The SpringHillian

THE

SPRINGHILLIAN

February 27, 2014

Volume 98 Issue 4

Comm. Arts Has

Some New Digs

By ChelseaWALLACE Assistant Editor The SHC radio show Top of the Hill has expanded to include its very own television channel run by students here on the Hill.

Often seen doing live broadcasts in the caf or in McKinney’s, Top of the Hill is the student-run radio station at Spring Hill. Currently located in the Integrated Media Center in the LAC, the station hopes to spend the next several years getting a television broadcast produced and delivered to the campus.

Catt Sirten, an adjunct instructor in the communication arts department, explained that students are taught to create and edit podcasts, which are then available on the web. “There are dozens of posts. There’s funny ones, there are serious ones, live stuff, remote broadcasts,” Sirten says. “We just recorded a simulation of the Supreme Court and that’s also up.”

Currently in its third year, the media department hopes to eventually provide a full-time broadcast on Badger TV, currently channel 16.1 on cable, says Sirten.

For now, there is a still logo for Top of the Hill as well as the radio content. “This is a collection of 22 hours that’s always up,” Sirten explains, “but as soon as they get

the content from the multimedia center, that will go on there, too.”

What is keeping the department from producing that full-time broadcast? Simply put: there aren’t enough. Sirten says, “The challenge with having a video channel is the monster that has to be fed. It’s a lot of content and the content takes a long time to make.”

Because of this, an academic class would be the best bet to secure both the manpower and the material to film. “It takes an ongoing effort and right now, we don’t have an academic class to create the content. We need the man hours and the courses to justify the man hours,” Sirten explains.

Bill Rowan, who teaches the broadcast class and donated some of equipment, stresses the importance of knowing how to create and produce film content. “This is the fastest growing commercial industry in the world,” Rowan states. “All of these little shows, product demonstrations...who does all that stuff? Someone has to.”

Rowan also believes in the importance of the class in helping students bring all aspects of their communications training together into one all-encompassing experience.

SEE FROM THE COVER PG. 3

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

#SELFIE NATION WINNER

WHAT’S INSIDE: Lifestyle: Check the middle spread for a Mardi Gras Ball 2014 recap and get a chance to check in with the Badgers overseas! Pg. 6-7 Sports: The baseball team had two thrilling wins against rival University of Mobile this past weekend. Pg. 11

THE SPRINGHILLIAN

THIS WEEK

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WEEKLY FORECAST Thursday - 52/32 - Cloudy

Friday - 57/48- Cloudy

Saturday - 65/52- Mostly Cloudy

Sunday - 66/55 - Mostly Cloudy

HILLIAN STAFF Editors: Matthew LaBorde Chelsea Wallace Advisor: Stuart Babington Photo Editor: Kiva Talty

Design Editor: Bre Vaughn Reporters: Jacquelyn Saunée Gaillard Teague Abby Massengale Sports: MJ Connell Eric Thomas

HILLIAN CONTACT The Hillian Newswire @HillianNewswire

February 27, 2014

EVENTS OF THE WEEK Apply to be a Badger Connection Guide Are you a student leader who wants to give back to SHC? Are you looking to take on a leadership role? Do you want to help new students? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, apply today!

Applications are due Feb. 28. Please see the announcement on BadgerWeb. For more information, contact csi@shc.edu.

Women’s & Men’s Basketball vs. William Carey University (Senior Day) The women’s and men’s basketball teams will close out the 2013-14 season with a conference home match against William Carey University at the Arthur R. Outlaw Rec Center. The women will begin at 2 p.m. and the Men will start at 4 p.p. with Senior Day ceremonies occuring between games

Softball vs. Bethel University (Tenn.) and Blue Mountain College (Miss.)

The softball team will host Bethel University from McKenzie, Tenn., in an SSAC doubleheader beginning at noon, Tuesday, March 7 on Murray Field. The next day the Badgers will play another SSAC doubleheader against Blue Mountain College beginning at noon.

Hillian Newswire hillian _ newswire Letters to the Editors newswire@shc.edu Read the Hillian Newswire online at newswire.shc.edu

Walk to Cure MS MS Walk starts at 10:00 a.m. on March 15, 2014. If you are interested, the cost is $10.00 for your T-shirt and you may register at the Student Center Information Desk. Walk to create a world free of Multiple Sclerosis. For more information, contact swilliams@shc.edu.

THE SPRINGHILLIAN February 27, 2014

NEWS

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FROM THE

COVER

By ChelseaWALLACE Assistant Editor “If you know how to run a camera and paint a picture and write a script, that’s great but that doesn’t get it all done, you have to be able to bring it all together,” Rowan says. “What this does is it brings all of those little pieces together and our students are able to do something that very few students can do.”

Teamwork is another crucial aspect to working in the broadcast studio. Along with bringing together all the different facets of media education into one product, working on Top of the Hill or Badger TV allows students to get a feel for how important working with others is, according to Rowan.

He says, “You can write scripts, take video, you’ve done these all one at a time, but you’ve never done it on a team, where if this guy screws it up he screws it all up. So it’s a different experience than most colleges can offer. Even larger schools - there, you can’t touch this kind of equipment. You don’t get to do anything.”

The media department wants more content for filming and is reaching out to the student body for projects. “We’re trying to make this accessible,” Rowan says. “You got something you want to do, write it up and let’s do it.” Some project suggestions have been senior seminar assignments and even creating content for real-life clients.

