IN THIS ISSUE
Pokemon Go! Pg. 2 Entertainment Reviews Pg. 4 Tips on Socializing Pg. 7
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“The News The Students Choose.”
Pensacola State College
August 2016
New art building to paint the PSC landscape
Department officials discuss what this means for future By Tracey Squaire
Rendering of the Art building with new studio addition.
Pensacola State College is expanding in 2017 with the completion of the upcoming Charles W. Lamar Studio which is being constructed between buildings 15 and 14. The new building is being funded by the Lamar, Reilly and Switzer families. With the generous donations of these benefactors, PSC began the 2.8 million dollar studio June 13th, 2016, the studio should be completed next summer. The Lamar studio will serve several purposes once it has been completed. First, it will serve as an art gallery. PSC has been
collecting art since 1970, and in the time has amassed well over 500 works of art that are currently sitting in storage because of the lack of space to display them. The first exhibition this new gallery will hold will consist of some of these collected works of art. Vivian Spencer, Gallery Director, is excited about about the opportunity to host different kinds of art. “It [the gallery] has been designed for contemporary art, which is more along the lines of installation, performance, sound and music. So, actually it’s an open space that can
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SAM MARSHALL ARCHITECTS
be interpreted and used by a variety of artists and a variety of really happening now things that you may only see in, let’s say, Atlanta, New Orleans, New York or Chicago, and we’re bringing all of that here to Pensacola now.” The gallery is not the only thing students have to look forward to. This building will also provide more room to conduct classes. One of the classrooms currently available for use by art professors provides only 50 places for students in a table/chair setting and 100 with seating only. This new building will have a lecture hall,
which will be the main teaching area, that is equipped with enough room to house 200 in a table/chair setting and between 300 and 400 with seating only. It can also be used as a conference room that can be used for purposes other than art lectures. Between the large lecture hall and the gallery will be a wall that can be opened up to allow more room for either the gallery area or for the lecture hall area. This means that if there is a particularly large showing in the gallery, there will be extra space to display art. The expanded area can also be used for Continued on Page 3
Campus parking: a headache for students, staff for years Relief may soon be on the horizon By Tracey Squaire
Inconvenient parking on Pensacola State College’s Pensacola campus isn’t new. The issue has been discussed over and over for years with both students and faculty calling for solutions for years. Still, nothing has been done to improve the parking on campus. This makes news like the on-going construction of a new art building, while exciting, also worrying because with the addition of a new building, there will be less parking spaces. The construction, which began June
13th, 2016, is estimated to last 300 days or until construction is complete on or before April 8th 2017. Though the college is exploring possible temporary parking, there’s no guarantee this will keep parking from becoming an issue during construction. This new building, once complete, will be connected to the Anna Lamar Switzer Center (building 15) and rest between it and the Spears Behavioral Science Building (building 14). This means that, once this building is complete, 50 parking spaces will be gone from
the parking area between these two buildings. This threatens to put a strain on nearby building 21’s available parking as students will be forced to park farther away from buildings 14 and 15 to find a free spot. Already there is a problem with students parking in spaces reserved for faculty because these students want or need to be closer to certain buildings. Buildings 1, 4, 5 and 6 are some of the more popular buildings. Building 5, the student center, has relatively good parking with a reasonable
sized lot in the front and another in the back that is shared with building 1. Building 4 also has two parking lots, but one, which is shared with building 8, is small. The other parking lot is much bigger, but has to be shared with buildings 6 and 2. Many times when parking is difficult, students have to go farther out to park, which can make them late for a class and can be inconvenient during bad weather such as rain. In addition to all that is going on currently, Continued on Page 3
Feature
Gotta catch ‘em all
Millions get up and Go as urge to catch ‘em all sweeps nation By Rebecca Peters
A wild Eevee spawned in front of the Chadbourne Library. The library is a Poke-Stop. Other PokeStops include the Student Center, the Hagler Auditorium, and the Clock Tower. There are two Poke-Gyms on campus. One at the Switzer Center for Visual Arts. and the other at the Hagler Auditorium. PHOTO BY BARA’AH JARAISEH
