Knight Staff Reporter
Mina Kim
Layout Editor Tina Nagai
Sports Reporter Nick Halaby
eporter R Ben Sloan
Reporter
Jessica Aquino
Reporter
Cameron De’Matteis
Reporter
Sidney Stephens
Advisor
Elisia Harkins
Reporter
Sophia Page
Reporter
Devon Gearhart
Blog Editor
Vaughn Himber
Editor in Chief
Editor in Chief
Reporter
Ebone’ Chatman
Anna Hovanesyan
Grace McKagan
Tayce Taylor
Ads Manager
n i s i e Lov ! r i a the
CONTENTS
News
4 5 7
dear freshman me
featuring ND Initiates first gwen club
6
close up to the capital hospital volunteering
Abuse affects every single one of us, but it’s time to stop it. And it starts with us
Features
10 The L word 11 Going Steady community 14 college 15 munchkin 16 Reading Killed teen 17 depression cliff 18 fiscal lingering bff has 19 my a GF
Knights get A Crackin’
The absolute necessity of health and the shocking and disgusting facts that relate to our daily lives.
Make me a match !
sports
12+13 Blind Dating? The Knight plays Matchmaker!
21 hall of shame showtime 22 clippers Page 3
8+9
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
, e M n a m h s e r F r Dea
News
By Devon Gearhart
Walking into the Riverside building my freshman year, I can officially say I was a mess. My mom thought I was going to grow a lot during high school so she bought me large and extra large sizes for all of my clothes, and at 5’5 and 120 lbs, that wasn’t exactly my best look. I was overwhelmed by the sheer mass of the campus and, yes, I did wait outside of my classroom 5 minutes before the bell rang. Needless to say, a lot has changed in the past 4 years. Even my recently purchased uniform size medium mostly fits me. To say that high school is the best time of your life would literally force you to over look the zits, the body odor, the pit stains, the sleepless nights, and that one time you tried to kiss someone after the dance but were too excited and ended up banging your teeth together. I think a more accurate description is the beginning of Page 4
having to be fearless. It’s scary to talk to the girl you like and to ask a boy to go to the movies. It’s scary to take risks, to score that goal or go for second instead of just settling for first base. I think we also all have experienced the terror of a parent who just received a bad report card. These things that strike fear in your adolescent heart never go away, though. You will always be afraid to do something; high school is just the time where you learn to act in spite of that fear. Hormones are raging, your body is doing things that are very perplexing, and all of a sudden your world is wildly shifting. For the first time in your life you are being integrated into the adult world, and it’s not fun. You will get your heart broken and you get thrust into situations you have no idea how to handle. So you try your best. Now that I’m ending my high school years I think I finally under-
stand. It’s not just a period in your life where you have a wild time and are financially supported; it’s the start of a battle to be honest, to be true to yourself, and to stay passionate. For me, and most students, high school holds as many of my highest moments as my lowest ones. When you do well in a debate or when you win a race, you feel as though you are on top of the world. But when you get a bad grade or do not get into your dream school, it makes you feel as though there could be nothing worse. All of these moments, the good, the bad, and the downright awkward, are what make high school such an amazing experience. While not all of our moments will be out of a John Hughes film, and God knows most will be far from graceful, you will experience high school in its entirety. Maybe then, you can find beauty in those terrible neon jeggings you wore on your first free dress day.
The Knight Magazine
February 2013
News
Close up to the Nation’s Capital
Page 5
By Mina Kim
Even though the brisk winter air berated my cheeks, I knew I was witnessing history being made. Being in our nations capital so rich in history you can still see colonial style buildings peppered throughout the city, it dawned on me that there was not a single inch that didn’t hold something meaningful or significant to the distinct culture that America cultivates. Even the people here are an extension of the diverse communities and that make America the melting pot that it is today. This year, I was lucky to go on the Close Up trip with Notre Dame and go to Washington DC to see the Presidential Inauguration. Close Up is a program that takes place every year in the nation’s capital and exposes high school students to the inner workings of government and a closer look into American history. The program started with an orientation and assigned workshop groups, where students have group discussions about the day or work on an assignment focused on Amendments and federal laws. For the entire week, students from all over the country got to know each other through bus rides, city tours, watching debates and guest speakers, and dances. Other schools that joined Notre Dame came from Washington State, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Rhode Island. The culture clash between the states was apparent in pronunciation, behavior and clothing. During debates, the culture clash really exploded in ideology and opinion in politics. Most of the Notre Dame students were liberal, and most of the other students were very conservative but despite conflicting opinion, the debates were orderly and civilized. By the end of the week, Notre Dame students were sad to leave the Close Up trip and their new out of state friends. Each day was filled with activities, which usually involved sight seeing and group discussion. We visited every monument and memorial from the Washington Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial, to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and newly constructed Martin Luther King Memorial. We also visited Capital Hill, including a session in the House of Representatives, offices of congressmen and the National Gallery. Other than political sights, Close Up took us to the Natural History Museum, the Newseum and the Air and Space Museum. On the 21st, we went to the National Mall and waited hours for the momentous Inauguration. Over 700,000 people stood before the Capitol and cheered in waves of mini American flags for Obama and Biden as they went back into office for their second terms. Despite the freezing weather and unyielding sense of claustrophobia from the crowd, the Inauguration was history in action. As the first president to include the issue of gay rights in his inaugural speech and as the first black president of America, he symbolized the multitudes of diverse lifestyles and cultures that make up the United States. After Obama and Biden were sworn into office, Richard Blanco, the first Latino gay poet to perform at an inauguration, read his poem, “One Day”. With such a promising beginning to his second term, Obama was enthusiastically cheered on by the sea of Americans before him, white and black, straight or gay, man or woman.
