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Substance Abuse at Andrews: Part I— p. 3 “I hid it more and more, to the point where I wasn’t telling anyone. It was just me, hanging out by myself, getting high on drugs.”
PHOTO BY REUEL WHITE
HUMANS VS. ZOMBIES “Keep Jesus in mind and not vampires, monsters and zombies.”
P. 2
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
SENIOR INTERVIEW
“Society is a long way from seeing “I want to be remembered its fellow citizens as humans as an athlete who had a without notice of the differences...” passion for sports.”
P. 4
P. 6
ANIMALISTIC The ferocious, fruit-thieving hedgehog speaks.
P. 8
YOUNG ARTISTS SHINE “The experience of playing with a full orchestra is exhilarating for these performers.”
P. 11
WEARINESS “Last Wednesday, I fell down the stairs because I was so sleepy I forgot how to walk.”
P. 12
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
2
News
It’s a Zombie Life
Timothy Hucks News Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHEREISE ROLLINS
Jenna Neil | Feet pound the pave-
ment and shouts fill the air as four students on team zombie race towards Burman to set up an ambush for a player who had yet to be tagged—a “human.” Starting Wednesday, February 12 at 5 p.m., a week-long, moderated game of tag was played on the campus of Andrews University. Humans vs. Zombies, or HvZ, is a game of tag that is played at different schools, camps, neighborhoods and other venues across the world. All players with the exception of a few, the “original zombies,” begin as a human with their own ID number. The goal of the game for the zombies is to tag all the humans. For humans, the goal is to stay alive and starve all the zombies. A zombie “dies” after two days if they don’t tag a human. When tagged, a human must give up their ID number which the zombie then enters on the HvZ website. This signifies that the human has been tagged and is now a zombie. And, for the zombie who tagged the human, once they enter the ID number onto the site, their 48-hour countdown clock restarts. Humans can throw socks or marshmallows at a zombie to stun them for fifteen minutes. When stunned, a zombie cannot interact with the game in any way. There are two types of safe zones; no play zones and safe zones. No play zones are spots on campus where the game is not played. Safe zones are where the game is still going but humans can’t be tagged. Each player must also wear a bandanna. Humans wear a bandanna around their arm or leg and zombies around their head. Chris Weed and Brad Sappington started HvZ on the campus of Goucher College in 2005. The game was spread across the Internet as students first started using
Facebook and told their friends about the game. According to the official HvZ website, the game has been played at over 650 colleges and universities across the world as well as off-campus. HvZ is now incorporated into Gnarwhal Studios, a small design company. Gnarwhal Studios was created by Weed and Sappington with five friends and is dedicated to developing original social games. I spoke with Mark Jardine, an architecture student, and the on-campus idea originator. He and a few friends first came across HvZ three years ago but they didn’t have an urge to play. Earlier this year, Mark brought up the idea of an Andrews HvZ game during a meeting of The Refinery, a group of students who meet once a week to brainstorm ideas and transform them into solutions. Mark liked the idea of “an ongoing game” that doesn’t meet only once and for an hour. He said, “[With a] longer time period [we] can get more into it.” The process for setting up the game was spreading the news by word of mouth and a ten second video, both of which, Mark found, didn’t work well. The idea didn’t catch on until a Facebook event was created and by Thursday, 174 people signed up. To set up the Andrews game on the HvZ website, Mark simply gave the website the information about the game and the company did the rest. When it came to rules and regulations, Mark said that he “had to modify [the] rules some to fit the campus.” Some of these rule modifications included not bringing any sort of nerf or dart guns on campus and not playing between sundown Friday and sundown Sabbath. Jason Judson agreed that “changing some of the rules to make it safer for campus was a
good idea.” Alex Gaytan said he “really appreciated that we didn’t play on Sabbath. We were able to recognize that we have a foundation, that we are Adventist.” Playing Humans vs Zombies didn’t come without its difficulties. While talking with several students, I asked them what they would do to improve the game if there is a next time. Cassie Chlevin said that she would improve the wording of the rules and expectations from the very beginning of the game. Stephen DeWitt, Alex Gaytan, and Mark Jardine individually stated that they would have a mandatory meeting before the game starts to go over the rules. Alex said, “Some of the complaints [about the game] were caused by confusion about the rules that could have been avoided by a meeting.” There was a post game meeting on Friday, February 21 for players and moderators to discuss suggestions for future games. One concern that was brought up during the play of this game was the use of the word “zombie” on an Adventist campus. While talking with Anna Kerr, a home school student who has lived in the community for many years, she recalled attending a day camp when she was young where they played an infection game. She had been upset because she had been raised not to play games with ghosts, zombies, killing, witches or vampires. While understanding that the game is just pretend she doesn’t believe that, as Adventists, we should represent those types of games. The main question Anna brought up is what is more important on this campus, to play games or to fix the spiritual need. Her challenge to the students is to “Keep Jesus in mind and not vampires, monsters and zombies.”
I asked Mark Jardine what his thoughts were on using the word zombie. “My hope was that there’s such a wide variety of what people say zombies are, that it wouldn’t cause that much adversity.” He went on to say “It was in the back of my mind that some would have a problem with it, but we didn’t come up with a good solution on the spot.” Due to affiliations with PMC and Adventism he thinks it would be a good idea to change the name. Jason Judson mentioned, “From a Christian point [of view] it would be better with a different name.” Along those same lines, Alex Gaytan states, “If it changes the integrity of our game, we should change the name.” While talking with Pastor Dwight Nelson, he said that he thought the concept of the game was good. Being able to run, tag each other and hide are all good things. He went on the share that “The veil between the seen and the unseen, the good and bad is thin. The devil can use this [seemingly harmless game] as a hook to catch us and to then say that we’re on his [the devil’s] team.” His suggestion was to change the name to something less offensive. When asked what she thought of the game, Bev Peck, administrative assistant in the Behavioral Science department, said, “It looked like a lot of fun. If I was a student, I would play!” Looking at the game from a
PHOTO BY IVAN RUIZ
communication perspective, Dr. Williams-Smith, Chair of the Communication Department said, “I believe it shows the students need to be part of a group and system. To be part of something is what it’s all about.” She went on to say, “For me, what it says about people is more important than moralizing it. It connects them [the students] to something outside of their experience.” Alex Gaytan says, “A professor said that the word zombie was uncomfortable. They couldn’t pinpoint what it was specifically but they were uneasy.” The overall experience for students was positive. Lucero Castellanos said, “Overall it was fun.” Although he didn’t play, Amante Gonzalez told me, “It seemed to add a spark to everyone who played.” Simone Weithers said she liked “the sense of comradery, I met new people that I wouldn’t have otherwise.” For Jonathan Doram, the best part of the game was the sense of community and banding together. Stephen Erich added, “I have maybe ten or fifteen new Facebook friends and I met even more. I liked seeing people act like kids, to break down and just be crazy.” He also said that he was “really glad, excited and even motivated at how our student body responded to something so quickly. I thought it was a positive picture of our campus and the liveliness and involvement that is possible.”
