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

Bruff Creations You MUST Try

Guest blogger: Walker Daniel

Sometimes, the idea of going to Bruff for the 4th time in a day seems unappealing. However, with Wavebucks dwindling and Boot pizza making us hate our scales, it is often the only option. Day after day, our on-campus dining hall presents us with an amazing salad bar, various hot food options, cereals galore, and cookies to our hearts content: but it’s our third month of school. We’ve already tried every combination at the salad bar, and eaten enough sandwiches for a small army. Never fear, Tulane students - there is more to our on-campus dining hall than meets the eye. 

Entrées

As you already know, Bruff has a wide array of hot foods that change on the daily. Here are a couple things you can try if you’re looking for something new:

Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich

This Bruff Creation takes some time, but it’s definitely worth the wait. First, head on over to the grill and ask for a chicken sandwich. It should take about 10 minutes or so. Once you have your sandwich, sprinkle on some bacon bits from the potato section to the left of the grill. Then head over to the salad bar to top it off with some creamy ranch!

You can also try this with a burger – simply sprinkle the bacon on top and add bleu cheese dressing! You’ve got yourself a black and bleu burger!

Twice Baked Potato

Bruff’s baked potato section is often overlooked, but this option guarantees an awesome meal. Head over to Bruff on Wednesday for Fried Chicken Wednesday, and get yourself some mashed potatoes. Then grab a baked potato, slice it open, and grab a fork to mash up the insides. Then put your mashed potatoes inside of your baked potato along with bacon, shredded cheese, and any other fillings you wish. Then, throw your potato in the microwave for about a minute. When you take it out, top it with some sour cream and chives from the baked potato section, and maybe a little ranch from the salad bar!

Chicken Quesadilla 

Ever craving a little Mexican food? Problem solved! Jump in Bruff’s sandwich line, and ask for a tortilla and chicken. Then, take your wrap and head over to the salad bar. Sprinkle ample amounts of shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla, and then fold it over into a half circle. Head to the Panini presses at the end of the sandwich line and gently lay your quesadilla inside (note: it will take two presses to make your quesadilla). Once the cheese is melted, take your quesadilla over to the baked potato section to grab some sour cream and chives!

You can also make your own grilled cheese from the sandwich line. Just ask for a sandwich with only cheddar cheese. Then head over to the waffle section for a little butter. Butter both sides of your grilled cheese, then put it in the Panini press. When the cheese is melted, voila! You’ve got yourself a grilled cheese without the wait at the grill (grilled cheeses can also be ordered at the grill). Make your grilled cheese and a day that Bruff is serving a tomato soup – what a meal!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich

This is a very simple Bruff Creation, but often goes overlooked. Sometimes, we’re just looking for a simple lunch. Well, here you go! Head over the the waffle section and you’ll find a bread cabinet. Take two slices of bread, and lather them in the peanut butter and jelly you’ll find to the left of the bread cabinet. Once your sandwich is made, head over to the pita and hummus section, near the grill, to grab some carrot and celery sticks. On your way to sit down and enjoy your sac lunch, stop at the salad bar for some ranch to dip your veggies in!

Dessert

If you’ve stuffed yourself full of the delicious desserts Bruff offers every day, here are some ideas for a new after-meal snack.

Ice Cream Sandwich

An ice cream sandwich is the perfect dessert that combines all of the treats you could want: cookies, ice cream, and crushed up candy. First, grab two cookies of your choice from the bakery section. Put them on a plate and carry it over to the ice cream. Pick a flavor of your choice, and apply a generous scoop on one cookie – then sandwich it in with the other. Then, pick a topping from the ice cream bar – crushed Butterfinger, Oreos, sprinkles – and put a heaping spoonful on your plate. Roll your ice cream sandwich in the topping so that the topping sticks to the ice cream. Yum!

Rootbeer Float

Sometimes, a trip to City Diner for a rootbeer float seems a little much, and a little costly. Never fear, Bruff has your back! Simply take a cup, and put 3-4 scoops of vanilla ice cream inside. Then, fill the rest of the cup with rootbeer from one of the soda fountains. Grab a spoon and enjoy!

PB & Y: A Healthy Option!