The Knight Magazine
February 2013
News
presence in a high school. This network helps every student Not many students know that on Notre Dame’s campus, the willing to listen to become aware of themselves and how first high school GWEN Club has emerged, creating a curric- crucial their part is. ulum for high schools across the globe to teach individuals Recently, GWEN Club became publicly known to the the tools to help themselves and others be in a safe, happy, GWEN community through a Radio Talk show hosted by and healthy environment. GWEN fights against every kind of club presidents, Tayce Taylor and Monique Candiff. This abuse- physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, bulmorning tele-seminar covered hard hitting topics surroundlying, etc. Abuse affects every single one of us, but it’s time ing teen issues like bullying, eating disorders, divorce, and to stop it, and it’s starting here and now on ND’s campus. high school pressures. The next one will be held March GWEN Club will silently be turning heads as it heads for 23rd, 2013 expanding on teen issues previously covered. huge success. GWEN Club has also been blessed with the greatest leader and mentor to help guide us: the co-founder of this This semester, GWEN will be one of the most active organization, Tess Cacciatore. Last clubs on campus, planning on many “The GWEN Club stands for global month, GWEN Club was lucky to have Cacmajor events in the future. GWEN Club Global Women’s Empowerment ciatore pop in for a meeting to tell us the will make a bigger presence on campus of GWEN and the personal stories fuas these events move forward. In DeNetwork uniting communities to roots eling this campaign. Notre Dame will be getcember, GWEN had its first high school transform love against abuse.” ting major media attention as GWEN shifts bake sale event at Notre Dame this past the attention onto their first high school club. holiday season and it was a success! The – Tess Cacciatore, Notre Dame is blessed to have the GlobND GWEN Club stayed up all night bakCo-Founder of GWEN al Women’s Empowerment Network create ing everything from brownies and cooka presence on campus that will make way ies to glazed pumpkin cake. One of our members even made cookies in an easy bake oven (thanks for high schools to implement this program with messages Mariana Duran)! With the excitement of the GWEN Club’s so valuable for teens to share. Notre Dame’s students will first bake sale, our teen GWEN-ers could barely sleep the be the first and the most important seeds for GWEN to grow previous night. And with all of our club’s hard work, students and more importantly for the fight against abuse to continue. had to navigate through a stampeding race for the GWEN goodies the next day. The most important outcome of the ND GWEN Club’s first bake sale was how many teens became aware of what was happening on campus: a positive, Club Presidents: Get Involved! self-motivating and growing network of people making their Tayce Taylor We are always looking for new Monique Candiff members! Just show up to a meeting or contact Tayce Taylor or any of the Club members. We Big Events to Look For: also have a Facebook page called Weekend Tele-Seminars “GWEN at ND” you can follow to Share Your Story get caught up with our upcoming Empowerment Weeks events and meetings. Anybody GWEN Bake Sales who is willing to help in any way is GWEN Bracelets much appreciated! By Tayce Taylor
Download the GWEN App!
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If you’re interested in the cause and do not want to be in the club or want to be anonymous, please visit www.gwennetwork.org or visit GWEN on Facebook to get involved.
The Knight Magazine
February 2013
Hospital Volunteering: How ND Students Balance Schoolwork and Volunteering By Alex Stephenson
Service hours are needed and there are so many good causes to contribute to. What better way to combine them than to volunteer at a hospital? That is exactly what Jarret Manlapaz, Senior, and Shannon Escote, Junior, thought. Since the end of September, Manlapaz has been volunteering at Kaiser Permanente in Panorama City. He describes it as a very rewarding experience, adding “I get to meet a lot of new, nice people while I am volunteering who really care about my future and give me advice. I also get to be involved and experience cool things that other people cannot say that they have experienced.” During his time at Kaiser, Manlapaz has filed and sorted papers and prescriptions, picked up medications, made copies, organized files, took phone calls and logged in information to the computer. Hospital volunteering is no picnic. “Although I enjoy volunteering, it does take up a lot of my time since I am required to complete four hours a week
Page 7
and overall, I am required to complete at least 150 hours,” says Manlapaz. Escote also enjoys volunteering at her local hospital, the Antelope Valley Hospital. For six months, Escote has been volunteering her time and energy once a week to the Pre-Op/Recovery Room in the Women and Infants Pavilion (WIP). Besides paperwork,she assists the nurses in various ways: assembling cribs for the babies, checking on the patients in the rooms if they need anything, collecting lunch trays, emptying out charts of discharged patients, and even helping discharge new moms. “Additionally, the other AVH teen volunteers and I do fund-raising like bake-sales and Christmas wreath sales, and all of the raised money goes to a division of the hospital that needs the most funding.” Escote’s favorite part about volunteering is “...getting exposed to the world of medicine, be it by familiarizing myself with medical terms, or by getting to know the wonderful people who work at the hospital. I love to have conversa-
News
tions with the nurses and doctors, who are an eclectic group of friendly, witty, and compassionate women and men.” Escote was prompted to volunteer by the desire to explore a medical career.Unlike Manlapaz, when asked if she would continue her volunteer work, Escote replies, “Yes, I definitely want to continue volunteering. I think it is important to comprehend that volunteering is not solely about completing service hours – it’s about offering your free time for a passionate cause.” Volunteering at your local hospital may seem like a great idea, but be sure you are dedicated before entering into such a commitment. If you have the time and are ready to commit, hospital volunteering may be just right for you!
