February 20, 2014 | Volume 3, Issue 19 | Orlando, FL
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I NEED A VACATION... FROM COLLEGE page 2
THE 6 GUYS YOU MEET ON SPRING BREAK page 3 THE ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK page 7 THE DESTINATION SB page 13
KAPPA DELTA’S READY FOR SB ‘14 Photo Cred; Laura Giunta
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Editor's note
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I NEED A VACATION… FROM COLLEGE
than twelve hours not so much. That person is a liability and cops are drawn to the liability friend who loves to converse with them when she’s publicly intoxicated. You might want that friend to sit the bench this spring break around. I understand spring break is a mere few hours away and you can’t exactly change your group this late in the game, but have no fear. It’s important that you and your crew sit down and have a talk about spring break before you guys pack the car and start blaring Miley Cyrus. Talk about what you’re going to do if you can’t find someone. As annoying as it sounds, talk about boy/ girl drama that might occur while spring breaking. Make sure everyone is on the same page that way you’ll run into less problems while you’re partying! Spring break is going to be amazing for all simply because we don’t have school for five whole days! So whether you’re going home, headed to Barcelona, or venturing down to the keys like me, embrace and cherish every last school’s second because spring break only comes once a year!
Happy almost spring break everyone! That’s right, if you’re reading this article on the proper release date that means we are exactly twenty four hours away from being
CASSIE WILKINSON Zeta Tau Alpha
THE ODYSSEY AT FLORIDA
Editor-in-Chief
Cassie is a junior studying Englishcreative writing. You may contact her at cwilk92@knights.ucf.edu.
on vacation for a whole week. No school, no work, no annoying emails… just seven whole days to ourselves. Now spring break might look like a vacation on paper, but it can also mean drama, drama, drama especially if you’re going to
EXECUTIVE TEAM President
Matthew Gruda, Sigma Nu
CREATIVE TEAM Editor-in-Chief
Cassie Wilkinson, Zeta Tau Alpha
be stuck on a boat for five days with fifty of your “closest” friends. If you’re like me and legitimately need a break from everyone and everything in your everyday life then you’ll want to avoid every single little bit of drama that comes your way. I’ll share with you my game plan for a stress free SB. First things first, understand the people you’re going to be spending your sunny spring break with. Are they full of drama? Do they have the same mindset as you? Are you going to want to kill them after five hours? All of these questions should be asked prior to beginning your excursion. It’s most important to be with people that share your mindset for many reasons. For one, you don’t want someone who is just trying to be obliterated from the second their feet touch Key West grounds because you might kill them or worse they might kill themselves. That party animal friend that you love going out with might be fun for the night but for more
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Special Occasions: Spring Break
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THE 6 GUYS YOU MEET ON SPRING BREAK
point because if he continues to drink he will start to get depressed and even cry about
Whether you’re going to the snowy mountains of Colorado or the sunny beaches of Cozumel, every Spring Break has a few things in common: alcohol,
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STEPHANIE GOENAGA
how much he misses “her”.
Zeta Tau Alpha
3.
The local guy
Stephanie is a senior studying human communication. You may contact her at smgoenaga@knights. ucf.edu.
This guy knows all of the local hot spots and will tell you were to meet him up later that night for the best happy hour. He’s effortlessly cool as he punches his number into
freedom, and a lot of people
your phone and promises to catch up with you later. Later that night when you and
from different schools. All
your girlfriends show up at the bar he suggested, you will find that he’s surrounded
three of those things create an insane (and boarder line illegal) environment that allows,
by at least 3 other groups of girls that he told the exact same thing to.
if not encourages, the most unbelievable things to happen. Girls have been dieting, tanning and hitting the gym since December to fit into that $100 piece of cloth that we call a Victoria’s Secret bathing suit. One reason we put all of that effort into looking our best is so that we can look awesome while sipping Mai Tai’s on a beach. However, the main reason we do it is so we can catch the attention of one of the many boys that ventured to the same Spring Break destination. Let’s face it, we see the same boys on our campus all the time. Yes we’re excited for the fruity drinks, white sand beaches, and a week off from school, but the thing that
4.
