August 12, 2015

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2015

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NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

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RALEIGH, NC

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THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM

SYMPOSIUM ISSUE 2015

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NUBIAN MESSAGE

WHAT’SINSIDE

NUBIAN MESSAGE

WHAT ’S INSIDE Page 3 - Wednesday, February 11, 2015

4 NUBIAN SITS DOWN WITH SBP

FROM THE EDITOR

One of my major goals that I kind of ran on, Uniting the Pack, and a major part of that was the focus on diversity and inclusion, so one of my major goals is just to kind of find ways to capitalize on that and use the resources that I have. .

8 MEET AASAC The Afrikan American Student Advisory Council also referred to as AASAC stands as the umbrella councilorganization for all the African and African American student organizations at NC State.

If this year is anything like last year I know it will be one to remember. I look forward to highlighting a number of memorable moments to share with our community.

9 Natural Hair, Real Talk

There’s much to anticipate and I hope to cover just a little of what students on our campus are doing. I bring insight from serving as editor last year and have even more excitement for Nubian Message and the role it will play on campus.

Whether you’re rocking a full grown afro, TWA, or are transitioning, being natural and new to campus can be a little tricky.

11 Playlist for the Walk to Class

Multicultural Scholars Symposium Counselor training

On August 19th, you and thousands of your peers will parade around the brick-paved labyrinth known as North Carolina State University. In between trips to the bookstore, the library and class, you’ll find that many students choose to listen to music for both entertainment and motivation.

6 MSA GEARS UP FOR NEW SYMPOSIUM The office of Multicultural Student Affairs’, MSA offices of Native American, African American and Hispanic/Latino Student Affairs unite on Wednesday for their first combined Symposium, the 2015 Symposium for Multicultural Scholars.

EDITORIALSTAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | CHRIS HART-WILLIAMS editor@nubian.ncsu.edu @CHartWilliams MANAGING EDITOR | NIA DOAKS @nia_kayee

With our staff and correspondents in the fall and spring we’ve brought attention to important subjects and relevant student perspective. My goal is to bring that same voice to our content this academic year. Fostering purposeful content while educating and entertaining readers is my fullest intent. Keeping to our mission, the paper will continue to be a media representative of the African-American voice at the NC State and be a newspaper publication in which people can learn about different aspects of Afrikan-American culture, as well as other cultures.

This year I am doing something new, and will be writing a letter each issue about my thoughts and perspectives I find relevant to our community of readers. As we approach the 2016 elections I hope to highlight the importance and role public policy plays in our lives as students.

I can’t wait for the year to officially begin, let’s make it a great one!

Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of the Nubian Message.

Dr. Yosef ben-Yochannan: Dr. John Henrik Clark: Dr. Leonard Jeffries: The Black Panther Party: Mumia A. Jamal: Geronimo Pratt: Tony Williamson: Dr. Lawrence Clark: Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon: Dr. Wandra P. Hill: Mr. Kyran Anderson: Dr. Lathan Turner: Dr. M. Iyailu Moses: Dokta Toni Thorpe and all those who accompany us as we are STILL on the journey to true consciousness.

Chris Hart-Williams Editor-in-Chief

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NUBIAN MESSAGE

NEWS A Conversation with SBP

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Khari Cyrus, Student Body President As student body president, what are three major goals or plans that you have for this year?

One of my major goals that I kind of ran on, Uniting the Pack, and a major part of that was the focus on diversity and inclusion, so one of my major goals is just to kind of find ways to capitalize on that and use the resources that I have. So things like Respect the Pack which is coming up at the beginning of the year, the Tuesday before classes start, is one of the first opportunities to set the tone and let people know what the state of diversity and inclusion is on N.C. State’s campus. That’s an opportunity to give a more candid talk on how things really are rather than sugar coating to say ‘N.C. State’s a super diverse place’ when in reality that sometimes isn’t the case. To put it simply, with diversity and inclusion, I just want to bring an aspect of reality to the conversations. I want to be candid and honest about the problems that we’re facing rather than trying to dance around them and not really tackle them headon. The second thing, another thing I talked about in my campaign was related to mental health awareness. That’s something else I’m really going to try to capitalize on this year. I think one of the best ways I can do that is combining resources with other existing organizations and using the resources I now have as Student Body President to help them achieve their goals. We have the suicide vigil coming up in September and them Mental Health Awareness Week

What are a few on-campus resources that you suggest new students use?

