OPINION
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
7A
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2008
WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 20,2008
COMMENTARY
Picking up dates at recreation center questionable,may smell much worse
As I slowly step off the deadly treadmill — which makes me feel like I'm going to have a coronary every time I complete my work out — I gaze around the Student Recreation Fitness Center to see all of the glorious people without a drop of sweat on their bodies. Their hair is delicately placed, their makeup is freshly painted and some are simply flexing in the several mirrors on the walls. Then I start to wonder why I, along with only a few others, look like I'm on the verge of dying.
It's true. I've seen many girls show up to the rec looking like they've spent an absurd amount of time fixing their hair to possibly distract the guy across the room from his own reflection. It seems as if the rec is a place to, for lack of better words, "get some action." Except the action has nothing to do with health benefits. It's actually about showing off your toned bods and checking out those nicely shaped 'glutes' many people accentuate with spandex.
The rec isn't exactly the right place to mingle, not like in a bar when some random guy walks up to a girl and asks, "Can I get you a drink?" I can't imagine a guy walking up to me, muscles obnoxiously bulging, to ask, "Can I get you a towel?" It just doesn't work that way, and it shouldn't, because males with rank body odor and sweaty, yellow armpit stains don't exactly fall under the category of sex appeal.
But perhaps horrible pick up lines like, "Hey, nice Adidas. Wanna make out?" have worked in the past.
A sign I see when I walk into the restroom on the top floor. The sign
says, "This is a public bathroom that is provided for the convenience of SRFC members. Misuse of facility will result in loss of privileges to the SRFC."
Maybe some risqué sexy time has climaxed in that bathroom before. I guess a quickie next to toilets could result, if you're bored, with the weights and machines, but I haven't walked in on anything like that happening yet. The only situations I've come across in the bathroom are the times I've walked in on someone fixing her hair, checking her makeup or turning sideways to get a different view of her butt in the mirror. Usually these scenes awkwardly end with one of us quickly flying out the door, pretending that nothing weird just happened.
When I exit the bathroom and venture downstairs past the groups of people mingling and gyrating, I come to the main floor where most of the sexual tension lies.
If I had to guess on which floor an orgy would break out, it would be this one. Here, eyes wander the most because the many mirrors reflect everything and everyone. What is usually reflected are the guys who grunt their way through squats and huff and puff in a manner that makes me think maybe they need some help, but this may be a way to look good in front of the girls on the treadmills across the room. Basically, everyone here tries their best to look good for each other, and it's obvious.
I know many people's purpose to go to a recreational center or gym is to improve appearances, and if everyone is in the same place focusing on their bodies, there's a good chance that sexual tension may arise.
Honestly, the rec is a horrible place to meet people. I just don't see the point of looking good while trying to look better. Walk in looking like crap and walk out looking even worse. That's the way it should
be done because I'd rather not waste my energy trying to pick up guys at
a place that is for burning energy on a machine.
Tyler Doehring
Osterhaus is a Seneca sophomore in journalism.
COMMENTARY
Unprepared applicants cannot 'wing' job interview
KIRSTEN HUDSON
Although students often get used to winging that "easy A" exam or making up that COMS 111 speech, just winging it in a job interview may not succeed.
When asked in an interview,
"What is your greatest weakness?"
are you going to be able to just wing
that question successfully?
When I think about my interviewing experience, I realize how unprepared I am for job interviews in the real world.
My first "interview" happened while I was eating breakfast with my parents at a restaurant in my hometown.
In between talking to my parents about the unusually nice weather, the owner of the restaurant asked
me if I wanted to start the next day as a table busser. Somehow I don't think my first real job interview will occur in between bites of bacon and eggs.
In college, it's important to begin thinking about that real world that's waiting on the other side of Campanile Hill after the graduation walk.
Many of us with little interviewing experience have only a vague sense of the basics behind successful interviewing. Usually this idea begins and ends with dressing appropriately. After we have dusted off the dress pants and successfully clad ourselves in the appropriate business-casual attire, those of us with a lack of interviewing experience have no idea how to proceed.
A part of that real world is finding a job and thus participating in a job interview.
If from this point you plan on heading to the interview and just winging it, even an Armani suit may not help you land the job.
to put those ideas you have of yourself into charismatic responses to nerve-racking interview questions.
Does that mean you have good social skills or does that mean you're going to be making out in the break room with a different intern every week?
There is a certain point to which you're going to have to wing it; every question can't be anticipated. Therefore, preparation is an important step of the interviewing process. According to the University Career Center, preparing includes seriously analyzing your strengths and weaknesses, studying prospective employers and planning your attire. Generating questions to ask your interviewer beforehand is also helpful because asking questions makes you appear interested and eager, good qualities in a potential employee.
KU understands the importance for students to obtain effective interview skills.
Just saying "I'm a people person" is not going to cut it.
The School of Business has named
February "Business Career Month," offering 11 events, such as resume-building to prepare students for future careers. Two of these events, a behavioral interview workshop and mock interviews, are devoted specifically to helping students succeed in future job interviews.
In addition, today the University Career Center is holding a "Dynamic Interviewing Skills" workshop at the Burge Union from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The workshop teaches students how to prepare for an interview, what employers expect from interviewees and how to effectively sell your skills and abilities.
Also, on its Web site, the University Career Center offers a tool called "Perfect Interview." This tool, offered exclusively to students, faculty and alumni, simulates a job interview by asking challenging questions to which you must respond. The tool allows you to repeat questions, see sample answers and has a built in "Interview Coach" to offer help.
Rather than just winging it, with these resources and some effort you
1. Over-prepare.
interview tips
Plan your answers to all possible questions and challenges that might be thrown at you.
2. Be clear on what you
want to achieve.
Don't be willing to take anything because you will usually get nothing.
3. Describe your weaknesses as your strengths.
Show that you've learned by overcoming weaknesses.
Source: topten.org
could successfully answer even the most bizarre interview question, including "If you were a salad, what dressing would you be?
Then again, maybe you're on your own with that one.
Hudson is a Wichita junior in journalism and business.
》 FREE FOR ALL
To contribute to Free For All, visit Kansan.com and add the Facebook application, or call 785-864-0500. Free For All callers have 20 seconds to talk about anything they choose.
I just found out that my girlfriend cheated on me last semester with a fifth-year Sioma Chi.
an idiot.
Whoever the idiot is who is wearing light blue basketball shorts with blue and white stripes when it's snowing and you can see the snowballs and snowflakes falling, man, you're
--a goner.
--a goner.
Hey library girl, you can be nice to the hot guy in front of me but a bitch to me? Thanks.
I would like to thank whoever returned my phone to the Burge Union. I thought it was
I saw a guy wearing Ugg boots today. What is this world coming to?
You're either a Mac person or a PC person. That is what this world has come to. I am genuinely sad for you PC people. Do not worry. Your day will come when you will see the light. It is the light of a
white apple.
---
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Macs do make awesome computers, for people who aren't computer people.
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What about a threesome with two girls?
I'm a girl, and I'd rather NOT have a threesome.
Why does the U.S. have to police the world? There are plenty of other powerful nations. Lazy bastards.
The U.S. policies the world because that's the way we make our money. Or at least are trying to. Nation building doesn't work. Google Ron Paul.
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I'm really reassured about violence on campus when the administration seems dismissive about any student concerns about safety. I bet the administration at Va. Tech and NIU thought it wouldn't happen there either, and guess what? It happened.
The Lied Center Ticket Office rocks!
Want more? Check out Free For All online.
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Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Darla Slipke, Matt Erickson, Dianne Smith, Bryan Dykman, Lauren Keith and Zach White.