Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio
02.08.2011 Vol. 45 Issue 5
The
Paisano
Shooting at Ohio frat house
Classes slowly transitioning to Internet
Ramsey Rodriguez
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P8: ‘Winter Bone’ review
Courtesy of Associated Press
P6: How to get noticed
P9: Homecoming hoops
Freshman stress levels reach record highs
A dispute at Ohio fraternity results in the death of one student and injuries to 11 others. Two men have been arrested. See page 2
Angela Marin
Since 2007, a steadily climbing 20 percent of all college students now take at least one course online. With the rise in Internet access and smart phones, more distance learning and Internetbased courses have begun to appear for all types of classes ranging from information systems to poetry. The presence of online courses has undeniably made it more convenient for those who would not otherwise have the opportunity to earn a degree. “I think they are helpful and convenient for older people or people with a family or full time job,” said senior business major Alma Sanchez. Online courses have opened more avenues for non-traditional students, but in a distance learning environment is something lost in the experience? “I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it, but it was easier for scheduling since I didn’t have specific due dates [for the assignments],” junior marketing major Tameka Grayson said, speaking about the IS 1403 course she took. “You can work on your own schedule, but you’re not around other students so you can’t ask for help if you need it.” New technology offers consumers the availability of a faster internet and rapidly growing online communities. See INTERNET, Page 4
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See STRESS, Page 3
Football announces second recruiting class
New parking lot to be built in March Dyan Lofton
paisanonews@sbcglobal.net Construction will begin in March on the East Parking Garage, east of the Business Building and north of the Main Building. The East Parking Garage will be the third multi-level parking garage on UTSA’s main campus. It has space to include a customer service center, coffee kiosk and a spirit shop. The garage is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2012. The cost is projected to be $30 million, but will be funded through parking permits and short-term parking. “The new parking garage will be very convenient, and I won’t have to worry about catching a shuttle to my car when class ends. I just hope the commuter permit does not increase,” said junior prenursing major Candis Tarawally. See PARKING, Page 2
Stephen Whitaker
paisanonews@sbcglobal.net Head Football Coach Larry Coker announced the signing of the second recruiting class in the history of UTSA football. There are 28 student-athletes in the 2011 haul who signed National Letters of Intent to play college football for UTSA. Twenty-six of those are directly from high school football players and the remaining two athletes are junior college transfers. “All classes are unique,” Coker said. “The thing about this class is that you just know these guys are going to be special.” The 26 high school players all hail from Texas, with San Antonio leading the way with eight recruits. “We are starting from San Antonio and going out,” Coker said. “We covered a lot of Texas but we spent a lot of our time here in san antonio as we expect to do each year.” A player from San Antonio that coaches are excited about is running back Chris Johnson. In his days as a running back at Stevens High School, Johnson set a school record, in running for more than 4,800 yards and 50 touchdowns in a three-year career. The San Antonio region provided a good amount of the offensive players that signed with UTSA. Of the 10 offensive players to sign with UTSA, four hail
Burk Frey/ The Paisano
Courtesy of UTSA
According to a national study, levels of stress and depression in college freshmen continue to rise. The study, “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010,” exposes the declining levels of emotional health in young students entering college. The results reveal an increased percentage of students who classify themselves as having “below average” emotional health. Leaving high school and entering an institution of higher learning means new responsibilities, increased academic rigor and finding social acceptance in an entirely new environment. “Coming into college for the first time, I was worried about how my classes would be because I come from a really small town,” freshman art major Lacey Villalobos said. “I didn’t know how big the class sizes would be or how everything would work because it’s so different from what I was used to.” “Most of my stress comes from making sure I do well in my classes and keeping my grades up,” freshman business major Joshua Benavides said. Barbara Smith, executive director of advising for Undergraduate Studies Support and Technology Services, says culture shock and an unfamiliar environment can often cause students to feel overwhelmed. “The exposure to new ideas or other beliefs may be outside of their usual comfort zone,” Smith said.
Head football coach Larry Coker announces second signing class. from the greater San Antonio area. After San Antonio, the DallasFort Worth Metroplex had seven players sign on with UTSA. The Metroplex contingent is highlighted by quarterback Ryan Polite. As a quarterback for DeSoto High School, Polite
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became just the ninth player in Texas prep history to surpass 10,000 passing yards. Polite finished his career with the fourth most completions (735), fifth most yards (10,636) and eighth most touchdowns (94) in UIL history. See FOOTBALL, Page 9
NEWS
P2
The Paisano
February 8, 2011
Hot Off The Press
Party altercation leads to shooting at Ohio frat house
Are we all created equal?
