magazine

Inside the IZZONEInterview with a Taxi Driver

Meet the 3 Feature Twirlers

in this issueIt’s a Dairy DreamThe MSU Dairy Store offers a multitude of dairy products.

Give it a TwirlMeet the three twirlers who perform at MSU football

games.

Student SymphonyLearn more about the MSU orchestra, which has been playing for

more than 35 years.

Izzone InsiderGet inside the Izzone and learn about what it takes to be a part

of it.

I’m a Taxi DriverMeet Cassidy Coven, a

taxi driver with the Big

Daddy Taxi Company.

6

9

14

10

15

New Year’s resolutions are not easy for college students to keep. College students struggle to add new goals to improve their lives because they already have a list of goals that is plenty long: pass classes, find an internship, graduate, find a job. How much more can we expect from ourselves?

Besides improving one’s life, the other type of New Year’s resolution is to better oneself. This is hard to do in college, too. We can all try to get more sleep, eat healthier and work out, but we simply do not have time.

Instead, I think college students should make a bucket list every January. The bucket list should list everything you want to accomplish before the end of the year. Here’s some ideas to help you get started.

Freshmen: OK, you’ve had a semester to get comfortable. Now it’s time to push yourself and start enjoying your college years!

• Join a student organization• Make two new friends who do not live in your dorm• See a UAB movie – they’re free!

Sophomores: Guess what? Enjoy this year because junior year will be tough!

• Build a relationship with a professor – you’ll need references soon!• Consider studying abroad• Get some ice cream at the Dairy Store

Juniors: Hang in there! You’re almost through the worst of it.

• Apply for a summer job or internship• Make a LinkedIn profile • Throw a party• Try Pokey Sticks, Insomnia Cookies and Menna’s!

Seniors: Last chance to check everything off your list!

• Go to a basketball game• Ice skate at Munn• Get a photo with Sparty• Do a bar crawl• Paint the rock

Volume 3, Issue 4EDITOR IN CHIEF

Becca Jaskot

ASSOCIATE EDITORKatie Dalebout

GRAPHICS EDITORGina Holder

COPY EDITORSEliza Foster

Brooklyn Pluger

ASSISTANT DESIGNEmily Misko

Sarah Puzan

SALES MANAGERParagon Group

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESAshleigh Artist

Kara Leslie

PHOTOGRAPHERSShelby Robinson

Jeannine SeidlMike Smiy

Emily MiskoElise Kaufmann

FOUNDERAdam Grant

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note from the editor

BECCA JASKOTEditor in Chief

note from the editor

twitter.com/ingmagazine | 2

EDITOR IN CHIEF Becca Jaskot

EVENT COORDINATORTrista Kempa

LEAD DESIGN Trista Kempa

ASSISTANT DESIGN Becca Jaskot

WEBMASTERJohnny Dinh

PHOTOGRAPHERS Cory Hurst

Jeannine Seidl Mike SmiyEmily Misko

LEAD COPY EDITORRebecca Butcher

COPY EDITORS Chelsea Wuth

Laura RiessKatie Dobruse

SALES MANAGERSParagon Group

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Andrew Stevens

Christlynn Chelladurai

STREET TEAMNicky Parks

Jeannine SeidlLauren Matzelle

Sarah HickeyCaitlin Lombardo

Katie DaleboutAnnie Perry

FOUNDER Adam Grant

staff

It’s the end of another school year. For some of you, it is the end of huge chapter of your life. Graduation is just around the corner and after that comes…real life.

Moving on can be an emotional time. I will be sad to see my senior friends leave, wondering if I’ll ever see some of them again. I can only imagine the fear and anxiety going through a graduating senior’s mind. But there is also excitement, liberation, and pride.

The theme of this issue is living—embracing all life has to offer and respecting the life around us. Many say that your college years are the best of your life. This can sound depressing—does that mean my life is all downhill from here?

Definitely not. We at ing believe in living up your time at college, but we also believe that the fun does not have to end here. There may come a time when your interests mature, but that does not mean you have to stop squeezing the juice out of life.

April brings Earth Day, and we are reminded to respect our planet. If we learned anything from Avatar, it’s that we should live in harmony with nature. While we try to live each day to the fullest, we must also remember to live sustainably.

Thanks for reading ing this year! We’ve had a great time creating magazines for our fellow Spartans. We’ll be back in the fall and better than ever. Whether you’re spending the summer abroad, starting a career, or babysitting the neighborhood kids, have some fun and enjoy the break. To our graduating seniors, congrats and we wish you a rich and fulfilling life.

april & may

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staff

Michigan State University was originally founded as an Agricultural College in 1855. Despite many

changes since then, MSU is still a leader in this field. With one of the best dairy stores on a college campus and a club that is strictly dedicated to dairy, MSU hasn’t strayed too far from its roots.

The MSU Dairy Store has two locations on campus. One is located in the Union and the other is in South Anthony Hall. Students know the Dairy Store as the best place to buy ice cream.

