Oklahom 4 10 14

April 10, 2014 | Volume 2, Issue 25 | Norman, OK

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PHIL UP YOUR HEARTS page 2

10 MOST ANNOYING TYPES OF PEOPLE IN CLASS page 4 5 REASONS TO TAKE GENEDS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER page 5 HOW TO LAND YOUR DREAM JOB page 7

KICKING OFF SPRING PHILANTHROPIES WITH THE MOTHER OF ALL PHILANTHROPIES, SOONERTHON! Photo courtesy of Morgan Russell

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Editor's note

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PHIL UP YOUR HEARTS What is it about springtime that makes us all want to grab our rakes, throw on Alpha Gamma Delta some dirty clothes, Editor-in-Chief and go lend a hand to Haley is a senior studying classical a neighbor in need? languages & English writing. You With the temporary may contact her at hmowdy@ ou.edu. post-midterm lull in classwork and the beautiful weather, this time of year is the perfect time to serve our community. Just in the past few weeks, we’ve had the Big Event, Alpha Gamma Delta’s BBQ, SigEp and Tri Delta’s Coffeehouse, AOPi’s Strike Out Arthritis, and Alpha Gam & Lambda Chi’s Swishin’ for a Mission. It is clear that the whole Greek community is in the mood to do some good for our community. If you have a free Saturday afternoon in the next few weeks, here are some great projects you can lend your time and help to.

HALEY MOWDY

Second Chance Animal Sanctuary: Whether you live in the dorms or the chapter house, I’ll bet you’re probably missing your dog or cat. Second Chance is a great way to give back for animal lovers! The process is really simple—fill out a volunteer form and you get to spend your whole day playing with puppies and kitties. Find out more information at www.secondchancenorman.com or stop in at 4500 24th Ave NW. Food and Shelter of Norman: Looking for a more humanistic philanthropy project?

Look no further than Food and Shelter of Norman. This is Norman’s homeless shelter,

and the center offers donations, free beds and meals to the homeless as well as financial and social services information for Norman’s needy. A day at the shelter might have you answering phones, sorting donations or serving meals. Check them out online at www.foodandshelterinc.org or at 104 W. Comanche St. Regional Food Bank: The Regional Food Bank serves the nutritional needs of the community from their center in OKC. If you have a free afternoon, the Food Bank is well worth the drive. Did you know that one out of every five children in Norman does not have adequate food resources? You can make a difference by going to their website at www.regionalfoodbank.org or making the drive to their headquarters at 3355 S Purdue Ave, OKC. Second Wind Café: Not up for making a drive? You have an opportunity to help out on campus corner too! Second Wind on Buchannan Avenue, right across from Brothers (I know you know where that is…) serves up delicious, unique non-profit coffee in a relaxing atmosphere. Instead of set prices, you donate what you can afford to for your coffee, and all of the baristas are volunteers. All the money that Second Wind makes goes directly back to keeping its doors open, and then whatever is left goes to help local Christian ministries and philanthropic projects. Try volunteering as a barista. You’ll learn a new skill and get some free coffee! But hurry, Second Wind is only open during the school year! Visit their website at www.thesecondwind.org for more information.

We always love hearing your stories about how you serve Norman’s community. If you have ideas about great philanthropy projects you’d like us to cover, let me know at hmowdy@ou.edu

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

Delta Delta Delta

Contributing Editors

PR Chair Dea Pennington

Alex Bare

Delta Delta Delta

Alpha Chi Omega

Pi Beta Phi

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THE NIGHT OWL AND THE EARLY BIRD RACHEL CAMPBELL

Alpha Chi Omega Rachel is a sophomore studying professional writing.

You may contact her at rcampbell@ou.edu.

In college it seems like nearly everyone is a night owlsomeone who thrives at dusk but feels like they were hit by a train if they try to wake up before 10 a.m. However, there are morning people out there, and it seems like everyone is jealous of their ability to function well at the start of the day.

These different sleeping cycles are the result of how a person’s circadian rhythm, or biological clock, has developed.

Typically, night owls fill the ranks of the college world because students train their circadian rhythm to fit around their social clock. According to psychologytoday. com, the social clock is a time schedule that includes

when you wake up, eat, work, go to class, make appointments, and socialize. College schedules have more activities available to fill students’ days, and events like chapter or club meetings typically start late- much later than high school activities did. This is how, so easily, students have gone from going to bed at 10 p.m. in high school to 2 a.m. in college. As a result, while it was normal to wake up at 6 a.m. in high school, now it’s a struggle to make it to the dreaded 8:30 a.m. classes.

Although it may be slightly annoying to maintain the night owl circadian rhythm through college when things arise where you have to wake up early, the late night biological clock still fits comfortably with your schedule.

However, when you’re forced to find a “real person job” that forces you to set your alarm clock for 6 a.m. again, your social clock will have changed and, after a couple of painful weeks, your circadian rhythm will adapt to your new schedule. This unfortunately isn’t true for the few students who have been cursed with the natural circadian rhythm of a night owl.

With perseverance, however, there is hope for those afflicted with a circadian rhythm centered on the night.

Each night, you can begin to adjust your sleep cycle by about 10 to 20 minutes, gradually falling asleep earlier, which in turn allows you to wake up earlier. While

readapting, resist the temptation to take medication to force yourself to sleep or cutting yourself short a few hours of sleep in order to become tired earlier. Your circadian rhythm needs consistency and both of these methods can hinder your path to becoming a morning person.

You may be wondering why it’s even necessary to give up your 3 a.m. bedtime just so you can wake up a little earlier. I was also reluctant to let go of my beloved night schedule as well until I saw what my habit was doing to me. According to Jennifer Welsh’s livescience. com article, scientists conducted a study to observe how happy morning people were compared to night people.

Morning people felt both happier and healthier than night people. A Psychology Today article also claims that night owls have both higher blood pressure and a more irregular heartbeat than morning people, as well as having overall more intense stress levels.

Aside from the physiological effects, morning people claim that waking up early makes them feel different in a good way.

“There’s something about getting up early that makes you feel like you have so much more time in the day to get things done. You just feel more relaxed,” sophomore Jessica Brewer said.

10 SIGNS YOU’RE A BROKE COLLEGE STUDENT HOLLY ROBERTS Chi Omega

Holly is a freshman studying journalism. You may contact her at Holly.E.Roberts-1@ou.edu.

One of the oldest and most accurate clichés: college kids are broke.

Sure, it makes perfect sense from the outside looking in, but you don’t fully realize the extent of being that broke college student until you’re destroying your bedroom in search of loose change for the dollar menu.

You’ve got to spend money to make money, isn’t that what they always say? Well, I’ve never had a mortgage or financed a car, but I struggle to envision a time that’s as expensive as these four years we’re living in. As if the university isn’t already demanding your first-born child for tuition, they jack up the prices on everything from textbooks to parking spaces.

You really start to believe that college is a business when you can’t even do your laundry for free. I mean, I’m trying to order t-shirts in four different colors here, people. I can’t afford to fork over even more money just to use the printer. Now I’m beginning to understand why old people are always so impressed with college students participating in philanthropy work: we’re charity cases ourselves. Who knew learning could be

so expensive?

1. Free food is the most exciting part of any day.

It’s like flies drawn to honey, literally. We swarm. It doesn’t matter when, where, or how, as long as it’s free and we can scarf it down like the animals we are.

2. Kid meals are your lifesaver.

“Only five dollars? Has this part of the menu always been here?!”

“But wait...is this all I get?”

3. You log onto your bank’s phone app as much as Twitter and Facebook.

As depressing as it usually is, this is a frequent daily occurrence for many of us. The worst is those texts they send you when your balance dips below a certain point.

Like yes, I am fully aware that I have less than $50 in my account, thanks for reminding me.

4. Coins are not just useless change anymore.

Quarters are a hot commodity. Vending machines, parking meters and Laundromats are all very near and dear to the broke college student’s heart. And don’t you forget those dimes and nickels, either. No shame in giving exact change. (Save the cash!)

5. Gift cards are like gold.

If you are a freshman, you definitely get this concept: anything that isn’t your cash or credit card is like Monopoly money. Meal points fly out the window because, at the moment, it basically seems like this magic little card is getting you this food for free. The same goes for gift cards, it’s like that meal at Chipotle didn’t even

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count! Who feels poorer now?

6. Zeroes are no stranger to your bank balance.

Similar to #3, the broke college student is an all-out war with that heart-breaking little number (it seriously usually is little). It’s always a come-to-Jesus moment when you log on and see BALANCE: $00.00.

7. You actually find yourself comparing prices at the grocery store.

You used to get so annoyed when your mom did this.

Like, hurry it up mom and just pick one. But now, the $1.29 difference between this cereal and that cereal actually makes a difference to you. Wow, we’re growing up so fast.

8. You’ll sell anything and everything if it means extra money.

From clothes to tutoring services, kids are always looking to barter their stuff/skills in exchange for cash.

The newest one today is selling your own plasma. I don’t really think it gets much more desperate than that.

9. Going home is like hitting the jackpot.

Home-cooked meals (for free) and usually a trip to WalMart (all expenses paid) leave you feeling pretty rich.