“We’ve got all the equipment and we’ve got the expertise with the equipment - we just don’t have the people,” Rowan explains.

Badger TV has uploaded some sports videos on SHCBadgers. com, where parents can view games videotaped by Spring Hill students, a great PR push for the school. “That’s a big push for the parents, to see what’s going on where their kids are going to school,” says Rowan.

Sirten and Rowan are both working hard, along with the broadcast students, to one day have the cable channel up and fully functioning as well as producing other film projects alongside the radio station.

“It could be a tour, a class, entertainment, it could be graduation or the State of the Union address from Fr. Lucey,” Sirten says. “Anything. That’s what we want this to be.”

Photos courtesy of the SHC Communication Arts Department

Scale Back SHC Open to Students

By ChelseaWALLACE Assistant Editor The SHC Department of Intramurals and Recreation is sponsoring the Scale Back Spring Hill program, which will continue for the rest of the semester.

In a style similar to that of the hit show “The Biggest Loser,” the program involves teams of students coming together to lead a healthy lifestyle and lose some weight.

Angel Gray, Coordinator of Athletic Facilities and Intramurals, says the program was introduced for students after it was offered to faculty and staff members.

“There’s a faculty/staff one that started first, and the turn-out was pretty good,” said Gray. “So with that, we decided let’s try that with the students. It was pretty successful with the faculty and staff, so let’s give the students a try.”

The Scale Back SHC program is a spinoff of the Scale Back Alabama initiative, said Gray. According to ScaleBackAlabama.com, the program is a “statewide weight-loss contest designed to encourage Alabamians to get healthy and to have fun while doing it” geared toward adults. With the help of employers, employees create teams of four people to participate in the free contest in order to win cash prizes.

At SHC, students can register in teams of four at the Arthur Outlaw Recreation Center and have their initial weigh-in as a group. At the end of the semester will be the final weigh-in, and the team with

the most weight loss wins. Prizes for the campus contest include T-shirts, water bottles, bags and ID holders, said Gray.

Unlike the NBC reality show, the Spring Hill version has no required workouts and does not provide trainers. Rather, the focus is on the team itself and its members to show support and hold each other accountable.

“It’s at your own pace and your own level. You don’t have to feel worried to be in competition with anyone else, just with yourself and your teammates,” Gray said. “Each team has a captain, who just helps keep the team motivated.”

While there are no mandated workouts to participate in the program, competitors are encouraged to participate in the classes already provided for the campus. “We do have different exercise programs here on campus that students can get involved in to help facilitate the weight loss,” Gray explained. Some examples of these classes include Zumba, yoga and bootcamp.

The Badger Fit Club exercise group was created to specifically cater to the exercise needs of those competing in the Scale Back program. “The purpose and the goal of [the Fit Club] is for people who signed up for the Scale Back program to join the exercise group, and it’s going okay,” Gray said. “We have about five people who come regularly right now.”

So far, although the program has

been a hit with faculty and staff, there are fewer student teams than anticipated. Gray said that while there are 11 faculty teams, there were only three student teams. However, this doesn’t mean that people aren’t taking the message of the program to heart.

Gray said, “There are a few individuals who have signed up by themselves. They’re not taking part in the contest, but they’re just doing it for their own personal benefit, to give themselves something to strive for this semester.”

Scale Back Alabama, the official organization that inspired the SHC editions, has appointed Gina McDonald, esquire, as their spokesperson for the 2014 contest, according to ScaleBackAlabama.com. McDonald, a Birmingham lawyer who competed in the 2013 season of “The Biggest Loser,” is dedicated to making Alabama healthier.

In a press release from Scale Back Alabama, McDonald says, “Alabama remains one of the most obese states in the nation, and it’s killing our citizens…I’m encouraging anyone who wants to lose a few pounds to find some friends and join the contest.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Alabama’s population has a 33 percent prevalence of obesity, ranking as the fourth most obese state behind West Virginia, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Gray said that the program will extend its registration date and provide additional weigh-in dates. For more information, check your Spring Hill email and the Campus Update.

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THE SPRINGHILLIAN

February 27, 2014

There Shouldn’t Be an App for That On Wednesday, Feb. 19, police arlike each other’s profile, you are rived on the grounds of mulgiven the option of having a oneBy AbbyMASSENGALE tiple Mobile high schools on-one chat session, which may Reporter to respond to alleged lead meeting each other in person. shooting threats that Recently, this app has become a were posted via the place where users can seek out casmartphone app sual sex within a 100 mile radius.

Yik Yak. Although Tinder has received In today’s some negative press, there “Yik Yak is by world, the smartare some that find this app far the most phone is capable to be beneficial. Freshman entertaining of so much more La’shelle Lett said, “I think app that’s ever than it was even it is cute for lonely folks like two years ago. me.” been created.”

