Renovations and construction currently taking place on Cherry Street will soon expand into the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Administration Building, also known as Tech Tower.

Tech Tower, which houses a number of members of Tech’s administration as well as the Registrar’s Office, will be undergoing an extensive overhaul of utilities systems within the infrastructure. The renovations will range from upgrading the plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical systems to some safety and accessibility improvements, including modifications to outdoors fire escape stairwell. A second set of fire stairs will also be added to the building.

Elevators within Tech Tower will be improved as well. Following the renovations, they will have capability to access the fourth floor of the building, and will have been made larger in size to allow space for emergency personnel and their equipment in case of an emergency or any technical difficulties.

Installation of energy efficient windows are also among the slated alterations to Tech Tower. The total price of the renovations is currently estimated at $7.5 million. The renovations were expected to begin this past week, requiring those currently working within the premises of the building to relocate. In mid October, construction fencing will be installed, and actual work will begin roughly a week later.

“The relocation of various services will be of most impact to students,” said Linda Daniels, Associate Director of Capital Planning and Space Management at Tech. “They will have to learn their way to get to the new locations.”

Administrators of both the College of Sciences (CoS) and the College of Engineering (CoE) will be required to relocate out of the building due to renovations. CoS administrators will be relocating to the Cherry Emerson building, and CoE administrators will be moving to the Manufacturing Research Center building. Because of this, students will be required to visit those buildings in order to work with the aforementioned administrators. The Registrar’s Office will also be relocating to the Savant building during the period of the renovations.

Construction is currently estimated to take 12-18 months in total.

It is just another typical day at Tech. I make my morning cup of coffee, check social media from last night’s happenings, get dressed and mosey on over to the Instructional Center for class. The buses are working rather efficiently this morning and I get there with plenty of time.

Later, I will take the Tech Trolley over to the Moe’s in Tech Square to grab lunch with some friends.

While we are eating, one of my friends points out that she needs to go to the mall for an upcoming event. We are both finished with classes for the day, so we hop on the trolley over to MARTA before traveling up to Lenox. When we get back, another friend asks if we want to hitch a ride with her out to get some dinner in Buckhead.

Living in this Tech Bubble, one can easily fall prey to the false sense of convenience of public transportation.

I mean, do not get me wrong, the location of Tech and the services provided are wonderful and super convenient for us students. But in a much broader aspect, looking at the city of Atlanta and the outer-lying metro area, public transportation and the infrastructure of Atlanta, as a whole, is severely limited.

Before my study abroad this summer, I could easily tell you Atlanta has a horrible public transportation system. To most other Atlantians and Tech students, this is a simple fact; however, only after having seen several European cities’ systems as well as having been in various other American metropolitan areas, did I realize the full  extent to the tragedy that has become MARTA and I-85. I can only implore that we turn to our European counterparts for inspiration and that we invest in our infrastructure.

First, sitting in traffic has become all too familiar. The highways and interstates around metro Atlanta may have been decent during the time when the city hosted the Olympics but since then, the city has experienced an influx of people settling around the metro area. This has caused more people to be on the roadways, and with only such limited room, there is bound to be congestion.

As a study from Business Insider reports, the state of Georgia itself has the ninth largest ranked interstate system, thus we should be doing fairly good in comparison to other states, right? Wrong.  Largest does not imply most efficient. Of the 1,300 plus traffic signals in the region, Business Insider reports only a “small percentage” as being actually synchronized to keep the flow of traffic moving (which a simple test of driving through from one point of downtown to the other will clarify to anyone in doubt).

Even better, Business Insider reports, on average, drivers will spend 51 hours sitting in traffic, which equates to 23 gallons of gas wasted per year, which amounts to over $1,000, thanks to congestion.

Yet even through all of this trauma, pain, and agony of dealing with Atlanta traffic, something seems to continue: people, myself included, continue to put up with the congestion because it is the best (and really only) option.

Why is it the only option? What could Atlanta be doing to solve this problem?

I have some possible solutions.

Yes, there is MARTA, but as MARTA currently stands, it really has only one vital purpose and that is to get people to and from the airport. Sure you can go places in-between, and if you are at Tech, you could use it like my experience above to go to/from Lenox, but overall, MARTA is horrible.

