Oct. 10, 2018

LEGE OF DUPAGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER — 10 OCTOBER 2018

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VO L U M E 5 3

GAMER CONCLAVE SHINES A LIGHT ON THE GOLDEN AGE OF BOARD GAMES NEWS

FEATURES

OPINION

Q&A with Student Trustee, Sonia Paul p4

The Secret Side of the K-pop Industry p7

Phones Throw Student's Priorities out of Whack p16

E F I L ENT

D U T S SSC 1217

Achieve More.

Together.

• 80 undergraduate majors • Adult accelerated degree completion programs • Counselors on-site to make the transfer process easy Our most popular transfer majors include computer science, criminal justice, education, nursing, healthcare leadership, business and aviation.

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(815) 836-5250 • admission@lewisu.edu

lewisu.edu/transfers 2

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INDEX

NEWS FEATURES OPINION SPORTS COFFEE BREAK

1.4 trillion dollars in student debt. Still growing

The secret side of the Korean entertainment industry

ON THE COVER

Are phones impacting our grades?

New intramural sports schedule Puzzles and COD Weather Forecast

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF................................... Tessa Morton ASSIGNMENT REPORTER....................... Joey Weslo NEWS EDITOR....................................... Madison Venckus FEATURES EDITOR................................. Reanna Comiso OPINION EDITOR................................... Kimberly Wilson SPORTS EDITOR.................................... Miguel Contreras The Courier does not knowingly accept advertisement that discriminate on the basis of sex, HEAD PHOTO EDITOR............................. Alison Pfaff creed, religion, color, handicapped status, veteran ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR.................... Lindsay Piotter or sexual orientation, nor does it knowingly print GRAPHICS EDITOR................................. Brandon Beckwith ads that violate any local, state or federal laws.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER...................... Trinity Jefferson The Courier is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, except for the first and last Wednesday of each semester and the week of spring break as a public forum with content chosen by student editors. One copy free, additional copies available upon request.

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ADVISER - Jim Fuller fullerj103@cod.edu 10/10/18

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NEWS

Student Debt Crisis Madison Venckus, News Editor College of DuPage and other Illinois students are part of the more than 44 million students in the U.S. who have debt from higher studies, a total exceeding $1.4 trillion dollars according to a New York Times article by Tara Siegel and Karl Russell. In 2006, the national student debt was $101 billion and has increased exponentially since then.

A recent National Postsecondary Stu-

dent Aid study highlighted the amount of student debt exceeding any national auto or credit card debt. The study continued to show that 1 million students fail to pay loans on time, and another 40 percent of students with loans are expected to join them over the next four years.

Illinois students and graduates have mid-ranged student loan debt. Publisher

and vice president of research at SavingForCollege.com, Mark Kantrowitz, found that approximately 66 percent of local students have school debt with the average bill being $29,000. In the District of Columbia however, students have the highest average debt, with a cost of about $40,000 per student.

Since last year, U.S. Dept. of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos

began to ease up on consumer protections for student borrowers.

This lead to federal loan programs lending out larger loans to students who did not show proper evidence as to how they will repay the companies.

Now, six states and the District of Columbia are contributing their own efforts to crack down on unlawful lending practices. There was a “statement of inter-

est” supporting a lawsuit from the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, which was filed by lawyers for President Donald Trump’s administration. The companies would now be required under a new state law to be licensed and could lose their right to operate if they engage in unlawful loans. The statement was against the District of Columbia for creating a student loan court office.

The student debt crisis started to become a much larger problem back in 2008.

After the Great Recession, colleges began giving out larger scholarship amounts to lure first-time students. A study done

by Ruffalo Noel Levitz showed discount rates for out-of-state students were at 23 percent unlike in-state students who had discounts at 16 percent.

It’s evident that out-

Average Debt per Borrower

40000

DEBT

35000

30000

25000

2011

2012

2013

YEAR

2014

2015

2016 graphic by Brandon Beckwith

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NEWS of-state students have become more desired to public colleges over the years.

Students are also changing majors to secure a job as soon as they graduate college so they can pay off their loans, delaying any long-term plans. A study done

by Georgetown University showed 99 percent of the 11.6 million jobs created in the U.S. since 2008 require some education or training beyond a

high school degree.

According to the National Center for Education, business, health and psychology are now the most popular degrees for college students. As these career paths continue to gain popularity, students have lost interest in philosophy, education and English literature over time.

College presidents have also focused on short-term stability for their institutions

over long-term goals.

Instead of focusing on larger projects and resourceful ways to investing the school, many presidents wait for low enrollment and debt to pass.

Students have a variety of ways to conquer or avoid most student debt. Similar to College of DuPage, most two-year junior colleges offer 2 + 2 programs. These programs are for students to take transferable classes at a smaller,

less expensive institution and then transfer out after two years to a larger four-year school.

Students attending a two-year community college spend an average of $4,000 annually compared to a student at a four-year university who spends an average of $25,000 annually based off of National Center for Education Statistics.

These savings do come with a price, as students at two-year

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institutions are not offered living spaces, meal plans, activities or the campus culture a four-year university has.

Another way students can avoid debt is by taking online classes. Arizona State University has done this with its Global Freshman Academy. These freshman courses are offered online to anyone around the world.

A credit fee of 200 USD per credit isn’t charged until after

students complete the course. Some schools even offer free online classes to students considering different majors. These classes come in the form of iTunes podcasts and online coursework.

DeVos also plans to make data on twoyear institutions, like COD, available to students and recent high school graduates.

