March 24, 2014 | Volume 3, Issue 9 | Lubbock, TX
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DDD TRIPLE PLAY PG. 7
COMMUNITY SERVICE: MAKE A DIFFERENCE page 3 SGA AND A GREEK ALLIANCE page 4 DREAMING OF SUMMERTIME page 11
STUDENT SMILE AT TRI DELT’S ANNUAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT, TRIPLE PLAY, BENEFITING ST. JUDE. Photo provided by: Kortni Robinson
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Editor's note
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STARBUCKS COPY CAT
You will need: Tazo ICED Passion Tea Lemonade A large pitcher Kappa Kappa Gamma Directions: Editor-in-Chief 1. Bring water to a boil Malley is a junior studying (enough to fill your pitcher). Advertising. You may contact her at 2. Pour boiling water over malley.rasco@ttu.edu. the filter bag until it is full. 3. Let your filter bag steep for five minutes and then remove the bag. 4. Refrigerate your pitcher after brewing. 5. When ready to serve, fill a glass with half passion tea and half lemonade (or whatever you desire after playing with the recipe a bit). Starbucks does 2/3 of the mix lemonade, 1/3 tea for a little less strong tea flavor. I just like the half/half special Arnie Palmer mix. I have noticed that it is a super great drink to take with me to class. I am not a big water drinker (I know, call me crazy), so this Copy Cat Passion Tea Lemonade is the perfect drink for me to mix up in a Camelbak or other non-spill able cup. Another little secret: come summer time, it is the perfect drink to spike. Cheers!
MALLEY RASCO
THE ODYSSEY AT TEXAS TECH One day, I wanted to try something different than my usual decadent blend of mocha sauce and chocolate chips combined with coffee. I glanced at the menu and went back and forth between a Refreshers beverage and Iced Tea Lemonade. I had never tried either, but when my turn to order came up I blurted out Iced Tea Lemonade, only to be followed by the question of which Tazo tea? I had never tried either, so I chose Passion Tea. That’s how I became hooked. This drink is so refreshing and tastes like summer in a glass (er… plastic cup). I am a Starbucks Gold Card Member, so for every purchase I make, I receive a star; however, every purchase is about $4. For as much as I craved this delicious drink, I wondered if I could make it myself for a lot cheaper – there is! I knew they sold Tazo Passion Tea at Starbucks so I began creating my recipe. I actually think my version of Starbucks’ Passion Tea Lemonade tastes better than the real thing, but you’ll just have to try it out yourself. (Granted it may taste better just knocking off that $4 price tag!) You only need two ingredients: Tazo Iced Passion Tea and Lemonade. You should be able to find the Tazo Passion Tea at any grocery store. I found mine at Target. Since Tazo is the same brand Starbucks uses, I figured I wouldn’t stray from the brand. The box includes large tea bags that are enough for 6 pitchers. In fact, the whole fox contains 48 servings and it’s only about $5, so right away that’s whole lot of money you’re saving. I also love the Minute Maid Just 15 Lemonade because it is a little more tart than other varieties and tastes amazing when mixed with the passion tea. It also has only 15 calories per 8 ounces, which is great for those watching their weight. If the lemonade is a little too tart for your taste buds, I would recommend Simply Lemonade as well.
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
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Self community service
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COMMUNITY SERVICE: MAKE A DIFFERENCE My time volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club helped me realize that we can make make a difference in how these children grow up.
ABIGAIL HERNANDEZ
Volunteering with children is beneficial because you shape their minds and help them become better citizens of society.
Abigail is a sophomore studying communications. Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t abigail.hernandez@ttu.edu.
Kappa Delta
Any type of community service is great; picking up litter on the highway, serving food at the soup kitchen – all important. However, I always like to choose any type of community service that deals directly with children. Not only because I love them, but because working with children is very rewarding and important. I’d even go as far as to say it’s crucial. Children have very young, impressionable minds and whether you think so or not, they are completely influenced by their surroundings. They mimic what they see and hear. When we volunteer at places with children, it is our duty to help shape them into better citizens of our society. It is even more important when there are children of a different race, class, or with disabilities, because this is an opportunity to teach all the other kids that children with different conditions or appearances are still completely normal. I volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club recently and my sisters and I decided to take them out on the basketball court so they could draw on the pavement with chalk. It was a fun, simple activity to have them outside on a nice day, keep them busy, and let them express their creativity. There happened to be a little girl with a walker because she has a lame leg. When she asked to go outside, I’ll admit I felt a little hesitant because the path from the building to the basketball court was long and bumpy, but I didn’t want to keep her from joining her group of friends. I immediately felt ashamed for my hesitation because I had preconceived notions about this little girl, thinking that she wouldn’t be able to do something. Yet I had just met this girl; she knew
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her own body and limitations better than I would, she wouldn’t be asking to join the rest of the kids outside if she knew she wasn’t capable of doing it. It wasn’t up to me to decide what her body could and couldn’t take, it was hers. It is this mentality that able-bodied people often have when it comes to people with disabilities. It wasn’t just me who was going to be a role model to these kids to prevent them from thinking disabled people are limited, but this little girl would be a role model too. As the girl walked onto the pavement, I saw her bend down to get a chalk and position herself on the floor along with the rest of her classmates, all on her own. Contrary to what the majority of people think (and I have been guilty of it too) disabled people aren’t helpless. They can do anything an able-bodied person can. They may need a little help here and there, but they’re not completely dependent on others or fragile, and should always be treated with respect. While we were coloring on the sidewalk with her, even laying her on the ground to trace her outline, which she loved, another child approached us and asked us what was “wrong with her.” One of my sisters calmly informed the other child that nothing was wrong with her, because there wasn’t. Just because she is disabled doesn’t mean there is something wrong with her. We told the child that she just needed a little more help at times to walk, which is why she had her walker, but that was all the explanation given. We used clear, calm voices and didn’t try to be “sensitive” to the girl because we didn’t want her to feel like she should be ashamed of her disability. The child didn’t seem to question it further and continued playing. This is the type of attitude that we as adults and role models to children should have towards all people, but especially those who are “different.” It is important to acknowledge that they are “different” so as not to erase their identity, but never treat them as if they are abnormal because normal is a label often used incorrectly. Just because a child is a different race or class or anything, doesn’t mean they aren’t normal. If we can continue to learn this ourselves and teach children these important lessons through simple conversations like the one I wrote about above, then we can really make a difference in how this generation grows up to be tolerant, better people.
