2015-05-Pine-Press

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Cooking On A Budget By: Olivia Papineau Hello! I just thought I would put a recipe in here that is short, sweet, and to the point. I know that buying groceries takes up a large sum of money for a college student, and especially if you don’t want to eat super unhealthy all of the time. I included this recipe because, first of all, grilled cheese is one of my favorite foods,. Also you can make it without meat if you want to, and you can put virtually anything on it. I highly encourage everyone to increase your grilled cheese consumption and make it with whatever tickles your fancy. My favorite grilled cheese addition is apples, so if anyone would like to make these, I live at Toad.

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Price: $2.14 per serving A new take on a familiar favorite pairs grilled cheese with a BLT for a luscious veggie-packed sandwich that feels like an indulgence. Serve with zesty dill pickle spears. If you have extra room in your budget, pair with a sweet-tart hard cider.

Pantry Checklist: • Red onion • Garlic clove • Shredded reduced-fat sharp white cheddar cheese • White bread • Fresh spinach leaves • Tomato • Center-cut bacon http://www.cookinglight.com/food/everyday-menus/healthy-budget-recipes/grown-up-grilledcheese-sandwiches-recipes

I Officially Paid Off My $25,430 Student Loans, but I Recognize That Far Too Many of My Friends are in Debt Up to Their Eyeballs Erica Shekell

I am proud to announce that, less than two years after graduating, I have entirely paid off my student loans! (In fact, I overpaid by one cent!) I am now 100 percent free of debt. Whoa. I expected to be making payments for the next decade. I can’t even describe how excited I’ve been for this moment!

I graduated with $25,430 in student loans — a modest amount compared to many of my friends, some of whom have $80,000 or $100,000. In fact, seven out of 10 college students graduate with student loan debt, and the average student loan debt is $28,400 per borrower.

In 5th grade, my parents opened up an education IRA, planning to help set up my college fund. A few months later, 9/11 happened. It crashed. A decade later when they cashed it out and gave it to me, it was worth $987.12 — less than what they had put in.

My senior year of high school, a few days after I had made the “big decision” to go to MSU, my mom — an accounting guru (and incidentally an accounting graduate of MSU!) — told me, “I have no idea how we’re going to pay for MSU,” a statement that left me rattled to the core. If my mom couldn’t even figure it out, how was I supposed to figure it out??

This is how we did it: I wrote $32,918.73* worth of checks to MSU, covering four years of tuition and three years of living in the dorms and an exorbitant $21/day meal plan (that you couldn’t opt-out of). Weighing 120 lbs for most of college, there was no way in hell I could have eaten $21 of food each day.

I spent $631.75 living in a terribly hot studio apartment for one summer while I worked and took classes. At times, the apartment was 99 degrees because we didn’t want to pay high electric bills for running the A/C. I busted in on my roommate sitting at her computer completely naked a number of times.

It cost $6,290.15 for one year living/eating cheaply in David Bowie Memorial Cooperative with 20 other people. Living there was far cheaper than the dorms, and also one of the best decisions I ever made.

Eleven scholarships covered $19,450 worth of expenses. My junior year, I worked my ass off to get scholarships so I could study abroad in Amsterdam for a month. We met people from the Netherlands, Australia and the UK who said that college in their countries was a mere $2,000 per year — and for some it was completely free.

Student loans worth $25,430 covered the rest.

Four years of books cost $1,193.50. One book was $165.04 alone. Never again.

I paid $630.44 in interest on my loans.

Those four years cost me around $86,544.57. I worked for three of my four years in college, making $16,383.72 during that time — not nearly enough to cover it. I recognize that I am incredibly privileged to have had parents who were willing and able to support me as much as they could:

* My parents gave me $22,587.12 to pay for MSU. They were able to give me around $5,000/year. They sold our Sea Doos, and instead of keeping the money, gave $1,500 to both my brother and I for college. My mom bought my books and clothes. They bought me a car (my dad still reminds me that it’s “his” car), and they still pay for my health insurance, car insurance and cell phone bill. (Though I’ll probably start picking up the tab now that I’m done with student loans!) I can’t tell you the number of times my dad has changed my oil for me in the driveway and filled up my gas tank when I’d go home to visit.

