The
ISSUE 88.16
Clocktower UNION COLLEGE
MARCH 5, 2014
“Which hotel are you in?” “Uh, well, I’m just staying with some friends,” Roderick Stickle stammered. “You MICHAEL don’t know them.” The ROHM beautiful spring breaker raised her eyebrows and disappeared into the crowd. With a sigh, Rod retreated to his patch of sand. “That could have gone smoother,” Stickle later admitted. Though he had been embarrassed, it was better than whatever reaction the truth would elicit. “Can you imagine if I told her I was sleeping next to my car on an unlit logging road behind La Quinta?” asks Stickle. “She’d be telling her friends about the serial killer at Panama City Beach.” Most students plan all year for spring break just to carpool and share too small a room with too many people. But there are a few thrill-seekers who will go to any length to avoid any expense. Let me introduce: The Stealth Campers Guide to Spring Break. For those with high-maintenance needs or weak stomachs, stop reading. If, however, you have ever eaten from a dumpster or imagined yourself doing so, well, that’s disgusting, but read on, brave soul. For the sake of brevity, the guide in your hands is condensed from the original. Camping: Take Robert Frost’s advice
Photo courtesy of Michael Rohm
BROKE FOR SPRING BREAK?
Michael Rohm showing us how to do spring break without breaking your budget.
and explore the road less traveled. Every state has hundreds of miles of unpaved roads; just drive one and see where it leads. If it’s quiet and dark, you’re in luck. Pull off to the shoulder, throw your sleeping bag on
the ground and sleep ‘til the sun wakes you. Food: The Stealth Camper’s diet is filling and nutritious for a fraction of restaurant meal prices. Your budget (continued on page 4)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE ► THE NAKED NORMAL OPINION, PAGE 2
THE BEST GYRO IN TOWN
WINTERFEST FOR SPRING BREAK
MIGHTY MAGIC PANTS
CULTURE, PAGE 4
SPECIAL INTEREST, PAGE 5
ON CAMPUS, PAGE 3
OPINION
PAGE 2
THE NORMALCY OF NUDITY I was one of 553 million who watched a celebrity swing naked on a metal sphere in 2013. If you weren’t, perhaps you CASSANDRA heard of Lady Gaga’s JOHNSON naked video debut. Or Kendall Jenner’s sheer-topped walk down the runway. Maybe Heidi Klum’s topless photos shot by her father entered your radar. In an age where sex tapes precede fame rather than shame, nudity has entered the normalcy equated with grocery store lines and billboard ads. Yet according to a survey in Marie Claire, 90 percent of women are still uncomfortable with the prevalence of nudity in the media, leaving
only 10 percent that find it liberating or empowering. Nevertheless, we’re bombarded with naked bodies, force-fed the line that we should feel empowered by Beyonce’s bare booty gyrating ours to shame. We are told we’re supposed to be okay with nudity by now. However, if you aren’t, you’re at risk to be labeled a prude, closed-minded, or too conservative. Suddenly, freedom of speech applies only to the most liberal of opinions. John Green, author of “The Fault in Our Stars,” penned, “And in freedom, most people find sin.” America is “the land of the free,” condoning freedom of expression of all sorts. Yet in many countries around the world, women must fight simply not to have their naked bodies
exploited. Most people would likely claim to fight for the rights of women in a thirdworld country who was forced to sell her body. Yet when celebrities’ bodies are sold by their producers or managers, we are told to applaud their bold, “empowering” choices. You, as a consumer, have a voice. What you watch, buy, or even discuss has power. Your opinion, whether modest or risqué, bears weight. Therefore, when you buy into the idea that you’re supposed to be “okay” with what someone else is selling you, you may as well let a wrecking ball shatter your voice. CASSANDRA JOHNSON is a senior pursuing a business pre-med degree.
THE BOOKSTORE CON OR CONVENIENCE?
