Spring 2016 Issue 13

ONTAP

ISSUE 13 — SPRING 2016

BAN THE BOX 16 NOT QUITE 13 WAYS OF LOOKING AT AN AUTHOR: LUNCH AND DINNER WITH JANE SMILEY 20 GAMING ON A BUDGET 40

Contents 5 Editor’s Letter

44-45 Veganism

By Joshua E. Abbott

By Veronica You

6-8 Torture Resistors

46-47 Staying Balanced

9-11 Police Brutality

48-49 Young Entreprenuers

By Jarrod Grammelt

By Ayanna Taylor

By Marquez Slaughter

By Tiana Foster

12-15 Making the Choice: College

50-51 From Shack to an Empire

Pregnancy

By Carilus Williams

By Geneva Crooks

52-54 The Top 9 Mistakes Made

16-17 Ban the Box

When Studying

By Jarrod Grammel

By Larianne Kolb

18-19 How to Land That Job

By Geneva Crooks

20-23 Not Quite 13 Ways of

Looking at an Author

By Haylee Friel

24-25 Georgia: East Coast’s Hollywood

By Hayley Mallary

26-29 Red Door Records Presents: Cinema Downtown

By Larianne Kolb

30-33 The Best Doggone Way to Relieve Stress

By Hayley Mallary

34-35 Worth More than the Hours

By Marquez Slaughter

36-39 What Color are You?

By Patrice Williams

40-43 Gaming on A Budget

By Haylee Friel

Front & back cover photo by Patrick Elliott.

3

ONTAP

Staff EDITOR IN CHIEF & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Joshua E. Abbott MANAGING EDITOR

Perry Davis

SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Daniel R. Miller DESIGN CONSULTANT

Roberto Leal

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Bryce France CONTRIBUTORS

Ayanna Taylor Carlius Williams Geneva Crooks Haylee Friel Hayley Mallary Jarrod Grammel Lorianne Kolb Marquez Slaughter Patrice Williams Tiana Foster Veronica You PHOTOGRAPHERS

Bryce France Eliza Reyes Genevieve Kennett Lena Best Patrick Elliott ILLUSTRATORS

Britney Williams Christopher Cagle SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER & ACCOUNTING

Marquez Slaughter

FACULTY ADVISOR

Dr. Deborah Hall

CONTACT

ontap@valdosta.edu

4

ONTAP

Editor’s Letter Welcome back readers to our newest issue of On Tap Magazine. This issue talks about current cultural movements along with anime reviews, self help guides, studying tips, job interview tips, and highlights of Valdosta. Many of these articles are quite a bit more thought provoking than our previous issues. Inside there are still a few easy reads perfect for a quick break between classes or even during lunch.

This semester we branched out like never before, and were able to reach more readers. We hope that our articles inspire you to read all our issues! They are available to read on our website any time, and limited amounts are available in the Odum library CafĂŠ.

We want to make sure that each and every issue of On Tap finds its way into the laps of new readers, which is why I am asking you to share what you read. Tweet us or comment on our Facebook to leave feedback. We would love to hear from our readers!

As always, Keep us On Tap! Sincerely, Joshua E. Abbott, Editor-in-Chief

5

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

Torture Resistors The unknown side of the torture program: Resisters and rebels, fought to end and reveal the reality of the U.S. torture program, often at great personal risk.

By Jarrod Grammel

VALDOSTA, Ga. – The gruesome stories of U.S. personnel waterboarding, force feeding and beating detainees that fill the pages of the United States Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Torture tell a story every person around the world should know, but there’s another equally important story that hasn’t been told nearly enough.

That is the story of disobedience, of resistance and taking a stand for human rights, often at great costs to the people who stood up to injustice. Although the number of dissenters and whistleblowers is relatively small considering the scope of the torture program, these few people were instrumental in pressuring the media, politicians and he public to look more critically at this national security program.

From the very beginning, there were a handful of people who resisted and refused to torture. One of these people was Joe Darby, a former U.S. Army military policeman at Abu Ghraib in 2004.

Shortly after arriving at Abu Ghraib, another soldier gave Darby CDs filled with photographs of prisoners being tortured, or “softened up”, before interrogations.

Darby recognized these photos to be evidence of crimes, and turned them over to a special agent from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.

What Darby did was no small act. He turned in members of his own battalion, and when his name was inadvertently released by Donald Rumsfeld, he faced serious retaliation. Not only did Darby receive death threats and feared he would be murdered in his sleep, members of his Maryland community shunned Darby and his family.

His home was vandalized, and the family was eventually moved to an undisclosed base under protective military custody.

Darby, however, wasn’t the last or only person to resist torture. There are at least two known dissenters who served at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

One of these two is an unidentified U.S. Navy nurse who refused to force feed hunger-striking prisoners. Not many details about this torture resister is known, because as of July 2015, the Navy nurse is still facing retaliation from the Navy.

What is known is that the Navy nurse is an 18-year veteran who began as an enlisted submariner before his commission.

Prisoners at Guantanamo noted that he was much more lenient toward them than others, although he still complied with force feeding. Eventually, the nurse could no longer stand the sight of prisoners choking and gagging as tubes were forced

6

ONTAP

VSU

english—

down their noses and into their stomachs, and one day, he declared would no longer participate in the criminal act of tube-feeding. In July of this year, the American Nurses Association honored this unnamed Navy nurse with a “Year of Ethics” award.

Although some previous articles on this nurse labeled him as a conscientious objector (CO), there is no indication he has filed for legal CO status. The nurse plans to continue serving until 2016 when he can retire, hopefully with full benefits.

Yet another noteworthy torture resister is Daniel Lakemacher. His story is quite different from the unnamed Navy nurse. In 2008, Lakemacher spent six months at Guantanamo Bay as a psychiatric technician. It wasn’t until after he finished his deployment to Guantanamo that he realized the horror of what he had seen there.

Shortly after returning to the U.S., Lakemacher filed a request to be discharged from the Navy as a conscientious objector. While his CO application was being processed, Lakemacher wrote about and became very vocal about his stance on the torture program.

After his discharge in September 2009, Lakemacher began working for the Center on Conscience and War, an organization that helps service members through the complicated and difficult CO application process.

“Unfortunately, we don’t always recognize it in the moment, but the people who, often at great personal risk, resist injustice – like those who resist or refuse to torture,” said Maria Santelli, executive director of the Center on Conscience and War. “They are the conscience of their time; their acts guide the moral direction of our future.”

But the story of torture resisters doesn’t just stop there. Since the beginning of the torture program, a handful of dissident psychologists have been speaking out against torture and the conditions at Guantanamo and other black sites.

Despite not being taken seriously, these psychologists, who formed the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology, maintained that psychologists were unethically colluding with the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Department in the War on Terror. And then something happened. These psychologists’ calls for an independent investigation of this collusion were finally heard, leading to the release of the “Hoffman Report” in August.

The report showed the APA provided not only an official seal of approval for the acts at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib, but also that APA psychologists trained and advised military interrogators on how to “break” the prisoners. It also made public the claims of the dissent psychologists, who claimed the Presidential Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security (PENS) was a sham. The report revealed that two thirds of the voting members of this task force were from military and intelligence agencies directly related to the torture programs at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib.

After almost a decade, these dissident psychologists finally won. With the release of the independent report, the APA convened to vote on a new rule that would bar psychologists from in any way participating in national security interrogations. The vote was almost unanimous, with the only vote against the measure coming from the former top Army Intelligence psychologist at Guantanamo. The dissident psychologists had won.

Despite the vast scope of the torture program and the recent media spotlight, only one person has been sentenced to prison for involvement in the torture program.

In a rather cruel twist of fate, John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer, was sentenced to 30 months in prison in January 2013 for revealing details about the torture program to journalists.

7

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

These few brave people were by no means the only, and hopefully won’t be the last people to resist torture, human rights violations and war. These people do, however, offer insight into these programs and how so many of their colleagues remained obedient and carried out the torture program.

As Lakemacher has written, the Milgram Experiment’s “obedience to authority” effect provides some insight into why relatively few people have refused or resisted the torture program. Stanley Milgram used this experiment to explain that in a bureaucratic system, such as guards at Guantanamo Bay, people transfer personal responsibility to another person, or more likely a whole system.

Relating this obedience to authority effect to those involved in the torture program, these guards saw their involvement as “Unfortunately, we don’t always recognize “just doing their jobs.” On top of that, as many of these resisters have experienced it in the moment, but the people who, firsthand, refusing or resisting torture isn’t even as easy as it was for Milgram’s often at great personal risk, resist injusparticipants, because military and nationtice – like those who resist or refuse to al security personnel can’t simply walk torture,” said Maria Santelli, executive out and quit. They swore oaths to obey the officers above them, and they receive director of the Center on Conscience and very little if any training on ethics, human War. “They are the conscience of their rights and international law. On top of all that, these resisters faced heavy retaliatime; their acts guide the moral direction tion. of our future.”

Also, as Lakemacher wrote and many others have related, service members, caught up in the daily adrenaline rushes and heightened emotions, have very little time or emotional energy left to consider the morality of war, violence and their roles in these things. It is often only after returning home that service members and veterans can truly consider what happened.

The stories of these torture resisters are important because they show how average people can stand up to a system of violence, torture and inhumanity. Much of what we knew before the release of the official report on torture came from whistleblowers, and the report simply confirmed what they had been saying for years.

