WINS AWAY
LSU baseball enters the stretch run of the postseason.
Read on page 2
BURNT BACON
LSU baseball tops Arkansas in battle of tournament’s last two SEC teams
BY AINSLEY FLOOD Sports Editor
The Tigers struck first in their College World Series opener with SEC rivals Arkansas, winning 4-1.
As the two highest seeds left in the tournament, winning this matchup may prove to be a championship-defining moment.
“We focus on how we play and how we win probably more than any team in the country,” head coach Jay Johnson said.
“When you’re playing this opponent and in this arena, it’s just finding a way to get it done. I’m proud of the team, and they’ll have to reset and get ready to do it again.”
Out of LSU’s stacked pitching staff, head coach Jay Johnson decided to put the team’s best foot forward with Kade Anderson as their starting pitcher. As the nation’s leader in strikeouts, he’s projected as a first-round pick in the MLB draft. At the top of the second,
LSU’s hitters woke up and got on the board first. After loading the bases, a series of singles and a hit-by-pitch drove three in and ended the inning.
Amid LSU’s runs, Arkansas swapped its ace, Zach Root, after 38 pitches.
Meanwhile, Anderson was still going strong with low pitch counts, one hit allowed and four strikeouts in the first five innings.
“I thought he got stronger as the game went along,” John-
son said. “I thought he executed pitches at a really high level.”
The Tigers were able to hold the Razorbacks to another scoreless bottom inning and earned themselves a comfortable lead of 3-0 for five innings.
“I’ve coached enough games here to know that playing with the lead is really important, and I’m happy our team was able to do that tonight,” Johnson said.
Arkansas finally got its first base hit in the fourth with a single by Wehiwa Aloy, but the chance was promptly shut down by an LSU double play.
After three quick innings, Anderson pitched to Reese Robinett, who was able to send it home for Arkansas’ first and only run of the game.
At the top of the eighth, Steven Milam ran around to third and was batted in by Derek Curiel for an RBI single to stretch the lead.
While defense was still holding solid, Anderson was swapped for Chase Shores after seven innings. The relief pitcher arrived hot and ready, eventually dealing two strikeouts in the inning.
The LSU bats didn’t have anything left in the ninth, and left it all up to defense and new relief pitcher Casan Evans.
Even with three hits, LSU was able to get three swift outs.
The Tigers’ next step will be another primetime matchup in the winner’s bracket, where they will hope to blast by UCLA.
The Bruins came out on top in their afternoon matchup with Murray State, who will play in an elimination game with Arkansas.
LSU will rest on Sunday and return to the field for 6 p.m. CT on Monday.
If the Tigers can win, then an eighth national championship seems all the more likely.
page 7
LSU faces UCLA next in Omaha. What to know
BY ROSS ABBOUD Staff Writer
LSU is set to face off against UCLA on Monday for Game 8 of the 2025 College World Series.
For UCLA, a 6-4 win over Murray State on Saturday advanced the team into the winner’s bracket and for LSU, a 4-1 win over Arkansas got the Tigers here.
UCLA
For pitching, UCLA announced it will roll sophomore Landon Stump out onto the mound. He has a 4.56 ERA through 17 appearances,in which he has thrown 73.1 innings and given up 70 hits with 37 walks while striking out 62 batters.
UCLA sophomore Roch Cholowsky is one of the best shortstops in the country. With a .367 batting average, 23 home runs and 73 RBI, he earned recognition as a Dick Howser Trophy finalist and was named Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
The Bruins’ redshirt sophomore outfielder Payton Brennan is swinging a hot bat in the postseason. With a .514 batting average and an on-base percentage of .548, he leads the team in postseason hitting.
LSU
LSU will put Anthony Eyanson on the mound for Monday night. He has appeared in 18 games, re -
cording a 2.74 ERA through 98.2 innings pitched, and he has allowed only 35 walks while striking out 142 batters, the third-most in the NCAA this season.
Eyanson was born in Long Beach, California, and attended UC San Diego before transferring to LSU for this season. He grew up around the UCLA program.
“I would go a lot when I was a teenager. I would try to go frequently,” Eyanson said. “Just get on the freeway and go to the game.”
On offense, LSU will need to limit the strikeouts after striking out 16 times against Arkansas.
The
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU baseball freshman outfielder Derek Curiel (6) celebrates during LSU’s 4-1 win over Arkansas June 14 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.
