Oklahoma State University Libraries
Stillwater, OK
Compose Yourself by Abby Besmer; Braeden Bennett; Brea Ellis; Colton Hiatt; Duncan Craig; Ella Ward; Emily Johnston; Gabriel Mauras; Jarron Davis; Kaydon Bornemann; Lauren Pursley; Muriel Thompson; Peyton Bailey; Samantha Koch; Samuel Houston; Sarah Skillings; and Tessa Coleman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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This is where you can write your introduction.
One of Oklahoma State University’s must see attractions: Theta Pond. Theta Pond is right in between the student union and all of Greek life. Many people use Theta pond for different things, whether that be a nice spot to sit down and study, a calm jog or walk around the pond, or even watching fraternity members get thrown into the pond. Theta Pond is the perfect picture place on the campus of Oklahoma State University, all of the fountains and bridges make for a perfect backdrop. Theta Pond is at the center of homecoming because of all of the traditions held at the pond and all of the lights. Theta Pond has so much to offer, which is why it is one of Oklahoma State Universities top must see attractions.
In 1895, when Theta Pond was built it was originally across from a barn, so the original name of Theta Pond is Horse Barn after the barn that used to be there. This pond served as a reservoir for the horses at Horse Barn back in the day. The barn ended up burning down in 1922, but the pond was expanded upon and renamed. Horse Pond then took after the name, Theta Pond, because the closest building to the barn had been the sorority house Kappa Alpha Theta. In the earlier years of Oklahoma State University, the college often held tug-of-war competitions where the losers would get dunked into the lake. Theta Pond showcases some of Oklahoma State University’s history around the pond. The pond has many traditions, especially during homecoming. During Homecoming week, they set up lights all around the pond so it appears to be orange. Across from the pond, all of the sorority and fraternity homecoming decks are up during the entire week. Theta Pond during Homecoming is at the center of homecoming activities and greek life decks.
Today, Theta Pond is no longer across from Kappa Alpha Theta, but it is across from Zeta Tau Alpha. Zeta Tau Alpha purchased Kappa Alpha Theta’s land after Kappa Alpha Theta burned down. Zeta Tau Alpha takes pride in being the house across from Theta Pond, not only is it a beautiful sight, but also a great place to go sit and think. Zeta Tau Alpha has many balconies which someone can sit out on and look over at the pond. When asked what Lauren Millis used Theta Pond for she responded, “I used Theta Pond as a calming place to do homework, especially across the street from the pond at Zeta. I also used it as a place to have nice walks with my friends.” Many girls from Zeta Tau Alpha enjoy taking their photos at Theta Pond because of how close to the house it is.
Theta Pond is home to many different types of wildlife. There are geese, ducks with funky feather styles, and at one point there even used to be an alligator in the pond. Lauren Millis commented on why she believes Theta Pond is so special, “I think the ducks make theta special. Everyone in the community can come feed the ducks at Theta Pond, which makes it more than just an on campus attraction. It is also between some of the Greek houses and campus which makes for a really pretty walk to class for lots of students.” There are benches scattered around the pond, so that someone can sit down and enjoy the view. “It was so calming to walk outside and see the pretty trees and hear the running water. It brightens my day walking to class.” In between the ponds is a path named Greek Walk. Greek Walk has little information plaques built into the bricks with every fraternity and sorority on campus. The plaques contain information such as the founding of the fraternity or sorority and the date. On the other side of the pond there is a small garden. The garden is a great spot to stop and think or admire. It has a small OSU statue in it where smaller birds will occasionally come and sit on top of it. There are many trees spread out around the pond to offer a place to sit under the shade on a warm day. Theta Pond highlights the beauty of the college campus. It is placed near the top of all activity lists as a must see attraction in Stillwater.
Theta Pond holds many traditions that people have participated in for decades. Theta Pond is known as a very romantic spot because it is known for all of the dates, engagements, and more. A walk around Theta Pond and one might start to notice all of the couples spread out around the pond. Theta Pond is a popular date spot whether that be just a picnic, a chat on the bench, or just walking around the pond together. Many people also choose to get engaged at Theta Pond because of the beautiful backdrop. It is a great place to get engaged because of its romantic side to it. Many Fraternity members who get engaged, even if it is not at Theta Pond, will get thrown into the pond by the other members as a sort of ‘well done’. Sometimes newly weds decide to take their wedding photos there because of the beautiful scenery.
Theta Pond holds so many memories and history. Lauren Millis said her favorite memory is “when the pond froze over, everyone wanted to go stand on top of it and it was hilarious to see them get yelled at by the campus police.” The pond is near the student union which makes it very accessible to all students. It is a great place to go and relax on a hot day or sit down and study. Theta Pond got its name after Kappa Alpha Theta, but it was originally named after Horse Barn which burned down. Theta Pond is right across from Zeta Tau Alpha which has many balconies or porches to sit out and look at Theta Pond. Theta Pond also has a romantic angle to it. People choose the pond to go on dates, get engaged, and take wedding photos too. Oftentimes one will see fraternity members being thrown into the lake which most of the time is a funny sight. Theta Pond holds so many memories of the people who go there every day to run, relax, do homework or catch up with a friend. No matter who someone is or what their major is, they will have passed Theta Pond at least once throughout their college experience. Theta Pond is a sight that everyone must see.
Bennett Hall is a large building. It is made of mostly brick and stone. It is the oldest dorms on campus. It also allows a large group of people to live under one roof and share a college experience with one another.
Bennett Hall has many dorms throughout the whole building. Bennett Hall holds many students. They all come from many different places. Bennett Halls main purpose is to bring together fellow students in a safe environment away from home. It is important to feel comfortable where you live when going to college since students do not need any extra stress while at school.
There are washers and dryers on each floor. They are there to allow residents to clean their clothes. They are old washers and dryers. These utilities are very helpful for students to keep clean. Some places require people to pay to wash their clothes or people have to go home to was their clothes.
Some floors have a small kitchen in them. These kitchens are useful for making real food. The basement level does not have one, however. These kitchens allow students to make real meals away from home and are very important for keeping up morale in students. Of course everyone loves a good meal especially when they might be a little more rare.
Bennett Hall is an old building. It is the first dorm ever built on campus. The age can be seen throughout the building. Bennett Hall has served as dorms for a very long time and continues to serve its purpose well. It has held up for a long period of time and continues to represent OSU and their perseverance in all aspects.
Bennett Hall has lounge areas on the different floors. These areas are to socialize and meet people. The CM’s use them for when they want to have you meet them. These lounge areas are vital to relations and creating new connections in the dorm. Also, events go on in these lounges such as movie nights or a little get together.
Bennett Hall has a convenience store in the center of it. This store has many essentials and snacks inside of it. It also is where I do most of my shopping. The convenience store is extremely helpful for busy students who need items quick and easy. Being able to pay for things with my ID also adds extra helpfulness.
There is a restaurant in Bennett Hall. This is for quick hot and ready meals. They have a decent mac and cheese. This is important to allow access to quick meals for students when they can’t get one anywhere else.
There are mailboxes for each resident at Bennett Hall. This is where students get their mail. They are all locked and each person has their own key. The mailboxes are key for students to keep in touch with family and to look after important information. I have had my family send me things through the mail already, especially from my grandpa.
There are furnishings that come with each room. Each room has set furnishings you are not allowed to take out. We have chairs and desks and have beds and cabinets. These allow students to live comfortably within the dorm. Not everyone is able to come up with the money to furnish a dorm so its important that they provide it for students.
There is a main desk on the first floor. This is where you can go if you need help with something. The help desk can also give you your packages when they come in. This desk is useful for when you need help finding something out. They have taken care of all questions that I have had and been very kind.
Bennett Hall has a printer on the first floor. If you need pictures printed this is where you can do it. There is only one of them, however. The printer provides a great convenience to students allowing them to print things without having to walk all the way to the library. On small print jobs they are also free.
There is an atm in Bennett Hall. This is where you can withdraw money from if needed. It is a Simmons bank atm. This is a great way to get money on the go for when you need cash fast.
