August 13 2021 • Volume 107, Issue 3 • nique.

net

Design by Amanda Wang Student Publications

2 • August 13, 2021 • technique FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE //WELCOME

technique
The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Janat Batra

JANAT BATRA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
If the past three years at Tech
have taught me anything, it is
to let go of any and all expecta-
tions of what college should be,
and open yourself to everything
it can be. If Tech was your first
choice, then great — congratu-
lations! If it wasn’t, like it wasn’t
for me, then that’s also great —
this is your opportunity to make
college what you want it to be.
Take the classes that interest
you, go to every organization’s
meeting that piques your inter-
est; stick with some, and drop
the others you don’t want to
stay involved in. Find a space for
yourself on campus that you can
call your own, and the friend-
ships and memories will follow.
If you close one door, don’t be
afraid to open it back up later.
If living through a pandemic
for the past 17+ months has
taught me anything, it’s that
the last thing you want to leave
college with is regret. When we
were first told to leave campus
because of some “new virus’’
spreading around, I was a sec-
ond-year. Now, as I head into my
fourth and final year at Tech, I
still think about the events I sat
out on during my last “normal’
semester on campus and wish I
had willed myself to go to that
one birthday party, that last staff
meeting for the Technique or-
gotten one last pretzel from the
Auntie Anne’s in the old Student
Center before it was torn down.
More than that, living
through a pandemic for the past
17+ months has also taught me
that even if we do open our-
selves up to new opportunities
and try new things, the world
might have completely different
plans and throw everything out
the window. That’s okay, too.
This is why I will not dwell
too long on how hard Tech can
be — yes, the academics are rig-
orous, and yes, the pressure of
being on campus surrounded
by so many students succeed-
ing when it seems like you are
drowning can seem immense at
times. But this incoming class
has already faced much worse, so
feel proud that you are entering
this new phase of life despite all
of the momentous occasions that
have been stolen from you before
this — the canceled proms, vir-
tual graduations, unsaid good-
byes and so much more.
Some of you might have faced
more personal tragedy over the
past year and a half than ever
before like losing a loved one,
being sick yourself or just living
in a constant state of anxiety due
to the state of the world, and for
that, I am so sorry. I hope that
coming to Tech will be a shin-
ing light for you in this current
MANAGING EDITOR:
Taylor Gray
state of darkness, that you still NEWS EDITOR:
feel some excitement even if it’s Maya Torres
accompanied by some anxiety, OPINIONS EDITOR:
and that you take see this as
Micah Veillon
an opportunity to make new
LIFE EDITOR:
memories and gain new expe-
Hope Williams
riences (safely) to make up for
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:
the lost time.
The good news is, once you Emma Ryan
hit rock bottom, the only place SPORTS EDITOR:
you can go is up. I have the ut- Will Fuss
most confidence that if this gen- DESIGN EDITOR:
eration can live through a pan- Amanda Wang
demic and make it this far, then PHOTO EDITOR:
you will make it at Tech. More Dani Sisson
than that, you will thrive (not ONLINE EDITOR:
all the time if we’re being hon- Sarah Miller
est, but at least sometimes!). If TECHNOLOGY EDITOR:
you are not yet confident in your Rahul Deshpande
ability to succeed at Tech, know HEAD COPY EDITOR:
that at the very least, you are re- Madhura Gangal
silient, and resilience alone can
take you a long way in this world
and on this campus.
Founded in 1911, the Technique is the
I would wish you the best of student newspaper of the Georgia In-
luck, but I don’t think you need stitute of Technology and is an official
it. Welcome to Tech! publication of the Georgia Tech Board
of Student Publications. The Technique

The History of the Technique

The ‘Nique, as we call ourselves, had its humble
beginnings on Nov. 17, 1911. Apparently, we were
just as preoccupied back then as we are now with
our football rivalry against U[sic]GA — our first issue
revolved around an upcoming game against our old
foe (a game that we lost, incidentally) and featured an
article by legendary coach John Heisman.
At the time, we were Tech’s second student news-
paper, preceded by The Georgia Tech. In 1916, the pa-
pers merged, and since our name survived, we like to
pride ourselves on being Tech’s longest running stu-
dent newspaper.We have chronicled everything from
the first appearance of George P. Burdell on Tech’s
rosters in 1920 to the peaceful, voluntary desegrega-
tion of the Institute in 1961. Of course, we have kept
up faithful coverage of Tech sporting events, includ-
ing the 222–0 whopper of a football victory (the larg-
est college football victory in history) over Cumber-
land College in 1916.
Today, we are published monthly during the sum-
mer and weekly during the fall and spring semes-
ters, with the exception of “Dead Week,” Finals Week,
Spring Break and the occasional pandemic.
Around 30 students keep our paper running year-
round, and of course, we always welcome new writers,
photographers and editors, so please come check us
out if you are interested. We meet at 7 p.m. on Tues-
days in the Flag Building Room 137.
publishes on Fridays weekly in the fall
and spring and biweekly in the summer.