Great question. I think some of the best resources that I would like to personally highlight- taking advantage of the Health Center, the counseling center- just your health, mental health, physical health. That’s an important part of being a successful college student and being successful in general. So I really just want to make sure that people know that those services are free and you’ve got plenty of counselors here to talk about any issues. Failing classes, mental health issues, death in the family, anything. Any time you’re going through any type of hardship the health

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Page 4 - Wednesday, February 11, 2015 NIA DOAKS Managing Editor

in October…

So partnering with different organizations and bringing in members from Fraternity and Sorority life, just people from all across campus and attracting them together and hosting an event to really bring awareness to the issue. This kind of goes back to the same thing with diversity and inclusion, just being candid and actually addressing the issue head-on.

The third thing I want to do is bring back a voting location for the 2016 Election. See, that’s challenging because it’s really working with the Board of Elections and General Assembly and trying to get everybody on the same page. Also, there’s obviously some political things that are standing in the way of having voting locations on campus, but I think that fits perfectly in with that message of diversity and inclusion. We talked about how African Americans and other minorities are being disenfranchised by things like Voter ID Laws and all those types of things. It would be great to have a location here on campus where students, not just minority students but all students and people in the local area, could come and have the opportunity to vote at a convenient location.

NEWS

center is there for you. So I just really want to stress that.

On top of that, I think some departments should definitely be utilized. So looking at it from a standpoint of just being healthy and successful college students- we’ve got University Recreation, Carmichael and other complexes and places around campus for physical health, that’s important. Then there are other departments like MSA, I think that’s really a big thing that may not impact a large percentage of students but the impact that it has and the impact that it can make on select groups of students can be crucial in making sure that they’re feeling comfortable here and make sure they’re sticking around for four years and finishing their degree at NC State and not transferring out somewhere else. Lastly, Student Involvement would be one that I really want to push. We have 600 plus organizations, so I think another thing to retention and getting students to stick around, finding their community is to figure out what organizations to get involved in. Whether that’s Fraternity or Sorority life, Student Government, UAB, whatever it may be. Nubian Message, Technician, all that type of stuff- just finding a specific community and how you want to express yourself, finding your outlet… Take advantage of that.

What’s been your biggest obstacle that you’ve faced during your undergrad career?

My biggest obstacle took place freshman year. I came in as a Biology major, all of my high school experiences and classes were curtailed to me being a doctor and going to med school and things like that. I got here, and it all just kind of fell apart. I got a terrible grade in organic chemistry and I just realized that maybe I actually didn’t want to be a doctor anymore. Didn’t want to go to med school, didn’t want to be pre-med. At that point in time, I really just had no idea what I wanted to do. It started going downhill from there- I stopped going to class because I didn’t enjoy what I was learning, I felt like I couldn’t find where I should fit in, what major I should choose, all that good stuff. That just made a negative impact on my overall grades and all that good stuff. So I think from there I was able to just kind of talk with other students around campus and sit down with some faculty members, mentors, student mentors and talk over what I was going through and figure out what I wanted to do. The thing that bothered me was that people kept telling me “oh, it’s not too late to figure out what you want to do, you still have time to figure it out” and that bothered me because at that point I was already in college, I felt like I needed to figure out what I wanted to do and get on the right path and get going. But there I was, second semester freshman year, the year was about to end and my GPA was terrible. To get through that I just had to talk with people, got some really great advice, explored some other classes. Finally I found political science, and the rest is history.

