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(03/07/14 5:15pm)
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OPINION: A 'Bachelor' breakthrough
(03/07/14 5:00pm)
Twenty five beautiful women living in the same house and competing for the same guy seems to be an ideal way to find love, right? ABC's "The Bachelor" has been a guilty pleasure of mine for years. It's hard to say exactly what makes the show so entertaining. I think for the most part, the audience is more fascinated with the drama and competition more than the hope of two people finding love and living happily ever after. Let's face it. The show's concept is unrealistic and the relationships hardly ever work out after the proposal, yet millions of viewers still tune in every week. Myself included. The most recent season, featuring Juan Pablo Galavis, was probably the most real and intriguing so far. Most of the credit can go to former frontrunner and fan favorite, Andi Dorfman. Galavis and Dorfman had a strong connection from the beginning, but after the two had their night together in the "fantasy suite," their relationship quickly went sour. It's rare for a contestant to walk out on the Bachelor,. But Dorfman suddenly decided that she was over Galavis. She realized Galavis was more into himself than her. According to Dorfman, their conversations only consisted of surface level topics and Galavis seemed uninterested in getting into deeper discussions about life. The funny thing is, Galavis seemed to feel that the over-night date went well, but Dorfman couldn't wait to get out of the suite. She waited until after their night together to tell him how she felt. "I just never honestly feel like you were trying to get to know me," Dorfman told Galavis on the show. "Do you have any idea what religion I practice? What my political views are? ... Things that matter. Do you have any idea about how I want to raise my kids? Do you have any idea about any of that?" He didn't. In the suite, Galavis also discussed his "fantasy suite" date with another woman and implied that Dorfman only made it that far by default. Dorfman was offended by his comments, as anyone should be, and decided Galavis was rude, arrogant and inappropriate. I'm sure all who tuned in were appalled to hear some of the things he chose to bring up to her. Galavis seemed to have an excuse for everything he said that caused controversy throughout the season. He would say he was just being honest, that there was a language barrier, that words were put into his mouth--blah, blah, blah. Dorfman didn't seem to buy it. As long as I have watched the show, I've noticed that these deep, meaningful subjects hardly seem to be addressed. I think it's because contestants on the show seem to be so caught up in the fantasy of finding love in exotic locations, and they lose sight of real life. It's refreshing to see a contestant get her head out of the clouds and stop trying to force feelings that aren't there just for a TV show.
Editorial: Uninformed in the information age
(03/06/14 10:15am)
Awareness is everything. It keeps us on track, ensures we know when our exams are, gets us to class on time and prevents us from getting hit by cars when we cross the street. Most everyone would say that they are aware of their surroundings, but global awareness is a concept many take for granted. Global awareness is important now more than ever. The recent events in Ukraine have left many global actors in a state of uncertainty about the future of international politics. The conflict has placed the United States and Russia back into their usual corners of the ring. The situation is so tense, many other global actors have remained silent. But do not stay deaf to the situation. We do not know where this conflict will lead, but do not wait to inform yourself until the climax. It's easy to stay ignorant in today's day and age. Technology and mass media have made it easier than ever to remain in our own bubbles of information. Technology has placed all the information of the world at our fingertips, but we use it to take selfies instead. Does this show that our generation is taking everything for granted? The world could burn tomorrow, and there would be some jackass out there who uploads a selfie next to the flames #endoftheworldasweknowit. And we're not feeling fine about this. Our generation needs to utilize technology and social media to communicate about current events in a way that is meaningful. The kind of activism we see on social media today can accurately be labeled as "slacktivism." Posting political memes, links, articles and blogs is not activism. Organizing in-person events is the only way to make change happen. The Egyptian protesters in 2011 successfully utilized Facebook as a means of organizing protests in person. Had the Egyptians posted videos of themselves flipping through cue cards about how sad they were about being oppressed, the revolution would have gone nowhere. Our abuse of technology is leading us nowhere. It is not inherently bad to want to keep in touch with your friends with social media, but there are small things we can all do to stay informed. Try having two Twitter accounts, one for friends and one for news. Then upload your news Twitter account to your phone to get live updates of the news throughout the day instead of updates of where your friends are eating. Part of being a college student is being exposed to new ideas and concepts. Staying informed will prevent you from falling for the people who seek to abuse you. It helps to develop healthy skepticism, which is important today, in a time when any person can share with you. Arming yourself with knowledge is one of the best ways to protect yourself, be it from scam artists, foreign aggressors or our government. We stand for news. We advocate for staying involved with what's going on in the world around you. It's the difference between being able to make informed decisions and living in darkness. Being civically engaged is the only way to make sense of the world.
OPINION: The Madness is approaching
(03/07/14 8:45pm)
Believe it or not, we're already in the month of March, which not only means spring break is next week, but also means the most wonderful time of the year is quickly approaching: NCAA Basketball March Madness. It's almost time to fill out those brackets that we all know and love. Well, you like it until you rip them up after your picks are completely wrong by the end of the first weekend. I know the Auburn Tigers, unfortunately, will not be a part of the field of 68 teams who will be picked to make the tournament on Selection Sunday March 16. Well, unless they win the SEC Tournament in Atlanta. But this tournament gives everyone an opportunity to not only watch exciting games filled with potential upsets during the next few weeks, but also the opportunity to win $1 billion. You read that correctly: one billion dollars. Quicken Loans Inc. announced in January that they were going to team up with Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. on this Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge. If you won this challenge, you would choose to receive either 40 annual installments of $25 million or receive an immediate $500 million lump-sum payment. If there are no perfect brackets Quicken will award $100,000 each to the contest's 20 most accurate brackets. According to CNN, Buffett will attend the national championship game if there's a chance you have a perfect bracket going down to the final game. "I will invite him or her to be my guest at the final game and be there with a check in my pocket, but I will not be cheering for him or her to win," Buffett said to CNN. "I may even give them a little investment advice." Even if you do not care for college basketball, you might as well give it a shot. Every college student could use an extra few bucks or a billion dollars works too. This year's NCAA Tournament is different though. There is not one dominant favorite to win it all or even a team that is a lock-in to make the final four, which makes filling out your bracket even harder this year. Just when I thought Syracuse was a lock to make the Final Four, they go and lose to an 8-21 Boston College team at home to break their undefeated season. Maybe you're thinking Wichita State will make it to the Final Four since they are the only undefeated team left winning all 31 of their regular season games. But their strength of schedule is anything but impressive, so who knows what will happen when they face a team from a top conference. Kentucky, a team that was expected by some to make a run in the tournament, lost last week to South Carolina, who has the worst record in the SEC, being 11-18 overall. Maybe No. 1 Florida will win it all since their last loss dates all the way back to Dec. 2. But they haven't exactly been dominant, as most of their wins in a shaky SEC have been close games. With the amount of upsets and court storming that has occurred already this season, don't be surprised to see another 15-seed make the Sweet 16 like Florida Gulf Coast did last March. If that happens again you might as well put your bracket through the paper shredder. There only happens to be nine quintillion ways to fill out a bracket, so if any of you find the ridiculous amount of time it would take to fill out every possible combination, maybe you'll get the chance to watch the Final Four next to Warren Buffett in hopes of winning that billion. Even if it's nearly impossible to fill out a perfect bracket, take the time this March to sit back and enjoy the madness that will add to the unpredictable season college basketball has already had. Good luck filling out those brackets. We will need all the luck we can get if we want to win that money.