The arrogant hot guy from another school
Probably my favorite character to encounter on Spring Break. He is there for one reason only: to get with as many girls as possible during the week. He’s loud and obnoxious. He’s most likely in a frat and he’s got the biggest arms you’ve ever seen. If you’re one of the girls that he sets his sights on, beware. If you’re not, just grab a beer, sit back, and watch him work because it is nothing short of entertaining. 5.
The guy that goes to your school and always secretly loved you
really gets us hyped up is the well-known fact that a plethora of new boys is in our
It might be a combination of the tequila and romantic EDM music blaring in the bar,
future. It’s a whole new pool of boys and we can’t wait to dive in headfirst. Floaties are
but for whatever reason this guy is going to spill his heart and soul for you around night
optional and I’ll probably be doing a cannon ball.
3 of Spring Break. It will take you by surprise at first, but then you’ll think about all
Here are the 6 guys that you will definitely meet this Spring Break: 1.
The bartender
He’s been mixing your drinks and listening to your off key singing all week. He has this adorable half smile and a wink that makes you melt. He lifts up his shirt to wipe his chiseled jaw and show off his perfectly sculpted abs while he’s pouring shots. He’s every Spring Break girl’s dream, but that is all he will ever be. He’s untouchable behind his bar of greatness. In a week, you’ll be sitting in class and he will be flipping bottles and smiling at a new group of hot girls in bikinis. 2.
The guy fresh off a break up
He will flirt with you all night and talk about how awesome the single life is. He’s actually really nice because he just got out a relationship and his mind is still programmed for “boyfriend mode”. However, after one to many beers he completely loses it and rants about how women are terrible creatures. You should probably cut him off at this
those nights he drove you home or watched you cry about your ex and it will all make sense. If you feel the same way then congrats! Meet your next boyfriend. If you don’t, just offer to buy the next shot as a thank you and pretend it didn’t happen tomorrow. 6.
The compulsive liar
One night he’s an up and coming DJ, the next he’s a pre med student that is going to be a brain surgeon. He will say pretty much anything to get your attention and once he has it, he will create the most interesting and unbelievable stories to keep it. It’s fun for like 20 minutes. Clearly there are a lot of options. Some worse than others, but hey, it’s slim pickings for a single girl on Spring Break. Whichever guy you choose is bound to make your vacation way more fun. Personally, I’ve got my eyes set on the bartender. You know what they say; everything gets hotter when the sun goes down.
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Greek life traditions
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THE NEWEST FITNESS PLAN: TONE IT UP
You may have seen the quirky and cute duo, Karena and Katrina on the new Bravo show, “Toned Up.” They’re perfectly tanned and toned bodies can make any girl envious and they’re letting the rest of the world know their workout and nutrition secrets.
HEATHER HENDERSON Kappa Kappa Gamma
Heather is a sophomore studying journalism and marketing. Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t heather51013@knights.ucf.edu.
Toned Up is a reality television show that follows the two owners, Karena and Katrina, of the rapidly growing Tone It Up brand. Viewers are able to get a behind-the-scenes look at these fitness gurus’ daily activities. Tone It Up is an online community that offers a place for women to find free workouts and recipes. Women are also able to connect with other women all around the world who are Tone It Up fans and users. DVDs, nutrition plans, protein supplements and clothing are available for purchase on the website too. The nutrition plan includes exclusive tips, recipes and guidance from the Karena and Katrina. Although it’s a bit of an investment at $150, once you purchase the nutrition plan, you’re considered a member of Tone It Up and will continue to get private recipes, workouts and future documents that they provide. Once you purchase the nutrition plan, you’ll receive over 500 pages of material in PDF form via e-mail. The plan includes the actual nutrition plan along with specific additional documents relating to seasons, holidays and workouts. Even if you’re not interested in purchasing the full nutrition plan, there is still plenty of free online content. By joining the online community, you can hold yourself accountable by checking in with your workouts and meals. You can also link up with local Tone It Up members in your city and do workouts together.
