AS Review - December 09, 2011

Vol. 27 #3

AS Board votes to stand against Coal Terminal, p. 3 Love eggnog?

Read our review, p. 7 Coping with seasonal affective disorder, p. 9

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12.5.11

Vol. 27 #11

10.3.11

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BUYING ALL THE THINGS The AS Review goes shopping on Black Friday

Column by Anna Atkinson • AS Review

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n the past, Black Friday shoppers have been pushy, rude and even violent. In 2008, a Walmart employee died when shoppers trampled him as they fled into the store when the doors opened at 12 a.m. This year, a woman in California attacked 12 people with pepper spray to keep them from getting the Xbox console she wanted to purchase.

After hearing about crazy Walmart stories, I decided I had to experience the madness for myself.

I wanted to get some Christmas shopping done early and I didn’t want to spend a lot of money, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to check out the deals.

I have been to Walmart on Black Friday once before in Bonney Lake, but it wasn’t exceptionally exciting and there was no line to get into the store.

I decided to go to the Renton Walmart because it was the most central store for the group of people I was shopping with who were coming from Enumclaw, Auburn and Bothell.

I hadn’t expected there to be a line like this, but when I saw it I knew we would be out in the cold for a while.

By the time I got inside I could barely feel my feet.

People lined up all the way around the Walmart building on Thursday night before the electronics went on sale at midnight. It took my sister, a friend and me more than

an hour and a half to get inside after arriving at 10:30 p.m. and getting in line around 10:45 p.m.

But the lines were just half the battle.

We got into the store 20 minutes after midnight. I couldn’t walk in an efficient manner; I had to weave inbetween people and walk all the way around aisles to get to the side I was already on.

Despite this, I easily accessed the DVDs and it wasn’t difficult to get to the toys (my sister needed to get Legos for a friend). Not many people crowded around these items.

I was lucky that I wasn’t after any of the hot-ticket items. It wasn’t specific items that slowed us down; it was the sheer number of people that made it difficult to walk around and made the lines move slowly.

I wasn’t sure what I was going to purchase because I was mostly there for the experience and just to see what the deals were.

I walked somewhat aimlessly other than walking to my destinations of the movie and toy sections of the store.

The real challenge was getting to the end of the line.

It was so backed up that walking through or around the line to reach the end of it was more than tricky – it was so wide it took up the whole aisle.

At Target, a shopper rests a moment with a newly purchased TV while his family finishes through the crowded line.

Photo by Joe Rudko//AS Review

I started out with five DVDs and one picture frame. We also managed to find the time to purchase McDonalds and eat it while the line slowly crept toward the checkout.

The checkout line was moving so slowly that I was able to do most of my shopping while in it. I grabbed a set of flannel sheets, a gift basket of Starbucks products and Old Spice men’s hygiene products after getting in line. We had a big enough group of people so that not all of us had to stand in line at once.

The line was barely moving, so we stacked all of our purchases into a plastic laundry basket, which was overflowing by the time we got to the checkout so we could set it on the floor and scoot it along as the line moved.

But I finally made it out with a set of sheets, five movies, a box of Old Spice hygiene products, a picture frame, and a gift-box of Starbucks tea, coffee and a mug Two in our group decided to continue on to Target, but I decided to call it a night – I didn’t think I could do it for another several hours.

I was glad to take advantage of some of the deals, but I’m not sure if I will visit a Walmart in a city on Black Friday again. The lines would probably be worth it if I was going for a really expensive item, but for casual shopping, I think I’ll stick with Amazon. the

A Black Friday shopper finds higher ground in the electronics department at Target. Photo by Joe Rudko//AS Review

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December 5, 2011 • 11

CLASSES from page 5 “[It’s] because I truly believe that we miss a lot of the kids that are potentially college students, maybe because their [parents are] making low income, maybe their parents didn’t go to college or they don’t have the kind of encouragement that they need to be able to go to college. I really believe that our college students are wonderful encouragers. That’s the reason I love teaching the class.”

Each quarter, except summer quarter, there are five sections of the 201 course, which Shepard said could possibly become a GUR in the future.

There are no prerequisites or restrictions on the class, but it is required that the student has transportation to the schools at which they do their service learning.

The class meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8a.m. to 9 a.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; or Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 5p.m.

CLST 450 Gladiators and Christians

Diane Johnson, a professor at Western, is always frustrated with popular culture’s depiction of ancient Rome. Men wearing armor, the constant swinging of swords, orgies, the ever-present colosseum, beating of slaves and commitment to power is not what Rome is all about, Johnson said.

The Gladiators and Christians class, which is a new class being offered winter quarter, is through the classical studies department.

Johnson has designed the course as a way of showing students the reality of ancient Rome.

The idea for the course came from Johnson’s students constantly entering classes with preconceptions of ancient Rome from movies and television, she said.

SNOW from page 8 The title – Gladiators and Christians – fits the course because those are the two classes of people that commonly come to mind when discussing ancient Rome, Johnson said. Gladiators fighting each other and Christians being eaten by lions were Johnson’s examples.

Each week of the class is devoted to an aspect of the city of Rome, Johnson said.

The class will go through and analyze facets of the city, such as what the buildings looked like, where the bookstores and restaurants were, what the roads looked like and how it felt to walk down the streets.

The course will also allow Johnson to discuss the religion in ancient Rome.

