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Many expressions that define college culture consist of two words. We have "final exams," "beer pong" and the words that are currently on our minds, "Spring Break." It doesn't matter where you're headed, whether it is an exotic beach or the basement couch. It is undeniable that all students enjoy Spring Break.
The Inter-Fraternity Council held its first round of elections last night for the 2010 term.
Debate has recently sprung up concerning Julia Sharpe's "June Bug" article in The Cavalier Daily about her study abroad experiences in South Africa. Online comments on the article have been alternately outraged and supportive, with a heavy tilt toward outrage. And yes, it's a terrible article. But there's more at stake here than first meets the eye.
Student Council's UVAirbus program, which debuted last Thanksgiving Break during a trial run, set out on its mission to provide students with affordable transportation to both the Charlottesville-Albemarle and Richmond International airports. The initial effort was well-received across the University community and was a resounding success with more than 200 students participating in getting its wheels off Grounds. Though logistical errors prevented the program from running during Winter Break, Council's Student Life Committee announced yesterday that UVAirBus will be available to students for the upcoming Spring Break.
Student Council's Student Life Committee Co-Chair Aagya Mathur announced yesterday that the well-regarded UVAirBus program is set to relaunch in time for Spring Break.
Student Council's Student Life Committee announced Tuesday that it has successfully negotiated a plan with University Library officials to keep the Brown Science and Engineering Library in Clark Hall open until 4 a.m. during the upcoming final exam period.
Third-year Education student Paige Deelsynder never applied to live on the Lawn, but that is one reason why she was selected to live in the Gus Blagden, or “good guy” room on the West Lawn next year.“This room is reserved for a person who does not seek the prestige of the Lawn but earns it through the effects of their virtuous life on other people,” said third-year College student Kira Busch in her letter nominating Deelsnyder. “Paige does not strive to stand out from the rest of U.Va.; she strives to do her best to make the most of her student loans and her privileged experience as a part of the U.Va. community.” Deelsnyder was selected from a pool of 55 third-year nominees.The room’s current resident Chad O’Hara chaired the selection committee that read 150 letters of recommendation for the nominees during spring break, and expressed his enthusiasm for this year’s selection. Dean of Students Allen Groves, Housing Division Director John Evans, two representatives from residential housing, a member of the IMPS and fourth-year trustees and leaders of the Inter Fraternity, Inter Sorority, National Pan Hellenic and Multi Cultural Greek Councils also made up the selection board.“One of the best parts of the whole process was that we got to learn about a lot of cool people at U.Va.,” O’Hara said. “So while it was tough decision to make, all of us were just blown away by Paige ... we were all very happy with the decision to give her the room.”Groves agreed, adding that this year, “the bar has been set very high by picking Paige.”Deelsnyder begins her days at 4:30, waking up in time for her job of opening the Aquatic Fitness Center. Twice a week she helps care for a child with autism, Noah, cope with his disability. Since she began working with him in August, he has seen his condition significantly improve.“He’s calling me by name — I used to be ‘that one’,” she said.One night every weekend she babysits him for his parents for free.As Pledge Master of Alpha Phi Omega, the University’s only co-ed, Greek service organization, she helps new pledges organize community service projects every Saturday. Within APO, she serves on the Public Service Advisory Board, which educates faculty about service projects on Grounds.In addition to her work in Charlottesville, Deelsnyder has volunteered abroad through four Alternative Spring and Winter Breaks in Cameroon, New Orleans, Peru and Trinidad.And, as if her volunteer work was not enough, Deelsnyder is enrolled in 20 credits this semester as a College Sociology major and as an Elementary Education and Special Education double major within the Education School.“You make time for things because everything makes you happy,” she said. “Why would I cut out any of it? Except waking up at 4:30, that’s kind of rough.” Accomplishments aside, Deelsnyder hopes she can live up to the room’s standards and the man to which it was dedicated.While he was not a star student nor a star athlete, Augustus “Gus” Blagden was a humble, selfless young man, Deelsnyder said. He died at age 24 and his legacy lives on with a Lawn room that “continues to honor those people who others can count on.”“This is the kind of person we should all be striving [to be] for everyone, but I hope I can be half of what Gus Blagden was,” Deelsnyder said.O’Hara and Deelsnyder recently had lunch with Fred Scott, Scott Stadium’s namesake and Blagden’s roommate during his first year at the University. “He spoke so highly of Gus,” she said. “By getting that room, it makes me feel that maybe I mean that much to people in my life. It’s a very humbling experience. It really has made the past three years so worthwhile.”
It is easy for University students to grab a hamburger for lunch in between classes. But how many cows would it take to feed the entire University community?Perhaps not as many as one may think. Living Gifts: Heifer International at U.Va. seeks to combat world hunger in a more unorthodox manner than usual: by supplying actual livestock to needy communities around the world. Heifer International’s “mission is to end world hunger, poverty and to care for the earth,” according to its Web site. The organization began in 1944. More than half a century later, it now exists in 125 countries and has helped 8.5 million families.“Our club is intent on being able to donate [to HI] but we also really want to raise awareness and promote the idea that world hunger can be managed,” said third-year College student Caitryn McCallum, co-president of Living Gifts.HI teaches communities environmentally-sound agricultural techniques so they can protect their own resources, according to the group’s Web site.“They are a really eco-friendly group with eco-friendly ideas,” Furber said. Living Gifts hopes to bring awareness of these ideas to the University, and they are therefore “trying to grow our presence on Grounds,” she added. McCallum noted that the University’s chapter, as one of two college groups designed to support HI, is currently working on getting established on Grounds, before looking to help the wider Charlottesville community.McCallum and College student Kerilyn Daniel started the organization in spring 2008 but it did not become active until this year. This semester has seen the organization’s greatest increase in membership.The club is also looking to involve other student organizations — specifically Greek organizations — as a way to raise awareness through social events, said third-year College student Kappie Farrington, Living Gifts’ community relations chair.She added the group already had one fundraising event this semester. To raise money for HI Living Gifts, group member and third-year College student Katie Schroeder designed Valentine’s Day cards that said, “To my Hunny.” The cards were free, but volunteered donations were used to buy two beehives for HI.Living Gifts hopes to hold another fundraiser this spring: “Cow-pie Bingo.” The event would involve a large-scale game of bingo and a live cow, with students betting where on a grid the cow would first defecate.Although a creative idea, Cow-pie Bingo has encountered some difficulties getting started, including issues negotiating risk management because of the presence of a live animal and the potential for toxic waste.“We also have to make sure no one gets offended,” said second-year College student Stephanie Chubb, the club’s fundraising chair. “We aren’t mistreating the cow, we’re just watching it poop.”There is also the issue of finding a cow.“We are having trouble getting [Cow-pie Bingo] funded,” said treasurer McKenzie Furber, a second-year College student.Although an endorsement letter from Heifer International helped the University’s chapter gain more support from Student Council, Living Gifts currently relies entirely on donations for prizes at fundraising events. Moreover, members have paid for all publicity “out of their own pockets,” Furber said.The group has not received funding from the University yet, one of the reasons the members are keen to work with other organizations that could help co-sponsor events.“We’re still hopeful that if we show more activity around Grounds, [the University] will be more generous,” McCallum said.The group has several ideas for raising awareness of its presence on Grounds. One idea is a “Sacrifice Meal,” during which students would swipe into a dining hall as usual, but only fruit, bread, soup and water would be served. The money the dining hall would save would then be donated to HI. Another idea the group is considering is an “Oxfam Meal,” which would simulate the world’s actual food distribution and provide meals accordingly.“It’s turned out to be really complicated,” Chubb said, “but we are still trying to do it.”Living Gifts aims to come up with events that allow students to participate in more hands-on ways, rather than through simple donations.“[Students] really want to get actively involved,” Farrington said. ”They don’t just want to give their money away.”She cited programs like Alternative Spring Break and the newly-created Global Development major as examples of University students’ activism.Although she acknowledged the merit of such activities, Farrington emphasized that “the impact of a sustainable gift, such as a livestock, is going to be more long-lasting and beneficial to a community than a few weeks of aid work.”Heifer International needs money more than anything else. Donors can choose what animal or object they purchase for a community, but cannot choose exactly where their money goes. HI sends the funds where they are needed most.“But remember that included in that ‘price’ is not only the cost of a cow,” McCallum said, “but the cost of shipping it and then teaching people how to care for it and use it sustainably.”Chubb said the group is busy brainstorming. “We really need people to support us,” she said, “because carrying out our task is not going to be feasible otherwise.”
