February 24, 2014 | Volume 3, Issue 3 | Lubbock, TX
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BACK IN THE SADDLE PG.3
A RESPONSE TO SORORITY SCRUTINY page 4 SGA page 8 LUBBOCK’S NEWEST HOT-SPOT page 13
TRI DELTA Photo provided by: Kortni Robinson
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editor's note
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10 HOTTeST COUpLeS IN SpORTS
In honor of the recent Super Bowl, the current Olympics and March Madness being just around the corner, I’ve put together my list of hottest couples in sports. 10. Casey daigle & Jennie Finch
1. Tom Brady & Gisele Bundchen This All-American boy
Former U.S. Olympic Women’s Softball player, Jennie is what some guys would call
grew up in California and
a dream girl. She is athletic and beautiful. Her hottie husband is going back and forth
has gone on to win three
between the major leagues, and the two share three children together.
Super Bowls. Pair one of
9. Jarret Stoll & erin andrews
the best-looking QBs in
MaLLeY RASCO
Kappa Kappa Gamma Editor-in-Chief Malley is a junior studying Advertising. You may contact her at malley.rasco@ttu.edu.
the league with the highest
Erin has been known amongst sports lovers for a couple years now. The Stanley
paid model in the world (talk about a perfect score!), you’re going to have ONE HOT
Cip winning hockey player, Jarret, sure upgraded to this ESPN sideline-reporting
COUPLE! With this couple being my number one, it’s hard to believe they met on a
bombshell.
blind date!
8. ryan & Lauren Tannehill Ryan, the QB for Miami Dolphins met this blonde babe at an A&M party during their
With that being said, ask your sista friends and brothers to start hookin ya up with blind dates!
college years. He may not have had the season Russell Wilson or Peyton Manning had, but they didn’t get to come home to a lady like Lauren. 7. Jimmie Johnson & Chandra Janway Daytona 500 winner, Jimmy Johnson, has won a lot more than a trophy. He’s won a gorgeous wife to have by his side.
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6. dwyane wade & Gabrielle Union Is the NBA champion Dwyane the lucky one? Or the stunning actress? I say he is. 5. Mike Fisher & Carrie Underwood Carrie might be as gorgeous as they come. This petite and feminine American Idol star paired with tough NHL player Mike Fisher, may be a perfect combo. 4. eric decker & Jessie James Every girl drooled during the Super Bowl as Eric Decker ran onto the turf, but I don’t have to tell you that Jessie is an absolute jaw-dropper herself. She’s had some
CREATIVE EXECUTIVE TEAM editor-in-Chief Malley Rasco
Kappa Kappa Gamma
photographer Zach Scott
Sales executive garret Cooper Kappa Sigma
Ryan Medellin Kappa Sigma
Phi Delta Theta
popular country songs, and I think I can go out on a limb and say Denver fans aren’t mad having her around on Sundays either. Many fans watched the two exchange vows on their E! network show. 3. andy roddick & Brooklyn decker This U.S. Open tennis star noticed the super model on Sport’s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition TV and requested to meet her. His agent set up a play date and the two were married in 2009. 2. david & Victoria Beckham These two together have become absolutely legendary. Soccer player mixed with Spice Girl fashionista, Posh, are a POWER couple! Not to mention, a BEAUTIFUL COUPLE at that. I’m jealous of the children who inherited those lucky looks.
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Feature story
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BACK IN THE SADDLE
I love many things about Texas Tech. I love being Greek, I love the Red Raiders (and Kliff Kingsbury, of course), but I found being Alpha Delta Pi on the Texas Tech Equestrian MaryBeth is a freshman Team something I love the studying Natural Resources most. Coming onto the Management. You may contact team with limited riding her at MaryBeth.holm@ttu.edu. experience, I was scared that I would not make the team at first or worse: embarrass my letters and myself. To my surprise, the all the members of the team were inviting and super supportive while I learned how to be a better equestrian throughout the fall semester. What was even more surprising was the large number of girls who are in Pan-Hellenic sororities on campus. Most of the Greek girls have been riding English, which is extremely different from anyone who has ridden in a traditional Western saddle, like me (Snaps to Katie Ullrich of Kappa Kappa Gamma for trying out Western!). Out of all the wonderful ladies who wear Greek Letters on the Equestrian Team, I asked Patricia Aragon of Delta Gamma, Caroline Frank of Delta Gamma, and Anna Debinski of Alpha Chi Omega.