There are parking spots at Bennett Hall. There are not enough of them because I can never find a parking spot close. It is a poorly designed parking lot. The parking lot is an area of a great number of complaints from students because of how hard it is to get decent parking here.
Bennett Hall is right next to the stadium. The Boone Pickens stadium is across the street. It makes it easier to go to games because we just simply walk across the street. Being so close encourages students to engage with school events such as football games which is the biggest event on campus.
The President’s Leadership Council is a class consisting of Oklahoma State’s most prominent leaders. It requires an application process, followed by an interview. Once an
applicant has been accepted, they must attend a mandatory retreat two weeks before the start of school. This retreat consists of meeting your family groups, gaining a different perspective on leadership, and interacting with the other incoming freshmen who also want to grow as leaders. I felt as though this retreat offered a great introduction to not only how the class would be, but also how Oklahoma State is as a university. Getting to spend the weekend surrounded by like-minded leaders who each possess their own unique traits is quite the experience. The course itself is a great opportunity for members of the new freshman class to build strong leadership skills as well as make meaningful connections that guide them during their time at Oklahoma State. So far, I have already learned so much about my own personal values, as well as what values I seek out in
others.
To get a more in-depth understanding of what PLC means to the students who experience it, I interviewed my very own PLC facilitator, Mackenzie Frech. Mackenzie is a sophomore education major here at Oklahoma State and plans to one day become a teacher. This career goal of hers helped fuel her desire to become a PLC facilitator. As I sat down with her in the Union, I immediately knew I was going to get some keen insight on leadership and why it is so important for incoming college students. While I knew Mackenzie’s time as a freshman in PLC was different from many others, I also knew her perspective offered a real and informed look at how the course operates. She will be the first to admit that you truly do get out what you put into something and PLC is no exception to this. At the beginning of the school year, Mackenzie opened up to myself and the rest of our family about her experience in PLC freshmen year. She explained how she felt as though she was the only one in her group who actually wanted to be
there. “It made it hard for me to really open up and get the most out of the time I had with them,” she explained to us. In spite of this, Mackenzie is still grateful for the time she spent learning. “PLC gives you the space for introspective growth,” she stated when asked how her leadership abilities were affected by her time in the class. As I asked her to elaborate, she expanded, “ I just thought about myself a lot more and how my personality affects others.” Being in the class myself, I can confirm that we are really pushed to examine our own character and determine the type of leader we want to be. Without going into too much detail and spoiling the premis of the course, one of the major things we discuss is how to fight for the highest common good in every situation. In doing this, one can lead in a way that allows them to remain humble and fair. Many students can have a hard time understanding this concept because it can interfer with “the college experience.” The truth is, we are all here to contribute to something bigger than ourselves.
As the interview continued, I began to see how passionate Mackenzie is for PLC. When asked if she would recommend the PLC class or being a facilitator to others she answered quickly, “Yes, I definitely would! I think a lot of personal experience is based on who your facilitators are and if you get lucky your first year, you will get a lot out of it.” I can definitely say that I got lucky having Mackenzie as one of my facilitators this year. Her dedication to this program proved ever so apparent to me when she said “being a facilitator is one of the most rewarding things I have done.” Her willingness to help myself and the rest of the freshmen in my family group has truly earned her the title of being our “mom.” Mackenzie’s attitude toward PLC is a great reflection of what the class is all about, selfless leadership. Each semester we are required to get ten service hours, though we are encouraged to do more than that. In addition, the service hours are also required to come from volunteering with a local philanthropy as a way of pouring back into the Stillwater community. This aspect of the course has been my favorite because it encourages us to put the needs of others above our own and strive to make a difference in the world around us. It is encouraging to be a part of a class full young leaders who want to see change and growth in our community. For anyone looking to grow as leader, friend, or member of society, I strongly recommend applying for the President’s Leadership Council.
For over three decades now, Eskimo Joe’s has been a favorite restaurant amongst OSU students and a huge attraction for Stillwater. It’s a widely recognized location, even by two former Presidents, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, who both endorsed Joe’s cheese fries during their presidencies. The restaurant’s two mascots, Joe and Buffy, can often be also found at Oklahoma State sporting events where they take pictures with fans and throw shirts to the crowds.
Eskimo Joe’s first opened as a bar in 1975. Back then the drinking age was still 18 years old, so most college students were able to get in, but when the legal drinking age changed in the 80’s, so did Eskimo Joe’s setup. Joe’s became a proper restaurant to accommodate for potential losses, and as a result became what we all now know and love. The glass dome roof was added in 1992, this roof is able to open up on nice days and its addition greatly increased the number of occupants. Joe’s has always been very adaptable for its customers and the students, which is one of the main qualities that’s kept it alive and thriving.
The restaurant’s founders were two Oklahoma State alumni, Stan Clark and Steve File, who spontaneously came up with the idea to open a bar in a for rent building they knew of south of campus. The two quickly got to work on their idea, they had a premise, a building, but now they needed a face for the bar. Clark and File commissioned Bill Thompson to draw their logo. Bill was only a freshman when he drew the famous logo that can still be seen on advertisements and t-shirts all over. Eskimo Joe’s opened as a bar on July 21, 1975. When it opened, the bar sold beer and 72 different t-shirts.
When Joe’s opened as a restaurant, their food items were simple, but have managed to remain iconic through the years. The cheese fries have gotten the most attention, having been mentioned by former President George H. W. Bush in a 1990 speech. Former President George W. Bush also endorsed the cheese fries in 2006. Over the years the restaurant has also been mentioned by more than one late night talk show, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert respectively.
The store and its merchandise are as famous as the restaurant itself. Bill Thompson’s logo can be seen on shirts worn all over the country, and most of those t-shirts were sold here in Stillwater. When you go to Joe’s, you’re given a souvenir cup that you get to take home, more cups are also available in the shop. During the month of July, in celebration of Eskimo Joe’s anniversary, special shirts and souvenir cups are sold with designs to correlate with the yearly celebration. During the holiday season, smaller Eskimo Joe’s venues open up in select malls and shopping centers across the state, and at these small venues they sell Joe’s merchandise.
In 2011 the larger store was added onto the restaurant, greatly expanding the building’s size. With this add on they were able to sell more merchandise, as well as hold more people in the building. Anyone who’s gone to Joe’s later in the football season or during the basketball seasons has likely been thankful they can wait in the large gift shop rather than out in the cold. When describing the restaurant in her college years, LaDonna Bornemann, a 1987 OSU graduate, said, “Try imagining it was ⅓ of the size of the bar and restaurant as it is now.” This goes to show just how much the restaurant has changed over the years, but also how it’s still the same iconic place it’s always been.
Most students who are attending Oklahoma State or alumni who’ve attended in the past can say that they’ve gone to Joe’s. LaDonna Bornemann, “went to Eskimo Joe’s probably once a week” and she said, “It was a good time with friends, day or night. Good food and just a neat, fun atmosphere.” Joe’s was described by LaDonna as, “pretty popular when I was in College, which was in the Fall of 1983 through Spring 1987.” LaDonna was five months away from her twenty-first birthday when the legal drinking age was changed, but she remembers celebrating her twenty-first at Eskimo Joe’s.
Eskimo Joe’s is located on Elm Avenue, otherwise known as the strip. The strip is home to many bars and restaurants. It’s located just south of the OSU campus, making it a big attraction for students. Its convenient location for students has also helped the business thrive. Being in the middle of the strip has put Joe’s in the thick of the action over the years which has allowed the restaurant and store to spread outside of their original location.
Over the years, Eskimo Joe’s has expanded into different restaurants. These other locations are all in Stillwater and have different cultural themes for their food. Mexico Joe’s is perhaps the most famous of these variations. The Mexico Joe’s mascot is similar to his original counterpart, but he dawns a sombrero and a poncho, and is accompanied by his donkey, Bucky. Joseppi’s was an Italian restaurant, and together Eskimo Joe’s, Mexico Joe’s, and Joseppi’s were known as the “Three Amigos”. Joseppi’s would go on to close in 2014, and was succeeded by the short lived Mojo’s.
