VOL. 85 ISSUE 1
FALL 2013
#GSUPROBLEMS Get Behind the Mask
Student’s Vertebrae
SHATTERED But That Isn’t Stopping Him
SOBER UP WHY SOME STUDENTS CHOOSE NOT TO DRINK
PEDESTRIUM FASHION
YOUR STYLE, YOUR BUDGET
DOES YOUR MAJOR HAVE THE HIGHEST GPA ON CAMPUS?
FBS FOUNDATIONS THESE THREE FRESHMEN FOOTBALL PLAYERS HOPE TO CREATE A LEGACY
The Reflector is published twice a year by Georgia Southern University students. The office is located at room 2013 in the Williams Center.
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Arielle Coambes Jennifer Curington Laurianna Cull Anna Wells Taylor Cooper Lauren Gorla Robert Huitt Will Peebles Jessie Reese Dustin Tilligkeit Jose Gil Matt Veal Brandon Coe Brittni Favorite Sarah Horne Kate Rakoczy Kelly Slyfield Alexandra Tobia Jessica Stanfield Drew Heimlich Christal Riley Brandon Warnock Amanda White Heather Yeomans
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The Reflector is copyrighted 2011 by Reflector Magazine and Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga. It is printed by South Georgia Graphics, Claxton, Ga. The Reflector is operated by GSU students who are members of Student Media, a Georgia Southern student-led organization operating through the Dean of Student Affairs Office and the Division of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management. The magazine is produced twice a year by GSU students for the Georgia Southern University community. Opinions expressed herein are those of the student writers and editors and DO NOT reflect those of the faculty, staff, administration of GSU, Student Media Advisory Board nor the University System of Georgia. Partial funding for this publication is provided by the GSU Activities Budget Committee. Advertisements fund the remaining costs. Advertising inquiries may be sent to Office of Student Media, PO Box 8001, or by calling the Business Office at 912-478-5418. Inquiries concerning content should be sent to Magazine EIC Arielle Coambes at 912-478-0565 or by emailing magseditor@georgiasouthern.edu. All students are allowed to have one free copy of this publication. Additional copies cost $1 each and are available at the Office of Student Media in the Williams Center. Unauthorized removal of additional copies from a distribution site will constitute theft under Georgia law, a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine and/or jail time.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
JENNIFER CURINGTON Reflector Editor Dear Reader, As a journalist I’ve always been taught to focus on what is new, what is now. However, putting together this edition of the Reflector magazine made me, well, reflect. I looked back on the history of this magazine at Georgia Southern University and at mine. Then, I decided where I wanted both those paths to lead. The Reflector, formerly Southern Reflector, used to be a strong and intriguing part of the GSU community. I don’t think that is still true mainly because there is a large part
of the student population that doesn’t even know the magazine division of Student Media exists. To honor the organization’s motto – Student Led, Student Read – I wanted to change that. I wanted students to put together a magazine that would serve and interest students. After all, if no one ever reads the article you slaved for, then what’s the point? What have you actually accomplished? That’s why every editor, contributor, designer, photographer, model and stylist for this edition is a student. It’s also why there are a wide variety of topics and viewpoints throughout the magazine. I wanted stories that would answer questions, such as why our student inboxes seem to always be filling with warnings about thefts at the RAC or why GSUProblems is the most popular, faceless person on campus. I also wanted stories that would inspire, like that of Sean Goral who is determined to graduate college and help others after a car accident shattered his vertebrae and shook his dreams. Once I knew where I wanted to take the Reflector, I had
to decide where the magazine would take me. Since 2011, I have been sitting behind an editor’s desk across the hall at The George-Anne letting the constant deadlines, meetings and criticism consume me. I loved and hated it. But as I reflected on those nights making the paper, celebrating a great headline, getting queasy over a mistake that wasn’t caught before it hit the stand, I realized that’s what I live for. Working on articles with other passionate journalists to show our readers both the joyful and the unethical is what keeps me going, what makes me who I am. As our school moves up to FBS, I hope the Reflector moves up in the eyes of campus. As I move on through the rest of my senior year, I hope I and the rest of this organization that I consider my dysfunctional family continue to bring you news you can’t put down. Reflectively,
Special thanks to… Photoshoot Sponsors
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(30 Volume Salon of Statesboro)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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6
28 24 4
30 HOLLYWOOD LIGHTS UP GEORGIA
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The Peach State has seen its share of glitz and glam in recent years through visits from big-screen and small-screen productions. Now, a new studio is set to break ground near the ‘Boro.
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FROM WAVES TO WHEELCHAIR
With anonymity nearly as well protected as Bruce Wayne’s, the #GSUProblems admin knows how to keep a secret. But what is it like on the other end of the keyboard?
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GRAD STATS Ever wondered about the stats behind graduation at GSU? How long does it take GSU’s students to graduate, anyway?
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MAKE THE PEDESTRIUM YOUR RUNWAY
BEGINNINGS OF A DYNASTY Three freshmen football players discuss what the move to FBS means to them and their legacy at GSU.
SOBER SIDE OF THE BOTTLE Two students tell their story from the fringe of typical college student culture – the story of sobriety.
YOU’RE LIFTING WEIGHTS. WHO’S LIFTING YOUR STUFF? RAC thefts have spurred email after email from the Dean of Students’ office. Here’s why they’re so concerned and how you can prevent yourself from being the next victim.
Student fashion can be a tough niche to define, but local boutiques and shops provide students with enough options to get their retail fix right in town.
A surfer and GSU student must now ride an unplanned wave after a car crash left him without the full use of his arms and legs.
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BEHIND THE MASK OF #GSUPROBLEMS
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SWEEPING TOGETHER ‘CLEAN HOUSE’ One month to prep for the show. One week to perform. One way to form a fast and lasting friendship.
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Hollywood lights up Georgia By Dustin Tilligkeit
NEW STUDIO TO OPEN IN EFFINGHAM, CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY
M
edient Studios is building its new studio complex in a rural Georgia community outside of Savannah. Medient, a film company operated by Manu Kumaran, chose Georgia as the destination for its new studio because of the tax program Georgia has adopted. The program allows film companies to work in Georgia for much less money than California, New York or other Hollywood-type destinations. For a company as small as Medient, these benefits make the ambitious studio very possible. “A lot of factors came into play. We looked all over the world. Georgia’s incentives, tourism and the Effingham Industrial Development Authority were all influential in the decision-making process,” Ashley Borders, Medient’s vice president of communications, said. The land is ideal for Medient’s purposes, according to a press release from Medient. The company values the land because the location is very accessible, the topography is fairly level and the price of the land is very cost effective. Medient was also looking for an area that would be near an international airport, as the studio will likely bring many employees from outside the country.