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NEWS

Meet Your Board of Trustees Student Representative, Sonia Paul Madison Venckus, News Editor is my job to look at the situation from the board different experiences than me. What happens on the board as a student representative is a lot of of trustees’ point of view.” independent work. It’s not the same thing as being an office on student council that get to work Why did you originally want to be with other officers, I do a lot of work reaching the student representative on the out to students and clubs.”

Board of Trustees?

“To be honest, when I was running for the position, I didn’t completely know what it was, Why do you think COD struggles I just knew I wanted to be involved in some way with student involvement?

“The fact that we’re at a community college in student council. When I learned more about the job on the board, the thing that attracts me makes joining stuff and becoming involved even is being able to voice not only my opinion, but more difficult. That is one of the main issues that the opinion of other students around me. Having we face, I think, and we just have to let students an impact on the decisions they make is a pretty know that even though we’re at a community colgood job. I like the influence I am able to have.” lege they can still get involved.”

Why do you believe students are unaware of your position on the Board of Trustees?

“I didn’t even know about my position until I knew it was available for me. Speaking from my own experience, I didn’t even know what a trustee was. I think it’s the lack of education on the positions and opportunities that are available to everyone. When I look back, I think about the fact that there’s a lack of communication between the student trustee and the student body.

Nobody really knows what I’m working on in the background, which is surprising because the job of the student trustee is to advocate for the students. I think having the student trustee or members of the student council speak during events ‘Coffee Connections?’

What are your job requirements?

“I’m hoping to get it together by late October, of activities would raise awareness for our lead“A majority of my job is communicating with early November. I’m thinking once every few ership roles. I’m surprised we haven’t done more the students around me about what they are do- months.” of that.” ing in school and how they are involved. When talking to the previous student trustee, I learned Who is the ideal student to assume Why do you think your position that a huge part of my job is to show the peo- a spot on the Board of Trustees? matters? ple on the board what they are supporting. They "I think the person who would be best for this “First of all, this position exists for a reason. don’t usually get to see the students’ side of the role would be a person who wants to grow them- The students deserve a voice in decisions the clubs and activities they support at the school, so selves. When I say grow themselves I mean grow board makes and without the student perspective something I would like to do is bring people in themselves while stepping into the adult world. there is an unfair vote on decisions that matter to to speak at meetings to endorse those clubs and When I took this position, I didn’t know how us. The second thing is I want people to have this activities. A lot of it is acting as a liaison between many things I would be learning whether it’s go- opportunity, I want this to be available to them. the student council and the board. For example, ing to board meeting or speaking to people with It’s sad because there are a lot of students that if student council is trying to make a decision, it How do you represent the student body?

“I’m working on a few things, one of them Student Representative, Sonia Paul is called ‘Coffee Connections.’ It’s one way for photo by Alison Pfaff me to reach the entire student body, because if I’m only asking my group of friends, and people who are involved in clubs, then I’m not really getting the opinions of the entire student body.

What is your required time With ‘Coffee Connections’, I’d like to sit down commitment on the Board of Trustees? somewhere with a lot of foot traffic and hand out “For the board of trustees, unlike the other offi- coffee and talk to students who come by. I think it cer positions in student council, I don’t have a set would be effective to reach a broader audience in amount of office hours. I am more a part of the a shorter amount of time.” board than student council, which is something people get mixed up with.

When can we expect to see

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NEWS want to go on and pursue a higher education or government and this could be their chance to pursue that career. If students don’t even know these positions are available to them, it’s unfair to them.”

What sort of topics to you cover in board meetings?

“We talk about budget changes and whether we will put our money in one thing over another.

A lot of our meetings are about recognizing certain departments in the school. For example, the last meeting we had the library come in and give a presentation on things that are available at the library and their target audiences.”

What is one of the most difficult things about being on the Board of Trustees?

“I think the most difficult thing for me is navigating the different use of language. I’m starting to get used to it now, but I’m still getting used it it. Other members are so used to it so they talk so fast, but I am still working on comprehending things they’re saying.”

What are some projects we can look forward to in the future?

“One thing I want to keep on looking into is the possibility of a multicultural center. I feel like we’ve tried to work on that in the past and since there’s been so much going on at COD in the past we haven’t gotten to make much progress.

I’m going to talk with some people that work in the center of diversity and inclusion and also talk to my fellow officers about that.”

What other activities are you involved in at the school?

“I’m president of the Psychology club which is our chapter of the psychology honors society. I’m also an officer for the love your melon campus crew which is an organization that hands out free beanies to those with cancer. I’m also a returning member of best buddies. Also there’s student ambassadors which is a program that allows students to give tours of COD to other students that may be interested in enrolling. We also volunteer at certain events throughout the year. I’m also involved in NSO which is the new student orientation program.”

10/10/18

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NEWS

Challenging Gender Inequality in the World of Physics Joey Weslo, Assignment Reporter “Physics was invented and built by men.”

CERN physicist Alessandro Strumia shocked an audience of young female scientists attending a Sept.

28 lecture meant to highlight gender and diversity challenges in the world of physics.

“Physics is not sexist against women…

It is part of a political battle coming from the outside,” he said. Presenting graphs showing male disadvantages in hiring, he argued the field was becoming sexist against the superior merits of men.

CERN’s Large Hadron Collider shatters protons traveling at 99.99% the speed of light into thousands of subatomic particles.

However, shattering the glass ceiling prohibiting equality for women has proven a more difficult challenge.

College of DuPage Professor of Physics Alexandra Bennett knows the intimidation women must overcome to succeed against the entrenched gender bias.

