I noticed this when I was babysitting this past weekend. I babysat three girls, all under the age of eight. The youngest girl, who just had her fourth birthday, spent hours singing to me and showing me her best dance moves.

She belted out her best version of Katy Perry’s “Firework” and danced until her legs grew tired. The rest of her songs were a mix of Christmas tunes combined with her own personal lyrics that made absolutely no sense.

While I was watching her sing and dance as she pleased, I couldn’t help but smile. Interestingly enough, I found myself envying her imagination and complete disregard for what her sisters thought about her silliness.

At what age did we begin to feel embarrassed and self-conscious about what other people think of us? Why can’t we sing like nobody is listening and dance like nobody is watching?

Though I try to convince myself I don’t care what anybody thinks of me, to some degree, I am fooling myself. The desire for acceptance tends to get in the way of me not caring about how others view me. I think we all want others to like us, and this makes it easy to be a bit insecure.

Self-consciousness keeps us fighting the battle to control our self-image. But the truth of the matter is, we shouldn’t worry about what other people think of us and the choices we make, because the majority of the time others are too busy obsessing over their own choices to remember ours.

I wish I had the courage and confidence to sing and dance whenever I want without worrying if people would judge me. It’s amazing to me that children are unaffected by this insecurity.

Another aspect I envy about children is how they don’t notice the physical differences between people. Children don’t even seem to notice if another person is of a different race, ethnicity or has a disability of some sort.

My mom always tells me a story about how I was like this as a child. When I was a young, I was playing on a playground at the Indians game and I made a friend who was in a wheelchair and had a tracheotomy. When I was telling my mom all about my new friend, I didn’t mention her physical disabilities even once. I didn’t even notice that she was so different from me. I didn’t even notice her physical handicaps.

I wish as we grew up we didn’t realize the differences between people in this way. I wish we didn’t care about peoples’ differences. I wish we chose our friends solely based on if that particular relationship makes us feel happy.

Too many times I fear we choose our friends with a self-conscious motivation – based on how that relationship will be viewed by others around us.

After watching this little girl’s stellar performance, I am deciding to live by her example. I don’t want to worry about what others think. If I want to dance, I’m going to dance. If I want to sing, I am going to sing even if I don’t have the best voice or even if I don’t know all of the right words. I will be silly when I feel like acting silly.

This childlike way of life is intriguing to me. It’s innocent, naïve and guiltless. But with the complicated world we live in nowadays, maybe it’s not so bad to be innocent, naïve and guiltless once in a while.

I never went on the spring break trips either. My father was probably thrilled about it at the time, but there are stories and experiences on which I missed out. In the moment, I decided I wasn’t a warm weather or beach person, so why would I go on spring break? Reflection tells me that of course it was about fun in the sun, but it was also about sharing new adventures with friends.

There are plenty of things I am glad I did, like join The Carroll News staff and spend seemingly endless nights cropping photos and putting together ad layouts – by hand nonetheless. I made friends that are still my close friends today. It seems to me that a well-rounded college experience is as much about what you learn in the classroom as it is about what you learn in between classes. I learned responsibility whether I liked it or not. I discovered the things that were important to me and the things I wouldn’t compromise.

College, for me, was about relationships. It was about connecting with people who will be your friends for the rest of your life. People who helped you grow up while in college, people who struggled alongside with you all the way until Commencement. Those are the same people who know my shortcomings today and still support me. As I am reminiscing in this short space, I am not necessarily advocating that you must go to the Thanksgiving dinners in the dining hall or that you can’t miss the spring break trip. What I am advocating is that you look around you and appreciate all the benefits of both inside and outside the classroom.

Of course, I learned a lot academically and I am sure my education lead me to where I am today in my career.

But there is nothing like going to a reunion and seeing someone you haven’t seen in a while and being able to pick up right where you left off. That is definitely something for which I’m thankful.

Thank goodness they did because he has turned out to be the greatest man’s best friend we could ever hope for. But before I fell in love with him, I hated him and wanted to give him away. When he was a puppy, he chewed on everything and I was the perfect size for him to chew on. For months, I walked on furniture because when I’d walk on the floor he’d bite my toes and ankles. Soon, he outgrew me and I became an even easier target for him to practice using his razor-sharp puppy teeth.

After many behavior classes and after growing out his puppy stage, he stopped biting things, including me, and grew into a loving and adventurous friend. So adventurous, that he created some great stories to tell. Once he ran away and got on a Laketran bus, and another time when he wandered off, a family stole him and held him for ransom.

Those were the only two times he ran away, and I am glad we got him back. He will be turning 14 in February and he has turned into a handsome old man. The fur around his mouth is gray and he groans when he lies down and stands up. Luckily, he is rather healthy for his age. Labs usually live to around 12-14 years, but (knock on wood) he is still alive and energetic. Though he doesn’t have the same energy as he used to, he still loves to play catch and play with his toys.

Sometimes I wish he could talk, because I wonder what he would say to me when I talk to him as if he’s a baby, calling him stupid nicknames like Woobie and Lovebug and dressing him up on Halloween. I think he would just stare at me and say something like, “Listen lady, I am 98 years old in dog years and I’m 75 pounds. I’m not your little lovebug.”

No matter how many times I probably annoy him with my nicknames and try to play with him when he’s trying to sleep, he always seems to be happy to see me. It’s so nice to come home every evening after a long day and have him waiting for me, wagging his tail. He is always happy to see me no matter what. That is something I think everyone deserves in their life. We all should have funny stories about raising a pup, having one waiting to greet us with a wagging tail and lots of excitement. It makes the bad days much easier to get through—to know someone is always going to be excited to see you when you get home.

On top of these emotional benefits, there are proven health benefits to having a pet, even if not necessarily a dog. WebMD features an article on these benefits which shows pets help lower blood pressure, lessen anxiety and boost immunity. Studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients have fewer anxious outbursts if there is an animal in their homes. Having a pet can provide companionship, naturally raise levels of serotonin and dopamine and for those who are able to walk or run with a dog, this can provide exercise. Heart attack patients who have pets in their homes are proven to survive longer than those without. In addition to this, male pet owners have decreased signs of heart disease than non-owners.

I love my pup and I love to hear about others who have a Cody in their lives. I hope everyone has an opportunity to own a pet like him at some point in their lives because the benefits are certainly worth it. Having a Cody is proven to make you happier and healthier, and who wouldn’t want that?

Here’s the thing; college is a time when your life is always changing. Plans fall through, you change your mind about things, goals change and some relationships grow while others fall apart. But, this is OK.

I wasn’t OK with these changes  at first, but I’m now learning to accept them.

I’ve learned to accept that when other people are involved in your plans, those plans are going to change because peoples’ schedules are constantly changing just like mine are. I’m learning not to get my heart set on any plans until they actually happen. But this is difficult for me because I have a tendency to get my heart set on things, which at times, ends with feelings of disappointment.

My goals have changed quite a few times since I began my college career at JCU. I’ve had many different academic and social interests I’ve considered pursuing after school. While I’m sure this was annoying for my family and friends to have to try and keep up with my changing interests, it has been exciting for me to find what I most want to do.

I change my mind frequently, which can be stressful at times, but I am trying to accept it as more adventurous than strenuous. One day I want to be a vegetarian, and the next I want a cheeseburger. One day I want to live in an apartment,  and the next I want to live in a dorm. One day I can never picture myself in a sorority, and the next I am a new member of Gamma Phi Beta. I’m trying to look it as being less indecisive, and more as opportunistic.