The ancient Roman empire, which began around the birth of Jesus Christ and ended around 400 A.D., transitioned from worshipping their own gods to the acceptance of Christianity.

On top of the class offered in the winter, Johnson will be conducting a study abroad trip to Rome to discover and learn the aspects of the class first hand.

“I’m looking forward to opening [students’] eyes to an ancient reality that they think they know from popular culture, and I don’t think they do,” Johnson said.

This course is for adventurous students; Gladiators and Christians will give students the opportunity to look at places they have never seen before, and sample ways of life they have never thought about, Johnson said.

The class is not a GUR and has no prerequisites or restrictions. It is a part of the classical studies minor. The course is only offered winter quarter on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. the

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HANUKKAH from page 8 it,” Yarmush said. I feel it is very important to celebrate a holiday and maintain a culture, and everybody has a right to celebrate happily. I have no problem saying ‘Happy Hanukkah’ to people.”

For Parsley, she has mixed felling toward the phrase.

When people say “Merry Christmas,” she said she believes they are genuinely trying to send well wishes for the holiday time. At the same time, what goes through her mind occasionally is, “Thank you, I don’t celebrate Christmas, but I appreciate the gesture.”

On the other hand, Parsley finds phrases like “Happy Holidays” annoying. She said people sometimes call their December festivities a “holiday party,” but still

have Christmas music, lights and candy canes.

“I actually prefer people to be genuine in those situations. If you’re having a Christmas party, call it a Christmas party,” Parsley said. “Don’t call it a holiday party when you have everything that symbolizes Christmas. It’s not a holiday party because it certainly is not related to any holidays I celebrate.”

Last year, Parsley studied abroad in Israel. It was refreshing to not hear Christmas music and “Merry Christmas” there, she said. Ironically, on Christmas Eve, she was in Bethlehem.

“A Jewish girl in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve…it’s kinda funny,” Parsley said. the

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Other observances on Dec. 25th • Mithras’ birth, the great savior and god of the Persians.

• The birthday of Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry among the Romans.

• Horus’ birth, the Egyptian god of light.

•The birth of Adonis, “a dying-and-rising god” among the Greeks.

• The birth of Hercules, the son of the supreme god of the Greeks, Zeus.

likes to go skiing or “jibbing,” a variation of the sport where skiers use fixtures such as rails or boxes for jumps and tricks. Jibbing is a good alternative when there is not enough snow in the area, she said.

For those staying in the Bellingham area during winter break, Mount Baker is a great destination for snowboarding and skiing. Lift tickets for those older than 16 are $51 after tax on weekends and holidays, and tickets are $46 after tax on weekdays, according to the Mount Baker Ski Area website. Snowboard, ski and helmet rentals are available at the mountain, and snowboarding and skiing lessons are also offered.

Katie Frase, a senior at Western, enjoys snowboarding when the weather permits and also likes to go hiking, particularly on trails and areas designed for hiking in nonsnowy weather.

“It’s totally different in the snow,” Frase said.

Another idea for enjoying the snowy outdoors is sliding down snow-covered hills Yanagimachi and Cohen said.

While many people like to avoid the snow by staying inside, Frase and Cohen believe going out into the snow is necessary fun, especially to those who live in areas that receive regular snowfall.

“I don’t let the snow snow me in,” Cohen said.

AS Outdoor Center employee Jake Merrill, who likes to snowboard, hike and ski during winter break, said he also feels the only way to really enjoy the snow is to get out of the house.

“You just have to get up and get out there,” Merrill said.

FILMS from page 9 to solve a 40-year-old murder of a wealthy girl by a family member. He is helped by Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a young, smart Swedish woman. The British website The Guardian said, “[The American] movie already looks far more engaging than the original Swedish take on [the novel].”

• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn Directed by Stephen Daldry December 25 Set in 2001, 9-year-old Oskar’s father (Tom Hanks) is killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Oskar (Thomas Horn) and his mother (Sandra Bullock) grieve for their loss, but shortly after Oskar finds a key in his father’s closet. He is determined to find what it opens, convinced that his father left a message in the box it opens. The movie is based on a novel of the same name by Johnathan Safran Foer.

• War Horse Jeremy Irving, Emily Watson, David Thewlis Directed by Steven Spielberg December 25 After training his family’s horse, Albert ( Jeremy Irvine) creates a strong bond with the animal. The British army buys his family’s horse to be used in World War I. Albert enlists in the army after promising his horse, Joey, that they would be reunited again. War Horse takes place over the course of WWI and shows the brutality war. the

Information from www.missionislam.com/comprel/easterchristmas.htm

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IT’S ALWAYS HAPPY HOUR SOMEWHERE Where to find the best deals after finals

Anna Atkinson • AS Review

As the end of the quarter approaches, students will have reasons to celebrate. What better way to do so than by enjoying these delightful happy hour deals, perfect for a student with a budget. The AS Review has compiled a list of the best happy hours in Bellingham.

THE ROYAL 208 E. Holly St.

When it is: 6-9 p.m. daily What the deals are: Drink specials featuring $3 well drinks and pounders.

BOUNDARY BAY 1107 Railroad Ave.

When it is: Saturday-Thursday 4-6 p.m.

What the deals are: A selection including $3.50 Hot Wings, $2 Beer-B-Q Pork Slider and $2 Beef Tacos

NEW YORK PIZZA 902 N. State St.