As spring approaches, motorcycle enthusiasts will hit the road with a familiar rumbling thunder. If you find yourself in Highland County, Va., however, do not be surprised if you notice a soundless, silver motorbike whizzing by you. As Americans search for ways to conserve resources, lawyer and motorcycle enthusiast Brian Richardson has built an electric motorcycle in his kitchen.A longtime lover of motorcycles, Richardson said he annually hosts a large motorcycle rally on his sheep farm, on which visitors can camp and hear live music during the event.“The main point ... is to allow people to come out to Highland County and camp on a working sheep farm,” he explained.His idea to build an electric motorcycle came about in September 2008, after Richardson viewed the documentary, “Who Killed the Electric Car?” which follows the 1990s creation and then discontinuation of electric cars in California.Richardson said the movie angered him and made him want to build an electric motorcycle in his kitchen, “just to show how easy it is.”With no formal training in engineering, Richardson is learning as he goes. “I’m an attorney,” he said. “Most of this stuff is kind of foreign to me.” The most experience that he can claim is a general interest in tinkering with machinery and skills, like welding and working with electricity, from running his sheep farm.Richardson said with the motorcycle, he is “trying to marry the newest technology that [I] could get [my] hands on with some old technology.”The old technology includes the motorcycle’s frame, a Norton Featherbed, which was famous for racing during the 1950s and 1960s. The motorcycle itself, which Richardson refers to as a Norton Electra, is named after a 1960s Norton model.Richardson explained that the Britain-based Norton Motorcycle Company, which was shut down in the late 20th century, has recently reopened with new leadership, and Richardson said he has been in communication with the company’s new owner and hopes he will come take a look at the bike later this year.Some of the newer technology Richardson used to build the bike includes lithium ion batteries from China and a motor that allows for power regeneration.“Rather than all the breaking just being wasted in heat in the breaks, we do get regenerative breaking with this design,” he said.Although Richardson is still making modifications to the bike, he said he completed its first test drive a few weeks ago. “It did beautifully,” he said. The bike accelerated fast, Richardson said, and was exciting to ride.“This is a quick bike,” he said. “You couldn’t compare it to a modern sport bike, [but] it’s a starting point.”The motorcycle is not only fast, but silent. Other than the benefits of not using gas, one of the positive features Richardson pointed out is its quiet ride. Gas-powered motorcycles allows one to ride in a natural environment, but the noise generated is a drawback.“You are part of your environment,” he said, “but you can’t hear anything.”One time cutting the engine off while going down a mountain, Richardson said he realized he could hear the birds and the tires on the gravel. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to have a motorcycle that didn’t make any noise?’” he said.Richardson’s bike moves with a silence he called, “eerie” — thoroughly different from the grumble of the Norton motorcycle, which has earned the nickname, “Snortin’ Norton.”To help take the motorcycle to the next level, Richardson turned to Asst. Engineering Prof. Robert Prins at James Madison University.“I built the bike,” Richardson said. “Now we need to test the bike.”Prins not only has a research-related interest in the project, but he is also a motorcyclist. Getting involved “seemed like a no-brainer,” he said. He plans to aid the project by helping with testing and data collection, specifically for the speed of the bike and its range.Richardson also said Prins will help him with his goal to create an educational program about the bike and share it with Virginia’s schools and communities.“One of our intentions is to use the bike to develop and raise interest and understanding of electric vehicles locally,” Prins said.Fourth-year Engineering student Nick Lumsden, who is part of the RideForward program,, in which students convert a gas-powered car to an electric-powered one, said he thinks the goal of raising awareness is important in projects like RideForward and Richardon’s.It is hard to convince people that electric vehicles are competitive with those powered by gas, and having a physical product they can see helps, Lumsden explained.“Any type of attention that projects like these can gather, I think is great,” Lumsden said.James Durand, a research associate in the mechanical and aerospace engineering department and teacher of RideForward, also said projects like these are important because they illustrate alternatives.“I think that a lot of people feel sort of helpless,” Durand said. Projects like RideForward and Norton Electra show people that there is an option other than oil, he said.These projects are also important as interdisciplinary learning tools, Durand added.“You have a vehicle here where you can teach the whole gamut of things, and at the end, you have something that’s really neat and could be useful,” Durand said.While visiting Virginia schools is only a goal for the electric motorcycle project, Richardson noted that the University would be on his list of stops.“If U.Va. will have me, I’d like to be there,” he said.
Napatra Fourth-year Architecture studentMajor? ArchitectureSexual Orientation? StraightWhat extracurriculars do you participate in? University Guide Service, Alternative Spring Break, Sustained Dialogue, UJC (past), Thai Student OrganizationWhat do you like to do in your free time? Hang out with friends. I’m a fourth year so that’s all I do.What are the physical and personality attributes you are looking for in a date? Funny, outgoing, intellectual.What are your religious affiliations? Buddhism — TheravadaWhat are your favorite TV shows? Grey’s Anatomy, The Office (I’m very original.)What’s your favorite food? Thai, Indian, anything fusion. I’m a big eater so anything really.Describe your ideal date (not person but outing). A spontaneous date. I also enjoy dining out a lot, so that’s always an option.Do you smoke? NoAre you outgoing or shy? OutgoingWhat do you want to do when you graduate: Move to China. If you were a member of the circus, who would you be and why? Probably one of the acrobats. They wear pretty outfits!Describe yourself in one sentence. I’m a spongy bird; I’m always curious about everything — big or small — and I’m very liberal. JohnFourth-year Commerce studentMajor? Finance and Information TechnologySexual Orientation? StraightWhat extracurriculars do you participate in? Greek Life, Best Buddies, Intramural sportsWhat do you like to do in your free time? Any outdoor activity, spend time with friendsWhat are the physical and personality attributes you are looking for in a date? I’d like an outgoing girl who has a sense of humor and brings up topics of discussion on her own. I am most attracted to shorter girls that are athletic/healthy looking. I’m not scared of curves.What are your religious affiliations? Methodist, but I’m not really practicing.What are your favorite TV shows? Discovery Channel, Curb your Enthusiasm, The OfficeWhat’s your favorite food? I just like to eat. Hardshell crabs are my favorite though.Describe your ideal date (not person but outing)? My ideal date would be a nice dinner, followed by an activity like karaoke or something.What are deal breakers (won’t date a smoker, age, etc.)? Deal breakers would be someone who smells bad, or is really overweight, or doesn’t have a sense of humor [and] someone who acts too slutty.Do you smoke? NoAre you outgoing or shy? I’m loud and personable, but around girls I find to be attractive, I would say that I am shy.What do you want to do when you graduate? Have fun doing a job that doesn’t seem like work.If you were a member of the circus, who would you be and why? I would probably be the ring leader because I am good at orchestrating things, however, I could also be a clown because I can juggle and balance things on my nose.Describe yourself in one sentence. I am a handsome guy with a great sense of humor and a passion for fun that still believes in chivalry.Napatra: I was pretty excited because I’ve never done anything like this. I just wanted to try things out and have fun.John: I wasn’t really excited; I would say just kind of curious and in anticipation of the evening. Before the date started, I was thinking that I would ... meet somebody fun and possibly get some laughs out of the evening. I was definitely not nervous.Napatra: I wasn’t nervous at all. I just had a mentality that I was going for a date to just enjoy the meal and have fun with it, rather than being conscious of how the date is going to turn out and who it’s going to be. He picked me up at the Chapel at 7:00 on Sunday and right when I got into the car, I realized that we had met before when we were both first-years. John: So Napatra and I actually first met when I snuck into an International Students dinner the third night of my first-year, with my Brazilian suitemate, Tomaz. So I was sitting at the table — and still very much a cocky high school jock — and apparently I said some things at this dinner that were funny to the other Brazilian sitting at the table and this other girl from Thailand who ended up being Napatra. Then, Napatra and I had interacted on several occasions at parties, but neither of us could precisely remember where or when. But we were definitely familiar with each other’s faces.Napatra: I guess U.Va. has proven once again that it is a pretty small school. It was more like “Oh, you!” kind of impression as opposed to meeting someone completely new. Although we had met, we hadn’t talked or gotten to know each other so it was still pretty much a blind date.John: She seemed very nice. I didn’t realize she lived