Freshman year is a difficult time in any young student's life; but for three freshman basketball players at UCLA, life means experiencing their new surroundings while juggling games, practices and classes. Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams made up part of the top recruiting class in the nation according to multiple major media outlets. Each has embraced the attention that has been shown to them by students since their arrival in Westwood. All three players hail from elsewhere; they have stepped up to the challenge of leaving their families behind and transitioning to the college life, which includes finding a place to rest for the holidays. They are asked to be students first and athletes second, although it doesn't always work out that way.

Obama’s six hour visit reflects not only the acknowledgement that the country has made progress in the area of human rights, but also a shifting U.S. foreign policy that is more concerned with China’s influence in the region that the President signalled last year with the deployment of 2,500 troops to Australia. In recent years, Myanmar has eased many of its harshest restrictions on its population and released hundreds of political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi. Professor of Southeast Asian history Geoffrey Robinson discusses the country's introduction of liberal reforms, the ethnic tensions that remain that makes this progress tenuous, and the larger historical narrative relevant to Myanmar's current status.

“Gangnam Style,” the latest pop culture sensation and most-viewed Youtube video in the world, has drawn millions of viewers with its wacky "horse dances" and catchy lyrics. But with its escalating popularity in America, the original meaning of this video has become overshadowed. Hear first-year history student Jeremy Rondon, second-year psychobiology student Kevin Suh, second-year psychology student Esther Kim, and David Yoo, director of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, talk about the video.

While UCLA is home to all kinds of music, in recent years, a new genre has popped up on campus: dub-step. It is composed of a dissonant, aggressive mix of sounds that come together to drastically change electronic dance music. Dub-step has gained popularity as a genre, but there is no universal love or appreciation for this music. Musicology professor Robert Fink and UCLA students discuss dub-step’s significance.

This weekend, the Hooligan Theater Company will host their production of "Urinetown", a musical about a society that has undergone a twenty year drought and where a corporation called "Urine Good Company” regulates taxes for people who use bathroom facilities and fine those who urinate on the streets. To talk more about the meaning behind the musical, Long Story Short talked to fourth year geography major Mack Kary, first year math major Aaron Fish, first year undeclared student Landen Baldwin, and fourth year history major Bridgett Leahy about the meaning behind the musical.

Not only do dollars drop after Thanksgiving, but hearts do as well. The "Turkey Drop" is when a dating couple splits up when everyone comes home for the holidays. Third year English majors Vrinda Gupta and Keith Blackmer shared some advice for UCLA students going through romantic woes this holiday season.