Currents Magazine, Spring 2014 - Seaver College

Transcription

SPRING 2014
STUDENT
VETERAN
on life post-war
p.51
CAMPUS
LOVE
LIFE
p.54
CORY
BATZA p.33
FEATURING
inside her world of aerial dance
STAFF LIST
LETTER FROM
THE EDITOR
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Danielle DiMeglio
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Alexander Hayes
DANIELLE DIMEGLIO
EDITOR IN CHIEF
PHOTO EDITOR
Monique Batac
ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Jill Amos
ASSISTANT EDITORS
Danielle Accovelli
Jacklyn Maza
Janelle Merritt
Ashley Rhame
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Sarah Attar
David Hutchinson
Shawn Jones
Safeena Padder
Marisa Padilla
Brandon Scheirman
Addysen Walchek
STAFF WRITERS
Ricardo Avila
Joan Daly
Kara Danner
Janelle Merritt
Chirag Patel
Mariella Rudi
Gabrielle Tolentino
Jenna Welsh
SPECIAL THANKS
Carina DiMeglio
Rafael Padilla
VM 326
PRESIDENT OF PGM
Andrew Kasselmann
ADVISERS
Elizabeth Smith
Courtenay Stallings
As a little girl, I would write short stories on rainy days
and profess my dreams of becoming a best-selling novelist to my parents. Though my aspirations have changed
since then, my love for writing has never waned. Sharing
someone’s story and causing readers to feel inspired or
moved in some way are both powerful and beautiful.
In this edition of Currents, my team and I hope you
will feel this same effect as we illustrate people’s stories
through writing, photography and design. Not only did
we hope to share untold stories of fascinating students
and professors right here on campus, but also to evoke
the springtime theme of revival. As editor, I hoped to reinvent the magazine from past editions and pursue an entirely new direction, beginning with our last winter edition
and continuing through this spring edition — one that exhibits fresh, clean design, innovative, thought-provoking
photography and hidden stories of some of the amazing
people who walk among us on campus daily, often unnoticed by the casual observer.
Along my journey, I never expected to meet such incredible life-long friends, exceed what I thought was possible, and turn a creative vision into something tangible.
Working with Currents has been one of the most challenging experiences in my collegiate career, but it’s been
a challenge I will always cherish.
I am deeply grateful for the hard work and dedication
of my staff, who have spent countless hours helping bring
this magazine to life and injecting excitement into the
newsroom. It’s been an incredible feeling knowing I could
depend on my team for anything and have their support
through all our elaborate ideas. But I would especially like
to thank Monique and Xander for bringing such strong,
creative spirit to the magazine and keeping me sane
through countless all-nighters.
We could not have accomplished all of our goals without the constant support of our advisers, Elizabeth Smith
and Courtenay Stallings. Thank you for having faith in us
and pushing us to push ourselves.
The passion and drive behind our team truly have been
the heart of the magazine, and I hope that you readers can
feel this pulse on every page.
MONIQUE BATAC
PHOTO EDITOR
I was about five when I realized one day I’d die and
quite honestly, I was okay with it — death didn’t scare
me. It was the idea of being forgotten that plagued me
for so long. “How will anyone ever know I was here?”
I always thought. Everyone has defined fear based on
their own experiences. For me, fear meant the possibility that my legacy could fade away after all is said and
done with my time on earth.
It was this fear that brought me to Pepperdine
Graphic Media and my position as Creative Director
for Currents Magazine. But it was only through this invaluable experience that my fear has dissipated and I
learned how important it is to tell stories.
Story telling is more than beginning, middle and
end. It’s about creating meaning and worth in people’s
experiences by sharing their story everywhere. It’s
about learning from their mistakes. It’s about finishing
the missions they started. It’s about learning how to
love from their losses.
Telling the many unique, diverse and beautiful stories through Currents Magazine has taught me it’s not
always about my story — it’s about something much
more significant. It’s about our story.
One lesson I continually learn is that the urge for creativity never leaves you. Growing up I really liked painting,
but as I grew older, my interests in color and light transferred into photography. At the time, I thought it would
be a fun, easy hobby. But through trial and error, I soon
learned that photography was not as simple as point and
click. It is capturing a moment of time. It was a way for me
to accept that time does move quickly, but I could capture those memories through photos. Photography has
allowed me to continue painting, but this time, with light.
I hope the photos in this magazine not only help illustrate the unique stories of the people we featured, but also
inspire you to capture the moments in your own stories.
I’m very thankful for the opportunity to work with Currents during my time at Pepperdine. It is an experience
that I will never forget because of the way it has pushed
me out of my creative comfort zone. I was able to take
risks with some of the photos in this issue, and I could
not have done it without the support of Danielle, Xander
and the whole Currents team. I especially want to thank
my wonderful photo assistant, Jill, for her hard work, long
hours and Photoshop expertise which helped bring all of
the ideas to life. I hope this issue inspires you to continue
the pursuit of the things you love and to capture those
moments in time, because time really does move fast.
ONTENT
ALEXANDER HAYES
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Who’s Behind the Wheel
Beach Bag Tasty
The New College App
Surfin’ PCH
MUSIC FEATURE:
Soft Spoken, Loud Ambition
Dangling Dreamer
Botanist Brings Trails Alive
TOP 10:
Summer Spots
Inside Women’s Sand Volleyball
8
14
17
22
28
33
39
42
48
51
54
59
62
70
72
Blending Two Worlds
REAL TALK:
Relationships on Campus
Beating the Clock
[sixwordstory]
HOW TO:
Confront Post-grad Anxieties
Let’s Get Crafty
TED ANAYA
Shuttle drivers talk life off the clock
WRITTEN BY:
RICARDOAVILA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
MARISAPADILLA
CURRENTS 8
To get to work, Transit Services Manager
Ted Anaya travels 70 miles from Rancho
Cucamonga. He uses trains, buses and
shuttles to get to Pepperdine and provide a
useful service to the community. After taking the Metrolink from Rancho Cucamonga
to North Hollywood, he drives a vanpool,
stopping to pick up a group of Pepperdine
employees at Balboa Station in LA before
driving the final 22 miles of his journey to
reach the “Harvard of the West.” When his
workday is over, he travels another 70 miles
back home.
Anaya is a rock music junkie whose
favorite artist is Jimi Hendrix. Anaya enjoys
playing acoustic and electric guitar, and
even does so with one of the other shuttle
drivers, Robin Russell.
“She had a collection of lyrics she
wanted to try out so she brought them to
me, and I learned them. We played during
the summertime; during her lunch we just
started playing, and she started singing,” he
said.
Anaya has been in the transportation
industry for 20 years, boasting a career
that includes being a DMV examiner, a bus
operator and being certified through the
United States Department of Transportation
Substance Abuse Management and Program Compliance. Now, Anaya is in charge
of Pepperdine’s transportation needs,
sometimes finding time to drive the shuttles
himself.
Anaya, who has worked at Pepperdine
for five years, retired early April. He said the
most memorable moment he’s experienced
while driving the shuttles is the annual My
Tie event. “That’s when you see the group
of freshmen and sophomores dressed
up looking their best. And there’s a huge
crowd, and it’s all new faces, and they’re just
wide-eyed,” he said. Anaya said he loves
doing his job: “It’s amazing. Whether I’m
driving the bus or helping out, I just really
like working with the university as a whole.”
PET PEEVE:
“The deer. I know everybody loves the deer, but
they’re always just out on the streets eating the
flowers, causing a hazard out there all the time.
They’re cute but they destroy the place.”
CURRENTS 9
ROBIN RUSSELL
Robin Russell drove a school bus for 36
years and has been a part of the Pepperdine
community for the past four. She enjoys
going to the movies, watching sports and
being with her cat who “has personality.”
When driving the shuttle, you can occasionally find her tuning into the local jazz station
as well as listening to classic rock.
“I like to listen to all kinds of music except
rap. I can’t get into rap,” she said. Russell
enjoys singing and once performed a duet
with her boss, Ted Anaya. “He played the
guitar and accompanied me on one of the
songs,” she said. However, she refrains from
singing in the shuttles because “people are
doing their thing.”
Russell said her most memorable
moment driving the shuttle is watching
students attempt to parallel park. “Some
of them do get up on the curb. That’s my
entertainment. It kind of cracks me up,” she
said.
Russell said the part she enjoys the most
about driving the shuttle is driving the students around, who are “the most polite and
nicest people I have ever driven.” Russell
said she has never said, “You’re welcome”
so many times. “I should record it; I say that
so many times every day.”
When Russell waits for students to get
on her shuttle, there is something that irks
her: People who run stop signs get under
her skin. Russell said she hopes everyone
would look both ways and that she would
like to find a way to diminish that problem.
“I take it personally. I don’t ever want to see
anyone get hit, especially pedestrians.”
PET PEEVE:
“Injustices to people when things aren’t fair. I
like to stand up for people being treated unfairly.”
CURRENTS 10
WARREN
TANIGUCHI
Warren Taniguchi was born in Bridgeton,
N.J., and studied business administration
at Cal State Long Beach. He was the export
analyst at American Honda Motor from
1981 to 1986, the import/export manager
at Mori Corporation from 1987 to 2000 and
the factory supervisor at Shachihata Inc.
from 2000-2009. Taniguchi, who used to
play golf when he was in high school, is
now a Pepperdine shuttle driver.
