August 2022 - Volume 05, Issue 01 by TheSparkatASU

Spark The

TOP SUMMER BOOKS

Written by Kaitlyn Gossard

ROMANCE

Beach Read” “Beach Read

by Emily Henry by Emily Henry

A romance writer, January, who no

A romance writer, January, who no longer believes in love and is stuck in longer believes in love and is stuck in a rut, decides to spend the summer a rut, decides to spend the summer at a lake house where she meets a at a lake house where she meets a fellow author, Augustus. Will being fellow author, Augustus. Will being at the lake end January’s writer's at the lake end January’s writer's block? Will she find love at the lake? block? Will she find love at the lake?

Every Summer After” “Every Summer After” by Carley Fortune by

Carley Fortune

Percy, the girl that spent every summer Percy, the girl that spent every summer on the lake with Sam and Charlie, on the lake with Sam and Charlie, receives a call that their mom Sue receives a call that their mom Sue passed away. Percy is going back to the passed away. Percy is going back to the lake, where she spent six summers in lake, where she spent six summers in love with a boy. She must face the boy love with a boy. She must face the boy she loved all those years ago and relive she loved all those years ago and relive her biggest mistake. her biggest mistake.

The House Across The Lake” “The House Across The Lake”

by Riley Sager by Riley Sager

A recent widow, Casey, has been A recent widow, Casey, has been watching her neighbors across the lake. watching her neighbors across the lake. She suspects that Katherine Royce’s She suspects that Katherine Royce’s disappearance was at the hands of her disappearance was at the hands of her husband, Tom Royce. Casey has an husband, Tom Royce. Casey has an obsession, and looks can be deceiving; obsession, and looks can be deceiving; who is the one that is involved with who is the one that is involved with Katherine’s disappearance? Katherine’s disappearance?

Erin and her husband are on their Erin and her husband are on their honeymoon and find something in honeymoon and find something in the water while scuba diving. They the water while scuba diving. They must make a choice to speak out to must make a choice to speak out to protect a secret. protect a secret.

FICTION

“Anxious People” “Anxious People”

by Fredrik Backman by Fredrik Backman

Nothing is as it seems during an Nothing is as it seems during an apartment viewing with a group of apartment viewing with a group of strangers after a bank robbery gone strangers after a bank robbery gone wrong. How are the people all wrong. How are the people all connected? Will they all keep a big connected? Will they all keep a big secret from the police? secret from the police?

The Library of Lost and Found” “The Library of Lost and Found” by Phaedra Patrick by Phaedra Patrick

Librarian Martha finds a book on Librarian Martha finds a book on her doorstep written by her her doorstep written by her grandmother, who died of grandmother, who died of mysterious circumstances years mysterious circumstances years ago. Martha delves deeper into the ago. Martha delves deeper into the past to reveal a family secret that past to reveal a family secret that will change her life forever. will change her life forever.

NON-FICTION

“

The Lost Boys of Mont

by Amanda M. Fairbank

A true story of the wind blown with A true story of the wind blown with four men who vanished at sea and the four men who vanished at sea and the survivors left behind. survivors left behind.

A book that takes you behind the A book that takes you behind the scenes of a therapist's world. A scenes of a therapist's world. A world of crisis: patients looking for world of crisis: patients looking for answers, Hollywood producers, answers, Hollywood producers, newlyweds and many more. newlyweds and many more.

SCI FI

The Calculating Stars” “The Calculating Stars”

by Mary Robinette Kowal

A meteorite falls to earth, destroying A meteorite falls to earth, destroying much of Earth. Elma is driven to become much of Earth. Elma is driven to become an astronaut and help colonize space an astronaut and help colonize space since most of the place she called home since most of the place she called home has been destroyed. has been destroyed.

by Sam Basu by Sam Basu

Ruda is a recluse, estranged from a Ruda is a recluse, estranged from a wealthy neighborhood. His father’s wealthy neighborhood. His father’s death pulls in an impulsive job offer death pulls in an impulsive job offer from Joey, a reality controller. He must from Joey, a reality controller. He must decide if he should do the right thing. decide if he should do the right thing.

HISTORICAL FICTION

by Madeline Miller by Madeline Miller

The story of Achilles joining the The story of Achilles joining the promise and glory of a cause torn promise and glory of a cause torn between love and fear and the cruel between love and fear and the cruel twist of fate. twist of fate.

Field hospital nurse Cate is left

Field hospital nurse Cate is left behind when Nazis arrive at the behind when Nazis arrive at the camp. She takes a chance and flees camp. She takes a chance and flees in the night, finding safety in a in the night, finding safety in a nearby farmhouse. nearby farmhouse.