On the surface, it may not seem like a handful of people over a span of more than 10 years made any difference. Although the psychologists faced a different set of challenges, the military could easily replace one man who refused to comply with the program. Whether it was the psychologists, the service members or the CIA officer, these resisters and whistleblowers were critical to putting pressure on the media and politicians to own up to the program.

It’s time to end the war on whistleblowers and dissenters, starting with recognizing and celebrating the few who stood up to the injustices of torture. Sometimes the bravest thing one can do is tell the truth; we shouldn’t punish it.

8

ONTAP

The Trending Topic: Police Brutality

Everyday there are reasons for Americans to fear for their own lives, and for the lives of others. The only way to cease the fear of violence in America is by protection.

America depends on the protection from the police departments in each community. There should be protection for the people and not against the people, because America’s government is a democracy that gives power to the people.

By Marquez Slaughter | Illustration by Britney Williams

Lately, there has been controversy with the people and the police that they fear. The fact is that this issue has been present since the 1800s. The issue of police brutality causes angry protestors to riot for equality and justice. The issue also leads to deaths of innocent lives and the

9

decreasing of the minorities. This issue is known as the infamous police misconduct, also called police brutality. Police brutality shaded by racism.

Police misconduct dates back before the Great Railroad Strike in 1877. The Great Railroad Strike was one of the first

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

popular police misconduct situations when labor workers were brutally beaten.

To the “Y” generation, people born between 1975 and 1995, one of the most recognizable acts of police misconduct is the beating Rodney King in 1991. This incident sparked increased racial tensions and helped draw attention to the issue of police brutality in America.

Police brutality has been a trending topic on social media since 2012, or earlier.

The King situation gained its publicity from the growth of the new media stations. Now, the world has the news and social media apps, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., to pass along news to the world while also expressing their own feelings on the situations.

Dr. Thomas Aiello, Associate Professor of History at Valdosta State University, showed in his presentation in Black Lives Have Always Mattered that history only repeats itself. He said that throughout history, African Americans have been treated unequally during encounters with the police officers, starting after the Civil War and the freeing of slaves. He brought up the protests and riots against the police brutality in the Watts riot (1965), Detroit riots (1967), Los Angeles riots (1992), Ferguson riots (2014), and the Baltimore riots (2015).

All these incidents led to destruction of communities and lives being harmed.

The rioters were portrayed by the media as foolish and savagery, but the people rioting only want to be recognized with respect as a citizen of the United States.

They show their frustration by rioting because they have lost trust in their protection from the police.

The rap group N.W.A. was able to

10

express their feelings towards police misconduct in their music in their earlier days. N.W.A. recently released a movie called Straight Outta Compton that shows the life the group lived dealing with their own urban lives plus the interference of the Los Angeles Police Department.

In this movie, the rap group showed how being black and from the hood put a target on their back for the police. The movie also showed how the government tried to restrict the rap group’s First Amendment rights. The timing of the release of this movie was set to an accurate time, because of the publicity that the issue of police brutality is getting today.

Police brutality has been a trending topic on social media since 2012, or earlier.

Videos are being posted daily of the incidents where unarmed people, who may or may not have been in an illegal action, are murdered by police.

Mike Brown, for example, was shot and killed by a St. Louis police officer after he and a friend were stopped in the middle of the street after allegedly robbing a corner store. Brown was unarmed with his hands in a surrendering position when he was murdered.

Situations like the murder of Brown draws in racial tension due to many of the victims being African American. That then leads to the creation of movements,

"...throughout history, African Americans have been treated unequally during encounters with the police officers starting after the Civil War and the freeing of slaves."

ONTAP

VSU

english—

riots, protests, and more. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the New Black Panther Party, and the Black Lives Matter movement have come together and working day and night to gain as much respect from the police as possible.

Black Lives Matter is the newest movement created after the murder of Trayvon Martin, according to the movement’s official website. Dr. Aiello explained in his presentation how outsiders of the movement tried to correct the name of the movement to say all lives matter.

Although that is true, the African American community is trying to get the government and the police to see that they matter too. This is because the African American community feels as if they do not have the same rights as the majority, or white people. The Black Lives Matter movement is an eye-opener to the media. Police brutality draws racial tension, but it also harms other races as well. Zachary Hammond, a 19-year-old white male, was shot and killed by an officer on July 26 at a fast-food restaurant. Hammond was unarmed but a suspect of a drug investigation.

Police brutality is like a teacher failing a student because of his or her behavior, even though he or she has great test scores. In that sense, that is how “bad cops” are with a citizen’s rights. Some people fear their teenagers cannot go a few miles away from home without being harassed by police. If a teen breaks the law, they should be arrested, but if unarmed, the situation should not escalate to a life being taken.

This year, police have killed up to 800 citizens in America as of September. This calculates to a citizen being killed by a police officer every eight hours, according to copcrisis.com.

Not all police officers are bad. Their job is to be the good guy and protect the law, so there are more good than bad. The alarming part is when they are bad, who can citizens look to for protection? There are good police officers willing to help, serve and save. Some officer will go outside of their jobs just to make some citizens happy.

For example, there are videos on the internet showing officers playing football with kids in neighborhoods, and there is one where a white officer is at a black families cookout doing the electric slide with them.

Those officers make the community feel comfortable rather than nervous when they come around. On the other hand, it is unconstitutional and unlawful for an officer to tell someone else what to do when the rules are also being disregarded by the same officer enforcing them. It makes America uneven in a sense of “what is right” and “what is wrong.” What is right is the law and what is wrong is when the enforcers of the law kill citizens and break that law.

11

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

12

ONTAP

VSU

english—

Making the Choice: College Pregnancy

The end of summer before my junior year all I could think about was what city I wanted to go shopping in, what study abroad trip I wanted to take next summer and what internships I wanted to apply to for my junior year.

By Geneva Crooks | Photography by Elena Best

It was a time in my life where I was feeling more adult than ever. I finally got my own apartment to myself; a stable and steady job, and a boyfriend that I spent 24-7 with. Of course being an adult and supporting myself for the first time in my life came with a mandatory stress that I dealt with quite a lot. So when Mother Nature didn’t come for her regular visit I didn’t immediately freak out. I instead ignored it the best I could and continued on with my everyday life unbothered.

Well, surprised would be an understatement of what I felt on that sticky summer day in my bathroom watching those two lines get darker and darker on that tiny white test. Suddenly, my whole life had changed. From that moment on I never went back to the old carefree me.

I thought I knew what it felt like to be an adult but now I was feeling it more than ever. I was terrified, to say in the least. It felt as if the world continued to spin around me and I stood still. I anxiously floated my way through work that day awaiting the time for me to be able to clock out and go buy more tests from my local pharmacy, sure enough my “eggo was preggo”.

I reviewed my options. The first thing I thought about was a hasty abortion that would allow me to quickly go back to the normal life I always knew. With time, I started to realize I just couldn’t go through with it. Luckily, I wasn’t alone. Around the same time I found out my results, one

of my close friends also found out she too was expecting. After making the decision to keep my baby, I watched my friend go through with her decision to do something different, get an abortion. I supported her decision. All women have options and the right to decide what they want for themselves. I admit, jealousy had a huge impact on our relationship as I watched her go through with her difficult decision. Some days I disliked her just for the pure fact that she was able to do what I couldn’t. Luckily, with time I realized that different options are better for different people and we both made a decision on what’s best for ourselves.

If you ever find yourself in a situation that was unplanned, unexpected and unanticipated; know that you have the strength to get through. There were days where I couldn’t see how it would be possible to be pregnant and continue on with university, but no matter how alone I felt; I had to remember I wasn’t alone. There’s a place in Valdosta that is walking distance from campus called Options Now. This is the perfect place to go when reviewing your options on what to do about your pregnancy. They offer free pregnancy tests, counseling and even a free ultrasound! No matter how alone in your situation you may feel, they will always put forth an effort to make you feel better and most of all remind you you’re never alone when your baby is there. However, this place is better for those who aren’t considering abortion. They are a pro-life

13

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

Christian center and center their views on those beliefs. Instead I would consider contacting a clinic in Jacksonville, FL or Atlanta, GA because these are the closest places near Valdosta to get the operation done.

My friend had a pleasant experience with very kind people in Atlanta who made her feel comfortable and strong about her decision. That is the number one way you want to feel in situations like these. She was scared and unsure of her decision at the beginning but is now very happy with the choice she made. In her own personal testimony she stated that like me, she was shocked to find out she was pregnant because the child was not planned at all. She knew that from

14

ONTAP

her own experiences as a child adoption was not an option for her and she was not financially, mentally or emotionally ready for a child. Upon arrival at the abortion clinic she was nervous and even turned down the chance to look at her child in fear of changing her mind. Luckily all her nurses were kind and caring and made her feel at ease. She woke up after her procedure feeling relieved. She says that with each day living with her decision gets easier and easier and she knows that was what was best for her and her partner.

The reality of situations like these is that they’re very delicate and to each her own. You have to do what you personally feel is right for you. I felt as if the best

VSU

english—

thing for me is to keep my baby, while my friend decided she would rather finish school and be financially stable before having children. Me deciding to keep my baby and become a mother a little earlier than expected was a huge pill to swallow, but I know with perseverance I can still follow through with all my dreams and goals. Remember, you have your options. Whether it be abortion, adoption or keeping the baby, it’s all up to you.

15

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

It’s time to ban the box: How stigmas against people with a criminal background hurt everybody.

