Healthy Use of Technology Maximizes Efficiency

Published on October 26, 2015 in Editorial by Will Harper

“What ever happened to predictability? The milk man, the paper boy and evening TV?” I think it is safe to say that the concept of a designated man dropping off milk at everyone’s doorstep each week is a little bit outdated, but the opening line of the Full House theme song still poses an intriguing question that is worth addressing. Whatever happened to human interaction without technology?

This catchy tune preceding Bob Saget’s claim to fame makes us ask ourselves what about our world is changing so quickly, and are things really better this way. The remainder of the song is really about community. We are often so distracted by new technology and all the busyness in our world that we forget to look around at the people we love.

It seems like a new form of technology is released with every passing moment. If cell phones weren’t enough to prevent us from making dinner conversation, now we have our watches to look at. It blows my mind that anyone would ever feel the need to check Instagram on their watch. Before you know it, they’ll be making shoes with built in TV screens. The world we live in is so cluttered by technology that we sometimes spend more time looking at screens than reality.

Too many teenagers (and probably adults, too) have allowed social media and Netflix to consume their lives. On any given day, a Wesleyan student could wake up and check all of his social media outlets before he even brushes his teeth. Then perhaps he’ll watch a little TV before leaving the house. At school, he will spend hours staring at his computer screen and checking his phone whenever he gets the chance. After a long, hard day at school, he will come home and watch two hours of Netflix before doing his homework on his computer- all the while checking his phone every 30 seconds for texts, Groupme notifications or anything else to bolster his popularity.

Though it is intended to maximize efficiency, the technology-focused way of life that society has built creates a slew of seriously concerning problems. Children born in this decade will grow up playing with an iPad before they learn how to tie their shoes. Because technology is placed in the hands of young children, they begin to rely on it at far too young of an age.

I got my first cell phone when I was 13, and older generations always told me about how they didn’t have one until they were in college. Today, some kids are getting their first cell phone at the age of six, and no one thinks twice about it. Kids are learning to text each other well before they’ve developed strong social skills. Although, it might be fair to say that social skills themselves have changed. Perhaps the person with the strongest social skills is no longer the one who looks you in the eye when you’re talking, but the one who sends the most appropriately worded text message with the proper emoji’s.

Not only have we begun to overuse technology for communication purposes, but we have also learned to depend on on technology as our source of self-worth. Ordinary compliments have turned into “likes” and “favorites.” Our culture wants to create comparison in every way possible. If we aren’t competing to see who has the most likes, we are fighting for more notifications so we can proclaim our popularity.

As I’m sure you’re well-aware, technology has even created a new platform for bullying. The days of stealing lunch money are long gone. If a modern bully wants to rid himself of insecurity, he composes a “roast” on “Rapchat” to make fun of one or more of his peers.

Isn’t it ironic that I am typing this article on my computer for you, the reader, to view online? This addiction is inescapable. Our modern world has us all hooked, and there is really no way out. That being said, technology doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Just remember to look at something palpable every now and then, and don’t forget to breath. Turn your phone off every once in a while, and enjoy each other’s company. Realize that sometimes the technology that was created to increase efficiency actually makes our lives extraordinarily inefficient. Let every technological device you use be a productive tool rather than a distraction, and don’t let your phone replace your friends. Because after all, everywhere you look, there’s a heart.

35 Reasons Why I Love Fall

Published on October 26, 2015 in Features by Emma Parrish

Fall:

1. Crunchy leaves
2. It is boot season for crying out loud
3. Hot cocoa
4. Pumpkin patches
5. Pumpkin carving
6. Pumpkin painting
7. Pumpkin baked goods
8. PUMPKIN EVERYTHING
9. Hay Rides
10. Fall Festivals
11. Halloween
12. Face painting
13. Candy corn
14. College football
15. Scarves AND sweaters
16. Fuzzy socks
17. Every time you look outside, the sky screams BEAUTY
18. Solidarity (the perfect time to read a well-written novel)
19. Life is spectacular, you have so much to celebrate!
20. Sadness it not a thing, it does not exist.
21. Thanksgiving
22. Family time

23. Feathers
24. THE TEMPERATURE IS A MILD MIXTURE OF COLD & HOT, SO LIFE ROCKS
25. Pie
26. You can bird-watch at any given hour.
27. THE MOON IS DELIGHTFUL
28. Dancing with the Stars makes Mondays worthwhile.
29. SEAT WARMERS
30. Tailgating
31. Every car ride is enjoyable in the mid-afternoon sun
32. HAVE YOU SEEN THE TREES?! My goodness.
33. If you do not fall in love with someone or something, you are crazy.
34. JESUS IS ALIVE
35. If you are not happy and do not love fall, you need to check yourself.