10. Splitting everything is always a good idea.

From appetizers to gas, splitting costs with your friends is suddenly the best idea you’ve ever had. Hey, sharing is caring, right? And being a broke college kid is always a little bit less of a struggle when you’re surrounded by people who are just as poor and utterly optimistic as you are.

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Scene on campus

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10 MOST ANNOYING TYPES OF PEOPLE IN CLASS Those people in the classroom that get on everybody’s nerves Identifies both annoying teachers and students I was brainstorming with some of my friends and we came up with a pretty good list of those people in the classroom who get on everybody’s nerves. This list is mostly students, but we realized that some of the most annoying people were teachers, so we threw them in there, too.

10. Kid who eats in class. The kid who always brings in a huge bag of chips when you’re always super hungry and eats the whole thing in front of you and doesn’t share.

9. Teacher’s pet. It’s almost painful to watch this kid try to suck up to the teacher without realizing that it won’t boost his GPA. 8. Professor who answers his/her own questions. Every question asked by this teacher is rhetorical. They don’t expect you to answer. They just talk the entire class time and make it seem like it’s dragging on forever.

7. Kid who sleeps in class. None of us get enough sleep. We’re in college. What makes this person think

it’s alright to make the classroom their new bedroom.

They took nap time out of the curriculum after fourth grade. Get over it.

6. Student who complains about how hard a class is, but has the best grades. Student: Dude, I hate going to this class. It’s so hard. Me: Yeah, dude, I know what you mean. I’m barely passing. Student: Oh, I’ve got 100. This is my hardest class. Me: Don’t talk to me.

5. Student who answers every question. There’s a participation grade that I’m failing because one kid knows the answer to every question and the teacher always picks him.

4. Kid Who Answers Every Question Wrong. This is the exact same situation as above. The only difference is that this one is always picked, and they have never gotten a single answer right. Every time they open their mouth, I get a little dumber.

3. Guy who shows up to class drunk. Just imagine how annoying drunk people are and then put them in a classroom. The party ended hours ago for everyone else, but it didn’t end for this bro until he realized he had to go to class. Hopefully, he’ll keep his head down as he stumbles to his desk.

TREVOR GROSE Kappa Sigma

Trevor is a sophomore studying English lit/Spanish. You may contact him at trevorgrose93@ gmail.com.

2. Student who never quite left high school. They always want me to know what sport they played in high school despite not playing any sports, now. They have no cool college stories so they think that their high school stories interest us. “Back when I played varsity football…” Shut up. I’m watching real football.

1. Teacher’s pet whom the teacher dislikes. This is the student who tries to answer every question to become the teacher’s favorite. They don’t understand that the teacher is deliberately looking for another student to answer their question. I would answer their question, it’s just that I never seem to know the answer. Hopefully, someone else can before I lose my mind.

PRODUCTIVE PROCRASTINATION KATIE DORROUGH Alpha Phi

Katie is a sophomore studying communications. You may contact her at kaitlyn.dorrough@ou.edu.

Exams and quizzes and papers, oh my! There is so much work, and so little time--at least we feel like there is.

The truth is, we may have more time to finish our homework than we think. Yet we as college students have mastered the art of procrastination. Some even have their bachelor’s in it. Think about it. What do you do before starting or completing your homework? Some watch movies, and some clean. Others go to the gym, or prepare the “perfect study spot” instead of actually studying. I, on the other hand, usually nap.

Whoever you are, you probably fit into one or more of these categories: The Cleaner, Gym Rat, Media Bug or Perfectionist. Of course there are those people who have their own unique ways of avoiding their homework. For example, washing their car or deciding to learn a new song on the guitar. Either way, there is one common problem-- we are procrastinators.

The Cleaner. First, we have those who clean everything before studying. I do mean everything. These are the

people who will more than likely clean their entire room or house just to avoid doing their homework. Normally, their room could be a complete mess. Yet once it is time to study for the upcoming history final, their dorm room looks flawless--though if you ask them what happened, they will claim “I woke up like this.” I have been guilty of this. I will clean the apartment to avoid writing a paper.

The Gym Rat Now. It would be insane to start studying for the nutrition exam before you hit the gym, right? At least that is what some think. Instead of learning about iron, some would rather pump it. These people are all about lifting and doing cardio. What better time to get started on getting that hot summer bod than right before finals? “How do I procrastinate? I play racquetball!

Racquetball is where it’s at.” - Landon Mignardi, Alpha Tau Omega But, let’s not forget the “I’m too stressed. I need to do yoga,” excuse. Pilates definitely falls into this category as well.

The Media Bug. Then there is the most popular type of all: the ones addicted to their phone or laptop screens.

This type of person checks Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat before getting down to business. “Every app that I haven’t used in a long time I will use so I don’t have to do my homework.” - Gracie McRee, Alpha Chi Omega. After checking social media, they feel obligated to check sites like Exchange and D2L. Many can relate to the devious distractions caused by the one and only Pinterest, but don’t forget about video games. Some can sit for hours playing on the new Xbox One or PS4 instead of touching their books. Then, just when we think we

have checked everything, there is Netflix. The site full of movies and shows at your finger tips. Some people study between episodes of “Breaking Bad” or “One Tree Hill,” how about “Friday Night Lights” anyone?

After checking every website possible and watching four episodes of “Friends,” you could be left with one hour until a deadline.

The Perfectionist. Last but not least, we have the planners. They are the ones who require the “perfect” studying atmosphere. Whether it is on-campus, offcampus, in their room or in the study lounge, everyone has their perfect spot. Of course the perfectionists have to have everything done right. They want the right music, outfit, study snacks, drinks, their headphones, a proper spot, a charger, maybe a blanket and they might even take a shower first. Some will go as far as to making a detailed to-do list for what they need to accomplish and in what order they will do it. After all their needs have been met, they can start studying…unless they forgot to add “go to the bathroom” to their checklist.

No matter what type you may be, we can all relate.

Don’t act like you have never done some these things.

Sometimes we feel like there is a way to justify our procrastination methods. I mean, I have to watch “Gossip Girl” sometime, right? We usually see this as being productive. We may be crossing off our to-do lists, but we are really putting off what matters most.

Word to the wise: with finals coming up you may want to worry less about what is trending and more about human physiology. Stay classy, everyone.

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HOW TO PROPERLY SURVIVE AN ALL-NIGHTER LAUREN KEENAN Delta Gamma

Lauren is a freshman studying public relations.

Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t Lauren.E.Keenan-1@ou.edu.

After a very relaxing and much needed spring break, students are now attempting to get back into their normal swing of things. The sun is finally shining, the campus grounds are blooming, our friends seem happier and things are going well.

But before we know it, we will cross into that dreaded week – Dead Week. The workload more than quadruples, and there seems to be an ever-present impending cloud of worry hanging over everyone’s heads. So, most students who are procrastinators like me will wait till the very last second to actually start their studying. And many college students will have to pull off an act viewed as crazy, which is the bittersweet all-nighter scenario.

If you have never been through an all-nighter before, this is just an article to mentally prep you for what is to come if you choose to venture into the land of no sleep.

You have better chances of holding on to your sanity the next day if you know how the preceding night will

go for you. Keeping that in mind, this is how the night will probably go for you, and to make it easier to cope with, it will be said in the most humorous 21 Jump Street lighting that I can muster.

“Aaaand here we go!” Determined to get all of your schoolwork done, you get a surge of energy. Midnight quickly turns into two o’clock, and this is when you hit the first stage, dubbed ‘the giggles.’ Because, let’s face it, everything is funnier after two am. Your roommate, study buddy, or twitter friend will say something stupid, which will cause you to go in to a bout of uncontrollable laughter. Just embrace the laughter, because you will want that so much more the later on your night goes.

You finally calm down, and get a significant amount of homework done.

Then, you need a mental break, and don’t be afraid to take one. You deserve it. Have that late night salty snack, or take a quick shower to refocus. Sleep delirium will start to hit once you sit back down and get in the zone.

If you had a long day before making the choice to pull an all-nighter, you will hit the second stage, called “tripping hard core.” Everyone approaches this one differently. You can either not feel time passing the same way, or mix up the order of words and events from the day prior. You just have to keep in mind that it will all be over soon, and that you will (eventually) be okay.

Hey, the sun rose! Maybe you better get ready for the day. But, you take your time, thinking that you have all

the time in the world for some strange reason. Then, the deadline for that paper you just wrote, or the exam you just crammed for, approaches.

This is when you get to the third stage, called “overconfidence”. You get this epiphany and are super ecstatic to get everything done in time. Which you can. Your hands move like lightning to write the last of that paper, or your eyes read over the last of your notes for that exam. You can pretty much rule the world at this point, because you have been up longer than the rest of us.

Adrenaline takes over, and then you magically make that deadline.

Making that deadline takes you into the fourth stage, the “heck yeah mother trucker” phase. Seriously.

Campus is a playground now for you. You own it. Be the king or queen, and enjoy the feelings of glory that accompany your wicked accomplishments. You did it!

Getting through the rest of the day on that high of “I’ve got this!” helps, but the moment you get back home, kick off your shoes, and your body starts unwinding, you get into the fifth and final stage, which is “asleepyness”. Just go with the flow, man. Your body needs to hardcore catch up on sleep. And you’ve earned it. So let your favorite blanket make you feel happy on the inside.

And that, dear friends, is how a typical all-nighter will go. As long as you are armed with the knowledge of its effects on your mind and your body, you can take on the world.

