April 3, 2014 | Volume 3, Issue 24 | Stillwater, OK
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GREEK OF THE WEEK: REMEMBERING KASEY WAYCHOFF PAGE 3
MOM’S DAY COMPETITION AT OLD NAVY page 5 FAMOUS ALUMNI: SORORITY EDITION page 6 OSU ATHLETES: THEN AND NOW page 9 KASEY WAYCHOFF WAS A PRECIOUS MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN. credit: Taylor Felgenhauer
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Editor's note
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DON’T BLINK It seems like it was just last week I went through recruitment as a freshman and began my college adventure. It’s crazy to think college will be over for us seniors in about five weeks. Walking on the beach with my dad over spring break, he gave me some good advice. I was sad that vacation was going so quickly. Like all things one looks forward to, the break felt like it lasted only about a day. “Each day only happens once,” my dad said. “There will never be another day like today. Instead of thinking about how sad you are that things are going by so quickly, focus on soaking up each day.” There’s so much wisdom in that statement. There will never be another today. There will never be another Thursday that’s 37 days before graduation (I looked that up. Don’t worry; I’m not keeping that close track). Instead of always looking at tomorrow, the actions of an unkind person, whatever project or responsibility is demanding all of your time, or how you wish you didn’t have another test or practice tonight, hey - carpe diem! Take a minute to look back at a time when you felt extremely stressed and crunched for time. How does that thing affect you today? My guess is that in your day-to-day life, you don’ t walk around feeling angry because you failed an algebra test your freshman year. Or that you don’t lose sleep at night because of that mean professor you had two semesters ago. And so, I encourage you to recognize how fleeting life is. Time really does fly. Don’t waste
IFC OPEN FORUM - Wednesday, April 9 - 7:30 p.m. - Student Union Starlight Terrace - Business Casual - Open to all fraternity members Guest Speakers: - President Burns Hargis - Dr. Bird, Vice President of Student Affairs IFC President Tim Krenz, Phi Gamma Delta, will also be speaking at the event. Krenz, Hargis and Bird will have an open discussion about a few important topics to begin the forum. After their initial discussion, the floor will be open for questions. “I have created this even in an attempt to create transparency and reaffirm the fraternal values our community should uphold,” Krenz said.
today being who you think other people want you to be. Don’t waste today worrying about a test that will be over in two days. Don’t waste today missing out on important conversations and relationships because you’re too busy keeping up with your to-do list. Just don’t miss today!
LIBBY NICHOLAS Chi Omega
Editor-in-Chief
Libby is a senior studying multimedia journalism. You may contact her at elizabeth.nicholas@ okstate.edu.
Although I’m more of a Red Dirt music fan, those Pop Country guys throw out a good song now and then. Kenny Chesney’s, “Don’t Blink” is one of those. The song captures the essence of carpe diem. Through the song, Kenny talks about meeting a 102-year-old man. “Trust me, son. Life moves faster than you think. Don’t blink.” If you live in Stillwater, America, and haven’t heard this Country song, I’m a little concerned. Go YouTube it. In five weeks, we seniors will part from friends who we may not see again. Several people very dear to me have loved ones deploying with America’s armed forces. We recently lost a precious member of our Greek community in a terrible accident. The days really are short and you never know when things will change or what life brings. Soak up today and don’t take it or the people you love for granted.
THE ODYSSEY AT OKLAHOMA STATE EXECUTIVE TEAM President Breanna Fuller Alpha Delta Pi Distribution Executive Tori Brownlee Alpha Delta Pi Recruitment Executive Kade Goodwin Phi Delta Theta Sales Executives Adrianna Newport Alpha Delta Pi Hunter Kashwer Phi Delta Theta
CREATIVE TEAM Editor-in-Chief Libby Nicholas Chi Omega Contributing Editor Thomas Chapman FarmHouse Photographer Jamie Barnes Sigma Pi Megan Noble Zeta Tau Alpha
OLYMPIA MEDIA GROUP 888.272.2595 | OlympiaMediaGroup.com Managing Editor, Kate Waxler Designer, Grant Hohulin
We want a representative from every house! To apply for a writing, photography or sales position, TheOdysseyOnline.com/creative © 2014 Olympia Media Group, LLC All Rights Reserved. The Odyssey is a private entity not associated or governed by University of Oklahoma or OSU 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.
Feature story
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GREEK OF THE WEEK:
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REMEMBERING KASEY WAYCHOFF
Kasey Wa y c h o f f , member of Gamma Phi Beta, was a special part of our very own Greek community. She will never be forgotten.
TAYLOR FELGENHAUER Gamma Phi Beta
Taylor is a junior studying strategic communications. You may contact her at taylor. felgenhauer@yahoo.com.
