On Tap Magazine Issue 15

ONTAP

issue

15—spring 2017

AN EVENING AT THE DOSTA PLAYGROUND: THE RELUCTANT DRAGON

29 AM I LOVIN' IT OR AM I WEARIN' IT?

16 MANGA: AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL

11

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Haylee Friel

CONTENTS 4

Staff Page

5

Editor's Letter

29-31

An Evening at the Dosta Playhouse: The Reluctant Dragon Haylee Friel

Haylee Friel

6-7

A Digital 'New World'

32-34

Haylee Friel

8-9

Manga: An Educational Tool

Man's Best Friend in Training: Therapy Dogs on Campus Karla Rodriguez

35

OnTap Information

Kimberly Cannon

10-11

It's What's On The Inside That Counts

36-37

Kimberly Cannon

12-13

History of Winnersville

14-15

The Death of Cable TV?

16-19

Am I Lovin' It or Am I Wearin' It?

Jyrell Wynn

Ashley Bell & Daniel Miller

Malinda Sees

20-24

V-State Blazers Home Game Schedule

25-28

The Graduate's Dilemma Geoffrey Eger

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The Importance of Learning a Second Language Nan Smith

38-39

Stop Reading! Listen to Notes Instead Rachel Martin

Staff EDITOR IN CHIEF

Haylee R. Friel MANAGING EDITOR

Daniel Miller SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Kimberly Cannon CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Joshua Abbott CONTRIBUTERS

Ashley Bell Kimberly Cannon Haylee Friel Rachel Martin Daniel Miller Karla Rodriguez Malinda Sees Nan Smith Geoffrey Eger PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kimberley Cannon Haylee Friel Karla Rodriguez FACULTY ADVISOR

Dr. Deborah Hall CONTACT

Ontap@valdosta.edu

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Editor's Letter Nothing quite prepares you for the inevitable.

Though this is my last issue with OnTap, in the last two years I have watched faces come and go and read through some of the amazing works of my peers.

As the editor for Issue 15 of OnTap, I can only be thankful for the experiences and opportunities that working with our campus magazine has offered me.

Interning, editing, and managing with OnTap has not only broadened my horizons in the professional public sphere, but it has made me keenly aware of the need of teamwork and the untapped potential among our community.

With OnTap, any student is welcome to be involved with our campus publication, whether it's writing, editing, photography, designing, or publishing. I strongly encourage you to participate with organizations like OnTap, The Spectator, Odradek, and Omnino. It isn't that difficult to spare one hour a week to give you the experience to last a life time.

Our current issue tackles a variety of student interest pieces. At our very core, we are a magazine designed to meet student expectations. As I leave Valdosta State University, I hope that reading this issue inspires the students of VSU to think about the world around them outside of their comfort zone. I challenge our readers to consider the inevitable as now and the impossible as never and wto keep pushing themselves forward.

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A Digital ‘New World’ Prevalence and Popularity of Open World Games By: Haylee Friel | Photography: Haylee Friel

The allure of the virtual world has been present since the introduction of the first game, Pong, in 1958. In 2016, games with an “open world” concept are among the best sellers with modern titles such as Fallout, Grand Theft Auto, and, in the near future, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Just what makes these games so alluring that people will pay on the upwards of $60 for a disk, or even just a digital download?

Our world has been discovered, mapped, and explored by hundreds of millions of humans before us, but through the method of expansive scenery, entire continents, and unexplored planets, the instinctive need to discover and wander is satiated at the comfort of a screen. In starting a new game, the player is embarking on an adventure that no one has gone on before—at least for that save file. Though someone else may be playing the game somewhere, it’s never the same adventure. Players will experience things at different paces. People will take different routes, they’ll do quests in different orders, they’ll find their own favorite spots on the map to linger in, and sometimes call home.

However, there are several things that make each “Open World” game a bit different, whether it’s a single player game, or one that is played with people across the world. While it’s generally agreed that open world involves no or few loading times between

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large areas of the map. For the purpose of this article, games that include partial load times for dungeons or special areas are included.

RANDOM INSTANCES Games like Skyrim and Fallout 4 boast ‘random instances’, missions or events that happen with no warning through the entire map. There’s a chance of a scene triggering on a play-through that won’t happen every time, or will only happen when certain conditions are met.

Some of these can be repeated if found again, but many will be triggered once, then never again. The choices made on these quests affect the development of the player’s character, and bring another unique experience to the game. Random instances bring freshness to the player experience; they keep players on their toes while travelling to areas they’ve

been to before, keeping the story and game lively and increasing play time.

EXPANSIVE MAPS One of the biggest aspects that contribute to a title being considered “open world” is the size of the world—or worlds—contained within the game. For many role playing games, the map will expand across multiple continents, containing cities and towns for players to explore time and time again. For games such as No Man’s Sky and Starbound, entire planets and solar systems are randomly generated, constantly creating new terrain and areas for players to explore and gather from. If scenery becomes monotonous and familiar, players can simply leave the planet, the solar system, or galaxy to venture to other undiscovered areas. In Starbound alone, a player can completely colonize a planet, filling it with their own decorations snatched from other worlds, and crew members brought with them. The constant renewel of scenery and setting prevents players from becoming bored, particularly in games where they can manually edit their surroundings as well.

