Limbs drip poetry with every leap, turn, glide and lock as the Legacy Dancers make the final performance for LSU’s Harambee ceremony lauding African-American student life and culture.

Legacy is LSU’s hip-hop dance crew and an active student organization on campus.

With 14 members, Legacy performs regularly for National Pan-Hellenic Council sorority and fraternity events and pageants, the LSU Dance Concert, Delta Sigma Theta Fashion Show, Fall Fest and the Harambee ceremony. During homecoming events last year, Legacy won the title as LSU’s Best Dance Crew.

The crew also competes across Louisiana each year, including Southeastern University’s talent show, the Infinity Dance Competition and Halloween Showcase  fundraiser at University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

Diversity of hip-hop

Business management junior and three-year member Kelsey Finocchiaro is Legacy’s current president. She leads Legacy’s rehearsals an average of nine hours each week, sometimes rehearsing after midnight until the dances are precise.

“We’re not the Tiger Girls, we’re not the Golden Girls, but we work just as hard,” Finocchiaro said. “We’re serious about dancing.”

Every performance consists of five different routines in one song, allowing the group flexibility to explore all the emotions of hip-hop’s unique corporal spectrum. Members are not guaranteed a spot in each dance, as the group holds auditions for dances before each performance.

“We never repeat dances,” said Finocchiaro. “We’re literally learning a new dance every rehearsal.”

Although Legacy’s focus is hip-hop, Finocchiaro said the diversity of crew members helps incorporate other styles into their routines. Following tryouts mid-September, the crew consists of 12 women and two men.

“We have people that can do any genre,” said Finocchiaro. “We have tap dancers, jazz, hip-hop, and members that specialize in ballet. We have acrobats and tumblers.”

However, Finocchiaro, a native of New Jersey, said the group must also explore the diversity within hip-hop.

“We can have really mellow and soft hip-hop, and we can have hard and masculine hip-hop,” said Finocchiaro. “It has a lot of contrast. It’s dancing to tell a story.”

The bonds of hip-hop

Legacy is not limited to its active members, as former members frequently return to choreograph or perform with the group. Public relations junior Lindsey Legros, Legacy’s current vice-president and two-year member, said old members help run the auditions and are still included beyond graduation.

“Once you’re Legacy, you’re always Legacy,” said Legros, who was one of the four Legacy dancers who performed at the Harambee ceremony.

Former active member and LSU alumnus Emmanuel Washington echoed Legros’ description of Legacy’s sense of family.

“It started as a way out — a time away from life,” said Washington. “Most of us didn’t have time or money to put towards a formal dance studio.”

Washington said dancing in the LSU Dance Concert was his most memorable performance with Legacy. The dance concert had been an annual event for 10 years, and never had a hip-hop performance.

Although Legacy is not a part of the LSU dance ensemble, Washington said the invitation to dance and approval of the Dance Department was fulfilling. Legacy danced a contemporary piece which weaved in elements of hip-hop.

“It was a breakthrough for a lot of us,” said Washington. “People got to see us as dancers, not just a dance crew.”

Washington describes Legacy’s dance style as an urban hip-hop, influenced by Los Angeles, however, there’s plenty of room for interpretation.

“The hip-hop style depends on the artist and song. If the music is gritty and dirty, the choreography has to match,” said Washington.

As the music evolves, Legacy evolves.

“Hip-hop dance is a cultural movement in itself. It’s never steady. It’s more of a trend — whatever’s hot at the time,” said Washington.

Members enjoy performing, and Finocchiaro describes dancing with Legacy as energizing.

“Right before we go on stage, we pray together,” said Finocchiaro. “When we get on stage, we connect. It’s an adrenaline rush.”

Roots of Legacy

Tamika Jett co-founded Legacy Dancers in 2003 during her first semester at LSU with four other New Orleans natives. She served as president in her final year before graduating with a degree in broadcast journalism.

Forming the dance crew was a way to bring together dancers specifically to learn hip-hop techniques.

“Hip-hop is a culture,” said Jett. “[It] is dance, rap, art — anything expressive.”

Jett, a New Orleans native, said she was displaced from her home after Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane also claimed Benjamin School of Dance, where she studied for 13 years.

“When we started Legacy, we were expressing how we felt because we just came from losing homes,” said Jett. “It was real raw.”

Jett said her education in hip-hop style started with Legacy, and the group’s New Orleans roots create a tough, intense interpretation expressed through early choreography. Unlike New York and California, Louisiana dance studios are neither as accessible nor prominent for aspiring dancers to master styles and get noticed.

As New Orleans continues to rebuild post-Katrina, developing a solid community in the arts has been a struggle. Jett, now 24-years-old, founded Passion Dance studio in New Orleans in 2009, but continues to intermittently choreograph for Legacy.

Finocchiaro has been dancing since she started in a ballet-tap combination class at the age of three, and said dancing hip-hop with Legacy has been an education of hip-hop’s variety across state lines.