I’ve had friendships fall apart and others grow. I’ve learned who I can count on when I need a good friend, and I know who will take advantage of me. What I have found hurts the most is when long-time friendships fall apart. Friends make other friends and they make choices that you don’t necessarily agree with. People change and this is a fact we need to face at this point in our lives. Sometimes we realize that trying to keep up a friendship is more work than it is worth and people no longer value a friendship as you do.

Though it hurts to realize a friendship has come to a close, I am learning that there are so many friendships blossoming in my life.

While things are always changing, and much of the time it hurts, I try to remember the aspects of my life that are constant.

While plans are going to change, it will always turn out the way it is supposed to happen. When my goals change, it is because I have discovered something new and positive, and new and positive things can always be found in the fine print of my life.

When I change my mind, even if on a whim or a sudden impulse, it is because I am learning to be more adventurous. I am learning to take risks and make choices and be more independent. Learning to make choices, whether big or small, will always be a factor of my life.

It’s important to remember that relationships are always going to change, sometimes crumble, but there will always be opportunity for other relationships to grow.

I will always have loved ones who I can turn to. I know that these people will love and accept me with open arms just as I do with them.

Hold on to these people. Don’t let them go. I am realizing that they are the most important constants in my life. The other constants are reliable, but not tangible.

I most value the people who support me when life hands me limes. I owe that to them. They’ve taught me to make a pretty mean margarita.

I, along with others at JCU, have noticed a problem with Residence Life at the University. The organization of resident assistants has a lot of room for positive changes to be made. Not all of the RAs are irresponsible, rude and inconsiderate, but on various occasions, some have proven to be this way.

The first issue with the RAs I would like to point out is the lack of responsibility that some convey. Some of the RAs frequently party and drink irresponsibly. The way I feel is, if a student assumes a leadership position in which they are to be models and examples for other students, they give up the option to have a life of irresponsible college partying.

Some of them partake in these activities, yet they write-up students in the dorms for doing the same things. If you’re not going to be responsible in the way that you ought to be, than at least don’t act hypocritical.

Another issue I would like to point out is that some of the RAs walk around with a sense of entitlement. They act as if they are above other students, and while they hold a different position than many students on campus, they are in no way more important than others.

This attitude is neither welcoming nor appreciated by fellow students, and it only makes those who act this way appear arrogant and unfriendly.

In Residence Life’s defense, this attitude– where somebody in a leadership position let’s their authority go to their head, can happen within any organization, but I have noticed it with some of the RAs on campus.

It can happen with any person who has a leadership position, but an RA should be a person who students can count on and use as a resource when necessary, rather than somebody who appears to feel entitled.

In one instance, there was a complaint to a person of authority within the Residence Life organization about an RA being too persistently flirtatious, and the RA’s behavior was defended. The issue was simply brushed off as if it wasn’t a problem at all.

In my opinion this is unacceptable and doesn’t make me feel proud to be a Blue Streak. There’s no room for this at JCU.

Things like this ought to be addressed within an organization at a school as presigious as John Carroll. If a student makes another student uncomfortable in any way, that issue needs to be handled and taken seriously.

Problems of disrespect and disregard for other students would not be tolerated in other aspects of campus life at JCU, so there should be no exception for any particular organiztion.

These problems are ones that ought to be addressed because the resident assistants, as well as Residence Life as an organization, should be held to a higher standard.

All of the RAs should be student leaders whom other students can approach, not scorn. If some of them aren’t going to act with the professionalism and respect that is required for the position, then they shouldn’t have such a role on campus.

If RAs aren’t held to a higher standard, than students are going to be deterred from living in the dorms, and that isn’t supportive to students or the University.

It’s interesting that this happened to me when I was 16 years old. Usually this injury happens to middle-age men who try to play a pick up sports game on the weekends. It baffled doctors because I was not only young, I was in extremely good shape. At this time in my life I played for three soccer teams and practiced for hours each day.

Rupturing the achilles tendon is one of the most painful injuries. It felt like I got shot on the back of the leg and it was all downhill from there. There’s a reason film directors put this injury in horror movies.

My injury happened only a few days before New Year, so doctors had taken time off for the holiday. I had to wait until after New Year to even make an appointment with a doctor.

As it turns out, this long-awaited doctor appointment only served as a message of disappointment.

The doctor immediately made me an appointment for a surgical procedure the next morning. At first this seemed like a rushed process, but looking back on it now, it was probably best not to wait longer for surgery; I would have had more time to think about it and get nervous.

But really, I was in too much pain to be nervous. I just wanted my achilles repaired so I could get back to playing soccer as soon as possible.

Well, as soon as possible turned out to be a very long time.

After surgery they wrapped the lower part of my leg in a thick dressing that weighed seven pounds. As if using crutches during a Northeast Ohio winter while on Percocet wasn’t difficult enough.

When the podiatrist repaired my achilles, he put it back together with a material called Tephlon, which I later learned is what pots and pans are made of. Basically, my achilles tendon is just like an average, everyday kitchen utensil.

After surgery, my doctor advised me never to wear high-heeled shoes again. This is not an option for me.

I have spent way too much money on heels and have far too many pairs to give them up. I am actually a bit embarrassed about how many pairs I own.

After my leg was healed I most definitely wore heels again. I bought a few new pairs the second I could walk on my own again.

For the past few months, my other achilles has been aching. Everytime I exercise, walk to or around school and yes, even wear heels, it hurts.

I’ve been to another podiatrist who said I need to get an MRI. He thinks I have something called Tendonosis in my achilles which is a pre-cursor to a rupture.

This is a problem for a number of reasons. The most significant reason is that rupturing my achilles tendon is now my biggest fear. It was the worst pain I have ever been in and I never want to experience it again.

Another reason is that post-surgery was an extremely long process. I have much more going on in my life now than I did when I was in high school, so I don’t have time for a huge setback like that long recovery process.

A big reason is because I really like walking. I like wearing skinny jeans and cute shoes. If broke my achilles I would have to lug around a heavy cast while using crutches. This would mean wearing sweatpants and one tennis shoe for the next six to nine months.

Obviously if something happened and I absolutely had to go through that process again, I could endure it. But do I want to stop shopping for heels?

No, thank you.

Every day when I wake up, I schedule my day hour by hour on a white board. This is partially because I am obsessive about organizing, and partially because I am so busy with different things that I need to organize my day in order so I can remember to do everything.

Pretty much everything in my life is scheduled. I schedule when it’s time to do homework, to eat, to workout and even when it’s time to sleep.

In addition to scheduling my day hour by hour, I schedule everything I need to do in order of priority.

I decided to do this because I tend to feel anxious at the end of the day when I haven’t completed all of the tasks I wanted to accomplish.

I feel anxious that when I don’t get everything done that needs to be, those unaccomplished things just get added to my to-do list for the next day, and that means most likely, something the next day won’t end up getting completed.

If I prioritize the things I need to do for the day, I can go to sleep at night a little less anxious because I know I at least have accomplished top priorities.

I haven’t always been this obsessive about scheduling. I’ve always performed at my best when I have multiple things going on in my life, but before now, I haven’t had as much on my plate that required so much of my time.

At first I began to stress about getting everything done each day that needs to be (and it’s definitely a lot to do) and I worried that I would forget to do something. Now with my scheduling and prioritizing I am just trying to reduce as much stress as humanly possible.

