The Echo

Hands-on classes adapt to virtual learning page 3 Rochester Community and Technical College

Volume 91 - Issue 3 - December 2020

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Construction project comes to a close

By Faith Boyum Managing Editor

Two years ago, RCTC broke the ground for the Memorial Hall project, which included construction in several of the buildings on the main campus.

“The project is complete at this point,” said facilities project manager Shayn Jensson.

The construction project included renovations in Memorial Hall, Plaza Hall, Endicott Hall and parts of the Coffman Center.

A big piece of the project was to construct and install a new chiller on the east side of the campus, which was finished in April.

The chiller functions as an air conditioning system for many parts of the main campus, especially the College Center and Coffman Center.

Another difference students and faculty may notice is the new courtyard on the southwest side of the campus, which is now open.

“It’s a great amenity for the campus,” said Jenssen.

The Memorial Hall construction project, which cost about $8 million, is complete, but there are a handful of punch list items.

Punch list items are small jobs or finishing touches that the contractors will do for the campus.

Related to the Memorial Hall construction project is another project called

Photo by Kristin Mork

RCTC’s new Plaza Courtyard is among some of the many changes students and faculty can enjoy on campus following the Memorial Hall construction project.

Percent for Art. Usually, when the state gives money in the form of a bonding bill and of a certain threshold, a portion of the money is designated for art.

In the case of the Memorial Hall project,

some of the money from the bonding bill was reserved for Percent for Art. Right now, a committee of representatives is working through the process of developing the request, going through proposals and selecting the artist, who

will provide artwork for the campus.

Jensson thinks this process will take four to six months and that the RCTC will likely get a piece of exterior artwork.

RCTC welcomes national figure on campus

By Connor Vlasity General Reporter Dr. Deborah Birx visited RCTC on October 25 to talk about rising coronavirus cases in Minnesota and the surrounding areas of Rochester.

RCTC provided the space for Birx to talk to state and local health officials.

Birx hosted two meetings, one private event, one invitation-only event, and the press event.

From KIMT News 3 and according to Birx, cases are currently rising at a higher rate than they were in the spring and summer.

Birx also said that coronavirus has spread due to the amount of asymptomatic cases.

About 20% of cases in Olmsted County are showing no symptoms at all.

“We have power. We can change our future, but it does take all of us,” Birx said.

“Even those of us who feel fine. Even those

of us who don’t believe that the illness would be significant to us. We all have to play that part, and that part really includes us wearing masks.”

Birx also asks every Minnesotan to take extra precautions, especially around people who are not a part of your household.

“The future does look devastating right now, but we can stop that community spread if we work together,” said Birx.

Photo courtesy of RCTC College Relations and Marketing Department

RCTC faculty and students welcomed Dr. Deborah Birx on campus in October, where she met with local and regional stakeholders to discuss COVID-19.

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COVID takes toll on productivity, motivation

By Amaya Travis General Reporter

COVID-19 has been turning this country upside down for nearly nine months. The education system is under a lot of pressure and so are the students. How has this been affecting the students here at RCTC? What are students struggling with the most?

“In addition to the physical symptoms of COVID-19, many students are also experiencing emotional symptoms. Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances and loneliness are more prevalent,” said Katie Swegarden, who works in student health services.

With the holidays around the corner,

feelings of loneliness in students is likely.

Students are unable to spend time with riends and family as they normally would during the holiday season.

Despite the various choices in technology, RCTC student Jazmine Hammel has noted that it can still be a struggle to connect.

“I would probably have to say that I’ve struggled the most with keeping in touch with friends and family. Although technology is great when it comes to touching base with loved ones, it can be just as difficult to schedule an online meeting as an in person one. In addition, between technological malfunctions and the more limited visual cues that come

with distanced communication, it can feel like things are lost in translation or, well, transmission,” said Hammel.

Mental health has been an ongoing issue. RCTC students Connor Vlasaty and Paige Wright, in addition to Hammel, all say COVID-19 has had an overall negative impact on their mental health.

Between the isolation, not being able to be with the ones they love and financial struggles, they have found it has taken its toll on people.

How has COVID-19 affected productivity and motivation with classes? Students shared that it has been increasingly difficult to stay motivated in class, especially with RCTC now doing strictly online

classes, starting November 23.

Art and design instructor Daniel Vedamuthu mentioned that not every student will thrive in an online learning environment. He encourages students to reach out to the many services offered by RCTC to get help navigating online learning if they find themselves struggling to stay on track.