She believes such comments perpetuate the stereotype women are inferior at science than men.

“When I asked professors where I should 8

apply for grad school, they told me look at (each) program. I was cautioned, if they didn’t have any female faculty, there might be a reason why,” she said.

Bennett previously worked at Fermilab and also Europe’s CERN’s Compact Muon Solenoid, one of the detectors along the Large Hadron Collider. Her thesis analyzed the likelihood of dark matter interactions inside the collider. She believes the field is more welcoming than a generation ago. However, she warned of the acknowledged explicit bias dissipating into an unconscious bias.

Pointing to signs of progress, she referenced the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics being co-awarded to Canadian Donna Strickland, the first female winner in 55 years. Strickland is only the third woman ever awarded. She was celebrated for her contribution to the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created. Her technique, called Chirped Pulse Amplification uses her ultra-sharp laser beams to make precise incisions in cancerous tumors and perform corrective eye surgeries.

“We need to celebrate women physicists because they’re out there…I’m honored to be one of those women,” Strickland stated.

Fermilab physicist Jessica Esquivel was dismayed by the comments from since-suspended Strumia. She is a postdoctoral research associate working on the Muon g-2 experiment using magnetic fields to study the shortlived muon particles popping in and out of existence. She previously worked on Fermilab’s MicroBooNe neutrino experiment.

Esquivel’s identity as a Mexican, black lesbian in physics inspired her to work as part of the U.S. Delegation for the International Conference for Women in Physics. She pointed to implicit bias, microaggressions, stereotype threat and a lack of role models being barriers women face hindering their careers.

“We as a physics community not only need to focus our efforts on recruitment but also retention, which may require an overhaul of the system in place.

Not using equity, diversity and inclusion as a selling point, but actively evaluating and

Alexandra Bennet, Professor of Physics

re-evaluating the culture at a specific lab or university,” she said.

According to the National Science Foundation, only 20% of U.S. physics undergrads and grad students are women. The same number is found in female assis-

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tant professors.

Bennett explained the intimidation felt in always being in the minority of her undergraduate and graduate courses.

“It had a deep effect when I’d look around a classroom and didn’t

photo by Alison Pfaff

see many students like me,” she said. “I never had a female professor as a lecturer in my classes as an undergrad. I had to look hard to find role models to show me a trajectory my career could take.”

She pointed to the

NEWS forming of support groups between female students in providing her a community of reassurance and encouragement. She also credited the inspiration provided by a female professor who ran the first lab Bennett worked on. She felt she couldn’t turn to male professors with maternal questions about childcare, and her lab professor was a mother, working towards tenure, striving on campus six days a week, 10 hours a day.

“I remember seeing her as a mother and a physicist and thinking, she’s actually doing it, she’s managing everything. She was working twice as hard as everyone else and showed me I can succeed in this career.”

Role models at a collegiate level and early age are essential in breaking down the socially-internalized belief women are inferior at science. Lingering unconsciously, the misogynistic stereotype prohibits girls from developing an identity as a physicist.

Esquivel pointed to the stereotype threat constantly hanging a shadow over a woman’s confidence, fueling thoughts of insecurity, doubt and inferiority.

These inhibitions im-

pede their academic success.

When compounded with the pervasive implicit bias, work of equal merit by women finds itself at a disadvantage.

A 2012 study published in the U.S. scientific journal PNAS found science faculty members rated identical job applicants higher when presented with a male name over a female.

Bennett recounted when she was a grad student, there was a professor married to another professor, and they would work and publish together. Everyone assumed the joint publications were really the responsibilities of the husband’s.

This led to him being given primary authorship and a professor position before her.

“The pressures holding her back were not an unconscious bias; it was conscious bias. It was chauvinistic to believe he was certainly doing all the work while she was only helping him along,” Bennett said.

Bennett referenced sexist jokes male professors would share during class. She also recalled how it was difficult to form connections with other

physicists at Fermilab’s social-center without giving off the appearance of flirting. Men used these connections to further their careers, but this wasn’t an option for women. Many of her female friends in physics encountered repeated harassment.

Such a culture insidiously feeds its way into socially-accepted norms. Bennett explained how in the PNAS job applicant experiment women also harshly judged papers deemed authored by women.

“Everyone in the field needs to become aware and address the bias.

We need to trust the data. Every time you have bias, there is some quantified way it can be measured. Science should not be based on privilege; it should be based on merit.”

The International Journal of Science Education documented women are less likely to receive high-praising recommendation letters from their superiors. This disenables their chances at attaining research positions, promotions and recognition.

Facilitating the disparity is a culture of competition for the biased allocation of resources. The proposi-

tion of lost patriarchal opportunities catalyzes subtle insults and dismissive behavior towards the marginalized. These oppressive actions are known as microaggressions and are amplified when directed toward gender, race or sexual orientation.

Esquivel acknowledged the progress women have made in the field but pointed out larger underlying issues.

“Although there have been strides made to increase women in physics and to create policy and change with an intersectional lens, there are still issues that need to be addressed.”

When an individual has multiple (intersecting) marginalized identities they encounter systemic barriers at a greater intensity than their peers.

“From 2002-2012, the percentage of white women earning their Ph.D. in physics was 15%, compared to 2% black women and 2% Hispanic women.

In 2010, there were only 75 black or Hispanic women (physics) professors in the country. (From) 2008-2012, although there was a jump of 24% of women faculty, the gains were almost entirely

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white women,” said Esquivel.

