Note: Forum staff did not edit or revise these statements in any way. They are directly from the candidates in their own words. Their views do not neccesarily represent those of the Forum.

Aseem Chipalkatti

The class of CMC has given me everything from the best friends I’ve ever had to the best times I’ve ever had. I’m running for freshman class president because I want to thank you for all this. I want to give back to a freshman community that has given me the greatest gift of all; true happiness.

In my opinion, the best way that I can do this is to provide more opportunities to bring the freshman class together. If elected, I will provide the Class of 2015 with monthly social activities, ranging from Beirut tournaments and freshman class barbeques to class trips to the beach and concerts. I have the means and experience to pull this off – as the co-President of Marks Hall, I’ve been meeting and talking with ASCMC already about the best ways to organize social activities and parties.

Perhaps the most important point that I can make about my campaign for freshman class president is that I want to be YOUR class president. As many people are already aware, I always have my door open, both literally and figuratively. If you have an idea about something that you feel I can do better for you and the freshman class, feel free to drop by and talk, or drop a note in the suggestion box I’ll have outside my door.

Join Team Aseem, and vote Chipalkatti for President!

Garrett Wells

My goals as Freshman Class President are simple. I wish to help everyone have the best experience at CMC possible. Freshman year is like a jelly doughnut, once you get into it, it gets much much better. I want to help my fellow freshman dive into this wonderful four year doughnut and take in as much filling as they can. This could take place as any number of ways, and I will do my best to talk to everyone and find out what you feel could best improve your CMC experience. Whether you want parties, freshman activities, or just to be left alone, I want to know your opinion. The freshman class is awesome, and I want to get to know everyone, who they are, and what they like to do. As Freshman Class President I would have an amazing opportunity to get to know my class and CMC, and help the two join together. I want to hear everyone’s voice, and would be happy to talk to you at any time about almost anything. Thank you very much, and remember to enjoy your doughnut.

Garrett Wells

Abby Michaelson

Hey Class of 2015!

I’m Abby and I would absolutely LOVE to be your freshman class president! My #1 priority is that every single one of you has the time of your life this year. My role as president is to plan awesome freshman events and represent you and your interests.

Here’s what I plan to do:

1. Freshman Committee: As president, I am not nor do I want to be the dictator of the freshman class. My job is to make all of YOU excited about freshman events and activities. I plan to form a committee of 2-3 freshmen from each dorm to meet with me every 3 weeks to discuss/plan out events. That way I can know the interests of every freshman from South, Mid, and North Quad.

2. Amazing Tailgates: I’m talking In-N-Out tailgates (subsidized of course) to support our athletes. Not just football…we’ll be out there supporting basketball, soccer, waterpolo etc. GO STAGS AND ATHENAS!

3. Pre-games: A great way for our class to bond is through exciting pre-games before big parties and formal events. CMC is obviously known for its party culture, but I want everyone to feel comfortable whether they want to drink or not. There will ALWAYS be non-alcoholic drinks and delicious snacks served at all pre-games and events.

4. Tanks: This is where I get really excited! Of course we’ll have our class tank. But, also I plan on making additional Class of 2015 guy and girl tanks. Girls – we can design cute tank tops (with glitter perhaps?) and guys – you can create your own bro design. Submit your designs and we will all take a survey to pick which tanks we want!

I only listed four ideas, because the rest will come from YOU! Through the freshman committee and surveys, I will find out what all of you want and then make it happen. You want a class trip to the beach? Let’s do it! You want monthly Friday night snack? I’ll make it happen.

A vote for me is a vote for the best freshman year ever!

Demetrius Lalanne

My name is Demetrius Lalanne, I live in Berger Hall, and come from New York. Just in case you are unaware the role of the freshman class president (frez) is to plan freshman events/parties and help decide on school wide legislature. Not only am I very excited at the prospect of being able to plan events for my class, I believe I am well qualified. Unfortunately, I haven’t had much experience on campus, I’d find it hard to believe that any of us have, but I would be happy to describe some of my past leadership roles. In high school I sat on student council as the senior class representative—on which I planned events and apparel for my senior class of 338 students. I was also a member of the Student Activities Board, a group of students who planned weekly on- and off-campus events for the weekend. Through Student Council and the Students Activities Board I learned how to successfully handle money and plan events (which may seem relatively painless, but if done improperly can be a big kick in the… caboose.)

