August 14, 2020 • Volume 106, FRESHMAN GUIDE • nique.

net

Design by Anushri Kumar Student Publications

2 • August 14, 2020 • technique FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE //WELCOME

technique
The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper

EDITOR-IN- CHIEF:
Taylor Gray

TAYLOR GRAY
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
To my dear freshmen: I am
sorry a pandemic has overshad-
owed your first semester here at
Tech. Despite the precautions
and apprehension that sur-
rounds this particular semester
on campus, I sincerely hope you
can still make the best of it, and
I know you will.
I know every single one of
you is adaptable, strong-minded
and yearning for the traditional
first semester on campus. You
are able to overcome any chal-
lenge life throws at you. Where
there is a will, you will find a
way. I know all of this about you
because you are here at Tech.
The next four to five (or six)
years of your life will prove to be
some of the most transformative.
The person you come into Tech
as will not be the same person
you leave as. This school molds
you into the best version of your-
self. It forces you to learn from
your mistakes. It encourages you
to grow in your passions. It sup-
ports you to become whatever
four-year-old you wanted to be
when you grew up.
This school is full of opportu-
nities. Do not let anything stop
you from seizing them. Do not
be afraid to go to that event you
really want to go to because no-
body wants to go with you. You
will make friends there.
Do not be afraid to study
abroad on an exchange program
alone. It will all work out and
hey, you might find the love of
your life while you are there, or
better yet, maybe you will find
yourself.
When my parents dropped
me off on my first day at Tech,
my stepfather clapped me on the
shoulder and said, “This is go-
ing to be the hardest thing you’ll
ever do in your life.” Three years
later I can tell you that he was
right.
There have been multiple
nights where I’ve sat in the
CULC and wondered if I could
do this. There have been so many
hell weeks, projects and exams
that pushed me further than I
could have ever imagined.
But after I finished every
single one of those assignments,
I felt an incredible sense of ac-
complishment, and that is what
I think keeps us all going here.
When you come face to face
with those challenges, embrace
them. You will come out on top
even stronger than you were be-
fore. I will not tell you it gets
easier with each obstacle you
make your way over, but you do
learn how to approach them bet-
ter and they become a little bit
more bearable as you travel the
path toward your degree.
Real talk — Tech is hard, so
MANAGING EDITOR:
Jannat Batra
be sure to take care of yourself NEWS EDITOR:
while you are here. Remember Sophia Tone
to not skip meals, drink your OPINIONS EDITOR:
water and most importantly, do
Journey Sherman
not forget to shower. Do not be
LIFE EDITOR:
so hard on yourself. Remember
Hannah Jane Baumann
that while you are ultimately
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:
here to get an education, it is
okay to have fun sometimes too. Maya Flores
In fact, if you do not have SPORTS EDITOR:
fun, you will not last here too Timothy Ryan
long. Get involved! Go on those DESIGN EDITOR:
spontaneous trips to Waffle Anushri Kumar
House at two in the morning! PHOTO EDITOR:
Share a hammock with a strang- Allie Ghisson
er on Tech Green! Don’t be ONLINE EDITOR:
afraid to say yes, and go with the Abigail Gutierrez-Ray
flow. Some of my best memories TECHNOLOGY EDITOR:
at Tech have come from unex- Jahziel Villasana-Espinoza
pected opportunities that came HEAD COPY EDITOR:
my way. Avni Shridhar
You are all going to do amaz-
ing things during your time
here. I believe in all of you, and
Founded in 1911, the Technique is the
with open arms and the biggest student newspaper of the Georgia In-
smile that is hidden under my stitute of Technology and is an official
mask, I welcome you all to Tech. publication of the Georgia Tech Board
of Student Publications. The Technique
publishes on Fridays weekly in the fall

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
papers merged, and since our name survived, we like
to pride ourselves on being Tech’s longest running
student newspaper.
We have chronicled everything from the first ap-
pearance of George P. Burdell on Tech’s rosters in
1920 to the peaceful, voluntary desegregation of the
Institute in 1961. Of course, we have kept up faith-
ful coverage of Tech sporting events, including the
222–0 whopper of a football victory (the largest col-
lege football victory in history) over Cumberland Col-
lege 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, photogra-
phers and editors, so please come check us out and
email editor@nique.net if you are interested.
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 © 2020, Taylor Gray, 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
students, staff or faculty of the Georgia
• New issues come out every Friday • Check us out at nique.net Institute of Technology or the University
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sliver
nique.net

“Hi, I’m running for... you know.. the thing” -Joe Biden
jeez just how many amazon basics mice have I bought
Live Action Samurai Jack starring Keanu Reeves (woah)
Never trust a psychic that hasn’t won the lottery at least twice.
I am sad gorl
not gonna lie, i like working from home
don’t be evil until you can
has trump ever retweeted a Shrek meme?
