Lsu 3 27 14 proof5 by Celesta Anna Török-Lee

March 27, 2014 | Volume 3, Issue 24 | Baton Rouge, LA

www.theodysseyonline.com | @TheOdyssey_LSU | Facebook.com/TheOdysseyLSU

NEW KIDS ON THE ROW page 6

MARCH MADNESS: IT’S STUDENT GOVERNMENT TIME AT LSU page 2 NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SPRING BREAK FEELS page 7

During their first Bid Day, new members of Alpha Phi follow Mike the Tiger in the run down sorority row. Photo courtesy of LSU Greek Life

BREAKING NEWS: OTHER PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT’S ON YOUR LAPTOP IN CLASS page 13

2 Scene on campus

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MARCH MADNESS: IT’S STUDENT GOVERNMENT TIME AT LSU March: it’s the month of post-Mardi Gras depression LUCY HARRISON and the “when will spring Kappa Kappa Kappa break get here already?” Lucy is a sophomore studying mass mindset that has students communications. You may contact here at LSU wondering her at lharr41@tigers.lsu.edu what, besides one day of St. Patrick’s Day festivities, this month has to offer. However, there is one major campus event happening this month that impacts the entire student body. The 2014 Student Government election is one of the most significant events on LSU’s spring calendar, filled with spirited campaigning and engaging communication between candidates and the student population. This year, the two competing campaigns are The Next Step and Experience LSU. The Next Step ticket is headed by New Orleans natives Clay Tufts and Taylor Lambert running for President and Vice-President, respectively. Tufts and Lambert aspire to take LSU’s Student Government to the next level by utilizing their strong leadership abilities to build on the past successes of Student Government and learn from its mistakes. The contending ticket, Experience LSU, is led by Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates Christian Coleman and Ashleigh Pichon. Experience LSU focuses on improving our campus by uniting the LSU community and improve the college experience for all students. Both campaigns promise favorable initiatives and enthusiastic leadership, and no matter the winner LSU will welcome an involved, heartfelt President and Vice President for the 2014-2015 academic year. As the voting date of March 24 swiftly approaches, campaign frenzy is beginning to sweep the campus. Many buildings have been embellished with posters promoting The Next Step or Experience LSU, and an increasing number of students have been spotted around campus proudly sporting buttons that support either campaign. Members of both tickets have spoken at various Greek houses encouraging the Greek community to get involved with Student Government and vote; in fact, many members of the Greek community are running on The Next Step and Experience LSU’s tickets. Election fever is not limited to the LSU campus: social media has given students a whole new way to support the Student Government campaigns. Many students have changed their profile pictures and cover photos on Facebook to promote which ticket they plan to vote for, and favorite and retweet tweets sent out by each campaign’s Twitter account. Social media also opens up the lines of communication between candidates and the student body. For example, if a student was interested in finding out more information about The Next Step or Experience LSU, he or she could easily check out the Facebook page of either ticket to become better informed about the election. The candidates can also quickly answer specific student questions on Twitter. An active social media presence also shows off the personality behind the candidates as they upload vibrant pictures to Instagram and informative yet personalized videos to YouTube. March does not have to become a long month of missing Mardi Gras and looking forward to the warmer, Spring break filled days of April. By becoming involved in the whirlwind that is the Student Government election, we can all make this month that much more exciting! So get informed about The Next Step and Experience LSU and choose one to proudly support, on campus and on social media. Then, most importantly, make sure to vote and tell everyone you know to follow suit. After all, why miss out on such an easy, exciting opportunity to become more involved?

THE ODYSSEY AT LSU EXECUTIVE TEAM President Catherine Morrissette Kappa Delta

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Social Media Director Katie Zehnder Delta Delta Delta

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The Odyssey is a private entity not associated or governed by Louisiana State University or LSU Greek life office. The views and opinions shared in The Odyssey are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Odyssey and Olympia Media Group.

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LOUIE’S CAFE SCHEDULED TO MOVE LOCATIONS ANNA ROY Chi Omega

Anna is a freshman studying public relations and mass communications. You may contact her at aeroy58@ gmail.com. No need to fret over the title, Louie’s will still be within Campus Transit’s route for your drunken 3 a.m. meal. It’s no secret to any customer of this timeless diner that seating and walking space is definitely an issue. Parking is almost nonexistent and you can always bet you will have to wait at least 20 minutes for a table. But we all know that no wait is too long for Louie’s coffee and biscuits! After putting up with these cramped spaces for almost 30 years, owners Jimmy Wetherford and Frank Duvic have decided that the time has come for the much-needed expansion. The two purchased an old Wendy’s on Lake

Street and remodeling will start as soon as possible. Some may argue that the move from the original building messes with tradition and could potentially hurt business, b u t We t h e r f o rd a n d Duvic guaranteed that the atmosphere and menu will be the same, with a few new additions. The new location will offer 90100 seats and 32 parking spaces, as opposed to the 60 seats and 4 parking spaces currently. Louie’s Diner should be moved in and ready for business by the summer, just in time for football season!

