Photo Credit: Masha Romanova

new transportation service in works at Utpage 5

a trip to chinapage 10

sammy luau feat. paul wall

page 14

dUbstep it Uppage 12

October 18, 2012 | Volume 2, Issue 8 | Austin, TX www.theodysseyonline.com | @OdysseyUTexas | Facebook.com/TheOdysseyTexas

editor's notewww.theodysseyonline.com2

During October, there’s a lot to l o o k f o r w a r d to for Greeks: football games, cool weather and parents’ weekend. On Oct. 5-7, Alpha Phi and several o t h e r G r e e k o r g a n i z a t i o n s had their parents’ weekend. Parents’ weekend is such a fun time for daughters and sons to spend quality time with the ones who raised them.

The weekend was perfect for many reasons. On Friday, we had our fall philanthropy event, Red Dress Gala, in which a silent and live auction were held to raise money for the American Heart Association, Alpha

Phi Foundation and cardiac care. There were so many parents and daughters at the event, and the food was amazing. Awesome auction items like a signed baseball by the Texas baseball team, vacation homes in Oregon, hotels in California and more were up for grabs.

On Saturday, my parents and I went to breakfast at Kerbey Lane – yum! I got to show them around Austin, check out the Domain, and eat at Dirty Martin’s for lunch after carefully cleaning my apartment. (Parents are the strictest judges of cleanliness, I’ve come to find.) Around three, we went to the Main Mall where Alpha Phi held a tailgate with barbeque. It was really fun to meet my sorority sisters’ parents and catch up with some of them.

The football game on Saturday was so exciting. I still can’t believe we lost to West Virginia – I thought Texas could have easily won! We played really well, though. It was back and forth between the two teams for most of the game, which made the game a nail biter. But honestly, in the three years I’ve been going to the Texas games, the stadium was the loudest I’ve ever heard it on that Saturday. Everyone was getting so excited and cheering for the players. The playing of “Jump Around” helped everyone get pumped and relax during the strenuous game.

After the game was over, Alpha Phi had dessert at the house. There were mini cheesecake bites of different flavors for the parents and girls, which were tasty and delicious. On Sunday, all of the girls and their parents went to Manuel’s off 183 for Brunch.

It was the perfect parents’ weekend for many reasons. First, the weather was nice and chilly, symbolizing the beginning of fall and the end of summer. Second, the football game was so much fun to attend. Third, there’s nothing like spending time with your parents after not having seen them for a while. It makes the whole weekend really special and enjoyable.

the perfect parents’ weekend

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CREATIVE TEAMEditor-in-ChiefVirginia Albert, Alpha Phi

Contributing EditorLeslie Slaughter, Pi Beta Phi

Social Media DirectorMeagan Vanderhill, Pi Beta Phi

EXECUTIVE TEAMSales ExecutivesDontay Waffer, Sigma Kappa Phi

Ryan Meister, Sigma Alpha Mu

Kristin Hazen, Kappa Alpha Theta

Jim Hartman, Sigma Chi

ViRGiniA ALbERT Alpha PhiEditor-in-Chief

Virginia is a junior studying advertising. You may contact her at virginia.albert@comcast.net.

greek life traditionswww.theodysseyonline.com 3

When I first joined Sigmas, I was privileged enough to not only gain some amazing new sisters, but also a new family outside of the sorority. If there’s one thing that makes my sorority stand out from the rest, it’s because of one simple fact: we are a part of a tri-family.

When I was rushing and I heard older Sigmas and older Omegas refer to this term, I was utterly and completely lost. I had no idea what that meant, and I couldn’t even begin to fathom the relationships that I would get the opportunity to form that very semester. First, my Omega and Delta pledge bros are the absolute craziest, talented and yet the most humble group of guys I have ever met. They always know how to have a good time and yet know how to stay grounded and listen whenever we were sad or hurt. They have been there for every midnight birthday surprise, random trips to McDonald’s in the middle of the night and the ones to share a PCL pod with during finals

week. I depend on them like I depend on my own pledge sisters. This was my first step into understanding how special this tri-family bond was and why we were all tied together.

The next relationship I got to form is also one that I know will last me much longer than my college career. Halfway through my first semester, I got “picked up” by an Omega big bro. Every semester, we hold a mixer that allows every new member that joins Sigmas or Omegas to get paired up

with either a big bro or a big sis. My big bro, Danny, was everything I wanted and more in a big brother. Coming from a family filled with girls, my big bro became my protector, my personal bodyguard and my personal chef. He always made time to take me out to eat, cook for me or just spend time with me and be there when I needed someone to turn to. I had never imagined that I could have confided so much with anyone else besides my big sis, but he really proved me wrong. Other Omegas have made the same connection with their little sisters and gave them another reason why they chose the right sorority. I know my big bro did that for me.