Let us compare MARTA to the Underground of London (which I do understand is like comparing the iPhone 6 to the Brick Phone of the 90s).

The Underground is so intricate but it is still almost impossible to get lost. There are signs with stops and interchanges posted all throughout stations and trains because they know that such an extensive network requires extensive signs to keep people informed. MARTA cannot even do that.

Or compare MARTA to Paris. Paris has 10 separate subways with an additional 6 trains. They look they are made in random fashion, but instead, they’re made so that it should be feasible for you to get almost anywhere around Paris without having to transfer to more than 2 lines.  MARTA offers almost zero chance to get from point A to B without involving a bus ride.

Then there is a matter of traveling to another city. For example, if you wanted to go from, say Oxford to London, there are many options.

Let us just say you live in that country, you could have a car to get you there. If you didn’t feel like driving, there are taxis or better yet, a relatively inexpensive bus ride offered from many different bus companies. If you’re in the ultimate rush, you could even take the train.

Atlanta does not have this. The buses are not the nice, elite kind you will find in Europe and feel comfortable with jumping on-board at weird hours without having a companion. There is no direct and convenient train less than 10 minutes from your home and most likely, you won’t have a train take you to your final destination either.

I would say the one redeeming quality we have is MegaBus. Cheap trips with a bus that has a bathroom, working power ports, and decent WiFi are all a college student needs. But much to my bewilderment, Europe also has MegaBus.

Driving is fun. Traffic is not. Getting to travel to different places is fun. Being forced to choose one method of transportation and suffer because of it is not. We can do so much better.

The Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) hosted the annual Campus Safety Day on Wednesday on Skiles Walkway. In attendance were the Women’s Resource Center, the Office of Information Technology (OIT), Health Promotion, and the Counseling Center. Several off-campus institutions, including the Georgia State Patrol and the Humane Society also attended.

“We have a lot of tables and booths to help students educate themselves on how to keep…safe, physically [and] mentally… around Atlanta and around Georgia Tech,” said Officer Bradley Latham.

Some events included the horse-mounted patrol of the Atlanta Police Department.

“It’s really a conversation starter,” Latham said. “As they are riding around…people come up and ask questions, [so] it’s an opportunity for officers to stop and talk.”

This APD mounted patrol is often used at large events in Atlanta for crowd control.

Health Services also invited students to try drunk goggles, which show how excess alcohol consumption affects perception. Students were also asked to sign a pledge to never drive drunk.

“It was really great to see how many other students had also signed it,” said Rebecca Hu, a second-year chemistry student who participated in the event.

Students were reminded that they can play a greater role in preventing theft by being more aware of their surroundings.

“A lot of times, students fail to realize that [theft is our] number one crime on campus,” Latham said. “What we typically do is try to educate them on how easy it is to protect [themselves] by trying to reduce the opportunity by leaving belongings unattended or unsecured.”

In addition, the Atlanta Fire Department provided information on checking fire alarms.  According to the fire department, people often take smoke detectors for granted and fail to maintain them properly.

“It’s a very simple process, very simple tool, but you do have to take care of it and check it yourself,” said Lieutenant Jared Purinton of the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department.

At this event, VOICE, Tech’s initiative for sexual assault prevention and victim advocacy  also had a booth that provided education on how students not directly affected by these crimes could still prevent them by being an active bystander.

In early August, the staff of the Princeton Review announced that Tech had made its Green Honor Roll for the year 2015. Tech received the honor along with 24 other colleges, out of more than 850 surveyed.

Every building constructed on campus since 2009, by Tech’s own rules, is designed to meet some level of LEED certification. The buildings are often adorned with signs with the LEED seal. An example can be found on the glass doors of the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons (CULC). The Princeton Review highlighted the CULC as a “sustainability showcase,” with green classrooms, a 360 solar panel array and a rooftop garden. Other buildings with a LEED certification include the Klaus Advanced Computing Building, and North Avenue Apartments.

The award also emphasized Tech’s water usage practices. Sitting under Tech Green is a cistern which holds 1.4 million gallons according to the Princeton Review.

The cistern collects rainwater for use in landscaping and toilet-flushing. The CULC’s gardens also feature native plants, which were chosen because they require less water.

