Friday, July 30, 2010

Barbie Drop with Algebra II

By Kathy Garner

"Barbie's going skydiving" -Haishat, Algebra II TIPster




Ever want to randomly throw a Barbie off a bridge? Algebra II was able to have that privilege. In order to try to keep the class fun, this activity was chosen to show the graph of quadratic recession. The equation was used in order to show what was safe in order for Barbie not to get killed. TA Tallon Stroud was quoted as saying "they're finding out it's easier to stay simpler [with parachute designs]... Barbie's died numerous times".



Many TIPsters chose to disregard any mathematical formulas and just go for whatever. "It's a lab... just for fun" one of the participants, Kyle, said. Continuing with the theme of trying to keep the class fun, other activities the class has participated in include sending Barbie bungee jumping with rubber bands and graphing with shaving creme. Algebra II is taught by Jenifer McNally.

How to Stay in Touch with Your TIP Friends

By Lan'Tiqua Burks

At Tip, you make friends that you will keep forever.” -2009 Summer Studies Student


Well this is true unless you don’t keep in touch with your friends from TIP. You have to get everyone’s number, their email address, and add them as a friend on Facebook. These things alone will not keep you and your TIP friends close. If you do these five things you’ll definitely stay in touch with your friends.

1. Call often- make sure you don’t let too much time go by without talking to any of your TIP friends. This will ensure you don’t miss anything important in their life and they don’t miss anything important in yours. When school starts everybody will be busy but make sure you don’t let school sever your connection.

2. Use Facebook and Myspace – when you see a new picture or a funny status make sure you comment. This will allow your friend to know that you saw this. Facebook and MySpace both account for a great deal of communication between teenagers, so when your online and you see an old TIP friend, IM them and let them know what’s new in your life.

3. Use Skype and Oovoo – If you have a web cam this will be a great time to pull it out and put it to use. Web cam conversations not only are more fun but make the conversation more personal because you can see the person you’re talking to. This is great when you get a new haircut or dye your hair a different color and a picture won’t do it justice. A web cam will make you feel like your right there with the person.

4. Email and Texting- emails and text messages are a good way to express how much you miss someone. Emails are faster and easier than writing a letter, and texting is almost instant. Also, most people have their phones 24/7 and you can have several conversations at the same time.

5. Plan your next year at TIP- if you’re going to return to TIP make sure you talk to all your friends and see where they’re going before you decide, and use all the things in the list above to contact all your friends.

Many Tipsters say that TIP is 3 weeks of fun and 49 weeks of waiting. In those weeks of waiting, use these things to stay in touch.

TIPJokes

By Megan Valentine

Every term at TIP has its inside jokes, games, and phrases. This is a memorial to Term 2 at UGA 2010.





Nerd Quest


 MaLea Berry and Emily Soroka
M&M TIPsters

What do Star WarsTwilight,Tetris, and the "take this pebble from my hand" scene in The Karate Kid all have in common? They were all part of the nerd-related events that took place Thursday, July 29, at Duke TIP's first ever NERD QUEST!!!



NerdQuest is "to find which class is the nerdiest," says Philosophy student Freddy Argueta. NerdQuest consists of playing "Rock, Paper, Scissors", Star Wars and Harry Potter Trivia, and some other nerdy events. The philosophy class and zombies/vampires class met in Myers Hall around 2PM on Thursday for this nerdy event. It was a great time for these two classes to bond.

The students from Duke TIP's philosophy class took place in an all out battle with the Zombies and Vampires class over things that only true, true, dedicated nerds would know. When it came time for the events Thursday afternoon, the two classes were ready to "pwn some noobz" and prove why their class was the nerdiest of the nerdiest in this mental melee of nerd-tastic events.
It started out as a joke within the Zombies and Vampires class one afternoon. Members of the class started kidding around about how instead of discussing some "nerd-related activities" amongst themselves, they wanted to have a chance to "crush the philosophy class" instead. Zombies teacher and Teacher's Assistant, Anna Carson Dewitt and Danny Mehta, came back the next day saying "Remember how you said you wanted to crush the philosophy class? You may just get a chance to do that..." and thus, NERD QUEST!!! was born.
The Quest started out with a Star Wars trivia round. The classes each had a trivia team,The Destroyers (Zombies) and The Philosoraptors (Philosophy), made up of 6 members, who answered trivia questions about Star Wars. When asked about the caliber of the questions, Zombies and Vampires student, Sam Gray, said, "Those questions were really hard! Our team really didn't know enough about Star Wars to beat [the] Philosophy [class in that round]!"

The next event of the afternoon was the Rock Paper Scissors throwdown. Gray also commented on this event, saying "[The philosophy class was] very strict about their rules! ...They were so serious about doing it the right way."
Rules put in place by the Philosophy class included:
1. If you're using PAPER, your hand has to be parallel to the ground and your fingers can't be spread.
2. You can't use your other hand as a "training wheel".
3. You go 1, 2, Shoot!

Other events at the first ever Nerd Quest included Harry Potter and Twilight trivia, the Poetry Challenge, where the two contestants battle trying to create a poem based off of well-known excerpts, the nerd-tabulous game of Tetris, Philosophical Text Analysis, and plainly stated, taking a pebble from someone's hands (based off of the scene in The [original] Karate Kid).

When asked to describe what Nerd Quest is all about, Gray stated, "We are learning to be well-rounded nerds by participating in a wide variety of common nerd activities."
In this, the first ever Nerd Quest, the noobz were pwnd as the Philosoraptors came to victory. Thus, the possible start of a new tradition and friendly rivalry at Duke TIP at UGA has been born.

MaLea Berry, 15, is a sophomore at The Paideia School in Atlanta, Georgia
Emily Soroka, 14, is a freshman at West Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia

To Be Continued...


To be continued...


By Nicole Alanko

The typical fourth year traditions are the IHOP trip on the last night, swaying together to “American Pie”, and carrying the symbolic orange lanyards. At Duke TIP at UGA, Term 2 2010, the fourth years have redefined traditions. 

Patrick, the fourth year boys’ RC, tells his RC group member Colin, a bedtime story, but it has grown from Patrick’s RC group to Julie’s RC group, other fourth year girls, and some of the second year boys on that hall.

The stories began the night after the Staff/Student Ultimate Frisbee game. Colin was in his room, and hid so that Patrick would have to come looking for him in the room. When Patrick came in, Colin asked him to tell a bedtime story about the game. 

These stories grew into being the “best soap opera ever”, according to Meghan Dorn, a fourth year. Other fourth years commented that they’re “hilarious” and “It’s interesting how we’re all perceived by Colin and Patrick in these stories.”

The story is a soap opera starring the TIPsters, full of relation-tips, car chases in Paris and an eco-terrorist group. All of the boys in Patrick’s RC group sit in Colin’s room and listen, while the girls race down the hall to get the best seats just outside the door (because girls are not allowed in boys’ rooms at TIP). All of the girls crunch in together to hear the latest episode in the saga.