Geoffrey Epstein: no coverage, fake russia collusion (no longer
talked about): tons of coverage
Yo mama so classless, she could be a Marxist utopia
are you guys gonna post the list of graduating anak members?
yeah at some point bro
‘you can’t lie if what you say doesn’t even make sense’ -Joe Biden
I’d love to see Elizabeth Warren do a cover of “Colors of the
Wind”
Hello there sir
hey!! do you have the anak graduates for spring 2020? pls post
them
it’s out of our control, chief
look at me! I am a sociopathic virtue signaler!
From Android app
anak members that graduated? pls? am very curious!
omg stop ASKING, maybe they want to be a secret or something
supporting trump is known to cause cancer in the state of Cali-
fornia.
in Skeletor’s eyes, everyone must be morbidly obese.
//RESOURCES FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE technique • August 14, 2020 3

OSCAR to make your schedule

WILL FUSS
STAFF WRITER
Learning to navigate Tech can
be harrowing at first. However, a
large number of helpful resources
are accessible via phone or laptop.
Beyond the Technique, a resource
you may be using digitally right
now, here are some of the most es-
sential digital resources.
Most of the physical resources
available to students have online
portals where you can sign up
for time slots. Examples of this
include the free tutoring sessions
offered to students, mental health
resources at the CARE center
and physical health appointments
at the Stamps center. All portals
can be accessed at a website with
and register for any classes, so it
remains the best individual re-
source. To know what classes you
should take next though, Degree-
works is an extremely valuable
resource. It allows you to look at
all the classes you have credit for,
are signed up for and the ones you
need to graduate. It also helps
you create potential tracks if you
want to add or change a degree.
For specific courses, Courseoff is
a solid schedule builder that has
access to course times and loca-
tions at Tech. It can allow you to
build a tentative schedule, though
OSCAR will always have the de-
finitive class times and locations,
so make sure to double check. Fi-
nally, Rate My Professor has dif-
ficulty and personality ratings as Photo by Dani Sisson Student Publications

a keyword plus gatech.edu, e.g.
health.gatech.edu for Stamps.
ACADEMICS
OSCAR is the almost all-
encompassing resource for Tech,
with the ability to access campus
services like dining and hous-
ing. Its most essential services
are the academic resources, from
a comprehensive class list to a
weekly schedule easily available
with complete information on all
classes you sign up for. Once you
actually begin your classes, hav-
ing a handful of apps will make
your life easier. Most classes will
give assignments and updates via
Canvas, so add the Canvas app to
your Georgia Tech folder. Along
with that, many classes will use
TurningPoint to assign atten-
dance questions, making that app
potentially useful as well.
SCHEDULING
The scheduling process can
be a bit frantic, but luckily there
exist a few ways to expedite the
process. Ultimately you will use
well as reviews for a majority of
the professors on campus, allow-
ing you to try and pick a professor
that better fits your learning style.
SAFET Y
To make sure you stay as safe
as possible, there are a couple
more apps worth downloading.
The LiveSafe app gives safety
alerts, has access to a number of
emergency options and allows
you to have someone track your
trip home to ensure you make it
back without any problems. The
Stingerette app allows you to call
a campus van to come pick you
up and bring you to your destina-
tion between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.
The free service extends across
the entirety of campus and select
destinations within a few blocks.
For digital security, Tech uses
the Duo Mobile app for mobile
authentication to ensure you as a
student are the only one accessing
your account. At some point early
in the year you will likely need the
app to access your account, so it’s
worth downloading now.
Pictured above is the Counseling Center in the Smithgall Building. The Counseling Center pro-
vides a variety of mental health resources to students and members of the Tech community.
JANNAT BATRA
MANAGING EDITOR
As incoming freshmen in gen-
eral, but especially as incoming
freshmen in the chaos of 2020,
it can be difficult to find your
place in the world and on campus.
Nevertheless, the various resource
centers that Tech offers aim to
help students navigate their way
through life and college.
The LGBTQIA Resource Cen-
ter is located on the first floor of
Smithgall, otherwise known as
the Flag building, in Suite 140.
The center strives to create a safe
space for LGBTQIA students
through educating the campus,
programming and community
building.
Due to COVID-19 restric-
tions, the staff will be working
with a hybrid-remote schedule
and will not be open to drop-ins
for now. Fall programs will po-
tentially be in-person, but be on
the lookout for more updated in-
formation on https://lgbtqia.gat-
ech.edu/virtual-resources.
The Women’s Resource Center
(WRC) is a safe place for women
to seek information about issues
like personal health, academics,
safety, career guidance and more.
Women on campus can reach out
to the center for personal sup-
port, crisis intervention or simply
a sense of community and com-
radery on Tech’s male-dominat-
ed campus. The resource center
is closed to in-person visits for
now, but appointments can still
be made virtually. Fall program-
ming will begin virtually as well
on August 12 with their “Tips for
Success” Panel.
The Veterans Resource Center
(VRC) strives to serve students on
campus who are “veterans, mili-
tary, reservists, guard members,
and dependents.” They provide a
variety of support services to aid
students throughout their aca-
demic career. The center was pre-
viously located in room 115B in
Smithgall, but a new VRC opened
up in the BioQuad this August.