BE THE MATCH // BE A SUPERHERO How does saving a life in as little as 10 minutes sound? Not kidding, it’s that quick and easy. This Chi Omega past week I got to see it happen again, and again, Leslie is a sophomore studying and again. The “Be The psychology. You may contact her Match” Foundation had at leslie.moseley@ttu.edu. a registration drive last week and well over 100 Tech students signed-up on campus and completely blew my mind at how awesome Tech students are.
LESLIE MOSELEY
What’s “Be The Match”, you ask? Be The Match is an international Bone Marrow Registry Foundation that helps match patients suffering from blood-related diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, and sickle-cell anemia with their “perfect match.” When I say it has to be perfect, I mean it too. In order for someone to donate bone marrow they should be a 100% match with the patient’s HLA (Fancy-pants code for Human Leukocyte Antigen. Basically, HLA is the insanely complex version of a person’s blood type)—as well as their ethnicity. Fun-facts [Hi. I’m a nerd. I think those fact are fun] and stats aside, the way Tech students seriously wrecked ‘em for this foundation over the course of the week blew me away. Students, both greek and non-greek, faculty, and staff members, all came to register for this cause in incredible numbers. Setup in the SUB for the first half of the week and ending the drive in the Music building on Thursday and Friday, the team and I had the privilege of talking about the registry and signing people up, left and right, all week. In relation to our whole university, it was a small turnout, but the population of students who did register really opened my eyes to how much Tech students want to make a difference in the lives of others, and how big a difference we can make in the years to come for Be
The Match. I was encouraged, to say the least. College-age adults are the best-suited people for the registry, because our cells are as young, strong, and healthy as they’ll ever be. (“Yay” for being in our biological prime!) Given our strength in this area, Be The Match seriously needs our groups’ help and way more of it. Fact: Our generation wants to do epic things. I have witnessed, first-hand, the massive outreach and impact we can have on multiple platforms, and I want us to help Be The Match with the same intensity. It really is possible to reach the world with the resources our generation has available, so why the heck wouldn’t we? My six-year-old cousin, Nolan, is in remission from a blood disease known as Aplastic Anemia that nearly took his precious life. After countless blood transfusions and testing, chemotherapy, radiation, and his bone marrow transplantation last year, Nolan is healing miraculously and continues to improve his cell-counts with every hospital check-up. Be The Match was with him every step of the way and my family couldn’t be more thankful. I tell you this, because this foundation helps real-world people, just like you and I, and by spreading the word, we can make real-world difference. I am on the registry, and you can be too! If you want to get involved, visit their website at www. bethematch.org. The site will provide you with info on how register (simple paperwork and a cheekswab) and how to get further involved in spreading the word on this cause. Texas Tech has yet to start a chapter of Be The Match, unlike the many campuses around the country that are already making a difference. If you have the passion to start a chapter here, go to www.bethematchoncampus. org and learn about the process of starting an incredible new chapter. I can’t say enough about the quality of care and compassion that Be The Match extends to both patients and donors, alike—Care and compassion that will undoubtedly be extended to you, should you decide to join the effort to possibly save another’s life. Our school motto is “From Here, It’s Possible” for a reason. We, as Red Raiders, can affect real change in the world, and Be The Match is one of the best ways I can think of to make that happen.
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Scene on campus
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SGA AND A GREEK ALLIANCE After months of campaigning and weeks of torture on behalf of your Facebook newsfeeds, we can now officially say that elections are over. This year ’s Student Government Association election is now one for the books. The more interesting topic, however, is the influence Greek alliances had on this year’s election itself.
DANIEL GRACEN
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Many times, the way that the candidates are hand-picked by campaign managers comes into play on which bloc they will choose to run with based on friendships, past ties in SGA and being members of the same house. As for One Tech, which was dominated by Phi Delt and Fiji, they pulled votes due to their unity within houses.
Daniel is a junior studying There is another trend occurring, which is that of the “Call-A-Thon” method. If you Advertising. You may contact her are in any sort of student organization, someone on a campaign probably reached out to atdaniel.gracen@ttu.edu. you to ask you to vote. This is due to a method coined by Raiders United, current SGA
President Luke Cotton’s, old bloc. Every bloc this year did things a little differently, but the effects of reaching out to voters was widely seen as successful from all three blocs.
There are three “blocs”, or campaign parties, that were formed; “One Tech”, “Connect Tech”, and “Experience Where it Counts.” Traditionally, Greek house’s candidates will all run on one bloc, preventing a split in votes and turmoil internally. This year, however, candidates from the same house were split sometimes all three ways. What this means for voters, especially from a fraternity or sorority, is that they had to decide based on either personal relationships or knowledge of the executive candidates on how to vote in the elections. Gone are the days where one house stuck with one bloc. Those days have been replaced with a fast-paced and exciting campaign. Take Chi Omega for example, whose numerous senate candidates were spread among all three blocs. The majority of the senate candidates were on Connect Tech, with presidential candidate Gustavo Chavira and campaign manager Mark Khan.