“I’m obviously surprised at the popularity,” commented Patrick. “I thought it would stop after one story. It’s grown now to audiences of more than thirty TIPsters.”

“It’s a great idea,” said Julie, who has been taking her RC group up to listen to the stories on the last week of TIP.

Haley and Alex, fourth years from Julie’s group, also add that the stories are “great bonding time for the fourth years.” 

TIP Fashion

By Olivia Baker


There are many unique and different kinds of people at the Duke TIP Summer Studies program. So it makes sense that their wardrobes and personal sense of style would be too. “I don’t like standard beauty, there is no beauty without strangeness,” said Karl Lagerfeld, head designer and creative director of Chanel. This definitely applies to the Duke TIP students.

The second week of TIP you will definitely see some crazy outfits. Week two at TIP is Spirit Week! Monday is Pajama Day and all the TIPster s get to go to class in their comfy jammies. Tuesday is Twin Day where TIPsters dress the same as one or more of their friends. Next up is Wacky Tacky day on Wednesday and the students dress in their crazy tackiest. However, Thursday is the most popular. It was recently changed to Crazy Hair Day, but traditionally has been Opposite Day. Friday is Favorite Team Day, where everyone represents their favorite team, or their campus. GO DAWGS!

The Duke TIP students are proud to be different, and love to express themselves in as many ways as possible. One being the way they dress. It’s not every day you see people walking around in tutus, wearing cat ears, and swinging neon shoe strings. But at TIP it’s a daily occurrence. We get many stares from college students and or other camps, but we don’t care. At TIP it’s all about the non-conformists. At school, those who all dress the same might be the popular ones- but not at TIP. The more interesting and different you are, the more you are well known. Most TIPsters never feel the need to be normal. But whether it’s Wacky Tacky Day, or just Monday, you’ll always see something interesting. 


TIPtivitives

By Alaina Boyden

At Duke TIP for evening activities, which are from 7:30- 930 every night, there are many activities to choose from. You’re guaranteed to never be just sitting down somewhere bored! These activities give friends a chance to bond or for new friendships to form. Even if you don’t get the activity that you signed up for you have a chance to switch your activity to a better one by asking the RCs. No matter what, you’re going to have fun!


Sports are ALWAYS popular at TIP with football, basketball, soccer, and Frisbee as regular options. Many TIPsters are excited about this because “we sit in a classroom all day so we need to get out and have fun.”

There’s also a choice to go downtown which is pretty simple in that you go into downtown Athens and hit up the stores, ice cream shops, or the ever popular Starbucks. “I love going downtown for ice cream, yoguri is especially good,” says a TIPster. Yoguri is a frozen yogurt shop located downtown and much loved by all the TIPsters.

If you’re not feeling up to physical activities you can choose improv, unsolicited advice, or even laundry and board games. Improv is an activity where the students get together and “improv”- act out short skits without a script. They have many interesting acting games including one known as “Freeze” where during a scene that students are acting out someone yells out freeze and then they’d take the place of one of the “frozen” people and start a new scene from the previous poses.

Unsolicited advice is an activity where you ask a question anonymously and then whoever is in charge of the activity would answer the question and no one would know who asked. Yet what makes the experience genuine are the answers that the RCs come up with, which are generally very creative and very honest.

Laundry and board games are usually offered during the second week so those who didn’t get a chance to do laundry have extra time and if you don’t need to do laundry then you can play games. Chilling on the quad is also a popular choice at TIP. It’s where you go outside and simply read a book, sit and talk to friends, play Frisbee, or even take a nap.

All in all there are many things to do at TIP, so sign up and have fun!

Ordering food at TIP.

Ordering Food While at TIP.

By David Garcia and Paxton Swisher
M&M TIPsters

Choo-choo’s and Domino’s is commonly on the minds of the Duke TIP students. Although it seems easy to do, there can be many complications. “[Ordering food] is very hard,” says TIPster Mark McGuire about ordering food while at camp.


One of first problems you run into, as a TIPster ordering food, is timing. The food must arrive by 10:00 p.m. This means you have to call before 9:30 or else that means no food for you! We don’t want a starving TIPster, now do we?

Even if you can order the food on time, you still have to find the delivery guy. Probably every single TIPster can tell you about a time when they had to chase down a delivery boy. There have even been times when the delivery boy left before the food could be delivered. That’s just another lesson learned when you’re on your TIP vacation: be sure to be on time to get your food.

An easy fix for this problem is pay a lesser year to pick it up for you. They are very willing people when it comes to being paid.
But any TIPster can tell you that once you have your food, you’ll be the most popular person at TIP. Then everyone wants to be your “friend”.

Mobs are commonly formed to get the delivered food, and occasionally your food will be consumed by the giant, hungry mob. It’d be a good idea to have a body guard to get your food from the first floor up to your hall to protect your precious goods. The only down side: the body guard expects to get paid, so be sure to leave a bit for him.


When it comes to pizza, there’s the problem of the smell. A TIPster can smell pizza from miles away. So if you plan on ordering pizza, be sure to pack some masking cologne/perfume. The pizza box is another thing that needs to be hidden. Once a friend sees you had pizza that they didn’t get a slice from, there goes that friend. The easiest way to hide the box is putting it under your bed until the last day when everyone is too distracted by the end of tip to worry about who had pizza.
But after going through all these hardships, there’s always that reward of getting to eat your food. Once you take that first bite, you know that all that struggling wasn’t for nothing. Tasting the sweet, sweet Chinese food or the cheesy goodness of the pizza, you know ordering food at TIP is worth it.
Paxton Swisher, 15, is a sophomore at Parish Episcopal School in Dallas, Texas

David Garcia, 15, is a sophomore at South Grand Prairie HS in Dallas, Texas

photos by Victor Mancuso and Dustin Watson

Andrew Sanchez. A TIP Musician.

Andrew Sanchez: TIP Musician



Andrew Sanchez was born in New Port Richey, Florida on December 18, 1994. He currently lives in Port Charlotte, Florida, with his mother, father, and younger sister and attends Charlotte High School as a 10th grader.

He began playing guitar in third grade, and practices whenever he has a chance. He has quite a few inspirations, some of which consist of Antoine Dufour and Jimmy Page. His grandpa and cousin also play guitar. Andrew has won awards at talent shows and even has a number one fan. He is very skilled at guitar even though he is just 15.

As a 3rd year, 2nd year, Andrew can be found playing songs for groups of people whenever he can during free time. “Whenever you perform in front of a group of people and you get a standing ovation, it always feels really good inside”, Andrew said, “and you get chicks,” he laughed.

He doesn’t play any other instruments at the moment, but wants to pick up playing piano again. "Like I'd minor in guitar, but I don't want to do anything with it," Andrew has a bright future ahead of him, even though he doesn’t want to have a profession that relates to guitar playing.