PAYTON PRICHARD/ The Reveille
LSU baseball sophomore outfielder Ashton Larson (44) walks on the field before LSU’s 4-1 win over Arkansas June 14 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.
LEGISLATURE
Legislature honors Tate on way out
The Louisiana House of Representatives passed an official resolution Tuesday commending outgoing LSU President William Tate IV for his leadership of the university for the past four years. The Senate passed an identical resolution Thursday.
Tate, who was hired as the university’s president in 2021, accepted a job as the president of Rutgers last month.
“Be it resolved that the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Dr. William F. Tate IV, for his extraordinary accomplishments, courageous leadership, and steadfast dedication to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the Louisiana State University community,” the resolution read.
The House resolution (HR 307) was sponsored by Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge. It was signed by Speaker of the House Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice.
The identical Senate resolution (SR 142) was sponsored by Sen. Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette and signed on the final day of the legislative session.
“I greatly appreciate the warm greetings and well wishes offered by House membership and staff at the state capital,” Tate said in a LinkedIn post regarding the resolution.
Under Tate, LSU adopted goals to become a top-50 research university in the nation and gain accreditation by the Association of American Universities. The university also spent over $540 million on research in the 2023-24 school year, the most in its history.
Tate was the first Black president in LSU’s history, as well as the first of any SEC university.
‘PASSION PROJECT’
Professor adapts app to teach autistic children motor skills
BY LIV TEES Staff Writer
LSU research professor Dr. Nicholas Fears received a $50,000 grant to adapt an app to help autistic preschoolers develop motor skills. The app will teach six different motor skills over 12 weeks using spacethemed games.
The grant is sponsored by the Healthy Weight Research Network, which will aid LSU’s research team to adapt Mission Play, originally developed by Dr. Amanda Staiano at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
“Right now we’re working with families and showing them the app and what it looks like and asking them what would make it easier for their kid to participate,” Fears said.
The goal of the app’s new func-
tions is to equip autistic preschoolers with the foundational skills they need to participate in sports and other activities successfully. The team hopes to begin building the skills at such an impressionable age to better stick with them.
teering with in the community who were asking me how I could potentially apply my research to autism,” Fears said.
According to their research, the LSU team found that 60-80% of autistic children have clinically significant motor difficulties. Staiano’s app provided the strong foundation of motor skills training to allow the LSU research team to take it one step farther.
“Parents are really excited, and one of the reasons is that a lot of these kids are preparing for kindergarten, and they’re either having to do interviews at schools or meet these certain milestones,” Staiano said.
Staiano explained that without proper motor skill development, many autistic children will fall more behind in social settings where playing sports or learning art is a constant struggle. It affects their confidence in a huge way, Staiano said.
Also, kids who are not able to control their bodily movements or coordinate themselves in the classroom fall drastically behind in the academic sector.
will help the kids be confident and support their motor development throughout their life,” Shabani said.
The long term goal for the research team is to continue to support or adapt environments to help autistic individuals live the lives they want to live.
Starting next year, the team will conduct randomized clinical trials with additional funding they received from the Department of Defense.
“I think it’s really important for us as LSU and leaders in Louisiana to think about how we can support people with disabilities and continue to include them in our community,” Fears said.
Growing up, Fears cared for a cousin with down syndrome and a late-stage autism diagnosis. He brought together his affinity for research and helping children with physical or developmental disabilities to create this “passion project.”
“I kept meeting with families that I was volun-
Outgoing president: Gov. Landry’s
Outgoing LSU President William Tate IV revealed his feelings on Gov. Jeff Landry’s campaign to have a tiger appearing on field return to the university’s gameday tradition in an interview with WBRZ.
“It was a little strange,” Tate said in a clip shared by the station in advance of the full interview next week. “That will go down as an epic few months of my life I’ll never get back.”
In the fall, Landry applied heavy pressure and campaigned publicly on social media for LSU to bring back its football gameday tradition of having a live tiger on the field, which the university hadn’t done since 2015.
Eventually, LSU agreed to allow a tiger to appear during halftime of
the Nov. 9 game against Alabama. The tiger was briefly wheeled down the sideline in a cage.
The tiger was not Mike VII, LSU’s official mascot. It was a tiger named Omar Bradley supplied by a Florida man.
“I’m a big Mike fan, so Mike is my tiger,” Tate said in the clip.
The tiger’s appearance was widely criticized by animal rights groups and students. Several petitions against it floated around LSU campus, garnering over 15,000 signatures. LSU’s student government passed a resolution condemning the university’s choice.