“We’re really excited about tourism. A large part of the complex will be open to the public, and we have plans to build an amphitheater, movie theaters, and a botanical garden all for the public to enjoy,” Borders said. A studio of this size will require many new jobs for the surrounding community. “By the end of development, we plan to have created around 400 jobs locally. That will be a mixture of skilled workers like food service and movie people,” Borders said. Medient is also looking forward to working with the students of Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia Southern University and other surrounding colleges and universities in the area. “We anticipate pulling a lot of local talent to the studio and that’s very important to us. We’re very excited to engage the local community and colleges and universities in the area,” Borders said. The studio will not only house areas for film development, but studios for game design and music production as well. Borders said, “To be able to do what we love and to be able to have such a positive impact on the community at the same time, to offer such economic growth, is thrilling.”
development, “ Bywetheplanendtoofhave created around 400 jobs locally. “
Ashley Borders, VP of Communications for Medient Film Company
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HOW TO BECOME AN EXTRA Due to the great deal of filming taking place in Georgia, there is high demand for extras. Most of the extras casting takes in the metro-Atlanta area. There are several casting websites for potential extras to take advantage of. Squidoo has a helpful website titled “How to Become a Movie Extra in Atlanta.” This site lists what movie and television productions are currently filming in Georgia and what productions will be filming soon in Georgia. It also lists which actors are cast in the production as well as which extras casting company has claimed the production. These extra casting com-
panies listed on the Squidoo site can be found on Facebook. The companies list postings for potential extras on their Facebook page, and potential extras respond to the postings accordingly. A few casting companies based in the Atlanta area are Extras Casting Atlanta, CL Casting, Tammy Smith Casting, Bill Marinella Casting, and Cherrix Casting. Being an extra is an opportunity for people aspiring to work in the film industry to get hands-on experience with working on a movie production. It also gives these people a chance to network with employees on set working in their field of interest.
The filming studio’s grounds will include this outdoor amphitheater, which will be called “The Leaf.”
Atlanta
Statesboro
16 Effingham, Ga
FILMING UNDERWAY OR NEAR COMPLETION Films
Anchorman: The Legend Continues Catching Fire Solace X-Men: Days of Future Past My Kind of Love Carver The Chase The Good Lie Spongebob Squarepants Movie Part 2 Let’s Be Cops
Series
Necessary Roughness Vampire Diaries Drop Dead Diva Revolution Fast and Furious 7 Dumb and Dumber To Mockingjay Part 1 Mockingjay Part 2 The Walking Dead Season 4 Need for Speed Devious Maids
This rendering features the plan for Medient Studio’s complete site.
GEORGIA FILM TAX CREDIT PAYING OFF While Georgia has had a history with film since 1939’s Gone With the Wind, state legislators have moved the state’s film industry toward the national spotlight by signing into law the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act which grants companies a tax credit based off the amount of money the production invests in the local economy. This has opened the doors for a lot of film companies to come to Georgia and film in a variety of locations and environments for a lot less money
than they would have to cough up in California. According to data taken from Georgia’s Department of Economic Development, 333 productions were shot in-state last year and added to the state’s overall $7 billion in economic benefits since 1972. By offering this cost-effective alternative, Georgia attracts not only film companies seeking to make a movie or television show on the cheap, but also brings more and more tourism and business to the state.
RECENTLY COMPLETED FILMS SHOT IN GEORGIA American Reunion The Blind Side The Change-Up Contagion Fast Five Flight The Internship Need For Speed The Odd Life of Timothy Green The Watch Water for Elephants X-Men: First Class Zombieland 42
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FROM WAVES TO WHEELCHAIR
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“
The last thing I remember is going off the road and we hit a tree. I was looking down at my legs and I couldn’t move my legs.
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alking the pedestrium, hugging friends, raising a hand in class, making a meal. Students across campus at Georgia Southern University do these things every day without thinking twice. But, in the case of one student, he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to do any of these activities again. At only 22 years old, Sean has lost all movement in his arms and legs because of a car accident involving alcohol. However, Sean wasn’t even the driver. He was just a passenger. On the night on June 15, 2013 senior biology major Sean Goral was looking for a ride
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home after a night of drinking. Drunk himself, he knew that he had to get home somehow, so he hitched a ride. Little did Goral know, his life would take quite a different turn then he could have ever planned. The driver had been drinking that night with Goral and other friends in bars around Statesboro. Once they were in the car, Goral began to notice that the driver was swerving. “The last thing I remember is going off the road and we hit a tree. I was looking down at my legs and I couldn’t move my legs,” Goral said. Once the police and ambu-
lances arrived on scene, Goral was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Savannah and stayed for two days. After that, he went to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta for surgery and onto the Shepherd Center, located next door. During the accident, his C-5 vertebra was shattered and his spinal cord was also injured. “I was in the Intensive Care Unit for three weeks. They had me on a ventilator because I couldn’t breathe on my own,” Goral said. 58 days after the accident, Goral is in midtown Atlanta waiting to be readmitted to
BY LAUREN GORLA
the Shepherd Center on Oct. 7 for intensive therapy to treat his injuries that caused him to become quadriplegic. He is there now working on physical therapy and as time goes on, the therapy will become more intense. Although Goral has some mobility in his arms and fingers, he is still considered to be quadriplegic because he has only limited mobility. Until he has no issues moving all parts of his arms, he will be classified as a quadriplegic. “Ninety-nine percent of my support comes from my mom and stepdad. I wake up and my
“
“
I wake up and my mom has to help me get ready, like give me a bath in bed and dress me, and then she uses a Hoyer net to get me places. I also have a power and manual chair I use to help me get around.
A Hoyer net is most commonly used for patients with limited or no mobility. The net is designed to make moving the patient between areas, like from a bed to a wheelchair or bathroom, easier for the caregiver.
mom has to help me get ready, like give me a bath in bed and dress me, and then she uses a Hoyer net to get me places. I also have a power and manual chair I use to help me get around,” Goral said. “I can’t do much but as I get better I’ll be able to do more.” He hopes that his time at the Shepherd Center will help him gain back more movement. “The doctors generally say between six months to two years to know what you’ll get back,” Goral said. Compared to after surgery, I could barely move my arms. I’ve gotten some movement back but the nerves (in my arms and legs) don’t reach my brain because of the spinal cord injury.” Goral recently had the chance to swim a few laps in the Shepherd Center pool. “I was able to do a backstroke. They have this thing
that attaches around my neck and around my waist that helps me move through the water. It was awesome because I love the water so much and I just felt weightless,” Goral said. While growing up and at school, Goral was an avid surfer, often taking trips to Tybee Island and abroad, like Costa Rica. He first learned to surf at age 11 while on a vacation in Malibu but moved to Georgia at age 12 and wasn’t able to keep up surfing in Atlanta. However, a vacation home in Canada offered a way back into the waves. “When I was twelve my mom bought a house on Vancouver Island which is in British Columbia, Canada on like the West Coast which is kind of cold. I got some more into surfing there because we had the house on the beach and
we spent summers there and I surfed. It’s really cold water but really beautiful, really isolated,” Goral said. One of the many reasons Goral chose GSU was because of its close proximity to Tybee Island and Florida, which allowed him to keep surfing. Before the accident, Goral had plans to move west to reunite with his parents, who have come back to Georgia to take care of Sean, and pursue a graduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was considering a career in shoreline ecology. “I wanted to work somewhere on beaches and just help protect beaches, doing something I love. What’s better than going to the beach every day?” Goral said. As a student, Goral is described as intelligent and hardworking.
