It’s the end of the year, and for many of us on the Flyer staff it is our last semester here at Lewis University. And it has been our privilege to be the voice of the student body. We have taken great pride in being this University’s editorial voice. But it is time for many of us to leave, and we do so with heavy hearts.

But we leave with a request for our fellow students, as well as those who will be filling the shoes we are leaving behind. We ask that you make your voice heard.

So many times we, as the Flyer staff, hear grumblings around campus, and we pursue the story with gusto and strong standards. We try to help make people understand the topics that concern them, and we stand here with our print news to make life easier on campus. But so many times the ball stops with us.

We ask that when something bothers you pursue it till you see the change you desire. Mohandas Ghandi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” And that is no different here at Lewis. If the dining halls don’t fit your needs, fight for what you want. If there is not enough parking, demand more. If student services gloss over your needs make a stand. We at the Flyer want to encourage you, the student body, to make this place yours.

If you speak loud enough and long enough, your needs will be met. As journalism students, we at the Flyer are versed in our ability to use our first amendment rights. We are accustomed to making controversial stands and calling out the faculty. But we want our fellow students to join us and fight for the change we all want.

We, as students, are the end all and be all in the University. If we did not attend this university there would be no reason for this institution. We have a privilege as attendees of this university to demand certain comforts and a level of living to fit our needs.

We need to make sure that we do not come across as arrogant or spoiled. No one likes crybabies, but if we are not receiving the services that we should for the money we are paying, lets stand up and demand change. We have rights as students. We don’t have to stand up to what the faculty deems as acceptable if we feel our needs are different. We know what we need better than they do. Take a stand and fight for your rights.

It’s our right. It’s our privilege. It’s our job as students and Americans. Help yourself and those who come after you to have a better experience here at Lewis. Make change happen.

On Fridays, I look forward to reading the university’s newspaper to see what relevant issues are on the minds of our students, faculty and staff. Today, I received the April 12, 2010, Issue 11 of The Flyer.  To my disappointment, I read the Staff Editorial: Where We Stand Lewis food scam. Given that foodservice falls within my responsibilities, I feel obligated to either correct where appropriate or further expand upon the issues raised by this staff editor.

To begin my response, I started by looking up the definition of “scam.” According to Merriam-Webster, scam is defined as a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation. It is my position that the staff editorial and headline are an egregious misstatement.

Upon signing up for housing, Lewis Students are informed that a university meal plan (which there is four not three) is mandatory. This requirement allows the university to contract with our vendor, Sodexo Services, to ensure that foodservice is provided on campus seven days a week. 100% of the meal plan money charged by Lewis to our students is paid to Sodexo Services. The university absorbs nothing into its coffers as stated in the editorial. In return, Sodexo Services must manage and cover rising food costs, increasing labor wages, government regulation, repair and maintenance of equipment and maintain hours of operation for the benefit of our students even though they may choose to not eat during a certain meal period.

The staff editor also stated that the foodservice program fails to meet the needs of the students including not being open. The editor wrote “There are many times that there are zero dining facilities open on campus.” One would need to agree with this statement if one means between midnight and 7:00 am Monday through Friday (excluding the C-Store which is 24 hour), or between midnight and 9:30am and between 2:00 and 3:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. The editor also failed to report a recent change in hours for Sunday in which the Courtyard Café is now open 10am-2pm.  As for the C-Store, students can find chef prepared frozen meals (not the TV diners of the 1960’s and 1970’s) to be eaten in their own rooms on the occasion when dining is closed. It should be also noted that the Lewis University C-Store is only one of the few college stores across the country open 24/7 for its students and that accepts student meal plans for payment versus cash only. The Library vending machines also accept the student meal plan cards.

Furthermore, the editor wrote that the FDA wouldn’t consider ice cream, candy bars, and bruised apples to be a good and balanced meal. We concur, however, it isn’t up to Sodexo Services or Lewis University to force our students to choose healthy items or balance their meal selection. The good news is a wide variety of healthy items are carried in multiple locations on campus for students to choose from.

It comes as surprise that there would be such a criticism of our foodservice program given the few comments and concerns raised out of the standing Student Services Foodservice Committee. When the need arises, students should utilize this Committee to ensure that their issues can be addressed in a timely manner. The Committee in turn would help determine if there is a real problem or a quick fix that should be undertaken. Sodexo management is available to received suggestions or concerns. I hope that this additional information clarifies the issues raised in the editorial and that our students as a whole would agree that no scam exists.