Several other issues arose in the elections, including a widely-advertised “Vote Yes to Turf Fields” topic that would the student athletic fee by $25 to provide for new recreational equipment and new turf fields for intramurals. This referendum failed, however. Another topic widely opposed by the Panhellenic council was a survey proposed to bring back Fall break. Most of the Greek community can agree that this referendum and the fact that it places rush week to conflict with the first week of school would be a major issue. This referendum passed. With the elections now over, it seems as if a unity among houses is a thing of the past. Kappa Sigma decided to stick mostly with Connect Tech, with a few senators on Experience Where it Counts. With a 15% voter participation of the student body from the 2013 SGA election and a 20% turnout in the 2014 elections, everyone can agree that simply getting students to vote is the key to winning a seat in Student Government.
NEWS TO WATCH OUT FOR Here are two reasons to watch the news every night, anticipating potentially history making decisions... Many in college do not read or watch the news; however, news is so important.
BAILEY BELL Pi Beta Phi
Bailey is a sophomore studying biology. You may contact her at bailey.bell@ttu.edu.
Here are two reasons to watch the news every night, anticipating potentially historymaking decisions... 1) Oscar Pistorius Does everyone remember Paralympics’ competitor Oscar Pistorius? He was the one who shattered the Paralympic record in both the 200 and 400. He then appealed the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s rule that he could not compete with his “blades”. Then he was dubbed “The Blade Runner”. Is this ringing a bell? He competed with able-bodied runners at the 2012 Olympics and although he placed last, got huge recognition and lucrative endorsements. Yes, that guy! Well... did you also know that he is up for a murder trial on March 3 in South Africa? Last Valentine’s day (2013) Pistorius was found to be involved in the shooting death of his current model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. They were asleep at his house when he thought he heard an intruder in the bathroom, and shot four bullets through the door and killed his girlfriend. It obviously turned out not to be an intruder. Pistorius claims that he had no clue that it was her, but insists that he thought it was a dangerous intruder.
Prosecutors are arguing that he knew full well that she was in there and that he shot through the bathroom on purpose. They claim that the two were in an argument and he got a little too worked up and killed her. The trial is supposed to begin on Monday, March 3rd and could potentially last up to six weeks. The country of South Africa is claiming this to be the trial of the century. 2) Vladimir Putin and Ukraine The Russian Parliament granted Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, permission to use military personnel in Ukraine. He quickly moved in and now Ukraine is pleading to the UN for help. This is a major, major deal. Putin has ignored President Obama’s calls to de-escalate the situation and draw back. Putin remains convinced that Ukraine is of a threat to the Russian people. Obama warned that there would be consequences for his actions and is threatening to not attend the G-8 summit that is to be held in Sochi, Russia in June. The North Atlantic Council (NATO) has announced a meeting for Sunday, to discuss what is happening. I repeat, this is major! The NATO alliance was formed in 1949 of countries who all agree to mutual defense in response to an attack. The alliance of which Ukraine is a part of, and Russia is most definitely not a part of. Which means the United States could potentially send troops to Ukraine to help push back the Russians. This is a war that no country wants to get involved in, and once again Putin is being the bratty little bully of the playground and doing whatever he wants because he believes that there are no consequences. He just needs to sit down and deal with the declining standard of living for the Russian people. But why do that when you can start World War III right? Be on the lookout for the two major happenings of the month!
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Scene on campus
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Scene on campus
DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL needless to say they were great coaches. After the driving range, we had the opportunity to go bowling at The Main Event where we got to see who was better at bowling, the daddy’s or the daughters. And for those of you who don’t know, winning is a tradition at Chi Omega.
How does a college girl survive being hours away from her Dad or a fatherly figure? It’s not easy but one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in college thus far was Chi Omega’s Dad’s weekend. Being in college can make you realize how much you miss the ones you have spent your whole life with. However, it makes the times that you do get to spend with them special and memorable. I was counting down the day’s, even weeks ahead of time it seemed like because I could hardly wait to spend some time with my Dad. And on top of my Dad coming into town, I was lucky enough to have my mom coming also. Chi Omega Dad’s weekend was filled with activities like golfing, bowling, going to a Texas Tech Baseball game (which we won) and lots of yummy food that we college students can’t usually afford on a daily basis. My parents came into town on Friday and I got to show them my new apartment for next year and I took them to my favorite restaurant in Lubbock, Triple JJJ’s. Without question next time they are in town we will be eating there again. As the Saturday began, many Dads’ and their daughters started out at the driving range. The Dad’s seemed to be significantly better than most of us daughters but
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SARAH MEACHAM Chi Omega
Sarah is a sophomore studying journalism. You may contact her at sarah.meacham@ttu.edu.
Next, it was lunchtime where many sisters went to the lodge and had pizza but I took my parents to Chimy’s where they make the best nachos. Up until this point, I was really enjoying the time I was having with my parents. After Chimy’s, we proceeded to the men’s Texas Tech Baseball game where we played Oral Robert’s University and won. It was also pretty cool to witness a college grand slam by Texas Tech. Personally, my favorite part of Dad’s weekend was going to the baseball game. Growing up, I always looked forward to go to the Rangers games and going to the Texas Tech game reminded me of going to the Ranger’s game with my Dad. Being away from home is nothing but challenging especially when you just want your family. Here are three things that can help when you are missing a loved one: 1. Give them a call. I know for me, when I call my family I always feel like a weight is being lifted off my shoulders. 2. Find a weekend that you can go home. It’s always good to just get away for a weekend especially after a stressful week of exams. 3. Invite your loved ones to Lubbock for a weekend. I know for myself that my parents would be up here in a heartbeat if I needed them. So find a weekend where schoolwork isn’t consuming your life and spend it with your loved ones.
FITNESS HABITS TO ESTABLISH IN COLLEGE Your future self will thank you for creating habits that will keep you fit even after college. You must develop some positive habits in college to use throughout the rest of your life. Healthy habits are best habits.
KATE WEBB Alpha Delta Pi
Kate is a sophomore studying apparel design and manufacturing. You may contact her at kate.webb@ttu.edu.