Vedamuthu also recommends the FYEX 1000 college success strategies course, which helps anyone in any major learn how to be successful in college.

No one that was interviewed has lost anyone to COVID-19 thus far, but it does not mean that none of RCTC’s students have lost anyone. Health services and the counseling department are available to any student needing help.

There are many online sources as well.

Betterhelp.com is an affordable online therapy option. They’ve been in business for eight years and have been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2015.

They have many licensed therapists available to help.

Legacy Scholars program opens for applications

Graphic by Mark Fantonial

RCTC staff Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) is now accepting applications for the Legacy Scholars program. This new initiative provides intensive supports for up to 25 RCTC and Winona State University-Rochester students of color ages 18-24 who may not have always had a positive support system and who are enrolled in at least six credits.

The Legacy Scholars program provides emotional support (healing circles and one-on-one mentoring); educational support (assistance with tuition, books, materials, application process, FAFSA, financial aid and budgeting); assistance with basic needs (food, shelter, clothing, gas, assistance obtaining medical and dental insurance); goal setting (assistance developing academic and career plans); and a positive support system.

Because Project Legacy employs staff of color with similar life experiences, program participants often place their trust in those staff members to help navigate life’s journey. This approach allows Project Legacy to closely mentor and guide students through their education and career path by removing barriers and providing support, which improves retention, increases graduation rates, and eliminates opportunity and student success gaps that currently deter many students of color from attending and/or completing a college education.

Applications are available at www.rctc. edu/services/legacy-scholars/ or can be picked up in RCTC’s Welcome and One Stop Center. Welcome Center office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Completed applications can be submitted directly to alysha.projectlegacy@gmail.com or dropped off at RCTC’s Welcome and One Stop Center or on the third floor College Center in CC301.

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Nursing program adopts new learning methods

By Ilwad Salex General Reporter COVID-19 has caused changes to many aspects of students’ lives, one of them being how they attend school.

Many students across the country have been left with no choice but to switch to online school.

For some, this might work well, but for others, it may be a struggle because they do not have the immediate access to education that they had before.

One of the majors in schools that COVID-19 has made changes to is nursing. Nursing usually involves a hands-on learning experience. It is one of the state requirements to do so.

According to the nursing program adviser Jennifer Dahle, RCTC’s nursing program is split into the LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) and RN (Registered Nurse) programs. The RN program is in the top five of the state.

Usually both of these would require having hands-on learning experiences in hospital settings and labs.

However, this year, RCTC has made the switch to online simulations when it comes to those, and RCTC has been able to smoothly make the switch with no setbacks.

While students aren’t able to go to

File photo

RCTC’s nursing program is one of many hands-on learning programs that have had to adapt to online learning. nursing homes, hospitals like Mayo Clinic have been open to students learning in their facilities.

These changes have affected different students to varying degrees.

“For some, the online switches might be really great, especially for the introverts,” Dahle said. “But for those who prefer to ask questions and be able to get that immediate

response, they might struggle a bit more.”

“However,” Dahle continued, “I think that can be said for any program that’s had to make the switch to online, not just nursing.”

Obah Mohamed, who plans to apply to the RN program, is taking many of the prerequisites needed in order to apply.

Almost half or more of these classes

require some sort of lab.

“You know, a lot of people would think that this is going to make people not as prepared for nursing or to be an RN. But I think that if you put in the work, you should be fine. You can learn everything you would have learned [even] if the labs were online.”

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Editorial

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Saving professionalism in the virtual classroom

By Breanna Shen Guest Writer

December 2020 Volume 91, Issue 3 AH-402 507-438-6932 RCTCecho@gmail.com www.rctc.edu/echo Managing Editor Faith Boyum Editorial Assistant Tim Galvin

Reporters

Amaya Travis Ilwad Salex Mark Fantonial Connor Vlasity

Photographer Kristin Mork Faculty Adviser Marissa Gentling We want to hear from our readers. Send your comments, story ideas or upcoming events to: rctcecho@gmail.com

The Echo is a free publication written by RCTC students who are dedicated to freedom of press, while reporting on issues affecting the student body, faculty, administration and staff.

Letters to the editor are subject to editing for content and length, and opinions expressed within The Echo do not necessarily reflect the views of Rochester Community and Technical College’s administration, faculty, staff or student body.

“The newest computer can merely compound, at speed, the oldest problem in the relations between human beings, and in the end the communicator will be confronted with the old problem, of what to say and how to say it.”