When I asked members from both Omegas and Deltas what exactly tri-family meant to them, Anh Nguyen, Omega Phi Gamma’s Vice President of External Affairs said, “To me, tri-fam is like a family away from home. It’s a group of caring and genuine people I can always count on through the good and bad times in my life.” Manu Bhatia, a brother of Delta Epsilon Psi also said, “I think it’s a relationship that means I have people to lean on and people there for me outside of just my own organization.” Almost two years later, I finally understand how special tri-family really is. They are a family who will love, accept and be there for me long after I graduate. As new classes constantly cross into our organizations and the years pass, one idea has always remained the same: other things may change but we start and end with family.

a new kind of familyPHOEbE ChOE Sigma Phi Omega

Phoebe is a junior studying early childhood education. You may contact her at pheebeexx@gmail.com.

Tri-Family Spring 2012 Rush Event.

campus connectionswww.theodysseyonline.com4

to those of yoU who wish to rUn me over...PAiGE ATkInsOnKappa DeltaPaige is a sophomore studying BFA studio art. You may contact her at paigeatkinson@utexas.edu.

Whether you bike from your apartment across campus to class every day or just have bike to make convenient trips to CVS, bikes are an awesome entity to have as a college student. To me, one of the great things about our campus is how biker-friendly it is. The parking and transportation services department at UT is always finding new ways to support the growing biking community at UT. I’m sure most of you have seen “The Kickstand,” conveniently located to fulfill all your biking needs. Here you can register your bike, pump your tires as well as browse accessories and fixtures. There is also the “Orange Bike Project,” a bike shop located at the Guadalupe Parking Garage at the corner of San Antonio and 16th on the ground floor. In addition to all of these University sponsored sites, there is also Freewheeling Bicycles in the heart of West Campus on 24th and San Gabriel that is open during the week for your entire tune-up needs.

The benefits of having a bike seem boundless. I have a car that I use to drive to work in North Austin, but if I can help it I try to save money and bike as much as possible. Our money could be better spent on something tangible rather than something that is burned up in up in an engine. In addition to the money saving you can also burn a surprising amount of calories while riding a bike! Raising your heart rate while making the steep trek up 24th is enough physical exertion to make anyone feel accomplished for the day.

Depending on your weight, you could burn anywhere from 500-600 calories an hour spent on a moderate bike ride! You may want to consider getting a bike if time is of the essence between your 8 a.m. at Belo and your 9:30 at the stadium. For anyone who has not ridden a bike on campus yet, it will cut your travel time by more than half! This could mean you could sleep in an extra ten minutes or chat with your professor directly after class without freaking out about being late to your next one. And if you ever get that professor that doesn’t get the hint that they are to release you at least 10

minutes before the hour, with a bike you could still make it everywhere on time! Biking is also, an overall pleasant experience. With Austin being as beautiful as it is, I always want to be outside! So if it’s between driving to South Congress and biking, I will bike every time not only to experience the stunning elements of downtown but to also avoid the hassle of parking. When I am going to run Town Lake where I will be getting sweaty anyway, why not bike to the natural surroundings?

For as many people that support the efficient and carefree existence of riding with the wind in your hair, there are just as many who dislike biking and bikers on and off campus. Their attitude is that we are reckless and in the way. According to UT biking rules, bikers are not allowed on sidewalks and must yield to pedestrians. I know firsthand that not all bikers adhere to these regulations. By almost running you over while they cross Dean Keaton, they are making a bad name for bikers everywhere. There is great debate over whether bicycles are to follow the rules of cars or whether they have their own policy to follow on public streets. To set the argument straight, bicycles are considered a vehicle and have the same rights and duties as drivers of a car. These include the right to your own lane on a bike as well as the duty to obey all traffic signals and stop signs.

To the bikers with a mind of your own, please follow the law. And to the drivers that wish to run me over, please don’t. Biking can become a great lifestyle for those who choose it especially in a city like Austin that has made biking so accessible which comes as no surprise due to Austin’s over all consciousness of the environment. No matter how you feel about biking, everyone should at least give it a fair shot and see if you start to enjoy it as much as I do.

campus connectionswww.theodysseyonline.com 5

A higher rate of student Driving Under the Influence and Driving While Intoxicated arrests at The University of Texas than other colleges has university officials contemplating new transportation programs.

According to The University of Texas’ Police Department website, over the past 60 days there were 18 alcohol and driving related arrests at UT. The number of reported cases for other colleges is dramatically lower. Officials from these respective universities believe that the reason for this lesser statistic is due in part to their implementation of complimentary and nonjudgmental transportation services.