“With the New Orleans choreographers, it’s a lot more sharp and precise. The movements are more hard-hitting,” said Finocchiaro. “When I came here, I thought this hip-hop was more buck, more ghetto.”

And though the group began eight years ago with dancers from New Orleans, now members from Los Angeles to New York can bring their dancing perspective to Legacy.

“The more people that start to choreograph, the more we evolve,” said Finocchiaro.

Beyond the Dance Crew

Former Legacy president, vice-president and sociology graduate Washington described his first year on the crew as “horrifying” and a “culture shock” when the first-time dancer and Lake Charles native was plunged into hip-hop by the founding group of New Orleans dancers.

“Legacy evolved from being a fun way to dance what we want to a serious devotion,” Washington said. “We took pride in our organization and started competing, travelling, dancing for local artists and in music videos.”

Legacy members have choreographed and danced in music videos for artists like Kenteon Davis, and Chandy, who works under the producer of Lil’ Wayne’s “Lollipop” video, Darius Harrison (“Deezle”). These artists discovered Legacy after watching the group perform live, Washington said.

He said Legacy is a good outlet for dancers who still want to focus on their studies, without any mandatory early-morning rehearsals.

“Legacy keeps dancers in class, molded and grounded,” said Washington.

Legacy’s performance at Fall Fest this year was a “huge deal” to the group, according to current president Finocchiaro, who said the group wants to become more known around the community.

“We’re getting places, we’re getting noticed,” said Finocchiaro. “We just want to keep having fun, keep dancing.”

(Serves four)

2 cups rice,   2 lbs beef, chopped into cubes 1 large onion,

salt and pepper as desired,  1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon,

2 lbs chopped fresh green beans, 2 tsp turmeric,  1 – 8 oz. can tomato paste

Chop onion and saute with 4 tbsp canola oil. Add beef; cook until it’s brown. Add turmeric, salt and pepper.

Add chopped green beans and saute. Add tomato paste with 1 cup water. Let the meat cook with beans on medium heat, stirring occasionally until water cooks down. Add cumin and cinnamon. Leave on low heat and stir occasion ally until the meat is completely cooked.

Bring rice to a boil in 4 cups of water in a separate pot. Add 1 tbsp salt. When the rice is half cooked, drain the  water. Place rice back in pot. Mix in meat and green bean stew. Put on low heat to let the rice continue cooking for about 30 minutes.

Optional: serve with plain yogurt on the side.

“My heritage is Iranian, so we have traditional Thanksgiving foods like turkey and dressing, and my mom makes traditional Persian food. It’s usually things like rices and stews. It’s different.”

Niki Yazdani, biology freshman

“We always get turkey. Turkey’s the big thing. For dessert, we usually make a chocolate truffle — it’s pudding, whipped cream and cake. It’s mostly the same [foods], but every now and then we throw in some crab au gratin.”

Brian Wingerter, kinesiology sophomore

“Sometimes I’ll make the mac and cheese or sweet potato pie.  I like to make the desserts — there’s not a lot of pressure. People just eat that if they have room.”

Brittany Rucker, mass communication senior

Isom’s accomplishments both on and off the field could make any University student feel like a non-contributing zero, but the Marietta, Ga. native remains humble, staying grounded in her faith, and her iPod.

Growing up in a household where music played constantly, Isom fell in love with Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Luther Vandross and Conway Twitty after her late father, a music fanatic, introduced her to these classics at a young age.

“I grew up listening to such a variety of music – country, blues, soul, worship, rock ‘n’ roll – it made it hard to pick a favorite genre,” Isom said.

Isom described her younger years’ musical palate as whatever was playing on the “popular-music bandwagon,” listening to hit tunes on the radio, as well as old favorites. But she has developed a sense of what she likes in college.

John Mayer, Kings of Leon, Jeremy Camp and Adele are just a few of the tunes buzzing from her ear phones, along with contemporary Christian worship music and country.

With Isom shuffling between soccer practice, classes, training as a football kicker and mentoring, her busy schedule limits her attendance at live shows. But Isom heard MUTEMATH, a New Orleans alternative rock band, two years ago at the House of Blues in the Big Easy, and she was amazed by the performance.

“It was the most fantastic concert I’ve ever been to,” Isom said. “It was insane, especially with the instruments they used that I’ve never seen made it such a good show.”

Despite a hodgepodge of musical tastes, the LSU soccer team’s goalie has an atypical musical “go-to” before games: Christian rap.

“People don’t give [Christian rap] enough credit because I think they have preconceived thoughts about what it’s going to sound like, but after hearing it, you’d think you were listening to gangster rap,” Isom said.

Christian rap artists, like Lacre, Tripoli and Flame, give the SEC Academic Honor Roll athlete the beat and the rhythm of rap that she loves, just without the cursing and negative messages.

After a series of lamentable occurrences tried to sidetrack the achieving athlete – health issues, the loss of her father and a near-fatal car accident – Isom strives ahead toward her goals, deflecting her woes and embracing her future.

