K-State Collegian (Sept. 14, 2016)

kstatecollegian.com

wednesday, september 1 4 , 2 0 1 6 vol. 122, issue 15

T H E I N D E P E N D E N T V O I C E F O R K A N S A S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y Š 2016 collegian media group

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EDITORIAL BOARD

Danielle Cook online editor

Timothy Everson editor-in-chief

Jason Tidd news editor

Jessie Karst managing copy chief

Scott Popp sports editor

George Walker Emily Starkey multimedia editors

Jamie Teixeira managing editor

Kaitlyn Cotton current editor

Melissa Huerter ad manager

Audrey Hockersmith design editor

Kelsey Kendall opinion editor

Steve Wolgast adviser

ON THE COVER

The Collegian welcomes your letters. We reserve the right to edit submitted letters for clarity, accuracy, space and relevance. A letter intended for publication should be no longer than 350 words and must refer to an article that appeared in the Collegian within the last 10 issues. It must include the author’s first and last name, year in school and major. If you are a graduate of K-State, the letter should include your year(s) of graduation and must include the city and state where you live. For a letter to be considered, it must include a phone number where you can be contacted. The number will not be published. Letters can be sent to letters@ kstatecollegian.com Letters may be rejected if they contain abusive content, lack timeliness, contain vulgarity, profanity or falsehood, promote personal and commercial announcements, repeat comments of letters printed in other issues or contain attachments.

The Collegian does not publish open letters, third-party letters or letters that have been sent to other publications or people.

CORRECTIONS If you see something that should be corrected or clarified, call editor-in-chief Timothy Everson at 785-370-6356 or email news@kstatecollegian.com.

The Collegian, a student newspaper at Kansas State University, is published by Collegian Media Group. It is published weekdays during the school year and on Wednesdays during the summer. Periodical postage is paid at Manhattan, KS. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 828 Mid-Campus Drive South, Kedzie 103, Manhattan, KS 66506-7167. First copy free, additional copies 25 cents. [USPS 291 020] Š Collegian Media Group, 2016

Nick Horvath | THE COLLEGIAN

The sun sets on Anderson Lawn on Monday.

Located at Kedzie 116

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2016 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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By Dave Green

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Wildcats excited to get back on their home field this Saturday SCOTT POPP

THE COLLEGIAN

It’s not very often teams have to wait until week three to play their first game in front of their home fans in their home stadium, but that’s the situation this Kansas State football team finds itself in.

Head coach Bill Snyder can’t even remember the last time his team was in this situation.

“That’s what I haven’t experienced before, is that long period of time before we actually have a home opener,” Snyder said. “I sense the anxiety; I probably have a little bit of it myself where I normally don’t.”

There was nothing but excitement from the players, most of them more than excited to finally get back in front of their home fans.

“No one knows what it is like to play in our stadium and the feeling that you have, it’s like no other, so we just can’t wait to play,” senior safety Dante Barnett said.

File Photo by Parker Robb | THE COLLEGIAN

Running back Justin Silmon takes off on a 36-yard run in the fourth quarter of the annual Purple-White Spring Game on April 23 in Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Senior linebacker Charmeachealle Moore could barely put his excitement into words.

“We’re very excited; this is my last year here,” Moore said.

“You know everybody’s excited to play at their house. We’re ecstatic, we’re so hyped.”

While the players did have to wait an extra week to get back

on the field, they did not waste their extra week of practice doing nothing.

“It seems like it’s been forever, it’s been dragging, it hasn’t

been going fast,” Moore said.

“But we’ve been practicing and we’ve been getting better so that’s the positive thing that comes out of it, we just ready to play.”

After a disappointing opener against Stanford, sophomore running back Justin Silmon said they spent the week trying to improve as a team and as individuals.

“We’re just getting the timing down and just fixing the mistakes we made in the Stanford game, just trying to correct the mistakes,” Silmon said.