Associated Press
Allison Tinn paisanonews@sbcglobal.net
For this week’s column we are keeping the news in the continental U.S. Gay rights have been a common issue for the past several years, but recently the Utah legislature introduced a new bill that would require all publicly funded programs to exclude families headed by gay and lesbian couples. Representative LaVar Christensen writes “marriage and family predate all governments and are supported by and consistent with the Laws of Nature and God, the Creator and Supreme Judge of the World, affirmed in the nation’s founding Declaration of Independence.” The proposed bill also stated “families anchored by both a father and a mother, fidelity within marriage and enduring devotion to the covenants and responsibilities of marriage are the desired norm.” Last week 19-year-old University of Iowa student, Zach Wahls spoke during a public forum against House Resolution 6, which would end civil union between same sex couples. Wahls was speaking from experience as he was raised by two women who are now married. With the repeal of the ‘Don’t ask, Don’t tell’ and more people like Wahls willing to stand up for gay rights, it shouldn’t be long till the gay community will attain the same rights as the rest of the nation.
Two men angry over a dispute at an Ohio fraternity house party left the gathering and returned early Sunday, spraying bullets into a crowd and killing a Youngstown State University student, authorities said. Eleven other people were injured, including a 17-year-old with a critical head wound. The men were arrested and charged later Sunday with aggravated murder, shooting into a house and 11 counts of felonious assault, Youngstown police Chief Jimmy Hughes said. The suspects are in their early 20s and from the Youngstown area, but Hughes withheld their names pending further investigation. “These guys were in the location for a little while before the shooting occurred,’’ he said. “Something happened that they became unhappy. They had some type of altercation.’’
The shooting occurred at a twostory brick house in a neighborhood of once-elegant homes, many of which are now boarded up. The house party had been bustling with 50 or more people early Sunday, Hughes said. The Mahoning County coroner’s office identified the dead student as 25-year-old Jamail E. Johnson. He was shot once in the head and multiple times on his hips and legs, and an autopsy is planned Monday, said Dr. Joseph Ohr, a forensic pathologist with the coroner’s office. “(Johnson) was just an excellent, excellent young man, and our loss runs deep,’’ said Christopher Cooper, a legal officer for Omega Psi Phi fraternity. The senior had recently traveled to North Carolina for a fraternity program emphasizing manhood and scholarship, Cooper said. Johnson’s fraternity brothers were trying to decide whether to return to the house, he said.
They were “very solemn, very alarmed, very hurt,’’ Cooper said. The 11 people who were hurt ranged in age from 17 to 31, and about half of them were shot in the foot, police said. Two were hit in the abdomen, and the most seriously hurt was a 17-year-old who had a critical wound near one ear. They were taken to nearby St. Elizabeth Health Center, and eight of them had been treated and released by afternoon, hospital spokeswoman Tina Creighton said. She said she could not release the conditions of the other three. The university said six of the injured were students. Members of the university-sanctioned Omega Psi Phi fraternity lived at the house, YSU spokesman Ron Cole said. Omega Psi Phi doesn’t own the house, Cooper said. “This is one of those days that every university president across the country, as well as many other
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PARKING: New garage will help eliminate crowding From Page 1
Lot 4 contains 600 surface parking spaces. The new parking garage will double the availability of parking slots in UTSA, bringing the total parking spaces to 1,425. However, not all students are pleased with the change. “I don’t think I like the idea of a new parking garage because I don’t know many people that park in the garage. Everyone I know purchases the commuter passes because they’re cheaper,” said junior criminal justice and psychology major Destiney Hicks. “It could help though because I do hear a lot of complaints about not being able to find parking, and that will be many more spots that we need.”
officials, always dread,’’ university president Cynthia Anderson said at a news conference on campus. Anderson said she had been assured by police that there was no threat to the urban campus in northeast Ohio near the Pennsylvania border. The university has about 15,000 students with alumni including former Kansas Jayhawks football coach Mark Mangino and fashion designer Nanette Lepore. A neighbor, Rodger Brown, 54, said the house and an adjacent home with Greek lettering indicating a fraternity often have parties on Friday and Saturday nights but had caused no problems in the neighborhood. “It’s a nice, quiet neighborhood,’’ he said. Brown said men living in the house were friendly to him and once offered him a beer and a ride as he walked home last fall.
The areas that will be temporarily affected by the construction are Lot 3, Lot 4 and Lot 8. There will be about 300 fewer student parking spaces on the campus during construction. Student permits and hourly parking rates will increase in the fall of 2011. In order for UTSA to meet the debt-financing requirements of the construction, the commuter student permit will cost $105 for the entire school year. “I think the garage is very much needed. Considering the parking issues we’ve incurred with the growth of the school” said junior accounting major Jacory Brasfield.
