ONTAP ISSUE 10 — FALL 2014

TOBACCO POLICY

As a solution to help eliminate these

problems, VSU has implemented the

tobacco free policy on campus.

PAGE 34

THE DEVIL IN THE BURNING PAPER SUIT

Many are the experiences, emotions,

and sensations etched in my mind and

inextricably bound to the familiar taste

and smell of a burning cigarette.

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CONTENTSEditor’s LetterBy Roberto Leal

Soul food for the SlimBy Joshua Abbott

306 NorthBy Perry Davis

5 Super FoodsBy Gabi Burch

Study AbroadBy Chelsea White

Discover DestinyBy Joshua Abbott

Faculty Art ShowBy Perry Davis

Managing a College Student Stress LevelBy Marquez Slaughter

The Devil in the Burning Paper SuitBy Daniel Miller

Tobacco PolicyBy Ayanna Craig

Plasma Donations: is it worth the risks?By Veronica You

FinancialsBy Devin Durham

VSU’s The CypherBy Dominique Stringer

The Sims 4: Getting Weirder All the TimeBy R. Rhett Parker

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ONTAP ISSUE 10 — FALL 2014

TOBACCO POLICY

As a solution to help eliminate these

problems, VSU has implemented the

tobacco free policy on campus.

PAGE 34

THE DEVIL IN THE BURNING PAPER SUIT

Many are the experiences, emotions,

and sensations etched in my mind and

inextricably bound to the familiar taste

and smell of a burning cigarette.

PAGE 36

Front and back cover picture by Lena Best.

Lena is a photographer from Valdosta. Lena has been taking photos for two years and has plans to become a fashion photographer.

Follow Lena on Instagram at: _lenabest

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StaffEDITOR IN CHIEF

Roberto LealMANAGING EDITOR

Daniel MillerCREATIVE DIRECTOR

Roberto LealCONTRIBUTORS

Ayanna CraigChelsea White

Daniel MillerDominique Stringer

Gabi BurchJoshua Abbott

Marquez SlaughterPerry Davis

R. Rhett ParkerVeronica You

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Dylan WhiddonEliza Reyes

Joshua AbbottLena Best

Roberto LealVeronica You

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERS

Joshua AbbottPerry DavisFACULTY ADVISOR

Dr. Deborah HallCONTACT

ontap@valdosta.edu

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Editor’s LetterOn managing a magazine

Over the course of the years On Tap magazine has had the opportunity to work with some interesting individuals. This year we had the opportunity to work with Devin Durham and Jenae Brew as they established the ground work for our current issue.

We are grateful for their contribution. With each new editor-in-chief come new visions and ways of doing things. This year we chose to split our work force amongst three teams that consisted of, writers, photographers, and graphic designers. Having each team concentrate on their respective task allowed for a better workflow—with a few shortfalls here and there. The change allowed our writers to concentrate on what they do best—writing.

It is my hope that within these pages our readers find some interest in the articles that our team of writers worked hard to put together. This issue hopes to bring articles with perspective and depth to topics relevant to each of our readers.

Here is to our new issue and many more.

Roberto Leal

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Soul Food for the SlimGrowing up here in the southern part of the United States, I’ve experienced the temptations of soul food. It is something that many from this area eat on a regular basis.By Joshua Abbott

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My grandmother would always use ham hocks in her peas and greens. These meals were saturated in fat, and resulted in most of my family having weight issues. They seem to believe the more fat in the food the better it will taste. I’ve cooked lower fat meals for them and they’ve seemed to be supportive. Everyone enjoys greens with ham in them, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, black eyed peas, and even crackling corn-bread. The only problem is they tend to make your hips wider and your diet go bust. Opinions can’t be changed overnight, of course, but hopefully the suggestions below will help you learn a healthier way to enjoy these southern comfort foods.

The secret to getting rid of the bad fats is to cook with healthier oils or to limit the amount of oils in food. When we fry chicken, it soaks in oil to a nice crispy crust filled with temptations and bad fats. When we add ham hocks to greens or peas it adds extra sodium. The key to eating healthier is to limit the amount of sodium and carbohydrates (carbs) you eat, such as those in cornbread or biscuits. If you reduce carbs, then you reduce the amount of glucose in your body. Glucose, also known as blood sugar, in excess can lead to the development of fat.

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Excessive use of sodium and carbs can lead to Diabetes and/or high blood pressure. If this concerns you, there are several sodium free alternatives that can help make life easier.

Instead of frying chicken, try baking it on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray. This helps eliminate all the bad oils/controls the amount of oils in the chicken. To keep it very crispy make sure you top the chicken with breadcrumbs or flip halfway during baking. To make your greens or peas healthier, skip on adding ham hocks. Instead, you can use smoked turkey neck to create a similar flavor. For healthier macaroni and cheese use fat free cheeses and low-fat or skim milk. You should also use less salt and butter. Cornbread can be made healthier by using whole grain cornmeal and low fat milk.

Treat your black-eyed peas like your greens - use less salt and substitute turkey neck as well. These tips will help you enjoy your soul food without breaking your waist line.