Of the 18 UT arrests, five were filed as DUIs and 13 were filed as DWIs. In Texas, an individual is declared intoxicated by the law if they have a blood alcohol concentration of at least a .08. The difference in the charge itself is based on the driver’s age and consumed alcohol content. Officer Darrell Halstead with UTPD said, “Texas has long been known as a ‘zero tolerance’ state meaning that minors, anyone under 21 years of age, are not permitted to consume any alcohol and drive a vehicle… An officer will usually just give a DUI citation to a minor if he feels that they have only consumed a small amount of alcohol and release them to an adult, but if the officer feels that the minor is possibly intoxicated, that individual can be arrested for DWI – a much harsher sentencing with possible jail time.” UTPD Chief Robert Dahlstrom said, “I have absolutely no patience for drunk driving; I have no problem arresting a student on the spot and sending them to central booking.” With jail time a serious concern for students, many have turned to UT Student Government officials for help.

Recently elected University Wide Representative, Crystal Zhao had the idea of vehicle transportation to accompany the Student Government sponsored program Students-United-for-Rape-Elimination Walk, as a staple to her campaign platform. Zhao said, “With a transportation system - whether it be cars or merely golf carts our volunteers would be able to travel to both the student callers’ initial and final locations faster.”

Although the idea is still in the developmental stage, Zhao already has a golf cart company that is willing to work with UT and SURE Walk. Current SURE Walk agency director Ben Johnson

said, “Now that we have done extensive research, we are looking in to what type of program would work best for our school. We are also figuring how SURE Walk would work with the system and whether the program would be independent or housed in Student Government.” Student Government representatives from Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University are ahead of UT when it comes to this type of program.

At Texas A&M, Caring Aggies R Protecting Over Our Lives is a safe ride program that offers free safe non-judgmental rides home every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 p.m. - 3 a.m. to anyone living in the Bryan and College Station Area. Miriam Cisneros, Public Relations officer said, “CARPOOL is a nonprofit organization that has been operating for 13 years, and so far we have given more than 200,000 rides. On average we give about 300-400 rides every weekend… CARPOOL will take anyone home intoxicated or not but the majority of our patrons are usually people who have been drinking and are looking for a safe ride.” According to the Texas A&M A&M Police Department website, there were eight reported DUI or DWI arrests in August and September of 2012.

With only one arrest so far for the month of September according to the Texas Tech University Police Department’s website, the Red Raiders are setting the right tone when it comes to drinking and driving. Tech student body president Alex Alston said, “We have a huge majority of our students that use the Safe Ride program as a means to get home at night. Whether it is from the library or from a party, students at Tech utilize this program. It has really been a beneficial way in keeping our students safe and having them not get behind the wheel of a car after a few drinks.”

Data acquired from Reed Young, Tech’s External Student Vice President as well as the individual in charge of Safe Ride for this school year shows that in 2011 there were a total of 6,968 safe rides given and typically about 1,363 taxis were sent out on Saturdays. On a national level, UT still has a higher DUI and DWI arrest rate. Ohio State University, a school very similar to UT in undergraduate size level and urban surroundings had only seven reported cases, according to the Ohio State Department of Public Safety website.

Not every student at UT is choosing to drink and drive. The Capital Metro Eating and Entertainment Bus in conjunction with Parking and Transportation Services, the Austin Police Department and UT is very popular resource among undergraduates. According to Erica Macioge of Capital Metro, in April of 2012 an average of 3,188 people used the E-bus every Thursday. “I always ride the Ebus from 6th Street during the weekend; it’s really convenient,” said UT junior Alex Wolford.

Transportation being “convenient” only scratches part of the service needed for a future transportation program at UT. There are many other incorporating factors. UTPD Chief Dahltstrom said, “It is much more complicated than just setting up a volunteer system. Liabilities have to be looked at as well as making sure you have enough volunteers that show up every night. If a

vehicle is used who has insurance, what are the expectations of the system, who takes the calls and distributes the calls, what if the person receiving the call cannot find anyone to pick them up, etc.

With proven success and complications, a possible new transportation program at UT will take further research and development. However, with DUIs and DWIs causing issues like higher insurance rates, future legal troubles and possible life threatening injuries as well as death, how much longer are we willing to wait for a solution to student drunk driving?

New Transportation Service in Works at UTKRiSTin hAzEn Kappa Alpha Theta

Kristin is a junior studying journalism and English. You may contact her at kristinhazen@aol.com.

debate & discusswww.theodysseyonline.com6

E-Bus on Guadalupe and 24th the night of our formal, I was not looking forward to walking the last six blocks back home. I was tired, I was in heels, and the air had become significantly cooler. My friends and I were trekking through West Campus when out of nowhere a water balloon hit me on my right arm splashing all over my dress and face. I didn’t realize what had struck me until a few seconds after it happened. By the time I looked up to see who the perpetrator was, they were gone.

Water balloon incidents are nothing new to West Campus, let alone this college. Several students have been victims of water balloons, various food products like carrots and eggs, and even beer cans being thrown from apartment balconies.

I remember going through sorority recruitment my freshman year. Our Rho Chis strongly warned us to avoid 24th and Rio Grande and The Towers dorm as best we could. It was “tradition” per say, for boys living in Towers to throw water balloons and legendary bleach balloons at girls as they walked from house to house. We were also told patrons at Cain and Abels would hold signs ranking girls on a hotness number scale as they walked past.

