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(06/27/14 4:30pm)
What comes to your mind when you first think of a feminist?
Let me guess: a woman with long, unruly hair or a close crop, no makeup, burning bras, hating every housewife and man, and seeing everything as demeaning women?
Well, it turns out, we're not all like that.
I identify as a feminist. I think women are treated unfairly in most areas of life.
At the same time, I'm a firm believer in the bra, and I enjoy wearing makeup. Perhaps most surprising of all, I don't hate all men. Who would have thought?
Obviously, the radical feminists have extreme views. Frankly, they're just giving the rest of us a bad name. Their behavior is extreme, off-putting and keeps the misinformed from diving any deeper.
Not all feminists hate men. Not all feminists are lesbians. I happen to have a lot of male friends, and I'm not a lesbian.
What I do hate, however, is when men expect things to be handed to them just because they have a Y chromosome.
An example of this is what I call the "nice guy card."
This happens when a guy is nice to a woman then expects to have sex with her at the end of the night simply because he was a decent human being.
What's worse is when the man gets angry about being rejected. Women experience this a lot, unfortunately.
When's the last time a guy told you about a girl yelling after him because he didn't go home with her?
One of the stigmas that lights my fire is the idea all feminists hate the typical housewife role.
I don't care if you want to be a housewife. Just don't force me into that box.
On the flip side, there are feminists that do hate the role and the fact that women choose to fill it, which makes me incredibly angry.
Feminism is about empowering women and men to choose their own way, whether it be fulfilling stereotypical gender roles or breaking them.
Another thing is the idea we don't wear makeup, take care of our hair or our bodies or generally not care about our appearances. I love makeup, and I take care of my hair and body.
The difference is, I do this because I want to be happy and do this for myself, not for the benefit of others.
Some women feel pressured to wear makeup, diet and fry their hair to fit into society's robotic view of what beauty is.
All women are beautiful, no matter their size, their hair or their eyelash length.
Women are taught from birth their appearances are what's most important. Men are not. It's just a fact.
I am a feminist because I want equality for all. I want women to be able to choose their own path, whether it be as a housewife or as the CEO of a corporation.
I want women to be able to turn down a man's advances without having the nice guy card played, or worse.
I want women to know their appearances are not what are most important; it's their minds.
I am a feminist because I want women to be recognized as people, not as objects.
When all is said and done, it isn't quite bra burning, is it?
(06/27/14 2:00pm)
Auburn University is a monopoly, and I am not referring to the Auburnopoly board game you buy at the bookstore. It is clear that in any monopoly the concern is to profit, and at a university, students are profitable.
It does not take an upperclassman to understand that college can drain a bank account. The competition for earning freshman scholarships is getting tough, and once a student has earned one, the pressure felt during freshman year is greater.
The Scholarship Board is not as flexible as seeing an advisor to change a major.
Unfortunately, this creates circumstances where students will have to make the tough decision of switching majors into a subject area that could have a negative impact on their GPAs. The transition often results in a lost scholarship.
There is an option to submit an appeal to the University Scholarship Committee where they will take all factors in to consideration and decide to renew the scholarship. This could be avoided.
I believe if a student changes their major during his or her first year, Auburn should offer an opportunity to complete a probationary semester if a student's GPA is within a certain range of their scholarship requirement.
Students who practice hard work and determination should be able to succeed.
The first year is all about experiencing Auburn for the first time as a student and experiencing all of the memories and mistakes that happen in college life. But as this upperclassman would admit, any choice made at Auburn is only a stepping stone to graduating from the best school in the nation.
(06/24/14 3:00pm)
For those of you who don't know much about soccer on the international stage, Team USA has a bitter rival. The nation below our border holds the title for America's most disliked opponent.
Both teams compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). The teams have seen each other on the soccer pitch in friendlies as well, playing 63 times since their first meeting in 1934. Mexico has an advantage in the win column with a record of 33-18-14, but America has an edge in the past 10 years with a record of 7-4-4 against "El Tri."
The rivalry holds severe hostility on both sides, with numerous matches ending with neither sides lining up for the customary post-game handshake.
The Mexican side is particularly nasty. In several instances, the Mexican fans chanted, "Osama" during the game, as a taunt aimed at the World Trade Center tragedy. The Mexican fans also have booed the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner."
More disgusting antics from the Mexican side have included the throwing of gallon-sized bags of urine at American players.
In 2009, Mexican assistant coach Francisco Ramirez attacked former American midfielder Frankie Hejduk, slapping him in the tunnel at the Columbus Crew stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
As Americans, our competitive nature loves a good rivalry. While LSU fans have been known to act similarly by tossing urine at an opposing team or players, and Bama fans occasionally poison our trees, the Mexican fans have mocked America on a personal level and should be viewed as a vicious rival that we should enjoy rooting against.
Regardless of if you are a fan of the world's most popular game, the World Cup has gripped America. We can all get behind our nation and enjoy the uncommon unity of an entire nation standing together and rooting for our boys in Brazil.
A fierce rivalry dating back to 1932 always helps stoke the fire in competition, and America is hoping to go further than their biggest rivals if they can survive the group stage.