4 Scene on campus

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∑∑ GR KS

Scene on campus

GET IT DONE

CAROLINE CARSON Phi Mu

Caroline is a sophomore studying English literature and political science. You may contact her at coakle4@tigers.lsu.edu. Now that spring has kicked into full gear with crawfish boils, sunny weather, and Spring Break right around the corner, a fun and important Greek tradition is also upon us. I’m talking about Greek Week. Greek Week is a full week dedicated to building two homes for local families with Habitat for Humanity. Fraternity men and sorority women team up with Habitat for Humanity volunteers to completely construct two homes in only one week. Greek Week allows Greeks to give back to the community while strengthening our own community. Greek Week begins Saturday, March 29 and ends Saturday, April 5. This annual week of giving back began in 2004, when the Greek community first partnered with the Baton Rouge chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Since then, Greeks have built 16 homes for needy families, bringing the total to 18 after two more are built this year. Throughout the year, Greeks raise money for the project. This year alone, over $200,000 has been raised. The total amount raised for Habitat for Humanity since 2004 is over $1,000,000. The Greek community chose to partner with Habitat for Humanity for this annual project. Habitat for Humanity is an organization dedicated to providing needy families with decent, safe and affordable places to live. The organization builds and repairs homes all over the world with volunteer labor and donations. Partner families are able to purchase the homes through no-profit, no-mortgage interest loans or other financing methods. Today, Habitat for Humanity has built or repaired over 800,000 homes around the world and served over 4 million people. LSU’s Greek community works with the Baton Rouge chapter. Greek Week shifts are only a few hours long. Transportation is provided to and from the build site via the assigned bus in the Sigma Nu lot. All participants are required to take the bus. Participants are asked to wear closed-toe shoes and a shirt with sleeves. No tank tops, baggy jeans or inappropriate clothing are allowed. You may purchase a Greek Week t-shirt to wear. Once participants arrive, various tasks are assigned that range from nailing to painting. Trained contractors and volunteers are there to assist everyone. Meals are provided. Anyone may work a Greek Week shift. If you are interested, visit www.greeks.lsu.edu. Greek Week is a great tradition that unites the entire Greek community for a special cause. Working a shift is a very rewarding experience for newcomers and veterans alike. I encourage and challenge all Greeks to take some time out of their week to help out. Show the surrounding community how strong our Greek community is!

6 Scene on campus NEW KIDS ON THE ROW CAROLINE HUDSON Alpha Phi

Caroline is a sophomore studying mass communications. You may contact her at chudso7@tigers.lsu. edu. The energy that surrounded the 230 girls standing on the lawn of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house in their purple tank tops and Nike shorts was electric. Excitement and anticipation of the long, run down sorority row was leading every girl to incessant chatter and frantic picture taking. The day had finally come. Alpha Phi Bid Day was here! After two weeks of recruitment events, this special group of girls was chosen to become the Charter Members of Alpha Phi’s newest chapter. It was a moment to remember for the new girls, as well as the countless number of devoted and selfless Greek members and alumni who helped cultivate the idea of a new sorority at LSU into a reality. Since that day, the new Alpha Phis have participated in exchanges, grubs and formals and placed in Step Show, the Homecoming Basketball Tournament and Banner Painting contests. Along with this, the girls held their first elections, resulting in an energetic and highly qualified executive board and appointed officers. As an original member of the Alpha Phi Charter pledge class, I can say with certainty none of this would have come about without the support of our advisors, alumni and the Greek Panhellenic Board, as well as the other Sororities on campus. Every sorority has supported Alpha Phi from the start, especially on Bid Day. All the sororities and some fraternities lined sorority row as we ran to the Press Building so that we would feel welcome and get to enjoy the excitement they felt on their own Bid Days. The fraternities welcomed us to LSU by coming to our first meetings with bouquets of flowers. This thoughtful gesture made every girl in the room excited about the upcoming events with that fraternity. Also, by extending an invitation for an exchange with Alpha Phi, the fraternities included us in the social happenings of Greek Life, which is very important in order to become a thriving sorority. Zeta Tau Alpha has stood out in my mind when it comes to sororities that have helped Alpha Phi become initiated into Greek Life at LSU. A week or two ago, Zeta invited Alpha Phi to their house for a dinner to get to know one another. Although I couldn’t go, I have friends who said it was a wonderful bonding experience. It’s so nice to see that even girls who decided on different sororities are all still friends and supporters of each other. Once again, I personally owe a lot of my growth, happiness and friendships to Alpha Phi and all the amazing experiences I have already had the last semester and a half. I have become friends with girls who I believe will become life-long friends. But even bigger than that, Alpha Phi Delta Tau was possible because of the many supporters, alumni and volunteers, as well as the amazing sororities and fraternities at LSU that welcomed us into the Greek Community with open arms!

