The Clocktower, Volume 88, Issue 10

The

Issue 88.10

Clocktower

NOVEMBER 20, 2013

Union College

JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

Captivating costumes and an ageless story come together in New Creation’s Christmas Production. it’s all about. I’ve had fun. It’s a wonderful process, and it’s really neat to see it all pull together.”

Be sure to also pull together your own winter attire as the majority of the scenes are outside. Currently, the weather is predicted to be 43 degrees and sunny. We’ll see soon enough how reliable the online forecast is weeks ahead of December 7.

Photo credit: Bonnie Berguson.

New Creation Church will be retelling the epic tale of Jesus’ birth on Saturday, December 7, during their Christmas Pageant BRIANNA “Journey to Bethlehem.”

SCHENKELBERG Much like the Easter Pageant at Union, the performance will be a dynamic experience where audience members follow a guide through each of the eight scenes. Actors, including a few Union students and professors, will reproduce the events leading up to and including Jesus’ birth. Luckily—as I will be playing Mary—there will be no reenactment of the actual birth.

Performances will begin Saturday at 2:15 p.m. and run through 4:30 p.m. Each will last roughly 45 minutes. While tickets are free, they are also very limited. To reserve yours, email Michelle Mesnard at mimesnar@ucollege.edu.

Make sure to reserve your tickets early. When you get there, don’t expect any actors clad in bed sheets with holes cut out.

Church member Crystal Ahrens prepares authentic-looking costumes all year long. “I really enjoy it. It’s just a very fun, creative type of enjoyment for me,” she says. “It’s just a way to honor God, and that’s what

NEW CREATION’S ADDRESS 5620 S. Coddington Avenue BRIANNA SCHENKELBERG is a senior studying communication.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE ► IS COLLEGE FUTILE?

POWERFUL PRAYER

SHOP-FREE SHOPPING

THE CHROMEBOOK SOLUTION

OPINION, page 2

ON CAMPUS, PAGE 3

CULTURE, page 4

TECHNOLOGY, page 6

OPINION

PAGE 2

IS COLLEGE USELESS? The “Boss Hoss,” as we called him, sold his home for $850,000 during the recession of 2008. He remarked that he could have sold earlier SPENCER for a larger profit but had WAY not yet completed his new warehouse to store his motorcycles, boats, jet skis, tractors, trucks, and sports cars. My first boss never considered college.

A self-made man, he learned everything he needed to know on the job.

“

What does college provide that persuaded almost 20 million Americans to pursue higher education last year?”

Most of us know someone who has achieved great success, whether it is money, power, adventure, or fame, without a college diploma. So is a college education useless? According to the Wall Street Journal, the most sought-after qualification for most jobs is experience. Traditionally, college not only does not give students

much experience, but it also takes so much time that only the Herculean manage a full-time class load and work in their field of study. Why, then, were 19.9 million students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs in 2012? What does college provide that persuaded almost 20 million Americans to pursue higher education last year?

A college diploma does not guarantee a job, financial security, or even current expertise in your field. Some students reach graduation without a professional network, crazy memories, or even the discovery of their passion and purpose. I believe that, although colleges usually achieve most of the things above in varying degrees, they all do one thing better than any job, trade school, or alternative educational experience. College teaches students to think. Left to their own devices, most brains barely maintain a soothing humming sound. But college provides a unique environment that challenges the mind and trains collegians to maximize their ability to problem solve, defend opinions, discover new information, and learn.

The college years are one of the rare

times in life when, more often than not, failure does not signal the end. Unlike the real world, there is abundant grace in college halls; failing one test does not constitute failing school. Students are given four years to practice and experiment with learning, thinking, planning, and so many other practical life skills in an environment where the stakes are at their lowest. If you write a poorlyworded paper, life continues much as it did before. Fail to make enough sales at work and you, along with others, lose their livelihood. Comparatively speaking, the world beyond college is not a place that encourages one to think differently and experiment with a new idea about how to think and act more effectively—too much may be at risk for you to take the chance.

That is not to say that the Boss Hoss was not a brilliant thinker or that all college graduates think very well, but I do not think that college is useless. At $29,000 a year, having the time and place to learn to think is actually priceless. You’ll have the rest of your life to gain experience.