To see my recipes and more tips visit us online at: http://www.ontapvsu.com

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Located in downtown Valdosta, 306 North is a casual restaurant geared towards dining within a southern atmosphere. Being located close to campus, 306 North boasts an affordable lunch menu that is great for any Valdosta State University student.By Perry Davis

Located in downtown Valdosta on N. Patterson Street, 306 North is a casual restaurant geared towards dining within a southern atmosphere. Being located close to campus, 306 North boasts an affordable lunch menu that is great for any Valdosta State University student.

There are few restaurants that capture that South Georgia feel. When I think of trips to Savannah, I always remember restaurants that have warm summer color wallpapers and wood finishes in moderately bright settings. This bright interior contrasts restaurants in most cities that utilize dim lighting and seem-ingly make it as dark as possible. 306 North’s interior says to other restaurants they can keep their popular style, but 306 North leans toward a style that promotes light as well as gives a more spacious and open feeling. While I found the interior to be an interesting way to show the restaurant’s Southern roots, I did not like the sheets of brown paper as a table covering. I found this stylistic choice to contrast with the atmosphere, and it

seemed misplaced when compared to the rest of the restaurant.

Overall, the atmosphere is perfect for enjoying a meal; I was able to enjoy the scenery and felt more relaxed instead of feeling like a spotlight was cast on me while I enjoyed my pimento cheese and ciabatta toast appetizer that was served promptly by my waiter.. Pimento cheese seemed like the perfect appetizer as it is proudly called the “caviar of the south” and, while never having had caviar, I feel like I made the best choice. This is not to downplay the ciabatta toast as it was near perfection and could even handle my smearing of pimento cheese.

I could have walked out feeling happy with just the appetizer order, but halfway through my pimento cheese and ciabatta toast my waiter came out with my order of fried grouper fingers with a side of spinach and mashed potatoes, the special of the day. While I needed to salt the grouper fingers a little, overall I was pleased with my meal and thought that

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my money had taken me farther than most restaurants that are geared towards college budgets. Compared to Chili’s, where a fajita can cost you $11.00-$12.00, 306 North offers a wide variety of specialties and sandwiches for $7.00-$12.00 during lunch.

306 North’s prices easily compares to Applebee’s and Chili’s, but it is more affordable for university students. In this instance, 306 North comes out the clear winner; however, the food puts 306 North on near, if not the same, level as more upscale restau-rants found in bigger cities. By offering a restaurant that looks more upscale than what college students may be accustomed to, and serves a wide variety of food, 306 North offers a dining experience that is better than the typical college diet. 306 North accomplishes all of this while staying on a college budget, and it is sure to leave a student feeling satisfied.

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5 Super FoodsBeing healthy, social and on time for class on a daily basis can be grueling for college students.By Gabi Burch

Stress can take a toll on your eating habits and eventually your health. Most undergraduates eat junk food like fries and chips because they’re a quick fix, but many dishes can be made with simple ingredients that easily fit the college lifestyle.

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BerriesThese little guys produce a healthy punch to the body. They are a low calorie treats full of fiber, vitamin C, and dis-ease-fighting antioxidants. Berries are a wonderful snack and can be popped in your mouth for an on-the-go snack.

They also fit perfectly with simple recipes. For a tangy, creamy, and crunchy snack mix a handful of blueberries with a cottage cheese snack-pack and sprinkle with walnuts. Don’t forget your spoon. You can thank me later.

Are 5 calories each, contain folates, niacin, vitamins A, C, E, K and are high in Manganese.

BERRIES FACT

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SpinachPopeye taught us that spinach made you strong, but did you know why? Spinach is rich in potassium, which has been proven to lower blood pressure; spinach may win the prize as one of the most nutritious leafy foods. Spinach is low in calories, low in fat and high in fiber, making it a great food to add to your diet. Spinach is also very rich in iron which is needed for the production of red blood cells and cellular metabolism.

High in lutein & zeaxanthin like eggs, high in vitamin K & C, contains beta-carotine, and iron.

Around 40-60 calories per serving.

SPINACH FACTS

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EggsHigh in good cholesterol, eggs are often called a super food. The yolk of an egg can contain up to 250 milligrams of omega 3, a type of polyunsaturated fat that is used by the body for blood clotting and building cell membranes. Omegas 3’s have been proven to lower the risk of heart disease. All of these health benefits are found in one small egg.

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Contain high doses of Lutein and Zeazanthine which lower risk for age-related eye disorders such as glaucoma.

77 calories each, contains all 9 essential amino acids.

EGG FACTS

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Peanut ButterMost Americans grew up eating peanut butter and jelly sand-wiches as a yummy quick snack; but most people don’t know that peanut butter is a great source of protein, which helps repair and rebuild the body while delivering energy as well. The fatty unsaturated fats in peanut butter also have choles-terol lowering properties. This creamy, down-home delicacy contains Vitamin E, Potassium, and Magnesium.