Virtual appointments and office
hours can be made online.
The Counseling Center is
located on the second floor of
Smithgall and provides a variety
of services to support the “per-
sonal, academic, developmental,
career, and general mental health
needs,” of everyone on campus.
Students can find licensed psy-
chologists, counselors and more in
the center to meet their personal
needs. All services provided by the
center are free and confidential for
students, but those seeking assis-
tance should also visit the Center
for Assessment, Referral & Edu-
cation (CARE) for a primary as-
sessment and referral to additional
resources. Students can also refer
their peers to CARE if they recog-
nize that someone is in the need of
personal assistance.
4 • August 14, 2020 • technique
JACK CRONIN
ENTERTAINMENTEDITOREMERITUS
Although the pandemic con-
tinues to pose public health and
safety risks, there are still many
ways to take advantage of some
safe amenities and activities that
the Institute and the Atlanta re-
gion have to offer.
PIEDMONT PARK
Piedmont Park is a large public
park between Midtown and Vir-
ginia Highlands that is only about
ten minutes away from Tech’s
campus. The park is full of open
space for anyone to take advan-
tage of.
Walkways weave through the
whole park, including around
Lake Clara Meer. There are fields
and facilities for sporting activities
from sand volleyball and tennis to
soccer and basketball. A dog park
rests on its eastern edge, along
the BeltLine. At the northwestern
corner, the Botanical Gardens of-
fers some gorgeous sights. From
physical activities to sight-seeing
and picnics, Piedmont Park is an
excellent (and safe) destination for
any Atlanta newcomers.
HIKING
Despite being in an urban
center, the Atlanta and North
Georgia areas boast some excel-
lent outdoors and hiking destina-
tions within reasonable proximity.
While cars might be necessary, a
trip with friends can provide some
needed escape from academics
and urban sprawl.
Just 20 miles west of Tech’s
campus, Sweetwater Creek State
Park offers excellent waterside
trails. Likewise, several hikes run
along the famous Chattahoochee
River, such as the East Palisades
Trail and the Powers Island Trail.
For some mountainous ter-
rain, Blood Mountain, Kennesaw
Mountain and Pine Mountain
bring elevation and excellent over-
looks for sights. Further outside
the region sit National Forests to
the west, north and east that are
full of more places to explore.
THE BELTLINE
The Atlanta BeltLine was for-
merly a railroad that ran around
the city but has since been repur-
posed into a bike path that con-
nects several neighborhoods and
communities.
Many shops and restaurants sit
along various parts of the path,
such as Krog Street Market or
Ponce City Market. It also runs
alongside the aforementioned
Piedmont Park.
Even for those without bikes,
the BeltLine is a great way to get
fresh air and see different parts of
the city, either on rentable scooters
or on foot.
INTERNATIONAL FOODS
One observation newcomers
might have about the Atlanta re-
gion is just how surprisingly inter-
national both the city and Tech’s
campus are. At every turn, there
are locations to try new cuisines.
Decatur, a city about 25 minutes
east of campus, has restaurants
with cuisine from India, France,
Mexico and Latin America.
Further northeast, the Buford
Highway area boasts many Asian
businesses focusing on Malaysia,
Vietnam, Korea, China, Japan
and even Colombia and other
Hispanic regions.
While these destinations offer
an abundance of options, one does
not have to travel so far to expand
their palate. Food Terminal, for
example, is an Asian-fusion res-
taurant with a location in West
Midtown.
Likewise, local marketplaces
have foods from all over the world.
Although it might not be safe to
personally sit in their stores, inter-
national foods pose fun takeout
and delivery options for anyone
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE
looking to flavor up their week-
ends.
MARKETPLACES
Local marketplaces offer a lot
of fun for both local and new resi-
dents of the Atlanta area. Ponce
City Market and Krog Street
Market — two busy indoor desti-
nations — are chock-full of excit-
ing foods, shops and goods.
In a pre-pandemic world, they
would have been an excellent
way to kill a few hours, getting
drinks and bites. But even in the
current circumstances, they offer
some outdoor shops and curbside
pickups for people looking to get
a taste of the market experience.
Other markets exist beyond
those tourist destinations, how-
ever, such as Municipal Market
and the Buford Highway Farmers
Market. Get out for some fresh air
at these locations and buy some
fresh produce or goods to spice up
your grocery routine.
Tips & Tricks
HOPE WILLIAMS
ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR
Although taking online classes
might sound like an easier and
more flexible version of in-person
classes where you can attend lec-
tures as you lounge in your paja-
mas, this is almost always not the
case.
Online classes do offer more
options for when and where you
complete your work, but the
amount of work and difficulty
of the course content does not
change. Here are a few tips to ad-
just to online learning:
THINK STRATEGICALLY
Depending on your personal
graduation plan and course selec-
tion, try to take classes this semes-
ter that you are willing to experi-
ence online.
