Photo Credit: Augusta NealKappas & Chi O’s enjoy Sigma Nu’s signature foam peanut pool at Yacht Club.

shedding the lightpage 6

ten essentials to survive texas tech in the fallpage 10

sigma nuyacht club

pages 2-3

a once in a life time experiencepage 14

October 15, 2012 | Volume 3, Issue 3 | Lubbock, TX www.theodysseyonline.com | @theodyssey_lbk | Facebook.com/TheOdysseyatTexasTech

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Sigma Nu’s most popular party of the year, Yacht Club, occurred Saturday, Sept. 29 at New Town Bar. This is the first year it has been hosted outside of the Sigma Nu lodge. It was as every bit as successful, if not better at the new location. The day party consisted of a foam dance party, open bar with free drinks, a package peanuts pool, water slide and music. Appropriate attire consisted of chacos, swimsuits, Columbia shirts, Norts, inflatable arm tubes, visors and anything waterproof. The day party lasted from 2-6, giving everyone enough time to eat, sleep, and do homework (haha, hilarious), before the nightly festivities began. The crowds returned at New Town at 10 p.m., ready to see Chamillionaire perform.

David Bloom, a Journalism major, said his favorite thing about Yacht Club is getting to meet more seniors and just hang out with everyone. Kyle Rapp, agrees stating, “It mixes up the norm.”

Chamillionaire lived up to his expectations – great performance! Between songs, he stated that he could’ve been to the BET Awards, but came here instead. Whether that is accurate or not remains absolutely questionable, but he was nonetheless entertaining. At one point in the night, Sigma Nus got on stage to free style rap with

Chamillionaire. Clearly, signs of a successful night.

Around 2 a.m., the performance ended and everyone stood in line to get a picture with the rapper of the night. From there, everyone parted their separate ways – Jack in the Box, after parties at houses, or just to plain ol’ bed.

Are you more of a foam or packaging peanuts kind of partier?

Sigma Nu Yacht Club

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necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Odyssey and Olympia Media Group.

CREATIVE TEAMEditor-in-chiefAugusta Neal, Kappa Kappa Gamma

Social Media DirectorSarah Quinn, Alpha Delta Pi

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Augusta is a senior studying advertising. You may contact her at augusta.neal@ttu.edu.

Kyle Thomas: Peanuts

Travis Dennis: Peanuts

Kyle Emcalan: Foam

Ryan Hall: Foam

Kyle Rapp: Both

David Bloom: Peanuts

greek life traditionswww.theodysseyonline.com 3

Sigma Nu Yacht Club“Y’all rich white people know how to party, you pay me a lot of money to come here and perform and you don’t let none of them gangsta’s in” - Chamillionaire

greek life traditionswww.theodysseyonline.com4

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KATEliN kELLYKappa Kappa Gamma

Katelin is a junior studying journalism. You may contact her at katelin.kelly@ttu.edu.

Ever since he was young and has heard stories from his dad traveling down memory lane and reminiscing on his college years and pledge brothers, Cason Grantham knew he wanted to go Greek.

Grantham is a junior Energy Commerce major from Lubbock and this year’s recording secretary for Phi Gamma Delta, more popularly known as Fiji.

Other than serving as the recording secretary, Grantham has served as the New Member Educator and taken numerous trips across the nation to represent the Lambda Tau chapter of Fiji at Texas Tech. Grantham also served as his pledge class president in the fall of 2010.

Grantham can be identified by his spotless black Ford King Ranch Expedition, Yeti cooler, and love for bow ties.

Give a shout out to this week’s GOTW, Cason Grantham.

What is your favorite movie?

V for Vendetta

What is your favorite band?

Matchbox Twenty

Favorite book?

The Hobbit

What is a class you recommend everyone take at Tech before graduation and why?

Music in the Western Civilizations or Intro to Anthropology; both extremely easy, very interesting, and much different than any other class in terms of subject matter which makes it easy to attend class and stay involved.

If you could have dinner with anybody alive or dead, who would it be and why?

Alexander the Great, it’s self-explanatory as to why…

Why did you decide to go Greek?

Honestly, it was just the easiest option and I got a good scholarship.

Where would you live if you could live anywhere?

Switzerland or Alaska, both have unbelievable landscapes and are closest to the weather and temperature that I like.

