April 2017 – Page 2

Top 7 Ways to Get to Finals Week

April 23, 2017

By Kirsten Fuller, Managing Editor

We are now riding the struggle bus for the next seven weeks to finals and we are all sporting “the struggle is real” written on our foreheads. No worries, I am about to give you the Top 7 Ways to Get to Finals Week!

Draw yourself a map– We all have the delightful syllabi all our professors have given us. The next part will be hard to swallow, but let’s use them to figure out how the heck we are going to organize our time. Not to mention, our schedules to not drowned in the six-page research papers, and the staple name “final project” of the Spring Semester.
Find a Seat– I will quote one of the great’s by saying that “Go to class. Do the Work. Get the Grade” is true. It starts with going to class even though we just realized that 8 am classes were not such a great idea.
Treat Yo self– Once you accomplish that paper, or an assignment, or even studying a chapter. Don’t forget you’re awesome, so let’s face it; you need a reward but ONLY if you finish a task… reading a sentence does not equal a 5 hour Netflix binge reward.
Big Picture . Some days are like “Don’t talk to me. I haven’t had coffee”. Nonetheless, let’s remember we are all about crossing the finish line. For some, it is graduation, others it is summer break, or it’s a two-week hiatus before summer and minimester starts. You will make it, don’t give up halfway through the race.
Apps are Friends not Food– there is a Self Control App that you can download on your Mac (possibly PC) and you can blacklist your weaknesses for the all well-known procrastination monster. There is a timer and you can’t access these websites until your timer runs out for allowing you to focus on your work. #amazeballs (I know!!)
Healthy Body and Mind– You would be surprised that what you eat and do in your spare time affects your energy levels. So, before you reach for those hot fries, think about how late you need to stay up to write 700 words.
Mrs. Teacher– Now would be the time to use office hours, conference hours and extra credit points that you can get. Hopefully, you know your professor’s name, that way when you ask to meet with them to edit an essay or look over their study guide you have cool points.

I hope these Top 7 ways find you well or at least breathing. Don’t worry guys, we are all in this together #HSM4life. If that doesn’t motivate you; remember that if you fail, you will have to take that class again. Let’s get real, if you didn’t like it the first time, then why take it a second time?

Illustration done by Keyla Lerma.

Adventures With Cam : Drunk Driving Without A License

April 4, 2017

By Cameron Purcell, Columnist

It was a bright, lovely day and I was free to flee to the comforts of my home. After calling for a ride from the PAC building, I began to head towards the SCC and await my departure. Though on the way, I happened upon the setting of tables and golf carts. My curiosity took hold of me and I was compelled to find out what was going on here.

As it turned out, Lone Star College -Kingwood was setting up a drunk driving simulator, with free drinks to those that completed the simulation! The drinks were water of course, not alcohol.

I was the first to arrive. Therefore, I was the first to be given the opportunity to participate in the activity, and I would finally fulfill my dream of driving a campus golf cart! Albeit, I would be wearing goggles to simulate drunkenness, but golf cart driving nonetheless.

I entered a golf cart alongside one of the campus officers, who handed me a pair of drunk goggles. I was very confident in my driving abilities. At worst, I thought these goggles would make things blurry and dark, and that I’d be able to easily drive around the traffic cones they had set up. I thought I was the undisputed Greek God of automobiles.

Much to my surprise, however, these goggles were the trippiest thing on the planet. My vision was severely distorted. I saw bazillion things around me overlapping with one another with an orange haze. It was like the universe unraveled itself before me then threw acid on my eyeballs.

Despite this turn of events, I was determined to drive through the traffic cones like the unlicensed driving master I believed myself to be. While I managed to not hit any cones, I swerved about haphazardly in my concentration merely making it through the path they had set before me, and so I was “pulled over” by an officer.

To truly test how ‘drunk’ I was, I was made to walk in a straight line with the goggles on. This proved to be my undoing. The line I was meant to follow was in front of me, but it also appeared to be to my left, right, up, down, everywhere! At least with driving, I did not need to balance myself. But here? I nearly fell over twice!