Doubtless by now you have heard of the phenomena called Pokemon Go. If you haven’t, I am hoping to convince you to download it and catch them all! There has never been a time like this in history, with so much technology and connectivity. When Pokemon was first released in 1996, it quickly became widely popular. It was hard to find a kid who hadn’t played the game at least once, but it was nothing like this. Sure, playing the video game was great and trading cards was all the rage, but it was every kid’s dream to catch a real life Pikachu. The new Pokemon Go game is a 90’s kid’s dream app, and not only is it getting a large number of 25-30 year olds out hunting the little monsters, but it has people of all ages walking, and I mean walking a lot. Pokemon gets its origins in Japan. Pokemon literally translates to ‘pocket monsters’ in English. Pokemon got its first go around in Japan in February of 1996 with a game for the Game Boy called Pokemon Red and Green. It had a modest start at first, but with the right press reviews, it skyrocketed in popularity and more games were quickly developed. Within the next year there were two new games, a manga series, a trading card game developed, and an anime series starring Ash Katchem and the beloved Pikachu. All of this magic eventually reached America in 1998 where it was just as successful. This is largely why the new game Pokemon Go has had such success. Over 90 percent of the people who have downloaded
Pokemon Go are between the ages of 18-34. With an estimated 15 million downloads in the first week, it has quickly become the most popular app in app history. It doesn’t seem to be slowing down either. The company Niantic that developed the new game was completely overwhelmed with the amount of downloads and the servers have shown it. The game in its current state can be glitchy and annoying. Niantic however has already been taking steps to correct and change these flaws to make the game more enjoyable and smooth. The idea behind the game is that you can walk around your town, city or neighborhood and find Pokemon lurking in your surrounding area. While wondering around you will find what are called Poke-Stops. This is a location where you can refill on items like poke balls and potions and get a few experience points as well to level up your character. The cool thing about these stops is that they are special landmarks. So walking around your town you may discover interesting things that you never knew were there. One idea behind the game is that it will get the player walking, and walking quite far. Tyler Barnas, a business major at Pensacola State said, “I have never walked this much in my life. The other night I was in my room and I saw that there was a Bulbasaur outside and I thought, ‘yeah, that’s worth it,’ and I went out to get it.” It’s no secret that walking is good for your health, I’ve written about how walking just 30 minutes a day can cut your risk of diabetes by 30%. The trick is wanting to walk; this game makes you want to do so. If there has ever been a reason to walk, that rare Pokemon you’re dying to catch is the reason. Another reason is to hatch eggs. You can collect eggs from Poke Stops and put them in incubators. The way that you hatch the egg is by walking, and walking a lot. The distances are put in kilometers, so there are 1.6 kilometers in 1 mile. There are 2, 5, and 10 kilometer eggs. You can’t cheat the system by driving. The app has a sensor that can tell when you are traveling over 10 miles an hour and does not count it toward your egg or toward your experience points. In order to play the game well, you have to walk. If you hate exercising, this may be a good way for you to start. Many people have reported walking more than they ever have, and not only enjoying it, but not realizing how far they are actually traveling. One person I came across said, “I hate exercising, I always have, but this is going to be the thing that gets me moving.” You can also use it if you are a jogger or
runner. What better reward at the end of an exhausting 5k than a new pokemon hatching once you’ve finished! Not only will you have done something great for your body, but you will have leveled up your character and gained a new pocket monster. All this greatness aside though, there is some caution to be mentioned. While it can be easy to be glued to your phone waiting for that pokemon to pop out of the ground, be aware of your surroundings as well. There have been many recorded injuries and interesting findings while on the hunt. People have walked into doors, walls and other people. People have walked out into traffic. One person even found a dead body while looking for pokemon. There is a clause at the beginning of the game telling you to stay aware of your surroundings, and they mean it. By staying alert you can also get to meet some other pokemon masters along the way, which brings me to my next point. Pokemon Go has done wonders for those who suffer from mental illnesses, social anxieties and depression. Twitter is pouring over with people talking about how it has helped them tremendously with getting motivated to get out of their houses and interact with people. Not only do they have social interactions, which is good for your mental health in general, but they are having positive ones. One of the most daunting things about being around new people can be where to start a conversation. Pokemon Go has taken care of this for its customers, whether they meant to or not. There has always been controversy about how technology can pull people farther away from one another, but Pokemon Go has done something unique in bringing people together. Pokemon Go can be an excellent first step
