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letter from the editor

They say “money makes the world go round,” and as much as I hate to give in to that sort of idea of capitalism, after living in the Bay Area for nearly four years, I have to agree.

That’s why this issue of Access magazine has been dubbed, “the Money Issue.” We here at Access really wanted to capture what San Jose State University students spend their time and money on. Everything from rent, school, the occasional nose job and maybe even a designer

purse puts icing on the metaphorical cake. SJSU students are truly a unique breed of high-end consumers and studious college pupils.

The campus we walk on plays hostess to people from all walks of life. Whether it’s the fresh-out-of-high school 18-year-old, or the 50-year-old professional returning for a second or third degree, we are all here doing the same thing — trying to ensure some sort of “better future” for ourselves while trying to live a productive life in the pres-ent. See our Feature story “The Juggling Act,” on page 22, to get a further feel for how different SJSU students make their way.

Not only did we want to capture what students do and what they are interested in, we also wanted to revamp Access itself for its 20th anniversary. Stepping outside the traditional norm of student publications, we opted for a unique design and clean pages, verses the traditional, cluttered pages that are synonymous with most student publications. Our talented designer Yvonne Pingue even opted for mood leading, to increase the conceptual feel of our feature stories. This means the space between lines of text get closer or space out depending on the intensity or importance of subject matter being read.

We really wanted to capture our reader’s eye, as well as showing off some of the school’s most talented artists, photographers and of course, writers. Another change to be noted is the Access Web site. I knew going into the se-mester that if I could change or improve upon one thing as editor it was going to be to have interactive Web site. I felt that it was important to showcase Access to a bigger audience, and being that our institution is conveniently located in the middle of Silicon Valley, it only made sense to lobby for Web space.

A special thanks should be given to my incredible staff this semester that took my vision of an artistically driven publication and ran with it. They are all pioneers in my eyes and I couldn’t have executed it with out their talent.

So sit back and enjoy this issue. I hope it inspires, as well as opens minds to what real student life is like at SJSU.

Evie SmithEditor-in-Chief

staff

features, front & back of book

From left: Nicloe Lieurance, front of book editor, Cody Haueter, assistant front of book editor; Kristen Furtado, back of book editor; Heather Nacht, feature editor; and Briana Hernandez, feature assistant.

Clockwise from left: Nikki Baker, photo editor, Britney Weaver, circulation & coordinator of cover; Lesley Oullette, photo assistant; Ryan Berg, coordina-tor of cover; Scott Evans, art assistant; and Yvonne Pingue, art director.

From left: Lesger Talavera, online editor; Rita Lai, online art director; Ian Wong, online photo editor; Osvaldo Castillo, online features editor.

chief & managing

Evie Smith and Kaitlyn Osborn-Brown.

Contributors:

FOB Writers: Chris Bausinger Jonathan Lambert Joe Salvatore, Megan Hamilton Alexandra Ulicki Anuja Seith Patrice Siarras Kimberly Tsao Christopher Riney

Feature Writers: Tommy Wright Anuja Seith Colleen Watson Jayme Luster,Dina Baslan Michael Pasaoa Truth Esguerra Radhika DuBois Liza Atamy Jake Fouts Sam Meneely

Access Magazine is published by the

School of Journalism & Mass Communications.San Jose State UniversityOne Washington Square

San Jose, CA 95192408-924-3260

© 2007 Access MagazineReproduction without

permission is prohibited.

access fall 2007

Artists:Tim Seward Jeremiah Kille Jennifer Valenzuela Andrew Skelton

Photographers: Corey Condren Neal Waters Hanna Thrasher Jake Fouts Stephania Bednar Kris Anderson

Advisor: Scott Fosdick

art

online

“A student once told me that he couldn’t turn in an assignment because he just found out that he had a kid!”

After five minutes of fumbling with your

keys in the lock, you drag yourself in the door.

You glance over at the clock and groan at the sight of 4:15

a.m. You kick off your shoes and collapse on the bed. You close

your eyes and your mind begins to drift — wait. Immediately you realize you’ve forgotten something important. Unfortunately, the six shots you just finished at the bar have left your memory fuzzy. Your eyes shoot open and with a quick scan of your room, your crumpled backpack inside your closet jogs your memory. Your eight-page term paper, on a topic you just can’t remember, is due at 10 a.m. Not only that, but you distinctly remember your professor saying the paper was due at the start of the class, no exceptions. With six hours to spare, you know you have two options: finish a month’s worth of research at an ungodly hour or come up with an excuse so clever, it will not only save your night, but may save your grade. - Kaitlyn Osborn-Brown

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Check out Access online for these exclusive features!Learn The History Of Buildings On CampusRead About Each Pioneer AndTheir Edifice Commemoration

Read About SJSU’s Film Department

And Its Latest Accomplishments At San Jose’s Cinequest

Film Festival

The Hip-hop Congress Is Now In Session

Read About The Dr. Martin Luther King Library Break-dancers And

The Urban Pop’s History

Government 101Learn Some Government Basics

That Will Get You By

Decorate Or Neglect? LearnWhich HouseplantsAre Meant For Dorm Life

Four Years And 80k In DebtOne Student’s Atypical

Look The College Experience

www.j

mc.sj

su.ed

u/ac

cess

www.a

ccess/

sjsu.b

logspo

t.com

Earth-shaking drumbeats, spine-tingling guitar riffs, and deafening bass chords rattle the innards of your cranium. The thundering melodies of musical notes are forced from the tiny white spherical objects Apple calls headphones. As the track fades away into a calm silence, the listener is subject to the chaos of reality.

It is estimated that one in every five people under the age of 30 own an iPod or MP3 player. In some cases people consider music a distraction from anything and everything, but many others consider music a way to escape the static snow of the fast-paced world. Apple and the iPod have brought the music lover their cure for the common music compulsion.

The Apple iPod has brought music from the darkness of Duracell-powered, compact disc players to the pocket-sized digital wonders of today. In the past few years, Apple has soared to the top of the desirable-products market. Everything they create that has an “i” in front of it flies off the shelves. It is hard to imagine that Apple would need to think much further outside the box to create new and interesting ways to keep people purchasing their products. Each year something new and edgy must be done in order to keep the company a step above the rest. One of those edgy moves for Apple was to branch out into other

technology markets.The iPhone was Apple’s way of breaking into the cell-phone market. The widely

popular phone offered buyers all the qualities of a widescreen video iPod along with Internet access and e-mail, all on a state-of-the-art mobile phone. Apple already has proven they can bring music to anyone at anytime with their iPod products, but what other markets is Apple going to try and take over? Where can Apple go in order to preserve their iCrazy generation? Apple will do almost anything to keep rolling with their good thing, so what is next?

Soon Apple might put a computer screen in your oven or how about an MP3 player and phone in your toilet? Nothing is out of the realm of possibility for Apple. Just think of

the possibilities for high-tech companies in the future. Apple is setting the example for all other companies to follow, and all it took was one incredibly well- thought-out-idea. As the listeners put on their headphones, a new track begins to play and once again they are swept

out of the realm of reality and into the music-filled wonderland of their MP3 player. — Chris Bausinger

iCrazy Generation: What is next for Apple?

OUTRAGEOUS EXCUSES!

“Last semester, a student

said, ‘Remember I told you my

grandmother died? I meant

my grandfather, but my

grandmother really did die and

the funeral is next week.’”

“A student said, ‘I’ll be absent next week. My brother is going to be in an accident.’”

“A student involved in a well-known rock band wanted to miss class

because he had an interview with a major record company.”

“A student told me, ‘I can’t be in class because someone stole my identity and the authorities told me to lay low.’”

“One student said, ‘I can’t take

the midterm exam tomorrow

morning. I have to see my boyfriend who is in Elmwood Jail.’”

“A student called

from jail using her one phone call to tell

me she couldn’t

make it to class.”

“A student missed the final because his roommate, who was pregnant, went into labor

and he had to drive her to the hospital.”

“A student once told me that he couldn’t turn in an assignment because he just found out that he had a kid!”

After five minutes of fumbling with your

keys in the lock, you drag yourself in the door.

You glance over at the clock and groan at the sight of 4:15

a.m. You kick off your shoes and collapse on the bed. You close

your eyes and your mind begins to drift — wait. Immediately you realize you’ve forgotten something important. Unfortunately, the six shots you just finished at the bar have left your memory fuzzy. Your eyes shoot open and with a quick scan of your room, your crumpled backpack inside your closet jogs your memory. Your eight-page term paper, on a topic you just can’t remember, is due at 10 a.m. Not only that, but you distinctly remember your professor saying the paper was due at the start of the class, no exceptions. With six hours to spare, you know you have two options: finish a month’s worth of research at an ungodly hour or come up with an excuse so clever, it will not only save your night, but may save your grade. - Kaitlyn Osborn-Brown

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iLighter: Ignite people’s love of music with the Apple iLighter: Spark Different.

iTrend: The new clothing line from Apple. If Diddy can make clothes, why can’t we? The new iTrend clothing line: Dress Different.

iMower: Move over John Deere. The iMower will have you mowing your lawn with style and comfort. The new iMower: Groom Different.

iFridge: The Apple iFridge. Freeze the competition with the built-in expiration date reminder. The new Apple iFridge: Chill Different.

iCar: This compact piece of perfection redefines the “i” in vehicle. The new iCar: Cruise Different.

iPooch: Apple joins Hasbro and Tekno as breeders of hi-tech tail waggers. The innovative iPooch brings a whole new meaning to household pets. The new Apple iPooch: Bark Different.

iWatch: Replace your old wristband with gigabytes of new ones. The Apple iWatch: Tick Different.

Check out Access online for these exclusive features!Learn The History Of Buildings On CampusRead About Each Pioneer AndTheir Edifice Commemoration

Read About SJSU’s Film Department

And Its Latest Accomplishments At San Jose’s Cinequest

Film Festival

The Hip-hop Congress Is Now In Session

Read About The Dr. Martin Luther King Library Break-dancers And

The Urban Pop’s History

Government 101Learn Some Government Basics

That Will Get You By

Decorate Or Neglect? LearnWhich HouseplantsAre Meant For Dorm Life

Four Years And 80k In DebtOne Student’s Atypical

Look The College Experience

www.j

mc.sj

su.ed

u/ac

cess

Life today is a constant pursuit of energy. When people want a fix, they turn to caffeinated beverages. Coca-Cola defined the 20th century, but today’s energy drinks contain twice the amount of stimulating caffeine. They’re promoted with added vitamins and herbs, banned in Norway and France, and as an industry are worth $3.7 billion. Since 1987, energy drinks have taken America

by storm with Austria’s Red Bull dominating U.S. sales. Catchy names - Amp, Tight and Crunk - resonate with edgy young adults. Brand loyalty is built through on-site promotions at concerts and extreme sporting events. Caffeine or caffeine-like substitutes give the drinks their kick. This central nervous system stimulant affects the brain by increasing

adrenaline, a hormone that prepares the body in emergency situations and raises serotonin, a chemical that affects the mood, and increases oxygen flow to the brain and muscles. Studies show that caffeine leads to better concentration, a delayed sense of fatigue, and a more confident mood. But when used in excess,

caffeine is addictive and can cause headaches when a regular dose is missed. The 7-Eleven at the corner of East San Salvador St. and South 6th St is one of many stores that sell energy drinks. You will see a flux of caffeine junkies park in the cramped lot and, just as fast, exit the

store with their fix. Anthony Biscaino, a cashier, said, “One out of every three customers buys an energy drink, but we mostly sell coffee.” Redline, he tells me, is the most popular right now. He points to the counter display of blue packaged

tablets and shows me the cooler full of liquid Redline. Customer Charles Landers says he likes the taste of Monster and the drink “gets him up.” He says he starts his mornings with a drink of coffee, but he buys a 24-ounce Monster energy drink every afternoon. Alternative ingredients like guarana, green

tea, or mate are used in combination with caffeine to boost the stimulant in the energy drinks. Vitamins and amino acids that manufacturers say aid metabolism and detoxify the body can be obtained in normal,

everyday food. When used as a cocktail mixer, they provide little, if any, benefit. Skip the energy drink and try some healthier alternatives. Try a Jamba Juice with an energy boost, take a B-vitamin supplement

or ginseng, get some extra sleep and exercise and, most importantly, eat a whole food diet. This way you can avoid the “come down” and side-effects caused by energy drinks. - Joe Salvatore

