Fresh start Wednesday, October 28, 2020
OSU’s incoming freshman navigate unordinary senior year, college application process
Clare Hosterman When Jillian Montemayor, a high school senior from Dallas, Texas, first visited Oklahoma State, it brought her to tears. Emotions were high, her senior year of high school was pushed to Zoom and she had to apply to college, despite a pandemic. “I chose OSU because I fell in love with the campus to the point where I cried when I left from my tour,” Montemayor said. Montemayor, and thousands of other students in OSU’s class of 2025, are forced to navigate these challenges. The O’Colly spoke with five incoming OSU students about this: Application Process The uncertainty of the fall 2021 semester at college looms in the minds of high school seniors as they start their application process. Applying to college is already a stressful process, even more with a pandemic, but some incoming OSU freshmen have reported their application process to be fairly smooth. “The application process was pretty easy, not too complicated compared to other schools I have applied to. OSU has an amazing
really taken its toll on my senior year,” Fox said. “Games have been canceled, and a few band and color guard competitions as well. Other than that, it’s been pretty great, and I’m hoping for a memory filled second semester.” Excitement About OSU Because of the peaks and valleys in some senior years, OSU is serving as a glimmer of hope for the class of 2025. “OSU has always felt like home,” said senior Emmy Alfred, from Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. “I was very unsure last year, but I wanted to go to a big school like OSU where File photo there are always new Industrial engineering freshman Grant Cotherman, left, and undecided freshman Adam Lugibihl people to meet. I am pose for a first day of school photo during the first day of the fall semester so excited to make new friends and experience admissions council,” temayor said. expected,” Aston said. the atmosphere in Stillsaid Cheyenne Fox, a Senior Year Ex“Many events have been water.” senior from western perience cancelled, including Some referenced Oklahoma. With the panhomecoming, which Greek life, football or To some, it demic changing nearis always so fun. Even traditions as some of wasn’t the pandemic ly every aspect of life, football games are not the main factors in their that caused stress, many future OSU stuthe same and there is excitement, but one but rather the typidents had their final such a lack of school stuck out overall: the cal things most high year before college spirit.” home-like atmosphere school seniors have to torn from them. In But with a potenof OSU’s college town. deal with in the applifact, this experience tial vaccine or future “There is somecation process. was unlike anything treatments for COVthing about being in “The only thing Kailee Aston, a seID-19 gaining traction, Stillwater that makes that was hard was nior from Fort Worth, some seniors are optime feel like I belong,” deciding what to write Texas, has ever enmistic for the second Montemayor said. about in my essays as countered. half. well as taking the SAT/ “My senior year “It’s been OK so ACT,” Jillian Monso far is not what I far, the pandemic has news.ed@ocolly.com
Wish Granted: Chi Omega's Wish Week as sucessful as ever
By Bryanna Nickel
loved being at Chi O with my sorority sisters, raising money and supporting a local business.” The week continued with a benefit night at the Garage where Chi Omega wrote letters to Wish Kids. The letters were filled with nothing but encouragement and excitement for the children that were granted wishes, Mallinger said. On the third night, there was a benefit event at The Oak where the big, anticipated events “Pie a Chi O” and the Fraternity Waffle Eating Contest were held. These two events replaced the annual Waffles for Wishes night to have more COVID-friendly fun, but they were still a hit. Maleeha Hameed, a marketing sophomore and member of Chi Omega, explained the new events.
COVID-19 couldn’t stop the loving women of Chi Omega as they held their annual Wish Week last week to raise money for children with critical illnesses. Wish Week is a weeklong philanthropy event held by Chi Omega to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Oct. 19 through Oct. 23 consisted of fundraisers, letter-writing and tons of excitement for the Make-AWish Foundation and the impact it makes. The momentous week began with benefit events held at local businesses Empire Nutrition and Fruity Patooties. For secondary education junior and member of Chi Omega Dori Mallinger, the very beginning was the best part. “My favorite memory of this week was Fruity Patootie night,” Mallinger said. “I See Wish Week on page 4