Snyder also spent a lot of Tuesdays’ press conference talking about the need to develop a more consistent run game. Saturday’s game would appear to be the right time to do so. Florida Atlantic struggled mightily against the run in its last game against Miami.

The Owls allowed 279 rushing yards against the Hurricanes on only 39 attempts. The Wildcats have an opportunity to take advantage of the Owl run defense, but will have to im-

prove upon their paltry 92 yard, 2.9 yards-per-carry performance against Stanford.

Snyder said getting the running game going is about more than just the running backs.

“Running backs are only a part of advancing the ball in the running game,” Snyder said.

“Offensive linemen have a lot to do with that, receivers play a major role in the big play facet of the running game, as well as the tight ends and fullbacks. If you watched the Miami game (against Florida Atlantic), that fullback for Miami is a sizable young guy, and was very effective in that ballgame. He created some running lanes for their running backs.”

Silmon said if the running backs keep working hard, good things will come.

“We’ve just got to keep pushing,” Silmon said. “I feel like we’re going to have some breakthroughs and I feel like we have the guys to do it, so I mean we’ve just have to keep working and it’ll come along.”

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Women of K-State yoga event gets flexible with weather changes EMILY PORTER

THE COLLEGIAN

W

omen of K-State’s “Yoga on the Lawn” event took place Tuesday afternoon, but with a twist.

It wasn’t on the lawn.

Originally scheduled for 12:15-12:45 p.m., the exercise break was supposed to take place on Anderson Lawn. However, rain during the night and early morning hours created muddy, muggy conditions, so the event was moved to the Flint Hills Room in the K-State Student Union.

More than a dozen women took just over a half hour to stretch out their minds and bodies under the instruction of Megan Maransani, the assistant director for fitness and wellness with Recreational Services.

Maransani took the women through different breathing exercises and poses while music played softly in the background.

“I’ve done a few events with Women of K-State in the past, my first couple of years here,” Maransani said. “They reached

out to me to do a yoga-type event of some sort, and I love teaching yoga, so it seemed like a great opportunity to connect with other people on campus.”

Maransani, who oversees the personal training and group fitness programs as well as wellness programs for the Chester E. Peters Recreation Complex, said she likes these types of events and what they mean for students.

“They definitely bring some of the ladies together and there’s always different types of events; it’s not always a physical-based event,” Maransani said. “There are some educational type things, so it’s a great opportunity to bring students, faculty and staff together and learn something they may not have experienced before.”

While there are educational events hosted by Women of K-State, program coordinator Lauren McKnight said they are trying to include more events similar to yoga this year.

“In the past, it’s been more panels and speakers and kind of more focused on professional development,” McKnight said.

“But this year, we’re trying to

change it up and add more fun or social events like yoga.”

The social subcommittee in the organization came up with the event in hopes to attract students, faculty and staff.

“They just wanted something different, something more women could come during the day, either a break in their school day or in their work day and just come and relax and do something different,” McKnight said.

Most of the students who were in the room said they had done yoga before the event, like Shelby Day, freshman in kinesiology, who said she was looking for another opportunity when the email popped up in her inbox.

“I started doing yoga in my hometown, but I just really liked it when I started doing it there and figured I’d try and get back into it here,” Day said.

She said she had not started doing yoga through the Rec Complex yet, but plans to in the future.

As for Women of K-State’s future, the group hosts events every Wednesday. “WoKS Walks” encourages women to take a

Anna Spexarth | THE COLLEGIAN

Megan Maransani, assistant director for fitness and wellness at Chester E. Peters Recreation Complex, instructs a group in the Warrior II pose in yoga. The event was sponsored by Women of K-State and was held in the Flint Hills Room at the K-State Student Union on Tuesday.

50-minute walk around campus from noon to 1 p.m.

Additionally, the next big event, the Leadership Ca-

fe-Roundtable Discussions,will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 27. Attendees will submit topic ideas and have 20 min-

utes to discuss a problem facing women with other people at the table. An RSVP is due by Sept.

21.