Having musicians at Duke TIP is very common and it’s a great thing.  You can always find someone playing guitar, piano, or singing. 

Music is very important in our society and it’s great when young people play instruments. According to evidence that scientists have uncovered, music makes you smarter, which leads to musicians’ brains functioning different from those who do not play an instrument. Playing an instrument improves cognitive skill and can open up opportunities in life.

Andrew Sanchez is one of the many extraordinary young people that are the bright future of tomorrow.

- "Young people can learn from my example that something can come from nothing. What I have become is the result of my hard efforts." - Franz Joseph Haydn



Emily Soroka, 14, is a Freshman at West Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia


Thursday, July 29, 2010

How to Fight TIPression

By Kathy Garner
Media and Message TIPster
TIPression: n. A feeling of depression after leaving TIP, especially strong with fourth years
There are some ways to help fight TIPression. The easiest is flipping through a termbook. Those publications hold memories! Slightly harder, but still convenient, is finding everyone you know and friending them on Facebook, adding them on Skype, following them on Twitter, etc. With technology linking everyone together, you now can have that conversation you’ve been meaning to have with all of your friends that are spread out all over the country. TIPwiki can also be good for reliving old memories.
One of the more difficult ways is coming back next year. There is no concrete way to guarantee coming back to the same term and campus, or that all of your friends will be there with you. Being a fourth year can be exceptionally difficult because there is no way to come back to TIP as a camper. After your freshman year in college, however, it is possible to apply to be an RC.

Many find music to be healing, so listening to traditional TIP songs (the most famous being "American Pie") may also help. Keep your shoelace some place safe in your room as well, and frame pictures. Keep memories alive and stay in touch.

TIPwiki

By Megan Valentine


When you get home from TIP do you find yourself reminiscing about friends and inside jokes you made while there? Well, if you do then a good place for you to visit might be TIPWiki.
TIPWiki is a website, made to resemble the popular online encyclopedia Wikipedia, where TIPsters, old and young, can freely post information about TIP and their experiences.
TIPWiki was created by past TIPster, Jason “Timmy” LaRue, from the Davidson and Duke East campuses. It is currently being run by Anthony Chivetta, another TIPster from Duke East, who took over for Timmy after his computer kept crashing not only causing his computer to be down but the site as well.
Although Anthony runs the site anyone can contribute to its content, so long as it follows TIPWiki’s standards and policies. On the site you can find basically anything and everything you ever wanted to know about TIP and all of its campuses by reading the 647 articles that have been posted to it.

When you search for UGA on TIPwiki you will find a short summary about its history with the TIP program. Also on the page is a list of traditions and a list of the “original fourth years” from both term 1 and 2. The traditions listed on the page range from the staff vs. student ultimate Frisbee game to some that are specifically term 1 traditions, such as The Ninjas, a group of fourth year boys who are known for “appearing when you least expect it”.

You can also view information about each campus’s official TIP songs and past RCs, dating all the way back to 2001. One of the more popular pages amongst TIPsters who have been to TIPWiki is the relationTIP page. It lists every relationTIP from all the campuses since 2003, it even has a list of relationTIPs from UGA Term 2 2010.

TIPWiki is the perfect place for TIPsters to visit if they just can’t get enough of TIP. It’s a great place to keep track of inside jokes, traditions, and all the little things about each year of TIP.

If you would like to see the site, add your own jokes and information, and even design the official TIPWiki logo, then go to http://www.tipwiki.net/

Megan Valentine, 16, is a junior at Reagan High School in Winston Salem, N.C.

Improv! The Final Scene

By Ella Sivertsen
Imagine the lights on you. A hundred eyes are watching. You’re expected to provide a killer skit momentarily. You’re ready. The only catch: There’s no script.
Welcome to the wonderful world of improvisation, otherwise known as acting without a script. All the content is made up on the spot. Improv!, the regular evening activity itself, serves as an outlet for TIPsters to be creative, show off their skills, gain confidence, and have fun creating and watching great theater.


On Sunday, many brave TIPsters lined up for their shot to feature their improv skills in the talent show. Although all efforts were valiant, only eight competitors could advance to the deciding round: Improv! The Final Scene. These competitors were TIPsters Kevin, Marianna, Josh, Meghan, Tori, Brian, Bree, and Madeline.

The first challenge was a seemingly simple one. Each had to introduce him-/herself in a creative way. This, however, may have been more crucial than they realized. First impressions are important, after all. improvisers were obviously hardcore; it takes guts to stand up in front of your peers and come up with creative skits to entertain them.

The actors participated in several acting challenges. RCs Megan and George gave a "game" to play and a theme to act in. More familiar games included “Change,” in which the person who said the last line had to change it (without changing the scene), “Party Quirks”, for which the host had some unusual guests and had to figure out the quirk of each, and “The Dating Game,” similar to “Party Quirks,” but with a dating show theme.
In the end, everyone had performed admirably, but there could only be four official winners. These were Meghan, Tori, Marianna, and Josh.

Comparing and Contrasting the TIP campuses

By Kathy Garner

TIP is love, no matter where you choose to go to. Recently, there were some changes made to campus locations that made this statement so much the more true. Now, in order to be a fourth year-fourth year, the average TIPster must go to two campuses; one for first (and maybe second) year, and then another for the remaining years. Each campus has its perks, its downsides, and its traditions. However, TIP is the overall bond between each campus, and no matter how many campuses you go to, you will always be a TIPster, and thus in a tight-knit family. Because this is only the second year that TIP is at UGA, this campus is a conglomeration of many other campuses and traditions. These are a few facts about where UGA TIPsters are from.


Texas A&M: I spent my first year during Term 1 2008 at Texas A&M. There are a couple things A&M has that the other two campuses I’ve been to don’t. My first choice is sinks in the dorm. I was under the impression those were pretty standard, but evidentially they aren’t. When you’ve gotten used to just waiting a few minutes for your roommate to finish washing her face and brushing her teeth to having to walk all the way to a bathroom to find that every sink is already taken, you miss them.



They also have a lounge section for one of their laundry rooms, which is nice when you have ten minutes left on a washer and don’t want to walk upstairs to your dorm. They have their lounge one and a regular in the dorm laundry room. It also has the cheapest laundry rates; $1.50 to wash and dry (.75 each) (It should be noted that they have gotten new dryers since I was there, so the rates may have changed).



However, as with all dorms, there are downsides. One of the minor ones is the bunk beds. Neither of the other two campuses had bunks, but I’d trade the normal beds for a sink in my dorm. Second, there were no common rooms like on other campuses. They had two lounges (the one with the laundry room (which was in a seperate building) and one with a TV), but common rooms on second through fourth floor were just dorms with different furniture. It's also difficult to pack and unpack with rolling luggage because there are no elevators in Moses Hall.