“There are so many different flavors to choose from at the Dairy Store,” said communications junior Ian Childs. “That is why I like buying ice cream from there rather than another ice cream shop. The Dairy Store always has something new.”

Dairy Plant Manager John Engstrom says the dairy store has about 50 flavors and 32 flavors out in the stores at a time. The Anthony Hall store offers a few more flavors than the store in the Union.

Hoosier Strawberry, Badger Cherry Cheesecake, Purdue Tracks and Buckeye Blitz are flavors that were created a few years ago to call attention to Big Ten universities, but not all flavors are named after Big Ten teams. The most popular flavor is called Sesquicentennial Swirl, a green and white ice cream that tastes like cake batter.

The store is constantly creating new flavors, as well. Usually, new flavors debut during special events.

“Capital City Sundae was created for the city of Lansing. Honors Coffee Toffee was to honor 50-year anniversary of the Honors College and Final Four Fudge Dribble for the basketball team,” Engstrom said. “Everyone has great ideas for new flavors.”

In November, the store held a local contest to invent a flavor in honor of the success of MSU football team. The Dairy Store serves seasonal flavors

throughout the year, too. Not only are the dairy stores home to many different flavors

of ice cream, but they also offer milk, eggs, yogurt, and a variety of cheeses. The cheese sold in the Dairy

Store has won many awards over the years. Some cheese

flavors include Cheddar, Dagano, Jalapeno Pepper, Colby Jack and the prominent Chocolate Cheese Confection.

The products sold in the Dairy Store are made at the MSU Dairy Processing Plant. The Dairy Store and the plant are established in what is called the Dairy Foods Complex at MSU that is also home to research

laboratories. The complex is located in South Anthony Hall and serves the purpose of teaching students the skills they will need in the field of food science. The plant employs 37 part-time students, and students are involved in some part of almost everything sold at the Dairy Store.

The MSU Dairy Club also relies on the Dairy Processing Plant to help with

their annual fundraiser: the holiday cheese sale, which is in its 52nd year. The fundraiser helps the Dairy Club put on special events, such as educating local elementary school students about the importance of dairy farms.

The Dairy Club has 63 due-paying members and they meet every other week at Anthony Hall in room 1310 at 7:30 p.m. All students are welcome to join.

Animal science senior Krista Beeker has been in the Dairy Club for four years and feels that it has helped

enhance her college experience. “Being in the Dairy Club has opened my

eyes to what else is in the industry besides just milking cows,” she said.

For the rest of the Dairy Club

members, the club provides

a place for students who

share the same passion to further their

understanding of the dairy industry and get some first-hand experience.

Lauren Bush, an animal science sophomore, thinks the

dairy club is a perfect fit for her.“The biggest thing for me being

a younger member [is that] the club has helped me transition into school,”

she said. “It has helped me get my feet wet and let me work with people in the industry who are willing to help me and work with me.”

It’s a Dairy Dream

By Kara Leslie

The MSU Dairy Store has locations in the Union (pictured here) and Anthony Hall and offers more than 30 flavors of ice cream.

Photos by Elise Kaufmann

give it a Three feature twirlers take center stage at Spartan Stadium

After the football players go into the locker room, the Spartan Marching Band takes the field and

three feature baton twirlers prepare to perform in front of 75,000 fans.

For fifth-year senior Lacey Secker-Anderson, performing for Michigan State is still a rush of emotion.

“Spartan Stadium is such an incredible setting and having the opportunity to do what I love with one of the greatest bands in the country is honestly a dream come true,” she said.

Having twirled solo on the field for the past three years, Secker-Anderson was joined by freshmen Sarah Bennett and Kristen Scali this past fall.

“I love having Kristen and Sarah on the field with me now,” Secker-Anderson said, “It’s a lot of fun and definitely less lonely!”

A freshman twirler is usually paired with senior twirler, whom can act as a mentor and pass on the ropes, which is exactly what Secker-Anderson has done.

“Lacey has been an absolutely incredible mentor throughout this entire season,” Scali said. “She has taught us so much, and she not only helped us to get used to college twirling, but just to college life in general. She was willing to help us with anything we needed, on or off the band field.”

State Marching Band drum major Simon Holoweiko said, “Kristen and Sarah have done an incredible job adjusting to the SMB. They have

By Kaitlynn Knopp

T W I R L

MSU feature twirlers Sarah Bennett, Lacey Secker-Anderson, and Kristen Scali.

come a very long way and in no way is anyone worried that they will not be able to represent MSU to its highest potential and pass down the traditions just like Lacey did to them.”

A History of TwirlingFor these girls, twirling has been a

part of their life since they were young. Scali began her first twirling lessons at age 2, Secker-Anderson was 3, and Bennett was 7.

Scali’s family owns a dance a baton studio, so she has been surrounded by twirling since the day she was born. Her aunts and cousins have been her coaches since she started twirling.