SPENCER WAY is a senior studying business administration.

UPCOMING EVENTS Sun 17

Mon 18

Tue 19

Wed 20 Hour of Prayer with Pastor Ron, Heritage Room (below CVC sanctuary), 7 p.m.

APP

OF THE WEEK ALPHA ZEN

Thu 21

Fri

22 23 ITAG, Atrium lobby, Campus Store open 10:30-10:45 a.m. from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Thanksgiving Break begins after last class (through Dec. 1)

Appease your inner (or outer) English major with this crosswordquote hybrid. Alpha Zen is a game that takes just a few words from famous quotes and demands that you link them together crosswordSPENCER WAY is a senior studying style. As you reach higher levels, you face the added challenge of business administration at Union. fitting the crossword puzzle within specific boundaries. Once you complete each puzzle, the quote fills in, flooding your brain with poetic wisdom. What more could you want?

Sat

ON CAMPUS

PAGE 3

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY The excitement of going to another country can be intoxicating— never knowing who you will meet or what you will see next, and then ANNA realizing that life there PONGO is so vastly different.

Many things can make visiting or living in another country interesting, and not always in a good way. Language barriers, different cultural norms, and new social

rules to learn are but a few that I have run into. My experiences are echoed by numerous others.

While reminiscing about his time spent abroad, Malcolm Gaskin, professor of accounting, told about the joys and frustrations living in another country can cause, notably the language barrier. “Even though I knew some of the language, I was embarrassed to use it because I was worried I’d mess up,” he said. “Especially when I was in a group.”

Photo credit: Kimberly McNeilus.

Union is a home to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Although a small college in Nebraska, in the middle of the country, Union exhibits surprising diversity. This year alone, our students represent 33 different countries.

The number of countries has been steadily increasing in the past few years, up from only 18 in 2010. Trudy Holmes-Caines, professor of psychology, pointed out how this diversity brings students together of vastly different backgrounds.

While the diversity is excellent for the school, sometimes being in a new country, or even just a new state, can be intimidating and lonely. “Everybody should go, by themselves, to a foreign country and see what it feels like,” Gaskin suggested. “It can really open your eyes to how others feel.”

I asked some teachers how the international diversity has affected their classroom. “It lends different perspectives, which is good for class discussions,” observed Holmes-Caines.

Chris Blake, associate professor of English and communication, reaffirmed, “The international diversity brings a richness of experience.”

In the accounting classes he teaches, Gaskin observes how great it is to see the students intermingling. He said, “Everyone is different, no matter where they are from.

This teaches us not to generalize.”

ANNA PONGO is a senior studying communication journalism.

PRAYER IN ACTION “I’m so sorry, I’ll pray for you.” These words, while meant well, often frustrate me.

It seems to be an easy answer to life’s difficult ChelsEA situations. A gift given ZUMWALT

by God and displayed

by Jesus, prayer was meant to connect us to God and others—to lift up our problems and thanks to God. So how has such a blessing turned so sour in my mouth? I’ve

heard others utter this sentiment calling the offer to pray for daily difficulties cliché.

But the real problem is when it is only offered as consolation and not offered up as actual prayer.

To push this oft-heard phrase from promise into action, Tyler Morrison, Union for Christ director, started a prayer meeting on Wednesday nights at 5:30 p.m. to push this promise of prayer into action. Held in Prescott Hall lobby, the prayer meetings are open to anyone willing to pray for others or

desiring to lift something up in prayer.

The new prayer room is open 24 hours a day for what Bernice Tumangkeng calls “a come-to-Jesus meeting.” Tumangkeng is the senior class pastor and believes in the power of prayer. “It’s different when someone else prays for you,” she explained. “Knowing that someone is praying with you and helping you carry your burden eases it.” Tumangkeng and Morrison are not the only two involved in (continued on page 5)

CULTURE

PAGE 4

BEHOLD BESPOKE POST Are you a young, charismatic collegiate male trying to make it big? Do you crave imported cheeses and granite cutting boards?

STEVEN Perhaps bold scarves and FOSTER warm gloves made from Incan Alpaca hair are on your winter wish list? Most importantly—do you have your #BoxofAwesome yet?

