Articles written by Blake Larsen

Jessica Fewell: a sophomore in psychology, works at Stamp in downtown Auburn. Many students apply for summer jobs to make some extra money during the summer. JD Schein / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Firecrackers on the Fourth of July, laying out by the pool and relaxing at home, spending time with family in 90 degree weather.  Sounds like summer, right?

Unfortunately, for many Auburn students, starting a summer job has also forced its way into that relaxing summer schedule.

The lifestyle of an Auburn student certainly isn’t cheap. Books and tuition are just the beginning of the spending; once going out to dinner and hitting up the bars with friends is factored in to the equation, it’s easy to find yourself in a financial bind at the end of spring semester.

Sometimes, that means sacrificing a good chunk of your vacation time spent away from the books, and taking on a good-paying job instead.

Kelly Young, a junior in public relations, said she plans on working multiple jobs this summer.

“I will be working 20 hours a week for a non-paying internship at a PR firm in Atlanta,” Young said. “I will also be working at J. Crew, as well as baby-sitting.”

A common trend for organizations looking to impact college students’ opinions on serious political and social issues has been to use forms of shock advertising and campaigning.

Organizations and clubs promoting everything from abortion awareness and religion to gay rights and bringing home the troops have been all over the concourse and the campus in general, spreading their word through what is often considered “in your face” type campaigns.

Thomas Coleman: sophomore in pre-building science, drinks a Vitamin Water for refreshment. Vitamin Water is just one of the many brands that sell flavored, vitamin-enriched water. The popularity of this water has led to a decrease in soft drink sales. Pete Riley / PHOTO

Water.

It makes up 75 percent of your muscle tissue, 83 percent of your blood and 25 percent of your body fat. And now it even provides a tasty alternative to a typically chalky multivitamin at breakfast.

Vitamin-enriched water, created by brands such as VitaminWater and Life Water, is the latest health craze that has taken over the United States, and experts say it is the source of the decline in soft drink sales.

The water itself is made up of vapor distilled water, electrolytes, sweetener and several different vitamins including Vitamins C, B3, B5, B12 and E. 

VitaminWater, which is owned by Coca-Cola, adds different flavors and ingredients depending on the purpose and flavor of each type of water.

The new alternative to tap or purified water is excitingly welcomed by some students.

James Waldrop: a graduate student in exercise physiology, attempts to pick out a loaf of bread among the numerous choices available on the grocery store shelves. Kyle Cooper / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Have you made the drastic diet change of buying whole wheat bread instead of white? If you haven’t yet, you may want to consider it.

According to an article by Nicky Pilkington, a writer for healthguidance.org, people who eat white bread instead of the whole grain wheat variety are missing out on a total of 30 nutrients.

Thirty nutrients that, Pilkington says, could have a considerable effect on your life.

“The nutritional difference is immense and has measurable impact on our health,” he said.

The impact, Pilkington said, is beneficial in several aspects of personal health.

Is my pitching rotation strong enough? Will my best batter be on the disabled list to start the season? Should I trade off that veteran aging catcher for a younger guy from the minors?

The aforementioned questions and many other similar thoughts are currently racing through the minds of fantasy baseball owners across the U.S.

Ever since the creation of the Strat-O-Matic baseball game that allowed players to use trading cards to track stats manually, baseball fans have embraced the concept of owning a ball club.

There are few things more disheartening to college students than the sound of a blaring alarm clock the first day back to classes after spring break.

Unfortunately, Auburn students met that reality this past Monday, an alarm that signals the end of sandy beaches, spending time with family and a week-long break from the books.

So how do students plan on getting back into the grind of studying and waking up early?

For Bradley White, a senior in criminology, it’s all about getting some much needed rest, as well as taking a break from the bars.

SHE’S NO JIVE TURK: Lara Yegenoglu likes heels, baby carrots and her froggy shower curtain, but she’s not fond of “The Hills” or pajamas in class. Blake Larsen / ASSISTANT INTRIGUE EDITOR

ABOUT JANE
Age: 20
Hometown: Originally from Turkey, but now says Atlanta
Availability: Single, but not on the market
Sign: Scorpio
Greatest fear: Failing
Hobbies: Painting, soccer, horseback riding
Random fact: She has broken her pelvic bone.

Think sweating more during a workout means you’re burning more fat?  Think again.

In a question and answer session on msnbc.com, exercise experts clarified and busted the myth that sweating a lot is a sign of a more productive workout.

Gerald Endress, an exercise physiologist and fitness director at Duke University, said getting a good workout has little to do with sweating and the temperature of the room you work out in.

Recent evidence suggests young voters are influenced by social surroundings, genetics

In an election year where political analysts are predicting a massive turnout of young voters, experts are trying to figure out where the sudden interest in politics from younger generations came from.

A recent study by Rice professor John Alford on cnn.com suggests genetics and social surroundings are major factors in the political beliefs of the most recent generation of voters.

Tobacco smokers are everywhere.  

You see them at bars, restaurants and on your way to class as you walk behind them on the Concourse.

While it is common knowledge that these people are subjecting themselves to harmful toxins and additives, it’s the effects of secondhand smoke that nonsmokers should be concerned about.

In a study by lungusa.org, secondhand smoke was discovered to cause approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 46,000 heart disease deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year.