Talk Politics with a Living Legend

 One of the best parts of the high school to college transitions is the ability to take the classes you want and you are passionate about. Throughout your four years at Tulane, you’ll take classes you like and dislike and there will be a certain few you never forget.

Each spring semester famed political mind James Carville, the brains behind Bill Clinton’s 1992 Presidential Campaign, gives students a hands-on, in the trenches look into politics unlike anything else on campus. Professor Carville spent years as a political analyst on CNN before recently being hired by Fox News and now brings that candor, excitability, and unpredictability to the classroom.

When I took the course last spring, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. I knew I had a nerd-like passion for politics as an international relations major, but knew this would be a far cry from my Intro to American Government course. You can’t help but be a little star-struck by the “Ragin’ Cajun” sitting in front of you in class with his signature accent talking about the politics of the day. The central theme of our class was the Republican Party’s need for change after the 2012 Presidential election.

Professor Carville leads the class as ABC News’
George Stephanopoulos listens intently

In order to give us the full spectrum of perspectives about the Republican Party, Professor Carville invited some casual guests to our class: Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Former Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of RedState.com Erick Erickson, and Mitt Romney’s lead pollster Neil Newhouse were just a few of the notable voices who lent the class a hand.

The best part is that all the speakers are off-the-record meaning they will pretty much say anything and add an element of honesty you don’t always get when you read about them in, say, The New York Times or Politico. Bobby Jindal gave us a test run of a speech he was planning to give to a national audience the next day. Eliot Spitzer got frank with us about political scandals. You can’t replicate what you get in this class.

Professor Carville has no qualms about giving his thoughts on an issue and riling up the class. He’ll divulge lessons learned from a career and politics and be upfront about the issues he sees in today’s political world.

Professor Carville speaking at Tulane Commencement

Lastly, you might be thinking to yourself “Wow, this sounds amazing, but intimidating!” Don’t worry about that. As long as you come to class prepared Professor Carville doesn’t care what you think, “as long as you think.” After all, isn’t that what college is all about?



Brandon Faske
Haworth, NJ
bfaske@tulane.edu

New Orleans is Always the Place to Be

New Orleans is a unique and vibrant city, there is so much to do and see. One weekend is not enough time to really immerse yourself into the New Orleans community. That’s why coming to school here is a must! You really need a lifetime to get to know the Crescent City, but coming to school at Tulane is a great start.

Going to college in a city like New Orleans means there is never a dull weekend. Any free time on the weekends is a great time to take a break from studying and take the street car downtown into the French Quarter. Taking a walk into the less touristy part of town gives you a slightly different perspective of the Quarter. Just walking through the streets you are able to see the beauty of the architecture and you can really get a vibe for what New Orleans is really all about. The quieter and peaceful streets of the French Quarter are not far from the famous Bourbon Street, yet you feel like you are miles away.

Some people say there are also more festivals in New Orleans than there are days. Every weekend there is something going on either at a music club, in City Park, or somewhere around the city. As a student at Tulane there is an endless lists of things to do on the weekends. Festivals can range from Po Boy fest to Jazz Fest or to something a little smaller like the Barbeque and Blues festival. New Orleans has something for everyone to enjoy, no matter what your interests are or where you come from New Orleans has it.

Becoming a New Orleans food expert is also a very good way to get involved in the local community. There are Cajun cooking classes available that teach the ins and outs of everything you need to know about cooking the New Orleans way. One of the great places to go is the New Orleans Cooking School. Also, if you are interested in music there are hundreds of more intimate gigs that are perfect for music lovers. Places like Tipitina’s, the Spotted Cat, or the famous Preservation Hall are just some of the great places to really get submerged in the New Orleans culture.

If you are planning to visit Tulane soon to take a look at the campus, try to check out some of the music clubs, or just take a walk around the French Quarter. I am sure you will stumble on something that you won’t see anywhere else. I am sure visiting Tulane and New Orleans will be a very memorable experience. Just think, you could spend the best four years of your life in one of the most unique and vibrant cities in America. Just think about that for a second.

If you have any questions about visiting Tulane or coming to school here, please don’t hesitate to reply or contact me!



Gemma Dryburgh, from Aberdeen, Scotland, gdryburg@tulane.edu

Happy 296th Birthday, New Orleans

Today is New Orleans' 296th birthday. Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the governor of French Louisiana, founded New Orleans, (or Nouvelle-Orléans) on May 7, 1718. Since then, New Orleans has grown to be one of the most historic and culturally rich cities in the United States. New Orleans is home to one of the best football teams (who dat!), over 365 festivals, Mardi Gras, and jazz music. New Orleans is also home to the famous street car, to-go cups, dirty dive bars, the filthy Mississippi River, and red beans and rice. Over time, New Orleans has grown to have many nicknames, probably more than any other city in the United States. This post will help to explain where these nicknames have come from!




