Kathleen McMahon

February 26, 2014

Bradley Cooper Was (Possibly) Here

Of the many Georgetown traditions held dear in Hoyas’ hearts, 4E has a special love for the partaking in the “I Found Bradley Cooper And Took a Picture With (Of) Him” game. A combination of a simple bird watching hike and the Hunger Games, the quest to find and photograph demands dedication, bravery and sharp eyes. Every time our lovable, Oscar-nominated alumnus shows his heart-melting smile on campus, the Georgetown community goes into a rabid frenzy, and here at 4E we do our best to steer the frantic masses with live updates of sightings. In honor of the fearless Bradley stalkers who so generously share their pictures and current locations despite risk to life and limb, we present the 4E Bradley Spotting Hall of Fame, complete with survivor testimony:

“I always take pictures with people who beat me in basketball, and when everyone started liking this one I figured it must be someone important. Turns out it was Matt Damon!” – W. S. Miller

“Eighth time down M Street in search of Brad and what to my tired eyes should appear? There he was all along, looking so perfect it was as if he were photoshopped.” – J. Walsh“It was a beautiful, sunny day. I walked onto campus and there he was! Bradley Cooper before my eyes! I quickly snapped a photo of him, and it turned out so well!” – S. W. Quad
“It happened just like I had always dreamed it would: Out of the middle of a crowd, his piercing blue eyes met mine and that radiant smile made me feel larger than life.” – L. O’Donovan

“I was at the inauguration and there he was. I couldn’t see President Obama but I could see Bradley’s sparkling white teeth and mystical gaze!” – Joe B. Carroll

“I was texting on the way to class and glanced up and saw that god of a man emerging from Leavey. Tried to sprint to him but a horde of freshmen trampled me. … I still got the picture though.” – S. Henleson “Saw some black cars outside Healy and remembered that Brad drove a black car in Limitless, so I’m pretty sure thats him in the second one. The windows are pretty tinted but if you squint you can see his flowing golden locks.” – V. C. Westfield

Keep your eyes peeled and cameras poised, fellow Cooper aficionados, and don’t hesitate to let us know when you next spot our elusive star (or someone in a baseball cap and glasses who vaguely resembles him). You never know when he’ll appear on campus!

Photos: hdw.eweb4.com, wikimedia, Courtesy Billy Bowers, Hollywood Reporter, Team Bradley Cooper, Kathleen McMahon for The Hoya

January 21, 2014

Career Crisis Center: 5 Steps to Get The Internship You Want (or Need)

As the pressure to find and obtain an internship grows with each passing hour, the desperate masses descend on Leavey to seek salvation at the hands of the Cawley Career Center staff. Imposing though it may be, navigating the career services at Georgetown is both possible and practical, and thus, we present a handy guide to making the most of Cawley:

Step 1

Like many things in this life, the first step is admitting you have a problem. Still trying to work the high school activities resume? Unsure what exactly a cover letter covers? Coming to the unfortunate conclusion that there is no preregistration for life after Georgetown, and the freedom to decide your own future is pushing you toward an existential crisis? GET YOURSELF A WALK-IN. These nifty little appointments let you talk to the generalists of the staff, who can help point you in the direction of more serious aid, including resume workshops and industry-specific advising. Sign up online, Tuesday-Friday, here.

Step 2

Log on to Hoya Career Connection. Nothing soothes a troubled junior’s soul like seeing the literally thousands of internship opportunities posted on this site by employers who want Hoyas. They actually WANT you. You can search by field, desired majors, dates and really any other condition your heart desires. Many of the employers on HCC come to campus to interview, which leads us to the next step…

Step 3

Go to the On Campus Interviewing Workshop. It is not fun. There is no free food. It is not visually dynamic. But it IS absolutely necessary if you want to apply for an internship that conducts interviews on campus. As in, the Career Center will not allow you to even apply if you do not go to their workshop. THIS IS IN CAPS BECAUSE IT IS SERIOUS. You can see workshop dates and sign up by logging on to Hoya Career Connection a la Step 2.

Step 4

Check out the schedule of employers coming to campus here or by logging on to Hoya Career Connection (really trying to drive this one home). There are three primary reasons to attend these events:

1. You can **network** with alumni/others amongst the employed who may help you snag yourself a job, or at the very least, help you understand more about their company.

2. Many of the employers (looking at you, PwC!) turn their session into a workshop where they will teach you a specific skill, from writing resumes to case interviewing. Learning to interview from the people who will be conducting it? Good call.

