Marian Network Student Newspaper

JUNIOR EDITION the Network

April 2011

Marian High School

7400 Military Avenue- Omaha, NE- 68134- (402)571.2618- Volume 55 Issue 8

Flirty Going Too Far? pg.7 Teachers' Pets Make a Scene pg.17 Table Talk: Girls vs. Boys pg.18

FIELD DAY through the ages...

pgs. 10&11

100% recycled paper GO GREEN!

Cover by EmilyFischer and AnnieTownley

Year of Leadership Mary Comes TrinityGleason

T

he 2010-2011 school year started with a lot of changes. One change seemed insignificant but was really quite important. That change didn’t really change what happens at Marian, but it changed the way students and staff talked about it.

Marian empowering girls to succeed as confident, independent, thinking leaders has always happened.

But, naming this year “The Year of s Leadership” sparked the change. u d n a L s er Luka Events and activities, like the Leadership ist Jennif r l Gir ls, with t r a l a c u Workshops and Lunch with a Leader, were c Lo y in e P n Tooh tor of created to help cultivate Marian girls into ‘90, crea chool Mr s. Susa fS becoming leaders. h.

Head o c 7 lunc e D “Some [girls] are born leaders but a lot e h t at have potential and can be taught [to become a leader],” Ms. Susie Sisson said.

For those who need that little boost in the right direction, the Leadership Workshops were installed.

There were five sessions available to girls in grades 9 through 11. Girls interested in being on Student Board, a Class Officer, an officer for NHS or NEHS, or any other leadership position were required to attend three sessions.

While no one attended all five, many girls who were determined to be the best leaders they can be attended four of the sessions. However, most of the 219 girls who Adventure participated attended only the three required Photogra pher Jen E ‘01 came sessions. dne to The five sessions revolved around Jen’s photo Marian on March 1 y 5. s five key skills leaders should many spo have been featured r ts magaz in have: organization, ines. interpersonal relations, communication, decision-making, and group dynamics.

Those may seem like common-sense rnalist skills leaders should ning jou Herin w d r ld already have, but r o Awa W Omaha 1 spoke the workshops for the ‘9 race G . in helped students 5 r 1 E eb ald, ch on F n lock into the lu e h at t skills and figure ent out how to m t r a p De y of PR utilize them for ourtes

Photos

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maximum effect.

One skill many girls find important is organization.

“Organization [is the most important skill], because they showed you a way to do it by using a schedule and being prepared,” freshman Carly Novacek said.

Freshman Emily Hobza agrees that organization is important. “They showed you an efficient way to plan ahead of time.”

The skills being taught at the workshops will go into the next school year in hopes that someday the current students will be able to speak at one of the Lunch with a Leader sessions.

Six alumnae came to Marian, either in person or through Skype, to talk to current students about following their dreams to succeed in life.

They also gave some advice on how to follow those dreams. “[We have to] stay on the right track and speak out because things will work out better for getting farther in life,” freshman Bailey Costello said.

The lunches all had a common theme, but the speakers have different jobs. A former FBI officer, handbag designer, journalist, photographer and two business entrepreneurs visited Marian to help encourage students to be the best leaders they can be.

Home

Spring Awakening. This spring brings more than just beautiful, blooming flowers. The new Virgin Mary statue was installed on April 19, replacing the statue that was destroyed on Nov. 3. A prayer service was dedicated to its installment on April 20.

Photo by AlecMorand.

Temporary Co-Workers, Permanent Sisters

I

t all started when a couple of Marian girls informed fellow Creighton University Public Relations student Lucy Hancock of a possible internship at Marian High School, and then everything fell into place.

Within the next couple of months, Lucy was working with Public Relations Director

facebook Katey Hancock Status: single Age: 25 From: Fort Dodge, Iowa Studied at: Creighton University Favorite Store:

Francesca’s

Favorite Food:

Pizza Hut

Lenten Promise:

NO DRAMA

About me:

I live in sweatpants when not at work.

Lucy Hancock says:

“Katey is classy,

conservative, and proper with an

edge.”

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The Scoop

Shaela Wepfer on everything behind the scenes at Marian.

Then, over Christmas break, Mrs. Wepfer was asked to work for Creighton, which opened up the public relations (PR) position at Marian.

Meanwhile, Lucy’s older sister Katey Hancock was in the process of relocating from Chicago to Omaha. Lucy happened to mention the PR opening to Katey, who graduated from Creighton with a major in PR and went on to work for the Omaha World Herald and the Chicago Tribune.

After several interviews, including alum, Katey was offered this job opportunity, and within a few weeks, the sisters were spending every moment together.

For one straight month, while Katey looked for housing, the Hancock girls lived, ate and worked together; and they never fought.

Lucy and Katey have been close from the beginning. From being doubles partners on their high school tennis team to now working side by side as the PR Sisters, they always see eye to eye.

Katey and Lucy grew up with Catholic values and always envisioned working in a Catholic establishment. The Marian mission was a positive job aspect, but they didn’t realize what they were getting themselves into.

Lucy was confused by Gnimocemoh and the origins of the word. Katey, on the other hand, still can’t understand Field Day and the importance behind it.

Both the Hancock sisters realize that being young gives them an advantage.

“Our generation is ahead of the technological curve. We have been able to take college courses pertaining to the most innovative advancements and updates in the social media realm-- giving us the most up to date website and publications. Along with that, having fresh, new ideas makes our campaigns much more interesting,” Lucy said.

These sisters consider themselves a “package deal.” Their strengths and weaknesses compliment each other. Katey admits that she is the news writer. Lucy explains that she is the artsy communicator. And together the Hancock sisters realize that work comes before play.

“Working with my sister has been the biggest blessing for me. I never have to question if she has completed the projects I give to her, because I can count on her the same way I can count on myself. She is an instant mood booster for me as well, which always makes our office a positive place for me. We have the same sense of urgency and accountability with our jobs, which means we always get things done, but still have time to make each other laugh and enjoy our time together,” Katey said.

The Public Relations sisters assemble the Parent Newsletter, Marian website, and annual reports. They both organize and promote events. Katey and Lucy also take pictures for event brochures and announcements.

A day’s work includes finishing each other’s sentences and enjoying at least five cups of coffee each. While Katey works full time, Lucy works part time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

Since the Hancock sisters do so many

things together, they are sometimes viewed as the same person. They believe this stems from the fact that they share similar clothing, have the same last name and are close in age. Not only are they mistaken as the same person, but sometimes they are thought to be students here at Marian. Although the Hancock girls aren’t official Marian girls, they are at heart.

facebook Lucy Hancock Status: single Age: 22 From: Fort Dodge, Iowa Studied at: Creighton University Favorite Store: Favorite Food: Lenten Promise: About me:

Katey Hancock says:

Urban Outfitters American Apparel Burger from Goldberg’s No chocolate I leave in July for a 3 month mission trip to India.

“Lucy is a free spirit and outgoing.”

April Network

Graphics by MeganBoler

MeganBoler & AllieBraun

SarahSinger

O

n any given afternoon, hordes of cars whiz down the streets of Omaha, and police officers hand out

or even lightening the mood by laughing at her silly costume.

Many Marian girls have gone through tickets. similar experiences with police officers.

It was a Wednesday evening in OctoJunior Maria Barmettler has been a vicber, and senior Quinn Rensch was on her tim of the Fort Street speed trap that catches way home from school with senior Frannie many Marian girls eagerly driving home Hollinger. She was cruising along 72nd and after a long day at school.

Western, without a care in the world. Sud“I was denly, Rensch saw the dreaded flashing lights driving down in her rear-view mirror.

Fort, and I She quickly tried to think of a way to get saw a police out of the ticket. Should she start crying? officer wave Should she pretend to be sick? Should she at me to slow say she’s late for something important? With down.” little time left to decide, she planned to just Barmetkeep cool, tell the truth, and be as sweet as tler conshe could be to the policeman. tinued on As the officer walked up to the window, without a Rensch hoped that he would let her off with care, thanka warning, considering Rensch and Holful that the linger were wearing Telletubbies Halloween kind officer costumes. let her off “Ma’am, do you know how fast you were with a going?” the police officer asked. friendly reminder.

Surprised by his harsh and unfriendly “Later that night, the doorbell rang and a tone, Rensch politely replied, “I’m so sorry police officer was there to give me my ticket,” sir, I don’t know.”

Barmettler said.

After informing her that she was going It turns out that the officer was trying to well over the speed limit, he took her license wave her down to pull her over, not just to and registration back to his car. be friendly. The officer had tracked her down In the time it took for the officer to reand hand-delivered the ticket. turn, Rensch kept hope that there was still a So why are Marian girls commonly receivchance to get out of the ticket. ing speeding tickets? Do Marian girls truly Friends had told her from experience drive too fast? Or could it have something to about the many times they were pulled do with colored stickers on the back of their over and were let off with just a warning, cars? but Rensch quickly understood that this From the blue (and green) plaid, to the wouldn’t be one of those cases. The police ofparking permits on the back of student cars, ficer clearly wasn’t buying her innocent act, Marian girls are easy to identify. After they pull the car over, police officers could see the sticker and immediately form an unfair opinion about Marian girls and Police Initiative General Statement No. 006742 their driving.

This is not the CITATION: case according to AVERAGE CITATION FEE Officer Reeson of -More than 100,000 Americans $150.00 the Omaha Police receive a speeding ticket each Department. day “If you’re running radar you can’t focus -That’s 41,000,000 speeding tickets per year. on the back of the -One in every six drivers will get a speeding tickcar, so you don’t pick who you are pulling et this year. over and wouldn’t -Those from 17-24 years old receive the most even be able to see the permits. No one speeding tickets is pulled over unless -More men than women receive speeding tickets they are doing some-17 year-old drivers are more likely to be involved thing wrong,” Officer Reeson said. in an accident than any other age group.

Do Marian stu-Doctors receive the most speeding tickets of dents have an unfair disadvantage as opany other profession. posed to other teen -The average traffic cop will cost a city about drivers?

Attendance office $75,000 per year in salary, bonuses, and benefits. supervisor Mrs. -This same police officer will make the city an Karen Brown said, “I would think it would average of $200,000 per year in traffic ticket be an advantage over fines! a disadvantage from -In July 1879, two men were fined for speeding on the standpoint that Marian is a wellhorses in Seattle respected school, and our students are thought very highly of.”

Citation Officer: Kat Dudley Mrs. Brown is responsible for selling parking permits to http://www.trafficticketsecrets.com/speeding-ticket-facts.html Marian students.

Some girls have gotten out of a ticket simply because they Graphic by KatDudley

go to Marian. Girls have been pulled over for speeding, but when they told the police officer where they went to school, they were let off because the officers knew girls from Marian.

Some Omaha high schools, such as Creighton Prep, Westside, and Omaha South, do not use parking permit stickers. Instead, they use removable stickers that hang from rear-view mirrors. The removable permits make the school of the teen driver unknown, hiding the fact that they are fairly inexperienced drivers.

Junior Mallory Brady of Westside reaps the benefits of her removable parking permit.

“I’m really glad I got a removable parking pass. Every senior gets one, and it’s a lottery for the juniors,” Brady continued, “I like how they can be removed. It is nice knowing that I am on the same level as all drivers. I’m not singled out as a high schooler.”

Every speeding story has an end: get a ticket or get away. With a ticket, one is given three options: appear in court, pay for the ticket, or take S.T.O.P class.

S.T.O.P. class is a class that can be taken at the National Safety Council in order to have a ticket removed from a record every three years.

Recently, it seems like many Marian girls have been spending their Saturdays in S.T.O.P. class. This class teaches drivers about the risks of going too fast and the consequences that may come from it. This class erases tickets from speeding, following too closely, etc. Eight hours of S.T.O.P class and it’s likely you’ll never want a ticket again.

But, don’t think one is limited to S.T.O.P. class. By driving 20 miles per hour or more over the speed limit and paying a $200 fee, one can become a S.T.A.R. One can only have a ticket of this kind erased once in his/ her life.

“I was motivated to drive slower because of the frightening videos of car accidents related to speeding.”

- Senior Catie Vanhauer

SPEEDING TICKET

April Network

The S.T.O.P./S.T.A.R. class experience is not over until one meets every person in her class. Standing up one by one, introducing oneself (resembling an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting), and meeting a very. . .eclectic. . .group of people is only the beginning of the experience. From a fellow Marian girl to an elderly man with a substantial belly, one is bound to have an interesting day at class.

Sharing stories of experiences on the roads is the most impacting experience of the class for some. Fellow classmates talk of the ways driving has impacted their lives; including deaths, injuries, etc.

Hearing about these experiences reinforces how much of a responsibility driving really is.

After her S.T.O.P. class experience, Senior Catie Vanhauer noticed a need for change in her driving habits.

“I was motivated to drive slower because of the frightening videos of car accidents related to speeding,” Vanhauer said.

Since then, Vanhauer has been driving significantly slower to decrease her chances of a ticket and a crash.

Although not all S.T.O.P./S.T.A.R. classes have as great an impact as others, they serve the same purpose. These classes remind every person that no matter why someone is speeding or what someone is rushing to do, nothing is more important that respecting the lives of every body on the road.

Mike Dahm of Omaha Professional Driving School said, “Whenever you’re driving down the road and you see the speed limit sign, look at the speedometer right away.

Speeding can cause serious injury or death in accidents, therefore it is our duty to drive responsibly.”

What should I say to get out of this one?

Illustration by MirandaDineen

The Scoop

3

There’s more than meets the eye in teen pregnancy...

