Presented at Concordia University Texas during Embark! aka freshmen orientation

1. • Stuff you should know about Austin and
things you should do before you graduate

2. Whether you are moving here from
across town, across the state or
across the country, now may be
the best time of your life to live like
an Austinite.
So you made it to Austin.
NOW WHAT?

3. IT'S ALLIN ANAME
• Austin was originally
named WATERLOO
▫ Changed in 1839 as the
capital city of the Republic
of Texas
▫ Reportedly named for
Stephen F. Austin who
negotiated the boundary
treaty with local Native
Americans at the site of
the present day Treaty
Oak.
 Estimated to be more than
500 years old
 Find it in Treaty Oak Park
 Baylor Street between
5th & 6th Streets

4. CAPITAL CITY BESTs
• 2nd Best City for Women in the Workforce
▫ Nerdwallet, 6-9-14
• No. 3 Top City for Jobs
▫ Forbes, 4-28-14
• 3rd Best City for New College Grads
▫ Livability.com, 4-20-14
• 3rd Lowest Crime Rate among cities 500,000+
▫ CQ Press, 12-6-13
• Best City for 20-Somethings
▫ Credit Donkey, 10-8-13

5. MOVIES & TV IN AUSTIN
• Austin City Limits
• Bandslam
• Boyhood
• Chalk
• Dazed and Confused
• Fast Food Nation
• Friday Night Lights
• Hope Floats
• How to Eat Fried Worms
• Kill Bill
• The Life of David Gale
• Lonesome Dove
• Michael
• Miss Congeniality
• Office Space
• Once Upon a Time in Mexico
• Road Trip
• The Rookie
• Scanner Darkly
• Secondhand Lions
• Sin City
• Slacker
• Spy Kids 3D
• Spy Kids – Island of Lost
Dreams
• Temple Grandin
• Transformers
• Tree of Life
• True Grit
• Varsity Blues
• Waking Life
• Walker, Texas Ranger
• The Wendell Baker Story
• What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
• Where the Heart Is
Austin named in the top 10 cities for making movies

6. AUSTIN CELEBRITIES
• Willie Nelson
▫ His statue sits near the W Hotel downtown at
2nd and Colorado
▫ His Luck Ranch is just southwest of Austin in
Spicewood
• Sandra Bullock
▫ Lives in the Barton Creek area
▫ Owns Bess’ Bistro and Walton’s Fancy &
Staple, both on W. 6th
• Robert Rodriguez
▫ Film director has his own studios in Austin
• Richard Linklater
▫ Made his first film here
▫ Launching Boyhood in summer 2014
• Mike Judge
▫ Best known for his animated characters:
Beavis and Butthead, Hank from King of the
Hill and Daria just to name a few.
▫ Judge has also filmed a number of live action
movies here like cult hit Office Space.
• Jesse James
▫ Despite the split with Bullock, Jesse James still
calls Austin home. He fell so hard for the free
feel of Texas that he closed his famous
California bike shop and opened Austin Speed
Shop here in the capital city.
• Matthew McConaughey
▫ UT grad, often spotted on their sidelines
cheering the team
▫ Got his big acting break in Austin-made film
Dazed and Confused.
• Andy Roddick
▫ American tennis champ Andy Roddick was
raised here
▫ Now owns a West Lake mansion with his super
model wife Brooklyn Decker
• Connie Britton
▫ Of Friday Night Lights and Nashville fame
• Bob Schneider
▫ Musician and Austin icon. Go see him when
you can

7. GO TO THE LAKE
Lake Travis has the largest storage capacity of the seven
reservoirs known as the Highland Lakes, and stretches 65 miles. It’s
within 5 minutes from campus.
Lady Bird Lake aka Town Lake runs through downtown
Austin. A hike and bike trail runs along both side, affording runners
nearly 20 miles of trail system.
Grab a canoe or kayak at a number of locations along the lake. No
motorized crafts permitted.

