Niner Times: September 3, 2013.

INSIDE TH

IS ISSUE

Eight pag e game pre view for the Se pt. 7 Charl otte 49ers gam e against the Chowan H awks

A PRODUCT OF STUDENT NINER MEDIA • THE UNIVERSITY OF 9, NORTH SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 2013 CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE • VOL. 26, ISSUE 2 NINERONLINE.COM

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SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2013

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SEPT. 3 - 9, 2013

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Eight page game preview for the Sept.

7 Charlotte 49ers game against the Chowan Hawks

Volume 26, Number 2 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

EDEN CREAMER

PATRICK BOGANS

EDITOR@NINERONLINE.COM

MANAGING@NINERONLINE.COM

NEWS EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

CLAIRE DODD

LIBBY WEIHSMANN

NEWS@NINERONLINE.COM

SPORTS@NINERONLINE.COM

A&E EDITOR

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

LIZ LANIER

MICHELLE LIRINGIS LIFESTYLE@NINERONLINE.COM

AE@NINERONLINE.COM

COPY EDITOR

PHOTO COORDINATOR

COPY@NINERONLINE.COM

PHOTO@NINERONLINE.COM

CAMPUS SAFETY AWARENESS

CHRIS CREWS

ASHLEY SPEECE

SOLAR DECATHLON

ASSISTANT EDITORS Matt Chapman, Lee Hutchison, Nicole Jones, Carrie Nowell

OP-ED: INSIDE PARKING COSTS

ADDITIONAL STAFF Bryan Archilla, Gibson Bailey, Sara Carson, Ariel Clayborn, Aaron Cress, Abby Hardin, Billy Lincourt, Jesse Olmstead

JAM FOR CAM

NEWSROOM: 704.687.7150

“THE SPECTACULAR NOW” FEATURE

MEDIA MARKETING MARKETING DIRECTOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

MKTDIRECTOR@UNCC.EDU

PRODUCTION@UNCC.EDU

EMMANUEL LOREDO

FEATURED DORM ROOM

NIKI PRESTEL

CIRCULATION MANAGER

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

PATRICK WISNIEWSKI

ASK ABBY ADVICE COLUMN

GISELLE HERNANDEZ

CIRCULATION STAFF Josh Laton, Sara Nauman & Timothy Starnes

COACH JOHNSON RICHARDSON PROFILE

MARKETING STAFF Sandy Granadino, Sara Karimipour, Lexy Price, Jermiah Powell, Gianfranco Rigail & Dylan Robison

QUEEN CITY ARMY

SALES OFFICE: 704.687.7144

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Follow us on Twitter @UNCCmedia LOCATED IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE STUDENT UNION NINER TIMES • RADIO FREE CHARLOTTE SANSKRIT • MEDIA MARKETING • NINERONLINE THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE NINER MEDIA ADVISER: WAYNE MAIKRANZ BUSINESS MANAGER: LAURIE CUDDY

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COVER PHOTO BY CHRIS CREWS • INSIDE PHOTO BY AARON CRESS

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CAMPUS SAFETY SARA CARSON INTERN

In honor of Campus Safety Awareness Month, the UNC Charlotte Campus Police and Public Safety Department will offer multiple events for students, faculty and staff to participate in.

The goal is to make the UNC Charlotte community comfortable with campus police.

UNC Charlotte’s Officer Jerry Lecomte, community policing coordinator for the department, says the three main things for students to take away from Campus Safety Awareness Month are the dangers of underage alcohol possession and consumption, the possession of illegal drugs such as prescription drugs, marijuana and cocaine and texting while driving.

The department has worked with other universities and schools in the past that might not have these resources.

All of the activities and events will be held on campus, and are free and open to the public.

The last three to four years, they have tried to step up the monthlong program by offering more events, setting up more tables and being more accessible to students.

For more information about Campus Safety Awareness Month activities or how to best stay safe on campus, reach out to Officer Lecomte or the UNC Charlotte Police and Public Safety Department.

NO TEXTING WHILE DRIVING

FILE PHOTO

The event, held Sept. 4, includes a texting while driving simulator, which features roadblocks and a screen for participants to read from while “driving.”

UNC Charlotte Chancellor Philip Dubois and N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper will be in attendance, at the Student Union rotunda from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to sign the “It Can Wait” pledge, agreeing that the contents of a text message can wait until the texter isn’t behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Over the last two years, the department has accumulated over 1,200 student-signed pledges.

