July 3, 2018

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COLLEGIATETIMES presents

TECH FUNDAMENTALS the ultimate guide to Virginia Tech

BU CK LIS ET T

editor@collegiatetimes.com

COLLEGIATE

TIMES

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231-9865 Editor-in-Chief: Jessica Brady (editor@collegiatetimes.com) Managing editors: Sanskriti Neupane and Izzy Rossi Design editors: Sajanee Chithranjan and Ashley Long Copy editors: Alyssa Gilman, Hannah Goode and Becky Sutton News editor: Mike Liu Lifestyles editor: John Battiston Assistant lifestyles editor: Emily Hannah Sports editor: Maddie Thompson Assistant sports editor: Dillon Campbell and Robby Fletcher Opinions editor: Neha Ogale Assistant opinions editor: Justin Redman Photo editor: Kaila Nathaniel Assistant photo editor: Anthony Wu Social media editors: Meg Connors and Anna Davis

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Editor’s note

JESSICA BRADY editor in chief

You’ve finally made it.

After one of the most stressful years of your life, full of people asking you the question “Where are you going to school next year?,” you’ve finally made it. And not only have you made it, but you’ve made it to the best place on Earth — Hokie Nation.

Well, almost.

First, you’ve got to make it through orientation. It will be a very busy two days, so we’ve compiled a list of all the things you need to check off while you’re here. Each item on the list is accompanied by a little

information about the place you will spend the next four years of your life. You can complete all the items with your orientation friends, who let’s be honest, you’re never going to speak to again.

You will learn so much while you’re here, both in and out of the classroom. I am an entirely different person than I was four years ago, standing in your shoes. You probably will be too.

Make the most of it. Take risks. Have fun. Go to office hours.

Welcome and go Hokies!

O rientation bucket list items:

Go to the Blacksburg Farmers Market........2 Eat at the D2 Dining Hall..............................3 Have a picnic at the Pylons............................4 Make sure you buy your season tickets.......4 Observe the gorgeous sunsets.......................5 Purchase your Hokie gear..............................6 Take a picture at the Moss Arts Center........6 Go to the Duck Pond.......................................7 Go visit Newman Library...............................7 Explore your sporting options.......................8 Build up a maroon and orange wardrobe.....9 Learn the history of the HokieBird...............10 Make some friendships...................................11 Stay in a residence hall....................................12 Hike McAfee Knob..........................................13 Crack the dining plan code..............................14

@TheJessicaBrady

Visit farmers market for fresh food, friends and fun

Buying local is a fantastic way to meet new people and learn about Blacksburg’s lively culture.

DONYA MOMENIAN opinions columnist

Being a Hokie isn’t just about wearing maroon and orange; it’s about embracing Virginia Tech’s strong sense of community both on and off campus. Blacksburg offers many fun and festive events throughout the year that are great opportunities to engage with the community and get to know the locals. One of the most popular is the Blacksburg Farmers Market.

Held every Saturday yearround and Wednesdays from April to December, the Blacksburg Farmers Market is located at Market Square Park in downtown Blacksburg, just a short walk from campus. It features an array of vendors selling locally grown foods and other products. With everything from fresh produce to homemade beverages, the market has plenty of foods to

take back to your dorm. If you find your stomach grumbling at the market, you can also buy some delicious, ready-to-eat foods like baked goods or even crepes, with a fun doughnut T-shirt.

While the food and goods are amazing, one of the best things about the Blacksburg Far mers Market is its incredible atmosphere. After spending the week rushing to classes, working and studying, spending a few hours at the market is a great way to forget about your worries and see a side of Blacksburg you can’t find on campus. Every vendor has a unique story and a kind, helpful attitude. Whether you’re trying a new coffee or dip, there’s always someone willing to explain the product to you and give you recommendations. Likewise, the patrons of the market are just as great, and they’ll almost always let you pet their adorable dogs.

Plus, if once or twice a week isn’t enough, you can also go to the Vintage Market on the second Sunday of every month from April to November. With plenty of vendors, you can find unique pieces of clothes, jewelry and more. It’s a great place to find your new favorite vintage items and hear the stories behind them.

Although staying in bed a little longer on Saturday mornings may seem tempting, visiting the market on a sunny day or even on a cold, snowy day is an essential experience every Hokie should have. Without the town of Blacksburg, the Virginia Tech community wouldn’t be the same. The Blacksburg Farmers Market is a great way to learn about the town we call home.

@CollegiateTimes

SAMANTHA SMITH / COLLEGIATE TIMES A sign at the Blacksburg Farmers Market shows the different meats it sells, March 25, 2017.

Colorful global cuisines, delightful desserts and a hefty student discount make D2 a go-to for even the hungriest Hokies.

THOMAS THORGERSEN opinions columnist

Dietrick Hall includes three dining locations and a convenience store, June 19, 2018.

Italian to Mexican, it is just the tip of the iceberg.

The breakfast menu is by far superior to any other, and that’s not even including the famous Sunday brunch. Since no other dining hall on campus is open on Sundays aside from Owens and West End (which has an average brunch if you ask me), it’s just another reason why I have such a high regard for D2.

Another factor which is overlooked by many students is the low cost of choosing to dine in at D2. As you may know, dining halls on campus commonly provide a 50 percent discount to students who have a

dining plan. D2 differs because it is the only dining hall on campus that provides a staggering 67 percent discount for every swipe. Running out of flex dollars is a frequent problem many Hokies run into during the semester, and eating at D2 will more than likely help you save money in the long run.

Since you’ll get a better deal if you eat more food, you need to try the desserts.

D2 provides an assortment of desserts from cookies to cakes, puddings, doughnuts and many other types of pastries. There are other options such as fruits and yogurt for the healthier Hokies

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES

(not me). The pinnacle of your experience at D2 has yet to be reached until you find the soft-serve machine. Whether you choose to have a cone or eat it out of a bowl, you won’t be disappointed.

So if you find yourself on campus on any given day (aside from Saturday) and are looking for an amazing dining experience, make your way over to D2 for the best food on campus.

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As a fellow student, it is quite easy for me to sympathize with the extremely stressful times that college brings upon us. To alleviate such demanding times, we cope by going to the gym, attending parties and most importantly — eating.

Once you become a student, there are a few university facts that you integrate into your vernacular. One of these is that Virginia Tech arguably possesses some of the best dining facilities in the United States. Although results may vary on the answer to that, it is important to appreciate the high-end dining offered here.

Experiencing high-quality food on a college campus isn’t as common as you may think.

I think it’s safe to say that many students such as myself chose to go to Virginia Tech partly because of how extraordinary the dining experience is when you’re on campus. The choices are endless, from West End to Turner Place, Owens, Squires and my personal favorite, D2.

Although it still perplexes me, I am very aware of the stigma and odd distaste that many Hokies have toward D2. It is commonly referred to as the “freshman dining hall” and known for having sub-par food ready at hand. I am here to tell you that this is an unfair and dishonest depiction of Virginia Tech’s finest dining hall.

The variety of food that D2 offers is unmatched by anywhere else on campus.

The diversity of cuisines available to you once you enter the holy grail of dining halls is ever expanding. From Asian to

editor@collegiatetimes.com

Dietrick Hall offers best food on campus, most bang for your buck

@CollegiateTimes

July 3, 2018 PAGE 3

editor@collegiatetimes.com

collegiatetimes.com PAGE 4 July 3, 2018

Plan a picnic on the Pylons for a true Hokie experience

Pay a visit to one of Virginia Tech’s most recognizable landmarks and learn what it means to be a Hokie.

EMILY HANNAH

assistant lifestyles editor

When you visit Virginia Tech for orientation, it is guaranteed that you will pass by the Pylons at least once. You may see students sitting on the edge over the War Memorial Chapel or taking pictures beside the War Memorial.

If you’ve taken a tour of Virginia Tech, then you’re familiar with the importance of the Pylons to Hokie culture. However, if you haven’t, you may be wondering what the big deal is. While they are iconic for picnics and pictures, the Pylons at Virginia Tech in the War Memorial Court happen to be more than an ideal photoshoot location.

There are eight sculpted Indiana limestone pylons that represent the very core values of Virginia Tech — Brotherhood, Honor, Leadership, Sacrifice, Service, Loyalty, Duty and Ut Prosim (That I may serve).

These pylons have a special place in the hearts of Virginia Tech students, faculty and alumni. The Pylons are inscribed with the names of all Virginia Tech students who have lost their lives in battle, beginning with World War I. There are over 400 names currently engraved in the memorial.

In the very center of the War Memorial, there is a cenotaph that is engraved with the names of Virginia Tech’s seven Medal of Honor recipients. One very important

rule of thumb to remember: Out of respect for the memorial, Virginia Tech asks passersby not to stand on or touch the cenotaph.

Every time a new name is engraved on the Pylons, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets holds a ceremony on Drillfield Drive in remembrance.

The Pylons are a significant aspect of Virginia Tech culture that students involve in their everyday lives. Every year, the Pylons are a popular photoshoot location for Ring Dance, where the junior class celebrates and receive their class rings.

Whether it’s eating lunch over the ledge of the War Memorial Court or taking graduation pictures on the stairs, the Pylons are the embodiment of what it means to be a Hokie.

While you visit Virginia Tech for orientation, be sure to plan a picnic on the Pylons for that true Hokie experience. For the best views and photo opportunities, visit during sunset or golden hour.

Not only are the Pylons a great place to hang out and picnic with your friends, they’re also a great place to meet other Hokies too. Hanging out on the Pylons is definitely something to cross off your Virginia Tech bucket list while you visit for orientation.

CHRISTIAN STERLING / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Secure your season tickets and get ready to call Lane Stadium home Discover where the college football behemoth got its name and other facts you probably didn’t know.

EMILY CARTER

lifestyles staff writer

Alongside Burruss Hall, Torgersen Bridge and the War Memorial Chapel Pylons, Lane Stadium is one of the most well-known landmarks on Virginia Tech’s campus. Lane is known as the “number one home field advantage in all of college football” and is ranked in the top 5 “scariest places to play college football.” This is due to the overwhelming Hokie spirit that makes playing in Lane Stadium so great.

Though a lot of students past and present have attended football games at Lane Stadium, few people know the history of the famous venue. @CollegiateTimes Lane Stadium is named after former Virginia Tech student Edward Hudson Lane Sr., because he gave $3 million toward the construction of the stadium. He attended Tech in the early 1900s and eventually served on the Board of Visitors.

Even though Virginia Tech has had a football stadium since 1926, Lane Stadium has only been around since 1965. From 1926 to 1964, Hokies gathered at Miles Stadium, which was torn down due to its small size.

