https://archives.csusm.edu/student-newspapers/files/original/8335424347840e6febd05f10043831ee.pdf 2570a8c4a70dc2cb58ffd3f950dac58f PDF Text Text THE COUGAR e #8 CSl CHRONICLE Wední CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, S AN M ARCOS, INDEPENDENT S TUDENT NEWSPAPER Sporte Features 5 - Looking forward to summer exercise. 7 - See what's on the menu for a night out on the town. A&E Opinion 10 - Hints and tips for a productive semmester. 11 - See what makes The Hobbit still the new movie to see. Student Health and Counseling Services makes return to campus By Jasmine Demers The HOPE and Wellness Center is also home to student run organizations that advocate for healthy lifestyles through peer education. Some of these organizations include Students Talking About Relationships and Sex (STARS), and Active Minds, a group whose purpose is to destigmatize mental illness. Victoria Sandoval, Peer Educator and President of Active Minds, explains how she got involved in these programs and what kind of influence she thinks peer education has on students. "I found the home of the Hope and Wellness last year News Editor CSUSM is celebrating the return of a campus organization that is dedicated to raising awareness for issues concerning student health, and providing services that promote the strength and well being of the student community. Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) was welcomed back to CSUSM on Jan. 22 as a kick-start to the spring semester. A ribbon cutting ceremony was Photo by Chris Morales held during U-hour for the President Haynes, faculty, and students cut theribbonat the grand opening of the new Student Health and Counseling Services building. Grand Opening, and guided tours were offered to those * SlHue June uf 19^0, and lias tu tlie student uiiiuii at the suppvrt students wellness liule tu uu eust fui students. (my first year) a nd w atchThe HOPE and Wellness ing how much the programs who wanted to explore the been a crucial advocate for heart of the campus, the ac- and we take into considnew addition to campus. the transition back to campus. cessibility will increase tre- eration both the health side Center is also another or- helped others motivated me The organization itself has Dr. Nicholson emphasizes mendously," Nicholson said. with medical care, as well as ganization and service that to do the same," Sandoval Dr. Nicholson also de- counseling, " Nicholson said. is offered through SHCS. said. "Additionally, peer been located off campus at the benefits that she believes scribes the many different SHCS provides many dif- Their goal is to focus on education in my opinion is the Palomar Health Cent- the new location will bring to the student community. services that SHCS offers ferent resources that students student outreach and to in- very effective. We relate to er since 1997, and many "The big takeaway from and explains her desire for can utilize including routine form the student body of our peers and are a liaison to would say that the homecoming was long overdue. being back on campus is now students to take advantage checkups, family planning, healthy lifestyle behaviors resources that sometime our Karen Nicholson, the Med- that we have student hous- of these health care options. counseling, lab care, immu- regarding issues such as peers need but do not always "The main services that nizations and pharmacy ser- sex, drugs, alcohol, men- want to search for alone." ical Director at SHCS, has ing, a larger campus populaHealth continued on page 4 been working for CSUSM tion and are closely located we provide are those that vices. These services are at tal health, and nutrition. Latin@ Center to be opened at CSUSM this year Raza Center movement reaches important milestone By Katlin Sweeney Editor-in-Chief Many members of the campus community and surrounding San Marcos area saw their dream become a reality when President Haynes announced that CSUSM will implement a Latin® Center this year. On Jan. 28, President Haynes notified the campus populace of the news through an email from the Office of the President, confirming CSUSM's plans to move forward with the creation of what was formerly referred to as the "Raza Center." In her email, Haynes announced that the Latin® Center would open in fall 2015 and be located in the USU, a process that will be overseen by Dr. Lorena Meza, Vice President of Student Affairs. According to Haynes, Meza will also oversee the development Photo courtesy of United Students of Color Coalition Members of groups including M E.ChA., USCC, and STAND at one of the first meetings to plan the Raza/Latin@ Center at CSUSM. of "operational structure, budget, location and timeline for the Center's opening." While the implementation of the Latin® Center may come as a surprise to some, many members of the campus and local community have been working to bring this center to CSUSM for more than a year. CSUSM is considered a Hispanic Serving Institution, with 4,036 of its 11300 students identifying as Hispanic or Latino/a in 2014. This translates to approximately 35.6 percent of the entire student population on campus, a percentage only surpassed by the Caucasian student population of approximately 35.8 percent. Due to the demographics of the campus and surrounding communities, student organizations such as United Students of Color Coalition (USCC), M E.ChA., Ballet Folklorico and S.TA.N.D. have participated in starting conversations demonstrating the need for a center at CSUSM. Methods for raising awareness have included drafting a petition which garnered about 600 signatures in total, meeting with Dr. Arturo Ocampo, Associate Vice President of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and creating the hashtag #RazaCenterCSUSM. In 2014, Cipriano Vargas, former Vice President of Operations on ASI's Board of Directors (BoD), met with members of these and other student orgs, to draft the ASI Resolution for a Latino/Hispanic center on campus. The BoD voted in favor of the Resolution on Feb. 28,2014, and it was then sent to President Haynes to be either approved or dismissed. Haynes approved the Resolution and created a work group that was tasked with depicting how to implement the center at CSUSM, as well as how it could benefit students. These proposals were submitted for review this past December. Now Meza and her search committee will begin looking for candidates to fill the position of the Latin@ Center's assistant director. The Center will support not only Hispanic and Latino/a students on campus, but the entire campus community in an effort to celebrate Latin @ culture and provide important resources for success. �News Editor: Jasmine Demers cougarchron.news@gmail.com Campus events aim to increase student involvement B y Sydney Schabacker Senior Staff Writer CSUSM traveled back in time and revisited the 1990s, with its hallmark plaid clothes, denim, Capri Sun drinks and ring pops as a way of providing its students with an enjoyable social opportunity with their fellow Cougars. Hosted by Associated Student Inc. (ASI) and the University Student Union Activities Board (USUAB), the '90's themed dance was held on Jan. 23 at the Clarke Field House and was the first of many events that these organizations plan to promote this semester. ASI and USUAB are the lead coordinators for fun events on campus, such as last semester's Masquerade Ball. By collaborating with other on-campus organizations, they plan to hold a variety of events that will offer CSUSM students affordable, safe and interesting entertainment. ASI Representative Hannah Hawker explains the importance of these events and the goals that they are trying to achieve. "We want to gauge the college culture, to see if it's changing. We want to attract all types of students. We've noticed that the students, underclassmen fresh from high school especially, really like the dances. It's a free and/or cheap way to have fun," Hawker said. Past events, such as the CSUSMixer last semester, have proven to be successful by bringing together a diverse crowd of students for fun mingling. USUAB representative Kadie Heck also comments on the events that are geared towards student interaction, specifically organized dances. "For those reminisc- Photo Courtesy of USUAB Marketing Assistants ing about prom night, it's a good time to get formal and have fun," Heck said. Outside of dances, these organizations are putting together many other events as well. There are free movies the first Tuesday of every month at Edwards Cinema, USU excursions (like Disneyland last semester), Cougar Eats, a Valentine's Day movie and many more events. Organizers hope that students will take advantage The Prowl kicks off 25th anniversary celebration Scavenger hunt helped students, staff learn more about campus By Chelsey Schweitzer __ Senior Staff Writer CSUSM students and faculty kicked off the spring semester with a campus wide celebration of the University's 25th anniversary. The Prowl, a scavenger hunt that took place from Jan. 27 to 28, encouraged students to explore the campus and earn free prizes along the way. "[We wanted to] encourage all (student and employee) participants to learn about department 'student oriented' services and their Photo by Chris Morales locations," 25th anniversary CSUSM kicked off its 25th year with a scavenger hunt that offered $4,000 Chairperson, Tina Bell, said. in prizes. The event included 25 Those who participated in student service offices to they collected along the visit such as Craven Hall, way. Participants ended their The Prowl not only learned the USU, the UVA and Prowl journey at the Alumni more about the campus and the Clarke Field House. Office and turned in their all it has to offer, but they "The committee wanted scavenger hunt cards there. also gained the opportunity the locations to be of interest According to Bell, over 700 to win various prizes. In addito most students (first year students and faculty members tion to the free prizes at each to graduates), whatever their participated in the Prowl and location, the participants major/minor," Bell said. they were able to learn more were entered into a drawUpon arriving at each lo- about the campus as a result. ing to win over $4,000 in cation, students would be "I saw an online Face- prizes which included items greeted by a staff member book post [about the Prowl] like parking permits, an iPad who would tell them about and thought it looked like Air and Disneyland Park some of the services offered a fun way to get involved Hopper Tickets. In addition, at that site and any upcom- on campus," third-year students could take selfies at ing events to be on the look- student, Sarah Jacot, said. 10 designated locations and out for. Afterwards, they Through the Prowl, stu- post them using the hashtag would mark the correspond- dents were able to learn about #csusm25 on Twitter, Faing number on the students' student services that they cebook, or Instagram, for scavenger hunt cards and may not have taken advan- the opportunity to win one send them off with some tage of otherwise, and dis- of 10 Starbucks gift cards. The Prowl, which was only prizes associated with the cover places on campus that location or the school itself. they did not know existed thefirstof a yearlong series of Students picked up their or had never been to before. activities and events to mark "[It was interesting to] the 25th anniversary of the scavenger hunt cards at the go into the [new] Vet- school, served as an engaging USU info desk, which included the 25 different loca- eran's Center for the first and informative way to kick tions to visit around campus time," fourth-year stu- off the spring semester for and a bag to carry anything dent, Javier Enriquez, said. many students on campus. of these events and that they will also take the time to contact them to give instructional feedback. "It's a community effort. We want to know what you [the students] think," Heck said. Letting the organizing committees know there is minimal interest in some events will allow them to concentrate efforts on what more people enjoy. "We want everyone's col- lege experience to be the best we can make it," Heck said. For students who want to put their social or organizational skills to good use, ASI and USUAB are fun options for community involvement. The student population is better represented with an increase of involvement and feedback. "We want