Wolf Vol. 71, Issue 4

Page 1

wolf magazine

THE HEALTH & WELLNESS ISSUE

7

IMMUNITY BOOSTERS

WORK OUT IN YOUR DORM

THE ART OF MEDITATION

LOCAL, ORGANIC EATS

NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE Plus BMR calculator page 28

ISSUE 4 / VOLUME 71


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features 16 Up In Smoke 20 All Natural 22 Eating Local 24 Finding Peace of Mind

contents

16 14

20

24

04 Editor’s Note 05 Immunity Boosters

Boost your immunity with these seven tips

06 Berry Delicious

Four moods, four smoothies for the college student

08 The Full-Body Dorm Circuit

Get a workout in the comfort of your dorm room

10 Tackling the Half Marathon

Get motivated to run the 13.1 mile race, training guide included

12 Q&A: Keep Off the Chalk

A conversation with Karson Cullins, marketing junior and member of the Wolf Pack baseball team

14 Q&A: Snitches Get Stitches

A conversation with Tad Walters, history sophomore and member of the Loyola Quidditch team

26 Losing Motivation

Options you can take before deciding to drop out

28 The BMR Calculator

A tool to help estimate your daily caloric intake to maintain, lose or gain weight

30 Yerli Yabanci (A Native Foreigner)

Jenna Knoblach, visual arts and English writing senior, recalls jogging abroad in Istanbul

WOLF MAGAZINE | 03


editor’s note

wolf magazine

ISSUE 4 / VOLUME 71 FEBRUARY 8, 2013

I’ve been looking forward to this issue for quite some time.

Health and wellness is something I’m extremely interested in — so interested, I’m planning on going to graduate school in public health. But I digress. This issue focuses on the human body, spirit and mind. We at Wolf Magazine are not limiting ourselves to various exercises and diets, though we do feature both — dorm room exercises (page 8) and eating locally and organically (page 22). On a personal level, we’ve taken a look at natural hair in the black community (page 20). Meditation is a form of stress relief many can attest to (page 24). And this time, instead of featuring an opinion columnist, we’ve decided to include an original narrative on a runner’s experience studying abroad in Istanbul (page 30). Photo by Wadner Pierre College is definitely a time when students can wear their bodies out. Alcohol, drugs, stress or a combination of the above are at an all-time high for some of us. So, I challenge each one of you to change something about your lifestyle for the better, even if it’s small. Take the stairs instead of the elevator one day each week. Stretch every morning or evening. Laugh more often. Eat fruits and vegetables more often. Smoke one less cigarette, drink one less beer, meditate, reflect. After this issue, we have two more inserts in The Maroon — a housing guide in March and a finals guide in April. Let us know if you want to see anything in particular in our final issues. Talk to us through Facebook, Twitter or send us an email at wolfmag@loyno.edu Until next time,

Precious Esie Editor in Chief Vannia Zelaya Associate Editor Copy Editors Topher Balfer Dwayne Fontenette Sara Feldman Photo Editor Devinn Adams Web Editor Contributors Eric Buras Raquel Derganz-Baker Shannon Donaldson Emily Gaines Aaren Gordon Hasani Grayson Jenna Knoblach Olivia Lueckemeyer Wadner Pierre Sophia Tan Cami Thomas Sam Thomas Ashley Abendschein Sales Manager Daniel Coville Business Manager Daniel Quick Distribution Manager Maggie King PR Marketing Manager

Precious Esie Editor in chief, Wolf Magazine

Emmanuel Herrero Advertising Art Director Michael Giusti Faculty Adviser

Contact us

About

Visit Wolf Magazine online at loyolamaroon.com/wolf-mag or email us at wolfmag@loyno.edu

Wolf Magazine is a publication by Loyola University New Orleans Student Media and does not necessarily reflect the views of Loyola’s administration. Unless otherwise noted, all content is copyrighted to Wolf Magazine. The first copy is free to students, faculty and staff. Every additional copy is $1.00.

Become a fan of Wolf Magazine on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @loyolawolfmag 04 | WOLF MAGAZINE

On the Cover:

Photo illustration by Sara Feldman


Immunity boosters

Seven things that may help you boost your immune system and stay out of the Student Health Center Compiled by Vannia Zelaya

B

eing sick can be a hassle. It’s distracting from schoolwork, it can be passed on to others and may leave you feeling downright miserable. We at Wolf Magazine have provided some tips worth trying that can help you overcome that and may boost your immunity, whether it’s to prevent illness or to speed up recovery. However, when you’re feeling under the weather, the best thing to do is to see a licensed medical professional. We aren’t guaranteeing any cures, so keep in mind that results may vary.

Exercise

sleeping enough may reduce the protection they can provide.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants can help protect cells against free radicals — molecules produced from everyday activities like eating and breathing — ­ that attack healthy cells. Examples of antioxidants are Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and carotenoids. Carotenoids are yellow to red pigments found in plants. Opt for red, orange and deep yellow vegetables, like tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes and squash to increase carotenoid intake.

diseases. Washing your hands can help reduce the risk of catching a cold, the flu and even food poisoning, which can be caused if you cook with dirty hands. Keeping your hands clean can even help prevent the spread of diseases like salmonella and Hepatitis A. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend you wash your hands thoroughly with water and soap for at least 20 seconds.

Sunlight

Tea

Getting at least a moderate level of activity on a regular basis might decrease the likelihood of getting sick. Exercise helps flush out bacteria and cells that may cause cancer. It also makes white blood cells and antibodies go through the body faster, helping detect and fight illnesses sooner. The increased temperature of your body may also prevent the growth of bacteria and may slow the release of stress hormones.

Sleep

Sleeping less than the recommended seven to nine hours may make you more prone to colds, the flu and a variety of mental and physical health problems. Among other consequences, sleep deprivation may lead to a decrease in T-cells, a type of white blood cell important to immunity defense. Even if you get vaccines, not

Photos by Thinkstock.com

The immune system has receptors for Vitamin D, meaning it requires this vitamin to function well. A lack of Vitamin D could lead to infections and autoimmune disorders such as Type 1 diabetes. The sun provides us with this vitamin, so try spending five to 10 minutes outside, maybe in the Peace Quad, three times a week. Another antioxidant, tea can help protect your cells from free radicals, but it also has several other benefits. Whether jasmine, oolong, black or green, a cup of tea is healthy and can be soothing to your nerves. This drink of Asian origin is beneficial to your heart and may even help protect your body against cancer and your memory against Alzheimer’s disease.

Wash hands

This may be simple, but it’s a way to fight

Relieving stress

When you don’t release stress, you risk keeping your body in a state called distress, where stress accumulates in your body and may have negative effects on your health. This accumulation may not only affect your immune system but may lead to more serious complications such as high blood pressure. Try yoga, meditation or listening to your favorite song while taking a walk in Audubon Park.