SPENCER WAY
My knee-jerk reaction to bookstore prices is not just to buy my books online instead, but to plan a crusade. A price margin like that demands a boycott on stationery and veggie
food, right? Does the bookstore operate on an unfair margin? Why can I find the same books online with content support for a fourth of the price? Doesn’t Union cost enough without gouging me on books? I asked bookstore manager Terri Lair some of these questions and left with insight into how the bookstore can be an expensive yet convenient service. Forecasting the number of books to stock is a challenge. It is difficult to guess
how many people will register for a class, buy online, or use the bookstore. This unpredictability forces the bookstore to use suppliers that charge higher prices. In response, the bookstore sells some books at competitive prices and takes a loss, while others remain highly priced. We often compare online book prices to the bookstore prices. Often, the price charged in the store is double the online price, but the book’s repurchase price instore is half the original price. That leaves the student breaking even—with cash in hand—at the end of the semester. Renting books matches most online prices because buyback is impossible. So why buy from the bookstore if you can buy a book for half the price and sell it back online for any amount you choose? Wouldn’t you come out ahead? Or, if you
intend to keep the book, buying from the bookstore would double your cost. The bookstore takes on the responsibility for ensuring your books arrive on time and are the correct edition. Our bookstore isn’t looking to empty our wallets; it provides the best service it can. They do their best to make the prices fair, but, in the end, you’ll save money online. In the future, I would like to see Union College move the bookstore online. This strategy would enable us to use financial aid to buy books from the school through the Internet, allowing for cheaper prices while still having the option to sell books back. SPENCER WAY is a senior studying business administration.
ON CAMPUS MIGHTY MAGIC PANTS TO PERFORM AT CVC EMILY WOOD
“Blast off with us…” That’s the invitation from interactive children’s music group, the Mighty Magic Pants, who wil be performing at College View Church on March
22nd at 6:30 p.m. The concert will highlight the release of their new Christian children’s CD, “Far Out.” Following the concert will also be
a family fair program to feature many of College View Church’s ministries. Like their first Christian CD, “Far Out” is a spaced-themed collection with a hint of ‘pop flavor,’ different from anything the group has done before. However, as the number one kids group on Internet radio and rising, it appears the Mighty Magic Pants have nothing to fear. Aside from teaching English and communications, Union College professor
Enjoy a night of carefree fun and see The Mighty Magic Pants perform.
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Mike Mennard is an award-winning songwriter, poet, author, and an admiral in the Nebraska Navy who helps lead what their website asserts as a “fresh musical ensemble that combines harmonies, poetry, humor, and optimism meant to entertain and delight families.” Mennard started the children’s group after wanting a more interactive and multi-voice approach to music. Since launching the group in the summer of 2012 with their debut album “Gotta be the Pants,” the Mighty Magic Pants have grown to include four more members: Tori Hudgins, Jacob Wright, Jessica Perry, and our own Ryan Teller. “Kids music is the last bastion of freedom in music,” says Mennard, whose passion for music radiates when the subject is brought up. While the concert is advertised as a family program, even college students can find enjoyment in the Mighty Magic Pants. EMILY WOOD is a sophomore studying communication.
UNCONVENTIONAL STUDY TIPS
Spring break looms in front of us, a sign pointing to the end of another school year. For some of us, spring break comes with CHELSEA the promise of tan skin ZUMWALT and surfing lessons. For others, it prompts midnight freak-outs about upcoming final projects and exams. If you feel your energy waning and need a push to finish the semester strong, look no further than this article. Many students are left exhausted after indulging in study-time snacks. The
blood abandons the brain and arrives in the stomach to break down all those chips and candy bars. To combat this drop in motivation, try standing on your hands. The blood rushing to your brain while upside down is invigorating. Are gymnastics not your forte? Then put that microwave in your room to good use. Melt a couple blocks of chocolate into your favorite mug, stir in some milk, and fuel your focus with a hot cocoa-induced sugar high. Is energy loss still getting you down? Turn back the clock and exercise your lungs at the same time by singing along
to a children’s song. Take this technique a step further and watch your favorite Disney movie. Feeling like a child again may give you the exuberance you were blessed with years ago. Whatever your methods for pushing through difficult study moments, get creative and remember that you’re always one day closer to summer.
CHELSEA ZUMWALT is a senior studying nursing and pre-allied health.
