EPayne3003

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Second Wind; A Hidden Oasis

Walking down Campus Corner is a relaxing way to take in the culture of OU's campus. There are a number of boutiques and restaurants with unique store fronts that invite passersby in, if for nothing more than to look around and be on their way. With all of the character on Campus Corner, one aspect has remained commercialized; coffee.
Starbucks has been monopolizing the coffee industry for students and shoppers alike on Campus Corner for quite some time. The overpriced latte's and frappachinos have seen no competition in a community of twenty first century college students depending on mocha cappuccinos to get them through their study sessions.
No competition until the Second Wind Coffee Shop made its debut on the corner's Buchanan Street. Without advertising and lacking a prime location, Second Wind is a place of serendipity. If not by word of mouth, it is the type of building that Campus Corner wonderers stumble upon.
OU junior Lauren Oakley shared her experience after discovering Second Wind on a Saturday afternoon.
"I have been tired of Starbucks for a while now." Oakley said. "When I finally found a coffee shop that wasn't part of the typical chain I practically ran inside. It was nothing like what I would have expected, but it really was a neat place."
Oakley and others are being taken in by the spirit of Second Wind. This spirit is unmatched by other places on Campus Corner for one particular reason; Second Wind is a non-profit coffeehouse.
When first entering the coffeehouse, it takes no time to catch onto the unique atmosphere. The space consists of a large open room with a coffee bar in the back. The open area has spaced out seating and free Wi-Fi which welcomes students to sit down and study with their fresh coffee.
"I get so tired of studying at the library," Oakley said. "Sometimes going into a warm little coffee shop sounds like the most relaxing place to spread out my homework and get comfortable. I have never liked going to Starbucks for that...it's not that it intimidates me, I just never feel welcome there. For finals this year, I am studying at Second Wind. It gets me away from the feeling of school and I just feel so comfortable there."
The coffee bar in the back resembles a local coffee shop in a quaint community. They make all of the drinks that Starbucks lovers are so fond along with Second Wind specials such as Cherry Coke Floats.
When first entering Second Wind it is not unusual to find the employees sitting on one of the couches working on homework or playing one of the many board games available. They promptly welcome their guests and walk behind the counter. Their servants heart shines through how they treat their customers and as they hand over the warm cup of coffee they smile and say, "A suggested donation of $2 please."
OU sophomore Alex Lewis was moved by her visit to Second Wind and trilled with the thrifty deal she found.
"I usually order a soy vanilla latte at Starbucks which costs me $4.60," Lewis said. "At Second Wind I spend $2 on the same drink, but it's not even about the price; well, the price is a bonus! It is more about the feeling of the place. The employees are happy to serve you and the atmosphere is very welcoming and relaxed."
Second Wind is a part of the First Presbyterian Church of Norman. With time it has evolved into what it is today. It started as a place for bible studies and fellowship events. Today, Second Wind continues to reflect its roots through the kind service provided. Instead of hosting fellowship events, the coffee shop hosts weekly open mics giving local musicians a place to perform.
Friday nights the space is transformed into a concert hall with a stage at the front of the room and seating in the back. Coffee is still served by many of the volunteer workers who come for entertainment and to run the evening.
Second Wind provides free entertainment and affordable refreshments for anyone who is interested in taking advantage of the great offer. It provides a safe alternative to a college student's cliché Friday night entertainment.
OU Economics TA Alissa Myers sums up her evening at Second Wind with enthusiasm.
"The culture at Second Wind on a Friday night is unmatched by any other place in Norman," Myers said. "It welcomes people from all walks of life to relax and be themselves... It really just embodies the college town that we all love."

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Idea for final!

There is a coffee shop on campus corner called Second Wind. It is a very quaint place and all of the coffee they make is paid for by "optional donations". I have only been there once but it was an interesting concept. I am not sure why exactly it is like this or what all it has in store but I think there is a story here.

The Family Weekend Tailgate Scene

Every home game comes with hours of preparation for the Sooner fans who mark their territory on Lindsey Street. With the noon siren on Friday comes the official time to start putting up the tents. The fight for a spot on the hot strip for tailgates starts early Friday morning.

On family weekend, the fans who have their usual spots found themselves with more competition for land. Students set out to stake their claim for their parents coming in town. OU junior Kalain McDowell started her morning at 6:00 in hopes of getting a prime spot.