I’m not a perfectionist, I just need everything to be done exactly the way it should be done.

But really though, sometimes I wish I wasn’t such a perfectionist so I wouldn’t be as high-strung about things. It’s just my personality that I need to know plans ahead of time. I don’t like anything in my life to be last minute, because that’s how I become stressed.

This can make being in college difficult. Not everyone I associate with is as prepared and plans ahead like I do, so plans often change last minute. Much of the time I attribute this to unorganization.

However, this is a learning experience for me. Learning to deal with this and adjust to this at this time in my life will help me to be able to better react to it when it happens after school in my career.

And with still a year and a half of school to go, I figure I’ll have plenty more practice (I’m sure more than I’d like) dealing with this before I reach my life in the career world.

I adore spontaneity, providing it is carefully planned.

I admire those people who have such a go-with-the-flow attitude. I wish I could embrace spontaneity and I’ve tried, but failed. I just need things to be scheduled and strategic.

I think this is why I tend to apply for and/or volunteer for leadership positions in the organizations I’m involved with. I like to make sure things are planned out and organized and I don’t like the feeling of having to depend on another person to make sure that things in my life run smoothly.

It’s not necessarily that I don’t trust other people to do things right (though in certain situations this is true), it’s more that I know if I assume a responsibility, I will do it efficiently and effectively because I don’t want to be stressed when plans change at the last minute.

Call me obsessive or compulsive, but I just consider my habits to be healthily strategic.

My family and friends can attest to the fact that I am a scaredy cat, and I will be the first to admit it.

I sleep with the TV on because I’m afraid of the dark (and because I love to watch “Everybody Loves Raymond” before I fall asleep). I won’t go in the ocean because I am afraid of fish (though I avidly watch “Shark Week”). I won’t go camping because I’m afraid of the animals that come out at night (though I’ve tried camping in my backyard before). I’m afraid of hospitals and emergency rooms because frankly, even the thought of blood makes me nervous. I can’t watch “Jurrassic Park” movies because I’m scared of dinosaurs. I’m afraid of dogs (even though I have an 85-pound Black Lab).

This is why I don’t watch horror films: because I’m such a chicken. I don’t understand how anyone enjoys watching movies like the “Saw” or the “Halloween” series.

One time, when I was in high school, our girl’s track team had a sleepover and watched “Scream.” I faked being sick and called my mommy to pick me up. Until she arrived, I covered my eyes so I couldn’t see the movie. However, damn my curious personality, I decided to peek through my fingers to watch some parts of the movie, and I still vividly remember what I saw and I still find it terrifying.

What I really hate in horror films are the sick and twisted ways people are tortured and killed. I wonder if the screenwriters regularly see psychiatrists because it just doesn’t seem normal to create these torturous scenes in their minds. I don’t even understand how people can watch these happen on screen. Personally, just the sound of people screaming in pain and and horror (even if they are just actors), makes me extremely uncomfortable, let alone trying to watch it happen.

Thriller master Stephen King addresses the strange human obsession with horror films in his article, “Why We Crave Horror Movies.”

The first reason King mentions is, “I think that we’re all mentally ill; those of us outside the asylums only hide it a little better – and maybe not all that much better, after all.”

According to King, “The mythic horror movie, like the sick joke, has a dirty job to do. It deliberately appeals to all that is worst in us. It is morbidity unchained, our most base instincts let free, our nastiest fantasies realized … and it all happens, fittingly enough, in the dark. For those reasons, good liberals often shy away from horror films.”

I guess I must be a really, really good liberal because I more than shy away from horror films, I avoid them altogether. What I don’t understand about this quote is that with horror films, our nastiest fantasies are supposedly realized. Does this mean that people who crave horror films have a deep, dark secret fantasy of the torture and killing in horror movies? I sure hope not, or I will just have to commit to a life of solitude and isolation.

King defends this by writing, “For myself, I like to see the most aggressive of them – ‘Dawn of the Dead,’ for instance – as lifting a trap door in the civilized forebrain and throwing a basket of raw meat to the hungry alligators swimming around in that subterranean river beneath.” I guess what he’s trying to say is, people who crave horror movies do so because it gives them a break from their civilized mentality in order let loose a little? Do people crave them in order to let some crazy out and relax?

I’d rather relax with a romantic comedy and a bag of popcorn.

After these high school friends and I mostly went our separate ways, I found myself wanting to build more friendships with people  who share my same interests. Since then I have made some great friendships, but one night at the Inn Between one of my friends convinced me to join a sorority.

I was amazed that she could convince me of such a thing, being as stubborn as I am. This just means that we have a solid friendship— she knew me better than I knew myself at that time. She knew that this could be a good idea for me, even when I didn’t know it. Now, as a junior I finally decided to try out sorority life and see if I think it would be a good fit for me.

This past weekend, I participated in the Formal Recruitment process to join a sorority at JCU. Many of the girls involved were freshmen, so as a junior, I felt a bit out of place at times.

Since I have been at JCU for a few years, I already had friends in each sorority. This was both an advantage and a disadvantage. I felt more comfortable when speaking with girls from each chapter, but when it came to having to choose which one I wanted to be a part of, I knew that I would probably be hurting some feelings.

Through the entire process, I was afraid that choosing one sorority over another would damage some friendships. Ultimately I had to choose the sorority in which I felt most comfortable— where I felt I would fit in the best. Though that wasn’t necessarily the one that my best friends were in, I hope those friendships remain strong.

Just because I didn’t think the rest of the sororities were the right fit for me, doesn’t mean that those friendships aren’t one of the best parts of my life—and I hope those girls realize that. I still love them like sisters, even if they aren’t necessarily my sorority sisters.

I consider these girls very close to my heart and I value their friendship. I am thankful everyday that I have them in my life, and they make my time here at JCU much more enjoyable and much more memorable.

I want to apologize if I caused any hurt feelings toward any of my friends. I assure you all, that was not my intention. I just had to make the decision that was best for me, and I wasn’t going to make such a large commitment if I wasn’t positive it was right for me.

I went through Formal Recruitment with an open mind, and as it turns out, I am certainly happy I did. When I first met the girls of Gamma Phi Beta, they were extrememely welcoming. They were excited that I was there to meet them and made me feel like they’d be glad to have me as a sister. This was a great feeling considering I only knew one or two girls from Gamma Phi Beta before Recruitment Weekend.

It was nice to feel wanted and accepted, and I appreciate the fact that they made me feel that way.

When I met the girls of Gamma Phi Beta, I immediately felt comfortable with them. They were easy to talk to. I was able to picture myself as a part of their group.

Being an only child, I’ve never known what it’s like to have sisters. Now I have over 50 of them.

I am excited to be a part of this sisterhood and create close bonds with new friends, whom I will hopefully have beyond my years at JCU.

I began figure skating when I was 5 years old. I had a coach and I had to learn a choreographed program which I would compete in front of a crowd for the first time in my life. My program was choreographed to songs from “The Little Mermaid” soundtrack, and I wore a little blue sparkly dress.

Competing in front of a crowd is a tough thing to do, especially when you’re small and young and everything/everyone looks large and intimidating. However, I learned to face my fears at an early age.