PARANORMAL

The Rules of Magic” “The Rules of Magic”

by Alice Hoffman by Alice Hoffman

The Owens family has a curse when The Owens family has a curse when it comes to love. These witches must it comes to love. These witches must find their path in life in New York find their path in life in New York City. However, when they visit their City. However, when they visit their Aunt Isabelle, family secrets begin to Aunt Isabelle, family secrets begin to make them understand the truth. make them understand the truth.

The Haunting of Ashburn House” “The Haunting of Ashburn House” by Darcy Coates by Darcy Coates

Subject to rumors for years, the Ashburn Subject to rumors for years, the Ashburn House has a new owner. Adrienne finds out House has a new owner. Adrienne finds out the house has been left to her in the will of the house has been left to her in the will of a long-lost relative. Once living in the a long-lost relative. Once living in the house, Adrienne finds strange messages on house, Adrienne finds strange messages on the wallpaper, old hidden graves and the wallpaper, old hidden graves and portraits that seem to have movement. She portraits that seem to have movement. She wants to uncover the building's secrets but wants to uncover the building's secrets but discovers it has a bleak and grisly past. discovers it has a bleak and grisly past.

World Lung Cancer Day

National Ice Cream Sandwich Day

National Watermelon Day

Barack Obama’s Birthday

National Couscous Day

Hiroshima Day (Japan)

American Family Day

International Cat Day

Int l Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples (U.N.)

World Lion Day

National Face Mask Day

National Middle Child Day

Women's and Family Day (Tunisia)

World Lizard

Fall

World Humanitarian Day (U N )

World Honey Bee Day

National Brazilian Blowout Day

Folklore Day (Brazil)

Cheap Flight Day

Kobe Bryant Day

National Burger Day

Women’s Equality Day (U.S.)

International Bat Night

Social Justice Sunday (Australia)

Individual Rights Day (U.S.)

Frankenstein Day (U.S. and U.K.)

World Distance Learning Day

Roe v. Wade The Timeline and Overturn

Written by Leslie Madrid

Continued from Cover Page

1970 – 1972

Norma McCorvey, mostly known as Jane Roe in legal documents, fought for women to have the right to an abortion. Not only was she fighting for others, but she was fighting for herself.

McCorvey had a tough childhood as she grew up with a single mother who was an alcoholic and was very strict. As she got older, she was known to be a troublemaker who got curious about her sexuality. Not long after this curiosity arose, McCorvey’s mother caught her kissing a girl and, thinking it was an act of rebellion, sent her to a reform school. After this, everything began to spiral downward. She dropped out of school and became an addict and sex worker, all the while selling drugs.

A couple of years later, when she was 16, she decided to marry a man and have a child. However, by the time she was 22 years old, she was on her third pregnancy and wanted an abortion. At this point, she felt it was best to have an abortion, but this procedure was illegal in Texas, and she couldn’t afford to go out-of-state. Thus the rise of Roe v. Wade.

March 1970

In March 1970, a lawsuit against Henry Wade, a district attorney for the city of Dallas, Texas, was filed on behalf of Roe. At this time, abortion was illegal in Texas unless a doctor saw it necessary to act on the procedure. For example, if the fetus puts the mother’s life in danger. Roe, along with a doctor from Dallas, felt that this decision should be up to the one expecting. They also believed this law violated a woman’s right to privacy, known as the Ninth Amendment, and her right to liberty, protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.

December 1971

Fast forward to December 13, 1971, Roe v. Wade was officially argued for the first time before the U.S. Supreme Court. However, they were short two justices that day, and although there were enough of them to make a vote, they felt they needed a full bench. Therefore, the Supreme Court argued the case for a second time on October 11, 1972.

January 1973

On January 22, 1973, with a 7-2 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Jane Roe and made abortion legal across the U.S. to a certain extent under the Fourteenth Amendment. The limitations placed made it so that only women and their physician were allowed to determine abortion during the first trimester. However, during the second and third trimesters, it was solely up to the state whether or not the life of the mother or the fetus was in danger.

2003 - 2004

After years of a drug addiction, while struggling to make ends meet as a high school dropout and giving up three daughters for adoption, McCorvey was at a point where she would do anything for fame and riches.

In June 2003, she filed a motion with the Dallas federal district court to try and have the Roe v. Wade decision overturned because she was no longer prochoice. In fact, she had made a statement to Time Magazine in 1994, saying that she was only pro-choice because she was "trying to please everyone. " Not long after filing, in September 2004, her motion was denied and dismissed. The Guardian later revealed that she was bribed by evangelicals to take a pro-life stance. But after this, it was hard to know what she truly believed.