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ing or hosting parties in which substance abuse takes place. With that strict policy in place, Andrews’s underground party culture came as a shock for Kimberly. “I wasn’t surprised that people drink and stuff,” she says, but “I was surprised that there were people like me who liked to party the same way—I ended up finding people who really liked pushing the limits.” Kimberly encountered a group of young adults—both students and Berrien locals—who would frequent bars, throw parties, and smoke and do drugs together. Though they didn’t buy drugs on campus, it was usually easy enough to find them in Berrien Springs. When what they wanted wasn’t available, they would drive for miles to Niles, Benton Harbor, South Bend--whatever it took to buy the drugs they needed. “It caught me off guard,” Kimberly explains. “You know, I’m going to a little town in the middle of Michigan, like I’m going to get away…and I ended up getting into it just as bad as before when I was living in the city of Philadelphia.” Kimberly entered Andrews as an “at-risk” student—a category which Dr. McBride explains includes students with previous histories of substance abuse, depression, negative family situations, abuse, or trauma. These at-risk students are the ones most likely to develop addictions. “There are recreational elements to alcohol and drugs use, because it can feel good,” he admits, “but… continuous use is more related to self-medication… there is pleasure seeking, but it’s more pain avoiding. It’s a coping mechanism.” Watching these students struggle, says Dr. Frances Faehner, Dean of Student Life, is one of the hardest parts of her job. “It’s very painful and troubling for us to work with these students and hear their stories, hear about their dreams, hear about how much they want to be here, hear what they’ve left—many times with just so little in the way of support systems at home.” Student Life Associate Dean Deborah Weithers agrees. “There are times when you’re talking to students and you just have to suck it up, you know, so you’re not crying like a baby. If I didn’t have to do it again I would be a happy, happy person.” Some of these students are the ones that Kimberly identifies with—
the ones she describes as “slipping through the cracks.” For them, substance abuse is a way to escape— but it leads them into a downward spiral. As her addiction worsened and she became more and more addicted, she found herself alone. “It just kind of progressed to where I got isolated, even from the Andrews party kids,” she explains. “I even… felt like I was too bad for them.” She continues, “I hid it more and more, to the point where I wasn’t telling anyone. It was just me, hanging out by myself, getting high on drugs.” Kimberly started stealing, was arrested multiple times by the Berrien Springs police for possession, and faced drug charges. Finally, a friend confronted her and insisted that she seek out help. She went to the Counseling and Testing Center and was referred to a counselor, who contacted her family to stage an intervention. On January 25, 2012, eleven of Kimberly’s friends and family members gathered around her and read her letters telling her how much they loved her and “begging me to accept the gift of life” and seek treatment. Seven of them had driven all the way from Philadelphia the night before. “It was very intense,” she says. “I initially left screaming. I later came back and listened to their appeals and heard their pain.” After a lot of hesitation, Kimberly agreed to leave Andrews and seek professional treatment. She checked into a rehabilitation center, where she spent a year, and now, with the help of a number of support groups and strength she finds in God, her family, and new “real friendships,” she is celebrating two years drug free. She recognizes, however, that her addiction could have been fatal. “The fact is, people die,” she says emphatically. “People die from this.” Her statement has tragically been proven true at Andrews University. Within the last year, the school has seen two reportedly drug-related deaths—freshman Steven Dickerson in July 2013, and former student Steaven Lichtenwalter in February of this year. “It’s not the first time,” Kimberly acknowledges, “and it might not be the last if we don’t wake up and realize this is not a joke...The disease of addiction is a monster. And it wants us dead.”
3
News
AUSA Hunger Banquet By Tawanna Persaud | “Poverty is a
strain on society . . . It places people in a predicament that is nearly impossible to get out of,” says Shervon St. Brice, host of last Sunday’s Hunger Banquet and External Service Director of AUSA. The Hunger Banquet aimed to bring awareness of poverty and homelessness to the campus. It was also the second phase in External Service’s agenda of community involvement. Their first phase occurred last semester in October when External Service partnered with the city of Benton Harbor to help clean up the city. Students were allowed and encouraged to volunteer in the seven hour clean up. The banquet featured LIFE Ministries, music by H.I.S., Vimbo Zvandazara-Zhou, and two speakers from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. LIFE ministries provided a skit that depicted how poverty is all around yet goes unnoticed or is ignored. Bringing the issue closer to home, LIFE included in their portrayal the poverty of a student living off-campus with little to no means of sustenance.
Charles Jenkins and Charles Austin also graced the audience with their personal histories and encounter with poverty. As spoken word, Zvandasara-Zhou eloquently recited a poem titled “Craving Fire.” She says, “The point of it was to help us think critically about how we look at those who are in less fortunate situations, especially the hungry. Our compassion for the needy needs to go beyond us feeling guilty, or racking up volunteer hours to appease our conscious. If any real change is to come, it has to begin with a fire; a great desire for change.” Further endeavors will include working with Habitat for Humanity to build houses in Benton Harbor and to continue working with city official on the rehabilitation of the city’s infrastructure. St. Brice also pointed out that it is necessary and important for Andrews University to be involved in such endeavors to align with its creed of changing the world. And effecting change does not only start after graduation, it can start during college.
PHOTO BY KELLY GABRIEL
Looking for a Job? Aliz Jimenez | The School of Health
Professions will be hosting its annual Career Fair in the HPAC on Monday, March 3rd from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Carmelita Arthur, Administrative Assistant to the department, is organizing the event. This event is geared toward students about to graduate into five careers: MLS, Nursing, Public Health & Wellness, PT, and Social Work. Students will have the opportunity to talk to 25 vendors, who will be coming from around
the country. At the event, students will be handed a pamphlet with the information of the vendors. It is a great time for the vendors to look for prospective employers and for students to look for job offers at hand. The lobby of the HPAC will have the vendors scattered around promoting their own information available to all the students as they look into what may interest them. Once the interview is done the vendors may keep in contact with the student(s) if interested in them.