Some students might recognize Taniguchi as the shuttle driver who gives out candy on Valentine’s Day. “I did it twice now. I
enjoy doing that,” he said.
Taniguchi said a highlight of driving the
shuttle is talking to the students, seeing
the same people all the time and getting to
know them.
When asked if there is one thing people
should know about him, Taniguchi replied,
“I like to eat peanuts. It’s something I do
every day. The shell peanuts. I like that.” His
upbeat response turned when Taniguchi
said that speeding cars really get on his
nerves. “We’re always on the road. Cars going too fast are not paying attention: driving,
texting, talking on cell phones or talking in
general. It’s hazardous,” he said.
Taniguchi, who has been a shuttle driver
at Pepperdine for a year after previously
working as a contractor, mentioned that
even though all of the shuttle drivers have
different backgrounds there is “good camaraderie among them. A lot of drivers have
been here a long time. They enjoy working
here; I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
PET PEEVE:
“Driving. Congestion. I drive 40 miles a day
one way so I see a lot of traffic accidents.”
CURRENTS 11
WHICH
SHUTTLE
DRIVER
ARE YOU?
1. What kind of music listener are you?
A: Rock junkie B: Anything but rap C: What’s music?
2. What is your favorite radio station
A: Avant-garde college rock B: “You’re welcome.” C: NPR
3. What is your favorite movie?
A: “The Motorcycle Diaries” B: “Gladiator” C: “Fast & Furious”
4. What is your favorite animal?
A: Coyotes B: Cats C: Dogs
5. What is your favorite TV show?
A: “Zoey 101” B: Magic School Bus
C: Doctor Who
6. What is your favorite Pepperdine event?
A: My Tie B: Spring Concert C: NSO
7. How do you spend your free time?
A: Jamming out B: Going to the movies C: Golfing
8. What is your musical talent?
A: Guitar B: Singing C: Not musically inclined
9. What is your favorite thing on this earth?
A: DMV examinations B: Kind words C: Giving away presents
10.What word would people use to describe you?
A: Diligent B: Free-spirited C: Cheerful
KEY: Most A’s — Ted, Most B’s — Robin, Most C’s — Warren
CURRENTS 12
CURRENTS 13
THAT’S A WRAP
BEACH
BAG
TASTY
1 pack of whole-wheat tortillas
1/2 lb. of turkey (check out the
selection from the Ralphs deli
and they will give you fresh
slices)
JANELLE MERRITT
1 bag of mixed greens (works
double as filling and side salad)
1 pre-sliced red onion (found by
prepared veggies in produce
section)
MONIQUEBATAC & JILLAMOS
MINI PARFAIT
Make a fresh glass of lemonade to quench your thirst after
catching some waves or playing sports on the sand!
directions:
First, add lemon juice to water bottle and shake. Then add sugar
and one to two slices of fresh lemon. Taste and adjust sugar or water content. Mix in blueberries and/or mint leaves for a twist. Enjoy!
ingredients:
lemonade
ingredients:
1 lemon (sliced)
1 Chobani Greek
Yogurt
1 bag/tub granola
(purchase from the
HAWC or a tub of honey almond granola at
the Malibu Farmers’
Market)
1/4 cup of lemon juice
(available by fruit juices
in Ralphs)
directions:
1 water bottle filled half
way with cold water
wrap
Begin fixing your wrap by
spreading the barbecue
sauce and ranch on the tortilla. Then, add the shredded
chicken, lettuce, tomato, and
onion. Voilà you’ve made a
barbecue wrap!
2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of
white sugar
1 cup berries (strawberries, raspberries,
blackberries and/or
blueberries)
wrap
1 package of tortillas
shredded chicken
1 Mason jar (can find a
set at Ralphs)
CURRENTS 14
Don’t forget to grab utensils from the deli section! Start
making your wrap by cutting the avocado and spreading
it across the tortilla sort of like a protein mayonnaise. Then,
layer turkey, mixed greens, tomato and red onion. Finally,
cut the grapes and add generously to wrap for a juicy surprise. It’s simple and delicious!
You can also bring a bag of crispy snap peas, veggie chips
or pretzels for a little extra crunch with your wrap.
GUYS DAY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
Enjoy yogurt parfaits in Mason jars
while tanning on the beach!
1 ripe avocado
1 ripe roma tomato
1 bag of firm red or green grapes
WRITTEN BY:
LADIES DAY
directions:
ingredients:
lettuce
directions:
Once you accumulate all of
the ingredients, start making your parfait by scooping
the yogurt into your Mason
jar. Next, sprinkle a thick
layer of your granola on top
of the yogurt and finish the
process by adding another
layer of berries. Continue
this for as many layers as
you desire. Add a mint leaf
at the top for garnish!
1 tomato
sweet potato fries
1 onion
3 large sweet potatoes
3 Tbsps of barbecue
sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsps of Ranch
dressing
1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp. salt
sweet potato fries
Preheat and set oven to 400
degrees. Cut sweet potatoes
into thin slices and transfer
onto a baking sheet. Drizzle
olive oil over the sweet potatoes and let bake for 25-30
minutes!
CURRENTS 15
DATE DAY
Buy sparkling pink lemonade from Ralphs or Trader Joes and be sure
to pack cups. Be sure to prep at home with this speciality basket.
ITALIAN PANINI
ingredients:
1 loaf of Italian bread
(or bread of your
choice)
2 oz. thinly sliced
prosciutto or Genoa
salami
1 pack of fresh Mozzarella (slice thickly)
1 bag of arugula
1/4 cup pesto (located
by tomato sauce) or
olive oil with freshly
chopped parsley
1-to-2 tablespoons of
butter
ingredients:
2 cups of fresh berries
(such as strawberries or
blueberries)
1-2 tablespoons of
white sugar or powdered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping
cream
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
extract
directions:
In a mixing bowl, beat 1 cup of heavy cream
with a whisk or handheld beater until soft
peaks form. Sprinkle in 1 to 2 tablespoons of
white sugar over cream and gently mix. Do
not overbeat. Wash berries and place them
in a plastic container. Use personal sized tupperware, one for him and one for her. First,
layer whipped cream then berries and finish
off with more whipped cream. Finally, sprinkle
with a pinch of sugar for extra sweetness.
CURRENTS 16
directions:
Begin by cutting the
loaf in half. Spread
pesto on one side of
the loaf. Add prosciutto (or salami), sliced
Mozzarella and arugula. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in pan
and let melt. Then
add panini to hot pan
and press down with
a spatula. Flip and
press down again to
get the panini effect!
Wrap in wax paper
and use toothpicks to
create a sophisticated look with minimal
effort.
BERRIES & CREAM
THE
NEW
COLLEGE
APP
WRITTEN BY:
GABRIELLETOLENTINO
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
ADDYSENWALCHEK
What do college students
love more than good grades and
sleep? Food, shopping and saving
money. Living next to Los Angeles provides an incredible array
of restaurants and shops for us to
explore, but on a college budget,
who can afford it? The answer, in
fact, is simple — there’s an app
for that!
Senior Onur Sahin was just
a freshman when he conjured
up the idea for College Bounty,
an app that could offer college
students discounts at local businesses in exchange for sharing
posts or reviews about the businesses via social media. Sahin
began drawing sketches and even
launching an early prototype as
a website before bringing up the
idea to current senior Du
CURRENTS 17
CURRENTS 18
BRADY PATERSON
THOMAS JOHNSON
CHRIS PAGE
MAXIME VAN DER BERG
ONUR SAHIN
other pitches with their 90-second proposal. Their reward? A
$3,000 check toward College
Bounty, reinvigorating College
Bounty’s purpose and spiking
their potential.
Since then, the accolades have
kept on coming — Groupon’s
own Vice President of Market Research, Eric Rasmussen,
praised the app’s concept, while
conversing with Dujon, who
linked up with him through a
fraternity connection. “He loved
it. He thought it was a great idea.
We just have to execute it correctly,” Smith said.
Even Pepperdine alumni are
reaching out to these young entrepreneurs. We’ve been able to
get connected with Pepperdine
alumni who have helped mentor us and get us headed in the
right direction,” Paterson said.
Dr. Zarik Boghossian of Pepperdine’s Business Division, a
Pepperdine alum and an entrepreneur himself, also commends
College Bounty’s premise and
potential. He shared his experience as Onur’s mentor, and called
College Bounty “a very legitimate concept … [that] serves [a]
purpose and adds value and as we
say, solves a problem … [College
Bounty] could become a very
popular app amongst students.”
Local businesses have teamed
up with the app as well. FedEx
and Wokcano are just two that
have recently partnered with
College Bounty, along with several other popular businesses and
restaurants that college students
often frequent. Pepperdine students have everything to gain
from College Bounty. Not only
is the app geared toward getting
us discounts, but the team behind
the app is recruiting members of
the Pepperdine community to
join in this blooming business
DUJON SMITH
But Sahin and Smith don’t
manage the app alone. They’ve
acquired a team by their side to
take charge of their quickly blossoming company — a team made
up entirely of Pepperdine Waves.
Senior Thomas Johnson joined
College Bounty as the COO to
manage interns, oversee day-today operations, seek new recruits
and develop strategic management initiatives.