MaRY BeTH HOLM
Patricia Aragon is a freshman psychology major from Cypress, Texas and an absolute joy to interview! Patricia has been riding horses since she was four-years-old and started taking English Lessons when she was ten. By the time she was fourteen, she was already participating in Hunter/Jumper shows back home.”[It’s] an escape from reality.” Says Aragon about what riding means to her. “[It] helps me forget what’s going on outside of riding. The bond with a horse is so different from a bond with a human,” Says Aragon about her horse back home. Patricia used to compete with her horse in competitions back in Cypress. Patricia loves being in DG. She actually knew her Big before she rushed. “I wasn’t sure about being in a sorority at first, you know because of all the girl drama. But once I got my bid, I knew that I belonged in Delta Gamma.” She says that knowing her Big was in her sorority made her feel more at home at Tech. When asked about what she loves most about DG, she said that she loves the morals that the older members teach to the new members. “Delta Gamma’s open motto is “Do Good”. [The motto] didn’t really affect me at first, but I realized that I go to [the motto] when I’m in trouble or I don’t know what to do. Don’t do things that will make you look bad, no matter what [organization] you’re in. I have bad days and bad lessons, but I always remember to “Do Good””. If being in a sorority isn’t hard enough, being in two organizations and classes can be a handful. Just ask Caroline Frank of Delta Gamma. “It’s definitely hard!” The sophomore agricultural communications major from Houston laughs as we squeeze in an interview before our Technical Writing class. “But once you learn how to manage your time, it makes it the balance between sorority and Equestrian Team and studying easier!” What we
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both like about the Equestrian Team is that they require their members to attend a study hall every Sunday. Caroline is someone who really likes horses! She has been riding since she was in kindergarten and has dreamed of riding collegiately for Texas Tech. When I asked her about the English Team’s upcoming competition at Rice University, she was super excited to see the horses she practices on over the summer. “It’s so important for the team to do well at this competition.” Earlier on, I said that English riding is extremely different from Western riding. “[English riding] is more refined and disciplined.” She says. Only royalty would participate in riding until it became a popular sport. “You’re not herding cattle; you’re jumping over obstacles, such as logs if you were hunting. [Competing] shows how well you can handle your horse.” One of the main points of competing on the Equestrian Team is to show how skilled of an equestrian you are. At the Rice University Competition in Houston, riders, such as Anna Debinski from Mansfield, Texas, draw a horse at random and execute their horsemanship skills in the arena. Anna is a junior Human Development/ Family Studies major and is the PR/Marketing Chair for the Equestrian Team. When she competed at Tulane University in November, she received High Point Rider, which is like 1st place. “I really hope to bring home blue ribbons from Rice this weekend,” she says. Anna has been riding since she was six-years-old. One of the jobs she has as PR chair is ordering our t-shirts, jackets, and hat boxes, which we call ‘swag’. Not only is she in charge of getting our ‘swag’ in on time, she is the liaison between the Equestrian Team and the scholarship chairs of the sororities on Greek Circle. “Being Greek has helped me in many ways with my position as the PR Chair on the Equestrian Team,” Says Debinski. “Last year, I was the Pan-Hellenic Community Service chair and worked closely with the Pan-Hellenic PR chair, which is where I got most of my ideas for the team.” Anna Debinski went through Fall Recruitment in 2011 and wanted to “Go Greek” because she wanted to make friendships that would last a lifetime. It makes me extremely proud to call these three women my teammates. The Texas Tech Equestrian Team came home from Houston with many blue ribbons,(Anna Debinski won High Point Rider in her division), but the team placed first out of thirteen schools, including Rice, University of North Texas, and West Texas A&M.
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Greek life traditions
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a ReSpONSe TO SORORITY SCRUTINY “I was a server before I headed off to college too and I can assure you that it is not ridiculous at all to stereotype those girls. It’s a different ball game in a college town. Do we hate all sorority girls that come in? No, not all of them. It’s the majority that make the minority look bad. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles.” “Thank you, glad I’m not alone! The lemon thing gets me. Sometimes I want to charge people for lemonade because they had 20 lemon slices and added a ton of sugar. People need to quit being cheap and just order a drink. And as for ‘keep the change’, I have restrained myself so much from just saying ‘no, you obviously need it more than me.’ If daddy is paying for all your bills, tell him you need money to go out to eat and tip your server 20%. I bet you have enough money to go out and drink all night, and I bet that bartender hates you as well. And I am not talking about anyone specifically, just all the ignorant customers I see. Unfortunately the people who tip $1 on a $50 tab that read server complaints continue to tip that way.” Just when I had arrived at the rock bottom of writer’s block, and found myself fresh out of ideas for article Delta Delta Delta inspiration, I came across a Facebook status written Emily is a sophomore studying Journalism. You may contact her by one of my former high at emily.hamilton@ttu.edu. school classmates. He, who shall not be named, was expressing his own complaints about the way sorority women conduct themselves in public, and more specifically in the restaurant setting.
eMILY HAMILTON
his post read, “Sorority girls, I have a few pointers and tips for y’all when eating out: yes, water is free. When you ask for extra lemons so you can make your own lemonade, the world judges you. When you ask if rice is a carb, it is. Butter is also a carb for future reference. No, we don’t want to split your side order 3 ways cause you’re on a budget. Your parents can afford your monthly dues and your insurance, so they should also pay for you to make more math classes to better understand percentages, or how to tip your waiter. Getting a job would help you understand what the value of a dollar means. Also, walking into a restaurant 4 minutes before close isn’t ok. When your waiter walks up to a table, acknowledge them, don’t keep talking for 43 seconds about the boy that didn’t text you back. Your friends are probably bored with that story too. No, I don’t have time to stop and take y’all’s picture from 11 different angles. No, I don’t want to give you free dessert ‘cause it’s really not your birthday. And lastly, rounding to the nearest dollar amount is not a tip. Keep your change, b*tch. Love, every server in a college town.“ Some of the comments even included: “They probably shouldn’t be in a sorority if they cant afford a side order.” “reasonsimovedoutofSanMarcosVolume243” “I’m so glad I’m not a server anymore. Just not worth it. If they are on a budget, then they need to eat at home or freaking McDonald’s.”
