OBU Signal - Sept. 8, 2016

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09.8.16 Vol. 125, Issue 2 www.obusignal.com

Wright honored with choir room rededication

By ETHAN DIAL Staff Writer

The Charles W. Wright Choir Room was rededicated Friday, August 26. Since 1975, when the Mabee Fine Arts Center was built, the choir room has seen very few renovations.

Still having the original risers, chairs and cabinetry, the choir room, according the Dean of the School of Fine Arts Dr. Gary Gerber, could “stand a renovation.”

Although Dr. Charles Wright first began his journey at Ouachita in his freshman year of 1955, his journey did not end when he graduated. Having served in a number of positions, from Dean of the School of Fine Arts to ultimately this last year, as interim president, Dr. Wright has impacted Ouachita in many ways.

After Dr. Wright’s retirement in 2004, Dr. Gerber, along with the then Dean of Fine Arts Dr. Charles Fuller, decided to name the choir room after Dr. Wright.

“We dedicated the choir room [and] named it after Dr. Wright because of all his years of service, and being Singers’ choir director and Concert Choir director for many, many years, and his devotion to the choral arts. So, we named the choir room after him and put up a nice plaque, but we didn’t do any kind of renovation or anything,” Dr. Gerber said.

Although the choir room had

Andy Henderson z Photo Lab

Ouachita president Dr. Ben Sells (right) congratulates Dr. Charles Wright at the dedication of the Charles W. Wright Choir Room. been dedicated to Dr. Wright in 2005, Dr. Gerber wanted to complete what he had started at that time and renovate the choir room. This task started about a year ago with securing the funding and working out all the specifics. The renovations began this past summer.

The pianos remain since they are in good condition, but aside from that, the carpet, risers, chairs, paint, cabinetry, lights and a few other items are all new.

Several students share in Dr. Gerber’s excitement about the

renovations. Freshman choral music education major Bethany Courtney loves the new renovations.

“I got to come visit and sit in on Singers in the old choir room before I came to OBU, and I definitely think this is an awesome upgrade,” Courtney said.

Courtney thinks it a privilege to have a newly renovated choir room in which to sing, and she is also delighted that she got to meet Dr. Wright.

“I have gotten the privilege of meeting Dr. Wright a couple

of times before the dedication.

He is such an endearing man and someone who—the moment you meet him—you instantly admire,” Courtney said.

“He has such a fun heart for students, an awesome sense of humor and an obvious love for music and especially for OBU.” Dr. Wright’s love for students is not only evident through his actions, but also through his words.

“I would have to say my favorite thing about serving at Ouachita has and continues to be my relationships with the

students,” Dr. Wright said.

Especially thanking his dear friends, Dr. Charlie and Mrs. Cindy Fuller, Dr. Wright expressed how blessed and honored he feels to have the choir room named after him.

“I have spent most of my life in service here at Ouachita because I believe this was and is God’s will for my life. And, I am so grateful for my friendships with the faculty and staff and our fantastic students. I believe there is no place like Ouachita.

I have been truly blessed,” Dr. Wright said. n

Grant Center promotes global classroom, learning with study abroad opportunities

OSF kicks year off with 4-H retreat, members are committed to raising student scholarships

By ABBEY LITTLE

By RILEY MADLOCK

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Gaining a global education is so much more than learning inside of a classroom in another country. When going abroad, students are enriched with other cultures, different learning environments and new experiences.

Amy Gattis, assistant director of global education at Ouachita, reflected on her time as a student and teacher abroad.

“The experience as a whole becomes your classroom and you have the chance to meet new people, try new foods, see exciting places and understand different ways of thinking and communicating. Spending time outside our country molds, stretches and shapes us significantly.”

The college years are some of the most formative and flexible years in any person’s life. Living in another country and stepping out of one’s comfort zone is challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. Going abroad gives students the chance to learn about themselves, be curious about the world and gain an understanding of the world through hands-on experi-

You’ve seen them walking around campus in blazers and nametags, but do you really know who they are? They are members of the Ouachita Student Foundation.

“OSF is a student lead organization with the motto of ‘students helping students,’” said OSF President Mari Bednar of Stuttgart. “Our main goal is to help students by raising money for student scholarships.”

OSF raises approximately $100,000 each year in order to help students stay at Ouachita, with their two main events being Tiger Tunes every fall and Tiger Traks each spring.

In addition, OSF members give campus tours to prospective students, work in the concession stands and communicate to past, present and future students about all that Ouachita has to offer.

Reaching these goals is no small task, however. The organization is divided into four different committees: student recruitment, special events, fundraising and finance, and communications, which come together to make events and fundraisers possible.

None of this would be possible if they didn’t have great

ence, rather than textbooks.

