02-24-2016

WEEKLY PRINT EDITION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 – TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016 VOLUME 102, ISSUE 24

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1913

W W W . T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M

NEWS

New feature at the Children’s Center P3

U.S. Amateur champ returns P7

OPINION

Rate My Profs isn’t a credible source P9

ARTS & LIFESTYLE

Aztec loses sight, raises awareness P10 The Daily Aztec publishes its printed weekly edition on Wednesdays and serves the students, faculty and community of San Diego State University.

#TGCLASSIC

The first Tony Gwynn Classic, which honors the late San Diego State baseball coach Tony Gwynn, will be held from Feb. 26-28.

FILE PHOTO

Gwynn worthy of a ‘classic’ RYAN POSNER SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________ Before former San Diego State baseball coach and MLB Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn died in 2014, he had a vision for the stadium that holds his namesake.

That vision was to host some of the top teams in the country, in the city he spent his entire career in, for a preconference tournament.

A little less than a year ago, that vision, which was also developed by current San Diego Union-Tribune sportswriter and former SDSU Sports Information Director Jon Maffei, became a reality when it was announced the first Tony Gwynn Classic would be held in February 2016.

SDSU, University of San Diego, Bryant University, University of Kentucky, Tulane University, UC Santa Barbara, University of Arizona and University of Nebraska will take part in the tournament being held from Feb. 26-28 that is being cohosted by SDSU and USD.

SNEAKPEEK

SPORTS

“I’m hoping the Tony Gwynn Classic lasts forever,” head coach Mark Martinez said.

“Just to have college baseball teams from around the country come to San Diego to play in the Tony Gwynn Classic is very humbling.”

The tournament, which Martinez said was put together in a “fast and furious manner” since being announced, is already officially set up through 2018.

Martinez credited a group led by Jack Murray — the tournament’s founder and chairman — Alicia Gwynn, Tony’s former agent John Boggs, SDSU and USD for helping to get the tournament off the ground.

Next year, schools like University of Oregon, Notre Dame, University of Tennessee and UC Irvine will make the trip.

In 2018, powerhouses such as University of Oklahoma, Arizona, University of Arkansas and University of Michigan are scheduled to participate.

“It’s a great honor and very humbling that these people want to honor Tony by coming here and playing,” Martinez said.

Junior left-hander Marcus Reyes is expected to get a start at some point in the tournament, which begins at 6 p.m. Friday for SDSU against Bryant.

Growing up in San Diego and graduating from Rancho Buena Vista High in 2013, Reyes knows the importance Gwynn had and still has in the San Diego community.

But also on the college baseball landscape.

“Being a San Diego kid, he was a role model growing up.

Anything Padres, anything sports in San Diego was coach Gwynn,” Reyes said.

Reyes believes it’s only fitting that Gwynn’s legacy will continue to live on in the form of a college baseball showcase of talent.

Reyes and the rest of the pitching staff will be leaned on heavily during the tournament, as the team will have already played two games (UC Irvine on Tuesday and USD on Thursday) before

the tournament starts.

“We’ll kind of figure (the bullpen) out as we move through the next five games,” Martinez said. “Some guys who haven’t had the opportunity to pitch will get the ball.”

It was timely hitting against the SDSU bullpen and some untimely errors that factored into the team being swept by University of Oregon in the season-opening series.

Oregon entered the season ranked No. 14 and jumped up to No. 9 after the sweep of the Aztecs.

However, Martinez wouldn’t change a thing as far as scheduling is concerned, because it’s things like the series against Oregon and the Tony Gwynn Classic that continue to push the team farther and farther into the national conversation.

“We’re going to continue to schedule national-type programs from here on out,” he said. “We feel like this program is in position to make a push for (the College World Series) and have a chance to win a national championship.”

P6 Walk-ons play big role with women’s rowing

COURTESY OF SDSU ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

2 NEWS

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JAMIE BALLARD • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#OUTDOORLEARNING

New feature at Children’s Center NATALIA XIBILLE STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ The San Diego State University Children’s Center has a new addition to its facility: an outdoor classroom.

In August 2015, the space known as “Memory Park,” which has been at the center since it opened two years ago, was converted into an outdoor classroom.

“I think children nowadays don’t get enough opportunities to play outside and so we really do encourage that to take place here,” said Michelle Zamora, director of the SDSU Children’s Center.

Amid plants, play areas and colorful streamers, the new classroom combines activities normally done inside indoor classrooms with activities children often participate in outdoors.

This includes an art area, block area, bikes, a sandbox and even a mud kitchen complete with wooden tables and plenty of mud.

The center follows an emergent and play-based curriculum that revolves around the interests of the children and emphasizes the importance of playing while learning.

This philosophy prompted the creation of the center’s outdoor classroom.

“Long periods of uninterrupted

18172_10_375x8 OL.indd 1

outdoor play is important for children’s development,” Zamora said.

“The classroom was created because outside shouldn’t just be considered a place to run but more so a place to learn.”

The children, including public administration graduate student Joyce Liou’s son, love this method of learning.

“My son is really fascinated by the bugs outside and comes homes talking about his search for roly polies and lady bugs,” she said.

Apart from providing a safe learning environment for the children, the main reason why Associated Students started the daycare program over 30 years ago was to accommodate SDSU parent students’ need for a secure and convenient place to let their children play and learn while they attend classes.

“As a student with financial needs, I qualify for funding that covers my child’s preschool expenses,” Liou said.

“This gives me the opportunity to fully focus on my school work on so many levels.”

Depending on their income, SDSU students can apply for subsidized fees and have the option of participating in the academic year program, which excludes breaks and is based on daily fees.

Aside from daycare services the

The Outdoor Classroom at the Children’s Center is a new addition NATALIA XIBILLE, STAFF WRITER

center also serves as a lab school for the students of the department of child and family development, which has more than 157 students in the program per year.

The SDSU Children’s Center is located along East Campus Drive next

to Parking Structure 6 and is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tours of the center are available at 9 a.m. on the first Wednesday of every month and at 5 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month.

12/14/2015 3:31:28 PM

NEWS 3

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JAMIE BALLARD • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#LESSONSFROMABROAD

Sharing ideas from study abroad

Students learned how to incorporate their study abroad experience into their careers at San Diego State.

NATALIA XIBILLE, STAFF WRITER

NATALIA XIBILLE STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ More than 100 students from across Southern California attended the Lessons From Abroad conference on Sunday, Feb. 21 at San Diego State.

The Lessons From Abroad program began in 2008.

