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What Do I Want to Do With My Life, Page 3How Do You Halloween?, Page 10The Social Network, Page 13

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Study Abroad: Gambling 101 in WindsorSo you’re not yet 21 years old, but you

feel 19 is old enough to be able to share in the same hedonistic pleasures. Head on up to Windsor, Ontario. It is just across the river from Detroit (no more than an hour drive), and you can do all the things that a 21 year old can do in this country.

If you have not yet voyaged to this underage playground, and you’ve reached the appropriate age, then I will recommend it to you, but be careful. If you have never gambled before, then I have several recommendations.

First, do not bring more money than you are prepared to lose. Casinos are built on gamblers losses, and in the end the house has better odds than you. Think about the money that you may lose as an entertainment expense. Next, you must understand that although there is an

element of luck in gambling, it is not just about luck. If you plan on betting with any serious amount of money then take some time to learn about the game you are playing. Your best odds are playing poker, because you are not playing against the house. If you want to take back some money from the casino, then your best odds are with Blackjack. If you play Basic Strategy then the house advantage is less than 1 percent, and if you master card counting this can actually net you a 1-2 percent edge over the house. If you prefer more thrills then you can play Craps, the Passline and Come bets offer a house edge of only 1.41 percent (.61 percent if you take double odds on your bet). Then there is always sports betting, but you should know the statistics well if you are going down this route.

Avoid slot machines. They may seem

simple, easy, colorful, and fun; but, these machines have terrible odds and in the long run you are just pushing buttons until all your money drains down. If you really like them then feel free to play a little bit, but save the majority of your money for games with better odds, like most table games.

Although gambling can be very fun, make sure to take a break to enjoy all that Windsor (or wherever your gambling destination may be) has to offer. Check out the bars and clubs, the shows, or the hot tub if you are feeling it. Don’t get too caught up in gambling to realize that you are there to get away and have some fun!

Casey is a sophomore studying Business and Chemical Engineering. You may contact him at cgoldman@olympiamediagroup.com.

Study Abroad: Gambling 101 in Windsor

CASEY GOLDMAN

Phi Kappa PsiPublisher

Alex Perlman, Phi Kappa Psi • Matthew Goldstein, Phi Kappa PsiLeann Arcori, Alpha Phi • Ben Prouty, Phi Kappa Psi • Will Pappo, Phi Kappa Psi

Interested in writing or sales? Contact Michigan@TheOdysseyOnlline.com

Casey Goldman, Phi Kappa PsiPUBLISHER

Vol.1 No.9

www.TheOdysseyOnline.com • 3TALK ABOUTTALK ABOUTTALK ABOUT

Something to

Since my sophomore year of high school, I feel as though everyone has asked me, “what do you want to do after college?” Four years and hundreds of failed attempts later at dodging this question, I hate to admit that I am still unsure. Even though I graduate and am expected to enter the workforce in two and a half years, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.

While so many people at Michigan know and have known that they want to be, say, a doctor for years, so many other students are on the exact same boat as me, and are becoming increasingly frustrated that they have not found the right path. This uncertainty can cause a lot of stress: What classes do I take? What

type of internships or activities should I do, especially if I don’t know which ones will pertain to my future? Once I decide what to do, will I be behind?

Call me crazy, but I think its ok to have uncertainties about one’s future. We’re only in our late teens/early twenties, living on our own for the fi rst time. Are we really expected to have it all fi gured out? Of course not. Deciding what we want to do with the rest of our lives is

a very important process, and the decision comes much more readily to some than to others. Moreover, a large portion of those who say they know what they want to do (and make people like me feel anxious), will soon decide that their current path

is not right for them and switch majors, or join the masses in labeling themselves as “undecided."

The bottom line is this: college is all about discovering who you are, and, eventually, what you will become. This process doesn’t happen overnight. Enroll yourself in many different classes and join a variety of groups, because chances are that something will eventually catch your interest. Don’t worry about what everyone else around you is doing, because twenty years from

now when you’re in the workforce, whatever they did won’t matter. Worst comes to worst, you’ll go into one career and decide you’d rather be in another, or have to go back and take night classes for a year or two. Yes, this will be a pain, but in the scheme of your life, not knowing is not the end all. Remember that college is a place where you should not know every detail of your future. That’s the beauty of it; you have an entire world of possibilities open for the taking.

Lindsey Mandich is a sophomore studying Political Science and English. You may contact her at lmandich@umich.edu.

What Do I Want to Do With My Life?

LINDSEYMANDICH

Delta Delta DeltaContributing Editor

"The bottom line is this: college is all about discovering who you are, and, eventually, what you will become."

