Dear Hurricane,
I am a junior majoring in biology and on a pre-med track. I like going out with my friends on the weekends; however, I do not like to drink because it interferes with my studying the next day. How can I turn drinks down without looking like a loser?

Signed,
Peter Pre-Med

Dear Peter Pre-Med,
Sometimes the simple solution of just saying “no” is not so simple. Peer pressure can be highly underestimated, as well as the desire to fit in or to escape ridicule. Fortunately, the “out of control, Animal House style” college scene is more a myth than reality. Studies suggest the majority of college students are light drinkers; in fact, many do not drink at all. Therefore, many of your peers may understand the need for you to keep your drinking at a minimum. However, if you are offered a drink and are not sure how to refuse it, the following approaches appease the individual offering the drink while helping you stay alcohol free.

* No, thank you. I have had enough to drink tonight.
* Thanks, but I have a lot of work to do this weekend and I cannot be hung-over tomorrow.
* I would rather get my own drink, thanks.
* I am not feeling well tonight.
* I am driving tonight.
* No, thanks. I am taking medication that I cannot mix with alcohol.
* I am dieting and alcohol has too many calories.

If you are of legal age and want to drink a few cocktails/beers, but want to maintain control and avoid a hangover, consider the following tips.

* Ideally, only have one drink. At most, only have one drink per hour.
* Nurse your drinks. Do not drink quickly, guzzle, or do shots. Avoid drinking games.
* Drink plenty of water in between alcohol beverages.
* Select drinks with low percentages of alcohol, (e.g., beer versus Long Island Iced Tea)
* Avoid mixing different types of alcohol. The wrong combination of alcohol, even in small quantities, can lead to a hangover.

For more questions regarding alcohol or other drugs, contact the Center for Alcohol and Drug Education at pier21@miami.edu or 8-6120. If you have a question for Hurricane Health Watch, please email jtiberian@miami.edu.

Sincerely,

Garrett Moore

Garrett Moore is a second-year MBA student. He currently works as a graduate assistant in the Dean of Students Office for the Center for Alcohol and Drug Education.

Pick up the paper every Friday to read the Public Safety call log and learn ways to protect yourself and your belongings.

Safety Tip of the Week: Keep in mind that many opportunistic thieves will try to blend into the environment. They will try to dress and act like students, delivery persons or maintenance personnel. If something about a person seems out of place (the uniform is not quite right, not the usual delivery person, etc.), listen to that little voice inside of you and report the suspicious person to the police.

WEDNESDAY August 27

12:58 p.m. 1241 Dickinson Dr. Theft
3:52 p.m. 1252 Memorial Dr. Burglary
4:41 p.m. 5250 University Dr. Burglary
4:54 p.m. 1000 Memorial Dr. Grand Theft
5:57 p.m. 1300 Memorial Dr. Fraud
7:26 p.m. 1241 Dickinson Dr. Grand Theft Auto

THURSDAY August 26

10:37 a.m. 1306 Stanford Dr. Fraud
3:27 p.m. 5050 Brunson Dr. Burglary

FRIDAY August 29

7:30 a.m. 5100 Brunson Dr. Burglary
3:10 p.m. 1311 Miller Dr. Grand Theft

SATURDAY August 30

4:15 p.m. 5665 Ponce De Leon Sexual Assault

SUNDAY August 31

1:37 p.m. 5202 University Dr Burglary
1:43 p.m. 1211 Dickinson Dr. Criminal Mischief

MONDAY September 1

9:35 a.m. 1311 Miller Dr. Burglary
12:33 p.m. 1231 Dickinson Dr. Burglary
1:45 p.m. 5100 Brunson Dr. Burglary
7:35 p.m. 1211 Dickinson Dr. Hit and Run
8:36 p.m. 5300 Brunson Dr. Burglary

The Hurricane is currently working to improve police beat by working with Coral Gables Police Department.
For more information on crimes and crime prevention contact Public Safety at 284-6666.