5 REASONS TO TAKE GEN-EDS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER NICOLE SMITH Alpha Omicron Pi

Nicole is a junior studying economics & religious studies. You may contact her at smith.a.nicole@ ou.edu.

As a junior in college stuck in a lower division biology course, I’ve realized the mistake that I made by not taking my gen-eds at the beginning of my collegiate career. I’m sure that there are others, like me, who took major specific classes before knocking out the gen-eds.

I’ve come up with a list of five reasons that hopefully the freshman readers can apply to their schedules. Unfortunately, this isn’t much help for us juniors because we’re old already, and seniors are graduating, so hopefully you’ve completed all your coursework by now--unless you’ve been stuck with reason 4.

1. Gen-eds cover a variety of topics. If you’re anything like me, you came into college with a mapped out plan of what you wanted to do with your life, then took one difficult class and realized that you don’t want to be an astrophysicist. Then you jumped around between five different majors, wasting brainpower and dollars by taking classes you

didn’t need for the liberal arts degree that you finally settled on at the end of your sophomore or beginning of your junior year. Gen-eds may have helped solve some of your problems because they cover a vast array of topics from sciences to religious studies to social sciences to art to whatever class fits the bill. If I had taken my economics class as a freshman instead of a sophomore, maybe I would have settled on my economics major way earlier.

2. Most gen-eds are blow-of f classes.* As a freshman and sophomore, you’re still trying to balance the three S’s: sleep, school, and social life.

With a lighter course load, by taking gen-eds, you are able to party hard on the weekends (and during the week) while still getting more sleep than your friends and maybe doing a bit of homework every now and again. If you’re like me, you probably have no idea what college is like your first semester, so you need cushion classes for your GPA because Netflix is a distraction and there’s no better time to rewatch the OC than the present. Gen-eds are a nice way to do this. *I say most because some gen-eds (especially upper division) are extremely difficult. Stay away from these.

3. No one wants to be the oldest student in a class full of freshmen. If you’re a junior or senior taking gen-eds, you’ve experienced the moment when the professor surveys the age range of the class where fifty students are freshmen, thirty are sophomores, five are juniors, and the one lone senior. I often find it easier to lie about my age on the first day so that no one will send judgmental glares to me, the old

fart. If you take gen-eds as a freshman or sophomore, you fit in with everyone else who takes these classes at the beginning. Also, no junior wants to be invited to a frat party by a freshman pledge. It’s too weird.

4. You can graduate early or on-time. When attending graduation check, no one wants to hear that you didn’t get two of the gen-eds you were supposed to have and now you have to stay an extra semester.

If you knock those gen-eds out at the beginning, you have more room in your schedule in case you do make this dreaded mistake or you can graduate early because you’re finished with those random classes that have nothing to do with your major.

5. Other young students take gen-eds. This is similar to reason three, but also not. You can make friends with other freshmen or sophomores. You get invited to freshmen and sophomore things (like date parties and frat parties) by other people your age. Maybe someone on your hall or one of the girls in your sorority is taking the same gen-ed, and now you get to become the best of friends because you have to suffer through African Dance at 10:30am every other day. Not that you can’t be friends with people that are older or younger than you, but it’s always convenient if you’re on the same track where you turn 21 in the same school year and graduate in the same semester.

Being so young means the world is your oyster, so take some gen-eds and meet other people your age. If this isn’t enough to convince you to get gen-eds out of the way, talk to your big or any upperclassman, and I know they’ll agree with me. Not to mention that most gen-eds have test files, and who doesn’t love those?

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Self philanthropy

BETHEL, CHINA Blind Chinese children: don’t know much about them?

I didn’t either until a few weeks ago, when I stumbled into Bethel, Alpha Chi Omega a place called home by eighty Chinese orphans, Emily is a junior studying all visually impaired. Due international business and to the one-child policy in finance. You may contact her at China, children who do martin_morgan-1@ou.edu. not reach the expectations of their parents are often abandoned, especially children who are born with physical impairments. Bethel hopes to offer a safe and loving environment for these children.

Since I am currently studying here in Beijing, I heard about the organization, Bethel, through a friend. I decided to check it out. In a suburb of Beijing on a seventeen-acre campus, I was greeted with the smiling faces and expressions of joy from children who couldn’t see me clearly enough to know it was my first time there. But it didn’t matter. They were happy to talk to me and just glad to have a new friend.

I was blown away by the love and care poured out by the teachers and workers of the organization and quickly realized there was something special about this place.

With a vision statement as simple as “Visually impaired children living life to the fullest” it’s not hard to see how Bethel’s first priority is the children.

Founded in 2003, Bethel provides foster care, education, therapy, and livelihood opportunities. The foster care goes significantly farther than a house and a bed. Every child lives in an individual home on campus with 5-9 other children. Each home has its own set of activities and their own pictures on the fridge. This dynamic living situation allows for children to feel included in a family and space and to be unique at the same time. For schooling, the children are taught all of the normal subjects Chinese children would learn; such as science, math, social studies, etc. and Chinese and English braille. Bethel also places a significant importance on therapy calling on a wide variety of treatments. They have a speech therapist, an occupational therapist and hippotherapist (therapy using horses) on staff. The children are able to enjoy

MARTIN MORGAN

www.theodysseyonline.com aquatherapy in the swimming pool and physical therapy in the gym.

In addition to working with individual children, Bethel uses its expertise to strengthen existing state run orphanages across China by educating and empowering these orphanages on how to care for blind children through workshops, e-learning, consultancy and training materials that focus on raising the quality of care.

Bethel is just as self-sufficient as it is fun and educational, growing a wide variety of summer and winter crops ranging from tomatoes to strawberries. It is energy efficient, with solar panels installed on the main building and 7 of the children’s homes. The panels provide hot water, which is used for washing, cooking and cleaning. During the winter the heat is provided by a biomass boiler, which is a much more environmentally friendly alternative, reducing exhaust fumes which translates into less pollution and better air quality. As if this weren’t convincing enough, Bethel’s independent water source comes from two on-site water wells.

Since one of the foundation’s top priorities is financial stability, the foundation is always accepting donations, the main need being daily running costs. But even more than donations, the foundation is looking for teachers. Currently, there are 8 full-time teachers and 4 assistant teachers. But that could soon change, now that you are reading this. Have you been looking for that excuse to take a semester off?

Maybe a year or just a summer? When I was talking to the volunteer coordinator at Bethel, it was made clear to me that they are in need of English teachers. And coincidentally, since you are reading this, you could be one! Anyone who loves kids or has experience in teaching is welcome. The foundation provides on-site training, so no one is inadequate. If you have an interest in special education, speech pathology or just education in general, then this job is for you. All that is required is a love for children in need.

Can’t go to China? Maybe you or a group of friends could sponsor a child for just $35 a month. For less than a night out on campus corner, you could pay for a child to receive literally everything that Bethel provides-- a place to sleep, food to eat and a loving education. Sponsoring a child isn’t just about the money though. Bethel desires sponsors to be involved in the lives of the children through sending letters, Skype calls and organizing visits. All this and much more is available at Bethelchina. org and you can also add them on Facebook and watch videos of the children on YouTube. You can even follow them on Instagram under “BethelChina”. There is much more information on ways for you to help on the website and great pictures on the Facebook page.

Thanks for reading, if you feel like volunteering is even a possibility, please don’t hesitate to e-mail Anna, the volunteer coordinator, with any questions: anna@ bethelchina.org

HOW TO RAISE $300,000 “FOR THE KIDS” This year, Soonerthon raised over $300,000 “For the Kids.”

intelligent and enthusiastic child I have ever met, and she keeps me going, too!

At the head of this massive undertaking was Soonerthon Chair Sarah Campbell. Campbell is a junior Kappa Kappa Gamma, and here’s what she had to say about this life-changing event.

What individuals and organizations raised the most money this year? Highest attendance? This year the highest fundraiser in the Large Group category were the women of Chi Omega, and the largest attendance was Kappa Kappa Gamma. In the small group category the top fundraiser and top attendance was Alpha Phi Omega (APO).

What exactly is Sooner thon? Soonerthon is the official philanthropy of Campus Activities Council, and is the University of Oklahoma’s affiliate of Dance Marathon. Soonerthon raises money for the Children’s Hospital Foundation, which creates the best pediatric health care possible right here in Oklahoma City at the OU Children’s Hospital.

Do you look to Penn State, founder of Dance Marathon, for guidance/ideas? In actuality, Penn State THON is not technically a partner of the Children’s Miracle Network Dance marathons. A miracle child himself at the University of Indiana originally started the Children’s Miracle Network Dance Marathon.

We definitely seek out more established programs to learn how their events function and we can better improve ours. We also work closely with Oklahoma State Dance Marathon, University of Nebraska Dance Marathon and our representatives at the national Children’s Miracle Network office in order to improve year to year.