Secker-Anderson’s mother was a twirler and opened her own dance and twirling studio after college. Being constantly exposed to twirling, it was the natural choice to get involved.

Bennett’s family has played a key role in her twirling career as well. Her mother stones all of her costumes, and her father and two brothers add a stone or sequin to it for good luck.

“My family has been very supportive…They go to all of my contests and every football game to cheer me on,” she said.

The twirlers say that frequent practice is necessary to learn the art. Bennett said twirlers need to be athletic, have good hand-eye

coordination, and have flexibility.

“I love the combination of athleticism and artistry involved with twirling, and I love performing!” Secker-Anderson said. “Twirling has had a huge impact on my self-confidence as well as providing the opportunity to travel and meet new people.”

The girls have competed on their own and on teams for years and have won many awards for their talents and skills.

Scali has had the opportunity to travel to Europe four times to compete

in the World Championships. She has won a total of nine gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. She has won 13 national titles, including the titles Miss Majorette of America and Grand National Twirling Champion.

“I love being able to perform. Twirling is something that has been a part of me for as long as I can remember, and it’s a great feeling to get in front of an audience and show what you can do,” Scali said.

Throughout Secker-Anderson’s 12-year history of competing, she has won state, regional,

national and

world titles. She is a former Miss Majorette of America, Grand National Twirling Champion, and World Open Twirling Champion.

Bennett has also won many state titles, and has won nationals three times for Drum Majorettes of America.

For Scali, Secker-Anderson, and Bennett, the atmosphere in Spartan Stadium on game day is the main reason they chose to come to MSU.

Secker-Anderson visited many schools in the Big Ten, knowing she wanted to attend a university outside her home state of Wisconsin and twirl

with a great band. She realized MSU was right for her after seeing Spartan Stadium, the marching band, and the campus.

Scali dreamed of twirling for a Big Ten school since elementary school, and Bennett has dreamed of coming to MSU since she began twirling.

Knowing they wanted to twirl for a Big 10 university, a scholarship slightly influenced all three girls’ decision to come to MSU. All three girls were awarded a partial scholarship from a marching band endowment with Secker-Anderson also receiving an academic scholarship.

Secker-Anderson is majoring in packaging, Bennett is majoring in nursing, and Scali is studying kinesiology. With busy lives, the girls do not allow twirling to interfere with their academics.

“While twirling is very important to me and is a huge part of my life, I would never let it interfere with my schoolwork,” Scali said. “I know that school should always be my first priority, because after all, that is the whole reason why I am here.”

Performing with SMBAt MSU, the twirlers only perform

at football games – all home games and some away.

“Never in my life have I experienced something like the feeling that comes with kick stepping onto the field,” Scali said. “It is absolutely exhilarating, and it has been one of the greatest experiences of my life thus far.”

The girl’s costumes were designed by Secker-Anderson, and the twirlers are often asked whether or not they get cold during performance. The answer,

Three feature twirlers take center stage at Spartan Stadium

- Lacey Secker-Anderson

I love the combination of

athleticism and artistry involved

with twirling, and I love performing!

Feature twirlers Sarah Bennett, Kristen Scali, and Lacey Secker-Anderson at a practice in December discussing their positioning on the field for the Jan. 1 bowl game performance.

Photos By Kaitlynn Knopp

of course, is yes. “We’ve been pretty lucky this

season in terms of weather conditions, but those late November games are a killer!” Secker-Anderson said. “The worst thing in the world is having to take off all of the layers of clothing on the sidelines right before the start of halftime.”

Bennett agreed and said, “It is like wearing a bathing suit in the winter.”

But, the girls have grown to accept that situation throughout their years of twirling and have learned to simply grin and bear it.

“Sometimes when I am performing on the field I completely forget about the temperature because I am just living in the moment,” Scali said.

As part of the SMB, the twirlers practice every day with the band for an hour and a half.

Talking about the band, Scali said, “They are an absolutely incredible group of people and I’m so glad I have the opportunity to work with all of them. I truly consider them to be 300 of my closest friends.”

Agreeing with her, Bennett said, “We are one big family.”

Members of the band like having the twirlers as part of the team.

Freshman Brad Schmaltz, a member of the SMB said, “I think that all three of them are great additions to the band. They add another visual facet for the audience to experience and enjoy.”

Drum major Holoweiko said he has

the utmost respect for the twirlers. “Lacey, Kristen, and Sarah do an

incredible job on and off the field and provide a talent that many people do not possess,” he said. “It’s an honor to be able to work with them and to be able to call them some of my closest friends.”

Game Day ChoreographyAlthough John T. Madden directs

and visual coordinator Glen Brough tells the girls where to sand on the field, the girls usually have a lot of freedom with their halftime routines.

“I usually have an idea of what I’m going to do before game day, but once in a while I wing it,” Secker-Anderson said.

While every twirler has a different process, Secker-Anderson said she usually pieces together small twirling sections that can be used interchangeably depending on the length of time she is standing in one spot on the field.