NaomiJones

W Unmarried teenagers having children account for 24 percent of all unmarried expectant mothers More than 2/3 of teenagers who have a baby will not graduate from high school United States teen pregnancy rates are higher than those of other developed countries

Graphic by Katy Kohlmeyer Source: www.pregnantteenhelp.org

Every year around 750,000 teenage girls will become pregnant In 2005, Nebraska had a teen birthrate of 34.2 for every 1,000 girls California reported the highest number of teen pregnancies with 96,490 Nevada has the highest birth rate of 113 for every 1,000 girls ages 15-19

Texting Turbulence

e have all heard about the baby coming?” The room became tense and silent, boom from the 80’s, but what and I asked myself, “How can I support that?” about the one that’s making its Personally, seeing so many of my peers mark in today’s generation of teens? emerge into teen mothers so much earlier When you hear the words “teen than stereotypically expected is eye opening. pregnancy,” many thoughts go through your Some girls believe they’re pregnant and lie mind but some people don’t care because about being pregnant to get attention. I wish it’s become so prevalent. The show “Teen for the teens of today, including myself, to Mom”, paints a picture of have a lot more dignity for what many young girls are themselves, to be smart about experiencing throughout what they choose to engage the United States. Many in that could change their viewers are intrigued by lives, and to understand the the hardships these young consequences. mothers face because of Being a teen mother seemingly small decisions involves so much more than in their past. In the show meets the eye. Yes, you have you see many teen mothers a cute baby, but are sleepless searching for support from nights and struggling to finish Naomi Knows, friends and boyfriends as high school worth it? All these minor plots, but it’s harder Keeping Up with the things I’m witnessing as my than expected to watch friend goes through them…

Jones someone go through a teen painfully. The world gives us pregnancy. The real question is, how do you many blessings and I see having a baby as one support someone who you know in your heart of them, but too early will drastically change is going to face some of the most challenging all your priorities whether you like it or not. times in her life?

Supporting a teen pregnancy is more than This year, I attended my first official it appears to be on the outside. Touching baby shower for a close friend from middle the stomach of one of your closest friends school. It wasn’t quite that official, though, at seven months, and knowing things aren’t considering what one pictures when he or going back to riding around on the weekends she thinks of a baby shower: married couple, with no worries, is a challenge for onlookers bright colors, proud grandparents, cute baby as much as the soon-to-be mother. name games, supportive family and friends, I can’t describe the looks of confusion that etc. Instead, it was in a cramped basement, crossed my friend’s face as the baby shower with no bright colors, a few balloons, and went on; all I know is there was a lot of games being looked up on the computer as wonder and a need for support. I chose to be a time went on. part of giving her those necessities.

When I first found out about the So how do you support the soon-to-be pregnancy, I didn’t know how to react. I knew mother sitting at her kitchen table, as her it wasn’t going to be with anger, but I also parents ask her why, how, when? How’d you knew it wasn’t joy. The first things that came know when you’ve never been there? When to my mind were, “Can she handle this?” and do you classify, when do you judge? The fact “Where is the boy that only last spring she of the matter is, you don’t judge, you support, was head over heels for?” no matter how hard it may be for you. Picture When I discovered that the baby who yourself in their shoes, and don’t be ashamed was scheduled to arrive in January 2011 by other people’s views. wasn’t going to be welcomed with open arms, Before you choose to do something that my heart hurt. My friend, seven months you know could have a negative impact on the pregnant, with still no word from the father, people around you, I encourage you to take a was about to fall hard while holding on to a second look at your situation, and the choices thin thread. I saw the pain in her eyes when you choose to make. Nobody knows how hard asked by a guest, who wasn’t as informed it is to take on the title of “teen mom”. I don’t as the rest of us, “When’s the baby’s daddy care how much you watch the show.

Texting stimulates annoyances among teens

Single and not ready to mingle

StaffEditorial

AlexaMoore

“H

ey!

Hello?

Over here!

Yeah, we’re talking to you.” Oh wait... you’re more enthralled in your technological world than our personal conversation.

Don’t you hate it when you’re trying to have a conversation with one of your friends and right as you reach the climax of the story, you realize your friend is immersed in an entirely different conversation? We can’t believe that almost half the time we hang out, it’s like we’re talking at you, not to you. The words go in one ear and out the other. And don’t think we won’t see you texting under the table while pretending to pay attention.

The simple nod of your head and the incessant clicking of the keys is a dead giveaway.

Is it really necessary to continuously text that person? No. There could be a fire in the room, tornado sirens wailing outside, yet you still wouldn’t notice. You would be more focused on responding to your pointless conversation. Texting seems like just an endless cycle of meaningless phrases, especially, “Hey, what’s up?”

There are many problems with text conversations. Texts rarely contain any type of emotion or meaning, and the little it does convey is nearly impossible to interpret.

Face to face conversations, on the other hand, are drastically different. These conversations are more intimate, without any misconceptions.

According to a CNET News study in April 2010, on average 54 percent of teenagers 1217 years old text every single day; however, only 33 per cent of teenagers have a face-to-

4

Opinion

face conversation with other teens daily. If you text this much already, how much will you text in the future with the newest technology?

The lack of face-to-face conversations daily poses more problems than meet the eye. It is becoming evident that younger generations are becoming fearful to endure a simple task that many of us have grown up with: talking on the phone.

Not being able to communicate properly over the phone or face-to-face could be an obstacle as we grow up and have to take on more responsibilities. Texting doesn’t provide you with the skills that are necessary for communicating.

Not only is texting while with others annoying, it’s also extremely rude. Whatever happened to manners? Did Miss Manners serve us no justice? The least you could do is respect us by letting us finish a story before you respond to your side conversation.

Trust us, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t respond to a text in a nanosecond.

Texting can also be inconvenient. There have been countless times when we’re with our friends and they decide to text someone and wait the five minutes for a reply to a simple question, such as “When are you coming?” or, “What are you doing tonight?”

In such cases, calling that person and talking on the phone would take much shorter time and allow for more details than the text would ever provide.

So next time you’re with your friends, put down your phone, stop your side conversations, and enjoy the time to spend with them. If you text before you listen, your personal friendship may disintegrate into just another meaningless text conversation.

I

guess you could call me a cynic and maybe even cold-hearted, but it’s really only because I’m bitter.

So, I’ll just come out and say it: high school dating relationships are pointless.

If you’re in one right now, are you really in love? Don’t get me wrong, love does exist, but it’s questionable if it can manifest itself inside an adolescent’s mind and body (in the appropriate ways).

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I have never had the joy (or pain) of experiencing a real dating relationship.

The closest I’ve ever gotten was a mere summer “romance” back in the summer of eighth grade, before texting even existed in my life. The awkward relationship consisted of a few face-to-face confrontations and, if I was lucky, a hug.

You see it all the time in movies or novels: the troubled or outcast girl, who goes unnoticed in her high school and finds the most beautiful guy just two lockers down. He then confesses his long-lasting love for her and they live happily-ever-after.

Sorry, but from what I’ve observed, that cannot be real. Maybe it’s because this is an all-girls school or maybe it’s the fact that chivalry is dead. Its memory is just alive in movies.

Over the years, I’ve gained small but valuable knowledge of the true innerworkings of a male’s mind through my older brother and many guys who will forever remain friends. Honestly, it’s kind of ruined the whole “happily-ever-after” for me.

Sure, high school relationships are “fun”, but I hate all the restrictions the two teens have on one another. I’ll hear girls say “Oh, I don’t think ‘Joe’ will like that I’m talking to him” or, “I shouldn’t do that, my boyfriend won’t let me.”

No. I’m one of those girls who’s all for independence; I’ve been that way since I was born. Honestly, if I ever do have a boyfriend in high school, I’ll make sure we have an open form of communication. What’s a relationship without trust?

Not a good one, that’s for sure, and a lot of these so-called relationships lack it in the most severe way.

I always hear stories about grandparents and how they fell in love. Everything seemed so genuine. Our generation is draining respect and chivalry from its culture. I envy the elderly woman whose husband opens the car door for her. To where did that stuff disappear?

Until high school boys can at least act mature, then I say nay. I realize that the male brain does not mature as quickly as the female.

So, I say stay single.

Moore Talk with Alexa!

April Network

Common Courtesy Lacking Mid-Air? Airplane: (ârpln) n: Any of the various winged vehicles capable of flight, generally heavier than air and driven by jet engines or propellers.

Etiquette: (et-i-kit, -ket) n: The practices and forms prescribed by social convention or by authority.

NaomiJones

The first thought that goes through my mind is, “Why in the world didn’t they take their Emergen-C before they checked in?”

Talk about no consideration!

I meet the most diverse people on airplanes. I also end up sitting next to them regardless of how much I pressure the flight attendant with the Mary Kay face (who keeps

roller-derbying my foot every time she walks by) to let me change seats. Not to mention the little girl next to me who decides her Bratz doll has seat number 26 B and-a-half.

This brings me to my point of airplane etiquette. What is airplane etiquette? It’s a hard phrase to define, considering people engage in behavior on airplanes that they’d never

Wall Street Journal journalist Scott McCartney stated it perfectly in March 2011 when he said, “Where else but on an airplane are people jammed into limited space and forced to share re-circulated air, not to mention bad behavior?”

Bad luck is always the “new black” on airplanes. No matter how much I hope and dream for an awesome airplane neighbor, I get stuck next to someone who looks and sounds like they have influenza. Feeling disgusting and uncomfortable, I have a need for required seat meditation to keep myself calm and from shoving a tissue up my neighbor’s nose.

do anywhere else. The hidden ignorance of people comes out when that ticket is scanned and they walk through their designated gate.

Things start happening that would only happen on a plane.

For example: my last trip to Denver, Colorado consisted of me listening to a conversation I would have much rather not heard.

It’s called common courtesy. Do not tell the whole plane your life story. We don’t care.

Airplane etiquette does exist, but between the dangling oxygen masks and screaming babies, it doesn’t always show.

It’s impossible to adjust our moods to fit that of whomever is checking into the seat next to us, whether a country bumpkin or overly buzzed college student.

I will not dwell on the fact that one too many times, my flying companion has been the person whose wake up call is the Bloody Mary mix which lingers on their breath for the duration of the flight.

In the end, use your common courtesy and take a little extra time to make sure you’re being an enjoyable flying companion.

Cartoon by ElleMostek

Time For A Little More Variety In Classes

And I’m Not Just Talking Electives

ColleenFell

O

ptions. Whether it be choosing beMarian and I know that it’s the best choice I tween cappuccinos or frappuccinos could have made for a high school. Right now in the drive-thru at we do have a good curriculum in Starbucks, or choosing between place and we offer many classes denims or jeggings, we could all that other private schools don’t. use a few more.

I just think that adding more We could also use a few choices to the curriculum could more options when it comes to make it even better. our classes.

With a larger variety of more The lack in the variety of diverse classes, Marian girls would classes at Marian may not only be able to get a better understandbe a bore to some, but could be ing of what fields they are really a bigger problem. interested in. This almost sounds The most commonly (and too good to be true, but I promise annoyingly) asked question it’s not. to Marian juniors and seniors First of all, I can honestly is, “What do you want to do in say that there isn’t one particular Fallin’ For Fell college?” subject that I just can’t stand. I don’t “Umm…” is the only response mean to sound like a goody-twothat most of us are capable of. What many shoes, but I like ‘em all. Personally, I think girls, including myself, are finding is that our that adding more classes into a subject would classes are just kind of... general. With these only broaden my horizons. So, what exactly generalized classes, we might know that physwould the perfect schedule be for me? Let’s ics is for us. We might realize by senior year consult my wish list. that British literature was sent to us by God. Some classes I would love to see would be But don’t count on it. philosophy, practical law, and architecture.

Now don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Now the question is, how exactly do we as a

JUNIOR EDITION

the network

The Network is a monthly publication of the journalism students at Marian High School, Nebraska’s only Class A, Catholic, North Central Accredited college preparatory school for girls. As tradition, the seniors in Journalism II allow the junior Journalism I students the opportunity to display what they have learned in a showcase issue, the April Issue. The Network is a member of the N.H.S.P.A, N.S.P.A. and the C.S.P.A. It is our goal to provide an accurate and informative news source for the student community. Opinions expressed on the opinion pages do not necessarily represent those of the entire community. Students, faculty, and friends are invited to voice their opinion in Letters to the Editors. All letters must be typed, signed, and sent to: The Network, Marian High School 7400 Military Ave. Omaha, NE 68134 Or e-mailed to us at: netpaper@omahamarian.org An electronic version of this paper can be found at: http://www.omahamarian.org/netpaper

April Network

school go about doing this? The process for adding a new class is grueling and long (18 months to be exact). On top of that, we would have to have enough teachers willing to teach multiple topics in each subject.

So how would this all be possible? One way that we might be able to accomplish this would be with a different requirement system. Our brother school, Creighton Prep, has a unique system in which there are options for their actual core classes. For example, at Marian, juniors are required to take courses in government and sociology. However, junior Prep students are given about four options in each subject.

I don’t think that we should necessarily add electives, but rather, add core classes that would be mandatory options. I think that this method of selecting classes could be extremely beneficial.

This hasn’t happened to me personally, but let’s say there is one particular class that isn’t exactly one’s strong suit. That one class could determine their opinion about that subject.

It would be a shame to shut out an entire field of study just because they weren’t good at one particular thing.

For example, you may not like chemistry. But how do you know you won’t love zoology? Or even anatomy?

I ‘m just trying to say that it is during high school when we are really trying to figure out what we want to pursue in the future. With more options, we’ll have more chances to explore different fields of study.

At Marian, we are pushed to excel in everything we do. This system would only motivate us to explore more and find what we are truly passionate about, whether it be in literature, science, or music. While it would be difficult to put a system like this into place, it would be absolutely worth it in the long run.

“What many girls, including myself, are finding is that our classes are just kind of... general.”

