2013–14 Issue 5

Campus Chronicle

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a publication of the Pacific Union College Student Association

vol. XC

no. 5

THURSDAY 23 JANUARY 2014

Professor Charo Retires

Patience: It’s hard to come by

Quick Tips For Achieving Goals

By Arielle Serra NEWS & FEATURES pg. 2

By James Shim SPORTS pg. 5

By Araya Moss OP-ED pg. 6

Jason Decena’s List of 10 Things to Do/Remember... Domember.

By Jason Decena PUC, we’ve got some history between us. I came as a freshman the fall of 1997 as an undecided major (I was taking classes towards physics or engineering but didn’t commit) with a minor in music (for free double-bass lessons; yeah, I’ll be dropping knowledge in this whole article). I graduated in 2002 with my B.A. in theology (It took me five years to leave this place the first time. PUC has its claws in me deep). After graduation, I pastored in Chico and Escondido before being asked to return to the PUC Church to serve here in February 2010. It’s been the honor of my life to “come back home” and serve alongside you all. You’re family to me, Heidi and Luke and Aidan. We love you all, and we’ll miss you dearly; you’re in our hearts.

I’m deeply honored to be asked by the Campus Chronicle to leave you with a few thoughts as we depart. ¿Listo?

1. Use your influence for good.

You have influence. Please, please, please use it for good. Some of you like Zach DeChiccis have disproportionate influence and charm (and moustache). Don’t underestimate the power that you have. Encourage and edify. Build and bolster.

Tell people who they really are in the kingdom of God. “With great power comes great responsibility.” - Uncle Ben 3:16.

2. Invest in the future.

If you want to know what the safest investment is with the highest ROI (return on investment), it’s really simple: invest in the future. I have no problem, whatsoever with investing into you students with my time, attention and resources. This investment will pay dividends into the future. Students like Marcus Helmer will teach my kids how to math. Students like Adam Washington will pastor and baptize my kids. Students like Clarissa David will teach my kids how to bass. Not only that, but you all will go all over the world and change it, turning

The amazing Decena family. it towards the Father’s heart for His kingdom. This investment is a no-brainer.

My plea to you all: pay it forward. Invest in the future. Find someone younger than you are to invest in, to mentor. The ROI is exponentially higher and deeper than imagination. Oh, and students like Kristiane Guy will give me a job when times get lean.

3. Never stop learning.

Cliché. But oh, so true. If you’re not learning, stretching, expanding, then you’re devolving, atrophying, regressing. There’s actually no such thing as stagnation, or stasis. It’s one or the other: we’re either growing or shrinking. So learn something new. Read something. Watch a TED talk. Khan Academy. iTunes U. Listen to a sermon.

Along with this point, it’s important to remember that you never know when you’re going to learn something new. Keep your eyes open and don’t judge where the lesson comes from. It could come to you from a terminally ill, sixyear-old boy from Alabama (like what happened to my friend, Dick Grace). It could come as a kind act, a beautiful sunset, a song on repeat. That’s the nature of inspiration. The wind blows where it wants. Be open to receive it.

4. Life is NOT a zero-sum game.

One of the biggest fallacies in life is zero-sum thinking. “For me to win, someone has to lose.” This is one of the most prevalent lies in the world. Reject it. Look for win-win opportunities. There’s always a third way. The world really isn’t binary, or dualistic. When offered the choice between 1 and 0, look for mu.

Greek students, whaddup?

Pastor Jason rocking out on the bass guitar.

5. Value the people on this campus.

Get to know the people on this campus who are AWESOME. These are the people that make this place function but fly under the radar and don’t usually get the recognition and notoriety that they deserve. One of the most profound relationships I’ve had here has been my friendship with Frank Frederico. He’s currently the PUC Church facilities manager, and I’ve known him for over a

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NEWS & FEATURES (Continued from pg. 1)

your life will be better. Not easier, but better. This is NEXT LEVEL spirituality.

decade. He used to work in the caf and would always say awesome things as he 9. Embrace the season that you’re in. handed you your food like, “Make memories!” We’ve had many conversations since Learning to be content in all circumstances is a crucial spiritual skill. Based I was a student, and over the past four years, we’ve been teammates in ministry. on my limited but varied experience, I’ve discovered that every season of life is Take time to value the people that make PUC great. good but can also be simultaneously difficult. It becomes important then, to not judge your situation. Embrace where you are. This becomes an important step 6. Find your family. for what happens next.