The dorms New Residence Hall East, Payne Hall and Peddrew-Yates Hall are built on the site of Miles Stadium. Fun fact: The reason these dorms are called the Prairie Quad is because Miles Stadium’s field was LOREN SKINKER / COLLEGIATE TIMES called the “Prairie.”

In celebration of 2018 Ring Premiere, fireworks are set off on the Drillfield, Oct. Lane Stadium was proposed by Stuart 5, 2016.

Cassell (sound familiar?) in the early 1960s, and it started construction in April 1964. The Hokies played their first game against William and Mary on Oct. 2 of that year, even though construction was not yet complete. The original Lane Stadium housed about 35,000 fans, and after multiple seating expansions and renovations, it now seats 66,233 football spectators.

Though the stadium is well known, the name “Lane” does not include the field on which the football players compete.

Worsham Field was named after Wes Worsham, who donated $1 million to Virginia Tech’s Second Century campaign, which funded intercollegiate athletes.

Worsham Field was dedicated in 1991.

Worsham Field has gone through some renovations too. In the winter of 2003, a heating system was put under the field so Worsham could stay warm even during the bitter Blacksburg winters. The field also contains a drainage system that can hold up to 16 inches of rainwater per hour.

Now you know everything about the place where Hokie fans come together to watch football. Be sure to share your know-how with past, present and future Hokies so that appreciation for our history may remain strong.

@CollegiateTimes

There are many places around Virginia Tech that have great sunrise and sunset views that are worth checking out.

BECKY SUTTON copy editor

My hometown is pretty much smack in between the mountains and the beach in Virginia, so although I had always heard about the amazing sunsets, I had rarely been able to see what the talk was all about.

When I decided to come to Virginia Tech, I knew it was finally time to truly watch some amazing sunrises and sunsets, and many places have been checked off my bucket list so far.

Along the Huckleberry Trail My freshman year I was completely oblivious to the existence of this trail, but sophomore year I lived on Plantation Road and walked the Huckleberry Trail a lot. The best part was when I would come home as

Willard Hill This location is a hidden treasure, as I’ve barely ever heard anyone on campus talk about it. There’s a hill down Willard Drive, near Blacksburg Municipal Golf Course, with a view that overlooks Blacksburg and the mountains. This is probably the best location for a sunset that involves barely any hiking and is close to campus. It’s perfect if you want a great view, but don’t have time to make a longer drive away from campus.

Heritage Park Just about a 10 to 15 minute drive from campus, Heritage Park is one of the best spots to take skyline pictures. I’ve visited the park when the flowers are just beginning to bloom and when snow had completely covered the ground — both were well worth the drive. It’s the perfect place to have a picnic while watching the sunset.

Pandapas Pond Also about a 10 to 15 minute drive from campus, Pandapas Pond is perfect for a sight with no fight (or, in this case, hike).

There’s a pathway along the pond that you can either walk along or find the perfect spot to sit to watch the sunrise or set. It might be perfect for those who want to get a morning run in and then watch the sunrise.

Bald Knob/Mountain Lake If you’re feeling a little more outdoorsy

FILE 2016

and wouldn’t mind a small hike to your sunset, Bald Knob is the place to go. It’s a relatively short hike (only about a mile), and you can choose if you want to go up the steep course or the less steep gravel road.

Either way, the top has a great view of the mountains.

Plus, if you’re a fan of “Dirty Dancing,” you’ll get to see Mountain Lake Lodge, where the movie was filmed. So, you can go ahead and check two items off your bucket list at once.

Blue Ridge Parkway This parkway stretches 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina, with some of the best views imaginable.

Obviously to see a sunset, you don’t need to make your way along the entire parkway, but there are countless places worth stopping along the route to get the perfect sunset picture.

If you’re feeling really apt to the adventure, you can even receive help in planning your trip along with the parkway on its website.

McAfee Knob This list truly would not have been complete without this last iconic spot for sunsets. Coming in at No. 28 on the official Hokie Bucket List, it has one of the most picturesque spots around. This is no walk in the park though, with a round-trip being nearly nine miles long. However, the view overlooking the valley and surrounding mountains is certainly worth it.

If you’re hungry afterward, you can even stop by The Homeplace in Catawba for a family-style dinner. The view outside the restaurant is beautiful as well. (You might even want to add it to your sunset bucket list.)

To say the least, the views in and around Blacksburg are incredible. For me, watching the sunset has been a way to unwind after a long day or de-stress during midterms and finals. So my advice is to go out and discover just how beautiful and calming the nature of Southwest Virginia can really be.

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Pylons/Drillfield My first week freshman year I did a sunset to sunrise night on the Drillfield. We made our way to the Drillfield just before sunset and stayed out all night listening to music and talking so we could watch the sunrise in the morning. After that, I pretty much slept for six straight hours, but it was definitely worth it. If you have the time, I recommend giving it a try, but for those who are looking for a beautiful sight with a little less time on their hands — watching just one or the other will earn you some Insta-worthy pictures.

It might as well be against Virginia Tech rules to graduate without watching either the sunrise or set on the Pylons. The perfect spot is to sit on the edge that overlooks the Drillfield — it has an unbeatable view, and during the warm months of the year, you’ll get to see people playing all kinds of sports and lots and lots of dogs.

the sun was setting, and I was able to stop along the trail and watch it.

If you’re feeling a little adventurous, you can even walk up the hill where the trail connects to campus and check out the skyline from Smithfield Plantation.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

Dusk till dawn: Sunsets from mountain peaks to the Drillfield

@CollegiateTimes

July 3, 2018 PAGE 5

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Fill your closet with maroon and orange on a budget Hoping to snag the latest Hokie gear without breaking the bank? Here are some unexpected spirit wear hot spots.

SARAH CARR

lifestyles staff writer

Ah, the Virginia Tech Bookstore. If you’re anything like me, you probably have a love-hate relationship with that place. Sure, it’s great for picking up your textbooks at the beginning of each semester, but the spirit wear section … that’s an entirely different story.

I remember visiting Virginia Tech with my mom after I was accepted, and of course the first thing she wanted to do was stock up on Hokie gear. We got to the bookstore and began to aimlessly grab spirit wear off of the shelves. Needless to say, that was a terrible idea. A couple of sweatshirts and stickers should not cost anywhere near the price of your monthly rent.

If you are looking for the newest spirit wear, then the bookstore is definitely your best option. It’s just not necessarily the best when it comes to price. After I learned that lesson, I began to look elsewhere for Tech merchandise. You’d be surprised how easy it is to get cheap or free (yes, free) spirit wear close to campus, or even from the comfort of your own little dorm room.

Thrift stores This one is a no-brainer. There are multiple thrift stores close to campus, and every time I’ve been to one I have seen Hokie gear. Sometimes they even have it already

hung up on racks near the front of the store to make it easier for you. The best part? You can find the same shirts and sweatshirts from the bookstore for only a few bucks.

If you’re into vintage clothing, often you can find some great old-school Tech merchandise too. Make sure to check out all of the sections, because men’s and women’s spirit wear tend to overlap. Don’t skip the kids’ section either. I’ve found shirts there before that someone just so happened to put in the wrong place.

Tech events As annoying as booths set up around campus may be, sometimes they give away free stuff. If you ever see an event on the Drillfield, make sure to stop by; you never know what you’ll find. I have gotten plenty of water bottles and T-shirts this way. As you may know, Gobblerfest is a huge event that happens at the beginning of the year where you can get tons of free merchandise from various clubs and organizations. Definitely make sure to check that out if you are looking for some free gear.

Free & For Sale If you haven’t already become a member of this Facebook page, you must. The Free & For Sale page is a place where Virginia Tech students can post miscellaneous items that they wish to either sell or give away. People are constantly posting about selling spirit

wear or giving it away for free Walmart The Walmart in Christiansburg is filled with Virginia Tech gear. From hats to sweatshirts to bottle openers, if it’s Tech themed, they have it. If you see something at the bookstore that you like, check and see if Walmart has something similar before you go ahead and buy it. You’ll probably save some cash this way.

Resale apps This one is my personal favorite that I feel like most people overlook. Yes, apps like Poshmark and Depop are great for finding neat fashion pieces, but you can often find school spirit wear too if you simply search

FILE 2007

for it. Just like with thrift stores, these apps usually have a variety of vintage pieces as well that people dig up from their closets and are trying to get rid of no matter the price. As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure Now I’m not saying that buying Tech gear at the bookstore is a bad thing — sometimes it has great sales as well. All I am trying to get across is that you don’t have to break the bank just to get some maroon and orange in your wardrobe. There are plenty of options when it comes to getting spirit wear on and off campus; it’s just up to you to decide which options are best for you. @CollegiateTimes

Keep an eye out for world-class performances on campus Moss Arts Center, Burruss Hall and other Tech venues play host to top-tier performers and speakers year after year.

JOHN BATTISTON

PAGE 6 July 3, 2018

lifestyles editor

Anyone who isn’t a Hokie probably doesn’t consider Blacksburg any sort of Mecca for seeing a great live show. Sure, you’re a tad more likely to see a high-profile performer in some other nearby cities — Roanoke, Lynchburg and even Charlotte are worth the drive for such an occasion — but between the several major performance venues on Tech’s campus and some not-so-well-known spots downtown and in the surrounding residential areas, you’re bound to find yourself front and center at an awesome show or two if you keep your ears and eyes open for them.

Here are three outstanding live performances I’ve had the privilege to attend during my time at Tech.

John Mulaney: Burruss Hall auditorium, fall 2015 That’s right — former “Saturday Night Live” writer and highly acclaimed stand-up comic John Mulaney made a pit stop in Hokie territory right at the dawn of my freshman year. He was in the middle of his “The Comeback Kid” tour (a recording that you can watch on Netflix), and a dear friend of mine had warmed me up to him a year or so before with his riotous debut special, “New In Town.” Still, going in I had no idea

the ridiculously fun night I would end up having despite going to the show by myself.

Mulaney floored me and the thousands of other Hokies that filled Burruss that evening with his impeccable timing and uncannily smooth crowd-play. But nothing could beat the moment a front-row audience member convinced Mulaney to say a cautious “Let’s go,” to which all 3,000 of us promptly replied “HOKIES!” frightening the bejesus out of him.

Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society: Moss Arts Center, fall 2015 I started my time as a Hokie as an architecture student (I’ve since transferred),

and at the end of our first or second week, my studio professor presented all 20 of his students with tickets to what he only described as a “jazz performance” in Moss, and in case the Vampire Weekend T-shirt I was wearing didn’t already make it clear, jazz wasn’t really my thing. Still, I wanted to get on his good side, so I threw on a decent outfit and forwent what would’ve been a perfectly pleasant “Parks and Rec” binge-sesh for a jazzy night out. Instead of the endless slog I was expecting, I found myself totally immersed in Secret Society’s performance — an hour-long suite titled SHOWS / page 8

The Virginia Tech campus master plan is planning to expand the university population to 43,000 people by 2026.