From apps that If Tinder didn’t make can find the best you question some of the apps restaurants near you, out there, here is one that will; to apps that are able to it’s called Lulu. Lulu is an app for Photo record your sleep patterns, females only that connects to your courtesy technology never ceases to amaze Facebook so that you can anonyof Megan us with its endless capabilities. Having a mously rank the males you are St. Germain smartphone has not only allowed for us friends with. Although this seems to compete in the Selfie Olympics or put harmless at first, Lulu has become up a picture of the Avenue of the Oaks on a place where women are able to Instagram in hopes of getting a multitude create their own form of “revenge of likes, but this wide range of technolporn.” Women are able to rate ogy via a phone has opened the doors every aspect of a male and even use Bubble facts from for a little bit more scandalous behavior. hash tags such as #CheaperThanaBYikYakApp.com There are some apps that have recently igMac so that other women are able been in the public eye for some controto see these anonymous posts. versial content: one of these instances But, have all of these anontook place last week at multiple Mobile ymous apps gone too far? schools.

When does a harmless A new app called Yik Yak made its app intended for a little way into the phones of multiple high fun turn into high school school communities in shooting rumors as well the Mobile area such as shaming the oppoas McGill-Toolen, site sex? Although it is UMS Wright, tempting to justify this St. Paul’s and fun because no one will Murphy High ever know that it was School. An you, the fact that these anonymous apps have been turned social media site Yik post made into a place where malicious targeting Yak. Our adminisvia the app attacks on youths take place is specific Motration, faculty and on Wednesdisheartening. So, before you go bile high school staff were on alert, day, Feb. 19, to download the next anonymous or students would leave and in addition to indicated that dating app out there, think how you someone to ask the question: why our regular police a shooting was would feel if you got the reputation is this app being utilized for such officer and campus to take place at of being #CheaperThanaBigMac… malicious behavior?

Junior Scout security, we had another McGill-Toolen.

Kirkikis said, “I can’t even begin police officer on patrol The Springhillian publishes guest Yik Yak is a smartto think about what would hapthrough Friday. The DA’s phone app that can pen if this app found its way onto submissions at the discretion of the office made an arrest Thursday best be compared to Twitter, Spring Hill’s campus. That’s the afternoon. We are grateful for the student editors and section editors. but the posts remain anonymous. last thing this campus needs.” support of the Mobile Police DeYik Yak uses the location finder on Yik Yak is not the only app that Submissions sould be less than 300 partment and the DA’s office and your smartphone to show where has been recently put on blast for their commitment to finding the works, and editors reserve the right a post was made; however, the the questionable ways that it is individual responsible.” Due to the identity of the person still remains being utilized. The now infamous to edit the submissions for length and location finder that the Yik Yak unknown. dating app, Tinder, has become a app has, the perpetrator was able to content. Original writings should be Immediately after the post was hot spot for one night stands and be tracked down and brought into mailed or delivered to: Student-editor, made, Fr. Bry Shields, president at hook ups. It is estimated that 90 custody.

McGill-Toolen, sent out an email percent of those who use Tinder the Springhillian, Communication Arts, Since it is anonymous, Yik Yak to all parents as well as faculty are between the ages of 18 and 24. has opened another avenue for Spring Hill College, 4000 Dauphin and staff. The email reads, “An Through accessing one’s Facecyber-bullying and has become a anonymous user posted that a book, Tinder allows for its users Street, Mobile, AL 36608. Submissions problem for most high schools as shooting would take place at McGill well as colleges. Other posts that to play a “hot or not” type of game may also be mailed as attachments to Wednesday, February 19th on the in which they can like or dislike have been made in the past week hillian@email.shc.edu. another’s profile. If both of you

Lamps in Tibetan monasteries are fueled by yak butter. #YakFacts

“When I send a Yik Yak, I feel like I’m sending in a tip to Gossip Girl.”

You can only receive Yaks within 5 miles of where you are.

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February 27, 2014

Unpopular Opinion: We Need Our Guns

So a guy walks into a bar.

I probably shouldn’t start such a serious article with a bad joke, but it was just hanging there, so I took the shot.

According to various sites including the political petition website Change.org, in 2010, U.S. Airman Michael Giles went to a bar in Tallahassee with some friends.

While there, several brawls broke out, quickly escalating to involve more than 30 men. After being

punched to the ground by an unprovoked assailant, and as the attacker came back for more, Giles shot the man in the knee.

He possessed all of the proper permits for the firearm and, as mentioned, killed no one, aiming only to stop his assailant. Witnesses, including the attacker, later said that the attack was completely unprovoked.

The Stand Your Ground law – which states that in situations where one fears for their life or the lives of others, they can meet force with force, even deadly force – should have protected this action, as Giles testified that he feared for his life.

Giles is currently serving a 25 year sentence for attempted murder.

To me, this story seems completely incongruous. And to the over 100,000 people who have so far signed the petition to commute Giles’ sentence, this story is appalling. If I go somewhere and three dozen burly, drunk men are fighting each other and one starts coming after me, I should have the right to defend myself if I cannot extricate myself from the situation.

Many have called this a race issue, and numerous sites have dedicated

their passions to righting this perceived racial discrimination. I, on the other hand, believe this to be less about race and more about the nation’s fear of guns.

Particularly after the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, gun laws and gun control have been major issues of debate across the nation.

From political leaders to college students, everyone has an opinion.

So, here’s mine.

I think guns are a vital right granted to every American citizen in the Constitution. Data collected from the FBI Criminal Justice Services Division shows that in many states throughout the country, including Florida and Michigan, the passage of right-to-carry laws (which are basically laws that mean those over 21 that meet “minimally restrictive” criteria can have a permit to carry a gun in most public places) actually preceded a decrease in gun violence.