Robert DeRose, Vice President for Business and Facilities

Nicole Zwartz, News Editor

Even though I have attended Lewis for a short time (only three semesters!), I feel I have gained enough memorable experiences that have benefited my career path. Working for The Flyer and conversing with the staff brought me laughter, tears, frustration, enjoyment, stress and everything in between. It was exciting and exhausting during those late Thursday nights that I always dreaded, and even though I am glad it’s over, I will miss it. Trying to find content and filling space, and pulling out my hair are not the things I will miss, but the fun conversations and listening to bad music are some things I will (well, maybe not the bad music).

So I guess I should thank everyone on staff. We butted heads; we argued; we vented; we joked. We had some fun times. So thank you for that. We had to help each other out during those times suffocating in that overheated office that was so conveniently placed in the basement with no windows or circulating air.

Thank you, Carlo, especially for allowing me to discuss things that were stressing me out or not going so well at home, and for assisting with news so many times. Thank you for reading my things and suggesting ways to improve them, for being interested in pictures as much as I am and going to photography class even when you had no pictures to show. Thank you for keeping me alive by driving me to lunch and giving me an excuse to get away from the office every once in a while. Thank you for everything. You will make a great editor-in-chief next year.

Thank you Sal, for staying calm when I was always getting upset with news because I am not good at all with layout. You always knew how to fix my errors, and you are very talented at what you do. Thanks for being the best news layout designer.

As I thank everyone on staff and at Lewis, I feel incomplete not thanking everyone who has been supportive of my writing and choices during my college career and as I plan my future. I want to thank my parents, definitely, for always taking my extra Flyer issues and handing them out to everyone as if they are gold and should be shared with the ones we love. You were always supporting me and approving of everything I have chosen to do so far, and I love you both for it. It has really helped me keep wanting to do what I am doing.

I also would like to thank my boyfriend, Chad for his support. You are strongly dedicated to your work and completing tasks that it has inspired me to finish everything that I strive to accomplish. Having you in my life for the past five years has definitely shaped the person I am today, and your love and respect has been the fuel I have needed to get where I am. I will always love you for that.

With that, I want to say thank you to the Lewis community for being as friendly and welcoming as you are, and for creating this beautiful campus that everyone involved should indulge in. Good luck to all of the students still shaping their personalities and preparing for the real world. Enjoy it while you can. Good-bye Lewis. It’s been a blast. I am out of here!

Natalie Shutz, Religion Editor

I’m trying to write a “senior goodbye letter” that doesn’t sound overly cliche or like something that spilled out of a Hallmark card.

It’s very difficult. So, I guess I’ll try to get to the point as best I can.

I’ve grown a lot throughout my years at Lewis. We all have, probably. Upon coming to Lewis, I was an overly confident high school senior with a 4.0 and hopes to change the world by writing for the New York Times. I thought that in no time I’d be running The Flyer, uncovering scams in the area, and writing news that got people talking.

Ahh….yes. I was naïve.

I’m not saying it’s bad to be confident or sure that you will change the world. I just think I’m more realistic now. One teacher told me that a good thought at graduation is, “Wow, I have so much to learn. The world holds so much information.”

At first I didn’t understand his suggestion, but now it makes sense. If I graduated thinking that I knew all that there is to know I really would have learned nothing. College should open your mind to thoughts you never thought possible, not make you think you have learned it all. That’s exactly what Lewis did for me.

I learned that my interests did not lie solely in the (dying) field of print journalism. Instead, through my “fine liberal arts education” (as Lewis likes to say) I’ve found that I really enjoy theology, marketing and media studies, among other subjects. I see the world not as the small place I can take over, like I used to. Rather, I see it as a world of endless possibilities that take a lot of dedication and hard work to accomplish, not to mention the right contacts.

My largest growth in college has been in my faith. Before coming to Lewis, I thought that attending church regularly was all one needed to have a close relationship with God. In my freshmen year, I met many students who showed me it took much more than a simple, occasional church visit to be a Christian. For the first time, I read the Bible, and was amazed at what I found. With time, I took up a theology minor, became a leader in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, a peer minister, and finally received the opportunity to introduce this section.