If you’re feeling like you don’t need a dessert, but you’re still craving something sweet, peanut butter and yogurt is the perfect thing for you. Just head over to the yogurt section at the beginning of the salad bar, and put some plain white yogurt on your plate. Cover this in Nature Valley granola, and head over to the waffle section for your peanut butter. After putting a dollop of peanut butter atop your yogurt, drizzle it with honey from the ice cream bar. This also goes really well with a diced up banana on top!

Tiny Tips and Tricks

Here are some smaller tips to help you navigate Bruff:

• Watery pasta sauce? Use the marinara from the breadsticks, near the pizza, to even it out.
• Looking for some sweet for your salad? The cranberries from the yogurt bar offer a sweet topping to a delicious salad.
• If you want an omelet on a weekend morning, get there early! Omelets take time, but they are delicious!
• Try dipping your cookies in a French Vanilla Cappuccino from the Cappuccino maker – to die for!
• Powerade can make an awesome drink! Put ¼ blue Powerade, then fill the cup ¾ full with ice. Then, fill the rest with yellow Powerade and you’ve got yourself a sweet drink!
• Need to eat quick? Avoid going at 11:50 am or around 7:00 pm. These are the times when Bruff is most busy.

That’s all I have for Bruff Creations so far! However, keep in mind the possibilities are endless. Don’t be afraid to try these out, and come up with your own! 

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

Best Friends Ever!!

Best Year____ Ever!!

Andrew Lemoine, a rising sophomore, wrote an awesome blog series highlighting why he loves Tulane. Check out his previous posts to hear more from Andrew!

            So freshman year is in the books, and boy was it one I will never forget. As a local kid from Louisiana I didn’t know what to expect by staying in state for college, but it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. New Orleans is one of the most unique places in the world. I think that this statement pretty much sums up my experience at Tulane this past year. Unique!

Best Friends Ever!!

            When I came to Tulane, another thing I was really looking forward too, was the huge diversity among the student population. Having a RA from Kenya, a suite mate from Thailand, and a floor mate from England, I immediately had the chance to experience so many new cultures and ways of thinking. I was so intrigued by how different everyone was. In high school, all students were from the same place. Most people held the same beliefs and ideals, and It was truly an awesome adventure to meet all the new people. Its so cool that in just one friend group, one person is, for example. from Louisiana, one from California, another from Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Oregon, Missouri, and Florida. Having that huge spectrum of people is just, that awesome. I don’t really have other fancy words to describe it. I think that your friends really help make your college experience what it is. Throughout getting involved through sports and other organizations on campus, I really got to see the entire spectrum of the many people on campus. And by doing this, I think I was lucky enough to have the best freshman year ever!!

Best Adventure Ever!!

Best Year____ Ever!!

Andrew Lemoine, a rising sophomore, wrote an awesome blog series highlighting why he loves Tulane. Stay tuned to hear more from Andrew!

            So freshman year is in the books, and boy was it one I will never forget. As a local kid from Louisiana I didn’t know what to expect by staying in state for college, but it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. New Orleans is one of the most unique places in the world. I think that this statement pretty much sums up my experience at Tulane this past year. Unique!

Best Adventure Ever!!

Trying to find the best word for it, New Orleans has the best... “Adventure”. It has just the most random things, and events that all sort of blend together in this big massive gumbo of the South. From meeting random famous people, to going to shows and random events, this short section is really just a few random experiences and events that have truly made my last year here unique.

  

Top and Far right, Roads closed after a couple days of rain.
Bottom left, Aubrey Plaza from Parks and Rec. after her comedy show in McAlister Auditorium

Left and Bottom: Cram Jam in our dining hall. A food party thrown by Tulane right before finals
Top: Woody Harrelson casually playing soccer on the Newcomb Quad
Middle, Ellie the Borden Cow on Campus.

The NOLA Experience: 5 days of your Freshman year that you DON'T want to miss!

Guest blogger: Ali Bloomston

Sometimes I wonder where I would be now if it were not for the NOLA Experience Orientation program. Would I have still met the people I consider my best friends? Would I be as involved on campus as I am now? Would I have felt as adjusted to Tulane and New Orleans? All I know is that participating in something as incredible as the NOLA Experience has completely shaped my undergraduate career at Tulane.