In 1985 there was a party held to celebrate the restaurant’s tenth anniversary, but this party ended up being so big that thousands of people were flooding the street. From there on, every year on July 21 there’s a party in honor of Eskimo Joe’s founding. Their popular merchandise often gets an anniversary theme around this time as well, feeding into the hype. As previously mentioned, the crowd has gotten as large as in the thousands, with some people coming from far and wide to attend the yearly celebration. It’s of course during the Summer months, so it’s not the hugest event for students, but it is a staple of the restaurant nonetheless.
Just as Pistol Pete represents OSU at sporting events, Joe and Buffy also come to support the teams and promote their restaurant. They often hang out near the student section and home locker room, throwing out t-shirts during select timeouts. Sometimes rather than throwing the t-shirts out, they bring out a revolving cannon that can shoot the shirts into higher sections. Their presence is a reminder of how closely tied they are to OSU. Joe and Buffy come to every home game, so they’re hard to miss. During football games, the pair can usually be found standing near the Northwest corner of the field. So students, be on the lookout, as a t-shirt might come your way!
Eskimo Joe’s is a staple of Stillwater and Oklahoma State. It’s the site of many good memories for many people and many more people to come. Over the years it has changed quite a bit, but it’s maintained its iconic status by being a friendly business and by having an active part in its community. What once started as a sudden idea between two friends has become something much bigger and it shows no signs of slowing down.
Standing six gorgeous floors tall and holding over 3 million books and resources, the Edmon Low Library sits at the heart of Oklahoma State University ready to be used by students and staff alike. Students like myself and my mentor Ashley Welch use the library often. Edmon Low has a beautiful and enormous grass lawn met with a large fountain. The library offers many opportunities for students at Oklahoma State to use from tutoring to endless printing. The structure of the library can be a bit overwhelming at first with its huge grand arches and immaculate structure. Once inside, the atmosphere of quiet and hardworking students and staff brings ease of mind to any of the looming uncertainty the outside walls brought.
The first time most Oklahoma State students get to experience the library is usually on a tour. For Ashley the first time she got to the see library she was “in awe”. When I asked my mentor Ashley about the first time she got to experience the Edmon Low Library she said “…It felt like the center of campus” and that “It was different than any other library” she had seen. The first time I got to experience the library I just could not stop staring at the large clock tower that sat atop the six floored beauty. I heard the chimes that are sung throughout the entire campus letting students know that it is time for class and they should pick up their pace if they want to be
less than 10 minutes late. Our tour was directed through the first two floors of the building so I did not even get to see the entire building. Even so, the library seemed huge to a future student. Getting to see the thousands of resources available to me was inspiring to say the least. Computers, printers, books, people. All of these were available just two blocks away from where I was going to eventually live. The library was somewhere I knew I was going to spend a good majority of my time if I chose to attend OSU.
The library holds many events whether that be on the lawn or inside on one of its floors. Two of the busiest weeks during the school year have numerous experiences to offer. The first being ‘Welcome Week’. A time where new students and old can jump back into the routine of school and campus life. Free food, yard games, and adventurous scavenger hunts surround students in laughter and joy with friends at the library. Another event is the dyeing of the fountain in front of the library. Every year at the front lawn people gather to see the fountain’s clear water be dyed bright orange for America’s Greatest Homecoming. This year the fountain dyeing is something I look forward to experiencing. It is supposed to be extravagant this year since it is Oklahoma StateUniversity’s 100th homecoming.
Edmon Low has many uses, other than just to have fun on the lawn, like floors for tutoring and studying along with mass amounts of resources. The LASSO center is a place at the library that offers students help to learn critical thinking and how to use their resources while they’re here at Oklahoma State University. The tutors and study rooms allow for the most growth and best environments for further educational studies. “I started going once a week with friends to do a study session,” my mentor told me “and work on math in the MLSC ”. Students are offered so much just from the library which is why it is a busy place on campus.
The library is a tall brick building standing on six floors. A lawn stretches far past the entrance to the library. The outside has its signature clock tower and three large arch doors. A small set of stairs guides one into the beautiful main entrance. Next, you’re met with the grand staircase that ascends into a hall of chairs and tables used for people who study or groups there to work on a project. Down below on the first floor, a plethora of computers and printers can be used for pretty much anything you need whether that be printing off your temporary parking permit or researching your midterm about the study of Hindu religion. I like the 3rd floor. It is stocked top to bottom with books and resources. There are desks strewn about so that I can sit where it is quiet but also busy. The layout of the library leaves very minimal room to get lost. There is a tiny staircase right in the middle of the library that is hard to use when there are two people on it.
I have only spent a semester using the library. I don’t go often. My most frequent use is when it has been raining on campus and I need a place to hide out between classes. It is a bit of a hot spot for people dodging the rain. A story my American History Professor told me is that the library is somewhere he visits often. He went on to say that “there is just so much to see, it is like a museum at times”. ‘Museum’ is not a word I would have ever used to describe such a place but it best portrays what it is. The Edmon Low library is a time capsule of the world and the happenings around our campus. There isn’t a specific type of major or person that you would see all the time at the library, it is used by all. It is similar to a croc-pot for education. You can put whatever you want into the library and whatever you get out of it is a conglomeration of everything and everyone involved.
The atmosphere of the library is what I think is the most important thing. “When I’m in the library, I feel calm and my stress kind of goes away” says my mentor “I love the atmosphere of having all the students there feeling a common purpose of learning and working to gainknowledge”. It brings an environment that people can be comfortable in and be able to excel in their work. Not only does the environment of quiet and calm help the students who choose to study in the library but the staff is also so much help. Staff can be used to conduct interviews, help you with location, help studying, or even just offer some genuine advice. The library is one of the best places on campus for problem solving and using resources.
From fountain dyeing to its beautiful architecture the Edmon Low Library at Oklahoma State University has so much to offer faculty and students. Widely known for its study help and numerous volumes of published work the library is a central hotspot for people who value their education and aspire to learn a higher quality of study. Next time you need a view to take in, someone to check your paper, or a reminder of when class starts, Edmon Low is at the heart of Stillwater ready to benefit your educational success.
The Student Union is a very important location on campus for all students, faculty, and visitors that tour campus. As a quick overview, the Student Union is located near the South-East edge of the campus and is a large building of 650,000+ sq. ft. according to the Oklahoma State University’s campus website. It is currently the largest student union in the nation and was originally constructed with $4.3 million dollars funded through a self-imposed tax from the students at the university, and a $68 million dollar renovation that was completed in 2012 that was also funded through the student body. It is by far the center for celebrations and events that happen here at Oklahoma State University, with some examples being Poketober, the Spirit walk that happens before every football game, and many, many other celebrations and events that happen throughout the school year. It harbors many different restaurants that are staffed through the university dining services, of which a large portion are students. It has a large theater room, a ball room, an expansive dining area, many study sections, computers available for student use, a hotel, parking garage, and many other services and offices available for student use.
To be able to give this full encompassing profile of the Student Union, I interviewed two people, one of which is Luke Ivey, a close friend of mine and a frequent user of the Union. According to Luke, “I end up doing my homework there every day because I like it more than the library. Something about the noise makes the homework better, I guess. It’s easy to drown out all the different voices and just focus on your homework. At least for me it is. The library seems too quiet unless you have your headphones in.” Not only is this true for Luke, but it is also true for me, and the many other people that I see in the union on a daily basis working on homework or simply hanging out with friends. Luke also added this towards the end of my interview, “The Student Union is a really nice way to meet new people and get out of the dorms. It keeps the “Freshman 15” off, or at least reduces it to the “Freshman 5.” As a new student, it’s a great place to see what Oklahoma State University has to offer and again, meet new people. The dining options have been nice because there is a good variety of stuff. The pizza at Mambo Italiano is top tier and the Chick-fil-A is just a classic. There is a nice spread of cuisines that keeps you from eating the same thing every day, unless you choose to do so. And if you aren’t super hungry, or none of the restaurants sound good that day, the small convenience store is perfect for a bag of chips, or if you have a sweet tooth, a candy bar.” I could not agree any more with this quote, I have yet to gain any weight since moving to Stillwater and eating at many of the places across the Student Union, if anything, I have lost a couple pounds. And like he said, the Student Union is a wonderful place to go out and meet new people, in fact, all of the new people I’ve met and became friends with I have met in the Union.