One of the worst downsides to A&M was the prominent Texas heat, most noticeable during Aggfest (the RCs were really concerned about our hydration, and ‘minimum one glass of water at dinner’ was a daily rule). Events in Aggfest, Texas A&M's TIP field day, consisted of the ones that the entire team had to compete in (Tug-o-War, Dorm Blob, Cheer, and some sort of relay) and the ones that each camper signed up for (trivia, field games, and others). Another tradition was the staff taking us to the Bonfire Memorial after the Staff v. Student game. Final dance was Thursday, and slideshow/talent show was on the last night, where you were allowed to drag your mattress into someone else’s dorm and spend the night with people who weren’t your roommate.



Appalachian State University: Definitely one of the cooler campuses I’ve been to, both in temperature and atmosphere. I chose to take psychology at ASU in 2009. It had the most perks of any campus I’ve been to. In addition to being a gorgeous campus, and the central building for classes feet away from the dining hall used, they allowed you more freedom during free time; you could choose to go to the student center (an arcade room and the campus bookstore were located here), utilize the computers at the library, play Frisbee on the quad, or go to the dorms and take a nap. They also had a central common room on each floor, and a room with a TV on the first floor.



During Term 2 2009, the washers and dryers had signup sheets to help with the typical Sunday morning rush to wash clothes, though these were usually disregarded. However, their laundry is most expensive, $2.50 to both wash and dry clothes ($1.25 separately). They also only had three showers in the bathrooms. A&M’s water might not have heated up correctly, but it did help that there were more than three. At ASU, there was also a dress code (which I feel was reasonable; girls couldn’t be too suggestively dressed, guys couldn’t sag).



Traditions were also the strongest at ASU. PITfest, ASU's TIP field day, was mainly ‘camper signs up’ for events; Jello-snarfle, pudding feed, cheesy poof face, and dizzy bat, among others. The entire team did have to come together for cheer, and staff v. student Ultimate Frisbee was held following PITfest, but in other years the Ultimate Frisbee game has been part of the PITfest competition.



University of Kansas: Media and Message TIPster Ella Sivertsen attended the KU campus at Term 2 in 2009, and shared some facts about her experience.


There are a standard four to a dorm room instead of two because the rooms are in the newer "suite style", meaning that there is a small study area in between two bedrooms. They also use bunk beds, and they have a private bathroom. Common rooms are located on each of the seven floors, and laundry rooms are in the basement. The prices are reasonable at $1.50 for a wash and dry ($0.75 separately). Despite the common knowledge that Kansas is extremely flat, the TIPsters in the Creative Writing class had to climb two huge hills every day on their way to class. The music played at the dances was also more censored because the students were younger.



University of Georgia: One part of UGA that everyone loves is the food. There’s a nice selection, it tastes great, no wonder- they've won 73 national awards! Getting to take a bus to class instead of walking in the heat is also a major plus.


Laundry is moderately priced at about $2 for a washer and a dryer ($1 for a washer, .50 for 20 minutes of drying time with 40 minutes recommended), and the laundry rooms are located on both floors that TIPsters live on, but with only four washers, it can be difficult to do laundry during the Sunday rush. The downside of the Georgia laundry rooms would be the fact that you need a card to operate them.



DAWGfest, UGA's version of the traditional TIP field days (KU's Swampfest, ASU's PITfest, and A&M's Aggfest), consists of the entire team coming together for a cheer, and then events in which the TIPster signs up for during planning.

Each campus is a unique place that facilitates bonding, allows for friendly competition, and helps make great memories for all TIPsters. No matter where you are, where you're from, or where you go, each TIP campus is a home away from home.

Top Songs for Term 2 2010

Compiled by Nicole Alanko

Everyone always has their iPods in their ears and listens to music at dances and jam sessions... The Top 25 Most Popular songs at TIP at UGA for Term 2, 2010 have been found, thanks to your votes. Also, the Top 15 songs Most Likely to Be Stuck in Your Head have been found.

Top 25 Most Popular

American Pie by Don McLean
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day
Airplanes by B.o.B. (feat. Hayley Williams)
Don’t Stop Believing by Journey
Hey, Soul Sister by Train
Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Deep Blue Something
Tik Tok by Ke$ha
Nothin’ on You by B.o.B.
Cupid Shuffle by Cupid
I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas
Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz (feat. Ludacris)
My First Kiss by 3OH!3
When You Were Young by the Killers
Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry
End of the World by REM
You're a Jerk by New Boyz
Hey there, Delilah by Plain White T's
Don't Trust Me by 3OH!3
California Girls by Katy Perry
Sandstorm by Darude
Bad Romance by Lady GaGa
I'm on a Boat by T-Pain
Your Love is My Drug by Ke$ha
Fireflies by Owl City
Nine in the Afternoon by Panic! at the Disco


Top 15 Most Likely to Be Stuck in Your Head

Snellebrate by Westown (Youtube)
My First Kiss by 3OH!3
Don’t Stop Believing by Journey
Tik Tok by Ke$ha
I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas
Don’t Trust Me by 3OH!3
Hey, Soul Sister by Train
Bad Romance by Lady GaGa
Electric Feel by MGMT
Poker Face by Lady Gaga
Baby by Justin Bieber (feat. Ludacris)
End of the World by REM
YMCA by Village People
Can't Be Tamed by Miley Cyrus
Thriller by Michael Jackson

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Multimedia: Duke TIP at UGA Term II (TIPATUGA)



Soundslides: Alaina Boyden, Lan'Tiqua Burks and Toju Mikie

Multimedia: Duke TIP at UGA Term II



Soundslides: Olivia Baker, Kathy Garner, Damarcio McCoy, Ella Sivertsen and Megan Valentine

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Darius Goes TIP

Darius Weems, center, with the M&M class.

In 2005, 15-year-old Athens, Ga., native Darius Weems started a journey.

Weems, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), and a group of 11 friends set out on a cross-country road trip with the goal of getting his wheelchair pimped by the crew from MTV's popular "Pimp My Ride." Along for the ride was a camera to document their experience, which was the first time Weems had ever left Athens. The end result was the documentary Darius Goes West, a film that has captured hearts of audience members across the country and turned into a movement to raise money to cure DMD.

"It just feels good being able to see how good we did and how good we still are doing," Weems said Wednesday afternoon. He took time to speak with the M&M and Sports Medicine classes and answer their questions about life since the film.

The 20-year-old has since traveled 47 states with the DGW team, holding speaking engagements and viewings of the film at high schools and colleges.

"I would definitely say Darius Goes West inspired me to do most things that I thought I couldn't do...And it just changed my life from sitting at home into traveling," he said.

The film has also allowed him to share his life story. "I inspired a lot of people, so it keeps me up in spirits and it makes me keep on wanting to find a cure to this disease."

