A Look At Kirby Smith Hall

The new and improved Kirby Smith Hall is back in business.

Re-opened in August 2011, Kirby Smith Hall has become a popular residence hall and quite the social hangout. Morgan, a first-year Kirby Smith Hall resident talks about living in the hall, "I love living in Kirby Smith. I know people who lived here years ago before the renovations when I bring up living here they have all kinds interesting comments on the hall."

Kirby Smith Hall prides itself on its newly renovated state.

Kirby Smith is the largest residence hall on campus, standing at 154 feet tall and having 13 floors. Named after Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, the hall was built in 1967. Kirby Smith Hall remained active as an all male residence hall until 2006. It was taken out of commission and reopened as a co-ed hall in the Summer of 2011.

Vintage picture of Kirby Smith Hall from 2005.

The first seven floors are used specifically for student housing while the remaining floors are used for university offices and other uses. Kirby Smith Hall may not completely resemble the hall it was five years ago, but is still held with high regard and respect by the residential community.

Fall Break leaves campus sparsely populated but full of life.

Two students who have decided not to leave campus shoot the breeze.

Student activity on campus was noticeably less busy than usual over Fall Break last week, but res halls were still bustling with students choosing to stay on campus While the Quad and Student Union were eerily quiet, the Purple Polo caught up with students who stayed on campus over the break. Here’s what you missed if you went home…

John watches ESPN on Saturday of the break, while his comrade gets some much needed rest.

John, a first-year student from Herget Hall said, "It's a good weekend to hang out, do laundry, catch up on your schoolwork, catch up on your sleep and watch some football." 

Parking lots were nearly empty on fall break.

The albino squirrel was spotted twice by the Purple Polo during fall break. Regrettably, he was unavailable for comment.

Nick, a senior living in the East Campus Apartments described his fall break experience as, “I stayed in and studied for most of the break, I went downtown on the weekend and had a great time."

Michelle, a sophomore living in Miller Hall expressed a similar story about her break, "I went to the volleyball games on Friday and Saturday, and pretty much just studied for the rest of the weekend."

Kirby Smith Hall was totally deserted with only the desk assistant on the first floor.

While the majority of students left campus and visited their friends and family, students who stayed on campus were able to have fun and rest up for the upcoming week. No matter if it’s during a break or in the middle of session semester, there are always things going on at LSU's residence halls and apartments.

Fall Fest 2011 has a little something for everyone.

A small portion of the Fall Fest crowd interacts with each other.

On September 30, the quadrangle became host to a well-received festival of live music, exciting contests, and delicious food.  According to the students who attended, Fall Fest 2011 was a great success.

Resident assistant (RA) Isaiah Owens enjoys himself at Fall Fest.

One performance in particular that was well received was the Love Purple, Live Gold Yard Show, a spectacle that involved members of Greek Life dancing and playing to the crowd. The Golden Band from Tiger Land and Baton Rouge based rap group Da Future also provided musical performances for the festival. Student attendee David Kern remarked, "Da Future were incredible, they really got the crown moving!"

The Love Purple, Live Gold Yard Show was a hit.

"I got to the Fall Fest early, that way I was able to take advantage off all the free food and drinks!" said student attendee Jennifer Smith. Hamburgers, veggie-burgers and po-boys made up the Fall Fest menu, and they were free to any student attending the festival.

Dance moves were on full display at Fall Fest.

Chad Freeman, Graduate Residence Director (GRD) of Broussard Hall, described Fall Fest as an "awesome way to spend an afternoon." Live performances, delicious food, and fun contests wowed the crowds and made this Fall Fest something to remember.

Students throw their hands in the air trying to catch t-shirts and other Fall Fest swag.

Miller Hall gets beautiful!

Miller Hall's "Pretty Up Miller" beautification was a total success.

Miller Hall took a creative approach to its "Pretty Up Miller" beautification by having its residents add a personal touch to the look of their residence hall. Miller RAs Hayley Solomon, Kim Allen and Kelsey Bradberry put together an event that involved beautifying their hall using materials that were common and inexpensive. Miller Hall was made to look floral and festive using pipe cleaners and newspaper. Residents put their creative skills to work and created a botanical wonderland of paper flowers.

Flowers were displayed with pride by Miller Hall's enthusiastic residents.

In addition to contributing to the botanical garden of newspaper foliage, dirt cake was served. Dirt cake is a tasty dessert made with crushed cookies, chocolate pudding, milk and butter. Served out of a clay pot with a garden trowel, the dirt cake was met with fanfare and applause.