By Jarrod Grammel | Illustration by Joshua Abbott

As good-paying, quality employment has become hard for all Americans, one class of people is particularly hurt: people convicted of a crime. While ex-offenders are discriminated against in many ways, including loss of voting rights, public housing, Medicaid benefits and federal student loans, lawmakers today need to write legislation protecting people convicted of crimes from discrimination in the labor market.

The tide is turning in the eyes of Americans about prison and mass incarceration. As it has slowly become a bipartisan issue, many people are finally realizing the moral and practical issues linked to having more people behind bars than any other nation.

After constant pressure from legal and civil rights activists, President Barack Obama announced Nov. 2, 2015, he would sign an executive action calling for federal agencies to “ban the box.”

The impact of this executive action may impact far more people than many realize. According a story by Kai Wright in The Nation, 65 million people had a

16

ONTAP

criminal record in the U.S. in 2010. This figure works out to about 28 percent of the U.S. population, a staggering number by any measure.

Another staggeringly high number is the percentage of large employers who use background checks to screen potential new employees. According to the same article in The Nation, more than 90 percent of large employers use background checks.

The trouble with this high number of employers using background checks is the stigmas against people with a criminal record, felony or misdemeanor. Only about 40 percent of employers said they would “definitely” or “probably” accept an application from somebody with a criminal record.

Many people might reflexively say this is what people convicted of a crime deserve. An all too common response is simply that these people should’ve thought about this before they committed a crime. However, not only is this line of thinking arbitrarily vindictive, it’s also incredibly impractical.

VSU

english—

It’s long been hypothesized that poverty and unemployment exacerbate crime. The narrative of a man so poor he is forced to steal a loaf of bread to feed his family is one most are familiar with it. However, this is more than just a fictional story – it’s one many experts believe illustrates one of the root causes of crime.

As Aristotle famously said, “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.”

The obvious reason people have hypothesized this relationship between poverty and crime is illustrated by the story above. Without a legitimate way to provide for themselves or their family, a person may see the benefits of crime outweigh the risks. When it comes to unemployment, people who already have a legitimate paying job have no need to resort to crime. On top of this, an unemployed person doesn’t have to fear losing their job or steady income if arrested or convicted of a crime.

Ex-offenders face many difficulties when trying to reintegrate into society, and this link between unemployment and poverty with crime certainly has a role in the high recidivism rates in the U.S. Although the exact rate is hard to pinpoint, one source stated that about is two-thirds of prisoners are rearrested within three years.

In addition to the impracticality and self-harming nature of this discrimination, the Equal Opportunity Commission has declared that blanket bans are a Civil Rights violation. Given that minorities are disproportionately affected by mass incarceration, advocates of Ban-the-Box and protections for ex-offenders see this discrimination as a huge problem.

These blanket bans of hiring ex-offenders is not a particularly old practice.

The massive expansion in employers using background checks started after 911. The loophole Congress provided was intended for transportation and security work, but states seized on this opportunity. Soon states began manipulating licensing rules and state laws, to the point that former felons are now banned from

more than 800 occupations.

If an ex-offender is lucky enough to find a job, a whole new set of issues arise.

There is evidence to suggest that some employers may hire people with a record because they know ex-offenders are willing to work long and hard hours under poor conditions for little pay. On top of this, employers will pay ex-offenders under the table, meaning it’s untaxed.

This systematic discrimination against ex-offenders also has a notable economic impact on the U.S. According to a report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, this discrimination means the U.S. loses upwards of $65 billion because these ex-offenders aren’t working and in turn not paying taxes. On top of this lost economic output, there are the costs of court, incarceration and the money that could’ve been taxed had the ex-offenders been working.

Ex-offenders, who have already paid their debt, deserve a chance to succeed.

Instead of helping ex-offenders find a way to support themselves, gain self-worth and become productive, tax-paying members of society, we make it harder for them to gain an education by denying them federal loans, make it harder for them to find a job, and then we deny them access to basic necessities like housing, food and medical care.

When these people feel like outcasts from a system that sets them up for failure, they will likely assume their roles as outcasts and resort to what they know: committing crimes as a means of subsistence. In other words, these vengeful practices of discrimination leave ex-offenders with little choice to succeed after their conviction, creating a vicious cycle.

Thus, we make crime more appealing to them, and in essence, actually increase crime and recidivism.

In light of these facts, it’s time to right this wrong and end this arbitrary, vindictive and self-harming practice of discriminating against people with a record.

Federal law makers have not only a moral obligation, but a practical one.

17

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

How to Land That Job

Five tips to prepare you for job interviews and how to impress a potential employer.

By Geneva Crooks | Photography by Joshua Abbott

Most College students are alike in some of the struggles they go through, such as dealing with difficult professors, cars in need of repairs, overages at some apartments, and overbearing parents. One word that would describe the bulk of struggling students is the word “broke.” These students are in a place in their lives where they haven’t figured everything out yet and don’t have to have everything figured out yet. So while they’re in that in between, they usually need a way of supporting themselves. After searching for a company that is hiring and working on the job applications, what’s next? I have had quite

18

ONTAP

VSU

english—

some success when it comes to getting a job. Here are a few things you can do that can help you sound and look interesting to hiring employers.

STEP 1: MAKE YOUR RESUME LOOK APPEALING

Resumes are documents that many employers like to read before contacting you for an interview. Your resume should tell employees why you’re a well-rounded person with qualities of a hard worker, such as experience, community service and schooling. Make sure that you think about awards, dean’s list, extracurricular activities, previous jobs, and internships that you have participated in. Keep in mind, only list achievements that you are proud of. It is also a good idea to add a small headshot photo of yourself in your resume for employers know exactly who they’re referring to before meeting you.

These things in your resume can make you stand out from the other people who applied. Make yourself look like the best candidate for the job.

STEP 2: INTRODUCE YOURSELF

STEP 3: DRESS FOR THE OCCASION

When you finally get that call back for an interview you may feel like you’ve already got the job. After the excitement of the call, there is a certain way that you should present yourself in order for the employers to favor you. This then depends on the type of company you’re interviewing for. For example, good attire at a fast food job for a guy would be a nice polo and pleated khakis. Nice attire for a female at an office interview would be pressed slacks with a pretty blouse. Also make sure that you are not overly dressed, and not under-dressed when arriving to the interview. The worst thing you can do when going to an interview is look unprofessional.

STEP 4: BE YOURSELF

It is always a good idea for the employer to be able to put a face with the name.

Stop by the company’s location during the less busy hours of the day and ask for the manager if he or she is available. Make sure you are dressed presentable or professional, smell nice, and have your on best smile. When you meet the manager, make sure to emphasize how much you would appreciate the opportunity to work for the company. Also give the manager your resume. This is a way to get that manager to recognize your abilities first hand.

19

Let go of all your nervousness and insecurities. Be honest with your interviewer; let them know what’s different about you. Identify yourself as different in a good way from other interviewees and make sure that you are one to remember. Be happy, excited and as personable as possible. Act as if you have been given the job before you get it. These tips are a sure way to get you that job you’ve been hoping for.

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

Not Quite 13 Ways of Looking at an Author

Lunch & Dinner with Jane Smiley. Sharing writing tips and recipes with a Pulitzer Prize winner.

By Haylee Friel | Photography by Roberto Leal

It is a surprisingly cool fall midday for southern Georgia when I arrive to The Bleu Café downtown. I’m earlier than the anticipated 11:45 meet time, and it’s almost disconcerting to see all the disruptions of the local area: loud construction for two entire business fronts, and, in the span of ten minutes, three ambulances fly by with blasting sirens. Probably not the picturesque downtown Valdosta that anyone had expected when planning the Café for a lunch spot, but the scene changes dramatically when stepping through the door.

With a full bar lining the right interior of the building and a row of built-in seats facing tables on the left, the thick walls of the 1940s style shop muffle the bustle of the outside world with a gentle backdrop of a mix-hits radio station. Not expecting a group, the waiter is entirely gracious in helping us push together three of the separate tables, and the rest of the lunch party arrives before the guest of honor does. There are five of us in all, two professors, two creative writing students including myself, and an interested library staff member also anxious for the visit. When Jane Smiley and her host Dr. Jeff Vasseur arrive, it brings our group to seven. I’m lucky enough to have the seat across from her.

While pictures of Smiley usually express a petite seeming woman with a bright smile, they do little to portray her actual presence. She’s slender, yes--but she’s also over six feet tall. It doesn’t make her intimidating as much as it does impressive and to a creative mind, it’s not hard to imagine the words of her sixteen novels flowing from long, scrupulous fingers. Introductions are made; the girl to my right works in the library and is a longtime fan. They talk lightly before she professes to Smiley that her favorite book was The Greenlanders, which no one else at the table has had the opportunity to read. Smiley seems to perk up at this, and it lifts her expression into what seems to be a nostalgic smile, “There’s always one.”

It doesn’t take long for one of the professors to direct the conversation to Smiley’s more recent books, her Some Luck trilogy. The final novel in the trilogy was released on October 20th of this year. “It’s truly impressive to write three books in eighteen months. How did you do it?”

“Oh, I didn’t,” Smiley says, and it is immediately evident she is an author who does not mince words in writing or aloud. She speaks as succinctly as she writes with an unwavering, factual tone that leaves no room to question the elasticity of her tone or words. “It took me five years; they were only published in eighteen months.”

A professor shifts a little in his seat, surprised by the answer, but is quick with another question: “Were you ever tempted to just go back to an earlier book and rewrite it, with your success after A Thousand Acres?”