“By making the smart decision ans signing the pledge, students are able to take enforcement out of the equation,” said Lecomte.

This event is sponsored by AT&T.

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OPERATION ID

ALCOHOL AWARENESS

Operation ID is a program in which the campus police department engraves and registers your valuables so that if they are stolen, they can be easily found and retrieved.

This is available on Sept. 5, in the Student Union rotunda from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The program has been extremely underutilized in the past. This year, the number of students who use it has nearly quadrupled from the number of students who have utilized it in past years.

Officer Lecomte says that the program tries “to give students an opportunity to help keep the campus safe by engraving and identifying their property.”

Operation ID is an event that is considered to be part of the Wellness Passport Program, a semester-long assignment given by various professors meant to engage students on campus.

Along with information on alcohol awareness, this table will have “drunkbunster goggles” that give underage students a chance to see what it feels like to be impaired.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 10 and 24, the Student Union rotunda allows students to have fun attempting to perform everyday activities with the goggles, such as throwing a ball of picking up a water bottle.

This activity allows students to see how impossible drunk driving might be before the mistake is made.

“Make a list of five things you can buy with $10,000. If you get arrested and charged with a DUI, that’s what it’s going to cost you. Try and think ahead about how much that dollar beer is really going to cost you long term, not just in the moment,” said Lecomte.

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AWARENESS MONTH R.A.D. CLASSES Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) classes are offered annually by the Department of Police and Public Safety. This program is designed to help women learn how to defend themselves.

In the Student Union lobby from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 12, the R.A.D. table will be set up to allow students the opportunity to learn more information on self-defense and the R.A.D. sessions.

Full sessions are offered Sept. 17, 19, 24 and 26 in Student Union Room 266. Through the course, participants will be taught proper striking techniques through kicks and blocks, how to get out of a choke hold or wrist grab, ground defense techniques and the mindset of attackers.

“We won’t teach them how to do three rounds of boxing,” said Lecomte. “They just need to know how to strike, do what they need to do to get out of a situation.”

INFORMATION SESSION The police information table will be available in the Student Union rotunda on Sept. 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The table will be set up to allow students to get to know their officers; what they do, what they officer and how they can be resources for any questions students might have about safety on or off campus.

The department wants to make themselves available in the community so that students don’t feel like they have to seek them out to receive help. They want to appear as visible and approachable as possible and to provide as much information for students who have otherwise only viewed them as a negative force.

CAMPUS CAR SHOW

The third annual Campus Car Show will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Lot 5A on Sept. 28. The event started out very small, with only a few campus partners such as the Wellness Center, but has expanded to include organizations such as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, highway patrol, Charlotte Fire and Medic and Mayhem Mustang, a student and alumni car club that makes the trust between organizations and the police department evident.

With the exception of the cost of food, this event is free and includes many giveaways and trophies.

“We want to give [students] a chance to speak with officials on an even playing field,” said Lecomte. “It’s great to see that kind of positive interaction from people driving these kinds of cars at their age.”

FILE PHOTO

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URBAN

EDEN

BRINGING THE HEAT TO THE SOLAR DECATHLON LEE HUTCHISON

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

UNC Charlotte’s Solar Decathlon team has completed their UrbanEden project after spending over two years on the house and now prepare for national judging

Niners have revamped Eden into UNC Charlotte’s UrbanEden to match up with today’s fast paced society.

The UrbanEden house is going panel-to-solar in the worldwide 2013 Solar Decathlon between 19 other collegiate teams including the California Institute of Technology (Cal Tec), Stanford and Czech Technical University.

Each team must design, build and operate solar powered houses that are affordable, appeal to consumers and provide optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.

The competition is hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The 2013 Solar Decathlon consists of 10 separately scored contests.

The contests include architecture, market appeal, engineering, communications, affordibility, comfort zone, hot water, applications, home entertainment and energy balance.

For instance, the home entertainment contest includes two sub-contests that will be scored by other teams.

On movie night (a type of home entertainment sub-contest), teams invite their neighbors over to watch a movie on the home entertainment system.

The contest is ultimately

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scored out of 1,000 points, and the team with the most points is crowned champion.

As could be expected, this competition requires deep pockets.

