A Greek Letter

How many siblings do you have? I have one brother, and about 250 sisters.

Coming to Tulane, I knew I wanted to participate in Greek Life. I had spent my whole life going on family vacations with my mom’s college sorority sisters, and wanted to be able to drag my future family on the same types of outings.

Luckily, Tulane has a spring rush system, which means everyone gets a chance to settle into freshman year as one collective group. I had my dorm friends, my class friends, my laundry room friends, and was so excited to add sorority friends to the mix.

They say rush is one of the most stressful parts of college, and I can’t say I disagree, but the outcome is well worth it. Come bid day, I found myself screaming and jumping up and down with a bunch of freshman that were about to become my sisters.

The best part of the spring rush system is that you already have friends, and some will most likely end up in a different sorority than you. Suddenly, the opportunities to meet new people and expand your friend group will multiply. Walking down Broadway, it’s impossible not to run into someone you know, never mind the letters on their t-shirt.

While I expected being in a sorority would be fun, I never really thought about exactly what it would mean. It gives me a support system at Tulane, across the country from my family, friends, and home. There is always someone that can help you with a homework problem or who just wants to hang out. I have a family within my sorority (my “big sister” and “little sister”), and that makes Tulane feel even more like home.

Mixers with rhyming themes, t-shirts with sparkly letters, and painless community service hours are what I thought being in a sorority would be about. And while those are definitely enjoyable perks, have an automatic group of 250 people you can consider sisters is so much greater than I could have predicted. And, if nothing else, a lot more people wave to you on the way to class. What would you do if you had 250 sisters?



Alex Feigenbaum
Wellesley, Massachusetts
afeigenb@tulane.edu

Studying Abroad in Granada

Guest blogger: Brandon Faske

As if going to school in New Orleans wasn’t good enough, the opportunity to study abroad during your junior year makes your Tulane experience even better. Many people say that New Orleans is the most European city in American and with its deep French and Spanish influences, they are right. From the food to the music and outlook on life, New Orleans is unique in the United States. Yet, there is no substitute for living another culture first hand. That is why, there is nothing I can recommend more than study abroad.

Our host family for a day in Morocco

I am a Spanish minor who believes in the importance of knowing more than one language. Accordingly, I decided to study abroad in Granada, Spain in the Andalucia region of the country. This program allowed me to fully immerse myself in the Spanish culture—taking classes in Spanish with Spanish students at the University of Granada and living with a host family all while living in a smaller city in which not all residents spoke English. The experience was a challenge and a learning experience that shapes the way I think about the world now that I am back home.

Myself with all of Granada
 in the background.

When you study abroad, you engage in conversations with people with completely different lived experiences and outlooks on life. They often challenge your commonly held beliefs and viewpoints which will broaden your outlook. You learn new cultural values—some you will like and some you will not—that you can try to implement back home and discuss with friends. In Spain, the culture is significantly less competitive than the United States and embraces the community and time with the family. The traditional siesta is embraced; stores close in the late afternoon as families gather for a long lunch (which always leaves you in a food coma) before restarting the day. This eliminates stress and shortens the day. After work families will rejoin each for a smaller dinner late in the evening or to get tapas at the local café (and maybe a beer or two). These are just a few of the lifestyle nuances that everyone should get to experience and no matter where in the world you choose to study, you will have the chance to live a new lifestyle.

My roommate Adam Hoskins and I
with our host parents in Granada

While abroad, you will also have the opportunity to travel outside of your host country. I personally got to see Oktoberfest in Munich, the sights of Paris, the hills and villages of Northern Morocco, and the historic mosques and landscape of Istanbul all in my four months. There is no substitute for experiencing the world’s history and most interesting people. Travel is easy and relatively affordable while in Europe, so keep that in mind when choosing a location to go abroad. You really cannot make a mistake when selecting a destination though.

As Tulane often advocates, the best education takes place outside the classroom. When you study abroad you have the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned throughout your school years and apply it to the world at large. What can be more valuable than that?

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.

