LEGACY LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Fear and loathing in
Baton Rouge + ONLINE: Students seek out “study drugs” pg. 24
Finding someone
Does it click?
FrOM CLASSROOM TO RUNWAY Students showcase their designs Were the ’90s
all that and a bag of chips? TIGER CARD
ACCESS Means more than just a meal
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Music + Culture o6 o8 12 14
Ask the Thomas Bros. Who do you design for? iBio with Crousillac Torrenting and You
FOOD 16 18
42
Mix It Up From Mud to Mouth
FEATURES 20
Share the Road
Baton Rouge bikers work for a safer city.
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Focus Fix
28 31
34
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Students seek out “study drugs,” regardless of a prescription.
For the Love of the Game
LSU Baseball Bat Girls define their place on the field.
Searching for Love
One LEGACY writer explores the attraction of online dating.
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Twelve out of 30,000
LEGACY spotlights students who are raising the bar.
HEALTH + LIVING 40 41
A Place to Rest Your Head What can your Tiger Card do for you?
OPINION 42 2
’90s Nostalgia LEGACY
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letter from
the Editor
S
Katie Macdonald Editor in Chief
pring break is over. You’re back, bronzed, burned or something in between, and it’s almost painful to sit in class for another month before summer. The next few weeks will be dominated by change, with classes ending, friends graduating and summer plans settling into place. Somehow, without realizing it, you’re one step closer to the real world. In this dizzying whirlwind, it’s easy to lose perspective and view change as rapid and identifiable — bookmarked by a clear beginning and end. But change can also be slow, pervasive and almost invisible. It happens without warning or fanfare, until one day you turn around and find that your opinions differ wildly from reality. In this issue of LEGACY, you’ll find that nothing is as it appears. Instead of the “cleat chasers” and “Diamond Darlings” of other schools, the LSU Baseball Bat Girls defy stereotypes with their professionalism and love of the game (pg. 28). Likewise, one LEGACY writer’s personal experience with online dating highlights the growing attraction of finding love online (pg. 26). In addition, our cover story on the reality of “study drugs,” like Adderall, might challenge your vision of drug dealers (pg. 24). Although these are just a few stories, as you make your way though the issue and our online content at lsulegacymag.com, we hope you find changes that challenge your expectations. And as we enter the final stretch, keep your eyes open for the slow changes in your own life.
STAFF Editor in Chief Katie Macdonald Managing Editor Kevin Thibodeaux Photo Editor Jesse Guillory Art Director Christina Li Multimedia Director Mallory Richardson Designers Kelly Kral Ellie Platt Roland Parker Writers Samantha Bares Sydney Blanchard Joey Groner Austen Krantz Malena Moreau Morgan Searles Bria Turner Photographers Jordan Hefler Sarah Kershaw Rebecca Ratliff Lainey Reed Sales Manager Fatima Mehr
» Continue the experience online lsulegacymag.com
@LSULEGACY
lsulegacymag
Mission statement: LEGACY is a quarterly student-produced magazine that explores the diverse community of Louisiana State University through in-depth features, profiles and photography. LEGACY focuses on student entertainment, leisure and academics, and it strives to be informative, provocative and dynamic.
TECHNOLOGY adviser Alex Cook Adviser Tim Schreiner Publisher Office of Student Media l s u l e g a c ym ag .co m
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Thank you LSU Students
for joining us at the tenth annual
DEPARTMENT NAME
Best Costumes: Campus Crossings Best Giveaways: The Woodlands Best use of Casino Royale Theme: Beau Chene Condominiums Most Interactive: University Edge Friendliest Staff: Wendy’s & U Club Cottages
PRESENTED BY:
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Tiger Manor, Max Fitness, The Optical Shoppe, Cambridge Apartments, Tiger Plaza, Place Du Plantier, Northgate Apartments,
1c Pitchers and $1 calls untill 10 girls are free before 11 $6 double Ketel One
Open Bar 7-10
girls pay no cover till 8pm $2.75 Coors Light $6 double Crown l s u l e g a c ym ag .co m
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ask the thomas bros. Twin musical duo Ask the Thomas Bros. give insight on their music and inspiration. STORY BRIA TURNER PHOTOS REBECCA RATLIFF DESIGN CHRISTINA LI
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MUSIC + CULTURE
Torrence and Thurman, 23-year-old LSU-Southern dual enrollment mass communication seniors, found local fame after playing music as a cover band in Baton Rouge. After packing venues like the Roux House while singing covers of artists ranging from The Fugees to Maroon 5 and Adele, the twins decided to become a band of their own during the summer of 2010. How did you make the decision to become the Thomas Bros? Thurman: We did the cover stuff for a while then we started getting recognition for being a really good cover band. Not just how we could cover the songs, but really putting on a show at the same time. We packed the Roux House, and it would be overflowing with people. Then our mentor asked us, “Why don’t you guys think about doing some original stuff ?” I was like, “Nah, I’m not trying to have my feelings all out there people know what I’m thinking and all that stuff.” It made me feel kind of vulnerable, kind of naked in a sense. We weren’t even for that at first. I didn’t even know how to make music. We just started making instrumental stuff. This happened eight months ago. I can cover anything, but coming up with my own stuff is so different to me. That’s how we got into original music, it was kind of a peer pressure force type thing. We just did it and started making instrumentals. Torrence: If Drake can do it, I can do it. That’s how we developed ourselves as vocalists. I’m not trying to be Chris Brown, I’m not trying to be none of those other guys. Thurman: I’m starting to know my voice, and the better I know my voice, I can stay in my lane and do me. What is your genre? Thurman: I think we’re going for that new urban contemporary thing. I think people our age, their ears are more open to broader types of things. People like Frank Ocean, people like Miguel, people like The Weeknd. People are more open to hear things like that now; they can appreciate difference.
We only sound the way we do because of all the influence we’ve had in our lives musically. On iTunes I put [our song “Glow in the Dark”] in alternative genre because it was really hard to put it somewhere, but I think if I had to place it in a genre again on iTunes, I’ll just put it R&B just for the heck of it. Just to stretch the bounds of R&B. Torrence: If they would have came out with that music five years ago, no one would have wanted to hear it. Our stuff doesn’t really have a genre. How did you get started in music? Torrence: It actually started as a mistake. Thurman: I didn’t know you were gonna ask this question. I was gonna save this one for Oprah. But I guess it comes out now. Torrence: We were big time soccer players our whole lives, all we thought about — loved it — was our whole lives. It was everything we thought about, everything we wanted to be, it was our life. When we were 16, I’ll never forget it was the moment that changed my life forever, I was in the mall, and we got arrested for shoplifting. I’m a totally different person back then than I am now — disclaimer. Our punishment from our mom was you guys can’t play club soccer this coming season. To me, that was like death. Thurman: We were literally depressed for, like, three months. One day my mom comes in the back room and said this guy named Charles Alexander said he’d teach us how to play guitar. I was like, “You took my soccer away from me, so I ain’t got nothing else going on.” Torrence: It’s so crazy how important the simple decisions are in life. I almost wanted to say no. Because I said yes, we’re here right now. It’s crazy how much those decisions have an impact on things. What do you do outside of music? Torrence: Ask the Thomas Brothers is not music, we’re a brand. We call it a band brand. Our brand of what we do consists of three things: we have music, give-backs [philanthropy] and apparel. People can buy
apparel and 20 percent of those proceeds go to the give-backs. Thurman: The reason we like to give back ... I want to inspire people our age that we can make a difference right now where you are. I don’t have to wait until I graduate and get a job. I can do something special and help somebody in my life where I am. It’s good to give. You don’t receive if you don’t give. We want to instill the culture of giving in our generation as well. Music is the most powerful medium of influence. Think about the type influence of your favorite artist. I want to use my platform to do some good and do something cool. We had a giveback this summer with teaching kids how to swim. Torrence: We did our research and learned 70 percent of black kids can’t swim. We shot a video called “Tank Proof ” talking about all the stats and all we wanted to do. Our goal was to buy swimming lessons for 10 kids through the sale of the tank tops. Through the end of it all, instead of helping 10 kids, we ended up helping 70. We’re going to find a cause to give back to, and we’re going to get you involved. That’s all we want. All we want to do is help people to participate and make a difference in the lives of someone else. It was a cool experience because it was local. When was the first time you played in front of people? Torrence: I was trying to play [for a] church band. I was going to rehearsals for, like, six months but they still wouldn’t let me play because I didn’t know all the songs yet. Somebody ends up dying and there’s a funeral at the church and nobody could come and play. So the first time we ever played in front of people was a funeral. It’s ironic because the end of someone’s life was the beginning of my life in a sense. Church was really where I learned to become a musician and perform at the same time. Out of all the places that I’ve played at, we’ve played at the House of Blues in New Orleans a couple times, Jazz Fest three times [and] South by Southwest in Austin. I’ve played gigs with Hunter Hayes. All those different opportunities, nothing can compare to the right moment and a right setting on a Sunday. That’s why I still do it. l s u l e g a c ym ag .co m
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DEPARTMENT NAME
Who do you design for? PHOTOS SARAH KERSHAW DESIGN CHRISTINA LI
LSU’s top designers share their inspirations with LEGACY.