students to know that we're a resource," Hawker said. College is a time to have f un, meet more people and learn about new things you may enjoy. Have fun at these safe and affordable events, find other people who enjoy the same things as you do and let ASI and USUAB know how they can make these events even better. For the full event schedules, visit http://www.csusm. e du/usu/usuab/UpcomingEvents .html for USUAB and http.V/www.csusm. edu/asi/e vents/ for ASI. Students encouraged to expand horizons by studying abroad sions held on campus during the Spring 2015 semester. Dates can be found under the Global Education's Calendar B y Sonni Simmons Community News Editor C S U S M i s w o r k i n g t o p ro- vide students with opportunities that will push them towards self discovery and lead them to countries unknown. CSUSM's Study Abroad Sessions provide students with the information and resources necessary to begin a journey to a foreign country. These opportunities allow students to not only continue major-specific study, but to become more cultured and grow as individuals as well. "[Studying abroad] will stretch you in wonderful ways... and is a key feature of growing up," said Tiffany Gabbard, Study Abroad Coordinator. "You have to put yourself out there." Students are welcome to attend any of the Study Abroad Information Ses- programs are so important for students to take advantage of, and how they can ultimately benefitfromthem. of E vents o n t he C SUSM "From m y personal study website. At these information sessions, student questions are answered and the steps necessary to studying abroad will be discussed. Topics that are also explained include types of programs that are offered, length of time away from home, how to choose a country based on major, finances, financial aid and scholarships. "Our Info Sessions...cover a lot of questions that prospective study abroad students have and give them a good idea of the many wonderful overseas options they can explore," said Danielle Baldo, a Study Abroad Advisor and former study abroad student. Baldo also emphasizes the reasons why study abroad abroad experience, I've seen myself become more involved and more focused about my future," Baldo said. "At times I think college students become so overwhelmed with their lives and future that they shut out new opportunities just because they want to graduate, doing anything to get by. Study Abroad helps you realize that there's more out there for you, past the limits that you place on yourself." For students unable to attend an info session, the Study Abroad Advisors are located in Craven Hall 3200. Walk-in hours are from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A SI S PECIAL E LECTION E xercise y our v oice r egarding t he f uture of ASI. Vote o nline i n t he S pecial E lection! Voting for the special election will be open February 3 - 6 , 2 0 1 5 . The special election will address proposed changes to the ASI Bylaws. For more information and to vote please visit: h ttp://www.csusin.edu/asi/getJnvolvsd/bod/elections.html �News Editor: Jasmine Demers cougarchron.news@gmail.com Self-defense training provides women with necessary tools for safety Initiative to halt cultural appropriation debuts at Kellogg Library By Katlin Sweeney Editor-in-Chief Photo by Chris Morales RAD instructors demonstrate self-defense techniques. By N icole Holman and Jasmine Demers A ssistant N ews E ditor & N ews E ditor CSUSM students are learning how to fight back against domestic and sexual abuse through a hands-on campus training program. Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D), the world's largest self-defense program, is dedicated to teaching women practical and effective techniques to prevent assault. Courses are available to all women attending CSUSM and are taught by nationally certified defense instructors. Classes cover a range of topics, including how to react in high-risk situations and hands-on defense techniques. R.A.D Instructor, Matthew Curran, explains the importance of adopting habits that will work to increase your personal safety. "One of the ways women can avoid becoming targets is to always be aware of their surroundings," Curran said. "If you feel something is out of place, act on it. Don't ignore your gut instinct. If you feel that something is wrong or that someone is giving you a bad vibe, listen to that feeling and get yourself somewhere safe. It's better to be safe than sorry." Curran also goes on to highlight the reasons why it is so important for women to take advantage of self- defense training, specifically in a college setting. "Any female can benefit from learning how to better defend herself in high-risk situations .Their self-confidence improves and they are more aware, especially in college, where this is many students' first time on their own and away from their parents," Curran said. Melissa Olmos, CSUSM student and R A.D Training participant, explains that she wanted to take the course for reasons of selffulfillment and practice. "You can always improve your skills in order to catch attackers off-guard. Even if you feel that you are prepared, i tV always good to keep yourself in practice," Olmos said. She also goes on to explain the ways that she feels she has benefitted from the training itself, and how she plans to use it in the future. "I feel like there's a lot of individual growth that takes place during this training," Olmos said. "You're learning how to be prepared. You can also take what you learn and share it with your friends so that they can be safer, too." Staying safe has become an increasing concern on college campuses, with reports showing that at least one in four college women will experience sexual assault. The CSUSM campus itself has been affected by similar cases, such as the investigation of the unaffiliated fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon. Last semester, TKE was under investigation for multiple sexual assault allegations. Added to these reports were other criminal activities such as hazing, providing illegal drugs and alcohol to minors and vandalism. At the start of December 2014, campus police served TKE with search warrants at two different locations where they found evidence to support these allegations. According to the police report, evidence retrieved at the locations included $1,000 in cash, human growth hormones, marijuana, cocaine, LSD, What started out as a few passionate people creating a project to take a stand against cultural appropriation has become a three-month-long exhibition of student photographed and designed posters in Kellogg Library. These posters are unlike other anti-racism and antistereotyping campaigns. They feature the faces of CSUSM students, photographed by their peers, taking a stand against the cultural appropriation that marginalized communities face on a regular basis. Individuals are depicted ripping apart photographs of offensive Halloween costumes that stereotype various cultures such as Latino/a, American Indian and African American. Models for these posters include individuals such as Amiyonette Hesaynehe Goodblanket and Carlos Morales, who are also featured on the fliers pro- been part of such a dynamic moting the poster unveiling. group of individuals and orThe campaign's powerful ganizations on this campus," motto is emblazoned across Tracey Engleton, current PR the posters and fliers: "There Club member and former PR is more to me than what you Club President, said. "A lot of see: beyond the stereotype, time and effort went into prothere is history." In addition ducing these amazing pieces to the phrase and the CSUSM of work. The message should student models depicted on be clear, there are powerful the posters, they also show histories behind all of the the faces of important fig- stereotypical images out in ures from these communi- our country that we seem to ties. This is done in an effort have forgotten. PR Club feels to show what an individual especially honored to help from each culture "actually" spread this message. I would looks like, rather than the ste- like to give a special thanks reotyped costumes and im- to members Erin Taylor, ages that are perpetuated in Drew Littlewood, Anne Hall, American media and culture. Tina Martinez and Alexis The work for this project Ison for their continued dilihas been a collaborative ef- gence to this project. We are fort spanning various student also entirely indebted to Dr. orgs, and depts., including Fredi Avalos as our wonderthe California Indian Culture ful [PR Club] advisor and and Sovereignty Center, Of- Dr. Joely Proudfit for welfice of Diversity and Inclu- coming us on this journey." sion, Public Relations Club, The Beyond the StereoAmerican Indian Student Al- type exhibit is now on disliance , Civility Campaign and play during regular library Student Life & Leadership. hours from Feb. 3 until "I am very proud to have May 22 in Kellogg Library. e cstasy a nd iHegul^pres^rip- ' tion drugs. They arrested two CSUSM students and TKE members after the completion of the search. The reported sexual assault cases in question still remain open and under investigation. College campuses and students have begun taking matters into their own hands by organizing self-defense and sexual assault awareness campaigns. The newly opened H.O.P.E. (Health, Outreach, Promotion, Education) and Wellness Center offers many support programs for those who have been a victim of assault of any kind. More information on R.A.D. or any of these services are available on the H.O.P.E. and Wellness Center website. Learn more: P rofession.Bastyr.edu 855-4-BASTYR • Seattle Learn to teach The Point Loma Nazarene University's School of Education offers graduate degrees for both K-12 and norvK-12 teaching careers. Prepare with us for a career in teaching as a: Classroom Teacher Instructional Designer School Site Principal I?;: Professional Developer District Office Administrator Instructor Ih Business and Nonprofit Organizations School Counselor Training and Personnel Director College Counselor/Advisor Most programs take 12*18 months to complete Master's degrees and/or certifications available Face-to-face, hybrid and on-line learning experiences Relevant, professional and caring faculty mms*^. Contact aàmittloiii counselor Amanda Bolton* Mission Valoy Campus, at a mandabofton9pol»tloma.sdu or Katali» Rarairtz, Baksrsfteto Campw, at or program (tractor Conn! CarnpboH at eoonicampMiepdlntlMnauKiu POINT LOMA NAZARIH! UNIVCaSITY �4 551 The Cougar Chronicle, Wednesday, February 4, 2015 cougarchron.news@gmail.com N E ^^^V S " mmm Health continued from page 1 Sandoval also comments from a student's perspective on the return of SHCS to CSUSM and the effect that she hopes it will have on the campus. "The new SHCS Building is going to benefit the campus in so many ways. I am an RA for the UVA and I have had times where residents needed to go to the clinic but could not due to transportation issues," Sandoval said. "The convenience of the building will allow students direct access to health services. Also I have seen that students feel more comfortable knowing that in case of an emergency... the clinic is there, accessible, and ready to help." Sandoval also explains how rewarding her experience has been while working as a Peer Educator and being a part of such an important campus organization. "The whole outreach portion of the SHCS has blessed me with so many opportuni- ties such as this one, through being apart of their amazing student team," Sandoval said. "Everyone in the clinic inspires me in different ways being that their personal jobs all give back to the students of CSUSM in a unique way. I feel the genuine effort every staff member gives whether they are direct counselors/ educators or those that work the magic behind the scenes." CSUSM students are encouraged to get involved and help spread awareness about health issues on campus. To learn more information about student organizations and peer education, visit http://www.csusm.edu/shcs/. If you are a student who has questions about specific health services, would like to schedule an appointment or just want to know more about SHCS, the building is open from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Monday through Friday, or you can call (760) 750- 4915. New degree program By Collin Vaz Features Editor Occupations that require a master's degree are projected to grow the fastest