ISABELLA ROSSI managing editor

NEHA OGALE / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Duck Pond on a spring afternoon in Blacksburg, Virginia, April 21, 2018.

of a “central green space” meant to be at the center of campus and to be a place for students to gather, host events or just relax. However, with new construction of campus being shifted to areas such as the Virginia Tech golf course, which will eventually be replaced in part by additional student housing, the university plans for the Duck Pond to replace the Drillfield as the campus’ central green space and go-to meeting location.

To some students, replacing the Drillfield, with its central location and unmatched views of the Pylons and Burruss Hall, seems impossible.

However, according to the master plan, the replacement of the Drillfield with the Duck Pond as the center of campus is a

result solely of the university’s desperate need for additional space.

Virginia Tech intends on expanding the university population to nearly 43,000 people by 2026, with the on-campus population bearing the brunt of the expansion with a 28 percent increase.

“In the last 20 years, Virginia Tech has grown over 4 and a half million gross square feet, so even if we keep with that pace, we’re still looking at a significant impact on our campus,” Soileau said.

“This is a very exciting time to be a Hokie.

This is an exciting process to be a part of.”

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As a new student, it’s hard enough to remember where everything is on campus now, let alone imagine the way Virginia Tech’s campus will have changed in 50 years. The university has no such problem, however. University officials, in partnership with Sasaki Associates, are constantly thinking about the future of Virginia Tech’s campus and detailing their vision in the master plan.

A campus master plan is a physical map or outline of a university’s strategic plan for future development. It is meant to be a sort of road map for the future of a campus and tool in confirming that short-term projects are working with long-term plans and goals.

“Our administration had the foresight to really do some deep dives into certain topics, so this is an extremely comprehensive plan and I think it’s really providing an exciting vision for the future of the physical campus at Virginia Tech,” said Jason Soileau, assistant vice president for planning and university architect.

Soileau emphasized that this plan is subject to change, and that feedback from students and community members is encouraged, so that the plan can best fit

the needs of everyone in the Blacksburg community.

“We’ve had a lot of discussion, we’ve had many group meetings and I think that’s important for the process, but it’s also important to understand the iterative nature of a master plan. And so what you’re going to see tonight are just initial concepts; they’re not set in stone. What we need now is feedback.”

The current master plan has several key areas of interest or “big ideas,” including enhancing learning and research environments, planning for mobility, accommodating smart growth, fostering inclusive and diverse communities, and expanding strategic partnerships. Additionally, the school hopes to promote universal access and emphasize Virginia Tech’s history as a land-grant institution.

“We have created eight big ideas that we think really establish the physical framework for reinforcing the university’s mission,” said Mary Anne Ocampo, consultant for Sasaki Associates. “The first one is actually starting with the land itself, thinking about how we protect the land-grant legacy of Virginia Tech. That involves the memorable areas, the iconic landscapes of Alumni Mall, Drillfield and Duck Pond.”

The university intends to keep the idea

editor@collegiatetimes.com

Master plan to set Duck Pond as future campus center

@IzzyRossiCT

Visit Newman Library: Your second new home With plenty of work spaces, a cafe and other amenities, Newman is the perfect place to study hard and aim for that 4.0.

NEHA OGALE opinions editor

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES

see NEWMAN / page 9

July 3, 2018 PAGE 7

Newman Library, June 19, 2018.

I love to read. Growing up, I was allergic to just about everything that can be found in the great outdoors — pollen, grass, you name it. So, I quickly learned to confine myself to cool, air-conditioned spaces, often with my nose buried in a book. My mother encouraged my love of stories, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that I practically lived in our local library. I would spend hours upon hours getting lost in fantasy worlds full of girl geniuses, boy wizards and time-traveling siblings.

Even now — though a Claritin a day keeps the sniffles away — I find a great deal of comfort in curling up with a good book and

a cup of coffee, rain or shine.

There are two types of people in this world: bibliophiles and bibliophobes.

Regardless of which category you fall under, you’re going to have to hit the books if you want to excel academically here at Virginia Tech. So, you might as well check out the one place on campus where you will be spending about a million hours of your time: Newman Library.

Located at 560 Drillfield Dr., a little ways down from the Pylons, Newman is one of the most recognizable buildings on campus. It stands six stories high and was built to resemble an open book. The main library was named for Carol Montgomery

editor@collegiatetimes.com

SHOWS:

jazz titans to rising rockers from page 6

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES BreakZONE in Squires, where students can come bowl, play ping pong and shoot billiards in between classes as a place to de-stress, Apr. 12, 2018

Keep your athletic career intact

Just because high school is over doesn’t mean you can’t keep tossing the ball around.

DILLON CAMPBELL

PAGE 8 July 3, 2018

collegiatetimes.com

assistant sports editor

Sports play an integral part in the Virginia Tech community. Every day you are on campus, you’ll see students playing a wide variety of sports. Anything from basketball to inner tube water polo, you name it, somebody, somewhere on campus is bound to play it, and if you are a sports junkie like me, you will want to get in on the action. Lucky for you, I’ve got you covered.

Varsity sports Want to live out your “Rudy” or “Invincible” dreams? Well, the varsity teams here at Tech hold walk-on tryouts. If it is something you really want to do, then don’t be discouraged to go out for a team.

There must be something in the water here in Blacksburg because the Hokies have a rich history of walk-ons with athletes like Cody Grimm, Will Montgomery and Sam Rogers finding success at Tech, so who knows, you could be the next one.

Club sports If you want to keep playing competitive sports and cannot or do not want to play varsity sports, club sports may be for you.

Virginia Tech supports 30 different club sports. Aside from the usual sports like basketball, soccer and volleyball, there are also sports like clay target shooting, snow skiing and the equestrian team available to students.

Most club sport teams hold tryouts, but sometimes these tryouts happen during the summer before school starts, so you will

need to email or call a club officer for details on that specific club and when tryouts are, if there are any. There are a few club sports that do not make you try out and let you learn as you go, but most require you to try out.

For more information on club sports at Virginia Tech, you can check out their website or email them at sportclubs@vt.edu.

Intramural sports If you don’t have the time to be fully dedicated to a team like varsity or club sports, intramural sports might be just what you are looking for. Virginia Tech offers 27 different intramural sports throughout the year, from basketball and flag football to Battleship and sports trivia.

For each of the team sports, all intramural participants are allowed to compete on one gender-specific team and one co-ed team.

Men’s and women’s leagues are gender-specific, while co-rec or co-ed leagues are mixed-gender leagues, and open leagues are open to all participants.

Intramural sports are a great way to play a sport you love or try out a new one, because unlike varsity and club sports, experience is not necessary. For the small price of $20, you can participate in any activity that is offered all year long.

For more information on Virginia Tech intramural sports, visit their website or FAQ page.

Recreational sports The good thing about Virginia Tech is that you don’t have join a league/team to athletically compete against other people.

For days when your roommate starts

talking trash about that last time you played one-on-one, basketball courts can be found in McComas Hall, War Memorial Hall, and the courtyard outside O’Shaughnessy Hall, Lee Hall and Pritchard Hall.

There are beach volleyball courts in the courtyard outside Owens Hall as well as outside Vawter Hall. The courtyard outside O’Shaughnessy Hall, Lee Hall and Pritchard Hall has two beach volleyball courts.

In Squires Student Center, you can find BreakZONE, which has pool tables (you can also find a pool table at McComas Hall), bowling alleys and ping pong. You have to pay to play, but the cost is very low and easily affordable.

If you want to go hard like Rafael Nadal, there are tennis courts beside the Hahn Hurst Practice Basketball Court on Washington Street. The lights stay on pretty late into the evening, so you can easily fit tennis time into your schedule.

Right beside the tennis courts, you can find an ice hockey rink. Although it is not an official-sized rink, it is great for pickup games with the buddies.

Want to take a dive or go for a swim?

Both gyms on campus, McComas Hall and War Memorial Hall, boast Olympic-sized swimming pools.

For anything from flag football to Quidditch, the Drillfield has you covered.

Other than sports that need a goal or hoop, you can pretty much play any sport on the Drillfield, so it’s a go-to spot for sports-related activities. @dillonhcampbell

“Brooklyn Babylon,” which told a compelling story accompanied by a strikingly animated visual presentation. The lesson here? If you see an ad for a show that has the slightest chance of being even minimally interesting, take the leap.

MisterWives with Smallpools and Vinyl Theatre: Burruss Hall auditorium, fall 2017 Though its two supporting acts were admittedly rather mediocre, MisterWives more than made up for it when it set up shop in Burruss at the beginning of last year. The band gained rapid attention a couple years ago with help from the still-growing Spotify (I discovered it on a playlist called “The Happy Hipster;” don’t judge me), and has since become one of the most instantly recognizable acts in the world of indie dance music. MisterWives had me, my four friends and everyone in the house moving nonstop, thanks to an electrically colorful stage setup, a refreshing funk-rock instrumental style and ridiculously charismatic lead singer Amanda Lee Duffy, whose small stature all but betrays a voice that can level mountains. @JB3writes

TUAN TRAN / COLLEGIATE TIMES Moss Arts Center, Oct. 3, 2016.

Despite being one of the newer conventions, the intimidation factor of a united fan base is never lost on anyone.

MADDIE THOMPSON sports editor

and fourth floors are home to some of my favorite study spots, and are ideal for group work. As such, they are usually the most crowded, so expect the noise level to sit at a dull roar. The tables by the windows on the second floor are a great place to spread your notes out if you can snag one for yourself. You get a great view of the bustle on the street below, as well as the many trees lining the Drillfield. It’s an especially pleasant place to study in the late autumn and early spring, when the light goes all golden in the evenings and filters in through the windows.

The second floor is also home to the circulation desk, Learning Commons and other useful accommodations such as computers, printers (yes, you have to pay to print stuff) and the Writing Center. If you’re a feeling a bit sleep-deprived, you can make good use of the nap pod located by the windows near the elevators.

The fourth floor offers many of the

same amenities as the second, as well as group study rooms and work rooms. It is also home to the sound booths, Cadet Museum and Virtual Environments Studio. One of my favorite study spots on this floor is a secluded area with a collection of desks meant for individual use. The floor-to-ceiling windows in this section boast a spectacular view of the Graduate Life Center, with its Greek columns and stately architecture. It is an especially striking sight on a clear, sunny day, as the building contrasts nicely with a backdrop of blue skies.