The second person that I interviewed was Hunter Kepple, who stated, “The student store provides any necessary textbooks, both new and used along with many other necessary School supplies. On top of that all of the Oklahoma State University merchandise you could possibly imagine.” I completely agree with Hunter’s assessment of the student store, it offers a plethora of items that you may need, from textbooks, to pencils, to binders, to laptops, to iPads, and it even has 3D printers that are available for student use. I personally haven’t used the 3D printers yet, but I have used many other facets of the student store. I have bought a couple articles of clothing, a blue book to use for tests during class, notecards, and a TI-84 graphing calculator for my math class. Another quote by Hunter, that follows closely behind what Luke Ivey said over states, “The Student Union for me mostly serves as a place to hang out with friends and find food for myself, and I enjoy the diversity of the dining options, you can eat something different every day of the week.” I wholeheartedly agree with both Hunter and Luke on this one, the dining hall is personally a complete marvel, which there being 9 different dining options throughout the ground floor of the facility.
In my own personal experience, the Student Union is where I always go to hang out with friends, grab a quick bite to eat, do homework, and sometimes a combination of all three options. The Student Union is a wonderful place to study in my opinion, there are several spots speckled around the Union that I can slip into and study, read a book, or just have some quiet time all to myself, while still avoiding the loneliness that I get when I get cooped up in my room. My favorite spot to hang out in the Student Union is this little sitting area right outside of the theater on the second floor of the Union. It’s quiet, not many people go to study there, it has outlets, and you can even take naps there if you didn’t get enough sleep, which I am guilty of doing on many occasions, and I am even sitting down there typing away at my laptop at the moment to write this essay. The Student Union also holds residence to my favorite dining spot on campus, Mambo Italiano and Johnny Rockets. Mambo Italiano has by far the best meat lover’s pizza that I have had in my entire life, and one slice of it is only three bucks, and as for Johnny Rockets, it is by far the best burger joint on and off campus, the burgers are big, juicy, and delicious, though at the moment you can only order through Grub Hub and they’ve been closed for a couple of weeks due to staff shortages, but nevertheless is a phenomenal burger joint. They also have amazing calzones for only 6 or 7 bucks depending on which you get. Overall, the Student Union is a phenomenal place for just about anything to do on campus, whether its to find somewhere to eat, hang out with friends in one of the booths downstairs, drop off payments at the Bursar, or to find yourself at the Career Service Center to get jumpstarted on your future after college.
To sum it all up, the Student Union is an extremely versatile place on campus, that would benefit someone who is just getting started like me, all the way to doctorate level graduates who are in their final year. No matter who you are or what you’re doing, the Student Union is the place for all your needs, whether they be physical, mental, or financial.
The O’Colly TV studios is the headquarters of broadcast production at Oklahoma State. Located on the third floor of the Paul Miller Journalism building, students can learn the ins and outs of TV production and the elements that are required. At first it may seem like a lot, but the more you break it down the easier it is to understand. This first-hand look will help explain the whole process and give people a feel for production. The first thing you see when you walk in is cameras, back drops, and lights. You can also hear a difference with the sound absorbing walls that surround the studio. There are wires and cables that seem to go in all different directions. Everything in the room has its own special purpose and contributes to the overall production. Before I go into detail, here is some brief historical background on the Studio. Student News Director Ryan Carns said, “They built the studio with the building, but they didn’t use it very often. They only started using it about five or six years ago when they started the shows.”
To start off with the main floor of the studio. One of the first things you see when you walk in the room is the backdrop panels. These are what the audience sees in the background during the live shows. There are two sets totaling to six individual panels. They are blue and connect to create the image of Edmond Low library. There is one set on each side of the room. This way we can operate two news desks at once if needed. This brings me to the next thing you will usually see in the studio, the news desks. Along with the panels there are two desks set up on opposite sides of the room. The desk furthest from the front door has a set of XLR microphones attached as well as an audio mixer. This is where you can control the master settings on the mics like sound level and balance. The news desk is where the anchors are seated, and this is also what the viewers at home will see in the live shot. The desks are wooden and have a glass finish on top. The desks are big enough to sit two or three anchors depending on how many are needed. Though Ryan says typically there are two news anchors for most live shows.
Moving on to probably the most important item in studio production, cameras. There is a three-camera set up in the studio. This allows for two tight shots, (which are just close shots) and a wide shot. They can rotate 360 degrees and the camera stand has wheels on it, so they are maneuverable. This is so we can utilize both news desks and the greenscreen which is just a portion of the wall on the right side of the room that is painted green that can have graphics inserted. The cameras are manned by cameramen whose primary job is to make sure everything is in frame. Cameramen also focus and check the Iris of the camera but that is an explanation for another essay. The cameramen also use hand signals to communicate to the news anchors during the live shows.
The next thing you will notice when you first walk into the studio is directly above you. What appears to be a jungle gym of cables and cords is the lighting set up. All the light panels are attached to a track system that allows the crew to position them wherever they are needed. These panels are square, and they produce a bunch of light. Some even compare it to a miniature version of the sun. Lighting on set is very important. It may seem like a simple task, but a lot more thought goes into this process then one might think. You must compensate for the contrast and brightness of the light as well as shadows, which is the most difficult thing. Typically, the lights stay in the same place, so it is one less thing the crew has to worry about when setting up for the shows. The other cables strung across the top are primarily just power cables. At first glance they look like snakes hanging from a tree, but not to fear their purpose is to keep the equipment plugged in and powered up.
Ryan gave me some more insight on what the studio is and what they produce. He said they use the studio to stream the live news casts every Friday at five, he also said it is used to record podcast and even weather forecasts. These are just a few examples of the types of shows produced in the studio with the equipment mentioned before. Ryan also gave a base rundown of the equipment in the control room used and said, “most of it is just a typical setup you would see in a real newsroom, like a switcher, graphics machines and prompters.” He compared most of the equipment to news studios in the real world considering the purpose of the O’Colly studio is to prepare students for this type of environment.
Now that everything in the main part of the studio has been introduced, let’s move on to what goes on upstairs in the control room. Think of this as the brain of the whole operation. This is where all the producers work during the live shows. Ryan said, “typically we have a technical director, graphics operator, playback operator, and a prompter.” Everything the audience sees on screen is controlled in this room. The first thing you’ll see when you walk in is a bunch of monitors against the wall. These display all three camera shots, graphics, playback footage, teleprompter, and the live shot If there is one. This is the centralized location for all the footage either being live streamed or recorded. Everything that is being captured is controlled here. The main producer is the head honcho in the room. He or she uses a switcher which is pretty much just a giant button display used to control cameras, graphics, transitions, etc. The news director is not alone in this room, a crewmember stands by for graphics, playback, and teleprompter. Graphics are just the little name tags or images you see on screen during the broadcast. For example, when the news anchors introduce themselves, a small name plate with their full name and occasionally a social media handle will appear in the bottom corner of the screen. All graphics are pre downloaded on a computer before the stream starts and are then uploaded directly to the switcher for use. This same concept is used for playback. This is anything from packages (which are just prerecorded news stories), to B-roll (which is just extra footage of the subject being discussed). A crewmember uploads the footage to the computer before going live, and then inserts the footage when directed to do so. The other important job this person is tasked with is countdown. The playback operator is able it sees the time length of each video and it is their job to remind others of the time, so everyone stays on task. Then there is the teleprompter operator. The teleprompter is a special kind of one-sided glass that is situated on the front of the cameras that reflects the image of the written script for the news anchors to read. There is a monitor attached beneath that is producing this image. The teleprompter operator is tasked with controlling the speed of how fast the teleprompter scrolls. He or she is given a control box with a purple knob on it that controls the speed. The last thing that is a part of the control room is below. The audio room, which houses audio mixers and microphones. This is where all master audio is controlled and is always crewed by an audio engineer.
