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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 14, 2003)
THE BATTALION fouth /ho accompanied her pi i Atlantic City casinosasi er, became hooked, an! (tends regular sessions^ 1 lers Anonymous to sink diction that six-figure debt, om the first time down at a blackjack it ayed, when 1 was I8ti| vas pretty obvious ht rmal,” said Sarah, wk: that her last namekl Id. “I wouldn’t even to go to I I was a little crazy. Iut| anted to do.” di predicted that vill spread among yoicj because of the omnipre • f betting options ai ility of credit cards. •ector mativd Bush This section was produced by junior high students from the Youth Adventure Program, hosted by Texas A&M last week. Volume 2 • Issue 2*2 pages jp 6 r Second year serving Texas A&M University [onday, July 14, Students travel here, there and everywhere By Erin Jacobs THE YAPPER Should you park? Should you ride? Each fall numerous fresh men enter the 5,200 acre Texas A&M campus with a full year of navigating unknown territory ahead of them. They are all faced with the option of parking at one of the campuses parking garages, with a total of more than 23,725 parking spaces. This may seem like am amazing amount of available parking space, however it’s hardly ade quate for the 40,000 students and countless faculty and staff who vie for a parking spot on campus every day. This battle for spaces tends to be a hassle, but if you are willing to take the risk, there are a few strategies you should follow. First of all, you must be able to verify that you live on campus, because only 25% of the students live on-campus, they have an advantage in acquiring a permit. According to freshman Scott Brooks, get ting his permit was not an easy task. Only after graduates, seniors, juniors, and sophomores are given the option of parking are freshmen able to apply for their permits. The garages are accessible by a card-key system that is set up when a parking permit is pur chased. Another Aggie way to travel is the Texas A&M Transportation Services. Consisting of 21 buses, the on- campus routes of this system provide an option for students to lead guaranteed hey are in the their graduating class, it Governor Jeb Biisi the only governor i it a pre-emptive striketc ive action," Bond said hen President Geors irried out a pre-ei i Iraq, the only Presto ition’s history to attach which did not k us first. Both strife necessary and unwise. ) DiPietre, a spokesie governor, said :nt and student e rising under the Ok orogram. results speak fortltt DiPietre said, iMiii emor’s leadership mida, minority stilt pes and universities i icing their counterpart states.” also voiced his it that neither Presides: r his brother conference inTexasff meeting in Florida. : House spokesitt mzel said Saturday tk| 's busy schedule i from accepting all in is he receives. The go' 1 ' as unable to of a legislative sessios] tssee, DiPietre said, vhile, NAACPpresides] fume criticized some:' ocratic candidates who are not a Monday forum late Saturday, Seit ards of North Carol® eph Lieberman ut and Reps. Ric of Missouri aii ucinich of Ohio wet: :ted to attend. Sen: ham of Florida ai» ry of Massachusetts to appear, along wii ermont Gov. Howart ner Illinois Sen. Sraun and the Rev.4 New fish living in the same old dorms By Lauren A. Montoya THE YAPPER After the answer for “Where do I go to college?” is made, incoming freshmen are faced with the question “Where do I live”? For many new Fish, dorm life is the best thing for them. Living i dorms is part of “On-Campus Housing.” According to the on campus housing presentation, on campus residents are able to receive better grades and graduate faster. This is able to be done because of less distractions.Dorm rooms may be very cramped but it becomes a better educational environment.Since the dorms are small there is less cleaning to be done. “Who is my roommate?” Is another frequently asked question by many new Fish.Even if you have never met your roommate before they can become one of your lifelong friends. Though arguments may occur the best thing to do is go ask your Resident Advisor for help. RA’s can assist with roommate prob lems; help you learn basic infor mation about college,and are also there when you have concerns or special needs. Even though students are liv ing on their own that does not mean there are no rules. Since there is little room no candles are allowed. If a student is leaving their dorm they must lock their dorm up. Students are also not allowed to let strangers into the residence hall. Students may not prop open doors, and guests may not spend the night. For students to have alcohol in the rooms they must be 21 years of age or older. Arguments between room mates are common. Some issues are excessive noise, borrowing items without permission, study habits, cleanliness, and guests, amongst other things. Even though students may fight, it is always good to demonstrate responsibility, being able to understand each side of the argu ment, and displaying a valued respect for one another and one another’s belongings. Settling in to a new location with a new roommate is both a time of exhilaration and anticipa tion. By taking the time to research dorms and the amenities they have to offer, Freshmen can adjust to college life and a new found sense of freedom. get where they need to be. In the true Aggie spirit, each route has its own unique name. Bonfire, Replant, Yell Practice, Cotton Bowl, Bush School, 12th Man, and Wehner Express provide daily trans portation needs. This service is free. A downside to the transporta tion system at Texas A&M does n’t seem to be the service itself, but the workers. Senior KathyAnn Sheffield states, “They’re just not nice people.” Maybe it’s the long stressful days of driving students around that might agitate the workers after a while. Here at Texas A&M University, you are sure to find the Aggie spirit even in its trans portation. 