FREE REIGN While a game can have a large world, it isn’t necessarily considered “open” unless players can venture almost wherever they want. While some areas may be too difficult for new players, games where players can venture out into the unknown and pursue the game from a multitude of skills and angles create a niche for everyone. The game’s allowance of the player to veritably do whatever they want is a key aspect in what makes these games so popular. While a linear storyline may be included, the fact that the game does not “force” a player to stick to it makes the game interesting and, in some cases, addictive. One isn’t assigned the role of ‘adventurer’ or ‘magician,’ the traditional party tropes of most adventure games. Life Skills—such as tailoring, blacksmithing, and apothecary— have become prevalent in many games, with survival of the world depending on those who enjoy the gathering and creation aspect of the world.

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Manga: An Educational Tool By: Kimberly Cannon | Photography:Kimberly Cannon Manga are Japanese style comic books and graphic novels with a structure that incorporates illustrations and narrative, using speech bubbles for dialogue and boxes with text to provide additional information or internal dialogue. Some instructors have taken advantage of manga’s practicality in their classrooms. It can be utilized to make complicated material or text more understandable and to supplement textbooks.

Manga, comics, and graphic novels are a part of modern, popular culture, and instructors can take advantage of the popularity of these formats, using it as an opportunity to intrigue students and introduce them to manga with educational qualities.

There is a series of manga called The Manga Guides, which are a variety of instructional manga covering topics such as molecular biology, physics, statistics and more. These manga teach the material through conversations between characters, with additional sections that explain the material in more

Teacher of the Year award) found historical fiction useful in his classroom. Many of the arguments Lindquist made for the use of historical fiction can also be applied to manga.

Lindquist said that historical fiction provokes curiosity from students, and it can bring history back to life. Isabella Bird in Wonderland by Sassa Taiga does both of those things. The adventurist Isabella Bird’s travel letters that describe her trip to Japan in the 19th century have been used in the creation of the manga Isabella in Wonderland, but, unlike the original letters, the manga has an upbeat mood, includes humor, and illustrates the images described, which in turn rouses more curiosity from readers than the formal letters. This manga allows for the reader to more directly observe the history of Japan by illustrating the setting, the people, and their practices of the time, such as hair setting and public bathing.

Lindquist also uses historical fiction novels

"historical fiction provokes curiosity from students."

depth. Lessons are integrated into the narrative. In William Brozo’s article titled, “From Manga 2 Math,” he observed the use of one of these manga guides, The Manga Guide to Calculus by Hiroyuki Kojima and Shin Togami, in a middle school classroom. In this case, the students would pull out the main points from the character’s dialogue, and they would use the illustrations to understand functions. In this article, manga was described as an effective and engaging tool for instruction.

In an article from Instructor magazine, Tarry Lindquist (a recipient of the National Elementary

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because he believes they introduce students to the societal issues of the past. Yae No Sakura, written by Yamamoto Matsumi and illustrated

by Takemura Yohei, is a manga that shows readers the gender issues that the main character had to overcome. The story is based on a woman named Niijima Yae who was known for taking up gunnery and fighting to protect her homeland of Aizu. This manga captures the struggle that Yae faced for being a woman who was learning gunnery.

One aspect of fiction is that it shows a variety of perspectives by creating a diverse cast of characters. Lindquist sees this benefit, and stated that historical fiction promotes the understanding of different perspectives. As American citizens, the manga Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms by Kouno Fumiyo provides us with a different outlook on the bombing of Hiroshima. This manga shows readers the struggle that a Japanese family goes through after the atomic bombs were dropped at the end of World War II. The family is striving to return to normality, but the memories of the bombing hinder them. With this manga, students are allowed to see the many ways that past actions affect people from around the world, not just within their own country.

vocabulary and grammar, as shown by the comparison of the pretest and the posttest.

Stanford University, one of the top universities in the world, has recognized the significance of manga. Stanford University offers a course called “Manga as Literature,” which analyzes manga’s use of images and text and the cultural information within manga.

The incorporation of manga into the classroom may seem daunting or juvenile to some instructors, but many teachers have successfully assimilated manga into their lesson plans, and it has been shown to be beneficial to students’ education.

In her research paper titled, “Improving Vocabulary Ability by Using Comic,” Dira Febrianti used comics to teach English to students in a third grade and had students take a pretest and a posttest to analyze the students’ vocabulary. Using the images of the comic, Febrianti instructed the students of the new vocabulary, and then students discussed the picture and plot of the comic. This experiment found that comics increased the motivation of the students, as well as improved the students’

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It's What's On The Inside That Counts By: Kimberly Cannon | Photography:Kimberly Cannon It appears that a trend in the popular movies and novels of today is the idea of separating

individuals into groups based on their inborn traits. Consider the popular Divergent series with its five factions or the Hogwarts houses in Harry Potter. Those systems exist in fiction.

soldiers into groups based on blood type, Yuka Takamatsu of Nylon reported. The blood type fad truly took off within the Japanese culture in 1971 when Japanese journalist Masahiko Nomi’s book Understanding Affinity

by Blood Type was published.

However, there is a type of superstition within the real world that separates individuals into the categories of Hunter, Farmer, Warrior, and

In Japan and South Korea, blood type can play an important role in matchmaking.

Humanist. But if not by a magical sorting hat, how are individuals placed into one of those four categories? The answer: by blood type.