You’ve heard it said, “chase your dreams,” and “follow your ambition.” But I tell you, “Find your family.” When we came to PUC four years ago, I came here to 10. There’s always a “what next?” be with Tim Mitchell, former lead pastor of the PUC Church. He was different God has blessed you for a purpose: to share that blessing with others. If you’re than most pastors, and I wanted to learn from him. We’ve made decisions not open to the adventure that He has for you, you’ll end up in places that you’ve based on prestige or status but by following a desire to be with people who called never dreamed. What IS next for you? Grad school? Internships? Whatever us forward into the kingdom and who tell us who we are in Him. Find people that it is, God will be preparing you for what’s next. And then again. And again. I bless you with the good things of God and stir up a hunger within you for more. can’t wait to see what’s next for all of you.

More beauty, more rest, more goodness. Surround yourself with those people.

Seek them out. Because when you find your family, you’ll find your destiny. I Here’s the last thing I’d like to leave with you, PUC: “By this, all men will promise that it will be higher and deeper than your ambitions. What matters know that you’re my disciples, that you love each other.” - John 13:34, 35. Love isn’t where you are, but who you’re with. each other, treat each other well. It’s the way of our Master. “Be excellent to each other.” - Bill & Ted 3:16.

7. Keep seeking.

Seek and you will find. Don’t ever stop. For those who are living in doubt I Can’t wait to ring that bell… say, “Huzzah!” Faith can’t exist without doubt. For those without doubt, I say, “Keep seeking.” Certainty is the antithesis of faith. There’s always more to God Here’s a puzzle for fun and giggles: and spiritual things. If, in fact, God is infinite: infinite love, infinite grace, infinite ¿Por qué, φ? I love gelly beens. Shave you been to the Jelly Belly factery in mercy... then we’ll never fully arrive. Keep the process going.

Vacaville? I canot bellieve it touk an unbeliebably long time for me to sea it. They are zo yummy. My favorite flavor is ppear. I don’t enderstand how they match 8. Do what Jesus taught. the taste so klosely.

Jesus is the best person to teach me how to live in all of human history. It’s worth it to do the things that he taught. Those things are incredibly easy to understand but profoundly difficult to do. The things that matter in life are usually like that.

I would even say that for those who don’t believe, these things are still worth doing. “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” If you do this,

Continuing Her Mission: Spanish Professor Charo Chambers Retires

By Arielle Serra One, two, three step. Two, two, three step. Sweat is sticking to the back of my shirt as the Salsa music beat plays in the background. I look down at my feet, attempting to avoid the heel of the person in front of me. It’s just another fun day in Peruvian-born Spanish teacher Charo Chamber’s upper division class. Charo, who has been a Spanish teacher at PUC since 1997, never fails to make learning fun and hands on. Her formula for being a good teacher is prayer, understanding and showing love to students. “Love can move mountains,” she says whole-heartedly. Sadly, PUC students will only be able to enjoy her classes and passion for teaching for a few more quarters, as she plans on retiring in December 2014.

Charo recounts that the moment she knew she wanted to become a teacher was when she was standing in front of her high school peers giving a presentation about history. Feeling comfortable and at ease, she knew what her calling was. Fast-forward a few decades of teaching and she gets a call from a liberal arts Seventh-day Adventist college nestled in the Napa Valley. Charo had been praying to God about which teaching position to take, and she knew that PUC was the right fit.

Charo now teaches several upper and lower division classes at PUC and she is an avid member of the PUC church community. She has helped with the PUC Summer Vacation Bible School Program and was presented with the 2006 Woman of Distinction Award by The Women’s Ministries Department and the Northern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

PUC is not the first community that Charo

has given service to. Previously, Charo used her gift to teach to spread the word of God by bringing people together in a small community in Hidalgo, Texas.

With the help of her brother-in-law, who is an SDA pastor, and her two sisters, Charo went door-to-door inviting families to join a Bible study group. Before Charo left, the group had grown to 50 people. In 2011, she received a call from the families involved

grow to this day.

But her dedication will not stop after retirement. When asked about her plans after retirement, I expected to hear her talk about lying on some sunny beach in Peru for the rest of her life.

Instead, she began to tell me about a “big project” she hopes to start at the Seventh-day Adventist Peruvian Union University in Lima, Peru. The university has created a second cafeteria, Las Tunas, for students who are not able to afford the main cafeteria food.

Las Tunas is in need of help to improve the food and service they provide. Charo has talked to the PUC Missions Office Director Fabio Maia and Pastor Laffit Cortes about raising $4,000 for Las Tunas. Charo has gone even further in her dedication, promising to shave her head if PUC reaches this goal by the end of the 2013-2014 school year.