In charge of the company’s
business plan and finances is junior and CFO Chris Page. Senior Maxime Van der Berg works
as the CMO for the company,
focusing on market strategy and
ensuring their brand is consistent
throughout all marketing channels.
Rounding out the team is
freshman Brady Paterson who
joined the team as CTO, securing everything concerning the
technology of the app, compiling
everyone’s ideas, and bringing
them to life.
“It’s hard to be a student and
do this,” Sahin admits after recounting the all-nighters he’s
pulled to keep on top of the app
and school work. Amidst the rigor of classwork and extracurriculars, these six students still find
the drive and passion to carry out
plans for College Bounty. Each
member is committed and driven
to expand what the app can offer
students.
From idea to fruition, College
Bounty’s momentum has grown
exponentially. This has been evident in the exposure and praise
they have received upon sharing
the app’s concept. In November
of 2013, Smith and Sahin entered College Bounty in the Fast
Pitch Competition at the SEER
Symposium held at Pepperdine’s
Drescher Graduate Campus and
won first place over dozens of
MEET THE TEAM
jon Smith. After meeting Smith
though their fraternity, Sigma
Phi Epsilon, Sahin knew Smith
would make an important asset
to the team as College Bounty’s
CEO — responsible for pitching to investors and making sure
tasks are managed.
“He’s the first choice that I
had for a business partner,” Sahin said. Sahin knew that Dujon’s maturity would help push
the project forward and cause
people to take the app seriously. Since then, the two have become a strong pair. Sahin works
as the creative innovator and
Smith makes sure the ideas are
executed.
After working tirelessly to
conceptualize every aspect of the
app down to marketing, College
Bounty has made rapid progress.
The app is now serving Pepperdine, UCLA, USC and LMU
students, tracking all businesses
in the L.A. area that have joined
the app and offering student discounts. Sahin and Smith eventually hope to expand the app
to a national level, but for now,
they are testing the app’s success
locally.
Once the app is downloaded,
students enter their student I.D.
and create a profile to access all
of the latest discount offers. Using the maps feature, College
Bounty can track users’ locations
to locate nearby eateries and
shops. The app facilitates sharing
via social media, allowing users
to read friends’ reviews and recommendations of local hot spots
to try. The completion of “Challenges,” which entail either snapping a picture, checking in, posting reviews, or sharing via social
media, can build points for each
user. The accumulation of points
at certain locations creates even
greater discounts.
CURRENTS 19
venture. As of now, College
Bounty is kept afloat, not just by
the six Waves holding chief positions, but by 21 other interns
from the Malibu campus.
College
Bounty
actively sought Pepperdine students
through Career Space and other
groups and platforms to include
them in this new, rapidly growing app. The hope was to include
students as a part of the process.
“We want to give Pepperdine
students the opportunity to gain
experience and empower them,”
Smith said. The force behind
the app knows the demographic and how to appeal to college
students.
“College Bounty is a product
for college students made by college students,” said Saul Lopez,
an intern and Regional Operations Strategist in charge of the
Loyola Marymount division of
College Bounty.
President Andrew K. Benton
said “some of the school’s major
CURRENTS 20
donors have been entrepreneurs.”
When asked about his thoughts
on Waves’ entrepreneurial aspirations, he replied that entrepreneurialism “follows in the tradition and footsteps of George
Pepperdine.” Benton went on to
extol the importance of “taking
risks and enjoying the rewards,”
which is exactly what the College Bounty team has done and
will continue to do.
College Bounty is available
in the App Store now for download. COO Thomas Johnson
hopes to turn College Bounty
into a “dorm-hold” name. “We
have analyzed our competition
and other apps, and have come
up with a way to combine all
the things college students find
popular and place it into the app.
[Our] goal for College Bounty is
for [it] to be the Facebook, Twitter and Groupon of the college
world,” Johnson said.
We can see this app expanding very quickly to the rest of
California and hopefully down
the line to colleges around the
world. We would love to see [it]
used by college students all over
the country for everyday purchases from food to clothes and
everything in between,” Page
said.
The company continues to
build its foundation and hopes
to continue its momentum toward its aspirations. “In the last
three months, we have accomplished unimaginable goals.
Every day the company moves
one step closer in the right direction, so nothing can hold us
back.” Johnson said. It definitely
has the potential to keep on expanding and truly work as the
middle-man between business
and college students. We are
building a mutually beneficial
relationship between the two,”
Van der Berg said.
Surfin’
pch
‘60
s
FASHION
WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
CURRENTS 22
JILLAMOS
CURRENTS 23
While cruising down Pacific Coast Highway on
a typical, sunny, SoCal day, one can often spot
figures riding atop big waves in the distance. Surf
culture has revolutionized the coastline lifestyle
— as people started to shred waves in the 1960s,
in came a new surf vernacular, beachy tunes like
“Surfin’ U.S.A.” and a complete transformation in
swimwear.
Up until the 1960s, men’s and women’s swimsuits were no less material than mini-skirts and everyday rompers. Modesty was key, and women
made sure to cover up with one-pieces. Though
risque bikinis had been introduced into the fashion world, it would’ve been quite the bold statement for beach goers to sport such a provocative
piece. But with the influx of Beach Boys radio hits
and rising beach culture, the traditional modest
style began to evolve. Women became comfortable showing a little more skin and aimed to be
the ultimate beach bunnies. Movies like “Beach
Party” emphasized teenage freedom, summer
love and a lack of rules at the beach. Following
the example of Gidget, the original female surfer
who started in Malibu, young women became
more daring and flirtatious, using surf-jargon and
flaunting their beauty in “itsy bitsy teeny weeny
yellow polka dot bikini(s),” as it goes in the hit single by Brian Hyland. Skin was in, a complete tran-
CURRENTS 24
sition from the more conservative 1950s.
Men’s swim trunks were bright-colored with
radical designs and higher waist lines than men’s
suits of today. Stripes and bold prints were just as
vibrant as the colorful surfboards of the era. When
the swell was favorable, gangs of surfers would
throw on wetsuits, strap their boards to the tops of
their Cadillacs and head for the coastline.
Fifty four years later, beachgoers have reverted back to the groovy, yet reinvented, looks of the
late 1960s. Heavy-winged eyeliner, voluminous
hair and plenty of polka dots. High-waisted bikinis
and shorts are staples in the fashion of 2014 and
are directly inspired by the iconic look of 1960.
Everything has been recycled and reinvented —
vintage looks are fresh again. As beachwear is
adapted to fit lifestyles of today and incorporate
looks from other time periods, beachgoers are
creating their own styles by using different trends
from each era as inspiration. In the future, when
2014 beach fashion is considered “vintage,”
there is no doubt that that we can credit the fresh
ideas and boldness of ‘60s beach bums. What a
great nod to Malibu and it’s influence over fashion today!
CURRENTS 25
PCH
Playlist
Windows down, speakers
up — get ready for a day
in the sun while blasting
these tunes down PCH
CURRENTS 26
Wouldn’t it be Nice
BEACH BOYS
Chocolate
1975
Pyro
KINGS OF LEON
Who Are You
IVAN & ALOYSHA
Girls Like You
NAKED & FAMOUS
Rill Rill
SLEIGH BELLS
Golden Thread
PASSENGER
Go Do
JÓNSI
White Walls
MACKLEMORE
MUSIC FEATURE
Soft Spoken,
Loud Ambition
WRITTEN BY:
DANIELLEDIMEGLIO
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
DAVIDHUTCHINSON
Don’t let his shy exterior fool you.
With a guitar in hand, sophomore
John Anderson breaks away from
his timid nature and brings forth the
musician within him. He unveils his
hidden talent and instantly grabs the
attention of eager listeners, moving
them with his soothing voice and instrumental expertise. Who would’ve
thought that the man sitting behind
you in class had such a powerful
stage presence and creative spirit?
Anderson composes his own lyrics
and melodies, pulling inspiration
from his faith and events of everyday
life.
In one of his most recent songs titled “Wings,” he sings about how we
are always yearning for something
more, causing us to overlook the
CURRENTS 28
beauty and value of what we already
have. Anderson collaborated with
fellow sophomores Connor Wheeler and David Hutchinson to create a
music video for “Wings,” while studying abroad in Heidelberg, Germany.
The music video is filmed against the
backdrop of the famous Heidelberg
Castle and shows Anderson singing
in the open air while playing his guitar. The song is relatable and uplifting, much like his other compositions
that have gained hundreds of views
on Youtube. If you haven’t seen Anderson perform at Coffeehouses or
other events on campus, you can
check out his YouTube channel and
fall for his music yourself!
jlandersonmusic
When did you start playing
and what made you pick up
music?
I started playing bass when I was 8 or
9. My dad plays about four-to-five different instruments along with my mother,
who plays guitar and leads worship for
a community group. This is something
I am quite thankful for, as I grew up in a
house supported by live music. My dad
taught me the foundations of guitar
and since then, I have learned through
experimentation and observation. I
haven’t had any formal lessons, a circumstance I believe has both pros and
cons.
What sparked your interest
in music?
It filled in the gaps for me. Growing
up, I was not much of a talker. I kept
to myself quite a bit. I loved the idea of
hearing guitar in a song and then replicating such a sound on my own. Soon,
this got repetitive. The desire to create
manifested itself, and I began writing
my own songs.