Finally, Tech has roughly 350 sustainability-focused courses according to the Princeton Review, up from more than 260 in 2009, such as “EAS 1600 – Intro to Environmental Science,” “ARCH – 6226 Green Construction,” “ECE 4320 – Power Systems Analysis & Control” and “ECON 3300 – International Energy Markets.”

To be placed on the Green Honor Roll, schools must receive the maximum score of 99 by PR’s criteria. The methodology for scoring colleges rests mainly on responses survey questions, including self-reported statistics. One question was “How much of the school’s energy comes from renewable sources?”

The Princeton Review has awarded Tech the Green Honor Roll for seven consecutive years, ever since it was introduced. Tech’s commitment to the environment has won other numerous accolades as well.

The Sierra Club placed Tech on its list of Top 10 Cool Schools this year. Tech has also been designated a Tree Campus by the Arbor Day Foundation for six consecutive years.

On March 14 of this year, the film Ocho Apellidos Vascos (Spanish Affair) hit theatres in Spain and quickly became the most viewed current Spanish film. Over the summer, it was given English subtitles, but it is unlikely that this movie will get the audio dubbing typical of American films to be shown in Spain.

It is not particularly a bad thing that the film remains subtitled, for it has a large amount of cultural references and stereotypes that are nigh incomprehensible to the average English speaker. Translation error and inexactness amplify this issue.

Take the title as an example. In Spanish, it is “ocho apellidos vascos,” literally “eight Basque last names.” The chosen English title, Spanish Affair, does not presume people will know that those in Basque Country show that they and their family are Basque by their last names.

Though a romantic comedy, this film does not shy away from political unrest nor ignore regional differences within Spain, electing instead to make a point about them. The lack of English audio will help deter those with merely a passing curiosity while allowing people knowledgeable about Spain to enjoy this movie’s witticisms.

Ocho Apellidos Vascos starts out in Seville, Spain where Rafa (Dani Rovira), a man who has lived in Spain’s southernmost autonomous community (home to Spain’s largest political divisions), Andalusia, for his entire life, works as a bartender and waiter. Rafa soon encounters, argues with and falls for Amaia (Clara Lago), a stubborn and outspoken woman from Basque Country in Spain’s north.

However, after knowing each other for less than a day, the couple is split when Amaia leaves Seville for her hometown.

When Rafa discovers that Amaia left her purse at his house, he decides to track down Amaia to return it, hopefully winning her heart in the process. Against the advice of his friends, Rafa takes a daylong bus ride and rather creepily appears on Amaia’s doorstep.

At first, Amaia wants nothing to do with a man so desperate as to track a woman across the entire country but changes her mind upon realizing that her father is in town.

Amaia does not wish to disappoint her father by not having a Basque husband (something her father has always wanted for her), so she has Rafa pretend to be her boyfriend and a native of Basque Country. Here begins the true comedy.

Up to this point, Rafa and Amaia have been portrayed as the stereotypical representatives of Andalusia and Basque Country, respectively, two images as diverse as those of a Texan cowboy and a Wall Street businessman.

The remainder of the movie follows the two through humorous encounters and cultural misunderstandings. Throughout the movie, Rafa manages to accidentally light a dumpster on fire, incite a riot, get thrown in jail, break into a house he claimed was his, pretend that the house’s unsuspecting owner was his mother and generally make a mess of things in a comedic fashion.

Amaia, having the advantage of understanding the expectations of her hometown and its nationalistic tendencies, fares somewhat better, though she does make a habit of climbing out of windows.

If one is in search of a light-hearted comedy requiring little knowledge of foreign affairs, Ocho Apellidos Vascos would be a poor choice.

Though it is a great movie given the viewer has some background information regarding Spain, if this is not the case, then most of the humor is lost and the movie is degraded suddenly to a mediocre romantic comedy at best, or perhaps even demoted to a simple love story with little comprehensible comedy to be found.

Strangely enough, Spanish Affair is not a particularly good film, but Ocho Apellidos Vascos is a stellar picture for its intended audience.

The Jackets opened up their 2014 season 2-1 at the Gamecock Invitational after beating the Jacksonville Dolphins and the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs each 3-0. They fell to the tournament hosts, the South Carolina Gamecocks, 3-1.

Tech opened up the tournament and the season with a convincing victory over the Jacksonville Dolphins.