Enough about me, however, and more about my ideas; I have multiple ideas for class events including a freshman-sophomore mixer, a 5C freshman event, and a pre–Pomona-Pitzer game pep-rally where members of the freshman class can buy subsidized apparel, paint, and make posters for fellow class/dorm mates. I also have a few party ideas: a beach party and a black-light party (with glow-in-the-dark paint, highlighters, and all white attire), just to name a few. Most importantly, I understand that awesome parties and events cannot be the work of one man alone. Thus, if I were elected president I would form an 8 person freshman council comprised of a president, vice-president, and 2 members from every quad that would help me plan and execute class events.

Jake Shimkus

The Freshman Class President is meant to be the voice for our class – the one who not only understands what it means to be a part of the proud class of 2015, but is willing to put forth the effort and energy to make our experience here everything we dreamed it could be. As your freshman class president, it will be my goal to make these dreams a reality.

And how better to do that than with the help of my fellow, brilliant, classmates?

As of today, I will be starting a Facebook group for you to share your incredible ideas. As the voice for our class, I need to hear you loud and clear – and what better way than through Facebook? Have an idea for an awesome themed party? A freshman class concert trip to LA? Any idea, no matter how big or small – I want to hear it. Then, twice a month we can come together as a class to discuss, debate, and decide what of these fantastic ideas we’re going to pursue.

 I don’t have much to say here, and it’s not by accident. As Freshman Class President, it’s not my voice that matters—it’s yours. So, my challenge to you: what are your ideas? What do you want done this year?

This is your year: a year of great parties, great trips, great friends – and most of all an unforgettable beginning to the best four years of our lives.

This is yours. Your school, your year, your voice.

 Make it heard.

ASCMC election rules prohibit candidates from campaigning online.  Since the Forum allows anonymous commenting, the editorial staff disabled commenting on articles to prevent any rule violations.

Hankering for some toasty tastiness between meals? Or, are you just looking for something exciting to do instead of studying for finals? With some stuff from the dining hall and the iron sitting in your neighbor’s closet, you could make yourself a grilled cheese sandwich in 15 minutes.  Your roommate will be impressed with your late night pressing skills, and when he tells his mom about it, she will be too.  The idea has been floating around the internet for ages; I had to try it.  I made it for the first time on my desk late one night with some black pepper I had on hand.  The result was gooey and delicious.  The optional ingredients may sound like a pain to find, but you can find them with the pizza condiments or deli in any dining hall.  They’re worth the extra effort; in my opinion, they make the sandwich.

Equipment:

Iron

Aluminum foil, enough to easily fit two slices of bread side by side

Knife

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread, I like sourdough

Cheese, I like cheddar

[optional] Herbs and spices: black pepper, chili flakes, oregano, thyme, rosemary

[optional] Dijon mustard

Here goes:

1. Preheat your iron.  Make sure it’s not set to steam.  No one likes soggy toast.

2. Spread the aluminum foil on your desk.  Place the slices of bread in the center of the foil side by side.

3. Slice the cheese into thin strips, about 2-3 ID cards wide.  Cut enough to layer about 5 ID cards worth onto one of your bread slices.

Step 4

4. Layer the sliced cheese onto one of the slices of bread.  If you’d like, sprinkle with the herbs and spices of your choice.  Cover with the other slice of bread.

“]

[optional step

Step 5

5. Fold the aluminum foil over the top of your melt to-be.

Step 6

6. Briefly iron your aluminum-covered sandwich like you would a shirt.  When the aluminum foil is pressed onto your bread, leave the iron on top of the sandwich for three minutes.

Steps 7-9

7.  Flip your sandwich over, careful not to let the cheese fall out in the process, and repeat step 6 on the un-ironed side.

8. Flip the sandwich over, replace the iron and cook another 3 minutes.

9. Flip again and cook another 3 minutes.

Voila!

10. Peel back the foil to reveal your cheesy goodness.  If you care to, dip its corners in some Dijon mustard for a spicy kick.  Enjoy!

Riffs on the recipe?  Ideas?  Requests?  Comment and I’ll get back to you.

Just as a reminder, all of the medallions are hid on CMC’s campus, so please don’t waste your precious time running to other campuses! Also, make sure to check the Forum‘s Facebook page again tonight to see who the winner is and where the medallion was found.

Tonight’s prize is a $20 gift card to Chipotle, a $40 gift card to Target and Snack delivered to you (on campus) for a week.

Get to solvin’:

This third run tonight

may throw you for a spin.

The winner of this prize

will wear a great grin.

