Letter from the Managing Editor
Dear Patriots,
It’s No Shave November season so put down your razors and ladies, that goes for you too because this month represents growth. You don’t have to be able to grow a beard to experience the beauty of progress, though. The people you have met and new experiences create growth and allow you to broaden life’s possibilities. Seniors, as you are coming into your final year of college, take a final look at your own personal growth. Even freshman can look ahead to where they want to be. What have you learned so far that you did not know before?
At The Patriot, we have grown as a paper by becoming closer to one another on the staff. By doing this we are able to talk openly about our goals. We were worried that we would not have enough contributors to make the paper how we had envisioned, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that there was more interest than we anticipated. The amount of ideas and content we have been able to create is greater than we originally expected.
There are more ways you can grow apart from the knowledge you gain from your classes. You can find out more about what you believe. This, for me, has been important because it has allowed me to connect to a group of people that have encouraged me. Something important to remember though, as you grow this month, is to endure. That is what progress is about: even when you do not see the expected results, continue. No matter how slow you go or how patchy it looks, keep going.
Sincerely,
Emilee Agee, Managing Editor
Editor-In-Chief
Zane Ross
Managing Editor
Emilee Agee
Faculty Adviser
Jeremiah Massengale
Staff
Haley Bullock
Leanne Gregory
Tyler Kohn
Mike Krzyston
Rebecca Lewter
Jessica McFerron
Alex Nunn
Jenna Rose
Nichole Sharp
Tara Todd
Hunter West
Dan Williams
Maranda Young
Email comments, concerns or tips to: thepatriot@ucumberlands.edu or call us at 606-539-4172
7000 College Station Drive Williamsburg, Kentucky 40769
The Patriot is the student publication of the University of the Cumberlands. Our goal is to provide timely and original content by highlighting campus news and views.
Award-winning member of the Associated Collegiate Press and Kentucky Press Association.
Cover photo by Maranda Young
Step up to the plate
UC focuses on unity in this year’s canned food drive
BY THE EXECUTIVE STAFF
The annual canned food drive, formerly known as the “The Pursuit of the Golden Can” kicked off on October 15 and is running until November 15. Now dubbed “Plates for a Purpose,” the campus has strayed away from the traditional competition-styled platform with Union College, rather focusing on unity between the two institutions to reach a common goal.
“It’s easy to get caught up in the competitive spirit of things, and if more food is donated because of that, that’s great,” says Dr. Emily Coleman, Vice President of Student Services at Cumberlands, “but we feel like the focus at Cumberlands has shifted a lot towards the contest. It’s gotten away from the people we are serving. We want to focus on the needs of people in the area have, and how we can help meet those needs.”
In order to promote a focus on the families the program was created to assist, UC has created a new model for recording the amount of food that is donated. The donated food is now tallied according not to the individual items given but to the amount of plates that the food would help fill. The plates themselves are arranged according to the recommended healthy diet plan coined by the USDA and include one portion of: fruits, grains, vegetables, protein, and dairy.
Cumberlands will still track the pounds of food the school raises and report that statistic to Kentucky Harvest Southeast for the Pursuit of the Golden Can. But when reporting to the Cumberlands campus, in order to keep the school focused on providing quality meals to local families, the school will report the number of the plates made possible by Cumberlands’ donations.
Norma Dunston, the head of the pantry at First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, expressed her excitement for student involvement both in donating and volunteering.
“I am so looking forward to this year,” said Dunston. “It’s thrilling to have students so excited to do this. Students are welcome to come to the pantry any time. We always have jobs for them!”
Anyone who has an interest in donating food for “Plates for a Purpose” can do so at the Boswell Campus Center or contact Student Services for more information.
Halloween Costume Contest Winners
On Halloween, we hosted our ninth annual costume contest. Here are the winners.
Jessica Rodriguez as Mr. Peanut
Michael Garnon as Dwight Schrute
Samuel Golden & Noah Phelps as Arthur and Buster
Photo by Maranda Young
Fighting cancer, one whisker at a time
Photo by Maranda Young
Thriller seeker
Why we enjoy things that scare us
BY HUNTER WEST Staff Writer
“Growing a beard is a habit most natural, Scriptural, manly and beneficial.”
– Charles Spurgeon
With Halloween behind us, we all know what time it is now, No Shave November. We know the name and most have participated since high school. But do we really know the origin behind this event?
Beards have been a part of human culture since the early days of mankind. Back then it was used more for warmth and intimidation, but as we began to modernize the beard became known to show masculinity, royalty, fashion, and status. We have many examples of iconic men with facial hair. A few examples being historical figure Abraham Lincoln and current basketball star James Harden. But unfortunately for an increasing number of men, they are losing their ability to grow them.