Senior Ashtaan Horton led the Jackets with 11 kills. Sophomore Teegan Van Gunst and senior Courtney Felinski both had nice games as well recording 10 kills each. Sophomores London Ackermann and Annika Van Gunst led the team in digs with 17 and 13, respectively.

The Dolphins came out ready to play, opening the first set with a 5-2 run. The set stayed close early on, but the Jackets were able to pull away and finish the first set with a 25-19 win.

Tech came out for the second set on fire. It started out the set on a 4-1 run. The Dolphins would close the gap and tie up the set at 4, but that is as close as the set would get. Tech went on to win it, 25-10.

The Jackets found their hands full early on in the third set. The scoring went back and forth for a while and the teams found themselves knotted up at nine.

Tech then went on a 7-1 run and found itself leading 16-10. The Jackets cruised to a 25-17 victory in the final set.

First-year Head Coach Michelle Collier was very happy with the performance.

“We were able to have a balanced offense and stay consistent with our serve and pass game. The team got better throughout the match and we finished performing at a very high level. I’m looking forward to our next matches tomorrow and our continuing progress,” said Head Coach Michelle Collier courtesy of ramblinwreck.com

Tech picked up right where it left off in its next match against Gardner-Webb. The Jackets’ T. Van Gunst looked impressive again, leading the team with 10 kills. Freshman Annika Olsen looked sharp, leading Tech with 16 digs.

It was a fast start for the Jackets in the first set, leading the Runnin’ Bulldogs early 5-2. Tech would hold on to that lead and finish the set with a 25-14 win.

Much like the first set, Tech came out firing on all cylinders in the second set, taking a commanding 8-1 lead early on.

Gardner-Webb made a run though, tying things up at 15 late in the set. However, Tech finished on a 10-6 run and won the second set 25-21.

The third set was all Tech’s once again. The set was back and forth early on, but the Jackets took care of business and won the set 25-20, therefore winning the match.

Tech found itself with their hands full against the Gamecocks in their third match of the tournament.

The Van Gunst twins found themselves having solid games in this one.

Teegan finished the match with 13 kills and Annika was right behind her with 12 of her own.

Olsen put together another fine match, recording a team leading 18 digs. It would not be enough though, as the Jackets fell, 3-1.

Tech found itself in a tight first set right from the beginning, leading at one point 19-16. The Jackets kept it close the whole time, but came up short, falling 22-25.

The Jackets looked to bounce back in the second set of the match. Tech found itself behind early in the set and was not  able to make up the deficit, losing 13-25.

Down two games to none, the Jackets knew they had to pull out a win in the crucial third set. The match was close early on, but Tech was able to put together several key runs to win the set 25-18.

Tech found itself down 11-15 against the Gamecocks in the fourth set, but went on a 6-0 run to take a late lead 17-15. It was not enough though, and the ladies  dropped the fourth set 22-25 and the match 3-1.

“South Carolina came out strong and we were unable to get them out of system with our serving,” Head Coach Michelle Collier said. “We adjusted well in the third and fourth game and got better offensively and defensively, but our serving and passing game was not at the level we [needed] it to be to win the match.”

Colliers’ finishing comments were: “Overall a great weekend. We were able to see a lot of people get playing time and we did a lot of great things as a team. Now it’s back to the gym to work hard and adjust somethings for the next tournament.”

After such a successful showing, Tech hopes to ride the momentum into their next tournament. They head to Dallas this weekend for the SMU Invitational to play matches against SMU, Oklahoma, and Texas Southern.

Offense

Quarterback

Paul Johnson’s spread option will serve as the Jackets’ offensive philosophy once again this year, and it will have a new leader in quarterback Justin Thomas. Originally recruited to play defensive back for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the 5’11”, 185 pound sophomore ran a similar offense in high school and is ready to take the reins after playing behind Vad Lee last season. He ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.3 seconds coming out of high school, making him one of the fastest quarterbacks in all of college football. His athletic ability and decision making when running the ball is a perfect fit for this offense.

B-Back

Senior B-back Zach Laskey will be lining up right behind Thomas on most plays. He had a breakout year in 2012, rushing for 697 yards, and scored eight touchdowns (seven on the ground) last year. His 6’1”, 218 pound frame can take the beatings that come with rushing straight into the trenches while staying low and pushing forward to gain yards. He will see a lot of touches again this year, both as the second option on triple option plays and on handoffs designed to go straight to him. Senior Matt Connors will serve as his backup and Synjyn Days will also see time as well.