When I asked her whether she plans on staying in contact with the PUC community, she assured me that she plans to stay in contact with Pastor Laffit and will continue ask for support from the PUC community to fund the Las Tunas Project.

In July, Charo hopes to buy a house near the coast of Peru where she plans to teach illiterate people.

She even extended her invitation to PUC students to come stay with her saying with a sincere smile on her face, “Everyone is welcome!”

When I asked her about any last advice for her “Enjoy life. Always take every opportunity students, she said, “Enjoy life. Always [take every to do what is good.” opportunity to] do what is good.” She has served in the Bible study group, telling her that the Texas PUC students for 17 years “like a mother,” says Senior Seventh-day Adventist Conference had approved her Collin Monty, and it is safe to say that her love, request to organize a church. Through her endless energy, and dedication for teaching will be missed. dedication to share God’s love, Charo helped bring a community together and the church continues to

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THURSDAY, 23 JANUARY 2014

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NEWS & FEATURES

Don’t Get High, Live Dry PUC updates substance abuse policy for technological world.

By Tara Hattendorf While everyone was enjoying their Christmas vacation, the college administration reminded students not to enjoy themselves too much. In an announcement on Canvas on Jan. 3, the Pacific Union College Student Handbook was amended to specifically prohibit the possession and use of marijuana or “any smoking device or equipment.” Prohibited items now mentioned hookahs and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). This policy update reflects PUC’s ideals for a Christian and drug-free environment.

The PUC Student Handbook, last updated for the 2012-2013 school year, did not account for new technologies when it was written and was broad in its prohibitions of drugs and alcohol. In the old policy, drug and tobacco use was

not explained apart from it being prohibited. While not intrinsically changing PUC’s substance abuse policy, the new policy clarifies and expands on what the college considers to be prohibited drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Although recreational marijuana is still illegal in California, hookahs and electronic cigarettes are legal, making clarification about PUC’s substance abuse rules necessary. Hookahs, in the form of pipes and pens, contain tobacco and therefore the addictive substance nicotine. E-cigarettes do not have tobacco, but they still contain nicotine, which makes them popular for people trying to quit smoking. As hookahs and e-cigarettes are addictive and harmful to the health of users, PUC includes them in the list of outlawed drugs.

According to the Student Handbook Supplement on the PUC website, the new policy went into effect Dec. 19, a week after Christmas Vacation began.

ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY ADDITION (Effective immediately) The use of alcohol, tobacco, illegal substances, or illegal use of prescription drugs is prohibited. The sale, use, or possession of marijuana not permissible even if prescribed for medical purposes. The possession of and/or use of any smoking device or equipment that can be used as a nicotine and/or drug delivery system including but not limited to hookah pipes, hookah pens, and electronic cigarettes is prohibited. Any products intended to mimic tobacco products or contain tobacco flavoring are also prohibited.

Terminal: PUC Edition Due to bad weather, PUC students were unable to return on time for the new quarter.

By Taylor Pittenger Several PUC students traveling from outside of California encountered difficulties returning to campus after winter break. According to CNN, hundreds of flights were canceled during the Christmas season due to bad weather. Temperatures were below zero in several states such as Illinois, Wisconsin and North Dakota. Among those unable to arrive to their destinations were PUC students, some of who did not return to campus until Thursday, Jan. 9.

JJ Reynolds, communication major, flew from Honolulu to Salt Lake City in order to get a connecting flight to Oakland. Reynolds and three other students arrived at Salt Lake City at 2:30 a.m. Thursday with a six-hour layover. “When we were stuck in Salt Lake City, we watched the movie Terminal because we were stuck in a terminal,” Reynolds recalls. “At 2:30 a.m., nothing was happening. The lights were off.

There were people cleaning, like a guy vacuuming and a girl wiping the seats down.” Reynolds did not return to PUC until Thursday at noon. He was able to catch up with his class work despite his late arrival.

Since so many PUC students were unable to arrive on campus before school resumed, professors were asked to be gracious towards students. Nancy Lecourt, vice president for Academic Administration, explained the process: “When critical weather emergencies occur and students who live at some distance from the College have problems returning to campus on time because of delayed and cancelled flights, faculty

This is a familiar sight for some students who had to sit through unforeseen snow days. are asked to work with those students so they are not penalized by circumstances beyond their control.”

Students are encouraged to keep in contact with their deans if they are ever found in this situation.