Having to learn and memorize a choreographed program forced me to learn to be disciplined from a young age. When I would learn a new jump or spin I learned that practice makes perfect — I learned to keep trying until I got it right.  And quite literally, I learned that when I fall, I need to get up again (even when it really hurt)!

As I got older and got to be a more skilled figure skater, I continued to compete. The practice time increased and I had to work harder. I learned how important a good work ethic is. Though I loved to skate, it was definitely hard work. Since I was older and doing more difficult moves and skills, I would get much more nervous to compete in front of a crowd. There was more of a chance of falling in front of the judges and the audience. However, at this point in my life, skating taught me not to let my nerves get the best of me — sometimes I had to learn this the hard way.

When I would compete, sometimes I would win a gold, silver or bronze medal, and other times I wouldn’t earn one at all. This taught me to be a graceful winner and to be a good loser. I learned not to gloat when it felt great to be on the highest podium with a gold medal, and I learned not to cry and pout when I had to watch my competitors on the podium — I learned to be poised either way.

When I reached the eighth grade I was practicing early in the mornings before school. My mom would wake me up before 5 a.m. and drive me to the skating rink. We would meet my Russian coach, Baiba, and get a solid practice in before I had to leave for school. By the time I met my friends at school, I had already practiced for hours — longer than they had even been out of bed. This taught me dedication more than anything. Some mornings it was extremely difficult (and I’m sure torturous for my mom) to get out of bed and skate, but this taught me to be disciplined and honor my commitments.

I would skate before school, and go to soccer practice after school, though I wasn’t allowed to go to soccer practice if I didn’t finish my homework. I’m sure I despised this rule when I was younger, but thinking back on it now, I’m glad my parents enforced it. It taught me that being smart and devoted to academics is most important. Also, having to balance two sports, schoolwork and friends made me well-rounded.

All of the lessons I learned from figure skating helped to shape the person I am today. It helped me to be disciplined and dedicated, to build a strong work ethic, to face my fears and be well-rounded. I am lucky to have learned these traits from a young age, because they are certainly still beneficial now, and will continue to be as I grow older.

College seems to be the age of stupidity for many people and it’s rather frustrating. Some may refer to it as stupidity while others may blame it on immaturity—either way, poor decision-making is involved.

Let’s talk about some of these common unfortunate life choices. First one: irresponsible drinking. I don’t understand the fun in drinking until you can’t stand on your own, or you end up doing regrettable things. Why would anyone want to be seen like this? Just as a side note, being hammered doesn’t make you look cool, it makes you look like an idiot.

However, if partying like this happens to be your prerogative, please do not drive while under the influence. This is the absolute worst decision you can make, no matter what age you are although it seems to happen quite often in a college setting. If you can spend so much time getting dressed and ready to go out, you can take some time to figure out how to get home safely.

Another poor life choice I see in college-age students is their appearances. Some girls dress in such a provocative way because they want to feel like they look good and they want people to be attracted to them. Well ladies, I have news for you—it doesn’t look good when you dress like that and you are most likely attracting people for the wrong reasons.

Some guys dress like slobs because they are either too lazy to put some nice clothes on in the morning or they don’t want people to think they care about how they dress. What they don’t consider is, with this appearance, nobody will take them seriously. If you look like you don’t care, people who see you will assume you don’t care to be taken seriously.

A third stupid choice that college students make is skipping class because you just don’t feel like going.

If your parents are paying tuition, skipping class is wasting the money they’re spending and wasting the opportunity you’ve been given to go to college, which is a rather rare opportunity in the world. If you’re paying tuition, you’re wasting your own money, which seems even more stupid to do.

If you choose to go out on a Thursday night but you have an 8 a.m. class Friday morning, maybe you should rethink how your Thursday night is spent—let’s be realistic, more often than not, you’ll either miss class the next morning or sleep through it. Either way, you’re not getting any smarter.

By no means do these scenarios apply to every college student around. I just want to point out that they happen too often. For those students who cannot relate their lives to any of the situations mentioned above, I commend you. It’s refreshing to know that some college-age students contest the reputation the crazier ones have created for our age as a whole.

I want the stereotypical bad reputation of being college students to be replaced with the concept that not all people our age drink, go out and make irresponsible decisions. I want other people to know how responsible, motivated and goal-oriented we can be.

So, my message to all college students—man up.

Don’t drink too much, definitely don’t drive under the influence, appear like you want to be viewed as an intellectual, and go to class because it’s cool to be smart.

And read The Carroll News.

Though our campus seems to predominantly practice Catholic and Jesuit tradition, our community is filled with different faith practices. It is incredible that with various faith backgrounds, students at JCU have seemed to form such a closely connected community. I think it’s great that students at our university can put such differences aside to come together and make our environment a better place.

There are many great aspects about JCU, but one of the most significant is the acceptance of other students from different faith backgrounds. This is more than religious tolerance or simply religious recognition; it is religious acceptance and religious compliance. We have faith leadership groups on campus in which students of different faiths come together to talk about both their similarities and differences, and acknowledge how they can live and work together each day to make our campus a better place for everyone involved in the JCU community.

Diversity is not always easy to accept. It challenges us to sometimes travel beyond our comfort zone, which can be one of the most difficult things to do. It can be so easy to get caught up in our own customs and traditions—many times because that is what we are most comfortable with. However, it is important to recognize that through the faith diversity on campus, we have been presented with an opportunity to learn from others.

As “men and women serving others,” various opportunities come up in students’ lives in which we have a chance to help others who come from different backgrounds than ourselves—many times, different faith backgrounds.

Attending a university with faith diversity is a positive experience.Sometimes a college campus can be the first occasion to be a part of a community with people of different faiths. Religious acceptance and acceptance of other faith backgrounds is an important lesson to learn. College can be such an influential time in a person’s life, so this seems to be an essential time to experience this acceptance.

I feel fortunate to be experiencing this acceptance at this time in my life. I feel even more fortunate that I have the opportunity to share my thoughts on this subject in a column in the campus newspaper. I want our JCU community to read and recognize this aspect of faith diversity, because it can be an aspect of our lives that can be easy to look past.

I have found that the key to learning to accept others, even in the most differing circumstances, is to remember that we all have common ground. We all bleed red. We all experience the same basic emotions—we all seek love, success, happiness and a sense of companionship. We all endure similar experiences and can relate in some way as to the effects they have on us.

Our university witnessed this firsthand in the fall of 2009 when our campus suffered two student deaths. At that point, it didn’t matter what faith background we were from, or what religious traditions we practice. All that mattered was we were experiencing the same pain, and sensing the same emotions.

This is the beauty of accepting faith diversity. We all share common interest and emotion. The students at JCU are lucky to be immersed in a community in which we are encouraged to recognize this.

If anyone has seen the movie “The Hurt Locker,” it is probably as close to portraying how life in the Middle East is like as possible. It is an incredibly moving film that demonstrates the struggles soldiers have fighting in Baghdad. The entire movie is filled with scenes of war that can move viewers to tears.

While watching it, I found myself asking, What would I do if I were in that position? How would I handle that situation? And each time I asked myself these questions, I was truly unable to figure out what I would do if I were in the soldiers’ positions.

There is one scene in the movie where a Middle Eastern civilian with explosives strapped to his body approaches a group of U.S. troops. He is apologizing and crying for help in the hopes of a U.S. soldier removing the explosives from his body. He cries that he has a family and children, and begs the soldiers to save his life. The man doesn’t speak any English, so the soldiers use a translator to understand his plea. The explosives are on a very short timer, and the soldier risks death if he helps him.