Smiley actually pauses at this question, but only for a moment, before linking her fingers together at the edge of the table. “There have been several authors that have

20

ONTAP

VSU

english—

21

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

been tempted to rewrite their works, like Yeats did with his prose. I’m not one of them.”

There’s no surprise that Smiley, a vetted academic who received her PhD in English from University of Iowa, would reference William Butler Yeats, famous for both his influential poetry of the early 20th century as well as his habits of rewriting his own works so much that later versions often had completely different meanings. She continues after the waiter refills her glass, strictly water. “You can’t be a novelist and a perfectionist because the novel isn’t perfect.”

The conversation draws to a close as everyone orders their food: nachos, tacos, and chicken-avocado sandwiches. We both order a Maui taco-- calamari, and she professes she loves trying calamari at new places. With the subject of food fresh on our minds, I ask: “Food seems to play a pretty big part in the detail of a lot of the family times during your novels.

Are there any foods you’d consider your favorite in them?”

“Not in particular, but I’ve got a few favorites. I’ve really enjoyed eggplant parmesan recently. It’s frying the eggplant in the oven at 450 degrees with parmesan

22

ONTAP

over it. Oh, but better than that, I like to make veal in nut sauce. It’s an ounce of shredded parmesan, an ounce of olive oil, and an ounce of walnuts. Saute the veal in a pan, then remove it and pour in the sauce and a cup of half and half. Squeeze in a lemon and put the veal back in--you can tell it’s done when the veal doesn’t stick.”

She tells us that she only gets veal from a local butcher shop and only a couple times a year; it’s a stricter shop that makes sure the lamb spends time outside and with its mother beforehand. It’s a humanist side of her that can be found in her works such as the tongue-in-cheek humor novel Moo. I trade her recipe for my own for spinach-artichoke stuffed bread.

“My husband would kill me if I didn’t mention Trenton tomato pie,” she adds as an afterthought. “He’s from Trenton, and it’s his favorite. Crust, with cheese on first, then tomatoes, the canned ones with the juice squeezed out. We went back to Trenton a few years ago, and he was heartbroken when we found most of the little tomato pie places from his childhood had closed up.”

“Your husband,” another professor steps in, “he helps you proofread your

VSU

english—

novels, doesn’t he?”

“Actually, I read them aloud to him to test them. He has dyslexia and auditory processing disorder, so the novel was a new experience for him,” she gestures to a professor on her right, and while he’s processing the surprise of a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist marrying someone who is not an avid reader, the food arrived.

After lunch, Smiley and Vasseur tour Valdosta, and I see them again for dinner.

At 306 North, there is a larger audience; we have the largest table sequestered behind a partition. I’m the only student in a crowd of twelve: ten professors host the dinner. Smiley sits to my right, just off center with her back to a wall of dated European newspapers and art. The snazzy modernist beer menu from Cafe Bleu is replaced with a pressed, printed wine list.

She orders water again, and the professor across from her wastes no time in asking a question he’s undoubtedly been holding for a while. “When you were judging for the Man Booker International Prize, how did you decide a winner out of all of the submissions?”

Smiley seems to restrain a smile although it’s easy to see it working its way through. “Well, the other judges and myself played several rounds of ‘Not in My Lifetime’ to narrow down the submissions. If we knew one of us wouldn’t vote for it, no matter what, it was rejected.”

The thought of the judges playing games with the potential winning piece worth £50,000 sent a chuckle through the surrounding company, and orders were taken again.

Conversation fades to the surrounding factions of teachers, and I ask a question I’ve been curious about as well, as a creative writing student. “Is there anything you find difficult to write, or that you struggle with?”

“Not anymore,” she replies with an envious conviction. “There are things I

23

used to have difficulty with, but it’s not hard anymore.”

“Like what?” I question, not to be deterred.

“Well, it was difficult to write the crackpot in ‘Private Life.’ He’s styled after a relative of mine, but I had trouble with him.”

The professor on my other side presses Smiley about this character, and she takes a sip of water and tells us a story: “Well, he’s similar to my great uncle, Thomas Jefferson Jackson See. He was a crackpot theorist with Newtonian ideals in a time they were outdated. After his wife died, he bought a ticket to the Nobel Institute.

He was convinced his theories should have earned him a Nobel Prize, and they were very polite to him, but he didn’t receive one. Two years later, he was convinced they’d made some sort of mistake.”

She sipped water and continued.

“So, he bought a second ticket, and when he arrived, the institute gathered all of the janitors on staff and grounds keepers, dressed them professionally like doctors and had them listen to a speech he delivered on his theories. He still didn’t receive a prize. When I was researching him, I actually had someone tell me, ‘Don’t write about him. He was too crazy, you’ll revive him.’”

Laughter erupted from the professors closest again, amused by the tale, and the first course of dinner arrives. While the meal was wonderful, the wait for food had pushed the group close to the deadline for her Thursday evening speaking engagement in the Student Union Theatre, and there was scarcely time to converse over food before she was standing behind the podium, answering one student’s question about what aspirations Smiley has had since her career began: “I’ve known what I’ve wanted to write all along: an epic, a romance, a tragedy, and a comedy.”

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

Georgia: East Coast’s New Hollywood “And, cut!” Zombieland’s director Ruben Fleischer calls from behind the camera.

Through his lens, he can see Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin lowering their prop weapons as they slowly fall out of character and relax during their momentary break between scenes.

By Hayley Mallary | Illustration by Joshua Abbott

The scene’s setting is Los Angeles’ fictional amusement park “Pacific Playland,” deserted and dilapidated after the movie’s zombie apocalypse.

Though the scene in the movie takes place in California, the four internationally known actors are standing smack-dab in the middle of none other than Valdosta, Georgia’s own Wild Adventures theme park.

In all honesty, Georgia is usually one of the last places on people’s minds when thinking of popular ‘filming locations’ the

24

ONTAP

majority of people’s minds go straight to the obvious: California and New York.

While a huge number of films are produced in those states, within the last ten years or so, Georgia has become a popular filming location for many successful movies and television shows alike.

Whether the film is based in the past, present, or future, producers have easily made themselves at home in Georgia, the state providing studios and locations that are accommodating to a wide variety of genres.

VSU

english—

Upon finding out that Georgia has recently become a well-known filming location, the typical film critics may not give the Peach State much credit – and who could really blame them? Plenty of movies can be filmed in Georgia. That doesn’t mean they have to be popular, globally-known ones, right? Well, to all you doubt-filled people out there, I am here to tell you one very important fact: you are wrong. Georgia has been home to the filming of everything from sports movies, (42, Trouble with the Curve) comedies (The Internship, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Vacation, Identity Thief, Anchorman 2, and The Duff ), religious-centric movies (Fireproof, as well as most of the Sherwood Pictures productions, and 2015’s 90 Minutes in Heaven), to action-drama films (Furious 7, Prisoners, and Need for Speed).

Zombieland (2009) is one of the most recent and most successful movie to come out of Georgia. To be fair, audiences and critics alike didn’t have very high expectations before its release, but Zombieland defied all presumptions and went on to become the now second highest grossing zombie film in the United States, only falling behind to 2013’s World War Z. Other films that fall under the science-fiction genre that have been filmed in Georgia include: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire; The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 & 2; The Divergent Series: Insurgent; as well as the series’ third sequel The Divergent Series: Allegiant, which is set to be released in March of 2016. The new alien-invasion movie, The 5th Wave, which will come out in January 2016 is expected to join these blockbusters.

Marvel has always been a booming company, growing more and more every single year. For the production of a few of their movies, they are some of the many that have relocated their filming to Georgia. A couple of Georgia’s own Marvel creations are this year’s Ant-Man and next year’s anticipated continuation of the Captain America series, Captain

America: Civil War. Though movies have become a huge revenue in Georgia recently, Georgia has also been accommodating to wildly-popular television shows. AMC’s incredibly successful zombie-apocalypse series The Walking Dead is based in Georgia, as well as filmed here, showcasing multiple noticeable landmarks around the Griffin/ Atlanta area. The Vampire Diaries, and its spin-off series The Originals have been filming in Atlanta and Milledgeville since the beginning of the series. MTV’s popular werewolf comedy-drama series Teen Wolf moved it’s filming to Georgia after initial production costs in California were too steep for a pilot show series, but have since relocated back to Los Angeles after the series became more successful.

For years, New York City and Los Angeles have been thought of as the headquarters of the film industry, but over the past decade or so, our low-key little Peach State has successfully put itself on the map with it’s lower-budget production costs, high-end studios, and beautiful scenery. All I have to say is, Hollywood better watch their back, because year to year Georgia continues to rise in the ranks of the film industry.

25

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

26

ONTAP

VSU

english—

Red Door Records Presents: Cinema Downtown Although Valdosta’s restaurants are growing and the college bar scene in Remerton is still vibrant, we all still question what there really is to do here.

By Larianne Kolb | Photography by Bryce France

Being that Valdosta is a college town and is fairly large, it is strange that events happen seldom and interesting places are hard to find. However, a new venue has everyone talking.

Being that Ashley Cinemas, or as most called it, “the dollar theater,” is now closed, college students have a tough time finding things to do without dropping $11.50 on a movie at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas. These tickets are expensive and, buying anything from the concessions will have someone spending upwards of $20 total.

Yes, there are those movies that just have to be seen in theaters, but in reality, not many college students can afford to go very often.