4 • www.TheOdysseyOnline.comTALK ABOUTTALK ABOUTTALK ABOUTSomething to

As a student at Michigan, I am sure that everyone who was at one time a freshman remembers their meal plan from the dorm and how it included Blue Bucks and Dining Dollars that made it appear that eating out was free (at places like Beansters and Panda Express, of course). Once a student becomes an upperclassman, this luxury disappears as students move into fraternities and sororities or apartments and houses. It becomes annoying to always have to make your own food or choose from the options provided. This is exactly the

reason that Eatblue.com has come out with an Eat Blue Meal Plan, the perfect way to eat out on a regular basis with the limit on the card set by your parents. Eatblue.com is a well known campus online company that connects students with their favorite food, restaurants, delivery and take out menus, and contact information.

The Eat Blue Meal Plan is a win-win solution for both students and parents. Students get to eat at most of their favorite restaurants such as Amers, Noodles & Co., Pizza House, Chipoltle and more, and their parents get to choose the amount their student can spend.

There are over twenty different restaurant options! Cardholders also receive special promotions and discounts exclusively

for them. There are many different options of meal plans ranging from three meals a week to eighteen, as well as a custom meal plan option. Each meal is based on an average $7.50 meal for the 14 week semester. You can start with a lower meal plan and progress ively add more money as needed.

There are many benefi ts to this unique meal plan option such as fl exibility with meal plan options, the convenience of delivery options, as well as the variety

of different restaurants to choose from. If this is appealing to you as a student, it is

also very simple to sign up for. You can choose to sign up either online, on the phone or by mail. I personally found that signing up online is the quickest and most convenient way. A student merely has to log on to the website, www.mealplan.eatblue.com, and complete a registration form. This is defi nitely the solution to all your food troubles and money concerns!

Dana Narens is a sophomore studying communications and English. You may contact her at dnarens@umich.edu.

Not Your Average Meal Plan

There are many benefi ts to this unique

OLIVIA QUINNDelta Delta Delta

"The Eat Blue Meal Plan is a win-win solution for both students and parents. Students get to eat at most of their favorite restaurants such as Amers, Noodles & Co., Pizza House, Chipoltle and more"

www.TheOdysseyOnline.com • 5TALK ABOUTTALK ABOUTTALK ABOUT

Something to

Can you remember a night when you chose not to drink when going out? I can say I have. One Thursday night, in the midst of all the craziness that surrounds the 5th Quarter/Scorekeepers action, I had a monster energy drink instead of liquor to pregame for what turned out to be an epic night.

I say epic night not just because I had a good time but also because I learned something supremely valuable. I embraced the sober-ness, the clearheaded-ness, and the non-indulgence of the night and realized something very valuable. That alcohol did not need to be used in order for me to have a fun night. I mean after all, there is probably going to be a time in everyone’s life when you have to just “say no” and go with what you got. Whether it is when you begin a job that starts in the early hours of the morning, or if you have children, or if your body just cannot handle it anymore. In true fact, it was a relief that I had such a good time in my sobriety.

True, it may have been because everyone else was drunk and if everyone were sober it may not have been as enjoyable. The idea that partying and drinking always must go hand in hand does pose some strikingly crucial questions about society and our ability to connect on a real level.

After all, going out is where we, Greek Lifers, do a good amount of our “meeting people” even if we might not remember it in the morning.

I challenge whoever is reading this to take a night off from the bottle, the keg, and in some cases, the octabong. Chill, let

the music bring you to that level we all seek during the night at some point after 1 a.m. Just do it. Not because I am telling you to, but because you are curious to see how the night turns out for you. To be honest, I felt more on top of my game in social interactions, and more in control of my own actions.

Strong recommendation: Do not attempt on football Saturdays.

Ben Seidman is a sophomore interested in global change. You may contact him at benseido@umich.edu.

One Night in

BENJAMINSEIDMAN

Alpha Epsilon Pi

ANN ARBOR...Sober

6 • www.TheOdysseyOnline.comTALK ABOUTTALK ABOUTTALK ABOUTSomething to

As I began my sophomore year, my parents asked if I would be coming home for Fall Break this semester. I quickly told them no, because for some reason, I thought lots of people would stick around due to the short nature of the break. I could not have been more wrong. For those of you who stuck around Ann Arbor over break, you know exactly what I mean – the place was an absolute ghost town.