WOLF MAGAZINE | 05


berry delicious Four smoothie recipies fit for the average student Compiled by Sam Thomas

Hangover Smoothie

1 cup of milk 1 banana 1 tablespoon of honey 1 cup of ice

This smoothie recipe is for all you weekend warriors. After a long night out, the last thing you want is to waste the next day recovering, and this smoothie will help restore vitamins and nutrients you’ve lost. Milk can give you a base of nutrients for your body to help re-nourish itself. Potassium can help replace lost electrolytes, and while it is found in milk, the sliced banana will do most of the heavy lifting. Finally, the tablespoon of honey, which has fructose and glucose, can help fuel your liver as it works hard processing your drinks from the night before.

Good Mood Smoothie

1 cup of mung bean sprouts 1 cup of strawberries (you can substitute another fruit if you prefer) 1 ripe banana ½ cup of water or ice

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This smoothie is for when you need a little pick-me-up during the day, but you might need to take a trip to the grocery store before you pull out the blender. One cup of mung bean sprouts is important to this smoothie, and while you may have never heard of them before, they’re high in tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps produce serotonin and promotes good sleep and stable moods. Also, the magnesium in the mung bean sprouts and banana will combat magnesium deficiencies, which may lead to stress.

Nighttime Smoothie

1 cup of cherry juice
 1/2 banana
 1/2 cup of soy milk
 1/2 cup of ice 1/4 tablespoon of vanilla extract

If you’ve had a long day and you’re craving a smoothie, this is the one for you. Start with one cup of cherry juice, which has melatonin, a sleep hormone. The banana provides magnesium, which can lead to relaxation, and the

soy milk provides tryptophan, which may help produce more serotonin before you head to bed for the night.

Study Smoothie

1 cup of blueberries (strawberries and cranberries work well, too) 1 cup of yogurt 3 tablespoons of chocolate sauce 3 tablespoons of peanut butter

Rather than eating C-Store snacks during midterms and finals, try making this smoothie to help you in your studies and avoid the snacks between meals. Blueberries, strawberries and cranberries are all rich in antioxidants, which, in addition to helping your immune system, may help in memory retention. Yogurt, and other dairy products contain nutrients that may help in building acetylcholine, a chemical that promotes memory retention. As for the peanut butter and chocolate well, those make for an even better tasting smoothie that’ll keep you in your chair and out of the vending machines.

Photo by Thinkstock.com


WORK FOR LOYOLA STUDENT MEDIA THE

MAROON wolf magazine

IF YOU HAVE A VOICE WE WANT TO HEAR IT CONTACT HASANI GRAYSON AT HKGRAYSO@LOYNO.EDU, (415) 606-9504


the

Full-Body Dorm Circuit Compiled by Vannia Zelaya Photos by Raquel Derganz-Baker

with Duhe

physics senior and University Sports Complex personal trainer

With academics and socializing demanding your full attention, it’s easy to forget about exercise in college. To help you sneak in that workout, Wolf Magazine teamed-up with William Duhe, physics senior and University Sports Complex personal trainer certified by the National Council on Strength and Fitness. Duhe brings you a daily workout that stretches and works every muscle group and increases your blood circulation — all sans equipment and in the commodity of your dorm.

Squats:

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, with your back arched and your chest out. With your elbows parallel to the ground, drop down as low as you can go and come back up.

Reaches to Toe Touch:

Works: quadriceps and gluteus 15 reps x 4

Works: core and hamstrings 20 reps x 4

Bend your knees and bring your arms in front of you to interlock your thumbs. Slowly flex your abs, straighten your legs and rise up with your arms toward the ceiling, making sure not to stand up too quickly or reach for the ceiling. Bend down to touch your toes.

Butterfly Kick:

Make a diamond with your hands and place them on your tailbone, creating a cradle. Hold your feet six inches off the ground as you control your balance and squeeze your muscles.

Works: lower abs and quadriceps 15 reps x 4

Calf Jump:

Standing with your core and legs engaged, bounce rapidly toward the ceiling.

Works: calves 20 reps x 4

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Seated Triceps Dip:

Standing with feet hip-distance apart, arch your back and walk forward. As you dip, point your elbows backwards and go low without touching the ground.

Works: triceps 12 reps x 4 Shoulder Lift:

Grab an item that is of an adequate weight and that is easy to grip. Stand with your chest out and bend your knees slightly. Lift your arm straight out to your side.

Works: shoulders, core and obliques 10 reps per arm x 4

Bent Rows: Bicep Curl:

Grab an item of adequate weight and curl it around your stomach and over your chest.

Grab an item of adequate weight and place it perpendicular to your body, bend your knees and make sure to keep your back straight. As your arms come up, bring the item parallel to your body.

Works: biceps 15 reps per arm x 4

Works: laterals and back 15 reps per arm x 4

Catapult Push-ups:

Grab two chairs and set them apart according to the width of your arms in a push-up position. Make sure the chairs are stable before attempting. Catapult yourself onto the chair and bend your elbows underneath your body, then return to the start.

The Plank:

Works: triceps and upper and lower chest 10-15 reps x 4

Works: core and back 4 sets of 30 seconds

Get in a plank position and hold your lower back and core tight for 30 seconds. Make sure to maintain a straight spine.

WOLF MAGAZINE | 09


TACKLING THE HALF MARATHON A note from the editor By Precious Esie Looking back, running a half marathon was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, despite feeling miserable while training, sleeping less and having a lot less time to myself. I was taking 19 hours last semester, working about 30 hours each week and still managed to set aside some time to train for that daunting 13.1 mile-run. If I didn’t wake up early, I would run in the evening. I made so many things count toward cross training – biking to school, taking the stairs all day, heavy lifting. The hardest part, though, was eating better. Cooking takes time, time I didn’t really have. I snacked more than I would have liked, but luckily I have a sister with Wolfbucks (those O.R. days were a godsend,

thanks, Brittney). Prior to training, I never ran more than two miles. During the first training week, I was determined to run two miles that Tuesday, two and a half miles that Thursday and three miles that Saturday, while going to the gym to crosstrain twice. I accomplished my goals, except for that Saturday (my ankles ached, I needed new shoes). It was still early, I thought to myself. I still had plenty of time to train. And I did have a lot of time; my race was in October and I began training in May. I was following a 12-week plan I stumbled upon online with a few minor alterations of my own. But since I started so early, there were weeks (not consecutive, though) where I didn’t even

train. Starting up from those periods was awful, so I tried to at least cross-train twice when I felt particularly unmotivated. For my birthday, I got a GPS watch, which really came in handy. Knowing my pace made my runs much more bearable. I gradually increased my mileage — three miles, five miles, up to 12 miles. My 12-week plan ended up turning into a 20-week plan but by race day, I was ready. On the next page, we’ve included a 12week training guide for those of you who are tempted to try out a half marathon. Feel free to modify it as you wish. Listen to your body, do the research, know your limits and have fun. I will definitely run a half marathon again, and I hope to see you at the starting line.