for people who need help emotionally and mentally, but it should not be the last step. This is an opportunity to experience freedom in a fun and innovative way from daily anxieties. You don’t have to have depression or anxiety for this to help though, just using the app as a short get away from a stressful day at work or school can do wonders for the mind without getting too far detached from the world around you. An added bonus to all this walking and talking is the sunshine. With nearly a quarter of Americans being at risk of being vitamin D deficient, this is a good way to get some of the essential nutrient from the biggest source we have, the sun. Not only is vitamin D necessary for bone health, it also wards off multiple diseases including cancers, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Vitamin D also plays a role in keeping depression at bay. Of course, if you plan on a long Pokemon hunting jaunt, make sure you wear sunscreen and bring water to hydrate. The Poke-stops will not refresh you physically, and with all the hat turning you’ll be doing while catching the little critters and battling gyms, you’ll need the extra sun protection. For the most part, Pokemon Go has been a brilliant addition to the wide world of gaming apps. It has done something that no app, or even the American government, has been able to do, by getting more than 15 million American outside walking daily. This may be due to the intense nostalgia that many of us hold for the world of Pokemon, and we may see the craze dwindle if the Niantic company does not keep improving the game. However, with the statements made by the company and the overwhelmingly positive response by the public, I think we will continue to see great things come from this new phenomena.
Trainers hunt for Pokemon on Pensacola beach.
PHOTO BY REBECCA PETERS
Feature
August 2016
New art building Continued from page 1
larger conferences or lectures by world class lecturers that might bring in more people. Crist Lien, head of the Art Department, sees great things in the future with the completion of the Studio. “I think [I’m excited] just for the possibilities of what we can do. I mean, we’re going to be able to bring in exhibitions and artists here that there’s no way we could do where we are now. One of the great things that Vivian’s been working really hard on on is museum accreditation. ” According to Lien, the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) provides a way for galleries to become accredited, which means
that a gallery can be trusted with the precious art being lent to them. “Once you’re accredited, it allows you to bring in shows that we couldn’t get now. There are some shows to put together where you have to borrow from shows that, unless you are accredited, won’t loan you any work. Once you’re accredited, they know you meet those standards [set by the AAM]. Even though we bring in great shows now, it’s going to be a whole new level of shows that we can do.” The construction of the Charles W. Lamar Studio is scheduled to be complete on or before April 8th, 2017.
Campus parking
Plans for new addition to the Switzer Center for Visual Arts.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SAM MARSHALL ARCHITECTS
Continued from page 1 in 2017, the demolition of building 1 is set to begin. What will this mean for parking? Many of the classes now taught in the building will be moved to other buildings, which means there will be a higher influx of traffic near whichever buildings will be taking on building 1’s classes. This will put a strain on other buildings’ already strained parking lots. It’s always exciting to see our college expand and grow, but adding more buildings without adding more parking is a problem that many students and staff have been hoping for years will soon be fixed. In Corsair issues past, as well as on the eCorsair, parking stories have been featured prominently. Parking has been an issue for PSC since before the name change from Pensacola Junior college to Pensacola State College. There is even a comic from a Corsair issue in 2010 by student Randall Williams humorously portraying this frustrating issue (refer to illustration on the right). Beth Gindl, a then 19-year old student in 2006 at what was still PJC, shared a sentiment that is still being felt by students today.
“There are too many teacher spots by Building 1 and not enough student spots. There are more students than teachers, and it’s vice versa on the parking.” If Gindl were still a student at PSC, she would be happy to find out that building 1 will soon be demolished. While there is not yet a set end date for the demolition and reconstruction of building 1, the demolition may very well present new opportunities for parking. According to Diane Bracken, Director of Facilities Planning and Construction, there are some tentative plans to permanently improve parking in the future. “Long-term wise, whenever the [construction] master plan update comes out, you’ll see different parking areas, possibly even parking garages, but that’s down the road.” There may be hope that a long awaited fix to parking may finally be on the distant horizon. Until then, take the advice given to the Corsair by the PSC police department 10 years ago and get to school earlier to choose a parking location central to your classes.
Ongoing constructuion outside between building 15 and 14. Construction limiting parking for students.
