Welcome Back - Student Life 08 16 13

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Welcome Back

Friday, August 16, 2013

Melodi Erdogan • The Daily Beacon

STUDY BUDDIES: inside the orange bottle R.J. Vogt Managing Editor An exam looms at the end of your weekly calendar, menacing in scope and importance. You need to get an A to pass the class; if you don’t, it may set you back in your undergraduate career, costing you more tuition and an extra semester outside the full-time work force.

Just when you begin to let the stress overwhelm you, a friend offers an innocuous pill; 20 mg of Adderall for $3.

Does success now come in orange bottles?

Students across the country are making the decision to pop the pill at increasing rates, and UT is no different.

Attention deficit disorder medications like Adderall and Vyvanse are sweeping across college campuses as students push themselves harder and faster.

Frazier Long, a junior in math and Spanish who has ADHD and a prescription for Adderall XR and Adderall,

WHAT’S INSIDE:

said exam time can be demanding beyond the classroom.

“Well, I don’t sell it,” he said. “But usually on an exam day, about three or four people might ask me to sell it to them.”

The trend is no recent phenomenon; back in 2006, a study conducted at the University of Kentucky, 34 percent of surveyed students said they had used ADHD medications illegally.

Unlike most other illegal substances, which are generally taken for social or entertainment proposes, Adderall and Vyvanse seem to attract students focused on studying.

“Adderall is really easy to find,” said one UT student, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “People even have their own preferences as to what they like better.

R.J. Vogt• The Daily Beacon Everyone I am friends with uses it. It is passed out in groups when we’re in the library.”

Adderall is an amphetamine classified as a Section II federally controlled drug. Selling it is a felony, but the pills litter campuses across the See ADDERALL on Page 2C country, including UT’s.

A note from the SGA president, page 3C

‘Must have’ smartphone apps, page 6C

Project V.E.G.G.I.E., page 10C

2C • THE DAILY BEACON

Friday, August 16, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor R.J. Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

ADDERALL

Students Speak

continued from Page 1 Earlier this year, the Journal of Medical Internet Research published a paper titled “Tweaking and Tweeting: Exploring Twitter for Nonmedical Use of a Psychostimulant Drug (Adderall) Among College Students.”

Lead researcher Dr. Carl Hanson and his team found that 213,633 tweets mentioning the term Adderall were sent out from November 29, 2011 to May 31, 2012.

After controlling for potential product-advertisers, the study found 132,099 unique user accounts that tweeted about Adderall.

The East Tennessee region ranked 10th in the nation for Adderallrelated tweets.

In the report’s discussion section, the researchers suggest that the willingness to tweet about illegal drug abuse may prove insightful to the social norms.

“Social norms theory suggests that individual behavior (eg, drug use) is influenced by individual perceptions of what is perceived as “normal” or “typical,” the report explains. “Also in this regard, even tweets that are sarcastic, joking, or simply restating song lyrics, are relevant in their misrepresentations because of their impact on social norms.”

“During college I

graphic provided by Carl Hanson

This map shows the rate of Adderall-related tweets per 100,000 students. The East Tennessee/ West North Carolina region ranked 10th in the nation.

HOW EASY IS IT TO GET PRESCRIBED? Dr. Ed Smith, a psychiatrist in the Student Health Services building who has worked at UT for 21 years, explained the nearly 2-month long process of acquiring an Adderall prescription through the university. The process was implemented two years ago.

First, a student who thinks he or she may have ADHD must pass a screening test, administered by the Counseling Center or Health Center.

If the doctor considers ADHD a reasonable possibility, the patient is then referred to one of several locations that carry out psychological evaluations. Smith said these evaluations can cost between $150 and $300 dollars and require intelligence tests, questionnaires, computerized tests of focus and ocassionally family interviews.

From passing through screening to receiving an evaluation can take two to six weeks. And if the evaluation suggests the patient as a candidate for Adderall or other amphetamines, meeting with a health professional to obtain a prescription can take another two to four weeks.

The UT process is rigourous, no doubt, but Smith acknowledged that some doctors do not require as much leg work. He has seen it first hand in the health records of previously diagnosed students who have come to get a prescription filled.

“They’ll come in and I’ll say, ‘Okay, let’s get records from your doctor,’” he said. “And the records from the doctor are basically, ‘Patient says they can’t concentrate, let’s try Adderall.’

“I’d say that’s no evaluation whatsoever.”

WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY? POSSESSION OR TRADING: •Tennessee Code Annotated 39-17-418 says that knowingly possessing or casually exchanging a controlled substance is a Class A misdemeanor.

•First and second convictions are punishable by up to one year in jail or a fine up to $2,500, or both. In addition to the fine and prison time, the defendant will be required to attend a drug offender school, perform community service work, or both.

•Third and subsequent convictions are class E felonies and incur a fine up to $3,000 and at least one year in prison, or both.

SELLING: •Tennessee Code Annotated 39-17-401 says that selling a Schedule II substance is a Class C felony, punishable by at least 3 years and no more than 15 years in prison; in addition, the jury may assess a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Adderall dealer tells all + the dangers of taking ADHD medication jump to 16C

would have never known where to get Adderall. I don’t think any of my close friends used it either, but I heard a lot about it around campus. Maybe it’s one of those things where everyone just thinks everyone else is doing it, maybe it’s one of those things I’m out of the loop on... that wouldn’t surprise me.

I never even pulled an all nighter so I don’t know all the tricks.”

- Bekah Baird, class of 2013 alumna in child and family studies

“I feel pressure to take it because others are, and I want to compete. There’s a huge difference between the non-doping student studying for the MCAT and the student who pops a pill every other day. That may be the difference between a 33 and a 36, which is the difference between Wake Forest and Harvard. Between extracurriculars, classes, standardized tests, internships, research, summer programs and graduate school appications – not to mention a social life – how can one not use enhancement?”

- UT pre-medical student, speaking under condtions of anonymity

Friday, August 16, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 3C Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor RJ Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Letter from the President:

The State of UT

Editor’s Note R.J. Vogt

Fall Editor-in-Chief

Welcome back to Rocky Top! It is hard to believe that the summer has come to an end and another semester is here. For me, it seems like just yesterday that I was moving my stuff into North Carrick and applying for Freshmen Council. Now, like many of you, I’m heading into my final year as a student at the University of Tennessee.

This year I have the privilege to serve as your Student Body President. Throughout the year the Student Government Association will be working to promote the wants and needs of the student body to our administration. Whether you are a freshman just starting your time as a Vol or if you’re a senior like me getting ready for your last hurrah, there are a ton of great things in store for this year.

Game-days are always something that students look forward to during the fall semester. This year, SGA has worked with UT Athletics to make the game-day experience even better. When requesting tickets for football games, students used to be limited to groups of 12. This football season you can now request seating with up to 250 other Volunteers. This means that campus organizations or even just large groups of friends can enjoy a game in Neyland Stadium together.

Also, you may have noticed quite a bit of construction in the area. UT is constantly working to improve our campus in order to make it a better place to attend school. What was a pit of dirt at the start of my freshman year is now the Natalie Haslam Music Building, a state-of-the-art facility that will open its doors to students this year. We will also get to see a new addition to the Hill with the opening of •courtesy of UTK SGA the John Tickle Engineering Building.