The pre-game scene on Saturday was the most disappointing showing I’ve ever seen on this campus. I can’t tell you how saddening it was to look down Hill Street

and see mostly barren front lawns peppered with a few very small parties here and there. I almost gagged as I walked past a house that is usually crammed with people, and saw a group of six guys, casually chatting around a table on the front porch. There wasn’t much music blaring from windows, there was hardly any trash fl oating around in the streets, and I’m pretty sure I watched the a group of cops hold friendly conversation with a few kids on a lawn on State - a peculiar sight to say the very least.

Much to my surprise, the student section actually didn’t

look as weak as I expected it to (although, it emptied pretty quickly after the fourth quarter began… what a heartbreaking

game). Based on the decently populated stands, I was at least pretty sure that the post-game revelry would be alright, but yet again, I was let down. As it turned out, plenty more people actually headed home as soon as the game was over, making it a rather quiet Saturday evening in Ann Arbor.

Although I was defi nitely upset that I seemed to be about one of ten people who decided to stick around, there were a few perks about Ann Arbor being so empty. First and most importantly, parking, for once, was a breeze all weekend long. For someone who is used to driving around the block several times before fi nding a semi-decent parking spot everywhere I go, I was absolutely delighted to pull right into prime spaces again and again throughout the break. The lack of wait time at restaurants was also a treat, so I won’t lie and say that I completely hated the fact that so many people were

gone. Plus, there’s nothing like having a weekend to enjoy the small get-togethers that replace the crowded ragers you’re used to showing up to on any given Friday or Saturday night.

So, to those of you who went home, I’m not sure whether or not I’m upset at you or if I’m thanking you for the low-key weekend, but either way, it was certainly a taste of something rather different.

Kylie Kagen is a sophomore studying communications. You may contact her at knkagen@umich.edu.

Fall Break: For Those of You Who Missed it

KYLIE KAGENAlpha Delta Pi

Fall Break: For Those of You Who Missed it

SAMANTHASCHARMETTSigma Delta Tau

www.TheOdysseyOnline.com • 7HALLOWEEN

In elementary school, we were witches, complete with tie-around crooked noses slapped onto our faces, long black capes tied around our necks, and broomsticks clenched in hand. In middle school, we were babies, sucking on adult-sized pacifi ers and dressed in zip-up onesies adorned with little pink ducks—cute and still classy. In high school, we began to enter dangerous territory with Tinkerbells, Dorothy’s, and Hooters girls (not sure why I ever thought that last one was okay). And now, as collegiate sorority girls, our tastes have evolved to whatever outfi ts provide us with the least amount of clothing possible. Yes, gentlemen, the time you wait all year for has fi nally arrived: Halloweekend.

Last October, my friend and I went to a costume store off campus in search of the perfect costumes—one for each night of the weekend. Each time I emerged from the dressing room, I braced myself for a slew of criticisms: “Not short enough!”… “Too loose!” … “Sam, that makes you

look like you’re in seventh grade. Next!” By the time I successfully found my three costumes, I felt like I had just sprinted an entire marathon (and crossed the fi nish line in nothing but a bra and underwear).

My friend seemed pretty satisfi ed with my fi nal choices, so I sighed and approached the boy at the register. “Cash or credit?” he asked me, and I passed my credit card over the counter. After being rung up, I walked outside with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I just paid an absolutely ridiculous amount of money for clothing that more closely resembles a fabric swatch than an outfi t; and odds are I’m only going to wear them once (considering it’s widely acknowledged that recycling Halloween costumes for the following year is unacceptable… Facebook pictures, people).

Fast forward to this moment as I sit home during Fall Break and reminisce over the pictures of my brother and me from when we were preschoolers. He’s around six years old here, wearing a superman

costume with big abdominal muscles etched into the chest plate. And then there’s three-year-old me, clutching onto my big brother’s leg in a Minnie Mouse costume, donning big black ears, white tights, and a red polka dotted dress that fl oats past my knees. We carry plastic jack-o-lanterns full of candy, and our noses are a Rudolph red from the chilly outdoor temperature. To me, this photo epitomizes the spirit of Halloween. Thinking back to last year’s Halloween costume shopping spree, I wonder: What happened to the simple pleasures of the holiday? Where’s the candy corn? The fun-size Three Musketeers bars? The trick-or-treating!?

Of course, I’m not going to lie and tell you all that I’ll be wearing that alien costume with the glow-in-the-dark

facemask and full-body trenchcoat (I was eight, so no judgments please). But I do think we should all take a step back and realize that Halloween could be just as enjoyable if we had a little extra material to cover us up as we gallivant around from party to party in Michigan’s arctic temperatures. For the girls: since I probably won’t even take my own advice, consider this a stream of consciousness as opposed to a sermon

on Halloween etiquette. And for the boys, enjoy the show!

