Southern Accent, Vol. 78 Issue 14

Southern Accent

Ignite Live to host Cory Asbury as featured guest artist

This semester, Ignite Live will feature singer/songwriter and Grammy-award winner Cory Asbury, according to Southern Adventist University’s website. Asbury is a successful artist and the composer of “Reckless Love” and “Sparrows,” a song he wrote during the pandemic using imagery from Matthew 6. The event will take place Saturday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m. in Iles P.E. Center.

As of Monday evening, tickets were sold out online. They were free for Southern students and alumni. For those who do not attend Southern, tickets cost $10 for adults, $5 for high school and college students and $25 for family packages of four.

Aaron Patterson, senior media production major and the producer, marketing assistant and co-host of Ignite, shared details about the event in an interview with the Accent. Patterson said the Ignite Live team has been planning this event for a long time and originally had another guest in mind. They initially built the show around that guest, but it did not work out.

“Right before Christmas break,

they gave us a call and said that they were unavailable because the person had become pregnant, which is super cool,” Patterson said. “But it was kind of a frustrating thing to try, then, to pull something together.”

Patterson emphasized that he and Ignite sponsor Pablo Fernandez had to act quickly to find a guest for the event, which was two months away. When Patterson was trying to get in contact with Asbury, he sent several emails, and someone named Rebecca Cox got back to him. While conversing with her, they discovered that they knew each other because she took pictures for his wedding. Patterson said that was a blessing because Cox knowing him was all the credibility he needed to secure Asbury as a guest.

“I'm super proud of my team,” Patterson said. “I absolutely could not have done it without them, like, actually, could not have done it without them, because it was just such an incredible amount to do.”

Patterson said Ignite Live is like a Christian late night talk show. This year, it will be centered around the anxiety and stress that Asbury talks about in his song “Sparrows.”

Health science major Gianna Bacchiocchi, who serves as co-host and internal marketing director for Ignite, shared some more details about the event.

“We put in a lot of work to make a night for the students so that they can come and sit back and relax and experience playing games and good conversation and even better music,” Bacchiocchi said. “Cory is super talented. Not only is he going to be presenting just amazingly, brilliantly written songs … he's also going to be shedding light on Christ.”

Senior advertising major Sarah Manuel, marketing director for Ignite, emphasized the work the team has put into this production.

“Ignite Live is a student-led production,” Manuel said. “I think it would be super cool for people to come out and support the hard work that has been put into this because the clubs are involved, [as well as] the School of Journalism and Communication and other departments. We are trying to show students that not just people from the [SJC] can be involved with Ignite Live — that everyone is welcomed!”

Southern Adventist University Steel Band goes on first ever tour

Alana Crosby Editor-in-Chief

On Jan. 18, the Southern Adventist University Steel Band left for its first tour. The group, which consists of 12 members directed by Keith Lloyd, visited Walker Memorial High School, Forest Lake Education Center, Forest Lake Academy and Whole Life Church on their trip to central Florida. According to Ken Parsons, band member and associate professor in the School of Music, it is the only steel band in the Tennessee Valley.

The ensemble was created in 2019, according to Parsons. Although the band has existed for four years, this was their first opportunity to tour due to COVID19 and other issues.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said.

In an email to the Accent, Lloyd wrote that the tour was a tremendous success.

“The trip was outstanding!”

Lloyd wrote. “We performed for at least 1,500 people over five concerts at four different locations in Florida. … In addition to sharing music with many people, the students were able to enjoy time at the beach and go on a canoe trip at a natural spring. The trip would not have been possible if it wasn’t for SAU Director of Bands, Ken Parsons. He put all of the work into planning a terrific trip so that the students and I could focus on sharing music and fel-

lowship with many wonderful people in Florida.”

In an interview with the Accent, four steel band members spoke enthusiastically about their tour experience. Amy Van Arsdell, junior history major, said the trip has, so far, been the highlight of her college experience.

“I feel like people have fun when they're in the audience listening to us, like the kids are always clapping and bobbing their heads,” Van Arsdell said. “But no matter how much fun they're having, we're having more fun, like twice as much fun playing it ourselves.”

The Steel Band offers a unique

Collegedale church expands livestreaming system

Alexis Dewey Staff Writer

The Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists, also known as the university church, has been expanding the last several years. With roughly 3,000 members, the church is always looking for ways to serve others and “share Christ effectively,” according to the church’s website.

The newest improvement to the church is its new livestreaming system.

“In the last few years, we have seen the need to expand the ministry,” said Matt Spears, a staff member at the church who heads the livestreaming system.

Although the church began livestreaming in the winter of 2010, Spears said administrators noticed a great need for an upgrade, especially due to COVID-19.

Roughly 50 to 200 people watch the livestreamed services, so the church wanted to raise its production quality and began gathering the funds to do so.

Noah Bynum, a student who recently graduated from the School of Journalism and Communication (SJC), took on this task as his senior project. Bynum was the manager and researcher for the podcasting and livestreaming studio during the fall of 2022. He kept in touch with a team that designs

TV studio sets and worked for the same company that constructed the SAU News set on campus. The project, Bynum said, is still being constructed and designed.

