February 20, 2014 | Volume 6, Issue 7 | Athens, GA
www.theodysseyonline.com | @ugaodyssey | Facebook.com/TheOdysseyUGA
PLACEHOLDER PAGE 3
THE TRUTH BEHIND A CANDLE PASSING CEREMONY page 3 PLACEHOLDER page 6 PLACEHOLDER page 10
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Editor's note
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VALENTINES DAY, FANTASTICALLY UNDERRATED missing article
DANIELLE WeINeR Phi Mu
editor-in-Chief
Danielle is a junior studying English and history. You may contact her at dweiner@uga.edu.
THE ODYSSEY AT UGA eXeCUTIVe TeaM
eXeCUTIVe TeaM
President Poulomi Purkayastha
Editor-In-Chief Danielle Weiner
Sales Executives Dilreet Kaur
Contributing Editor Giles Wasson
Rachel Hamil
Social Media Director Alex Iscaro
Sigma Sigma Rho
Delta Gamma Delta Gamma
Phi Mu
Alpha Tau Omega
Phi Mu
Photographers Dilreet Kaur Delta Gamma
Dana Heyman
Sigma Delta Tau
OLYMpIa MeDIa gROUp 888.272.2595 | OlympiaMediaGroup.com Brittany Binowski, Managing Editor | Grant Hohulin, Designer
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Greek life traditions
THe TRUTH BeHIND a CaNDLe paSSINg CeReMONY Oh the joys of the highly anticipated, or dreaded, day of February 14. That’s right, boyfriends and girlfriends, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Whether you have reservations made for sushi with your sorority sisters (what my friends and I did last year), or are anxious about what gift your boyfriend is getting you (my worries this year), this day is all about love for not only your significant other, but everyone else valued in your life as well. For those girls in a serious college relationship, one thing is constantly running through their minds: will they have a candle pass before graduation? But what exactly is a “candle pass”? Growing up the youngest cousin on my dad’s side of the family, I always enjoyed getting to know the boyfriends of my older cousins. My oldest cousin, Abby, who is ten years older than me, got engaged during her senior year of college. I vaguely remember my mom talking about the traditions Abby’s sorority at the University of Texas did for her, but when I came to UGA and started hearing about a “candle pass,” I was pretty confused what it was and how it was successfully organized. Before engagement and having a candle pass ceremony, one is typically “lavaliered” or pinned with her boyfriend’s fraternity letters. A lavalier is a set of gold or silver letters typically worn as a necklace. Frat stars give these to their girlfriends to take their relationship to the next level, placing them above their brothers and allowing the girls the privileges of their fraternities.
Maybe this happens at Georgia and I’ve just never seen a girl with her boyfriend’s letters around her neck, but doesn’t this seem a bit over the top and cliché?
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MALLORY MOSKOVITZ Sigma Delta Tau
So after being lavaliered, Mallory is a sophomore studying the next step is engagement, journalism. You may contact her leading to the candle pass at malmoss@uga.edu. ceremony. This tradition begins with the president announcing the great news of the ceremony. The girls of the sorority stand in a circle and sing their candle pass song, while passing around a lit candle. Depending on the sorority’s specific traditions, the candle usually goes around the circle four times for an engagement. The girl who has recently been engaged blows out the candle when it reaches her and reveals herself as the lucky, future bride. In May of 2011, my sorority, Sigma Delta Tau, had a candle pass for our house mom, Mara Damke. Senior, Skye Estroff, who was a freshman at the time, recalls that they got a surprise email in the middle of the day and it didn’t give a name but told them a time. The email stated, “For those of you that don’t know, this ceremony happens when someone in the sorority has gotten engaged.” Full of anticipation, the SDT girls met in the chapter room at 5:30 the next day with the lights off and sang the ritual song until Mara blew out the candle. Although learning about the candle passing ceremony does give me a little anxiety, it is a very neat tradition that I hope to be a part of one year, although hopefully not my own while I’m still in college. I know other sororities at UGA have gotten to take part in this exciting ritual, and I’m sure it is a very memorable experience.
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Scene on campus
THE MORE YOU KNOW: PHILANTHROPY missing article
GRACIE pReSTON Kappa Delta
Gracie is a senior studying prebusiness. You may contact her at gp28@uga.edu.
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Scene on campus
THe COST OF DRUNK DRIVINg missing article
ZAIN aBIDI Sigma Beta Rho
Zain is a junior studying international affairs. You may contact him at zabidi954@gmail.com.
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Humor lol
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THe peRFeCT VaLeNTINeS DaY DaTe missing article
CHRIS FReeMaN Sigma Pi
Chris is a junior studying MIS. You may contact him at chrsfreeman181@gmail.com.
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I lOVe me tHe mOst missing article
ELIZABETH SaYeRS
Delta Delta Delta Elizabeth is a freshman studying business. You may contact her at elizels@uga.edu.
Humor lol
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Campus Culture
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Humor lol
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YOU WILL SURVIVE (VALENTINE’S DAY)!
50% off all candy? Must be my lucky day. Well, it’s actually not lucky, I’m just without a significant other and have enough time on my Gamma Phi Beta hands this February 14th to Madeline is a sophomore scope out the discount candy studying public relations. You at my local CVS. But you may reach her at madelinew315@ gmail.com. know what, it’s actually okay with me. I don’t have to have the pressure of living up to someone else’s expectations or spending absurd amounts of time and energy finding that *perfect* Valentine’s Day outfit. Instead, I can go to the movies with my friends, eat disgusting amounts of food, and then top off my evening indulging in some…sparkling cider. Plus, I get to avoid all these awkward moments every single person on the planet has gone through the second week of February. But hey, let’s embrace it, own our singleness and bond over all those moments that’s happened to all of us.