Now that Mexico has advanced to the knockout stage, all the USA has to do is either tie or beat Germany to advance. While unlikely, the two rivals could meet again if both teams make historic runs, setting up one of the most anticipated match-ups in this storied rivalries history.
While soccer may not be considered the most "American" sport, it's always fun getting behind your nation and supporting the red, white and blue. Heading downtown to watch the game at Halftime with the American Outlaws while jamming to "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins embodies the American spirit.
(06/19/14 8:00pm)
I am not good when it comes to the physical task of balancing.
Recently, a close friend and I were on an adventure in a nature park and came across a stream. The only way to cross this stream was to cross a pipeline that stretched across the stream for about 10 feet over the flowing water.
I would be lying if I said I didn't picture myself falling in and breaking my phone, leg or something valuable. Luckily for me, the pipeline was wide enough for me to cautiously walk across.
My friend, on the other hand, crossed the pipeline with no effort.
Here, I immediately recognized my doubts about my balancing skills. Most people don't like the feeling of doubt, but in this particular situation I realized I needed to overcome my doubts.
Who knows when I'll need to balance across another sewage pipeline?
After another 10 minutes of exploration, we came across another pipeline that was more slender than the last.
This was a challenge I couldn't walk away from. I probably could've taken a different path, but this was easy for my friend and I needed to overcome my doubts.
Sometimes, people allow their thoughts to prevent them from doing things that need to be done. Like a song that you just can't get out of your head, some thoughts resonate louder than more important thoughts.
When something appears and redirects people's thoughts toward a particular thing, it can cause a lot of internal struggle, and if you aren't prepared to handle this then chaos can follow.
If you are prepared, then it is likely you won't even need to worry; therefore, your thoughts will be free.
Back to the story.
My friend was already across the second pipeline when I finally decided I was ready to give it a try.
Unfortunately, I couldn't quite concentrate on balancing because I was focused on not falling into the water.
It seemed like my awareness of my ill-directed concentration consumed me to the point where I was frozen.
My friend, who crossed the pipeline like a gymnast, noticed I had stopped in the middle of the pipeline, past the point of no return.
We talked for a few minutes as I tried to get myself together feeling like I was walking a tightrope across the Grand Canyon.
I wasn't really listening because of my fear of falling. But I do remember one thing, the thing that helped me cross with ease.
I heard the words, "fall into each step," and for some reason, instead of focusing on not falling into the water, I just stopped thinking and fell into each step.
There may be something metaphorical or symbolic here, but since I'd rather have my thoughts roam free, I'd just take this story for what it is, but remember it next time you need to balance your way over something dangerous.
(06/15/14 12:00pm)
While it's difficult to say how much Auburn's run to the 2013 BCS National Championship helped the city and the University financially, it's not hard to tell how much it helped Gus Malzahn's wallet.
Malzahn's newest contract extension, which raises his salary to $3.85 million per year with an increase of $250,000 annually through 2019, makes the 49-year-old coach the third highest paid coach in the SEC behind Nick Saban and Les Miles.
The lucrative deals found their way to the hardwood as well, with new men's basketball head coach Bruce Pearl finalizing a six-year, $2.2 million dollar contract through the 2020 season.
As usual, these contracts are loaded with incentives that make one thing clear: Jay Jacobs wants these men to put people in the seats and bring home championships.
While both contracts would reward coaches for postseason success and championships, Pearl's contract carries a number of incentives that would reward the coach for selling out the Auburn Arena for half of the season.
Attendance was a serious issue at the end of the Tony Barbee era, with a record-low attendance of 4,434 for a game against South Carolina being rock bottom.
The rise of high-definition television has made attendance a difficult issue in many sports.
A winning product can fix many of the problems, but the potential for championships is a greater long-term solution.
With Malzahn and Pearl's championship history, it only made sense for Jacobs to lock down the pair for as long as possible.
Now it's up to Malzahn and Pearl to prove they are worth their lofty paystubs.
(06/14/14 12:00pm)
When my fiance suggested that I attend the inaugural Auburn Women's Football camp, I wasn't exactly on board from the get-go.
I couldn't think of anything more intimidating than surrounding myself with diehard Auburn football fans for a whole day while trying to learn the technicalities of football, a subject that has never been my strong suit.
I've lived in Alabama my entire life, but football was never a part of my upbringing.
I understood the game at its most basic level.
I knew the positions and the faces of the big-name player for each team.
I knew what a fumble was.
I knew what calls the refs were making at least half of the time.
But as far as Auburn-specific football, I was a rookie.
But then, I took a deep breath and decided to attend the camp with my future mother-in-law, Martha.
I was expecting to enjoy a fun day with Martha, while Nate spent the day hanging around Auburn with his dad.
I thought, at the most, I'd get a few autographs.
However, what I got out of this experience was much more.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me.
I graduated from Auburn in May and have since moved to Birmingham. Throughout my four years on the Plains, I never went on the field or in the locker room.
I had never seen the new athletic facilities, including the new indoor football field.
I didn't understand the key components to our Hurry-Up, No-Huddle offense or our defense.
And I never knew how much creativity, patience and skill it took to be the Tiger's equipment manager.
However, after eight hours of intense lectures, tours, meet-and-greets and videos, I feel like I'm up to speed.
