See The Sun• Legacy of Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles – page 4• How To Use the CSUN SRC – page 7• Fight the Freshman Fifteen – page 10• Dorm Room Relations – page 11• Choosing a Major – page 12• Keeping Focused – page 13• Legalization of Marijuana – page 14• Thanksgivukkah – page 15

The Legacy Of Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles

For the next one-hundred-years Kobe Bryant will be talked about as one of the greatest NBA players to ever play basketball. I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I came out in the later half of 1995. My family has been a huge group of Laker fans since before the era of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul- Jabbar What Los Angeles didn’t know, was that a brand new era was headed straight for Hollywood. Kobe “Black Mamba” Bryant was born August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the son of former Professional basketball player Joe “Jelly Bean” Bryant. Kobe has had a huge influence on many people around the world. As the first guard to ever be drafted straight from high school at seventeen years old, he gave hope to many young high school basketball players with dreams to go to the NBA. He was so young that his parents had to co-sign his contract to join the Charlotte Hornets in 1996. He was drafted in the first round with the number 13 pick. The Hornets decided to trade Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers before he even got to play a game. If the Hornets had known what was to become of Kobe Bryant, they probably would not have traded him. Bryant’s first season in the league was what we could call, sub-par. Nobody was prepared for the storm that came after that. Through hard work and raw athleticism, Kobe Bryant became the youngest NBA starter in league history. His next two years showed great improvement in his game and transition into the league. His fourth season (1999-2000) was the turning point for the soon to be Black Mamba. With the addition of future Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson and the his famous Triangle offense, Kobe had everything he needed. Not to mention he had future hall-of-fame center Shaquille O’Neal. The Los Angeles Lakers proceeded to win the NBA Finals for the next three years straight. They were so impressed and excited by the three championships that they trademarked the term ”Three- Peat.” In the season following the 3- peat, Kobe Bryant put up absolutely astounding numbers. He averaged 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. It was his first time playing eighty of the eighty-two games each team play every season. He shot a career high 46.9 percent and made the defensive and all first team as well as the Western All- Star Team. He even averaged over 40 points per game in the month of February. The Lakers ended up losing to the Sacramento Kings in the Western Finals. The next few years were huge disappointments for the Lakers. Phil Jackson called Kobe “uncoachable” and were not getting along for quite some time. Despite this and the leaving of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe still proceeded to set even more record breaking numbers, including scoring 81 points in a single game. This feat was the second greatest scoring performance in the History of the NBA. He also become the first to score over 45 points in more than four consecutive games. Fast forward to 2007-2008 NBA season, Kobe Bryant becomes the MVP of the league and leads the Lakers to the Finals without Shaquille O’Neal, something every Kobe hater always talked about. Although they lost to their rival, the Boston Celtics, it sparked a flame inside Kobe Bryant to win. The next season, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to a franchise record 17-2 winning record. The Lakers won the Finals the next two years with the help of the one and only Kobe. In 2010 Kobe became the youngest player ever to reach 26,000 career points. He also moved from 12th to 6th on the all time scorers list for the NBA. He also became the Laker leader for most recorded steals. Fast forward to today, Kobe is still sitting out with a torn Achilles and the whole world is anticipating his return. He is an international Icon and will remain one for the remainder of his life. Kobe is one of the most amazing players I’ve ever seen in my entire life and he never ceases to amaze me. We can only wait and see what he’ll bring once he’s back.

Test your NCAA Mascots Knowledge-Match the mascot to the team!

• Wisconsin Willie the Wildcat• Nevada DIBS• Utah State Bully• Georgia State Powercat• Temple Rowdy Raider• CSU Fullerton The Mountaineer• Mississippi State Roc the Panther• Kansas State Paws• Central Florida Big Blue• DePaul Will D. Cat• West Virginia Alphie• Pacific Tuffy• OleMiss Bucky Badger• Villanova Cam the Ram• Wright State Hooter the Owl• Pitt Pounce• Northeastern The Hawk• St. Joseph's Rebel Black Bear• UC Irvine Mamadou Ndiaye• Colorado State Knightro