OPINION: Nothing personal, just dropping the dead weight
(02/24/15 7:16pm)
Date parties, Greek week, Panhellenic points, DJ options for Spring Formal - I remember when these things used to mean a lot to me. They don't anymore, but I'm not ashamed. As an Indiana girl with no friends across the Mason-Dixon line, coming to college at Auburn was a scary idea. Throw in a week of early wake-up calls, small talk and sundresses, and the thought was downright terrifying. I would've rejected all of it, but my mom wouldn't let me. She signed me up for sorority recruitment and told me to grow up, get over it and get ready for college. I'm not in a sorority anymore, but I'm glad my mother convinced me to give it a shot. Here's why: For me, joining a sorority wasn't paying for a label. It was having a common denominator with my roommate, who I'd never met before. It was making friends I probably wouldn't have met otherwise. It was having mandated study hours I would have wasted instead, learning about campus groups and being encouraged to try out for them, even when I swore I'd never make it. It was having a group of people to cheer me on no matter the outcome. But by my junior year, being in a sorority was none of those things for me anymore. Don't get me wrong - I have nothing but respect for the women of Panhellenic. They raise millions of dollars for charity each year, set high standards for themselves both in behavior and academia and create lasting friendships with each other. My mom, a former sorority girl herself, is still in contact with several of her sisters from her Chi Omega days at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. For me, though, being a part of a sorority became something different. Instead of looking forward to those DJ discussions at chapter, I stacked up excuses why I shouldn't go. I scrambled to get work done when I realized I had to, and, if I opted to skip out instead, I $50 paid for it. I never felt comfortable at formal, which for me was like the grown-up equivalent of awkward middle school dances. I didn't hold an office in my sorority, either, and by sophomore year, I stopped feeling like a contributing, valuable member. I'm a busy person. Structure makes me better. Free time turns me into a slug that watches an entire season of House of Cards in one weekend. I was juggling tough classes, Dance Marathon, Camp War Eagle, friends, a social life, sleep and more, and though my list of priorities might not have been in that exact order, I knew with some certainty that Greek life was coming in dead last. I tried to tell myself I could hang in there. I only had two years left, right? Maybe the summer would give me some perspective. But another week of recruitment passed, classes started, my commitments grew and changed. The more I scratched it, the worse my desire to quit itched, and the only consistency was the feeling of dread every Sunday when I'd put on a nice dress and go to chapter. So, I quit. There are times when I see pictures of functions or hear my roommate talking about new officers, and I feel a little sad for not being a part of that anymore. For some people, Greek life really is an awesome thing - it was for Freshman Maddie, who found the sense of community she desperately needed during a tough transition to Southern living. But organizations need passionate members who strive to make their groups better every day and are willing to get their hands dirty in the process. For my sorority, I just wasn't one of those people anymore. If girls want to spend their Sunday (or Tuesday, or Wednesday, or whenever) night debating which philanthropy event to put on, or which t-shirt color to order, power to them. I'll probably spend mine working, or watching House of Cards, instead.
OPINION: 50 years of The Beatles, has music peaked?
(02/27/14 5:15pm)
On Feb. 9, 1964, The Beatles exploded into American homes with a two-and-a-half-minute performance of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on The Ed Sullivan Show. That night changed the way we would listen to music forever. The Beatles transcend time. My parents listened to them, I listen to them and I'm willing to bet my children will listen to them too. Growing up in a generation of Beliebers and Directioners, it can be hard to imagine another band having such a profound effect on a culture. It has been 50 years since that performance, and the world hasn't seen anything like it since. This anniversary begs the question: Is music past its prime? One look at the current Top 40 would be enough to dishearten even the most optimistic rock 'n' roll fan. Grown-up Disney stars adorn the covers of every magazine, and choruses consist of only one word, repeated endlessly. The amount of auto-tune on the radio at any given time would be enough to make Janis Joplin roll over in her grave. On the surface, the future of popular music looks bleak. However, perspective is key. What makes music "good" is relative. A song that impacted a teenager in the sixties could have a completely different effect on a listener today. Times have changed, whether we like it or not. Record producers know their audience, and people just aren't buying meaningful music anymore. However, fans of antiquated music shouldn't lose hope just yet. In recent years, there has been a massive resurgence of classic rock that does not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. It has become trendy to embrace the culture of past generations. Vinyl record sales are through the roof. Instant cameras are back. And, you would be more likely to find affluent teenagers in a thrift store than in a shopping mall. Ten years ago it would've been considered strange to wear your parent's ratty Grateful Dead t-shirt. Now, it's become a popular trend. This vintage revival has led to a slew of new artists who are developing styles of their own while paying homage to the greats at the same time. Bands such as Mumford and Sons and The Avett Brothers evoke folk artists from the 60s and 70s such as Bob Dylan or Neil Young. Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine lists Grace Slick as one of her influences. And those are just the ones you hear about. Great bands like Shovels and Rope, Hurray for the Riff Raff and Neutral Milk Hotel fly under the radar all the time, just a Pandora click away. Of course, it is doubtful any artist will change music the way The Beatles have. The impact they had on our culture is almost unthinkable, and they set an impossibly high standard for any artist that dared to come after them. Nevertheless, music with substance is still happening. You just have to know where to look.