He Said; She Said

Published on October 26, 2015 in Editorial by Will Harper

He Said:

Batman and Robin, Lucy and Ricky, Tom and Jerry, Koch and Hart, Obama and Biden, Ellie and Camille… these are some of the most famous pairs of our society, but one pair tops them all: Joey and Chandler. Joey and Chandler from the famous 90’s sitcom, Friends, did everything together. They kept ducks and chickens in their apartment, they dated the same girls, they watched the same TV shows and they even sat in the same recliners. Joey and Chandler were inseparable. When they tried to move away from each other, Chandler ended up with a creep for a roommate and they were back together in the blink of an eye. It’s tough to compare such close friends, but Chandler is definitely superior.

Chandler is funny, good looking, practical and caring. His terrible jokes bring a smile to everyone. Chandler also has a fascinating family. His mother is an outstanding writer of novels with questionable content, and his father likes to wear dresses. No one really knows what Chandler’s job is, but he makes good money, and according to Rachel, he is a transponster. Some people question Chandler’s decision-making based on his relationship with Janice, but I would argue that Janice was a catch. Not only is she gorgeous, but I think her laugh is endearing. Chandler didn’t care what other people thought of her because he is caring and sweet. He treated Monica extraordinarily well. Lastly, Chandler has style. He dresses like a real dad, and even pretended to be a dad once but got in quite a pickle when he lost the baby.

Joey on the other hand is a pig. He objectifies women and eats too much. He is also not the smartest. He starred in a commercial featuring lipstick for men, and he firmly believes that he can drink a gallon of milk in ten seconds. He once surrendered his masculinity by wearing a purse, and he thinks he can speak French. He is also forgetful and can at times be a bad friend. He was supposed to set Phoebe up on a blind date, and after forgetting to find someone, he bribed a random stranger ten minutes before. Though he is lovable, Joey clearly is not nearly as awesome as Chandler.

These two friends will live on as one of the most dynamic duos of all time. No matter what anyone says about Joey or Chandler, they hold special places in our hearts. Chandler’s place is just a little bit more special.

She Said:

Joey, Joseph Francis Tribbiani, Dr. Drake Ramoray, the best character in Friends; any of these names will do. It is not even a question that Joey is the most beloved character in the hit television show Friends. Let’s put it this way: who would pick a sarcastic, sometimes rude and awkward guy over a sweet, pretty, smooth-talking and loving guy who always has your back?

I am probably the biggest Friends fan in the world, and I have watched the entire show about ten times over, and every time I watch it, I hate a different character. I have hated Chandler about four times, but I have never hated Joey. This is because Chandler is just more annoying than Joey, and this is how the writers meant it to be. I am aware that Chandler is comic relief during the few intense parts of the show, but Chandler doesn’t even know how to be sensitive to the other characters when he needs to be. He says it best when he is trying to help Rachel with a problem and he says, “I’m not great at the advice… Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?”

Not only is Chandler brought down by his inability to be sensitive, but his track record with girls doesn’t exactly help his case. His first serious girlfriend is Cathy, who cheats on him, next is Aurora, who also dates two other men while dating him, and of course, Janice, who is the most annoying woman the show has ever seen. Add all these girls together “oh…my…God.” As Phoebe would say, “Your collective dating record reads like a who’s who of human crap.” Chandler struggles with feminine relationships throughout the entire show until he finally settles down with Monica, who, let’s be real, is way out of his league. Simply put, Chandler is sort of just the loser of the show that everyone makes fun of. I mean, not even his best friends know what he does for a living. I think everyone’s feelings towards Chandler is summarized best when Rachel tells Joey that out of all their friends, she would most likely punch Chandler.