I even got to meet Gus Malzahn, spend time with his coaching staff and eat lunch with Travis Williams, current defensive analyst, former Auburn linebacker and rapper who created the "Tiger Walk" song.
Even though I enjoyed everything offered to us at this day camp, my favorite segment, by far, was the presentation by Dana Marquez, the equipment manager of the only certified equipment staff in the SEC.
Marquez patented a shoulder pad, both the soft and hard shells, that only weighs 3.8 pounds when dry or wet. Most shoulder pads weigh between 15 and 20 pounds by the end of a game.
Not only that, he also put himself through culinary school while working for several teams in various sports across the country before his arrival at Auburn.
Marquez was funny, well spoken and charming, so much so that one of the attendees asked if he was interested in "older women."
Needless to say, the entire room erupted in laughter.
I couldn't have asked for a more immersive way to wrap my head around something that for so long was completely foreign to me, and for this being the first year the University has hosted a football camp exclusively for women, I applaud it for an invaluable experience that I'll always cherish, along with all of the other memories I made at Auburn.
I am excited to see how next year's camp unfolds.
I'm sure it will be an even greater success than this year's.
I also couldn't have asked to spend the day with more inspirational women.
These women are at the heart of the Auburn family.
They're the great-grandmothers, grandmothers and mothers of current students.
They're the alumnae who helped make the University and the football program what it is today.
I can only hope to be as dedicated, loud and loyal as these women are by the time I'm their age.
(06/12/14 4:30pm)
Nothing says "help, I've been possessed by an evil wax statue" like a selfie.
It's hard to ignore the lifeless onslaught of puckered lips, expressionless gazes, and submissively tilted heads that stare from the profiles of many women's social media accounts.
Even more frightening than the creepy selfie pose is a prevailing attitude that seems to affect many of my female acquaintances and even, at times, myself.
Many young women seem to struggle to develop original and autonomous identities. Instead, they form identities that echo their boyfriends', friends', or sororities' interests, ideology and characteristics without independently developing their own.
Although intellectual autonomy is difficult to attain, narcissism is easily achieved and demonstrated through sharing constant streams of personal updates and photographs. Unfortunately, egotism isn't a substitute for individualism.
However, the culprit of this phenomenon doesn't seem to be the fugitive spirit from Madame Tussauds's wax museum attempting to clone lifeless imitations of individuals.
Instead, I think many of us Plainswomen have inadvertently absorbed American culture's lack of appreciation of, and dedication to, originality.
Many of today's best-selling movies are remakes or a part of franchises, while television show spinoffs and book series flood the market. Many of the storylines feature mishmashes of old storylines (vampires anyone?) instead of innovative and original concepts. And, of course, many of our female pop culture icons aren't necessarily originality role models either. It's all too common for a woman to receive fame and attention for her good looks and sexuality instead of her talent, artistry or wit.
To compound the phenomenon, traditional women's culture often emphasizes inclusion instead of competition. This emphasis isn't inherently bad; however groupthink and "sameness" aren't necessarily discouraged.
Surrounded by our culture's creative and intellectual stagnation and its idolization of over-sexualized women, it's understandable that many women struggle to form their own identities.
Luckily, the solution doesn't require an exorcism.
Although easy to consume the vapid products of our pop culture in our free time, such behavior is counterproductive when forming an independent identity.
Producing something, rather than consuming, forces one to think. You must consider what you're going to do, determine how you are going to do it, and then critique yourself after you've finished. It's a process that allows for self-exploration, understanding and acceptance. This type of, often creative, thinking is an essential component of de-clonifying yourself and forming an independent identity.
Learning, when paired with deep, analytical thinking is likewise helpful in the de-clonefication process. Although it's fun to read an informative book, it's also important to spend time reflecting on what you think about the given topic and why you think it.
Although our culture may not encourage self-discovery, creativity or intellectual independence for women, that doesn't mean we should allow ourselves to stagnate. If each Plainswoman worked to think deeply and creatively in order to understand herself, we could use our rich senses of self to change our entertainment industry's vapid, mindless pop products and create a better, smarter, more innovative culture.
Until then, it would be nice to see women possessed only by their sense of self.
(06/09/14 8:00pm)
For most siblings, after they grow into mature adults, their petty childhood rivalries stay in the past.
On the other hand, the competition will always be there for me with my younger sister Hope.
One of our favorite games to compete against each other in is H.O.R.S.E. For those who have not played the game, it is a basketball variation that requires more shooting skills than anything.
I cannot recall ever losing a game to her until she came to visit me in Auburn last week and beat me. I didn't take it well.
If you're like me, you probably take sports too seriously at times, especially when it involves your siblings.
Everyone has a different ego when competing. I can't stand to lose at anything.
A few hours after the tough loss, I eventually accepted that my little sister has grown into quite the athlete and started to act my age instead of my shoe size.
It's easy to get frustrated when you are losing, but there is more a person can gain from competing than winning or losing.
Learning sportsmanship teaches people how to deal with moments of truth in your daily life, and it should be carried beyond the field or court.
Sportsmanship, whether you like it or not, is a connection to your character off the field.
The outcome of sports is often uncertain, like life can be. Sports teach us how to react to things that are out of our control.