on the Lawn, so when we figured that out, we started talking about who we knew in common and eventually started to talk about dinner. I told her we had some decisions to make about where we wanted to eat. We decided to go to The Local in Belmont, which she was really excited about. I was excited because I knew they had really good food.Napatra: He seemed pretty outgoing, and I knew that it would be a pretty fun time. Picking the restaurant was not difficult. The conversation just kind of flowed organically. I remember that there was not an awkward silence at all; we just jumped right into conversation. We both apparently enjoy eating, so we had an appetizer and we both ordered the same entrée — pork chop — and it was really good. I had a glass of wine, and he had a beer.John: When we ordered, we decided to split an appetizer, which was some kind of crunchy spicy shrimp, which was awesome. It was kind of funny because she was trying to be very polite in her table manners and these shrimp were not very easy to eat. So I was just like, ‘Let’s pick these up and eat with our hands,’ which seemed to relax her a little more. We actually both ordered the lamb chops with mashed potatoes and sweet potato stringy things. She said she wasn’t quite the big drinker but she ordered a glass of wine, and I kept ordering beers as quickly and often as possible, so I think the evening got funnier and funnier as it went along.Napatra: I think both John and I went into this with the same mentality: just wanting to have fun. We’re pretty outgoing and we definitely had a good conversation.John: We made small talk, mostly about where she and I had come from and what had lead us up to our date. We both had pretty similar answers. We’re both kind of spontaneous and wanted to do something interesting our fourth years.Napatra: The conversation focused on what we’ve been doing at the University, what we’ve done, our classes, our friends, our involvement, and how much we have fun. We talked about plans after fourth year. I remember he asked me a lot of questions and I also wanted to know about him and ask him a lot of questions, too. We were interested in getting to know each other.John: It happened that neither of us were really looking for a new romance in our life but we got along really well. A lot of our points-of-view seem to overlap. She’s originally from Thailand and has studied in Australia, which was cool. I’ve got a travel bug myself, so I was interested in all the things she had experienced and seen throughout her travels. She ended up asking me if being in the [Commerce] School limited my ability to appreciate the finer things in life. Basically, she asked me if I was a money sucker, and we discussed that for a while. I think I ended up being able to turn her over to the dark side that is [Commerce] School.Napatra: I definitely I had a fun time. The dinner was good, the conversation was good. The blind date definitely fulfilled my expectations. John had a meeting at 9, so after we got the bill, he just dropped me off at my place. He was a little bit late to his meeting, but it was fine. I would give it a 6.5 [out of 10].John: I had a good time. I would rate this date a 6 [out of 10]. [Met] expectations, was fun and enjoyable, however not necessarily on the best time schedule. I actually had a meeting to go to, so I drove her back to the Lawn and dropped her off. We kissed each other on the cheek and wished each other well. She invited me over to chill in her Lawn room whenever I wanted to, and I said I’d probably stop by. Napatra: I e-mailed him to thank him for the time and the dinner, and he reached back to me likewise, but that’s about it.John: Today, I saw her in her bathrobe from very far off. I kind of avoided eye contact. I was like 300 yards away so I didn’t make an effort to stop her and have a possibly awkward encounter in her bath robe, although I think she spotted me.John has purposely not seen Napatra since their date. He cannot recall if they are Facebook friends.
When does it snow in March in Virginia? The most inopportune time, of course — the day that I’m supposed to leave for Peru. Although the Washington area only got about three inches of snow last week, it was enough to cancel my 6 a.m. departure from Dulles and other early morning flights from the region’s three major airports. The cancellation led to major problems because I was solely responsible for getting myself to Miami where the weather was fine and flights were on time, as the Peru program had purchased tickets from Miami to Lima. While my friends participated in an Alternative Spring Break trip or traveled to Cancun to participate in the responsible and tasteful seasonal celebrations, I spent the first day of break listening to the relaxing hold music on corporate answering machines. Luckily, there was another University student who was on my same flight and the stress of the change brought us close together, although we had only met once before. Despite the frustrating situation, which caused my fellow traveler to remark that, “I think God is punishing us for something”, everyone I spoke to was helpful and did his or her best to help us out and eventually the situation was resolved. The solution was that we flew into Miami, took a shuttle to Fort Lauderdale and were only allowed one 50-pound bag plus a carry-on for our five months in a foreign country. The University also had to shell out some money to book us a new flight, but it was better than option two: wait to leave until March 7. After being awake for almost 24 hours, we finally arrived in Lima at 12:30 a.m. where we were met by representatives from our program. We were excited to finally be in Peru but also incredibly exhausted and in desperate need of showers. After greeting us with the customary one-cheek kiss, the directors told us that we would take a van to our host families’ houses and oh, by the way, we needed to be at the university at 7 a.m. the next morning to leave for a five-day, four-night trip to both the Andes and the Amazon. The temperatures in these two regions vary considerably, and we needed to bring hiking shoes and pack a small backpack because space on the bus is limited. We gave each other a look that communicated exactly how we were feeling and then got in the van to go to our new homes for the next five months.My host parents, Ishmael and Mercedes, are a cute couple in their late sixties who welcomed me with open arms and a dinner of soup and cheese despite the fact that it was 1:30 a.m. Although Spirit Airlines had not served us dinner and I was pretty hungry, I politely declined the food in the hopes that I could unpack, repack for the excursion and get a couple hours of shut eye. When Mercedes asked the third time though, I agreed to have a little something to eat and the eager couple obliged and talked to me for almost 90 minutes. Thankfully, my brain was able to muster enough Spanish to carry on a semi-intelligent, coherent conversation. I finally unpacked and went to bed.While I only got a few hours of rest, it was worth it in the end. We drove for eight hours to a town in the majestic Andes mountains where we stayed in a 17th century hacienda and saw a farm that used to be one of the largest potato producing locations in Peru. We also saw Inca ruins and artifacts that were centuries old, and we went to the edge of the jungle as well, where we drove a truck onto a sketchy “ferry” supported by large canoes and pieces of plywood to get to a farm that had been devastated by the Shining Path campaign and the owner’s former alcoholism — but is now thriving and producing crops like bananas, oranges, yucca and passion fruit. We swam in a swimming hole on the property with water that was perfectly blue and clear, and talked to the owners about their lives. I saw some of the most majestic mountains with small houses and terraced crops built onto their steep hills and the tropical vegetation was one of the richest hues of green I have ever seen. I also have been pleasantly surprised with my Spanish abilities and even taught a Peruvian local the meaning of the word “ghetto.” So far, it has been a whirlwind adventure and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.Rachel’s column runs biweekly Tuesdays. She can be reached at r.gottlieb@cavalierdaily.com
The rooms along the Lawn comprise the oldest and — as many may believe — most prestigious residences on Grounds. Every year, hundreds of third-year undergraduate students apply to live in the rooms that stretch out from either side of the Rotunda. Only a few, however, receive the honor. Fourty-seven Lawn residents were chosen for the 2009-2010 academic year, with the hope of continuing the tradition and community that are said to make the Lawn such a unique living experience. The remaining rooms mostly will be filled by representatives from some of the school’s most recognizable student groups, making the Lawn a highly selective community within an already highly selective University community. The Selection ProcessStudents who wish to live on the Lawn must go through a process that differs from the process used for other on-Grounds housing options. Aspiring Lawn residents must fill out an application, which includes essays and allows students to share both their academic and intellectual achievements as well as their involvement both inside and outside the University community. Fellow students and current Lawn residents review and make the final selections about next year’s Lawn residents.