— Edward R. Murrow

As we wrap up another semester of online classes and I observe our current, virtual work culture, I must question: in this era of lockdown, has professionalism gone the way of the dinosaurs?

For many students, and even professors, it appears that traditional habits of timeliness, diligence and professional behavior have gradually been forgotten.

The golden rule of professionalism is mutual timelines, which mean not only arriving to class on time, but also leaving class at the agreed end Shen time.

During the pre-pandemic era, we presented ourselves promptly in various classrooms across campus, while professors ended each gathering at the appropriate time.

With the onset of the pandemic era, mindfulness of packed schedules and commitments seems to have diminished. The notion that virtual classes save students commute time

seems to justify adding 10 extra minutes to many classes.

However, for many students and professors, the pandemic has brought additional hardships and demands on time such as financial challenges that call for an extra job, care-giving responsibilities for sick family members, etc.

Others are bustling about with online volunteering, online student organizations and virtual jobs, keeping just as busy as ever.

Some people also need more time for self-care to take greater care of their mental and physical wellness.

Moreover, the unspoken rules of traditional professionalism draw a distinction between dedicated classroom time, work time and private down time. Work duties should generally not be expected outside of business hours. Yet, I now routinely receive emails about school-related work on weekends or late at night.

With the assumption that we are always home, there is also a pressure to be perpetually available for work. While it is understandable that the flexibility in scheduling is liberating for some, it also seems that a compromise between flexibility and professionalism would help us maintain regular schedules and clear responsibilities.

Finally, many of us may need a little boost in diligence in our studies. Recently,

Echo staff editorial: You are not alone

By Amaya Travis General Reporter Ever since COVID began running rampant in this country, every single bad thing just seemed to keep happening.

My cat got very sick, and I had to put her to rest. My grandmother had a diabetes scare, and I got ghosted by someone I had been friends with for a little over two years.

The list of unfortunate events could honestly go on for miles. Everything just kept piling on and piling on, and it really made my mental health take a dive into the deep end.

I ended up going back to therapy in late May to get help with my depression. It helps considerably, but I still struggle a lot.

My anxiety has also been much worse lately. I’m 1,000% more zoned in on the things going on around me whenever I do have to leave the house. I am aware of making sure people aren’t coughing around me and making sure I’m staying far, far away from people who unfortunately decline to wear a mask in public.

I’m taking medication for my anxiety now, which does help to an extent. I feel like I go a million miles an hour when I am in the grocery store because I want to leave and go home so badly.

Due to financial stress, I’ve decided to pick up a part-time or full-time job. It is going to be extremely difficult managing work, a full-time class schedule and taking care of mental health come spring semester, but I believe in myself. I know that if the struggle gets to be too much, there are resources and people I can go to for help. It just gets so hard to see a bright side with all that’s going on in world right now. And some days, I struggle to find even the tiniest positive in the situation, though I do try.

It is so easy to feel alone right now. Just know, there are services and people out there who want to listen and want to help you navigate the stresses and impacts of the pandemic.

Reach out to health services to set up a therapy appointment, meet with your adviser and talk to your professors if you need extra help in class.

We don’t have to go through this alone.

If we all work together, we will get through this.

only 15 of my classmates, out of a class of 250, showed up to a virtual lecture. It seems much easier to slip into the virtual classroom 10 minutes late than it was to saunter into a physical classroom tardy, and virtual absences are less noticeable, if attendance is even taken. As a result, it can be tempting to cut corners and skip the virtual lectures. Yet, I find that regular, prompt attendance not only demonstrates discipline and diligence despite all distractions and challenges, it also enhances the learning experience.

Granted, it’s perfectly reasonable to cut everyone some slack during these challenging days. Eventually, however, we must return to a new normal. Classroom professionalism is an indispensable part of the normal culture.

As we move forward with the upcoming semester, perhaps we should make an extra effort to practice classroom etiquette whenever we can. Being timely, mindful of appropriate work times and diligent can help us feel more productive as well as give us a greater sense of stability, self-worth and purpose. Let’s work to prevent classroom professionalism from becoming a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Breanna Shen is a guest writer and former Arts and Entertainment editor for The Echo.

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Letters to the editor: We welcome letters of up to 250 words on campus issues and current events of national and international interest.

Please include your name and phone number for verification.

Letters that are respectful and civil will be given priority. Letters will be edited for grammar, clarity and conciseness.

Guest columns: We also welcome guest columns on important public issues. Ideal length is up to 600 words.