PHOTO BY BARA’AH JARAISEH
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Reviews
Book Review: “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins
By Sarah Richards
“The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins is told from the first-person viewpoints of Rachel, Anna, and Megan (a la Jodi Picoult, author of “My Sister’s Keeper”)— all of whom are on different tracks in life, yet connected by a common thread. Rachel Watson, the main protagonist, is an alcoholic who rides the train every morning and evening (whose reasons for doing so will make you wonder about her state of mind) and who, like Jimmy Stewart’s characRachel is an interesting character because she isn’t plugged into her cell phone with people she knows, but is far more interested in those she doesn’t know. Though she is somewhat tuned out of the world around her, she is tuned in to the world that lives inside her head—a world that shifts like the scenery outside her window to
the world, that world being the window on the train. As we get to know Rachel, we begin to wonder, is she or isn’t she an unreliable narrator, or is her perspective that far from reality? Ms. Hawkins allows us to get to know the characters gradually, as one would in real life; the same goes for the mystery, which unfolds one clue at a time. Hawkins richly layers each character with backstory that isn’t an information dump, but keeps surprising us; every tidbit gives clarity to what is going on in the present day, such as why Megan has a hard time sleeping, or why Rachel’s exhusband hates her so. Megan’s story is compelling because she is seeing a therapist to whom she reveals the source of her angst. Anna’s, because of her
near-obsession with her husband’s ex-wife. The stories of Rachel and Anna, and then Megan’s story (which is told in “flashback”, leading up to her disappearance), happen about a year apart, but unlike “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” the timeline is easy to follow, and the story flows like the wine that Rachel consumes every day. Rachel’s haze of consciousness lends itself to a (believable) state of amnesia, including blackouts, so the reader doesn’t know any more about who done it than Rachel does. Rachel and the reader will be in it together, trying to add it all up before the train goes off the tracks. Due to Rachel’s fluctuating moods and penchant for lying, I constantly felt discombobulated, which only kept me reading till its chilling, unexpected destination.
symbolizes emotional burden within relationships. The feeling throughout the 12 track collection reflects the necessary need for communication and connection. The songs do not all necessary portray a romantic relationship but more of a bond between two people. Each track sets a tone similar to early 90’s emo with heavy guitar riffs and fuzzy pedal effects. All vocals within the album are soothing to the ear with lo fi elements to set the indie mood. Every component ranging from instrument to effects plays a key role in making the album in its entirety. Burden You, the second track on WHM,
has the most relatable lyrics to many who listen. Speaking of a past love, Burden You consists of reflecting on previous partners and the trouble of letting go. This hits home, based on the lyrics: “I’ll never say ‘I loved you’ Because you know I still do I’ll always think of your lips When I’m moving mine against his” For an overall rating, White Hot Moon deserves a 7 out of 10 for its originality and effortless expression on love. This album continues to surpass the majority of indie artists by its honest, well written lyrics. All of Pity Sex’s music is available on iTunes, Spotify, and also at pitysex, bandcamp.com.
type of rural suburban backwater town commonly seen in movies of the decade, and the characters fall into familiar archetypes such as the outcast, the nerds and the jock which are commonly seen in 80s movies, but they all still very much have unique original personalities. These characters break from the cliches those roles usually follow in interesting and often surprising ways. This is augmented by the extremely talented cast who bring these characters to life. The series also manages to be genuinely scary without once resorting to the jump scares common in most modern horror movies through use of atmosphere and suspense. It has received praise and acclaim not
only from average viewers and critics, but also from veteran masters of horror such Guillermo del Toro and Stephen King. This show is a must-see for sci-fi horror fans of all ages. Stranger Things manages to be both a blast from the past and a breath of fresh air, season two is rumored to already be under production and I eagerly look forward to it.