“It’s selected by one’s peers, which to me is a high honor, and it carries with it obligations,” Dean of Students Allen Groves said.Groves said the process begins with the Lawn Selection Process Organizing Committee, which puts together the Selection Committee — the committee responsible for reading all applications and choosing next year’s Lawn residents. The Organizing Committee creates a timeline for the selection process. It also has the ability to make any changes involved with the application and formulate the selection criteria. The Organizing Committee’s membership consists of a group of students along with Groves, African-American Affairs Dean Maurice Apprey and Director of Accommodations John Evans.Fourth-year College student Merriam Mikhail, who served on the Organizing Committee and the Selection Committee, said the Selection Committee comprises 15 fourth-year students — who apply to be on the Selection Committee and are chosen by a lottery — and 21 ex-officio members. The Selection Committee’s ex-officio membership, Mikhail said, includes representatives from each undergraduate school, representatives from 17 contracted independent organizations on Grounds and the current Head Resident of the Lawn, who is a non-voting member. When reading applications, Mikhail said, those on the Selection Committee look at two major criteria: “intellectual achievement” and extracurricular involvement.“I adhered closely to those criteria and I took the time to look at the application in its entirety,” Mikhail said, noting that she looked for well-rounded students.Bringing diversity to the Lawn, along with “well-rounded, experienced growth through achievements” were the elements that Mikhail said make an impressive Lawn résumé.Each member on the Selection Committee must select 65 candidates who they think deserve to be on the Lawn, Mikhail said, adding that the rest of the applications that the committee reads are labeled either with a “maybe” or a “no.” The applicants who receive the most selections become next year’s residents, Mikhail said.The Lawn also includes rooms whose residents are chosen through a different process. The John K. Crispell memorial room, which is reserved for a pre-medical student, the Gus Bladgen room, the room for the Honor Chair and the room for the head resident operate differently from the rest of the Lawn rooms, and separate groups choose these rooms’ future residents, Groves said.Additionally, The Jefferson Literary and Debating Society, The Trigon Engineering Society, the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity have rooms reserved on the Lawn, Groves said. Unlike the Gus Blagden room and similar rooms, however, these organizations may only choose to fill their respective rooms with a resident that has already been chosen through the normal selection process, Groves said. He added that, if a member of one these organizations is not selected to live on the Lawn, then the room operates normally for that year. In addition, Groves said an organization can appeal to him if nobody from that organization was selected to live on the Lawn.ChangesWhile this selection process has been used for quite some time, several changes were made this year to how the two committees and the online Lawn application operated.The application underwent significant changes this year, sources said. Mikhail said the Organizing Committee broadened the acceptable criteria for the applicants’ extracurricular involvement by allowing students to include activities and achievements not related to the University. In addition, the committee removed the requirement to list the number of applicants’ activities because the “planning committee believed the number of acts does not always define specific involvement,” she said.The Organizing Committee also decided to move the question that asks for an applicant’s GPA to the very bottom of the application so that readers would not be as influenced by this criterion when reviewing the rest of the application, Mikhail said.“I think it’s important that GPA wasn’t first on [the application] because that’s not a fair assessment,” Mikhail said.She also noted that two members were added to the selection committee: representatives from the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Multicultural Greek Council.“Being on the Committee is a big commitment,” Mikhail said. “We spent 25 hours reading applications and digesting them. We really put everything else aside, even with the organizations that we represent.”By the numbersEvans recently provided The Cavalier Daily with statistics about the students who applied to live on the Lawn and those who were ultimately selected to live there.According to these statistics, 251 third-year undergraduate students applied to live on the Lawn. That means there was a resident acceptance rate of about 18.7 percent for the 2009-10 year.Applicants this year participated in a variety of different organizations during their time at the University, including academic groups, honor societies, clubs, Greek organizations and athletic teams. About 250 groups total were represented on applications.Madison House was listed on the most applications, with 38 students claiming affiliation with the volunteer organization. Thirty of the applicants listed participation in Alternative Spring Break and 21 of the applicants were residential advisors.Next year’s selected residents, however, represent only about 80 groups of the about 250 groups. Of these, students who had participated in Alternative Spring Break made up the largest number of residents with 12, followed by 10 Echols Scholars and nine Student Council members. The Lawn’s applicants and residents reported a number of different academic backgrounds. Students from each undergraduate school applied to live on the Lawn.College students represented the majority of the applicant pool with approximately 65.74 percent applicants. The second most-represented school among applicants was the Engineering school, making up 17.53 percent of the applications.An even larger majority of the students chosen to live on the Lawn were from the College, though, limiting the number of spots open to non-College students. Thirty-seven, or about 78.72 percent, of next year’s Lawn residents are in the College. Only six future residents are from the Engineering school, while the Nursing school, the Commerce school, the Architecture school and the Education school were each represented by one student accepted to live on the Lawn next year.Fourth-year College student Lindsey Turner, who served on the Selection Committee, said the number of College students who will live on the Lawn next year was related to the overwhelming number of College students who apply to live on the Lawn, and does not reflect a significant pro-College bias.“I think if you look at the proportionality at it, the College is the biggest school, so if you looked at [the applicant pool] more proportionally [in relation to the University student body], it’s more even,” Turner said.According to the University’s Web site, about 73 percent of the University’s students are enrolled in the College, which is only slightly less than the proportion of students from the College living on the Lawn next year.The applicants included students majoring in 57 disciplines. Commerce was the most common major — with 28 applicants — and was followed by economics with 17 applicants and history with 13.Of those selected to live on the Lawn, 22 majors were represented. Of these students, political and social thought was the most common major with eight students, followed closely behind with English and economics, which each have four residents. The mean GPA of the applicants was 3.459, while the mean GPA of the newly selected residents was significantly higher at 3.709.More than just statisticsThe Selection Committee members sought to select residents who could create a diverse environment on the Lawn, Turner said.“I was trying to be very aware of diversity ... trying to build a diverse Lawn community and have a variety of groups from around Grounds represented,” Turner said about how she went about selecting potential residents.Fourth-year Engineering student Thaddeus Darden, a current Lawn resident, said he appreciates the Lawn’s diversity, emphasizing that it is a core value residents share and learn from.“People interact that may have otherwise never met or spoken at U.Va.,” Darden said about the Lawn experience.Third-year College student John Nelson, Student Council president-elect and one of next year’s Lawn Residents, said he looks forward to living in a diverse environment on the Lawn.“It will be great to meet other people who share a similar passion but come from different backgrounds, and [it will be a] great learning experience,” Nelson said. “I definitely want to use the room to reach out to students, especially underclassmen.”In addition to diversity, the Selection Committee strives to create a community on the Lawn whose members engage with one another and with the larger University community, Groves said.“There was a joke that referred to one retiring to the Lawn,” Groves said, noting that the joke was about “someone who has achieved a lot but just kicks back and hangs out in their room.” Groves noted that, to combat this, the committee looks “for people who are extremely active and welcoming to the community.”Third-year Commerce student Manuj Jindal, who was selected as a Lawn resident next year, said he will have the opportunity to better engage with students around Grounds next year as a result of his application’s acceptance.“It kind of helps me achieve two goals: reach out to students’ leaders and fulfill my U.Va. experience,” Jindal said.Editor’s Note: Several Cavalier Daily readers, including future Lawn residents, pointed out a number of alleged discrepancies about statistics that ran alongside this article in our print edition (2009 — 2010 Lawn Application Statistics, 3/16/2009). As noted in the article, these statistics were provided by John Evans, director of accommodations for University Housing, and were left unedited because of the applicant-reported nature of the data. The Cavalier Daily regrets any perceived errors on its part and any misinformation conveyed via the statistics. No attempts were made to purposefully disservice or not represent certain groups; rather, The Cavalier Daily printed the statistics as provided to it and as collected by University Housing officials who handled this year’s Lawn applications.