The live streaming system will bring some changes, the biggest being the location of the studio. Bynum said the studio was previously in a janitor’s closet. Soon, the project will take place in the former training chapel, which has been divided into two rooms. One room will be dedicated to livestreaming and the other for podcasts.

Bynum also mentioned that the studio is changing locations so the audio-visual (AV) team has a better view of the sanctuary. Before, they used pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras. The AV team will be able to do their job much better when they are able to see what is going on more clearly.

Bynum said the church intends to have a section in the room where the pastor can say a few words during the children's story regarding the sermon he’s about to preach. This addition will only be for the livestreaming audience, as the church does not want to have the children on the livestream, said Bynum.

The church is still in the progress of making these changes and

advancing the livestreaming studio.

“Our hope is that our livestreaming program will only grow and

get better as we seek to make improvements,” said Spears. The podcasts can be accessed on

the church’s website, Spotify and

Podcasts. The live streams can be viewed on the website.

Génesis Ventura Reporter

Southern Adventist University Steel Band members pose for a picture. (Photo courtesy of School of Music)

See STEEL BAND on page 3

Singer/songwriter and Grammy award-winner Cory Asbury (Photo courtesy of the School of Journalism and Communication)

Andrew Boggess works with the Audio Visual team of the Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists in their new livestreaming room. Saturday, January 28, 2022. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

Apple

School of Nursing to continue modifying degree programs

Lindsay Beckwith Staff Writer

Starting next school year, Southern Adventist University’s School of Nursing (SON) pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program will be available for students to begin both semesters, according to Holly Gadd, dean of SON, and Nissa Haugen, the school’s Director of Admissions and Progressions.

Previously, Southern provided an AS (Associate in Science) and BSN pathway available for students to start both semesters, while the pre-licensure BSN could only be started in the winter semester.

Now, students can enroll in the six-semester BSN program starting in the fall as well as the five-semester BSN program starting in the winter. According to Gadd, allowing nursing students to enroll in the program in the fall provides them with more flexibility, ensuring that

they will be able to efficiently complete their degree requirements.

Haugen said this new availability will allow students to obtain their BSN without being interrupted by a premature Associate of Science (AS) graduation and the accompanying National Council Licensing Exam

(NCLEX), typically taken at the completion of a nursing degree.

“We are always looking for ways to make things better for our students,” Haugen said, “and this is a wonderful new opportunity for SAU School of Nursing students.”

Obtaining a BSN not only

decreases hospital-caused illness and death but also increases salary and promotion potential, and those with BSNs have higher firsttime pass rates on the NCLEX exam, Haugen said.

SON also provides an AS-BSN (or RN-BSN) online option available to start in the fall, winter or summer semesters.

Additionally, SON’s off-campus consortium program joined Southern’s Adult Degree Completion (ADC) program as an online option in the fall of 2022, according to Gadd and Danielle Wolf, clinical instructor for SON.

The off–campus consortium program started years ago with a mission to bring back, at 40% of the tuition, nursing students who were already working in the field. The consortium offered a few classes once a week, in person, at a communal location, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pro-

gram had no access to facilities and switched to offering classes online.

According to Gadd, after COVID19, the consortium never switched back to offering classes in person, and it became apparent that the program would never thrive as it had before the pandemic. This realization prompted the decision to merge the consortium and ADC program.

Gadd explained that since both programs were created to reach out to working adults and help them complete their degrees, the consortium and ADC programs joined forces. The online program is also a convenient option for RN-BSN students due to the flexible schedule and reduced price.

“We are trying to meet the needs of our nursing population,” said Joelle Wolf, associate professor in SON. “The nation is in a nursing shortage, and we are trying to help.”

European Club opens to students after 3-year hiatus

Catalin Andrei Modiga, a senior computer science major from Romania, is relaunching the European Club at Southern to introduce European culture to other students on campus. Although the club was established in 2020, COVID-19 put a halt to its future plans, leaving it stagnant when students were sent home for quarantine.

As of 2021, Southern Adventist University was ranked the second most diverse regional university in the South, according to U.S News and World Report. Among the ethnic groups are students who have emigrated from Europe or who have grown up in European households.

“Not a lot of people have been to Romania, but there's so much rich history there,” Modiga said. “I’ve been to France and Germany, and there's so much beautiful culture there. ... I think that a lot of European diversity is overlooked at Southern.”

With a family that comes from Serbia and Croatia, Grace Sikora, junior computer science major, commented on the value the club

could bring to campus.

“I don’t know many other Europeans on campus. It would be interesting to learn more about them and their cultures. I think it would be fun,” Sikora said.

Now with new leadership, the club has a few exciting events planned for the year.

“This semester is us getting up and going. There are a lot of unknowns, but I really plan on doing community service; that's number one,” Modiga said. “I want to do a vespers, a game night, maybe a convocation. I won't say all my secrets, but maybe a European market.”

Modiga explained that the European market would be a reflection of the markets he saw in Romania when he was a child, full of delicious foods and rich heritage.

“I want to make this a reflection of our culture,” Modiga said. “A lot of it is found in European markets. The markets are full but special. A big thing in Romania is during the week after class, you'd go out with friends or with family through the market. You're looking at stuff and products to buy and then just eating while doing that. That's some-

thing I fondly remember.”