In this always-adapting age of modern technology, companies are constantly trying to come up with the next “big thing” to wow consumers and scoop up our disposable

income. That’s why Bespoke Post, a small start-up catering to professional young men with a bit of extra cash lying around, emerged on the scene just months ago with one goal in mind: to sell you boxes of ridiculously awesome things.

Here’s how it works—first, you wander onto www.bespokepost.com and take a long gander at one of their featured boxes. Look quickly though, as boxes are only around for a month before they’re retired to make way for the next Box of Awesome. Finally, convinced that you need to subscribe to the service, and after you’ve decided the $45 per month is

peasant dollars, you’ll sign up.

Okay, so $45 each month is a bit pricey. I’ll be the first to admit it. The boxes, however, often contain items that total for much more. Bespoke Post turns a profit by ordering their supply in bulk and then passes their savings onto us.

Not convinced? Here’s an example of a typical box.

Called “Crisp,” this box will prepare any young businessman for the colder seasons. Included is the double-faced cotton scarf by Gilded Age, a shiny new card holder wallet by Men in Cities, some warm charcoal striped socks by Mark Weldon, a microfiber sheet (oh snap, no scratches on my glasses) by Declan, and to wrap it up, skin protection: lip balm plus lotion from Carmex. The best part is that all this arrives at your door like it’s a white elephant party every single month.

Personally, I think this idea is great.

The fellow men I’ve talked with about Bespoke Post happen to agree, while many ladies I’ve talked with simply scoffed. My response: Psshyeah, like I’m going to go shop for my fashion. We men may have the need to look good, but you can’t beat having other men who look good picking out our good-looking wardrobe and sending it to our doorstep.

STEVEN FOSTER is a junior studying communication.

CAUSE FOR PAWS Next time you pop some tags, how about supplying some collars in the process?

Macklemore himself would likely give a huge CASSIE thumbs up to Cause for JOHNSON Paws, a local thrift-storemeets-humane-society.

Cause for Paws is literally the visionchild of Sue Smith-Sturgis. While running her own spa, she realized she wanted more from life. Her friend recommended she

listen to a podcast about finding her dream.

Sue listened to it as she fell asleep one night and woke up knowing she wanted to open a consignment shop to benefit animals.

Such was the birth of Cause for Paws, which started receiving donations in 2008 and has grown exponentially ever since.

The profits from gently used clothing, shoes, jewelry, electronics, and home goods are given directly to local no-kill shelters and other animal organizations.

These include the Humane Society, Lincoln Animal Ambassadors (which

offers free neutering), Nebraska No Kill, Hearts United, and many more.

Jane, long-time volunteer and friend of the founder, spoke passionately on how Union students can get involved: “I like to say there are three tiers to getting involved.

One, buy. Two, donate. Three, volunteer.”

Cause for Paws is run entirely by volunteers and is always looking for anyone who can help. Owners and customers alike bring in their pets, so your entire shift would be spent with furry friends. (continued on page 5)

SPECIAL INTEREST

ASK AMBER Dear Amber, How do I tell someone nicely that their breath reeks?

AMBER ALAS

Sincerely, Needs a Gas Mask

Dear Needs a Gas Mask I am going to assume that this person is a friend of yours because you seem to be talking to this person enough to notice their breath. If this person was a friend of mine, I wouldn’t beat around the bush. I would want a friend to tell me if I had reeking breath, especially if I am always around others who probably notice as well. It would be more embarrassing if a stranger came up to me and told me instead of a friend pulling me aside and letting me know.

PAGE 5 A more subtle option would be to offer them a piece of gum.

The problem with this advice is the fact that you don’t want to be saying this three times every day—that’s a lot of gum. That’s where just being honest might work better.

In order to confront them about it, start by pulling them aside in private. Then let them know that you don’t want to hurt their feelings—you’re just trying to look out for them. As a safety measure, buy them at least three months-worth supply of gum.

Who can be mad at free gum?

If you don’t want to confront them, your last option is to never tell them and deal with it. I had a friend who was the sweetest person ever. I would just hold my breath every time he came to hug me or talk to me. I didn’t have it in me to tell him he had horrible breath. Turns out he had Halitosis, something that even gum wouldn’t help. After finding that out, every time he came around me, I just held my breath and dealt with it because, at the end of the day, he was still my friend.

