August 18, 2014

Jaguar 101: Your guide to a new school year

t’s a new year and a new opportunity to make friends, get involved, bring up your grades or try something new. We’ve got all the infor mation you need to make this year the best one of your college career. Look for the paw prints for back-to-school tips.

LIFE

Intramural sports

SPORTS

Athletic Director talks fall sports

OPINION

New events and new ways to get involved

Dr. Joel Erdmann gives insight into upcoming year

Anonymous answers to anonymous questions

11

16

Dear Whomever

24

2

AUG.18, 2014

3

AUG.18, 2014

Editorial Editor in Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Opinion Editor Sports Editor JagLife Editor Staff Reporters

Matthew Rex Strickland

Karie Fugett Alexander Moylan Jordan Knox Alyssa Newton Mitchell Kahalley Laura Havard Jenna Munday Drew Scelsi Aaron Poiroux

Distribution

Distribution Bobby Faulk Alan Smith

Advertising

Advertising Justine Burbank Graphic Designer Ryan Keller

Management Advising J. Sellers J. Aucoin Accounting Kathy Brannan

Mission The Vanguard, the student-run newspaper of the University of South Alabama, serves its readership by reporting the news involving the campus community and surrounding areas. The Vanguard strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.

Send letters and guest columns to: The Vanguard University of South Alabama P.O. Drawer U-1057 Mobile, Ala., 36688.

Or thevanguardeditor@gmail.com Letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication. Submissions should be typed and must include the writer’s name, year, school and telephone number. All submissions become the property of The Vanguard. The Vanguard reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length and clarity.

Letters will be limited to 300 words. Letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writer. The Staff Editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Editorial Board. All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight. The Vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications. To report a mistake, e-mail thevanguardeditor@gmail.com. The Vanguard is published Mondays during the academic year, except for exam periods and vacations, and is published twice each summer. The Vanguard is supported in part by an allocation from student activity fees and operates in the Student Media Department of the Division of Student Affairs. Issues are available at most University buildings and select off-campus locations. The first copy is free. Additional copies are $1 each. Freelance writers will receive payment at the discretion of the section editor and will be notified.

To request additional issues at a stand near you, email: vanguarddistribution@gmail.com

PATRICK BIGBIE | STAFF METEOROLOGIST

USAPD crime blotter 6/5/2014 1:00 p.m.

Visual Arts parking lot Property damage

6/17/2014 10:29 p.m.

The Grove Residential building fire

6/5/2014 8:51 p.m.

USA Medical Center Public intoxication

6/18/2014 3:15 p.m.

Jack Brunson Dr. Drug trafficking, possession of a concealed weapon, drug paraphernalia, attempting to elude a police officer, altering firearm identification.

6/7/2014 8:00 a.m.

Dialysis Clinic Terrorist threat 6/10/2014 7:23 p.m.

The Grove Disorderly conduct

6/25/2014 9:52 a.m.

The Grove Harassment, criminal trespass second degree, criminal mischief third degree 7/8/2014 2:30 p.m.

The Grove Criminal trespass 3rd degree, violation of disciplinary sanctions, unauthorized use of controlled substance, unauthorized presence on university premises 7/18/2014 1:30 a.m.

The Grove Failure to comply with directions of university officials

If you SEE something SAY something!

251-460-6312

4

AUG.18, 2014

Jagmail is for more than just email

STAFF ILLUSTRATION Byy M MAT ATTH THEW EW S STR TRIC ICKL KLAN AND D

Edit Ed itor or-i -inn-Ch Chie ieff

I

n 2012 the University of South Alabama began using Google to host its email system. Similar to its own email service, Gmail, Jagmail provides many ways to organize and categorize incoming emails.

Students can create what are called labels to aid in the organization of the many emails that they may receive during the school year. Labels can be color coded and arranged into a hierarchy of labels and sub labels. Any labels created by a student can

be found in the sidebar of the Jagmail window, and one can simply drag-and-drop emails onto these labels to organize them.

Along with Jagmail comes a few of the many services also offered by Google. Their slogan, “One account. All of Google,� refers to the ability to access everything with just one email address.

Students with a Jagmail account have access to Google Docs, a service that acts much like Microsoft Office.

Google Docs is an online program that allows students to create everything they might need for a class. Accessible from the Google homepage, students can make word documents, presentations and spread-

sheets. All of these files can be saved online and accessed from anywhere through another Google service, Google Drive, using the same Jagmail account used to create the document.

Google Drive acts as an online storage device for any electronic files one might need and can be accessed from any computer, tablet, or phone connected to the internet. Students are given 15 gigabytes of storage for free and can purchase additional storage as needed.

Students can also share access to any files or documents uploaded to Google Drive with anyone that also has a google account.

Multiple people can access the same document in Google Drive at the same time from remote locations and collaborate on any changes in real time. A chat feature is also available to help with the collaboration process.

Jagmail users can also use Google Calendar to sync events and homework assignments across computers and even to their smartphone. With the ability to color code events one could keep personal events, school, work and reminders well organized.

With the ability to use all of these features Jagmail can be useful far beyond just for email. For any additional help with Google apps go to support.google.com.

5

VOL 55 #3

New year, new expectations for JagTran Program

Ho op peefu full llyy ar arri rivi ving ng eve very ssev very even en m min inut utes es,, stud st uden ents ts ccan an h hop op o on n an ny Ja JagT gTra ran n fo forr fr free ee tto o travveell tto tr o va vari riou ouss lo loca cati tion ns on ccam ampu pus. s.

Byy JJAM AMIE IE R REI EID D

Repo Re port rter er

T

he JagTran system provides students and faculty with an alternative method of transportation around South Alabama’s campus. JagTran vehicles run continuously throughout the day and give students a free and easy way to travel from place to place throughout their week. This saves many students from the hassle of finding a different parking spot during their schedule and also helps the students conserve gas.

As stated online at southalabama.edu/ jagtran, “No tickets, money or reservations are needed. Students park their cars in color coded lots, which they choose, and then walk or ride JagTran.”

According to the USA Transportation Coordinator, Cindy Montee, the Jagtran office aims for a vehicle to reach the designated stops every 7 minutes. There are 16 buses in total and 4 routes. With approximately 3 buses to each route during the day, running from 7:10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., then switching to the late route, the system usually runs smoothly. The routes are posted on the web site and there are maps outside the student center.

SOUTHALABAMA.EDU/JAGTRAN

Brochures that detail the routes will be available on the buses during the beginning of the semester. These are free and will be with the driver who will give them out when requested.

The drivers take the riders’ safety very seriously and will only stop at the designated areas. This is to avoid accidents or injury. The drivers do everything they can to ensure everyone gets where they need to be in a timely fashion. It is suggested that you leave adequate time in your schedule for traffic and the other stops.

Patrick Downing, the USA Transportation Services Director, speaks very highly of the JagTran drivers. He said, “All of our JagTran drivers are handpicked, dedicated professionals who understand the importance of transporting our students throughout the campus in a safe manner as quickly as possible.