The continued progress of the Student Union will be SGA President Jake Baker and SGA Vice evident this year, as well as the final stages of construction President Paige Atchley will serve for the of the Fred D. Brown Jr. Residence Hall. Athletics will 2013-2014 schoolyear. also see growth this year, but this is not just limited to our D1 athletes. This year UT will be opening a brand new intramural complex off of Sutherland Avenue to accommodate all of our students participating in sports throughout the year.

To help you navigate around our ever-growing campus, UT recently unveiled a fleet of brand new buses. Not only do these buses have GPS so you can track them all across campus and USB ports so you can charge your phone, but the driver can play “Rocky Top” with just the push of a button.

There are a ton of reasons to be excited about being a student at the University of Tennessee, but being a Vol is about much more than just showing up to class and going to football games. To truly be a Vol, be sure to stay involved in campus life and check out one of our 300+ student organizations. Seniors already know that once you’re a Vol, you’re a Vol for life. To all of our new Volunteers, you are becoming a part of a southern tradition that has been growing since 1794. This week you are not just being welcomed to campus, but you are being welcomed to our family.

This year, I don’t want to just be a name you occasionally see in The Daily Beacon. I’m a student just like you, and I am here to help make UT a better place. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. The Student Government Association is constantly working to promote student needs on campus.

We are here to serve you. Be sure to stop by and meet us this week when you are checking out all of the awesome Welcome Week events. Good luck this semester and Go Vols!

Jake Baker Student Body President Senior in Political Science

would protect our floors from all that glue?

As editor-in-chief this fall, I will devote myself to consistently bringing your news and your truth to 10,000 papers a day.

And as the Internet continues to grow, the Daily Beacon website will simultaneously continue to evolve, bringing your news and your truth to the web, worldwide.

We’ve never competed well in the 24-hour Social Media Age; this year, we start. And you can tweet that.

On @UTBeacon_Sports, sports stories will break; from there, the stories will evolve on our website and within our printed pages. Using a more analytical approach than years past, the sports staff will accurately cover UT’s 18 men’s and women’s NCAA Division I teams.

On the Arts & Culture pages, our writers will continue to collect interviews and feature stories on a wide variety of artists, both locally and nationally renowned. Music, art, poetry, film, comedy… you name it, we’ll write it.

Also new this year, the opinions section will look different, with a stronger fleet of columnists and a re-dedicated commitment to student and faculty perspective. If a newspaper is a medium of information, then our opinions page will communicate ideas.

As for news, we will bring you every story we can find. Whether a simple lecture review or a more in-depth investigative piece, our news will be your news, the truth you need to know from the brand you trust to write it.

It’s a tradition at The Daily Beacon, covering the truth. Last year alone, this paper covered three national news stories and worked alongside ESPN and CNN. In years past, we have launched the careers of the likes of Woody Paige (The Denver Post, Around the Horn) and Gene Wojciechowski (ESPN).

Despite our long and noteworthy history, however, our duty lies in always leaning forward toward the next big story on the horizon. We aim to reliably outline tomorrow in ink and journalistic integrity.

We aim to set you free.

If you’re reading this wondering, “with what chains am I enslaved?” then be sure to read every Beacon you can get your hands on, cover to cover.

The chains you don’t know endanger you; they are the chains we seek to destroy.

This paper is about the relationship between you and your truth.

You readers, you students, you professors, you administrators, you athletes, you employees, you fans, you Vols.

You. And your truth.

Maybe you remember orientation leaders describing campus traditions such as yelling “Big Orange County!” and hearing a resounding “Go Vols!” (Not true, if you’ve ever tried it.)

Maybe you remember the first time you sang “Rocky Top, you’ll always be/ home, sweet home, to me” with more than 100,000 fellow bearers of The Orange and White.

If you’ve yet to make that memory, maybe you’re hungrily anticipating the day you do.

(Aug. 31, 2013 vs. Austin Peay: I’ve got it circled on my calendar.)

Maybe – surely – you’ve seen the phrase “Big Orange, Big Ideas,” a branding campaign that has received criticism and praise for its single-minded approach to life on campus.

But with all these mottos, you may have forgotten the official motto upon which UT is founded. Maybe you’ve never even heard it.

“Veritatem cognoscetis et veritas te liberabit.”

It’s okay – I don’t know Latin either.

Thankfully, The UT official school motto can be easily translated into English: “You will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

Whether an apprehensive freshman or an even more apprehensive senior, these words should strike a chord within all of us. They should not sink into the forgotten crevasses of our over-stimulated minds, but instead settle deeply into the daily ritual here on Rocky Top. At a school that promises to unchain its students from lies, then, The Daily Beacon is the key to the lock.

We are your truth-seekers, an editorially independent media outlet that has existed through the students and for the students since 1871.

We are the diligent fingers on the campus pulse, checking daily on the life-blood of a campus community nearly 40,000 strong.

We are also your crossword puzzle proR.J. Vogt is a junior in College Scholars vider and the fodder of countless homecom- and can be reached at rvogt@utk.edu. ing floats; without this newspaper, what

4C • THE DAILY BEACON

Friday, August 16, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor RJ Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Marijuana grows more acceptable in America Victoria Wright Editor-in-Chief

Can you smell it? There’s a growing scent of approval in America today, and its not just college kids or musicians.

The Pew Research Association conducted a survey, showing that 52 percent of Americans approve of the legalization of marijuana.

The report, which was conducted in March among 1,502 adults, found that young people are the most supportive of it.

While a distinct culprit cannot be tied to the rising approval rates, a clue could stem from the everpresent representations of marijuana and other smoking practices in the media. What’s not always shown in the movies, however, are the health effects of using such practices.

Films such as Book of Revelations comedy “This Is The End” (2013), starring popular comedians Seth Rogen and James Franco, center much of the dialogue and character development around weed. The same concept was seen in the movie “Ted” (2013), which featured Mark Walhberg befriending an animated talking teddy bear slacker with a vulgar tongue and a constant trail of marijuana smoke streaming from his sewn-together mouth.

Adam Cureton, professor in philosophy, offered a theory on the growing dissonance of acceptance of the drug.

“One of the reasons attitudes about marijuana are changing is that many of us have sick or elderly friends and relatives who benefit from using marijuana, or who could benefit from doing so,” Cureton said. “And we wonder whether the arguments against legalization are strong enough to deny relief to these people. It also seems that marijuana use is reaching a critical mass in which people can see for themselves whether the supposed

ill effects of using the drug are real or not.”

Cureton also said that stereotypes surrounding the drug are shrinking, specifically regarding how white, middle-class Americans are using the drug.

One image in popular media reflecting this was Showtime’s “Weeds” ( 2005-2012), which was a comedy surrounding a suburban mother who turned to drug dealing after the death of her husband.

While popular media seems to be filled with images and messages of weed, it’s just that; the less glamorous aspects of the drugs are often omitted, such as the studies behind the longterm usage of the drug.

Rosa Thomas, a wellness coordinator for UT Student Health, said many of the health concerns revolve around supposed decreases in long and short term memory and learning. It is also widely considered a hindrance to a - Adam Cureton, person’s long-term professor of philosophy ability to organize and generate complex information.