The growth in faith will stay with me throughout my life. I’m more thankful for that than anything else I’ve learned at Lewis.

Some people have been very influential in my growth over these four years:

First off, the theology faculty at Lewis is some of the most amazing and intelligent people I have run into. Lewis is so lucky to have such high quality instructors in this department. I want to especially thank Dr. James Burke, who has showed an apparent faith in me and my aspiring career as a religious writer.

I would also like to thank the communications department, especially those that help with The Flyer, such as Lisa O’Toole and Dr. Dave Anderson, and also Maureen Keane. They too have encouraged me to accomplish whatever I wanted and helped build my skills as a writer. Without the guidance of Lisa, this section would not have come into being.

The current Flyer staff is also one to thank. They are some of the most creative and hard working individuals I’ve met. Thanks for always giving me the freedom to write whatever I want.

Finally, I’d like to thank the university ministry staff. Their involvement has helped me grow as a Christian.

I’ve had a pretty good experience here, and I could fill the whole paper with people who’ve influenced me. But to sum it up, thanks for everything, everybody.

Photo provided by Flyer Staff

Matt Kral, Health Editor

Unlike many of the other writers on the staff of The Flyer, I only attended Lewis for the last two years of my college career. I began college in the pursuit of money, studying in the medical field with great aspirations of saving lives and making a difference in the world.

I never would have considered myself to be a journalist; however, here I am today, having spent the last two years of my life following that career field.

Lewis has been a great learning experience for me, both in terms of what to expect when I graduate as well as really polishing my ability to write for news instead of the typical APA or MLA styles of our English classes.

It’s hard to say goodbye to something that has been so much fun and caused me so much stress, all while helping me better myself as a person.

I’ve made friends here that I’d like to think will last a lifetime, grown up so much in my two short years here and began my life in the professional world feeling more prepared to deal with the daily challenges I will encounter.

I’m sure the next few paragraphs are going to be in most, if not all seven of the farewell notes from the graduating seniors on this staff, but I feel I still need to say my piece for each of the people that have helped me on my way through Lewis.

Dave Anderson, you’ve provided quite a bit of entertainment and have helped me develop a stronger interest in the journalism field through the ridiculous number of your classes I’ve taken in only two years. I would like to thank you for not getting overly annoyed when I continuously nagged at you to take care of the “problems” and advising issues I encountered these last few years.

Rey Rosales. Enough said, but for those classes we watched you struggle your way through Flash, talked about your various journalism trips and Iowa girls, it was always a good time.

Lisa O’Toole, it’s been great being on staff while you “advised” us. Not many people would be able to keep up with us on those 4 a.m. layout nights, putting up with the late night jokes, yet you always provided some unique views…not to mention the articles I wrote and saw you bleed on with your red pen. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around well after my time at Lewis comes to an end.

Another shoutout to a former Flyer, Brandon Wall, you have always kept up with my random thoughts and given me some great ideas and been a good friend to have. Between your random outbursts, ridiculous YouTube videos and The Lyer, working alongside you was a unique experience that I never thought I’d get in any job. Let me just say, Minnesota wasn’t the same without you bud.

Adam Olszeski, your one semester as editor in chief has been a good one, paired with your leadership style being one that kept us all relaxed and (somewhat) focused on the tasks at hand. Best of luck after you’re out of here and moving on in your life.

For the sake of space, to the rest of the Flyer staff, thank you all for helping me when I was bouncing around ideas, giving me some quality advice and an all around good time on staff. It was always nice to have somewhere to go hang out and know I’d almost always see Carlo, Nicole and Jason in there to talk with.

Those of you I got to know over at WLRA and LUTN, you know who you are, it’s going to suck knowing there won’t be anymore classes together, random conversations around campus or walks around the clock tower neither of us really ever visited. I hope to see you around beyond Lewis and in the coming years.

I know they say that your high school years are supposed to be the best of your life, but I’d like to think these last two have got to be the best I’ve had.

With that, I say goodbye to Lewis now and prepare myself to move on to whatever comes next for me.