Kasey was a sophomore and spent every moment in college to the absolute fullest. She didn’t waste a second. Continuously building the greatest friendships, making memories, and not letting a day go by without showing love toward someone. Kasey is originally from Flower Mound, Texas., and followed her family to Oklahoma State University. Kasey’s parents were both part of Greek life at Oklahoma State. Her brother, Wes Waychoff, is an active member of Sigma Phi Epsilon at Oklahoma State. Kasey was involved and loved Gamma Phi to her fullest. She served as the Financial Vice President and hoped to make a difference for people to pay their billhighways on time. Kasey was also very involved with intramurals. She played on the Football Frenzy team every year, softball, rugby and volleyball. “We always made fun of her for being such a tomboy,” her friends said. Not only did she hold Gamma Phi up on the business side of things, but also affected the chapter with her outrageous, sweet and lively personality, as her friends and pledge class had described her. “Kasey spent her time getting to know so many different people and building so many relationships,” pledge sisters said. “She was seriously such an easy person to be around and had inside jokes with just about anyone.” Throughout Kasey’s moments here in college, she always made sure to know what really mattered. She took time to really get to know people and to show them that she genuinely cared for them. “Every time we would spend time together she was so good at listening, asking questions and would genuinely care about her your life and what was going on,” Morgan Hampton, Kasey’s G Phi Big said. “Not many people are good at that, and she was the greatest to talk to.” Kasey carried many valued qualities that people long to have, such as entertaining, sweet, loving, genuine and loyal. Kasey had also spent much of her time serving OSU. She was an international business major, and was minoring in Chinese. She was involved in Dance Marathon and Cowboy Cousins. Not only was she just a part of those organizations, but also she yet took time to really get to know the people around her. “She cared so much about the foreign exchange students at OSU,” Jordi Hall, her roommate and best friend, said. “She had dinner with them once a week and gave them tours of the house. She truly loved hanging out with them. She hung up all the gifts they gave her for Christmas in her room.” Kasey loved to travel and has just about traveled everywhere. She had lived in Singapore
until her junior year of high school. Kasey had also just been accepted into the Study Abroad program for Spring 2015 to complete her minor. “She LOVED Texas and the world, and could never understand why people wanted to live in Texas the rest of their lives.” Kasey had an amazingly close relationship with her brother, Wes, and they were able to grow up and travel the world together. There was never a dull moment with Kasey. Every moment was a funny one, constantly filled with laughing, her close friends, Jordi Hall, Chandler Case and Dallis Garman, said. Kasey has left so many memories that her friends and pledge sisters will never forget. Kasey lived in Gamma Phi Beta with the rest of her pledge class of 2012. On Sunday nights, when it was more laid back, her and her roommate Jordi Hall would move their beds to the floor and watch movies together. Kasey was also known to lighten up the mood with her snorts while she would laugh. She would always just smile and giggle when she was in awkward situations. “My favorite memory with her was when we held hands running all the way to Gamma Phi on Bid Day 2012,” Hayley Kiefer, her pledge sister, said. “We didn’t know each other and had already bonded so much. I will never forget that day, because that is the day I was blessed to have her enter my life.” Kasey has impacted so many lives during her time as a Gamma Phi Beta at Oklahoma State. She has left so many memories and moments, and portrayed genuine love toward everyone she met. “You will always be remembered by your contagiously beautiful smile and the biggest, cutest dimples ever. We love you so much Kasey, even more than you love pizza and coke.” Love in PKE, PC ‘12
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Scene on campus
INQUIRING MINDS: LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE There are some people who devote themselves and their lives completely to bettering the world around them. One such profession that allows people to work in conjunction with the environment is landscape architecture.
JAMIE BARNES Sigma Pi
Jamie is a junior studying Landscape Architecture. You may contact him at james.barnes@ okstate.edu.
Much like the architecture degree we work toward in the engineering school, landscape architecture applies the science of designing structures and spaces to fit the needs of a specific client. There is a special form of art that melts both the physical constraints of a site and the uses of the landscape. Coincidently, I happen to be pursing my bachelor’s in landscape architecture! I just so happen to know a little about the profession, what we do in class and what we should expect to do in the future. On any given day, we can expect to spend up to four hours on drawings or working on concepts for a project. Interestingly enough, our projects range from the expected backyard design, transforming a droll suburban backyard into an exotic oasis for the homeowner, to much more complicated work. For example, we can have projects that encompass planning an entire community. We can focus on something so specific, like the design of a single planting bed. And at the same time, still be looking at something with a wide scope, working to understand how different elements of design can interact with the landscape. My classmate Corey Branch, member of Kappa Sigma, said that landscape architecture doesn’t only affect the land, it affects life as a whole. There is a large emphasis on working to design sustainable spaces and areas that can give the best experience possible. While it is commonly assumed that the furthest extent of our work are the nifty green roofs that are picking up in popularity, those are simply one of the fetch things we get to design. Astonishingly enough, landscape architecture is not a cakewalk filled with exciting designs of landscapes and pretty gardens. There is enough that goes into every little aspect of a design that we have to essentially try and become almost completely versed in whatever realm our project pertains to. This could mean researching and learning up on the demographics of a certain region or having
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a firm grasp on the climate changes that are suitable for a particular species of plant. The amount of knowledge that any one design can require is vast and un-nerving, but with a certain amount of devotion to the design, anything is possible. Branch said landscape architecture to him means making his obligation to design sites of enjoyment that will create a positive space for man, nature and generations to come. On a recent project, we worked on making a new design plan for the outdoor classroom at the Sangre Ridge elementary school here in Stillwater, USA. The third grade students at Sangre Ridge critiqued our designs, we did some graphic magic to render our drawings and then compiled everything into one large booklet full of outdoor design ideas. That booklet was submitted to a design competition in Denver that centered on creating engaging outdoor designs to help encourage children to experience the outdoor environment. There were about eight other universities from across the country that entered the design competition, and all of the submissions were presented during our spring break. Of all the schools that submitted designs to the competition, our design booklet from Oklahoma State won the competition! So, while there are challenges in studying landscape architecture, it can be quite rewarding.