“It’s clear that he’s intelligent. It’s clear that he has goals, but he was still exploring what areas of biology would suit him best. He’s already talking about grad school but it was clear he also had a life outside of school,” biology professor Dr. Michelle Cawthorn said. Cawthorn is Goral’s academic adviser and she has not spoken to Goral since his accident, but has been in communication with his father about how he can finish his studies and hopefully still graduate in May of 2014. The best option for Goral is to do an independent study with a faculty member working on a project in the field of biology. However, Goral’s primary focus is on starting his therapy and gaining back as much movement as possible. “If you asked me before the accident what kind of person would come out of that
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successfully, it would have been Sean,” Cawthorn said. Cawthorn and Goral met multiple times during the year, not only around advisement times but in separate meetings as well to discuss plans after graduation and graduate studies. As well as being a great student, Cawthorn could tell that Goral was a great person outside the classroom. “He’s very easygoing and he’s got an upbeat, positive personality and a positive outlook on life. He takes responsibility for what he needs to do. He doesn’t try to blame other people for his problems,” Cawthorn said. “He wasn’t trying to fit some fraternity mold or anything like that. He was fine being his own person.” Now, Goral has to shift his educational focus from being admitted into grad school to graduating with a bachelor’s degree and seeing where life takes him. But being stuck in
his bed has had him thinking about using his injury to benefit others, while still incorporating his love of surfing. “I was thinking about still going to California, but buying some property along the beach and setting up a few little cottages and then open up a surf camp for other handicapped surfers. It’s kind of copied off of this surf camp in Costa Rica, so I thought maybe if there was one in California it would be a little more accessible,” Goral said. Part of creating a camp for disabled surfers would be about putting himself out there and proving to himself that he is capable of something greater than himself. “I don’t know what my future is at this point, that’s why I wanted to try to do something to help people with what I have,” Goral said. At this point in his physical therapy journey, Goral’s goal is to be able to get in and out
SPINAL INJURIES
C5 Quadriplegia
Paraplegia
No matter what’s wrong, let us take care of you.
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of bed on his own, but hopes to gain more movement to do more for himself. “I’d like to be able to do as much independently as I can, whether living on my own or just bathing. It’s really tough because, as a quadriplegic, I don’t have much function at this moment. So it’s scary,” Goral said. In the coming weeks, Goral will move into an apartment attached to the Shepherd Center with his mother and start intense therapy for four to eight weeks. Therapy will include using the gyms at the center as well as exercising in the pool. Looking back at his accident in June and towards the hope of recovery, Goral said it’s important to take each day for what it is and appreciate every moment. “Don’t take things for granted,” Goral said. “Y’know, simple stuff like, ‘My cappuccino’s cold.’ Bullshit like that doesn’t really matter. Enjoy everything. Don’t take things for granted.”
Goral’s C5 vertebrae was shattered in the car accident. If his injury had occurred just a few vertebrae farther down his spine, he would still have full use of his arms and hands.
*Certain restrictions apply. See leasing office for details.
AvenueAtSouthern.com 7 10 Geor gia Av e Statesbor o, GA 30458 912.871.6 501
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Psycholog
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gy
Topscorers graduationtimelines 0% Does your timeline impact your chances of graduating at the Top of your
1% 1%
Class?
1%
25%
22% 27%
Students who graduated with latin honors completed in...
72%
76%
50%
100%
76%
75%
Nursing
history
accounting
BIOLOGY
english & middle grade education
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BEHIND THE MASK OF #GSUPROBLEMS “ H O W L A M E W O U L D G OT H A M B E I F S O M E O N E O U T E D B R U C E W AY N E ? ” BY J E S S I E R EE S E
T
he GSUProblems administrator could be that guy you met at the frat party last year. It could be the girl who sat next to you in your English class, or the friend you sometimes saw at the bars who graduated last semester. It could even be your roommate from freshman year. The admin keeps his or her identity a secret as he or she retweets your latest complaints about registration and posts that picture of the thong outside of Rude Rudy’s.
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GSUProblems is an anonymous social media account that uses Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to allow students to send in photos and comments about Georgia Southern University. The account was started on July 7, 2011 when its anonymous administrator was bored during the more relaxed summer term at GSU. The administrator decided to continue it because of the amount of feedback it began to receive. “The tipping point on Facebook may have been when I
posted a picture of a thong on the sidewalk in front of Landrum,” GSUProblems administrator said. “I posted it with the caption, ‘If you lost your underwear, you can find them on the sidewalk in front of Landrum,’ or something and instead of the usual 20 to 30 likes I was getting per post, I logged back on and saw 500+. I was like, ‘Holy shit. Here we go.’” The GSUProblems administrator takes its anonymity very seriously. “I remember it was only a couple weeks
interested in it. They keep up with it. Sometimes more than their Georgia Southern email, so it is definitely effective,” Jackson said.
“
I worry about the message. I am not always proud of the content. It’s freedom of speech. They have the right to say what they want. But, the other part that I’m uncomfortable with is that you can say what you want and you can use that voice anonymously.
