UT Traditions Longhorn Life

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October 6, 2016

A special edition of The Daily Texan

RE G IST ER TO VO T E page 3

1 0 0 Y E A R S OF B E V O

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WHAT’S INSIDE... TABLE OF CONTENTS

H OW T O R E G IST E R T O V OTE

Dear Longhorns,

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My whole life I have never really considered myself to be a very spirited person. But when I decided to come to UT, everything changed. While UT is steeped in progress and innovation (after all, what starts here changes the world!), traditions are such a huge component of the Longhorn experience. Even people like me can get swept up in it.

Before you are able to cast your ballot, you must register to vote.

1 0 0 YE A RS O F BEVO! His reign has begun! The mighty longhorn emerged from the stadium tunnel, led by the Silver Spurs, at the first football game of the year on Sept. 4.

N EW U T TRA D I T I O N S

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I am not ashamed to say that 20% of my closet now consists of burnt orange clothing, or that I force my parents to hook ’em with me in every photo we take, or that I have been to all of the home football games this season, screaming “Swoooopessss” just as loud as the next guy. These things always seemed a little silly to me—in some ways, they still seem silly—but they serve a purpose. Traditions ignite a spirit of camaraderie

and pride in a group of people so easily. There’s something infectious about being a part of a network of people, spanning generations and continents, that is united for the success of one common institution. When UT succeeds, whether that is in a new research discovery or a win at a big game, we all succeed. So, next time the tower is lit burnt orange, take a second to appreciate it and let the Longhorn spirit fill you. I promise it’s real. Till next time, hook ’em! Natalie Berry Special Editions Editor

STAFF Special Editions Editor Natalie Berry Designers Amanda O’Brien Mareya Stearns Writers Jina Chung Dani Matias Hayden Pigott Alex Purcell Annie Velasco Cover Mareya Stearns

TSM ADVERTISING & CREATIVE SERVICES Director Gerald Johnson Operations Manager Frank Serpas Advertising Manager Emily Cohen Assistant Advertising Manager Colten Crist Advertising Sales Reps Tim Bauer Brady Beal Blake Gentry Celeste Shurman vv

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Student Advertising Manager Spencer Beltran Senior Graphic Designer Amanda O'Brien

The University of Texas isn’t new to traditions. From Bevo to “The Eyes of Texas”, Longhorns have never had a shortage when it comes to traditions.

Product Manager Stephen Salisbury Print Advisor Peter Chen Longhorn Life is an advertising special edition of The Daily Texan produced by students in Texas Student Media’s special editions office. Reach us at printing@texasstudentmedia.com. Copyright 2016 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission. CONTACT TSM: We are located in the Hearst Student Media building (HSM). For advertising, call 512-471-1865.

H OW T O “ B LEED O RANG E” Looking for the perfect game day outfit for OU Weekend or next week’s Iowa State game?

EDITOR’S NOTE

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VOTING 3

ELIMINATING VOTING CONFUSION: HO W T O RE GIS TE R F OR THE UPCOM ING EL EC T ION By Jina Chung Longhorn Life

With the 2016 Presidential Election coming up on Nov. 8, you may be wondering, how do I vote? Before you are able to cast your ballot, you must register to vote. Registration for the upcoming election ends on Oct. 11. Who can vote? You are eligible to register and vote if: • You are a United States citizen; • You are Travis County resident; • You are at least 18 years old on Election Day; • You are not a convicted felon, or, if convicted you have been pardoned or fully discharged your sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, or probation; and • You have not been declared by a court to be either totally or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote. If you are eligible to vote, you will need to fill out a Voter Registration Application. You can download a form online at the Travis County

Tax Office website, or text “Register” to 48683 (IVOTE) to receive a free postagepaid voter application by mail. You may also request an application from the Texas Secretary of State. Voter Registration Applications are also available on campus at most of the dormitories (e.g. Kinsolving Hall, Jester East and West, San Jacinto, Duren, Carothers, Moore-Hill, and Prather) and at the UT School of Social Work. Applications are also available at any Austin Public Library, U.S. Post Office, Department of Public Safety, Department of Human Services or Department of Health located in Travis County. Once you have filled out the application, you will need to sign the application and mail it to: Travis County Voter Registration PO Box 149327 Austin, Texas 78714-9327 Or it can be faxed to (512) 854-4840 as long as the application is received within 4 calendar days from the date the fax is sent.