Another quality our drivers possess is customer focus. They recognize that our students are our customers and our drivers go to great lengths to ensure our customer service is tops. More than 50% of our drivers have been driving for Jag-

See JAGTRAN Page 8

6

AUG.18, 2014

Get more from Counseling and Testing Byy L LAU AURA RA H HAV AVAR ARD D

Repo Re port rter er

U

Co ou un nse s ling ling li ng and Tes esti tiin ng g Servi er vviice er ces Di Dire rect rect cto orr Dr.. Ro Dr Robe bertt Hanks anks det an etai a ls the ai he sttaand ndar daarrd pr proocedu ce du ure res fo forr co coun u seeli un ling tho ling hose ssee who ho nee eed ed itt.

MATTHEW STRICKLAND

MOBILE’S BEST STORAGE

SA Counseling and Testing Services offers a number of programs and counseling sessions to help students better their college experiences and handle any problems they’re facing. These services include individual and relationship counseling, group counseling, career counseling, substance abuse assessment, sexual assault counseling, consultation for faculty and staff, standardized test administration and proctoring and referrals to other mental health providers and resources as needed.

When coming in for an appointment, one can expect to fill out a short information sheet. This gives counselors an idea of family history and background. Next, there will be an assessment counseling session. During this session, the counselor will learn more about the student and the problems at hand.

Finally, a plan will be made as to what steps the student(s) should do to try resolving said problem(s).

According to the Director of Counseling and Testing Services Dr. Robert Hanks, confidentiality in the Counseling and Testing center is just as if a student went off campus to speak with a counselor; no one will be told that a student has been scheduled for coun-

5010 Moffett Road Mobile, AL 36695 Phone: 251-343-7867

7870 Tanner Williams Road Mobile, AL 36608 Phone: 251-639-0444

See COUNSELING Page 8

WWW.MOBILESBESTSTORAGE.COM

10%

3310 Demetropolis Road Mobile, AL 36693 Phone: 251-662-1275

seling. Nor will it be reflected on any academic transcripts or letters of recommendation.

Even if parents or guardians of a student call the office and directly ask if a student is seeking counseling, that information is kept confidential and cannot legally be told to anyone.

There is a large misconception that counseling is only for the mentally ill. Dr Hanks says this is not true. There are a number of “normal� students who seek counseling.

There are several options of counseling programs that students can choose from. “We have students ranging with problems such as test anxiety through major depression,� Hanks said. “Students just need someone to talk to.�

Recently, a new counselor, Shanta Jenkins, was added to the counseling staff. That brings the total count of counselors in the department up to four. Jenkins is a USA graduate, and she has much to bring to the department. With experience in group counseling, co-occurring disorders; life transitions and coping skills; emotional, mental and physical health; self-esteem issues; anger, stress, and time management; anxiety; depression, she specializes in substance and mental abuse. “Being in college can be stressful; there

Call Call Us Us Today T day For To For SPECIAL SPECIAL DEALS DEALS A-Cool Storage

251-662-1275

Student Discount

All American Self Storage

251-639-0444

Dawes Stor-All

251-607-0655

Grand Slam Storage

251-607-0775

Magnolia Storage

251-343-7867

with this ad

StorageMax University

251-660-5058

USA Storage

251-341-4585

www.acoolstoragemobile.com www.allamericanstoragemobile.com www.dawesstorallmobile.com www.grandslamstoragemobile.com www.magnoliastoragemobile.com www.storagemaxmobile.com www.usa-storage.net

684 So. University Blvd Mobile, AL 36695 Phone: 251-660-5058

8601 Jeff Hamilton Road East Mobile, AL 36695 Phone: 251-607-0655

t 4FDVSF 0O -JOF #JMM 1BZ

t -PBEJOH $BSUT

t 0O TJUF .BOBHFNFOU

t .PWJOH #PYFT

t (BUFE ,FZQBE &OUSZ

t 1BDLJOH 4VQQMJFT

t 3FHVMBS 6OJUT

t 4FDVSJUZ -JHIUJOH

t $MJNBUF $POUSPMMFE 6OJUT

t $PNQFUJUJWF 1SJDFT

t )PVS 7JEFP 4VSWFJMMBODF

t %BZ "DDFTT

t #PBU 37 1BSLJOH (some locations)

5827 Old Shell Road Mobile, AL 36695 Phone: 251-341-4585

Twitter 6520 Grelot Road Mobile, AL 36695 Phone: 251-607-0775

All Companies Above Under Same Ownership

7

AUG.18, 2014

A guide to parking at USA If you weren’t already aware, you’ll realize quickly that parking space on USA’s campus is limited, something that has frustrated students for years. To make your life a little easier, and to help you make it to class on time, we’ve compiled some parking tips.

Students who live on campus (or nearby):

There are few reasons to take up already limited space if you live in the area. So, if you do, take one for the team, and let the students who have no other choice but to drive in to class fight over parking.

Walk: It’s pretty self-explanatory. If your class is close by, walk to it. It’s hard fitting exercise in between classes, anyway. This will not only free up space in the parking lots, but will also give you a chance to burn a few calories without even thinking about it.

Ride your bike: If your classes are a little too far away to walk to, then ride your bike. The school is equipped with bike racks all over campus. You can also rent a JagBike from the campus recreation center for $5 a semester.

Use the Jagtran: It runs from 7:10 am to 7:30 pm.

You can find and print route maps on USA’s website atsouthalabama.edu/departments/jagtran/index.

Commuters: Carpool: It’s one of the most underrated and underused options we have. Many of us are roommates with fellow students or know students who live close by. A little extra effort goes a long way. If we all practiced this, I suspect we would see a huge difference.

Choose your parking section wisely: Before you choose, figure out where all of your classes for the semester are located. Park in an area that is closest to the majority of your classes. You can find a map of all of the parking sections here: southalabama.edu/departments/parkingservices/map. And you can find a map of the buildings on campus here: southalabama.edu/maps.

Look for Open Parking: On the map above, you’ll find sections with open parking. If you’re in a bind and simply cannot find something in your section, see if one of those lots will work for you.

Get to class early: Parking is a little less daunting in the morning, for starters. But even if you can’t get in that early, get there as early as you can so that you have plenty of time to find a spot.

Walk between classes: You can do it. I believe in you.

Don’t let the students who live on campus be the only ones getting a workout.

Bring a bike: This especially goes for students whose classes are spread out. Once you’ve found your spot, keep it, and take your bike everywhere else. If you park in sections other than your own, you will get a ticket (I’ve gotten many…they don’t mess around). Besides, you don’t want to spend the majority of your day fighting for parking spots.

You can use the Jagtran, too: If you have a stellar spot, but one of your classes is far away and you don’t have a bike, jump on the Jagtran. A link to their routes can be found in the “Students who live on campus” section.

8

AUG.18, 2014

The T Th he Ja JagT g ra gT ran n pr prog gra ram m ha hass 16 veh e ic icle less an and d op perrat ates ess fou o r di diff ffer ff eren er entt ro en rout utes ut ess dur urin ing th ing thee da day. y. y.