PHOTO BY JOELLE ARNER
Substance Abuse at Andrews University: Part I—Addiction By Melodie Roschman | “Just be-
cause it’s an Adventist school, doesn’t mean we can pretend that people don’t drink, don’t experiment with drugs, don’t get into trouble.” Kimberly Schwirzer, 25, frowns. “I went to Andrews to get away from party culture,” she explains, but what she got was “loss of control, and addiction.” Kimberly grew up in the Adventist church, and it was while attending an Adventist boarding academy that she started partying regularly, until she was expelled for smoking marijuana and sent back to her parents’ home in Philadelphia. There she became heavily involved in the party scene and started using multiple recreational drugs. When she had the option to attend Andrews University in January of 2009, she saw it as an opportunity to escape. At first, she was “determined to stay on the right path.” By the end of the month, though, she had started drinking again, a habit which increased as the months passed. By the end of the semester, she was once again abusing drugs with the same severity she did at home. “It always starts with that first one,” she reflects, “and it always sneaks up on me.” Determined not to fall into addiction again, Kimberly took time off from school to get clean. She then decided to turn over a new leaf, and spent a year as an Andrews-sponsored student missionary to Denmark from 2010-11, a time she looks back on as a “beautiful experience.” Once she returned to campus in fall of 2011, however, she started “drinking and having fun” again, and soon she was hooked on drugs again.
“I’ve learned,” she explains, “that I’m genetically predisposed to addiction.” As the semester passed, Kimberly spiraled downward, falling “back into the darkness of Philadelphia—into that same kind of darkness and addiction.” Kimberly’s situation is not an uncommon one. According to a 2007 study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance abuse, approximately 1 in 4 university students (22.9%) struggle with substance abuse and addiction of some sort. Andrews has lower rates of use and dependence in every category—but the proportions are still significant. Professor Duane McBride, Chair of Behavioral Sciences and Director of the Institute for the Prevention of Addictions, has been studying substance abuse in the Adventist Church for over 25 years. Surveys of randomly-selected homes, sister schools, and Andrews itself have revealed a steady trend. Substance use is usually ⅔ less than the national average, whatever that may be. “If the nation goes up, we go up a little, and if the nation goes down, we go down a little,” he explains. That would indicate, for example, that with an estimated 80-85% of university students drinking, around 27% of Adventist university students drink. These numbers demonstrate a direct disparity between campus reality and the Andrews University Student Handbook, which outlines in the Code of Conduct that students are prohibited from using, possessing, or distributing tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, or “dishonestly acquired or misused prescription drugs,” on as well as off campus, and are warned to avoid patroniz-
“It always
sneaks up on me.”
[Look for Part 2: Inside Party Culture at Andrews in next week’s issue]
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
4
Ideas
Black History Month Paris Rollins | Some people think
Black History Month has served its purpose and should now be done away with. Others see it as an excuse for African Americans to needlessly dredge up past wrongs. Some think it focuses too much on slavery—no argument from me there. But when it comes down to it, the majority of people these days seem to dislike Black History Month. I guess that puts me in the minority. Yes, pun intended. When I was a kid, my mom noticed the scarcity of women and minorities, particularly African Americans, in my school history books, so she supplemented my history lessons by teaching me
about Ben Carson and Charles Drew, George Washington Carver and Phillis Wheatley. She introduced me to Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Jesse Owens, Ruby Bridges, Alex Haley, Madame C.J. Walker, Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others through books, movies, articles, and our own family history. She taught me about slavery and the Civil Rights movement and about the people who fought to end them. She taught me more about what African Americans have done than about what has been done to us. I don’t remember the details of those people’s lives any more than
“She taught me more about I remember those of other historical figures I’ve studied. But that wasn’t the point. The point was to instill in me a deep and lasting appreciation for the freedom and opportunities I was born into, to encourage me to achieve greatness in honor of the many brave, selfless and even nameless people—both black and white—who fought for equal rights for African Americans, and to teach me not to perpetuate racism or oppression in any form. While equality has come a long way, it hasn’t been fully realized. How do I know? “You don’t talk ‘black.’ You sound ‘white.’” If we judged people as individ-
uals, my ability to speak proper English would not be seen as an anomaly. My dislike of the hip-hop culture would be readily accepted for what it is: a value disagreement, not a rejection of my ethnicity. I would never be called an Oreo— black on the outside, white on the inside—because I “don’t act like a black person,” whatever that’s supposed to mean. Seriously, how do you stereotype 44 million people spanning every socioeconomic group and experience? Fifty years after the Civil Rights movement, I’ve been teased and criticized by people from many ethnic backgrounds for being different from their expectations of
me, and I know I’m not the only one who is tired of being marginalized. Black History Month is an opportunity for us to each reflect on the broad scope of our own culture and heritage while learning about and celebrating someone
else’s. If we each do that, maybe one day we’ll see each person as a unique collection of likes, dislikes, and characteristics instead of a derivative of a narrowly-defined category.
Outside of school, I don’t think I have had any awareness of the monthly emphasis, save the occasional PBS commercial. It’s possible that I have read articles or watched films directly influenced or commissioned for Black History Month, but if so, I was not aware of the connection. I distinctly remember the Martin Luther King, Jr. anniversary video in chapel last year, and I appreciated it (I work during chapel this semester, and have therefore not experienced any of them this year). This is a small impact if this is all that I can cite. I am not opposed to Black His-
tory Month, but I cannot but compare it to affirmative action. If it were welcomed by everyone, then it wouldn’t be necessary by its very nature. I suspect that affirmative action works, in that it creates a higher integration of ethnicities in workplaces, but it frustrates many, wrongly or rightly, by the very idea of its compulsory nature. The truest success of tolerance is when Black History Month will seem as strange to celebrate as Left-Handed Person Awareness Month. I think, however, that society is a long way from seeing its fellow citizens as humans with-
out notice of the differences that we love to separate ourselves by. Listen when people tell stories: you can hear them mention “this black guy” who did this or that. It seldom has an impact on the story, but they can’t help but notice. Human nature, especially in groups, will habitually revert to “us versus them” while still this side of heaven. The battle will be won individually, and most effectively through the gospel: “For there is no respect of persons with God.” Romans 2:11.
only to remember that the joy of my younger years came at the cost of my parents’ time, energy, and attention. The very toils and struggles that I so often wish I could run away from are perhaps, in principle, the very things that helped shape my parents into the kind of people who could provide any kind of surety and happiness for me. My cowardice and reluctance to keep going is rebuked by their willingness and ability to raise a kid in such a messed up world. I’m humbled--and--strengthened at knowing I can one day be to someone else what they were to me.
And oddly enough, I’m reminded of Someone else who, regardless of what your childhood or you upbringing looked like, had a pivotal role to play in allowing you to find yourself alive and well and reading this article today. If you’re afraid, anxious, troubled, or tempted to cop out of this whole mess, let Jesus rebuke your fear and anxiety. Let the One who was forsaken by God step into your forsakenness, whatever it may be, and take courage. Let the obstacles standing in your way be overcome by the One who, being ‘overcome’ by death, overcame the world.
what African-Americans have done than about what has been done to us.”