Initially, I found myself just laughing at this post, and its display of stereotypes and lack of validity, but as the comments continued to pour in, I began to take somewhat offense as people continued to scrutinize an organization I hold to a high standard, and am shamelessly proud to be a part of. Taking into account that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, ignorant or not, I decided to respond briefly to my former classmate’s status with this article. For as long as I can remember, my parents have taught me the importance of respect for others, and integrity, so personally, I find it hard to relate to the scenario addressed in this young man’s status. His incredibly sarcastic post portrayed the type of sorority girl we all enjoy laughing at in movies, such as Elle Woods, or Shelley in “House Bunny”. As a member of the Greek community, I believe I could speak for us all, when I say there is much more to being affiliated with a sorority than wearing big t-shirts and binge-drinking four nights out of the week, and also that if someone is going to act like a disrespectful valley brat in a public setting, they are probably going to do so regardless of if they are in a sorority, or on the collegiate chess team. The negative connotation associated with being Greek is a common deterrent for people unsure about joining, and posts such as this status only further the propaganda. In the news, hazing scandals and probation sentences always seem to make the front page, while philanthropic accomplishments go unnoticed. For instance, did you know that Tri delta recently raised $15 million for St. Jude Children’s research hospital in only 3.5 years? According to USA Today, “85% of Fortune 500 executives were part of Greek life. The first female astronaut was Greek. So was the first female senator, and college graduation rates are 20% higher among Greeks than non-Greeks.” I would be willing to go out on a limb and say that although Laura Bush was an active member of Kappa Alpha Theta, she more than likely never tipped 8% at a restaurant. In conclusion, as members of the Greek community, it is our duty to either let these things go ignored, or to prove these stereotypes wrong. When it comes down to the wire, it is up to us to define our own reputations by behaving like the respectable young women that we are. And lastly, if it is truly the case that the world is “judging me” for putting lemons in my water, our world should probably direct its focus on more trying issues.
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Greek life traditions
GO GREEK OR GO HOME In the spirit of Spring Rush Week, here are a few national statistics about Greek life that are encouraging to people looking to go Greek. Most people believe that the social aspect is the only good thing about joining a sorority or fraternity. While social encounters are a part of it, there are many more reasons to get involved. Graduation and GPa According to the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s website, the national percentage of fraternity and sorority members who graduate is 71%, while the percentage of non-Greek members who graduate is only 50%. The GPAs of those involved in Greek life as a whole is higher than the overall collegiate GPA. Being involved in something that has a certain GPA requirement is a good way to keep your grades in mind and not fall behind. Also, odds are that of all the people in your house, someone will have the same major, classes, professors, etc., and you will have people to help you study and make grades. Careers Fraternity and sorority members are head of 43 out of 50 of the US’s largest corporations according to these national statistics. Having a wide connection range really helps get your name out there and opens up more opportunities for jobs. Since 1900, 70% of the Presidents’ cabinet members were Greek, as well as 76% of US Senators. Also, both women who were appointed to the Supreme Court were sorority members. Money Most people believe that sorority or fraternity dues take away from their college funds. In
truth, there are some expenses that cannot be overlooked, but on average, less than 2% of college students’ expenses go towards their sorority or fraternity dues. These dues do add some expenses that would not normally be there, but as a whole, it does not add as much as most would think.
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KYLIe SMITH
Chi Omega
Kylie is a sophomore studying International Business and Marketing. You may contact her at kylie.e.smith@ttu.edu.
Involvement Statistics show that those involved in Greek life form the largest network of volunteers. Every fraternity and sorority has a philanthropy that they raise money for. Members of these sororities and fraternities also take the next step by truly getting involved with their philanthropy and not just raising money for something random. Studies also show that nationally, Greek members are more involved in their communities. Community A lot of people decide to go through rush to make friends. Friendship is a quick advantage to being in a sorority or fraternity. If you are a freshman going to a new place where you know nobody, you automatically have a houseful of sisters to bond with. On top of that, you have a pledge class full of girls or guys going through the same things as you. It is a sense of community to know you have so many people who have your back no matter what. Though at Tech, we do not live on Greek Circle, it also helps you meet more people in your dorms and classes.
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Ideas debate & discuss
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CaMpUS CaRRY LaWS In May of last year, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill, with an overwhelming victory of 102-42 that would be known as the Campus Carry Bill. In this bill, students with concealed carry permits would no longer be forced to leave their personal defense weapons in their homes or vehicle when attending class. According to state law, for an individual to attain their Concealed Handgun License (CHL) first, they must be 21 years of age, hold a clean criminal record, must not be under any protective orders, must not hold any chemical dependencies (i.e. illicit drug use or alcohol addictions), must be of sound mind, must be financially free of any delinquent fines, fees or payments to any government agencies and must pass a required course in weapon safety and training. Anyone attempting to attain their CHL must also be eligible to purchase a firearm through the National Instant Criminal System (NICS). This recent discussion on the allowance of these personal defense weapons is underway in response to recent shootings in places of education. Just over a year ago, on one of the campuses of the Houston based Lonestar Community College system, three people were injured when a student pulled a firearm from his backpack and began firing after a heated argument. This incident, along with shootings across the country (Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook) has pushed students and politicians to consider the allowance of firearms in classrooms in an effort to bolster the ability for one to defend themselves. Currently, Texas Tech allows CHL holders to carry their weapons in some areas on campus,
including parking lots and roadways, yet, these registered weapon holders are not allowed Phi Delta Theta to bring the Harrison is a junior studying firearm into mechanical engineering. university You may contact him at buildings and harrison.wardwell@ttu.edu. classrooms. If the bill passes, now currently stalled in the State Senate, students and faculty would be allowed to carry their registered weapons in campus buildings. If the bill were to be passed, each University in the State will have the opportunity to decide whether they will allow their students to bring the weapons into the buildings and classrooms.
HaRRISON WARDWELL
Here in Texas, the reservation of our second-amendment right to bear arms is revered by nearly all its citizens. The right to defend ourselves and our family in our everyday lives is provided to us by the American Constitution and the laws written for us by those we vote into public office. In such, I believe it is our right to continue this ability in places, such as the classrooms at our university, where we spend large amounts of our day. We, as citizens of this state, should have our capability to personal preservation extended to the classroom. In the event that a terrible event, such as these schools shootings, should occur, our students should be given the opportunity to properly train ourselves and equip ourselves to stop those who wish to cause us harm. Just as we are afforded the same opportunity to defend our lives and property in our homes and in other public places.