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Boost health of blood vessels around the heart, high in fiber and folates, can help protect against colon cancer & heart disease.

Also around 50 calories per serving.

PEANUT BUTTER FACTS

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Here are some easy recipes to incorporate these foods into your daily life:

Spinach berry salad • 4 cups packed torn fresh spinach• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries• 1 small sweet onion, sliced• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

In a large salad bowl, toss together the spinach, strawberries, blueberries, onion and pecans. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Curry Egg Salad• 2 large eggs• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise• 1 teaspoon curry powder• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives• Dash kosher salt and black pepper• 4 slices of bread (optional toasted)• Small handful of spinach• Potato chips, for serving

Place the eggs in a saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat, and let sit for 12 minutes. Rinse the eggs under cold water, peel, and coarsely chop.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise and curry powder. Fold in the eggs and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Divide evenly, topping each slice of bread with lettuce, then the spoon in your egg salad. Serve with chips.

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Study AbroadIn the summer of 2014, VSU students studied in Spain. The study abroad program allows students to explore the world while studying different subjects.By Chelsea White

Many students don’t know, that even though it can be pretty expensive, there are scholarships you can look for to help pay for your experience. Kyra King, a senior who is majoring in Criminal Justice and Spanish for Professionals at VSU, was able to tell me about her trip this past summer.

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Q: Where did you go for your study abroad trip?

A: First we went to Madrid, later we went to Cordoba, Seville, and Cadiz, Spain, where we were attending the university, for a month and a half.

Q: What activities did you do during the day?

A: We got to go to this little factory where they design wine and alcohol, and we got to see how wine was made. We also learned how long it sits before its sold in stores.

Q: How long does the wine usually sit?

A: For about three years.

Q: What was the nightlife like in Spain?

A: Spain is so wonderful at night! We went to some bars, a place called Discotheque and that’s basically a party type of club situation where everyone goes to just have fun. There was no charge to get in, so it was pretty packed and everyone in there was just having a good time. Also, there was another place called La Punta and that was a rooftop party. They had one every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The party would usually start at 12AM and end at six in the morning.

Q: Did you do anything during your spare time? If so, what did you do?

A: I went to the beach. I lived on the beach!

"Spain is so wonderful at night! We went to some bars, a place called Discotheque and that’s basically a party type of club situation where everyone goes to just have fun."

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Q: Did you visit any historic sites?

A: In each city, I named in your first question, we went to all of the cathedrals. It was very beautiful to see and it has been there for a while-- so yeah, I would say it’s historic.

Q: What types of food did you eat while you were in Spain?

A: A lot of rice, a lot of chicken and a lot of bread! They served bread with every meal. Every meal! You could have fruit for lunch and they would bring you bread right after!

Q: How do students find out more about the study abroad program?

A: A lot of students at VSU and probably a lot of other univer-sities don’t take advantage of their email. They’ll get an email and probably ignore it or not pay attention to it, but when you get those forward emails you should really sit and read them because that’s how I found out about it. I got an email from Dr. Russell my professor here at VSU, and she sent an email to every student that attends VSU whether you’re a Spanish major or minor or not. Also, if you reach out, on those emails they have scholarships because not everyone can afford study abroad. You could apply for scholarships and there are fund-raisers for you to help you come up with the funds before you take off!

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DISCOVER DESTINYMaybe you’ve played it or maybe you’ve spent every day since its release playing Bungie and Activision’s joint venture Destiny.By Joshua Abbott

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The new blockbuster gaming title came to home consoles on September 9th, 2014. This is the first Bungie game to be available on both generations of game systems for Sony and Microsoft. It also has some one-of-a-kind game features that are sure to set many precedents.

Destiny is one of the first console games to have incorporated a fully online game world where characters from all over the world can interact and play alongside each other. From com-pleting missions with strangers to dancing in the Tower, Destiny is sure to delight. The game also does away with tra-ditional load screens and incorporates a graphic transition instead. This enables gamers to feel more connected to the story and gives a more realistic feel to gameplay. One of the other features new to the gaming world is the ability to login on a friend’s console and pick-up right where you left off on your own game.

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The gameplay is very challenging for any level of gamer. The enemies continually change their tactics and mix up the game play. Enemies can teleport away and even block with force fields. They also get progressively higher in level with each subsequent play through. Every level also gives the player rewards upon completion. The crucible is the online multi-player portion of Destiny. In the crucible, players can play various game types and earn special rewards. Most of these rewards are only accessible through the crucible. There are bounties (mini-missions) for the crucible each day that award the player with experience towards Vanguard or Clan level ups.

Destiny also creates a unique take on the Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) by incorporating unique weapon upgrades and bounties that are optional to the overall gameplay. Unlike traditional MMORPG’s, Destiny doesn’t require a subscription service fee* nor an expensive gaming computer. The game is so detailed; each weapon has special

"The game is so detailed; each weapon has special abilities that are earned through gameplay. This means each weapon can be fully customized to meet the player’s style."