2022

As of June 24, 2022, with a 5-4 vote, Roe v. Wade has officially been overturned. States including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, Wisconsin and South Dakota have already enacted bans on abortion, with Idaho, North Dakota and Tennessee expected to follow soon. Some of these states, however, have limited exceptions in cases of rape, incest or life threatening pregnancy. For daily, up-to-date information, The New York Times provides a detailed graphic and list of the current abortion laws by state. Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Brett Kavanaugh, Neil M. Gorsuch and Clarence Thomson voted to overturn Roe v. Wade as they believed that it was "egregiously wrong and deeply damaging. "

However, despite the number of people who agree, many oppose this decision. In fact, the women and their loved ones, who have been deeply affected by this overturn have declared their own version of war against the justices responsible.

States that have banned abortion and even those with restrictions, have residents protesting day and night with posters and hangers to get the message out that they believe this was a mistake. An anonymous source also leaked the home addresses of the five justices, which circulated all over social media. This led people to show up at their homes to protest. The incident required President Biden to enforce strict security around their residences 24/7.

As for those who are pro-life, they are also protesting to protect and stand behind what they believe in. In recent news, a group of individuals have prepared a rally outside of an abortion clinic opening in Las Cruces, New Mexico, after being relocated from Mississippi following the ban. Jim Harbaugh, head football coach at the University of Michigan, has also come forward as a prominent voice for those in favor of the overturn, saying: "I believe in having the courage to let the unborn be born."

The overturn of Roe v. Wade has had a massive impact on the country. It has brought out many passionate individuals, all with different beliefs, to use their voices and speak out on a very historic moment. It all started with a troubled woman who felt inspired enough to change the political views set in place and how the topic of abortion is discussed in America. Roe v. Wade is and always will be a relevant and ever-changing case in our society.

Want to Make a Difference? Here are 5 Online Courses You Should Take This Fall

Written by Aya M

Thanks to the internet, our world has never been more connected, complex or colorful than it is now. Social media and the 24/7 news cycle constantly expose us to different cultures and ideas. That’s why staying up-to-date on world issues has become essential for student success. After all, awareness sparks action and inner growth.

Global learning aims to foster a deeper understanding of and more effective collaboration between people from diverse backgrounds. This enables college students to broaden their perspectives and develop valuable skills such as curiosity, responsibility and empathy.

With fall enrollment in full swing, we’ve collected a list of eye-opening courses available through Arizona State University Online. These courses focus on exploring today’s biggest global challenges, how they affect us and how we can make a difference.

POS 160: Global Politics

An exciting course that covers current issues in international relations, including immigration and world poverty, and encourages students to apply global thinking to real-world situations.

JHR 100: Introduction to Human Rights and Social Justice

Real change starts with awareness. By gaining a global perspective on inequality and advocacy, you will be better prepared to tackle the challenges facing your community.

ASB 100: Introduction to Global Health

To successfully solve global health issues, students need to understand the realities on the ground. In this course, you will investigate the big questions about ongoing health crises, health's role in social justice and the condition of health systems around the globe.

GPH 315: Global Change

Keeping yourself informed is the first step to helping the environment. Uncover the science behind climate change with this course so you can effectively contribute to climate solutions.

STS 332: Global Issues in Science and Technology

This course offers a great introduction to the intersection between science, technology and politics. You will discuss many timely topics with your classmates, from artificial intelligence to health reform to clean energy.

Conclusion

Taking one of these courses will benefit you beyond the classroom. You will gain a competitive edge in the workforce and grow into a more proactive member of this interconnected society.

As tomorrow's decision-makers, it’s our responsibility to make change happen –and participating in global learning is an important step forward. Only by learning to work together can we find equitable, sustainable and innovative solutions to the most pressing issues of our time.

WiththenewASUGlobalFlexprogram,youcantaketheASUOnlinecourses youneedtostayontracktograduate,alongsidein-person,in-country courses,oraninternship.OrremainafullyOnlinestudent!Createyourown studyabroadprogram,bychoosingablockoptionthatworksforyou.

The average frequency college students eat fast-food 1-3x per Week:

insecurity insecurity, not being able to eat enough, is quite common among college , not being able to eat enough, is quite common among college students as about 45% experience this. students as about 45% experience this.

SNAP benefits SNAP benefits are available to college are available to college students who live in certain states and that meet students who live in certain states and that meet certain income requirements. certain income requirements.