When it is: 2-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close daily each night.

What the deals are: A selection of drink and food deals, featuring $5 martinis and pizzas, as well as $3 yam fries.

JALAPENOS 501 W. Holly St.

When it is: 2:30-5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to close, daily What the deals are: $6 lime Big Mamas

A Cajun Coffee at the Bayou on the Bay, a great drink for a cold day. Bayou’s rib night, held every wednesday, was voted the best in Bellingham.

The special features ribs, two sides and a pint. Photo by Joe Rudko//AS Review

FIRESIDE MARTINI AND WINE BAR 416 W Bakerview Rd. When it is: 3-6 p.m. daily What the deals are: $4 martinis, $5 wine and $2 draft

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Viking Union 411 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360.650.6126 Fax: 360.650.6507 Email: as.review@wwu.edu Online: as.wwu.edu/asreview @theasreview facebook.com/theasreview

©2011. Published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University.

We are a student-produced, alternative campus weekly covering news and events that are of interest to the Western community. We support all programs, offices and clubs affiliated with the AS. We have a direct connection to the AS Borard of Directors, and although we report on board actions objectively, our relationship should be made clear.

Submissions: We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork or anything else physically printable. Email submissions, or send them to the mailing address above. They will be returned as long as you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Letters: We also welcome letters to the editor. Please limit your letter to 300 words and include your name and phone number. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar, if necessary.

Calendar/Ads: We don’t sell ad space. Sorry. Email as.review@ wwu.edu to have an event listed in the calendar.

Editor in Chief

Assistant Editor

Lead Photographer

Copy Editors

Assistant Photographer

Staff Writers

Kirsten O’Brien

Cade Schmidt

Joe Rudko

Adviser

Jeff Bates

Adrienne Woods

NEWS / FEATURES

In This Issue:

Festive lights mark the beginning of a season full of celebration.

Photo by Cade Schmidt//AS Review

4 5 6 7 8

Thefts of Publicity Center banners are costing everyone money

SWEET SCHEDULES

Three classes to take if you need extra credits

DON’T CALL HER AN ELF

A day in the life of a very busy and slightly disgruntled - Santa assistant

THE EGGNOG EXPERIENCE We put a half dozen ‘nogs to the test

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ARE YOU S.A.D.?

Seasonal affective disorder makes winter unbearable for some

BLACK FRIDAY

The AS Review braves the crowd

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JUMPS

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THE HAPPIEST HOUR

Finish the story you started!

Where to go for cheap drinks

IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS For everyone

STUDENTS SOUND OFF Traditional finals vs. online finals

With Western students one week and numerous finals away from winter break, the finish line to fall quarter is in sight. Some professors allow takehome or online finals, but do they beat the traditional in-class final?

“It’s hard to regulate. People could copy each other or they could do it together. You can’t really restrict anything.”

“You can’t ask questions about the test since there’s no instructor present. You lose clarification.”

Evan Marczynski Grace Moore Anna Atkinson Eriver Eugenio Nick Markman Lauren Simmons Megan Thompson

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BYE BYE BANNERS

Freshman Lizbeth Miranda

“With online exams you’re in your room. It can also be in an easier format and narrows down the options.”

Miranda said online and takehome exams have their downfalls even though they allow students some freedom.

Sophomore Greg Moran

Take-home exams and exams administered online provide students with a more comfortable setting, he said.

Compiled by Eriver Eugenio • AS Review

Senior Clayton Stork

On the other hand, Stork said takehome exams allows him to focus on the task at hand in solidaritude. “I enjoy not having to be around people and being distracted with others around.”

December 5, 2011 • 3

EVENTS

DEC 2011 - JAN 2012 Friday Dec 9

“The Nutcracker” presented by Northwest Ballet Theatre

Dec. 9 through Dec. 11 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 & 10, 2 p.m. on Dec. 11 Mt. Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. Ticket prices vary The Northwest Ballet Theatre production of the classic holiday play, “The Nutcracker,” will feature a live orchestra.

Saturday Dec 10

Fairhaven Holiday Festival

Dec. 10, 11, 17, 18 and 24 All day on Saturday and Sunday The Fairhaven Holiday Festival features horsedrawn carriage rides from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, carolers and photos with the Grinch for $10 at Village Books.

stranger? This AS Viking Union Gallery will feature a collection of photographs taken by community members. The “photographers” were asked to take photos of their environment, and were collected by an anonymous artist.

Thursday Jan 12

AS Productions presents: Allen Stone with Kris Orlowski and Eclecticity 7:30 p.m., VU Multipurpose Room $7 with Western ID, $10 general

Twenty-four-year-old Allen Stone is an up and coming artist from Chewelah, Wash., a small town in the northeastern corner of the state. His music draws influences from the classic soul music of the 60s and 70s, and is reminiscent Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin. He is joined by Eclecticity, from Bellingham, and Kris Orlowski, a singer-songwriter from Seattle.

BOARD SAYS NO TO COAL AS Review staff

On Tuesday, Nov. 29, the Associated Students Board of Directors passed a resolution to oppose the proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point.

The resolution was submitted by the Western Action Coalition, an AS club, and AS Vice President for Governmental Affairs Iris Maute-Gibson.

The resolution passed with four out of seven board members voting in favor.

