Trending Now: Google Goggles, Ultra-High Waistlines, and More

By Jordan Schraeder in 40 Acres, Nov | Dec 2011 on October 27, 2011 at 12:35 pm | No Comments

From healthier Mediterranean eating to entertaining Skee-Ball drinking, here is what students are getting into this fall

Google Goggles Just when you thought information couldn’t be delivered any more instantaneously, Google produces Google Goggles, a program that allows you to perform a Google search using a simple photo—perfect for lazy students on the go! Take a picture of the Tower and The University of Texas will pop up. Students can snap a photo of a barcode to see competitors’ products and prices, or translate that tricky passage in their Intro to Spanish book with a simple click. Already on Android phones, and soon to be found on the iPhone and Blackberry, Google Goggles will surely be on everyone’s lips—or cameras.

Brewskee-Ball This newly created sport gives a whole new meaning to the term “drinking game.” Brewskee-Ball is a young adult’s dream: a combo of the childhood love of Skee-Ball and the adult love of beer. Started in a New York City bar, the game was brought to Austin three years ago by Brewskee-Ball League co-founder E.C. Cooper. Teams of three compete all “skeeson” in hopes of making it to the grand finale in New York: The Brewskee Mug Tournament. Plenty of UT students 21 and up, Cooper says, are joining in at Austin dive bar the Scoot Inn.

High-Waisted Bottoms We’ve survived the ultra-lowrise, distressed, colored, acid wash, and even the jegging—but this season it’s all about the high-waisted pants on campus. Inspired by the recent revival of the ’70s, students are taking a cue from the runways of Marc Jacobs and Yves Saint Laurent when they get dressed in the morning. Skirts, jeans, even bathing suit bottoms seem to be moving skyward. While it’s unclear whether or not this style is entirely comfortable, it’s obvious this trend has nowhere to go but up.

Mediterranean Cuisine Typical college-diet staples like pizza and burgers are giving way to healthier Mediterranean food. Case in point: this summer Slices & Ices was replaced by Vert’s, the latest Mediterranean-inspired dining spot on the Drag. Vert’s specializes in doener kebap, a combo of meat, often lamb, and tons of fresh veggies stuffed into pita-like German doener bread. Fellow newcomer Arpeggio Grill and longtime favorite Milto’s Cafe offer up some similarly tasty dishes that include grilled meats, hummus, pita bread, and falafel—all key parts of a healthy Mediterranean diet. And at $7, this trip to the Mediterranean is priced for student budgets

Tags: Brewskee Ball, college student fall trends, Google Goggles, high waists, Skee-Ball, ultra-high waistlines, UT student trends, UT trends, Vert's