The third and fifth floor are both quiet floors. If you’re looking for a chatter-free place to study by yourself, either of these floors are your best bet. But be warned: The quiet borders on creepy, an effect that is further intensified by the dull fluorescent lighting and rows of cramped cubicles distributed across the floor. Though some peace and quiet is certainly welcome while cramming for a huge exam, the dreary atmosphere

“

The plan was to test out what could be a new tradition, at a school already chock-full of some beloved practices.”

a Thursday this season, prompting organizers to create “Throwback Thursday” shirts in commemoration of the first ever Orange Effect. These shirts will feature the first ever design that SGA created 16 years ago, dubbed “The Original.”

Not only that, but this year will be

the first ever “Hokie Effect” on Oct. 6 against Notre Dame, a team that was ranked in the top 25 in ESPN’s “Way-Too-Early Top 25” in January. At this game, each section of Lane Stadium will be a different stripe of the two colors.

In order to determine whether you’ll be in Chicago maroon or burnt orange, each seat assignment will be given a color, which can be determined by going to the bookstore website and inputting your ticket information.

Though dressing out for these games is not the oldest tradition that Virginia Tech has, it is arguably the loudest. These colors were picked because no one else had them, but they have become forever synonymous with the university as a symbol of Virginia Tech and the pride that students and alumni alike have in their institution.

@Maddz_T

NEWMAN: Home to your future favorite study spots

from page 7

Newman, who was a professor, dean of the Academic Department and head of the English department during his tenure at the university.

Construction was completed in 1955 and the building opened later that same year. The first series of renovations took place in 1981, and a second in 2009, which saw the opening of a cafe, EspressOasis, in the lobby. The drink selection has been subpar in my limited experience, and you can’t use your meal plan there. Still, with its gorgeous dark paneling and ample natural light, it is easy to see why the lobby is a spot frequented by many a student looking for a place to study. And let’s be honest — if you’re desperate enough, you’ll find a way to get your caffeine fix, even if you have to resort to acrid-tasting coffee to do the trick.

The lobby is just one of five floors that are accessible to students. The second

surrounding these floors is a bit unsettling and may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

A full map of Newman that details the features of every floor can be found here.

Academic life can be stressful. But believe or not, those stress- and anxiety-fueled study sessions can give rise to some pretty fond memories and stories to tell. Last semester, for example, my roommates and I camped out on the second floor for four straight days during finals week, going home in turns to shower and occasionally sleep.

All in all, these next four years at Tech are what you make of them. Work hard, play hard — these are usually words to live by as a college student. Working hard entails dedicating some serious hours to your studies, and Newman Library offers plenty of study spaces and resources to help you succeed. @CollegiateTimes

July 3, 2018 PAGE 9

contested matchups throughout the football season. The shirts are still sponsored by SGA, but are now sold in the bookstore starting after the spring game.

And this year, 2018, is even more special. Orange Effect will take place on

collegiatetimes.com

Everyone knows what it looks like: the “Maroon Effect” and “Orange Effect,” a now iconic Tech tradition that usually results in adding to the incredibly daunting atmosphere that faces any opposing team stepping into Lane Stadium. A sea of maroon or orange, all jumping in unison to “Enter Sandman” is enough to bump up the intimidation factor a few notches.

And although incoming freshmen are currently being slammed with information about their new home, here’s another quick history lesson about this great institution they call Virginia Tech.

Interestingly enough, and despite Tech’s deep and rich traditions, these “effect” games didn’t actually come into play until the fall of 2002. They came to be after witnessing a “maroon-out” at a football game at Texas A&M. This showing of school spirit and

unity inspired two students to turn to the current Student Government Association (SGA), and start their own version. There was even an article written about it for the Collegiate Times; yes, this very same paper that you now hold in your hand.

The plan was to test out what could be a new tradition, at a school already so chock-full of some beloved practices.

However, it wasn’t solely about being a menacing student body, but rather being a part of something bigger than oneself, all rooting for the same team.

SGA pinpointed the homecoming football game as the perfect time to unite the student body and alumni under one intimidating look. After creating a design, it started to sell its Orange Effect T-shirts, and within nine days of the game, it had already sold 1,800 shirts.

With that, a new Tech tradition was born. Now, 16 years later, every season there is an Orange Effect game as well as a Maroon Effect game. The two games are usually done during very highly

editor@collegiatetimes.com

Better together: Tech’s more colorful tradition

editor@collegiatetimes.com

collegiatetimes.com

Get to know the history of the famous HokieBird

The HokieBird has been a part of Virginia Tech history for more than 30 years and the mascot first debuted in 1987.

JESSICA BRADY editor in chief

What’s a Hokie? I AM! Yeah, we get it. We all love Virginia Tech. But seriously, what is a Hokie? Is it a turkey? What’s going on here?

According to Virginia Tech, O.M. Stull, Class of 1896, came up with the name “Hokie” for a competition that was held after the Virginia General Assembly changed the name from Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College to Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute, or VPI. I’m sure at this point in orientation, you’ve learned “Old Hokie” (Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hy), and if you haven’t, get ready to gobble till you wobble. Stull created most of “Old Hokie” for the competition, which was held to come up with a new spirit yell since the old one was no longer usable. Later, the “Team!

Team! Team!” part was added and Hokie

changed from the original “Hoki” to “Hokie.”

Floyd Meade, a local resident, was selected by the student body to serve as the school’s mascot. During a football game in 1913, Meade had a turkey pull him in a cart because of the popularity of the term “Gobblers.” The origin of the term is unclear, and there are several stories credited with coining it.

The most popular origin story is that in the early 1900s, it was a description of athletes gobbling up their meals. Another, according to HokieSports, is that VPI beat the University of North Carolina on Thanksgiving Day and some cadets said the team “took the turkey.”

Meade trained his turkey to gobble on command on the sidelines of football games. The tradition continued when another person took over as turkey trainer. The name “Gobbler” stuck.

Virginia Tech continued to use the live turkey mascot into the 1950s. The

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costumed Gobbler replaced the live bird in 1962.

In the late ‘70s, a football coach did not like the image of athletes gobbling down their food, and began referring to them as the Hokies.

Today’s HokieBird costume debuted in 1987. During the halftime of a home game against Clemson, a white limo pulled into the end zone and out hopped the HokieBird, escorted by the HighTechs and two interns dressed as secret service agents.

Students who are selected as the mascot try to keep their identities secret as much as possible. Then, when they graduate, they wear their Hokie feet with their caps and gowns, and reveal themselves to their classmates.

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Your college life will be more colorful if you make a lot of friends, and orientation is the best place to start.

MIKE LIU

news editor

So you just graduated from high school and are having a great summer with nothing to worry about. However, your new life in college will start in less than two months. College can be the best four years of your life. You have more time and freedom to do the things you like to do. However, your college life will be a lot more colorful if you have a group of friends who share your interests, so it is important to make some friends while you’re in college, and this journey begins with orientation.

Dorm Your dorm is also a good place to make friends. You get to live with the same group of people for a long period of time. You get to know these people slowly and start to hang out with them, and before you know it, you guys are good buddies.

Try to talk to as many people as possible who are live on the same floor with you. Be friendly to them, and be respectful about their lifestyles.

Although you don’t have to be friends with everyone, you do have to live with them for a long time. It’s always better to create a friendly relationship with others than a toxic one.

Ask people in your hall to lunch or dinner and participate in group activities. Group activities make things less awkward. Don’t be afraid to ask people to hang out. Maybe leave your door open to show people that you are here and you welcome visitors. Most of the time if your door is closed, people assume that you are not here or do not want to be disturbed.

like to share with others? For example, if you enjoy hiking, you can try to find more information about the hiking club, or if you like playing video games, you can talk to some people from the gaming club. Figure out the hobbies that you would like to share with others and look for the related clubs.

Second, after knowing what clubs you are interested in, the best way to find more information about them is to go to Gobblerfest. Gobblerfest is an annual event at Virginia Tech where student organizations set up booths around the Drillfield. In addition, there is food and entertainment. It’s a great way to meet people and learn more about student clubs. Try to learn as many clubs as possible so you’ll have a lot of options. This year’s Gobblerfest is set for Friday, Aug. 31. More information about Gobblerfest can be found here.

Finally, attend a few meetings to get the hang of it. Even if you find a

club that seems really interesting, you shouldn’t join immediately. Many clubs have informational meetings for people who would like to join at the beginning of the semester; it is a good idea to go to a couple of those and talk to some members in the club. Once you feel like you understand the club, then you can decide whether you want to join or not.

Making new friends can be a challenging thing for some people, but friends can make your college life more colorful, so start at orientation, get along with the people on your hall and join a club to make some new friends. College life will be over before you realize, and you should definitely try to make some beautiful memories with the people that you like.

@Zelia_Liu

July 3, 2018 PAGE 11

Join a club It is great to have a lot of friends, but it’s also important to have some friends who share the same interests as you. The best way to find friends who might like the same things as you is to join a club.

There are over 700 student clubs and organizations at Virginia, so you can definitely find one that you like.

However, as college students, your time is limited and you won’t be able to join all of them. The ideal number is around two or three, but definitely no more than five. Therefore, it is very important to find the best clubs for you.

First, ask yourself: What are some of your hobbies in your life that you would

MATT JONES / COLLEGIATE TIMES Jessica Brady, editor in chief of the Collegiate Times, talks to people at Gobblerfest, Sept. 8, 2017.

collegiatetimes.com

Orientation Orientation is the first time that you are formally introduced to life at Virginia Tech. You are probably nervous and have butterflies in your stomach.

Don’t worry because you are not the only one. Thousands of other students like you are also probably nervous about starting their lives by themselves in a new place. Most of them are just as desperate for friendship and to have someone to talk to so that they don’t feel so alone.

Therefore, orientation is a great place to start to making some new friends.

First, talk to the people who are in the same group with you. The best way to start a conversation is to ask about their hometown or their major. Then, you have to decide whether the person you are having a conversation with is a talker or a listener. If the person is a talker, then you should try to be a good listener. Ask questions to show that you are interested in what the person is saying, and if you are really bored by the conversation, just smile and nod. If the person is a listener, lead the conversation to the topic that you think he or she might be interested in to get them to talk. The conversation is much more enjoyable if both parties are actively involved in it.

After you’ve had an enjoyable conversation with someone, you can ask for their contact information such as phone number or Snapchat. If you don’t want to seem too eager, ask if you can add them on Facebook. After you got their contact

information, simply end the conversation with something like “Awesome, maybe we can hang out after school starts.”

Congratulations, you just made your first friend in college, but don’t settle for just one new friend; talk to as many people as possible and try to make as many friends as possible.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

Fill your college life with friendships starting at orientation

editor@collegiatetimes.com

collegiatetimes.com PAGE 12 July 3, 2018

Breaking down your first Blacksburg residence Residence halls are another important part of freshman year. Here’s a quick-look guide to a few around campus.