What kind of organizations have you been involved in throughout your time at N.C. State?

The first organization I joined was Student Government, and I stuck with that all four years. Some advice from one of my mentors was to ‘dabble before you commit’. Just finding one or two things that you might want to be involved with and then just leave it at that. So Student Government was one of those. My sophomore year I became an alumni ambassador with the Alumni Association of Student Ambassadors Program (AASAP). I did that for a year. When that ended, I joined my Fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated.

How do you think that campus involvement affects college life for students?

I think it has a huge impact on your potential success. So, one part is just retention and you have that community that you’re working with, people with similar goals and similar

ideas. For me, I find those partially with Student Government and the others within my Fraternity, so between those two I have a wide network of people I can turn to for advice, friends I could get lunch with, people I could hang out with.

That just makes your college experience that much better, being involved on campus and getting the opportunities to interact with administrators and people like that [is good].

A lot of times you have the Chancellor, or Dr. Mullen- they come and interact at Student Government [events] and things like that. We have a lot of administrators, and one of the best way that they can interact and reach out to students is through student organizations. I think that getting involved gives you opportunities to not only expand your community and have a strong sense of home at N.C. State but it also gives you the opportunity to interact with the people up top: administrators, Chancellor, Provost, etc.

What is the biggest piece of advice you can offer our

incoming first-year students?

I’d say just start to think about what you want your lasting impact to be, how you’re going to contribute to N.C. State, or your community, the Raleigh community and make a difference over the next 4, 5 or sometimes longer years of your life. So, start thinking about the type of impact that you want to have, and then once you figure out what that is and set your eyes on the prize, then don’t let anything shake you from that path. Like for me, going through that transition of majors, and not knowing what I wanted to do, that was an obstacle- but just still having my eye on the type of impact that I wanted to have on N.C. State allowed me to try to keep going and not let that interrupt my success at N.C. State. So just think about what will be your lasting impact at N.C. State? What can you provide for the community?

What can you give back? I think that’s a great first question a student should ask themselves and then go from there.

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NUBIAN MESSAGE

MSA Gears up for New Symposium FEATURES

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Chris Hart-Williams Page 6 - Wednesday, February 11, 2015 Editor-in-Chief

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FEATURES

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Student Symposium Counselors training for sessions and more days before the first Multicultural Scholars Symposium.

The office of Multicultural Student Affairs’, MSA offices of Native American, African American and Hispanic/Latino Student Affairs unite on Wednesday for the first combined Symposium, the 2015 Symposium for Multicultural Scholars.

Since 2010, the summer educational and transitional experience for incoming first-year students has been offered separately through each of MSA’s offices.

The first Symposium was held in the summer of 1983 to enhance the experiences of African-American students at NC State and to address concerns about retention and successful advancement.

In conjunction with the creation of the Native American Student Affairs came the Native American Symposium in August 2001. The Hispanic/Latino Symposium was funded in August 2010 along with several other initiatives through a $50,000 Semillas Grant awarded by Excellencia in Education. Both Symposiums mimicked the purpose of the African-American Symposium, according to the respective cultural/historical experience.

Its purpose is to create a sense of community for first-year students and maximize their academic success a undergraduates while encouraging multiculturalism.

Each of the Symposiums offered first-year students

supportive sessions relating to identity and cultural experiences.

Interim director of MSA, Jennifer Brown, welcomes the new combined Symposium model, she said the change offers incoming students the same experience as before.

“What we are doing is we are reuniting and bringing our three communities together for Symposium,” Brown said.

Many of the cultural pieces incorporated within the separate Symposiums will be present in the new one.

“We are creating an opportunity for students to be able to share who they are, but also have an opportunity to connect with other students outside of the community that they identify with,” said Brown.

The academic programming that was specific to each of the three Symposiums individually will now be combined into a single Symposium this summer.

