Monday, May 2, 2016
Volume 98
Campus Life Empowered Students Updates on the Tampon Tax!
Issue 21
Campus Life
World News
Entertainment
Top EC Yaks
Half Marathon
EC Buzz
Funny yaks to make you laugh!
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Page 4
Girl accidentally runs half marathon!
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How to deal with the stress of finals week!
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Surviving with Solidarity By Jade Stevenson ‘17 Contributing Writer
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ou are not alone. A message to take to heart. Take Back the Night was an uplifting and courageous experience. To see members of the campus come together to show support and provide solidarity reminds me that there is hope. My first steps in attending Take Back the Night were tentative and frightening. If I did not have interactions with the staff and my friends, I would have missed out on the chance to feel supported as a survivor and as an ally. It’s difficult to move past experiences that hurt emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I am officially grateful that Elmira College, an organization from the community, and student clubs put together this program. I had no expectations when I attended Take Back the Night that evening. However, the various members of the campus and community showed so much support and acceptance for all those who have experienced forms of sexual assault. It is a heavy subject and often hard for this topic and various experiences to be shared, and by doing so, it opens the way for members of the community and campus to feel solidarity and hope again. Surviving and feeling a lack of support is tremendously difficult to endure alone. The weight of knowledge or the feeling of no power is harsh to feel when faced with varied interactions in society. Thankfully, through programs like Take Back the Night, the campus is providing means and gathering support and allies for all who need it. This was my first time
attending, and the first time for me being open as a witness, a survivor, and an ally. I have learned support comes in many forms, and to have it provided in a manner like this is spiritually redeeming and empowering. Kallah Turner ‘18 and Damien Razis ‘19 attended this emotional event. Kallah had this to say: “Being my first time at Take Back the Night, I thought it was really lovely. I felt as though I gained knowledge about it and I could really feel the love that came from all of the people who were there and involved. It was a great experience and I only wish more people would have gone to it.” It was also Damien’s first time in attendance, and he believes that “Take Back the Night is a very empowering event that encourages support of others, without this event I couldn’t have come to the realization that I’m not alone.” For those who have never attended, students and staff gathered
Photo by the Octagon Staff
and walked around campus sharing stories, showing support, and speaking of opportunity helping to release the emotional strain of difficult experiences. I highly encourage everyone to go to share in solidarity and support for all. Another student who has a similar viewpoint was Hannah Martin ‘17. She said, “I felt that it was important to show my support as a student, as a woman, but also as a Resident Assistant on campus. I believe that the best way to put an end to sexual assault is to be united and supportive as a community. I want to thank everyone who was involved and extend my appreciation to those who were strong and shared their personal stories.” Carissa Neary ‘19 has accepted the role of Campus Life Editor for the 2016-2017 year. She has been writing with the Octagon for the entirety of her freshman year. Welcome to the team!
May 2, 2016
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Campus Life It’s the Final Countdown By Grace DeCost ‘16
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Contributing Writer
inals Countdown was a success this year! Student Association spent weeks planning this event. The event was filled with great prizes and delicious food. Together we chose a Luau theme and a menu that included hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, fruit salad, pasta salad, and Hawaiian cupcakes. Student Association decided upon having a few large prizes and several small prizes. The night of the event there were two tables set up. The first table was the large prizes which included a Beat’s Pill, a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, a Fitbit, a Keurig, along with a barbeque and slip-n-slide hosted by Dean Dawson and Chris Coons. Students were given one blue ticket to
use at this table. The second table was the smaller prizes like Savino’s gift sets, a Term 3 travel pack, various gift cards, a camping set, two Term 3 packs, a Brita water filter, and a hydration pack. Students were given five white tickets to use at this table. Rachel Alibozek ‘17 won a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card.. When asked about the event, Rachel said, “I am thankful to the Student Association for providing food and awesome prizes. I thought Finals Countdown was a great success and it had a great turnout. It was a great way to end Term II!” Overall, the turnout was great. Many students came out to the event. Students enjoyed taking a
break from studying to have fun with their friends and peers while enjoying some great food and the chance to win prizes. Deanna Maybee ‘18 agrees. She said, “I love that we continue to do this tradition each year. It is a great way to spend time with friends before focusing on finals.” This was the last event that the 2015-2016 Student Association Executive Board will put on for the year. It was a great event and an awesome way to end the year. Thank you to everyone who came out to the event, we hope you enjoyed it!