Modiga first began thinking about a European club in the Fall 2022 semester. Last semester, he met a lot of other students from Europe. He wanted to establish a community within that European population on campus.

“[The club’s purpose is] to bring people together from all over the world, and especially people from Europe as well,” Modiga said. “There are many people from France, Germany and Austria, and a lot of Romanians on campus. It’s to bring them together to show other people what we do in our culture.”

Although the European Club’s premise is to showcase European culture, students of all nationalities are invited to join, according to Modiga. He hopes all students can find a community within the club.

“I really hope everyone joins, not just Europeans,” he said. “We can come together, become friends and learn more about each other and our cultures. I just want everyone to enjoy this. We go to school here. We should all be friends and family.”

Since the club is getting back on its feet, members are looking for students who would like to fill the

positions of secretary and chaplain. If you are interested, email Modiga at amodiga@southern.edu.

Students react to reopening of vegan eatery 'The Garden' on campus

Zelidon Reporter Amanda Blake Managing Editor

The Garden, a plant-based eatery that opened on Southern Adventist University’s campus last winter, reopened this school year on Jan. 16.

The eatery’s reopening was delayed due to nationwide supply chain shortages, wrote Maggie Pickens, manager of The Garden, in an email to the Accent. It had to wait longer than expected to receive “vital large equipment.”

Now that The Garden is open from 12 to 2 p.m. on weekdays, students consistently line up outside its doors on the fourth floor of Wright Hall when classes end at 11:50 a.m., said multiple students in line for the eatery on Jan. 19. The line regularly extends beyond Wright Hall’s doors on the promenade, they added.

“Compared to the cafeteria and CK2, this feels a little bit more like a complete meal,” said Rosela Disla, sophomore physical therapy assistant major, about The Garden while waiting for its doors to open.

"Our goal in this is to create a friendly and inviting space for students and guests." January 26, 2023. (Photo by Mila Bales).

“It was pretty good,” said Christiana Nardi, sophomore computer science

major, describing food she’d eaten at the eatery earlier in the week. “I was excited for it to open.”

“I really like the food that they had last time, like the lasagna,” added Nardi’s companion, Amanda Leitao, sophomore biology major. “It didn’t even taste like it was vegan. Like everything had a lot of flavors, which is good compared to the cafeteria food.”

According to Pickens, some students have already become regular customers.

“When asking students what their favorite menu options have been during our two weeks of operation, they will smile and say, ‘It’s hard to pick one specific meal!’ she wrote. “Usually, they will list a few of their current favorites each week. Most students are excited to have the option to incorporate more plant-centered eating into their lifestyle.”

The Garden’s weekly menu is posted on its Instagram, the_garden_ atsau. Only one meal, which costs $10.49, is served each day. For example, according to Instagram, Thursday’s meal will be “The Poke Bowl.”

The eatery accepts student ID, staff ID, debit and credit but does not currently accept cash.

The menu has expanded significantly this school year and will continue to expand as the semester continues, wrote Pickens. She provided examples of new items, including pumpkin pesto pasta, sweet potato curry and sassy Moroccan lentil eggplant stew.

The venue has also undergone changes, with new wooden flooring, canvas art prints and “a welcoming color scheme,” wrote Pickens.

“Our goal in this was to create a friendly and inviting space for students and guests,” she added.

Pickens is thankful for the hardworking students employed at The Garden; however, she is still looking to fill a few positions. As the team’s labor force increases, Pickens aims to provide small pick-up orders for campus departments and increase lunch hours to accommodate various class schedules. Eventually, Pickens would like to open during supper hours; her target date is fall of this year.

Kathy

Nursing student, Eian Dumamon, studying in the library.

January 30, 2022 (Photo by Ron Cabacungan)

Flag of the European Union (Photo sourced from: Pexels)

STEEL BAND

continued from page 1

listening experience, complete with interactive elements for the audience. Anna Estep, junior elementary education major, recounted the students at Walker Memorial High School clapping along to one of the band’s longest songs.

“There was one song — the song is, like, almost four minutes long — and [the kids] clapped on beat the whole time. I was like, ‘Wow, that’s commitment,’” Estep said.

At Whole Life Church, after the last performance of the trip, some children approached the steel pans and asked if they could take a closer look, according to Estep. She invited them to try out the instruments for themselves, an experience which Estep described as the highlight of the tour for her.

“It's just so cool to get the kids’ reaction, because it's such a fun thing to see kids interested in music,” Estep said.

“And that’s how it should be — a fun experience,” Van Arsdell added.

“And they can see we’re having fun on stage.”

Ben Kim, senior psychology major, also commented on the music’s ability to bring energy to the audience.

“Just getting that level of audience engagement — it's not something that I normally experience in other music tours and other music

groups,” Kim said, “and I think that's what makes it very special.”

When asked why Southern decided to add a steel band to its musical programs, Parsons said the instruments are an important part of “the musical landscape of our country,” adding that they “broaden our musical culture here on campus.”

According to Google Arts and Culture, steel drums, or pans, orig-

inated in the 1930s in Trinidad and Tobago. The creation of the drums can be traced back to enslaved Africans brought to the Caribbean in the 1700s.