The soldiers don’t know if they should trust the man or not. Is he truly apologetic and crying for help? Or is it just an act to lure the U.S. soldiers closer to a roadside suicide bomb? They want to save this man’s life, but don’t know if it is a trap or not, or if it is even worth risking their own lives.

I have no idea what I would do if I were under that same circumstance. The movie portrays the inner struggle of the U.S. soldiers when they are trying to collaborate and decide what action to take. It definitely makes viewers sympathize with U.S. troops, and better able to see and understand what they endure on a daily basis.

The upsetting part is, I don’t think enough Americans have seen “The Hurt Locker.” I would like to think that many young adults have viewed the film, so our nation’s youth would have better role models to look up to.

I fear that our society is too immature. If I took a poll, I wonder how many more people in America have seen the movie “Transformers” than those who have seen “The Hurt Locker?” This is a sad and pathetic aspect of our society.  If more people watched the latter film, I feel there would be more appreciation for what our troops do.

With the recent (almost) federal government shut down, the one part that most upset me was the fact that the U.S. troops overseas would have had a delay in receiving their paychecks. Congress would have lived their comfortable lives and would have received their pay on time, but the troops, the ones that are truly deserving, would not have had that same treatment.

This is on top of the fact that they do not get paid enough as it is. In my opinion, defending our nation ought to be the highest paying occupation available. For what they do everyday, for how they risk their lives, they should have a much higher salary.

Whether you know someone overseas or not, please take a second and pray for our troops. They need our prayers to keep them safe, and they deserve our prayers because they keep us safe.

Why do we spend so much time worrying? Why do we let the small troubles of everyday life get the best of us?

Letting worries control our minds can be dangerous. Often worries paralyze us. They hold us back. Worries can hold us down, keep us from doing what we want to do and keep us from our goals.

Letting go of all worries is unrealistic. It’s just not possible to have no worries. A little worry keeps us on our toes, but too much worry keeps us from moving forward.

The important part of worrying is being able to stop our small worries from turning into overwhelming thoughts and fears.

I have to admit that I tend to worry a bit too much. I’m a perfectionist, and unfortunately that makes me sort of a worry-wart.

I have been looking for ways to be more worry-free. While searching for a remedy, I discovered a website called PositivityBlog that provides helpful tips to fret less.

One tip that PositivityBlog provides is, “Remember that 80-90 percent of what you fear will happen never really comes into reality.” Many of our personal fears are just mental monsters, or worries in our minds that take control of our thoughts. “If you remind yourself of how little of what you feared throughout your life that has actually happened you can start to release more and more of that worry from your thoughts.”

A second tip is, “Accept that you cannot control everything in your life.” Controlling everything is just not possible, but making realistic expectations for ourselves can increase a feeling of control. If we set unrealistic expectations, we are only setting ourselves up for further feelings of negativity. It is important to accept that we cannot be in control of everything in our lives, and if we do this, we can have more inner peace and less inner turmoil.

A third piece of advice is, “Find out what you are really worrying about.” We need to figure out the roots of our worries. We might know that we are worrying about a certain aspect of our lives, but what is more important is to figure out why it is happening. According to the blog, we ought to “try to find what you are really worried about deep down and start working on that. Instead, trying to overcome or accept a worry that has no real root or cause.” We need to sit down and think about the cause of the worry, instead of letting it bully our brains.

A fourth tip from the blog is, “Talk about it.” Talking about a worry that is causing us stress with someone who we are close to can be very therapeutic. It allows us to release the stress and view the worry in a new light. The negative thoughts that can easily overtake our minds can cause more irrational fears and worries. Talking with another person can help to bring these irrationalities to a realistic level.

It can also be helpful to utilize a journal to express worries. I have found that if I write down a worry on paper then cross it out, I feel like I am letting go of the fear. “Just letting it all out in some form can help you to release that pent up inner pressure and assist you in finding a new perspective and solutions.”

These are all ways to help us better spend our time. Why waste so much time worrying? I would rather spend my time more worry-free, so I can enjoy my life to the fullest.

I have never been a person who was able to stay up all night. I was always the first one to fall asleep at sleepovers in middle school. Throughout high school I usually went to bed around 10 p.m.

I am still not able to stay up late, even though I am immersed in a social world where staying up all night to party, do homework or cram for an exam is a common occurance. If there is a Cavs game on at night, I usually make it through the first half before I fall asleep. If I have a lot of homework that needs to be done, I almost always make the executive decision that I would rather go to bed.

The only time I am able (and willing) to pull an all-nighter is on Tuesdays when I am working in the newsroom on deadline nights. In my life, Wednesdays are meant to be spent in class and napping.

Since this has been my sleeping pattern for so long, I have realized two things: I absolutely love to sleep, and I am really good at it.

I find sleep to be a crucial part of my life. I need a solid eight hours to bring my A-game each day. Lately I have been wondering why sleep is so important, so I spent some time reading what WebMD has to say.

I found that there are various short term and long term consequences of sleep deprivation.

One short term consequence is decreased performance and alertness. According to WebMD, “reducing your night time sleep by as little as one and a half hours for just one night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32 percent.”

Another short term consequence is memory and cognitive impairment. Sleep deprivation decreases a person’s ability to think and process information.

Stress can be both a cause and a consequence of sleep deprivation. As a consequence, stress levels can significantly increase. Sleep deprivation can also cause stress to relationships. Nobody wants to be around someone who is grumpy.

As another short term consequence, lack of sleep can result in an overall poor quality of life. It can make keeping sufficient focus on important activities such as classes, exams, athletics, work and other extracurriculars very difficult.

The most significant consequence I found from WebMD was sleep deprivation’s effect on automobile accidents. “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities.”

If bad sleeping habits persist, it could be due to, or lead to, a sleeping disorder. This can be dangerous if not tended to properly. Especially in the college environment, sleep is extremely important and should be a priority.

I discovered that sleep deprivation can have true medical concerns as well. This is where the long term consequences come into effect.

Some long term concerns include high blood pressue, heart attack, stroke, obesity, psychiatric problems, Attention Deficit Disorder, mental impairment and injury from accidents.

This is serious business, and in my opinion, nothing is worth risking these problems. I have too many commitments and responsibilites to be sleep deprived. Plus, I love to sleep too much to compromise any of that time doing anything else.

There is currently one expense in my life that I do not feel is worth the investment.

This happens to be living in the dorms. In my opinion, living in the dorms is not a fun experience.

Living in a small room, barely big enough to fit enough of my belongings, with white brick walls and bare furniture, is just not my cup of tea.

Even with a tye-dye curtain, pictures covering my walls, and a brightly colored comforter on my bed, the room still has a rather depressing tone.

I like my personal space, and living with another person and all of their belongings in such a small space is just not my favorite way to live.

I have a pretty nice sized bed at my parents’ house, so I really wish I didn’t have to sleep in a twin bed when I am at school. Especially since I know that so many people have slept on the same mattress before me.

Though the small, bland dorm room is bad enough, the worst part of dorm life is the community bathrooms.

The thought of having to share shower stalls with a bunch of other people I don’t really know makes me cringe. I can’t wait for the day when I won’t have to wear shower shoes due to fear that I will catch a nasty foot disease from somebody else.