Send letters and columns to rctcecho@gmail.com or handdeliver them to the Echo office at Art Hall 402. We encourage letter writers to include a photo for use with their letters or guest columns.

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Study habits for successful learning

By Mark Fantonial General Reporter Buy a planner Planners come in different colors and sizes. A notebook can be considered a planner and so can a diary, usually.

According to personalplannerforme.com, there are four different formats that you would classify as a planner, which are basic planners, bullet journals, technology planners and designer planners.

Plan ahead Now that you’ve picked out your planner, it’s time to decide the layout.

On the first few pages, set up a yearly log so you can plan events in advance that are to be expected.

A few pages after that is the monthly log.

This section is going to dive into events that were added last minute (for that specific month).

Lastly, the daily log is the side of the planner to set up an agenda or a schedule for that day alone.

Make a to-do list (assignments, deadlines, etc.)

To make your life a bit more organized, try setting up a checklist that you want to tackle on that day. This keeps you on track and makes you feel a bit more responsible

about the workload that you are about to do.

This can be a great productivity hack because it tells you all the things you should be working on instead of diving onto your bed and playing “Animal Crossing” the entire day.

Take notes Read the textbook and then take down important sentences/phrases.

You don’t have to take all of the information in your textbook. Start by skimming through the paragraphs and looking for bold texts because those usually go on the test.

The most important parts in the paragraph are usually found in the center and the last few sentences. (This works for most classes, although it does not work on math.)

Highlight notes Highlighters are very common to most students, but you do not have to use only one color.

Try having four different colors to go with the reference you prefer. You can use pink for important keywords, green for the year, yellow for quotations, etc.

Using highlighters can help you find important words you want to remember, and it may save you some time studying at the last minute.

Make flash cards (if necessary) At this stage, you are probably done with the note-taking process and ready for the test.

It’s time to pull out some index cards and write down questions that might be on the examination.

Flashcards work with every single class. Write keywords on the flashcards, and write questions on one side and the answer on the other side.

This works for history, biology, chemistry, etc.

Unsplash

Planning ahead and taking notes can help when studying for exams.

Take different quizzes online If you think flashcards are not enough to absorb all the information, this tip is really helpful if you really want to familiarize yourself with the course.

The most common website students use is Quizlet, but there are more to explore online.

Taking online quizzes could broaden your knowledge of what you just studied, and it can test your limits.

Always have time for everything It is important to set a time for studying alone. You may have work after school or some extracurricular activities, but that should not stop you from opening your notes.

Give yourself at least 30 minutes a day to read your notes. This may sound boring, but this is definitely better than studying on the night before the test.

Research says that it is better to study first thing after waking up because your mind is not too occupied with what to do rather than staying up all night and pulling an “all-nighter.”

Make self-care a priority this holiday season

By Shannon Sullivan “Home for the holidays” has taken on a whole new meaning this season. The continued existence and impact of COVID has made us change how we celebrate, gather, and spend our money.

Typically this is a time when I love to share ideas about getting the best deals on the must-have popular items at the big box stores.

Or how to make dollars stretch on a budget.

While I still appreciate those ideas and tips, this year feels remarkably different.

Many of us will be spending time alone this season, or with very few people who are in our immediate circle.

In order to embrace the season and be prepared for the New Year to come, selfcare is essential. We have been through a lot individually and collectively. I offer these suggestions with the emphasis of giving the gift of time first and foremost.

We are constantly in a state of motion and the opportunity to sit and relax without any guilt or thoughts of “I should be working on this project for class” does not happen very often.

I offer you self-care, no-cost ideas to make your holiday season as enriching as possible.

1. Scroll, scroll, scroll Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, Pinterest or a combination of all, scroll with the mindset of allowance.

During the semester, scrolling can be seen as a distraction from projects or assignments and is used more of a reward when the task is completed.

2. Research a topic of interest and make

time and energy to upload and store your photos.

Delete old emails, make new or rename folders, combine multiple email accounts into one, clean up the amount of stuff saved on the desktop, create a place to identify all of your important online information and passwords.

Unsplash

Reviewing finances and sorting important documents are just a few of the self-care steps you can take to relieve stress this holiday season. a plan Have you always wanted to learn how to speak another language? Sew a new piece of clothing? Learn advanced Excel? Cook a recipe? Travel to another country? Do a scholarship search?

Research now and make goals to accomplish the task. Use this time to get started, and then follow your plan throughout the months and years to come.