Music Review: White Hot Moon By Izzy McGowen
White Hot Moon is a third released album from the indie band Pity Sex. Mixing elements of 90’s shoegaze and lo fi, Pity Sex has continued to defy the odds within the underground music scene. Pity Sex, originally hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, has taken inspiration from bands such as My Bloody Valentine and Mineral. The band consists of four members with each playing a valuable role in to making the entirety a whole. Most notable, guitarist and vocalist Britty Drake has empowered other female artists to step forward and create music without worry. Within the album, White Hot Moon
Show Review: Stranger Things By Michael Blackwell
Last month, Stranger Things debuted on Netflix as the service’s latest original series with its eight episode first season. The first project of brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things is a nostalgia fueled stylistic throwback to the sci-fi and horror movies of the 80s that nonetheless brings something completely new to the table and breathes fresh life into a stalling genre that has lately been dominated by forgettable jump scare filled ghost stories that are largely indistinguishable from each other. The setting, characters and plot pay homage to the iconic tales such as ET, Firestarter, The Thing and many other 80s classics while still being something wholly new and different. The show is set in the
Reviews
August 2016
Language Apps Comparison
By Tracey Squaire
Two of the most popular language learning apps out there are Duolingo and Memrise. Both apps start users out with the basics of whatever language they are learning and users have to work through the lessons to progress to more difficult levels. Though both apps serve a similar purpose, the go about their language teaching in different manners.
At the moment, Duolingo has 16 languages that they offer for English speakers to learn and 11 that are in the process of being ready to learn. Languages include, but are not limited to, French, Spanish and German. The Duolingo team is even on their way to providing Klingon for Star Trek fans. Duolingo offers a structured learning
environment that lets users easily see their progress. Duolingo engages users in different ways that appeals to many different learning styles. It will also help to keep skills fresh by prompting lesson reviews every so often. The best part about Duolingo is that it starts with the very basics and progresses to harder lessons as you learn. Memrise offer far more languages than Duolingo does, but does not go into as much detail with many of them like Duolingo does because much of the content on Memrise is provided by the community. Unlike Duolingo, Memrise is much more flexible with how a user can learn. Memrise treats your brain like a garden and newly learned words like flowers in your garden. Every time users practice using that word, their flower grows. As the name implies, Memrise works best by helping users to memorize words and phrases. They do so with the help from their community, which provides a lot of mnemonics that help users to easily remember and learn a word and its pronunciation. Though both apps are great to use for learning new words in a different language, they are no replacement for a good language teacher.
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Movie Review: Suicide Squad
By Kyle Stamm
PSC
Amidst the very low critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, DC’s most recent big screen movie “Suicide Squad” wobbles along a fine line of entertainment. Much of the DC fan base is still recovering from “Batman VS Superman: Dawn of Justice” and its critical flops. Unfortunately, “Suicide Squad” cradles a couple of the same issues. “Suicide Squad” boasts a LOT of antiheroes/villains from the DC comics, so many, in fact, that the movie has a hard time dishing out enough screen-time for all the characters. The plot feels rushed, and the motives of the characters seem illogical and used only to continue the plot. That being said, there is a lot of great
method acting in this movie. Jared Leto and Margot Robbie stand out as the Joker and Harley Quinn (psychopathic love story). Viola Davis plays an astounding Amanda Waller (cold and calculated), and Will Smith plays an excellent Will Smith (it’s a redesigned “Deadshot”). “Suicide Squad” finds its strength in its characters, but only enough time was allotted to discover them quickly. The trailers didn’t spoil anything for sure, but the trailers were DEFINITELY better than the movie. It was enjoyable overall, and it has its moments of hilarity. I’d say it’s worth the money to see it in the theatre; I even saw it in IMAX and felt justified.
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5
Columns
The broke college student’s guide
Picnics, canoeing, fitness; lots of fun at the beach for little cash By Paris Harman
PHOTO BY BARA’AH JARAISEH
View of Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier from the Hilton hotel.