No need to jump a fence,

Or break any padlocks

This clue should be soft,

For a school full of jocks.

—-

As always, meet Kelsey at the Hub immediately after to redeem your prize!

Hub
Mon-Thu 11am-3pm and 7pm-10:30pm, Fri 11am-3pm and 7pm-2am, Sat-Sun 8pm-2am
Meal Replacement Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm and 7pm-9pm

Located right next to CMC’s North Quad, the Hub is easily accessible and has long daily hours. While best known for its late-night greasy snack foods (the mozzarella sticks are a must), the Hub also has great healthy wraps, sandwiches, and salads for a healthy lunch or dinner option. Prices are reasonable, and Claremont Cash and Flex are both accepted after meal replacement hours end. Try the buffalo chicken wrap, curly fries, and a piece of fruit for a tasty lunch.  Or, for an on-the-go meal, stop into the Hub Store and grab a bar or some trail mix. If you’re looking to multi-task by studying while eating, plan to bring those Bose headphones. With two pool tables, comfy couches, and sports games constantly on the TV, the Hub is more of a social venue than an academic one.

The Coop
Mon-Thu 9am-midnight, Fri 9am-1:30am, Sat noon-1:30am, Sun noon-midnight

If you’re on Pomona’s campus, check out the Coop. Its modern décor and easygoing atmosphere is conducive to studying and socializing alike. The food options are diverse: from delicious mint chocolate chip milkshakes and giant brownies, to veggie burgers and smoothies, there’s something for everyone. Be ready to spend some money (or Flex): prices are fairly high, but the food is worth it. Like the Hub, the Coop also has an adjacent store stocking snacks for on-the-go munchers. The Coop store is without a doubt the best snack store in the 5-C’s, and carries treats like Doritos, organic dried fruit, and Lara bars.

Jay’s Place (aka The Mudd Hole)
Sun-Thu 7pm-1am, Fri-Sat 8pm-2am

The Mudd Hole’s late-night hours speak for themselves: this retro food joint sells midnight snack favorites. Quesadillas, pizza sticks,cheesy pretzels…the Mudd Hole will have something to satisfy your cravings for a wallet-friendly price. The atmosphere is utterly ‘70s, with old sitcoms playing on the TV, pool tables awaiting use, and a neon “Jay’s Place” sign glowing from one wall. Try a build-your-own pizza if you’re eating with friends, or a chicken quesadilla if you’re dining solo.  Tip for the health nuts: don’t come here if you are looking for something remotely nutritious.

The Motley

Mon-Thu 8am-12am, Fri 8am-5pm, Sat 11am-5pm, Sun 11am-5pm, 8pm-12am

If in search of a cozy study nook, look no further than Scripps’ campus. The Motley is full of diligent students enjoying the unique atmosphere and quality coffee drinks. The variety of specialty drinks offered rivals Starbucks, and the prices are certainly better. Try the pumpkin spice latte, a seasonal sensation. If you’re getting a drink to go, bring your own mug and save the (often controversial) $1 charge for a take-out cup. For breakfast, the Motley carries homemade muffins and bagels, though full meals are not this cafe’s specialty.

Honnold Café

Mon-Thu 8am-12am, Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-12am

Need motivation to go to the library? The Honnold Café will make you want to spend every meal there. The coffee drinks are high quality and diverse, and there are food options for delicious breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Try a “dirty chai” for an energizing treat (a chai latte with a shot of espresso), and add a warm muffin or some oatmeal to make it a breakfast. Or, if you’re there later in the day, try the sushi (yes, I said sushi) or a fresh panini and a cup of soup. The Honnold Café is perfect for late-night studying, or simply a tasty meal at any time of day.

Pit Stop Café

Mon-Fri 8:30 am-4pm

Tucked away in Pitzer’s Bernard Hall building, the Pit Stop Café is a hidden gem.  This pint-sized cafe is homey and quiet.  The dining options are more limited than other cafes on campus, but the quality remains high. Try a mocha and a warm blueberry scone for a no-fail cure to the rainy day blues.

Sagehen Café

Mon-Fri 7:30am-3:30pm (coffee) 11am-2pm (lunch), Thu-Sat 5pm-8pm (coffee and dinner)

If you need a sit-down restaurant for a formal meeting, there’s no need to go off campus. Just stop by the Sagehen Café, a combination coffee bar and restaurant.  The coffee drinks are mediocre, but the restaurant boasts a gourmet menu including grilled salmon and quiche and the atmosphere is professional and chic.  Prices are moderate, even in the restaurant (date night, anyone?), and the service is friendly and prompt.