Dream job after college?

Work for an Oil Company or go to law school.

greek of the Week: CASON grANThAm

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I know I heard a lot of people from so many different houses last year that kept saying how they didn’t feel involved in the Greek system at all; and for me that was surprising since I am a person who is incredibly involved in anything and everything I could possibly be involved in with Alpha Delta Pi and the Greek system. Point being, I really want to take this time to share some advice that could really help you get the most out of being in a sorority or fraternity. You have the experience you want to have with this time, it really is a “what you put in you get out of it” experience and people always ignore this advice no matter how many times it gets shared.

The best way I have made the most out of my time in Alpha Delta Pi is always making a point to spend time with my sisters. No matter what it is, between movie nights, study hall, or going out and having fun, I try to spend as much time as possible with them all. I can’t even imagine what I would actually do if I didn’t have all of them to spend all my extra time with. I know it can be difficult to meet all the new people in your chapter, but trust me they are probably just as excited and nervous to get to know you as well. Really take the time to stand out and meet people before or after Monday night meetings, or especially during the time you spend with the people in your Alpha class (Pledge class) this can really boost your whole opinion on your first few months.

Another thing I found to be incredibly wonderful about being a new member was being as involved as I was allowed to be. I joined any committee I could, I attended all the ADPi events, and I made it a point to meet any sister I could. If you love to be involved find out what you can do with your organization, and when the time comes, run for office if that’s what you want to do because it’s just more quality time with your sisters or brothers. I know for me, I loved being able to help all the time; I felt like I was doing something more with my time – not just paying dues.

Lastly, get to know other organizations besides your own, I know that may sound weird at first, but I love being able

to have friends in other houses. One of my favorite things is being able to go to philanthropy events or social events and being able to know more than just my sisters. Our Greek system generates so many ways for us to interact with each other. Philanthropy events like Delta Chi capture the flag, and Miss Greek hosted by Delta Sig all the way to the ADPi flash light dash. Socially we get to see each other on a weekly basis, and outside of Greek life we all intertwine in so many other organizations throughout the campus.

I hope as a new member, this can honestly help you make a huge difference in your first year as a Greek. In college, it is such a rewarding time in your life and these years will truly be something you always remember. Best of luck to all of you, and I hope you have a wonderful first semester!

Making the Most Out of Your Time SArAh QUInnAlpha Delta PiSocial Media DirectorSarah is a sophomore studying political science and history. You may contact her at Sarah.Quinn@ttu.edu.

If you love to be involved find out what you can do with your organization, and when the time comes, run for office if that’s what you want to do because it’s just more quality time with your sisters or brothers.

philanthropy & servicewww.theodysseyonline.com6

Since their founding in 1885, Alpha Chi Omega has focused on bettering and enriching the lives of women. Their philanthropy is Domestic Violence Awareness; Texas Tech Alpha Chi Omegas work directly with the Women’s Protective Services. They do several fundraising activities to help raise money and supplies for the shelter. One of their new endeavors is called “Shedding the Light on Domestic Violence.” What Alpha Chi Omega does is collect donations from all the sororities and fraternities on Greek circle which help pay for luminaries that represent all the women and children involved with Women’s Protective Services. Each organization can donate as little or as much as they like, but they are all welcome to join the ladies of Alpha Chi Omega at their lodge for a cookout and ceremonial lighting of all the luminaries.

Along with having a cookout for all donating Greek members, Alpha Chi will also have a guest speaker from the local women’s shelter to answer any questions and to let the donors know exactly how much they have helped and what all the donations will go to. Junior Alpha Chi Omega Vice President of Philanthropy Alyssa Edstrom said, “I’m excited for the Greek community to kick off domestic violence awareness month with us, and to be

able to hear from a representative from our local shelter. I want them to know how important their contributions are to the Lubbock community.”

With October being Domestic Violence Awareness month, the ladies of Alpha Chi Omega were very excited to host this event. Freshman Alpha Chi Omega Macy Evans said, “As a new member, I was so excited for our first philanthropy event! Not only is October Domestic Violence Awareness month, but the weather is starting to get chilly and it will be so fun to have a cookout and bond with our sisters and all the members of the Greek community that chose to donate to such a great cause.”