Most of us either know someone personally or know of someone who is currently or has battled cancer. In recent years the medical field has made great advancements in treatment of all different kinds of cancer, but the effects of the treatment are unforgiving on the person going through them.
Unfortunately, one of the most common side-effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. While No-Shave November has been around for quite a while it was not until the fall of 2009 when a group was formed to use this month to help raise awareness and money for those going through this battle. According to their website, no-shave.org, the goal of this non-profit organization is that you take the money you would save on shaving, whether that be a couple bucks on razors or a hundred dollars from salon visits, and donate it. Over the past nine years, their organization has raised over $2 million to help the prevention, education and research of cancer with the mission that only together can we finally stop this once and for all.
So, now that you know the history behind No Shave Novemberyou might see the beard you’re growing in a different light. If you feel like donating, there are many non-profits focusing on men’s health, not just the “No Shave” Group, that would gladly take your donations. Even if you do not have the means to donate, even just spending time with someone who is going through an ordeal like cancer is a big help for them emotionally. Having that support goes a long way in their recovery.
BY ALEX NUNN Staff Writer
The time has come and gone; skeletons that once rattled in the night now gone, haunted houses now just decrepit houses and empty bags where candy once was, eaten now by trick-or-treaters around the country... Halloween has come and gone and, like every other holiday, we’re going to wish we could have more of it, but instead have to wait until next year. That means no more carving pumpkins or listening to cheesy Halloween themed songs. There is one thing that is still acceptable to do year-round, binging horror movies. The question is bound to be asked, “Why are you watching that now?” From the thrills, jump-scares, and suspense, horror movies can be emotional rollercoasters. With such intense senses being brought out in us, why is it that we continue to watch these movies in such a seemingly selftorturing way?
For most, horror movies are considered recreational fun, while others may see it as a dreadful hour and a half of pure torture. Beyond being crazy, it turns out that there’s an actual psychological reasoning for those who keep coming back to horror movies. For those who hate thriller flicks, the question is frequently brought up; Why do you like horror movies?
Dr. Kiersten Baughman, a UC psychology professor, explained, “Horror movies evoke a lot of physiological arousals, and for some people that can be experienced in a pleasant way...”
Baughman continued that we seek those which we enjoy while avoiding the stimuli which are unpleasant to us. Baughman also explained that spikes in the stimuli cause “superior memory,” whether the experience is positive or negative, “...so that can be the reason why that adrenaline rush keeps people coming back time after time after time to be scared. There are all sorts of stimuli in our world that cause us joy,” and due to the high levels of arousal in the stimuli we receive from horror movies, we experience joy. Thus, answering the question, why do people watch horror movies.
Baughman, like many others, hate horror movies, but reminisces of the time she went to see “Saw II,” and just how little positive stimuli she received from it. For many, horror movies give them enough of a fix for adrenaline to keep them coming back for more. While one person may hate horror movies and love rollercoasters, and vice versa, this is because our stimuli, both positive and negative, aren’t determined by us, we can’t choose what we receive our adrenaline rush from. So next time you’re watching a horror movie, and someone asks how you can stand to watch them, you’ll know exactly what to tell them, with a new excuse to keep watching your favorite slashers for months past Halloween.
Illustration by Zane Ross
Colors in motion
A look into the life of UC’s color guard
BY JESSICA MCFERRON Staff Writer
The University of the Cumberlands’ color guard is a talented program with an attitude of its own. The color guard puts a lot of time and effort into learning the new dances and songs they perform in their shows. The fact that they must balance their daily life with practice and performances is something to marvel at. The color guard is a group on campus that doesn’t require, but prefers, experience in guard or band. The whole system of color guard that consists of their qualifications, scholarships they receive for their work and learning the choreography shows that hard work pays off.
Though the practices are long and hard, the color guard is adamant on perfecting the routine. Practice takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 3:15 p.m.-5:30 p.m. While this may not seem like much, balancing this with other obligations can make it tough to squeeze in everything.
Timera Herring, a UC freshman and color guard member, said, “At each practice everyone works hard to stay together, keep their counting right, and make sure they know where their spots are.”
It’s important for everyone to be on the same step and that their counting is accurate, so they look put together and not like it was thrown together at the last moment. If everyone didn’t know their spot in the color guard it wouldn’t be up to the members’ standards on how they feel like they should perform. Being involved with the color guard can sometimes take away from members’ sleep, homework and social life.