Symposium’s interactive student sessions and activities include “Academic Success 101, “Navigating Your Way”, “Who Am I?”, “Orgullo Latino”, “GaDuGi” and the MSA Cultural Showcase.

“Those students that participate in Symposium year after year statistically show and prove to be higher GPAs than those who do not,” said Assistant Director of Hispanic Student Affairs Nelson Santiago.

On average, students who attended Symposiums last year tended to have higher GPA’s than those who did not attend, according to MSA’s annual analysis of academic performance.

African American students who attended had an average cumulative GPA of 2.96, and 2.92 for non-attendees. Hispanic and Latino students who attended Symposium averaged a GPA of 3.279 and those who didn’t had an average of 3.132.The cumulative average GPA for Native American who attended last year was 2.69 for attendees and 2.59 for non-Symposium attendees.

Based on feedback from previous attendees, some changes have been made to make this year’s sessions are more valuable to students.

“One of the biggest pieces that we’ve changed is giving students more time for them to interact with their Symposium Counselors,” said Jasmine Omorogbe Assistant Director of African American Student Affairs. “A lot of times students said ‘they were so cool but we didn’t really get to meet them that much,’ so we are trying to build in a lot of team building time and time for them to really get to know and build strong relationships.”

Omorogbe said that by engaging and participating participants can expect to develop strong peer networks and mentor networks while at Symposium.

Words from 2015 Multicultural Symposium Counselors “I look forward to making a connection with students personally because people encounter a number of students but if I touched one student that will make my heart smile at the end of the day,” said Symposium Counselor Gift Coker a senior majoring in bioprocessing science. “Knowing that I can go outside of Symposium and still see that student, know them by name and ask them how they’re doing and they be able to comfortable with me and know that we had made that connection, that’s what I look forward to is just connecting with at least a couple of students on a more personal level than just the couple of days of Symposium.”

Ryan Barnes a senior majoring in paper science engineering who attended Symposium as a freshman said he learned a lot about himself and his peers.

“I think it’s really a great opportunity because it prepares you. It built a sense of community within myself I didn’t previously have coming from high school, and the friends I met there are people I’m friends with today,” said Barnes.

Megan Codallo a junior majoring in agricultural

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science said developing relationships with attendees at her Symposium freshman year helped her make connections with other students she’s met throughout her time at NC State and academically.

“It really helped me academically succeed because of all of the tips they give you on how to do better in classes and how to take notes and stuff,” said Codallo.

“I look forward to changing someone’s perspective,” said Symposium Counselor Jakini Kauba, a junior majoring in biological sciences. “A lot of students that come in are surprised by how many scholars are in the room that look like them and I can relate to that my first year. If I can help change someone’s perspective in that way then I think that’s a really good way to make an impact.”

“I think that my Symposium experience mirrored a lot of students, I wasn’t really excited about being at NC State or really about Symposium and then when I got there I learned about so many resources that the campus had to offer me and other things, it made me excited about being a student at NC State,” said Symposium Counselor Stephanie Tate, a sophomore majoring in political science. “When I came in I knew I was going to be that student that was in their room all the time, not involved in anything, just here to get my de-

gree. When I got to see other student leaders that were involved and still doing well in their classes it made me excited to be a student here.”

“My symposium freshman year was really awesome because it was the first time that I met other people who identified like me. I’ve always had sort of an identity debate if I’m more American or more Colombian. It was the first time I was able to have that conversation in an open safe space,” said Jessica Gallo, a junior majoring in social work and Spanish.

“I hope that with Symposium the students get a chance to connect with other people who are like them culturally but come from different experiences and also get a chance to meet some of the student leaders on campus and see that there’s a community already established here for them and they’re welcome with open arms and that we’re doing the work we’ll eventually depend on them to do in the future,” said Jasmine Cannon a senior majoring in womens and gender studies.