“I am not opposed to Black Russell Murnighan | As a white,
higher-educated young adult male, I enjoy the benefits of what sociologists call “invisible privilege.” Society gives automatic, often unconscious preferences to specific social groups, and I happen to inhabit a large portion of them. People don’t have a default suspicion of me because of my skin color or my competence due to my gender. Maybe it is because I have never experienced anything else, but often I don’t even realize the extent to which I enjoy it, and it requires effort to empathize with others. This is the position from which I
History Month, but I cannot but compare it to affirmative action.” observe my social world. As I understand it, the purpose of Black History Month is to foster the tolerance of racial diversity and raise awareness of the impact that blacks have had in the world—even
in a culture that is not predominantly black. I suspect, then, that I am part of the target audience for which this month of memorial was instituted, but I am unsure as to the effectiveness of its efforts.
The One About Pessimistic Nostalgia Jaime Vargas | “For the knowledge
that someone else has gone through everything that threatens me, and which I was afraid of, is for me a liberation.” – Jürgen Moltmann I find myself missing the security, comfort, and relative ease of being a young kid the deeper and deeper I get into my academic and spiritual ventures. Who am I kidding? I wish I was a kid again. Homework amounted to a phonics worksheet. About the most stressful relationships I had were with the tattle-tales in school (I was a bit of a jerk back then, I admit). My worldview was as simple as: 1. God
loves me 2. Legos and videogames are where it’s at and 3. Mom and Dad got things covered. And that was it. Life happened. As I process all of this in my mind, I can’t help but notice the subtle selfishness that pervades my desire to be a kid again. Aside from the almost self-evident truth that many actually don’t have childhoods they would care to go back to, the belief that my life as a kid was just one big “hakuna matata” is quite skewed. Granted, life was worry-free and easy for me. But that reality was only ever a possibility because of two particular individu-
als who couldn’t claim such ease. Life was merely happening for me because the responsibility for said life sat on the shoulders of someone else: my parents. Certainty, refuge, comfort, joy-all these could be found in them. Trustworthy, dependable, faithful-they were all of these to me. What could I need that I couldn’t find in them? Maybe you can relate. If not a biological father or a mother, perhaps some other family member or a guardian provided all of these things to you. Once we acknowledge their presence in our past, however, we come to the conclu-
sion that our lives were only free of worries, anxieties, and troubles because those people took all of these things upon themselves. We ate our dinner and slept in our beds while they wondered how the bills would be paid. We were taken to school and to our friends’ homes while they wondered how they would find the means to pay off the car and our future education. I think back on these less-remembered aspects of my childhood, and I’m rebuked. I find myself complaining about school and the difficulties that come with being a Christian more and more,
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that occurred during the period of slavery before the Civil War, or the evils of oppression that occurred from the emancipation of slavery until the Civil Rights Movement, or even the harsh realities of cruelty that occurs from the Civil Rights Movement until today. However, this is only part of Black History. Black history is full of inventors, writers, artists, poets, composers, abolitionists, farmers, performers, actors, soldiers, and the list continues. The wealth and prosperity of America was founded on the backs of many of those slaves. All of these individuals played important roles in American history, and that often gets left out in the retelling of the story. Without the proper understanding of history, blackness is often
cast in a negative light. Black history is American history, and this history separates Black History Month from just a celebration of diversity. It is important that Black History Month was instituted, and its institution now allows a platform to reach parts of America that would otherwise lose pieces of its fundamental history. We should study our American history year-round because racism and other factors related to our history do not cease to exist if you choose to stop talking about them (in opposition to that famous Morgan Freeman quote). It is Black History Month that promotes this significance of retaining all American History, and this retention promotes a better America as time continues.
ISSUE 17
5
Ideas
Shastri Lloyd | I was sitting in my
room one afternoon, possibly doing my homework, when I overheard some people walking past my door having a conversation. One of them said in the conversation that “it shouldn’t be Black History Month, it should be Diversity Month.” All I could think was that that makes no sense, but by the time I opened my door to look out and see who was talking, they were gone. Contrary to popular belief, Black History Month is more than just celebrating black culture; its name signifies the importance of Black History in America. When the original Negro History Week was instituted by Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1926 (chosen because it correlated
with both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays), its primary purpose was to promote the study of African American history in schools. The Black United Students at Kent State University proposed Black History Month in 1969, and it wasn’t until 1976 when the U.S.
government officially recognized February as Black History Month. What is unique about blacks in America is the experience of institutionalized oppression that began with slavery still has its lingering effects on our society. It is impossible for me to explain to you the severity of the monstrosities
“Contrary to popular belief, Black History Month is more than just celebrating black culture…”
Do you feel as if you experience Andrews’ cultural diversity on a daily basis?
Joel Wallace
Year: Junior Major: Theology
Wallace Borges
Year: Sophomore Major: Psychology Pre-Med Gideon Nyakundi
Abigail Arkusinski
Year: Senior Major: Fine Art “Certainly, a lot of our professors are from diverse backgrounds and so that helps with the daily part. Also, just living in the dorm with lots of girls and being on [a] campus that has many backgrounds contributes to the possibility that I’ll interact with them and…see their influence on campus and [in] the way that things are run.”
“No, not really. Day to day, going to class, I just feel the system… You go to class, you learn what you need to learn. As far as my interactions with people outside of class, on my own time, that’s when I experience it. I’ll see someone that’s Caribbean and I’ll talk to them…or I’ll just learn a different language… or you just ask about food…Sometimes you go to the café and you’re like “Is this thing really Asian tacos?” and they’ll be like “No! We don’t have this in Asia!”…stuff like that. I’m part of Adelante, so we deal with Spanish culture and we try to diversify that and spread it around.”
Year: Junior Major: Bio-Chemistry Pre-Med “I sense and feel a cultural difference when just you go to a different class and you think you’re explaining something really simple, like in my music class. I had one student that was really confused because she never knew music… we thought it was simple because everyone knew music. In her country, she didn’t have a music class yet or [play] an instrument…you feel cultural diversity when people mention their backgrounds and their upbringings and where they come from.”
“As a school…no…It’s just that people, once they get here, they get into their set groups, and it’s hard to break into those groups. So, if it was just a regular student coming in, they’ll say this place might look diverse, but it probably doesn’t act [as] diverse as it could be. That’s not saying that there aren’t people who…interact with other people. Personally, for myself, I try to get to know as many people as possible…Now, when I go back home, then I can say that I have friends from all over the world. And that’s a blessing. They all bring their different stories and their cultures and their traits, and you can learn from them, and hopefully they can learn from me.
Cassie Chlevin
Year: Junior Major: Psychology “Andrews University has been the most culturally diverse environment that I have been in for an extended period of time. I’ve gotten so used to the swirling variety of languages, lifestyles, and people around me that I don’t even notice it anymore, until someone brings it up of course. My classes, department, living space, or any place I go, I don’t have to look far for a reminder that I sadly only speak one language and that there are many corners of this world that I probably will never get to visit, but would love to!”