Tate announced he’d accepted a job as Rutgers’ president last month.
The void has since been filled by Interim President Matt Lee, formerly the vice president of agriculture and dean of the College of Agriculture.
“We’ve seen that programs that do motor skill development and physical activity can help improve academic performance and classroom behavior,” Staiano said.
Mahda Shabani is a Ph.D. student working with Dr. Fears in this research lab. With a background in occupational therapy, Shabani is no stranger to helping those with physical or developmental disabilities learn life skills. She interviews the families of autistic children to determine what needs they have and what LSU can do to help.
“I enjoy seeing how much the parents love the app and that it
live tiger push was ‘strange’
MIKE THE TIGER
STAFF REPORT
GERALD HERBERT / AP Image
The live tiger rolled into Tiger Stadium in a cage on Nov. 9.
COURTESY OF LSU
Visual from the Mission Play app.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU
Dr. Nicholas Fears
COURTESY OF LSU
Visual from the Mission Play app.
LSU baseball begins its College World Series run with a 4-1 statement win over Arkansas in Omaha, Neb.
Sophomore pitcher Kade Anderson (32) pitches on the mound.
Freshman pitcher Casan Evans (20) pitches on the mound.
Junior designated hitter Ethan Frey (16) runs to first base.
Sophomore infielder Steven Milam (4) celebrates.
Junior infielder Daniel Dickinson (14) walks on the field.
Freshman outfielder Derek Curiel (6) walks on the field.
LSU baseball players huddle before the game.
Photos by Payton Prichard Design by Jayden Slaughter
ENTERTAINMENT
Review: The new Cherrybomb Coffee truck near LSU will blow your mind
BY CHLOE RICHMOND Digital Managing Editor
Calling all coffee connoisseurs – there’s a new coffee truck set up just outside of LSU’s campus on West Chimes Street that should be added to the rotation of your daily caffeine fixes.
Cherrybomb Coffee Co. is bringing its flavors to Baton Rouge “for the long haul” with a new look out of a 1973 Airstream trailer that has never been anywhere else other than its newfound concrete slab home. While new to most, some LSU students may have seen a similar looking trailer parked outside of their sorority once or twice before.
25-year-old Noah McLain was born and raised in Covington, Louisiana, and first started Cherrybomb Coffee when he was a 19-year-old freshman at Southeastern Louisiana University.
“I decided I wanted to roast my own coffee beans, so I started roasting coffee beans in my parents’ garage in 2019,” McLain said. Every step taken on this journey a stepping stone toward the bigger end goal, McLain said. After he got the hang of roasting coffee beans, he built his own coffee cart and started hauling it around southern Louisiana to get the word out about his coffee.
In 2021, McLain upgraded from just a cart to his company’s first trailer, iconically named Clementine. The coffee cart and trailer combo gave Cherrybomb Coffee a boost in exposure – from private events like weddings and baby showers to small pop-ups for LSU Greek Life, word about Cherrybomb Coffee quickly made its way around.
Cherrybomb Coffee also saw its first location open up in Mandeville, Louisiana, in 2021
after the COVID-19 pandemic simmered down. McLain spent the entirety of the pandemic roasting coffee beans and shipping orders around the country, but he was ready to get the ball back rolling. He signed the lease and kept his business moving forward all while managing the demands of being a college student.
“I would skip class to go work sometimes,” McLain said.
McLain graduated in 2022 and it’s been all cherry red for him since. In addition to the Mandeville location, Cherrybomb Coffee expanded to Madisonville, Louisiana, to open its headquarters location in 2023.
Around the time the first location opened up, people from Baton Rouge started to call.
McLain said he was doing multiple catering events and sometimes even hitting two to three sororities a day. The company’s rise in popularity around town led to his desire to open a location in Baton Rouge.
“We got really popular on campus,” McLain said. “The university has hired us to serve
coffee here for special events. Baton Rouge in general, we’re constantly out here … I’ve been looking for a spot here for about a year and a half.”
After a long and hard search, McLain found a concrete slab available for rent that he just couldn’t pass up. He got married a little over two months ago and signed the lease while on his honeymoon, marking the beginning of his newest coffee trailer journey.
While the menu features some of the shop’s popular specialties and traditional classics, there’s also two new drinks available that are LSU-themed and unique to the Baton Rouge location: Mike’s Matcha and Bengal Brew. The trailer also offers CounterSpace baked goods and breakfast sandwiches.