How to use the Student Recreation Center

The Cal State University Northridge Student Recreation Center (SRC). A big reason why I decided to come to CSUN was because of our three story sixty-three million dollar Student Recreation Center. The SRC as a whole rounds out to about 138,000 square feet, including the 20,000 square foot recreation pool. Upon entering the huge double glass doors you enter a world of athletes, meatheads, gym rats, and the occasional person who lifts weights or runs on the treadmill for hours on end. If you look towards the left you see the front desk filled with students telling you what’s going on that day at the gym and a station filled with basketballs. You walk forward and enter in your student ID number and put your hand on a scanner to get past the gates. Once you’re passed the gates the full affect really hits you. There’s a three story rock climbing mountain that looks random but extremely fun. There you’ll find men and women with tons of core strength and people who like to climb. You walk straight and are then faced with an ultimatum. Do I go left, right, or up the stairs? If your heart sends you to the left you’ll enter a world of weightlifting. There are more machines than anybody would know what to do with. Everything from upper shoulders, to foot strength you can find on the left side. If you proceed to walk past all the machines you find yourself at the entrance to the 20,000 square foot pool. Backtrack a little bit to where your heart made the decision to go left. This time, you turn to the right and emerge into an extremely similar space as the left side of the gym. The only major difference between this side and the other is there are a significant amount of treadmills and bicycle machines instead of bench presses and a studio in which dance classes are taught. Walk up the stairs to the second floor and you’ll find even more than you’d ever expect. Make a right and you’ll see the Trophy Case full of awards CSUN has won as well as a ping- pong table and bathrooms. They also have an indoor soccer court used for indoor soccer intramurals. Go back towards the stairs and you’ll enter what I think is the most prized possession of the entire Student Recreation Center. Three official college sized basketball courts that have games of five-on-five going on at all times. Here you will find players from the men and women’s basketball teams playing with each other as well as amateurs like myself. If you go to the south side of the second floor you’ll discover two racquetball courts, a studio used for practicing boxing and a fitness room with about fifty elliptical bikes in it. Last but not least the last part of the SRC is the third floor. It’s not an entire floor, but rather a track surrounding the edges of the building looking down on the basketball players. On top of all this, the SRC is an extremely eco- friendly building. They strive for “LEED Gold Status,” which is the highest status you can achieve from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. According to the Student Recreation Center website, roughly 75% of the building is lit up by natural light and an extensive use of windows. The gym uses recycled products such as the carpet, hardwood floors, and the seating throughout the gym. With this fantastic building in our possession, how could we not use it? To the people who are afraid to go to the gym for fear of meatheads or basketball players who are better than you, just remember they weren’t always like that. Nobody is born with a six- pack (except maybe Spartans). Everybody starts somewhere. Use the resources you have. Not everyone has a sixty million dollar gym at their disposal like we do.

Fight the Freshman FifteenAre you afraid of falling into the stereotype and gaining the notorious freshman "15?"  For as long as there have been freshmen in college there have been horror stories about this dreaded fifteen or so pounds that these freshmen are supposedly going to gain. No need to panic, just because you're a freshman doesn't mean you have to gain this weight.  The causes of this "Freshman 15" are pretty obvious, in general just laziness. Students eat junk food because its available within minutes and its affordable, where as healthy meals are normally more expensive and take time and effort to cook. With time consuming class schedules, group projects, loads of homework and many more time consuming things in the life of a college freshman they don't really find the time to eat healthy let alone make time to go exercise. Although it's understandable when students do, controlling whether or not you gain weight as a freshman is entirely up to you. Not only do students eat when they're stressed out and tired but they also eat for instant gratification. Finding the willpower to turn down these unhealthy foods that students have such easy access to is one of the hardest parts of keeping off this freshman fifteen.  If one can maintain a healthy diet and a regular exercise schedule then you should have no problem not gaining any weight and beating the stereotypical freshmen fifteen. 

Dorm Room RelationsCommunication is key when finding a common understanding between you and your roommate or roommates. If you're sharing a dorm room and you meet your roommate just a couple days before the start of school or even just on move in day, it's a great idea to let them know a lot about you right from the beginning.. Let them know if you snore, if you plan on having a party every Friday night, if you stay out very late on school nights. Let them know about anything that may have something pertaining to them. Just let them know anything that can possibly affect them. Give them you cell phone number for emergencies. Be kind of course, this person may end up being your new BFF, but just let them know what to expect so there aren't too many surprises in store. And encourage them to be just as open with you. Also realize when your expectations are too high. If you expect them to allow you to have a party in your shared room every night, you've probably got another thing coming. Just be realistic, open for communication, compromise and you and your roommate will get along fine.

Choosing a MajorIt is important when choosing a major to pick something that you are willing to do for the rest of your life. It is not just about choosing a lucrative career, it is about choosing something that interests you and can benefit the lives of others. The average teenager chooses a major without even knowing exactly what they want to do in the future, therefore they choose the major they feel will benefit them the most financially. Colleges should build programs that give students the opportunities to evaluate their interest so they can actually join a major they should be in. I wasn’t properly prepared to choose my major. As a result I did not choose the major that I would maintain interest in. This can lead to a very sad and uneventful life. You must first evaluate and determine what your true interests are. Then you must take this and apply it to a major that most resembles what you came up with. The next step is applying for the major of your interest at the college you plan on attending. There are many more steps that one mistake to complete this major. You must sign up for numerous classes, with the constant panic that the class will run out of remaining seats. It is an incredibly stressful process. That is why you must wisely choose your major before signing up for classes because you can waste a significant amount of time finishing certain classes, and then end up switching majors. I am currently going through this situation. I am a kinesiology major, but I realized that it was not the path for me. I have not yet switched my major but I will at the end of the year. Luckily, I discovered this at an early stage in college. Quite a few students do not. Some discover this when it is too late or approaching senior year. Make sure you evaluate your true interests and act quickly.