It has been a week since Student Council removed the faulty University Unity Project referendum poll from its Web site and an alternative solution has not yet been revealed. University Board of Elections Chair Alisa Abbott has offered a solution as well as a promise to publicize a new vote for the referendum, noting that “the ball is in StudCo’s court.” Meanwhile, Council has been working to create a new platform through which to hold the vote instead of using UBE’s existing structure. That Council has failed to establish a new voting method by now is unacceptable. Election results were announced on Monday and all momentum from last week’s voting period has been lost. While the initial problems with voting on the referendum were not Council’s fault, the failure to quickly secure a solution is.Council President Matt Schrimper said, “The last thing we want is to jump in and do this really quickly.” Actually, that is more or less what Council should have done. According to Abbott, UBE could have listed the referendum as a candidate, allowing students to securely vote on all four options. Though that may have been unorthodox, the structure already exists and a ballot could have been posted Monday, the same day election results were announced. Abbott also said UBE would have worked with Council to publicize the new vote. Capitalizing on the publicity from the election results as well as an additional publicity push to vote on a new ballot would have been a timely and adequate solution.Instead, Schrimper said Council is working with the University to use the Netbadge log-in to create a new secure voting method. UBE’s ballot already uses this secure log-in process, and Schrimper acknowledged that it may be the best solution to go through UBE so that the voting process is as transparent as possible. It is the best solution. UBE was established to run elections and Council should not hold a vote independent of UBE when UBE already has such structures in place. Aside from the time and momentum lost, it is a waste of the University’s resources to create a voting system solely for one referendum when a voting system already exists. There is also the question of the validity of an election run independently of UBE. While Council’s referendum was only an opinion referendum, UBE has strict procedures to ensure the validity of election results. Council likely is not aware of all of the precautions taken in this vein and should leave the task of running elections to UBE. UBE’s voting system is flexible enough that a solution could have been implemented, but Council has decided not to work with UBE and has lost any chance of having an adequate turnout for its vote on the University Unity referendum.Though Schrimper said that Council will have a four day voting period two weeks after Spring Break, with a week to publicize beforehand, no amount of publicity on Council’s part can generate the turnout that elections did. This is not entirely Council’s fault, because the original mistake was UBE’s, but Council compounded the mistake by failing utilize the viable solution UBE offered it.Because of its failure to act quickly, Council will not be able to secure a valid representation of student opinion on the theme for the University Unity Project next year. UBE offered a solution and instead of moving with all due haste, Council has delayed the vote on its referendum, leading to the referendum’s demise.
In light of the current economic situation, many University students find that limited budgets coupled with relatively high travel costs have significantly restricted or entirely eliminated their Spring Break travel plans.Some students, however, are still determined to get away for a week of fun in the sun. Luckily, there are several options available for money-conscious students looking to plan a last-minute trip at a relatively low price.Mario Evangelist, director of sales at Student Travel Services, said there are a variety of last minute specials available for students hoping to book trips.“What was really good for business ... is that airfare really dropped around the holidays, as people realized they couldn’t afford to travel and the airlines in turn lowered their prices,” Evangelist said. “That really helped us have a nice little boost.”Evangelist said although he has not noticed an overall drop in the number of college students booking Spring Break trips through STS, “some destinations are up in numbers while some of the more costly ones are down.” He also noted that STS has experienced a significantly higher rate of cancellation for more expensive trips.To counter high travel costs, there are many ways students can cut back on expenses, like opting to travel within the country. Doing so decreases the cost of airfare, which is often one of the largest expenditures associated with planning a trip.That was certainly the case for first-year College student Shannan Fitzgerald, who plans to spend her Spring Break at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. with two friends. “We looked at other places but we just couldn’t afford the hotels and airfare,” Fitzgerald said.First-year College student Aveni Patel, who is travelling with Fitzgerald, said the group set a budget for its trip. “We decided we could only pay $300 each,” she said, adding that the three are opting to drive down to Florida rather than pay airline costs.With its warm weather, plentiful beaches and active nightlife, it is understandable why Florida is an attractive destination for students seeking a less-expensive alternative to traveling out of the country. Florida’s Panama City is the second most popular Spring Break destination for college students booking trips through Student City, a travel agency that plans low-budget Spring Breaks for about 25,000 college students each year, said Mark Signore, Student City’s outside regional sales manager.Panama City also is relatively affordable, Signore said. “A Panama City trip can be done in $300 to $600, especially if you drive down on your own.”In addition to its financial accessibility, Panama City boasts more than 20 miles of white-sanded beaches, as well as numerous bars and nightclubs, which may explain why thousands of college students travel there each year.“Buses run to Panama City from all over the U.S.,” Signore said. “That destination has just blown up. You’re really seeing the hype.”One possible drawback of traveling to Panama City, Signore noted, is the uncertainty of the weather, as spring daytime temperatures can range anywhere from 75 to 50 degrees, meaning that a week of great beach weather is not necessarily a guarantee. Instead, students looking to ensure warm weather and tan lines can head further south to Miami.Miami’s South Beach is a notorious nightclub hot spot, and low-budget travellers can book a round-trip flight to Miami for less than $300. South Beach also provides a culturally unique experience, as it is located in the historic Art Deco district of Miami and boasts a refreshing blend of trendy restaurants and artsy sidewalk cafes.This chic atmosphere, however, comes at a price, and such expenses can quickly add up, Evangelist noted. “Florida is cheap, especially if you drive there,” He said. “But then you’re on your own for hotels, food, drinks and cover charges.”Sometimes these expenses are so high, Evangelist said, that they can undo the budget benefits of travelling within the country.“At the end of the trip, you realize you basically spent as much as you would have if you’d bought an all-inclusive package to somewhere out of the country,” Evangelist said. Furthermore, traveling outside of the country may allow students who are not yet 21 years old to partake in alcohol consumption during Spring Break. Fourth-year College student Katie Southwick said her group of friends planned a trip to Puerto Rico because one of them is not 21 years old.“It’s our fourth year, and we just felt like we wanted to do something really fun and memorable,” she said.Although the group did not set a specific budget, it chose Puerto Rico because it was one of the cheapest options. It was one of the only destinations outside of the United States for which airfare was less than $300, Southwick said.“We looked at Mexico, at Acapulco and Cancun but we found them to be too expensive,” fourth-year College student Eleanor Kirk said.Jamaica is another fun, relatively inexpensive destination for those looking to leave the country for Spring Break, Evangelist said. “Jamaica has made a real comeback in recent years,” he said. The cost of such a trip is dependent on the place of a traveller’s departure, but trips to Jamaica are going for anywhere from $600 to $800.“Jamaica is really the best value,” he added. “Your money really goes far there.”Abundant beaches, cheap food and drinks, live concerts, all-night partying and guaranteed warm temperatures are all attractive trade-offs for those willing to pay a little more to fly to the island country.The Bahamas also are popular for college students during Spring Break. “My best advice, if you’re looking for something cheap, is the Bahamas,” Signore said. “Grab a couple buddies and take a road trip down. It’ll be a great time and with the cost of the party cruise ship included, it can be done for under $500.”At this time of year, the Bahamas are bustling with crowds of young, fun-loving students. The bars, restaurants and shops on Grand Bahamas Island cater to Spring Breakers, and there is no shortage of live music and dancing. The beaches, although often crowded, are spacious and dotted with palm trees, and the water is warm enough for swimming.For students who decide to stay in the country during Spring Break, service trips also present a financially feasible option. Third-year College student Seth Coogan said he is going to Massachusetts on a mission trip. “There were lots of trip options,” he said. “The one I chose was purposely one of the less expensive ones.”First-year College student Matt Hunt also said he plans to go on a mission trip, but to South Carolina. “It’s the cheapest break on Grounds, and that definitely factored into my decision,” Hunt said.Even if it means forgoing typical Spring Break locations in favor of more economical options, it is entirely possible to plan a fun, last-minute Spring Break trip without completely breaking the bank. Whatever one’s budget, a number of different Spring Break activities are still available to students, even in times of economic uncertainty. Of course, some students may still abandon their adventuresome Spring Break plans altogether and just enjoy a week without classes. Saving money also travels a long way. Third-year College student Joey Blacketer said he is going home to work for the week. “Money was a big part of this decision,” he said.