1. Drink more water. This is one of the most obvious tips, but most people still do not drink the recommended 8 cups of water to replenish the fluids they lose throughout the day. Here’s a habit to get into though; every time you check social media, chug some water. Another suggestion is to create a drinking game with water while binge watching Netflix. If plain water is too boring, add fruit for natural flavoring. Additionally, drink a glass of water before every meal so as not to overeat 2. Vary your routine. Just because you are a runner or weight lifter does not mean you should do it all the time. Eventually, doing the same thing over and over again will make your workout less effective, and your body will hit a plateau. Try going for a hike, swimming, or strength training circuits to vary up the boring routine of treadmills and ellipticals. 3. Workout in the morning. Before going to class or work, hit the gym that way it’s done and there is no long drawn-out process of debating with yourself all day if and when to workout. For the first thirty minutes of a workout, your body burns sugar and carbs. After that it enters the fat burning zone so keep pushing and burn off that stored off fat. Working out sends endorphins to your brain so exercise in the morning can put you in a good mood for the rest of the day. Just make sure to not work out seven days a week or else your chances of injury and fatigue greatly increase. 4. Learn proper form and don’t cheat. The key to working out is using proper form; otherwise you risk injury or not best not getting the best out of your workout. It’s easy to cheat
on your workout and only give half your effort, but then you’re just cheating yourself. If you have any questions on proper form or how to improve your workout, don’t be afraid to ask a personal trainer. 5. Reward yourself but not with food. You are not a dog so rewarding yourself with food after a workout is a bit counterproductive after sweating out all those calories. Instead, try putting a dollar in a jar designated to buy yourself something that you really want whether it’s clothes, a trip, etc. This gives you motivation and an excuse to keep pushing yourself. 6. Refuel properly post-workout. Within thirty minutes post-workout, your body craves a combination of protein and carbs. The protein helps repair stretched and torn muscles, and the carbs give you energy. Some great post-workout snacks to try are chocolate milk, a fruit smoothie with soy milk, or Greek yogurt with granola. 7. Try going to the gym classes. Most gyms, and certainly the Tech Rec, offer classes for a variety of interests from yoga to kickboxing to belly dancing, usually for free. Go to them and try out all of your options to see which of the classes you like and will stick with throughout the year. 8. Stretch before and after working out. Take three to five minutes before and after your work out to stretch so your muscles don’t tighten and set you up for injury. If you actually do stretch, try not to commit common mistakes such as breezing through it too fast or pushing through the pain. Stretching should be a gentle pull, not something that is truly painful. 9. Invest in good workout clothes. Research has shown that the more confident you are in your appearance, the better your performance. Therefore, buy workout clothes that make you feel attractive and inspire you to want to go to the gym and work like an Olympian. 10. Choose your friends wisely. Of course going out and partying are an essential part of college, but if that’s all your friends want to do then they won’t be overall helpful when it comes to supporting your fitness goals. Find friends who are interested in being as active as you so you are more likely to maintain your motivation and meet your goals, Also, working out with a friend who is forty percent more fit than you can help push you to work harder without becoming discouraged about the difference in your fitness levels.
Scene on campus
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DDD TRIPLE PLAY Saturday March 1st the TTU Recreational Softball fields will be crowded with many young men and women playing for a great cause. Tri-delt hosts their annual softball tournament benefitting their philanthropy every spring and it is finally that time of the year!
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What are the kids like at St. Jude?
KORTNI ROBINSON
“Everyone there is so happy. St. Jude is like Disney Land to the kids. The remarks tat some of the kids and parents were making are so inspiring and made me never want to complain again. It was really cool to see not only what a great atmosphere it is, but to see how tri-delt has left their mark there.”
Kortni is a sophomore studying Journalism. You may contact her at kortni.robinson@ttu.edu.
Madi also talked about a few of her places in the hospital she really enjoyed visiting. She thought the ABC wall was very neat. This wall is where children choose a letter in the alphabet and relate it to their struggles, happiness, and times at St. Jude. She also enjoyed paying visits to the C Clinic and the Teen Room, both of which were sponsored by tri-delt. The Teen Room is a room where only teenagers are allowed to hangout. The purpose of this room is to help the kids feel like ordinary teenagers again. This room is a place for them to relax, play video games, and take a break from the hospital bed. The C-Clinic is a specialty clinic that houses a wide variety of services for St. Jude patients. Almost all patients will visit the C-Clinic some time throughout their visit. Without tri-delta neither of these special places may exist.
Delta Delta Delta
Being a member of Delta Delta Delta myself I know how wonderful our philanthropy is. Every cause is great, but truly believe that St. Jude is one of the best philanthropies out there. How many college students can honestly say they have helped donate time and money to save a child’s life? In an interview with Madi Mead, tri-delt philanthropy chair we discussed many things. We talked about how she feels being elected new chair for philanthropy, her visit to St. Jude, and the upcoming event she planned, Triple Play! Madi is extremely passionate about tri-delt and St. Jude and it is completely obvious at every chapter meeting. It is so awesome that tri-delt has such a great young lady representing us in this area of our chapter. So what is Triple Play? Triple Play is Delta Delta Delta’s annual softball tournament. It is double elimination and bracket style. Local people in Lubbock of all ages are welcome to play of any age! Each team pays a registration fee and all money that is collected is donated to straight to St. Jude. We also took donations from many compassionate Lubbock locals and companies. Triple play is an extremely fun event to participate in and a great cause to be playing for. Last year was my first year participating in the tournament and one thing I took note of was everyone had such a positive attitude about the day. All tri-deltas are required to be there the entire day (9am-late at night) to work, umpire, and coach teams. The attitudes throughout the day were very uplifting and enthusiastic even though the day was long! Tri-delts are extremely passionate about St. Jude! St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is located in Memphis, Tennessee. Danny Thomas founded the hospital in 1962. The awesome thing about St. Jude is that the patients do not pay. Not one cent. This is why Tri-delta is so important! To run the hospital for 24 hours it requires 1.9 million. Tri-delta has done so much in their partnership with St. Jude that we have our own wing in the hospital. Without the support from tri-delt and many other organizations and donors millions of kid’s lives would not be the way they are today. In an interview with philanthropy chair Madi Mead we discussed her feelings on St. Jude, being philanthropy chair, and her recent visit to the hospital in Memphis… What is it like being philanthropy chair of Delta Delta Delta? “It is so rewarding. It’s definitely stressful planning an event but at the end of the day it is so satisfying to literally get to see where the money we raise is going.”