You can check the status of your voter registration, locate your polling place and view your precincts and sample ballot online at Vote Travis (www.votetravis.com/ vexpress/display.do).

Stay tuned for the second Presidential Debate on Oct. 9, 2016. If it is the first time you are registering to vote, or are making any changes (e.g. name or address change), you will receive a Voter Registration Certificate within 30 days of submitting your voter registration application. Certificates expire every other year, and new ones will be automatically sent to registered voters prior to the date of expiry. The current certificates are blue and have an expiration date of Dec. 31, 2017. As the election date approaches, you may be making your final decisions on who you will vote for. To aid in your research,

resources are available to help narrow down your decision. For example, Project Vote Smart has an interactive tool to help you find your “political soulmate.”

Project Vote Smart is a nonpartisan source that was founded in 1992 by national leaders such as former U.S. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. Project Vote Smart has an office on the University of Texas campus at the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life.

The tool, called Vote Easy, shows which of the presidential candidates aligns closely with your own political views. You are able to select your opinion on issues, such as the environment or health care, and read how a particular candidate has responded to the issues. It can be found on the homepage of Project Vote Smart (votesmart.org).

Also stay tuned for the second Presidential Debate on Oct. 9, 2016. According to the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, presidential debates will be a “major influence for a third of voters.” You can watch the debate on television on the major network and cable channels, and it will also be streamed online.

“With the 2016 Presidential Election coming up on Nov. 8, you may be wondering, how do I vote? Before you are able to cast your ballot, you must register to vote. Registration for the upcoming election ends on Oct. 11.”


100 YEARS OF BEVO AND COUNTING By Annie Velasco Longhorn Life

His reign has begun! BEVO XV was welcomed to the University of Texas with a cheer that only 102,315 fans piled into Darrell K. Royal stadium could bring. The mighty longhorn emerged from the stadium tunnel, led by the Silver Spurs, at the first football game of the year on Sept. 4. With a win against The University of Notre Dame that same night, and quite possibly the most exciting game of the year, “baby BEVO” proves to bring good fortune to our school. Spirits are high with BEVO on the sidelines once again.

BEVO is much more than just a symbol here at the University of Texas. Baby BEVO is in good hands as The Silver Spurs once again have stepped up to handle and care for our cherished mascot. The Silver Spurs is an honorary student service organization that is responsible for the care and transportation of BEVO. Students at the University of Texas must go through a competitive application process in order to become part of The Silver Spurs organization. They not only give back to the University of Texas, but also

to the community of Austin. BEVO and The Silver Spurs participate in local tutoring programs and raise scholarship funds. The Silver Spurs have three main missions: scholarships, outreach programs and BEVO expenses. Baby BEVO’s horns may still have a lot of growing to do, but students at the University of Texas already have long love for him. As we welcome BEVO XV, the words of the 1916 Alcalde editor Ben Dyer still ring true, “His name is Bevo. Long may he reign!”

Our beloved BEVO was not always a part of our campus though. This is only the 100-year anniversary of the well-known longhorn steer standing as the living mascot of the University of Texas. From the saying “Hook ‘em horns” that originated from the mascot to his burnt orange coloring, BEVO has emerged not only as a symbol of the University, but as its spirit itself. Before the famous longhorn, a dog named Pig Bellmont stood as the University of Texas in Austin’s mascot. It was not until Pig was hit by a car on a street near campus that history claims the university decided it needed a tougher mascot. That is when the longhorn, the University’s iconic symbol, rose. Since then, the longhorn has become one of the most recognized mascots in sports. BEVO was first unveiled at the 1916 Thanksgiving football game against Texas A&M University. 15,000 fans welcomed the longhorn steer to serve as the living mascot of the university. Contrary to popular belief, BEVO’s name originated from “beeve”, the plural word for “beef ”, and is also slang for a steer. BEVO was a gift to the school from a group of Texas Exes, bought for only $124. BEVO clearly always brought luck as the University of Texas won that game against Texas A&M 21-7. Since then, BEVO has stood on the sideline of every home football game representing the pride and strength of Texas. But from attending two presidential inaugurations to being honored in the College Football Hall of Fame,

