Memphis State University - DeSoto Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

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Mark Diaz and Ayshe May pass the time by humming Supercalifragilisticxpealidatious, but out of key. Photo by Ron Trevino When you attend Memphis State, your college career won ' t be om ' e ' ou Crossing Clues Sins th A t least two times a week, sometimes three, that nerve shatter- ing horn blows, signaling the on- coming train. The first noticable reaction is wholesale scramble. Instantly, everything jumps to high speed. The campus on the south side of the tracks looks like an ant farm. Cars and students are moving at a frantic pace to reach the north side of the tracks. Some make it. Some don ' t. The lucky few who make it usually do only once every two years, and only then if they are wearing a rabbit ' s foot on the third Tuesday of the month in a leap year. The other less fortunate can only hope to one day make it across the treacherous track. Well, what can be done while waiting for the train to pass? There ' s a wide variety of tasks to perform while either s itting in your car at the Southern Patterson Walker inter- section as well as sitting on the rocks in front of the tracks. Here are just a few: Sleep! (Dangerous while the car is in gear.) Study for that important basketweaving test. Scrape gum off your shoe with your ID. Eat the day-old sandwich in your backpack. Curse the train. Curse the weather. Act like you ' re enjoying the wait by appear- ing fascinated with the train itself. Throw rocks at the train. Hum an obscure melody so people will think your ' re weird and leave you alone, making the opportunity to dive under the car to the other side. Get a date for the weekend. Don ' t get a date for the weekend. Go to the infirmary. Go back home. Go to the VI. Ponder the meaning of life. Spout Shakespeare, Plato and Kafka. Sit down and sing the crossing blues. byTerrenceM. Robinson, Jr. 12

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For all new MSU students, the fine art of orientation can only be described as one after another in, Party en the CASK he theme for new student orientation was O.A.S.I.S. Orientation: A Student Information Service. Several sessions of orientation were held this summer. Each session was two days long; two days filled with meetings, lectures, and many different activities. The new students went for academic counseling, pulled class cards, and had their IDs made. Students and their parents spent the night in Richardson Towers North. They checked in early the first day then went to the University Center where they were welcomed by Dr. Carpenter and Dr. Carson. The students were divided into groups and later that night each performed a lip sync for the Road To The Oasis talent show. Later there was a dance with the music provided by K-97 ' s Lisa Lipps. Andy Dabasinski, a freshman majoring in electrical engineering, attended a session of orientation this summer. Even though he has lived in Memphis for four years Andy is living in a dorm on campus. He wanted to see what it was like, and explore a new environment. Andy felt that orientation did not give him much new information. But he did learn his way around campus a little more, especially to the technology building where he would be spending much of his class time. He felt like the schedule for the two days was too organized, too inflexible. Each day started at 7:45 and continued through speeches, meetings with orientation guides, a tour of the campus, counselling, sessions on different organizations at MSU, and more group meetings. Everyone was required to attend all of these activities. Andy thought it was good that the school offered as much as they could, but there should have been a choice as to whether or not to attend. He thought that the students should have known what the lectures were about in advance, so if they did not interest or pertain to the student he would have the choice to attend. But everyone was more or less made to attend every meeting. Andy made the comment that this gave a bad impression; that they were being treated as little children. Some positive aspects were the opportunity to spend part of one afternoon at the pool, the volleyball games, the talent show, the movie, and the dance. Andy ' s overall impres- sion was positive. It made me more confident during my first few days of school. New student orientation helped relieve some of the fear and tension about starting at Memphis State. It offered him and others the opportunity to meet new people and make some new friends. by Kelly C Ccnncr Aiii, Caramba! OASIS (Orientation Student Informa- tion Service) brought new freshmen for a two-day break- in to campus life. Photo by Steve Norman. Instead of this I could ' ve had a V-8! Photo by Steve Norman OASIS group leader Leslie Thornton leads her student group in their skit. Photo by Steve Norman. Profile 11

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• In the wake of the passing train, students shuffle across the rails and head for class. Photo by Robin Conover A very familiar sight from the driver ' s point of vie Photo by Robin Conover Waiting too long for the train can cause serious damage to a car ' s paint job. Photo by Robin Conover 13