Every year Delta Delta Delta at TTU plays a video of St. Jude on our philanthropy day of recruitment. In this video it explains what St. Jude is and how tri-delta has helped over the years. The video focuses on one patient named Evans, and causes any viewer to feel an immediate connection to hi, Evans’ mother was a tri-delta herself and never believed her philanthropy would be hitting her life so close to home. Madi Mead got the chance to meet Evans and his mother while she was visiting St. Jude. Madi stated that his mother went into detail about how it felt to have a child at St. Jude and how much she loves tridelta and wants Evans to marry one. There are many promotional St. Jude videos online with Evans and his mother in them, just like the one attached below. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_4qI_lpsHQ Delta Delta Delta chapters around the world are doing work every day to help benefit St. Jude. Recently tri-delta nationwide set a goal to raise 15 million dollars in 5 years. At a leadership conference recently held St. Jude announced that the goal of 15 million had been reached in only 3.5 years! This accomplishment is so huge and really causes a sorority member like myself to put into perspective how much work we really do for the hospital. All the time and commitment, and many fun events like Triple Play and Delta After Dark are literally saving kids lives, and I don’t know of anything more rewarding than that. Without leaders like Madi, and having such a passionate chapter none of this would be possible. Without tri-delta St. Jude may not have some of the advancements they posses today. Madi said “our philanthropy is the best because it is unique. We get to physically see where the money is going and how life changing it is to the kids of St. Jude. It is so awesome to see how appreciative the parents are of our sorority, and knowing that we are saving childrens’ lives is the most rewarding feeling in the world.” As you can tell tri-deltas are very proud of their philanthropy. I hope everyone comes out to support Triple Play! We do it all for the kids!
8 THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF DEFENSE Self health & fitness
I am the middle child of three daughters, so never having any sons, my father taught us from a very young age to not only Pi Beta Phi stand up for ourselves but to defend ourselves by any Leah is a senior studying public means necessary should the relations. You may contact her at leah. situation call for it. I recall hoffman@ttu.edu. having friends over when I was younger, for a sleepover and my dad teaching us “fighting moves” in the living room until late hours in the night. Now although we were little and he was no karate teacher, because of those moves, I am still confident today that if I were approached by danger, I would be able to defend myself.
LEAH HOFFMAN
A little over two years ago, Pi Phi had a sisterhood event one evening held at a gym with no knowledge of what we were to be doing. All we knew was to dress in 80’s attire, or anything neon, and be at the gym by 7:00pm. Once we got there, a tall muscular, bald man was standing in the middle of the room surrounded by mats. Immediately we knew we were going to be doing something involving labor. First we formed a giant circle around the room and began introducing ourselves and telling everyone our biggest fear.
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After that, we had to get in groups of three and were told to choose one victim and two attackers within our groups to role-play. Of course, being the accident-prone friend that I am was chosen to play the victim. But before the scenario could play out, our instructor showed each of us key moves to help us out of the “potentially harmful situation.” But when it came to be my turn, I ended up using one of the moves my dad had taught me years ago and put the instructor on his back. When he hit the floor, his eyes flew open immediately giving away his shock in what I had just done. Recovering quickly, he asked where I learned to do that, and being that my father had taught me, he let me continue with that move on my friends, agreeing it was pretty effective. But has the evening went on, the instructor showed us multiple moves that were much easier to learn, even for the least of coordinated people. I had an advantage in my dad teaching me in the comfort of our own home for years practicing. And something about being in this gym with my friends, not family, made the situation and me more vulnerable and realistic. At the end of the night, when all the “fighting” was over, my Pi Phi sisters and I could very successfully execute five key moves that could potentially get us out of harm’s way one day. Of course, there were the few girls like my mother who don’t understand the importance of needing to be able to defend yourself thinking it unnecessary. But I think they realized, once digesting a lecture from our ex MMA fighting instructor, that being prepared rather than unprepared cannot hurt but only benefit you. If you don’t ever have to use the skills you’ve been taught, consider yourself lucky but if you get into a bad situation without the slightest clue of how to help yourself, what is there to do then?
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Ideas debate & discuss
WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING WITH OUR TUITION RATES
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BAILEY BELL Pi Beta Phi
Bailey is a sophomore studying biology. You may contact her at bailey.bell@ttu.edu.
and government endorsing where it shouldn’t be found. Universities are largely state run and this would bring in the big business of government to control what has long since been a state responsibility. I find this system pleasing in the original sense, however the more I look into it, I notice places where it needs to be reformed. Basing government funding on these rates would just simply be unnecessary. It would however, be very beneficial to high schoolers and their parents in choosing a college who will offer the best value to them without the need of funding control. They will be able to look at a fair and unbiased representation of exactly what they will be paying for.