Weems received national attention on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Today Show, and has since met a long list of celebrities, including LL Cool J, Kanye West, William H. Macy, Bill Gates, Ben Affleck, and Robin Williams. He also got a letter from Beyonce.

Aside from working with the DGW movement, Weems is focusing on developing a rap career. "I like to inspire people through my music," he said. He will perform three of his original raps Saturday at the Darius Goes West Day festivities held in Athens.

Weems also took a moment to provide the TIPsters with words of advice on how to start their own movements for things they are passionate about.

"Just bring it to the people," he explained, "because without the people you have nothing."

M&M TIPsters are providing additional content on Darius Weems and Darius Goes West at athensteens.blogspot.com.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Ed Morales Visits


Ed Morales, editorial adviser to the University of Georgia's independent student newspaper, The Red & Black, talked with M&M TIPsters Monday afternoon. Students learned about the publication and gained insight on preparing for a journalistic career. At the end, Morales offered a special prize of a staff t-shirt to the first M&M student who could give the age of the newspaper. Nicole Alanko, above, won with her response of the year of the paper's founding: 1893.

For more information on Morales and The Red and Black, check out this article on his visit last term: All the World's a Story: Red and Black Editorial Adviser Discusses Journalism and Newspapers

M&M TIPsters Get a Taste of the Newspaper Life

By Sarah Eutsler, M&M TA

Contributers: Olivia Baker, Lan’Tiqua Burks, Lexi Lutsky, David Garcia, Alaina Boyden, Paxton Swisher

The Athens-Banner Herald, like other modern newspapers, is learning to change with the times.

“Social media has changed our jobs a lot!” said Executive Editor Melissa Hanna to the Media and Message TIPsters during a Monday tour of the publication.

Hanna went on to explain that the Athens Banner-Herald uses their website, Twitter, and Facebook accounts to promote and break news.

The online version is a significant part of the publication due to ease of accessibility and potentially higher readership than the print edition.

“The online product is just as important, if not more important than the actual paper, “ Hanna said.
M&M TIPsters get an up-close look at the Banner-Herald's printing press.

But while the online sites serve as tools, there is a little bit of hesitancy.

“It’s a scary time to be in this business,” Hanna said, explaining that even though most in newspapers utilize the online tools, many do not know how it will work out for them in the end.

Digital age fears aside, there’s still a print paper to produce. Students met with Hanna in the conference room where reporters gather to budget—or plan out—the stories to be included in each issue. The staff strives to fill the niche of the local Athens area when it comes to their reporting. They also try to put a local twist on national and international stories to show how stories are relevant to the community and its residents.

Plans, however, do not always stick. Stories can easily be bumped minutes from deadline due to a breaking news story that has greater significance.

Hanna ended the talk by going into the life of the journalist more in depth. Most of the staff, she explained, works about 40-50 hours a week, and schedules are sometimes flexible by what they cover. Those who report on sports, Hanna explained, might take time off in the morning and afternoon and work at night, when most sporting events occur.

Hanna also reflected on her own job. “The hardest part of the process is editing—looking at a story with an objective eye and finding holes,” she explained.

But despite the challenges of the job, Hanna was quick to say that through the long hours and uncertainty, there is still a love of the profession.

Visit the Banner-Herald online at: www.onlineathens.com

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Darius Goes West Review 3

Editor's Note.  Students in the Media and Message course watched Darius Goes West. Here are a few of their reviews of the award-winning documentary about an Athens teenager with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

By Madison Howard
M&M TIPster


Have you ever seen a documentary that was interesting and made you care about it? Yesterday, I would have said no. Most documentaries are boring and make you want to sleep during them. But not Darius Goes West.
This documentary was moving and wonderful. It showed the life of a 16 year old teen with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. His name is Darius and he is from Athens Georgia. This film follows him from Athens Georgia, to Los Angeles California. He wanted to persuade MTV Studios to allow him to appear on the show, Pimp My Ride. Darius wanted them to "pimp" his wheelchair.
He and twelve friends go on a road trip to try and make this possible. They have fun and treat Darius like a "normal" person, instead of someone with a fatal disease.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the most deadly dystrophy. It has a 100% death rate. People with this disease usually live only to be in their teens or twenty's. A good scenario would be that they would live to be thirty.


Darius didn't do this for himself. He wanted to spread awareness for future generations. This movie won many awards and has gotten this disease more public so that people can help find a cure.


Darius' brother, Mario, died of this disease when he was only nineteen. Darius knows that he will die just like his brother. He knows that he will most likely not live to see the age of thirty- one. But, he is determined to help others.
Part of the trip was to show how wheelchair inaccessible places are. There are gas stations and many other places that if you're in a wheelchair, you can't visit.


This documentary was the best that I have ever seen. You laughed, you cried, and you smiled at the fact that even though Darius has every reason to be angry at the world, he wasn't. He just wanted to make a difference.
More information about Darius and this movie at the Darius Goes West website.

Let's Go West: DGW Review No. 2

By Ben Calvo
M&M TIPster

Darius Goes West was one of the most amazing documentaries I have seen in my lifetime.  I am not unaware of the seriousness of the disease that Darius has because one of my friend's older sister has it.

Meredeth is like an older sister to all of us and we don't really pay attention to the fact that she's in a wheelchair. I think this is due to the fact that she is a lot like Darius. She doesn't let the fact that she is in a wheelchair bother her, she lives her life. However, I don't think that my friends or I ever realized how hard it can sometimes be for her.

After watching this film, I want to help make Meredeth's (and future children with this disease) life easier. Not out of pity, but because she deserves the same life experience that the rest of us have. Meredeth is heavily involved with the Muscular Dystrophy cure movement, and I am definitely going to ask her how I can get involved once I get back home.

I also want to donate money. My relatives always give a lot of money for holidays and other occasions. I usually spend half and save half, but after seeing Darius Goes West, I want to give money to this cause and know that I am helping to make a change.

Another thing that I remembered as I watching the movie is how Chapel Hill is very wheel chair accessible, however, one of the most important places, Raleigh-Durham Airport, has barely any ramps. Airports need to be accessible for disabled people, otherwise it's impossible to get anywhere. When my plane lands on July 3 in Raleigh, I am going to complain.

School buses are another problem. Most of the public schools in my area have ramps and its easy for handicapped people to get around. However, the school buses don't have a space for for wheelchairs. Kids and teens with muscular dystrophy have to be driven to school and that can sometimes cause an inconvenience for parents in terms of work and gas money. Public transportation should be able to be used by all of our citizens.

Seeing this documentary has changed my whole perspective on this disease and how we have to change some things to make lives easier for people who have to live with it. I think we all need to realize what we can do for this cause, lives are at stake, but we can all play a part in changing that.