ADVERTISING: Information can be
found online at nique.net/ads. The dead-
line for reserving ad space is Friday at
5 p.m. one week before publication. To
place a reservation, for billing informa-
tion or for any other questions please e-
mail us at ads@nique.net. You may reach
us at (404) 894-2830, Monday through
Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
COVERAGE REQUESTS : Requests for
coverage and tips should be submitted to
the Editor-in-Chief and/or the relevant
section editor.
Copyright © 2021, Janat Batra, Editor-
in-Chief, and the Georgia Tech Board
of Student Publications. No part of this
paper may be reproduced in any man-
ner without written permission from the

Fast Facts: Editor-in-Chief or from the Board of

Student Publications. The ideas expressed
herein are those of the individual authors
• Circulation: 7,000 papers/week • We want you to join us! and do not necessarily represent the views
of the Board of Student Publications, the

• New issues come out every Friday • Check us out at nique.net

students, staff or faculty of the Georgia
Institute of Technology or the University
System of Georgia. First copy free — for
additional copies call (404) 894-2830

sliver
nique.net

hey freshmen, READ THE NIQUE!

and write for the nique too
and also submit slivers so you can see your words in this fun box
West is best, East is also best, it literally doesn’t matter
Thank you Taylor and Janat for all you do, y’all are amazing!
who wants to take Russian apocalyptic literature?
have a great first week of classes!
can it stop raining please
when concerts make a comeback, I’m begging y’all to put down
your phone and live in the moment PLEASE
can we talk about how stevie nicks isn’t going to shaky knees
anymore and how I bought tickets primarily to just see her
why does Strings (Reprise) - 2020 Remaster by Young the Giant
go so hard but hurt so bad
happy 5 months bby :)
aye-yo, CM Chicken slaps big time though
lemme tell you, eating fries after a year of doing keto is like biting
into heaven
who let me be an editor at this prestigious student newspaper
shoutout to whoever makes the strawberry refreshers at the book-
store starbucks because they are significantly better than the re-
freshers at the Standard starbucks
happpy birthday to everyone with a summer birthday, y’all are
god’s strongest soldiers
can i get a go jackets in the chat
i love you jimmy!
help! I’m trapped in the slivers box!
//RESOURCES
ABIGAIL SARA MATHEWS
LIFE STAFF WRITER
Freshman year can bring con-
fusion and difficulty when adjust-
ing to a new environment. Many
freshmen will need support dur-
ing their first year of college, as
well as throughout their college
career. Tech offers several resourc-
es to provide a helping hand in
these situations.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY
Institute Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion (IDEI) is the hub for all
diversity and inclusion resources
at Tech. This office includes the
Office of Student Diversity and
Inclusion, Title IX resources and
ADA enforcement resources.
IDEI also has resources for stu-
dents of color, disabled students,
LGBTQIA students and women.
Their office is in the A. French
Building, Suite 231.
The Office of Disability Ser-
vices (ODS) is tasked with creat-
ing a more equitable and acces-
sible educational experience for all
members of the Tech community.
Students can register with ODS
to receive educational accom-
modations. ODS offers accom-
modations for a variety of dis-
abilities, including learning and
intellectual disabilities, chronic
illnesses and physical disabilities.
Their office is located in the Flag
Building.
The Women’s Resource Center,
also located in the Flag Building,
promotes intersectional gender
equity through support resources,
collaboration and leadership op-
portunities for women at Tech.
The Center hosts programming
including the Women’s Leader-
ship Conference and Women’s
Awareness Month events, where
students can participate in leader-
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE technique • August 13, 2021 3
ship positions.
The LGBTQIA Resource Cen-
ter, located in Suite 140 on the
lower level of the Flag Building,
offers safe spaces for LGBTQIA
students to understand their
identities and connect with other
Queer people on campus. The
Center provides resources and
programming to educate students,
staff and faculty on LGBTQIA is-
sues and encourages discussions
on equity, diversity and inclu-
sion for the Queer community on
campus. They also offer LGBTQ-
IA centered programming and a
collection of literature and DVDs
for education purposes.
The Office of Hispanic Initia-
tives is a part of IDEI’s Center for
Student Diversity and Inclusion.
The office provides programming Photo by Taylor Gray Student Publications
and support for Hispanic/Latino The Smithgall Student Services Building, also known as the Flag Building,
members of the Tech community, houses numerous resources such as the LGBTQIA and Women’s Resource Center.
specifically students, prospective
students and their families. Their ACADEMICS reception desk is located in Suite seling Center, located in the Flag
office is in the Center for Student Students seeking academic 273, open Monday through Fri- Building, offers a variety of servic-
Diversity and Inclusion in the support and guidance can consult day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. es such as group counseling, drug
Chapin Building. Academic Advisement. Advisors The Undergraduate Research and alcohol counseling and Life
The Office of Minority Educa- provide information and sup- Opportunities Program (UROP), Skills workshops.