THE HALF MARATHON TRAINING PROGRAM Using the experience from our staff, Wolf Magazine has compiled a sample 12-week training program. Remember to consult your physician before starting any new exercise routine and know your limits. sunday

monday

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

friday

saturday

1

cross-train 20-30 min

rest

2 miles

cross-train 20-30 min

2 miles

rest

3 miles

2

cross-train 20-30 min

rest

2 miles

cross-train 20-30 min

3 miles

rest

4 miles

3

cross-train 20-30 min

rest

2 miles

cross-train 20-30 min

3 miles

rest

5 miles

4

cross-train 20-30 min

rest

3 miles

cross-train 20-30 min

4 miles

rest

6 miles

5

cross-train 30 min

rest

3 miles

cross-train 30 min

4 miles

rest

7 miles

Know the Lingo Crosstrain

6

cross-train 30 min

rest

4 miles

cross-train 30 min

4 miles

rest

8 miles

7

cross-train 30 min

rest

4 miles

cross-train 30 min

4 miles

rest

9 miles

8

cross-train 30 min

rest

4 miles

cross-train 30 min

3 miles

rest

10 miles

9

cross-train 30 min

rest

5 miles

cross-train 30 min

4 miles

rest

11 miles

10

rest

cross-train 20-30 min

4 miles

rest

3 miles

rest

12 miles

11

rest

cross-train 20-30 min

3 miles

rest

3 miles

rest

5 miles

12

cross-train 20-30 min

rest

2 miles

cross-train 20-30 min

2 miles

rest

RACE DAY 13.1 miles

This period supplements your running. Do cardio-based exercises, such as swimming, cycling or using an elliptical. Or, you can hit the weight room instead.

EASY

Run or walk at a comfortable pace. This should allow you to hold a conversation while running.

Rest

Rest helps prevent injuries, making it crucial to any training regimen.

WOLF MAGAZINE | 11


Q&A

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Q&A

keep off the chalk a Q&A with Wolf Pack baseball player Karson Cullins By Hasani Grayson Photo by Eric Buras

Karson Cullins speaks softly and carries a big bat. Actually, his bat is a standard size, but the quiet third-year outfielder has been putting up big offensive numbers since he arrived on campus his freshman year. Cullins, marketing junior, doesn’t try to overthink his success. Leading the team in RBIs the last two seasons, he just tries to stay calm and swing easy.

wash my socks. If someone’s sitting in a certain spot when something good happens, you make sure they don’t get up. You drink out of a certain water bottle, keep drinking out of it. A lot of people don’t believe in superstitions, but most baseball players do. The baseball gods are up there, like Father Ted [Dziak] says.

Q: You probably grew up watching a lot of baseball. Who was one of your favorite players to watch?

Q: Is there anything you do to change up the mojo if things aren’t going so well?

KC: Favorite players growing up? Probably Vladimir Guerrero.

Q: Did you play any other sports in high school?

KC: I played four years of football in high school and four years of baseball.

Q: What made you choose to play baseball in college over football?

KC: I went out with a bang in baseball. Baseball’s always been a little more special to me. I really enjoyed the art of the game, there’s so much that goes into getting ready for baseball, so much in your swing, technique. And there’s always a new day in baseball. Even if you have a bad day today, you can come out tomorrow and have a good one.

Q: Since you do play so many games, how do you balance baseball and your academic work?

KC: It’s not easy, first of all. I commend all my teammates for keeping up with academics as well as baseball at this school. We’re on the road a lot and you get on the bus, and most of the time we bring our book sacks and get work done. We take pride in not only baseball but also school, because school comes first. It’s a challenge, but I make sure to get it done because that’s the most important thing.

Q: You do a lot of your studying on the bus?

KC: On the bus, in the library, in the cafeteria, in the weight room, wherever you can get it done. We know that’s the number one priority.

Q: If you’re not doing homework, how do you stay entertained on those long bus rides?

KC: There’s a lot of time to think. There are a lot of times to see the game play out, see yourself getting that big base hit before we get there.

Q: Do you have any superstitions like not stepping on the chalk lines or anything like that?

KC: I definitely do. Sometimes, if things are going really nice I just can’t

KC: I might lift my socks, lift my pants up, you know, wear it old school. Last season I had to get a haircut because sometimes you have to change it up a little bit. So either get a haircut or pick the pants legs up.

Q: Is there any sort of freshman initiation where you have one of the guys carry your bag or something like that?

KC: No, no freshman initiation. We try to treat the freshmen like they’re one of our own. I remember when I first got here my freshman year, they didn’t do anything but show love to me. So I try to show love to the freshmen like love was shown to me.

Q: How’s your team looking for the start of the season?

KC: Man, we’re looking sharp. We got a great new head coach, and his attention to detail is there. We’re swinging, getting a lot of swings in the cages. The pitchers are working with coach Buddy [Turnage]. Coach Buddy really got them into shape this year. We’re expecting to win a good number of games this year. We’re not gonna lie down to anybody. Even though there is a lot of talent in the conference, we plan to make a statement.

Q: Every year they pick some standout players to be on the poster. Have you been on that? KC: I haven’t been on the poster. But I’m looking forward to being on it next year. I’ve been here for a good while now, but I think its kind of a senior thing, it’s a privilege.

Q: If you could add one song to the pre-game playlist, what would it be? KC: Let’s go with “Keep on Smiling” by Wet Willie.

Q: Was it difficult to get excited for games when the seats were mostly empty?

KC: My dad is always there, and my mom. It’s not very hard because they mean a lot to me. They’re always there for me. I’ll play in front of them any day, for sure. W WOLF MAGAZINE | 13


Q&A

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Q&A

snitches get stitches a Q&A with Quidditch player Tad Walters By Hasani Grayson Photo by Eric Buras

You’ve probably seen them in the residential quad – the students playing the magic-less version of Quidditch, substituting flying brooms with household broomsticks. It may be easy to make fun of them for playing a game that comes straight out of a fantasy series, but Tad Walters, history sophomore, has no intention of giving up the game he picked up his freshman year at Loyola.

W: I guess I have to ask the basic question: Why Quidditch?

TW: I saw Quidditch and I was like, ‘I like Harry Potter, I’ll see what’s up with that’. So I played and I liked it. It’s pretty physical and I like that.

W: How big of a Harry Potter fan were you? Did you have all the books growing up?

TW: I read the books, and I’ve seen the movies. I wouldn’t say that I’m any kind of spectacular fan. I’m just a normal kid that liked Harry Potter.

that would really help the sport take off.

TW: I really don’t know. I’m not like an engineering major or anything. I don’t even know if that would adapt to the sport because that’s really dangerous to fall off your broom onto the ground.

W: Danger works for sports like NASCAR; half the people who watch those races are waiting for the crash. If the brooms actually flew and someone had to fall a few feet, I think that would add to the excitement. TW: It would definitely make the game closer to what it is in the book. That’s for sure.

W: But since we are just mortals, what’s one rule that has been represented in the movies and in the books that doesn’t translate?

TW: I play Beater, I play Chaser sometimes, and sometimes, Seeker. A lot of time I’ll know the Snitch, so if I know what I can do to catch them, I’ll play Seeker.