Sincerely, Amber

AMBER ALAS is a senior nursing student.

Have a question or situation that you think could benefit from someone else’s perspective? Ask Amber at www.tinyurl.com/uc-askamber. All inquiries are anonymous, so you getthe insight without being in sight.

(continued from page 3) the prayer meeting ministry. Each of the class pastors are also willing to pray for students that are unable to attend or find the idea of group prayers uncomfortable.

J-Fiah Reeves is pastor for the freshman class, Kyle Smith for the sophomore class, and Josh Hester for the junior class, and all would enjoy being approached with any prayer requests individuals wish to be lifted up in the meetings. Shawna Ansari is also involved in the prayer ministry and has been instrumental in decorating the prayer rooms, creating a comfortable space where anyone can seek God. Ansari works in Campus Ministries with the rest of prayer team, who is always willing to lift up students in prayer.

The first prayer meeting was held on November 6 in the prayer room and covered a wide range of topics. Tumangkeng states, “A lot of topics are word of mouth. Situations and people who need prayer trickle down to us. Sometimes it’s nothing in particular, we just pray for the campus.” Tumangkeng believes that saying you will pray for

someone and actually coming together to pray for someone is very different. Prayer becomes an action that you can take to help others beyond just promising to do so. “For me personally, prayer is very personal and vulnerable. It’s one way that you can put your burdens out there and someone can help you carry them. It binds people. You see traumatic things happen, and a prayer huddle is developed at Union. People come together and pray for each other. It’s one thing to say that God is everywhere and another to intentionally include Him in the moment.”

Next time you say that you will pray for someone, offer to pray with him or her right then and there. Create moments that help lift the burdens of your Union College family. Pray for them and others in prayer meeting or simply in a private place with God, and put your words into action.

(continued from page 4) To volunteer, simply call (402) 420-5758. To buy or donate your used items, or just to hang out with the pets there, head on over to Cause for Paws, currently located on Old Cheney. In January 2014, look out for their new location, opening up just down 48th Street in the old Blockbuster.

In summing up our interview, Jane stated the importance of always doing as much as you can. Admittedly, as college students, we are not rolling in the dough. However, perhaps you have time to volunteer, have clothing to lend, or need cheap apparel. In this situation, it’s a win-win. Grab a velour jumpsuit and some house slippers; you’ll look incredible, and you’ll save a life in the process.

CONNECT WITH CAUSE FOR PAWS

www.causeforpawslincoln.org Cause for Paws Lincoln on Facebook CHELSEA ZUMWALT is a senior studying nursing and pre-allied health.

CASSIE JOHNSON is a senior pursuing a business pre-med degree.

TECHNOLOGY

PAGE 6

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL A CHROMEBOOK REVIEW

A couple weeks ago, I wrote an article on how the reasonably priced Chromebooks could be a replacement for some people’s computer needs.

TYLER I decided to practice what ELLIS I preach. I got rid of my 2012 Macbook Air and bought an HP Chromebook 14 for $349. This decision didn’t come without nerves, as many others and I thought that I was crazy. But after living with it for about a month, I am prepared to write a full review of my findings.

First, let me disclose the details of my new HP Chromebook 14.The machine has a 14-inch IPS display, four GB of RAM, three USB ports (two of which are 3.0), an HDMI port, a new Intel Haswell series chip, and 16 GB solid state on board storage. On top of that, when you purchase this computer, you receive two years of 100 GB Google cloud storage, two years of T-Mobile mobile broadband Internet, up

to 200 MB per month, 12 in-flight Internet sessions through Gogo, and two months of Google all-access music service.

When I first unpackaged and opened the computer, I was shocked when it booted up in less than four seconds.

I thought that it had to be a fluke since it was my first time using it, so I shut it down and re-opened it with the same result. Needless to say, I was impressed from the beginning. After working with it for a while, I realized how simple the interface was. There is an app section with all the programs that are on the computer and access to the app store to pick from any number of free apps. The computer comes pre-loaded with access to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, each of which easily stand in for Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint as well as being crosscompatible with the Microsoft program.

As of yet, I have not noticed any lag whatsoever, thanks to the light operating system and the four GB of RAM. On top of that, the new Haswell processor is

TYLER ELLIS is a senior business major.