It’s your day off from work, you’ve completed all of your class assignments that have a near due date, and you’ve already binge watched every trending TV series on Netflix. What more could you possibly do with your spare time? Turn off your twitter notifications, and get out of the house. If you want a change from your dull routine, I have some exciting ideas for you. Since we’re all students here, let’s focus our attention on some of the free or inexpensive options for activities to do in the Pensacola area. It’s still summertime; therefore, I will recommend doing what may seem like the most obvious activity possible. Going to the… wait for it… Beach! Before you jump
to the conclusion that I just recommended the most cliché outing for all of Florida, I can assure to you that I have several activities you probably never thought of before, and at least one will most definitely spark your interest. You live near one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. Take advantage of the sugar white sand and the emerald waters of the gulf coast while it’s still swimsuit season by participating in water activities, such as relaxing in a floaty or bringing out the boogie board. If a nice workout is what you’re looking for, rent a paddle board. Or you could kayak with a friend to split the cost. If you’re lucky, you’ll run into a dolphin pod. If you’d much rather look at the waves than go into them,
bring a blanket or towel onto the shore and try yoga on the beach. Looking out at the waves is a great addition for meditation. If you’re more of an artistic person, there are plenty of options for you. Many artists use nature as an inspiration, so whether your talent is in photography or painting, you can surely incorporate the beach into what you’re doing. Or better yet, create art at the beach. Many musicians find the beach a nice environment to write songs in, and if you have a light weight instrument, you could even practice by the ocean. Instead of complaining that you’re not in the tropical state of Hawaii or an exotic country like Bali, enjoy the location you’re in. Don’t get me wrong, traveling and
experiencing new cultures is amazing, but social media creates illusions. Dress up in your most tropical clothing and create a picture-worthy selfie the next time you go to the beach. You won’t believe how much you feel like a model straight out of a travel magazine. If you have a large group of friends, you could go all out and have a picnic or barbecue. You could all also meet up and play some classic beach volleyball or almost any sport for that matter. Some fitness studios sometimes have classes on the beach, and it can be a nice change of scenery. So, if the common beach activities don’t intrigue you, think of something you like, and see if you can do it at the beach.
Words to Inspire
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’ ”
Muhammad Ali (1942 - 2016)
Feature / Column
August 2016
Welcome to college Freshman’s guide to success High School to College Transition By Minnie-Lee Bush
Welcome to the world that is college. High school is still fresh on the mind of many. Change can be scary, and college is definitely a big change. The transition from college to high school can be intimidating, especially when the experience of college will have a huge impact on the rest of a person’s life. College is a place of business, so new students will have to get used to a higher level of professionalism and responsibility. When students sit in the classroom, they are there to better their future. A great amount of work is needed in order to achieve greatness.It is not a place to be lazy. It is up to the student whether or not to actually learn or just get by. There will be times where the stress seems overwhelming, but, as the saying goes, a person must remind themselves that climbing a mountain is hard unless one has the tools to aid themselves; college is merely one of the many tools that will help to support students on their way to the top. One of the many things that may scare those transitioning from high school is the workload.The work itself can be overwhelming. Getting accustomed to late night cram sessions
and forming a new addiction to coffee is just part of the college life. Here at Pensacola State College, there are many resources to help those that are struggling such as the Writing and Math Labs.The Writing and Math Labs are magical places that help to ease the mind of those students who constantly find themselves struggling. Students shouldn’t be afraid to use the utilities provided for them. The PSC Writing Lab is there when students are struggling with writing papers on common grammar mistakes. Tutors in the lab can take a student step by step by critiquing past papers to help formulate ideas for an upcoming paper. The Math Lab is there to help students with math homework or even help students who just can’t get the work down right. The tutors in the math lab walk students through tough equations, so they are better able to succeed in class. Simple utilities as the Writing and Math Lab can ease the transition from high school, so work isn’t as stressful or disheartening. Another way to ease the big transition is by getting involved in the college community.
One of the more important aids a student has is his or her professor. Something to keep in mind is that the professor is a friend. They are there to teach important assets students will need as to succeed in college. It is okay to ask for help and stay after class. Don’t be afraid to visit them during office hours or even send them a quick email. All the professors here at PSC are extremely friendly and want every student to succeed, so don’t feel intimidated . Being involved helps not only with easing into the college setting quicker but also with helping students have the opportunity to create friendships that can last a lifetime or perhaps even discover something about themselves they didn’t know before. At PSC, there are loads of clubs anywhere from the anime club to the video game club. If there isn’t a club a student finds to his or her liking, that student can always make their own club by going through student services. One of the downfalls for some students is they lose interest in college because all they do is work and exist. Getting involved makes college fun and exciting. This is a major time in the students’ lives, so they should make it
exciting and vibrant. Joining clubs isn’t the only way to be involved. Participating in school funded activities such a PSC’s monthly movie night or going to one of the free sports games is another way to keep college lively. College doesn’t need to be a dull moment in a student’s story. Adding friends and a good time can make this new experience seem less frightening and more like an exciting milestone. Though college can be unnerving and stressful, all the hardwork and effort will be worth the result. When things start to get tough and feelings of giving up start to creep in, students should just imagine standing on the stairs to the stage at the commencement ceremony, the announcer speaking their name into the microphone and the sound echoing as the applause vibrates through the floor. Walking across the stage and receiving a diploma will fill those students brave enough to make it through college with the gratification of knowing they made it. This feeling will be worth the hard work and changes that come with transitioning into College life.