“In my athletics, I really try to keep the perspective that the fact that I’m playing to glorify God,” Isom said. “That’s the reason I’m healthy and able to play.”

CURRENT PLAYLIST

01 Sean McConnell, “Somewhere Beautiful”

02 Gungor, “Beautiful Things”

03 David Crowder Band, “How He Loves”

04 Jeremy Camp

05 Adele, “Someone Like You”

06 John Mayer

07 Kings of Leon

08 The Band Perry

09 Zac Brown Band

10 Blake Shelton

11 Miranda Lambert

12 Tim McGraw

PREGAME MIX

01 LeCrae

02 Trip Lee

03 Tedashii

04 Kanye West ft. Young Jeezy, “Amazing”

I see a lot of tenured writers publishing articles about “personal brand.” They write about how it is important to be proper on social media sites. They write about the significance of networking. They write about resumes.

I think you should ignore them. They’re old.

As Generation X graduated college, corporations weren’t hiring people. They were hiring interchangeable parts. A personal brand meant having “voice” in a cover letter. In their time, jobs grew on trees. In ours, we’ve got to be competitive and learn how to stand out.

The employment game is changing faster than ever. Personally, I’m not going to take advice from those playing in their fourth quarter. We’re the free agents of the new economy, and it’s up to us to redefine what it means to be successful in today’s America.

Sometimes being successful will require more than just a personal brand. It might involve operating as your own public relations firm. That’s what Matthew Epstein did.

Epstein is a young product manager and digital strategist in California that wanted to work for Google. So, he created www.GooglePleaseHire.Me. “Google Please Hire Me” was a full advertising campaign featuring his candidacy. The site is designed to look like the Google interface with a full-length commercial, which is a four minute YouTube video with a clever script and professional-level production quality. It has more than a half-million views.

Epstein didn’t end up working for Google. However, he accepted an offer from a San Francisco start-up called SigFig. According to his blog, he also turned down offers from “two household-name tech companies.”

Graeme Anthony is a PR professional in England. Graeme created an interactive video resume that allows potential employers to navigate through different video clips featuring his skills and experience. The string of videos made BBC News and received international attention. Soon after, he noted on his YouTube channel that he had been hired.

The bar has been raised for job seekers everywhere. Throughout our careers as students we’ve been asked to get good grades, construct one-page resumes and attend career fairs. We’ve been assured this is the path to an accomplished career. However, it is obvious that success comes from doing the things we’re not asked to do.

The reason we are not regularly asked to do things that are creative and outstanding is this: Creativity and outstanding can’t be systematized. The traditional hiring process is very much a system, and it is the only possible way to handle thousands of applicants at a time. Unfortunately, it degrades each candidate to a single piece of paper in a tall stack on a recruiter’s desk. Is that how you want to be evaluated when your career and livelihood are on the line? I don’t think so.

In 1997, Tom Peters wrote an article in Fast Company called “The Brand Called You.” At that time, the mainstream media was focused on the rising stock market and fast-growing corporations. In 1996, corporate merger and acquisition activity had set all-time records.

Despite all that hype, Peters emphasized an arguably more important trend. He recognized a shift in how individuals — not businesses — would be able to better operate in the rapidly changing and growing economy. His point was that people were suddenly given the tools to become their own “brand.”

What was allowing this to happen? Peters cited the emerging Internet, and of course “that other killer app of the Net – email.” The Internet in 1997, while primitive, allowed professionals to open communication channels across the world and showcase portfolios and resumes to large audiences.

If Peters was excited in 1997 about the Internet affecting the job market, we should be ecstatic in 2011. Personal websites, YouTube channels and Twitter accounts are all highly effective ways to display how awesome you are.

But why is this so critical? Why is it important to stand out? To be concise, there are fewer jobs to go around.

Forbes published a report in 2009 stating that computers and technology are increasingly replacing “middle man” jobs. We are seeing that as a very consequential reality today. No longer can you coast through your schoolwork and grab a menial accounting job. QuickBooks does those jobs now. No longer can you take your pick of the abundant sales assistant jobs that used to exist. Salesforce.com does those jobs now.

Job market anxiety has reached peak levels. Any day of the week you can turn on the news and hear analysts talk about how bad our job market is. It’s hard to walk across campus without overhearing a conversation between graduating seniors that are nervous about their future.

So who’s getting hired? Matthew Epstein and Graeme Anthony are. People who can adequately and creatively advertise themselves are not only getting hired, companies are approaching them.

You don’t have professional video equipment or computer science experience? Don’t fret. Do a simple Google search on “infographic resumes.” Don’t let anyone tell you resumes have to be one page, Times New Roman, 12 point black font on white paper. Resumes can be designed, and those that are can be a huge asset to their owners.

The age of average is over. Average can’t compete in our new economy. You have to be good at what you do, and you have to be good at making people realize you’re good.

Jay Z said, “Remind yourself: Nobody built like you, you design yourself.”

