Thumbs Up
The NAACP's 'Financial Empowerment' presentation ... As part of Black History Month, the Bank of America co-sponsored a presentation with the AU chapter of the NAACP on building credit and paying back student loans. It's a shame so few students attended the event, which could have proven useful for many on campus.
Sudden upturn in temperature ... After a cold few weeks without snow days, the weather dramatically changed this week, bringing us from our winter coats to windbreakers and light sweaters. It's doubtful that this will last very long, but it's a nice diversion from a long winter.
Circle K membership grows ... Student service group Circle K had a membership growth of 200 percent this past year and they're continuing to participate in great volunteer activities. Let's hope their new officers lead them down as successful a path.
President Benjamin Ladner appears on campus, not once, not twice, but three times in five days ... First it was the Holy Cross basketball game, as noted in All Thumbs last issue. Then on Wednesday night he took part in a question-and-answer session sponsored by the freshman and sophomore classes. To cap off the week, he will deliver his annual "State of AU" address Thursday night. Wow, it's almost like he has some type of connection to our school or something.
Having someone to be with on Valentine's Day ... Ain't love grand? We can't wait to spend all day and all night with our sweeties.
Thumbs Down
Study shows students are taking on more debt ... A recent UCLA study found that students are taking on more debt than ever before and are being forced to work while in college to pay off their debt. Maybe if more students had attended the "Financial Empowerment" presentation, they'd know how to avoid debt.
On-campus flu epidemic ... Be careful, dorm-dwellers. A strain of the flu is sweeping through campus residence halls, taking out dozens of students at a time. Now is the time to be especially vigilant of your health, so address any physical problems that you find before they snowball into something worse.
Mardi Gras party fliering on campus ... If anyone, one might expect less advertising than usual for Mardi Gras parties, as people know to party on that day already. However, promoters disagreed and flooded the dorms with those little cardboard flyers that are just small enough not to notice and just large enough to make you slip when you accidentally step on them.
Not having someone to be with on Valentine's Day ... Love stinks. It's all just a card-company creation anyway. We don't need anyone. Go away. Leave us alone.