Miller Hall RA Kelsey Bradberry displays the remains of her dirt cake.

Residents also had the opportunity to paint clay pots which will remain outside Miller Hall until spring 2012.

Miller Hall residents add personal touches to their pots.

Miller Hall Residence Life Coordinator Colby Kinder works hard on her flowers.

When asked about the reasoning behind "Pretty Up Miller", Miller Hall Residence Life Coordinator Colby Kinder explained, "Our residents are highly involved in various aspects of campus so we work very hard in finding ways to make their days a little brighter and create educational opportunities that are fun for everyone involved. It also always helps to have some yummy dirt cake! The event was a success."

An attempt at making a flower from the Purple Polo's correspondent.

"Is it better to live on the east side of campus or the west side of campus?"

Jacob (Annie Boyd Hall) and John (Herget Hall) boldly agree to be pictured as they rep their residence halls.

         One of LSU ResLife's most frequently asked questions is "Is it better to live on the east side of campus or the west side of campus?" To answer this question, the Purple Polo decided to go straight to the source.

Our Participants Include:

Jacob, a first-year finance student living in Annie Boyd Hall.

John, a first-year pre-pharmacy student living in Herget Hall.

Lauren, a fourth-year marketing student who lived in The Pentagon.

Chris, a First-year agriculture student living in Blake Hall.

Would you use the east and west sides of campus to point out buildings?

Jacob: "Not really. I know where each building is, but I wouldn't say I would identify them by side."

John: "No. I'm familiar with all the buildings on this side of the campus and all the buildings on the other side. If I was giving you directions, I wouldn't tell you to go to the 'west side' of campus because there are easier ways to point locations out."

Lauren: "Only if I got lost. If Tiger Stadium is behind me, I have headed too far east. I need to turn around and head west to get home."

Chris: "Yes."

The Student Union, U-Rec, lakes, and library are located on the east side of campus.

How far do you travel for class?

Jacob: "It's not too far. Annie Boyd Hall is close to most of the places I need to be. Roughly about ten minutes."

John: "I have to drive. My classes are at the Pharmacy building (Himes Hall), so I have to drive about 5 minutes because there is always traffic. If I walked it would take me about 15-20 minutes."

Lauren: "I had to walk about five minutes when I lived in The Pentagon, but it was nothing worth complaining about."

Chris: "I actually am taking one of my classes in Blake Hall. The other classes aren't far. Seven minutes tops."

The west side of campus contains both the Manship School of Mass Communication and Tiger Stadium.

What is your favorite part about living where you live?

Jacob: "I like the atmosphere, everyone is generally pretty cool at Annie Boyd."

John: "People are friendly and considerate. I make new acquaintances every day. The Horseshoe is a big meeting place pretty much."

Lauren: "I loved the common area in the middle of The Pentagon. We would all just hang out there all day. The Indian Mounds are great too. Great place to hang out, and a good study spot. Proximity to Mike (the tiger)  is awesome too. Before my classes I used to see him every morning."

Chris: "Living near the U-Rec is awesome."

 

Where do you spend most of your time?

Jacob: "I visit the Student Union every day. It is right across the street. I usually grab lunch and meet friends there. I also use the U-Rec pretty regularly. On the other side of campus besides Tiger Stadium and the PMAC, I don't head over there too often."


John: "I visit the U-Rec about once a day, and I hang out in the Student Union and the library when I have to. On the other side of campus, I visit Tiger Stadium and the PMAC pretty frequently. I go to the Indian Mounds pretty regularly during games and while tailgating. Rolling down the Indian Mounds is a tradition. They put up some barriers but everyone still does it."

Lauren: "I visited Tiger Stadium, the PMAC, and the baseball stadium whenever they had games. I visited the Greek Theatre to enjoy some peace and quiet, run along the lakes, and love checking out what Mike is up to. I had a membership to an outside gym, so I never really visited the U-Rec. I used the Student Union when I had to and the library pretty regularly around test time."


Chris:  "The U-Rec for the most part. I lift everyday. I don't really visit the west side of Campus, unless I'm going to a football game."

The Indian Mounds hold a fine tradition of students rolling down the hills with reckless abandon.

What is the best kept secret about living where you live?

Jacob: "Everything is localized. You have the Union, the library, the U-Rec, classrooms, The Faculty Club, all of that in one specialized area."