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“As I was gone, I learned so much more in my daily life than I did in any of my classes, and I think every person deserves to learn like that,” said Amanda Abbud, a junior management and finance major from Searcy. “A global education is not just sitting listening to lectures or doing homework in another country. I learned that not everyone is just like me. The world is so vast and people are incredibly different, but it’s not a bad thing to have differences. It makes you step back and question whether

you are living the life you are called to live or if you are just stuck going through the motions and following patterns of those surrounding you.”

Having an understanding of how people go about their daily lives around the world is becoming extremely important is today’s globalized societies.

“In today’s world, every student is living in an interconnected world as an international citizen in a global village. This is a reality, and see GRANT CENTER z 2

THIS WEEK AT OBUSIGNAL.COM

y Feature: Kinsey Studies, Kinsey Designs y NEWS: “Tech Neck” can cause health issues y Opinion: movie blockbusters and busts

teamwork skills, which they achieved through their beginning of the year retreat. The first weekend back to school, all current and new OSF members came together at the 4-H Center in Benton to partake in team-building exercises and worship the Lord.

“It for sure led us closer together. We had to learn that we can depend on each other to help get work done,” Bednar said. “The purpose of the OSF retreat was to bring us more together as an organization. We recently received new students, and we wanted to be sure that they knew not only all of the other members, but also that they knew why OSF was so important to the student body.”

“Activities like canoeing with a blindfold, various team building exercises making the committees learn the best and most concise way to accomplish a given task and using your teammates to get over a wall all help promote teamwork, bond our four different committees and to set the tone of students helping students as this new school year begins,” said OSF VP Haley Jo Wesson of Hot Springs.

The retreat provided stusee OSF z 2

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News

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Thursday, September 8, 2016 u page 2

this weekzCALENDAR Tweets of the Week REFUGE will take place tonight at 9 p.m. in JPAC. For more information, contact James OBU @Ouachita Taylor at taylorja@obu.edu.

THE LAST DAY TO DROP A COURSE is Friday, Sept. 9.

Contact your 15 academic advisor Apr for more information.

So how do you use social media -- to affirm and encourage or to attack and tear doen? “Be ye kind to one another.”

MEMORIAL SERVICE for REC LIFE will hold (Eph. 4:32). Hmmm...

A a cliff Antwion Patterson will be held jumping event at Cossatot tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Berry Falls Saturday, Sept. 10. For Chapel.

Justin Young @JustinYoung072 more information, 16 Aprvisit obu.edu/ reclife.

The Harley Davidson leather vest must be the key to memorizing the entire Bible. will FRESHMEN YEARBOOK PORTRAITS

ISLAND PARTY be taken next week, Sept. 12- will take place Tuesday, Sept.

16 in the Speer Writing Center. 13 at 5 p.m. on the Georgia To set up an appointment, go to Lawn. your INFO web portal.

The Signal @obusignal 8 September Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for up-to-the-minute updates on everything going on around Ouachita Baptist.

Twitter: @obusignal Facebook: facebook.com/obusignal Instagram: @obusignal

[from our perspective]

5

TOP

Danny Hays @Haysdanny 15 Apr I love my job. I get to study God’s word & then teach it to eager college students who love the Lord. It’s a great job.

Even on Mondays.

5 4 3 2 1

Dad jokes

I used to have a job at a calendar factory, but I got fired because I took a couple of days off.

What did the pirate say on his 80th birthday? “Aye matey.”

Why does a chicken coop only have 2 doors? If it had 4, it’d be a chicken sedan.

What’s the best way to carve wood?

Whittle by whittle.

What time did the man go to the dentist? Tooth-hurty.

Special thanks to dad joke consultant Will Combs for helping with this week’s Top 5.

What’s your dream Tiger Tunes show?

Barrett Gay Editor-in-Chief

Ian Craft Sports Editor

Evan Wheatley Lifestyle Editor

Katie Kemp News Editor

Katherine Carter Ed/Op-ed Editor

Pokemon Go

Cincinnati Zoo

Eta presents: The Men of Rho Sigma

Boy band

Taylor Swift’s love life

Ouachita to host opera singer Amy Pfrimmer in concert with John Alec Briggs this evening

By SARAH DAVIS News Bureau

Ouachita’s Division of Fine Arts will host world-renowned opera singer, Amy Pfrimmer, in a collaborative concert with Ouachita’s John Alec Briggs on piano.

The recital will be held on Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in McBeth Recital Hall in Mabee

Grant Center z Continued from Page 1

learning about the global community is so important,” said Ian Cosh, vice president of international engagement.

“There is no better way to expand your mental and emotional horizons of understanding than by moving outside of your comfort zone to a place that causes you to think new thoughts and enjoy new experiences.”

Ouachita’s Grant Center for International Education provides opportunities for Ouachita students to travel, live and learn in over 21 different countries, from France all the way to Australia.

“We listen to students and faculty and attempt to provide places they are interested in going. We attend meetings, visit with our partner universities and are constantly reviewing our options to fine-tune the places we believe are optimal for Ouachita students to attend,” Cosh said.