“I find the online community to be very supportive and inspiring. You see lots of different women from all walks of life get great bodies,” said Persis Mistry, junior at UCF and avid Tone It Up user. The fitness workouts are available online in specified categories for whichever target area you are trying to work. For example, some categories include legs, abs, booty, HIIT, yoga and more. Karena and Katrina provide you with free video content to show you have to do all the moves correctly in order to get the most out of your workout. “These girls have unique hard core moves that aren’t about doing a million squats and pushups. They focus on these key moves and you really feel a burn,” said Mistry. Senior at UCF, Anna Trcalek is also a big fan of the free online workouts. “I really like Tone It Up because the girls make working out look fun, and in the end I know I got a great workout. My favorite workout is beach bum because it works your booty in ways that I wouldn’t think to try,” said Trcalek. If you’re looking for a few new recipes to try or a new workout to whip your body into shape for summer, check out ToneItUp.com for your one-stop website for all of your health and fitness needs.
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Self business
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FOR THE KIDS WE ARE, ALWAYS
Dance Marathon - these two words, as simple as they might mean on their own, could mean everything to some families. To those families, these words could
JENNY WELLS
and you stand to show your strength, just like the kids fight to show on a daily basis. By coming together unified around one cause, it instills a sense of pride and
Delta Zeta
determination in you. You realize this as you start the event. You brace yourself by
Jenny is a senior studying psychology. You may contact her at jennyywellss@gmail.com
showing up in your best pair of Nike’s, ready for the inevitable non stop standing
mean saving their child’s life.
you’re about to embark on. After the first few hours you’re still slowly buzzing with anticipation about what’s going to come. A little less than half-way through you find yourself thinking, “Wow! This isn’t that bad!”. You hit 14 hours and feel your body tiring down and boggled that you’re hardly halfway there. By hour 17 you feel a new kick of
Dance Marathon’s have been taking over more than 150 campuses all over the nation
revitalization (Yeah! We can do this!). At hour 18 you retract that previous thought and
by storm since their introduction in 1991; all benefitting the Children’s Miracle Network
realize you’re exhausted. With one hour left to go, you feel anxious. Is there really only
Hospitals in each universities local areas and it’s an important part of college that every
one hour left?! The time slowly ticks down. You can’t believe the end is near. You start
student should try to become a part of.
wondering if your school will reach its fundraising goal. You’ve worked so hard. Asked
The events themselves can range anywhere from 12-40 hours, and depending on the school, holds a goal to raise anywhere from 10’s of thousands of dollars to over a million dollars. To someone hearing these numbers without any knowledge about the event may gasp in disbelief. “Standing for 24 hours?! Raise thousands of dollars?! That’s crazy!” But that only solidifies the words of Steve Jobs as true: “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Slowly but surely, the numbers rise to a vast amount, and every dollar does count. All the money raised goes directly towards these non-profit hospitals to be used by local CMN Hospitals to fund research, purchase new and improved equipment, and provide a vast amount of other pediatric services.