Cherrybomb Coffee is open for business and here to stay throughout the school year at 136 W. Chimes St. During the summer, the trailer is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hours are subject to change once classes begin and football season returns.
PUZZLES
CHLOE RICHMOND / The Reveille
Cherrybomb Coffee Co. trailer sits on June 12 at 136 W. Chimes St., Baton Rouge, La.
KAITLYN HOANG / The Reveille
Mike’s Matcha from Cherrybomb Coffee Co. trailer on June 12 at 136 W. Chimes St., Baton Rouge, La.
SPORTS
BASEBALL BASEBALL
Chris Stanfield wins NCAA Service Award
BY AINSLEY FLOOD Sports Editor
LSU baseball junior outfielder
Chris Stanfield received the inaugural Tony Gwynn Trophy on Friday morning in Omaha for his work with Miracle League in Baton Rouge.
He was selected out of nine finalists for the honor and accepted it alongside head coach Jay Johnson ahead of the opening games of the College World Series.
“I can’t think of a better first recipient than Chris Stanfield because when I think about Tony, I see a lot of Chris in him,” Johnson said. “Both on the field and, more importantly, off the field.”
The NCAA’s newest award honors one college athlete for their community service in memoriam of MLB player Tony Gwynn. He was known for his outstanding dedication to various charities, especially children in need.
Stanfield has been actively involved in Miracle League throughout high school and his collegiate career.
The non-profit organization gives disabled children all over the country the opportunity to play baseball accommodated to their needs. In his first season with LSU, Stanfield pledged $100 to Miracle league for each of his extra base hits or stolen bases.
After transferring from Auburn to LSU for his junior season, Stanfield currently holds a .309 batting average and 28 RBIs as a consistent member of the batting lineup. In the outfield, he boasts 105 putouts in 63 games.
FULLY ARMED
LSU is the ultimate pitcher’s school, Jay Johnson says
Omaha, Neb.
BY ROSS ABBOUD Staff Writer
LSU is arguably one of the best programs in college baseball for major league development. However, for the decade before head coach Jay Johnson took over, LSU had sent only 25 pitchers to the draft.
“When I came here from Arizona, you were going to have Dylan Crews for two years; that was a massive appeal for taking this job,” head coach Jay Johnson said in Thursday’s press conference. “But we had a lot of work to do constructing a College World Series or national championship caliber pitching staff, and I feel like we’ve had that for the last three years.”
In just three seasons at LSU, Johnson has sent 18 pitchers to the MLB Draft. Some names include Paul Skenes, Grant Taylor, Gage Jump and Griffin Herring. Paul Skenes
Skenes was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Skenes went on to be named the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year.
In the 2025 season so far, he has recorded a 1.78 ERA and 97 strikeouts through 14 appearances. His opponents only have a batting average of .176 against him, which is the second lowest among qualified players.
While at LSU, Skenes was named the 2023 Dick Howser Trophy Win-
PREVIEW, from page 2
The Tigers also need to tap into the patience they had at the plate during the super regional round, when they earned 25 free bases in two games versus West Virginia.
LSU will look to get out to an early lead on Monday, as UCLA is 26-1 when scoring first this season.
ner, the 2023 College World Series Most Outstanding Player and the 2023 SEC Pitcher of the Year. He also claimed numerous player of the week awards and All-SEC and All-American honors.
Grant Taylor
Taylor was drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft by the Chicago White Sox. Before he got called up to the MLB on June 10, he recorded 15 appearances, a 1.01 ERA and 37 strikeouts with opponents having a .151 batting average against him in the minor leagues.
During his time in Baton Rouge, Taylor made 17 pitching appearances in his freshman season.
Just one week before the 2023 season opener, he suffered an elbow injury and underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery.
Gage Jump
Jump was selected in the second round in 2024 by the Oakland Athletics and has worked his way up through the Athletics’ prospect rankings. He started the preseason ranked No. 24 and now is ranked No. 2 in the organization.
Jump has appeared in six games for the Lansing Lugnuts, the Class High A affiliate for Oakland, and is currently in the AA class. In his 12 appearances in both classes, he has an 8-2 record, a 1.65 ERA and 83 strikeouts with opponents only having a .185 batting average
UCLA is also a team comfortable playing from behind, as the Bruins own a total of 21 comefrom-behind victories this season.