Designer: Devon Sells Model: Lauren Godfrey. “In all I design for the woman who appreciates basic pieces. I feel they make a wardrobe. I design what I wear, but, like me, my designs leave an impression.”
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Designer: Melissa Duong Model: Jessica Hale Hair/Makeup: Stella Amore “Stylish women who never feel overdressed for any occasion.�
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DEPARTMENT NAME
Designer: Ella Rose Model: Jaclyn Tisdale Makeup: Heidey Hanks “I definitely design for a girly-girl who wants to put on an outfit and twirl around in front of the mirror. She’s someone who is not afraid of color and prints and is confident in her femininity.”
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Designer: Annie Etzel Model: Ashley Webre “For a girl who is not fearful of making a fashion statement or standing out while the clothing exudes a peaceful energy.�
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MUSIC + CULTURE
iBio
with
Crousillac STORY SAMANTHA BARES PHOTOS JORDAN HEFLER DESIGN ELLIE PLATT
»When he’s not teaching, you can find Professor Crousillac in his
office where he even has a Pearl Jam poster hidden behind his door.
Biology professor Scott Crousillac’s favorite trick to pull on his students is passing as one of them before class. He said he sits in the audience, greets students and asks what professor is teaching the course. After insulting himself to these students, who blindly agree, he gets up, situates his belongings at the front of class and begins to lecture. The Baton Rouge native said he has given up trying to appear cool to college students, and playing his music at the beginning of class would be risky. He said concocting impressive playlists would be enormously stressful, and randomizing his iTunes could be downright dangerous. “Allegedly, there may or may not be some Taylor Swift on my iPod,” he warned.
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Music or none, Crousillac may have kept his cool factor intact, given his rave student reviews on popular website Rate My Professor. He is even awarded RMP’s exclusive “red chili pepper,” which denotes a professor’s hotness. “I’m flattered by it,” Crousillac said, “I don’t quite understand it.” He said professors are rarely as bad or good as they appear on RMP. Likewise, he said his “hot” status is a simple by-product of his relative youth and height (Crousillac clocks in at 6 feet 5 inches and is 34 years old). In his five years as a professor at LSU, Crousillac has come to realize his greatest joy is a relatively simple one: making biology easier and more interesting to students who may feel intimidated or terrified
studying it. “I love my job and … the place I am allowed to do my job,” Crousillac said, adding that he considers any other university a step down. Crousillac said his life-long, crippling fear of public speaking makes getting in front of an audience of 500-plus students terrifying, but getting through each class without having a panic attack gives him a thrill. “It’s my personal victory over myself,” he said. He said students comment on how confident he appears on stage, which makes him that much closer to conquering his fear. Crousillac keeps it cool with a simple mantra: “Make yourself look like you
belong, and you will.” Crousillac said he came to LSU for graduate school after earning a degree in liberal arts at Northwestern University with no idea what he wanted to do. He soon found himself looking forward to the one day a week he worked as a teaching assistant for biology labs. He went on to earn his doctorate in the subject and take on a full-time teaching position at the University in 2008. Crousillac considers music just as joyful of an experience as teaching. “The cruel joke for me is that I was blessed with an amazing love and appreciation of music, but I was cursed with a remarkable lack of musical talent,” Crousillac said. Crousillac doesn’t care for classical or jazz music, and said he prefers music more soulful than techno or death metal. His favorite artists include Led Zeppelin, The Flaming Lips, Jay-Z and the Beastie Boys, and his favorite song of all time, he said, is “Anna Begins” by Counting Crows. Crousillac said he is never without a song playing in his head.
Crousillac’s Playlist Counting Crows: “Anna Begins” Led Zeppelin: “Fool in the Rain” The Flaming Lips: “Fight Test”
»
Jay-Z: “Empire State of Mind” Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Slow Cheetah” Stream Crousillac’s entire playlist AT
lsulegacymag.com
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TORRENTING & YOU! STORY AUSTEN KRANTZ » DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION ROLAND PARKER
1 With so many young, tech savvy students, University populations prove themselves as hot spots for pirated content. But illegally downloading files has changed: content has diversified, methods have improved and copyright holders attempt to adapt to each illegal innovation. As far as methodology goes, torrents are a popular device to download materials because of their efficiency. Sheri Thompson, IT communications and planning officer for the University’s Information Technology Services, explained torrents as a more evasive form of file downloading. “They try to go unnoticed by dividing media into bits,” she said. “You download things piece by piece rather than as a whole to reduce chances of being caught.” Torrents are used to evade copyright owners and agencies looking for those violating the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This act criminalizes the dissemination and reproduction of copyrighted works. This could range from downloading massive files of information to file sharing between two students’ computers. And while there are a number of authorities who can catch this activity, it won’t
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be the University’s Information and Technology Services. “ITS doesn’t monitor what you’re doing online,” Thompson said. Instead, copyright holders and companies contact ITS after finding DMCA violations on campus. ITS then contacts these students. If ITS fails to do so, the University will be fined instead of the offending student. Students caught in violation of the DMCA are immediately fined $50 by the University and could face the dean of students after multiple offenses. Michael Vincent was one of these students two years ago, but he’s since moved off campus — and off of the network. While he said he respects LSU’s rules, he still thinks “it’s a little ridiculous for them to be playing policeman for the copyright holders.” “It’s not LSU’s fault that I was [torrenting], but in order to protect themselves, they have to make rules,” he said. “So I can understand it.” Like most college torrenters he knows, Vincent sticks to digital media for the most part — music, TV shows and movies. To Vincent, younger generations
like college students are more tech savvy and will understand how to use file sharing programs to receive information they want. “Piracy is not really a cost issue, it’s more of a service issue,” he said. “I don’t want to pay for television I don’t watch. Like with cable packages, I don’t want 90 percent of those channels.” Vincent sees Netflix as a great option to select a desired show without suffering through commercials, but it still falls short on its offerings. That being said, Vincent wouldn’t hesitate to cash in on one of torrenting’s latest trends — free textbooks. “If I could not spend $150 on a textbook I would absolutely do that.” But textbook pirating is in a seemingly infant stage. Vincent has never seen his textbooks available for pirating, nor has he known friends to find any, but he recalled the fledgling site librarypirate.ph. The website has a limited, but varied selection of educational works ranging from biology to world and U.S. history. “I can see the textbook thing becoming a bigger thing pretty soon,” Vincent said.
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Mix it Up FOOD
STORY MALENA MOREAU PHOTOS LAINEY REED DESIGN KELLY KRAL
The
Scorpion Shot A variation of the Mexican tradition of placing worms in tequila, the Scorpion Shot from Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant is worth trying. This drink consists of a tequila shot or shot of your choice. Then the scorpion is dipped in diesel, lit on fire and thrown into the shot. The shot, which costs $15, comes with a shirt that says “I survived the Scorpion Shot.”
Ingredients Scorpion dipped in diesel
Tequila
Rim Salt
The Bayou Belle Martini The Bayou Belle Martini at Copeland’s Restaurant costs $8.75. The unique blue coloring comes from the DeKuyper’s Island Blue Pucker added to the pineapple and rum. “The drink has a pineapple taste. It’s definitely very tropical,” said Adrienne Reed, Copeland’s bartender and secondary English junior.
Ingredients
DeKuyper’s Island Blue Pucker
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Pineapple Juice
Rum
The Mexican
Disaster
This gigantic margarita is made from top shelf Don Saul Reposado Tequila, La Carretta’s personal brand. On top of this copious amount, bartenders pour two Coronitas inside — leaving your night, if you finish it all by yourself, headed for “disaster.” La Carretta must know its market because only purple and gold salt is used around the rim. This Mexican Disaster costs $18 and fills about two and half to-go cups.
Ingredients
Lime Margarita
Two Coronitas Don Saul Reposado Tequila
The
Boat Boat Drink
The Boat Drink, named for Chelsea’s staff weekend boat trips, consists of two types of Captain Morgan and Malibu. With a splash of Sprite and pineapple juice, the sweet, island drink allows one to sail away for only $6.