”
“So, you don’t have to take
responsibility for what you say or what you post or what you share. I’m sure that there is a group of people who know exactly who the sources are, but for the wider public, the sources are unknown,” Jackson added. The university’s administrators have not used GSUProblems in the past to reprimand students and have not used it to alert students to something happening on campus but they may, Jackson said. “I’m not sure that we would make decisions just solely based on something that we see on GSUProblems, but it may prompt us to start to look into certain issues,” she said. Jackson thinks that many of the posts on GSUProblems
do not help the university’s image, and that if people want information, they should go to an official university source. “I would hope that prospective students, parents, alumnae, folks who want information about Georgia Southern would go to a Georgia Southern source to get that information. I hope that the sole responsibility of supporting Georgia Southern doesn’t fall on these groups,” she said. However, not all of the posts on GSUProblems reflect negatively on GSU, Jackson said. “During the rain, and when it was flooding, I saw pictures of students canoeing and I thought that was kind of funny. That was entertaining, but then there are other pictures on there that concern me and are not funny at all,” she said. The GSUProblems administrator believes that most of the official GSU administration doesn’t like what is posted on the account. “I don’t think they approve, but I bet they still follow it. Whether they like the content or not, it’s what’s happening on and around campus,” GSUProblems administrator said. GSUProblems has been legally threatened in the past after posting some pictures, but those allegations have stayed threats and none have been followed through. “I know my rights and the difference between libel and slander. I can
tell pretty quickly which threats are empty,” the administrator said. GSUProblems is looking into developing a website in the future to combat Facebook’s policies when it comes to taking content down. According to Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, they can remove any content or information you post if they believe that it violates their policies. When the website is launched, GSUProblems will continue to keep up to date with their social network accounts, but will be able to add so much more with the freedom of their own website. “My reasons [to create a site] are censorship and demand. Censorship, because Facebook doesn’t let me show y’all everything. Demand, because y’all have asked to see everything. It will also feature the online store y’all have been asking for,” the admin said. The administrator refused to specify how many people run the various GSUProblems social media sites. If the account is ever passed on, there is a certain kind of person that the current administrator would look for. “A GSUProblems admin is ruthless and funny, but they are not glory-seeking,” the admin said. “Batman walks into a bar as Bruce Wayne but he won’t, nor does he need to say, ‘Hey, I’m Batman’ to get laid. The point is, we don’t need to say it. That’s a GSUProblems admin.”
‘‘
after I started it when I was at the pool with my roommate. My roommate was all pumped about Twitter, ‘GSUProblems just retweeted me.’ It was funny because it was me,” the administrator said. “But, I can’t reveal who I am, and I take that seriously. Not just because I don’t want the hate mail or the harassment. All of that I can handle,” the administrator said. “Not that I’m comparing myself to Batman, but how lame would Gotham be if someone outed Bruce Wayne?” The number of people who know the GSUProblems administrator’s true identity is very small. “I guess Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg, maybe God and a small circle of people I trust. If I give it away, it’s on purpose and for good reason,” the administrator said. Students have a lovehate relationship with GSUProblems. “Students have categorized ‘making it onto GSUProblems’ into a positive and negative. Positive: a repost or photo credit, a retweet or re-captioning a photo sent in,” the administrator said. “And a negative: being the GSUProblem, having a picture of them posted or an update is about them.” Dean of Students Patrice Jackson agreed GSUProblems has varying effects. “Students seem to follow it, they’re
“WHETHER THEY LIKE THE C O N T E N T O R N OT , I T ’ S W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G O N AND AROUND CAMPUS.”
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A N O N Y M O U S
T W I T T E R
A C C O U N T S
QUESTION & ANSWER @ E R K S T AT U E
@FREEDOMEAGLEGSU
WH E N D ID Y O U ST A R T T H E ACC OUN T?
@NOTBROOKSKEEL
WHAT DO YOU THINK I S T H E D I F F ER E N C E B E T W EE N Y O U A ND G S U P R O B L EM S ?
ERK STATUE @ErkStatue was created at the 2012 Blue and White game. FREEDOM THE EAGLE I started the account about a year and a half ago. NOT BROOKS KEEL February 2012. ONLY AT SOUTHERN I started the account on Dec. 28 over Christmas break last year.
ONLY AT SOUTHERN GSUProblems and I are very similar but I post things that I think students are thinking or saying around campus, as kind of a way to get people talking, whereas GSUProblems focuses a lot on the pictures it posts.
WH Y D ID YO U ST A R T T H E ACC OUN T?
DO YOU THINK YOUR AC C O U N T A DDS A N Y T H I N G T O GS U?
ERK STATUE After seeing GSU Problems, Not Brooks Keel, Club Henderson, Freedom the Eagle, Gus the Eagle and even Lakeside Ducks, there was something missing from the anons and it is literally right in front of us every home game. People take pictures with the statue and celebrate the late and great Erk Russell, so it had to be made. Oh, we forgot to mention, “for shiggles.” FREEDOM THE EAGLE Well, I saw the Not Brooks Keel, Erk Statue and Gus the Eagle accounts and I noticed there wasn’t one for Freedom. I thought, “Hey, maybe someone would think it’s funny and cool that a bird and mascot for GSU is tweeting at students.” NOT BROOKS KEEL It all started out as a joke and I had no intentions of keeping it going as long as I did. It was all inspired by some guy on campus that was wearing an App. State shirt. I thought to myself, “What would Brooks Keel say about that?” He would tell that guy to get the hell off his campus and that’s how it started. ONLY AT SOUTHERN Originally I started the account because I was bored at home and missing Statesboro.
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ERK STATUE Everybody needs a laugh here or there. GSU can be rough and if it might help people get through the day then we think that is a positive impact. Erk has helped promote a couple of small organizations on campus as well as the “Say Yes to the FBS” and stadium expansion campaign. FREEDOM THE EAGLE I think it does a little. People will ask me to tweet something for them to help spread the word on various things. Different clubs on campus will ask me to retweet something of theirs or a sorority will ask me to tweet something about them, etc. NOT BROOKS KEEL Georgia Southern is a great university by itself. I don’t really think my twitter account added much to it. If anything, it was a way for students to find out the name of our president and maybe a way to pass the time in class. ONLY AT SOUTHERN No.
@ONLYATSOUTHERN
H OW D O Y O U T H I N K S T U DE N T S F EEL AB O UT Y O U R AC C O U N T ? ERK STATUE Erk has its critics, but mostly it has been a positive response. He tries to make students, fans and even faculty laugh about how life is when you’re at Georgia Southern. FREEDOM THE EAGLE From the feedback I’ve received people seem to like the account. It’s hard finding and keeping the “personality” of Freedom so I have to keep reminding myself that this is Freedom and not me. NOT BROOKS KEEL The account grew really fast so I guess people liked it. I only wanted to make people laugh. ONLY AT SOUTHERN I think students like my account.
W H AT D O Y O U T H I N K Y OU R AC C O UN T A N D OT H ER A N O N Y M O U S AC C O UN T S M AK E O U T S I DER S T H I N K AB O UT G EO R G I A S O UT HE R N ? ERK STATUE We don’t think Erk has a negative impact on GSU, except a few App. State fans hate him after a few drawings were tweeted last year. FREEDOM THE EAGLE Hopefully they think that it’s a funny and unique way to promote GSU. If outsiders see the accounts then it helps people notice Georgia Southern. NOT BROOKS KEEL I love Georgia Southern and love being an Eagle. I never wanted to hurt GSU’s image or make someone not want to go to GSU. ONLY AT SOUTHERN That Georgia Southern is fun, but I can also see how people would take it the wrong way and think that the school is trashy.