Darius Goes West Review 1

By Courtney Scoufis
M&M TIPster

Darius Goes West is a documentary about a 15 year old named Darius Weems who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). He goes on a road trip with his eleven best friends to California in order to try to get MTV to "pimp his wheelchair." Beside trying to get his wheelchair "pimped" he also tried to raise awareness of Muscular Dystrophy and how many places aren't handicapped accessible throughout the United States.

Darius lives in Athens, Georgia and had never been out of the county. When his brother of (DMD) he knew he had to do something to help raise awareness. He dreamed of being on Pimp my Ride and thought that being on the show would help his cause.

Darius took a road trip "West" to California (thus the name Darius Goes West.) Along the way the took many stops and did many things including visiting Panama City, The Grand Canyon, San Fransisco, riding in a hot air balloon, and going white water rafting. The documentary shows that even if your disabled you can still do normal things. The were some downsides too, however. Many places they visited were not handicapped accessible. These places included gas stations and the Gateway Arch. Many places on the other hand are handicap accessible. One of the most surprising places is Carlsbad Caverns.

This documentary is probably one of the best I have ever seen.This documentary opened my eyes to how we must make more places handicap accesible. Even if your handicapped you still deserve to be able to go into the same places as others. It also opened my eyes on what it is like to be handicapped, but how you can still enjoy life. Darius doesn't seem to let anything get him down, even a fatal disease. This documentary is probably one of the best I have ever seen.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Snelling for Fun

Article and Photo by Kaitlyn Shanks & Madison Howard
M&M TIPsters

J. Michael Floyd knows his food groups. The director of food services at UGA is responsible for feeding hungry college students during the school year, visitors on the weekends, and campers during the summer.

“We are excited about having campers here on the college campus, what it does, in the summer time there are not a lot of college students, so the campers fill the dining halls," Floyd said in an exclusive interview with two M&M TIPsters. "It gives my employees employment.”  His staff is happy to entertain summer camps as many of the college students are not there to buy their product during the summer, camps help fill the empty spaces, Floyd said. 

While dining services' slogan is "Let the Big Dawg Eat," during the summer months, there are Dawgs of all shapes and sizes and many non-Dawgs from all over the country who walk through the turnstiles to get their grub on.

Floyd said he enjoys his job and the camps that attend. TIPsters eat breakfast at Snelling, lunch at either Snelling or the Summit at East Campus Village and dinner at Bolton throughout the week. Snelling has won many awards and the students love the food. TIPsters in the Media and Message course liked to "Snellebrate" at lunch time. Next time you are on the UGA campus, stop by Snelling to get some good food and meet even better employees.

M&M meets WUOG

By Olivia Baker
M&M TIPster

The Media & Message students took a mini field trip Thursday to the WUOG 90.5 radio station located at the University of Georgia. The students were greeted at the door by the programming director, Laura Leidner, and the operations director, Nakeem Purkiss. Laura told the students that the station has been on the air since 1972, so now they are approaching an "over the hill" age. She said that the station played all types of genres, from rock and pop to jazz and classical. Also that they have over 60 DJs and 30+ speciality radio shows.


Laura mentioned to the M&M kids about the WUOG's strong music philosophy that everyone on staff knows. "We are an alternative media outlet," she explained, "we promote artists that don't get radio play, and no one that has been charted will be played." Laura also went on to say that the station is a "training ground for students" that allows them to become more technically savvy. She told the students about how the station has no automated system, and all the members of the staff of volunteers.
The Media and Message students then went on to have our tour of the station. They were shown the staff's offices, the pile of reject Cd's, the production room where the shows are edited, the news room where the news and talk shows were held, and the wall where artists that come in and play have signed. Last but certainly not least, the kids were able to see the DJ booth, where they met DJ Max who in on his second semester of DJing. When asked what his favorite part of being a DJ was, he responded, "All the music I'm surrounded by is great." It was explained to the students how everything is free will of the DJ and they have an open selection from the box. Also that there are specialty shows and regular shows. On the way out the kids were able to pick out a CD from the "reject" box and a souvenir of either sunglasses, a yo-yo, a beach ball, etc.
 
Olivia Baker, 15, is a sophomore at University School of Jackson in Jackson, Tennessee.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Ladan Nekoomaram Talks Blogging, Social Media with M&M TIPsters

By: Sarah Eutsler, M&M TA

Contributers: Megan Valentine, Malea Berry, Olivia Baker, and fellow M&M TIPsters

The Skype chat was connected. The big screen pulled down and boom! The face of Ladan Nekoomaram appeared in front of the Media and Message Duke TIP class at the University of Georgia.

Nekoomaram, a fellow at Radio Free Europe and avid blogger, took time out from her Tuesday afternoon to talk with the group of 16 high school students. The conversation ranged from blogging to journalism in general, but in the end provided students with a lesson on the significance of social media.

"Twitter can be used to say more than what your doing at the moment," Nekoomaram said.

Twitter, she believes, is a great launching pad for those who are serious about a career in journalism. She frequently uses her own Twitter account to connect to others in the journalism field she meets at conferences and events she covers. Twitter also becomes a promotional tool for her work.

Stories Nekoomaram writes for Radio Free Europe do not always make it on the organization’s website, so she turns to her own blog, D.C. Foreign Policy Beat, to publish them. Then she employs the assistance of Twitter to help distribute her articles.

Her savvy use of Twitter brings her attention from both her followers and connections. She’s garnered attention from The Huffington Post, which landed her blogging opportunities through their site. This summer she has provided two blog posts on internship advice.

Nekoomaram’s relationship with social media also led to a first-person account published on MSNBC’s website, where she interned last summer. In the article she discussed how Facebook became a means to stay in touch with relatives in Iran during the Iran Revolution.

A 2009 DePauw University graduate, Nekoomaram took some time to talk about training for a journalism career. She studied English writing and history at the liberal arts school, located in Greencastle, Ind. She explained that her English classes helped to develop her writing skills, something she sometimes felt gave her an edge over her classmates in American University’s Master of Arts in Journalism program.

The history “helped with understanding context,” especially when it came to Persian affairs, a particular interest of Nekoomaram’s due to her heritage. "The news doesn't give you the history [as a reporter]. You're the one who has to do the research about the issue you're talking about. You need to know your topic," she explained.

Nekoomaram also told the students that they were doing exactly the right thing: learning about digital media at a young age. "Now is the time to learn these things because you still have a little bit of that learning curve,” she said. “By the time you're graduating, you'll be expected to know these things and well, so it's best to learn them early so you won't have to play catch-up later on."

Friday, July 2, 2010

John Slack Doesn’t Slack

Article and Photo by: Madison Howard, M&M TIPster

You may have seen an 18-year-old RC roaming the hallways checking to make sure that TIPsters stay out of mischief. His name is John Slack, and this is his first year of being an RC.
When John was younger, he was a TIPster. He attended Davidson University for two years and Duke East one year for TIP camp. After high school, John went on to Rice University in Houston, Texas and is a rising sophomore majoring in electrical engineering. But, John doesn’t brag about it, he is actually very quiet around those he doesn’t know.
John plans to be an RC next year at some Duke TIP location. When asked what his favorite part about being an RC was, he replied, “The kids.” If he had to say what the hardest part of his job was, he said, “Enforcing all of the rules. You have to be strict.”
John enjoys his job and we hope to see him again next year working at a TIP location as an RC.