ROBBY FLETCHER

assistant sports editor

Living in the dorms is an incredibly unique experience that gives you the chance to meet tons of people all at once who can soon become your best friends at school.

I met some of my best friends at Tech just by going door to door introducing myself and seeing if people wanted to go outside and play some soccer or throw the Frisbee around. (If there’s one thing you take away from this article, it’s that the Frisbee is the ultimate icebreaker.) As a goofy kid from Richmond who knew absolutely no one when I got here, it was definitely a challenge throwing myself out there, but at the end of the day, we’re all just goofy kids looking for a fresh start when we head to college. You’ll find that a lot of other people are in the same boat as you and are just looking to find their place at this humongous university.

There are going to be a lot of opportunities to meet people in your hall in the first few weeks through cookouts and other events led by resident advisers, but I found that the best way to meet people was just by leaving my door open. You’ll pick up rather quickly that everybody leaves their doors open the first week because an open room invites friendship. It gives everyone a great opportunity to meet the rest of the hall, and can make the first few weeks much smoother.

It’s also really smart to meet people from other dorms just to expand your scope of this incredible school. Really, this school feels more like a small town than it does a college, with all of the dorms in pretty close proximity to one another, each looking and feeling different from the last. To make this more comprehensive for the incoming students, here is an overview of dorms on campus worth checking out or living in.

Before we go any deeper into each of the dorms, it’s my duty to honor the demise of Slusher Hall, my freshman dorm. Built in 1972, Slusher has earned a bad rap on campus due to its lack of air conditioning and interior design that feels reminiscent of an ‘80s high school, complete with carpeted walls. Last month, the Virginia Tech board of visitors approved actions to spend $3.5 million to develop a plan to replace rather than renovate Slusher Hall. It will always

hold a place in my heart, but I digress. So without further ado, here is your guide to 10 dorms to check out at Virginia Tech.

Ambler Johnston Hall Located across the street from Cassell Coliseum, the hall is divided into two wings: West AJ and East AJ. They are connected by common areas on the first, third and sixth floors. Considered one of the nicer dorms on campus, East AJ features rooms with private baths, fourperson dorms and even air conditioning.

New Residence Hall East A co-ed, suite style hall that houses four to six residents per suite, “New Res” features air conditioning, community kitchens, fitness rooms and common spaces such as study lounges. New Residence Hall East opened in 1998 on the former site of Miles Stadium, the predecessor to Lane Stadium. It was definitely a dorm I spent a lot of time in my freshman year because of its proximity to DX as well as a nice quad nearby, perfect for playing soccer and setting up a hammock.

Harper Hall Though Harper Hall is mostly for athletes and upperclassmen, younger undergraduates do sometimes find themselves living in the suite-style residence hall. Harper has arguably the best location of any of the dorms on campus, as it’s right behind the West End Dining Hall as well as being very close to Dietrick Dining Hall. It’s also right across the street from McComas Hall. The rooms include air conditioning, twin beds and large dressers.

Kudos to you if you manage to get into Harper your first year at Tech.

this year when it reopens after a year of renovations. The building, which was built in 1966, housed 341 students in 2016, and is located on Washington Street close to Lane Stadium and Cassell Coliseum. It’ll be exciting to see just how much better the dorms look when the semester starts this fall.

Lee Hall If you plan on majoring in engineering, chances are you may end up in Lee Hall.

Home to the inVenTs living-learning communities, Lee Hall is perfect for students looking to focus on their studies in a peaceful and elegant dorm. It contains an abundance of study lounges on each floor and is close to Dietrick DIning Hall and Owens Dining Hall.

Peddrew-Yates Hall “PY” is centrally located on the residential side of campus and is a short walk to Dietrick Hall, West End Dining Hall, War Memorial Gym, McComas Hall and Newman Library. Its suite-style setup lets four to six students share a common living space and a two-stall bathroom. It arguably has the best location of any of the dorms on campus. Each floor has TV lounges, nice and spacious study lounges, community kitchens, and air conditioning.

Pritchard Hall Pritchard was at one point the secondlargest, all-male residence hall on the East Coast until it became co-ed in 2009.

It houses over 1,000 students, mostly freshmen, and is often regarded as the “typical” college residence hall. It sports

nice two-person rooms with community bathrooms. It doesn’t have air conditioning, however, so make sure to bring some fans if you in fact are living in Pritchard this semester.

Vawter Hall Located in the President’s Quad near Owens Dining Hall and Hokie Grill, Vawter, like Pritchard, is a co-ed residence hall that was once all-male. The rooms are similar to that of Pritchard as well and are your traditional, meat-and-potatoes dormitory. Certainly not the most luxurious dorm on campus, it’s still very nice and in a good location, near the University Bookstore as well as Newman Library.

Newman Hall Home to 275 students, Newman houses several living-learning communities such as REACH, a living-learning community designed to bring together first-year students on the journey of career exploration. Participants live and study together, in the process creating working as well as personal relationships. One of the oldest buildings on campus, Newman Hall’s construction was completed in 1964 and it continues to be one of the nicer dorms on campus.

Though Virginia Tech has a ton of other dorms around campus that you could very well be living in this coming year, these are certainly dorms worth checking out or exploring if you truly want to properly experience the campus and all of its glory. @CollegiateTimes

Payne Hall Virginia Tech’s first air-conditioned residence hall, Payne Hall has both traditional hall-style rooms with shared bathrooms as well as suite-style layouts with two to three rooms joined by common living spaces and shared bathrooms.

O’Shaughnessy Hall It’ll be interesting to see what the new and improved O’Shaughnessy looks like

WEIQI YUAN / COLLEGIATE TIMES Harper Hall, where the new Mozaiko living-learning community is housed, Nov. 19, 2016.

Though this trail may be a challenging trek for novice hikers, the stunning view is worth tackling the rugged, steep terrain.

JUSTIN REDMAN

assistant opinions editor

@CollegiateTimes

DAVIS CARBAUGH sports staff writer

Among the variety of spots to check out upon arriving at Virginia Tech, downtown Blacksburg is certainly worth checking out. From casual dining and fast food to bars and late-night pizza spots, downtown has a little bit of everything.

Located just a short walk away from Squires Student Center, Blacksburg’s downtown is home to many essential spots for a Virginia Tech student.

First and foremost, there are a variety of quality restaurants when you might get a hankering for something different than the dining halls. And with that, there is a whole array of cuisines and palettes to choose from.

PK’s Bar & Grill has a menu full of grill items and sandwiches that are renowned among Tech students. If you’re craving pizza, Benny Marzano’s is considered the best pizza place in Blacksburg, and D.P. Dough specializes in calzones. Cabo Fish Taco serves Southern California-style Mexican eats and is an excellent spot for a nice dinner. Boudreaux’s makes Cajunstyle cuisine, while Green’s Grill & Sushi Bar is home to Mediterranean, Japanese, Indian and American food.

Downtown Blacksburg is a great spot for nightlife, including live music, salsa night at Sycamore Deli or a night out at Top of the Stairs.

If you want to watch Tech sports when they’re on the road, Hokie House and Sharkey’s are two of the many places to

NEHA OGALE / COLLEGIATE TIMES

catch the game around other students cheering on the Hokies. As just a heads up, the Hokies open their 2018 football schedule on the road at Florida State.

There are several fast food spots downtown, such as Moe’s, Jimmy John’s, Chipotle and Taco Bell. These are all convenient spots for food in a hurry or if you find yourself running out of money on your dining account.

In addition to food, there are several important spots downtown that can be crucial to Tech students. BookHolders is a store located on North Main Street that sells and buys back textbooks. In the event that you need a package shipped, the United States Postal Service and Easy Way Packaging and Shipping Center are both located a walking distance away from campus.

Lastly, The Lyric Theatre is one of Blacksburg’s most iconic buildings. The Lyric is a restored movie house that shows indie films and classic movies. Catching a movie at The Lyric is certainly a bucket list item during your time at Virginia Tech, and with free popcorn on Mondays, there is even more reason to come to the theater.

Overall, downtown Blacksburg is a unique small town that offers a little bit of everything. Every Hokie has their favorite restaurants and spots, so finding your own favorites is part of the fun of exploring Blacksburg. @Davis_Carbaugh

July 3, 2018 PAGE 13

JUSTIN REDMAN / COLLEGIATE TIMES View from the summit of McAfee Knob, Oct. 27, 2017.

Downtown Blacksburg, May 29, 2018.

collegiatetimes.com

There aren’t many words to explain it; 3,197 feet above sea level, we sat on the rocks, gazing out at the mountains in front of us. We thought about walking over to that iconic ledge to take a picture with our feet dangling over the edge, but we weren’t up to the task. Maybe we were scared of the heights, or perhaps we were too tired to take the extra steps. Either way, the Instagram likes we may have gotten weren’t worth the trouble. We didn’t come up here for that anyway — what we had come for was already there in front of us: the greatest view in all of Virginia, McAfee Knob.

We had parked in the lot across the street from the trail’s beginning. It was full, but that’s per usual — it can be a crowded trail from time to time. Some people might be turned off by the lack of seclusion, but I appreciate those small conversations you pick up with other hikers. “You’ve got a ways to go there,” more than a few hikers told us along the way. It’s cool that hiking can be a collective experience — people of all different backgrounds enjoying nature together. Besides, the more people who are there, the more spectacular the view must be.

We got to a fork in the trail, where we had to choose between the Appalachian Trail or the Fire Road up to the top. The Fire Road is a flat, broad path — wide enough for a car to drive on it — whereas the Appalachian Trail is … well, the Appalachian Trail. Don’t be afraid of the challenge. The Appalachian Trail portion really isn’t that bad and, in my opinion, is way more fun. As I walked up

that way, it felt more like I was just walking through the woods. The trail went with nature, rather than cut through it. The Fire Road is a nice way to get down the mountain as quickly as possible once you’ve made to the top, and we made very good use of it.

We were quite tired after the initial ascent, but the experience along the way was well worth it. Don’t just take the fast track to the top; take in as much of the scenery that you possibly can.

As we kept climbing, though, there was a point where I was bracing for the summit at the top of every incline. I would reach a flat area and exhale, then look up and see more trail. It’s a long way up and there’s no sugarcoating that. But eventually, at the top of one of those inclines, all I saw were the mountains, sky and the horizon where the two met.

The view was worth every ounce of energy we spent while climbing.

There are some things that are quintessential Virginia Tech experiences, and this would certainly qualify as such. But the hike to McAfee Knob is even more than that: It’s something everyone in this region should experience. It’s one of the greatest hikes that the world has to offer. Many of us will only be in Southwest Virginia for our college years.