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Self health & fitness

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THREE QUICK TIPS TO PREVENT YOURSELF AND YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER FROM BEING THE ‘ANNOYING’ COUPLE MALENA MOREAU Delta Zeta

Malena is a junior studying public relations and mass communications. You may contact her at mmore16@ lsu.edu. 1. DON’T be on each other all the time: I don’t know why it ever became acceptable for people to rub one another in public, but I’m not ok with it and I think most people would agree with my PDA standards. Please do not make us all get up from our booth or table at the restaurant just so you two can sit next to one another. It’s a little ridiculous to re-arrange the entire room so you two can whisper passionate nothings into one another’s ear. DO show affection every now and then: I think most people are ok with watching a girlfriend sit on her boyfriend’s lap and I think hand holding is tolerable to even the extremely bitter

single folks. Just be aware of your company and who’s going to get offended by what. 2. DON’T be with each other all the time: Jenny can’t go shopping, Jenny can’t go to the movie, Jenny can’t make dinner. Why is Jenny so friggin busy? Does she have a huge project coming up? No, she’s snuggled up with her boo busy being the president of his fraternity groupie club. I miss Jenny even though she is a fictional character, and your friends miss you too. When you’re with them you shouldn’t be texting him/her and you should be with your friends as often as possible. You have forever to settle down and marry someone who you will literally spend every night with (gross), but you can only do ladies night at JL’s so many times. DO have date nights every now and then: At least once a week or every two weeks you should make time to have alone time together. We all get caught up in college, but it’s important, especially when you’ve been dating a while, not to get too comfortable. Its also important to make sure you are continuously trying to learn new things about one another.

3. DON’T social media your relationship: Every time I see posts about how much you love each other, I’m actually convinced you don’t. Most people that are really secure in their relationships like to keep it private, and they don’t feel the need to tweet “3 week anniversary babe <3 #loveyoulong time.” Your man crush Monday should not be your boyfriend every week. That is reserved for Channing Tatum and you know it. The more you post, the more everyone thinks you two are annoying and overly attached. Back off and save the Facebook posts for important life events, like how well you did at the end of the semester. Jk this isn’t acceptable either. DO tell each other how you feel: “Conceal, don’t feel,” is a Frozen quote, not an acceptable attitude for relationships! If you’re feeling like saying, “I think you’re cuter than a bag of puppies, I want to roll you up in a little ball and put you in my pocket and walk around with you forever,” then you should be able to! Good relationships are about open and honest communication everyone knows that, so stop communicating with your Iphone and start communicating with your main man/lady. Just please do it in a non-annoying fashion…please.

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SPRING BREAK FEELS I wanted chocolate.

HAYLEY NICOLICH Chi Omega

Hayley is a sophomore studying English and Spanish. You may contact her at hayleynicolich@live. com. A few weeks ago, I was shopping with some of my friends when it hit me. I was just minding my own business, sifting through a rack of Show Me Your Mumu blouses I couldn’t afford, when I turned around and was visually assaulted by a wall of swimsuits. “Oh no,” I thought, “Not again!” It happens to us all at some point in the first few months of the year: that moment of shocking realization that spring break is fast approaching. While, yes, the idea of a weeklong beach party is indeed thrilling, the idea of sunbathing on the beach next to 30 of your skinniest sorority sisters isn’t. Pre-spring break apprehension makes us do some crazy things. We all want that perfect Beyoncé body, and we’ll do anything to get it. But when it comes to spring break diets, how far is too far? I’ve heard of so many different diets that it makes my head (or, more appropriately, my stomach) hurt. I read about this fasting diet the other day called Fast-5, where you fast for 19 hours every day and then eat according to appetite for 5 consecutive hours. The only thing I could think of while reading that was that the name Fast-5 reminded me of a Hershey’s Take 5, and then

Some of my friends have a simpler approach: they just stop eating after 5 PM. I’m sorry, but did you not hear that Kolache Kitchen is now open until 3 in the morning? Some people cut out carbs and sugar completely to lose weight, but I’ve decided that that’s definitely not an option for me considering it’s Girl Scout cookie season, and that only comes around once a year, right? I’ve heard the expression, “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” more times in the past month than I’d care to hear in my entire life. How can you even begin to sit there and tell me that being skinny feels better than a pint of Ben & Jerry’s salted caramel core ice cream tastes? You can’t. It doesn’t. I’m not saying that I think that people should eat whatever they want whenever they want. I definitely believe in the importance of taking care of yourself and eating your vegetables, for the most part. I believe in walking the lakes with your friends and treating yourself every now and then. I’m a proponent of being healthy in general, because healthiness is essential to happiness. But being “skinny” is a completely different concept than being healthy. And that’s exactly why I refuse to buy into crash diets. It’s much more rewarding and much less stressful to try to focus on your overall health throughout the year, as opposed to depriving yourself for a month before spring break.