Sunrise Spur was unveiled as Bevo XV on Sept. 4. At 19 months old, he is one of the youngest Longhorns to be named Bevo in the mascot’s 100-year history. Photo by Zoe Fu | Illustration By Mareya Stearns


New U T T R A D IT ION S By Alex Purcell Longhorn Life

The University of Texas isn’t new to traditions. In fact, we’ve been the host of campus heritage for years. From Bevo to “The Eyes of Texas”, Longhorns have never had a shortage when it comes to remembering our legacy. While the more memorable university traditions have been around for decades, UT still invokes a culture that is constantly changing and shifting with the influx of recent generations. Let’s take a look at some of the newer campus developments that have taken off in recent years. 1. GONE TO TEXAS While the welcoming celebration isn’t exactly new (the tradition began in 1997), Gone to Texas has evolved into an ever-progressing event that introduces new students to the wonderful 40-acres. Freshmen and transfer students typically first meet with their college, as each one hosts its own individual activity fair of sorts, including organizations and programs that correlate with the college’s interests and ideologies. At the end of the night, all new students meet in

front of the tower to hear a little bit about the university’s history and traditions, as well as join in to sing “The Eyes of Texas” and throw up the Hook ‘Em hand sign. The tower is lit up with the students’ year of graduation. Newer additions to this celebration include the Student Video Contest, as well as sending in photos to be displayed on the projector during the ceremony.

2. AUSTINIGHTS Another “welcome home” event put on by UT is called AustiNights. During the Longhorn Welcome week, a whole night is devoted to just going out, having fun and meeting new people. AustiNights gives students (both old and new) the opportunity to enjoy live music put on by local musicians and get to know some of the organizations on campus in a casual, fun environment. There’s food, drinks, games and awesome people, which all lead up to the point that AustiNights is just the beginning of the adventure that is UT Austin. 3. THE TRANSFER EXPERIENCE In a university where a large number of students are transfers, the need for transfer involvement is crucial in

maintaining a familiar student engagement. The TransferYear Experience comes together to form a bond between transfer students from all around the world. Transfers even have their own building located on University Avenue that hosts socials and Transfer Tuesdays, where transfer students can meet to have lunch and learn about resources on campus. Hopefully, the transfer student socials and events will pick up even more as the campus becomes more diverse. There’s something special about a tradition that has a foundation on acceptance and community.

4. OUR CAMPUS STORY There are some traditions that are created almost subconsciously by the student body on campus. Our Campus Story, which is the story that can be viewed anywhere oncampus through the Snapchat app, encompasses the videos and pictures that make up UT student life. During game days and events, Our Campus Story is filled with students sporting their school pride in more ways than one. We take videos of our study sessions and pictures of the piles of paper we have to read in one night. It’s a cycle of sharing what we love (or tolerate) at UT.


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HOW TO “BLEED ORANGE” By Hayden Pigott Longhorn Life

Looking for the perfect game day outfit for OU Weekend or next week’s Iowa State game? Or maybe you really struggle finding burnt orange in stores or online? Or maybe you just don’t know how to pair burnt orange with anything in your closet? It can be a difficult process but don’t worry this is your go-toguide for everything Texas you could possibly wear. LADIES: Outfit #1: The Dress Finding a dress that fits, makes you look amazing, and is the right color of burnt orange can be one of the most challenging things you ever do. And let’s be real, the ones at the Co-op aren’t always ideal because everyone has them. One of the best local boutiques for burnt orange apparel is Longhorn Fashions. They have dresses in basically every style but watch out for sizing because they can run a bit small. This dress with these boots and this necklace would be perfect.