Upcoming in May
May 2, 2016
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Nerd Alert By Cory Blanchard ‘16 Contributing Writer
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A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” there was a battle of wit and nerve, where combatants went to test their mental might and physical fortitude for the chance at fame and glory! Or, at least, that’s how I described it to my friends and family… Nerdology, an event that focused on sci-fi, comic book, and popular media and video game-based trivia, was put on by the company’s amiable hosts (for which they have their own mascot) and the college’s own CAB. Now, enough with background, and let us get to the actual event. In order to commence with the competition, teams had to be formed and named. In total, there were five cleverly named teams…my team’s name was: something nerdy. (hey, they wanted us to name our team something nerdy…we just decided to take the Amelia Bedelia approach!). Another team included Heather Arena and Dominique Del Calzo, both ‘18s. The trivia that was asked to the crowd was fast-paced and, as one might guess, nerdy knowledge-based. Del Calzo, when asked her thoughts about the CAB event, she said, “Twas nerdtastic,” meaning the trivia and the night as a whole. Additionally, Heather said, “ I enjoyed learning new facts as well as re-establishing ones that I already knew.” Up for grabs, prize-wise, there were: gift cards to Taco Bell and various other restaurants, t-shirts, Nerdology mascot foam squeezables, and other nerdy knick-knacks, plenty of who’s-its and what’s-its galore. Question categories ranged from backwards television cartoon opening themes to “name-the-character” from Disney pictures. A couple of firsts, according to the Nerdology hosts, were had at this particular trivia venue, including: first time every team went “all-in” and got all the answers correct! The energy was coursing through the air, lending a nice air or of competition among the teams and it was neck and
Photo by Giovanna De Loca ’17 neck throughout the night. However, the competition had to come to an end at some point… It was between two teams and the powers of sudden death had to be called upon. The tie-breaker question, between my team and another team of formidable opponents, was…for whatever reason… gotten incorrect by each team. So, a double sudden death had to be put in place. At the end, however, it was the other team that prevailed and basked in the glory of gift cards and other cool prizes. As a consolation, my team received some awesome proprietary foam squeezables… of which, my team gifted me three and are now all sitting on my shelf…watching…staring. With the competition at a close, participants left for their dorms…having the weight of glorious victory or valiant loss on their shoulders. It was then, on my walk back to Perry, that I harkened back to some advice I heard about trying for something, from my short uncle coincidentally: “Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.” Actually, that was Yoda, but that’s fine too, I guess.
Club Spotlight: Muggles 4 Magic
By Jonah Fish-Gertz ‘16 Contributing Writer
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ello my fellow completely normal muggle students that are not at all secretly wizards! I, Jonah Lee Fish-Gertz, former headmistress (clerical error, don’t ask) of the “Muggles 4 Magic Club” have been employed by some sort of octagonal paper to elucidate the inner workings of our completely normal club that is NOT a group of wizards trying to understand muggle culture. You can tell as much from our name! Totally muggles, not
wizards, don’t worry. You can see for yourself, Mondays at 8 p.m., in the totally normal, not a castle, not haunted, Tompkins Hall main lounge. Like all normal muggles, please enter through the window, because once again, we are normal muggles, not secretly wizards on a quest to discern the secrets of the rubber duck. Like all normal and perfectly fine things, upon joining our club you will be separated into houses, so that you can belittle your friends in a
petty rivalry. Where you end up is totally not based on the capricious whims of an aged piece of haberdashery. Our normal activities include things like acting like normal people. We engage in game such as “Charades” and “The Dating Game” to better blend in with normal people. We also play Muggle Jeopardy, where we ask normal, mundane questions anyone would easily know. Sometimes we discuss various aspects of the beloved nonfic-
tion series “Harry Potter”. If that is not enough, we do have the standard Yule Ball, where you will be forced to stand around awkwardly while music plays, and the Potions Making contest, where we mix normal things that are not at all magical. These are both held annually. In short, we are perfectly normal people, doing mundane things not at all out of the ordinary. We look forward to seeing you at our meetings!
May 2, 2016
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Overheard at EC “This is why you shouldn’t bang all your coworkers in one week.” “Most of my coworkers are old Asian men.”
“If I had a match I would give
ablaze.”
“Nantucket is an island? I thought it was just a thing by the beach. I didn’t know it was surrounded by beach.”
you a stick and set you
“You’re remarkably ca lm right now.” “I don’t know, Senio ritis?” “WOOHOO!”
Florida. He in at o b a n o s ve li ad “My d swim.” doesn’t know how to “I almost just said ‘bless
“I’ve seen pizza in the you’ to the TV. I also drooled.” stairwell on multiple occa“Need a tissue?” sions.” “How do you roof“Nah, I just wiped it on “I feel bad for the piz my clothes.” za. ie a book?” It doesn’t get any love “I’m sor .I ry. I tou c y o u r p would love it.” lant and hed “I don’t have to i t fel apart. I put it ba l it y, tt ck t hough. pre You can spell roofie in my “The book is so ke ’t tel if you do t to n’t look l deserves to be ta ou at it.” everyday life.” dinner!” “I think ki “Bathing suits aestheticallywis and beets are really “I don’t have any words for beautiful. I’ve consid this so I’m just going to put don’t float. It ered painting them be emojis.” fore.”
would be nice “Was that only yesterday? I feel like I’ve lived a if they did.” lot of days since then.”
