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ancy and durability, Seth Sutherland, sophomore nursing major and captain of the Kinetic Cardboard Corporation, said. Sutherland recruited a team of science and engineering majors to help win the race through physics and mathematics. Andrew Donesky, a freshman engineering studies major and member of Sutherlands team, said he would not reveal his secrets but mentioned that knowing math formulas definitely came into play. The entire team had not participated in the race in the past.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Students compete in cardboard boat race

Logan Foll
Photo Editor

Twelve teams gathered in Iles P.E. Center on Jan. 19, 2013 for the seventh annual Cardboard Boat Race. In the first hour, students gathered as much cardboard as they could and teams were limited to two rolls of duct tape and two pair of box cutters. Its as good as organized chaos can get, said Andy Glas, outdoor leadership graduate assistant. After the boats were constructed, a panel of six judges evaluated the overall look of the boats. Once reaching the water, two team members maneuvered their boats in order to complete as many laps as possible before sinking. Teams received a coin to document how many laps they had completed. When the water came in from the sides of the boat, it was considered sunk. One of the incentives to enter the competition was the large cash prizes offered to those who built the best boat, had the best costumes and stayed afloat the longest. The Incredible Vikings won the category for boat design creativity with their Vikingthemed warship complete with dragon masthead. The Poppits won the costume contest for their Popeye-themed costume complete with Popeye and a crew member dressed as a can of spinach. After 50 laps in the swimming pool, the Kinetic Cardboard Corporation won the distance competition. We added lots of cardboard on the bottom for buoy-

Photos By Logan Foll Top: Members of team Poppit bail out as their boat begins to sink. Bottom: Team Swift construct their vessel.

Despite bad flu season, some students are wary of vaccine

Sarah Ruf
New Media Editor

Getting the sniffles can be annoying. Getting the flu can be much worse. In the midst of the worse flu season in years, the number of Southern students receiving vaccines is up from last year, but its not clear if this is due to higher enrollment, larger nursing classes, or increased vigilance due to media coverage. According to Google Flu Trends, Tennessee is listed as an intense area for flu outbreak during the 2012-2013 season, and January and Feb-

ruary are peak months for the viruses. We never have enough students to get the vaccine, said Betty Garver, director of University Health Services. She said nursing majors are required to get the shots. Other than that, we have a very low number [getting them]. Exact dosage numbers handed out by the UHC from the last two years were not available at press time. Many Southern students have decided not to get a vaccine. One flu myth floating around campus indicates the vaccine itself can make you ill.

Its a dead virus, so it wont make you sick, Garver said. If you already are getting sick when you take it, its not going to keep you from getting sick right then because it takes at least two weeks for your immunity to be built up. Sophomore Alyana Williams, an international business major, said her family is skeptical over the push for flu vaccinations by the government. I only ever got the required vaccines, like for polio and tuberculosis, she said. [Even] if everyone around got sick, I dont know, I dont think I would get [the vac-

cine]. Williams said she has faith in her daily charcoal pills to keep her well. She cant remember a time when she ever had the flu. Family beliefs are also important for freshman Moses Maier, a global and political studies major. I grew up in a home against standardized shots, especially flu shots, Maier said. He tries to stay healthy by taking Ricola, garlic, and lemon and by exercising. I believe sweat releases toxins inside the body, he said. Still, Maier said he gets the flu once every two years.

Freshman Preston Palm, a biochemistry major, said he received flu shots regularly his whole life, but hasnt gotten one this year. He doesnt think hell get sick, and cant remember if he has ever come down with the flu in his life. My parents have told me several times to get [the shot] and I tell them, yeah, yeah, Palm said. Garver said although many students think keeping healthy alone is enough to ward off the flu, its better to be safe than sorry. One little shot isnt bad to keep you from getting really, really sick, she said.