Jenna Gorbatkin

Article and Photo by: Madison Howard, M&M TIPster

Jenna Gorbatkin is a brown- haired RC that is familiar with her job. This is Jenna’s fourth year of being an RC for TIP. Last year, Jenna was an RC at ASU. Usually when you see Jenna she is smiling and seems to be having a good time.
Jenna was a TIPster when she was younger and she attended Duke West for two years and the Marine Lab one year. After high school, Jenna attended Georgia Tech with a major in psychology.
She just graduated college. Her favorite part about being an RC is, “The TIPsters.” Jenna is very popular among her girls. Her third and fourth year girls are very close to her and they enjoy being around her. One of the best things about Jenna is that she is very nice. Even if she is not your RC, she will help you in any way that she can. Since Jenna is twenty- one, she is now able to be a driver for TIP and makes frequent drives to the doctor’s office with students.
Even when it is early, she is always smiling when she drives you. Jenna’s RC group and many others will miss her after she leaves TIP.

“She’s really nice and always asks how we are,” said Amber Palmer, a rising freshman at East Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia. Amber has a sprained foot and often rides with Jenna either to the doctor or around campus to get from place to place.

Villainous or Misunderstood?

Article and Photo by: Kaitlyn Shanks and Madison Howard, M&M TIPsters

“This class is really interesting; it lets you get into the villain’s perspective of things.” stated Elizabeth Roten, a rising freshman from Spring Hill, Tennessee. Elizabeth is taking the villains class here at UGA. The villains’ class learns about famous villains from stories and depicts their characteristics.
“ The reading and a lot of the videos we have watched in class. Discussion, I like analyzation,” said Dillon McDermott, a rising sophomore from Port Charlotte, Florida.
While we visited the class we witnessed a few of them giving their end of term projects, they were amazingly in depth and thorough. Many chose to defend the villains of popular tales and stories as they thought they had more sides to them than the original text might have explained. Maddy Longacre, a rising junior at H.B. Plant High School in Tampa, Florida, sketched and wrote out a screen play for a scene from Othello. Her project was incredibly detailed to the point where she would describe the camera angles and the shadows she would cast over the characters. Dillon, however, did something much more silly by writing a parody song of "Good Riddance" about this character that he related to.
Joe Lease from Athens, Georgia, the instructor for the Villains class, loves teaching tipsters. “I would say their enthusiasm, its much different from a typical school environment. They really get into the work and throw themselves into it.”
Overall, many students enjoyed the class and how they got into the different layers of stories and characters. Hopefully, next year, more TIPsters will enjoy this class as much as this years Tipsters did.

Austin Taylor- Jorgemsom

Article by: Courtney Scoufis a Media and the Message Tipster.

Austin Taylor Jorgemsom is an RC on the third floor. This twenty-two year old RC is attending Harvard next year for his graduates degree in Boston, Massachusetts.
Austin was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He lives with his two cats and his dog named Piper.
In his free time he enjoys to play video games, shop, watch movies, and read. One of his favorite books is Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel. Austin enjoys watching movies. His favorites include Casablanca, Eight and a Half, and The Wrath of God. Austin says, “Whenever I turn on the radio, I always change it to the Indie Rock channel.” Because of this, Austin spent most of the car ride up to Athens from Florida listening to Los Campesinos!. His favorite song by them is "Romance Is Boring."
When asked who he looks up to Austin replied, “My Philosophy teacher, Dr. Mike Michaelson.”
Austin was invited to attend Duke TIP, but decided not to. However when he was looking for a summer job four years ago as a freshman, his friend recommended he look into it. Austin has been an RC three times; in 2007, 2009, and 2010.

Do the John Wall

Article by: Courtney Scoufis, M&M TIPster

You might have seen some Tipsters walking around singing, “John Wall,” and moving their left wrist back and forth while keeping their arm in a flexed position. If so, you’re not alone, the Media and the Message class has gone crazy over this song. How did this originate you might ask?
While reading an article that was on the News & Observers the class stumbled upon a foreign term, “Do the John Wall.” It was later Googled and after much searching a music video by Troop 41 came up. Mr. Graybeal, the Media and the Message instructor, blasted the song. It was an instant hit with the class. It has been played in the classroom multiple times and is always stuck in the student’s heads. When the Media and the Message Tipsters are singing the song, the all so catchy dance is not far behind.
The creator of the dance, John Wall, was a 6-4 point guard for the Kentucky Wildcats when he created it. It was a simple flexed arm power move that he did during his first appearance on the court. Since then it has become a phenomenon. The song that was created to go along with it by Troop 41 is on iTunes and on YouTube. You too can learn the John Wall.

“525,600 Minutes, 525,000 moments so dear”

Article by: Ben Calvo and Madeline Goss, M&M TIPsters

Yes, the brochure says that Duke TIP is a rigorous academic camp that accepts only the brightest students. And that’s why the brightest minds in the southern region come together every year…LIES! Tipsters love the social aspect of the camp and some of the best parts of TIP happen during your free time. Free time is when you can be with your friends and actually act like a semi -normal teenager and not a snooty genius. So, in remembrance of our beloved free time, we have compiled a list of our recommended activities.