Standing atop a ladder, shuffling through one of the 11,000 songs on his iPod, artist Lincoln Perry spends the majority of his spring afternoons in Old Cabell Hall, painting the 11-panel mural “The Student’s Progress.” His hands covered in charcoal, he carefully sketches the life story of a redheaded female University undergraduate student on the walls of the building’s lobby. Though most students can relate to the story in his mural, many are unaware of the history and effort behind it. While for most, the artwork simply provides a colorful image en route to the Music Library or a concert in Old Cabell auditorium, upon closer analysis, the mural depicts familiar college experiences like the initial days of an awkward first-year student to life beyond graduation. At casual observation, the scenes range from “Trick-Or-Treating on the Lawn,” to what Perry refers to as “The Temptation Panel,” where his unnamed redhead is seen overwhelmed by french fries, wine and social activity. Alternating between a paintbrush and a palette knife, Perry employs a textural style to create images that reference the culture and traditions on which Cavaliers pride themselves.What allows the mural to connect to students is that it is growing right along with them. For Perry, this masterpiece represents more than a decade of planning and painting, he said. A former University art professor, Perry explained that he was originally commissioned to paint just seven large center panels in 1996. In these initial paintings, he illustrated the redhead’s four years of her undergraduate studies as a violinist. A typical college student, she has her ups and downs and can be seen both struggling on crutches and playing music with friends. “She’s sort of a klutz” and is challenged with the trials and tribulations that most students experience as they come into their own, Perry said. He added that he would rather convey this “two steps forward, one step back” image of a flawed but human University student than one of a romanticized southern belle breezing her way through college. “That would be boring to paint” and perhaps unrealistic, he said. Perry said he came up with the story on his own, although he used a model for the main figure. He said he chose to depict her as a violinist because he believed that such a character could serve as representative image that would have the power to speak for itself. After completing the original project with resounding success, Perry decided he was not yet finished. He took a three-year break and then continued to paint the redhead’s story, focusing on her post-graduate life. Today, the mural covers almost every wall of Old Cabell’s lobby, containing snapshots of the student’s marriage, pregnancy, career as a University professor and — most recently — her daughter’s acceptance to the University.When asked if he had a favorite scene from the mural, Perry said it is usually the one he is working on at the time, because that is where he focuses his current attention and energy.Second-year College student Zoe Arndt, a regular in the music department, said she finds it fascinating to observe that “all of [a] sudden, these sketches turn into a realistic picture.” For some, realistic only begins to describe the similarities between “The Student’s Progress” and students’ actual lives, as each panel is supposed to parallel an event or emotion that is unique to University students’ experiences.University alumna and piano teacher Kelly Gross said she remembers when the walls of Old Cabell were nothing but blank spaces, adding that she has noticed the many changes that the building has undergone over the years.So, what more could Perry add to the story? He said he is currently painting a graduation scene, which he plans to finish with a landscape of the surrounding mountains. Perry only works on the mural in the spring, however, and completes about one panel per year, he said. This year is no different; count on seeing Perry in Old Cabell almost every day this spring.
This week all students will be excitedly counting down to Spring Break. Many Wahoos will use the week to go home and spend time with their family and friends. Others will use the week to catch up on sleep and work. There has been, however, a growing tension between those who will be participating in Traditional Spring Break and Alternative Spring Break.In an effort to mediate the dispute, I sat down with a leading member of each group to talk about the issues and get everything out on the table in the hope of bridging the gap between the two groups. What follows is a transcript of our summit meeting.Moderator: Gentlemen, welcome. Would each of you provide an opening statement to describe what your group is all about? ASB, you won the coin toss and get to go first.ASB: It’s great to be here and spread the word about the organization I love. As you can read on our Web site, www.altbreak.org, ASB is a student-run organization that conducts service projects during the fall, winter, spring and summer breaks for University students. Our mission is to bring together members of the University community who might not otherwise interact outside their usual social spheres, for the common goals of service and education about the global community. We aim to train Virginia’s future service leaders.TSB: Traditional Spring Break is really about celebrating youthful exuberance and excess. It is a break from the vicious cycle of work hard, party hard to simply party hard for a week. It also is a celebration of spring by traveling to warm and sunny destinations around the world while it is still winter. I’d also like to point out that ASB is truly indebted to disciples of our version of Spring Break. They define their entire activity as an “alternative” to ours. Without us, they would simply be Spring Break. What do you think about that? I’d really appreciate a ‘thank you.’Moderator: I’ll ask the questions around here, thank you very much. Now then, what issues do you have with your Spring Break counterpart?TSB: My biggest issue with them is that they are so self-righteous. They try and guilt trip you into feeling bad about having fun over Spring Break. Really, they are just like us. They’re trying to do something interesting during break like traveling to exotic locations. Only they try to justify their travels by doing a little community service, whereas we’re honest about what we want to do. Secondly, don’t even get me started on their fundraisers, at which they try and get us to pay for their trip. I sometimes wonder if ASB is really just a subsidiary of Qdoba. Lastly, they take these long-distance trips with wildly ambitious goals like curing AIDS in Africa and are only there for a week. One, couldn’t they do more good for less money — more bang for their buck — if they stayed closer to home? Two, if they were truly committed to these causes, shouldn’t they drop out of school and join the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps?ASB: First of all, at least we try and do some good with our time away from school. If there were more people like us, a lot of the problems we seek to correct would already have been fixed. That’s really my biggest issue with those TSBers — they are so self-centered. All they care about is themselves, having fun and indulging in excess. ASBers try to give back and make the world a better place one vaccination, one planted tree or one hungry mouth fed at a time. As for the second charge, ASB is not just about the work but expanding your personal horizons by going new places, meeting new people and getting different perspectives about the world. With TSB all you do is hang out with your usual friends and see the world through the same alcohol-induced haze you do every weekend. ASB is about helping build the world up just a little bit at a time, not being self-destructive and narcissistic.Moderator: What are you most looking forward to this Spring Break? Any other closing thoughts?ASB: I’ve already touched on how ASB is a life-changing experience, a way to gain a new perspective on life, gain so many life skills and make lifelong friends. It’s also going to be a great feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment after a full year of planning and hard work to finally get down to business. I’m also really looking forward to coming back and sharing our experiences with the rest of the University community. Be sure to check out all the photos from our trip on Facebook.TSB: I’d like to point out that I’m really an Alternative Spring Break guy at heart. This year because of the economy, I’ve had to look into alternatives such as Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and Myrtle Beach, S.C. instead of the usual Cancun or the Caribbean. Otherwise, I’m just really looking forward to taking the party on the road for the week. It’s really important to gear up for the second half of the spring semester. When we get back we’ve got St. Patrick’s day, Foxfield, graduation parties and then beach week. In closing, I totally agree about Facebook. Check out the pics and you’ll see what’s up.Moderator: Thank you both for an honest and informative discussion. There you have it. Facebook, once again, is the great common dominator. Check it out to decide if you are an ASBer or TSBer. John’s column runs biweekly Mondays. He can be reached at j.gregory@cavalierdaily.com.
