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(12/04/14 1:00am)
After living at home for 18 years, being able to move into your own space gives you more freedom and the ability to be independent. Dorms are generally the living space new college students will inhabit. Depending on your attitude, they could be the difference between freshman year being the best year of your life or the worst. With a positive attitude and adaptable sense of mind, dorms are actually very useful.As a student, you are generally placed into quarters with people who share the same educational community. This opportunity opens doors for a person because you are able to create a strong bond with other people who are following similar career paths. Another great advantage in living within your own educational community is the ability to share notes and study for upcoming tests.Dorms are also a great place to make new friends with other people on your floor, building or neighboring residential communities. Most of these friends will become some of the greatest people in your life with just a little walk needed to reach them. The best thing about college is that there are people not only from all over the U.S. but also the world. Friends from other places with different cultures make a positive difference in your life because you begin to open your mind more. Those who do not live in the dorms do not always have the same opportunity to get to know these valuable people.The location of dorms is essential for students, because they are strategically placed close to the classes most used by the residential community. This allows students to get to class faster and with more ease. Accessibility is essential to mornings when you don't hear your alarm clock and sleep in until two minutes before class. Dorms also have community assistants, residential community student leaders and other groups who promote residential life and plan several activities that allow students to become knowledgeable about ASU itself and how to make the best out of it. The activities span from fun with movies to inflatable obstacles, with every activity offering free food, college students' two favorite words. There is always a promotion of local activities as well, such as happenings at ASU Gammage, Young Life at West or artsy events in downtown Phoenix.There are going to be times when living in the dorms feels like you are constricted or the dining food is giving you stomach issues, but choosing dorm life is going to set a stage for a positive college experience. You are going to grow more independent and learn what's good and what's toxic for your life. You're not at home anymore, so budgeting money for supplies such as toilet paper, soap and food is going to become a habit. These are small steps toward living in the real world on your own made easier thanks to the safe community of a dorm. Reach the columnist at Ryan.Santistevan@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @ryanerica18Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
(11/14/14 1:17am)
ASU is a unique university, because it stretches across many miles with a total of four campuses: Tempe, Downtown, West and Polytechnic. Every campus has immersive programs that are made to fit the profile of students attending ASU. Although Tempe campus is engulfed by a college town culture, it is not the only campus with the capability to put on exciting events. At present, Tempe attracts many students because of its constant opportunity for intrigue. If the other three campuses set up engaging events more frequently, then students would be more willing to experience the cultures of the district four campuses with less hesitation. Downtown' Phoenix's culture is professional and artsy. With the Downtown campus being in the heart of the city, students are able to immerse themselves in a more mature environment and explore the several art exhibits and presentations. This culture is not only available to students living downtown. Students from other campuses should make an effort to take the light rail or jump on a shuttle to experience what Phoenix has to offer. First Fridays is a public event that joins the community together and students should take the opportunity to check it out at least once. Students could also take a short light rail trip to catch a comedy show at Stand Up Live.Within West campus lies a culture of diverse and vibrant students. Walking onto the campus, one can't help but marvel at the ornate buildings. There are several pleasant places to simply sit down and hang out with fellow Sun Devils. From the courtyards to the green fields and little nooks to sit, the campus offers every student a beautiful scenery and place of refuge. It is titled a Phoenix "Point of Pride," not because of its academic features, but because of its incredible elegance.Polytechnic campus nurtures a culture of innovation and exploration. If for nothing else, visit Poly for its awesome architecture. The community is small but allows for students to be a close community. Students from other campuses could appreciate a different scenery and explore this campus. Kylie Griffin, sophomore aviation major, explained to me that the culture is, "Extremely technical over here as it is highly focused on academics. The campus is extremely quiet, but has a lot to offer. A state-of-the-art gym, a student union that is the epicenter of our campus, a layout that shows how ASU really wants to preserve the desert environment." Distance and location are important factors in students' opinion on the four campuses. Before a student can fully make up their mind on which campus is the best, they need to make an effort to see the magic happening on each campus. Together, the campuses make ASU the university it is, not just one campus. In order for ASU to truly be appreciated as "one university in many places", each campus should be recognized by all students. Reach the columnist at Ryan.Santistevan@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @ryanerica18