When it comes down to it, we’re all going to be nervous about how we’ll look in our swimsuits. The idea of walking down the beach in front of fraternity boys is daunting, to say the least. But stressing about losing 5 pounds, or whatever your magic number is, is not worth it. Instead of worrying about how good your bikini body is compared to your sisters’, think about how many different ways you can mix and match your swimsuits, what’s going to be on your playlist for the road trip or how you’re possibly going to take enough pictures to capture the fun you’ll have on spring break. The best way to deal with spring break induced anxiety is to focus on taking care of yourself, not to risk your health and happiness to drop a pound or two.

8 Scene on campus

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THE MOOSE IS LOOSE: A LOOK BACK AT FRED’S CHRISTIAN FRAUGHT FIJI Client Marketing Consultant

Christian is a senior studying accounting and finance. You may contact him at cfraug1@tigers.lsu. edu. Ever since I turned twenty, Fred’s bar was the place for me. Almost every trip I’ve made to Tigerland in the two years since, has involved a stroll through its wooden doors, a few games of pool and a nice spot out on the deck. Whether it’s time for crawfish boils, game-day steaks, midget wrestling, Christmas in August, Mardi Gras blowout or simply sitting on the patio enjoying a view of the LSU golf course, good times are never in short supply at this Baton Rouge staple. Housing three inside bars and one outside means stout mixed drinks and cold beers are never far out of reach, especially with Baton Rouge’s proven fastest bartenders on the other side of the woodwork. With so many bars going through ownership and name changes over the years, I wondered how Fred’s has managed to stay so consistent and respected (especially while being so close to the raging freshman dumpster fire that is Reggies). The answer can be found in the man behind the legend: owner Marc Friaoli. At first glance, he doesn’t quite seem like the type of person you’d expect to run such a profitable and stable business: his shoulder-length hair blowing in the wind as he cruises up to his home away from home in his topless, windowless Jeep wrangler. However, one look inside his office, in which the walls are literally covered with over thirty years worth of pictures of past employees and customers alike, gives a perfect testament to the tradition and tenure that sets Fred’s apart from all other Tigerland bars. I sat down with Marc to find out exactly how his bar has withstood the test of time and become one of the cornerstones of Baton Rouge night life. How did you first become involved with Fred’s? I was working at a college bar called Shanahan’s in New Orleans with my roommate, Bennett Murphy, from 1977 to 1979. At the end of ’79, I came to Baton Rouge with him for three days to help open a new bar called Murphy’s. After just three days in town, I fell in love with Baton Rouge and have never left. In 1981, Bennett and I, along with our third partner Tim Shanahan, bought a bar called Faps at our current location, remodeled it, and renamed it Fred’s. When we bought Faps, it was the best greek bar in Tigerland and really managed to balance a relaxed atmosphere

with wild fun. The drinking age at the time was 18, so setting our entry age to twenty really helped to make Fred’s the “older person” bar and attract that certain crowd that we have become known for. Where did the name Fred’s come from? One day, Tim got a letter in the mail from the IRS which was somehow addressed to Fred Shanahan. He told us how much he hated the mix up, especially the name Fred, so naturally we all immediately started calling him that. The name of the bar was just another way for us to piss off Tim every morning when he had to come into work and see it. It’s really that simple. The great thing is that the more successful the bar became, the story of the name just got even better. How did the moose become the mascot for the bar? About thirty years ago right after we had purchased the bar, we were on a trip to Yellowstone National Park, and we came across a large moose about a quarter mile from the road. This was around eleven in the morning, so naturally we were still drunk from the night before. I had the great idea to walk up to the moose and start making fake antlers at it and grunting moose noises. Just like a cartoon, he pawed the ground a few times, lowered his head, and took off after me, chasing me back towards the van through twelve inches of water and swamp. It was such an amazing and ridiculous

story, that when we got back to Baton Rouge we decided that the moose would be the perfect symbol for the bar. The mounted moose we have above the main bar was a gift from one of the brothers of a past employee, so it has a lot of sentimental connection to the place What do you think has made Fred’s so successful over the years with so many other bars changing names and ownership? I think the majority of our success has always come from being blessed with really good people working here, who really care about the place. I try to run the bar like a place I would like to work at. and that mentality helps our employees to develop a special caring for the bar. The people that work here for a while really see and get a respect for the character and soul of Fred’s. They appreciate their jobs rather than just trying to take home a paycheck. All the decisions I make, I try to think of if I went out what kind of place would I like to go to. Really embracing a positive vibe and a happy laid-back feel filled with people that enjoy their job is what we’re all about here at Fred’s. That kind of mentality really translates to our customers and gives them a better time whenever they come here. What are some of your greatest experiences or fondest memories of your time at Fred’s? Better than Ezra started when one of the members was