In many instances, these decreases were also greater than the national decrease at the time.

Additionally, I often hear the argument of, “Well, households with guns are three times more likely to be killed by firearm.” According to

JustFacts.com (the site that compiled the information mentioned above), the study that produced this statistic failed to account for important variables and, additionally, forgot the very first thing they should have learned in psych 101: correlation does not imply causation.

Yes, guns can be dangerous weapons and are definitely an enormous responsibility on the owner. And, yes, I’m not so blinded by the shine on my rifle to deny the fact that guns fall into the hands of criminals and those out to do awful things.

However, a 2005 Gallup poll reveals that 67 percent of gun owners cited “Protection Against Crime” as the prominent reason for owning it.

Gun ownership is a Constitutional right, which should be where the argument ends. I definitely think there should be more enforcement on making sure that gun buyers meet the federal requirements for gun ownership, but many opponents want guns restricted much further than that. And that, to me, is too egregious a neglect of my civil rights to bear.

‘Stand Your Ground’ So Vague it Kills

It wasn’t too long ago (October 2012) when Gil Collar, a student at the University of South Alabama, was fatally shot down by a campus police officer.

Collar was unarmed.

In fact, he was completed naked, seemingly high off what was thought to be either LSD. It turned out to be a rare laboratory drug called 25I-NBOMe, but no-

body knew that at the time.

A young man who was described as “charming and kind-hearted” was now dead when a lesser force such as pepper spray or a taser could have been used by the officer to defend himself. Students held up signs in protest that said, “Gil was murdered” and I can completely understand their frustration.

Officer Trevis Austin (the shooter) was acquitted by a grand jury of any wrongdoing. As the case went, Gil threatened the campus police officer in a violent way, and therefore the officer acted legally in self-defense by killing Gil. The officer stood his ground.

The widely misunderstood, yet heavily cited “Stand Your Ground” law has made its way into the conversation of almost every national news outlet, and we see the ripples of the legislation happening

right down Old Shell Rd. Recently, Florida native Michael Dunn avoided murder charges in the killing of 17-year old black teenager Jordan Davis. Dunn’s lawyer cited the Stand Your Ground law and claimed that his client thought he saw a shotgun in the car that Davis was seen riding in with three other teenagers. For the Stand Your Ground law to come into play, “Mr. Dunn needed only to have been convinced that he saw a shotgun, whether or not one was present.”

The police found no weapons in the vehicle.

But Dunn felt threatened.

And, according to the law, he can stand his ground and meet force with force. Now, a teenager is dead, and a mother is in anguish. This took place simply because the officer thought he felt threatened by the presence of a

gun.

I could list several other cases where the murky self-defense law has been used to spare irresponsible gun owners of their fatal decisions. I believe that the Stand Your Ground lawwith all of its vagueness and consistent ambiguityis actually encouraging the irresponsible and unnecessary use of deadly force.

Additionally, the issue of race has flooded the headlines of national media following the death of Trayvon Martin and is now becoming a prevalent theme in similar cases involving expanded self-defense laws like Stand Your Ground. The Urban Institute found that “homicides with a white perpetrator and a black victim are ten times more likely to be ruled justified than cases with a black perpetrator and a white victim, and the gap is larger in states with Stand Your Ground laws.”

Not only does this law allow for people to give into racial paranoia, it subtly accepts and back-handedly advocates for gunon-gun violence, which is violence we don’t need more of in this country.

Also, go figure: Mark Hoekstra, an economist at Texas A&M University, found that states which have passed Stand Your Ground laws have seen homicides increase by seven percent, relative to states that have yet to pass these types of laws. The law seems to give the “good guy” more power in defending himself. But, what if the bad guy thinks he is the good guy? In that case, both men feel that they have the right to shoot.

Thanks to Stand Your Ground, fistfights may now become gunfights… this questionable law seems to be doing more harm than good.

THE SPRINGHILLIAN

LIFESTYLE

mgb2k14 #

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Photo courtesy of ScottDAVIS

February 27, 2014

Photo courtesy of GabrielaPORTELA

Photo courtesy of MaggieVICTORIA

TOP LEFT: Mardi Gras King and Queen Matthew LaBorde and Ainsley Messina pose after receiving their honor.

TOP CENTER: Badgers break it down on the dance floor during the night.

TOP RIGHT: Dominique Howard and Kyle Easley use props to pose in the photobooths.

CENTER LEFT: Diego Juncadella jams on the sax.

CENTER: Scott Davis and Daniel Campbell seem to struggle while in the photobooth.

CENTER RIGHT: Jabulani Thompson takes lead vocals with backup from Patrick Culotta. Dance moves provided by Grant Quinlan.

ABOVE LEFT: Seamus Russell, Kerri Ebanks, Amie Gilbert, TJ Chatham and Holly Gibbins take a break from dancing to pose for a photo.

Photo courtesy of MariahWEINAND

ABOVE CENTER: Mark Mullen throws out his jazz hands while Rae Koch works the fistpump move.

ABOVE RIGHT: Mariah Weinand and Henry Pine pose for a photo.

BOTTOM LEFT: Students kick it to “Cupid Shuffle.”

Photos by KivaTALTY

Students experience new culture, lifestyle and modes of transportation.