HOW DO YOU THINK GSU’S ADMINISTRATION FEELS ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT?
NOT BROOKS KEEL I told Brooks Keel who I was when I walked across the stage at graduation and he still gave my diploma, so I’m assuming he likes it. He also used one of my tweets during commencement, which was pretty cool. The only thing I regret is not having more interactions with the real Brooks Keel. I think we could’ve come up with some funny stuff. ONLY AT SOUTHERN I’m sure they don’t like it but I don’t really know. FREEDOM THE EAGLE I haven’t really thought about that. I didn’t expect them to see it but I’m hoping they don’t mind and they think it’s a cool way to promote GSU. ERK RUSSELL STATUE Erk has never been asked to stop. Nor would it stop.
H AVE YO U E V E R B E E N A SKE D TO TAK E SO M E T H I NG O FF O F YOUR ACC O U NT ?
NOT BROOKS KEEL Yeah, I made a joke about something and I believe the GSU Athletics asked me to take something down out of respect. So I did. My intentions were to make people laugh and I never wanted to make President Keel look bad or make him upset with a tweet. If he would have come out and said something about the account being something he didn’t approve of, I would have stopped tweeting. ONLY AT SOUTHERN Yeah. I used to use the GSU logo as my profile picture and was asked to take it down. I also get asked to take pictures down all the time, but I don’t normally do that for people. I have only taken something down once because the student worked on campus and didn’t want the picture to affect his job.
H AVE YOU E V E R B E E N TH REATE NE D LE G A LLY F OR SOME T H I NG O N Y O U R ACC OUN T ?
NOT BROOKS KEEL No. ONLY AT SOUTHERN Yeah. I had a picture posted of someone and they threatened to sue me for it, but I never heard from them again and the picture is still up.
H AVE Y O U E VER B EE N AS K ED T O T AK E Y O UR AC C O U N T D OW N ? ERK RUSSELL STATUE No, actually Erk was asked to open another one for former Coach CY, after an account surfaced that was disrespectful to CY and Georgia Southern, but we all know how that ended. FREEDOM THE EAGLE I have not. Trying to keep it that way too. I try not to make anyone mad or offend anyone with my tweets. NOT BROOKS KEEL I’m not really sure. A couple days after I started the account I received a direct message from the University’s twitter account telling me to stop because I was using copyrighted stuff on my page. I didn’t exactly know what they were talking about, so I didn’t really do anything. I figured they were just trying to scare me off or something.
A R E Y O U T H E O N LY O N E W H O OW N S T H E AC C O U N T ?
ERK STATUE It’s a group effort. Not everybody has access to the account, but there are a group of us who find stuff to tweet about. FREEDOM THE EAGLE Yes. Except when a friend steals my phone and tweets something random. NOT BROOKS KEEL I was. ONLY AT SOUTHERN Yep.
D O E S A N Y B O DY K N OW Y O U R T R UE I DE N T I T Y ?
ERK STATUE A few people know, but if they tell then it kind of ruins the joke and we would know who did it. If everybody knew who created the account then it would ruin the humor. FREEDOM THE EAGLE Yes, most of my friends know who I am. I try to keep it as secret as possible but I know the word gets out. NOT BROOKS KEEL A few people. ONLY AT SOUTHERN Yeah, two people do.
H AVE Y O U E VER AC C I DE N T LY G I VE N AW AY W H O R U N S T HE AC C O U N T ? H OW ?
ERK STATUE Yes, mostly just from talking too loud or not knowing our surroundings. FREEDOM THE EAGLE Yes. I’ve told people who I was. I’d be like, “Hey, wanna know something cool? You know Freedom the Eagle? Yeah, that’s me.” They would say “Prove it!” So I would tweet at them and they will think it’s the coolest thing. NOT BROOKS KEEL Never. I was very careful. ONLY AT SOUTHERN All the time. I have a really bad problem when I am doing things from my phone to remember to switch between which Twitter account I am using, but I always check a bunch of times. Also checking my phone on campus I have to be really careful. Since I have the Twitter account connected to my phone I have Twitter things popping up all the time so I have to make sure my phone is always hidden.
W I L L Y O U P AS S T H E AC C O U N T O N AF T ER GR A DU AT I O N ?
ERK STATUE I can’t answer that. FREEDOM THE EAGLE Yes, definitely. I’m trying to think of some ideas. Maybe I’ll let people pretend to be Freedom and ask them to tweet something Freedom would say and whoever gets the most re-tweets will get the account. But I’m thinking I’ll just pass it down to a friend. NOT BROOKS KEEL Yes, I already have. I had my time in college and I wanted to move on. I also wanted “The Prez” to stay relevant with stuff happening on campus. ONLY AT SOUTHERN I don’t know. It’ll probably just be one of my friends.
All interviews with anonymous social media accounts were conducted via email.
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OPENIN
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MA TH PE YO
NG PAGE
AKE HE EDESTRIUM OUR RUNWAY
Savannah shopping may be a drive down the highway from Statesboro, but boutiques continue to crop up around Statesboro that offer students great dress-to-impress choices.
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Burnt orange dress, The Feathered Nest $28.99 Makeup by Casey Alexander with 30 Volume Salon Silver bangle, DeJa’Vu $4.99
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Trunk, The Feathered Nest $89 Black and white checkered tie, DeJa’Vu $6.99 J Crew white tank, DeJa’Vu, $7.99 Brown vest, DeJa’Vu, $12.99 Jeans, DeJa’Vu $15.99 Brown boots, DeJa’Vu $15.99 Silver bangle, DeJa’Vu $4.99 Makeup by Casey Alexander with 30 Volume Salon
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Coral cardigan, The Feathered Nest $24 Teal and pearl necklace, The Feathered Nest $24.99 Michael Kors purse, DeJa’Vu $49.99 Makeup by Mia Johnson with DIMES Checkered shirt, DeJa’Vu $12.99
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Wooden trunk, The Feathered Nest $89 Fur vest, DeJa’Vu $12.99 Checkered shirt, DeJa’Vu $12.99 Michael Kors purse, DeJa’Vu $49
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GSU LOVE cup, The Feathered Nest $14.99 Blue desk, The Feathered Nest $149 Coral cardigan, The Feathered Nest $24 Green pattern dress, DeJa’Vu $12.99 Cowgirl boots, DeJa’Vu $65 J Crew plaid button up, DeJa’Vu $9.99
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White dress, DeJa’Vu $15.99 Yellow and blue button up, DeJa’Vu $14.99 Michael Kors purse, DeJa’Vu $69
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BEGINNINGS OF A DYNASTY
BY ROBER T HUI TT Three freshmen came to Georgia Southern University to help make the move up to FBS and hopefully put a seventh flag on the pole.