The O’Colly TV studio offers a lot of great experience for those interested in learning tv and news production. It is set up just like a real studio and has a functioning crew that students can be a part of. Experience is probably the most important thing when trying to find a job after graduation and this is the perfect opportunity. I hope this inside look at the studio inspires media students to become a part of the O’Colly crew.
Oklahoma State University, a campus known for it’s natural beauty to the general public. But to it’s students it’s known for something completely different, the campus where many suspect their tution goes into the up keep of the squrriel population. Of course, this is nothing but a running joke between sleep depraved college students but if you should spend any amount of time on the campus you can’t help but notice the squrriels scurrying around. For some students that goes even further.
Many students can tell you of close encounters with these furry beast. A stand off of sorts between man and animal. For one Adeline Perkins, the encounter was much closer than others.
“I was just walking, you know? Not really paying attention and then I felt this pressure on my foot. So I looked down and there was a squrriel stepping on my foot.” Adeline seemed rather amused by the situtation. Even as she admitted she couldn’t help but be a little scared.
“He’s a wild animal, so of course I froze. I didn’t want to mauled by the thing or hurt him. And he seemed just as shocked as I was.”
According to the her, the two of them just looked at each other in shock and confusion. Finally the squrriel seemed to come to it’s senses, running off. Except he accidentally left behind something rather important: his acorn. Which he seemed to quickly realize as he stopped a few feet away from Adeline and looked at her. Feeling sorry for the poor thing Adeline reached down and tried to toss the acorn over to the little beast. Only to accidentally peg him straight in the head instead.
“I just wanted to help. Honestly, I thought it was gonna fall short so when it hit him I was shocked. And then I laughed, which is messed up I know. But how I could I not? The whole thing was just weird.”
Now Adeline swears up and down that she and all the squrriels are in a mini war. Using the fact that acorns have been tossed, or maybe just dropped, on her head as an example of the squrriels’ need for revenge.
“I’m telling you, bro that squrriel probably went around bad mouthing me. You know like, you see that human? Yeah stay away from her she’s tryna kidnap us.”
Though in the writer’s personal opinion, that conclusion would have most likely came from the multiple times Adeline has threatened to, in her own words, “fatten up and snatch” a squrriel to keep as a pet. Of course, there is no way to know for sure if the squirrels even recognize her, let alone have beef. But it is sound to say that the squirrel in question has been encounter a few times since the incident occurred. Mainly on the walk way from the Math, Science and Statistics building to the Union.
There you can see this brave little fellow standing in the middle of the path staring down any human who dares to come into what can only be his territory. And though the writer does not know if it was the squirrel, recently they encountered a rather brave fellow on the. way from their Math class to lunch. There they were just minding there own business when they happened to look up directly in a squirrel eyes. And there they stood for a few moments staring into the glistering, almost manic eyes of a squirrel. And the writer wondered for just a moment if this squirrel was the same one that their friend had encounter and if this little beast had decided to
enact revenge on them instead.
The squirrel, of course, decided this was the moment to turn away and pounce away with more sass in it’s step then they had ever seen a human possess, leaving the writer standing in the walkway confused for a few more moments before continuing on their way deciding to ignore the strange encounter. Of course there are many more encounters between college goers and the squirrels on campus. Even squirrels on different campuses, proven through the multiple college accounts on Twitter in which the tweets are from the squirrels propective.
And there was even a little bit of a battle between the OSU account and another University’s, though it was rather short lived. So while the squirrels are quite common on the
campus of Oklahoma State University, there is still some mystery and intrigue for the our squirrels. Or maybe it’s just the exhaustion speaking and all the squrriels are a collective figment of our imagination. They are crazy enough for that to seem plausible
So I am going to be writing this paper about a freshman that lives down the hall from me at Parker Hall. His name is Jacob Wheeler, now I have only known Jacob for a couple weeks so that is why I thought I should do this essay over him. This essay will talk about some of his experiences and it will talk about his past.
Some of the experiences that Jacob has had that he enjoyed is hanging out with all his new friends and playing spike ball, basketball, and working out with them. Meeting new people through those friends is another positive experience that he has had in college. Having access to free tutoring at Parker hall is a positive of living in the dorm. Having more freedom or independence from his family, like being able to make late night runs around the campus. Some of the experiences that Jacob has had that he does not enjoy is having a bad sleep schedule and having a lot of homework because he is taking 17 hours in his first semester. The calculus class was a bad experience for him because he does not have a great relationship with his calculus teacher. Eduroam the wifi is never working for him and it has caused a bad experience for him. Not having a roommate is a positive and a negative experience for him because he does not have to share a room with anyone but not having a good roommate makes it a little bit harder to socialize with more people.
Jacob Wheeler is from the small town of Smithfield, Missouri which is north of Kansas City. there wasn’t much to do in his home town besides going to the lake. His parents both have jobs. Jacob drove his car to college so he would have transportation if he ever needed to get anywhere off campus. The reason he chose to go to OSU is because his dad went to OSU and it has more connections to Texas and he wants to move to texas later on in his life. If he has more connections to Texas then he will have more job offers in the future. His major is MAE (mechanical and aerospace engineering) and the reason he chose it is because it is one of the most versatile degrees you can get in the engineering field at this time. He is excited for and plans to watch football, basketball, baseball, wrestling while he is at OSU.
Over time people have grown their passion for college sports. Stadiums have expanded, and ticket prices have gone up. But one thing has not changed over time, and that is comradery. People want to watch the game whether it be on the television, or in person with their friends. But how is someone able to watch the game with one hundred of their closest buddies, with a first come, first get seating system? Well the answer is really simple, and that being pledges.
Pledges are men that live in Greek houses but aren’t official members. Most houses require pledges to go through pledgeship. Pledgeship is the time period before pledges get initiated into members, most fraternities have specific requirements throughout their pledgeship. Each fraternity has a different process but almost all require pledges to save seats at sporting events. Here at Oklahoma State a student ticket gets you in but doesn’t guarantee you the seat you want. To get the seat you want you must get there early, meaning an hour or so before the game starts. Most people would imagine saving seats for a few people, not ninety guys.
In order to save a seat you have your pledges, or your group stand in the area you want to sit in. This process sounds simple, but the closer you get to game time the harder it becomes. To save seats you tell people that try to come into your space that they can’t sit there. Sometimes the process is simple, and other times it can become really complex. Saving seats requires a nice, but aggressive attitude. Considering that some people you will cross will actually be rude. But coming off rude to them can start the same issues. So it’s always important to try to come off as nice as you can to them. Another issue can be getting the actual seats you want, but we will get to that later.
Like I said earlier, to save seats you have a group of people stand in the area you want to sit in. But how are you going to save seats for ninety guys with a small amount of people? The simple answer is you can’t. Considering you are saving seats in the student section, this area fills up fast and fills up. So in order to save seats for ninety plus people, it would require a minimum of fifteen guys. The more guys added onto that the better, which makes the process go by much easier. So we’ve covered the process, and the amount of people, but what about the time?
Once again, like I mentioned in the text above, in order to get the seats that you want, you must get to the stadium as early as possible. For football games the latest that you should be at Boone Pickens is when the gates open. If you get there too late you will most likely miss out on the spots that you want. Making you unhappy, and the members unhappy. So an ideal time is to get to the gates about thirty minutes before they open. This also depends on who the opponent is, for instance bedlam the lines longer. So we would need to get there much earlier. So the most ideal time being in line for a regular game would be about thirty to forty five minutes before the gates open.
The most intimidating part about saving seats is the competition. On the campus here at Oklahoma State has a large Greek life population. Meaning that there are many other houses that could be potentially competing for the same spots as your house. This is also a very important reason for getting to the stadium so early. When you get in line in front of another fraternity, this eliminates their chance of getting your seats. But that is not all, at Boone Pickens there are lots of different lines at different gates. The quicker you move, which usually means running, the luckier you will get. In some cases two fraternities could enter at the same time in two different lines, but whoever truly got their first would get those seats. The way I like to think of this process is like the Land Run that took place in the late 1800s. In the Land Run, the first to ride their horse or wagon to the spot of land they wanted and take the marker out of the ground would get that certain plot of land. But if they didn’t get to that spot and didn’t take the marker, it wouldn’t be their land. That process is almost exactly the process we do every home game. At Boone Pickens Stadium, we are running to the seats we want and if we don’t get there first we go find another place to sit. This process is very nerve racking, and intimidating but there is no better feeling of claiming the seats you needed to get.