Of course I never witnessed those things as I avoided both areas like the plague. But I have heard of girls, as recent as this past year, being hit with balloons. Thus, having no choice but to go to the rest of their houses covered in water or any other substance the balloon may have held.

Racism is still a prevalent issue in this country and not something the UT community should dismiss. Yet the idea that certain students were targeted because of their race is not the first conclusion I would jump to. Walking through an area populated with college students, you’re bound to in run into some hijinks; especially if it’s during the weekend when many inhabitants of West Campus have started celebrating and blowing off some steam by drinking alcohol.

I do agree that the reports should be taken seriously by the police because possible bleach balloons are a health hazard and could be extremely dangerous. Yet, with the recent media frenzy involving the Fiesta

themed parties hosted by Tri-Delta/Zeta and Fiestau cancelled by ATO, eyebrows are raised as to whether the story is legitimate or just catching a ride on the “fiesta” wake.

The possibility of bleach being in the balloons is more than plausible. I have yet to read of a confirmation that bleach was in balloons thrown at students or see evidence of bleached clothing or bleach on the skin of victims. “UT police have not been able to confirm that bleach was in the balloons,” reported Yahoo.com when covering the story. Reports were never even filed by the victims until the police started approaching students about the incidents, according to various news sources.

If a bleach balloon was thrown at me and hit myself or a friend, I do not understand why someone would hesitate to report it? A water balloon is one thing. In my case, it was a harmless prank, and while I did not enjoy having a wet dress while walking home the rest of the way, I didn’t let it ruin my otherwise fantastic evening. If bleach had been in the balloon and ruined my clothes or got on my skin harming me in any way, I would want to file a complaint immediately.

I would also assume that along with balloons, slurs or other racist comments would have been made to the victims as well. The balloon throwers may have been smart enough not to include hateful words seeing as how that could tie the action back to them more easily, but I’m still unsure as to whether the motive has been correctly identified in this situation.

I do not doubt that there are people at the school and people living in West Campus that are prejudice and view other races, social groups and economic classes below themselves. But I do truly believe the themed parties for instance, were not intentionally meant to be harmful. Did people take the theme a little too far and wear shirts that people found offensive? Yes, but for years now, fraternities and sororities have been celebrating the weekend by throwing themed events. These range from jungle,

decades, cities, or even based on clever puns/rhymes.

After the fiesta incident blew up, it seemed to me as though our local media sources became an outlet for much pent up anger. The Daily Texan printed both an article and a cartoon depicting girls in sororities as “interchangeable” and lacking personality due to the common trend of wearing large T-shirts and athletic shorts.

“[The uniforms] by wearing them, you identify yourself with a group. You don’t have to waste time or effort building your own identity,” wrote Hardt in her article.

I would like to remind Hardt and any other person for that matter that feels this way of something. The jeans you wore to class yesterday, the UT T-shirt you bought at the Co-Op, and that sweater you purchased for business casual attire is one of thousands exactly like it. And while you wear your UT and other burnt orange clothing with pride,

let me ask you a few questions. Did wearing that shirt make you change your major? Did it make you change your beliefs or morals? Did that shirt tell you what to eat today? Or who to sit next to in class? What shapes your personality are the people you interact with every day like friends and family, and the experience you go through in life.

Identity is not built into your shoes, your jeans, the letters on your T-shirt, or even the color of your skin. Just like racial prejudice, social groups are a culture as well. Attacking Greek organizations for what they wear is no better than what some students did by wearing the offensive costumes downtown.

Here’s the bottom line, we are all students at one of the best universities in this country. We all come from different backgrounds and we all chose to experience college in different ways. And no one should have to live in fear while here at school from being attacked by water balloons or degraded in a newspaper story.

stUdents attacking stUdents: Where Do We DraW the Line?

CORi bAkER Alpha Delta Pi

Cori is a sophomore studying journalism. You may contact her at cori.baker@gmail.com.

debate & discusswww.theodysseyonline.com 7

How old were you when your parents gave you your first cell phone? I received my first one when I was 12 years old. I thought it was the greatest invention on earth. I particularly liked the fact that you had to flip it open to answer. Little did I know that from that day onward, my life would be controlled by that small device that fits so perfectly in the palm of my hand.

At first, we used the phone to just call people, then we texted. But with each technological advance, we unknowingly became more and more dependent on this little phone. Once the iPhone debuted, we might as well have signed our life over. It had Internet access, directions, weather updates, a camera, a calculator and so much more. Everything we needed was right at our fingertips. We all asked ourselves how could we have lived without this phone for our whole lives? Yet, it didn’t take us long to get used to it.

Walk down the street. Look around you. I bet the majority of the people have a cell phone in their hands. We cannot even walk to class without talking to someone on the phone or checking our phone. We are so conscious of the device that if it is not in our range of vision for even 10 minutes, we notice its absence. We internally freak out until it is found.

