Break This: Biking without a Lock

If there has been one habit of BYU students in the area that makes me aware that I live in a college area that has way too much trust in the strangers that surround them. I don't know about most people, but growing up I was taught the principle of not trusting strangers. I figured this applied in all situations, that's why I have a firewall on my computer, a deadbolt on the front door of my condo, and a quick reaction to lock my car once I get out.

However, I have seen that this does not apply to most people on campus...when it comes to their bikes. BYU has a plethora of bike riders that stuff the racks with their two-wheeled mode of transportation. However, I'd say about a third don't have a lock on their bike. Now, I understand that people in this community believe that everyone here is a kind-hearted, good-spirited person, but the fact of the matter is more theft happens here because most people aren't.

I'm not a pessimist, untrusting, or paranoid, but I do understand that there are plenty of people willing to steal a $500 to $700 bike in broad daylight. Why? Because it is so easy. First, a lot of bikes are unlocked, second, most people are too busy either listening to music or talking on the phone to really pay attention, and third, how do people really identify it isn't their bike? They don't have to undo the lock, enter a password, or use a key. They just pick up the bike and leave with a nice new bike.

Hopefully this trend will change but from the look of police beat and news from classmates and friends, it doesn't seem like it.

Breaking the Internet Restrictions

How many times have you wanted to access YouTube and couldn't because you were on campus? I love when professors want to use YouTube but can't without a work around. One professor told me how he loads all the YouTube videos on his computer at home and then brings it to school to show his student. For professors, they can get passwords for temporary access but this solution is not available for students.

I can understand the restriction to YouTube as a concept because for the most part it is not being used for educational purposes but I get emails from professors and the like directing me to YouTube to watch a video. So I have to wait until I am off campus to access it. Too bad for those who live on campus.

But why break the internet restrictions? Because there is a lot to learn and for a visual learner like myself, it is very helpful. In my communications class, it was really helpful in learning concepts to add a little clip that showed an example.

So go ahead and use the internet filters, vpn, and remote access to watch YouTube.

Breaking the Recreational Status Quo

I think we should break the “recreational status quo.” Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great to have some fun things to do that you can fall back on, but I sometimes worry that too many of us have a couch indentation that uniquely defines a special place to sit.

I am, of course, referring in a great majority to the culture of television shows and movies. We all love TV, several hours a day for those of us who live in the United States. We all have our favorite shows (I’m partial to The Office, 24, The Big Bang Theory, Scrubs, and MASH), but what about all the other cool things you can do with your spare time?

One of the things I try to do is to try things I’ve never done before. I recently tried out for a comedy troupe- I didn’t make it, but it was a lot of fun to try. Some other interesting things to try might be rappelling, rock climbing, learning to play a musical instrument, speaking in public, writing poetry, playing organized sports, traveling, or community service. The point is not what we’re doing; just that it’s something different than the normal things we do for fun.


So go ahead: Break the Recreational Status Quo and have some fun doing it…

Break This: Computer Complacency

I have the feeling that when people buy most electronic devices, namely computers, they have a tendency to just accept the computer as is. I mean, taking the computer with the software and features already installed. Not many people take the time to uninstall software they don't need, install applications they prefer, or customize the look and feel of the machine.

I think it is time to stop being complacent about our personal computers and to take charge of making them our own and not just another HP, Dell, Mac, etc. So start uninstalling the bloatware or any software that you don't want. Research and try out different alternatives to popular software. I would recommend looking at alternatives at download.com which has a large list of alternatives and a column dedicated to freeware that has great potential and usability.

Want to change the look and feel? Try out Interfacelift for new icons, wallpaper, and screen savers that are public domain. Spice it up with some of your own artwork and pictures. Want to be recognized on the network? How about changing the name of your machine that reflects how you view your machine better. I had one programming teacher who called his "Stallion"; I named my laptop the Spanish name for Lancelot.

Go ahead, make the product you own really your own. That way when somebody asks "Oh, you got a new HP?" you can happily reply "this is my custom laptop."

Breaking the Car Culture

I think more college students should ride bicycles to school. Sure, if you live miles and miles away then your options are fewer, but is a car pool or public transportation all that bad? This summer the average price for a gallon of gasoline climbed to about $4.50 in the United States, and Europe is typically more expensive. Of course, you should consider the parking permit you just bought... and the traffic... and the time it takes you to find that special parking spot ten minutes away from your first class. Time to break the college car rule. Instead, you might consider some of the following options.



Start a carpool – Whether you are thinking about the planet, or just your wallet, you definitely will save some green. You might also solve that problem of being tardy if you coordinate with a few other friends.

Buy a motorcycle – Besides the coolness factor of your new “hog,” you get much better gas milage than the average car, pay less in insurance, and are more likely to find a decent spot to park.

Take the Bus - A typical bus pass is much less expensive than the gas you use to get to your destination and you might just make a few new friends on your way to class.

Walk to School – Definitely for those who like to get their exercise, but a great suggestion if you live close to campus and want to get back to basics.


So go ahead and do something different. You might just like it...

Breaking the Parking Ticket Idea

Parking Tickets. Why did you get a parking ticket? There was no other place to park, you wanted to be closer, or just didn't know it required a permit to park there. Parking tickets usually are more annoying than anything but what if we changed the way we viewed parking tickets. Usually a parking ticket will require some dollar amount and so here is my point...You are purchasing convenience.

You are running late and don't want to bother with finding a spot in the Y lot. So you decided the parking ticket is worth the money if it means you will be on time or closer to where you need to be. If you are willing to pay, why not be able to park where you want. For those who don't want to pay, then park where you have a permit.

Break This: Watching Commercials

I think it is time to stop watching TV. Don't think I'm advocating missing the next episode of "Lost" or "The Office". I am saying that we have wasted way too much time watching the commercials that TV networks give us during our favorite shows, when we could just be watching the shows themselves. Sure there are a lot of good services online that provide TV content to your computer, but most of them still have online ads or don't let you view the show in full screen.



My solution to the problem? Torrents. We don't need to spend an hour watching our favorite shows when they only take 45 minutes. And we want to be able to watch the shows when we want to. Downloading the episodes via torrent not only give you great quality video of your favorite shows, but you can watch them whenever you want. Is this legal? Of course it is. Why? Because the network publicly broadcasts the show to everyone, and anyone with a VCR or computer with a capture card can record it. Ergo, recording a public broadcast for later use is perfectly legit.


To get you started you can download uTorrent a very popular and very good torrent manager. Then you download the torrent files from eztv.it, the largest collection of HD recorded TV shows. Just download the file, which will be opened by uTorrent and the program will download the show directly where you want it. It's a sinch!

So go out there and actually enjoy your favorite TV shows!