so many relatives for donations. Stood for so many hours. Before you know it, there’s the reveal. The entire crowd, exhausted, half-delirious, and on edge, are all staring up at the stage. Eyes are wide. Hands are wringing together. Breath is bated. You wait with a keen sense of anticipation. There’s nothing more important than seeing the numbers you’ve worked so hard for. Finally, the total is announced. YOU’VE DONE IT! Your school did it! You feel this overwhelming sensation of community, accomplishment, euphoria, and such a slew of emotions you don’t know what to do besides to look whomever is next to you, even if you don’t know them, and smile and scream with delight. In this moment, you are infinite. It sounds like a crazy day of events and emotions, and that’s because it is a little crazy. And it is with this combined craziness, you can all make a difference in this world. In
Dance Marathon’s are more than a fundraiser. They are a way to raise awareness,
2013, the University of Central Florida managed to raise $258,554.17, surpassing their
spirits, and enthusiasm for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. By standing for such
goal of $117,000. This year, over 1,000 Knights will be united attempting to raise $365,000
long periods of time, you become a community all coming together to understand the
by April 5, 2014. Dollar by dollar, hour by hour - Change is happening. So take a stand
struggles and triumphs that the children enduring treatments face each and every day
for a good cause. Take a stand For The Kids.
7 THE ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK
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Spring break is a time where students in college get to relax for a week and rid themselves of any and all stress. Most college students go to tropical destinations for spring break such as Cancun, Mexico, or on cruises. Spring break is usually a time where college students tend to consume a great amount of alcohol.
Special Occasions: Spring Break
STEPHANIE ISAAC Zeta Tau Alpha
Stephanie is a sophomore studying journalism. You may contact her at singinstar935@aol.com.
Although this is all good and fun, it is also important to be careful during this time off from school. Many students travel to places outside of the country in which they reside and can find themselves getting into trouble if they are not careful. It is important to always stay with the people you came with when traveling and never go anywhere alone or with someone you just met on the vacation. I would like to touch upon other ways in which you can enjoy spring break. There is always room for volunteering no matter what time of the year it is. Spring break is a great opportunity to do something helpful and beneficial for your community. Volunteering at a nursing home or a children’s preschool are excellent places to offer your
services. Sometimes it’s nice to give back in your free time for a change. The elderly citizens who live in nursing homes get such joy from seeing young individuals come and visit with them and spend some time. It is such a rewarding feeling knowing you can cheer someone up and this is a great alternative to spending your spring break. Another suggestion of what to do during your spring break is to plan a vacation with your family. Oftentimes when we enter college our friends and school become our whole life and we lack family time. Going on a vacation with your family for spring break is a great way to all catch up and make up for lost time. Even if you just drive up to Disney World or Universal and spend the day it is a great way to spend some quality time with your family. Spring break is also a great time to relax and just have time to yourself. In college we are always surrounded by so many people and don’t get enough time to relax and take time for ourselves. Maybe this spring break you could start reading a book you’ve always wanted to read, or cook your favorite meal at home because you live in a dorm. You can go shopping for new clothes for spring and summer and just pamper yourself over the break. Going to the beach and getting tan and eating healthy are great ways to spend your spring break and enjoy yourself. If you spend your spring break just relaxing and taking time to treat yourself then you will feel amazing and well rested when you return to school. College students do a variety of things during spring break. It is important to enjoy yourself during this break and relax. After all the stress we endure being in college we deserve a little fun. Don’t you think?
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Sports local
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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND As everyone knows, the past couple of weeks have been dedicated to cheering on the old red, white, and blue as they competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics. Sigma Nu In the midst of it though, the National Basketball Bailey is a sophomore studying Association put on their hospitality. You may contact him at annual All Star Weekend baileyglessner@aim.com. which offers a showcase for many talented athletes who participate in events such as the Rookie Showcase, Celebrity Match, Dunk Competition, Skills Challenge, Three Point Shootout, and finally the All-Star Game.
and entertaining for all viewing audiences.