The Knight Magazine
February 2013
News By Tayce Taylor
Chiropractor, bio chemist, and nutritionist, Doctor Rahim Salehmohamed, visited The Knight Mag staff to give some fascinating information about healthy living relating to the nervous system. Invited by Co-Editor, Tayce Taylor, Dr. Rahim gave an adjustment demonstration on her after the class heard about the importance of having an aligned spine. A small class of 12 students learned about the absolute necessity of health and the shocking and disgusting facts that relate to our daily lives.
The Knight Staff Gets a Crackin’ ous system is that the nerv t ou d fin to d ocke nce in the “What I was sh even an imbala d an , ng hi yt er ev ving better really controls ss. Besides ha ne ck si e us ca n r spines are spine/nerves ca sis, most of ou io ol sc e lik , es su care of our known spine is e need to take W . be ld ou sh they e functions not in the form can help with th s ck ba r ou g in just d was that it bodies, and ad ng fact I learne ki oc sh er th no A our bodies. of our organs. broken down in be to t fa ns tra for trans fat in takes 510 days s and fries, have ip ch e lik t, ea e sw bodies are if Most fatty food messed up our ly ib rr te w ho e in like this?” it. Can you imag ly eating foods we’re constant yan - Anna Hovanes
“Dr. Rahim taught me about my health, including the nervous system, the phases of spinal degeneration, and the triumph of life. He explained to me that the nervous system controls our whole bodies, most importantly the brain and spinal chords, well being. Dr. Rahim was informative when clarifying causes of disease, saying, “The bodies inability to comprehend its environment externally and internally, which causes a malfunction.” In order to cure your mental being when sick, you have to remove the mental blockage of being “sick”, because society has taught us to be fearful.” - Grace McKagan
“Doesn’t matter who you are or what you have. Everyone has a spine; everyone has a nervous system. We know when there is interference between the brain and the rest of the body it cannot function at its optimal best.” - Dr. Rahim
“Dr. Rahim’s presentation was informative, engaging, and entertaining. He helped to redefine my understanding of leading a healthy life, as most people think this involves only proper diet, hydration, and exercise; Salemohamed’s definition of health was when “one hundred percent of all of the body parts are working at one hundred percent function at one hundred percent of the time”, which, for me, really emphasized the importance of having a balanced existence in which one’s internal systems cooperate in harmony. In addition, I was reminded of how vital it is to maintain good posture.” - Vaughn Himber
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“Nerves co ntrol everyth ing in our b spine is the ody and the hub of all n e rves. Press area of you ure on one r spine can affect the fu an organ. M nction of alfunctions like this are everything linked to that can be wrong with From a stiff your body. neck, to dis eases like C Alzheimer’s ancer and , your spine can negative wa ys. Accordin affect you in very g to Dr. Rah best way to im, the avoid proble m s with your to make su body is re that your spine is in g o o d shape.” - Nick Hala by
“Dr. Rahim was able to enlighten the students with inspiring factual information about our health and body. His nutrition statistics were life-changing and addressed some major misinterpretations about protein, carbohydrates, sugar, and salt. I will walk away from this experience determined to lead a much cleaner and healthier lifestyle, free of GMO’s and trans fat.” -Cameron de Matteis
“I became a chiropractor because I wanted to help people,” said Dr. Rahim, and so he did. He taught us that the nervous system controls every function in our body. Depending on how we eat, we can negatively or positively affect the system. We were taught some very essential spinal exercises that can help straighten the curvature in our backs. I thought this was essential because most teenagers do not have a perfect curvature in their back and most suffer from scoliosis, like I do. I found Dr. Salehmohamed’s demonstration of how to properly crack a neck fascinating and essential in that it relieves pressure and realigns the spine.” - Sophia Page
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
Simple Exercises to Keep Your Spine Aligned!
News
Do each exercise like Devon in increments of 15. Make sure to keep feet hip distance a part and do these once a day to keep the doctor away!
Disgusting Facts About What We Eat
-Saturated and Trans fat takes 510 days to digest. -The average person dies with 8-12 pounds of undigested meat in their stomach. -Some fast food hamburgers are soaked in aldehyde which is used to preserve dead bodies.