EnErgy Drink sTHE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

The Real Cost of College

8

Life today is a constant pursuit of energy. When people want a fix, they turn to caffeinated beverages. Coca-Cola defined the 20th century, but today’s energy drinks contain twice the amount of stimulating caffeine. They’re promoted with added vitamins and herbs, banned in Norway and France, and as an industry are worth $3.7 billion. Since 1987, energy drinks have taken America

by storm with Austria’s Red Bull dominating U.S. sales. Catchy names - Amp, Tight and Crunk - resonate with edgy young adults. Brand loyalty is built through on-site promotions at concerts and extreme sporting events. Caffeine or caffeine-like substitutes give the drinks their kick. This central nervous system stimulant affects the brain by increasing

adrenaline, a hormone that prepares the body in emergency situations and raises serotonin, a chemical that affects the mood, and increases oxygen flow to the brain and muscles. Studies show that caffeine leads to better concentration, a delayed sense of fatigue, and a more confident mood. But when used in excess,

caffeine is addictive and can cause headaches when a regular dose is missed. The 7-Eleven at the corner of East San Salvador St. and South 6th St is one of many stores that sell energy drinks. You will see a flux of caffeine junkies park in the cramped lot and, just as fast, exit the

store with their fix. Anthony Biscaino, a cashier, said, “One out of every three customers buys an energy drink, but we mostly sell coffee.” Redline, he tells me, is the most popular right now. He points to the counter display of blue packaged

tablets and shows me the cooler full of liquid Redline. Customer Charles Landers says he likes the taste of Monster and the drink “gets him up.” He says he starts his mornings with a drink of coffee, but he buys a 24-ounce Monster energy drink every afternoon. Alternative ingredients like guarana, green

tea, or mate are used in combination with caffeine to boost the stimulant in the energy drinks. Vitamins and amino acids that manufacturers say aid metabolism and detoxify the body can be obtained in normal,

everyday food. When used as a cocktail mixer, they provide little, if any, benefit. Skip the energy drink and try some healthier alternatives. Try a Jamba Juice with an energy boost, take a B-vitamin supplement

or ginseng, get some extra sleep and exercise and, most importantly, eat a whole food diet. This way you can avoid the “come down” and side-effects caused by energy drinks. - Joe Salvatore

The Real Cost of College

If only parents really knew what a college education costs. Sure, tuition will set you back $1,100 a semester, but were you aware of the Starbucks toll that could be as high as $1,500? After all, students can’t study without their daily dose of imported, organic, exotic caffeine.

Beyond tuition, there is the cost of housing which will demand somewhere between $3,000 and $6,000, and add another $271 for parking. This we all know, expect, and accept. As for the special-needs student, we are just scratching the tip of the iceberg.

Some students suffer from inadequate stimulation syndrome. The simple cure could be a Nintendo Wii ($250), XBOX 360 ($400) or even a PS3 ($500-600) for the “too-many-units” blues. Don’t forget to add another controller for group fun ($29) as well as other software titles for extended enjoyment ($49 each).

For many of these students, conversation is the best therapy. Talking, text messaging, chatting and e-mailing are not only essential at home, but on the go as well. These students desire, nay, require a smart phone (around $300) and a plan that allows them to use the vast resources of the internet as well as call whomever they need to talk to (over $100 per month). For many students, that might not be enough. Throw in unlimited text messaging (about $15 a month) to make sure these students can communicate their feelings in any forum at anytime.

For some, communicating is half as important as listening. These auditory-deficient types can be cured simply with an Mp3 player. The Apple iPod is the most common and you can buy a brand new one ($250-$350) at any local electronics store.

For many college students, the right look is more important than anything. For some women, the right products aren’t only important, they’re essential. Facial cleansers, body lotions, facemasks and many more products replace the simple bar of soap. Add to that makeup and hair care and you’ll have a recipe for major debt.

More important than what goes on the skin is what covers it. Nothing says more about a woman’s status then the purse or handbag that she carries. Versace, Hermes, Gucci, Chanel, Diesel and Coach are just a few names you will have to get acquainted with if the standard backpack just won’t do for carrying your notepad.

One major cause of debt among college students is alcohol. For those over 21, beer and other alcoholic beverages rank high on the list of must-have items. For those who need help socially, expect lots and lots of runs to the liquor store.

It may be wise to start investing in more stocks and a second or third job because the true cost of college is more then you may have bargained for.

Don’t tell these students their needs are unnecessary. One man’s Starbucks is another man’s insulin. You simply can’t live without it.

- Nick Kanios

Beware of overlooked expenses and bank-breaking addictions

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How to get the most out of your student ID

Money is not always easy to come by as a college student, and you often find yourself looking for deals, especially for entertainment or food. The smart SJSU student will always have their SJSU ID card with them and be on the lookout for places that give student discounts. In addition, you can use your Discover Downtown San Jose card to get even more great deals. Downtown San Jose offers great places to eat and awesome entertainment. Don’t want to walk? Hop on the light rail with your SJSU ID card that has the VTA A.S. validation sticker on it and you can use any VTA bus or the light rail for free! Now that’s a good deal!

Restaurants: Tired of always eating at the Dining Commons or the Student Union? Here are some good places to go for a meal with some friends, or possibly on a date with that special someone.

Tony Soprano’s Pizzeria @ 87 E. San Fernando Street: You can order from the comfort of your dorm room and walk on over to pick up your meal. 10 percent off for students.

Agenda Restaurant @ 399 S. First Street: Buy one entrée at regular price and get a second entrée of equal or lesser value for free (up to $16) with Discover Downtown San Jose card.

Lan’s Garden @ 155 E. San Fernando St: Student lunch specials are about $3.49.Bella Mia @ 58 S. First Street: $5 off the purchase of two lunch entrees or $10 off the purchase of two dinner

entrees with Discover Downtown San Jose card.Asqew Grill @ 200 S 1st St: 10 percent off with school ID and the restaurant’s business card.The Pita Pit @ 151 S. 2nd St. #185: 10 percent off any pita combo (pita, chips and a fountain drink) with

Discover Downtown San Jose card.Iguanas Taqueria @ 330 S 3rd St Ste A: 10 percent off for students.Entertainment: We can’t all just sit around watching television or playing video games all day, so here

are some places to go for a fun time by yourself or with your friends. Camera 12 @ 201 South Second Street. Within walking distance of campus, this is a great place to go to the

movies by yourself or in a group. Students save $2 on admission (does not apply to matinees).San Jose Repertory Theatre @ 101 Paseo de San Antonio: Enrich yourself with the experience of watching a

live action play in a theater. Student discounts up to half off (vary according to performance dates).Now that you know some places you can get discounts with your student ID card, remember to always keep

it with you so if you see a discount for students you, can take full advantage of it and save some money. — Jonathan Lambert

Downtown San Jose has many great eateries that students walk past every day without even noticing. We are used to going to La Victoria’s, Peggy Sue’s, Peanuts, and all the usual hangouts. Yet downtown has more to offer than just these places. I have visited four restaurants that will blow your mind away with their uniqueness and great food.

On the corner of 8th and Williams, right down the street from the San Jose State University’s Dinning Commons sits a quiet little Thai food restaurant. It’s called Sa-by, and it is one of the best authentic Thai restaurants in the downtown San Jose area. They’re known for their Pad Thai, Chicken Tom Yum and my personal favorite: Fried Chicken over Fried Rice. The quality is excellent, and the prices are cheap. If you’re ever feeling bored on a Thursday or Saturday night, you can sing your heart out on their karaoke machine. Even if you are in a rush, they can accommodate you with your order by phone, fax, or online services. In the future, they will be extending their hours and also offering free Wi-Fi access.

Another great place located in the heart of downtown San Jose is called Dog House. Located on 1st and San Fernando, they are known for bringing the best style hot dogs from all over the United States to the Bay Area, like their Los Angeles Dog, which resembles L.A.’s famous bacon-wrapped hot dogs. With two flat-screen TVs playing both local sports games as well as all different types of movies, you can stay there for hours. And the best part is, if you are a student you get $1 off anything that you buy over $5.

After you’re done at Dog House, you can go next door to Maui Wowi and relax in this Hawaiian coffee and smoothie shop. Their 100 percent natural fat-free, no sugar added smoothies will have you going crazy for more. It is a relaxing place to go and study or just catch up with a friend. You can sit inside or out and still enjoy their Hawaiian setting. They also offer free Wi-Fi and 10 percent off for students. So next time you’re downtown and you want to take a break from life, go treat yourself to Maui Wowi and get away.

The next place is a little farther from SJSU, but offers some of the best New Orleans-style food the Bay Area has to offer. Poor House Bistro, located near HP Pavilion, has great service and a unique environment. You will feel at home once you step in: it’s actually in a house. Poor House Bistro offers live music every Friday and Saturday. It was even voted “best outdoor blues music” by the Metro. The most popular items on their menu would have to be their many different-styled “Po Boys.”

So the next time you decide to head down to your usual hangout, think about checking out one of these awesome places instead.

- Christopher Riney

‘Wowi’ Finds!

Four unique eateries near campus

How to impress your date without selling your

An essential part of the quote-unquote college experience is dating and relationships. Unfortunately, another aspect of higher education is lack of funds. So how do you woo a weekend date when your wallet’s busy impersonating a black hole?

The secret is creativity and energy. Most people pay for things they could easily do for themselves simply because it’s convenient and it saves time and energy.

A typical Friday night date consists of dinner and a movie. Dinner at any respectable restaurant could run you $50-$100 depending on if you have drinks or not. Going to the movies at night is a $20-$25 event, and there’s no guaranteeing the movie won’t be crap.

Try cooking for your date, or if you want to be even more romantic, arrange to cook together. This of course means you will have to clean your living space, including the kitchen, which for most college students is an annual event. Things like going on walks or making picnics are also romantic and budget-savers.

Renting a movie should be an obvious money saver. It also sets an intimate mood. Plus, if you start making out with your date during the flick, you can just rewind it and watch what you missed later — or the next morning.

Like anything in college, romance takes effort and time. You’re only going to get what you put in, but that doesn’t always mean money is the best answer. There is no need to sell your soul to finance a great date.

- Evie Smith

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Top: Jorge Contreras makes a smoothie. Above: Maui Wowi is located on 1st St. and San Fernando.

11

Whether you are a sophomore or senior, part time or full time, stress is familiar to you. The life of a Spartan today is dependent on alarm clocks and daily planners. We’ve mastered the art of consolidating the mandatory and the optional in order to make room for everything. When you start to struggle through your daily routine, you are in need of extra help. With simplicity in mind, fellow students and experts offer de-stressor ideas. Try a few of these next time you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Deep breathing: Increases the oxygen in your blood and helps ease tension. Make sure you breathe from deep within your stomach, hold for seven seconds and release. Try to accompany exhaling with affirmations for a more positive outlook.

Stretching: We may skip it at the gym due to our quick-in, quick-out mentality, but it is one of the most important and overlooked tasks to help relieve stress. Stretch your neck (we hold a lot of tension in our necks), sit upright and tilt your head for 30 seconds on either side. Also, sit up straight and twist your upper body as far as you can to the left and right. This will help relieve some pent-up tension in your back.