Top EC Yaks
May 2, 2016
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Empowered Students Persuading Legislators By Matt Hoyt ‘17 Contributing Writer
As many of you probably heard throughout the week of the Reinstein Symposium, there is a tax on feminine hygiene products in the state of New York as well as in over 35 other states throughout the country. However, New York’s government has taken one of its first steps towards ending this oppressive tax on people with periods. The state senate has passed a bill, which will effectively remove tampons and other feminine hygiene products from the list of products that are taxed when
purchased. This bill still needs to be passed in other sections of the state government like the assembly before it becomes a law, but it is a great first step. The bill would not have became a reality without the support of public opinion. Many petitions have circulated throughout the state and the country demanding the end to the tax on feminine hygiene products. The Women and Gender Studies Club on campus created their very own petition to send to the representatives of the Elmira, New York area. For a campus of our size, this petition was extremely successful. We had almost 300 signatures from a variety of different people: students, faculty, administrators, etc. If you think about it, that’s about a quarter of the total students who attend Elmira, which is pretty amazing. I’d like thank anyone who got involved by signing the petition and those who are getting involved in the democratic process. If you signed or got other people to sign the petition, then you should proud of yourself for contributing to the campaign to end the tax on tampons. We are not quite done yet. As more and more people show their support to end the tax, legislators will have no other option except to take our thoughts into consideration and finalize Photo by cnn.com them as law!
New Octagon Staff:
Editor in Chief: Haley Brown ‘17 Vice President/Entertainment Editor: Alyssa Wilson ‘17 Secretary/Opinion Editor: Nicole Derosia ‘17 Treasurer/Sports Editor: Emily McCabe ‘17 Campus Life Editor: Carissa Neary ‘19 Interested in World News Editor or Senator? Contact octagon@elmira.edu today!
Interested in writing for the Octagon? Becoming a staff writer? Contributing your thoughts on just one event or topic? Contact octagon@ elmira.edu for more information!
May 2, 2016
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Sports Softball Splits Doubleheader on Senior Day By Liz Roosa ’16
Sports Editor 2015-2016
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t was quite the afternoon for the Elmira College softball team as they hosted a doubleheader against the Pennsylvania College of Technology. The two teams split for the afternoon with the Soaring Eagles taking the first game 8-0 and the Wildcats taking the second game 4-0. It was also Class of 2016 recognition day and the purple and gold honoured Katie Day ’16, Jackie Heggie ’16, and Julie Heggie ’16 for their contributions to the program over the past four years. Elmira started things off on the right foot in game one scoring five times in the first inning. The first run of the day came when Maddy Johnson ’19 doubled to left center to bring in Julie Heggie ’16. Johnson was brought home by Emily Clark ’19 who sent one over to right field. Jackie Heggie ’16 singled up the middle to bring in Emily Carlin ’17 and Day putting the Soaring Eagles up 4-0. The purple and gold scored a final time in the first inning when Chelsea Storch ’17
came in off a hit from Miranda Keefe ’18. The Soaring Eagles extended their lead in the second with Johnson scoring on a passed ball and a single from Clark that brought Day home. With the scored 7-0 Elmira added a final run in the third when Johnson singled on a bunt and Katie McDougal ’18 came in to make the score 8-0, which remained the same through the final two innings. Game two was a slow start for both teams beginning with four scoreless innings. The Wildcats finally put up a run
Photos by the Liz Roosa ‘16 in the fifth to take a 1-0 lead. Penn College managed to add one more in the sixth and two in the seventh to take the second game 4-0.
Men’s Lacrosse Falls to Ithaca Bombers in Empire 8 Action By Liz Roosa ’16 Sports Editor 2015-2016
Photos by the Department of Athletics t was a tough game for the Elmira College men’s lacrosse team as they hosted number two nationally ranked Ithaca College at Campus Field. Despite a good effort by the defense and another stellar performance in net by netminder Cam Prior ’17 the Bombers’ offense proved to be unstoppable as they took the game 22-3. The first quarter was all Ithaca in terms of both possession and scoring with seven goals to start off the game. The second quarter still saw a lot of action for the Bombers in the offensive zone but the Soaring Eagles saw some good chances including a goal from Nevin Olney ’18 with an assist from Wyatt Katsos ’17 to end the first half trailing 14-2.
The third quarter saw some more good chances for Elmira but it was all Ithaca on the scoresheet with another seven goals. The fourth quarter was much better for the Soaring Eagles as they took advantage of the Bombers’ decision to play a passing game to steal the ball and wound up scoring twice more first from Anthony LaRusso ’17 and then Skyler Pradelski ’16, both unassisted. Ithaca scored once more to end the game 22-3. Prior made 21 saves in the loss.
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Emily McCabe ‘17 has taken on the task of the Sports Editor. She has frequently written for the Octagon throughout the last year. Welcome to the team!
May 2, 2016
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Getting Involved at Elmira College!