It also makes us feel comfortable. If there’s ever an awkward moment at a party, a typical move is to check your phone. But, what if you lost your phone or didn’t have it, you would just be standing there looking for someone to talk to. Playing on your cell phone makes you look like you’re busy and have other people that you’re texting. It’s a nice safety blanket in a desperate time of need.

And, there is another habit that has become ingrained in our culture since the cell phone’s arrival. Flakiness. Yes, that’s right having a cell phone has given people a way out to cancel plans at the last minute. Think about when our parents were in college in the 1980s. When they said let’s meet by the statue in front of the stadium at noon and then walk to the game together, they meant it. If anyone in the group were not there at noon in front of the stadium, that person would be left. There was no way to contact that person. No way to ask if he was on his way or running late. Friends had to be friends. A person’s word actually meant something.

These days, two people could have lunch plans that have been set in stone for a week. And one person could text the other person an hour before to say he’s not feeling well or is behind on a project and have to cancel. That excuse is accepted nowadays because we have grown accustomed

to last-minute cancellations. The cell phone makes it easier to be flaky and not care about the other person’s feelings. Having to call makes it harder because you have to hear their disappointment and have to confront people. It is much easier and less threatening to let down a screen than to let down a real person.

So, as a 12-year-old looking at my birthday present, I knew my life would be forever changed. I just didn’t know how much of an effect the cell phone would have on my life. If someone asked me to give it up for a day, I don’t know how I would handle it. And that thought in itself is scary. A part of me wishes we could go back to simpler times when we used to talk on the phone and especially talk face to face. Then, another part of me looks at my phone now, with all of the apps, updates and pictures and tells the other half to go away. No matter the unfortunate behavioral traits that the cell phone brings, it is here to stay.

cell phones: more harm than good? LESLiEsLAUGhTER Pi beta PhiContributing EditorLeslie is a junior studying journalism. You may contact her at leslie.slaughter@sbcglobal.net.

A lot of students want to travel abroad and see the world. At the university of Texas, every student gets that option and is able to go to the country of their choice to study or do wonderful things there. For Madison Preston, an Alpha Xi Delta sophomore, she chose to travel to China. I decided to ask Madi a few questions about her trip and her experience in China.

me: First off, why did you choose China?

mp: I was selected as a UT Peace Ambassador where I got to participate in a competition. As a symbol of peace between the two countries, we were asked to design and paint a silk banner that was going to be judged and an American and a Chinese member would win. My banner ended up getting first prize. The Chinese winner was given an iPod and I was presented with a 15 pound extravagant “dragon boat” that is said to bring me good fortune. I am very honored and while it was a struggle to get the boat home through all the airports, I am so proud to have it sitting on my mantle at home!

me: Did you win?

mp: Yeah! I won a huge Chinese boat model.

me: What was it like being in China?

mp: It was like nothing I had ever seen. I have always

wanted to travel, but China was probably one of the last places on my bucket list. I instantly fell in love and want to go back and travel all over the Far East.

me: What was your best day?

mp: My best day, hands down, was visiting the Great Wall of China! It is like nothing you will ever experience. One of the true wonders of the world. When reaching the top and looking around, I could not help but cry out of the shear majesty of it.

me: What was your worst day?

mp: My worst day was probably the last day when we were all saying our goodbyes and packing. Naturally it was raining so that helped foster the sad mood.

me: What was the biggest culture shock?

mp: The biggest culture shock... the entire trip! The language barrier is so bad that you literally could not do anything without having someone with you that spoke Mandarin. We decided to go on a separate adventure to check out the town on our own and after getting a cab, getting lost in the sketchy area of town, and ending up in the china town of china... yes that exists. We realized how intense the culture shock of this country was so we stuck with our guide the rest of the trip.

me: Would you encourage other students to participate in a program like this or go travel to China on their own?

mp: I am so glad and thankful that I had this opportunity and encourage and support this program 100 percent. It was an eye-opening and life-altering experience.

me: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to go to China?

mp: My advice would be to seriously look into it and pursue it earnestly. It is worth it! While there we got to visit one of the most prestigious universities and got to mingle with our Chinese counterparts. The respect and admiration they had for the American universities and us that we are privileged to attend is amazing. It made me feel so selfish for never taking the time to check out any of the Chinese culture because they were so up to date and amazed by all the latest movies, TV shows, video games, etc. This program will change your life.

me: Now, is the food in China like the Chinese food over here?

mp: Surprisingly the food is nothing like the American rendition of Chinese food. Soy sauce is not commonly used and is especially not used as a dipping sauce for virtually every entree, and they have never heard of or seen a fortune cookie. When I tried to explain what it was, our Chinese guide laughed and asked if we really believed that a cookie was going to produce our fortune.

a trip to chinaTASiA EAsLOn Alpha Xi DeltaTasia is a sophomore studying journalism and public relations. You may contact her at teaslon@utexas.edu.