007s adjust to life in Aggieland CHRIS VERRY • THE YAPPER By Elaine Chen THE YAPPER Most people don’t do well at adjusting to an entire ly new environment. Some people are falling behind in their classes and seem to need a little help in whatever classes they’re tak ing. There are many people who just need a little nudge to get them going. A few people might feel like they don’t belong here. That’s why there’s the S.C.S. S.C.S. is short for Student Counseling Service, it’s an organization created to help those who are in need. It’s a service that gives help to those who need it and their goal is to help students achieve as much success as possible while at Texas A&M. The S.C.S website has links for A&M’s own special men tors (the A&Mentors), the Student Counseling Helpline, Learning Skills Services, etc. Becky Petitt, from the A&Mentors, stated, “We are a group faculty of staff and administrators; we volunteer our time to assist students. Basically, they can come to us whenever they need help or when they need someone to talk to.” For those who aren’t falling behind classes, there’s always clubs and organiza tions to join. There are soror ity and fraternity groups, cubs and the MSC. Most people adjust to their college life pretty fast. James Anderson, a freshman, remarked that he felt excited because everything’s going to be new to him. Marco Valadez ’03, Amanda Roe ’03, and Cassandra Behr ’05 said they all felt pretty wel comed when they first arrived here and that they had no problem adjusting to this place. Behr said, “It felt like home.” When asked what’s the difference between high school and college life, Behr and Roe both agreed that they had a lot more freedom and they had to be more independent and responsible. “You have to be more self- reliant in college,” explained Jill Selman, a freshman from Lockhart, Tx. Students go broke on textbooks ithwest Pkwy/Texsi | of neck pain, 11:09 a.m. Holleman/lew* | of pain. 4:49 p.m. Theft, 1 e arrest. 5:50 p.m. 9:19 p.m. FailureH 011 Wellborn, 0® 10:48 p.m. Drivir ense invalid, 5 st Pkwy. One arrest 11:17 p.m. Liquor to 43 S. College. 12:59 a.m. W; i Rock Prairie. 1:31 a.m. Longmire. 5:45 a.m. Burglary of 501 Eastmark. Taken: ir stereo. :52 a.m. Burglary ol n, 4000 University s, money, persona' relry. Also: victim cut to right forearm P- By Krisina Zuniga THE YAPPER Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix isn’t the only book on people’s mind this summer. Freshmen at Texas A&M are thinking about their new books. Now they’ll need lots of them and the books won’t come cheap. Freshmen need to buy books for required classes, like Chemistry, English, Biology, and Math, plus all of their electives. Sometimes books end up costing as much as the tuition for the course. Many fish rely on used books. “I’m going with used books because you know money is tight,” said freshman Tony Wolff about purchasing his books. Used books are about 25% less than reg ular books. Used books may be written on or have no difference at all said Melissa Gibson at the bookstore. “We try to buy books that are in good condition.” Since many freshmen rely on used books, which are in limited supply, many reserve their books ahead of time. When asked why freshman reserve their books, Melissa Gibson replied, “They have a better selection of used books.” Students may want to return the books they buy. “Sometimes because you don’t like your professor, the class is too big, or your professor ends up saying you won’t need it,” said Coleman Martin stating reasons why someone may want to return a book. The return policy at the bookstore is one full week to return your book for a full refund. When a student is done with their books at the end of their semester stu dents can take their books back and sell them to the bookstore where they will sell them as used. The bookstore also sells scantrons, supplies, and souvenirs. For people who need new books, the bookstore’s hours of operation are 8:00AM to 6:00PM from Monday through Thursday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM on Friday, 10:00AM to 5:00PM on Saturday, and they are closed on Sunday.Students can pay with cash, check, credit cards and of course, Aggie Bucks. The bookstore is new and modern this year. One of the things new to the store, to make buying books easier for freshmen, is the booklist for the students is displayed on the internet. Books are shelved in alphabetical order, except for books for English classes because there are so many. College 101: Psychology for Vents Parents go back to college to learn the ropes By Shannon Mullarkey THE YAPPER Happy, happy, happy, crisis, crisis, crisis: the feelings of a distressed Texas A&M Freshman. When entering A&M, the new freshmen may feel overwhelmed with the class work, peer pressure, and independence. Studies have shown that in their times of need, students rely mostly on their parents. They will always need a crutch to lean on, and parents will always be their first choice. Adjusting to college life can be diffi cult and complicated. Besides the sorori ties, projects, and reports, they will also want to maintain a life outside of school. Panics, relationships, and friends are a few of their social activities and troubles. Although parents would be their first choice for help when students are unhap py, they can also use the Student Counseling Services. The Student Counseling Service, also known as SCS, provides confidential and professional counseling to all students regardless of their background. Services provided include: conflict resolution, per sonal and career counseling, crisis inter vention, and testing.However, the stu dents aren’t the only ones with concerns. Laura Stafford is worried about her son’s “transition from high-school to college.” Because the College classes are so large, it is possible for a student to lose his or her identity. Over-populated classes can result in forgotten students. Other con cerns could be about their child’s respon sibility in budgeting money or time. As frightening as it may be to send your child away to college, some parents don’t seem to be worried. Shari Brown is content with her