Student success: tips on surviving college Socialize, Make friends in college By Minnie-Lee Bush
Let’s face it, making friends is hard enough as is and adding the tension and stress of college doesn’t help at all; it just makes it even harder. You may think that you can survive college without friends, and maybe you can, but college is definitely better when you have people to suffer along with you. College life gets boring fast when you go solo. There’s no need for you to have to have hundreds of friends. Just two or three can make your college experience better. Even that weird fourth friend that just tags along can improve the experience. Small groups of friends like this are often the ones that care the most. One thing you do not want is for college to get boring because you will lose interest quicker than your cell phone battery dying from using too much data because you are too lazy to connect to the school’s WiFi. Friends merely make college more interesting and give you something to look forward to. Of course, many of the people who sit next to you in class have lives of their own. You yourself could have an extremely busy schedule and not necessarily have time to make friends, but that doesn’t mean you can’t
socialize with your peers. It’s nice to have at least one person you can chat with about mundane stuff. You might even find yourself asking silly things like “how is the weather” or asking what day of the week it is (this can become a very common occurrence). You may be asking yourself, “Okay, so it’s important to have friends, but how am I supposed to make friends?” Well here’s the deal. No one can tell you how to make friends, but here are some tips to make things little easier. There’s no guarantee that these tips will work, but there’s no harm in trying. The likelihood of these tips helping also depends on the kind of person you are. If you are an extremely outgoing person, why you are reading this article? Thank you for reading, but all you have to do is be yourself. Yes, some people may find your outgoing personality off-putting, but no one said you had to please everyone. Something to keep in mind, though, is to not go telling your whole life story on the first day. Giving too much information at once is likely to scare some people away. For you reserved types, typically known
as introverts or shy people, the college classroom might feel extremely intimidating, but there’s no need to feel overwhelmed. A few simple tips can go a long way towards making new friends. First of all, when you walk into a classroom, survey your surroundings then carefully pick your seat. Most likely that will be your seat for the entire semester. Shy people tend to choose a seat either in the very front, very back or by the wall. Try to avoid sitting in seats near windows and doors. If you want to socialize and make friends, sit in the center of the class room surrounded by possible friends for the taking. Unlike the out going people mentioned before, it’s hard for you to even speak a few words. By surrounding yourself with people, it encourages you to interact. A good way to start off is by saying hi, then maybe giving a compliment. This method just might start a conversation, for instance you could say “I like your left shoe, where can I find the right ones?” (yes, this joke is terrible, but admit it, you smiled). If you decide to use this joke, you might get funny looks or a laugh or two, but it’s a start. A warning to shy people: the chances
of getting called on by professors a lot is very probable. College professors just have a knack for picking you out in the crowd. You make think they are torturing you, but they are only trying to help you go far in life. Now for those people who are both and outgoing and shy, otherwise known as ambivert (person who shows characteristics of being introverted and extroverted). It certainly depends on your mood, when you want to interact and when you want to be social. The first tip is to sit around people who will make you laugh. This will get you talking and socializing. Laughter can always cure a bad mood. The second is to join a club. There’s no better way to make friends then to join a group of people who have similar interests as you do. The importance of socializing and making friends in a college setting often gets overlooked because of how seriously many take their work. When sitting in a classroom, you have to remind yourself that the people around you come from all sorts of backgrounds. Don’t judge another based on looks, speech or they way they smell. Be polite and nice; you are sure to make friends.