This is the second time the conference was held at SDSU. The event offered students an opportunity to debrief on their experience abroad, network with other students who have studied abroad, make connections with companies and nonprofits, and learn how to incorporate the study abroad experience in their career and life, said Amanda Chamberlain, SDSU study abroad advisor and co-chair of the event.

“I hope that students walk away feeling like they are ready to take that study abroad experience and do something with it,” Chamberlain said.

The event began at 10 a.m. as students trickled into Montezuma Hall to hear keynote speaker, international businessman and author Bob Hemphill.

Hemphill, who is currently an advisor to two start-up solar companies, Wilson Solarpower and

Glint Photonics, served as executive vice president and chief of staff to the CEO at AES, a global electric power generating and distribution company, and worked in several other international organizations.

In his presentation, he discussed the skills students gain while abroad, such as increased independence, self-confidence, language capabilities, connections with people abroad and respect for different cultures.

He emphasized these skills give study abroad students a large advantage over other students entering the workforce, which he worries many students might not be aware of.

“My fear is that they won’t really capitalize on the value of their experience,” he said. “ I want them to walk away with a heightened sense of their abilities.”

Hemphill said about 10 percent of students study abroad and 25 percent of the U.S. economy is related to international business.

He encourages students to adapt to today’s global economy and take advantage of studying abroad.

“If I were king of the world, which seems unlikely, I would strongly recommend that anybody in college spend at least a semester outside their comfort zone,” Hemphill said.

“Maybe that’s working with poor folks in Appalachia, maybe that’s serving wounded veterans in San Diego ... there’s nothing like forcing yourself to learn new stuff in a challenging environment.”

During the presentation he also described how his own study abroad experience in Japan made him more independent, confident and adaptable, which he said helped him throughout his business career.

He recommends students who come back from their study abroad experience put it on their resume and “show it off.”

He also had some advice for students planning to go abroad.

“Don’t expect it to be the same as the United States,” he said. “It’s going to be different in a lot of little ways that you never would have thought ... you need to be open to them and learn how to roll with them.”

coming home than it was going to a new country because you change a lot when you study abroad and you don’t really realize how much you start changing,” she said.

International business senior Michael Tepper was among those students who dealt with culture shock.

“The first two to three weeks I was back I felt really weird,” he said. “I felt like a different person than when I was abroad.”

Tepper stayed in Brazil for eight months. When he returned home, he was impacted by the differences in lifestyles between Brazil and the U.S. “I could do anything I wanted (in Brazil),” Tepper said. “I didn’t have to worry about time, I only had a few classes. Here you’ve got to plan everything out, I have to wake up at a certain time every day and I have to start thinking about my future.”

Following the film, students participated in discussions of their experiences abroad, including University of San Diego economics junior William Cen Lam. Cen Lam was studying in Guatemala during a shift in government. The dictator was taken out of power during the civil war in which Cen Lam said close to 300,000 people died.

“I saw a historic moment in Guatemala,” he said.

“I went there and I saw the protests about a new government and justice problems.”

He talked to several locals who had been affected by the massacres, including - Amanda Chamberlain his own tour guide who SDSU study abroad advisor was forced into the army and saw the killings first hand.

This experience led Cen And his last bit of advice: Lam to reflect on the privileges he has “Take along Imodium.” in the U.S. After the presentation, students were After the discussions, students shown “The Return,” a film created by had the opportunity to network with a Chapman University student that companies, nonprofits and study depicts her experience with culture abroad opportunities that had booths shock upon returning to the U.S. from scattered around the Lee Frank studying in France. and Goldberg courtyard and attend Chamberlain said the majority of a variety of concurrent sessions students who go abroad, particularly throughout the day. for a longer period of time, encounter The event wrapped up with a closing culture shock when returning home. ceremony with raffled prizes and “It’s actually a harder transition cookies.

“ I HOPE THAT STUDENTS WALK AWAY FEELING LIKE THEY ARE READY TO TAKE THAT STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE AND DO SOMETHING WITH IT.”

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4 NEWS

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: JAMIE BALLARD • NEWS@thedailyaztec.com

Who’sWho?

#campussafety

Editor In Chief Kelly Hillock Managing Editor Matthew Bain News Editor Jamie Ballard asst. news Editor Jacob Sisneros Sports Editor Ryan Posner asst. sports Editor Anthony Reclusado Opinion Editor Joseph Ciolino ARTS & LIFESTYLE Editor Ryo Miyauchi asst. ARTS & LIFESTYLE Editor Olivia Litsey Photo Editor Cristian Rangel Digital Content EDITOR Annalise Dewhurst video producer Daniel Galuppo

A new approach to safety The ROBOCOPP device can easily attach to backpacks or keychains.

Courtesy of robocopp

jamie ballard News Editor ____________________________ A new wearable safety device that’s gaining popularity on college campuses aims to deter potential attackers by sounding an alarm.

The ROBOCOPP sound grenade is a small device intended for personal safety use. When the user pulls the pin out, it emits a 120-decibel noise, approximately the same noise level as an ambulance.

“Many students don’t realize how important personal safety is,” said Jill Turner, public relations director for ROBOCOPP. “Especially students who have just arrived at college from small, tight-knit communities.

They tend to overlook that crimes do happen on campus.”

Co-founder Sam Mansen agreed.

“There’s a lot of discussion

around the likelihood of being attacked by someone you know, as opposed to the guyhiding-in-the-bushes type of assault. But those attacks still do happen, and I think they’re often overlooked,” he said.

He cited recent events in Berkeley, where three women reported being sexually assaulted by a stranger in the same week.

The ROBOCOPP device is already being recommended to students on more than 100 campuses nationwide.

The chief of police at Arizona State’s Tempe campus recently endorsed the device, and Mansen hopes that other universities, including SDSU, will follow suit.

A representative from the company is meeting with SDSU officials on Feb. 25.

“I think it’s a good idea, but I don’t know how effective it would be,” English senior Monica Dube said. “If someone is chasing me, I

would just run. I wouldn’t necessarily reach for the alarm.”

Mansen and Turner also discussed other campus safety precautions.

While many students arm themselves with pepper spray, Mansen said he believes that isn’t always the best option.

“The problem is that when you look at it from the numbers side, it isn’t effective,” he said. “Most people want to deter an attack, not engage in it. They don’t want to stay in that situation.”

Turner mentioned the blue emergency lights on many campuses, like SDSU’s. She said while they are good to have, they may not always be the most practical solution for stopping an attack in progress.

Another safety option that has recently been made available to SDSU students is the Aztec Shield app. Among other features, students can

use “Friend Watch,” which gives a user the option to have a friend monitor their location through the app.

Dube said the Aztec Shield app could be useful, but most students, including herself, just text their friends their whereabouts and when they’re home safe.