“If you can’t focus and you can’t concentrate, then it would make it really difficult to study,” Thomas said.

Thomas said that the practice of smoking marijuana is dangerous in similar ways as smoking hookah. In a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the charcoal used to heat the tobacco in hookah contains toxins linked to lung cancer.

But despite the health implications, smoking “ganja” seems to be on the rise. In the same Pew Research Assocation study, a reported 48 percent of adults admitted to trying marijuana, with 12 percent saying they smoked within the last year.

Senior in theater Thomas DeMarcus said there is a skewed depiction of weed in the media, but not necessarily in a positive way.

“The media-majority would have everyone in fear that the passing of certain marijuana laws will lead to ‘reefer madness’ and a society of broke, jobless hippies,” DeMarcus said.

“Movies have a knack for portraying marijuana smokers as dysfunctional losers whereas I have friends who are fully-functional (and occasional) weedsmokers. Moderation is key.

“THIS is an unstable situation that, over time, is likely to result in a change in the law. If such change does not occur, trust in and obedience to the law in general is likely to be undermined for some people.”

• Designed by Dillon Canfield with data from the Pew Research Center

Marijuana acceptance and usage has been on the rise in the United States during the last 20 years, and almost half of those surveyed say they have tried the drug.

“We have no problems pointing the finger at alcohol abuse and obesity and yet alcohol and fast food are legal in all 50 states.”

DeMarcus said that the media also places a substantial amount of focus on the negative side effects of smoking weed.

“I think a majority of people focus on ‘side effects’ as a negative thing,” DeMarcus said. “Marijuana has potential positive side effects, and yet, it seems the good never outweighs the bad. While the focus might be on ‘drug use,’ ‘lung-cancer,’ ‘memory-loss’ and ‘laziness,’ one could argue that it is also ‘muscle relaxing,’ ‘pain-relieving’ and ‘seizure/ migraine/MS preventative.’”

Some studies of long term use of marijuana show positive side-effects of smoking the drug, such as smaller waistlines and lower levels of insulin. However, the findings weren’t enough to prove that long term use of the drug keeps users slim while fighting disease.

As the discussion of national legalization of the drug continues, studies will continue to be conducted on both sides.

“I think the laws are the laws but, while I don’t necessarily agree with them the way they are currently, acceptance is growing,” DeMarcus said, “But I’m not entirely sure usage is growing along with that.”

Cureton said that legislation change is inevitable considering the rising acceptance of the drug, but some divide will still remain among the masses.

“For many people, one of the main obstacles to marijuana use is simply that it is illegal even though they can see little good reason why marijuana is a controlled substance,” Cureton. “This is an unstable situation that, over time, is likely to result in a change in the law. If such change does not occur, trust in and obedience to the law in general is likely to be undermined for some people.”

Marijuana Nation

•courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

States with legal medical marijuana States with decriminalized marijuana possession laws States with both medical and decriminalization laws States with legalized, recreational marijuana

Friday, August 16, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 5C

6C • THE DAILY BEACON

Friday, August 16, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor RJ Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Which App is your match?

From finding your true love to keeping track of your healthy habits, applications allow for a variety of tools any one with a smart phone can access. These free applications are guaranteed to help you out throughout your college career.

Tinder

Dating scene moves to smartphone screen Victoria Wright Editor-in-Chief

The setting of a cluster of college hopefuls in a single, social setting and searching for a mate is not a new concept — in fact, it’s often the scene of many twentysomethings’ Friday nights.

But a free dating application called Tinder, which brings that common dating ritual to a phone interface, has steadily gained popularity.

The method is as simple as the app’s aim. Using Facebook to pull user profile pictures, a person’s image appears on a user’s phone. If you like what you see, you swipe right. If you don’t, then you swipe to the left. The pattern continues until one fateful moment when two people like the one another’s pictures and they have an opportunity to share an online conversation.

Android and iPhone users who use the app receive pictures of people in their area, and swipe decisions remain anonymous. The app is comparable to the early days of hotornot.com, which compiled pictures of people and allowed users to judge their attractiveness based simply on their image.

Since its inception last September, Tinder has logged 2.4 billion profile ratings and 21 million matches.

Essentially the app tackles what many humans are afraid of: the shallow reality of denying the advances of someone based upon their physical appearance.

“I think it’s cool how if the other person likes you too it

Users can rate fellow members on a ‘hot or not’ basis. If both users rate each other as ‘hot,’ they are able to text through the app.

LuLu

LuLu allows women to anonymously rate guys in their circle via Facebook connection. The rates are based on a predetermined scale and hashtags. It’s essentially an online burn book.

BlackBoard

Check your grades anywhere; this app is perfect for the times when you need to check BlackBoard but don’t have your laptop with you.

TransLoc

Keep track of the university buses’ locations with this app. It lets you know where the T is so you aren’t standing around in the rain.

Instagram

Post interesting photos or just selfies with your friends with Instagram.

Now with video capabilities, you can post clips longer than you could with Vine.

MyFitnessPal

Keep the Freshmen 15 away with the help of this app. It tracks your calorie intake and diet plan and also knows nutrition facts for up to 200,000 foods.

SnapChat

This app allows you to send pictures and video clips to your friends for a preset number of seconds until they delete. SnapChat will alert you if a screenshot of your photo has been taken.

StudyBlue

This is an app that allows students to compile their class notes and study material to share with others. The flash card function is great for studying on the go.

Tennessee

UT’s app that has a directory, calendar of events, maps information about the T, etc. all in one place. This makes things a little easier for students, especially incoming freshmen.

Songza

A music streaming app that has the perfect tunes for any occasion, whether it be relaxing or working. It’s 100 percent free and has no commercials.

“I

think it’s probably good for people who are a little shy, and maybe they’ll be more willing to talk to somebody and put themselves out there in a way that they couldn’t before.”

- AMBERLY KELLEY, GRADUATE STUDENT

tells you you but if they don’t it’s not going to tell you they rejected you,” said Madison Ricks, senior in audio and speech pathology.

Ricks has only had the app for a couple of days and said she’s still getting acclimated to the process. While she yas yet to receive any strange messages from her matches yet, her friend, who suggested she try the app, received some pretty forward responses.

“My friends have gotten people planning out dates and (the other person) hasn’t even talked to them (my friends) before,” Ricks said. “It’s entertaining because people say some weird things.

“That’s the only real thing you have to go off of — just off looks,” she said. “Personally I don’t think anybody on it has taken it seriously. I just think it’s more of a game than actually dating. If you really wanted to do that, I think you would just make a profile and do online dating.

Amberly Kelley, graduate student in recreation therapy, said she is not surprised by the popularity of the program because of the large amount of social media dating applications already on the market.

She said frequent use of such technological avenues is having an impact in how we socialize.

“I think it’s probably good for people who are a little shy and maybe they’ll be more willing to talk to somebody and put themsleves out there in a way that they couldn’t before,” Kelley said. “A lot of our generation is becoming way to dependent on social media and attached to our phones.”

