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Services help students
with variety of troubles
Superstitions abound at 'U'
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By Kara DeBoer
For the Daily
For many students, college can be a very chal-
lenging experience, both academically and emo-
tionally. Living away from parents, dealing with
unfamiliar roommates and adjusting to a more
independent lifestyle is difficult for many at first.
Fortunately, the University offers several coun-
seling services to aid students with a variety of
problems. Counseling and Psychological Services
,located on the third floor of the Michigan Union,
offers confidential therapy for depression, eating
disorders, substance abuse problems, insomnia
and other psychological conflicts.
CAPS Clinical Director Jim Etzkorn said he
thinks CAPS could be a valuable resource for
many new and returning students.
"(CAPS) is a place where students can figure
out how to change their situation to how they
want it," Etzkorn said. "In college, behaviors
often aren't what students expect. Any student
who is feeling depressed, anxious or serious con-
flict can get help here."
CAPS mainly deals with students on a short-
term basis, but offers resources for those in need
of further therapy. CAPS also aids those with
emotional problems and basic relationship con-
flicts and runs therapy groups and workshops.
"We offer short-term psychotherapy in 45
minute sessions on a weekly basis," Etzkom said.
"But we can direct them to where they can get the
help they need. We also do have some psychiatric
staff who can prescribe medication."
The University's Sexual Assault Prevention
and Awareness Center tends to help students with
"In college, behaviors
often aren't what students
expect."
- Jim Etzkorn
Counseling and Psychological Services
Clinical Director
more serious issues relating to sexual harassment
.and the violation of a woman's body. La Tresa
Wiley, crisis line coordinator and interim director
of SAPAC, said the center is valuable "because
the issues of sexual assault, dating domestic vio-
lence, sexual harassment and stalking are happen-
ing (in Ann Arbor). The campus needs a place
where those (dealing with these issues) can get
support and stay academically active."
SAPAC is located at 715 N. University Ave.
and is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m Monday through Fri-
day. Counselors are available both by scheduled
appointments and on a walk-in basis. Volunteers
are on call 24 hours a day at a crisis line and for
in-person assistance to residence halls, hospitals
and police stations. In addition to both short and
long-term counseling, SAPAC is also very active
in raising public awareness.-The center spear-
heads "Speakout" in October, an event to stop
violence against women, and runs the Sexism in
Advertising contest in late winter.
During the contest, students collect ads they
find demeaning to women and write letters to the
sponsors of eight chosen finalists. The "loser" ad
is announced at the close of the contest.
SHOSHANA HURAND/Daily
Students avoid the "M" on the Diag in fear
of failing their first blue book exam.
By Ashley Redman
Daily StaffReporter
Superstitious or not, students find themselves
navigating around the brass "M" on the Diag
before they take their firstblue book exam.
The reason? According to legend, anybody who
steps on the "M" before taking their first blue
book, or essay exam, will fail that test.
"I still haven't stepped on it," Engineering junior
Adam Wagner said. "I'm not usually superstitious,
but anything at this school can help."
Thinking back, Engineering junior Andrew Gor-
czyk remembered walking through Cooley Foun-
tain toward the Rackham Graduate School during
freshmen orientation as part of his initiation to the
University.
"I thought it was cool because it was the first tra-
dition I participated in," he said. As the tradition
goes, students will do the same thing later on in
their college careers - only the next time will be
when they are walking away from the University
after graduation.
"I thought it was odd at first, but I realized that
there was deep tradition here," Wagner said.
Campus myths are a way of getting new students
excited about coming to the University and being
part of its tradition, LSA seniorAmy Smith said.
Other students said they pay little attention to the
myths. "I step on it everyday," LSA junior Caleb
Beasley said in reference to the "M" on the Diag.
Still, he said he was aware of the myth. He remem-
bered stepping on the "M" during an orientation
tour and other people in the tour crying out and
telling him to move.
But, some lucky students are also aware of how
they can counteract their bad luck if they do hap-
pen to step on the "M" accidentally: The two puma
statues in front of Ruthven Museums Building can
reverse the bad luck of a misfortunate student if
they take off all their clothes on the "M" at mid-
night and run to the pumas and kiss them before
the Burton Tower chimes 12 times. However, the
the clock does not ring at midnight anymore.
The pumas also have other superstitious powers
- they are said to roar if the Michigan football
team beats Ohio State University, said Business
school senior Michael Mayor, adding that myths
allow the University to "have some things that the
student population has in common" to "bring them
together."
Another myth going around campus, students
say, is that the David Dennison Building sinks two
inches annually because it was designed by a
Michigan State architect.
One final part of University lore has to do with
the Regent's Plaza Cube between the Michigan
Union and the Fleming Administration Building
gets spun every morning by the University presi-
dent before he or she goes into their office to set
the University into motion each day.
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The pumas in front of the Ruthven Museums
Building on North University Avenue. roar every
time the Michigan football team beats Ohio.
State University.
Where in the world do
you want to go?
Discover your options at the
STUDYABROADFAIR
Wednesday October 2
Michigan Union Ballroom
3-6 pm
For more information, please contact:
Office of International Programs
, G513 Michigan Union
764-4311
www.umich.edu/-iinet/oip
oip@umich.edu
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The University president spins the
moming to get the school going.
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