LUBBOCK, TeXaS Thoughts and musings of a Lubbockite about the one and only Lubbock, Texas. 1. Firehouse is shut down… still have not found out why? So if you are looking to go out on a Thursday night, you and your friends are just going to have to hit up Conference. Just don’t forget- to quote Greek Digest- “There are Conference girls… then there are girls you date.” Keep this in mind ladies. 2. Spanky’s still has the best burger in town, and the fried cheese… hooooooly. I have never heard anyone mention Spanky’s without a side note to the fried cheese quickly following, so that’s got to say something. 3. where is kliffy? Sure haven’t heard from our gloriously hot head football coach recently. 4. Since I was wearing shorts on Friday, it didn’t surprise me that I was snowed in on Sunday. It is truly an amazing phenomenon that Lubbock’s weather can change so drastically in such a small amount of time. But hey, that is our claim to fame right? We didn’t win Weather.com’s Toughest Weather City Tournament for no reason. It was quoted that “By a roughly 2:1 margin, Lubbock, Texas knocked out Fairbanks, Alaska to win the title as 2013 America’s Toughest Weather City”. Lubbock sure is one tough cookie to beat out Fairbanks, Alaska… The battle over the biggest state heads off again. And this time Texas actually wins. Usually we win because we simply think we do. 5. Texas Tech University had three former players play in the Super Bowl. All three started for their respective teams! That’s pretty darn impressive. A big way to go to Mike
Leach’s recruiting team. Maybe if you want to play in a Super Bowl in the future you should consider Tech? 6. Baker no-field is the absolute best way to explain this whole situation. I’m going to leave it at that.
BaILeY BELL Pi Beta Phi
Bailey is a sophomore studying biology. You may contact her at bailey.bell@ttu.edu.
7. Boys bid night just passed and it was exactly the spectacle that it was intended to be. Boys bid is basically a holiday here at Tech and everyone I know participates. Some girls only go out on boys bid night- it’s that amazing. Boys bid night is most definitely a night to be taken seriously. 8. apparently we are getting a red robin and a Stake and Shake? So big city food lovers unite! Because your favorite fast food is now in your college hometown. 9. Somo is headed to Lubbs. All my girls know exactly who this is, and I didn’t even need to remind you. You have already bought pre-sale tickets and have had the date (March 4th by the way) saved in your phone for like a month now. 10. The Color run is also going to be here! I am so, so, so very excited about this one! It is scheduled for March 23 and most chapters are giving points for participating. So really it’s a lovely two-in-one. If you are not from Lubbock, you just don’t understand. Lubbock is like a concept you have to grasp. It’s not exactly a city alone, it is a place full of weird people who have nothing to do, mixed with college kids who only want to have fun. Lubbock is just Lubbock. That’s really all I can say.
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Scene on campus
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ONe TeCH
BaLeigh waldrop, a junior accounting major from Hobbs, NM and internal vice-presidential candidate said she plans to implement a program called Safe Walk that assures students walking around at night are protected. “Safe Walk is one of the initiatives that I am crazy excited about,” Waldrop said. “Tech needs a program like this to ensure our students are safe on campus late at night.” Waldrop said that this program has a huge following and has been widely successful at other university campuses. One Tech also has plans to collaborate with other student organizations to get them involved with this campus safety initiative. Hatch said he is confident that the consistent partnership with campus student organizations and other universities will strengthen the feasibility of the cabinet’s initiatives. “We are One Tech, and part of that means becoming one with our community and one with our neighboring universities,” Hatch said.
The candidates that make up the Hatch, Waldrop, Whetstone: One Tech executive block for this year’s upcoming Student Government Association, are sudden celebrities in the Greek community.
On the topic of neighboring universities, Hatch also said he wants to make sure that Tech’s spring break is the same as other Big 12 and Texas schools.
gRaCe DIANA Pi Beta Phi
Diana is a guest writer on behalf of the One Tech platform for the upcoming Student Government Association Elections.
Starting February first, the team marked their place in the minds of students as the team to vote for and represent Texas Tech in the most positive way. The team’s campus-wide many initiatives include specific concentrations on tradition, safety and transportation. hayden hatch, a Phi Delta Theta junior political science major from Lubbock and Student Government Association presidential candidate, said he is excited about the innovative ideas that he plans to bring to Tech’s campus. “I will expand dining bucks to off campus restaurants and convenient stores,” said Hatch. “I want to bring convenience and efficiency to the students that live on and off campus.” Hatch said also for convenience sake, he wants to create an emergency SGA fund so that students can borrow money from the SGA in times of need.
Stetson whetstone, a Fiji junior RHIM major from Austin and external vice-presidential candidate wants to emphasize the need for efficient bus services on campus. “I have a lot I want to see happen in SGA,” Whetstone said, “but honestly, let’s just bring the old bus system back!” Whetstone said that with the changes at the beginning of the semester, there has been a significant amount of backlash and unfavorable criticism toward the bus system. Whetstone said he knows that with the push for Tier 1 status, the need for proper and efficient transportation will only increase. Hatch and Waldrop agree, and believe that their block’s initiatives combined will be some of the best changes to the Tech campus that students have seen. “We want to do more than just accomplish goals,” Hatch said. “We want to make the student body and the Student Government Association one.” Waldrop said she could not wait to see her peer’s faces light up when they hear about these campus-changing action plans. “There is no greater feeling,” Waldrop said, “than knowing that your ideas could potentially change the lives of students forever. Make sure to vote in this year’s Student Government association elections February 26th and 27th!