"My parents were really excited for the game. I wanted them to get the full game day experience since they don't usually make it to the games. Being from Dallas makes it hard for them to come." McDowell said.

The tailgates have been a long tradition for game days in Norman. Saturday's strip came with proud parents; some of them experiencing their first Sooner football game day. OU freshmen Dana Bishop looked back on the day with excitement.

"My parents went to school at K State. I loved for them to get to see what OU is all about and why I love the culture here so much. They got into the day and saw why OU is the best school in the big 12." Bishop said.

Film By: Emily Payne

Sunday, November 8, 2009

CASA 5K Run

Sunday, November 1, 2009

PR Crisis

Sunday, October 25, 2009

A Fair Experience

DALLAS- Oct. 17, 2009. Thousands of Oklahoma and Texas fans flock to Dallas every year for the continuous tradition of the Oklahoma Texas football rivalry. Students, alumni and locals make their way to the fairgrounds for the festivities, the corn dogs and the competitive spirit of the day. Almost every person is labeled with either the Longhorn or the Sooner logo and school chants are yelled throughout the fair.

With an 11:30 kickoff the challenge of the day becomes clear very soon; how to get to the fair in enough time to take in the atmosphere and make it into the stadium for kickoff. For University of Oklahoma junior Lanie Bishop, the day started early with an 8:00 a.m. alarm.

“My friends and I had a hotel room that was close to the Dart, a rail that goes through Dallas. We knew that we had our transportation taken care of but we still wanted to get out to the fair early enough to hang out before heading into the Cotton Bowl Stadium.” Bishop said.

Bishop and her friends made it to the Dart station which was connected to their hotel by 10:00 ready for the game. Bishop’s friend Jackie Lustig, another OU junior, shared her excitement for the day while waiting to board the Dart.

“It’s Lanie’s first time to go to the game so we wanted to make sure and get there early enough to get her a fried snickers or something before we go in and kill Texas!” Lustig said.

When the Dart finally arrived to the station the entire group of eight girls climbed on board and sat back for a quick ride to the fair grounds. One hour later, kick off had come and gone, the Sooners had points on the board, and the girls were still on the Dart.

The large amount of people in Dallas for the weekend made for a much longer journey than anticipated. Oklahoma and Texas fans found themselves stuck together on the never ending train ride. Cell phone updates allowed fans to keep up with the game and despite the disappointment of missing kick off, the Oklahoma and Texas fans made an atmosphere of pure rivalry in the compact Dart.

“It was a pretty intense ride, every time OU would make a good play some Sooner fan would yell out what happened and everyone in red would cheer; same with Texas. It was frustrating not knowing what was really going on but it made for an interesting experience.” Bishop said.

Despite the fact that the fans weren’t even to the fair yet, the train was split in half with red and orange. With every stop came 15-20 minutes of stand still and more and more fans would opt to get off and walk to the fair. While the girls considered making the walk, the fact that they were still three miles away put them right back on the Dart for more waiting.

Finally, the Dart made it to the fair grounds and for the first time all morning, every fan was cheering in unison; they were finally there. The doors opened and people went running for the stadium. Half of Bishop’s group ran with the large group from the train while Bishop and two others opted to stay behind and take in the day.

“It was my first OU Texas, I already missed kick off and I wanted to get the fair experience before running into the stadium.” Bishop said.

The girls were lucky to find short lines everywhere outside of the game. Getting tickets, corn dogs, turkey legs and seeing alligator amusements were all done in a fraction of the time due to everyone already being in the stadium. Frequently, a rumble of cheers would explode from the Cotton Bowl tempting the girls to save their tickets and run for the game.

Finally, Bishop was satisfied with her fair experience and the three Oklahoma juniors made their way to the stadium.

With no lines to get into the game it was only a matter of time before they were inside looking for their seats. Upper deck, five rows from the top, 50 yard line is where their ticket stubs led them and finally they were united with all of their college friends.

“I had never seen anything like the inside of the stadium. I had heard about how cool the game was but being there put it all into perspective. It was literally split down the 50 yard line with red and orange.” Bishop said.

The girls joined the game at a great time. Despite the fact that Bradford was already out, the Sooners were playing like champions and Texas was fighting for a chance.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Soundslides

The picture slide show represents a typical meal in a sorority house. It shows the process of getting lunch in the line, eating with friends, and cleaning up after the meal is complete. It is a casual system that caters to the hectic schedules that come with being in college.