Downtown Valdosta has experienced a recent surge in popularity due to its different restaurants, bars, and shops. One shop in particular, Red Door Records, has been in Valdosta for years. It faded out of sight for awhile, but now is coming back with a bang.

27

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

Not only has Red Door Records moved back downtown from its previous location on Baytree Road, but they have a stunning new building with tons of extras. Red Door Records’ newest addition is a quaint theater, Cinema Downtown. It features a room with 40 seats where guests can relax and watch films in a small, classy setting. If that isn’t enough, the theater also serves beer, wine, and food. Cinema Downtown is not a separate venue, but an extension of Red Door Records. As the owner, Jessica Donaldson said, “It is a record store by day, cinema by night.”

This Cinema Downtown is a perfect spot for a date night or just a casual night out with friends without spending a fortune.

Here, tickets are $8, and the show times are at 7 pm and 10 pm, Tuesday through Sunday, with a matinee at 3 pm. Donaldson has a vision of opening the theater up for VSU students to show short films they make. This is a great opportunity for Mass Media and Art majors to showcase their work. Donaldson said that tickets to this type of event will be less than the usual ticket cost. She also plans to have events at Cinema Downtown, especially around holidays. A variety of films will be shown at Cinema Downtown. Donaldson said that she does not have a specific audience she is catering to; she wants people of all ages to attend, including families. In addition to traditional concessions, such as candy and popcorn, guests can enjoy a small meal with the movie. Cinema Downtown serves food items selected from Bleu Café’s menu. So, after dinner here or at one of downtown Valdosta’s restaurants, enjoy a movie and maybe a beer or a glass of wine.

Follow Red Door Records’ Instagram and Facebook account for showing dates.

28

ONTAP

VSU

english—

29

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

30

ONTAP

VSU

english—

The Best Doggone Way to Relieve Stress

Sometimes all you need is a little belly scratch or wagging tail to relieve stress. An exploration of how dogs help stress relief.

By Hayley Mallary | Photography by Elena Best

To any college student suffering from stress due to loads of homework, impending exams, difficult professors, grueling deadlines – so, basically, all of you – I come bearing solutions. I know from firsthand experience what it feels like to literally – and I mean literally – not have enough hours in the day to get everything done when it’s due. I think that at some point or another in each of our college careers, we will all experience those days. Whether you’re worrying over work, or feeling particularly homesick, there is one simple answer that most people overlook: dogs.

31

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

That’s right, I said it: dogs. It is such a simple solution that it’s almost embarrassing. Though house pets are sure to be helpful when you need a quick cuddle, not every college student is able to have pets in their living quarters, and that’s the rub.

Or is it? Multiple college campuses across the U.S. have tried on the therapy dog programs, and liked the way that they fit. Yes, I know that occasionally we have

Therapy dogs, not to be confused with service dogs – which are trained and certified to perform tasks for people with disabilities – provide emotional support through the affection and devotion that only a dog can truly provide.

32

ONTAP

a couple of therapy dogs around campus during finals week. That’s great, it really is. But what about those people who are stressed more than one week out of the semester? If there was a poll by raised hands right now, both of mine would be way, way up.

I stress out easily, and I know I’m not the only one. Two papers, three projects and an online assignment due this Friday?! Stressful. Closing at work four nights this week with at least three days’ worth of homework to get done by tomorrow morning? Super stressful. A fifteen-page paper due the same week I have to go home for my sibling’s birthday, and the dropbox isn’t open until the day it’s due? Ultra stressful. Seriously, don’t even get me started.

The problem is, school isn’t the only thing that stresses me out. My personal life, my work life, and my social life all factor in to my school life, and all together, they make a pretty big mess. Sometimes I just need to relax, and take a breather. Not talking to anyone, not with anyone, just me: cool, calm, and collected.

VSU

english—

It just so happens that cool, calm, and collected do not happen to fall under the definition of me, and I know I’m not alone on that one.

Therapy dogs, not to be confused with service dogs – which are trained and certified to perform tasks for people with disabilities – provide emotional support through the affection and devotion that only a dog can truly provide. Like I said before, not all students are able to have house pets. So, as a solution, I think that our Valdosta State University should greatly consider creating a full-time fall and spring semester therapy dog program.

According to scientific studies conducted at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, human-animal interaction is proven to reduce aggression, reduce depression promote a positive mood, reduce fear and anxiety, promote calmness, and also have positive effects on a person’s blood pressure and heart rate. Taking a look around just a few of my classes, I can think of at least thirty people off the top of my head that would benefit greatly from this, and I’m only

33

one person. Those people know people too, and so on. If Valdosta State University created a permanent therapy dog program, it would impact so many people’s lives in a positive way. Studies have shown that over 70% of subjects felt immensely more relaxed having only petted a dog for less than five minutes.

Imagine if there were scheduled times you could set up to not only pet the dog, but play with the dog. Ideally, there could be an hour or less stress relief sessions that fit into your work/school schedules.

Sounds like the dream, to me.

Ohio’s Kent State University was the first college to jumpstart a pet therapy program. Back in 2005, Kathy Adamle proposed the idea to the College Board, getting the idea for the program after walking her dogs around the school’s campus and seeing the positive reactions from the students. The school initially shot her down, worried about liability issues and the cost – both of which aren’t an issue with the program. The dogs are all trained and certified for the therapy program, and owners volunteer their dogs to join the program appropriately named Dogs on Campus. Since the program has been approved by the school, the dogs now do everything from random visits to appointments. They even visited one of the campus dorms after one of the residents committed suicide. According to research that Adamle conducted, 91% of pet owners consider their pets as members of their families. If I had quick and easy access to someone that reminded me of the comfort of my pet at home, I’d take that in a heartbeat.

The idea isn’t that far out there. It’s in reach, and very much attainable. It only takes a little push of encouragement.

Think about it: a dog is like an amazing, cuddly, fluffy stress ball that licks you when you get too close – you just can’t squeeze it too hard. But, if you ask me, dog cuddles and kisses are better than squeezing some foam ball, anyway.

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

Worth More than the Hours

Helping others in need is always a positive aspect in any community. Volunteering gives a helping hand to someone or a group of people who are in need of a better day.

By Marquez Slaughter | Photography by Joshua Abbott

College students in particular join organizations and volunteer for events to earn community service hours. A volunteering experience adds a more proficient look to a student’s resume when pursuing a job after graduating college. The importance of volunteering is actually for the student to realize they are helping themselves out by improving their own health. According to research by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), volunteers have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in their lives than a person who does not volunteer.

For some, volunteering is not about the hours, bragging-rights or credit. The community solves problems while volunteering to make the environment safer for everyone. It is about recognizing the ability of a community to come together to

34

ONTAP

VSU

english—

make a change within itself. There may be problems in the community, such as bodies of water filled with litter, children and adults without enough support, roadside litter, etc. Those are the typical volunteering experiences that can be found around most towns. Other experiences can be for fun events, such as sporting events, concerts, festivals, etc. Volunteering can be done regardless of age, gender, or race. Some volunteering experiences may have requirements, but there are also always some that fit anyone’s preference.

Another benefit of volunteering is that it strengthens the community. A person is prone to meeting more people when volunteering. When he or she meets more people, that person is likely to gain more contacts. Also, when a community comes together for a better cause, there will be laughs, developing friendships, and remarkable memories. The more that people get to know and volunteer with each other in their communities, the less-likely a crime would happen, due to neighborhoods coming together for one goal. This is proven by Warren Friedman in his research journal Volunteerism and the Decline of Violent Crime.

Volunteering improves a volunteer’s life by guiding that person to obtaining a mature mindset. It is the best way for a person to realize how their own life is compared to someone’s less fortunate habits or more fortunate habit. The experience gives a feeling of appreciating

35

life more and also helping out more. Enlightening someone’s life positively and being appreciated for it is a motive to feel better about one’s self. Once a person feels better internally about his or her self it increases the chances of that person showing that improvement externally.

Mercedes Holly, president of Valdosta State University’s Heart 2 Heart Organization, has the duty of running a mentoring program for K-12 students. The college students in this organization go to the Robert L Jenkins Community Center in the Hudson Dockett Apartments and assist the children with their homework. On Fridays the college students conduct their mentoring programs Boyz 2 Men and Diamonds in the Rough.

“Initially I feel a tad bit accomplished knowing that I helped them [children] better their lives,” Holly said. “But then the feeling of remorse is that realistically all of those kids will not make it out that neighborhood.” Others in the organization would agree with the statement of Holly.

There is no problem with gaining community service hours to obtain a job in the future. The problem is volunteering just to get by, and writing your name down on a sign-in sheet without putting in hard worked hours to actually help a community solve problems and improve.

A volunteering experience is about actually caring about another person and giving them a reason to smile.

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

36

ONTAP

VSU

english—

What Color Are You? “Crime Coefficient” is the title of the first episode of the Pyscho Pass. Crime coefficient is a term that is both intriguing and ominous.

By Patrice Williams | Illustration by Christopher Cagle

37

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

How do crime and coefficient fit together? Well, the first thought by the majority would probably be statistics of different crimes; however, that is not exactly correct. For the people who live in a Sibyl governed world, it can mean a life or death sentence.

Fresh from the Police Academy is Inspector Akane Tsunemori. Big brown eyes, small, timid, and soft spoken, Akane seems plain. Since she is the new girl to the squad, her unnoticeable characteristics are off putting. She also seems to be the stereotypical police rookie. Akane is immediately thrust into a hostage situation; none of the lessons she has studied at the academy has prepared her for the field work of the Ministry of Welfare Public Sa fe ty Bu r eau (MWPSB). I find the newbie who faces actual reality to be played out tactic to gather audience interest. MWPSB is a term not clearly explained in the first episode and I find that information should be put into the introduction episode.