Gov. Brownback requests emailed concerns on education funding TAYLOR HARRELSON THE COLLEGIAN

Gov. Sam Brownback announced that he wants comments and concerns from education leaders and concerned Kansans on the future education funding plan. According to the Leavenworth Times, a letter was sent to more than 50 school districts, seeking input on how to improve the new school finance formula for 2017.

The Brownback administration has been widely criticized in the past for how it has handled education funding. In May, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled the state funding for K-12 education was unconstitutionally too low.

Now, Brownback is asking for opinions via email.

“I’m disappointed there’s not going to be public forums,” Janet

File Photo by Austin Fuller | THE COLLEGIAN

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback speaks to the press at Marco Rubio’s rally in Topeka on March 4.

Waugh, Kansas Board of Education member from Kansas City, said. “I’m hoping (Gov. Brownback) takes all the suggestions he

gets and puts them together to see the most popular and most valuable to implement.”

Mark Desetti, lobbyist and

director of legislative and political advocacy for the Kansas National Education Association, said policy should not be created by an email account because there is no public scrutiny and the public does not know who says what.

“There is no way the public can actually listen to what is being said,” Desetti said. “He is working behind closed doors without a public forum.”

Not all educators in the state received the email address.

“I read the article and didn’t see what the email address was,” Dawn Wayant, third-grade teacher at Logan Elementary in Topeka, said. “It would be great if an email was sent out to all the school districts so all the teachers could have access.”

According to the Kansas City Star, “administrators from across the state talked about a

possible framework for a new school finance system that would create an equal property tax for all school districts and eliminate the local option budget.”

“I would like to see adequate funding going to all the schools across Kansas,” Desetti said.

“I would like to see that there is recognition that some kids need more help; some are at risk, don’t speak fluent English or special education requirements. We need to react to realities and fund schools as things change so they can accommodate.”

Waugh said in the new education formula, she would like to make sure all students are educated at high levels.

“It’s important zip code does not determine the education a child receives,” Waugh said.

Wayant said special education requires a lot of funding.

“They need to take into account schools that have high tax base and school districts that have Title I schools,” Wayant said.

“There needs to be more funding for poorer districts that have low-income families around it.”

Although the education formula only calls for grades K-12, the funding directly impacts higher education institutes as well.

Desetti said the problems in the state are affecting higher education.

“Kids in K-12 are being less prepared, and are having more trouble adjusting to higher education,” Desetti said. “Additionally, tax cut policies have resulted in large cuts, pricing young people out of college education. It’s just wrong.”

Ideas and proposals can be sent to StudentsFirst@ks.gov until Nov. 30.

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wednesday, september 14, 2016

Low ag commodity prices affect K-State students, family farms nationwide (the Conservation Research Program) is a lot less risky than us losing our family farm.”

KAITLYN ALANIS THE COLLEGIAN

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VARYING OUTLOOKS

n abundant supply and not enough demand have left farming families across the nation hurting to keep a steady income as the purchase price for agriculture commodities is taking a steep drop, Barry Flinchbaugh, professor in agricultural economics, said to his agricultural policy class.

“My family is going through a super rough patch,” Celine Beggs, senior in agricultural communications and agricultural economics, said.

“In comparison to years past, our yields are actually looking to be higher than normal. But at the end of the day, we will still be in the red.”

Beggs grew up on a family farm in Clearfield, Iowa, where she said some of her fondest memories were helping her dad on the tractor or working in the fields.

FIGHT FOR THE FARM

“We all love our family farm and would do anything to keep the farm under our name,” Beggs said.

Now, Beggs said her family, much like many others, will not be able to sustain another growing period because of low purchase prices.

“Being a smaller farm of about 180 acres, we don’t have the storage to save our crops until prices are higher,” Beggs said. “We have to sell them now even though the return rates are poor.”

To combat this, Beggs’ family has contracted their farmland into the government’s Conservation Research Program, a land conservation program that pays farmers who agree to cease agricultural production in exchange for improving the environment. Over 10 years, the Beggs’ family will seed down their farm with natural prairie grasses and wildflowers.