Scene on campus
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MOM’S DAY COMPETITION AT OLD NAVY
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The winning Greek house will be based on who has the most people from their chapter come into the store on Saturday. Don’t forget, you have to be wearing your Mom’s Day shirt in order for the cashiers to know what house you are a member of. The cashiers will have a spreadsheet at the registers where they will tally how many members of each chapter has come into the store, purchased an item(s) and worn their Mom’s Day shirt. Each Greek member wearing their Mom’s Day shirt can enter their name into a drawing for a $25 gift card from El Vaquero. Old Navy was given four gift cards for four winners. On this day, the cashiers will also be handing out coupons from other local businesses, such as Orange Leaf, Blue Spruce, Crazy Cakes and Chipotle. The Old Navy in Stillwater, is proud to host its first competition this year for the Greek community. The competition will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2014 (a.k.a. Mom’s Day at Oklahoma State).
NICK VELA
Kappa Alpha Order Nick is a senior studying international business and pre-law. You may contact him at nick.vela@okstate.edu.
Looking for something to do on Mom’s Day in between your activities with your Fraternity/Sorority? Well, you’re in luck. Come compete and celebrate Mom’s Day at Old Navy on Saturday. This is the time when you can bring your entire family into the store to do some Easter and spring shopping, all while helping your chapter compete and possibly win. There are three things you have to do in order to be eligible to compete. 1) Come into the store on Saturday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 2) Wear your Mom’s Day shirt. 3) Purchase any item of your choice in the store.
great thing about celebrating Mom’s Day at Old Navy is, not only can you compete and help your chapter win some prizes, but you can save 10 percent on your entire purchase when you show your Oklahoma State student ID. The winning chapter house will receive many prizes. First and foremost, the house mom of the winning Chapter house will receive a $50 Old Navy gift card. She will also have a styling session by the Old Navy fit experts. Next, all the Old Navy managers will volunteer their time to the winning chapter’s philanthropy. Lastly, the chapter that has the most members come into the store will have a special after hour shopping night. This night will allow all members to come into the store after the store closes to shop without any other customers in the store. Old Navy is excited to host their first competition against the Greek community at Oklahoma State, so be sure to stop by Saturday, April 5. You know you want your Chapter to win, so spread the word within your house and let’s have a great turn out. Don’t forget to follow the official twitter of Old Navy at @Old_Navy_Stilly and The Odyssey at @Odyssey_OKState.
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Scene on campus
FAMOUS ALUMNI: SORORITY EDITION
With recruitment season just around the corner, brushing up on exciting facts about your chapter is essential for getting the best PNMs. Luckily for you, the next time a baby Hillary Clinton enters your home, you’ll be able to dazzle them with your knowledge of famous political alumna who proudly wore your pin. Look for your chapter below.
SOPHIA GIBSON
Delta Delta Delta Sophia is a freshman studying agricultural education. Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t sophie.gibson@okstate.edu.
Alpha Delta Pi Francine I. Neff (1925-2010) 35th Treasurer of the United States Fun Fact: $2 bills personally signed by Neff are valued at $95 today. Alpha Omicron Pi Wendy Chamberlin (1948-present) US Ambassador to Pakistan Fun Fact: She has served in the foreign services for 29 years. Alpha Chi Omega Condoleezza Rice (1954-present) US Secretary of State Fun Fact: Her first name was inspired by the Italian for an opera stage instruction “con dolcezza” which means “with sweetness.” Chi Omega Penne Percy Korth (1942-present) US Ambassador to Mauritius Fun Fact: She married an Australian politician named Andrew Peacock, so her name is now Penne Peacock. Delta Delta Delta Elizabeth Dole (1936-present) US Senator Fun Fact: In 2000, Dole attempted to run for president. Gamma Phi Beta Deanell Reece Tacha (1946-present) Federal Judge Fun Fact: In 1971, Tacha became a prestigious White House Fellow. Kappa Alpha Theta Kim Campbell (1947-present) Prime Minister of Canada Fun Fact: So far, Campbell is the first and only female prime minister of Canada. Kappa Delta Chris Gregoire (1947-present) Governor of Washington Fun Fact: Gregoire won her 2004 election by a 129 votes out of 2.8 million counted— a 0.0046 percent margin of victory. Kappa Kappa Gamma Susan H. Black (1943-present)
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Federal Judge Fun Fact: Black was nominated into the US Court of Appeals by President George H. W. Bush. Phi Mu Betty Montgomery (1948-present) Ohio Attorney General Fun Fact: Prior to law school, Montgomery got a BA in English and Art.
Zeta Tau Alpha Susan Ford Bales (1957-present) Daughter of Former President Gerald Ford Fun Fact: She is a special Initiate of OSU’s Alpha Upsilon Chapter, since 1993. Good luck with recruitment, ladies! And remember, if all you know about politics is Anthony Weiner’s scandal, than you can always steer the conversation towards Jackie Kennedy. Everyone loves Jackie. “Once you can express yourself, you can tell the world what you want from it. . . All the changes in the world, for good or evil, were first brought about by words.” -Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
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Ideas debate & discuss
LEARNING ABOUT LEPROSY I’ve always winced at the terms “leprosy” and “lepers” because of all the negative connotations associated with them. Scary stories from the Bible used to have me shaking in my space boots as a young lad.