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abilities that are earned through gameplay. This means each weapon can be fully customized to meet the player’s style. Destiny is also a first in the Bungie franchise to feature fully customizable characters. Players start off with three different classes to choose from as well as races. The player then has the option to design their character’s facial features or gender. The classes are Warlock, Hunter, and Titan each with its own dif-ferences. Warlocks use a special ability similar to magic to deal damage by casting energy balls or gliding through air. Hunters are able to use special abilities with their weapons for damaging blows to enemies. Titans use special abilities that include a force field to protect them or a damaging maelstrom of energy that is released as they punch the ground.

Overall playing through the game left me with mixed thoughts. I enjoyed many of the new features but found some very annoying. The features I disliked at first were the no-respawn zones and the server disconnection issues. After playing many hours on the game, I became less frustrated with these. It appears that the server issues were a hiccup only in the early days of gameplay. As I have progressed, many new weapons and upgrades came available. I find myself playing missions and bounties to obtain better weapons and upgrades. For a die-hard Bungie fan, this game does not disappoint. It features many of the same style of weapons and game tactics found in other Bungie games. Be sure to pick-up your copy to explore your Destiny!

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Faculty Art ShowPerry Davis

From the front entrance of the Fine Arts Gallery, Dominich Gheesling's “Bathtub Sprig”, a piece made from ink jet that captures nature, peers through the doorway, enticing visitors of the Fine Arts building to enter the gallery.

Once inside the gallery, visitors would find art that did not just cater to themes of nature but various subjects explored by the Valdosta State University art faculty.

The VSU faculty art show began with a reception held on August 25th at 7:00 PM with teachers and students in atten-dance. Julie Bowland, Fine arts Gallery Director, has been in charge of the show for the last 12 years, but the faculty art show has been going on longer than that.

The goal of the art show is not only to reach out to the Valdosta community, but also to show VSU art students what their pro-fessors are capable of. Bowland states, “We critique our students work all the time and this lets them see what we do and criticize our work.”

“I really enjoyed it [the faculty art show] because of the large array of mediums and art styles. It is also very interesting to see the artwork my professors create,” said Ashley Watkins, a senior art major.

Throughout the art gallery, visitors were subject to works like “Made in the U.S.A.” by Cindy Hasio, a portrait made with a red stamp that states, “Made in Japan”. The art gallery also show-cased “Fierce, Two-Formed, Filling the Labyrinth of Paedalus” by Mark Stafford, a 3D printed digital sculpture.

The art faculty show is not only educational for students but to teachers as well. Bowland stated that it allowed the art faculty to show each other their passion for other mediums.

“The theme is that we work together and that we know each other,” Abigail Heuss, Assistant Professor of Art, said.

The faculty art show ran from August 25th through September 12th and was the first show of the fall semester.

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Managing Student StressBeing a college student may be as hard as it is fun. The hard part is growing up and handling responsibility. Responsibility can be hard work. Stress can happen as a physical response by the body to fear or pain or frustration, creating a depressed mood. There’s no fun in that.By Marquez Slaughter

The transition from high school to college is a major change. Leaving the comfort of home where doting parents fed you, gassed up your car or gave you money to go out is a hard step. In college, it may be different for some of you, but all the babysitting comes to an end. Once the last moving box is placed into the dorm room, the parents are the ones saying, “I’m free!”

Beware the stress. Things are not the same in college. You are now considered an adult. If you want to eat or to socialize, then you have to find a job. Finding a job is not easy, especially without a vehicle. You have to hunt like a wild animal. Once you realize that there are on-campus jobs, you have to consider the fact that every other student in the same position is thinking the same way. You must also remember that although a job is helpful to have while in school, your grades and your education should come first.

What you may hear after a night of looking for jobs until the wee hours: “Hey man, remember that quiz due tomorrow morning!” Just remember that it’s okay to have fun, but responsibility at this level is a student’s main priority. Time management and dedica-tion to one’s studies will get that student a degree plus honors. That’s the stuff you came to college for.

“The fact is we’re all stressed,” says staff counselor of VSU’s Counseling Center, Gwendolyn Williams.

Williams teaches about triggers, symptoms, and managing skills for stress in her Dine & Discover program Thursday afternoon, Sept. 25. In this program, Williams explains how stress is triggered and the keys to managing stress. The top triggers of stress are increased responsibility, relocation, financial problems, and natural or man-made disasters.

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Key signs of stress include the inability to make decisions and act, lack of focus, and shaking. Sleep, meditation, breathing and muscle relaxation are practices that will help a student relax from stress. Staff counselor, Heidi Duthoy, says, “The biggest message for students would be that we all handle stress differently and some may thrive in stressful situations more than others--it really just depends on traits like personality and resilience.” Duthoy and Couillou both encourage students to take advantage of the free, confidential service that all VSU students have access to, and it just takes a phone call to schedule an appointment. Ryan Couillou, VSU staff counselor, says, “College students in particular encounter many stressors which may include managing classes/exams, financial concerns, the changing relationship with family members, adjusting to college life, and planning for life after college.” Couillou says that over the past several years, the Counseling Center has noticed an increase in the demand for its counseling services. It’s getting harder to handle stress, not easier.