tion and Development (OMED) port to help students reach their located in Suite 205 of the CULC, Students can seek psychiat-
is concerned with the retention academic and professional goals. is currently operating in hybrid ric care from Stamps Psychiatric
and development of minority stu- There are also options for explor- format. UROP provides students Clinic. Students can receive psy-
dent groups, specifically Black, atory advising to learn more about an opportunity to begin involve- chiatric evaluations and medica-
Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous and a particular program or major. ment in research during their un- tion management from board-
multiracial students. The office Each major has their own advisor dergraduate experience. UROP certified physicians and care
provides tutoring, career guid- or advisors, so check their website provides structured guidance, coordinators through student
ance and support to students to locate the advisor or advisors support resources, incentives and health services. Stamps Health
through initiatives and program- for a particular program and to encouragement to improve the Services is located in the Joseph
ming such as the Women of Color schedule an advising appoint- students’ research experience. Brown Whitehead Building.
Initiative (WOCI). ment, advising.gatech.edu. Students can also get support
WOCI is committed to the Tutoring and academic sup- HEALTH AND WELLBEING and accommodations during dif-
advancement of women through port is available to all students Students in need of mental ficult times by contacting the
collaborative efforts throughout through the Office of Undergrad- health resources and counsel- Office of the Dean of Students
the greater city of Atlanta, rec- uate Education (OUE). Services ing, first, must do intake and as- through the Division of Student
ognizing the contributions of include 1-to-1 tutoring, drop-in sessment through the Center for Life at studentlife.gatech.edu.
women of color and addressing tutoring and Peer Led Undergrad- Assessment, Referral, and Edu- The Division of Student
inequity at the intersection of race uate Study (PLUS). Tutoring ser- cation (CARE), located in the Life also provides resources
and gender. OMED is a part of vices are located on the 2nd floor Flag Building. and support for students deal-
the Center for Student Diversity of the CULC. The main office of After the primary assessment, ing with food, housing or fi-
and Inclusion and is located in the academic and tutoring services students may be referred to on or nancial insecurity through
Chapin Building. is in Suite 283, and the tutoring off campus resources. The Coun- STAR services.
4 • August 13, 2021 • technique
KRISTIN HSU
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
To be completely honest, I still
feel like a junior in high school.
Due to the ongoing pandemic,
my junior year was cut short, my
senior year was entirely virtual
and all of a sudden, I’m a fresh-
man again. This experience may
sound familiar, and it is totally
normal to feel nervous or anxious
for what’s to come.
But unlike the uncertainty we
were met with this past year, there
is one thing we know for sure:
Tech has so much in store for us
over the next four (or more) years
that not even COVID can take
these things away from us.
Here is some exciting news for
Tech’s rising freshman class to
look forward to in the next few
years. From recent announce-
ments to long term developments,
this list highlights the best part
about being a freshman again.
NEW DINING OPTIONS
Tech Dining recently an-
nounced a new initiative to
produce better quality food and
improve the overall dining experi-
ence for students.
Using student input, they
created a team of top-notch cu-
linary professionals to focus on
high-quality entrees, introduce
authentic international dishes and
expand vegan/vegetarian options.
Students now have unlim-
ited meal swipes, so you can en-
joy all-you-care-to-eat dining as
many times as you wish per day.
Brittain, North Avenue and
West Village will also offer a
convenience store, WreckStop
or WreckStop Express, for stu-
dents to buy select grocery items,
assorted beverages and more!
RETURN OF LIBRARY BOOKS
To prevent the spread of germs
during the height of the COV-
ID-19 pandemic, Tech’s Library
went paperless last year. An empty
library? That should be illegal.
Well, we have good news. The
books are back!
This fall, library shelves will be
full of more than 30,000 physi-
cal volumes and over 1.8 million
titles in cold storage at the Library
Service Center. Now we can all go
back to soaking in the comfort-
ing, sweet and musky smell of
aged books.
ECOCOMMONS GRAND OPENING
Since we have spent so much
time in quarantine and social dis-
tancing from others, most of us
have started going on more pic-
nics, taking walks at local parks/
trails and getting more in touch
with nature.
Tech’s EcoCommons, 80 acres
of revitalized greenspace, was cre-
ated to reduce stormwater runoff,
increase biodiversity and support
living-learning laboratories on
campus.
Modeling efficiency and sus-
tainability, the construction of
the EcoCommons was recently
completed in Spring 2021, and a
new section of the EcoCommons
is now open for all of campus to
enjoy. With over ten years of plan-
ning and design, the newest sec-
tion of the EcoCommons features
eight acres of more than 600 trees
and an abundance of perennials,
ferns and grasses — the perfect
picnic date or jogging spot!
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE
NEW IAC MINORS
While many of us are excited
to pursue a major at Tech, a mi-
nor can be just as valuable to our
future.
Tech currently has over 70 mi-
nors available to undergraduate
students, and the Ivan Allen Col-
lege of Liberal Arts just launched
two more: “African Studies” and
“Latin American and Latinx
Studies (LAT).” Minors often
complement a major or allow
students to explore other areas
of interest; the “African Studies”
and “LAT” minors both stimulate
interdisciplinary study, encourag-
ing students to learn more about
current issues and the global
community.
