2008 Woodie Awards
Students entering contests could cause chaos
Jennifer L. Adkins
Issue date: 4/6/06 Section: Culture
- Page 1 of 1
Students enter contests for everything from winning a free trip to earning money to go to school.
Students are finding every possibility of prizes on the Web. Web sites like www.freestuff.com, www.contestlistings.net and www.sweepstakes.com make it increasingly easier to find contests that suit the student. But are some students concentrating more on winning then on homework?
Benjamin O'Neal, a freshman from Kingsport, Tenn., said that he entered so many poker contests that he stopped going to classes because he stayed up all night. However, in the process, he won a total of $2,500.
O'Neal also participated in a contest he found on e-mail for an engineering scholarship and $500. He and a partner had to design a new monument for UTC that they called "The Mocs' Track to Success." He does not find out if he won, however, for another couple of weeks.
These contests that students may enter offer the student a chance to get money and scholarships.
Because financial aid is dropping, the contests open new opportunities to get some cash and a scholarship.
UTC Campus Crossroads occasionally hosts contests as well. Recently James Wheeler, a junior from Chattanooga, participated in the sub-eating contest at Crossroads.
Although he did not win that contest, he did win $50 for eating 14 pancakes in eight minutes before. Wheeler occasionally enters those "win a car" contests or some other prize at stores, but has never won anything.
Alison Baker, a freshman from Bean Station, Tenn., also enters raffles, but like Wheeler she has never won.
But she does enter sweepstakes while searching for scholarships. She said at the most she has entered five in one day. She finds the contests on pop-ups at Web sites such as www.scholarships.com and www.scholarshipexperts.com.
"I don't usually enter contests, but whenever they pop up, I'm like, 'Hey, if I could win, that would be some good money,'" Alison said.
Other students are skeptical about online contests. "I don't think anyone actually enters those contests," Lacy Bobo, a freshman from Morristown, Tenn., said. "They are just ridiculous and an irritation."
Lacy also said that she felt that the contests were an advertisement scam and no one actually wins.
Although some pop-ups, like those that say you could win a $1-million jackpot, are harder to believe to be real, there are some business-backed contests that are real to gain customers.
The YMCA on Brainerd Road hosted a weight-loss contest to increase the gym's popularity. Members could have fun competing for a prize while losing weight.
Local radio stations, such as WEPG-AM 910 The River, also have daily contests to gain and keep listeners.
Students are finding every possibility of prizes on the Web. Web sites like www.freestuff.com, www.contestlistings.net and www.sweepstakes.com make it increasingly easier to find contests that suit the student. But are some students concentrating more on winning then on homework?
Benjamin O'Neal, a freshman from Kingsport, Tenn., said that he entered so many poker contests that he stopped going to classes because he stayed up all night. However, in the process, he won a total of $2,500.
O'Neal also participated in a contest he found on e-mail for an engineering scholarship and $500. He and a partner had to design a new monument for UTC that they called "The Mocs' Track to Success." He does not find out if he won, however, for another couple of weeks.
These contests that students may enter offer the student a chance to get money and scholarships.
Because financial aid is dropping, the contests open new opportunities to get some cash and a scholarship.
UTC Campus Crossroads occasionally hosts contests as well. Recently James Wheeler, a junior from Chattanooga, participated in the sub-eating contest at Crossroads.
Although he did not win that contest, he did win $50 for eating 14 pancakes in eight minutes before. Wheeler occasionally enters those "win a car" contests or some other prize at stores, but has never won anything.
Alison Baker, a freshman from Bean Station, Tenn., also enters raffles, but like Wheeler she has never won.
But she does enter sweepstakes while searching for scholarships. She said at the most she has entered five in one day. She finds the contests on pop-ups at Web sites such as www.scholarships.com and www.scholarshipexperts.com.
"I don't usually enter contests, but whenever they pop up, I'm like, 'Hey, if I could win, that would be some good money,'" Alison said.
Other students are skeptical about online contests. "I don't think anyone actually enters those contests," Lacy Bobo, a freshman from Morristown, Tenn., said. "They are just ridiculous and an irritation."
Lacy also said that she felt that the contests were an advertisement scam and no one actually wins.
Although some pop-ups, like those that say you could win a $1-million jackpot, are harder to believe to be real, there are some business-backed contests that are real to gain customers.
The YMCA on Brainerd Road hosted a weight-loss contest to increase the gym's popularity. Members could have fun competing for a prize while losing weight.
Local radio stations, such as WEPG-AM 910 The River, also have daily contests to gain and keep listeners.