Although blood type personality is psuedosciene and doesn’t hold up under the scrutiny of the scientific eye, Dr. Peter D’Adamo has studied blood type and how it affects a person’s health. Dr. D’Adamo created a series of diets and exercises that accommodate for the specific needs of each blood type. He wrote numerous books on the topic: Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia, Eat Right 4 Your Baby and more.

Blood type personality theory, or simply blood type theory, originated as a reaction to the racist views of some Europeans.

Historically, a part of the European population argued that because they were predominately blood type A that blood A was superior, while the Asian population with its larger amount of blood type B individuals were labeled as inferior, according to Sian Thatcher of Japan Visitor. According to modern day studies, including an article from The Guardian, the majority of Japanese citizens actually have blood type A. Takeji Furukawa’s The Study of Temperament Through Blood Type, written in 1927, caused the first stir of the blood type personality theory trend within Japan, and this work is believed to have caused the Japanese Imperial Army of World War II to separate its

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The obsession with blood type has led to some problems, referred to as “bura-hara,” which means blood type harassment.

According to The Guardian, blood type discrimination has caused bullying among school children and inhibited qualified individuals from landing jobs.

If a person is a fan of anime, manga, k-pop or k-drama, blood type has most likely been brought up. Characters and celebrities will usually announce their blood types, and understanding the history and beliefs behind this fad will help to better appreciate blood type references in Asian pop culture.

According to Thatcher of Japan Visitor, there are a plethora of Japanese products marketed towards specific blood types, including soda, gum and even condoms. In both Japan and South Korea, it is a common for to know one's blood type and to ask another person about their blood type. However, not all Japanese and Korean citizens wholeheartedly believe in blood type personality theory. Instead, it is more of a superstition, like astrological horoscopes in the United States.

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The History of Winnersville By: Jyrell Wynn | Photography: Jyrell Wynn

" As I walked in the museum, I felt an ominous feeling as I passed through the collection of photographs and artifacts of days gone by. "

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Whoosh! The player lands hard on the grid iron as the fans in the crowd jeer with all their might. An overwhelming excitement surrounds the auditorium as the players prepare for their next play. With pride on the line, the only thing on their mind is victory as the scenario plays itself out on a humid night in Valdosta, GA. Winnersville has become the symbolic name for the rivalry between Lowndes and Valdosta as they square off against each other on the football field. Even though sports are an integral and historic part of life in and around Lowndes County, there seems to be a foreboding sense of loss when it comes to much else in the area. Lowndes County Historical Society and Museum seeks to remind residents of a time when every moment in time was an accomplishment towards a brighter tomorrow.

In 1967, a group of local residents formed the Lowndes County Historical Society in a small museum on Patterson Street in Valdosta, GA to preserve the historical legacy of Valdosta and Lowndes County. The main goal of the Museum is to get residents and visitors interested in history, gather documentation and artifacts on the cultural landscape, and discover more information about the legacy of the community.

As I walked in the museum, I felt an ominous feeling as I passed through the collection of photographs and artifacts of days gone by.

The first exhibit that I stumbled upon was the Lowndes County: Past, Present, and Future and it described the humble beginnings of a small town transitioning to a city with unique opportunities. Filled with interesting diagrams and a true understanding of the material, this exhibit exemplified why the museum was needed in the community. The best fact that I learned was about the turpentine industry and how it was a huge commodity as African Americans and European farmers living in America harvested the crop due to Georgia being the nation’s producer of gum naval stores.

After some time touring more exhibits, I decided to give myself a break by venturing outside to enjoy the cool breeze on a clear day. My curiosity got the best of me as I found

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myself wondering to the outside exhibits on display, especially caboose NW-557545. The caboose provided shelter for those traveling to far off places and helped workers observe any equipment mishaps that might occur.

With intense refurbishment, the marvel of this engineering feat astounded me as I imagined the conditions workers faced as the roaring sound drowned out their words. One regret was not ringing the bell at the bell tower donated from Valdosta Institute which was the first public school in Valdosta.

After shuffling myself back into the museum, I continued my descent through the corridors where I encountered exhibits such as the history of baseball in Valdosta, the remnants of wars from the Civil War to Desert Storm, and the history local hotspots in town.

Though the experience was fascinating, the last exhibit peaked my interest the most as it dealt with the colossal tale of Gypsy the Elephant. An elephant that escapes by killing its trainer and rampaging through Valdosta until its fatal conclusion caught the attention of a nation toward this small city and this visitor to the museum. The tale was so bizarre and infamous that I almost could not believe it until I saw the photographs and records. As I gazed through the rest of the memorabilia in the museum, I noticed that Valdosta means more than luxurious trophies and exuberant fans, but a place that holds the passionate and unique dear to its heart.

The Death of Cable TV? By: Ashley Bell | Photography: Ashley Bell

What pops into your head when you hear the phrase “Netflix and Chill?”—wait. Don’t answer that. My point is not the phrase itself, but the fact that the phrase has entered into pop culture as a result of the phenomenon of streaming services. Think about it, no one ever invited anyone over for “Blockbuster and Chill.” Ten years ago, Netflix only offered DVD rentals by mail.

Today, Netflix competes with many other online streaming video services bringing movies and TV shows to you instantly through the internet on virtually any device capable of an internet connection.

Streaming services like Hulu and Netflix have become more available over the years, creating a market that genuinely represents the desires of consumers. Many networks like Starz and HBO have created applications that bypass cable networks and are available directly to consumers, effectively cutting out the middle-man.

Other platforms like Apple iTunes and Amazon offer individual and season-long sales for hit shows.