JagTran continued from pg. 5 Tran for more than five years. Most of our students appreciate what our drivers do for them and many drivers have been invited by students to their graduation ceremony.”

The mission statement states their purpose, “To maintain and operate a safe and reliable transportation system for the movement of students and faculty

SOUTHALABAMA.EDU/JAGTRAN

throughout the University of South Alabama campus,” and “to plan and coordinate all external transportation requirements for all University of South Alabama departments.”

They would like to inform everyone that the Student Center Circle will be closed August 18-25, 2014 due to road work. All routes will load and unload on the south side of the student center until the road work is cleared up.

The officials behind the JagTran system want you to feel free to direct any questions or concerns to the hotline number at 460-7777.

Ms. Sh Ms. Shan anta ta JJen enki k ns ki ns,, th he ne newe w st add we ddit i iio it on to thee Co th Coun unse seli ling ng and Tessti ting ng Cen ente teer, hopes op pes to o off ffer er d div iver ersi sity ty to sttud u en ents ts and d fac acul ullty ulty t.

Counseling continued from pg. 6 are more pressures,” Jenkins said. “For a lot of students, it’s their first time away from home. I’m just here to help them find a good outlet.”

Diversity is what she is hoping to bring to the staff. Jenkins said that sometimes minority students often feel as though they cannot connect as well as others. She is hoping to change this and make all the students feel as though they can have a place to go.

MATTHEW STRICKLAND

“Students can come to me if they need variety or just someone to share the same cultural background with,” Jenkins said. “I just want to help people.”

All students are encouraged, by the counselors, to call 460-7051 to schedule an appointment. Business hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Alpha Hall East Room 326. Currently enrolled USA students are eligible for free counseling services, and there is no limit to the number of sessions one can schedule each semester.

There are some instances such as the standardized test that can charges may be applicable.

MITCHELL KAHALLEY LIFE EDITOR wmk1221@jagmail.southalabama.edu

LIFE

AUG.18, 2014

South welcomes students with open arms EVENTS THIS WEEK

Life Li fe E Edi dito torr

O

n Saturday, the University of South Alabama welcomed hundreds of new freshmen for the 2014-15 school year. This year is the twentieth anniversary of JagFest, an all day event to welcome incoming students to the University held on the Saturday before the school year starts. The morning opened with movein day, which featured over 700 USA faculty, staff, alumni and students helping new students move into the residence halls. At the start of his first full academic year as president of South Alabama, Dr. Tony G.Waldrop and his wife Dr. Julee Waldrop greeted new students and their parents and helped them move into their dorms.

Later in the afternoon, student organizations were allowed to set up booths in the concourse of the Mitchell Center to offer information to all freshmen and transfer students. The Campus Fair featured over 100 student organizations, highlighting the diversity of interests within the student body.

After the Campus Fair, new students and their families were treated to a dinner buffet hosted by President Waldrop in the Mitchell Center.

JagFest was the first in a long line of welcome events planned by the university. On Tuesday Aug. 19, Jaguar Productions is holding a “Kickoff Cookout” on the Sorority Commons. This is a great place for new students to get to know each other and have all their questions about life on campus answered by students that already live at South.The cookout will have

OMSA “Line Dance Night” 7-8 p.m.

Student Center

19

Kickoff Cookout 4-7 p.m.

Sorority Commons

New Ne w So Sout uth ut h Al A ab abam amaa st am stud uden den ents ts on Mov ovee In eI Day 201 014.

4 4.

FACEBOOK Byy M MIT ITCH CHEL ELL L KA KAHA HALL LLEY EY

18

free food, music and games.

The annual Football Fan Day will be held on Aug 24.,on the floor of the Mitchell Center.

This gives everyone a chance to meet Jaguars head coach Joey Jones and the Jaguar football team. The Jags first home game this season is against Mississippi State on Sept. 13.

On Aug. 27, the university will be sponsoring Get on Board Day. Get on Board Day is similar to the Campus Fair, however it will feature over 200 student organizations, twice as many that were in the Mitchell Center concourse during JagFest. It gives students the opportunity

to meet with clubs and organizations they may have missed during JagFest, or the chance to go back to the ones they liked and get even more info. All students are encouraged to come to Get on Board Day and find a group to get involved with.

Getting involved on campus is the best way to meet new people and start to feel at home.

With so many student organizations, there’s bound to be something for you. Take the opportunities provided to you and get involved.

The college experience is so much more than what you do in the classroom.

Jaguar Productions Outdoor Movie “Godzilla” 8 p.m.

Student Center Amphitheater Free

20

CPC Recruitment Orientation 5:30 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom Jaguar Productions Movie Night “Divergent” 8 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom Free

FACEBOOK

By afftter er no n on on,, th the resi reesi s deenc ncee ha hall llss we ll were re fille led wi witth h stu t de dent ntss movi mo v ng int vi n o th thei e r ho ei h mee forr thee nex extt se seme mest ster err.

21

CPC Recruitment Round One Parties 5:30 p.m.

Sorority Commons

22

The Grove Pool Party 2 p.m.

The Grove Free

10

AUG.18, 2014

Bringing down the House lights:Let’s Be Cops Byy S SHA HANN NNON ON H HOU OUSE SE

Cont Co ntri ribu buti ting ng W Wri rite terr

“

L

et’s Be Cops” is the latest police comedy that debuted Wednesday, Aug. 13. Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. from FOX’s “New Girl,” star as two down-on-their-luck friends/roommates from college who go to a masquerade party during their college reunion thinking it is instead a costume party. The two arrive as cops and when leaving they realize that everyone, including cops, thinks they are real cops. The pair decide to see how far they can take their shenanigans by buying an old police car, taking weed from teenagers (to smoke for themselves), and stopping a gang from terrorizing local business owners.

While packed with below-thebelt jokes and comic conventions that are sure to please the masses, I feel “Let’s Be Cops” was more of a poor man’s “21 Jump Street.”

The plot could be seen from miles away and viewers had to have a

high suspension of disbelief in order to accept the plot holes and convenience of much of the story.

Rob Riggle—Mr. Walters from “21 Jump Street”—arrives as a slight fresh breath of air only to pull Johnson and Wayans Jr. into their con even more.

The duo’s main adversary is a group of Eastern-European gangsters who prey on small business owners through their brute force.

Insert Nina Dobrev, from the CW’s “Vampire Diaries,” as the waitress that always serves Johnson and Wayans Jr. at her family’s restaurant Georgie’s. Georgie’s is the latest restaurant hit by the gangsters, and Johnson and Wayans Jr. carry out their false bravado by investigating their true intentions in Los Angeles which includes the usual money laundering, illegal substances, and confiscated weapons commonly found in these buddy cop movies such as “The Heat” or “21 Jump Street”. At the end of the day, the duo realize that their actions have real-life consequences and they in turn act as real cops to take down the bad guys.

This movie was not a total failure due to Johnson and Wayans Jr.’s on-air chemistry. Luke Greenfield, the director of “Let’s Be Cops,” seemed to know this pair would work from their previous grouping on “New Girl,” and the pair have an antagonistic, but playful banter throughout as Johnson truly wants to be a cop while Wayans Jr. tries to stop the ploy on multiple occasions.