A-Back

The Jackets are loaded with experience at the A-back position, which should allow for more plays to the outside by rotating players and keeping their bodies fresh. Seniors Tony Zenon, B.J. Bostic, Synjyn Days, Deon Hill and Charles Perkins, along with junior Broderick Snoddy should all expect to see significant playing time. Zenon and Perkins are slated to start at A-back versus Wofford.

Wide Receiver

The receiving corps will not see as many passes thrown their way compared to last year, but that does not mean that big plays on deep balls are out of the question. Senior DeAndre Smelter is the go-to receiver and had a major impact on the team last season, catching 21 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns. He  should also be more of an impact on the field this year, even if the stats do not show it. Senior Darren Waller will sit out the first two games for violating team rules but should take over the other starting wide receiver position when he returns. At 6’5”, he is the tallest receiver on the team. This is the second time Waller has been suspended for the first two game of the season.

Offensive Line

The team lost three long-time starters on the offensive line over the offseason due to graduation but added a lot of freshman depth with this past recruiting class. Senior Shaquille Mason and junior Bryan Chamberlain remain as starters at guard and tackle, while junior Trey Braun will most likely take over at the left guard position after starting eight games there last year. Sophomore Freddie Burden will start the year at center, and true freshman Chris Griffin will start at left tackle and protect Thomas’ blind side. Mason is the most experienced and will be the leader of the offensive line.

Offense Overview

Last year was a relatively down year for the Jackets’ offense. This season, expect the offense to revert to its ground-game roots with Thomas under center and for the play calling to be similar to the Washington and Joshua Nesbitt days.

Photo by Austin Foote

Defense

Defensive End

The Jackets graduated both starting defensive ends this past season. Jeremiah Attaochu is now with the San Diego Chargers, and Emanuel Dieke is trying to make it in the NFL too. Starting this year will be true freshman Keshun Freeman, who was forced into playing time after several transfers and players who were ineligible. Tyler Stargel will start opposite Freeman, and both players will have their work cut out for them this season.

Defensive Tackle

Senior Shawn Green and junior Adam Gotsis will start at the defensive tackle positions this season. Gotsis is a returning starter and made a name for himself last season after coming up with several big interceptions, sacks and blocked kicks.  Green is very effective when he is healthy, but he has suffered lingering injuries the past two seasons. Backing up Green and Gotsis will be sophomores Pat Gamble and Francis Kallon. Both have excellent size and should be good depth in the interior defensive line. Kallon was a highly rated recruit, and fans are waiting for his breakout season.

Linebacker

The linebacker core will be headlined by senior Quayshawn Nealy and junior Tyler Marcodes. Nealy is one of the most talented players on the team and will play a key role in stopping the other team’s tight ends in coverage and stopping the run. Sophomore Paul Davis will be the first linebacker off the bench this season. He was very effective last year as a true freshman, and his motor and tenacity make him a very fun player to watch.

Cornerback

Graduates Jemea Thomas and Louis Young will be tough for this year’s team to replace. Both are currently fighting for NFL roster spots. Junior DJ White is the most experienced corner on the team. Redshirt sophomore Lynn Griffin was supposed to start the season but is suspended for the first two games. Redshirt junior Chris Milton will start in his place. Once Griffin comes back, Milton will be able to play safety or cornerback. The Austin twins will play a key role this year as well.

Safety

Senior Isaiah Johnson returns this season along with junior Jamal Golden. Both suffered injuries last season, and their depth and experience will be needed this year. Junior Demond Smith will also see a lot of playing time, and it hasn’t been determined who will be starting at safety this year. Tech’s secondary will have plenty of depth and will often have three safeties play at one time.

Defense Overview

Tech lost many key players this past season: Six graduated, and a couple more were ineligible this season. The pass rush is unknown, and, because of that, the defense under Roof might take a step back.

Photo by John Nakano

Special Teams

Kicker

Sophomore Harrison Butker returns as Tech’s kicker and will be the primary specialist for kickoffs, field goals and PATs. He was the Jackets’ leading scorer with 83 points last year, converting on 10 of his 14 field goal attempts and 53 of 54 PAT tries. He also kicked off 73 times, 30 of which were taken for a touchback.

