Remember the terrifying question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When I was fifteen, a young sophomore in high school, I thought, “I’ll be a journalist. I like English. I like writing. A perfect fit.” It was almost as if I woke up one morning and that was my path. I was so confident that no other option seemed feasible. It’s as if it was decided for me. Oddly enough, five years later, it stuck. Who would have guessed?

Now that I am twenty years old, being a “grown-up” is becoming more real, although I sometimes feel like the awkward twelve year-old who can’t open her over-sized locker. I am finishing my third year of college, working a great job, and realizing that I am that “grown-up” that my fifteen year-old self dreamed of being. I work in the marketing office at IU Kokomo and write articles that are featured on its website, work the professionals around me are doing daily. I’m diving deep into areas and opportunities some people dream of at my age. I’m editor of a campus newspaper, something I wished to do in high school but never got the opportunity.

For a while, I was unsure of my graduation date, what track I wanted to focus on as I worked through my communications degree, and the career I would pursue once the degree fell into my hands. To this day, I’m still unsure about a lot (except my graduation date, which is May 2013. Insert rock on hand signal here.). But I am very excited to work through my public relations focus track, continue and improve my writing, and find my niche in the professional world of communications.

My boyfriend, Kyle, always tells me that “everything will work itself out.” Although I’m leery about putting it in writing, he’s right. Everything is working out and will continue to work out. I could not be more excited about where I am going and the unknown that lies ahead.
Mary Olk

It’s that time of year again, folks. Finals week is here and ready to test the semester’s worth of knowledge you’ve acquired. This time of year is usually full of panic, rage, complaining, and dread. But I’m going to provide some extremely useful information for how to excel during, and perhaps enjoy, finals week.

First, you need to throw all conventional study habits out the window and forget what everyone has told you thus far about success. The very first thing you should do before studying or taking any final is the what-do-I-need-to-get-on-my-final-to-pass-the-class math problem. If your grades are based on total points, then do the math. You may come to find you only need a fifty percent on a final to get an “A” in the class. If that’s true, then you really don’t need to spend six days studying for that final. Figure out which classes require a high final grade, and put those as your first priority, regardless of which final you have to take first.

Next, finish all of your final papers, projects, and assignments. Truth be told, no one cares if you don’t do your part of the group project. The other members will be mad and you will fail. Oh, and the professors don’t care either. You’re still going to fail. Get your stuff done by the due date and save yourself the stress of receiving an “F.”

Third, eat breakfast. I know this may come as a shock, but if you actually eat a healthy breakfast filled with eggs, fruit, maybe some whole grains, your body will be nice to you and not let you fall asleep during your sociology final. Crazy, I know.

My next piece of advice is also quite shocking: do not go to sleep until your assignments are finished or until you’ve studied every single thing you need to study for a particular final. Again, no one cares about your fatigued body and mind.

Finally, don’t complain. I know your finals are extremely hard compared to the rest of the student body and you are the only person enduring the tragedy that is finals week, but it’s best to just keep your terrible test-taking troubles to yourself.

Story by Mary Olk, Editor-in-Chief

Imagine waking up at 7 a.m. on Christmas Eve with a temperature of 102 degrees, covered head to toe with chickenpox…not everybody’s idea of the start to a wonderful holiday break.

I was ten, and my little sister was two years old. I had many oatmeal baths and itched horribly. Still, there was no schedule to keep. I didn’t have to open gifts in a few minutes and then get ready to head out the door for yet another Christmas with extended family. In fact, I spent Christmas Eve eating and drinking whatever I wanted, not what was seasonally in style. No hot chocolate…not with my fever. I enjoyed pizza, pickles, chips and dip, bubbly grape juice, and ice cream. Never since have I been able to pick such a menu. 

I got to open as many gifts as I wanted on Christmas Eve because I looked so pitiful that my parents felt sorry for me. My sister and I stayed up late and played video games (new ones, of course) and watched movies. We got up late, because there was nowhere we had to run to get to in a hurry. I opened presents and enjoyed them one at a time, with no poses and not a single camera in sight (no one wanted to see me looking like that). Once again, I got to play and eat whatever I wanted…not Grandma’s famous oyster dressing, because she worked so hard on it.

As we gave thanks before our holiday meal, I realized how valuable one’s health is. As much as I enjoyed being pampered and lazy, I was “itching” to run and play with my family and friends. Yes, this sickness was to pass, and good health was to return, with more gifts to come.  Meanwhile, I enjoyed one of my favorite Christmases ever. I hope you have yours this year.

