Articles written by Lauren Smith

Flu season nearing

wpolley — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:04:23 -0400

Getting yearly influenza vaccinations can help prevent symptoms, sickness from October to March

Already under the weather, Kristen LaTulipe: a French major with minors in business and art history, hopes to avoid the flu this season by getting a flu shot. JD Schein / PHOTO EDITOR

As temperatures slowly begin to drop, everyone is awaiting the much-anticipated break from the hot and humid Alabama summer. However, with falling temperatures comes the cold weather nemesis: the flu.

What time is it? It is time to get the annual flu shot.

Dr. Fred Kam, medical director for the Auburn University Medical Clinic, said getting the influenza shot is an increasingly popular choice among students.

“Every year, we give out somewhere around 700 or more flu shots,” Kam said. “That’s good, but it’s still not enough because we’ve got more than 24,000 students, and I don’t think more than 1,000 get the shot.”

Renters insure property

wpolley — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:49:45 -0400

If a caveman can do it, anyone can.

It seems anyone can get insurance on anything. Bruce Springsteen has his voice insured for $6 million, while Dolly Parton has insured her most famous assets for $600,000.

However, renter’s insurance is sometimes forgotten. For anyone who is renting a house, apartment or condo, renter’s insurance can save valuables for a low price in the event of an emergency.

According to Insurance Counselors Inc., those renting a place of residence can have liability coverage of $20,000 for personal property, $100,000 for personal liability and $1,000 for medical payments to each person harmed in an accident.

That alone totals $121,000 worth of coverage, and the renter only pays approximately $100 a year for it.

This may seem like an obvious choice, but some people do not consider this when thinking of renter’s insurance.

Mark Bertus, a professor in finance, said renter’s insurance has only one major downfall.

Multilinguals benefit from skills

wpolley — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:13:00 -0400

Ben Vaughan, a sophomore in international business: looks at a Spanish to English dictionary, a tool Spanish students often find handy. People who can speak two or more languages often benefit both in the workplace and in their personal lives. Rod Guajardo / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Hola! Guten Tag! Bonjour! Ciao!

All of these greetings, in Spanish, German, French and Italian, are in a language many Americans are not familiar with. However, being bilingual, or multilingual, comes with an array of benefits on both a professional and personal level.

Not only can being fluent in a language other than English introduce more job opportunities, but there are more reasons to learn a second (or third) language and use its benefits.

The U.S. does not necessarily require citizens to learn another language, however, in places like Europe, children learn a second or third language by the time they reach their teenage years.

Fun electives spice up college schedule

wpolley — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:21:27 -0400

Electives can provide relief from a tough schedule.: From left, AmyLee Powell, a senior in public administration; Chris Ritch, a senior in aerospace engineering; and Logan Bisset, a junior in biomedical sciences jog in class. Morgan Thacker / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

Electives.

Whether students like them or not, all students must take a certain amount of electives to graduate.

But enrolling in these courses does not mean it has to be boring.

In fact, students have more freedom than ever to find the class that fits almost any interest they have.

It may be a foreign language like classical Greek, a physical education course like Pilates or a theatre class where students can master basic acting skills. Any way students look, there is something for everyone.

Madison Fair, a freshman in political science, said the stress reduction class, offered through the physical education department, was something she might try to take in future semesters.

Rebagz produces line of eco-friendly purses

wpolley — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:58:00 -0400

Going green has never been synonymous with being fashionable.

However, one handbag company is clearing up that misconception in a trend that is taking Hollywood and the rest of the world by storm.

Rebagz, an eco-friendly line of handbags, is trying to show people they do not have to sacrifice the environment to look great, and they do not have to sacrifice style to be green.

Marty Stevens-Heebner, founder and president of Half the Sky Designs, the parent company to Rebagz, said she was raised to recycle.

“We just launched the Rebagz line a year ago, and already, we are in 300 stores and five countries,” Stevens-Heebner said. “America Ferrera wears our bag on ‘Ugly Betty,’ and we love her for it.”

Rebagz are made in the Philippines from recycled rice sacks and hand-woven recycled juice packs like Capri Sun.

Stevens-Heebner said when she was starting the handbag line, she found a fair-trade company already making items from recyclable material there.