Counseling centers are common on college campuses, so do not shy away from help. The counselors usually have programs where they present strategies to overcome and manage stress like William’s Dine & Discover. In the program they will teach the triggers, signs, and managing skills of stress.

BreeAnna Lawver, a VSU junior, said, “Studying for all these tests and midterms are stressful.” Lawver also says that although she is an organized student with a job, the common 15 hours of class a week adds up to the number of hours she works, which eliminates or decreases her free time.

It is okay (and common) to stress out in college because there will be some things that will be difficult, which is normal. College is about becoming the person you’ve always dreamed of. It is always best to keep calm, stay relaxed, and maintain focus. Find a comfort zone or happy spot, such as going to the campus recreation center, calling a loved one, playing a video game on your down time. Meet people on campus and throw a Frisbee. Do anything that keeps away or removes stress from the body and mind. Don’t wait until the last minute to write those papers. Listen to the cliché, “College is what you make it.” Make it as stress-free as possible.

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Tobacco Policy Everyone has learned by now there are no positive effects of smoking. It causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, and complicates diabetes.By Ayanna Craig

On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers. Smoking also comes with large costs and expenditures. On average consumers with a serious smoking addiction spend about 5,000 a year on cigarettes. The tobacco industry spends billions of dollars each year on cigarette advertising and pro-motions. Despite these facts, 42.1 million people can’t seem to put down their cigarettes.

As a solution to help eliminate these problems, VSU has imple-mented the tobacco free policy on campus. According to Dr. Luse, the chief staff of the president’s office, the overall purpose of a tobacco free campus is “to help people stop smoking and provide a healthy environment for people that come to campus every day.” From a non-smoker’s perspective, it is easy to develop a bias towards smoking--that smokers can stop whenever they want. “There was a time when I smoked, so I understand and empathize with those who struggle with quitting because it is very difficult to stop,” Dr. Luse said. Not only was she a smoker at one point but having a degree in radioactive health placed her in a position where she could actually see the health defects of smoking. “I’ve seen firsthand the health risks from smoking being a radioactive tech, this made me a big advocator of health awareness and ensuring the well-being of others,” said Dr. Luse.

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The policy basically states that any type of tobacco product such as regular cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, or even hookah sticks, are not allowed on any party of campus due to disease and death that result from the use of tobacco products. Even if you are in a vehicle you may not use any tobacco product if you are parked anywhere on campus. Although this is being done to ensure the safety of everyone, Dr. Luse explains, “We have to be careful when making these policies and make sure we provide comfort and pathways for those trying to quit smoking.” Although some may find it unfair that a campus that has allowed smoking and has provided many smoking areas is suddenly banishing it, the university is still making sure that people will have the support and assistance they need to end their addiction. For students, faculty, and staff that may have a difficult time adjusting to a tobacco free campus, there are programs for smoking sensations to help support those trying to stop. I encourage those fighting addiction to get involved in the programs that are available through Human Resources.

But what are the consequences of smoking on campus once the policy is implemented? “We want to give people time to get adjusted to the new policy.” So as of now no specific disciplinary action has been established. However, students are still expected and required to strictly obey the policy and take the rules of the university seriously. “As a whole,” Dr. Luse states, “it is desired that the policy will make people stop and rethink.” Implementing a tobacco free campus will overall assist those trying to quit their habit and help them take the first step to living a long and healthier life.

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We all know that smoking kills us. Television advertisements, magazine articles, and radio broadcasts have been propagating that very message for over a decade.By Daniel R. Miller

Smokers have been bombarded on all sides by images of cancer victims, black-ened lungs, by fatality statistics, and by holier-than-thou non-smokers who believe that their right to be smoke-free trumps the smoker’s right to smoke. All of this has cultivated an ever-increas-ingly negative social stigma for smoking and those who practice it. Despite all of this, smokers have continued to smoke; they continue to dance with that deadly deviant devil in their hand. And why? As a former smoker and sympathizer, I have explored the reasons why we smoke.

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The Devil in the Burning Paper Suit

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I didn’t smoke a cigarette until my twentieth year. I fought the peer pressure and the odds until well after I graduated high school. Boredom and curiosity did me in. Working ten hour overnight shifts for a retail store, I decided that I had nothing better to do than take the four to six smoke breaks per shift that I could get away with. And just like that, I was smoking. I cannot say exactly how many times I have been asked “why start now (so late in life)?” Maybe I like to experience things myself — or maybe the reward/risk reasoning region of my brain is defective — I really do not know for sure. What I do know is this: when I think of those first couple of years of smoking, I remember them fondly. Many were the deep and intellectual conversations with friends and acquaintances that were partnered with smoking cigarettes. Many are the experi-ences, emotions, and sensations etched in my mind and inextricably bound to the familiar taste and smell of a burning cigarette. Be it the memories of social smoking with booze and laughter, or slow drags from lonesome chair in contemplative moods, there is a part of me that loves cigarettes, and perhaps always will. Despite the threat of disease, death, tar, and toxins — or anything that devil conjures — the thrill of it is hard to kill.