Warm Baths: After a long, stressful day, add some essential oils to your bath. Try lavender, chamomile, cucumber or green apple, as these scents are proven to help calm your nerves.

Laugh and smile even if nothing’s funny. Laughter reduces the levels of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine and adrenaline and increases health-promoting hormones like endorphins and neurotransmitters. Just smiling will send these messages to your brain.

Massage: Have a friend who studies massage therapy? If you don’t, relieve your own stress by massaging certain pressure points on your body. A pressure point is located where any artery passes over a bone by the surface of the skin. For example, along the top of your ears, massage here to stimulate memory. In the concave area under your clavicle bone, this stimulates concentration and helps you absorb information. The inner wrists, ankles and pelvic area are other key points you can massage to help with stress.

Book a treatment: For those with a little extra time or money, schedule a massage or acupuncture treatment. The trained professionals know all the right spots to truly help relieve your problem areas and leave you feeling rejuvenated.

More me-time is essential to relieving stress. Next semester, take one of many SJSU fitness classes, or join an intramural or recreation team. Never been in the Event Center Sports Club? Next time you’re on campus, check out all the options offered to SJSU students. Whether it’s simple or unique, taking care of your health and well-being, both physically and mentally, is essential to your success. If anything, simply remember to breath deeply — in and out!

-Alexandra Ulicki

Upbeat, rhythmic music is heard as you walk toward SPX-89 in the Spartan Complex where about 20 couples pace their feet to swing music. It’s a dance class for beginners, offered in the kinesiology department at San Jose State University.

“The university provides classes in Foxtrot, Swing, Waltz, Rumba, Cha Cha, Salsa and Tango to students of any major as it fulfils the PE requirement. At a beginner’s level, I teach the basic steps of these dances,” says Professor Solomon Horn.

The class, for many students, is a combination of both pleasure and learning. While the class gives them a PE credit needed to graduate, the students can enjoy the dances and meet new people.

“It helps me to be more sociable, which will help me in my career,” says Cindy Do, a hospitality management major.

After a beginner-level class, the students who are interested in continuing dance can take an intermediate class, which goes deeper into the dance forms.

“I might do the intermediate class even if it’s without credit, as the dances are so interesting, ” says Marie Alcaide.

Ballroom dancing styles originated in different countries, and over the years some of those dances were incorporated into one of two competitive categories: American Style or International Style.

Every semester, the kinesiology department offers several ballroom/social dance classes. For those who would like to learn or brush up on their ballroom dancing without enrolling in a course, the SJSU ballroom dance club is a great way to meet people in a comfortable social setting and learn many ballroom, Latin, and nightclub dances.

Brian James Stegemiller, a kinesiology major, shares his views. “I am not very good at interacting with people. These dances help me break the social barrier as we have new people as our dance partners for every dance,” he says.

“It’s a good thing to learn if I go to a club or wedding,” he adds.

Dance lovers do not have to enroll in a class to enjoy and experience these dances. The 11-year-old ballroom dance club also allows casual attendance.

You can join the club with a $20 semester fee, or you can just drop in for $3 each Friday.

If you pay the semester fee, you can take classes every week and get discounts on special events. With drop-in classes, you attend on the days a dance is being covered that you want to learn or work on.

“We have weekly ballroom lessons, a ballroom competition in the fall and a dance event in the spring,” says German Serrano, president of the ballroom dance club.

Ballroom dancing is the perfect package for entertainment and academic choice. So get your dancing shoes on and head down to a class today.

- Anuja Seith

Why you should take a dance class at SJSU

The FUN P.E. Class

12

Whether you are a sophomore or senior, part time or full time, stress is familiar to you. The life of a Spartan today is dependent on alarm clocks and daily planners. We’ve mastered the art of consolidating the mandatory and the optional in order to make room for everything. When you start to struggle through your daily routine, you are in need of extra help. With simplicity in mind, fellow students and experts offer de-stressor ideas. Try a few of these next time you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Deep breathing: Increases the oxygen in your blood and helps ease tension. Make sure you breathe from deep within your stomach, hold for seven seconds and release. Try to accompany exhaling with affirmations for a more positive outlook.

Stretching: We may skip it at the gym due to our quick-in, quick-out mentality, but it is one of the most important and overlooked tasks to help relieve stress. Stretch your neck (we hold a lot of tension in our necks), sit upright and tilt your head for 30 seconds on either side. Also, sit up straight and twist your upper body as far as you can to the left and right. This will help relieve some pent-up tension in your back.

Warm Baths: After a long, stressful day, add some essential oils to your bath. Try lavender, chamomile, cucumber or green apple, as these scents are proven to help calm your nerves.

Laugh and smile even if nothing’s funny. Laughter reduces the levels of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine and adrenaline and increases health-promoting hormones like endorphins and neurotransmitters. Just smiling will send these messages to your brain.

Massage: Have a friend who studies massage therapy? If you don’t, relieve your own stress by massaging certain pressure points on your body. A pressure point is located where any artery passes over a bone by the surface of the skin. For example, along the top of your ears, massage here to stimulate memory. In the concave area under your clavicle bone, this stimulates concentration and helps you absorb information. The inner wrists, ankles and pelvic area are other key points you can massage to help with stress.

Book a treatment: For those with a little extra time or money, schedule a massage or acupuncture treatment. The trained professionals know all the right spots to truly help relieve your problem areas and leave you feeling rejuvenated.

More me-time is essential to relieving stress. Next semester, take one of many SJSU fitness classes, or join an intramural or recreation team. Never been in the Event Center Sports Club? Next time you’re on campus, check out all the options offered to SJSU students. Whether it’s simple or unique, taking care of your health and well-being, both physically and mentally, is essential to your success. If anything, simply remember to breath deeply — in and out!

-Alexandra Ulicki

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Seven simple stress relievers to help you get through the year

Maria Basile, a modern dance teacher at SJSU, demonstrates key pressure points in her classes.

THE DAILY GRIND

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The drama, the mystery, the truth and the lies. What intrigues us most about the

world of celebrity gossip?

“For some it is an outlet,” says 19-year-old student Ashley Blunt. “My life isn’t this

crazy and I hope it will never be, but in my spare time, I like laughing at the covers of

juicy magazines.”

Living life through the eyes of celebrities is exciting and addicting. Like when reading

a good book, we want to know how it ends. So we fix our lives around watching reality

shows, reading tabloids, and skimming through celebrity-based magazines. Questions

like, “Who’s the father?” “Who’s in rehab?” “Who got caught speeding drunk with drugs in

the glove box?” “What dress is she wearing on the red carpet?” and “Who did he take to

the awards just months after his divorce?” are addictive. We eat it up like birthday cake.

It gets to the point where we are planning work and school schedules around the

gossip: chatting it up on the Web about superstars’ hair and daily shoe usage and dying to

go on shows created to make us look like our favorite celebrity.

“I found out what spa a certain celeb went to wax all her unwanted hair, so I flew

there for the experience and the ambiance. If it’s good enough for her, it is great for me,”

says 27-year-old student Jessica Vincent. But is living life like a celebrity with middle-

class wages logical?

Celebrity addiction is a guilty pleasure that few can deny. It is a desire for juicy gossip

that tempts us in our daily lives, leaving us craving more and more. The life they live is the

life we think we want: the high-class drama with no repercussions, new weekly lovers

and vacations for no reason at all.

Addictions to celebrity gossip reside in our hearts and our daily lives. We love it, live

it and learn it, so our infatuation and fantasy become close realities. Are you addicted to

celebrity gossip?

—Remy Allums

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The Allure of the

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Five Ways to Experience Art and Culture

As frequenters of San Jose State University, all of us are yearning for an escape from the everyday monotony of classes and assignments. Now the chance to experience something new is easier and closer than ever.

Wander a quick three blocks to the west of campus and you’ll stumble upon something more than just office buildings and light rail cables.

Now housing more than five unique galleries, the South of First Street Area (SoFA) of downtown San Jose has become a Mecca for the arts and art enthusiasts. What better place to enjoy a bit of culture than right in downtown? What better place for a first date than on First Street?

The first Friday of every month all the galleries in the South First Street area come together and are open to the public for free. They usually start the festivities around 8 p.m. and keep the party going long into the night. Not only is this event easy on the wallet, it’s also easy on the eyes.

One of the most recognized galleries on the block is Anno Domini, the second coming of art and design. Brilliantly colored murals, painted by local artists, cover the exposed side of the gallery. Anno Domini is all about urban contemporary art and culture and they show everything from tattoo art to abstract sculpture.

There are also galleries that are solely devoted to specific cultures. GreenRice Gallery showcases local Vietnamese artists and Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana, Inc. (MACLA) showcases the numerous Latino artists of San Jose. Both galleries were created so that minority

cultures could be better represented artistically in the downtown area.

Other galleries in the SoFA district include the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, d.p. Fong Galleries and Works of San Jose. Now with double the space the SJIC has expanded their already wonderful programs for the community. d.p. Fong Galleries is renowned for being a great place for collectors or for the everyday passerby to purchase art. Works of San Jose has been a staple to the downtown community since the 1970s. This nonprofit, volunteer-run contemporary art and performance center is on a mission to provide space for artists and to educate and bring culture and ideas to the community.

The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles is the only museum in the SoFA. The main purpose of this museum is to promote the art, craft and history of quilts and textiles. Along with antiques, the museum also shows exhibits by contemporary quilt and textile artists.

On 88 South Fourth Street in the space formerly occupied by Artist & Craftsman Art Store, there is a new gallery that recently opened called KALEID. Kaleid is Greek for beauty and form and is taken from kaleidoscope. Owners of Anno Domini, Brian Eder and Cherri Lakey created this gallery. There are 60 artists so far who are showcasing and selling their work at this new venue.

With so many choices, San Jose State students can quench their thirst for creative art at any of the highly acclaimed downtown studios.

— Megan Hamilton

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Rich and Famous

Local Underground Culture and Entertainment

scene

Clockwise from top: Patrons at Good Karma; Entrance of Good Karma; Artists are able to hang their art work on the walls of the establishment.

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words and photographs:

Jake Fouts

16

It’s a common mindset that almost every San Jose State Univer-sity student shares. We deal with parking every morning, spend our weekdays on campus and sometimes even step into the li-brary to get some homework done. When the weekend comes, we’re ready to relax. For those who have turned 21, the bars and

nightclubs downtown offer a perfect way to kick back with friends. For those who haven’t, most have already planned what to do, where to go, and who to go with when their night comes around. But, after a while the bars get old. We begin looking for something new and exciting; something with more depth than just getting insanely intoxicated and stumbling around public streets. We strive to find something with a little more culture and style, preferably away from the large, rowdy crowds that gather around Santa Clara Street. What many students with the same drive to surround themselves with alternative culture are stumbling upon is a thriving network of artists, musicians, fashion buffs and film lovers right in our own backyard—downtown San Jose.

San Jose’s Best Kept Secrets

It’s easy enough to discover for yourself. Many of

the galleries and restaurants along First Street have

banded together to create a unique experience that has

come to be known as “South First Fridays.” On the

first Friday of every month, South First Street is trans-

formed into a bustling center for free art shows, live

music and a great atmosphere.The trail starts at a strip of yellow storefronts on

South First Street. Two places, side by side, mark the beginning of the “First Friday” path. The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles and the Mov-imiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana, better known as MACLA, introduce new exhibits on every first Friday of the month. The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles offers an amazing array of threaded art from giant quilts to tiny fiber sculptures. Dedicated to the advancement of local Latino perfor-mance artists, musicians and fine artists, MACLA has created an environment for Latinos and non-Latinos alike to share a truly universal experience. They intro-duce a new art exhibit on almost every First Friday and always have some sort of event going on. Both spaces

San Jose’s Best Kept Secrets

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provide live music from an array of cultures to accompany the installations. MACLA has re-cently started hosting all-ages metal and heavy rock shows courtesy of The Cave productions (they used to be at a church).