But the safest option of all, Mansen and Turner said, is staying in a group.

“You’ll almost never see a story about a group of six students getting mugged,” Mansen said.

The SDSU Police Department also emphasized the importance of staying in groups when possible.

The Spring Safety Message from Police Chief Lamine Secka reads, “Avoid distractions such as talking on your cell phone, walk in groups whenever possible and immediately report suspicious activity to the SDSU Police Department.”

#awards

Peace Corps recognizes SDSU andrea lopez Staff writer ____________________________ San Diego State was recently named one of the Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges by the Peace Corps.

With 32 alumni volunteering with the Peace Corps worldwide, SDSU tied with UC Santa Cruz for 24th on the list of large volunteer-producing colleges. The list included all universities with a population of more than 15,000.

Other lists included universities with a medium population of 5,000 to 15,000 and small colleges with less than 5,000 students.

Rankings by the agency are determined by the number of volunteers who attended the university before joining the Peace Corps.

SDSU alumna Jaclyn Stecker volunteers teaching English in Costa Rica, and said she explored different possibilities in volunteering, including trying to start her own nonprofit

in San Diego.

She found her desire for international service after she took a volunteer job in India.

“The Peace Corps offered a more stable and structured, long-term opportunity for the types of changes I longed to make in this world,” she said.

The Peace Corps also ranked SDSU as No. 5 among the top volunteer-producing Hispanic Serving Institutions.

“The Peace Corps is a unique opportunity for college graduates to put their

education into practice and become agents of change in communities around the world,” Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said.

Other San Diego schools also made the cut. UC San Diego was ranked 14th on the list of large colleges and universities, and University of San Diego was ranked 14th on the list of medium schools.

The next Peace Corps information session will take place on March 10 in Montezuma Hall.

production designers Kaylee Andrews Hannah Lingle-Veale volunteer writers Nicole Sazegar Christine Whitman Scarlet Keolanui Andrea Lopez Sydney Olmstead Mayer Pohlod Cameron Salce Natalia Xibille Mackenzie Boss Taylor Simmons Lehi Naseem Hannah Willis volunteer photographers Katelyn Mulcahy volunteer Cartoonist Annan Gaggi _____________________________ Advertising Director Radbeh Rabaz Sales Manager Matthew Volk Account Executives Alexis Evans-Bendel Alex Gamboa Christopher Garcia Kamisha McKnight Keon Siavoshani Kelsey Silver John Weil Accounting & Contracts Alfonso Barajas Kalie Christensen _____________________________ General Manager Jay Harn Graphics Specialist Chris Blakemore _____________________________ ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com editorial 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com Print The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition on Wednesdays.

Web Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com Mobile The Aztec App (available for iPhone and Android)

SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/dailyaztec twitter.com/thedailyaztec instagram.com/thedailyaztec _____________________________ Weekly in print, daily online.

The Daily Aztec has been San Diego State University’s independent student news source since 1913.

SPORTS 5

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYAN POSNER• SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#AZTECSOFTBALL

Romero and Peres setting the pace

Junior right-hander Erica Romero is 5-0 with a 1.95 ERA so far in the 2016 season.

KATELYN MULCAHY, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

SYDNEY OLMSTEAD STAFF WRITER ____________________________ A strong bond between a pitcher and a catcher is a crucial factor to a softball team’s success.

The connection between these two players is what sets the tone, pace and energy on the field.

San Diego State softball found itself a pitcher-catcher duo last season that proved to

be one of the biggest threats in the Mountain West — and the country.

Junior right-hander Erica Romero ended up leading the nation with 36 wins last season and also had a 3.29 ERA over 318 2/3 innings.

She was named MW Pitcher of the Week four times and appeared in 56 of the team’s 58 games.

Romero’s success was nearly mirrored by her battery mate,

sophomore catcher Jenavee Peres.

Peres had one of the best freshman seasons in program history in 2015, batting .347 with nine home runs, 48 RBIs, 30 runs and 11 doubles while appearing in 55 of the team’s 58 games.

She was also named the MW Freshman of the Year.

Peres excels in nearly all aspects of the game, but it is her bond with Romero that was an X-factor for a 30-28 Aztec team last year.

From early on, Peres, not a coach in the dugout, called pitches for Romero.

This is rare at the college level, especially for a freshman catcher.

Head coach Kathy Van Wyk recognizes the significance behind the level of unspoken communication between Romero and Peres on the field.

“I think Erica loves it,” Van Wyk said. “She wouldn’t have made it through last season had it not been for the fact that Jenavee was back there and brought her that much more confidence.

“It’s not so much that I

think Jenavee calls a perfect game, but she calls it with confidence and it makes you believe, ‘This is the right pitch and it’s the right thing to do.’

Erica believes that, too.”

The rest of the players on the field tend to feed off the energy produced by the duo.

If Romero shows she’s feeling good, everybody feels good and if she’s not, then everyone feels that, too, Van Wyk said.

“I think we have a super strong bond just because she trusts me and I know she trusts me so that makes me trust her even more,” Peres said.

“It’s just about knowing her strengths and pitching to her strengths instead of to other teams’ weaknesses.”

Romero has picked up right where she left off last season with a 5-0 record and a 1.95 ERA this season.

Peres has missed nearly the entire season after suffering a concussion in the team’s first game, but had two hits in her only two at-bats.

This season, SDSU has a larger pitching rotation than last season’s, which largely

consisted of Romero game after game.

After losing a couple pitchers for various reasons last year, Romero was the goto workhorse.

This year, she will have more time to take care of herself.

“My biggest challenge will be dealing with injuries,” she said. “Last year I had a few injuries, but I had to put those things aside a lot of the time and I had to overcome them and forget about them because I had to pitch. I think staying on top of everything and taking care of myself will be key this season.”

For Peres, maintaining good team chemistry is key to push the team in the right direction.

“I think our biggest challenge will just be playing our game and staying up to our expectations and not falling down to other teams,” she said. “Keeping our energy up and staying together on the same page will be important.”

SDSU (7-3) continues its season at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, against Oklahoma State in the opening match of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City.

6 SPORTS

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYAN POSNER • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#AZTECROWING

Walk-ons find a home with rowing Thirty-five of the 60 student-athletes on the San Diego State rowing team either walked on or were recruited walk-ons.

COURTESY OF SDSU ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

MAYER POHLOD STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ San Diego State prides itself in being one of the premier destinations for college sports.

From men’s basketball to women’s soccer to baseball and many others, SDSU’s athletic programs fight other colleges across the country for the most sought-after recruits’ signatures.

However, one slight exception to this commonality lies within the rowing team.