Abigail Fletcher, a member of UC’s band, said, “Homework is easily balanced, if you know how to manage your time. For example, most of us do our homework either before or after practice.”
Nic Lewis, a freshman color guard member, added, “Sleep is kind of hard to balance because practice takes a lot of energy out of you and
sometimes I like to come back to the dorm and take a much needed nap.”
Though sometimes it can be difficult to manage everything, at the end of the day, the finished product of the routine can be worth it.
Lewis continued, “Color guard is a great thing for our social life because if someone was at the football game for the pregame or half-time show and they later recognize us, that can introduce us to new conversations or possibly even friendships.” Color guard allows many people to find their place at UC with people they can connect and grow friendships with.
Although there aren’t any qualifications to join color guard, Herring said, “There are expectations that any student who participates in color guard just comes in willing to learn. We hope that whoever participates has been in band, but it’s not required. There are actually two new students on the color guard who have never touched a flag until this season.” Scholarships are given mostly to athletes and academic oriented students, but it’s less heard about that students involved in marching band and color guard also receive scholarships. According to Herring, “the more students are involved in the music department, the more scholarships they are eligible for because the music department needs as many people as possible to make it work.”
Color guard has a lot of choreography behind the music and the timing. “Set basics are something that everyone gets taught,” Herring continued, “but it’s all made from scratch. Most of the dances the color guards perform are passed down from the past color guards and occasionally there is new choreography made.”
Lewis added, “We dance every football game in the stands and on the field some at half time. We feel the groove of the 80s, dance to have a good time and we try to influence others to want to join the band.”
Photo by Maranda Young
Men’s wrestling: more than a sport
UC wrestlers discuss the impact of wrestling in their lives
BY MARANDA YOUNG
Staff Writer
At the University of the Cumberlands, competing in sports is one of the many ways to show school spirit. A certain sport, according to Coach Jordan Countryman, some people tend to stay away from is wrestling. Just like other sports, students can come to UC on a wrestling scholarship. Yet, when it comes to these guys, wrestling is much more than a scholarship. In a way, wrestling is building them into leaders. Teaching them how to handle life’s twists and turns and how to display this humbly.
Tristan Marci, a UC senior in the 165-weight class, said, “I’ve been wrestling for almost twenty years now. Wrestling has been a part of my life since before I can remember. Wrestling made me a stronger individual, as well as a better team leader. Obviously, you’re pretty much bleeding, sweating and crying in the wrestling room with everyone you’re working out with. With sportsmanship, if you lose, you can only blame yourself. Wrestling helps build you as a person.”
Jarod Swank, a UC freshman in the 174-weight class, said, “Wrestling has taken me to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It’s taught me how to conduct myself properly in every victory and defeat.”
On October 20, 2018, UC competed in their first men’s wrestle-off. The winners from that event were the starter line up in the Patriot Open, held in the Rowling’s Center Saturday, November 3 at 9 a.m. Preparing for and participating in events like these help the guys grow stronger, physically and mentally.
Countryman, UC’s men’s wrestling coach, said, “We have what we call an inter-squad match. Basically, what we do is make a bracket for each weight class. All the guys on the team will decide what weight class they’ll compete in. starting early in the week the guys will wrestle each other until there are two guys left. Those two wrestlers will compete on that last day of the wrestle off. He added, “This gives them a chance to go through a tournament and earn their spot. Us as coaches aren’t choosing, these guys get to earn a spot with what they do daily in practice. So, there’s no bias.”
Wrestling is a difficult sport, but the lessons you can learn from it about life and also the family you can build from it are well worth it. Very few sports focus on not only team success, but also individual development as wrestling does.
Jacob Seto, a UC sophomore, in the 133-weight class, said, “Wrestling is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve tried a lot of sports, but this has really helped me mature. It brings me through the worst situations. I’ve experienced the best moments of my life and the worst moments while being a wrestler. I’ve been able to stay in shape, make lots of friends and build a community through wrestling.”
Photo by Maranda Young
Comics with Caitlyn
By Mike Krzyston
We now know more songs about beards than we would like.
Song Artist
Beard Burning Hotels
Amish Paradise Weird Al Yankovic
Mustache Man Cake
Beard Lust NPSH
Obey the Beard Psychostick
Weird Beard Mad Caddies
Growing A Beard Jon Walker
This Beard Came Here Tim Montana To Party feat. Billy Gibbons
You Can All Touch My Elton Castee and Scotty Sire Beard
If You’ve Only Got A Amick Byram Moustache
Touch Me In The Beard The Beards
Long White Beard The Might Be Giants (feat. Robin Goldwasser)
The Beard Song The Bandettes