Being a "good sport" is holding yourself to a higher standard and enjoying the sport for the sake of playing the game and friendly competition.
Some things we can do to have better sportsmanship are treat others with respect, encourage and congratulate your opponent when they do something good, not gloat when you win, not pout when you lose, avoid making up with excuses, and be able to take criticism without taking it personally.
Your attitude is a big part of what makes you a good or bad sport and shows how mature you are as a person.
Your competitive spirit is going to get the best of you sometimes, but how your emotional reaction is what defines you.
If you're a bad sport you could end up giving others a bad reputation.
Aaron Hernandez's immaturity left a mark on the New England Patriots franchise even after the former tight end's involvement with the team was over when he was arrested on a charge of double murder in 2013.
Hernandez got the lowest score possible for "social maturity" during a pre-draft assessment in 2010, and there were members of the franchise that knew about his immaturity beforehand.
I'm not saying that anyone could have kept Hernandez out of prison, but who knows what might have happened if his behavior was taken more seriously by the Patriots organization or teammates in the locker room.
Monitor yourself, on and off the field, with these things and they can be life lessons as well as good sportsmanship and will make you a better person in the end.
(05/31/14 6:00pm)
Many students believe the reason we come to college is to get good grades so we can finish our time here with a diploma in-hand and a silly-looking hat.
However, a complete and full college education isn't contingent on maintaining a certain GPA or even finishing with a degree.
Too often we find ourselves worried about our grades in our classes, and many people lose sleep or even have anxiety attacks over them.
We fail to realize that our grades aren't an accurate indication of how well we are learning, and they are required by the University as a way to monitor the progress of teachers and students, as well as provide structure in the classroom.
I'm sure there are many teachers who would do away with grading if it wasn't required, and there are others who downplay the significance by scaling grades in the hope that their students will focus more on the content being taught.
As students, we often will scan for a letter at the top of our papers and ignore the commentary our professors spend a great deal of time writing about our work.
Their commentary is the only kind of grading that adequately describes how well we are doing in a class and explains what we can improve on.
We retain less of what is important to learn during our time here and hinder our own learning experience when we tailor our learning to try to adhere to a grading system by cramming and other poor study habits.
What is important is that we learn the necessary technical and social skills for our future endeavors, we learn how to collaborate with people of different nationalities and ideologies, and we, most importantly, find what we are passionate about.
Every assignment a that professor gives us is designed to emphasize something we will be doing in the future, or that the professor thinks is an important skill for us to know for the future.
They aren't making us work together to check the "I promote teamwork" box and add another line to their resume.
If we genuinely want to learn everything we can here, we have to stop worrying about our grades and realize what a small part of our learning experience they are.
Not only will this lower the extremely high stress level on campus, but it will allow more students to see that our learning isn't confined to a classroom and isn't represented by a number, a letter or a diploma.
Our time here is called the "Auburn Experience" for a reason.
The clubs, speeches, concerts and events outside of the classroom, as well as the variety of interesting electives on campus are sponsored so that our learning can be an encapsulating experience.
If our students leave the Plains having learned only what we need to obtain the almighty "A," then we have missed out on receiving the education we all pay an arm and a leg for.
(05/30/14 4:00pm)
Facebook has set up a toxic atmosphere of co-dependence and narcissism. It has taught us, not to become reliant on Facebook, but to become reliant on others.
It's an environment where users are becoming excessively, and at times awkwardly, open about their lives with everyone on the internet at the risk of jeopardizing their own social well-being for individuals they may not even know.
Facebook has entered the limelight of the Internet and, while its appeal is beginning to curb, it doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
The appeal of Facebook is understandable. It's a great way to keep up with friends, but also strangers.
While having Facebook makes it easier to connect with anyone and everyone, it is actually slowly deteriorating how and who we communicate with. Individuals with over 500 friends, or even a thousand, are not uncommon on Facebook.
It's fascinating how one person can keep track of over 1,000 people. Working under the premise: friendship requires a relationship, users with over a thousand friends must surely remember individual things about each person and, at the very least, their names.
This would seem to be a tall task for any one person to handle; and as it turns out, most people cannot.
In 2011, NPR's Rachel Martin interviewed Robin Dunbar, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at the University of Oxford, to gain insight on his findings regarding human networking.
As it turns out, the average person can only keep track of around 150 people.
This is called Dunbar's Number.
With this information in mind, it would be rather absurd to think that one person could keep track of over 1,000 people.
Thanks to Dunbar's Number, it is safe to assume that many of these people are complete strangers.
Now, it's not far-fetched to assume many of these users may actually know most of the people they are Facebook friends with, however it is questionable they might actually be close.
Perhaps they may only be acquaintances, or someone they've only met once.
It's also not uncommon to see people become Facebook friends with strangers.
Facebook is an environment that promotes users creating ambiguous connections with people, thus skewing the line between users' actual friends and complete strangers.
(05/28/14 12:00pm)
Last week, the Southeastern Conference revealed the non-divisional rotation for football for every year until 2025.
They decided to keep the eight-game slate that consists of six divisional games and two non-divisional games, including one permanent non-divisional opponent.
While that means the annual battle with Georgia will be kept intact for Auburn, many entertaining matchups will only happen a couple times every decade.