Ingredients Captain Morgan
Pineapple Juice
Malibu
Sprite
The The Comfortably
Numb
Made from four different flavors of vodka, grenadine syrup and a splash of pink lemonade, the $7 Comfortably Numb will surely knock you off your feet, according to the Londoner’s staff.
Ingredients Vanilla, Raspberry, Blueberry and Strawberry vodka
Pink Lemonade Grenadine Syrup
*Legacy does not condone underage drinking. Please drink responsibly.
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from mud to mouth STORY JOEY GRONER PHOTOS REBECCA RATLIFF DESIGN CHRISTINA LI
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In Louisiana, the months between March and June are just as exciting to some as Christmas. Springtime means crawfish season is at its peak. To most people, crawfish only exist on a platter or in a boiling pot. But those destinations are the end of a long process the crustacean goes through before being eaten. First, the crawfish must be caught in a specialized, controlled pond. These exist all across the state, tended to by thousands of fishermen. These ponds account for a majority of the crawfish harvested in Louisiana. In 2011, the ponds brought in more than 100 million pounds of crawfish, harvested by a statewide total of 1,260 farmers. One of these farmers is Glen Leblanc. Leblanc has been in the business for the past 20 years, though it’s not his day job. He works at an aluminum plant and said he got into crawfishing because he needed
» Crawfish farmer Glen Leblanc harvests pounds of crawfish in Sorrento, La., as a way to make extra money for his family. a relatively easy way to make extra money to support his family. Leblanc begins by setting pyramidshaped traps with fish bait in them. He’ll go back to check them about 24 hours after they are set. In early and mid-February, the traps are nearly empty, but Leblanc remains optimistic the traps will be filled to the brim with mudbugs beginning in March. “That’s the tricky thing about this business, the unpredictability,” Leblanc said. “We’ve had years that were supposed to be good that turned out to be disappointing, and vice versa.” Leblanc’s right about the unpredictability. In March, his traps only turned out a bit more crawfish than they did in February. From fishing the whole lake, he was able to fill around two and a half sacks, each about 30 pounds. He said on a normal day during the peak of the season, he can haul in about six or seven sacks.
“They’re going to start biting when they feel like it,” Leblanc said. “It can really change overnight. I can come out and get two bags a day for a week, then come back the next day and start getting six bags out of the pond.” Leblanc isn’t a typical crawfisherman. A resident of Lutcher, La., he fishes exclusively for Miko’s Seafood, a local restaurant and market. Regular crawfishermen, Leblanc said, work as freelancers of sorts, fishing in public waterways and selling what they catch to restaurants around the state. Working for a specific restaurant allows Leblanc to do the job on his own time, as well as saving him the trouble of needing a commercial fishing license, which isn’t necessary for fishing private ponds. The owner of the restaurant, Miko Roussel, owns a number of crawfish ponds that he uses to supply his business. The advantage of the ponds is that
they’re a highly controlled environment. Leblanc’s harvest of crawfish is rarely ever affected by outside forces such as weather or man-made issues. During the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, for example, Leblanc said he and his fellow fisherman never saw a dip in the number of crawfish they collected. “The media really blew that one out of proportion,” Leblanc said. “The spill was bad, for sure, and I know a couple guys who were hit hard by it, but it really wasn’t that bad for most of us.” Despite the slow start, Leblanc said this season is forecasted to be a good one. At the beginning of March he was making about a dollar per pound, while the freelancing crawfishermen were making about 50 cents per pound selling to Miko’s.
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niversity alumnus Ross Baringer was run off of the road by a motorist on Valentine’s Day, damaging his bike and breaking two of his teeth. Despite having an active taillight flashing toward the truck, as well as reflectors alerting the driver of his presence, Baringer was unceremoniously clipped by the truck and knocked out of the way. The truck honked at him before passing, Baringer said, showing no concern for his lawful right to be in the road. Baringer, who delivers for Jimmy John’s by bicycle in downtown Baton Rouge, faces the wrath of disgruntled motorists every day. “I also know a couple of people who were hit recently and had much more serious injuries than me,” Baringer said.
- The Dangers of Biking Baringer’s story isn’t a new one to Louisiana by any means. According to the National Highway
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Traffic Safety Administration, Louisiana ranked eighth in cyclist fatalities in 2010. Nationwide, there were 618 deaths and 52,000 injuries due to bicycling accidents in that year. According to the Capitol Region Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Campaign, in East and West Baton Rouge parishes alone there were 85 injuries and no fatalities in 2010. Associate Librarian at Hill Memorial Mark Martin started Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets (BRASS), recently rebranded as Bike Baton Rouge, seven years ago. The bicycling and walking advocacy organization was the first to exist in Baton Rouge. Martin has been car-free for 22 years, 13 of which he has spent in Louisiana. He said the dangers of bicycling often outweigh the benefits for people in Louisiana. Motorists are unaware and dismissive of cyclists’ rights, even on a pedestrianfriendly campus like LSU. In order to cope with an infrastructure unsuited for their preferred mode of
travel, a sect of vehicular cyclists has grown in number in Baton Rouge. Vehicular cyclists believe that cyclists should obey the law and learn how to ride effectively with traffic. “The rules are very simple. It’s just like driving a car, and you’re the motor,” said Matthew Repp, a natural resources and ecology management sophomore and selfdescribed vehicular cyclist. Although Repp was nervous about accidents with vehicles when he first started biking and stuck to sidewalks, the horribly maintained sidewalks and bike paths in Baton Rouge changed his mind, he said. Repp said he busted tires several times on the uneven, crumpled surface of these relatively safer paths before deciding to take to the road as a vehicle. Repp said he blames accidents on lapses of attention on the part of cyclists and motorists, as well as on Baton Rouge’s infrastructure, which, like most of America’s cities, is extremely urbanized and car-oriented. The advantage this infrastructure gives
motorists, as well as the resulting dismissive attitude of other travelers, is not going unnoticed. Casual cyclist Doug Moore said he tells cyclists new to Baton Rouge that they cannot afford to give the benefit of the doubt to motorists. Moore, a new member of Bike Baton Rouge, said he calls for respect for motorists while nursing the assumption that they do not respect cyclists, which he admitted sounds cynical. “I haven’t sustained any serious injuries on my bike yet,” Moore said. “I have been hit by a car once, but I escaped with just scrapes and bruises. I have been almost hit a few other times, but after being hit before, I’m especially vigilant now.” He said everyone he knows has either been hit by a car or has had close calls. “People in cars treat each other in ways they never would if they weren’t in their own metal and glass bubbles,” Moore said. “It’s ignorance on the part of people who are not familiar with bikes or biking,” Martin said. He explained that problems lie in the fact that Louisiana motorists assume superiority over cyclists in most situations. Political science professor and cyclist Roseanne Scholl said she is careful to think about cyclists and motorists as people first, no matter which role she is playing in traffic. “Most cyclists have had trash thrown at them from cars, angry honkers following and catcalls, but I think it’s more important to remember that if everyone follows traffic laws, fewer people will get hurt,” she said. Scholl even has a bumper sticker on her car that says, “Please be kind to cyclists.” “[Baton Rouge cyclists] have a great sense of camaraderie. Baton Rouge doesn’t have very good infrastructure for cyclists, although it’s getting better all the time. One silver lining of those challenges is that people on bikes feel a sense of kinship to other people on bikes,” Scholl said.
- The Movement Critical Mass, a world-wide cycling event typically held once a month, is one response to the problems facing cyclists everywhere. The event has been described in New Yorker magazine as “monthly political-protest rides.”
» University Associate Librarian Mark Martin has been car-free for 22 years and advocates for safer streets in Baton Rouge.
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Many vehicular cyclists consider Critical Mass a form of anarchic self-policing. Considering the widely-acknowledged motto for Critical Mass is “take back the streets,” this may not be too far of a leap. Repp disagreed with this view and said Critical Mass is much more structured than it might appear. He said there are cyclists at the event who ride ahead and signal traffic for the other participants so they can cross a dangerous intersection safely. Another, more localized response is Baton Rouge’s annual biking festival Velo Louisiane (VeloLA). “The original vision for VeloLA was to have a state-wide celebration of all things cycling,” said Andy Larson, lead organizer of the festival. The fourth year of the festival is seeing some progress, Larson said. Because of the enthusiasm of people just like those behind VeloLA, biking is no longer the underground movement it was when Critical Mass originated in the 1970s. Other biking festivals and events are starting to pop up around the state. VeloLA, which takes place from April 14-15, is followed closely by Bike-to-Work Week from May 13-17, a League of American Bicyclists (LAB) event that is a part of National Bike Month. National Bike Month, which originated in 1956, has grown to be a testament to the rising social movement surrounding the biking community in the United States. “You can ride a bicycle at age 8, 80, or anywhere in between,” Martin said. The problem, Martin said, is that a bike is generally considered one of three things: “kid’s toy, rich man’s obsession [or] poor man’s last choice.”