Kristen Maloney, Copy Editor

I’d like to say that my experience working for the Flyer has been four years of my life that I will always remember; however, the first three years that I worked on this paper were somewhat of a blur. Throughout college, I was constantly rushing through my classes and activities to get them done as quickly as possible. I never quite found a group of people that understood me, and I made no effort to understand anyone else. My life constantly revolved around my significant other or the few good friends I had tried so hard to hold onto from high school.

I completely relied on these few people for my happiness and blamed Lewis for my unhappiness. I never quite understood why I couldn’t find the happiness at Lewis that had been so inherent to me earlier in life. I grew incredibly bitter and took it out on everyone around me. I would show up on production night at the paper every Thursday with a completely indifferent attitude, failing to get to know anyone around me. I did my work, avoided conversation and left, most nights, feeling as empty as I had when I had arrived.

It wasn’t until this year that I finally came to the realization that I had not changed throughout my three years in college. I was exactly the same person who had sat on the bleachers during “Welcome Days” conversing with the sole person that had gone to my high school while everyone around me played games and shook hands. I had held on so firmly to my past that I had failed to even acknowledge my future taking place around me.

Even with this realization, it took an extreme infatuation with a boy to get me to move back on campus for my last semester. Needless to say, the infatuation didn’t work out, and after my excruciating break-up with the “love of my life,” I found myself, surprisingly, less lonely than I had been before. I was forced to make friends and live in the moments that I had taken for granted for the past three years of my life. I began to seek comfort in production nights and looked forward to the witty banter between my fellow staff members every Thursday.

I can honestly now say that the nights getting to know my fellow staff members have been ones that I will never forget, and I am incredibly thankful that I finally achieved the enlightenment that had seemed so unattainable years ago. Although I can’t say that my college years have been the best of my life, I can say that college has taught me some of the most valuable lessons that most people are so blind to: make your own happiness and live in the moment because you will never get today back.

For all of you who still have a few more years of college to go, learn from my mistake. Live each day like it’s your last because goodbyes are inevitable but memories are eternal.

Goodbye Lewis and thank you.

Leslie Bolin, Online Editor in Chief

It is appropriate that I ended up at Lewis as a transfer student; after all, it was divine providence that brought me here. After finishing half of my BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I had planned to complete that degree, but God gave me a whack on the head and told me I should make other plans.

On the morning of my first day at Lewis, I remember anxiously wondering if I had made the right decision to return to college to complete a degree in multimedia journalism. Would the twenty-something students think that I was a helpless and clueless technology-challenged suburban mom?

In retrospect, I shouldn’t have been concerned.

As a non-traditional undergrad student, I have experienced acceptance, friendship and support from the students, faculty and staff.

Dave Anderson, thank you for giving my brain a whirl. I can’t quantify how much I’ll miss your counter-arguments, humor and wit.

I’ll never forget Rey Rosales’ Publication Design, Multimedia Journalism and Interactive Features classes. I held my first video camera in Rey’s class, and ended up producing some interesting work because Rey allowed me to fully entertain my creativity.

Lisa O’Toole, you gave me the opportunity to stretch when you asked me to teach Flash to the Interactive Features class. I appreciate the vote of confidence, and the chance to explore what it is like to be an educator.

Natalie Paige, you encouraged me to do better than my best, and reminded me why I was really here.

To my Flyer comrades, we’ve been through some long, strong seatbelt-free nights that I’ll never forget. I couldn’t have asked for better companions to roll down the Flyer freeway with while laughing loud and counting down the days. I’ve enjoyed every moment. When you’re older and contemplating whether you should return to school, I hope you’ll remember me and decide to jump in feet first. You won’t regret it.

Thanks, Lewis University, for completing my education and being a significant part of my life.

Megan Glick, Layout Editor

I ended up at Lewis University as a junior because I had tried about four hundred other colleges, couldn’t find a place that was right for me, and my friend who had been at Lewis for a semester needed a new roommate. I can’t think of any better reasons to go, can you? Needless to say, I wasn’t here for very long, and unfortunately I was only able to work for The Flyer for my last semester here.

The second I got the job I was pumped. I would get to work at night (I’m not one of those people who has 8am classes), with superrelaxed people who all have a strong sense of sarcasm, and I always had an excuse to be in pajamas late into the afternoon on Fridays.

