Articles written by Lauren Smith

Vacations are few and far between for me these days. People asked me what I’m doing for summer vacation and I answered, “Vacation? I don’t get those anymore.”

Beaches? No. Europe? No. Six Flags? Nope.

I have always been one for routines, but this one was making me contemplate dropping out of school. I needed to get away.

Luckily, this past weekend my boyfriend came to the rescue, as he always does, and I got to go with him to Kentucky for his company picnic. It could not have come at a better time.

Bottles of alcohol: are displayed in the shot room at Bar 51. Drinking too heavily while celebrating a birthday can result in harmful effects like feeling ill or alcohol poisoning. Plainsman Archive

For many students, turning 21 is one of the final steps to be taken into adulthood.

And with that final step, they love to celebrate. Go big or go home, right?

But students can take the celebration to a dangerous level by drinking too heavily.

The latest college binge drinking game is to have 21 drinks on the twenty-first birthday.

This can be viewed as extreme because a student can binge drink without even knowing it.

Christopher Correia, an associate professor in psychology, said surveys report 50 percent of college students will say they have been binge drinking in the last two weeks.

“College binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks on an occasion for females and five or more drinks for males,” Correia said. “It is a fairly prevalent behavior.”

The legal limit for BAC, blood alcohol content, is .08 in Alabama. Studies show if a 150 pound male has 21 drinks in a span of five hours, his BAC would be .492.

John D’Angelo: a senior in criminology and criminal justice, attempts to shield himself from the summer heat with an umbrella. Rising temperatures cause students to come up with innovative ways to stay cool. The summer heat wave has stifled the Southeast. Lindsey Davids

Summer has not even officially begun, and temperatures are already into the high 90s in Auburn and surrounding areas.

With the real summer just around the corner, what are students doing to beat, or at least escape, the tumultuous heat?

It is not enough to wear just a tank and shorts. Auburn students are finding creative ways to cool off.

Everett Duke, a junior in business administration, said he is a fan of the strawberry limeades at Sonic.

“The biggest way I beat the heat is I go to Sonic’s Happy Hour,” Duke said. “I go everyday. It keeps me cool and refreshed.”

Duke said he also keeps his window unit on full blast, showers twice a day to keep fresh and does not wear many layers of clothing.

Laura Barton, a senior in political science, is also a fan of cool treats.

“Lately I have been eating a lot of Popsicles that really cool me off,” Barton said. “But everywhere I go, I always have a bottle of ice-cold water with me.”

Most students who are taking summer courses take advantage of the cool climate when sitting through class.

Elizabeth Grimes: slathers on sunscreen while laying out by the pool. Auburn students will have to be aware of the additions of UVA ratings for sunscreens when making their selection. Lindsey Davidson / PHOTO EDITOR

New sun screen ratings are targeting harmful UVA rays, in addition to the SPF ratings for UVB rays.

Sunburn. Suntan. Sun screen. These words are synonymous with the summer months, and they all have one common factor: the sun.

The sun is the center of our universe; we would not have much of anything without it, including skin cancer. That is why the Food and Drug Administration is issuing new ratings for all sun screens.

Sure, consumers will still see the usual SPF rating, but in addition to that will be a star rating.

Why?

Because SPF ratings only protect users from UVB rays, which cause sunburns. What is missing is the protection from UVA rays, which are responsible for suntans. Both types of rays, however, are partners in skin damage and skin cancer, according to www.foxnews.com. The new star rating will deliver protection from UVA rays.

Julia Lucas, a senior in accounting, was not aware of the difference in rays.

“I had no idea about UVA rays,” Lucas said. “I have always just looked out for UVB. I will definitely consider the new ratings.”

According to www.foxnews.com, dermatologists confirm most skin cancers and premature signs of aging are caused by UVA rays.

Beth Storey, a junior in public relations, said she usually applies tanning oil with SPF 15 when out in the sun, but uses at least SPF 30 for just her face. Storey said the new star ratings for sun screens will benefit consumers.

Sally Tidwell: an afternoon deejay for 99.9 Kate FM, operates the Kate request line using the Boy George Karma Chameleon phone. Kate FM plays songs from early 70s, 80s and some of today's popular tunes on the radio.

We all know and love Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” and we can still remember Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up.” A new radio station in the Auburn/Opelika area is now playing the songs people may have forgotten to remember.

99.9 Kate FM has a tag line of “the best of 70s, 80s and whatever!” and wants its audience to listen to songs that may not have been in the Top 10 during its era.

Brooke Myers, station manager for Kate FM, wanted the fresh approach on the dial.

“I wanted to find a niche that no one else was doing around here,” Myers said.

Kate FM is trying to attract an audience by opting to not play the songs of today.

“We go all the way from the early 70s up until now, but you are not going to tune into Kate to hear a breaking track,” Myers said. “My other main focus was that listeners aren’t stupid. They remember more than the Top 10 songs each year. Now I feel like the songs that weren’t the Top 10 songs 20 years ago are better now because they weren’t played out.”