“I’ve coached enough games here to know that playing with the lead is really important,” head coach Jay Johnson said in his press conference after LSU’s 4-1 win over Arkansas in which it never trailed.
Who leads the Omaha Jell-O Shot Challenge?
There are plenty of things about LSU baseball’s 2023 championship run fans will never forget, like Tommy White’s clutch homers or the twin dominance of Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews.
Situated right along with them? Jell-O shots.
Rocco’s Pizza and Cantina, located within walking distance of Charles Schwab Field, where the College World Series is played in Omaha, has put on a Jell-O Shot Challenge since 2019, and a portion of the proceeds go to food banks in Omaha and in the hometowns of visiting CWS teams.
against him.
Jump recorded one of the rarest feats in all of baseball when he threw an immaculate inning versus the West Michigan Whitecaps on May 7. An immaculate inning is rarer than a perfect game, and it occurs when a pitcher strikes out all three batters in an inning on nine pitches.
Griffin Herring
Herring was also drafted in 2024 by the New York Yankees and currently plays in the High-A class. He has pitched in 10 games in 2025 and owns a 4-1 record, a 1.27 ERA and 64 strikeouts with opponents having a batting average of .174 against him.
Herring spent two seasons at LSU, where he pitched in 39 outings, tallying 84.2 innings, a 2.66 ERA and 108 strikeouts. In 2024, his ERA was down to 1.79 through 50.1 innings with 67 strikeouts.
Jay Johnson’s pitch
It’s clear that under Johnson, LSU has made a huge leap forward in terms of pitching development. Johnson looks to continue that as he has three top-100 draft prospects for 2025 on the current roster in Kade Anderson, Anthony Eyanson and Chase Shores.
So, how does Johnson get these prospects to campus at LSU?
“There’s no better place for a pitcher in the entire country to come right now and develop to be a major leaguer than LSU,” Johnson said.
With LSU’s trip to Omaha, it marked the fourth time that head coach Jay Johnson has competed in the College World Series. However, the game on Monday will be the first time Johnson has competed in the winner’s bracket.
LSU and UCLA face off on Monday at 6 p.m. CT at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.
In 2023, LSU fans ordered a total of 68,888 Jell-o shots during the team’s time in Omaha, the most in the competition’s history by a good margin.
But can they top it? Based on the returns so far from this year’s rendition, they just might.
So far, LSU is well ahead of its pace from 2023.
The same was true for Murray State and Coastal Carolina’s fans on Friday, and the early going looked like LSU fans would have serious competition for the crown.
Since then, LSU fans have pulled away by a lot. As of 5 p.m. Sunday, LSU fans have downed 12,737 Jell-O shots, spending a total of $63,685.
The next closest fanbase is Murray State with 6,117.
Saturday was the first day of LSU baseball competing in Omaha, and while the team topped Arkansas in its opener to continue on in the winner’s bracket, its fans added over 6,000 shots to their total.
The other teams competing in the CWS (and, by proxy, in the Rocco’s Jell-O Shot Challenge) are Arkansas, Arizona, Louisville, UCLA and Oregon State.
Last year’s Jell-O Shot champion was Tennessee with over 30,000 shots. The Volunteers also took home the national championship.
$1 from each $5 Jell-O shot goes toward Rocco’s charity initiative.
PAYTON PRICHARD/ The Reveille
LSU baseball sophomore left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson (32) pitches during LSU’s 4-1 win over Arkansas on June 14 at Charles Schwab Field in
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille LSU baseball junior outfielder Chris Stanfield is presented with a trophy as the inaugural Tony Gwynn Community Service winner on June 13 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
The Rocco’s Jell-O Shot Challenge whiteboard hangs in Rocco’s before the Men’s College World Series June 12 in Omaha, Neb.
OPINION
Dating in college doesn’t have to be hard. Here are some tips
Life in your 20s is interesting.
A part of you feels like it’s the best time to be alive, while the other part is pondering what life after college will look like. While the experiences and opportunities differ from person to person, there are some things that are universal.
The stress of dating in college is definitely universal. There’s no rule set in stone that you have to meet your future spouse in college. I don’t know who started that rumor, but I’m here to tell you that narrative is false.
While I adore hearing about my parents’ meet cute and other 1900s love connections, I can’t help but wonder if that’s out of the picture for me and my fellow 20-somethings.
However, we can’t place the blame on being born in the wrong generation.
It’s time to face facts: It’s us. We don’t know how to communicate.