OUTFIT #1

longhornfashions.com

OUTFIT #2

yoox.com lordandtaylor.com

OUTFIT #3

universitycoop.com

jackrogersusa.com shoptiques.com shoptiques.com

Outfit #2: The Hot-Game We’ve all been there, it’s the middle of October and the high is 90 degrees (insert grimace face). But you can still look cute without causing yourself a heat stroke. A lot of burnt orange clothes that fill your closet will have to be purchased online because it is such a difficult color. Instead of searching for “burnt orange clothes” type in “rust colored clothes” and it genuinely helps. Pair these shorts which are on sale, with this top, these sandals, this bracelet and these face tattoos.

Outfit #3: Wait…Texas Gets Cold?! That Thanksgiving game always sneaks up on us (even if it is a Friday this year). And it will surprisingly be in the 50s and then drop down to the 40s while you sit in the stands. Texas weather, right? But the University Co-op your go to for warm, burnt orange outerwear. Pair this sweatshirt with your favorite pair of jeans, these boots and this scarf GENTLEMEN: Outfit #1: Meeting the Parents Game We all have to meet the parents of our significant other at some point and because this is Texas it often happens during a football game weekend. You need to support your Longhorns but you have to hang out with the mom and dad of your s/o. If you wear this shirt with these shorts and are guaranteed success, but good luck just in case.

Outfit #2: That Strangely Cold OU Game It happens every couple of years, OU will start off cold and rainy and everyone is very confused. But you looked at your weather app while you were packing and you are prepared with this jacket, this shirt – you love emulating Charlie Strong, these pants, and these boots.

S i ( d c t b s

OUTFIT #1

universitycoop.com

OUTFIT #2

fanatics.com universitycoop.com allensboots.com

Outfit #3: The Classic Happy gameday y’all! This is your ideal outfit; it’s comfortable, breathable and screams hook ‘em. Pair this shirt with these shorts and these shoes for the ultimate Longhorn outfit. Have fun picking out your outfits for the ultimate Longhorn experience! Hook ‘em y’all.

OUTFIT #3

universitycoop.com

B s p b l n w s o m w

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LITTLE-KNOWN

STU D Y S P OTS ON CAM PUS By Hayden Pigott Longhorn Life

Studying. We all have to do it, we all hate it, and we all know where the PCL is (and how terribly ugly it is). But studying doesn’t have to be done in such a climatecontrolled, over-head lit place. Check out these pretty, hidden places to make your brain at ease as you tackle some difficult subjects.

Blanton Museum of Art – Wait, you can study in a museum? Of course! The best place at the Blanton is the continuous bench that runs along the exterior wall. The lighting is perfect and when the weather is nice this is the ideal place for those days when you need to read an entire book in a short amount of time. There are no exterior outlets but there is a café so you can buy as much coffee as you need to get you through whatever your studying.

Architecture Planning Library – Quite possibly one of the most beautiful rooms on campus, the Architecture Planning Library is located in Battle Hall across from the FAC. After you go up a set of stairs and drop off your water bottle you enter into a long room with high painted ceilings and those long tables you’ve always wanted to study at. It looks like a combination of every beautiful college library from the movies and Harry Potter.

Courtyard between Benedict Hall and Mezes Hall – Unless you have a class in the basement of Mezes Hall you probably don’t know this courtyard exists. Once you walk down the stairs you enter into an extremely quiet oasis. A pergola wrapped in ivy provides the perfect amount of shade and keeps you cool on even the hottest days. Another positive is you probably won’t be interrupted that frequently so take that really boring textbook and power through!

