College Shorts

Author: Dana Walters

KRISPY KREME CHALLENGE BOASTS SWEET REWARDS

On Feb. 7, North Carolina State University hosted the "Krispy Kreme Challenge" for the sixth time, and the smell of success wasn't so sweet. Duke University sophomore Zach Hing competed in the challenge, which asks people to run a four-mile distance in under an hour, with a stop halfway through to demolish one dozen glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

"The finish line smelled like vomit. It was disgusting," Hing said. "I kind of resolved after the race to never eat Krispy Kremes again."

Students, such as Duke first-year Ben Jones, practice the race conditions prior to the big event. Jones took third place in the competition, but his stomach did not fare as well.

"Almost every guy that did all 12 doughnuts threw up afterward, but some of them did that intentionally because that's a lot of fat and calories that they wanted to get rid of," Jessica McFarlane, president of the Duke Roadrunners cross-country running club, said.

- The Duke Chronicle

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY BANS WATER BOTTLES

In an innovative move for environmental advocacy, Washington University in St. Louis became the first college to forbid the sale of water bottles on campus. Other colleges are following their example and trying to implement their own bans.

Kady McFadden '10, who led the move toward the prohibition, said, "Because we're the first, we want to help facilitate other universities that are trying to go toward the same goal."

Penn State University, Ohio Wesleyan University and Brandeis University have all made efforts to draw attention to the issue.

However, the increased distaste for bottled water means a necessary move toward cleaner tap water.

"Ideally, those students would be working to pressure their cities to make the water cleaner," McFadden said.

- The Student Life, Washington U.

NASA TEAMS UP WITH UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

University of Nebraska-Lincoln students in the School of Engineering are receiving the chance of a lifetime - to work for NASA before they have even received a college degree. Two teams of five students each will attempt to simulate different reduced-gravity conditions similar to those experienced by astronauts in space.

One member of team Pow-RED, Jack Mondry, will attempt to create an escape plan for astronauts in emergency reduced-gravity situations.

"Hopefully we will never have to see the project used, but it is a contingency plan that can keep people safe," he said.

To be chosen for the program, students submitted extensive applications. Mondry's own application was 25 pages long. He then had to undergo multiple interviews. After being selected as captain of Pow-RED, however, he was allowed to select the other members of his team himself, as team FAST captain Brett Schlueter said, "gym class style."

- The Daily Nebraskan