Take advantage of being near Virginia’s most amazing view and make the trip. Even among all of the unforgettable experiences your college years may bring, just as that ledge does across the horizon, this view will always stick out.

Downtown may be known for its bar scene, but you should be sure to check out the many restaurants and shops too.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

The greatest view in Virginia: Venturing off campus: A glimpse Hiking McAfee Knob a must-do of life in downtown Blacksburg

editor@collegiatetimes.com

collegiatetimes.com PAGE 14 July 3, 2018

Understanding the different dining plans offered at Virginia Tech The three on-campus dining plans vary in the amount of Flex dollars and are also available to off-campus residents.

LEWIS MILLHOLLAND former managing editor

(This piece was published in 2016).

On top of engineering, football and those unique school colors, Virginia Tech has built a reputation for its campus food.

Tech has scored the No. 1 spot in the nation for best campus food on three separate years.

And it makes sense. Students can get lobster on one side of campus and visit the Japanese steakhouse on the other. We have more coffee shops than other schools have brews.

Last year, 18,650 students bought a dining plan. Nearly three-quarters of these are major dining plans which were selected from the three options from which on-campus residents are required to choose. Off-campus students have a bit more leeway with three additional options.

So the question is: which dining plan is the most cost-effective?

The short answer: Dining dollars.

Unless you live on-campus, in which case you’re limited to one of three identical plans.

Director of Dining Services Ted Faulkner claims there is no one answer across the board.

“We all are unique, have different eating habits and consumption levels of selections. That is why there are multiple choices to allow choices and an option to best fit your needs. The decision needs to rest solely on the student/consumer as they know themselves best,” Faulkner stated in an email.

Faulkner declined an in-person interview due to a previous Collegiate Times article that reported inaccurate information. However, he did provide a breakdown of meal plan statistics.

Faulkner estimates that Virginia Tech dining plan participation — including graduate students — is “one of the highest participation rates anywhere in the country” at 72 percent.

“It can be confusing for students ... to understand how to get the best deal out of their meal plan,” said Josh Echols, a Virginia Tech graduate who conducted a similar analysis in 2015. “Just laying out the math allows me to show how to get the

best value.”

This article will address the pros and cons of each of the dining plans offered to Virginia Tech students. One interesting piece to keep in mind: all dining plans — and dining dollars — are tax-exempt.

On-campus students

Best option: the major meal plan.

On-campus residents only have access to three dining plans: the major, mega and premium meal plans. All three are effectively the same.

Each offers the same benefits: 50 percent off on all dining hall purchases, 67 percent off at D2 and the ability to add money to the account.

The difference in the plans comes from the base number of Flex dollars.

Flex dollars are the actual balance on the account, which receive all the discounts.

A major plan (the smallest) will run you $1,627 and gives you $590 in Flex dollars. This means $1,037 goes directly to Dining Services. That money goes to paying employees, maintaining equipment, purchasing food and everything else Dining Services needs to function.

Compare this to the largest on-campus meal plan, the premium plan, which costs $1,865 with $828 in Flex dollars. The difference between the plan’s cost and Flex dollars is what Dining Services gets, which is once again $1,037.

All three on-campus plans give a number of Flex dollars equal to the plan’s cost minus Dining Services’ cut. A premium plan is just a major plan with $238 of additions.

For on-campus residents to be cost-effective with their dining dollars, the best option is to purchase the major plan and add on exactly how much additional money is needed.

Off-campus students

Best option: Dining Dollars.

“If you’re going to live off campus, get dining dollars,” Echols said. “There is no need to get a meal plan after you move off campus unless you’re going to eat at D2 every day or you’re going to spend over $2,000.”

This is where it gets trickier. Off-campus students have access to every dining plan,

including the plans offered to on-campus students. Let’s start by addressing the ones we have yet to consider.

The first is a minor meal plan. A minor plan costs $863 and provides $345 in Flex dollars. However, the catch is that Flex additions cannot be made to this account — once the balance is spent, it’s spent.

(However, once the balance runs dry, you can add on dining dollars, which is effectively the same as using up a minor meal plan and then switching to dining dollars.)

“

It can be confusing for students ... to understand how to get the best deal out of their meal plan.”

Josh Echols Virginia Tech graduate

Assuming a student with a minor plan uses every penny and never eats at D2 — meaning all purchases are 50 percent off — that student will be able to buy $690 worth of food. This is $173 less than the cost of the plan.

Dining dollars is the best option, but even paying with cash out of pocket is a better alternative. At the time of this article the general sales tax rate for Virginia is 5.3 percent. Taking this tax into consideration, the same amount of money it would cost to purchase a minor dining plan could buy $819 worth of food.

A minor plan becomes more cost-effective than cash when the D2 extra discount is taken in, but only if that student eats more than a third of his meals at D2.

Next we’ll address the difference between Dining Dollars and Commuter Cash.

Dining Dollars come with a five-percent discount, are exempt from sales tax and can be bought by off-campus residents in unlimited quantities. Commuter Cash is the same thing but without the five-percent discount.

What’s the advantage to Commuter Cash? Rollover money. At the end of the fall semester, money left over in a dining plan

is rolled over into the spring plan, provided you have a spring dining plan. Since Dining Dollars do not fall into the technical category of “meal plan,” they do not receive rollover additions.

(Balances left in dining plans at the end of spring semester are absorbed by Dining Services and do not roll over to the next semester.)

Also, after the first $275, additions to the commuter cash plan will be treated as dining dollars. Commuter Cash becomes a contender when considerable sums of money will be rolled into the spring semester.

What about the major, mega and premium plans? Except for extreme circumstances, Dining Dollars wins again.

Let’s consider the major meal plan, since they’re all identical after additions. You would need to nearly double the plan’s base Flex dollar balance for the major plan to become preferable, which means spending around $1,180 in Flex dollars. That means eating two major meal plans a semester.

Of course, eating at D2 frequently shifts this balance. That 67 percent discount comes in handy. As trips to D2 increase, so does the value of an on-campus plan.

So, unless you are an off-campus student who cannot live without D2’s all-you-careto-eat buffet, Dining Dollars is the way to go.

Conclusions 1. Dining Dollars is the best plan available, unless you intend to eat two major plans a semester or can’t get enough D2.

2. While all on-campus meal plans are the same with additions, do not buy a large plan unless you are confident the additions will be necessary. A major meal plan allows you to eat as much or as little as you like.

3. Minor meal plans are not cost-effective unless you plan to eat a considerable amount at D2.

And, to set the record straight once and for all, DX does not charge double after midnight.

@CollegiateTimes

collegiatetimes.com/news

Eisenhauer sentenced for murder of Blacksburg teen

editor@collegiatetimes.com

news

Former Virginia Tech student David Eisenhauer was diagnosed with ASD following his murder of Nicole Lovell.

MIKE LIU

news editor

“

If I would have been a bigger part of her life, it wouldn’t have worked out the way it was.”

David Lovell Nicole Lovell’s father

DAVID EISENHAUER

In the report, James said Eisenhauer was having trouble with inmates and recommended he be treated at a mental health facility.

After James, the defense called David Scheiderer, who is a psychiatrist conducting private practices in Roanoke and California.

Scheiderer claimed that Keepers is a psychopath and Eisenhauer is not.

Scheiderer said he was in no way trying to justify Eisenhauer’s actions, but he believed that Eisenhauer was influenced

by Keepers due to ASD. When Judge Robert Turk questioned Keepers’ motive for the murder, Scheiderer claimed it was because she was a thrill-seeker. “I think she is the mastermind,” Scheiderer said.

EISENHAUER / page 17

July 3, 2018 PAGE 15

Schilling testified that Eisenhauer would do girls’ homework in exchange for their friendship. She described Eisenhauer as someone who always wants to have the right answer but is terrible at social interaction.

The defense then called Joette James, who is a clinical neuropsychologist.

James met with Eisenhauer three times:

on Nov. 29, 2016, Aug. 31, 2017 and May 17, 2017, and conducted a psychological evaluation on Eisenhauer in which she diagnosed Eisenhauer with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is a developmental disorder that influences one’s ability to interact and communicate with others.

According to James, Eisenhauer has an IQ of 123, which is above average. She said Eisenhauer has trouble adjusting his behaviors based on other people’s reactions and tends to focus on one perspective of the problem while missing the big picture.

Through a line of questioning, the defense lawyers tried to establish that Eisenhauer’s actions can be easily manipulated by others because of ASD, and Natalie Keepers, who is also charged in connection to Lovell’s death, is the reason Eisenhauer committed the murder.

Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Patrick Jensen then questioned James about whether she was aware that Eisenhauer was seeing Gary Bennett, who is the sports psychologist for the Virginia Tech Athletics Department. When James claimed that she was not aware of that, Jensen informed her that Bennett wrote in his report that Eisenhauer considered himself more intelligent than others and is manipulative.

Jensen then pointed out that while James was conducting the evaluation, she talked only to people who interacted with Eisenhauer before he left Riverside and she didn’t talk to anyone from law enforcement or at Virginia Tech.

In addition, Jensen said Eisenhauer spent more than five hours lying about his crime during a police interrogation.

James responded that ASD patients still have the ability to lie.

collegiatetimes.com

David Eisenhauer, a former Virginia Tech student, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for first-degree murder, abduction and concealing a body in connection to the death of 13-year-old Nicole Lovell on Jun. 26, 2018.

Eisenhauer was sentenced to 75 years in total for three charges: 60 years for first-degree murder, 10 years for abduction and five years for concealing a dead body. After he serves 50 years in prison, Eisenhauer will be on probation for 20 years.

The testimony began shortly after 10 a.m. when Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary Pettitt called David Lovell, Nicole Lovell’s father, to the stand. He said Lovell’s death made it hard for him to interact with the rest of his children and he constantly felt guilty about her death.

“If I would have been a bigger part of her life, it wouldn’t have worked out the way it was,” David Lovell said.

Next to speak was Tammy Weeks, Nicole Lovell’s mother. Weeks said she has sought counseling after the murder, and still has trouble sleeping at night.

She can’t watch TV shows or listen to songs that remind her of Lovell.

Fred Hawks, Lovell’s grandfather, cried while he was giving his testimony.

Hawks hasn’t been able to visit Lovell’s room. Hawks testified that he helped Weeks raise Lovell ever since she was a child.

The defense called Kathryn Stoothoff, a teacher at Riverside Christian School.

Eisenhauer attended Riverside from first to 10th grade, and Stoothoff was his English and Bible teacher for 10th grade.

Stoothoff described Eisenhauer as a “very fine, bright-minded student.”

She claimed Eisenhauer never acted

in a violent or cruel manner before. In addition, she said Eisenhauer was a great student and a great athlete.