3. Unlike the OCI Workshop, any employer worthy of your time (at least in my opinion) will provide free food.

Step 5

The most important thing to remember is that it’s not too late. The stress around finding an internship is reaching astronomical levels: Blame it on the bankers for already interviewing, blame it on your cousin who had a full-time offer junior year, blame it on the obscene proportion of Hoyas who appear to have their career goals all laid out, but don’t let it get you down. Most of us have no clue where we are headed in June, and you still have plenty of time to find out.

Photo: Tumblr.com

January 14, 2014January 14, 2014

Three Ways to Beat Today’s Tuesday Blues

It’s the first full week of second semester and the daunting list of readings so carefully detailed in those syllabi is already casting a gloomy shadow over your spring. We understand. With syllabus week behind us and summer oh-so-far in the distance, the beginning of the semester can feel like one long case of the Mondays. Except, worst of all, it’s really actually a rainy Tuesday. Yes, it’s January, and yes, you’re still in Add/Drop purgatory, but we can at least find some solace. Here are three reasons this semester has no where to go but up:

1. You are getting older We all just got one semester closer to seniority in preregistration, that sweet, sweet, day of validation that is the 21st birthday and for the freshmen among us, the arrival of a new class of people who are more lost and confused than you.

2. The weather is on the up & up (and so is the probability of pastels) One sunny day we will all wake up and what to our wondering eyes shall appear but a campus of colorful pants and well-structured sundresses. Better than Christmas!

3. Love (and pollen) are in the air this spring With your New Year’s resolution to hit Yates more than once a semester still in play, the spring hope springs eternal. All new classes means a fresh opportunity to turn that lab partnership extracurricular (or into the possibility of having no friends in any class and spending the semester completely alone). But let’s focus on the positives.

Chins up Hoyas, and, in the words of a great athlete/singer/musical star, “We’re all in this together.”

Photo: photography.nationalgeographic.com

April 17, 2013April 17, 2013

Grout Jokes are Great Jokes

There reaches a point every all-nighter when suddenly the grout jokes scrawled in your Lau cell become especially funny and you are left to question your mental stability. Normally this occurs somewhere north of the fifth espresso shot and near that bewitching hour when all your “friends” stop returning your snapchats, but the condition has been documented at all hours of finals week.

We can’t much help you with the building pile of unread books leading towards this state of health, but at least we can assure you that you’re not alone. After the great grout jokes we saw in our post “Stalling in the Stall”, we decided it was time to feature some more. Without further ado, for your procrastinating pleasure, the best grout jokes from Lau prison cell 462:

April 15, 2013April 15, 2013

The Seasonal Allergy Survival Guide

For every overweight tourist getting worked up about peak bloom on the Tidal Basin, there are just as many unfortunate souls violently sneezing all over their laptop screens in Lau.

If you count yourself among the unlucky multitude of people whose bodies pick a fight with pollen every spring, we understand why you have been hiding away in a dark basement for the past few weeks. Puffy eyes, flowing snot and incessant sneezing are valid excuses to avoid fresh air and humans in general, but with the right tricks and tools you’ll be able to emerge on campus (in the daylight!) without scaring the tour groups.

For all of our sakes, we want you looking good and feeling better, so here’s a handy checklist to go through before heading out into the swirling pollen hell that is the front lawn:

Claritin Reditabs Is your nasal situation somewhere between leaky faucet and biblical flood? Get on your antihistamine game and do it fast with these cool tablets that dissolve on your tongue (cool being a relative term). They kick in faster than your average pill, plus they won’t make you drowsy, so you can spend all day cursing the trees without a nap!

Saline nasal spray I like to think of nasal spray as the slightly less-sexy cousin of the water gun. Much like your favorite SuperSoaker, there is a time and place for nasal spray and it is probably not in a crowded ICC auditorium lecture. Unlike a flirty water gun fight, however, nasal spray involves squirting salt water up your tender, mucous packed nose and is best done when no one is around to see the aftermath. On the plus side, saline solution clears up congestion fast, but over-using a medicated decongestant spray can actually worsen your congestion symptoms, so go easy on the Afrin. If you don’t believe me, ask your mother.

LOTS of tissues No one wants to be the kid who wipes his boogers on his sleeve. In addition, I hear some people (read: everyone) appreciate it if you sneeze into a Kleenex instead of spraying their face with snot and spit. Investing in a nice handkerchief is also an option, but there’s just something about a reusable snot rag that doesn’t quite sit right with me.