It’s not only the ladies on campus that are excited for the event; several fraternities made donations as well. Sophomore Delta Tau Delta Preston Badgett said, “It’s good to know that guys can help out with sororities’ philanthropies as well. I know our entire new member class will be attending to support the ladies of Alpha Chi Omega and to help with the cookout.”

With all of the support from the entire Greek community, Alpha Chi is more than excited to kick off what will hopefully become an annual event. All of the positive feedback being received from members of AXO the chapter, and other organizations’ chapters lets us know that Shedding the Light will be a huge success!

shedding the lighthANNAhWALTOnAlpha Chi OmegaHannah is a sophomore studying advertising and public relations. You may contact her at hannah.walton@ttu.edu.

It’s good to know that guys can help out with sororities’ philanthropies as well. I know our entire new member class will be attending to support the ladies of Alpha Chi Omega and to help with the cookout.

campus connectionswww.theodysseyonline.com 7

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R a i d e r T h o n i s a student-led organization that supports University M e d i c a l C e n t e r ’ s C h i l d r e n ’ s M i r a c l e Network in Lubbock, Texas. This organization helps children who are ill by raising and donating money toward their cause. I sat down with the Internal Director of RaiderThon, Gloria Ogletree, to find out more about their foundation.

What is children’s miracle netWork?

A national organization that helps children with medical needs ranging from asthma and broken bones to more serious conditions such as cancer.

What does raiderthon do to help?

All year long we raise money by canning classrooms, going to various restaurants and asking for donations, and it all comes together in our event that we hold each year. Basically, RaiderThon is a big celebration of how much money we have raised, all the hard work we put into fundraising, and being able to actually meet some Miracle Children and hear their stories.

What is a “miracle child”?

A Miracle Child is a child who is sponsored thorough Children’s Miracle Network.

What do students do at raiderthon?

After check in, each student gets a shirt and becomes a part of a color group. Each color group has a child that they actually get to meet. Last year we had a DJ, a band, a magician, and TAB sponsored an hour with “Build a Stuffed Animal” so the participants got to stuff animals that were given to children at the hospital. In addition, food and drinks are provided along with games and prizes.

as internal director, What are you in charge of?

I’m mostly in charge of overseeing people, and I manage the Volunteer chair, Resident Life chair and Entertainment chair. I’m dabbing into the Greek Relations chair, and I help with whoever needs something; whether that’s passing out

flyers at the SUB or taking a meeting for someone who can’t make it.

What is your favorite part of raiderthon?

My favorite part is getting to meet the Miracle Children and getting to hear their stories.

hoW can students get involved?

They can get involved by either emailing me at Gloria.Ogletree@ttu.edu, or they can go to helpmakemiracles.org and reg is ter

with RaiderThon under the Texas tab as a participant and start fundraising. In addition, if a student is part of an organization, they can register as a team and get volunteer hours for it, and all the money they fundraise will go together as

one team. In the past we have given out awards for the teams with the most money raised and the most spirited team. Basically, it’s important for us to raise money now and throughout the year for our event next semester.

RaiderThon is a great Texas Tech Student Organization, and their cause helps millions

of children across the nation. Take the time to “like” their Facebook page and register online to get involved in fundraising early for their big event next semester. In addition RaiderThon is also looking for a Greek Chair from a fraternity. If you are interested in getting involved as a Greek Chair, please contact Alyssa Edstrom at Alyssa.Edstrom@ttu.edu

raiderthonMEGAN fEAThERSTOnAlpha Chi OmegaMegan is a senior studying English and legal studies. You may contact her at megan.featherston@ttu.edu.

something to talk aboutwww.theodysseyonline.com10

The best thing about being in college is meeting people from cities all over. Places like hilly Austin, the city of Houston, Arlington, home of the Dallas Cowboys, and beautiful San Antonio. Although we all come from different places, we are all Red Raiders. And part of being a Red Raider means being able to tough out the winter in Lubbock, Texas. With two west Texas winters under my belt, I have come up with a list of 10 essentials any lady Red Raider will need in order to survive Texas Tech in the fall.