I interviewed Colton Laughlin who is an older member in the house and he said “saving seats was one of the most intimidating and stressful events we did during pledgeship.” He stated, “the nerves of competing with other houses to get the seats you want is extremely stressful. Colton told me a story about his experiences and said “One time in the past we had an incident with another fraternity, we argued for a while and they just finally admitted that we had been there first.” He stated towards the end of the interview “the end result always felt nice, it always felt nice getting to sit with your buddies in a spot that you earned.”
Like Colton said this task is earned, and is not the easiest. But the end result is the best feeling. It’s almost just like finishing building a house, it was a pain when you built it. But when you walk in and see the end result it’s the best feeling in the world. The whole process of saving seats is not the most fun but the end result is what matters.
This whole process sums up life, it might suck but sometimes a man must suck it up and get his task done. This process might be a pain, but you can learn a lot from it. This skill teaches patience, keeping calm under pressure, and standing up for yourself. The patience aspect of life is a very vital skill. Patience is key for life, things do not always come fast or at the time you necessarily want them to come. The ability to have good patience is a very important key to life. To be able to keep calm under pressure is also a very key element to success. In life there are many stressful situations, and letting a stressful situation dig under your skin can cause a lot of issues. Like, not getting tasks done, failing at tasks, and not being able to operate under the stress. Saving seats with the high anticipation stressful environment is good practice, and key to bettering yourself and your fellow pledge brothers. Being able to stand up for yourself is one of the most important skills you can obtain in life. This skill is very vital in protecting yourself, and those that you love. If people know you aren’t going to take their crap, they will lessen the time they get under your skin. These life lessons are very important, even if they are being taught by saving seats at a football game. But in the end this process is bettering you as a person
Pete’s Pet Posse is a campus program that consists of a team of dogs and their owners who visit places around campus every weekday! There are a number of reasons why a student could benefit from meeting with pets while on campus. Some people might not be able to have their own emotional support pet, some people might just need to improve their mood or spirits, and some students might feel homesick or miss their dog at home. I personally underestimated how much I would miss my own dog while away at college. I’m proud to say Oklahoma State has a pet therapy program to assist their students and faculty, and I think everywhere else should too!
Pete’s Pet Posse has a schedule of where they will be that week, and you can always stop by! They are also on Instagram, which most of us students are as well, that is the easiest way to stay updated on the program, as they post very regularly during the school year. I visited this week with one of my friends, Maddie McIntyre, and all I had to do was pull up their schedule that they post every week on their Instagram, @pets4pete, to see when I could go. I wanted to know first hand what the impact that this program can have on students, so Maddie and I visited while they were scheduled to be at the Colvin Recreation Center. We had a great time with Darwin, a 7 year old yellow labrador! He was the sweetest and loved all the attention! He was very happy to be there and was wagging his tail the entire time! It was Maddie’s first time visiting one of the therapy dogs, so I asked her a few questions about her experience there. I wondered if a short interaction like that could leave an impact on her, and when I asked she responded that “even though it was only for 15 minutes, it honestly made my day.” It is great to know that “it is a really easy pick me up,” according to Maddie!
The Pete’s Pet Posse Mission is to “enhance the wellbeing of the Cowboy family through professionally trained and nationally certified pet therapy teams in collaboration with campus resources and generous supporters.” One of my favorite things about the program is it’s very informative website! There are so many things you can explore there, ranging from online donations, to a profile of every dog on the team! By surfing the website I found out that there are so many more dogs in the program than I had previously thought. If you visit with a dog but forget its breed or name, don’t worry, the dog can be found on the list! You can also apply to become a part of the program if you were interested! There is an interview and evaluation process that appears to be pretty extensive, and some required training. Like I mentioned earlier, you can donate online! This is very important because Pete’s Pet Posse is funded solely by private donations. The donations go towards the several necessary items for the dogs and their owners, as well as scholarships for owners towards the expensive training costs. You can learn more about pet therapy on the website and its benefits. According to the CDC, “pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and feelings of loneliness. They can also provide greater opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities.” Prior to this, I wasn’t aware of these benefits. You can also request a visit to your college or department on the website. They are able to visit on campus and OSU sponsored events. If you are interested in the program, I definitely suggest checking out their website for information specific to P3 or pet therapy in general. Like many of us, Pete’s Pet Posse is on social media! That is a great way to get connected with students on campus, especially when so many of us use social media frequently.
I was curious as to what Maddie’s favorite part of the program was, as it was her first time. She said “I had heard of it but had never really learned what it was until I went” but followed with that she would “definitely be going back! I like how relaxed it is and it automatically could make anyone feel better,” and I couldn’t agree more. Although I haven’t spent a ton of time around this program yet, I can tell they are very special and have the best people pouring into it. I asked Maddie based on her personal experience, how she felt that the program could benefit the student body as a whole at Oklahoma State. She easily answered with “as a new college student, I quickly found out that it’s a very stressful, busy environment so this is a great way to take a break from everything going on around you!” I was very thankful for her point of view and how much I agreed. No matter if you are having the best or worst day, I believe a visit with P3 can only put you in a better mood or make your day better! It is so important to have something accessible like this on a college campus, and who doesn’t like dogs?
I am very glad I know about Pete’s Pet Posse, and I am so excited to visit these adorable, loving dogs as much as I can. It truly means so much to me that Oklahoma State has a program as important and special as this. I think all universities should have a pet therapy program if possible!
The summer heat was dying off, making way for the crisp cool summer air of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Patchin-Jones dorm stood tall in the background, and students walked along the sidewalk. On the pavement, a table was set out and covered in a blue tarp. On the table, dye was laid out, ready to be used to dye the shirts stacked on the black bench behind it. The student members of the Patchin-Jones Board of Directors stood around the table, making last minute adjustments to their set-up before they began to invite their fellow residents to join them in making tie-dye t-shirts. The night carries on, and the event was a success. Friends were made, and t-shirts were dyed. The Community Mentor of the dorm let her dog play with the participants and passer-byers. Everyone went home to their respective dorm rooms with a freshly created t-shirt and new memories.
Events like this is the responsibility of one of the dorm building’s RHA Board of Directors members, Trenton Ratts. Each dorm building has their own Board of Directors. The BOD of a dorm is a group of resident students like Trenton that come together and help to cultivate a sense of community in their respective dorm buildings. They move to campus earlier than the rest of their peers and prepare for a year of events. Throughout the year they host tie-dye nights, game nights, and many other creative events to gather students together. They strive to give residents a way to let off steam and get away from their endless studies. This is one of the many initiatives by Oklahoma State University to create a positive environment on campus. It is the belief of the university that a large part of a student’s education comes from outside the classroom and among their peers. There is a push from administration to help students to get connected to each other, both for their mental health and to help them to make connections in college that will carry over to their professional lives once their graduate.
Trenton joined the BOD with the intention of one day becoming his dorm’s Community Mentor, which is similar to an RA. When a dorm looks for a CM, they look for someone with experience in running a dorm, and the BOD is the first step towards gaining that experience. When asked what role he performs as a member of his Board of Directors, he describes it as this: “I am in charge of Event evaluation and Items checklist. This means that I have to fill out a few files each time we have an event that includes items and all their prices along with how much they cost. I also have to fill out a sheet that describes what we did at the event, participation, and overall just how it went.”