Exactly 100 people attended my high school grad party (the Shekell side of the family is huge!), and I received $3,920 in donations from family and neighbors. Both sets of grandparents and my aunt and uncle have regularly given me generous checks for Christmas, my birthday and for every year of school completed.

I stayed in the closet throughout high school for fear of being disowned by my parents and having them pull their support for me to go to college. The fear of that possibility prevented me from coming out to them as gay until my freshman/sophomore year of college.

I knew that I was jeopardizing my future by coming out, but my need to live authentically and happily eventually outweighed that fear. And I was right — I couldn’t have completed college without their support. I can’t thank them enough. (And, y’know, for not disowning me.)

I have been able to pay for college not because of my merit or hard work — though I’ve worked plenty hard! I have been able to pay for it because of my middle-class privilege and having the support of a few hundred family members, neighbors and scholarship donors.The sheer impossibility of being able to single-handedly afford college is starkly clear to me.

As the saying goes, “the personal is political,” and it would be remiss of me to not acknowledge that my personal experiences with higher education are reflective of larger political and societal issues. (You knew I had to get political, right?? Y’all know me too well.)

Every single one of the young folks reading this already knows this to be true; I hope all of the older folks who are reading this realize it, too: “Working through college” and “having summer jobs” are not enough to afford college these days. When my mom and grandpa went to college — yes; today — not in your wildest dreams.

Americans need to reevaluate our values. Our country needs to re-apportion its military spending on education instead, and both our state and country need to reverse their exorbitant tax breaks to massive corporations and millionaires who have used their wealth to buy out politicians and votes in ways that benefit them — which often include dodging the responsibility for paying their fair share in taxes, which are used to pay for important things like our public schools. Not to mention, student loans are the riskiest type of debt out there — there are very few legal protections for students, and student loan debt cannot be discharged during bankruptcy. I’ve heard people say that student loan debt may be the next “housing bubble” — and we all know how badly the economy tanked when that popped.

Older generations bemoan young people as lazy and infantile because many of us still live with our parents during and after college — but in an economy that’s still recovering (our inheritance from the older generation!), and given the massive amount of student loan debt we have, it’s no surprise that young people are doing everything they can to save money.

And I can’t tell you how many of my friends are working minimum-wage jobs or are “underemployed,” working at jobs that have nothing to do with their degrees just because they can’t find work and had to take whatever they could find. Want to support young people? Raise the minimum wage to a living wage of $15/hour. (Yes, the person flipping burgers deserves to eat and raise their family, too!)

Many college grads — and far too many high schools grads who were shut out of college completely, unable to afford college or unable to get in because of failing grades because their K-12 school didn’t care or didn’t have the funding to give them the extra help they needed — find themselves working in the retail or food service industries. When I go to Howell, my hometown, I notice what I should have always noticed there growing up: Most of the people who wait tables, bag groceries, make coffee and answer phones are young people. The very people whose backs on which the town is run are my age. The customers are middle-aged or older folks. It’s privileged folks of this age who I see crabbing about service and tipping poorly. I always tip 20 percent or more.

If, instead of privatizing schools, cutting taxes for the wealthy, and pouring money into the military, we were to focus on the right of every person to a public education, maybe someday college will cost just as much as it did for the students I met abroad: $0.

I’m so happy and lucky to be debt-free. The feeling of being debt-free is priceless.

U of Minnesota Student Housing Cooperative Efforts Rivertown seeks to expand student housing in Minneapolis, Minnesota according to a recent memorandum presented to the Minneapolis City Planning Commission. Home Destination, a Minneapolis residential Realtor with RE/MAX Results comments on the current condition of Minneapolis student housing and the difference Rivertown’s expansion may make.

“Beginning as an initiative to provide University of Minnesota students with affordable housing, Riverton Community Housing focuses on promoting community-oriented and democratically run student housing cooperatives.” ~ Community Wealth Popular Twin Cities residential neighborhoods for students seeking a place to call home while gaining an education include: Como, Dinkytown, Stadium Village and Uptown. Riverton Community Housing, owner of Chateau Co-op student apartments, recently requested permission to replace the Fourth Street Housing Co-Op apartment building at Fourth Street and 13th Avenue with a new six-story, 66-unit apartment building. If the “go ahead’ is won, student’s will benefit by expanded options for housing.