One of my favorite series, against Florida, will not be played again in the regular season until 2019.
After producing moments like Damon Duval's game-winning field goal and ensuing field-storming in 2001, Tre Smith returning a blocked punt for a touchdown in 2006 and Wes Byrum hitting the game-winning field goal twice in Gainesville in 2007; the Auburn-Florida series deserves to be played more often.
Tennessee and South Carolina, two opponents that have given Auburn competitive games in recent history, will only be occasional foes.
Following the Tennessee game last season and the South Carolina game this season, the two teams will not play Auburn in the regular season again until 2018 and 2021, respectively.
Alternatives to the current schedule have been discussed. The two most logical alternatives are adding a ninth conference game and removing the permanent non-divisional opponent.
I think the better solution is adding a ninth conference game, one that would be another rotating, non-divisional game.
Doing so would immensely benefit three types of fans: the casual fan, the student, and the season ticket holder.
The casual fan just wants to watch quality football games with the best players, coaches, and game day atmospheres.
What better place to see such games than the SEC? Adding another game would create another entertaining Saturday on everyone's schedule.
College students are the most spirited, obnoxious, and fun fans there are, and they come from around the country.
They are also among the best traveled, as many take advantage of road trip opportunities to visit other college towns or to see nearby family.
It's a shame that students from states such as Florida, Tennessee, or South Carolina may not be able to see Auburn play at their home-state school while they are a student.
The season ticket holders would benefit the most from a ninth game.
They are the fans that spend money on tickets, gas, a place to stay, and food every weekend during football season, even for the smaller games for the most part.
With fans that dedicated, why not reward them by replacing a blowout, non-conference game with another competitive SEC game?
On top of the fans, another conference game would economically benefit the schools significantly.
In this age of HD-TV and nationwide coverage of almost every game, it is getting more difficult to sell out every home game, especially the less competitive non-conference games.
Replacing one of those games with a ninth conference game will increase ticket sales and attendance, increasing profits pulled in by the universities.
With the SEC just recently announcing the new scheduling format, it seems that reforming it may not happen in the near future.
But when it does happen, a ninth SEC game appears to be an attractive option.
(05/25/14 6:15pm)
I had several goals I wanted to achieve with my free time this summer.
In between working as sports editor for our campus newspaper and part-time with The Auburn Villager, I had every intention of finally starting a consistent workout regimen.
I'm not out of shape, but I think we all know working out is one of the first activities that gets kicked to the curb as the spring semester rounds into its late stages.
So imagine my surprise last week when I walked into an empty Recreation and Wellness Center in the middle of the afternoon only to realize that I was not allowed to enter the building.
That's right, I am not allowed to use the student recreation center my constantly rising tuition fees funded the construction of.
Not unless I paid a $200 fee.
As confused and disappointed as I was when I heard, I soon found I wasn't the only one locked out.
And those wonderful Recreation and Wellness Center employees who are constantly walking around cleaning weight benches and breaking up fights on the basketball courts?
Well, they can't get in either unless they fork over $200.
It does make sense at first there'd be a fee to use the facility if you're not currently enrolled in classes over this summer and fall.
While I could certainly go down to another gym and get a cheaper membership to achieve my summer goals, it certainly doesn't have the amenities of the Recreation and Wellness Center.
Rock walls, golf simulators, basketball courts and suspended running tracks are awesome and certainly won't be found in any local gyms.
And they obviously have to be able to pay the employees that keep the building running.
What I fail to understand is being charged the exact same fee, that I apparently pay for five months of access in the fall and four months of access in the spring, when the summer semester is only three months long.
In the fall, my monthly membership contribution to the University is merely $40 per month (and $50 in the spring), the summer fees jump that total to $66 per month.
But, hey, at least you'll save $2 if you pay it by the month instead of just paying them a flat $200!
There's nothing wrong with making non-enrolled students pay for access if enrolled students must, but jacking up the price is a blatant cash-grab.
I obviously do not expect that the University will change their policy.
But don't charge students the same fee for three months of access as you do for five months in the fall.
Charging non-enrolled students three-fifths of the $200 fall membership fee is fairer to students living and working in Auburn during the summer.
So at least until the fall, you won't find me (and probably many others) at the Recreation and Wellness Center.
Here's hoping there are some good pickup games going on at the Grove this summer.
(05/24/14 7:00pm)
Music festival season is upon us. Maybe you just got back from Hangout Festival in Gulf Shores. Maybe you're gearing up to head to Bonnaroo in Tennessee in June or Lollapalooza this August in Chicago. If that's the case, I envy you.
If you're anything like me, you don't have the funds to spend upwards of $300 on tickets, travel and a place to stay. Not to mention food and souvenirs, because, let's be real, no matter how many times you say you won't buy a t-shirt, you're going to buy a t-shirt.
Realistically, any one of these music fests is probably going to run you at least $500.
The cheapest might be the Hangout Festival for Auburn students because of the location, but even after you spend $229 on tickets, roughly $40 on the gas to get down to Gulf Shores and a minimum of two nights in a hotel -- maybe about $125 a night, if you're lucky -- you're already out nearly $400, and you haven't even bought food.