Every generation is known for some sort of economic change. Will our legacy be excellence and innovation? Time will tell. In the meantime, let’s go make some money.

2. Enjoy original poetry and literature written by LSU students?   Then the Highland Reading Series is your cup of tea … or coffee.  Embrace your inner artist every first and third Thursday of the month by listening to readings from the Delta Journal, LSU’s undergraduate literary magazine, at Highland Coffees on West Chimes Street. Readings begin at 7 p.m.

3.  Tune in to Zia “The Cat.” Tammami’s Spontaneous Combustion on KLSU 91.1 FM on Sunday mornings to hear Baton Rouge’s longest-running jazz show.

4. Around the world in 60 beery daze. While rising gas prices might keep you grounded, The Chimes restaurant’s “Around the World” allows you to travel the world, “one pint at a time.”  From the familiar beers of Germany and Ireland to the more exotic brews of the Czech Republic and the Philippines, The Chimes challenges drinkers to 60 beers from 20 countries in a maximum of six months.  Winners get their name engraved on a plaque featured in the restaurant, a T-shirt and, of course, bragging rights.

5. Shake it up at the Dirty Disco. If you want to dance to something different than the pop and rap songs of Tigerland, experiment with electronic dance music at the Dirty Disco. On the second Friday of each month, the L Club hosts an electronic dance party that plays a variety of music, from house to techno. So snap on your glow stick and Ring Pop, and get glowing. Shows last from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at 174 South Blvd.

This collection of characteristics is scattered through eclectic neighborhoods, sparkling like gems in the capital area’s sturdy setting. While generic Goliath-like shopping malls and chain stores encroach on Baton Rouge’s authenticity, local merchants throughout different zip codes are standing strong against corporate giants by selling fare and contributing flare to the historic neighborhoods that keep Baton Rouge real.

The 70808: Perkins Road Overpass Corridor

Stretching from City Park in the Garden District through Acadian Thruway, the Perkins Road Overpass area is a multifarious hodgepodge of shops, restaurants, bars and residents, exemplifying a local microcosm within the hustle and bustle of the city. This densely packed area is a local treasure containing a pharmacy, coffee shop, bookstore, grocery store, numerous boutiques, restaurants and bars within a mile and a half.

The overpass structure was built in 1937 by the Louisiana Highway Department, a creation of the Huey P. Long administration. Before then, trains stopping in the middle of the intersection caused traffic. Besides easing congestion, the new overpass also made the district more accessible to downtown and other areas, said Darius A. Spieth, professor of art history at Louisiana State University.

Spieth noted that when Perkins Road’s perpendicular neighbor, Interstate 10, moved into the area in 1964, it took away many structures, but it also increased the flow of travelers into the neighborhood with the new Perkins Road highway exit.

During that time, the area began attracting Baton Rouge bohemians thanks to the low rent, proximity to LSU and the music scene. According to Spieth, The Colonel’s Club, now Chelsea’s Restaurant and Bar, and Ruby’s, now George’s Restaurant, were the center of the ‘60s musical landscape.

Baton Rouge historian Annabelle Armstrong resides off Zeeland Street near the Perkins overpass. Armstrong, who also authored the book “Historic Neighborhoods of Baton Rouge,” said, “A neighborhood needs to put the welfare of its residents first, not the interests of those who would profit from it and do not care about the heritage and attractiveness.

“I consider that neighborhoods need to band together, establish some rules or guidelines and security,” Armstrong said in an email. “We will always have those who look to make money while not caring for the preservation of the neighborhood’s heritage.”

Christine Caluag, president of the Perkins Historic Merchants District Association, grew up in Florida, surrounded by planned communities and urban sprawl. She said areas in Baton Rouge, like Mid-City, add local flavor that attracts people from the creative class to come live and work in the city.

“People won’t move to a city without any soul,” Caluag said.

Eat: Zeeland Street Market, Garden District Coffee, Digiulio Brothers Italian restaurant,Chelsea’s restaurant, Pinetta’s Italian restaurant, Rama Thai cuisine, Frankie’s Dawg House, Zippy’s Burritos, Tacos and More, Parrain’s seafood, Schlitz and Giggles’ pizza

Shop: Billy Heroman’s flower shop, Country Corner convenient store, Varsity Sports, Coyote Moon gifts, Royal Standard gifts, Amies boutique, Noelie Harmon’s eco-shop, Cottonwood Books, Bella Bella boutique

Play: Chelsea’s restaurant and bar, Duvic’s martini bar, Ivar’s Irish Pub, Zee Zee Gardens, Schlitz and Giggles and Zippy’s Burritos, Tacos and More

See: The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade

The 70802: North Gate

A well-beaten path for generations of Tiger fans, as well as an authentic purveyor of Baton Rouge spirit, North Gate’s contagious character and sense of community reverberates with a lifetime of Saturday nights in Death Valley.

