I love Louisiana Tech. After applying to three different colleges, and despite the pressure from my older brother to attend Louisiana State University, I chose Tech after one visit.

I knew I was born to be a bulldog. Red and blue just seemed to suit me better than purple and gold.

Although I love my school, there are several things I don't understand. After the recent story on Hale Hall, I have started thinking about those things. I watched as one story raised the attention of school officials and hours were increased for architecture students.

The power of the press is an amazing thing.

Since this is my column and my personal space to gripe, I have decided to bring the main thing to the attention of everyone. After all, things can't get better if no one has the courage to speak out.

The one thing that really bothers me is the foreign language lab. When I began taking my four REQUIRED foreign languages last year, I paid $10 for a blank tape, a sheet of paper with rules on it and a yellow card, which I was supposed to present when I entered the lab.

I am taking Spanish and the curriculum requires you to complete lab assignments and record your voice.

Have you seen our lab?

To go into the lab to do my assignments is a hassle. First of all, the lab is only open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, and it is closed from noon to 1 p.m. Sometimes, it is even closed during those times.

I go to school full-time, work full-time and have Tech Talk responsibilities. As of right now, I haven't even started on my labs because the hours are so inconvenient.

Second of all, the equipment is horrible.

As of this summer, when I visited the lab last, the earphones were in terrible condition. I would take my tape to get my lessons recorded on it and then when I would put it in the tape recorder to play, I wouldn't be able to hear it.

After getting it recorded again, I realized it wasn't the recording, but the earphones. Some earphones only let you hear out of one ear, while others just have poor sound. My favorite pair of earphones was the ones with a short in them.

I would listen for a while and it would fade out. Then I would have to wiggle the cord. Sound. Static. Wiggle. Sound. Static. Wiggle. It was a nerve-racking process.

What is so bad is that while our foreign language lab is so poor, our foreign language teachers are excellent. I have only had the privilege of taking Senoras Case and Douglas. They can both tell you my favorite phrase is "No comprendo," but I try.

Who knows? Maybe if I were able to go to the lab more to practice, my Spanish might actually improve. What is worse is that I am REQUIRED to take these classes and I paid the $10. Where does the money go? I know other students who want to know the same thing.

If we are going to be required to take something, lab hours should be made to fit everyone's schedules.

Also, give us a lab we can be proud of. Our outstanding professors deserve to have a modern lab.

Stacy Temple is a senior journalism major from Fort Necessity and serves as senior news editor for The Tech Talk. E-mail comments to slt019@latech.edu.