By passing the resolution, the AS has taken an official stance on the controversial construction of the Cherry Point coal-exporting terminal, which would be located about 20 miles north of Bellingham.

If constructed, the terminal would ship coal primarily to China and significantly increase train traffic in Bellingham.

The resolution states that the proposed terminal would have numerous detrimental effects on the Bellingham community, including degrading “community health by increasing pulmonary, cardiac, cancer, and safety risks because of the diesel particulate matter, coal dust, noise exposure and delayed emergency response times, according to 160 Whatcom County physicians,” as well as harming “the local economy by necessitating up to 18 mile and a half long coal trains a day.”

Members from the WAC, a club dedicated to encouraging social activism, presented information about the importance of the board taking a stance on the coal terminal issue.

Eric Jensen and Natalie Eberts, both WAC members, said having a clear stance on the issue would encourage decision makers to take a similar stance against the terminal, give more legitimacy to student support and sentiment and raise visibility of the issue among the Western community.

Jensen and Eberts said 16 other AS clubs also opposed the coal terminal. In addition, the resolution also states that the board recognized that “463 students have already signed a petition opposing the coal terminal.”

Maute-Gibson was particularly passionate about adopting the resolution and urged the board to vote in favor.

“I would not have sponsored this resolution if I did not feel that this was a large responsibility that we have to our community within the student population, outside the student population and to the future students that fill this college,” she said. “I think that by not taking a stance on this issue, we are not living up to the goal of these positions to ensure in the future that students have a safe place to participate in higher education here at Western.”

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Looking ahead: What to expect when in January Sunday Jan 8

Women’s Night at the Rec Center 9 to 11 p.m., Wade King Student Recreation Center Free

Women’s Night, hosted by the Associated Students Women’s Center, encourages womanidentified individuals to participate in Zumba, self-defense classes, basketball, rock climbing and more. Classes will be taught by female instructors and focus on creating a safe and comfortable environment.

Monday Jan 9

“An experiment” photo exhibit Jan. 9 through Jan. 20 Viking Union Gallery, VU 507

What happens when you give a camera to a

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BANNER BURGLARS

Theft of Publicity Center banners makes all students pay Nick Markman • AS Review Editor’s note: The AS Review is part of the Publicity Center, which is a focus of this story.

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he Associated Students Publicity Center, located in Viking Union 411, is responsible for the designing and printing of all AS-related print marketing. From posters to banners, students can see the PC’s work all over campus — or at least the works that have not been stolen.

Five large-scale print banners have been stolen from

Vierela said that those responsible for stealing the banners may not realize who they are affecting. Since the AS receives its funding from students in the form of the student activity fee, the individuals stealing banners are essentially taking away money from the entire student body.

“Students are wasting their own money,” PC

event publicity we should be working on,” Vierela said.

Kramer Janders, a distributor for the PC, is one of the people responsible for hanging up banners and posters throughout campus. He said that the most annoying part of dealing with the aftermath of stolen banners is replacing and preparing new backing boards. In response to the increase of thefts, Janders began writing encourag-

A small act that turns into a big deal When banners are stolen, it drives costs up for everyone

Event banner is stolen

Decreased publicity for events

campus this year. Each banner costs the PC $32 to print and the cardboard backing boards that the banners are affixed to cost $25 to replace. These costs do not take into account the costs of labor for time spent reprinting and redistributing.

All of the stolen banners have been for AS Productions events. Micheal Vierela, AS Productions marketing coordinator for arts and entertainment, is responsible for coordinating between ASP and the PC in order to communicate ideas and concepts to PC designers, as well as help oversee the design process.

“It feels good to know that the work we’re producing is good enough for people to want to steal, but the time and money it takes to reprint and redistribute these banners is definitely frustrating,” Vierela said.

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Decreased student attendance and loss of ticket revenue

Distribution Coordinator Rachel Bowers said.

Vierela said that stealing ASP marketing materials can negatively affect the large group of students who enjoy participating in ASP events.

“When someone steals a banner it makes it more difficult for us draw in a large enough crowd and revenue, which allows us to subsidize ticket costs,” Vierela said.

“When production and marketing costs increase, we’re forced to increase ticket prices on students.”

Vierela said that the PC’s banners are ASP’s most effective form of marketing. When one gets stolen, the AS is forced to incur the costs of reprinting and redistributing in order to sustain proper advertising for ASP events.

“This creates more work and a lot of headaches for me and Publicity Center staff and pulls us away from other

Extra funds to subsidize tickets are lost, ticket costs for students go up

ing notes targeted to would-be thieves on the backing boards.

“It normally goes something like, ‘If you have the urge to steal our beautiful banners, please return the backing board and pins to the Publicity Center, no questions asked,’” Janders said.

Besides the concern for lack of advertising and annoyance of replacing banners, ASP and the PC seem to take the thefts lightly. Both Janders and Vierela said that if people really want a banner, they can ask for it after the event it is advertising has occurred.

“It’s not really that big of a deal as long as the event is over with because we just take the banners and recycle them anyway,” PC Graphic Production Coordinator Catherine Peterson said.

Students are wasting their own money.

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”

-Rachel Bowers, Publicity Center Distribution coordinator

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December 5, 2011 • 5

SPICE UP YOUR SCHEDULE

Need a few more credits for winter quarter? Check out these classes Lauren Simmons • AS Review

As a college student, the opportunities to take a class just for the hell of it do not come around very often. In the event that you have an empty spot for extra credits, t there are plenty of classes at Western that cater to different interests. Here are a few that could fill the winter schedule void.