This comedy arrives at the tailend of summer, so it didn’t have to compete with some of the bigger comedy titles—save “Guardians of the Galaxy”—such as “Neighbors,” “22 Jump Street” and “Tammy.” However, these buddy comedies have devolved into a string of clichés that not even big names like Melissa McCarthy or Channing Tatum can save. According to IMDB, the R-rated flick has already produce $5.3 million for a Wednesday release and is expected to make around $30 million for the weekend. This movie might be entertaining enough for most audiences, but I would recommend waiting to rent it at Redbox.

WIKI COMMONS

“Leett’ss Be Co “L ops p ” star st ar Jake aak ke Jo John hnso on. n

11

AUG.18, 2014

Intramural sports offers new ways to get involved

FACEBOOK | COLIN MCGEE Byy M MIT ITCH CHEL ELL L KA KAHA HALL LLEY EY

Life Li fe E Edi dito torr

T

he Department of Campus Recreation provides students with many opportunities to get active and a chance to get involved on campus. One of the best ways to do that is to play intramu-

Ovver O er 1,2 ,25500 stu ude dent ntss p paarrttiiccpa p teed in n in ntr tram aam murrall flag fo f ot otba ball ba ll in 20 2013 13..

13 ral sports. They are a great way to spend time with friends, make new ones and play your favorites sports. This year, the intramural schedule features new events alongside the usual favorites.

The first event on the intramural calendar is the Slip Slide Showdown to be held on Aug. 24. The Showdown will feature multiple water slides, each with dif-

ferent challenges.

“It’s more than just slipping and sliding,” says Brian Allred, the Assistant Director of Campus Recreation. “For example, as you slide you might be throwing something at a target and there will be prizes for the best.”

The Slip Slide Showdown is free to play, and open to all students.

This year, in collaboration with the Department of International Students, there will be an 11 on 11 World Cup style soccer tournament. Allred says the tournament will have a limited number of teams that will represent the diversity of the student body. If you and your friends want to be one of the teams to represent your country or region, you will have to play through a qualifying process. However, don’t worry if your team doesn’t qualify for the World Cup, you can still participate in the seven on seven league that is held every year. The registration deadline for the World Cup ends on Sept.

12, while the registration deadline for the seven on seven league is Aug. 29.

Usually, if you wanted to play intramural basketball you would have to wait until the spring semester. Luckily for roundball fans, there will be a chance to play in the fall. The 3 on 3 Streetball Jam will be held outside as opposed to playing on the

hardwood courts inside the rec center.

The Streetball Jam will be held twice this semester, the registration deadline for the first tournament is Oct. 3. and Oct. 24 for the second.

Even with all the new sports to choose from this year, the biggest intramural sport at South is still flag football. Last year over 1,250 students participated.

The traditional seven on seven league starts Oct. 12, but for those students who want to play flag football all semester, Redzone Flag Football, a variant of flag football played on a smaller field that acts as a preseason for teams and referees before the traditional seven on seven league begins, starts on Sept. 7.

On Nov. 7, the Rec Center will be hosting Midnight Glow Games. They will feature volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, twister, ultimate kickball and others played late at night with glowing equipment. This event requires no registration and is free to play.

For more information on how to register a team or register yourself as a free agent, and for the full intramural schedule for the fall sememster, visit the intramural website,southalabama.edu/ intramurals/index, their Facebook page, facebook.com/usaintramurals and on Twitter @jagintramurals.

12

AUG.18, 2014

Jaguar Productions is one stop shop for all student events

FLICKR

Byy JJEN ENNA NA M MUN UNDA DAY Y

Repo Re port rter er

W

hat do seeing Christmas lights at Bellingrath Gardens, catching the premiere of a new blockbuster hit at the movies on a Friday night and singing along to your favorite bands at BayFest all have in common? Well, Jaguar Productions offers discount tickets to all of these events, including many more.

Recently relocated to the new Student Center, Jaguar Productions is the students’ one stop shop for all things that are going on around campus. From planning massages for the students in the food court, to “Old School Skate Night,�

Jaguar Productions makes it their mission to help students get involved.

One way that Jaguar Productions gets students involved is by hosting movie nights right here on campus. In the past, Jaguar Productions has shown “Captain America,� “Robo Cop� and “Frozen,� to name a few.

Jaguar Productions will be hosting two movie nights this week and everyone is invited to attend.

The movie “Godzilla� will be shown

Jagu Ja ag gu uar ar Pro rodu duct du ctio ct ions io ns hol olds ld dss eveent n s th thro ro roug oug ugho hout ho ut th he yyeear to he help lp stu tude dent de ntss ge nt gett in invo vo olv lved ed.. ed

on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. in the Student Center Amphitheater and the new hit blockbuster “Divergent� will be shown on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom.

This is a great way for students to get involved, meet some new people and watch a great movie in the process. Jaguar Productions will also be giving away free popcorn and drinks to those who attend.

If you’re ever in the mood to see a movie and Jag Productions isn’t offering one that night, don’t worry; they are still there to help.

Each semester, Jag Productions offers students $5 movie tickets that can be used at any Carmike Cinemas theater. These passes are good for all showings at the theater and will save you a good amount of money, especially for those that are huge movie buffs. The limit is fifteen tickets per student, per semester.

To find out more about what Jaguar Productions is up to this month, stop by their window to pick up the new August Campus Calendar or follow them on Twitter @JPSouthAL. You can also text “JPTEXT� to 71441 to get messages sent to your phone about polls, prizes and upcoming events offered

by Jaguar Productions.

Jaguar Productions discount tickets include those to the Mobile Symphony, the Mobile Ballet, Bellingrath Gardens, BayFest and Carmike Cinemas. These tickets are available to any USA student, faculty or staff member.

For those enrolled in the fall semester, discount tickets become available on the first day of classes. The office accepts cash, check, debit/credit cards and Jag Cash. So, stop by the Jag Productions window in the Student Center to pick up your discount tickets today.

$. /1+$,1 -% -"(-*-&5 ,1'/-.-*-&5 ,# -"( * -/)

/(3$ -/1' --+

,(3$/0(15 *3# -/1' -!(*$ * ! +

$. /1+$,1 '-,$

4

/ '(* //

+ (* ." // 0-21' * ! + $#2

13

AUG.18, 2014

Q

uestion

of the

E

dition

Incoming freshmen, what clubs or organizations do you plan on joining?

Leeonna Buckhannon “Alpha Kappa Alpha�

Savannah Adams “Greek Life�

Are you looking for something to help boost the marketability of your degree?

!

!

!

," , +" * "(-+ "(% + (&&-'#,# + ' /(*$)% + !

/#," &# + "

Landon Miller “Rugby�

!

"

!

"

!