The International Education office spends time researching security, affordability, high-academic standards and student support networks that will be available to students in partner universities abroad.

Fine Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

The recital will feature 20th century American music, including pieces from such composers as Amy Beach, Leonard Bernstein and Rudolf Friml.

Pfrimmer received her Master of Music degree from Loyola University and Bach “We seek partners with whom we can be open and honest when challenges arise and consider not only the overall institutional quality, but the quality of the professionals who manage the international program in particular,” Cosh said.

The Grant Center not only helps American students gain the experience of a global education, it also seeks to help international students coming to America.

“Ouachita is a relational place, and our international recruitment strategy is relationally driven. Alumni living abroad often send prospective students our way. We continue to foster relationships in places like Zimbabwe, South Africa, China, Indonesia and Brazil through recruiting trips and working with local partnering schools and churches,” Gattis said.

Being away from home, regardless of nationality, is challenging because of the unfamiliarity of a new environment. However, going abroad enables friendships to be created that cross cultural barriers, provides opportunities and fresh perspectives on the world and builds character for future endeavors.n

elor of Music degree from Louisiana State University.

Her singing career includes a broad range of experience, from opera to contemporary musical theatre. She has sung professionally in the U.S. as well as Europe, including performances in the Montreal Opera, Mozart Festival Opera and New World Symphony. Pfrimmer currently is assistant professor of music at Tulane University, where she recently was named the Lillian Gerson Watsky Professor in

Voice.

“I have heard Amy’s singing before, and she is wonderful. It’s a real treat for us to host her at Ouachita, and I hope a lot of people take advantage of this opportunity,” said Dr. Jon Secrest, Addie Mae Maddox Professor of Music and coordinator of vocal studies at Ouachita.

John Alec Briggs serves as lecturer of music at Ouachita. A Ouachita alumnus, he went on to graduate school at Tulane University and Louisiana State University,

where he became friends with Pfrimmer.

“Amy and I have always wanted to do a concert together and finally were able to coordinate our calendars,” Briggs noted.

“There will be a really neat chemistry that will exist between the performers that I think people will want to come and bear witness to,” Secrest added.

For more information about this concert or Ouachita’s vocal studies program, contact Dr. Jon Secrest.n

OSF

z Continued from Page 1 dents the opportunity to bond through a time of corporate worship, as well.

“My favorite part was probably the worship part. We had the opportunity to be led in devotion by our VP, Haley Jo Wesson, and Emma Riley and Drake Puryear lead us in worship,” Bednar said. “It was such a God fearing time where we all served and prayed over each other. I could really sense the Spirit at work within this organization.”

Some of the other members agreed that worship was their favorite part, as it brought them together and helped them focus on having Christ at the center of everything they do this year.

If the retreat is any indicator of what the rest of the year holds, Ouachita students can expect great things from the OSF team, through the events they organize, as well as the way they lead by example.

For students interested in joining OSF, the application process will begin in the spring semester. Until then, Bednar encourages new students to ask upperclassmen about their OSF experience.

“Next semester, we will have sign-ups and interviews.

Maddie Brodell z Photo Lab

OSF president Mari Bednar (left) and vice president Haley Jo Wesson with OSF’s member rock at this year’s OSF retreat.

Each year, members of OSF leave their thumbprints on the rock to symbolize their commitment to Ouachita and OSF. This semester, come to Tiger Tunes to learn more about OSF. If you see anyone in an OSF shirt, stop and ask them more about

the organization,” Bednar said. “Our goal is to help students. We want to make an impact this year that is eternal.”n

Features

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Amber Goodrumz Courtesy AMBER GOODRUM (bottom left) and her sister, Michele (top right), celebrate Christmas with their aiyah (nanny) and her family in Bangladesh. Goodrum spent four years of her childhood in Bangladesh.

From Bengali to Baptist: Amber Goodrum in Bangladesh ferry. It’s probably a shock that we’re even alive, but I thought the ferry was great!”

By EVAN WHEATLEY Features Editor

Boarding school in Bangkok Bangladesh (bahng-ladesh, “land of the Bengali people”) – or as we often mispronounce it, Bangladesh (bayng-la-desh,“land of the frog people”) – was home to Amber Goodrum, student success coordinator at Ouachita and former missionary kid, for four years of her childhood. From the age of 5, Goodrum was immersed in a culture radically different from our own: one of Islamic customs, repulsive ferry rides and the saving power of the Gospel.

often opened up her home for Christian counseling.

“There were a lot of families or individuals who had not told their family members that they had converted to Christianity, and they were still feeling very oppressed by the Muslim

After four short years in Bangladesh, Goodrum’s dad accepted a pastoral position at the English-speaking Calvary Baptist Church in Bangkok, Thailand. He had been offered the job before and turned it down, but with

While there were other missionary families in Thailand, the mission team was much larger than the one in Bangladesh, which, according to Goodrum, made them more difficult to connect with.

