Page 6 - Phoenix1998-99

Thursday. September 17, 1998 - Page 6 COMMENTARY Staff Why are You Here? At least their ideas are fresh The powers-that-be behind the scenes in Editor-In-Chief Glar are once again trying to make cafeteria Kate Hampson '00 food into a meal that doesn't make students AdvertislngIBuslness Manager Kevin Worley asks what you not sure these things are what I really want. run gagging from the room. The Phoenix Laura Kclley '01 expect from 'your time at Westqn So where aid Igo wrong? How did Iend applauds them for their efforts and for the News Edilor Maryland College. up here if I'm not even sure about what I improvements they have made. Emily Stamathis '00 want, even though I have said all along this However; the fact remains that Glar is is the way to get there. never going to provide anything other than Asslstant News Editor Take a moment to think about why you I spent days, weeks thinking about this. institutional meals prepared in mass quanti- Jenifer Sirkis '01 are attending Western Maryland College. How can the answer be so difficult when, in ties. When you're cooking for a thousand Features Editor You are here because you paid to be here. fact, it is something that we all just take for people the niceties of haute cuisine are just Sarah Radice '01 Actually, most of us are here because our granted? not possible. Assistant Features Editor parents paid. But; why are you here? Do I was talking on the phone one day, and There's not much students can do to avoid Rich Simmons '99 you want to get a degree? Do you want to something struck me. I am here, at Western the monotony of cafeteria food. The Editorials Editor party all the time? Do you want to further Maryland College, because I have a vision Phoenix's advice is to try and move into an MeganMartin'OI your athletic career? in my head. There I am, sitting on the bleach- apartment or PA house as soon as possible If you answered yes to any of the above, ers of a baseball field. The field is some- and make your own meals: Sports Editor Mike Puskar '99 Photographer I am here, at Western Maryland College, because I Nathan Birdsall '99 Nicole Lehrmann '98 have a vision in my head. Football crazy Staff Writers At last! The Green Terror is a force to be Anne Butler '01 . then you are not alone. Those three ques- where in a nice suburb not far from where I reckoned with. Even those who aren't foot- Sophie Boulet Julie Develin tions pretty much cover the reasons why any- work, perhaps in the Boston area. Beside me ball fans should be proud of this fact. Rated Sara Gruber '99 one goes to college. But, there is a problem is a beautiful woman with a smile on her face number one in our division in the nation by Jeremy Lopus '00 Francesca Saylor '00 with these answers. They're too easy. and a ring on her finger to match the one on one magazine and given a number II rank- Michael Stokes '00 I took some time to think about myself mine. There is a game going on. The batter ing by Sports Illustrated, WMC is playing Matthew Thomas '01 and what I wish to accomplish by attending is my son at the tender age of 9. It's his first with the big kids now. This national atten- Kevin Worley '00 MikcYestramski'O! WMC. I think my answer would have to be at-bat in Little League. He hits the ball . tion is beneficial to everyone at this college. something about getting a degree, but it goes not a home run, but just enough to squeeze Name recognition is important in the job Distribution deeper than that. I could get a degree at a through the infield for a base hit. market and if potential employers have heard Rich Suchoski '00 technical school in half the time it takes to You see, the thing that is most important of Western Maryland, it improves our Graduate Assistant get one here and for about 1/10 the price. thing to me is being ab!e to see my son's face chances when the time comes to head out '!'inceChesney I want a good degree. In fact, I want a as he smiles at me looking for some sort of into the real world. Adviser: degree in math with a couple of minors to go acknowledgment. It is looking into my wife's So let's show some support to our play- Terry Dalton with it. I want a degree in math because eyes and knowing that Ihave made her happy. ers and go to the games to cheer them on. At people with those qualifications are in de- I am at WMC because I ihink that it lies the first game of the season WMC students mand in the job market. I want to be in de- on the path between where I was and watch- were notably thin on the ground. The new mand because I want to make a lot of money. ing my son's first Little League game. cheerleading team tried valiantly to spur on I could go on and on: I want to buy a big Why are you here? the crowd but the "Terror spirit" was not re- house, some nice cars, etc. The thing is, I'm ally visible. Our football players are work- ing hard to lead us to further triumphs this ThePhoenixispublishedbiweeldy. The season so let's be there with them. opinions expressed do not necessarily rep- Quirks: A Squirrel's Life The next home game is this