Visine Red, itchy and watery eyes means you either spent the night in a Lau cubicle, are still wearing last night’s Bandolero makeup in Friday recitation or are losing the war with pollen. Luckily, Visine will help all these situations, but won’t change the lifestyle choices that lead to the first two. We’re not miracle workers here. You might want to consider getting the ones specifically for allergies or for contact-wearers if that applies to you.

Surgical mask This is would be the nuclear option. If you absolutely cannot handle the idea of a single spore of pollen touching your delicate respiratory system, throw this handy medical-grade fashion statement in your fanny pack and you’ll be golden!

Stay pollen-free, Hoyas!

April 9, 2013April 9, 2013

Teach Me How to Healy Lawn: The Do’s and Don’ts of Lawn Culture

It is one of the harsh truths of life that not all grass is created equal. Some grass just gets more ass than its fellow patches, and the field with the greatest yield is undoubtedly the Front Lawn. As the temperature heats up, so does the lawn scene here at Georgetown, so break out the pastels and heed our advice on how to make the most of your midday lounge:

DO…

Call it the lawn, not the Quad or Courtyard or Grassy Area or SoReS (confused? You obviously didn’t read this).
Bring a blanket, especially if grass makes your legs break out in quarter-size hives and your nose transform into a snotty fountain of spring allergies. Or if you just don’t want to get your pastels dirty. Either way.
Load up on the snax. You might even consider having snacks on snacks on snacks.
Know your lawn zones. The Healy region is typically favored by those more inclined to the simple life: laying back, listening to music, generally taunting anyone in the reading room. The Copley side is better suited for active endeavors, such as throwing Frisbees and walking on a rope tied between two trees (also known as slacklining, or tight-rope walking for hipsters)
Stop by Lau 2 to do the following things: rub in the fact that you are a lawn god amongst mere Lau trolls and pick up some hydration that involves lemonade.

DON’T…

Take your shirt off without serious thought and reflection. Maybe make a pros and cons list. Once you become That Guy with His Shirt Off on The Lawn, you are forever That Guy (or That Girl, but that’s a whole different issue).
Call it Healy Beach. No matter what they told you in GAAP weekend, no one calls it this. You’ll sound like an L-7 weenie
Think you’re going to get any work done.
Stray too close to the circle of cross-legged students. No one knows how they got there, no one knows what class would ever dare meet on the Lawn, no one knows if their butts are getting really wet because they forgot blankets (see above). One thing we do know is that Thou Shalt Not Disrupt The Sacred Circle of Learning.
Forget to wear sunscreen. A sunglass tan is harder to pull off than a Pennsylvania ID at Rhino.
Just stick to your own blanket. Now is the time to mix. Now is the time to mingle. Now is the time to get a date to whatever formal you have coming up.

In fairness to the rest of the Georgetown grass, there are some other notable patches scattered about campus. If you’re looking to get off the beaten path (or just want to stare lovingly at the back of Leo’s), give the Southwest Quad a try. We also hear the new Regents lawn also offers some great views and potential for real work to be done, and its true that the Leavey Esplanade nearly hatched a Georgetown Day coup last year. But at the end of the day, nothing beats the iconic style of the Front Lawn.

April 5, 2013

Sparknotes: Georgetown Day

As the Day of all Days approaches (exactly three weeks. Better start carbing up and hydrating), freshmen and transfers (and sophomores who never made it past kegs and eggs last year) begin to question what exactly one does on this legendary Friday.

You know there will be alcoholic beverages. You know it has something to do with the lawn. Luckily for you, we’re here to give you a slightly more comprehensive overview to ensure you get the most out of your Georgetown Day:

7am-11am: The Start There is a wide spectrum of breakfast options on Georgetown Day. The most dedicated will rally the roommates and be making pancakes by 7am to get an early start. The classiest of us will find themselves at a champagne brunch, whether it be at Chadwicks or in your dorm with Tropicana, Andre, and your best friends. Still others will let their breakfast linger into the early afternoon in the grand tradition of a backyard Kegs n’ Eggs soiree. Our advice? Get your day started early, and if you want to eat at a restaurant, make reservations now (that’s not a joke).