“And we know that [students] are interested in other sorts of music, other than maybe what has been traditionally associated with Southern, with our ensembles,” Parsons said. “And that's not to sell any of those short at all, but it's to say that we recognize that the world of music is wider. And we're interested in exploring those musics. We got marvelous feedback from every place that we played. I think it was a win win.”

Ryan Howell, junior chemistry major, said the most important part of any group trip is to go into it with the right attitude.

“Regardless of what you're doing on the trip or how long it is, it's great to connect with people from other majors and other interests and get to know them better,” Howell said.

“And that's one of the main

things that tours do,” Parsons said. “That's something we lost during the pandemic because we couldn't get out there and do anything like that. Tours are really, really special. You're not going to remember that biology test you took 25 years from now, but you will remember the trips that you went on.”

Lloyd wrote that the band is impactful on Southern’s campus as it diversifies the music experience and brings students together.

“The steel band allows me to work with a diverse group of students who enjoy playing exciting music together,” he wrote. “The students do have a background in music, but most of them have never played pans before. It’s fun to experience the growth of the students in the ensemble, and I get to perform with them, too. Having a steel band at SAU provides a unique ensemble that focuses on Caribbean music styles as well as transcriptions of popular music.”

Pastors' kids under pressure: The common ‘PK’ stereotypes

Hannah Johnson Reporter

A poll on the Accent’s Instagram account asked Southern Adventist University students to describe the different stereotypes assigned to pastors’ kids, often referred to as PKs. The respondents generally gave two contradicting answers: PKs are rebellious, up to no good and disobedient or they are perfect, heavily involved in the church and stuck up. Within the group that responded, 52 out of 170 said they are pastors’ kids.

Lorraine Ball, professor in the School of Journalism and Communication and daughter of a former Seventh-day Adventist conference president and General Conference vice president, gave similar answers in an interview with the Accent. She defined the stereotypical PK as either being the model child that’s compliant, smart and always obeys or the problem child that is always rebelling against the system.

Ball explained that not only do PKs have their parents watching over them, teaching them right from wrong, but also the church continuously scrutinizing their actions. She described how people would call her dad if they saw her doing something they did not approve of. This caused her to feel

pressured to act a certain way in front of church members.

“There is some pressure to be perfect, and people are shocked if you have done something they have disapproved of,” she said.

Ball said church participation was ingrained in her. Because her parents were heavily involved, she was often asked to help. After years of participation, she learned the intricacies of church buildings and their operations.

Matthew Kimbley, a pastor’s kid and sophomore music major, also explained how the church would often push him to participate as well, especially with music.

“The church members would expect me to do extra, and whenever I would turn it down, they would always respond, ‘Oh you don’t want to be involved with church; you don’t care about it,’” he said. “It would just make me want to do less in the end.”

Kimbley also agreed with Ball that the stereotypes church members have for PKs are built off of real observations. He said people’s expectations for PKs are often higher than the expectations they have for others.

“The pastor is held to a higher standard, and their kids are held to the same standard,” Kimbley said.

Many respondents to the Instagram poll expressed similar sentiments to the ones expressed by Ball and Kimbley, such as pastors’ kids facing a high amount of pressure to behave appropriately and difficulty saying no to helping at

church functions.

Ball and Kimbley do believe that there can be pros to these experiences. Ball said she was involved in church as a young adult not just because of her dad but because she believed as a Christian that

involvement within the church is important. Kimbley shared how pressure from PK stereotypes has helped strengthen his faith and taught him to be strong despite what other people think.

“The pastor is held to a higher standard, and their kids are held to the same standard."

Suspects arrested after car chase initiated on Southern's campus

Elsie Pak

Collegedale News Editor

On Jan. 23, the Collegedale Police Department (CPD) took Matthew Higdon and Heather Profitt into custody following a vehicle chase that started in the dormitory parking lots of Southern Adventist University and ended in a self-wreck at 1265 East 3rd Street, Chattanooga.

Following the chase and crash, the two individuals were detained and the vehicle searched, according to the incident report. Higdon and Profitt were taken into custody and found to both have theft-related warrants outside of Collegedale, according to CPD Assistant Chief Jamie Heath. Additionally, Higdon was charged with evading arrest, felony possession of drugs and paraphernalia, reckless endangerment and driving on a suspended license. Profitt was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

The developments began last Monday in the early morning. The CPD had been conducting business checks due to recent auto burglaries and thefts on Southern’s campus at the request of the university’s campus security.

According to Shawn Haas, the associate director of Campus Safety, there was a recent

car theft on Cafeteria Drive sometime in the early morning of Jan. 20. Campus security has increased its patrols of Southern’s campus, according to Haas. It also has requested increased patrols by the CPD in response to the theft.

At around 1:40 a.m. that Monday morning, a CPD officer observed two individuals with a white Toyota Camry walking around vehicles in

across the yellow and white lines at around 10 miles per hour.

The CPD officer subsequently initiated a traffic stop at Apison Pike, but the vehicle turned right towards Spalding Drive, made a U-turn in the middle of the roadway and then turned left back towards University Drive, according to the incident report.