John:  "The best kept secret on this side of the campus is the lakes. Running along the lakes, hanging out by the lakes, fishing in the lakes, looking for alligators. On the other side of campus, I gotta give a shout out to the Indian Mounds."


Lauren: "The Pentagon is right next to the Indian Mounds, which are awesome. Also, you have a live tiger on your side of the campus. A real live tiger. When he's not asleep, I could watch him for hours."

Chris: "Well, I've mentioned the U-Rec numerous times, but the U-Rec. Indoor pool, Indoor track, rock climbing wall? Not even a contest."    

Mike's Habitat is located on the west side of campus.

Any final words about your side of the campus?

Jacob: "I can't imagine living anywhere else but Annie Boyd. I love it here."


John: "I love Herget but I also love the other side of campus. I don't really view the campus as two different sides. It's all one big community. You come and visit us, we'll come and visit you."

Lauren: "I loved living in the Pentagon. There is fun stuff everywhere at LSU. Enjoy it while you can!"


Chris: "It's all good. Geaux Tigers."



Ten Weeks

I've been at LSU for ten weeks now. When I first planned on coming down here, I had no idea how quickly that ten weeks would go by. It doesn't seem like much time at all, now that it has passed, but it's all the time I have. You see, unlike most of you, I'm not here at LSU for a four-year degree; I am here for a ten-week internship, and today is my last day.

You may wonder who I am. I'll tell you a piece of my story. My name is Beth and I am a student at the University of Maine studying Higher Education. When I started looking for summer internships, I decided to find a completely new experience, so I applied with the Department of Residential Life here at LSU. I was selected for the position, and before I knew it I was on my way to Louisiana!

 Visiting the Louisiana Art and Science Museum in Baton Rouge

Now that my time here is coming to a close, I'd like to share some highlights from my summer. These are some of the things I enjoyed most about my time in Louisiana.

Mike the Tiger: I know I've mentioned this before, but I still can't get over how awesome it is that there is a real tiger living right on campus! Mike is a symbol not just of the athletics program here at LSU, but of what it means to be a part of the LSU community.

 Mike the Tiger chillin' in his enclosure

Greek Amphitheater: This is one of my favorite places on campus. The seating is great for a picnic or for enjoying a good book, and the paths through the trees around the theater are beautiful. I've really enjoyed just sitting here some mornings with a cup of tea and the newspaper. 

 LSU Greek Amphitheater

New Orleans: You can get from here to New Orleans on a bus for only $5, and it is more than worth it. I loved it there! You've probably noticed that I'm a bit of a geek, so I really enjoyed the historical elements of the city. Don't get me wrong, Bourbon Street is fun too, but I most enjoyed the architecture of the French Quarter, the Audobon Aquarium of the Americas (I got to hand feed a stingray!), visiting the cemeteries, and seeing all the places I had heard about for so long. I even got the chance to volunteer with the ARC of New Orleans. It was wonderful!

 French Quarter

The Gumbo Shop: Speaking of New Orleans, I had my favorite meal of the summer while I was there. Now, I have eaten a LOT of delicious food while I've been here in Louisiana- crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice, jambalaya, po' boys, catfish... you name it, I've tried it. While in New Orleans, I stopped into The Gumbo Shop for some lunch with a friend. I'm pretty sure that the only meal that could possibly beat that one is my mom's lasagna, and even that would be a close call (sorry, Mom!) I had a cup of crawfish and corn bisque and a roast beef po' boy. That was the best sandwich I have ever eaten- layers of rare roast beef, cheddar cheese, gravy, horseradish, lettuce, and tomato covered this sandwich. It was served with a pickle and potato chips. If you find yourself in New Orleans, you have to stop by and try one for yourself.

If you're in New Orleans, you have to get one of these!

Fireworks over the Mississippi: I can't tell you how awesome it was to watch the fireworks over the Mississippi. Sitting on the levee with hundreds of other people, listening to the sounds of the national anthem, hearing people yell in pride, and seeing soldiers and their families honored was very emotional. Times like that remind me how lucky I am to live in a place where I have the opportunity to travel thousands of miles for my education. I was reminded that regardless of where we are from, we have a lot in common.

Waiting on the levee for the fireworks to start

The people: Everyone here at LSU has been so kind and generous. They have gone out of their way to make sure I feel welcome. Their genuine hospitality has not only made me feel like a welcome guest, but has made me feel like I am a part of the larger university community. The staff and students I have worked with are what truly sets LSU apart. At the end of the day, a university is a university- they all have classrooms, outdoor spaces, and iconic buildings. Don't get me wrong- this campus is beautiful. But a pretty building doesn't make you feel at home; the people around you do. And the people here are exceptional. 