The Crescent City





This name refers to how New Orleans grew geographically. The way the Mississippi River weaves through the city, and the creation of surrounding inhabitants and neighborhoods, creates a crescent shape. Now, there's a Crescent City Farmers Market, a Crescent City BBQ and Blues Festival, a Crescent City Classic 10K Run, and much more!

Crescent City shape of the Mississippi River (1891)

The Big Easy

One of the most common nicknames - this refers to the laid-back attitude and relaxed pace of life of those in New Orleans. Many have also suggested that the nickname resulted from the ability of jazz and blues musicians to find work playing music. Some say that no other city was as accepting to musicians playing on the streets and in bars into the late hours of the night. This strong music culture still exists today.

Other historians suggest it relates more to the laid-back attitude towards alcohol consumption and partying in New Orleans. It seems obvious - but New Orleans has a strong party culture and an open-container policy that allows individuals to roam the streets freely with a drink in hand. This drinking culture persisted even during the Prohibition, when speakeasies were common, which also contributes to the name 'Big Easy'.

A film was also made in 1987 titled The Big Easy, and the nickname surely was used more after its creation.

"The Big Easy" by Bryan Spear.
http://www.theydrawandtravel.com/maps/the-big-easy-new-orleans-louisiana-bryan-spear

Nawlins
This is how many natives say New Orleans in their accent - it's just a combination of New Orleans into one word. Sounds kind of like New-Awlins. Same idea as the word 'y'all'!


The City that Care Forgot 
Kind of like the Big Easy, this refers to the carefree attitude of New Orleans residents. The idea is that everyone is relaxed, carefree, and goes about their lives as they please -- and tourists and visitors can do the same! New Orleans is an informal, tolerant, and happy-go-lucky city, especially when compared to the bustling of fast pace of cities like New York, DC, or Boston.

America's Most Interesting City
Do we really need to explain this one? The food... the music... the architecture... the people... the weather...

A Mardi Gras Indian Parade 

NOLA
An obvious one - abbreviation for New Orleans, Louisiana.

Hollywood of the South

22 Jump Street 

This is a very recent nickname for New Orleans. Lately, many films have been produced here in New Orleans - the weather is good, it's cheaper than LA, there's lots of different terrain types nearby, and it's a fun place for everyone on set to live for a few months. Many movies have been filmed on Tulane's campus - most recently, 22 Jump Street was filmed here, and many Tulane students got to participate as extras! Yes, that means Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill were walking around campus...

12 Years A Slave, also filmed in Louisiana.

The high number of nicknames for New Orleans is not random or a coincidence - it perfectly displays the strength of the city's culture. New Orleans has a rich history that is unique from that of any other city, and it is amazing that Tulane students are able to explore the infinite opportunities that exist here in New Orleans during their four years of college. As I prepare for my graduation in just 10 days, I am especially realizing how fortunate I am to have gone to school in such a wonderful and special city.

And The Best Po-Boy Goes To...

Guest Blogger: Sarah Swig

Having familial roots in New Orleans, the po-boy has been my favorite sandwich for some time now. My California friends have a hard time understanding, as we're very accustomed to turkey or chicken clubs with avocado on sourdough bread. But there's nothing quite like the New Orleans po-boy, and I have no shame in saying it's the best type of sandwich I've ever had. The original po-boy included bread, potatoes, and gravy, hence a "poor boy's" sandwich. Now, po-boys are the quintessential New Orleans sandwich, always served on French bread, generally with roast beet or seafood and dressed with mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes. There's even an entire festival in November each year called the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival, which is in walking distance from Tulane's campus.

Since coming to Tulane, my friends and I have explored many po-boy restaurants. Whenever we have visitors in town, we always find the time to try a new po-boy, wanting to try each type of sandwich before we graduate. Yet lately, we always find ourselves returning to one place to eat our favorite po-boy. My five roommates and I all unanimously agree that our favorite po-boy place is Parkway Bakery and Tavern.