The North Gate has been a diamond in the rough — withstanding decades of changing economics and an ever-growing south side of campus — but it has maintained a sense of authenticity that has resonated with students and residents for the past 80 years.

The north side of LSU’s campus has hosted nearly 450 vendors since 1926, when the original campus moved from downtown. Decades in the shadow of the University brought the area student-oriented businesses, like grocery stores, movie theaters, clothing stores, shoe shops, restaurants, drug stores, hair salons, book stores, auto repair shops and even a bowling alley.

A mix of businesses and countless residents have called North Gate home throughout the past 80 years.  From 1925 until about 1980, most off-campus activity happened north of campus according to Clarke Cadzow, owner of Highland Coffees in the North Gate area.  In 1929, the Kappa Alphas built a stately house where Chimes Textbook Exchange is now, the first of several fraternity houses that would be located in the formally known “Tiger Town,” according to Cadzow. Slinky’s Bar was once Chunky Moon’s Glow Hut ice cream shop, then later The Chimes Theatre. The original Co-Op bookstore now houses Highland Coffees. Other Baton Rouge businesses were former North Gate residents, like The Backpacker, Counter Culture yogurt and Chelsea’s.

Cadzow said Chimes Street provided off-campus housing for the University, but most of the apartments in the area were built east of Highland Road, especially on State, Ivanhoe and Carlotta streets.  In the 1930s, State Street was called Professor’s Row, and up until the 1950s other university employees, area business owners and families populated the area. Ivanhoe was called University Street, and Carlotta was formerly Louisiana Street until the roads were renamed in the 1940s.

From 1925 until about 1980, most off-campus activity occurred north of campus, Cadzow said. While many students live south of campus today, he said the North Gate area still offers the benefits of being just steps off campus and walkable. Most other shopping areas are strip malls dominated by parking lots and chain stores, located on busy streets that are hard to get to by foot or bicycle.  Cadzow continued that strip malls tend to look like the shopping areas found in every other city and lack character.

“The North Gates is a historic, college-town neighborhood and second oldest commercial and residential area.  The neighborhood provides a unique sense of community that helps define the city,” Cadzow said. “Because of its location and history, it cannot be duplicated.”

Eat: The Chimes, Roul’s burgers, Highland Coffees, Reginelli’s pizza, Bacio di Roma gelato, Koi sushi and Inga’s sandwiches.

Shop: Bengals and Bandits, Eutopia salon, Storyville, Chimes Textbook Exchange, The Bicycle Shop, The Ra Shop and Hi-Life Wonderland

Play: The Varsity Theatre, North Gate Tavern, Slinky’s bar and The Chimes tap room

See: North Gate Festival every fall semester

The 70806: Mid-City

Once a neighborhood of honky-tonks in the “country,” Mid-City is now a smorgasbord of blue- and white-collar residences, lawyers’ offices, thrift stores, top-ranked schools, bicycle shops, family-owned restaurants, hospitals and commercial industries that flow along the main vein of Baton Rouge into the heart of downtown.

Mid-City was originally a forested oak grove where residents gathered moss in those woods and sold their pickings to the Schlosh Moss Factory on Dufrocq Street (now 19th Street).  That factory then made mattresses out of the moss, according to Mary Ann Caffery, owner of Caffery Gallery on Government Street. Caffery said that’s why the acorn is the logo for the Mid-City Merchants Association, and grand oaks still stand guard over that history, lining streets of the neighborhood. By 1908, Governor Jared Young Sanders oversaw the extension of Government Street, bringing the country to town.

The diversity of the neighborhood’s history is still firmly rooted today, with many businesses and buildings calling Mid-City home for decades. In the early 1940s,  Calandro’s Supermarket opened on Government Street in its present location. The Circa 1857 Art and Architecture building dates back to 1920 when it was the old Griffon’s Drug Store on the corner of Government and Park Street. Doe’s Eat Place was opened as a honky-tonk in 1941 by Dominick Doe Signa and his wife, Mamie, and it later became a thriving restaurant, according to the Merchants of Mid-City organization.

Travis Hans, owner of Mid-City Bikes, has lived in the area for five years. The bohemian bike man said Mid-City is the best neighborhood in Baton Rouge because of the area’s diversity, with “the hood in the North and the plastics in the South.”

Caffery said Mid-City is a mix of social classes without any gated areas, encompassing a little bit of everything that’s special to Baton Rouge, including restaurants and entertainment, along with the largest concentration of independent, art-related businesses in the city.

“People who value art have rich, full lives,” Caffery said. “People migrate to [Mid-City] because it embraces that.”