“There were only about eight families on the mission field in Bangladesh and we really were a family. But when we moved to Thailand, there were like 70-80 missionary families and it

The land of the frog people “When we first moved to our village outside of Dhaka (the capital city of Bangladesh), we were the only foreigners that lived there besides a Catholic priest from Europe,” Goodrum said.

“My dad was the pastor of the village church, and he did local evangelism and church planning around the area.”

The main concern of missionaries in Bangladesh, however, was relief work.

Two major cyclones devastated the country during the family’s stay, resulting in much death and destruction.

In addition to his disaster relief efforts, Goodrum’s dad assisted in tube well drilling for villages that had no clean source of water and started a sewing circle amongst the women in his own village.

“Since it is a Muslim country, most women don’t do much outside of the home.

My father wanted them to have a means of hearing the Gospel, while also having the opportunity to make some money for their family,” Goodrum said. “He taught the women how to embroider and then he would sell pieces of their embroidery to people back home in the states and give the money to the women. I believe the sewing circle is still going in that particular village, so that’s pretty exciting.”

Goodrum’s mom was also respectful of the country’s Islamic customs, and therefore would only assist her husband’s work in limited ways, most of the time staying at home to watch Goodrum and her sister. As a way to actively minister to the community, Goodrum’s mom

Amber Goodrum z Courtesy GOODRUM’S AIYAH and her husband pick up Goodrum and another missionary kid at the American school in Dhaka.

Amber Goodrum z Courtesy AS PART of their ministry in Bangladesh, Goodrum and her family were active participants at local events in the village.

traditions,” Goodrum said.

“So they would come to our home and my mom would counsel them and have Bible studies with them.”

When the other moms or families would come over, they would always bring their kids with them. Goodrum remembers fondly the time she spent playing with the other village children and learning the Bengali language from them. Her best memories however, come from the three-hour-long ferry rides she and her family took to get from their village to Dhaka.

“I would always get excited when my parents said it was time to go to Dhaka,” Goodrum said. “My mom and dad say the ferry rides were so sketchy and that the ferry constantly needed to be repaired. My sister said the smells were disgusting because people would just go to the bathroom on the

Amber Goodrum z Courtesy GOODRUM AND her grandmother enjoy a rickshaw ride in Dhaka. Goodrum’s family often went to Dhaka for business.

Goodrum’s sister studying at a boarding school in Bangkok at the time, the position presented an opportunity for their family to be reunited.

“It was culture shock moving from Bangladesh to Bangkok because we went from village life to big city life,” Goodrum said.

The second wave of culture shock came when Goodrum enrolled in Bangkok’s international boarding school with her sister, a major departure from her homeschool experience in Bangladesh.

“I never experienced Bengali school or the way the village kids went to school.

My experiences in the school environment were all very modernized, very American. However, the boarding school in Thailand was full of all kinds of nationalities and cultures, and that was a really great experience,” Goodrum said.

was just very, very different,” Goodrum said. “I still have really good memories of it, but as far as really seeing the work that my dad did as being meaningful mission work, Bangladesh is where my sweet memories are.” “…what I was created for.”

Around the time that Goodrum was starting high school, the Foreign Mission Board (now IMB) informed her parents it would be too expensive for her to continue her education at the international school in Bangkok. They gave her parents the option of homeschooling her through high school or sending her to a boarding school in Singapore.

“My mom was not going to send another child off to boarding school,” Goodrum said. “They probably could have homeschooled me and

I would’ve been fine, but I was the same age that my sister had been when she was homeschooled, and my parents had such a miserable experience with her at that age.”

After a considerable amount prayer and consideration, her parents resigned from the mission board and moved back to the United States, where Goodrum’s sister was studying sociology at Ouachita Baptist University.

Accepting a director of missions position at a local church, Goodrum’s dad moved their family to Missouri, where Goodrum would attend high school.

For her, the hardest part about returning to the United States was not adjusting to the modernized culture, but to the southern culture.

“What was so crazy for me was all of the racism that was a part of normal speech and conversation,” Goodrum said. “I was raised to never see color. In Bangladesh, all of my friends were village children and then in Thailand I went to international school, so I could not understand how people talked the way they did and how they negatively viewed other people.”

After high school, Goodrum followed in her sister’s footsteps by attending Ouachita to study education.

She began teaching right out of college, and eventually made her way back to her alma mater as an adjunct instructor before being hired in administration.

“Had I not had the experiences that I had overseas, I would not have a broad worldview, I would not be as open to differences in people and I would not have the heart of service that I received from my parents,” Goodrum said.

“When people come through my office door, I’m all about it.

I don’t care who they are, what color they are or what their economic background is. I graduated 15 years ago, but just now have I realized what I was created for.”