Madi Preston showing her project at the competition.

Madi visiting the Great Wall of China.

Madi Preston taking a picture of the skyline.

www.theodysseyonline.comtravel & adventure10

business careerwww.theodysseyonline.com 11

There comes a time in every student’s life to actually get a job after 16 plus years of education. It’s pretty frightening to think that there is actually a world out there after becoming professional students. But being able to buy nice things on your own and being financially independent is one aspect worth trading in college years for. Most students do internships after their junior year and take a full-time offer for after graduation, so here are some tips for the interview before you get that phone call offer:

1. Lose the battle to win the war - My business communications professor taught me that analogy. It is okay to “lose” a question in an hour or 30-minute interview. As long as your other answers win, then you can concede on one or two questions. If you have played sports or were a musician, it is tough to shake one error and perform well the rest of the time. But in this position, it is necessary to win the war and get the internship or second round interview.

2. It is okay to be friendly - most recruiters are the most outgoing people in the company. It is their job to find you and make you feel comfortable enough to work at the company. There are serious parts of interviews, but ultimately they are looking for someone to get the job done and who would be fun to go to happy hour with. They look at the total package,

and a brilliant but way too intense student may not be the best fit for the company.

3. Looks are almost everything - 93 percent of communication is nonverbal, so it is as if all those interview questions don’t actually matter. So make sure your shoes are shined, and your shoes match your belt. For women with smaller hands, it is important to over emphasize the firmness of your handshake or it can feel like a child’s handshake. We tend to underestimate the effect of a smile and good energy. Good posture and eye contact are important too. All of this is common sense, but when you are in a high pressure place it can be easy to forget the little things.

4. Be early but not way too early - I had a recruiter tell me a story about how awkward it was to have to entertain someone that came to an event 45 minutes before they were supposed to start. Normally they tell employees an hour ahead and there is still set up to be done. A suggestion is just to arrive early and sit in your car until five or 10 minutes before an event begins. Then you won’t make the company uncomfortable or feel hurried.

5. Brag without being cocky - The point of an interview is to answer the question, why do you deserve this job over

all the other candidates? Now is not the time to be humble, because the interviewer doesn’t personally know you. All your friends may know how great you are while humble, but if you don’t tell your interviewer then they won’t know. When giving examples for questions, throw in bits about how you were a leader in whatever club and raised a lot of money or organized lots of people. They want characteristics of leaders and you have to show them that you have what they want.

6. Send a thank you letter - A real letter is ideal. It shows you took the time to thank them the old fashioned way so they should take the same time to thoughtfully consider your application.

There are only so many positions available, so don’t be too disappointed if you don’t make it to second round or get the position. Recruiting can be a game, and the ones who know how to play it end up with the jobs at the end of the day.

interview strategies: Lose the Battle to Win the War ALEXAnDRiA kOEnIG Alpha Delta PiAlexandria is a sophomore studying accounting. You may contact her at avkoenig@utexas.edu.

laugh out loud12 www.theodysseyonline.com

Guitars, drums, piano and vocals are what most people tend to imagine when the term “music” is brought up. Unfortunately, this is not the case on music row today. The hot new craze hitting dance floors everywhere is dubstep, or as I call it, arguing robots.

First of all, the fact that my computer doesn’t recognize dubstep as a word when I am typing this does a lot to disprove this as music. You all can call me out on this, but I’m pretty sure the first dubstep originated from pinball machines and all of their bells and whistles. It was later perfected by turning the sound effects on a keyboard on and just going to town. The only difference between Skrillex and a toddler with pots and pans is a bad haircut.

Another gripe is that dubstep is virtually impossible to dance to. In fact, the reason it is so popular is because you don’t have to dance to it, just sway around and wonder what’s under that deadmau5 head. But for real, it’s like Mickey Mouse on the Island of Misfit Toys. From my research and practice, the only logical way I’ve found to dance to dubstep is as if you were in zero gravity (which would explain the arguing robots). It’s almost refreshing in a way because it’s the only genre where I know I’m not going to be thrust in the middle of some dancing circle

t o p r o v e my moves, a k a , m y nightmare.

One thing that haunts me is the f u t u r e . Not that it will still be around, but that it was around to begin with. I can handle dubstep on t h e r a d i o now because we’re young and stupid. I n a f e w years we’re going to have children and grandchildren who will want to look up to us only to see us for what we really were: Wannabe R2D2s. Think about it, this is

going to be your classic rock. Imagine your grandfather gathering the family around his old timey record player to share an orchestra of bleeps, bloops and blops. For cripes sake it’s like Wall-E short circuited. So much for taking us back to a simpler time, I’ll probably end up lying to my grandkids and tell them I’m 10 years older, growing up listening to Kid ‘n Play.

