When to contact lenses, when to buy into bifocals

OpiniOn [5]The neTwOrk [March 2015]

Glasses are my life, plain and simple. Without my beloved

glasses, I would run into walls more often than I usually do. Why wear contacts when you can show your style with an awesome pair of glasses? Contacts dry out your eyes and make them feel uncomfortable all day. Why would you make yourself go through that when you can just wear glasses?

Glasses hwoever, there for you whenever you need them. With glasses, you never have to worry about losing a contact and not being able to see. Sure you can lose your glasses, but you can always have a spare at home.

The latest fashion trends show that glasses are back in. Glasses give you another opportunity to accessorize.

There are so many different types of glasses these days that you don’t have to wear an embarrassing pair that fit every style. Today, glasses are not just your typical three different

styles that your mom picked out for you.

Designers come out with different styles all of the time! From Ray-Ban to Kate Spade, you can show off your style though a variety of brands.

If I’m correct, you can not buy desginer contacts.

I tried contacts for the first time this year and it was horrible! It feels like something is stuck in my eye all day.

So the next time you go to the opthamologist, make the right choice, choose glasses.

blairkellner

Glasses are the way to go “She needs glasses," the doctor

said. My little second-grade self was terrified! For the next seven years I had my fair share of prescription changes and new glasses. I finally reached a point where I. Was. Done. I got my contacts in eighth grade and it was a life-changing decision.

Contacts transformed my vision. I can see whole new world that I never saw before. My vision has been expanded. My contacts follow my eyes and I never have to face that awkward time when you look at something and

it isn’t in the line of your glasses. It just ends up looking like a blob of color that you can’t quite make out. With contacts, that peripheral vision issue is solved.

With contacts, I never have to worry about my glasses sliding down my face or getting dirty because contacts move with your eyes and can't get finger-prints all over them.

When I smile, my cheeks always seem to hit my glasses, but with con-tacts there is no piece of plastic sliding down my nose or getting bumped because of my chipmunk cheeks. Also, on Wednesdays when you are getting ready for the day and slip on a sweat-shirt, contacts won’t slide down your face or get caught in the sweatshirt. There is nothing I won’t do to wear contacts and to leave my glasses at home. My eye could be red, hurting, or watering. I don’t care any more. I want to see without all of the hassle.

Now, everyone is saying that glass-es are a trendy thing. People buy fake glasses with an attempt to be “hip-ster,” but this is one trend I refuse to be a part of! I stopped wearing glasses four years ago, and it was one of the greatest decisions I ever made!

annawinkeler Contacts: the clear choice

The chilly morning air hits my face as I roll down my

car window on yet another early Wednesday morning. I shiver in my green journalism sweatshirt as I order my usual vanilla latte from Starbucks.

The barista scans the barcode on my phone to ensure today’s drink is added to the rewards on my account. The first sip of latte hits my lips and I’m at peace.

Thanks to the Starbucks Coffee Company chain, I can have my little piece of morning heaven in 64 countries worldwide. That is the best thing about Starbucks—no matter where you are, you can feel at home. Your favorite drink is made the same every time, regardless of location. It is always a reliable option to get a daily caffeine fix.

For frequent customers like myself, the Starbucks app is my best friend. Money can be loaded directly onto the app, allowing the barista to scan my smartphone for payment and rewards. Every time a drink is purchased through the app, a star is awarded. After receiving certain amounts of stars, perks are obtained. With each level

comes perks. On your birthday, a free drink or food item is awarded as well as free refills in-store anytime. Eventually, every twelfth drink is free. But the rewards don’t stop there.

Starbucks also sends e-mails with coupons for free drinks at random. Imagine checking your e-mail and being totally surprised by a free drink coupon in your inbox. I have only ever received one of these rare and amazing coupons, but it was the best e-mail I had ever been sent.

Everything about Starbucks is convenient as well as delicious. There is always a coffeehouse nearby with a modern way to pay and be rewarded.