The first big event started Feb 14th with the Celebrity game. Some big named participants in this year’s game included Kevin Hart, Snoop Dogg, Nick Cannon, and more. Teams were divided into East and West; it was the East who took the first win of the weekend conquering the west 60-56. U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, received the MVP award after almost walking away with a triple-double. Following the celeb game was the very anticipated Rookie Showcase. The Rookie Showcase invites the top NBA players who are either freshman or sophomore (Rookie or 2nd year players) to compete against each other in what you could consider a newcomers All Star game. In the Rookie Showcase, teams were divided into team Hill and team Webber. Team Hill, which included popular players such as Damian Lilliard, Bradley Beal, Dion Waiters, and more, took home a 142-136 victory. Team Webber fought hard with teammates like Victor Oladipo, Anthony Davis, Trey Burke, Michael Carter-Williams, and others who helped keep the game fun
Last but not least is my favorite, the slam-dunk contest. The East dominated every single dunk, which consisted of a team dunk and face-to-face battles. The East consisted of Paul George, John Wall, and Terrance Ross who put on quite the performance. The Sprite dunk of the night was awarded to John Wall who jumped over the team mascot, grabbed the ball, and continued to do a reverse dunk.
BAILEY GLESSNER
Saturday the 15th was the day most people looked forward too. Saturday is where you get to watch the Dunk Contest, 3-Point Shootout, and the skills challenge. The first skills challenge consisted of teams of three (One current NBA star, one WNBA star, and one retired NBA star) in which each the team had to make a layup, free throw, and a half court shot in the fastest time in order to advance. What turned out to be a nail biting competition, Chris Bosch’s team won representing the East by completing the tasks mentioned before in 31.4 seconds. Bosh has now won the event two years and running. The next big event was the skills challenge. The skills challenge was a team challenge and is the equivalent to a playground relay race. None the less, the final round resulted in a photo finish with Trey Burke and Damian Lilliard of the West finishing a tenth of a second faster than CarterWilliams and Oladipo who represented the East. The 3rd event is more individualized, and the is three point shootout. Here 8 players go head to head shooting a total of 25 balls. Unfortunately for the East it was Marco Belinelli of the West who scored 24 points in the championship tie breaker putting the West up front of the East as far as events won goes,
Now the last event was held Sunday and was the All Star game. The All Star game was a record shattering games breaking over 20 All Star game records. Most combined points in a game, most points scored by one team, and most combined assists are just a fraction of the records shattered this weekend. All in all, it was one of the better All Star weekends lately. It really showed the amount of talent this league has to offer and gives you a glimpse of what’s to come.
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Special Occasions: Spring Break
SPRING BREAK SURVIVAL GUIDE
wearing her stilettos or wedges and you’re either waiting for her to fall on
It’s halfway through spring semester and you’re ready to trade in your books for a bathing suit and call it summer. Unfortunately for us, we
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KAILEE SMITH
her face or already witnessed it various times. It’s spring break. If you are of
Zeta Tau Alpha
age, you are going to be drinking and if you’re under 21 then you’re probably
Kailee is a senior studying interpersonal organizational communications. You may contact her at kaileesmith21@aol.com.
going to get your fake ID taken away so sorry in advance. Make sure your
have to stick it out for the rest of the semester, but on the bright side we are blessed with something called spring break. Spring break is the one time of year where a girl can prance around half naked and nobody can say anything about it. Okay sorry for the Mean Girls moment but let’s be real – spring break is the golden ticket to taking a break from all the stress from classes, internships, and jobs to just sit back and kick it with good vibes and great company. Since there is so much hype about spring break, we have to remember all the things that can make it successful or an epic fail. This is why I’ve created a fabulous set of guidelines for you to live by in order for you to survive your journey this year. 1. Remember to eat before you drink. This may seem really obvious but we all know we’ve been guilty of not eating enough, downing those 8 tequila shots, and later regretting it when we realize we don’t remember half the night’s events. You’ve been keeping a balanced diet for spring break anyway right? So why not continue to eat right and enough while you’re at your destination?