It notes that the driver threw something out the driver’s window before running the stop sign at the intersection of Apison Pike and University Drive, turning right on to Apison Pike and taking off at a moderate speed.

ing to the incident report. The pursuit carried on past Bonnie Oaks Drive, the intersection of Bonnie Oaks and High-

are still looking into it. Haas also stated that while campus security does have some footage of Higdon and Proffit walking around a couple cars, there is nothing definitive as the angle of the cameras is such that the individuals cannot be identified in any meaningful way.

“While we do have a significant amount of cameras on campus,” said Haas about the video footage, “we still have areas that do not have complete coverage. However, Southern is working on a new camera plan that adds additional CCTV on campus over the next three years.”

the parking lot of Taylor Circle, according to the incident report filed by reporting CPD Officer K. McDaniel. The report also states that when the vehicle left the parking lot to turn right onto University Drive, it was swerving

During the pursuit, two other items were thrown out the windows, one out the driver’s side around Sanborn Drive, another out of the passenger’s side after running the light at the intersection of Apison Pike and Little Debbie Parkway. Another CPD officer joined the chase around Apison Pike before the vehicle ran another red light at the intersection of Apison Pike and Old Lee Highway before turning left on that street.

Hamilton County deputies joined the pursuit around Old Lee Highway before taking over the chase, accord-

way 58, Benton Drive and until 1265 East 3rd Street, where it wrecked on its own at around 2:06 a.m.

The vehicle itself was found to hold five straws containing residue, a pipe grenade containing residue and a pill cutter containing less than half of a gram of methamphetamine.

Court dates for Higdon and Profitt are set for March 8, according to the incident report.

In an email to the Accent, Haas stated that there is no indication yet that the campus car theft and the recent car chase are related; however, Collegedale detectives

Haas also notes that while these types of crimes are not frequent occurrences on Southern’s campus, they are always a possibility, so campus security is working with the CPD to assist them in any way they can when incidents occur.

“We also send and have sent out safety alerts,” said Haas about responding to the theft. “It serves as a reminder for students, faculty and staff to lock their doors, refrain from leaving valuables in vehicles and make sure to not leave keys in the vehicle.”

The band performs at Forest Lake Academy.

(Photo courtesy of School of Music)

(Photo sourced from: Unsplash)

Campus security has increased its patrols of Southern's campus, according to Haas. It has also requested increased patrols by the CPD in response to the theft.

There is no indication yet that the campus car theft and the recent car chase are related; however, Collegedale detectives are still looking into it.

Cardboard Boat Race

Danny Oh and Carissa Djami paddle their carboard boat across the pool.

January 28, 2022 (Photo by: Ronnell Cabacungan)

Ronn Agustin and Anaya Parker attempt to keep themselves above water.

January 28, 2022 (Photo by: Ronnell Cabacungan)

Coach Mike Boyd commentates as contestestents build cardboard boats for the upcoming race.

January 28, 2022 (Photo by: Ronnell Cabacungan)

Contestants race across the pool in carboard boxes while the crowd watches in the background.

January 28, 2022 (Photo by: Ronnell Cabacungan)

Hannah Reimche-Vu and Ryan Howell paddle their boat across the pool.

January 28, 2022 (Photo by: Ronnell Cabacungan)

Self compassion: Treating yourself as you treat others

Kiana Oliver Graduate Assistant

Editor’s note: The following article is written in partnership with Counseling Services and the Southern Accent.

As a college student, see if you relate to the following scenario: You finally hit the submit button on eClass for that last assignment, and you’re ready for bed. As your body settles in for much-needed sleep, your mind begins drifting. You think about the events of your day, week or maybe the past year. Suddenly, you cringe about that quiz you recently failed. You wonder if your classmates thought your question

during class was foolish, or you remember the most embarrassing moment of your life. Maybe you haven’t been attentive as a friend or partner and now feel like the worst person in the universe. The list of self-criticism keeps growing and growing. Pretty soon, your rest time has turned into a barrage of attacks from your worst enemy: yourself. Does this scenario sound familiar? Instead of seeing these incidents as mistakes, you berate yourself. But next time you’re bombarding yourself with negative thoughts, ask yourself: Would you talk to a

friend this way? If any of your friends were having a bad day, would you respond by saying they’re stupid losers and should be ashamed of themselves? Spoiler alert: If you do, you probably won’t have many friends left. Nevertheless, we’re totally comfortable with saying these hurtful things to ourselves.

Maybe you’ve already heard of self-compassion and brushed it off as some psychobabble or a synonym for self-pity. However, according to an article by Kristin Neff of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, self-compassion “entails being warm

and understanding toward ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate.” She also rejects the assumption that self-compassion is self-pity or self-indulgence. Instead, being compassionate towards yourself entails wanting the best for yourself in the long run. Wallowing in excessive unhappiness or seeking pleasure through drugs, sexual hookups, overeating, etc., will harm your overall well-being.

To start practicing self-compassion, you can complete the self-compassion quiz on www. greatergood.berkeley.edu. Although I enjoy working out

to alleviate stress, I’ve found that building self-compassion requires a slower paced activity such as breathing exercises. If you’re a beginner like me, you can find guided breathing sessions through Spotify or YouTube. I also recommend downloading the Soulspace app, which helps you draw closer to Christ and bring some peace into your busy life.