After the administration gave Bon Appétit, the company that manages meals at Claremont McKenna College, a reduced budget for the year, Bon Appétit decided that limiting Snack to students on the meal plan was the best option to reduce costs.

Snack was implemented to accommodate students’ sleep schedules, and give them a chance to fraternize. “Many college students don’t eat breakfast in the morning and are hungry at night,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Jeff Huang. “A second reality is that there have been times when the Hub was not open and there weren’t a whole lot of food options for students at night.  It was also a very good to build community among students from across the college.”

The Snack attendance policy change affects the entire campus, not just hungry upperclassmen.

“It’s kind of unfortunate for underclassmen on the meal plan as well as for upperclassmen off the meal plan,” explains Charles Johnson ’11, who is off the meal plan. “When I first came to CMC, I met a lot of the seniors and other upperclassmen at snack. Snack was one of the few events that we all had in common. It was healthy for the school.”

The administration blamed the economy for the change in policy.

“The downturn in the economy hit us like it did a lot of other [colleges]. We tried to figure out how we could economize within the college’s budget without major disruption to student programs,” explains Dean Huang. “Our treasurer had to come up with some different budgets. There was a meeting between herself, myself and Bon Appétit where she suggested what we could do to save money, and Bon Appétit also had several ideas.”

Bon Bon Appétit has made a number of budget cuts over the past year, including canceling Snack on Sunday nights, removing trays, which colleges found can save up to 5% of their food waste, reducing the number of meals faculty receive for free each week, and closely managing overtime, cookware and other supplies.

Cutting snack from five nights a week to four saved the school approximately $50,000. Back of the envelope calculations reveal that the school is saving between $2,000 and $12,000 this year by excluding students who are off of the meal plan.¹

“I don’t know of any other colleges that have a free fourth meal either for the boarders or for the non-boarders,” explains Dean Huang. “There is a lot of food to be found on this campus, Athenaeum tea, Ath programs themselves, whether you are on [the meal plan] or not.”

“I think that they should give at least a discounted rate, for seniors especially,” says Johnson. “I am really barred from having any sort of interaction with underclassmen. The Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College will have elections later on in the year and most upperclassmen won’t even be allowed to go see the speeches since they are usually held at snack. It will have a negative impact on campus camaraderie.”

1. Assuming Snack costs $200,000 per year, the school provides Snack on 128 nights a year, food/drink costs are 30% of Snack budget, between 5% and 20% of traditional Snack attendees were off the meal plan, and non-attendance by those students translates directly into lower food costs.

After a furious campaign weekend, the candidates gave their speeches to an audience of about 150 onlookers at snack on Monday night, where the enticing smells of campaign promises matched the less than aromatic deep-fried zucchini. Five candidates gave speeches: Pieter Cornel, Caitlin Highland, Max Zipperman, Naureen Nanjee, and Eli Coon.

Most speeches touched on the basic responsibilities of freshman class president. Plans for printing class t-shirts, organizing 2014-only events, and incorporating the ideas of fellow classmates were present in the platforms of almost every candidate.

Eli Coon, the eventual winner, spoke last, explaining how he arrived at CMC after deciding against the other Claremont Colleges. Coon joked how he could not go to Scripps because he “didn’t want to hook up with CMC guys” or Pitzer because he “didn’t drive a Prius.” He reiterated his desire to include the ideas of all the freshmen, specifically the other freshmen candidates whom he believed could all contribute to a great year for the Class of 2014. In an inclusive spirit, Coon advocated for a Friday freshman snack, which he believed could allow for freshmen to get better acquainted with each other.

Asked what he thought helped him win, Coon responded “I think… picking up the same ideas that the freshman class already believes. In my speech and on the Forum I talked about inclusiveness, not only because I think it’s how a good place should be, but because that’s how we act [already] at CMC.”

Coon says his next step forward will involve mainly listening. He noted, “As much as I feel at home here, I’m just a freshman and I don’t know half as much as I think I do about being part of ASCMC. I’m going to listen to people who have done this before, hopefully try to learn from their mistakes, repeat their achievements, and move forward to have a phenomenal freshman year.”