Some Knights were invited with their parents to try an adjustment and were explained the importance of keeping the spine aligned. Knights include: Oliver Adams, Katie Perez, Mariana Duran, and Greta Lorenz. “I have never been to a chiropractor in my 17 years of living and bad posture. My experience with Dr. Rahim was fantastic. I learned a lot about the wonders of the human body and the extent of the deep connection we have with our spine. I never knew that problems with a spine could cause such a variety of problems. After a quick 15 minute session with Dr. Rahim, I found problems in my posture, walk and movement. I felt immediate results after and intend to go back as soon as I can.” - Oliver Adams, Senior
“I never considered going to a chiropractor because I never had any troubles with my body in the past. However, when Tayce told me about receiving a free adjustment I figured I should try it out. I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect and to be completely honest a little skeptical. After going and hearing Rahim talk about the work he performs on his clients and giving me feedback I grew a little more comfortable. In the beginning of the adjustment, Rahim asked me a few questions so he could have background about me and information about my body. Soon after, he asked me to walk in a straight line so he could analyze the way I walked focusing on my feet and legs as well as posture. After a while, he told me that I was a natural flat foot and had sprained both my ankles once in my life and had not noticed it. He pointed out that I walked a little shaky and unsteady. I was in shock and he sat me down. He cracked my neck which aligned my back and released a lot of tension. To finish the adjustment he cracked my feet. I could feel the difference in the way I walked. I felt lighter and not as wobbly. I could feel the difference in my walk and I thought that it was a very enjoyable experience.” - Katie Perez, Junior Page 9
Rahim checks Greta Lorenz’s balance with her eyes first open then closed.
Rahim checks the nervous pressure along the spine with a meter to dictate where the subluxation is.
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
FeatureS By Ben Sloan
The L Word
I remember the day: spring sunshine gleaming into my eyes. Love was in the air. I walked by the benches next to the vending machines and saw couples everywhere. It was like a painting. Some were holding hands, dehumanizing their partners with pet names, and cuddling holding each other tight. I got a little closer, lurking like a suspected Russian spy and then I heard the words I was waiting for, “Baby I love you”. Today we examine the word “love”. What does it actually mean? It seems as if these days in high school relationships you hit a point, three or four months in, and BOOM there you have it. Love is in the air. It’s almost scientific when the “L” word comes out of its cage. It’s trapped; hesitant to come bursting out completely and defiantly changing the relationship of its abusers. It swirls in her head, just rummaging through random thoughts in a normal day. “Oh love love love”. It surrounds our lives so it is a natural thought. All young and old have the word love on their mind. Now lets take a look at this
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theamatic sequence. Each couple, at the beginning of their lovely endeavor has some awkward connection. The physical attraction is there and worries swirl about how much their new partner likes them. Self consciousness attacks the girl in the relationship, even the guy from time to time. For the first month or so most couples stay away from hanging out alone. Though both nervous, it is important that the “alone time” eveventually comes. When it finally comes, couples will either connect or, well, not connect. Those that succeed continue to hang out alone. Shy at first to impose, though after a little while it becomes a weekly norm. It is not a question of “do you want to hang out” but rather “what should we do”. Each of their friends take a backside in their life. Sacrifices begin to be made. Schoolwork is put off and football practice is just a good time to day dream about her. The obsession is complete at that point and the L Word is bound to come screaming from one of their lips some time or another. Us young high-schoolers think we know what it is. We think it’s when you hold someone close to you and
know, you just know. But know what? Know that you care about that person and want to spend a good deal of time with them? That’s great; you have a connection….but love? It kills the aspirations of young ones at Notre Dame. Aspirations go to garbage and instead of doing your homework you would rather spend an hour or two cuddling with her; and then as soon as she leaves hop on your cell phone and bash away at its keys sending her happy faces and hearts and telling her how much of a cutie pie she is? That’s what I thought love was. Maybe that’s what we all think it is, but all that affection, is that all? Love is everywhere. Most songs are made of love. Books and films too. So essentially every human being thinks about being affectionate towards someone else for hours upon hours. I really don’t think that’s what it is. Take a stab young ones and maybe sit on it for a second or so.
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
FeatureS
Goin’ dy a e t S By Jessica “Jo” P. Aquino
Photo By Kaycie Peterson
Beginning at such a young age, teenagers are introduced to the notion of true love and romanticism. We are all lead to believe that those two things are possible, and even likely, at our age, at fifteen, sixteen, seventeen. It’s simply ridiculous. I won’t lie and say that I haven’t fallen into the same trap. I do believe that young love can be true. I’m not so cynical as to think that it is impossible; it’s very possible. Only a blind fool would deny that completely. But to constantly hunt it down with every
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single romantic prospect is, to me, what’s wrong. Now, the definition of a steady relationship is simple. According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, steady means, “Continuing or developing gradually or without stopping, and not likely to change.” But teenagers are full of change! “I think I’ll look better in that outfit.” “I want that flavor instead.” “I want a refund.” “I am tired of this.” “I am tired of you.” And isn’t that what it comes down to? Teenagers, or people of this generation in general, are finding it harder and harder to find a true and longlasting relationship. Many are initially drawn in with the idea of true love being ever-present and all around us and easily found. Some teens get so wrapped up in the idea of love and relationships, they don’t even stop to figure out if a relationship with the other person is even right. And sometimes, once they are in the relationship, they find themselves tiring quickly of that other person. And this is healthy.
In an email response, Dr. Susan Buttross, a professor of Pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, said, “Teenagers are a touch spastic. Long-term relationships are not so haphazard. They do happen to be a bit more infrequent, of course, because the needed attention span of teenagers may be only a few seconds.” And this only adds to the idea of how preposterous steady relationships can be at such young ages. Again, I’m not trying to be cynical about it. There are many relationships that last from high school and beyond, but for the most part, most high school relationships crash and burn. The only way to avoid those is to jump out before “you” are burned with it. However, the rarity of such occurences among teenagers does have its upside: it makes the relationships that do last a long time more meaningful. In high school, 6 to 9 months is considered a long-term relationship. Among adults (ages 25 and up), however, 9 months is basically a blip in a relationship. So, put into perspective, a few months in high school that seem forever, are actually not much.