Perhaps now is not the time
to take smaller discussion and
teamwork-based classes if you are
passionate about connecting in-
person with classmates. Not all
students have the option to delay
taking certain classes, but if you
do, this could save you the chal-
lenges of trying to succeed in
classes specifically designed for
face-to-face interactions.
HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE
Procrastinating on complet-
ing work for online classes can be
very easy. With no in-person in-
teractions and more independent
work, it becomes tempting to put
off work for weeks. To hold your-
self accountable, stay organized
by keeping a calendar of impor-
tant dates and when assignments
are due. Additionally, be sure to
keep a list of any questions you
have during an online lecture or
while doing assignments so you
can ask your questions to fellow
classmates or to your professor.
UTILIZE RESOURCES
The Center for Academic Suc-
cess offers online one-to-one tutor-
ing appointments, virtual peer-led
undergraduate study sessions for
certain courses via BlueJeans, and
academic coaching. The Com-
munication Center (CommLab)
offers online consultations to help
students with written, oral and
visual projects as well. The Insti-
tute Diversity, Equity, and Inclu-
sion, LGBTQIA Resource Center
and Center for Student Diversity
and Inclusion all offer academic
resources and support for under-
represented minority groups and
women students through various
programs.
GO TO OFFICE HOURS
Unlike in-person classes with
weekly face to face interactions,
some online courses are struc-
tured with limited interactions
with your professors. Unless you
// TIPS&TRICKS
attend office hours or set up a
meeting, professors might never
have the chance to form any sort
of relationship with you.
Talking with your professors
may make class expectations more
clear and gives you a more person-
alized way to ask questions about
course content and stay in contact.
GET IN THE ZONE
Make sure you know in ad-
vance where you will complete as-
sessments. If possible, find some-
where you will be undistributed
and able to fully focus. Determine
how you will be expected to sub-
mit your tests. Will it be fully on-
line, or will there be portions you
must show you work? By figuring
out these logistical details before
your exams, it will give you more
time to focus on the material it-
self.
MENTAL CHECK-INS
Starting your college experi-
ence in the middle of a pandemic
can be frightening and isolating.
The Center for Assessment, Re-
ferral and Education (CARE) of-
fers initial assessments and refer-
rals to various resources and the
Counseling Center offers virtual
individual counseling sessions to
in-state students, as well as virtual
group counseling sessions that
will begin this fall.
REMEMBER TO UNPLUG
Staring at a screen and sitting
in the same spot all day can be tir-
ing, both mentally and physically.
Take a few minutes everyday to
move away from your computer
and rest your eyes. If you tend to
do work at night, try using soft-
ware such as f.lux, which helps re-
duce the impact of blue light from
screens on your sleep quality.
Finally, remember that this
semester will be a new experience
for everyone. Together, we will
learn how to best succeed in such
challenging circumstances.
//SPORTS
WILL FUSS
STAFF WRITER
“To HELL With georgia!” (THWg) is
the cry of Jackets’ fans everywhere in the
rivalry known as “Clean, Old-Fashioned
Hate.” The signature phrase of Tech fans at
every sporting event, it embodies the feel-
ings of our student body for our in-state ri-
val. The rivalry with Georgia is one of the
longest standing traditions at Tech, dating
back to 1893, when the two teams first met
on the gridiron. Including that initial meet-
ing, the rivalry has been played 114 times
on the football field as well as countless
more times across other sports.
The THWg mantra is prominent enough
to make its way into many of Tech’s game-
day traditions, most notably our fight song,
which is played whenever Tech scores a
touchdown. In addition to the fight song
are several other gameday classics such as
“Budweiser” and “The Horse.”
Budweiser is a long-standing Tech tradi-
tion, playing between the third and fourth
quarters while everyone in the stadium bobs
up and down in tandem. The Horse can be
heard at every Tech event where the band
is present.
In addition to the songs, Tech’s two mas-
cots take center stage on game days. Buzz,
the Institute’s resident six-foot yellow jack-
et, is a regular sight in the stands at every
game. Joining Buzz at every football game
is the Ramblin’ Wreck, the white and gold
1930 Ford Model A which leads the team
onto the field at every home game.
It can often be seen driving around cam-
pus or parked at other campus events as
well. Freshmen are advised to be wary of ­the
Wreck though —­legend has it that we will
lose to Georgia if one of them touches it.
Tech’s football program has a long and
rich history that includes some big names
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE technique • August 14, 2020 5
and bigger wins. John Heisman, one of the The current football stadium, a staple of years, with golf winning a number of con-
great figures in college football history, was both Tech’s campus and the city of Atlanta, ference championships and volleyball con-
head coach of the Jackets from 1904-1919. is named in his honor. sistently in the running at the conference
Heisman was a pioneer of the forward All in all, Tech football has won four and national level.