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The Paisano
February 8, 2011
SGA preparing to hold fourth annual donation drive
NEWS
P3
Robyn Bramwell
Public service announcements for Shanty Shack will air on campus television monitors the week before the donation drive . Every year donation to the project have increased. “In the last few years this hasn’t received very much publicity but this year we’d like to get the whole community involved because we’d like to get as much as we can for these kids. We want everyone to know about the need in our community for so many of the items we plan to collect,” Cuervo said. All food donations will be given the San Antonio Food Bank. The children’s books will be given to Canaghan, Thorton and Boone elementary schools, and clothing will go to the San Antonio Children’s Shelter. Donations will be distributed the following week. The Shanty Shack has an event tab on SGA’s Facebook page for anyone interested in learning more about donating.
Illustration: Robert Calcagno
Feb. 14 through 18 will be SGA’s 4th annual Shanty Shack Donation Drive. This collection of donations serves to help San Antonio’s children in need by providing them with non-perishable canned goods, new or gently used clothing, and children’s books. The Shanty Shack will be located between the MS building and Sombrilla on Monday, Feb. 14, beginning at 7 a.m. The actual Shack, built of wood, tarp and cardboard boxes, is designed to resemble the homes of these families. “We decided to use this (design) to give a visual example of how people live. We want students to see that people are living like this while we are going to school and living in comfortable apartments,” Senior Senator Farrah Walji said. Along the Shack’s walls will be lined with information and statistics about those less fortunate who are coping with homelessness and hunger in San Antonio. The purpouse is to show the importance of the contributors. “We all have so many opportunities. Just going to college is an opportunity. These are people who don’t have very many things and coming from such a large university, it would be kind of nice to be able to give back to the community,” said SGA Public Relations Chair Diane Cuervo. The donation drive is coordinated by SGA members Roger Cardenas, Diane Cuervo, Farrah Walji, the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and VOICES.
File Photo
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STRESS: UTSA provides students resources to cope with the pressures of daily college life From Page 1
Aside from being exposed to an unfamiliar environment, students feel the stress of financial demands in their college careers. Even for freshmen—who are only at the start of their academic careers and will not begin a post-graduation job search for several years—the unstable economy appears to be a key stressor for many of the students surveyed. At college campuses across the nation, where students work and attend school simultaneously, finding a career after obtaining their degree is not the only economic stress occupying the minds of undergraduates. “Students now have a unique kind
of pressure in that most freshmen you see are not only taking full time classes but they’re also working either part time or full time,” said writing program lecturer, Amanda Williams. “That’s a stress that many of us, when we were freshmen, didn’t have,” Williams said. Some of the emotional strain can be attributed to students’ expectations of themselves. “Many more students are going to college than before,” Mathematics Department Chair Francis Norman said. “In many respects, some students are not as well-prepared for college. “There is a lot of pressure to go to college, and that certainly puts a premium on success. Students are
stressed when they feel like failure will impact their career and future.” Students are encouraged to use resources provided by UTSA to manage increased pressures. “I think it’s important that students understand what’s out there for them,” Smith said. “The Tomas Rivera Center (TRC) offers tutoring and supplemental instruction, which is more to handle the academic side. Then there are student organizations to help with making a connection, which is really crucial for some students. Then there’s also counseling services to really help with stress management.”
P4
NEWS
The Paisano
February 8, 2011
INTERNET:Online courses tempts students to be lazy ture. Taking a student out of a traditional learning environment gives them convenience to not only learn at their discretion but perhaps fail to retain the coursework as well. “Online [courses] make you lazy and constantly [encourage you to do] things last minute,” Moreno said. “A physical body in a room is much more meaningful.” We live in a world where expediency and convenience are highly valued commodities. The rise of the Internet has facilitated a transition in how we live our daily lives, and now, how we communicate with each other. “Even though it’s a great option to have [online courses], making them the norm would discredit the education process,” Moreno said, speaking on the loss of personal connection in web-based classes. Online courses have given thousands of people the chance to call themselves college graduates. It makes things easier for a stay-athome mom or a student managing a full-time job to complete coursework. It also gives students the chance to procrastinate and let their eyes wander to Youtube and Facebook. As our campus becomes more digital, the question remains: is the convenience of web-based education worth the impersonality of sitting alone at a computer?
Krystal Nicholson and Roger Frigstad won Mr. and Mrs. UTSA.
