ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving. This sauce can be served a day ahead.

Next recipe is for pizza pockets. This recipe takes about 30 minutes and will make four to six servings or 16 pieces. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil, 8 ounces Italian turkey sausage, 1 cup tightly-packed arugula (about 1 ounce), 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature), 1/3 cup grated Parmesan (plus ¼ cup), ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 (13.5-ounce) package of store-bought pizza crust (recommended: Pillsbury), all-purpose flour (for rolling out pizza dough), 1 egg (beaten for egg wash), 1 ½ cups marinara sauce.

Directions: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium-sized, heavy skillet. Add

the sausage and cook until crumbled and golden, about five minutes. Add the arugula and cook until it is wilted.

Kappa Kappa Gamma Turn off the heat and let it cool about 10 minutes. Add Marley is a junior studying the cream cheese, 1/3 cup journalism. You may contact Parmesan, salt, and pepper her at marleydablo@ou.edu. and stir to combine. Set it aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to a thin 20 by 12-inch rectangle.

Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise and cut each half into eight equal rectangles.

Spoon topping onto one side of each of the rectangles and use a pastry brush to brush the edges of the rectangle with egg wash. Close the rectangle of pizza dough over the topping, and then use a fork to seal and crimp the edges.

Place the pizza pockets onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush the top of each pizza pocket with egg wash. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes.

This last recipe is a sweet one. I have such a sweet tooth that I can never pass up a sweet treat, especially for the Super Bowl. This recipe takes a little longer than the others, about an hour to prepare, but only three minutes to cook.

The ingredients are peanut butter, 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners’ sugar, 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs, ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter (softened) and 12 ounces milk chocolate (melted).

In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, graham cracker crumbs and butter. Mash it all together until combined and then form the mixture into balls. Transfer to the refrigerator until hardened, about 30 minutes. Dip the peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate and set inside mini paper cupcake forms. Before serving, make sure the chocolate is set.

I hope these recipes make your Super Bowl Sunday better, especially if the results of the game don’t end up in your favor.

mArleY DABLO

laugh out loud

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@TayShorty. Accidentally told the pizza guy I loved him.

I was just so happy when the door bell rang and my pizza was ready.

@sammyrhodes. Coffee in the morning makes me feel like Voldemort slowly remembering he was once Tom Riddle.

@Danny_Tosh. feelings suck i wish i was a bagel.

@WomensHumor. My favorite outdoor activity in the winter is going inside where it’s warm.

@HunterrLane. Don’t even know who this Juan Pablo guy is and he’s all over twitter. I guess it takes Juan to know Juan. @EvanSchlinke. I crave pizza rolls more often than any 20 year old should. @thundergUrls. Can you imagine if sororities got to trade people? “We’ll give you our social chair for one of your top 10 pledges & first dibs next year.” @thebeccawalton. really sad bc I was rly emotionally attached to my bf in my dream&he was killed by what I am assuming is the Capitoli will get u Prez Snow.

@Lauren_ConradP. honest to goodness I can’t imagine myself doing any career except being a singer but I can’t sing, so help me out God cause you confused me. @regowallace. I just drove by campus and started crying because it was so beautiful. This is not a joke. I’ve been away from Norman for too long. @CLAIREcummins. I guess it’s time to get everything done that I said I would over winter break! @notBuntyPatel. how does somebody “eat healthy.”

@elvieboy. Day 1 of student teaching and so far I don’t want to kick myself in the face. Let’s hope is stays that way.

@Tee_Da_Man. Getting out of first two classes 30 minutes early-Awesome. Having 3 classes back to back in same room-less awesome. Guess I’ll just sit here.

@bloomersooner. 7 years ago Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone. #blessed.

@JakePasdach. Typical first day of school: Jake Pasdack, Pasduck, Padash, Pasdoch, Pazdache.

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“Wait, how do you say your last name?” @AldynBrooke. “Look to your right and left. All three of you will probably fail my class.” @BrandiLanning. One day we’ll look back at all the printed leggings we wore and wonder what the heck we were thinking. @rainnwilson. My favorite thing about Twitter is how people irately unfollow you if you mock or root against their sports teams. @EvieEngram. Boomer sooner is my favorite thing to say.

AnnA WHITE Pi Beta Phi

A n n a i s a s o p h o m o re studying human relations.

You may contact her at annawhite@ou.edu.

LIFE AS THE WORLD’S BEST THIRD WHEEL When you are young and single it is almost a guarantee that you will be faced with being a third wheel. Some may scoff at the idea and continue on their lonely path, but some will seize the opportunity to be the world’s best friend and the world’s best third wheel. Being the world’s best third wheel may be a commitment, but spending time with your bestie and her man will be reward enough. Study this recommended daily schedule to help you stay on track for being the world’s best third wheel.

9 a.m. Wake up to a text from your friend saying how much fun she had hanging out last night and the guy you both hung out with has already texted her about going out later.

12 a.m. Time for yoga class. As the world’s best third wheel, it is important that you stay mentally balanced and prepared for any task your best friend may ask of you.

2 p.m. Nap. You have a big night ahead of you. As a young single woman there really isn’t much else you need to do on a Saturday afternoon.

4 p.m. Upload the adorable pictures you PITTS took of your friend Gamma Phi Beta and her guy. You may even edit them Sarah is a sophomore studying journalism. You may contact her a bit. As the world’s at s.elizabethpitts@ou.edu best third wheel, good photography is essential. You even may find a funny photobomb photo that really shows off your hilarious personality.

SArAh

5 p.m. Coffee with your girlfriends. Create your next third wheel opportunity. Oh, someone has a date tonight? Invite yourself and set plans in stone before your friend knows how to politely decline.

6 p.m. It’s time for dinner and you need to be ready for a night of full-time third wheeling. Make sure you get carbs for energy. Pizza is always a good choice.

8 p.m. Time to get ready. As the world’s best third wheel, you know you need to come off as casual and fun. So don’t overdo your looks and steal any attention from your friend. Sequins are off-limits here.

10 p.m. It’s time to get your head in the game. Meet up with your friend before she meets her date, make sure to compliment everything she does and don’t forget your camera. Don’t get distracted as the night goes on, no matter how many cute guys want to talk to you. Remember, you are the world’s best third wheel and your friend’s date should be your No. 1 priority. Go get ‘em, tiger.