Leprosy used to be a horrific disease - feared by all and despised by many. Yet, times have changed in 2,000 years, and it’s about time that we face our fears with the disease. Due to the efforts of doctors and researchers to give these people a second chance, leprosy is now much less prevalent. It’s even curable today. Documented before the common era, leprosy is named after a bacteria. Mycobacterium leprae is the responsible agent for the disease and has been around way longer than we have. Since the ‘60s, leprosy has been on a steady decline, but there were still an estimated 180,000 cases in 2012. The disease is most commonly found in underdeveloped or developing countries. Even with all of India’s growth and advancement, over half of the documented cases occur there. Now for a bit of history. For nomenclature purposes, the Latin word “lepra” means “scaly.” As messed up as this sounds, scaly is perhaps the best way to describe the appearance of the human skin once it has been infected long enough. Seen as having an extreme social flaw, people suffering from leprosy have been subjected to isolation and rejection since early times. Jesus is famous for having cured a man with leprosy (yet Jesus ordered the man to tell no one of his cleansing). The man could not, however, conceal his joy and thanks, and he went on sharing Jesus’ good deed with the entire town, and Jesus was forced to withdraw from the town for the time being. So, even Jesus would have been persecuted for healing a man with leprosy back in his time. Why, then, did it take so long for others to have compassion for these unfortunate people? It’s probably because we see someone and immediately judge them for their outward appearance. On to the colonies. Leper colonies have been in effect since the middle ages (fifth through fifteenth centuries). Sadly, they still exist today in India, China and a few countries in Africa. Way back when, leprosy could have been one of a number of skin conditions. Now, however, we associate leprosy with only one type of
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skin disease, and doctors today have found that many people diagnosed with leprosy in the past did not actually have the disease. It must have been easy to say that everyone with any Sigma Nu kind of skin disfigurement Jake is a junior studying biological was a leper back in the day. science. You may contact him at Anyhow, people with these jacob.blasdel@okstate.edu. conditions were banished to mountainsides, islands or the remote wilderness, in order to not infect the rest of the population. Many colonies were established and regulated by monastic groups and other Catholic affiliations. A full-scale quarantine is enforced in a leper colony, while the people’s whereabouts and conditions are being monitored.
JAKE BLASDEL
Leprosy is believed to be spread by nasal droplets. This can mean anything from breathing out of your nose to wiping some snot on someone. Eiither way, bacteria from your nose are exiting and have the chance to make a new body their host. With that being said, leprosy is not necessarily transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, nor is it necessarily transmitted sexually. In fact, it is regarded that most people are actually immune to leprosy, and others who aren’t can be cured with treatments lasting from six months to a year. Leprosy in America is usually transmitted from the nine-banded armadillo, and around 200 people are infected every year here So don’t try to catch one by the tail - you might come to regret it! Hopefully this helped to shine some light on this disease and provided a more thoughtful perspective. If you encountered a person with leprosy who had been in a car accident and needed to be pulled from the vehicle in order for his/her life to be saved, and you were the only person around for miles to help, would you extend your hand? Some food for thought.
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Sports local
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THE FUTURE OF OSU FOOTBALL The Oklahoma State football program had high expectations last year, and unfortunately, did not live up to them. The loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl especially left a bad taste in the mouths of Cowboys fans everywhere.
ALEX DEWINTER Phi Kappa Tau
Alexis a sophomore majoring in finance and accounting. Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h i m a t alex.dewinter@okstate.edu.
To make matters worse, the Pokes lost a good amount of important pieces on the team, including All-American Justin Gilbert, first team All-Big 12 players Caleb Lavey, Calvin Barnett, Shaun Lewis and Parker Graham, to go with Clint “Choo-Choo” Chelf and the electric Josh Stewart. So, obviously this year’s recruiting class will play a very important role in next year’s team. The 2014 Oklahoma State football recruiting class was ranked 28th in the nation (according to ESPN), which doesn’t seem too promising, but there are some potential stars in the class, including four star quarterback from Rock Hill, SC, Mason Rudolph. Standing at 6’4”, Rudolph was the ninth ranked QB prospect in the nation. In his senior year he threw for 4,377 yards and 64 touchdowns, and this pro style quarterback may be just what Coach Gundy wants. The Cowboys need someone who can make quick decisions, and to be able to get the ball far downfield (something J.W. Walsh is criticized for being unable to do). Mason has already enrolled at Oklahoma State, so with the extra practice and time during spring ball, he’ll be ready to compete for the starting job. The other possible star of this class is athlete Tyreek Hill from Garden City, Kansas. Hill was the #1 rated athlete in the 2014 recruiting class according to ESPN, much in thanks to his 4.32 40-yard dash time. He has also already enrolled, and has actually been lighting it up on the indoor track team. At the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, he finished fifth in the 200-meter dash. The speed he’s displayed here will hopefully transition very well to the football field. He’s already had two years of junior college experience, so he’ll be ready to play from day one for the Pokes. Hill will probably play a lot of running back and slot receiver, but the backfield could be pretty crowded for the 2014 season. Four star recruit, and eleventh ranked back in the nation, Devon Thomas from Broken Arrow will likely get some playing time as well, and he has also enrolled early. Additionally, you can’t forget about returning backs Desmond Roland and Rennie Childs. With all this being said, he could make his biggest impact in special teams. With Josh Stewart’s departure, there’s an opening as a returner, and Hill’s speed could be a real X-factor for OSU next year. Having a returner who teams have to prepare for, and has the threat to take it all the way back every time is a huge plus for any football team. Next year is going to be an uphill battle for the Oklahoma State football team to overcome the departures of many important players. Thankfully, Gundy and co. have done a good job recruiting quality players to replace those who have gone. I think we all know that we’re gonna need all the help we can get against Florida State in week one next year. If the remaining players progress enough, we should have a shot at another Big 12 Title.