Managing Editors: MeganBoler & RachelBormann Assistant Editors: MeganAndreasen & CarolynZuegner Photo Editors: AllieBraun & HannahGoracke Graphics Editors: KalaniFortina & ElleMostek Front Page Editors: EmilyFischer & AnnieTownley News Editors: KatDudley & FaithWilwerding Opinion Editors: TrinityGleason, AlexaMoore, ChristinaRommelfanger & HannahToohey Feature Editors: GraceDickerson, MirandaDineen, AnnieHupp & ClancyNelson Indepth Editors: AbbyJohnson & ToriNietzel Sports Editors: RachelLukowski & ClaireTroia Entertainment Editors: AnnaBashus, ColleenFell, TaylorHaag, GabriellaMartinez-Garro & MichaelaMcDonald Photo Essay Editors: OliviaHershiser & KatyKohlmeyer Reporters/Photographers: MeganDevereaux, AlyGarrett, HannahGrace, CatelinHotz, MeganHuelskamp, NaomiJones, AlecMorand, AnaNelson, CassiePhillips, RosaliePlofchan, HannahPortis, SarahSinger, ZoeUrsick, NicoleWojtalewicz, HaileyWolf & MaryLouiseWoltemath Adviser: Mrs. MarshaKalkowski

Opinion 5

Hipsters Stand Out Together Hip Hype with Hannah

HannahGrace

H

ipsters. Let’s define: Nonprescription glasses.

Secret coffee shops.

Vintage thrift clothes, preferably from the back of a homeless person.

Obscure music from bands that nobody has heard of. If two people like the same band, then they sure aren’t hipster. Yeah, it’s pretty elite.

Mode of transportation: bikes, for some curious reason. Perhaps this makes more sense for those in urban cities, but then again bikes make a strong eco-friendly statement that hipsters go ballistic for.

Hairstyles that are literally defined by the Internet as “complicated,” but don’t worry, I got that from Urban Dictionary, which sounds hipster to me. Bonus points if you can see the brown roots.

And skinny jeans. Actually, those might be too mainstream, but whatever. Hipsters are too nonchalant to care about the specifics of their label. But yet they feel the extreme need to purchase coffee at an indie coffee shop.

Uh . . . No. Stop. I can’t do this. I can’t bash on people who like bikes. They’re saving the planet.

So hipsters, in a less stereotypical profile, reject mainstream culture and embrace their own “individual style”. Opinions may vary if that style is surprisingly fashionable or just... surprising.

Though that is a less confining profile, hipsters are a label. But a broad one, for sure. They come in all shades of flannel and ironic t-shirts. No music library of theirs can be duplicated. However, since hipsters are usually immediately identifiable, they’re a label by default.

A label: ergo the hipster is a lie.

It’s an interesting phenomenon. The hipsters, so against associating themselves with other like-minded folk, will forget their blasé outlook on life when accused of being a hipster. They deny their hipsterdom as fervently as someone accused of murder. Not surprisingly, as no one likes to be stereotyped, the hipsters are particularly fierce against labeling. Knowing this, I’ve deduced that only wannabes want to be stereotyped.

Wannabe hipsters discover how cool sorry, “deck” - hipsters are, and then they rush to the salon to die their hair blue. But by recreating themselves like this, they unintentionally destroy the hipster purpose.

When I think about it, wannabe hipsters may have actually created the hipster stereotype.

So while hipsters think themselves “deck,” I just shrug my shoulders. If they want to wear nonprescription glasses and feel protective about their anonymous music, fine. It’s irksome, but none of my business. Everyone likes to consider themselves special.

“The hipsters... deny their hipsterdom as fervently as someone accused of murder.”

And it’s not like the mainstream mindset is any better, but ranting about that might make me look like a hipster wannabe.

Bah da bah ba bah

I’m LOVIN’ It

T-Time with T. Haag TaylorHaag

E

veryone loves fast food. Get over it. I’m sick and tired of hearing high school girls complain about the excessive calories present in a large basket of fries and a double bacon cheeseburger.

“Are you gonna eat ALL those fries?”

Yes, actually. In fact, I’m going to savor each and every bite I take of those greasy,

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fatty, thinly-sliced potatoes sent from God. In fact, I might even go back and order some more.

Don’t get me wrong, after watching “Super Size Me” (a documentary investigating fast foods), I did have a sudden inclination to upchuck the chicken fries I inhaled the night before. Did that stop me from going back to Burger King the next day? Of course not.

I do understand the facts. Some people don’t like the methods certain franchises, like the beloved McDonald’s, use to make their foods. Completely understandable. It’s just funny how those same people decide not to consume a Big Mac or a CGC (Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell), when the peanut butter they had on their sandwich that afternoon has the same amount of rat remnants as the cheeseburger itself.

The FDA approves everything that is put in the foods of fast food franchises, just like they approve every other food you eat.

It’s sometimes an ironic situation. More than likely the girl who previously dissed you for your high calorie intake is the same girl you walk in on inhaling a Whopper Jr. at 10 o’clock at night.

“Mandy, is that a Whopper Jr. from Burger King?”

“Of course not. You know I think that place is gross.”

Right. And that’s why you are currently wiping up excessive mustard stains from the left corner of your lip.

Don’t lie to yourself, Mandy.

I’m not saying I have never stepped to the dark side before. Indeed, I have caught myself insulting certain fast food franchises before.

“Hey Tay, wanna hit up McDonald’s later?”

“Nah... Last time I felt sick after eating there. Besides, Jimmy John’s is right up the street.”

Readers, I would just like to state that I am overly embarrassed for that last sentence.

However, I felt it was needed in order to show that everyone has insulted fast food in one way or another at least once in his or her lifetime.

I’m not saying it’s a good idea to eat a cheeseburger and fries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but the next time you see a friend enjoying a Crunch Wrap Supreme, don’t try to rise above and diss them for their eating habits.

Because, honestly, you know deep down you were wishing you were her, devouring that mouth-watering deliciousness.

Graphic by KalaniFortina

Speak Out!

“I watched that movie Super Size Me . . . I haven’t been back since.”

- Maggie Heim, sophomore

“McDonald’s is great.

Anyone who disagrees is in denial. . . . It’s an out of body experience.”

- Carly Steinauer and Liz Wiggs, freshmen Graphic by HannahToohey

April Network

Flirty Sometimes Goes Too Far

When Sympathy Gets

Sickenin In Zo f

It’s Getting

hand-holding, a hair tussle, laughing at all his jokes (even if you’re faking it), or complimenting your latest boy on his new shirt. All of these flirtatious actions are innocent and acceptable.

I do not, however, appreciate watching girls prance around making a fool of themselves in skimpy clothes that would put Victoria’s Secret models to shame, or God forbid, swapping saliva on the couch in the middle of the party. As I watch CatelinHotz these situations play out before me, I feel embarrassment, not for myself, but for he final bell rings on Friday the girls acting this way. These extreme afternoon. I can feel the measures of flirtation are hard to witness anticipation for the weekend and I wish to put an end to the madness. through rapid-fire texts containing the I understand the whole “I never see night’s plans and girls talking about who’s boys during the week so I have to make wearing what to Jimmy’s party. the best of it on the weekend” thing. But The enthusiastic attitudes circulating honestly, no one wants to see your overfrom the cove to junior hallway get my the-top efforts to win your blue-eyed cutie blood pumping and I realize it’s the or to witness you maintain a less than weekend. respectable reputation.

I go home, take As Marian girls, we my daily 30 minute are representing our power nap, shower, school and its values put on my makeup all day, every day. We and that brand new make a name for our outfit I’ve been dying school when engaging to wear before I head in any type of activity, out with my friends even when outside to Jimmy’s party. the halls of Marian I’m sure every other itself. The scandalous girl attending this flirting that some girls party is following participate in, whether the same routine as I in front of parents, am, but maybe with Prep boys, girls from different intentions other schools, or for the night. Once strangers, can create at Jimmy’s party, I a negative image feel it is a letdown for Marian and the just like the party last weekend, the one students who do engage in this activity. before that, and the one before that.

Other displays of affection are Now, I’m not talking about awkwardness, more appropriate and easier to watch. lack of people, or a shortage on food.

If you’d be embarrassed to have your I’m talking about the plethora of girls grandparents or teachers see, keep it out I see throwing themselves at guys for, of public places. Take it down a notch to in my opinion, pure attention. I don’t save your dignity and mine, you never mind a little harmless flirting such as know who might be around the corner.

Hotz in Here

T

“If you’d be embarrassed to have your grandparents or teachers see, keep it out of public places.”

ZZZZs over Tease This Marian girl prefers sleep over primping for school

RosaliePlofchan

E

ach morning, I allot myself eight minutes to get ready for school. Any longer, and I honestly don’t think I would be able to make it through the day out of sheer exhaustion.

These few minutes may seem insignificant to your average baby, adult, or general person, but I am a growing, unstable teenager who needs sleep in order to mature. It’s true.

That is why, when it comes down to it, if I have to sacrifice a little hygiene or maintenance, I’m not one to fuss.

When I am sleeping, I feel awesome, happy, and on top of the world. But when I am brushing my hair, it hurts and I hate it. Which is why this is the first thing I cut out in the morning if I am pinched for time. My contacts are next to go because my eyes are usually so squinty in the morning that it’s pointless to try putting them in. While I don’t particularly like skipping out on washing my face, putting on deodorant and brushing my teeth, if I don’t have time, I don’t bother. Sue me.

I’d rather be comfortably well-rested and sitting in class with knotty hair, than looking fresh with my hair straightened, contacts in, makeup on and passed out on my desk.

And the thing is, in the eight minutes I give myself, I usually have enough time to maintain hygiene. However, if I’m thrown a metaphorical curve ball and can’t find my uniform or socks, I have to skimp on some of the routine.

But who cares? Here at Marian, I feel no pressure to impress any of my classmates because I have better things to do, like sleep. We come to school to learn and there is nobody judging you if you look like you rolled out of bed minutes before you get to class. Holla!

If you are a person who feels refreshed with minimal amounts of sleep, likes to wake up early to straighten your hair and put makeup on, more power to ya!

I mean, I won’t judge you, but other people might. Just kidding, but return the favor and don’t judge me back.

If you are like me and don’t like waking up early, but feel pressured to wake up more than 10 minutes before you leave, don’t.

In order to save time in the morning, find all necessary uniform articles the night before.

This will make the next morning less stressful.

Also, make sure you have some sort of portable sustenance to eat on your way to school so you won’t waste precious time eating at your kitchen table. However, you will be missing out on valuable time you could be spending bonding and making lifelong family memories over family breakfast. Unfortunately, this is a sacrifice that you may need to make.

Finally, try not to sleep through your alarm. This will only cause more stress and tardiness.

Sleeping in feels good and it’s worth having a few tangles in your tresses. Sometimes the hardest sacrifices to make result in the greatest reward. Trust me.

Stuff with Plof

April Network

g

Oh or

ma

ZoeUrsick

O

tiv

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kay, everyone gets it. Steve got run over by a bus, breaking his nose and both of his legs. Amanda’s great-uncle Quincy passed away at the ripe old age of 104. Mr. O’Donnelly is MIA after a mysterious hot-air balloon takeoff at the county fair, and his family couldn’t be more upset. A popular celebrity’s life has been cut short by death’s cruel scissors.

This is truly a shame, everyone agrees on that.

However, is it entirely necessary to flood these individuals’ Facebook walls with your sincerest condolences, spend months mourning over the loss of said celebrity, or even go so far as to compose a creepy poem about the tragedy of the situation? I think not.

A perfect example of this over-empathy is the nation’s attitude regarding the death of one Mr. Michael Jackson in June of 2009. Granted, MJ was indeed an icon of pop music and had an extensive fan base. But in contrast, there are many who were barely even familiar with the King of Pop’s music, much less with his significance as a performer. Yet somehow, even these individuals managed to pay their full respects to Mr. Jackson by way of incessant jam sessions to “Thriller” or “Billie Jean,” and many a grievous tweet.

On another note (no pun intended regarding the loss of aforementioned musical icon; may his soul rest in peace), some individuals choose to act in a similar manner when the victim of such a tragedy is, in fact, still alive.

For most, sympathy is considered the appropriate response when somebody gets into a car accident or undergoes a medical operation. However, the formation of a “PRAY FOR THIS PERSON!!!!” Facebook group that gives off the vibe that “THIS PERSON!!!!” has actually died, is unnecessary.

The line between concern and superficiality is crossed once the condolences expressed are equivalent to those spoken at a funeral, and any such use of capital letters creates the impression of someone yelling, which I suspect “THIS PERSON!!!!” would not appreciate.

For example, encountering wall posts along the lines of “When I found out, I started crying…I’m so sorry, but please promise me you’ll stay strong! (insert heart emoticon),” or “You deserve to be happy. Just know we all prayed for you today. (insert backwards smiley face),” or “I’m sorry I didn’t say much at the hospital today. I was afraid that if I tried to talk I’d start to cry. (insert sad face)” could lead one to believe that horrible, unimaginable things have happened.

However, these actual wall-posts, discovered several months ago while exploring the depths of Facebook, do not correspond to what appears to be a suicide attempt or deadly house fire. On the contrary, they are in reference to the rather tame medical diagnosis of... diabetes.

Instances such as these lead me to believe that Facebook is no more than a breeding ground for artificial empathy and ostentation. I mean sure, I’m sympathetic when it comes to chronic illness and restrictions on sugar intake, but “When I found out I started crying?”

If that is true, the post’s author should consider watching The Fox and The Hound or My Dog Skip or YouTube videos of soldiers coming home, all of which would provide a more appropriate outlet for her tears.

Ultimately, though compassion is a natural emotion and empathy for victims of tragedies should be employed regularly, unnecessary and overly dramatic amounts of sympathy should be avoided like the plague (a legitimate excuse for both compassion and sympathy).