They meet once every week for approximately an hour, and they are required to participates in the dorm’s two events a month. According to Trenton, if you stay on top of your work and stay organized, the workload is very manageable. There is no fee to join the BOD, additionally there is no monetary compensation for the members. The students on their RHA Board of Directors do what they do not for money, but for the people they meet and relationships that they form while participating. Trenton’s favorite part of being on the BOD is meeting new people. As an incoming freshman, making friends is something that all students worry over. Being on the BOD helped Trenton to meet his neighbors and helped him to grow his roots in his new home. His plan for his sophomore year is either to become a dorm’s Community Mentor and lead his BOD, or he will move to a house off campus. If he moves to a house off campus, he will be unable to participate in an RHA Board.
Unfortunately for Trenton, the Board of Directors is not all sunshine and rainbows. Like anything having to do with working in a group of people, there are conflicts; Particularly having to work with certain members who do not pull their weight in planning and hosting events. He and his fellow members must occasionally do a job not required of them in order to make up for slack left by a member who does not like to participate. However, he still feels that being on Patchin-Jones RHA Board of Directors is well worth the time and energy it demands and would recommend joining to any freshmen looking to get involved in the campus life.
For a new student who has yet to make their friends, your dorm’s RHA Board of Directors is a great organization to participate in. It will get you involved with a group of like-minded individuals, and you will meet your fellow dorm-mates as they participate in the events that you host. Afterall, the friends you make today are the friends you will treasure tomorrow.
The University Commons is known for being the most recently built building for the students. Its purpose is to serve as a home to those students that want to stay and live inside campus. Mostly freshmen live at The University Commons. On a real note, most people don’t really see The University Commons as an actual “home”, that being a place to feel comfortable and to stay all day inside because you’re just lazy. Most people just see the University Commons as a “temporary stay”, in other words: a place where you would go just to sleep after being all day in chaos with homework or just simply partying around campus.
The students, especially freshmen, are really into getting involved around campus and discovering those new things to adventure or meeting new people just to go to parties. New students don’t really like to stay at their dorms all day just because of all the things there are to do and people there are to meet. The University Commons are very modern and are nicely decorated with all the types of furniture, but it really is a pain when the elevator just gets stuck almost every day. Yes, it is known for being the most recently built building for students, but it also has a very bad reputation of its elevators getting stuck very often.
North Commons, West Commons and South Commons, those are the three buildings where most of the freshmen stay at. Yet in those three tall, modern, new and somewhat fancy building the elevator gets stuck most of the time which then leads into chaos. That chaos being, getting home from a long and tiring day or getting home from a long day of partying and hanging out to just find your way up the tallest stairs you will be seeing in your life on that moment. “Those mighty stairs of the devil” said Eric Franco, a student that lives in The University Commons on the fifth floor. “It just sucks to get home from a long day just to find out that the elevator is stuck so you have to suck it up and put on the Rocky theme song just to get to your floor all drenched in sweat”.
Outside of the University Commons it can be a peaceful place where you see birds chirping, the beautiful sun, the wind blowing right past you and the grass greener than ever, up until you enter and have to take those long stairs where the sun is shining right in your eyes, the sweat dripping, the voice inside saying “you have to hurry up because you’re going to miss the due date for the assignment”. All those are part of what bring chaos into the University Commons. “The stairs are not the only factors that bring chaos though and stress” stated Eric Franco. “The laundry room can bring pain also”. The University Commons all have do have a laundry room, but it is located on the 2nd floor, and it contains around 20 laundries and dryers. It can sound like a lot, but for the students it can be a real pain, especially when you leave all the laundry to do on a Friday. “If you go on a Friday, it is just pure chaos, people taking your clothes out so they can clean their own”.
As it seems, most of the students can be stressed and busy all weekdays so they leave the laundry till Friday, when most of the students hurry and clean their clothes because the weekend is going to start, and they need those beautiful/cool clothes for the parties to be clean. The University Commons includes very good features even though sometimes its students can be stressed about what happens inside. The university Commons include meeting rooms in each floor, the bathrooms that are new and modern, it is a public bathroom, but it is cleaned every day. Each floor is assigned an advisor so the “chaos” some students experience can be managed and resolved. The University Commons all around is a peaceful place disregarding some of its student’s behavior and the elevator. The University Commons really brings those new students together and it gives them some type of comfort and safety within their new chapters in life as university level students.
Here at Oklahoma State University, there are many different types of on campus living options. 15 residential halls are dedicated to LLPs. That stands for Living Learning Programs. They are described by the university as “specialized living environments that connect students inside and outside their academic experiences”(Okstate Website). There is a long application process that goes along with this option that is also based on criteria like major or age. Students that get accepted into one of these programs have a direct outlet to experiences within the classroom and outside events and programs. Joining a LLP is a great way to make friends and build connections with people that have similar interests to you.
The specific LLP that I want to take a deeper look at is the Fergusons Freshmen in Transition or FIT program. This is a specific living learning program that has some requirements and some specifically for Freshmen in Transition is obviously the student has to be an incoming freshmen. They have to be enrolled as a full time student within the Ferguson College of Agriculture here at Oklahoma State University. Applications open up in October once you have been accepted as a student at Oklahoma State University. The process is a little long but worth it. They release acceptances in waves, and the first wave happens in December. How FIT works specifically is that the application opens and stays open through the summer but once it fills up, then people are placed on a waitlist. New waves of acceptances happen every couple of months.
Today, I am a student here at Oklahoma State University and I am enrolled in the Freshmen in Transition program. I went through the application process and was accepted. I applied at the end of January and was accepted into the program in early march. I have some insight that might be beneficial to incoming students in the future. The person I decided to interview is Markel Harris, the head director of Freshman in Transition. I decided to interview him because he was a student in FIT when he went to school here and became the head director a couple years after that. Markel Harris attended Oklahoma State University starting in 2015. In the interview he started to tell me that he was a first generation college student and African American. He was already intimidated with the college process so when he got accepted into the FIT program it took a little bit of stress off of his shoulders. He found out about this living learning program through his connections with FFA. He was a state officer and some of his fellow officers were a part of FIT before he enrolled at OSU which led him to apply. When asking him what his definition of a living learning program is, he responded with “a place where you get the out of class experience as well as the in class experience.” He goes on to say that it is beneficial to participate in an organization like FIT because you are surrounded by people that share the same interests and are all going through the same experience that you are going through. Having people back you up makes the transition into freshman year slightly easier.
I was going to follow up by asking how he heard about this program and his experience applying but he answered it while talking about the significance of this program. We have similar experiences with how we both heard it from our peers. I knew who my roommate was going to be before I moved into the dorm hall. She had talked to me about wanting to be in this program together and I told her as long as we both get accepted I am fine with living in the FIT dorm. Luckily, we both ended up getting accepted and becoming roommates. I had then asked Markel what his experience was like when he was a member of this program back in 2015. He told me many stories about how it was overwhelming because they expected too much out of the students and it was difficult. He stated “While trying to balance school, we had many assignments we had to submit, they thought it was benefiting us but it was making all of our lives a little bit more difficult.” He continues to say that minus being overwhelmed we would never take back the opportunity that he was given. He enjoyed the community aspect as a whole and the experiences that they went through. It was super interesting what was soon to come because I asked him how the program has changed and how he views the program now that he is in charge of it.
He told me that he felt like he had a leg up because he has experienced the program and knows what it is like to be an overwhelmed freshman. He went into detail about how the director at the time didn’t make it a priority to get to know the students and what they were involved with. He wanted to change that. He also took out silly things that he didn’t see the need for to help make the college transition less overwhelming. “I have better insight because I have been in the students’ shoes, I have been a first generation college student trying to figure things out, I know what helped me, I took that in order to increase future students’ experiences.” He wants to make it his priority that we get the most out of this program to set a good foundation for the rest of our career here at Oklahoma State University. He said one of the most important jobs is that he wants to challenge us to grow as individuals and academically without stressing us out too much. He wants to support us holistically rather than just making sure we succeed academically.