A little farther down the road lies the sta-

ple of “First Fridays” and the company that

started it all. With its large murals painted by

local artists adorned on the side of the build-

ing and the original “Cinema” sign still hanging

above, the Anno Domini gallery, since mov-

ing to its new location on South First Street,

encompasses all that is the San Jose art scene. There’s plenty of food and drinks to be had in the showroom as the new month’s exhibit is unveiled and live music plays in the back-ground during AD’s gallery openings. The art-work is always impressive and the atmosphere is cheerful and upbeat. It’s easy to be in there for a good hour and a half without even real-izing it. “My boyfriend likes taking me there. It’s free and artwork is always pretty cool,” says Amanda Magalhaes, a SJSU child development major. “It’s just a really cool atmosphere,” she says. The store in the front is chock full of interesting books, clothing and knick-knacks. If there’s one gallery that is a must-visit during First Friday festivities, it’s Anno Domini.

Across San Carlos Street you’ll find the GreenRice Gallery showcasing new art, and a little vegan restaurant called Good Karma that has latched on to South First Fridays to create a sincerely unique restaurant experience. Their ever-changing menu of faux-chicken, soups, hummus, and anything else the chefs can come up with, represents their goals perfectly. Each

GalleriesAnno Domini

366 South First Street

Green Rice Gallery 300 South First Street

MACLA Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana

510 South First Street

San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles

520 South First Street

Good Karma37 South First Street

The Blank Club44 South Almaden Avenue

Black and Brown 1225 San Carlos Street

month, local artists transform the little eatery into a room

full of eye-candy. Live acous-

tic music plays in the front

of the store as patrons chow

down on the daily offerings.

It’s the perfect end to the

South First tour, but it’s only

the middle of the road in San

Jose’s underground scene.

Tucked back off of Almaden Avenue near the Greyhound station in downtown San Jose, is a nightclub that re-fuses to fit into the “norm” of San Jose nightlife. The Blank Club regularly hosts gothic fashion shows, metal and punk bands, and even burlesque comedy routines. “It’s cool because they have a stage and throw shows ev-ery weekend. Most bars in San Jose don’t have that kind of stuff,” explains Michael Mckinnon who frequents the Blank on Fridays and Satur-days. Although their live show schedule is advertised on radio and around the Web, their fashion and com-edy shows can only be dis-covered by word of mouth or on their Web site.

Possibly due to the lack of venues to play at for un-derground rock, punk and metal bands, some people have taken it upon them-selves to provide places to stay and play for touring musicians. A house known as “Shady Acres” gives tour-

ing punk bands a place to stay in exchange for a free show at the house. Another place nicknamed “The Gingerbread House” has also sprung up a little farther down the road and does the same thing. Both places are free to get into, and all ages, but can only be found by word of mouth. All you have to do is ask around if you would like to visit, but be aware that they provide a bit of a dif-ferent atmosphere compared to the public venues.

Set away from the downtown area but still very important in the San Jose underground scene is Black and Brown Vintage Clothing on San Carlos, a one-of-a-kind consignment shop that sells vintage wear and clothing hand-made by local San Jose artists. They too have art exhibits and fashion shows of work done by locals and are known to throw a fun little gathering when a new exhibit goes up.

All of these places are open to the pub-lic, which means it is almost inevitable that you’ll run into San Jose State students. Most art and design students visit these places reg-ularly, but it’s not just artists who are discov-ering San Jose’s vivid art and music scene.

“I’m an engineering major but I appreciate

live music, and I like looking at art from

time to time,” says Mckinnon. He had never

been to any of the galleries downtown until a friend of his told him about South First Fridays. Now, Mckinnon visits as much as

he can. “It’s a nice break from all the math I

have to do,” he says. His drive to experience

the more creative side of San Jose is one that is slowly growing amongst SJSU students. As a community of people deeply routed in culture, education and the advancement, artistically and technically, of the society we are all apart of, experiencing new things and supporting creativity and originality in our own backyard is an important endeavor that everyone at SJSU should be a part of.

Patrons check out art work installments during Anno Domini’s “First Fridays.” Find O

ut what students at SJSU are doing

words: DinaBaslan

art:TimSeward

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Storyonnextpage.

On a sunny Monday morning, Mor-ris Daily Auditorium stands high in the heart of the venerable San Jose State University campus, almost as it did 100 years ago. Scattered around

are diverse students hosted in the Silicon Valley from around the world. A block away, the eight floors of the newly built Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library are occupied by students and professors. And, midst it all, transparent connections flourish, building a small community within a community. It is what Randall Pinkett, winner of NBC’s “The Apprentice,” calls an “incubator environment for a growing business,” it is the college life.

“There are a growing number of successful entrepre-neurs who started as young people,” Pinkett said as he stood behind a crowd of eager SJSU students,wanting to learn about entrepreneurship and get answers to un-ravel the myth locked in their minds.

What would our world be like without entrepre-neurs introducing the most popular businesses we as-sociate as part of our culture now-a-days? Businesses such as Pizza Hut, Kinko’s and Microsoft started out as burning ideas in young students’ minds and have become part of a lifestyle we all cling onto for its con-venience and reliability.

Entrepreneurship is a goal a lot might think is un-reachable. For some the potential exits within us, but the timing intimidates. College students are busy with

papers due and the projects pending. But it has still proved to be the perfect timing, as a number of our alumni and current students express after daring to go down the road of entrepreneurship igniting their pas-sion with all the resources available around.

23-year-old Jordana Paige, a business major with an emphasis in marketing, has been managing the business of designing knitting bags ever since she was 18 years old. She had been an inexperienced college student when she decided to turn her favorite hobby into a full-fledged career and become the knitting bag designer.

“It took me one year to research and figure out how I was going to get the product made,” Paige said as she finally found the manufacturer she now counts on and knows will deliver her designs into the purses she aspires. She described the biggest challenge she had to face while setting the basic steps of running her own business saying, “I would ask a question and they would look at my mom and answer and treat her like she is the one with the business. That was frustrating.”

What motivated Paige then, and pushed her to grow this successful business after a rough, confusing start? Paige said, “When I was going to SJSU my goal was

that by the time I graduate, I could sup-port myself and the business.” Persistence towards a set goal helped her stay focused and keep moving. Now, Jordana Paige knit-ting bags are purchased from all over the United States as well as in Australia, Cana-da, the United Kingdom and Germany. She spread her product across continents by practicing online marketing, and advertis-ing in magazines. But what helped her the most was the big knitting community avail-able online. Blogs allowed people to pass the word of her products reliable quality, and having a really good, informative Web site gained her more clients as well.

A blog is all diabetties.org started as. Marianne Szeto had a story to tell. She joined SJSU for a master degree in pub-lic health in order to carry on the passion of her life — writing about diabetes and helping others. “Once I was diagnosed with diabetes, I really enjoyed sharing my experiences with people, just in my regular day-to-day basis.”

In April 2004 her fiancé Justin Davis, a Web designer, launched and designed a Web site for her to share her experiences with all the readers out there. And that is where it all started — in the simple Web site that had a black and white fading pic-ture of herself imprinted on the top with fresh red lilies by the side.

Now, three years later, diabetties.org is not only a blog with experiences Szeto shares with people over the net, but is a

place for networking and helping people.

On the left hand side of the Web site there is a sidebar with a number of diabetes organizations listed. “All those links are there be-cause somehow I have made some contact with these people over the last couple of years.” Szeto said. Through her connections and networking, she builds a bridge between the organization and her readers extending the help she is offering.

“That’s what is so interesting about public health, everybody is really passionate. They are there not to make a lot of money be-cause you know there is not a lot of money to be made, but there is a lot of passion,” Szeto said high-lighting the importance of her passion towards the field.

Neal Hilo and Remy Topacio didn’t foresee that their passion for creating their own clothing would mark down a fashion line requested by fans from all over the Bay Area. By the time they built the label Dopeness Monster, in March 2004, “tons of our friends who did art wanted to screen their art with our designs so we collaborated,” Hilo said.

Resisting the push towards mainstream fashion is what Hilo and Topacio seekrd. Dopeness Monster is setting itself apart with its urban style that nostalgically satisfies consumers of the brand.

tudentEntrepreneurs

that by the time I graduate, I could sup-port myself and the business.” Persistence towards a set goal helped her stay focused and keep moving. Now, Jordana Paige knit-ting bags are purchased from all over the United States as well as in Australia, Cana-da, the United Kingdom and Germany. She spread her product across continents by practicing online marketing, and advertis-ing in magazines. But what helped her the most was the big knitting community avail-able online. Blogs allowed people to pass the word of her products reliable quality, and having a really good, informative Web site gained her more clients as well.

A blog is all diabetties.org started as. Marianne Szeto had a story to tell. She joined SJSU for a master degree in pub-lic health in order to carry on the passion of her life — writing about diabetes and helping others. “Once I was diagnosed with diabetes, I really enjoyed sharing my experiences with people, just in my regular day-to-day basis.”

In April 2004 her fiancé Justin Davis, a Web designer, launched and designed a Web site for her to share her experiences with all the readers out there. And that is where it all started — in the simple Web site that had a black and white fading pic-ture of herself imprinted on the top with fresh red lilies by the side.

Now, three years later, diabetties.org is not only a blog with experiences Szeto shares with people over the net, but is a

place for networking and helping people.

On the left hand side of the Web site there is a sidebar with a number of diabetes organizations listed. “All those links are there be-cause somehow I have made some contact with these people over the last couple of years.” Szeto said. Through her connections and networking, she builds a bridge between the organization and her readers extending the help she is offering.

“That’s what is so interesting about public health, everybody is really passionate. They are there not to make a lot of money be-cause you know there is not a lot of money to be made, but there is a lot of passion,” Szeto said high-lighting the importance of her passion towards the field.

Neal Hilo and Remy Topacio didn’t foresee that their passion for creating their own clothing would mark down a fashion line requested by fans from all over the Bay Area. By the time they built the label Dopeness Monster, in March 2004, “tons of our friends who did art wanted to screen their art with our designs so we collaborated,” Hilo said.

Resisting the push towards mainstream fashion is what Hilo and Topacio seekrd. Dopeness Monster is setting itself apart with its urban style that nostalgically satisfies consumers of the brand.

Aside from the numerous press in-terests Dopeness Monster has been surrounded by, fans lead each other through word of mouth most of the time spreading the reputation of this unique brand.

Once they launched their line, Hilo and Topacio used “Guerrilla Marketing” to expand “a body of unconventional ways of pursuing conventional goals … a proven method of achieving profits with minimum money,” according to gmarketing.com. They sent out email blasts and networked with other artists in the Bay Area. Local fashion events were held at the Ur-banology Fashion Parties with the help of Ryan Baird, a SJSU alumni who is now Hilo’s investment advi-sor at Morgan Stanley.

Hilo attended the college of Business at SJSU as he decided to develop and launch his clothing line. He pointed out that he had worked at Louis Vuitton from 2001 till 2005 adding that, “It helped my fashion emphasis I suppose and definitely helped me learn how to build rela-tionships with clients.” An important thing to keep in mind is the social factor of building a business, skill of the craft is never enough by itself.

What was a passion for a high school sport became a successful business Thomas Le founded in the year 2003. As he showed up at pub-lic tennis courts, Le was approached by kids eager to learn the sport and have fun. He spotted an opportuni-ty for a very limited, on-the-side job he would enjoy and benefit from. “When I started I just wanted two students a week, that’s all I wanted.” Le said.