So to Steve, Amanda, and the O’Donnelly family, I offer you my deepest condolences.

Best of luck, the sun’ll come out tomorrow, keep on keepin’ on. Expect an Edible Arrangement to be sent your way in the near future, but please, don’t be expecting a 500-member Facebook group anytime soon.

“Instances such as these lead me to believe that Facebook is no more than a breeding ground for artificial empathy and ostentation.”

: e in

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Graphic by FaithWilwerding

Opinion 7

From vegetarians to vegans: The choice explained CassiePhillips

W

hat comes to mind when you think of a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle?

The obvious thought might be no meat. None. You may find yourself wondering what is wrong with these people, or be completely understanding of their choice.

One thing many people don’t know is the difference between the two lifestyles. There are many reasons that people decide to give up meat, but the two lifestyles are not the same.

To become vegan means to live a life where one refrains from consuming or using any product that is related to animals. The best way to go vegan, according to healthweb.com, is to break into it gradually. In fact, many tips include giving things up slowly.

Vegans do not eat dairy products or eggs, along with meat. They also stay clear of any beauty products that contain byproducts that were tested on animals. The welfare of living things is serious. It’s not just an eating habit, but a way of life.

Many people are more familiar with what vegetarianism is. Vegetarians eat eggs and dairy products, but refrain from meat. In society, vegetarians are more common.

According to numerous studies, more than half of people who have chosen a vegetarian or vegan life feel a sense of cleanliness and deeper respect for animals everywhere. The other half of people say that they can’t give up meat. It’s too hard, and they feel deprived.

Senior Jenny May is a real vegetarian.“It’s a combination of reasons. I became a vegetarian because it’s good for you health-wise, and good for the environment. It’s also important to protest for the animals,” she says.“I gave up meat last Lent, so I haven’t eaten meat for a little over a year.”

So why the change? Why do people go to this extent? Although there are many reasons that people decide to convert, some of the main reasons are obvious.

People change what they eat because of their general compassion for farmed animals, concern for health, and the environment.

Most people just want the satisfaction of a healthy diet, body, and life.

Although these reasons are legitimate to the cause, there are many advantages to eating meat.

All right meat lovers, what are some of the advantages of eating meat? Meat provides

“I became a vegetarian because it’s good for you health-wise and good for the environment.”

-Senior Jenny May

protein and other nutrients that can help maintain a healthy body.

Money is another advantage to meat.

The buying and selling of meat gives a huge percentage of Nebraskans a job. Many people make their livings off agriculture-related livelihoods. Without the meat from animals, many people would not have jobs, which would lead to a less amount of money. So is meat as good as it is made out to be?

May said she doesn’t feel that she is missing anything special. Ever since giving it up, she has researched all different kinds of vegetarian lifestyles. She even plans on going fully vegan next year in college.

She said she finds it pointless to call yourself vegetarian when you are still consuming things that come from animals. “Becoming vegan is the most pure form of vegetarianism.

To me, it’s almost difficult to be vegetarian without being a vegan.”

May said.

For many people, it’s about the fear of never being able to eat some of their favorite foods again. “It’s not as hard as it sounds.

People get the idea that quitting meat is going to be so hard.

Once you start looking for different foods that eliminate it, it’s

actually really easy to find good stuff.” May explained.

As hard as it may sound, May doesn’t even refer to it as a big deal anymore. “It’s not really a sacrifice because it’s something I believe in. I don’t feel deprived.” To many, it’s more than just giving up favorite foods. Many can’t seem to do it because of certain factors.

Whether it’s family life or culture, or the fact of it being simply too hard, making the switch is not an easy adjustment.

Freshman Lauren Olson feels that it would be difficult to change her eating habits. “I’m kind of picky on what I eat, so I would also be concerned I wasn’t getting enough protein or other nutrients.” Whatever the choice may be, all people deserve respect for their decision.

No matter what they choose to eat.

Illustration by ElleMostek

Be Afraid...Be Very Afraid Phobias that scare Marian girls

NicoleWojtalewicz

T

hump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Your heart is beating a mile a minute. With every breath you take, it feels like the walls are closing in. It feels like a brick wall could crash down on you at any moment.

Your life is flashing before your eyes.

Sure, it’s completely normal to have fears, but what happens when they go to the extreme? Phobias, that’s what. The term phobia means: “an irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation” (according to dictionary.com). Irrational is the key word here.

Oftentimes, people are so deathly afraid of this specific thing that they will avoid it at all costs, no matter how extreme.

Without a doubt, a few phobias exist out there that are crazy and weird, but at the same time, most people will admit to having some of their own.

Fears can be as normal as not liking spiders or even as weird as being afraid of long words (hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia).

The realization of these fears brings about a very important question: “What is so scary about these things that makes you literally cringe at even the slightest thought of them?”

Most people have subtle phobias but others are not so fortunate.

For example, sophomore Eileen Baca has an extreme fear of

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pregnant people and pregnancy itself (tocophobia). It all started when she was life guarding one day and saw an extremely pregnant woman in a bikini.

This somehow flipped a trigger and she has never felt the same way about expectant mothers. Not only does an actual pregnant woman’s stomach freak her out, but she also says, “The entire birthing process is gross and makes me want to vomit.”

Though some may say this is a completely irrational and unnecessary fear, to her it isn’t a joke. If someone even mentions a pregnant person, she will shiver from head to toe.

Oftentimes, as in Baca’s case, there can be an exact occasion that sets a spark for the phobia to begin. It creates an almost unavoidable rush of anxiety.

The worst part is, people might not understand the phobia and label you as strange for being afraid of this certain thing.

Senior Bianca Bradley-Rael claims to be deathly afraid of butterflies and mascots. “People always make fun of me because of how freaked out

Illustration by NicoleWojtalewicz

I get when I see them,” she said. She says she simply can not help it.

There’s something about the thinness of a butterflies wings and the fake smiles of mascots that are unsettling to her.

“I don’t think I will ever stop being afraid of these things. I’ve been really really really scared of them for as long as I can remember,” Bradley-Rael said.

A lot of phobias are easily recognized by name, but most are so strange and uncommon that not many people know about them.

Vestiphobia is the fear of clothes.

Bogyphobia is the fear of the bogeyman.

Lutraphobia is the fear of otters.

The list goes on and on and on. To check out a complete list of phobias, you can go to www.phobialist.com to see what your fear is called!

Phobias. Everyone has them. They can’t

be avoided. The fact is, according to a member of the American Psychological Association, only 6 percent of people actually get medical treatment for their phobia.

Though this might be the case, most phobias aren’t so extreme that they need treatment.

If you have a phobia that really bothers you and you want to get rid of it, try slowly exposing yourself to it. In time, the severity of it will gradually begin to dwindle and it will seem like it never even existed in the first place.

So here’s the deal.

Phobias may seem kind of odd, but they are a fact of life.

Whether they are big or small, they aren’t anything to be embarrassed of.

After all, who isn’t afraid of something?

April Network

Crazy College Concerns NicoleWojtalewicz & AlyGarrett

C

ollege. It has a funny taste coming off the lips. The word “college” brings many different emotions to mind: wonder and worry, excitement and fear.

Some girls cannot wait to walk into that tiny, bound-to-be-a-mess dorm room, while others dread the very thought. Are these contradicting feelings legitimate? What is the real deal about college?

If only the ideal college experience that many students dream about was reality.

Sleeping in late, having only a few short hours of classes each day, and then hanging out with friends all night, only to repeat the same process the next day.

Newsflash. It isn’t always going to be that easy. College can be full of long, sleepless nights of studying, inconvenient class hours, and a whole lot of confusion. If you thought that the toughest decision you would make in the near future is what college is perfect for you, then you are in for a rude awakening.

The number one task in becoming a college student is figuring out how to fend for yourself. In a recent email survey of 263 Marian students, most girls are excited for this: FREEDOM. No more having a curfew, no more being told to eat healthy, and no more being yelled at to clean up your room.

But it might come as a shock how much Mom and Dad really do for you. Along with all these freedoms are a few downfalls. No longer will someone be there to wake you up for class if you are too tired in the morning, no one to make sure you don’t gain the dreaded “Freshman 15,” and no one to tell you to clean your room so you don’t become an unorganized pig.

“I don’t really know what to expect for college. I think I will have a lot more independence. You are really completely on your own,” junior Morgan Schumacher said. This is definitely a scary thought, but it’s simply a part of life to learn how to be independent.

Marian girls anticipate their upcoming adventure of college with both excitement, fear

And though you may think it will be easy to up and leave home and head off to ultimate freedom, it is frankly not so. You’re going to miss your friends and family and will most likely experience sleepless nights wishing you were back home snuggling up with your old stuffed animal on your own bed.

Though leaving all of your old friends will be hard, another exciting thing that college brings is new friends. At Marian, it’s relatively easy to find those girls that you just happen to “click” with. But think for a moment about a place that could be more than 10 times the size of Marian. That’s 10 times the prospective friends, 10 times the experiences, and 10 times the fun. The downfall is that every person you meet won’t be a “true Marian girl.”

But don’t worry, this will open up your eyes to all the different types of people out there!

“I think I will feel like a little fish in a big pond, but I think there also will be a lot of parties and places to get to know people,” sophomore Lauren Tussey said.

Along with all the opportunities to make friendships, “I think college will be harder than Marian, and I am already stressed about the hard classes I know I will have,” junior Maddie Schlotfeld said.

Schumacher’s idea about the difficulty level of college is similar to most other Marian students. “I feel that as a Marian student, you are crunched for time with everything. The material in college will be even harder and I will have to learn how to manage time really well,” she said.

This is a common concern about college that Marian girls have. Marian definitely does its best to prepare girls for the college experience, but students can’t go in expecting everything to be easy.

The other element of college that might be in the back of your mind is the boy factor.

“When I think about college, I see a bunch of

Freshman Monica Spence sits on the UNO campus and anticipates the stress of choosing a college. Photo Illustration by NicoleWojtalewicz ‘trying’ girls walking around. Then there will be me, in my t-shirt, sweats, and a ponytail,” senior Dana Rice said. Prepare yourself...girls will wear makeup to class.

Senior Molly Rackozy certainly doesn’t fear the boys, she fears only one thing. “My biggest fear is that I am going to get a crazy roommate. I don’t want to be scared to go in my dorm room every day.” So what’s the best way to avoid a psycho roommate?

Psycho roommates are something to be feared, so much so that there have been countless movies made about them. There are the boyfriend stealers, the “eats-all-of-yourgood-food” roommates, the clothes stretchers, the slobs, and then there are the more uncommon “I’m-going-to-kill-all-your-friendsto-have-you-by-myself” kind of roommates

(reference to the movie The Roommate). Each type has a legitimate reason to be feared, but they can (and must) be avoided.

Many colleges are starting to make websites that allow incoming students to make a personality profile that can be viewed to aid in finding a suitable roommate. So, before you get stuck with a crazy suite-mate, check to see if the college you are planning to attend has a program like this.

So what will college be like? The only way to know for sure is to hop in that car packed to the roof with your belongings and drive to the unknown. Sure, there may be a few bumps along the road, but college is something to look forward to.

It’s full of learning experiences, maturing, and of course, fun.

College in a Nutshell

Marian grads shed light on what college life could truly be like NicoleWojtalewicz & AlyGarrett

H

ave no fear! All of your answers can be found here! Marian grads Steph Pistillo, Class of ‘09 and a current sophomore at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, and Noelle Mapes, Class of ‘10 and a current freshman at Villanova in Philadelphia, give us a full account on what it is like to face the ever anticipated college experience.

Where does everyone get their information about college and college life? Some of it may be from an older sibling or two, but most of it probably comes from movies and the media.

Pistillo says this about her experience with college and movies, “I pictured college to be exactly how it was portrayed in movies: huge parties, lots of new people, BOYS, and no curfews. Looking back today, I realize I was completely right, but what I know now is that all those things aren’t what college is about.”

So, if all you get out of college are parties and boys, then you are missing the main point. You are missing all of the growth opportunities. “College is about finding yourself, finding true friends, finding lasting relationships, and the motivation to want to go to class, Mass, and work because you know it’s the right thing to do. In college, one must become the person their parents encouraged them to be in high school purely because they want to do so,” Pistillo said.

Mapes also talks about college as a way to find yourself. “I also feel really lucky having had four years at Marian to begin to figure myself out. Not everyone is as comfortable with themselves as Marian girls, and that’s definitely something I took for granted during high school.”

Marian girls automatically tend to as-

College FAQ’s

Q: Will Marian be easier than college?

A: Marian prepares you for college. The classes may be harder, but you get more time to study and complete assignments.

Q: What’s the best way to go about getting a roommate?

A: Use an online profiling website. Communicate with your roommate before you go to make sure you are compatible.

Q: Are you really free? Do you really have independence?

A: You will have much more independence than you do now, but that doesn’t always work to your benefit.

Q: Are the classes much different than Marian?

A: It depends on what school you go to. Some are very much like Marian classes, but some are more lecture-like, which isn’t usually Marian’s style.

Q: Is it hard to make new friends? What’s the best way to go about making friends?

A: Get involved. Get involved in extra-curriculars that you are passionate about.

You will already have something in common with the people you meet there.

Answers compiled from responses of Marian Alums Mapes ‘10 and Pistillo ‘09

April Network

sume that everyone will be just as willing to do things like get up and dance in front of a random group of people or go all out dressing up when there is a themed party. Though that would make for a crazy fun college experience, it just isn’t the case. “Marian girls are so blessed to go to a school that gives a head start on so many things in life,” Pistillo said.

It is definitely something to always be thankful for.