over the next eight years, making graduate school a worthwhile investment as you prepare to impact your field. Start planning now and further your career goals with a graduate degree from Azusa Pacific University, one of the nation's top Christian universities. Join the 4,200+ graduate students currently advancing their education at APU. Choose from: Business and Leadership MBA, Management, Leadership, Accounting Health Care Athletic Training, Physical Therapy, Nursing Education Educational Leadership, School Counseling and School Psychology, Teacher Education, Higher Education Helping Professions M FT, Psychology, Social Work Azusa I High Desert | Inland Empire | Los Angeles Murrieta | Orange County | San Diego | Online The College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences has added a Child and Adolescent Development (CHAD) degree program this semester. Students enrolled in the program will learn essential skills applicable to a wide range of careers. Program Director Dr. Sharon Hamill explained that the CHAD program's focus is on the empirical understanding of the development of children and adolescents." Graduates will have the skills necessary to work with families and know how to best cater to the specific needs of individual children. In addition to being prepared for child care related jobs, graduates will better understand the behaviors of children in a multi-faceted manner and become better suited to efficiently handle a variety of both professional and personal situations. In families where both parents work, child services are a necessity and high quality care is vital for proper development. According to Forbes, only 10 percent of childcare programs can be identified as "high quality." This creates a .large market for trained individuals in the field of adolescent development. The U.S. federal government has also acknowledged the need for improved child care. Two bipartisan bills were signed into effect in 2014, making background checks and annual inspections a requirement f or child care workers. In January, Speaker of the House John Boehner met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on 60 Minutes to discuss the state of American child care.. During the interview Boehner said, "in the overall context of simplifying our tax code and bringing rates down for everyone — simply improving access to child care isn't universally good if the quality of care doesn't improve too." Dr. Hamill and her coworkers have been working to make the degree available to students for the last 10 years. The recent national focus on child care is perfectly timed with the introduction of the program. When asked about the recent political movements, Hamill said, "We built the degree in part with that bill in mind." CSUSM students who graduate with a degree in Child and Adolescent development will be prepared to fill the need for skilled specialists in a growing industry. If interested in learning more about the program, make an appointment with your academic advisor or stop by Craven Hall 1300 during drop-in hours. Summer Day Camp Jobs Seeking outstanding summer staff! Camps in Northern & Southern CA Make a difference in a child's life this summer! C ounselors, L ifeguards, Instructors, & m ore! Live at home, work at camp! www.daycampjobs.com �Sports Editor: Burtland Dixon cougarchron.sports@gmail.com Lady Cougars look to blaze the track 2015 Indoor Track Season Preview By Burtland Dixon Sports Editor Last year the Lady Cougars finished their season ranked twenty-third, but now they look to improve on that ranking not just as a team, but as individual runners as well. The CSUSM Women's Track and Field team begin their indoor season on Feb. 7, 2015. What exactly is indoor track? Indoor track takes place in an indoor arena, as opposed to outside as many of us are accustomed to. Indoor also has differ- ent events to compete in that outdoor track does not have. For instance, indoor competitors race in a 60 meter hurdle race whereas outdoor hurdlers duke it out at a distance of 100 meters. Track and Field is just as much a mental sport as it is a physical sport. If you come out to a practice any given day, you see athletes slumped over with agony all over their faces, and if you are not mentally tough, you will not be able to finish a workout. The sight of agony is a coach's delight however, because it means the intense workouts are doing their job. With all the tough practices, it would almost be blasphemous to not see benefits when it is time for competition. That is exactly why athletes on the CSUSM team are primed to improve on their speed from last year. Sophomore Kamarria Rehn and Senior Brittany Hollie are a few that are poised for a takeover at the National Championships. "One of my goals this season is to finish in a higher ranking," Hollie said. "I finished seventh last year, so I want to try and go top five this year." Yes, you read correct: top five. Considering how difficult it is to even be ranked at all, this would be a lofty goal for anyone to set, but for Hollie, it is nothing short of fully achievable. Almost similar aspirations were also true for the sophomore athlete. "I'm hoping I can run a fast enough time to go to Nationals," Rehn said. "The goal is to run a faster time than what I did last season." Both Hollie and Rehn are striving to do better and that may not be a coinci- Photo by Chris Morales Cougars' home field track has been prepped for an outstanding season. dence. Based off those two alone, the mindset of the Women's Track and Field team is to reach Nationals and compete at the highest level. Head Coach Scott and Assistant Coach Wes are known to coach athletes to success. This year should be no different as we look to see that twenty-third ranking improve. Making time to exercise this semester Four h elpful tips f or healthier student l ife By Resty Grey So how can a busy college student make time for exercise and proper nutrition? Here are four simple tips to follow this semester to help Getting in shape can be difficult when midterms and with keeping those 2015 essays are due just around resolutions to get in shape. 1. Make goals the corner, so how can a busy Ask yourself what accollege student stay in shape during a hectic semester? tivities do you like to do? It's hard for anyone at What personal achievements CSUSM to make time to would you like to pursue in get that weekly workout t hose activities? Try a sport in; however, studies have almost anyone can do like shown exercise and proper walking or running. Make nutrition can improve a per- simple goals like finishing son's brain function and cog- a mile and then gradually nitive abilities. According critique those goals as you to WebMD, exercising can progress. Achieving simple, help boost a person's mem- practical goals can help imory and improve his or her prove confidence to take on overall health and happiness. more difficult goals like run- StaffWriter Photo by Cocty Cook Don't let a muggy day prevent you from exercise. ning sub-seven minute miles. 2. Schedule time Dedicating time to exercise creates a sense of commitment. It's easy to say, "I'll workout after this episode of Parks and Recreation," but dedicating time to ex- High aspirations for lady Cougars CSUSM softball enters season ranked No. 12 Photo by Chris Morales "Lady Cougars'firsthome game will be Saturday, Feb. 7." By Erik Sandoval second season in charge of the program and Coach Nevarez Assistant Sports Editor is very confident about this The Lady Cougars have season's group of players. "This year we're taking it great aspirations for the upcoming season and why up a notch. We have some not? They wrapped up a fantastic returners, leaders successful 2014 campaign on the field who have really with 39 wins and also bought into what we're doearned their fifth straight ing so they are able to teach trip to the opening round that to our newcomers," of the NAIA tournament. Coach Nevarez said. "I think The squad is led by for- we have strong newcomers, mer UCLA National Softball transfers and freshmen as champion, Head Coach Lau- well, this team has a better rie Nevarez. This marks her dynamic compared to last year and that is important as we unite together collectively as a unit. We have added about three pretty fantastic players, so I think we are going to be stronger this season and exciting to watch." The team returns many accomplished and experienced players including A.I.I. Conference honorees, Tani Leasau, Melyssa Bellamy, Ashley Dagenais and Katie Wilkinson. Senior second baseman, Olivia Lucatuorto has been a starter the prior three seasons with the team and she intends to end her last hurrah on a high note. "I'm sad about this being my last season, but I am also excited because I feel like this will be our best season," Lucatuorto said. "I want be a leader for everyone and step up for everyone here and I think we can all be successful as a team." The Lady Cougars' first home game will be Saturday, Feb. 7 against Cal State San Bernardino. ercise mentally prepares a person for the upcoming activity. Having a set time can help build a regiment of exercise into a busy school schedule. Fitting in at least an hour a day, three days a week can drastically improve an individual's health. Having a schedule can also help make it easier to plan studying around your schedule because you'll know what to expect during the upcoming weeks. 3. "Just Do It" Nike hit the nail on the head with this iconic three-word slogan: walking, running, bicycling, basketball, tennis; volleyball, swimming," yoga; the list of activities can go on. You've already dedicated the time to exercise so all you have to do now is, "just do it." Just get out there and do something, anything! Get out and dribble a basketball, take a walk around the block, go on a hike or my personal favorite, try to walk every step at CSUSM. 4. Have Fun! It's easy to get into a redundant regiment of working out the same muscles, on the same machine, at the same gym, seeing the same people; so mix up your workouts to keep things fresh. Try out a new sport or run a different route. Do something you like to do instead of doing workouts just to "look good." People look their best when smiling, so find something you love and stick with it. Along with an academic workout, the spring semester is a great time to start getting healthy for the upcoming spring break! Benefits of personal trainer By Burtland Dixon Sports Editor A beach trip is coming up and you are no longer self-conscious about your appearance. Your body is fit and you want to showcase it any chance you get. For many, that just isn't a desire anymore and in fact, is a reality. Others are still dreaming with their eyes open and second guessing getting in the pool at the party they were recently invited to. How do they stop the dreaming? Our society has seen a huge cultural shift with people wanting to be fit and being a part of the popular #gymselfie movement on social networks. We've seen fitness guys and girls hop on the Herbalife train having it escort them to a land of chiseled pecks and toned calves. And who can forget about the LA Fitness employees handing out those infamous orange three day trial cards and leaving them on our windshields? There are plenty of methods to get fit, but there is one way in partic- Photo by Cody Cook Personal trainer Kyle Johnson awaits future clients. ular that is sure fired help. "If a client wants a personal trainer, it's nice for them because they can get a personalized workout program made specifically for them and what fitness goals they have," said Brendyn Heath, CSUSM's highly acclaimed trainer. "If they had no clue on what to do in the gym before, they will have a much better understanding of fitness and exercising after." Nevertheless, it is completely reasonable to those who are full-time students, have a job and spend their free time with studying and homework; no knock to your hustle. However, to those who just are not motivated or say they do not want to go to the gym because they have not the slightest clue where to start, fret no more. A personal trainer is just what you need. CSUSM offers a plethora of services and activities, and hiring your own trainer is one of them. The pool party and selfies await you. �Sports Editor: Burdand Dixon cougarchron.sports@gmail.com R emembering S tuart S cott A tribute to a sports broadcasting icon By Burtland Dixon Sports