As far as my work for the paper goes, it’s been a work in progress. I’m the idiot who left out the Athlete of the weeks name in the first issue of this semester, I apologize again for that Julie Jarrett. Alaina Malfeo, I’m sorry you were a staff wroter instead of a staff writer. I showed up to our Monday meeting thinking I was about to be fired for making the biggest most noticeable mistakes of all time. Thank you to the staff for teaching me that mistakes happen and it isn’t the end of the world.

You learn a lot about people when you spend 12 straight hours into the night with them, all completely slap happy. I have gotten to know some really cool people that I may never have met without working at the Flyer, and it would have been nice to have another semester to get to know these people even better.

Thanks to the people in the TV/Radio station, The Flyer, and everyone else who has made my college experience memorable, full of life lessons, and exactly what I was looking for. Cowabunga Lewis.

Adam Olszeski, Print Editor in Chief

Goodbye Lewis University.

Its time to leave your secure clutches, time to venture out,

Its time to seek my fortune,

And the wealth that will come,

My pockets are empty, and my slate is clean.

But I am already a rich man. Friends and knowledge and lets not forget that degree

I have learned much;

I lived lots;

I have gained knowledge and wisdom;

I am confident with me.

And though the world is big

And my path unclear

I have sturdy base to build on,

And wherever I will go,
Lewis will be with me

Goodbye Lewis University

As school comes to a close, there are many reasons for celebration: Graduations, family parties and vacations, even just a chance to sit back and relax before school starts up again in August. While not on a scale as grand as graduation, the class of 2013 also has a reason for a pat on the back. Congratulations classmates; we have survived our first year of college life!

For many of us, this was our first time leaving home and living on our own for an extended period of time. By choosing residence hall life, we opened ourselves up to a new world of experiences and, unfortunately, problems. We began to wonder if we would get along with our roommates; if the food would be better or worse than high school; will I struggle in my classes; will I even survive this one year?

We turned to the tip-books for college students, Facebook forums and even RateMyProfessors.com for little clues as to what college would be like. However, the best way to learn is by experience, and we began our college journey with hopes and prayers for the best.

Luckily for most of us, these worries proved to be nothing to worry about. Our roommates are some of the best people we know; the food, while sometimes questionable, is not really all that bad; we worked out our time management issues and found our niche when it came to homework and the Arts & Ideas program; and, in the culmination of our hard work, we have thus survived freshman year 2010.

Now, we set our sights on sophomore year: Sharing a suite with some friends, hanging out with sorority sisters/fraternity brothers, and continuing to be an active part in any student organizations we belong to. Our summers are looking pretty good as well. Maybe you’re taking a summer class or getting a summer job; or going on a much needed vacation with your family. Even though our school year draws to a close, our college experience has only just begun.

I would not change a thing about the start of my college experience. My biggest worry was that I would not get along with my roommate. After all, I’d never met her and had no idea what to do if we could not get along. The good news is that we clicked right away, and she is now one of the best people in my life. It was also very easy to meet the other people that I am now friends with; whether it was in class or at a meeting that I just happened to attend, everyone here at Lewis is very welcoming.

A piece of advice that I received, lived and would gladly pass on to the freshmen of next year is to get involved. There are plenty of organizations on campus, and I’m sure there is something for everyone. These are the places to meet new people and ultimately get your experience off to a great start. Even for the upperclassmen, there has got to be something for you.

Thank you Lewis University for a spectacular freshman year! I have enjoyed every minute of it and can’t wait for the next three years!

When I decided to go back to school and finish my undergraduate degree, I was apprehensive. Being in my thirties and having already been in corporate America, I wondered how I would transition myself into a radically different environment. The academics were not the most alarming aspect of college.

I wondered how I could find anything to relate to with a group of young people who have never experienced life outside of a classroom. After all I did have a successful career for nearly a decade.

Thinking back to just last year, I was appalled at my ignorance. I have learned so much from other students’ life experiences. One of the most important lessons is you’re never too old to change your views.

I became intimidated by the strong views held by so many young men and women. It was amazing to see that these students have traveled and volunteered, thereby gaining a wealth of knowledge. My opinions started to change. I felt dated and redundant in my views and opinions, until a young student said to me that she was so glad to have me in class. When I heard that I was surprised. I immediately asked her why, and she told me that I bring life experience to class.