Each school was responsible for raising capital to fund their project and travel.

UNC Charlotte brought together 49 sponsors for UrbanEden.

Mentor Candice Langston of the College of Arts and Architecture serves as director of development on the project.

Langston said the strategy used for raising funds was “to reach out to Charlotte’s local corporate community and forge partnerships with those already invested in our community.”

The team sends a special thanks to Eric Laster, steering committee chair for UrbanEden and CEO of Edifice Incorporated.

“He was a great leader and did not hesitate to take the reins,” said Langston.

notice the exterior walls of the house, built with a geopolymer concrete that was developed on campus. This was the first major innovation put into the house.

The concrete is made with fly ash, a byproduct of coal energy plants.

The U.S. produces at least 131 million tons of fly ash each year.

That’s equivalent to the weight of nine Brooklyn bridges.

Fly ash is disposed in ponds near plants and contains trace amounts of arsenic and mercury among others.

These elements contaminate groundwater and take up valuable space.

Advances in glass, concrete

THE HOUSE UrbanEden is the sustainable home of the future, designed to harvest the sun’s energy, recycle industrial waste, merge nature with city, produce natural resources and adapt to its owner’s surroundings.

At first glance one will SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2013

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and select simple technologies yield climate control powered by the sun.

On the roof, 30 photovoltaic panels (sophisticated solar panels) are arranged in three sets.

They sit on an intricate trolley and rail system designed to move sections independently across 17 feet of horizontal space.

The panels tilt in all directions. This movement fosters optimal solar gains and shade the porch. Solar panels generate a steady 7,650 watts.

Yearly energy expenses for Americans range from $1,500 to $5,000 or more.

All of the technology in the house is controlled by a Microsoft Surface™ Tablet, including lights, appliances and entertainment systems.

The tablet displays live energy production, use and statistics that layout UrbanEden’s sustainable history.

“I feel that we not only have a unique facade, TUESDAY SEPT. 3

but also a unique technological approach to generating power and maintaining a pleasant indoor environment,” said Robert Miller, a fifth-year architecture student at UNC Charlotte and a team member of the UrbanEden project.

“As a team, we feel we have a very good chance in the competition.”

Competing in the Solar Decathlon will boost the university’s academic and research reputation.

“It will impact us in a variety of ways. As a college we are seeking to become a pioneer of energy design and sustainability to help meet the needs of a growing energy conservation industry. The geopolymer concrete wall system technology is one such product,” said Miller.

“As for education, the School of Architecture benefits from exploring design methods that are becoming an industry standard. Smarter ecological buildings are no longer buildings of the far-off future.”

WEDNESDAY SEPT. 4

THURSDAY SEPT. 5

FRIDAY SEPT. 6

POLICE BLOTTER AUG. 23-29

CALLS FOR SERVICE AUG. 24

• Barnhardt Lane, known subject obstructed and delayed a law enforcement officer by fleeing the scene.

AUG. 25

• Alumni Way, subject ingested large dose of medication in an attempt to cause self-harm.

AUG. 29

• Craver Road, officer responded to a call regarding a welfare check.

DRUG VIOLATION @UNCCWeather FOLLOW FOR FORECASTS AND WARNINGS

87°F

Mostly cloudy, slight chance of showers and a low of 70°

84°F A few clouds.

Low of 67°

84°F

Mostly sunny with a low of 65°

85°F Partly sunny.

Low of 65°

AUG. 29

• Craver Road, suspect from previous larceny was located and found in possession of drugs. Suspect has been trespassed from entire campus.

LARCENY FROM PERSON AUG. 23

• Cameron Blvd., victim reported that they were pick-pocketed.

VANDALISM AUG. 24

• Craver Road, officer responded to a call regarding graffiti in the men’s restroom.

• Alumni Way, victim’s motorcycle was damaged while parked and unattended.

AUG. 28

• Cameron Blvd., subject reported offensive writing to his personal information board.

For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us

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To transfer or not to transfer DOES ANYONE COME TO UNC CHARLOTTE STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL? INTERN

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

GIBSON BAILEY INTERN

BILLY LINCOURT With recent economic troubles, many families are seeking more a affordable education route before sending a student to a four-year school.

Community colleges like Central Piedmont Community College and Wake Technical Community College offer transfer programs and diplomas that count towards the general education portion of almost any degree program.

