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!

Career Development at Tulane

Guest Blogger: Sarah Swig 


As my senior year is rapidly passing me by, I am suddenly forced to make some very important decisions. Where will I go next year? What will I do for work? Who will I live with? When will I start my job? As a Liberal Arts student (Political Science and International Development Double Major, with a Spanish minor), the job possibilities are almost too endless; there are no obvious jobs to which I should begin applying to. I ruled out law school (at least for the time being) after interning with a law firm for eight months, and I am not wanting to immediately jump into any other type of graduate school. So now what?

my basic mentality during my 1st semester, and during Christmas dinner.

I spent my winter break researching careers and trying to figure out where I should go post graduation and what I should do there. However, upon my return to Tulane in the spring, I really began to take advantage of all of the opportunities Tulane has to offer. The three most important and beneficial things that I've done thus far: (1) visit the Career Center (2) attend Tulane's "Career Wave" day, and (3) enroll in a 1-credit Career Development course for Seniors.


1) Career Center 

my new business card!

Here, I got some of the "basics" out of the way. I brought my old resume, and a counselor and I went through each line, removing, adjusting, or revamping each and every aspect of my resume. The Career Center prints our resumes for free, so now I have a beautiful looking resume with all of the pertinent information about me an employer may need. I also now have 40 printed business cards, which the Career Center also prints for free. I've handed a few out and it's been really awesome to have those on hand - rather than having to carry around my resume everywhere I go.



2) Career Wave

This event was held on Saturday, February 8, and was open to Tulane Business and Liberal Arts students of all ages. The event provided an opportunity for us to improve our career planning skills through lectures and panelists, as well as providing an opportunity to hear from and network with Tulane's alumni and parents. The first featured speaker was Lindsey Pollak, a renowned career development expert and LinkedIn ambassador (she's been named one of the 10 Most Visionary Leaders in Career Services). She gave wonderful advice on how to improve our LinkedIn, how to network, what opportunities to take advantage of on and off campus, and how to best manage our "job-seeking" time. Other speakers included Tulane parents, alumni, current students, and Wendy Rothman, Ph. D, a career management specialist and businesswoman.

Students at Career Wave 2014

Each panel provided solid insight and advice for students. After leaving Career Wave, I felt so motivated to push my job search to the next level. I first spent three hours on LinkedIn that night improving my profile, taking much of Lindsey Pollak's advice (we even connected afterwards). I began to make a list of organizations that I am interested in working for, and am now sorting them into categories based off my desire to work there (mostly located in Washington, D.C.). I have spent the last month networking, sending emails to alumni working in the fields I am interested in, and asking friends and family for introductions. I left Career Wave feeling less overwhelmed by my job hunt, and with the feeling of "I can do this!". 

3) Career Development Course

This course has been the most helpful and beneficial part of my career development and job hunt. These optional courses are separated by each grade - freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior - and naturally, the course for seniors is all about networking and job-hunting. My course is set out to teach us 6 things: (1) the components of decision making, (2) how to connect our academic plan to our career plan, (3) interviewing and networking skills, (4) the necessary tools for a successful internship/job search, (5) assessment of personal and work-related values, interests and strengths, and (6) the importance of online career resources (LinkenIn, WaveLink, online job boards, social media, etc.)

We've spent time creating resumes, cover letters, sending professional emails (like asking for an introduction to someone in a field you're interested in, or to an alumni). We've taken various online assessments that show us what our best skills and personality traits are, and moreover how to best utilize these skills in our future careers. We will continue to hone our interviewing skills, learn how to handle business dinners (we will actually go out to a hotel and do this!), and learn how to create our own personal "brand". The class is small - about 12 people, so we are all really forced to do the assigned work each week and share with the class any and all new endeavors. 

Through all of these sources, I feel much more relaxed and at ease about my job search and career development. Tulane has provided me with the necessary information, advice, and skills to set out and make important decisions about my future, and now the ball is in my court to take advantage of and capitalize on these opportunities. Hopefully, by the end of the semester, I'll be writing a blog post about how I've found a job in a city that I am so excited about :).

The Best Study Spots

Guest Blogger: Sarah Swig

It's finals time at Tulane, which for many students means hours upon hours stuck in the library. Lots of reading, studying, calculating, and writing. This can be tiring and often boring, and I find that the library is often too stressful for me. All I see around me are people studying, so it helps me to study off campus during finals. I like to be surrounded by other people who aren't students because it gives me some perspective that there is life outside of my exams and school, and these people are often happier than those in the library. I also have an easier time focusing when there is a little background noise and when I am surrounded by my friends. I feel much more relaxed when I'm able to work off campus, and it's fun to be able to take mini breaks with my friends to chat over coffee. Plus, most coffee shops nearby have good sandwiches and salads, which allows me to stay in one place for a longer period of time. Studying off campus is a great way to become more immersed in New Orleans and meet other locals. I've compiled a list of my favorite study places off campus - they all have great coffee drinks and free wifi.

bagel and coffee!