Story by Andrew Jones, Staff Writer

The votes are in and a decision was made for this year’s service project for Carol Garber’s S104 Freshman Seminar class. The “Rockin’ for Riley” benefit concert will feature eight local bands from Kokomo, Indiana, with music genres ranging from rock to rap, and all proceeds will go directly to Riley Children’s Hospital. The concert will be held on Friday, December 9^th from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Sam Stewart, the mastermind behind this event, has always wanted to put on a benefit concert.

“I’ve never had the opportunity or resources to hold an event like this, so I’m really excited to put it into action,” he said.

To ensure the best quality sound and performances for the concert, Chris Griffits and other students worked together to submit a grant to Indiana University Kokomo for funding in order to bring in a professional sound system.

“We want people to come out and have fun, but most importantly, we really want to help the kids at Riley. If anything, you should come to this concert for them,” Stewart added.

Tickets are on advanced sale now for five dollars, and tickets will be eight dollars at the door. Pre-ticket sales booths will be set up in the Kelley Center by the bookstore and in the main building by the front doors, from November 28 through December 2. The concert is open to the campus as well as the community.

“Our class has worked really hard to put this together, and it’s going to be a great time,” said student Rick Rhine.

Playing the concert are rock groups Shinny Penny, The Pummels, Offering by Fire, and The Cracker Jacks, and rappers Taz, Bre Bragg, Timothy McGimpsey, and 23-10.

Mary Olk

Finals are quickly approaching, and as a student you spend all your free time either studying or working, which usually means that there’s never time or money to just get away for the weekend. Everyone deserves a break. It’s a way to unwind, recharge and just get a moment of peace before starting another week of juggling your time between classes and work.

It costs too much, you don’t have more than a few hours free, there’s nowhere to go, etcetera, etcetera. The excuses go on and on. This is the first article of what hopefully will be a series that will tell you some great “adventures” you can have that will not cost a lot of money and are not too far from home.

My first recommended “adventure” is The Eagles Theatre in Wabash. It is located 40 miles from IUK at 106 West Market Street in Wabash, Indiana. The theater, originally built in 1906, has been restored to its original beauty, but instead of hosting live plays, it now hosts movies. What makes this “adventure” perfect for a college student is the pricing. Tickets are only $5.00, or if you are lucky and catch the earlier showing, $3.00 is all you’ll pay. As a bonus, the prices for treats are even lower! The only catch is that the theater only has showings three days a week.

If you want to spend a little extra time in town either before or after the movie, there is a great coffee shop just across from the theater. Modoc’s Market has a great variety of coffee, plenty of treats if you feel like something sweet, and a comfy area where you can sit and just relax. If you want to grab a bite to eat, the area hosts a great variety of restaurants to choose from.

You can visit the theater website at http://www.eaglestheatre.com/about-eagles/ to see what movie they are currently playing and when, as well as ticket and snack prices.

BY: Lisa Brinker

There’s still time to explore the most exciting Indiana geography and scenery before the winter weather arrives.  If autumn runs out and temperatures are unbearable, adventurers should prepare now for their springtime expeditions. Here are just some of Indiana’s top sites for trails, waterfalls, and scenery:

• Turkey Run– Located in Crawfordsville, an hour and a half southwest of Kokomo, Turkey Run features canyons, a massive covered bridge, and eleven magnificent trails—some easy, and some very rugged and rocky, with ladders, canyons, steep stairs, and slippery hollows. Visitors can even stay overnight in either the picturesque Turkey Run Inn or one of the many cabins nestled in the woods.
• Fort Harrison– Located on the northeast side of Indianapolis, one would never guess this once military camp, but now state park, lives within the big city. Its best features are its endless trees and comfortable trails, which lead to a horse
  

  Enjoy the beautiful scenery at Turkey Run State Park. Photo Provided by Bryce Barnes

  saddle barn and rides, nature center, lakes and trails, a sledding hill for winter, and all of its charming history.

• Williamsport Falls – Indiana’s highest free-falling waterfall (at ninety feet) and hidden gem, Williamsport Falls is nestled in the tiny town of Williamsport, less than two hours west of Kokomo, and well worth the trip.
• Shades – With a convex waterfall, massively tall cliffs that overlook Sugar Creek, and both very rugged and easy trails, Shades is only fifteen miles southwest of Turkey Run, but a whole separate adventure.
• Eagle Creek – Northwest of Indianapolis, Eagle Creek includes beautiful scenery and numerous activities, such as fishing, swimming, boating, and sailing on the 1400-acre reservoir, along with nature centers, a pistol range, hiking trails, and an enormous dog park on the 3900+ acres of land. For more information on Eagle Creek Park, visit eaglecreekpark.org.
• Clifty Falls – Ten trails in Madison (three hours south of Kokomo) lead hikers to the observation tower overlooking the Ohio River, multiple waterfalls, steep canyons, staircases, and gorges. Guests can also explore the nature center and stay in the stunning Clifty Falls Inn.