By Rachel Alibozek ‘17 Staff Writer
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ntramural sports are a great way to get involved in sports if you are looking for a sport to play at a less competitive level. It’s a lot of fun and a way to learn to play sports you’ve never tried before. It is entertaining to watch and participate in—even if you do not have one athletic bone in your body. At Elmira College, our intramural sports include dodgeball, volleyball, quidditch, and basketball, among others. During term three, we host an intramural softball tournament with men’s and women’s leagues. The men’s league started Monday, April 25, 2016, and they play on Carnegie Lawn. If you are looking for something to do during your free time, you can bring a beach towel to lay on the hill by the puddle and watch the game or you can sit
Photo by Rachel Alibozek ‘17 against the fence along the road and watch the games there as well while getting some sun. A heads-up to the guys who play over there—watch for the windows of Harris, Watson, Kolker, Carnegie, and the Mark Twain Study! The women’s league starts on Monday, May 2, 2016, and they are also playing on Carnegie Lawn. People are more than welcome to walk over and watch those games as well! Intramural softball is a great way to have team bonding for the sports teams and clubs who formed softball teams and it is also a lot of fun to make team shirts and come up with nicknames. If you did not get the opportunity to join a team this year, I would definitely recommend joining a team next year! It is not hard to learn or pick up and it is a great experience! Welcome to Term III!
April Showers Bring...Disappointed Patriots Fans By Rachel Alibozek ‘17 Staff Writer
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SPN announced this past Monday that the
Photo by sports.yahoo.com
New England Patriots’ quarterback, Tom Brady, will be serving the four game suspension awarded after Deflategate back in 2015. Deflategate refers to an American Football Conference (AFC) Championship Game on January 18, 2015, against the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots won 45-7 at home field Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. It was found during the game that some of the footballs belonging to the Patriots were under the minimum pressure levels, but were re-inflated
at halftime when the score was only 17-7. Tom Brady was given a four game suspension for his knowledge of the deflation and there was also a fine given to the Patriots and they lost the first pick of the draft for the following year. Brady appealed the suspension to Roger Goodell in a 10-hour long hearing held in New York City where he was exonerated of his suspension. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reinstated the four game suspension. The appeal and the rein-
See Patriots Page 15
May 2, 2016
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Opportunity to SOAR!
By Moorea Spoljaric ‘17 Contributing Writer
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t was four years ago, in the spring of 2012, that I made my visit to Elmira College. The college had sent a lacrosse assistant coach to watch me play a lacrosse game the previous week. I had a terrific game and the coach told me that Elmira wanted me and that I had the talent to be a starter as a freshman. It was an opportunity and when I visited the beautiful campus, I knew that I needed to seize the moment. Unlike Mark Twain, who stated, “I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one.” I clearly saw this gift. As we are all aware, in athletic recruiting, the promises of many coaches vanish. At the Division III level, recruitment should be syn-
onymous with opportunity. There are no guarantees of success, but the opportunity is presented. Elmira honored the opportunity and it was now my responsibility to fulfill the commitment. I established what I believed to be realistic goals. I wanted to achieve at a high level, both academically and athletically. A goal without a plan is just a wish, so I developed a plan. Four years later and I have realized most of my goals. In lacrosse, I was able to break the all-time goals record and the all-time points record and it earned me the Empire 8 Player of the Week award for the second time this year. The most recent recognition was special because our lacrosse goalie, Lindsay Wargo, was also the Goalie of the Week. And, if there were an award for a team, my
Photo by Moorea Spoljaric ‘17 teammates would have been chosen as the Team of the Week. I am grateful for the teammates I have had over the years as my success is dependent on those who surround me, and, win or lose, they are my team family. My friends and family have always been supportive and never smothering. I have been fortunate to have coaches who, refreshingly, understood that the game is about the players and not about them, and it’s about more than wins and losses. They fostered my growth and maturity and used lacrosse to teach life lessons and to make me a better person. Mark Twain said, “A man (woman) cannot be comfortable without his (her) own approval.” I approve and I’m comfortable! Thank you, Elmira.
Patriots
From Page 14 statement were both based on the proceedings of the court and whether Roger Goodell had too much power in the original decision and whether he was a fair arbitrator between the NFL (National Football League) and the NFLPA (National Football League Player Association). It was ultimately decided that the
proceedings were fairly done and that the Commissioner, Goodell, properly used his power. This results in Brady missing games against the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, and Buffalo Bills at the beginning of the 2016 season. Photo by tumblr.com
May 2, 2016
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World News
Corpse Hotels to be Created in Japan By Nicole Gentile ‘16
Editor in Chief 2015-2016
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s the death rate soars in Japan, crematoriums are quickly becoming overcrowded. Some areas in Japan are having record death rates this year. For example, approximately 110,000 people have died in Tokyo in the past year. Despite this astounding death toll, only about 20 crematoriums exist in Tokyo. So in order to help with this overcrowding, “corpse hotels” are starting to pop up in the country, where dead bodies can be placed for up to four days. Residents seem to like this idea, although many find it rather strange and unsettling. During the four-day holding period, family members are allowed to visit the deceased, and therefore have extra time to say goodbye. Yet the hotel’s presence is creepy, especially since the lack
of space in Japan forces the hotel to be in close proximity to the living. Although corpse hotels are not an ideal solution, it is the only one Japan currently has, and the owner hopes to expand this business into other cities. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to raise the birthrate in Japan from 1.4 to 1.8 children per woman as soon as possible in order to counteract the decreasing population of the country. By 2060, Japan’s population will drop from 100 million to about 87 million, with a large portion of Photo by mirror.co.uk the population at 65 years of age or older. Increasing the birth rate will be the best hope for Japan, although a birth rate of 1.8 still falls below the minimum rate to keep a population stable, which is 2.1. For now, despite some protest, corpse hotels are Japan’s best option; as one resident noted, “You can’t leave the body at your house forever.” It may be strange, but the concept works, and therefore expansion of the business is probable. Nicole Gentile ‘16 has asked to continue to be a part of the Octagon until she graduates this year. She is our temporary World News Editor. Thank you for everything you’ve done for the Octagon. We hope life treats you well after EC.