Ricks concurred with Kelley’s sentiments, noting that the use of social media sites for dating has created a superficial outlook on relationships and inevitably hindered hopefuls from connecting to others.

“We instantly go look at Facebook and form our own judgement (on people),” Ricks said. “People already have things figured out before they even meet someone face to face. I don’t think that’s fair.”

Friday, August 16, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 7C Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor R.J. Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Blogs offer everyday users a shot at opinion-based internet identity Gabrielle O’Neal Staff Writer Since the inception of the World Wide Web in 1990, users have been finding different ways to keep up with and document news and opinions.

Blogs have become the simplest way for people to publish their own work. A number of different platforms offer anyone with an email account an opportunity with a free URL and an online space with barely any limitations. Blogs allow for interactivity that allow other users to comment on posts, and they can be used as a means of social networking. Most blogs are typically textual, but they can take on different types of media such as video blogs, known as vlogs, photography blogs and even audio blogs, most commonly known as podcasts. Microblogs, smaller than the typical blog, is something of the Twitter nature.

Many different types of people use blogs, such as politicians, celebrities and even students. There are niche blogs also that span many subjects from fashion, to cooking and entertainment.

“I decided to make a blog at the beginning of the summer,” said Jessica Carr, a sophomore in journalism and electronic media who writes a cooking blog.

Carr’s blog covers a number of recipes as well as restaurant explorations in Louisiana, where she is spending the summer.

“I knew that I would have some free time from school to really work on it and devote the time I needed to make it worth reading,” she said.

Blog entries can gain more attention with the help of social media, as they hold more information than a post on Facebook or Twitter could.

“I created my blog about three years ago as a way to

write movie reviews and gain a larger audience to create more interaction,” said Zach Dennis, a senior in journalism and electronic media who writes the blog www. filmthoughtsbyzach.blogspot.com.

There are a number of blogging platforms to choose from, each appealing to what type of blog someone wants to create. For example, Tumblr is typically best for photos, gifs and videos while platforms like Blogger and Wordpress are better suited for textual post.

“I chose Blogger because it was simple to use and was also free,” Dennis said.

According to critics, Blogger is the most popular blogging platform used today.

“The best part of Blogger is how simple it is to use,” Dennis said. “It is pretty much just point and click and doesn’t take too much knowledge of websites to use.

The worst part though is also that simplicity.

“While it doesn’t hurt my blog, I feel like having it look more like a website rather than a blog would be better and Blogger lacks that.”

Carr’s blog is a part of the WordPress community. She said she opted for Wordpress because of good reviews.

“I heard from a lot of friends that use WordPress (say) that it’s easy to use and you can get some good readership without having to pay any money,” Carr said.

WordPress is also a popular platform because of its simplicity and the way it allows bloggers to be creative.

“The best is being able to create layouts that I want and creatively showcase my restaurant reviews with pictures to help my audience see what foods I’ve reviewed and created,” Carr said.

But like most sites, WordPress also has its downsides.

“The worst is trying to get the picture layouts just right,” Carr added. “Sometimes it’s hard to do the coding and sizing of the images I want shown on my blog.”

Want to blog? Here’s a few places to get started A blog, a contraction of the words web and log, is a discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web made up from a number of posts which are usually presented in reverse chronological order. Blogging grew out of the late 1990s after the invention of web publishing tools and today there are about 181 million blogs in the world, according to Nielson. There are many blogging platforms to choose from all of which can fit a variety of needs.

WordPress ss

Tumblr

Pros: Great for photos, customizable, easy to learn Cons: Not good for large text entries, unprofessional, past problems with spam and security Verdict: This platform has great tools for those who want to share photos and gifs by liking and reblogging, but is not the best choice for a professional website.

Blogger

Pro: Free, large community, good for text entries, can be installed into web server Cons: Can be difficult to design, past security flaws and issues, not good for extremely high traffic Verdict: WordPress is a good tool for those who want a more text heavy blog and is a step up from Tumblr from a professional standpoint. p

Squarespace pace

Pros: Free, integrated with Google + and Microsoft Word Cons: Cannot be installed into web server, limitations on content storage, limited size of pages, picture size, number of pictures, etc.

Verdict: With its many limitations, Blogger is not for those who want a larger blog.

Pros: Drag and drop interface, more professional, displays properly on any device Cons: Varying cost from $10 to $30 per month, few add on features, not community oriented Verdict: A more professional place to host a blog but might not be a good choice for college students who can’t afford a bill for $30 a month.

Social networks, studying enhanced by smart phones Gabrielle O’Neal Staff Writer

It’s no secret smart phones are the prime mobile devices used.

With 53 percent of college students using smart phones, young users have a plethora of apps ranging from study help to social networking.

One of today’s most popular apps is SnapChat, which allows people to instantaneously send pictures to their friends that will delete after a set amount of seconds.

“The main reason I like it,” said Honna Miller, a senior majoring in Honors philosophy and political science, “Is that when I studied abroad, I

made a lot of friends who live abroad, and it lets me communicate with them pretty easily.”

In addition to pictures, SnapChat also allows a video component that lets users record short clips to send to friends.

“The fact that we can pretty much instantaneously send each other videos and pictures is what makes it so cool to me,” Miller said.

Apps for social media are just as popular for times when people are not near their computers.

“I’m a pretty active tweeter,” Miller said. “So I definitely use my Twitter app a lot, but I don’t know if I would say that it’s a favorite or anything, as I mostly just use it out of necessity.”

“I like Twitter and GroupMe,” said Anitra Selmon, a senior majoring in sociology. “I also like the ZipCar app. It’s pretty simple and super convenient. If I want to rent one of the Zip Cars

I can in a minute.”

There are also apps that pertain to dating and relationships. Tinder allows users to rate fellow members as ‘hot or not’ and if the same users both rate each other positively, they can communicate through the app.

Lulu allows female members to anonymously rate the guys in their circle via a Facebook connection. Both are increasingly popular, albeit controversial.

“I definitely think they’re super sleazy, to say the least,” said Miller in regards to the dating applications. “I think programs that give people the ability to rate other people the same way you rate a movie or an album are way out of line and only reflect the seemingly intense superficiality that seems so mainstream nowadays.”

While apps are mainly known for their ability

to keep people entertained on the go, they can also be helpful when it comes to studying.

“I’ve been using StudyBlue to host my notes and compare my notes and study guide to other students’ since I started (at) UT,” said Miller.

“They also have a pretty nice flashcard maker.

It’s definitely more convenient than traditional flashcards, because all I have to do to study is take out my phone.”

Even colleges like the University of Tennessee have also gotten into having their own apps. The new Tennessee app has everything a UT student needs right at the click of the button.

“I would recommend the UT app [to incoming freshmen],” said Selmon. “It has maps, game schedules, academic resources and info about the T. Those are things I wish I had when I first came here, especially the map.”

8C • THE DAILY BEACON

Friday, August 16, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor R.J. Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Computer program gives online surfers complete anonymity McCord Pagan Staff Writer

Thanks to the now infamous disclosure of Edward Snowden, Americans today have a much firmer grasp on how much of their online activity is cataloged in vast governmental data servers.

Some 500,000 daily users have turned instead to a different sort of online activity: anonymity.