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Rowing is unique from most other sports in that rather than strictly recruiting new, and transfer, students, it opens the door for everyone and anyone to join, as long as they possess the level of determination needed to stay afloat with the rest of the competition.

Out of the 60 rowers on the team, 35 are either walk-ons or recruited walkons A recruited walk-on is someone who doesn’t have any experience rowing, but was still recruited to do so.

One non-recruited walk-on is

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sophomore Sara Avery. “(Our freshman class) got an email from one of my coaches saying, ‘Hey, this is a great sport for anybody to try out and anybody is welcome,’” Avery said. “The drive of everyone else trying out made me want to do it.”

In just her first year, Avery moved up to be a part of the top boat, which is comprised of the eight best rowers on the team.

She has stayed in that spot through this season.

Many of the people in the top boat were recruited to be in that position, but that doesn’t make it awkward for the walk-ons to also be there.

“When you walk on it’s really intimidating because you’ve never done it before and all these girls who’ve been recruited have been doing it for years and years,” Avery said. “But all the girls on the team are so nice and really helpful to any of the walk-ons … they’re on the team just as much as we are.”

The fact that walk-ons are a part of the top boat doesn’t mean that the sport is a breeze, though.

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ask if they’e OK or if they need help so they’re comfortable.

“I think sometimes they think there’s a stigma against them, but there’s actually not.”

Another contributor to the veteran leadership is senior Stephanie Schulman.

Schulman falls in the middle category as a recruited walk-on, and has seen the rowing program in its entirety, being present for a coaching change as well as the progression and hard work put in by past walk-ons.

“It’s how much work you put into it.

A walk-on can easily rise up like Sara (Avery) to become one of the top girls on our team or it might not click,” Schulman said.

Rowing head coach Bill Zack, who brings experience from years coaching with the Unites States Coast Guard Academy, Sacramento State, UCLA and University of Portland, is mostly in charge of helping the top two boats, so he doesn’t usually work with walk-ons right off the bat.

However, if they at some point reach that stage, he has a direct impact on

“ WE DON’T PROMISE ANYONE ANYTHING, OTHER THAN WE’LL TEACH YOU HOW TO ROW AND GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY.”

- Bill Zack rowing head coach

Not even taking the physicality of rowing into mind, the rowers endure a grueling schedule, with wake-up calls before 5 a.m. every morning from Monday to Saturday, when practice starts at the Mission Bay Aquatics Center.

All this, expected from studentathletes who many times were not expected to have “athlete” attached to their college resume.

Even with the openness of the sport and the amount of walk-ons, there are still quite a few rowers who were recruited specifically to row for the Aztecs.

These athletes are instrumental in helping and teaching the new rowers how to become familiar and comfortable with the rowing lifestyle.

“It definitely takes everyone’s help to bring them up to speed with everything. Some of us have been rowing for so long and we know the ins and outs of it,” said sophomore Isabelle Paul, who was recruited out of New Zealand and is also a part of the top boat. “You have to think, what are they going through, and just always

someone who wouldn’t have been there in the first place without rowing’s openness to the walk-ons.

“Any coach in any sport will tell you they’ll take anyone that’s a good student-athlete. From our perspective, it doesn’t matter how you become a good rower. If we could get the rowers we needed from high school rowing, we might not necessarily do oncampus recruiting,” Zack said.

“Roughly half of the men’s and women’s olympic rowing teams are people who didn’t row until they got to college. You can start in college to eventually making the olypmic team, so there’s a lot of potential there.”

Rowing is a walk-on friendly sport, as evidenced by the success of those who previously did walk on.

But Zack doesn’t let that be a guarantee to anyone who thinks they can just waltz in and automatically be on the team.

“We don’t promise anyone anything, other than that we’ll teach you how to row and give you that opportunity,” he said. “It’s up to you to take advantage of it.”

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYAN POSNER • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

SPORTS 7

#AZTECMGOLF

Confident Yang returns to SDSU

Sophomore Gunn Yang is back with the men’s golf team after winning the U.S. Amatuer Championship in 2014.

COURTESY OF UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION/JOHN MUMMERT

CAMERON SALCE STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ San Diego State sophomore men’s golfer Gunn Yang shocked the golf world when he won the U.S. Amateur Championship back in August of 2014. He was the 776th ranked amateur coming into the tournament and became only the second South Korean to ever win the title It was that victory that propelled him into a year-long golf journey in

the professional ranks. In his one year traveling on the PGA Tour, Yang had many eye-opening experiences.

He made just one cut at the Colonial National Invitation Tournament at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. His 65th-place finish in that tournament was his best performance as a professional. However, Yang was still exposed to everything professional golf has to offer.

He played in the U.S. Open, British Open and even the Masters in Augusta,

Georgia, which is most golfers’ dream come true. He also got to observe and learn first hand from the top professionals in the entire world and met golfing legends such as Arnold Palmer when he played in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

That was a quantum leap from where he had come from just one season earlier.

Before his win in the U.S. Amateur Championship, Yang was struggling to find playing time on a deep Aztecs roster, and even had his 25-percent scholarship taken away at one point.

Today, Yang is back on the team on a full-ride scholarship and is ready to become a leader on a talented SDSU squad.

“I want to be a good motivator on the team, I want everybody to bring out their hungry spirits and competitive instincts for what we truly want to achieve,” he said.

And what they truly want to achieve is an NCAA Championship, which Yang thinks is well within reach.

“I am expecting our team to win the Mountain West Championship, make it to match-play at nationals and win an NCAA Championship to write another page of history at SDSU, just like how I did at the U.S. Amateur Championship,” he said.

Individually, Yang expects to win at least two or three tournaments this spring.

He finished 53rd in the team’s third-

place finish at The Prestige at PGA West, which ended on Feb. 17.

Yang grew up in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and then moved to Australia with his parents when he was 12. Five years later he moved to San Diego to attend Torrey Pines High where he became an outstanding golfer.

He made his SDSU debut in 2012 as true freshman, posting a 75-stroke average in two tournaments.

Yang has many different options to consider in regards to professional golf once he’s done with school.

“After I graduate from (SDSU) I am going to start my professional career either on the European Tour or Web. com Tour. Hopefully I can receive opportunities on the PGA Tour,” he said.

Even being as confident as he is, Yang realizes there are many things he still can work on that can take his game to the next level.

“I still have lots of things to learn, but my weakness is chipping around the green and short pitches inside 50 yards,” he said.

With the experience that Yang brings to the table, along with the other talented members of the team like senior Riccardo Michelini and junior Nahum Mendoza III, the Aztecs can definitely be one of the top contenders in the MW, and even the nation.