In 22nd Century Japan, state of mind and personality traits are computed into numbers and linked to colors. The number that is computed by the Sibyl System is supposed to reflect a person’s collective personality traits and is called a crime co-efficient. A color is assigned to a number range. For example, crime co-efficients from zero to twenty are labeled with a white hue color. This white hue is the clearest psycho-pass color a person can have and is also the lowest range of numbers computed. These aspects of the Sibyl System are called Psycho-Pass.

Only crime co-efficients and the Sibyl System are mentioned briefly in

the conversation between Akane and Ginoza Nobuchika, the senior inspector, which can make the audience confused or interested in the mystery. It takes a couple more episodes for the audience to connect crime co-efficients and colors to a persons’ psycho pass. This seems a bit tedious but enjoyable for a person that likes guessing.

Akane is given a dominator for a wetapon. Dominators are exclusively MWPSB weapons. To use a dominator, a person has to be a registered user and it is implanted within their eyes. I found that to be a unique concept

38

ONTAP

VSU

english—

as most sci-fi stories use special contact lenses as part of the weapon system.

Dominators have built-in psycho-pass scanners that determines what mode the weapon will use. Crime co-efficients over 200 indicates a person as a latent criminal and automatically sets dominators to lethal mode.

The audience learns about the different modes when Akane is introduced to the Enforcers—a grey moral area. Latent criminals whose talents outshine their psycho-pass are made into enforcers.

There are four enforcers that are assigned to Unit 1 and are introduced briefly to the audience. I found that the introductions could have been executed better. Instead of showing all of the

enforcers at once, the episode could have just focused on Shinya Kogami. The episode seems to forget about them anyway (even Nobuchika) as they do not pop back up until the end.

Shinya Kogami is an enforcer put underneath Akane’s supervision. According to Sibyl, latent criminals cannot exist outside the facility without someone controlling them. I found this disturbingly similar to today’s government in the way it treats prisoners. Akane’s inspector status allows her to kill or shock Kogami into submission should he disobey her orders. Akane finds this out when she stops Kogami from killing the hostage by paralyzing him. Not only does Akane’s power preside over Kogami but any enforcer in Unit 1. Akane had no idea her power over enforcers would extend this much and is horrified at this revelation.

It seems improbable that the police academy failed to mention this to stu-

39

ONTAP

dents but this could be a way to showcase Akane’s nativity.

The hostage indicates another grey area of society. While Unit 1 tries to find the criminal holding the hostage, the serial killer (Okura) keeping the hostage rapes her and beats her as well. Because of the trauma, the woman’s psycho-pass goes over 200 and she is a subject for execution according

t o Sibyl. Does this seem fair to you?

Despite Kogami’s warning before passing out, Akane talks to the hostage until she calms down from her hysterics. This was a very tense scene that showed the seriousness of Sibyl’s judgment and the thinking of Kogami as an enforcer.

“Crime Co-efficient” does a great job in setting up the internal conflicts for Akane. It also shows the power of the Sibyl system without explaining it in detail and lets the audience piece information for themselves. However, introductions to the other characters are lackluster. The graphics for the show are also very high definition and the music is memorable to the series. With the knowledge of dominators and crime co-efficients it makes the audience question moral guidelines. According to Sibyl what color would you be?

ONTAP—spring 2016

Gaming on A Budget

If you’ve ever picked up a controller and fallen hard for the world of video games, then you’re probably aware of one crucial fact: video games are expensive, sometimes ridiculously so.

By Haylee Friel | Photography by Joshua Abbott

40

ONTAP

VSU

english—

With the latest generation of consoles, and the new revelations of PC gaming possibilities, games can run around $60 for a popular new release, and up to the thousands for the machines to play them on. The question on most college gamers’ minds is evident: how can I afford my expensive habit?

Speaking from a gamer’s point of view, there is more than one way to pinch pennies and still boast an impressive collection and all the bragging rights that come with it. This is how to game, on a budget.

PC / MAC GAMES - STEAM: If you’re familiar with gaming on a computer, then you’ve probably heard of Steam. If you haven’t, Steam is a gaming platform that hosts thousands of computer games—from 7 Days to Die to Zuma, if a game has been released in the last decade for computers, Steam probably has it for sale. The program also conveniently launches all of your games, and saves your purchases to your account. Hard drive crashes, and you lose everything? Your games are safe to download to a new computer. There’s no need for keeping up with CDs and software keys to install them. Steam is the best place to start for most of your gaming needs. A few key points to keep in mind when buying games from steam are the great prices you can get from the following:

STEAM SUMMER/WINTER SALE: One of the most famous features of Steam are the bi-yearly large sales the store hosts. The discounts on popular games and pre-orders sometimes reach up to 95 percent.

These sales often last over a week, with new deals daily and the chance to vote on games you’d like to have discounted.

It’s best to wait for these sales for big name games, and even smaller indie publications, as it’s easy to get a game that costs $30+ for around $5-10 instead. For PC and Mac gamers, these Steam sales are not to be missed.

PC / MAC GAMES – GOG: While GOG does not have a snazzy launcher like Steam boasts, its deals and prices may, on many instances, be lower. GOG.com focuses its products on selling DRM-free games; while you may pay a higher price for digital rights management games, at GOG, the prices are lower without the restrictions. While GOG may not boast as wide of a game array, due to many companies restricting their games to prevent the copying of their software, it’s a great place to find sales of over 50 percent off on their titles. The benefit of GOG’s games, though, is the aspect of more "control” over your gaming collection. Files are separate to manage and maintain, and are not interfered with should there be an interruption in GOG’s services. You’re not limited to how many computers can play those games at once, either.

PC / MAC GAMES: Humble Bundle: Humblebundle.com is a charity run organization that helps charities by selling Steam keys, digital rights management (DRM)free games, and occasionally games hosted from other sellers—for as little as $10 for a bundle of 10+ games. The Humble Bundle gathers steam keys and massively discounts them by putting them in a “Bundle” for literally pennies on the dollar, and the bundles change monthly and weekly. The bundles can include content from big names like Square Enix and Tom Clancy, to smaller themes like independent releases from Japan, with many games including digital content like soundtracks and art books. They also often have sales on their Humble Store, sometimes up to 90 percent off for steam keys and other content.

41

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

CONSOLE GAMES – GAMESTOP: Gamestop’s reputation with gamers has suffered over the last few years with trade-in values at an all time low, and “used” game prices are often only a few dollars lower than their new prices (here’s looking at you, next gen console games). Gamestop hardly seems like the first place people think of when they’re trying to save a dollar on their gaming addiction.

However, there’s also a sale period known only by the wonderful savings allotted to customers: Buy One, Get One Free, or “BOGO”. Gamestop is well known for the B2G1 instead. In times of overstock, Gamestop stores may even do a Buy Two, Get Two sale. This is the best period to go and buy “newer” games. For the price of two new, expensive games, you’ll get four instead. For older games, Gamestop will often “bundle” them in sales where you can usually get three games for $10.

42

ONTAP

CONSOLE GAMES – PAWN SHOPS: While pawn shops aren’t most people’s first destination for game shopping, pawn shops are actually often priced by people who want to sell the games in their inventory quickly, so their prices on used games usually run $5-10 cheaper than average store prices at Gamestop and other videogame dealers. They’re also a good place to buy used consoles for up to $50 less than their used prices in other places.

Pawn shops are also usually open to the concept of “haggling” for prices. Find five games you like on their shelf? They’re likely to give you a nice discount for buying bulk.

VSU

english—

CONSOLE GAMES – ONLINE PURCHASING: Sites like amazon.com and ebay.com are also well known for their sales on physical copies of games. At any given time you may find someone selling off a copy of a game you want for cheap, or find percentage discounts through online shopping. However, your prices aren’t necessarily limited to just these shopping networks; sites like dell.com and bestbuy.com will also price match with their major competitors like Walmart, just by providing a customer service representative with links to the games where they can be bought for cheaper.

With consoles and computers alike, the biggest thing for a gamer on a budget is price. So sometimes it may be worth waiting for those big sales; by the time you buy it, there may have been critical updates and additions of DLC to enjoy in exchange for the wait. These are however, just a few ways you can save when you’re pinching pennies while rescuing your prince or princess.

43

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

Veganism There has been a lot of buzz lately about the vegan diet, from documentaries such as Food Inc., Fat Sick and Nearly Dead and Vegucated.

By Veronica You | Photography by Eliza Reyes

There are many people who aspire to follow such a diet. Vegans do not consume any animal flesh or any product that comes from an animal. This includes dairy products, butter, and eggs. Some wonder how anyone can follow such a strict lifestyle and there are many questions raised by people such as, “How do you survive without meat? Humans need protein to survive”, “How do you get your calcium without milk”, and, “Being vegan is so expensive, how do you afford it?” Upon interviewing a vegan of over five years we can answer some of these questions among other questions some may have

44

ONTAP

about this lifestyle choice.