This disparity is mirrored in COD, where Bennett said she’d be surprised to see 25% female students in her classes.

Due to pressure emanating from stereotypes and unconscious bias, girls are less likely to be encouraged by their parents, friends or teachers to pursue their interests in physics. People often pursue careers after being inspired by someone close to them having tread the same path and illuminating what’s possible.

Bennett hopes if continual progress is made, the generational problem will disappear. Female students will say, I want to be a physicist because my mother was one, or sister or grandmother.

They will turn to role models and want to follow in their footsteps.

Bennett referenced Fabiola Gianotti being named CERN’s first female director-general and British physics-star Bell Burnell who recently donated her multi-million dollar Breakthrough Prize awarded for helping to discover radio pulsars (a neutron star that emits beams of radiation) to funding underrepre-

sented ethnic minority and refugee students become physics researchers and combat the unconscious bias.

Bennett believes you should pursue any field that constantly excites and inspires you. There will always be challenges and intimidation to overcome, but there also will always be people willing to support your dreams.

Bennett explained, feeling different from everyone else in your field isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You can bring diversity in opinions and a fresh perspective to a science that thrives on evolution and creativity.

“Science progresses not by having the same thoughts over and over again, but from variation,” she said. “It needs new perspectives and you can forever change the field.

“Having a daughter makes me think about the difficulties women face in my field. I want her to (know), she can do whatever she wants when she grows up. I want her to have a good sense of all her options.

I think about what I can do to best prepare her for the world, and what we can do to change the world.”

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™

FEATURES The Ins and Outs of the Korean Entertainment Industry Madison Venckus, News Editor Sparkling outfits, charismatic personalities and uncontrollably catchy pop songs are a picture-perfect world for a rising K-pop star hoping to make it big in the Korean music industry. But even underneath this charming, bubbly genre, lies an ugly reality.

The K-Pop industry began gaining speed in 2012 when Psy’s Gangnam Style was the most viewed YouTube clip of the year. The combination of Asian and Western music styles became known around the world as what we now call today, K-pop.

As K-Pop gained popularity, stories of sexual harassment, overly obsessive fans and a trend with plastic surgery slowly uncovered the dark side of the genre.

In an interview between Author Roald Maliangkaij of K-pop — The International Rise of the Korean Music Industry and news.com.au, Maliangkaij says, “The fashion, the hair, the clothes, the style — these things are not always attainable. Probably 95 percent of performers have had surgery ... It can be a significant dif-

ference. You see fans copying, and there are cases where it goes wrong, causing disfigurement.”

“I don’t believe K-pop is an accurate representation of Korean culture. K-pop idols tend to wear a lot of makeup. How they behave and respond to things in public tends to be filtered to make sure they don’t bring a bad name onto themselves and their group,” Korean club president, Cheyenne Johnson said.

Before anyone can become a K-pop idol, one must endure rigorous training. Even after someone passes the auditions and becomes a trainee, they are one of hundreds competing for a limited few spots to make their debut.

Trainees take part in singing, dancing, acting and language classes throughout their day, starting as early as 5 a.m.

If a trainee is able to make it through the training process and make their debut, there are more rules put in place that follow.

Following a strict diet is required in most all K-pop stars along with heavy exercise.

Besides practicing,

EXO at K-POP World Festival in Changwon, South Korea, 2013.

idols have to market their work which creates an even busier schedule. Between commercials, photo shoots, variety shows and special events, idols are packed to the brim.

Chua notes that there have been multiple cases of idols fainting on stage and having to be rushed to the hospital.

The Korean entertainment industry has also become well known for their specific type of contract between the company and client. Some contracts can last up to 10 years, denying clients basic necessities such as sick days. Rojak Daily notes that soon after the Korean Free Trade Commission introduced standardized contracts, companies were able to bind clients to a maximum of seven years.

The pressure to appear flawless and have a picture perfect image

has not only consumed the pop stars but fans as well. Thousands of fans have begun traveling to South Korea’s capital, Seoul, for cosmetic surgery so they too can look like their favorite pop stars. Even tourist from western countries like Australia and New Zealand have taken interest in these cosmetic surgery procedures.

Maliangkaij adds that the country of South Korea has a large sex industry. In multiple cases, there have been female K-pop stars being forced to quit after being sexually harassed.

The stars are not only expected to maintain a flawless physical appearance but are also expected to behave like exemplary citizens.

Maliangkaij states that all of the main stars publicly support a charity. In doing this, fans attempt to follow in their idols’ footsteps

10/10/18

by donating their own time and money to those charities.

Fans set the expectations for their idols.

When stars fall short of those expectations, a star may face retaliation. Supporters may be enraged by inadequate performances, lack of attention or the members not getting along.

Similar to a stalker, invasive and sometimes obsessive fans of K-pop idols are known as Sasaeng fans. An article by SBS PopAsia HQ noted these fans have been known to try and kidnap stars, write love letters to them in blood and even cause car crashes.

As K-pop’s popularity in America continues to increase, it’s possible that some of the harmonies and melodic complexity might trickle back into the U.S. mainstream.

America created R&B

music infused with hiphop back in the 1990s, and K-pop is a reintroduction to that similar genre.

“Hopefully it allows more K-pop artists, but also more American artists that love R&B, to do R&B,” Kelly adds. “And make a lot of money doing it,” songwriter Claude Kelly said in an interview with Rolling Stone.

The recent popularity in K-pop has sparked a fascination in Korean culture, but Cheyenne Johnson notes that no one can expect to go to Korea and find that every Korean is able to sing, dance and model.