Gearing Hall – This building, located right behind the tower on 24th is the perfect example of what UT looked like back in the day. If you are looking for somewhere to write a paper or enjoy the scenery get a table on their veranda in the shade. They have a nice fountain that provides ambient noise as well as big tables inside for group projects. Pro Tip: Get there early in the day if you want a spot, they fill up fast! Architecture Courtyard – Goldsmith Hall has an adorable courtyard with towering royal palm trees. There are plenty of benches and no one is ever there during the weekends or weekday mornings. Go sit under the shade, enjoy a cup of coffee and read or bring lunch and have a mini picnic while you study with a group. Fine Arts Library – This might be a trek if you are on the west side of campus, but if you are looking for somewhere with comfortable chairs, is pretty quiet, and has nice big windows for natural light, the Fine Arts Library is for you. Also, the new “Foundry” is located in the library where you can use a 3-D printer, sewing machines, and more. Pro Tip: Go in the afternoon for prime seating by the windows. Law Library – So you might get lost attempting to find this, but if you want to hunker down, not talk to anyone, and cram for a test this place is for you. Some people may be intimidated by going to the Law School library but it is open really late and perfect if you live on the north side of campus. Plus, if you need to blow off steam they have pool tables in the hallway.

Photo by Amy Zhang

GET AWAY 7

EASY By Dani Matias Longhorn Life

After a long week of studying, crying, forgetting to eat and taking impossible tests, we know that you want to forget about the terrible days you’ve had. Sure, you could flip on the TV and binge-watch Narcos all day. It’s even likely you’ll curl up in a ball with your ice cream and take a nap. But instead of feeling sorry for yourself, be spontaneous. Grab a group of friends or your significant other and take a trip. Maybe you’re a broke college kid who can barely afford to fill up your tank. Balling on a budget? Don’t you worry; there are still places to go for fun that are college bank account friendly. If you’re looking for a day trip, try out these places: Start by frolicking through Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Stop and smell the roses, literally. Not much of a flowery person? Get wet ‘n wild in an aquatic environment. Krause Springs, Lost Creek, Hamilton Pool, Blue Hole and Mineral Wells are a few places you could go to. Don’t want to swim in natural cold water? Schlitterbahn Water Park provides student discounted tickets. Slide down some rides, float the lazy river and let loose. Can’t swim? Eat somewhere in Austin you never have before. Austin’s filled with innumerable places to try out. Specifically, you could go to Lockhart (36-minute drive), which is nicknamed “The Barbecue Capital of Texas.” Swing by Hopdoddy, Home Slice, Roaring Fork, Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken and more to test out those taste buds. You don’t have money to eat at fancy places? Hit up a live music venue. The Continental Club regularly has no cover, and Flipnotics is a coffee shop that does not charge on certain days. Thursday concerts at Central Presbyterian Church downtown at noon are free, and you don’t even have to be a

DAY T R I P S & W E E KE N D G E TAWAY S

regular churchgoer. Feeling fall-y? Stop by a pumpkin patch for some Instagramworthy pictures, carve pumpkins with your friends or get scared at the Austin haunted house called House of Torment. Visit the Austin Panic Room, Maze Room or Puzzle Room for some mind-boggling adventures.

Maybe you want a getaway for the entire weekend?

If you like the outdoors, you should consider going camping around Austin. Gregory Gym allows students to rent out camping equipment to take to places such as Inks Lake State Park, Mckinney Falls State Park, or Blanco State Park. Need something more calming and away from the chaotic city? Stay the weekend at Barton Creek Resort & Spa. Travaasa Austin is also another spa that has guided adventures and spa treatments. Maybe you don’t want to stay in Austin? Take a trip to San Marcos or San Antonio for a change of scenery. Visit the Riverwalk and eat authentic Mexican food, shop at small boutiques and flea markets in San Antonio. Go shopping at the San Marcos Outlet Malls, float their famous river or stop by Dick’s Classic Car Garage. Planning for a certain weekend festival? Save up and buy a ticket to SXSW or ACL and enjoy the best concert experiences in Austin. Attend the Zilker Park Kite Festival, Fall Fun Festival, Bat Fest, Monster Concert & Carnival and many more.

You live in one of the best places in America with so much to offer. It’s just a matter of searching for what fits your interests. College is stressful and life is unpredictable, so explore and enjoy the city while you still can. Keep a fanny pack handy, strap on those sketchers, iron your cargo shorts and get out there!



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