CULTURE
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A QUEST OF GYROIC PROPORTIONS Aside from their booming economy, I love Greece for 3 reasons: mythology, the Olympics, and my personal favorite, the gyro. Pronounce it any STEVEN way you want, this divine FOSTER Greek delicacy is the epitome of what life has to offer. As a culture writer for The Clocktower, it’s my job–nay, my duty–to search the seven cornfields of Lincoln to find the most delicious gyro in Nebraska. Luckily, they were all within a block of each other (between 13th and 14th on O Street). My hunt for the heartiest gyro first took me to The Sultan’s Kite, a hole-in-the-wall gyro and falafel house. Coming in at around $10 a meal, The Sultan’s Kite took the award for most break-your-bank gyro. Pros: Three types of tzatziki, (cucumber) sauces varying in heat intensity; a mountain of Greek fries for an extra dollar. Cons: You may go broke trying this gyro–$10 is a big commitment in college; the lamb was dryer than the Atacama desert. Next, I visited The Gourmet Grill for their take on this classic sandwich. I wasn’t either impressed or turned off by their version of the gyro. It was very plain. Pros: $5 gyro and fry combo, making this the most affordable.
(continued from page 1) depends entirely on comfort level, but these suggestions are a good foundation. (Be sure to take a cooler.) • Bread: $2 per loaf (5 sandwiches) • Peanut Butter: $4 per 15 oz. (10+ sandwiches) • Jelly: $5 per 32 oz. (10+ sandwiches) • Tuna: $1 per 5 oz. can (1 sandwich per can) • Egg Salad (prepared at home): $3 per 18 eggs (6-9 sandwiches)
The mountain of meat served up by Ali Baba.
Cons: Nothing about the gyro was spectacular enough to make me return. Finally, my favorite gyro was discovered at Ali Baba, located next door to The Gourmet Grill. For just $7, you can grab a massive gyro with Greek fries. You can even try a Phillycheesesteak gyro (although I’m unsure why you would want to). Pros: At $7, the massive gyro plate is fairly affordable; the gyros are so massive that my only option was to eat it with a fork; the
lamb is well-seasoned and moist as can be. Cons: The vegetables were a bit soggy; I eventually ran out of gyro. Next time you’re downtown, do yourself a favor and get a gyro. Unless you’re vegetarian, in which case, props for reading this entire article.
• Fresh Fruit: prices vary Be sure to budget for local cuisine. If you’re in New Orleans, try some Gumbo. If you’re in California, eat In’n’Out Burger. New experiences are the whole reason for traveling in the first place. Entertainment: The only limit is your imagination. Think big and be alert for opportunities. Rick Binder once enjoyed a five-course meal and hot shower on a ship like the one from Pirates of the Caribbean just by introducing himself to the crew. “I doubt typical spring breakers
have done that,” says Binder. Spring break is a chance to travel, relax, and find adventure. Use this guide as a resource, but ultimately you’ve got to make the trip your own. With a little money and a lot of imagination, you can create memories to cherish for a lifetime.
STEVEN FOSTER is a junior studying communication.
MICHAEL ROHM is a senior pursuing a personalized degree in international relief and communication.
SPECIAL INTEREST
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WINTERFEST FOR SPRING BREAK Looking for a place to spend spring break? Silverthorne, Colorado might be it. Right around peak skiing season, the Rocky KATIE Mountain Conference of MORRISON Seventh-day Adventists hosts Winterfest, an annual event combining extreme snow sports, wholesome fun and a great religious experience. Students from Union College, Walla Walla University and Andrews University have all attended and have even helped lead worship. This year, a few students from Union College are managing the praise teams for Winterfest, which takes place on March 14 and 15.Â
Youth director Ron Whitehead established the event years ago. Originally intended to be a high school youth rally, Winterfest grew in popularity and now attracts hundreds of attendees from academies such as Campion and Mile High. Winterfest has grown in other ways too. Instead of only focusing on skiing and praising God, it has expanded to include the local community. Last September, the surrounding area was hit with serious flooding, causing damage or destruction to more than 760 homes. As part of a community mission effort, students and young people will help rebuild some of these homes as well as assist with other tasks like landscaping and clean-up. This mission outreach will take place from Sunday to Friday (March 9 to 14). This
opportunity to work as an ambassador for Christ will end with a weekend of worship and hitting the slopes. The weekend meetings will be held in the Silverthorne Pavilion. Tickets are free and available for reservation online at www.rmcwinterfest.org. Admission to the weekend programs is free, as is Sabbath lunch and dinner and admittance to the Silverthorne Recreation Center on Saturday for basketball and dodgeball. Seating is limited, so reserve your ticket today.