The team’s next tournament will take place on Feb. 29 in Thousand Oaks at the Southwestern Jones Invitational.

8 OPINION

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JOSEPH CIOLINO• OPINION@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#OSCARSSOWHITE

Yes, there is an issue with the Oscars TAYLOR SIMMONS CONTRIBUTOR ____________________________________ Over the past month, Hollywood has been in an uproar surrounding the controversy over the lack of diversity in the 2016 Oscar nominations.

This is the second year in a row that the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences did not nominate an actor of color for any single Oscar.

While arguments have been made that films involving actors of color simply did not meet Oscar-worthy standards, many individuals are naming a host of successful films released this past year with strong African-American actors and actresses.

“Creed”, “Beasts of No Nation” and “Straight Outta Compton” were among the major films that did extremely well at the box office yet received no nominations for roles filled by AfricanAmerican actors or actresses.

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith has

taken a stance on the issue, likely in support of her husband’s (Will Smith) unacknowledged role in “Concussion.”

“At the Oscars ... people of color are always welcomed to give out awards ... even entertain, but we are rarely recognized for our artistic accomplishments,” Pinkett Smith said on Twitter. “Should people of color refrain from participating all together?”

The issue here is that the suggestion of a boycott or even separate awards show would likely only drive Hollywood further apart.

The focus of the conversation should not be on how to create more divisions or even on the awards alone.

The fact of the matter is that there was simply not a substantial amount of films with extraordinary African-American actors and that is what needs to change.

If critically acclaimed roles are not being filled by minority actors then there will never be an opportunity to diversify these awards.

Academy President Cheryl Boone

Isaacs released a statement regarding the issue in the days following the nominations reveal.

“I’d like to acknowledge the wonderful work of this year’s nominees.

While we celebrate their extraordinary achievements, I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion,” the statement read.

According to Isaacs’s statement, the controversy may have gained more attention than ever and change may be seen in time for next year’s nominations.

“In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond,” Boone Isaacs said in the statement.

While movements toward change are always a positive step, there is only so much the Academy can do to bring more diversity to the table.

“I think we have to stop pointing fingers and blaming the Academy,”

director and Oscar-winner Steven Speilberg. “It’s people that hire, it’s people at the main gate of studios and independents, it’s who’s writing diversity — it starts on the page. And we all have to be more proactive in getting out there and just seeking talent.”

Though the issue may not lie within the Academy itself, whose panel judges solely on quality, it is time to allow more opportunity for minorities to excel in the industry and have a chance to obtain these awards.

While there have been several Oscar wins for African-American actors in the past 15 years, there is clearly still room for improvement.

Again, the movement must be in the direction of inclusion, not division.

The final decisions of various actors in regards to attending this year’s Oscars will set the tone for what is to come.

The 88th Academy Awards will air live this sunday night, Feb. 28, hosted by the always hilarious Chris Rock.

You can watch it on ABC at 5:30 p.m.

#CHOOSESDSU

Hey, high school seniors: Choose SDSU MACKENZIE BOSS STAFF COLUMNIST ____________________________________ As the acceptances from various colleges around the country are rolling in, high school seniors are faced with an important decision they must make.

Where do they want to spend their college career?

Of course for a current Aztec, the answer is clear: San Diego State. The chance to attend college in paradise is quite the offer.

According to SDSU NewsCenter, fall 2016 admissions had a recordbreaking number of 83,316 applications submitted — both undergraduate and transfer applications.

SDSU is quickly rising in national ranks. It ranked 60th out of the country’s 477 public universities in a recent list compiled by Business First.

There are many reasons why admitted students should attend college at SDSU, but here are a few.

The campus is absolutely beautiful. No walk to class is a bad one, even an 8 a.m., when the scenery is as breathtaking as it is on our campus. You can always catch students lounging in the new student union or relaxing by the turtle pond.

The location alone of SDSU is enough for most people. SDSU is in beautiful San Diego, a short distance from the beach and surrounded by plenty of fun activities throughout the city. And if the beach is too far, SDSU is home to the Aztec Aquaplex, a huge swimming facility run by the Aztec Recreation Center, as well as the many residential halls with pools.

SDSU takes pride in its diverse student body, where each student brings a new perspective to the classroom.

SDSU is also known for its study-

abroad program, which allows students the opportunity to study abroad over summer, winter break or for a whole semester if they choose. These programs extend to over 50 countries and give students the experience of a lifetime.

There are so many opportunities for involvement, which is part of what makes SDSU so great. According to the SDSU office of admissions, there are more than 200 student organizations on campus.

With that many organizations there is a unique place for everyone. These organizations allow for each and every student to have the opportunity to get involved and find the place they feel they belong. The more involved students are, the more they truly feel like a part of the Aztec community.

SDSU athletics are a fun way for all students to cheer on the Aztecs. SDSU is unique in it allows all students to get

tickets for games, free of charge, as long as they have their Red ID. In my opinion, getting to interact with the professors at SDSU has been extremely helpful. Every single professor I have encountered thus far is willing to help each and every student in any way they can.

Having professors that genuinely care about their students makes a huge difference in a students’ academic career and beyond.

If students are interested in attending SDSU, they are invited to see the campus in action from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 19 for Explore SDSU. Explore SDSU gives prospective students an opportunity to not only see the campus, but to see its moving parts.

The event includes residential hall tours, a peak into academic life and a chance to interact with various campus organizations.

#LETTERTOTHEEDITOR

Letter: Response to study abroad concern Thanks to Amanda Yousif for opening up an important dialogue with her recent letter “Study abroad programs should be optional, not mandatory.”

As a member of the International Education Committee here on campus, I can say that we heard her concerns and discussed many of the points she made at in our most recent meeting. To Amanda, we want to say that you’re not alone in feeling this way. In fact, we hear these issues pretty frequently.

The fact is, one of the biggest causes of student anxiety regarding study abroad – whether a major requirement or not – comes from not knowing the wide range of options and resources that are out there. Barriers to studying abroad, be they financial or related to other obligations, are very real. It is our hope that with a little guidance and planning, they are surmountable.

As you mentioned in your letter, the global experience and personal development students gain from studying and living abroad is invaluable.

When you are immersed in another culture, the world is your classroom and each day is its own new learning experience.

We believe there is an experience out there that can work for you – and almost every student – on this campus. Here are a few things to keep in mind: The study abroad programs at SDSU vary greatly in both duration and price. Programs can be as long as a year or as short as a week or two. And for students watching their finances, we have programs available for any budget. A seven-week summer program in Istanbul, Turkey including three units of tuition, housing and meals, costs approximately $2,500 and offers

hundreds of courses. A three-week summer program in Osnabrück, Germany costs approximately $1,400 including three units of tuition, housing and meals. And programs to Asian countries like Singapore and Korea can be even more cost-effective because many programs include free housing and a living stipend in exchange for completing an internship or tutoring in English.