Riding boots

Before college, I did not know the meaning of harsh winds and biting cold temperatures. During my first semester at Tech, I learned that a key to survival is a good pair of riding boots. Thrown on over leggings with thick socks, your toes and calves will stay warm, cozy and sealed away from the elements. Put over a pair of skinny jeans and you’ve found an easy, comfortable outfit to run errands or even hit Broadway. You can find this style of boots almost anywhere. If you are looking to invest in a nice, long-lasting pair, DSW and Dillard’s are great places to look. However, the college student budget is notorious for limiting our deepest fashion desires, so if you are looking for a more affordable option, Payless, Target and Rack Room Shoes have vast choices for the money-conscious.

Leggings

Leggings are the reason I look forward to the cool weather. They are my favorite article of clothing because they have so many different colors, types and purposes. Blue, black, gray and brown are the basic colors in my closet. Leggings are perfect for the classroom, lounging around the house, and even come in handy when dressing up for winter themed parties! Paired with riding boots, this combination can work for almost any situation.

Rain boots

For those of you who have tried to commute in a torrential downpour of Lubbock, Texas, it is understood that a pair of rain boots can be the difference between making it to class and making it to class with wet, clammy, cold feet. Although rain boots might seem overboard, they can be a lifesaver in the rain and snow. When it comes down to it, a cute pair of rain boots separates the girls from the women.

A large and in charge backpack

Sometimes an adorable Vera Bradley backpack just won’t cut it. It’s is times like the cold Lubbock winters that the giant nerdy backpack from high school is the only thing that will fit your laptop, books, spirals and late-night study snacks because being hands-free is very important when gliding, stepping and dodging sheets of ice on the ground. The last thing you want is a slip in front of the library between classes for everyone to see, trust me.

Jackets on jackets on jackets

It doesn’t matter if they are zip-up, pull over, half-zip,

windbreaker, Patagonia, Columbia or North Face – having plenty of jackets for everyday wear will make the cold weather much more bearable. In my opinion, you can never have too many jackets.

Lotion

Since Lubbock winters are so dry and windy, it is important to take care of your skin. Primarily in the winter, I always carry a small bottle of lotion with my everywhere I go to keep my hands from getting dry and cracked.

Lip Balm

During a Lubbock winter, lip balm will become your new best friend. For me, leaving my lip balm at home is almost as heartbreaking as leaving my phone, and that is saying something. I recommend buying multiple lip balms for your house, your purse, your backpack and your car so you are always covered. For those of you who like a little color, a tinted lip balm is a great pick. I would recommend any Burt’s Bee’s lip balm, Aquaphor for seriously chapped cases, and my new favorite EOS ball in sweet mint.

Planner

With so many events and plans that come in the fall in addition to schoolwork, a planner is key. With a planner, you can keep track of Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation dates, final exams, and all the fall date parties and events!

Scarves all day

Since older students have figured out how to cope with the harsh winter weather, I have found that scarves are a perfect way to add a little customization to your winter attire.

Everyday makeup basics

Last but not least, every prepared college woman should have an essentials makeup kit. In this kit lies the most important tools to have a fresh-faced look at any time, whether that be after a night of studying, partying or pure insomnia.

a. Facial cleansing wipes to wipe away yesterday.

b. Powder or light foundation to cover those “designer” bags under eyes.

c. Blush to discreetly add some color.

d. Mascara to liven up tired eyes.

e. Extra hair ties and bobby pins to tame unruly wind-swept hair.

ten essentials to survive texas tech in the fall

brADy bACChUSAlpha Phi

Brady is a junior studying public relations and journalism. You may contact her at brady.bacchus@ttu.edu.

Working on design - please proof article.

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luBBock music fest

After funding for the Lubbock Music Fest diminished in 2008, this year it was brought back in full swing, and in a new format, more appealing to Tech students.

Lubbock Music Fest hosted a variety of bands in many different venues Sept. 27-29.

Lubbock has a lot a music history, including Buddy Holly and Josh Abbott, but often over looks the alternative scene.

This year, Civic Lubbock and Broadway Festivals worked hard in order to bring students in and attract prospective students through an entertaining music festival featuring Shiny Toy Guns and Grouplove.

“It’s really rare for a rural Texas town to bring us out, so you guys should really give it up for Lubbock for paying for this,” Jeremy Dawson, pianist for Shiny Toy Guns, said to the crowd.