Could it be that what makes cigarettes so appealing is simply the nicotine? The biphasic effect of nicotine as both stimulant and tranquilizer is very powerful for smokers, because it gives them the ability to self-medicate both lassitude and anxiety. Another common scapegoat for the addictiveness of cigarettes is the psychology of the individual smoker. Addictive person-alities sometimes take the blame for a person’s addiction. If psychology is to blame, could it be that the rebellious image of smoking that Hollywood has promoted over the years has fostered those with a proclivity for social insurgency? Of course, it has been suggested that many smokers simply have an oral fixation.

There is no one reason why anyone smokes, but modern medicine can offer one good reason not to, and that reason is better health. Yet, there are known and widely expected cases of harmful chemicals and additives used by private corpora-tions in various industries that are harmful to the general public, and still it is smoking that is seen as a modern day afflic-tion, with smokers being treated like lepers — shunned from private business, banned from public property, prohibited from insurance coverage, and even refused surgery because of the inhibiting effect of smoking on the healing process. Society would do well to remember that smokers are still people with rights of their own. Our society needs to decide the extent to which it will oppress the few in favor of the many, and before pointing fingers, remember that we all wrestle with demons, even if they are not the devil in the burning paper suit.

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Plasma Donations: Are They Worth the RiskOpening the Chegg Deals coupon booklet that I was given on the first week of school, I noticed coupons advertising a place where you can donate plasma for extra money.By Veronica You

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For students, finding a part-time job is becoming harder to do. Many people are working multiple jobs, and there are people with degrees working part time also. Donating plasma seems to be an easy way to make some extra money while in college. It’s a relatively simple process. You go in, show your proof of identification, address, and social security card, and then start the process of donating your plasma.

Plasma is the white/yellow liquid part of your blood and the need for plasma donations is to create modern medicines. By donating plasma, you are helping other people as well as getting paid roughly thirty to seventy dollars a visit. It seems like the best of both worlds. While it is advertised as a perfectly safe process, (they unwrap all the equipment in front of you so you know that it is new and not re-used) there may be some risks to your health later in your life from plasma donations.

Human plasma is what keeps your immune system running strong. For that reason, you are limited to donating plasma twice a week; otherwise, you could compromise your own immune system. It is also said that your plasma replenishes about twenty-four hours after a donation.

Long Term EffectsWhat are the long terms affects of donating plasma? While talking to a few people who donated, I was told different things. Ryan, who has been donating for about a year now, told me, “Donating isn’t that bad. Although you have to wait a few hours your first time, it doesn’t hurt and I haven’t been getting sick more often than I had before I started donating.” While Julie said, “I get sick maybe one or two more times a year since I started donating, but it’s nothing serious--just a cold for a couple days or so.”

Plasma is needed for modern medicine, and the only way to get plasma is from human donations. While you get compensated, donating is not for everyone. The risks need to be weighed against the benefits. Those who eat diets low in vitamins and who are already sick should not donate as they are more likely to get sick. These plasma centers are well-reg-ulated. Melanie, a staff member, informed me about

the procedures and precautions they take to make sure that each guest has a safe experience. “Before your first donation we make sure that the patient is healthy. We provide them with a full physical checkup and make sure that their hematocrit and protein counts are at a safe level to donate,” Melanie said. “We also provide them with a saline drip at the end of the donation to help them stay hydrated after the procedure.”

If you decide that you want to donate plasma to make some extra money while in college keep in mind what the costs and benefits are to donating plasma. It is a great thing to help other people, but you do not want to compromise your own health either. Going to the doctor constantly for being sick will cost much more than you can earn donating your plasma.

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Building CreditCredit. What is it? Why do I need it? How can I get more of it? These are common questions among college students.By Devin Durham

As we progress further in our lives, we see the issue of not having credit. Whether it is trying to get a working vehicle, getting a new home, or turning on utilities, we run into the issue of not having any credit history. There are easy (and not so easy) ways of building one’s credit though.

So what is credit? Credit is basically trust as it relates to funds. When you have great credit, it tells companies that you can be responsible with your money. It tells a business that you can pay them back for debts. If you have no credit, it tells them that you are in a gray area. They now consider you a risk or a gamble. Places like to be confident you will pay them on time, so they require deposits or steep interest rates.

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Unfortunately, there is a logic loop in the topic of credit. Places want you have to have good credit before you can use their services, yet these services are what in turn build your credit. Seems kind of silly right? Fortunately, some companies have detected this silly loop, and offer ways out of it. Here are a few of those solutions:

Buy some furniture!Furniture is something that we all need. The good news is that furniture supply companies love submitting credit reports. Whether it’s on time or missed payments, they get reported to the credit bureau. This means if you buy some seating, you can also build that credit. The trick here is financing. You don’t need a lot of money to do this either. You can go in there and buy the cheapest (sure to be the ugliest) couch in the place. Instead of just buying that cheap turquoise couch at the counter, finance it. This means you will be making payments on it over time. The cool thing about credit reports is that they have the same weight no matter the amount of money. This means that numerous small positive reports build credit just as fast as large ones. This can also turn around and bite you too. If you forget to pay off that ugly couch, you will end up with a bad credit score. This is something you want to avoid at all cost.