Scholarships are available for students with financial need or to support students going to specific destinations. Associated Students often awards scholarships of more than $400. Recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship can receive up to $5,000. These are just two examples – there are a lot of possibilities out there.

Our advisors are experts at finding

ways for people with other obligations to study abroad. Over the years we’ve found programs to fit the needs of students with spouses and young children, and those who work full-time jobs to support their families. Talk to a study abroad advisor, whether it’s in your school or major, in the College of Extended Studies or at the International Student Center. And, as with anything, planning ahead will serve you well.

We want to make sure all SDSU students – no matter their situation – can have a transformative international experience.

-Michael Klitzing, international communications specialist, Division of Student Affairs

OPINION 9

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JOSEPH CIOLINO• OPINION@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#MISCONCEPTIONS

The media’s Middle East is not real LEHI NASEEM CONTRIBUTOR ____________________________________ My name is Lehi Mohammad Naseem.

I am from Kurdistan, Northern Iraq and I am a Muslim woman. I do not wear a scarf, but I still believe in Allah, which is directly translated as God. I don’t believe everyone around me should have the same beliefs as I do and my faith certainly doesn’t work to oppress me.

I was born in the Middle East, and my family still lives in Kurdistan. So I’ve learned to brush off the generalizations publicized by the media. However, I have recently learned not everyone realizes these crazy stories are almost always only generalizations and not facts. Don’t get me wrong, there are several issues paralyzing parts of the region, but the Middle East is more than what the headlines tell you.

The media has consistently portrayed the Middle East as a benighted and frightening region. I realize it’s not personal; it’s just a matter of media gatekeeping. If they reported on how guerrilla forces, such as the Peshmerga, were fighting to stop the extremist violence in certain parts of the Middle East, no one would pay attention. Reading about the beheading of a Syrian man in the streets just has more of a shock

value. I’m fully aware that certain stories concerning development in the Middle East have been filtered out and replaced with rare gruesome stories just for the purpose of viewership. However, the entire region should not be judged based on the sins of a few extremists.

First and foremost, Islam, the predominant religion in the Middle East, does not promote oppression of women.

Every Muslim woman is not obligated to wear a veil and women who do have their own reasons for doing so. UC San Diego junior Zahra Alasady has been wearing a veil since she was 9. She explained her personal reasons for covering up.

“You wear a hijab to hide your beauty,” said Alasady, expressing how a woman should “keep the beauty just for (her) husband.”

The veil exemplifies modesty and honor a woman feels for herself and her family.

However that does not mean the women who do not wear a veil don’t embody the same dignifying characteristics. Contrary to popular belief, all women are valued and respected in most parts of the Middle East. Turkey was one of the first countries to grant women the right to vote in 1934. There is still more progress to be achieved but equality for women is an incessant global issue, not just a Middle Eastern one.

Second, there is a difference between Islamist extremists and the rest of the Islamic community. Western and European societies are only exposed to the malicious Muslims who manipulate religion to promote violence and spread animosity. Fortunately, this widely publicized faction is only a small portion of the billion Muslims in the world.

Islam is a peaceful religion not much different than Christianity or Judaism.

Associating every Muslim with the popularized extremists is like associating every Christian with the Westboro Baptist Church. Every Christian is not a homophobic anti-Semitic, just as every Muslim is not a terrorist.

Despite widespread belief, everyone in the Middle East is not Muslim. And “Middle Eastern” is not synonymous with “Arab.” Lebanon is the perfect example of a melting pot where a majority of Christians and Muslims have learned to live peacefully with one another. Israel has a predominantly Jewish population. And aside from the existence of the Abrahamic faiths within the Middle East, there are populations of Yezidis, Zoroastrians and many other minority religions within the area. There are also several various ethnic groups, who are not descendants of Arabs, spread throughout the region.

Thirdly, the economic issues and

achievements of the Middle East don’t only relate to access and exportation of oil. Many people believe the entire population is either mostly poor or overwhelmingly wealthy. When in reality, their wealth distribution is quite similar to America’s. The middle-class population is considerably larger than the upperand the lower-class populations. Only a handful of the wealthy actually work directly with the oil business. And for the most part, the benefits have been utilized to urbanize the region. Cities such as Dubai, Cairo and Istanbul continue to attract tourists from around the world.

Generalizations, prejudices and stereotypes exist everywhere and they will continue to exist until people are willing to learn the actual truth rather than fixate on their personal perceived truths.

We all have our own image of what someone is supposed to act or look like, but in order to truly understand one another we must stop assuming and start asking questions. The Middle East began as an enigma for the West, and then somehow turned into the epitome of terrorism. But there’s more to the region than just the violence and the religious tensions. The Middle East is beaming with culture, intelligence and development but it will only continue to be crippled by affliction if it is expected to do so.

#RATEMYPROFESSORS

Rate My Professors has very little credibility

Rate My Professors is a crowd-sourced website for rating college professors.

ANNAN GAGGI, STAFF CARTOONIST

HANNAH WILLIS CONTRIBUTOR ____________________________________ When registering for classes, college and university students alike continuously rely on Rate My Professors reviews to dictate which classes he or she should enroll in. But just how accurate are these reviews?

What I have discovered is that these reviews are not always useful nor are they reliable. These reviews are comprised of three categories:

helpfulness, clarity and easiness.

Additionally, students have the ability to assign professors a chili pepper icon to rate the attractiveness of the professor.

But should students be focusing on the aesthetics of a teacher when comprising a review of his or her teaching expertise?

Probably not.

When reading these remarks, students should read each review with a grain of salt.

Virginia Hefferman, staff writer for the New York Times, notes that the identities of students are never actually verified on

the site, questioning the credibility of the reviewer. Students expect the reviews to be from other students who previously had the specific professor, but the truth of the matter is it can be anyone, making it a necessity to determine which reviews seem credible or not.

If a teacher has one low rating among the multiple positive reviews, more often than not, the negative reviewer is not credible. That bad review is most likely a reflection of the student’s lack of effort and not the professor’s inability to teach.

In certain cases, students expect a

class to be easy based on the score of the teacher and become astonished when they genuinely have to work for a good grade. Their impression of the teacher is that he or she is a harsh grader when the reality is that college requires hard work to achieve a favorable grade.

“Students should not base decisions about their education on (Rate My Professors reviews) and professors should not get ideas from it, believing (mistakenly) that it represents the wisdom of crowds,” Hefferman wrote.