Editor The year was 1993 when ESPN hired what turned out to be one of their most special employees to this day. The sports world was certainly unprepared for what was to come next, but it was surely overdue. There are some people in life who seem to just get it, whatever it may be, and Stuart Scott is truly one of those people. From his catchphrases to his fervor towards whatever he was doing, audiences who tuned in to watch him discuss sports always walked away satisfied. As the years went by during his stint at ESPN, Stuart's popularity began ris- face vocabulary, such as "Boo-Yah!" or "Just call him butter cause he's on a roll." Stuart was one of a kind. "Stuart was a pioneer, he brought a style to sports commentary that was exciting and upbeat, and he also took pride in what he did," fourth-year CSUSM student, Chris Melendez, said. A pioneer is a precise description of Stuart Scott. Of course there were other Black Americans broadPhoto courtesy of Rich Arden/ESPN Images casting on-air about sports, The late Stuart Scott accepting his award at the 2014 ESPYs. but Stuart stepped outside the repetitive lanes that all ing gradually. Not only did ing a career in sports media. these anchors were going he entertain viewers with This is due to the fact that no down and ended up creathis transcendent style of one else on-air prior to Stu- ing his own. Stuart Scott anchoring, he also inspired art had the same commen- made talking about sports colleagues as well as many tating style as him. No one more relatable to people of others who aspired to hav- brought that fresh in your color. He made the way that a group of Black Ameri- up again. On Jan.4, 2015, cans would talk about sports Stuart Scott unfortunately only among themselves, lost his fight against cancer. During his amazing career acceptable to talk about with a person of any color. he had the pleasure of inWe do not truly know if terviewing some of the bigStuart's goal was to open gest names in sports such as doors for mankind as a Michael Jordan, Shaquille whole, but he did it wheth- O'Neal and Tiger Woods. er he was planning to or One does not simply get in not. Just the way he spoke the same room with starbrought people of different studded talents such as Mibackgrounds closer togeth- chael Jordan and get to ask er. Tragically in 2007, the them questions without besports world stopped as Stu- ing an established individuart was first diagnosed with al. That is just what he was, cancer. He fought through it established. He will be reand thought he was clear of membered for many things, cancer up until 2011 when but not just for being "As he was diagnosed again. cool as the other side of pilHaving battled through it low," another catchphrase he once more, Stuart thought brought to pop culture, but the coast was clear up until for being a trailblazer and a 2013 where it had sprung believing in being himself. ACROSS THE POND Introduction to E nglish Premier L eague Football seen injuries, inexperience and overallrigorsof multiple Assistant Sports Editor matches on a weekly basis. Heading into the twentyBritish football is truly a third round of a 38 round beautiful sport to watch. The campaign, there has been matches contain an abun- two elite clubs that have disdance of drama consisting tanced themselves from the of match winning goals; rest of the league. Chelsea r ed c ards, s pectacular s kills^ leads the way in first ph*cc,~ and of course, flopping. five points ahead of secondAll 20 of Britain's top place Manchester City. Both flight football clubs are in clubs boast world class interthe second half of their gru- national talent and have very eling 10 month season. The wealthy owners whose bank true contenders for the title accounts have no limits. have risen; however, others English football isn't like have faltered due to unfore- the NBA or NFL in America By Erik Sandoval when it comes to restrictions on the amount of money owners can spend to purchase players. English Premier League owners can spend as much money as they desire to purchase top class talent. The lack of financial fair play has been fundamental English Premier League title two of the past three years and are world-renowned as the best attacking team in England. Manchester City is led by goal-scoring machine, Sergio Agüero, and former World Cup champions, David Silva and Jesus Na- for these clubs to rise above vas. A güero has scored the their counterparts, particularly in the last four seasons. Chelsea has won the English Premier League title once and was also crowned European Club Champions in 2012. As for Manchester City, they have won the CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS BLACK HISTORY MONTH EDITION The C ougar C hronicle is looking for writers, artists,and photographers that a re interested in contributing articles, artwork, a nd p hotographs that revolve a round the t heme of Black History M onth for our February 18 editionWe w ould like t o feature work e mbracing diversity, c elebrating Black History Month, a nd exploring the dimensions of r ace in our society. Work will b e f eatured in the eighth edition of The C ougar C hronicle as part of our fourth t hematic edition of the y ean DEADLINE: T hursday, F ebruary 12 @ 8 p .m. SUBMIT TO: c susm.cougarchronicle@gmail.com Photos and artwork must be submitted in JPEG/JPG format Articles should be between 150-500 words, formatted in Microsoft Word Documents (.doc/.docx) or in Google Docs. most goals in England since 2012 and nobody statistically has scored at a quicker rate than the Argentinian! On the other side, Chelsea is led by the current top goal scorer known as England Diego Costa, and Photo by Chris Morales former World Cup cham- low cards, or in other words pion Cesc Fabregas. Diego fouls, and looks set to be Costa has been an amaz- suspended for his next three ing talent in hisfirstsea- matches. Both clubs went son playing in England but head to head for a decisive has picked up seven yel- title showdown on Jan. 31. i t e ASI ELECTIONS I nterested i n r unning f o r a R epresentative o r E xecutive p o s i t i o n on t he ASI B oard o f D irectors? E lection a pplication p ackets will be a vailable Monday, F ebruary 16th Submit a pplication to A SI O ffice in U SU 3700 by 12:00 pm on W ednesday, M arch 4th F or more information p lease v isit: http://www.csusm.edu/asi/getJnvolved/bod/elections.html COUGAR CHRONICLE STAFF Editor-in-Chief A & E Editor Academic Advisor James Massengale Community News Editor Our Website: csusmchronicle.com Katlin Sweeney Faith Orcino Kent Davy Celeste Morales Sonni Simmons Office Phone: 760 - 750 - 6099 Lexy Perez Design Editors Copy Editor Photo Editor Lana Cook & Rachel Pratt Maria Valencia Christopher Morales Office Fax: 780 - 750 - 3345 Amy Petrova Our office is located in Craven 3500 Erik Sandoval Contacts Sydney Schabacker csusm.cougarchromcle@gmail.com cougarchron.layout@gmail.com News Editor Distribution Team Writing Staff Zach Schanzenbach Jasmine Demers Jeff Meints & Cody Cook Erich Allen Chelsey Schweitzer cougarchron.news@gmail.com Shanice Davis Tiffany Trent cougarchion.sports@gmail.com Pierre Yaldo cougarchron.features@gmail.com Sports Editor Advertising Manager Resty Grey Burtland Dixon Joshua Ray Anne Hall cougarchron.opinicwi@gmail.com Sarah Hughes Assistant t o Editor-inChief cougarchron.arts@gmail.com Will McCurdy csusmchronicle.advertising@gmail.com Opinion Editor Features Editor Alex Maravillas Noelle Friedberg Collin Vaz Michael Marino The Cougar Chronicle is published twice a month on Wednesdays during the academic year. Distribution includes 1,500 copies across 6 stands positioned throughout the CSUSM campus. Letters to die Editor should include a first and last name and should be under 300 words, submitted via email. It is die policy of The Cougar Chronicle not to print anonymous letters. The Cougar Chronicle reserves the right to reject any Letter to the Editor for any reason. �Features Editor: Collin Vaz coitgarchron.features@gmail.com ALUMNI FEATURE John Glasoe, role model for aspiring students CULINARY CORNER Pan fried lobster tails By Pierre Yaldo StaffWriter BRi^iÉSLS'B H H A H 1 H 1 i By Michael Marino StaffWriter Is it possible to use a degree to further both a passion in life and to land a solid job? John Glasoe, a Temecula native and CSUSM graduate, proves that merging hobby and work life is not an impossible feat for the college graduate. "Do something that makes you happy. Do not just look towards the money," Glasoe said. Equipped with a degree in Economics and an impressive resume, Glasoe was able to land his dream before walking through the door. As a retired varsity golf player and a former employee for Cross Creek Golf Course in Temecula, he felt that he was prepared to take on this new job. Glasoe said that with his combination of experience, academic achievement and lifetime interest in golf, no employer could» turn him down. Glasoe advocates gaining as much experience as possible in the workforce Photo courtesy of John Glasoe and in school in order to get job, working for a golf ahead of the competition. He course management compa- suggests that people "sell ny. Golf is one of his big- themselves" in order to do gest passions and he knew well in an interview. Anyfrom the start that he want- thing that sets them apart and ed to work in the industry. makes them look better than After graduating from the next applicant is importCSUSM in faU 2014, he ant to include in a resume. wasted no time in sending "Be yourself. Find someout his resume. Warrior As- thing that you actually want set Management (W.A.M.), a to do, and not just because it golf administration company looks goodfinancially.Being located in Irvine, Calif, grant- happy is more important than ed him an interview within a being rich," Glasoe said. month. Because of Glasoe's An example of success, outstanding resume and Glasoe and his story can self-confidence, they hired prove to be encouraging to him after the first interview. many students, especially Glasoe said that he knew to those who near graduahe was going be hired, «ven tion this upcoming spring. Living on the coast of California, we often forget how close we are to many sources of fresh seafood. Lobster is an easy meal to make at home, as it is often overpriced at restaurants, where a single lobster can cost upwards of $40. Luckily, raw lobster tails are available at Costco and other supermarkets for $8-15 a tail, which is comparable to a home cooked steak. It is important to note that because of their small claws, the meat of California lobsters is nearly all in the tail, making them even easier to cook than a Maine lobster. Things you'll need: • Fresh/frozen lobster tail(s) • Salt • Pepper "M » M 'ir • Garlic powder • Yi stick of butter (for cooking and dipping) • Olive or vegetable oil • Optional: vegetables (carrots, potatoes, onions) enough to dress the meat. 4) Heat up a pan to medium-medium high heat and add olive or vegetable oil, along with any vegetables you may wish to serve. 