Eli Coon

CMC is the greatest place on earth. CMC is my home. I want everyone on campus to feel like CMC is your home too. When I applied early decision to CMC back in October, I thought I knew what this school was about. I was ambitious, dedicated, fun-loving, and I wanted a place that could serve me in those ways. I didn’t have a clue. On the first night of WOA, Seth Winterroth told our group what CMC is really about. He told us about the positivity, the openness, the acceptance,  the family that is the CMC community. That night my world changed. I realized that CMC isn’t just my college, it’s my home. I realized that I don’t want CMC to serve my interests, I want to serve the interests of CMC.

For the four weeks between then and now I’ve done my best to meet as many of you in our class as I can. I try to jump around at meals, getting to know people who are interested in an array of different things. I feel like I’ve succeeded.

So let me break down why I want to be freshman class president. I love CMC. I want everyone to feel at home the same way I feel at home, knowing as many other freshmen as possible. I have ideas for bringing us together, like hosting Sunday freshman snack, class beach trips, and friendly Beirut tournaments. I have the means to pull these ideas off. I am currently the dorm president of Beckett Hall, and that’s given me the opportunity to work with guys like Dorm Affairs Chair Alexander Reichert, and Social Activities Chair Seth Winterroth. I’ve gone through the process of throwing dorm parties, and I’m ready to step up to the next level. Most of all, I feel like I know enough of you so that when you have an idea, even if you don’t feel comfortable approaching me about it, one of your close friends will know me and be happy to make the introduction.

More than anything, I hope that you guys will give me the opportunity to make you happy, the same way all of you have made me happy.

Pieter Cornel

My name is Pieter Cornel, I am 18 and I was born and raised in Holland. It was a bit weird at first to live in the US, because there are some subtle differences from Europe (legal drinking from 16, that’s where it’s at).  Since then, I have completely fallen in love with CMC and all the amazing people here. For me, and for most of you, a (big) part of college life is the social aspect, and that’s exactly where the class president comes in. I’m running for president of Class of ’14 because I believe I can make life even more fun for all of you. My biggest issue right now is to make sure that there will be fun stuff to do on Thursday nights, whether there’s TNC or not. Also, probably just as important, are very cool class T-shirts. If I get elected I encourage you all to think about the design and about nice activities because I would like all of you to be able to see your ideas realized. Therefore I want to reserve part of the budget for ‘freshmen initiative’, meaning that if you have a good plan, I will try to help you realize it. I hope you guys have a great weekend and I’ll see you around campus. Vote Pieter.

Caitlin Highland

My name is Caitlin Highland and I would love to be your freshman class president!  Why?  I love this school.  In fact, I’ve never fallen in love with a place so quickly.  Let’s face it, this place is incredible.  Some would say that my job would be easy at a school like this.  I plan, however, on working hard to make this the best possible freshman year.   Being freshman class president isn’t about having events that I want, it’s about doing what you want!  Therefore, if elected, I’ll be easy to reach.  You can always stop by my dorm, find me between classes, call me, or send me an email.  I’ll also have bi-weekly optional meetings for the freshman class.  I want to get to know each of you, and I want to know all of your concerns and ideas.  This year is about you!

Our first month has been pretty awesome, but I’d like to make the rest of the year even better.  I want to host at LEAST two freshman events a month, from movie nights to pizza parties to trips to the beach.  I don’t know about you guys, but I thought the freshman/sophomore pool party was really nice, so I’d like to have more bonding events with our new friends—and I’d like to see bigger turnouts!  We’re near L.A. so let’s take advantage of that!  Sporting events, trips to see shows filmed, and concerts would be great bonding activities.  I’d also like to continue some of the popular events and ideas from last year, like the CMS Freshman Tailgate and The Freshman pre-game before big parties.  So Tuesday, come out to Collins and vote “Caitlin Highland.”  I’ll make this the best freshman year ever!

Noureen Nanjee

My name is Noureen Nanjee, and I am from the Land of Sugar a.k.a Sugar Land, Texas. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. My aspirations include saving the world in a green way, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and becoming the President of the Class of 2014. In addition, I am enamored with CMC. The ponding fountain, SNACK TIME and the best three letter combination that just flows off the tongue (T to the N to the C) —all make me have undying love for this college.

As class president, I plan to do a variety of things, three of which are as follows:

• First and foremost, I will plan and organize FRESHMAN DAY; a day in which the freshman rule the school. It would be around mid-year; moreover, it will be the best day of our lives. In class, freshman don’t have to have to answer questions. At snack time, freshman have the privilege to jump rope to the front of the line. And, at noon there will be a Kool Aid Party.
• Second, Let us go to Coachella…and let us get all our tickets subsidized.
• Third, I will make CMC stand out. Currently, I am taking classes at Pomona, Scripps and CMC, and I really think that we should build relations with the other class prezs; however, I will make sure that CMC receives priority and is the best college.