Straight out of high school not many people know what they want to do for the rest of their life. I sure didn’t. Right after graduating I decided that I wanted to come to UNC Charlotte for a degree in computer science. After two years of work, I hit a wall and wasn’t excited about what I was doing.

Instead of wasting valuable time

Parking permits are costly, but there’s an obvious and positive reason why

and money trying to find a new field to go into I went back home to Cary, N.C., and started taking classes at Wake Tech. While there I was able to take classes that would count for my general education as well as take electives in an effort to find a new field of study.

After finding a new passion in journalism, I then transferred back to UNC Charlotte to get my Bachelor’s degree in Communications.

With continuing rises in tuition and school fees, more families right out of high school seem to want to wait a couple of years before going to a four-year school to save money.

If you’re not sure what you want to do right out of high school, in this day and age, why not take a little time to figure it out?

Dear editor(s), On the front page of [Niner Times Vol. 26, Issue 1], the photo of myself jumping over my brother is a part of our step show at the National Pan Hellenic Council/ Diversified Greek Council (NPHC/DGC) Yardshow.

The NPHC/DGC Yardshow is not listed within the issue, my brothers and I are not mentioned in the paper and there is no article even representing myself, my brothers, either council or the event in itself. The picture is being used to represent the [Interfraternity Council] Rush Week.

That is respectable as we all are greeks, but not to mention any of the people or groups responsible for this event is false representation and disrespectful to both councils.

Sincerely, Phillip Melton

While there is an abundance of parking lots and decks around campus, UNC Charlotte has these parking options available for a steep price to students.

As a commuter school, Charlotte has paid close attention over the years to improve the quality and availability of areas for parking.

The only real concern among students is, and has been, the price of parking permits, which could determine whether one chooses to commute to school via public transportation, carpool with a friend or shell out the cash for a permit.

For $450, students have access to practically all parking lots and decks, unless otherwise noted by Parking and Transportation Services (PaTS). The constant question always seems to be why such a steep price?

With an 8 percent addition to the price, a $35 increase from last year’s cost, PaTS has stated that “parking has to be self-supporting due to the fact that tuition dollars do not supplement parking, and state funding is not used to pay for parking facilities.”

The money you do spend on your permit is essentially being cycled back into the campus’ transportation system.

Almost all of the profits are put towards funding design and construction for new parking decks, maintenance and construction bonds. A small percentage goes toward traffic control staffing and support of the CATS campus shuttle.

A fact that tends to surprise many permit owners is that more parking permits are sold than spaces available. As a permit owner, you are never guaranteed a spot.

The reason being, parking spaces are frequently turning from occupied to open, so in order for the campus to make a substantial profit, permits are sold assuming individuals occupy a space for six hours or less a day.

Compared to other North Carolina universities, UNC Charlotte’s permit fee could still be considered exorbitant. Appalachian State’s permit is roughly $200, along with North Carolina State University’s pass peaking at $313 for residents.

While shelling out the $450 for a parking permit seems excessive, be mindful of the simple fact that UNC Charlotte is a commuter school that doesn’t get any support from tuition money for parking.

While the permits are costly, PaTS is doing all they can to support the ever-growing university and its inevitable influx of vehicular occupants.

Photos from the Aug. 25, 2013 Yardshow are available at http://nineronline.com

EDITORIAL POLICY Niner Times is written and produced by students at UNC Charlotte. All unsigned editorials are the expressed opinion of the editorial board and do not represent the views of the University. Views expressed in signed editorials are solely those of the author. Niner Times is published on Tuesdays during the regular academic year except during holidays and exam periods.

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GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK Niner Times welcomes letters. Feedback should be under 200 words, legibly written or typed and should include the author’s signature, year in school, major and telephone number. Faculty and staff should include title and department. Unsigned, anonymous letters will not be printed. All letters are subject to editing for space and style.

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SUBMIT LETTERS TO:

NINER TIMES Student Union, Charlotte, N.C. 28223 OR E-MAIL:

editor@nineronline.com

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JAM FOR CAM ROCK FOR A CAUSE

SECOND ANNUAL JAM FOR CAM PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

LIZ LANIER A&E EDITOR

Sarah Clanton Schaffer is a perfomer and organizer of Jam for Cam. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Ferguson

One in every four Americans will suffer from mental illness in any given year, according to a study from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Considering how many of those 25 percent are college students, it’s clear how the issue can affect many UNC Charlotte students.