“They’re a society just like we are, with thoughts and their own history. Comparing Koreans to K-pop stars is like expecting every single American to be like the backstreet boys,” Johnson said.

11

FEATURES

The Courier Collective: a review of the Wheat Cafe Reanna Comiso, Features Editor

Kelly McDolnell

photo by Lindsay Piotter A quick, Courier modern and were in the cheap dining option same position.

When on campus? Count the we became aware of Courier staff in.

Many College of the culinary attracDuPage students are tions on campus, it unaware of the amaz- was at the top of the ing facilities on cam- semester bucket-list.

The Culinary Marpus, one of them being a gourmet restaurant ket at the Wheat Cafe and culinary market is one of the two sturan entirely by stu- dent-run dining opdents. Until recent- tions on campus. Loly, many of us at the cated in the Culinary

and Hospitality Center, the Wheat Cafe focuses on serving breakfast and lunch items, as well as baked goods created by the Culinary and Pastry Arts program.

They prepare an array of soups, sandwiches, burgers and various baked goods like muffins, bagels and sweets. The cafe also offers several vegan options, perfect for customers with special dietary needs.

Food can be ordered to go at the counter at the Culinary Market or at a dine-in table in the Wheat Cafe. Service in the 60-seat cafe is provided by students in the Culinary and Hospitality Management program.

The first important note for all prospective

diners is the price. Everything at the Wheat Cafe is incredibly affordable. At my first visit to the culinary market, I ordered a batch of three lemon poppyseed muffins and their smoothie of the week, which was a strawberry-lemonade smoothie. The total came out to a whopping $4. For a place that gives off a fine dining vibe, I expected my order to cost $6 or more, so I was pleasantly surprised.

The price alone was enough for me to come back the next week to order more.

The next visit to the cafe, Courier staff bought an array of the various pre-packaged baked goods. We bought blondies, cranberry scones, pumpkin bread pudding and pumpkin sponge cake.

I also bought myself another smoothie of the week, which was a cranberry-strawberry smoothie with greek yogurt.

Everything tasted amazing, specifical-

ly the pumpkin bread pudding.

Pumpkin flavoring can often be overwhelming, but the bread had just the right amount. The portion was also way more than necessary for one person, which made for great leftovers and sharing, especially for the price of $3.

“The bread pudding looks slightly unappealing, but one bite was orgasmic,” said Courier Reporter Joey Weslo.

Editor-in-Chief Tessa Morton emphasized how apparent it was the items were made from scratch, specifically in regard to the cranberry scone.

“I wish it was a little stronger (flavor), and I wish it came with butter, but it was good if you have a British taste bud or two,” said Morton.

For the many staff members who have never had a scone, it was generally wellliked, even by Opinion Editor Kimberly Wilson, who had a hard time finding some-

thing to satisfy her taste buds.

Photo Editor Alison Pfaff noted the chocolate eclair she bought on her own time was her favorite, while Graphics Editor Brandon Beckwith enjoyed the lemonade the most.

My personal favorite was the smoothie of the week, which I now look forward to purchasing every Wednesday. I look forward to trying different flavors of muffins and scones as the weeks pass.

The Culinary Market at the Wheat Cafe has become one of the Courier’s favorite places on campus to get a cheap lunch, making several trips each week.

The price is unbeatable, and the quality is great, not to mention the real-world experience the culinary students gain from the market. Students and staff at COD should make their way to the Culinary and Hospitality Center to try it out for themselves.

The Culinary Market at the Wheat Cafe is open from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays now until Nov. 28.

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FEATURES

Nutella Cafe Alison Pfaff, Photo Editor

Nutella Cafe

photo by Alison Pfaff

Located at 189 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago, the Nutella Cafe has lived up to its hype.

Since its opening in 2017, I have wanted to check out the cafe centered around the popular chocolate hazelnut spread. A few weeks ago, I was finally able to see what all the fuss was about.

It is an easy building to spot, with a bright red sign above the door with the Nutella logo. The cafe serves an array of pastries, such as breakfast items like oatmeal, crepes, pancakes, waffles,

Nutella-filled croissants, gelato, paninis and various coffee drinks. Everything was neatly displayed in a pastry case, but after walking 6 miles at this point and wandering, I was desperate for any type of food.

Upon waiting in a line of about seven people in front of us, we finally were able to place the order. It was a decision to pick from the big menu, but I finally settled on a Caprese panini, which is a sandwich with tomato, mozzarella and basil.

As simple as it is, the sandwich was worth it to me, as it was a decent size for the price, even if it wasn’t Nutella related. I also had an iced vanilla latte with Nutella drizzle.

My friend and I split a baguette with Nutella and hazelnuts on top, a lovely treat after a nice lunch.

Inside was a bit crowded and my friend and I were lucky to find a table inside.

The place itself isn’t that big, but there is seating outside as well.

I was given a number to put on the table and

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the food was brought to me. At first, I was given the wrong drink, but employees promptly fixed the error and gave me a new one.

While I was hoping to try things with Nutella, the prices for the food were pretty expensive for anyone on a college student budget. I remember cringing at the thought of paying $18 for a drink and a sandwich, but I think the drink was definitely the more expensive item for what it was. I guess that’s what I get for buying food on Michigan Ave-

nue. While I wanted to try more things, I had to restrain from getting a bunch of delicious Nutella treats. While it was delicious, it was definitely more pricey.