Super Simple Super Simple..

Nutritional health is probably not something that young people think Nutritional health is probably not something that young people think about, especially college students who have busy and hectic schedules. If about, especially college students who have busy and hectic schedules. If you put some time and effort into what you eat, your body will thank you you put some time and effort into what you eat, your body will thank you in the long run. in the long run.

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Lasik with the 49ers Doctor: Lasik with the 49ers Doctor: A Penalty Throw A Penalty Throw

Written by Tanya Natar

Lasik is a cosmetic laser eye correction surgery for people who don’t want to wear glasses or contact lenses. I've been interested in Lasik for a long time, but my optometrist was concerned that I was too young for the procedure. After years of waiting, I finally decided to go for the win and get the perfect vision minus corrective lenses. The optometrist I went with was known as the official eye doctor of the NFL team the 49ers, but my experience was not a touchdown.

When I was asking around for recommendations, two of my former coworkers did Lasik with the official optometrist of the 49ers, while another friend went with a different Lasik surgeon. My plan was to make the final decision based on my consultations with both doctors, plus one from Kaiser, and go with who I felt would work best for me. The consultations I attended were directly done with the Lasik surgeon referred by my friend, and the Lasik surgeon at Kaiser; the ones who would perform the procedure on me. Notably, at my consultation with the 49ers doctor, the surgeon was absent and my tests were run by other doctors at the clinic.

What set the 49ers doctor apart was that I was provided with sheets of what to expect from the surgery and how to follow up on the care afterwards. The Lasik doctor that my friend recommended, and the Lasik doctor from Kaiser, didn’t provide any resources like that, and it seemed like a lot to remember and keep track of after the surgery. I was prescribed antibiotic drops to instill in my eyes 24 hours before Lasik, and these were continued to be used as after-surgery care. The 49ers doctor was more formal and organized with his approach, which was something I preferred.

The day of surgery finally arrived and I was super nervous. I was not informed that I could take a painkiller before the surgery. I passed on taking ibuprofen before the operation, but I did take the relaxing medication they offered, which was to help reduce anxiety before going into surgery. I was ready to get this procedure done and over with.

You may be surprised that it only takes five minutes per eye to achieve unassisted vision with Lasik. I did not feel anything other than pressure on my right eye. When it came time for the left eye to be operated on, it was slightly painful due to the dryness I had dealt with for a few years.

I left the operating room with goggles to wear at night so I wouldn’t accidentally touch my eyes in my sleep, and sunglasses that would provide maximum protection for the eyes. My eyesight was expected to be healed with 20/20 vision after a month. I kept waiting for my eyesight to gradually improve but it didn’t. After one month, my follow-up appointment was with a different doctor from the clinic, and not in-person like I expected. After expressing my concern about the lack of improvement in my vision, I went into the clinic two weeks later.

The doctor told me that 3-4% of patients come back shortly after their first Lasik procedure for an enhancement surgery, and I was unlucky enough to be one of them. I picked this doctor because he was known as the official eye doctor of the 49ers, but in my case, I was dealt a foul ball, and I was frustrated. It was disappointing that my surgeon didn’t follow up with me directly to see how my eyes were doing, and now I had to go back for surgery number two.

About two weeks after my follow-up, my eyes started to get very dry. This is a common side effect of Lasik, but this degree of dryness didn't seem normal. Upon checking the condition of my eyes, the doctor confirmed my fears. It was really upsetting. It was bad enough that I was supposed to go back in so soon to get another operation, and now I had to deal with bothersome dry eyes? This level of dryness shouldn’t have occurred from Lasik, and the clinic did not provide me with any surefire way of taking care of this problem.

I decided to get a second opinion from an ophthalmologist, who suggested that I consider getting eye plugs if the dryness didn’t improve. When someone gets eye plugs, a tiny plug gets inserted in a small hole at the lower, inner lid of the eye for both eyes, to hold moisture in longer so they don’t dry out as easily. I was prescribed different eye drops to help with inflammation in the meantime. These were different eye drops that weren’t prescribed to me by the clinic where my Lasik was done, which was unbelievable. My friends who had done Lasik with other doctors told me that they were prescribed with similar drops at the very start, as part of their Lasik aftercare. It seemed like the doctor I chose did not give me the entire aftercare regime for my operation. I kept getting one disappointment after another.