Sports local
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OSU ATHLETES: THEN AND NOW
Here in Stillwater, amazing players like running back Barry Sanders and wrestler John Smith have emerged as Hall of Fame players in their respective sport.
THOMAS CHAPMAN FarmHouse
Thomas is a freshman studying sports media. You may contact him at tmchapm@okstate.edu.
In today’s professional sports, there are quite a few OSU active players. These athletes continue to excel in their sport and shine as former Oklahoma State athletes. Dez Bryant: Though his college career ended abruptly, Dez Bryant was one of the most productive wide receivers Oklahoma State has ever produced. As a freshman, Bryant broke the single game rookie receiving record with 155 yards against Kansas. He finished his season second on the team with 43 receptions for 622 yards. In his sophomore season, the wide out became the primary target for the OSU Cowboys, finishing with 87 receptions for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns along with two punt return touchdowns. Entering his junior year, Dez Bryant was considered a Heisman candidate and the best receiver in college football before having his time at OSU cut short due to a season long suspension. Despite his off the field altercation, Dez entered the NFL draft and was still considered a first round prospect. The Dallas Cowboys selected Bryant 24th overall in 2010, and immediately plugged him into their offense. Every year since going pro, he has increased his touchdown and yardage totals until his best performance last season with 92 receptions for 1,233 yards and 13 touchdowns. He earned a Pro Bowl in 2013 and was ranked at the 35th best player in the league by NFL Top 100 players. Dez Bryant is one of the most athletic players to leave OSU since Barry Sanders and is one of the most athletic and prolific receiver in the NFL. Tony Allen: One of the most recent premiere basketball players to come out of OSU, Tony Allen played two years on the Oklahoma State basketball team after transferring from a junior college. He became the national junior-college player of the year in 2003 and the Big 12 player of the year in 2004, after leading the Cowboys to the final four. Allen was the first player in Oklahoma State history to score 1,000 points in just two seasons. In 2004, the Boston Celtics selected Allen 25th overall in the NBA draft. After a productive rookie season, injuries and personal issues hampered the OSU graduate for the remainder of his time in Boston. After leaving the Celtics, Tony Allen signed with the Memphis
Grizzlies in 2010. As a member of the Grizzlies, Allen had his best season in 2011, and was ranked as the “Best Perimeter Defender” of the season. Allen has now been named to NBA All-Defensive team twice and aided Memphis in three playoff appearances. He continues to provide great defense and a contributing role to the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team. Russell Okung: An anchor of the OSU offensive line from 2006 to 2009, Russell Okung was an outstanding football player for the Cowboys. Entering his first game freshman year against Kansas, Okung started 34 consecutive games holding the record for Oklahoma State university. As a left tackle, Russell Okung twice held the nations sack leaders (Greg Middleton, Von Miller) without a single quarterback takedown. He received several accolades including Big 12 Offensive lineman of the year in 2009 and becoming an AllAmerican his junior and senior year. Russell Okung was viewed as the best offensive tackle in the 2010 draft and was selected sixth overall by the Seattle seahawks. Since entering the league, he has started 45 games and been named to the Pro Bowl. This past season, Okung solidified the Seahawks offensive line on their way to a Super Bowl championship. He is considered a top five tackle in the NFL and is projected to start again this upcoming season. Rickie Fowler: A stellar golfer for Oklahoma State, Rickie Fowler had a very successful freshman season. He won the Big 12 and finished fourth in the NCAA tournament. During the season, he was awarded numerous awards including the Ben Hogan award and Phil Mickelson Award, as the nation’s top freshman. Fowler was a dominant golfer, winning several tournaments and representing the U.S. in a 2007 Walker cup victory. He finished his amateur career by placing third in the Sunnehanna Amateur tournament before going pro in 2009. In his professional career, Rickie Fowler has made two top 10 finishes in Major PGA Championships. At the age of 21, the former Oklahoma State golfer became the youngest participant in the U.S. Ryder’s Cup in 2010 and received Rookie of the Year. On the PGA tour in 2012, Fowler won the Wells Fargo Championship earning his first PGA tour victory. He is currently ranked as the 40th best golfer in the world and has already scored three top 25 finishes on the PGA tour this season. Honorable mentions: Kendall Hunter, Joseph Randle, Dan Bailey, Parish Cox, Kevin Williams, Antonio Smith, Billy Bajema.
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Lookbook fashion
HOT IN STILLWATER
WOODEN NICKEL
PECKS LODGE
PECKS LODGE
WOODEN NICKEL
DAINTY HOOLIGAN
Mom’s Day is quickly approaching. This ANNA-MARIE means there will be AHRBERG some serious shopping Pi Beta Phi done in Stillwater this Anna-Marie is a sophomore weekend! studying sports media. You To help you all hit the may contact her at anna-marie. hot spots (hopefully ahrberg@okstate.edu. mom will buy!), we are here to provide you with some of the places you should visit. They include Wooden Nickel, Pecks Lodge, Shoe Bank, Dainty Hooligan, Elizabeth’s and Tiger Lily, just to name a few. All of these shops are sure to bring out their best merchandise for the moms. Check out these photos to give you an idea on what’s out there! Also, be sure to keep your eye out for next weeks’ edition of “Hot In Stillwater.” It will be a “Girl’s Tell All” about men’s fashion and hygiene!