outfit choice compliments your drinking habits. For example don’t wear white if you plan on challenging a frat star to a chugging competition or save the bandage skirt for a night you won’t be that girl on the bar. It’s simple as that. 4. Good vibes and good company are key. We all travel in massive groups to our destination. There is bound to be drama either prior to your getaway or right smack in the middle. Be the bigger person; make amends with whomever it is that you’ve been daydreaming about punching in the face. Seriously, is it worth it? Probably not. Wouldn’t you rather everyone get along and not have to deal with somebody drunk crying to you at the end of the night? Yes, the answer is yes. Are you getting it yet? 5. Don’t forget to be safe people. We all get a little bit crazy when we realize we have total freedom for a week and zero responsibilities. Don’t wander off with that random guy that promised you single, hot frat boys in his hotel room. He’s probably lying, and it’s probably going to end badly. Stay in groups of at least two and don’t wander a foreign place by yourself. To wrap this up, let’s get one thing straight – spring break is a time to be worry free and live it up but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Just because you should follow these guidelines doesn’t mean you shouldn’t let your hair
2. HYDRATE. I know water isn’t your choice of liquid to pour down your
down and party like it’s 1985, because believe me the 80’s were definitely
throat this spring break, but keep in mind, if you don’t hydrate yourself then
where it was at. Soak up the sun and the alcohol for that matter, but make it
you are asking for a hangover from hell. Water is equally your best friend
a memorable break because if you’re a senior like me, there is no such thing
alongside your favorite flavored vodka. Alternate throughout the day, this
as spring break in the real world. Party on.
way you’re actually pacing yourself and you won’t end up on the bar or floor. 3. Choose your clothing attire wisely. You’ve seen (or been) that girl at the bar
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Special Occasions: Spring Break
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THE DESTINATION SB
Not leaving Florida for Spring Break? No problem! There’s plenty of awesome places here in our own sunshine
MELISSA PROCKO Zeta Tau Alpha
Melissa is a freshman studying anthropology. You may contact her at mprocko@knights.ucf.edu.
state where you can still have a great time. Here’s the top 5 Spring Break destinations in Florida. 5. Miami Beach- A trip down to Miami is always bound to be one to remember (or not...) With Miami’s constant busy nightlife and unforgettable beaches, it’s a top destination for college students on spring break trying to find a place to have a great time! 4. Margo Island- If you’re looking for less parties and more beaches, then Margo Island is the place for you. Beautiful beaches make up for the lack of
nightlife in this small 17.1 square mile city. But hey, if you go with a fun group of people, then the empty bars will be no problem! 3. The Florida Keys- Even though it’s a little bit more of a trip, The Florida Keys are well worth the drive. The long drive doesn’t even compare to the amazing nightlife and beautiful beaches that you get to experience. The beaches may close by 11 PM, but the bars are open all night long! 2. Daytona Beach- Being only 55 miles away from UCF makes Daytona Beach a great place to go for Spring Break! With its 16 miles of white sand beach that you can literally park your car on and get out, you’re bound to find a great place to lay out and soak up some sun! 1. Panama City Beach- The home of “Spring Weekend” makes Panama City Beach our number one Florida spring break destination. Not only is there a large music festival, but there’s 27 miles of beaches where you’re guaranteed to have a wild time!
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Humor tweets
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Full Court Press @PrinterME The “car horns” in the stands Blake Bortles @BBortles5 Dreamt about the combine since I make the broadcast of USA Hockey game unbearable to watch. was a kid! Fired up to compete in all aspects of it, especially My ears are bleeding. #Olympics2014 #USAHockey
throwing!
The New York Times @nytimes Derek Jeter Says End of 2014 UCF Health Services @UCFHealthCenter Condoms are very Season Is Right Time to Move On ESPN @espn Team USA advances. Team Canada advances. 2010 Vancouver rematch, here we come. UberFacts @UberFacts Facebook tracks (and records) all the sites you visit while you’re logged in.
effective at preventing STDs. We always have them for FREE for students! #ucf E! Online @eonline “Unfit for human food”—Hot Pockets containing meat from “diseased and unsound animals” have been recalled
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