Mr. Belding at Primanti Brothers: Staff writer Kristi Cummins was inches from the icon's faceBy Kristi Cummins / Staff writer

A week ago I was having a tough relationship dilemma of my own. My boyfriend was on his way to go see a concert with his ex-girlfriend. At that same point in time, I was having dinner with Dennis Haskins, also known as Mr. Belding from “Saved by the Bell.”

He overheard me telling a friend how mad I was, and he asked why. I briefly told him of the situation, and we talked for a few minutes, but I brushed it off, still excited to be in the presence of one of my childhood heroes. But Mr. Belding — I mean, Haskins — had taken an interest in my life and my drama, even if just for a minute. I knew it was going to be a good day.

Laurie Cabot: Salem's official witch.By Rachel Lipko / Staff writer

I dropped my English muffin at the sight of the 200 pound plus pasty woman sporting nothing but a red velvet bra top lined with white fur. The kind that ladies usually wear during the Christmas season to ensure not nice, but naughty fun ensues. This somehow seemed like a good choice to accompany her silk royal purple drawstring pajamas and red felt slippers.

Did I mention that this lady was at least 60?

By Rachel Lipko / Staff writer

Spring break is over, and while I’m still two semesters away from graduation myself, I’m starting to plan my senior trip. Of course being travel savvy, I’m looking to spend half the price and get twice the experience.

There are a ton of different options for students looking to travel, but travel on a budget is always a different story. One of my favorite best-kept secrets is a travel site called Gate1Travel.com. It literally offers just about any destination and different ways of experiencing them. From anywhere in Europe, Asia and Central or South America, the site offers many different ranges of trip lengths. It mostly specializes in shorter trips lasting no more than ten days.

Rachel Lipko / Staff writer

Ryan broke Rachel’s heart. Or was it the other way around? She had thrown the locket he gave her at him and left him at a downtown club. For weeks after he would show up at her regular hot spot with a different girl, but just stared at her.

He would call, like clockwork, and leave messages, begging her to try and work things out. And then finally, after
weeks of pressing delete on unread text messages she finally sent one back. “Please delete my number… and me out of your life.” Though text messaging a message like that is something she deemed immature, the thought of hearing his
voice would bring her to tears.

By Dave Street / Staff writer

Our generation has the opportunity to limit the corruption in politics. Barrack Obama preaches change, but lies to our face. Hillary Clinton wants everybody to have health insurance, but her motives are questionable. Jon McCain wants us to believe he’s a moderate, but his spiritual advisor hates Muslims.

I can’t find a reason to vote for any of the candidates. Obama’s fiery speeches had me believing he was about change. Until his preacher finally forced him to lie. Obama’s preacher, Jeremiah Wright has accused the United States government of infecting African Americans with AIDS and lying about Pearl Harbor.

By Rachel Lipko / Staff writer

Stuck in PA over spring break and feeling down and out? Believe it or not there is a ton of stuff to do in downtown Pittsburgh over the upcoming week. So make the most of it and make Pittsburgh your spring beak destination.

Rachel Lipko / Staff Writer

I had just put out close to $300 bucks for a flight into Halifax, Nova Scotia—and that was on top of the $10,000 price tag for the 2008 summer Semester at Sea experience coming up in June.

The cost of my trip was getting to be too much.

I’ve been all around Canada but never to Nova Scotia, since it’s very far away and getting there is expensive. Did I mention that $300 dollar plane ticket is only one way. With the circumstances, I thought that now was my chance to actually go and explore the area a few days before my ship set sail.

Rachel Lipko / Staff writer

I was in Miss Sivonek’s third grade class when my Scandinavian obsession first took root. We were assigned to pick a nationality that had been written on a stack of index cards, and make one craft to represent its December traditions, be it Christmas or what not.

As I approached the table I saw two cards remained Iceland and Denmark. I was neither Icelandic nor Danish, but decided that Denmark just gave me a better vibe. And not long after I made my craft—a wreath with candles glued to it—I discovered a little color tinted tin filled with Danish cookies at my grandfather’s house. They were made in Denmark but purchased in the states and my grandfather and I would sit there eating these wonderful buttered cookies while he’d tell me how he first discovered them while in France during WWII.

Surreal St. Louis: Members of SGA and SAB at the National Association for Campus Activities conferenceBy Kristi Cummins / Staff writer

As we stepped out of the St. Louis airport and I felt the freezing air, I knew something was wrong. We were supposed to be in the tropical, exotic land of St. Louis, Missouri. And Missouri was located somewhere in the south, like by Florida or New Orleans, right?

Wrong. Try the middle of the country. As if my geographical stupidity wasn’t enough, the change in time zones was messing with my head more than it should have. Once I had gathered myself and turned my brain back on, our trip had begun.

Rachel Lipko / Staff writer

While I’ve never had any burning desire to put my personal life on blast via a "reality" TV show, I—like I'm sure a few of you—have always wondered what happens in these open casting calls. What kinds of questions were asked to some of these people that deemed them "view worthy?"

When my friend Jayson begged me to go with him Feb. 2 to the Real World MTV auditions I wasn’t excited. But, I was intrigued. I decided if I was going to waste my Saturday morning on this I was going to go all out and give these people what I thought they wanted, someone that stood out.