STUDENT CENTER REOPENING
The Student Center will soon
be reopening during our time at
Tech! Tech’s Student Center is the
central hub for campus life, pro-
viding a complete range of social,
artistic, cultural and recreational
activities for the campus commu-
nity to enjoy.
The Student Center was first
formally critiqued and evaluated
in 2005 and has been through a
series of renovations since May
2020. This 36-month project
is speculated to be complete in
Spring 2022.
Rising freshmen will soon be
able to enjoy the Student Center
along with upperclassmen who
have been patiently waiting for its
reopening for months.
Our senior year of high school
was challenging and unpredict-
able, but in our next few years
at Tech, we are guaranteed some
pretty exciting changes and
campus reopenings.
MORGAN WHITTEMORE
NEWS STAFF WRITER
So you’ve moved onto cam-
pus, gotten settled in, made a few
friends and almost know your way
around Tech.
Now what? Unless you want
to spend the next few years holed
up in your room studying, it’s
time for you to get involved at
your new college, and the best
way to do that is through student
organizations.
Tech has over 400 chartered
clubs and organizations on cam-
pus, each with their own unique
goals and activities.
The first step for wading
through this massive pool of
groups is to visit Engage @ GT
online, which features a mas-
ter directory of all chartered
organizations.
The site lets you select certain
criteria to narrow your search and
provides information about what
each organization does.
Once logged in, you can re-
quest to join organizations on En-
gage, and most organizations will
include how to become further
involved on their page.
They may also have informa-
tion on whether they require
membership dues or if they will
be operating online or in person
this year. Organizations can also
list their events on the site, and
events open to all of campus can
always be seen on the homepage of
Engage.
The variety of organizations at
Tech is indescribable, but every-
one is bound to find something.
There are academic and pro-
fessional organizations, social
// GETTING INVOLVED
clubs, religious and spiritual
groups, and many other types of
organizations.
Some serve all of campus, like
the Student Government Asso-
ciation, while others just focus on
their members.
The best way to experi-
ence these is to just put your-
self out there and join clubs that
interest you.
It’s easier to drop organiza-
tions than join them later in the
year, so don’t be afraid to really
branch out.
Remember that some organi-
zations will need you to commit
to them sooner than later. For
example, students interested in
Greek Life are required to register
for and attend Rush Week.
Some organizations will al-
ready list their first meetings on
Engage, but if you don’t want to
spend more time online this year,
you can also go to the Student
Org Fair on Aug. 31 to meet orga-
nization leaders in person.
Most clubs will have tables at
the event to tell you about what
they do and to recruit people to
their organization, and there will
be free food and swag available
as well.
The event starts at 11 a.m. on
Tech Green and will be a great op-
portunity to find ways to get in-
volved on campus.
The most important thing to
do as you try to get involved on
campus is to read the Technique
each week and come to our first
meeting for this year.
Of course, you are also wel-
come to come to Room 137 of
the Flag Building on Aug. 24 at
7 p.m. to join the South’s liveliest
college newspaper.
//SPORTS
WILL FUSS
SPORTS EDITOR
“I’m a Ramblin’ Wreck from
Georgia Tech and a hell of an
engineer.”
So goes the opening line of
Tech’s fight song, a tune that stu-
dents will hear frequently at sport-
ing events on campus.
Played after scores at foot-
ball games and at various times
throughout all games, every
student soon knows the song
by heart.
The fight song has been a staple
of Tech culture since 1905, mak-
ing it one of the campus’s oldest
traditions.
The “Ramblin’ Wreck” men-
tioned in the first line of the fight
song is one of Tech’s two mascots.
The Wreck, along with Buzz, the
six-foot yellow jacket, can be seen
throughout campus, and is a cor-
nerstone of game day festivities in
the fall. The Wreck is a white and
gold 1930 Ford Model A Sport
Coupe, maintained and operated
by Tech’s Ramblin’ Reck club,
and it leads the football team onto
the field for every home game.
Buzz runs through the stands of
sporting events and joins the Tech
faithful in supporting their teams.
The identity of Buzz remains a se-
cret while the students inside re-
main on campus.
“To Hell With georgia!” is the
refrain constantly heard from
Jackets fans. Abbreviated THWg,
the phrase is directed at our in-
state rival, the Georgia Bulldogs.
The football rivalry, which be-
gan in 1893, is known as Clean,
Old-Fashioned Hate. The two
schools square off in a number of
sports, and no matter Tech’s op-
ponent, calls of THWg are sure to
be heard.
The rivalry reaches a boiling
point at the last football game of
the regular season when the two
teams face off.
The Technique publishes a spe-
cial THWg edition satirizing the
school in Athens and the stadium
is always packed no matter where
the game is played.
First years should be careful
not to spoil the weekend, though,
as it is said that if a first year
touches the Wreck then Tech will
lose the rivalry game.
The football program is filled
with history, and games have sev-
eral traditions of their own. Two
of the more unique ones are the
Budweiser song and the dance
known as “the Horse.”