Everything was just as I hoped it would be, but I will say, Nutella is extremely rich and eventually I couldn’t even finish the latte because of the drizzle overpowering the drink! It is a fun place to visit once in a while, If you’re a Nutella fan or a chocoholic like me, this is the place for you!

13

FEATURES

The Golden Age of Board Games Miguel Contreras, Sports Editor

A proud pair of fuzzy blue ears, a table cluttered with adventurers anxiously awaiting a bouncing die, strategic eyes cunningly deconstructing their opponent's strategy and a fountain of boisterous laughter. A roleplay and gameplay paradise in the Conceptions Gamer Conclave ushered in its annual crowd to the College of DuPage last weekend.

Although this community is highly supportive and tightly knit, it is usual for members of its individual niches to not cross game lines.

Joseph Miller, long time game enthusiast, and Conceptions Gamer Conclave coordinator said that, 14

“Each game has their own little clique,” said Joseph Miller, a long time game enthusiast and coordinator of the event. “Take the Star Wars people. They all know each other, and they might play board games, but they won’t play Pathfinder. Pathfinder people won’t play Star Wars, but they may play board games. Magic the Gathering players will play Magic but not another collectible card game. They may play a board game.”

Therein lies the saving grace. It’s ane that manages to unify parties of different interest into a medium accessible for all: board games.

In an age where constantly progressing technology makes leaps and bounds every single moment, the death of board games seems all but an inevitability.

Yet, according to Miller, board games are aspiring to new heights.

“I would say that we are in the golden age of board games,” he said.

“No question. If you look at the plethora of games out there that are good, solid, replayable board games, it’s unbelievable. It used to be a dozen games like this a year, now you get a dozen a week.”

Board games in may seem somewhat antiquated in a world where video games are at the forefront of en-

tertainment and attention. It’s the underlying intricacies of board games that keep them relevant, Miller said.

“There’s plenty of kids out there who are content to be in their parent's basement in

front of a computer screen,” he said.

“That’s not what the real world’s about, and they’re going to figure that out. Board games are different.

You sit down, and talk to somebody, and you

find out things about them and become friends with each other. That’s part of life.

According to Miller, a local event like COD-Con coming up later this year in April can actually be a

Conclave participants go over the rules for how to play Pathfinder

THE COURIER

photo by Alison Pfaff

FEATURES pretty big deal. It can ignite enough competitive fire to have players from around the country make the journey to come and compete in their favorite board games.

Miller talked about the competitive culture behind boardgame series like 18xx in regards to COD. “What they all have in common is that they all lay tiles to play, and stock can be bought and sold any number of times, and it affects the market,” he said.

“It’s very competitive.

If we do this for the spring show, we will get the national players. We’ll get people from Seattle, Dallas and Florida.”

Miller suspects this is only the beginning of a trend, as board game notoriety continues to grow in Ameri-

ca. He mentioned the popularity of the biggest board game convention in the world.

He believes board games are far from their peak. The biggest board game convention in the world is held in Germany every year, it’s called ESSEN. ESSEN draws over 100,000 people every year. That’s just for board games. Not role-playing games or video games.

Miller also believes that rather than hindering and corroding the board game world, technology has actually assisted in strengthening the social bonds between those who love to play them. In the past, board games may have been kept as a family past-time, whereas now they can be utilized as a tool for social intercourse at a

community event or location. People can know about events by virtue of technology and social media updates. Miller thinks that therein lies the true value in board games.

“If someone is willing to spend some time going to their local tavern, library or convention and learn some new stuff it's going to be better for them,” he said. “They’re going to get the social intercourse that the human psyche is driven towards. That makes up who you are. You don’t have to sit at home watching the same old TV show. There is more to life; you get to meet new people.”

Miller also has some ideas for how board games can stay relevant well into the future regardless of any techno-

logical advances “Achieving the third dimension is something that a lot of games are already doing and are a good example of that,” he said. “It brings games into a new dimension of visualization. What determines whether or not a game will be popular is being quality made and having replayability. Also having enough wheels without being overly complex.”

Miller has been a role-playing and board game enthusiast his whole life. He spent 10 years working for the Game Manufacturers Association, one of the most substantial board game organizations in the country. While a director there, he helped organize some of the most significant annual game conventions in the country includ-

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ing the Gamut Trade Show in Las Vegas and Origins in Columbus, Ohio. He now independently organizes the Conceptions Gamers Conclave. He estimates it takes him about 150 hours to organize.

He maintains this steadfast commitment to what he does be-

Jon Simunovich

cause he recognizes the power that comes from being able to call together such a diverse group of people.

“It’s indescribable, but one thing is for sure, you won’t find anybody unhappy in there. It doesn't exist,” Miller said.

photo by Alison Pfaff

15

FEATURES

Zamba, A Traditional Dance of Argentina Photos by Linsday Piotter

16

THE COURIER

FEATURES

Fantastic Mr. Fox, What More Could He Want?

Trinity Jefferson, Social Media Manager

Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Get ready for some warm apple cider and bundling up on the couch because “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is your new favorite Fall movie. In the film “Fantas-

tic Mr. Fox,” directed

by Wes Anderson, Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) has everything he could ask for: a nice home, a family and a new job at the

local newspaper. So, why is he creating this devious plan to steal chickens and alcoholic apple cider?

Before this devious plan, Mr. Fox’s life was simple. Snatch a chicken, steal some cider, then run. After being trapped in a cage not knowing if they’d even make it out alive, Mr. Fox found out that his wife was pregnant, he promised to end his old ways and protect his child or future children. With

his dry humor and cheeky demeanor, Mr. Fox breaks his promise and puts his whole family in danger due to his petty ego.