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
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(10/24/14 12:23am)
Sexism and the discrimination of women is in constant discussion on college campuses. Intramurals at ASU are no exception. For co-rec intramural sports at ASU, female players are awarded extra points per goal scored or basket made than male players are.For example, in co-rec soccer, men may push themselves through the game and score three goals but if a woman scores three goals, she effectively scored six. This contributes to a view of women being valued so little in sports that they need to have their "weakness" accounted for.Not only is this point system relevant for indoor intramural soccer, but also other intramural sports such as flag football. If a woman scores a touchdown, the scorekeepers reward her team nine points. Also, if she throws the football to a receiver in the end-zone, then the team acquires nine instead of six points. When female students opt to play against male students in co-rec, which mandates having a certain number of girls per team, they understand what they are getting themselves into. Yes, women may not always stack up athletically, but there are absolutely those that do. Making women play by rules that make the game easier for them is insulting, considering they could feasibly be the best player on the field.Although there is an open option that does not require gender-specific rules, the options are limited by a low number of participants. If only a few teams register for this league, then they are not going to have a great deal of fun or competition. It is also common to see an absence of levels of play within open league.The difference between the open and co-rec league, using indoor soccer as an example, is a team could be composed of all men and one female without having to forfeit in the open league. In co-rec, the team would be required to forfeit without the adequate amount of female players present. Also for the open league, if a female scores a goal, it only counts as one goal. If the open option allows the game to be played how it was made then co-rec can and should do the same. The co-rec league's number requirement for gender is a positive aspect that open league does not share. However, if women want to play with an equal number of men and women, they have to accept they will be treated preferentially; that's not fair.In Elite, Competitive A and Competitive B levels of play, the game is supposed to be more difficult, so females should not be given more points for their score no matter the sport. The extra point seems almost as an insult to female players, as if they could not score another point on their own or in the same manner as a male.If anything, sports or whatever it may be, is going to be equal then exceptions need to stop being made for either gender. At ASU, intramural sports that are co-rec should allow points to amount the same for both genders. The strategy of the game is the same, no matter what genders make up the team. Reach the columnist at Ryan.Santistevan@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @ryanerica18
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
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(10/06/14 11:47pm)
ASU prides itself on being "one university in many places." However, Tempe remains the location of the main campus, which gives students living there a few advantages over the rest, with one being the ability to get in line for tickets earlier. Because of this, seats in the student section, the Inferno, are impossible for non-Tempe-based students to attain.
(09/21/14 9:57pm)
For most teens, the main priority is to be accepted and attend college after high school. The choice of whether to stick around your hometown or venture into a brand new environment out-of-state is a life-altering decision for how one starts young adulthood. However, there's a lot to take into account in moving out-of-state. As a freshman new to college this fall semester, it's easy to say that the out-of-state experience is one that a college student will benefit from in all aspects.
Move-in day is exciting and full of distractions. It's not until your parents finish moving you in and begin saying their goodbyes that the reality of being on your own truly kicks in — not removed by a half-hour, but by the Rocky Mountains. The new-found freedom instills a mixture of fear and excitement. When classes begin, one must find a balance between a social and academic life. Once this balance is disrupted — and be assured, it will be — out-of-state students must figure out how to regain their footing; it's not so easy as driving to your parents’ house for help. A phone call can only do so much. This need for self-reliance allows a person to find solutions that their parents would normally present.
