The Lion's Roar 03/12/2019

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HAMMOND, LA

MARCH 12, 2019

S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y

Studying with drugs and anxiety ZACHARY ARAKI ASSISTANT EDITOR

To overcome the pressure for academic excellence, some students turn to stimulant drugs for increased focus when studying. Prescription stimulant medications, also termed “study drugs,” “smart drugs” or “uppers,” can be used improperly by the prescription holder or illegally by a person without a prescription. Common drugs include Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta and Focalin. These drugs work by increasing the release of dopamine and norepinephrine. According to Andrea Peevy, nurse practitioner and director of the University Health Center, the most common adverse reactions to the drugs are headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, anxiety, agitation, dizziness, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, visual disturbances and erectile dysfunction. “More serious reactions include stroke, heart attack, psychosis, especially when sleep deprived, seizure and death,” said Peevy. “These drugs are often mixed with energy drinks. Additionally, little or no water/ food intake results from loss of appetite, and the student becomes dehydrated, which further increases the risk for increased heart rate or tachycardia.” Antionette Alack, assistant director of the Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability, discussed the non-health consequences of such drug use.

see STUDY DRUGS, pg. 2

BEST TV SHOW OPINION

DECORATING TIPS

see pg. 3

COREY MISTRETTA

see pg. 4

see pg. 7

Grading systems to guide success ZACHARY ARAKI ASSISTANT EDITOR

With different classes and teachers, students may need to adapt to various grading formats and studying methods. Dr. Tara Lopez, associate professor of marketing, uses a 10-point grading scale weighted towards projects and assignments. She discussed how her classes emphasize projects over tests. “Juniors and seniors need to be able to apply the course concepts in situations that mimic what they will be doing after graduation,” said Lopez. “Tests are great for assessing a foundation of knowledge, but application requires moving beyond memorization.” Although Lopez does not grade participation as engaging in class discussion, she finds her own way to include the metric. “I have found it difficult for me to keep up with that when I have 40-ish students in a class,” shared Lopez. “However, I do a lot of activities and required assignments, such as attending a networking event, that prevent students from simply sitting in class and passively receiving

Kamryn Chambers, a freshman communication sciences and disorders major, left, and Anthony Freeman, a senior business management major, right, study in the Sims Memorial Library. Depending on the class and grading structure, students may find themselves adapting their study habits to succeed. ZACHARY ARAKI/THE LION’S ROAR information.” For Dr. Lucy Kabza, professor of mathematics, two tests, a final exam worth 50 percent more than a regular test, and homework and quizzes totaling the equivalent of one test comprise her general

class structure. While participation may not directly convert into points, Kabza believes it helps students learn. “I assign problems in class, so if you don’t participate, you’ll

have problems afterwards,” explained Kabza. “If you don’t come to class, you will have problems afterward. Indirectly, it certainly influences the grade and performance, but directly, if someone sits and takes a nap, I

don’t think I can do much about it.” Every subject area can serve best in a certain class structure and study system. “Since English generally involves lots of reading and writing, both of which take thought, I believe doing the assignment early with time to review, proofread and edit, is the best way to succeed,” stated Dr. Joan Faust, professor of English. “Also, the student should work in an area that will not distract from the task at hand including TV, friends and phone.” Faust uses a total points system, attributing fewer points to less important assignments. She discussed her decision not to curve grades. “It can become a slippery slope,” said Faust. “If assignments are fair and challenging, students should earn the grade they deserve.” In general, Kabza does not curve grades unless a test was too difficult. “Mathematics is very objective in a way,” explained Kabza. “You know what you know, and it shows. I don’t like

see GRADING, pg. 2

Alcohol associated with college life

University policy dictates that two or more commissioned officers are present at “alcohol events” on campus. According to Lt. Patrick Gipson, officers were requested for 21 events for the 2018 fall semester. Students’ reasons for deciding to drink may range from socialization to de-stressing. FILE PHOTO/THE LION’S ROAR ZACHARY ARAKI ASSISTANT EDITOR