5) Once the vegetables Instructions: begin to simmer in the 1) Make sure lobster tails oil, add butter to the exare properly thawed. Place posed tail meat and place tail or tails on a stable cut- on the pan meat side down. ting board, shell side up. 6) Let sit for two minutes Using a heavy knife, such 7) Flip the tails and let as a butcher's knife, split the cook the shell side for anothshell down the middle, but- er two minutes, giving the terflying the shell and meat. meat one last coat of butter, Remove the lining that runs 8) Turn heat off and through the center of the serve lobster tails meat meat. It should be clearly side up with the vegetavisible and easily come out. bles and a fresh lemon, and 2) Season the exposed more melted butter. Enjoy! meat with salt, garlic powder Do you have a favorite and just a pinch of pepper. recipe that you would like 3) Microwave butter in to share? Send any recipes a small cup or dish, using or suggestions to Culinary a minimum of VA stick per Corner at cougarculinarylobster tail, and microwave corner@gmail.com and for 10 seconds at a time, you may see your recipe until the butter is melted featured in the next issue. y^ » w- w-^-m J^ A V/ U J f J m k J xr 1 JL J vjr J [ t * LL ü * ^ LH a jf w «p Professor Metcalfe A n e xemplar of p assion By Shanice Davis Assistant Features Editor On the first day of any class with Professor Dale Metcalfe, one would definitely be in for a ride. As students sit and wait with anticipation to see who the professor is, whether she is rude, nice, a hard grader, or intimidating, they will find that she is a professor who is animated and clearly loves her job. Anyone who has seen her knows that she stands out immediately because of her chic, s WÊÊÊÊÈSÊÊ8MÊMSÊSÊ houlder length, gray hair. Born in Boulder, Colorado, but spending a good chunk T he Program of her childhood iri Tulsa, This 120-hour certificate program focuses on best practices used to teach Oklahoma, Metcalfe was English as a Second/Foreign Language. Highlights include: always a restless soul on a • Hands-on training and practice with English language learners in quest for something more. university setting Professor Metcalfe is very • Professional development and guidance infindingemployment in the field fond of the time she spent growing up on farms, expe• Sessions taught by master teachers with extensive experience inTESL/ riencing rural life. She says TEFL, teacher training, and curriculum development. that she is very grateful for • Solid foundation inTESL/TEFL methodology having endured this period of • Optional Field Practicum with possibility of placement at overseas partner her life. But at the time, Metinstitutions calfe remembers the constant desire of escape from it all, Sessions which swung into full force once she went to college. • Summer: 6-week Intensive Daytime Program "I did some undergrad • Fall: 15-week Evening Program work at the University of Oklahoma and I did my M A. • Spring: 15-week Evening Program and PhD work at the University of California: Davis," Metcalfe said. "I grew up Call 760-750-3200 f or more information. in Oklahoma and did everything to escape, it felt very provincial and small town, especially after being in college for a couple of years. I California S tate University Extended teaming ended up going to New York SAN M ARCOS and lived there for a number of years, and I really loved it there. I came to California to T RAVEL A ND T EACH l agranMSBsro^« Photo by Chris Morales Literature & Writing Professor Dale Metcalfe looks forward to sharing her experience with her students in this, and future, semesters. go to grad school and never really left since, I lived in Chicago for a few years and Washington D.C., but always came back to California." Here at Cal State San Marcos, Metcalfe is a Professor of Literature with eight years under her belt, but initially, she wanted to obtain a degree in acting and directing due to her love for theater. She ultimately ended up teaching Intro to Literature because she loved reading so much. Even though she did not go into theater, Metcalfe says that she loves her job as a professor here at CSUSM, but on the other hand while laughing and shaking her finger from side to side she adds, "What I don't like is grading papers!" When asked what her dream job would be had she gone a different route, her eyes begin to glisten as she says, "acting." "I actually still have fantasies of when and if I retire, maybe doing community theater. I think that this was more feasible, working as a professor, in terms of being able to support myself than taking my chances like some many brave people do and trying to make it in the theater; so it's more of a practical choice that's worked out very well." And if she could have magical powers she declared while giggling, "I would enlighten everyone, I would have everyone on the planet achieve instant enlightenment!" As for advice that not only fellow literature majors can take from, but anyone else as well, Metcalfe cites passion as a good motivator. "You have to do something that you genuinely love. And sometimes it doesn't look very practical, but if it's something you love, you will find a way to make it work in your life and you won't hate yourself for making the wrong choice and you won't burn out and get bored. Joseph Campbell, a famous student of mythology said, 'Follow your bliss,' and I think he was right." �Features Editor: Collin Vaz cougarchron.features@gmail.com S H I N E LIKE A STAR Astrology, retrograde and horoscopes structure of going in order, able to stay in my observer? By Alex Maravillas especially during the transi- This is such a great conversaAssistant Arts Editor tion into the new year. Things tion for Mercury retrograde. may go haywire. It can feel When things go erroneous As an astrologer, retro- like you are not in sync with and it bumps, we all get upgrade is paramount. From your thought processes. set. When someone rear-ends Jan. 21 through Feb. 11, MerIt doesn't mean that things your car or when someone cury undergoes retrograde. are chaotic. It just indicates decides to cut you off, you What exactly is Mercury that it is a time to give your- enter in attack mode. HowRetrograde? From Jan. 21 all self a chance to get your ever, your first replication the way to Feb. 11, Mercury mind, the business coop- should be to take a breath is going backwards. What erative of all, (the monkey when you feel like this. With Mercury going does it denote? Mercury is mind that we all auricularly going to stay in the same discern about in Buddhism) backwards in Aquarius, sign in Aquarius but it would to shift gears into awareness. you can stand on your indicate such an impeccable Until we can tell the mind head and verbalize to yourtime to be studying the stars. to sit down, the esoteric law self, "Does it genuinely During retrograde, the mind is in every spiritual practice. matter?" Aquarians are is no longer fixating on the How do I get myself to be known to think that noth- Student Organization Fair depicts diversity of campus groups see your surrounding, all of a sudden you are aware. Identify your loop according to your natal chart. Secondly, interrupt it. Once the pattern is interrupted, you discover yourself. You all go, "Oh, I 'm so emotional", "Oh, I 'm so practical" or "Gee! I 'm so captured by enthusiasm." You find the juice and frolic in everything. Or " I'm so verbal!" You can't keep your mouth shut. Once you find your fixation is, use your vigilance as an off button. So use Mercury retro- grade, from Jan. 21 to Feb. 11 and while it is going rearwards, focus on the phrenic conception process that got you fixated. For personal natal chart readings, email maravOO 1 @ cougars .csusm .edu. Coming this spring! Looking to read about your horoscope? The up and coming magazine called the "QUEERY" will have horoscopes tailor made to your particular sign. Whether you are a Valiant Virgo, a Lovely Libra, or a Pretty Pisces, the "QUEERY" has horoscopes for all signs. F ASHION C OMMENTARY Designers debut new and old trends By Collin Vaz Features Editor Curious minds packed the USU ballroom for the Student Organization Fair, which showcased a broad spectrum of student-led groups. The event took place on Jan. 29 and included advocacy-focused clubs, career-oriented societies and club sports. There was something for every niche and interest to enjoy. The new USU ballroom was an excellent venue offering plenty of room for the 70 clubs present at the event. Each organization had a desk set up with candy, fliers and sign-up sheets. Students who attended were able to ask questions and meet members of the clubs. Each organization offered something special and unique. The Anthropology Club was especially interesting to attendees as they are in charge of the ethnobotanical garden on campus. Skulls and books full of tribal drawings were spread across their table. The proactive Colleges ing is as serious as we think. During this next transit while Mercury enters retrograde, be mindful, and when mental glitches occur, smile and breathe. It is easier for people in their early twenties to authentically watch their internal dialogue in all the patterns of cerebrated processes during Mercury Retrograde. Make a list of the patterns in your thought processes. Whether it is about your income, health, or job, everyone can succomb to these dizzying fixations if not careful. When the observers on you can optically By Anna Maria Petrov StaffWriter Student led groups attract a diverse spectrum of interested participants. The New Year is currently in its transition from winter to spring and the fashion A gainst w orld^isr p reparing Photo by Collin Vaz C ancer m embers wore tie dye T-shirts that said, "Finish the Fight." The club is seeking to create a "purple day" where everyone shows their support for finding a cure for cancer by donning purple colors. The Communication Society is another ambitious club with an interest in promoting student activity. They sponsor fundraisers and social events such as feeding the homeless and coffee house meetings. Students interested in a career in law will find good company in the Pre-Law Society. LS AT tests can be very expensive and discounts on study m aterial as w ell as t he torintfb^ tests itself are offered through duce up and coming trends membership in the group. that are sure to catch the Anyone with intentions of eye of every fashion lover. As the seasons change in making a positive change in the environment needs California, the warm weathto look no further than the er opens the door for more Sustainability Club. They light fitting clothing in pastel offered recyclable polypro- colors. The fashion designpylene bags to students at ers bring forth new and rethe fair, providing aware- turning ideas that have been ness for the possibility of improved upon each year. According to Glamour a statewide ban on plastic grocery bags in the summer. magazine, black and white Joining a club is a great combinations as well as blue way to meet people with and white have dominated similar interests and de- the fashion runways featured velop life-long friendships. in many designers' collecInformation on all clubs tions. Another color pallet and societies are avail- included in this spring's able at www.csusm.edu/orgs. wardrobe is yellow,-ranging from formal wear to casual. The all-white outfit combo can be seen as well, giving the impression that too much of one color in a whole ensemble is not overdoing it. This upcoming season wilt %ls6 4 fnclu&e ^fidpulir^ color patterns inspired by traditional military shades. Another trend that has caught everyone's eye is the Gingham style, also mentioned by Glamour. The trend reintroduces the classic plaid pattern in a sophisticated and laid back way, combining pencil skirts and cropped top or mid-length skirts and blazers. Mid-length dresses in the spring collections will share the same pattern. The many different shades and patterns of new shirt dresses will be a welcome and comfortable addition to this season's lineup. Perfect for the warm weather, the Kimono-Style Trench coat, as seen in Glamour magazine, brings a whole new perspective of the classic trench coat that has been popular in past decades, especially among men. Vr fht pofo-ftyle %hfrt trend returns to runways and stores like JCPenney and LACOSTE. The very trendy one shoulder cut dresses or blouses have made the cut in this year's spring line up. All-time favorite and timeless looks including denim in the form of dresses, trousers, jackets, vests, skirts, and jeans are also in style. These classic pieces can always be paired with white crop tops, t-shirts or denim seems to always be in style , makes an appearance every year. The anticipation for spring is unbearable, but when the time does come, the wait will have been worth it. Favorite contemporary fashion designer, Raf Simons "The aggregations have fine-tuning a nearby co-opbeen a piece of a procedure eration with Belgian maker Assistant Arts Editor of growing up," Simons says. CIG, Simons returned for In 1995, in the wake of pre-winter/winter 2000 with Dior strikes a chord when I think of my most doted de- peregrinating to Antwerp a commencement, multilaysign house, corresponding and getting together with ered and radical look. With with who my favorite con- Linda Loppa, bellwether of hands in the pockets of their temporary fashion designer, the style office at the Re- dress or a dyad of weaved who at present is the archi- gal Institute, he opted to tennis shoes on their feet , tect for Dior's haute couture. switch employments. Fix- they ambulate with simple, Though he is currently one ated both by conventional familiar types of kineticism. of the incontrovertible lords and formal menswear along The Dior lady, as estabof menswear, Raf Simons with the