Greek Recruitment is here! If you’re not Greek, you’ve probably asked yourself, “What’s all the fuss about?” It’s simple.
“Recruitment is the best way to meet new friends at the University,” Tim Williamson, vice president of recruitment for the Interfraternity Council [IFC], said. “It allows you to meet hundreds of new students while at the same time acclimating you to life at the University.”
Williamson says he expects a record number of men and women to go through recruitment this year.
“We have new and exciting events, and the student leaders around campus are all Greek,” Williamson said. “All new students should participate in recruitment because it gives you benefits that you can take with you for the rest of your life.”
Natalie Pick, vice president of recruitment for Panhellenic, agrees.
“Being Greek is a great way to find your niche at this University, be it through academics, leadership positions, sports or just a group of people that share a common bond,” Pick said. “There’s something for everyone and it’s definitely been the best experience of my college career.”
“It’s opened so many doors for me,” she said.
Panhellenic recruitment is a series of events allowing potential new members to learn all about sorority life. Within this week of events, students meet with each individual sorority to learn more about their chapter.
Through this formalized recruitment process, a system has been set up where the intended outcome is that all participating ladies are allowed to be offered a position in a sorority through quota. Quota is set during the recruitment process using a formula to predict the average number of women that would be placed in the sisterhood of each sorority at the end of recruitment, on Bid Day.
IFC recruitment began the first day you walked onto campus; bids could be given out the first day of class, and bidding continues through Sep. 12. Although there is a formal process, IFC organizations may recruit year round. IFC has a lot to offer its members.
“There so many reasons, its hard to begin,” Steven Ollek, Rho Alpha, said. “Sports, academics, social connections – there are so many opportunities.”
Additionally, the Latino Greek Council and the National Panhellenic recruit through a process known as intake. This process generally includes an introduction stage, an induction ceremony, and an education program.
Many believe that Greek membership definitely has its advantages.
“Being Greek is great – it allows you to meet more people than if you were not Greek,” William Ryan Walker, junior, said.
Think it’s too late to join because you’re not a freshman? Think again; recruitment is for everyone. When asked why she was signing up for recruitment, Katherine Unger, sophomore, said: “I want to meet people, meet new friends, get involved with the social aspect.”
Both the IFC and the Panhellenic Association are currently gearing up for their formal recruitment. IFC has already kicked off their formal recruitment, while Panhellenic formal recruitment is slated to begin Sep. 8.
For more information regarding Greek recruitment, contact greekhurricanes@yahoo.com or visit www.miami.edu/greeklife.

The Miami Hurricane will print a Greek Gossip section every Tuesday. Greek organizations are encouraged to contact either Stephanie Brown or Robert Castro with any information they would like to see included in the section in regards to special events, achievements, plans or any other newsworthy aspect of Greek life.

This summer, Minal Ahson, a junior double majoring in Microbiology and Religious Studies, volunteered with Cross Cultural Solutions [CCS], an international grassroots volunteer placement organization. Ahson conducted her volunteer work in Tengeru, a small village outside of Arusha, Tanzania. She was awarded the Patrick Stewart 2003 Human Rights Scholarship from Amnesty International for her project to research the HIV/AIDS and healthcare situations in the village. This is the first installment of a four-part series in which Ahson will describe her experiences and volunteer work in Tanzania.

Journal Entry #1

As my parents saw me off, my mother was really worried. I told her that, in order to help and learn about others, we must step outside of our own comfort zones. I can’t help but feel extremely fortunate to have this experience. First of all, I have amazing parents to support me in going to a country where I know no one and do not speak the language. Second of all, I was humbled to receive the Amnesty International scholarship. I didn’t think it was a big deal when I won, but when I read the bios of the other winners, I was amazed. It is encouraging to see that other young people are also motivated to help others and change the world around them.
On the way there, I spoke with the lady sitting next to me on the plane. She was going to Spain for vacation. She didn’t seem to understand that I was going to Tanzania to volunteer. I guess that’s an odd concept? I don’t know. . .
At the airport, I met some of the other volunteers – most of them were students from around the country, a few from Canada and the UK. We were greeted at the airport by members of CCS. They drove us to the CCS house in a van, and during the ride, I couldn’t help but notice how cool the air was and how dark the town was. I could hardly see anything out of the windows because there were no street lights.
We reached the house, which was very different in layout from most homes in America. We were greeted at the gate by a guard and were led inside, where a traditional Tanzanian meal awaited us even though it was almost midnight! Hospitality is extremely important in the Tanzanian culture. Later, as we were escorted to our rooms, I noticed that it was already very quiet. I was told that most village people rise and sleep with the sun, due to the limited amount of electricity. I could hear radios in the distance.
The next morning, we woke up early to hike the foothills of Mount Meru with a local guide. Since we were staying in a village, to get to the main town we took a van called a Dalla-Dalla. It wasn’t bad that morning, but normally people would be sitting on laps of others and hanging out windows! The hike was amazing. We were able to see the whole city and waded in a river to a waterfall. We met many of the townspeople, who were extremely excited to shake our hands and teach us Swahili greetings. On the way back, our tour guide decided to chart his own path with a machete. We were literally climbing through vines and trees. Definitely crazy!
We went through orientation the following day, which allowed us to learn about cultural differences and how to conduct ourselves. Little things, such as eye contact and the concept of time, were interesting to learn. I was given my placement: Nkoaranga Secondary School and Orphanage. I am glad that I will be working with kids!
We were informed of the Travel Alerts issued by the U.S. government about American tourists visiting East Africa. I found out that the flights from the U.S. to the region were being cancelled. I guess we made it just in time! Mama Simba, the country director of CCS, instructed us to give her copies of our passports, just in case. It was a little intimidating to be amidst the anti-Americanism that I had only heard and read about, but I never experienced anything like that during my trip. On the contrary, people were surprised to learn that I am American [due to my appearance] and in the predominantly Muslim country, people were happy to hear me say the Islamic greeting of “Peace.”
It’s interesting to observe the HIV/AIDS situation. I asked Mama Simba what the situation was like in Tengeru, and all she said was, “Very bad!” I noticed that HIV is something that is not openly spoken of in the conservative culture. I hope the next few weeks will allow me to get a better picture of the situation.