Lastly, remember to apply the Golden Rule found in Matthew 7:12 to your life. The next time you’re caught in a late night battle with your thoughts, offer yourself some kindness.

“Pretty soon your rest time has turned into a barrage of attacks from your worst enemy: yourself.”

(Illustration by: Mila Bales)

Professional wrestling and what it means to me

Jacob Nevis Sports Editor

When people ask me what my favorite sports are, I often will just go with the easy answers such as football, baseball and basketball. I tend to leave out one of my favorite sports: professional wrestling. I will not mention it because of the bad reputation that wrestling seems to get, especially in the Seventh-day Adventist world. Other times, I won’t mention it because some believe that professional wrestling is staged and, therefore, isn’t even a sport.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is my favorite form of pro-

fessional wrestling, and I have enjoyed it since I was a young kid. I was introduced to WWE by my grandpa when I was about 10 years old. When I was introduced to it, I wasn’t super in to wrestling, other than the fact that I wanted to pull off some of the moves that I saw on TV on any one of my three brothers.

As a kid I didn’t know that WWE was fake. I actually thought that the wrestlers were fighting, and this left me in awe. I loved going over to my grandparents’ house on Monday nights to watch WWE RAW with my grandpa. I would

never get to finish a whole episode of RAW. But every time I would watch, I would get more and more interested in wrestling. There are a couple of reasons why my interest started to peak and why I consider wrestling to be one of my favorite sports. The majority of people know that wrestling is a farce. It has a predetermined outcome of what is going to happen and who is going to win. With that in mind, though, the wrestlers are still very athletic and can do things I can only dream of. Another reason that keeps me watching

wrestling every week is the increasing drama. Wrestling has many different wrestlers, and sometimes viewers, myself included, who fall in love with the many different types of wrestlers. In wrestling there are usually two ways that wrestlers are described. A “face” is a wrestler who is considered the “hero” and the one the crowd will usually cheer for. The other is a “heel” or the wrestler who is considered bad and usually gets booed. Many times I will cheer for the face, but sometimes I will see myself cheering for the heel. This is

largely because of the many different ways that the wrestlers are presented.

The best feeling for a wrestling fan is when a wrestler makes his or her return after going on a hiatus. When a fan hears a walkout theme for a wrestler who hasn’t been seen in awhile, it makes them feel really happy.

As we get older, we often don’t stay as connected with our family as we used to. With this in mind, wrestling has continued to grow in my heart, as I often view it as a way that I can still connect with my grandpa.

“As a kid I didn’t know that WWE was fake. I actually thought that the wrestlers were fighting, and that left me in awe.”

(Photo by: Mike Gonzalez)

OPINION

Artificial Intelligence: Why I’m not worried yet

Christina Cannon Opinion Editor

The following two paragraphs were written by ChatGPT in response to the prompt: “Write two paragraphs about how AI will be received and dealt with at Southern Adventist University.”

“It is likely that the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) at Southern Adventist University will be met with a mix of excitement and skepticism. On one hand, the university community will likely recognize the potential benefits of using AI in areas such as research, education, and administrative tasks. For example, AI could be used to analyze large data sets, assist with personalized learning, and automate repetitive tasks. On the other hand, there may be concerns about the potential negative impacts of AI on jobs and privacy.

To address these concerns, it is important for the university to have open and transparent communication about the use of AI on campus. This could involve educating the community about the capabilities and limitations of AI, as well as outlining clear guidelines for its use. Additionally, the university should actively involve students, faculty, and staff in the decision-making process for implementing AI, to ensure that any concerns are heard and addressed. By taking a proactive and inclusive approach, Southern Adventist University can effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by AI.”

It sounds a little like filler material for a class essay combined with a monotone public transit announcement, but then, I mean, so do a lot of the papers I turn in. This particu-

lar response feels “objective,” impersonal, federal, as if this collective human product has the potential to come closer to the truths most of us believe because it paves over the idiosyncrasies, the troubled childhoods and radical philosophies — when it doesn’t snag on them.

It’s general, and it covers its bases, addressing concerns and taking few risks while it optimistically touts its helpfulness. It’s a little difficult not to anthropomorphize the “author,” giving “it” (as if it were a single being) a name like Hal or Sonny, but why wouldn’t it be? It uses the language of the anthropoi — it’s ultra-human, in one sense.

But what do AI programs mean for us, college students pursuing our studies with ChatGPT’s presence humming away in the background when we are assigned essay prompts or coding tasks, as people are about to graduate into a world that might just realize it doesn’t need us for what we’ve spent all this time learning? It’s scary, frankly, and American sci-fi has been telling us for decades that we should be afraid.

As someone who enjoys art and writing, I have cause to be worried about how this will affect my work. But I’m not really, at least not yet. The process of creating what I do is not separate from the “product,” for me.

Artist Makoto Fukimura finds the process of creating inherently fundamental: “Our sense of beauty and creativity are central to what it means to be made in the image of a creative God.”

A given object or image I

RELIGION

have made has a history, and the more involved with it I am, the more I am a part of it and it a part of me. We don’t stop creating because we have more time-efficient means of developing end results to consume — I didn’t take ceramics class last semester because I can’t buy tea mugs from Etsy or any other given store. I personally do not use AI programs for my schoolwork because that feels to me like a shortsighted, tragic

waste of the money I pay for my education.