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
FeatureS
, r e k a m h c t a M e M e Mak syan
By Anna Hovane
g ay is approachin Ah, Valentine’s D l day is ia ec air. Since this sp shooting and love is in the w ro ar r favorite ou g in at br le ce to great idea to dedicated ght it would be a ou th f af st ht ig in Quigley saint, the Kn two Seniors, Keel up t se d an er Neither one play matchmak d date together. in bl a on , on ns atively and Wes Adria , but both cooper be ld ou w te da r is knew who thei look as to how th the idea. Take a n he w e went along with tim te went, and next couple’s blind da quick to turn asked, don’t be so . in down a bl d date
Have you ever been o a blind date before?n
Wes: I’ve neve r been on a bl ind date befo Keelin: Nope. re.
Did you previously know your date well before this date? Wes: I’ve had a few classes with Keelin and we
follow each other on Tumblr, but besides that I did not know her too well previously. Keelin: Not really. We had a couple classes together before, and I’ve run into him a few times outside of school, but I didn’t know him very well.
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“My friends seemed to think a blind date was a bad idea but I had a good feeling about it.”
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
, r e k a m h c t a M h c t a e aM
FeatureS
n o o d u o y d i d Whatthe date?
ed with te we start a d e th n talked, Wes: O read. We b ra e n a P alked up lunch at Then we w g at a . te a d n a laughed, d, stoppin entura Blv V n ookw o d d an ery and B ll a g rt a e rr down on really biza e ventured r, which w , y ll a in F star. LA Rive ext to the the path n beautiful. anera was really lunch at P d a h e W d Ventura Keelin: lked aroun a w , d e lk stores Bread, ta few of the a t u o d e e LA and check own by th d d e lk a w there, and River.
t n e w e t a d e h t Do eyloluftohritnhke most part? w
“I was a little nervous wondering who it could be, but I didn’t have any expectations going into the date.”
r as I well, so fa y ll a re t n we sorts , the date out these Wes: Yeah nd to be clueless ab lk to and I te ta could tell (I elin was really fun to ing to go e K o. I’m hop to e of things). m ti d had a goo think she er again. ll! I had a out with h nt very we e w now it k in s, I th etting to k e g Y : d n n a li e h e it K gw time talkin really nice Wes.
d r a w k w a r e v e t i Wasat any point?
d guy t for a weir s p e c x e , y ll ng at u not rea Wes: No, o seemed to be stari h w in Panera Bread time. le o h the w few Panera in a h g u o h ted o, alt Keelin: N ed extremely interes m e e s patrons tion. r conversa hearing ou
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What did you learn about your date? Wes: She told me about her interest in theater. I also learned how much Keelin adores reading. She gave me some great suggestions. Keelin: I learned that Wes is interested in engineering to combine his interest in math and science with art and design. I also learned that we have very similar tastes in music, and one of his favorite books is Into the Wild.
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
FeatureS
By Sophia Page
What if the norm was not so normal after all? Who says you have to go to a four-year college directly after high school in order to succeed? Is it worth graduating from a four-year university having about $100,000 of debt under your belt? Well, nowadays attending community college is becoming a wiser choice for a wide variety of reasons. Picking a college to attend is one of the most important decisions high school students make. Not only is it stressful, but also very frightening. Although four-year colleges are the most popular form of education after high school, they are not the only option. Let’s admit it. There is a lot going on right after high school. From postgraduation excitement to preparing to attend a college or university in the fall, there is barely any time to figure out what you want to accomplish and do in your life. Community college gives you the opportunity to help figure out who you are. Talia Ram, a current student at Los Angeles Valley College, said, “I was at a turning point in my life right after I graduated high school, realizing that I was only going to a university because all of my friends were going. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life, so I took some time off and decided to
go to Valley College before transferring to a university.” Sure, community colleges are not as prestigious as expensive universities, but that does not make them any worse in the sense of academics. At 46 dollars a unit, community college is much more affordable. Professors that teach at four-year universities are required to have a Masters degree, which is also true about community college professors. Junior Lead Counselor, Martine Abdaem, says, “I don’t necessarily think community colleges are easier. The general education classes are at a college level with professors teaching. They are at the same level and use the same standards that all colleges abide by.” Community college lets students spend two to three years building up their GPA in order to later get accepted to a university of their choice in which there is a 95% transfer guarantee. It also allows students to get their study habits in order, so when they do transfer to a university, they will know how to effectively study for difficult tests. Taylor Washburn, currently a student at Azusa Pacific University, said, “Community college gives you room to mess up if you
make an error, giving you time to learn from those mistakes before going to a university.” “Going to community college takes a lot of motivation,” says Ms. Abdaem, “one must have the responsibility to choose classes that are transferrable like the general education classes and keep a high GPA.” It takes selfdiscipline in order to get all the general education classes done and transfer out. A downfall to community college is that nowadays it takes students a lot longer to complete their general education classes because of recent budget cuts. Many classes are being cut, so it is much more difficult to get into a class that you want. “The classes are packed,” says Talia Ram, “there is a lot of competition to get into a class I want.” Ms. Abdaem advises, “community college is an option, but not the only option.” Community colleges are made to help students explore what they eventually would like to study and prepare them for their futures.
t r a m s Why Community College is a idea!