Equador Quake Kills 654 By Nicole Gentile ‘16
Editor in Cheif 2015-2016
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n April 16, Ecuador experienced a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked the country. On April 23, the death toll raised to 654 and may still be climbing. A total of 58 people are still missing, over 12,000 are injured, and over 25,000 people are still inhabiting shelters. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa announced on prime television that he will be increasing taxes in order to help reconstruct the country. Some will be one-time tax measures, or short term taxes (such as increasing sales tax for a year). “Rebuilding the affected areas will take years and cost millions of dollars,”
he said. In response to the quake, Ecuador has deployed 10,000 soldiers and 4,600 police officers to the affected areas. A number of countries have also come to Ecuador’s aid. Mobile hospitals and
Photo by minotarenews.com temporary shelters have been set up to help survivors. Hopefully, the death count will not continue to climb as Ecuador tries to recover and rebuild.
May 2, 2016
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#ZumaMustFall By Nicole Gentile ‘16
Editor in Cheif 2015-2016
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his past week in South Africa, a campaign has been underway entitled “#ZumaMustFall.” The #ZumaMustFall movement is fighting to impeach Jacob Zuma, current president of South Africa. On April 27, 2016, those against Zuma were supposed to protest during Zuma’s celebrations for South Africa’s Freedom Day. While many were expected, only a few hundred protesters showed up to march. United Front secretary, Siphokazi Mkhize, firmly believes the march was a huge success, and sticks to this belief despite a number of accusations that the march was a failure. Ferrial Adam of environmental NGO 350.org noted that only 200-300 people were actually invited, so the turnout was as expected. The number of police at the demonstration, though, suggested that perhaps the group was expecting more people to show up. Recently, South Africa’s High Court has ruled that the decision to drop 783 charges of corruption again Jacob Zuma before the 2009 election should be reviewed. Some believe the decision to drop the charges was ultimately irrational, and a closer look needs to be taken at the case. Unfortunately, a judge-led commission of in-
Photo by www.jacarandafm.com quiry found no corruption. The doubt, though, is a huge blow for Zuma. It also opens up the possibility for prosecutors to reinstate charges. Despite the low numbers on Freedom Day, the opposition to to Zuma stands firm. #ZumaMustFall may be planning a larger demonstration for Youth Day, June 16.
Wait... She Did What?? By Haley Brown ‘17 Editor in Cheif
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hat’s right, a twelve-year-old girl ran a half marathon by mistake. Now, you might be wondering, “how in the world does someone run 13.1 miles on accident?” I know my jaw hit the floor when I saw it for the first time. This young girl expected to be in a 5-kilometer race that she had been training for. When she arrived by the
half marathon, she naturally thought it was her race and she was simply late. She arrived just as the runners were pushing off. By the fourth mile, this little girl realized her mistake and asked a fellow runner how long the race was. “About thirteen miles,” the runner responded. Wait… What? “That’s when I realized I think I was in the wrong group,” the girl told media. To recap: not only did this girl train for a 5k run, but she ended up running a half marathon without even thinking about it. Despite how much longer this race was, the Photo by goodnewsnetwork.org young girl stuck it out and ended up finishing the race with an impressive two hours, 43 minutes and 31 seconds, earning herself a medal. I couldn’t even do that. Congratulations, kid.
May 2, 2016
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Opinion Reasons Why I’m A Cat Lady (And Why You Should Be)
By Nicole Derosia ’17
time, and cuddle time, and that’s the best of all worlds.
Opinion Editor
1.) They’re adorable!
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ho doesn’t love the little fuzz balls that are kittens? They walk around, exploring all of the hidden crevices of their domains, and test the waters for the first time. They are balls of energy with wide eyes and an incomparable sense of adventure. And when you see them, especially for me, it’s impossible to play with only one. It is next to physically impossible to not love kittens.
2.) They are good cuddle buddies.
Of course, there are those oddball cats that don’t like to sit or sleep with anyone or anything. But most of the time, a cat will keep you company. They are great space heaters and are amazing soft to cuddle with. They somehow manage to take up twice as much space as they physically occupy, but their company is worth the stiffness in the morning after sleeping with a cat that takes up more than half of the bed.