The reviews are simply fabricated representations.

That being said, sometimes professors are accurately rated on the website. I remember reading a review once that described the professor as the best that student had ever taken at SDSU. I didn’t think too much of the review but ended up enrolling in that class anyways. Sure enough, that professor transformed my way of thinking by the end of the ­ he even inspired me to semester — change my major.

Then again, we have all had some sort of experience where the class seems appealing and fits perfectly with our schedule but the professor has horrible reviews.

What do we do? We take it anyways and by the end of the semester we are completely dreading that decision (and our lives).

Frankly, picking a teacher you might love or hate is all a matter of luck and personal opinion, but you will never be able to form your own opinion about a teacher unless you give that teacher a shot (without looking up his or her reviews).

If you can’t resist Rate My Professors, then I encourage you to: “Seek good teachers rather than simply seeking easy teachers and to be fair when making comments,” English teacher William B. Harrison said in a letter to Slate.

10 ARTS & LIFESTYLE

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#LHON

Alum speaks on rare eye condition SCARLET KEOLANUI CONTRIBUTOR ____________________________________ Jeremy Poincenot travels the country as a motivational speaker to inspire students, just as he did for his talk “Limitless Leadership” at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union on Wednesday, Feb. 17.

He also competes in golf tournaments across the world and has been the subject of several TV shows, such as ABC’s “20/20” and MTV’s “True Life.”

He has accomplished all this while being legally blind.

Before fall 2008, Poincenot was a typical 19-year-old sophomore at San Diego State and a Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity member.

His world was rocked one day after walking on Campanile Walkway and having to squint his eyes to read the Open Air Theatre sign.

was not as optimistic as Poincenot.

He believed he could possibly have a brain tumor, causing him to lose his vision.

He still had no answer after months of trial and error, misdiagnoses, doctor visits, hospital stays and hours of steroid and IV pumping, Poincenot still had no answer.

Finally he was diagnosed with Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, an extremely rare, degenerative eye disease that is passed down maternally.

Poincenot’s world turned upside down as he began the grieving process. He tried to cope with not being able to drive, read or recognize the faces of his loved ones.

Poincenot admittedly suffered from depression for months. But with the help of his family and his fraternity brothers, Poincenot came back to SDSU the following semester.

Growing up, Poincenot was an avid

“ WE GET SO CAUGHT UP IN OURSELVES ... BUT DO WE TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK

AT THE PEOPLE AROUND US AND OFFER TO HELP THEM OUT, BE THERE TO LEND A HELPING HAND? BECAUSE THAT REALLY CAN HELP AND CHANGE PEOPLE’S LIVES.”

- Jeremy Poincenot SDSU alumnus

Poincenot did as any other college student would and called his mom for help.

His visit to the optometrist led to the conclusion that he could not read the eye chart on the wall with only his right eye opened.

Alarmed, his optometrist referred him to an eye specialist.

Even then, Poincenot remembers finding optimism in the situation.

“Maybe, I just have really bad vision and need really thick glasses,” he remembered thinking. “Those are really in right now. Martin Scorsese has been rocking the thick glasses for years!”

Unfortunately, the eye specialist

athlete and a dedicated golfer. He was devastated at the thought of never playing golf again until his mother told him about the International Blind Golf Association.

Fast forward to August 2010 and Poincenot and his father won the World Blind Golf Championship as golfer and guide .

Poincenot and his fraternity brothers began a fundraiser in 2009 to raise awareness and funds for LHON research.

They founded Cycling Under Reduced Eyesight Ride, a tandem bike ride from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

The fundraiser has so far raised more than $175,000 for LHON

Jeremy Poincenot raises awareness for a degenerative eye disease.

COURTESY OF JEREMY POINCENOT

research.

One memory Poincenot shared from his time at SDSU was the year after he lost his vision, when SDSU’s Greek Week announced its focus of philanthropy on LHON research.

The effort ended up raising $35,000.

“That was unbelievable,” he said.

“I remember a bunch of my fraternity brothers came up to me to tell me that they voted for LHON research and I was almost in tears because I was so grateful and appreciative that everyone in the Greek community was going to raise money for LHON.” The biggest thing Poincenot wanted SDSU students to take away from his talk last Wednesday at the student union was that everyone has the power to influence the lives of other people.

“We get so caught up in ourselves in college, we get so caught up in our

popularity status, how cool we might look doing something, what we are doing Thursday, Friday, Saturday night,” he said. “But do we take the time to look at the people around us and offer to help them out, be there or lend a helping hand? Because that really can help and change people’s lives.”

Students attending Poincenot’s talk appreciated his message.

“Poincenot is not only an inspiration to those that endure LHON, he is an inspiration to us all,” communication junior Nikita Larson-Packer said.

“As a member of an individualistic society, I am guilty of taking things for granted and under-appreciating what is great in my life. After listening to Poincenot’s story and witnessing how his condition has shaped his life, I am now conscious of what I have to be thankful for.”

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

ARTS & LIFESTYLE 11

#WOMENSCENTER

Grad runs ‘brave space’ for women NICOLE SAZEGAR STAFF WRITER ______________________________________ When Jessica Nare graduated from San Diego State with a graduate degree in women’s studies, all she was sure of was that she wanted to create social change for women. When the Women’s Resource Center came to fruition at SDSU, she knew she had found her dream job.

While working as the Women’s Resource Center coordinator, Nare has turned the Women’s Resource Center into a “brave space” where people can feel comfortable talking about difficult topics while being supported by others.

“I think my biggest goal is just to create a space where people want to spend time and connect with one another and build a community,” Nare said. “(I also want to) sort of have a hub where people who are interested in these issues can convene and

connect and get to know one another.”

As coordinator, Nare is tasked with managing the space and the student employees. She also plans programming and attempts to engage students on campus in the Women’s Resource Center.

“It’s been super fun seeing people connecting here and talking about issues in the center,” she said. “I think we’re already seeing people gravitate toward this space and using it to get the resources and support they need to get their needs met, and that’s really exciting.”

Nare’s involvement with the Women’s Resource Center stems from her activism as an undergrad for social justice issues.

Seeing her peers struggle with the messages young women receive from society every day frustrated her enough to spark her interest in women’s issues.

“I was in a lot of activism on campus as an undergrad student, so it’s exciting to see that the conversation has progressed

a lot, but it’s sort of frustrating to see (sexual violence) is still happening, and it’s still something we have to work to address,” Nare said. “It’s hard in social justice — there’s no quick solution. There’s nothing that you can do to create change overnight.”

By working with SDSU, Nare and the Women’s Resource Center have big goals to create safe places on campus.