Another issue with not having parents around is the necessity for money. Since out-of-state students are often paying a large amount of money for tuition, it's not so easy to ask for materials or resources that cost more money than is in the bank. Additionally, academics will be put first before going out and spending money that is not accessible. However, this situation causes a student to begin budgeting and finding ways in which he or she can survive financially. For instance, instead of buying new clothes or video games, one must buy school supplies or Brita filters to avoid the mineral-laden swill Arizonans call water. Priorities are set straight within the first couple of weeks, and there is a cycle that is created.Going out-of-state is really "baptism through fire." Staying in-state provides all the comforts of your friends, family and community, but going out-of-state is what will make you a stronger human being. Of course, the first semester can be rough, but at the conclusion of your college career, you'll appreciate how the struggles made you a better person.
Finally, a student begins to feel appreciation for everything that was home to them before moving miles away. When breaks come around, family and the stability of a home becomes much more appreciated. Despite having wanted to move out for nearly two decades, you'll appreciate your hometown upon returning. Being able to return for four weeks, yet maintain your independence is a wonderful thing. After all, college is an investment in yourself; going out-of-state is the best way to make the most of it.Reach the columnist at Ryan.Santistevan@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @ryanerica18Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
(09/14/14 11:16pm)
This past summer I was lucky enough to attend the Vans Warped Tour, an alternative music festival. Although the festival was great as always, it was somewhat depressing to see only 11 female artists out of the 130 total bands that performed. There was not a single band of only females, which just goes to show that even with an open-minded genre of music, there is still a gender-restricting wall that discourages females from forming bands. For the sake of clarity, the definition of a band in this case is a group composed of a vocalist, drummer, guitar player and bass player.The aforementioned wall is the generally accepted, preconceived notion of a woman's role in society. Females are held to a higher standard in terms of responsibility. Many are expected or pressured to settle down and grow roots, by securing a stable home for their husbands and children. If a woman was to pursue a career as a musician in a band that travels around the country for years, physiologically, time would be running out for her to meet an eligible man to father her children. It appears that she must choose either to pursue a career or a family life.
Although the difference between a man and a woman's role in society becomes clearer as they age, the gender restrictive barrier starts to build from the time that they are children. In The Atlantic's now famous article, "The Confidence Gap," there is discussion on the differences in the development of confidence between different genders. Males have rowdy, risk-taking behavior reinforced by authority figures, while women are encouraged to follow the female paradigm of being respectful, demure, and rule-abiding. Everything about being in a band is disobeying societal norms. When considering genres that uphold the general structure of a band, rock bands — which include prog metal, heavy metal, alternative and more — are typically at the top. Especially during the '70s and '80s "cock rock" movement, this genre has been defined by testosterone-fueled lyrics, the enjoyment of which clashes with traditional role proscriptions for women.A prominent example is the Canadian band Rush. In a 2008 interview the guitarist of Rush, Alex Lifeson, stated, "Our concerts back then (1977-1985) were about 99.9 percent guys. ... Now we'll see groups of girls come down on their own. That's something you wouldn't have seen (in the band's early days)."Even though women may be more willing to openly enjoy this kind of music, they still face discrimination when it comes to creating it.
Sydney Sierota and Taylor Jardine, two females and Warped Tour artists who do appreciate the more alternative and heavy music, were interviewed by Fuse magazine. Both expressed thoughts about the difficulties of being a female on the tour, from men yelling sexual references at them on stage and at meet-and-greets to security actually doubting they were artists and not fans. Jardine talked about how consistently the sound crew will tell her she is fine when she asks for a change in the sound as if she does not understand her own instrument or music. Although it is not typical for a woman to be completely into heavier music, it should be understood that there are some women who have a great appreciation for it and choose to play under the genre.Sexism today is driven by our culture's idea of pre-existing gender roles which ultimately will continue to influence women to play a defined part. Marriage and starting a family is the typical goal of a woman in today's world. Settling early is not a primary objective of a male, thus there is more of an incentive to be part of a band and travel with a sense of importance. Ultimately, women should push past these walls. Music could be so much more if bands weren't a boys' club.Reach the columnist at Ryan.Santistevan@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @ryanerica18Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.