3. Organize your space Break it down, one room at a time or one drawer/closet at a time. Find an organizational system that is efficient for you - this will benefit time management in the long run.

Declutter, group like items, rearrange furniture, move large items to storage spaces

- this will make your space feel newly energized.

This can also be a fun time to see and revisit items that bring cherished memories.

If you have loved ones in your household, share those memories. Write them down either in a journal or on a Word document so you can share them with friends and family.

4. Organize your online space Electronic clutter can feel as overwhelming as physical clutter. Now is a great time to download, file, categorize, and sort the photos that have been collected on smart phones, both currently and in past.

Tackling the scanning of photos is another project many people want to do, but have put off. If this is you, gift yourself the

5. Review your finances Organize your important financial documents into one filing system for easy retrieval. Create, evaluate, and review your budget. Make a calendar set of reminders throughout the upcoming year with important dates regarding your finances (taxes, financial aid disbursements, scholarship deadlines and bills paid off, etc.).

Research the cost of items on your wish list and scope out the best time to purchase.

Visit financial wellness podcasts to learn about advice. Start a savings jar with all of the loose change you find when organizing your space. Unsubscribe to subscriptions that you no longer need.

Cancelling a service can be a daunting and time-consuming task, so this is the perfect time to tackle it.

There is no doubt this list holds the mundane, often dreaded tasks that we conveniently put off for another day.

Changing the mindset surrounding the tasks is essential. You are both giving and receiving the gift.

This year, be selfish in making yourself the priority. Time is so valuable and so are you!

Shannon Sullivan is a Student Services Specialist at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

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On campus: Getting to know Aaron Johnson

By Mark Fantonial General Reporter College this semester is totally different from the past few years.

Students and teachers do not see each other that often, and some students may find it hard to build connections with fellow classmates or fellow Yellowjackets.

Aaron Johnson has felt this way. He’s been attending RCTC for more than a year and mentioned that this current situation is unlikely.

Get to know Aaron and hear what he has to say about this term and a little bit about his personality.

Why do you think every student should consider attending RCTC? It’s very affordable and great for entry for use of transfer.

What is your favorite thing about this college? Least favorite?

I like the experience, and I don’t have any negative opinion about RCTC.

Did anything surprise you when you became a student? Like costs or rules?

The only thing that surprised me was how easy the act of learning on a college level through RCTC and the amount of knowledge as well as how easy the access to that was.

How did your student life change when you heard students would not be able to go back to campus for the rest of the spring semester?

I was let down, being that in-class experience is what made me want to be a teacher in the first place, but online access is better than no access at all.

In your opinion, what’s another difference from on-campus teaching and online classes aside from being in a room with many people?

In on-campus classes, I enjoy the act of discussing the topic face to face.

Is there anything you learned about the school only after you

E M BARK ON YOU R PATH.

started that you wish you had known before committing?

I wish I knew how easy and affordable it is and how fun the school is.

How would you describe fellow students?

Fellow students are all easily sociable, regardless of age group.

What can you say about financial aid? How strongly would you recommend a student to apply for FAFSA? I would highly recommend a student to stay on top of applying for their FAFSA every semester.

Financial aid is a well-deserved advantage for those seeking higher learning.

What’s your specific major at RCTC? Liberal Arts / Education / Literature.

Do you feel challenged in your coursework?

I expect to feel challenged, so yes, I do. I love challenges and grow from them.

What do you do outside of campus? Work? Extracurricular activities?

When I’m not in school, I’m either working at Barnes & Noble, a comic store, or I’m just playing games and reading at home.

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What do you do on your weekends?

On my weekends, I mostly work.

How well do you balance work and school?

I balance my work and school life very easily.

Do you have any tips for someone who has a hard time not procrastinating on their schoolwork?

I honestly can’t say that I can give advice on procrastination because I’m guilty of it. Therefore, I will say to just avoid it as much as possible.

As a transferring student, what are the things to prepare or put on a checklist when transitioning to a different university?

I’m still new myself on transferring, so I have yet to acquire enough credits to do so.

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Greatest advice you’ve heard anyone say?

“No matter what you do in life, do what makes you happy.”

Best meme you think is always funny to this day?

I’m not really a meme person.

If you were given a chance to have dinner with someone dead or alive, celebrity or friend, fictional or real, who would it be?

I would like to have dinner with myself.

Best daily habit that you think is productive.

My best daily habit is reading.

Favorite book and song at the moment?

My favorite book of all time is “The Children of Hurin,” and my favorite song is “Just what I Am”

by Kid Cudi.