Rebagz are now sold in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Panama and Costa Rica.

Staff Opinion: Realty companies play games with us

wpolley — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:12:00 -0400

When I entered my sophomore year here at Auburn, I was excited, but not about classes or football season.

I was excited about moving into my very own apartment for the first time.

It’s just a little ole studio apartment directly off campus, just big enough for me. Who knew I would be fighting a never-ending battle with my realty company?

So here is the story: My apartment was on the ground floor, and one Friday I came home to soaking wet carpet in my bedroom.

We’re talking puddles. It had rained that day and the water had seeped through the walls and into my home.

I reported the flood, but then left to go home that weekend. My assistant manager said it would be taken care of.

I came home that Sunday night to a horrible smell. My carpet, which was supposed to be “taken care of,” had gone sour because of the water just sitting in my room over the weekend.

I. Was. Livid. No one had even attempted to clean my carpet and get rid of the water.

But they got on it early the next day (yes, I slept with the funk and yes, that is a hazard).

Costume construction class gives back in quilts

wpolley — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:35:07 -0400

Costume shop manager Kaitlin Smith and Kylee Wofford: a sophomore in musical theatre, work on quilts in costume construction that will be donated. Rod Guajardo / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

A hand-made quilt can offer many things.

In some special cases, a quilt can offer more than just warmth and a sense of security. It can offer hope.

That is what an Auburn professor and her students are offering every semester.

Tracy Oleinick, an associate professor in the theatre department, teaches Costume Construction 1 where students learn to sew costumes for the productions each semester.

But before they can construct costumes, they learn the basic art of sewing straight lines. During this time, Oleinick has her students sew quilts for the needy.

“It’s such a positive project,” Oleinick said. “My wonderful students who work on them really put forth their best efforts to make a beautiful quilt.”

Oleinick works hand in hand with some national organizations, giving out quilts where there is need for them.

Oleinick said quilts have been sent to one organization called Tiny Miracles, which benefits premature infants who are in the Intensive Care Unit. But in this case, the quilts come in a mini size for the babies.

Welcome Week offers activities for students

wpolley — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:31:14 -0400

Another fall semester has begun. Here at Auburn, that means Welcome Back Week is in full swing with loads of activities and events for all students to enjoy and start the semester off on a high note.

Many events have been planned months in advance for students to partake in.

Organizations like the University Program Council and Student Government Association are hosting some of these to get students hyped up about a new year here in Auburn.

Auburn family will help

wpolley — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:29:47 -0400

Today starts my fourth and final fall semester. It seems like it was only yesterday I was one of 4,500 freshmen going to my first day of classes at Auburn.

I remember what my first class was, what room it was in, who the professor was, what I wore and how I went to the wrong room for English class.

I will never forget the nerves tightening in my stomach as I was searching for a familiar face. When I did not find that face, I did what any new adult out on their own would do. I called my mom.

Participating in team sports a benefit when attracting a mate

coreyshep — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:11:48 -0400

Sarah Graham: a senior in pre-veterinary medicine, admires a picture of Alex Rodriguez in a magazine. Studies show women are easily attracted to men involved in team sports. Lindsey Davidson / PHOTO EDITOR

There is no “I” in “team,” but there are some traits learned when playing team sports.

Listen up guys, the ladies are talking.

Studies have shown females are more attracted to males who are involved in team sports like baseball, basketball and hockey.

Playing within a team is indicative of a male’s likability and his ability to cooperate in everyday scenarios.

This is in opposition to males who play only individual sports such as golf, karate and boxing.

Alissa Miller, a sophomore in biomedical sciences, agrees with this theory, saying team sports will help anyone’s social skills.

“I can see how playing a team sport like football or something can make you more likable, because it is truly a team effort to score points,” Miller said. “It is never all about one person doing it all themselves.”

Carrie Johnson, a junior in history, does not necessarily agree that team sports make a male likable.

“I am not completely convinced, because you always see males who can be described as ‘glory hogs’ who score and think they did it all by themselves,” Johnson said. “That is one of the most unattractive things for a lot of women out there. If you score a touchdown, that’s great, but don’t make the celebration all about you, because you weren’t on that field by yourself.”