Temple University - Templar Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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SHANELL SIMMONS The Cyph In the midst of trying to maintain a competitive GPA, having a stacked “to-do list and running on an inadequate amount of sleep, students still manage to squeeze fun into the equation. Every Friday afternoon at 1, an unofficial event dubbed Temple Freestyle Friday or “The Cyph,” takes place. Groups of students gather together at the Bell Tower all for the name of free-styling. Five years ago, rappers Mike Stuart and Matthew Berman used their talent to form a recognized mini on-campus cypher. As heads bop up and down, bodies sway in unison, and mouths are used as instruments, Omar Roper, a sophomore political science major, catches the beat. “Yeah you know me, I got hundreds of dreads, you know that monster in your closet? I live under his bed. Roper, who goes by the freestyle name “O.H.M, is the official leader of the cypher and has been coming to Freestyle Friday consistently since he was a senior in high school. “We are usually required to think before we speak. With freestyling, I get to see how my mind works when there is no time to actually think. People always say, 'Live in the moment.' Freestyling is exactly that. It requires zero preparation,” Roper said. The cypher is open to anyone who wants to join. Harmonizing and or making a beat to rap over is standard for spectators and other participants waiting their turn. John Fitzhenry, a freshman nursing major, does just that when he comes to “The Cyph.” “I come because it's a cool place to just chill. I like to listen and more than that, I like to harmonize conjointly with those making the beat.” The cypher seems to garner the attention of many Temple students as they pass by the Bell Tower walking to and from class. While the freestylers form an inner circle, an outer-circle of curious, musically-inclined bystanders is also formed. The circle formation of the cypher enforces the idea of equality. Everyone stands shoulder-to-shoulder with no one in the center. “It's a community aspect you get out of it,” said Tiene Drummond, junior political science major. “I come out all the time because it’s a cool, relaxed environment and it’s always cool to hear one of my friends rap in ‘the Cyph’.'’ The cypher has the ability to attract a diverse crowd of people. Over the years it has become increasingly diverse. The loyal participants say they hope to continue to bring out other nationalities that are not represented. Anjolee Jefferson, a sophomore communications major, intends on being one of the first females to participate on a regular basis. She hopes that her involvement will help to increase the number of women that take part. Anybody can come. We want as many people as we can get,” Roper said. As long as everyone follows the unsaid rules of a cypher, it goes smoothly. The rules are simple: be courteous when another person is free-styling, don’t cut others off, follow the order of ‘the Cyph’ to know when it’s your turn, and most importantly, don’t cross through the middle under any circumstances. It’s a live-hip-hop radio station. It’s the place where you can be yourself and just be surrounded by real nitty-gritty and straight to the point rap. It doesn’t get much better than that,” Jefferson said.

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College and coffee go hand in hand LAUREN WATSON ivvfiiiiiinivfv Ask any student on campus where to find the nearest coffee stand. A prompt response will probably be given within a split second, with numerous options to choose from. Between the cafes located in every building to the food trucks all around campus, a cup of joe is just about an arm’s length away at Temple University. While in many cultures the mere satisfying taste of coffee may be the attracting quality of the beverage itself, American students are particularly known to require such stimulants to wake up and pay close attention in class. Junior Kelly Hinton also acknowledged, “If I don’t have coffee at all during the day I feel like I haven’t woken up, like a constant tired feeling throughout the day... kind of that feeling of waking up on the wrong side of the bed.” Senior Kate Eingorn, who drinks between one and three cups of coffee a day on average, revealed that she will also drink more coffee when she is stressed. Some even suffer withdrawal symptoms when attempting to endure a day without the lifesaving, energy-inducing delicious caffeine chemical running through their veins. Headaches are the most common reaction, though many also reported increased irritability during an attempted caffeine-free stint. Luckily, a quick fix can be found even in the middle of the night. Starbucks opens its doors for 24 hours almost every day along with the Tech Center throughout Fall and Spring semesters. Of course the well-known chains are frequented the most (Starbucks in the Tech Center and Saxby’s on Liacouras Walk). Hinton admits that she is willing to sacrifice the high cost of Starbucks’ bev- erages in exchange for the quality of the coffee she receives. After speaking to numerous students around campus, it can be surmised that almost every student relies on caffeine to survive college. Whatever the case may be, it’s obvious that tea, coffee and energy drinks are highly coveted staples on campus, all of which fuel a majority of the student body no matter the occasion. Though one particular time of year, the end of the semester • finals week - certainly warrants an increase in consumption. Perhaps the cold, dark winter months call for a hot beverage as well, but hot chocolate probably won’t keep anyone awake at seven o’clock on a frigid January morning.

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