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On campus: Getting to know Brian LaPlante

By Tim Galvin Editorial Assistant Q: What were your best subjects in college and/or high school?

A: History and English were my best subjects along with physical education classes.

Q: Did you play any athletics?

A: I played football, basketball and baseball for athletics.

Q: When you were young, did you know you wanted to teach what you teach now?

A: When I was young, I wanted to farm like my dad. When I was 14, I knew I didn’t want to farm because it was hard work. I knew I wanted to be a coach and teach.

Q: What is your favorite childhood memory?

A: Holidays with my family is my favorite memory.

Q: What is one thing about you that not many people know?

A: I have seven brothers and sisters and have 24 nieces and nephews - big family.

Q: Favorite student-teacher moment?

A: Favorite moment - anytime I can help a student find their way to do something better.

Q: Worst student-teacher moment?

A: Worst moment - anytime a student has potential but cannot maximize it for various reasons.

Q: Do you find your work rewarding?

A: I do find my work rewarding - difficult, but rewarding.

Q: What to you is the best part of your job?

A: The best part of my job is seeing people grow and succeed…accomplishing small things that lead to big things.

Q: What do you do in your off-time?

A: I love to golf and spend time with my family.

Q: What item from your youth is your most treasured?

A: Item from my youth - high school jerseys.

Q: If you could go back in time and change any one thing, what would it be and why?

A: If I could go back in time, I would spend more time with my kids. Being a college coach is very time consuming. I was gone a lot in their youth.

Q: How has the coronavirus pandemic affected you?

A: Coronavirus has made teaching and coaching difficult. It has also made me adapt.

Q: How has it affected your students?

A: It has affected each student differently.

Some have let it really affect them. Others have made the necessary changes. It is easy to get frustrated or give up. This pandemic should make us tougher and more resilient.

Q: What are some difficulties you have faced personally regarding the pandemic?

A: Not being able to do everything that I was used to doing when I wanted.

Q: If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be and why?

A: Settle down. Enjoy the moment. See the big picture.

Q: What would you say is the best part of your job?

A: Working with students and athletes.

Q: Do you enjoy working with students every day?

A: I do. Again seeing the growth and potential they have.

Brian LaPlante RCTC men’s basketball coach

Q: Have you ever had a difficult student.

For example, someone who doesn’t show up and doesn’t put in the effort? (No need to name them.)

A: Too many to remember. It is sad and frustrating, but college isn’t for everyone.

We all figure out what we need to do at different times.

Q: And finally, do you love what you do?

A: I do. Twenty five years of this grind = I have to love it!

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RCTC OFFICE HOURS:

Schedule an in-person or Zoom appointment by emailing rochinfo@augsburg.edu.

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Arts & Entertainment

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A holiday flick for every day of the week

By Ilwad Salex General Reporter

Love holiday movies? Celebrate the season with these seasonal flicks.

“Elf” About: This movie is about a man who was raised by elves and later in life decides to try to find his biological father. He goes to New York City and tries to build a relationship with him.

Rating: 9/10 It was a good, lighthearted Christmas movie. I would definitely recommend you watch this with friends or family.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000 version) About: An angry Grinch vows to ruin Christmas for everyone, and tries his best to.

Rating: 10/10 I LOVED IT. If you haven’t watched this, I 100% recommend that you do!

“A Christmas Carol ” (2009 version)

About: This is a film version of the Charles Dickens book, “A Christmas Carol.” The story follows Scrooge, who is forced by Christmas spirits to change his ways and see things in a new light.

Rating: 10/10.

This movie is a classic, and it perfectly fits the Christmas movie genre.

“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” About: A young girl goes on an adventure to find this one of a kind and magical gift. She meets all sorts of creatures and new friends on her journey.

Rating: 10/10 This is a really good movie to watch with your family for Christmas!

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About: A young boy goes on a crazy journey to find his missing grandmother, while his cousin Mel tries to sell the store his grandmother owns.

Rating: 10/10 Like many others, I grew up watching this every year on Cartoon Network, and it is (and will always be) a classic.

“A Christmas Horror Story” About: This is like the other movies on the list and is supposed to be a horror movie. There’s an angry spirit terrorizing the people in the town of Bailey Downs.

Rating: 8/10 It was a good movie. It wasn’t that scary to me, though. However, someone else might think differently.

“The Santa Clause”

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“Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer ” (Cartoon Network)

About: This movie follows a dad who ends up accidentally killing someone while in a Santa costume.