Denise Grant, dean of Winning Hall, said, “Any time a student changes the date of return from what their

leave slip says it is very important that they contact their dean and update the dean on their new arrive date.” Deans are also willing to coordinate rides for students who are unable to drive to campus. Grant concluded with, “Some kids ‘weathered’ the situation very well despite the frustrations with delays.”

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SPORTS

Lightning Strikes Twice in the NFL May the odds be ever in the Bolts’ favor. rivals, the Oakland Raiders, and by again showing the Chiefs that there are at least three AFC West teams worth recognizing.

Nobody expected 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks Once AFC West battles were won, the war for to prematurely pounce on Panthers quarterback playoff contention was out of San Diego’s hands.

Cam Newton.

In order for the Chargers to play in the postseason, I reckon even fewer people expected the San Diego both the Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins Chargers to make it to the playoffs. would need to lose their last two games. It was now The 2013 season started slow for the Bolts, up to fate. culminating in a three-game losing streak that left In Week 16, the defending Super Bowl champion much to be desired in a 4-6 win-loss record. Despite lost to the Patriots, and the Dolphins fell to the Bills. a staff overhaul this season, including new hires like Then, in Week 17, the Bengals secured their playoff general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Mike McCoy, the fresh start that the Bolts needed was a late bloomer.

This ugly duckling story was riddled with losses that should have been easy wins. Week one, especially, paved the way for underwhelming expectations. After the Chargers let a 28-7 lead over the Houston Texans slip through their fingers, bandwagon fans readied themselves to throw in their towels, haunted by their opinions of former general manager A.J. Smith and head coach Norv Turner. But then, something changed.

Like a sleeper agent, the Bolts tapped into unforeseen potential in Week 12, further dethroning the Kansas City Chiefs from their undefeated pedestal with a 41-38 win after the Denver Broncos dealt the first blow in Week 11. Chargers fans rally behind the Governator’s The Chargers mimicked the stereotypical college inspirational eight-second speech. student in the prime of procrastinate behavior, as they spot over the Ravens. Only one more piece of the bounced back with a four-game winning streak that puzzle needed to fall into place. wrapped up their season with a decent 9-7 record.

Surely enough, all stars aligned, and the New York To be honest, nines and sevens are not the first Jets shattered their arch-rival’s dreams of postseason numbers to come to mind when considering playoff glory. Many thanks to the Bengals and gratitude to potential. So how did this San Diego team pull it off? the Jets, for the Chargers made it to the playoffs!

Everything fell upon the last two weeks of the Not only did the Bolts see postseason play, but they regular season. The Chargers duly did their due also repaid the Bengals by beating their benefactors diligence in keeping their playoff dreams alive. When 27-10. Quarterback Philip Rivers surgically dissected it mattered most, the San Diego squad defended their the Bengals defense, exuding efficiency with his 12/16 Qualcomm stadium home front by defeating their passes completed, 128 yards and one touchdown. The

By Webbo Chen

San Diego running game bore resemblance to the golden age known as LaDainian Tomlinson. Could we, would we, go all the way?

Sportscaster Chris “Boomer” Berman rallied the spirit of Chargers fans, proudly playing the Governator’s “Go, Chargers, Go!” clip to represent his prediction picks. On behalf of all superstitious Bolts fans, analyst desks confirmed a long-awaited Super Bowl victory.

For the past four seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles opened their home stadium to the would-be Super Bowl champion. The New Orleans Saints started this tradition in the Eagles’ 2009 home opener.

The Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens followed suit.

If so many stars aligned this season for San Diego, surely one more would be no trouble.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. In the second playoff round, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning displayed the reason for which he carried fantasy football teams through this season. Manning’s 44 shout-outs to “Omaha” were a lesson well learned from San Diego’s dynamic defense in their previous showdown.

The ugly duckling story ultimately ended with a swan song: a 17-24 defeat to Denver.

Is this the end, though? Sure, anything less than a Super Bowl ring is a cupcake with no cherry on top. However, the Chargers did make it to the playoffs for the first time in four years. While this story may not be one of ultimate triumph, it is a tale to tell of hope to fans of any team. There is hope in a fresh coaching perspective and young, raw talent. There is hope when the underdog makes its stand and proves its worth. There is hope in the Cinderella story.

For if fate favored the San Diego underdogs in far more ways than one, then surely there is a glass slipper, a Super Bowl ring, awaiting the rightful team that is hungry enough to seize it.

Dennis Rodman and Basketball Diplomacy America’s least valuable asset.