OPINION: No huddle, no chance
(02/26/14 8:00pm)
Let's not kid ourselves. Pace of play in college football is a real problem. Well it's a real problem in the eyes of Nick Saban and Bret Bielema. But that, in turn, is the real problem with the problem -- two highly paid head coaches are trying to change the rules in order to send a message to the up-tempo offenses that gives them headaches. The men who are ultimately in charge of the SEC West's two slowest offenses are behind a proposal that will force offenses to let at least 10 seconds run off the play clock before snapping the ball. It wouldn't be a problem to Alabama and Arkansas, and it wouldn't even be a problem with Auburn and Texas A&M, two high-octane offensive attacks that have given Saban grief in recent years. Every type of offense gave Bielema's Arkansas team grief last season. Even with Gus Malzahn, the godfather of the hurry-up, no-huddle style, Auburn rarely snapped the ball with 30 or more seconds left on the play clock. The Tigers did it twice in the BCS National Championship Game against Florida State. By the way, Bret, they only did it twice against your Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville last season. You know, the game when you were more worried about Auburn's game tape not showing a brief second of an extra-point audible and Anthony Swain "faking" an injury. But the proposed rule change wouldn't make a drastic difference to most hurry-up offenses. It's the principle. The up-tempo offense was not a problem a decade ago when Malzahn and those who coached like him were running things at schools like Tulsa, Hawaii and Houston. But, now, these schemes are at some of college football's powerhouses, even those in Saban's backyard. Look who has beaten Saban's Alabama teams in the last few years: Malzahn's Auburn offense in 2010 and 2013, Texas A&M in 2012, Oklahoma in the 2014 Sugar Bowl. These fast-paced offenses are changing the landscape of college football, but should the rules change because Nick Saban wants them to change? The front for this proposition is player safety, but it looks thin without the presence of hard evidence. "Once again, I don't think we need to lose sight of the fact that the only way you can change a rule [this year] is the health and safety of our players," Malzahn said last week. "And it's got to be documented, and there's got to be proof. And there's not." NCAA rules committee member and Troy Calhoun, who runs a traditional triple-option offense as head coach of Air Force, even admitted the rules would not be changed unless there was evidence of the offenses being a threat to safety. Calhoun was an original supporter of the rule change, but he started backtracking shortly after Malzahn and other head coaches spoke out on the proposition. South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier, never one to mince his words, called the rule like he saw it: "The Saban Rule." Never change, Ol' Ball Coach. But the backlash from coaches and fans has not stopped the side favoring the change, which will stop at nothing to make it happen. Bielema showed how low he could go last week, when he cited the tragic death of California player Ted Agu as a reason to slow down the offenses. "Player safety," Bielema called it, motioning to "death certificates" as if they are nothing more than a talking point to promote his agenda. Agu's cause of death is still unknown, but let's make one thing clear: he died after collapsing during an off-season conditioning session. (Sickle cell trait is rumored to have played a part, but nothing is official at the moment.) This tragedy has nothing to do with how fast an opposing offense is going, no matter how much the struggling Arkansas head coach wants to spin it. But the war of words will continue to rage. I personally do not believe the rules will be changed. There isn't any evidence to make a move in the name of player safety, and that rises above the influence of any coach, no matter how many championships he has won. But until it is officially shut down, I'm with the head coach here on the Plains. "I would like to think that it wouldn't [pass]," Malzahn said. "I'm just going to do everything in my power the right way to stand up."
OPINION: Tiger Ten should be changed to Tiger Eight
(02/25/14 10:10pm)
Living in a college town, it's common to hear stories about your fellow students not remembering exactly how they got home last night. Sometimes those nights involve drunk driving. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, in 2012 approximately 250 people died in drunk driving accidents in Alabama. That number should be lower. I am not saying those drunken Saturday nights, hanging out with friends and having a good time should be condemned. I just believe there are things the University could expand on to make those wild nights safer for students and, ultimately, the Auburn community. The Tiger Ten transits run from 10:30 p.m.-3:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. And, yet, drink specials start at 7 p.m. Coming from a poor college student who likes to have fun, drink specials are the only way I can afford to go out. The problem with going to drink specials, especially for people who don't live close to downtown, is leaving your car overnight. If the Tiger Ten transits started running at 8 p.m., lots of people would not feel like they have to drink and drive just so they don't have to pay a ticket for leaving their car parked downtown for too long the next morning. I understand adding two extra hours to a transit driver's shift can cost the University more money, but by adding those two extra hours lives could be saved. Also, the night transit canceled Wednesday night operations this academic year, as well. Wednesday nights in Auburn are usually the craziest nights downtown. Giving yourself a break in the middle of the week is sometimes exactly what keeps you from ripping all your hair out. So with tons of people drinking downtown on Wednesday nights, I don't understand why it would make sense for the University to cancel Wednesday night operations. In addition to extending Tiger Ten hours, it should also add at least Wednesday nights to their weekly schedule. Yes, I understand I may be speculating because people who continuously drink and drive probably don't care about transits at all, but for people like me who worry about how they're going to get downtown and back home safely, this option could open up a lot of doors. Adding two hours and one extra day to Tiger Ten could make Auburn a safer place to live.
OPINION: The long and shorts of wacky weather
(02/21/14 5:30pm)
In the last few weeks, it seems winter is flirting with spring. Students are confused as to whether they should wear shorts or pants, but when is it too soon to start wearing shorts? Having lived most of my life in the South, I have experienced my fair share of severe weather and a few inches of snow, but I have never experienced the kind of back-and-forth weather that I have since coming to Auburn. Kudos to those who are able to wear shorts in the middle of winter, even when people may think you look crazy. I know I have had days where I wear shorts, but I also have on a sweatshirt that transfers heat throughout my whole body. For students who are cold and still choose to wear shorts in the middle of the winter for no reason, I do not know how you do it, but I can sympathize with you. It is one thing if you are going on a run, or you are on your way to workout at the recreation center, but if you are wearing shorts just because you want to look hot, then you can't complain when people are staring intently at the small waves coming from your body as you shiver with your arms crossed. At that moment it should become obvious you should have put on more clothing. When you are deciding what to wear, pull out your smartphone, or whatever type of phone you have, and check the temperature for the day. It doesn't take long to check, and you can feel comfortable when you are walking around campus. The good news is the temperatures seem to be getting higher, which means shorts season is upon us. It is the time of the year to let your legs take a breath of fresh air. The same rules apply to pants in the spring as they do with shorts and the winter. I am glad to be able to start wearing shorts again. It means I can go outside and walk around for a little bit and not feel chilly. I can go play ultimate Frisbee or go on a run and not feel like I need to rush to go back to my room because I am cold. This is all to say there are appropriate times to wear shorts. Although students choose to wear shorts year-round, sometimes you have to know when it is too cold for shorts. I am sure a student from a colder region of the country would disagree with me, but for the rest of us, anything below 40 degrees seems to be too cold for shorts. For some, it's even higher depending on where you live in the South. Ultimately, it is not my decision to tell you when you can wear shorts or when you can wear pants. It is merely a suggestion. I am cold-natured at times, so I usually cannot wear shorts at any temperature below 50 degrees, but that's just me. Get ready, Auburn students. Shorts season is coming, and, hopefully, it will stay awhile.