defiant attire stand- lished by Raf Simons for the (born in 1968) never took a ards of present and past spring/summer 2014, haute single fashion form course. youth societies, Simons re- couture store has an appeal Instead, he considered a me- fined revolutionary styles of delicacy and insouciance chanical plan in Genk, Bel- from these enthusiasms. starkly free and ethereal. The In spite of ecumenical ac- lines are liquid and the fabgium, near to the place where he grew up in Neerpelt. In colade, Simons shockingly rics in delicate shades, white, any case, he took an ephem- closed down his organization atmosphere blue, pale pink eral job at the Walter Van in the wake of displaying or inky blue are supple and Beirendonk Ant Werp Office his 1999 hoard collection, light, superimposed or finely while still at school, referring so as to take a vacation and layered in a downplayed sesto compose as an authen- amend the inner structure of sion of straightforwardness. Nonetheless, abaft the extic purport of investment. his business. In the wake of By Alex Maravillas quisite effortlessness of the night dresses, abaft the ostensible balance of a jumpsuit or the coalesced down structural engineering of a bar suit, an astronomically immense number of subtle elements denude themselves, affirming abstract half moons, circles and petals, denuding the body in an unobtrusively arousing manner. There are the weavings of sequins, botanical themes, beaded pistils blossoming in the fabric layers, requiring a second, more proximate look much equipollent to whispered fashion privileged insights. Communicating the same style as the set lodging, the shoes are a perfect structure whose delicate bends are thoroughly etched by hand, each of Simons' en- Illustration by Alex Maravillas genderments and is a gimmick of mind boggling building design ascetic extolling the excellent art of the Dior ateliers, a one-ofa-kind work inclined to ladies in all their peculiarity. The fabric blooms and were gently cut into petals or finely re-weaved with pearl and sequin blossoms, the engenderments for Raf Simons' spring/summer haute couture presentation was an exaltation to the tribal savoir faire of the embroiderers who worked for the house of Dior. �Opinion Editor: Noelie Friedberg cougarchron.opinion@gmaii.com Seasonal loneliness: The Valentine's naming dilemma Why Valentine's Day is day to celebrate, not stress By Will McCurdy Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief Single's Awareness Day. To some it's a rallying cry, others are apathetic and still more consider it, with a snort of derision, as the preferred term with a cynical lens directed toward a day celebrating a celibate Christian martyr. Valentine's Day, despite its religious roots, has developed into a secular holiday full of amorous ambitions and Ben & Jerry's. The term, Single's Awareness Day, was created to direct attention toward a crowd that is not within the celebrating demographic of the holiday. However, the present tense is used because the term has largely turned into a larger joke than it was at its inception. There are no maroon cards shaped like anatomically correct hearts to hand out to friends and acquaintances and no apathetically wrapped gift boxes. Television networks would be hard pressed to air anything other than films about love. Ultimately, the only change garnered with these words is a short-lived sense of comradery with whoever uttered By Lexy Perez Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor Photo Illustration by Nick it, followed by an awkward high five and the subsequent repression of any unpleasant memories that come as a result of the interaction. So if not Single's Awareness Day, then what do those without a date do to bring attention to themselves? The answer is quite simple: nothing. Valentine's Day is a commercialized mess to the point that the fact that there isn't a Charlie Brown special on it is quite surprising. But beyond capitalistic aimed cynicism, there's no real reason to get into a mood that requires making a joke about the name of a holiday. While some rush around to get chocolates and flowers for their sweetheart, a person of the non-committed persuasion can exploit the Nootbaar cheaper prices for chocolate and flowers while potentially enjoying a good romantic comedy film later in the evening. Dining out becomes considerably more simple as single and odd numbered parties can get in much quicker than couples that always pack the establishments. Let the couples of the world have their holiday with deep red roses, absurd lines at restaurants and boxes of chocolate shaped like rear ends. A name is a small concession to pay for the benefits taken advantage of by all parties. May the joke of bringing awareness to those lacking in paramours be done with and instead be used as a chance to take advantage of its rampant commercialism through candy. Why history is best major Attention to all you hopeless romantics, Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Whether you're in a relationship or choosing to dub that Saturday as "Single Awareness Day," it's the one day that people tend to stress over more than Christmas. This holiday has a reputation in which extravagant surprises take place, marathons of sappy love movies air on television and love songs to set the mood play on repeat. I don't know about you, but it never fails to bring out every PDAcentered couple to surround every inch of outside civilization. (Note: Love is a beautiful thing, but nobody really needs to see whose chapstick can last longer.) It's a time where girls can finally have a reasonable excuse to take Forrest Gump's offer of having that savory box of chocolate, as if we need a day to remind us of the necessity of life that is chocolate. While the idea of Valentine's Day is nice, it seems as if the male population is slowly starting to dread the approaching love shenanigans. Valentine's Day has altered its name to: "Don't Screw It Up Day." Here's a little advice to all you guys feeling the pressure and stress to give that special someone a day to remember: Stop thinking so much, but please don't run away from the day. It would* be a lie to not admit that the media can create fictional fantasies filled with nothing but candlelit dinners, bouquets of roses, extravagant gestures, blinged-out gifts and males being every inch the Prince Charming that seems to be so rare to find in the real world. While the glitz, glam and Prince Charming fantasy seems nice, is it that shocking to consider that maybe all of it isn't necessarily needed to make that special someone happy? If you want to go all out and try to be that Prince Charming I think every guy can be, but secretly protests by committing all your love to video games and food, then go right ahead. But deep down, not all girls want just those knight in shining armor moments. Sometimes the smallest gestures are just as meaningful. Forget the candlelit din- ner and stay in for a movie night marathon together because maybe having alone, cuddle time beats being out in public with every couple in America. Don't break your wallet trying to get that diamond jewelry that will add more stress to your already long list of "Oh, I need to pay for that" pile. Get your significant other a box of pizza in the shape of heart, because no matter how much we can try to fight it, carbs will always be a girl's best friend. You don't need to get a myriad of gifts to prove your love, just take the time to talk and reflect on the feelings you have, but sometimes forget to express. Communication goes a long way and what better way to surprise her than by expressing your thought bubble, the one she secretly always wonders what it contains? The moral of this day isn't to stress so much but to just enjoy spending time with whoever makes you happy. It would be a shame to run away from the day out of fear of "messing up." Life is already stressful, so why add more on a day that simply calls for the little things to celebrate something special? The world in the palm of your hand By Erich Allen StaffWriter If you're undecided as to what major to declare at CSUSM, or if you already have, I encourage you to pursue a degree in history. History as a discipline is critical in the analysis of self-identity, and facilitates the building of tools required for any and every investigatory task. It also effectually operates as a compilation of all human activity and discovery; therefore, as a practice it delves into all regions of academia. Everyone likes history, because everyone does history. This is not a reference to the proverbial "You make history, everyday" trite. Historiography, the process of doing history, is the process of evaluating the relevant information regarding a specified topic for the purpose of building an argument. One analyzes the primary evidence (sources from the time period) and the secondary evidence (investigations by scholarly experts) so as to develop a complete and thorough conclusion. That's all history entails: making arguments based off of the evidence. But the possibilities are endless, as history is not merely the study of what hap- pened, but why it happened. We frequently use this process in our own lives. For example, if I want to understand why I received a poor grade on an written exam, I review the questions I got wrong, areas of the study guide or textbook that I overlooked, and my own notes (primary), as well as professor comments and/or input from fellow students who received better scores (secondary). History is a tool by which we discover ourselves. Our individual identity is most completely established with a structured analysis of our decisions, worldview and the actions that have occurred within or without our control. To understand these things, we may initially make assertions based in the present, but we ultimately always delve into the past to substantiate those assertions. We look at the big events in our lives, such as a significant award, an act of compassion by friends, a breakup, council from trusted advisors, getting hired for a job, an ideological revelation or winning/losing a game. History is investigating what lead up to those events, and how those events affect us now. Understanding these causes and effects makes one a master of themselves by strengthening their capability to assess their own thoughts and ac- tions to prepare a better approach to future situations. If one then uses this process for broader applications, they can become masters of their own peripheral reality through understanding. The same historiographical process that one uses on oneself can be applied to the entirety of human history. It is this aspect that elevates the historian (which any of us can be) to the position of academic mastery, a scholastic jack-ofall-trades. History, in relation to the past, is the culmination of all human thought and action. The entirety of human experience is open ground for investigation, and indeed is necessary for a complete understanding of why the world is the way it is. Thus, history entails every academic discipline in the human intellectual arsenal. From political science to chemistry, literature to cartography, all is relevant and necessary for a complete and thorough study of the past. History is a smorgasbord of knowledge, a buffet of information, the seven-layer dip of the intellectual diet. It makes one a master of themselves as well as the world around them. Because of its profound potential for understanding through application, history puts the world in one's hands, which is why I urge you to consider majoring in history. Americans eat 100 acres of pizza each day. That's 2 ,400 pizzas a minute, 3 50 slices a second. Delicious. Learn even more by earning a master's degree from National University. Online. O n campus. Non-profit. Don't think you have time to learn something new? You just did. S pectrum C ampus 9 388 Lightwave A venue (858)541-7700 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Keep learning at nu.edu/transfer �Opinion Editor: Noelle Friedberg cougarchron.opinion@gmail.com E TTER T O T HE E DITOR Open Letter Regarding Class Shortage else will drop out. If I were them I would be talking to Senior Staff Writer faculty everyday until something is done about the class DISCLAIMER: I submit- shortage. Though I'm lucky ted this on January 5, 2015. enough to be in the courses I have since attended my I need to