How can 5 days be so impactful? While NOLA is an orientation program, it is nothing like June orientation where the focus of the program is to properly acclimate students to beginning college and different services offered by Tulane. NOLA Experience is about acclimating students to the city of New Orleans, and fostering a passion for the city that is as important to the Tulane experience as what is learned in the classroom.

Through the NOLA Experience, rising freshman are assigned to "tracks" based on their interests. Each "track" presents a unique lens in which to view aspects of life in New Orleans. Tracks range from perspectives such as food, sports, music, community service, and nature--just to name a few. My freshman year I participated in a track called "Let the Good Times Rock and Roll" which focused on music in the Big Easy.

As a participant, I ate at some of the most incredible restaurants around the city, heard a plethora of locally renowned musicians, and toured famous music venues. While some of the activities during NOLA Experience are track specific, others are with all of the tracks combined. My favorite "All NOLA" activity was Cajun Dinner and Dancing at Michaul's Restaurant, where we loaded up on red beans and rice and bread pudding and danced the night away to Zydeco music. Something else that I really love about that NOLA Experience is that each track has a community service day, which I think is a wonderful reminder that as Tulane students it is important to constantly give back to the city that gives us so much.

Probably my favorite aspect of the NOLA Experience is the people you meet. I can honestly say that more than half of my closest friends at Tulane I met during NOLA. A major perk of participating in this program a few days before school starts was that NOLA participants had such an advantage over students who move in for Welcome Week--we already had a strong support base and a feel for Tulane and the city. The bond that I formed with the other participants on my tracks still continues years later. Two of the girls on my track are my sorority sisters. I am about to room with a girl on my track for the second year in a row. Three guys in my track joined the same fraternity together. Two guys on my track joined the frisbee team together. Another two guys on my track become leaders in an organization called Roots of Music, which they found out about through our track programming. Two participants on my track dated for an entire year. Outside of my track, three other NOLA participants became my best friends at Tulane. NOLA Experience participants became student government senators, campus tour guides, student newspaper journalists, campus programming representatives, community service organization leaders, and 16 of us even became NOLA Experience Coordinators.

In addition to making lasting friendships with their peers, participants in the NOLA Experience also develop a powerful relationship with their Orientation Coordinators (OCs), upperclassmen who went through the NOLA Experience that are assigned to a specific track and organize programming and act as a mentor throughout and beyond NOLA. My NOLA OCs were two of the coolest people ever and made sure we knew all the ins-and-outs of Tulane. They constantly checked up on us throughout our freshman year and organized reunions so we could all get together and catch up. As a participant I knew how much having an upperclassmen mentor benefitted me, but it wasn't until I became an OC myself that I realized I got as much out of the relationship as participants did. My sophomore year I was the OC for a track called "Changemakers," a track that focused on social entrepreneurship in New Orleans, and I was surprised that even as an OC I became such good friends with so many of my participants. There is something about the NOLA Experience, as cheesy as it sounds, that truly brings people together.

This upcoming year I am an OC for the track "Street, Stage, and Screen" which is all about performing arts in New Orleans. I am so lucky to be able to be involved in the NOLA Experience for a third time! As a campus tour guide, I always tell my tour groups how much the NOLA Experience has jumpstarted  my Tulane career and how important it is for committed Tulane students to consider participating. So if you are looking to make amazing friends before school even starts and learn about the incredible city you will spend the next 4 years of your life in, NOLA Experience is the program for you.

(!Hello from Amman, Jordan) مرحبا من عمان الأردن

Guest Blogger: Peyton Smith

After two and a half years at Tulane, I thought I had it all. A major I was passionate about, the best friends a girl could ask for, a Frisbee team that had my back, and a comfy off campus house. So when I decided to study abroad in Amman, Jordan, I was terrified. I was leaving New Orleans for a life in a conservative, Middle Eastern city to study and live with a new family. First thing you should know is that New Orleans is my favorite place on the planet, so leaving was sad enough, but leaving for a place so outside of my comfort zone was probably the scariest thing I have ever done. But after being in Amman for three months now, I can genuinely say that studying abroad was the second best decision I have ever made; only second to choosing Tulane. Here is a little about about my experience in a Middle Eastern country. 