Self business
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SHOWS YOU SHOULD Be WaTCHINg: MY MaD FaT DIaRY With a blunt, honest title like “My Mad Fat Diary” it isn’t hard for this show to grasp your attention right away. MMFD tells the tale Kappa Delta Chi of a girl, Rachel (Rae) Earl A b i g a i l i s a s o p h o m o re just being released from a studying communications. mental health rehabilitation You may contact her at center after a failed suicide abigail.hernandez@ttu.edu. attempt. Rae now has to try and go back to a normalized life outside of therapy. Throughout the show, Rae and a few other characters struggle with serious issues such as coming out, body image (either anorexia or binge-eating), and self-harm.
aBIgaIL HERNANDEZ
Despite the severity of these issues, MMFD manages to stray from constant morbidness with Rae’s amazing sense of humor. The show is narrated from Rae’s point of view, giving the audience an all-exclusive pass to her most intimate thoughts, which provide for laughs at her crude, honest commentary. A commentary full of truths we all wish we could admit to ourselves. Accompanied with her inner most private thoughts are funny doodled animations throughout each episode, which helps depict the “diary” feel from the title. For the nostalgic, think a TV-MA version of Lizzie McGuire; just substitute that Disney family entertainment with the brashness of “Skins UK.”
As Rae struggles to readjust to her new life in the “real world,” she reluctantly attends therapy sessions to help deal with her mother and a new gang of friends. Rae’s long time best frenemy, Chloe, introduces her to several new people like Archie and Finn who open up to her in completely different, and unexpected ways. Rounding up the group are the spunky and free-spirited Chop and Izzy respectively who provide the comic relief when there is tension within the group. Rae also has her friends from rehab and has to learn how to manage her time between the two opposing groups of friends. Despite the obstacles thrown her way, mostly her own insecurities, Rae realizes that people actually admire her and aspire to be like her. SPOILER ALERT: She comes to see that she is not defined by her weight, or how she looks, and understands that skinny and normalcy are not mutually exclusive. Despite the fact that she’s “ugly,” she finds love and friendship and I think that is a great message for people to be able to watch. My Mad Fat Diary is also based on a true story, by the real Rae Earl’s life and diaries, which further enhances the show’s the message of acceptance because it proves that this doesn’t just happen in a fictional world, it happens in real life as well. I don’t want to give away too much of the show because I strongly encourage you all to watch it. So, good news! There are only six hour-long episodes in Season One, so it is not hard to catch up by the Season Two premiere! Since it is a British television show, it won’t be easily available for you to watch on television or even Hulu and Netflix, but hunting down for livestream or download links online is totally worth it. My Mad Fat Diary returns for season 2 on Monday, February 17th on the British channel, E4.
10 BOYFRIEND SCHMOYFRIEND special occasions: Valentine’s Day
I am here to tell you the top 5 reasons why not having a significant other in college is NOT the absolute worst thing in the world. Sure, every now and then you’d love to cuddle Delta Delta Delta during a movie or have that oh Kortni is a sophomore studying so affectionate “good morning Journalism. You may contact text”, but there are SO MANY her at kortni.robinson@ttu.edu. positive things about being single. The four years spent in college are supposed to be the best years of our life. From an independent, single girls standpoint I want to share why I believe being single is not only a good, but a GREAT thing.
KORTNI ROBINSON
1. dating College is the time to date. Sure, a few of the lucky ones find that other half that makes them whole, but face it, most of us don’t. Why settle for someone less than that just to have a boyfriend/girlfriend? Go on dates! Be outgoing and open to people! Give someone a chance they would never have gotten if you were taken. 2. Commitment Not being in a relationship means no commitment, which can be a great thing. College students are busy, having to commit to school, work, sorority/fraternity, and a boyfriend/girlfriend can be hard to handle. Less commitment can = less stress.
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3. holiday Presents Need I say more? Worrying about what your significant other wants for the upcoming holiday can be stressful. Worrying about how you are going to afford it can be even worse. Besides, mom and dad are way better at gift-giving when it comes to those holidays anyways. 4. Focus We are in college to go to school. This is a time where excellent grades and getting internships can make or break our futures. The less you have to focus on fighting with your man, the more you can focus on acing that test in your hardest class this semester. Sure, having a “partner” isn’t always extremely distracting, but no relationship is perfect. There will always be those nights you’re up fighting, or worrying about why he liked some girl’s Instragam picture. These are distractions that can keep you from being the best you can be in school. 5. Best friends Now is the time where we are going to be making lifelong friends. You start to drift away from your high school click and really move into a college one. More students need to be focused on creating friendships that will last forever rather than spending all your time on a boyfriend/girlfriend. So many people make the mistake of wasting time worrying about a partner and spending every waking minute with them when you find one. Work on finding your bridesmaids now and the right man will come after. All-in-all the concept of needing a college boyfriend/girlfriend is extremely overrated. I’m not aiming to sound like a single, strong feminist, but I truly believe there are benefits to not having a significant other. There will come a time when you find the one you need to marry, and that time does not have to be during college!
WHAT’S VALENTINES DAY? As soon as February hit, there was only one thing on every girls mind, Valentines Day. It’s something that we girls either look forward to or dread every single year as it seems to only come by faster. Every store you walk into is filled with hearts and balloons as if you cant escape it. As all of this is happening in months in advance, it leaves all of these questions in our minds. What am I going to wear? What should I get him? What is he going to get me? Where are we going for dinner? What if he dumps me before Valentines Day? Why am I single? I’m not leaving my house. I’m sending myself flowers. I hate boys. I love boys. Blah, blah, blah… This sounds about accurate. Valentine’s Day can be spent doing many things for many different kinds of love that this world holds. Why aim Valentine’s Day at just one person when we have more than one person that we care about in our lives? Although it may be a little late this year, it is a question that can easily be answered. What is the meaning of Valentine’s Day? Is it about the gift you buy, who gets the biggest bear or bouquet of roses? Well of course those things are a special bonus, but it’s really about who you love being around and care about. It doesn’t have to be about a significant other. It can simply be a best friend, sister, or someone important. Make next Valentine’s Day different than the ones in the past and one to remember by telling everyone that you care about in some way how
much they mean to you. It could be a short text saying “Hey, I’m glad to have you in my life!” or it could be a written letter. It could even just be in passing, but it would mean so much to that person no matter how you go about telling them. If you don’t end up having specific plans then get a group of sisters, friends or even family together and have a movie night and go out to dinner.