Eat: Bistro Byronz, Brew Ha Ha coffee, Doe’s Eat Place, Fleur de Lis pizza, Monjuni’s Italian Cafe and Grocery, Rotolo’s Pizzeria, Superior Grill, Yvette Marie’s Cafe, La Carreta, MJ’s Cafe

Do: Yoga Bliss, RedStick Cross Fit, Agame Yoga and Meditation Center, Corks n’ Canvas

Shop: Circa 1857, Mid-City Bikes, Calandro’s Supermarket, Hemingway’s cigar shop, Little Beaux Feet, Match Point Tennis and Fitness Boutique, Sabai Jewelry Gallery, Time Warp, Honeymoon Bungalow, Bohemia, Caffery Gallery,  Elizabethan Gallery, Gerard Furniture and Gallery

Play: Corks n’ Canvas, Superior Bar and Grill, Phil Brady’s

The Towns: Spanish Town, Beauregard Town and Downtown

In 1699, Sieur D’Iberville and a boat of sea-legged garçons traveled along the swampy shore of the Mississippi River and stumbled upon a red cypress pole, marking the border between two Native American nations. The explorers dubbed the area the city Le Baton Rouge. After switching hands between the city’s French founders, the British and Spanish, Baton Rouge’s cultural identity remains as diverse as the numerous countries that claimed it.

Spanish Town reflects the colorful exchange of cultures since its establishment in 1805, making it the oldest neighborhood in town, according to the Historic Spanish Town Civic Association. But if you visit the residents who live there, Spanish Town is much more than a historical site.

The zeal of the thriving neighborhood located minutes from downtown can be seen in the hodgepodge of residents that range from artists to attorneys, all proudly supporting the neighborhood’s mascot, the pink flamingo — seen strutting frequently during Spanish Town’s annual Mardi Gras parade.

Beauregard Town is the younger,    lesser known brother of Spanish Town, named for Captain Elias Beauregard, whose property was used in 1806 to create Baton Rouge’s second subdivision, according to the Beauregard Town Civic Association. Beauregard envisioned a town laid out in the grand manner similar to European cities with parks, formal gardens and public buildings. A plan drawn by French engineer and surveyor Arsene LaCarriere La Tour featured public squares, plazas and pleasure gardens, a convent, hospital, college, coliseum, cemetery and cathedral, according to the Downtown Development District website.

Located downtown, Beauregard Town is bounded by the Mississippi River on the west, North Boulevard, East Boulevard and South Boulevard.  It once also included the former warehouse district, Catfish Town, before the revitalization development occurred in the southwest area of the neighborhood.

While Beauregard’s grand plan didn’t fully materialize, the tree-lined streets, shotgun houses and welcoming porches offer a glimpse of the area’s ambitious past and promising future. Since the 1960s, this historic gem has been neglected, but recent efforts from the city, residents and the Beauregard Civic Association are revitalizing the ageing area.

While Beauregard Town has lived in the shadow of its serendipitous sister neighborhood, Spanish Town, the area has its own unique disposition.

Tarek Shahla, attorney in Baton Rouge, lived in Beauregard Town for five years. Shahla said while the area is still recovering from numerous years of neglect, the neighborhood is slowly but surely becoming a staple  in the downtown area.

“Beauregard Town is one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Baton Rouge, and it is definitely one of the friendliest,” Shahla said. “Few neighborhoods can compare to its sense of community and its history.”

Eat: Pastime Pizza, Frost Top, Little Village, Tsunami Sushi, Strands Cafe, Stroube’s, Capital City Grill, Schlitz & Giggles, Harrington’s Cafe, Serop’s Cafe, Atrium Buffet, Capital Corner Creamery, Christina’s, Downtown Seafood, Fresh Salads & Wraps, Poor Boy Lloyd’s, Riverside Patty, Sadaf Cafe Greek & Lebanese, Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant, The King Bar & Bistro at the Hotel Indigo

Shop: Capital Grocery, Beauregard Gallery and Bistro

Play: Spanish Moon, Little Village, Tsunami Sushi, Strands Cafe, Stroube’s, Capital City Grill, Schlitz & Giggles, Harrington’s Cafe, Serop’s Cafe, Atrium Buffet, Capital Corner Creamery, Christina’s, Downtown Seafood, Fresh Salads & Wraps, Poor Boy Lloyd’s, Riverside Patty, Sadaf Cafe Greek & Lebanese, Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant, The King Bar & Bistro at the Hotel Indigo

Fortunately, there is a solution to every problem.

Elaine*, a female math senior, was the subject of a bad roommate situation when she lived in Herget Hall her freshmen year. She and her roommate both went potluck, a common practice of choosing a random roommate for students who do not know anyone their first year at LSU.

The roommate gave a decent first impression, Elaine said, but it wasn’t long before things got bad.

“She went out every night and when she would start getting ready, she would run back and forth from her friends’ rooms to our [room] and bring them back,” Elaine said. “This made it  extremely distracting and hard to study. Then at three or four in the morning she would come in and turn all the lights on and would be really loud and wake me up.”

Elaine’s roommate not only lacked respect in the area of privacy, but she also had no regard for her personal items.

“She would steal my food on a daily basis but especially when I was gone,” Elaine said. “She would also borrow my clothes without asking.”

Elaine tried talking to her mom and her boyfriend about the issues she was having and they suggested solutions, but none worked. As a result, she tried to stay out of the dorm room as much as possible.

