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

7 Reasons Why Josephine-Louise Hall Is Awesome! (in no particular order)

Guest blogger: Alex Williams

Josephine Louise Hall, affectionately called JL (or jail, depending on your articulation), is an all-girls dorm on the Newcomb side of campus. Newcomb College was originally a women’s college before it became a part of Tulane University, and JL was its dorm. More than 1/3 of the incoming freshman female population is placed here every year, and not everyone is placed there by choice (myself included). I was really disappointed initially, because I’d heard stories about how boring it was to live there. I experienced the exact opposite when I got here, though, and now I want everyone to know how great it is.

1.  THE ROOMS ARE HUGE. Without exaggeration, JL has the second biggest rooms available to freshmen behind Wall Residential College. Pretty sweet since you don’t even have to pay extra for it. Check out this mini-tour video I made on move in day! 
2.  There’s an awesome quad right outside for sunbathing or studying! Just be wary of kids or dogs playing. No one wants to have their Chemistry homework messed up by a kid too engrossed in a game of tag to pay attention.
3.  It’s really close to Newcomb Hall and campus nightlife. Many freshman English and foreign language classes are held in Newcomb Hall, and it’s really convenient to wake up 10 minutes before class and still make it on time. It is also bordered by Broadway St., which is where Greek Row and The Boot (the best college bar in the country) are located.
4.  The closets are huge! Every other dorm has wardrobe style or small in-wall closets, but the closets in JL are definitely big enough to double as storage space for the things that can’t fit under your bed.



There’s a ton of wall space for hanging stuff up, too!



5.  There are sinks in the room. That way, you can brush your teeth and take mirror selfies without walking down the hallway to the bathroom.
6.  Quite possibly the best feature of JL is the grand ballroom on the first floor. It’s mainly used as a study space, but is also where we hold our dorm programs. My favorites so far have been our Halloween party featuring Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, a free dessert and coffee mixer sponsored by the JL community government, and a free gumbo dinner sponsored by the Baptist Collegiate Ministry.

   

   
   Who doesn’t love free food? Especially homemade gumbo.

7.  The sisterly feel. This may sound cheesy, but JL is a really unique part of campus. JL has a reputation for being an unsocial dorm, but that didn’t happen with us. The girls here bond so well, it’s almost like being in a sorority. There’s no boys to impress, so the entire dorm has a more relaxed feel. On my floor, it’s not uncommon to see spontaneous group discussions happening in the middle of the hallway, just because 2 girls stopped to talk to each other. Sometimes, we go out together to events or parties as a floor, and it’s a really unique bonding experience that none of my friends in other dorms have experienced. 





This is a goal board my RA made. There’s a bunch of different questions, and it’s really cool to see what the other girls on the floor want to accomplish.

So there you have it! Even if JL isn’t at the top of your list, keep these things in mind in case you end up as one of the new JL residents next year ;D

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

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

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! 

Arriving in Madrid

Guest blogger: Jordan Hainsfurther


Stepping off the plane in a country you've never been in and where English is rarely spoken is a surreal experience. After an 8 hour flight from Chicago I finally arrived in Madrid not knowing what lay ahead of me. The first day was a little rough as I had to adjust my body to the new time zone (7 hours ahead of Chicago). My flight left at 4:40 pm and arrived at 8:30 am. I immediately set off for the hotel my friend and I had booked and opted to take a cab as opposed to the subway considering the amount of luggage I had. I thought I had an accurate idea about the cost of the cab but I was either very wrong or got ripped off because he could tell I had never been to Spain and that my Spanish was not the best. I believe it was the latter. Either way flustered when I got to the hotel I gave him the money and got out. I took a little nap as I waited for my other friend to arrive a few hours later. Once he got there it was time to explore! We had arrived approximately one week before orientation thus two weeks before classes started.