“I do not think you can truly appreciate the world and the different cultures in the world until you see it and live it. There’s something about not being safe that will truly grow your faith and your heart for service and ministry. I think we become better humans if we just step outside our comfort zone and learn about other people and other cultures.” n

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Thursday, September 8, 2016 u page 4

Austin Sowerbutts z Courtesy AUSTIN SOWERBUTTS, sophomore Christian studies and philosophy major from Hot Springs, enjoys a view of the Himalayan Mountains at Base Camp, 17,500 feet above sea level.

Bed and breakfast on top of the world

By WILL BLASÉ Staff Writer

“I could barely see 20 feet in front of me. I almost turned back three times.”

Austin Sowerbutts, a sophomore at Ouachita, took a trip to China with the school’s Campus Ministries (CM) department this summer. He and a team of nine others departed just four days after the spring 2016 semester. They spent three days traveling to Xian, China, to spend time on a campus and meet up with OBU graduates.

“We did normal college things. We got to tour the city and hang out with students for two weeks while sharing the Gospel,” Austin said.

Austin loved his time in China, but he knew that he wanted something more.

Knowing that he would be in China and could cut down on traveling costs, Austin devised a trip to visit Nepal. Austin had worked out a plan with Campus Ministries leader James Taylor. Austin was to depart for Katmandu, Nepal while the rest of the Campus Ministries team headed back to the United States. At the end of their time in Xian, the CM team and Austin said their goodbyes, leaving him on his own. Austin had budgeted his money during his time in China so that he would have enough in Nepal to explore to his heart’s desire. Austin booked a hotel room before leaving the airport and got in a cab to get to the hotel for the night.

“I realized I had 10 percent battery left on my phone and I was trying to communicate where to go with a guy who barely spoke English,” Austin said. Austin ended up getting to a hotel for the evening but went over his budget that he had planned.

The next morning, Austin rode the hotel shuttle to the airport to depart for Nepal.

Austin arrived in Katmandu, Nepal, and spent the next three days exploring.

“I got to see a mon-

key temple, go to the palace square and go to a Hindu temple while they were performing service,” Austin said. “The culture was amazing.”

After his time in Katmandu was over, Austin learned that his flight was pushed back due to heavy rains throughout Nepal from the monsoon season.

Forced to remain in Katmandu, Austin continued exploring and met a man from Australia with whom Austin could actually communicate. They were both going to Lukla and later Base Camp and decided they would travel together for safety and companionship. After rescheduling his departure, the plane took Austin and his new friend from Katmandu to Lukla, which has one of the most dangerous airports in the world, in terms of landing and taking off. Arriving safely, Austin hired a guide to help him get to Base Camp, which sits at 17,500 feet; Everest stretches all the way to 29,029 feet.

“The process of acclimating to the elevation takes anywhere from seven to 15 days before you can get to Base Camp,” Austin said.

He spent seven days hiking and training his body to function with such little oxygen.

“I stayed in Bed and Breakfasts’ for seven nights.”

During his acclimation period, Austin lost his iPhone.

“I ate breakfast at a Bed and Breakfast and left to go grab my bags from my room. When I came back, I realized I left my phone on the table and more than likely somebody had stolen it,” Austin said. Luckily, he had a Chinese phone that James Taylor had purchased for him, so he could communicate with family or for emergencies.

The heavy rains in Nepal brought heavy clouds and snow to Base Camp. It took Austin just seven days to acclimate to the elevation and complete the trek up to Base Camp.With the intention to see and photograph Everest, Austin got up at 3

a.m. the next morning and hiked without his guide-but with the guide’s permission--to Kalapathar, a route facing Everest’s peak. Austin began his two-hour hike to Kalapathar in complete fog.

“The trek began slowly and steadily, but soon, I was taking 10 steps at a time. I used whatever I could as distance markers. One rock was about 20 steps away, and by the time I reached it I was on all fours gasping for air,” Austin said.

He struggled but finally broke through the clouds.

“It was the most breathtaking thing I had ever seen,” Austin said.

Before him lay a valley of clouds and looming above them was Everest.

“I got there about 15 minutes before sunrise, and when the sun rose the clouds erupted in orange,” Austin said.

This moment encapsulated his desire to visit Nepal in the first place.

Austin documented his time there with plenty of photographs, but the group had plans to return to Lukla that day, so he reluctantly came back down to Base Camp and began the descent with his guide.

Upon reaching Lukla, the rains proved so bad that he wasn’t able to take his scheduled flight to Katmandu.

Austin was able to reschedule his flight, and he made it to Katmandu in time for his flight out of Nepal.

“I was tired of airport troubles, so I strung up my hammock to sleep at the airport for the night,” Austin said. “I had people giving me crazy looks and security guards checking my identification.” While waiting for his departure out of Nepal, Austin met a man from California.

“He had never heard the Gospel before, and I felt like I was able to share so much with him.

It felt almost as amazing as seeing Everest.”