- Stalled Gears Baringer only recently joined Bike Baton Rouge, despite following it on social networks for a while and finding his job through the organization’s Facebook page. He said he joined because of the growing number of his cyclist friends being hit by cars, having had several close calls himself. Bike Baton Rouge is a grassroots organization working for the safety and enjoyment of the biking community, as well as change in both legislation and general
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attitudes toward cyclists. In 2009, Baton Rouge received the LAB Bicycle Friendly Communities Bronze Level Award. While the imposing logo looks impressive on Bike Baton Rouge’s web page, Martin said he is indifferent to the award. He said the city only received the award because of a healthy city initiative, after receiving the equivalent of an honorable mention from LAB for years. Martin said real change will take political will, and up until now, there has only been a great deal of “political won’t.” Since 1972, there has been a master plan in Baton Rouge for the expansion of greenways — or natural trails that connect communities and allow slower travel, like bicycling — updated each year but never enacted. Bike Baton Rouge, along with other organizations, pushed heavily for the passage of the Colin Goodier Protection Act. In June 2008, LSU Medical School graduate Colin Goodier was struck by a truck on River Road while training for his first triathlon. Goodier was instantly killed
when a passing truck entered his path. As a result, the Louisiana Senate signed the Colin Goodier Bicycle Protection Act into law in August 2009, establishing cyclists’ rights to share the roads and requiring automobiles to allow a three-foot safety zone when passing bicyclists on the road. The law also protects cyclists from harassment by motorists. Bike Baton Rouge, along with other organizations supporting the biking community, is continuing to push for more development of plans to better the situation. Although Martin praised the intent of plans presented at a recent public presentation on greenways, the organization is still struggling to implement more change. Martin said one of the main struggles in getting real change for the biking community is that Baton Rouge agencies are not working together as well as they could. Martin, who spoke about the joys of bicycling at TEDxLSU in March, said Bike Baton Rouge aims to make a community that can overcome the obstacles to biking until the problems can be improved.
SQUARE ORIENTED PHOTO
OVERALL INCOME FOR TOP PERFORMERS AT LSU STUDENT MEDIA ADVERTISING ACTUAL INCOME AVERAGES: • $48,533 • $48,012 • $47,650 • $40,503 • $31,986 • $29,338 • $18,597 • $17,330
- over 3 years - over 3 years - over 2 years - over 2 years - over 2.5 years - over 2.5 years - over 2 years - over 2.5 years
MAD MONEY
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Apply in B34 Hodges
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*Names in this story have been withheld for privacy.
Adderall is easier to get than ever, and students are taking advantage.
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hen *Kelly studied for her first exams at the University, she ran into a bit of trouble. She felt scatterbrained and anxious. She returned to her hometown doctor who then evaluated her and prescribed her Vyvanse, a pharmaceutical drug often used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety. Her doctor suggested this would also aid her anxiety better than her previous medications. It worked, for about half a year. “Once I started taking that more regularly, it would wear off,” she said. “So he prescribed me Adderall for later in the day
STORY AUSTEN KRANTZ PHOTOS LAINEY REED DESIGN CHRISTINA LI
if I wanted to keep studying.” Kelly is prescribed both drugs now. Her Vyvanse prescription designates 40 mg per pill. Her Adderall prescription is instant release at a smaller dosage of 10 mg that lasts about three hours. Extended release Adderall capsules can last longer than 10 hours. (And she really doesn’t use Adderall as much, she said, similar to what her doctor suggested.) While LSU Health Center Health Promotions Coordinator Kathy Saichuk said Vyvanse and Adderall generally shouldn’t be prescribed at the same time, “there could be some overlap, certainly.”
“A doctor cannot take back a prescription because of health risks and health standards,” Saichuk said. “But they can change their prescriptions, so they may end up with both medications at the same time.” Kelly also said she doesn’t take the medications every day, as prescribed. She generally just takes them as needed, for school and other work. And Kelly finds herself doing much better in school since being prescribed medication. She said she’s focused on her school-related work unless she doesn’t take the drugs. One night, when she waited too late to take her medication, she said she l s u l e g a c ym ag .co m
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“
I could walk into my doctor’s office and give all the classic symptoms because everybody knows what they are. You just look on the Internet.
”
- Kathy Saichuk
couldn’t focus at all. “I didn’t get one thing done because I was too concerned about everything else,” she said. “So it [Adderall/Vyvanse] really does help me to sit down and actually concentrate on what I need to be doing.”
the rules
on the books Adderall is one of the most widely prescribed ADHD medications in the country, along with Vyvanse, but between its negative side effects and its illegal trade and uses, physicians are reassessing its place in medicine. The FDA approved its unrestricted use for treatment of ADHD in 1996. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, ADHD is a disorder that causes inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity or a combination of those factors. Saichuk explained the drug’s makeup as having amphetamines and dextroamphetamines, the stimulant properties that make Adderall a stimulant-based drug. However, not all medications for ADHD are based in stimulants like Adderall. Perceptions of the drug have changed since 1996, according to Saichuk.
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Over-prescribing and use among people who aren’t diagnosed for this medication have caused doctors to reconsider the qualifications to use it, and public opinion toward Adderall and similar medications has changed as well. “It’s gone through a bit of an evolution,” she said. “More and more people are getting concerned about the long term consequences because there are really not a lot of studies [on these medications].” While prescriptions have increased, users are more willing to acknowledge their diagnoses. According to Saichuk, when study medications first arrived on the market, people generally perceived ADHD as a sign of unintelligence. Now, however, people are more open in discussing their use of these medications. “Everybody thinks it’s a good thing for school work,” said business junior Cody Warren, who’s been prescribed Vyvanse since freshman year. “It’s a common drug.” Adderall and similar drugs like Vyvanse or Ritalin are considered Schedule II drugs by the FDA. This means the FDA monitors them; they are available through prescription only, and no refills can be given unless a new, written order form is used. Testing for diagnosis is rigorous as well, Saichuk said. Certified Mental Health
persons such as psychologists must run the testing, which takes six to 10 hours to complete, and generally costs about $300. However, people still receive these medications without these conditions. Certain doctors and physicians can prescribe ADHD medication without a full range of tests. “I could walk into my doctor’s office and give all the classic symptoms because everybody knows what they are. You just look on the Internet,” Saichuk said. “In some cases, that’s how people get a prescription for ADHD medication, sadly, because they really don’t need it.”
the truth
of the matter *Patrick tried Vyvanse his freshman year at LSU, and now occasionally buys it when he feels he needs to focus. He’s never been concerned about buying the drug illegally because he knows so many others who do the same, and the prescriptions are questionable. “It’s kind of like underage drinking, a lot of people do it, and I know a lot of people that are prescribed it shouldn’t be,” he said. “They’ll tell you. People just go to
the doctor. They’ll say anything — you can just make something up.” Patrick couldn’t pin a specific number to how many people he knows who buy like he does. “Almost everyone I know, almost all of my friends — a majority.” Saichuk listed a series of negative side effects, some of which could be severe for someone who isn’t technically diagnosed with ADHD or a condition that requires a prescription for drugs like Adderall or Vyvanse. Effects include everything from dry mouth and loss of appetite to heart attack, sudden death and stroke. Schedule II drugs like Adderall and Vyvanse also have a high potential for abuse according to the FDA. But it’s less expensive and time consuming to consult a family doctor rather than submit to hundreds of dollars worth of testing, which is the only technical way to be diagnosed with ADHD, according to Saichuck. Patrick said he has few health concerns since so many others take the drug with no severe side effects. *Warren was prescribed Vyvanse his freshman year, but he expressed his discomfort for the speedy feeling medications like Vyvanse can produce. “I just don’t want to take it every day because I don’t feel like being strung out on it,” he said. He described the Vyvanse as “brain steroids” in their ability to produce focus. Kelly said students she knows often combat this speed effect by taking something that will offset the speed in the drugs, usually marijuana. She said all of her friends usually use marijuana to help with sleeplessness. “I have to [use it] sometimes,” she said. “All of my friends do. ... I don’t know about everybody, but I think it’s a pretty common trend.”
cashing in Saichuk said those seeking Adderall prescriptions will probably have less luck arguing their case to physicians today than
earlier in the medication’s history. Instead, people who don’t meet the criteria will more likely just buy them illegally, she said. Kelly concurs. “Most everyone I know sells theirs,” she said. “Not huge supplies to everybody, but if a friend needs it, it’s ‘Oh yeah, I’ll sell you one.’” That’s not to say there’s no profit involved. “Together I get them for $30 dollars; it’s $20 for my Vyvanse and $10 for my Adderall,” she said. “People buy them for five a piece, so I could make about a $100 profit from it. I’ve made some money off of it.” Even Warren knows at least five or six people off the top of his head who sell their medications. “Kids who aren’t into dealing or buying drugs know where to get Vyvanse, or they’re OK with Vyvanse,” he said. “Even kids I know who don’t like drinking are OK with buying Vyvanse and taking it.” Kelly said most people she knows who are prescribed Adderall don’t take the full amount and end up selling left over pills because they have so many.
stimulation Saichuk emphasized while ADHD medication may help people focus, it doesn’t make them smarter. “It’s not something that adds to your long-term memory which is what learning is comprised of,” she said. “There’s a difference between learning it for life and learning it for the test the next day.” While drugs like Vyvanse and Adderall are directed at combating ADHD symptoms, Saichuk said she’s speculative of ADHD diagnosis in modern society. With so many engagements like constant media bombardment, Saichuk said she believes society may be generally overstimulated. “There’s always something stimulating us,” she said.