Undergraduate Research

Many undergraduate students aspire to conduct research utilizing the resources available from their college institution. This is true many students at Tulane, as many undergraduates expand upon their coursework, relationships with professors, study abroad experiences, and access to labs to conduct research. To begin, there is a database available to all students interested in research pursuits. There are opportunities to find funding, gain research grants, to present at various conferences, and finally to publish your research. You can find more info here. Pasted below are blurbs from various undergrads about their research experiences from Tulane. 

Liberal Arts Research

Presenting my research on "Press
Freedom in Argentina"
in Alabama.

Liberal Arts students have many available opportunities to do research as undergraduates. Many upper-level courses require research projects and other research projects can be counted as academic credit. If students take the initiative, they can meet with their professors to try to publish in an undergraduate journal. For example, in my political science major, I have written three separate research papers of 20 pages or longer, and have had the opportunity to publish these projects with additional research and revisions. Professors are eager to help students pursue the plausibility of getting published. Additionally, there is a new Tulane Undergraduate Research Journal, which seeks research articles from undergraduate students in any major. The forum is specifically targeted for students who have worked with faculty on a research project, like an independent study course or other similar research.

There are also several grant opportunities available for Tulane students to present their research at various conferences. For example, I received a grant from Newcomb College to travel to Birmingham, Alabama to present at the 21st Annual Latin American Symposium at Birmingham-Southern College. About 10 other Tulane students also received these grants, and we were accompanied by a faculty member from the Stone Center for Latin American Studies.

The group after we presented!

Science Research

"My name is Adhira, and I’m currently a freshman here at Tulane. I do research in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology as a Lab Assistant. It’s a work study job, but there are a lot of opportunities available for students who don’t have work study too. I perform behavioral tests on rats and mice in order to check the stress levels in receptors in their brains. These experiments are done for grad students or Dr. Tasker/Dr. Shi for their research. I just perform the behavioral tests and they do the sacrificing of the animals, examining brain slices, etc. This job is useful to me for the experience of working in the lab with animals and will also help me achieve my dream of becoming a doctor. It helped me manage my time as well as learn how to perform these behavioral tests that may be useful to know if Idecide to pursue a career in research."

From the lab.

The Honors Thesis: 

Students in the Honors Program have the option of writing a thesis their senior year. To be eligible to write an honors thesis, a student must have an overall cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher, and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in their major. The Honors Program guides students through this process, is available for appointments, and provides additional courses to prepare students to develop their topics. The Honors Program is a great resource for students with a high GPA to pursue quality research as an undergraduate.

Junior Year: Juniors have the option to take a 1-credit “Boot Camp” class (graded as satisfactory/unsatisfactory) to prepare them for an honors thesis. The course is designed to lead students through the process of developing research projects and the methodologies they will need to do so. It is designed for students of Social Sciences, Humanities, Public Health, or Business. The Honors Program recommends that students take the Boot Camp course, as there is a big difference in quality between the projects of students who have taken the course and those who have not.

At this time, juniors should also be thinking about potential advisors within their academic major or majors. By the end of the semester, it is important for students to have a good idea of what question their thesis will answer, what the methodology is going to be, and what sources or evidence will be used. It is generally not possible for students to develop a successful thesis in time for the September deadline if they wait until they return to campus for their senior year.

Senior Year: "An honors thesis, although technically a one-year process, really starts at the end of your junior year, when you start identifying a topic that interests you and faculty members that may be able to serve as your readers. The thesis requires a lot of independent work - definitely not a task to be undertaken by procrastinators! In the fall, you submit an overview of your topic and meet with your thesis readers several times to start focusing your research and to create a plan of action. Although the end product seems daunting - mine is 53 pages! - rest assured that there are several checkpoints and your readers are amazing resources to help you if and when you get stuck. By the beginning of the spring semester, you're about halfway through the body of your work, and throughout the rest of the semester, you really drill down on the important aspects of your chosen topic or question. You defend your thesis in front of your readers in April and turn it in right before graduation... And then the celebrations REALLY start!  I've found it to be a great way not only to learn more about a chosen subject, but also to develop research skills, learn time management, and develop a relationship with faculty members. Plus, it's a great tool to have when applying to jobs or graduate schools!" 

- Sophie Cranin, whose thesis is about Girls on the Run and physical activity interventions in New Orleans.

The girls Sophie coaches at Lusher Charter School
in New Orleans.

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!