TW: Probably the major thing is how the Snitch works. In the books the Snitch is this little ball that flies around and it’s really hard to see. Catching the Snitch gets 150 points for your team. They actually made the Snitch 30 points in the real life version. Not only that, they made the Snitch a person. So basically the Snitch is a third-party player from a team that’s not playing currently.

W: What’s the difference between this practice broom and your game broom?

W: Is there anything a Snitch can’t do? If a Snitch wanted to get in their car and drive off for a while, could they do that?

W: What position do you play?

TW: These are the same, but IQA [International Quidditch Association] official game brooms have to be standardized, unless the team captains can agree that certain brooms are fine. I’ve been in games before where the team captain says I can’t use my broom because he’s not comfortable with it. But most captains don’t really care, as long as it’s not made of metal or anything.

W: Do you get recognized a lot as one of those guys out there in the quad playing Quidditch? TW: Yeah, especially since I’m into the whole Quidditch community as well and I talk about it constantly with all my friends. So I’m like the Quidditch guy. I guess it’s kind of a good thing.

W: Do people make fun of you for it?

TW: Yeah. Every day at practice, we hear the typical ‘Ten points for Gryffindor’ and it’s like, ‘Wow you’re so original, I’ve never heard that one before’. There are people that heckle it and that’s perfectly fine. I kind of expect it. I mean, we are running around with broomsticks between our legs.

W: How far away are we from having actual flying brooms? I think

TW: They can. I’ve seen it before.

W: I always wondered this whenever I see you guys practicing, but did a lot of you guys play soccer?

TW: Yeah, from what I’ve seen from teams everywhere, soccer is normally one of the sports someone plays before they come to Quidditch.

W: Baseball players are notoriously superstitious; do you have any superstitions or pre-game rituals? TW: Every player has their own ritual, but our team as a whole, just does a chant to start the game, that’s pretty much it.

W: What’s the farthest you guys have traveled?

TW: So far it’s been Tampa to play in what was called the Bay Cup. That was hosted by the University of South Florida. It was basically us and a whole bunch of Florida teams.

W: What is your favorite thing about the sport?

TW: My favorite thing, I think, has to be the physicality. I’ve always grown up playing sports – football, mainly. And so I really enjoy that. W WOLF MAGAZINE | 15


up in smoke Smoking within the Loyola community has critics wanting a change By Shannon Donaldson Photos by Sara Feldman and Wadner Pierre

It’s

hard to leave a building on campus without walking into a cloud of cigarette smoke. Whether members of the Loyola community choose to smoke or not, there seems to be almost no way to avoid inhaling tobacco smoke. “If you want to smoke you are free to do so, as long as it doesn’t harm someone else. It is very difficult to smoke on campus given the number of community members we have, and our proximity to one another,” Vice President of Student Affairs Cissy Petty said in an email. The consequences of smoking, however, go beyond the boundaries of Smoker’s Alley. According to several surgeon general reports, there is no safe level of second-hand smoke, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classifies it as a “known human carcinogen,” or cancer-causing substance. This voluntary smoking can cause diseases such as lung cancer in healthy nonsmokers. Also according to the EPA, the simple separation of smokers and nonsmokers within the same air space may reduce but does not eliminate the exposure of nonsmokers to environmental tobacco smoke.

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Criminal justice senior Yulia Gomez-Nieto, who has suffered from asthma since childhood, said that the constant smoking around campus affects her health on a near-daily basis. “When I lived on campus I had to do daily therapies to calm my asthma because of the smoke around campus,” she said. “The smoke always makes me feel weak, disgusted and out of place. My nose gets irritated and in some instances it even starts to bleed,” she said, adding that her health got better as soon as she moved off campus. According to smoker and English writing sophomore Gabrielle Gatto, the prevalence of smokers on campus hasn’t gone unnoticed by visitors, either. “I have some friends at Tulane who walk over here to smoke because they feel like it’s easier to get away with here than it is on their campus,” she said. English writing sophomore Andrew Ketcham, who serves as a student ambassador, has noticed that the prevalence of smokers affects potential students and the public’s perception of Loyola in general. While giving a campus tour last semester, Ketcham was leading a group of families past the benches in front of Biever to the University Sports Complex, where four to five students were smoking. “As I walked through, one of the students blew smoke into the tour group, which included some very young children. The families were upset and it was a hard situation to navigate. All I could think is that now these families assume that every student at Loyola is rude and that this kind of behavior is tolerated,” Ketcham said. According to Petty, the smoking issue is pressing at Loyola because many students aren’t fully aware of which areas of campus are designated. The majority of the problem, how18 | WOLF MAGAZINE

ever, comes from a lack of clear enforcement of the policy. “Folks who smoke are supposed to be a certain distance from each building, including outside the residence halls. It is a policy, however, that is very difficult to enforce. Enforcement is based on being respectful of others,” Petty said. But enforcement of these policies is not the Loyola University Police Department’s job, either. “There are separate policies that govern smoking in buildings and residence halls, which are covered in Human Resource policies and residence hall policies,” said LUPD Captain Roger Pinac. The LUPD, however, is not “tasked with enforcing” these policies, he said. Though the lack of a clear method of enforcement appears to have caused this issue, many smokers find that the city of New Orleans itself is more conducive to their smoking habits than others. “I think I’d stand a better chance of not smoking if I wasn’t from the New Orleans area. It’s not as frowned upon here as it is in other places, at least in my opinion,” psychology and classical studies senior Jason Clay said, who admits to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Like Clay, Gatto views the situation in a similar manner. “Once I came to Loyola I smoked a lot more because there were more people that did it. In my hometown the only people who smoke are over 50 or really sleazy. But it’s so cultural in New Orleans,” Gatto said. Whether the smoking issue is a Loyola problem or a New Orleans problem, the amount of smokers on campus hasn’t gone unnoticed by Petty and other university administrators. In fact, she said, the university is

looking into transitioning Loyola into becoming a smoke-free campus. “According to USA Today, more than half of all colleges and universities are considering smoke free campuses, and close to 835 have already instituted smoke free campuses,” Petty said. “Several Jesuit institutions — University of San Francisco, St. Louis University, John Carroll and Georgetown Medical Center — have all enacted Smoke Free Campus policies. Many others have policies similar to ours regarding designated spaces and distance from building requirements.” If the university were to transition to a smoke-free campus, Petty said it would become LUPD’s duty to enforce the policy. “What would really be great is if our mission to care for the whole person included being respectful of others, and smokers would abide by the smoking policy,” Petty said. Mass communication junior Jasmine Barnes agrees that smoking doesn’t only pertain to smokers themselves but that it also affects others in the community. “If you smoke, that affects mainly you. But if you smoke and litter our campus with your cigarette butts, that affects us all — the current students who see it every day and the prospective students who may see our campus once and then make a very important decision,” Barnes said. Though some non-smoking students are in favor of a smoke-free campus or tighter regulations, many smokers are wary of such restrictions. “I would be upset, but not overly surprised,” Clay said. “I think if Loyola becomes a smoke-free campus, nothing’s really going to change. I doubt anyone would just say, ‘Oh, well, I’m quitting because I can’t smoke where