For you, what is the most rewarding par t of Sooner thon? Who do you dance for? The most rewarding part of Soonerthon is watching the children and their families be embraced the OU community. The opportunity to leave sickness and hospitals behind allows the miracle children to just be kids for the day by interacting with over 2,000 college students. My Soonerthon experience has been enriched by one miracle child in particular named Lucy. Lucy has been battling Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia her entire life, and will continue to fight it for a long time. Lucy is by far the most energetic,

What did you find was most difficult in planning this huge philanthropy? The most difficult part of planning the philanthropy is inspiring students on our campus to fundraise. Almost all of the money raised by Soonerthon comes from students reaching out to families and friends. We could not have reached the amazing total of $318,711.14 without over 50% of our 2,100 registrants fundraising and raising money “For the Kids.” Thank you to everyone who made a difference in the lives of hundreds of miracle children with your hard work and dedication!

What can students do to get the most out of Sooner thon? The best way to get the most out of Soonerthon is to invest and also have an open mind.

Students who are involved throughout the year in our various events like the 5K, Golf Tournament and Miracle Skate Nights are able to get to know the children and their families long before the day of. Also, those that meet their personal fundraising goals have stronger ties to the cause, making the day of Soonerthon that much more special. During the 12 hours it is so important to get to know the children and their families, and once you form that special friendship you are hooked on the cause for life.

What are your fundraising tips? The easiest way to fundraise is to share your passion with family and friends by using your personal fundraising page. This page is almost a Facebook for fundraising that is set up by Soonerthon, which allows you to send links to

ALEXIS HAMES Kappa Kappa Gamma

Alexis is a junior studying Public Relations. You may contact her at alexis@ou.edu.

donate in your name to anyone and everyone. Also, the use of social media is key. Posting your donation page link to Facebook, Twitter, etc. is another easy way to fundraise for the kids!

What is your advice to next year’s Soonerthon chair?

My advice to next year ’s Soonerthon chair is to give 120% of your effort, but never forget to enjoy it. This experience is time consuming, exhausting, humbling and life changing. The OU students, executive committees, families and hospital personnel you come in contact with are extraordinary, and there is nothing like getting to share the final total reveal with each of them.

Anything you’d like to add? I would like to add a huge thank you to each organization, participant and Soonerthon team member. This year was such a success due to the amount of hard work and passion that was given by over 2,100 students on our campus. Thank you for donating your time, energy, and support to creating a better future for each of these amazing Miracle Children. The University of Oklahoma should be proud of now hosting the 13th largest Dance Marathon in the nation, but also in the miracles that we are making happen right here in Oklahoma.

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HOW TO LAND YOUR DREAM JOB VICTORIA GARTEN

Alpha Gamma Delta

Victoria is a junior studying professional writing.

Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t victoria_garten@ou.edu.

Finding a job that interests you is difficult. Applying for a job is time-consuming. Interviews are nerve-racking.

And keeping the job while learning the demands of the position is overwhelming.

You may find yourself stressed and riddled with questions about searching for a job. How many references should I have? Should I list the job that I had for only a few months and then quit? What should I disclose to the interviewer about myself? Are they going to call me back? Should I call them? Will I enjoy this job? The hiring process should not be entered into lightly. If you seriously want a job, then you should prepare for the process seriously. In this article, you will find advice that I have taken from my experience over the past year as a human resources assistant and tips I have gathered from my boss, the human resources director of a multimilliondollar hat company Top of the World, to help you figure out what businesses are really looking for.

Things you will need: ResumeBusiness casual outfit Positive attitude Smile 1. Don’t settle for just any job. Close your eyes and imagine this scenario: You’re browsing through the classifieds and you find a position you might be interested in. You have a great resume, you nail the interview, and you get the job. However, it’s your least favorite job in your field and you’re overwhelmed. You can’t stand it so much that you get burnt out and your quality of work begins to decline. You’re fired for your poor workmanship. Now you have to start all over, and you are not going to get a reference. You knew what the job entailed before you applied and you knew it wasn’t your thing, but you thought you could deal with it. If you don’t think that you will be able to enjoy the position, don’t apply!

2. The little things do count in resume writing. So, you have found a few positions you are interested in and you’re ready to send in your resume. Before you rush to

the ink press to print your masterpiece on some pretty powder-blue perfumed paper, make sure you aren’t an offender of the following resume faux pas: Don’t print your resume on pretty powder-blue perfumed paper. In fact, you don’t need paper at all. Most companies today accept all their resume submissions online so that looking over your resume is simple, and it can be easily forwarded to the appropriate supervisor.

If the job you are applying for does require a paper copy, there is still no need for any fancy embellishments. Keep it simple and earth-friendly.

Don’t use crazy fonts. Fonts with lots of curly cues only make things more difficult for the person reading your resume.

Introduce yourself on paper. Write a short “Objective” or “Introduction” paragraph. This is where you get to gush, but not too much. Keep it concise and to the point.

Tell the reader about your interests and passions.

You didn’t finish college? Put the college education that you do have on your resume anyway. No one is judging.

There are many different reasons people don’t finish college, but that doesn’t make it any less important.

Your mom is not a reference. Do you know many moms who would tell their child’s future employer, “Her employment was terminated from her last job due to poor work performance?” Okay, maybe a few moms would be brutally honest, but even so, Mom is never an appropriate reference. Friends and other family members aren’t appropriate references either.

References should include community leaders, business professionals, and colleagues.

Don’t list your junior high email address under your contact info. An employer is going to laugh at you if your email is ilovehotguys@yahoo.com. Come up with something simple, such as a variation of your name, to use as an email address.

So you’ve had ten different jobs since high school. Don’t list them all. List the ones that you had for the longest and displayed the best work performance. A five-page list of former jobs will scare employers away, because it looks like you either can’t commit or have been let go many times. If a future employer is interested in hiring you they will call your former employers. What former employers say about you could be the difference in

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getting the job or getting your resume trashed.

3. Make an impression. You submitted a resume, now what? Wait a week or two, and then call to follow up.

Persistence pays off. A few months ago I was listening to a speaker talk about his experiences with finding a job as a professional writer. After calling several times, he emailed the employer a humorous list of the things he would do to get the job. The employer was so intrigued by his persistence that he hired him.

4. Be Genuine. You were persistent and got a call back for an interview. You’ve reached the home stretch. You’re probably nervous. Embrace your nervousness, but don’t let it make you a deer-in-the-headlights in front of the interviewer. The employer knows you are nervous, and at one point they were in your position. Have you ever heard, “It doesn’t matter how intimidating someone seems? We all put our pants on the same way: one leg at a time.” As long as you are genuine and show your interest in the position, there is nothing to fear. Be willing to admit your faults if you are asked a question on what you could improve on. Everyone has imperfections, and it is okay to show your human side. This also shows a willingness to grow as a professional and an individual.

5. Pace yourself. So you got the job, and you love it, but now you’re overeager. One mistake new hires make is taking on too much at the beginning of their new job. Just like a relationship, there is a honeymoon phase when an employee is hired. The first ninety-days are when a newbie is at their best. After that, things start to go downhill. This isn’t to say that no employee is valuable after the first ninety days-they certainly are, unless they are already burnt out on the new position.

But take it slow. Get to know the people you will be working with and learn by observing them.

6. Be competitive (in a good way). Whatever you decide to do with your career, be the best you can be. If you are a salesperson, strive to have the most sales. Whatever your position, make it your own. Once you have your dream job, don’t forget to keep an open mind as your experience progresses. All workplace positions are constantly evolving, so you can never learn it all. Look for ways to improve, ask to take on new projects that you know you can handle, take training courses and read material that will help you grow as a professional.

If you commit to being your best self, your professional experience will only get better.

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IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE RUNNERS GRACE CASTILLO Beta Theta Pi

Grace is a sophomore studying English education. You may contact her at grace.castillo-1@ou.edu.

If you’ve never participated in a big race or never been to one, I highly suggest that you do. There are so many people there, and they are all insane.

You have the “super runners” who will finish their marathon in less time than it would take us normal people to run one mile, you have the walkers, and you have the people who are simply there for the fun of it. These people are dressed in costumes (I’ve seen someone dressed as the famous leg lamp from “A Christmas Story,” complete with a lampshade) or they’re holding up superb motivational signs.

and looking for anything to distract you from the fact that you’re running 13.1 or the full 26.2 miles without a break, but I’ve found myself laughing out loud (which is really difficult while running), at the people who stand out in the streets for the runners entertainment. The races that I’ve participated in have been a lot easier than training because of these spectators along the way. When your legs are aching and your lungs can’t possibly draw in one more breath, the signs are like a beacon of light at the end of a never-ending tunnel. You just have to appreciate strangers who can get you through a race by making light of your situation.

So here’s to the sign holders and to your signs.

“You trained longer than Kim Kardashian’s marriage!

Don’t give up now!” “May the course be with you.”

“Run like it’s the start of the ‘Hunger Games!’” “Do it for the Instagram likes!”

I actually hit my all time high for Instagram likes after my first (and only) half marathon. So worth it.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 26.2.”

I haven’t exactly felt this, but maybe someday in the distant future.

“Only 26.1 to go!” “If congress ran as well as you do, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”

There’s probably some truth to this.

“Worst parade ever.” “Run like someone just called you a jogger.”

Possibly one of the worst things you could call a runner. Just the thought of being insulted like that could get anyone through the last leg of the marathon.

And if these can’t motivate you, some spectators will take it to the next level. If running wasn’t fun before, it sure is now. Instead of the usual Gatorade and water, bystanders will hand out: wait for it...jello shots. I guess some runners want to start their after parties early. Victory doesn’t just come with a medal and a free t-shirt anymore, but a little extra boost that Gatorade just can’t give. A big shout out to the sign holders and to those who know how to make running fun. We couldn’t do it without you.