Jaime Vargas Ideas Editor
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
6
Sports CARDINALS HIGHLIGHTS
For a full schedule, visit www.aucardinals.com
RESULTS
Men’s Basketball:
Women’s Basketball:
Feb. 18 Cardinals vs. Indiana Dabney University W 74-60 Feb. 20 Cardinals vs. Olivet College W 78-57 Feb. 22 Cardinals vs. Moody Bible Institute W 81-37
Feb. 18 Cardinals vs. Indiana University Northwest L 24-94 Feb. 20 Cardinals vs. Grace Bible College L 29-59 Feb. 22 Cardinals vs. Moody Bible Institute L 41-60
Men’s Basketball:
Women’s Basketball:
Tournament Schedule TBA
(No More Games Scheduled)
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tim McGuire Sports Editor
Bench Warmers Take Center Stage
Senior Interview: Maria Brandt Name: Maria Brandt
Number: #3 Position: Guard Hometown: Keene, TX What emotions do you have now that your season is coming to a close?
I definitely am going to miss playing basketball at a college level and the competition aspect of it. I also feel relieved now because I can move on into other sports that I have been wanting to spend time in. Looking back at your career, do you think that you accomplished your goals, personally and as a team?
PHOTOS BY BRIAN TAGALOG
On Sunday February 23, Meier Hall hosted its annual bench press competition in a new location. The competition took place in
the lobby this year instead of the usual location of the weight room. There were several different weight classes. Sophomore Jonathan Rod-
man won the competition with a lift of 375lbs, but even that wasn’t enough as he went back for an encore lift of 385lbs.
I went into basketball with [not] very specific goals, but as I continued playing, I developed goals which I have met this year. They included becoming a better ball handler...as a point guard. This past season was definitely a season of growth because the older, moreexperienced players had to step up. By second semester, we only had 7 players, [but] I believe, as a team, we definitely strengthened our ability to keep pushing through.
What goals do you still have for the remainder of the season?
Now that the season is over and I won’t be playing college ball again, I still want to continue playing basketball and working on my skills in intramurals or open gym. What do you want Andrews to remember you by?
I hope to be remembered for the hard work and effort I put in over the years. Not for only basketball, but soccer and all other sports I participated in, which included volleyball, flag football, and indoor soccer as well. I want to be remembered as an athlete who had a passion for sports. What does the future hold for you with basketball and life?
The future is definitely exciting. I will be going to PT school next year, [and] I am working on personal training. In the meantime, I will continue to play basketball every chance I get. [Also,] I am currently getting into boxing and Muay Thai. I’m very excited to see what the future holds as I continue on in the world of health and fitness.
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Sports
Wooldridge receives USCAA player of the week honors
“We ran all our plays correctly, definitely ran our plays well.”
February 18, 2014 | Senior Tyler
Wooldridge can now add Player of the Week honors to his outstanding career as a Cardinal. The point
guard led the Cardinals to two road victories to go undefeated for the week. On the week, Wooldridge averaged 24.5 points per game on
71.4% shooting. He also averaged 5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks.
PHOTO BY JONATHAN JACOBS
The End of an Era Justin Walker | In what many have
PHOTO COURTESY OF EDDIE CORNEJO
Lady Cardinals Wrap-Up Anna Bugbee | On Saturday night,
February 22, 2014, the Women’s Cardinals played their last game of the season. Maria Brandt, the only senior on the team, started at point guard. The other starters included freshman Kayla Dozier, sophomores Mindy McLarty and Gati Wankyo, and junior Shawntell Rachel. They faced a strong opponent in Moody Bible Institute. The opponents were tall compared to the Cardinals, which forced Andrews to play a 2-3 zone. The ladies tried to keep the ball on the perimeter and out of the key to compensate for the height difference. However,
their communication was shaky at times, and in the first half, the zone defense was bunching together too frequently. The halftime score was 18-33, but at one point, they cut the lead to 7 points. When Brandt was asked what she was most proud of, she responded, “We ran all our plays correctly, definitely ran our plays well.” Individually, Gati Wankyo and Shawntell Rachel had their best games of the season, as they were the top scorers of the night. Rachel finished the game with 8 points and 6 steals, while Wankyo added 13 points. Due to the fast pace of the game
and only having one bench player, fatigue set in quickly on the Cardinals. However, in the second half they improved by showing more energy and better team communication. As a result, they started getting in a rhythm and knocking down shots. “I was fighting a stomach virus,” Brandt said. “In the last week we played 3 games and we only have 7 players.” The game ended with a score of 41-60, and Brandt concluded by saying that, “The team has improved. We were able to pull through and work more like a team. I am proud of them.”
called the end of an era, the senior members of the Cardinals finished off their last home game with a dominating 81-37 victory against Moody Bible College on senior night. Playing their last home game for the Cardinals, Matt Little, Cliff Allen, Junior Orelus, and Tyler Wooldridge didn’t disappoint. They turned in another brilliant
performance—one that we have become accustomed to seeing over the past few years. With the crowd rocking, the Cardinals stifling defense dominated the first half, and, along with a well-executed offense, they took a 38-21 lead into halftime. After halftime, the Cardinals came out on fire and quickly put away any doubt about the final result. Junior Orelus led the team with
27 points and 4 steals; Matt Little chipped in with 15 points and 5 steals; while Tyler Wooldridge had 13 points and 8 assists. Cliff Allen had 9 points including a 3-pointer that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Fans and players alike hope to send these seniors off the right way with their 3rd National championship in four years.
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
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Humans
Animal Representations: The Hedgehog Speaks Mercedes McLean | Some of my
Dakota Hall Humans Editor
Recommended listening: “Transformation” by The Bulgarian Women’s Choir & “Barefoot Winter Waltz” by The Last Royals
friends think that the animal that represents me best is the hedgehog. They say that I’m “prickly, but cute.” Recently I was reading up on animal symbolism, and I found out that in medieval times hedgehogs were used as a symbol for the devil. People thought that hedgehogs would sneak into gardens and impale fruits on their spiky backs so that they could sneak off and eat them in their lairs, and some priests compared this to the devil stealing spiritual fruits. Sorry Medieval priests—hedgehogs don’t actually do that. My research, and
subsequent conversations with friends, led me to wonder what other people thought, so I gave folks on campus the opportunity to share their thoughts. I asked random Andrews students: What animal do you associate yourself with? Why do you think that animal represents you? I received some pretty wild answers, especially when people suggested animals for their friends. One girl was told that she might be a sloth, since she took so long getting ready. Others associated themselves with lions, for their fierceness, or puppies, for
playfulness. Spencer Miller chose a wolf to represent himself, saying, “I would be a wolf, because I’m usually a good team member. I like looking after my friends, like we’re a wolf pack.” Nique James said that she was a hydra (not the mythical creature, but rather the itty-bitty water animal) because they stay grounded no matter how hard the waves hit them. “I might be small, but I can stay grounded and strong when I need to.” Cristina Cress associated most closely with the butterfly, saying
that, “I don’t like staying in any one place for too long. Though I’ve lived in Berrien Springs my whole life, I probably would have gone crazy if I hadn’t been able to travel.” Jonathon Ahn said that he was most like a bird, because “birds fly with the flock most of the time, but they can go off by themselves when they need to.” Linette Salcedo, after some deliberation, decided that she was most like the fierce winged predator of the night. “I’m an owl because I’m nocturnal, and also because they seem very observant. They sit and watch things happen-
ing around them, and I’m kind of like that.” We as humans enjoy finding connections between ourselves or our friends, and the animals that we share the earth with. We give human traits and characteristics animal faces in order to inspire and remind us of what we aim to avoid or aspire to be. Exploring what animal serves to best represent you can be an entertaining and enlightening experience. I think that I am much too ferocious to be a hedgehog. Even a fruitthieving hedgehog.