Consequently, I had failed the task, proving that even the greatest of us can succumb to the mighty influence of alcohol upon consumption. When I went to get my free bottle of water, I was asked, “So what were the goggles like?”

I smiled and said, “I don’t remember. I was drunk.”

Illustration done by Emory Aguilar.

Judging from the Cheap Seats: “What’s in a Name?”

April 4, 2017

By Cara Young , Columnist

A quote and a question I pose to you all. What is in a name? Is it simply a title? An identifier? An emotional connection? A summary of actions? Names are powerful things giving worth to their wearers, pride to their possessor, and inspiration to their inheritors. On one of our nation’s more visited monument sites are etched the names of fallen soldiers. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall is a polished granite tomb, honoring the bravery these men and women showcased for their country. While maintaining the true essence of what the war was to our soldiers, our nation, and our hearts a scar that nearly bled us dry.

Maya Lin is a celebrated earth artist, sculptor, and architect whose name carries a great deal of weight in the art community. She attended Yale and Harvard earning a master’s degree in architecture and designed not only the Vietnam Veterans Memorial but the Civil Rights Monument and the Women’s Table at Yale University. Her minimalist vision caused some controversy in her youth, but soon became accepted and enjoyed by the public.

At 21 she won the design submission contest for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial even though almost every element of the monument caused debate. The use of dark reflective rock, the descending manner of the piece, and the number of patriotic symbols coming up short were large points of concern for the veterans, mourners, and civilians awaiting the monument’s opening. Even as her work was thrown into a national debate, her design dubbed the “black gash of shame”, funding for the project pulled out from under her, and her name ran through the mud, Lin stood her ground. Accepting a standard sized American flag and three realistic soldier statues placed near the monument were minor concessions to appease the public while retaining the emotional momentum the site was meant to create. It was not built to honor the action of rebellion or the aiding of an ally, but rather it was meant to be a reminder of the pain we faced in the midst of violent misfortune. On opening day November 11, 1982, Veterans Day, it soon became evident how successful Lin’s design was in capturing and conveying this message to the people visiting.

Her next monument, the Civil Rights Memorial, didn’t stir up nearly as much political attention. It kept some signature elements like polished granite, flowing water, and inscribed words on a much smaller scale. The piece is a rounded fountain that lays out major points of the civil rights movement in a clockwise fashion, featuring key points, names of well-known voices and deaths, and laws passed toward or in acknowledgment of the movement. Finally, Lin’s Women’s Table that still used water and carved stone was meant to recognize the women who attended Yale University. Carved numbers begin at the center and spiral out. The first several are zeroes showing the lack of female students in the school’s early years, but soon gains digits. However, these zeroes only represent the number of registered female students. There were some women known as “silent listeners” often professor’s wives, sisters, daughters, or in some cases even custodial workers, who “attended” lectures.

More than 25 Universities all over the state attend LSC-Kingwood College Transfer Fair.

April 4, 2017

By Michelle Lecumberry , Design Editor.

Where are we going? That’s a hard question. College teaches you better than anything that life happens. If you are lost or if you just want confirmation that you are on the right path, Lone Star College-Kingwood will enlighten the way with their annual Transfer Fair.

“This transfer fair will give students and the public an opportunity to shop around, examine several options, collect transfer materials, speak with a representative and make a decision on what school suits their needs” said Nicole Keenan, director of admissions and outreach.

Transfer Fair in the Student Conference Center (SCC). On March 9. Photo by Keyla Lerma.

On March 9 in the Student Conference Center (SCC), the Transfer Fair hosted universities from all across the state. Universities such as, University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M University, Lamar University, University of Houston, Concordia University, Sam Houston and more, were in attendance.

Marim Hakem, a third year student, is planning to transfer to the University of Houston and she said this event helped her learn more about the university and realize the benefits of staying close to home.

More than 25 universities attended LSC-Kingwood. With so many options available, it gives students a chance to explore and learn about new universities. Financial Aid experts were available to advise students about scholarships and Transfer helpers were giving advice on the spot.

“This event helped me learn more about universities and keep my options open” said Gabrielle Henley, first year student.

Maybe we don’t know where we are going but this event definitely helped LSC-Kingwood students clear up their options and open some new possibilities.