Badgers take trips to famous sites, such as the epic Colosseum and the famous Trevi Fountain, pictured below.

Con amore,

Photo opportunities for the Badgers are countless and memorable.

Badgers find bigger hills while visiting the Alps.

Badger Brawl goes international.

Italia All photos courtesy of ErinBRENNAN

When in Rome...eat what the Romans eat!

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SB2k14 for the Ladies Spring Break Bod SB2k14 has almost arrived and it is getting too much to verbally say “SB2K14”. I miss the olden days of the simply put, “SB2K8”. Regardless, SB2K14 is the reality we all must now endure, and a verbose title is the least of most spring breaker’s worries.

Preparing your “spring break body,” is a phrase I have heard since the sixth grade, when girls realized other people noticed our bodies. Since that early age, the weeks approaching spring break are generally consumed with talk of daily “fat busting” ab routines and strict lettuce and water diets. Now, there are a thousand and two ways to approach the topic of body image, especially in regards to spring break, but one in particular encompasses the root of body dissatisfaction.

If you hate your body before spring break, no matter how obedient you were to your Pinterest health board, chances are you won’t be satisfied with yourself during

By GaillardTEAGUE spring break either. So what Reporter is the point? It is called the Law of Diminishing Returns ladies, and this unfortunate but truthful law can be traced back as the source of dissatisfaction. This law, most generally used in reference to economics, is defined by Dictionary.com as, “any rate of profit, production, benefits (etc.), that beyond a certain point fails to increase proportionality with added investment, effort, or skill.” In much more simple words, once we “succeed” at achieving one thing – flat tummy, toned arms, whatever- there will, by and large, be something else to unsatisfy us. A statistic found by DoSomething.org states that 91 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies. That is a whole lotta ladies.

So, should nine out ten women keep striving for perfection? Or is there a point and place when we should all just combat the law of diminishing returns and be satisfied? Senior Lizzy Fahey believes there is nothing wrong with exercising to look a certain way. “I enjoy people telling me I look nice and skinny,” she states. Senior Kim Stevens says she is ultimately conscious of her body because of the internal results. “I believe that exercise is important along with dieting… I started to exercise so I could get thighs like Beyoncé but in the process I started to see an inner change within myself.”

Sophomore Lexi Moorehead, who led Tri Delta’s “Embody Love” event, is a staunch believer in accepting your body as it is. She states “You must love your body at every stage of your being and not pick apart your flaws. You will feel more confident and comfortable when you are not worrying about your body and more happy than when you are picking it apart and hungry.” Being healthy and stressing about your flaws are two different things, Moorehead suggests. “I would argue that nothing looks as good as healthy feels,” she explains.

Spring Break is almost here, and whether you will be sporting your bathing suit, your green, gold, and purple or simply just your pajamas all week just remember: Be healthy. Be confident.

Love the skin you’re in.

Features

February 27, 2014

Photo courtesy of BrendanPECHON

Long Boarding Badgers

By EricTHOMAS Reporter We’ve all seen them around campus, whether it’s cruising around the LAC or flying down the road leading to the golf course, it’s hard to miss the longboarders of Spring Hill College. They’re surrounded by such intrigue, and many wonder what it would be like to ride on a longboard at least one time.

As Spring Hill lies on one road, it is very convenient for longboarding, as every road throughout campus is on one giant curve. The speed bumps also provide a welcome obstacle for tricks for some of the bolder longboarders. This proves to be gold for the boarders, who enjoy getting around campus without having to walk or having to use gas in their cars. It can also be extremely fun to do.

Sophomore Nick Smith talks about the feeling he gets when he’s on his board. “When I’m on my board I feel as though I’m gliding through the air.

It’s a lot like surfing!” Nick states.

Although it would stand to reason that having the freedom to fly around campus at your leisure would indeed provide an enjoyable pastime, longboarding has also been viewed as a welcome way to take a step back and just have a peaceful experience, according to many students.

Sophomore David Smith, who has been longboarding for about two years, says the experience of boarding helps him to calm down and relax.

David says, “The majority of the time that I go longboarding is when I need to clear my head.”

College students face a lot of stress on a daily basis and it’s nice to have something that helps you to de-stress and put things in perspective. As with all hobbies, the more you do it, the better you will become. And in order for something to be a truly calming influence on you, it is important that you commit the proper amount of time to it. David also states, “It’s such a second nature to me by now that I don’t really have to think about what I’m doing. I can just relax and experience things as they’re happening.” Being able to simply go out

and “take a ride,” as some have said, can usually lead to being more focused because you’re doing something that you love to do.

The long boarding culture of Spring Hill has been around longer than many of the current students realize. Senior Anthony Weaver is one of the elder statesmen of longboarding on campus and discussed how he was influenced by now graduated longboarders such as Brendan Pechon, class of 2013, and Anthony Harris, class of 2011. “They’re the reason I got a longboard,” Weaver says.

Weaver, who owns a Landyat drop deck style longboard, discussed more of the freestyle side of longboarding as opposed to simply riding.

Weaver states, “I didn’t know which kind I wanted. Longboards are very diverse in how they are engineered. I wanted a board that could go fast but was also able to perform different freestyle tricks. Not a lot of people dive into that on this campus.”

Weaver also spoke about the level of skill that is required for some tricks. “Freestyle on longboards can be pretty dangerous, but once you become comfortable with it, it’s pretty hard to fall off because you’ve become so in tune with your board,” Weaver says.