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But do streaming services really offer everything that TV subscriptions do? According to Clearleap, a business focused in offering answers to television networks in the age of streaming services, they do not.

In a study of 1,111 adults, Clearleap found that 70% of adults ages 18-29 use a streaming service. However, in that same age group, 64% have a cable or satellite TV subscription as well. Those who have never had cable or satellite TV include only 26%.

Although the market has turned more towards streaming services, many millennials (either through someone else’s subscription, their own, or through other means) do not choose between the two. While this may not account for those who still live with parents, or those who have those service offered through their employment, the numbers are still balancing out fairly evenly.

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Nielsen, a research agency focused on consumer trends, performed an in-depth study in order to find out why millennials are purchasing both streaming services and broadcast television services. Millennials who live in their parents’ home, or who have children themselves, generally subscribe to TV providers; 89% and 80% respectively. Those who live by themselves and who did not have children are still very likely to subscribe to TV providers (75%), although they are less likely to watch these subscriptions from a television set. Instead, this group is more likely to opt for viewing their programs on a smart phone, tablet, or laptop.

providing unbiased information to consumers, only 20% of people (not just millennials) have reduced or canceled their TV subscriptions. Those who have maintained service differ on their reasons.

Most are satisfied with their current subscriptions (72%) or prefer having a DVR (49%).

Other reasons include too much hassle in changing the services (34%), not saving enough money to change (32%), cable being the only option for their TV "Applications have seemingly shows (30%), This is why TV having bundled kept up with the consumer desire providers like services (27%), of having access to media from Dish Network or a fear of not mobile devices like tablets, smart have kept up with having cable millennial conphones, and laptops..." services (22%). sumer demands Many of these and created their issues are quickly being counown apps to provide anywhere access tered by the rising prices of cable to the subscribers content. TV networks costs, turning many younger like The CW and ABC host apps that customers away. Exclusive televioffer access to content based on the sion shows are facing the higher consumer’s TV subscription. If a client problems of being streamed is likely to prefer sports, they can purillegally online through piracy chase a sports package more tailored to websites, erasing the desire of fit their viewing desires, instead of paymany to have to wait for show ing for excess content like soap operas, times instead of watching proand vice versa. Applications have seemgrams at their leisure. ingly kept up with the consumer desire of having access to media from mobile devices like tablets, smart phones, and laptops. Most major TV providers even offer mobile apps to watch live TV on the go.

Because these statistics include but are not limited to millennial consumers, it is reasonable to suggest that the industry is experiencing a gradual transition from TV service providers with the younger generations adopting streaming services while still clinging to the cable and satellite providers that have been

According to Consumer Reports, a non-profit organization focused on

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Am I Lovin' It, Or Am I Wearin' It? By: Melinda Sees / Photography by Haylee Friel

Food is scary. There is an insidious threat staring back at American citizens every day. A flabby monster that engulfs the body, leaving only disease and despair behind.

Obesity is a killer that targets Americans and food is the accomplice. The very thing that keeps the human body alive can slowly deteriorate the body from the inside-out. The poor, supple body susceptible to flab and obesity screams for assistance, yet there is no help. Can anything be done for the people of America? I hope this article will shed some light on how far we take our daily meals.

I love the Mac sauce so I ask for extra. This can add up to a grander total of 600 calories. Another problem with the representation of 600 calories is the fact that that number only includes the sandwich, so what about the fries? A large fry at McDonald’s is approximately 510 calories.

And last, but not least, you can’t forget the drink. A large Coke has a calorie count of 310. So, after eating one meal at McDonald’s, I have consumed approximately 1,420 calories. These numbers are frightening. Although, as an American citizen, don’t I have every right to indulge in fatty, delicious Big Macs as many times as I please?

The consequences of eating certain foods do not register with most human beings and "So, after one meal at the cravings that cause this unhealthy life style also fund McDonald's, I have consumed approximately multi-billion-dollar businesses such as McDonald’s. I, 1,420 calories." too, am guilty for eating the Maybe not. There are governoccasional Big Mac, but it never ment officials who feel the risk registered that I was eating apof American obesity rests on proximately one-fourth of the their shoulders. Should the total calories I should consume government be allowed to tax a day. According to the National Health Service (NHS), UK, the aver- unhealthy food or go as far as age adult female should consume to make them illegal? Does this 2,200 calories a day, and by eating trample on your civil liberties as the Big Mac, I consumed approxi- a person? Can the government in a “democracy” be allowed to tell mately 563 calories. Additionally, 16

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you what you can ingest?

The questions continue in determining what feasibly should be considered a liberty. Obesity is a very real threat to human life and is considered an epidemic, even a pandemic, by many. To determine whether an individual is at a healthy weight, one typically consults the Body Mass Index (BMI). This tool focuses on the height and weight of the subject to determine what percentage of the body is made of fat. For instance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have constructed a BMI that specifies obesity is the condition of the body fat being thirty percent or higher. In 2015, an obesity census was conducted to determine the percentage of obesity in each state. Louisiana leads the United States with 36.2% of the statewide population suffering from obesity. The remaining forty-nine states have at least 20% of their populations handling obesity as well. The suffering is exponential and government officials are beginning to wonder whether the average citizen can change these numbers. Children are the most susceptible to the disease.

Children are considered to be the future for the nation, and are the ones who will live on and create new legacies and inventions.