And I hate to place the blame on one sex, but the male community needs to rewrite a few things in their “How to Date 101” pamphlet. I suggest you retire whatever misogynistic podcast you listen to and pivot to the rom-com hall of fame.
While I can’t speak for all wom-
en, I can speak for some. Most of us want a movie worthy situation we can recap to our girlfriends.
Exhibit A: When you see a girl you’re interested in sitting in a coffee shop, approach her in a non-threatening manner and introduce yourself. While the girl you approach may be too stunned to speak initially, give her a moment to shake her shock off and ask her what her order is.
A little small talk IRL is the way to go. By the way, my order is an iced matcha latte with three pumps of vanilla and almond milk in case you’re wondering. And I’m telling you now, you’ll only see me drink this if it comes straight from the barista. Safety first.
Hear me out, guys: If you’re feeling bold, order her another drink. It’s not necessary but very rom-com worthy. If Ryan Gosling can do it, so can you.
Now walk back to the table, sit down and resume the conversation. I hope you’ve managed to come off cool and safe and far from creepy and stalker-ish.
“I grabbed you another when I ordered mine,” you say, placing the latte on her table.
Once again, I can’t speak for all women, but you’re off to a great start.
And that’s it on your part, sir. You’ve established interest – wait and see if the feeling is mutual. If
yes, you may be invited to remain seated at her table. She’ll most likely start a conversation with you, retrieving important intel such as your name (if that hasn’t already been established), where you’re from, what you’re majoring in, etc.
You should feel proud of yourself for taking a chance and talking to a girl outside of Snapchat or Instagram DMs. This should be enough for you. Don’t be the guy we all talk about who is pushy and weird. If she’s clearly not into you, just move on respectfully. Don’t take it personally – there are other factors to consider, such as bad timing.
And ladies, don’t make fun of a guy who was brave enough to shoot his shot. You’re not responsible for fulfilling his romantic agenda, but everyone deserves kindness and respect especially when it’s given to you first.
Now before you say, “Ava, I would never” or “Ava, if a guy came up to me I would throw up,” blah, blah, blah – I simply say don’t complain that you’re single and there’s no hope for you and your love life.
How do you think your grandpa asked your grandma out? Over a thirst trap? I think not.
I miss when people actually talked to each other. Before there was this dating app and that dating app, people actually talked to each other in person or through love let-
ters, which has become a lost art form if you ask me.
So take my advice. Get up and at ‘em and on the road to meeting your soulmate. At the very least, create a friendship with your date who can potentially set you up with someone you’re more compatible with if y’all aren’t a perfect match. Remember ladies, we’re going for Aidan, not Big.
From my observation, sometimes the dating struggle has less to do with getting into a relationship and more to do with staying in one successfully.
A friend of mine was talking about a date she went on and said she kind of felt bad for the guy. It seemed like he was stressing out about the location of their date.
I’ll let you boys in on a little secret: It doesn’t have to be a fancy steakhouse to score big on the vibe meter. As long as it’s cute and aesthetic, it’s a win.
While I love a wine and dine moment at Mastro’s, Steak 48 and other fine dining establishments I’ve become accustomed to, anyone who’s done a good ole scroll through my Instagram will tell you I love a good quality burger and fries.
My go-to spots are Hopdoddy and Shake Shack in Texas. When in Baton Rouge, The Overpass Merchant and Mid City Beer Garden are favorites. Barracuda Taco Stand
also makes for a great date spot. Not to mention, we’re only an hour away from New Orleans, where you can always make a day of visiting the sculpture gardens in city park and Café Du Monde.
Let’s be real, we’re in college. Who wants to break the bank on a lavish and expensive dinner when grocery shopping is a necessity?
Budget friendly date ideas
• $20 Pizza
• Movies (check your local listings for discount movie day)
• Picnic
• Coffee and a stroll through your local bookstore or vinyl shop
• Museum
• Concert (try finding good shows at small venues such as the House of Blues instead of expensive stadium tours)
• Tennis/pickleball (how Challengers of you)
• Beach/boat day (it is summer after all)
Take these suggestions into consideration when making your summer plans, and who knows? You might be engaged by December. I’m kidding, we’ve got time. Besides, I’ve heard your 30s are flirty and thriving.
Ava Francis is a 22-year-old journalism major from New Orleans residing in Texas.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editorial Policies and Procedures Quote
The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.”
GRAPHIC BY KALEB SEARLE
Jason Willis Editor in Chief