Surf and Turf

Their best po-boy, in my humble opinion, is their Surf and Turf: Slow Cooked Roast Beef topped with Golden Shrimp Covered in Gravy. To quote one of my good friends, "the combination of textures between the gravy roast beef and golden crispy shrimp makes my mouth water". It's definitely a mess to eat, but it's so worth it. They have a huge tented seating area which is really awesome for groups, and the restaurant is also right across the street from Bayou St. John, so we sometimes go sit outside by the water to demolish our po-boys. Obama has even been there with his family!

Runner-ups include the Oyster po-boy from Domilise's, the French Fry and Gravy po-boy (but really, any po-boy) from Johnny's in the French Quarter, and finally both the Root Beer Glazed Ham po-boy and the Grilled Shrimp, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Remoulade po-boy at Mahoneys.




So, next time you're in New Orleans, I recommend a trip out to Parkway for a po-boy!!

My visiting friends try Parkway!

BOUNCE MUSIC 101: NOLA’s (formerly) Best Kept Secret

New Orleans is famous for being the home of Jazz music. However, Bounce music is a genre that is so uniquely New Orleans it has only started to receive attention from the country in the last few years. With the re-emergence of “twerking” as a dance trend, more people began to pay attention to where it originated. Bounce music started in NOLA in the late 1980s, and underwent a few shifts before it became what it is today. Future Tulane students should get to know NOLA the way locals do, and what better place to start than with music? 

As a native Louisianian, I grew up with bounce music so it’s as common as any other music genre to me. However, once I came to Tulane I realized that not everyone actually knows what bounce music is. It’s really hard to explain, so I’ll just let y’all hear it for yourselves. “It’s simple, uptempo, heavy bass, call and response type music, and it has a lot to do with a lot of a** shaking,” as Big Freedia once said in an interview. Big Freedia, self-proclaimed “Queen of Bounce” is probably the most famous Bounce artist ever because of her national following and mainstream appeal. She’ll be at Tulane on the 19th of February to discuss race, gender, and cultural appropriation with Tulane professor Marc Perry as a part of the 2014 Black Arts Festival, and I for one am BEYOND excited to meet her. After setting the Guiness World Record for Most People Twerking Simultaneously, her popularity exploded leading to concerts around the nation and her own reality show on FUSE Network, Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce, which follows her rising career and family life. 

Like everything else unique to New Orleans, the best way to understand Bounce music is to experience it for yourself. If you come to New Orleans for a weekend, I can guarantee that more than a few clubs around the city will be playing Bounce music, and Club Republic has a Bounce Night every month, so check it out! Don’t be afraid to search for artists other than the most popular ones. Finding the older or lesser-known artists will give you a really good insight into New Orleans life and culture over the years.

Here’s the video for one of Big Freedia’s biggest hits, “Y’all Get Back Now”: 

And her Guinness World Record Attempt:

Big Freedia follows me on Twitter (seriously), and so should you: @TulaneAlex

Study Spots

Guest blogger: Mara O'Brien-Hahn

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…finals.  As the dreaded tests approach even the most reluctant studiers are finally cracking the books and attempting to cram an entire semester’s worth of material into their heads.  Luckily, Tulane provides countless study spots and it’s easy to find a location to suit your studying preferences.  Find your “study groove” below and see my suggestions for study spots to fit your style. Happy finals!

Social Studier

For you, studying is just as much about showing off how cute you look in your oversized tortoise shell glasses as it is about learning.  If you’re the kind of studier who loves to be seen and can switch easily between paper writing and chatting, then PJ’s on Willow Street should be your go to study spot.  Grab a latte, park yourself in a booth, and text all of your friends to join you in your prime social studying location.

People Watching Studier

You’re serious about studying and don’t want to be distracted by loud talkers and YouTube video watchers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do some prime people watching while you work.  The Howard Tilton Learning Commons should be your go to spot.  You can check out everyone parading in and out of the library in their comfort-chic apparel while also ensuring you’ll have a relatively quiet environment to work in.  It also doesn’t hurt that you only have to walk ten feet from your computer to get a caffeine boost at the PJ’s in the library as well.

Silent Studier

You are the type of person who gets so in the zone that the drop of a pencil can throw you out of your groove.  Social studiers are your pet peeve and you need a study spot where you’re guaranteed absolute silence.  The James Lounge in the LBC, the Quiet Floors in Howard Tilton, and Nadine Vorhoff Library are all perfect locations for you.  At each of these spots you’ll have a silent space to crank out that final paper. Fair warning, don’t you dare be the person who eat a noisy bag of potato chips in a quiet area or you might be attacked by hoards of angry, sleep-deprived silent studiers.  If these spots ever feel too quiet just plug in your headphones and visit coffitivity.com for some ambient coffee shop sounds.