Next thing he knows, he ends up in the North Pole and told he has to be the “New Santa.”

Rating: 9.5/10 This movie is also really great for a family movie night. It makes you feel like you’re a kid again.

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Arts & Entertainment 9 Rochester Community and Technical College | The Echo

Illustration by Mark Fantonial

RCTC student receives Mark M. Welter World Citizen Award RCTC staff Rochester Community and Technical College announced Taylor Dabrowski was selected to receive the Mark M. Welter World Citizen Award and Scholarship.

Dabrowski was one of 25 students from Minnesota State selected to receive this honor and $500 scholarship.

Dabrowski has experienced many different cultures and countries during his travel and sees the interconnected nature of people.

He is studying to be a paramedic so can use his empathy to help, comfort and be an advocate for all people no matter their race and religion.

Through the generosity of Dr. Mark Welter, this award provides an annual tribute to Minnesota State students who exemplify an understanding of the interconnected nature of the world, its nations and all people.

Recipients must also be in good academic standing and demonstrate financial need.

Dabrowski was nominated for this award by RCTC Communication Studies instructor, Annie Clement.

For more information on the Mark M. Welter World Citizen Award, contact RCTC’s Academic Affairs office at 507285-7292.

Dabrowski

10 Arts & Entertainment Rochester Community and Technical College | The Echo

www.rctc.edu /echo newer, better, faster

Day in the life: My job as an amateur game designer

By Tim Galvin Editorial Assistant Most people do not know this about me, but I am an amateur game designer working for a Minecraft server called Runic Realms. It is a relatively new server, but we have a stable player base. My job is working as a quest writer, which includes coming up with quest ideas, writing down the outline for the quest, coding it, implementing it and testing it.

It’s not an easy job, but I love doing it.

Here I will go step by step through my job, so I can give you an idea of what my job is like.

First off, I need to come up with ideas for quests. Sometimes the ideas come naturally, and other times, they do not. I Photo courtesy of Tim Galvin usually start with writing ideas down on My workstation set up with a bit of code on screen (even though it’s literally just paper, reading them out loud to myself, my dining room table). and if they sound good out loud, I’ll go ahead to the next step of writing the A quest’s feel is very important as it helps I go through each line of code, each synoutline. set the tone, and players can quite easily get tax and everything else with a critical eye.

I now have an idea, and I make the outturned off if a quest’s feel is not right.

Then, when I feel like I have good code, line. In English, an outline helps to plan out After I have the outline written down, I I run it through one of the server’s lovely the story or essay by going over everything move on to arguably the most demanding validators, which shows me where each erthat happens in that essay and giving the step of the quest writing process, which is ror is. If it’s not good, I use the validators to writer an idea of the order of what they’ll coding it. go back in and go through the errors again. write.

Coding is quite possibly the hardest thing I’ve had some days where I get it right on For my job, it’s the exact same thing. The anyone in the technology business does. the first go, and I’ve had others where I’ve outline helps me to visualize what the quest One little mistake can disrupt the entire code sat at the dining room table where I have my will look like, the order of the objectives, and make it not work at best or ruin all the stuff set up for two to three hours, just trying the level of detail that needs to go into each hours poured into your project at worst. to fix my code. step of the quest and how the quest feels.

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Now we have step three, which is the implementation process. Once my quest is complete and free of any errors, I put it on our repository where we keep all our quests and implement it onto the development server.

To do this, I pull the files from the repository and go around the city or wherever the quest takes place, putting all the Non-Player Characters (NPCs for short, which are basically people, such as townsfolk, that are not controlled by the player, hence their name) in their proper places, giving them names and making sure they work.

Finally, we have the shortest, but the most important step of the quest writing process, which is testing. This is where I get a group together or on my own if need be, and I run through the quest, looking for any bugs and errors that I overlooked that didn’t fall through the validators, and fix them. Unfortunately, whenever we find a bug and fix it, we need to pull the files all over again, which adds more time to the testing process. Testing is a lot of fun, but it can also be very stressful. But hey, I love my job, so what else could I ask for?

And there you have it, my job as a quest writer/amateur game designer. Game design may not be ideal for everyone, but it can be a fun and rewarding job. I’d recommend checking it out if you have even the slightest bit of gamer in you.

Arts & Entertainment 11

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Rochester Community and Technical College | The Echo

Explore nature close to home

By Tim Galvin Editorial Assistant Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but nature is so delightful.

Oh? That’s not how it goes?