During Budweiser, which oc-
curs after the third quarter, stu-
dents alternate and bob up and
down while the band plays before
shouting “go Georgia Tech!” four
times followed by “if you’ve said
Budweiser, you’ve said it all!”
The Horse occurs after the
game ends, and students dance
while the band plays the first verse.
During the break between verses,
students and band members scat-
ter and resume dancing or playing
when the second verse begins.
The football team is arguably
Tech’s most storied program,
with four national titles and sev-
eral historic figures to its name.
John Heisman and Bobby Dodd
are two storied coaches, and Tech
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE technique • August 13, 2021 5
set a collegiate record for greatest for the NCAA championships, and the baseball team made it as
margin of victory during Heis- and both tennis teams qualified far as the NCAA regionals.
man’s tenure with its 222-0 win for the NCAA team champion- Golf finished in the top 15
over Cumberland in 1916. Bobby ships along with multiple players at their national champion-
Dodd oversaw the racial integra- from both the men’s and women’s ship, rounding out a success-
tion of Tech sports as athletic di- squads. ful year of Jacket athletics. Tech
rector after his days as coach, and Two women’s track and field looks to continue its tradition of
Tech’s football stadium is named athletes headed to their NCAAs, winning in 2021.
for him.
Jacket football has produced
NFL talent as well, most notably
wide receiver Calvin Johnson,
who was recently inducted into
the Hall of Fame after a nine-year
career with the Detroit Lions.
McCamish Pavilion may not
be among the most well-known
venues in the country, but the
home of Tech basketball is rowdy
during games. Both the men’s and
women’s teams play their home
games there, and the 8600-seat
venue regularly fills up for games.
The main student section sits
behind one of the baskets, typical-
ly the basket that the away team
attacks during the second half.
During free throw attempts, stu-
dents drum on the metal benches,
creating a deafening racket and
leading to countless misses from
the charity stripe.
Basketball is one of many
Tech sports that performed well
last season. Both the men’s and
women’s teams made the NCAA
tournament, with the women’s
team making it to the Sweet 16
and the men capturing an ACC
championship.
The volleyball team made the
second round at their own NCAA
tournament, adding to Tech’s re- Photo by James Messer Student Publications
cent athletic success. Buzz runs around the court with a Tech flag dur-
Several swimmers qualified ing a Men’s Basketball game against Miami.
6 • August 13, 2021 • technique
NATALIE BOUTWELL
ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR
Whenever anyone asks me
what advice I have for freshmen, I
always say, “Make sure you have a
good pair of rain boots.”
As a freshman living on West
Campus, I quickly learned the
importance of owning a pair of
rain boots for navigating rain-
storms and the inevitable sidewalk
flooding. I remember one day in
particular during my first fall se-
mester when I was attending reci-
tation in West Village, and right
before class ended, it started pour-
ing — like a deluge, a torrential
downpour of rain started falling
from the sky.
It normally would not have
been an issue for me; I actually
enjoy rain when I can stay inside
and study or relax to its soothing
sound. But I had another class in
15 minutes in the Swann Build-
ing on the complete opposite side
of campus. I could not wait for
the rain to slow if I wanted to be
on time.
Determined not to miss my
class, I walked out of West Vil-
lage and hiked across the puddled
campus in my ordinary tennis
shoes. By the time I made it to the
Swann Building, my shoes were
soaked and stayed uncomfortably
wet for the rest of the day.
I remember after that day
quickly buying a new pair of
bright blue rain boots to avoid
the mistake of soggy shoes in the
future. Today, as a senior, I still
wear my blue rain boots whenever
it rains (and sometimes I deliber-
ately walk through puddles just
for the fun of it).
Everyone has their own
pieces of advice for college.
Some are practical while others
inspirational. My advice about the
rainboots may seem trivial, but it
relates to a more valuable lesson:
success in college (and in life) is
dependent on working through
challenges by learning from
your mistakes and adapting to
whatever situation you may find
yourself in.
Some people say that college
will be the best years of your life.
Even if this is true, you will still
face many sudden afternoon rain-
storms that you were not prepared
for, especially at Tech. Maybe
eduroam shuts down right dur-
ing your class registration period
or maybe you have issues with
your roommate or maybe you end
up with three quizzes in one day.
Whatever it may be, you can over-
come it if you learn to wear your
rainboots to weather the storms.
Don’t get me wrong: adapting
to challenges is often a lot harder
than simply buying a new pair of
rainboots. But there are Tech re-
sources, professors, advisors and
other students who can help you if
you need it. Just don’t be afraid to
reach out and ask.
This year’s freshman class has
already overcome so much by fin-
ishing high school in the midst of
a global pandemic. I know that
you have worked to overcome
many difficulties in your own lives
and have gained a fighting spirit
from those experiences.
I encourage you to keep that
spirit and remember to constant-
ly learn from your past mistakes
and to continually adapt to new
situations.
Tech’s motto is “Progress and
Service.” Whenever you find
yourself in a rainstorm, take heart
in this saying and commit your-
self to make progress by putting
one rainboot in front of the other.