10 Things We'll Miss About Tulane This Holiday Break

Guest Blogger: Walker Daniel

WOOHOO! Whether you are on your last day of finals or have already packed your suitcase, home is just around the corner. I can almost smell the hot apple cider and hear the nagging of my siblings. For many of us, it has been almost four months since we’ve seen our hometown: our family and friends, our old stomping grounds… Heck, it’s been months since we’ve slept in the comfort of our own bed! As much as we are looking forward to going back, we’ve got to admit that Tulane is also our home. You can’t just ignore the place you live 9 months out of the year! So as we say hello to our “home” home, we also say goodbye to our “school” home. Here are some things we’ll all miss this coming month:

1.  Tulane Cats: They’re just like our pets at home – minus all of the actual care. We see them, and they are cute. We pet them, and they purr. However, we do not spend our time cleaning their litter box or spooning questionable smelling cat food into their dinner bowls.

 

One of the famous "Tulane Cats" lounges around the Academic Quad

2.  How acceptable it is to eat microwaveable foods: If I walked to my kitchen at home, pulled out an Easy Mac, and preceded to microwave it and shovel it into my mouth… my mother might kill me. But walking around my hall at 11am with a Cup-O-Noodles? Totally acceptable.

3.  Warm weather: This is a courteous reminder that the average daily temperature lately in New Orleans has been about 60 degrees. Though this may feel like the artic to us, the harsh truth is that wherever you are going (unless it’s Florida) is going to be much, much colder.

4.  Bruff: You might say, “Haha, well, I’m sure happy to go home to some home-cooked food!” Think again, my friends. Bruff is like a fully stocked refrigerator; you can always find something that is satisfying. Even if it comes down to cereal or salad… there is a fabulous array of brand name cereal and a full salad bar. I don’t know about you, but my cupboard at home isn’t stocked with Cap’n Crunch, Reeses Pieces AND Lucky Charms. Trust me, around the second week home, when the novelty of you being home vanishes from your moms mind… you’ll miss it.

Make-Your-Own-Cupcake day at Bruff, Tulane's dining hall

5.  The Boot: Just kidding. I’m sure we can all use a break.

6.  Everything being in walking distance: There is no better motivator to go to the gym than knowing it is less than a 5 minute walk from your dorm. Good luck with your workouts over break, everyone.

7.  The Faculty and Staff: People are so nice here. Whether it be your professors, the Bruff workers, the maintenance people, the people who drive SafeRide… It is rare to find such smiley people all in one place.

8.  Wavebucks: If you didn’t run out of Wavebucks a month ago (if you did, you are not alone), you will miss getting endless food and drink with you student ID card. It’s funny, it doesn’t quite seem like real money, as is with a debit card. “Wavebucks, please” is such an easy, simple, phrase for those late nights at Mac Mart or splurge lunches at the LBC.

9.  Saying “Y’all”: As a southern school, we pretend we can actually say “y’all.” If you are not from the south… please do not try this at home.

10.   Friends: The real reason we come to college. We’ll miss the all-nighters in the common rooms, the 3 hour long meals at Bruff, the movie nights in, the silly nights out, the jokes that have accumulated over the past 4 months… That’s what we’ll miss. 

A group of students goof off with their professors

But don’t fret, 3 and a half weeks will pass more quickly than you think! Enjoy your time at home, and sooner than you know, you’ll be right back home.

Follow @TulaneWalker on Twitter for some hilarious (in her opinion) insight into life as a freshman at Tulane!

New to Tulane #new2TU

Guest blogger: Walker Daniel 

I still remember getting my acceptance letter from Tulane. It was the first letter I got – the first assurance that I would actually be going to college. A mere cardstock and important-looking envelope, that acceptance letter made me so happy. I remember giggling like the dweeb I am, then running to knock on my brother and sisters’ doors to let the house know the good news. Getting in to college is an incredibly exciting thing! It is hard work paid off, it is relief, and it is pure excitement.

As a social media intern in the Admissions Office, I have the privilege of receiving the excitement that follows these acceptances. As the season of applying slowly closes and the season of choosing a college rolls in, members of the class of 2018 absolutely love to tweet. Not only tweet, but also instagram, blog, facebook, shout (I’m sure) and basically anything to proclaim their joy. Since I am only a freshman, the college process is still fresh in my mind – and I know I was the proclaimer-of-all-proclaimers. So this year, we’ve been checking out what people are saying about being accepted to Tulane… and I’ve got to say, it puts a huge smile on my face. They have no idea how great their next 4 years will be. Absolutely, totally, completely and utterly unaware of what awaits them here: and it is awesome to see.