Stoothoff also said Eisenhauer had trouble picking up social cues and was bullied in school because of that.

The defense then called another former teacher of Eisenhauer’s, Tracy Golladay. Golladay had taught Eisenhauer in middle school and high school.

Golladay described Eisenhauer as “socially awkward.” He said Eisenhauer was bullied by peers who would use him for answers to homework. He also expressed concern about Eisenhauer when he was transferring from a small religious school to a larger high school.

“I was worried that he would be crushed,” Golladay said.

After Golladay, the defense called Morgan Schilling, who went to school with Eisenhauer from second to ninth grade. Schilling became good friends with Eisenhauer in sixth grade.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

collegiatetimes.com

Carilion to be the 9th college of Virginia Tech Starting July 1, Carilion, which is located in Roanoke, will offically become the medical school at Virginia Tech.

BENITA LUKE

news staff writer

According to VT News, Virginia Tech Carilion (VTC) will find a new home at Blacksburg on July 1 when the Carilion School of Medicine becomes the university’s ninth college.

In 2007, Roanoke soil proved to be the foundation in which then Carilion Clinic President Charles Steger and CEO Edward Murphy merged their crafts and created the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute. The partnership, Virginia Tech Carilion (VTC), conjoined strengths in bioinformatics and engineering from the research institute with insight from medical professionals from the medical school, and created an environment in which students and educators alike could collaborate.

This process of adding the medical school under the guidance of the university was two years in the making.

With Dean Cynda Johnson at the helm, the primary goal was to let Virginia Tech have the ability to award students a medical degree through the university’s Board of Visitors. The process itself has allowed more than 100 people from both the university and the Carilion Clinic to focus on incoming students and the integration’s purpose for them in the future.

Gaining approval to no longer act as an independent institute came with several hurdles to surpass. According to The Roanoke Times, the integration gained approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as well as the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Furthermore, VTC confirmed it was accredited with the right to be a medical school by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in 2014, and it will review its accreditation again in 2019 for a new term, as part of the university this time.

As an independent institute, VTC’s

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES On July 1, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, located in Roanoke, became the ninth college of the university, June 25, 2018.

success was measured in graduating five classes since 2010 with 100 percent of its students matching to a residency program.

According to VT News, with over 200 alumni all across the country, its success will continue to be tested when it joins the university fully on July 1. This test begins with the class of 2022 that will arrive on

WHEN YOU KNOW THE CODE...

PAGE 16 July 3, 2018

YOU'LL FEEL CONFIDENT IN EVERY FIELD. As members of the Hokie Nation, we hope that you will uphold the standards and values of our community. Make sure to read Virginia Tech's Student Code of Conduct in the Hokie Handbook at: www.hokiehandbook.vt.edu

the Roanoke campus by the end of July.

Forty-two out of the 4,000 students who had applied to the Carilion School of Medicine will lead this project in its first steps. @CollegiateTimes

from page 15

“I think she found someone she can manipulate and did just that.”

Jensen responded to the testimony by pointing out that Scheiderer did not meet with Keepers and all of his comments about Keepers were based on a 27-hour-long video of Keepers being questioned. He claimed Scheiderer’s testimony was entirely based on speculation and there was no actual evidence to prove that Keepers manipulated to prove that Keepers manipulated Eisenhauer

into murdering Lovell.

Pettitt then began her closing statements. She said this entire case was not about ASD or manipulation. Instead, it was just because Eisenhauer felt that his life was in jeopardy and he planned a way to fix it. She recommended that the judge issue a life in prison sentence for Eisenhauer.

Eisenhauer’s lawyers followed Pettitt’s closing statement by saying that his mental disorder caused him to fall into such a sinister circumstance. They

also hoped the judge would consider the fact that Eisenhauer had no criminal records before, and asked for a term of incarceration between 23 years, nine months and 39 years, seven months, within the sentencing guidelines.

After a short recess, Turk asked Eisenhauer if he had anything to say before pronouncing the sentence.

“I am sorry for the pain my actions have caused for Nicole Lovell and her family,” Eisenhauer said.

Turk then announced that Eisenhauer

will be serving 50 years in prison and then he will be on probation for 20 years.

Turk explained that he exceeded the guidelines because of the seriousness of the crime.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

EISENHAUER: Lawyers claim mental disorder to blame

@Zelia_Liu

Corruption higher in male led countries, research finds Virginia Tech professor finds that gender equality needs to be promoted to reduce corruption in government.

JESSICA BRADY editor in chief

@TheJessicaBrady

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A study lead by Sudipta Sarangi, professor and head of the Department of Economics at Virginia Tech, and Chandan Kumar Jha, an assistant professor at Le Moyne College, found that in countries with a greater number of women political leaders, government corruption is lower.

“This research is timely and underscores the importance of women empowerment, their presence in leadership roles, and their representation in government,” Sarangi said in a VT News press release.

“It is especially important in light of the fact that women remain underrepresented in politics in most countries, including the United States.”

According to Sarangi, women choose different policies from men, and ultimately the likelihood of bribery is lower in areas with more women leaders. This is especially true in Europe in local-level politics.

Researchers warn that this does not mean every woman is naturally less corrupt.

However, they indicate that the implication of the study is that gender equality needs to be promoted, especially in politics.

This study comes as more and more women are running for political office.

According to the Washington Post, there are 115 female candidates who are not incumbents who will be on the ballot in November.

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lifestyles collegiatetimes.com/lifestyles

Summer shopping: The best online stores for your summer closet Can’t decide whether an online store is too “sketchy” for your business? Here’s a rundown on who you can trust.

EMILY HANNAH

PAGE 18 July 3, 2018

collegiatetimes.com

assistant lifestyles editor

Online shopping is very popular year round, especially in the summertime.

Many online stores take advantage of summertime shoppers by offering unbeatable sales for great-looking products. These online stores are popular for a reason — a new wardrobe doesn’t always have to be extravagant and expensive. However, shopping online can be a nerve-wracking process.

Sometimes it is hard to tell which online stores are genuine and which ones are trying to scam you. The prices can be unreasonably low, the sizing of clothes can be unclear, the models can look unrealistic and there can be limited information about a few products. Because of this, certain online stores with surprisingly low prices have been deemed “sketchy” by consumers everywhere.

However, just because the price of something is unreasonably low, doesn’t always mean the quality of the product is terrible. Here’s the scoop about which “sketchy” online stores actually have the best options for your summer wardrobe.

Shein I have been ordering from Shein for quite a few years. If you plan on shopping at this website, note that not every article of clothing looks like the picture.

Sweatshirts are a dangerous buy (the sizing is too small); however, T-shirts and sundresses are usually safe purchases.

One thing I did enjoy about Shein was the section for reviewing under each product.

I was able to read hundreds of reviews about an item I was looking at, and some customers even uploaded photos of them wearing the item. This being said, not every product had those helpful reviews.

Many products have no reviews at all,

making the shopping process blind. For T-shirts and light summer-wear, Shein is the website to check out.

Romwe Romwe is very similar to Shein; it actually offers a lot of the exact same products. When shopping online on both websites, Romwe will have lower prices most of the times, but Shein will provide customer reviews to see if the product is worth it or not. All in all, Shein and Romwe provide the same quality of clothing and are pretty similar altogether.

Zaful Zaful is another option for cheap online shopping — the website is most popular for its selection of bathing suits; I have bought several. Bathing suits are sometimes a difficult buy on the internet, and Zaful was no exception. The sizing was difficult to assess, and I was unsure about the quality of the swimsuits. I bought several bathing suits ranging in all types. Though the quality of the suits didn’t feel expensive, the bathing suits fit well and were pretty true to size.

However, Zaful is infamous for having sizing issues across its website, so some research and thinking is in order before making a purchase. Luckily, there are tons of customer reviews to check out before making a purchase. If you’re looking for a good bathing suit this summer but you’re trying to save some cash, I’d check out Zaful.

dresses with Tobi and been successful.

The clothes for sale on Tobi’s website are more expensive than Shein or Zaful, with the prices being more realistic for the kind of clothes it’s offering. Saying this, it is important to note that its customer service isn’t always the best. Tobi is notorious for either sending incorrect items or not processing orders for quite a long time. While this may be true, it doesn’t happen to everyone — many have been successful with their orders.

Tobi I have purchased several items from Tobi, including sundresses and jean shorts. The quality of the clothes is questionable, the sundress being pretty sheer and the shorts missing a button. I have had some friends order more formal

SammyDress I have ordered quite a few things on SammyDress, ranging from sundresses to jewelry to activewear. All of my purchases were successful, the sizes were right, the customer service was extremely friendly and I received my items within

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just a few days. Not to mention, its prices are impeccable for college students and it offers great seasonal coupons. This website offers clothes for men as well, which is not always featured as much in other websites.

Most of the time, you really are getting the quality you pay for. If a shirt online is $2.99, there’s a chance it won’t be the comfiest shirt in the world, and it may even be sized incorrectly. However, if you plan to shop on these online sites, be sure to understand the risk before you try to save a buck.

@CollegiateTimes

Making yourself at home with 30,000 strangers may seem impossible, but it’s a challenge that’s rewarding beyond words.

JOHN BATTISTON lifestyles editor

designer clubhouse • fitness center spacious floor plans • private bathroom • swimming pool study & collaboration rooms tanning bed • pets welcome washer & dryer in each apartment

JOHN BATTISTON / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Indiana. Essentially, I would be alone in a land of 30,000 strangers.

Being a natural introvert didn’t make this reality any easier to swallow. Before my last couple years of high school I was hardly comfortable enough to reach beyond my typical friend group — me and two other guys. I had spent my junior

and senior years mustering extra effort to get to know my other classmates better, eventually working my way to being an extremely outgoing (but still introverted) person. Now I was headed to an environment that is quite literally a thousand INTROVERT / page 22

collegiatetimes.com

I deeply envied my in-state classmates when I first came to Virginia Tech. Along with getting to call one of the greatest, most diverse states in the nation their yearround home, they also were likely to have a hometown friend or two or 10 coming to college with them. Bonus points if you went to a NOVA high school with a graduating class of 600.

Though I lived in Charlottesville from ages 6 to 12 and still consider myself a Virginian at heart, my teen years were spent entirely in Hickory, a small city in western North Carolina which I would lament was an hour’s drive from anywhere cool, and where everybody seemed to know everybody. (To this day I tell people I’m from Charlotte to avoid the typical “Never heard of it.”) I attended a private, K-through-12 Christian school; my 2015 graduating class comprised a whopping 35

people, most of whom stayed in-state for college, with a small handful of exceptions.