Male students express thoughts about on-campus dining options
(02/21/14 6:45pm)
Expensive. Not filling. Too far away. These are terms occasionally used by Auburn's male population to voice their dissatisfaction with the assortment of boutique-like restaurants, food trucks and dining hall options offered on campus. Though the University's job is to cater to both genders and all tastes, some of the guys are beginning to speak out. "Other than, like, AU Smokehouse, there's really nothing we really want to eat," said Wesley Labarge, senior in chemical engineering. "That new greek place in the student center, I just don't eat that. I like the Hibachi [food truck] but it's the only one. I did the macaroni and cheese [food truck], too, but only a couple times." Most men would agree that finding food on campus is not an issue for them, even if it's the same thing every week, Labarge said. But given that every student at Auburn is required to have a minimum $300 meal plan, the plethora of eating options available and the rapid pace at which they change makes the idea of settling for something more and more frustrating, Labarge said. "I like to eat healthy," said Dharshan Soundarrajan, senior in chemical engineering. "But I'd much rather have cafeteria food rather than going to a restaurant or a food truck." When asked what their preferred alternatives were, Soundarrajan and Labarge responded with cheap, easily accessible foods and more options than a single-theme menu. Specialized on-campus options or name-brand restaurants can charge higher prices for their products while still selling generic items like pizza, sandwiches and salads. - according to who? The most widely used on-campus option, Chik Fil-A, sells more of the same three items to both genders than anything else on menu, server Shaquita Ford (not on People Finder) said. "The guys usually order the spicy chicken or the chargrilled chicken sandwich," Ford said. "The girls usually order the chargrilled chicken or the nuggets." When asked which gender frequented Chik Fil-A more, Ford said it was a no-contest. "The guys definitely got the girls beat," Ford said. For students who eat the majority of their meals on campus, having to pay upwards of $6 a meal can mean deciding between one menu item or another when neither is completely satisfying and both cost too much to buy together, Soundarrajan said. "I'd really like to see a cafeteria-style place, where you can just pay like a flat fee and eat however much good food you want," said Jonathan Thornber, senior in chemical engineering. "Just one place where you can get a burger and chicken and fries or a salad, all in one place. A lot of other universities seem to have that." The buffet-style option is only available at Terrell Hall in the Hill and at Tiger Zone in the Village and at different times. Tiger Zone is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30 to 2 p.m. and 5:30 to 9 p.m. but closes by 2 p.m. on Fridays. Terrell's buffet is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. but is closed after 2 p.m. on Friday and all day on Saturday. Terrell is the only dining hall to offer a buffet on Sunday, from 5 p.m to 9 p.m. "That's too far away to be worth it," Thornber said.
OPINION: Baseball's unbreakable bond
(02/19/14 2:55pm)
Before I did a lot of things in my life, I attended my first baseball game. In fact, before I even spoke my first word, I had seen the Chicago Cubs play at Wrigley Field. I marked that off of my bucket list before I even knew what a bucket list was. Or a bucket. Or a list. I'm not one to encourage taking infants to public events such as a baseball game, nor are my parents, but I thank them for breaking that rule that day in Chicago. Now that I do know what a bucket list is, I keep one mentally and it has a lot to do with baseball. My father, brother and I are all on a mission to see a game in all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums. I can't give you an exact date on when this goal was set for all three of us, but I suppose you could say it was when my father fell in love for the first time. Not with my mother, but with the Houston Astros. When he was a child, my dad visited the Astrodome for the first time with his father and brother. From that moment forward, he became not only an Astros fan, but a diehard baseball fan. Listening to him talk about that first visit to the supposed Eighth Wonder of the World is something I'll never tire of. Last year when the powers that be in Houston decided to do away with the Astrodome, my father wrote a column on his memory of it, and the auctioning off of parts of the stadium that were going up for sale. I told a friend of mine I was scouring the internet trying to find a piece of the stadium to get him for Christmas, to which she responded, "Why? That seems kind of dumb." "You should hear him talk about that place," I told her. That convinced her. So, from the time my father was young, he was hooked. It took some convincing for me. When I was young, my sports interest was small, but like anyone who has a big brother, I wanted to be just like mine, and still do. Like my father, my brother has taught me an incredible amount in my life, not the least of which is a love for sports. For all three of us, baseball is a bond that will never break. As I said before, we're all trying to get to all 30 MLB parks before we die. But it's not really a race. We aren't in a rush. We're savoring every hot dog, smelling every blade of grass and screaming off baseball cliches one park at a time. For as long as I can remember, when my mother would start pitching destinations for a family vacation, one of the three of us would immediately ask, "Is there a baseball park we haven't been to nearby?" My mother and sister both roll their eyes at this, but they secretly enjoy it. All three of us have been to parks that the others haven't. In fact, in the spring of 2009, the three of us and my mother had a trip planned to Boston for a week, during which we would attend Opening Day at Fenway Park. My dad caught a terrible virus and wasn't able to go. It turned out to be one of my favorite ball parks I've visited, and one of my favorite vacations during my lifetime. But whenever I think about it, I regret so much that I wasn't able to share it with my dad. Fenway is a mecca of baseball, and I hope I can experience it with him one day. My brother and I have both been to parks with friends, or with just my dad, but there's nothing comparable to when all three of us are there together, crossing another one off the list. The joy it brings my father to have both of us there with him shines vibrantly on his face, and is mirrored on both mine and my brother's. My dad called me a few days ago saying he had something to tell me. Usually when a parent says that, it isn't an exorbitantly jubilant phone call, but this time, exorbitantly jubilant would be an understatement. He told me he is in the planning stages of a trip over the Fourth of July holiday weekend this summer, in which all three of us would knock three stadiums off the list; Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburg. "I know you don't know where you'll be yet this summer, but I hope you can come," he said, knowing it was a useless exercise of fatherly duty to plant the foolish idea in my head that whatever tedious job I'll be doing this summer could keep me from going on a trip that's been in development for years. There is nothing in the world that could stop me from going on that trip. Nothing. We all have different total numbers, but, like I said, it isn't really a race. None of us are rushing to finish before the two others. We've often talked about the day when we'll cross the turnstile of our final park. Should that be at the same time for all of us, it will be indescribable feeling. There will be thousands of people surrounding us, but I won't see them. I'll see only my dad and brother, two men who have both taught me so much, handing in ticket number 30. Should that moment come, I know I'll never forget it, and one day, perhaps I'll tell my son and his brother that story about our final turnstile crossing, as vividly and passionately as my father told my brother and I about his first.