Minal Ahson can be contacted at mahson@miami.edu.

The verdict is in: Chartwells outdid themselves with the renovations to the Hecht/Stanford cafeteria, bringing positive feedback from students and administrators. That is, except for the increased traffic, the issue at the center of student complaints about the renovated facility.
Phase one of this $3 million project, completed this summer, increased the seating capacity from 180 to 630.
According to administration, an estimated 60 percent of the students with meal plans ate at the Hecht/Stanford cafeteria last year.
“We tried to incorporate a retail restaurant look which would afford privacy and a better all-around feeling,” Mel Tenen, director of auxiliary services, said. “We worked closely with student council and a committee made up of students and faculty to get the input necessary to have the renovations reflect what students want.”
The whole interior was gutted and redone with new flooring, including tile and carpet.
“We see ourselves being the leaders in this new style of residential dining,” Tenen said. “Students want to have more of a casual yet commercial feeling in their dining halls.”
Many students say they are really excited about the changes. Some say it makes the food taste better.
“It’s fantabulous because last year it was really ghetto,” Alex Ortiz, junior, said. “I would walk to the other cafeteria, but now the Hecht/Stanford cafeteria is like eating in an actual restaurant.”
“We went from trash to class,” Marc O’Connor, junior, said.
Chartwells administration is pleased with the feedback they have received.
“Of the 75 accounts we have at different Universities, this dining hall has the nicest facility,” Fred Heaviside, vice president for Chartwells, said.
However, some students have already begun to complain about long lines and wait times.
“It’s pretty and appealing, but the lines are worse because the new arrangement inside the serving area is more cluttered and causes confusion,” Nicole Brin, senior, said.
“The traffic is terrible since they changed the setup – they don’t have enough people working at the stations, but the surroundings are cleaner and prettier,” Krystle Canaii, senior, said.
Chartwells administration attributes this added traffic to the increased popularity of the facility.
According to Tenen, renovations to the dining halls on campus are conducted every seven to 10 years, in agreement with what the students want.
Renovations for the Mahoney/Pearson cafeteria are scheduled for Summer 2008. For more information about Chartwells services or dining options, contact 8-2715.

Sebastian the Ibis creator dies
John Stormont, the UM graduate credited with creating and wearing the original Sebastian, has died. Stormont, a n and his fellow residents of San Sebastian hall created the ibis as an entry in the homecoming celebration of 1957. The following year, Stormont wore the costume to football games, thus beginning the tradition of Sebastian the Ibis. Following graduation, Stormont worked as a professor at UM and MDCC, as well as a news editor for WPLG.

Undergrad mag seeks editors
Dune Shack is an online literary magazine featuring work from UM undergraduates. It is produced by the Creative Writing program in conjunction with U-Turn, the non-fiction webzine written and designed by students in English 306. Dune Shack is now looking for editors who will solicit student creative work-including poetry, fiction, drama and new media-and select pieces for inclusion in the Fall issue of the ‘zine. Any UM undergraduate who would be interested in working on this exciting new publication should contact Neil de la Flor at theduneshack@yahoo.com or Gina Maranto, Assistant Director of Composition, at g.maranto@miami.edu. An organizational meeting will be held in the next few weeks. To check out the current edition of Dune Shack, go to www.uturnmag.com.

Latin films to show at Cosford
The Motion Picture Association-Latin America and School of Communication present the Latin American Film Series 2003, showcasing first-run films from Argentina, Brazil and Mexico twice a month at The Bill Cosford Cinema located in the Memorial Building. For details and show times call 305-284-1870.