Make those bills you already pay get to work!Pay your own bills? Well, you are currently missing an oppor-tunity to build credit. Unlike furniture companies, utilities usually only report if you don’t pay them. The good thing is that you can ask them nicely to report on time payments. If they try to be cranky, just remind them that they legally have to do it if requested! This is a great reward to those of you who already pay your bills on time every month (I am sure this is you).

Why don’t you go get a job!What are you, lazy? Jokes aside, having a job (even just a part time one) is very helpful. Credit agencies check all your records. This means they know if you work or not, and they are more willing to approve you for certain actions if you have a job. It shows you receive income, which makes them feel more trusting. Don’t rotate through jobs though. This actually will make them not trust you because it shows instability.

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Get a starter credit card.Now this may seem counterintuitive. Credit cards are what seem to get most people into bad credit situations. Credit cards are the strongest way to build credit. They make a lot of credit cards just for students, so that you can be approved without a credit history. These cards have very low credit limits, with very high interest rates. They seem like bad cards, but they are great for building credit. Credit cards work by borrowing money from banks. If you pay the money back on time every month, you build trust with these banks. Now, borrowing money sounds kind of risky, right? It doesn’t have to be viewed that way though. Most of you probably have debit cards asso-ciated to personal bank accounts. Credit cards can be used the exact same way. If you use your credit card all month, but keep track of your bank account funds, then you never spend money you do not have. It’s a great way to build your credit, and also usually get perks at the same time. Most cards like these have reward systems you can take advantage of.

It takes time to build a solid credit history, and not having any derogatory marks against your record helps greatly. It takes a long time for these infractions to come off a credit history, usually around seven years. So be smart and keep your credit high, so you can achieve your financial goals easily.

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VSU CypherIf you think about it, every generation since the 1920’s -- and possibly even before – has found a way to express its disdain for the powers that seem to rule over the heads of its individ-uals, such as the government.By Dominque Stringer

In the 20’s, it was the art of jazz. It was seen as a rebellious art form, played in speakeasies -- the very existence of which was a form of rebellion against the government. In the 1960s, Rock n’ roll along with the Hippie Movement was a form of rebellion. Young adults on our very own campus participated in speaking out against the draft and the likes. Today, this pattern continues on campus in the form of a rap cypher. Considered an art form in the hip-hop community, a cypher is where rappers come together and make up rhymes off the top of their heads one after the other. I sat down with Malcolm Eaz, who is responsible for VSU’s cypher event, to find out a little more.

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Stringer: What is VSU’s cypher to you?

Eaz: “VSU’s cypher is an organized rap event with different groups of artists. Maybe like three groups with four artists each. They write their own verses. It’s basically their own self-expression; you know whatever they want to talk about, whatever they want to rap about, and we showcase it to the public whether it’s in a video or whether it’s a live event.”

Stringer: Who originally came up with the idea of having a Valdosta State cypher?

Eaz: “Uhh… Bloo TwentyTwo, that’s his name, I don’t want to give his government...”

Stringer: How does one go about partic-ipating in a VSU cypher?

Eaz: “He or she, [would] come to the audi-tions, you know, and they would spit whatever they have, you know, whatever [rap] they have prepared for me and whoever else I have in the room and then I record it. I watch it later. I see if they fit, you know if we already have... like say if we got two females and they’re really rapping about the same thing. It’s really about, you know, their style and what they can bring to the cypher.”

Stringer: Who is in charge of organizing the cypher each time now?

Eaz: “That would be me…”

Stringer: What kind of audience does the cypher appeal to?

Eaz: “Lately it’s been appealing to every-body. People think it only appeals to black people or people who like hip-hop. I mean a cypher, when you think of how it is, there’s no beat so it’s kind of like

spoken word. It can be like poetry, you what I’m saying? So if you just like self-expression, you know, then it appeals to you. It doesn’t really just target one audience, it’s for everybody.”

Stringer: How important is this activity to the people who not only participate in it, but attend and support it?

Eaz: “Well the people who participate in it, first of all, it gets your self-confidence up; you know you’re rapping in front of people. It really benefits you getting your face out there to the school and not even the school, the cypher is known every-where. Like, up in Atlanta in different schools everybody knows about the cypher so it’s great networking. You know people from different states, they know about the VSU cypher. How? I don’t know, but it’s definitely a great way to network and [get] exposure.”

Stringer: What is your favorite memo-rable moment during a cypher?

Eaz: “My favorite moment personally would probably be my first cypher when I acted like I was reading my lyrics off of a piece of paper as if I forgot them, but then I didn’t really forget them and I showed the paper to the camera at the end and it was nothing on it. [I] balled it up [and] threw it. It was pretty cool; I thought it was cool.”