OPINION: Challenging Special K
(02/19/14 4:05pm)
Ready to feel great about yourself? Special K is here to help. The sugary-sweet pressed corn cereal has been running The Special K Challenge commercials since 2008, promising women they'll drop six pounds or one jean size in two weeks. Peppy music swells--a terrible cover of Nappy Roots' "Good Day." A brunette scans a Gap-like department store for her jean size. Many know the annoyance of trying jeans on in-store, hoping vanity-sizing hasn't transfigured your usual size. For our heroine, it must have come as a shock to discover that her denim provider swapped numbered sizes for uplifting phrases to better entice shoppers and stroke egos: "Radiant," "Confident," "Oooh-La-La," and the coveted size "Sassy." After eight seconds, a cheerful disembodied voice shares this kernel of wisdom: "Wouldn't it be nice if we focused less on the number and more on the way the fit makes us feel?" Not a bad concept. Yet. A chorus of children butchers Nappy's "And all my homies gonna ride today," into "And all my ladies got pride today." The incorporeal voice interrupts to answer her own rhetorical question: "Take the Special K Challenge. Drop a jean size in just two weeks and slip into size 'Sassy.'" Fast-forward to two weeks from the original shopping trip. Our heroine swallows her mouthful of Special K Redberries then spins to show us her rear where "Sassy" is printed on the label of her jeans. The all-knowing Voice, which has followed her home a la Paranormal Activity, points out that there are lots of delicious ways to lose weight and finally fit into size "Sassy." There is even a website you can visit and an online community to support "positive change." You may create a meal plan that fits you--as long as it includes at least four Special K products a day. The Voice leaves us to ponder, "What will you gain when you lose?" Another commercial gives us a view of nervous, pedicured toes--130 toes to be exact--as approximately 13 women approach their bathroom scales. The format of the commercial is basically the same as the last, but they take it a step further. Hopefully, hitting a nerve with women everyone, the scales flash redeeming qualities and fuzzy feelings instead of numbers: pep, shine, joy, nerve, pride, hope, calm, freedom, laughter. While this is a baffling situation, when the camera pans up we are shown three orgasmic faces. The women are thrilled to weigh in at "Spirit." They finally made it. "Thanks, Special K! Couldn't have done it without you," the ladies practically shout. The Voice returns with the unfortunately all-too-familiar catchphrase: "What will you gain when you lose?" Here's what's wrong, in case you've missed the blatant contradiction. First, Special K is masquerading as a company that supports healthy lifestyles for women and believes in female empowerment. They claim to be the emancipation from a life of being a slave to the scale. They say numbers don't matter, except to Special K, numbers matter quite a bit. They are promoting quick-fix dieting while lining their pockets with the cash women cough up once they've bought into the scheme. Because some women think the Special K Challenge is all they need to jump-start a healthy diet, they will return again and again. Not to mention the sugar addiction the artificial sweeteners in the products undoubtedly trigger. More distressing, though, Special K is telling us that once we lose those last six (or eight or 12 or 20) pounds, we'll finally feel good about ourselves. We shed the weight and gain confidence and happiness. We slip into a smaller size and throw off shyness and dissatisfaction. Everything Special K promotes is external. Everything is wrapped up in how much you weigh. Instead of nurturing women and showing them how to accept themselves, The Special K Challenge demands alterations. They don't put a cap on it either--they don't say, "some people shouldn't lose any more weight." Instead it's a blanket statement: "everyone could stand to lose at least six pounds." And then what? When a girl is exposed to messages like this--and there are thousands, I'm just picking on Special K for fun--she is set up for disaster. Arguments start in her brain and she wants to make the changes and feel the feelings like the women in the commercial, like the juice-fasting celebrity in the magazine, like the Adderall-abusing roommate. Because she's been taught that these are gateways to happiness. She doesn't see the frustration and the downward spiral that lies in wait. If you're looking to feel sassy, confident and free, skip the Special K Challenge. You already have it inside you, I promise, and it's not too late to uncover it if you think you've lost it. Take a deep breath, have a bubble bath, go to Restorative Yoga on Friday nights, be kind to others, and speak gently to yourself. Invest in your healthier life, starting from the inside out.
OPINION: Dear feminists, the time has come
(02/18/14 9:55pm)
I'm a feminist. I'm also a masculinist. Most accurately, I'm a peopleist. I'm not the first person to coin the term "peopleism," and I'm not the first to share its ideals, but it constantly surprises me how much we let gender get in the way of real things happening. Feminists, like abolitionists, had a valid agenda at one point in time. There were rights and laws in America that didn't let women do the same things as men. But those laws have been overturned, and women in America have every right that men do. So why are we still setting ourselves apart? Men, on the other side of the coin, have even begun to blame the feminists and the feminist movement for taking their jobs and taking away their masculinity. There is some truth to the belief that decreased sexism toward women has turned into increased sexism toward men, but I think it's time for the blame game to end. People need to start being appreciated for who they are and what they do, period. It can be an awkward boat to be in when you consider yourself liberal-minded and you come across the idea of feminism. "Yeah, wahoo! You go girl! You're great because you're a girl, and you're doing something worth noting." Isn't that much more sexist than simply saying, "Hey, you did something great. Good job." Why does a lack of the male sexual organs still mean so much? It's the same idea as the racism and sexuality debates: it's over when we start acting like it's over. What if someone was coming to campus and giving lectures with names like these? "Black men doing things worthwhile." "Gays are living and working in your neighborhood." You would be right in being offended, but Gloria Steinem has been to Auburn multiple times giving a lecture that she calls, "Extraordinary Women Lecture series." Why doesn't that offend in the same way as the other hypothetical lecture series names? By singling out women for doing extraordinary things, you're insulting and belittling their achievements. Steinem did a great deal in the early stages of the feminist movement and is hailed by many as the leader of it. She was a columnist for New York magazine and co-founded Ms. Magazine, but if she wants her hard work to come to fruition, she needs to do less. This doesn't mean everything has to be geared toward both sexes. In fact, I think the opposite. There is beauty in the differences between men and women, and it's time we celebrate them instead of condemn them. I'm constantly in awe of women. I've watched women nurture and understand, moving through life with a grace and beauty I could never achieve. I'm also constantly in awe of men, with undeniable strength and abilities unmatched by women. Broad generalities are in no way conclusive, but my point is we're different and we need each other. Isn't it time to be on the same team?