How would you describe
your music?
This is a difficult question. The first
thought that comes to mind is that I see
my music as a gift. It is God’s gift to me.
He has given me a method by which
to communicate. My music is a sort of
personal language. It means so much
to me, and my hope is that it can mean
as much or more to others. In the general or technical sense, I would say my
music is a mix of singer/songwriter, folk,
and rock.
CURRENTS 29
Where do you gain inspiration?
Usually, the songs I enjoy most have
directly resulted from prayer. It continually reminds me that everything I have
is a gift. All in all, most of my inspiration
comes from God. He helps me both organize thoughts concerning day-to-day
life, as well as process dynamic experiences. Any sort of change is usually
cause for me to write or at least attempt
to.
Has being abroad inspired you
as a musician? If so, how?
Absolutely. Being away from such familiarity for such a long time is a big change.
Change is a major thing that inspires
me. I think that noticing changes and
attempting to understand them helps
me adapt to them more easily. Writing
songs is one of the most effective ways
for me to process change.
What are some of your most
memorable moments of
performing?
My most memorable moments of performing are made up of my shows at
Witzend in Venice Beach. I’ve played
there three times and each time has
been better than the last. The last show I
did was in August, about a week before
I boarded the plane for Heidelberg. This
is probably my favorite memory. Instead
of performing solo, I had the privilege
of playing with two fellow students and
fantastic musicians, Adam Ingleheart
and Alexa Shafer. Imagine creating
something and at first, you think you
have achieved completion. But then
kindred artists use their gifts to intensify
and expand what you have done. I think
most people feel the same way when
they are doing what they love.
CURRENTS 30
Do you have any musical
aspirations for after college? If
so, what are they?
I want to be scheduling performances at
venues more and more often. I also hope
to record a new album. Recording is one
thing that is tough to do while in school
and living in a dorm room. It would be a
dream to somehow end up in a studio
with ample time. It’s tough having so
many ideas for songs and lacking the
means to put them down.
How often do you practice?
How often do you perform in
front of other people?
I try to practice as often as I can. The
word “practice” does not really suit my
attitude though. It is more of a privilege
than a practice. Anytime I can get away
and play or write, I find great happiness.
One way I do this, being in Europe, is
busking on the streets. I can share with
the public, while still in an informal state
of mind and maybe even make some
change while I’m at it. Alongside the
three performances at Witzend, I perform at Coffeehouses and events here
and there on the Malibu campus. Over
last summer, I had the opportunity to
open for some friends at a place in Santa
Ana. This summer will hopefully involve
a wedding and a handful of restaurants
or small venues. I’m praying to turn it into
a summer job.
Do you ever feel nervous
playing music in front of
others? If so, how do you deal
with the nerves?
I almost always feel nervous. If I have a
gig at night, I usually can’t eat lunch or
dinner because my stomach is knotted
with excitement. I think being nervous
just shows that I really care about doing
my best. It usually takes me an opening
song to calm down and warm my hands
up. Prayer helps me a great deal. Also, I
just try not to think about it.
What story are you trying to tell
through your music?
I’ve never thought on it before. In a general manner, I want people to know me.
I’ve always tried to make each song very
personal. I feel as if I am letting a stranger into my mind and heart each time I
share. I think my story is also one of understanding. I want to tell of humanity’s
flaws and shortcomings to hopefully
lead toward love. I’m not saying I have
the answers. I often use myself as an example of such flaws. But maybe others
can sympathize with me and they will
have answers.
How do you balance music
with school?
The balance is difficult, but not too difficult. Sometimes sleep must be sacrificed, but hey, that’s college in general.
I had to practice with balance during
high school between sports and music,
so that has helped a ton.
CURRENTS 31
DANGLING
DREAMER
WRITTEN BY:
CHIRAGPATEL
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
MONIQUEBATAC
FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRESENTS
A Conference with N. T. WRIGHT
FORMER BISHOP OF DURHAM
Interpreting Paul
for the Future of the World
MAY 1–3, 2014
FIRST CHURCH OF THE
NAZARENE OF PASADENA
for details and registration:
FULLER.EDU/NTWRIGHT
FULLER’S SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY PRESENTS PAYTON LECTURES 2014
DR. MIROSLAV VOLF | APRIL 30 & MAY 1 | FULLER.EDU/PAYTONLECTURES
C
olored silk
hangs from high
above the stage,
dangling as the assembled crowd peers up at
the young woman flitting
effortlessly between the
strands, at once in comfort
and again mocking the fall.
They hold as her lifeline,
the colored silks, inverted
tethers that she is able to
traverse as graceful as any
dancer upon trained toes.
And suddenly she tumbles,
falling down in a swirl of hues
and gasps ...
CURRENTS 33
CURRENTS 34
Time passes, and it’s another sunny day
in February, typical weather for a typical
Southern California winter. I am meeting
Cory Batza at a Malibu Starbucks, and at first
glance, she seems every bit the dancer I was
told about: tall and slender, yet surprisingly
tucked away behind a computer screen. I was
told she is an aerial dancer, a style I’ve only
heard of from the theatrical performances of
Cirque du Soleil.
We commence with the small talk, and I
ask her about her journey to Pepperdine. Batza is from Valencia, Calif., where she grew
up being very active. She practiced Kuk Sool
Wan, a form of Korean martial arts, for 12
years. She practiced ice skating for a number
of years as well and started dancing at the age
of 10.
“My parents have always supported me
in anything that I’ve been interested in. They
know that I am very driven and that I’m only
going to do things that I’m passionate about.
If I’m involved in it, I’m going to give it everything, and they’ve never said no to something
that I’ve wanted to do. Thank goodness they
gave me good judgment, too!” Batza says with
a laugh.
She admits that her initial entry into the
world of dance came with a slow start, but she
began to fall more and more in love with the
craft the more she became exposed to it. She
practiced ballet, joined her high school dance
team (although she felt the competition and
sport involved wasn’t exactly her thing) and
became a part of numerous arts programs,
including the California State School of the
Arts and the San Francisco Conservatory of
Dance, while finding mentors at a dance studio in West Hollywood known as Edge Performing Arts.
She speaks at length about the different
styles of dance that she has been fortunate
enough to be exposed to and practice. Her
training is extensive to say the least, and there
is a yearning of times long passed in her voice
as she fondly reminisces about her teachers
and her experiences.
Batza talks about one of her mentors introducing her to aerial dance for the first time,
and how she didn’t hesitate at the opportunity
to try something new, something bold, something daring with the same gusto she seems
to approach in all of her life endeavors.
“I jumped right on into it,” Batza says. “I
was never scared and that’s a huge part of aerial. You’re in the air, and you’re wrapping this
thing around your body and letting go and
hoping you did it right and that you’re not
going to fall. I think the fear of falling and
hurting yourself is what stops people from
progressing. But for me, that’s the fun and ex-
hilarating part of dancing.”
We speak at length about her progression
as an aerial dancer, and how she joined the
professional dance company based out of the
Westlake studio, Talent Lab, where she practices the unique style. Batza mentions how her
passion for dance led her to consider pursuing
it as a career, and she talks about a crossroads
she inevitably meets, one in which the road
chosen led her briefly away from dancing and
into the world of a college student, a world
full of new and unique challenges for the
young woman accustomed to embracing her
creative side.
The fear of falling
and hurting
yourself is what
stops people
from progressing.
But for me, that's
the fun and
exhilarating
part of dancing.
“It took me a long time to realize that
dance wasn’t going to be a passion that would
be a profession. I saw so many of my friends
struggling to make it their life, and that can
be very tolling on you as a person, physically and emotionally,” says Batza, who doesn’t
seem like she is quitting on her dream, but
rather realizing the cost of pursuing it. She is
very close with her family, and was unsure if
the constant traveling associated with the life
of a dancer was right for her at the time. She
CURRENTS 35
wanted a career in artistic dance as part of
a traveling company, shying away from the
Hollywood industry gigs available in nearby
Los Angeles, and realized that it would be a
struggle to try to force a passion for money
when she could still do it on the side and be
happy.
Batza transferred to Pepperdine in the fall
of 2011 with the hope of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and
still being close enough to continue dancing
with Talent Lab. She talks about her struggle
to fit in as a transfer student, wanting to become a part of the community and trying to
find her place within the university.
“Pepperdine has a very intense community. You are either all in or you’re not,” she
says, as she describes her initial disconnect
as a transfer student without a niche. “It was
hard. I was in sophomore and junior level
classes with people who already knew each
other and didn’t know who I was. I really
wanted to get involved so I ended up doing
Greek Recruitment, which was totally out of
my comfort level!”
Batza joined Delta Gamma, and although
she felt hesitant and unsure about it at first,
she describes her involvement as a huge part
of her Pepperdine experience that has allowed her to branch out. Batza would also
CURRENTS 36
go on to become a part of the Pepperdine
Ambassadors Council as well.
“I heard it was a way to be a student leader
on campus and give back to Pepperdine, and
those were two things I wanted,” says Batza,
who describes her experience with PAC as
one that has allowed her to connect with students and faculty on campus and help represent the university at the highest level possible. “PAC is definitely way up there among
things that I have thoroughly enjoyed being
a part of at Pepperdine. It is definitely part
of the more professional side of who I am.”