FAIR 255Y Folk Music Experience

If names such as Bob Dylan, Pete Seger and Joan Baez spark an interest, then this Fairhaven class might be a perfect addition to a student’s schedule.

The Folk Music Experience class, which has been taught by Marie Eaton for the past 10 years, is based around prominent figures and movements contributing to the evolution of folk music in America.

The class is offered every quarter, from noon to 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. The class is through Fairhaven, but is open to all students during phase two of registration.

There are two primary objectives for the course, Eaton said. The first is to help students build a better understanding of the historical context of various kinds of folk music.

“Music doesn’t just appear out of nowhere,” Eaton said. “It’s in a cultural context, so we read a book, watch

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Which classes are YOU taking this winter? Screenshot from admin.wwu.edu

videos and listen to the discography of the American folk music experience.”

The other objective is to give students the opportunity to learn about folk music and then come together and play it, Eaton said.

The class meets twice a week. On Mondays, the class focuses on the historical and cultural context. It is spent mostly discussing, listening and reading, Eaton said. On Wednesdays, students bring a song they want to teach to other people – typically from the genre or person the class is currently studying – along with a paper explaining its author and context.

“And then, we sing them!” Eaton said.

As a professional musician for most of her life, Eaton described herself as a singer-songwriter, with her roots in folk music. Teaching the Folk Music Experience class helps her learn with the students, Eaton said. She enjoys learning more about people she has listened to over her life.

“For example, we’re going to do Johnny Cash [winter] quarter,” Eaton said. She explained that she knew a little bit about Cash, but there are other aspects about him that contributed to American folk music.

“The net casted is broader than just the personality, he’s the primary focus – his lineage, where did he come from, whose shoulders did he stand on as he’s learning to write music and who did he influence [will be covered],” Eaton said.

EDUC 201 Compass 2 Campus Youth Mentoring 1

Every fall quarter, a few hundred fifth-grade students from around Whatcom County come and tour Western’s campus.

Students taking the Compass 2 Campus class act as mentors for the elementary school students throughout the quarter.

Communication, leadership and mentoring skills are the primary objectives of the course, said Cyndie Shepard, founder of Compass 2 Campus.

The course has a major service-learning component; the students are in class for the first three weeks and then they are out working with children in Whatcom and Skagit County for the remaining seven weeks of the quarter.

Shepard, wife of Western’s President Bruce Shepard, founded the Compass 2 Campus 10 years ago while living in Green Bay, Wis. The Shepards moved to Green Bay for Bruce’s new position at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, and Cyndie had left her grade school education career upon doing so.

In search of places where she could volunteer her time with children, Shepard was brought to one of the elementary schools in downtown Green Bay, which was a low-income, high-risk elementary school, Shepard said.

While touring the school with the principal, a fifth grade boy was being sent home. While the principal went to call the boy’s mother, Shepard sat down, talked to him and calmed him down.

“I asked him, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ and the boy got a frown on his face and said, ‘I’ll probably end up in prison just like my dad’,” Shepard said. “It just kind of broke my heart, a little 10-year-old boy thinking he was automatically going to go to prison.”

After this incident, Shepard asked the principal what the university and her could do to help kids like the one she had just met.

The principal told Shepard that the school needed role models, and that college student would set good examples for the younger children.

Shepard then collaborated with one of the university’s trustees to create Phuture Phoenix – the original manifestation of Compass 2 Campus.

Now at four universities, Compass 2 Campus is a course for students who like to work with kids, Shepard said.

See CLASSES on page 11

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HOLIDAY CHEER: IT’S EXHAUSTING A day in the life of one of Santa’s Helpers

Column by Lauren Simmons• AS Review

From Black Friday to Christmas Eve, I am employed as a Santa’s Helper – not an Elf – at the Nordstrom on 6th and Pine streets in Seattle.

With such a profession comes the tedious, but rewarding task of providing the optimum experience for families during their visit to Santa’s Lane. The lane, which is created around a Nordstrom display window on the street, attracts hundreds of families each holiday season to come see a variety of Santas – such as multicultural Santas and American Sign Langauge Santas – for professional pictures and the opportunity to tell Santa what they want for Christmas.

The bright red carpets and touch screens lined the walls with crispy displays and neatly placed stuffed animals under the resident Christmas tree all awaited the arrival of Santa on Black Friday morning. I was actually excited to be one of Santa’s Helpers for the second year in a row – until my arrival at the Lane mid morning that Friday.

I arrived via bus that morning because I was not sure exactly how crazy one would have to be to actually drive into downtown Seattle the day after Thanksgiving – but clearly plenty of people were. The lane opened at 8:30, and there had been families outside on the street, dressed in their best, since 5:30 a.m.

Santa pictures are no joke.

There are about 10 Santa’s helpers working at one time, and we all had our own duties at the Lane. My task was escorting the families from the front of the line, up the ramp and around the corner to prepare for their Santa visit.

Such a task provides me with a constant form of entertainment – watching the children screaming “SANTA! SANTA! I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE SANTA!” at the front of the line, and then once it’s their turn for pictures, their tune switches to “NO! NO! NO! I DON’T WANNA SEE SANTA.” But do not worry, I’m not so cold-hearted that I only work on the Lane for the screams, tears and falling-outs of toddlers. Their tantrums simply keep my mind off the fact that I have to work an eight-hour shift.