For me, college was about learning more about English as a career. I wanted to expand my knowledge base so that I could become a better writer. I never dreamed that college would make me a better person, a better listener and more importantly, a better parent.

I have always kept an open dialogue with my children. Now I also stress that I am not always right in the ways I view the world. Any issues or views that differ from mine are not automatically wrong, and I encourage my children to challenge me with thought provoking issues.

I came back to school to be a better writer. I thought school would make me a better person, but I never thought that it would also make me a better parent.

Hollywood is notorious for being obsessed with celebrities that appear to never age. Readers cannot go through an issue of any fashion related magazine without being bombarded by people who are physically fit, fashion forward and have flawless skin and make-up.

Nowadays, many of those celebrities are actually significantly older than the way they look or act. The appearances of stars like Demi Moore, Jennifer Aniston and George Clooney can rival that of the younger Hollywood newcomers. Reality television star Kris Jenner has been seen out partying with daughters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian. It may be a comforting thought to know that getting older does not necessarily mean an end to the fun and carefree lifestyle of “20-somethings.’ The hit ABC show “Cougar Town” proudly declares that 40 really is the new 20, but is that actually a good image to portray?

Although many middle-aged celebrities look younger now than they did at the beginning of their careers, a lot of that can be credited to cosmetic surgeries, enhanced and airbrushed photos and expensive anti-aging products. This may give the average person something to strive toward, but it can also have negative effects on their self-esteem if they cannot reach that level of “perfection.”

Body image issues are mainly associated with teen girls who want to imitate their favorite stars, but this type of behavior can be seen in adults too. Preoccupation with body image resulting, in lower self-image and the development of eating disorders is a problem among adults in their 40s and 50s as well. If the media praises those celebrities who look much younger than they really are, regular, everyday people will feel like they need to reach those unreal expectations to have worth in society.

Another problem with the “40 is the new 20” mentality is that our parents’ generation is invading on our young adult culture. Some of them are requesting their kids as friends on Facebook, using text messages to communicate with them and are even wanting to dress the same way. Working in retail, I have seen women in their 50s buying miniskirts, halter tops and graphic T-shirts in an effort to retain their youth. It makes it difficult for us as young adults to break away from our parents when they insist on behaving as we do.

While I’m not saying that our parents’ generation has to give up having fun in favor of a less exciting and more “age appropriate” way of life, it’s just that they shouldn’t become obsessed with trying to stay hip. They have already experienced their 20s and now it is our turn to be young.

We have published many articles critizing Sodexho’s food services here at Lewis. We mostly point out the lack of healthy food choices or ridiculously high prices that we as students pay. Today, we at the Flyer, want to address the food service in general, and how it fails to meet the needs of the students who are forced to use it. And yes I mean forced.

Every resident student knows that a food plan is a mandatory part of the bill to live on campus. We are required to have a meal plan to live in the dorms. It is not an option. We have a choice, between three different levels, of how much money we want to put on our meal plan, but we must have a meal plan. That being, you would think that we would be able to use this money that we invest in our living budget at anytime to get food, right? Well those who live on campus know that is just not the way it is.

Photo courtesy of http://cliffmitchell.wordpress.com

There are many times that there are zero dining facilities open on campus. (Of course I am excluding the C-store which is open 24/7, but who wants to eat TV dinners and beef jerky all the time. I am pretty sure the FDA wouldn’t consider ice cream, candy bars and bruised apples to be a good and balanced meal.) Hours go by every Saturday and Sunday when there is nowhere that a resident student can use the meal money that they are required to have. So if we are hungry at 9 in the morning on a Sunday and want a meal we either have to wait till 11 for the continental breakfast provided in the cafe, go to the C-store for microwavable sandwiches or go off campus and use our other money, not the money we have already invested into our living expenses. It would be nice if we could cash out some of that prepaid money to go get a nice meal early on a Sunday or midday on Saturday when nothing is open. But there is a strict “no cash out” policy with the meal plans.

So many residents accumulate massive amounts of money on their meal plan by the end of the semester; there is only so much cold cereal and pre-made salads that one can eat before enough is enough, and you have to get a real meal.