But will these legacies be coping with Type II diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and obesity-related 18

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cancers? We should be more critical about casually setting our children up for failure.

The causes of obesity are highly debated throughout the world, yet all scenarios share some sort of correlation. A common misconception is that a lack of exercise predominantly leads the surge of obesity. Truthfully, many researchers point to the food companies rather than the excess or lack of exercise. Anirban Mukhopadhyay has termed the various tactics of the food industry as “leanwashing." He claims the marketing advisors of the food companies are aware of the common misconception of obesity and capitalize on it.

Poor choices in diet are the leading cause of the disease in the nation. No matter how hard someone works out, depending on what they’re consuming on a daily basis, they may just not be able to shed the pounds.

Fast food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s are known to narrow the focus of their advertisements to children.

For example, these ads will emphasize a popular television or movie icon or the inclusion of a toy in the food. Of course, this makes the children want that meal, not necessarily for the food, but for the small, plastic bonus that is included. A dirty trick, right? Although these restaurants have abrupt ways to appeal to the

older audience as well—the price.

The convenience of the food makes it hard to pass up for those in a time crunch on an hour lunch break.

Maybe next time we should reconsider whether or not to indulge in a meal that makes up almost half of our daily calorie allowance in just a sandwich, fries, and a drink. And do our children really need a meal with over 500 calories for a processed meat hamburger or chicken nuggets, just for a cute toy?

There are some ways we can more easily combat the problem of unhealthy diets. It’s often easier, and cheaper, to simply pack lunches ahead of time so we aren’t tempted to make breakfast or lunch runs past the local fast food place.

Portion off dinners in the freezer, so you’re aware you have easier, healthier dishes to cook at home instead of grabbing McDonalds.

Snacking throughout the day on bite sized portions of smaller snack food backs, and having several smaller, vegetable-based meals instead of larger, calorie-binging meals all solve the issue of having a bomb of food in the middle of the day. If you have to, instead of ordering a whole meal at a fast food place, you can often feel fuller with just a burger or replace the fries with apple slices from one of the kid’s meals. Drink water instead of a soda.

Little changes can help move to bigger goals later down the road!

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V-STATE BLAZERS HOME GAME SCHEDULES Ticket purchase information and full season schedules can be found at www.vstateblazers.com

MEN'S BASEBALL vs.

Augusta 2/22/2017 5:00 p.m.

vs.

Mississippi College (DH) 4/1/2017 2:00 p.m.

vs. West Florida

(DH) 2/25/2017 1:00 p.m.

vs.

Mississippi College 4/2/2017 1:00 p.m

vs. West Florida 2/26/2017 1:00 p.m.

vs. West

Georgia (DH) 4/14/2017 3:00 p.m.

vs. West

Alabama (DH) 3/4/2017 1:00 p.m.

vs. West

Georgia 4/15/2017 1:00 p.m

vs. West

Alabama 3/5/2017 1:00 p.m.

vs.

Brewton­Parker 4/18/2017 5:00 p.m.

vs. Flagler

vs.

North Alabama (DH) 4/29/2017 3:00 p.m.

3/8/2017 5:00 p.m. vs. Union (DH) 3/18/2017 1:00 p.m.

vs. North Alabama 4/30/2017 1:00 p.m.

vs. Union 3/19/2017 1:00 p.m.

GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE: TBA

vs.

Georgia Southwestern 3/29/2017 5:00 p.m

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WOMEN'S vs. West Florida

(DH) 2/25/2017 2:00 pm

vs.

vs. West Florida

Mississippi College (DH) 4/1/2017 1:00 p.m. vs.

Mississippi College 4/2/2017 1:00 p.m.

2/26/2017 1:00 pm vs. West

Alabama (DH) 3/4/2017 2:00 p.m.

vs. West

vs. West Alabama 3/5/2017 1:00 p.m.

vs. West Georgia 4/15/2017 1:00 p.m.

Georgia (DH) 4/14/2017 4:00 p.m.

vs. Union (DH) 3/18/2017 2:00 p.m.

vs.

Albany State (DH) 4/18/2017 4:00 p.m.

vs.

Union 3/19/2017 1:00 p.m.

vs.

North Alabama (DH) 4/29/2017 2:00 p.m.

vs.

Eckerd (DH) 3/28/2017 4:00 p.m.

vs.

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North Alabama

SOFTBALL

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TENNIS Men's

Women's

vs. Embry 足Riddle 2/17/2017 2:00 p.m.

vs. Embry 足Riddle 2/17/2017 2:00 p.m.

vs. Florida

vs. Florida

Southern 2/18/2017 1:00 p.m.

Southern 2/18/2017 1:00 p.m.

vs. West Florida

vs. West Florida

2/19/2017 12:00 p.m.

2/19/2017 12:00 p.m.

Midwestern State 3/15/2017 11:00 a.m.

Midwestern State 3/15/2017 11:00 a.m.

vs

vs

vs.

Nebraska 足Kearney 3/20/2017 2:00 p.m

vs.