It may only be February, but Spring Break is almost upon us. Though with the alternating 30- and 60-degree days we’ve been having, I can see how you might be confused as to what season we’re even in.In anticipation of the break, people already are hanging up winter coats, trading boots for flip-flops and doing that weird wire-walking thing between trees on the Lawn. The groundhog may have seen his shadow, but we college kids aren’t swayed by the meteorological predictions of rodents.Never mind that spring doesn’t begin for another month — our vacation is a week-and-a-half away, and we’ll be damned if we’re going to usher it in with scarves and sweaters.Ah, Spring Break, that time of year when thousands of college students flock south to thaw, like birds who got left behind. A time when you ignore the pleas of your professors and skip your Friday, Thursday and maybe even Wednesday classes before vacation. A time for road trips, sunburns, $10 margaritas as big as your head — and if you’re lucky, a lot of laughs at the expense of wrinkly old dudes in Speedos.In years past, my Spring Breaks mostly have been low-key. I’ve never had what the show “Friends” once aptly referred to as “Spring Break woohoo!!!”The “Spring Break woohoo!!!” may sound like a disease you catch from a wonky hot tub, but it’s actually the mythic sun-and-alcohol-soaked holiday that only seems to appear on TV and in movies. It’s when characters on teen dramas make the mistakes that will haunt them until the finale. It’s when coeds in horror films face karmic punishment for loose morals and wet T-shirt contests.Take, for example, the cautionary tale, “Spring Break Shark Attack,” a 2005 made-for-TV movie. Assuming you aren’t among the six of us who actually watched it, the brains behind this deliciously terrible gem helpfully spelled out the plot in the title. Add all the cleavage that primetime can get away with and a sprinkling of “ironic” dialogue like, “No way! The guys there are sharks!” and you have a pretty good idea of what I’m talking about.Which is, of course, pure awesomeness, the best of the worst. As I watched, my reactions went something like this: “Have these sharks evolved to feed on silicone breast implants? Does all that fruit punch in the water mean someone died? Did that fellow just purposefully windsurf into a shark’s mouth?” Needless to say, it was educational and entertaining.In essence, “Spring Break woohoo!!!” is the first half of “Spring Break Shark Attack.” It’s a week-long clothing-optional party — only at the end, no muscled guy in a muscle tee saves you from the danger of an approaching dorsal fin.It’s the kind of vacation we grew up watching on MTV Spring Break, but perhaps without quite so much staged dancing and karaoke — or maybe with more. It’s a place where neon bikinis and mesh half-shirts are the height of fashion, otherwise known as A.C. Slater’s version of heaven.The “woohoo!” at the end of “Spring Break woohoo!!!” is the necessary verbal indication of how much fun you’re having. You can tag it onto any sentence, particularly with a high-pitched voice and an accompanying fist pump. On Spring Break, exclamation points are more than just a way of speaking. They’re a way of life.And yet for all its cultural resonance, I am somewhat doubtful that the “Spring Break woohoo!!!” actually exists. I believe that the combination of tequila and heatstroke results in debauchery, but I also suspect MTV might have blown things out of proportion. It was likely an effort to shock those 13-year-olds — myself included — who were sneaking in some after-school cable before their parents came home.It is possible that the “Spring Break woohoo!!!” — like other mythic beings, from unicorns to Bigfoot — is only spotted on rare occasions by the truest of believers, those that never take off their mesh and “woohoo!” in the face of every obstacle. For the rest of us, it’s the kind of thing we can only carry our cameras around in the hopes of spotting. In fact, as with Bigfoot, we might run scared if we ever actually did come across it.But regardless, come Feb. 28, many will go out in search of the elusive “Spring Break woohoo!!!” I wish you the best of luck. Just, you know, watch out for sharks.Rebecca’s column runs biweekly Wednesdays. She can be reached at r.marsh@cavalierdaily.com
It happens once a year. Some dread it and watch horror films with their like-minded buddies, while others look forward to it as an opportunity to spend some quality time with their loved ones. Regardless of whether you are on the edge of your seat waiting for Freddie Kruger to make an unwelcome foray into some innocent teenager’s nightmare or are perfecting your best come-hither look, participating in some form of special activity on Valentine’s Day is virtually unavoidable. Fortunately, there is one activity to which everyone can look forward and that triumphs over all others: Eating good food.In an effort to raise money to fund an Alternative Spring Break trip to New Orleans, second-year College student Danielle Barnes came up with the idea of putting together a cookbook that would be a perfect — and practical — addition to anyone’s kitchen. Barnes said the idea behind the book was to “involve the U.Va. community in something it can actually contribute to and have a final result.” The cookbook, entitled “Poetry — Recipes — Romance: An Evening for Two,” is a compilation of student-submitted recipes and poems.The concept of the cookbook, Barnes said, is to enjoy cooking a full meal with or for someone special — with some poetry to add to the romance. It also offers a nice alternative to typical Valentine’s Day gifts. “Cookbooks are way sweeter than chocolates and teddy bears,” Barnes said. Fourth-year College student Graham Evans, the site leader for the ASB trip, added that the goal was “mainly to do something different and interesting. The poetry provides something special that people can enjoy and share together along with the food.”Something different indeed, as Barnes and other participants of the ASB trip — third-year Architecture student Carla Jones, first-year College student Andrea Brennan and third-year College student Michelle Ferng — completely handmade the books. The cookbook is made up of a tea-colored cardstock cover and light beige pages, bound together with hemp. It has 30 original recipes, including appetizers and side dishes, entrees and, perhaps most importantly, desserts.With recipes compiled with romantic poetry — a four-to-one recipe-to-poem ratio — to set the mood, the cookbook offers students much more than what they would normally get at just another bake sale. The poetry submissions are mainly public domain poems, in addition to a few original pieces the submitters wrote themselves. “I recently have been getting into poetry and think it can really add richness to the magic and romance of everyday life,” Evans said.Furthermore, the recipes included are not your ordinary cake recipes. Some submissions, such as the “Avocado Pie,” are sure to be crowd-pleasers, as well as head-turners.Avocado PieIngredients:1 graham cracker crust2 medium avocados14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk1/2 cup lemon juicea pinch of nutmegDirections:Place peeled and pitted avocados, milk and lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Pour into crust. Sprinkle nutmeg on top as desired. The pie should be chilled an hour before serving. Serves as a dessert for two, midnight snack and/or sweet morning treat.While the cookbook’s intended romantic influence makes it perfect for Valentine’s Day, contributors agreed that it is practical for any occasion. “My friends and I are always watching Paula Deen and making dinner for each other, so it’s really an ingenious idea,” fourth-year College student Hannah McCollester said.Although cooking may not be on the top of every college student’s to-do list, the creators of the cookbook hope it will be successful. “I hope people buy it, if only for their sake. They will be surprised to see how much use they get out of it,” second-year College student Rachel Burns said. Burns contributed two dessert recipes: “Bombshell Brownies,” which she claims are always a hit, and the “5-minute Chocolate Mug Cake”, which she added to go along with the romantic theme. “It’s a cake you make in a mug so it should be perfect for two.”Regardless of whatever this Valentine’s Day entails for you — whether it is a romantic date or casual movie night — good food is always appreciated. For those who have the luxury of a kitchen, a good cookbook can make any night of the week a tasty one. “It’s always good to have recommended recipes on hand,” Burns said. “And some of the recipes are not just for two — most of them are geared towards small groups of people, which is perfect for college students.”So whether you want to impress a certain someone or simply want to have an impromptu get-together, the use of a good cookbook goes beyond just a holiday. “Most cookbooks have themes, so Valentine’s Day is just that,” Burns said. “My roommate and I enjoy making dinner for each other and so we will probably use it regularly — regardless of what day it is.”
