OCR Text |
Show AggieLife Page 10 Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010 How to get through this Come get your paint on! year's homecoming week Picture your 17-year-old self, snugly sitting home, when you hear the doorbell ring. You put your books down, throw on some slippers and head for the door. On your porch, you find a three-foot paper mache duck, filled with jolly ranchers and hundreds of small notes labeled "try again." Except, of course, for the one yielding the most fateful of phrases your teenage mind could possibly concoct. "I'd go QUACKERS if you went to Homecoming with me." Congratulations, average Utahn or Idahoan teenage girl, you've just been asked to the homecoming dance. Many of us have been in this situation, our own personal "Degrassi" or "One Tree Hill" episodes and teenage definitions of life, love and other generic categories we take too seriously. Football games, pep rallies, themed dress-up days, they all lead up to the formal dance so significantly important it might as well be labeled prom's co-captain. Homecoming week just seemed so life-altering when I was young. For those new to university life, we run homecoming a little differently here. Don't worry too much, the fanfare and mad sense of school spirit is about the same, but upper-level education homecoming celebrations come with a few rites of passage for getting the most of your H-Week experience. With that in mind - and noting that if you've read my past columns you'll learn I really like making lists - here are a few ways you can make the best of every school's most celebrated week. First and foremost, be sure to wear blue. Of course, a good amount of this is certainly because we want to support our school, have Aggie pride and what-not, but the purpose of this advice derives from an even deeper motive: camouflage. As good as it is to have fun this week, it's also proper to maintain a good amount of safety. Keep in mind this week will be plastered with energetic public displays, and to avoid being lured in by table displays, megaphone-induced announcements and those free-credit card representatives (you have to be careful with them, they're like ninjas) it's best to dress like everyone else and lay low. Now if public attention is your cup of tang, by all means there is always a lime green hoodie with your name on it, but for you natural introverts, it's best to run the system to your favor. Next, just let the alumni do their thing. For the next few days you'll rub shoulders with more former USU students than you will ever see again, and believe me, they will be everywhere from the bookstore to the Marketplace, and possibly your apartment bathroom. These Aggie-loving geezers may get in the way and cause a bit of frustration, but let yourself enjoy this one. Swap football and war stories, take in some experienced, clever humor and do everything you can to be one with the ones who once were. It not only gives homecoming a bit of nostalgia, but also surely allows us to appreciate sweater vests much more than we ever dreamt we would. Finally, the real kicker to a great homecoming week, take in the true splendor of True Aggie Night. Now let me get this straight, you don't have to become a True Aggie this week, there's no rule or tyranny to that. However, if you aren't going to become a True Aggie you might as well enjoy the sight of other people becoming True Aggies. True Aggie Night is a people-watcher's paradise - a hormone-savvy world where any random two people can swap saliva on a cement pedestal with little to no consequence. Whether you enjoy watching other people on their own "Countdown to Mono" or simply enjoy large gatherings of people next to large buildings, True Aggie Night, aside from numerous other fulfilling activities, has something for everyone. With these three simple steps, coupled with the possibility of tons of free food, an outstanding time can be had by all. So get out, have fun, and see to it you make the most of this time dedicated to your enjoyment and love for this university. You may love fun activities, seeing excited people or, like me, are just relieved to have a week rid of paper mache ducks. But one thing is for sure, if you're looking to enjoy this homecoming week, you've got options. And if you happen to go to the dance, please don't attempt the Macerena. That's just embarrassing. STUDENTS THROW PAINT AROUND during the USU hosted paint dance last Monday night on the HPER field. The paint dance is just one of the many events going on around campus celebrating Homecoming Week. STERLING BOIN photo Scotsman: new club this semester I continued from page 8 parade tunes, as well as an official version of "I was practicing near the cemetery and these other two pipers heard bagpipes and swung by," he said. Without an official club, pipers on campus "the Scotsman". "The Scotsman' goes back to the `20s," Jessop said. "(It is) one of the oldest fight didn't have any connections with each other. Earl has now made contact with five pipers and one drummer. The club meets on Saturdays at noon, and will be holding the first club practice Oct. 30. They will be practicing outside the dean's office for the Caine College of the Arts. All pipers on campus at all levels are encouraged to bring their chanters and participate. Earl can be contacted at 801-694-3997. songs." The band is eager to become part of campus life, either from backing up the Aggies as fierce Scotsmen, or performing at different venues and events. The band also hopes to get involved with the Highland Games, held here in Cache Valley in the summer. "We will perform as much as we can, as often as asked," Earl said. Earl has already performed some with the Caine College of the Arts, but he has also connected with fellow pipers at USU simply by practicing outside. - genevieve.draper@aggiemail.usu.edu Street Speak What is the worst Halloween candy you've ever received? "Gross candy corn things. They're disgusting." - steve.schwartzman@aggiemail.usu.edu DO YOU AGREE WITH STEVE? "Really gooey, stale and minty, chocolate tarn/ that was very gross." LEAVE YOUR COMMENT AT WWW.UTAHSTATESMAN.COM - Nathan Searcy 411,. UtahState University The President invites nominations for the 17th Annual "Pretty nasty caramel popcorn. It was more dry than caramel." -Jessica Miller "Some very old gummy candy. It was really gross." USU DIVERSITY AWARDS Award recipients will be announced and will receive recognition by President Albrecht at an appropriate forum during the school year Award Categories: Award Criteria: One individual or organization from each of the following categories will be recognized for furthering the principles and values of affirmative action, equal opportunity, and diversity: 1. Models behavior that promotes diversity. 2. Nourishes acceptance of individual differences. 3. Strives to enhance academic, employment, or community relations among people who are different. 4. Integrates diversity concepts and values into academic curriculum, management functions, or community service. 5. Develops methods for increasing and valuing diversity among students, faculty, staff, or local businesses/associations. 6. Maximizes opportunities to achieve diversity. 7. Has not received the award in the past 5 years. • • • • • Student Faculty Administrator Staff Community Member Nomination Guidelines: • • Write a nomination letter (recommended not more than 2 pages) addressing the six criteria stated above. Nomination letter must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 27, 2010, by letter, fax, e-mail or in person. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Office Utah State University 9535 Old Main Hill Military Science Building, Room 118 Logan, UT 84322-9535 Telephone: (435) 797-1266 Fax: (435) 797-0291 Email: [carolyn.whelan@usu.edu ] This call for nominations is available in large print, audio, and braille format upon request. Please contact the AA/ EO Office at 797-1266 for further information. - Stacy Bartholomeu - Bryce Sansing photos and information gathered by JOSHUA BUTTS Russia: Hazboun helped National Geographic film television episode I continued from page 9 peninsula. Wildlife on the Kamchatka Peninsula is diverse, and nearly untouched by non-native humans. "On the beach all you saw were bear and wolf prints. There were no people on that side of the coast," Hazboun said. According to Kamchatka's website, the peninsula is home to the most dense population of brown bears on earth. "There was just a huge density of bears," he said. They fish for the salmon in the lakes. The rivers stay between you and the bears. Once a really big bear walked within five to seven feet of us." With multiple professional cameramen in the group, the footage taken in photography and video formats didn't go to waste. "We helped National Geographic film an episode of Monster Fish," Hazboun said. Although students may find it hard to find funding and resources to travel, Hazboun says there are many programs that provide resources for students. "There are a lot of opportunities to do this stuff through the Outdoor Recreation Center," he said. "They're willing to help. Those folks are glad to have students interested. They love to get people outdoors." Another resource, Hazboun said, is USU's kayaking club, which is open to the community and provides support for both beginning and more advanced kayakers. - allee.evensen@aggiemail.usu.edu |