Live a dream, Vote Noureen Class of 2014!

Editor’s Note: Because the ASCMC Constitution forbids candidates from online campaigning and the authors of comments cannot be exactly identified, we have disallowed commenting on this post.

I always attend speeches. I love a good election, and I like to see the candidates speak for themselves/make inside jokes about bias-related incidents/describe in detail how they’re going to distribute more “refreshments” than ever before.

If you weren’t at Snack last night to hear them, a lot of the speeches can be boiled down as such:

Chief complaint #1: No one knows where ASCMC money goes.   We need to put this on the online for everyone to see.

Chief complaint #2: Not enough event variety or creativity.  ASCMC doesn’t know what students like or need or want.  So I will somehow get in touch with you like no one ever has before.

Refreshing alternative: New ideas, I love CMC, vote for ____.

Wait did I miss something?  Since when has ASCMC been failing us? The speeches addressed concerns that I don’t think anyone actually has.  Many of the candidates decided to take the “gone Washington” approach and portray ASCMC as out of touch and corrupt. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt… maybe in the semester I’ve been abroad ASCMC hasn’t been planning any awesome parties and instead has been pimpin’ out the board room. But they have and they didn’t. In fact, ASCMC does a great job and is not funneling away money to undisclosed locations. And actually, their financial transactions and their board meeting minutes are available online already (though no minutes posted since April… wear it, ASCMC?).

Some may say that I’m not being vigilant. But I think of this from a cost-benefits approach. I want my ASCMC to provide me with a great college experience during the hours that I’m not doing academic-related stuff.  That means generally warming my heart and soul with CMC pride. Apparently, I involuntarily contribute $235 to ASCMC every year.  Spend a few months in the real world or just one weekend in Vegas, and you’ll find that parties so excellent will cost you more than $235 in as little as one night. For $235, ASCMC provides me with yearlong entertainment. Let’s say I attend 30 events: parties, TV shows, Hub quizzes, etc. That’s under $8 an event.   I would definitely have paid  more to see one of my favorite mash-up artists like the Hood Internet  and astronomically more to get into a club in any city. Furthermore, in the time I spend scrutinizing ASCMC’s cash flow, I could instead be making money at my posh on-campus job, pitching ideas of my own, or simply enjoying what ASCMC has to offer.

ASCMC officials live in the world they create. It’s not like Congress where disproportionately wealthy white guys sit and debate the semantics of a welfare program they will never use. This is college. We’re one community. There is no North Quad vote vs. South Quad vote. CMC is pretty homogeneous personality-wise. Involvement in student opinion doesn’t get much more active than sending out a survey. If I don’t respond to your survey, it’s because I don’t have any ideas. I challenge you to suggest a vastly-superior method of tapping into our ideas.

How to win my vote? Cut the general negativity. Come up with some legitimate criticisms if you have some, but realize you run the risk of alienating the audience and wasting time. Blow my mind with new and exciting ideas that I cannot possibly wrap my mind around, and do it all in 60 seconds or less. The most successful speeches were the ones that did not try to give us things to worry about and instead filled our minds with visions of sugarplums and possibilities galore.

Editor’s Note: Because the ASCMC Constitution forbids candidates from online campaigning and the authors of comments cannot be exactly identified, we have disallowed commenting on this and all other election-related posts.

Starting this Tuesday (Feb. 16) seven clues will be posted daily at 8:27 PM. Some may be easy. Others will be hard. Some may test the very limits of your physical ability– even your sanity. This is not a quest for the feint of heart, but if you choose to embark, rest assured, the rewards will be substantial.

Each medallion will have two prizes attached to it. Its finder will win one of seven extravagant daily prizes:

• VIP treatment at the Wedding Party
• Private pre-party with Flosstradamus before The White Party
• A TNC in your honor
• Gift Cards, Movie Tickets, Pizza, and more.

But most importantly, each medallion makes enter its finder into a raffle to win Backstage Passes to Lupe Fiasco.

If you’re brave enough to find one, then you must submit a picture with your medallion to collect your prize. The raffle will be held at Snack following the final clue on Tuesday, February 23. (Prizes are CMC only)

Check The Forum each night at 8:27 PM starting THIS TUESDAY, Feb. 16 through Monday Feb. 22.