Maybe they’re only funny when you’re dehydrated

ANTI-VACCINATION MOVEMENT TAYLOR LAPHAM Pi Kappa Phi

Taylor is a sophomore studying health and exercise science.

Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h i m a t Taylor.T.Lapham-1@ou.edu.

Vaccines are an amazing advancement in the world of medicine. Though many of us take our ability to go to the doctor and get a vaccine shot for the flu for granted, we should really appreciate our access to this life saving technology.

Since the early 1800’s, when the English physician Edward Jenner introduced the vaccine to smallpox, there has been harsh criticism and fear from the general public about vaccines. Jenner “infected” an eight-year-old boy with the pus from cowpox blisters. The boy’s body was able to experience a weakened version of cowpox, which was weaker than smallpox. This gave his body the ability to build defenses to each of the two viruses.

The same general idea is practiced with the vaccines we use today, although they are carefully engineered, rather than extracted from sores. A vaccine is a weakened or dead virus, or an agent that mimics one, that is introduced into the body so that the immune system can build defenses to that virus in advance. Vaccines save thousands of lives each year by preventing the outbreak of diseases that are simple

enough to prevent with modern medical technology. New anti-vaccination movements severely endanger not just their participants, but all those around them.

First of all, there are a few basic types of vaccines:

Killed Virus: These contain killed, but previously alive micro-organisms that have been killed by heat or chemical means. These include the vaccinations for influenza (the flu), cholera, polio, and rabies Attenuated: These contain micro-organisms that are still alive, but have been grown in a way that disables their ability to infect their host. Some are viral such as the vaccinations for measles and yellow fever, while others are bacterial like those for typhoid and tuberculosis.

Toxoid: These are made from inactivated toxic compounds rather than micro-organisms. These include vaccinations for tetanus and diphtheria.

Subunit: These involve introducing only part of the genetic material of a virus or bacterial illness, so that the body gets a large enough sample to create an immune response and build antibodies to the virus. These include vaccines for Hepatitis B and human papilloma virus (HPV).

Although there have been a number of small groups who oppose vaccinations on moral or religious grounds, a majority of the anti-vaccination movement is credited to the incident in 2007 in which television host Jenny McCarthy claimed that her son had developed autism after receiving a vaccination. Many doctors have stated that his symptoms were more consistent with Landau–Kleffner syndrome, which is often mistaken for autism.

Either way, the scientific evidence for this level of harm

being caused by vaccines just isn’t there. A British doctor named Andrew Wakefield published a medical journal linking vaccinations to autism in 1998, and was stripped of his medical license in 2010 when it was discovered that his claims were fraudulent.

The words of Jenny McCarthy should not be chastised any less. Of course we should feel a level of sympathy that her son Evan has to live with these symptoms, but her status as a TV personality has allowed her unfounded attack on vaccines to affect a large number of people throughout the country.

In 2000, the measles virus was declared gone, but has returned since these movements have sprung up. Also, the rate of pertussis (whooping cough) infections have tripled in some states in the past few years.

Adults aren’t the only ones being affected. Parents who refuse to allow their children to get vaccinated only put their lives and well-being at risk. In this case, it isn’t good enough to say “to each their own,” this is a serious lapse in judgment that needs to be addressed in the American public. This sudden scare that has sparked the anti-vaccine movement is merely the most recent movement caused by misguided information. These are bound to happen with the speed and lack of accuracy with which information travels through the media and the Internet these days.

The important thing is to capitalize on this same quick availability of information to dispel these rumors, especially in cases as serious as this.

Public health and safety depend on our ability to critically analyze what we’re reading, and not just share it on the next social media venue as if it were a fact.

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CARDIO BEFORE LIFTING VS CARDIO AFTER LIFTING MATTHEW ALFONTE Kappa Alpha

M a t t h e w i s a s o p h o m o re studying marketing.

Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h i m a t Matthewalfonte@yahoo.com.

To achieve the ideal body, there must be a balance of the correct amount lifting and cardio.

There are many questions regarding this topic, but the most common one is whether it’s better to do cardio before or after lifting.

Here are the facts from a common sense perspective: whatever task is more important to you, do it first. This means that if you want to specifically improve your running ability, biking ability, rowing ability or anything like that, do it first because that is the time that you have

the maximum amount of energy to exert on that task.

The same logic can be applied to this dilemma. If you feel as though your cardio needs work, then I speak from my own personal experience when I say that it doesn’t hurt to do cardio before lifting.

Based on my experience, I felt as though I got a lot more toned from doing cardio before lifting. What I used to do was intense cardio exercise such as jump rope, interval sprinting, biking or rowing anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, I would then lift whatever muscle group I planned to hit that day. I can’t say that I gained a tremendous amount of muscle from doing this, but it did help me get stronger and more defined.

On the other hand, research has shown that there are a lot of benefits to doing cardio after lifting. One benefit that has been shown is that when you do cardio after lifting, you receive the same cardio benefits of having a healthy heart, while actually burning an increased amount of fat. The same can’t be said, however, about

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doing cardio before you lift. Doing cardio before lifting drains your energy and in a way limits your ability to make muscular gains. I will say that based on my experience, it is much harder to lift when you are tired from having a good cardio workout, but that was the exact reason that I did it.

What I do today is save the cardio for after the workout.

I feel a lot less drained from not having to work twice as hard to lift the same amount of weight as I would be able to do if I were fresh. While this whole topic is very arguable based upon the stipulations, I would argue that in general lifting should be the first thing that you do.

You receive all of the same benefits, while maintaining the ability to increase the amount of weight that you lift.

Now that you have read this article, act upon it. And when that tool asks you “do you even lift?” you can reply with “yeah bro, and I do cardio after I lift so it doesn’t mess with my gains.”

HOW TO MANAGE STRESS EMILEE O’HAIR

Delta Gamma Emilee is a sophomore studying public relations.

You may contact her at Emilee.B.Ohair-1@ou.edu.

Take a look at your calendar and let the date before you sink in. That’s right. We are already midsemester, everyone. You know what that means: #StressOnStressOnStress, as they say (insert emoji with squinty eyes and frowning face). We are all stuck in a rut of countless tests, quizzes and essays that all seem to have deadlines that sneak up OUT OF NOWHERE. With all of these responsibilities piled high upon our shoulders, it can be hard to make time for stressrelieving activities. However, it is important that we take a breather every once in a while to avoid any embarrassing mental breakdowns and/or complete moments of exhaustion that cause you to miss your D2L dropbox deadline. As well, it is important to help your pledge brothers and sisters deal with stress when you are in the midst of a less hassle-filled week. So read on to find out how you can help yourself and your friends

when you have those days where you “just can’t even”: For Yourself Sometimes, the ticket to stress relief is a little workout sesh. I know, I know...sometimes working out is the LAST thing you want to do when you have so much stuff to do and so little time on your hands. However, that being said, you’d be surprised how much better you feel after hitting up the Huff for just thirty minutes even. You could even do some tae bo with Billy Blanks if you’re feeling it. A little sweat never hurt nobody. Plus, you can burn off some of those Starbucks beverages you’ve been drinking like nobody’s business to stay awake.

Alternatively, if you want to indulge in the unhealthy life, you can always gain some satisfaction by taking a study break to go eat some food and later regret it. For those of you who don’t know, Donut King is open 24 hours. You read that correctly: 24 hours a day. Seven days a week. You can always guarantee that they’ll be open.

Granted, you can also guarantee that you’ll be receiving some pretty sub-par donuts as well. But the late-night convenience is always a plus, right? Sometimes you just need some sort of fried food to take your mind off of things, no matter how mediocre it may be.

For Your Friends Every now and then, you might have a friend who

is going through a rough time with school. From experience, I can safely say that nothing puts people in a good mood better than a little surprise gift of sorts. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. For example, just the other day my little surprised me by leaving an encouraging card and a bag of Reese’s Cups on my desk at home. Made my day, people! I can only assume that it would do the same for others as well. It’s the little things that can make the most difference sometimes. You’d be surprised what a few nice words and some delicious chocolate can do. Especially for us ladies, chocolate can work miracles and that is by no means an exaggeration.

Okay, who doesn’t like petting puppies? That’s right, no one. And if you don’t like petting those precious gifts from God then you need to rethink your life. That goes for you fellas out there, too. At Second Chance Animal Shelter, you can spend some time lovin’ on the cutest of puppies. Take your stressed-out buddy to pet the puppies and suspend their homework-induced anxiety for a little while. It will be a much-appreciated gesture for your friend as well as the puppies.

We all feel start to feel the pressure of school at this point in the semester, and it is important to keep your wits about you by being proactive about relieving your stress. Give yourselves a break once in a while. Taking life too seriously isn’t any fun anyway.

10 PROS AND CONS OF INTRAMURALS Sports local

PAISLEY KLIEWER

Alpha Omicron Pi Paisley is a sophomore studying journalism. You may contact her at paisley.kliewer-1@ou.edu.

For many students, intramurals is a fun way to keep active and play sports they enjoy with their chapter’s teams. There are a wide variety of sports to play and multiple games a week. However, intramurals do have drawbacks for busy and involved college students.