Although this roommate problem resulted in a dead end, that certainly does not have to happen to all roommates. Legacy surveyed several students with various roommate issues, whether it be sanitation, privacy or just plain weird.

FROM THE PROFESSIONAL

Jessica Thomas, three-year residential assistant in Miller Hall, says that problems can be often solved by simply talking to the roommate.

“I recommend that they talk to the roommate as calmly and politely as possible,” Thomas said. “Sometimes they will ask me what to say, and I will just give them examples. I never suggest leaving notes to inform the roommate of the problem because this passive aggressiveness will most likely create an unwelcoming environment.”

Thomas says if the issue has already been discussed between the roommates, she suggests working together to come up with a solution and fill out a roommate agreement contract.

“I simply listen and try my best to understand the problem from each roommate’s perspective,” Thomas said. “I then set a date for all of us to meet up. I act as a mediator while both roommates talk out the problem.”

Thomas said if the roommate issue is “egregious,” it is referred to her supervisor and the Department of Residential Life handles the situation from there.

THE DIRTY BIRD

The most common problem with roommates is the issue of sanitation. Some people have more traditional methods of disposing of food and beverages, while others choose what is the most convenient.

Paula, biology sophomore, shares her experience:

“Only my roommates make cupcakes and leave the ingredients on the kitchen counter for weeks,” Paula said. “Only my roommates then let their cats walk on the counter after. Then, they don’t clean the counter and continue to use it.”

Legacy answers:

Put the cupcakes and ingredients in the roommate’s room. This goes for all other disgusting things left in the kitchen with potential mold growth. As for the cats, something needs to be said, especially if you are using the counter. Ask that they wipe down the counter with a disinfectant because you saw their cat walking on the counter — an area that everyone needs to use to prepare food.

Jennifer, a kinesiology freshman, talks about a roommate during her first year at LSU:

“One of my roommates poured soup down our sink in Evangeline,” Jennifer said. “It was clogged for a week.”

Legacy answers:

Something needs to be said about this as well. If the sink doesn’t have a garbage disposal, obviously chunky substances will not spiral down. Confront the roommate and ask him or her to throw the soup in the trash can next time, not the sink.

THE HOT MESS

While cleanliness issues only scratch the surface of numerous roommate problems, there are others that are unbelievable, yet true. Take Andrew, political science sophomore, for example. He woke up one morning to an unfortunate sight and an unpleasant smell in his dorm room.

“One night, my roommate invited a girl back to our dorm,” he said. “She was so drunk she peed in his bed. This was during finals week.”

Legacy answers:

This is an unexpected but quite hilarious scenario. Sure, this was probably something beyond his control, but as for preventing it for next time, he will probably be less likely to let a drunk girl sleep in his bed. The roommate already received enough punishment.

THE PEEPING TOM

Dorm experiences show a pattern of being worse than living in an apartment because students are often paired randomly their first year, and share a bedroom. Reed, pre-vet freshmen, is skeptical of his current suite-mate.

“I’m pretty sure he watches me get dressed in the mornings,” he said. “It makes me uncomfortable.”

Legacy answers:

If you confront him, you might as well be accusing him of doing something of which you’re not 100 percent positive. Try changing in the bathroom. Inconvenient, yes, but hopefully you’ll be less creeped out.

A special photo essay, available online-only. Legacy photographer Brianna Paciorka spent a day at the Angola Prison Rodeo, and this is what she saw.

For most college students, the phrase “money management” means buying just enough food for the week to stay alive and still have funds for beer.

For Paul Medica III, money management means keeping a watchful eye on the investment portfolio he’s grown since eighth grade. And unlike the average University student, who jumps for joy when his or her account balance has three digits, Medica is managing big-league money — a cool $2.25 million.

It’s his parents’ money, but the finance senior has been a guiding force in making investment decisions to keep the portfolio plump. And it seems Medica has made all the right moves, considering he began with $500,000 in 2004.

“That means that I’ve compounded a portfolio about four times, and that’s a big deal in finance,” he said.

MASTERING THE MARKET

It all started with Tasers.

Medica’s father had a good feeling about investing in the electroshock weapons company. The stocks were cheap at about $9 a share, so the family went forward.

Six months later, the price was climbing rapidly, and it eventually hit $100 a share. So the Medicas took the money they’d made and began diversifying their holdings with their son’s guidance.

It takes a lot of trust to let a teenager manage half a million dollars, but by 2004, Medica had been learning to master the market for years.

“Back in the summer of 2001, it was a typical summer day — I was just clicking around the TV. I ended up on CNBC and it just stuck with me from there,” he said. “I just wanted to know how all this worked. I would just start reading the ticker. If I didn’t know what a symbol meant, I’d be on the computer looking it up.”

Once his financial feet were wet, Medica got trading — in theory. He started out with $100,000 of imaginary money and kept track of his hypothetical investments in a notebook, choosing what stocks he’d buy if the cash was real. The practice paid off, and about three years later he was managing his parents’ portfolio.