Being Santa’s Helper is not all sugarplums and candy canes. It is exhausting on the mind, body and soul.

For example, since Nordstrom is known for optimum customer service, we at the Lane provide warm apple cider and fresh-baked cookies to keep the customers in a jolly mood.

The incessant smell of holiday goodies, not to mention the overwhelming amount of steaming Starbucks cups at every turn, teases me every minute of my shift.

Every new batch of cookies and influx of apple cider constantly taunted me. Yes, I want to eat and drink you, but I cannot. The sweet, sweet taste of chocolate cookies is all I can think about, but the closest I could get was the minty taste of my Burt’s Bees lip balm.

The Lane is prominently visited by families, with children younger than 10, so that provides an ample amount of issues. With that said, what is perhaps the smallest, but definitely most vile part of being Santa’s Helper

stands to be the millions upon millions of germs that are transmitted around the Lane.

I have yet to ask Santa how they do it. How can they keep the act going as a young girl picks her nose, rubs her eyes and sucks her thumb in a matter of 30 seconds?

The kids were dressed in sweater vests and poofy dresses that would probably only survive one day, but it did not change the fact that kids will be kids.

A young boy visiting Santa will forever be engrained in my memory. After visiting Santa and taking photos, the children were given a candy cane – a sweet, sticky, easily broken candy cane. This boy threw his candy cane wrapper on the floor, came up to me and we discussed his family’s visit.

As I talked to him, I watched in horror as he proceeded to lick every inch of the candy, transfer it to the other hand and put his vacant hand in his gaping mouth, getting all the sweet goodness off. Repeating this disgusting act, I run for the nearest hand sanitizer disposal. No matter how cute they are, kids are still gross.

Please don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my job at Santa’s Lane. Even though we do not have elaborate, sexy costumes (we wear vests), all the quirks, annoyances and tedious acts of incessant happiness are what the holiday season is all about for me.

Yes, the children that freak out at the sight of Santa, with his huge beard and scary stature, is always funny, but what is often better is the light in a child’s eyes expressing emotions that cannot be verbalized.

Santa Claus, whether you find him scary or heartwarming, has brought holiday cheer to families all over the globe, and I am excited to finish out the 2011 holiday season as a part of his crew. asproductionsstreetteam.fancorps.com

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Photo illustration by Cade Schmidt//AS Review

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Being Santa’s Helper is not all sugarplums and candy canes. It is exhausting on the mind, body and soul.

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December 5, 2011 • 7

IT’S A HARD ‘NOG LIFE

Which eggnog suits your needs? The AS Review finds out Review by Megan Thompson • AS Review

Eggnog is not a four-letter word.

During my childhood, my family never spoke of it.

The mere mention of the word set my mother off into an anti-eggnog speech. It was disgusting, it was the worst thing she’d ever tasted, and it would be the worst thing we’d ever tasted if we tried it, she claimed. She scarred her four children so deeply that we vowed to never try the horrible drink.

In high school, my friends praised eggnog and told me how delicious it was. One even said it tasted like a Christmas cookie. I didn’t believe them. I trusted my mother’s description of the drink. When I moved out I did finally try eggnog, and my friend was right: Eggnog is a Christmas cookie.

The name of the drink itself doesn’t sound too appealing. I dislike eggs, so my mother’s depiction of the drink seemed accurate. Eggnog is a mixture of cream or milk, eggs, sugar and spices.

If made at home, eggnog is light and frothy because of the uncooked whipped eggs. Commercial eggnog is heated to cook the eggs, which gives it a thick and creamy taste. Most eggnog contains vanilla, nutmeg or both. Eggnog has many forms and varieties including lattes, ice cream, low fat, pumpkin, vanilla or soy.

Since my eggnog days just began a few years ago, I now have “nog” in my apartment all season long. I’m obsessed with finding the best eggnog out there.

Silk Nog: dairy-free $2.50, available at Fred Meyer stores This dairy-free, soy-based ‘nog tasted nutty. The soymilk overpowered the eggnog flavor, and the ‘nog’s thin texture and lack of spices made it difficult to compare with other tastier eggnogs. I had to pour some nutmeg into my glass of soynog to enhance the drink.

Trader Joe’s Light Eggnog: low fat $2.69, available at Trader Joe’s I love Trader Joe’s. I’d never experienced their ‘nog, so my ‘nog excitement took over. After tasting it, I wasn’t so impressed. This ‘nog had a medium thickness, and the spices were dull. From the distinct and unpleasant “diet” aftertaste, it was obvious this eggnog was a low-fat option.

Not all Eggnogs are same as our ‘nog obsessed writer Megan Thompson found out. Photo illustration by Cade Schmidt//AS Review

Dryer’s Eggnog Ice Cream: dessert $3.79, available at Fred Meyer stores This tasted exactly what I would imagine frozen eggnog would taste like. The ice cream was full of spices, which enhanced the flavor. The texture was creamy but also light and fluffy. It was a creamy, delicious eggnog dessert. The only downside is the sweetness. After three bites, I didn’t want to eat any more of it.