For those people who thrive on competition, intramurals can be a downer. Competition is based on more than just wins and losses. It doesn’t really mean anything if you win a hundred games without any rewards. We all

say we do it for the love of the sport, but in the end if there wasn’t a champion, would we love it as much?

Of course not. That’s why it’s competition, because two teams can’t win a game.

to be a part of and the games fit into almost everyone’s schedule. Even though you probably won’t make every game of every sport, it’s not hard to fit a one-hour game in, one day, even during a busy week.

Intramurals are really meant for fun. In soccer tournaments you don’t even wear shin guards or real cleats, where’s the fun in that? While in basketball you can practically beat someone up without a foul call.

What I’m getting at is there isn’t a ton of structure in intramurals. For the casual chapter member who just needs an intramural point and figures, “Oh, why not play a few games of flag football,” and says, “Oh, where’s the end zone?” the lack structure is perfect.

Which is actually an advantage of intramurals.

Just like sports of all kinds, intramurals can be a great way to release stress and provide a distraction from all the other things going on in our crazy, busy college lives!

Intramurals can also be a negative distraction. If you’re just focused on the next intramural game you can get behind or put things off for too long. Softball season falls when it’s almost time to start studying for finals and it’s so tempting to play two games a night for two weeks.

Intramurals allow those who aren’t extremely athletic the opportunity to play and have fun experiencing the game. Another great part of intramurals is it’s so easy

OKC THUNDER ANDREW SANDERSON Lambda Chi Alpha

Andrew is a freshman studying advertising. You may contact him at andrew.sanderson@ou.edu.

Oklahoma City’s development working hand in hand with the popular basketball team.

Downtown has flourished through the years to become a major hub of the south Over the past decade, Oklahoma City has undergone many significant changes. The Capitol city is vastly different than it was throughout much of my early childhood in the 90s and early 2000s. A significant number of small businesses have opened up downtown and flourished. Sleek and modern town homes have sprung up alongside I-235, and a towering 844 foot tall skyscraper was recently erected, changing the dynamic of the entire OKC skyline. All of this has been coupled with a new sense of excitement and energy in the city.

It seems as though Oklahoma City is entering a new phase and there is a certain basketball team that arrived

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six years ago that has played a major role in shaping this change. When the Thunder arrived in 2008, basketball fans here in OKC briefly experienced the change in culture that an NBA franchise brings to a city when the Hornets were relocated here for a year, but hadn’t had a team of their own, yet. When the Thunder arrived there was an immediate and significant change in the city. Even that first season, when the team was off to a horrible start, the Ford Center enjoyed sellout crowds and high sales of merchandise due to the rising star, Kevin Durant. At that time, the national media and other celebrity-type figures still joked about OKC and knocked it for being such a small market. As much as they jested, the Thunder’s franchise value has increased by 12 percent and the percentage of available tickets sold jumped from 78 percent to 100 percent, so it was clear that the market here in OKC was extremely capable of supporting a professional sports franchise.

In the 2009 season, the Thunder showed tremendous improvement, riding the growing leadership of Kevin Durant into the playoffs with a 50-32 record. This playoff berth in only their second season, established the Thunder and Oklahoma City as contenders with the big-market cities and their franchises. In the all the years that the minor league Redhawks and Blazers franchises were here, they enjoyed relatively good success, at least

Intramurals are a great way to have fun with your chapter and keep active, but for our extremely competitive members they can be frustrating. All in all, playing intramurals can be one of your favorite times during your college years!

in terms of lasting value, but neither of those came anywhere close to the levels of success reached by the city’s first professional team.

In this state that is so polarized by the bitter sports rivalry shared by OU and OSU, we saw statewide support of the same team, reaching even beyond state lines and extending all across the country as the fan base for the up-and-coming team grew alongside the rapidly growing success of the NBA’s scoring champion, Kevin Durant.

With OKC in the national spotlight more often, and downtown featuring widespread renovations completed over the course of the 2000’s, the entire dynamic of the city has changed. Bricktown has a new sense of nightlife, with a plethora of things to do for entertainment and dining, and the Thunder were right there in the middle of that action. Downtown, on game nights, always has that exciting element in the air, with a sense of pride for the team, matched with the unique community-feel shared by Oklahomans, and this is one of the things that is so special about what the team brought to our city.

OKC has changed a lot in the short six years that the Thunder has been here. With their continued success, and a generation of fans growing up watching this team, the future is bright for both our city and our team.

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LEBRON INSPIRES FEAR WITH MASK ON COURT ANDREW SANDERSON Lambda Chi Alpha

Andrew is a freshman studying advertising. You may contact him at andrew.sanderson@ou.edu.

LeBron proves to be the most fearsome player in basketball.

Broken nose mask for court intimidates other players LeBron James wants to make one thing clear to the basketball world – he is still, unquestionably, the most fearsome player in basketball. The Thunder, led by current MVP frontrunner Kevin Durant, commanded much of the attention for the first half of the season. The talk surrounding James was generally overly critical of his play, varying from accusations of going through the motions to

even speculation as to whether or not LeBron’s era was over. But, following the All-Star break, LeBron cranked up the intensity tenfold.

After suffering a broken nose in the fourth quarter of the Feb. 20 matchup against the Thunder, he was sidelined for a week. Prior to the injury, James had torched the Thunder for 33 points, making a big statement by coming out of the gates red-hot to score the first 14 points for the Heat. After the injury, it was determined that he would have to wear a protective mask in games, for a few weeks.

However, no one predicted that James’ injury would result in him becoming even more intimidating on the court. LeBron debuted an all-black carbon fiber mask in his return against the Knicks, and to say it made him look absolutely menacing would be an understatement. LeBron played fearlessly, as usual, and finished with 31 points against the struggling Knicks.

Social media was buzzing with talk of LeBron’s new look and the sports media latched onto the story, likening James’ appearance to that of a superhero. One play, in particular, when LeBron drove to the basket, took off from about eight

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feet and delivered a thundering one-handed posturizing dunk in the face of guard, Damon Jones, stands out as a fitting highlight to LeBron’s big night with the new mask.

Although the NBA has come out and ruled that Lebron must wear a clear mask in the future, the black mask game will go down as a signature moment of the 2014 season, adding to LeBron’s already endless highlight reel.

When the hype surrounding the injury and the mask dies down, LeBron will remain focused on his goal to lead the Heat into the playoffs and to play for a third consecutive NBA title. Now, with the second half of the season in full swing and the MVP race being narrowed by James’ spectacular playing, the basketball world can agree on one thing – LeBron James is still the most dominant athlete in the NBA. He continues to assert his dominance even in the face of Kevin Durant’s rapidly growing excellence. Unless Durant keeps playing out of his mind and wins the MVP and the NBA Finals this year, it looks as though King James will continue to sit atop the basketball throne as the greatest player in the world.

SOONERS REPRESENT OU WELL AT THE NFL COMBINE BROOKLYN HILL Pi Beta Phi

Brooklyn is a sophomore studying broadcast/journalism.

Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t brooklyn75252@yahoo.com.

All eyes were on Lucas Oil Stadium this past week, as some of the top collegiate football players took the field to show off their skills at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Headlining for the Sooners was the trio of captainsCenter Gabe Ikard, Corner, Back Aaron Colvin and Full Back/Tight End Trey Millard. Rounding out the Sooner quartet was record-setting wide receiver Jalen Saunders.

All four of these players left Oklahoma with a win against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and high Combine expectations.

NFL analysts had high hopes for Ikard, who is a native of Oklahoma City and left the Sooners with many awards on and off the field. He started his Combine journey with 5.13-second 40-yard dash. His vertical jump was 26 inches and in the broad jump he jumped for 103 inches. The center seemed to shine in the 3 cone drill where he ran a 7.30 second run and was also the top performer for the 20 yard shuttle where he ran a 4.37 second shuttle run. Ikard is a smart player and,

despite his foot quickness, he consistently finds a way to get his job done and overcome some of the curbs that could have held him back. He performed well for the coaches and scouts who came to watch and hopefully improved his draft stock.

Aaron Colvin finished his 2013 season with an invite to the Senior Bowl, where he suffered an ACL injury during practice in Mobile, Alabama. He did attend the Combine, though, where he participated in the interview process with potential teams. His features that got him the Combine invite were his body length and athletic ability. His perception of the game has also been noted because he has been known to sort out the combo routes on the receivers that he covers. The fact that he was not able to perform in the combine set him back, but his plays and seasons with the Sooners should have an effect on how he goes in the Draft.

Another one of the Sooners that many people had high hopes for in the Combine was the fullback, Trey Millard. In the game against Texas Tech, Millard suffered a season-ending ACL tear. His rehab process has shocked many, as an ACL injury is not easy to come back from.

During his time at OU he was used as a “multi-purpose” player. He played on the field as an H-Back, full back or tight end. At times he also was a valuable player in the special teams realm. Although Millard was not cleared to complete in the Combine, his speedy recovery process and field IQ has intrigued many pro prospects and shows his versatility as an overall player.

Jalen Saunders is the one individual with the best shot of improving his draft chances at this year’s Combine.