For unforgettable experiences, take an in-state trip to one of the above parks. For a look at more parks and information, visit the DNR website at www.in.gov/dnr.

BY: Stephanie Barnes

According to Sperling’s Bestplaces.net, Kokomo has had a population growth of –4.03 percent since 2000. Mayor Greg Goodnight says that every city in north central Indiana faced a decline during this recession except for one.

Downtown Kokomo is home to beautiful buildings. Photo Provided by Matthew L. Myers

Much of this problem comes from people working in Kokomo but not living here. According to Goodnight, “There are about ten thousand [people] on a daily basis that collect a paycheck and go live in another county, [and] that alone is our biggest economic development challenge. We’re not getting the other jobs that come along with that because they’re not spending their money here.”

Another challenge for the economy in Kokomo is the number of college graduates that live in the city. Goodnight says that “as of a few years ago, Kokomo was below the state average and Indiana was below the national average of those with a four year degree.”

The current administration is looking at ways to bring people into the city and keep people from leaving.“We’re trying to focus on quality of life issues that bring people. We need to give them a reason to come here, says Goodnight.

One thing the city is offering to get people to look at Kokomo is the Kokomo Homeownership Investment Program. The program is designed to offer assistance for exterior improvements to new homeowners. For every $2 the homeowner puts into the façade of their home, the city will put in additional dollar, up to $5,000.

There is a similar initiative for small businesses locating in the downtown area. Goodnight said that the city used almost $39,000 of public money on the matching façade grant and it spurred almost $300,000 of private money.

The city is also offering many activities for families to enjoy. Amongst those activities are the free concerts offered throughout the summer. Also offered are the numerous festivals held in downtown Kokomo. These festivals include the Haynes-Apperson Festival, Ribfest, Taste of Kokomo, and the Strawberry Festival.

Under this administration, the city has undergone a beautification process. “I have people all the time from out of town say ‘I’ve never realized how beautiful Kokomo was,’” says Goodnight.

Kokomo has received several awards and been on several lists over the recent years. The most current award is Indiana Chamber’s 2011 Community of the Year.The city has also been recognized by Forbes magazine on the “Best Places to Live Cheaply” and “Best Small Places for Businesses and Careers” lists. Sperling’s also had Kokomo on a few of their lists, including “Best Places to Live” and “Best Green Places.”

Kokomo’s cost of living is 13.2 percent lower than that U.S. national average. Jobs in the city have recently increased by 1.37 percent.

“I want people to go out and see the world, learn about what’s out there,” Goodnight says, “[but] the goal is [that] when they decide to establish permanent residency, their first choice is to look at Kokomo.”

Matthew Myers

There has been a lot of bad press coverage about teachers as of late. Reports of teachers having sexual relationships with students, teachers mocking special education students on social media sites, and teachers beating their charges have been in no short supply. Make no mistake, there are bad teachers out there, ones who ignore the voice of reason, ones who act rashly, and ones who don’t care about their students. They exist, but they are, by far, the minority.

This negative attention unfairly impacts the rest of the teaching community, from retired teachers all the way to student teachers. It brings concern and worry to parents, and causes teachers to become hypersensitive about any interaction with a student, lest it be misconstrued as something inappropriate or offense. In years past, teachers never had to worry about a well-meaning hug for an upset student, or even a pat on the back. Because of these rash and unprincipled teachers, the good ones have been stripped of part of their duties. A teacher’s duty is more than just teaching state standards to students and grading homework. Teachers are mentors, compassionate counselors, and life skills specialists. How can the good ones truly fulfill those roles when the threat of misconstrued actions and subsequent consequences looms so heavily?

Everyone who has ever been a student has had a teacher who stood out because of his or her extraordinary skills, and those skills often weren’t about lessons. They were about reaching out to students who were struggling, in need, off track, or disengaged. It’s these teachers that we need to put in the spotlight, not the bad ones. It’s these teachers, the ones who truly care, that should be in the news.

When you inevitably read about the next teacher to be involved in a sexting scandal or student abuse, remember that they are truly few and far between, and not at all representative of the teaching community. Remember that your teachers, your children’s teachers, and teachers all across the nation are here to help students grow into successful people. The good ones are not here to cause harm, and the bad teachers in the news will never teach again.

Tiffani Bonifant