Nebraska 足Kearney 3/20/2017 2:00 p.m

vs. Columbus State 4/5/2017 2:00 p.m

vs. Columbus State 4/5/2017 2:00 p.m

Gulf South Conference Championships 4/20/2017 Montgomery, AL TBA

Gulf South Conference Championships 4/20/2017 Montgomery, AL TBA

NCAA D2 Regional Championships 5/5/2017 TBA TBA

NCAA D2 Regional Championships 5/5/2017 TBA TBA

NCAA D2 Championships 5/10/2017 Altamont Springs, FL TBA

NCAA D2 Championships 5/10/2017 Altamont Springs, FL TBA

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The Graduate's Dilemma By: Geoffrey Eger | Photography:Joshua Abbott

It’s no secret that earning any kind of graduate degree is no easy feat. It takes years of study to get a master’s degree, much less a doctorate. The potential benefit, however, is enormous. People with graduate degrees tend to make more money than those with just an undergraduate degree or no degree at all. Money is only part of it, though. First the degree must be earned, and in order to do that, students must prepare early and often in order to maximize their chances of being accepted into a graduate school. This is the first step in achieving a higher education.

The very first question to be asked is if a student is able to handle the rigors of graduate school. It isn’t for everyone.

Professors in undergraduate programs often weed out the students who wouldn’t be successful, and these students are not usually suggested to graduate programs. Leonard Cassuto of The Chronicle of Higher Education wrote in 2013 that many professors, himself included, ac25

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tively discourage many students from going to Graduate School.

This isn’t done to put students down or undermine their efforts, but it’s an honest, practical approach.

Cassuto describes how many students underestimate or simply don’t know how difficult these programs are, and many professors steer students away from it simply to keep them from getting

in over their heads . All the while they are looking for students who do have the potential to make it through Graduate School. The professors know the hard work and effort that is required from students in graduate schools and use that knowledge to teach more effectively to all their students.

Another issue is that students in undergraduate programs usually just don’t know what to do when it comes to preparing for graduate school, particularly those who are new to college . Unlike high school, professors in college aren’t required to explain in great detail what to do in order to get into graduate school. It is up to the students themselves to ask their professors and advisors in order to find out what to do, and the best place to start is to ask questions about exactly what it consists of. Fortunately, undergraduate students typically have four years of studying that can

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be used to decide whether to continue their education or not, and what to do with a graduate degree if they do.

A great way for students to get ahead of their competition is to set themselves apart early on. Many undergraduate schools often have opportunities for students to work with professors on their research, which can be a valuable resource when applying to schools later on.

I recently spoke with my Biology lab professor, Dr. Jonghoon Kang , about graduate school and where I should begin in order to make it there. Using my dream to pursue a degree in Genetics as an example, he told me to first look at what schools are available to me. Dr. Kang explained to me that it is important to narrow down my list of potential schools to around five with graduate programs related to my interests. He also described how

I should research each of the five or so schools in depth to find out more about them. He specifically mentioned to look at the professors who work in the graduate programs and learn their backgrounds, such as their research focus and how they run their classes. The last thing he told me was that my Biology courses are of critical importance in order to pursue the degree I want. As a Biology major , this is where I invest the majority of my effort as a student in college. Students with other majors who wish to go to graduate school should follow these same steps within their chosen field in order to be competitive.

Graduate programs everywhere have a set specialty: an area of research that professors and students focus on. Some schools focus on law, others on medicine, and so on. The next step toward getting to introduce yourself as

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“Doctor� is finding the schools that focus on the field of study that you are interested in. This is what my Biology professor meant by researching different schools.

It is the first challenge of graduate school, and it is where I and many of my peers find ourselves .

Determining the right schools is simple enough for most, but asking a professor or advisor for advice is a great place to start.

Once students have made a list of potential schools, they should start making preparations to apply, and that’s where the difficulties actually begin.

Graduate schools tend to have entry exams that potential students must take.

It’s important to ask and find out what these exams consist of. Despite the difficulty of the tests, it is relatively easy to gain insight on how to pass them. Most professors have experienced these exams before and would be willing to give great advice on how to prepare. The tests are designed to let the brightest minds out-shine all the rest so that the programs can easily decide on whom to accept. This is usually a disappointing moment for many students, as the majority of those who try do not make it in . When this happens, it is important not to give up. Even Albert Einstein failed an entry exam during this time in his life.

Many students apply to several different graduate schools first, and make their selections based on which ones accept them. Like when applying for undergraduate colleges, it’s important not to hinge all of your hopes on one or two schools.

hands-on than in undergraduate programs, often consisting of research on a specific topic followed by written reports.

In graduate schools, students are often paid to do the research that is a part of the program and is a great way to gain experience for the future. This is done through graduate assist jobs, which can greatly reduce the cost of tuition for the programs as well. However, the workload of a higher education program is significantly greater and more difficult than any undergraduate program.

The goal of every graduate is to find a career, not just a job. According to interviews done by Georgina Fuller of Personnel Today, employers are still looking for people with graduate degrees but her findings suggest that many don’t care what the degree is . The few that are looking for specific degrees are very picky.

Despite this, there was one thing that was constant among all the employers: they had little interest in applicants who had not finished their degrees. There are jobs waiting for those working in graduate schools regardless of When what their degree is in, a student even if there may not does well ...the workload of a higher education be immediate openenough on program is significantly greater and ings in the field you an entry want to work in. more difficult than any undergradexam, Deciding to go to they begin uate program." graduate school is a on their commitment, not just journey a choice . There are to an even higher level of education. risks associated with it, but there is also Unlike undergraduate programs, graduthe possibility of great rewards as well. It ate programs focus only on the area seems daunting at first to realize just how of study that the degree is for, which difficult it is to get a graduate degree. The allows students to make more progress important thing is to remember your goal without being weighed down with and never lose sight of it. “core” courses like undergraduate programs are. The lessons are usually more 28

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An Evening at the Dosta Playhouse:

The Reluctant Dragon By: Haylee Friel| Photography:Dean Polling

The universal cry of “there’s nothing to do in Valdosta!” is a rallying war song for many VSU students. Though we have a movie theatre, a bowling alley, and Wild Adventures, inevitably these become too repetitive or too pricy for most college students to partake in regularly.