Saunders was definitely one of the most the most explosive wide receivers on this year’s offense. This past season, Saunders was known for returning punts and making big plays to keep the Sooners in the game. He transferred to OU at the end of his sophomore semester and in his two seasons playing for the Sooners he caught 123 passes, accumulating for 1,558 yards, and scored 11 touchdowns. With all of that, he received his invitation to the Senior Bowl, where he continued to shine. In the Combine this past week, he ran a 4.44 second 40yard dash, jumped 34 inches in the vertical jump and then completed 122 inches in the broad jump. Despite his size, Saunders came into the Combine with a hard work effort to back up his performance. His success in the 40-yard dash could enhance his reputation as an all-around playmaker for any NFL team in need of a quick and useful wide receiver.

The Combine was a large step in Ikard, Colvin, Millard and Saunder’s football careers, but they still have many weeks until the NFL Draft in May. As the Combine came to a close, these four players made Sooner fans all over the nation proud. Their hard work and commitment to the game shows the excellence of the OU football program. Hopefully these Sooners will get a chance to show off their skills on an NFL team in the future.

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WHY LISTS ARE AWESOME SARAH PITTS Gamma Phi Beta

Sarah is a sophomore studying journalism. You may contact her at s.elizabethpitts@ou.edu.

dang easy. We have successfully all become speed-readers.

fun and clever. What’s not to like?

6. Buzzfeed. Similar to Thought Catalog, but

2. Addiction. Even though you just read an

a brighter website and, sometimes, even more

article about the top five super foods, you can’t

colorful articles. It seems to cater to bored college

resist reading about the top six super foods. You

students.

need to know the other super food.

7. Quizzes. Quizzes are the newest edition of list

The Internet is a hilarious place and it’s easier

3. Curiosity. Maybe you don’t need to read the 24

articles. They are quick, interesting and will make

than ever to go from link to link to link, reading

accurate teacher hashtags, but you know you want

you laugh. If you’re not addicted, you don’t know

article after article and stay easily entertained. The

to. Besides, it will only take a second.

procrastination.

trend of list articles is huge and in honor of the style, let me tell you why.

1. Scroll. How easy is it to scroll through something on your phone and digest the information? Pretty

4. Twitter. The ultimate grand list. It never ends.

It never stops entertaining you.

5. Thought catalog. It’s a crisp website with a

8. Laughs. When it’s kept short and sweet, the comedic timing in writing is perfect. No matter the subject, the punch line will be sure to hit.

variety of articles and opinions. They strive to be

THE EVOLUTION OF THE BAR SCENE DEA PENNINGTON Pi Beta Phi

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

Several things change over the course of the four years (or five... or six) you spend in college. Classes are harder, internships and shadowing become more important, and you and your significant other may be making plans that will affect the rest of your lives.

Whatever the case, there is one thing that changes dramatically from freshman to senior year, and that, my friends, is the bar scene.

Freshman Year. We all remember our first night as a freshman at OU. Whether it was a rush event over

the summer, or the night after Bid Day, something about that first night out in Norman truly changed us. Who knew the movies portrayed college parties somewhat accurately? Not to mention the amount of people you met who ended up being great friends for the years ahead.

Our freshman year. We had no problem taking a pull of Limeade Burnett’s or slapping the bag of Sunset Blush Franzia for the fifth time of the night. We wouldn’t dream of missing a date party or think about the repercussions of using a fake ID at Brother’s on Campus Corner. We didn’t even care that we were gaining the freshman 15, because nothing would get in the way of us and that party on Thursday (Friday and Saturday) every single week.

Hangovers were unheard of, and the amount of intoxicated videos and photos on your phone were at an all-time high. Every night out was YOLO, and studying was something you only had to do

rarely. Looking back, you wonder how you didn’t die, and you pledge that that was the greatest year you would never want to live through again.

Sophomore Year. You’re back in Norman after the longest summer of your life. Sure, you went to a couple rush events over the summer, which most likely consisted of shot gunning Keystone, drinking ungodly amounts of Everclear punch and making stupid decisions. Your hometown and high school friends made you miss all your college friends and the nightlife of Norman every weekend.

This year, you’re older, wiser and generally better because you know the ropes. You’re going to show your little around and make them the coolest freshman to walk the campus, only to find them puking on the first night out because they can’t handle their alcohol. Whether you’re a guy or a girl, you’re most likely living in a fraternity or sorority house, which brings the word “pre-game” to a whole new level.

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THE EVOLUTION OF THE BAR SCENE CONT. The drinking culture is second nature by now, and you’re starting to explore the scene at Chimy’s (leaving Brothers to those young, immature, outof-control freshman). After the end of the semester, you can’t imagine going home again, and instead, you decide to experience your first summer in Norman. You are most likely found at the Cottages pool drinking a couple of Blue Moons and some Fireball Whiskey several days out of the week.

Junior Year. Finally, it’s time to take on Campus Corner in full-force. After your fourth fake ID was taken at Logie’s, you finally had the chance to ring in your 21st at The Mont with a swirl and a birthday t-shirt. You are a frequent at Seven, and for whatever reason you keep deciding that going to The Deli is a great idea.

You finally got to know what Bird’s Nest was like, and, after becoming accustomed to drinking mixed drinks and shots, you shudder when you think of taking a shot of straight alcohol. All that vodka

you drank freshman year has caught up to you, and your hangovers are ten times worse than they used to be.

Going out Thursday, Friday and Saturday sounds like hell, and all of the sudden, you’re studying several hours of the week just to keep up. You are most likely attending only one or two of your house’s date parties, and all of a sudden you’re in a long-term, committed relationship (which was unheard of freshman year). All in all, junior year is when you become more mature, and drinking is more social and less about blacking out.

Senior Year. Is it time to graduate yet? Everyone you see at the bars is younger than you, and none of your friends ever want to go out anymore. The only time you drink is when you have a margarita at lunch and pass out for the rest of the day. Freshmen scoffed at you being tipsy after a single shot or drink. You also really wouldn’t mind if you had a wine night with a movie during the weekends

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instead of spending your precious money at the bars.

Looking back, you lived your college years to the best of your ability, and you truly cherish the memories you made along the way. You understand why your parents don’t drink anymore, because you had enough alcohol the last three years to last you a lifetime. Your time at OU is ending, and now it’s less about partying and more about your career.

You may have one more night out at the frats, pretending you’re a freshman again, but you come to realize it wasn’t the places you were at but the people you were with who made the good times so good. So hold up your champagne and cheers to the best four years you’ve ever had.

Congratulations to those who made it through the bar scene in one piece.

LIVING YOUNG, WILD AND FREE OMAR AWAD

Phi Kappa Psi Omar is a freshman studying criminology / pre-med.

Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h i m a t omar.awad-1@ou.edu.

“Why do today, what you could do tomorrow?”

Procrastinating is worth enjoying life a little more “So what, we go out. So what, we blast music.

We’re just having fun and we don’t care who sees.”

In today’s world, so many people live by schedules, plans and calendars and fewer and fewer are living on a whim. Not that living by the seat of your pants is necessarily a good thing, but sometimes you just have to relax and let fate take its course.

Lifestyles change drastically from person to person, but we can all agree to disagree on which method is the best. I, however, choose to live my life through spontaneity, enjoyment and the phrase, “Why do today, what you could do tomorrow?”

I live by this phrase because, as a child, I always did the opposite of what I was told to do. As a matter of fact, I still do! My mother always told me, “Never leave for tomorrow, what you can do today!” Taking her advice, I enrolled in several AP classes in high school, which I quickly learned meant “Advanced Procrastination.” AP classes did not fit my personality and were, by far, some of my biggest mistakes of my high school career.

Learning from this now, as Wiz and Snoop would say, I choose to live “young and wild and free.”

Swag swag. Loud music, beautiful women, a variety of different sodas, food, love and enjoyment are all synonymous to me. So what if your favorite dinner may cost a little more or, even worse, is your last meal exchange? That saved cash (or exchange) from resisting Cane’s One Love chicken fingers after a long night is not going to the grave with you. And if it is, it’s not going to get you anywhere, so you might as well let your taste buds indulge.

Living such an uptight and worrisome life is not only stupid, boring and for old people, but studies

have shown that worrying is actually bad for the body. We, as college students, would obviously never want to do anything to harm our bodies.

Why would we do such a thing?

Now, to the part that some might debate, “Why do today, what you can do tomorrow?” There is no good reason to give up opportunities you are presented with because you have things that need to be done. Chances are, those “things” can be done later, after the rest and relaxation time. And if they can’t, work them into your schedule so that you are still able to have some fun.

Laughter is a great form of medicine for the soul.

The key to life is to learn to let loose. If it’s Friday night, GO PARTY! Why study for your history exam that’s next week and stress yourself out all weekend about it? After a long week of hard work, go out and give your brain a break so that Sunday you can come back rejuvenated and ready to take on life – and that history exam.

Frat on, my friends, frat on!

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PIZZA SHUTTLE IS PERFECTION ANNIE ROACH Chi Omega

Annie is a sophomore studying professional writing and international studies. You may contact her at annieroach@ou.edu.

Whether it be a long night of studying or craving good food on a weekend night, there is one restaurant that takes care of everyone. Between their delicious and wellmade cuisine as well as creative menu, Pizza Shuttle has my business until I move too far away to order from them.

The real beauty of this Italian cuisine is the hours and the fact that no matter what time you order, you can get it delivered. Open until 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, this gem of a food establishment is ready to take care of you any hour of the day.