By David O’Hair Well aren’t they just adorable? Former basketball pro, Dennis Rodman and North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un are the most newsworthy international friends. Rodman has made multiple trips to North Korea to play basketball and even sing happy birthday to the dictator recently.

Rodman is practicing what he calls, “basketball diplomacy.” This sounds promising in theory.

What if Rodman could go to North Korea, grow a friendship with Kim Jong-un and then try to eventually get America and North Korea to work together? However, that description is the polar opposite of what is actually happening. Rodman has

squandered this opportunity, embarrassed himself and further distanced relations between America and North Korea.

Rodman has recently fallen into an even more negative light with American citizens. During his most recent visit, Rodman made several negative comments about Kenneth Bae. Kenneth Bae is a American citizen who is serving a 15-year prison sentence in North Korea for secretly running Christian mission trips into the country. The comments that were made cast blame upon Bae and Rodman said, “He deserved the punishment.” The United States has been desperately trying to get Bae back into America and Rodman’s comments have hindered any progress that the US had made. North Korea will not be giving Bae back

when Kin Jong-un’s American buddy agrees with the punishment.

The American public was angry about Rodman’s comments because a basketball player has no reason to be addressing political issues on public television.

Rodman later apologized for his comments and reassured the public that he was not intending to enter the political arena. Oh, and Rodman admitted to being intoxicated while being on television.

Rodman may have destroyed any hope of getting a wrongly imprisoned American back, and he did it while drunk on the air. Can I be the first to say he deserves an award? Dennis Rodman will gladly receive my recommendation for “Least Valuable Asset to America.”

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SPORTS

Patience: It’s Hard to Come By A somber note from a Laker’s fan.

By James Shim Sixteen world championships, countless Hall of Famers, and a team associated with winning… just cannot seem to win anymore. Well, for this season anyway.

The Los Angeles Lakers are an organization that prides itself with championships and a winning tradition dating back to the days of black and white television.

However, the past couple of years for “real Laker fans” have been agonizing, to say the least (Yes, real. I am not referring to the “fair-weather” Laker fans who only appear whenever we get a win).

Dating back to last year, every obnoxious Laker fan you could find, myself included, gloated of how a 17th championship was well underway with the signing of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. We as fans could not have been more wrong, and let me tell you, we looked stupid.

Labeled the “Dwightmare,” Laker fans dealt with a whole season of disappointment because of All-Star center Dwight Howard last year. Though Dwight was openly welcomed, there were huge expectations for him — expectations so large that even his seven-foot body could not handle. There were hopes that he would eventually turn into the next Shaquille O’Neal… or something like that. Injured for most of the year and publicly stating that the Lakers were not right for him, Howard left sunny Los Angeles for the Houston Rockets this past offseason and nicknames such as “Dwight Coward” ensued.

Let’s not forget, we passed on hiring some guy named Phil Jackson who has eleven championships to be our head coach.

Now wait, even without Dwight Howard the Lakers still have Kobe Bryant, right? Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that Kobe Bryant ended his season early last year by tearing his Achilles. Rehabbing all offseason and early on in the regular season, Kobe came back looking to prove his doubters wrong. Come back he did, and long story short he broke a bone in his knee and is now still sidelined for the Lakers. Perhaps father time is catching up to Kobe. If you ask me, even from an unbiased standpoint I’d say, “No way!

The future Hall of Famer Bryant still has a lot in the tank!” I mean, the Lakers wouldn’t just give 48.5 million dollars to an aging, useless man right? Or maybe

Intramural Highlights Photos By Dr. Robert Paulson

I’m still in a fantasy and need to see the realistic opportunities for the Lakers.

Realistically, the Lakers won’t be very good this year. At 14-24, they fall in the category of one of the ten worst teams in the NBA. To put this in perspective, the Charlotte Bobcats, a team that lost about 75 percent of their games last year, have a better record than the Lakers. I bet you did not think you would be saying that at the beginning of the season.

The worst part about this season is that our conference rivals, the Clippers and Warriors look to make noise in the playoffs. Two teams, known for being the laughing stocks of the league not so long ago are now looking like playoff contending teams. The Warriors out of all teams?!

Yet, there is hope for the Lakers. Fans, including myself, are hoping that the Lakers management pulls off some “Houdini” kind of act and reload on superstars like in years past. Names like Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love have been affiliated with the Lakers, and many fans are hoping the Lakers can steal superstars in free agency during the next two years.

However, has it come time for the Lakers to actually rebuild a team from scratch, rather than to reload their team with big name superstars? Can a prideful franchise like the Lakers really “tank” the season in order to build for the future?