Cameron Shelton was one such student, whose mental illness led to his death a few months before he was set to graduate from UNC Charlotte last year.

Since Cameron’s death in June of 2012, his sister, Allison Georger, arranged “Jam for Cam” with the help of her friend, and artist, Sarah Clanton Schaffer. Now, the event is coming up on its second run and will continue to raise awareness of mental health issues and help mental illness sufferers and their families.

Taking place at The Saloon at the NC Music Factory, two acts will perform to benefit the UNC Charlotte chapter of NAMI. Sarah Schaffer & The Clanton Road will headline, and Annabelle’s Curse will also be featured.

“I would encourage students to come out because it affects so many people but we’re not always aware of how much it’s going on,” Schaffer says.

“It gets overlooked, and unfortunate events can occur. But people knowing about the variety of support there is, for students dealing with something and they’re not sure what to do, this is a cool opportunity to raise awareness of resources.”

Jam for Cam takes place from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Sept. 7. The suggested donation is $5.

‘Saints Row IV’: Back with even more bizarre action BRYAN ARCHILLA INTERN

For those who have played any of the previous Saints Row titles, it’s no secret that the game has adopted an affection for the insane. “Saints Row IV” continues the trend.

In this installment the player has risen to the ultimate position of power as the president of the United States of America. After saving the world from a missile launch in the very first mission, aliens attack Earth and it is the player’s job as the commander in chief to save the world.

As in “Saints Row: The Third,” the controls are smooth with little to no stiffness. However, the addition of superpowers has diminished the gunplay quite a bit. Abilities include a freeze and fire blast, telekinesis, super speed and super jump

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amongst others, but the addition of these powers makes the gunplay stale in comparison. Most enemies can be taken down in oneshot by sprinting and pulling the right trigger to do a super-powered takedown, which makes the game significantly less challenging. The superpowers also make much of the driving absolutely useless, essentially eliminating a huge chunk of the game content.

The upgrades and customization in the game have been improved. In addition to the character customization options, players can change weapons’ skin, giving them old-fashioned looks such as a tommy gun, or turning rocket launchers into guitar cases. In spite of current bugs causing glitches for players, “Saints Row

IV” is an enjoyable ride that those new to the series and old fans will enjoy. For those worried about crashing, it may be advisable to wait until a few patches are released to fix known issues. For broke college kids reluctant to throw $60 at it, a rental of three to four days will probably be suffice to explore a lot of what makes Saints Row popular without getting into redundant missions.

“Saints Row IV” is available now for Xbox 360, PC and Playstation 3.

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Image courtesy of Deep Silver

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‘The Spectacular Now’ imitates life ARIEL CLAYBORN INTERN

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

59 Against 60 Dutch cheese 61 A driver who forgets something might make one 62 Info 63 Toupees 64 Evaluated

ACROSS 1 Uniformed figure in the National Toy Hall of Fame 6 Corp. fiscal execs 10 Kiss from 10-Down 14 Epps and Sharif 15 Sow's squeal 16 43,560 square feet 17 Oenophile 20 Indianapolis-to-Fort Wayne dir.

21 Sleepover wear, briefly 22 Shiny finish 23 Lone Ranger's pal 26 iPhone's voice-activated personal assistant 27 Response to snake oil, perhaps

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31 Steering system component 32 Caresses 33 GM labor gp.

35 Redding of soul 36 FG's three 37 Hockey great Phil, familiarly 38 Tails and tongues do it 39 Feng __: decorating philosophy 41 Redeem 43 Privacy protector of a sort 46 Close to 47 "Incorrect!"

48 Ready to mate, animal-wise 51 Pouch 52 Just minted 55 Has a big track payday (and a hint to hidden words that begin 17-, 27- and 43-Across)

DOWN 1 Graduation wear 2 Poker declaration 3 "Psycho" Oscar nominee 4 Prospector's quest 5 "Never mind" PC key 6 Grifter's game 7 Swimming aids 8 Artist who lives across from Central Park's Strawberry Fields 9 Way up the slope 10 Heroic TV dog 11 Rapper-turned-actor 12 "Mötley" group 13 Actress Deborah 18 Went (for) 19 Pokes around on the Internet 24 Some regatta equipment 25 Cpl., for one 26 Takes in, as a movie 27 Greek deli stockpile 28 Vision-related 29 Pillow-shaped diamond style 30 Golfer's gimme 31 __ truck 34 Took the cup 36 Sound from a contented kitty 37 Those gals, in Guadalajara 39 "Don't __ the small stuff!"