“Rental units that grant the opportunity to live in close proximity to the campus offer convenient housing for college students to make the daily commute to classes. Due to the high demand for student housing in Minneapolis, landlords have been known to over-rent the housing and students to over-fill them,” says Jenna Thuening, owner of Home Destination. “Even when homes are rundown and in need of the owner’s attention to upkeep, once better places are snapped up, the homes still rent out and without much of a price break.”

According to the Business Journals’ July 10 publication titled, Six-story apartment building pitched for Dinkytown, “The plan includes a 2,000 square-foot retail space on the ground level, as well as fitness center and bike room for residents”. The proposal is the hot topic on the schedule for the July 14 Minneapolis City Planning Commission Committee meeting.

Concerning the supply of off-campus housing, Niche says, “Lots of amazing options if you don’t mind paying a little more. Luxury apartments and more are being built currently. Also lots of houses for rent a little further off campus”. Students should anticipate paying $550 a month for a studio apartment, an average of $700 for a one bedroom unit, 2 bedrooms run around $1,200, and for those who prefer sharing a home with several students, 4 bedroom homes are charging an average of $2,000 per month.

College Niche for University of Minnesota posted the following sketch of student housing in neighborhoods around the campus: Undergrads Living Off Campus 79% Freshmen Living Off Campus 14% Average Off-Campus Room & Board $8,412 “The proposed apartments may be more expensive on average, but will offer additional attractive and livable conditions,” adds Thuening. “Historically, Minneapolis real estate sellers who place their homes on the market within an easy commute to the University of Minnesota campus find high interest from students. If the price point is right, being on the direct bus route to campus or an within an easy walk, gives Minneapolis real estate sellers an advantage. With property prices on the rebound and a shortage of housing inventory, Twin Cities residential investors are seeking to make the most of every real estate opportunity!”

JT HAIKUS I sit here all day Soaking up the best of life What did I forget?

If Only For a Moment This is something that I am writing at this moment, but when you see it, it will no longer be that moment...

GOTCHA How long is a moment?

Can’t say.

You are a lil kid Don’t think of yourself too much Everyday is new

I mean, there’s probably a definition somewhere around here... *takes a minute to look it up* “a very brief period of time” is what they found.

We are the others Yeah, it is us who be them Growing and changing

This year is a moment of moments in the context of the general moment. It’s been a real momentous moment.

Well, there’s only so much space for me to write and I’m not sure what I want to say. Is this poetry? *takes a minute to look it up*

I do not know why I believe in the best things No better than you

Blue green yellow pink Colors mesh and create new it is what we did Opening the droor Fishing for files to eat Appetite is BIG Little did I know I was wrong the whole dang time Sing it out to God

“literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm; poems collectively or as a genre of literature” is what they find.

Well, looks like I’m spittin’ some straight poetics.

Whatever.

Anyways, I’ve been getting irritated at people asking me “how are you?” & “what have you been up to?”

Irritated from attention. Something is wrong.

So I left that moment behind, and spent one secluded from the world and with God. Happy endings lead into happy beginnings, but problems come like almost expectatnly so I keep my joy now...for the moment...forever,

Heartfelt How much can I say on this page? Should I stop using spaces to make sure I can say as much as possible?

Maybe that would take away from the clarity. Maybe I should use images and add a title to make it aestetically agreeable so that people are drawn to read it. Eh. If people want to read this, they will. Maybe this whole Pine Press is a lame idea and I’m wasting my time. Maybe it’s more awesome to me than it is to anyone else and I’m abusing my power by publishing this publication monthly for my own selfish reasons.

I hope that’s not true.

Maybe this is too wordy, so people won’t read it because there is too much to read and people are so busy with all that they’re doing that is this not “worth” their time...which is apparently “worthy” of some things and not others. Would you read it if I gave you $5? Really? If so, that’s interesting.