Students often freak out about how crazy their college schedule will be. It turns out, the classes aren’t that much different than Marian, and few of them are boring or extremely difficult. “I’ve only had a couple classes I couldn’t really connect with the material, but those helped me figure out what I didn’t want to study. The teachers are similar to Marian teachers in that they’re extremely passionate about their subject matter and they’re almost as accessible, too,” Mapes said.

Mapes has found out that classes take up less time than she thought they would.

Though her first semester she mainly focused on academics, Mapes said she jumped into the extra-curricular activities as soon as possible.

“Extra-curriculars are a great way to meet like-minded people or people you wouldn’t meet otherwise. My favorites so far have been the school newspaper and being an orientation counselor,” Mapes said.

Pistillo wasn’t afraid to dive right in and meet as many people as she could. “Part of college is finding true friends, finding relationships that will last a lifetime,” Pistillo said.

Though in Noelle and Steph’s cases it was relatively easy to find friends, they caution others to not be completely shocked by the change of people and surroundings.

“I kind of expected everyone to be just like me and just like every Marian girl. I expected

everyone to be excited about everything, but that’s not always the case. This realization did, however, keep me in check to be genuine and myself all the time,” Mapes said. If someone judges her because she wears socks with sandals or doesn’t shave her legs every day, then they might not be the right friend for her.

The best way to find a roommate, and to find the right one, seems to be through an online service. Roommates are important.

Your roommate can turn out to be your best friend or the person you can’t stand. Having a safe haven or your own place to hide is also important. “I really lucked out with my roommate. I found her on uroomsurf.com, which is kind of like a dating website, but you search for your roommate instead of your soulmate.

After knowing her for a while, I have found out she’s almost exactly like a Marian girl. So I kind of consider her my roommate soulmate,” Mapes said with a laugh.

It’s an unforgettable blast, but that doesn’t mean there will never be any bumps along the road. Noelle warns us of one of those possible little bumps. “Everyone says this, but with all the down time and the feeling that you need to keep meeting people, you lose track of your priorities,” Mapes said.

Steph Pistillo said it best herself, “College is exactly and nothing like what I pictured all in one. I have the freedom to do about anything I want to for the first time in my life, but for once all I want to do on a Friday night is catch up on some homework and go to bed early. I have come to realize that schoolwork, clubs, and my well-being are the most important things in my life now. I took the skills that Marian and my family taught me in high school and applied them to my adult life, and I could not be happier.”

Life 9

FIELD DAY: Thr .

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hat about, what about, what about our color shout?” As 701 Marian High School students march through Creighton’s campus on the first Friday in May, cheers and chants can be heard from all around.

Field Day has always been the most memorable tradition throughout Marian’s history. It combines themes, colors, walls, demonstration, costumes, cheerleaders, mascot, judge’s booklet, and of course, spirit.

But when and how did this unexplainable Field Day start? Well, here’s a little background.

Field Day has been a part of Marian ever since its founding year, 1955. However, Field Day has not always had the same execution as it does today. For years, Student Board members have continually updated and clarified the Field Day rule book.

Sr. Midge Petersen is a Servant of Mary and also a member of the first-graduating Class of 1959. Sr. Midge’s four Field Days were spent at Benson Park in the afternoon eating lunch and participating in various activities, such as a peanut race, tug-of-war, and high jump.

Field Day has always held a competitive connotation. Sr. Midge remembers the Field Day peanut race from her senior year. “We had to win Field Day our senior year. So, during the peanut race, we put gum between the knife and peanut so that the peanut wouldn’t fall off while running the race. But, we got caught! We ended our senior year with no Field Day wins,” Sr. Midge said.

Although competition will always be a part of Field Day, that’s not what it’s all about. Religion teacher, Ms. Kathy Tocco, graduated from Marian in the Class of 1961.

Anyone who knows Tocco knows that she has very strong feelings about Field Day. She is determined to make sure students don’t make Field Day about themselves but rather about the unity of their class. Tocco enjoys Field Week mostly because she gets to watch ‘her girls’ have fun and use their talents to succeed. “I do not miss being a student. I am having more fun as an adult. Perhaps I never grew up,” Tocco said.

“Mascots,” as they are known today, have gone through dramatic changes to become what they are now. Up until the early ‘80s,

‘60s

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Class Conflict. Ms. Cavel was in c Sophomore Cottontails’ float overn floats were the biggest and best part of Field Day. These enormous floats were constructed in warehouses and then transported on flatbeds on the morning of Field Day. Students would get together during Field Week and have “carnation parties” with their class. This involved making paper carnations to decorate their floats. These parties would sometimes last each day from after school until the early evening.

After graduating in the Class of 1968, Ms. Connie Cavel returned to Marian in the fall of 1972 to teach freshman English. Leading up to Field Day there had been rumors that another class was going to attempt to sabotage the Sophomore Cottontails’ (Class of 1975) float. The float was an enormous rabbit with moving ears and a wiggling nose. As it was Cavel’s first year on Marian’s staff, despite the fact that she was a freshman Field Day moderator, she was assigned to ‘babysit’ the sophomore float in the warehouse throughout the night before Field Day to make sure the other class wouldn’t be able to damage the sophomore class’ hard work. The float made it to Field

‘70s

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charge of protecting the Class of 1975 night.

Day unharmed and resulted in a success for the sophomore class; the Cottontails took first for floats that year. Now, mascots are built at school and the cheerleaders use them to interact with their class during the demonstration.

Mrs. Michelle Delisi is Assistant to the Principal, dance team coach, and a graduate from the Class of 1974. If there’s one thing that she knows best, it’s Field Day cheerleading. “I was a cheerleader for all four years. My favorite memory as a student was having sleepovers with the cheerleaders and putting the finishing touches to our cheer and costumes,” Delisi said.

Cheerleaders have played a vital role in Field Day even from the beginning. They are the ones who pump up their class and keep them excited throughout the day.

“This is going to sound silly, but I still love Field Day! I enjoy sharing my stories with the cheerleaders to get them excited. I sometimes act like I’m still a student; I love the adrenaline it brings,” Delisi said.

The year of 2007 brought about yet another major change. This was the first year

of walls, which meant no more halls. Instead of having each class decorate their hallway to match their theme and storyline, there would now be a display in the gym using massive cubes that are 10 feet long, 8 feet high, and 8 feet deep. This move was due to enforced fire codes and has started new tradition for the Marian Field Day. Associate Director of Advancement, Mrs. Angela Altamore, is a graduate from Marian’s Class of 1998. Even during her years at Marian, Altamore has always shown a true passion for Field Day. Last year, Altamore assisted the sophomore costumes committee.

She came up with an innovative idea to split the sophomore class’ costumes into two different colors. “I loved seeing the girls create ideas and execute them on their own.

They don’t realize it at the time, but these are skills that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives,” Altamore said.

Not only were live fish used for the first time in walls this past year, another part of Field Day 2010 was possibly the most influential modification to the long standing tradition.

After more than 50 years of celebrating Field Day either at Marian or Benson Park, depending on the weather conditions, Field Day was moved to Creighton University’s Sokol Arena. There is now plenty of seating for parents and guests and no need to worry about weather conditions. Although many people were unsure about the change in tradition, the move proved to be a positive one. Field Day will forever hold the same meaning to Marian girls regardless of the venue.

Field Day has always been a part of Marian, in one form or another, since the beginning. After painting, sewing, gluing, memorizing, cheering, and finding your spirit during just one week, Field Day unites classmates in an unforgettable, undefinable way.

This year on May 6, yet another four classes will march through the doors of the Sokol Arena and demonstrate their spirit, talent, and hard work. They will compete for the Field Day trophy, which will never lose its significance despite the changes Field Day has gone through and will continue to go through, for years to come.

Tuttle Tension?

AbbyJohnson To some parents, Field Day is one of those crazy Marian traditions that requires inordinate amounts of cardboard and creative spirit. To the Tuttles, it’s dinnertime conversation. It’s enough of a challenge to compete against different classes, but Emma Tuttle ‘14 and Bridget Tuttle ‘12 have the joy of competing as sisters.

For the Tuttle family, the Field Day tradition starts younger than most. “We have a thirdgrader and sixth-grader, and they’ll say stuff like ‘What’s the freshman’s theme again?’” laughs Madame Tuttle, French teacher and Marian mom.

“As soon as they are in sixth grade, they’re sprung from school that day and get to come to watch Field Day.” Bridget definitely knew what Field Day was before she came to Marian, but she was unsure of the specifics. “I didn’t

understand just how competitive it was,” Bridget said.

Madame Tuttle is certainly a Field Day veteran. During her six years at Marian, she has been in charge of every committee except for walls and mascot. Currently, she is the head of freshmen demo.

Emma is enjoying her first Field Day by being on costumes, and Bridget is working hard at demo.

On the day itself, it’s difficult to know who to root for.

“I’m a little torn on Field Day. I want my class to do well, but I also want my daughters to succeed. It could be a long ride home,” Madame Tuttle explains.

So while there may be some heated conversation, the Tuttles keep it classy.

Field day can create tension, but the Tuttles are a clan that won’t be broken apart anytime soon.

“I’m a little torn on Field Day. I want my class to do well, but I also want my daughters to succeed.”

-Madame Janet Tuttle, French Teacher and Marian Mom

Graphics by RosaliePlofchan. Photos by ToriNietzel & AbbyJohnson. Photo illustrations by HannahPortis. Past photos courtesy of PaulaLukowski, ‘79, ConnieCavel, ‘68, and past yearbooks,

80s Network

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‘10s Indepth

11

Freshmen Score Spots on Varsity Soccer OliviaHershiser

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any have heard the news of the Varsity soccer team this year, about the immense number of freshmen who made it. The 10 freshmen making up nearly half of their 22 person team have made a name for themselves as being one of the largest number in history.

Their talent and soccer experience has proven them strong enough to play with the big girls.

Having many games already under their belt this season, it is easy to see how the freshmen have brought their “A” game. In the first game alone, with a final score of Marian-5 and Bellevue East-0, the freshmen managed to bring in half of those goals.

Varsity’s captain, junior Jackie Tondl, made varsity as a freshman and said she was overwhelmed at first with the quantity of freshmen on the team this year. She has never heard of this amount in Marian’s history.

“I was scared at first with so many young girls, developmentally wise, and to see if they would be nervous playing. They have definitely proved me wrong and have stepped up to the challenge,” Tondl said.

She has gotten to know the freshmen quite well and is excited for this season, especially after the State itle last year.

“As for my expectations, I want to win State again, but I know it is going to be a lot of hard work. Although the freshmen have VERY high energy and can be crazy at times, I love them nonetheless.”

Coach Ed Dudley is ready for the new season as well.

“It is going to be very fun with so many freshmen but we also have so many great players, young and old. So far everything is going very well,” Dudley said.

Freshman Lauren Tondl, Jackie’s sister, made the team this year and is thrilled and

honored to have made it as a freshman.

Lauren has been playing soccer for nearly 11 years.

She said she was nervous to be on the field for their first game because she and her fellow freshmen had some big shoes to fill. They are inexperienced in the high school atmosphere.

“We are kind of expected to be amazing and to be just like last year’s team,” Lauren said.

One comforting aspect for her is the fact that five of the ten freshmen came from the same club team, Omaha Football Club, so they are already friends, and are still close to the other five girls.

They have all started to bond with the upperclassmen really well; they were well acquainted within the first week.

Lauren is grateful that the upperclassmen are so welcoming. “Upperclassmen are doing a great job of being patient with us newbies,” she said.

Marian soccer has been more work than she expected. “There is much more intensity, especially playing with girls that are nearly four years older than us,” Lauren said.

Since there will only be one graduating senior this year and an incoming of many more next year, there will have to be some unwanted cuts for the following season, which girls don’t want to think about quite yet.

Lauren said she is most excited to prove a new and young team like themselves can dominate and play at State.

“I know I have my sister and other upperclassmen that have been there and can help all the freshmen through it and eventually have a great time with these two months!”

Tondl and the other freshmen are pumped and ready for a successful season.

THEN

• • •

First worn by the Varsity team in 1995.

Last worn by the Reserve team in 2010.

Includes Adidas white jersey, blue jersey, and blue shorts.

NOW

“I really like the new uniforms.

They are very clean, crisp, and they make us look sharp on the field.”

-Kellyjo Steier, sophomore

• •

First worn by the 2011 Reserve team.

Includes identical Nike blue and white jerseys and blue shorts.

Photos from official Team Photo

New Sports Gear Lifts Spirits RachelLukowski

I

magine putting on a uniform for the very first time. It is not just any uniform, but one that has never been worn by you or anyone else.

For the first time since 1999, the reserve soccer team has received brand new uniforms.

In the past, old varsity uniforms have been given to junior varsity. The reserve team then accepts the hand-me-down uniforms after the JV team gets good use out of them.

Sophomore Kellyjo Steier has been a member of the Reserve team both of her years at Marian. “I like the new uniforms. There was nothing wrong with the old ones, but these are nice because of the fact that they are brand new.”

The Reserve team started this season with a 3-2 record. They faced their top competitors in these games and played as hard as they could. They are looking forward to the rest of the season and hope they can continue to do their best and improve their game.

A generous donation of 50 pairs of sprinting spikes has given Marian’s track team an advantage.

Mike Meyer, the father of ‘07 grad, Michelle Meyer, is the donor. Meyer was a dedicated member of the track and crosscountry team during her years at Marian.

Meyer’s father graciously donated the spikes after his brother’s athletic shoe store ran out of business. While debating what to do with the spikes, Meyer mentioned the option of donating the spikes to Marian’s track team. His brother agreed to the plan, Meyer wrote a check, and the spikes were delivered.

This year’s track team was ecstatic to hear the news. The girls were thankful to get the

opportunity to win their own pair of spikes at no cost.