RUNNING BACK |
#36 MATTHEW BREIDA I don’t have too many individual goals for the season. As a freshman, I just want to help the seniors as I can because they can’t play for championships this year. I want to do my part and help them have an undefeated season. You mentioned not being able to play for championships. How are you able to stay motivated and focused?
What about GSU’s football program led you to choose to play here? The brotherhood. Ever since Coach first contacted me, they were really interested in me. That’s another thing I liked a lot about the program, you know that they wanted you. It’s a school that wanted you, not some school that would call every so often, just for an offer or something. Then, the tradition. When I came for my official visit, how everything just was, it felt like a family here. What are your individual goals for the season?
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I think of it as if, ‘What if I was a senior, in my position, what would I expect freshmen to do?’ To stay motivated. Just getting to that 11-0. Those 11 games and making them count for the seniors on their way out. After your first game, were the atmosphere and environment what you expected? It definitely lived up to its hype, especially with me going to the (Appalachian State) game last year on an unofficial visit. This definitely beat that atmosphere-wise. It was just a great experience overall.
LINEBACKER/SAFETY |
#32 WILLIAM BUSSEY
DEFENSIVE END | #46 RAFAEL HARDEE
What are your individual goals for the season?
After your first game, were the atmosphere and environment what you expected?
Just to go all out for the seniors, and build a reputation for myself and Georgia Southern.
It was nerve wracking. Honestly, I was nervous coming into the game, but the seniors took me under their wing and told me to relax. They brought me here for a reason and I wanted to show them why they brought me here. Now that my first game is behind me, I expect to play better the next 10 games.
Since the team isn’t eligible for postseason play, how are you able to stay motivated and focused?
What about GSU’s football program led you to choose to play here? The players on team. They really took me in. It makes me feel welcomed. It lets you know that they’ve got your back. The tradition here is better than any school that I’ve ever been to. Now that you’ve had your first taste of game action, was it what you expected? It’s all about expecting the crowd, the intensity. I’m really expecting to get my first start one day, just waiting for my time.
I think everybody wants to go out with a bang. Just because we aren’t playing for a championship, we’re still playing for pride. Nobody wants to go out there and lose. As a freshman, you’re going to be the face of Georgia Southern football moving forward. What do you want your legacy to be when your career is over? It’s not all about my legacy. I just want to grind with my team and hopefully be successful with my boys.
What about GSU’s football program led you to choose to play here? I was excited. Coming in my senior year, I wasn’t too sure of who I was going to go play for. I had three or four offers halfway through the season when Georgia Southern gave me an offer. I ended up liking it when I came for my official visit. What are your individual goals for the season? Sacks are really what I want. Also helping my brothers, the team, to fulfill their goal of going 11-0 this year.
Since the team isn’t eligible for postseason play, how are you able to stay motivated and focused? Like I said, it’s a brotherhood. The seniors, it’s their last year and they can’t go to the playoffs, but they’re really motivated to get that 11-0. That’s what motivates me, seeing them motivated. What do you want your legacy to be when your career is over? I want to continue our winning and making a good name for Georgia Southern.
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THE SOBER SIDE “
Two students pop the cork on what it’s like to be the
McKINLEY MAY SOPHOMORE, ENGLISH I personally don’t drink because I don’t like the taste of alcohol. That’s the main reason, but I also prefer to be in control of my faculties at all times. I end up also saving money and spending it on things other than alcohol. Just because I don’t drink doesn’t mean I don’t go parties or have fun. I go to social events, I’m just always a DD. Plus I actually prefer to remember the parties to which I go. It’s more amusing that way. It’s their personal decision to drink, but I don’t really think it’s a wise decision. I think it’s such a part of our culture that you drink in college that most
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people, especially freshmen, think drinking is part of being a “real college student” like eating ramen or pulling an all-nighter. I do find drunken people funny to an extent. Like, seeing a drunken person face plant or run into a wall is funny, yes. But, it can be dangerous, especially when people go far beyond
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their limit. At one party I went to, I saw a freshman girl who had never drank before get completely wasted. Another freshman was trying to take care of her, but an older student had to tell the freshman friend to turn the drunken girl’s head in case she threw up while she was lying on her back on the couch. Not even a minute later, the girl threw up. Had her head not been turned, she could have suffocated on her own vomit. It’s just not worth taking that chance. At another party, there were several drunken guys looking at me like I was a piece of meat or a conquest. It wasn’t just that subtle look-you-up-and-down kind of thing, they were almost animalistic.
Just because I don’t drink doesn’t mean I don’t go to parties or have fun.
I was extremely uncomfortable, not so much because they were checking me out but more because I knew they were drunk and had fewer inhibitions. Thankfully, I had sober male friends nearby. It doesn’t bother me that people drink. I would just prefer that they know their limits, and stay within them. And, I’m not saying I’m never going to drink, but I’m under 21. And if I do ever drink at social events, it’ll be one or two drinks.
OF THE BOTTLE SCOTT BOWSER SOPHOMORE, ACCOUNTING
I started drinking due to family issues and my girlfriend breaking up with me. I never drank before college. I started drinking my first semester in late September. Then, I started getting drunk every weekend. I felt great in the moment, but the second I came down, I felt like shit. I went to drink with my friends, and I would have a great time until about the sixth beer, and I would start to feel woozy and make decisions that I wouldn’t have normally made
had I been sober. Once, I drove home drunk. I tried slapping myself to sober up and realized the next morning I was in three parking spots. It scared the shit out of me the next morning. That was the first and last time I did that. One night I got drunk, and I was taken advantage of. My DD got drunk, and I ended up going home with her because I wasn’t watched properly. I woke up next to her, and felt more shame in my life than ever. I washed all my sheets and scrubbed for 20 minutes on my privates. Luckily
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everything came out clean. And, that was the last time I did that. I decided to cut back after one party where I had 25 shots of vodka and two hits from a grav bong. I was hunched over the toilet for three hours and still drunk the next day. That was the last time I was that drunk and the last time I smoked. I also ended up losing the HOPE scholarship. I took a look at my life and decided things needed to change. Since this summer, I really stopped drinking in general, got myself a job. I’m taking better care of my health, and I feel like a better person. I’ve lost 22 pounds and
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sober one at the party and why they choose to do it.