Darigold Vanilla Spice Eggnog: Flavored ‘nog $2.69, available at Haggen Food & Pharmacy stores

Since I already knew I adored the Darigold Pumpkin Spice Eggnog from trying it in October (I highly recommend it), I wanted to try something new. The vanilla spice sweetness did not compare to any other eggnog.

It tasted like a dessert packed into a glass. The vanilla overpowered the other spices but not in a bad way. The color was white instead of a light yellow, and the texture was thick.

Eggnog Latte: Coffee $4.55, available at Starbucks

Coffee and eggnog compliment each other well.

Even with black coffee, a splash of eggnog makes for a delicious treat. Eggnog lattes from Starbucks are my personal favorite because the eggnog used isn’t entirely eggnog. Instead, it’s mixed with 2 percent milk.

Most coffee houses replace the steamed milk in a latte with eggnog, but Starbucks mixture is two-thirds milk and one-third eggnog. This creates a less dense drink, though it is still thicker than a usual latte. I enjoyed this, because the eggnog does not overpower the coffee.

You can also order it uncut without the milk, or have it mixed with nonfat milk instead of 2 percent.

Twinbrook Creamery Eggnog: classic $1.95, available at Haggen Food & Pharmacy stores This was everything eggnog should be. The creamy and thick texture seemed like batter instead of a drink.

It was spicy and full of nutmeg, which brought out the flavor of the ‘nog. It tasted very fresh, and I can’t get over how delicious this drink was. the

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CHRISTMAS ALTERNATIVES When Menorahs take the the place of a Christmas tree

Lauren Simmons • AS Review

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n the afternoon of Dec. 25 this year, the presents under the Christmas tree are unwrapped, extravagant dinners are being prepped and the faint sounds of Christmas music emulate around people’s homes. But A for some, Dec. 25 – Christmas Day – is just like any other day on the calendar.

With the exception of this year, the Jewish holiday Hanukkah is typically celebrated before the 25th of December.

When Hanukkah does not cross with Christmas, certain Jewish families who do not celebrate Christmas have special family traditions, while others treat it no differently than the next day.

“We’ll go see a movie, that’s what most Jews do,” Anna Levin, a senior at Western, said.

Levin and her family are Jewish and do not celebrate Christmas. They have had the same tradition her whole life, Levin said. Her parents, brother and she go to the movies with close friends of her parents, who are Christian and celebrate Christmas.

Afterward, they will either go to a Chinese restaurant for dinner or her mom will make dinner complete with appetizers and wine. Then they typically play board games and watch “Lord of the Rings,” Levin said.

The popular traditions of the Christian holiday can be found in schools, television and billboards. Jewish student Western student Sasha Parsley, senior, said when she was in elementary school the Christmas festivities made her feel alienated. “It was always a bummer in elementary school because we live in America and a lot of people do Christmas, even if

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they’re not Christians,” Parsley said. “So in elementary school, we’ll be having a Christmas party and singing Christmas songs, I always felt left out as a little kid since I couldn’t be a part of that.”

Jewish

Parsley said she knew the Christmas practices most of her classmates celebrated were not the same as her own religious practices. Luckily, once in a while her teacher would ask Parsley’s mom to come in and teach the class about Hanukkah. girl in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, For Levin, it was a different situation.

She always understood more or less that it’s kinda funny.

Christmas was something that she did not celebrate.

-Sasha Parley, Jewish student “It was a different culture, a different religion. I was always really happy that I had Hanukkah. I really like it,” Levin said.

Many of her friends growing up did not understand why she did not celebrate Christmas, Levin said. One her best friends, who celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas, did not understand why Santa never came to Levin’s house.

Speaking of Santa Claus, the epitome of presentday Christmas, Levin said she was always aware of the ugly truth and had to keep that secret from her friends.

“We obviously knew he didn’t exist,” Levin said.

Another part of Christmas that affects those who do not celebrate it, like Levin and Parsley, is the constant utterance of “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays.” Rabbi Avremi Yarmush, the director of Western’s Jewish Student Organization, does not mind the “Merry Christmas” greeting.

“I hear a lot of people who have issues with “Merry Christmas”, but personally I don’t have any issue with

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Photo by Cade Schmidt//AS Review

HANUKKAH on page 11

LET IT SNOW

How to make the most of the winter wonderland Eriver Eugenio • AS Review With winter break just a week away, Western students will be looking forward to no classes, more quality time with their families, and depending on who is being asked, snow. While snow opens up the doors for several adventures and fun opportunities, too much snow can leave people stuck inside for several days.

So when and if the snow hits Washington hard, what is there to do?

Enjoy the snow from the inside.

While many people are literally snowed-in and can’t leave the house, many simply choose to stay and have

fun indoors.

Western senior Patrick Turner suggests sitting on a comfortable chair and enjoying the view outside with a pet and a good book.

“Having a pet in my lap by the fire, that’s usually what I do,” Turner said.

Nick Coyoe, bike technician at the Associated Students Outdoor Center, also enjoys staying indoors when the snow is out and catching up on movies and TV shows. Coyoe also enjoys drinks with friends, specifically peppermint schnapps with hot cacao.

For others, being snowed-in is a good time for cook-

ing and sewing, Western junior Joel Yanagimachi said.

“I like to cook Asian food,” Yanagimachi said with a laugh. “A lot of Asian food.”