Members of the track team who were in need of a new pair had the opportunity to enter a lottery system to win new spikes.

During the third week of practice, girls had the option to draw from a deck of cards.

The coaches picked cards from a second deck until there were 10 matches a day. The lucky girls with the matching cards anxiously ran up to track coach Greg Golka’s classroom to scope out the perfect pair of spikes. This routine continued the next few days.

Freshmen Annie and Rosie Gensichen were two of the lucky winners.

Rosie, who is focusing on the 4x800 meter relay, said, “I was very excited when my card got called. Winning my own pair of spikes meant I would get to compete at the intense high school level. If I wouldn’t have won them, I probably would be running without spikes, which would have been a disadvantage.”

Her sister, Annie, is also very happy to receive a pair. “My card wasn’t initially drawn, but on the last day, I got to go up and pick out one of the remaining pairs. I feel very fortunate to receive my own pair.”

This season, Annie’s spikes have led her to victory in the open 800-meter and the JV 4x800 relay. Rosie has seen improvements on her times as well, performing well in the varsity 4x800 and the open 800-meter.

Coach Golka is looking forward to the girls’ performance this track season. “We have a strong core and lots of enthusiasm. We have been working very hard. I am excited to see where it will go.”

Photos by RachelLukowski

12

Active

April Network

Not your average teenager Junior Marie McNamara strives for a healthy lifestyle

ClaireTroia & EmilyFischer

M

arie McNamara is not your average high school junior, that much is certain.

To most teenagers, the opportunity to indulge in an ice cream cone is an enjoyable treat. To Marie McNamara, the experience is equivalent to a torturous dare.

“We were trying to think of the perfect dare for Marie and decided to have her eat an ice cream cone. She didn’t know where to begin and started eating it at the bottom.

It was hilarious,” junior Laura Wiggs said.

“Before we knew it, all that was left was a ball of ice cream in her hand.”

Oftentimes, girls find themselves in a predicament: stuck on the road, away from home, hearing their stomach growl.

While many would stop at Runza and order a hamburger, fries, and a shake to top it off, McNamara would not even consider this as an option.

Instead she would spot the nearest grocery store, sprint inside waving at the friendly cashier, and locate the produce section.

“It’s so easy to run into the grocery store and grab a banana. At Trader Joe’s, they’re only 19 cents! I don’t know why someone would rather go to Burger King or something, when fruit is so inexpensive and easy!”

McNamara also enjoys grabbing a container of raspberries when she’s on her way home.

Extreme Luging. Junior Marie McNamara proudly stands in front of her annual creation: an 8 meter long luge run in her backyard. Photo by EmilyFischer

Strawberries top McNamara’s list of favorite foods, while meatloaf is at the bottom of her list.

She is on the search for the perfect granola bar, which begins with a look at the wrapper.

“The perfect granola bar consists of the perfect balance of protein, grains, and very little sugar,” McNamara exclaims.

McNamara, a naturally outgoing person, never has a boring moment. “On weekends, I usually wake up around 8 o’clock. I eat

Team members in disguise Team managers a vital component Sports Column by ChristinaRommelfanger

Muriel Neary Sara Pravecek Jana Jenkins

S Basketball

Soc cer

Taylor Saucier

Track

Kat Dudley Biz Steinauer

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Sw Faith Wilwerding

Annie Dovali Lexi Walz Maddie Babe

Volleyball Photos by RachelLukowski

April Network

he’s the girl running alongside as you finish those last 100 meters in the mile. She’s the one who keeps spirits high when your team is down 54-50 with 7 seconds left in the game.

And she’s also the one who can tell you the time, location, and competition for the next game when you lose your schedule. She’s a team manager and, boy, does she deserve a medal.

Team managers. What are they to me, a girl who hasn’t stepped into a gym to actually participate in a sport since the 8th grade.

Well, they are many things. For one, they are an inspiration. They are proof that you can get involved, without actually having to get involved.

Team managers are also motivation. They keep the team happy when happy things are not happening. The motivation they contribute not only helps with the players on the team, but also helps the coaches stay sane.

Team managers are the mind of a sports team. As it states in 1 Corinthians 12:12, “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body...” Here this body, one body in Christ, is very much like a team.

All the players represent a body part, and the manager happens to be the brain. They must know all the details that go into making the team run smoothly.

I’m not saying that teams without team managers have no brains. It’s just that, with team managers, thinking is very clear.

So basically, team managers are spectacular. Let’s have a round of applause to team managers of the past, the present, and the future.

Thanks to the team managers of the 2010-2011 seasons!

breakfast and go to Happy Hollow and work out.”

McNamara keeps busy with a variety of activities. She works at Pump It Up, volunteers at the Ollie Webb Center and is both a varsity golfer and basketball player.

“I work usually about three hours every Saturday and Sunday at Pump It Up. It’s the perfect job for me because I work short shifts and get to jump around all day.”

McNamara’s list of goals for the summer

before junior year was not your ordinary list.

While many girls were hoping to achieve the perfect tan, Marie was hoping to challenge herself to new heights.

She recently completed a 36-mile bike ride to Bellevue and back. “When I left, I told my mom that I was going for a bike ride. Four hours later, I came home,” McNamara said.

This was not the only physically strenuous activity that Marie attempted this past summer.

Along with her bike ride, she also pursued the dream of completing a seven mile run without stopping.

Mission: accomplished. In only one hour, she returned home, energized and ready for the rest of her day.

McNamara’s mother says, “By now, we’re used to Marie and her crazy antics. She can never just sit still and do nothing; she gets that from her dad.”

The most refreshing thing about McNamara is her love for the outdoors. She would consider a day watching TV as a day wasted, and is constantly on the go.

There are many facets to McNamara and there is more to her than meets the eye.

Not only is she a varsity athelete, an honor student, a volunteer, and a genuinely compassionate person, but she always strives for excellence whether it be for herself, her team, or her school.

Kearney Track Meet April 8, 2011

Going for Gold.

Sophomore Payton Horacek runs the 200 meter sprint with a time of 12.84 seconds, placing second.

Flying High.

Junior Claire Weiger successfully pole vaults a height of seven feet six inches.

Raising the Bar. Sophomore Maggie Heim reaches a height of four feet eight inches, earning her a seventh place finish overall.

Photos by AnaNelson

Active

13

Tornado Survival Guide

AlecMorand

Get back to your car and call your parents and let them know what has happened. After your phone call, take a moment to gather yourself and thank God. 1. Cell Phone and Charger When you get back into 2. Jumper Cables your car, you can3. Flashlight and extra batteries not believe that you just survived a tor4. Reflective triangle nado. You take a deep 5. Granola Bars breath and begin to calm yourself down 6. Paper bag for hyperventilating and focus on deep breath7. Protective Helmet ing and medita8. First-Aid Kit tion.

9. Case of Water Bottles Once you gather 10. Portable Air Compressor your11. Battery Powered Radio self and 12. Baby blanket buckle 13. Shoes up, begin on 14.Advil your trip home. On your way home, there will be all sorts of branches and other crazy debris all over the road.

Once you arrive home, it’s finally time for you to plop on the couch, and watch that much needed Tivo.

Living in Nebraska, you never know what tomorrow will bring. It may be completely sunny outside one minute, then 10 minutes later, there could be a deadly tornado headed your way. The Red Cross says it is important for you to be prepared for whatever comes your way next.

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What to keep in your car in case of a tornado emergency

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Don’t try and be a “storm-catcher,” because the storm will catch you, and you will die.

Well, maybe not. Tornadoes have very strong winds, and they can suck you and your car right off the ground.

Next, see if there is any stable structure nearby; if so, leave your car and run as fast as you can to it and wait for the winds to subside.

When trying to find a safe place to hunker down, the National Weather Service advises you to stay away from open fields, mobile homes, and bridges because they offer little to no protection. The strong winds will suck you right out from under the bridge and open fields make you vulnerable.

School librarian, Mrs. Donna Broekemeier experienced the destructive power of a tornado when she was at her aunt’s house in Wisner, Neb. She was evacuated to the storm cellar, “My uncle and dad stood at the top of the stairs and watched the tornado as it blew in the distance … {after the storm] there was mostly just wind damage to the farm.”

The Red Cross says that if you are not able to reach a stable structure, try to find a ditch to crouch in. If you cannot find a ditch, drive in the opposite direction of the tornado at right angles until you find a ditch on the shoulder of the road.

Then, pull the car over, run to the ditch, lay flat against the ground, protect your head, and pray.

Tornadoes can last for as short as a couple of seconds or longer than an hour. According to thortonweather.com, the average tornado lasts about 10 minutes.

When the tornado has returned to the sky, get up slowly. Be watchful of the area around you because there still may be some debris flying through the air.

The tornado you were just in was a F3 on the F-scale. The F-scale is used to measure the intensity of a tornado. It was created by Dr. Theodore Fujita. The scale measures the intensity of the winds and the damage a tornado causes. It ranges from the weakest, F0, to the strongest, F5.

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ou are driving home from what seemed like the longest day of your life. It’s dark outside and pouring. All you can think about is vegging out on the living room couch and watching a week’s worth of Tivo.

Suddenly, the wind picks up and golf ballsized hail begins to fall from the sky. You take a deep breath and quickly continue on your way home. The trees around you look as though they are going to snap in two. Then you hear the sirens begin to blast. Panic sets in.

Yes, Omaha is now in a tornado watch, and you are right in the middle of it. You look up and all you can see is a dark swirling mass headed right towards you. There are no words to describe what you are feeling right now.

You try to calm yourself, but it is no use.

You have no idea what you are supposed to do next.

This scenario is not as far fetched as you might think. Nebraska is right in the middle of Tornado Alley, and tornadoes are frequent visitors especially during tornado season, March through June.

Freshman Elizabeth Erftmier has experienced a tornado first-hand. Three years ago Erftmier was driving to the Grand Canyon with her family when she saw a giant white funnel coming down from the clouds, “It was kind of cool because we were safe, but at the same time it was scary.”

According to thortonweather.com, there were 1,280 reported tornadoes last year, and 45 deaths. This year, there have already been more than 600 tornadoes and 37 deaths. The season has just begun.

Knowing how to prepare and survive a tornado is essential to living in the Midwest. As a Marian girl, you are taught to be a confident, thinking leader.

As a thinking leader, you need to know what to do when a tornado is headed towards you.

The Red Cross has some important tips on what to do if you are ever in such a situation.

First, do not drive towards the tornado!

The Great Beyond Stirs Curiosity HaileyWolf

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Graphic from www.danteinferno.info/circles-of-hell/

14

Life

hat is there after death? Questions of the afterlife have haunted even the most faithful theologians, philosophers, and common folk alike.

The official stance of the Catholic Church on the afterlife, as found in the Catechism, states: “Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven-through a purification or immediately, or immediate and everlasting damnation.”

What awaits good souls after death has been a subject of discussion and personal contemplation since people started dying. The Catechism does not describe explicit physical aspects of heaven, but rather images of pleasant things, such as a wedding feast, light, and peace.

Although no definite picture of heaven exists, people, such as sophomore Bridget Peterson, have always had a notion of the geography of paradise. “When I think of heaven, I see a bright, white gate. Everything you desire is there,” Peterson said.

What about heaven’s sinister foil? The thought of hell may cause a cringe, yet there is a persistent fascination with the final home of the world’s wickedest citizens. A fiery pit is the imagery used by the Church in the Catechism, but Peterson has a different view.

“I think hell is very cold and depressing,” Peterson said.

Sophomore Kelly Cunningham holds a more traditional view of hell. “I think hell is a fiery pit, like the Church says. I don’t really know for sure, but I believe what they’ve told me,” Cunningham said.

Hell was most famously described by Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy’s first book, The Inferno. In this book, Dante “visits” the nine levels of hell, each corresponding to a different sin, and the punishment await-

ing the practitioner of each sin. There is fire on many levels, while ice and an absence of warmth inhabit others. A person’s view of hell may reflect what they personally find most repulsive for a living environment. There are many world religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, that do not believe in a hell.

For those not evil enough to deserve hell, and not virtuous enough to attain heaven just yet, purgatory awaits. This is a temporary place discussed and defined by the Church particularly at the Councils of Florence and Trent, especially after the Protestant Reformation.

Those who die go to a place to be thoroughly cleansed so as to be accepted into Heaven.

“I think purgatory isn’t as bad as hell, but isn’t as nice as heaven either. Just really sad,” Cunningham said. Purgatory is not widely accepted by other religions, although forms of cleansing appear in other religions.

In terms of the afterlife, heaven, hell and purgatory are the concepts recognized by the Catholic Church. “We teach the Catholic Church teaching at Marian. Heaven means being with God, hell means separated from God,” religion teacher Mr. Mark Koesters said.

An online survey of 267 Marian students reveals that 35 percent believe in something other than or in addition to the Catholic teaching. Reincarnation was also a recurring answer among students, as were alternate realities. Reincarnation is not a form of afterlife accepted by the Catholic Church. “Reincarnation is a pop culture belief. People like the idea of another chance. What they don’t understand is that you don’t actually come back,” Koesters said.

The view of what lies in the Great Beyond is as varied as the religions the citizens of the world follow. The historical aspect of the afterlife has evolved from the misty, dark underworld of the ancient Greeks to the brilliant paradise of Christians.

April Network

Teachers Tie the Knot

MeganAndreasen & ToriNietzel

I

Mrs. Lori Spanbauer

My Ideal Wedding...

t was a cold, rainy and windy Friday night when Campus Minister and Religion teacher, Mrs. Lori Spanbauer, tied the knot with her husband at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Most people in the Marian community may not know that she and her husband, Mike Vipond, met online. After many online dating disasters, Spanbauer found her soulmate.