So you know how college tuition is soooo expensive? Do you realize that soon it won’t even be worth it in the long run to attend college? Well here is what our political system and the Obama Administration are doing about it. The good thing is that President Obama has put focusing on the rising tuition rates of college on his presidential agenda. In August 2013, during a bus tour in Pennsylvania, he spoke about a new ranking system that would allow the federal government to give “grades” to the colleges located in the US. The system would grade based off of who gives the best overall value. White House officials have said the rankings would focus on each universities ability to keep tuition rates and student loan debt low, while keeping a high graduation rate and solid post-graduate employment rate. He then wants to base government funding off of these rankings, and keep funding from those colleges who have higher default rates than graduation rates. Obama has agreed that these reforms will not please everyone, and he is absolutely right. Republicans are questioning whether this is another political speech used for politics and politics only, or if it is truly something that Obama will push forward. Yes, it is easy to assume that Obama is only politically speaking here, but if both sides could get together on this I believe it could help keep universities accountable. However, as always there is a dark shadow over this whole system that you could call “Corruption”. As the system is proposed, it opens up a huge availability for government controlled pricing
The universities themselves will then be in competition to provide the best value. Lower tuition rates will be more attractive to the potential college student, and therefore lead to high competition tuition-wise; forcing the rates down across the board as universities fight for the highest ranking and student registration. Of course, we cannot expect a major drop. But it should be A drop, which is fairly significant. If only the universities come to the realization that in the near future, we could very well experience a time when the cost of college is simply not worth it then the proposal was a success. We very well may start seeing a huge decline in college registration as high school students begin to prefer stating a career that doesn’t require a degree over inheriting nearly $80,000 in debt within four years. Some frightening statistics found on thehill.com include “the average tuition at public four-year colleges has risen more than 250 percent, while a typical family’s income only increased 15 percent”. That is huge. College is no longer affordable for the middle class families. Another alarming statistic is that “Federal student debt topped $1 trillion in July, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, while private banks have issued another $200 billion in student loans. Aside from mortgages, student loans are now the most widely held debt in the country, according to the Federal Reserve”. If that alone doesn’t scare you into doing something about this rising cost, I don’t know what will. It is terrifying that young adults have lost interest in gaining a higher education simply because of how much it costs. Pay attention to what your congressmen is doing, and what other political elite are saying! Our education here in the United States is declining at all levels. Low education quality leads to low income rates, and later to high debt rates. If we want progress, we have to start at the core, and that includes increasing the quality of education and also the affordability. If we have an astronomically high education quality rate, but only a small portion of the population can attend, we are not getting anywhere. Yes, this proposal from President Obama is a huge step in the right direction, but we are many, many leaps away from a solution.
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500 words on pop culture
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JOHN, ARE YOU THE HEARTBREAK WARFARE?
Aniston, the stunning woman who seems to never age, was John’s newest girlfriend. John later admitted that they broke up simply just because of the age gap between the two of them. Taylor Swift was John’s next victim of his dating list…or was John a victim on Taylor’s dating list? The both of them have been known for consistently having new significant others at their beck and call. John and Taylor started seeing each other at the Chi Omega end of 2009. They created the song “Half of my Heart” and sang it together. The couple called it Kristen is a freshman studying quits early in 2010. John added another name to his ex’s list as did Taylor, but Taylor got a hit song I’m pretty sure everyone has accounting. You may contact her at on her album, Speak Now, called “Dear John”. One can only imagine who this song is about…no kristen.fouse@ttu.edu. heard this song, “Heartbreak other than John Mayer himself. She bashed him in this song and made him seem like a real jerk. Warfare”, by John Mayer. John “Don’t you think nineteen’s too young to be played by your dark, twisted games?” and “maybe it’s Mayer definitely has the talent, you and your sick need to give love then take it away” are only a few of the lyrics in Taylor’s song looks and fame, but it seems “dedicated” to John. Talk about a bad breakup…pretty sure that’s at the top of the list. Silly John, he like every relationship he encounters always comes to an end. should’ve known not to mess with Taylor; she’ll write a song about anyone who crosses her path the His most recent relationship was with the fun flirty and fabulous world famous pop wrong way. John remained single for a while after the Taylor incident until Katy Perry came along star, Katy Perry. Both John and Katy looked so happy together and it was kind of a shock in 2012. The two broke up for a short period of time but got back together and seemed to be going when they broke up. Then again given John’s track of dating…everyone was wondering strong until recently when they decided to split. John and Katy recorded a song together called when they would eventually split. “Who you Love”. Is this singing with your girlfriend becoming a trend for John? We’ll have to wait Lets take a little stroll down John Mayer’s hall of fame of lets just call it ghosts of girlfriends and see. I’ll admit I actually did like John and Katy together. I thought they were a good balance past. His first semi famous relationship was with singer Vanessa Carlton in 2002. After together. Katy is hyper and out there while John appears to be laid back and quieter. that relationship ended he briefly dated Jennifer Love-Hewitt. In 2006 John started dating Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love John Mayer and his music but he does appear to a bit of Jessica Simpson. That relationship only lasted for a year but in a Playboy interview in a womanizer. With his brooding brown eyes, signature white tees and sexy voice John is sure to 2010 he crudely joked about their sexual relationship they had had. Boys take note, if captivate the eyes and heart of any woman. Any guesses as to whether or not Katy and John will you do this nothing good will ever come out of it and you might even get a couple slaps reunite again or if John is already moving on to another target to add to his dating list? Only time in the face so just avoid revealing anything intimate after a bad breakup. After Jessica, will tell if John is ditching his past dating track or continuing on his usual bachelor route. John moved on to the cute and sweet girl next-door type, Minka Kelly. In 2008 Jennifer “Clouds of sulfur in the air bombs are falling everywhere it’s heartbreak warfare once you want it to begin, no one really ever wins in heartbreak warfare”
KRISTEN FOUSE
500 words on
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DREAMING OF SUMMERTIME
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It was that hot spot during orientation, the place to show off your favorite new swimsuit, and the place we can’t forget about! The lazy river is the best place to layout at, at the recreation center after a long and hard workout. Having Sam’s Place there definitely makes it feel like a five star hotel area, with the smoothies and snacks you can buy with your raider card. Hopefully it will open up again soon because everyone needs a little relaxation by the pool. Lastly, the ladies favorite season of the year - Baseball season! Sorry boys, but not many girls complain about sitting in the warm weather, helping themselves to some scrumptious snacks, all while watching a few athletes run around a diamond shaped field in those famous baseball pants. I mean c’mon, it has a girls dream written all over it. While we may not know what the weather is a week from today, tomorrow, or even within the next few hours, we have so many exciting things to look forward to for summer time. Get through these last few weeks of school, those dreadful finals, and maybe, just maybe the recreation center will finally have that lazy river up and running for us again before we leave and have a relaxing summer in the sun.