11-5pm: The Lawn You may have heard rumors of beer gardens and barricades, inflatables, and food trucks, but the truth is, Georgetown Day changes every year under the leadership of both the university and a student planning committee. We’ll keep you updated with any official announcements, but here’s what you can count on:

Food trucks galore, although most have considerable lines. Leo’s actually becomes an appealing option around 2pm.
Inflatables, usually including Jack the bulldog, a large slide, and some sort of structure that facilitates friendly competition between stumbling students (ie dodgeball, laser tag, etc)
Performances by all variety of student groups on White-Gravenor patio. Go watch to support your friends and lament about your lack of vocal/dance skills.
Performances by any eccentric performers the planning committee decides to hire. Last year we had a magician.
Lots of sunbathers on Healy lawn. Break out the Chubbies and find your best cutoff t-shirt or pinny, because regardless as to whether the sun’s out, the guns certainly will be. Healy Lawn is a great place to take a break from the festivities of Copley and plan your next move, or just lay around and reveal in the happiness that is Georgetown Day.
Off campus, there will undoubtably be lots of grilling and lots of beer. Your friends that have houses and BBQ skillz will be invaluable today.

5pm: Take a power nap, you deserve it.

**Important note: You may very well have classes on Georgetown Day. Some professors will cancel, many more will not. Take heart, freshmen in Friday recitation, it is but an hour out of your afternoon! Many a Hoya have had wonderful days despite a pesky lecture or two.

The official schedule for Georgetown Day will be released in the coming weeks, so check back with us for a complete review. Remember, more than anything Georgetown Day is about friends, fun, and hydration. Drink lots of water kids, and don’t forget your sunblock; you’re in for the best Friday of your semester.

March 25, 2013March 25, 2013

MARCH MADNESS: Georgetown Traditions Round 2

See full bracket and results here

Emerging victorious from last weeks matchups, two of Georgetown’s most hallowed traditions will face off for a chance to progress to the Final Four. Who will win the glory and honor that accompanies the title “Georgetown’s Favorite Tradition”? Who will fade from Hoyas collective memory as a second-tier ritual? It is up to you, voters, to decide the result of this contest, so for your consideration we present the Round Two Pregame Report:

Imagine yourself in 30 years. As you gather your children and tell them stories of your glory days, are you really going to tell Junior about the time you were so drunk at 11 am you fell asleep on Wisey’s curb?

Hmm…much better to inspire your offspring with tales of a patriotic run to the White House, of being present for history in the making, or of having your screaming face on CNN for 2 seconds.

Although the White House Run requires actual physical fitness…

…the quick 3 mile jog pales in comparison to the marathon of day drinking that is Georgetown Day.

Running to the White House has obvious Instagram-able benefits: you get to look patriotic and show off to high school friends who decided to go to school in Iowa instead of DC at the same time.

But Georgetown Day comes in strong for profile pic potential with a dress code of sleeveless shirts (suns out guns out), neon colors (make the most of your late-spring tan) and cheap sunglasses that scream “I like to drink alcohol whilst having fun with friends and also I might be in a frat.”

Both traditions require dedication, perseverance, and herculean feats of endurance, all of which are well repaid in priceless memories and golden photos to document them (or supplement the blurry parts. we’re not judging.) Its hard to imagine a Georgetown Day upset, but then again, I hadn’t even heard of the wart on the face of higher education that is FGCU two weeks ago.

Let the Voting Begin!

[cardoza_wp_poll id=17]

Photo: flickr.com, npr.org, guardian.co.uk, newyorker.grubstreet.com, annoytheleft.wordpress.com, frattoys.com

March 14, 2013March 13, 2013

Casual Thursdays: Paddy vs. Patty

Every year, as green beads start appearing in CVS and Luck of the Irish plays on Disney Channel, the age-old debate starts anew: Is it St. Paddy’s or St. Patty’s? In good Irish tradition, as the beer flows faster and the passion runs higher, so here at 4E we thought it best to duke it out before we give ourselves over to celebrating a saint that did something with snakes.

The Traditionalists These are the true Irish, the ones whose blood, sweat, and tears have a delightful tint of green all year. Easily identified by last names starting with Mc or O’, these merry folk tend to turn as red as their hair when exposed to the sun. They argue that this noble holiday celebrates their Irish heritage and, as such, it is only proper that we refer to it as St. Paddy’s, the name used in Ireland (because Patty is a girl’s name anyway). Furthermore, they made their own website to prove to us that besides possessing otherworldly tolerances and an absurd amount of freckles, they too can use the Internet.