Joseph Tidline/ The Paisano
More people than ever are taking advantage by earning college degrees from the comfort of home, but with that convenience comes an atrophy of interpersonal skills normally acquired through social interaction. “[One drawback] is not being able to have discussions with students or your professor,” says Alma. “With email, you may not get a response until [...] two hours later.” The lack of face to face communication in online courses is definitely the biggest problem that web-based education faces. Also, without a strong sense of community in an online course, the relations between students can become so distant that individuals may feel truly alone in the course. Even courses which require workshops and critical feedback are now finding themselves translated through Blackboard messages and myUTSA mail. “When I first heard it was online, I was hesitant because it was a workshop with only about ten people,” senior creative writing major Amanda Moreno said on an advanced creative fiction workshop she took this past semester. “But I would much prefer being in a class even with the hassle of driving to school.” Much like on-site courses, online courses must be geared to keep students engaged throughout the lec-
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From Page 1
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The Paisano
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Advisory Board: Steven Kellman, Mansour El Kikhia, Jack Himelblau, Sandy Norman, Matt Stern The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a nonprofit, tax exempt, educational organization. The Paisano is operated by members of the Student Newspaper Association, a registered student organization. The Paisano is NOT sponsored, financed or endorsed by UTSA. New issues are published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters, excluding holidays and exam periods. All revenues are generated through advertising and donations. Advertising inquiries and donations should be directed towards:
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OPINION
The Paisano
February 8, 2011
Editorial
Has SGA made Mr.UTSA into Mr.SGA Even with the best of intentions, it is never a wise choice to mingle personal interests with a political issue. Even if the two just so happen to be hand-in-hand, the mere association is a cause for concern and may in fact speak to a lack of hindsight on their part. In a series of exchanges on Facebook, certain members of the Student Government Association have used the issue of bringing alcohol to the Chili’s Too restaurant on campus to encourage students to vote for a particular SGA officer for Mr. UTSA. While the messages were technically about the alcohol issue, the nature of the posts seemed to merely be a shout-out to one of their own. This isn’t against the rules as much as it is a pinch shrewd and manipu-
lative. However, digging deeper into the issue reveals something that’s of far greater concern. It now appears that the SGA sponsored this particular candidate, failing to consider any other worthy candidate that was not associated with their organization. Once again, this is not considered illegal as members of the SGA are allowed to sponsor and support whomever they feel is in their best interest. But with this monopolization of the electoral process, it begs the question: at what point does using political influence become nothing more than a self-serving procedure that only benefits the selected few and leaves everyone else on the outside looking in? When does the
support of a topic devolve into a tool for self-promotion? Is it right for a single organization to hold sole control of a campus-wide election? It becomes no more than an internal transference of power among the inner circle; if one SGA member doesn’t get it, then another one will. And to use such a critical topic as alcohol on campus, especially with its implementation at UTSA football games and the revenue at stake, as a lobbying tool undermines the entire effort. Again, none of this is strictly illegal and anyone can run for election; but then, with this kind of control, at what point do we still consider this politics when it has clearly become something more domineering?
Letter to the Editor
P5
Photo Poll What was your worst Valentine’s Day ever?
Danielle Ronan Freshman / Communication
“He took me to see ‘Ghost Rider’ and was caressing my chin. I didn’t even like him.”
What’s wrong with porn or smut? Good job, Paisano. Last week an article on campus drug use (with plenty of attention grabbing paraphernalia on the front page), and this week atheists and smut? These are a few of my favorite things. I’m torn about the Atheist Agenda’s campaign. On the one hand, as an avowed atheist I know the unspoken scorn we suffer on a daily basis. I spent years making excuses for my beliefs, softening them in public so as to not offend those I work with (or for). It’s just so hard being an atheist in today’s world... okay, not really. Usually it’s pretty nice; I do get Sundays off. I appreciate the intent of this ‘in your face’ atheism... I have little stomach for it myself, but it’s use-
ful and productive to make people confront their beliefs. But really, comparing religions to Nazi Germany? I would love to agree - religions have signed off on plenty of terrible massacres throughout the years. Unfortunately, as soon as you compare the other side to a Nazi you lose all credibility. That’s the way it is. Of course, the seminarian-to-be’s comments also don’t make any sense. You can talk all you want about how a religion “should be,” or “could be,” or “might-be-if-everybody-followed-these-written-rulesbut-not-those-rules.” The best way to “judge” is from outside. Seeing what people who profess a faith actually do in this world. The good, the bad, the horrendous,
the wonderful things its members choose to inflict on their fellow human beings. How else could you? But, my real critique is this: the whole campaign is unnecessarily porn negative. Why are we insulting smut? What’s wrong with porn? Yes, I know our thinly veiled Puritan ethics (read: Religion) would have you overcome with divinely inspired guilt every time you enjoy a little alone time (or partner time?) watching ‘Pulp Friction.’ But surely we can come up with a way to engage in meaningful debate over the differing merits of belief systems (...or more likely not) without bringing perfectly legal adult fun into the discussion.
Bethany Powell Freshman / Business “He gave me a bunch of Clinique that I didn’t want just because his mom was a rep.”