3.) They teach you tolerance.
There is nothing more annoying than when your cat stares you down whilst knocking a full glass of water (or anything for that matter) off of some kind of surface. They are constantly testing you and pushing you to your limits. Depending on how you take this, though, it can be beneficial for you. While their persistence is annoying, they have taught me that persistence and tolerance are important. They also taught me not to cry over spilled milk (quite literally).
7.) They are natural pesticides.
There is certainly no shortage of bugs and creepy crawly things that will inhabit your house. Luckily, cats take care of that. If your cat is anything like mine, they will put on quite the show as they sniff it, bat it round a couple times, then consume it whole. Needless to say, they will take care of all of those bugs that you never want to see around.
8.) They are therapeutic.
Cats, and animals in general, are great stress relievers. Their affection has soothing qualities. Their purrs are also therapeutic, much like classical music. Their purrs can affect you both emotionally and physiologically, providing calming and soothing effects. Next time you are with a cat, listen to them purr for a while and you’ll be surprised just how relaxed you feel.
9.) They will always be your friend till the end.
Most importantly, cats are loyal. If you love them, they will love you back. Even after long periods of time, they won’t forget you, and will always welcome your presence and return. I love coming home after six weeks to be greeted by my purring cat who wants nothing more than to be held.
4.) They’re majestic (sometimes).
You know the saying, “Cats always land on their feet.” While mostly true, there are always exceptions. There are always the occasional face plants, trips, and general spastic moments. My cat is graceful for the most part. However, I can recall this one instance where he fell off the windowsill to get caught in the heater, did a 180 degree flip and fell flat on his face. He was okay, but it was entertaining, which brings me to my next point.
5.) They are a constant source of entertainment. Whether you are playing with them, they do something spastic, or they decide to demonstrate the physical properties of matter, there is never a dull moment in the life of a cat. Their energy is contagious and laughable, and it impossible to resist. Cats are always demonstrating their unique abilities, such as the ability to take the properties of a liquid and fit into almost anything.
6.) They are independent.
While your cat may like to play, cuddle, and harass you, they also have an independent quality to them. While they like to take over your space and and your time, they also enjoy independence. Just like you like your alone time, they like theirs. With a cat, you can both have play time, down
Photo by pinterest.com Nicole is a longstanding writer with the Elmira College Octagon, and is also a writing tutor on campus. She has taken on the role of Opinion Editor and Secretary for the 2016-2017 year. Welcome to the team!
May 2, 2016
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The Best You Can Be By Monica Matt ‘17 Contributing Writer
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have been using makeup probably since seventh grade; I love looking back through photos to see my makeup trends. I can easily identify the period of time when I thought the darker and thicker the eyeliner, the better, or the period when I believed that glitter eyeshadow was the best thing since sliced bread, and I bet you makeup-wearers also have these same memories. It’s funny to look back and just ask, “What was I thinking?!” then compare how I use my makeup today. I think the drastic change of my looks may be in part to a changing of attitude of myself and how I viewed makeup in general. When I was younger, I tried using skin lightening lotions and cakey foundation to make my freckles disappear. This was to no avail; the suckers kept peeking through no matter what I did. I just wanted the flawless skin that my friends had and that I thought I needed it to be successful. Like many people, I’m sure, I believed for some time that wearing makeup allows us to hide our imperfections or diminish certain aspects of who we are. I thought makeup would drive people to respect my opinions or notice me; I realized that it’s not the actual makeup itself that demands attention, but rather how I carry myself when I wear it. There are some people who say that if you wear makeup then you must not be comfortable with how you look. That may be the case for a few people, but more likely this statement is outrageous and enraging!
Makeup allows us to enhance and embrace the features that we love about our face and boost self confidence. After putting on their face, so many people look in the mirror and instantly feel like a million bucks; they can’t help but see their reflection somewhere and just think “Whoa, who is that extra gorgeous person? Oh yeah, it’s me!” I don’t see wearing makeup as an act for others, but something I do just for myself. People in general are terribly judgey and they often think that you’re trying to impress them or hide your true self from them when you wear makeup. All I can say to those people, why does everything have to be about you? Makeup is all about the wearer’s perception of self. It’s not how you feel about me, but how I feel about myself ! When I put it on I feel “armed and dangerous”, ready to tackle any problem that life throws at me. Yes, I know this is all in my head; I am no less prepared to handle life when I decide to go au naturel, but there is something about the ritual of putting on mascara or lipstick that just lifts my spirits. There are some days that I want to dress up and put on dramatic makeup… just because! I don’t have to change my face to appease anyone! Why should people have any opinion on what is on anyone else’s skin? Whether it be there by choice like makeup or by design like my freckles, who are you to tell me how these physical qualities exhibit how I feel about myself ? No one certainly has a right to judge whether or not I have high self esteem, only I get to determine how I perceive myself.