OPINION: Improve yourself to find the Beyonce to your Jay-Z
(02/14/14 2:00pm)
The phrase "Game Recognize Game" isn't usually applicable to romance. An adage used among pro-athletes and rappers to confer mutual respect for the other's talents, abilities or accomplishments, it can also be used to determine a potential partner's worth to you. The power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce is a good example. Jay-Z spent most of his life before Beyonce embodying "the hustle": waking up every day in the face of adversity to go out and make that paper, dealing with fake people and leeches who want to celebrate your accomplishments but not hang around when you fail. The message of songs like "99 Problems" and "Can I Live" hold true not because we have 99 problems, but because we have too much to do to be distracted right now. Beyonce's career has been a lesson on the power of a strong, independent women. Songs like "Irreplaceable" and "Upgrade U" speak to modern feminists everywhere that lesser options will fall away if you hold out for the right person. "Thought that I would fail without you/ But I'm on top/ Thought it would be over by now/ But it won't stop," Beyonce sings on Destiny's Child smash "I'm A Survivor." In 2008, Beyonce Knowles married Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, bringing together two of the most dynamic and influential people in contemporary pop culture at the peaks of their careers. Personally, I've been in and out of love more times than the entire Kardashian family, but its been a while. When I signed up to write this column, I actually forgot Feb. 14 was Valentine's Day. Whether that makes me qualified to talk about love is your decision, but I've definitely learned a few things, the most important being that not everyone is worth your time. Some people might like one side of you and not the rest, or they only call late at night when everyone else that they would rather talk to has gone asleep; they'll go out, but not want to stay home some nights when you're broke. People will make whatever decisions they want to, but don't ever forget that they're still a real person, with their own feelings and their own set of ideals. The moment you try to bend someone to your will you will lose them. So get to work. Forget that girl that never texts you or that guy flirting his way through the roll call in your class. Work on yourself and people will recognize your progress. Don't forget that you busted ass to go to college and you can still name the people who never made it, or that love never paid your bills or saved your grade and that you've been single for a hell of a lot longer than you've ever been with someone. You've accomplished so much, and you shouldn't settle for anything less than perfection. Someday you will find the Beyonce to your Jay-Z, and the results will have you feeling so "Crazy In Love."
OPINION: Love in the time of technology
(02/12/14 5:00pm)
I've been cute-couple kicking for at least a decade now. I don't remember when my aversion to cute couples began, but something about the blissful titters, amorously glazed eyes and surreptitiously flexed biceps has always driven me bonkers. Luckily, I discovered a few flinty kicks on the back of a flirty couple's seat was usually enough to snap a couple out of their amorous trance. Those were the simple days before we all had smartphones in our hand and the latest Twitter update only a finger tap away. It's increasingly difficult to find cute couples so entranced with one another that they've forgotten the world and, consequently, how impossibly annoying they are. Instead, they've been replaced by couples whose eyes swivel constantly from the face of their partner to the siren glow of their phones. Their laughter sounds absentminded despite the agility of their busily tapping fingers on smartphones. It's sad to watch these preoccupied couples who are too distracted to become properly enraptured with one another. There's nothing cute about them, nothing kickable. There were a few moments this semester that made my feet tingle with hope. For instance, last Friday a couple in the Student Center loudly discussed what love meant to them while I was trying to study. They seemed like a perfect candidate and I could practically feel my foot twitching. Peering over my classwork, I peeked at them and could see the girl glancing at her phone as she spoke. Disgusted, I left to study elsewhere. Feeling a little nostalgic, I remembered the loud giggles and nauseating smooches of the "adorable" couples of yesteryears. It was annoying, but their excessively starry-eyed delight with one another also happened to be the very thing that made them cute. They were so joyfully mesmerized with each other they forgot to take those around them into consideration. Unfortunately there is nothing adorable about individuals so self-absorbed that they're discourteous to both their partner and their peers. Similarly, a few weeks earlier the upcoming reunion of an acquaintance and her long-distance boyfriend gave me concern. She planned to introduce us, but I worried I would feel uncomfortable witnessing the two exchange gooey regards when they reunited. But, after the initial greetings, sufficiently sappy embraces and my introduction had finished, each partner began to thumb-fiddle their phone. I was dismayed. The guy had traveled three hours to visit his Auburn sweetie. With that kind of time commitment, I assumed he would have wanted to make the most of their fleeting moments together. The incident reminded me of my own frustrating experiences visiting friends who live far from Auburn. Though we only see each other a few times a year, some of my friends only half-listen to what I'm saying. Peeking at their phones, I can see them looking at Instagram, Twitter and texts from other friends. These meetings are always uncomfortable and irritating. It's hard to believe someone values my friendship when they only dedicate a fraction of their attention to me when I'm in the flesh. When this first happened while visiting a schoolmate after my move, I was deeply hurt. I had thought they cared a lot; after all, they texted me all the time. Love, both romantic and friendly, seems to be suffering from our culture's endless technology obsession. An incoming text merits more devotion than a loved one or a moment of genuine intimacy. As Valentine's Day approaches, maybe it's time to reassess our values and how much uninterrupted attention our loved ones deserve from us. As for my twitchy feet, I'd gladly return to the days of careless cute-couple kicking but, frankly, I'd be so relieved to see them return, I'd probably give the sport up for good. Until then, I'm considering kicking habitual phone users. You never know, maybe it will cure their technology addiction and give them the time to truly love and appreciate someone special.