However, few realize that less than two miles away from campus, an actual theatre still resides in downtown Valdosta.

I had the joy of attending a play with my mom on January 28th, performed by the Gingerbread Players, the children’s troupe of the Theatre Guild Valdosta. The Gingerbread Players are primarily ages six and up, and we didn’t realize initially that we were buying tickets for the children’s 29

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theatre rather than attending a play performed by adult actors.

We were not disappointed!

The Reluctant Dragon is a play about a girl named Charity (Victoria Sibley) who loves to read, write and daydream instead of doing her chores, and a dragon (David Bass) who…well, does not want to do stereotypical “dragon things” like abduct princesses or raze villages to the ground.

Instead, he would prefer to write poetry, make tea, and a variety of other sophisticated things.

Though he minds his own business and bothers no one, Charity’s father causes and uproar in the village when he trips over Dragon’s tail in the woods.

When we found out that were The village, alarmed and terriwould be attending the Gingerfied that such a “terrible creature” bread Player’s production, we lives so close by, immediately call expected a play with a moral defor a knight (Kaitlyn Allbritton) livered at the end, but we didn’t and her squire (Parker Allbritton) expect how delightful, hilarious, and well performed the play to come slay the beast. Unfortuwould actually be. Neither of us nately, upon arriving, Charity is quick to alert the knight that the were particularly put out by possibly watching the Gingerbread dragon doesn’t want to hurt Players, so we dropped our anyone, and (much to the squire’s dismay) is a poet like the preconceived notions that we were going to see “professional” knight herself! and trained actors. However, The story is one with a clear mes- nothing could have prepared us for just how passionately the sage: do not make assumptions Gingerbread Players delivered about those you do not know, their pieces. The play went off and never rush to hasty concluflawlessly, and with a surprising sions about people you haven’t amount of humor that had us all met. laughing no matter what the age 30

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range of the audience.

The performance was set off by the sheer enthusiasm the actors had for the roles of their characters. David Bass wasn’t nearly as reluctant to play the Dragon as the Dragon was to be a dragon.

His dramatic flows and gestures suited the characters perfectly, and Victoria Sibley made me feel all of the frustration Charity must have experienced to deal with two parents who just didn’t share her interests in life. More than anything, though, the play was set off and perfected by the surrounding cast, though.

Characters like the salesmen Joe and Sam (Aaron Luke and Anna Cozart) and my personal favorites, the Mayor (Alijah Patterson) and his assistant Jenkins (Mahra Cozart), really brought the play together. Little things, like the how all characters completely committed themselves to the body language and gestures of the characters, made the experience amazing. The acting unity between the cast made the experience whole, and left no theatrical stone unturned.The lighting and prop coordination appeared flawless, with quick transitions between scenes and a variety of settings for the backdrops through the play. There was no hesitation to draw in aspects of props and a clever humor behind both script and set design. With throwback humor such as using the main character from the old cartoon show “I Am Weasel” as the city signifier of 31

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“Weaseldorf” and an excellent visual and musical reference to the Village People in the background characters of the village citizen, it was definitely a performance for all ages to enjoy.

If the Gingerbread Players did such a great job, I can only imagine what their adult counterparts are capable of. If you’re interested in catching future shows by the Valdosta Theatre Guild at the Dosta Playhouse, I highly suggest checking out their website for ticket and show information.

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Man's Best Friend in Training: Therapy Dogs on Campus

By: Karla Rodriguez| Photography:Karla Rodriguez

If you’ve been walking around campus lately, then you’ve probably come to notice the increasingly large number of dogs wearing spiffy vests. Despite how fashionable those are, the vests also serve as a quick form of identification, which lets everyone know that the dog in question is performing a service beyond just gracing us with its existence. Service dogs are ultimately meant to help individuals with a wide variety of disabilities, so each dog’s skillset can range from providing consistent emotional support, to opening doors or picking up their owner if they fall.

The ones around campus are in training, meaning that they haven’t gotten all of the experience that they need before they’ll be able to support someone in need. However, since they’ve received their eye-catching vests, these fluffy friends have already been registered as service dogs and are allowed in all the public places that a more experienced service dog would have access to. As a result, it shouldn’t be so surprising to see them in classrooms, Odum 33

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Library, or even the dining halls.

Naturally, the training dogs require a certain level of patience as they become accustomed to their new jobs and, more than anything, they require ample amounts of exposure to large public spaces. The more used they get to being surrounded by people, interesting smells, and tons of noise, the more likely it is that they’ll be able to ignore all of that in favor of keeping their focus on the person that needs them most. The training dogs on campus are doing exactly that when they are assigned to a volunteering student, especially when one considers the number of people that they can encounter on an average class filled weekday, even if the “encounter” is just walking past somebody. A majority of core lecture and lab classes can consist of over a hundred students at a time, and outside of the classroom it is near impossible to know for sure how many people are walking down the Mall area at any given time.