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The Knight Magazine
February 2012
FeatureS
By Vaughn Himber
In an age where videogames dominate the world of personal entertainment among adolescents, coming together in real-life and playing board or even card games may seem to be activities of the past. However, there are plenty of sophisticated non-console games out there that teens might try out and enjoy if they are feeling open-minded. Munchkin is a humorous card game that parodies role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, World of Warcraft, and the gamers that play them. The idea for Munchkin stemmed from the desire to play a simplified dungeon-type game without all the cumbersome details of role-playing (like creating individual characters, histories, abilities, statistics, and powers). The popular Munchkin card game from Steve Jackson Games has sold over a million copies in 15 different languages, and has given rise to more than two dozen different sequels, supplements, and expansions, including more cards, games in different genres (like space, zombies, vampires, and pirates), and even Epic Munchkin, with modified rules for dedicated players that wish to play to Level 20. “If you like role-playing games, [or] any action games on consoles, Munchkin would be an entertaining game for you because it involves strategy, fighting, and humorous characters. I would also recommend getting the extension packs,” said Spencer Ceurvorst, Sophomore. “I enjoy playing the game because it takes skill, risk, and strategies. It is a fast-paced game and fun to play with friends.” The text on the back of the Munchkin box expresses the tone of game: “Go down in the dungeon. Kill everything you meet. Backstab your friends and steal their stuff. Grab the treasure and run.” The goal of the game is to reach Level 10 by defeating monsters in mortal combat. Players often “backstab” one another by cursing (with Curse cards like Chicken on Your Head, Income Tax, and the infamous Duck of Doom, which reads “You should know better than to pick up a duck in a dungeon. Lose two levels”) or stealing each others’ cards; making monsters more powerful, or playing a “Wandering Monster” card that adds another monster to the combat. Much of the entertainment in the game comes from seeing players’ reactions, arguing over rules, and building up rivalries with other players. “I like the different cards and how creative they are, as well as their different effects on other players,” said Ceurvorst. All of the cards are humorous, often pun-tastic, jabs at what Munchkin creator Steve Jackson called “very banal stereotypes of classic role-playing” in a recent interview. Page 15
Monsters include dragons, Ghoulfiends, the Floating Nose, Bigfoot, and even evil lawyers; items like the Chainsaw of Bloody Dismemberment, Slimy Armor, Staff of Napalm, Tuba of Charm, Boots of Running Really Fast, Potion of Idiotic Bravery, Yuppie Water, and the Gentleman’s Club. “You don’t have an individual, specific character when you start. You’re a human with no distinguishing characteristics of any kind. As the game goes on, you pick up races like elf and classes like wizard,” said Jackson in a recent interview on TableTop, a YouTube web series about tabletop games. “I was playing with some friends and I was doing exceptionally well. I had the best armor and was an elf with the dual-class of wizard-thief,” said Ceurvorst. “I was doing awesome until I had to fight this dragon, and then another player added an additional monster for me to fight; basically, I had to fight against 30 levels-worth of monsters, and they killed me. I came back to life [after the other players stole my items from my corpse] with only a horrible helmet. I went from riches to rags.” Munchkin allows players to immerse themselves in a world of laughter-inducing fantasy madness, a game experience that provides hours of light entertainment fuelled by sarcasm, good-natured rivalries, and humorous antics, all without resorting to picking up the videogame controller.
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
FeatureS
Why Are Teenagers Reading Less? By Sidney Stephens
As students grow older, school becomes more demanding, and technology grows, reading for fun is thrown to the sideline. Among adolescents, pleasure reading is less popular now than it was ten years ago. Now “less than one-third of 13-year-olds are daily readers, a 14 percent decline from 20 years earlier. Among 17-year-olds, the percentage of non-readers doubled over 20 years, from 9 percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004.” “Who has time to read anymore?” Laura Lee-Sabbe, a Senior at Notre Dame asks. Between school, homework, track practice, student government, and family time, there’s no room for pleasure reading in Laura’s life. Many students feel the same way. “After reading for AP literature, AP Government, and AP biology, the last thing I want to do is to read more, even if it is for fun. I’d rather watch a movie or go to bed,” says Jessica Fukushima, Senior. With demanding schedules, it’s hard to find time and even the interest to read for pleasure. But with the constant distractions technology creates, reading for fun seems less desirable. Zach Emerson, Junior, believes—like many other teenagers—that the Internet is distracting and that it is easier to watch television than it is to read. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, “Americans ages 15 to 24 spend Page 16
almost two hours a day watching television, and only seven minutes on reading.” Sadly, some teenagers are embarrassed to read for fun, especially in public. Spencer Porter, Junior, says, “People might think you’re a nerd” if seen reading. The Harper Index states that 17 percent of British teens are embarrassed to be seen reading. Now that less people read for pleasure it is seen to be as something “uncool”, leading more people to not read. As a result, Americans aren’t reading as well as they used to. The reading scores for high school seniors “fell significantly from 1992 to 2005, with the sharpest declines among lower-level readers.” Furthermore, “American 15-year-olds ranked fifteenth in average reading scores for 31 industrialized nations, behind Poland, Korea, France, and Canada, among others.” It is time for teens to log off Facebook, turn off the T.V., open up a book, and read. There are so many positive effects that come from reading that benefit people greatly. It can improve an individual’s vocabulary, help a person’s writing skills, improve one’s memory, better one’s attention span, and so on. So pick up a book—it’s worth it.