“My husband proposed to me behind a church overlooking a lake while we were on vacation with his entire family,” Spanbauer said. They dated only 22 months before tying the knot on April 25, 2008.

Even with months of preparation, wedding days leave plenty of room for miscommunications and mishaps.

Spanbauer relates, “When I was planning our wedding, I called a place to inquire about a chocolate fountain at the reception. They sent me a contract to sign. However, Mike and I decided that we did not want a chocolate fountain, so we sent the contract back with the word, ‘Cancel’ written very big on the contract. On the day of our wedding, I walked into the reception, and the Chef at the Field Club came running up to me and said, ‘You didn’t tell us you had a chocolate fountain coming! We had to go out and buy a bunch of food for your fountain!’ I told him that I never ordered the fountain. A few days later, I called the place that brought the fountain, explained the situation, and the owner said that because it was their mistake, they would not bill us for the the chocolate fountain. We got it for free!”

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Lori Spanbauer

“It will be with Justin Bieber ... and he will sing a song for me.”

-Kelly Landen, freshman

Mrs. Kristin Collins

W

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Kristin Collins

hile some perfect matches are discovered through intentional searching, others crop up by sheer coincidence. Biology teacher Mrs. Kristin Collins dated her husband Jesse’s best friend in ninth grade. That short-lived relationship brought Collins and Jesse together and they became best friends. The two dated for four months (though they were friends for more than five years prior) before the romantic proposal over a steak and crab leg dinner.

On Aug. 12, 2006, after a fairly traditional ceremony at Midland Lutheran College’s chapel in Fremont, with Jesse’s father as the presider, a rockin’ reception was held at the Fremont Opera House. Collins reminisces, “We had one of the best dance parties at our reception. Ever. Our friends still talk about it to this day.”

“On my wedding day I almost missed my hair appointment, my bridesmaids set off my car alarm by accident which ‘locked’ my engine so my car wouldn’t start, our cake almost fell over (it began to look like the leaning tower of Pisa, but it was fixed before it fell), our programs had a major error in them that had to be blackened out with a Sharpie pen at the last second, and Jesse and his groomsmen were late getting to Fremont for pictures before the wedding...In the end we were married and that was all that mattered. Even with all of the things that went wrong, we loved our wedding day!” Collins said. Regardless of all the imperfections that may surface on the big day, no disaster can take away from the union of two people in love.

“I’m going to buy my dress at Klinefield’s.”

-Sammy Brown, sophomore

~

Senorita Cassie Rivera

T

he sound of wedding bells draws closer for first year Marian Spanish teacher Señorita Cassie Rivera. Though the ceremony is being held at an undisclosed location in Omaha, it is no secret that Rivera is busy planning more than Spanish lessons.

Rivera and her fiance, Nolan Craig, went to grade school together but didn’t start dating until their sophomore year a t UNL. It was the end of May last year when Rivera and Craig went on a camping trip to Mahoney State Park. Around midnight, they took a walk to a nearby pond and with a full moon above their heads, Nolan got down on one knee and popped the question. After five years of dating, “I was expecting it,” Rivera said.

Rivera admits that wedding planning has been stressful. “There have been a lot of disagreements with my mother. She is traditional, while I don’t understand most of the wedding formalities.” On top of family strife, Rivera was informed that her honeymoon hotel in Hawaii no longer exists due to flooding caused by the tsunami. Add to that the fact that Rivera’s uncle, who was supposed to preside at the ceremony, had to back out at the last minute and you get one stressed out bride-to-be.

Despite these minor set-backs, Rivera is still very excited for her special day which will take place on June 3. “I’m most looking forward to dancing and a good party,” she said.

Photo courtesy of Señorita Cassie Rivera

Socks Seek Recognition Uncovering the truth about what’s covering your feet

Illustration by AnnieHupp

April Network

“The dress code will be black and white. No exceptions. I will wear a red wedding dress or soft pale. It will take place during the summer because then our anniversaries will be better planned if we want to travel. I will have three flower girls and 12 bridesmaids. I will be married in a big church. There will be a lot of people.”

-Ozy Aloziem, senior Photos by AnnaBashus

MeganDevereaux

S

ocks are a quintessential article of clothing for people everywhere. No matter the time of year, geographical location, or personal style, socks are for everyone. In order to give socks the longevity they deserve, proper treatment of socks is key. Socks must be washed on a regular basis in order to maintain a fresh scent. Let’s be real for a second; no one likes to fold socks.

There are a few ways to attempt folding socks. The mainstream way would be to place a large, heaping laundry basket full of mismatches in front of the couch and begin to single handedly take those socks down.

Another approach is the “Out of sight, out of mind” approach. This consists of taking socks out of the dryer and quickly throwing them into the appropriately marked sock drawer without allowing time for guilt to set in. While less effective, it is still just as much of an option as the first.

Freshman Janae Heaney is pretty lax about making sure socks match.

“I find socks that look alike and hope they get me through the day. Sometimes I have to go to my mom’s sock drawer,” Heaney said.

It is more than a chore to match socks, with all the different styles and colors that must be taken into account. From Christmas socks to navy crew socks, and everything in between, finding the right match can be a pain. Not to mention how frustrating it becomes when you realize you are missing a sock altogether.

But where do those socks go? Sure, they often get left underneath beds, inside cars, in closets, eaten by small domesticated animals…

But do dryers really eat socks? No. Washers do.

“We have this huge box of mismatched socks, but I don’t think washers eat them, I think they just get misplaced,” Freshman Riley Sullivan said.

While the probability of a washing machine eating socks is small, the chance is still there. What many people don’t know

is that when a washer is too full, socks and other small articles of clothing can get sucked inside the machine from the force of the spin cycle. Many Maytag men will tell you that the only way to retrieve an article of clothing from within the washer is to physically take it apart.

Freshman Jill Salerno has a history with folding socks. “I’m a master sock-folder, but it’s a pain to find matching pairs and sometimes I can’t,” Salerno said.

Rich and Susan O’Connor of Tampa, Florida were fed up with searching for matching socks. They decided to take matters into their own hands, and invented the Sock Cop Clip.

Sock Cop Clips are easy to use, and the best part is: they work. These can be purchased online at sockcop.com, and come in an array of colors. Clip a pair of socks together, and they will stay that way throughout the entire washing cycle. The pair of socks can then be directly placed in the dryer. No more folding, no more hassle.

Life 15

Must-Have Apps

Frequently used apps by Marian girls

GraceDickerson

I

n an online survey, Marian girls shared some of their favorite apps. Most apps on iTunes cost $0.99, but many apps are free! Many favorite apps range from cutting fruit to cutting hair and from playing board games to shooting bubbles.

Many people spend their free time playing apps on their computers, iPads, or iPods. This means that no matter where you go, there is always an app to entertain you!

Girls got Game

Video games not just for boys anymore GabriellaMartinez-Garro

B

right whirling colors, mashing of buttons, and terms like “boss” and “grinding.” It’s not what you think. While these ideas might seem intimidating to most people, females all over are beginning to learn the lingo and play the games. What type of games? Well, video games and online games in particular.

Most people might stereotype males as serious video gamers, but studies show that females are starting to game more and more.

One of these girls is Kimberly Barry, a junior with a new-found love for video games.

“I mostly play just Kingdom Hearts and Gauntlet.

Gauntlet is a game where you choose a character, like a wizard or an archer, then you go to different worlds and try to defeat all these zombies,” Barry said.

Kingdom Hearts, a game released in 2002, combines the worlds of Final Fantasy and Disney, a successful combination that has triggered multiple sequels. This game is a fan favorite and even helped Barry get to know a fellow gamer, senior Kelly Wieczorek.

“I love talking to Kim about Kingdom Hearts because I don’t know too many people

who play the game. It’s always fun to tease her with terms from the game,” Wieczorek said. “I have to say Kingdom Hearts is my favorite, but I love playing Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros, Halo, Final Fantasy, James Bond, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Pokemon, and others.”

While male gamers still outweigh females as far as regular gaming goes, new studies from the BBC show that 64 percent of online gamers are female.

Popular online games include World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, and Call of Duty.

Junior Kayleigh Lewandowski plays Second Life, an online game that allows you to create a character and live Playstation Power. Many girls are breaking the stereotype, discovering that “they’ve in an alternate world, got game”. Photo by Christina Rommelfanger similar to the Sims games. was on the line and I was not going to lose.

“There is also nothing manly about playFantasy games, such as Second Life, are also Though if one of us was stuck on a boss or ing them either. You’re not lifting weights exceptionally popular games with women. couldn’t figure out how to get through the or tackling guys, you are holding a controlFantasy games are commonly linked to men, level, we would help each other out. Girls ler, using your brain power and thumb but the term ‘boy’s game’ is becoming both can be great at gaming too, we just never get speed to win the game. Of course no one old-fashioned and sexist. the chance to show off our skills,” Wieczorek ever gets anything from winning the game.

“I believe gaming is for everyone. The term said.

It’s all about pride, ladies. And totally rubthat gaming is a ‘boy’s game’ is very annoying.

“Girls shouldn’t be afraid to say that they bing it in the guy’s face when they just got Pat, my brother, and I always played Kingdom play video games in their spare time. There is beat by a girl,” Wieczorek said.

Hearts together and it was mostly a competinothing wrong with it,” Wieczorek said. tion. Whoever beat the game first, won. Pride

“I believe gaming is for everyone.

The term that gaming is a ‘boy’s game’ is very annoying.”

-Senior Kelly Wieczorek

16 Entertainment

April Network

Role playing for a reaction: Teachers’ pets make a scene MaryLouiseWoltemath & ClancyNelson

T

he bell rings and we race to our next classes. Before the other students arrive, we inform the teacher of our unusual plan.

We explain that our classroom behavior will be altered in the next block as we assume the role of an excessively attentive teacher’s pet. We take on this persona just as an actor would take on a role in a movie. We altered the otherwise admirable behavior of an involved student into the behavior of a superior student with a haughty attitude. As we pay attention to facial expressions and body language, the show begins. Here are the accounts of our individual experiences as teacher’s pets: Clancy in English Literature: Starting class as she does every day, English teacher Ms. Connie Cavel, bless her soul, leads the class in prayer. She asks for the petitions of the class, and I see my first opportunity to shine. “What would a kissup pray for?” I thought. The teacher calls on me. “My family, my friends, the hungry, the homeless, and you, Ms. Cavel,” I pray. To this action, the class responds with quiet giggles.

As the block continues I wait for a chance to act again.

Reviewing the basics of the everso important grammar element that is parallelism, the class silently fills in a worksheet. After taking time to complete the activity, my classmates and I are called upon by the teacher to share our answers.

Raising my hand frequently, I proudly share what I have come up with. Members of the class respond with eye rolls and annoyed comments. By this time of the day, many students had already observed the behavior of my partner in crime, MaryLouise Woltemath.

Fed up with the behavior, students shout out nasty remarks including, “Honestly you need to stop!” and some taking it as far as “I swear, I want to punch you right now!” When class is over I am satisfied with the reactions I have observed. As I walk through the halls, I know people are talking about my strange behavior.

MaryLouise in Sociology: Sociology teacher Mr. Tom Baker is sending the attendance. The second bell has rung. I start my act.

I look the talkers directly in the eye and tell

them to stop talking. “Shhh, I’m serious guys, class has started. Shhh!” They all stare like no other. I continue telling specific people to stop talking. They laugh nervously, as they try to decide if they should listen to me or not. Mr. Baker makes the decision for them and silence falls over the room as he tells us to circle up for a discussion. I jump out of my perfectly postured position from my own chair and drag a spare desk over for my teacher. “Please don’t strain yourself, Mr. Baker,” I say as I push his chair in under him.

Now the class is laughing, but I silence them with a look that says, 1. I am superior to all of you and 2. I’m just helping out. The discussion starts and I’m nodding my head at every point Mr. Baker makes.

The discussion is over and Mr. Baker leans over to a girl in the front of the class with the remote, indicating that she should turn the Smart Board on. I jump out of my seat from the back of the room and intercept the remote to turn it on myself. All the while, my classmates alternate from laughing to annoyance and disbelief.

Sociology class is coming to a close, but not before I flamboyantly walk across to Mr. Baker’s desk and present him with an M&M cookie. “Mr. Baker, I’m sorry. I was actually going to bake you a cake, but I was busy outlining chapters six, seven, eight, nine, and ten. And eleven.” I take my eyes from Mr. Baker and with a haughty glance around the classroom, I add, “If anyone wants to borrow my notes, they certainly are welcome.” As I make my way to the next class, I assume oblivion to the whispers behind me that say, “What the heck is up with her?”

Through this one day mini socio-experiment, it became apparent that while being a respectful and involved learner leads to success and approval, taking things too far can hinder the academic environment for you and your classmates. Remember to always involve yourself in class activities and discussions, but please, leave the attitude at home.

Battle of the bands AlexaMoore

H

ip hop. Reggae. Rap. Classical. Pop. Indie.

There are many different genres of music in the world, but most can be categorized into mainstream and indie. So, why the big debate between mainstream and indie?

The tension between mainstream music and indie music has been on the rise.

Sophomore Abby Peters, whose favorite bands include Phoenix, Bon Iver, Friendly Fires, Discovery, and Ra Ra Riot, relates by saying, “All my friends think I have ‘weird music,’ and they always freak out if my iPod is playing. Most of my friends definitely prefer mainstream, even if they say they don’t.”

If one doesn’t wear mismatched, vintage clothing and hang out in an obscure coffee shop every day but listens to indie music, they can be labeled as a “poser”. However, this isn’t always true. Many times people enjoy the music because it is more personal, or special to them--especially if they found the music themselves.

“I hate hearing a song on the radio and liking it, but everyone else in the world likes it.