Punter

Sophomore Ryan Rodwell will be returning as Tech’s Punter. Rodwell, was redshirted last season but was Tech’s primary punter in 2012 after Sean Poole was lost to injury. He averaged 39.7 yards on 13 punts in 2012 and twice pinned the opposition inside its own 20 yard line.

Returner

Smelter is expected to be the main punt returner once again after racking up 124 yards on 11 returns last year. He will also occasionally return kickoffs, though junior Jamal Golden will see the most touches after missing most of 2013 with a shoulder injury. After Golden went down during the North Carolina game last season, the special teams took a huge hit, and the team wasn’t as effective without Golden’s breakaway ability returning kickoffs and punts. Sophomores Dennis Andrews and Lynn Griffin will also see some time on kickoff returns.

Special Teams Overview

Butker looks to continue improving upon last year. He did a good job compared to Tech kickers before him, but there is room to improve. Golden will excel in the return game.

Festival season is coming to a close in Georgia, but the state is going out with a pretty big bang, as it has two major (but drastically different) festivals for this September. The sequel to the unexpected blowout TomorrowWorld 2013 comes back to Georgia to bring EDM-lovers a three day festival that promises the experience of a lifetime.

If last year’s results are any indication, it just might do that. Before that though we’ll have our own locally thrown event: Music Midtown.

So how should people prepare for these two events, and what should they expect? Each festival has a unique vibe and has different goals, so new attendees may need some clarification.

Music Midtown consists of two days where attendees come and go each day, as there is no camping available. TomorrowWorld is a three day event where a major part of the festival is camping out and enjoying the atmosphere. While Music Midtown showcases many types of genres, TomorrowWorld is almost exclusively EDM. Given the size difference, the budgeting is drastically different and consequently, so are the ameneties.

TomorrowWorld can be considered an import, as it hails from an electronic dance music festival called Tomorrowland located in Boom, Belgium, a small town outside of Antwerp. In 2013, the creators of Tomorrowland announced they would be bringing it to America. They faced a steep challenge trying to fit into the American niche. Though headlining famous acts like David headlining famous acts like David Guetta  and Calvin Harris, it decided to avoid a populous urban area.

Instead it opted for the Bouckaert’s Farm in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, due to its similarity to the original location of Boom, Belgium. The organizers then implemented a 21-and-over limit, rather than the usual 18-and-over cut off (note that Music Midtown is all ages). With high stakes riding on the first ever TomorrowWorld, it became a huge success.

140,000 attendees strong and without incident, TomorrowWorld has cemented itself a spot in America. It brought in around $70 million for the city of Atlanta, tying the effect of the NCAA Final Four Championships also held last year. Organizers say that TomorrowWorld received visitors from all 50 states and 75 different countries.

Here’s how to prepare for an event of such a scale: if you are planning on attending TomorrowWorld, it would be advisable to treat it as a hiking trip. First, take along backpacks and camping gear if you plan on staying in Dreamville.

Next, make sure you bring plenty of water as you will be involved in all types of physical activity including jumping, dancing, and lots of walking Holding onto a few refillable bottles will be ideal when refilling at free water stations. It is also advised to bring along some sports drinks to replace the electrolytes that you sweat out when jamming to the music.

Finally, keep your clothing in mind as well. It is going to be hot, even in September, so make sure you dress appropriately throughout the day. Sneakers are a must; there’s no reason to be trekking miles in high heels or sandals. Another tip: bring earbuds. Protect your eardrums so that you can enjoy other music later in your life.

To help out music-goers who want the most packed experience, TomorowWorld offers Dreamville, a home away from home with camping, marketplaces, food vendors and areas to enjoy a little relaxation while recharging one’s batteries.

Another attraction of Dreamville is The Gathering, the TomorrowWorld pregame of musical numbers designed to kick off the whole party. It also features the whole of the Bouckaert’s Farm, a tremendous 500 acres spread with heart-pounding stages. 500 acres and day to night music shows that Georiga is a state that can boast one of the best in EDM festivals.

So what should people do for Atlanta’s very own Music Midtown?

The weather will be hot, so dress accordingly, and drink lots of water.  Also, bring be ready to buy water, because there may not be free water stations. There is no parking offered at the festival, so attendees should plan out their trip on public transportation before they go.