“We’re essentially removing all traces of the farmland,” Beggs said. “We will continue

Graphic by Audrey Hockersmith to mow and care for the land, so that when the contract expires in 10 years, we will be ready to start farming again.”

More and more farmers will be looking into programs like the Conservation Research Program and other governmental subsidies, Flinchbaugh said, but there are limits on the number of acres that can be enrolled.

“I think a lot more farmers will try to enroll (in the Conservation Research Program) due to the significantly decreasing farm income,” Flinchbaugh said. “A priority in Congress needs to be to increase the funds available for the amount of acres allowed to be in the program.”

For Beggs, she said this is one of the hardest decisions her family has ever had to make.

“But there comes a point where you have to put economic reasoning over emotional attachment,” Beggs said.

“It is a necessity for our family to keep the farm in our name,” Beggs said. “So if we have to take 10 years off to ensure that, we are going to follow through.”

RISK ACROSS THE NATION

About 1,700 miles west, Mary Marsh, freshman in agricultural communications and journalism, comes from a family farm in Arbuckle, California, where they grow almonds.

“We are fortunate in that we are not seeing the impact of the low purchase prices as bad as other farmers in the area, thanks to our trees having already been in production and paid off,” Marsh said. “But not everyone is that lucky. For those around us who have taken out loans or borrowed money to invest in their newer orchards, they will not be seeing a return on those investments anytime soon.”

While some farmers say

agriculture can be summed up in the word “risk,” Marsh said that her family has slightly less risk than other farmers such as those who grow wheat.

“When you invest in orchards, you’re investing for at least 20 to 30 years,” Marsh said. “This is not a one season type of thing. So if you have one or two bad years, you can recover in the long run. It is a very different ballgame than growing wheat. For them, you have one bad season and your income is drastically hurt.”

Even seemingly optimistic about the coming year, Marsh said her family will still make adjustments in their growing methods to ensure they are not too negatively affected by the purchase prices.

“This is a very real situation,” Marsh said. “We will cut down on chemical uses and other small adjustments like that, just to be safe.”

With a new farm bill expected to be passed in the next

few years, Beggs said there is still a risk to being enrolled in the Conservation Research Program.

“Agriculture is all about risk, though,” Beggs said. “And the risk of being enrolled in

With a slightly different perspective, Sam Davis, sophomore in animal sciences and industry, said some might see a benefit in the low commodity prices seen nationwide.

“From a little different point of view, my dad is a feed salesman and the low prices of commodities have lowered the price of feed, particularly bulk cubes,” Davis said. “This helps him because he is able to sell more feed, which outweighs the price cut he is putting on the feed.”

According to AgriPulse, cash receipts, “the cash income farmers get from crop and animal sales,” is expected to see a 7 percent drop in 2016 due to a surplus.

Prices of these commodities will appear cheaper to salesman and consumers, Beggs said, but they have to look at the bigger picture.

“I wish these people would take a step back and look at the small farm and the local farmer,” Beggs said. “Really look at how it is impacting us. It may look awesome for consumers, but it is taking farmers like us out of the market. The outlook is not looking good for at least 10 years. How will we ever be able to feed the world?”

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wednesday, september 14, 2016

K-State resident assistant takes a stand for mental health awareness JENA ERNSTING THE COLLEGIAN

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fter losing two friends to suicide since starting college, Staci Gann, Ford Hall resident assistant and senior in family studies and human services, created a mental health awareness program that started in Ford Hall and has now spread across the country.

Gann started the mental health awareness program Stand Up for Your Sisters during the spring 2016 semester. Losing two of her friends to suicide triggered her desire to spread the word and work toward more mental health awareness, Gann said.

Gann said she wants people to be educated and be aware of mental health issues so they can help the people around them struggling.

“That is what really fuels the flame of wanting to continue doing it and making people aware of it,” Gann said.