Joey, on the other hand, is quite the opposite of Chandler. First of all, Joey is a great friend to everyone on the show. He is always there for his friends whenever they need him. For example, in season eight, when Joey thinks Phoebe is pregnant, he proposes to her so that she doesn’t have to be a single mother. Then, when Joey finds out that Rachel is actually the one who is pregnant, he proposes to her. Also, in season seven, when Phoebe is heartbroken over David, Joey consoles her even though he is mad at her for standing him up. Not only is Joey a great friend, but he is also a family man. Joey is there for his mom when he finds out his dad is cheating on her, and for his sister when she tells him that she is pregnant. Though Joey may not be the smartest guy out there, he is the sweetest and the most caring. In addition, Joey has a much cooler job than Chandler. Joey is an actor while Chandler is a..well um…something with numbers. Though it took Joey a while to have any success in his career, he finally got his big break when he landed the role of Dr. Drake Ramoray in Days of Our Lives. Also, everybody knows that Joey is very good with the ladies. I mean, who wouldn’t swoon over the pretty boy with the big acting job and the famous “how you doin’?” Simply put, Joey is the guy that the other guys want to be and the girls want to be with.

Wesleyan Students’ Childhood Halloween Costumes

Published on October 26, 2015 in Features by Caroline Hodges

Senior Spotlight

Published on October 22, 2015 in Senior Spotlights/Uncategorized by Emma Parrish

Senior Spotlight

Alex Burke:

What colleges are you applying to? UGA, Missouri, Syracuse, GA Southern, North Georgia
What were you involved with in high school? I’m doing Diversity Club and Model Arab League right now. I was a member of the undefeated water polo team this year and I’m looking forward to the swim season!
Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Mackenzie Sullivan.
What is your most embarrassing moment? When Leo Mateu and Drew Aspinwall wrote a fake mission trip letter from Caroline Cusick (to me) and letting me bask in the glory until telling me later on that it was fake.
What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? Introduced myself to Caroline Cusick and Maddie Frye.
What is the theme song to your life? “Back To Back” –Drake.
If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? Probably Coach Hart. He gets to wake up early on Tuesdays and Thursdays and hang out with Jack Greer.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? Good question. I would want to bring a couch, Netflix, and some ice.
What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I want to be so rich and successful that girls actually start texting me first.
Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? I would thank the Wesleyan faculty and staff for their dedication to their students’ success and their passion for making Wesleyan a safe, fun learning environment where kids can be themselves and grow to their full potential.

Micayla Kane:

1. What colleges are you applying to? UGA, Clemson, Auburn, Berry, Baylor, GA Tech, Cornell, UNC Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt.
2. What were you involved with in high school? YoungLife, SLW, freshman/ senior girls bible study, swim team, the one and only president of the vet club.
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Josh Garrard in 6th grade.
4. What is your most embarrassing moment? When I ran into the Wesleyan gate… oh wait… @carolinebeltrami.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? Water polo!!
6. What is the theme song to your life? “Fast” – Luke Bryan.
7. If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? I would definitely be Dr. G. He’s probably my favorite person – he’s taught me everything. He’s amazingly selfless and loving. Also, I’ve never met someone who doesn’t love him.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? I would bring my horse (shockingly), a lot of food, and Chris Pratt (for Jurassic Park level protection, of course).
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I hope to be finishing grad school, settling down, and really enjoying wherever life has brought me.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? I would travel the world, spend time with the people I love, and pray – a lot.

Megan Williams:

1. What colleges are you applying to? UGA
2. What were you involved with in high school? Soccer, XC, Honor Council, Peer Leadership, Hand-in-Hand, Lit Mag
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Cole Mannion in 6th grade
4. What is your most embarrassing moment? I was walking in the Senior Hallway on the first day of my freshman year when I rolled my ankle in my brand-spanking new wallabees. I not only face-planted in front of all of the seniors, but my books flew across the hallway as well.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? Cheerleading, (I have a stellar toe touch).
6. What is the theme song to your life? “Stressed Out” by 21 Pilots (thanks Wesleyan).
7. If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? Ms. Trotter because she can singlehandedly brighten up anyone’s day, and she always has the cutest clothing.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, the 7th Harry Potter book, and Rebekah Middlebrooks to serenade me 24 hours of the day.
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I would like to be married with a few kids living in either Georgia or Tennessee and working in some type of occupation involving teenagers.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? Visit as many cool coffee shops as I can and then teleport to New Zealand.