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE
MICAH VEILLON
OPINIONS EDITOR
Many of you are coming into
Georgia Tech as the academic lu-
minaries of your high schools.
You were the valedictorians,
salutatorians, high honor gradu-
ates, top ten in the class, AP
Scholars, etc… Your test scores
are astounding and the amount
of AP classes you took is absurd.
You were probably the President
of a few clubs and involved in
many more.
I think you get the sense of
what I am saying. You are what
makes Georgia Tech great. How-
ever, I want you to understand
something, something myself and
many others failed to understand
our freshman year: you will fail.
I am not suggesting that some
of you haven’t failed before, or
that your achievements in high
school were easy.
What I am saying is that you
were the beau monde of your high
schools, but Georgia Tech is dif-
ferent. Georgia Tech is going to
push you to your limit. For some
of you, it will reveal limits you
were not aware you had.
I remember receiving my
first test result at Tech last
fall and having all of my self
esteem destroyed in a mo-
ment. I had made a 44 and was
devastated. I remember the
thoughts that haunted my brain
for the next few days.
As my school’s valedictorian,
what will all my former teachers
and classmates think? Am I let-
ting my family down? Am I fit
to be here at Tech? Am I going
to have to transfer to UGA (God
forbid!!!)? Some of you will experi-
ence the same thing.
You may think that medical
school is on the line, your future
career is at stake or your future
plans are ruined. You may not
even fail a test or a class. You may
ace everything. For those of you
in which this is the case, I am still
writing to you.
You may not have a failing
grade, but you will fail elsewhere.
You may fail to get enough sleep.
You may fail to be the friend you
want to be. You might try a new
club and fail. You might fail to
be consistent with your work out
schedule. You may fail to get into
the sorority or fraternity you des-
perately want to be a part of.
The motif here is that you are
growing up. Your days of youthful
bliss are slowly fading away. You
are entering into the world. You
are beginning to experience life,
therefore you will fail, and it will
be painful.
However, it is all going to be
okay. Life is all about failing, and
failing is good. It means you are
oriented towards something. Per-
haps something noble.
If nothing else, it means you
are pursuing something, it means
you are taking on responsibility.
Failure shows us that we are fal-
// UPPERCLASSMEN ADVICE
lible. It shows us that we can’t do
everything on our own. It shows
us that we need help in life, and
that life is about community and
partaking in something outside
yourself.
What you will soon realize is
that practically everyone here at
Tech is or has experienced some-
thing very similar to the pain/
failure you are currently living
through.
At the end of my first semester,
although I drastically failed my
first test, I finished with an A in
that class. I had to seek help, I had
to go to study groups, and I had
to seek guidance from friends to
ultimately succeed.
Most importantly, however, I
was involved in great communi-
ties here at Tech.
So just know that failure is in-
evitable because you are human.
It certainly won’t be the last time.
Keep your head up, keep try-
ing, get involved, seek help, speak
with your loved ones often, do
something meaningful, and real-
ize that it will all be okay in the
end.
Life is not all about school, and
here at Tech we often forget that.
//GETTING AROUND
ANDY BORST
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
It’s that time of year when fall
semester rolls around, and with
that, comes an influx of the next
generation of jackets. While it’s
certainly an exciting time to move
away from home and experience
college for the first time, it can be
overwhelming to say the least.
Finding meals on your own,
making new friends and sched-
uling classes are just some of
the hurdles we all had to over-
come upon arriving at the In-
stitute, but none are quite as
challenging as trying to find
where your classes are for the first
time.
If you take it at surface value,
campus looks like a confusing
mess of construction and well
worn paths through the grass,
making it extremely difficult to
find the best ways to get to class.
Fortunately though, once
you get the hang of it and know
some shortcuts, like the ones
about to be discussed, it gets
significantly easier. For start-
ers, the bus routes are some of
the most useful tools to use to
get to your classes. They are
all fairly similar, with some
slight tweaks here and there for
convenience.
For example, the red and
blue bus routes run in oppo-
site directions to each other,
allowing you to get on no
matter which side of the road you
ae on. Bus routes also provide
a quick and easy way to get
within a 5 minute walk from
most classes.
The buses can also be used
to go further into Midtown and
do some shopping, whether it’s
for groceries, textbooks or an
afternoon snack from Insom-
nia Cookies in Tech Square.
The Tech Trolley route even runs
to the Midtown MARTA station
for students using public trans-
port to commute.
On the weekends, the buses
serve as an excellent way to get
to Atlantic Station, where you
can shop or watch movies at
the Regal as a way to unwind
after a long week.
As far as shortcuts go, the
biggest and most noticeable is,
of course, Tech Green. While the
Institute likes to stress not walk-
ing through the grass to pre-
vent ruts, if you’re in a pinch,
walking across the middle of Tech
Green can save you a solid couple
of minutes.
Another such shortcut is walk-
ing around the back of Skiles.
Most people don’t know about
this route, but when classes pick
up and the Skiles is backed to
the brim, it can be a safe bet to
use Skiles to try and get around
the crowds and make it to class
on time.