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
Teen
FeatureS
Depression A look at its destruction and how to seek help
By Cameron de Matteis Depression has easily become one of the most predominant diseases in todays youth. Astonishingly, one out of every five teens experience depression at some point in their adolescence (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2012). As common as depression has become, many people are still ignorant about this condition and underestimate the consequences of this mental illness. Clinical depression is a mental illness that is believed to be related to a chemical imbalance in the brain that originates from a lack of serotonin. Depression also tends to run in families. The truth is that clinical depression takes a huge toll on its victims. Individuals suffering from depression experience a great amount of guilt, fatigue, irritability, low self esteem, and suicidal ideation. They often find that they have become more short tempered and little things set them off easier than before. Most lose all motivation to attempt to succeed in life and lose interest in the hobbies and activities they once enjoyed. Their thoughts tend to be dictated by negativity, especially when regarding themselves. It’s also common for a teen with depression to have an extreme increase in sleep to 12-14 hours a day when he/she is not in school. Depression also has long term effects. Students suffering from depression have a low academic performance in school. “Because depression affects motivation, adolesPage 17
cents often find that grades are not a high priority,” explains Dr. Amanda Wall, a local Beverly Hills psychologist. There ceases to be any interest in grades and achieving their highest potential. In addition, some individuals find it hard to to make it through their regular schedule and engage in their daily activities. Low self- esteem contributes to their lack of participation and engagement with peers. Teen depression becomes extremely dangerous when teens begin to participate in rebellious and self-destructive behavior. “Depressed teens are more likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol and to be sexualy promiscuous,” states Dr. Wall. This behavior also attributes to their low academic performance. Depression is also a common factor in self-harm. There are two types of selfharm; cutting and behaviors stemming from suicidal ideation. “Adolescents who cut themselves find this is the only way they can ‘feel’. It is an emotional release for them. Cutting should be taken very seriously. It is, in a way, a cry for help.” Although cutting is not directly related to suicidal thoughts, it’s relation to depression is quite significant. Depression is a very serious issue and should be addressed accordingly. Those suffering from depression or those who notice a change in behavior of a close friend/family member should talk to a trusted adult and seek professional help immediately. It’s always extremely important to remember that those who suffer from depression are not at fault and should not be embarrassed by their condition.
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
FeatureS
Fiscal Cliff Lingering By Sophia Page
Democrats and Republicans have reluctantly come to an agreement in regards to the Fiscal Cliff, the much talked about and debated government legislation. Although the Fiscal Cliff passed on December 31, 2012, at the very last minute, it instilled fear in many Americans on whether our government is cable of dealing with such monumental decisions that could affect our future. With a divided Congress, an unwavering President, and a $16.3 trillion debt, it is becoming harder to believe in our once prosperous government and nation. Without passing, the fiscal cliff would have driven the nation further in recession with its increased taxes and automatic spending cuts. Even with passing, the fiscal cliff only temporarily solved the problems present. For example, the fiscal cliff did not come up with a plan for the debt crisis or debt ceiling, two problems that will further be discussed by Congress in February. Many hoped that this would be a chance for Obama to enact a plan that would slowly, but surely save our economy; however, Obama made little attempt to compromise with Republicans and fix the pressing problems at hand. Jim Harrell, Junior, said, “President Obama has added over $4 trillion to the eternal deficit. Passing a small bill to please the public doesn’t really fix the problems this country is currently experiencing.” Page 18
What our country needs is spending cuts. We spend way too much money on government programs, like defense spending. The fiscal cliff deal did little to address the spending cuts we desperately need. What the deal did not fail to include was taxation. Individuals earning more than $400,000 a year and families earning more than $450,000 will now pay 39.5% in income taxes. Although that only affects about 30% of Americans, it will only cover a small portion of government spending. The rest needed to cover the spending is all borrowed money, putting us “in the red”. The only solution would be to cut spending drastically, a major goal of the Republicans. So, how will the fiscal cliff affect us? AP U.S. History teacher, Richard Woolery, said, “It got solved so it’s not going to affect us in a large way, but it could’ve had a big impact.” Looking to the future, creating jobs needs to be a major focus to stimulate economic growth in America. Our nation would have considerable growth when more jobs are available and the unemployment rate decreases. Insofar as producing jobs, Walmart, the largest employer in the nation, recently stated that it would start making and buying many of its products in the States in order to create new jobs. Now that the fiscal cliff is behind us, the next crisis ahead is the issue of raising the debt ceiling, something that could be very detrimental if not done.