Rebekah Middlebrooks:

1. What colleges are you applying to? Mizzou, UGA, Belmont, NYU, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Clemson.
2. What were you involved with in high school? Theater, chapel band, peer leadership, yearbook, mission trips, volleyball, cross country, track, Vet Club.
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Kyle Rappe, freshman year.
4. What is your most embarrassing moment? Sophomore year, Leo Mateu decided to tell a certain faculty fellow that I thought he was “cute” and he should go talk to me. This certain faculty fellow proceeded to introduce himself to me by saying, “Hi, I’m ____ and I was told you think I’m cute?” Leo continues to embarrass me by having this fellow call me every year on my birthday to wish me a happy birthday. The tradition still continues to this day.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? Green & Gold.
6. What is the theme song to your life? “Edge of Seventeen” Stevie Nicks
7. If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? Mrs. Morris, she’s everything I aspire to be and more.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? A plane with a pilot, music, and Ben and Jerry’s (Jimmy Fallon Tonight Dough flavor sure).
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I’ve always dreamed of living in New York and writing for a magazine like Rolling Stone or Vogue, but I also want to get married and have a family so finding a way to combine the 2 would be nice.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? I wish I could say something really cool but honestly I’d probably just panic that I only had 24 hours to live.

Chandler Marsh:

1. What colleges are you applying to? University of Florida, UGA, Clemson, Auburn and UNG.
2. What were you involved with in high school? Prom Committee.
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Kylie Reed 7th .
4. What is your most embarrassing moment? One time in middle school, I convinced my friends that I had fought and killed a baby beaver with my bare hands. I then had a birthday party a couple weeks later where my friends asked my brother if this was true, and he couldn’t stop laughing for about 5 minutes. He then continued to embarrass me about it and call me out in front of all my friends and I cried.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? Theatre.
6. What is the theme song to your life? “Desperado” by the Eagles and “Our Song” by Taylor Swift
7. If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? Kendra Morris. She is the most amazing human that you will ever meet and she is actually my best friend. She is also the most reasonable teacher when it comes to moving assignments if we have other schoolwork. Plus she always gives me food and that’s amazing.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? My puppies, Unlimited Panda Express, and Margot Robbie.
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I hope to have a job and a family. I want to be living in the South and be traveling a lot.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? I would go to Bones Steakhouse, then go try and rob a huge store like Bass Pro Shop or REI.

Christina Ashley:

1. What colleges are you applying to? Emory University, University of Richmond, Davidson College, Birmingham-Southern College and Furman University.
2. What were you involved with in high school? Team Omicron, softball, SALSA, Peer Leadership, girl’s basketball manager, ambassadors.
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? I’ve honestly never had a crush on a Wesleyan student.
4. What is your most embarrassing moment? When I went to Trinity House my freshman year, someone finished their story I yelled out, “Thanks Sharon!” instead of “Thanks for sharing!” and everyone looked at me like I was an idiot.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? I wish I had played softball freshman year.
6. What is the theme song to your life? “Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots.
7. If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? I would be Mrs. Grogan because she gets to blow things up and not get in trouble.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? My laptop, my best friend, and a memory foam pillow.
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I hope to be somewhere making a difference. I want to be happy with whatever I’m doing, but never satisfied.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? I would just spend that time with my family and eat gumbo.

Bailey Borreson:

1. What colleges are you applying to? UGA, Boston University, Boston College, UNC Wilmington, Northeastern, William and Mary, Davidson, Elon, College of Charleston and Auburn.
2. What were you involved with in high school? JV Golf, Varsity Tennis, Bible Study, Symphonic Band and National Charity League.
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Carter Gravitt, 4th grade.
4. What is your most embarrassing moment? Every time I’ve fallen, especially that time in the Paris airport. Also getting pooped on by a bird at the Vatican.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? The musical.
6. What is the theme song to your life? “Defying Gravity” from Wicked.
7. If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? I would be Kendra Morris for obvious reasons. She is kind-hearted, hilarious, and smart. Who doesn’t love her?
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? My mom, a fishing pole, and the cast of Parks and Recreation.
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I hope to have a job that I love, maybe be married, and just loving life.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? I would watch Sound of Music with my mom, go deep sea fishing, and then spend the last couple hours eating all my favorite foods with my friends and family.

Drew Aspinwall:

What colleges are you applying to? Georgia, Rhodes, Samford, Davidson, Mercer, Centre, and Ole Miss.
What were you involved with in high school? Football, Baseball, Basketball, YMSL, Peer Leadership, Wolf Ambassador, Young Life, and Model Arab League.
Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Camille High- 8th grade- We dated, and then she respectfully broke up with me over text.
What is your most embarrassing moment? When I cried at Ippolito’s in 3rd or 4th grade because my mom wouldn’t let me eat another roll. I had already eaten.
What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? I wish I had gotten involved in Young Life a lot earlier in High School instead of waiting until my Senior Year.
What is the theme song to your life? “Waves”- Mr. Probz.
If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? Former Faculty member Dave Breslin. He was just the man and such an awesome guy.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? A Boat, a GPS, and enough food for my ride home. I really do not like the idea of being stranded on an island.
What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? Living out my purpose for my life and doing something I enjoy.
Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? I would spend my time with the people I love and do the things I love.

