Month: February 2016

Categories
Athletics

Believing in Basketball

Tammy WinterI’m not saying SMU basketball got me through the end of last semester, but SMU basketball got me through the end of last semester. Tests, homework, personal issues — all of it goes away every time I get to watch SMU basketball play. It probably sounds silly, but if you haven’t already I implore you to watch a game. If you can, go see an SMU basketball game live; it’s even better. This team embodies Moody Magic in every sense of the phrase.

It’s not as simple as saying our basketball team is great, although statistically it is one of the best teams in the entire country. The real story is in how this team has survived hit after hit and just keeps getting better. They’re a joy to watch, and the energy on our team and in the audience palpable every time the school comes together in Moody Coliseum to watch them play. It’s probably also the reason everyone from former President George W. Bush to Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo to Mavs start Chandler Parsons wants in on the action.

What makes our team special is that there isn’t one star; each player is pretty invaluable made more so by the fact that currently there are 7 scholarship players on the roster). Nic Moore comes to mind immediately; his skill as a point guard regularly makes him the subject of national conversation. Then there’s Jordan Tolbert, our senior transfer from Texas Tech who has one of the highest individual percentages of offensive rebounds in the entire country. Or Shake Milton, the freshman who’s already had a pretty great year, and by all accounts has a great future to look forward to as he grows as a point guard. The same goes for Jeray Foster, who’s already starting to come into his own. Marcus Kennedy is impossible to guard; he’s not afraid to drive the ball to the basket, and the fact that he’s taller than almost everyone on the court at any given time doesn’t hurt either. Ben Moore and Sterling Brown, our two junior players, work incredibly well together and are versatile; you can count them for anything from stellar 3-pointers to consistent free-throw shooting. And with basketball’s successful recruiting of Tom Wilson and Harry Froling, two excellent Australian seniors, the future looks brighter than ever for SMU basketball.
Watching SMU this season I’ve gotten the distinct feeling that I’m actually watching a future ESPN 30 for 30 unfold – I hope I’m right.

-Tammy Winter

Categories
Lyle School of Engineering

Peruna Foosball in the Innovation Gym

Caroline GurleySMU’s Lyle School of Engineering is one of a kind. My favorite part of the Lyle School is the Innovation Gymnasium. Located in Caruth Hall, the Innovation Gym is a place for students to work as consultants for companies throughout the Dallas metroplex. This past semester, I had the opportunity to build a foosball table with other engineers as well as students in different schools around the university.  This was not a regular foosball table.  It was SMU-themed with 3D printed designs covering the table.  The players were 3D printed Perunas and the handles were Peruna tails.  We provided light to the field by incorporating LED lights around the perimeter of the field.  We built a speaker system so that anyone could play music off of a mobile device while playing foosball.  The project taught me so much about the practical applications of my engineering classes.  I learned how to communicate ideas effectively with different groups of people.  We also learned how to prioritize goals when faced with a time restraint.  Most importantly, this project allowed me to see how different engineering disciplines come together to solve problems.  This project was the highlight of my semester and I can’t wait to try another one soon!

-Caroline Gurley

Categories
Campus Life Life Around Dallas Meadows School of the Arts

Endless Opportunities on Campus and in the City

Shannon ConboyIt’s Monday, and I’m reminiscing about my weekend, feeling incredibly lucky. Not only did I spend time doing what I love for my major, but I also had an incredible city to experience on my rehearsal breaks!

I’m a senior Vocal Performance major, and rehearsals for the opera are in full swing. Next week, I will perform a role in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” in front of family, friends, teachers, and colleagues. To have this opportunity and experience as an undergraduate is something I’ve only dreamed about. Meadows Opera Ensemble hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped since early January. Each evening that I’m rehearsing, I count my lucky stars that I’m part of such a wonderful production with such hard-working and talented people. I’m really getting to experience what my life will be like pursuing a career in an opera company, and I love it.

Saturday, a day off from rehearsals, I was able to enjoy my time in the city. I started the day off with brunch at Fernando’s, getting my Tex-Mex and scrambled egg fix, and running into multiple SMU friends. After a much needed lazy afternoon, I was surprised by a friend with tickets to a Stars game! He had gotten them through his internship, as he is a Finance Major in Cox. Stoked, we donned as much green clothing as possible and headed to the American Airlines center. After an evening full of stadium hot-dogs and friends, a Stars loss didn’t even faze me. I returned home content as could be.

As a senior, I guess I’m beginning to appreciate these little things more and more. I have had endless opportunities in my four years here and I look back on each with such fondness! I’m singing opera, building up my experiences, and preparing myself for a successful post-grad life, but I’m also living in the greatest city and taking advantage of all Dallas has to offer. I’m not sure what more I could ask for, except to do it all over again.
Here’s to the next few months of my time here being the best yet.