Cutting through Klaus on
the newly painted stairs can
also save you from having to walk
around the outskirts of campus
and provide a direct shot to
Van Leer, Howey, and the
College of Computing building.
While it can seem over-
whelming at first trying to
navigate the campus, as you go
you will discover your own
shortcuts to get to where you
need to go. Just trust the
process and try your best, and
you will be calling Tech home in no
time flat.
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE technique • August 13, 2021 7
ANUSH SINGAL West Village might continue to while you pick up lunch from oth-
STAFF WRITER host the green lady. Although we er shops present at The Collective
don’t have details on the upcom- Food Hall.
Whether you are a coffee con- ing fall schedule, we can hope Einstein Bros Bagels is also
noisseur or are simply looking for that this Starbucks will contin- within walking distance of Tech
a way to get through the day, there ue to stay open until 1 a.m. on and offers a standard assortment
are several coffee shops on and the weekdays. Rising Roll and the of coffees. Einstein Bros also sells
around Tech’s campus that can newly opened Whistle Bistro are a Coffee of the Day that allows
provide your caffeine fix, whether enjoyable breakfast spots that also customers to experience flavour-
you need it at seven in the morn- serve a mean cup of joe. Though ful brews from around the world.
ing or at the start of a long night. you might be paying a premium, As the name implies, the shop also
With the student center still the large assortment of coffees has a good selection of fresh bagels
out of commission and Tech along with fresh pastries make and smears. Open from 7 a.m. to
transitioning to new dining op- both these options enticing. 2 p.m., it is a go-to breakfast or
tions, the possibilities vary from Venturing off of campus, Mid- brunch spot before class.
semesters past. town offers several coffee shops There are also several indepen-
In the center of campus, there close to Tech. LiveWire Coffee dent coffee shops in Midtown,
are two main coffee shops. Blue hosts a pop-up cart at the CODA including Urban Grind. With
Donkey, found at Sideways Cafe between nine a.m. and two p.m. its beautiful drinks and cozy in-
on the first floor of Crosland Tuesday to Friday as their debut terior, Urban Grind definitely
Tower, is open for business from 8 shop is being finished up. They upholds the coffeehouse culture.
a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. It of- host a pretty bare-bones menu, It are open all week from 9 a.m.
fers a variety of iced coffees, along but their prices are pretty tempt- to 6 p.m. and host several artis-
with several drips and pour-over ing. They also offer several dis- tic events after hours. Due to the
brews. Because Blue Donkey’s counts/coupons that are live un- pandemic, it has events on pause
iced coffee selection is premade, til the end of the year on their and only hosts an open poetry
you can look forward to fairly website. LiveWire is worth a visit night on Thursdays at 7.30 p.m.
quick service during non-peak
hours. However, given the lack of
nearby options and Blue Donkey’s
popularity among students, wait
times can exceed 20 minutes at
popular times.
Kaldi’s Coffee, which has a
strong presence at Emory, will
be replacing the Starbucks on the
second floor of Clough Commons
starting this semester. Jackets can
look forward to a larger menu
than Blue Donkey that is also
more wallet-friendly than Star-
bucks. Unfortunately, Kaldi’s has
yet to release its schedule, but it is
probable that unlike Starbucks, it
will not be open until 2 a.m. for
that late night grind.
For those bent on getting their
Starbucks fix, the third floor of
8 • August 13, 2021 • technique
HOPE WILLIAMS
LIFE EDITOR
RAMBLIN’ WRECK
Tech’s iconic mascot, a 1930
Ford Model A Sport Coupe, can
often be seen driving around
campus and is present at sporting
events. Inspired by Dean Floyd
Field’s own 1914 Ford Model T,
the modern Ramblin’ Wreck was
purchased by Assistant Dean
of Students Jim Dull in 1960
for $1,000 from Delta pilot Ted
Johnson, who later returned the
money in 1984, making the car a
donation. Since 1961, the Wreck
has undergone multiple restora-
tions and been repainted with old
gold, a color chosen by former
Tech football coach Bobby Dodd.
The Ramblin’ Reck Club and
elected Reck Driver are now the
caretakers of the Wreck and over-
see its maintenance and presence
on campus.
RAT CAPS
All freshmen receive distinctive
yellow hats, known as RAT Caps,
at convocation. For many decades
starting in 1915, freshmen (then
referred to as “RATS”, short for
Recently Acquired Tech Student)
were required to wear their RAT
Caps and faced hazing if they did
not participate. Over time, RAT
has become an acronym standing
for Recently Acquired Tech Stu-
dents, and while freshmen are no
longer required to wear their caps,
it is encouraged to fill out and
keep your RAT Cap.
GEORGE P. BURDELL
Of Tech’s many famous alum-
ni, fictitious George P. Burdell
may have the most impressive list
of accomplishments. Burdell was
created in 1927 by Tech student
William Edgar Smith. Smith re-
ceived 2 enrollment forms and
used one to enroll a student named
George P. Burdell, inspired by his
high school principal George P.