Sean Leonard M.S. Biotechnology
Commentary
Atheist preach the ‘good word’
I feel disgusted that I’m writing about the Atheist Agenda because they have already garnered more time than they deserve. Maybe you had time last week to stop by their table where they were giving away pornography for Bibles at their event known as Smut for Smut. In reality, this event should be called Attention, Sluts for Sluts (pun advisory). If you didn’t stop by, you missed out on a chance to be evangelized – I mean educated to the ideas of atheism. This anti-religious group spent their time giving literature about atheism, denouncing religion, and trying to anger as many people as they came in contact with. The funny thing is that after talking to them for a while, they started to remind me of something really familiar…Oh yeah – a religious group. The Athiest Agenda has obviously taken a page from the Tea Party or Westboro Baptist Church, who both write shocking signs that are racist and homophobic in order to get their points across.
Here’s an idea; If we offend as many people as possible and argue with them, they will instantly turn from their erred and ignorant ways and have atheist salvation. In addition to porn they had plenty of Bible tracks – I mean atheist tracks – to help the non-believers become believers (or is that the other way around?). Maybe you didn’t have time to read their literature. Then you could have stopped and talked to their attention-starved, televangelists – I mean charismatic truth spewing leaders. These people had all the makings of the perfect televangelists minus the fancy suits, gaudy jewelry and magic hands that heal people. They even were filming and recording me while I talked to them, I guess so they could catch the instant that I found Jesus, I mean lost Jesus and became free. Didn’t have time or the courage to stop and talk to them? Then you could have stood from afar and watched the radical Jesus people argue with them. Honestly, instead of yelling at each other they should have done it true Darwinism style – survival of the fittest. Tell me you wouldn’t pay to watch the Atheist Agenda vs. Westboro Baptist Church in a battle
to the death – “Gladiator” style. Then maybe they could all destroy each other and the rest of us could live in harmony. The honest truth about organizations like the Atheist Agenda, the Tea Party, Westboro Baptist Church or any other radical organization that spews hatred towards alternative ideas is that they don’t improve the state of our consciousness, our society or our sex lives (porn doesn’t equal sex, it equals lonely masturbation). Radicals view themselves as revolutionaries, but they really only end up producing loud-mouthed attention whores. The scariest part of this is how violent offenders are born. You see, violent offenders have taken their hatred and frustration and gone one step further and murdered innocent people. Hence, why we should lock all these radicals in a cage and let them hurt each other. So thanks again to the Atheists Agenda for reminding everybody that radicalism and mindless anger always bring about logical thinking and global harmony…Oh wait, sorry, that’s called tolerance.
William MacDaniel Junior / Political Science “My girlfriend was cheating on me and she still took me out for Valentine’s.”
Carina French Sophomore / Education “My birthday is on February 12th, and one year I had mono all through my birthday and Valentine’s Day.”
Cliff Perez Staff Writer
The Bird Seed by Megan Lovelady Brendon Baltazar Freshman / Education “One Valentine’s my ex talked to my girlfriend and claimed I was a cheater and a womanizer. I got slapped.”
Ashley Douglas Freshman / Biology “My boyfriend at the time got another girl pregnant right before Valentine’s Day.”
Photo Poll by HeeSun Park
P6
FEATURES
The Paisano
February 8, 2011
Techniques for getting noticed by that special someone Kayla Larsen
How to survive a first date Joey Alabbassi
more if you are sitting close enough to them that they can pay attention to you. Being in college is the perfect opportunity to meet someone special because there are a lot of shared interests and similar lifestyles. So what are you waiting for? Now that you have some tips and tricks on what it takes, it’s time to put it to use. Don’t waste any more time reading this how-to. Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it! Now go and get that special someone to notice you so that you’re not alone this Valentine’s Day!
paisanofeatures@sbcglobal.net Valentine’s Day is slowly but surely approaching. Some of you single people out there may see it as “Single People Awareness Day.” Now it may be your imagination, but doesn’t it seem like on Valentine’s Day everyone all of a sudden has a boyfriend or girlfriend? Everywhere you look people are holding hands and kissing, almost as if they are rubbing in the fact that you’re single! How rude! Can’t they get a room? Well fear no more. If you are someone who is sick and tired of being alone on Valentine’s Day, UTSA students have offered up their tips and tricks for getting a guy or girl to notice you. We’ve all heard about standard smiling, eye contact and looking good—all of these are essential in getting someone’s attention, and UTSA students agree. Senior Sarah Nicholas says when she wants to impress a guy she’ll curl her hair, spend a little extra time on her make up, get her nails done and, of course, wear her hottest outfit. “It’s all about the eye contact,” junior Morgan Colhoff said. “Catch their eye, throw a little smile, and improvise from there.” So what are some unique techniques other students improvised to get their crush’s attention? The idea is to stand out, so once you’ve caught their eye, you might have to act a little over the top. Now is not the time to be shy. Senior Brad Becker said he would exaggerate a noise by doing some-
Here’s How-to:
thing like yawning or laughing really loud. Keep in mind this tip is just to get an initial reaction. Doing something like this won’t seal the deal; however, you can do this as a way of getting the person to look at you then give a quick smile, and take it from there. Another way to stand out is to show off. Senior Manuel Calderon said that to get a girl’s attention he’ll show off on the court. If there is a girl he finds attractive at the basketball court, he’ll play a little harder than usual. He will shoot more and run faster so she sees how good he is and wonders, “who’s that guy?”