I have a lot of hope that people will continue to value work in any discipline that was created entirely by a human (using relevant materials), though the type of work might alter. But I also think there is a lot of room for collaborating with AI programs, for building off of human creativity and sifting through ways to alleviate the world’s myriad of problems.

I look forward to watching it evolve and revolutionize how things are done — we may be forced to become even more original and creative. But I also remember that in the very best futuristic sci-fi, the humans have usually successfully created AI and then eventually exterminated it when it began to get out of control. I’ll be curious to see if the humanity of reality ever comes to a similar conclusion.

Prompt by Ashton Weiss, image generated by Midjourney AI. (Illustration by: Ashton Weiss)

Personal Testimony: Finding my voice on and off paper

Alexis Dewey Contributor

I never thought I had a “story” that was worth telling, and sometimes I still think that way. I often consider my story plain and ordinary, but perhaps that is just because it is mine, and I have lived with it for so long.

I am Alexis Dewey. I am a mass communication major with a concentration in editing and writing. I love writing and proofreading papers (hence the major). I started writing when I was just a little girl but for different reasons than most people: I grew up with a speech impediment and went through seven years of speech therapy. Talking and communicating was a struggle I dealt with every day. Since people could not understand me verbally, I started writing them notes as soon as I was old enough to write. It was the most frustrating thing to try to write and spell when I could not even speak yet. I felt like I could not do anything about the impediment; it felt like the therapy was not working.

I had to meet with several doctors, and my parents were told that I would never be able to do simple things normal kids do. Specifically, the doctors said I would never ride a bike, (due to some other developmental challenges), have a full conversation with another person or graduate high school. However, here I am as a junior in college, studying mass communication. I graduated high school with a 3.89 GPA, and I have preached three sermons this year. Oh, and I can ride a

bike, and yes, without training wheels. Even though I beat the odds, it was not easy. In fact, it was extremely frustrating at times. I remember trying to speak to my father and having to repeat myself so many times that I broke down into tears. Imagine not being able to talk to your own parents, grandparents and friends because of something you cannot control. It felt like stopping at a red light while driving, except you are color blind, and you don’t know when it’s your turn to go. You stay there, stopped, holding up traffic, and no one else understands why.

I could go on and on about my struggles with this in the past and how it continues to affect my life. However, I’d like to focus on the positives. One of my passions is public speaking, acting in plays and preaching sermons. I adore being on stage and talking to people. You can ask my parents and friends: I like to talk a lot. I like to participate up front in church and preach often, but a lot of the time I must get clarification on pronunciations before I speak for different events.

I find it ironic how God used one of my biggest struggles, turned it around and made it into one of my talents. I still stumble on my words, need lots of help with pronouncing more difficult words and occasionally get frustrated. However, I must recognize how far I have come and that God is not done with my story yet. If it comes down to it, and I can’t speak about the story He has given me, I know I can at least write about it.

Alexis Dewey. Monday, January 30, 2023. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

Cool is what you make it: Stop letting society dictate what you like

Elise Deschamps Lifestyle Editor

Think of someone you consider “cool.” Now think about what factors make you label them as such. Maybe it’s their sense of style. Maybe it’s how put together they look all the time. Maybe it’s how easy, how effortless, they make life look.

Because of social media, we live in a time when we are constantly shown the highlights of everyone’s lives. We see people post their “cool” outfits and their fun outings with their “cool” friends.

I used to be obsessed with being seen as “cool.” I wanted people to see me as the unbothered, confident and outgoing “cool girl” in their class. Being complimented was one of the only reasons I put so much energy — and so much stress — into wearing “cool” out-

fits every day. And it worked. I got the external validation that I craved.

Yet, I was still comparing myself to other people who seemed to be doing life better than me, people who seemed so much “cooler” than I could ever be.

Why was I still so miserable even though I was doing all of the “right” things to live a fun and full life? Why didn’t I feel fulfilled? After I had achieved the “cool girl” look, why didn’t I feel cool or good about myself at all?

It was incredibly draining, putting so much energy into fitting this social expectation that I put on myself. Where did all of this pressure come from, and why did it matter so much to me?

At a certain point, the facade

broke down. Despite doing all the “cool” things, I was struggling with extreme insecurities regarding my friendships, my body and my future. My everyday life didn’t feel nearly as pretty as the image I had worked so hard to paint.

It wasn’t some huge realization that changed my perspective. It was more of a slow burn of difficult life experiences and personal struggles that forced me to stop worrying about the things that don’t hold nearly as much weight as I thought they did. I was forced to take a step back.

Here’s the thing about striving to be cool: instead of doing the things you like, you do the things that society tells you you’re supposed to like. You hide away the things that others might label as

“cringe-worthy” and only showcase to the world and to others what’s socially acceptable. If you’ve never had to struggle with this, you’re already ahead of the game. But if you’re like me, you’ve kept yourself from getting overly excited about that one random thing you happen to really, really love because you don’t want anyone to think you’re “weird” for liking it.

Do you want to know the secret to being cool? The secret to being cool is to fully embrace the things that make you excited about life, no matter how specific, cringey or weird anyone else might think they are.