What if I left the rest of the page blank and left you thinking about what I was thinking about writing? No one probably cares. How powerful are our words and how can we use them best? Should I be yelling this at the top of my lungs in Times Square on a Friday night? Am I yelling into a vaccum disguised as “The Pine Press”?....hardly.

Do I care about the grammatical errors....no....because this is my train of thought and this baby goes where it goes. That was a lame sentence...maybe I should delete it to make myself seem cooler. Yeah.

Wow, I’m half-way and I haven’t said much. Maybe.

Deleted pixels on a computer, fixated on the past as my head throbs. Drawing my attention onto other subjects like infinite canvasses, but some have more activity than others. Like neuropathways carved SO deeply that I wake up in ruts, so I’m seeking a higher power to renew my mind.

Maybe I just lost some people because that was a crazy thing to say.

You’re a crazy thing to say.

Burn.

Anyways, I’m just chillin’ here for the time being, being, being me and releasing these things off my brain because I can do it. Sounding things out as a write, but no one is around us, just God and I. Maybe this is heartfelt!

Yeah. That’s it...heartfelt. For sure.

Woah, that’s a cool title, “Heartfelt.” I’m glad I didn’t make a title beforehand.

Shugga, shugga, what, what, geta bita cake n eat it up!

-JT

How I Became A Co-oper By: Olivia Papineau Hello. My name is Olivia Papineau and I just wanted to share my story about how I got involved in the MSU SHC. Currently I am a junior at Michigan State and have lived in Toad Lane for the past two years, and have signed my contract to live here for one more year next year.

My co-op journey began my freshman year when I would come and visit my neighbors from home, Maddy and Shelby Couch. They lived in Toad Lane at the time. I continued to come over and always had a great time and met some really awesome people. When the time came for Shelby to graduate, I decided to take her place in Toad.

My first year in the SHC system was very eye opening in a good way. Just living in my house and being the board representative for our house allowed me to meet a lot of different people. I came from a very small town to a huge school, so I think that I was kind of naïve to other cultures because I had never been introduced to them. I think that being a part of the SHC has opened my eyes to a lot of different cultures and people that I may have never known if I didn’t live in the SHC. I am very grateful for that and all of the people that I have met along the way!

Harold Ramis 6 April 2015 The Wiz: The Remake of an Allegorical Depiction

Two weeks prior East Lansing High School presented, The Wiz, a musical retelling of L. Frank Baum’s book, The Wizard of Oz. Both, the two films and musicals are often compared to one another for their similarities in overall plot and the development of characters. As a result, this may leave the viewing audience feeling restless, creating assumptions based on the parallel order of events. More so, both storylines have an allegorical complex that have revealed analogous evidence for a political interpretation of U.S. historical events. The allegory for both storylines are based on the political theory of materialism (the focus of classism and definite social relations). This interpretation leaves room for one to argue the impact of classism in the 1890s (The Wizard of Oz) and the 1970s (The Wiz). Although, as both stories may superficially appear similar, if explored further, one will discover the evident sub-genres of materialism that begin to contrast with one another.

In The Wizard of Oz, a materialist interpretation begins to hold value in the subtle allegorical representation of characters. The plot depicts the controversial U.S. monetary policies of the 1890s, the relevance of the Populist Party, and exploits the fraudulent world of greenback paper money that only pretends to have value. The Wiz differs greatly due to its specific focus of materialism. The Wiz is strictly centered on the impact of racial discrimination, the gap of socioeconomic realities, and the need for black liberation in the 1970s.

By using Harlem, New York, the allegorical screenplay is able to come to life. The urban setting represents the newfound freedom experienced by African Americans, while at the same time acting as a prison to the African American dream. The Wiz attempts to show that African Americans carry the scars of racism. Harlem then acts as a metaphorical prison to African Americans in the 1970s. This is congruent to all of the characters on the journey to Emerald City until they each realize their own potential. It is then that Harlem is no longer a prison to African Americans, but a place that provides opportunities for self-affirmation and upward mobility if only the characters can recognize their self-worth.

Although East Lansing High School had minimal resources and a tight budget to portray an underlying plot such as the liberation of the 1970s’ African American, the students were able to communicate the meaning of The Wiz in a simple manner, in which the audience could then interpret for themselves.

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