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THE MOOSE IS LOOSE: A LOOK BACK AT FRED’S, CONT’D a DJ at Murphy’s, and one of the guys worked at Fred’s as a cook. In fact, the first 30-40 shows they played were either at Murphy’s or Fred’s. We got them to play for Fred’s 30th birthday party on the outside stage, and it was almost like a reunion of all the people that have been impacted by the bar over the years. It was really amazing to see all of these people that I’ve known for years come together to celebrate the place that’s connected them. Total strangers could wind up sitting at the bar one night, start a conversation and become lifelong friends or start dating. It’s really an incredible thing to witness how that special attitude and vibe of this place fosters relationships. That night, we had over 200 past employees come to see how the bar has grown and to look back fondly on their time at Fred’s. Some of the people who worked here originally now have children that work here, so it’s really nice to see the whole thing come full circle. The parents have seen the type of atmosphere and feel Fred’s has firsthand, so they really don’t have too much of a problem with their kids working here like they might if they worked at a different Tigerland bar. Looking forward, is there anything you would change/ have in the works for the bar? Or do you think everything is perfect as is? Absolutely. We have a few plans in the works just to keep the place up and add new attractions. We recently added a machine that makes fresh squeezed orange juice for our drinks. It was so popular, we actually had to order another one because the motor burned out from overuse. Beyond adding new pieces to the bar or renovations, like our new girls bathroom, I think we have a pretty perfect strategy and it has been paying off over the years. We have a really loyal customer base because they see how they truly are our top priority, and we want them to have a good experience every time they come into Fred’s. I love our customers. I get to know a lot of them personally, and see what they really enjoy about the bar to give me new ideas for upgrades. I feel like I’ve cheated life because I get to come here every day and be with our employees and customers. It’s not like a job here, it’s more like a way of life at Fred’s.

When you first bought Fred’s, did you think that you’d be here 33 years later as involved as you are? When we first bought the place, I wanted to have a bar like this at every SEC school. My wife, Betsy, and I, later decided to settle down in Baton Rouge. We have two wonderful daughters that both went to LSU and

would come here with their friends, and really became invested and attached to the place more than I ever dreamed. I’m so blessed and grateful that everything has turned out this way. Happiness really does flow down to our employees and all the way to the people that come here. We’re so proud and humbled by the fact that we’ve been in business over 30 years, and have become both a Baton Rouge institution and an LSU tradition. Fred’s has truly evolved into a place where our employees and customers alike always have a great time. They bond as a family, forming friendships that have proven to last a lifetime. It’s a tradition that we treasure and will continue to uphold for as long as the moose watches over Tigerland.

10 500 words on advice OR

TO BE

you much more freedom, opportunity, and time to study, serve, and socialize.

NOT

TO BE ELLIE NICOLE BOWEN Chi Omega

Elle Nicole is a freshman studying business. You may contact her at ebowen2@lsu.edu. Greeks do it better, right? Well, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for you to decide. Every year, thousands of college students choose to undergo sorority and fraternity recruitment in hopes of finding their place in the Greek community. Whether it is a difficult decision or an easy one, there are two solid sides to the argument. Remaining outside Greek life has it benefits. With fewer commitments and much more free time, you can focus on your studies and become involved in numerous other campus organizations. Without constant distractions like parties and social events, you can reach full potential academically. After all, the chief purpose for college is education! Community service is not mandatory like it is in the Greek community. When you take time to participate in community service, it is because you want to be there. Not only do you get to choose how you serve society, you get to decide who your friends are. They are not a group of people you pay to be a part of; they like you because of who you are, not because they have to. Brotherhood and sisterhood, basically elaborate terms for friendship, do not have to be exclusive to fraternities and sororities, either. The friends you make in college are like family for those four years, and chances are you will keep in touch after graduation. If you like the way this sounds, getting involved in Greek life is not the only way to enjoy perhaps the most exciting time of your life. Being non-Greek gives