She attributes her time with PAC as allowing her to better network and grow socially, while becoming a part of the community that initially seemed foreign to her.
As our conversation veers further into her
academic and social endeavors at the university, I was surprised to learn that Batza, currently a senior, will be attending law school
here at Pepperdine, a far cry from her original dream to pursue professional dance. Batza embraces her decision whole heartedly,
and she says it shows how her time in college
has shaped her for her future.
We talk about her future as a dancer as
well, and Batza shows surprising maturity
in understanding the role her passion has
played in shaping who she is today.
“A huge part of who I am has been me as
a dancer ... I’m never going to stop dancing.
I don’t see myself ever giving it up. I have
decided to go to law school and pursue that,
but dancing will always be my passion. It will
always be what I love the most,” Batza says.
“I am so thankful for the ability to dance, and
have choices in life that have allowed me to
say ‘hey, this isn’t going to be everything.’ I’m
very thankful to also have school and have
that other avenue.”
As we wrap up the interview and say our
goodbyes, I can’t help but admire Batza in a
way I’ve never really admired someone before. She is gifted and talented with both her
left and right brain — a 3.97 GPA and an
incredible dancer to boot, with a clear understanding of who she is and what she is
passionate about. It’s a rare mind set for a
recent college graduate to have, and although
she may have her doubts about her future,
it seems as if the sky is the limit for Cory
Batza.
{0}
... The crowd holds its breathe in a collective moment of shock, as the dancer
falls amongst the tangled silks. But just as
effortlessly as she swayed and moved a
moment ago, she catches herself gracefully to the roar of all in attendance.
CURRENTS 37
BOTANIST
BRINGS
TRAILS TO LIFE
WRITTEN BY:
DANIELLEACCOVELLI
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
SHAWNJONES
With its breathtaking
views, spectacular floral life
and undisturbed natural
habitats, Malibu is the ideal hiking destination. It becomes easy to gain a true
appreciation for the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains. For Dr. Stephen Davis
and his biology students,
hiking these local trails
also provides them with
invaluable field experience
to study diverse species,
plants and other wildlife in
their original habitats.
CURRENTS39
"We are fortunate that we are in a natural landscape
with so many varieties of plants, so we walk places and
go hiking while learning things about the plants as we go
along" says Biology professor Stephen Davis.
A true lover of nature, Davis grew up on an apple ranch
in Graton, Calif., a small town in West Sonoma County,
and developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors at a
young age. When Davis became a professor at Pepperdine, he was surprised by how little students knew about
the landscapes surrounding Pepperdine and decided to
incorporate the ecology of Malibu into his biology class
curriculum. Along the way, Davis took students on many
local hikes and has developed some favorite spots he goes
back to year after year.
A short distance from Pepperdine is Solstice Canyon
National Park — a two-mile hike that promises spectacular views of a hidden waterfall at the trails end. According
to Davis, the canyon has survived devastating fires twice,
in 1982 and 2007, which allowed new plants to grow
around the ancient rock formations, making it an ideal
spot for a destination hike.
Not only does Solstice Canyon provide spectacular
views of wildlife, but it is also a great location for Davis' students to look at a diverse range of vegetation types.
Some of the plants were used by ancient Native Americans for medicinal purposes and are even still used today.
On March 7, one of Davis' classes participated in a new
program called Plant Ecology of Solstice Canyon with
home-schooled students. In this program, Pepperdine
students had the opportunity to share their knowledge
of these plants by taking the home-schooled students out
into Solstice Canyon for an interactive lesson.
"My students are now going to share their knowledge,
understanding and enthusiasm not only with homeschooled students, but with their parents as well" comments Davis, "so it's a really rich overall experience."
A little more removed from the Pepperdine and Mal-
CURRENTS40
ibu area is Sycamore Canyon, the sight of the devastating
Springs Fire in April 2013. Sycamore Canyon has proven
to be an ideal spot for Davis' students to measure and GPS
track different species of trees and observe their recovery
after last year's fire. This experience has also given his students the opportunity to learn hands-on about the plants,
while keeping up with the most important environmental
issues such as forest decline and climate change.
"It's real science with real issues that can scale to global
questions," Davis said.
Some of Davis' other favorite hiking destinations are
Castro Crest at the end of Corral Canyon, which offers an
awe-inspiring 360-degree panoramic view of the Malibu
area and Point Dume, which houses a variety of rare marine-adapted plants.
Davis also enjoys taking his students to the more remote hiking destination along Mishe Mokwa Trail. There
are views of huge boulder formations and tiny creeks filled
with rare and unusual native plant species such as adenostoma sparsifolium. Also known as redshank chaparral, this
rare tree-like plant with reddish-brown bark and white
flowers only blooms in July and August.
Although all of these hiking sites provide breathtaking views of the landscape and plant species, they have all
burned down at some point as well. Ironically, these fires
actually allow for magnificent floral displays that greatly
enhance the beauty of the trails. The fire acts as a cleanser,
allowing brand-new growth.
"These plants are adapted to fire, rejuvenated by fire
and can recover from fire and return to their natural form
after fire," Davis says. "They are really quite spectacular."
Every spring, these resilient plants rise out of the barren soil giving the hiking sites new life and exhibiting the
remarkable biodiversity of Malibu. Whether a biology
student or simply just taking a hike, these sights are sure
to make any Pepperdine student stop and appreciate the
beauty of the natural world in our own backyard.
CURRENTS41
TOP 10
SUMMER
SPOTS
WRITTEN BY:
JOANDALY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
SARAHATTAR
MONIQUEBATAC
ALEXANDERHAYES
MARISAPADILLA
BRANDONSCHEIRMAN
1
Horseback riding
You don’t need to travel to the Midwest to feel
like a real cowboy or cowgirl. Malibu has its own
equestrian trails and training sessions throughout
the summer. In between the country music on
the beach and line dancing at Borderline (yes, a
Pepperdine favorite), you might as well fully assimilate yourself into the country lifestyle. Malibu
Riders has one trail in Malibu, the Zuma Canyon
trail, and two in Agoura Hills. Splurge a little —
it’s $50 per person, and you can start to learn the
ropes of horseback riding etiquette, while enjoying the beautiful trail scenery and the company of
friends. You couldn’t pick a more stunning place
to ride.
INFO
http://www.maliburiders.com
CURRENTS 43
ZIPLINING
There are two kinds of Pepperdine students. Those
who are adventurous, and those who achieve the adventure solely through a semester of hiking to class. In other
words, those who walk and those who shuttle. Whether
the thrill of adventure runs through your veins or you’re
just trying to step out of your comfort zone, ziplining is
a must do trip this summer. Navitat Canopy Adventures,
located northeast of Los Angeles, is worth the two-hour
drive for an escape outdoors. You can choose from various
zipline tour packages, all of which include exploring the
beautiful tree habitats that California has to offer. Zipline
tours and packages run upward of $100, but for the adventurous soul, the price is well worth it. How often will
you get the opportunity to zip 300 feet above the forest
floor? Besides, Navitat and its ziplining adventures prove
that there’s so much more nature to explore than just the
beaches — although we’re not complaining about those.
Who knows, maybe the trees in the forest are good for
hammocking too.
2
Movies @ The
Hollywood Cemetery
The famous Hollywood Cemetery may not seem like
the typical venue for a Saturday night under the stars,
but anything goes in Hollywood, right? All summer
long, Fairbanks Lawn, located in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, hosts a variety of classic movies on a giant
projector for the public from May 19 to the end of the
August. Not only is it a fun and affordable adventure to
have with your friends, but it could also be a unique date
night idea for that special someone. Before the movie
plays, DJs spin some music to keep the scene vibin’. The
entrance donation is $10 and parking is $5. Be sure to get
there early to find a spot on the grass, lay out your blankets and bring out the picnic basket. Whether you’re out
with friends or a date, movies at the Hollywood Cemetery are an experience you can’t pass up!
4
INFO
www.navitat.com/wrightwood-ca/
INFO
www.cinespia.org/how-to/
BEVERLY HILLS
Stand-Up
Paddleboarding
We’ve all driven on PCH and glanced out at the
ocean, only to see people standing up on paddleboards,
rowing their paddles and serenely drifting on the glistening water. And in that moment, we wished that were us.
Stand-up paddleboarding is a growing trend in Malibu
and other beach communities. Renting board and paddle
equipment is easy at beach shacks like Malibu Surf Shack
or Zuma Jay’s. People drive from all over Los Angeles to
experience the Malibu waters and stunning views, so why
not take advantage of it while we’re here? To be a true
local, you gotta explore the Pacific. What a perfect way to
check this off your bucket list.
3
CURRENTS44
INFO
www.malibusurfshack.com/rentals
Weezer put it perfectly when they crooned, “Beverly Hills, that’s where
I wanna be!” Because if Malibu weren’t already good enough for us, Beverly Hills is just a short drive away for a taste of celebrity life and upscale
living. Get your friends together, dress in your Sunday best and spend the
day exploring the city! Grab breakfast burritos and sit on the steps of the
Rodeo collection in the heart of the city. You’ll be eating breakfast right
across from the lavish Beverly Wilshire Hotel with a prime view of the famous Rodeo Drive. Spend the day (window) shopping-till-you-drop and
cool off on a hot summer’s day with a sweet treat from The Ice Cream Lab
off Santa Monica Boulevard. Choose from all the delicious flavors made
right in front of you with liquid nitrogen. Can you say posh?
