Itʼs finally here. Guns Nʼ Rosesʼ Chinese Democracy finds itself into stores. Was the wait worth it? See page six.
TODAY
TOMORROW
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The Golden Eagles are going for a bowl game. Check out our preview on page 8.
S P The
Serving Southern Miss since 1927
Tuesday, November 25 2008
Volume 93, Issue 28
Students get ready for Thanksgiving break Retailers
International students on campus experience holiday first hand By Lesley Walters News Editor As a majority of Southern Miss students prepare to evacuate campus for the Thanksgiving vacation, there is one segment of the student body that tends to hang around for the holidays. International Student and Scholar Services welcomed 92 new international students this semester, drawing its to-
tal enrollment this fall to 325 students, 100 scholars and international visitors from 62 countries, according to its most recent newsletter. This year, many of those students will be celebrating Thanksgiving for the first time. ISSS Administrator Barbara W. Jackson said there are more than 300 students in her program, and most of them will be staying on campus for the holidays. With so many
students, it is nearly impossible to set up American homes for all of them, though students in the study abroad program are sometimes set up with a host family, she said. Others will travel during the vacation to visit friends in other states, Jackson said, while some join new friends’ families to celebrate the American tradition. Tommy Fernandez Soto, a 21-year old student from
Jaen, Andalusia, Spain, said that he would be staying a few days at his host family’s house and was invited to celebrate along with them. “They just mentioned that we would eat a lot, and nothing else, I suppose,” the information technology major said. While he has never celebrated the holiday, he knows most of the history, especially since Columbus was from
prep for Black Friday
Spain, he said. His only other impression of America during the holiday season is that there tends to be more focus on spending money than in Spain, but is otherwise not so different. Soto has been studying in America since August, and By Meryl Dakin will be going home in a cou- Printz Writer ple of weeks when the semester ends, he said. One of his Almost as traditional as the international acquaintances, Thanksgiving turkey are the See HOLIDAY on page 3 Black Friday festivities. The day after Thanksgiving Day, when the leftovers are parceled out and Macy’s Day Parade has passed, Black Friday will mark the beginning of the 2008 Holiday shopping craze. Regardless of how dismal our economic sights are set, Circuit City employee Cassie Brantley thinks people will spend just as much as always on the holiday sales. The senior business and photojournalism student from Natchez said the store tries to cut down on the chaos shoppers experience by being more organized. “We have designated people who go through the lines and try to figure out what everyone wants and they’ll just bring it to them so it’s not too much of a hassle,” she said. “It’s definitely busiest and craziest this time of year.” Senior film major Edward Worthy just began working at Target last Sunday, but can already appreciate how busy Friday will be. The Jackson native mans the toy
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“It’s definitely busiest and craziest this time of year.
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-Cassie Brantley , Circuit City
David N. Jackson/Printz Hattiesburg residents, Jay Yates and Kristen Tillery, do some early Thanksgiving shopping at the Corner Market. With the economic crisis, families are more likely to spend less this weekend than in yearʼs past according to CNN.
Tree lighting leads way for charity By Samantha Gholar Printz Writer Lighting the Way for the Holidays, a celebration event founded by two Southern Miss students, will be hosted by USM on the front lawn of the Aubrey K. Lucas administration building Dec. 2 at 5:15 p.m. Brian Harris, a senior and president of the Southern Miss Activities Council, came up with Lighting the Way with the help of John Glorioso, a junior and officer in the Student Government Association. “I wanted to find a way to bring holiday spirit to our campus and also find a way to give back to the Hattiesburg community,” Glorioso said. “By organizations coming together we can have a greater impact on the Hattiesburg community.” Lighting the Way for the Holi-
days is a tree-lighting ceremony to raise charity funds for Hattiesburg’s Habitat for Humanity. Student organizations can make a donation and in return receive a tree displayed in the front of campus in that organization’s name. “The whole idea behind the event is to raise money for a charitable organization while celebrating the holiday spirit,” Harris said. “The greatest gift is giving and that’s what we want to promote with this event.” Harris and Glorioso recruited the help of three other students to ensure that the future of this two-year-old event continues as an important part of holiday tradition on the Southern Miss campus. Harris said the other students have helped to plan activities for the event and help set up trees and festive lighting. See CHARITY on page 3
David N. Jackson/Printz Brook Wedajo and Laura Garcia walk back toward campus after looking at a house they are looking into renting for next semester.
section, and says he was surprised at how busy it was even before the sale day. “From what I saw last week, there’s an increase in customers even leading up to Black Friday,” he said. So where are the deals going to be? One place to start is the Turtle Creek Mall. Aeropostale will kick off the week with 50% off everything store-wide. On top of the regular sales, Charlotte Russe is offering 25% off everything as well. Looking for some pampering? Purchase $40 worth of merchandise at Bath and Body Works, and a special VIP bag full of spa specialties is yours for $15. Even Blockbuster is in on the game: customers can get a $5 gift card with the purchase of a $50 gift card. For the hard-core shoppers, many retailers offer the famous “early-bird” specials, usually consisting of extra discounts or store giveaways. New York & Ccompany at the Turtle Creek Mall is giving its first 100 customers a free watch with any purchase. From 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., shoppers at 5-7-9 get a storewide 20 percent discount. PetSmart’s first 100 customers receive a coupon book worth up to $150. At Books-A-Million from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., club members can receive 20 percent off all the books they can fit into one BooksA-Million canvas bag. While there are many more sales and specials than those listed here, students should keep in mind that not all stores participate in the holiday sales. Ross’ Dress See SHOPPING on page 3