KATIE MORRISON is a junior studying business administration.
UPCOMING EVENTS SUN 2
MON 3
4
10
9 Daylight Savings Time begins
TUE
11 Spring Break (through the 14th)
WED 5
12
THU
FRI
6 7 Faculty Senate, LEAD Committee, 10:30 a.m. @ 2:30 p.m. @ Administration Administration Building Bulding Spring Career Fair, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. @ the Atrium
13
14
SAT 8
Graduation gown orders due
CVC services, 9 a.m. and noon
15 CVC services, 9 a.m. and noon
SPORTS & TECH
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BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT RECAP Each year, students from Adventist academies around the Midwest flood campus for the Union College Invitational Basketball DAN Tournament. These high CARLSON school students get a taste of college life while competing for top honors. Competition in the men’s bracket was fierce this year, with more than five teams capable of taking home the win. One of the tournament’s most exciting moments was Jimmy Gilley’s incredible hook shot from near half court, which sent Sunnydale Academy into overtime against College
View Academy. Campion Academy bested Sunnydale in the semi-finals and met Maplewood Academy in championship round, where Campion won with a final score of 58 to 45. Junior Kyler Stock from Campion said, “I enjoyed playing in all the games and getting the opportunity to participate in the three-point contest. But most of all I enjoyed meeting new friends from the other schools in the Midwest.” Sunnydale kept the women’s championship game close, but the final score of 28-32 was in favor of College View Academy. CVA’s win has extended their championship streak to four years in a row.
Freshmen Janelle Osvald from Maplewood Academy said, “The tournament was a great experience for me. I really liked how our team was able to bond together through the games and in our free time. I also liked the experience on campus and feeling what it is like to be in college. It was fun cheering for each other at the games, and even when we lost we were able to be there to make each other happy.”
DAN CARLSON is a sophomore communication major.
Archives from Saturday’s and Sunday’s games can be found at www.ucollege.edu/basketballtournament2014.
UNION’S TECHNOLOGY It’s so easy for us to look down on the technology that we have here at Union College. But I think it is important to look across TYLER the board and see where ELLIS we are truly at compared with both our Adventist peers and public counterparts. I would say that the biggest complaint that I hear around campus is how slow our WiFi is. First, I would like to note that I tested the Internet speeds sitting on the Cooper’s Corner overpass at 10:45 a.m., which I would say is a time most people
would be using the Internet, and I was able to get 60.5 mpbs download speeds and 85.12 mbps upload speeds. To understand how impressive this is, the average home Internet speed is 7.9 mpbs. If you are still unimpressed, you should know that we are accessing the exact same Internet network that the University of Nebraska is. On top of the fact that we are getting the best Internet possible, it is uncapped. At the previous school I attended, there was only a certain amount of Internet that each student could consume on campus each day. After that limit was reached, we were cut off for the day. Union also has a very clean and
user-friendly website, a very active email service (as we have all experienced), and they have computer labs with up-to-date computers. So before we complain, let’s keep these things in mind and take a more positive perspective: Union’s technology is pretty good.
TYLER ELLIS is a senior business major.
EVERYTHING ELSE
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THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN FROM UNION COLLEGE STUDENTS Sandee Shirokova:
to scarves.
Jessyka Albert: to a 700% increase in temp for spring break! Makenzy Jean:
to sleep.