Project Tor is one of many organizations that offers layered encryption to its website. Officially known as The Onion Router, a play on the several layers of encryption undertaken by the software, the website was originally built by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory for more secure inter-governmental communications.

By sending a user’s information through several layers of encryption and rerouting information all over the world, the program makes it exceedingly more difficult for anyone to track a user throughout the web. While it slows connection speeds and disables videos and Adobe software, Tor provides a means for individuals in repressed countries to communicate without the burden of government eavesdropping.

The program requires a one-time download from torproject.org.

Tor sends data through thousands

“ There is a

tradeoff: internet speed for internet anonymity ... For everyday browsing, I find it to be a bit overkill.”

-Kevin Nolan, senior in jazz studies and computer science and user of the Tor Network

of ‘nodes’ or computers specifically set up to reroute information and mask the source of the connection. The more nodes Tor has, the more user capacity is available.

According to a 2011 Wall Street Journal article, the last node in a user’s connection is the most dangerous, as whoever owns that computer can then be found by authorities. In more than a few cases, law enforcement has questioned, and in one case, filed charges against the owner of a node, as any and all data Tor data, including in that case child pornography, will appear to be coming from that computer, even though the owner has no control, and no knowledge of what may come through.

“The key to all privacy, not just online, is control over what you share with whom,” Kevin Nolan, rising senior in jazz studies and computer science, said. “Online this becomes much more difficult, and thus much more important, because there are automated ways to force you to share more information than you might be comfortable with unless you’ve explicitly shut them down.”

However, the nature of the software makes it so that no one, not even Tor, is able to reveal a user’s location, even to authorities. This anonymity has also allowed for the rise of numerous hidden services, websites that would likely be shut down if hosted in a public place.

Instead, hidden service websites are hosted anonymously, meaning that only the creators of the site are able to shut the site down.

Silk Road, one of the many sites only accessible through the Tor network, creates a sort of Amazon.com for the black market, excluding child pornography and assassinations, leaving all manner of illegal drugs, books for breaking into ATMs and fake IDs. While Tor Project in no way condones this use of its software, it is not in a position to stop it either, and sees the benefits far outweighing the harm.

“Tor aims to provide protection for ordinary people who want to follow the law. Only criminals have privacy right now, and we need to fix that,” Tor states on its website.

The site also points out that dedicated criminals possess far greater capabilities thanks to the bounty of elite hacking software that goes beyond the promise of anonymity.

Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon

Project Tor, which stands for The Onion Router, uses several layers of encryption to offer users the ability to web-browse without any identifying information. Many black market traders employ this technique to buy and sell illegal material.

“We write tools to let people all around the world change the world in the way they think their world needs to be changed,” Tor programmer Roger Dingledine said in a 2011 lecture entitled “How Governments have tried to block Tor.” Tor was originally released in 2003 and according to USA Today receives much as 80 percent of its $2 million-ayear budget from different facets of the US government, as it is a very useful tool for dissidents around the world to protect themselves from their government.

Another option for web-protection is Tails, a program that creates a downloadable alternate operating system exclusively for browsing the web. As computers still interact with the web in ways besides a browser, Tails allows one’s computer to run all of its data through the Tor network, creating yet another level of security. The website,

found at tails.boum.org, is also free to download and leaves no trace of the program when it is disconnected.

Tor Project is actively blocked by several countries around the world, including Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait all block direct access to Tor, with some claiming it is an unsafe website.

According to Tor, however, the software is widely used by activists to stay anonymous as well as law enforcement who need to avoid being seen to use a police IP address.

In addition, the use of anonymityenabling software can protect all kinds of whistleblowers, from those in the United States, to China and Africa.

Social activist groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Global Voices have used or recommended Tor for breaching governmental firewalls and anonymous blogging.

Tor does not require technical skill to install or use, however, it does come at a cost.

“I think Tor is a wonderful thing, but it’s not for everyone,” Nolan said.

“There is a tradeoff: internet speed for internet anonymity. When your internet query is going through nine nodes before reaching Google, speed has to suffer. For everyday browsing, I find it to be a bit overkill.”

There are many ways to stay safe online, but ultimately the choice is up to the user whether or not to make the choice.

“The internet was never designed to be private in the first place ---- the anonymity of the early internet was a side-effect of its infancy as a technology. … However, I do think that there will always be ways to maintain anonymity on the web for those who want it,” Nolan said.

Friday, August 16, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 9C

10C • THE DAILY BEACON

Friday, August 16, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor RJ Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon

Hidden between tennis courts and a parking garage, the Project V.E.G.G.I.E. garden creates a learning opportunity and food for students.

Community garden freshens up Rocky Top Melodi Erdogan Arts & Culture Editor

Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon

Carter McVeigh, a UT student who participates in Project V.E.G.G.I.E., inspects the broccoli in the garden.

The student organization Project V.E.G.G.I.E., Vols Educating about Growing Gardens and Inspiring Environmentalism, has benefited from the extra rainfall this summer.

The wet weather provides a green, healthy prospect for the young but growing organization that is UT’s first ever community garden.

The group was co-founded two years ago by students Candice Lawton, junior in sustainability, and president Neil Brown, junior in chemical engineering. By maintaining a small garden adjacent to Andy Holt Tower parking garage, the organization maintains their objectives: to educate students on sustainability, encourage community gardening and provide students with a healthier standard of living.

“It’s a way for students to save money while they’re eating and learn about gardening and sustainability and maybe when they go out into the real world they can start some community gardens in their neighborhoods,” Brown said.

The organization’s faculty advisor is Michael McKinney. With help from McKinney, the group is hoping to get more funding for future events and endeavors, as the member fee is a small contribution of $10. Brown is hoping for enough funds to create a mural on the asphalt section of the garden, have planter boxes and a worm composting bin.

Valentino Constantinou, rising senior in quantitative economics, said he first joined because he has a “passion and love for gardening,” but then began to see the group’s main objective.

“In the beginning it was because of my love of gardening,” Constantinou said. “Now it’s more of a sustainable economics approach.

As an economist I see a lot of what goes on in the market, especially for food, but it’s not only good for the environment to farm yourself and grow your own vegetables.

“It’s good for your own pocket, but not only that, it helps weed society off of being completely dependent on our current food producers.”

In addition to new features to the garden, a paid internship position of around 10 hours

of work a week is in the works and will soon become available.

“It’s almost like a full time job,” Brown said of maintaining the garden. “There’s a lot of things that need to be worked out and a lot of delegating to go on since we can’t be here 24/7.”

During the summer, students can join the organization for a fee of $10. Members will have the opportunity to maintain the garden and have access to the fresh fruits and vegetables grown there. The membership fee will rise come fall semester to an undecided amount, Brown said.

“I hope [new members] learn a lot and get really involved,” Brown said. “If they can’t come work that’s fine, but I hope they come out enough so that they benefit from the organization. I would hate to see all the food go to waste.”

Brown said that many students can benefit from being involved with Project V.E.G.G.I.E., even though it may be more convenient for upperclassmen.

“We know that there aren’t many amenities for cooking in the dorms, but for instance, summer squash, you can throw that into pan and have it cooked in three minutes,” Brown said. “Dining doesn’t offer the most tasteful options and if you try and go off campus and buy your own groceries it can get really expensive really fast.