Austin has ACL and now Lubbock has the Lubbock Music Fest.

travel & adventurewww.theodysseyonline.com14

Imagine yourself waking up somewhere off the Greek Islands or the French hillsides. Studying abroad will make this a reality. Most universities encourage all students of all different majors to experience the wonders of studying abroad. I don’t think students realize the magnitude of this opportunity, and I am personally a huge advocate for the programs they offer and believe that everyone should do it. It’s one step up from the change of living on your own in college, to being completely immersed in a different culture. Realistically a studying abroad experience can be pricey, but there are so many scholarships offered that simply applying would grant you some kind of benefit. Even Texas Tech offers scholarships for studying abroad. Paige Beighle of Alpha Delta Pi allowed me to share her own study abroad semester in Spain:

The Odyssey: Where are you from? What is your classification? What is your major?

Paige: I finished high school in Oklahoma City, and was raised in Houston, TX. I am a junior Exercise Sports Science major with minors in Biology and Psychology.

Why did you decide to study abroad, and why did you decide to go to Spain? Did you still get homesick?

I’ve always wanted to study abroad since high school. I’ve grown up traveling, and that’s always been a dream of mine. I decided to go to Spain because I could get 12 hours of Spanish for my major, so it worked out for what I wanted and what I had to have. I also took an art class online so I was a full-time student. It’s the most beneficial way to learn a language, and a way to be completely exposed to the culture and language. I missed Texas Tech football, my family and dog, and I missed fast food/junk food.

What was your favorite part about Spain? How are the culture and customs of Spain different than the culture and customs of America? If there was one thing you could change about our way of life that was more like that of Spanish culture what would you do?

I loved the traveling we got to do; whether it was with the school program or on our own later in the semester to different countries anywhere we wanted. They’re extremely laid back and personal. As opposed to here in America, where everyone is just “go go go.” They focus on the importance of family, and stress the importance of eating together every day. Religion and Catholicism is important there. They focused on the importance of life, while as in here we focus more on making money and careers. Taking siestas is one thing I wish we had. They come home from work at 2 p.m. and eat together as a family, then nap until around 5 p.m. and then continue school and work because they stay out late. Prime time was between 11 p.m. – 3 a.m.

From your studying abroad experience, do you think you changed as a person? How so?

I think I’ve become a lot more appreciative of other cultures and customs as of before I was not aware of other cultures. Making flights to Paris was no problem. I’m more confident in myself because I could go through international airports no problem, and got around huge cities by myself and the bus systems as well. It also strengthened my passion for traveling.

Overall how was your studying abroad experience? Would you recommend studying abroad to other students? What’s one thing you would say to a prospective student considering studying abroad?

My study abroad experience was life changing and unforgettable. I would recommend it to anyone. It is very well suited for anyone from any background, any level of Spanish they’ve taken. You

learn quickly and adapt. It was not so much a scary experience as a new and exciting experience. Be open to anything – I did things I never thought I would do in my life. Just go with the flow and have an open mind about anything, you’re not going to get to go back and redo these things. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in your college years.

From Paige’s interview, you could definitely tell how passionate she was about her trip and was so excited to be able to share it. Some other

traveling she did while she was in Europe included places and activities such as Italica, La Rabida, Lagos, Portugal, Cordoba, Bull fight (toros), Cork factory/wine making factory, Lisbon Malaga – beach, Barcelona, Paris, Milan and The Canary Islands. Paige also explained to me that during Thanksgiving break, anyone was allowed to come over and visit. Her mom came where they were able to travel to the Canary Islands together, as a group everyone took a week-long trip to Madrid (Prada Museum), Toledo, Almagro, Segovia. There was a list of recommended places to visit, but you

could do whatever you wanted. It was also a cool way of letting your parents see how you interact with the Spanish culture and it was an overall remarkable experience with her mom. Maybe some of you never considered studying abroad, but the important thing to get from this might be to keep an open mind to things that were once unimaginable. You’ll be surprised to what you will succumb to and like Paige you could have your own study abroad experience to share with others.

a once in a life time experienceAMANDA bERTOnEAlpha Delta PiAmanda is a sophomore studying international business, art history and Spanish. You may contact her at amanda.bertone@ttu.edu.

Toros bull fights, Seville.