40 Moor flora 41 Early spring blooms 42 ABA member 44 Layette suit 45 Strips of weapons 48 "If __ my way ..."

As the summer comes to an end, college students have a chance to reflect on the memories that have made the season what it is often known for: romance. Summer love can be equal parts baffling and enticing. Just like bug bites and sunburn, the dramatic perils of summertime romance may sting a little— but it’s worth it.

The writers of “500 Days of Summer,” Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, introduce a new film that explores the intricacies of love life between the period of adolescence and adulthood. While it’s quite different from the cult hit “500 Days,” there’s still plenty in this new debut for students to savor as tans fade and sweater season begins.

“The Spectacular Now” tells the familiar tale of young love: two people with opposite personalities meet and their lives are changed forever. Sutter Keely (Miles Teller), the free-spirited party boy, and Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley), the sweet-hearted, nerdy girl, take the predictable archetype and strip its flowery fantasy down to a more realistic state. Rather than subsist of romantic fluff, the main char-

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acters’ relationship exposes the beautiful, yet complicated world that young love truly is.

Ponsoldt believes many movies about teenage romance create a misconception as they over-sentimentalize the challenges of being young and in love.

“Things are really hallmark-y,” Ponsoldt says. “They don’t feel the pain and anxiety of feeling like you’re going to get heartbroken, or feeling like you’re going to be rejected, or the fear of not knowing what you’re going to do with your life in the future, or feeling inadequate.”

Although some of these experiences may hurt young people, the negative experiences also eventually allow them to learn to develop healthy relationships as an adult.

“When I was younger, I was completely lost and confused as a teenager,” Ponsoldt says. “And now, as a 40-year-old looking back, you know, things kind of remind me of how amazing it was, and also how terrifying it was.”

“The Spectacular Now” arrived in Ballantyne on Aug. 23, and has since been released to other major theaters around Charlotte.

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FEATURED DORM ROOM

LYNCH HALL 355 B NICOLE JONES

ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR

DESK DRAWER ORGANIZERS Pencils, pens, highlighters, sticky notes, pushpins and other college essentials stack up in my desk drawers.

To keep ahead of the mess, I got cheap drawer organizers to keep the miscellaneous desk utensils separate. This way they all have their own place and can be reorganized easily.

DAYBED

I made my bed into a daybed so when I am rushing in the morning, it is quick to throw the covers up and pillows in the corner. When I come back from class, I can plop down against the pillows and curl up with the blanket at the end of the bed.

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SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2013

DESK AND COFFEE STATION My desk tends to be the place where I toss everything at the end of the day. To prevent this, I invested in a desk topper. With two cubes to keep coupons and papers in, shelves to keep picture frames safe and a place for textbooks, I do not feel the need to keep the papers piling on the desktop.

Coffee, a staple in my diet, is the only way I am able to get to that 8 a.m. English class. While I am working on papers or endless amounts of Web Work, having this easy, single-brew coffee maker and French vanilla creamer within arms reach is essential.

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OVER THE DOOR SHOE RACK This is without a doubt one of the handiest organization tools.

There are no tools required to assemble this rack, and it holds up to 36 pairs of shoes.

I hung it over the door to my closet and took out some of the bars so I could reach the doorknob.

Then, I hung my scarves on the last two rows. It keeps my many shoes and scarves organized while making a pretty display.

BULLETIN BOARD I bought a plain bulletin board from the store and decided to make it more my style. I wrapped a piece of fabric around the board and attached it at the back. It still functions just like a normal bulletin board, but has a bit more flair.

Having this bulletin board also helps keep my desk clear of pictures and other momentos I want to keep but don’t store well.

Adding your own personal touches is important to any space, but it’s even better when it can be done on a budget.

NIGHTSTAND I have a lot of makeup, hair products and jewelry so I bought a cube unit to hold it all and work as a nightstand.

The small drawers hold everything and allow for easy access while lessening the clutter.