“Even if we were where we wanted to be, maxed-out working, freshman wouldn’t get the most benefit, but the people who would get the most benefit would be those who have access to kitchens.”

Ultimately, Constantinou said that his love for gardening has only broadened since joining Project V.E.G.G.I.E. “My favorite part about Project V.E.G.G.I.E. is not only coming here to connect with the earth, it’s kind of humbling, but the other aspect for me is just meeting with people and working and becoming closer to them,” Constantinou said. “We really encourage everyone to come out here and get their hands dirty, and everyone gets to take a little home at the end of the day.”

Project V.E.G.G.I.E. is always accepting new members and volunteers. You can like their page on Facebook at Project VEGGIE at www.facebook.com/ProjectVeggie.

Friday, August 16, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 11C Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor RJ Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon

The UT Farmers Market runs from May 15 to Oct. 23 at the UT gardens and offers a bounty a of healthy, locally-grown products.

Farmers Market provides steady wholesale for locals Hayley Brundige Staff Writer

The Farmers Market is about halfway through its fourth season at UT, but that has not slowed down patrons and vendors from attending for a variety of reasons.

About 25 vendors come from within UT and around the Knoxville community to sell their produce and other goods, come rain or shine. There is a wide variety of goods sold at the market, including home-made soap, granola, fruits, herbal teas, vegetables and baked goods.

The market, which takes place every Wednesday at the UT Gardens off Neyland Drive, runs from May 15 to Oct. 23.

There are several other Farmers Markets in Knoxville, including one downtown in Market Square, but the vendors at the UT market said there is something that sets it apart.

“It is a smaller market, but it has such a good vibe. We’ve got a good mix of students, staff and regular folk,” said Melanie

Wheeler, owner of VG’s Bakery, which is known for its “hand pies” and savory biscuits.

“I like this market too because this is the destination,” Wheeler said. “You go to Market Square and you might be going down there for a restaurant or something, but here the market is what people come for.”

The vendors at the Farmers Market vary in age and background, from UT students to farmers in their late 70s, but every person is committed to producing healthy, locally-grown products. And that means organic, non-GMO food, with no additives or preservatives.

“You should never eat anything unless you know exactly what it is,” Dr. Carole Cox said, who runs the Brewers Mushrooms booth. She claims her mushrooms help combat disease and enhance the immune system.

Several booths are run by student interns, selling honey products from bee labs on campus, plants from the UT greenhouses and produce from a farm run exclusively by

UT students.

Manny Deleon, rising senior in environmental soil science, said growing his own food and working at the Farmers Market has taught him about where exactly his food comes from.

“You learn what the books tell you, but then you actually learn from hands-on experience things that the books can’t possibly show you,” he said while standing in front of the tables overflowing with beans, potatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes and squash from the acre of farmland run by three UT students.

There is entertainment, programs for children and demonstrations going on every week, including “Tomato Fest,” an event that took place last week in celebration of the tomato crop.

Recently, a service project called “Grow More, Give More” was introduced in conjunction with the UT farmers market by the Institute of Agriculture. UT Market Manager, Becca Harman, said the program was started as an effort to combat hunger in Knoxville, where an estimated 840,000

people go hungry each year.

“We just ask for donations of fresh produce from anyone who has extra or is willing to buy some specifically for this purpose. It’s really important that the food we are giving away is healthy and nutritious,” Harman said.

The food is distributed to local charitable organizations and donations for can be brought to the drop-off locations on the Agriculture campus or to the Farmers Market every Wednesday.

Customers of all ages are welcome to explore and join the community of neighbors helping neighbors.

“It’s all about relationships,” said Harman.

“People come to the market because they want to know who is making their bread and growing their tomatoes. People think financially they can get a better deal here and also they’re supporting their neighbors, but mostly it’s about forming those relationships.”

The UT Farmer’s Market runs every Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. at the UT Gardens off of Neyland Drive.

12C • THE DAILY BEACON

Friday, August 16, 2013

STUDENT LIFE

News Editor R.J. Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Vendor connects with UT community McCord Pagan Staff Writer

For the past five years, students and staff alike have all found a reliable midday snack underneath the colorful umbrella at Campfire Grill, a hot dog stand that can be found at the western end of pedestrian walkway Mondays through Fridays.

But who is the man behind the franks?

Bill Thomas, a co-owner for the past five years, mainly operates the stand.

Thomas was a plumbing contractor before he got his start in the hot dog stand and has not looked back since he changed careers.

“I most enjoy the interaction with the people, my goal is to brighten their day, it just makes for a more enjoyable experience,” Thomas said as he slipped into an easy smile. “I love working with people, it is much better than crawling under sinks.”

Thomas got into the hot dog stand business about five years ago when his contracting business started to slow down, forcing him into a part-time role.

His son’s stepfather, Jason Thurston, stepped in and introduced Thomas to the Campfire Grill company.

The main restaurant, located in Townsend, Tenn., has a five star rating on tripadvisor.com.

Thurston, the owner of the company, operates from Townsend while Thomas works mainly at the campus location.

Thomas said he attends local festivals, such as the recent Native American Flute Festival, with his stand and spends his weekends supplying food for the rest stop Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina. He said he enjoys the company of the students when he is on campus and has gotten to know many of them.

“The students here are very polite and enjoyable to be around,” Thomas said.

“I even get to hear what classes they’re taking, and I like hearing their updates on their grades and what they want to do in life.”

While he does not take any extra time when serving his customers, Thomas always seems to have time for a polite chat with those who come by.

Although the stand is still small enough to be packed into the back of a truck, its seemingly bottomless compartments offer efficiency to Thomas, who serves customers swiftly by pulling condiments from the endless storage.

He began coming on campus full-time at the start of the last spring semester, when he took a more active role in the operation of the stand as Thurston moved more into the restaurant.

The Campfire Grill hot dog stand can be found at the very end of Pedestrian Walkway behind the Clarence Brown Theatre Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Despite many students leaving campus for the summer, Thomas and his friend Jim Coleman, a piano technician for the Music Department, stay quite busy with many staff and faculty frequenting the stand, and now, many of the construction workers of the future Brown Residence Hall.

“Summer is usually slower, but the construction has really kept us alive,” Thomas said. “In the summer it is a lot of staff and faculty, but in the fall we have mostly students.”

Roger Hoover, the box office manager for the Clarence Brown Theatre and a loyal customer of the stand, also Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon thoroughly enjoys the hot food and the Jim Coleman serves hot dogs on the corner of Andy convenience it offers.

“This is the best lunch on campus,” Holt Avenue and Pedestrian Walkway.

Hoover said.

Ray’s Place offers unique campus dining experience Restaurant owner’s optimistic outlook brightens students’ days R.J. Vogt Managing Editor

Sidewalks crisscross the lawn in front of Ayres Hall, providing students pathways to traverse the Hill and its many buildings. But off to the side of South College, away from the paved concrete, a dirt trail leads down to a place most students never see: Ray’s Place.