I want to.’ They’ll just walk to Audubon or Freret or somewhere else. Just because people aren’t supposed to do something doesn’t mean that it won’t happen. Minors aren’t supposed to have alcohol in their rooms, but they do anyway.” Gatto worries that if Loyola were to become smoke-free, smokers would be looked down upon. “I would definitely be pro fewer smoking areas or smaller areas, but I feel like having a smoke-free campus would bring more judgment down on people who do smoke. I think I would feel like ashamed if I had to sneak away off campus to go smoke, and I wouldn’t want to feel ashamed of my position at my university that I’m so happy and proud to be a part of,” Gatto said. “I can’t even count how many times I have seen a professor smoke or bummed them a cigarette, or smoked with a Sodexo employee and asked them how their day was. I wouldn’t want a Sodexo worker to have to feel ashamed about smoking, either,” she said. Gatto is also concerned about what would happen to smokers who decided to quit if Loyola became a smoke-free campus, but would like to see programs to help people quit. “I think it would be cool to see some sort of large-scale, visible program or event for students who want to quit or are thinking about quitting,” Gatto said. According to Petty, the University Coun-

seling Center currently offers and will continue to offer smoking cessation programs regardless of any changes in smoking policy. Until policies are changed or enforced more heavily, however, smokers and non-smokers will simply have to co-exist peacefully. “Right now our biggest designated smoking area is located smack dab in the middle of our campus, which is a problem,” Ketcham said. “Smokers have the right to choose to smoke, but non-smokers also have the right to clean air. And while many of the smokers on campus are respectful, there are a select few who have forgotten that smoking on campus is a privilege, not a right.” Reports from St. Louis University, a fellow Jesuit institution, reveal that more than 70 percent of college students do not smoke. This means that less than a third of all students at universities like Loyola are exposing their non-smoker friends and peers to the health consequences that these smokers voluntarily expose themselves to. St. Louis University is one of a handful of Jesuit universities in the U.S. that has adopted a smoke-free campus. During the 2007-2008 academic year, SLU began the process of becoming smoke free after facing problems similar to Loyola’s. According to university reports, representatives from “Smoke Free SLU” attempted to rearrange designated smoking

areas, but their policies, like Loyola’s, were neither followed nor enforced. Now that the smoke-free policy at St. Louis University has been in full effect for nearly five years, the University has seen much more success with enforcement. SLU has also adopted several resources on campus for smokers attempting to quit the habit since the enforcement of the policy.

What would really be great is if our mission to care for the whole person included being respectful of others, and smokers would abide by the smoking policy. Before Loyola can be successful with such a policy, students such as Gomez-Nieto and Ketcham believe that a change of attitude toward smoking in general at Loyola must take place. To do so, however, Ketcham believes that logistical changes to the smoking policy must be made first. “We need to re-evaluate our designated smoking areas and make sure that they aren’t in high-traffic areas. We also need to re-establish, advertise and enforce a coherent smoking policy so that everyone on campus is aware of the rules,” Ketcham said. W

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all Natural The mystery of natural hair in the black community revealed By Cami Thomas Photo by Emily Gaines

For many black women in America,

hair straightening is inevitable. Whether with chemicals or heat, curls have been pressed, tamed and strapped down. Natural afros have been traded in for long, straight tresses. But some women at Loyola have steered clear of any chemical straightening processes, such as perms or relaxers. They are part of a growing trend of women who refuse to use chemicals and choose to rock their hair in its natural state. “I’ve always had natural hair,” music industry senior Britti Guerin said. “Since I was a little girl.” Hair that has not been processed by chemicals and is worn in its natural state is considered “natural hair” in the black community. For those with a tight curl pattern, like many in the black community, hair care is much easier said than done. A loose curl pattern usually equates to waves or ringlets. Tighter curl patterns are more often found with afros. Those with natural hair make the decision to not use chemicals that would alter the curl pattern in order to make the hair straighter. Guerin recalls an experience that forever changed her hair. “My hair used to be extremely long when I was a little girl. I used to look like a cocker spaniel when they used to blow dry it,” Guerin said. But one day, a common activity changed that. “It ended up breaking off. I went swimming with my friend; she was white with really long red hair. And we went swimming in her

grandma’s swimming pool, and her grandma didn’t measure how much chlorine she put into the swimming pool, which was really damaging for my hair.” Though a swimming cap would have protected against damage, Guerin remembers refusing to wear one because she wanted to fit in with her friends.

20 | WOLF MAGAZINE

All the time, people are curious. People always have questions.

“I didn’t want to wear the swimming cap,” Guerin said. “I wanted to look pretty, to wear my hair out like all my friends.” The makeup of natural and black hair generally makes it more fragile than most types of hair, so Guerin’s experience is not unique within the black community. “As I got older, I would straighten my hair. I thought straightening my hair would make me look more sexy,” Guerin said. “It made me look older. But I would straighten it so much that I would ruin my curl pattern.” While some naturals are comfortable wearing their hair out, others receive negative backlash for having a style that seems unusual by society’s standards. “My friends have huge afros,” Guerin

said. “One of my friends was at her internship and she had her hair really big. And this guy came up and was like, ‘What’s going on with your hair?’” Having an afro, or wearing natural hair in a big way, could garner attention from those who aren’t used to it. “People look because they’re amazed,” Guerin said. “It intrigues people. There’s going to be ignorance. Everybody was shaped or molded differently. I never pay attention to people’s opinions, because I do it for me.” Sociology sophomore Eli Green has been natural since high school but more recently has decided to lock her hair. Locks, which are sometimes referred to as dreads or dreadlocks, are also a popular style amongst natural hair enthusiasts. “I decided to stop getting relaxers February of my freshman year,” Green said. “For various reasons, one being that I had a lot of breakage just from chemicals and products that I was using. So I decided to completely cut that out.” “I’m not the only person locked in my family. My sister has locks, my brother has locks as well,” she said. Though Green has not received negative backlash for wearing locks, she finds that most comments stem from wonder. “All the time, people are curious,” Green said. “People always have questions.” Curiosity stems from people of any race. Even within the black community, natural hair is an unknown concept for some. “My grandparents on my mom’s side just


STAY IN THE

LOOP

Britti Guerin helps Eli Green maintain her locks.

really didn’t know what it was,” Green said. “Less of a criticism and more of confusion.” As the natural hair phenomenon begins to spread further into college culture, Guerin fears that those who choose to chemically alter their hair may feel the fury of those who choose to stay natural. “I don’t think it’s right when people are criticized for not having natural hair,” Guerin said. “Lately it’s become a trend. It’s so big now.” Guerin wears her hair naturally but also chooses to include hairpieces that change

her look. Including extensions gives her the freedom to transform her style as she sees fit. She admits that this type of maintenance isn’t for everyone. “My outer fits my personality,” Guerin said. “People should just be who they are.” Whether it’s an afro, braids, extensions or locks, the natural hair community is growing at Loyola. “Natural hair doesn’t necessarily mean curly,” Guerin said. “It can mean kinky, and kinky is beautiful.” W

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EATING LOCAL

How eating local is good for the community, enviroment and easy on the wallet By Olivia Lueckemeyer Photo by Sophia Tan

22 | WOLF MAGAZINE

A

sk students on campus if they eat locally grown foods and most will tell you the same thing: they would if they could. Many say that not only are locally grown foods too expensive, but they’re hard to access within a college community. New Orleans farmers markets and restaurants are trying to combat this misconception by fostering the farm-to-table concept in a realistic way.