OPINION: Why the drinking age should be lowered to 18
(02/08/14 1:47pm)
One of the longest on-going debates revolves around the legal drinking age. The age is currently 21 and was changed in 1984 from 18, but I am of the opinion that it should be lowered back to 18. This might come across as an immature college student who wants to be able to drink freely, rage face and have no concern for the law, but there are many valid reasons as to why this is not the case. In the United States, the age of adulthood is 18. A person can legally purchase and consume tobacco products, vote, buy lottery tickets and even enlist in the military and serve the country. If you can join the military, fight and risk your life in the name of the United States, you should be able to go into a bar and order a drink. It is almost hypocritical that you are given almost all legal powers as an adult except for drinking. It seems strange that 18-year-olds are considered adults, yet not given all of the same rights as someone three years their elder. In a court of law, at the age of 18, you are no longer tried as a minor. You can be incarcerated for something that a year before would have resulted in a slap on the wrist and a fine. Teenagers mess up all the time and these years are jokingly associated with acne and rebellion. But these years are when we learn the ropes of life and prepare to become functional adults. Lowering the drinking age to 18 allows more time to get the teenage "wild-years" over with. Getting this stage of alcohol experimentation out of the way earlier allots more time to focus in on long-term goals. Alcohol is also very easy to obtain. We don't need to kid ourselves here. Fake ID's are easy to get for the right price and are usually good enough to work most places. People who are 21 very often help their younger friends out and buy them alcohol. The United States frequently associates and compares itself to the United Kingdom. We are similar to them in many areas, yet drinking age is not one of them. In the UK, drinking age is 18. A study from the Office of National Statistics in 2009 shows in the UK, only 1.76 percent of all deaths were alcohol-related. Of this 1.76 percent, the rates were highest among men and women aged 55-74 (41.8 percent for men, 20.1 percent for women) and the rates were lowest among men and women ages 15-34 (2.6 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively). This study shows fatalities from drinking do not generally occur in the younger population. Similarly, in the U.S., less than 2 percent of all deaths were alcohol related, according to the Center for Disease Control's annual National Vital Statistics Report for 2009. Of the alcohol-related deaths, those in the age range of 15-34 account for only 3.8 percent of the total alcohol-related deaths, while the 55-74 range accounts for 43.2 percent. Looking at the statistics from the U.S. and the U.K., there is no reason to think alcohol-related deaths would be any higher if the legal age was decreased. We can see that not much would change. The UK has a lower drinking age and the youth of the nation accounts for less alcohol related deaths than those who are older. The younger people are seemingly being safer and more responsible with their alcohol use. A change in the drinking age would also provide a positive economic impact. With more people allowed to buy alcohol, certainly there would be an increase in both the supply and demand for the product. More money would be flowing through the economy because there would be an increasedin alcohol purchases. Most people love to have a good time and drink with their friends. It's a major social aspect, not only in college, but throughout life. So cheers ladies and gents, and as always, drink responsibly.
OPINION: No Evans, no problem on this National Signing Day
(02/06/14 2:00am)
Another-National Signing Day has come and gone without a bit of Auburn controversy, right? With five star linebacker Rashaan Evans deciding to skip town and play for Alabama, Auburn has now lost two five-star recruits from its own backyard to the Crimson Tide on consecutive Signing Days. Losing Reuben Foster to the Tide in 2013 was slightly less surprising; the Tigers were coming off a program worst 3-9 season and Alabama had just won back-to-back national championships. Evans' decision, meanwhile, came as a major shock to many who were covering his recruitment. Though he didn't have an Auburn logo tattooed on his forearm, his status as a local football star combined with his presence at the 2013 Iron Bowl convinced many that he was a lock to sign with the Tigers. Additionally, Evans' size and athleticism seemed to make him a perfect fit for the "Star" role in Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 defense. It all seemed too good to be true, and apparently it was. This annual college football holiday is usually an offseason dream for fans needing a college football fix less than a month after the season has ended. When else do grown men huddle around their workplace computers, desperately watching Twitter and Internet webcams for those all-important Letters of Intent? It's difficult to understate the importance of recruiting in college football; the foundation of a college football program is built in recruiting, and competing in the SEC requires bringing in talent at the highest level. So when things don't go according to plan, it's common to see panic and anger ripple through social media over a high school athlete's college decision. While losing top in-state talent to Alabama is never a positive, it's hard not to notice the impeccable job Gus Malzahn and his staff have done in filling Auburn's needs. Derrick Moncrief, Nick Ruffin and Kalvaraz Bessent add size and athleticism to Auburn's diminutive secondary, which was so painfully exposed in the closing moments of the BCS National Championship Game. Malzahn and staff were able to keep Mobile's Tre Williams, who was courted by schools from across the nation, in state. Williams will likely compete for an inside linebacker spot alongside Cassanova McKinzy and Kris Frost. D'haquille Williams, the nation's top JUCO recruit, was brought to The Plains behind the recruit prowess of Dameyune Craig and figures to add another vertical threat opposite Sammie Coates. Braden Smith, a 6-foot-6 offensive guard from Kansas, brings his 515-pound bench press ability to an offensive line trying to replace a potential first round pick in Greg Robinson. The signing of 5-star running back Racean "Roc" Thomas even softens the loss of Heisman finalist Tre Mason. Losing local talent to rival schools rarely looks good for a program, but top 10 classes are still top 10 classes. Rashaan Evans will be missed, but Auburn will survive.