The doctors at the clinic were concerned about my dry eyes, and advised against getting the enhancement operation until the dryness was treated. Since I scheduled the enhancement surgery nearly two months after my initial appointment when I was diagnosed with dry eye, we believed that there was plenty of time for my eyes to recover. I found myself going back to the clinic often to get my eyes checked, which was highly inconvenient. Every time I went into the clinic, I was seen by a different doctor who gave their own recommendation on what to do to heal my eyes faster. They would tell me at every visit that my eyes would get better in two weeks, but before I knew it, six weeks had passed with no improvement. I wish I could have gotten concrete solutions for my dry eyes from these doctors rather than trialand-error.

I began to feel like I was being deprived of information by these different doctors. This was not the experience I wanted or expected from a well-respected doctor. Finally, one doctor suggested inserting plugs in my eyes which I had already heard from the ophthalmologist I got a second opinion from, but I was taken aback by the idea. I wanted my eyes to feel better naturally and not through invasive eye plugs, but in the end, my eyes were healing too slowly and I had to do it. Luckily, I wouldn’t need to remove the eye plugs before my enhancement surgery.

I had broken into a sweat out of fear after the eye plugs were inserted. The procedure itself was not painful, but the thought of getting my eyes plugged was scary. The dryness in my eyes had reduced to a safe point, and I could proceed with getting the enhancement surgery on schedule.

The dreaded day of my enhancement surgery came. As excited as I was to get full vision restored, I was anxious and upset that I had to go back in to get my eyes operated on because it couldn’t be done right the first time. The doctor in the surgery room apologized for the fact that I needed a second operation. I asked him if my eyes will be fully corrected at the end of the surgery and he told me that was the plan.

Fortunately, because the incisions on my eyes hadn’t completely healed yet, the surgeon wouldn’t need to create new incisions. One less step made it a less painful operation. Thank goodness.

At the end of the surgery, I tried asking the doctor some follow-up questions before he could leave the room, but unfortunately felt rushed out by the other doctors who had helped during the surgery. For a patient who paid over five thousand dollars for a cosmetic laser eye correction surgery, I felt that I hadn’t been treated appropriately. I was angry that they were preventing me from asking questions to the surgeon. Everyone I know had received follow-up care directly from the surgeon themselves, but I didn’t have that privilege. It was a terrible experience. You'd expect a celebrity doctor who is held in such high regard to provide a more thorough and caring service, but that was not what I felt I received.

After the second attempt at Lasik, my perfect vision did not occur. The first day or two, my eyesight was crystal clear, but it didn’t last. It’s expected for the vision to get better over a month’s time from the surgery date, so I hoped that my vision would reach the corrected strength in a month. But the opposite happened for me. One month later, my vision still isn't great like I was told to expect. I still have to lean in to see certain things, when I never had to lean in when I wore contacts. I had some relief from my dry eyes for a while, but it didn’t last.

Just over a month after surgery, the dryness started to creep back. This is my fault because I assumed that my eyes were okay and didn’t need eye drops every hour or so. Even though my eyes felt fine, they were slowly drying up and I hadn’t followed proper preventative care for it. To anyone considering Lasik surgery, your eyes might feel like they’re okay for days after the surgery, but the dryness adds up, and one day, it gets bothersome. If you ever get a Lasik operation, keep your eyes wet throughout the one month afterwards for faster recovery!

Lasik was something that I looked forward to for so many years. Never did I expect it to go so wrong from a doctor who was well-known. Even now, when someone asks for a recommendation for Lasik in the area, the 49ers doctor gets recommended more than the others. Because of this, he is still able to continue doing Lasik for new patients. Maybe I really am the rare percentage that didn’t have a good experience with this doctor. Then again, doctors study to handle all kinds of cases including mine. Even if my case was rare, the doctor should still know how to treat it, and I feel like I was a guinea pig for the doctors to learn how to handle a situation like mine. If I could go back in time, I would have gone with the other doctor I was recommended, who had checked my eyes in person, and I can assume would have followed up on the eyes in person afterwards as well. It may have been a mistake, but I am just glad that in the end I came out with my vision mostly intact.

Meet the Team Meet the Team

Writers

Kaitlyn Gossard

Aya M

Leslie Madrid

Tanya Natar

Editors

Emma Blunck

Delaney Crocker

Aya M

Allison Rigby

Designers

Aya M

Ruby

Max Zimmerman

Thank Thank you! you!

WorkshopTeam

Emma Blunck

Zoe Cain

Leslie Madrid

AdvisoryTeam

Brianne Frazier

Roxanne Wilcox

BoardofDirectors

Emma Blunck

Editor in Chief

Director of Editing

Zoe Cain

Director of Writing

Matthew Jonson

Director of Outreach

Aya M

Director of Graphic Design

Desiree Meininger

Director of Operations