INFO
http://www.beverlyhills.org
5
6
Bay Cities
If there ever were a life-changing sandwich, Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery
makes it. You may be wondering how
something so simple can actually be so
transformative for your tastebuds. After
all, it’s just a sandwich right? Wrong. This
hole-in-the-wall Italian deli offers fresh
Italian ingredients and perfectly crispy
bread to create the ultimate satiating bite.
The local favorite is the “Godmother”
sandwich, which is appropriately referred
to as the godmother of all sandwiches. In
between warm Italian bread, the sandwich
consists of Genoa salami, Mortadella cappacola, ham, prosciutto, and provolone
cheese. Add in “The Works” with mayo,
mustard, onions, pickles, lettuce, tomato,
pickled hot or mild peppers and homemade Italian dressing. All of the flavors
in one perfect sandwich is enough to keep
you coming back all summer!
INFO
www.baycitiesitaliandeli.com
CURRENTS45
Hike to Hollywood sign
Get up close and personal with one of the
world's most recognized landmarks. It's more than
just a sign. It's what makes Los Angeles home to
the entertainment industry. The city of Hollywood
may be filled with celebrity impersonators, high
congestion and crowds of people, but hiking up to
the sign offers an entirely different experience. View
the city of angels from a more tranquil setting as
you hike along the Hollyridge Trail and take in the
beautiful skyline. It's the perfect summer activity
with friends, and it's completely free –– music to
the ears of college students everywhere.
7
LACMA
Concerts
8 Venice
beach
Mix up your summer routine with a short
drive down to one of the most eclectic beach
cities in Southern California. Rent a pair of
rollerblades or tandem bicycles for as little
as $5 per hour and ride along the beach path
with ice cream in hand. After you’ve worked
up an appetite in the sun, walk down to
Washington Boulevard for a delicious bite
(C&O’s Italian restaurant gives you garlic
knots for days!) and boutique shopping. But
for the best Venice experience, visit on the
first Friday of every month for a night filled
with food trucks, art galleries and live music.
Washington Boulevard street is closed off to
vehicles until 2 a.m. and open for the public
to enjoy a warm summer night dancing in
the streets!
Art galleries, free outdoor concerts and picnics on the
grass? Nothing screams summer more than live performances at the LACMA — or any other museum for that
matter. Some of the best museums in LA participate in
free concerts during the summer months on Sundays
with performances ranging anywhere from jazz, contemporary hip-hop, classical and Latin music. Spend the day
walking through art galleries, taking photos by the infamous lamp post exhibit “Urban Lights,” exploring the
La Brea Tar Pits and indulging in some of the tastiest
food trucks parked right outside. Take your food onto the
grass and enjoy the sounds of live bands in the heart of
the city with the LACMA as your backdrop.
9
INFO
www.lacma.org/programs/music/sundays-live
Griffith
Observatory
10
When you think of Los Angeles, stargazing isn’t exactly the first thing that comes
to mind. Sitting on top of the Hollywood hills, the Griffith Observatory is an escape
from the chaos of urban life and offers panoramic views of the city. You haven’t experienced the beauty of Los Angeles until you’ve visited the Observatory at night!
Giant telescopes align the site, allowing you to see vivid constellations and stars. Take
a look inside to see the planetarium and astronomy displays. Admission and parking
are free, and tickets for special events and shows can be found online. Viewing the
stars and city at 1,134 feet above sea level is an unforgettable experience well worth
the drive!
INFO
CURRENTS46
www.griffithobs.org
INSIDE
WOMEN’S SAND VOLLEYBALL
WITH
EMILY COOK
WRITTEN BY:
CHIRAGPATEL
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
MARISAPADILLA
Sand volleyball can still be considered a sport
in its infancy here at Pepperdine, but the university’s team has shown that it’s a sport that’s here
to stay. The outcome for the 2011-2012 season
— the first for the team — was an AVCA National Championship win. Their second season
saw them finish as the AVCA National Championship runner-up. The Waves entered their
current season as the AVCA No—1 ranked
team in the nation, and they look toward securing nothing short of another championship win
come May.
Senior Emily Cook grew up playing volleyball most of her life, and her skills allowed
her to play an important role for Pepperdine’s
indoor volleyball team. An unfortunate injury
derailed her ability to play, and her future on
the hardwood court of Firestone Fieldhouse
seemed uncertain. So she decided to head to
the beach.
CURRENTS 48
How were you first
introduced to volleyball?
What made you decide to pursue collegiate volleyball here at Pepperdine?
I’m from Murrieta Valley and started playing
when I was 9 years old. My parents got me
into it because I was tall and didn’t really like
any other outdoor sports. I started playing for
club and started playing beach when I was
12. I did both and never really had an offseason because I would always go from club to
beach. Then high school came around. I had
high school tryouts and made it to varsity my
freshman year. I played all four years there,
and switched to an Orange County club team
that was a little better and still continued to
play beach since I was 12 till now.
I got to Pepperdine through indoor volleyball. I got
recruited ... by [then Head Coach] Nina Matthies.
She didn’t really approach me ... she told me that
if I wanted to come here, I had to make the effort.
It was between [Pepperdine] and ASU, and I was
like, “Why would I want to go to the desert when I
can come here?” So I called [Nina] and said “I’m in,
let’s do this.”
CURRENTS 49
How were your first few
seasons as an athlete here?
Blending
Two
Worlds
I started my freshman year. It went really
well. I made All Freshman Team. Sophomore year I hurt my back. I worked all
summer to play again and of course the
first game, we were in Dayton and [the
score] was 6-7. A girl came up on the net
and I landed on her foot. It was a pretty
bad sprain. I didn’t think it was that bad,
I thought I could come back and play. I
tried. I came back a couple weeks later
and couldn’t land on the hard surface
anymore. It hurt so bad.
What was the rehab like
for the injury?
My trainer said we were going to take a
break. Over the summer I started playing beach and it just didn’t feel right. I
had my first MRI and it didn’t show anything and I said, “I need to go in again.
Something’s not right.” So my second
MRI, the doctor did find something.... I
had surgery and was on crutches for six
weeks, which was awful. It was my right
ankle so I couldn’t drive anywhere and
I live off campus! I did so much rehab
... crutches for six weeks and a boot for
four weeks after that ... then range of motion exercises, walking, light biking and
jogging ... then finally once winter break
came I was able to play full on. My rehab
was three times a week, an hour and a
half each time, with trainer Kevin Wright.
I wanted to get better. I was going fullmode. I took it slow, but wanted to get
the process going.
What was the plan,
volleyball-wise, after surgery?
I talked to Nina and said, “I’m getting surgery. I won’t be able to play
[indoor] the whole season. How do
you feel about me playing beach?”
She thought it would work perfectly.
I came back [to indoor] after my injury in early November but I couldn’t. It
was too hard. If I didn’t have surgery, I
wouldn’t be able to play full out on indoor or beach. I decided to have surgery to be able to go all in for beach. I
made the decision to be able to give
all my time and effort to just sand.
CURRENTS 50
Student veterans talk life after Afghanistan
WRITTEN BY:
MARIELLARUDI
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
SHAWNJONES
How has the sand volleyball
team been gearing up
for this season?
Pretty well. Intense. We have been conditioning since January, conditioning
and lifting. Three days a week, 6:30 in
the morning till 10. We won our first year
in the national championship and last
season, due to academic ineligibility, we
had to forfeit our first team. We found out
the week before that one of our players
couldn’t come...We only played four of
our teams out of five. We lost to Long
Beach in the last game. We want to
come back from that this year.
What are your goals after
Pepperdine?
I’m applying to grad school, and I still
have another year to play sand. I’m applying to Pepperdine and other schools
for film, and hopefully will play a little
more for sand after grad school.
Why do you feel this year’s
team has been ranked No. 1?
I feel like we are ranked No. 1 this year because we do have a really strong team.
We have a lot of players coming back,
and we have a strong core group of girls.
We know we have a target on our back
because we are ranked No. 1. Since it
is a growing sport, there are a lot more
teams this year. USC, Long Beach, they
have been training the same amount of
time we have, and I think they are going to be our biggest competition ... this
year everyone is going to be really good,
ranks one through five.
The current sand volleyball season
ends with the AVCA National Championships in Alabama from May 1
through 5. The team has been playing some spectacular volleyball thus
far in the season, holding onto their
No.—1 spot as they continue to push
toward the playoffs. Cook has been
able to move past her injury and has
been an integral part of the team in
their push for another championship
title.
CURRENTS 51
Joel Denning, 24, chose to meet at Heroes Garden, the summit of Pepperdine’s
Malibu campus. When the 9/11 tribute site doesn’t function as a background
for Instagram and sorority formal photo
shoots, it serves as a quiet respite from the
buzz of down below. Heroes Garden commands reflection and solicitude from its
guests. It’s an almost monastic experience.
Which is why Denning, a five-year Marine Corps veteran and Seaver sophomore,
came here to talk about his transition into
collegiate life as an incoming freshman.
His aviator sunglasses loyally reflect the
ocean view, the waving flag and the Magritte clouds.