Here are just a few of the pumped up kids who got into Tulane this year:

I GOT ACCEPTED TO TULANE IM SCREAMING!!!!
— nikko☽ (@nikko314) November 13, 2013

HI NIKKO CONRATULATIONS!! I wonder if he really was screaming…

I'm got into Tulane University with a $20,000 annual renewable scholarship!!! pic.twitter.com/st7DLsN10u
— Olivia Kaye (@Livvi_dance) November 19, 2013

Here's a Picstitch from Olivia (@Livvi_dance) who also looks pretty happy.

Got into my dream school today and I'm performing on The Voice tomorrow. Ok like what? who's life is this awesome?
— Caroline Pennell (@carolinepennell) November 5, 2013

Is anyone watching The Voice this season? Well, guess who is accepted to Tulane’s Class of 2018!!!



Give a warm welcome to Amelia, who captioned her Instagram picture “Hello, future.” Honestly this is pretty awesome.

ACCEPTED TO TULANE!!! 🎉
— Vicky Lozano (@lickyvozano) November 16, 2013

45 favorites?! I guess it’s pretty deserving… Congratulations Vicky!

@Sammiestrahl also got a surprise… #yum #art #sweet #literally

Got accepted to Tulane with a scholarship. Dats cool. ☺️
— Maddy Snarr (@snarrwhal) November 13, 2013

Of course Maddy, dat is cool.

That’s all that I’m going to put on the blog, but if you’re interested in reading more, follow this link to see more tweets from accepted students!

Follow me on Twitter for more updates on what life is likeas a freshman at Tulane! @TulaneWalker

Saints vs. Niners

Guest blogger: Sarah Swig

49er Faithful

The New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers have always been my two favorite NFL teams. My mom grew up in New Orleans and lived there until she moved to San Francisco when she was 30, when she met my dad, who is from San Francisco. They got married, had my two sisters and me, and we’ve lived in San Francisco our entire lives. I grew up an avid 49er fan – my dad worked for the 49ers so we went to nearly every home game. Naturally, my mom grew to love the Niners too, but is a true Saints fan at heart. Since everyone on my mom’s side of the family is from New Orleans, I’ve always had a lot of love for the Saints, so as you can imagine, the 49ers vs. Saints games were always fun and intense in our house.
When I was accepted and committed to Tulane, I knew that the rivalry would only continue. My sophomore year, the Saints played the 49ers in San Francisco in the playoffs, and my mom and grandparents (obviously Saints fans too) were at the game. I watched at a bar in New Orleans, which was a sea of black and gold. There were a few red shirts in there, but we, 49er fans, were no doubt in the minority. The game was one of the best I’ve ever seen, with three touchdowns scored in the last three minutes. The 49ers came out on top and won 36-32, and ever since then, the Saints have anxiously waited for their “revenge” on the 49ers.
Now, my senior year, I was ready to splurge on tickets for the game. I’d been saving up my money from the summer and fall, since I was determined to fulfill my childhood dream of going to a Saints vs. 49er game in New Orleans. I’d never seen the Saints play in the Superdome, and the 49er game was the perfect opportunity. My roommate and fellow Niner fan ended up winning four tickets in the second row from a Tulane raffle, and took two friends and me.

A picture my mom sent me
showing her true loyalty

Even though the 49ers lost, the game was still perfect. It’s my senior year, we won free tickets to see my two favorite teams, and our group had both 49er and Saints fans… I couldn’t have asked for anything more. The Saints ended up winning the game – and I of course was very sad, but seeing the Saints win in the Superdome was very special. It was a close game (20-23) and the Saints fans stepped it up in the last quarter and got LOUD. The Who Dat chants were unlike anything I’d ever heard or seen before, and it is no wonder the Saints haven’t lost a game at home yet this season. For those of you who don’t know, the Who Dat is a chant in support of the Saints. It goes like this, “Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say say dey gonna beat dem Saints?”.  Fans are also called Who Dats, the general Saints community is referred to as Who Dat Nation, and there are beautiful black and gold Who Dat signs all over the city.