Cafe Luna is my go-to. The manager is so nice, and they have the BEST iced drinks. They specially brew their iced coffee, give good discounts on refills, and have fresh baked goods every day. There is a room in the back that is perfect for studying: it is a little quieter from the main room, and the artwork on the walls changes nearly every time I go. The patio out front is BEAUTIFUL and it is a great place to study and chat when the weather is nice. It's less than two miles from campus - and is conveniently located right next to Whole Foods!

Cafe Luna 

my favorite little mug!

I also love to study at Zots Cafe. This place is much more hip and eclectic than Cafe Luna, and is very different from your normal coffee shop. Zots has three rooms - the front room has tables, couches, and chess boards, and the back two rooms are more suited for studying. There is a funky collection of furniture, and no single chair or table is the same. There are tons of books for coffee drinkers to read as they hang out at Zots, other fun games for people to play, and lots of quirky artwork and decoration on the walls. It's probably not a place I'd bring my mom to grab coffee, but I love studying here. Their cups are fun, vibes are good, and it's great place for people watching. It's on Oak Street which is really close to campus - easily walkable. 

The Inside of Zots.

Manhattan Jack is a perfect place for those of you who love sweets! It is a bakery with soooooo many good desserts (I actually got my birthday cake from there!). They also have huge sandwiches that are yummy, and I love their lattes. It's very spacious and they play really good music (lots of Bon Iver). Manhattan Jack is a little further from campus (about two miles) - but it's right next to the Prytania Theatre, which is a single-screen movie theatre that plays both current and old movies on a rotating basis!

see how good those sweets look?

Finally, Village Coffee is a place my friends and I frequent. It is a much more traditional coffee shop. There's a big downstairs and an upstairs room that is nearly silent, which is perfect for when I really need to get something done.









There are tons of other coffee shops and restaurants which are great study spots around campus, but these are some of my favorites. I have spent the majority of my days at these places for the past week, and am so happy to be done with my exams!! Happy studying to those of you who aren't yet done yet, good luck!! At least you have it better than these snowmen.

Follow me @Tulane_Sarah for more scoop on student life.

Tulane, What Are You Thankful For?

Guest blogger: Sarah Swig 
           
            As the semester is coming to an end, it’s easy for Thanksgiving to pass by without giving much thought to the holiday. Finals are approaching, students are making plans to see their friends and families over winter break, and it’s a generally busy time of year. However, it’s important to take a moment to think about what we’re truly thankful for. Below is a selection of what Tulane students are thankful for this Thanksgiving. The responses are heartwarming, touching, and funny. I’ll start with what I’m thankful for.

            Tonight, my best friend Kelsey hosted a Thanksgiving dinner at her house, or a “Friendsgiving”. Everybody made one dish – we had salad, brussel sprouts, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry, and of course, turkey. We even somehow managed to find room for pecan and apple pie for dessert. As I sat at the table surrounded by 20 of my good friends, I truly felt so happy to have found "my people" here at Tulane. Going to college can be scary – you are leaving everything that you know and have come to love, including your family and friends. I remember wondering if I would ever be able to find new friends that were as amazing as the ones I had in high school, and it made me sad to think that I was leaving those people behind. My high school friends are still so important to me, but I have also made incredible new friends at school. I am so fortunate to have found a network of people that I love in New Orleans, and to have found people who I know will remain my best friends for the rest of my life. As my graduation date looms, I am scared, just as I was in high school. But after coming to school in a city far from home and meeting so many amazing people, I have the confidence that I will be able to successfully begin my next chapter when the time comes. But until then, I am cherishing every moment with the greatest of friends here at Tulane. I feel very lucky to have met such wonderful people. So this year, I am especially thankful for my incredible friends, who make me happy each and every day of my life.

My roommates, upon receiving Valentine's Day chocolates
from our roommate who was abroad. 

Kelsey (and host of Friendsgiving): I’m thankful I have friends who like free food. And Joseph Gordon Levitt. 

Kelsey, the Hostess with the Mostess

Joseph Gordon Levitt

Jack, having a good time at The Fly

Jack: This year I am thankful for many things. I am thankful for all the people here at Tulane and in New Orleans who made my transition into college enjoyable. I am thankful for a schedule of classes I am genuinely interested in and I am thankful for all the great people I am surrounded by. I am thankful for the support my parents have shown me while I move away from home but I am also thankful for Bruff. For someone who cannot cook a well-rounded meal for themselves, Bruff has filled the important role of preparing me tasty nourishment every morning and evening. I am thankful for everything that allows me to be in the place I am at this point in my college life.

Peyton's Nook

Peyton: I am thankful for my cozy little nook to come home to every day. After a long day of working or studying, I get to come home to see my 5 best friends and cuddle up and relax in my own space. I am thankful for my very own home where I am completely comfortable and worry free.

Mark, expressing himself

Mark: I'm thankful to live in a city with the best food in the country, beautiful palm trees, and an open and welcoming environment to express oneself.

Tory: This year I’m thankful for my life. I’ve always found that concept cliché, but losing two people in my life in a short period of time has made life’s fragility a grave reality I can’t pass by. I recognize every day that I never know when will be the last time I do something or talk to someone. For that, I am humbled by the nature of life, which is much greater than myself and I tell the people I love that I love them. Most importantly, I am thankful for the experiences I have, the moment I have them and the people I care about, when I’m with them. 