I always clean up after myself. I don’t leave hair on the walls of the shower; but some people feel the need to leave their hair plastered to the shower tiles. This is not even as bad as the hair that people leave in the sinks on a daily basis. This makes it quite the miserable experience when brushing my teeth.

Such a small, plain, jail-cell-looking room, packed with too much stuff and another person, along with having to use a gross community bathroom, is most definitely not worth the expense. With the increase in tuition next year, the price of room and board at JCU will be over $9,000. In my opinion, this lifestyle is not worth nearly that much money.

In addition to my disdain for living in a dorm room and using community bathrooms, there is another investment that I do not feel is worth the expense: eating in the cafeteria.

Lately there has been a significant problem with the dishes available for use in the cafeteria. The majority of them are still dirty, even after being washed.

Last week I was trying to find a clean glass to fill with water, and must have gone through ten glasses searching for one without bits of food still stuck to it.

The same goes for the plates and bowls. I have to search for clean dishes anytime I want to put some food on my plate. Even if it looks clean, it most likely isn’t because you can still feel the grime that is stuck to it.

I am not the only person who feels this way. I see people every time I go to the cafeteria who are searching through plates, bowls and glasses trying to find one that is clean enough to use.

This is extremely frustrating to me because a meal plan is far too expensive to eat off of dishes that are dirty. I want to know that all of the money I am spending is worth the cost. I want to eat meals on clean dishes!

I don’t want to deter people who enjoy living the dorm lifestyle. I am sure some people like sharing a small room with another person, and sharing a bathroom with floormates, but it is just not for me.

It’s days like these, when I miss my Grandma’s delicious Hungarian cooking.

I know everyone says that their grandma is the world’s greatest cook. However, in my case, it was actually true.

I miss her food even more now that she has passed, especially because nobody in my family can re-create her famous dishes.

This makes sense because in order to be able to cook up the magic that she did, a person would have to be 5-feet-tall, wear a babushka outside, wear a pair of nylons under their jeans each day, be incredibly outspoken (often at the wrong times), rarely miss a day of work, and cook delicious meals.

I do not have her ability to cook, but I definitely learned to be outspoken from her example.

These are the qualities that my grandma possessed, but one of my favorites is the last one mentioned.

She could cook the greatest Hungarian potatoes, city chicken, pork and sauerkraut, stuffed cabbage, chicken paprikash, polachintas, corn, homemade soup and stuffing.

Her Hungarian potatoes, stuffed cabbage, corn and stuffing were among my favorites. My mouth is watering just thinking about it now.

Since her passing, my family has her recipes written down on index cards. One would think that with the recipes copied down word-for-word, the food would be fairly easy to recreate. To assume this would be incorrect.

The recipes have the ingredients and their order written down. The only problem we face now is the fact that my grandma never measured any ingredients when she cooked. So, the recipe card will read something like “add butter,” but it doesn’t say how much to add. In most cases, it is pretty safe to say that she used an entire stick of butter.

Maybe that is part of why it was so delicious? The entire stick of butter did the trick.

Although my family is left guessing on the measurements of ingredients, we have mastered at least one dish: the stuffing.

Well, I can’t exactly take credit for mastering the stuffing. I would like to, but I really had no part in making it.

Since my grandma’s passing, our family celebrates Thanksgiving at my cousin, Matt and his wife, Stacie’s new house. Now in our second annual Thanksgiving celebration, Matt and Stacie have figured out the trick to making the stuffing. It was so good this year that much of it was gone before we even sat down at the dinner table. I’m sure our grandma would be proud.

The fact that we are left with no measurements is not the only quirk in the situation. Grandma used cooking utensils that were a bit outdated. And when I say “a bit,” I am making an understatement.

Her potato masher is older than I am, and the handles of her pans are so loose, they are almost falling off. I have one of her pans (the one she cooked corn in) and it remains more of a keepsake than a tool that I can actually cook with.

All of this is proof that my grandma was not only a wonderful person, but a fantastic cook. The best don’t have to use measurements, they just know how much ingredient to add. They don’t need the best cooking materials — they can make delicious meals from scratch with any pan or potato masher.

So for now, my family will continue to perfect her stuffing recipe on Thanksgiving, and use whole sticks of butter when recreating her homemade Hungarian goodness.

My class schedule is more difficult now, than it has been since I enrolled at JCU. I just can’t seem to find enough hours in the day. On the first day of classes I told myself that I was going to stay ahead of my work in all of my classes—now in week two I find myself struggling to finish all of my work on time.

Each time I finish Spanish homework I have enough time to take a deep breath, and then start the homework for my other Spanish class. The same routine applies to my English classes, along with the other courses in my schedule. In between classes and homework, my time is split between being as productive as possible in the newsroom, and supervising the Recreation Center.

I am the type of person that can’t admit I have too much on my plate. This may very well be a flaw in my personality, but I just feel like I’d be backing down from a challenge. I should probably get over that sometime soon. Until that day comes, I will just have to find a way to manage my time.

I’ve been reading, “Run Your Business So It Doesn’t Run You” by Linda Francis, and her tips for good time management have actually been helping me stay organized. I will touch on a few of her points so they can benefit anyone who fits in the same overwhelmed category as me.

One tip that Francis provides is to buy a weekly planner/date book and write down everything that needs to be done. In this book, separate the pieces of the to-do list into two categories: urgent and vital. This is important because, though many tasks may seem urgent, they do not exactly call for immediate action.

Another point Francis makes is to schedule priorities rather than prioritizing the bits and pieces of a schedule. I find this to be especially helpful because usually my to-do list consists of numbering the parts of my schedule in order of importance. After her advice, I have been scheduling my priorities to finish first, and finding time to get to the rest of my schedule seems to be starting to fall into place.

Francis emphasizes the significance of saying “no.” In this sense, say “no” to projects rather than to people. There is no way to do everything that everyone asks you to do. I have difficulty with this point because it is not easy for me to say no—though I’m working on not being such a pushover.

It is important to set goals, both long and short-term because when achieved it gives a feeling of success. This success leads to more motivation and the achievement of more goals. At least, this is what I have found since reading these tips.

Many factors can contribute to procrastination: fear, boredom, stress, etc. Francis advises that in order to beat procrastination, the source needs to be identified as soon as possible. This way, the problem can be fixed before it gets out of hand.

The last part of Francis’s work I want to touch on is more of an organizational activity. Keep track of your time in 10-15 minute increments for a few weeks in order to see how your time is actually spent. This can be beneficial because it shows what aspects of the schedule ought to be changed/improved. For the past two weeks, I have been keeping track of these increments of time before, after and in between my classes, and I’m realizing how I can use my time more wisely.

These are just a few ways to take a seemingly overwhelming schedule and make it more manageable. This is the second week of the semester,  and there are still 13 more to figure out how to work smarter.

Fedeli, a 1982 John Carroll University graduate; pursued a career in business and is the current President and CEO of The Fedeli Group.

The Fedeli Group is one of the largest privately held insurance brokerages in Ohio.

In 1988, when Fedeli was 27 years old, he bought out his partner in order to construct The Fedeli Group.  He has had the leading role as president and CEO ever since.

The Fedeli Group serves thousands of clients in multiple states, and continues to grow.

“I had an interest in business.  I like people, and business was something that I enjoyed. This interest started as a freshman at John Carroll,” Fedeli said.

Fedeli followed this interest and, as head of The Fedeli Group, he now deals with various aspects of business.