But the family’s $2.25 million isn’t the only chunk of change for which Medica is responsible. He’s also one of 27 students handling more than $1 million for the LSU Foundation. That portfolio, called the Tiger Fund, is part of a University finance course called the Student Managed Investment Fund.

THE TIGER FUND

The LSU Foundation began the Tiger Fund in spring 2005, investing $1 million through two installments, according to George Moss, chief investment officer for the LSU Foundation.

And the students have grown that total each year. At the end of the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the portfolio was valued at $1,348,000, Moss said.

“It’s positive and in the right direction, particularly considering the market turmoil that we had at the end of 2008 and into 2009 and, in some degree, what we’re still going through,” Moss said.

Though managing big money isn’t new to Medica, he said his previous investment success doesn’t play into his choices with the Tiger Fund.

“It’s really irrelevant because your past performance isn’t indicative of what you’re going to do in the future,” he said. “It’s all relative. I could lose that whole $2 million back in the market. You just have to stick with what works at the time.”

Since many students don’t have experience managing money themselves, there is guidance every step of the way. The LSU Foundation has an agreement with the E.J. Ourso College of Business outlining how the money can and can’t be managed, which Moss said keeps the students on track and prevents excessive risk-taking.

The students can only invest in companies included in the Russell Top 200 Index, which lists 200 of the largest trading companies in the market.

“They’re only buying blue chip type companies — Apple, Coca Cola, GE, the list goes on,” he said. “Not necessarily does it mean they’re less risky, but they tend to be less volatile.”

The student’s choices are also monitored by course instructor Tish O’Connor, who strikes a careful balance between allowing them to make their own decisions and ensuring the portfolio is managed wisely. O’Connor said she’s careful not to draw conclusions for the students, but she’ll often ask questions to jump-start a discussion about something she feels they should consider.

For the most part, the class makes good investments, and students’ smart management experience pays off later, she said.

“More than once I’ve had students email or call and say, ‘I got my job because of the Tiger Fund,’” she said. “[Interviewers] want to know, ‘Tell me a time you did this.’ It’s very different to say, ‘When I was managing the fund, this is what we did,’ versus, ‘We did this assignment where we choose a company and monitor it.’”

The experience is as close to Wall Street as the students can get in Baton Rouge. The class takes place in the University’s SMART Lab, a simulated interactive trading floor.

On a campus filled with Tigers, the lab is home to a room of bulls and bears.

The 27 undergraduate and graduate students in the course are divided into groups to research and make decisions about nine different sectors of investments, including health care, energy and technology. The course involves learning about the different sectors and making predictions for what will happen within them.

“They’re researching their sectors, trying to understand what is happening in their sectors — what are the companies, what do they do, what drives growth?” O’Connor said. “We take advantage of what we think is going to be happening in the future.”

PLANNING IN THE NOW

Not every University student will get the chance to manage millions before graduation, but they can start improving their financial chops now to benefit themselves later in life.

Though planning for the future is important, the crucial first step is managing one’s cash flow in the present, according to Certified Financial Planner Tim Maurer.

“Even though this is not the sexiest part of financial planning — it doesn’t have as much appeal to it as investing, making a boatload of money and seeing the return — it’s the foundation of every single healthy financial situation,” he said.

And Maurer has seen tangible results from clients who are responsible with cash flow.

“I have clients who were, say, a teacher for their entire lifetime, not making a ton of money, but they managed cash flow well, and as a result of that they’re retiring as millionaires,” he said. “And I have clients who make $250,000 a year and are living paycheck to paycheck.”

But when students have mastered their cash flow and are ready to make investments, Maurer recommends getting educated about personal needs and desires before enlisting a financial adviser.

“Unfortunately, most financial planners are not putting brand new professionals and recent graduates on the top of the list they want to work with because they don’t have a lot of money,” he said.

The famous Wall Street mantra that it takes money to make money is a reality in the finance world, and Maurer doesn’t recommend investing in individual stocks with less than $50,000, “because otherwise you’re not going to get adequate diversification.” But students don’t need an extravagant sum like that to get started.

“What gets the job done is a monthly commitment in most cases,” he said.

Maurer suggested students begin by searching for a fee-only financial adviser — one that is paid for their time rather than through a commission or finder’s fee. That means the adviser has no stake in trying to sell products or policies and can give unbiased advice. The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, or NAPFA, provides resources for locating fee-only advisers in one’s area.

If an investor starts early and adequately researches the best avenues for them, a monthly commitment of as little as $50 to $100 can be a sufficient investment, Maurer said.

The stakes — and the dollar signs — are much bigger for Medica and his high-value portfolio. But he plans carefully and sets lofty goals, which he recently discussed with his internship supervisor at Prescience Investment Group.

“I told him I want $50 million. He asked why.  I said, ‘It’s halfway to $100 million,’” Medica said. “I’m shooting for the stars.”