However, the more the parents trusted in Le’s potential, the farther they pushed him in starting a club for their kids. Le explained how his not-yet-established business grew saying: “Parents kept referring me and I end-ed up booking the whole Saturday.” Then September of 2003 came, when he officially typed up a seven page business proposal and got to establish the NorCal Tennis Academy.

“To be honest, before graduating most people were excited and I was confused because I didn’t know if I should do (the tennis business) full time or I should find something else

to do,” Le expressed as he remem-bered the challenge and responsi-bility he faced before he trusted in his decision and took the risk. Until now he repeatedly said, “I was very lucky.”

Now, after he has established NorCal, Le moved to a more chal-lenging job at New York Life leav-ing the managing of his business to an assistant of his which allows him to put all his energy in the new ca-reer he is building. “I have passion to teach business classes,” Le said when he suggested another plan he has for the future seeing him-self finishing an MBA and teaching business class at SJSU.

What drives all these SJSU stu-dents to run their businesses and humbly offer their products for our community? It all lies in the pas-sion they hold for their enterprises and in seizing flowing opportunities that pass along their way like pollen

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Entrepreneurs in the air. They all grew from an idea, were nurtured into a business, and continued to challenge their creativity and self growth. Pinkett repeatedly said in his speech, “Put yourself in an environment that challenges your creativity.”

There are never two identical experi-ences — experiences are always unique in their own way. There are, however, those united needs and desires that place us right across from each other; they allow us to meet. Jordana Paige said, “I’ve always wanted to be my own boss, I’ve always wanted to have my own business, and I love marketing and so really the hang bags are more the opportunity for me to run a business.” And this is one of the things that joins the entrepreneurs.

With the collaboration and support of the Cadre Laboratory for New Media Art and fellow students, right around the time he finished his Masters thesis in Digital Media in November 2005, James Morgan had an idea. “Look at this tremendous art education; we should open up a gallery here,” Morgan said. The numerous

contributions by fellow students allowed this idea to flourish into the online gallery which we now refer to as Ars Virtua.

Ars Virtua is an online gallery synthesizing art from all over the world joined together by the talent and skill of creating art that fits the 3-D environment of Second Life owned by Linden Lab. All the art accepted is generally created where somebody has actually sat down and done the work.

Second Life is a world that exists virtually on the net connecting people together, and putting to use all the infinite possible combinations of skills the computer technology has allowed us to generate to produce a space where people can negotiate, sell, buy and share their products. “It sets up this whole environment and just kind of lets you run with it”.

By avoiding what galleries usually suffer from, Ars Virtua skips the need of hanging, shipping and setting of artwork which is normally time lengthy and costly. “Most of the costs sort of drop or become very small. A lot of it is very quickly set up.”

“It is based on labor … [people] are paying for your creativity,” Morgan said giving examples of different products people in Second Life trade such as individually designed avatars. “It takes a certain amount of skill to make [the avatar] look really good. It is a fashion industry, and it is really very well followed.”

access personal story: James Morgan, Ars Virtua

a

The Juggling Act

words:Colleen Watson

art:Andrew Skelton

Nine 80-gigabyte video iPods, three 42-inch LCD HD-TVs, two 150cc ATVs and a down payment on a new Volkswagen Jetta — these are all things you could buy for $3,296. But instead of investing in new tech-nology or cars, students at San Jose State University

are investing in their future and getting degrees.

Bachelor’s degree recipients earn up to 80 percent more than peo-

ple with high school diplomas alone. Getting a bachelor’s degree takes

more than good study habits and time. It also takes money. Like any

long-term investment there has to be an initial payment. To get start-

up capital, students are using various ways to come up with the money. While some are getting scholarships, others are taking part-time jobs, finding other investors or even getting the university to help. In all these investments, students have to make sacrifices, either by negotiating with parents, promises of repayment after school or taking time away from friends and studies to earn money.

California residents can expect to pay $3,296 to attend as full-time

undergraduates at SJSU. Add another $1,300 for books and supplies,

$9,300 for rent and another $4,000 for transportation and other miscel-

laneous things, and you’re looking at $18,000 for the year. So how are

students coming up with this money?Aaron Osbrink, a junior majoring in aerospace engineering, pays his

way through college with a government stipend from the Air Force and a job. Of course working at least 20 hours a week affects school. “When I design my class schedule, I have to lean toward…certain times of the week…With upper division engineering, there’s only one class with one section available and that’s the time its going to be taken. There’s not going to be a second section, and its kind of conflicting.”

Osbrink also has to take his job into consideration when doing school assignments. He finds that work helps him manage his time better because he can’t put off assignments until the last minute no matter how much he wants to procrastinate. “It’s not so much that work impedes on large projects, like where I have a weekend to work on it be-

How Students Survive When Mom and Dad Don’t Pick up the Tab

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causethe time is readily available. But on short-term things (when) I gotta get the homework in at 2:30 a.m., and I’m getting out of work at 1 p.m., well yeah, I should have worked on it the night before. But

there’s no time for last-minute stuff, so I really have to make sure I

get my stuff in line before I go to work. If I do that, then I have

no problem. But sometimes you know you put it off until the last

minute and then it takes longer, but then you gotta go to sleep ‘cause you gotta get up.”

A study done by the U.S. federation of state Public Interest Re-search Groups (PIRGs) found that students who worked more than 25 hours a week reported that work had a negative impact on their schooling and that it affected how they chose their class schedule. It also showed that students who reported working less than 25 hours reported that work had a positive effect rather than a negative one. The study also showed that students who worked to pay for college were also more likely to take out loans.

Harshawardhan Lanjewar, who goes by Harshi, takes out loans and works 20 hours at a campus job, which he admits doesn’t pay well. “All I can do is an on-campus job and that doesn’t pay you

much, right? It’s just for my basic expenses.” And while his parents helped him for the first year of college, he is paying for the rest through loans and work-study. While he has the added bonus of being an international student from India, he ends up paying almost three times as much as California residents. With taking out loans,

Lanjewar has to make some sacrifices. “I have to sacrifice my pri-

vacy. I have to share a room with a guy. So it’s like I have a room-

mate. It kills my privacy. Second, I need to compromise on buying

a car right now cause I can’t do both things at [one] time. It’s been

two years. I don’t have a car yet. It’s really tough…Third, is cutting

off on vacations and no dinners at expensive diners of course. Since I’m sharing a room and all, I cannot just create music there. I play guitar and drums so I actually don’t get much space to keep my in-struments or practice.” But by making these sacrifices he can keep down the cost of his loans.

Lanjewar isn’t worried about paying back his loans after college. He figures as long as he graduates, he should be able to pay them off. With national loan default rates at a low 5.1 percent, the odds are that he’s correct.

If you never take out a loan, you don’t have to worry about pay-ing them back. Some students, instead of taking out loans, are work-ing longer hours and taking fewer classes.

Brendan McCarthy is in the Masters of Public Administration Program. He pays for school by working 40 hours a week and going to school part-time. This will take him a little longer to graduate, but he feels this way it’s a little cheaper and more manageable with

time. “I’m more of a perfectionist now, and I find myself taking a

lot more time to do things than I used to. Even though I only have

two classes, work and school takes up most of my time, so free time

is pretty well sacrificed.”Another way for students to get through college is to get help

from their parents, be it living with them while in school or paying for tuition. Lauren Swanson, a junior majoring in political science, is getting help from her parents. They pay for her college tuition and rent. With having her parents pay, she’s had to make some deals. “We kind of struck a deal so for them to pay for housing and everything. First of all, I have to graduate next year because they’re only paying for 4 years and then I’m done. That and also my mom teaches here [at SJSU] so she gets a fee waiver. If I had gone somewhere else, they wouldn’t be paying for housing because they’d be paying for tuition.” She must also keep her grades up. “If I started doing really poorly they’d probably be like, ‘you have to move out and come home.’”

Swanson also receives a few scholarships and works part-time

as a waitress to help pay for groceries and other little expenses, but

admits if she had to give up something, it would be the job. “I don’t

really technically need to work. I would be broke and never able to

shop for anything if I didn’t work. But I don’t really need it so if I

did need to cut something out of my life, that’s where it would be.”These students use a variety of ways to pay for college. The one

thing they all have in common is that school is their top priority. Each one has said that what is most important to them is getting through school. These students are willing to make sacrifices now, so that they will have a better future.

(cont. from 23)

a

EMar

izaldel(cont. on 26)

Going the Distance

profile

25

words:Jayme Luster

photographs: Stephania Bednar

ene

For most San Jose State University students, the grind of waking up for their first class at 10:30 a.m. after a night of

partying or just hanging out with friends while keeping their GPA’s respectable is a tough task to handle. For SJSU’s student athletes, those luxuries are few and far between. With the pressure of losing their scholarship and keeping their com-mitment to their team, many stu-dent athletes have little time to relax. This is something women’s cross country co-captain Marlene Elizalde is all too familiar with.

Elizalde is double majoring in be-

havioral science and sociology. She

currently holds a 3.7 GPA, which

success. She has demonstrated

that she can handle a demanding

schedule as well as be there for her

teammates. When Elizalde leaves SJSU next year, the cross-country team will be losing one of their most important members, but the country will be gaining an even better adult.

(cont. from 25)

earned her academic All-WAC for the third

straight time. In order to receive academic All-

WAC honors, “A student athlete needs at least a 3.0 GPA and be a letter winner, which means they participated in 50 percent of the events in their sports for that semester,” said James Ur-sin, sports information contact for the women’s cross country team.

Elizalde not only excels in the classroom, she is also accomplished in her sport. At last season’s WAC Championships held in Wood-ward Park in Fresno, Calif., Elizalde recorded a personal best time of 18:21:10 in the 5k race, earning her a selection on the second-team All-

WAC. Elizalde says being named to the sec-

ond-team All-WAC is the highlight of her cross

country career at SJSU. “I finally reached the

time I had been wanting to get since my fresh-

man year,” she says. The cross country team had a very successful WAC championship. At the tournament, fellow teammates Tiffany Hall and Erica Sahli earned first-team All-WAC and second-team All-WAC honors respectively.

a

26

With the team having so much success last season, Elizalde hopes to bring even more recognition to the program she works so hard for. Next season is her last year of eli-gibility, and Elizalde hopes to “go out with a bang” and improve on that personal best time.

Elizalde does not take anything for grant-ed and knows that she must put in a lot of hard work to improve on her time. She is no stranger to hard work in the face of adversity. Just before the start of last season, Elizalde said, “I twisted my ankle and sprained it, and so I had to miss out on camp, and I didn’t run on it for three to four weeks.” She be-lieves that is the key to her success. If she can just stay healthy and have a full season at

100 percent, she should be able to earn All-WAC honors once again.

Being able to juggle the high expectations she puts on herself on the track as well as off is chal-lenging. Elizalde admits that just like most other students, she can

procrastinate at times, but “when

it’s time to buckle down, I can do

my work, and I can do it pretty well

because I’ve gotten used to it.” She

may sound presumptuous when it comes to academics, but she has earned it with her exemplary GPA. Elizalde credits her parents with keeping her focused on her academ-

ics. “They give me the leeway of not

needing to hold down a regular full-time

job,” she says. For most student athletes, they do not have a full-time job, they have an all-day job. If they slack off with any of their responsibilities, it not only reflects upon them, but the school as well. Bringing prestige to SJSU is a job they accept once they sign that letter of intent. Having winning teams and being recognized for strong academics is something they must keep up or else they will be working for that minimum wage paycheck.