OPINION: How Disney's Frozen warmed my heart
(02/05/14 7:25am)
It wasn't until the credits started rolling that I fully realized what I had just experienced. It was a revolutionary film, one that defied everything its predecessors valued. I grew up in an age where young girls expected to sit around and wait for their charming princes to show up at the most opportune moment and rescue them from their lackluster lives, like Rapunzel being rescued from her tower and evil maternal impersonator, or Ariel abandoning her underwater kingdom at 16 to follow the first male biped she saw. I started to think Disney movies would always portray its female protagonists as helpless damsels in distress who could only find happiness and true love by being rescued by the first man they laid eyes on, who also happened to be a dapper, young prince. However, Frozen opened my eyes to an entirely new kind of Disney movie on the rise, where women are able to take care of themselves. Gasp. I know. What a notion! A young princess whose search for true love ends with her love for her sister and not for a studly young prince. Who would have thought Disney would stray so far from what Walt started back in 1937 with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and end up with movies such as The Princess and the Frog, which not only starred Disney's first African American protagonist, but also embraced the importance of hard work to make your own dreams come true instead of wishing on stars; Brave, in which a young princess who refuses to give in to the pressure of getting married at a young age just to appease an outdated tradition and whose quest for true love and understanding ends up being a perilous adventure to mend her relationship with her mother; and, lastly, Tangled, a fairy tale of Rapunzel being locked away in a tower not to be rescued by a prince, but by a thief who turns good as a result of his love for the young maiden changing his outlook on life. Frozen explored an entirely new kind of true love and even poked fun at the idea of a princess getting engaged to a man after knowing him for virtually no time at all. It was modern and realistic, at least as realistic as Disney movies can be. Sure, there's no way a snowman named Olaf aching for life in the sun could be real, or an innocent princess could be plagued by an icy gift disguised as a curse that feeds on fear, but it is realistic for two young sisters to fight for their love for one another and focus on that relationship above all else. This set a precedent for future Disney fairy tale films. We've outgrown the stories of teenage princesses being swept off their feet by the first man each of them came across, and we've entered a genre of Disney where the princesses can rescue themselves and having a handsome prince on their arms is just an added bonus.
OPINION: Fans, please enjoy National Signing Day responsibly
(02/04/14 8:23pm)
I have a love-hate relationship with recruiting. It's my guilty pleasure. Some people love it because it's a great way to fill the gap between the end of bowl season and the beginning of spring practice. Those people aren't doing it right -- you need to follow recruiting during the regular season, too. It's a 24/7/365 love to some of us. There are entire websites dedicated to just recruiting coverage. Sure, they cover a team during the regular season, but they make their money offering premium insider information on the future of your favorite program. But there are plenty of times where I hate it. People start to obsess over the decision-making processes of 18-year-old kids who just so happen to dominate on the high school football field. Twitter becomes a cesspool of fans lobbing corny tweets at potential targets. And if his decision doesn't go your way, some fans cross the line and make threats. C'mon, guys. As a fan of the sport of college football, I follow recruiting because it has a lot to do with how teams will shake out in the future. Why was Alabama able to build a dynasty that was unrivaled in the BCS Era? Why was Auburn able to bounce back from a 3-9 season to a spot in Pasadena? You bring highly ranked recruiting classes in year after year, and then you develop them to realize their full potential. (Auburn only had the first half of that formula in the Chizik years, but it looks like Malzahn and Co. could have all of it down.) But it's not a perfect formula by any means. After winning the 2011 Sugar Bowl, Michigan signed back-to-back Top-5 classes after hanging just outside the Top 10 in the recruiting rankings for several years. The Wolverines' last two seasons finished 8-5 and 7-6, respectively. For every Jadeveon Clowney and Cam Newton (two five-star recruits) there are guys like Nick Fairley and Johnny Manziel (two three-star recruits). You don't know who is going to be a bust or a diamond in the rough. Let's not even get started on the constant commitments and flips, the fax machine drama and the hat switches. I believe nothing is for sure until the signee actually puts both feet on the campus after National Signing Day. So why do we keep following it? Why will some of us wake up at an ungodly hour next Wednesday morning and lock our eyes to ESPNU until way after the sun goes down? Because it's college football. It gives fans hope, no matter what the previous season record turned out to be. It gives fans of powerhouses even more reasons to be dreaming of a national championship. And it can be extremely fun to follow. But like anything else in college football, fandom can turn into a dark obsession. This past weekend I read an article from Tom Green, the preps reporter for the Opelika-Auburn News. I helped cover area high school football for him during the fall, and I think he does a great job of telling the stories of these athletes we put under a microscope during recruiting season. Green had a fantastic interview with Rashaan Evans, the five-star linebacker from Auburn High School who is considering Alabama and Auburn for his football future. In the interview, Evans spoke candidly about the constant pressure he's under as a blue-chip recruit. "The fact I came out of Auburn High School and I were to go to Auburn, I have no other choice but to be successful," Evans said in the article. "It would almost be like people would see me as a disgrace to Auburn if I were to not be like everybody plans to make me. They're really putting me on a pedestal right now...It's a lot of pressure, man." As the final week of recruiting rolls on and we prepare for National Signing Day, do these athletes a favor. Hang back and be a quiet observer of the recruiting chaos. A tweet never convinced a high schooler to go to a particular college. We'll have coverage at our website all day next Wednesday, Feb. 5 -- we'll even cover Evans' highly anticipated decision that morning on location--and you can expect to see a lot of recruiting recap in next week's print issue. So, fans, let us all enjoy the madness of National Signing Day in a positive way -- for ourselves and for the athletes.
OPINION: Social media changing how we celebrate
(02/04/14 1:00pm)
As more and more of my friends have had their 21st birthdays this year, it has dawned on me how much the birthday celebrating tradition has changed, and not just because we're getting older. I mean the way birthdays are planned, celebrated and recognized has completely changed, and I think it's because of social media and technology. In middle school, I remember the days when my best friends would wake up before sunrise and sneak into school to decorate my locker with wrapping paper and balloons. I would pretend to be surprised even though it would have been the end of my birthday happiness had it not been there. I knew they cared because they chose lack of sleep to make me feel special, and I would do the same for them on their big day. Now, waking up on your birthday can be followed by a feeling of dread as you check your Instagram and Facebook to see how many unfortunate looking pictures your friends have unearthed of you from Snapchat and selfies you thought would never see the light of day again. Instead, they are added on Facebook and Instagram and you are tagged in them so your entire news feed can enjoy pictures of you at your worst. Facebook makes it possible for friends to find pictures of you from your prepubescent days and share them for all of your friends to see in an instant. An Instagram collage from friends has taken the place of wrapping lockers, and Facebook wall posts have taken the place of phone calls or birthday cards sent in the mail. People you've maybe met once or twice, and who would never think of sending you a birthday card, can now write on your wall wishing you happiness and a safe celebration. When is the last time you actually received an invitation in the mail to celebrate someone's birthday? Before social media, going out and celebrating with your friends used to be more of a private matter. Now, every embarrassing and awkward thing your friends make you do on your birthday can be set as a Snapchat story or Instagram video for the world to see. The 21st birthday celebration is no longer safe. Every time you check something off your list of 21 embarrassing things to do on your 21st, there will be people Snapchatting and Instagramming your actions. Social media has brought the good and the bad to birthday celebrations. The days of locker wrapping are over, so embrace what may happen on your next birthday, because change is inevitable.