Glenn Hogan:

1. What colleges are you applying to? University of Florida, Florida State University, Clemson University and University of Georgia.
2. What were you involved with in high school? Football, Soccer and Boyscouts.
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? I guess it would probably have to be Kylie Reed in Kindergarten she had the most beautiful blue eyes.
4. What is your most embarrassing moment? Probably my 8th grade chorus concert. In the middle of the concert I screamed out “Pave Low Inbound” when everyone was silent. I thought I was going to have tons of others by my side, but either they all chickened out or I was just stupid enough to actually do it. I was definitely not the favorite child for a while.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? I definitely wish I could’ve kissed Abbey Coppenger, because now I could say that I got a kiss by a Georgia Cheerleader, and that would be legendary.
6. What is the theme song to your life? “If you are going through hell”, by John Michael Montgomery.
7. If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? I would probably be Mr. Cleveland, because he can get away with whatever he wants. I mean no one is going to question him to cut the lunch line multiple times. He’s got a lot of power, and it would be really fun to mess with students when they are scared of you.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? Well, I’d probably start off with some duck-tape, you can never go wrong with that stuff. And I have to have good company, so probably some girl, but I haven’t thought that through yet. And finally, a fire starter you gotta be able to set the mood with the “company,” especially without Netflix and chill.
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? Sunny and 75°.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? I would do whatever took my mind off the time and made me happy with whomever made me happy, “cause hey, if I’m gonna die, might as well not worry about it.”

Kyle Partain:

1. What colleges are you applying to? Georgia College, Sewanee and Clemson.
2. What were you involved with in high school? Cross Country, Tennis, and Mock Trial.
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Mckenzie Waller 9th grade.
4. What is your most embarrassing moment? Not knowing who Jesus’ mother was on the first day of Bible class.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? Got involved sooner.
6. What is the theme song to your life? “Fear”- Blue October
7. If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? Ms. Lloyd because she is very laid back and understanding.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? Computer, hammock, and food/water.
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I hope I will have a job I love, and just be enjoying life.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? Spend time with my friends and family.

Leah Davis:

1.What colleges are you applying to? Georgia, Auburn, Florida State and Alabama.
2. What were you involved with in high school? volleyball, diving, track, football managing, hand-in-hand and freshman/Senior bible study.
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Clint Prettyman in 5th grade, he was my boyfriend for 3 weeks.
4.What is your most embarrassing moment? In 7th grade, it was the week before honors day and Mr. Baxley had done a social awareness Wednesday on how to accept an award and emphasized that you should not trip up the stairs. Of course I was the one kid that tripped up the stairs and people started laughing and he just stared me down as I walked to my seat.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? Nothing. I’ve done everything I’ve wanted to in high school.
6. What is the theme song of your life? “Do My Thang” – Miley Cyrus.
7. If you could be one faculty member, who would you be? Why? Mrs. Morris because she is very smart and funny and no matter how much she has on her plate, she always seems like she has everything together.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? My bed, food and sunscreen.
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I hope to be married enjoying life with a dog.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? I’d spend it with the people I love, maybe go skydiving or do something crazy depending on how freaked out I am about the whole dying in 24 hours thing.

Grant Sauer:

1. What colleges are you applying to? Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Clemson.
2. What were you involved with in high school? Water Polo, Swimming and Soccer.
3. Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Ali Stall. Freshmen retreat she was still dating Tyler Harper but I didn’t know at the time.
4. What is your most embarrassing moment? Accidently sending a snapchat of me singing to “Same Old Love” by Selena Gomez to Mrs. Kozlova.
5. What is one thing you wish you had done in high school? No regrets.
6. What is the theme song to your life? “Hugs” by Lonely Island.
7. If you could be any faculty member, who would you be? Why? Mr. Kadzis because he gets to coach water polo every year.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? Nothing. I would like a challenge.
9. What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years? I hope to be a stay at home dad with one kid and another on the way.
10. Assuming you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your remaining hours? Go crazy.

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