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OPINION MEET AASAC

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OPINION

OPINION: Natural Hair, Real Talk

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Page 8 - Wednesday, February 11, 2015 QuiAnne’ Holmes Staff Writer

Chauncey Bowden Correspondent

2014-2015 AASAC Leaders The Afrikan American Student Advisory Council, AASAC stands as the umbrella councilorganization for all the African and African-American student organizations at NC State.

The main purpose of this council according to incoming chairperson Breanna Powell a senior majoring in social work, is to “serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and the dissemination of information to all African American student organizations.”

AASAC also implements three important goals in which they will continue to encourage their organizations to use. 1. To advocate for the education of African American students about their cultural heritage in order to promote and uplift an African centered consciousness. 2. To develop the leadership potential and the academic and professional development of all African American students through the reflection of the seven *Nguzo Saba principles. 3. To identify and address the needs and concerns of African American students through unity action and effective communications.

AASAC does not serve as a sole source of programming

but rather a catalyst to greater leadership and activism within its organizations. Powell said that AASAC encourages programs that are relevant to the current climate on campus as well as the national climate with the purpose of informing and educating not just African-American students, but all students.

“As far as my goals for this year, I really want to continue stressing the importance of collaboration within and outside of AASAC. I also would like for each and every organization included under AASAC to really begin the process of learning the history of their organizations fulfilling the true purpose and mission of their respective organizations, as well as beginning to leave a legacy for the student leaders that will come after us. My executive board and I will implement an Accountability Partners system to help with collaboration and our community project for the year, the AASAC History Portfolio will really assist organizations in the process of fetching their history and paving a way for students that will take their places.”

AASAC has a lot planned to uplift its organizations this year,

according to Powell.

In order to get to this place it is essential to assess the challenges along the way. AASAC has faced challenges of making sure each organization felt recognized and respected. Powell also acknowledges that past AASAC executive boards have done everything they could to establish a platform for AASAC so that everything they do from this point forward will be taken seriously.

In all, if you are not a part of any of the organizations under the Afrikan American Student Advisory Council this could be your year to participate in a community full of goals, principles, and activism. Powell even has advice for the incoming freshmen: JUST DO IT! There are so many resources available to you and so many students, staff and faculty members who want to see you succeed. If you are trying to get involved, connect with any of us and we will lead you in the right direction!

AASAC Organizations Association of African American Student Educators (AAASE) African American Textile Society (AATS) African Student Union (ASU) Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Kappa Omicron Chapter) Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Eta Omicron Chapter) AYA Ambassadors Black Business Students Association (BBSA) Union Activities Board – Black Students Board (BSB) Campus Curls and Kinks (CCAK) Caribbean Students Association (CSA) College of Humanities and Social Sciences-Multicultural Student Association (CHASS-MASS) Collegiate 100 Chapter of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Dance Visions (DV) Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Mu Omicron Chapter) Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Kappa Xi Chapter) Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources & Related Science (MANNRS) Minority Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP, NC State Chapter) National Association of Black Accountants (NABA, NC State Chapter) National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE, NC State Chapter) Nubian Message Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Kappa Lambda Chapter) Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (Kappa Omega Chapter) Society of Afrikan American Culture (SAAC) Society of Multicultural Scientists (SMS) Uninhibited Praise Gospel Choir (UPGC) W.E.B. Du Bois Honor Society Women Empowering Society Together (WEST) Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (Mu Xi Chapter)

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Wikimedia commons, Didburto Photography Whether you’re rocking a full grown afro, TWA, or are transitioning, being natural and new to campus can be a little tricky.

However you choose to sport your hair is completely up to your discretion. So if you want to big job; go for it. And if you want to relax your hair; go for it!

As someone who changes her hair at least once a week, I’m certain that there isn’t much I haven’t done to my hair. And while I didn’t start my career at NC State as “natural”, I have really enjoyed the process of learning my hair every day.