With negative media and pop culture, several facets of Greek life are overlooked. Facts cannot lie: the all-Greek average GPA is higher than the overall collegiate GPA. Though there are countless social events, academics are a primary concentration of sororities and fraternities. To be admitted to and to maintain membership in a Greek group, there are educational standards and requirements. If you fail to meet the terms of your organization academically, there are consequences that range from losing social privileges to national probation. In addition to enforcement of scholastic rules, there is positive reinforcement for making good grades. Whether you earn the desired title of highest grades on the row or simply get a treat for doing well, sororities and fraternities enjoy perks that non-Greeks might not. Others include having older members to help you with specific classes that they have also taken or having mentors who are ahead of you on the same career path. With many resources at your disposal, Greek life can help you more easily navigate through tough classes and motivate you to do your best in school. Along with academics comes socializing, the root of adverse criticism. Overemphasized by the media, sorority and fraternity parties may include alcohol, but so do may non-Greek parties. The social events definitely add to the fun of Greek life because of the large number of people to meet and exciting activities to participate in, but these activities are not restricted to parties. Each sorority or fraternity is dedicated to a philanthropy for which they host fundraising or community service events. With such a huge backing, Greeks can raise vast quantities of money and provide outreaches made more effective by the whole Greek communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support. This community also fosters leadership in both Greek positions and university positions, even on into life after college. When you get to college and are likely overwhelmed by the size, your sorority or fraternity immediately provides a smaller group of

www.theodysseyonline.com people you can call your brothers and sisters. You will most likely find this extremely helpful to get comfortable and to make friends right away. Those people in the organization you choose and who choose you back will be the ones you will probably surround yourself with for your college years, creating friendships that will never end. These ties as well as the ties you can find nationally will continue to aid in networking for jobs or socially for a lifetime. Finally, probably the least recognized yet most important aspect of Greek life is ritual. Though much of it is secret until initiated into an organization, the overarching values should be known and displayed by all who call themselves a member of a fraternity or sorority. Brotherhood, sisterhood, virtue, truth, loyalty and dignity are examples of these values the organizations were founded upon and should be shown by all who wear their letters. Sometimes these reasons are lost in the shuffle of busy college life, but everyone should remember why they joined a Greek organization! No matter what you choose, the most important part is being happy and enjoying your college years that will fly by before you know it. Greek or non-Greek, stick to your beliefs and do not change the person you are to fit in!

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500 words on advice

DON’T LET MIDTERMS GET THE BEST OF YOU MADALINE KING Delta Delta Delta

Madaline is a junior studying political science. You may contact her at mking25@tigers.lsu.edu. If your class schedule looks anything like mine, Midterms Week is Finals Week born again… just worse. Not only do you have several exams, but also your usual responsibilities of attending class, going to work, and taking care of daily necessities pile up to create a super stressful week. Instead of curling up in a ball and mindlessly watching Netflix for hours, figure out how to stay focused and be productive. And no, I am not referring to popping Adderall. Start early. I know that starting to study early for a test seems like a mythical idea that only happens on

optimistic TV shows. But taking the time to look over notes a few days ahead can make a significant difference in the amount of information you absorb. When the night before the test rolls around, you will already be familiar with the content.

Take breaks. Studying for hours on end is not exactly the most effective way to memorize information. The average attention span of a person is about 45 minutes, so take breaks every hour. Allow yourself to enjoy a few minutes of freedom.

Choose a study location that aids your productivity. If your usual method of looking over notes while lying in bed is not yielding the best results, switch it up. Want to stay at home? Sit at your desk or the kitchen table. Need to get out of the house for a while? Head to a building on campus or a coffee shop. Club Midd is a great place because the level of noise you prefer while studying can be easily adjusted by changing floors.

Keep your health in mind. In order to be in top shape for intense study sessions, you must take care of yourself. Avoid the urge to pull all-nighters and get some rest! Eat healthy meals at the right times and snack throughout the day. Swap energy drinks and coffee for more natural foods that give you a boost, like blueberries. Try to fit a workout into your schedule to reduce anxiety and relieve tension.

Try new study methods. Everyone studies differently, so it’s important to find the method that works best for you. Reading your notes aloud helps you remember information by seeing and hearing it. People remember information better when they write it down, so write out some notecards. Quiz yourself or have someone else quiz you.

Midterms Week can be a killer, but you have to approach this week in the right way if you expect to make it out alive. Take your exams seriously and put in the effort required. Before you know it, Midterms Week will be over, and you will be free to blow of your homework for Wine Night again!

12 Humor lol

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A GENERATION OF

WIMPS America is getting softer. We’re becoming a nation of wimps. The wimpification of

America is beginning to target the younger generation more and more.

Starting with our generation and maybe even a little bit before, we saw how

America’s youth transformed into a bunch of crybabies. Our generation is told that at 26-years-old, it’s okay to still be reliant on your parents. However during the 1940s,

the entire world was reliant on your great grandparents’ generation. Our generation is

told that at 19, it’s okay to take a year off from school and, “get your head on straight

because there’s so much pressure.” Previous generations felt real pressure too, like trying to figure out how escape from a prison camp.