Tanner Toay: to watching the current season of Top Gear over break! Jessica Abrahamson: Duh. Abner Campos: gold.
to Spring Break.
to Canada winning
The Clocktower Staff Editor-in-Chief Copy Editors
Emily Syvertson Taylor Roberts Aphelandra Messer Sierra Clark Layout Editor Spencer Way Opinion Michael Rohm On Campus Chelsea Zumwalt Steven Foster Culture Cassandra Johnson Katie Morrison Special Interest Amber Alas Tyler Ellis Sports/Tech Dan Carlson Amanda Ashburn Student Spotlight Emily Wood Online Cody Blake Photographer Online Content Manager Megan Prescott Michael D. Steingas Sponsor
Feedback The Clocktower encourages reader feedback and strives to maintain accuracy. If you have comments, please email us at cltower@ gmail.com. The Clocktower is published weekly during the school year by the Associated Student Body of Union College, 3800 S. 48th St., Lincoln, NE 68506. The opinions expressed are the opinions of the writers and are not to be construed as the opinion of the editors, Associated Student Body, Union College, or the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Under the direction of Dr. Mark Robison, professor of English and drama, Union students collaborated to create this one-of-a-kind drama production. Fifty Years Later aims to breathe life into civil rights stories by capturing their significance and retelling the stories through drama. Performances will be held in the Woods Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $7 for students, children, and senior citizens.You can purchase tickets at the Campus Store, online at http://rockpile.ucollege.edu/dramatickets, or at the door one hour before showtime. Showtimes: Thursday, March 20, 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 22, 8:30 p.m. Sunday, March 23, 2:00 p.m. Thursday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 29, 8:30 p.m. Sunday, March 30, 2:00 p.m.
Student Spotlight EXPERIENCE THE SPIRIT
UNION UNITED
A HONDURAN HELLO Hot Honduran sun beats down on the dust. Rachel Jorgensen can hear the bat make contact with the “baseball,” a plastic bag filled with AMANDA trash. Inside the daycare, ASHBURN dress-up time with the little girls includes a pair of broken sunglasses held on by a used mop string. If Jorgensen has learned one thing about being a student missionary (SM), it’s how to make the best of tough circumstances. Whether adapting to a food pyramid constructed primarily of rice and beans or loving kids who’ve experienced more pain in their five years than she has in her twenty, Jorgensen is growing every day. I had the privilege of Skyping Jorgensen two weeks ago. During our conversation she mentioned that being an SM was different than she had ever imagined. On the solitary three-mile walk from the orphanage to the daycare in town, Jorgensen has time to think. Sometimes she daydreams about American delicacies: peaches, cheddar cheese, ice cream, pasta with sauce, or berries. Other times she works through the frustrations of the day, week, or hour. Things like the seemingly constant lack of communication, missing home and friends, or the pain of intense poverty. Still other times she replays memories like slides projected on the wall. Memories of enjoying topoyillos (juice in a bag) and baleadas (like a quesadilla, but not) on trips into town. Memories of little girls kissing her dirty, tired cheeks. Memories of small, orphaned boys calling her “auntie” or “mommy.” “Kids are kids no matter what country they live in. The longer I am here, the more I appreciate them. Yes, they can be rough around the edges, but they are always happy and having fun,” Jorgensen tells me. “I’m rewarded feeling the pride a parent
Rachel Jorgensen with kids at an orphanage in Honduras.
has for her children. I love my job working for the poorest kids around.” But being totally honest, there are times when Jorgensen would not say she loves her job. There are many days when she gets angry, wants to quit and go home, or simply wishes that there was someone from home to talk to, someone who really understood her, not just the Honduran her. But Jorgensen adds, “I have been able to see God working in my life during this year. Nothing huge or extravagant, but little things that I know He had a hand in to help strengthen or protect me.” Jorgensen has so many stories, and I wish I could share every last one with you. If I did that though, it would take the fun out of getting to know her yourself. I asked Jorgensen if there was something
she wanted prospective SMs to know. She had lots of advice, but a few things I held on to were: “It is an experience that you will absolutely love with all of your heart, although may thoroughly hate all at the same time. You will be tired, frustrated and lonely, but you will be needed, loved, and never alone . . . God will always give you the extra strength you need if you just ask.” The cards, treats, and notes of love from Union always brighten her day. She loves and misses so many of you. Jorgensen asks for your prayers for her and the orphanage.
AMANDA ASHBURN is a junior studying language arts education.