The first two days we had to accomplish a lot of house keeping items such as getting a subway pass, Spanish cell phone, moving into our apartment and getting groceries. Of course none these were easy tasks. Taking the subway even 3 stops with two huge suitcases and a carry on is no easy chore. Once we were all settled it was time to begin site seeing. I opened my Trip Advisor app and quickly saw there were so many things to do. We had heard from many people to go to the royal palace. I could not dream of what I was about to see. The Spanish royal palace dwarfs the White House.  Please see the attached picture. There are over 3000 rooms of which we saw a mere 20. Back in the day the king had separate rooms for lunch, dinner, special events, sleeping and even getting dressed. Unfortunately no photos are allowed inside the palace but each room is adorned with spectacular ceiling frescos, unbelievable chandeliers and amazing sculptures. It is truly a site to be seen. My favorite rooms were definitely the throne room and the dining salon. This table must hold at least 70 people. After we exited the palace we moved on to plaza mayor, puerta del sol and the Prado museum. Each just as amazing as the next.

The following day we took a day trip to Segovia which is an hour north of Madrid by bus. Segovia is an amazing city with cobble stone streets and an ancient aqueduct designed by the Romans. In addition there is a spectacular cathedral (see attached picture) along with a castle the king used for relaxing years and years ago.

Finally, let me tell you a little about the Madrid nightlife. I must preface this by saying lunch is eaten normally anywhere between 2-4 and dinner not until 10 or 11 pm. Spaniards go out very late. The first club I went to, Kapital, did not get busy on a Thursday until about 3 am. Kapital is one of the many amazing clubs Madrid has to offer but the city also has amazing bars on every corner. One of my favorites is el chapandaz also know as the cave bar because of its interior decoration. They specialize in a drink called el leche (the milk). The milk even comes down from the ceiling.

That's my experience in Madrid so far but I'm only two weeks in. I expect much more in the coming weeks and months. I have trips planned to Oktoberfest, Prague and Amsterdam thus far. In fact, I'm writing this on my way to Barcelona.

Adios y buena suerte,
Jordan Hainsfurther

Welcome to Tulane (and Hurricane Isaac)

Guest blogger: Samantha Becker

Welcome Week is the week everyone looks forward to all summer long. It is the first week of freshman year, and the excitement is flowing as student after student is moved in and gets ready to embark on the best four years of their life.

My start in school was a little different. Move-in day went as planned, I moved into Butler Hall, the Honors dorm. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t too excited to live in Butler at first; after all, it is the Honors dorm and that comes with assumptions about the people who live there. However, a week later I would be proud to call Butler my home for the next 9 months.

The day after move-in came the warning of the hurricane. Most didn’t think too much of it, it would most-likely blow over. The parents that were still in town were worried, but mine were well on their way home to California. All of a sudden, in the next few hours people started to become more worried as more and more warnings were sent out.

Nonetheless, we had our first day of classes Monday, although students who had gone home were told they would not be punished. Jump forward a few hours, and we were getting word that there would be a lock-in until further notice, effective Monday evening. That afternoon my roommate and I ran to the local rite-aid, hoping to stock up on snacks for what would turn into the best 48 hours of freshman year.

While Hurricane Isaac knocked down trees and power lines all over the city, we were safe in Butler. Yes, we had to sleep in the hallway that first night. But the hurricane from the inside was not as scary as it was from the outside. Our parents were frantic, while we happily watched National Treasure and Anchorman with people piled in the lounge and in the doorway. That is, until we lost power. And then we made our own fun; we had a dance party with portable speakers that ran on batteries and played random games. As laptops and phones died, we had to rely on the connections we were making with one another. I can’t tell you how many people I met during those 48 hours. We even had a giant jam session in my room that lasted two hours. It included a saxophone, ukulele, guitar, and drums made out of my calculus textbook. We were hot and the building was full of humidity, but the “nerdy honors” kids in Butler found ways to make fun.

That being said, when the power came on a few days later and we were let out, the feeling was bittersweet. We were sad that our bonding experience was over, that we would again be separated by cellphones and laptops and busy class schedules, but happy that we had amazing memories to look back on. I will never forget the memories Hurricane Isaac gave me, or the friends it led me to make, friends that I still have to this day. I am so happy I got put in Butler. The lock-in allowed me to give the dorm and the people a chance, and I will be forever grateful. I say to this day when I give tours that it doesn’t matter what dorm you are in, what matters are the connections you make with the people in it.

Thanks to the hurricane, it was the most untraditional Welcome Week any school could ever have, and while basically all of the official activities were cancelled, I don’t feel like I missed out. I feel like I had the best Welcome Week I could have asked for. As we say, only at Tulane, only in New Orleans. Thanks for the great welcome Isaac.