Two weeks before my junior year started, I completely shaved my hair off. Now this is not for the faint at heart, and I’m not telling anyone to go and shave their hair off.

I will tell you though, that shaving my head was a very liberating experience, and getting

ready for class everyday tended to by very easy.

Before I became natural, I didn’t understand all of the hype surrounding it, and even to this day, I think some people may place too much emphasis on what it means to be “natural”.

However, once I did decide to go natural, it was like I joined a secret society. Women on campus would stop and compliment my TWA (teeny-weeny afro) and ask what products I used – I felt like I was embracing a new side of myself.

Being an African American student on a predominately White campus may be daunting for some of you. And depending on your career path, you may be inclined to adopt Eurocentric beauty standards as the norm.

But you should always remember that regardless of whether you’re the only Black woman

in your class, or the only woman with an Afro, you are exactly where you need to be and you bring invaluable skills to this campus.

Some of you will become doctors and lawyers, and I hope that you won’t trade in your afros for sleek bobs because you feel you have to.

For my sisters who aren’t natural, keep slaying girl! Please don’t feel that because you rock Brazilian bundles, you are any less of Black women. Even as I type this piece I’m rocking a weave.

Take the time to learn and love your hair.

Don’t be afraid to try new things.

If you ever need advice on how to flat twist your hair or don’t know where to find a protein treatment – don’t be afraid to ask me.

Congratulations on becoming a part of the Wolfpack , Sis. I’ll see you around!

DO’S & DON’TS FOR NATURAL HAIR DO try protective styles such as crochet braids, Marley twists and faux locs DON’T get heat damage from flat irons and blow dryers DO apply a protein treatment before and after applying heat to your hair DON’T bleach your hair if you aren’t prepared to condition it on a regular basis; things

could get bad.

DO trim your hair into a trendy haircut; heart shaped, tapered, TWA, etc.

DON’T impulsively cut all of your hair off. You may regret it later, so give it a little thought before hand.

DO learn your curl pattern and what products and styles work for you.

DON’T be late to class because your hair isn’t

done DO buy a cute printed scarf. Tie it in a turban, apply deep conditioner and condition while you are out and about DO watch YouTube tutorials to learn how to do new styles DO join Campus Curls and Kinks

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY. INFLUENCE READERS. GET INVOLVED.

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WORK FOR US! NUBIAN MESSAGE FALL INTEREST MEETINGS: - Aug. 23, 5PM - Aug. 25, 3PM - Aug. 27, 5PM WITHERSPOON 314, STUDENT MEDIA SUITE

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Playlist for the Walk to Class

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Alfred Anderson Staff Writer On August 19th, you and thousands of your peers will parade around the brickpaved labyrinth known as North Carolina State University. In between trips to the bookstore, the library and class, you’ll find that many students choose to listen to music for both entertainment and motivation.

Furthermore, being a campus DJ, I’m always listening music, whether it’s just for fun or in preparation for my next big gig. So, with that being said, here are several songs that you should add to your playlists, guaranteed to help you survive long and sometimes agonizing walks to class.

Future – Commas It’s hard to name an artist that has been hotter than Future over the past year. With the release of three consecutive mixtapes (Monster, Beast Mode and 56 Nights) as well as his third studio album Dirty Sprite 2, Future has continued to rack in hit after hit with tracks such as “March Madness”, “Trap N*ggas” and “Commas”. I chose Commas as an appropriate song for this playlist because not only is it the most commercially successful of the three, but it is also a club anthem tailored to those ready to blow their latest check. It is perfect for college students preparing for graduation, as they explore the crowded job market.

Kevin Gates – I Don’t Get Tired: Although still considered an “underground artist” by some, Kevin Gates has consistently pieced together solid bodies of work over the past few years and his singles are no different. His hit single “I Don’t Get Tired” was released in late 2014 and became his most successful record to date and revolves around one of his most popular phrases: “I Don’t Get Tired.” This record is a great tool for students that find themselves on the sev-

enth floor of DH Hill every night, completing assignments and studying for exams.