Butler. Burdell “graduated” in
1930 with a Bachelors of Science
and went on to receive a Masters
as well. Besides his impressive aca-
demic accomplishments, Burdell
also flew a B-17 bomber in World
War II, was nearly nominated as
Time’s Person of the Year in 2001
with over 85,000 reader votes and
was even a member of Mad maga-
zine’s board of directors from
1969 to 1981.
ANAK
One of the most secretive tra-
ditions at Tech, ANAK is an hon-
ors society founded in 1908 which
has played an important role in
the creation of many traditions
and contributed to Tech’s history
in many ways. Besides found-
ing the Technique, Blueprint and
Student Government Association,
ANAK played an important role
in integrating Tech in 1961. Since
then, ANAK’s members remain
anonymous from the time they
are “tapped” to join until gradu-
ation, when their names are pub-
lished in the Technique.
RAT CAPS
All freshmen receive distinctive
yellow hats, known as RAT Caps,
at convocation. For many decades
starting in 1915, freshmen (then
referred to as “RATS”, short for
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE
Recently Acquired Tech Student)
were required to wear their RAT
Caps and faced hazing if they did
not participate. Over time, RAT
has become an acronym standing
for Recently Acquired Tech Stu-
dents, and while freshmen are no
longer required to wear their caps,
it is encouraged to fill out and
keep your RAT Cap.
SIDEWAYS’ GRAVE
Sideways was a beloved white
terrier who lived on campus from
1945 until her death in 1947.
Sideways walked in a sideways
direction due to an injury from
falling out of a car window. She
could be found in classes and at
football games, becoming a pop-
ular figure among the students.
After her death, Sideways was
buried near Tech Tower, and her
grave now features a monument
where students place pennies for
good luck before tests and other
assignments.
DROWNPROOFING
In 1940, swim coach Freddy
Lanoue began teaching a drown-
proofing class. The goal of the
course was to teach students how
to survive in water for hours. As
part of the training, students had
their wrists bound, would float
in the water fully clothed for one
hour and had to retrieve rings at
the bottom of the pool using their
teeth. This class, which was man-
datory for students until 1988,
would eventually garner national
attention and is still used to train
U.S. Navy Seals.
HOMECOMING WEEKEND
Homecoming, held each fall,
is an opportunity to witness and
participate in several Tech tradi-
tions.The Freshman Cake Race
was first held in 1911 as a cross
country race to recruit students to
join the team.
Today, freshmen run the
course to get a cupcake at the end,
and the top three finishers in each
division win a full cake and get a
kiss from Mr. and Ms. Georgia
Tech during the Homecoming
football game. The Mini 500,
held since 1969, is an 8 lap tricycle
race around Peters Parking Deck.
Participating teams consist of 4
drivers and a 3 person pit crew
who rotate the front wheel of the
tricycle.
Finally, the Ramblin’ Wreck
Parade is held the morning of
the Homecoming football game
and originates from the Old Ford
Race, a race from Atlanta to Ath-
ens that began in 1929. The Wreck
Parade replaced the race in 1932
after Dean Field decided the race
to Athens was too dangerous. The
parade has grown to be a fixture
of Homecoming weekend and
features 4 categories: classic cars,
fixed body vehicles, contraptions
and performance groups, first in-
troduced in 2019.
T-NIGHT
To learn more about Tech’s
traditions and spirit, students of
all years are encouraged to at-
tend the annual T-Night event on
Aug. 28 hosted by the Ramblin’
Reck Club.
“T-Night 2021 will be one of
the largest student-run events in
over a year,” said Andrew Mc-
Graw, the T-Night Marketing
//TRADITIONS
Chair and fourth-year PUBP.
“There will be lots of giveaways
like free food, t-shirts, stickers
and more. This year’s T-Night
has been redesigned to be highly
interactive and engaging, with
new activities and experiences to
help engage students at all parts
of their Tech journey, from en-
tering first-years to exiting grad
students.”The event will begin
with a festival at 5:30 p.m. in
Callaway Plaza. WREK Radio,
SMILE, the Goldfellas, Ramblin’
Reck Club, Chick-Fil-A, Waffle
House, Multicultural Panhel-
lenic Council, Ben and Jerry’s and
more will be present at the event.
The show, beginning at 7:00 p.m.,
will take place at Bobby Dodd
Stadium.
“Students can expect an inter-
active show filled with competi-
tions, music, guest speakers and
prizes,” McGraw said.
“Some of our participating or-
ganizations include Goldrush, the
GT Marching Band, GT Athlet-
ics and GT Cheer. Lastly, students
can look forward to a few ‘celeb-
rity’ guest appearances, including
President Cabrera, Buzz, Coach
Collins and George P. Burdell.”
Preparations for the event
started as far back as February and
part of the planning has included
preparing contingency plans
for the pandemic and following
health guidelines.
“From communicating with
sponsors and reserving event spac-
es to applying for funding and
deploying marketing campaigns,
thousands of hours have gone into
T-Night 2021 to make it the best
event possible,” McGraw said.