The sad truth is it probably won’t get better. Sure I’m not the biggest fan of dubstep but what’s ahead probably won’t be much better. I may sound skeptical, but we live in a world where the Baha Men have a Grammy. But then again who am I to judge? I like Nickelback. Music is a funny thing, really. What’s music to one’s ears is a dial-up tone to another’s.

DUbsTEP iT UPCARSOn TUCkER beta Upsilon Chi

Carson is a junior studying education. You may contact him at carsontucker@mail.utexas.edu.

@zaperki - Whenever I earn money, I subtract $7.50 from the total because of my inevitable trip to Chipotle that week.

@SophieBressler - There’s nothing more offensive than being told you’re most like Miranda

@Travon: Redbull gives wings. Pitbull gives you a Spanglish rundown of every country he’s been to in a crappy

@RowdyGentleman - A Rowdy Gentleman listens to Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems in equal amounts of appreciation and total disagreement.

@GaryJanetti - The first questions I want asked at the debate is “What effect is the upcoming election coverage going to have on my TV shows”

@hillarykerr: Costume hunting online and finding non-slutty versions of...anything? Practically impossible

@totalsratmove - The transition from Norts season to Yoga Pants season. #TSM

@Collegetownlife CTL - There is no such thing as a rough draft. Everything is final #CTL

@totalfratmove - I believe there to be a warrant out for the the arrest of the person on my fake ID #TFM

@Stephenathome - Another perk of a melting Arctic? Superman’s Fortress of Solitude is now his winter home AND his summer home

@SethMacFarlane - Ladies, if you want Hillary to get a legitimate shot in 2016 you gotta stop making duck lips in Instagrams

@badbanana: It’s awful that those other chipmunks force Alvin to wear an A on his sweater just because he’s an adulterer.

@TheFakeCNN- Breaking: Rain is the perfect excuse to get nothing done.

@shiraselko - Jerry Sandusky was sentenced to the same time range as Comcast gave me to come fix my cable.

@Firstworldpains - I can’t decide which Instagram filter to use.

@JimGaffigan Turns out saying you worked out is so much easier than working out.

@usedwigs - “Let’s go eat at that fancy restaurant with the famous chef!” “How famous?” “She made a FOOD BOWL for TACO BELL! A TACO FOOD BOWL!!!”

@MensHumor - If people could hear the next five seconds after I hit “end” on a call, I would have no friends.

www.theodysseyonline.com 13entertainment good eats

The Taco Shack is located on the corner of Guadalupe and 29st. It is very small, but the rainbow fence is hard to miss. Parking is a little tight, but the food is served fast and people never stay for too long. You have the option of taking your tacos to go or eating in the small outdoor patio. Taking it to go is great because the service is fast and as you are driving to your destination, the heat from the taco melts the cheese. The patio is another great option if you are willing to dissuade a stray bird from landing on your table or swat bees away from the soda machine. It may not sound like the best, but it’s all part of the Taco Shack Experience.

As for the food, you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. Taco Shack is the best place for simple, basic ingredient breakfast tacos. The scrambled eggs are, for lack of a better description, fluffy. They taste the same as, if not better than, homemade eggs. The potatoes could have songs written about them. They are that delicious. The amazing potatoes are diced into small slices and fried until they are crispy without being crunchy and soft without being soggy. The bacon is served extra crispy and the chorizo, or spicy sausage, is amazing. To top it all off, the salsa perfectly complements every item listed above.

More reasons to dine at the Taco Shack for breakfast are the low prices and fast service. Two breakfast tacos, depending on the amount of toppings, will cost no more than $5 and take no longer than five minutes to be served. And if you are really hungry, Ken’s Donut Shop is located right across the street. What goes better with tacos than donuts?

Taco Shack is quite amazing, but it does have its drawbacks. For one thing, the shack is only open until 2 p.m. If you are an early riser than this will not be a problem, but if you like sleeping in or you enjoy eating breakfast at night, the time limit may prove to be an annoying obstacle. Another issue is that the Taco Shack is located off campus. If you have no campus parking pass and only a little time before class starts you’ll have to come up with another option for breakfast. But even with its flaws, the Taco Shack is still one of the best places to grab a quick breakfast.

If you have not been, make sure to get it out soon. You will not be disappointed!

The Taco Shack ExperienceMEAGAnVAnDERhILL Pi beta Phisocial Media DirectorMeagan is a sophomore studying advertising. You may contact her at meagan_v@yahoo.com.

entertainment news14 www.theodysseyonline.com

After Daniel Tosh became notably successful from his comedy television show Tosh.0, it was inevitable that a few copycats would attempt to do the same – one of these being Rob Dyrdek of MTV’s show Ridiculousness.

Now I will say that I didn’t mind Dyrdek on Rob & Big. That was a fairly entertaining show and got renewed for three seasons because of it. In addition to this, his show Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory wasn’t too shabby either. But Mr. Dyrdek should have stuck with skating and reality television because comedy is definitely not his forte. And using humorous video clips and celebrity appearances on the show does not make his miserable act any funnier.