To save space, I purchased a clip lamp that I can move to face me on the bed or point down at the drawers.

To have your dorm or apartment featured in the Lifestyle section of the Niner Times, email us at lifestyle@nineronline.com with photos, room location and why your room should be featured All photos in ‘Featured dorm room’ by Nicole Jones

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BYOB September’s book is The Light in the Ruins

by Chris Bohjalian Tweet us @niner_times or email lifestyle@nineronline.com to tell us your thoughts about the book

Check back at the end of the month for a review

How do I handle the demands of college life?

It’s only the beginning of the semester, and I’m already finding myself overwhelmed. How do I handle a full class load and all of my extracurricular activities? I don’t want to have to cut out any of my commitments.

-Already Overwhelmed Your alarm goes off again after the seventh time you’ve hit snooze, and you make a pivotal decision: no class today.

Maybe you’ve already hit this point in the semester: you’ve gone to bed too late all week, gotten up a little too early and made the poor decision to party on a Tuesday.

Now, you’re so tired you decide that going to class just isn’t going to happen. So, you skip and tell yourself “Just this one time.”

It’s not that taking a full load of classes, keeping up with friends and doing extracurricular activities is inherently impossible.

On the contrary, having a sense of balance is an important part of a college experience. But when we start focusing on having fun, working hard and being a good friend, we forget about the most important thing: ourselves.

It’s not that joining Greek life is too much of a time commitment, it’s that we’ve let that extracurricular come before basic self-care, such as healthy eating and sleeping habits.

Sure it sounds campy, but our bodies are like batteries. If we don’t take time to recharge them, then we shouldn’t be surprised when they stop working properly.

At this point in the flow of

advice, the most common recommendation would be to drop something – go to fewer parties, have fewer extracurricular activities or don’t take so many classes; however, I don’t think that’s the answer.

Instead of cutting out, it’s much easier to add things in.

For instance, don’t cut out going to parties, just write a paragraph of your paper before you go and come back early enough to get a full night’s sleep.

If you’re lagging during practice, take a nap or eat a healthy snack instead of perusing Facebook between classes.

It’s not about working more or harder, it’s about working smarter.

Is skipping one class the end of the world? Probably not. But if you ask yourself, “Can I keep up this level of activity without making myself sick, sacrificing grades or losing friends?” the answer is more than likely “probably not.”

By scheduling in some time for self-care, you’ll have more time for other important activities that make college the best four (or more) years of your life.

For more stress-saving tips, see nineronline.com.

Abby Hardin is a UNC Charlotte Ph.D student in Clinical Health Psychology and an instructor. She also works as a mental health counselor at a local CMC clinic. If you’d like your question answered in a future edition of Ask Abby, email askabby@nineronline. com. Remember, no question is too big or too small.

HAVE A QUESTION FOR ABBY? EMAIL IT TO ASKABBY@NINERONLINE.COM

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SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2013

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A SPECIAL HOME After playing tight end for Providence Day, tight ends coach Johnson Richardson calls Charlotte “a little bit of a special place”

MATT CHAPMAN

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Sometimes you find a coach that appears to be a perfect fit for your football program.

The Charlotte 49ers brand new program playing in their inaugural season seems to have done just that when they hired Johnson Richardson to be their tight ends coach.

Richardson is the grandson of Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson whose name graces the new 49ers football stadium after he made a generous donation to the program.

"Obviously this place has a little bit of a special place in my heart because I grew up in Charlotte, so in that aspect it's special for me to be coaching here," said Richardson.

"The guy I knew was James Adams. James coached at Wofford and I was real tight with that staff. I got to know Coach Lambert and some other members of the coaching staff through him and they're phenomenal football coaches."

Richardson played tight end in his college career at Wofford and played high school football in Charlotte at Providence Day. The one thing he raved about was the work ethic that his guys display day in and day out.

"They're a great group of guys to be around off the field. They come out here and step on this green grass and they're all business, and we come out here to get better each and every day," said Richardson.

Being a brand new program, Charlotte doesn't have the luxury of veteran leadership at most positions, but luckily for Coach Richardson he can turn to C.J. Crawford (6-2, 230) whenever his guys need to hear a player's voice in the locker room.

"C.J. needs to understand that these young

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Coach Richardson at Media Day on Aug. 10.