“If things are going well, I might try more difficult tricks or add multiple batons,” she said. “I try to make each performance a little bit different.”

Scali likes to improvise and simply twirl along to the music.

“When I like the way something fits with the music, I keep it, and if I don’t, I just keep trying different things. Eventually, I’ll have an entire routine choreographed,” Scali said.

The twirlers rarely drop their baton, but when they do, they just keep going.

“Nobody’s perfect, so everyone is bound to drop at one point or another,” Scali said. “You just have to pick it up, keep smiling, go on with the performance, and act like nothing ever happened.”

Sometime the twirlers can even make a drop look like it was planned.

“I’ve learned to cover up some drops pretty well!” Secker-Anderson said,

End of an EraAs football season has come to a

close, the girls all have great memories from 2010.

For Scali and Bennett, kick stepping onto the field for their first pre-game show is something they will never forget.

As Secker-Anderson finishes her last semester here at MSU, her college twirling career has come to an end. She has memories that she will carry with her forever.

“I’ll miss everything without a doubt,” Secker-Anderson said.

She will start working right after graduating, which she anticipates will be a bit of a lifestyle shock.

“Of course I’ll miss twirling with the band, but mostly I’ll miss the people and little everyday experiences that have made my time at MSU so special.”

Student Symphony

Most often as we think of an orchestra, we draw a detailed picture of an array of music composed into different sections of instruments. You might think of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra or the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, but here in East Lansing we have an orchestra for all students to enjoy for free and that, according to its director, Professor Leon Gregorian, “is the best thing in town.”

For more than 35 years, the MSU Orchestra has been creating music. Several different sections comprise the MSU Orchestra. There are two established orchestras: Symphony and Chamber. To train for these two orchestras, students play for the Philharmonic Orchestra. For non-music majors who want to play music as an extracurricular, there is the Concert Orchestra.

“If you played the violin or let’s say the clarinet, you could be in [Concert] orchestra. This gives the community in the University an opportunity to continue their musical education, while they might be majoring in philosophy, veterinarian medicine, or pre-law and pre-med,” Gregorian said.

Each orchestra consists of numerous amounts of students, ranging from freshmen to graduate students. Orchestra practice is six hours every week with additional practice hours from 12:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The Symphony Orchestra performs every three weeks, the Philharmonic every four weeks, the Chamber Orchestra and the Concert Orchestra usually four or five times per semester.

“Everything is in rotation. Some people might not get to play in the concert they want because the standards are very high and every position is competitive. Some will play first [chair] one concert; some others will play first in another concert. Some will play third [chair] in one concert; others will play second [chair] in another concert,” Georgian said.

Not only is the training within the orchestra tough, but auditioning is also demanding. Each year the orchestra holds auditions for more than 300 students, and the repertoire is given a year in advance.

A Passion for MusicConductor and doctoral student Carlos Botero,

lifelong student Hrayr Atshemyan, and doctoral student Dilek Engin are all members of the MSU Orchestra, and they all have one thing in common: their supreme love for music. Beginning their musical journeys at a young age, they gained their passion from different vexperiences.

Engin, who plays viola, was inspired her father, who

plays trumpet. She demanded he teach her when she was 11 years old.

Atshemyan learned to play the piano from his mother, but when he heard the violin, he knew it was the instrument for him. He said that music was his first language.

“I actually started to sing before I started to speak. I was 10 months old when I started to sing.”

Botero was not as exposed to music as a child, but because it was so rare to hear, it only made his love grow stronger.

“My only chance to listen to classical music was when the symphony had a concert in town, which is once a semester. Otherwise there was none. Maybe

that was why I liked it so much – because it was hard to find,” he said.

Inspiring EmotionsThe MSU Orchestra features music

from numerous composers. “We play just about everything that is

written for orchestras. The new works, classical works, contemporary works, anything you want, that’s how good the orchestras are,” Gregorian said.

Composers such as Penderecki and Bach are just two of the many composers that students enjoy performing for an audience.

“It helps the musician to show their inner feelings,” Atshemyan said.

Other composers such as Hindemith and Puccini are other talents that they pride themselves in playing.

“I like their relationship between text and drama, happening all at the same time,” Botero said. “In my opinion the more complex the music is, the more challenging to make it appear to whoever is listening to it.”

The audience’s emotion during the orchestra performance is an important aspect of their art. The students agreed that they like to understand the connection the audience may have towards the pieces that they love to play.

“Our job is to keep it positive,” explains Engin. “We have to show them what kind of music we are putting together and by the end of the concert, they will be like ‘Oh, that was a good performance, and I would like to hear it again.’”

Atshemyan felt similarly. “Different kinds of people bring different kinds of emotion to the audience,” he said.

The MSU Orchestra has been instructing and performing for more than 35 yearsBy Hajr Muhammad

““ “In my opinion

the more complex the music is, the more challenging to make it appear to whoever is listening to it.”