graduate in May, first week of school, been re- I have not had the opportujected from LTWR 317 and nity to take technical writtalked to the professor of that ing and will be seeking the class, as well as a secretary, course at other institutions. an academic adviser, a counWhile I understand we selor and Dr. Salah Moukh- have budget restraints, I am lis, the Professor and Chair distressed that we seem to Literature and Writing have a lack of valuable classStudies Department. Luck- es and scheduling flexibility. ily, the counselor was able There seems to be too little to find LTWR 425 on the consideration to the needs schedule, which never ap- of graduating seniors and peared when I searched over there are spots that "priority the Winter break, though I registration" doesn't cover. searched for it by name. I am To Whom It May Concern; lucky enough to have taken Every semester I try to the prerequisite for that build a schedule of classes class, but there are others I need to take the followstill dealing with this issue ing semester and I find mywho haven't, and therefore self extremely frustrated. can't take the same course Are there any plans to add and graduate in time. It ap- any of the following classes pears, at the word of my to the schedule: LTWR 315/ counselor that those students 317/ 318/ 425/ 545? Though can either do an Independent there is one class of LTWR Study with their academic 317 being offered this seadvisor, take the course (pos- mester, it is full. That class sibly) in the summer, or hope is the only class I need to that if they attend a class graduate this semester and unenrolled that someone has been a hard require- By Sarah Hughes ment to fill in previous semesters. I'ni not alone. I know other students have been in the same boat, as certain classes have had to turn away droves of waitlisted and crashing students in recent semesters. Two semesters ago, a student supposedly petitioned to have "LTWR 317 - technical writing" added to the schedule, and 28 people said they would join that class the next semester before it even was listed. Classes on technical writing and "small press publishing", as well as various writing workshops and creative writing courses, have been in the Literature & Writing Studies catalogue since I transferred here in Fall 2012. Yet, in the case of small press publishing and technical writing, I have never been able to enroll either because of class size limitations or the fact that they have not been offered. Classes like technical writing and publishing promise skills that many Literature and Writing students would benefit to have on their resume. Many of us intend to go into careers related to these subjects. Dane Vandervelden, a CSUSM grad recently shared with me how he doesn't feel this college did a good job preparing students for the submitting and publishing process as a writer with a degree. Another course not offered at CSUSM is grant writing. I have gone so far as to take this through GrossmontCuyamaca online adult education, for the affordable price of $84.1 encourage other students to find valuable courses outside of CSUSM and share with The Cougar Chronicle and their fellow students where these more career-specific classes can be found. Also, what skills do you believe would make you more valuable as an employee after graduation? Does CSUSM offer them? Please, write to your advisors, school faculty and this paper to share your experience. I am currently wait-listed for LTWR 317. Can I take a class somewhere else for the workshop requirement and if so what? Will you also address this issue and share the information publicly? Thank you, Sarah Hughes Tips for successful semesteretter Talking yourself to b comprehension By Noelle Friedberg Opinion Editor With the start of another semester comes the same dream of good grades and success in the classroom. One sure-fire way to help these dreams come to fruition is to talk about what you're learning in class outside of the classroom. By this I mean that talking about the material you're learning in any given class outside of the classroom, be it with friends, family, coworkers, etc., will help you to do better in your classes. Let's say you're in a marine biology class and you're learning about coastal bluff erosion. If you're not remembering all of the needed information as well as you would like, try explaining how bluff erosion occurs to someone who isn't in the class with you. If no one wants to listen to you talk about it, try taking them to the beach and explaining it to ••HHHflH W hen you're & p art o f i ke C IA»you call. mÊÊÊÊm The CIA has paid student internship, scholarshlpand co-op several fields of study. N o matter what you d o here, your c impact - and t here is plenty t o do. From accounting and fin engineering and information technology, the CIA needs talented and tntelltgei professionals t o continue t he w ork that keeps o ur nation safe, The CIA is seeking motivated individuals with a sense of service for an exciti and rewarding yet challenging experience. Do you have that drive inside of yc THE WORK OF A NATION, THE CENTER OF INTELLIGENCE For additional information and to apply; visit: www.cia.gov An equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workforce. them there so you both have a visual of the bluff and a nice excuse to visit the beach. Or perhaps you're in a history class and you're trying to remember the specifics of the American Civil War. Talk with someone about it. Explain the different battles to them. Use your notes or your textbook or whatever you have to do to have a conversation with someone about the things that will be on your test, or that you have to write an essay about. The reason I say all of this is that talking about school outside of school does so much to help you better remember and understand the concepts you need to know in order to do well in your classes. So next time you're feeling stuck in school or are having a hard time remembering what you're learning, try talking with someone about what you've been discussing and reading in class and see if it doesn't help you turn things around. �A & E Editor: Faith Orcino cougarchron.arts@gmail.com MOVIE REVIEW 4 / 5 P AWS Ringing in the new year with "The Wedding Ringer" By Lexy Perez Assistant Entertainment Editor It's a new year, which means the next "bromanctic" duo enters the movie theater screens. This new duo hopes to get a chuckle out of anyone willing to see a story that has been told in previous films, but is the first one to reinvent it for a new year. Popular stand-up comedian Kevin James and Josh Gad (the man behind the voice of Olaf in "Frozen") star in "The Wedding Ringer," a film about two guys that are nothing alike, yet find an unlikely bond that screams "sappy, bromance" level friendship. Doug (Gad) is a lonely, yet wealthy outcast failing to be the "cool guy" every male wants to be friends with. Surprisingly enough, he is about to marry his "miracle girl," Gretchen (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) but is faced with a predicament of not having a best man or a posse of groomsmen to stand beside him on his wedding day. Enter Jimmy (Hart), the man behind Best Man MOVIE Inc., a business that allows lonely men, like Doug, to rent-a-best-man for their wedding days. While most men simply need a best man, Jimmy is forced to attempt "The Golden Tux" for Doug, in which he must provide fullservice treatment: acquiring groomsmen, throwing a bachelor party, making speeches and creating stories that convincingly portray fake life-long friendships with all of them. Jimmy not only searches for a group of eligible groomsmen, but REVIEW also must make them be the "best friends" Doug has always had and never introduced to his bride-to-be. It's not that hard to assume what the rest of the movie will play out: dysfunctional moments bonding with Doug's future in-laws, the introduction and bonding with his "best friends" and nonstop comedic banter and occurrences while Jimmy attempts to teach Doug how to be the "cool guy" he always dreamed of being. A bromance movie wouldn't be complete with- out the deep, cheesy bonding moments that exemplify a once client-businessman relationship to a blossoming friendship that allows both Doug and Jimmy to grow as individuals. Doug progresses into becoming someone he feels happier with, while Jimmy realizes the true importance and meaning of his business and himself as a "best man." While the film is just another story to add to the already list of "unlikely duos becoming the best of friends" films, it is both Hart's and Gad's comedic wit that makes the film. Throughout the film, it seems as if Hart successfully brings out the comedic chops of Gad, for he is a newcomer acting alongside an already established comedian. While a newcomer, Gad successfully brought out Hart's sweet side, representing a deeper, more relatable character. This film will not only bring you laughs, but it's also another film that portrays two guys whom you can't help but root for as they become genuine best friends. 4 / 5 P AWS The Guardians of the Galaxy rocks the universe By Zach Schanzenbach fans of sci-fi and/or Marvel will also have a fun time. Chris Pratt, who landed his It's not as iconic as "The first leading role in "The Avengers", and it's not as Lego Movie" earlier last deep as "Captain America: year, hit the box office on the The Winter Soldier", but head with this one as Peter "Guardians of the Gal- Quill (a.k.a Starlord). Supaxy" is great fun to watch. porting characters Gamora Older folks will enjoy the (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave throwback 80's music, while Bautista) and Rocket RaSenior Staff Writer coon (Bradley Cooper) are also great fun, and the dynamics between these different figures makes for an interesting team, one more dynamic than the Avengers. Groot (Vin Diesel) is, quite literally, a breath of fresh air, as the most innocent and heartwarming character in the movie. Though he is a MOVIE REVIEW tree of few words (literally), he speaks more volumes than most of the other characters. Hardcore Marvel fans will also be happy with the nod this movie gives to "Avengers" with a brief cameo by the dark character "The Other," as well as a humorous scene at the end featuring the infamous Howard the Duck. We finally get our first, full glimpse of the villain Thanos, who briefly appeared at the end of "Avengers." On the downside, Ronan the Destroyer and his assistants don't break a lot of ground as villains. And why is there so much swearing? I know it's typical of a movie like this to include swearing, but I just thought it was a little too much here. Well, I guess that's what Groot's for. Movie to add to your DVD collection 4 / 5 P AWS The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies F inal i nstallment in H obbit Trilogy is as e pic as y ou'd e xpect By Zach Schanzenbach the only ones who want something from the mountain. The elves from the Peter Jackson's three-part previous film also have a adaptation of J.R.R. Tolk- stake: bright gems made ien's "The Hobbit" has over- of a certain material. Also, all proven to be less than what Azog, an evil Ore-lord and it could have been. The first Thorin's archrival, is leadinstallment, "An Unexpected ing a considerable force of Journey" was a nice adapta- Ores on the mountain in ortion. The next installment, der to take it for the reviving "The Desolation of Smaug" Sauron as a strategic point. And who is caught in the was not quite so much. Now middle of it all? Bilbo Bagwe have "The Battle of the Five Armies," the long- gins (Martin Freeman), who awaited conclusion that lives once again shows us why he up to the hype surrounding it. is the title character. I 've alIt picks up immediately ways enjoyed the moments where the second one left o ff, with Bilbo in these movshowing us why the magnifi- ies. He's the only one of his cent Smaug is so feared. Of kind in the mix: a hobbit course, that only lasts for the whose life used to revolve firstfiveminutes, as he's shot around trivial things like through that hole in his armor. doilies. Whenever he does With the dragon dead and something heroic, we're winter quickly approach- reminded of how far he's ing, Bard, now leader of the come since he left Bag-End. The first part of the film townsfolk, places his hope does a very nice job at its asand trust in the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield. However, signed