Being confident in her abilities in the classroom is just one side of the story. On the track, Elizalde is humble and

takes “pride in helping her teammates

out.” Being co-captain comes with a lot

of responsibilities, and she does not take

her duties lightly. Teammate Amanda Carlucci said that Elizalde “always tries to stay upbeat and keep you motivated. She really wants to see the other players succeed.” Elizalde believes it is impor-

tant to be a good leader and show some of the younger teammates the ropes. She feels this way because at her first invitational during her freshman year she felt lost and didn’t know when she was supposed to stretch. So she took it upon herself to approach women’s cross-country assistant coach Angela Sterns and said, “They need to come up with something to help her teammates, especially the freshman transition to the high level of competition at the college level.” Elizalde says that the team gets together a lot to study and eat to build good team chem-istry. The get-togethers also allow her younger teammates to approach her with any questions they have for her. That assertiveness in bring-ing the team together shows she is much deserving of being named co-captain.

Taking time outside of the track with her teammates is important to Elizalde. With her busy schedule during running season she is not

allowed much free time. When the cross-country season is in full swing, she is allowed to take a maximum of 17 units. Her hectic day starts with her waking up at 6:30 a.m. to get ready for practice at 7:30 a.m. When prac-tice ends around 9:30 a.m., Elizalde jumps in the whirlpool to relax and loosen her muscles just before her school day starts at 10:30 a.m. She then goes to another class at noon, and if she has three classes that day, goes to that right after at 1:30 p.m. When her classes end, Elizalde takes a much-needed rest and eats before she studies for the remainder of the night. Then she sleeps and repeats the whole process.

College is supposed to prepare America’s brightest for the real world. It shows the teens who

come to campus their freshman year how to be responsible for themselves as well as how to be a good leader to the ones around them. So when the day comes when students don their cap and gown, they will leave college as an adult and be a productive member of society. With all of her accomplishments as a stu-

dent athlete at SJSU, Elizalde

seems to be on the fast track to

27

Do Expensive Brands Buy You Style and Status?

afashio

n

28

LABELUNKIESBehind every intelligent and

well-rounded young woman of San Jose State University lies a secret addiction to fash-ion and shopping — or so I

thought before going out on campus and getting to know my fellow members of the female community. Being a college student, I often had to juggle a full-time school sched-ule along with a full-time work schedule to be able to pay for my tuition and necessi-ties such as food, gasoline and textbooks. Despite my parents being adamant about having me make school my only priority, so that I wouldn’t have any unnecessary stress or distractions, I refused to listen. I clung onto my sense of independence because I was working and paying for everything on my own. What I didn’t realize was that the more money I started making, the more I started spending.

The source of my problem: obsession with labels and designer brands. I wanted to receive input from my fellow SJSU residents as to how they deal with fashion and shop-ping. Interviewing the interesting women on campus, I realized that there are some college students out there who are actually responsible with their money and spend it wisely. And yet there are those who do in-deed share an addiction for shopping and crave label brands like myself.

“I am addicted to shopping,” Alexan-drite La said. “I dream of shopping while asleep. I go shopping even when I have no time. I go shopping when I am sad, happy, no matter what my mood is. I shop when I am broke. Shopping is something I can’t live without.” She has admitted to spending money that she needed for food and gas on shopping numerous times.

When she had two almost identical items in front of her, a designer brand and the other a knock-off at a more reasonable

price, and was asked which she would pur-chase, Raquel Payton said, “I would abso-lutely purchase the knock-off item. I love bargain shopping!” Jyoti Dhillon, a junior majoring in nursing, said that she would purchase the item having a reasonable price. “Why? Because I do shop a lot but I shop smart as well.”

Payton is a grounded young woman obviously on the right track. Her love for fashion started when she was in the seventh grade. She says that fashion “makes me feel better about myself when I get dressed.” Although she has adoration for clothing and labels such as Steve Madden and Doll-house, she does not spend more than forty dollars when she goes shopping three week-ends out of the month. She said, “I do wear labels, but I don’t just go out looking for labels. I buy whatever I think appeals to my taste. If it has a label on it, it does. If not, it doesn’t. It doesn’t really matter to me.”

Why are labels so important? Why do we as young women feel the need to spend ridiculous sums of money for an item that we can find at a more reasonable bargain minus the designer label? “I think it is neces-sary that we take care of our look,” La said. “There’s a limited time to our beauty. Past a certain age, we won’t be able to look good anymore no matter what we put on. We will regret not dressing up when we were young and cute. So we have to take that advantage now while we’re still young.”

Estorei Omarzad, a junior at SJSU ma-joring in economics wears Seven jeans and carries Calvin Klein bags religiously. “I think the money I invest in my design-er brand items is money well spent.” She continues, “I know I am purchasing a piece that will last me a long time because of its great quality and intricate detailing put into it. If I purchase a pair of Seven or Die-sel jeans for $200, I know that I can wash

(cont. on 30)

words:Liza Atamy

art: Jennifer Valenzuela

30

“I may not be able to afford

paying $300 for a pair of Gucci glasses, but if I feel great in

them, then why not? I think it’s

totally worth it.” ­—Estorei­Omarzad,

economicsjunior

(cont. from 28)

making the cutA Look Inside the Rising Trend of

Plastic Surgery Among College Students

a

those jeans a hundred times, and they’ll still fit well and look great. However, if I decide to bargain shop and purchase four pairs of cheaper jeans for a total of $200, I will not be able to wear them after a couple of months or so, because they’re not as sturdy and invested with quality craftsmanship as the brand-name jeans. I would rather invest in one expensive, designer item, rather than purchasing numerous items that will not last as long.”

Omarzad loves the mood that designer items put her in when she’s rocking them. “A pair of Gucci sunglasses feels so much better on, rather than a pair of Liz Clai-borne’s, for example. The style and qual-ity of designer items enhances one’s confi-dence and further puts one in an optimistic and energetic mood.” She says, “I believe that fashion, and an individual’s personal style is a representation of his or her per-sonality. You certainly cannot read a person completely just by the way they’re dressed, but it definitely has some significance.” She feels that one’s confidence, self-respect and professionalism all shine through the way an individual dresses and carries him/her-self. “I may not be able to afford paying $300 for a pair of Gucci glasses, but if I feel great in them, then why not? I think it’s totally worth it.”

Have designer brands, and further, fash-ion become an alternative or a solution for the level of confidence one has? Talking to many students, I received one very similar message from all of them: Fashion makes you feel good. The crucial thought here is, should we rely on our physical attributes and the way we dress ourselves to help boost our confidence? Are we truly feel-ing great when we’re dressed up in designer clothing, or are we making ourselves believe that we do?

Payton reflected on this analysis. “I think that my appearance is very, very crucial, especially since I have low self-esteem and confidence problems.” She believes that the media possesses great responsibility for the pressures young women are feeling with their self-image. “I blame the media, the ‘perfect’ image it advertises, and the young women who give in to it (I’m one of the guilty ones).”

A report of the American Psychologi-cal Association (APA), released on Feb. 19, 2007, found evidence that the “proliferation

of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls’ self-image and healthy development.”

According to the Eating Disorder Re-ferral and Information Center (edreferral.com), body image concerns “how you see or picture yourself; how you feel others per-ceive you…how you feel about your body; (and) how you feel in your body.”

Judy Lightstone, a licensed marriage, family and child counselor featured on edre-ferral.com, says that body image “is psycho-logical in nature, and much more influenced by self-esteem than by actual physical at-tractiveness as judged by others.”

Label fiends or smart shoppers, no mat-ter what our personal style may be and no matter how great we may feel indulging our-selves in our new outfits, we should leave the level of our confidence up to how we view ourselves on a deeper level: our accomplish-ments, improvements and aspirations make us who we are, not the brand of our jeans. Style is only the covering of the package of the unique and irreplaceable personality and intellect we all possess as individuals.

making the cutA Look Inside the Rising Trend of

Plastic Surgery Among College Students

It started out as a luxury for the rich and

famous. At first it was just a quick nose job

or an eye lift, but a few years and lots of

liposuction later, it has turned into an ev-

eryday thing. You can get Botox or collagen on your

lunch break. Teens as young as 13 have been seen

getting plastic surgery and the rise in nose jobs and

breast augmentations were up to 3,500 in 2005. It is

not uncommon to receive a boob job as a gradua-

tion present anymore. And yes, I mean high school

graduation. But what causes these young adults to

long for changes as drastic and permanent as the

ones that come with plastic surgery?David* is a junior at San Jose State University

and received liposuction on his stomach and “love handles” almost two summers ago when he was 18. He received tumescent, suction-assisted liposuction, which is standard here in the United States. He had wanted to get the surgery since the young age of 12, when he became very self-conscious about his weight. “Yeah, I used to be the cute little fat kid, but then I grew, and I still kept some of the excess weight,” David said. Although he was concerned

(cont. on 32)

words:Radhika DuBois

art: Jeremiah Kille

*Names have been changed.

beauty

32

a

My ears have bothered me since I was a little girl. I can’t even count the times “dumbo” was thrown my way. Kids can be really cruel and all the teasing I endured as a child stuck with me through adolescence and early adulthood. So when my Grandma offered to pay for me to have my ears

surgically pinned back, I didn’t even have to think twice. I did some research to find a prestigious plastic surgeon in the area and scheduled the soonest appointment they had. I met with the surgeon for a consultation and he told me what to expect as far as the actual procedure, recovery time, and the ultimate result. On the day of the surgery, I was nervous as hell — until the nurse gave me a valium to help relax me. I don’t remember much from the actual procedure. They put me in a hospital gown, stuck an IV in me and led me to the operation room. I was half awake for the entire procedure but I was pretty out of it. When he finished, the surgeon wrapped gauze around my head and my boyfriend drove me home where I remained in a half daze for the rest of the day. I didn’t really feel any pain or discomfort until that night. I woke up in the middle of the night nauseous, ran to the bathroom, and threw up before I made it to the toilet. The next day wasn’t much better. I went back to the doctor for a check up and got sick again in the parking lot. Over the next few days I started to feel better. My ears on the other hand looked ridiculous. They were thick and purple not to mention completely numb as if they were no longer a part of my body. The swelling didn’t go down completely until a month or so later. Once it did, I was thrilled with the results. I wear my hair up all the time now, whereas before I was too embarrassed. This surgery has definitely increased my confidence. Ears are funny things. No one really notices them unless there is something wrong with them. My ears no longer get noticed and I couldn’t be happier about this.

— Anonymous

about the many possible complications that come along with liposuction, he

says that he “suppressed those emotions” and felt that he was in good hands

with his doctor, who had also performed Botox on his mother. His parents

paid for the majority of the surgery, but David also pitched in by using some

of his graduation money. He says that his parents were very supportive of

his decision because they knew that his confidence level would soar. David

said now that he has had the surgery, he has the confidence and motivation to workout regularly and eat healthy. Although this is his plan for now he says that he wouldn’t mind “maintaining my body with plastic surgery when I get older and out of college.”

Allison*, a first-year college student, received breast augmentation in August of 2006. She received it under the muscle and through the armpit, which has the least scarring of the different methods. She decided on saline implants due to safety as well. She had always wanted a larger chest, but had

seriously thought about receiving implants for about a year and a half. “I was

very self conscious about my body prior to the surgery. I was always uncom-

fortable going to the beach or to pool parties with friends who I thought

looked better than me.” She says that she jokingly brought up the idea with her mother who was really open to it and helped her find a good, reputable plastic surgeon. Her parents were willing to pay for half of the surgery, meaning that she was serious enough to pay about $3,000 dollars of her own money. Now that she is done with the recovery period of six months, she said she feels great, “I am thrilled with the results. My confidence level has increased so much. I am no longer self-conscious, and I am very happy.” When asked if she could do it all over, would she change anything, Allison replied, “No, definitely not, if i had to do it over I wouldn’t change a thing. Everything went the way I wanted it to. I stick by my decision.”