This isn’t Wes Anderson’s first successful film. Films like “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Moonrise Kingdom” and “Isle of Dogs” have been praised by critics everywhere. Anderson shows us consistent “moviegoers” there’s more than one way to capture each mood

and emotion just by the angle of the camera.

Anderson takes you to Autumn in this film with his use of colors, symbols and its overall aesthetic appeal. With an array of colors like yellow, orange and brown, you can feel the crisp air through the screen. Anderson takes his audience out into the country where the leaves have turned and are starting to fall.

He creates this world in which you feel the

need to eat thanksgiving dinner every night just as the foxes do, then to wash it all down with apple cider happens to be the cherry on top.

This aesthetically pleasing adventure of Mr. Fox keeps you in your seat until the very end. So, if you’re ever wondering what movie to watch to start off your Fall binge list, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is definitely a top choice.

BAKE SALE CAKES, COOKIES & MORE! PRICING FROM 50¢

TO

$3

10/10/18

10AM TO 3PM THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25TH

SRC • RIGHT BEHIND STARBUCKS

17

OPINION

How our Phones are Messing with Our Grades Kimberly Wilson, Opinion Editor The image of heads lowered and eyes glued to a cellular phone has become synonymous with millennials and generation Z’s.

College students especially have become obsessed with the constant distraction their cell phones provide, at a steep cost to our attention spans. Being able to concentrate on challenging tasks is an imperative part of success in college, but our phones just may be robbing us of that ability and consequently lowering our grades.

A 2015 article on Time.com by Kevin McSpadden desribes a Microsoft Corporation study that found a dip in attention span. “Researchers in Canada surveyed 2,000 participants and studied the brain activity of 112 others using electroencephalograms (EEGs).

Microsoft found that since the year 2000 (or about when the mobile revolution began) the average attention span dropped from 12 seconds to eight seconds.”

It’s not difficult to see how the inability to focus could negatively affect college students’ overall performance. A lack of focus can make it harder 18

COD Student's divided attention

photo by Lindsay Piotter

to study for tests, get through assigned readings, devote the proper amount of time to completing homework assignments and so on.

Technology has its benefits, including improving our ability to multitask, but we must also be able to recognize when it’s doing more harm than good.

Refraining from becoming too engrossed in our phones is important if we want to give ourselves the best chance of doing well in school.

While spending too

much time checking Snapchat is unlikely to lead to flunking out of college, it still can have a negative impact on our grades. Excessive phone usage could be the difference between an ‘A’ or a ‘B’ on a midterm exam or not doing as well as you wanted to on an important paper.

Life can oftentimes make it hard for us to do well in school.

There are many things that can happen that we have no control over that will make it difficult or impossible

for us to focus on school work. That makes it all the more important to keep a firm grip on the things we do have control over.

Learning how to wisely spend time is a big part of the college experience. In today’s society, that includes knowing when to log out of Instagram, put the phone down and get some work done.

The allure of the everpresent distraction phones give us may seem impossible to overcome, but there are ways to take back

THE COURIER

your attention span.

Apps like ‘Forest’ and ‘Moment’ help motivate you to stay off your phone and keep track of your screen time.

Finding more productive ways to spend time when bored is also a good way to strengthen concentration skills. Hobbies such as listening to podcasts, reading and playing an instrument can all help to lessen the pull of social media.

In desperate times, it may also be huge-

ly beneficial to delete social media apps you know are distractions.

If those apps are causing anxiety, that can be another culprit of low concentration.

Achieving good grades in college can lead to many great opportunities. Every college student knows the challenges that come with keeping our grades up. So we should be mindful of making it even harder for ourselves by overusing our cellphones.

Oct. 15 to 19 Explore your next steps During National Transfer Student Week, Oct. 15 to 19, COD will offer a variety of information sessions daily, leading up to the transfer fair with nearly 50 schools participating.

• Learn about transfer processes and opportunities available to you as a COD student.

• Network with the experts and have your transfer questions answered.

• Experience our university and college partners at the transfer fair.

More details to follow at cod.edu/transfer.

For ADA accommodations, call (630) 942-2141 (voice) or (630) 858-9692 (TDD). Please call two weeks in advance.

10/10/18

19

SPORTS

Intramural Sports Schedule Ultimate Frisbee League

Teams of seven players will compete in a frisbee game with football and soccer elements with the champions crowned at the end of the season.

Sept. 13, Sept. 20, Sept. 27, Oct. 4, Oct. 11 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

4-on-4 Volleyball League

Current students, faculty and staff are invited to join the Chaparral Fitness center in their annual Intramural sports schedule. In order to sign up, bring a current copy of your student or employee ID, along with a current COD class schedule for students, to the Chaparral Fitness front desk for an Intramural Sports Membership.

Participants are welcome to partake in five different activities, which include an Ultimate Frisbee League, 4-on-4 Volleyball Leagues, a Bubble Soccer Tournament, the Chap Fitness Fall Mini-Triathlon and the Dodgeball Tournament.

A month-long league with champions crowned at the end of the season.

Oct. 16, Oct. 17, Oct. 24, Oct. 31, Nov. 7, Nov. 14, Nov. 15 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Bubble Soccer Tournament

As a way to kick off spirit week, bubble soccer incorporates elements of soccer and zorbing, which is a sport focused on maneuvering around in a transparent plastic.

Monday, Oct. 22 10 a.m. to noon

Chap Fitness Fall Mini-Triathlon

Participants can swim, bike and run in any order throughout the entire day. Dimensions will be set depending on competitive level.