Any time I get hungry after 1 a.m., I know a call to these

guys will result in a quick delivery of well-made food.

While you can’t go wrong with a good ole fashioned pizza from here, their menu has a few items that I can no longer live without.

The first of these is their cheesy bread. Already legendary, this appetizer offers baked and flavorful bread topped with a thick layer of toasted melty cheese for under $6.

It comes with marinara sauce on the side for those who want it to taste more like pizza. This appetizer option is a well loved favorite by Pizza Shuttle addicts.

For those calzone lovers out there, give Pizza Shuttle’s hot mozzarella pockets a go. This option is under $5 and offers the most bang for your buck, and also comes with the choice of ranch, butter garlic or marinara. These pockets can be ordered with a plethora of different stuffings, each an additional 47 cents, allowing you to customize the pocket to your personal taste preference.

For those who are a little more adventurous in their ordering and cannot resist a well made pasta, go for the chicken alfredo pasta. This dish is addicting, the serving size is always enough for leftovers. On top of the already

delicious pasta, sauce and chicken, you have the choice of adding zucchini, broccoli or spinach to the pasta.

The first time I ordered this I was wary, unsure how a late night pizza place would succeed with pasta to-go, but it is my all time favorite thing to order from there now. The vegetables are always fresh and the pasta, sauce and chicken taste better than some gourmet restaurants I have ordered this dish from.

If none of these options have seemed appealing thus far, worry not. Pizza Shuttle has something for everyone, including hot and cold subs, wings, desserts, drinks, and even spuds and chili pies. This late-night favorite is more than a quick delivery past 1 a.m. -- it is a wellprepared and reasonably priced option for those looking to spend a little for a lot.

Pizza Shuttle does what most restaurants can’t — it has affordable prices that provide quantity and quality, a hard-to-find choice in food options today. So, next time you find yourself hungry after midnight, give Taco Bell and Whataburger a break in lieu of the shuttle. I promise you will not regret it.

THREE POPULAR SONGS THAT HAVE OVERSTAYED THEIR WELCOME MAXWELL MEIER Sigma Nu

Maxwell is a junior studying broadcast & electronic media.

You may contact him at Maxwell.A.Meier-1@ou.edu.

Remember that one time your friend stopped by your house for a bit? It was really fun to catch up and drink a little, wasn’t it? Then, three days later, you see the same friend downstairs on your couch, wearing your sweatpants, eating your Honey Nut Scooters. Clearly, your friend has overstayed his welcome.

I believe the same can be said for music. Your favorite song is your friend who stops by once or twice a day on the radio. You have fun and the short time the song is on is well worth it. Then, your friend-song just keeps stopping by, asking how you’re doing, bludgeoning you with the same story or beat over and over. Pretty soon, this

friend-song metaphor keeps tormenting you, like a thorn in your side. Then, before you know it, you purposefully veer your car into a ditch to stop the torrential barrage of that sound coming through your stereo.

This is a list of the three songs that have clearly and utterly overstayed their welcome, which have made me almost crash into a ditch.

The first song that needs to leave, already, is “Timber,” by Kesha. This song is awful on so many levels, but why is it so catchy? On nights when I’ve had a little too much color in my water, I find myself singing and dancing to it like a cowboy on hot coals. The fact of the matter is, this song is only good when you are really drunk. From the terrible raps of Pit-Bull to that awful harmonica, this song embodies everything that is wrong with the music industry today. Hopefully, this song leaves faster than that girl who found your jar of toenails.

Next up is a song that I got tired of simply from hearing my friends talk about how great it is. It is

called “Drunk in Love” by Beyoncé. Never has a girl’s exceptional vocal range actually irritated me, until now. Half of the song is Beyoncé using those great big lungs of hers to yell into the microphone about how “in love” she and Jay-Z are. Not since the tacky stage of Branson, Missouri has a married couple sung a song about each other. Let’s be honest, Beyoncé is telling us in this song that being married sucks and the only way to enjoy making love with your husband is by being blackout drunk.

The last song that needs to get out of everyone’s life is the popular “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel.

Frozen was better than most expected, but did it really need to be re-released so everyone could sing along to the darn thing? Yes, because nothing makes movie studios happier than crying kids making their parents spend money. This song is, once again, a very good song, but it has been severely overplayed. In the case of all the parents out there, this song could possibly be the death of them. America, please save our nation’s parents from suicide and let go of “Let It Go.”

Humor lol

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@KlideBell “Destiny’s Child makes me feel like I can raise a family and have a career

12pm, that’d be cool”

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@CollegeStudent: “I just want to sleep I don’t want to do college anymore”

all while exercising my rights as a strong black woman.”

@LindseyGroth “I have a 30 pack of Capris Sun so God bless America.”

@rileysroberson “Study plan for Monday: listen to Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen 43

@jenkerlick “I’m on pain meds and my upper body feels separate from my lower

@totalsratmove: “She wouldn’t even look good with a tan and a filter. ”

times before the test.”

body so I apologize.” –prof”

@rileysroberson “I could really go for some pizza… and ice cream and Sour Patch

@stuffaimeesayz “Can I wear chacos with this dress?”

@tbhjuststop “just realized in 6 years it’s going to be the 20s again so i propose we

Kids and bonus points on tests and free tuition.” @c_strobes “Forever not a morning person” @jessicastanciu ”Well, if you didn’t do well on your exam just look at the bigger picture, in 100 years you’ll be dead.’ –mechanics professor #truth” @dev_tompkins “Damn you chips and queso why do you make me so weak” @johnsontruong “Hi potential tornado, If you could just destroy the OU Independent Study building without hurting anyone for me before

@thoughtskendall “heelys don’t have brakes because my swag rides forever” @shelbybreit “Some mornings just call for a venti… And this is one of them.” @maggiemctwerkin “Wanna know why I’m still awake?

2048. That’s why.” @MichaelColander “What I would do for a home cooked meal...” @ccourtneydiane “1a.m. *pretends 8:30 lab tomorrow isn’t real* *starts Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix* *makes best and worst decision of the week*”

@totalfratmove: “Stories over standards. ”

bring back swing music and jazz attire please” @morgankwilliams “I get in some really good doodling time during JMC... ”

AIMEE SCHNEBECK Delta Gamma

Aimee is a freshman studying broadcast journalism.

You may contact her at aimee.schnebeck@ou.edu.

TALES FROM THE LIQUOR STORE: A HORROR STORY... KIND OF CLAY TUCKER

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Clay is a senior studying sociology. You may contact him at clay.w.tucker-1@ou.edu.

The unfortunate things you see when you venture over to the local alcohol provider Some things aren’t meant to be seen.

You guys ever see that old HBO horror show, Tales from the Crypt? Oh man, it was a classic. You know, the one with the little mummified looking guy who always had the worst puns? I mean, so bad they’d make you “terror your hair out.” As bad as the puns were, the show was equally great; at least that’s how I remember it.

Anyways, I work at a liquor store (I’m pretty cultured) and some of the stuff that goes down in that place is unbelievable. So, I’m starting a mini-series of articles based on my encounters, this being the first installment.

Where to start, where to start? Oh, I know where to start – butt massages. Dog-butt massages.

It’s apparently a well-known fact that English Bulldogs, among many other breeds, occasionally like to have their anal glands relaxed (Google it… actually, don’t).

Not many people know that, actually. I didn’t, well, at least not until a customer enlightened me. You see, at the liquor store we have a store mascot, an English Bulldog by the name of Lola. She’s a proud pooch, a great dog and probably my best wingman. One day, I’m doing my thing, checking people out at the register, exchanging sweet nothings with the attractive lady customers, and so on and so forth. Enter: the Gland Man. The Gland Man, a middle-aged and wealthy guy, walks in with his wife. Right off the bat, the wife makes a beeline to the storeowner to chat about mahjongg and crocheting. The Gland Man makes for the dog. My coworker and I watch as the Gland Man starts petting Lola in a completely okay way. You know, just typical ear scratching and what have you.

The more we watch this guy, though, the more we become uncomfortable. He begins to spout all these Bulldog health facts and keeps saying, “I’m a Bulldog man. I love Bulldogs.” Yeah, that’s a true statement. This guy really loves Bulldogs. So, here’s where the story takes a left turn onto What The Heck Avenue.

Bulldogs liked to have their butt scratched, plain and

simple. So, Lola sticks her butt out for the Gland Man to attend to. He starts attending the heck out of dat butt. I mean, it’s some heavy petting. I look at my co-worker in disbelief and he’s just as shocked. This man is sensually massaging a dog’s butt cheeks in our store. The wife is oblivious to the whole thing and she just continues talking to the owner. Then, the unspeakable happens.

The Gland Man does what could be considered the foulest thing I’ve ever seen happen, publicly. He works on the dog’s anal gland. There are people around! This is a public space! This guy is, for lack of a better term, literally butt-massaging a canine. Some people debate about whether breast-feeding should be acceptable in public. Forget that nonsense. What we really need to figure out is whether dog anal gland relaxation is okay.

I vote, no.

After five minutes the Gland Man finishes up his routine and Lola is ecstatic. The pooch’s chocolate starfish is feeling better than it has in months. You want to know the two things that make all of this hilarious?

This is all 100 percent true and right after this guy is done with his chore, he shakes the owner’s hand… with the hand he used.

That’s how you get pinkeye, people.