Our generation, which grew as wimps, has turned into a generation of young adults

who are even bigger wimps. Hurting someone’s feelings is the worst thing you can do to someone. Hypocrisy is rampant. Bullies are getting bullied more than the person they were bullying, just ask Richie Incognito. So what happened and why did our

generation turn into a bunch of wimps? I have a few theories, here are the main ones. Participation Medals: What’s the point of participation medals? Giving an award

to someone simply for showing up? That’s like saying, “You’re not the best, or even close to being the best, but you got out of bed this morning without falling over and breaking your face and showed up here. That’s a big enough accomplishment to merit getting some sort of an award.”

It’s the celebration of mediocrity. I remember at my elementary school’s field day

in second grade, Julio Chavez (looking back, based on his mustache, he was probably

closer to being a seventh grader than a second grader) ran the 20 yard dash in under

four seconds. Meanwhile, I, the 3’9 fat kid, had to be timed with a sun dial when I ran the 20 yard dash. Still, despite Julio being clearly better than I, we both received the

same prize: a participation medal and a cosmic brownie. I still have that participation medal, but the cosmic brownie was gone faster than Julio’s 20 yard dash time. Had this

happened in another country, I might have been abandoned in the woods and Julio would probably be training for the Olympics. Instead, you’re reading my thoughts and his whereabouts are unknown. I’d say the real winner in that race was you.

Feminization of America: I know that some of you will think I’m making disparaging

comments about women, I’m not. It is not anti-women to talk about women. You can’t

agree. Sarah Jessica Parker makes great movies,” and, “That’s true, Brittany Griner

could totally play in the NBA. Women’s basketball is really fun to watch,” and even, “Yeah, that girl’s shirt is too revealing. She needs to cover up.”

On TV, movies, and especially in real life, men are jesters in the court of women.

deny that women control men and society, and men let them because it’s not worth

Their one job is to keep them amused and not upset them. When young boys turn on

facts, feelings are more important than the truth and everything is always a man’s

them? That they need start acting like girls or simply be a pushover and do whatever

everything, while the men are dumb goons who are lucky women are there to point

acting like men of earlier generations, we’ll always be a generation of wimps.

the fight to stand up for themselves. These days, sensitivity is more important than

the TV and they see males being portrayed in such negative light, what does that tell

fault. Look at any TV show or commercial, the women are brilliant and right about

they say? Until men start calling it like they see it, stop being a pushover and start

them in the right direction. It’s become acceptable for women to belittle men, but the

minute a man pokes fun at a woman, he’s a chauvinist. Men are forced to agree with absurd statements just to avoid being put in the dog house by their girlfriends. “I

All in all, America is still no. 1, but we are only no. 1 because of the lead that was

built by earlier generations. We’ll expand on that lead if our generation can stop being pushovers and not settle for mediocrity.

www.theodysseyonline.com

Humor lol

BREAKING NEWS: OTHER PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT’S ON YOUR LAPTOP IN CLASS WILL HARRISON Kappa Sigma

Will is a freshmen studying marketing and English. You may contact him at wilrh94@gmail.com. Laptop computers have revolutionized today’s lecture halls. They allow students to take notes, access assignments and slack off with unprecedented ease and efficiency– and almost everybody’s got one. For lots of kids, a full battery coupled with a little state-sponsored Wi-Fi can be the only difference between sitting through and sleeping through class. From an instructor’s lectern, big classes can look the, “glowing ghosts of a hundred, half-eaten apples” filling a dim auditorium. After the first few rows, they can’t see you, and, “honestly, [they] don’t really care, what you’re doing.” However, the rest of us can not only see you, but everything that’s up on your 13 inch screen to boot. Sure, this seems like common sense, but way too many people don’t actually consider their audience until it’s too late. All but the luckiest guys have been there: Minimizing one window, your boredom gives way to sheer terror as you’re ambushed by the racy pop-up that you were too busy to close last night– bonus points if it’s an audio ad. In an attempt to kill the beast, you slam the screen shut with a force like Terrance Ross taking one to the hoop. If people weren’t looking at you before, they are now- just concentrate on becoming less red, smile and wave. Class goes on. That’s right, there are 40 more minutes of captivating lecture on the way, and you’ve just loudly forsaken your only viable means of entertainment. So what do you do? Sit through class the old fashioned way? Forget it. You could open it back up, and quickly try for the little red “X.” But what about the audio? You’ve come too far for all that; you’re now committed to the closed computer. Honestly, the best policy is just to grab your bag and walk out with a little poise. You’ve lost the game, bro; try again tomorrow. But short of explicit content, there’s still plenty of class-time computer activity that could be considered questionable. The kids Googleing Maui Waui and Northern Lights might think it looks super dank, but the row behind them, they think those kids are dumb. And everybody likes to do a little online shopping in class, but reading Amazon reviews of assorted tactical machetes is a little curious. You and I may know that a zombie apocalypse is inevitable, but the cute girl behind you does not. Just be mindful of others. The Internet is teeming with things that you don’t want to see, that other people don’t want to see or that you don’t want other people to see you seeing–you’ll totally find them if you aren’t careful. Even some seemingly safe websites like Reddit, Facebook, Youtube and Pintrest can throw you a nice curve ball from time to time. As a general rule, posts marked NSFW are probably none too safe for class either. Use common sense, keep on your toes, try to avoid the shock photos on the Facebook news feed, and never, under any circumstances, Google image search “David Cameron side profile” in class.