Austin arrived safely home to Arkansas; full of stories to tell and life experiences that will serve him for years to come.

Austin plans on continuing to travel and adventure next summer in Iceland or New Zealand. n

Austin Sowerbutts z Courtesy “We did normal college things. We got to tour the city and hang out with students for two weeks while sharing the Gospel...the culture was amazing.”

Austin Sowerbutts z Courtesy “The process of acclimating to the elevation takes anywhere from seven to 15 days, before you can get to Base Camp.”

Austin Sowerbutts z Courtesy “He had never heard the Gospel before, and I felt like I was able to share so much with him. It felt almost as amazing as seeing Everest.”

Austin Sowerbutts z Courtesy “It was the most breathtaking thing I had ever seen. I got there about 15 minutes before sunrise, and when the sun rose the clouds erupted in orange.”

Opinions

Thursday, September 8, 2016 u page 5

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Freshman survival guide for life at Ouachita

By KATHERINE CARTER Ed/Op Ed Editor

Dear freshmen, While each year at college is unique, there isn’t a year quite like freshman year. Everything’s new, and you’re away from home for the first time in your life. You have to get used to setting your own alarm clock and living without your pets. You’ve been thrown into this crazy place called Ouachita without so much as a warning about what to expect.

Ok, so you’ve been here for almost three weeks now.

You’re getting used to the caf, you’ve already spent $100 of your Chick money and you can finally start calling the dorm home. Although you’re starting to feel more like a college student, there is still a lot left for you to learn.

For instance, a lot of you have already signed up for Tiger Tunes. While I’ve never actually done Tiger Tunes (I’m not really the perform-

ing type), I have a ton of friends who’ve done it and have loved it. Fair warning: it’s extremely fun, but extremely time-consuming.

Don’t expect to sleep until it’s over. However, it’ll be all worth it in the end.

Steady yourself with the Chick money, especially if you’re coffee drinkers like me. I’ll go to Dr. Jack’s four or five times a week for coffee. It’s so sad to come to the end of the semester and realize that you’ll have to buy your waffle fries out of your own pocket. Trust me, you don’t have to eat Chick-Fil-A every day.

Get involved in activities on campus. If you’re an introvert like me, your natural inclination is to go back to your room at night and watch Netflix; however, community is an extremely important part of the college experience. I’m not just saying that because I’ve been

going here for the past two years. There are tons of activities to get involved in, and you’re certain to find something you like.

Go through rush. Unless you’re totally opposed to the idea of social clubs, I highly recommend going through rush, whether you’re a guy or a girl. It’s cheap, fun and you’ll get free food out of the experience. I went through rush my second semester here, and while I didn’t end up pledging, I don’t regret going through the process.

I learned a lot about myself through the experience, and looking back on it, I think it was a good thing for me to do. If I could do this, you can definitely do it!

Go out and explore Arkadelphia. While Arkadelphia is in no way a large town, there is a lot to do if you enjoy the outdoors. Going to Lake DeGray is a personal favorite, but there’s also canoeing, cliff diving, hiking and a whole lot of other things to do. You can go to the animal shelter and adopt a dog for

a day if you’re missing your pets (which I highly recommend) or just go out for a Sonic run. Yes, Arkadelphia doesn’t have a Chipotle, but it has its merits.

Get out of Arkadelphia every once in a while. College is a time to explore ideas and places, and taking trips is a great part of the experience. Even if it’s just to Hot Springs, go out with friends and take that road trip. Those are the kinds of memories that you’re going to have for the rest of your life.

Go to an OBU sporting event. It doesn’t matter which sport you prefer, just go to one. This is America, after all. Our sixth sense is ESPN. Invest in a portable hard drive. There is no worse feeling than staring helplessly at your computer after it crashes and erases your 15-page exegetical paper. First, there is panic, then the uncontrollable anger and then the sick, dreadful feeling that occurs when you realize you’re going to have to write it again.

Back up your hard drive regularly. This one is crucial.

Get a job. It can be a workstudy job or one off campus, but I think having one is important. College is a good time to get one, because most of you will have more time than you know what to do with. At least, that was the case for me. I’ve got my gig here at the Signal, and that’s been great for me! There are a lot of jobs here on campus, and while some of them might not be the most exciting jobs on the planet, they help finance your college experience, whether that money is going towards your tuition or your Walmart runs.

I could go on and on. There was a lot I didn’t know when I first got here, but the best way to know is to experience. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, there are a lot of nice people who’d be happy to help. Plus, you’ve got the “freshman excuse” if you ever do anything stupid.

Ouachita is a great place to go to college; you’ll be an expert in no time. n

Kinsey studies, Kinsey designs Pokemon no: the problem with “Pokemon Go”

By ALI KINSEY Staff Writer

Everyone celebrates Memorial Day weekend in various ways. Some go to the lake, others spend time bingewatching Netflix. As for me, I spent my time off continuing work on my jewelry design business, Kinsey Designs.