Although eating locally can be expensive, if you make it a priority and cut something unnecessary off the grocery list, it’s totally doable.

Market Umbrella, an organization started in 1995 by Executive Director Richard McCarthy, aims to reinvent the tradition of public markets by allowing regional farmers to sell the fruits of their labor directly to consumers. The organization was created and fostered at Loyola’s Twomey Center for Peace through Justice and partnered with both the business school and LUCAP to, as McCarthy puts it, “twin the university resources with social change needs out there in the region, based around our shared love of food.” Here in New Orleans, Market Umbrella runs the thrice-weekly Crescent City Farmers Market to try and bring back the once booming public market system in the city. McCarthy said he was motivated to start the organization after he noticed that some of the cultural aspects of New Orleans were being lost through the ever-prevailing obsession with grocery stores. Farmers markets, McCarthy said, was a way to not only support local farmers but also to allow people to gain a better understanding about where the food came from. “The grocery store is like a vending machine. You say, ‘I want this,’ and it falls from the sky, you have no idea how it got there. Here, you get to know how it got here and it’s only here, therefore you begin to learn to eat seasonally, and you ride the waves of the season,” he said. McCarthy stresses the importance of farmers markets, noting their abundance is reflective of the health of the food system in any given city. Economically, farmers markets are highly beneficial because by supporting regional farmers local money is kept circulating locally, which in turn generates community wealth. From a public health standpoint, McCarthy said farmers markets are essential because it allows members of the community to know who is growing the food and how it is being farmed. However, the most important aspect of eating locally grown foods, McCarthy said, is one that is not so obvious: it defends our region’s strong sense of cultural integrity. These days, the food we eat is usually pulled out of a freezer and thrown in a fryer; a harrowing fact for a community with such a proud food culture. Some restaurants in New Orleans are discouraged by this development and seek to counter it by purchasing their produce at places such as the Crescent City Farmers Market and Hollygrove Market and Farm. It is in this way that local eateries, such as Herbsaint, Cochon and Satsuma are keeping a toehold in the authenticity of the city’s food culture.

“We try to feature dishes that are ingredient centered; not everything is necessarily healthy, but the quality of the locally grown ingredients is high,” said chef Michael Costantini of Satsuma. High quality ingredients are something Loyola students are not incredibly accustomed to. At a university where nearly all food products come from Sodexo, the university’s food supplier, it can be nearly impossible to maintain a diet of fresh, healthy ingredients. Bill Pastellak, community coordinator for the Hollygrove Market and Farm, said his organization helps solve this problem with a home delivery service. “We know many people are strapped for time and can’t make it to the market, so our home delivery service makes it easy to get your weekly share of fresh, local produce,” he said. Another one of the major reasons why students don’t eat locally grown food is because of the supposed high expense. However, according to McCarthy, Crescent City Farmers Market’s in-season produce prices are actually lower than at the grocery store. “Anything that is peak-of-season is much cheaper than the grocery store,” McCarthy said. Whatever the price, senior sociology major Camille Fiess says that eating locally grown food should be a priority for students. “Although eating locally can be expensive, if you make it a priority and cut something unnecessary off the grocery list, it’s totally doable. Even if you ordered out one less time a week, you would be able to afford the difference between local and non-local,” Fiess said. Kathy Anzelmo, a biological science professor at Loyola, wished to foster the importance of eating locally by creating a community garden on campus. Unfortunately, because of the construction on Monroe Hall, this garden no longer exists. She also said along with the many benefits of eating locally, one that is commonly overlooked is the positive effect on the environment. “The main importance of eating locally is the carbon footprint issue. It is much better for the environment to buy food that is locally grown, within a 250 mile radius, than fruits and veggies that are grown in Florida, California, Chile or Mexico and then trucked in for thousands of miles using gasoline,” Anzelmo said. By understanding where our food comes from, supporting the efforts of local farmers and defending our cultural integrity, students can become what McCarthy calls the next generation of good eaters. W

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Finding Peace of Mind I Students and faculty use meditation for holistic health By Vannia Zelaya Photo illustration by Sara Feldman

24 | WOLF MAGAZINE

nspired by the Beatles and their practice of transcendental meditation, Kathy Anzelmo began her journey in meditation, and today it has become a part of her courses at Loyola. According to Anzelmo, instructor of biological sciences, the trend at Loyola can be traced back to the late Rev. Ben Wren, S.J., a former professor of two popular Zen meditation courses. Citing Wren as inspiration and with 22 years of practice herself, Anzelmo is one of several professors at Loyola who have included meditation in their courses. “I snuck meditation in the course because although it’s not traditional biology, it does have a biology component to it,” she said, referring to her Cultural Biology course. Similarly, Associate Professor of Philosophy Francis Coolidge was inspired by Wren, and


he uses a meditation component as a service to students. “I also decided to include it in service of self-knowledge,” Coolidge said. “It encourages a greater capacity to lead lives of wholeness, and it’s in line with Loyola’s mission.” Coolidge, who began practicing meditation 25 years ago, describes it from a philosophical perspective as the bridge between our unconscious and ordinary thoughts. It has the power to completely change one’s life perspective, and it does not necessarily have to be linked to a religion or set of beliefs. “It goes back to Socrates, to ‘know yourself.’ It’s the most powerful way of developing self-awareness,” he said. “It’s a process of self-inquiry.” In light of this being a flexible practice, Anzelmo teaches several forms. Her course briefly reviews traditions such as acupuncture and more extreme forms such as Tibetan meditation, which involves eight-hour long sessions in both steam and snow. Modern methods include a type practiced during TV commercials and kinesthetic types such as yoga. Yoga is particularly popular among college students like Justine Sundrud, a biological sciences junior who regards the practice as life-changing. Aside from citing her father as inspiration, she also cites her Liberation Theology course, taught by Alvaro Alcazar, director of Urban Partners for the Twomey Center for Peace Through Justice. “It’s all changed my whole lifestyle. I’m

more aware of what I’m doing and eating and how I’m interacting with people,” Sundrud said. “I do it whenever I can and usually the night before a test.” According to University Counseling Center staff counselor Alison Cofrancesco, students can suffer from anxiety that stems from academics, finances, relationships and defining moral values. “Meditation can be helpful in reducing that anxiety and can encourage acceptance of the present rather than regretting the past or fearing the future,” she said. Like Cofrancesco, psychology freshman Codie Maxwell, who has practiced meditation for three years, believes it can help students with life decisions. “There are many different paths we can take, many philosophies we can live by, and people have trouble figuring out what they want,” Maxwell said. “We’re always clouded by other people’s judgments, and meditation helps tune them out and seek into yourself to figure out what you want and how you want to achieve it.” Anzelmo also regards the practice as beneficial for students, noting the mental and physical benefits. “It can help students concentrate better for studying. It’s like a nap,” she said. “You become more focused because it’s more quiet inside of you.” Some of the benefits she mentions are: a decrease in heartbeat, respiration rate, blood pressure and pain. It boosts the immune system and rewires the brain to reduce stress. It also increases endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals of the brain.