I took a look at my life and decided things needed to change. eat healthy. Drinking is just something you have to get out of your system. No two people drink the same way. Everyone just needs to get the immaturity out of their system as soon as possible so they can get their life together. I think drinking every now and then is not a bad thing. Just be aware of when the alcohol starts to take control of you. And, that’s when you should stop.
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YOU’RE LIFTING WEIGHTS. WHO’S LIFTING YOUR STUFF? BY JENNIFER CURINGTON
2011
F
orty people left the RAC last year without something they had brought with them. As of September of this year, 38 people have walked out of the RAC doors after discovering that their belongings were not as safe as they thought they were. “Every theft from the RAC – or a vast majority of them – are iPads, phones, book bags, things that people bring in that they wouldn’t necessarily have to have while they’re working out or while they’re at the RAC,” Georgia Southern University Police Chief Michael Russell said. “But they bring (it) in and they’ll leave them laying in the corner while they’re playing basketball, and you’re not watching it all the time.” Theft in this sense is when an offender takes property that has been left unattended and the offender knows it does not belong to him or her.
The technical term for this is larceny, which is different from the more violent forms of theft such as robbery or burglary. Thefts like those at the RAC are a crime of opportunity and if a person wants someone else’s belongings badly enough, there is nothing you can do to stop it said Russell. From June to September of this year, GSU sent out three different emails informing students of the risks of bringing in valuable belongings into the RAC. America Minc, CRI director for facilities and fitness, believes that thefts would not occur, or occur less, at the RAC if people protected their belongings there the same way they do in other public spaces. “The problem is a personal behavior issue,” Minc said. “If you go to Wal-Mart, I’m not going to leave my iPhone or my purse or my wallet or any other items of value in my car and walk away from it.”
2012
2013
Year To Date (September)
Total thefts on campus RAC thefts Total theft-related arrests
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68
47
27
37
40
38
227
234
122
RISK AREAS Russell said any area where groups of people are gathered could be a risk area. However, Minc said there are some areas of the RAC that can be a higher risk due to the nature of the activity. For instance, a RAC patron on the cardio deck most likely has his or her phone on their person
listening to music during their work out. But down on the basketball court, players take their phones out of their pockets and leave them on the bleachers. Even the group fitness rooms can be a potential risk. “A group fitness room is the same as the basketball court or the weight lifting
area. You may not notice the person who left the group class early,” Minc said. When you return to a cubby and find your belongings still there, it can cause a false sense of security. “At some point it’s not going to be there,” Minc said. Cubbies are in the RAC to prevent a tripping hazard
and shouldn’t be used to replace a locker. Group fitness cubbies are for items like sweatshirts or rain jackets, not an iPhone that costs hundreds of dollars, CRI Marketing and Communications Assistant Director Chris Butler said.
We control that through our turnstiles and fingerprints,” Minc said. “We also are able to work through our software system with the university police so if they say ‘Thursday from 2:30 to 2:35 can you tell me who was at the RAC?’ I can
provide them that information.” However, Butler said fingerprints are not captured. So, if a perpetrator leaves behind a fingerprint, it cannot be compared to a fingerprint that was used to gain entry to the RAC.
ANTI-THEFT TECH Cameras were added to the RAC within the last few years, but they don’t prevent or solve every crime. “We’ve got a lot of video cameras and we’re able to make numerous arrests. We’ve got some warrants that we’re trying to serve now from people that we’ve identified as stealing the property and we’ve identified them by video, but there’s still some that we don’t ever get to solve,” Russell said. Many think they or their belongings are safe simply because of the presence of cameras. While the technology is an integral
piece in helping police, they should not be fully relied upon. “(Having cameras) just means we’re going to get video of something bad happening if it happens,” Russell said. “We don’t want people to think that the cameras necessarily, automatically make someone safe.” But, if a perpetrator cannot be identified on video alone, then reviewing records of who was in the building at the time of the crime can help police. “We need to know who is in this building at all times.
912.681.1170
PREVENTION “We don’t want to make people paranoid, but we need to raise the awareness to secure their stuff and look out for everyone else as well,” Russell said. Logging the serial numbers of valuables can help those items be tracked and returned if they are ever stolen. But, not bringing valuables into the RAC or locking them up once you’re there are the two best ways to prevent theft. “Don’t bring anything here that’s of value that has no purpose here. Don’t bring a wallet full of $200 cash,” Minc
said. “There’s no need to have $200 cash in your wallet and have it unsecured in the Recreation Activity Center.” If you go to the RAC without a lock, you can purchase one from a staff member for $3. If you’re a more frequent gym visitor and want a locker that is solely yours for the entire semester, you can lease a small one for $12 or a large one for $22. Chief Russell asked, “What more can I do if you’re going to leave it unattended?”
bedroom bath house
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Sweeping Together ‘Clean House’
S
By Will Peebles
ince fall semester began, Karen Aguirre, Sally Henry, Laura Henry, Devyn Crawley and Brandon Muggy have been thrown into each other’s lives for more than 10 hours a week, and they couldn’t be happier about it. The five are the cast of Georgia Southern University Theatre Department’s production of “Clean House”, a Pulitzer-nominated play written by Sarah Rool. They, alongside Director of Theater and “Clean House” Director Lisa Abbott, were given four and a half weeks to learn, memorize and perfect the show before their opening night on Sept. 25. With a cast of five, the group is presented with a lot of chances to interact with each other. They have not only become a constant part of each other’s lives because of the production. They also worked to build their relationships outside of their rehearsal space. That could mean anything from ice cream and movie nights to long script study. “They’re a really easy-towork-with cast. Everyone is happy and everyone is really right for their roles. I got lucky in casting. I came in knowing a couple of seniors I had who would be around. But I didn’t know for sure. They’re all so right for their roles and that makes it easier and more fun,” Abbott said.