Jordan Price | A promise is defined
group,” [He furthered his statement saying that more information on this would be given at a later date, so stay tuned!] “I’m trying to work with students who didn’t get elected to see where we can be used [for] the betterment of this campus and for the students,” he explained. Angellakis had one vision in particular that he wants to start working on in the upcoming school years: “I want to start a morning prayer [meeting] for students to come and pray. To equip a small group of students to be present and available for other students in need of prayer, face-to-face, rather than online or through a piece of paper that goes in a basket. I think there needs to be a better understanding of meeting people where they are. I think that’s the number one thing.” About the changes or improvements he wanted to see spiritually on this campus, Angellakis says, “Number two is having more reverence for God. I find that we sometimes take that element
away, add jokes or whatever the case may be. More sovereignty for His presence.” Alex also went on to say the factors that he favored most about his campus spiritually: “I really like the University Vespers and also the involvement of AUSA. Really getting to the students has been a big reason why people have been applying [to be a part of AUSA] this year. I think there’s a lot of opportunities for students, so in that sense it gives people a lot of options.” Alex finalized his statement by saying, “I think people get it the wrong way [by] thinking that in one year there’ll be drastic changes. It’s not. It’s a progression and you have to have a realistic mindset that your visions have to be small and realistic enough to be done within the year to keep the momentum moving forward. It’s about preparing and equipping students to take on leadership roles that’ll continue groups and ministries growing on campus and getting students involved and God is the focus.”
PHOTOS BY MERCEDES McLEAN
Promising Promises as a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen. That is exactly what junior theology student Alex Angellakis made to the student body on February 11, 2014, during the AUSA Elections Assembly—and a promise is what he has intended to keep. In his threeminute speech, Angellakis mentioned that, even if he did not win Religious Vice President, he would still do his part and help make this school grow spiritually. Initially, he mentioned, “I had a vision for what I wanted for students. In my walk with God, I’ve realized the necessity for prayer and for people to be more involved, one-on-one.” Even though he did not ultimately become Religious VP, Angellakis has made it his goal to still help improve and grow with this school spiritually. As he said in his speech a few weeks prior, “There’s a few things that I’m working on right now. I’m trying to work out something with one of my teachers to start a small PHOTO BY JOELLE ARNER
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Humans
Snow Man Name: John Zdor
Major: Pre-Physical Therapy Class: Junior Age: 23 Interviewed by Ryan Logan Where do you work?
I’ve worked Grounds since 2008, so I’ve actually been there for a while now. It started as a summer job, where I helped with landscaping and stuff, but now I work in the winter, as part of the snow removal team. What is that like?
There are about five of us students who help do it. After the campus gets a heavy amount of snow, we report for Snow Call at 5:00 am. The students get to work shoveling and salting the entrances and stairways for the buildings. While we do that, the full-time staff uses the tractors to plow the sidewalks around campus. How has this winter affected your job?
Well, the biggest difference is that we have a lot more hours, obviously. During the first set of snow days we had this semester, we put
PHOTO BY JOELLE ARNER
A Graceful Performance Chris Wheeler | If you were at cha-
pel February 6th, or if you attended Andrew’s Got Talent, then you probably heard Shawn Haankwenda perform his original rap song, “By Grace.” Shawn says he’s been working on the lyrics to that song since 2009. It’s a God-given ability for him, and he’s used it to pen several meaningful lyrics, usually accompanied with an instrumental track. His goal with his music is to “bring in the message.” Shawn explained, “I think about the people, and I try to see how it will benefit them.” When he heard about the talent show, he decided to audition for the fun of it. “By Grace” was originally just meant to be an audition piece, but it was liked so well that they requested he perform it for
the actual event. It was performed a capella, and Shawn stated that it was a bit of a challenge to sing it without a music track. His audience enjoyed it anyway, clapping along and singing with Shawn on the call-and-respond sections of the song. Shortly after Andrew’s Got Talent ended, Shawn received an email from a coordinator for chapel. He was invited to perform his piece for Thursday chapel, which was going to feature music for Black History Month. Shawn admitted that singing his song in the Pioneer Memorial Church felt unusual. “I sang a dimmed-down version,” said Shawn. This is Shawn’s first year at Andrews University, where he is majoring in International Business and hopes to become an entrepre-
neur. He is originally from Zambia, where he heard about Andrews through Adventist television. “One thing about life is that it’s always changing,” Shawn remarked. He explained how he never imagined he’d be going to the church that he saw on Three Angels Broadcasting Network, in the same way that he never thought he’d be interviewed about his songs. One thing Shawn knows for sure is that it is by God’s grace that he is where he is today. He hopes to use all of the gifts given to him in order to help others, whether that’s through his music or his future career as an entrepreneur. His final advice to fellow Christians is, “In the ever-changing tides of life, hold on to the anchor that is Christ.” PHOTO COURTESY OF IMC
in over sixteen hours of work. It’s hard work, but I still enjoy it. I’m a morning person, so waking up that early really works for me. Let’s set something straight. What is that brown stuff that gets squirted on the snow?
It’s a byproduct of processed beets. We put on the sidewalks to dissolve the snow into water. It works the same way as salt, but it’s actually sugar. We use it instead of salt because it’s a lot better for the grass, and it doesn’t eat up the concrete like salt does. You also work as a biology TA. How do you manage school and two jobs?
It can be hard at times. Between school and work, I have a lot to do. My girlfriend is at Union right now, and managing a long-distance relationship isn’t easy either. I found that the best way is to make a mental picture of what my goals are for each day. If I have a big paper or project coming up, I break it down into smaller pieces. This helps me focus, and it helps to remember what things are actually worth my time.