pass and a driving force behind its official national titles, with the most recent one in At the individual level, several Jacket
addition to the rules of the game in 1906. 1990. The men’s basketball program has alumni have found professional success in
Under Heisman, Tech never had a losing two Final Four appearances, one in 1990 recent decades. The baseball team has pro-
season, and they claimed their first national and one in 2004. The 2004 team made it all duced at least one draft pick 40 years in a
title under him in 1917. The legendary Heis- the way to the NCAA title game, but fell to row, including Mark Teixeira, a three-time
man Trophy, given every year to the best UConn by nine points. All Star and winner of five Gold Glove and
player in college football, is named in his Tech baseball and softball have also three Silver Slugger awards.
honor. emerged as consistently strong teams in Tech consistently has plazyers selected in
While Heisman was coaching the Jack- recent decades, with baseball heading to the NFL draft as well, most notably Calvin
ets, the program set the record for the most the College World Series in 1994, 2002 Johnson, an elite receiver who was on a Hall
points scored in a game, which still stands and 2006, and softball qualifying for the of Fame trajectory before his abrupt retire-
to this day. After Cumberland College was NCAA tournament every year from 2002- ment in 2016, and Harrison Butker, the
allegedly caught using professional players 2012. The women’s tennis team won a na- Chiefs’ current Super Bowl-winning kicker.
in a baseball game against the Jackets, Heis- tional championship in 2007, and both the Tech’s basketball program has also pro-
man decided he wanted revenge. men’s and women’s teams have produced duced two-time NBA champion Chris Bosh
The Cumberland football program had several strong players. and international star Stephon “Starbury”
agreed to play Tech in football during the Men’s golf and women’s volleyball have Marbury along with current players Derrick
1916 season, but their program had since become perennial contenders in recent Favors, Josh Okogie and Thaddeus Young.
folded. However, Heisman insisted that the
school fulfill their commitment and play
the game as scheduled, and even paid them
$500 to come play. What followed was the
most lopsided massacre in the history of the
sport, with Tech beating a cobbled-together
Cumberland team 222-0, setting the re-
cords for most points scored and largest de-
feat in a college football game ever.
In 1945, nearly two decades after Tech
football’s second national title in 1928,
Tech hired Bobby Dodd to be the head
coach. Dodd was arguably Tech’s most suc-
cessful coach, compiling 165 wins over his
career and bringing home another national
title to North Avenue in 1952. He led the
Jackets to the longest winning streak in the
history of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate for
either team, taking eight straight contests
from 1949 to 1956. Following Dodd’s time
as Tech’s coach, he served as the athletic di- Photo by Taylor Gray Student Publications
rector and oversaw the racial integration of The Wreck has led the football team onto the field since 1961. One member
Tech athletics. of the Ramblin’ Reck Club is picked to be the designated driver every year.
6 • August 14, 2020 • technique
JOURNEY SHERMAN
OPINIONS EDITOR
Although this is not the start
to college you have dreamt about
and pictured in your head, there
are still some silver linings to be-
ginning college at this time. For
starters, you get to tell your chil-
dren and grandchildren that you
graduated high school and started
college during a pandemic and
that in itself is no small feat.
Going into college, one of the
most nerve wracking things for
me was wondering how I would
make friends and long-lasting re-
lationships at that. Because it may
be unsafe to meet new people in
person for a while, suggest mak-
ing a class group chat. Try to be
active and responsive in it and you
will be talking to new people in
no time.
During typical orientation and
numerous welcome events, you
would most likely meet tons of
new people, but only few would
actually stick. In these types of
events it is hard to weed through
who is going to be a true friend
simply because you meet so many.
In the age of COVID-19, the
relationships that you build (most
likely online first) will be fewer
and in turn have more depth.
When it is safe to meet up with
them in person, it will be super
worth it to both of you.
So you may not end up with 30
new surface-level friends and in-
stead might have five quality ones
at the end of the semester, but that
is a good thing because, hello, we
are in the middle of a pandemic.
If you were lucky enough to
have a class schedule that is a ma-
jority remote or hybrid learning,
then this will give you so much
more flexibility and time than a
normal in-person schedule would.
By not having a residential (in
person) schedule, you cut down
on risk of being exposed to the
virus all while staying in the com-
fort of your own space. You have
the freedom to have class any-
where you want!
Go outside, turn on your
hotspot and explore the beautiful
greenery Atlanta or your city has
to offer. Of course, online classes
will still be difficult, but you will
have so much more time on your
hands. If you don’t know already,
learn how to cook for yourself!
It is an easy, but very neces-
sary skill. Pick up some more hob-
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE // SILVERLINING
bies and finish the semester better ing to see the entire class at once. they have worked all the kinks out
than you started it. Take solace in the fact that you and your classes will be smooth
One piece of advice I was given will probably never see your pro- sailing.
about college was to treat it as if fessor face to face or most of the COVID-19 has been extremely
it is a job, and your dream job at students in your class in person. detrimental to every aspect of life
that. Put yourself on a schedule So the stakes are low for em- and continues to change our ev-
and wake up at the same time barrassing yourself. If you are eryday lives. This fall will look dif-
each day and get online as if you stressed about your classes being ferent than any semester at Tech,
are clocking in to your dream job. online, then at least you won’t be but this season is entirely what
This is a unicorn semester and a guinea pig for your professors. you make of it. It is easy to com-
you will most likely never have the When we were forced online plain and be frustrated with the
freedom and flexibility that you in the spring, my professors had current situation, but if you want
do now. Do not waste it! no idea how to use virtual learn- to truly be successful and get off
Another pro for those that are ing technology, and it showed at to a fantastic start, then focus on
doing hybrid or remote learning is times. Here’s hoping that by now the silver linings.
that you will have increased time
to access your professor. If you did
not entirely understand a topic,
there is nothing stopping you
from sending a followup email as
soon as class ends.