Future Feat. Drake – Where Ya At: Circling back to Future, this song is one of the many highlights from Dirty Sprite 2 and features the self-proclaimed “6 God” himself, Drake. It is the only feature on the album and does not disappoint. Future and Drake sound right at home on this energetic track aimed at calling out those that were nowhere to be found during hardship and struggle. All college students can relate, seeing as college is a never ending challenge that exposes you to who is truly there for you and who is not.

Drake – Charged Up At the end of July, Meek Mill “shook the world” when he took at aim at Drake via Twitter. He accused Drake of “not writing his own raps” and having a ghost writer named Quentin Miller. In the following days, alleged reference tracks would leak, seemingly revealing that Meek’s accusations were indeed valid and turning all eyes to Drake. In the past, Drake has not been quick to respond to any accusations, but this time he decided to address the situation and releasing a response track titled “Charged Up”.

The track takes shots at Meek and anyone that dares to question his penmanship. It is a mellow, yet effective track that can act as motivation to students when it seems like the world is against you.

Drake – Back to Back: Four days after Drake released “Charged Up” he released a second response track titled: “Back to Back”. This track sped up the tempo a little bit and showcased a more abrasive side of Drake, which really helped to turn the attention to Meek, who had yet

to respond to Drake’s first diss track. This song is useful for walks to class because once you get past the fact that it is technically a diss track, it is a classic Drake song that consists of Drake talking tough (whether he can back it up or not) over stellar production and dropping one-liners that are sure to dominate pop culture for months to come.

This makes for a high energy, celebratory track that will make you feel unstoppable, no matter what challenges you may face in the classroom and beyond.

Kendrick Lamar – Alright One of my favorite albums from this past year is Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and the song “Alright:” is definitely one of the best songs on the album. Kendrick is considered by many to be the conscious of Hip-Hop. Here, he delivers a catchy anthem that in the face of controversial issues like racism and police brutality guarantees that, “we gon’ be alllllright!” Which can be viewed as somewhat of a rallying call for college students whom often serve as catalysts for social change and progress.

Migos – Spray the Champagne Whether you’re in the club or not, you cannot go to many places without hearing the rap trio of Quavo, Offset and Takeoff (Migos). Moreover, with the recent release of their debut album Young Rich Nation, the track “Spray the Champagne” follows the proven Migos formula, consisting of a catchy hook paired with their unique flow and delivery. This track celebrates success in the rap game, but really can be applied to anything. Quavo’s triumphant requests to “Spray the Champagne!” is enough to make any college student want to make a toast and celebrate their accomplishments.

Fetty Wap Feat. Drake – My Way (Remix): Another one of the hottest artists of the year is Fetty Wap. In the spring, his second major single “My Way” got a facelift via a remix featuring Drake and has reached astronomical heights. Outside of class and parties, college students experience the highs and lows of relationships. This song is a fitting dedication to that special someone in your calculus class and serves as a cry for him or her to finally come your way.

Cool Amerika – Make Sum’ Shake and K. Camp – Po’ Up & Go Up: At the end of the week, it is always time to unwind. You have been trapped in DH Hill and your dorm rooms studying for exams and writing essays all week and come Friday, you are ready to turn up and let loose. These two songs serve as the perfect escape from your stressful academic life. The upstart duo Cool Amerika has polarized the south with their strip club anthem “Make Sum’ Shake”, which doubles to provide motivation as it declares that regardless of what life throws your way, you have the ability to “make sum’ shake” (or make the best out of a situation).

In addition, K. Camp adds to his impressive catalog with this club-ready cut, inviting all comers to pour up cups of their favorite “beverages” and proceed to take the turn up to a higher level. These songs are work great on Friday walks to class as you gear up for whatever your resident DJ (DJ Fredo) may have in store for you that weekend.