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PECKS LODGE
500 words on life
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ACCEPTING REJECTION
I’ve never been much of a risk taker, due to an unfortunate fear of failure. Recently, however, I had my first real taste of rejection – and you know what? It felt great.
NINA BLASDEL
Kappa Delta Nina is a sophomore studying hotel & restaurant administration. Yo u m a y c o n t a c t h e r a t nina.blasdel@okstate.edu.
Sure, everyone hates the feeling of rejection initially, but maybe sometimes we need a little bit of a reality check to remind us we’re not perfect.
I went to my first career fair about a month ago, intending to just scope it out, feel what it’s like to interact with professionals, and potentially build my network. There was just one small issue with the scenario: I was required to go to the career fair for one of my classes, and I had gotten all four of my wisdom teeth removed three days prior. I looked like Alvin the Chipmunk, plus had a huge bruise on one of my cheeks. Great for first impressions, right? The swollen and bruised face worked to my advantage, interestingly enough. It was a great conversation starter and eased the tension with everyone at the career fair. As a result, I landed an interview the following day with a country club for a potential summer internship. The next day, I was eager for my first real interview and was filled with positive energy. I’m pleased to say that it went well, and I felt as though the manager and I were best friends by the time it was over. As I was walking out of the room, he even called back at me, “Well, you sure
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do present yourself well, Ms. Blasdel, even with the puffy cheeks. I’m sure you’ll be hearing good things from us soon.” I felt like a million bucks. Weeks passed, and I didn’t hear anything. I thought I had the thing in the bag, so I wasn’t too worried. Finally, last week, I received a very kind email, relaying the unfortunate news that the company had chosen another candidate for the job. The email hit me like Miley Cyrus on her wrecking ball – it was my first real taste of rejection.
I pouted for a little while, wallowing in my self pity and feeling not good enough, then I had a stark realization: rejection is a natural part of life. Whether it’s no second date, not getting the job, losing an election, or whatever, getting rejected doesn’t make you any less of a person, and it doesn’t mean you failed. Failing is not trying. Getting rejected is kind of liberating. “Well, you’re too good for me? Maybe I’m too good for you!” What if we could change our negative stigmas attached to the concept of being rejected? What if, before we partook in any activity that involved putting ourselves on the line, we were told that we were going to fail ten times before we succeeded? By the time we hit our fifth failure, we’d probably be excited, because we’d be halfway to success. We’d more readily accept rejection as just part of the process of reaching our goals. I realize that it’s a far-fetched analogy, but I’m trying to prove that the idea of rejection is based on our perceptions of how things should be, which is typically dictated or influenced by others - when in reality, there is nothing out there claiming that rejection is anything more or less than a part of life. It’s neither good nor bad, just a stepping stone onto the next thing.
THE THINGS WE HOLD DEAR
For those of you who read my articles expecting a humorous, light-hearted take on today’s culture and society, this week you’ll be disappointed.
This article is about an epiphany I had last Friday night about our society and culture. It continued into the last Saturday morning of spring break, once most people from OSU had already left.
KADE GOODWIN Phi Delta Theta
Kade is a senior studying political science. You may contact him at kade.goodwin@okstate.edu.
That Friday evening, with the sound of the tide splashing against the sand and retreating back to the gulf, I came to the realization that the culture we live in has failed us by not placing enough emphasis on the things that actually matter. Or perhaps we have failed our society, by allowing our popular culture to dictate who we are as people. Either way, our culture is becoming increasingly selfish, almost to the point of narcissism, and we have forgotten about the people around us. The pervasive shallowness that has embedded itself into our culture is a byproduct the superficiality that our culture has produced. Instead of judging a person by the nature of their personality and disposition, we judge them on their outward appearance, social status or whatever perceived frivolous notion that you have of them. How many times have you seen someone who may not have been as good looking as you, not as wealthy, not as fit, or not wearing the right clothes? How many times have either to their face or behind their back, you belittle them? Crack a malicious joke at their expense? You can ruin a person’s day and make them feel inferior, simply because you don’t approve of their appearance or social status. Some people do this more than others, I’m guilty of it. We devalue them and express our superiority
based on something as superficial as the clothes they wear. Why do we do this? If we truly are superior to the people we make fun of, why do we feel the need to acknowledge what is supposed to be so blatantly obvious? Do we do this to show others that you’re superior? Always think, if you’re making fun of someone who you perceive to be inferior to you, there is someone who is probably making fun of you because of their perception that you are inferior to them. There is also a degree of apathy and disconnect toward everyone else that stems from our society’s selfishness. When we talk to people, are we really listening? Sometimes it seems as if each conversation someone has is a stepping stone to the next conversation with someone else. When we ask someone how they’re doing, do we really mean it? When we answer how we’re doing, are we being truthful? If someone were to respond to that question with, “Not good”, would you care? Or would you look for the quickest way to excuse yourself from the conversation? Most of the time, it seems as if we’re too preoccupied with our phones or ourselves to see what’s going on in the lives of the people around us. So in an era in which the thing we hold most dear is ourselves, what should we hold dear? I believe the relationships we have with the people around us should be more important than money, than the social networks we’re glued to, or whatever social ladder we want to climb next. Genuinely care about the person next to you and don’t just care how they can benefit you. The time you spend with the people around you is most irrecuperable. A fortune can be won and lost, and you can always regain any lost social status. What you’ll never be able to do is regain the time you spent with those around you, so don’t take it for granted. Put people first and someone else will put you first. I’ll be the first to admit, this has been a lot more, “touchy feely” than any of my other previous articles, but I don’t care. I have lost my ability to B.S. I’m a big believer in the idea that the world would be better if everyone had a Coke and a smile together. But don’t worry, the humor will be back next week.