Tory (right), with her sisters and lifelong friend, Amelie Lemoullac (front center), who passed away this summer from a biking accident.

Angie's Parents

Angie: This Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful for my parents, Jim and Kathy. As I am finishing the first half of my senior year at Tulane, I am realizing how lucky I am to have had such a unique, incredible, well-rounded college experience. I attribute my success and enjoyment at Tulane to the support from my wonderful parents, and I am so grateful that they have believed in me and in the power of education. As I often say, if I can be half the person that my mother or my father is, then I am doing something right! Thank you, Mom and Dad, for all that you have done for me. I love you!

The angels themselves

Liz: I am thankful for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show of 2k13. With the holiday season upon us, I could choose to say that I am thankful for wifi, Kanye West's Bound music video, or maybe even my family, but this year I am desperately thankful for the Victoria Secret Fashion show. My life has been sincerely lacking this year without the glitter, glam, and bedazzled ladies that strut down the runway to my favorite top 40s jingle. I mean really, who knew angels flew so low? Between having to live in a place that is not New Orleans next year, and faced with my frantic search for where I can find some of dat solid red beans n rice I crave every Monday (I miss you Bruff), I just really am thankful for what I have left, the Victorias Secret Fashion show. Thank you angels.

Emma's Sister and Ava, taking a kip

Emma: Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday because it reminds us to be thankful for all we have and the wonderful people in our lives. This year, I am especially thankful for my loyal and supportive family, but I don’t just mean mom, dad, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents; this year, I am also thankful for my dog. Ava, my wonderful German shepherd pup, passed away last week after 11 years of fierce friendship and loyalty to her family. Our pets often mean much more to us than we realize. From the moment they walk into our homes, they stop being just an animal and start being part of the family. I am thankful to have spent 11 years with one of the kindest souls in the animal kingdom. Ava, you will always be the fourth Culotta sister, and we love you very much.

Allison enjoying her pumpkin frozen
yogurt

Allison: This time of year brings out the best of everything. You have colder weather. You have the leaves changing color (if you live somewhere other than New Orleans). You have baggy sweaters, warm scarves, and that warm cozy feeling that comes only when sitting around the fire with your best friends. This is great and all, but nothing, and I mean NOTHING, makes me more thankful for the holiday season than the bringing back of pumpkin flavoring. Pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Pumpkin filled ravioli with a sage brown butter sauce......YUM! So this year (like all years), above (almost) everything else, I am thankful for pumpkin flavored foods.

Dylan: I am thankful for the kindness of all the people in my life, thrift shops, hamburgers, and the amazing beauty of nature.

Dylan, currently abroad in Peru, taking it all in.

Tom, who inspired this Thanksgiving post:

As Thanksgiving approaches, I realize I haven’t been truly thankful on Thanksgiving for something in a long time. Thanksgiving has taken on a different meaning, like playing football and eating some incredible food. However, this week has also caused to me to think back about when I first applied to Tulane. 

During the application process the phrase “Only in New Orleans, Only at Tulane” was emphasized greatly. Videos were shown that highlighted the amazing city, its incredible recovery from Hurricane Katrina, the beautiful campus, great classes and of course a few local bars that we would all soon know as home. However, what I have come to realize is that the people I have met over the past three years here at Tulane are the epitome of that statement. 

I met Anthony Duh the absolute best wingman of all time. I met Sidney and Copey Pulitzer, a father/son Professor duo who have never made a class boring and have cooked Bananas foster in class. I met Brenan Keller, my business partner and a triple major here at Tulane who still is able to put up with me for copious amounts of time as we work on our venture. I met several members of a football team that have supported a fellow player, friend, brother and teammate like no one could ever believe,

Tom with his fraternity
brothers

and have won with more fire than the Saints in doing so. I met Coby Kramer-Golinkoff who has fought day after day to fight cystic fibrosis with his foundation Emily’s Entourage and has changed my outlook on how to fight. I’ve met Colin Howell, who will be flying F18’s in the fall… are you kidding me? I’ve met some of the most gorgeous girls in the country. I’ve also met some of the Dads of the most gorgeous girls in the country… they are nice. I’ve met Drew Juillet, the freshman year roommate who is also one of the hardest kids to piss off ever. I've met Jake Rosenblum, the future of the agency world who has grown to become one of my best friends. I've met Khaki Martin, someone who has always challenged me and helped me grow.

I’ve also grown with 18 pledge brothers over the past three years who through all of my shenanigans have had my back. Finally, I’ve been able to share all of the memories with my parents who have put me in such an incredible situation and have had my back every single day of my life.

So Tulane, Thank you. Thank you for the resistance and the excitement. The incredible parties and the beautiful intelligent women that walk beside me everyday. Thanks to my brothers and my family because at the end of the day there is nothing I would want more than to have an incredible senior year with you all.

Only in New Orleans. Only at Tulane. 


Happy Thanksgiving y’all! I hope everyone can take a break from those applications to celebrate with those who they love, and of course, eat some delicious turkey and stuffing. 

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