'%#' % ++ + . #% % (* (&)% ,#(' ( %% )*(!* &+ *(!* &+ (%%(/ ," !-# %#' + ( ," ++( # ,#(' (* *(',(%(!0 #' #!" * - ,#('

(& ,(. %% '$+ " #* ,(* *(!* &+ #' *(',(%(!0 '#. *+#,0 ( (-," % & *( ++(* " #* ) *,& ', ( ( #(%(!0 ',"*()(%(!0 ' ( # % (*$

(* *" '$+ -+(-," % -

Marcel Ross “Biomedical Science Society�

14

AUG.18, 2014

15

AUG.18, 2014

Great in-town eateries Byy JEN ENNA NA M MUN UNDA DAY Y

Repo Re port rter er

I

love food. It is one of my favorite pastimes and I typically find myself planning my day around meals. I even try to schedule my classes to where I’ll have a decent lunch break. While I may be the only one that does this, I’m not entirely convinced.

At the start of my freshman year, a few of my friends and I started having “Fat Friday’s”: a weekly tradition that involved us going out to eat every Friday night. While this may have hurt my bank account, I learned a lot about the restaurant scene in Mobile, so here are some recommendations for the next time you’re looking to go out to eat.

You have your Mobile staples such as The Dew Drop Inn, the oldest restaurant in city, that Jimmy Buffett listed as having one of his all-time favorite cheeseburgers (also where he claims the Heinz 57 from “Cheeseburger in Paradise” comes in).

And then you have your new favorites.

Mirko Pasta, which is known for its madefrom-scratch Italian cuisine and The Brick Pit, which is located around the corner from campus and known for their delicious BBQ. The Brick Pit has also been featured on the show “Man vs. Food Nation.”

For my fellow sushi lovers, Konnitiwa Sushi Seafood & Steakhouse has been my go-to spot for years. Located at the intersection of Cottage Hill and University, Konnitiwa has delicious sushi at affordable prices. Just be sure to check their hours before you go; they close for lunch at 2 p.m. and reopen for dinner at 5 p.m.

As I am a bit biased with my own favorite restaurant choices, I decided to ask around campus to find out other students’ favorite places to eat. When asked what her favorite restaurant and menu item around Mobile was, occupational therapy major Whitney McDevitt didn’t hesitate to say Mugshots.

“The McDonald burger from Mugshots!”

FACEBOOK

said Whitney McDevitt. “It’s so delicious; I think it’s the best burger in Mobile.”

If you go, you can always try the McDonald burger that Whitney recommends (I’m partial to The Come-Back burger) or you can attempt to finish The Mugshot.

The Mugshot is a burger that has three patties, six strips of bacon, two types of cheese, mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato and onion. As if that wasn’t enough, it also comes with beer battered fries, plus an onion ring and a pickle.

If you finish The Mugshot challenge in 12 minutes or less, the meal is on the house. If not, you’re left with a $20 bill and a full stomach.

While Mugshots is a big hit with many students, especially since we can now pay for our meal using Jag Cash, plenty of restaurants around town are also being noticed for their good food and reasonable prices.

“Big Time Diner is definitely one of my favorites,” said marketing major Kara Crook.

“It’s good for students that live away from home because it has great home cooked meals at decent prices. I love their mac n’ cheese!”

If you’re looking for somewhere to eat outside of the usual university atmosphere, try going to midtown or Downtown Mobile and take your pick of all the choices.

For midtown, I would recommend Butch Cassidy’s, home of the famous “Butch Burger” and Fuego: a trendy Mexican restaurant that’s served with a “Cali Coast fire.” If you need to put out the fire of Fuego’s food, then you can head a few minutes back down Old Shell Road and visit the neighborhood hot spot that is Cammie’s Old Dutch Ice Cream Shoppe.

And if you’re going downtown, be sure to stop in at Spot of Tea: an adorable restaurant in Cathedral Square known for its atmosphere, delicious food and strawberry tea.

While I only listed a few, there are many delicious places to eat around town that offer great food and reasonable prices.

Th T he Br Briicck Pi Pit it is is ho om me tto o som ome off Mob o obile’ ilee’’s b il beesstt bar arbe becu cuee..

ALYSSA NEWTON SPORTS EDITOR usavgsports@gmail.com

SPORTS

AUG.18, 2014

The ne Th new wlly bu buililt ilt so socc ccer er pre ress ress ss box ox for or the he upc pcom omin ing ng Sun B Su Beelt lt Con o fe fere ere renc n e So nc S cc c eerr Cha hanp npio np i ns nshi hip hip. hi p..

Alyssa Newton

Interview with Dr. Erdmann

By ALYSSA NEWTON Sports Editor

W

ith a bowl eligible football team, a Sun Belt champion soccer team, a nationally ranked softball team and more prestigious honors earned by South Alabama athletics this past year, we have one question: What’s next at South Alabama?

We sat down with Athletic Director Dr. Joel Erdmann and discussed what is coming this year for USA athletics.

The Vanguard: We’ve seen you tweet about all of the renovations and improvements made to various athletic facillities. What does that consist of ?

Dr. Joel Erdmann: We have our building and, soon to be completed, new bench shelters and elevated operations press area. All of which is made with brick and steel. … This provides us with a more stable structure and it looks more professional.

It needed to be done, but we are also holding the Sun Belt Soccer Championship this year.

We want to make sure when other teams come to us we are representing the school and the sport appropriately.

We are fortunate to install new seating in the Jaguar Gym. We were able to add seating in at the baselines of volleyball and replace old wooden bleachers with some more contemporary and properly colored seating.

pg. 19

We are also in the midst of a locker room renovation for men and women’s basketball.

The locker rooms needed some updating, and along with that, a lounge room for the men and women.

As some projects are completed, some are on the horizon. We need to start to look at men and women’s tennis.

Hopefully that a year from now we will generate enough money for renovation of the locker rooms as well as other smaller projects.

We don’t have to be extravagant and the best, but we try to make sure it looks the right way. It helps us recruit.

VG: With the addition of JagNationTV and the new

pg. 20

USA football media day JagSwag Coaches, players talk 2014 season Rewards program for athletics

multimedia aspect of USAJaguars it gives fans a new outlet for USA athletics. Can you tell us about that?

JE: We have just completed a 5-year partnership with IMG

TWITTER

who has all of our marketing and sponsorship rights. To replace that partnership we have Jaguar Sports Properties.

See ERDMANN Page 18

Jaguar Gym renovations completed.

pg. 21 First fall scrimmage Football has“away game”

pg. 22 JagNation 101 Top 5 things to be a JagFan

17

AUG.18, 2014

USA Vanguard Sports @USAVGSports

Finding the best tweets from South Alabama athletes. Make sure you follow us on Twitter for sports updates and liveplay-by-plays. #JagNation

#JagTweets Hunter Vaughn @HVaughn3

QB

Most annoying thing in the world is automatic sinks.

FOOTBALL Austin Karazsia @AKarazsia

F

New year, new parking permit. Ready to be back with my Jag fam. #JagNation

BASKETBALL Tyler Klava @tylerklava

G

The bachelor in paradise is a phenomenal show!

I wanna go on it! #clutch

GOLF Amanda Minahan @MandaMiniVan

IN

Who needs a man when you’re the one making the dough?