It’s about that time of year again for snow cones, tank tops, and chacos. Well, some days.. I do Kappa Kappa Gamma not know much about Kayla is a freshman studying weather, but what I do Journalism. You may contact her at kayla.chandler@ttu.edu. know is that Lubbock weather is not normal. These are just a few things we get to be excited for with the upcoming warmer weather. For instance, just a few days ago I was able to leave my dorm without a sweater and the next day, I felt as if I were going to turn into a snow woman. Regardless, we won’t really know when summer actually begins. But for now we can just live with the few days that we do have with the sun. These are just a few things we get to be excited for with the upcoming warmer weather: Here in the deserted land of Lubbock, the popular snow cone place is open year-round. Why, I’m not sure, since it feels like negative 19 degrees in January yet the line is still out the door. I can’t complain though, since I have this weird obsession with the hurricane colada flavor. Point being, even though a snow cone is still just as yummy in the winter as it is in the summer, it’s a better feeling eating something extremely cold when you feel like you are about to melt. Another excitement would being able to pull out those non-fashionable chacos again! Yes, we all realize they are not attractive whatsoever, but they are the most comfortable shoes in the world – I may be exaggerating a bit, but seriously. You can switch all your Ugg and riding boots out for your chacos and sandals! It seems to me that anything anyone wears in college will get judged either way, so talk the talk and walk the walk in your favorite pair of chacos.
KAYLA CHANDLER
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Humor lol
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YOU HAVE FOMO
We’ve all seen it plastered all over social media, but what is FOMO?
The fear of missing out, better known as FOMO, basically is just a way of classifying the feeling you get when you know you are being left out. Everyone experiences FOMO, even if you are firm believer that you never EVER feel left out.
CAROLINE CAMPBELL
Kappa Kappa Gamma Carolin e is a s ophomore studying public relations. You may contact her at caroline.campbell@ttu.edu.
There is FOMO for all occasions, and it is inevitable that you, at some point in your life, have felt one of these forms of FOMO: 1.
“Everyone is in a relationship but me” FOMO
Literally all of your friends are happily in love and you are in an exclusive relationship with your bed and Netflix. Sound familiar? While everyone else is hitting the town on double-dates galore, you spend your weekends putting a dent in the couch and devouring boxes of takeout. It’s fine though, because who needs relationships anyway? Even though you may be telling yourself that you’re perfectly fine alone, the FOMO kicks in when you see everyone around you being all loveydovey with their significant other. 2.
A++++ Dean’s list FOMO
After spending 362917 hours in the library you still somehow manage to make a C+ on your stats test. Yeah, you’re average. There’s nothing wrong with average, until everyone else around you makes an A. This is the FOMO you feel when everyone around you is making stellar grades and you’re just barely skimming by. How the heck is everyone else making the Dean’s list? Where is this water that everyone is drinking to make them super freakishly smart Einstein’s? 3.
Everyone is out partying and you’re sick FOMO
Of course when Thursday night finally rolls around, so does your nasty runny nose/cough outbreak. This is the FOMO you feel while you’re dying in bed deliriously high on Nyquil looking at your friend’s snap chat stories. It’s not fair that YOU’RE the one who is sick because everyone else is out looking so cute and you look like a troll at home with zero things better to do than to wallow in your own self-pity. 4.
Spring break FOMO
While everyone else is frolicking off to somewhere sunny and 75, you are making the drive back to your hometown. Maybe it’ll be nice to have some time with your family at home? False. You will enjoy time at home until you scroll through your Instagram and immediately experience Spring Break FOMO. Everyone else is probably going to come back super tan, super close and with super amazing stories. Not to mention your friend is probably going to meet the love of her life on the beach while you’re on the couch watching ‘The Voice’ with your parents. 5.
Stupid holidays FOMO
Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, freaking St. Patty’s Day: there are COUNTLESS holidays that are actually just stupid excuses to act a fool or buy chocolate or binge drink. These semi-insignificant holidays are way too built up to be something fabulous and unforgettable. Who cares if you don’t have outrageously awesome plans for NYE? It may seem like everyone else on social media is kissing gorgeous people and ringing in the New Year with sparklers and a bottle of DAM, but let’s get real. Everyone knows this holiday, along with many other semi-insignificant holidays are completely blown out of proportion. Don’t feel FOMO just because you are sitting on the couch with a bottle of wine and chocolate, because in reality everyone else is too. 6.
Eating healthy FOMO
Your roommate comes home from Market Street with gluten-free this, and fat-free that while you are mindlessly eating a fabulous greasy taco from Torchy’s. It’s fine that everyone around you is falling victim to this new “health craze,” but honestly, would you give up your chocolate cake for a rice cake? Probably not. This is one form of FOMO that you should have no remorse about feeling. 7.
Mac vs. PC FOMO
Personally, I am a PC girl fa sho. However, I have recently discovered something I LOVE about Mac computers that I don’t have on my PC: iMessage. Yes, the ability to text, or iMessage on my computer would completely change my life. This way, you can pretend to be taking notes in class
but really you are making plans for the night in your group text on your laptop. I will admit that I experience FOMO when it comes to certain features on the Mac Book. Whatever. 8.
Fashion FOMO
If you are a sorority girl and do not own a pair of colorful Nikes, norts, leggings or a big tshirt, then you are probably feeling fashion FOMO. But I do have one question for you: what the heck do you wear to class every day? 9.