Longboards aren’t the only way that students get around campus without having to walk or drive.

Skateboards are also seen all over the campus throughout the day. When asked whether he preferred skateboarding or longboarding, Weaver stated, “I like longboards better. They’re really smooth and I find it a lot easier to just free ride on them.”

There are tons of uses for longboards on campus.

Whether you’re using it purely to get from point A to point B, or challenging other students to a race down the golf course hill, there’s no question that the longboard culture of Spring Hill College is definitely here to stay.

THE SPRINGHILLIAN

February 27, 2014

To Nap or Not to Nap?

By JacquelynSAUNÉE Reporter

That is the question. The clock is rapidly ticking and the pile of notes in front of you seems to be growing, but you can’t keep your eyes open.

Is it time to push through the grogginess and perhaps make another cup of coffee? Or is it time to just give in and take the nap you’ve been dreaming about?

Four o’clock rolls around and you are finally finished with classes for the day. You have a big paper to write and you know it’s going to be another long night. Should you keep pushing until you can no longer, or should you give into your body’s desperate plea for some more quality time with your pillow?

College students, on average, seem to prefer the napping option. According to a study done at the University of Georgia, 30 to 50 percent of all college students participate in the sport of napping.

Why do so many college students

nap? The answer is obvious: college students, as a whole, are severely sleep-deprived.

Royce Simpson, psychology department chair, agrees that college students need more sleep. “Students, as a whole are sleep deprived. Getting between six and eight hours of sleep each night is very important. Ideally, students should aim for about seven hours. If you consistently get less than this, you will experience cognitive problems throughout the day,” Simpson says.

Simpson also explains the concept of sleep debt, which is the accumulated amount of sleep loss from insufficient sleep. “You cannot make up for sleep debt. Many students believe they can make up for their sleep loss [accumulated] during the week over the weekend, but this is not true,” Simpson explains.

However, getting seven hours of sleep a night is far from feasible for

some. Therefore, students resort to “catching up on sleep” over the weekend, which is apparently ineffective.

So what can we do? Nap. And nap we do. Students at Spring Hill are certainly not strangers to napping. From “badger snoozes” to power naps, sleeping in short (or notso-short) increments seems to be a common occurrence on campus.

“Everybody loves a good badger snooze. On average, I nap three to four times a week. I even nap on the weekends,” says Senior Luke Hayes.

Molly Schladenhauffen, an avid napper, gives insight into the life of a mid-day snoozer. “I nap around five times a week for at least an hour at a time,” she says. “I nap because I study for most of the night, so naps make me feel refreshed.”

However, not all Spring Hill students have jumped on the napping bandwagon. Freshman Megan Lewis shares her lack of experience with napping. “I’ve never napped in college. Napping actually makes me nauseous. I guess I’m glad I don’t nap because I feel like napping would cut into my day and make me less productive. Since I’ve never napped, I just never really think about napping,” says Lewis.

Whether you nap or not, we can all agree that napping is a huge phenomenon. And for good reason.

The proven benefits of napping are countless.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, “Naps can restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes and accidents. A study at NASA on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found that a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34 percent and alertness by 100 percent.”

Simpson further elaborates,

9 “Several studies show that napping improves our mood and results in an increase in the ability to pay attention. Also, information tends to be remembered better when studied just before going to sleep and so napping in the middle of a study session might be an effective study tool.”

Napping can lead to improved performance, alertness, mood, and memory. Maybe napping is the answer to all life’s problems…

However, we should not simply drop everything, run to our dorm rooms, turn off the lights, and hop into our beds for a few hours. Crafting the perfect nap requires skill.

Here are some tips to help you on the pursuit to optimal napping: 1) Nap for about 20 to 40 minutes.

This will allow you to wake up refreshed and renewed without feeling groggy and yearning for more. This also ensures that your nap does not interfere with getting a full night’s sleep. “Research has found that short naps are just as effective as long naps - in fact, longer naps sometimes cause ‘sleep inertia’ in which people show increased grogginess and declines in their cognitive performance when they first wake up,” Simpson shares.

2) Time your nap perfectly. Prime nap time is generally between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. During this time, the body’s energy level decreases due to an increase in the hormone melatonin.

3) Find a nice, cozy, dark place to nap. For most of us, this means our beds. However, research done by the National Sleep Foundation has shown that napping in your bed is not a good habit because your body may associate any time spent in your bed as time meant for actual sleep.

Letter to the Editors

The editorials in last week’s SpringHillian, “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “Hookups On The Hill: Why Do We Care?” made some wonderful points. Casual lunch time discussions about the weekend’s hookups need to stop. We love a good “Mean Girls” quote as much as the next girl, and we certainly need to stop calling each others sluts and whores. We need to stop reducing people to their weekend flings. And yes, unfortunately, men do seem to have the “upper hand” at times.

This is where our issue begins. We live in a society that too often degrades sex and reduces it to nothing more than a game.

The language of men having the “upper hand” and women engaging in “competition” actually sounds like we are entering into a sporting match. The ironic thing is that no one actually wants sex to be just a game. We all want it to be more than that: something really great that takes us outside of ourselves. What makes sex so great is its promise of a real union. If we treat it as just a game, we’ll actually empty it of its meaning and power. We’ll still be stuck inside ourselves, cut off as isolated individuals.