Don't pretend you won't buy those $6 beers either, because you totally will.
So what's a poor college kid without a "real" job or parental paycheck to do?
Nothing, really, unless you're willing to go broke and eat Ramen noodles for months in advance.
Or you could do a bit of research and take advantage of some of the more localized festivals that won't break the bank.
The weekend of May 9-11, I went to Atlanta for the second annual Shaky Knees Music Festival. Tickets cost me a grand total of $160.
It's close enough that you can stay in Auburn and make the drive.
My friend and I got lucky at the last minute and found a friend who let us crash at his place for free. Before that, we'd found a cheap hotel ten minutes from the venue that was going to cost us, when split, $90 total for two nights.
We spent $30 on parking for the weekend and each bought a $25 t-shirt.
Instead of eating at the festival, we bought most of our food on the cheap at a nearby Kroger.
My rough total for the whole weekend, give or take a few dollars and cents for rounding, was $275.
It's still steep, but it's not $500.
It's possible to get your festival fix for even cheaper, though. Auburn and Opelika host an impressive number of local festivals all summer long.
This past weekend, the Auburn Arts Association put on their annual Jazz and Bluegrass festival, complete with multiple artists from around the state, vendors and food stands. Tickets were $20.
Every Thursday this month, Town Creek Park hosts a free concert from 6-7:30 p.m.
If the single-day festivals aren't enough of a fix for you, May 28-June 1, University Station RV Resort in Auburn holds Bluegrass on the Plains, a 5-day, $105-dollar festival just a six-minute journey from the University down Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Sure, these local fests might not feature Modest Mouse and Childish Gambino, but they're well worth the prices.
They're great ways to get some sun, a great place to hang out and a wonderful way to support local and rising artists.
Who knows? Maybe the banjo player you see at an Auburn festival will make it big and headline something major next year, and by supporting them here, you'll have helped them get there.
(05/23/14 2:00pm)
There's nothing wrong with downtown Auburn. There are a ton of cool shops and places to eat and it's generally a fun place to hang out and relax, especially on the weekends.
But if you're like me and just can't seem to get into the college bar scene--overly loud rap music and brightly colored drinks that promise terrible hangovers--Friday nights can get tedious. When all your friends are hanging out at Sky Bar until 3 a.m., what's a college kid to do?
I asked the same question and spent more than a few weekends Netflix-binging on the couch instead of having a social life the first couple years of college. And then an older friend invited me to come to a small cafe in downtown Opelika called Eighth & Rail.
At the intersection of 8th Street and Railroad Avenue in historic downtown Opelika is the arts district: an old railway station converted into colorful strips of shopping, dining and all things art.
You can head to one of the awesome local eateries like Ma Fia's for pizza, or my personal favorite, Irish Bred Pub, for a pint or two or three--if you're old enough, of course. For dessert, there's The Cheesecake Cottage just around the corner serving up homemade sweets.
If you're into art, there's no better place to hang out. Head to The Gallery on Railroad for original art, or design your own clothes at Kiss My Little Sass. At Uptown Art you can spend your evening painting, or you can head a few streets over to 10th Street and visit the Overall Company's upstairs art gallery, featuring local and university artists, designers and more.
If it's music you want, downtown Opelika is the place to be. Eighth & Rail serves desserts and drinks and hosts live music just about every night, and Irish Bred Pub hosts upstairs bands nearly every weekend.
Occasionally, The Railyard across the street will even bring in bands for an outdoor show. Last summer, they hosted an all-day local music and art festival to support Auburn and Opelika artists.
Auburn is an amazing place full of awesome things to do, but it shouldn't be the only thing you see during your stay here.
Opelika has so many cool things to offer, especially if you prefer your entertainment a little off the beaten path. Drunken revelry has its place, but don't forgo the more cultured side of having fun.
(05/22/14 6:00pm)
The recent revitalization of Auburn athletics has the 2014-2015 school year primed to potentially be one of the most exciting Auburn sports years in recent memory.
From Jordan-Hare Stadium to the friendly confines of Jane B. Moore Field, a large number of Auburn's sports teams are currently rounding into championship form.
A large percentage of the excitement surrounding Auburn athletics comes from the work of Gus Malzahn and his staff.
This city has never seemed as down on itself as it was during the 2012 season. Not only had the Tigers just completed their worst season in close to 60 years, but the treasured Toomer's Oaks were ceremoniously removed after the season.
But things change when the football team starts winning, and the spirits of the Auburn faithful can handle turbulence elsewhere as long as there is a winning football team.
So, while you have the misfortune of coming to the Plains one year after the most wildly unexpected championship season in recent memory, there's little reason to think this year can't be just as exciting as the last.
The excitement in Auburn athletics has spilled over to the hardwood of Auburn Arena, as new head coach Bruce Pearl finally has people talking about Auburn basketball.
Mercifully gone are the days of Tony Barbee basketball. You're lucky to have missed out on that irrelevant era of hardwood mediocrity.
The hiring of Pearl, who revitalized the Tennessee basketball program from 2005-2011, has the national media and top recruits once again taking notice that yes, Auburn does indeed have men's basketball.
His turnaround may not happen immediately, but at the bare minimum Pearl's frenetic style of play should make home games entertaining again.