Starbucks FOMO
This may just the girl in me, but does anyone else feel FOMO when they see someone sipping on a glorious cup of Starbucks, while you are choking down a cold cup of coffee from your Kuerig at home? Sorry I’m poor. 10. Everyone is engaged on Facebook FOMO Scrolling through your Facebook is a complete joke now because literally EVERYONE is engaged. It gives you anxiety because you are single and are probably never going to get married. However, I have news for you people: WE ARE IN COLLEGE. PLEASE RELAX. These are the best years of our lives. Don’t waste time living in fear that you will never be proposed to. There is still tons of time for all that jazz. So, if you have read over this list and come to the conclusion that you have never felt ANY of these types of FOMO, you are lying. FOMO is everywhere and it’s real. I’m not really sure which lonely, pathetic girl came up with this acronym for feeling left out, but she sure knew what she was talk’n ‘bout.
Humor lol
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ARE CATS BETTER THAN PEOPLE? Why do cat people think cats are the cat’s meow? Here are five debunked myths about cat people. Hear it from the cat lady herself, me. I won’t lie readers. Cat people are crazy about their cats. You know who you are. You snapchat pictures of your cats to your friends, you post pictures of your cats almost everyday, and you even put sweaters on your cats! How do I know? I am one. We’re always on Pinterest trying to find new ideas to pimp out our cats’ litter boxes, but with any awesome group of people, we have a reputation. Of course, they’re not true, but here’s five of my favorite myths that are absolutely ridiculous. Myth #1: Cat people don’t like other people. It’s not that we don’t like other people. We like people, but they get on our nerves most of the time. I’m not the kind of girl who goes out every Saturday night, but once the weather gets warmer, you’ll see me and my sisters at Stars and Stripes, cat-free. Myth #2: Cats own their humans. Where we pay the bills and buy the cat food, an outsider may think that our cats own us. We do everything for our cats but what do we get in return? Whenever we have a bad day and all we do is want to crawl under the covers, our cats can’t bring us Blue Bell’s MooLennium Crunch. But they’ll be there to snuggle with you while you cry about that grade you got on your English Exam. Myth #3: Cat owners are old spinsters. Well for one thing, nobody uses the word spinster here in 2014. And second of all, there are a ton of girls in their late teens/early twenties who own cats. I got my first two when I was a junior in high school and now I have four (Of course they live at home with my parents, but I’m bringing up my girl cats once I get an apartment.) wonderful cats! And one of my sisters has
a beautiful cat that she (and the rest of our sorority) adore! Also, the definition of a spinster is one who spins rough wool into yarn. With the limited time we have as Greeks, I don’t think we’ll be hanging out at the livestock arena collecting wool anytime soon.
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MARYBETH HOLM Alpha Delta Pi
MaryBeth is a freshman studying Natural Resources Management. You may contact her at MaryBeth. holm@ttu.edu.
Myth #4: People who own cats have smelly houses. I may not be the neatest of people, but I hate the smell of cat pee. Every reasonable cat person knows that when the cat box is dirty, the cats won’t go in the cat box. Kind of like when you go to the bathroom on the first floor of the library. You have to go really bad, but you sure don’t want to go in there. That’s how our cats feel, so we are obsessed with keeping our cats bathroom area clean and tidy. Myth #5: Cat people are not as friendly as dog people. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs! They’re great company when you want to go camping and you meet so many new people when you’re out at the dog park. People assume that cat people are like their pets; snotty, mean, and independent. But truth be told, cats are pretty insecure creatures and you just have to get to know them first. Take my two boy cats, Chandler and Joey (Yes, they’re named after Friends characters): Joey is totally confident and loves people! Chandler; not so much. But once you get to know Chandler, he’ll be weaving in-between your legs, waiting for you to pet him. Cat people just need some time to get to know you too. So cat people aren’t that bad. They’re just horribly misunderstood. Yes, we’ll show you pictures of our cats in their Christmas Sweaters or playing with a hair tie, but we know you do the same thing with your dogs (Yes Frat Guys. I’m looking at you). We won’t bring our cats to the next Philanthropy Event, but we’ll definitely have stories to tell you.To see more of my cat lady-ness, follow me on Instagram, @ thesomewhatcrazycatlady
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500 words on entertainment
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@JakeAkinStrips: If anybody has a snowman that needs takin’ care of, I know a guy
@Future1stLady1: Blue solo cups remind me of liberals. I don’t like liberals.
@SterRS: I just said eight turds instead of eight thirds in front of the whole freaking class.
@kwaxonkwax: Trying to decide if I should put my ability to type with only my left hand under “skills” or “hobbies” on my resume. #productivity
@Zakypoof: Sometimes you have to step outside yourself and realize you’re playing clash of clans in the middle of a gas station
@rellyOnSMASH: them unread test messages aint gon come and cuddle wit you at night
@postgradproblems: For Lent, I’m giving up. Like in general, just giving up.
@NMe3zyy: The papers I write for this online class are so elementary school & brickwall waterfall gurl u think u know it all but u don’t, I do.
@tdvaz: Every time I hear that nasty word “exercise”, I have to wash my mouth out with chocolate…. @KatherineRead: If you’re about to put song lyrics on twitter, ask yourself: is it worth it? Let me work it. I put my thang down flip it & reverse it
@freshbrook: dude just came into aspen with frosted tips. f r o s t e d t i p s @ScottyDaNaughty: . @robinthicke drug me? Mug me? Seriously, WHAT RHYMES WITH HUG ME?
@justinbieber: Blessed each morning. Going to be a great day @_Wade92: They’re playing Bust a Move in McDonalds right now. Employees here are down to get down. #turndownforhwat @Hannie37: Eating a BLT while driving is difficult. @derekbarchenger: No diggity just autocorrected to “no dignity”, I’d say that’s fair for texting about no diggity on a Tuesday afternoon @merrylouder: Parents turned the wifi off on my phone. Things have gone from bad, to worse, to poverty.
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500 words on entertainment
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