To explain, tanking is the idea that you essentially throw away the current season, in order to solidify a high draft pick in the next year’s draft.

The 2014 draft class looks to be stacked with young talent. Experts believe that players like Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle and Aaron Gordon all have potential to help a team in need early on. This may be a legitimate option for the Lakers, as nothing has gone right this season.

Whatever the case, Laker fans have had a humbling season, as they are on pace to have one of their worst seasons since some guy named “The Machine” was on the team. The reality for my fellow Laker fans is that we may not be that good next year, or even the year after that.

So hey, maybe the Lakers will be “Sorry for Jabari,” “Riggin’ for Wiggins,” “Not carin’ for Aaron” or even pulling a “Scandal for Randle.” As hard as it sounds, patience will be the key for a franchise that is so accustomed to winning.

It’s going to be a tough task for a fan base that has been having its most fun in the 2013 season calling a grown man “Swaggy P.”

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no. 5

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

Religulous An arguement in the defense of religion.

By Luke Thornburgh I believe that there is something inherently incorrect when you say, “I’m spiritual but not religious.” It’s just impossible. Don’t get me wrong, I understand where you think you’re coming from, but all I hear when you say that is “I want all the benefits of a relationship with God, but I don’t want to do the work.” Because when you break it down, that’s essentially what it is. Religion is building a relationship with God, and spirituality is the stuff that comes from that relationship.

Look, I have no misunderstandings as to why you wouldn’t want to be religious. Who would rather miss Saturday morning cartoons to read The Great Controversy? Who would rather listen to hundredyear-old hymns than music you enjoy? But those are human definitions of what religion is, not what God defined it as.

Too often I think “religion” becomes a preacher warning of the imminent fire and brimstone, and using hell as a scare tactic so we stay in line. Religion shouldn’t focus on our failures, but rather make us vehicles of God. It should be the foundation through which we build a lasting closeness with God. Similarly, I think too often “spirituality” becomes just chasing the high feelings. Alan Miller of CNN says, “[People have] jettisoned the hard work, diligence and observation of organized religion for a me-me-me kind of lifestyle.” If religion is the foundation of our relationship with God, spirituality is the reaping of those foundations.

I’ve never ever heard someone say, “I’m religious, but not spiritual.” And that’s because there’s a negative connotation when you say religion. It gets associated with the negative, and spirituality the positive. But spirituality IS religion, or at least a form of it. It just focuses more on the personal rather than the public.

Religion and spirituality are not at odds, and I do

not think they can really exist without each other.

When I hear the word “religion,” I do not think of an institution or an organization. To me, religion is devotions, spending time with God, (daily) choosing God and avoiding sin. Religion is making the choice within yourself to build a relationship with God. As Seventh-day Adventists, we have said “Here is how we suggest you build your relationship with God.” Judaism, Catholicism, Islamism, etc. have all too said “Here is how we suggest you build your relationship with God.” But at the end of the day, they are just funnels, routes, and someone’s guidelines to get you towards God. It is up to your interpretation of the Bible and your own understanding of God to decide how you want to grow in God. If we can remove the dogmatic practices from our church, and go back to the basics of living like Jesus, I think not only will we see a reparation between the religious and the spiritual, but also a reparation between those within and without the church itself.

Five Quick Tips for Achieving Your Goals ajdgkahgfafhdljka.

By Araya Moss Set a Deadline Each new year is a guaranteed time to start fresh. Because of this, new year If you set a deadline, the urgency to meet that goal increases. Without a resolutions are created. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to make deadline, you are just floating around, unsure of what to do next. changes in your life, often times these resolutions are forgotten soon after January. I have come up with a few tips that may help you achieve your goals Ask for Help in the long run.

There may not be a designated way to get to where you want to be, so seek guidance from those who have done what you hope to achieve. Learning about Set a Goal that is Relevant to You other’s experiences can help you see things in a different light.

Often times people will make goals that they are not actually committed to, but that they think they should be. Find what is important to you personally, Be Patient and go for it.

Success is not going to happen over night, so make sure to recognize the small steps you have made. Do this often. The more passionate you feel about your Visualize Your Goal outcome, the more driven you will become.

Simply imagine yourself accomplishing your goals. Think positively. Attitude goes a long way. Whenever your motivation wanes, think about how you will feel when you have achieved your goal.

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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

Don’t Be “That Guy” Five ways not to embarrass yourself on social media.