- Carlos Botero

There are several top student sections for university basketball teams across America. University of Kentucky has the eRUPPtion Zone,

named after the team’s home court, Rupp Arena. University of Michigan has the Maize Rage, named after their school color. Duke University has the famous Cameron Crazies, named after the school’s location, Cameron, N.C., and Michigan State University has cheered and jeered its way into one of the most recognizable student sections around with the Izzone.

The Izzone has continually expanded since its humble beginnings 15 years ago as a small corner of the Breslin Center; it now includes over 3,000 students. Behind the dedicated student section are the directors: general management senior Adam Heins, human biology sophomore Ben Himelhoch and accounting junior Justin Wojtkowiak. Himelhoch and Wojtkowiak sat down with Ing Magazine to talk about what makes the Izzone a stand-out student section.

The Sixth PlayerThe in-game Izzone experience is unlike

any other. “You’re actually right on the court. You’re

seeing the players’ emotions, you can hear what the coach is saying to them, you’re right there. You feel like you’re making a big impact on the game,” Himelhoch said.

One of Wojtkowiak’s favorite things about the Izzone is that students’ dedication to the team has them loud and cheering no matter what team Michigan State faces.

While the co-directors agree that the Izzone is one of the most fun experiences you can have as a Spartan, the role of being MSU’s “sixth player” at a home game is not

something to be taken lightly. “We feel that we are a part of the team,”

Wojtkowiak said.Coach Izzo made a surprise appearance

at an Izzone meeting earlier in the season and stressed the importance of the student section. Wojtkowiak said that Izzo told them that the Izzone is important to the team and helps them win games.

Himelhoch said, “The way he sees it, the Izzone is probably responsible for, on average, about six points a game...In all, it could be responsible for a couple wins a year.”

The Izzone supports Izzo and the team by giving them a home-court advantage.

“I feel like in big games we kind of push them over the edge and give them the atmosphere they need to be successful,” Wojtkowiak said.

Part of this crowd advantage is in the chants and antics of the loyal members of the section. Himelhoch’s favorite antic of the Izzone is when the students mock and imitate opposing coaches as they complain to referees or talk to their players.

“Coaches get frustrated and they can’t even communicate with the refs or players. Sometimes they’ll even just sit down out of frustration. We’ve even seen coaches laugh,” Himelhoch said.

The Izzone has also contributed chants and cheers that now span across all Michigan State sports. Wojtkowiak said that the Izzone invented the famous “weak!” chant in

Michigan State’s fight song.When possible, Izzone members

try to support their team on the road. “Usually the Izzone coordinates

one road game, but it’s getting harder and harder to get tickets in visiting arenas. One, they don’t want to give them to the Izzone, but also, Big Ten basketball is pretty good right now, so it’s just hard to get tickets at other arenas,” Himelhoch said.

When Michigan State fans do have the opportunity to support their team on the road, however, they do so in full force. Wojtkowiak attended the Big Ten Tournament and the Final Four last year, both in Indianapolis, and said that Michigan State’s fan section was sold out both times.

A New LocationThis season, the student section was

moved behind the team benches and scorer’s table to increase TV exposure, a move that excited many students.

“The Izzone has a pretty good reputation nationally, so Coach Izzo was the one who initiated that move,” Himelhoch said. “I think he did it simply for publicity purposes, so on TV, it looks better. As far as our standpoint, we have the same energy as if we’re on the other side, but it’s more fun being on the other end because you know you’re going to be on TV more. I think it makes people excited.”

Wojtkowiak said that while he liked the idea, some fans who are not part of the Izzone were not happy. Donors who had seats in the new Izzone area had to move.

“It ruffled some feathers of the donors, but obviously Izzo thought that it was a big enough need that he was going to move those donors out of the way,” Wojtkowiak said. “He wanted people to see what the Izzone actually does at these games.”

He said that one downfall of the Izzone’s recent move is the banning of signs, as some might be inappropriate for TV.

The TryoutThe Izzone is not easy to get into. Buying

a ticket usually guarantees a spot, but it might be in upper bowl. In order to be eligible for a lower bowl ticket, MSU students camp out at Munn Field.

“That’s our way of getting the most loyal and dedicated fans in the lower bowl,” Himelhoch said.

By Jack Crawley

IZZONE Insider

““ I think that the

Izzone was so happy that he actually stayed and they know that he’s dedicated to bringing championships back to us. That just makes more people want to be a part of it.

- Justin Wojtkowiak

When Michigan State fans do have the opportunity to support their team on the road, however, they do so in full force. Wojtkowiak attended the Big Ten Tournament and the Final Four last year, both in Indianapolis, and said that Michigan State’s fan section was sold out both times.

A New LocationThis season, the student section was

moved behind the team benches and scorer’s table to increase TV exposure, a move that excited many students.