SaRaH MEACHAM
Something important to Chi Omega remember is that love can Sarah is a sophomore studying be spread in more ways than journalism. You may contact her just one. As we get worked at sarah.meacham@ttu.edu. up over a day that should simply be about loving everyone, make a sacrifice this Valentine’s Day and volunteer somewhere or give back to the community in some way. It could simply be taking some canned foods to a homeless shelter or even volunteering at an animal shelter. How crazy would it be if every person donated a few cans of food to a shelter? That would be such a sign of care and love that would shine a true light on one of the many things Valentine’s Day stands for.
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special occasions: Spring Break
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ARE YOU SPRING BREAK READY?
With Spring Break less than a month away and everyone trying to hold up their New Year ’s Resolutions, working out is a priority. This is also
KaYLa CHANDLER
Kappa Kappa Gamma Kayla is a freshman studying Journalism. You may contact her at kayla.chandler@ttu.edu.
the time of year that every person and their friends
3.
Spring Break.
Girls tend to stress these two simple words the most. It’s one week of pure fun and craziness. But if you don’t have the perfect colored tan, brand new bathing suit, or the Victoria Secret model body, you’ve done everything wrong. Statistics or not, I guarantee gym and tanning salon memberships are at their peak during the season leading up to spring break. The funny thing about this whole preparation is that it’s for one week. Three
are at the recreation center. I know what most people are thinking, “Where were
months (sometimes even longer) of pure starvation and baking in a tanning bed,
you last semester?” Truth be told, these first few months of the New Year are the
is for a whole 5-7 days. Don’t get me wrong, getting into shape and eating right
only time people buckle down and try to be healthy. A few reasons why:
is exactly what people should be doing, except it all comes to an end quickly.
1.
They want to lose all the weight they just gained from Thanksgiving and
Christmas. 2. People try to convince themselves of their New Year’s Resolution of “working out every day and only eating healthy” will actually work.
Soon after all the shenanigans are over with, you’ll begin to see the line for the elliptical diminish and the wait for that one workout machine that you think does something for you, disappear. We’ve got 33 days, ladies and gents. Happy swimsuit hunting and get back to the gym.
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Self health & fitness
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FroM CoLLeGe To kInderGarTen: whY MakInG TIMe To reST MaTTerS College culture tells us to go, go, go, but we need to make time for rest as well. 1. Get your body rest-ready Sleep, sweat, and skip the sweets
LeSLIe MOSELEY Chi Omega
Leslie is a sophomore studying psychology. You may contact her at leslie.moseley@ttu.edu.
2. Actually make time to rest Schedule it in, whether its 5 minutes between classes or an hour. 3. Figure out what your specific rest looks like (List some of the ways I rest) Lets face it: We aren’t superheroes; we are humans who have limits and need to be recharged. And that’s good news! The fact that we have limits let’s us pause, knowing we were designed to take it easy every now-and-then; guilt-free. I’m going to tell you something you probably haven’t heard since you were in your Kindergarten classroom: You need to rest. I go to Redeemer Church, and the past few weeks we have done a sermon-series on being “Insanely Busy.” We talked about the different ways people can be busy-minded and that rest is actually a necessary-good. It made me realize just how infrequent “resting” was in my life, and what a difference it makes in the way I live each and every day now. Lets face it: We aren’t superheroes; we are humans who have limits and need to be recharged. And that’s good news! The fact that we have limits let’s us pause, knowing we were designed to take it easy every now-and-then; guilt-free. Rarely have I ever allowed myself to “just be”, and it’s only become more obvious in college. “Being still” is such a foreign concept to me, but lately I have been learning to put on the breaks, and take a few minutes to stop and refuel. Everything about ‘college-culture’ tells us to go, go, go… to try and do it all. No doubt, life of a college student is busy in the most legitimate sense; we have classes, work, homework and studying, are likely involved in multiple on/off-campus organizations, need to stay in shape, maintain relationships, and try to attend every social event we’re invited to, etc. We need to be selective about how we spend our time, but we also have real-world responsibilities that can take up much of our day; so choosing to rest is the responsible thing to do if we want to do those tasks to the best of our ability. If we don’t allow ourselves the rest we need, we will get burned out, and who wants that? 1. First things first: Get your body Rest-Ready. In order to let your body rest well, you need to be nice to it. Thus, “The Triple S”: Sleep, Sweat, and Skip the Sweets. Sleep. I know we’re in college and that isn’t always possible (or desirable), but, realistically, shoot for 6-8 hours a night (less than 6 just doesn’t allow your body to fully re-charge.) Establish a bedtime/wake-up ritual, at least during the school week; consistent sleep patterns help rejuvenate your energy better. Sweat. Daily exercise needs to happen, and is possible, I promise. Although the Rec center is a fantastic place to workout, you may not always be able to make it over there to do a class or use a machine. When you can’t, simply walking to class, taking the stairs,