TALENT SEARCH “From the director’s perspective, it starts before casting. In my head I have an idea of who these characters – these people – are. I think about how they act, how they sound, sometimes even how they look. I have a sense of who they are, and I go into auditions, and I see what people bring,” Abbott said. The audition
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process begins simply. Potential players put their name down on a sign-up list, and they receive a side. A side is a set of lines from the play that a director chooses as a basis for the audition. Actors are given a little over a week before the official audition to familiarize themselves with these sides and read them with other potential cast members. The director then takes what potential they see and uses that to build their cast. Good onstage chemistry is one of the key factors in this decision-making process when choosing the cast. In the instance of “Clean House” the Henry sisters, Laura and Sally, are a prime example. “There are two sisters in the show, and they’re being played by two actual sisters. They’re actually fraternal twins. From being around each other so much, we’ve learned a lot about their sister-ness. For instance, we once asked them, ‘When you guys was fairly familiar with the cast week period. have an argument, what kind prior to rehearsals and couldn’t “It’s been a lot of fun. It’s cool of stuff do you do to get to each stop smiling as she spoke about working with such a small group, other?’ They’d grin, and attack the group. because the way we used to do the line in a totally different way. “I’d already worked with it in my high school was with a It makes it really fresh,” said Brandon, and we were already much bigger group. It’s been a lot Abbott. good friends. I met the Henry sisof fun. It’s great to be working in Each member of the “Clean ters last year. I knew them, but I the black box, it’s so professional. House” cast is a theatre major. didn’t really start getting to know Everyone here is so accepting,” Most of the cast members were them better until this year. And, said Crawley. already familiar with each other we have Devyn. She’s a freshman “I’ve done a lot of shows, before rehearsals even started this year so she was the only one but this one has really touched due to shared classes and from we didn’t really know. But since me because everybody in the working together on previous we’re all so friendly and welcomcast is very loving towards each shows. Out of the cast, freshman ing, as soon as we got together for other and we all support and Devyn Crawley is newest to the the first rehearsal, we introduced respect each other so much,” said department. But, her fellow cast ourselves and we told her how Aguirre. members welcomed her as an excited we were to be working addition amongst the cast and with her,” said Aguirre. theater program. SECRET LIVES OF The cast of “Clean House” “My experience with theatre CHARACTERS has built an undeniable bond and people is that they tend to be speak very kindly and respecteither extremely accepting or After choosing a cast with fully of each other. Their passion extremely awful. Like, ‘I’m so great chemistry, skill and work for their art is inspiring, and much more talented than you, get ethic, the rehearsal process begins. that same passion facilitates the out of my face.’ But it isn’t that The cast meets every day during relationships they’ve forged with way at all here. Everyone is very the week for about two and a each other in that four and a half accepting and kind. It’s been rehalf hours to work ally nice,” said on dialogue, stage Crawley. movements called Theater vetMy experience with theatre people is blocking and the eran and senior that they tend to be either extremely humanization of Karen Aguirre their characters. accepting or extremely awful... But it
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isn’t that way at all here. Everyone is very accepting and kind. It’s been really nice.
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“We start the rehearsal process off by just reading through the script and getting to know the characters and talking about what’s going on. Then we start blocking, which is the staging. Then, we get into that core part of rehearsal where we’ll sometimes spend an hour on two words. You’re always trying to find new ways to do things. The actor’s job is to make human this character, and really to bring this imaginary world to life for our audience,” said Abbott. Bringing a character to life is something these thespians are particularly passionate about. The actors devote time solely to researching the different aspects of their character’s personalities. “My character is very depressed,” said Aguirre. “I usually get to play the energetic, wacky characters. Trying to do pretty much the opposite of that has been a challenging thing for me. I’ve learned a lot.” “My character has breast cancer and she chooses not to have chemotherapy, because she doesn’t like medicine,” said Crawley. “I’ve learned all the symptoms and how I’d be feeling throughout the show and the different stages of cancer, just trying to get into her mindset.” But building chemistry and characters doesn’t end when the cast leaves rehearsals in the Black Box Theatre. Getting to know their fellow actors helps them to trust each other’s acting decisions and have a more natural chemistry on stage. “We got together a few days ago and just said, ‘Okay, we need to run lines, because we have to be off-book for act one,’” said Aguirre. “They came over to my place and we knew we had to work. It’s amazing to work with a group of people who are very serious and passionate about their work. After we run lines we eat ice cream and talk and have good time.”
STAGING MAGIC As the cast members begin to get a feel for their characters, the blocking process begins. Blocking is the theatrical term for staging the movements of the actors and synchronizing them with the dialogue. This
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crucial part of where the set pieces Sunday the production will be in the future. night I just process is a large As opening night went home part of how the approaches, the set actors learn to begins to slowly and cried step into their come together and because I felt character’s the actors make use like I wasn’t shoes. of it during rehears“A lot of als. This process is doing as well that discovery called load-in. as I should’ve of character “When we finish comes through the load-in, we’ll done blocking,” said start having lights because of Abbott. “I’ll say, added. Then our rehearsals, ‘Okay, I want tech time begins. you to start We’ll sit down and and homehere and by this go through all of the work, and all point I need you set cues, light cues these things to end up over and sound cues,” here.’ You have said Abbott. “There’s for school. to question why a lot going on.” you’re standLights, sound, ing there, why costumes, make-up you’re moving.” and dress rehearsals “As a direcmake tech time a tor, I’ll watch actors very closely hectic period for the cast and and they’ll sit and say their lines crew. The cast only had three and not move. I’ll ask, ‘Do you days with their costumes before want to get up?’ Just because I the show time on Wednesday told the actor to sit there, their Sept. 25. character may want to get up “Sunday we get costumes. and cross the room to say a The costumes are pretty straight line,” said Abbott. “If they do, forward for this show. Sunday we try it. It helps to build the is also the first dress rehearsal. characters as real people.” Monday and Tuesday are final When blocking begins, dress rehearsals and final tech pieces of the set such as chairs rehearsals. Then we open the or doors aren’t usually set up show. That last weekend is pretyet. However, the floor of the ty intense,” said Abbott. stage is marked with masking tape to give the players an idea of
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LIFT THE CURTAINS “Sunday night I just went home and cried because I felt like I wasn’t doing as well as I should’ve done because of rehearsals, and homework, and all these things for school. I was just so stressed. Then I came to rehearsal Monday and was like: ‘Know what? This is the second dress rehearsal, we open Wednesday. Karen, get your life together and go out there and do it full-out,’” said Aguirre. “The show is very ready for an audience. The cast needs that last step. They need that audience. Our notes session last night was pretty much just straight giggles,” Abbott said right before the show. “Right now, they’re backstage spazzing out. Literally jumping up and down off the walls. They’re going to channel all that energy.” The Black Box Theatre was packed for opening night. The lobby was buzzing with anticipation and excitement as event-goers piled through the theatre door and poured into their seats. The lights came up on Aguirre, and she started to tell a joke in Portuguese. After around an hour and a half of laughing, crying and innumerable jokes, the lights go down and the cast joins hands onstage to happily accept a standing ovation from the audience. The audience crowds back into the tiny lobby to congratulate the five. Aguirre was glowing with excitement after the show. “So many people showed up tonight, usually we don’t have that many people come to opening night. It was amazing! They loved it, and I’m so excited. I hope a lot more people come and see the show,” said Aguirre. The cast of “Clean House” built an undeniable bond after spending what seemed like every waking moment together practicing for four and half weeks and then having the stage lights come up on them every evening for a week. The lights are down for “Clean House”, but the glow of the cast’s talent and their friendship is still bright.
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