I planned to study architecture, and, at the time, well-regarded programs were hard to find in my state, while Tech’s was ranked fourth in the nation that year. Add the fact that both my parents are Hokies and that Tech’s campus is basically Hogwarts’ adorable little cousin, and my schooling decision pretty much made itself.

There was just one problem: None of my friends came with me or ended up anywhere close. In fact, I remain the only graduate of my high school to ever attend Virginia Tech, and one of very few from my town to do so. There were a couple kids who went to elementary school with me during my Charlottesville days who would be new Hokies in the fall, but I hadn’t spoken with most of them for the better part of a decade. Packing an even bigger wallop, my twin sister — my dearest companion since birth — had enrolled at Notre Dame all the way in northern

editor@collegiatetimes.com

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From the Ramones’ unsung predecessors to three-hour Grateful Dead jam sessions, there’s a highway album for everyone.

BRYCE NOLAN

lifestyles staff writer

It seems like it’s time for another one of these. With youngsters all across the country gearing up for long drives down the many roads of America, I present four more albums specifically for that experience. I don’t guarantee that these will be up everybody’s alley, but they are all unique and will provide quite the epic soundtrack to any summer road trip. My recommendations tend to run along a wide spectrum of musical taste, and this list is no exception. Summer road trips are as good a time as any to hear some new stuff and broaden your musical horizons; after all, you are stuck in a car for hours on end, so you might as well have some good music playing.

“Violator” by Depeche Mode (1990, Mute) Innovative, darkly sensuous and otherworldly is how I’d describe the music of Depeche Mode, and no album

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is more emblematic of its career than this one. Containing a number of its best known tracks, including “Enjoy the Silence,” “Personal Jesus” and “Policy of Truth,” this was the album that propelled Depeche Mode to international stardom and brought its particular strand of artsy electronic music to the forefront

of popular culture. With Dave Gahan’s infectious baritone powering up songwriter/guitarist Martin Gore’s lyrics about romance, trust and faith, alongside the stylish and varied synthesizer beats that made this band famous, this record ALBUM / page 23

are you

collegiatetimes.com

“Here Are The Sonics” by The Sonics (1965, Etiquette) Long before the Ramones were on anybody’s mind, this was the fast and loud

band nobody knew about. By adopting an unpolished and energetic style that both paid tribute to and disregarded musical norms at the time, The Sonics became one of the earliest influences on the first wave of punk rock in America. On this record, its debut studio album, the band takes a handful of rock ‘n’ roll staples, including “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Good Golly Miss Molly,” and injects them with nitro, doing the same to several originals and giving us what is perhaps the best-known version of the Richard Berry tune “Have Love Will Travel.”

Good luck not nodding your head to the beat of this album, because few bands before or since have had the same rhythmic ability as The Sonics, and this album is chock-full of it.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

Four perfect albums to soundtrack your summer road trip

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collegiatetimes.com PAGE 22 July 3, 2018

INTROVERT: Branch

out at your own pace from page 19

times larger than my graduating class, and all my hard work was in danger of being undone. After an almost too-tearful final night at home with my best friend, I resolved not to let that happen.

So what did I do when I got to my brand-spanking-new dorm room on the third floor of East Ambler Johnston Hall? I left my door open. Within minutes, genuinely smiling faces came pouring in from rooms and floors away, some of whom I still call dear friends today.

“

There was something for every hidden aspect of my personality, every seemingly niche interest of mine.”

From that point, my fears were slowly assuaged bit by bit, day by day. Though during my first few weeks I was never, ever the most talkative one in the room, I quickly learned that the easiest way to make a new friend is to discover a common interest (shocker). Some of the best early conversations I had ranged from Harry Potter conspiracy theories to finding out who could quote “The Office” more accurately to spirited debates over whether Twenty One Pilots are vastly overrated. (They are.) And any time I emailed my dorm’s listserv about an impromptu movie night or TV marathon in my lounge, someone showed up without fail. Before long, I had my own little network of people in my dorm who loved bonding over things I thought would only interest me.

Still, I couldn’t ignore the fact that outside the walls of East A.J. existed an entire campus and town, very vast and very alive. And while going Greek is a great option for some people seeking to make friends in strange places, I

knew I’d simply have an easier time connecting with someone with my same hobbies rather than someone with the same letters on their T-shirt as mine. (Plus, dues ain’t cheap.) So I took my aforementioned rule of common interest and simply used it to weed through the vast collection of clubs boasted at Tech’s annual Gobblerfest.

I must have signed my name at 20 different booths: My love of music led me to DJ for WUVT FM; my pursuit of my faith brought me to Cru campus ministry; I even signed up for a filmmakers’ club, which I would have spent more time with if I didn’t have first-year studio to worry about.

There was something for every hidden aspect of my personality, every seemingly niche interest of mine. Now as I stare down the barrel of my senior year, I have behind me a large, wildly diverse family, all of whom I love dearly and not one of whom I knew existed before leaving my home.

If you’re new to Tech, don’t know anyone and have a hard time talking to strangers, you’re not alone. College is intimidating for everybody, even those arriving with a handful of people they’ve known since junior high and a loud-and-proud personality; ultimately, we all just want people to love.

So even on your first day after you give your parents a final hug goodbye, don’t be afraid to make even your strangest quirks and passions known; I guarantee you they’re someone else’s quirks and passions too. Start small within your dorm, then slowly branch out into the campus beyond at the pace that’s most comfortable for you.

And if you’re exhausted from unpacking and that seems like too much work, just leave your door open and see what happens. You’ll be thankful you did.

@JB3writes

from page 21

is sure to command your ears just as the road commands your eyes.

“Oracular Spectacular” by MGMT (2007, Columbia) Combining Woodstock-era psychedelia with modern electronic instrumentation seems like the kind of idea that would be fine in theory, but would end up being a disaster in practice. However, MGMT’s major debut is a sublime album, blending these two disparate genres into a kaleidoscopic showcase of musical adventures.

The echoing vocals lend to the record a sense of dreamlike ambience, but make no mistake — you will feel this record coursing through the wheels of your car as

it rolls and rollicks along. I know that’s a corny statement, but that’s exactly how I felt the first time I listened to it while driving.

The sound is an enveloping and engrossing landscape of synthesizers, percussion and acoustic guitars, with some old-fashioned keyboard wizardry thrown in for good measure.

“Red Rocks: 7/8/78” by the Grateful Dead (2016, Rhino) This one is for the long haul. At over two and a half hours in length, this live recording of a Grateful Dead concert in Colorado may seem like a slog at first glance, but then again this band did not become one of the greatest live bands in the history of popular music for no reason.

This record contains some of the most

satisfyingly winding renditions of classic Dead tunes such as “Estimated Prophet,” “Sugar Magnolia,” “Wharf Rat” and “Terrapin Station,” as well as covers of a wide range of hit songs such as “Good Lovin’” by the Young Rascals, “Promised Land” by Chuck Berry and, for the final track, “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon. And of course, it contains a wicked percussion jam by the Rhythm Devils, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann. The Grateful Dead have, sadly, been beyond a true reunion since the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995, but it lives in its live recordings, one of only a few rare instances I can think of where a band’s live albums are more important than its studio work. On stage is where the Grateful Dead truly came to life, and this show at Red Rocks is one of its

all-time best.

So there you go. For those of you who have somewhere to go this summer, I hope these albums piqued your interest in some way, and I hope you will enjoy them as you travel along the highways and backroads of this nation. Those of you who aren’t really going on any big trips this summer (like me) are just as welcome, of course.

After all, music is something to be shared, and whether you’re sitting at home in a comfortable chair or crammed between a pair of siblings in the backseat of a woodpaneled station wagon, a good album goes a long way.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

ALBUM: Get psychedelic with MGMT and the Dead

@CollegiateTimes

Your new podcast binges for all of life’s moments JESSICA BRADY editor in chief

Over the past few years, podcasting has become an increasingly popular medium for storytelling. And now that summer is here, we have even more time for listening to the news, commentary, stories and more.

There is never a wrong time for a podcast.

So for those of you just getting started and avid listeners alike, I have compiled a list of my favorite podcasts and when to listen to them.

While getting ready in the morning …

Every morning, I hook my phone up to my speaker and give “The Big Listen” a listen. This is a podcast about podcasts.

Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but it is actually extremely enjoyable and you learn about such a variety of topics. Lauren Ober interviews the hosts of different podcasts and we learn about their experiences. Perks also include finding new podcasts to listen to when you run out.

While on your commute …

Stuck in traffic? No problem. No Wi-Fi on the metro? No worries. Simply download an episode of “WorkLife with Adam Grant” and hit play. This podcast looks at unconventional workplaces and their practices. While on your way to work, check out how other businesses function through engaging interviews hosted by organizational psychologist Adam Grant.

While on your evening walk …

“Serial” will have you hooked. I have not listened to much of the second season, but the first season is enthralling. Start with episode one and you will be taken through a 15-year-old murder case, in which a high schooler was convicted and is now serving a life sentence. This podcast is investigative and raises questions about the high schooler’s conviction. Season three is in the works now While on a hike …

With “S-Town” playing, you won’t want to reach the top of the mountain. Host Brian Reed received a call from a man in Alabama named John about a murder that

CAT PIPER / COLLEGIATE TIMES Long rides home for holiday break can get monotonous, but playlists and podcasts can make the trip a little bit more bearable.

had been covered up. Start at the beginning as Reed investigates the murder and learns more about John and “Shit Town.”

While on a road trip …

Once you grow tired of listening to the same songs you have downloaded on Spotify over and over, give “More Perfect” a try. While on the road, learn about the Supreme Court of the United States. We’ve all heard of Roe v. Wade and Brown v.

Board of Education, but this podcast dives into lesser known cases and discusses the implications the decisions have on the world outside the chambers. Feel free to start wherever in this podcast, although I suggest listening sequentially.

While going to sleep …

Listening to a podcast while falling asleep is a great way to unwind at the end of a busy day. One of my favorite podcasts to do so with is “Hidden Brain.” This podcast uses science as a lens for understanding the world, specifically human behavior and relationships. These episodes do not need to be listened to in a specific order.

Although a little older, my favorite episode is “Ep. 70: Who We Are At 2 A.M.” Happy listening!

@TheJessicaBrady

July 3, 2018 PAGE 23

While cooking …

If you’re like me, you sometimes struggle to choose between listening to a podcast or music. “36 Questions,” the three-part podcast musical, makes it so that you don’t have to decide. Listen to the story

of two lovers as they do “The 36 Questions That Lead To Love” while you meal prep or make a feast.

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Cooking dinner? Stuck in traffic on the way to class? Trying to get some shut-eye? There’s a podcast for that.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

collegiatetimes.com

July 3, 2018 PAGE 24