Sunglasses still on, Denning recounted his aviation unit’s mortar attacks, angel
flights, airborne assault, aerial refueling,
planes catching on fire, and an engine exploding on the aircraft.
After surviving seven months in Afghanistan, Denning was admitted to Pepperdine for fall 2012. Now, he had to survive New Student Orientation.
“I wore a collared shirt the first day, was
going to all the events and transfer things.
And people didn’t sit near me,” Denning
said. Admittedly not the typical first year
student, he sensed that his new classmates
sensed that he was different.
One NSO leader sat down with Denning, who was eating alone, and Denning
informed him that he was a veteran.
“Oh, a veteran, like you transferred to a
lot of schools?” Not quite.
The transition was rough at first. And
for many student veterans going to college for the first time or going back after
serving in war, college has become the new
front. Some experience a disconnect from
their classmates or from the world itself.
“It’s a transition and its one that’s hard
to describe,” said veteran and junior Jessica
Egan. Which is why Egan, who served as
a Marine in Afghanistan for 11 months,
wanted to form an organization, support
group, networking aid, whatever it could
be, to bridge what she called an experience
and generation gap between student veterans and everyone else.
CURRENTS 52
Thanks in part to Denning’s suggestion
that his erstwhile crew chief and plane
captain “check out” Pepperdine, Egan at
25 enrolled as a psychology major, on a
pre-med track, in spring 2013. That same
semester she founded the Student Veterans Organization.
That semester was a “big culture shock
for lack of a better term. Marine mentality tends to be very distinct. And I think I
came here very wound tight. You’re coming from a place where being on time and
structure is everything,” Egan said. “I just
wanted to have a group for that transition,
but also to make people aware.”
Like Denning, she described her days
introducing herself as a Marine to mixed
reactions. She sometimes even felt like a
spectacle.
“This is obviously a generalization, but
people who I encountered didn’t really
know a lot about the military and they
didn’t know a whole lot about the war,
which is most of America. It’s been going
on for so long it’s that classic case of, ‘well,
it’s always been there,’” Egan said.
The SVA is geared toward supporting
student veterans, but the young student
organization also hopes to work the volunteer piece, get more information and
resources to and from its members, and to
identify itself as a presence to students less
informed about the veteran population.
There are 17 members.
Denning, Egan and 138 students are
able to go to Pepperdine because of the
Yellow Ribbon Program, a provision of the
Post-9/11 GI Bill.
“I was not going to go into debt for college,” Denning said. “It was never an option until the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which was
such a blessing to so many veterans. It’s
kind of a logistical nightmare to explain,
but in other words, I go here for free.”
The Post-9/11 GI Bill was passed in
2009 and that same year, Pepperdine adopted it, according to Lesbiz Tovar, an
adviser for student veterans and their
families at Pepperdine. The new GI bill
is unique from ones in the past because it
now transfers benefits to a spouse or child,
or dependents. Tovar said the majority of
Yellow Ribbon recipients at Seaver are dependents.
Pepperdine was one of the first private
schools in California to offer the Yellow
Ribbon program, which expanded the
scope of universities to veterans and their
families. Whatever the GI Bill gives depending on service and eligibility, Pepperdine awards half the difference between
the annual cap set by the Department of
Veteran Affairs (VA) and the cost of tuition and fees. All colleges and universities are different, but under the program,
Pepperdine offers an unlimited number of
students an unlimited maximum school
contribution amount to all schools and degree levels.
At the beginning of the 2009 academic
year, 36 students came to Pepperdine under the Yellow Ribbon program. In spring
2013, that number has grown to 140 students.
“I think it’s important to realize that
there are veterans who are going back
to school or going to school for the first
time,” Egan said. “Now with the wars
winding down, you’re going to see more of
that. And I think veterans are a pretty sizable percentage of the population and a lot
of them are young kids who did enlistment
and that’s kind of all they’ve known since
high school.”
Focusing on that transition and a solid
support system for veterans, Egan said, is
the goal.
Two years after the awkwardness that
was NSO, Dennings, an accounting major,
has meshed well with his new peers. Aside
from some jeering from his fellow Marines, Dennings joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, is Inter-Fraternity Council
president and vice-president of the Rugby
team.
His do-or-die mentality has adjusted to
a new life, busied with work, school and
marriage.
“After the marine corps, I like safe, I
like not getting shot at. Unless you’re an
accountant in Kabul, you’ll probably be
OK,” Denning said behind his sunglasses.
CURRENTS 53
REAL TALK
Relationships
CURRENTS 54
on Campus
WRITTEN BY:
KARADANNER
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
SAFEENAPADDER
CURRENTS 55
EDWIN HERRERA DURAN
O
n my first day of class at Pepperdine, my
professor joked that no one at Pepperdine
ever dates. Six months later, I overheard
several upperclassmen talking about getting a “ring
by spring.” Utterly confused, I thought to myself, “I
thought no one dated? Come spring of senior year,
am I going to be single one day and married the
next? Where’s the in-between?” It’s two years later
and I still don’t have the answer, so I asked two single Pepperdine students, two engaged students and
two married students what they thought.
When did you start dating and how
did you meet?
Do Pepperdine students have different
relationship expectations?
Mrs.: We started dating December 2011 and got married July 27th, 2013.
Mrs.: I think for a Christian couple, it’s expected that
they’re going to stay pure.
Mr.: We met in high school. She was a freshman when
I was a junior and she started dating one of my friends.
They broke up, but it had nothing to do with me. Then
we started dating a few months later.
Mr.: It depends on whom you talk to. I think we have
a wide variety of perspectives because not everyone
goes to Pepperdine for the religious aspects.
Mrs.: Faith is a big one. Someone who has the same
values as you and is a believer so the two of you can
work on that together.
Mr.: Somebody who is forgiving, willing to support you
and someone who you are attracted to.
What is the presence of relationships like
at Pepperdine?
Mrs.: What I’ve gotten from everyone is that there’s no
presence of relationships and no dating life. That’s the
biggest complaint I hear in my small groups is that it’s
either nothing or it’s really serious. There’s no in-between dating. I never hear any of my friends say “Oh,
I’m going on a date.”
CURRENTS 56
[SINGLE]
at Pepperdine?
What expectations do you have and what
do you look for in a potential
relationship?
Have your relationship views changed
since coming to Pepperdine?
[NEWLYWEDS]
do you look for in a potential relationship?
[SINGLE]
At Pepperdine there are only two types of relationships.
Either people meet, start dating, and spend every minute with each other and eventually get engaged or the
couple only hooks up and they aren’t necessarily exclusive with each other.
JUSTIN & TAYLER BECK
Mrs.: I think they just reaffirm them more than they
change them. Pepperdine kind of keeps you accountable. When I went to California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, it was crazy, everyone was
doing whatever he or she wanted with anyone.
Mr.: I don’t think mine really have. One of the reasons I
chose Pepperdine is because it aligns with my views.
I grew up in the Church of Christ, so Pepperdine just
reinforced my relationship views.
JAZMINE OROZCO
My views have changed a little. There was a time freshman year I wanted a relationship bad because I wanted to spend all my time with one special person. Then
I realized I’m young, in college, and can’t be tied down
by another person.
Pepperdine students have totally different expectations of a relationship than most college students. Over
time, being exposed to such polar opposite styles of
relationships, forces one to choose a side, so people
either become that couple that does everything together and posts annoying love photos or the person
that just hooks up and doesn’t want anything serious.
Currently I would say I have no expectations in a relationship because I am not seeking a relationship.
I like someone who spends time with me, but not all
their time. Someone who is spontaneous and makes
me try new things but also has some sort of stability.
Someone who can confront me and not be passive
aggressive.
I have to be friends with the person for quite some
time just to get a gauge of what they are like in different types of situations when they’re not trying to
impress me. Every girl says they want someone who
can make them laugh and who’s their best friend, but
at the end of the day I think that trust and loyalty are
underrated and not emphasized enough.
Absolutely. I transferred to Pepperdine as a junior,
and the relationship culture at my other university is
entirely different than what I thought it to be here. I
was in a relationship the entire time there, so coming here I wanted to focus on myself and my goals. I
don’t have room in my life for any sort of committed
relationship. I don’t know if that reflects on how busy
everyone at Pepperdine is or just me personally.
at Pepperdine?
There are very few relationships at Pepperdine that
are private. Everyone knows who’s in a relationship,
who’s single and how their relationship or lack thereof is going. Everyone is very involved in things that I
feel should be kept between two individuals.
It depends on what community you are most heavily involved in. Some people feel pressured to join
a couples Bible study or to move things faster than
they’re ready to so that people know they’re dating.
It really just depends who they surround themselves
with, but I think its pretty typically with people our
age in general there are always these kinds of pressures on relationships.
CURRENTS 57
CHRISTINA HARPER & DANIEL MATTOX
[ENGAGED]
When did you start dating and how
did you meet?
Christina: We started dating last March, but we’ve
known each other all four years of Pepperdine, since
freshman year. We laugh about it now because we’ve
done everything together. We went abroad to Buenos
Aires together, we were NSO leaders together, but we
were always in different groups. So until we talked
one-on-one, there wasn’t anything there.
Christina: Absolutely. Here, it’s really high pressure.
Even a couple months in people ask, “Are you in love?