Well, regardless of your stance on nature and the outdoors, the cold winds of winter are upon us, so it’s time to look forward to ways you can still have fun in the snow in our crazy, pandemic-filled world.

You may be asking, “What fun things are there to do in winter with snow and such?”

Well, you can do plenty of things, and all of them close to campus. Many of them are in one convenient location, Quarry Hill.

First off, there are events at Quarry Hill throughout December and into January.

For the little ones in the family that are experiencing one of their earliest winters, there’s an event happening on December 1 from 9:30-11 a.m. called Good Natured Kids: Our Feathered Friends. At this event, kids can learn all about the birds that live here in Minnesota.

For those interested in crafts, they can

learn how to make a wreath from locally sourced evergreens in the Natures Bounty Series: Wreath Making event held from December 4-5.

And finally, Quarry Hill also offers visitors the opportunity to try snowshoeing.

As of this publication, the Quarry Hill Nature Center is closed but open to calls Monday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The trails are open from dawn until dusk every day.

Do note that some of these activities are subject to change. Please visit Quarry Hill’s website to keep up to date on their openings and closings.

If you do decide to have fun in the snow this winter, remember that just because animals have gone into hibernation, it doesn’t mean the pandemic has.

So please, do your part. Wear a mask, gather in small groups only and practice safe social distancing standards.

With you doing your part, we can mitigate the increase in COVID-related cases and help do our part to ice this virus out.

Verv provides college students with free 3-month subscription

New video game console hits the market

UWire

By Connor Vlasity General Reporter On November 10 and 12 respectively, the next generation of gaming consoles was released with the Xbox series X and Xbox series S. These were followed by the PlayStation 5 digital and disc drive consoles.

On September 17, I was lucky enough to pre-order the Playstation 5 from Target, and it finally arrived at my house on November 13.

I’ve had plenty of time to play this console, and it has been amazing so far.

I am a huge video game fanatic, and I’ve been playing the new “Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War” that came out on November 13.

The game has played amazingly on the PlayStation 5 compared to the PlayStation 4, and the graphics overall are a huge step ahead.

The PlayStation 5 is ginormous compared to the PlayStation 4, and the futuristic look has been my favorite part about it.

It is unique and looks ahead to the future.

The controller is a bit bigger compared to the PlayStation 4 controller, but overall, it feels much better, especially in my big

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Local nature centers offer opportunities to try out a number of activities, including snowshoeing and wreath making.

Photo by Connor Vlasity

The new PlayStation 5 was released in November 2020. hands.

I can’t wait to continue to play my PlayStation 5 and further enjoy future games that come out that are made for the next generation.

So far it has been a blast, and I’m very happy with my purchase, although it was pretty expensive.

Verv, a global holistic health and wellness app focused on the interconnections between physical activity, nutrition, sleep and mindfulness, recently announced a free threemonth subscription to its app available for all U.S. college students on the iOS platform.

For other users, a three-month premium subscription costs $29.99.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 39% of students in college experienced a significant mental health issue and experts predict this number will increase while Boston University reports the depression rate has tripled among U.S. adults.

New college users will get full access to a range of workouts, guided meditations, recipes including budget-friendly snack ideas, relaxing sounds for studying or sleeping, and more. The offer has no hidden fees or strings attached, and doesn’t require any billing information.

To start, students just need to submit their college email address at www.verv.com/ students and they will get an email with activation instructions.

“It’s part of Verv’s brand values to give back to the community and we’re focused on helping people maintain a healthier lifestyle and combat stress and anxiety due to current

events,” said CEO Luba Pashkovskaya.

“Our hope is that hundreds of thousands of young adults take advantage of this free offer and join our community.”

Verv app highlights include: ● A wide variety of workouts including everything from yoga and running to interval workouts, resistance band fitness, dance fitness and more. ● 400 vegan, keto and other recipes and meal planning tips ● More than 40 meditations ● 1,000 workout music playlists ● 100 ASMR, sleep stories and sounds ● Available on App store and coming soon to Android Verv is a top-rated app and all content is created by professionals with deep experience in fitness and technology. App downloads continue to increase at an unprecedented pace, emphasizing the want and need for quality health and wellness programming during this uncertain time.

“Now is the time to put your well-being first. Even just a few minutes a day can have a profound impact on your college experience and life,” said Verv’s Wellness Expert, Dr. Dominique Gummelt, who is also the Director of University Wellness at Andrews University.

Visit www.verv.com/students for more information or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

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