By David O’Hair That was stupid and a waste of my time. We have all been there, scrolling through a Facebook timeline and are bombarded by idiotic statements and unflattering pictures. The questionable content is not limited to just one social media platform either! It can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and do not even get me started on SnapChat. Okay, SnapChat can be excused because that entire app is designed for stupidity. However, with this epidemic going around there are easy ways to make sure you do not fall into this unfortunate category.

1: Avoid being predictable at all costs. There are certain unique posts that I see and then there are about 40 others that are exactly the same. The most common trends that I see are posts about the following: the weather— news flash, we all can see it is raining, if a sports team wins any major championship let ESPN tell me about it, not you. By the way, we all know college students are busy during finals week and that we all procrastinate the week before, no need to let the digital world know. Posting predictable statuses makes you seem like just another sheep in the herd.

Contrary to popular belief, that is almost never a good place to be.

2: This one is regarding couples on Facebook and Instagram, specifically. I, myself, am in a lovely relationship and I like posting pictures of me and my girlfriend, but there are rules, people. Couples need to keep it kosher! No one wants to see you two sucking face when they go online. There are only two exceptions to this, if you get engaged or married you have two free passes to post a kissing picture, other than that, knock it off. Regarding Instagram, there is never a need to create a hashtag for each other. This is not adorable to other people and all we see is #gross.

3: Be the same person no matter where you are posting. This happens so often that it does not even stand out to me anymore. This rule is self explanatory and it should be followed in order for you to seem sincere and not two-faced. Just do not go posting prayers on Facebook and dropping “F-bombs” on Twitter.

4: Follow the two-minute rule. We have all been in the moment and posted something that we thought was funny online.Then, come two days later, we look like a moron. I have done it once or twice and so

have you. A good rule is to just type up your status or paste the link to your video then let it sit for two minutes before actually posting it. Open a new tab and get distracted then come back and look at your possible post. If you still want to post then go for it! If not, then you can thank me later for saving your ego.

5: Never argue about anything online. If you feel passionately about something that you posted and someone disagrees then who cares! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and going to battle with someone behind a keyboard will never produce a winner. However it will be fun for everyone who can see you two making each other look like children. So if you still want to look foolish there is still time to get in on the Facebook bikini caroling argument… too soon?

In summation, just be smart online and use common sense people. If you think it might be offensive and you do not want to hurt any feelings than might as well and hold off on posting the content. Oh and I think I am supposed to write that cyber bullying is not a joke. If you have any disagreements with anything that I have said then go ahead and post some hate mail on my Facebook wall and we can hash it out.

Do You Have What it Takes to be Married?

Four things I wish I’d known before I got married.

By Bonnie Thew When I got married I was clueless. I had just turned 19 and had no idea what I was getting into. I made a lot of really dumb mistakes, but there’s no reason you need to make them too. Marriage can be a great adventure, but it’s important to know what you’ll need for the journey ahead. Below are four things I wish I’d known before I got married.

Step 1: Learn how to peacefully resolve disagreements: This is possibly the most important skill to acquire before getting married. Regardless of how well you think you’ll get along, you will have disagreements with your spouse. The trick is fighting fair. Don’t say anything you will regret or bring up your last fight. Try to avoid swearing at each other and put things as diplomatically as possible. If you feel yourself getting too upset, take a break and come back to the issue later. This will save you a lot of grief later on. Pre-marriage counseling can be a great resource for learning more about this.

Step Two: Learn how to manage your finances: As previously mentioned, you will inevitably get in an argument with your spouse. By learning how to

manage your finances before you get married, you can avoid arguing about finances. Pacific Union College offers some excellent courses for learning to budget and invest. Take advantage of these classes now and start working on saving money. Also, stop spending money on stupid things. This is glaringly obvious but surprisingly hard to implement. It’s easy to grab a soda on the way to class or swing by “The Grind” and get some java to kick-start your day. Unfortunately, those javas rack up pretty quickly and suddenly you realize you’ve been spending 100 bucks a week on snacks and drinks. Instead, invest in a coffeepot or buy sodas in 12 packs once a week. This is just one of many little hidden expenses you will find when you start creating a budget for yourself.

Step Three: Learn to clean up after yourself: Are you a messy roommate? Stop now before your foul bachelor/bachelorette ways get too deeply ingrained.

There’s nothing more annoying than having your house get so messy that you don’t want to have friends over. Develop a cleaning schedule for yourself and train yourself to tidy up your dishes right when you finish eating. Most cheap starter apartments do not have dishwashers, so if you don’t learn to clean up

after yourself now, you’ll be looking forward to a future of mountains of dirty dishes.