The familiarity of a warm cup of Starbucks coffee is enough to earn the title of the best coffee in the world, even if it is a tad pricier than the competitors.

It is a school

night and I’m refusing to make eye contact with the clock

because it’s showing an hour that I just do not agree with.

I’m watching my favorite brain-rotting cartoon show, but my eyes are begging for sleep.

Finally, the credits roll across the screen and I comply.

Then, just before my head hits the pillow, I remember I need to set an alarm. I make one fatal flaw: I set it for p.m.

The next morning, I awake completely confused and with my little sister in a panic. We grab a breakfast to-go, jump in the car, and make it to Marian in less than 20 minutes while only breaking a few minor traffic laws.

Then, just before I turn onto Military Avenue, the cartoon-binging session from last night catches up with me. I realize that I need caffeine.

I flip on my turn signal and make the drive to Quick Trip where an oasis

of coffee awaits.Now you might crinkle your nose

at the phrase “gas station coffee,” but don’t be so quick to judge.

Starbucks and Scooters may get you Instagram likes, but they’ll leave your wallet feeling empty and exploited, whereas the Quick Trip cashier will gladly accept the spare change from the bottom of my backpack.

What’s more (and I hope you’re sitting down for this), gas station coffee actually tastes good.

Not to mention they don’t skimp on variety. From frozen coffee to fat-free cappuccinos, there’s something for everyone.

For the picky drinker, there’s even an assortment of free creamers and sugars you can add to your personalized cup.

And not to worry for the caffeine junkies, you’ll find that the gas station is intent on fueling both your car and your energy supply after you try the special house brew with extra caffeine.

So, if you’ve never given gas station coffee a try, broaden your horizons!

Next time you need a little pick-me-up, a quick caffeine fix, or just a morning treat, do your wallet a favor and head towards the nearest gas station.

It is 6:27 a.m. I am jerked awake by my blaring iPhone alarm. Grief

overcomes me when I realize that I need to raise my body, swing my legs over the bed, and stand. It is a seemingly impossible feat. Tears form in my half-open eyes. All of a sudden, I perk up. A heavenly aroma warmly beckons me to start my day. Upon smell, I stumble out of bed and rush to get ready. Coffee is my saving grace. It is my all-time favorite liquid (and that’s saying a lot with

chocolate milk out there). My love for it is indescribable, but know that haikus have been written. My morning routine is fueled with the thought of grabbing a hot thermos of java as I run out the door. For an avid coffee drinker like yours truly, homemade coffee is the only logical option. It is cheap, versatile, and always available. All you need is a coffee pot, a filter, and beans of your choice. Plus, the variety of

coffee beans in stores is awe-inspiring, which means that your mornings can be personally customized to fit your caffeine needs. Having a hard time deciding between Java Estate or Columbian? No worries! Make a pot of one kind in the morning, then come home and brew up the other. The options are endless. Sure, if you are looking for a mocha latte or a Orange Mocha Frappuccino, it may be easier

to hop in your car,

drive to the nearest Starbucks, and cough up $5. However, with a little drive and an espresso machine, any of these drinks can be recreated in the comfort of your kitchen. Most coffee shops close around 9 p.m. If you don’t have a coffee pot and you need a late night jump start, you are at a loss. Brewing coffee at home saves time and money and frees you from the clutches of coffee shops. So hold up your mugs, coffee drinkers, and invest in a coffee pot.

Worth the bucks

The heavens sing for homebrewed coffee

tayloreicher erincarollo

anabellemcdonald

QT’s java is just right

An Espresso Exposé: Which coffee makes the cut?

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[6] FeaTures The neTwOrk [OcTOber 2014]

Rollin’ in the innovation:Heelys make comeback in Marian’s presentation of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’charlotteelsasser

Remember the awesome shoes that came out in the mid-2000’s

that allowed the shoe owners to walk, run and roll? Heelys were the innovative, exciting new shoes that everyone between the ages of 8 and 14 had to have in 2007. And now, they are making a comeback for Marian’s presentation of Disney’s “A Little Mermaid.”