As sad as I was for my Niners, for my friends from home, and for my dad, I couldn’t help but also feel happiness at the Saints win. The Saints are a team that unite New Orleans, and provided hope that New Orleans could once again be what it was after Hurricane Katrina. Following the storm, there was talk and worry that the Saints were going to move to San Antonio, and New Orleans would lose its NFL team. Almost five years later, the Saints reached a deal, and will stay in New Orleans until at least 2025. That same year, in 2009, the Saints won Super Bowl (My mom made so much jambalaya I literally couldn’t eat the next day). This united and bonded everyone in New Orleans, and provided optimism and hope that the city would grow to be even better than it once was. There is something very unique about the spirit of Saints fans - whether going to school here for four years or having been born here – everyone equally feels that same passion for Saints. They represent love for this city, and proof that New Orleans is resilient against all odds. The 49ers will always be my number 1, but the Saints will forever hold a very special place in my heart.

My sisters and I when the Saints won the Super Bowl

NOLAween

Peyton (left) and Sarah (right),
both interns for Tulane Admission

 Guest blogger: Sarah

If you think Halloween is fun in your hometown, just wait until you hear about Halloween in New Orleans. Two weekends of celebratory events, concerts, festivities on campus, plus the general fun of any weekend in New Orleans makes for an unbeatable combination. 

To get into the spirit, my roommates and I went on a little shopping spree. We first went to the pumpkin patch right off Tulane’s campus and bought some decorative pumpkins for our house. Three hours later, after stopping at two different Halloween Superstores and Wal-Mart (and Chipotle), we came home and began our decorating. Soon enough, our house was ready for a pre-Halloween party.

We invited our friends over for a Halloween costume contest and haunted house. I think it’s safe to say everyone and everything looked incredible and that our friends were sufficiently spooked.

While most cities or college towns spend this weekend preparing, decorating, or finding costumes, New Orleans uses Halloween as an excuse to celebrate for TWO weekends. Bars and clubs around the city had Halloween parties and one krewe paraded near Jackson Square. I made sure to check out one of the most intense Haunted Houses in New Orleans, referred to as the House of Shock. After the actual haunted portion, there was an outdoor music festival with food, drinks, and live music. It was one of the more terrifying experiences and my wrists had fingernail marks imprinted from one of my friends, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from New Orleans.

Tulane also got into the Halloween spirit! The Tuesday before Halloween there was a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. If you’ve been to a live show, then you know that audience participation is half the fun. I’d been once before, so I knew what to expect, but it was a totally different experience being on campus, surrounded by so many young people dressed up in their lace and fishnets. 

Finally, to Halloween weekend itself!!! We started the weekend off on Thursday, which was Halloween night. It’s a tradition in New Orleans to go to Frenchman Street, which basically turns in to a big party in the street. Everyone is dressed up in their costumes and roams around with their friends, marveling at everyone’s unique and clever costumes. To catch a break from the craziness outside, everyone can head into the bars on Frenchmen - which always play live music on Halloween (and most other nights too). My friends and I dressed up as the cast of Orange is the New Black, and we saw three other groups dressed up just like us. I also saw two teachers, which made class extra fun on Monday ;).

I spent the rest of the weekend at Voodoo Music and Arts Festival. My favorite artist had to be Macklemore. He opened his concert with this elaborate story about his arrival to New Orleans. It went something like this… “I got off the plane, and I was just so happy to be here, I was feeling so alive. It’s New Orleans! And I just wanted to go to the river. I had to be in the water. So I went to the river, took off my clothes, and dove right on in. I was feeling so alive, so happy, when I looked over and I see these two dudes holding my pants. And I yell, dude, those are my pants! And they run away”. Macklemore goes on to explain that he finds this old lady feeding the birds, and she tells him to follow her. He continues, “So I followed her, naked, in a foreign city, with no idea what was going on. And finally I ask her, where are we going? And she responds and says, well, it looks like you don’t have any pants on. So we’re going to the THRIFT SHOP!” You’d think I could have predicted that ending to the story was heading… but I didn’t. It was an incredible show and I’m even more in love with Macklemore than I was before. Mary Lambert was there too to perform ‘Same Love’ which was also a beautiful performance.

Other highlights of the weekend included Calvin Harris, Matt and Kim, Paramore, Afrojack, Kid Rock, Pearl Jam, and Bassnectar. The weekend was a total break from reality and honestly felt like a mini-vacation. The weather was perfect (high 60s), the music was great, and the spirit of New Orleans was strong. 

No other city has quite the amount of festivities as New Orleans does. From regular concerts, to parties in the street, 3-day music festivals, and fun events on campus, New Orleans, or Nolaween, is a party similar to none other. We hope you can join us for it next year!

Follow me at @Tulane_Sarah for more scoop on life as a Tulane senior!