1) Throw a dance party: If you’re ever at a lack of words to say, why not use some body language? After all, small talk with people you don’t know very well can get awkward, but after a few fist pumps everyone’s ready to talk! And hey! Maybe some college students will drop by! ;)
2) Order Food: You already overeat at every meal, so why not just end the day with a bang! Sure, your arteries will be shouting profanities at you, but at TIP, food babies are all the rage.
3) Jam session: For those of you that are musically gifted, take some time to share your talents with your fellow tipsters. You’ll be surprised how many other people share your talent for making melodies. Those of you who aren’t musically gifted… time for more fist pumps!
4) Coloring Books: No, you’re not too old to color spongebob and Disney Princesses. So get off your high horse and grab those crayons.
5) Ballet: There is always someone playing a classical piece on the piano in the lobby. Take that time to perfect your pirouette. Guys, this means you too.
6) Pretend to be Deep: Rainy days can definitely come to UGA, and you’ll need something to do. When someone is playing a beautiful piece on the piano, sit on a couch, look out the window, and pretend to be thinking deep thoughts. This will create the illusion that you actually belong at TIP when in reality you are thinking, “If I knock a cheerleader out to get to the front of the line, would I get in trouble” or maybe, “Why are those two canoodling in front of my face?” Pretending to be thinking deep thoughts also gives you the opportunity to eavesdrop.
7) Off to the races: Have a need for speed but don’t want to go outside? The hallways at Myers hall are the perfect place for you! Hold some races to see who can make it to the end of the hall and back first. Maybe make it multi floor? If you’re really lucky, you might get the chance to test your long jump and lunge over innocent bystanders sitting in the middle of the hall!
8) Become Informed: There is always drama at TIP. And as a Tipster, it’s your job to know it all. Who broke up? Who made up? What friends are having a fight? Who decided that it was ok to ask someone out with 3 days left? Who needs Gossip Girl when you have nerd camp.
9) Call yo mama: We know, we know, you left home to get away from your mother, but she misses you and she’s probably heard about that light drizzle that rolled in early this morning and wants to know if the buildings been flooded. SO PICK UP THE PHONE FOOL!
10) Prepare for talent show: If you aren’t talented… then start early. This will give you time to FIND your talent. If you’re like us, you’ll be on the second to last day and still need to get the words to your parody down! If you have some raw talent…. LET IT SHINE! BE THE STAR YOU ARE!
11) Prepare yourself for the waterworks: Go buy a raincoat, because those last few days will be like visiting Niagara Falls. Tears will be everywhere you look, and make sure you’re prepared to shed a few thousand of your own.
12) Treasure Everything: All joking aside, TIP really is an amazing opportunity. Enjoy it for what it is. Spend every moment you can with your friends and have some real conversations as well as a few hundred thousand inside jokes. These people will forever remain in your heart and mind, and they are some of the most amazing people you will ever meet.

“How wonderful life is now you’re in the world”
-Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, Moulin rouge


Article title taken from RENT song “Seasons of Love”

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Amanda

Article by: Kaitlyn Shanks, M&M TIPster

“4th years are DIVAS!” This is what Amanda Johnson had to say about her R.C. group. She is a serious R.C. and she knows her way around her job because this is not her first time as a residential counselor. She led the Blue Ice team to victory this year at Dawg Fest and helped organize all the crazy campers.
“Best person I would take to Target!” screamed Alysia Anderson, a rising 11th grader at Episcopal High School in Houston, Texas. This got a round of giggles from the girls, an obvious inside joke. Amanda is loved by her ladies as she always lets them shine brightly while still making sure they do not break any TIP rules. She is always seen laughing with R.C. group, letting them make the best of their last year here as TIPsters.

Matt

Article by: Kaitlyn Shanks, M&M TIPster

“Matt is a sexy beast.” This is the response Michael Lefkowitz, a rising 9th grader at Gulliver High School in Miami, Florida, felt he had to say when asked to describe his R.C., Matt.
Matt Barbara is a student at Davidson College. This twenty year old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native is employed as an RC this summer at Duke Tip. His group of second year boys is rowdy and rambunctious, but Matt tries his hardest to keep them under control. When we asked his R.C. group what they had to say about him, although all of it was positive, most could not be printed as it referenced to things that were not appropriate.
“My R.C. group is awesome.” Matt said when asked about his R.C. group. He laughed when I told him that his description must be appropriate for TIP. This he laughed at because, well, his whole R.C. group is not appropriate for TIP.

Spreading the Message

Article and Photos by: Ben Calvo, M&M TIPster

“This class has a good variety of media outlets that we get to learn about...I appreciate what I’ve learned and hope I can use it in the future.” Was what 14-year-old Brittney Vidal from Fort Worth, TX had to say about her class at Duke TIP this year. At the UGA campus, TIP offers a class called Media and the Message where students learn how to communicate and deliver news in the digital age.
When 14-year-old Adam Moore from New Port Richey, Florida was asked to describe the class, he said, “It basically got me out of the cave I was in and introduced me to different things.” Adam talked about being introduced to sites that are useful in terms of getting information out. Students learn valuable skills that can be applied to different paths of life. 14-year-old Madison Howard from Clinton, NC said, “My favorite part is the filming because I want a career in the film business.” Students took the first week of class to learn about the growth and popularity of blogs. The second week was nicknamed journalism boot camp where students wrote articles on topics that could interest local teenagers. Topics written about ranged from downtown and local camps offered to teens. Lastly, in the third week, the students wrote articles pertaining to TIP and all the wonderful experience of the campers.
For many students, their classmates were the best part of the class. “I love the people,” said 14-year-old Marissa Karp from Savannah, Georgia. “They’re all so cool.” Most of the other students agree the atmosphere of the class is a good one. The students joke around at break time and have formed a class bond and make each other feel at home. “I love the friendships I’ve made here,” said 15-year-old Abby Hunt from Tupelo, Mississippi.
This class offers students with the opportunity to view the world of the media through a different perspective. Students learn the value of giving news to the public, how to be a good journalist, and made amazing friends in the process. SUCCESS!

Social Media from TIP at UGA

Graphic by Abby Hunt & Gabriela Hernandez/ M&M TIPsters

Facebook and Twitter Status Updates from TIPsters throughout Session 1.


It’s the End of the World as We Know It

Article and Photos by: Madeline Goss, M&M TIPster

“TIP for me is like glorified boarding school. It gets to the point where the people you meet feel like family and the dorms become your home. Every single day is different and fun- a new adventure and experience,” says Morgan Baskin
So, as much as we don’t want to face it, TIP is coming to a close, but this is not an obituary. Let us take a moment to reflect upon term 1 at UGA.
Arrival night, while some ran to greet their friends, some were thinking to themselves “’Well, this is going to be the most enjoyable three weeks ever!’ in the most sarcastic voice ever.” as Abby Hunt had, a fifteen year old from Tupelo, Mississippi. Now, on day 18, she fears the tears that are sure to be coming during the last dance.
“I love everything about TIP, especially the dances!” said fifteen year old Adrienne Cassel from Miami, Florida. We all remember the first dance, and though there were some minor speed bumps, everyone went back to Myers with the fear that their legs might fail while walking up the stairs.
Then, there was Dawg fest. Red, Orange, Pink, Green, and Blue teams came out to compete and battle for the ultimate prize… bragging rights. Of course, being the kids we are, we got a little too competitive. In the end though everyone had fun and the blue team was victorious… but no one knew that yet because Dawgfest was cut early so we could prepare for dance #2, which some people thought was more of a success than the first dance.
Now, as I write this it is Thursday of week three. Tonight is the last dance, tomorrow will be the day of tears when we say our goodbyes to TIP until next summer. TIP leaves you with a sense of worth, and a deep appreciation of friends “Some of my best friends I met at TIP” said Tori Watson, a fifteen year old from St. Louis, Missouri. It also leaves you with the gut reaction to sprint around in a circle when you hear “It’s the End of the World” by R.E.M. and to start bawling when you hear “American Pie” by Don McLean. So, take your memories home with you, and look upon them with favor, not with sadness.
Title: Lyrics from the song “It’s the End of the World” by R.E.M.