Not a whole lot of people know about Living Learning Programs and I think that needs to change. It is a great opportunity to get plugged into a community that is experiencing the same thing you are. I have enjoyed just these short seven weeks here at Oklahoma State. There is a great resource that can be found on the schools website but I feel that advertising for Living Learning Programs could be improved. Many people I talk to on a daily basis have never heard about FIT or LLPs in general which doesn’t benefit anyone if they have never heard about it. There are fifteen here at Oklahoma State University and I only know about three of them. It is significant to find a great community that will support you as you continue your path during college and also helps you develop great habits and leadership skills. The bonds you make with the people when you first start college will most likely be the people that support you until you graduate or even for the rest of your life time.
The current Oklahoma State University library was constructed in nineteen fifty three as a part of President Henry G. Bennetts’ twenty five year plan to develop the campus. His plan was to center the campus around a new library and so he acquired the help of library director Edmon Low and they quickly put the project into action. The Edmon Low library was constructed in the center of campus and with its beautiful Georgian style architecture, it quickly became a popular spot to study for many students due to its multiple floors that vary in noise intensity.
Before the construction of Edmon Low, the university had housed the library in various buildings, ranging from homes, office buildings, to Old Central where it was in the same room as the English Department. It was located there for seven years until Williams hall was constructed where it then moved to a room on the first floor. In nineteen twenty one the first building constructed solely for the purpose of housing the library was completed and that is where the library was housed until nineteen fifty three with the completion of Edmon Low library.
Edmon Low was designed with five floors and a basement level that houses over one million volumes of books along with several resource centers for students looking for specific items. Along with that though, there are rooms for studying where students looking for some peace and quiet away from the rest of campus or simply to get out of their dorm can occupy for hours at a time. Within these rooms are white boards, though colored the university’s signature orange, and televisions that students can use at their leisure. Featured outside the library, there is a fountain that is dyed the universities signature orange every year for homecoming as well as a bell tower on the top of the library that plays the Oklahoma State University Alma Mater. At night you can often see it lit up a soft blue color whenever there is no home game, on home game nights though you can often look up to see the bell tower is lit up a bright orange in an effort to show school spirit.
I took the opportunity to request an interview with Holly Reiter, a librarian at Edmon Low and professor with the university, about her time with the university and working in the library. Professor Reiter has been with Oklahoma State for five years since twenty sixteen, having previously worked a librarian’s job in the northwestern state of Washington. “They had a job opening that fit my skills and I did the interview and managed to get the job so I moved here from Washington State.” she explained to me during the interview. We talked about her moving and how coming to Oklahoma State was such a big move and how it was really beneficial to her career in the educational field. We discussed life in Stillwater and if she liked the appeal of working in smaller cities and if the city was to her liking, “When I first came here it actually reminded me a lot of the town I grew up in and I really like smaller areas because I just feel like it’s less hectic than a big city.”
Having discussed her time in Stillwater and how she gets along with the city and how adjusting to living in a new state was, we began discussing more about the library itself. We discussed her time in Edmon Low and whether she enjoyed working there or not as the office space can appear to be a bit cramped. “No, I love it. I mean, I know for some people it can be a little confusing and big and overwhelming. But I went to grad school at a school of 40,000 people that had like 10 different libraries on campus. So yeah, so coming here like it’s not super big to me, but it’s big enough.” she explained. We talked a bit more in depth about the building itself and how the view and architecture truly compliment the buildings around itself. “What would you say is your favorite part of the library to be in?” She thought about it for a moment before responding to me, “I really love being out in the front by the fountain. I think being there is just- I love listening to the water and watching people walk by, and then up on the fourth floor, where they have the big windows towards the front of the building that look out like, over the lawn and you can see like, across the whole campus, it’s very pretty up there.” It was very easy to understand where she was coming from as the Oklahoma sunsets are truly breathtaking and nearly incomparable to anywhere else in the world. She then went on to explain that since the floors have different levels of noise, that the fourth floor is probably the best in terms of relaxing and studying while watching the sunset. “It’s one of the quiet study areas. So sometimes if I need to read something like an article or something for work, I’ll go up there and read and then I have the beautiful scenery and it’s quiet so I can concentrate.”
In summary, the Oklahoma State Library has brought together not only students and faculty, but an entire community in search of learning and furthering their knowledge. Edmon Low has done just this and has provided students with a safe space to study and relax, librarians with jobs, and faculty with resources for education, for over sixty eight years. That is a bit over half a hundred years of serving the people of Oklahoma State, and it’s beautiful facade is tell-tale proof that it is truly the heart of campus. From its brick outlayer, to its carpeted and wood flooring, there is no other place to be than Edmon Low.
The Student Union at Oklahoma State University is among the largest in the nation having many resources and options for the students of the university. Many students use the Union to study, hang out with friends, and have lunch at one of the many restaurants within the complex. Located at the center of campus it isn’t the easiest walk; however, it is easily the most populated building on campus, filled with the most accommodations. It includes an auditorium where several lectures and larger classes are held, as well as many of the advisors on campus offices in the Student Union.
There are also many opportunities for hiring OSU students at the union, which can be helpful to students who rely on jobs to help with college expenses, including but not limited to working at a desk and helping guide people around campus, to serving food, and even helping advise new students on classes and other activities. The store located right inside the Student Union’s main entrance holds any necessary materials needed for classes and day to day life. As well as where you can find textbook materials and school supplies all of which can be added to a students bursar account, when they use their student ID, which can be paid at a later date. And while the resources and opportunities at the Student Union deserve an entire book or memoir, the real gem of this building is the comfort and sense of community it can bring to students who choose to go there to study or rela. And use the little free time college students have to try and focus on something that isn’t homework.
On a day to day basis students walk around campus a lot and it feels like each one seems to spend their free time in between classes, club meetings, or just any extra time sitting on their laptop or chatting with friends somewhere in the Student Union. With the building consisting of five floors and enough rooms to be considered a part of residential housing it can seem a bit overwhelming to anyone who is a new student who is just starting classes or is visiting on a tour. Audra Loney, a freshman Animal Science major was interviewed stating “ I remember on orientation thinking to myself as the tour guide listed off all the things and rooms and parts of the building I was like there is zero chance I am remembering any of this”. While that feeling crawls its way into a lot of students’ minds the important thing to remember is just how temporary that feeling is, and that statement was further backed up by Audra who after a follow up question shared her experience with confronting the Student Union after classes started saying “ it’s like the central place everyone goes too” “like if you need something a good guess on where to find it is the Union”. The overarching idea of a central place for all students to come and either get everything that they have procrastinated for the past two weeks done, or just relax and maybe catch up with old friends they haven’t been able to talk to in awhile or maybe meet a new friend is such vital component of college life. As more and more students get acclimated to college and start to find a personalized routine and spots to study, it’s important to know what’s available to each student and where they can find those accommodations.
With every student being unique when it comes to studying habits, and sleep schedules it can be overwhelming to find a spot to just sit and relax that isn’t your dorm. With all the craziness Audra’s final sentiments were “it’s really cool to have a place to just read or be by yourself but not be totally alone”. The biggest part of college is community and having a feeling of support when you need it and even when you don’t. There is also always a fun activity to take part in at the Student Union that can get you involved with others and give someone the opportunity to have a fun experience between classes. One of these activities includes Pete’s Pet Posse which is a group of therapy dogs that stroll around campus offering support and comfort to any student that needs it. Along with fun activities like that there is also a numerous amount of emotional and mental support available to students, with the counseling center being located on the second floor of the Union. Within the tight knit Cowboy Community the highest priority is to make sure that everyone feels comfortable enough to seek help with anything. With trained professionals you can take advantage of this to make sure that everyone is taking care of themselves so they can put their best foot forward as a student and as a person.
Another helpful resource is the Bursar Office located on the first floor of the Union. This is an incredibly helpful place because college can be expensive. The people inside the Bursar Office are there to help with any and every question a person could have regarding their financial status, scholarships opportunities, and other ways to help make paying for college a little easier on us and our parents. . With all these resources, activities, and opportunities for each student the Union very quickly becomes an interqual part of every student day to day life and helps each student in a unique way. The community and atmosphere helps to shape a students mindset and brings to life a sense of what college is all about, and that is why it’s so important to know about. Having an idea of everything that is offered to each and every student to help make their own college experience better is just one of the many examples of how OSU pours into every student who attended this university.
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