You don’t necessarily have to be the best at something to show off. UTSA’s recreational center is the perfect place to meet someone. If your crush is at the gym when you are, push yourself a little harder than usual. You might not look your best all sweaty, but the fact that you are taking care of your body says a lot. Junior Alyssa Ammann said, “I try to know all the answers to the questions my professors ask, always get a close seat to my crush and every time he looks over I flash a smile and look away.” The key here is sitting near the person. They’re likely to notice you
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Congratulations! You got his or her number and you set up a date. Dates, for some, can either be fun, nerve-racking or plain out unwanted. The first date pretty much sets the first impression and decision for any future dates. So here’s how to survive your first date and nail a second one. Some important things to remember: hygiene, what to wear, money and conversation. Dress appropriately. Guys, this means nice pants and a button-up shirt or polo. Girls, a dress or a blouse. Minimum jewelry is preferred. Hygiene is a big deal. Do a little grooming. Make sure to brush your teeth and floss, use a non-scented deodorant, get a mani and pedi, and obviously wear clean clothes. Make sure you know exactly what you’re going to do. Don’t make any on the spot decisions, know what and where you’re going and make sure you have the money to do it! Keep your car clean. A dirty car makes a bad first impression. It doesn’t have to be spotless and crystal clean, but at least pick up and have no visible trash. Conversation is probably the most important part of any date. Avoid topics that involve politics, religion, touchy issues (abortion, death penalty, etc.), past relationships (if they ask, keep it brief) and your mother.
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The Paisano
February 8, 2011
FEATURES
P7
Breaking up is hard to do... not! Samantha Burns
paisanofeatures@sbcglobal.net When Neil Sedaka sang the hit song “Breaking up is hard to do” in 1962, he probably wasn’t thinking of the romantic journeys of college students. In the 60’s people didn’t have Facebook, cell phones or text messaging to communicate 24/7. Breaking up was much harder to do. People either broke up with someone face to face, by a letter or by telephone. Now, there are a multitude of different ways to break someone’s heart. As another Valentine’s Day ap-
proaches, and the scent of roses and chocolate is apparent, it is time to reflect on our past loves - some good and some bad. Some people can say they broke it off easy. We all have heard, “It’s not you; it’s me,” or “I don’t have the same feelings for you as I used to.” But what about those ridiculous reasons that leave you speechless? As the research at UTSA shows, and surely many other colleges in the country, breaking up is easy to do, especially when you have a cell phone. Sophomore English major Sierra Nevada said that two of her past boyfriends have given lame excuses for breaking up.
“One of my exes said that he was too mature for me, but he told me that through a text. Real mature. Another ex sent me a text saying that he didn’t want to be in a longdistance relationship, but he only lived 30 minutes away,” said Nevada. “The worst way you can break up with someone is by text. It’s just stupid,” senior English major Lauren Payne said. If lovers aren’t breaking up with someone over a text, it seems that they are doing it by a phone call. Sometimes break ups can get messy. Senior sociology major Rickey Lowe said that he has had to deal with karma when he broke up with
one of his past girlfriends. “I broke up with a girlfriend on the phone while the girl I cheated on her with was on the other line,” Lowe said. Other times, Murphey’s law interferes - whatever could go wrong does. “I broke up with my girlfriend on the phone and thought I hung up. I started talking about her to a friend next to me, and then I realized she hadn’t hung up yet,” English graduate student Matt Lumbatis said. “Needless to say, she was pissed and it was officially over.” Surprisingly, some students said they have broken up face-to-face just like the 1960’s.
“I told my boyfriend that I didn’t want to be with him anymore because I felt he was too good for me,” freshman business major Jamie Moore said. “That was total crap, but I didn’t know what to say.” But freshman undeclared major Justin Simms said that breaking up has never been a big deal for him. “If I don’t want to be with a girl anymore, I just make up a dumb excuse. Once I told an ex that I was moving, and we wouldn’t be able to see each other anymore. It worked, for a while!” Simms said. Whether it’s a good excuse or bad, in most cases, breaking up sucks and is hard to do.