Stringer: When are the cyphers going to take place this year and where?

Eaz: “This year the cyphers will be on camera, so it will be on the internet probably in November. Then next semester it will be live again. So, it will probably be on top of the parking deck (that’s Sustella parking deck) that’s usually where we do it so, it will be over there.”

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Stringer: How can people interested in participating contact you?• On twitter it is: @MalcolmEaz• On Instagram it is: @MalcolEaz• On Facebook it is just @Eaz• Website: Malcolmeaz.com

As I sat and spoke with Malcolm Eaz, I began to see the depth and importance of such an event. When Eaz spoke about self-expression, it reminded me of the fact that everybody can relate to having something to say. On a university campus such as ours, there is an abundance of emotion and feeling about a spectrum of different subjects; politics, religion, social and cultural topics being among some of the most abundant. We students, as a necessary and beneficial part of our society, deserve the opportunity to express the way we feel about the world around us. Luckily, the VSU Cypher gives you the perfect platform to do so.

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Getting Weirder All the TimeI’ll be the first to admit that I’ve played nearly every itinera-tion of The Sims games since The Sims Bustin’ Out, even the weird Black Eyed Peas edition The Urbz.By R. Rhett Parker

Yet, even with all the hours logged across the different titles in The Sims franchise, I always find it a challenge to explain to others why I enjoy The Sims.

At its core, The Sims franchise goes against one of the principles that has popularized video games; escapism. Part of the enter-tainment value of video games such as Skyrim, World of Warcraft, Destiny, and Borderlands comes from their allowing of players to forget about the hassles of the real world for a time and step into the life of an adventurer in a faraway land. However, The Sims franchise subverts this principle of escapism by asking players to play a game that simulates real life.

In all honesty, it should not be fun having to control someone and make sure that they are always on time to work; that they have meaningful social interactions; that they pay their bills on time; and that they are kept happy by showering, eating, using the bathroom, sleeping, and finding entertainment. However, The Sims franchise has consistently found a way to make a life simulation game fun and entertaining enough that I can often lose a whole day playing the game when I only meant to play it for an hour or two.

So, after hours and hours of playing The Sims 4 (and losing a few days here and there), I feel confident in saying that the game is a solid addition to the series. Some of the biggest changes to the game are seen in the character creation screen, which is great because that is the first screen that players will see before they enter the actual game. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the actual character creation system in The Sims 4 feels like a

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more refined and robust version of the previous games, and it is a system that gives the player a great amount of creative control over how their Sims will look. I personally spent a little over an hour tweaking and fine tuning a number of details, both major and minor, in my Sim's appearance.

I was originally dismayed when I finished my Sim's appearance and moved on to customizing his personality. The choices were small compared to the choices available in The Sims 3, but as I played the game I quickly found out that each personality choice has a major effect on how your Sim interacts and social-izes with other Sims. For example, picking the Loner personality in The Sims 3 simply meant that your Sim didn't like to be around other people. However, in The Sims 4, being a Loner means that your Sim will immediately get tense when they are surrounded by strangers. Being tense will cause your Sim's mood to slowly degrade, but you can try to get rid of this tense feeling by venting your frustrations to another Sim, a social

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interaction only available to tense Sims. This new emotion system provides an extra layer of depth to how social interac-tions play out in The Sims 4, and there are a number of different outcomes that can happen during a conversation depending on your Sim's personality traits and current emotion (which can range from confident to tense to angry and even energetic).

The building system in The Sims 4 has also been refined and streamlined. Players can easily create full rooms and resize them in half the time that it would take to create a room in previous editions. There is also a search function in the build mode that allows players to quickly and effortlessly find the item or piece of furniture that they need. Finally, for the lazy players or the ones that cannot be bothered with interior design, The Sims 4 includes a number of pre-furnished and styled rooms in the build menu that players can purchase and easily place.

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Even with all the great additions to the game, there were a few things I did not like when compared to previous installments. The first was that this game contained an almost bare-bones city. In The Sims 3, the original town contained a library, a gym, a theatre, a city hall, two restaurants, a grocery store, a park, and a number of other building that made the city look and feel like an actual city. However, in The Sims 4, the buildings seemed limited to a library, a gym, a park, and a few other build-ings. I distinctly remember there being a point in time where I began to avoid going to the city unless I needed to level up a few skills (as buildings like the library and the gym give you bonuses to help level up skills like reading and fitness), which is something I never did in The Sims 3. Another concern, although a very minor concern, that I had with the game was the lack of swimming pools. There have been swimming pools in every other installment of The Sims, and I just felt like it was odd that they did not include pools in this game.

If I were to score this game using a standard 1-to-10 scale, I would probably hover around a 7/10 to a 7.5/10 score. Overall, The Sims 4 is a solid addition to the series, and if you are a fan of the franchise you will probably enjoy this game. However, I generally tend to view The Sims franchise as a collection of solid background games (something to play while you are waiting for something else to happen) rather than a game that requires or even demands a player's full focus and attention.

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Issue 10—Fall 2014Valdosta State University