“The Izzone has a pretty good reputation nationally, so Coach Izzo was the one who initiated that move,” Himelhoch said. “I think he did it simply for publicity purposes, so on TV, it looks better. As far as our standpoint, we have the same energy as if we’re on the other side, but it’s more fun being on the other end because you know you’re going to be on TV more. I think it makes people excited.”

Wojtkowiak said that while he liked the idea, some fans who are not part of the Izzone were not happy. Donors who had seats in the new Izzone area had to move.

“It ruffled some feathers of the donors, but obviously Izzo thought that it was a big enough need that he was going to move those donors out of the way,” Wojtkowiak said. “He wanted people to see what the Izzone actually does at these games.”

He said that one downfall of the Izzone’s recent move is the banning of signs, as some might be inappropriate for TV.

The TryoutThe Izzone is not easy to get into. Buying

a ticket usually guarantees a spot, but it might be in upper bowl. In order to be eligible for a lower bowl ticket, MSU students camp out at Munn Field.

“That’s our way of getting the most loyal and dedicated fans in the lower bowl,” Himelhoch said.

The campout is also a time to get to know fellow Izzone members and just have fun.

“Campout’s a blast,” Wojtkowiak said, who had initial reservations about going to the event. “People are always playing football, Frisbee and stuff like that. The players come and talk, then they’ll actually stay and interact with people.”

MSU guard Korie Lucious and center Adreian Payne competed in a wing eating contest with fans this fall. Izzo also attends the event each year and there is usually a DJ.

Beyond BasketballThe Izzone does its best to support other

athletic teams here at MSU, as well. “We’re planning on asking Izzone

member to try and make it to one game of each of the main sports,” Himelhoch said.

There is also a plan to create an official student section for the women’s basketball team, separate from the Izzone.

Members of the Izzone also do what they can to help out in the community and with charities. Each year, the Izzone faces off with Purdue’s student section, the Paint Crew, to raise money for the Coaches vs. Cancer organization, which Izzo is highly involved in.

The Izzone had a major scare this summer when the Cleveland Cavaliers tried wooing Tom Izzo to the NBA, offering a hefty contract and the possibility to coach LeBron James. Without the “Izzo” in “Izzone,” the name, at the very least, would have faced destruction.

Thankfully, Izzo decided to remain a Spartan. This show of loyalty pumped even more energy into the Izzone.

“I think that the Izzone was so happy that he actually stayed and they know that he’s dedicated to bringing championships back to us. That just makes more people want to be a part of it,” Wojtkowiak said.

Himelhoch attended the rally held at Michigan State for Izzo last summer and expressed great relief over Izzo turning the Cavaliers down.

“He’s such a big part of the Izzone. He comes to the Izzone campout, he brings his family, so it’s nice to see that because I don’t there’s too many coaches that would act like that,” Himelhoch said.

ABOVE: The Izzone cheers the men’s basketball team to victory against Bowling Green in the Breslin Center on Dec. 4. BELOW: MSU students mimic the team’s huddle during the lineup announcements.

Photos by Emily Misko

Another year, another fitness resolution

Weight gain starts at Thanksgiving. After that, you’re stressed about finals

and don’t think about what you’re eating. Then it’s break and you take advantage of free, non-cafeteria food at home.

Suddenly, it’s January, and you realize you’ve eaten terribly for the past five weeks.

It’s no surprise, then, that many people resolve at New Year’s to eat better and exercise. Michigan State students follow this trend, creating busy nights at the IM buildings during the beginning weeks of spring semester.

January at the IM buildingsPatty Oehmke, an associate

director for IM Sports, said the IM buildings see a bump in membership in January, which can be attributed to New Year’s resolutions as well as students getting ready for spring break. There is a slight dip in gym participation after spring break, but it increases again when membership fees fall to half price, she said.

Arts and humanities senior

Betsy Vant Hul works at IM East and has since her sophomore year. She said nights in January get busy at the gym, and IM East prepares for this by scheduling an additional staff member to the evening shift.

“People want to come in and buy their fitness passes because they’re all motivated about their New Year’s resolutions,” Vant Hul said. “It’s kind of funny, because after the first month, you can definitely see a drop-off in people who come. Either people get too busy in the semester or people forget about their resolutions,

but the busyness usually doesn’t last throughout the entire spring semester.”

Although Vant Hul said she generally works mornings and afternoons because it’s not as busy as the evenings, she has noticed that the busiest times are between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., when the group exercise classes are in session or because people go to play basketball or lift weights.

Second-year arts and humanities senior Erika Vivyan said she goes to the gym every day, generally in the evening after her classes are done. Though she normally doesn’t have to wait for an exercise machine when she goes, she noticed that it gets busy near spring break, rather than in January.

“I get frustrated because I’m there all the time, but I realize that they paid to go there too,” Vivyan said. “When I know there’s going to be a crowd and I see it getting busier, I go during the day or I wait until after the dinner rush.”