How sad is it that we’ve been conditioned to see other people’s excitement about something we don’t understand in the way they do as cringey? I’m not going to

lie, sometimes I still catch myself judging another person for their quirks or the things that they post. But is that person really doing anything wrong? Or am I just secretly jealous and projecting my insecurity onto them because I’m afraid of people judging me while being that exact judgemental person I am afraid of?

Maybe this is a hot take, but the coolest people I know are often considered the cringiest by others. Do you want to know what’s actually cringey? Judging others for liking things that are harmless and that you don’t understand. It’s time we stop making ourselves miserable in the name of coolness and start embracing all of the cringey, weird and un-cool things that actually fulfill us.

“Here’s the thing about striving to be cool: instead of doing the things you like, you do the things that society tells you you’re supposed.”

Dear Kevin: Graduation is getting closer, and I’m not engaged yet. What should I do?

Dear Desperate Dater: Your degree isn’t going to waddle away from you someday and say they don’t love you and in fact love your cousin Mallard and always have. That being said, take a moment to contemplate what you have accomplished over these past few years. You are about to GRADUATE. Let that sink in. Who needs a significant other when you have a degree? I certainly don’t. Not anymore, anyways.

A wise person once told me that in this situation you should wait on God’s timing. And I think that was pretty good advice. There is no rush to be tied down –use this time to focus on yourself.

Marriage is not for the faint of heart. You should be glad you have some time to thoughtfully consider this huge life decision. It is one of the most important ones you will make. And I know it is cliche advice, but pray about it. God has a plan.

Dear Kevin: My roommate wants to continue living with me next semester. How do I tell her I don’t want to be her roommate again?

Dear Resolved Roommate: There is no easy way to break this information. Prepare yourself for a difficult and uncomfortable conversation.

Remember to be kind, and you don’t have to tell them all the reasons you don’t want to live with them. However, you should have your reasons ready for when they ask.

Acknowledge the good times you have had together and express regret that it won’t continue.

Time the conversation right. Don’t leave them in a fix with no one to room with and no options. Be considerate and help them find another roommate if possible.

Don’t put yourself in a situation where you have to spend more time with your ex-roommate than you have to.

(Photo sourced from: Pexels)

6:11

8:45

Afterglow, South Atrium of Collegedale Church

11:00 a.m. Convocation: African American Heritage, Heather Thompson-Day, Collegedale Church

5:00 p.m. SA Position & Media Applications/Portfolio due online

7:30 p.m. Convocation: They Myth of Race, Heather Thompson-Day, Lynn Wood Chapel

Weekly Birthdays

TODAY |1

Wendy Boyd

Brandon Gustrowsky

Briana Hanson

Adeline Long

Ilcias Jr Vargas

Thursday |2

Danny An

Jonathan Campos

Dante Dornburg

Sadie Elias

Robert Estrada

Samantha Fwa

Yuna Joe

Fabiola Perez-Garcia

Friday |3

Jannette Daley-Brown

John Greer

Derek Lee

Angie Luna Bruce Seasly

Eva Truitt

Zach Uttinger

Saturday |4

Jorge Chavez

Izaiah Fadri-Atil

Natalie Jensen

Susana Lopez Noyola

Marizelda Tomas

Sunday |5

Crystal Carney

Yeju Gee

Sabrina Lopez

Joshua Miguel

Jennisha Patel

Jonathan Quiles

Andrew Richards

Sheyla Yanez

Monday |6

Kezia Despirito

Jovanna Diaz

Noor Madanat

9:00 a.m. Adoration Worship, Collegedale Church

9:00 a.m. Connect Worship, CA Elementary School Gym

11:45 a.m. Renewal Worship: African American Heritage, Collegedale Church

6:00 p.m. Evensong: HymnSing, Collegedale Church

8:00 p.m. Ignite Event, Iles PE Center

SA Announcements

4:00 p.m. Symphony Orchestra Concerto Concert, Collegedale Church

Jaelle Olmedo

Nathanael Perez

Emily G. Schneider

Landon Stoner

Tuesday |7

Leyannah Chambers

Anyang Chen

Scott Delva

Britney Dixon

Grace A. Graham-White

Makenna Lunde

Yugeily Manriquez

David Perez-Delfin

Esther Provost

Jordan Quijano

Henry Raranta

Xin Shen

Lucca Sicalo

Hosea Whitt

Did you enjoy the SA Game Show or are really looking forward to the SA banquet? If you would like to be a part of the team that plans all of these events, apply now! Applications are now open for the 2023-24 school year. Go to southern.edu/studentassociation to submit your application by Thursday, February 2 by 5 p.m.!

Tickets for SA Banquet are available now for purchase ($25) in the SA office on the 3rd floor of Bietz. Join us for a night of Mystery at the Masquerade!

Do you have a hidden talent that you would like to share? SA

Talent Show auditions will be taking place on February 23. The top three winners will receive big prizes!

If you would like to run a booth for 423 Night, make sure to stay on the lookout for more details later in the semester!

Begin ordering graduation regalia & announcements online, www.southern.edu/ graduation Campus Research Day Registration Deadline

3:30 p.m. Undergraduate Council

6:50 p.m. E.A. Anderson Lecture Series, Brock 3205 Last day for 80% tuition refund