Fortunately for him, though, the target audience of MTV generally does not understand the difference between Rob Dyrdek, a celebrity lacking any type of legitimate humor, and Daniel Tosh, a comedic genius of wit, intelligence and all-around pure entertainment. It’s like comparing a blockbuster superhero movie to an independent ‘artistic’ film that goes on to win an Oscar. The blockbuster film, Rob Dyrdek and Ridiculousness, appeals to the masses, while Tosh.0, the independent film, may also appeal to many, but only a very few will understand and appreciate its true value in comparison to others.

The level of creativity in humor that Tosh.0 utilizes in his show is far beyond anything that Ridiculousness could ever attempt to do. Dyrdek implements nothing more than simple slapstick humor, while Tosh uses a variety of methods and comedic elements that are clearly successful. The unique and bizarre personality of Daniel Tosh is what essentially separates him from others. Rob Dyrdek is entertaining, but there really isn’t much too him other than the fact that he’s a professional skater and a celebrity. Tosh obviously has achieved celebrity status, but he constantly pokes fun at himself along with other celebrities and pop culture in general.

Also, as opposed to Ridiculousness, Tosh.0 does not solely rely on video clips for the show’s main entertainment. His commentary and jokes are the primary aspects that make the show funny. After watching a number of episodes from each, one will quickly begin to realize the difference between the two and how comically terrible Ridiculousness is in their failed effort to duplicate a show like Tosh.0. There will only be one Daniel Tosh, and no one else would be able to pull off such hilarity and political incorrectness in the ways that he does. His type of humor is original, unconventional, and at most times just plain weird, which is what makes him what he is. For example, an

ongoing joke he’s made about himself is his seemingly uncertain sexuality. At first glance most may think he’s gay; however, several instances in the show lead people to believe otherwise. What makes this great is that he continues to keep it unknown and for some of the skits and comedy sketches he does, it is absolutely hilarious. A famous and nonchalant celebrity like Rob Dyrdek would never let that happen to his image.

It becomes evident that comedy is not Dyrdek’s passion, while for Daniel Tosh it is. It simply comes down to Tosh being a more talented and innovative comedian than Dyrdek, and goes to show that Ridiculousness is merely just a poor imitation of Tosh.0 and nothing more.

Bracing the cold weather and the heartbreaking defeat of Saturday’s game against West Virginia, I walked back to my friend’s apartment ready to strip off my cowboy boots and wallow in self-pity while posting angry tweets about how much I hate the Mountaineers and how I have a bone to pick with our quarterback (that’s right David, I’m talking to you). It seemed like all hope of having a good night was lost until, walking past the tarp-covered fence of the Sigma Alpha Mu (Sammy) house, I remembered that the best part of the night was still waiting for me right through those doors. I was going to see Paul Wall!

With raised spirits, I rushed to change into my hula skirt and lei. It was somewhere in the 60s and everyone else was showing up in jeans and jackets, but I decided to take the no pain, no gain approach and go all out, because I was going to see Paul Wall. You don’t just show up to a theme party to see Paul Wall in jeans and a jacket... I mean, that’s just, like, the rules of feminism life!

As I waited by the stage for the show to start, I mingled with sisters and friends. When Paul Wall finally came out, the crowd rushed forward and I was instantly trapped

between the mass of people and the wooden boards of the stage. With my knees pushed up against it at that awkward level where the stage isn’t high enough to lean on, but not low enough for fans to climb up easily, I constantly felt like I was going to get pushed right into Paul Wall. The atmosphere was intense! With every rap, people pushed farther forward to try to get closer to the Houston artist. I found myself fighting to keep people back while still attempting to dance along to the beat. Every time Paul Wall would tell the crowd to put their hands up, you could hear the excitement, and when he called out for the audience to put up their horns, everyone went wild!

The best part of the show was probably when Paul Wall

started rapping “Grillz.” The entire room knew every word to the song and sang along while Paul Wall would pose to flash his diamond-covered teeth. All the excitement was caught on film by none other than the founder of the I’m Shmacked culture and Youtube channel, Yofray Ray.

From getting a front-and-center spot to watch Paul Wall, to actually getting to touch him as he serenaded my friends and I, to my inevitable Youtube fame (just kidding), the night was a success. I may or may not be sick after hanging out in a T-shirt and hula skirt for a few hours, and my knees are definitely bruised from being pushed against the stage, but it was all worth it for the night out at Sammy Luau.

ridicUloUsness AnD tosh.0

sammy lUaU feat. paUl wall

bROCKhUMPhREY Kappa SigmaBrock is a sophomore studying radio, television and film. You may contact him at brockh014@yahoo.com.

MASHAROMAnOVA Alpha PhiMasha is a sophomore studying sociology. You may contact her at mariavromanova@yahoo.com.