7
August 2016
Humans of Pensacola State College Staff Editor in Chief Tracey Squaire Creative Director Bara’ah Jaraiseh Social Media Editor Kelli Green
Nico Ilias History
Robin Mertins Faculty
Frank Olivas Computer Information
Bonnie McQuagge Faculty
“I’m a Pensacola native, born and raised. I’m currently getting my associates degree. I’m gonna transfer to UWF afterwards and either Major in History or Maritime studies. I’m gonna enroll at UWF because PSC doesn’t have some of the programs I’m looking at majoring in, so I’m enrolled in the 2UWF program that PSC has. I love history. I’ve always loved history. I love learning. I think if you don’t know your history, you’re always sure to repeat it, so I think learning history and educating yourself is one of the best ways to further yourself as a human. 1015 years from now, I see myself traveling full time, working in a lot of orphanages, and doing a lot of missions work. I’ll probably have a really big family from adopting, and having kids of my own by that time. Hawaii is one of my favorite place [to travel to] for personal reasons. I love to surf and Hawaii’s amazing. Half of my family lives in Greece and I love Greece. Another half of my family lives in Israel, so I’ve been to Israel. [Surfing] is what I try to do when I can. It’s my getaway. It’s refreshing and relaxing. For me it’s very life giving to connect to nature and the ocean and everything around me.”
Do you binge watch any Netflix shows? “I binge a lot of Netflix shows. I like Orange is the New Black, I love the great characters. I was watching it last night. I also watch Bloodline; it has nice drama.” If you could go back in time and meet any actor who would it be, and why? “I would want to meet, Georger Burns. I don’t know why, but I always thought he would be so amazing. He struck me as such a great character, and I think he’d have great stories to tell. He’s the kind of person you’d want to be your grandfather. I remember him more from being on the Tonight Show than from his movies. I remember his personality, more than his acting.” What is your favorite thing about the Pensacola campus? “I like the location, it’s very centrally located.”
“I’ve always been interested in computers since my Freshman year of high school. If it wasn’t for my computer teacher back then that introduced me to computing and stuff, I probably wouldn’t know what I’d be doing now, honestly. When I finish my degree, I would like to get a job here on campus. I would like anything in the computer related field for IT. Maintain the network, making sure the bad guys stay out. I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is kinda far from here. My mom and I moved here to Pensacola back in 2010. There’s a lot more to do here in Pensacola compared to Albuquerque. The only thing I miss about Albuquerque is the food. Here, you’ve got the beach, and other places to go. In Albuquerque, you’ve got the mountains and other than that, it’s just the desert, which is boring. My favorite thing about Pensacola is the beach, specifically the lighthouse on base. In 10 years from now, I see myself inside a dark basement reaching around trying to find a specific cable to plug in and pray that hopefully humanity isn’t taken over by computers then. (Kidding!) Hopefully, I’ll just be working somewhere in the IT field. That’s where my passion is.
If you could meet any famous person, who would it be, and why? “I would meet Theresa Caputo, the Long Island medium, because I want to talk to some friends on the other side. I have some girlfriends that I lost, and they were way too young. One of my friends had a heart attack. I’d talked to her a week before and then all of a sudden she’s gone. I had another friend who I worked with for years who went home with a migraine headache on Friday and dropped dead with a pulmonary embolism on Monday. So they’re just gone all of a sudden, and I wanna be like ‘Hey,what’s going on over there. How is it ?’” We see you brought your dog, can you tell us a little about her? “This is Pippa, she is a Cavalier King Charles. She’s 4 ½ years old. My best friend lives in Tuscaloosa AL, (Roll Tide!) and she has Pippa’s sister, Piper. I brought Pippa in today because I’m having some work done to my house and I didn’t want her to get out.”
Staff Aleigha Alexander Brad Andrews Michael Blackwell Minnie-Lee Bush Samantha Johnson Jenni Carpenter Katherine Chen Brittany Crouch Nicole Durst Cassandra Fanfan Izzy Gardner Paris Harman Sara Herrington Timothy Kast Riley Larson Izzy McGowan Victoria Palasciano Rebecca Peters Jesse Reitz Sarah Richards MaryClaire Robinson Kyle Stamm Adviser Paula Ingram
Pensacola State College does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, gender, age, religion, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or genetic information in its educational programs, activities or employment. For inquires regarding nondiscrimination policies, contact the Associate Vice President of Institutional Diversity at (850) 484-1759, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd., Pensacola, FL.
COMIC BY KATHERINE CHEN