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
FeatureS
s a H F F My B d n e i r f l a Gir
By Devon Geahart Artwork By Keelin Quigley
I miss cooties. Back when there weren’t such things as boyfriends or girlfriends or heartbreaks or sitting on your bed listening to Adele sobbing with a bowl of ice cream. But unfortunately cooties are a thing of the past and cupid has struck the hearts of 98% of the kids in the valley. Which is fine, who doesn’t want to be in love? But what about your best friends in love? Suddenly when the person you make crude jokes with and make fast food runs with gets a significant other? Things get a bit awkward. As an individual lacking a filter, it doesn’t turn out well. Long story short, I did not make a good first impression with this girl. After spending a very long hour with me she requested that I take her home and it all went downhill from there. I could never see my friend because she was always with him and refused to be around me. If I ever did hangout with him she would be calling the whole time yelling at him for even speaking to me. For lack of an eloquent way of wording this, it sucked. This kid was one of my good friends and I couldn’t even see him. I found Page 19
myself sitting at home on my weekends and feeling pretty bad about myself. On one hand, I was so happy for my friend, he finally got a girlfriend! But on the other hand, it
meant that I couldn’t be around him. I saw how happy she made him, and I decided that the best way to handle the situation would be to let her win this custody battle. By no means did I give up on my friendship with him, I still tried to hangout with him as much as I could. It’s just that I wasn’t going to badmouth her or
try to break them apart. I saw that our fighting was tearing him apart. Eventually they broke up and we returned to how we have always been. I would definitely say that my friends relationship affected our friendship while I was feuding with his girlfriend. I have had other friends who magically disappear whenever they date someone, but the second they break up, they are back to normal. I think it is so important to have a healthy relationship with your friends to start with, and then be very open with your new relationship. Both are so important to your life but you need to balance them. You can’t just spend all of your time with your friends but you also cant just spend all your time with your partner. It’s important to set aside time for both. When it comes to them fighting, it needs to get solved. It is not only stressful on them to be in a fight, its stressful on you to have to mediate between the two. The key word here is balance and in order to prevent a situation like I was in, one must find a way to achieve it.
The Knight Magazine
February 2012
Sports
HALL OF SHAME
HOW STEROIDS BUILT STARS By Nick Halaby
T
his January, something happened that has only happened 7 times before, nobody was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The reason is that this year the class that was up for election included players from the steroid era, an era in Baseball that nearly killed the sport. And with players like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa looking to see if they would make it into the hall, the Baseball writers of America decided that no one would be given the Honor. There have been many great players who haven’t made it into the Hall of Fame because of scandal. Shoeless Jo Jackson and the other eight White Sox who were paid to play horribly in the World Series were banned from baseball and never let into the Hall of Fame. The same happened to Pete Rose, a former player who gambled Page 21
against the team he coached. And there have been countless others, but never in the history of sports has an entire era been punished. Some say that it’s no big deal that steroids were used during the nineteen nineties to early two thousands. To them, all it did was make pitchers pitch faster and hitters hit farther. But it did so much more than that. Besides giving Barry Bonds the most homeruns in baseball history, PED’s, or performance enhancing drugs, completely changed the playing field. Small Ball, which is a style of baseball consisting of bunts, stolen bases and scrapping together runs, was almost destroyed. Players who hit for contact, not power, were being overpassed by sluggers who could hit giant homeruns. Pitchers who relied on curveballs and slower moving pitches were surpassed by guys who could throw a ball 105 miles an hour consistently. The game was unfair and honest players suffered. That’s why
players from the steroid era weren’t let in the hall of fame this year; it’s punishment for almost killing the game so many loved. This wasn’t the only year these players could have gotten in. Unless they got less than five percent of the vote, they’ll be on the ballot for another fifteen years. But there’s a chance players like Bonds, Sosa and Clemens don’t get in ever. What they did was horrible; they had amazing careers but who knows if any of it was natural talent or hard work. For all we know steroids hit the most homeruns, not Bonds. For all we know steroids was the best hitter in Cubs history, not Sosa. For all we know Clemens had a terrible arm, and it was steroids that struck so many batters out. The good news is that the steroid era is behind us. The bad news is that it’s mark on our nation’s pastime isn’t.
The Knight Magazine
February 2013
Sports
Showtime Clippers By Nick Halaby
About 25 years after the prime of Magic Johnson’s Showtime Lakers, the energy seems to have returned to Los Angeles. Some might say it never left, with five championships since the Showtime era and the legacies of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Even with the great times this recent era has brought to Laker Nation, nothing could compare to the thrills that Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabar and company brought to the southland, until now. This season there is a team that looks to have the same flash and skill along with an amazing record. Yes, Showtime’s energy appears to be back. The biggest surprise about the resurgence is that this time, it isn’t the Lakers putting on the show. Coming into the season, the Lakers were the favorite to win Page 22
the NBA championship. With Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Steve Nash all on the same team, why not? Well, now it looks as if the Lakers won’t even make the playoffs. So who’s the team that is the new proclaimed Showtime? Well, it’s the Clippers. Yes, the Clippers, who have completely shocked the entire league. With Chris Paul and Blake Griffin leading the charge, the team that was only good for a highlight reel last year is now at the top of the NBA. But this team isn’t just winning, they are destroying the competition, and with style. With Chris Paul hitting miraculous three pointers and Blake Griffin slam dunking anything that comes close to the rim, the Clippers have brought back a show to Staples Center that hasn’t been seen since Magic Johnson retired. This squad, although they don’t look like it on paper, is impressive. With the disappointing Lakers dwelling at the bottom of the Western Conference, some
of the supposed Laker faithful are turning in there Purple and Gold for Red and Blue. And who can blame them, watching the Lakers is like getting your teeth pulled out. And with the rut they’re in, they’ll have to move aside, because there is a new show in town. There’s still a long way to go in the season. Who knows, maybe the Lakers might pick it up and make the playoffs, and then make a miraculous run to give Kobe his sixth ring. Maybe the Clippers will cool off and start playing so horrible that we might finally recognize them as the team we love to mock. All we know now is that the Lakers suck and that Showtime has returned to L.A., but this time it’s wearing red and blue.
The Knight Magazine
February 2013
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