A little about the person being interviewed, her name is Shelly Smith, an animal lover and rights activist, vegetarian for over ten years now and a vegan for five years. She originally went vegetarian to help save animals such as cows, pigs, and chickens, because she realized that these animals are no different than the common house cat or dog. When asked exactly why she chose to become a vegan her response was, “I had been vegetarian (eating eggs and dairy) for 7 years before going vegan. I was under the mistaken belief that consuming eggs and

VSU

english—

dairy wasn't cruel for the cows and chickens. Then, I found out that the dairy and egg industries are actually much worse than the slaughter industry so I stopped consuming eggs and dairy. I originally stopped eating the flesh of animals when I realized that a cow or pig or chicken or fish is no different than my dog or cat.”

The vegan diet has been touted for many health benefits such as lowered cholesterol levels, well the bad cholesterol levels and raised levels of the good kind.

People who have plant based diets also are less likely to have a heart attack or a stroke due to little to no levels of saturated or trans fats in their diets. Trans and saturated fats have been linked to increase a persons risk for heart disease.

Things such as beef products and pork products tend to be very high in saturated fats. It is also said that the average American does not consume enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, another thing that someone eating a plant based diet tends to not have an issue with. When I asked Shelly if she noted any major health changes from switching from being a meat eater to a vegetarian she noted that she didn’t keep track as she was only doing it for the animals.

When asked about health changes after becoming vegan and being vegan for almost five years now, she stated, “I did feel better, I no longer got bronchitis every year. My bloodwork and blood pressure are outstanding now. My husband lost 20 lbs just by dropping dairy and eggs from his diet.”

So there are benefits to switching to a plant based diet, one of the more popular reasons people want to give this type of lifestyle a shot is to drop a few pounds in a relatively short time. Since a typical serving of chicken (4 ounces) is 120 calories and a similar sized portion of beef is closer to 150-170 calories; although switching these foods to leafy greens fruits and vegetables you get a much bigger portion of food for a similar caloric intake.

Other benefits of the vegan diet are

increased nutritional intake, those who eat more fruits, vegetables, and legumes tend to have more antioxidants in their diets as well as a high fiber intake. Antioxidants fight against free radicals in your body, free radicals cause the skin and body to age and antioxidants help reduce free radicals within the body. A diet high in fiber is also linked to weight loss due to the fact that it has been proven that fiber helps keep you feeling full for longer periods of time after eating. It also helps keep your digestive system running well and keeps your system from getting backed up and clogged up.

There are a good bit of people who would like to try and move towards a plant based diet, although things such as cost, fear and convenience make a lot of people shy away from trying to live a plant based lifestyle. While talking to Shelly she gave me a few tips for those who are thinking about switching to a plant based diet to help them stick to it through the first couple weeks. She says the first couple weeks of switching from a traditional diet to a plant based one is hard because the body is cleansing itself of the animal products and high fat diet that you are accustomed to, but once your body has adjusted to not eating meat and dairy products, you tend to feel more energized and notice that your skin will have a more natural glow due to the increased antioxidant intake in your new plant based diet. Shelly recommends those who feel like quitting on their journey towards a plant based diet to stay educated, watch videos about how animals are slaughtered, and about how many added hormones and antibiotics are added to the meat you eat daily. She recommends watching documentaries and educating yourself on where your food really comes from and that really helped her stay on course with her plant based diet. She also says that its about dedication, if you really want to do it you will stay motivated on your journey no matter how difficult it is.

45

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

Staying Balanced

College is your opportunity to learn more about yourself, connect with others, and increase your knowledge.

By Ayanna Taylor | Photography by Joshua Abbott

If used the right way, college can be a chance for massive growth, and if you can find a way to balance your work, school, and social life you can succeed in your academic, professional life and your personal one.

There is a lot going on for you. There is school, there is work, there is life, there is love, there is learning about who you are separate from your parents, and deciding what you want to do with your life. If you are looking for tools that you can use to find your work- life- school balance, here are three. By implementing these tools, you can succeed in all the different areas of your life, and have fun while doing it.

46

ONTAP

VSU

english—

1: MANAGE YOUR TIME

There is a way to both have fun and get your work done, and it is through planning and consciously managing your time. To do this, buy a planner, or start making daily to do lists —whether the list is in your mind or on paper, it will help you organize and prioritize your responsibilities. There are 24 hours in a day. If you are not consciously dividing up your time, you will lose it.

Be aware of the deadline for assignments and tests, and give yourself plenty of time before each due date to complete the assignment. It is good to devote at least a couple of hours per day to orga-

nizing and staying up to date on your school work, and if you have to work, you must find time to complete your assignments in the midst of your work and class schedule. If you want to go to a party, make sure you have done your work the day before or that you have time to get it done sometime before it’s due.

Simply put, know what you need to do and give yourself time to do it. Work on that paper before you go to the bar, and study for that test before you hang out with friends. Learn how to consciously make time for the things that need to get done.

2: INTERACT WITH OTHERS

College is crazy. There are things like stress and anxiety that will naturally surface as we learn how to balance our own lives, and when it comes to finding ways to keep your head on straight and overcome your homesickness, you are going to want to have people around you who you can relate to.

Valdosta State University has dozens of student organizations and groups that you can get connected with. Check out

the calendar on our website and the flyers around campus to see what types of things are going on that give you the opportunity to get out and connect with others. We have plays, art shows, Greek presentations, and research symposiums.

There is somewhere here where you can find your tribe and the group of people that will make your home away from home a great experience.

3: TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

Yes college is busy, and you may not have the time or resources to cook or buy healthy food. And you definitely don’t have the time to exercise. But when it comes to finding balance, there is no good excuse for not taking care of your body.

The freshman 15 is a real thing.

There are simple things you can do to take care of your body, and any small step towards your health is good. If you have a kitchen, you can cook for yourself, and even if you don’t have a way to cook, you can make sure to add a fruit or vegetable to as many meals as you can.

When it comes to exercise, Valdosta State offers classes in yoga, Zumba, and other things. If you are not keen on moving in front of other people, dance in

47

the privacy of your own room or go to a private gym. All that matters is that you move your body. Most forms of exercise are not only going to keep your body looking good, they are also going to release dopamine, your happy hormone, to make you feel good and more aligned.

There are many more practical ways that you can use to find your balance while learning and growing during your college experience. Some of these other options include allowing yourself space for solitude or finding ways to express yourself positively. For now, you can start with these three points: manage your time, interact with others, and take care of your body in order to stay balanced while you’re away at school.

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

Young Entrepreneurs Attending college is one of the best experiences as a young adult. You come in contact with future multi-millionaires, future business owners, inspiring actors and actresses that you may soon see on the big screen.

By Tiana Foster | Photography by Patrick Elliott

The craziest part of it all is that you do not know who that person will be. I believe that we are all capable of accomplishing our long term goals if we keep the determination and persistence to reach those goals. In my opinion, there will be many obstacles we face that might steer us from our goals but it is our responsibility to overcome our triumphs and succeed.

I had the opportunity to interview three young entrepreneurs that attend Valdosta State University. I wanted to shed light on these individuals because they are investing much of their time and money into their businesses that they hope to prosper from. The bravery and the willpower that exist in these individuals show that they are strong-willed and capable of managing and building a foun-

48

ONTAP

dation for their future.

The first person I want to recognize is Brittany Stokes, owner and CEO of Pinky Promise. Pinky Promise is a luxury virgin hair company. Brittany has been working on this project for about a year and a half and recently premiered some of her finest hair to the people for the first time in September. She provides straight, body wave, and curly extensions. These extensions are also available in 10 to 24 inches.

Brittany has been a consumer of buying pricey hair extensions and thought it would be advantageous to build her own hair company. Hair extension vendors have become a very profitable industry and is beneficial for many different selfown companies. It may be hard for some to believe, but women will invest hundreds of dollars into their hair and want

VSU

english—

to be completely satisfied with their purchases when doing so. Brittany’s main goal when first starting her business was to provide affordable hair for the common people. She noticed that everyone could not afford the pricey hair that is on the market.

When I asked Brittany what was one of her weaknesses she told me that not being able to reach outside of her school community could possibly slow her progression. Brittany stated that networking back home, Atlanta, is not a problem for her because she can receive help to network from people she already knew. On the other hand, she faced obstacles by being in Valdosta because she felt limited to only college students and not being able to promote towards everybody such as: residents of Valdosta, high school students, and others. She did not let this problem overcome her. However, Pinky Promise is available wherever through the convenience of being able to ship anywhere.

I also asked her what was one of her long term goals for her business and she responded, “Being a potential vendor for Bronner Bros Convention for Spring 2016.” Bronner Bros is a big event, that’s held in Atlanta, for hair vendors and stylist to showcase their talent and products. This young lady who is an education major has big ambitions for her hair company but says she still wants to be a teacher.

The next person I want to acknowledge is Pierre McBean, who is a Communications major with an emphasis on public relations at Valdosta State. He is a member of the well-known organization, Cheaux Love. Cheaux Love is a community service organization which includes a clothing brand, Cheaux Amor. The group is based in Atlanta, Georgia but is not limited to just this city. Their website, cheauxlove.com, introduces their clothing brand and allows personal orders to be made; releases information about their upcoming projects and much more.

The group message is to encourage unity, exercise philanthropy and love towards humanity.

As a student of VSU I’ve witness some of the programs they assembled and a few shows where they were showcasing their brand. One of my first questions for Pierre was where does his passion lie? He responded by saying, “encouraging positivity.” Pierre wishes to encourage

more individuals and promote more positivity by showing great generosity towards the less fortunate. Pierre stated that success and how the feeling of success motivates him to do all the more. Future plans for Pierre and Cheaux Love include a project for Fall 2015, Project Warm Up. Project Warm Up is a blanket drive for the homeless of Atlanta. Cheaux Love is providing blankets and also accepting clothes. A portion of Cheaux Amor apparel will help provide blankets for the less fortunate.