Age ain’t nothing but a number Marielena Garcia
paisanofeatures@sbcglobal.net Asthon Kutcher and Demi Moore provide a perfect example of a “spring-fall” relationship with a 15year age gap between them. Hugh Hefner and fiance’ Crystal Harris have an even bigger 60 years between them. We’ve all heard the saying, “You’re only as old as you feel.” Of course, the older you become, the more you want to believe that. But can this same state of mind apply when you are in a relationship? Even in today’s increasingly liberal dating culture, age difference between couples remains a divisive issue. For freshman Megan Spearman, this issue really hits home. She
hates hearing judgemental comments about her being six and a half years older than her boyfriend, especially from close friends. “They don’t know my relationship. They don’t know how much my boyfriend and I click,” Spearman said. “I prefer they just keep their opinions to themselves. I don’t go bashing their relationships.” Of course the real key to a successful relationship, of any age variance, is how much you are willing to do to make that relationship work in “perfect” union. The more you work towards this goal, the more it seems to fall outside what is deemed culturally acceptable. The pressures of friends and family will challenge you and lead to cracks in your “unacceptable” relationship. “It was really hard at times to un-
derstand each other, especially since he comes from a very conservative family and my family is very liberal. I had to change many, many things,” sophomore Cindy Santana admits. Age variance within relationships is not only an issue of different numbers, it also involves accumulated maturity and experiences that cannot be attained overnight. “I never knew four years could be so much of a difference”, Santana explains. Your partner’s maturity level becomes the pink elephant in the room as we seek out the right partner for a “perfect” relationship. When maturity levels match up, the rest of the relationship will fall into place. Students like Santana believe that in all relationships, age gaps especially, understanding one another is a major component in a “perfect”
relationship. “To love someone means to be with them, understand them completely and never let anything bring the relationship down,” Santana said. Your own maturity level must be taken into account. “I’ve always been pretty mature for my own age, and that is why I like older guys,” Spearman said. “I always forget that he’s six years my senior.” But even with significant age gaps between partners, these women seem to forget that aspect and focus more on feelings rather than logic. Sophomore Brianna Lucero, who opens up about her past relationships, provides evidence that age difference can be masked by feelings. “I just recently got out of a rela-
tionship with a guy who was seven years older than me and I have dated a guy who’s 11 years older than me,” Lucero confesses. “I think the older you get, the less it matters how much of an age gap there is. Age gaps shouldn’t really matter; it’s just a matter of how you feel.” However, there are two of you and your partner’s feelings must be taken to account. “I try to be perfect by caring more about his feelings than mine. Because I think that’s what love is as well; setting [their] feelings before your own.” Although couples come in all combinations of ages and personalities, the important thing to keep in mind is compatibility. Two people will only be able to make a relationship work if they don’t constantly feel the urge to kill each other.
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The Paisano
February 8, 2011 This week online... Tired of the same silly love movies? We’ve got some
Photo Courtesy of Roadside Attraction Films
recommendations for new
Paisano Road to the Oscars: ‘Winter’s Bone’ Continuing coverage of this year’s Oscar nominees Dylan Crice
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The critically acclaimed film “Winter’s Bone” is a tensely atmospheric pot boiler that suffers from too much build up and not enough pay out. The original story, fully realized setting and acting are very good but the film is also weighed down with a glacial story pacing and disappointing resolutions. Film critics love “Winter’s Bone” but it is not likely to be embraced by general audiences. Seventeen year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) lives at home, spending most of her energy tending to the needs of her two siblings and disabled mother. After her methamphetamine-dealing father skips bail, Ree is forced to navigate
ic Teardrop is her father’s brother, and an unpredictably violent man that has lived a hard life. Despite his emotional instability, Teardrop sometimes shows compassion for his brother’s neglected children and plays an integral part in solving his disappearance. This film builds tension and establishes its universe in the beginning scenes. The rural town setting lends a unique quality to this film as Ree must deal with the town’s inhabitants to find her father. The meth addicts and gangsters that inhabit her poverty stricken world are misleading, aggressive and unpredictable. However, the film doesn’t really progress anywhere interesting through these interactions. It rachets up the tension throughout every scene but never really con-
Valentine’s Day.
We also have coverage of the Asian Festival held at the Institute of Texan Culture this past weekend.
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A young woman tries to keep her family together in the Oscar-nominated film “Winter’s Bone”.