or choosing a parking spot further away from the entrance of a store can help keep your heart healthy. (Too cold to leave your room? Hit up Pinterest or Google for some at-home workout routines.) Skip the sweets (90% of the time). Refined sugar is not your friend, I promise. Sorry, but neither are a ton of Carbs (aka, sugar in disguise). Treat your body to what is healthy… that means fruits, veggies, whole grains, and low-cal protein, most of the time. If you go to a party and there’s dessert, have a piece of course, just remember to save the cake for special occasions only. By avoiding junk, we make it easier for our bodies to stabilize our hormones, blood pressure, emotions, and all that fun stuff. 2. Now that you and your body are friends, the next step is actually making time to rest. If you need to, schedule your rest-time and make it mandatory; whether that looks like five minutes or an hour a day. Pencil it in, and pretend it’s an appointment with the President. Your days may be so packed that “rest” may sound like a laughable concept, but if it’s possible for Beyonce, it’s possible for you. Do you have 10 minutes to get from MCOM to Holden Hall? Plug in those headphones, and listen to whatever calms you down. When I’m walking from class-to-class, I like to listen to podcasts, music, or just make a mental list of all the ways I am blessed. 3. Once you find the time in your schedule to rest, figure out what “rest” means for you. It may take some time to find the right activity or combo of activities that truly let’s you relax. You can narrow the list by deciding what is practical for the amount of time you can actually devote to rest, your bank account, and your general environmental availabilities. A few examples of what rest looks like for me would be: Reading my bible with a big cup of tea (and even bigger blanket) Listening to chill music (think Jack Johnson, John Mayer, James Morrison. So many J’s…) Yoga, Pilates, or just some stretching in my dorm Hanging out with my best friend Talking to God about what’s up Adding to my “Grateful” list A 20-minute cat-nap Watching the sunset Writing/Journaling/Doodling Whatever your downtime looks like, start making it a regular activity. We can’t neglect our responsibilities in order to rest, but I promise you can find a few minutes everyday (choose to check Instagram or Facebook one or two less times a day, and there you go!) and it will make all the difference. This is a busy-minded world we live in, but I’m learning the most helpful thing I can do for others and myself is to only be busy about the things that truly matter to me; that’s where love is. I’ve also realized that it’s even possible to be at rest while attending to what makes us “busy college students.” We have the authority to choose joy despite our hectic lives. Here’s to a joyful and restful week, friend!
500 words on pop culture
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LUBBoCk’S neweST hoT-SPoTS Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, then you’ve heard about all of the new Kappa Kappa Gamma restaurants opening up in Caroline is a sophomore Lubbock. Of course, these studying public relations. restaurants are now becoming You may contact her at caroline.campbell@ttu.edu. the hot-spots because they are new and Lubbock locals flock to anything that isn’t Rosa’s or Chili’s. It seems as though whatever is new to Lubbock seems to get the most attention and business. The newest additions to the 806 include Potbelly’s Sandwich Shop, Torchy’s Tacos and La Madeleine. While these restaurants all are chains, they are so popular in Lubbock due to the fact that our eating options are pretty sub-par. In fact, restaurants opening in Lubbock have a 3 times greater turnout than openings anywhere else. Why? Because the people of Lubbock are tired of the everyday, mundane restaurants that have been around for years. People are drawn to the new and the now in dining. However, people still like all the comforts of home. This could be the reason hundreds of people stood in line on the opening day of Torchy’s Tacos.
CaROLINe CAMPBELL
Many college students have a Torchy’s in their hometowns of Austin, Dallas, Houston and El Paso. They know from experience how dang good these tacos are, and when they found out there would be one opening up in Lubbock, they couldn’t resist the wait.
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Torchy’s first began in a food truck in Austin, and since then it has continued to thrive all over Texas. In fact, Torchy’s won “Best Taco 2013” in Austin. This comes as no surprise to me, as I have already eaten at Torchy’s 4 times this past week. If you’re willing to wait in the long lines with other hungry college students, then I would definitely recommend trying it out. Potbelly’s and La Madeleine are two other restaurants that have recently opened up in Lubbock. Although not as popular and raved about as Torchy’s Tacos, these places are also super delicious and different. Potbelly’s is very popular in Dallas, creating yummy, deli-fresh sandwiches. Many people were very excited when it opened up in Lubbock. La Madeleine is also something different and new to Lubbock. The food is “country French” inspired and is just as savory and delicious as you may have heard. For after your meal, La Madeleine also offers many rich and decadent desserts that are very French and fancy. For all you Gossip Girl lovers out there, head to La Madeleine and pick out some macaroons to bring out your inner GG. You know you want to. If you haven’t been to any of these new to Lubbock restaurants, I highly suggest you give them a try. Although it may seem like a good idea to wait a few weeks and let the crowds die down, we all know that isn’t going to happen. While all the hype may simmer down after a week of opening, these restaurants will always be packed with the locals of Lubbock. I mean, think about Chuy’s and BJ’s. Those restaurants have been open for a year and are still extremely popular. Until Lubbock expands its restaurant scene by a ton, the new and the now restaurants will always be the crowded hot spots to go to in the 806.
ThIS JUSTIn: I’M a non-BeLIeBer Years ago, I can recall a friend reaching out to me, insisting I immediately get on the computer to watch the latest, most popular YouTube videos that had recently gone viral. One by one, each of my friends began sending me these links, speechless because of this “talent”. Giving in to the peer pressure, I finally viewed a couple of clips of this 12-year old boy from Canada, singing covers of songs by artists such as Chris Brown, and Usher, named Justin Bieber.
At first, I didn’t seem to share the same level of amazement had amongst my friends. Yes, I could honestly admit that this kid had the raw talent, and most definitely the right look, however, my music taste runs more along the lines of 60s and 70s rock ‘n’ roll. But because I hadn’t heard him sing anything other than the R&B genre of music and what with all the competition in the business, I wasn’t convinced that he was eclectic enough to really succeed; until a few years later when I saw his megahit-documentary Never Say Never. Not only did I see this movie in 2-D, but I saw it four more times in 3-D as well. I had been completely converted into a lovedrunk, swooning, giggly “belieber” (the term coined from the star’s last name to describe his fans). The movie allowed the public to see the inside of Justin’s life, giving everyone the chance to connect with him in a personal way and find out who he really was. And as it would turn out, he could sing the phone booth and have made a record hit out of it. Not only did he have the voice, but he was also funny, charming, athletic, and seemingly
kind-hearted. He proved to truthfully be in the music business because it was his passion, not because of the fame.