task. While the other Oakenshield is obsessed two films involved a blend of with finding the Arken- main plot and subplots, this stone, a precious gem that one has only to build up to drove his fathers mad. The the battle that we're already Everything greed that now infests his anticipating. we see throughout this first heart drives him to break his promise to the townsfolk. part, whether it's main plot But the townsfolk aren't or subplot, is geared toward Senior Staff Writer this climactic battle. The battle itself takes up the bulk of the rest of the film, ranging from clashing armies to rallies to victory, and then, at long last, Thorin and Azog meet and have thenlong-awaited final battle. While the results of saidbattle are just what I expected, the actual battle itself was more original than what I 'm used to. I 'm not sure why there was snow and ice around them, but Bard did say that winter was coming, so it's not out of place. And how did it end? Thorin killed Azog, and Azog killed Thorin. There were two things, and two things only, that majorly disappointed me in this movie. One of them, brought back from the last movie, was the once-implied romance between Kili the dwarf and Tauriel the elf. They should have left it as "implied," but they didn't. Nope, they just had to let the romance bloom. The other majorly disappointing thing about this movie was the ending, by which I mean everything following Azog's death. I remember well how Thorin passed away in the animated version of The Hobbit from before I was born: it was long, somber and a heartjerker. Here? Just a few last words to make amends with Bilbo before the hobbit weeps for his dead friend. The end of the main story has Bilbo returning to his home, only to find the hobbits in the village auctioning off his stuff, as he is presumed dead. An indignant Bilbo makes things straight and returns home a changed hobbit. You'd think he'd settle down, but instead his focus is on the ring. Next thing we know, it's sixty years later all over again. I would have been more satisfied if there was a sense of resolution to this story. Sure, you can give a nod to the future adventure that Frodo will embark on, but here, everything exists to point to that adventure. It's almost like Peter Jackson is using these movies to say, "Go watch The Lord of the Rings!" On the whole, I can't complain too much. "The Battle of the Five Armies" is a satisfying third film; it's a good conclusion overall. But why is it called the defining chapter? Because it's the last Illustration film that involves an official story from Middle Earth? Yeah, right. I know how Hollywood is nowadays: they always try to milk every last drop out of a franchise. And I 'll have you know right now that Tolk- courtesy ofIMBD.com ien's Middle Earth is FAR from out of content to work with (see The Silmarillion). The Battle of the Five Armies is definitely epic. But is it the defining chapter in the Middle Earth saga? I highly doubt it. �A & E Editor: Faith O rcino cougarchronarts@gmail.com North County Arts Network seeks aid By Anne Hall StaffWriter This month, CSUSM hosted the first of a series of events by North County Arts Network in an effort to increase the amount of resources and opportunities available to artists. The North County Arts Network (NCAN) group, developed by the California Arts Council and the San Diego Board of Supervisors, introduced ideas for the nurturing, expansion and growth of artistic endeavors in San Diego County and the State of California. Their goal is to establish a strong foundation for funding the art culture within our region during 2015. The meeting was on Jan.15 and hosted various representatives from all over San Diego County, including the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, the North Coast Repertory Theatre, the Oceanside Museum of Art, representatives of various school boards, teachers, artists and enthusiasts. The North County Arts Network hopes to gain momentum in finding individuals to help with marketing, fundraising, brainstorming implementation techniques, and so much more. "[It is a] collaborative movement to raise the arts incorporation in San Diego culture," said Craig Watson, keynote speaker and Director of the California Arts Council. Many of the spectators of the evening's presentation voiced their excitement for the upcoming plans, including CSUSM's Community Liaison, Marilyn Huerta. If this movement becomes a success, it could lead to a great deal of possibilities for our community. Focuses include (but are not limited to) reincorporating the arts in education, beautification of San Diego communities, rehabilitation and art therapy. If interested in helping the cause, attend any or all of the NCAN's future networking events: 5 p.m. on April 16 at the Escondido Center for the Arts 340 North Escondido Blvd. Escondido, CA 92025 5 p jn. on July 16 at the Lux Art Institute 1550 South El Camino Real Encinitas,CA 92024 5 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the Oceanside Museum of Art 704 Pier View Way Oceanside, CA 92054 VIDEO GAME R E V I E W d ragon Age: Inquisition" Photo courtesy ofEA Games By Will McCurdy Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief After Bioware finished their "Knights of the Old Republic" series and making the iconic space RPG "Mass Effect," they took the role playing genre back to its Tolkienbased roots, with "Dragon Age" being the end result. Although not a perfect series in terms of mechanics and story, with its first game, the series provided an expansive world where every choice mattered and the lore of the game was shown. However, it was largely unexplored unless goaded by player prerogative and downloadable content. The second game was less than thrilling with the story being much smaller than the original, to the point where it could be realistically beaten in a long gaming session without the side quests. Nonplayer characters (NPCs) weren't all that developed with the game making one side against the invaders who are honestly quite a bit more reasonable than their human and elven counterparts. The story was less immersive than the first and it may as well have been called "Dragon Age: Sequel Hook." As a longtime fan of the series, it is quite a bit to say that the newest installment, Inquisition, though odd, is the best of the games that has come out so far. The base is fairly straightforward as after the destruction of a peace talk, the main character is made the game's version of "the chosen one" by virtue of being in the right place and helped out with a deus ex machina right off the bat. Freedom of race and class choice is even more expansive than in the first game with NPCs coming back stronger than ever, but one can get a tad distracted witn tne new design that makes their skin glisten like they just came back from a charity run. In addition to this, they make the other races seem more human with the once intimidating race of horned, gigantic Qunari appear to be cosplayers displaying character romanticizing at its finest. Rather than hold the player's hand even on easier difficulties, the game makes itself a challenge with preplanned combat becoming a necessity against foes that may be weaker than the player one minute and kill the entire party in one strike the next with little room for error as a human bandit group can set up camp in rather dangerous proximity to a dragon that breathes lightning. In addition there's an element of side quest delegation that involves an almost bureaucratic element that newer games seem to like including. While it adds a bit more to the game by making some missions considerably easier, it also takes a considerable amount of time depending on the mission and thus if not planned carefully can end up being a mess where the player gets caught in a deadly situation with their pants around their ankles. Despite the flaws, "Dragon Age: Inquisition" is a lovely edition to an already fantastic franchise that will require one to be immensely bored with it or lose all of their appendages before they stop playing. COMIC BOOK CORNER Bryan Lee O'Malley's new graphic novel plays with chances By Faith Orcino Arts and Entertainment Editor Creator of thé popular "Scott Pilgrim" series, Bryan Lee O'Malley published his newest story, "Seconds," last year. It focused on the brilliant young Katie, the head chef of local restaurant Seconds. It has been four years since her first day of work there and she has been planning to start up her own business in another part of town. Things have been in a stalemate but tensions rise between Katie and her co-workers the night she sees her ex-boyfriend on a date. Many things go wrong and it ends with someone in the hospital and some tears being shed. That night, Katie discovers a girl on her dresser and a mysterious box. The contents of the box included a magical mushroom and a notebook labelled "My Mistakes". After testing it out, she realizes she has been given a second chance. Her life becomes more interesting and more of the mushrooms appear in her dresser. Little does she pay attention to the strange girl's warning. Photo courtesy ofbarnesandnoble.com Unlike O'Malley's other publications, he decided to publish this in full color with the help of colorist Nathan Fairbairn. It was a necessary element for this whimsical tale. With every new twist, the story spiraled down far from reality. Still, Katie's tale is one that many can resonate with, hoping for that second chance to rewrite history. The book is available as a hardcover and as a digital e-book. Whichever way you choose to read it, "Seconds" is something you can't read just once. Cougar Wednesday's introduces O pen MSc - C omedy a nd M usic L ive J azz, B lues & R ock w ith D ante's F ire e very o ther W ednesday 9i&p m t o C lose \aays, cULAU. VV e very w eek in F ebruary *ALL DAY S PECIALS (dine-in only) Buy o ne e ntre get o ne f ree of e qual or l esser pricer. L arge p izza @ m edium c harge. Wings s pecial for only $7.95 F ree p ersonal p an c heese pizza with t he p urchase of a drink. * additional toppings e xtra. S alad bar $1.99 All Natural Healthy Foods (760) 727-4747 Rossis-pizza.com 156 S . Rancho Santa Fe Rd, San Marcos, CA � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <h2>2014-2015</h2> Description An account of the resource The twenty-fifth academic year at the California State University San Marcos. 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Title A name given to the resource The Cougar Chronicle February 4, 2015 Subject The topic of the resource student newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Cougar Chronicle Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Archives, California State University San Marcos, Kellogg Library Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available University Archives in the CSUSM Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-02-04 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Charla Wilson, Library Archives Support Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The information available on this site, including any text, computer codes, data, artwork, video, audio, images or graphics (collectively the "Material") are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Parties other than California State University San Marcos (”CSUSM”) may own copyright in the Material. We encourage the use of this Material for non-profit and educational purposes only, such as personal research, teaching and private study. For these limited purposes, Material from this web site may be displayed and printed, and all copies must include any copyright notice originally included with the Material. Additionally, a credit line must be included with each item used, citing the article or review author, title or article or review, title of the database, sponsoring agency, date of your access to the electronic file, and the electronic address. Copyright 2015, California State University San Marcos Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource Volume 43, number 8 of The Cougar Chronicle. The issue includes stories of the Student Health and Counseling Services returning to campus and the announcement of the Raza Center for Latino students opening later in the year. 25th Anniversary diversity enrollment Latin@ Center Rape Aggression Defense spring 2015 Student Health Services study abroad Valentine's Day