Like the authors of the editorials, we have concerns about the

hookup culture on campus. But the solution proposed to simply stop talking about it is not the solution.

We agree wholeheartedly that the gossip about our peers is damaging and a major part of our school’s problem. But since sex is such a huge topic of conversation, doesn’t that show how important of a topic it is? Sex is beautiful and a gift. Something so sacred deserves discussion and attention, but in a way that promotes healthy relationships and human dignity- not a culture of meaningless hookups. Not a culture that reduces it to something as mundane as checking your e-mail. And certainly not a culture that is too scared to discuss it like the adults we are.

Don’t misunderstand us: sex is not evil. But it is also not just sex.

Saying so drains it of all its greatness. Turning our conversations away from gossiping about our peers and toward an honest dialogue about what sex truly is will perhaps change the culture of our campus for the better. Brushing the topic aside, however, will just take us a few steps backwards into an adolescent mentality that thinks of sex as a dirty word.

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SPORTS Basketball Manager Friend to All

February 27, 2014

By MjCONNELL Reporter

After serving the men’s basketball team as manager for three years, senior Kevin Smith looks back on his time with the Badgers.

From making sure that the team is ready to play to just keeping everyone relaxed, Smith can do it all. “Whether the scoreboard is running, water’s full, or the jerseys are clean, or even just music playing in the locker room, whatever it may be, I guess I’m a jack of all trades, if you will,” states Smith. Besides his normal routine at the Outlaw Rec Center, Kevin also does a lot of behind the scenes work for the basketball guys.

Head Coach Aaron Niven, who is in his first season with the team, is very thankful for the help he’s received from Smith. “He does a lot for our team,” says Niven. “It’s nice to have a guy who’s got some experience and knows how to get things done… He takes care of the hotels, finds us places to eat and that’s a lot off my plate that I don’t have to worry about because he can do it.”

Men’s Assistant Coach Brian Murphy also had good things to say about the manager. “Kevin is a very hard-worker in my eyes. He makes life around here easier for us [the coaches],” says Murphy.

Murphy has been working with Smith and the team for two years and says another thing that’s been important from Smith is how close he is with the guys on the team. “This team knows how Kevin is. They respect him and know how essential he is,” reveals Murphy. “He’s got a good friendship with all the guys and

Tennis Serves Up Impressive Start to Season

By MjCONNELL Sports Reporter

Alejandro Hastings returns a serve. Photo by KivaTALTY.

After a 2-2 start to their 2014 season, the Spring Hill men’s tennis team looks to outshine last year’s squad.

The Badgers started off their season with a huge win against Loyola New Orleans on Feb.15 and have been successful since. The following match was a hard fought battle against Southern Wesleyan University, but they lost 5-4.

Then on Feb. 21, SHC faced off against the team ranked thirteenth in the nation, Bethel University (Tenn.) and took a rough 9-0 loss. However, the Badgers bounced back in their next match against Emmanuel College with an 8-1 victory.

In that match, SHC saw strong performances from their players, the most notable coming from sophomore Lee Leavitt, who won all four of his matches. “I would say we’re off to a good start to the

I always hear him cutting up, laughing and joking with them.”

Smith says his favorite part about being the manager is the friendships he’s made with all the guys on the team. “I think the camaraderie is the best part. These guys have really accepted me and made me feel a part of the team and family and I lived with a couple of the guys and have become really close over the years,” tells Smith.

Senior Alex Looney, one of the captains of the basketball team, has been a good friend of Smith’s ever since he’s been manager. “He’s been great during my time here. He organizes all of our trips and is always down to rebound after practice if I want to get some extra shooting in,” says Looney. The two are currently living together in their final year here on the Hill.

“He’s a great guy to have around the team. He’s always yelling, very animated and active. Kevin’s a positive addition to our team,” adds Looney.

The Cleveland native also says that as rewarding as a win can be, he notes that the friendship means a lot more to him. “Life is bigger than basketball, so I think the most rewarding part would be the memories and the friendships made over the last several years,” says Smith. “It’s the little things that you get to back look on,” adds Smith.

Even though Smith has been working with the basketball team for three full seasons, his most memorable part of it all has come recently. “The sweep of Loyola [New Orleans] this year, we beat them at home by a sizable amount and we beat them last Thursday on the road, so it was a good time. It was also our first road win in two years and we beat our Jesuit rival,” explains Smith.

Smith has been a huge part to the Spring Hill basketball team for a while and will be missed by those he has encountered in his time in Mobile.

“He’s been a blessing to us as far as doing a lot of the behind the scenes work,” says Murphy, “He’s going to be hard to replace.”

season and we’re all looking forward to the rest of the season coming up,” says Leavitt.

“I think we have a better team than we did last year more dedicated - and we have a new coach, so I think we have a chance to make a good shot at regionals.”

Other players, like Leavitt, are optimistic for the team.

Junior John Asmar, who is a walk-on addition to the team, has a lot of hope for his teammates. “We’ve had some ups and some downs, ran into a tough team in Bethel, but it’s been fun. We have a good thing going on,” says Asmar.

The transfer from Mississippi State also looks forward to watching his team improve.

“I look forward to playing against the teams that we lost to again because we’ll all be better,” says Asmar, “I’m just really looking forward to see how much we can grow and where we will be in a few

weeks.”