Herpes is a viral infection and a resilient one at that. Knowledge of the disease has been around since the time of Hippocrates — think old, Greek — but it is clear that herpes is not going anywhere. Although the incidence is decreasing, according to the CDC Web site, about one out of four women and one out of eight men in America is still infected with genital herpes. More than half a million new cases are diagnosed each year. The numbers are even higher for oral herpes. In short, those are some serious statistics, so it is pretty important to know the facts about oral and genital herpes, how they are transmitted and what you can do to protect yourself.There are two types of the herpes simplex virus: herpes simplex type 1 and herpes simplex type 2. Herpes as a disease, however, is usually classified by the affected site. For example, oral herpes, which is usually referred to as cold sores or fever blisters, is generally caused by HSV-1, and genital herpes is usually caused by HSV-2, but these viruses are adaptable, so HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes — in up to 50 percent of cases, actually — and HSV-2 can cause oral herpes. Confusing, right? Basically this means that you can contract herpes from oral sex, but more on that later.How have all of these people caught herpes? As a rule, sexually transmitted diseases, such as genital herpes, are spread by, well, having sex, or via contact with the genitalia of an affected person, whether it be through oral sex or something more creative than I can even imagine. Oral herpes is spread when the virus — from the mouth of an affected individual — comes into contact with your mouth, especially if there is a break in the skin.Initially, many people who contract oral herpes will be asymptomatic, while the unlucky ones will trade ignorant bliss for inflammation of the cheeks and gums or possibly ulcers on the mouth, plus or minus a fever and sore throat. To put this into perspective, an estimated 90 percent of Americans have antibodies to the HSV-1 virus, meaning their body has encountered it before. Only a small fraction of those, however, will become symptomatic. Luckily, these symptoms will resolve in a week or so, but this does not mean the virus is gone. This stealthy virus will make itself a home near the original site of infection and wait until you are sick or stressed to make its grand re-entrance — just what you need during finals or right before your spring formal. Some people will experience recurrences throughout life, while others may get by without these.As for genital herpes, the first outbreak usually occurs within two weeks of sexual contact and can consist of painful ulcers on the genitalia and flu-like symptoms. Some people are unaware that they have contracted genital herpes and will have only mild outbreaks that can be ascribed to other causes (e.g. allergic reaction, insect bites ... I would imagine people could get quite creative on this front if it means avoiding the alternative). Even if a partner is asymptomatic with no visible lesions, however, you can still contract genital herpes.Unfortunately, there is no cure or vaccine for herpes. Once you have genital herpes, you cannot get rid of it, but you can take daily medications to suppress outbreaks and keep you feeling well. Herpes can affect other organs, such as the brain or eye, particularly if you are immunosuppressed, and it can be passed on to children during childbirth, which can be debilitating, so early diagnosis and a strict medication regimen are key. If you have genital herpes, this can be socially stigmatizing, but it is by no means the end of fun and intimate relationships. Be honest with potential partners and use condoms to decrease the risk of transmission. There are many support groups online and dating Web sites for young people with herpes, both of which can be invaluable resources. Overall, be well, be happy and remember that you can never be too careful when it comes to a condition like herpes.Emily is a University Medical student. She can be reached at e.graham@cavalierdaily.com.
So, here I sit. It’s 10 days before I am supposed to leave for South Africa, and I still do not have a visa. Or a passport. Trying to obtain a visa has been a pretty trying process since I am not only dealing with one government agency, but three. The Embassy of South Africa requires a criminal background check before issuing a visa. So all I needed to do was call my local police station and it would simply hand a document over to me, right? Wrong. Way wrong. I had to contact the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, which informed me that I must mail it a set of fingerprints and it would send me the results of a criminal record search 10 to 15 days later.I headed down to the Charlottesville Police headquarters in order to obtain an official set of fingerprints. (I actually had to go there twice since they only fingerprint on certain days for a few hours.) I gained three things from my first trip: the knowledge of when and on what day the department fingerprints individuals, a parking ticket, and the knowledge that, yes, the University does in fact ticket your car after 6 p.m. On my second trip to the police station I was fingerprinted by an armed police officer in the same room where they book criminals. I have to admit that this was a little intense but well worth it as I emerged an hour later with fingerprints in hand. I had to immediately overnight them to the North Carolina SBI so I would be able to get the results in time to apply for my visa.Now, I don’t have a criminal record and have never even gotten a ticket other than a parking ticket. So, it came as quite a surprise when I received a letter stating that since arrest activity had occurred during the search, I should request another one in 30 days. Um, excuse me? Luckily my parents believed me when I told them that, no, I wasn’t leading a double life as a drug trafficker or insider trader. But I still needed a document stating that I was not, in fact, a criminal. Fortunately, the problem was remedied more easily than I expected, and after a letter, an hour-long phone call and three days, I had the corrected report in hand. I immediately mailed the report, along with a birth certificate, doctor’s certification that I don’t have contagious diseases, passport (please don’t lose this!) and the promise that I am not a member of a radical political organization attempting to overthrow the government, to the South African officials.While the visa application process has been strenuous, there are many other things I still need to do in preparation for my trip. For instance, I need to figure out how to pack an entire semester’s worth of clothes and toiletries into one bag. I also need to work on finding something to do on the 20-hour flight. I am also worried about the food since I know the South African diet has been significantly influenced by Indian food. On my Alternative Spring Break trip to Trinidad last year, which also has a sizable Indian population, my stomach did not appreciate my determination to try a new cuisine.All in all, though, I am really excited. My trip to South Africa promises to be an adventure unlike any other I have experienced. I am grateful to the University and the Study Abroad Office that I can have such an adventure — and even be granted credit for it and still graduate on time with two majors. I encourage every student to consider studying on the other side of the world. It is possible with just about every area of study. So while I am praying that my passport with my approved visas arrives before my flight and that I will successfully close my over-packed suitcase, I hope everyone at the University has a great first week of classes. Next time from South Africa!Megan’s column runs biweekly Tuesdays. She can be reached at m.stiles@cavalierdaily.com.