Nov. 26, Nov. 27, Nov. 28, Nov. 29, Nov. 30, Dec. 1 Available times from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Dodgeball Tournament

Put together a team of six for a competitive, but fun event to put your team to the test.

Thursday, Dec. 6

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

20

THE COURIER

SPORTS

Weekly Schedule

COD Men’s Soccer vs Daley

Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 4:00 PM | COD Football Stadium

COD Women’s Soccer vs Milwaukee Tech

Wednesday, October 10, 2018 at 4:00 PM | COD Football Stadium

COD Women’s Soccer vs Trinity Christian

Friday, October 12, 2018 at 4:00 PM | COD Football Stadium

COD Women’s Tennis vs Regional Tourney

Saturday, October 13, 2018 at 9:00 AM | Tennis Court

COD Women’s Soccer vs Kaskakia

Sunday, October 14, 2018 at 1:00 PM | COD Football Stadium

COD Men’s Soccer vs Lake County

Monday, October 15, 2018 at 3:00 PM | COD Football Stadium

COD Men’s Soccer vs Truman

Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at 4:00 PM | COD Football Stadium

COD Women’s Volleyball vs Aurora University

Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at 6:00 PM | COD Arena

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21

COFFEE BREAK THEME: WORLD SERIES

22

THE COURIER

ACROSS 1. Got some shuteye 6. Pop-ups, e.g.

9. Mound 13. String quartet instrument 14. Wisecrack 15. Batu Khan's posse 16. Famous fabulist 17. *Number of World Series won by the Senators 18. Blue-Green scum 19. *One of two baseball teams to play for both leagues 21. *Home of team with most World Series titles 23. Reggae precursor 24. "The Man Who Mis____ His Wife for a Hat" 25. Have a bawl 28. Wing-shaped 30. Handrail's main supports 35. It often runs deep 37. It cuts a furrow 39. Double, in French 40. Shakespeare's tragic monarch 41. Sunny prefix 43. Notary Public's mark 44. Run on a bank, e.g.

46. Building extensions 47. 18-wheeler 48. *One of two teams to win in its only appearance 50. Dutch cheese 52. Actors' group 53. OK 55. *"____house Gang" nickname for 1934 World Series victors 57. *Fall ____ 61. *Baseball league award 65. Bald symbol 66. Bauxite, e.g.

68. Andrea Bocelli, e.g.

69. Walk like a peacock 70. *R in RBI 71. Old but in 72. Clothes line 73. Tennis divider 74. Are not

DOWN 1. Union foe 2. Sinister look 3. "What ____ can I say?"

4. Works the soil 5. Brown v. Board of Education city 6. ____ 'n' Andy 7. *He pitched the only World Series perfect game 8. Shorthand 9. Sacred 10. "Cogito, ____ sum" 11. Month of Purim 12. Sneak a look 15. Sold 20. Actor Fiennes 22. Long time 24. Streetcar named Desire, e.g.

25. Planktonic tunicate 26. 2018 movie "____'s 8" 27. Edible cannabis substance 29. Away from wind 31. Weak one 32. The Three Musketeers' swords 33. Camel's cousin 34. *Commissioner Emeritus of Baseball 36. Great Lake 38. *____ card 42. Missouri River tributary 45. Skeleton's hiding place 49. Hit the slopes 51. "I think I can, I think I can...", e.g.

54. Oak fruit 56. Expression of contempt 57. ____pool or ____pit 58. Like the White Rabbit 59. Taj Mahal city 60. Shantytown 61. Closely confined 62. A chip, maybe 63. Fate of Norse mythology 64. Turkey dance 67. Poe's Morgue

COLLEGE OF DUPAGE WEEKLY WEATHER FORCAST Made Possible by the COD Meteorology Department

WEDNESDAY

MOSTLY CLOUDY CHANCE OF STORMS

MID 70'S

LOW 40'S

FRIDAY

THURSDAY

PARTLY CLOUDY LOW 50'S

MID 30'S

MOSTLY SUNNY LOW 50'S

MID 30'S

SATURDAY

MOSTLY SUNNY MID 50'S

MID 40'S

SUNDAY - TUESDAY RECAP Looking ahead, the pattern looks to remain quite chilly with a continuation of below normal temperatures from the end of the weekend and into next week. Expect daytime highs for this period to range from the upper 40's to the mid 50's, possibly warming a bit more by Tuesday of next week. The best chance for rain will come on Sunday, as an area of low pressure is forecast to come through the Midwest, before high pressure and quiet weather take hold on

10/10/18

23

Your Elmhurst Journey Starts Here.

You’ll find a warm welcome and a supportive community at Elmhurst College. More than 500 students transfer to Elmhurst every year, so we understand your needs—and we’re committed to helping you reach your full potential.

Money and Forbes magazines rank Elmhurst among the top colleges for your money. Plus all transfer students receive scholarship support.

OPEN HOUSE November 3

Check-in and scheduled events begin at 8:30 a.m.

Meet faculty and students, learn about admission and scholarships, and explore the campus!

RSVP at elmhurst.edu/fallopenhouse

ELMHURST IS COMING TO THE COLLEGE OF DUPAGE! October 17 & 24 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

2nd floor, near Starbucks

Ask about our Guaranteed Transfer Admission program.

Individual appointments are available.

Email brian.pollastrini@elmhurst.edu for further information.

Office of Admission | admit@elmhurst.edu | (630) 617-3400 | elmhurst.edu/transfer Join the Elmhurst College community on