Her first program had around 50 women participating, and since then Gann said she has been asked to facilitate the program at sororities on campus, as well as for the K-State rowing team.

Stand Up for Your Sisters is a way for women to actively and anonymously participate in a group where sensitive subjects are brought up, Gann said.

“You hand out a survey with between 20 and 30 yes or no questions and nobody writes their name on it,” Gann said.

“The questions range from, ‘Have you ever failed a class?’ to ‘Have you ever struggled with depression, anxiety or an eating disorder?’ and we basically go through topics that people don’t

feel comfortable talking about.”

After the group has finished their survey, Gann said she has all the participants fold the surveys up and pass them in.

The surveys are then randomly redistributed to the participates, so each participant ends up with someone else’s survey in hand.

“We read the question out loud, so if the person whose survey you have in hand had circled yes to the question, you stand up,” Gann said. “It is a visual representation of how many women in the room are struggling with that specific thing.”

The topics talked about are oftentimes shoved under the rug by the person experiencing them because they are embarrassed to think about it or even feel vulnerable. The point of the program is for women to see they are not alone and that others are experiencing the same struggles too, Gann said.

“When you are doing the survey, you are literally holding somebody’s reality in your hands,” Gann said.

Rachel Haskell, sophomore in kinesiology and past Ford resident, had a lot of good things to say about Gann.

“She is just the most incredible person I have ever met, so selfless and genuinely cares for others,” Haskell said. “It is so cool to see her be so passionate about others.”

Haskell needed to find a mental health program to fill a presentation spot at her sorority, and although she couldn’t attend the inaugural Stand Up for Your Sisters program at Ford, Haskell said her roommate was quick to suggest it. “(Gann) was great about being vulnerable and sharing her own personal stories,” Has-

Hallie Lucas | THE COLLEGIAN

Stacy Gann, senior in family studies and human services and Ford Hall resident assistant, facilitates a program called Stand Up for Your Sisters, which allows young women on campus to participate in discussions about sensitive topics anonymously, allowing them the opportunity to see that they’re not alone with the things they’re struggling with. kell said. “It helped open others up, especially if a girl you don’t know is willing to open up to you.”

Gann said that vulnerability is a necessity when participating in the program.

Stand Up for Your Sisters is not just a program available to Kansas State students, according to Carly Corio, assistant residence life coordinator at Ford and graduate student in

counseling and student development.

“The Stand Up for Your Sisters program is now on a national database within the National Residence Hall Honorary and is available for other campuses to integrate,” Corio said.

The program was nominated by Corio for an “Of the Month” award at K-State and for a regional National Residence Hall Honorary award.

Gann said it won both.

“I hope the takeaways from the women who participated in the program are that they feel unified with the women around them,” Gann said.

Stand Up for Your Sisters is just a start, Gann said. She looks forward to working in the trauma counseling field, preferably with women on college campuses.

“Every time I think about

Check out the Relig ion Director y

it, I just shake because I think, ‘This is so cool, that I’m not really qualified to do this yet, but I’ve been given the opportunity to present something like Stand Up for Your Sisters,’” Gann said. “It’s honestly an honor.”

Gann said she wants to remove the façade of neatness that people put on when they come to college because mental health is an evident issue, now and in the future.

e v e r y F r i d ay

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Big 12 SGA statements against BYU more harmful than helpful

SHELTON BURCH THE COLLEGIAN

Last week, Iowa State University’s Student Governing Association passed a resolution opposing Brigham Young University’s admission into the Big 12 Conference, according to Iowa State Daily article “Student Government passes resolution against BYU joining Big 12,” by Alex Connor and Linda Brown.

This week, Kansas State’s SGA is considering a similar move, according to the Collegian’s article, “Student leaders oppose BYU joining Big 12,” by Jason Tidd.

Both school’s SGA’s have lost their minds apparently.