-Shannon Conboy

Categories
General

5 Ways to Stay Healthy at SMU

02.16 Jacqui JacobyI’m sure you’ve heard the term “Freshman 15” joked about before, but let me tell you something: the Freshman 15 is real. That is, unless you learn how to stay healthy in college. Here are a few tips for staying active and eating right at SMU:

1. Walk the Katy Trail
When you get to SMU, one of the most popular outdoor spots, besides Klyde Warren Park (a park in the middle of downtown Dallas on an overpass), is the Katy Trail. Spanning 3.5 miles from just off of SMU’s campus all the way to downtown Dallas, this walking, jogging, and biking path is perfect for a nice fall or spring day. Grab a friend, jog a few miles, and forget all about being in a metropolitan area! If you go on a Saturday or Sunday morning, you can even stop by some brunch spots in Uptown, like Katy Trail Icehouse, Eatzi’s, or Breadwinners. Also, rumor has it that the former Bachelor contestant, Sean Lowe, jogs the Katy Trail every morning around 6 or 7 AM… maybe you’ll jog past him!

2. Eat at “Healthy on the Hilltop”
I live in Virginia Snider hall, which happens to be the closest residential commons to Umphrey Lee Dining Center, AKA “Umph”. Like I said, the Freshman 15 is real. In order to stay healthy with my diet, I frequent the “Healthy on the Hilltop” line, which features gluten-free, vegan, and health-conscious meals every day! If I can’t find anything there, I can always ask the dining staff to put some chicken or fish on the grill and grab myself a salad from the always-stocked salad bar.

3. Go to GroupX Classes at Dedman
For the first two weeks of every fall semester, Dedman Rec makes all of its GroupX fitness classes completely free! This is a great opportunity to take sunrise yoga, pilates, insanity, zumba, or spin classes and figure out which ones get you the most excited about hitting the gym. You can pay $4 per class or buy an unlimited pass for only $75 – well worth the money, especially since you don’t have to pay anything extra to have a membership to Dedman, anyway!

4. Grab Your Quick Lunches at The Market
If you’re ever in a hurry to fit lunch into your busy schedule, it can be tempting to make ramen or grab some junk food. Thanks to The Market, a grab and go convenience store in the student center with a sushi and salad bar inside, your quick lunches can still be healthy! You can get a make-your-own salad at The Wedge or even customize your own sushi roll at Sushic. Either way, load up on veggies and cut down on fried things and you’ll be good! The Market also sells healthy and gluten free microwave meals for quick lunches in the future!

5. Have Fun Working Out with Friends
Other than the Katy Trail and GroupX classes at Dedman, there are so many ways to stay fit with friends at SMU! Climb the rock climbing wall in Dedman (for free!), play some sand volleyball, run around the soccer field, visit White Rock Lake, or get creative and find a studio in Dallas. If you never want to leave campus to find a good work out, SMU is the perfect place for you!

-Jacqui Jacoby

Categories
Residence Life and Student Housing

Traditions at the Residential Commons

02.16 Evan GiacominiOn February 6, SMU had its own version of Mardi Gras in the form of Krewe de Ware. Each year the Residential Commons system has the unique opportunity to sponsor different events throughout the semesters on campus. With the new housing system in place, and thriving, Ware commons was able to throw an event that brought a little bit of New Orleans to our school here in Dallas that paralleled the celebrations going on one state over.

Flyers and posters had been circulating campus for a couple weeks now and the attendance was great. Complete with an array of green, yellow, and purple decorations, a live band playing upbeat music, free food, and an acrobatics team of giant hoola hoop dancing, unicycle juggling, and spitting fire, the event was something I’d never seen before. I even got to be pretty adventurous and try a meal I’d never even thought about eating before, crawfish. Seafood has been a huge part of my life since I grew up less than ten minutes away from a beach in California but I’d never had the opportunity to give crawfish a try before this weekend. To me, it just seemed like way too much work just for one measly bite of meat, but everyone around me had such a good time with it and I could see why it is so popular.

Events like Krewe de Ware are commonplace at SMU and I am so happy to go to a school where there is never a dull moment. I got to see many of my Ware friends enjoying the food, music, and atmosphere and many others enjoying the success of the event. After just two short years, the commons have created traditions I am confident will far outlive my time as a student. I’m so excited to see the future of the commons system and the heights that each can reach.

— Evan Giacomini

Categories
Campus Life Life Around Dallas

From California to Country

02.16 Alex HibbardLast Thursday, I went country dancing for the 5th time in my eight semesters of college. This was a special moment because not only is it my last semester at SMU, but it was the first time that I stepped foot in Billy Bob’s, one of the most famous country dancing venues in Texas. Billy Bob’s is located outside of Fort Worth and is a popular place for college students to attend on Thursday nights because students get a discounted rate with their SMU ID card.

At 9:30, about 30 of my friends gathered outside the Catholic Center on SMU’s campus and carpooled over to Billy Bob’s, arriving at around 10:15. Once I stepped out of my car, I was amazed at the size of Billy Bob’s. I walked inside and the venue appeared to be even bigger than it did from the outside. They had a large dance floor, tables and chairs everywhere, a stage with a live band, and of course, a mechanical bull.

My friends and I immediately hit the dance floor. I only know a few country dance moves, but that didn’t stop me from dancing the night away. The live band was incredible and they played a great variety of songs. The other regular attenders of Billy Bob’s were so much fun to watch. They know so many dance moves and it is very entertaining to watch them glide around the dance floor.

Our final dance was a line dance and at 12:30, we came back to SMU. Any late night outing would not be complete without stopping at Whataburger, so we stopped for a quick snack and quickly went to bed. I had an awesome time and I cannot wait to go back next Thursday!

-Alex Hibbard