Softball Derek Westbrook @thederekwestbrook

XC K

I love walking outside and immediately starting to sweat

Track and Field Sarah Hay @sarahhayUSA02 I know that everyone is on this Frozen craze, but let’s please not forget Tangled. Such a great movie.

SOCCER

Chloe Rathurn @ChloeRathburn

IN

The soundtrack to Holes in underrated

Softball

18

AUG.18, 2014

ERDMANN Continued from Page 16

It is Jaguar Sports Properties’ mission to raise money through corporate sales, ticket sales, donations. But also we have some very skilled broadcasting people who double as sales people, JD Byars, director of broadcasting, and Pat Greenwood who came to us from Channel 15.

Part of Pat’s responsibilities as director of multimedia is to help develop JAGNATION TV. It is an online conduit to real time video feed whether it is a streaming of games or frequent reports through presentations of sports highlights or student athletes.

Our hope is to provide easy access to fans to get them to have a video update daily. We want them to get to know our coaches and our kids. … Hopefully people get in the habit of checking it daily. It won’t just be live programming, but also archiving.

VG: With big games such as Mississippi State and Navy coming to Ladd-Peebles Stadium, are there any changes being made with these games in mind?

JE: Little things, nothing significant.

We will play the alma mater prior to the games as well as after the game. Which is somewhat of a traditional practice I

believe. Immediately after the national anthem we will go into the alma mater.

That’ll be prior to the run out. I think where we are we need to continue to get our fans in a rhythm or cheering and chanting ... I don’t think we will bring in anything necessarily new, but try to reinforce the traditions. I think it’ll be a lot of fun.

VG: The Jags will be doing a lot of traveling, especially with new Sun Belt Conference additions Idaho and Appalachian State. What can you tell us about our a few of the new conference members and traveling?

JE: We are flying to 5 of our 6 road games. Idaho is one of the new Sun Belt members; they are football only. It will be an interesting trip. They play in a dome, a closed facility. They will have a loud environment. We travel to Appalachian State which has a very collegiate tradition game day environment. They have been playing football for a long time. Their students and fans really rally around their program so they’ll have a full stadium and it’ll be a fun game environment.

Georgia Southern comes to u this year.

They beat Florida at Florida last year. The teams that are coming in have very strong traditions in football and in other sports programs as well. The addition of these teams is a very good thing.

VG: This year all Sun Belt basketball games will be doubleheaders with men’s

and women’s games back-to-back . What does this mean for South basketball?

JE: One of the reasons to go to doubleheaders this year is the concern of missed class time. In some ways they are good and in some ways they are bad.

We think Saturday doubleheaders are attractive because we will look to play more afternoon games.

Doubleheaders during weekdays will be a potential negative; the first game would tip off at about five and then the next game after. But the crowd for the second half of the first game will be large. With that crossover traffic fans will be able to see both teams play. I think both teams are poised to show improvements this year.

TWITTER

Basketball locker room renovations.

19

AUG.18, 2014

South Alabama football Media Day 2014 “We’re going to win this daggum ballgame” DREW SCELESI Sports Reporter

S

outh Alabama coaches and players held their media day Tuesday, Aug. 12 to talk about the upcoming 2014 football season.

The Jaguars, who closed out the 2013 season by reeling off three straight wins and achieving bowl eligibility for the first time in school history, look to keep that momentum going. The Jags were voted to finish third in the Sun Belt Conference in 2014.

Head coach Joey Jones was the first to be interviewed and spoke about the upcoming year: “We’re very excited about this season, and our guys are ready to get after it. We’ve been practicing six or seven days. [We’re] bringing a lot of energy to practice and a lot of energy to this season, so we’re excited about where we are at this point, and looking forward to the schedule we have … We know about all the teams in the Sun Belt, [we’re] playing Mississippi State, South Carolina, Navy and Kent State.”

The Jaguars’ schedule for 2014 is among the toughest in the Sun Belt, with trips to South Carolina, Arkansas State and reigning Sun Belt champion Louisiana-Lafayette, as well as the home matchups against Mississippi State and Navy. “First of all, our guys want to play the best,” Jones said, “They want to play the SEC schools, they want to play the ACC schools, and they enjoy playing in those venues … Our goal is to go out and do the very best we can.”

Wide receiver Jake Howton and offensive tackle Ucambre Williams made it clear that the Jags are not fazed by this year’s tough schedule. “Last year at Tennessee, it was

ALYSSA NEWTON

like, ‘Wow, we can play with these guys,’” Williams said. “Sometimes the media portrays the SEC teams as Goliath, but we can compete with anyone in the nation.”

“We have a lot of high expectations,” Howton said, “We finished last year strong, and we felt like we were a really good football team towards the last four or five games of the year … We have a lot of starters back: a lot of guys that have been here for a long time.”

Nose tackle Jesse Kelley and safety Terrell Brigham closed out the interviews, with Kelley expounding on the team’s high expectations. “Expectations going into the season this year are pretty high,” he said, “For myself, I want to win a championship, and I want to win a bowl game. That’s just simple.”

“We’ve got three seniors and a sophomore [in the secondary],” Brigham said, “We pretty much [all] got playing time last year, so with us having all that experience, I feel like we have high expectations.”

Coach Jones stressed that closing out games will be an area of focus for South Alabama this year. Four of the Jaguars’ six losses in 2013 came by a combined five points, with three of those decided in the final minute of the game.

“Last year we were a little thin in our depth at times, and we were tired at the end of games; now we have more depth, and that does factor into it,” Jones said, “Also, it’s just a mentality. A mentality of, ‘We’re going to finish this daggum ball game and we’re going to win it,’ and I think that comes with time. Our program was growing … and now we need to learn how to close out close games.”

20

AUG.18, 2014

The only swag you need: South Alabama JagSwag App that rewards you for going to free events AARON POIROUX Sports Reporter

A

t South Alabama not only can you attend athletic events free of charge, but you are also rewarded for the games and events you attend.

How? With JagSwag.

JagSwag is an app that rewards students for attending games at the push of a button. The first event is the soccer game against UAB at The Cage on Friday, Aug. 22. To gain the points for this event, all a student has to do is attend the game and check-in. The app uses your GPS location and gives you points once it has verified that you are there.

“We were really pleasantly surprised,” Athletic Director Joel Erdmann said. “It really drove our student attendance up last year. With JagSwag I think we are ahead of the curve.”

Last year prizes ranged from a pair of South Alabama sunglasses to a chance to win an iPad at the end of the year.

“JagSwag is just another reason to come out and support Jaguar athletics,” senior Regan Dyal said. “It encouraged me to attend other athletic events I might not normally go to. The rewards offered really gave incentives to come out to games.” Dyal ended last year with

STAFF ILLISTRATION

161 JagSwag points with prizes, food and apparel to show for it.

According to Erdmann, last year was just the beginning. He anticipates this year to be even bigger and better.

“What we are doing this year (with JagSwag) is, since now we are in control of our sponsorships, we will be able to use them at a greater level within JagSwag,” Erdmann said. “I think you will see more variety in what we are able to offer students.”

The app isn’t only a way to check into events, but it also offers other cool features. On the main screen there is a menu of what the entire app contains.