BYU is one of 12 schools currently being considered by the Big 12 for expansion, according to ESPN. It’s a Mormon school that has drawn criticism for its Honor Code in light of its candidacy into the conference. Student leaders at Iowa State criticized BYU’s practices and policies, specifically regarding the homosexual community by calling them “inconsistent with the values of the Big 12,” according to Connor and Brown’s article.

While noble in the way Iowa State’s SGA, and possibly our own SGA, have chosen to speak out for the rights of others, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that Iowa State’s statement serves only to hurt them.

The same can be said about our own as well, if it comes to pass.

Let us remember that back in 2010 during the conference realignment, which saw Nebraska and Colorado both leave the

Big 12, the University of Texas stayed. This saved the conference from collapse, even after Texas A&M and Missouri left for the Southeastern Conference in 2011.

K-State, for all the things that make it great, is not a national powerhouse financially or athletically.

Schools like K-State and Iowa State, and for the fun of including them, the University of Kansas, were nearly left homeless the last time the Big 12 almost collapsed, leaving us begging for admission into financially insignificant conferences like that which TCU eventually left to join the Big 12.

The problem with statements like those made about BYU by Iowa State’s SGA or that K-State’s SGA makes now is that they might be part of the reason we could be in the same boat as we were in 2010 if the conference ever does get close to failing again.

Statements like these show we are not willing to tolerate working with those who are

Street Talk

different from us, that we see ourselves as somehow better than them because we’re with the ‘in’ crew that is the Big 12, even though that was only because Texas wanted to preserve the reported $15 million annually that it gets from its own television network.

Even worse, though, is that statements like those by Iowa State’s SGA make members of the Big 12 look like hypocrites.

They carry the implication that we somehow see our failings as less significant than other school’s failings.

Let us not forget that we have two private Christian schools in our conference, one of which is heavily overshadowed by criticism of its handling of sexual assaults on campus.

Yet still, we imply that our failings are less relevant than those of BYU. Don’t get me wrong: I do not support how BYU handles many of its policies, and I think we need to bring those things to the light. I also believe the best way to overcome differences is

to work with someone instead of sending them a letter condemning them and refusing to talk to them ever again.

We’ll learn soon if our SGA is wise enough to agree.

The views and opinions expressed in

this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Collegian.

Shelton Burch is a senior in English. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.

DO YOU THINK BYU SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE BIG 12?

compiled by Nicholas Horvath

JACOB COOMBES junior, architecture

senior, civil engineering

BLAKE MORRIS

Kansas State band director

DR. TRACZ

junior, architecture

DREW RASH

DAKOTA SMITH

I think we should add the University of Houston and BYU because they make sense geographically, and they will add to our national profile as far as our chances of getting into the conference playoffs.

Basically the fact that they can’t play on Sundays is going to be a be scheduling problem for the Big 12, so I don’t think it’s a good fit.

I don’t care as long as we keep our band program going strong.

I think it’s an interesting concept, but they may not fit or align with the Big 12 ideals in regards to their religious views.

It’s not that big of a deal to me, but it should be some good football.

junior, architecture

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wednesday, september 14, 2016

Wildcats rally, take down Blue Jays in four sets AVERY OSEN

THE COLLEGIAN

After dropping the first set to Creighton, the No. 25 Kansas State volleyball team rallied and defeated the Blue Jays in four sets inside Ahearn Field House on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats are now 8-2 Sabrina Cline | THE COLLEGIAN

Junior opposite hitter Bryna Vogel puts a tough serve into play in the match against Creighton University in Ahearn Fieldhouse on Tuesday.

The Wildcats fought back after losing the first match to overcome the Bluejays three sets to one.

on the season and have a sixgame winning streak under their belt, which matches the longest streak they had all of last season. In their 10 nonconference games so far this season, four of the 10 teams are receiving votes or are ranked in the top 25 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

“All you can ask of them is to keep playing hard,” head coach Suzie Fritz said after the match. “I told them they have to keep fighting to get better and that’s exactly what they did.”

K-State was dominated in the first set 25-18, but Fritz said she was happy with the way her team fought back in the match.