Saturday. See resent those of The Phoenix staff, the fac- you there! ulty, Ol:the adminisb'ators ofWMC. Anne Butler gives some advice The paper weloomes free-lance submis- The truth is that squirrels take the whole sions on Macintosh disks in most word pro- tofellow students about winter off! That hibernating stuff is all a Knowing your neighbors cessorfonnats. Theeditocreservestheright managing your time sham. Those crafty rodents are really kick- to edit for clarity, length, and libel and to ., ing back in a little easy chair, munching down It is amazing to discover that someone publish as space pennia All submissions We're a lot like squirrels. You know, how on their nuts, drinking a thimbleful of you see almost everyday around campus has (excludi!igself-addresseddiskettes)become they tirelessly pursue gathering of nuts for Budweiser and watching South Park reruns. lived a life in which religious persecution and the property of The Phoenix and cannot be the winter and then forget where they buried Unfortunately, we students don't have the suffering have played a huge part. The ex- returned. them, how they freeze in terror if-a human ability to spend the winter sleeping and periences of Heshmat Badiee, who works in Please include a name and phone num- comes within three feet of them, how they vegging (though I really wish we could!), the audiovisual department, are far beyond her for verification. Names will be with- have those big 01' bushy tails, and how they so we have to take our R and R in short breaks any hardships felt by the majority of students beld only by the discretion of the Editor-in- take a ... between work. Overall, this may, in fact, be on this campus. His fascinating account Chief. Er, well, okay so maybe we humans don't better for us. This way we can get our work (page 10) illustrates what it means to be a have much in common with squirrels, but done and not be so stressed out because we member of the Baha'i faith in Muslim-con- The Phoenixdoes notdiscriminate based that doesn't mean we can't learn from them. took time to relax. trolled Iran. The article also makes us aware on age. race, religion, gender, sexual orien- Watch these furred wonders for a while Squirrels are always prepared as well. of how little we really know about the other tation, national origin, condition of handi- and see what you notice. (Shouldn't be that Heck, they spend months just preparing for members of our community. It is far from cap, or marital status. hard to find one, they're everywhere on cam- the winter. They twist nuts off the trees and the thoughts of most students passing him in pusf) Yes, they have bushy tails and gener- then bury them in the ground, waiting for a the hall that the guy who brings in the tele- ally are only concerned about acorns and day when they can dig them up and eat them. vision before class has family, friends, and trees. And yes, they do seem hyper enough Of course, squirrels often forget where they associates who were murdered for their faith Mail to: to have ingested about six bottles of Jolt. But put their nuts, so they have to try hard to re- Perhaps we should all pay more attention The Phoenix what else do you see? member their food's location. to the people around us and try to look at WMC, 2 CoUege Hill Squirrels work really hard at gathering Similarly, we students should also be pre- each other as individuals instead of part of Westminster, MD 21157 nuts and food for the winter,just like we work pared for our classes and for life. We should the backdrop to our daily routine. Who really hard at our-schoolwork (or at least how attempt to get plenty of sleep, and bring all knows what stories we might discover? (410)751-8600 we should be working nard). Squirrels our materials (including homework) to class. (410) 876-2055, ext 8600 scamper around the trees looking for acoms, Proper organization and provisioning can FAX, (410) 857-2729 berries (all the while worrying about win- also serve to reduce stress. It helps to re- E-Mail, phoenix@wmdc.ed, ter), and such, while students scamper around member where all our "nuts" (so to speak) 24·hour labs the campus looking for A's and B's (all the are. It would not do for any student to lose while worrying about winter exams). Natu- his or her marbles or nuts. The college has been promising to open rally, after working so hard to gather them. So remember the lessons you've learned the Hoover lab 24 hours a day for at least a squirrels do a lot of thinking about their nuts. from our furred brethren. It's good advice, year. Why are they stalling over this? The A lot of the males on campus, for some rea- especially for you new students. Work hard, Phoenix hopes that it will happen before the son, also do a lot of thinking about their nuts. play some, be prepared, and don't lose track end of the semester rush occurs because the Of course, squirrels don't work all the of your nuts. Remember, the squirrels are large freshman class is going to make find- time, even though it may seem like they do. watching. ing an available machine even harder.