Students end up with a stock pile of cash on their meal plan, even if they are on the smallest meal program. Which they can do one of three things with; one, help their starving counterpart, students with large appetites constantly go hungry because of the high prices of food on campus, Two, buy bulk amounts of Gatorade at the end of the semester, but at above retail price not at bulk rate (it hurts to pay $45 for a case of Gatorade, which would cost $6.50 at Sam’s), or the third option; just give their excess back to the university. This is what happens when you have money left on your meal card at the end of the year, because of the strict no cash out policy. Lewis just takes a nice little donation. And to say little is stretching it, some students have amounts up to $1200 left on their meal plans, which the University just absorbs into their coffers.

ur money is just going right into the hands of the University one way or the other, and we aren’t even getting a reliable service for the money that we are forced to spend. People go hungry; we are forced to eat cold/microwavable food, and to eat out even though we have already invested thousands in a meal plan on campus. And we use the money whether we spend it or not. There is a word in the English language to describe the food service here at Lewis, and that word is SCAM.

We simply are not getting what we are paying for. Since we HAVE to have a meal plan, we should be able to get a meal, not a “meal”, whenever we want. If it is required to pay the University no matter what, we require a full service for the money we have to pay.

Age; a number given to us at birth, something many see as a defining factor, a limit on what we can do. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” and “You’ll understand when you’re older,” are both phrases that we hear throughout our lives, but these are just limitations the average man puts on him or herself and cop outs to avoid change.

Just the other a day I heard a story of a 102 year old women in China going back to elementary school. She felt that she needed to finish her education to feel like her life was complete. So she went back to school. She had led a full life, worked since she was nine, raised a family and ideally should be enjoying the golden years of her life. Instead she decided to learn a new trick.

At the age of five Mozart was composing music that has stood the test of time. He clearly understood what many did not, even though he was clearly younger than what many would say his “understanding” should be. So we call him a prodigy. We define him as different and freaky merely because he did what should be impossible because of his age.

These two examples out of history show how age is no hindrance, but every day we buy in to the limits of our age. “Oh, I am to old to make a change,” or “I can’t do that, I’m not old enough.” Well, experience is what you make of it. And if your age is enough to limit you, that is simply because you are too afraid to change.

Age is the most common cop out used in the human culture. “I will wait till I’m older” or “I can’t, I’m just too old,” is nothing more than a manifestation of the fear of standing up to society and saying I know this is not what is normally done but I’m going to do it anyway. We buy into the mindset that we have to be a certain age to accomplish things. I say, says who? We are human beings, the greatest mental creatures on earth. We build sky scrapers, travel faster than the speed of sound and have landed men on the moon. What if the great minds behind these feats bought into the idea of “It can’t be done?” It is the same thing with age. You are never too old to change. And understanding doesn’t come with grey hair.

If you want to be a writer start writing, if you want to be a musician pick up an instrument. Learn, expand and change your life. Make it yours. Don’t become stagnant just because your age says you should be resistant to change. Change with the wind and let age fall to the way side. Be your self not your age.

Team Stud:  Home Team Advantage

With shows like The Bachelor, playing the field seems to hit prime time with a vengeance. So why is it in the twenty-first century we still hold onto the age-old water cooler whispers of who’s dating who at the same time?

Traditionally, men are high-fived for their multiple escapades. There is a belief in some guys’ heads that “the perfect woman does not exist,” so by dating around they are keeping their options open. By dating multiple women, men are able to sample a variety of personalities to get a more concrete idea of what they like (and don’t like) in women.  In other words, men look at women as a buffet where they can test that which looks appealing and then go back for more of what they like without wasting anyone’s time.

Women deal with a double standard when it comes to men.

Why should this be wrong? As a young man, you should not settle too quickly into a relationship before you really know who you are. Besides, by “playing the field” you present yourself as a challenge and women love challenges. As an independent, busy or unattainable “catch,” a guy does not seem desperate for any one woman’s attention and he becomes a demand item. Women are extremely competitive with other women, and you become a “hot commodity” – instead of a male pig. Besides, the added mystery of the chase to tame presents a man as sexually confident, the “harem” that desires the bad boy type. It becomes the icing on the cake attracting even more ladies and a win-win situation in the love department for the guys.