How about that couple that you’re best friends with? 95% of the year, third-wheeling isn’t an issue. But them, being the nice people that they are, decide to take invite you on the Valentines Day plans. And you, being the naïve person that you are, decide to tag along. That Valentines Day special (split in half of course, only paying for one tonight!) is too sweet to give up. The first 15 minutes of the evening are running smoothly, but then things take a turn for the awkward. They start reminiscing about their first “I love you’s”, you’re looking around desperately for a way out, and meanwhile they start making out across the table. Check, please?
Drunk In Love playing over and over again while drafting an article about the single life. Okay, actually, this is just currently happening to me and I can’t help but include it in this article because, after all, haven’t we all been forced to listen to some sappy love song (or power ballad about Beyoncé’s undying love for Jay) at a time when we’re feeling well… alone? While it is rather unfortunate, we are young adults of the 21st century and have the capabilities to change the radio/IPod/Pandora to something a little more appropriate. Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson, anyone?
It’s only one day out of the entire year. YOU WILL SURVIVE. Just avoid Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…actually all forms of social media. And if you must get on one of those sites, shake things up and post a picture of you and your dog. Because really, whose relationship is really going to last through next February 14…your best friend and her boyfriend of 8 days? Or you and your lab of 4 wonderful years? Exactly. Happy Hearts Day to all.
MADELINE WeeKMaN
Maybe you’re technically single, but you’ve entered into that wonderful and amazing grey area of “talking” to someone. You spend a lot of time with each other, are pretty much always texting. You’re in each other’s top Snapchat friends for heaven’s sake. But… you haven’t exactly defined the relationship. So what do you do? Bring up this potentially deal-breaking topic? Ignore it and pretend it’s just another day? Just don’t. Nothing’s more awkward then attempting to have a relationship talk with someone you may or may not want to get serious with on Valentine’s Day. Try February 15 to have this discussion… Or not.
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special occasions: Valentine’s Day
THE LEGEND OF ST. VALENTINE missing article
TATE COOKSeY Sigma Chi
Tate is a sophomore studying f i n a n c e & p s y c h o l o g y. You may contact her at tcooksey@uga.edu.
12 CeLeBRaTINg SINgLeS aWaReNeSS DaY Special occasions: Valentine’s Day
Once every 365 days, the spirit of romance overpowers every street
MACKENZIE RaNDOLpH
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too fast. As we parted ways, he thanked me for taking the time to talk with him. I thought that it was strange, him thanking me. But then I realized he was thanking me for showing concern for him and sympathizing with his situation. It is seemingly
corner, every overpriced
Sigma Chi
minute acts such as these that can transform someone’s entire day for the better. That
italian restaurant, and
Mackenzie is a freshmanstudying f i n a n c e & p s y c h o l o g y. You may contact her at mjr924@uga.edu.
is why volunteering anywhere and showing love for your fellow man is the ultimate
every grocery store with their red and pink balloons and heart-shaped caramel
chocolates. Hallmark stocks half their shelves with cards of monumental professions of love wrapped in lacy pink envelops, while roses are handed out like they are flyers at Tate. Not to mention, PDA is actually witnessed with delight during these grand 24 hours. However, for those of us who are lacking in the boyfriend/girlfriend department, Valentines Day is a day to be weary of. It is a day that may even cause you to envy the couple crossing the street holding hands, gazing at each other like they are Romeo and Juliet - their love the key to unlocking all happiness. However noble the grandeur of love might be, it doesn’t change the harsh realization that you are one hundred and ten percent single. Although at the moment you may not have a “special someone” to share this day of incessant romance with, it doesn’t have to become a day of sulking around the house and watching The Notebook for the twenty-second time in a row. Valentines Day is meant to be a celebration of love, and love comes in many unique forms. Love for your family, your friends, and even your pets will hopefully always be a constant in your life. Focus your attention on them this Valentines Day instead of wallowing in self pity over your nonexistent significant other. Write a family member a thoughtful note reemphasizing how much you love them, or buy your best friend a slice of freshlybaked pizza from Mellow Mushroom. If you know your way around a kitchen at all, you could even bake a heart-shaped cake or make chocolate-chip valentines cookies to share with those you love. Another fulfilling endeavor you could take part in involves the act of sharing your love with complete strangers. Volunteer your time and show compassion towards the men and women at a soup kitchen or go visit children in the hospital. These people are probably more desperate for love than you are, and when you make the effort to help them you will feel the gratifying sense of enrichment that is the side-effect of helping others. I once volunteered at a soup kitchen in downtown Atlanta and spent most of the morning talking to a man dressed in tattered jeans a couple sizes too small and multicolored shirts hastily layered for warmth. His face was bright red from the cold, but he came into the chaotic soup kitchen with a smile on his lips. We made polite small talk at first, but then he went on to talk about his two kids in Chicago that he desperately wished he could visit more because they were growing up way
way to spend part of your Valentines Day. Once you are finished making the community a more enjoyable place and baking cookies, find some of your single friends and go make the night one you will tell on repeat to all those unfortunate enough to be spending their time dating. After all, as an independent woman/man, you have the ability to do whatever it is you want without the threat of a significant other holding you back.
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500 words on music
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SUpeR BOWL XLVIII: BeaTINg a DeaD HORSe missing article
MADELINE WeeKMaN Gamma Phi Beta
Madeline is a sophomore studying public relations. You may reach her at madelinew315@ gmail.com.
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500 words on music
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BURNING FOR YOU: MY 10 BEST LOVE SONGS missing article
GILES WaSSON Alpha Tau Omega
Giles is a senior studying accounting. You may contact him at gtwasson@gmail.com.
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