You can change your username, check out your awards, see where you stand on the leaderboard and more.

One of the most popular parts of JagSwag is the fancam. Students and fans are able to share pictures of themselves at games and events with other Jag fans.

Or you can hit the social button and check out South Alabama Athletics Facebook, Twitter and YouTube account and keep up-to-date with all Jaguar sports, including the newly added JagNationTV. So if you are planning on attending any South Alabama games this year, download the app, share pictures with fellow Jag fans, and go out and support your Jaguar athletics.

21

AUG.18, 2014

South Alabama football has first scrimage “away” The Jaguars travel down Old Shell Road for first fall scrimmage at St. Paul’s Episcopal school ALYSSANEWTON Sports Editor

W

ith less than a month from the first South Alabama football game at Kent State, the Jaguars took a trip down Old Shell Road to St. Paul’s E.E. Delaney Field for their first fall scrimmage.

The Jaguars held an open 75 minute scrimmage Saturday where the Jags ran 81 plays with 562 yards of offense.

Head coach Joey Jones wanted to give the team an “away game” atmosphere away from the familiar South Alabama practice field. South Alabama will have six road games this season, the first being their season opener at Kent State.

“We needed to come over here to St. Paul’s for a different atmosphere and get our kids used to playing on a different field,” Jones said. “I think if we can do that, we can go to Kent

State and go to South Carolina and experience these things before we get into the season.

We want to get our guys used to being on a different field and not just our own field.”

“Our guys understand that playing time is on the line and it is what it is,’’ Jones said.”I don’t care who the mamas are and the daddies are, the best players are going to play. That’s just the way it works.’’

Starting quarterback Brandon Bridge completed the scrimmage with 10 of 18 passes for 131 yards with three touchdowns. These included a 1-yard touchdown to Jereme Jones, a 25-yarder to Wes Saxton and a 15-yarder to Shavarez Smith.

“I feel great, I’m more confident,” Bridge said on his progress. “I feel good about my reads and about our receivers; I’m building great chemistry with Shavarez [Smith] and Wes [Saxton]. I’m way more

confident than last year.”

Backups Matt Floyd and Hunter Vaughn were given the reps behind Bridge in the scrimmage with Floyd going 5 of 7 and passing for 42 yards and Vaughn 6 of 9 passing for 173 with two touchdown passes.

Vaughn connected a 44-yard pass to T.J. Glover and a 35yard pass to wide receiver Tony Ray Parnell. Trey Fetner did not participate in the scrimmage.

Running back T.J. Glover had 7 carries for 64 yards and two catches for 59 yards.

“It felt really good,” Glover said on making plays during the scrimmage. “I haven’t done that in a while. To be back on the field and have touchdowns feels really good.”

The Jags had 11 straight days at least one practice on the field that started with the first day of fall drills on Aug. 6. The team took Sunday off before returning to practice on Monday Aug. 18,

the first day of fall classes.

Saturday, Aug. 23 South Alabama will hold the scrimmage

ALYSSA NEWTON

at Fairhope Municipal Stadium before taking part in Fan Day at the Mitchell center at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24.

Quaterback Brandon Bridge

22

AUG.18, 2014

101

Attend the games!

Top 5 things to being a JagFan

Stock up on JagSwag

1 4 Let out your inner super-fan 2 Know the fight song Know your team 5 USA FIGHT SONG 3 This one is a no brainer. Go to as many games as you can.

THEY ARE FREE. How many college students can say that? Rain or shine, go out and support YOUR South Alabama Jaguars.

Throw away the other collegiate gear, you’re now a South Alabama Jaguar. You can’t get more patriotic than red, white and blue so stock up, especially around Fourth of July. For the ladies, cheetah, lepard and all other spotted feline prints are now Jagprint.

Cheer in style, the USA Bookstore always has the hottest JagGear for all South Alabama athletics.

No matter who you are, we all have an inner “super-fan.”

South has seen everything from afros and togas to Gumby and Frank the Rabbit. Have an idea? Try it out at the next game. Maybe you could be the next super-fan.

You know, the song you learned at orientation.

You’re going to be hearing it a lot, so you might at well learn it.

Get to know players! They’re not just athletes, they’re fellow students. Don’t be afraid to say ‘hey’ in class, or maybe if you’re a little shy just go to USAJaguars.com and read the rosters. Know your Jaguars!

South! Alabama We’re the Pride of the red white blue.

Loyal, strong and faithful to our alma mater true.

(GO JAGS!) SoutH! Alabama we will cheer you to win the Day. for it’s j-a-g-u-a-r-s for u-s-a!

AUG.18, 2014

23

JORDAN KNOX OPINION EDITOR kjk1103@jagmail.southalabama.edu

OPINION

AUG.18, 2014

What we can learn from the suicide of Robin Williams

By JORDAN KNOX Opinion Editor

W

hether he was a man trapped inside a board game, a janitor or a magical genie, Robin Williams dominated the silver screen. Since the late 70s, he brought life to each and every role he was given.

He was a brilliant actor, comedian and even writer. To the world, he seemed unstoppable.

However, what we didn’t always see was the darker, more desolate side of him.

The news of Robin Williams’ suicide broke around noon on Monday, Aug. 11, and it didn’t take long for the word to spread across the globe. His fans were left in shock and desperately sought answers.

However, no one could have been more heartbroken than his family and friends. His daughter, Zelda Williams, has had a particularly hard time since

the earth-shattering news of her father’s death. Instead of fans coming together to support the family of Robin Williams, some took to verbal abuse.

Zelda Williams has declared that she will be taking a very long break from social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram because of the amount of hate mail she received from people via these sites.

People blamed her for her father’s suicide and even went as far as to photoshop pictures of her father’s body and send them to her. Not only is this kind of behavior unwarranted but how heartless could a person be?

It’s important for people to know that depression is a real medical condition and often times cannot be helped without professional attention.

Most everyone has been sad at one point in their lives but depression is totally different.

Sadness is circumstantial and can be fixed rather easily. Clinical depression, like Robin Williams had, is a chemical imbalance in the brain that makes it almost physically impossible to function as a normal, happy person.

Robin Williams kept a lively facade, but underneath he housed a daunting depression that would eventually push him to his breaking point.

From my own experience, I know what a struggle depression

Dear Whomever, I have a crush on this guy who was in my Bio lab over the summer. I really like his loafers, they actually have pennies in them (so classy…). Well, he didn’t know I existed until we were dissecting a frog and, when its liver popped out, I screamed. My scream instigated a fart (thanks Quiznos) and somehow it outdid the formaldehyde. I’ll never forget the look of disgust in his beautiful green eyes. Do you think I still have a chance? Surely flatulence can be forgiven.

Sincerely, Gassy in Classy

Need some advice? Talk to us! askwhomever@gmail.com

can be. I have gone through it and continue to struggle with it everyday.

Although I have been able to conquer my own battle with depression, some people don’t have the emotional support that they need to pull through. There are several ways that you can help yourself get through your own struggle.

I have learned that being open and honest with my family and close friends helps tremendously.