Setting and keeping resolutionsThere are many reasons why

people set New Year’s resolutions. Second-year mathematics and secondary education junior Emily

A few students lift weights in IM West before winter break, but busy nights in January make the fitness centers schedule an additional employee to each shift.

Female students are able to work out with no wait for an exercise machine before winter break. The IM buildings see a jump in membership during January, making the gyms more crowded.

By Annie Perry

Photo by Elise Kaufmann

Photo by Elise Kaufmann

Another year, another fitness resolutionMorford said she thinks people set resolutions start fresh, and that the common resolution of going to the gym comes from pressure from the media to be thin.

Morford does not set resolutions when it is the new year, but prefers to set them for herself throughout the year. She said New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep because the person is not fully committed.

“They’re forcing themselves to set those resolutions,” she said. “They might not be at a point where they’re ready to, but they maybe just set their resolution at the beginning of the year because a lot of other people are, and that’s kind of the ‘thing to do’ for New Year’s.”

If the goal is to lose weight and be healthier, Morford says people need to set a goal to go to the gym a certain number of times a week, but it doesn’t necessarily have to start on the first day of January.

“Say that they realize in October that they need to be jumping on the horse a bit and getting healthier; why not start then?” she said. “If they realize it in the end of December, the day after Christmas, then I guess it would be appropriate to make it a New Year’s resolution, but I don’t think waiting until New Year’s, putting it off, is going to help any.”

Media arts and technology sophomore Michael Daniels said New Year’s resolutions are set because starting a new goal in the beginning of a time period helps people achieve it. He does not usually set resolutions, but resolves this year to get a six-pack by summer and to spend his money more wisely.

“Starting January 1, I plan to eat healthier and hit the gym at least five times a week,” he said. “For the money thing, I’m just going be more careful in general about what I purchase.”

Daniels said he had a good workout routine this past summer,

but wasn’t able to keep it going once school started. To keep himself motivated about his resolution, he said he is comparing himself to how he was in the summer and “aiming to beat it.”

Vant Hul said some New Year’s resolutions can be kept if people buy a fitness pass and know they have paid the money upfront and if they have planned out their resolution more than others.

Yet, both Vant Hul and Oehmke notice a drop-off in gym participation as the semester progresses.

Keeping a New Year’s resolution can be difficult. Vant Hul said she tries to lose a little weight to get ready for spring break, but has trouble following through because she gets busy or because of the weather.

“Especially since it’s right after the holidays or wintertime, I like to just sit around and, you know, enjoy the leftovers or stay inside where it’s warmer, especially if it’s snowy outside,” Vant Hul said. “Here in Michigan, I think that’s why it can be a little bit more difficult.”

Vivyan is able to motivate herself to go to the gym, even when she has a cold, by thinking about how she feels after working out.

“Leaving the gym and feeling like you did something for yourself and were healthy, you just feel four

hundred times better even if you had a really sucky day,” she said.

To encourage students, particularly freshmen, to go to the IM buildings, Oehmke suggests getting involved in the activities.

“[Do] not think of it as something you cannot do, and not to think of it as something that you have to be skilled in order to do,” she said. “Just go, because someone there is going to be able to help you, will tell you, or, if you ask questions, will guide you through what you need to do.”

Some male students have beat the New Year’s resolutions crowd, working out before winter break. As spring semester progresses, many see a drop-off in gym attendance.

Despite the winter weather, these two male students made an effort to go to IM East to lift weights.

Photo by Elise Kaufmann

Photo by Elise Kaufmann

11 Things to Look Forward to in 2011

As we begin a new year, we say goodbye to 2010. Last year we experienced Harry Potter and the

Deathly Hallows Part 1, XXI Winter Olympics, and much more. Now its time to look forward to the start of 2011 and everything to come! Here are 11 things

to look forward to in the new year. By Lexis Zeidan

1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2

Millions of people around the world are Harry Potter fans and looking forward to the second part of the final movie. The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemort’s final horcruxes, but when he finds out about their mission, the big battle begins. The movie franchise and a decade of Potter-mania comes to a close July 15.

2 U.S. Troops Coming Home

President Obama has stated that the United States would start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in July 2011. Just how many of the 100,000 troops will be leaving is undetermined, but many Americans will be happy to see at least some of them come home.

3 Card Access Systems in Dorms

The university plans to tighten up residence hall security this year. By fall 2011 all MSU residence halls will be equipped with card access systems that only allow residents of that neighborhood to enter through certain doors or onto certain floors. This keeps weirdos out and residents safe.

4 Royal Wedding

Another prince is off the market! Britain’s Prince William, will marry on April 29 in Westminster Abbey. The date will be a national holiday in Britain, but is likely to slow down the American workday, as well.

6 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Call of Duty: Black Ops shattered records in November, and the next game in the franchise is expected to hit record sales, as well. Other highly anticipated video games include Batman: Arkham City, Diablo III, and Madden NFL 2011.