A key to receiving the full experience will be to treat the event as an opportunity to view a variety of artists and styles, and keep an open mind.

Given last year’s weather patterns and our recent run of rain, be ready and simply accept the fact that dancing in the mud is a memorable experience.

With both events, there are a few similar things to look out for.

First will be the terrible cell service. Decide on a place to meet up with friends in case you get separated. If you do send a text, keep in mind that it might not be immediately sent and timestamped.

Next are the porta-potties. Remember that there will be quite a few people around you who are not always the cleanest. Keep a few anti-bacterial wipes for when you need to go. A few final tips: keep some cash on you, wear some deodorant and make sure to have fun!

Given the massive success of Music Midtown 2013, and TomorrowWorld 2013, it’s an important year to carry along the hype. Music Midtown will take place on Sept. 19 and 20, and TomorrowWorld will run Sept. 26, 27 and 28, and tickets for each are still available on their respective sites.

Georgia Tech:

Following three straight seasons of seven or fewer wins, the Jackets enter 2014 looking to make a push for their fourth Coastal Division title and a berth in the ACC title game. As Paul Johnson enters his seventh season at Tech, the defense looks to build on some momentum under new coordinator Ted Roof. The offense will also feature some promising weapons in 2014.

Tech lost five starters from last season’s offense, including three linemen, but has found capable replacements for 2014. Sophomore Justin Thomas takes over at quarterback for Vad Lee, who transferred after struggling to adjust to running the option offense. Despite being much smaller than Lee, Thomas’s breakaway speed is something no quarterback under Johnson has ever brought to the table. Between Thomas and a stable of senior A-backs, the Jackets have several speed options in the backfield, and senior B-backs Zach Laskey and Synjyn Days are both very capable power runners. The success of the offense will come down to the performance of the offensive line, which is breaking in three new starters.

Last year’s defense featured three eventual 2014 draft picks, and only four starters return to a unit that will alternate between a 4-2-5 base package and a more traditional 4-3. Tech will deploy the 4-2-5 for this game with junior Demond Smith starting at the nickel, a position that demands excellent run support and coverage skills in this alignment. The rest of the back seven should be in good shape, with senior linebacker Quayshawn Nealy anchoring the linebacking corps and safeties Jamal Golden and Isaiah Johnson returning from injuries. Junior defensive tackle Adam Gotsis is the only returning starter on the line, but Gotsis was very disruptive against the run last season with 14.5 tackles for loss. While the pass rush remains a question mark, that should not be a major concern against run-heavy Wofford. Despite inexperience, the defense should excel against Wofford.

Wofford:

Wofford is looking to rebound after a late-season slide ended their playoff hopes in 2013. The Terriers reached the FCS playoffs three straight times from 2010-12, and midway through last season they were 5-2 and ranked No. 12 in FCS. Despite the strong start, they went on to drop their final four games to end the season at 5-6, ending the playoff streak and marking their first losing season since 2009. With Head Coach Mike Ayers entering his 27th season at the helm and 13 starters returning, Wofford will look to start 2014 with their second-ever win over an FBS team.

The Terriers use a run-heavy offense known as the “wishbone.” The base formation is similar to Tech’s standard flexbone formation under Paul Johnson, but one wide receiver is replaced with a tight end, and one halfback lines up alongside the fullback. Wofford ran the ball on 82.5  percent of their plays in 2013 and averaged 269.9 rushing yards per game. The biggest threats for Tech’s defense will be fullback Jonny Martin, who scored seven touchdowns last season, and halfback Will Gay, who had 486 rushing yards and 205 receiving yards in 2013. The key for Wofford, though, will be to complete some passes early on and prevent Tech from bringing eight defenders into the box to stop the run.

Defensively, Wofford runs a 3-4 alignment, and all three starters return along the defensive line. The best of the corps is senior defensive end Tarek Odom, who racked up 13 tackles for loss and two sacks last season and earned all-conference honors. Wofford returns both starting corners and two starting linebackers, but both safeties will be new starters and could be vulnerable. The Terriers are slated to start two redshirt freshmen and as many as four sophomores on defense, so overall this will be a very young unit. Their biggest challenge will be up front, as starting defensive ends Odom and Tom Bove are both listed below 260 pounds, while Tech’s smallest starting offensive lineman is listed at 284 pounds. If Odom and Bove are able to get around their blockers and repeatedly disrupt plays in the backfield, Tech could have problems getting option plays going.