Students may find alcohol tied to the college lifestyle. According to a report by the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 1.2 million full-time college students drank alcohol on an average day in the past year. For Dontravia Mouton, a sophomore kinesiology major, alcohol and college go hand in hand. “You have parties, kickbacks, games, and you’re gonna find a drink at all of

those events, so I feel like college culture includes alcohol,” said Mouton. “We’re young adults. We’re finding our own. We want to be ‘grown,’ so we can drink. Since the beginning of college time, there’s been alcohol whether you sneak and do it, do it out in public, and especially being in Louisiana, we’re gonna be drinking.” Hayden Johnson, a freshman computer science major, believes socialization contributes to alcohol consumption. “When it comes to drinking, people usually do it as a social thing,” stated Johnson. “It’s just like they get together.

They have a few drinks. They share stories.” Indya Major, a senior criminal justice major, discussed the ways alcohol fits into college culture. “Alcohol could be used as a way to socialize with friends at parties or after a long day of school,” shared Major. “It could be used for more toxic reasons such as coping with stress or depression. The main reason I feel alcohol is so common in college culture is because we are no longer under the constant supervision of our parents.” Although the impact of alcohol on incidents may be uncertain, it does appear to be involved. For students between the ages of 18 to 24, The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism listed that 696,000 were assaulted by another student who had been drinking, 97,000 reported alcohol-related sexual assault or rape, and 1,825 died from alcohol-related unintentional injuries such as motor vehicle crashes. A NIAAA survey found that about two out of five college students reported binge drinking at least once in the last two weeks. “Many people get mixed up with the wrong group of friends and easily fall into peer pressure,” explained Major. “I feel like it’s also easy for us as college students to

see ALCOHOL, pg. 8

A repair strengthens a community Members of Pi Kappa Alpha rebuilt a broken part of a fence in Dr. Ronald Traylor’s yard. Riley Trisler brought the idea to the fraternity. FILE PHOTO/THE LION’S ROAR JACOB SUMMERVILLE STAFF REPORTER

Repairing a 40-year-old fence carries more weight than the wood it is made from. Members of the Mu Nu chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha held a service project for Dr. Ronald Traylor, an instructor of history, on Feb. 23. The men helped rebuild part of Traylor’s fence that had broken down over time in his yard. Traylor explained that he was talking with Riley Trisler, adviser

of the Mu Nu chapter, whenever the subject arose. “I mentioned to him that my old fence was in bad shape and I needed to get it repaired,” said Traylor. “At that point, he spoke up and said, ‘Well, it’s a part of my fraternity that we do certain amounts of community service. Why don’t you get approval for us to come to your house and fix your fence?’ Of course, I said, ‘Yes, indeed.’” Chris Dominique, new

see COMMUNITY SERVICE, pg. 8

Overcoming challenges to live an independent life MAIAH WOODRING When students reach college and begin living independently, they face new challenges and life decisions on academic, social and emotional fronts. From learning how to calculate GPA, doing taxes, finding time to shop for groceries or consoling a Greek brother or sister, students

must find a way to manage these new challenges. Balancing a full-time schedule of five classes and family stress, Leila Guidry, a freshman nursing major, believes that one of the hardest parts of being a college student is time management. “I procrastinate a lot,” said Guidry. “I hate that I do that, but I do. So, I guess time management is an issue. I just cramp it all together.” To help manage living independently, Linda Lentz, a senior advisor in the CSE, advocates for using organizational methods like planners.

Weather

Index

STAFF REPORTER

Tuesday H 72 L 61

Wednesday H 76 L 65

Campus Life ................................2 Opinions ....................................3 A&E ...........................................4

Horoscope, Crossword, Sudoku ...5 Sports & Fitness ..........................6 News .........................................8

“Journals are a wonderful way to help,” expressed Lentz. “I love planners. I highly recommend everyone have a planner because that way they can put everything down and then at a glance see what’s going on.” Guidry uses a different method for organizing her thoughts and tasks.

see STEPPING OUT, pg. 2 Stay Connected With Us! Like and follow @lionsroarnews.

Volume 90, Issue 23 A Student Publication www.lionsroarnews.com lionsroar@southeastern.edu


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