Team Slut: As the “VISITOR”

So let us substitute men and replace it with women. Is the playing field the same? Absolutely not! The whispers start behind her back and guys place her into a category that no woman wants to be in (unless she’s armed with a little black book in D.C.). Then there are the other women to contend with and trust me when I say, they are no supporters in the bleachers for “overly popular with the guys” type of women. Let’s face it, other women don’t even call her a woman or lady for that matter– and you can probably guess the guys don’t either. She becomes a certain piece of anatomy from behind.

Women who play the field and date multiple men are perceived as sluts, easy and only good for a short period of time (usually lasting until daybreak). As a young lady keeping her “options” open, why does it become wrong for her to figure out what she wants (and does not want) in a man? Come on, women like a good buffet too! It is the same thing that men do, so why can it not be acceptable by both sides of the gender pool to taste test what they see and then go back for seconds when they find something appealing to their palettes?

It is because, traditionally, women are dating for the long term. It is with that long term relationship in mind that women should consider multiple relationships so they can make the right decision that will last. It is important that women take more care in how they go about “keeping the options open” and not fall prey to the negativity associated with the dating debate.

While the double standard in dating and “playing the field” will probably never go away, there are important issues to keep in mind. First, that double header date night is going to get expensive. Second, women can lose their hearts just as fast as men can. Third, you and only you have to live with the way those “wild oats” settle in the pit of your stomach!

The music world today is filled with incredibly talented bands and solo artists who put their heart and soul into the music they create; however, by listening to the Top 40 radio stations, you wouldn’t know that. Some of the top songs on the radio today sadly are “Blah, Blah, Blah,” and “Your Love is my Drug” by Ke$ha. These songs demonstrate the lack of talent needed to be successful in today’s music industry. Everything is so Auto-Tuned and digitally enhanced that even the most average singers can be edited to sound incredible. Several other top songs are those by artists who are not much better than Ke$ha. They don’t write or play their own music and rely heavily on special effects to make their live shows entertaining. The music industry today is primarily concerned with making money and because of that, we are bombarded with generic pop stars that sound just like everyone else out there.

One of the huge problems out there now is the abuse of Auto-Tune. Originally, Auto-Tune was created so that producers could touch up imperfect notes after recording. Now, it seems like most pop artists rely completely on them so that they can sound decent. According to an article in Time Magazine, producer Rick Rubin says, “Right now, if you listen to pop, everything is in perfect pitch, perfect time and perfect tune. That’s how ubiquitous Auto-Tune is.” This has changed people’s expectations of artists because they expect to hear perfect vocals when singers perform live. Those perfect vocals are usually not the case, unless you’re Britney Spears or Ashlee Simpson and you don’t actually sing during your performances. Of the half dozen producers interviewed for the Time Magazine article, none of them could recall a time recently when a pop artist did not use Auto-Tune. There are actually artists famous for using it, like rappers T-pain and Kanye West. Musicians should be famous for their talent, not for what a computer program can do for their music.

Another problem with the music industry is the over-saturation in the market of these untalented performers, particularly the Disney Channel stars. I can’t go anywhere, including my job, without seeing something Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers or High School Musical. They are on clothes, toys, school supplies, accessories and more. It is incredibly annoying. I know that there are many pre-teen girls who will fight me on this issue, but most people are tired of seeing that everywhere. By this point, these artists have become more of a brand than musicians. It’s not fair to those who actually are talented and deserve the publicity.

For all of the cookie cutter pop musicians out there, there are many more talented musicians that go unnoticed. These are the people who write music because they love it, not just to make money. I go to many local concerts to see bands who give up everything to do what they are passionate about. These bands make hardly any money and spend most of their time living out of a van while on tour. To them, making music the way they want to is the most important thing. This is unlike the pop stars that make music the way the record companies want them to. These bands should be the ones on the radio and shouldn’t be penalized because they don’t sound like everybody else.

Of course, there are many people who think Miley Cyrus, Ke$ha or The Jonas Brothers are amazing artists, but that doesn’t mean that they should be able to overpower the market so that different types of music don’t get a chance to be heard. Instead of making music that all sounds the same, the industry should embrace the fact that there are so many different styles and genres out there. Instead of hearing the same songs over and over on the radio, which is irritating to the people who don’t enjoy the songs that happen to be popular at the time, a variety of different music should be played. If some of this new and different music got the amount of air time that the top pop songs get now, they would do just as well.