SIDE E ffects As a schedule II drug, Adderall is considered to have a high potential for abuse and addiction. Adderall is the most widely prescribed ADD/ ADHD drug and it is considered to be the most addictive of related medications. (Side effects cannot always be predicted and each person is affected differently. The side effects listed below are only a select few.) Depression Hives Impotence Loss of interest in sex Difficulty having an orgasm Overstimulation Seizures Intestinal disturbances Stroke Motor tics Weight loss Insomnia Mood swings Nervousness Vomiting Sudden death
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For the LOVE of the GAME
The LSU Baseball Bat Girl squad may look like just a group of pretty faces, but these women love the game and know it well. STORY MORGAN SEARLES » PHOTOS SARAH KERSHAW » DESIGN ELLIE PLATT
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hough their other collegiate counterparts may fall victim to such catchy titles as the “Diamond Darlings” of Texas A&M, “Diamond Dolls” of Alabama or “cleat chasers,” a derogatory name for girls who hope to date athletes, the LSU Baseball Bat Girls insist their squad doesn’t surrender to the common stereotypes. The 31 Bat Girls work a third of the games in the baseball season, rotating in groups of 10. They retrieve bats for both the home and guest teams, chase down foul balls, bring water to umpires, hype fans and sell programs. Splitting into pairs, the girls change stations every three innings, working with a different partner every game. Girls must arrive two hours before the first pitch, whether it’s raining, freezing or a perfectly pleasant day. An average game begins full of excitement, as girls walk through the gates and get to work stuffing programs with stat sheets and organizing them for sale. They move weighty boxes, check inventory, catch up with one another and chat with event staff — many of whom they know on a personal level. The Girls discuss summer plans, classes, boys and uniform care, many of them jotting down their game station schedules on their hand: “program room, right field, fan zone.” The squad moves quickly with mechanical speed, preparing to take up first shifts of the night, selling programs throughout the stadium. Pairs drag large purple stands to each gate. “You need a little bit of muscle,” one Girl mentions.
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The older Girls take care of those fresh to the squad, yelping instructions and patiently answering questions with veteran wisdom. Thirty minutes before the game begins, a frenzy rises as Girls return unsold material to the program room, roll the stands back, layer up for a cold night and count money from the sales. They take their second shifts just before the game begins. From behind home plate on the first base side, Girls responsible for retrieving the players bats can see the anticipation on the catcher’s caged face, watch the players look toward coach Paul Mainieri for signals and hear the umpire’s calls first hand — and with clarity unfamiliar to those watching from the stands. There’s a moment of stress after a play dies, when a Girl runs onto the field to grab a discarded bat. Is it the right time? Is the play really dead? Will players cross the path, possibly causing a collision? Usually the action is straightforward: go get the bat. But the thrill is apparent each time a player leaves home plate.
Making Adjustments Parts of the detailed system is new to the program, which began around 1984 and has seen a few other changes this season. Erin St. Ledger, assistant director of marketing for athletics, is in charge of marketing for baseball, and this is her first year supervising the Bat Girl squad. In her new position, she has implemented
“a lot of new rules and systems.” The squad used to have captain and co-captain positions, but St. Ledger said the absence of those roles has cut down on competition between members and has brought the team closer together. “At first it was a little hard, only because I know I look young, and I am pretty young, but I am still their supervisor,” she said. “It was a little hard for them to transition into the role of listening to me instead of one of their peers, but they’ve been great.” With about 20 new members, some of the older, returning girls feel a sense of leadership, according to Yvonne Philipps, business marketing senior and veteran of the Bat Girls. But she emphasized the role model attitude comes with an understanding that everyone is equal. Philipps said her love of athletics brought her to LSU, but she decided to give up playing sports to dedicate her time to being a student. However, once introduced to the Bat Girl program her freshman year, Philipps said she sacrificed her dream of being in the stands for time on the field. “I ended up spending my whole collegiate career on the field anyway and loving every minute of it.” Philipps said she has “BGs 2010-13” engraved inside her class ring, and she can attest to the changes the program has seen since that first year. “Every year there’s a different group of guys and a different atmosphere at the box,” she said. “It’s something you notice as a Bat Girl. You feel it, the vibe, the energy. The dynamics change.”
» From left to right: Sidney Padgett, Yvonne Philipps, Claire Langlois and Courtney McGuffee are members of the LSU Baseball Bat Girls, a 31-person squad that assists the Tigers on and off the field.
Dealing with Stereotypes But one thing that doesn’t change much are the assumptions people make about Bat Girls. “A lot of the times, people think we are cleat chasers or you just want to get with guys,” Philipps said. “In reality, all of us girls love baseball and love LSU.” Rachel Rhodes, history junior and second year Bat Girl, said she has looked into the Bat Girl programs at several other universities and has found LSU’s squad to stand apart in its image and root in Southern tradition. “Bat Girl programs at a lot of schools are different,” she said. “Often it’s assumed if you’re a Bat Girl you’re dating a player, but we avoid that at all costs.” Rhodes explained that Bat Girls are not allowed to date players, and though people often assume the squad is full of “baseball groupies,” she stressed LSU’s Bat
Girls are just female students who simply love baseball. “We don’t want to have the image of lackeys or groupies, and a lot of us are good friends with the players,” Rhodes said. “During the game, they’re used to us. Sometimes the away players, especially from smaller schools, are curious about us. Stony Brook had no idea who we were or what we do.” Taylor Raines, kinesiology sophomore, said she has noticed few stereotypes surrounding the squad. She said opposing teams have usually played LSU and are familiar with the presence of Bat Girls on the field. “When you try out to be a Bat Girl, in the interview they are very clear that when you are a Bat Girl, you are not there to distract the baseball players,” Raines said. “You have to stay out of their way but also assist them.” Clair Langlois, mass communication senior and first year Bat Girl, said she grew up watching the Atlanta Braves with her family every night over the summers, but
some people don’t immediately appreciate her love of the game when they hear she’s a Bat Girl. “Half my friends ask, ‘What player are you going to date?’” she said. “It’s frustrating because I absolutely love the sport of baseball. Yes, the players are good looking, but even if they weren’t, I’d still love the sport.” Abigail Woltering, anthropology and sociology junior said LSU’s Bat Girl program is nothing like what some would assume about the girls. “It’s interesting, that’s so the opposite of what it is here,” she said. “Other teams might have Bat Girls looked at that way, but the players here they know [fraternization] is not an issue, and fans know better.” Courtney McGuffee, mass communication sophomore, said she got into the program after growing up in a family dedicated to the sport. She said fans are friendly and can sometimes get flirtatious. “People will hang around the program box sometimes or come to program stands and try to start conversations and absolutely I talk, but I keep it professional. You l s u l e g a c ym ag .co m
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always have to keep a professional face on.” St. Ledger said most people think of the Girls as an extension of the spirit squad, adding another special touch to the baseball environment. Some of the Girls said they didn’t think college men would be interested in carrying out the duties the squad is responsible for, and men often have an easier time getting involved with the sport than women. “Our main purpose is to enhance the overall Alex Box atmosphere,” Rhodes said. “It’s one of the top sports venues in the world. Bat Girls are part of that, adding a touch of flair.”
Making the Cut The opportunity to add that flair is much sought after, as hundreds of girls apply for the chance to be a Bat Girl. The application process takes place every year, and filling out a form can lead to an interview, where hopefuls are narrowed to 60 and then about 30. Rhodes said she saw more advertising to prospective members this year than previously, with a broadcast email sent out and signs on campus television screens. Rhodes marked on her application that she had good or expert knowledge of baseball, and her interviewers didn’t hesitate to test her. “They’re not afraid to call you out on it,” Rhodes said. “On the other hand, they don’t want to tell people they can’t have this opportunity if baseball isn’t as big where they’re from.” St. Ledger said the committee looks for girls who are involved but are able to make the program a top priority. Girls should have a general knowledge of baseball and athletics and should enjoy being at the games. But personality is key. “They are interacting with fans on a daily basis, and we want to make sure they are reflecting the baseball program in good light,” St. Ledger said.