I can tell you from experience that coming to a new place is not always easy. Whether you went to high school right here in Baton Rouge, or have traveled thousands of miles to come here, there will be times that make you question your decision. Stick with it. Before you know it, you'll have made it a week, then ten weeks, then four years. You'll walk across the stage at graduation and think to yourself, "How did that happen?" You'll think back and reflect on what has passed- all the good times with friends and all the lessons learned about the world and yourself. You'll be a part of LSU, and LSU will be a part of you.

The time has come for me to pass the purple polo to someone new. Thank you all for a wonderful summer! Geaux Tigers!!!

xoxo-- Girl in the Purple Polo

Sometimes it really is easy being green...

Hi reader!
Have you started packing for your move to campus yet? If you are anything like me, you have. And you have a very specific plan for how you are going to get everything you want to bring to school in your car. Trust me, I understand. I flew down here with only three suitcases- sure, one was dedicated almost entirely to shoes, but I still managed to bring clothes, towels, dishes, a hair dryer and straightener, an iron, and much more. I'm a packing Houdini.

One of the tricks to packing effectively is making sure that the things you bring are A. Things you really need (yes, I need all those shoes and my iron) and B. Things that have multiple uses. I didn't even think about bringing down my favorite fancy heels that only match one dress. Instead I brought the cute pair that goes with everything. That's efficiency, my friend. Another part of efficient packing (and living) is sustainability.

Okay, hear me out. I'm not one of those "go green" fanatics who has a vegetable oil car or anything. I admire those who can live in that way, and the technology behind green products can be really interesting, but I am a creature of habit. I still drink my skinny iced caramel macchiato from Starbucks every morning (don't judge- it's delicious and I can't function before 10am without it). I can't completely change my lifestyle, and I don't expect you to either. I am an avid believer, however, in doing the little things that we can, when we can, to live responsible lives. And the truth of the matter is that some of those "go green" tips actually make your life easier. Don't believe me? You should. Here are some things that will make packing and living in a res hall easier, all while contributing to a more sustainable lifestyle.

1. Get compact fluorescent bulbs for your lamps. I've lived in res halls for years, and I've learned that when you move lamps a lot, standard bulbs blow more often. The filaments just can't handle being jostled around in your car over and over again.  If you buy CFL bulbs, you won't have that problem. And they last FOREVER. Okay, not literally forever. But they do last up to ten times longer than a regular bulb. And they use about 75% less energy. See? Easier and greener.

2. Pack your stuff in reusable totes and storage bins. You can get reusable plastic totes inexpensively almost anywhere, in many shapes and sizes. You can get plain storage totes, sets of plastic drawers, totes designed to go under beds, and much more. You can use them not only to move, but as extra storage once you get to campus. I have a three drawer unit that I keep all of my toiletries and make up in. When I move, I tape the drawers shut and I'm ready. When I get to my new place, I don't even have to unpack it- I just pull the tape off and I'm good to go! You cut back on waste when you use reusable bins, make moving easier, and provide your room with valuable storage space. Sounds pretty good, huh? As an added bonus, an empty tote makes for a great recycling bin in your room- easy to clean, easy to store, and easy to pick up and take down to the recycling dumpster outside. And let's not forget, when it's time to move out you won't have to worry about finding boxes.

3. Bring a reusable water bottle to campus. This is way cheaper than buying cases of bottled water over and over again. Plus, who wants to carry a case of water up to their fourth floor room? Not me. You'll also be cutting down on your waste if you use a reusable bottle.

4. On the same note, bring reusable dishes to campus. Using paper plates and plastic cups is really wasteful. You can get dishes really inexpensively almost anywhere, and you won't have to take your trash out nearly as often.

4. Share things with your roommate. Especially appliances. You don't need two refrigerators, two microwaves, two coffee makers, or two TVs. Not only are you wasting money and energy when you each get all of these things, but you are wasting valuable space. The rooms here at LSU are very spacious compared to some others that I have seen, but they are still res hall rooms... if you share, you'll have more space to spread out, and that is priceless.

You do not have to be a martyr to live sustainably; there are simple things (like these that I've mentioned) that you can do to live a more sustainable lifestyle. In fact, making sustainable choices like these can actually make life easier, and save you money. Sounds like a good deal to me...

xoxo-- Girl in the Purple Polo