9 iPhone for Verizon (maybe)

The iPhone is awesome, but its exclusivity to AT&T is not. Although its not official yet, rumors have been gaining a lot of momentum that Verizon Wireless will be selling iPhones sometime in 2011. Keep your fingers crossed.

7 U2 at Spartan Stadium

Mark your calendars for June 26. One of the most popular rock acts in the world, Irish unit U2 began their musical career at school in Dublin back in 1977. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, have sold over 140 million records, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Their concert at Spartan Stadium was canceled last year, but they’ve agreed to come this year.

10 Nascar Sprint Cup Series 2011

The use of ethanol fuel and new noses for the front of the cars has many people looking forward to the 2011 series. For the first time in a decade, the series will visit a new track; Kentucky Speedway will host its first Cup event, a night race, on July 9.

11 Machu Picchu’s Centennial

If you have not had the chance to visit the beautiful Peru you might want to set a date for it on your calendar in the year 2011. 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of the rediscovery of Machu Picchu, the 15th century Inca landmark. The UNESCO World Heritage Site will feature events and celebrations to commemorate this piece of history.

8 Brody Cafeteria Completion

While the new cafeteria is nearly half complete, the Brody Complex buildings are still under renovation. Most students are looking forward to the complete cafeteria in spring of 2011. Brody cafeteria went under renovation in the year 2009 and the entire first floor is still closed off for construction. The first level, which includes a Sparty’s, classrooms, and study rooms, will open this year.

5 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn

There’s no need to remind you how Twilight Saga has shattered records and hearts of teenage girls with its vampire love story. The movie adaptation of the fourth and final novel will be split into two parts. Breaking Dawn – Part 1 is set to release Nov. 18.

I’m a Taxi DriverA night on the job with Cassidy Coven

By Britteny Dee

A few trips across campus, a couple stops by a local bar, and

the occasional drunk customer are all part of a typical night for

taxi driver Cassidy Coven.Coven works for Big Daddy

Taxi Company and got into the cabby world when her friend, the owner of Big Daddy, asked her to

help manage his company. Eventually she moved away from management

and became a driver. “The cab world is a very weird

world,” Coven said. Becoming a taxi driver is not as easy

as one might think, Coven said, and there are several requirements that must be met.

The driver must be at least 23 years old, have less than five points on their driver’s

license, and have a chauffeur’s license. The driver is subject to a background check, a

medical background check, and random drug tests.

After these requirements, a driver must face the difficult task of learning all the streets of East Lansing, Lansing, and the surrounding

areas. Coven dispatched for Big Daddy for a few years before becoming a driver, which helped her memorize the streets.

“This job takes initiative,” Coven said. “You have to keep your head up when times are hard because the next couple days could be really good.”

Becoming a taxi driver involves several fees. Coven joked that sometimes she feels as if she pays

the company to work. There is a yearly application fee, a fee to get a medical background check done, a fee to get fingerprints taken, and a fee to get a passport picture

taken. Though, Coven said she is provided with plenty of

opportunities to make up for the money she loses due to these fees. Over Halloween weekend, Coven made $1,600 in two days. She credits her impressive earnings to her good

customer service skills and strong relationship with her customers.

“I get a lot of personal callers,” Coven said. “Even when we’re busy, I still try to get to them within 10 to 15 minutes.”

When Coven is on break waiting for her next call, she likes to knit.

“My mom taught me to knit when I was younger,” Coven said. “It’s something quick and easy you can keep in the car.”

While on break, drivers are given the freedom to do what they want. Some chose to go home, others grab a bite to eat, and some just hang out and wait for their next call.

“Sometimes I go and do my laundry, too,” Coven said.

On a typical Friday or Saturday night, breaks are rare. On weekends, Coven has more customers than she can count and makes a lot of trips.

While Coven says the pay is good, there are also some downsides to her job, such as the long hours. She works five days a week for 12 hours at a time.

“I don’t have time for a social life,” Coven said.

Another downside Coven mentioned is the crazy customers she has on a regular basis.

“I deal with a lot of idiots,” Coven said. Drunk college students are popular

customers for Coven, and she said they can be troublesome sometimes. She once picked up a group of 10 males who continued to spit on her and call her names throughout their ride. She also had a customer put a lit cigarette out on her head – an experience so upsetting she stopped driving for a few days.

“I’m a girl driving a cab, people try to take advantage of me,” Coven said.

She also knew a driver she knew who was punched in the face while driving and another who picked up some people who were completely naked.

While some customers can be difficult to deal with, Coven enjoys most of hers.

“My favorite part is all the nice, fun people,” she said.She said the traffic and the impatient people that expect

her to pick them up within minutes of calling are the worst parts of the job.

“I’m driving, I’m not a jet,” Coven said. Coven does not plan on being a taxi driver forever. She was

attending Baker College for some time but had to take a break because she could not afford it anymore. Now she is registered at Lansing Community College and is majoring in business management.

“This job helps with my major,” Coven said. “I work in the office a lot now, so I’m managing drivers and the accounting.”