Transfer Fair sign, on March 9 in the Student Conference Center. Photo by Keyla Lerma.

New York Times Best-selling Author, Ibram X. Kendi visits LSC-Kingwood as a guest speaker.

April 4, 2017

By Michelle Lecumberry, Design Editor

College is the time to be exposed to new ideas and learn more about the world. Students are the future workforce. They have an incredible amount of power to make a change around them.

“If you understand the past, maybe you can understand how to change the future,” said John Barr, U.S history professor.

Ibram X. Kendi is a New York best-selling author and National Book Award-winning historian. He came to LSC-Kingwood on March 9 to the Student Conference Center (SCC) to talk about his book, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America.

“For students is a great opportunity for, one, to hear a great author, and two, hear about the racist ideas that have been part of our history,” Barr said.

Kendi speaks to the audience. On March 9 in the Student Conference Center.Photo by Michelle Reyes Lecumberry.

Angie Cervantes, an LSC-Kingwood Honors Students, introduced Kendi. She started her introduction by urging students to keep an open mind and saying that sometimes we must have uncomfortable conversations that are terrifying but help us move on as a society.

“Regardless of where you stand politically or socially, or where you stand on issues regarding race, we can all probably agree on the importance of dialogue,” Cervantes said.

Kendi tackles the notion that slavery and racist ideas were born and not cultivated in ignorance but rather cultivated by intelligence.

He defines intelligence by not just someone who knows a great deal, but on a person’s desire to learn and understand. Coincidentally, the ones with the desire to know are the most open minded and also possess the most ability to critique and reflect on their own ideas.

He said that he had yet to come across someone who is willing to admit that their ideas are racist.

Ibram continues to explain further, “no matter what they say, they say, ‘I am not a racist.’” What is interesting about that is that if you ask someone what a racist idea is, they don’t know how to define it.

Because of this lack of a definition, it allows people to claim that their ideas are not racist–
from slaveholders or people who mass incarcerate groups of people of color today by the millions.

Kendi defines racist ideas as “Any idea that suggests a racial group is superior or inferior
to another racial group in any way” and “Anti-racist ideas suggest that racial groups are equal.”

“In our society, we don’t say black people are inferior, but what people say is what is wrong with them. People don’t recognize that to say something is wrong from [with] a particular group is to say that something is inferior about them. ” Kendi said.

He uses this definition to search among the nation’s history and to chronicle its racist ideas, but more specifically to chronicle the impact of these ideas in the course of American history.

What racist ideas do is normalizes racial inequality.

Bigotry against any group causes us as a society to blame the people as opposed to questioning our own policies. Because we have been led to believe that there is something wrong with the people, we think that there is an actual hierarchy between racial groups.

This was done rather strategically. Kendi entered into his text assuming that people had come to racist conclusions because they were ignorant or that they were hateful. Then he realized in his research that that was not largely true.

Ibram X. Kendi’s book Stamped from the beginning. Photo by Michelle Lecumberry.

That idea inspired Kendi not only to write a book about racist ideas but to write a book about racist ideas showing how and why these ideas were developed and redeveloped, created and recreated over the course of American history.

He wants to explain the historic circumstances that allowed these ideas to emerge, and to figure out the motives that explain why an individual creates racist ideas.

“You cannot generalize a group of people based on the actions of one person,” said Kendi.