Samantha Scharmett is a junior studying communications and french. You may contact her at samariel@umich.edu.

Halloween Hussies

10 • www.TheOdysseyOnline.com

HALLOWEENWhile I sit here munching

on a bite size Snickers bar that was purposely hidden to be saved for tick-or-treaters, I can’t stop reminiscing about how much I used to look forward to that spooky holiday on October 31st. Seriously though, remember when? Remember when our parents used to squeeze us into some sort of homemade something or another that maybe resembled a princess or a super hero? Remember when we would skip through our neighborhoods, pillow case in hand, trying to get the most candy only to realize we were really incapable of lugging a 20 pound bag everywhere? I certainly can recall sitting on my living room fl oor dividing my earnings from that night into categories; there were Reeses, Skittles,

Almond Joys, Hershey Bars, the list could go on forever. So, is it just me, or do you wish it was still acceptable to beg for candy from random strangers at our age?

Now-a-days, our idea of Halloween is depicted by racy costumes, whether provocative or comical, and sometimes I just wish I could go back to my younger years. I can guarantee that this year I’ll go somewhere on Halloween and fi nd myself drowning in a sea of maids, police women and nurses; and I’m not

talking about careers (ba-dum-chh). Obviously, the whole dressing-up in costumes ordeal, for girls at least, morphs into a whole different type of holiday by

the time we reach college, but are we doing it because we want to look that way, or because everyone else is doing it? I bet a lot of us would say we follow the crowd.

Guys in college don’t really have this issue, but hey, maybe we girls want to dress up in a, you know, certain way, simply for the fun of it. I was always the one in high school who would try to come up with some sort of pun to all of my costumes. One year I was Dairy Queen where I somehow constructed a cow printed shirt and topped it off with a tiara and sash. The following Halloween I dressed up as the World Wide Web and made a dress that looked like the globe and draped myself with a ton of cotton web, get it?! I was proud of that one. And last year, I sported a black dress with white gloves and a very fancy hair-do with a giant envelope pinned to me saying “I’m sorry.” What was I? That’s right, a formal apology.

I guess the point of my fl ashback, which was probably more fun for me than you, was that I truly enjoyed having to come up with some miraculous way to construct my costume. Whereas now we simply click “add to cart” when we fi nd the one we want to wear. I have yet to decide who or what I am going to be this upcoming week, but I think I’m going to try to be a little more creative this year, and I hope all of you will too.

Kendall Szczerba is a sophomore studying pre-medicine and Spanish.You may contact her at szczerba@umich.edu.

How Do You Halloween?

cow printed shirt and topped it off with a

KENDALL SZCZERBA

Delta Delta Delta

www.TheOdysseyOnline.com • 11HALLOWEEN

Unless you’ve been planning your Halloween costume since last November (I know some of you bought your outfi ts months ago), it’s likely Halloween kind of snuck up on you. Even if you and 50 of your friends are dressing up en masse in the obligatory pledge costume, you still have at least 2 other costumes to come up with. Sure, you could blow your money on a costume that’s overpriced, undersized, and ends up getting spilled on by the night’s end, along with 12 other people wearing the exact same thing...or, you could try and get creative with it.

If you aren’t the creative type or just need some inspiration, here are some ideas. First, some guidelines. Halloween is your chance to go all out. That DOES give you license to experiment with

some cool makeup or gel your hair like Pauly D. It DOESN’T give you permission to get arrested for indecent exposure. Leave something to the imagination, will you? That means you too, boys. Yes, you could try to go for the “American Psycho” costume in nothing but tighty whiteys and an eye patch, but it’s almost November out there! It’s cold! Another general reminder for Halloween costumes: it’s great to be funny and out there, but if it’s something you wouldn’t want your mom, boss, or professor

to see you in, it’s probably not something you’ll want to wear at all (yay facebook!). I know, I know, you can thank me later.

1) Tom Cruise in "Risky Business." Sure, it’s been done before, but go look in your

closet. Do you have a button-down shirt, white tube socks, and sunglasses? Voila, 5 minute costume. Personally, I suggest you add some boxers for the men and short black shorts for the ladies. Because as crazy as Halloween costumes are, you still have to wear pants. Unless you’re Lady Gaga, which leads me to idea #2…

2) Lady Gaga. Sure, this one is a little more involved, but if you happen to be a hipster with a body suit, just add heels and sunglasses (the fl ashier, the better). This is the only time I’d recommend going pants-less. Just a heads up, though, in case you haven’t been outside since welcome week – it’s pretty cold out there, so this outfi t is only for the very daring.