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500 words on life
www.theodysseyonline.com
‘CAUSE ONE HOLIDAY ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH
Can you believe it’s already April? This year went by faster than Luke Jancenberg with a coupon (sorry Luke, shabbot shalohm). As we enter into April, we approach an overly celebrated holiday here at OSU. That’s right, Mom’s Day.
NICK CHARLTON & DAVID DUNKEL Sigma Alpha Epsilon
David and Nick are sophomores. You may contact them at davidadunkel@aol.com.
Now, before we start this article, Nick and I would like to say that we love our mothers very much, so much so that we are very up front with them. However, if they didn’t read this article...we wouldn’t mind. Doesn’t Mom’s Day sound a little bit like another holiday? Oh yeah, it’s called, “Mother’s Day.” I guess one holiday isn’t enough. That’s like making up a second Christmas in July, so you don’t have to wait the whole 12 months. The point we’re trying to make, is that if you keep adding in new holidays as a cheap way to get more presents and attention, then the old ones will start to lose their luster. Kind of like how every sports reporter thinks this year’s college basketball stud is the new Larry Bird. Sorry Doug McDermott, but Larry took Indy State to the finals. We’re getting side tracked, though, we’ve already written an article on Larry Legend and it was pure gold. Back to the argument.
ASK.FM/ODYSSEYADVICE Don’t forget that you can submit questions anonymously online to possibly be answered in an upcoming issue. Dear Abby, In your opinion, is it okay to be dating two guys at the same time? If not, what do you suggest I do? Sincerely, Not So Alone Dear Not So Alone, In my opinion, it isn’t a bad thing to explore your options in college. Dating can be strictly casual with no strings attached. At this time in our lives, we don’t necessarily need to jump into relationships just because we connect with someone. Our college years are meant to be enjoyed, and we need to take advantage of these years before we enter the “real world.” If, however, you begin to have a strong feelings for one or both of the guys you are currently dating, it may be time to re-evaluate. You don’t want to lead one of them on while having a deeper connection with the other. If at any point you decide you want a relationship, you need to make a decision. I believe it is better to be honest than to lie in order to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. It will be difficult to do, but it will be better for the both of you in the long run. So, keep your options open, be in-tune with your feelings, and don’t be afraid to be honest. Sincerely, Abby
We don’t want every girl on campus to think we’re unappreciative, because that’s just not true. We respect our mothers for putting up with us. Lets be honest, it’s definitely not an easy job. Nick and I adopted a couple of rug rats of our own, and believe us, raising a child is one of the most rewarding things you can do in this life. Maybe you didn’t notice it, but the key word in that last sentence was “rewarding.” Your kids are the reward, mothers, and we don’t need two holidays to tell you that. Every day should be an unofficial Mother’s Day. The kind of unofficial holiday that you don’t have to miss Chili Fest to celebrate. The country fans reading this article know what we’re talking about. We should be 20 beers deep in Snook, TX watching Hank Jr. play “Family Tradition” right now. I’m sure a lot of readers probably think that this article was only written out of spite because we had to miss the best country/chili festival under the sun. We have every day for the rest of our lives (or at least theirs) to see our mothers, and only one day to see Hank Jr., Randy Rogers, Turnpike Troubadours, Roger Creager and Cody Johnson. And by the way, no, it is not the same thing as Calf Fry. Calf Fry is chili fest’s younger brother. Calf fry is the Doug McDermott to Chili Fest’s Larry Bird. But no, this article was written to point out one of the few flaws of Oklahoma State University. However, Mom’s Day goes right up there with how they never cancel class, and we can’t swim naked in Theta Pond. It’s amazing how many rules we have in society today. Until next time students and mothers… Kisses and Pop Bottles and Wild Out.
500 words on music
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SONGS THAT DON’T MAKE SENSE
If you all didn’t catch on from my article about TSM last week, I like to make fun of things. Sometimes it’s fun for me, so we’re going to keep up with that little trend. Alpha Chi Omega Hope is a sophomore studying I’ll write about something business / pre-law. You may serious soon though... maybe. On another note, have you contact her hope.frisbie@ ever noticed that America just okstate.edu. really loves songs that don’t make sense? Seriously, next time you’re listening to the radio, listen to the words of the songs you’re hearing. I think you’ll be surprised by the number of songs you’ll hear that legitimately don’t make any sense. And these people make money off of this stuff! Lets start with “Tik Tok” by Kesha, who, fun fact, has dropped the $ from her name. Sane people everywhere are rejoicing. This song, chock filled with raging hormones and pop infused beats, is bad enough without listening to the words. But when you actually hone in to what she is saying, especially in the bridge of the song, you come to find that it literally makes no sense. These are the words: “You build me up, you break me down, my heart, it pounds, yeah, you got me. With my hands up, you got me now, you got that sound, yeah, you got me. “ What does that even mean? The world may never know. Next on my list of favorite terrible songs is “Love Story” by good old T-Swift. Don’t get me wrong, I love Taylor Swift. Her songs are fun, easy to sing to and super relatable after a break-up. But for all the home runs she’s scored in the music industry, “Love Story” is just not one of them. Why, you ask? This part of the song is a big reason why. “Cause you were Romeo – I was a scarlet letter,
HOPE FRISBIE
THE REAL OG’S
Long before rappers started bragging about lavish lifestyles and how insane their lives were, the gents in the Rat Pack were doubling it, and they didn’t need to boast.