Photo by Chris Crews

guys are like sponges. Everything he does it resonates with them. I've challenged C.J. with that and he's responded, he's doing a good job of leading them," said Richardson.

Crawford is a graduate student and one of the few 49ers players who has prior college football experience.

Crawford gained three years of playing SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2013

experience at Marshall where he had the opportunity to participate in a bowl game.

He caught five passes for the Thundering Herd in the Beef O'Brady's Bowl back in 2011.

“Another guy is Justin Bolus. He’s very talented but you’d never know how talented he is by the way he works when he’s out here,” said Richardson.

Bolus (6-2, 220) is a redshirt freshman out of Folly Beach, S.C., and is a member of the 49ers first recruiting class.

Bolus missed the fall 2012 team workouts due to a string of serious stomach surgeries, but he has recovered and is ready to make an impact for the 49ers.

Richardson believes his guys are unique in comparison to the rest of the team because of the demands of the position.

The tight end position in the Charlotte offense is a hybrid position that involves playing a little receiver, some running back and of course some blocking, too.

“The H-back is a combination of three positions. It’s the combination between a running back, a true tight end and a slot receiver. So finding a guy who has that skill set is extremely hard to do,” said Richardson.

Richardson believes his experience playing tight end in Wofford’s triple option system allows him to really preach about the importance of blocking to his guys.

“I can tell you one thing, they’ll be ready to block. At Wofford we ran a triple option offense so I like blocking, maybe even a little bit too much. I try to transition everything I learned in college and help them out as much as I can,” he said.

Growing up with a grandfather who owns a

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NFL team and a dad who played wide receiver at UNC Chapel Hill, Richardson has had the opportunity to see the ins and outs of a football locker room from an early age. Although he is still young, he has a lot of experience under his belt.

“The biggest thing is that I’ve been around the football industry my entire life. My best times I’ve experienced in life have been around football and I’ve always kind of known I wanted to get into coaching and I’m loving it so far,” said Richardson.

While Richardson is thrilled with the progression his tight ends have made, he knows they still have plenty more work to do as they navigate the 49ers inaugural season.

“We can’t get complacent.

We’ve got a long way to go. They really have to be critical about themselves, look at each other each day on film and figure how they can become a better player,” said Richardson. “We can never regress.”

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Marching in support Even a downpour cannot dampen the spirits of the Queen City Army. Photo by Chris Crews

THE QUEEN CITY ARMY SHOWS UP EARLY AND PUTS IN OVERTIME

JESSE OLMSTEAD INTERN

Long before the 49ers took the field, the army had already been preparing for battle.

Yes, the army - the Queen City Army that is.

With their only weapons being their voices, drums, flags and a few vuvuzelas, the passionate soccer fans bring their pride and fight to the scene hours before kickoff.

Josh Fisk, a senior member of the army said, “It’s just a great group of people. We all love the sport. We all love our 49ers.”

That same love for the team brings a lot of excitement to this season.

In the preseason National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Continental Tire Poll, the 49ers were ranked 21st in the nation.

“I’m very excited,” said UNC Charlotte senior Nick Lavid.

“It’s my last season here at UNC Charlotte, so I’ve got to go out with a bang.”

The Queen City Army does not go unnoticed. Supporting their team with songs, chants and instruments, the boys in green and white uniforms can't help

SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2013

but appreciate their brothers and sisters in green and white body paint.

“The dynamic with the team is awesome, too. Last year their parents made us scarves. They love us coming out here and showing our support for them,” said Fisk.

With big expectations, the Queen City Army took the stands before the long anticipated Davidson exhibition to show all the support they could for the 49ers.

With warm temperatures and heated rivals, the army knew exactly how to turn it up a notch.

Now that the final exhibition game is over, the Queen City Army can back their team to the ultimate goal.

“A national championship without questions asked. They’ve been training hard. In my opinion, training harder than any team out there in the United States and they deserve it,” said Lavid.

Fisk seconded that statement.

Fisk’s wish for the 49ers is to “go back to the College Cup.” Check out the Queen City Army at any Charlotte 49ers athletic event.

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49ER FOOTBALL

STAKES THEIR CLAIM The Charlotte 49ers kicked off the inaugural football season Saturday, Aug. 31 with a 52-7 win against the Campbell Camels

Photos by Aaron Cress and Chris Crews

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SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2013

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