A small restaurant nestled into the bottom of South College, Ray’s

Place offers fresh sandwiches, coffee and hot lunches, as well as dedication to customer service from its unique owner, Ray Mowery, Sr. Why is he unique? With two quick taps of a quarter, Ray casually explained that both of his eyes are plastic.

“I stuck a nail in my right eye when I was seven, and was running through the house a year later and tripped over a throw rug on the floor and fell on the chair and the arm of it knocked my left eye out of the socket,” Ray said, adding

that he’s glad God only gave him two eyes.

“As I’ve said all of my life, aren’t you glad God didn’t create us with four eyes? Think about it ... as spastic as I was, I would’ve had two more accidents,” he joked.

His light attitude translates to the checkout process at Ray’s.

Customers simply tell him what they are purchasing and how much money they are giving him.

Ray often offers deals on meals, like a ten-cent discount on a sausage biscuit and coffee because it’s “good ole Friday’s Eve.” “Everybody here is really friendly, talking to Ray is always cool. He treats you as a friend even though he probably doesn’t know you from anyone else,” said Ryan Hammond, junior in biological sciences and frequent customer at Ray’s. “Every time I’ve ever

“I employ, part-time, several UT

students. I’m tickled to death that I can, in a small way, contribute to the campus life here.”

-Ray Mowery Jr. , owner of Ray’s Place

talked to him it’s been a good conversation.”

Garrett Barnett, sophomore in food science and technology, said he probably eats there twice a week.

“It’s really convenient being on the Hill ... it’s nice being right next to our classes,” Barnett said.

The food is prepared fresh daily, and has been for the past 24 years.

Ray and his family make sandwiches, cook a variety of hot lunches and brew their own coffee and tea.

“We run a very small operation, but a full complement restaurant,” Ray said.

Born and raised just five miles from South College, he is happy to be part of the Volunteer community.

“I get a blessing out of just knowing that God has granted me the opportunity to not only meet all of you wonderful young people year after year, but that I can share some of the blessings that God has blessed me with,” Ray said.

“I employ, part-time, several UT students. I’m tickled to death that I can, in a small way, contribute to the campus life here.”

For Ray, the small restaurant is more than a job.

“I enjoy being with all of you wonderful young people,” he said.

“I’m really relaxed here and I consider this place my home.”

Ray’s Place is open Monday through Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to around 3:30 p.m.

Friday, August 16, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 13C

14C • THE DAILY BEACON

STUDENT LIFE

Friday, August 16, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor RJ Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Around Rocky Top: SUMMER EDITION

July 12 : After visitors complained of itchy eyes, emergency personnel responded to the fountains in World’s Fair Park. Chlorine levels were found to be too high in the water.

July 4: According to a study conducted by the social media network Foursquare, Knoxville was labelled America’s most patriotic city based on the “check-in” rate at parades, parks, and firework retailer.

May 17: Knoxville hosted thousands of children and parents from around the world for the Destination Imagination Global Finals.

One of the traditions of the Finals is to trade pins with other participants from around the world.

July 24: Wolf Tree Inc. workers climb into the foliage to remove dead limbs from the trees in Market Square.

Photos by Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon

Friday, August 16, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 15C Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor RJ Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Around Rocky Top: CONE ZONE EDITION

Left: Philip Fulmer Way stayed closed for most of summer. Above: Cherokee Farms construction on July 9.

Left: (July 9) The Cumberland Avenue BP station was demolished as a part of the construction plan for an $18 million student housing project.

Above left: (June) Andy Holt Ave stayed closed for construction, disrupting the flow of students and faculty.

Above right: (Aug. 4) Construction on the new P.O.D. Market in the library required one worker to climb into the ceiling to rewire some of the lights.

Photos by Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon

16C • THE DAILY BEACON

Friday, August 16, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor R.J. Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

ADDERALL continued from 2C

DEALER SPEAKS

Is it dangerous?

The Daily Beacon set up an exclusive interview with a UT student who sells ADHD medication to other students. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, will be referred to as A. for the duration of the article.

R.J. Vogt Managing Editor A. acquired an Adderall prescription after visiting a psychologist for anxiety problems. The visit uncovered a deeper issue of attention deficit disorder, and the psychologist advised seeking prescription for ADHD medication.

A. said the method of determining that prescription was alarming.

“The doctor said, ‘just tell me what you want,’” A. said.

The resulting prescription calls for three 30 mg pills a day, but A. said that trying such a high dosage made sleeping impossible for two days straight.

The resulting excess in pills was an opportunity A. could not resist.

“I made over $240 bucks in one day,” our source told us. “So I do it for the money. My copay is only $5, so the profit margin is sky high.”

The decision to sell Adderall, a Class II drug, is an illegal one and could potentially lead to felony charges. A. admitted that the thought of prison time is daunting. In order to minimize risk, A. does not sell to any unknown numbers. A. also tries to be as safe as possible by seeking background information on any clients.

“I try and ask people, ‘as long as you don’t have a heart condition,’” A. said. “I mean this is 30 mg. If they’ve never taken it before, and they pop a 30, they get a high like they’ve never had before. And then the crash? It makes you sick.”

“ I made over $240 bucks in one day. So I do it for the money. My copay is only $5, so the profit margin is sky high.”

Despite the efforts to screen clients, A. said six or seven fellow students might ask for the drugs on a normal school day.

The prices are equivalent to a grande Starbucks coffee; 15 mg Adderalls cost $3, and the $30 mg pills cost either $5 or $6, depending on the client.

“I’m a business[person], so if it’s somebody that buys a lot from me or is buying in bulk I’ll cut a deal,” A. said. “Money makes the world go around. It’s hard, especially when I don’t take all of them, not to make a buck.”

When asked whether a specific crowd sought the medication, A. said clientele is diverse.

“Some of the people who buy from me are surprising,” A. said.

“They know you have it, so they come to you real shy. If I didn’t delete my texts, I’d have so many that say ‘ hey … , you got any addy? How much?’

The most desired pill is the Adderall XR, which is commonly referred to as an “instant.”

“That immediate rush you get when you take an instant for the first time … I remember that,” A. said.

National media has scrutinized ADHD medications in recent months, and publications ranging from the ‘Today Show’ to the New York Times have mentioned the potential psychosis and depression the drug can incur.

But despite its Food and Drug Administration classification as a Section II controlled substance, Smith did not seem to think it was as life-threatening as its fellow class-mates, cocaine and Oxycontin.

“I think in general it’s not that dangerous, unless maybe you have a heart condition that you didn’t know about,” Smith said. “From a life or death standpoint, probably alcohol is more dangerous.”

Smith said safe usage depends on dosage. He generally starts patients at 10 mg prescriptions, and admitted to harboring concerns for the students who buy their medication on the street.

“I think what usually happens is they start directly at 20 mg,” he said. “Even if I

thought that was the right dosage, I would start lower. If you start at 20, your heart’s going to race, you’re going to get sweaty, shaky, you might even feel more scattered.”

Smith also suggested it was dangerous in other ways, advising students with prescriptions not to tell their friends. He said theft was a real threat and advised against storing pills in a predictable location such as a medicine cabinet.

The difference between prescription ADHD medication and street drugs, such as Speed, lies in the different time courses.