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SEARCHING FOR... Love Google Search
I’m Feeling Lucky
STORY SYDNEY BLANCHARD » PHOTOS SARAH KERSHAW » DESIGN KELLY KRAL
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fter a month, I can say with honesty, “I tried.” I really did give online dating a shot. I meticulously crafted my profile. I added flattering pictures, answered hundreds of questions and filled out daunting blanks asking vague questions no one can answer in a sentence or two. I listed intriguing interests, and I lied about my weight, because it’s the Internet and I can. And after all that effort, I exchanged pleasantries with a grand total of three
people who seemed remotely desirable and worthwhile. Despite my misadventures in online dating, I can’t deny the fact that everyone is doing it. And yet, there’s a stigma. Some just can’t conceive of the idea of falling in love online. The Internet as matchmaker is nothing new. Since the dawn of the Internet, people have been going online in search of love.
“I can say with honesty, ‘I tried.’”
» More people are giving online dating a shot, but as LEGACY staff writer Sydney Blanchard discovered, it may not be so easy. l s u l e g a c ym ag .co m
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The tech-savvy could log into chat-rooms and forums and seek their romantic fortunes. According to brainz.org, the “first major Internet dating Web site [was] the combination of kiss.com and match.com,” both of which were registered by the same person in 1994 and 1995. By 1998, Internet dating met Hollywood with the film “You’ve Got Mail,” in which Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan find love online. Dating over the Internet went mainstream, and this sparked a boom of these types of sites in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The 2000s began to see huge rises in Internet dating, and now there’s an online dating site for almost every religion, sexuality, race, location or niche interest. Today, online dating is widely used by people of all ages. In fact, according to a 2009 Match.com survey, 17 percent of married couples had met online. However, in spite of these staggering statistics, there still seems to be a stigma to meeting your match online. The idea of online dating simply turns some people off. It might seem too impersonal or a little scary. I fell into the category of being perturbed by online dating. Countless numbers of my friends had accounts with OkCupid, and some had even met their significant others through the site. But to me, it seemed like online dating was reserved for an older generation, people with kids or people who were in some way defunct. What if the person I meet is a serial killer? But, newly single and my curiosity insatiable, I made a profile. I was hopeful I’d meet that special someone, and we’d go on a coffee date and laugh like hyenas at each other’s jokes. Within minutes of my OkCupid profile going live, my inbox was flooded with messages. Though my profile stated I was interested in both men and women, I was only receiving messages from men. It seemed that mostly, it was guys near my age, some students, who offered up a tentative “Hey” as a way to start a conversation, but there was no shortage of men over 40 trying to gauge my interest. On OkCupid, users answer a series of endless questions. The
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site takes users’ answers and compares them with other people’s, and this is how the site determines a match. OkCupid divides the match rating into three categories: “Match %,” “Friend %” and “Enemy %.” Older Christian men with children who messaged me clearly ignored our “Enemy %.” Had they looked closer, they’d have realized that my profile states I don’t want kids and I’m an atheist. I don’t think we’d have gotten along. After some tampering with my profile and inserting an addendum stating that I wasn’t interested in threesomes (I received an alarming number of these kinds of requests), I thought I had gotten somewhere. A really sweet and seemingly attractive guy had gotten my attention. After some witty banter, we exchanged numbers and everything was great until he immediately launched into a detailed description about his anxiety disorder and his depression. Needless to say, that was a no-go. A few weeks later I received a message from a quirky and intelligent girl. We chatted back and forth a bit and had a lot in common. I offered up my phone number, and that was the end of that. I didn’t hear back from her. An older gentleman had a different approach. He sent me a long, poorly-written poem that didn’t make a whole lot of sense. I thanked him for his efforts and politely informed him that he was out of my age range. I make it a general rule to not date people who are old enough to be my parents. Notwithstanding my own ill-fated attempt at finding my better half online, some users have had pleasant experiences with online dating. A little over a year and a half ago, psychology senior Jodi Shipley found love over the Internet. “I dated a guy in Nashville for nearly six months that I met on Facebook through my roommate,” she said. According to Shipley, the relationship was great while it lasted. Though the two were dating long distance, they were able to travel to see each other every few months. The couple felt a connection in spite of their digital meeting. However, Shipley felt the stigma of online dating. When asked if her friends raised an eyebrow to the curious circumstances of her relationship, Shipley replied, “Oh, of course they did. They thought I was crazy. They said there was no way it would last.” The couple parted on amicable terms, and Shipley affirmed that the experience was an overall positive one. However, ISDS sophomore Becki Meinhold had a different tale to tell, a story that was more similar to mine. Meinhold made a profile through OkCupid. Speaking about her experience using the website, Meinhold said it wasn’t too bad for the most part. “Just a lot of people looking for someone to love them,” Meinhold said. However, she received no shortage of sexually suggestive messages from “cliché douchebags” who referred to her as a “sex kitten.” As for using OkCupid in the future, Meinhold said, “I could see dating websites being more practical for older people.” Desperate or not, the statistics don’t lie. More and more people are turning to online dating to find the Romeo to their Juliet, the Bonnie to their Clyde or the Pepé Le Pew to their Penelope Pussycat. And many of them have been successful. As for me, I never got my coffee date. But until I do, I’ll stick with looking for love in real life, not online.
UNIQUE DATING SITES farmersonly.com mulletpassions.com tallfriends.com equestriancupid.com datevampires.com darwindating.com
(for attractive people only)
positivesingles.com (for people with STDs)
blackpeoplemeet.com (for African Americans)
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out of
30,000 LEGACY reached out to deans and advisers from each college for a list of high achieving students.
STORY BRIA TURNER PHOTOS REBECCA RATLIFF DESIGN KELLY KRAL
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Suzanne Raspa
Elizabeth Pendleton Harrison Breaud College of Art & Design
College of Business & Finance
Suzanne Raspa is an agriculture senior with a double major in kinesiology focusing in nutrition, dietetics and fitness. Raspa teaches group fitness classes at the LSU UREC and is a certified personal trainer.
Elizabeth “Little” Pendleton is a senior painting major with plans to be an art teacher. Pendleton serves as president of Students for Life at LSU and co-directs the Passion of the Christ play.
Harrison Breaud is a finance senior who will work for Shell Oil Company in New Orleans after graduation. Breaud served as the 2012 president of LSU’s chapter of Sigma Nu.
What motivates you for your career goals: I ran cross country and track in high school. I basically would run races and practices, and these girls around me would basically
What do you want to do a with painting degree: I actually really want to teach high school art. I’m working to get certified to teach through online class in the future.
What is your motivation: It stems from my faith. That I should be the best I can be in everything that I do. I would never want to do anything average. The region of Sigma
not eat and then try to run, and it would not work. Literally, one girl collapsed in front of me in the middle of the race, and that was pretty scary. She wound up in the ambulance. That’s what got me [thinking,] “Hey these girls really need somebody to tell them you’ve got to eat something decent before you run to give you energy,” so that’s pretty much what got me started. Then I sprained my ankle a few times and that’s what got me interested in physical therapy.
What inspired you to want to teach art classes: In high school, I had a really bad art teacher. I was very frustrated because even the people who liked art would go in the class and be like “Aw, I hate art class,” and that’s not how it’s supposed to be. Everyone should like some kind of art or be able to appreciate it. No matter what you end up doing in your life, I feel like at some point you should have been able to do something artistic.
Nu, my fraternity, said there is no honor in mediocrity. I don’t think I’m glorifying God if I’m doing anything average. If I have the potential to do something very well, then I should do it very well. I might not have potential in a lot of areas, but in the areas that I’m talented in, I don’t think I’m doing myself a service by being average. If I’m going to be a student at LSU, I’m going to be the best student I can be. If I’m gonna run half marathons, I’m gonna run them to the best of my ability. Now I might not get first place, but I’ll run them to the best of my personal ability.
College of Agriculture
Words of wisdom for younger students: Try as many things as possible. I spent a semester on the rowing team. I spent two weeks on the powerlifting team. I did ballroom dancing for a semester. I feel like that gives you a great understanding of all that LSU has to offer. If you come in and you just do one thing, you’re not really experiencing and taking advantage of what’s there. On the other hand, after you do all of that, it is a good idea to find your niche and pick the thing and put all of your energy into that one thing.