“I thought that was about as poorly as we’ve played all year,” she said. “We had far too

many errors, but after that, each set we got a little better.”

K-State responded, winning the next two sets by very narrow margins 25-23 and 2826. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Kylee Zumach had three kills down the stretch in the third and capped it with an ace.

“When we needed big plays, she came through,” Fritz said. “She was taking big swings and cracks and that’s a very hard job. They have to go hit all the stuff that nobody else wants to hit and bail you out of some situations. She did a tremendous job for us.”

The Wildcats played well in the fourth set, winning 25-21 and securing their sixth-straight win to cap out a seven-game home stretch.

Sophomore middle blocker

Macy Flowers had eight kills and hit over .300 in the match for the Wildcats.

“I really liked how she played for us and thought she was getting more pop on her hits tonight,” Fritz said.

It was a career night for junior opposite hitter Bryna Vogel, who had 18 kills, the most for her in a match in her career as a Wildcat. She led all players in this category and hit a solid .375 in the winning effort, too.

The Wildcats will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, this weekend to take on UMKC, Arkansas and Southern Miss to close out the nonconference portion of their schedule.

The Wildcats will return home for the Big 12 opener Sept. 21 when they host Iowa State in Ahearn Field House.

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wednesday, september 14, 2016

Before college gets stressful, make time to smell the roses

KELSEY KENDALL THE COLLEGIAN

Let’s be honest, college is rough. It’s rough on students’ minds and bodies as they try to keep up with busy schedules, lack of sleep and stress.

It might seem to be easier said than done, but there’s a really simple way to make all of that easier and that is to just make time for yourself. Take some time every day to do something you enjoy and gets your mind off of things to help with mental and physical stress.

There are just a few steps to becoming a healthier student such as eating healthy, building relationships and working out, according to Laura McMullen’s U.S. News article “How to be healthy in college.” But realistically, that can be pretty hard.

When you’re on a budget and have been eating Ramen for several days, that chocolate bar in the vending machine is looking pretty dang good. It might not be super healthy all

the time, but it’s a nice treat.

Also, if working out is really just not your thing — it’s not mine, so don’t feel guilty — don’t make yourself miserable trying to do it. Believe it or not, a lot of activities you actually like doing or just walking to class can help with that.

The only thing in the “How to be healthy in college” article I could really get behind is the last tip it gives: Look good. There’s a reason beyond vanity for this. Sure, feeling confident in your appearance can be a good self-esteem boost, but I like the idea behind this: Taking the time to do something that makes you feel good when you’re jam-packed with stuff that, in all honestly, can really just make you feel like crap.

If you’re not into taking the time to do makeup, pick out trendy outfits or whatever else might make you say “Oo-la-la” to your reflection. Take that time to read a book, work out, watch a movie, take a nap.

Anything your heart desires can be yours if you just take a moment to realize you’re human and have needs, which do not include running yourself ragged.

“Who cares what your GPA is when you feel miserable?” Nora Turriago wrote in her Huffington Post blog, “The most important lesson from college? Learning how to take care of yourself.”

Turriago makes a good point. Stress comes when you stop looking forward to your busy schedule and put too much pressure on yourself. You’re not going to be happy with yourself or anything you do if you don’t treat yourself every now and then. Your GPA might not even matter in the long run, and you could be making yourself miserable trying to achieve it.

According to Robin Reshwan’s U.S. News article, “Does GPA matter when applying for a job?,” while some employers consider your GPA, many don’t.

There are some companies that will try to shrink the application pool by having a minimum GPA, but there are still employers who will look at your experience and won’t consider a lower GPA a deal-breaker.

This is a comforting thought when students are trying to make time to do something for themselves. Those moments that aren’t consumed by classes or homework can actually be used to focus on something you enjoy. Doing little things throughout the day can help relieve stress often associated with being a college student.

The work isn’t going anywhere, so sit back and smell the roses every now and then.

Kelsey Kendall is a junior in mass communications.

Please email comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.