Put Down the Pencil and Pick Up a Crayon Coloring can reduce stress and provide as a great distraction when dealing with a ton of school work. When you color, your brain focuses on coloring—both physically coloring and picking out the color schemes. This distracts you from the other things that are going on, which can be a stress reliever, especially during exam week! Not to mention, this is a great way to procrastinate while still doing something productive other than watching Netflix, or you could do this while also watching Netflix. Coloring is also a great expression of creativity! Everyone has a different opinion on what something should look like and a different interpretation of what something means. A blank coloring book just has the outlines of a picture, so by adding color you can make the image your own and add personal details to each drawing. Some people like to color outside the lines while others like to keep the image as is. The color scheme of the picture can also be an expression of Photo by theodysseyonline.com emotions. Dark colors, like blues, purples, dark greens, and black, can indicate emotions such as sadness and depression s children, who didn’t love coloring? I personally pre- while bright colors, like reds, oranges, and yellows, can indiferred crayons, but there was also scribbling with mark- cate anger or passion. ers and colored pencils as well as doodling on etch-a-sketches. Some businesses actually put coloring sheets in the break However, until recently, there has not been a large market for rooms on Fridays to help people settle down after a long adult coloring books. There are millions of coloring books work week. Coloring is also used in some doctors’ offices to and sheets for kids, both for fun and education. I remember calm the mind before or during a meeting or to help ease getting coloring sheets for fire safety and for certain holidays people with anxiety. The benefits of coloring as an adult during school. There are also tons of themed coloring books are tremendous to the mind, so if you are stressed or need a for kids ranging from My Little Pony to Hot Wheels to fuzzy break, go buy a coloring book or print some pages off of the posters. Now there is a large market for adult coloring books, Internet! which is fantastic! There are many benefits to coloring! By Rachel Alibozek ‘17 Contribvting Writer
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May 2, 2016
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Entertainment EC Buzz:
6 Reasons Term III is Amazing By Alyssa Wilson ’17 Entertainment Editor
1. The fountains are on!
Term II is probably the most depressing term of them all. The puddle is so still, and the fountain is empty. These are just reminders of brutal, New York winters (this winter wasn’t terrible, but still) and how much longer we have before summer break. When you arrive back on campus for Term III, the fountains serve as a sign of hope and happiness. I could be exaggerating, but I think you know I’m not. There’s nothing better than reading by the fountain on a sunny day or playing softball on Carnegie Lawn with the puddle behind you. We’re EC, for goodness’ sake!
4. Softball!
There’s really not much to say on this. I mean, if you’re a student, you know what I’m talking about. This tradition that brings tons of students onto Carnegie Lawn just about every day to watch mostly non-softball players face-off for the right to say they are softball champions. I’ve never seen a college that has such an ingrained unofficial tradition (not that I’ve ever transferred). In a few words, EC loves Term III softball.
Photo by quickmeme.com
5. Free Wednesdays
Photo by Alsyssa Wilson ‘17
2. Six short, beautiful weeks
Although we have terms that are shorter than the average college, 12 weeks just seems long! Maybe it’s the fact that the classes are tough or that you’ve got the winter blues, but by February break, you’re pretty much ready to hole up in your bedroom at home for the rest of your life. Term III is a completely different story! If you’re on a trip, you never want the term to end. If you’re taking a class with your favorite professor, class really isn’t the chore it would be in another term. If you’re taking not-so-fun classes that you have to take so you can graduate (or have a fun, empty last term of college), you can bask in the knowledge that you don’t have to suffer for long!
3. Classes that are... fun?
At the risk of excluding the few that are taking classes to get required credits out of the way, most students take great classes Term III. Even the professors know that this term isn’t nearly as serious as the rest of the year! I know students that are taking ballroom dancing classes, pilates, field botany (that’s fun to me, okay?), acting, and so much more! Term III isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill term. No sir! Term III classes are the best!
Despite the fact that we must attend class for an additional Wednesday this year in honor of Memorial Day, we still have 3 Wednesdays off! I repeat: THREE days OFF. We don’t get that kind of freedom during other terms! A day of just nothing? For all of my science majors out there, you know there is no such thing as a day off. A Tuesday or a Thursday is just another lab day. Monday, Wednesday, Friday are pretty rough for any major. But rest assured, Term III is the break that everyone needs. Enjoy your Wednesdays!
6. No Snow
The best part of Term III? The weather. While the previous items are wonderful characteristics of Term III, the absolute, without-a-doubt, make-or-break best aspect is that there is sunshine! The fountains are on, the grass is green (naturally or artificially to be determined), and the lawn mowers are going. Getting some rays between classes is just what you do. Maybe this is why everyone is so much happier Term III. We’re no longer Vitamin D deficient! Soak up some sun and enjoy this fantastic term!
Alyssa Wilson ‘17 has accepted to return to the position of Entertainment Editor for another year. She has consistently written for the Octagon and always has an EC Buzz for the week. Welcome back to the team!