As a privately held insurance brokerage, The Fedeli Group handles “Commercial insurance, risk management, employee benefits and workers comp business,” Fedeli said.

In addition to these aspects, The Fedeli Group is largely involved with charity, politics, civic initiatives and partnerships.

They have supported various politicians. They hosted Sarah Palin earlier in the year for the Right-to-Life Rally, and George W. Bush in 2008, along with Mitt Romney, George and Janet Voinovich, Condoleezza Rice and Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. He has also played a generous role in various Catholic education.

Along with business, charity, Catholic education and partnerships, Fedeli also values relationships.  He often hosts charity functions, political fundraisers and other events at his home in Gates Mills.

Fedeli feels that his biggest successes are his relationships with other people.

“I have been blessed with wonderful relationships with people, clients, associates and strategic partners” he said.

With relationships so significant to Fedeli, he is involved with JCU and the Cleveland Clinic. He is on the board at JCU and on the board of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. His role in recent years with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation has been as chair of the Children’s Hospital HeartThrob Ball to set fundraising goals.

I can’t grasp the concept of enjoying the act of destroying anything, let alone something that isn’t a part of my own possessions. I am making this argument because it seems that at John Carroll, some people enjoy this harsh activity. 

I remember the spring semester of 2010 when the snow had melted, and landscapers had just planted rows of beautiful flowers on campus. The people who planted them worked for hours making the campus look great. However, their work was for naught because as soon as the next weekend came around, somebody destroyed the majority of the flowers. There were clearly footprints in the ground that had ruined what John Carroll’s grounds crew had worked so hard to create.  

The most recent destruction of property that really upset me was the bike rack in front of Campion Hall. Over the weekend, someone (probably on a drunken escapade) decided it would be a good idea to flip the bike rack over so it was bent and broken into pieces. Not only was the rack completely damaged, but the 10 or so bikes that were chained to it were destroyed. There were handlebars, pedals and such detached. The remainder of the bikes were bent so much that they were no longer usable.

I do have to applaud how John Carroll handled the situation. The owners of the bikes were reimbursed for the damage. This still doesn’t make up for the fact that their property was destroyed by acts of pure irresponsibility and carelessness. 

What are the remaining problems? The bike rack is still not put together completely. There are parts of the rack that are not connected. The larger issue at hand is that after John Carroll reimbursed the owners of the bikes, and possibly attempted to repair the remaining damage, rumor has that people (maybe the same as before, maybe not) attempted to destroy it again. 

I know there have been more instances, but the two that I have mentioned have stuck with me since the incidents occurred. I can’t understand why students continue to damage campus property, not only because it is wrong, but because students pay a significant amount of tuition money. Why would someone want to destroy things that they pay a great deal of money to have? Or destroy things that other people pay this money to have?

It’s disappointing to me because I don’t take advantage of my opportunity to attend John Carroll, as many other students here feel the same. I want to see the campus looking its best, not in ruins. I don’t understand the reason why anyone would. It’s embarrassing when sporting events, conferences and other events come to John Carroll, and campus property is damaged. It reflects poorly on the school and everyone involved with it. 

I’m not naïve, I know this problem will most likely never be stopped completely, but there is room for improvement.

Crisis mapping utilizes technology to update maps online, which report what is happening globally in real time.

“We could learn something useful about trends [from these technological changes] that could tell us something significant about the election process, or about the dynamics of emergencies, or to help direct emergency aid to people that need it most,” said Ziemke.

Maps are a significant part of the Network, and consist of several layers of data like populations, roads and images, in order to get information to the people who really need it. It can be particularly beneficial to those individuals first on the scenes of a crisis. 

“My colleagues at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative proposed the idea of a new field of crisis mapping, because so many people from around the world simultaneously started to leverage the power of maps and new technologies to understand the world around them,” Ziemke said.

Since the network was started one year ago, there are more than 1,000 people involved with new ideas and information. 

Many of the members of the International Network of Crisis Mappers met for the first time at John Carroll in October 2009 when the first conference took place.

As a crisis mapping fellow, Ziemke’s role is to develop how “Crisis Mapping can be used to help us understand processes and micro-level dynamics of violence inside conflict and war,” she said.

Recently with crisis mapping Ziemke and Patrick Meier, her colleague, have finished a year-long task of organizing the second conference, which was held at Harvard and Tufts Universities in Boston in October. 

Crisis mapping has not only brought awareness to the state of other nations, but has been a resource which has created a global network of “first responders.”

The JCU community has also been involved with crisis mapping.  A few students helped Ziemke with the tasks the earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010.

JCU will be offering a course based on the crisis mapping network in the spring. 

“I really look forward to learning with the students when I teach a course on crisis mapping this spring. It will give us a chance to learn some techniques and tools but also step back and reflect a bit on the issues and concerns, and help define the shape of this new field,” Ziemke said.

John Carroll is hosting first Asperger’s Symposium on Nov. 9 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 

The keynote speaker is Jane Thierfield Brown. Brown is the director of Student Services at the University of Connecticut School of Law. 

In the lecture, she plans to inform the audience about how to help students with Asperger’s Syndrome integrate into a higher education setting. This topic is especially relevant to the Cleveland community because there are several high schools that work with students on the Autism Specter Disorder. 

Murphy said Meeks wanted to asked Brown if she could come to JCU, and the planning for the symposium snowballed from there.

“[Meeks] ran into [Brown] at a conference and mentioned to her that she wished Jane could come talk to JCU faculty and staff to educate them about Asperger’s,” Murphy said.

 According to Murphy, not only is the lecture for students to attend, but faculty are having their own lecture explaining how to deal with students with AS.

“It started there and has progressed into a symposium Tuesday, Nov. 9 for professionals [in the Cleveland area] (free to JCU faculty and staff), a free community lecture in the evening, and more lecture time specifically for JCU faculty and staff on Wednesday, Nov. 10.” Murphy said.

 “For Psych[ology] and Ed[ucation] students, the lecture is a direct educational benefit, especially us who will be working in the Cleveland area because there are two schools who work with students on the spectrum in the area,” said Murphy.

“For the general student body, the more you know about this population of students, the more you can positively interact with them which in turn will make JCU a more diverse and inclusive place,” she said.

If students wish to become more involved with the cause, John Carroll offers an internship program with the Cleveland Clinic to work with students who have Autism Spectrum Disorders.

“Students can help their friends with AS to model appropriate social interaction and provide direct feedback about their behavior. Furthermore, it will help AS students feel like a part of the community when they are treated like everyone else,” said Murphy.

AS is an Autism Specter Disorder, and it is characterized by having limited interests or unusual fascinations with a particular subject often excluding everything else from mind. 

These tendencies often cause those with AS to have repetitive routines, problems with speech and non-verbal communication, clumsiness, and sometimes unsuitable social and emotional behavior.  

The biology of AS, as well as with autism, has to do with structural abnormalities within the brain. 

According to the Asperger’s Disorder Homepage (aspergers.com), in comparison to autism, “there are fewer major structural brain abnormalities associated with Asperger’s Disorder than with autism. To our knowledge, a very small number of structural brain abnormalities have been so far associated with Asperger’s Disorder.”

All these factors become more of a challenge when AS students enter the soical, high pressure, college atmoshpere. 

Jennifer L. Murphy, graduate assistant for Services for Students with Disabilities, said this syndrome is being highlighted by JCU because of strong faculty expertise and involvement in the community. 