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., along with several other Hollywood elites (Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop), were royalty in the early ‘60s.
LANE HUGHES Sigma Chi
Lane is a junior studying animal science. You may contact him at lane.hughes@okstate.edu.
With Marilyn Monroe as one of the “Rat Pack Mascots” and President Kennedy occasionally stopping by for a drink, Sinatra, Deano and the gang lived the life. The Rat Pack’s acclaim played a pivotal role in the resurgence of Las Vegas, mostly stemming from Sinatra’s alleged involvement with the mafia at the time. Fans from all across the country traveled to see their (generally sold out) shows. Often, if one of the members were scheduled to play that night, the rest of the Pack would join on stage for an impromptu show. And always pushing out a drink cart for their whiskey and ice. They were a smooth bunch whose music will forever be branded as sophisticated and listened to by members of high-society. So be open minded about this playlist and remember just how classy people will think you are if you say you listen to this. (P.S. I listen to these songs)
Fly Me to the Moon – Frank Sinatra
My Way – Frank Sinatra
Ain’t That a Kick in the Head – Dean Martin
Ol’ Man River – Frank Sinatra
Everybody Loves Somebody – Dean Martin
Amor – Dean Martin
The Candy Man – Sammy Davis, Jr.
The Wind, The Wind – Dean Martin
Mr. Bojangles – Sammy Davis, Jr.
I’ve Gotta Be Me – Sammy Davis, Jr.
And my daddy said, ‘Stay away from Juliet.’ But you were everything to me, I was begging you, ‘Please don’t go.’” Okay. First of all, that analogy isn’t even consistent because those are two completely different stories. The Scarlet Letter has nothing in the slightest to do with Romeo and Juliet. They aren’t related even a little bit! I get that you love him, I get that you want to be together, but if even your parent’s think it’s a problem, that should probably be a red flag to you. Check the warning signs, T-Swizzle. And I promise you’ll have plenty of boyfriends in the future. You’re dating enough for the both of us, sister. The next song on my list of favorite absurdities is “Sexy Chick” by David Guetta. This song delves into the wonderful world of the sexual objectification of women. My favorite. Let’s look at the lyrics. “The way that booty movin’ I can’t take no more, have to stop what I’m doin’ so I can pull her close. I’m tryna find the words to describe this girl without being disrespectful. Dang girl. Dang, you’s a sexy chick. A sexy chick, Dang you’s a sexy chick.” “I’m trying to find the words to describe this girl without being disrespectful.” Well, you blew that one, pal. If you don’t want to be disrespectful to a woman probably the last thing you should call her is a “sexy chick.” And to make matters worse, the actual song doesn’t say chick (or dang, for that matter). Clearly for content purposes I can’t divulge the real lyrics, but I’m sure you get the idea. That is literally so disrespectful and so degrading. She’s a person. She has a mind and she’s probably intelligent, and she is around for more than just your enjoyment. Take a seat. So, to wrap this up, there’s a lot wrong with the music industry these days. I just bet you wouldn’t have guessed it was the fact that these artists can’t write songs that make sense. It’s a multi-billion dollar a year industry, I know they can buy more creativity than that. At the end of the day though, I guess it doesn’t matter. They still make more money than we do.
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Humor tweets
@Hadzilla: Walk into the club like what up I have an anxiety disorder you know what I’m going home @dragnut: Considering getting into falconry just to have something to do during uncomfortable silences. @derekbarchanger: I don’t get it that Clarksville Arkansas is in a dry county, but has a waffle house
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convenience.
95 startup chime* take your money
@matthew_ryan_8: How long have you been sitting on that joke? RT @pistolsguy: 22-4 run by #okstate, Tech couldn’t score at an Oscars after party.
@BrittonKollman: I’m curious what the nutritional value of fake fingernails is…the girl sitting in front of me is devouring her daily servings
@codytripp: Free market healthcare works because poor people only get cheap diseases and rich people only get expensive diseases. Everyone knows this.
@zakypoof: People kept talking about ‘Spring Break Abs’..Well I guess I never received mine over spring breaks what gives
@kenzielabadie: I have to resist the urge to call people by their twitter usernames on a daily basis.
@trevso_electric: There was a powerful earthquake in LA today but I thought it was just 3 million people using their juice blenders at the same time.
@skullmandible: In college a guy started an “antifraternity.” in a movie it would have been a big hit but in real life the girl he liked joined a sorority
@Carley_Ellis: I feel bad for all the A’s in my Snapchat list. Spring break Carl goes for
@LostCatDog: All I wanna do is *gunshot *gunshot *Godzilla screech *Star Trek door noise *Windows
@BigTness: I’ll start lifting weights when I’m not strong enough to shove my retainer into my mouth. Until then nah @GraysonGillette: What I’ve learned watching march madness. Its very hard to look good playing a wind instrument. @caseycarlton: just realized I went to waffle house more than the beach on spring break @HellenKeller: Duke shoulda put me out there lmao
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Humor tweets
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