For those like me that find
face-to-face office hours beyond
awkward, there is now a much
better way to get one-on-one help
that is more attainable through
video calls. For those that are not
ones to usually raise their hand in
class or speak up during discus-
sions, online learning may be a
blessing in disguise for you.
You will automatically feel
more relaxed by being in a com-
fortable environment and not hav- Design by Anushri Kumar & Jannat Batra Student Publications
//ADVICE
JOURNEY SHERMAN
OPINIONS EDITOR
I finally understand why every-
one says that these four(ish) years
will fly by.
The first piece of advice I
would give to incoming freshmen
is to live in the moment. Remem-
ber that you belong here and there
is a reason you were admitted. We
need you.
I can say with 100% certainty
that your time here will be as aw-
ful or as fantastic as you make it.
So, do not put things off. Apply to
that leadership position. Change
your major twice, hell, even three
times if you want. Start that club.
Do not be afraid to challenge
this institution and stand up for
what is right. Most importantly,
do not be afraid to fail. Look-
ing back with regret and realiz-
ing what you could have done or
could have been would truly be
the biggest failure.
Also, pick the major YOU love.
Do not let your parents, your
roommate or a random kid on the
trolley who is belittling your ma-
jor, dissuade you.
You may hear certain majors
dubbed ‘easy.’ Easy majors do not
exist! Everyone has their strengths,
and it is more than okay to have a
different skill set than the people
sitting next to you in class.
Not everyone will have the
same path, but everyone will end
up where they need to be. Do not
let the insecurities of others dim
your talents.
Although the idea of putting
your health before your grades is
taboo at Tech, it is the most im-
portant advice you will ever get.
Whether it is your mental or phys-
ical health, put it first. That grade
will not matter forever.
Be upfront and honest with
your professors. The truth of the
matter is, they won’t all show
compassion for situations you
have no control over, like being
sick. It is up to you to know when
you need to press pause. Listen to
your body over anyone else.
Also, do not be afraid to reach
out for help from your friends and
peers. We have most likely been in
a similar situation and are more
than willing to offer advice and
resources.
As I said, you won’t get along
with every professor you have, but
when you do, make sure to use
them as a resource.
Maintain rapport with a hand-
ful of professors. This will be ben-
eficial when you need academic
letters of recommendation for
internships and jobs. You can also
learn a lot from them and gain
more expertise in areas of study
you are interested in.
Everyone goes into Tech with
a plan of what they want to get
out of their time there, but it will
almost never go exactly their way.
And that is okay! Go in open-
minded about your career goals
and even what types of friends
you want to make.
College is your time to explore
the opposite side of the spectrum
on all things. Sure, this semester is
going to look much different than
a typical semester at Tech, but
make it count.
You will regret not putting
yourself out there even if that does
mean through the lens of your
laptop.
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE technique • August 14, 2020 7
MAYA TORRES unexpectedly taken from us. No pen this semester or in the years
CONTRIBUTING WRITER amount of virtual celebrations or ahead. College is unpredictable,
free donuts will make up for that. regardless of whether or not there
So maybe 2020 hasn’t quite But as Barack Obama put it in is a pandemic taking place outside
been our year. his May commencement speech, of the classroom.
We were supposed to graduate “not that many people look great But I can say with confidence
high school. We were supposed in those caps.” This year and the that we will get past this. The pan-
to attend prom, have senior night rest of high school will inevitably demic will eventually end, and we
and attend as many graduation end up as hazy memories by the will eventually have a degree in
parties as we were invited to. And time the next decade begins. our hands and we can say we sur-
the COVID-19 outbreak has tak- In reality, 2020 was not re- vived a pandemic as well as four
en that from us. ally going to belong to any of us. (or more) years at Tech.
But for me, senior year never Popular or otherwise, we were We have survived high school.
really belonged to me in the first not supposed to peak during high We have gotten into the Institute.
place. I was not going to have the school. We are headed to one of We have made it. And while there
most expensive prom dress or the the best institutions in the coun- might not be all of the pomp and
most party invites, and there are try to pursue our passions. circumstance we deserve, we will
more than a few senior events that Regardless of what our path make it through this too, and we
I’m not unhappy to be skipping. at Tech may be, there are so will be okay.