Aside from being available through courses, a meditation gathering called “Centering Prayer” has been offered since this past summer and is led by Ricardo Marquez, the Jesuit Center’s assistant director for faculty and staff development. Marquez notes this is not a strictly religious event. “This is not reduced to the Catholic tradition. Any concreteness of god isn’t god. You can connect from different languages and traditions,” he said. “It’s cultural disarmament.” Every Tuesday at 12:35 p.m., Marquez begins with thoughts attributed to people from different backgrounds such as Lao-Tzu, Mohammed, Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi and others. Along with other Loyola practitioners, he agrees the practice serves to encourage self-awareness and highlights that there is no definite way to meditate. “It has very profound effects on you. You’re more compassionate to yourself and learn to accept yourself as you are, healing yourself and surpassing your critics and inner judges,” he said. “It’s not a formula, it’s not the seven habits of life to be happy. It’s a journey to walk with more consciousness.” Like Marquez and Coolidge, Anzelmo recommends doing the practice for at least 20 minutes twice per day in a quiet environment. She said the more one does it, the easier and more beneficial it becomes. “If you’ve done it enough you can do it in the middle of Grand Central Station in New York,” she said. “You learn to tune it all out.” W

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Losing Motivation What you can do if senioritis takes over, especially if you’re not a senior By Aaren Gordon Photo illustration by Sara Feldman

W

hen staff members like Elizabeth Rainey, director of Retention and Student Success, try to assist students who are struggling with a lack of motivation, they suggest the students ask themselves: Why did you come here? What do you hope to get out of your time here? Brooks Zitzmann, staff counselor at the University Counseling Center, said helpful questions a student can ask when struggling with a lack of motivation are similar to Rainey’s: Where do I want to go? Why did I come to Loyola in the first place? Am I on track to reach those goals? How am I being a barrier to myself? The trend Rainey has noticed with students losing motivation relates to adjustment. She said that when students live at home, their motivators are most often their parents. When they transition to college, even if living with parents, students are challenged to develop 26 | WOLF MAGAZINE

their own motivation and find out what their motivators are. Though Rainey said she tries to motivate students to find their reasons for being here, preventive methods sometimes don’t work. “Most of the students come back to me and say, ‘I had to learn for myself.’ I think you need to have a stumble to learn from,” said Rainey. Two factors Rainey said she sees influencing students who are losing motivation are faculty connections and involvement on campus. If a student has a good relationship with a professor or is in an extracurricular organization, that student is more likely to not lose motivation compared to a student who is not as involved on campus. Zitzmann said she thinks lack of motivation is a sign of a deeper issue. “Is it something about depression, a loss of interest in major, family problems or not wanting to be in the city anymore?” she said.

According to her, distinguishing the difference in reasons behind loss of motivation is important in its treatment. Zitzmann said sometimes a student’s lack of focus could stem from the student having more in his or her life than just being a student. “It can be stress-related to family or to work or illness. Sometimes it’s difficult to stay focused on being a student,” she said. If this sounds familiar, a student should prioritize the issues that are affecting their work as a student in order to be able to focus on being a student, Zitzmann said. “By prioritizing those things first, it should make you a better student. That’s why it’s understandable when people take leaves of absence.” Given the different situations and experiences students can have in college, Rainey said they should think deeply about why they are at Loyola. “Because there will be a hiccup, so you need to know what motivates you,” she said. W



THE BMR CALCULATOR Finding your Basal Metabolic Rate can help determine calorie needs and aid in weight loss, weight gain and maintaining your weight. Jordan Everett, biology junior, is a University Sports Complex personal trainer, certified by the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. He recommends using your BMR to aid in just that. By knowing this number, you can know how many calories to intake every day to maintain weight. Use this guide to estimate your BMR and daily calorie intake.

STEP 1

FOR WOMEN

[

655 + 4.35 x weight in pounds

] + [4.7 x

height in inches

] – [4.7 x

age in years

]

=

]

=

BMR

FOR MEN 66 +

[6.23 x

weight in pounds

] + [12.7 x

height in inches

] – [6.8 x

age in years

BMR

STEP 2 Your daily caloric intake is based on your activity level. According to the Harris Benedict Formula, find your level and multiply the associated number with your BMR to find out your daily calories to maintain weight. Eat fewer calories if you’re trying to lose weight, more if you want to gain weight. Little to no exercise:

1.2 x BMR

Lightly active:

light exercise one to three times per week

Moderately active:

=

1.375 x

daily calories

moderate exercise three to five times per week

daily calories

hard exercise five to seven times per week

Very active:

= BMR

1.55 x

= BMR

1.725 x

daily calories

= BMR

daily calories


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The trick is to translate great reasons into action. A heavy class load, coupled with a part-­‐time job, school club commitments and the seemingly ever-­‐present lack of sleep can keep even the most dedicated student from eating right. An Easy Approach to Healthy Eating If you want “eat healthy” to be your resolution that sticks with you, go for the big payoff. The fastest way to improve your diet is to eat more fruits and vegetables. For the average undergraduate, eating 5-­‐6 cups of fruits and vegetables per day will deliver all of the benefits listed above. How do I eat 5-­‐6 cups of fruits & vegetables in a day? Eat the Rainbow. 5-­‐6 cups of fruits and vegetables might seem like a lot of food, but adding a serving or two to each meal will get you there. You might be surprised at how quickly you can get to one cup: • One small apple, large orange or large banana • 8 strawberries • 12 baby carrots • 16 grapes • Five broccoli florets • One medium potato or large sweet potato You won’t get bored if you Eat the Rainbow. There are more than 75 different fruits and vegetables served on campus at various times. Plus, each food’s color means it contains different vitamins and minerals. • Red foods are a good source of protein, Vitamin C and the phytochemical beta-­‐ carotene. • Yellow foods can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and boost your immune system. • Green foods are true power sources for energy, can strengthen your immune system and help fight food cravings (like that donut that sounds so tempting at 10am or 2am). • Blue and purple foods contain antioxidants that protect your cells from damage and keep you healthy. You don’t have to live at a salad bar to Eat the Rainbow. The salad bar is the most obvious way to get your 5-­‐6 cups of fruits and vegetables each day, but every source counts! Get creative to get to your goal! • Grab a baked potato and top it with steamed veggies, salsa or black beans. • Pile extra lettuce and tomato on your taco. • Squeeze lemon and/or orange in your hot or iced tea. • Craving pizza? Grab a slice of cheese and add your own colorful toppings. • Include a cup of vegetable or bean soup at lunch or dinner. Check out http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-­‐ groups/vegetables-­‐tips.html for more information, tips and ideas.