My abroad program is amazing. While here, I took two different Arabic courses, a course on modernization and social change in Jordan, and a class on research methods and ethics. You may ask, "Why would you take a class on research while you were abroad, Peyton?" Good question, I'll tell you why: I get to conduct my own research and write my own undergraduate research paper! For an entire month, I have no classes; its just me, lots of Arabic coffee, and my research. In fact, I am procrastinating my research paper by writing this blog post for you! It isn't often that undergraduates get to conduct their own research, especially in another country, so this a once in a life time opportunity. I am graduating next year, so I am hoping I can use this research to get me into graduate school!

But here in Jordan, I am not just studying Arabic and doing research all day. I have had the chance to experience life in the Middle East and to become a temporary Jordanian. As part of my program, I get to live with a home stay family. I am currently living in a three bedroom home with seven other people: my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. There is no such thing as privacy or personal space here. But I got used to it and grew to love my new family as if they were my own. We eat every meal together (the most delicious Middle Eastern food you've ever tasted), sing ridiculous amounts of tribal music, smoke hookah until all hours of the night and laugh at how bad my Arabic is. They are my big, fat, Arab family.

I have also had the chance to see some of the most beautiful sights in the world. During one of our excursions to the south of Jordan, I checked off one of the seven wonders of the world: Petra. The ancient city of Petra is an entire city carved into the most beautiful, red rock. It was absolutely breathtaking. But my fun didn't stop there! I went to Wadi Rum, slept under the stars and listened to the silence of the desert. The best part about that was the camel ride the next morning. Camels are awesome, by the way. Perhaps the coolest cultural thing I have had the chance to do is that I lived with a Bedouin family for a week. I left my home in Amman for a week to live in the village of Umm ar-Rasas (mother of bullets) with a Bedouin tribe. My family spoke absolutely no English, but that made it all the more interesting. My host mother taught me to make homemade bread, herd the sheep and milk the goats. I also drank the most delicious Bedouin tea, which consisted of tea, way too much sugar and fresh, warm goats milk. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Although I was terrified to be leaving NOLA, I am getting sadder and sadder every day to leave Amman. In just four months here, I have learned and experienced more than I ever thought possible. It will be hard to leave the hospitality and kindness this country has showed me. But I find comfort in knowing that I am leaving it for the best city in the world. And the fact that I can finally eat po-boys again.

Katie Cleghorn, a new Tulanian

The first thing you should know is that I am an incredibly awkward person. 

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I shall continue with my introduction. 

My name is Katie. Okay, all right, it's technically Savannah but, as much as I love my parents, their decision to name me after Jimmy Buffett's daughter isn't one I'm particularly proud of. I am a high school senior (less than two months until graduation!) and, as of about a month ago, I will be attending Tulane next year. 

My vert best friend

So, I'm a huge nerd. I'm just going to put that out there right now. I skipped eighth grade and so I'll be barely seventeen when I start school next fall. I am planning on double-majoring in political science and neuroscience and, being as geeky as I am, I've already picked out which classes I'm going to take next semester. I'm also really into biographies and stuff of the like, so I'm thinking about minoring in history. I'm mildly obsessed with Harry Potter and England. I'm actually going to London for the first time this summer. I'm really into YouTube and will be going to VidCon in Anaheim this summer. I'm also a musician and I've opened for a bunch of really great musicians, although I'm not sure how exactly that happened.

This is me playing last February after Billy Currington!  

While in high school (okay, I'm still technically IN high school but a girl can pretend), I changed schools five times. Yeah, I know. That's a lot. For the most part it wasn't my choice. The homeschool I went to freshman year kind of fell apart and my family and I moved back to Nashville after my sophomore year. The other changes were purely me, though. (Just for future reference, don't agree to go to boarding school unless you're absolutely sure.) Because I changed schools so often, I never really got involved in school activities. When I get to Tulane, I'll probably go insane with all of the choices. I really want to join a sorority (for some reason unbeknownst to me) and the student government. I'm also up for any Harry Potter clubs or club sports. I find the Hullabaloo really interesting, too. (I realize that kind of rhymed. It was not meant to.) If you couldn't tell, I'm ridiculously excited for this fall. 

Okay, so that's me. I'm going to end it here before it gets too unbearably awkward. Thanks for listening! Or reading, I guess…