Nare hopes to consolidate lactation spaces on campus, and centralize that information so students can register through the Women’s Resource Center website to get access to these spaces.

She also plans to supplement sexual violence prevention and education programming on campus and offer more opportunities for students to learn about sexual violence and receive training to prevent it from occurring on campus.

Nare’s leadership skills have allowed employees at the Women’s Resource

CROSSWORDS

CLASSIFIEDS 31 Snoozed 33 Fictional voyager 40 Retired New York senator Al D’__ 41 Rational 42 DDE rival 45 Esteemed league member 46 N, in Morse code 49 Sparkle 52 Currencies 53 Irrationality 58 Bravo preceder 59 Host of the 2015 MLB All-Star Game 61 Not masc. or fem.

62 Prod 63 Gold brick 64 Fashion monogram 65 Jury member 66 Fluff, as hair

ACROSS 1 Lobsters’ sense organs 6 Celebs 10 Flight from the law 13 Poker declaration 14 “__ my guard down”

15 Famille patriarch 16 Form by combining elements 18 One-piece garments, slangily 19 Rome-based carrier 20 Toll road timesaver

Center to help the center grow.

“She allows for us to grow and for us to apply what we would like to do in this center,” women’s studies graduate student Marcie Rojas said. “She guides us, but also leaves us room to come up with our own ideas and the kind of programming we would like to do.”

The Women’s Resource Center has only been open since the beginning of last semester, but it has already become a space where cultural change is supported, women are celebrated and serious issues get discussed.

“We’re a space that sort of centers on women’s experiences,” Nare said. “We’re also interested in thinking about other forms of identity and thinking about race, sexual orientation, gender identity and social class.

“This is really the place where those conversations can take place and where people can learn more and explore.”

22 “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” singer 24 Performer’s supporters 28 Guacamole, e.g.

29 Twisty letter 30 Diva delivery

DOWN 1 Italian capital of its own province 2 Kind of nitrite 3 Actress Anderson 4 Golf stroke that can be practiced in a hallway 5 Cornell University city 6 Brand that “gets the red out” 7 Epic with a very big horse 8 Refillable candy 9 Metal playing marbles 10 Delaware Valley tribe 11 Comes into view 12 Salutation abbreviation

15 Bite-size Chinese appetizer 17 Tarzan portrayer Ron et al.

21 Mothers of Invention musician 23 Empty, as threats 24 Fourth notes 25 “Entourage” agent Gold 26 Diarist Anaïs 27 Rum-soaked cake 31 “The Affair” airer, briefly 32 Morticia, to Gomez 34 Peaceful relations 35 Annual tennis team event 36 Texting farewell 37 Chap 38 Lennon partner 39 On Soc. Sec. 42 The same number 43 Places where élèves study 44 Wicked ... and, homophonically, like five long puzzle answers 46 One of the reindeer 47 “The Bell of __”: Longfellow 48 “Don’t need to watch that movie again” 50 Spiffy 51 Fencing attack 54 Celebrity chef Burrell 55 Lengthy story 56 Nebraska natives 57 Evening, in ads 60 Anger

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PLEASE NOTE: The Daily Aztec does not endorse or support and has no affiliation with the products or services offered in the Classifieds section. To place an ad in the Classifieds section, please visit thedailyaztec.com/classifieds The views expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec. Comments? Email us at letters@ thedailyaztec.com

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12 THE BACK PAGE

FEB. 24 - MAR. 1, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#TIMEHOP

The ghosts of my Facebook past CHRISTINE WHITMAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________________

I

t was a normal Wednesday night.

I’m sitting in the living room with my roommate, stressing over the horror that is public relations, when I hear a booming sound escape from inside my other roommate’s bedroom.

Just for reference, I have five roommates and sometimes I wonder if I'm in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves."

Anyway, I realize she’s laughing hysterically, which isn’t uncommon.

She bolts down our hallway, giving Flash a run for his money, and starts reading her old Facebook posts to us.

No, not “old” as in last year, or two years from now, but her original Facebook posts — from 2009, when we were freshmen in high school.

As she continued to read, I started thinking, “I wonder what I wrote online seven years ago.” I shuddered at the thought. How could I have survived the Internet without my high school and college training about what not to put on the Internet? Regardless, I took the plunge and scrolled all the way down to the beginning of my life, post-MySpace and pre-Twitter.

I felt like I had just entered the Twilight Zone and all I needed was Rod Sterling telling me I had entered another dimension.

Each post was a compilation of unnecessary, vague status updates, inside jokes, commentary no one asked for and an abundance of spelling errors.

As a current student journalist and future public relations professional, the spelling and grammar errors were appalling to read. Did spell check not exist back then? Did I even know what spell check was?

Speaking of vague and unnecessary, on Oct. 8, 2009, I posted a single smiley face. Am I the only one wondering why I was happy? Where is the backstory or context? I feel like I’m suffering from SFAS: Smiley Faces Anonymous Syndrome.

Like every other 14-year-old, I thought I was the funniest, wittiest person on earth. But from the several un-liked status updates, I realize that’s not the case, which was a rude reality check.

Could it have been possible that I posted too much content on Facebook? Could it be that no one wanted to know what I was eating for dinner? Impossible.

But I promise, something positive did come from my entering the Twilight Zone of Facebook.

I realized how important I was to those around me, not Kanye West important — but close. I have had the same core group of friends for almost 10 years and the same best friend for 15, and when I looked back that Wednesday evening I saw the early years of our friendship.

Before Twitter and Snapchat, everyone posted everything on Facebook, so there was a ton of content to reflect on.

From the clear status updates and inside jokes I actually remember, I was able to reminisce on the time we spent together. I became overwhelmingly

#DASNAPSHOTS

CRISTIAN RANGEL, PHOTO EDITOR

sentimental as I glanced at all the updates, photos and YouTube video links that were once so important.

Although I don't remember what all of the inside jokes mean because there were quite a few, I still found myself laughing at all the possible meanings.

How else would you let someone know you care besides posting a chainmail status on your wall that you had to repost before getting bad luck?

No matter how horrifying, I invite you to read your old Facebook posts. If you start seeing vague status updates,

inside jokes and spelling errors galore, congratulations, you opened a Facebook account during your teens — and survived. But put aside the negative and you’ll see how many people thought it was important to post “I love you” on your wall for all of your other friends to see.

Although it may be hard to survive, don’t delete your old posts. Keep them online to remember how far you, and your friends, have come.

Besides, nothing is really “deleted” from the Internet anyway.

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AFTERNOON BY THE STRAIT

News Editor Jamie Ballard snapped this photo at the Dolmabace Palace on the Bosphorus Strait while studying abroad in Turkey.