But I get it — ­ this sucks. I many years ahead, which will Class of 2024, welcome. Wear
miss my friends and I was look- be so much more thrilling than a mask, stay safe and we will be
ing forward to seeing my relatives any prom could ever be. This is out of this before we know it. Pre-
at graduation. I wanted to wear just the beginning. I cannot say I pare for the next chapter of our
my Tech gear to school during have any idea what’s going to hap- lives.
senior spirit week, and I was ex-
cited about my last year of sum-
mer camp.
We are all missing out, in big
ways and small. Many of you
are lamenting over missing com-
mencements. Others will never be
able to thank their favorite teach-
ers in person.
I’m not going to say that there
are not bigger problems in the
world — there are. It is impossible
not to watch the news and feel
that gaping sense of grief, know-
ing parents and grandparents are
dying every day.
Our circumstances are fleet-
ing relative to the immense loss of
life and economic security around
the world, but that doesn’t make
Photo Courtesy of Maya Torres Student Publications
our pain any less valid. This mile-
stone, the one we’ve been prom- Maya Torres, first-year LMC, decorated her high school gradu-
ised all throughout our lives, was ation cap with a fitting reference to “Falsettos,” the musical.
8 • August 14, 2020 • technique
HANNAH JANE BAUMANN
LIFE EDITOR
Tech, like many other univer-
sities, has its own set of supersti-
tions and traditions unique to its
community. These traditions car-
ry on from generation to genera-
tion uniting current students with
the graduates who came before
them. Because of the importance
of our community’s traditions, we
at the Technique compiled some of
our favorites to explain their his-
tory and significance.
STEALING THE “T”
Everyone who has ever visited
our campus has most likely seen
Tech Tower, one of our most
historic buildings on campus
which is adorned with the letters
“TECH” on each side of the tow-
er. The tradition of “stealing the
‘T’” began in 1969 when a group
of students removed the letter “T”
from the East side of the tower.
The East side was chosen as it is
the most visible from the Down-
town Connector. The “T” was
stolen on several occasions and
always ended up being returned,
sometimes even on the lawn of the
president’s mansion. Although the
administration used to avoid tak-
ing action against students who
stole the “T”, measures are taken
today to prevent this since it tech-
JAHZIELVILLASANA-ESPINOZA
TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
Tech has a checkered relation-
ship with sports. Our football
team has 4 national titles and was
once mentioned in the same sen-
tence as powerhouses like Notre
Dame, Clemson and Alabama.
Our men’s basketball team
has produced quality profes-
sional players such as Chris Bosh.
Yet Tech’s focus has only grown
stronger on academic excellence.
It’s the reason most of us came to
this school in the first place.
While our sports teams might
not be why you chose to come
to Tech, I really hope that you
consider supporting them dur-
ing your time here. When I was a
freshman, I couldn’t wait for foot-
ball at Bobby Dodd on Saturdays.
I grew up watching football
every week, and I was excited to
have a team that was truly my
own to support. However, not ev-
eryone shares this interest. Maybe
your family was not big on sports
as you grew up.
Maybe you even chose Georgia
Tech in part because it does not
emphasize sports as much as other
big schools in the United States.
Why should you care about sports
at all, or use your precious free
nically is “criminal activity.” So,
make sure to think about the con-
sequences before trying this tradi-
tion for yourself.
RAT CAPS
You may have seen the gold
caps in pictures of freshmen
throughout Tech’s history. These
caps are known as “RAT caps”
which stands for “Recruit At
Tech.” The caps are tradition-
ally adorned with their student’s
name, major, hometown, ex-
pected graduation date and “To
HELL With georgia” written with
that exact punctuation for empha-
sis. The tradition, which began in
1915, was that freshmen would
wear the RAT caps until we beat
UGA during the rival game, and
for the rest of the year if we lost.
Freshman who were found with-
out their caps on would be hazed,
so of course this tradition is no
longer enforced in that regard.
THE WHISTLE
If you haven’t heard the loud
roar of the campus steam whis-
tle yet, you certainly will when
classes start this fall. The whistle
blows throughout the day mark-
ing the end of each class period.
The whistle is also blown during
football games when Tech scores
a touchdown or wins the game.
The first ever whistle was built in
time to go to sporting events?
First, going to games supports
the school. Whether we like it or
not, our sports teams are a repre-
sentation of our school to the rest
of the world. They are part of our
brand and identity as an institute.
Going to games shows that you
support Georgia Tech’s communi-
ty! If you got into Georgia Tech,
odds are you could have gone al-
most anywhere. Choosing Geor-
gia Tech means that you’re choos-
ing to be part of the community
that we have here, and it would be
a huge waste of time and money
to not spend time investing in that
community.
Our student athletes get their
energy to compete from the fans
cheering them on in the stands. If
the stands are empty, we are really
signalling that we don’t really care
about our community.
If you have not ever been to a
college sporting event before and
are a little intimidated by the
prospect, I want to reassure you
that some of your best college
memories can be made at these
games. They are meant to be fun!
Even people that aren’t inter-
ested in the sport itself can have
fun by going with friends. Go-
ing to Bobby Dodd on a nice fall
Saturday can be a great way to
hang out with new friends you’ve
FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE
the late 1890s, and many whistles
were re-installed in its place as
it was stolen by students several
times (although this tradition is
not as famous as stealing the “T”).