14 Humor lol

www.theodysseyonline.com

@HandsUpInDaAYER: the high for today was 55. the low was when I ate a whole sleeve of oreos. @Tyga_13: Tripped going down the stairs so instead of bailing out and eating it I jumped the remainder of approximately 15 steps #LandedIt @ a s a p j e n n : Wo k e u p t o m y f a n disassembling itself as it spun, flinging parts and catapulting pieces against my mirror/my sleeping body... Happy Monday! @nattylight287: girls in the salad line need to calm down. like I know spring break is in 4 days but don’t go steppin on my boots just to get some broccoli.

@_fairenough: Definitely graduating with my Masters in failing at all attempted relationships. Thanks to all who helped me get to where I am today @totalsratmove: Considering whether he’ll look good in pictures and if he has a good personality...in that order. #TSM @oliviamendoza: we accept the buzzfeed personality quiz results we think we deserve @daigepoughty: guys who take selfies before, during or after the gym............. stop @totalfratmove: Still recovering from an injury you received during last year ’s

spring break. #TFM @turntheleidolf: took the quiz on what kind of cat i am.....i’m the fat indoor cat so thats where my life is going @GetLOvas: Studying for comparative politics actually means comparing things to sorority politics so I can make sense of them #StarStudent @imericrife: Less than $25 in my bank account. Selling myself for cash. Condition: slightly broken @TheEllenShow: Portia and I woke up and all of the furniture was in a different place. Then we remembered we moved. #earthquake

SPLIT PERSONALITY WEATHER I’ve lived in Germany and

Florida, both of which have

complete opposite weather. However it wasn’t until I

came to Louisiana that I

experienced Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer, all in

DOMINIK PECORARO Delta Sigma Pi

Dominik is a junior studying information systems and decisions sciences.

one week. What the heck is the deal, Louisiana!?

It’s confusing to an out of state student like myself—has it always been like this?

I don’t even know who to blame. Is it Global Warming, or maybe a crazy weather shaman dancing to change the weather? Having lived in Florida, I’m used to just warm weather year round. I haven’t been in anything below 40 degrees since I lived

in Germany, and its happened here numerous times between flashes of 75 degrees

and 50 degree days. The weather here changes so often that we actually had snow days where I never saw snow! Never in my life have I had a snow day and been told that the driving conditions were unsafe. I’ll never complain about getting off school, but I do wish the weather would just pick a season and stick to it.

Just a couple weeks ago, I went to work on a nice warm day, and at night I was

forced to bundle up at work to keep warm. The next day I get a text saying its fall outside. I walked around to a nice cool day and a warm night, yet the day after it’s

storming out. It’s March, and I can’t decide if I should wear shorts or bring a jacket

with me when I leave the house. Weather at this time should be consistently in the 50s and 60s! Although it’s been getting better, I’m hesitant to believe it won’t just start sleeting again tomorrow.

All this cold weather brings grumbling old fisherman, whining that crawfish are

still small because of the weather. I don’t even like those gross, red bugs you cooked in water, corn, and potatoes, why would I care how big they are? Besides, they’re

eaten by the pound, not the amount of them you get. That’s a whole different rant though, back to the weather.

If I have to wake up one more time with my fan off and it still being 40 in my

room… I’ll… to be honest, I’ll probably cry and wrap up in another blanket and skip class. It’s also possible I’ll overreact, curse the weather gods and go on a journey to fight them in their cloud cities and rain forests...it’s just not that high of a possibility.

All this weather has made me scared to walk out my door during the day for fear of either being too warm and sweating through my shirt, or too cold and wishing I

wasn’t wearing booty shorts (also questioning why a grown man is wearing booty shorts anyway).

At the end of the day, I’ll deal with this ridiculous weather, huff and puff about

it through this article and complain to my friends when I randomly start thinking why I’m drenched in sweat/sporting diamond cutters through my shirt. Such is life in Louisiana though, I guess I’ll just get used to it!