Though falls in Auburn are generally reserved for football and early parts of the basketball season, Jay Jacobs' recent hires have pumped energy back into the school's baseball and softball programs.
Sunny Golloway of the baseball team and softball's Clint Myers bring a postseason pedigree to the Plains, and though both may not bring in championships this season, their history suggests a potentially quick turnaround in upcoming years.
Even if you're not a passionate sports follower, the culture and pageantry surrounding football in Auburn is enough to make a fan out of the most apathetic.
Enjoy it for what it is, as few things in the world put cars on the sidewalks and brings a town to a standstill quite like a football Saturday on the Plains.
(05/22/14 5:00pm)
Sorry about your bad timing, incoming Auburn freshmen.
If you are a college football fan\0xAD--and there is a good chance you will at least be a casual one during your time on this sports-crazed campus--you just missed out on one of the greatest seasons in Auburn history.
Sure, the Tigers fell short of the final crystal football in Pasadena back in January, but the 13 games leading up to the all-time classic against Florida State's Heisman winner and noted steamed seafood thief Jameis Winston were what made 2013 so memorable at Auburn.
After a miserable 3-9 season and a complete overhaul of the coaching staff, Auburn did the unthinkable. Gus Malzahn's up-tempo Tigers ran through the SEC gauntlet (mostly) unscathed, topping Johnny Football's Texas A&M team in College Station and trolling the daylight out of Bret Bielema's hapless Arkansas squad.
Then, for the first time ever, both of Auburn's "Amen Corner" rivals came to Jordan-Hare Stadium in the same year. The Tigers marked the momentous occasion with two of the craziest endings in the sport's history before winning an SEC Championship shootout against Missouri.
And, unless you somehow had season tickets a year early, all of you freshmen missed out on it.
Oh, don't think I'm rubbing it in. I feel your pain.
Both of my parents went to Auburn, so I have followed the Tigers since birth. I arrived for my first classes at Auburn in the fall of 2011--one year after Cam Newton and Nick Fairley led Auburn to the national title.
Missed it by that much.
So I know what it was like to come to campus directly after a remarkable football season.
But don't worry, you are in a better situation than my class had when it enrolled in 2011.
You see, 2010 was the peak of the Gene Chizik era, which ended with an average 2011 season and that woeful 2012 season.
Looking back, all the pieces fell into place for that 2010 season, but the Tigers were not close to becoming perennial national title contenders after Newton and Fairley left.
This current crop of Tigers\0xAD--your Tigers--are a different story.
For the first time since 2007, Auburn is returning its starter at quarterback. The dual-threat signal caller Nick Marshall is a luxury to modern Auburn football.
Heisman finalist Tre Mason might be off to the bright lights of the NFL, but Auburn returns the thunder-and-lightning combo of Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant at running back. One of your fellow freshmen, Racean "Roc" Thomas, is projected to be the next great star in the Auburn backfield.
Malzahn made sure his Tigers ran about five or six plays last season: run left, run right, run up the middle, run the read option, throw a screen pass or throw a play-action bomb.
Now, with the addition of No. 1 junior college recruit D'haquille Williams--you will loudly call him "DUUUUUUUUKE" this fall\0xAD--Auburn has another weapon for its growing intermediate passing game.
This offense will perform behind one of the nation's most veteran lines, led by four-year starter Reese Dismukes.
Veteran defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson has been busy reloading his unique, attacking 4-2-5 defense. Former blue-chip recruits such as Carl Lawson, Montravius Adams, Robenson Therezie and Derrick Moncrief will lead the way for one of 2013's most improved defenses.
After returning most of the starters from an SEC Championship squad, the 2014 Auburn Tigers will start the season with national-championship hype.
So you might have missed "A Miracle at Jordan-Hare" and "The Kick Six," but you will start your Auburn careers with something most fans have not seen in a long time: high expectations and loads of talent.
Buckle up.
(05/22/14 4:00pm)
I've never lived on campus.
So, when it comes to deciding whether or not to live there, I might not be the most reliable source.
However, I have a perspective many ought to consider, especially since 80 percent of students live off campus.
Now, this column is not intended to scare you, young freshman.
I will speak of many things. Roommates, money, navel picking.
However, I am not saying any of these things will happen to you.
(Try not to take it too seriously.)
I stayed on campus for two nights during Camp War Eagle in the Quad.
That was enough for me.
In hindsight, I've spent more than two nights on campus, but the library doesn't count.
That's not to say my stay was traumatic.
Frankly, I found the dorm itself to be quite tolerable.
But what I found intolerable was having a roommate so close.
We talked nonchalantly for about half an hour before we decided to cut off the lights.
The conversation was productive.
I learned we had virtually nothing in common.
I also didn't want to bother him, and I didn't want him bothering me.
What if he snores? Will he begin to smell bad?
What if he catches me picking at something I ought not be picking at?
Will I ever be able to fart casually in my bed again?
Those questions all sound mighty melodramatic.
I become too self-aware when someone eats, sleeps and lives in the same 16-by-12-foot room as me.
I wouldn't be able to focus or sleep soundly, which prevents me from being able to buckle down and study when I need to.