Words of wisdom for younger students: Don’t be afraid to get involved. My freshman year I was really shy, and I was insanely awkward, and I felt like I didn’t know anybody. Get involved and stay involved. You go to the first meetings of an organization and it may be awkward, but stick with it. The friends you make in college are what make college great.
Things people don’t know about me: I’m very open, I don’t really hide too much. But maybe everyone may not know that I’m in love with country music. I go to every concert I can. I am constantly downloading the newest music, putting it on my iPod, playing it in my car.
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School of the Coast & Evironment
Jonathan Lambert is a coastal environmental science junior with plans to attend grad school to study marine science and oceanography to investigate climate change and its impact on coastal ecosystems and economies. Favorite experience since being at LSU: Between freshman and sophomore year, I went to Ireland with a study abroad program, [and] spent 5 weeks in Ireland. I got to know people at LSU and in Ireland and absorbed the culture. Last summer I had an internship with with NASA in Washington D.C. that was really cool because not only was it in D.C., it was in proximity to New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, and we got to travel all over the East Coast. So my summers have been pretty awesome.
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Any words of wisdom for younger students: Get to know your professors, and also get to know people in your major. Make connections. Connections are vital. With professors, they have grad school connections or maybe connections with internships or jobs because they’ve been in the field so long. With your peers, [they help] you study and also they may have taken classes you haven’t taken and recommend professors or how to study for that class. Also, having a community makes you feel more at home than just going to class, then going home.
Myles Delcambre College of Engineering
Myles Delcambre is a mechanical engineering senior. He will work in the Air Force as a weapons engineer after graduating in May. What was your most memorable experience at LSU: My summer abroad in Germany. They focus a lot on sustaining their environment, and they make responsible decisions. Whether it’s from making responsible financial decisions to making green decisions, regardless they make sure they do what’s responsible.
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Why did you join the Air Force: My best friend was in the Air Force ROTC. He was like “Hey you should come do the military, do the Air Force.” I started stressing out about what I was going to do when I graduate ... Then, my first semester I had a dream that I was older and in the Air Force, and I was just having a ton of fun. I met myself had I not joined the Air Force. I had a five minute conversation with myself ... I started talking about what my life would have been like had I not joined the Air Force and it was like “that’s a boring life.” So, I started looking into the program, and I decided to try it out without any commitment. I realized how much it’s like a family trying to build each other up, and now its one of my favorite things about LSU. What are some words of wisdom for younger students: Challenge yourself. You never know how good you can be until you challenge yourself. You never know who you are or what you can do until you challenge yourself.
Tiffany Lemon Honors College Tiffany Lemon is a biochemistry senior in the Honors College and a first generation college student. At LSU Lemon has researched HIV and tuberculosis and plans to attend graduate school in biomedical sciences in fall 2014. What are the goals that you want to accomplish in your life: Programs for students to become involved in science, research to cure diseases, show people that God exists in the mass chaos of life.
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What have been your most memorable experiences at LSU: With [the] Honors College freshman year, we did a service project and went to Grand Isle and planted marsh grass to help slow down coastal erosion ... I got the sense of the impact that I can have as an individual on a whole state. I went to Harvard to do research and it was amazing ... That’s when I got that confidence of, ‘Yes, I can do whatever I set my mind to’ ... I really got a sense of who I was because being taken out of your environment you really get to see what you’re made of and who you are. Last summer in France, it was so dynamic. It was culture shock that turned into culture passion. I think I found my sense of adventure there ... One of the most amazing things I’ve learned is how... to value the contributions you can get to each person because you can learn from anyone.When I had the opportunity to speak to incoming freshman, LSU Honors College was trying to recruit ... it called me to really reflect on experiences and see how much I’ve grown over the past four years.
Victoria Wood College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Victoria Wood is a senior political science and international studies double major and will attend law school in fall 2013. She is particularly interested in health and international law. Most memorable experience while being at LSU: One of the best days at LSU was the day I found out I got into law school. That’s been one of the happiest days in college. I got an email, and I wasn’t expecting to hear back so soon. Realizing that everyone else was so supportive of me going to law school and so happy for me made it so much better. I almost started crying. It’s just something that I’ve worked so hard for, and a single email just showed me that it was worth it. I had the next three years and probably the rest of my life planned out just based on one email. It was just a huge relief.
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Words of wisdom for younger students: I always told my younger sister your grades are so important those first two years because it’s going to affect what you can do your junior and senior year. Make sure you stay on top of your schoolwork, but definitely go out and hang out with your friends. I still feel like four years wasn’t enough, especially since I may move to a new city. Stay on top of your schoolwork, but definitely go and have as much fun as you possibly can.
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LJames Lowder DEPARTMENT NAME
College of Human Science & Education
James Lowder is a human movement senior with a Pre-Med/Pre-Dental concentration. Lowder currently serves as captain of Team Mike, the LSU mascot program, and plans to attend LSU’s dental school in July. He will get married in May. What motivated your interests in Team Mike and the dental program: I just love to put smiles on people’s faces. I always wanted to be an orthodontist since, like, sixth grade. I really liked the dental field. The mascot was really cool to me, to put smiles on people’s faces through that. It’s a completely humbling experience because no one knows it’s you. So that’s been really cool to be associated with Mike but have nothing to do with it. Words of wisdom: Don’t be afraid to be involved and be yourself. There’s things out there for you that you can do and you just have to find your niche and where you fit and where you’re able to use your tools in society to further other individuals.
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Best memory: Being able to be on the field for pregame in Tiger Stadium is easily one of the most chilling experiences of my life. Being able to do that for three years is really cool, and that is the most memorable experience to me. Hands down.
Christine Derbins Manship School of Mass Communication
Christine Derbins is a dual math/mass communication senior and an active member of the LSU community. In addition to making the 2012 Homecoming Court, she works as a Manship School Ambassador, an Honors College Advocate and was a former member of LSU’s cross country and track and field team. Most memorable experience while at LSU: The students that I’ve gotten to come in contact with being involved with recruiting high school students for both the Manship school and the Honors College. I get to give them tours and answer their questions, and it’s really nice to use my experience to help another student feel comfortable and welcome and that LSU is the place for them. What motivates you to do all the stuff that you do: God motivates me to do all that I do. I’ve been blessed with many talents and skills, so I use my abilities to their fullest in order to spread His love, and glorify Him for all He has given me.
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Any words of wisdom for younger students: Never underestimate the impact that you can have on someone else – whether positive or negative. Whether you have a long conversation or you don’t even speak with them. It could just be in passing. You have no idea the impact that you can have on other people.
Weston Twardowski
Melanie Carroll
Macy Esneault
College of Music & Dramatic Arts
College of Science
University College
Weston Twardowski is a senior double majoring in theatre performance and history. He is co-president of the Undergraduate Theatre Alliance. Following graduation, Twardowski plans to work for a volunteer organization that focuses on education or political reform then hopes to return to a career in theatre.
Melanie Carroll is a junior physics major with a biology minor. Carroll plans to attend medical school, specializing in medical physics research.
Macy Esneault is a University College freshman majoring in political science and minoring in political communication. She is an active member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and plans on attending law school after graduation.
What motivates you to do the things you do: I tend to stick to the things I love in life. If I enjoy an activity, I want to excel in it, to learn more about it and to grow my abilities. I love my life in the theatre, and am fascinated by the work of others, and what I can learn from them. My desire to grow myself as a historian is motivated by the same sense of fascination and joy in the work ... As long as I'm having fun, I'll want to keep growing and challenging myself at the pursuit.
incredible. We went to an Olympic soccer game for the women. It was really exciting just to be there and see all the different things. That was something I didn’t think I was going to have the chance to do, I knew that the way my courses are I wouldn’t be able to go abroad for a semester, but going during a summer was really nice. It was a great trip and there’s a lot of memories from there.
What are your words of wisdom for younger students: Try everything. Find the things that you love, that excite you, and go for it. If you fail, congrats. Anyone who's ever succeeded failed before, and will continue to do so later. If you fail, learn from it, try again, fail again, but fail better. If you love something and have a passion for it, work yourself to the bone and keep at it. Success will find you.
Best memory at LSU: Studying abroad last semester. I did the LSU program in London and Edinburgh around the same time as the Olympics, and that was pretty
What do people assume about you being a physics major: Whenever I tell people I’m a physics major, I get a lot of weird responses. People just don’t understand why I would want to do that. They think that it’s hard, think that it’s impossible, but I think that a lot of people don’t know everything that you can do with it.
What motivates you: I am motivated by my will to not only be successful in the future, but to love and be passionate about whatever path I choose to go. What is your best memory at LSU: My best memory so far at LSU is actually kind of embarrassing. Before becoming a student at LSU, I had attended many football games. But right before my first game as a student, when the Golden Band from Tigerland marched down the hill and turned towards me, belting the pregame song, I actually cried. I still get teased, but, what can I say? I love my school.
