The countdown to election day has begun, and this time our opinions matter. This is the first election most of us as college students will be able to participate in.

Young voter turnout has more than tripled, and it is up to us to make an educated decision on who should be the leader of our country.

There are multiple political organizations on campus that encourage students to vote at the polls and also provide the information students need to make an informed decision.

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TigerTown: in the process of adding a Kohl’s and a Bed Bath & Beyond to its store lineup. Lindsey Davidson / PHOTO EDITOR

TigerTown, the largest retail center in east Alabama, is in the process of adding more stores. The construction of Kohl’s has been under way since early spring of this year and is set to open before this Christmas season. Kohl’s offers such things as apparel, shoes, accessories, small electronics and bedding. It specializes in offering nationally branded products at locally competitive prices.  

Bed Bath & Beyond has recently announced its newest location in TigerTown, which will be between Kohl’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The store, which offers household goods and home furnishings, will open in late October or early November, according to Mayor of Opelika, Gary Fuller.

“It looks like they’re making great progress,” Fuller said.

Two other additions to TigerTown will include a Marriott Fairfield, expected to be open by Oct. 1, followed by a Marriott Courtyard. The shopping center, located at the intersection of Interstate 85 and Highway 280, is developed by Newton Oldacre McDonald and is almost one million square feet with all of its new growth.

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Whether you were the high school jock who doesn’t want to dedicate your college experience to playing at the collegiate level, or you are just interested in trying out various sports on a casual stage, you can find recreation in intramural sports.

Sponsored and run by Campus Recreation, intramural sports provide all current Auburn students the opportunity to meet new people through participating in an array of sports without the pressure or major time commitment that comes along with playing on a club or University team.

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August is finally here, and the Plains are becoming packed as students move back to sweet home Auburn.

Football season is just a couple of weeks away, classes are about to begin, and I could not be happier!

I love fall in Auburn. All of my friends are back in town, the anticipation of the first football game of the season is high, and parties are going on everywhere.

Although summer is my favorite season, this town just appears to be a little dead.

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We’ve all memorized the number (844-4244) and called it at least once for a bizarre question throughout our college careers, but do we really know what’s on the other end of the line?

Aug. 18, the phone lines and staffers will transition to the new Student Center.

Melissa Irvin Howell, a representative for the Office of the Dean of Students, said they planned to begin the shift from the first floor of Foy beginning Aug. 11, so phone lines would be up and running by the time fall classes began.

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Every year, the University Program Council brings movies, workshops and other social events to our campus, and this year is no different.

“As UPC president, I am most excited about our awesome events this fall,” Emily Dorman said. “We have a great team of student leaders who have been working really hard to find events that Auburn students will enjoy.”

UPC’s annual block party will be held Aug. 21, on Cater Lawn. This event gives students the opportunity to meet new people and enjoy a little fun during the chaos of starting a new semester.

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The theatre department: will be producing six performances this year at the Telfair Peet Theatre on Samford Avenue. Performance auditions are open to students, and student tickets are free. Lindsey Davidson / PHOTO EDITOR

“Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” a play exploring issues about art and science, will start the 2008-2009 Auburn theatre season, Sept. 24. This season promises to be one of the most exciting seasons yet, according to Daniel Larocque, chair of Auburn University Theatre.

This play will be followed by a wide variety of five more productions, including other plays, a musical and a dance concert.

“There really is something for everybody,” Larocque said. “If you don’t like one play, chances are you’ll like another one.”

The second production of the theatre will be a play titled “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” and it is set to appear on stage in November.

“That’s our style piece,” Larocque said, describing it. “It’s a wonderful Victorian piece.”

Larocque is directing the third production, which is not set to be performed until February. It is a musical called “Into the Woods.”

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Another fall semester has begun. Here at Auburn, that means Welcome Back Week is in full swing with loads of activities and events for all students to enjoy and start the semester off on a high note.

Many events have been planned months in advance for students to partake in.

Organizations like the University Program Council and Student Government Association are hosting some of these to get students hyped up about a new year here in Auburn.

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Today starts my fourth and final fall semester. It seems like it was only yesterday I was one of 4,500 freshmen going to my first day of classes at Auburn.

I remember what my first class was, what room it was in, who the professor was, what I wore and how I went to the wrong room for English class.

I will never forget the nerves tightening in my stomach as I was searching for a familiar face. When I did not find that face, I did what any new adult out on their own would do. I called my mom.

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QB Kodi Burns: practices making passes. Auburn’s season begins Aug. 30. PLAINSMAN ARCHIVE

Auburn is counting down the days till its 2008 season opener Aug. 30, against Louisiana-Monroe. With two talented quarterbacks, a new offensive coordinator and a new defensive coordinator, there’s a lot to look forward to.

“In summer practice, we had a lot of guys that really stepped up across the board,” said junior quarterback Chris Todd. “We have a really good rotation going, and I’m excited about the talent we’ve got out there.”

Auburn was picked to win the SEC Western Division title by the league’s media at the 2008 SEC Media Days. Junior defensive lineman Sen’Derrick Marks, who was named to the preseason All-SEC first team, said that based on history, the prediction didn’t hold much weight.

“Our key goal is to win the West and go on to win the championship in Atlanta,” Marks said. “But other than that, I don’t think being picked to win the Western Division puts pressure on us. I don’t think it changes how people look at our game plan or how we are playing, so we are just going out there to play our game. We’re glad we are ranked that high, but predictions don’t mean anything for the football team personally.”

This will be the first season of Auburn running the spread offense, led by offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.

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