Rachel*, a sophomore at SJSU, is scheduled to get breast augmentation in August of this year. She had wanted to receive this surgery since her se-

nior year in high school.“I’m not really self-conscious about my chest right

now, but I definitely want to be a 36D cup. I know it sounds a little extreme,

but I really like the look of Pamela Anderson’s (breasts) and I think that I

would fit into my clothes better,” says Rachel. Her mother, Laura*, also had a breast augmentation and said, “I think that it is my daughters choice to change her body, and I support her in any decision she decides to make. I want her to feel comfortable and confident with herself, and if this helps then I’m all for it.”

Brian*, a junior at SJSU, and be receiving a nose job this July. “I have wanted a nose job since middle school. I used to want to get my ears done too, but I grew into them and thought maybe that I would grow into my nose too, but I guess not,” Brian says. He plans on having the tip of his nose shortened about a centimeter so it is aligned with his chin. He feels he will be less self-conscious about his appearance after he has the surgery

done. Brian said he does not have any celebrities that he is looking to for

inspiration. “I don’t want someone else’s nose, I think it’s stupid, like those

dumb people on I Want a Famous Face or Doctor 90210 that want to look like

Brad Pitt. They end up looking plastic and ridiculous and usually nothing

like Brad Pitt.”

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, in the age group of 18 and under, the top five procedures done were rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), otoplasty (ear surgery), breast reduction in men, breast

augmentation, and liposuction. A total of 77, 229 teens under the age of

18 received plastic surgery in 2005. Because of this outstanding number,

it is important to note the long lists of possible complications and risks.

According to Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Statistics, for girls who have had

breast augmentation, there is a possibility of deflation, displacement, rip-pling, rupture of the implant, nerve damage, hematoma (which is pool-ing of clotted blood), infection (which involves removal of the implant entirely) and capsular contracture, which is a hardening of the scar tissue around the implant. According to a Food and Drug Association study, 17.5 percent of 749 women had to have at least one procedure following their breast augmentation due to capsular contracture. Although breast augmentation proves to be more frequent in young adults, the complica-tions for receiving liposuction are also important to know. Along with the procedure comes the possibility of discoloration, depression, dimples, DVT (blood clots), hematoma, hypothermia, nerve damage, permanent numbness, shock, swelling, heart failure and even death.

With so many young teens receiving plastic surgery, major or minor, it is important to fully understand the possible consequences that come along with these quick fixes. Many choose to undergo the procedures before their bodies have fully developed, which can also cause disappointment later down the road. It is important that they are mature enough to understand these risks and that there really is no going back once you have your body altered. Teens and their parents need to be smart and take the time to really consider all of their options before jumping into any form of plastic surgery.

access personal story

(cont. from 31)

inspiration. “I don’t want someone else’s nose, I think it’s stupid, like those

dumb people on I Want a Famous Face or Doctor 90210 that want to look like

Brad Pitt. They end up looking plastic and ridiculous and usually nothing

like Brad Pitt.”

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, in the age group of 18 and under, the top five procedures done were rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), otoplasty (ear surgery), breast reduction in men, breast

augmentation, and liposuction. A total of 77, 229 teens under the age of

18 received plastic surgery in 2005. Because of this outstanding number,

it is important to note the long lists of possible complications and risks.

According to Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Statistics, for girls who have had

breast augmentation, there is a possibility of deflation, displacement, rip-pling, rupture of the implant, nerve damage, hematoma (which is pool-ing of clotted blood), infection (which involves removal of the implant entirely) and capsular contracture, which is a hardening of the scar tissue around the implant. According to a Food and Drug Association study, 17.5 percent of 749 women had to have at least one procedure following their breast augmentation due to capsular contracture. Although breast augmentation proves to be more frequent in young adults, the complica-tions for receiving liposuction are also important to know. Along with the procedure comes the possibility of discoloration, depression, dimples, DVT (blood clots), hematoma, hypothermia, nerve damage, permanent numbness, shock, swelling, heart failure and even death.

With so many young teens receiving plastic surgery, major or minor, it is important to fully understand the possible consequences that come along with these quick fixes. Many choose to undergo the procedures before their bodies have fully developed, which can also cause disappointment later down the road. It is important that they are mature enough to understand these risks and that there really is no going back once you have your body altered. Teens and their parents need to be smart and take the time to really consider all of their options before jumping into any form of plastic surgery.

Store-Bought Highhea

lth

34

Over-the-Counter Drug Abuse by Students a Rising Trend

words:Tommy Wright photographs:

Kris Anderson

photographs: Kris Anderson

There is

a drug

epidemic

that is

growing much quicker than

any illegal drug, yet the drug

is available at your local drug-

store or market. A study by the

California Poison Control Sys-

tem shows that the abuse of

over-the-counter medications

has gone up tenfold among

teenagers since 1999. Teen-

agers and young adults often

abuse these drugs because they

are easy to get and most peo-

ple are unaware of the risks of

over-the-counter drug abuse.

Briana Hernandez, a senior at San Jose State University, dealt with over-the-counter drug abuse when she was younger. “I felt eu-phoria mostly, it was like medicine-head to the max,” says Hernandez. She would take eight to 16 pills of Coricidin, a drug often abused for the dextromethorphan it contains. Hernandez says that one of her friends that she would do the drug with ended up dropping out of school due to the drug.

In a survey of undergraduates at SJSU conducted by the student sealth center, only two and a half percent of students say they have abused “other drugs” in the past 30 days. There are categories for tobacco, alco-hol, marijuana, cocaine, amphetamine, club drugs, but no specific category for over-the-counter drugs, so this number may include other drugs. “It’s a relatively small problem as far as what we’ve been able to report,” says Dana Hughes, Coordinator of the Prevention Education Program at the SJSU Health Cen-ter. But she adds, “What I would guess, given my knowledge about this issue overall, it’s not

the kind of thing that someone would report.

People don’t think of these types of drugs as

something that’s harmful to them or that they

are something to be abused, so it’s really hard

to get a handle on exactly what the problem

might be.”

San Jose State University Health Center

pharmacist Patricia Jones acknowledges that over-the-counter drug abuse is a growing is-sue, but she says she doesn’t see a problem with over-the-counter drug abuse from drugs picked up at the Health Center pharmacy. She says a majority of the over-the-counter drugs

sold from the pharmacy are recommended by a doctor in the clinic and then she tells the stu-dent how to take the drug and she is available for further consultation if needed. “I think education is the most important thing,” says Jones. “When you’re dealing with a college population, you’re dealing with an intelligent group of people. The more information you have, the better you are. Give everybody the tools then they can decide for themselves.” She says that since people are unaware of the dangers it makes it more of a problem.

In a survey by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), in partner-ship with the Consumer Healthcare Prod-ucts Association (CHPA), only eight percent of the parents surveyed are aware of cough medicine abuse. In a national survey done by The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 55 percent of teens did not agree strongly that using cough medicines to get high is risky.

Cough medicine is the most abused over-

the-counter drug. The National Institute on

Drug Abuse estimates that 2.4 million teenag-

ers, or one in 10 teenagers in the United States,

have abused cough medicines to get high.

According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than half of all over-the-counter drugs contain DXM, or dextrometho-rphan. Some of the more common drugs with DXM include Tylenol Cold, Nyquil and Triaminic cough syrup. The abuse of these drugs is often referred to as “robotripping,” based on the cold medicine, Robitussin. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration says on their Web site that the

(cont. on 36)

“People don’t think of these types of

drugs as something that’s harmful to

them or that they are something to be

abused...” ­—Dana­Hughs,­

SJSU­Health­Center

36

effects of DXM can be similar to ket-amine or PCP, producing hallucinations and dissociative effects. Those who abuse DXM medications often take as much as 25 to 50 times the recommended dose to get high, according to the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.

The Internet has helped fuel the spread

of DXM abuse; you can purchase bulk

quantities of pure DXM on the Web. There

are many DXM-related Web sites that share

stories about abusing the drug. There are

even instructions for those who want to ex-

tract DXM from cough medicines.

When taken in normal doses, medicine with DXM can help clear up a cold. But these medications can be dangerous or even lethal in large doses. The DEA says that abuse of these types of medications can lead to many serious consequences such as heart problems, brain damage, seizures, or death. According to Stephen Betts, Director of Children, Families & Community Services with the Santa Clara County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services, “DXM on its own is not particu-larly harmful.” He says that the other drugs in medications that contain DXM, such as acetaminophen, cause serious harm when taken in mega-doses. Large quantities of acetaminophen can cause serious liver dam-age, according to the DEA.

Stimulants are not rapidly becoming a problem like DXM, but abuse of stimulants has been a large problem for many years. Abuse of stimulants is common in col-lege, when students need to stay awake and alert for class or for homework and study-ing. SAMHSA says that stimulants were the second-most reported reason for patients seeking rehabilitation from prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse.

Hernandez also abused No Doz caffeine pills to help get an edge in her studying. “Whatever benefit they had, they were short-lived. I was left feeling lethargic,” says Hernandez.

Many college students use stimulants ranging from energy drinks to pep pills. Although there is a general belief that caf-

feine isn’t dangerous, there is a risk of overdose. The Ameri-

can College of Emergency Physicians says that over three years,

there were more than 250 cases of people contacting the Chica-

go poison center with medical complications from caffeine. And

of those, 12 percent needed hospitalization. According to the

National Institutes of Health, symptoms of caffeine overdoses

include irregular heartbeat, hallucinations, convulsions and even

death.Some people need help going to sleep instead of staying up,

and there are many pills such as Ambien or Tylenol PM available over the counter that can be used as sleep-aids. However, some people become increasingly dependent on the pills, while others abuse them like DXM to feel sedated and get hallucinations. Ac-cording to TeenDrugAbuse.us, some of the symptoms of abus-ing these drugs include extreme drowsiness, which can lead to narcolepsy. When combined with alcohol, there is a chance of respiratory depression. The pills can also end up disrupting your regular sleep pattern. These pills can also lead to death when taken in high amounts. A Stanford student was found dead in January with toxic levels of diphenhydramine, an ingredient in Benadryl, found in her body.

Hernandez eventually “grew out” of her drug abuse. After “robotripping” three days in a row, she started feeling disasso-ciated when she wasn’t on the drug. It started to mess up her everyday functions so she stopped abusing the drug and got back to her life. It is not always as easy as that if you have been abusing the drug for long enough to become addicted. If you or someone you know may have a problem with over-the-counter drug abuse, help should be pursued immediately. Here on cam-pus you can receive confidential help and advice from counseling services.

The Health Center has an Al-cohol and Drug Abuse Preven-tion Education Program that helps to educate students about the dangers and effects of drugs. There is also help available from the County of Santa Clara Department of Al-cohol and Drug Services. They offer assessment, detoxifica-tion, outpatient services, as well as prevention services through their Gateway pro-gram. They can be contacted at 1-800-488-9919. The soon-er you get help, the sooner you can get healthy and go back to living life your way.

DXM Web Sites to Watch For: www.third-plateau.org www.erowid.org www.dextroverse.org www.lycaeum.org www.myspace.com/dextromethorphann

a

(cont. from 35)

UNUSUAL

As I stand outside my boyfriend’s house, my heart is pounding, my body is shaking and my eyes are as wide as quarters. My hands are gripping the doorknob, pulling hard on it so it can’t be opened without a fight. When my boyfriend finally manages to pry the door open, my hands tighten into fists and my body tenses up. My eyes dart to the ground and I quickly inhale, holding my breath and clenching my teeth. My body is trembling when my eyes make contact with a pair of bright yellow eyes. I am facing my biggest fear.

I am face-to-face with a cat. Having a fear is nothing to be ashamed of. And in fact, it’s not uncommon

either. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 11.5 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 54 suffer from a phobia every year.

My fear of felines is categorized as a specific fear, which is an irrational fear of a specific object or situation. Wiggsy Sivertsen, director of Counseling Services at SJSU, says that having a phobia goes beyond dislike for an object. “The part that’s important is irrational,” she says. “It’s not the object itself. It’s the experience and the moment.”