So, I like finding my own songs that are less well-known because then they’re better to me, and I don’t have to hear them non-stop on 94.1,” Peters said.

Senior Carla Gibbs relates to this by saying “Sometimes it’s nice to kind of get away from pop music or what people think it good. I think it’s better when people go their own way and explore their interests. I like discovering genres I never knew about before and bands that speak to me. It’s music that’s personal to me, and that’s why I like to discover new stuff.”

Although the indie music scene is growing around the halls of Marian, many really have

a e Sp

no preference at all. Senior Maggie Emodi says, “I don’t love mainstream music, but I wouldn’t say I hate it. I listen to stuff that’s on the radio sometimes, mainly because it’s a good break from the CD I have in my car. But when Pink comes on, the station changes. I CANNOT STAND PINK.” Even though all Marian girls have different tastes in music, it is sentimental to them. The appreciation of music and love of dance is what really ties Marian girls all together.

The Sound of Music Marian’s taste in music is as diverse as its students.

Photo by ChristinaRommelfanger

! t u o k

If you could reunite one band, which band would it be and why?

ElleMostek

“The Jonas Brothers.

Even though they didn’t break up, one of them is married and one has his own band... I still think they should make songs.”

- Shannon Smith,

Freshman

“Definitely the Backstreet Boys because when I was 3, I was obsessed with them... and when they broke up, I was heart broken.”

- Jackie Jensen, Sophomore

“I would reunite Queen because they created so many amazing songs like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘Another One Bites the Dust,’ ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love,’ and so many more! Their songs will live on forever.”

-Georgia Andresen,

Junior

“Something Corporate- I really enjoyed their music and I want to hear more!”

- Sam Mandel,

Senior

Photos by ElleMostek

April Network

Entertainment

17

The Secret World of Omaha Teen Raves AnaNelson It’s Friday, the bell rings signalling the end friend of Jazmine’s and is the reason she got of the day, and you and your friends have the involved. rest of the night to do whatever you please.

“Christina started it mostly because she Unfortunately, was sick of people you remember not having a place this is to go to have Nebraska, positive fun,” and you’re a Ramirez said. teenager, which These crews means you’re are about 50 limited to about people strong three different and you have to things to do. be recruited by Maybe you current members. could go to Weeks worth a movie, but of planning and you did that coordinating goes last weekend. into making these NEXT RAVE: You could parties successful.

May 14 @ Royal View Hall walk around The entrance 13th Street in front of the Zoo downtown. fees are generally Starts @ 8:30 p.m.

Oh wait, you between $3-5 and did that last all profits go into Entrance Charge $5 weekend too. making the next There’s always party better than that party you the previous. They heard about earlier this week, but who wants usually generate $1000 and it all goes into to sit around in someone’s basement all night? renting a hall for the next party, providing The hard truth is that in the Corn State of soft drinks and snacks, hiring Omaha police the Midwest, there isn’t much for a teenager officers to supervise, and sometimes they to do. During the dry, danceless season donate all the profits to charities like Red between the last Prep dance and the first Cross and the Humane Society. “Last week we prom, where there’s only a Christmas dance sponsored a dance for Japan and raised over or two to keep you going, high schoolers $1500!” Ramirez said. need a fix for their dancing addiction. Thus, Word spreads through facebook, forward party crews were born and teen raves were messaging, and sometimes members even established. hand out fliers and put up posters downtown.

There are about six different crews These events attract about 300 to 400 people in the Omaha area, the most popular ages 15 to 19 years old. including Young Starz, Exotic, and Explicit Arrive early, because if you don’t, the Entertainment. All of these crews throw a line to get in can wind around the building. different rave about once a month, which Once you get past the officer at the door who means there’s an average of one party every keeps it from getting too crowded, you enter two weeks. a dimmed world with flashing lights, pulsing According to Jazmine Ramirez, a member music, and so many dancing bodies there’s no of Explicit, these groups were formed in such thing as a personal bubble. an effort to provide safe, responsible, and “It was kind of like a culture shock because entertaining fun to teenagers in Omaha.

I’ve never had a been to a dance like that one,” The founder of Explicit, Christina Diaz, is a junior Laura Wiggs said.

Guys: Chattin’ and Chompin’ KalaniFortina According to sophomore Mallory Lane, boys talk about three major things when they get together: sports, girls, and weekends.

However, this is not always the case.

Creighton Prep junior Peter Setter said guys mostly talk about school, Youtube videos, television shows, and weekend events while chowing down on their lunches.

So why the common misconceptions? “It’s a tough question. Girls probably think we always talk about girls because it’s an all-boys school and we are ‘deprived’ of girls,” Setter said.

Most Marian girls picture a lunch room of all boys with tons of jokes going around, an arm wrestling tournament in the corner, loud music coming from nowhere, food disappearing by the tons, and a massive amount of noise. This could be because of the fact that Marian girls just have no idea of what a typical guy’s lunch consists of, or because they’ve seen the “Varsity Jocks” table scene in Mean Girls way too many times.

Whichever the case, Marian girls are never really going to know what a guy’s lunch room looks like until they dress up as a boy and sneak into an all-boys school. Oh, wait, that’s already been done for us in She’s the Man, a movie in which a young girl dresses up like her twin brother and finds out that guys actually struggle with self-confidence and arachnophobia. Maybe we aren’t as different as everyone thinks.

“I’m not really that surprised that guys don’t usually talk about girls at lunch because I think it’s easy for them to go without girls,” Lane said.

So the next time you see a table of boys sitting next to you, don’t worry, they aren’t talking about you. They’re talking about the latest episode of “Tosh.O.”And after uncovering the secrets of the male lunch table, hopefully girls and boys can all unite and talk about that last episode of Tosh.O together, over a very large co-ed lunch table.

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Entertainment

Although the crew’s goal is for all guests to have an awesome time, there is a zero tolerance for intoxication or violence and if anyone tries to violate these restrictions they will be forced to leave.

Every rave I’ve ever seen advertised or heard about has always had a DJ. This is comforting because it’s the DJ’s job to play mainstream and techno music.

“We basically play anything that will get people up on their feet and dancing.” Ramierz said.

Another convenient thing about these parties, is that there isn’t any dress code!

Some people arrive in track shorts and a simple v-cut; on the other hand, people also come dressed to the tens in dresses with heels and prom worthy hairstyles. If you’re going for the first time, try for a cute skirt and top, but always remember to keep it classy.

So if you are missing the regular school dances, and want to try something new, attending one of these raves, its guaranteed to be a night you will never forget.

RAVE SO NGs B

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Moment for life

Graphics by KalaniFortina & AnaNelson

Table Talk:

Comparing Boy and Girl Lunchtime Topics Can I have a bite of that? Marian seniors chit chat over lunchtime. The girls enjoy their open campus privilege this quarter.

Photo Illustration by MichaelaMcDonald

LDFSKGJKDJSG

I’ll trade you my sandwich for a Twinkie. Creighton Prep Juniors bargain their food items over the lunch table.

The main topic of this lunch was, in fact, this article.

Photo Illustration by Prep Junior JayLaFave

Boy Talk vs Girl Talk

Girls: Gab Over Grub AbbyJohnson

“What do we even talk about?!”

“Hair products.”

“Ashton Kutcher!”

“Is that a band?”

While the innocent and fresh-faced Cady Heron from Mean Girls may not know what the elite “Plastics” talk about at lunch, we all think we are in the know at Marian High.

But what do girls talk about at lunch?

When asked one girl might say, “I don’t know.

Stuff.” What is this “stuff” she claims to discuss? By simply observing a lunch table from each grade it is evident that this “stuff” is not really Ashton Kutcher. In fact 99 percent of the time it is...food.

Lunchtime is a struggle for the ultimate prize...food. We barter for it, buy it, consume it, and spend a majority of our time talking about it. While other worldly issues are talked about, such as the ever-present Prep dance, that terrible soph lot hill, or prom and its peculiarities, food takes the cake (and who doesn’t like cake?). From freshmen to seniors, it’s a common ground.

Marian girls are known for their love of food, but it’s shocking just how much food invaded our lunchtime language. From complaining about the applesauce that spilled in your backpack to bonding with the Marian Moms (and dads!), food makes the world go round. And of course, every girl at Marian knows how to effectively discuss and rate a bake sale.

And for the other 1 percent that’s not food, it really is just... “stuff.” Boys, weekend plans, friends, homework, classes, driving, TV shows, and just the crazy busy lives Marian girls live. Girls truly talk about whatever comes to mind. And to dispel any myths, girls are certainly not above daring someone to eat something that’s been at the bottom of their elephant shaped lunch box for weeks.

If a stranger chose to venture in the café or quad, he or she would most likely hear yells of “WHO SPILLED MY CAPRI SUN?!” to “Just give me a teeny tiny bite!” Are these girls crazy but fun, food-obsessed maniacs? Yes. Welcome to Marian.

April Network

MAY 1.

2.

May Day L e s M i s e ra b le s

8.

M o the rs Da y!

Of Montreal @ The Slowdown

3.

9.

10.

Have a Picnic for Dinner!

16.

State Soccer

29.

Grab a Friend and Treat Yourselves to Ice Cream, You Deserve It!

12.

May Crowning

Fly a Kite at Marian Moms Memorial!

Ice Cream Social!

18.

Senior Honors Assembly

Senior Mass Senior Mass

Senior Finals

Senior Finals

19.

State Tennis

20.

State Tennis State Track Pira te s o f the Ca rribe a n; On S tra ng e r Tide s

Candle Ceremony 25.

underclass Honors Day Foo Fighters @ Mid-America Center

30.

Dating on a Dime eHupp Graphic by Anni

G H B 31.

14.

State Soccer

The River’s Rockfest @ Westfair Ampitheater

early dismissal

24.

13.

State Soccer

Spend a Night Downtown!

26.

27.

21.

State Track

Chalk Your Driveway!

Graphic by MichaelaMcDonald & MeganHuelskamp

Usher @ The Qwest Center

7.

Field Day!

11.

17.

23.

Graduation

6.

FIELD WEEK

Film Festival 2626 Harney Street 6:00-9:00 p.m

22.

5.

Tie Dye Day! Walls night

State Journalism

15.

State Soccer

4.

28.

WI C K E D A D E

Swingin’ in Summmer Free Concert Series @ Sumtur Ampi-theaterWalnut Creek

FINALS C F

Have a WATER FIGHT!

SUMMER!

1. Have a tie dye date!

Ta a tie dye kit. Make it int ke a road trip to an arts and crafts store to pu eresting by dying sock s, hats, or other non-t-sh rchase items. irt clothing favorite

3. Gas is expensive, so bike to Red Mango! Sin ce the price is determi weight, you can make ned by it as cheap as you wa nt.

4. Movie night! See the movies you missed wh en they were in theaters Westwood, where mo vies are $2.50 before 6 ! Go to p.m. $3 after 6 p.m.

5. Have a picnic! First hit the grocery store, the n head to the park. Do bring a blanket! n't forget to

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Entertainment

6. Spend the afternoo n at Even if you don't find an garage sales, an antique store, or a farmers market! ything you like, it's alw ays fun to look.

April Network 7. Find the best french fries in Omaha. Stop at every fast food restaura small fry, and rank the m. nt, buy a 8. Washing cars is more fun when you're not alo ne, and it's a great wa the afternoon outside together. y to spend 9. If you don't belong to the same pool, go to a public pool. Most per person, and some pools are $4.50 are even less.

10. Have breakfast for dinner and get "All You Can Eat Pancakes" at doesn't love unlimited IHOP! Who pancakes for $4.99?

April Network

April Network

Entertainment

19

Entertainment

Background source http://www.vectorstock.com/composite/158105/spring-pattern-vector.jpg

2. Skip Pizza Hut and ma ke pizza together. Stop pizza toppings.

by HyVee and pick yo ur

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Dancing the Night Away. Junior Hannah Ingraham and her date, Tim Blaisure, share a dance together at prom. Prom was held at the Scoular Building on Sat., April 2 and tickets were $25. The students enjoyed a night of dancing and spending time with friends.

A Wish Upon a Star Prom 2011

Hard at Work.

Junior Faith Wilwerding sets up the decorations for the big night. Members of the 2011 prom committee, who applied for the position included Faith Wilwerding, Hannah Goracke, Sarah Ervin, Sarah Steffes, Mikayla Brohman, Georgia Andresen and Amanda Sharp. The girls had various meetings throughout the year to plan the event.

All Smiles. Prom Queen Ava Coughlin shows her excitment in becoming this year’s Prom Queen.

The other prom princesses included Katy Feichtinger, Patty Leahy, Anne Johnson, Carla Gibbs, Emily Holt, Josie Bettger and Bianca Bradley-Rael. They all joined in a celebratory hug after the winner was announced.

Makeup Time.

Senior Breanna Patterson gets her make up done by MAC at Oakview Mall. A number of Marian girls were seen at various salons and makeup counters throughout Omaha preparing for prom.

Marian girls spent nearly all day getting ready for the night to begin.

Hitting the Jackpot.

Senior Joselyn Wojtalewicz and her date, Chris Stibbs, flaunt their winnings at post prom. Post prom was held at Dave and Busters following the dance. Students participated in karaoke, games, and enjoyed winning an endless amounts of tickets.

Photos by ColleenFell KatyKohlmeyer HannahGoracke ClancyNelson

Enjoying Each Other’s Company. Junior Rachel Bormann and her date, Mike Collins, hit the dance floor after formally introducing herself and her date to Head of School, Mrs. Susan Toohey. “It was kind of awkward since my date Mike already knows Mrs. Toohey, so I wasn’t sure if I should introduce him or not, but I did anyway. We had a great time at the dance!”

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Photo Essay by OliviaHershiser KatyKohlmeyer

April Network