This formula may be what some Auburn students have been on the hunt for.

Karina Woodward, a senior in accounting, said she listens to CDs most of the time because she says radio stations play all the same songs. She thinks Kate FM is something she will definitely tune into.

“I would definitely try it out because I like for music to take me back,” Woodward said. “I like the old school music because I am not into the new stuff. I like songs I have memories to.”

Myers is confident students will respond favorably to 99.9 Kate FM.

Burger King: on South College Street advertises its job openings. Because of an unstable economy, college students are finding the job market to be more competitive.

For many students, getting a job after graduating college is almost as hard as getting the degree itself.

In today’s unsteady economy, the job market is taking a hit and is becoming more competitive than ever for graduates entering the real world.

Nancy Bernard, director of Career Development Services, said students who are job searching are having a more difficult time than expected.

“I think there are some areas where there are some cutbacks, and people are seeing that the job market is not quite as good as it was last year,” Bernard said. “People are having to try a little harder because there is a lot more competition.”

According to Bernard, some career fields are consistently hiring, including careers in nursing, accounting, finance and engineering.

Brittany Smith, a senior in elementary education, said she has had no luck with her job search.

“There are no jobs because of the education budget that has not been passed,” Smith said. “Nobody is hiring because nobody has the budget to hire new teachers. I have gone above and beyond, it seems.”

When students are in their senior year of high school, many send out numerous college applications.

Most apply to their top three choices, and then maybe one or two serve as back-ups. This is all in hopes of getting to read the word “congratulations!” from at least one choice.

I only sent out one application. I have known from the time I was 10 years old that Auburn was the place for me. I did not need to explore “other options.”

Luckily, Auburn felt the same way, and we have been best friends ever since.

America has voted and chosen its favorite book: the Bible. A new Harris Poll ranked American’s top 10 books. Classics, like “Gone with the Wind,” to modern-day favorites like “Harry Potter” were all included in the list. Kyle Cooper / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

According to a recent Harris Poll, American adults rank the Bible as the most popular book of literature.

The survey questioned more than 2,000 adults who overwhelmingly agreed that the Bible was the most favored piece of literature. However, discrepancies across demographic groups occurred, resulting in a five-way tie for the runner-up position.

Adult males chose J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” as their second favorite while women opted for Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone With the Wind.”

Age differentials occurred, further complicating the runner-up position. Adults between the ages of 18-31 named J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series as their second choice. The 32-43 age group favored Stephen King’s “The Stand” and Dan Brown’s “Angels and Demons.”

Sara Grace Smith, a senior in communication disorders, thought the poll was a fairly accurate reflection of demographic preferences.

“My favorite books are ‘Gone With the Wind’, ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and all of the ‘Harry Potter’ series,” Smith said. “Obviously my preferences are pretty in tune with the rest of my age group.”

Among the first and second runners up, a litany of classics completed the top-ten list of popular literature. Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,”

“The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand and both “Angels and Demons” and “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown.

Text alerts will be used by U.S. government to warn citizens of danger through their cell phones in a way similar to AU Alert

The United States: is adopting a cell phone alert system similar to Auburn University’s own AU Alert. JD Schein / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Seeing everyone on campus reach for their cell phones when an AU Alert goes out is something many Auburn students have experienced, but now the phenomenon will reach nationwide.

The Federal Communications Commission will implement a nationwide alert system, similar to AU Alert that will notify users of varied emergencies through the use of cell phone text messages.

The FCC approved the alert system last week and strides are already being taken to streamline the process.

A federal agency will be appointed, which will oversee the process of sending out emergency text messages.

After the agency is compiled, participating cell phone companies will be given 10 months to fit the agency’s requirements.

Reahna Stahl: a student in veterinary medicine, walks her dog. Lindsey Davidson / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

The title dogs get as “man’s best friend” does ring true in many ways.

For instance, your dog can help you live a longer and healthier life. If that is not a best friend, who knows what is?

A study by Bassett Research Institute in New York found dog owners are more likely to lose weight than people without dogs. The study found owners got outdoors to exercise their dogs, which in turn gave the owners their own dose of exercise.

Whether we walk our dogs because they need it, or are more likely to enjoy a walk when we have companionship, dog owners walk more than non-pet owners, at least if we live in an urban setting.

Because exercise is good for stress management and overall health, owning a dog can be credited with increasing these benefits, according to www.about.com.

Many Auburn students are allowed dogs in their apartment complexes, so they get exercise along with their dog.

Auburn Lyle, a junior in special education, takes her Maltese around University Village and agrees having a dog does increase her own health.

“I take her on a walk everyday,” Lyle said. “I play ball with her, we play tug-of-war, and just pretty much play with her toys. I know I would not get out as much if I didn’t have her.”