Internal Elevation is a new project that I have recently learned about. Founder and CEO, Ayanna Nefertaari, explained that her passion is to remind people about their freedom and power. She currently has a clothing brand and is going forth with a book which has an expected release date for early 2016. She wishes to expand her book into workshops and audio programs. Her strengths are writing and being able to connect with many different people. She also revealed that being impatient was her biggest weakness. She wants her business to be wealthy and rewarding but understands that every business takes time to flourish and become successful. Self freedom, empowerment, and being able to provide for her family are just a few things that motivate this young entrepreneur. Ayanna also revealed an important factor when conducting business: marketing.

Ayanna noted that she was afraid of not being able to understand the marketing side of her business. She seeks to hire a financial advisor because she puts so much of her effort into earning her English degree and does not want to fall short as a result of not knowing the marketing side of the business.

Ayanna has experienced rejection with people not accepting her brand and does not let this discourage her. She merely accepts it as constructive criticism and still follows her goals and lets her achievements be her stepping stone.

She recognizes Oprah Winfrey, Danielle Laporte, and any person who speaks success, especially business success, as her inspirations to continue her personal victory.

With such a strong message behind these individuals, I wish success for the young entrepreneurs and hope they continue to expand their brand.

49

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

From Shack to an Empire

Whether it is on a promotional team or in a Greek organization, nowadays everyone wants to be someone—a part of something bigger than life.

By Carlius Williams | Photography by Genevieve Kennett

I too am part of this crowd. I have wanted to create music since a young age, but no one would tolerate or entertain my dream. I had to train myself and by studying Youtube videos over a couple of years I achieved that. I watched a couple producers. My favorite producers starting out were Southside on The Track, Johnny Juliano, as well as 1500 or Nothin’. By watching them do in-studio sessions, I realized that they would mention certain sound packs and expansions, so I would

50

ONTAP

torrent them. One particular live session I saw motivated me to change my sound, and that was Gnarls Barkley’s performance at Abbey Road in 2007. I was 16 when I began to dabble in recording and producing my own music, and that session led me to expand and experiment more and find my own sound. I still have some growing to do, in the aspect of mastering and mixing down my own songs, but I have an ear for music and that sometimes sets me back, because I expect more

VSU

english—

when I pay to get my stuff mastered. Some engineers are just button pushers and don’t really know what they are doing, and that is why I decided to go into business for myself from home.

There is a large amount of Billboard charting artists who record in home studios. One particular artist is Juicy J who recorded “Bandz A Make Her Dance” in an apartment with a $100 microphone and a sock over it. The song went on to go Platinum. A lot of rappers are keeping money in their pockets by buying into the digital world and keeping in-house studios on their tour buses and engineers on call. Many artists are now in the business of ghostwriting and make a profession by making reference tracks. A reference track is a demo track that a lesser known artist will send to someone famous in the hopes that they will choose to dub over it. Many of the ghostwriters are getting publicity and even deals from doing reference tracks. There are many instances of this. One recent event of this happening is Quentin Miller writing “10 Bands,” for Drake. He later went on to sign with Drake.

It is the American Dream to become a self-made individual and build your own empire. I saw all of these different ways to achieve success, so I figure why just be a writer? Why settle for just producing?

Why not learn how to mix and master my own music and capitalize. To me, building an in-house studio is a way to keep up with the changing times. The way that social media and the music industry are changing every day, it would make sense to keep all the money used to pay an engineer who would over charge and under work. Learning how to mix and master my own music allowed me to open my own venue to produce for other artists as well.

Back in 2011 I took out a student loan and paid for my first studio set up. I was sleeping on my friend’s couch in Blanton

because instead of paying rent I bought equipment. I was convinced that I would be successful. I would stay up and make beats and research instead of study and type papers. That got me a laptop; a microphone, surround sound system, and programs that I thought would make me famous. This wasn’t enough. I flunked out and had to move back home. I eventually got a job and then I set aside a small percentage of every check until I had enough money to buy a shed from my granddad. I recorded all winter with no heater, and all summer with no air conditioner. Being that the wiring was so messed up, I only had enough power to keep my equipment on and running. Initially, I didn’t have a big enough apparatus to get everyone in and out of the studio.

Eventually, I acquired more funds, and rented out another place where I could record other people. With that, I made enough to invest in promotional services and launch my own brand, Delegated Music Group. Once business started building to the point that I could hire more people, I trained a couple of my closest friends, Demo and Synnikal, to engineer, and bought a third studio and got it up and running before returning to Valdosta in January. Now, I sell studio time to my fellow musicians for a small fee. To add, I have close ties with a couple promotional services to help promote whatever project I am involved with mixing and/or recording.

To say that building an empire is easy would be a complete fabrication. The truth of the matter is you will face many obstacles and mental blockers that will either make or break you. Along the way you will lose people who say they are here for the long ride. The important thing is to make sure to remember what you are doing and why you are doing it. Keep that hunger and that idea, and know that it is the right thing for you to be doing.

51

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

The Top 9 Mistakes Made When Studying

In the midst of a busy college life, students must find the time to go to class, work, eat, study, and somewhere in between it all, find what little time they can to squeeze in some sleep or spend time with friends.

By Candace Mitchell | Photography by Roberto Leal & Genevieve Kennett

Having this much to do can complicate our studying habits and inevitably it leads to failure (most of the time). The most important weeks in students’ college careers occur when exams are held, which for many, is unfortunately every week.

However, trying to balance all responsibilities and do well on exams can be difficult. The key to success is knowing how to study and being able to fit it into a busy schedule. So, here are the top nine mistakes students make while studying.

1. PROCRASTINATING: This is a big one.

Waiting until the last minute is something everyone does from time to time, but when it comes to exams, this should never be done. Studying early gives one time to completely understand the test material and be able to ask professors questions about it. Not procrastinating will ensure

52

ONTAP

full preparation, and not to mention, much less stress.

2. HIGHLIGHTING MATERIAL: When studying, a common strategy is to highlight important information. One may think that it is a good method of studying, but scientific study shows that is isn’t. Highlighting text is one of the worst strategies for retaining information. According to Time Magazine’s article on learning techniques “some research even indicates that highlighting can get in the way of learning; because it draws attention to individual facts, it may hamper the process of making connections and drawing inferences.” Instead of highlighting, try taking notes while reading the text or writing notes to the side of the text to help outline important material and make associations between facts.

VSU

english—

3. RE-READING MATERIAL: Another common exercise done during studying is re-reading. Similar to highlighting, this is one of the worst methods of studying. It hinders the ability to retain large amounts of information. While reading large amounts of information, one will begin to read without absorbing what was just read. A better option is making flashcards from notes. This way you can quiz yourself and ensure you know the information well.

Also, when reading text, don’t read it all at one time. Make a schedule and spread the readings out over time.

4. CRAMMING: Cramming should be avoided at all costs; however, it leads back to procrastination—everyone does it from time to time. With busy schedules, it is difficult to avoid. Yes, one can learn information needed for a test by cramming, but will usually forget it as soon as the test is turned in. College is about learning for great professions. What good is taking classes if the information is just going to be forgotten after the A shows up on a transcript? Make a studying schedule for yourself and then go over all the material the night before the test.

5. STUDYING ALONE: Studying alone can be great. Distractions are limited and one can move at his/her own pace. However, studying with a partner is definitely one of the best ways to study. Having someone to study with means actually studying ahead of time. Most of the time, partners will have to meet up at least a day before the exam. If one has a partner, he/ she has someone to be accountable to. Having a partner forces studying, and if any information is misunderstood, partners and study groups can help fill holes in information.

6. SKIMMING THROUGH TEXT: While reading heavy text, many people only skim over the material thinking they are ready.

However, skimming through text can cause one to miss important information and crucial connections within the information. Skimming will make it difficult to apply the material when needed.

53

ONTAP

ONTAP—spring 2016

7. MEMORIZING ANSWERS: The human brain is amazing when it comes to memorization. Many people have photographic memories where he/she only needs to read or hear the information once to be able to recognize it. However, this hinders the learning process. One will find it hard to apply information and think of it in context if only the correct answer is memorized. When studying, try to learn the information where it can be recalled rather than merely recognized. This will increase application ability. Quizzing yourself with flashcards will give you the ability to recall detailed information quickly. Also, if information is too detailed or dense, try using mnemonic devices to remember information.

8. STUDYING OLD EXAMS: Many students around campus have access to old exams through friends who have taken the class previously. One may think that studying from an old test will give you an A, but this is not always the case. Professors are smarter than that. They know their old tests are out there and students will study from them. In most cases the information will be changed. The best advice is to use old exams only as a guide for the formatting of the tests, not for information.

9. STUDYING FROM A COMPUTER SCREEN: When studying, print the material, or study from a book. Reading information from a computer screen leads back to the issues of re-reading and highlighting. It will be difficult to retain facts and make connections within the information; therefore, application will be much harder. Studying from a computer screen is also difficult because of something everyone is guilty of – social media. Focusing is much more difficult when access to friends, videos, and games are at the click of a finger. So, if you must study from a screen, try to avoid logging in to social media sites. This way studying will be faster and much more efficient.

54

ONTAP

to contribute an article email us at:

ontap@valdosta.edu visit us on the web at:

www.ontapvsu.com follow us: vsuontap

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram issue 13—spring 2016

Valdosta State University