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THF MTX Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006 JL _l L J—A -LTJ I dL v Page 9 Hello, my name is Becca Tedesco First-year classics and English student WHAT IS SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN? “In Jeffersonville, Ind., there are more livestock than people.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOBBY? “Going cow-tipping on a cool summer night.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL? “Opossum, because it tastes good over an open fire.” WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR? “Marrying out of the family.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? “Mullet hunting, because I’m trying to find one for every letter of the alphabet.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PICK-UP LINE? “I think your tractor’s sexy.” IF YOU COULD BE A SUPERHERO, WHAT WOULD YOUR NAME BE AND WHAT POWERS WOULD YOU HAVE? “Pitchfork Girl, and I would be able to fly.” IF YOU HAD A MILLION DOLLARS, WHAT WOULD YOU BUY? “I’d buy all o’ my friends a tractor and we’d have us a good ol’ time.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL? “Squirrel and rhubarb pie ... I’m not kidding.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? “ ‘Elizabethtown,’ because it reminds me of home.” WHAT IS YOUR DREAM DATE? “We’d wake up at the crack I of dawn and go froggin’. Then we’d go mudslingin’ in the afternoon. We’d finish the evening with a nice dip in the waterin’ hole.” WHAT DO YOU WANT EVERYONE WHO’S READING THIS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? “This whole interview is completely ridiculous.” t — Jaifen Hayes post-. .. . valentines survival guide Take a deep breath, brush off your shoulders and step back —Valentine’s Day is over, and everything is back, to normal Alexis Arnone The Mix Editor Valentine’s Day plastered throughout The Gamecock the past two weeks, it may have been a little tough to chew. You’ve been drowning in sappy romantic movies on TV, punctuated with commercials selling red teddy bears holding slightly misshapen hearts. Hold your head up above the surface, the plug has been pulled and the water is draining quickly. In honor of the one pretty lame holiday, here is a little survival guide. Whether you had to sleep off a hangover due to a single’s party from hell or you just got released from Piedmont Hospital because of the “right” gift overload, you probably need a little help recuperating. One thing you can do is stay away from anything pink, red or “cutesy” for a couple of days. Yes, that means ignoring those sad eyed puppy dogs holding signs reading “I Wuv You” at Wal-Mart. There is possibly such a thing as “love-overload” and Valentine’s Day causes it. Another tip is to spend time by yourself. Valentine’s Day is all about bringing people together. Now that it’s over, there’s no need to be pushed into a relationship or awkward dating situation. (Although, those can be fun.) Grab some buttery popcorn, sugar-infused soda and make it a Blockbuster night. Stay in and catch up on your homework — possibly the farthest thing from love is the feeling you get when you crack open that U.S. history through 1865 textbook. After all, Valentine’s Day is over, but the semester is not. Survival tip number three is to take things in stride. Even if you are the apple of somebody’s eye and had the most wonderfully romantic rooftop, candlelit dinner ... get over it. Valentine’s Day is one day of the year, it will not make or break a relationship. Well, if all goes according to plan. Same for the folks who went to a speed-dating singles party on Valentine’s Day. So what if you didn’t feel that spark from the moment you met Dater No. 12? Good things come in time. It doesn’t mean failure if the love of your life didn’t just fall into your lap on Valentine’s Day. Hopefully, this post Valentine’s Day survival guide helped you understand how to thrive past Valentine’s Day, no matter if it was good or bad. And if you didn’t, remember that Wal-Mart has Valentine’s Day candy on sale. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu Now that Valentine’s Day is over, lonesome people can forget about cheesy mugs, above, and stuffed monkeys. Photos by Alexis Amone / THE GAMECOCK Deadline nears to apply for federal financial aid Officials offer tips, information during awareness month marjone Riddle STAFF WRITER For the 2004-2005 school year, USC assisted students in obtaining and processed financial aid for 21,000 students out of 26,000 attending the university; the subsequent aid totaled more than $230 million. February is generally copsidered Financial Aid Awareness Month, said Edgar Miller, director of student financial aid and scholarships. “This month is typically the best time to apply; families have received their income information from the prior year, and it is still early enough to meet all deadlines,” Miller said. Students must fill out the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for financial aid. The FAFSA is a lengthy form that requires detailed tax information to determine how much aid a student qualifies for. Miller recommended students apply online for the FAFSA at www.fafsa. ed.gov. Approximately 94 percent of USC students use die online form instead of the printed application. “The web application reduces the chance that mistakes will be made,” Miller said. “Further, by securing a Department of Education personal identification number (PIN) for the student and the parents, the application can be signed electronically, thus reducing the submission and processing time significantly.” Miller stressed that the USC financial aid office has a FAFSA priority deadline, which is April 1. And while applications will be accepted after this date until the final federal June deadline, students are likely to get more financial aid if they submit by the priority deadline. Miller and Wright suggested students visit the financial aid office, especially if they’re new to the process. “Students can speak with financial aid counselors about general and specific questions they might have regarding the various facets of the financial aid process,” Wright said. There are four basic types of financial aid. Scholarships are typically based on merit, skill or some special qualification. Grants are moneys given on basis of financial need. Scholarships and grants are lumped together as gift aid, Miller explained, and students don’t have to work to get those, and there is no repayment. The USC financial aid office Web site AID • 10