daughter’s safety because of the “friendliness” that she has observed here on the campus. Another reassurance is the opinion of Fred French, who finds Texas A&M a “secure, safe school.” So no matter the student’s worries, parents should remember to ask the right questions and provide guidance from a distance. Family and home provide stu dents with an anchor. Maria Ramirez has no concerns for her daughter because, as far as A&M is concerned, she say, “All we’ve heard is good things.” Aggie Band Tradition goes on By Shazeb Nayani THE YAPPER The Aggie Band is the largest mili tary marching band in the country. In 1894, there were thirteen members of the Aggie Band. Today, there are over four hundred members. The band members treat each other like family. They eat together, live together and look out for each other. In the band, members of the senior class wear senior boots and lead the band. There are twelve senior cadets that are chosen to march in the front row known as the “bugle rank.” All of the members of the band practice at least ten hours a week! The Aggie military marching band performs at all football games, parades, and other events. The Aggie band is known for their motivating patriotic tunes. To be a member of the prestigious Aggie band, you need high school playing and marching experience.The Texas Aggie Band rehearsals are five days per week from seven a.m. until eight forty-five. Students of the Aggie Band have a choice of participating in the Texas Aggie Basketball Band, the Aggieland Orchestra, or the University Symphonic and Concert Bands. Aggie Band mem bers receive one academic credit each semester. The Aggie band is the largest military marching band in the country. Incoming Fish have the chance to spend the night with the Corps. On this night you are required to take a personal interview with one of the band directors. Tai Moultrie played the clarinet in the Aggie band and she is currently in the air force. She says, “ The reason I joined the band is because I like the idea of marching and I know that the band is the heart and soul of the university.” There are forty scholarships given out incoming freshmen. The scholar ships are given out based on superior academic performance. Aggieland’s own little program welcomes students to new home By Lindsey T. Burns THE YAPPER Every year Texas A&M University has a series of New Student Conferences. Thousands of new freshmen are welcomed to cam pus and informed about campus life and what to expect. The Conferences usually run smoothly with few problems. Tours run in and out throughout the day, but rarely do student and their families think about what went into making the conference such a hit. What about the people who set up the booths? What about the people giving the tours? Who are they and what do they do? All of the above can be answered “AOLP” or the Aggie Orientation Leadership Program. What these students do is put together and staff the New Student Conferences. They keep every thing running smoothly and help the new students feel wel come, as freshman Jill Selman ’07 said, “Texas A&M has a friendly atmosphere, and when you say howdy you get a howdy back,” this is definitely the case for the New Student Conferences. Marco Valadez ’03, the executive director of AOLP, said “It’s impor tant to make sure freshmen have a positive experience. They need to be able to feel like an individual. No matter how many people we see, we try to make everyone feel like they’re the first person we’ve talked to.” AOLP is also one of the few organizations required by the State of Texas. “If we didn’t do [The New Student Conference], the professors would have to,’’remarked Valadez, referring to how important the AOLP is to the university. From freshmen to transfer stu dents, they are always willing to help. The AOLP is always trying to make new students feel welcomed and have a first-rate stay at Texas A&M. As student Domenic Cusano ’04 said, “Texas A&M is one of the most enriching enlightening, and amazing experiences that I’ve ever had and it never changes.” Students need mo > money By Stefany Lopez THE YAPPER Over 70 percent of college stu dents have some type of financial aid. In order to receive F.A. you need to be informed about the application process. The most frequently asked ques tions about financial aid are the sim plest questions to answer. For exam ple, “When should I apply for finan cial aid?” In order to receive financial aid, the best time to apply for financial aid is after January 1st prior to the school year and after income taxes are filed. According to Jody Ford, assistant director of Student Financial Aid of A&M, would say “Financial aid is awarded on a first come, first serve basis.” The first step in applying for F.A. is to apply for the FAFSA. A lot of people who receive financial aid are skeptical about how much aid you are allowed to get. If you receive financial aid, the amount you get is based on the cost of attendance, but you are able to receive unlimited scholarships as long as you don’t receive federal or state assistance. F.A. is awarded based on a student’s need in regards to expected family contribution. One of the main questions that students are interested in is “Can you use you aid for different or other liv ing expenses?” Jody Ford assured me that that as long as you receive a refund check after your tuition and other bills are paid, you are able to use your refund check to pay for anything else you might need or want. However, this refund becomes taxable income for a student. After you have applied and received your aid you are probably wondering, “How do I pick up my check?” Since F.A. is handled elec tronically, there are electronic fund transfers that send your deposit directly into your billing account. So, as soon as your bank gets your check, all you have to do is go pick it up. Now you know that applying for financial aid isn’t as hard as it seems, all you need to do is follow the step- by-step instructions given on the FAFSA website. But remember, “The early bird gets the worm!”