Yanagimachi also suggests sowing while staying inside and away from the snow. He enjoys creating pants and other articles of clothing, Yanagimachi said.

Get outside and enjoy the snow flurry.

Another way to enjoy the snow is to get out and have fun in it.

When the snow is out, Western senior Debby Cohen

see SNOW on page 11

WINTERTIME BLUES For some, winter brings a mood change along with the cold

Nick Markman • AS Review

December 5, 2011 • 9

IT’S FILM SEASON

Too cold outside? Head for the nearest movie theater Megan Thompson • AS Review

Finals week is a stressful enough time in general, but an active athlete, said the harsh weather cripples his fall finals week may be more detrimental to some stuability to partake in outdoor sports such as football and dents’ mental health than others. The chilling, windy basketball. weather combined with increasingly shorter days leaves “The best part about the weather being good is the some students dreading the journey through campus ability to spend the day outside,” Mullan said. “When from test to test. it’s freezing and rainy out, I’m a lot less active and I For some, this dread of the weather is simply an spend more time doing things that are unhealthy for annoyance. For others, it may turn into actual depresme.” sion. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a mood Corbin said that although the cause is not certain, the disorder consisting of depressive symptoms brought on Counseling Center receives more students at this time by seasonal changes. Emily Gibson, medical director of of year seeking services for depression, especially durthe Student Health Center, said SAD is very common ing midterms and finals. in Washington and consists of increased sleep and ap“I think we’re very much affected just by [living in petite, fatigue and low motivation.

Washington] and the fact that it does get dark so early,” Although he is not clinically diagnosed with the disCorbin said. order, sophomore Conner Mullan said he experiences The shorter days may throw off students’ sleeping symptoms associated with SAD almost every day in the schedule. Corbin said that individuals with SAD are late fall and winter. often very lethargic. This mix of hypersomnia with the “I hate the cold,” Mullan said. “Sometimes I’ll wake already chaotic sleep schedule that revolves around up and look out my window and I can just tell that once finals week can severely worsen depressive symptoms.

I walk outside, it’s going to suck. Even when it’s sunny Corbin said that students should try their best to outside, sometimes just knowing it’s cold out makes me stick to a consistent 7-hour sleep cycle to reduce SAD not want to get out of bed.” symptoms. She also said that students should take a Nancy Corbin, director of Western’s Counseling 45-minute break before falling asleep after spending Center, said the main cause of SAD stems from inditime in front of a computer or television screen. She viduals receiving an inadequate amount of sunlight. She said that spending too much time in front of a screen said that actual sunlight is the most effective source for can cause an individual’s brain to think that it is dayalleviating SAD’s depressive symptoms. time, throwing off natural sleeping patterns.

“Just being outside for half an hour a day, even when “I think there are definitely things that people can it’s a cloudy, rainy day, still can give us enough light to do with a healthy diet, with regular exercise, and with ward off seasonal affective disorder,” Corbin said. a good sleep pattern that can mitigate some serious Students can receive light therapy, the most comsymptoms,” Corbin said. mon treatment for SAD, in many Vitamin D supplements are also commonly prescribed to alleviate SAD. places throughout campus. The Photo by Joe Rudko//AS Review Counseling Center in Old Main 540, the Wellness Outreach Center in Viking Union 432 and the Student Health Center all have SAD lamps that students can use for free. Corbin said students should sit in front of these lights for about 30 minutes in the morning for best results.

Gibson said that in addition to SAD lamps, traditional antidepressants have been proven effective in treating SAD symptoms.

Corbin said SAD can be particularly prevalent in individuals who are used to engaging in frequent outdoor activity. Mullan, the

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With 2011 coming to a close, December is a prime month for films contending for Oscar nominations. A total of 31 films will be released in December alone.

Websites such as Movie Fone, Rope of Silicon and Indie Wire are already predicting the best picture nominees for 2011. The majority of these movies debuted in November or December, and a few opened earlier in the year. Most of the contenders from the three website’s predictions overlapped, and we compiled a list of the 2012 Best Picture potential nominees. Over break, hit the theater with family or friends to see some of the year’s most anticipated films.

• The Descendants George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller Directed by Alexander Payne Now Playing George Clooney plays Matt King, whose wife’s recent boating accident left her in a coma. King goes from the “backup” parent, a title he gives himself to explain his lack of power in the family, to caretaker for his two daughters (Amara Miller and Shailene Woodley). He soon finds out from his older daughter that his wife cheated on him with a real-estate agent (Matthew Lillard). Clooney’s character copes with the loss of his wife and her fidelity while trying to manage his children.

• The Artist Jean Dujardin, Brérénice Bejo, John Goodman Directed by Michel Hazanavicius Now Playing Set in Hollywood in the late 1920s, prominent silent film star George Valentin ( Jean Dujardin) loses fame after “talkies,” or films with sound, become the new sensation.

Peppy Miller (Brérénice Bejo) is an extra, but becomes a movie star while Valentin falls out of the limelight.

The trailer leaves an expectation of a romance to bloom between the two characters. In an unexpected twist, this film about the death of silent movies is actually a silent movie: it has no dialogue from the characters.

• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Stellan Skarsgård Directed by David Fincher December 23 This is an American remake of the 2009 Swedish film that was based off the bestselling novel of the same name

by Stieg Larsson. Daniel Craig plays an investigator hired

see FILMS on page 11