This summer, I took my passion for small business and fashion and turned it into something that let me fully enjoy both. Starting off small, I sold to boutiques in my hometown while buying materials from the local Hobby Lobby and Michael’s. Kinsey Designs started off as a pastime, but it quickly grew into something I could have never foreseen.

After realizing this humble hobby I had created was growing at an exponential rate, I decided to believe in the idea that there is no return without risk, so I turned down a Dillard’s internship I had just received. The fact that I would have no other source of income that summer was the perfect motivation, because I knew I would have to put everything I had into Kinsey Designs.

During the summer, I woke up making jewelry, ate while I made jewelry, and went to bed thinking about the jewelry I would have to make the next day. Filling orders and obtaining new retailers were my only responsibilities this summer, and I still put in over 80 hours a week. This was barely doable in the summer with the help of many family members, and then came August.

Back to school for me as a student means busy schedules and late nights; back to school for retailers means more merchandise and higher sales. The day I moved in, I received four new orders, and more trickled in throughout the week.

Panic set in. Not only was I dealing with the stress of my last semester, but I had the added weight of maintaining the business I had poured my heart and soul into this sum-

mer. I realized balance and time management were going to be dear friends of mine this semester.

Stress is not a friend, and I needed to figure out how to keep him from distracting me from what I needed to do. The first thing I did was communicate with my retailers. I made sure they knew I had returned to school, and I increased the order turnaround time, or the amount of time it would take to have their items ready to ship. Most retailers were more than supportive of my situation, and even the ones that weren’t still continued to order because I had established a trusting relationship that allowed them to know that my products were worth waiting for.

The Beatles said it best with “I get by with a little help from my friends.” Over the summer, I had tremendous amounts of help from my family. My grandpa would work with wire, and my mom would help me with beadwork. Unfortunately, the two of them declined my invitation to live at school with me, so I was out an entire workforce.

As I was presented with this problem, I realized I had a friend group made up of fashion-forward girls eager to make extra money to pay for the abundant entertainment scene Arkadelphia has to offer. With this realization, I obtained more than enough employees to train and help me finish orders. Two broken pairs of jewelry pliers and lots of callouses later, my orders were boxed up and shipped out.

This business has provided me with a unique experience.

While any internship would allow me to grow and learn, my jewelry business has provided me with a measurable adventure I can be proud of every step of the way. Through perseverance, risk-taking and problem-solving, I have been able to continue to grow and live out the dream that started out as a simple past-time. n

By CHUCK FARMER Staff Writer

Pokemon Go is terrible.

That’s right. I said it. No one else is man enough to admit the truth. Now listen up youngins, I ain’t no scrub. While kids were at my elementary school developing social skills, I was at home preparing to take down the Elite Four.

I trekked through the isle of Kanto on my Gameboy Color and caught every single one of the original 151 Pokemon. Why? That’s a question my mom asked me a lot, but did she understand? The answer is no. I did it because Professor Oak told me it was my destiny. I explored some dank caves and caught a metric ton of Zubats that I didn’t want. So when I tell you that Pokemon Go is a rancid pile of garbage, don’t come talking to me like I haven’t stomped Team Rocket into the dirt a time or two.

Alright, that’s done now, so we can talk about why Pokemon Go upsets me. If you played the original, you should know that the entire idea of Pokemon is to encounter random, wild Pokemon and kill

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them or force them into fighting their brethren.

Sure, it may sound kind of awful when you word it like that, but it’s fine, because it builds character.

In this new version, there are absolutely no similarities to fighting Pokemon.

If I want to catch a hard Pokemon, I have to feed it a berry? WHAT? WHAT IS THAT? PROFESSOR OAK NEVER TOLD ME THAT? ARE YOU SERIOUS? In the old game, I would bring out a Blastoise and super soak that thing until it was near death in a glorious battle that would make the gods of Olympus cry. After I have inflicted the Pokemon with severe, crippling injuries, I throw a Pokeball at that thing’s face until it submits to my will.

Then you have the audacity to tell me that your battle system is designed around me swiping the screen? DO YOU EVEN POKEMON, SIR? THIS ISN’T TEMPLE RUN. I also have a big problem that I can’t directly battle my friends. This game is supposed to reward me with friends that I am incapable of making myself, and you mean to tell me that I have no way to show

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them that I am superior to them? I think I’ll pass.

It was a great idea in principle, but it is as if they got a group of people together who had never played Pokemon and they were like, “Yeah, sure, just do whatever you want and we’ll slap the Pokemon title on it.” And they were like, “Ok cool, just one question. What’s a Pokemon?” You could have had a better game if you just asked a couple of nerdy people in their twenties who actually played the old games to come up with ideas for the game. I am really hoping that they add more features to the game and improve the fighting system, adding features that you can do with your friends. But only time will tell, and there is the chance that the game’s hype will die out before these changes are put into place.