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
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Arts & Entertainment
The LEGO Movie: Everything is Awesome! Nelson Starkey | “Everything is
Matthew Chacko Arts & Entertainment Editor
Awesome!”—the theme song from The LEGO Movie sums up how amazing and clever this movie is, and sticks in your head for hours after watching the film. The non-stop jokes paired with the stunning animation will have something for everyone. The movie follows Emmet (Chris Pratt), a LEGO construction worker who just wants to fit in and be an ordinary part of LEGO City land. However, after finding the “piece of resistance” Emmet is told that he is the most extraordinary person in the world. Alongside LEGO wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman) and the graceful Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Emmet must start a quest to stop the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) from unleashing the Kragle on the LEGO world. Along the way the audience meets many popular characters: Batman (Will Arnet), Superman (Channing Tatum), and also the loveable and quirky Uni-Kitty (Alison Brie). On the surface, this movie might seem suited only for a younger audience, or just a huge marketing ploy. However, there are also many themes that will appeal to the adults that are watching as
well. Besides the amazing 3D animation that makes the film appear like a stop motion film (where an object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames), there is also a huge plot twist. This movie brings up issues of how we are able to relate to other individuals, especially how parents and children often misunderstand each other. Even while trying to tackle some very
complex issues, the writers have sprinkled hilarious jokes and popculture references throughout the film that are sure to have the audience laughing along. Smart, hilarious, and action packed, this film appeals to the whole family—whether a young child, parent, or the teenager who used to obsessed with LEGOs as a kid. This is definitely a film worth watching.
Norwegian Wood Book Review Shanelle Kim | Often compared
The Whisk Review: Khun Daeng Thai Kitchen Tanner Compton | When looking
for restaurant deals on Groupon, the merchants use impressive photos and offer nice deals to lure new customers. Quite often, those restaurants provide a great value and exceed expectations (like India Garden). However, restaurant deals can either be a hit or miss; in the case of Mishawaka’s Khun Daeng Thai Kitchen, it was a definite miss. Setting: I truly believe that you cannot judge a restaurant by its exterior; some of the best food can be found in the most unlikely places. However, in the case of Khun Daeng Thai Kitchen, I should have trusted my base instincts and not gone in. The interior, though clean, was sparsely decorated and not at all inviting. Service: After being seated, we waited 15 minutes before a drink order was taken. In fact, a drink order would have been completely
ignored if we hadn’t have stopped the waitress to remind her that we needed water. The waitress we had was abrasive, unfriendly, and unwelcoming. After the meal ended, we waited a good 5 minutes at the counter before she came around to ring us up. Student Friendliness: The server paid very little attention to us. The Groupon was $18 for $30 worth of food, which paid for only an appetizer and two meager entrees. The cost would have been almost $35 for two people without the Groupon. This restaurant seems slightly out of range for a typical student budget. Taste: The Pad Thai, a staple noodle dish of classic Thai cuisine, tasted and smelled as though it had been burnt. The noodles were mangled and overcooked. The “medium” spice level ordered was so scorching hot that it destroyed
any flavor the dish might have had. The Yellow curry—usually a creamy, bright yellow dish with fresh vegetables—looked cloudy, opaque, and unappetizing. However, the fresh spring rolls were quite tasty. Khun Daeng Pad Thai taught me to be careful when considering Groupon deals for restaurants. A good rule to live by with Groupon is to not buy one for a restaurant that you or a friend (or the Whisk Review) hasn’t visited before. As college students with limited time and budgets, choosing another restaurant is perhaps the way to go.
with J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye for its portrayal of youthful angst, Norwegian Wood marks a significant departure from Haruki Murakami’s usual style. The strong supernatural elements that Murakami fans are used to are largely missing. Additionally, romance plays a much bigger role in Norwegian Wood than in his other novels. Norwegian Wood is the story of Toru Watanabe, who reminisces on his youth after hearing an orchestral cover of the Beatles’ song “Norwegian Wood.” In particular, he thinks of the suicide of his good (perhaps only) friend, Kizuki, and the impact it had on Naoko, Kizuki’s girlfriend, with whom Toru is also in love. Completely broken by the loss of one she considered part of herself, Naoko seeks some solace in Watanabe, and the two grow intimately close in their grief. Eventually, however, Naoko chooses to shut herself in a sanatorium, cutting off contact with Watanabe except for the occasional letter. Meanwhile, Watanabe meanders aimlessly through college, unable to find meaning or enjoyment in his studies or relationships. It is during this time that Watanabe meets and befriends Midori, an outgoing and independent drama student from
one of his classes. The two become friends, and eventually Midori falls in love with Watanabe. Though he also feels some affection for her, he feels he must remain loyal to Naoko. Throughout the novel, Watanabe struggles with the choice to hold on or let go. Murakami’s writing style is notable in his home country for its heavily “Westernized” influence— unlike traditional Japanese novels, which focus on the importance of community, Murakami hones in on the mental and emotional journey of the individual. Watanabe is a relatable character—one who struggles not just with pain and despair, but apathy and aloofness. Though Norwegian Wood is certainly different from Murakami’s other novels, many elements of his singular style of magical realism are still present, though on a much smaller scale, and in a way that works very well for the book. It is much more accessible than his other, more surrealist works. At its heart, Norwegian Wood is a coming-of-age story, one wrought with grief, desolation, and apathy. However, it is as hopeful as it is heartbreaking, and watching Toru grow throughout the course of the novel gives us a sense of the development which we are capable of achieving.
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Arts & Entertainment
Young Artists Shine Matthew Chacko | The three win-
ners of this year’s Young Artists Competition performed at the Young Artists Concert on Saturday, February 22 at the Howard Performing Arts Center. Selected for their technical and emotive capacity and their performance excellence, winners of the Young Artists Competition received the opportunity to play with the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra. The 2014 winners were pianist Ilana Cady playing Brahms’s Piano Concerto no. 1 in D minor, soprano Cristina Doria singing “Song to the Moon” from Dvorak’s opera Rusalka, and violinist Pablo Sanchez performing a movement from Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D. Winners of the competition devote countless hours to perfecting their pieces. In the midst of school, extra-curricular activities, and other concerts, finding adequate time to practice can be a challenge. Sanchez considers proper time management as the most crucial factor in delivering a successful performance, especially considering that he just played Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor at Southern Adventist University a little over a week ago. “When something is really important, you
have to make it a high priority and have other things become largely secondary,” Sanchez notes. “Life doesn’t stop just because you have goals you want to achieve like competitions or important concerts, so you just have to try to work everything else around those goals.” For soprano Cristina Doria, practice for a successful performance entails gaining mastery over a challenging language. Dvorak’s native Czech is notoriously difficult for English speakers, and Doria described her practice as both a “commitment with the original language… and [the] real meaning of the piece.” The experience of playing with a full orchestra is exhilarating for these performers. Cady says that playing with the orchestra is unreal, completely unique, and that “the depth and colors that they give to the music is so much more than the piano can do alone. It really brings life to the music and was an inspiration for me as a performer.” Moreover, performing with an orchestra can be challenging in terms of ensuring that all the musicians are in sync as Sanchez points out. Despite the technicalities, Sanchez says that performing with the orchestra is “such an
adrenaline rush.” When asked about their goals beyond Andrews, these performers have many options. Doria plans to earn a doctoral degree in music and use her skills in the ministry. Sanchez is considering pursuing his interests in business and foreign language, but is still thinking about a career in music. Cady hopes to continue performing and develop that into a career: “I love performing. The high is unlike anything else and I am blessed to have this gift. I hope to continue sharing my passion for music through performance, collaboration with other artists, and private instruction.” The Young Artists Competition and Concert are just one of the myriad of events coordinated by the Department of Music and Howard Performing Arts Center. For more information on upcoming events, visit www.howard.andrews.edu.