3) Betty White. If you have the time to go out and grab a white wig, just pair it with a snickers bar and an oversized sweater. Then run around all night and be in everyone’s pictures (including people you don’t know). She’s all over the place right now.

4) Bedbug. It’s scary AND topical! Just fi nd some fangs (vampire teeth work just as well) and dress in brown from head to toe. Bonus points if you carry around sheets.

5) Ke$ha. What you’ll need: a trash bag, dirty hair. I’m not even being rude, go google “kesha trash bag” right now. See? I told you.

6) Steven Slater. Remember the pissed off Jet Blue fl ight attendant? Wear a sweater vest, white shirt and khakis, and you’ll be able to take advantage of any and all slides you encounter. Bonus points if you’re able to work “There goes 28 years!” into a conversation.

Don’t forget: Lady Gaga’s, don’t often have pockets, so plan ahead for your keys or money. Happy Halloween!

Elyse Cantor is a junior studying English and screen arts and cultures. You may contact her at elysedc@umich.edu.

Last Minute Halloween Costumes

sweater. Then run around all night and be

ELYSE CANTOR

Delta Phi Epsilon

12 • www.TheOdysseyOnline.comFITNESSFITNESSFITNESSHealth &

As Halloween approaches, people brace themselves for a week long of parties and crazy costumes. It is not at all uncommon to see people celebrate from Tuesday through Sunday of Halloween weekend. Welcome week,Halloween weekend, Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, and St. Patty’s day weekend are all periods of times when its appropriate to throw out worrying about your diet and just enjoy yourself. While college is one of the only times you will be able to party four nights a week, just make sure you know what you are getting yourself into.

Look back and ask yourself; Are you in better shape today than you were senior year of high school? For the majority of people, I bet the answer would be a defi nite no.

Unless you play a varsity or club sport, high school marked the end of highly competitive sports and fi ve (+) days a week of grueling practices. The transition from high school to college has turned many a students from competitive athletes, to competitive drinkers and late night eaters.

While it is by no means necessary to be as in great of shape as when you ended high school, all the weight people gain during college should be taken with caution. Its kind of like being a casual cigarette smoker. Having cigarettes once in a while during parties is not a big deal, but will it escalate into a life long addiction? Pertaining to weight gain, ten or fi fteen pounds gained during college are not that much, but do you

believe you can stop it from escalating into a life long problem?

Next time your strolling through old facebook pictures of yourself before the freshmen fi fteen hit, give it some thought as to whether or not you think you could even get close to getting back into your old shape. It may be one of those instances where a small issue eventually snowballs into a really big problem.

Sean Yang is a sophomore studying fi nance. You may contact him at yangsean@umich.edu.SEAN YANG

Sigma Alpha Epsilon

Having cigarettes once in a while during

A Halloween Evaluation

www.TheOdysseyOnline.com • 13www.TheOdysseyOnline.com ENTERTAINMENT

A Halloween EvaluationTheSocial Network

Facebook: we all know what it is, we all have it, and we all use it on a daily basis (or most of us do, right?). Even though I hate to admit it, I am one of the 500 million users addicted to Facebook. I check my profi le in the morning, in class when I’m bored, and I even use my phone to check it at the most random and unnecessary times (do I really need to read my picture comments during dinner?). Needless to say we are defi nitely a generation addicted to technology. It has made our lives easier in countless ways, especially with regards to the social aspect of our college experience. Just ask your parents. If your mom or dad even had a cell phone while they were in school, it probably weighed about fi ve pounds and had the options of "DIAL" and "END," and not much else. Texting? I don’t think so. To

make plans with somebody you actually had to talk to them. Yes, talk to them in person. Sounds crazy, right? I don’t know about you but most of the plans I make with friends who I don’t live with are made through texting. It’s just so simple, quick and hassle-free that it’s hard to resist. For some reason, picking up the phone to even call them can even seem weird. People just don’t do that anymore. It’s kind of sad. I guess what I’m trying to say is that this whole texting obsession can get a little impersonal. Especially when it comes to the dating scene….

So we all text the girl or boy we like, but that’s about as far as it goes. Think about it – you might feel comfortable texting the guy you’ve been talking to for a few weeks, but would you really feel

comfortable picking up the phone and calling him just to ask what’s up? Probably not…Texting, email and other social network tools seem to have revolutionized the way in which girls and guys interact. I mean, how many people have been asked to a date party through a Facebook message or a bbm? I bet we all at least know somebody who has. My advice to the frat boys out there, ask a girl in person. It's way more fun to accept face-to-face than to send that awkward message reply.

Olivia Quinn is a sophomore studying English. You may contact her at oliviaq@umich.edu.

OLIVIA QUINNDelta Delta Delta