Friday, September 20, 2024
Upperclassmen choose campus housing over apartments LUISA CLAUSEN the rest of my college
greater than my love for comfort. We can live in a house any time after and getting to be their we graduate, but living friend.’ I just had a in a dorm like this is huge heart for it.” only during college.” Before Hope Crain Crain is one of the James Lee, a senior at started her junior year, 2,234 non-freshmen OSU, shares the same she chose to call Iba living on campus this feeling as Crain. He Hall home. fall, showing a 21.2% lived in the dorms durIn 2023, Crain, a increase from last year ing his freshman year senior at OSU, returned when 1,842 upperclassand decided to move off the apartment keys men resided on camcampus with his friends from her sophomore pus, according to an during his sophomore year home and picked open records request. and junior years. But up the new ones that During September’s something changed would lead her back to Faculty Council meetwhen he had to choose where her college life ing, OSU President Dr. where to live during started: the dorms. Kayse Shrum said the his last year. Similar to Some questioned her reason for the increase Crain, the answer felt choice. “Why would was unknown, but the easy. you go back to sharing university wants to find A member of BMC, a room and using the out why. the Baptist Collegiate community bathroom?” Crain knew her Ministries, Lee joined they asked her. But why. She said she was the international team, Crain was confident in aware some sacrifices meant to connect and her decision. would come with her help international stuA year before the big choice, such as shardents navigate life at an move, Crain became ing community space, American college. For friends with internabut added that there is him, to live at Iba Hall tional students from Japan. The connection only one time in life to was a no-brainer. Lee experience dorm life, said connections hapwas instant, and the and for her, it’s during pen at random times bond was strong. Even college. when students live in better, they all lived un“People around me the dorms, whether der the same roof: Iba asked ‘How are you so it’s in the community Hall, the Global Scholar excited to move into kitchen while makhousing and hub for this dorm?’” Crain said. ing a meal or in the international students. “And it’s just because meditation room where “I thought ‘You know my love and heart for somebody may be doing what? I want to spend the people are so much homework.
STAFF REPORTER career getting to know @ LUISACLAUSEN these other cultures
Courtesy of Luke Clayton
‘One more mile’
2 OSU students compete in IRONMAN triathlon KENNEDY THOMASON
buckled down. 750-meter swim, 12.4-mile “It’s just kind of menbike and 3.1-mile run. tally… breaking it up and The pair, along with some EDITOR-IN-CHIEF just being like, ‘I can do of their other fraternity @_KENNEDYPAGE one more. Just give me brothers, competed in one more,’” Clayton said. the sprint triathlon on By the end of the day a whim, showing up in As Luke Clayton Sept. 8, Clayton and Mul- swim trunks instead of gathered strength for the ready would complete a wetsuits like some of their second biking loop of one 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile competitors sported. of the most difficult tribike and a 26.2 mile run. That race ignited a athlon series in the world, “Going into the race passion – one that would he looked down at his left day, just knowing this captivate the attention of forearm. is going to be my entire Clayton, Mulready and “One more mile,” one day’s activity, like, ‘I’m two other Beta Theta Pi of his many sources of dead set on this being at members. inspiration, was scrawled least 12, 13, 14, hours, “I guess we kind of just across it. depending on how the caught the bug and just Clayton, who was race goes,’” Mulready said. decided to go with it,” competing alongside Beta “And I’m just, I gotta be Clayton said. “I know that Theta Pi fraternity brother OK with that.” we kind of just both wantWill Mulready, was in Clayton and Mulready, ed to do something tough, the thick of his 13-hour both seniors, competed something to keep us both endurance session of almost one year after their active, especially over the the Wisconsin IRONfirst sprint triathlon in summer because we were MAN. Knowing the race Enid. A much shorter ver- both living here, and so is notorious for its three sion of their most recent we just both decided to go large hills and 6,100 feet triathlon, the sprint was a into a full IRONMAN.” of elevation gain, Clayton
See MILE on page 4A
See HOUSING on page 6A
Courtesy of Hope Crain Hope Crain (right) chose to move into Iba Hall for her junior year.
Campus organizations participate in National Voter Registration Day HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Hayden Alexander SGA, Pi Sigma Alpha and the Stillwater League of Women Voters encourage students to participate and vote in the Nov. 5 election.
Campbell said. “We always say we don’t care who you vote for; we just want you to vote.” SGA is implementing a campus-wide initiative to encourage students, especially first-time voters, to vote in November’s general election. Tuesday marks a day Public Affairs Committee dedicated to getting citizens Chair Ashton Tate said the involved in the democratic goal is to register 1,000 voters process. by the general election in National Voter Registration November. Day is a nationwide drive to “Almost 75% of people on register new voters, educate on campus, this will be their first voting practices and encourpresidential election they can age Americans to participate vote in,” he said. civically. Tate and Campbell said The OSU Student Governmany students do not want to ment Association, the Pi vote or are afraid because they Sigma Alpha Honor Society, believe their vote does not the Stillwater League of matter, but the pair disagree. Women Voters and several They want students to know other campus organizations that registering to vote allows are partnering to raise aware- them to decide their future on ness about the importance of the local level. voting. “There’s more than just “We just want to push the the presidential election,” importance of democracy,” Pi Tate said. “That’s my biggest Sigma Alpha President Amy thing: The president is
the whole country, but your superintendents, supervisors, county clerk and the state legislature are the ones that really make a bigger impact on your life.” Registering to vote allows students to vote on everything from the mayor to the chief of police. Local elections can shape and change the fabric of towns, cites and states. “Local elections impact your daily life so much, and I don’t think we can talk about it enough,” Campbell said. “Not only are you voting for your president, but you’re voting for who turns the lights on in the middle of the night.” Presidential elections are often closer in numbers than people realize. Student Volunteer Coordinator for Campus Life Haley Osiek said the 2000 election between President George W. Bush and the Democratic nominee Al Gore is a prime example.
See VOTER on page 5A