The current whistle you hear to-
day was installed in 2004.
FRESHMAN CAKE RACE
The Freshman Cake Race
is a half-mile foot race that be-
gan in the early 1900s. The race
takes place in the early morning
(around 6 a.m.) on the day of the
homecoming football game. It be-
gins near Russ Chandler Stadium
and ends around Bobby Dodd
Stadium. Winners receive cakes
baked from various faculty and
alumni and all participants receive
a cupcake after crossing the finish
line. Although the race used to be
mandatory for all freshmen, it is
now only encouraged. However, it
is a fun experience you don’t want
to miss!
MINI 500
The Mini is a tricycle race held
during homecoming week every
year. Participants complete nu-
merous laps around Peters Park-
ing Deck. Each team consists of
seven members, each team must
build their own tricycle and each
member must take part to validly
compete in the race. The race is
certainly a sight to see and is one
made in dorms or classes, and get
some fresh air while you’re doing
it. Also, most sporting events re-
quire cheering from the audience.
Whooping your head off during
the Budweiser Song or running
around after the game for
The Horse can be a great way
to work off some stress with your
friends in a fun and exciting at-
mosphere. Some of my favorite
memories from my time at Tech
have come from celebrating excit-
ing victories with my friends.
This leads to my next reason for
going to games: you never know
what you might see (or miss out
on if you aren’t there)! While Tech
sports can definitely be a roller-
coaster sometimes, there are genu-
inely great moments that happen
at our stadiums and arenas.
One of my biggest regrets of
my college career is leaving the
“Miracle on Techwood” home-
coming game against Florida
State early my first year. If you
have not heard of that game, defi-
nitely look up the last play on You-
Tube. You’ll see why I’m still kick-
ing myself to this day that I didn’t
stay the whole game. You don’t get
the opportunity to attend matches
as a student very often.
There is a great energy and at-
mosphere in the student section,
which is something you will not
of the most exciting and enter-
taining events during homecom-
ing week.
PI MILE
The Pi Mile Road Race is a 5K
race that is run during the Spring
on campus every year. The first
race was 3 miles in 1973 but was
then lengthened to 3.14 miles 2
years later. In 2002 the length
went back down to 5 km. The
race is partly run along the Tyler
Brown Pi-Mile Trail which gives
the race it’s name. Tyler Brown
was a member of Tech’s ROTC
program who was later killed in
action in 2004. The trail was dedi-
cated to his honor in 2005.
SIDEWAYS’ GRAVE
Sideways was a black and white
terrier who was found in rough
condition near Tech’s campus.
Her injuries caused her to walk
sideways, giving her the nickname
she is known for today. Sideways
was taken care of by many stu-
dents, sleeping in different dorms
and wandering into various lec-
ture halls. Once Sideways passed
away, she was buried near Tech
Tower with a plaque telling her
story. The headstone is rotated
90 degrees so that it is also “side-
ways” in her memory. During fi-
nals week each semester, countless
students leave pennies on Side-
get to experience when you are
graduated and maybe have more
time. Don’t let the chance to ex-
perience that go to waste!
Finally, while many of my ex-
amples have been about football,
it’s not the only sport on campus.
There are lots of sporting events
all year long.
Lots of student athletes need
your support, so find a couple of
sports you haven’t tried before and
show up for their games! Tech has
had strong baseball, volleyball and
softball teams over the past few
Cheerleaders run onto the field during the 2019 UGA game. The
team splits into groups to cheer from different parts of the stadium.
//TRADITIONS
ways’ grave for good luck on their
exams.
TOUCHING THE WRECK
Most Tech fans already know
about our adored mascot, the
Ramblin’ Wreck. However, many
might not know about the tradi-
tion behind touching it. Fresh-
man are not allowed to touch the
Wreck until after their last final
has been completed during their
spring semester. Legend has it that
if a freshman touches the Reck be-
fore their first year at Tech is com-
plete, they will cause us to lose the
rival game against UGA. To this
year’s freshman class, although we
will not be playing against UGA
this year, try not to touch the
Reck until completing your spring
finals for tradition’s sake.
ANAK
Serving as Tech’s only official
secret society, ANAK was cre-
ated in 1908. The ANAK society
has had a hand in creating many
important student organizations,
including the Technique and the
Student Government Association.
ANAK traditionally taps in a
select amount of students from the
junior and senior class. Member-
ships remain a secret until gradu-
ation, where members’ names are
published in the last issue of the
Technique for that semester.
years, just to name a few. There
are even some club sports, like
rugby, that compete against other
schools and could definitely use
the support.
At the end of the day, whether
or not you enjoy sporting events
is a personal choice. Some people
just aren’t into it, and that’s fine!
Don’t feel pressured into being
something you’re not. However,
don’t write off sporting events
without giving them a try first.
There is lots of fun to be had if you
are willing to try new things.
Photo by Taylor Gray Student Publications