The dog in training will always get tons of practice just walking from one class to another.

is that they’re doing the same thing every student at VSU is doing: working hard in hopes of someday graduating. So they understand the struggle that their human volunteers are going through and are happy to provide emotional support to the best of their ability.

In fact, it wouldn’t be too far from the truth to say that just having a companion pet of any kind offers a great amount of comfort. That’s why the work that these service dogs are doing is all the more important. One of the programs that allow volunteers to raise dogs for the official training is the Canine Companions for Independence, which provides information on volunteer-

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ing, as well as the responsibilities required of volunteers on their website at www.cci.org.

It's important to keep in mind that volunteering to raise service dogs is a temporary commitment, but a commitment none the less. While we can raise animals how we please when we adopt them, service dogs have to stick to a pretty regular regimen.

While volunteering helps both the dog and the people training them to help those with disabilities, it should be a task undertaken only by those who have the time to devote to raising them, too. Service dogs are usually raised by volunteers for a series of months until they're ready and large enough officially graduate into the training programs for full on service pups.

DO YOU WANT TO WRITE FOR ONTAP? We have positions open for editors, writers, designers, photographers, and social media managers. All positions are volunteer based.

Weekly fall meetings are held at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays in West Hall 204.

For more information, email: Deborah Hall dehall@valdosta.edu 35

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The Importance of Learning a Second Language By: Nan Smith| Photography:Karla Rodriguez

Learning a second language is a good idea for many reasons.

It can facilitate one’s ability to communicate with others. It is useful when traveling to other countries. It not only looks good on resumes, but also can help one to earn more money within their job. It helps to give us insight into the culture and world of people outside of our immediate bubble. Learning another language is said to delay the oncoming of Alzheimer's disease. It opens doors for higher pay grades and qualifies you for more positions in the profession36

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al, working world. The list goes on. Being multilingual isn't a single purpose skill; it can prove useful in more ways than one!

For the past five years I have been studying the Spanish culture as well as an in-depth analysis of how the Spanish language is constructed. I have been working weekly to better my proficiency in this language through written, oral, and listening exercises.

When I first declared Spanish as my major my freshman year of

college, I did so merely because I was Spanish-speaking world. good in this subject in high-school, and I held little interest in the other major Learning a second language while living programs being offered. However, in the U.S. is especially important so as to as time has passed and I have been be able to communicate with those living exposed to many areas of interest, I here whose first language isn’t English. This wouldn't go back and change that country is a melting pot and the number of decision for the world. All of the time languages that can be heard are innumerand effort I have placed into learning able. Spanish, for instance, is spoken by a a second language has helped me to large number of Americans today and the grow in more ways than one. number is only growing every year.

I have developed a newfound respect The U.S.holds the second largest Spanishfor people who are new to a country speaking population behind MĂŠxico. The and are forced to learn a new language number of ELL (English Language Learners) and adapt to an unfamiliar environstudents needing assistance every year is ment. I now better understand the also steadily on the rise, as well as the need value of the hard work it takes to learn for ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Lannew phonetics and vocabulary from guages) teachers. Learning Spanish, or any the ground up, and have thus gained other language in college, whether that be a strong work ethic. And, more ima few classes, a minor, or even a major, can portantly, I have become more cultur- only help you in the long run. You never ally aware and knowledgeable of the know when it might be useful!

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Stop Reading!

Listen to Notes Instead By: Rachel Martin| Photography:Todd Mitchell

Why bother taking notes in class, only to return home to spend countless hours poring over notebook pages? There is software where you can now snap a few pictures during class of the board, or of your notes, and have the information read to you on your phone or other device.

As a studying alternative, students can now use the apps Microsoft Office Lens and Natural Reader on their phones. You can study the same way you listen to music. It’s especially useful for commuters, who may need the extra time on the way to and from school to get that last minute cram session of information in.

Microsoft Office Lens is one of the most widely used productivity apps in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, according to Google Play. Office Lens is a free app that can be used to scan images, and it’s the first app that you’ll need for this two-step process.

Unlike normal camera apps, Office Lens makes pictures of whiteboard and documents “readable” by enhancing and trimming the image automatically.

Office Lens also has the capacity to save images in a variety of formats including: PDF, Word, and PowerPoint files. You can save the files in OneNote, OneDrive, or on your local device. It takes the “image” that you take and turns it into “text.” Your written notes now become a document that you can copy and paste freely. Do you prefer writing out your papers? As 38

long as you proofread it afterwards, you should be able to even use Microsoft Office Lens to convert hand written papers into the essay you would have spent hours typing up otherwise.

But wait- there’s more! When you pair the free Microsoft Office Lens app with another free app called Natural Reader, that’s when the magic really begins.

Natural Reader is a free application that converts text to spoken words. The app supports PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint files, and many more. Much like text-to-speak programs that have been used traditionally for audiobooks that don’t have actors reading them aloud, and similar to the function that makes Google read aloud words through translate from the dictionary.

What does this mean for study time? All you have to do is use Office Lens during class to capture lecture notes written on the board or in your notebook, and save the image. From there, import it into Natural Reader, and have it spoken to you whenever you’re ready to go over the material. It’s a free alternative to traditional studying, and enables many students to follow their notes better as it’s also read to them, increasing the rate at which audio-based learners are able to retain information.

Both apps are available at no charge on Google Play, as well as on the Apple store.

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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 15 Spring 2017 Valdosta State University