There are some days where I just feel like totally giving up and it’s during those times that I cling tightest to my friends.

My roommate, Shannon, has often times been my rock and I can’t thank her enough for being there for me. Finding someone you can trust and talk to is a great first step. I know how easy it can be to bottle up my emotions and keep them all hidden but doing so only adds to the mess; don’t be afraid to ask for help.

When my depression first starting getting really bad, I tried convincing myself that I could handle it on my own. That’s a mistake that many people dealing with the same situation make. Don’t be afraid to seek out professional help. I was ashamed and embarrassed about admitting that I needed help, but I was surprised how much better I felt after my first appointment with a counselor. It’s not all, “and how

do you feel about that?” They actually want to help you and can aid in the steps toward recovery.

If you ever feel like the pain is too much to handle, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

They offer trained professional counselors 24/7 so you can call anytime.

You can also call Counseling and Testing services on campus at (251) 460-7051. Counseling services are free to all students and they are open Monday

through Friday.

My counselor gave me some really simple, eye-opening advice, “love yourself.” Instead of zeroing in on every little personal flaw you can find, try thinking of things that you like about yourself. It may be hard at first but even two or three small things can make a world of difference.

Just remember that no matter how dark it seems now, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Source | WikiCommons

Dear Gassy, Ah, great question. I farted in a yoga class once (ok, maybe twice...) and left feeling a strange mix of giddiness and humiliation.

A giddiness reminiscent of adolescence, and a humiliation that sticks...kind of like a formaldehyde poot. I later learned that any passing of gas in a yoga class can be played off as a “reverent yoga poot,” and is a rite of passage of sorts. So, in a way I feel, now, more like a channel. However, your situation is a bit more...how shall we say...vacuous. While a part of me wants to see you march up to ole “Bio Boy” and give a small dissertation about the gender biases of passing gas, I can understand your predicament, and recognize maybe it’s not so comfortable just yet...that and

he’s probably long gone. Embrace the new semester! I’m here to remind you: you’re just a normal girl who happened to have a natural and ego-crushing odiferous moment. My suggestion: email your former bio teacher, learn verbatim the molecular structure of human methane, and next time a crush of yours happens to poot in front of YOU, you can easily segue way into a great talking point because you know how it feels.

You don’t have to share that last bit though.

In gas we trust, Whomever

25

AUG.18, 2014

The truth behind getting involved at South

By ALEXANDER MOYLAN Copy Editor

W

hy should I get involved? As students, we hear this question from day one of our college careers.

Think about this though: are there any reasons not to be involved?

As a freshman, I wasn’t involved in anything whatsoever. I didn’t participate in an extracurricular club, you didn’t see me on any intramural sports team and I didn’t even hold a job on campus!

Ironically, my first semester of college, when I didn’t participate in anything, was also the worst semester of my entire college career GPA-wise. So again, why get involved?

It’s simple really. There are a million reasons, but I’m only going to focus on a few. Personally, I found that I actually earned better grades when I had less time on my hands. Less time!

When faced with too much time on my hands, I found myself squandering my time away by playing video games with my roommates.

Conversely, it was only when I joined a club and began working on campus during my sophomore year that I began to develop a strong sense of time management.

With less free time I began scheduling

myself more strictly and focused on my studies whenever I had the chance. I found having less time was better for me because it made every second of time I did have much more valuable. Wasting my valuable time on video games was no longer an option.

If becoming a better manager of your own time isn’t enough to convince you to get out and get involved, then consider the following: by participating in some sort of extracurricular function, you open doors to networking opportunities, you give yourself a chance to meet new people and you may find yourself a real resume builder.

You never know when your experience as an active member of a club may be the only thing that differentiates you from someone else vying for the same job postgraduation.

Think of it this way, you and a former classmate of yours are interviewing for one accounting job. You both attended the same school, took the same classes, and graduated with similar GPAs. What else could you do as a college student to diversify yourself ? Perhaps you join a business-related club, maybe you even hold a treasurer position with a club, or what if you find an internship with a business office on campus?

Those three possibilities are all great examples of experience but if you still need a little more convincing think about how much easier it will be to make friends once you’re in a club full of people who share a similar interest.

College is a lot different than high school and it can be a bit harder to find friends. Especially if all you do is go to class or sit in your dorm room.

Being an involved member of your campus grants you an invaluable, unique experience that can help you grow per-

sonally and professionally.

As someone who has participated in clubs and other extracurricular activities throughout most of my entire college career, I can confidently say my only regret was not getting involved sooner.

It’s never too early, nor is it ever too late to get involved so don’t fret if you’re

entering your last year this fall! If you feel like you can manage your time wisely and commit yourself to your schoolwork and an extracurricular activity, then go for it!

You never how many doors you can open for your future by first opening yourself up to the idea of being an involved student.

Even Ev E ents ts llik ikee Ja JagF ggF Fes e to offffeer er st stud udden ents en ts a gre ts reat at opp por ortu tuni nity ty to ge gett invo iin vovl vled ed iin n club cllub ubs and and orrga an g ni niza zaati tion ion onss on on caam mpu pus. s.

MA ATTHE TTHE TT EW ST S RI RICK CKLA LA AN ND D

What are you most excited or worried about with the beginning of a new school year?

WILLOW GODFREY Worried about waking up on time...

WHITNEY DAVIS I am worried about statistics this

And stairs.

KATELYN GAINES Excited about being in the same classes with my friends. Nervous about my online art history class, not sure what that is gonna be like.

MICAH MESSER I’m concerned that I won’t have actual

semester.

To post your answers to the next JagPulse, be sure to follow us on Facebook.

LINDSAY BYRNE Football and being one step closer to nursing school.

NICK GRONDIN Dynamic Meteorology and Physical

professors who teach instead of read slides during class.

meteorology, need I say more?

KAREN MITCHELL English is gonna be boring

CODY MICHAEL STEVANUS I have no lab classes this semester. Which is nice. Have public speaking though.

Don’t look forward to that.

Facebook.com/ TheVanguardUSA

JORDAN KNOX OPINION EDITOR kjk1103@jagmail.southalabama.edu

DISTRACTIONS Unscramble the television shows

AUG.18, 2014

Celebrities who might be aliens

CNGANID WIHT ETH SRSAT JGEUD YUJD KROM NDA INMYD ETADSPREE HWIVEUOESS WLA DAN DEROR

OGD EHT UYNOBT HRNUET GESYR YMTAOAN TOLS EHT TIIUGEFV CERPI SI GHTRI MIAYFL EFUD OEGPNS BBO SUQEAR PNTAS ANSWER KEY FOR AUGUST 11

Anderson Cooper Barack Obama Beyonce Bill Gates Bob Marley Britney Spears Charlie Sheen Chevy Chase Drew Barrymore Elvis Presley Jennifer Aniston Johnny Depp Julia Roberts

Justin Bieber Katy Perry Lady Gaga Leonardo Dicaprio Marilyn Manson Michael Jackson Miley Cyrus Nicolas Cage Oprah Queen Latifa Steve Jobs Tiger Woods

AUG.18, 2014

27

28

AUG.18, 2014