Keeping FocusedIt is important for a college student to maintain focus on their academics because the education that they are receiving is a crucial part of their future pursuit of careers. I understand that it is tough for a student to remain on task and focused due to the many distractions that present themselves in college. I myself find it very difficult to have to constantly turn myself away from temptation. But I came to the realization that these years of my life are where I must be the most responsible. There is no longer anyone keeping me organized or looking out for me. I no longer have support from other people on a daily basis. My life is almost entirely controlled by myself now. Before college, most students only hear about the college experience. The “college experience” is a widely known term that many look forward to when attending college. But the “college experience” is rarely viewed as an academically focused experience. There are many students that think of education as the secondary reason for attending college. Education isn’t typically placed before partying or any other form of entertainment that students manage to preoccupy their time with. There is a solution to this problem though, that is organization. Organization is the key to success in college. Every student I have spoken to has said the exact same thing about their college academics, that it required a high level of organization. I always find a way to keep myself preoccupied with pointless activities that will not benefit me, but I have noticed that when I do keep myself organized and on task I seem to be better with my decision making. It relieves a lot of stress when I know when something is due and the different ways those things must be done. There are other ways a person can manage to stay on task as well. First, one must leave all electronic items either off or out of the workplace. It is nearly impossible to focus when an electronic device is present. Second, isolate yourself and refrain from any contact with friends or family. They have good intentions but trust me, they can be a huge distraction. Last, you must find a quiet place to work. Silence is key when attempting to focus. Another tip I must add is that going home is probably a terrible idea when it comes to getting work done. I tend to have a lot of trouble focusing at home, even when nothing interesting is happening. Being in a familiar environment with distracting surroundings will only provoke a person to lose focus. As your time in college progresses you will notice that more distractions will begin to present themselves. You will begin to get to know more people and probably be more involved on campus. There is nothing wrong with this, as it is a natural process in college. The only problem is that one can become overwhelmed with the endless options of entertainment. This is why time management is so important.   

Legalization of MarijuanaThe legalization of marijuana has been an ever-growing issue in recent years. With more than twenty states supporting medical marijuana, and with Colorado and Washington's recent statewide legalization of the plant, it is an issue we can expect to only see more of in coming years. Recent research has shown the vast positives of the plant, leading many people to support its legalization. However, despite this research, many people are still afraid of the plant, believing old government studies which have since been proven false.Frequent arguments against the legalization of marijuana is that it is a "gateway drug", and would lead to increased drug use, crime, and more people driving under the influence. However, much of this has been proven wrong. For instance, the legalization of the plant would lead to a direct decrease in crime and prison overcrowding. Many people are incarcerated for small marijuana related crimes, and tie up the justice system and are often dragged into a life of crime through prison. With marijuana legalized, police could focus on more serious crimes. Legalizing marijuana will also lead to a decrease in "stoned" driving.  Previous to the legalization in certain states, officers often had no way to prove if someone was currently under the influence of marijuana or not. Thanks to the legalization, further testing has been allowed and now a Breathalyzer for marijuana has been developed, preventing people from driving under the influence. Legalizing the plant has the potential to greatly reduce crime. With marijuana legal, drug kingpins would lose a large amount of business, much like when prohibition was ended, since the government would take over distribution of the plant. The legalization also allows further testing to be done on marijuana, increasing its medicinal value. The combination of tax revenue from marijuana sales and the decreased prison budget due to fewer marijuana related crimes will stimulate the economy. In recent years, the positives of legalizing marijuana have been shown to greatly outweigh the negatives. 

ThanksgivukkahOn the eve of Thursday, November 28, 2013, Jews all around America were joining together in celebration of a once in a lifetime dinner – Thanksgivukkah. The last time Thanksgiving Day occurred during Hanukkah was in 1899, before Thanksgiving was moved to the 4th Thursday of every November in 1941. The last time that day fell during Hanukkah was before President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a holiday in 1863. There have been some estimates that Thanksgivukkah won’t occur again until the year 79811, however there will be a partial overlap of the two holidays in 2070. It’s a partial overlap because Thanksgiving Day coincides with the first night of Hanukkah, meaning the overlap lasts about 6 or 7 hours, as opposed to this year when Thanksgiving Day landed on the first full day of Hanukkah, making it a 24 hour holiday. Regardless of the length of the holiday, Thanksgivukkah is a rare phenomenon that was celebrated by millions of Jews in America this year, and will be celebrated by generations to come.    

Who Wore It Best?

A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar both dressed up the same way in this new music video for their hit single “F*cking Problems.”  Kendrick Lamar: Standing at an intimidating five feet six inches, Kendrick decides to steal A$AP Rocky’s fashion style after saying earlier in the song “All these mother*cker’s wanna dress like me.” Lamar proceeded to wear it anyways and doesn’t quite fit into it the same way A$AP does. This may be the finale Kendrick, but you’ve certainly lost. A$AP Rocky: Five foot ten A$AP Rocky has ben known to be one of the most well dressed rappers on the face of the planet. His style allows for him to wear basically anything he wants and still look “fresh.” This Outfit, skinny jeans, dress shirt and triple XL Suit Jacket, would look silly on anyone else who attempted to wear it. E.g. Kendrick Lamar. You win this round A$AP Rocky…again.  

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