May 2, 2016
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Movie Review: San Andreas By Rachel Alibozek ‘17 Staff Writer
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ver break, my extended family and I watched the movie San Andreas directed by Brad Peyton. This movie features many well-known actors and actresses, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson from The Game Plan, Carla Gugino from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Alexandra Daddario from the Percy Jackson series, Ioan Gruffudd from both of the Fantastic Four movies, Archie Panjabi from Bend it Like Beckham, and Paul Giamatti from Cinderella Man. This movie was overall a decent action movie. It was very realistic, and the ideas presented are things that could potentially happen in real life. The only downside to this movie was that, to some people, this movie could be seen as being very predictable. Some of my family members literally called almost every twist. Other than that, it was a very good movie with great acting. The movie focuses pri-
marily on the Gaines family, which consists of a separated mother and father, Gugino and Johnson respectively, and a daughter named Blake, played by Daddario. It is revealed early on that the family separated as a result of a death of a younger daughter, which led to the father becoming an air rescue pilot for Los Angeles, California. He is in his helicopter when the first major earthquake hits and has to save his former wife. Blake is with the mother’s new boyfriend, played by Gruffudd, when the earthquake hits, but then he peaces out and leaves her trapped where her new-found male friends come to the rescue. Together, the three of them complete a journey that strengthens their newly formed friendship and bonds them in a way only a life-threatening disaster can. The whole family has to survive the multiple-impact disaster while trying to regroup after being separated and facing multiple obstacles. At the same time, you get a glimpse into the researchers at CalTech, who predicted
the original earthquake, but no one believed them. They face the difficulty of having to spread the knowledge of future earthquakes along the entire San Andreas Fault Line of magnitudes 9.0+ on the Richter scale without using anything that relies on phone lines. This is a result of the San Andreas tectonic plate shifting significantly and resulting in earthquakes, tsunamis, sinkholes, and large canyon-like cracks in the Earth. This was a good movie, and it was very realistic. Having studied disaster management and criminal justice, I can also say that it is pretty accurate in terms of what happens during a disaster crime-wise and as to what you should do in a disaster. Looting is very common throughout disasters, particularly early-phases of disasters, which is portrayed when the two parents are in the store and people are stealing televisions and shooting other people. It is also very accurate that major earthquakes can lead to massive fires and there are not necessarily enough people to
respond to all of them, which is where back-up comes in. The only problem that I noticed is that FEMA coordinates a response, rather than responding to it, and this can only happen after the President formally declares a state of emergency, which was not specified in the movie. For being a Hollywood production, it is very accurate for a simulation, which makes it an educational movie as well. I would recommend this movie because it was a great movie with characters you grow to love and characters you can’t help but hate as well as having a good plot line and lots of action. Despite its predictability, it is not scary and there are a couple romantic aspects so there is a little something for all movie lovers. If you enjoy this movie as much as I did, keep on the lookout for the sequel that was just announced this past February that is going to focus on the Ring of Fire and will consist of some of the original cast according to multiple online sources.
Movie Review: Vacation By Nicole Derosia ’17 Opinion Editor
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re you looking for a way to procrastinate this term three? Great, this is the movie for you! If you are a fan of the National Lampoon Vacation movies, then you’re even better off. If you are like me, you will begin watching the movie with expectations for this reboot to be as great as the old Vacation movies. While nothing can compare to the originals, this film stands on its own and is nothing short of a typical Griswold family adventure. Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms), in the midst of preparing for the annual family cabin trip, decides that it’s time for a change. He rents a 2015 Tartan Prancer, complete with the muffin, rocket, and swastika button controls, and sets out with his wife Debbie (Christina Applegate) and their two sons James (Skyler Gisondo) and Kevin (Steele Stebbins) to rekindle his relationship with his family on a trip to Walley World. As is typical
of a Griswold family adventure, nothing went as planned. They stop first in Memphis, where Debbie is pressured into doing the “Chug Run”, a drunken charity event she Photo by imdb.com invented back in college to raise money. They then stay the night at a hotel, where James, a socially awkward teenage boy, meets Adena (Catherine Missal). They are interrupted by Rusty attempting to be a wingman, but ends up coming off as a pedophile. They continue their drive through Arkansas, where they take a dip in a hot spring, only to find out that it is actually raw sewage and that they were robbed in the process. The drive, naked and
covered in human waste, to Rusty’s sister Audrey’s (Leslie Mann) house. They visit with the in-laws, including Audrey’s husband Stone (Chris Hemsworth). After an unfortunate and cannibalistic cow incident, they continue their drive. The stop at the Four Corners, where James gets his second chance with Adena, and finally stands up to Kevin’s bullying. After an incident at the Grand Canyon and the explosion of their car via the muffin key, they continue on to Clark (Chevy Chase) and Ellen’s (Beverly D’Angelo) house and decide to go home. Clark convinced them to finish the trip, and they finally make it to Walley World, only to get stuck on a roller coaster. While the trip was insanely dysfunctional, they ended up closer than ever. It was a nice surprise for the original Griswold’s to make an appearance in the film. National Lampoon continued their hilarious take on misadventures within the Griswold family. If you’re looking for a laugh, this is the film for you.