LeaH HOFFMAN Pi Beta Phi
For years, I remained a Leah is a senior studying public belieber at heart, staying relations. You may contact her at true through the few leah.hoffman@ttu.edu. scandals that started to hit the social media. But as of recent events, particularly in the past 6-8 months, I have completely lost my faith in the young pop star. It seems as if Bieber can’t stay out of the media, whether it be about his on-and-off again relationship with Selena Gomez, his dramatic fleet of luxury cars, or most recently—his trouble with the law. Arrested for a DUI and drug charge, Justin appears to have begun his downward spiral, much like most celebrities who come to fame at such a young age. The majority of his fan base are young, impressionable teenage girls who look up to him and see him as an idol figure. I don’t blame all the negative criticism that has come his way in the recent months as I agree that his life is no longer one to be admired. I would hate for his example to be one that my children followed. Not to mention his parents, who are more interested in being the heartthrob’s buddy rather than authority figures; significantly slacking in the disciplinary department. Most sources, albeit biased, have given multiple accounts for his behavior. That this is either a phase in his life, or the people he is surrounding himself with are posing negative influences on him. Whatever the case may be, Justin Bieber is going on twenty years old. At what age is one held accountable for their own actions? Legally he is considered a young adult and yet he seems to be growing “down” instead of up. And although his parents don’t seem to be much help, his close friends and mentors have expressed concern for Bieber, some even attempting to reach out to him. So now that his “dirty laundry” has been aired out to the public, maybe this will be the wake up call he needs to clean up his act and get back to putting on the good example for young girls he once was known for.
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500 words on theater
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ThaT awkward MoMenT The movie that seems to be on almost every girl’s radar is indeed That Awkward Moment starring Zac Efron Chi Omega as great eye candy. This witty movie is definitely Kristen is a freshman studying one to see with a bunch of accounting. You may contact her your girlfriends and just at kristen.fouse@ttu.edu. have a girls night. Zac Efron definitely ditches the High School Musical image and appears as a young sexy man experiencing the culture of dating. The movie’s main theme is about relationships, which is why they timed the release of this movie at the perfect time with Valentine’s Day just around the corner.
KRISTeN FOUSE
The movie starts off with Jason (Zac Efron) sitting on a bench in the freezing cold at two in the morning. This grabs the attention of the audience and leaves them wondering why in the world is he just sitting there in the cold. The story begins by backing up two months and revealing everything that has happened to get him to that point. Jason and his friend Daniel (Miles Teller) have no intentions of getting in a relationship and seem to always dodge the “so question”…”so where is this going?” They keep the outlook that no strings attached are always better. One of their best friends, Mikey (Michael B. Jordan), is on his way to being divorced from his wife so all three friends vow to remain
BeST
single together and only have hook ups with girls with, of course, no strings attached. This movie takes on the view of this type of man that fears a relationship and wants to keep things light and simple with no emotions. The movie does so in quite a comical way. All three men ironically start to fall for a woman as more than just a hook up buddy but are afraid to admit it to the others so they keep it a secret and deny any accusations that they are losing the bet of staying single. Keeping a relationship a secret will obviously bring some complications when the other person finds out which the guys will soon discover. That Awkward Moment takes a look at how the whole relationship aspect is widely viewed in today’s generation. The movie reveals that many are afraid to make that commitment to a significant other and “define the relationship” but that if you find that one person that makes you feel different you should not repeat your usual pattern…you should go for it instead of moving on to the next temporary person. A special character reveals to not only Jason but to the audience that, “A relationship is simply just being there for the other person when they need you.” The movie engages the audience by influencing them to reflect on their own relationship situation. This movie may not be exactly the type of movie night for guys, but it is definitely a great chick flick for girls. Although you guys might not be interested in seeing this in theaters, it would be a cute date night movie and I’m sure your girlfriend would really like it. This movie is sure to bring you some laughs and leave you feeling overall just happy.
FeBRUaRY
Total Sorority Move @totalsratmove
Joan Rivers @Joan_Rivers
The only place I don’t wear letters is Student Health. #TSM
Madonna sang a duet with Miley Cyrus on MTV’s new Unplugged. It looked like “Take your Daughter to the Clinic Day.”
Total Frat Move @totalfratmove USA treating the Opening Ceremony like a tacky sweater party. #TFM Anna Kendrick @AnnaKendrick47 My alarm is gonna go off in 10 minutes and I haven’t fallen asleep yet. Can you forget how to sleep? What is happening?? Someone send help. Fill Werrell @FillWerrell
Adrienne Airhart @craydrienne It’s harder to tell when women are douchebags because we can’t grow soul patches. Chani @thispartyislame
yell my name out incorrectly, and then light a $5 bill on fire. Alex J. Mann @alexjmann I’d pay double for my groceries if the employees chanted my name while I shopped. Michael @ Home_Halfway I went to a vegan restaurant once, Wait, no, that was a florist.
When a facebook friend says their hamster died it takes all of my power not to comment “did they fall asleep at the wheel?” Sam Grittner @SamGrittner
*dies in flappy bird* *throws phone across ocean* *drops out of school* *kicks a dog* *becomes meth addict* *burns house down* *dies*
I’m god’s gift to women if he stopped at the gas station last minute.
Lauren DeMoss @ LaurenDeMoss
Kevin Farzad @Kevin Farzad
We accept the Girl Scout Cookies we think we deserve.
Instead of going to Starbucks, I make my own coffee,
KaTe WEBB Alpha Delta Pi
Kate is a sophomore studying apparel design and manufacturing. You may contact her at kate.webb@ttu.edu.
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