“Asperger’s is Lisa Meeks’ [Services for Students with Disabilities Director] and Tracy Masterson’s [Psych Dept] area of expertise.  They are working with the Cleveland Clinic to develop an Asperger’s program,” Murphy said.

This is an issue to be addressed on JCU’s campus because according to Murphy, “Asperger’s is an emerging population in higher education that has historically not been studied.”

Campion Hall has not always been known as “Campion Hall.”  It’s first name was “Gnu Hall” until Nov. 13, 1993 when it was officially named after Campion High School and College located in Prairie Du Chien, Wis.  Many alumni have attended John Carroll. One Campion College alumni, F.J. O’Neil, is responsible for dedicating JCU’s Campion Hall to St. Edmund Campion, an English Jesuit and martyr who was tortured and hanged because of his faith.  

Pacelli Hall

Pacelli Hall was established due to the funding from Father McCue and modern language professor James Peirolo,  and Cleveland’s Italian-American community.  The hall is named after Eugenio Pacelli.  Pacelli is much more commonly known as Pope Pius XII. Before the hall could be recognized as “Pacelli Hall,” JCU had to receive permission from the Vatican to use the Pope’s name. After obtaining this special permission, Pacelli Hall was named after the Pope, and was the first college residence hall to be named after a pope.

 Murphy Hall

In 1964, Murphy Hall was finished and dedicated to Fr. William J. Murphy, S.J. His first position at JCU was as a faculty moderator of athletics.  In 1941, after more than ten years at JCU, he became dean of men, faculty moderator of the band, monitor of Bernet Hall, and representative of the Carroll Union.  

Bernet Hall

In 1935, Bernet Hall was esablished in honor of John J. Bernet, president of the Nickel Plate Railroad. He strongly supported JCU and wanted a dormitory building to be built in his name. In light of this wish, Bernet Hall became the first residence hall at JCU.

 Dolan Hall

Dolan Hall was named after Thomas F. Dolan (1891-1972), a former trustee of John Carroll University, who served from 1949 to 1972. Dolan was also a development chairman at JCU. Dolan, among others, finished funding for Dolan Hall in 1955.  The plaque in the entrance of Dolan Hall reads, “To the Greater Honor and Glory of God” to remind residents and students of the Jesuit mission, “Men and Women for Others.”

Sutowski Hall

Sutowski Hall was established in 1978, fourteen years after Murphy Hall. Sutowski Hall was named in honor of Walter S. Sutowski, businessman for the Freeway Washer Corporation.

Hamlin Hall

Hamlin Hall was built in 1988 and named in recognition of Richard M. Hamlin, a 1949 JCU alumni.  Hamlin left his legacy at JCU and in 1955 was honored as one of the “Fifty Finest Graduates” from the Boler School of Business.  After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from JCU, he became owner and president of The Richard M. Hamlin Construction Company, along with buying out the Hamlin Metal Products Company.  Hamlin also co-founded a manufacturing company known as The Brenlin Group. Hamlin was elected as a member of the John Carroll University Board of Trustees in 1988.  In addition to this contribution, Hamlin was a member of the of the Development and Nominating Committees. 

Millor Hall

Millor Hall was completed in 1981, but was first named “South Hall.” The name wasn’t officially changed to “Millor Hall” until Oct. 24 of that same year.  It was officially renamed in recognition of Rev. William J. Millor, S.J, who was a former headmaster of residence halls at JCU.

I truly believe that Facebook is a poor use of time. People can sit in front of their computer, not doing research or homework, but wasting precious time looking into other peoples’ lives. I don’t see how searching through someone else’s pictures would be that entertaining.

The idea of Facebook “friends” is bologna. Why don’t you just be friends with people in real life and leave it at that? Does it need to be “Facebook official” to be a verified relationship? A lot of people I know who partake in this Facebook frenzy have “friends” who they have never spoken to before, just seen in passing. This does not sound like a “friendship” to me at all. If you’re going to be friends with someone, your relationship should be strong enough to keep in touch via phone conversation— something more personal than typing on the internet.

In fact, just this morning, somebody I met for the first time asked what my last name was so she could friend me on Facebook. When I told her that I do not have one, she sounded disappointed. I then said, “We could be friends in real life though?” Facebook is overruling human interaction with virtual relationships.

Now, I do understand that people have family and friends from other countries and parts of the world of whom they keep in touch with via Facebook. This is the program’s only defense. 

I do not understand, however, why people who live in close proximity (maybe even in the same hall or campus) talk to each other on Facebook. If you are this close and want to talk, just meet somewhere and converse in person.

Or if you have the lingering urge to comment on their photos, next time you see them simply tell them to their face.

I must add that I did at one time have a Facebook—not by choice. My cousin created it for me. I played around with it for a month or so. I never knew, or cared to learn how to post pictures, or tag people, or poke someone, whatever that means. I just looked at other peoples’ pictures until I realized how useless this activity was of my time. I realized all of the important things I could be doing other than sitting in front of a screen looking at somebody’s drunken pictures and reading people’s status.

Status – that is something I think is extra annoying. I personally don’t care if you are “enjoying an episode of Glee” in the next room.

For all of the Facebook lovers around, partake as you wish, but take this into consideration.

The celebration took place on Monday, Oct. 4 in the Dolan Atrium. 

Pamela Mason, director of East Asian Studies, along with Roger Purdy, coordinator of East Asian studies, helped to put on an event for the community.

“It [East Asian Studies] increases awareness on campus,” said Purdy. The number of foreign exchange students on campus varies by semester.

Prudy saw this as a good way to connect with those who come to JCU to study abroad.

 “This is the first year that we can add East Asian studies meet your major to the festival because it is official,” said sophomore Rebecca Secula, an East Asian studies major.

Mason gave a talk to a group of high school students about the new major. 

“[We’re] excited about prospective students,” said Mason. 

The festival is a way for high school students to explore their options, through continuing their studies at a higher level of education.

“It attracts students throughout the University,” Mason said. “It doesn’t so much compete with other majors as it compliments them.”

While academics were addressed, culture was a large component of the festival. Tofu, vegetable rice, and potatoes were just some of the foods that were offered at the festival, which was purchased from Korea House and Flying Cranes. 

Along with food, there was a Korean martial arts performing group, a Taiko drumming group, Yume Daiko, and Tai Chi instructed by Dorina Shen. The festival also offered flower arranging, called Ikebana, with instructors from local chapter Ikebana International. 

Attendants moved to Saint Francis Chapel for a special presentation by the Orchid Ensemble. The performance was sponsored the East Asian Studies Program and Liturgical Music and Musical Arts.  

The Orchid Ensemble utilizes ancient musical instruments to musically depict the culture and traditions of China, India and beyond.  The members of The Orchid Ensemble, Lan Tung, Haiqiong Deng and Jonathan Bernard combined erhu, vocals, zheng, marimba and percussion. 

The ensemble has toured throughout North America and is known for commissioning musical pieces from both Canadian and United States composers for their performance. 

At their performance, the musical group played eight pieces representing different aspects of mainly Chinese culture.  Throughout the presentation, the group members informed the audience about the background of the songs and traditions behind the lyrics.

Many of the compositions were dedicated to the moon, clouds and flowers which, as explained by the group members, is custom in China. Some songs that followed this tradition were, “Dancing Moon,” “Harvest Season,” and “Xiao He Tang Shui.”