Photo credit: www.computerworld.com.

Photo credit: Mickey Seiler.

The Chromebook serves as a price-savvy solution for the average college student.

getting me around 10 hours of battery life every day with heavy use. The computer is well constructed, and the built-in speakers are better than my Macbook Air, although most people don’t buy a computer based on speaker quality. I must admit, I saved the money after selling my Macbook just in case I needed to buy a new one, but after living with this Chromebook for a month now, I see no need to go back.

I will be the first to admit that this computer isn’t for everyone. If you are a designer, this computer is not for you because traditional programs like Photoshop and Illustrator can’t be loaded on this machine. Nursing majors can’t install their nursing programs, and DJs can’t load their music software. But for the majority of people like me who use their computers to browse the web and listen to music with a little homework every now and then, this computer easily gets the job done.

EVERYTHING ELSE THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN FROM UNION COLLEGE STUDENTS Giovanna Chavez: until Thanksgiving!

Nicole Shelton: Cody Blake:

to Brian’s slurping. to term papers.

Mandy Mekelburg: s’mores.

Kimberly McNeilus: The turkey:

to one more week

to microwave , up, and away!

to vegetarians.

Emily Syvertson: to mouthwash—it can’t prevent senioritis.

Aphelandra Messer: to getting addicted to Lost three years after it ended.

The Clocktower Staff Editor-in-Chief Copy Editors

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.

Technology Survey Complete and compete for a $25 gift card Union College wants to better understand their students’ relationship with technology. They want to know how students use technology for their studies as well as how students would like to see professors integrate it into the classroom.

To get a better grasp on this, Union has emailed a link to a survey. The survey has 62 questions, some of which you may not need to answer if they don’t apply to you. The survey takes about 20-30 minutes to finish.

Because Union knows that 20-30 minutes is a valuable amount of time, they are giving the first, the 72nd, the 122nd and the final student to complete the survey a $25 Amazon.com gift card.

The data collected will be used by various committees to improve the future of Union students.

So get involved—tell Union how you use technology.

Photo credit: www.w3ins.com.

Emily Syvertson Taylor Roberts Joellyn Sheehy Layout Editor Aphelandra Messer Opinion Spencer Way On Campus Anna Pongo Chelsea Zumwalt Culture Steven Foster Cassandra Johnson Special Interest Brianna Schenkelberg Amber Alas Sports/Tech Tyler Ellis Photographer Cody Blake Online Content Manager Megan Prescott Sponsor Michael D. Steingas

PAGE 7

Campus Spotlight Experience the spirit

UNION UNITED

BEFORE I DIE The question is simple: What do you want to do before you die? Out of the 150 people who have answered my question so far, 42 want to travel—to SARAH Japan, to Jerusalem, to VENTURA Canada for fishing, or Thailand to swim with elephants. Eleven people want to skydive. Four want to write a book. One guy wants to do the horizontal hula, and another girl aims to fly a plane.

What do you want to do?

With only 24 hours in a day, it’s easy to spend seven of them sleeping, five in classes, four at work, three studying, and one with the intention of studying but really

on YouTube watching “What Does the Fox Say?” The rest might be spent traveling, talking, texting, and eating Taco Bell with your significant other. The number one answer I receive when I ask someone how they’re doing is “busy.” It’s my number one response, too.

So how, in all of life’s rush, do we find the time to achieve our dreams? How many of us even think about our dreams?

And, out of the few who think about them, how many of us will actually check them off our list?

I propose that the first step in being able to check something off a list is to write the list. Think of what you want to do— today, tomorrow, by the time you graduate,

by the time you have grandchildren—and write it down. Put it somewhere in your line of vision; look at it every week. Talk about it. Go back and add to it. Reevaluate it. Prioritize it. Pray about it.

If you need some inspiration, pull out your smart phone, tap on your Instagram app, and search #unionbucketlist to find the answers I’ve gathered thus far. I’ll be asking for your answers, too, so start your list now. Aim high, be specific, and remember what Dr. Seuss said: “If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good.”

SARAH VENTURA is a junior exercise science major.

#unionbucketlist

Photo credits: Sarah Ventura.