I realized it would only be for two nights, but I didn't want to roll the dice when it came to living with a stranger during the semester.
So I moved into a trailer off campus with a friend from high school.
It was one of the best decisions I made, not only for my study habits, but for my wallet as well.
A double room in the Quad costs $3,100 per semester. With five months in a semester, that's $620 a month.
The same room in the Hill will cost $550 a month, and you'll be paying $800 a month in the Village.
It doesn't take much digging to find off campus housing offering twice the space of a dorm room at a fraction of the cost.
My rent is $307.50, so don't say deals aren't out there.
Oh, and many off campus housing options provide a refrigerator.
That is a luxury not afforded to students in the Hill or Quad.
Technically there is a communal refrigerator in the each dorm building's kitchen, but would you trust that?
Four stolen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches later and you'll be stashing your food beneath your bed like a squirrel.
If it's the commute you are concerned about, fear not. The Tiger Transit takes approximately 10-15 minutes to get on campus, depending where your bus stop is at.
Though, the most important thing is they're reliable.
I have never, not once, missed or even been late to class due to the Tiger Transit.
Worried about making fewer friends by living off campus?
Well, if you don't take the initiative to find them yourself, you probably won't find any, regardless of where you live.
To me, the only perk of living on campus is you can throw a rock at your classroom.
(05/22/14 2:00pm)
Deciding on a major is just the first of the many difficult decisions there is to make in college. I began my time at Auburn as a nutrition science major, hoping to go to medical school upon the completion of my undergraduate degree. I quickly found, after taking three science classes (two of them honors) my first semester, that medical school wasn't for me. I switched to the nutrition and dietetics major, which was similar to my initial nutrition major, just without all the medical school prerequisites built in. Even still, I couldn't make myself enjoy all the science classes. Since I liked to write, I switched to journalism my junior year, a discipline that couldn't have felt more opposite than what I had previously studied. It's unfortunate many universities force freshman to immediately declare a major, because often even the most assured students don't know what they want to do. There's a lot of pressure for freshmen to declare a major, and Auburn has more than 140 to choose from. While it's hard to know what you want to do, there are ways to graduate on time even if you change your major to something in science to something in liberal arts. I am able to graduate almost on time - in four years plus a summer semester. I'll be done with classes in May and will get my diploma after I intern in the summer, which is not an uncommon thing to do if you have a full-time internship in your curriculum. I consider myself lucky. I know handfuls of people who have similarly changed their major and are graduating more than a summer semester late. Here are two key ways to avoid this:
Focus on core classes for your first year. Auburn requires courses in English, history, science, math and social science, which can easily fill hours for your first two semesters. This can also be a way to discover interests you may not have known about before.
Take one class that pertains to your declared major to test the waters. You don't want to be a junior taking your first major-related class and then realize you don't like it.
(05/22/14 1:00pm)
I can't count the amount of times I've found myself around the Auburn area and said, "I wish I would have known about this place as a freshman."
Coming from Mobile, I was accustomed to the buzz a bigger city could provide. Good live music, open air and easy access to the water were norms for me. I was homesick for these things when I came to Auburn.
As a senior, I realized the problem didn't lie in Auburn.These things were here for me, it was that I wasn't looking hard enough.
Just to throw in a quick disclaimer, most of these locations require a car, so you might have to get creative if you don't have access to one. Aside from that, they should provide some fresh experiences while not taking you too far away from College and Magnolia.
(05/21/14 3:00pm)
Before I stepped onto The Plains, I had no idea what Auburn University really was.
I came to Auburn with no friends from home and a lot of clothes.
I knew I needed to get involved as soon as possible, but finding where to get involved was the tricky part. Not all students know what they want to do with the rest of their lives the first day of college.
I was lucky enough to have an idea of what I wanted to do and started working for The Auburn Plainsman, Auburn's student-run and independently funded weekly campus newspaper.
Everyone on staff at The Plainsman is dedicated to giving the students, faculty and staff here in Auburn the news they deserve to know.
Our print edition of The Plainsman is filled with features and news reports of what is happening on campus and in the Auburn community throughout the week.
We also have a website, ThePlainsman.com, which is updated with fresh content throughout the week.
At The Plainsman, we have a motto: A spirit that is not afraid.
We are here to make sure the people at the University know exactly what is going on, even behind closed doors.
We are not just students working part-time on a class project.
We are journalists who take full responsibility for bringing the news and what is going on in Auburn to the public's attention.
The Plainsman covers everything from city council and Student Government Association meetings to features about interesting students to last season's BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, Calif.
The Plainsman also ensures the students and faculty of the University are updated on breaking news as quickly as possible.
When we had threats against the University, The Plainsman's Twitter account, @TheAUPlainsman, was where people could find minute-by-minute updates on what was happening with the Auburn Police Division and on campus.
Same goes for the severe weather we had in April.
When the tornado warning sounded, the staff had the responsibly to let the people of Auburn know when and where to go to be safe.
The Plainsman office is more than just a place to work, it's become my niche and I encourage you to find yours.
Find that club, organization or classroom on campus that makes you excited to get out of bed every morning.
The Plainsman is my heart and soul and I hope you see that in my staff as we continue to break and cover news throughout the upcoming semesters.