PHOTO BY BRIAN TAGALOG
“Intervention: Human and Unnatural” at the Smith Hall Gallery Tirza Rideout | It’s hard to see any-
thing but destruction in the wake of a natural disaster. Treated with views of suffering, devastation, and despair, we are left with a pervasive feeling of helplessness when a catastrophe happens. But, after disaster comes resiliency. Slowly, wounds heal, trees grow, and hope replaces helplessness. This idea is the theme behind the exhibition entitled “Intervention: Human and Unnatural,” a collection of sculptor Wayne Hazen’s work now on display in the Art and Design Gallery at Smith Hall.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY IMC
PHOTO BY BRIAN TAGALOG
A former art professor at Atlantic Union College, Hazen unpacks his philosophy of resiliency in his artist’s statement, asserting that “Humans are created in the image of the Creator…people choose life even in the most hopeless of circumstances.” The paintings and sculptures in this body of work reflect the human capacity for adaptation and resourcefulness. The sculptural paintings— branches and buildings springing from canvas—depict annihilation seemingly brought about by mudslides and floods. These pieces
are balanced by lush oil paintings depicting the continuation of life in the midst of suffering. Roses bloom over a skeleton, green leaves sprout from mutilated trees, and splashes of vibrant color enliven dusty landscapes. One is left with a sense of renewal, of fresh spring rain. This exhibit will convince viewers of the continuation of life in the midst of misfortune, and offers a reprieve from a bleak winter. The Art and Design Gallery will be hosting Wayne Hazen’s work through March 13, 2014.
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
The Last Word
Weariness Melodie Roschman | Last WednesMelodie Roschman Editor-in-Chief
day, I fell down the stairs because I was so sleepy I forgot how to walk. That night, I stayed up till 5 a.m. working on a project. The next night I stayed up till 3:30 a.m. writing an essay. By noon on Friday, I wasn’t interested in weekend plans, grades, or social graces—I went directly to a couch in Nethery Hall and crashed for the next two hours, not caring whether I was snoring in front of strangers or drooling on the upholstery. I remember when I was little, staying up till midnight on New Year’s Eve made me feel so grownup. Ironically, this was accurate— I cannot remember the last time I went to bed before midnight. Every morning is a struggle to drag myself out of bed; I spend half of my classes in a constant battle with myself not to fall asleep. I bought a French press last week; not as a luxury, but as a weapon for survival. Even as I write this at 12:37 a.m., I have a to-do list cycling through the back of my head: a poem to recite that I still haven’t memorized, a midterm to take I still haven’t studied for, and an article to discuss that I haven’t read yet. Chances are that unless you
are the one superhuman I know who gets nine hours of sleep every night, you’re in the same boat I am. At this point, we are not tired. We are not sleepy. We are weary. Weariness is constantly having tears pricking at the back of your eyes because they want desperately to close. Weariness is ceasing to enjoy the taste of food because it’s just fuel to get you to the next task. Weariness is the constant feeling that you’re hanging onto the edge of a cliff by your fingernails and all it’s going to take is a single pop quiz or missed deadline to make you fall. When exhaustion plunges you into a thick fog and makes you feel burdened and heavy, it’s hard to remember why you’re in college, why you move from day to day, from assignment to assignment, from stress to stress. One memorable night last week, I discovered at 1 a.m. that I had a project due the next day, which I hadn’t accounted for. It felt like a thousand strings inside of me broke, and I started to sob, repeating “I can’t do everything” again and again and again. At that moment, I wasn’t thinking of the how much I love literature, how much fun it
is to write and talk and debate. At that moment, I didn’t even remember that I liked to read. What are we doing to ourselves? When did it become okay to force your body beyond its limits every day, to treat yourself like a robot moving efficiently from task to task without spontaneity or peace, consuming information en masse and outputting good grades and success? This question is one I’m aiming at me—how can you live like this? The truth is that you can’t. At some point—whether it’s crying in the middle of the night or sleeping through a test—you’re going to snap. Here is a secret—everyone does. No one is always prepared, always on time, or always knows what they’re doing. Everyone falls behind sometime. And that’s okay. Whether you’re just a little bit tired as we get close to midterms, or you feel like you’re ready to collapse at any moment, there are two things that can help you to survive. The first is to remember that it is not a waste of time to look after yourself. Take a long, hot shower and sing loudly. Make yourself a cup of tea and sip it slowly, in-
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT STAFF
haling the steam and not thinking about anything. Find a song that brings you peace—mine is Debussy’s “Claire de Lune”—and listen to it with your eyes closed. Pray—by yourself and with others—and know that you are never, ever alone in this. Secondly, let days of dragging yourself through life remind you that this is not your home. You were never meant to spend your days crying, worrying, and dreading deadlines. You were meant for glory. I used to get frustrated in church as a kid when adults would talk about how tired they were of earth. I didn’t understand—there were so many lovely things in everyday life to enjoy—long summer days and birthday parties, adventures and Christmas and stories. Now I think I am starting to understand. There are still many days when I enjoy those things. And then there are some days—becoming more and more frequent as I grow older—where I am so weary of this world, and all I want to do is go home.
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Melodie Roschman Editor-in-Chief Timothy Hucks News Editor Jaime Vargas Ideas Editor Tim McGuire Sports Editor Dakota Hall Humans Editor Matthew Chacko Arts & Entertainment Editor Joelle Arner Photo Editor Jason Shockey Copy Editor Jacina Shultz Copy Editor & Distribution Iván Ruiz Layout Editor Steven Mann Multimedia Manager Scott Moncrieff Faculty Advisor
Letters to the editor can be submitted to smeditor@andrews.edu All letters subject to publication. The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventhday Adventist church.