through the seedy underbelly of her rural town. She must uncover the truth of her father’s disappearance or lose her family’s property to a corrupt legal system. Along the way, she must confront her father’s bail bondsman, disgruntled cousins, violent methheads, a sheriff and a vicious organized crime group, without getting herself killed. Ree seems to be looking for a way out of her difficult lifestyle but her chances of accomplishing this result are slim. Her already bleak existence is worsened when her father doesn’t show up for his court date and his bail bondsman threatens to take her family’s’ house. Another notable member of the cast is John Hawks as Ree’s tough guy uncle, Teardrop. The enigmat-
movies to check out this
cludes satisfactorily. After a strong but predictable second act that renews viewer’s faith, the plot quickly unravels into an abrupt ending with multiple loose threads left dangling. “Winter’s Bone” is a boring disappointment with few redeeming qualities. The premise and original story hold a lot of potential, but the plot could have been executed better. The film should be praised for its tension-filled atmosphere and above average acting, but its lack of catharsis makes it feel like an exercise in suspense. Audiences will have a tough time sitting patiently through this understimulating film. Paisano rating D+
Upcoming Events UCinema Night: For Colored Girls February 11, 2011 9:00 p.m. University Center Guest Artist Series 2010-2011 February 14, 2011 7:30 p.m. Music Recital Hall The Afro-Latin@ Reader Book Series Tour February 16, 2011 11:00 a.m. Travis Room - UC 2.202
KING OF THE CLASSROOM Sergio Rios
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1/19/11 2:31:23 PM
P9 SPORTS Top Birds
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The Paisano
February 8, 2011
Head Football Coach Larry Coker talks with MC Jay Howard during the UTSA football signing day celebration.
UTSA knocked off Lamar 70-64 to remain in a first place tie in the SLC West. Please see game story online at paisano-online.com.
Football recruiting: defense highlights class of 2011 From Page 1
Also of note from the metroplex are defensive back Jake Smith and linebacker Blake Terry of Denton Guyer High School. Smith and Terry were integral parts of a linebacking corps that led Guyer to the 5A division II State Championship game. Coker talked about the number of recruits brought in and the ones who got away. “I like the roster; we will be young, but it is a good group,” Coker said. “You don’t get everyone you want; a few you miss out on.” The Houston area had five players sign. The big name from the Houston area is Demetrius Jacobs, 6-1 defensive back from Brookshire Royal High School. Jacobs saw action on both sides of the ball in high school but will compete as a free
safety at UTSA. In addition to Jacobs, the Houston area provided UTSA with 6-4 305 lb. Josh Walker. Walker, an offensive lineman from League City Clear Springs High School led his team in all blocking categories as a senior. The recruiting class is defense dominant as 15 of the commits will play on the defensive side of the ball. The defensive haul included nine defensive backs, three defensive linemen and three linebackers. “We needed to address our defense,” Coker said. “We did that.” The linebackers will provide an impact on special teams as well. “Linebackers are usually good on special teams because they are fast and they tackle well,” Coker said. The central Texas region is home to four signees. The central texas
region or Centex as it is known in prep circles will provide UTSA with two offensive players, a defensive back and an athlete. The athlete is Terrance Wilburn out of San Marcos High School. Wilburn is described as a versatile starter who saw action on both sides of the ball as a three year starter. Wilburn joins his older brother Mike Wilburn, a redshirt freshman wide receiver with the Roadrunners. Another bright spot from the Centex region is tight end David Morgan. Morgan, a wide receiver at Marble Falls High School stands 6-4 and is expected to move to tight end with the Roadrunners. Morgan was a three time academic all-district honoree with Marble Falls. On the offensive side of the ball, the Roadrunner’s recruiting class included three running backs, two
wide receivers, two offensive linemen, two tight ends and a quarterback. The East Texas region had two players sign letters to play at UTSA. The player out of East Texas to watch could be athlete Kenny Harrison. Harrison was a dual-threat quarterback who was named the 2010 District 8-2A Offensive Most Valuable Player (MVP) and also garnered a first-team all-district punt returner award as a senior at Linden-Kildare High School. Also from East Texas is defensive back Triston Wade out of John Tyler High School in Tyler. As a member of the John Tyler Lions, Wade earned 2010 Class 4A second team all-state and first team All-East Texas. His stat line of 122 tackles, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, a sack and a fumble recovery earned him
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the District 14-4A Defensive MVP. The East Texas region is one of the many fertile recruiting regions that Coker and his staff hope to turn into a pipeline to UTSA. “East Texas is just such a great place to recruit,” Coker said. “It would be nice to have an East Texan [sign] every year.” The two junior college transfers are defensive lineman Franky Anaya and linebacker Brandon Reeves both of whom transferred from Pierce [California] Junior College. The 2011 recruiting class boasts nine all-state players. 25 of the signees were named to all-area schools during their high school careers. The football team will hold it’s first official spring practices beginning March 7. The Inaugural spring game will be April 9 in the Alamodome.
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The Paisano
February 8, 2011
Online this week: UTSA vs. Lamar basketball story “Work in Progress�
Read it online at paisano-online.com NO101 Version 2 SHA 14Aug2010
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Qualified Participants will complete: February 15: first part of series on coaches screening visit off the field; UTSA baseball preview. up to 6 outpatient visits February 22: second part of series on up to 7 phone calls coaches off the field. If you qualify, you may be compensated up to $1,068.00. March 1: Baseball recap from Call  or  visit  us  online  today  to  learn  more! Wolff Stadium 210-Â225-Â5437                www.Somethingtobeproudof.com Coming in March: Paisano MLB Preview
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