If you play Pokemon Go, then that’s fine, but don’t hail it as the ultimate game. It’s great that it’s getting our kids up off the couch and out in the streets talking to strangers. Wait. That’s bad. Pokemon Go is bad.n

The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published every Thursday during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Hope Star.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted, unless libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters should be typed and include a signature and contact phone number, and must be less than 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and style. Letters should be sent via campus mail to Box 3761 or via e-mail to signal@obu.edu.

Sports

Thursday, September 8, 2016 u page 6

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Tigers start the season strong

By MARCELLUS HILL Sports Writer

After posting a 7-4 record and finishing third in the Great American Conference last year, the Tigers of Ouachita defeated the Tigers of East Central University (Oklahoma), 42-28 last Thursday.

Ke’vontae Pope, a senior wide receiver, broke the opening kickoff 97 yards and returned it for a touchdown, giving Ouachita an early 7-0 lead. Pope’s return also went into the record books as the first opening kickoff for the season returned for a touchdown in Great American Conference history. Ouachita’s defense then forced East Central to punt on their opening possession, immediately giving the ball back to Ouachita. Following East Central’s punt, Ouachita drove the ball 80 yards on their opening possession that was capped off by a two-yard touchdown run from Kris Oliver.

After Ouachita jumped to a quick 14-0 lead, East Central was able to weather the storm answering with 10 points of their own. A 29yard field goal from East Central’s Jarod Haynes made the score 14-3, and on East Central’s following possession, a 7-play drive was capped off by a touchdown pass from Jackson Lamb to David Moore which made it 14-10. Following the point

Danielle Droste z Photo Lab Sophomore linebacker Khairan Stafford gets set on the line before the play. Ouachita’s defense dominated East Central’s offense, holding them to 28 points and to only 77 yards rushing as a team.

answer by East Central, Ouachita was able to extend their lead again on their next possession. A 10-play, 75yard drive was capped off by Kris Oliver’s second rushing touchdown of the game, extending Ouachita’s lead to 21-10. East Central immediately answered the bell on their ensuring possession. It took just two plays for East Central to march the ball 72

yards. The two-play, 72-yard drive was capped off by a 54-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Lamb to David Moore, giving Lamb his second passing touchdown as well as Moore’s second touchdown receiving for the night. East Central however, was unable to convert the extra point, which made the score 21-16. The score would stay 21-16 going into half-

Gary Gerber z Photo Lab Ke’Vontae Pope leaps in the endzone following his opening touchdown. This marks the first time an opening kickoff of the first game of the season was returned for a touchdown in the GAC.

time.

East Central received the ball to begin the second half. On their opening possession of the second half, East Central was able to cut into Ouachita’s lead on a 35-yard field goal from Jarod Haynes. Haynes’ field goal capped off an 11-play, 57-yard drive and made the score 21-19. Ouachita struck back immediately on their ensuring possession. It took just two plays for Ouachita to drive the ball 79 yards and extend their lead. The two-play, 79-yard drive was capped off by an 86-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Austin Warford to Ke’vontae Pope. This extended Ouachita’s lead to 28-19 midway through the third quarter.

East Central again cut into Ouachita’s lead on another field goal from Jarod Haynes, his third of the night. Haynes’ field goal made the score 28-22 heading into the final quarter.

Ouachita again extended their lead on their following possession on an 8-play, 44yard drive capped off by a 5-yard touchdown run from Kris Oliver, his third rushing touchdown of the night.

Oliver’s touchdown pushed Ouachita’s lead to 35-22

early in the fourth quarter.

East Central however, still showed signs of life. East Central was able to cut into Ouachita’s lead on another receiving touchdown from David Moore, giving him his third receiving touchdown of the night. Austin Warford then put the game out of reach on a 7-yard touchdown run, making the final score 42-28.

Moving forward Ke’vontae Pope, who finished the night with 277 total yards and two scores, made it clear there was still room for improvement.

“I feel like the first win is always great, but even though we scored so many points and did some great things, [there’s] still room for a lot of improvement on both sides of the ball,” Pope said.

Ouachita Head Coach Todd Knight also emphasized the need for improvement.

“Solid win in our first game. We were able to win and still have plenty of room for improvement. We like our team and know they will work hard to reach their second-game goals,” Knight said.

Ouachita will take on Southeasten Oklahoma State in Durant on Saturday in another GAC showdown. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. n

Game Stats

Passing: 162 yards QB Austin Warford Rushing: 99 yards RB Kris Oliver Receptions: 5 Ke’Vontae Pope Receiving: 129 yards Ke’Vontae Pope Longest Punt: 55 Yards Shelton Wooley

After posting a 7-4 record and finishing 3rd in the Great American Conference last year, the Tigers of Ouachita defeated the Tigers of East Central University (Oklahoma), 42-28 last thursday.

Kickoff Return: 97 Yards Ke’Vontae Pope