PREDICTION: Tech 56, Wofford 7

As the current Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC) President, Erin Kelly, a fourth year IE major, is actively involved in various aspects of Greek life, from assisting in programming initiatives to appointing a committee to research the viability of a possible new Greek chapter.

Tracing her interest in joining a sorority from her out-of-state status, she views the Greek system as her ultimate support system at Tech.

Technique: Why did you decide to get involved with Greek Life or, more specifically, CPC?

Kelly: So when I came to Tech I was coming from out-of-state and I wanted to join Panhellenic chapter because both my parents had really good, positive experiences with being Greek, and they showed me that Greek life would be a good support system.

My second year I wanted to get more involved and ran for Panhellenic delegate for my chapter, and through that experience I was exposed to CPC as it was my responsibility to be the liaison between my chapter and CPC.

Last year, I served on CPC as Programming Vice President and then this year I’m President; once I started, I could never stop doing it since I loved it so much.

Technique: What is the main mission or goal of CPC?

Kelly: On Tech’s campus, CPC plays a really unique role – more so than on any other campus – because Tech is such a male-dominated campus, and CPC is the largest women’s organization, so we are here to act as a voice for women throughout campus.

CPC also acts as a liaison between our seven National Panhellenic Chapters and the two Associate Chapters and the administration.

We are here for the chapters. If the chapters need any support or programming we are here to help. We are not here to shove any rules down people’s throats, we are just here to help everyone collaborate and get along and to make each other stronger by building a more tight-knit community.

Technique: Are there any specific initiatives you hope to implement as CPC President?

Kelly: We are currently looking into extension. At the beginning of my spring term, I appointed an exploratory extension committee to collect data to see if our campus would be viable to support another CPC chapter. That committee was made up of one representative per chapter as well as a representative from one of our associate chapters.

By the end of the semester, they came up with a recommendation that they think our campus could support another chapter.

We put out a report this summer with all the data, facts, and reasoning that we collected, and at the first open meeting of the semester, we presented it to everyone attending. Last night at the open meeting, it was on the agenda for unfinished business to vote, but the vote was tabled, so it is now on the agenda for two weeks from now. It is still up in the air if we are inviting another chapter on campus but it is a possibility and something we are exploring right now.

CPC also has taken a stand on sexual violence by supporting the white paper. We have also partnered with the Women’s Resource Center.

Our programming Vice President, Sam Wilson, has been working with other councils to create a sexual violence portion of training for the Greek Peer Education. We plan on doing a part two of Greek Peer Education to educate the new members on sexual violence. As the largest women’s organization on campus, we feel responsible because it is such a prominent women’s issue right now.

Technique: How has your involvement in Greek life influenced you personally?

Kelly: I honestly don’t think coming in my freshman year I could have imagined myself in this position. It was never an end goal to be President of CPC, but as I got more involved in my chapter and Panhellenic, it gave me the confidence to take on more and more leadership responsibility.

Greek life has been my home away from home, my support, and my backbone, and I would not have been nearly as successful at Tech as I have been without the support of my chapter and the support of all of Greek life.

Technique: What kind of responsibilities does your job entail?

Kelly: Our terms run from January to December so I’m in the middle of my term. I oversee the executive board and help them look at their goals to make sure they are achieving what Panhellenic has set out to do. I also attend Tech committee meetings, and I serve as the Greek life liaison between the higher up administration and Greek life. I manage the rest of the executive board, run the Panhellenic open meetings, facilitate discussions between the chapters and take part in any council wide initiatives.

Technique: When you went through recruitment and participated in Bid Day, did you have any specific memorable experiences?

Kelly: I remember embarrassing myself a lot. I was walking down some stairs in heels that were probably way to high and I fell almost a whole flight of stairs down on preference night. But the cool thing about that was the girl that was talking to me that night, she was not judgemental. She was honestly, genuinely concerned with how I was. She even told me I could cry if I wanted to, but I was like, “No! I’m good!”

I think my favorite Bid Day was this year and last year when I got to hand out bids to the new members. I got to see how excited they were and the relief that recruitment was over and that they had found their place. It reminds me why I took on this position.