“Street drugs do this thing where they get in your system in a couple seconds and back out in a couple minutes,” Smith said, “and then you crash.”

Prescribed medication, on the other hand, takes closer to 20 minutes to enter the bloodstream and can last for several hours. The come-down, according to Smith, is much more gradual.

“Some people have a crash where they feel sorta tired or grouchy as it wears off,” Smith said, “Particularly if they haven’t eaten.”

Side Effects of Adderall: •restlessness •tremors •fast breathing •confusion •being combative •hallucinations •elevated body temperature •breakdown of muscle •cardiac arrhythmias •extreme blood pressure •naseau •vomiting •diarhhea •Fatal poisoning is usually preceded by convulsions and coma.

•Information excerpted from the Physician’s Desk Reference

Students Speak “I would say well more than half of my friends use Adderall or Vyvanse at some point during the year. A lot of times it’s not when you’d expect, either, like just around exam time. Almost everyone uses it then, it seems like. But with my friends it seems like after they use it one time they’re really likely to use it again anytime studying gets too hard or they have too many assignments.

I think that’s why so many people use it, because workload is unpredictable and everybody has those days when they have so much work it’s actually impossible to do all of it.”

- UT rising sophomore, speaking under condtions of anonymity

What pills are you popping?

Adderall: Adderall is an amphetamine and works by increasing energy, concentration and motivation. It is typically used for intermediate periods of 6-8 hours.

The going rate for a bottle of 60 20 mg pills at the UT Pharmacy is $72, or a little more than $1/pill.

Vyvanse: Vyvanse is an amphetamine, digested primarily in the blood, that lasts much longer than Adderall and is considered less addictive. It is recommended for 8-12 hour periods, and costs $150 at the UT Pharmacy for a bottle of 30 20 mg pills.

Ritalin: Ritalin is a methylphenidate that was originally introduced in the 70s and 80s. It is only diagnosed for 3-4 hour periods, and its going rate is $65 for a 30 day supply of 20 mg tabs.

Friday, August 16, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 17C Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

STUDENT LIFE

vwright6@utk.edu

Managing Editor RJ Vogt rvogt@utk.edu

Health kick: Vegetarian options on campus Hannah Cather Photo Editor

Field of Greens • Jessica Hamed

Jessica Hamed, along with 29 other American students, traveled to Florianópolis, Brazil. She went abroad to fulfill a credit for her human resource management degree, but found herself among protests and demonstrations.

UT student travels abroad, experiences civil unrest David Cobb Staff Writer Jessica Hamed went to Brazil to take business courses and experience one of the world’s flourishing economies.

And while she did exactly that, she also returned to Tennessee with something more than just a few credit hours toward her human resource management degree.

The UT senior found herself suddenly immersed in great social unrest as Brazilians everywhere – pushed to anger by elitist politicians – decided change within their nation is necessary.

“It just kind of happened one day,” Hamed said of the demonstrations that have rocked the nation over the summer months. “I was literally on a hike and then all of the sudden we were talking about not going to the protests because they might get big.”

Although the timing and size of the demonstrations may have been unexpected, Hamed was not oblivious to the injustices around her that finally capsized into peaceful, but enormous, protests when bus fares suddenly increased.

The southern island city of Florianópolis, where her group of 30 American students was studying, remained docile for the first several months of the trip but provided a window into the growing frustration of the Brazilian people.

“I had heard about the corruption and was like ‘oh, okay.’” Hamed said. “Then within a month of living there, I actually started to experience the corruption. For example, they had a human rights leader and the guy specifically said that he hated homosexuals. He didn’t represent the rights of the Brazilian people, and everyone was really mad about that because they didn’t have a choice on who their human rights representative was.

“That was the first example of injustice that I got to witness.”

Other things she noticed were a faulty tax system, poor wages, a low emphasis on education and attempts by the government to control the media.

“If something bad happens on TV, they’ll just change it to a soap opera or a football game,” Hamed said. “They distract people. It’s really bad how it works because the politicians aren’t out to help the people.”

An influx of international attention is centered on Brazil as it gears up to host the 2014 World Cup. Extreme amounts of money are being spent to ensure the country puts its best foot forward as the eyes of the world descend on it. Pricey preparations are also in gear for the 2016 Summer Olympics to be held in the Brazilian city of Rio De Janeiro.

But for the average Brazilian, the resulting benefits garnered by politicians and the wealthy are irrelevant, coming at the cost of everyday citizen well-being.

That’s why Hamed joined up in the protests, which even in the peaceful island of Florianópolis were large enough to block traffic to and from the island city for hours at a time.

“It’s been a cry for help because they know the spotlight is on them with the World Cup,” Hamed said, describing how the common people have also used the attention to their advantage. “The whole world is looking at them. The bus fares were just kind of the spark of it.”

The study abroad group remained primarily unaffected by any backlash from the activity. The only difference was that Hamed and her classmates were forced to take taxi’s around town when the bus system was down.

Hamed didn’t mind the minor inconvenience.

“I felt like it was a good thing to help promote what they were fighting for,” Hamed said, “because even as an American, I witnessed it and then I saw change being taken against it.”

Financial turmoil in Europe is one reason why Hamed, as a business student, chose Brazil.

Although she encountered unrest of a different kind in Brazil, she has no reservations encouraging students to participate in similar trips.

“I would 100 percent recommend it,” she said.

“Even though Brazil is going through this right now, it’s definitely mandatory for a country to go through some kind of revolution like this. They’re 100 years behind in their infrastructure and they (have a) lack of education and lack of political structure. So what’s going on right now, it’s needed. It’s not a good thing, but in the long term it’ll definitely help. Brazil isn’t going to stop becoming one of the strongest economies. They’re growing to grow out of this long-term. I would recommend them going to a place like where I went.”

A salad bar may be the most obvious vegetarian-friendly dining option, but Field of Greens serves some great combinations.

Located on the 3rd floor of the University Center, Field of Greens is fresh produce central. Both the strawberry salad and caesar wrap are crowd favorites, offering bold and exciting flavors. Any of the menu items can be made vegetarian, just make sure to ask for “no chicken.”

Smokey’s If beans are not a part of your vegetarian diet, something might be wrong. As a great source of protein, beans really are good for the heart. Mexican meals generally include refried beans, but at Tortilla Fresca in Smokey’s, pick the black beans. Served in three soft shell tacos with sautéed vegetables and rice, they are heartily delicious. The tacos can be topped with a number of extras, such as cheese, salsa, and lettuce.

When craving carbs in the form of too many noodles, head to Bene Pasta, another staple of Smokey’s. This little Italian venue presents plenty of tasty mixes. Choose either penne or fusilli noodles, alfredo or marinara sauce and then a couple of vegetables.

Broccoli, mushrooms and alfredo on penne hits the spot. Top with parmesan cheese and possibly red pepper flakes.

Subway The Veggie Delite from Subway surprisingly satisfies hungry vegetarians. The ninegrain wheat, topped with shredded cheese, and toasted is a great start. Add any of the vegetables, they all go well together, but stick with oil and vinegar. The simple flavors of this sauce duo, as well as salt and pepper, enhance the vegetables.

18C • THE DAILY BEACON

Friday, August 16, 2013