8. EAT FROMA FOOD TRUCK

9. Austinites’ love them
Here on 620:
Torchy’s
The Taco Shack
Other notables
T&T downtown
Taco Deli
Peached Tortilla (food truck)
Chi’lantro (food truck)
Juan in a Million
Love tacos? Visit
http://tacojournalism.blogspot.com/
EAT TACOS

10. LOVE BBQ? Follow on Twitter @TMBBQ
Best in Texas: Franklin’s BBQ
http://franklinbarbecue.com/
On East 11th Street
Next closest on the top 10 list: Snow’s in
Lexington
If you’re looking for something a little closer to
CTX, check out local fav: Rudy’s BBQ (also a
CTX Partner)
EAT BBQ

11. You’re college students. That means you
probably are looking for great deals. Here are a
few to help you eat on the cheap:
Moviehouse & Eatery: Tuesday is student night,
discounted tickets and reduced concessions (Like dinner
and a movie for less than $10/pp. Perfect date night?
Taco Cabana on 620
Happy Hour every day from 4-7p
And 5 under $5
Chicken Express
Ask for the Concordia Special (chicken tender meal)
CHEAP EATS

12. LIVE MUSIC
• Live Music Capital of the World- lots FREE
▫ Blues on the Green- summer Wednesdays
▫ Music under the Star on summer Fridays at
the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum
▫ Unplugged at Shady Grove- summer
Thursdays
• South by Southwest (March)

13. ACL Festival -October
• Austin is a national leader in (green) energy conservation
▫ Texas ranked No. 2 for Green Job Creation in 2014
 Environmental Entrepreneur, 3-13-14
• Concordia was 1st college in the country to subscribe to 100%
renewable energy (posted by Regent Property Group in June 2013)
▫ Today, Concordia closes on Fridays during the summer to
conserve energy.
▫ We have a blend of natural grasses planted on campus that don’t
require regular watering or pesticides. This protects our preserve
space.
• Austin is home to:
▫ 206 parks- largest is Zilker Park
▫ 12 preserves (closet one is located here!)
▫ Austin area preserves are part of the Balcones
Canyonlands Preserve system
Watch the TV show on Saturday nights (PBS) and listen to KUT radio to win tickets to live taping

14. MURALS
Find this one on Austin’s infamous South Congress (SoCo) on the north side of Jo’s Coffee

15. SEE THE BATS
Austin is home to the largest
colony of Mexican Freetailed Bats
in the world.
See them at the Congress St.
Bridge at sunset March
through November

16. IT AINT EASY BEINGGREEN
• Austin is a national leader in (green) energy conservation
▫ Texas ranked No. 2 for Green Job Creation in 2014
 Environmental Entrepreneur, 3-13-14
• Concordia was 1st college in the country to subscribe to 100%
renewable energy (posted by Regent Property Group in June 2013)
▫ Today, Concordia closes on Fridays during the summer to
conserve energy.
▫ We have a blend of natural grasses planted on campus that don’t
require regular watering or pesticides. This protects our preserve
space.
• Austin is home to:
▫ 206 parks- largest is Zilker Park
▫ 12 preserves (closet one is located here!)
▫ Austin area preserves are part of the Balcones
Canyonlands Preserve system

17. LEARN to #WOOSH
A finger gesture that
swirls your index
finger in a swirling
motion- like a Tornado

18. On CAMPUS
Join a Club
www.concordia.edu/studentorgs
Cheer on the #Tornados
Athletics.concordia.edu
Attend 9:08
Student-led worship on Thursdays at 9:08p
Take in the View
Views from the upper deck and “The Pier” are
breathtaking

19. On CAMPUS
Outdoor Recreation
Sponsored by Student Activities
To take you to explore some of Texas’
natural resources
Coffeehouse
Coffeehouse setting to showcase your talents
Christmas Tree Lighting on The Pier
Kick off the Christmas season with a tree decorating and lighting,
complete with hot chocolate, carols and more
Hamilton’s Pool

20. FOLLOW
ConcordiaTX
CTXStudentLife
#CTX
#WOOSH
www.concordia.edu/socialmedia

21. YOURBUCKET LIST
Must do’s during your time at Concordia:
1. Go to the Lake.
2. Listen to live music.
3. Take a hike.
4. Eat from a food truck.
5. Keep Austin Weird: Buy local, attend a festival.
6. Learn how to #woosh
7. Join a club.
8. Serve on a mission.
9. See the bats.
10.Be a leader and make a new mark on the world.

22. THE END.
EL FIN.
DIE ENDE.
FINE ZE HASOF.
FIM.
DA END.
This presentation online at
bitl.ly/KeepAustinWeird2014
bit.ly/KeepAustinWeirdGame2014