For Mrs. Michelle Delisi, the show’s choreographer, the idea of putting 40 teenagers on Heelys was daunting. However, for Mr. Luke Ostrander, the director, there was never any concern to begin with. “I’m not worried, because I know they will be able to heal faster.”

All of the characters who have fins wear them to appear as though they are not walking, but swimming across the stage. The students dance, change costumes, and do just about everything else on the Heelys.

Learning to dance on the Heelys has not been a huge feat for senior

Fiona Kennedy, a sea creature in the production.

But unfortunately, every once in a while, she will forget she is wearing them and put all of her weight on her heels. Suddenly, she finds herself flying backwards and inevitably landing on her bottom.

“Sometimes, when I put my Heelys on, my whole body starts to ache,” Kennedy said.

Fortunately, it has only taken a few hard falls for her to master the art of Heely-ing. Kennedy said she believes that with just the simple addition of Heelys, the show will look much cooler than most high school musical performances.

For junior Sofia Hingorani, who plays Ursula’s evil minion, Flotsam, Heelying was expected to be easy because she owned pink and white Heelys as a kid. Her assumption was, to say the least, incorrect.

Her left knee is currently in pain from having fallen so much,

and several other cast members are experiencing trauma from falls as well.

She has witnessed many of Kennedy’s rough falls, including the time that Kennedy fell on her back so hard she bounced up off of the stage floor.

Not every cast member is struggling with the so-called “shoe wheelbarrows.” Creighton Prep’s Tom White, junior Maggie White’s twin brother, has been called a “Heely god.” He is said to be able to hockey stop in the contraptions. A hockey stop involves an abrupt stop and a 90 degree turn.

Even so, White, who plays Flounder in the musical, is not immune to a few falls. Hingorani can testify to this. “He once fell into the giant pile of shoe boxes for the Heelys and I laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe,” she said.

Before the students could begin to learn how to dance on them, Ostrander and Delisi had to figure out how they were going to obtain more

than 40 pairs of all-black Heelys. The company does not sell the

shoes in plain colors in any stores, so they had to work with the company directly. The shoes cost an average of $50 per pair, which comes out of the theatre’s budget.

Heelys was extremely cooperative and the cast received all the shoes they needed after just a few bumps in the road.

The most frustrating part for the teachers was trying to get the right size because the company does not run half sizes. After sending back more than a few pairs of shoes, everyone finally had their correct size.

Once the show is over, the shoes will be available for purchase to the students who wore them for the show. For Kennedy, this is great news. “I want to buy them and wear them to prom!” she said.

Marian is one of the first high schools in the nation to get the opportunity to put on Disney’s “A Little Mermaid.” Because it is a pilot, there will be special guests from Disney Theatrical Licensing to see the show. They come to verify that Marian has not changed anything about the script or score.

The show is coming together extremely well. While the directors are stressed, their faith in their students’ abilities is strong.

“I am really happy with how it is going. I think that the sets and lights and sound and special effects are just going to be the biggest spectacle on stage we’ve ever had,” Ostrander said.

“I just have this burst of excitement every time I see something really good happen. My dancers are phenomenal,” Delisi said. “It is just nice to have things come together so quickly. Some really good things are happening and I get really excited seeing the leads in character all the time. This will blow the audience away.”

To skate or to swim Senior Olivia Howard, who plays the role of one of Ariel’s sisters, practices skating on her Heelys during a rehearsal on Oct. 25. On a usual rehearsal day, the cast of the show can be seen skating around the lobby of the Performing Arts Center while waiting to practice their scenes. Photo by charlotteelsasser

Charlotte ElsasserHeadline WritingOmaha Marian A

(Charlotte writes the pro/con headlines as the opin-ion page editor and then wrote this headline for her Heelys story.)