I have more than just dislike for cats. Some people see them as cute and cuddly. I see them as big balls of fur with sharp nails and teeth like a vampire’s. I can’t touch them. I can’t look at them. I can’t be around them. In fact, the mere thought of the animal brings one thought to my mind: attack. I see the furry creature pouncing on my face, sinking its teeth and nails into my skin, ripping

my flesh apart. To tell you the truth, I’m getting the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it.

Diana Luna, a senior majoring in advertising, gets a similar reaction when she thinks about a certain six-legged critter. No, I’m not just talking about cockroaches. I’m talking about ants. Yes, ants. She is so afraid of them that she shakes out her shoes before putting them on—every single day. And if she forgets? “I feel like I have to go somewhere,” she says, “and shake them out.”

The fear triggered when she was a young girl. She remembers playing outside with a friend and picking up a bowl. But not just any bowl. A bowl covered with ants. She recalls feeling “creeped out” when the critters crawled up her arm, and ever since that day, she’s been scared of them.

Although ants are her biggest fear, she is also afraid of other bugs with “little, black, short legs.” Her fear has had a huge impact on her life and has even forced her to change majors. “I wanted to be an archeologist ever since I was little,” she says, “but the thought of going into the jungle and being with big bugs—I just don’t want to do it.”

There are ways of overcoming a fear, including desensitization, which forces a phobic person to face the scary object. But if you think you can get me to pet your “cute little kitty-cat” or get Diana to kill some ants for you, you’re even crazier than we are.

- Felicia Ann Aguinaldo

The Access Staff’s Favorite Phobias

Pteronophobia: Fear of being tickled by feathers. - Osvaldo Castillo

Agyrophobia: Fear of streets, highways and other thoroughfares. - Rita Lai

Cathisophobia: Fear of sitting down. - Britney Weaver

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: Fear of long words. - Scott Evans

Ergasiophobia: Fear of work. - Evie Smith

Leukophobia: Fear of the color white. - Briana Hernandez

Ligyrophobia: Fear of balloons popping. - Ryan Berg

Papaphobia: Fear of the Pope. - Nichole Lieurance

Sciophobia: Fear of shadows. - Remy Allums

DXM Web Sites to Watch For: www.third-plateau.org www.erowid.org www.dextroverse.org www.lycaeum.org www.myspace.com/dextromethorphann

“What do you have next period? Did I just say period? That was so high school.”

“What’s her name again?”

“There’s a man coming! Act natural.”

“It’s not news women have breasts.”

“That guy just tickled my fancy. But I don’t even know what a ‘fancy’ is.”

Loose Lips at SJSU...

UNUSUAL

As I stand outside my boyfriend’s house, my heart is pounding, my body is shaking and my eyes are as wide as quarters. My hands are gripping the doorknob, pulling hard on it so it can’t be opened without a fight. When my boyfriend finally manages to pry the door open, my hands tighten into fists and my body tenses up. My eyes dart to the ground and I quickly inhale, holding my breath and clenching my teeth. My body is trembling when my eyes make contact with a pair of bright yellow eyes. I am facing my biggest fear.

I am face-to-face with a cat. Having a fear is nothing to be ashamed of. And in fact, it’s not uncommon

either. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 11.5 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 54 suffer from a phobia every year.

My fear of felines is categorized as a specific fear, which is an irrational fear of a specific object or situation. Wiggsy Sivertsen, director of Counseling Services at SJSU, says that having a phobia goes beyond dislike for an object. “The part that’s important is irrational,” she says. “It’s not the object itself. It’s the experience and the moment.”

I have more than just dislike for cats. Some people see them as cute and cuddly. I see them as big balls of fur with sharp nails and teeth like a vampire’s. I can’t touch them. I can’t look at them. I can’t be around them. In fact, the mere thought of the animal brings one thought to my mind: attack. I see the furry creature pouncing on my face, sinking its teeth and nails into my skin, ripping

my flesh apart. To tell you the truth, I’m getting the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it.

Diana Luna, a senior majoring in advertising, gets a similar reaction when she thinks about a certain six-legged critter. No, I’m not just talking about cockroaches. I’m talking about ants. Yes, ants. She is so afraid of them that she shakes out her shoes before putting them on—every single day. And if she forgets? “I feel like I have to go somewhere,” she says, “and shake them out.”

The fear triggered when she was a young girl. She remembers playing outside with a friend and picking up a bowl. But not just any bowl. A bowl covered with ants. She recalls feeling “creeped out” when the critters crawled up her arm, and ever since that day, she’s been scared of them.

Although ants are her biggest fear, she is also afraid of other bugs with “little, black, short legs.” Her fear has had a huge impact on her life and has even forced her to change majors. “I wanted to be an archeologist ever since I was little,” she says, “but the thought of going into the jungle and being with big bugs—I just don’t want to do it.”

There are ways of overcoming a fear, including desensitization, which forces a phobic person to face the scary object. But if you think you can get me to pet your “cute little kitty-cat” or get Diana to kill some ants for you, you’re even crazier than we are.

- Felicia Ann Aguinaldo

PHOBIAS

The Access Staff’s Favorite Phobias

Pteronophobia: Fear of being tickled by feathers. - Osvaldo Castillo

Agyrophobia: Fear of streets, highways and other thoroughfares. - Rita Lai

Cathisophobia: Fear of sitting down. - Britney Weaver

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: Fear of long words. - Scott Evans

Ergasiophobia: Fear of work. - Evie Smith

Leukophobia: Fear of the color white. - Briana Hernandez

Ligyrophobia: Fear of balloons popping. - Ryan Berg

Papaphobia: Fear of the Pope. - Nichole Lieurance

Sciophobia: Fear of shadows. - Remy Allums

- Kristin Furtado

Access is celebrating its 20th year anniversary and what kind of people would we be if we didn’t commemorate this momentous occasion by going back in time—to a place where big bangs, ALF, and Oprah were etched in pop culture history forever? To a time when Tom Cruise was at the top of his game (and sane) and rap and rock consummated an unholy union. Most of you Spartans were around 20 years ago (I’m talking to all those super-seniors going on six and seven years). So dust off those Teddy Ruxpins and take a stroll down memory lane to a much simpler (and more multi-colored) time—VH1 style.

1986 in world events…•Space Shuttle Challenger explodes on national television, 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crewmembers.

•54 people are killed by radiation released during an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the Soviet Union, marking one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters in history.

1986 in pop-culture history…

Best Cult Film: • “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” becomes one of the highest-grossing films of 1986 and spawns a cult-like following of high school kids everywhere, creating a national epidemic of playing hooky.

Best Childhood Flashback:•Fantasy film, The Labyrinth, is released and for the very first time, youngsters are introduced to David Bowie’s whimsical mullet and sparkly eye shadow (and a then-unknown, Jennifer Connelly’s eyebrows).

Oprah says… “Do you think you can stop this with a football tackle?”

1986 in music…•After five years and nearly 20 million albums, Brit boy band, WHAM! breaks up, crushing the hearts of teenage girls everywhere. Why George Michael, why?

•Rap and rock come together like never before with the hit “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith and Run DMC.

•People around the globe Walk Like an Egyptian, The Bangle’s number-one hit. Ten years later, those same people join the musically challenged casualties of the Macarena.

Then VS. Now

Weapons of Mass Deception

Then:Iran-Contra Affair: United States covertly sells weapons to Iran in order to secure the release of seven American hostages held by pro-Iranian groups in Lebanon, igniting a national scandal in the White House.

Now:President Bush alleges Iraqi production of weapons of mass destruction, justifying a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Four years later, the WMD’s have yet to be found.Winner: Bush. Nobody knows WMD’s better than old Dubya. And so far nobody seems to know where to find them. Damn those clever desert disguises!

Prince:Then:Prince’s releases his first single “Kiss” which goes on to top the Billboard Hot 100 list.

Now:After his daily injections of Botox, Prince still loves to wear his doo-rag.

Tom Cruise:Then:Tom Cruise carries his own as ‘Maverick’ in his first big budget film, Top Gun, the highest grossing film to hit theatres 20 years ago.Winner

Now:After jumping the couch on Oprah, and marrying Katie Holmes after a highly public (and nauseating) courtship, Cruise goes from hot to just plain nut. Ah, and who could forget Tom’s words of wisdom to Matt Lauer on the Today Show when he asserted that there’s no such thing as a chemical imbalance (uh, except for the one in his head).

Nintendo:Then: Nintendo video games make their grand debut in America, with popular games such as The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros.

Now: Yet again, Nintendo wows a whole new generation of gamers with the Wii. Tie.

ALF, that lovable cat-eating alien from 1986, says…

“Putting humans in charge of the Earth, is the cosmic equivalence of letting Eddie Murphy direct.”

20YEARS

- Kristin Furtado

Access is celebrating its 20th year anniversary and what kind of people would we be if we didn’t commemorate this momentous occasion by going back in time—to a place where big bangs, ALF, and Oprah were etched in pop culture history forever? To a time when Tom Cruise was at the top of his game (and sane) and rap and rock consummated an unholy union. Most of you Spartans were around 20 years ago (I’m talking to all those super-seniors going on six and seven years). So dust off those Teddy Ruxpins and take a stroll down memory lane to a much simpler (and more multi-colored) time—VH1 style.

1986 in world events…•Space Shuttle Challenger explodes on national television, 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crewmembers.

•54 people are killed by radiation released during an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the Soviet Union, marking one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters in history.

1986 in pop-culture history…

Best Cult Film: • “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” becomes one of the highest-grossing films of 1986 and spawns a cult-like following of high school kids everywhere, creating a national epidemic of playing hooky.

Best Childhood Flashback:•Fantasy film, The Labyrinth, is released and for the very first time, youngsters are introduced to David Bowie’s whimsical mullet and sparkly eye shadow (and a then-unknown, Jennifer Connelly’s eyebrows).

Oprah says… “Do you think you can stop this with a football tackle?”

1986 in music…•After five years and nearly 20 million albums, Brit boy band, WHAM! breaks up, crushing the hearts of teenage girls everywhere. Why George Michael, why?

•Rap and rock come together like never before with the hit “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith and Run DMC.

•People around the globe Walk Like an Egyptian, The Bangle’s number-one hit. Ten years later, those same people join the musically challenged casualties of the Macarena.

Then VS. Now

Weapons of Mass Deception

Then:Iran-Contra Affair: United States covertly sells weapons to Iran in order to secure the release of seven American hostages held by pro-Iranian groups in Lebanon, igniting a national scandal in the White House.

Now:President Bush alleges Iraqi production of weapons of mass destruction, justifying a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Four years later, the WMD’s have yet to be found.Winner: Bush. Nobody knows WMD’s better than old Dubya. And so far nobody seems to know where to find them. Damn those clever desert disguises!

Prince:Then:Prince’s releases his first single “Kiss” which goes on to top the Billboard Hot 100 list.

Now:After his daily injections of Botox, Prince still loves to wear his doo-rag.

Tom Cruise:Then:Tom Cruise carries his own as ‘Maverick’ in his first big budget film, Top Gun, the highest grossing film to hit theatres 20 years ago.Winner

Now:After jumping the couch on Oprah, and marrying Katie Holmes after a highly public (and nauseating) courtship, Cruise goes from hot to just plain nut. Ah, and who could forget Tom’s words of wisdom to Matt Lauer on the Today Show when he asserted that there’s no such thing as a chemical imbalance (uh, except for the one in his head).

Nintendo:Then: Nintendo video games make their grand debut in America, with popular games such as The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros.

Now: Yet again, Nintendo wows a whole new generation of gamers with the Wii. Tie.

ALF, that lovable cat-eating alien from 1986, says…

“Putting humans in charge of the Earth, is the cosmic equivalence of letting Eddie Murphy direct.”

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