Junior Dan Piper, another new member to the squad, is excited to be taking part in his first season with the Badgers.

“They’ve [teammates] been welcoming… I knew some of the guys on the team so it wasn’t really that big of a change,” says Piper. The junior is hoping to help the team make it to the regionals tournament and is enjoying his time with the team.

With a big match against University of Mobile on Tuesday and another match on March 7 against Mississippi College, the Badgers’ tennis team hopes to keep up their good work and be better than they were last year. “I think we already are [outshining last year’s team],” says Asmar.

“I think as far as a team goes were better than last year and we have a lot better tennis ahead of us.”

February 27, 2014

THE SPRINGHILLIAN

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Badgers Sweep Rams in Thrilling Fashion Courtesy of the Spring Hill Office of Sports Information The Spring Hill College baseball swept a conference doubleheader away from the University of Mobile Rams with two last pitch victories by the scores of 4-3 and 5-4 on Saturday afternoon at historic Stan Galle Field.

The Rams (10-6, 3-3 SSAC) took a 2-1 lead in the 2nd inning of the first game off a two-run triple by centerfielder Jared Brannon, but the Badgers answered back in the 4th inning when designated hitter Taylor Eads lifted a two-run homerun out of right field to put Spring Hill up 3-2.

Mobile tied the game in the top of the 7th inning when a single to centerfield by Brannon moved courtesy runner Austin Curtis to 3rd base and an errant throw back into the infield resulted in Curtis scampering home.

The game moved to the 10th inning where left fielder Mykol Sostarich moved shortstopBrooks Bobinger to 3rd base from 1st base with a single to left-center. Second basemanBrian Sims then squared to attempt a squeeze bunt, but the pitch was over his head. Ram catcher Angelo Bruno caught Bobinger roughly a third of the way down the line, but then threw the ball away in the run down to 3rd base allowing Bobinger to cross home plate with the winning run.

Keller Douglas (2-0) was the winner in four innings of relief with three hits, no walks and a strikeout. Starter Paul Sullivan went six innings with four hits, three walks and three strikeouts. Mobile reliever Jacob Hyde (2-2) took the loss after taking over for Tucker Ward who lasted nine innings with five hits, three walks and 10 strikeouts.

The nightcap saw the Badgers score two runs in the bottom of the 7th inning off a game-tying single to right by first baseman Kyle Freeman that scored Sims from 3rd base and a two-out single to right-center by catcher Roy Moulder to bring in third basemanWillie Floros with the winning run.

Mobile had taken a 3-0 lead in the 1st inning, but SHC scored a run in the 4th inning off single up the middle by Freeman, a run in the 5th inning via an RBI-double past 1st base by Sims, and a run in the 6th inning with a single by Moulder that brought in Floros who led off the frame with a double to the deepest part of straight-away centerfield.

Brady Hitt (2-0) was the winner in relief of starter Jack Howard who went 5.2 innings with eight hits, five walks and three strikeouts. Trey Cockrell (2-2) took the loss for UMobile in one inning of relief for starter Jacob Knowles who lasted 5.1 innings with 11 hits, a walk and two strikeouts.

The Spring Hill defense turned four double plays in Game Two. At the plate, seven Badgers enjoyed multiple hits on the day as Eads had three hits and two RBI, Floros tallied three hits and Freeman had three hits with two RBI. Moulder had suffered through a 0-for-7 afternoon until collecting his two run-scoring singles in the 6th and 7th innings of the second game.

Bruno and Brannon both had three hits for the Rams with Bruno bring in a run in a pinch-hit appearance with a single to left-center in the 6th inning of Game Two and Brannon driving in two RBI in Game One. The Badgers (11-4, 4-2 SSAC) will next travel to Selma on Tuesday to face non-conference foe Concordia College in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

HILL YEAH!

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SBOSH: Speed Bumps of Spring Hill

By GaillardTEAGUE

“Do you like being a speed bump?” “…..I am a speed lump, thanks.”

“So does it hurt?”

“Seriously?”

Badger Puzzler

February 27, 2014 Across: 1) New badger hot spot 3) Our campus across the pond 8) Father Meow 10) No one goes here anymore 11) Spring Hill’s adopted pets 12) McKinney’s 13) Badger one-day getaway across the bay 14) All Hail the Queen!

15) Monday’s favorite meal 16) As it gets hotter, all the badgers congregate at the Down: 2)Where was MGB2K14?

4) They see me patrollin, they hatin 5) Surfboards with wheels 6) Sandals worn regardless of the weather 7) Laissez les bons temps 9) His Majesty

“What’s your biggest struggle right now?

“I’m a speed bump… at the bottom of a hill.”

Badger Puzzler Answers.

Across: 1) Picklefish, 3) Bologna, 8) Kitten, 11) Cats, 12) Cloister, 13) Fairhope,14) AinsleyMessina 15) FriedChicken, 16) Beach Down: 2) ConventionCenter, 4) PublicSafety, 5) Longboards, 6) Chacos, 7) Rouler, 9) MattLaBorde

“What’s one thing you really like about yourself?”

“I like that I’m mysterious. Some people just think I’m a line of paint on the street, while others see me as a bit of uneven concrete. But what no one ever foresees is that I’m out to ruin your car… and your life.”