Step Four: Realize that marriage requires effort: Marriage is not easy. The puppy-dog-in-love phase is not permanent or realistic. You will have days where you think your spouse is the greatest thing since sliced bread and you will have days where you are so mad that you don’t know what to do with yourself.

Marriage is very cyclical, but fortunately, there are some things you can do to get through those tough spots. Reminding yourself that yes, you do love this crazy person, and that you will get over whatever goofy thing he/she did can be helpful. Everything in this life is temporary, and anger subsides with time. Making time to do things together will help strengthen your marriage too. Going on weekly dates is a great way to spend time together. These don’t have to be super elaborate or expensive. Just getting to spend some quality time with your spouse is great.

Try making friends with some other married couples too so you have a good support network. But most importantly, don’t forget to take care of each other.

You are a team, and you will always be stronger when you are united.

Campus Chronicle

8

no. 5

The Backpage Let’s talk about Cameo Cinema A list of Showtimes and Prices. character Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield on an epic quest to reclaim the lost dwarf kingdom of Erebor.

By Araya Moss

With the arrival of the Century Theater in Napa last year, people may have forgotten about Cameo Cinema, the quaint movie theater just down the hill in Nebraska St. Helena. In case you are one of those people, or were not even aware of this This highly rated dramatic adventure returns from the Napa Film Festival. movie theater, I’ve put together a list of the movies that will be playing until Directed by Alexander Payne, Nebraska is about an aging, booze-addled father the end of January. Just an FYI, the prices are actually cheaper than the Napa (Bruce Dern) who makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged theater’s prices. son (Will Forte) in order to claim a million dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing Prize. Told with deadpan humor and a unique visual style, it’s ultimately the The Secret Life of Walter Mitty story of a son trying to get through to a father he doesn’t understand. Also Ben Stiller directs and stars in James Thurber’s classic story of a daydreamer starring June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk and Stacy Keach. who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his coMatinee at 3:00 p.m., Regular screenings at 5:45 and 8:30 worker (Kristen Wiig) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world General Admission: $10.00 embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary Military/Students/Senior/Kids (12 & under): $8.00 than anything he could have ever imagined.

Family Film Series: $5.00 Napa Valley Dreams, Matinees and Tuesdays (all screenings): $6.00 Saving Mr. Banks Author P. L. Travers reflects on her difficult childhood while meeting with filmmaker tWalt Disney during production for the adaptation of her novel, Mary Poppins.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, this film continues the adventures of the title

Scan me

The Cheatsheet: “Ain’t nobody got time for [measuring cups]” Chocolate & Apple Pie Crescent Rolls.

By Arielle Serra Set the oven to 375°. Lay out the crescent roll triangles (each tube contains about eight). Chop the apple pie apple into small cubes (it doesn’t have to be perfect) and place it into a small bowl. Pour one (to your discretion) spoonful of white sugar and a dash of cinnamon into the bowl and mix. Take a spoonful and place it in the middle of the triangle. For the chocolate rolls, spread the chocolate hazelnut peanut butter across the dough (avoid the borders). I like to use the Jiffy spread because I cannot eat dairy but it will probably be just as delicious with Nutella. Grab a pinch of chopped hazelnuts (if you so choose) and disperse them in the chocolate spread. If you like the butter crisp taste of crescent rolls, spread room temperature butter on the outside after you have rolled them. Put the rolls on the baking sheet and place it in the oven for 10 minutes or until they

ANGWIN

are a nice golden brown color.

This would be a good time to work on homework or, for those of us who adore procrastination, watch half an episode of Family Guy while you wait.

Let them cool for 10 minutes and enjoy the deliciousness and envy on the faces of those watching you feast. The chocolate crescent rolls taste scrumptious with fresh raspberries because of the sweet taste of the chocolate mix with the tanginess of the raspberries. The rolls also taste delicious with a dollop of your favorite jam inside. I put apricot jam inside just try it and my roommate said that those were her favorite rolls, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Advice: Buy plastic baggies so you can enjoy them longer. They are really good to have for breakfast or if your running to your next class. They can last up to a week and you do not have to worry about spending $5+ dollars for breakfast on your Caf Card.

What you need: Cinnamon White Sugar Chopped Hazelnuts Store brand crescent rolls For apple pie crescent rolls: 1 medium sized non-stick baking sheet 1 Granny Smith Apple (for the apple pie taste) Jiffy chocolate peanut butter spread (non-dairy) Or Nutella (Dairy) *All the items can be found at your local Safeway

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