Recommended Drink: Irish Car Bomb (recipe below)

The Progressives This crowd fully embraces the motto “Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!” These day-drinker warriors would never let their ancestry hold them back from a good party, and therefore are often spotted wearing t-shirts with vaguely-Irish-but-mostly-alcoholic messages: “Kiss me I’m (Almost) Irish”, “Shake Your Shamrocks”, “Irish I Were Drunk”. They interpret the phrase “Erin Go Bragh” as having something to do with a drunken lady losing her clothing, but have dyed their milk green every March 17^th since third grade. They believe in cheap beer and America, and in that vein, don’t give a damn what they call it in Ireland when St. Patty’s makes more sense anyway. After all, you don’t call you friend Patrick Pad do you? That would be weird.

Recommended Drink: Peppermint Patty (recipe below)

Our drinks this week are guaranteed to get even the stoutest of Irishmen into the holiday spirit, so for those of you who would prefer to avoid a literal pub crawl down Prospect, take it easy and mix in a green-tinted water.

Irish Car Bomb Celebrating all things Irish

Pint of Guinness
½ shot of Bailey’s (Irish Cream)
½ shot of Irish Whiskey (preferably Jameson)

Pour the Guinness into your shamrock studded beer mug.
Fill a shot glass with an equal mix of Bailey’s and whiskey
Drop the shot into your beer and chug for the love of St. Paddy (serves 1)

Peppermint Patty Letting your friends pour things in your mouth

Chocolate syrup
Peppermint Schnapps
A trusted friend

Sit on something stable and tilt your head back
Have your friend squirt chocolate sauce in your mouth followed by a shot of Peppermint Schnapps
Wipe off your face–chances are slim that your “friend” managed to keep all that in your mouth and off your witty St. Patty’s day shirt.

Well, whether it’s Patty’s or Paddy’s, we at 4E are going to try both of these drinks! Enjoy and be responsible!

Photo: bp.blogspot.com, Foodista

February 28, 2013March 12, 2013

Casual Thursdays: The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Dear friends and classmates, neighbors and Leo’s diners,

Today we stand on the eve Spring Break; a week dedicated to the highest pursuits of undergraduate debauchery and a time idealized by generations of pale, overworked and eternally thirsty college students. Today we take a moment to honor and remember than man who is spring break incarnate, an Admiral without whom we would be awash in a sea of clear liquors and cheap beer, that is, The Honorable Captain Morgan.

The Morgan we hold in our hearts today was once a real man, prowling the Caribbean as a privateer in search of Spanish booty, or in other words, taking the ultimate Spring Break. In fact, he was one of the most successful pirates in history, ranking number 9 on the Forbes Top-Earning Pirates List (yes that’s a real thing), all the while never losing sight of the important things in Caribbean life, ie, a large glass of rum punch every couple hours.

Today we raise our glasses to you, Sir Henry Morgan, as a shining example of the pirate/spring break lifestyle (basically one in the same, right?) and as the father of mixing rum with any available liquids and calling it a cocktail.

Drink Up Me Hearties,

Yo-Ho

Rum Punch easy enough for a drunk sailor with scurvy to whip up

10 oz Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
6 oz pineapple juice
6 oz orange juice
6 oz cranberry juice
Splash of Fresca/Sprite

Pour it all in a pitcher
Add some ice
Get pumped for Spring Break. Serves 6.

The Thirds Man

Pirates liked dice. Pirates liked drinking. Pirates probably liked dice and drinking together. So will you.

What you need

-Two dice, friends, a-a-a-a-a-alcoholic beverages (duh).

What you do

-Everyone stands in a circle and takes turn rolling a die until someone rolls a three. That person becomes the Thirds Man (or Woman).

-The game proceeds by going around the circle and having each player roll both dice. The meanings of the rolls are as follows (add both numbers showing to get the count):

3: The Thirds man drinks. If the Third man rolls this then he may pass the title to a person of his choosing (who then keeps it until they roll a 3)
7: Person to the right of roller drinks
8: Roller picks a “mate,” this person drinks along with the roller
9: Person to the left of the roller drinks
10: Social…everyone drinks
Doubles: The roller gets to pass the dice to the person of their choosing. The recipient gets ONE chance to roll doubles. If they don’t, they must take a shot. If they succeed, they pass the dice on to whomever they choose and the process continues.

Whenever someone finishes their drink, the first person to yell “But why is the rum gone?!” (Jack Sparrow accent, please.) becomes the Captain and can make the entire group complete the drinking task of their choosing (take a shot, chug a beer, mix in a water)

Drink Responsibly—Captain’s Orders!

Photo: wikipedia.com, wheatfieldscatering.com,YouTube.com, tumblr.com

Photos: hdw.eweb4.com, wikimedia, Courtesy Billy Bowers, Hollywood Reporter, Team Bradley Cooper, Kathleen McMahon for The Hoya

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