Why Eat the Rainbow? 1. You’ll feel better 2. Your brain will work better 3. It’s half the battle to maintaining a healthy weight (the O THER most common New Year’s Resolution)


Yerli Yabanci

(A Native Foreigner) Jenna Knoblach is a visual arts and English writing senior. This narrative is of a jogging experience in Istanbul while she was studying abroad in the spring 2012 semester.

F

Flakes of white suspended in the air, and I displaced them with my form. There is something essential about going on a run to view a new location. It was necessary that I strap my shoes on and go. What makes me tie up my laces to see Istanbul like a miniature caught in a shaken snow globe? It was my third morning ever in Turkey and my third run there. I am a native of New Orleans who gets panicky when a day in our three-week-long winter dips down to 49 degrees. Why could my third January morning there be unthinkable without my third run? I even contacted another runner before I arrived to ensure I was able to view my new location this way: these cliffs that teased my eyes with views of the Bosporus, these frozen blankets coating fir tree branches, these snowy gusts of wind nipping my skin. My running partner and I ran along the guard rail on the right side since it was better to view cars that entered the blind curve. Our eyes were big and tried to devour the sights of this new world painted with white. A clearing of trees with a path of fresh snow appeared alongside and lusted after me. I turned my head back to face the road and used thoughts of my loved ones to restrain myself. How much would I hurt them if something happened to me? The runner behind me took one look to the right and his shape followed. I immediately turned my body around and re-routed to my original instincts toward the view with the hidden horizon line. Down the snowy cliff we went, wandering into the unknown. I didn’t know much about snow; the last 30 | WOLF MAGAZINE

time I had seen it was probably thirteen years ago while making the rounds to visit relatives up North. I learned here that if the snowfall was light and the ground underneath was close, my shoes made a squeaking sound when the ice particles crushed beneath my tread. The white covering on this cliff did not do that. My feet sunk into snow and disappeared from view. Was there anything underneath? Was it one layer of snow heaped after another and after another? A snow sea without a bottom? Could one step cause a leg to be fully submerged? Would stories be in the papers where my family learned that my body was discovered beneath one hundred feet of Turkish blizzard? I didn’t know. I knew I had to keep running down this cliff. Gravity and my urge to discover what lay beyond my field of vision were involuntary forces. I was unable to escape the temptation to know. The slope was so steep that I slowed my pace to prevent my feet from faltering. My shoes, then socks, then toes were drenched. They were not immune to this climate. I kept tumbling down the slope with the incline forcing each of my steps. Then my shoes started to slide. I fell forward. I felt something hard: my knees told me ground did, in fact, exist under this white mass. I got up and kept running down the cliff bounding after my running partner who

was still somewhere below me. I still could not make out the horizon line. Finally reaching the bottom of the slope, the view burned into my retinas. The Bosporus was so green! It stretched for miles. With the cliff preventing us from going any farther, we held the image in our vision for many moments. To begin the journey back up the steep incline, we turned around. Before getting very far, we spotted an alternate path to the right. This was an easy decision. I began to run up the slope: a mountainside touching my left shoulder and a cliff opening to an ice-draped forest touching my right. My veins pulsed electric. I breathed in all of this wild nature with my lungs. My smile flashed neon as the wind took bites of my skin. Up and up and up. I didn’t know where it would lead. If it would deliver us back to the main road or lead to another location entirely was not known. I spotted prints in the snow. Were they from hoofs? From a walking stick? Who had been here earlier? What person had divined this sacred spot? My running partner and I started to talk about Chris McCandless, the 22 year

Would stories be in the papers where my family learned that my body was discovered beneath one hundred feet of Turkish blizzard? I didn’t know. I knew I had to keep running down this cliff.


The university was built on top of a mountain, and this was the basic guideline for each morning: leave campus, run down a hill, go somewhere I haven’t gone before, be yelled at in a language I don’t understand, run back up the hill. old who received his undergraduate degree, donated twenty-four thousand dollars of law degree savings, and hitchhiked to Alaska with little food or equipment. We expressed our admiration for somebody who chose to live a life deliberately — centered on discovering the rawness of the world by getting up close and touching it. What made him that way? The main road greeted us back to civilization. Cars honked surprisedly at pedestrians on a rural mountain road and, more specifically, at two white people exercising recreationally in freezing weather. It wasn’t long before a new path was discovered. A narrow blacktop turned downward with a road sign featuring pictures, emotional all-capped words, and exclamation points. We couldn’t understand these words. We took this road. We did not know where we were headed, but our forms traveled there. I received something as essential as oxygen by going somewhere I’ve never gone, doing something I’ve never done, seeing something I’ve never seen. Confronting the new and being assaulted by the unfamiliar

were what I sought on a daily basis. Why are there people out there who live this way? What makes their hunger for experience different from someone whose idea of a good day is to settle down with their cat and their worn copy of Pride and Prejudice in their cozy living room? I kept running. I started to notice more signs with angry big letters punctuated by exclamation points. My foot slid off the asphalt and onto the ground at one point, and I let myself entertain thoughts of land mines. Maybe it was my imagination or maybe it was my adrenaline, but this place was a new one. Both the snow and the grass alike could hold things I was not aware of. I kept running. The blind curves of the forest opened up to show a headquarters of some sort with several small structures that looked like outposts. I kept running. A string of Turkish shouts broke the white silence. Inside one of the outposts, a uniformed man with a gun yelled something else and blew a whistle. I turned around. I ran the other way. A van passed me. It was filled

with men in 1950s style sailor uniforms. I kept running. The university was built on top of a mountain, and this was the basic guideline for each morning: leave campus, run down a hill, go somewhere I haven’t gone before, be yelled at in a language I don’t understand, run back up the hill. I accumulated the world this way. I raced down until an ancient fort rose up: a circular goliath that, when perched on top, stole my breath with the view of the Bosporus opening into the Black Sea. Sections were peppered with graffiti and littered with empty Efes bottles, but going there brought me to origins of the Ottoman eighteenth century and myths of the Golden Fleece. I marched through tiny fishing villages and brushed the edges of abandoned tunnels. I, with my merhabas and my running tights and my smiles, might have frightened locals. I confused vendors at the closest town’s Wednesday market when I pantomimed to barter for fistik and portakal (I had just learned these words and could not wait to use them). When my pockets stopped jingling with change, I would load my pack and run back, pretending I was a Kenyan. My body lacked the cunning of the Wright brothers’ experimental aircraft or the genius of Ford’s assembly line Model T., but it was a vehicle nevertheless: a transportation device that brought me to touch and taste and smell the new that I couldn’t keep myself from being magnetized to. W


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