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HEALTH + LIVING
A Place to
Rest
» On computer
Your Head
science freshman Gabe Hilliard’s “Fun Fridays,” you can find him lounging in his hammock in a different spot each week. STORY MALENA MOREAU PHOTOS JORDAN HEFLER DESIGN ELLIE PLATT
LSU students can often be found on the Parade Grounds with their faces toward the sun and their bodies lying in the cool grass. Backpacks become pillows, and the muffled noise of Frisbee players drowns away. It’s about 3 p.m. and these college kids are getting the relaxation they need. So at sheer convenience, students turn LSU’s beautiful landscape into a haven every now and then for naptime. Most students adore the Quad or the Parade Ground’s comforting atmosphere, but as these areas become increasingly crowded, students are getting creative. The Middleton Library floors from top to bottom have become the perfect place to curl up in a chair and catch some z’s. A little farther away, the Union’s Art Gallery Lobby has even seen some snoozers. The Greek Theater, according to accounting sophomore Fredy Chavez, isn’t a bad place to pass out either. Chavez claims he’s been in the Greek Theater a whole night before. Pre-architecture sophomore Rachel Lagrange isn’t afraid of the unusual either. She claims to frequently use cardboard from Atkinson Studios to construct a comfy mattress of recycled goodness. Lagrange is fully aware of the snickers when she makes her comfortable palettes. A few other popular napping places
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students enjoy include Stanford Park and the lake between Blake and Herget halls. It would appear that napping on campus isn’t so much about comfort as it is about convenience. “It doesn’t really matter where I am, usually when I nap on campus. I’m too tired to go home, and I don’t really have time anyway,” said kinesiology sophomore Delaney Shea. Students are seeking less crowded and prettier places to squeeze in siestas. The areas they say they prefer to nap are usually near water because of the beautiful scenery, serenity and fresh air. “I guess you can nap inside your room, but that’s boring. I love being outside and just laying around wherever you want to,” said Gabe Hilliard, computer science freshman.
Rather than sleeping indoors, Hilliard and his roommate, photography freshman Michael Fuson, developed their own perfect napping method. Hilliard and Fuson started hanging hammocks in different places every day around 2 p.m. for their naptime. Fuson said every different place they have tried has become the best place— hammock or no hammock. Anywhere could be your ideal napping habitat. It could be Evangeline Hall’s TV room or the Manship Holliday Forum. The dining halls between lunch and dinner and the Coates Hall bathrooms have been suggested for a mid-afternoon nap. “LSU has the best campus for relaxation,” said mass communication sophomore Alli Bixler. “I’m thankful every now and then to just lay my head down and get some much needed rest.”
What can your TIGER CARD do for YOU? STORY MALENA MOREAU »DESIGN ELLIE PLATT
So, some fabulous guest speaker came to campus and you missed it. You can’t seem to make it to the Common Grounds Cafe, which serves free coffee and hot chocolate by the University Lakes, but you will eventually. No doubt college is expensive,
but you may be missing all of your freebies. You’re probably paying for things you don’t even know about. Luckily for you, LEGACY has compiled a list with some of the amazing deals you can get with a Tiger Card.
» The UREC offers discounted camping equipment, standup paddle board rental and swimming and boating gear.
» Career Services offers career assessments, one-on-one career counseling, résumé assistance and coaches students for interviews.
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The UREC’s climbing gym, challenge ropes course and GroupX fitness classes are all free to students.
»The
UREC provides free bike maintenance and kayak/ canoe workshops.
» The Academic Center for Success gives free online and in-person tutoring, organized study sessions and free individual customized learning strategies and plans. » LSU Student Government allows you to
apply for funding for an event, depending on what your student organization needs. For example, homecoming committee received $43,000 this past year.
»
The Bengal Book Group pays for the books members read and discuss together and gives out free snacks at their meetings.
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» The Museum of Natural History specializes in taxidermy and is located by Murphy J. Foster hall, right behind the Subway, free with student I.D.
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The Health Center offers mental health counseling, dietitian and nutrition counseling and medical appointments.
» Fourteen-acre Hilltop Arboretum located on 11855 Highland Road is LSU’s own beautiful garden.
» The Health Center gives free condoms and discounted birth control.
» The Andoine Museum located next to the Lod Cook Alumni Center showcases LSU and football history.
» IT Services gives free anti-virus and Microsoft Office software.
»
You can also check out computers, clickers and other mobile devices with your student ID at the library for a few days.
»
Lynda Campus (lsu.edu/lynda) is free to students and shows tutorial videos for how to do virtually anything on a computer or students can get one-on-one training with another student through training.lsu.edu.
» The Union has a free computer lab and study rooms on the second floor that can be booked at 9 a.m. the day before.
» Louisiana Art and Science Museum located downtown features local and foreign exhibitions if you have a flair for the unique arts. University sponsered groups are admitted for free. CHECK OUT THE ENTIRE List ONLINE AT
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OPINION
was it the best decade? STORY MORGAN SEARLES PHOTOS JORDAN HEFLER DESIGN ROLAND PARKER
Tamagotchis have gone from small, plastic egg-shaped keychains to apps on Androids. Cory and Topanga Matthews will once again grace our televisions, and Slinkies giggle down stairs in a Geico commercial. Toys, games and fashion trends from the ’90s have seen revivals, reboots and upgrades in a nostalgia-fueled renaissance that has captivated Generation Y. But are we really so special for feeling a sense of joy at the rebirth of our childhood loves? Are we actually champions of the ’90s because we restored “All That” to cable television? Hasn’t Nick at Nite been cycling through decade-old shows since 1985? As our generation of young adults occupies colleges across the nation, we continue to identify ourselves with our formative years, throwing ’90s-themed keggers or forking over $5 to listen to bad covers of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at The Spanish Moon. But for an equally crumpled $5, our predecessors can totally jam out to their own blasts from the past at ’80s Night. These excursions — though satisfying — are usually cheap imitations of a real deal we can no longer reach, and chances are you overpaid for the thrill more than the style when you bought those Fresh Prince pants and Urkel glasses from a socalled “consignment boutique.” Businesses have learned to take advantage of your cash-carrying thirst for throwbacks.
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WANT TO LIVE OFF-CAMPUS BUT STAY CLOSE TO THE ACTION? And so have your friends. Do you remember how crappy the Easy Bake Oven was? We make an instant connection with our fellow men and women who also struggled with the cooking powers of a 60-watt light bulb. We feel distant from and even sorry for anyone brave and honest enough to admit they did not have to overcome such an insufficient culinary tool. But we still go bat-shit for any retrograde — any glimmer of reversion our modern world might make — in the hopes that the comfort and security we felt in the third grade might return to our beaten psyche, now so close to the real world (though not “The Real World.” The newer seasons of that crap can go to hell). Side-by-side comparisons illustrate why being a ’90s kid was far superior to growing up post-millennium, and it’s difficult to argue. Of course “Hey Arnold” kicks “Jimmy Neutron’s” ass, and Aaron Carter was leagues ahead of Justin Bieber. Have you heard “That’s How I Beat Shaq”? But stop berating small children for owning iPods at an age when we had Skip-its. I don’t care if Polly-Pocket got a boob job or that Bratz are just slutty Barbies. Get a grip. Even with the resurgence of our favorite toys and the resurrection of familiar television shows, few in the entertainment industry have picked up on the backward trend more than the Internet — with its Reddit addicts, bored-at-work users and the prevalence of content generated by unemployed basement-dwellers. Countless bait-and-switch videos and face-swap memes feature the flaming hair and crazy eyes of Nigel Thornberry. In a smashing crescendo of ’90s mash-up madness, Internet users even began inserting Thornberry’s manic mug into scenes from Disney movies. Now they’re just screwing with us. We find ourselves seeking new ways to connect with and update our cartoon-and-Furby-filled past. What will be on the next Buzzfeed list? Which photo is most throwback-Thursday appropriate for my Instagram audience? Where the hell did my Skydancer fly off to? With the modern age more than accommodating to our fanatics, the best way to travel back in time is to bring the things we love into the modern era. So go ahead, set the DVR for “Girl Meets World.” Download the app for “Saved by the Bell” trivia and buy the new Britney album. But for the love of recess, keep it under control.
LIVE AT
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DEPARTMENT NAME
d e e n u o y e s becau
o d o t G N I H T SOME
. s y a d r u t a s n Betweee textbooks
s school supplie
art supplies
ore.com 70 coopbookst 98 338 522 te Next to Southga 3960 Burbank
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