Top 7 Ways to Get to Finals Week

April 4, 2017

By Kirsten Fuller, Managing Editor

Draw yourself a map– We all have the delightful syllabi all our professors have given us. The next part will be hard to swallow, but let’s use them to figure out how the heck we are going to organize our time. Not to mention, our schedules to not drowned in the six page research papers, and the staple name “final project” of the Spring Semester.
Find a Seat– I will quote one of the great’s by saying that “Go to class. Do the Work. Get the Grade” is true. It starts with going to class even though we just realized that 8 am classes were not such a great idea.
Treat Yo self– Once you accomplish that paper, or an assignment, or even studying a chapter. Don’t forget you’re awesome, so let’s face it ; you need a reward but ONLY if you finish a task… reading a sentence does not equal a 5 hour Netflix binge reward.
Big Picture-. Some days are like “Don’t talk to me. I haven’t had coffee”. Nonetheless let’s remember we are all about crossing the finish line. For some, it is graduation, others it is summer break, or it’s a two week hiatus before summer and minimester starts. You will make it, don’t give up halfway through the race.
Apps are Friends not Food– there is a Self Control App that you can download on your Mac (possibly PC) and you can blacklist your weaknesses for the all well-known procrastination monster. There is a timer and you can’t access these websites until your timer runs out for allowing you to focus on your work. #amazeballs (I know!!)
Healthy Body and Mind– You would be surprised that what you eat and do in your spare time affects your energy levels. So, before you reach for those hot fries, think about how late you need to stay up to write 700 words.
Mrs. Teacher– Now would be the time to use office hours, conference hours and extra credit points that you can get. Hopefully you know your professor’s name, that way when you ask to meet with them to edit an essay or look over their study guide you have cool points.

I hope these Top 7 ways find you well, or at least breathing. Don’t worry guys, we are all in this together #HSM4life. If that doesn’t motivate you; remember that if you fail, you will have to take that class again. Let’s get real, if you didn’t like it the first time, then why take it a second time?

Illustration done by Keyla Lerma.

Over 100 LSC-Kingwood students gather to hear about Radical Feminism.

April 4, 2017

By Emily Slater, News Editor

A recent speaker on campus, Robert Jensen, said, “Feminism is a gift to men.” Jensen said feminism allows men to escape traditional masculinity and the controlling, demanding, and aggressive attitudes and actions required of a traditional man.

Jensen spoke during an event at Lone Star College-Kingwood on March 2 to speak on his new book, The End of Patriarchy: Feminism for Men.

Over 100 students and faculty members gathered in the Student Conference Center to attend Jensen’s talk.

Jensen discussed many of the core issues of radical feminism, which he defines as a “movement against suffering,” which differs from the more mainstream “liberal feminism” in that liberal feminism tries to “optimize female opportunity in the existing [patriarchal] system,” while the radical feminism that Jensen subscribes to questions the validity of that system.

Much of the discussion focused on what Jensen calls the “industry of sexual exploitation,” or the pornography and prostitution industry.

“[Jesnen’s presentation] was informative and insightful on some aspects of the issues with gender inequality, a small story to add to a larger picture,” LSC-Kingwood, first-year student, Rosemary Culver said.

In addition to commenting on the way pornography, and prostitution harms both men and women.Jensen also spoke on the choice that those who are a part of the powerful groups in society must make: to continue in being a part of that elite group of to be human.

This controversial statement caused many LSC-Kingwood students in attendance to question the argument being presented.

“He talked about feminism as a way to abolish the problems of a hierarchy, but he did it while demeaning men,” said first-year student Amy Palacios, “You’re talking about how we’re unequal and that’s not okay, but the things you’re saying seem to only establish more inequality.”

Jensen, a journalism professor at University of Texas at Austin, is no stranger to controversy and dissent, after his 2001 article published in the Houston Chronicle comparing the September 11 terror attacks to American military actions caused the then president of UT, Larry Faulkner, to write a letter to the Houston Chronicle, distancing himself and the university from Jensen’s views, saying that he was “disgusted” by the views expressed in the article.

The radical feminism Jensen champions is also a source of controversy, particularly in its exclusion of transgender woman in its defense of a woman.

This March 2 event was Jensen’s third time presenting at LSC-Kingwood– something of a rarity for Jensen, who said that he is often not invited back to the institutions he presents at to speak a second time.

Jensen’s presentation on The End of Patriarchy: Feminism for Men was co-sponsored by The Men’s Center and the LSC-Kingwood “Writers, Thinkers, and Ideas” committee. The next speakers presented by “Writers, Thinkers, and Ideas” will be Nicole Dennis-Benn presenting on her novel, Here Comes the Sun, on April 8 at 11:15 a.m. in the black box theatre and LSC-Kingwood professor of Biology, Brian Shmaefsky, presenting “Facts & Myths: DNA Genealogy” on April 13 at 12:30-1:30 p.m. in CLA 114.

Archive - April 2017