Is he the one? Are you guys going to get married?” At
other schools, it’s different. My friends at public, secular schools say the hookup comes first and then you
decide if you want to date and it’s not serious and you
can date for three years and it still may not be serious.
What expectations do you have, and what
Daniel: People here date for marriage. They don’t date
just to get to know people or get to know themselves
and what they like.
Christina: My biggest expectation was that I just wanted to meet someone and find someone who loved
God and who was a loving person, not only to me, but
also to others. But, God was first.
Daniel: I had the same expectation, that’s why I think
it worked out so well. I think that when you love God,
then you’re going to love other people and have very
similar goals.
What is the presence of relationships
like at Pepperdine?
Daniel: I’ve noticed this year, there’s a lot more people
dating. For the most part there’s a lot of pressure on
it. If you date someone then people are really nervous
about it. I came from a high school where no one made
a big deal about it, but if you date here, it’s a huge deal.
Christina: I think it’s hard too because it’s such a small
school and everyone knows everyone’s business.
Before we were even dating people were saying, “Oh
Christina and Daniel are dating.” And I was like, “what,
no we’re not!” In my mind, I was thinking he hasn’t
asked me to be his girlfriend. Pepperdine’s such a
small school compared to a public school where people date and break up and it’s fine and you move on.
CURRENTS 58
BEATING
CLOCK
THE
WRITTEN BY:
DANIELLEDIMEGLIO
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
MONIQUEBATAC
Christina: I don’t think they’ve really changed. I’ve been
surprised because I think that you can date someone
and if it doesn’t work out, you break up and it’s fine. But
at Pepperdine, that doesn’t happen. Everything is on a
huge scale and everything is a big deal. But my views
of dating someone who I can see myself with haven’t
changed.
Daniel: I come from a background that says you can
date someone and not marry them, which is totally
opposite of Pepperdine. I think people should date for
marriage, but not make a big deal if it doesn’t work out
because it’s still a learning experience and you both
grow from it. The pressure shouldn’t be there. Dating
isn’t as big of a deal as people make it out to be.
I
t was a warm day in Worcester, Mass. — warm enough
for a picnic and some good
old-fashioned flag football. Nineyear-old John Cormier watched
as his father sprinted left, then
faked right, clutching the ball
to his chest and moved swiftly
toward yet another touchdown.
In his genes, John shares his
father’s height, athleticism and a
rare (and deadly) disorder.
CURRENTS 59
Another spin to the right on another
play, his father couldn’t help but laugh
as he chased down the opposition and
lunged forward to pull off the flag. He
landed on his chest, yet again, a valiant competitor worthy of another point
just for his effort. Only this time, John’s
father had trouble getting up. Time
seemed to stop. His father ached of severe pain in his stomach and was too
weak to continue.
Panicked, family members rushed
him to the hospital. Everyone would
soon learn that he was experiencing an
abdominal aortic rupture, one he didn’t
know he had. But by the time doctors
made the diagnosis, it was too late.
Unbeknownst to John, that rare disorder would claim the life of his father
that day and change John’s life forever.
Doctors regretfully informed his family that John’s father had passed away
from Marfan Syndrome, a connective
tissue disorder that can lead to severe
damage in the cardiovascular system.
CURRENTS 60
Marfan is passed down genetically. After a series of tests, John would learn
within weeks of his father’s death that
he, too, had the same disorder.
From that point forward, John lived
his life thinking he would die at the age
of 37, the same age his father fell victim
to the condition.
{0}
Tick, tick. John Cormier made it past
37, and counting, but it hasn’t been
easy. Now 43 years old and an academic adviser at Pepperdine University for
the past two years, he leads me into the
conference room of OneStop for our
scheduled interview. He’s a tall man in
a nice suit, instantly warm and genuine.
We take our seats at the table and he
immediately hands me a grocery bag.
Perplexed, I asked what was inside.
“Home-made pesto sauce with gnocchi
pasta to take back to the dorm. Cooking
is my hobby and I often cook for fellow
employees,” he said. The way the pas-
ta looked and smelled, I was more than
happy to accept the kind gesture.
John grew up 30 minutes outside
of Boston in Worcester, a rural, steel
mill town. “The film ‘American Hustle’
filmed there because the buildings and
surroundings still haven’t changed,” he
said laughingly as he reminisced over
his childhood town.
As employees at the University of
Massachusetts, John’s father worked
as a medical librarian for the Memorial
Hospital in Worcester and his mother
worked at the university as a secretary
for a psychiatrist. He grew up in a blue
collar, Catholic home with his younger
brother and sister.
John tells me he was an active kid.
He’d often play in the woods and ride
his bicycle around town. His favorite
pastime was riding bicycles. On weekends, he would fix up muscle cars and
soup up the engines. There wasn’t
much nightlife in his rural town so he
passed the time doing repairs and stay-
ing outdoors.
“After my dad died, I didn’t really
think about my condition until high
school. I was only aware of it because
other people treated me differently. I
was the kid whose dad had died. It emphasized the mortality issue even more
because I thought I was only going to
live as long as my dad did.”
Without any published research
readily available, medical organizations
or proper technology at the time, John
suspected his timeline to be that of his
father’s. Doctors never told him otherwise. The lack of information available
led to several rounds of testing. “I was
poked and prodded by specialists who
were trying to understand my condition.
I was kind of treated like a lab animal.”
Through all the testing, which was
both mentally and physically exhausting, John remained stoic. He had faith
in his doctors. He tells me that acting
angry or defying his doctors would only
harm himself. He did exactly as they
told him, without any defiance or hesitation. He still does. Tough for a young adolescent at the time, but he knew there
wasn’t a choice.
When John graduated high school
and enrolled at UMass, he was ready to
start a new phase in his life. “It wasn’t
until I went to college and started studying philosophy that I wasn’t afraid of living anymore.”
His college years completely altered
his views on life as he studied different philosophies of mortality. He studied psychology in depth and began
self-conscious reflection of his own
existence. Though his studies were
transformative in many ways, nothing
changed the fact that death felt so near.
“There wasn’t a physical reality that I
was going to live through anything until
I actually lived through it.”
Tick, tick. There it was again. The
ever so soft ticking sound of what
seemed to be a clock in the conference
room. But there was no clock. I ignore it.
He continues on.
He pours me a cup of coffee and
is rather calm as he continues to talk
about the severity of his condition. He
never once sheds a tear or becomes
overwhelmed with emotion. For someone who has felt the presence of death
his whole life, he remains technical
in his descriptions — informative, yet
somewhat distant in his detailed recollections.
He tells me about the high-risk surgeries he’s had over the years and the
aortic valve replacement surgery he
had in college. “There was going to
be a 70 percent chance of paralysis. I
knew the potential risks, but I had to go
through with it, and thankfully, I did not
fall victim to that 70 percent.”
Since then, he’s had two more major
open-heart surgeries, one to replace the
descending aortic valve and another to
fix unexpected failures from his previous surgeries. "That’s the thing about
Marfan," he says, "just because you
go through with the surgeries doesn’t
mean everything will miraculously be
resolved." He has a 21-inch scar on his
back to prove it.
“When you’re under [anesthesia] for
14 hours, you don’t come out the same
person. Mentally, I used to be very analytical and I’m not anymore. I also try
to go on walks as much as possible and
remain very active. I don’t know what I’d
do without walking.”
The months in recovery were extremely trying, but John found ways to
help his ailments subside.
“After my dad died, I spent a lot of
time alone and I would buy a lot of comedy records. Coming out of surgeries,
Jimmey Kimmel’s humor and Rufus
Wainwright’s music helped me through
to recovery and distracted me from the
pain.”
As John reflects on the songs and
comedy skits that helped him stay
strong, he tells me he never thought
that a future reality was possible or that
he would still be alive today. He never spent time preparing for the future,
such as thinking about raising a family or planning retirement. Instead, he
chose to enjoy life and embrace each
moment while he still could, so much so
that he created a bucket list with a trip
to Australia at the very top.
“I’ve always wanted to see a Cassowary bird. To be something that big and
complex and the fact that humans are
entering their environment and they’re
becoming extinct, I just had to see the
thing. I had my passport in hand and
just booked a flight to Australia.”
For those students who visit John in
OneStop, you can see pictures from his
trip hanging in his office.
“It was one of the best trips of my life.
There are so many other things I hope
to check off my list one day.”
We continue to talk about different
places in the world that he would love
to visit like Aruba or Barcelona, and I finally ask him what brought him to the
West Coast from Worcester.
He tells me how he traveled back
and forth between California and Massachusetts for about 14 years. He has
family here, but he especially enjoys
the warmer weather. “Coming out here
was just for me. I wanted a place to live
where I could go for a walk year round
and not deal with the hampering of New
England cold weather. I’m on blood
thinners, which would make the cold
more difficult to deal with over there.”
Once he moved to Southern California, he applied for a position at
OneStop, which he found online and
was later asked to become an academic
adviser. “I was looking for a job where I
wouldn’t have to commute very far and
I would be around like-minded people
who share the same sense of ethics and
Christian values.”
“I really care about the students who
come in here and that’s what I take
pride in. If people need me to come in
early or stay late, I will do so.”
As I stare down at his prepared dish
and my soon-to-be dinner, I know he
means it.
Tick. Tick. “Do you hear that sound?”
he asks. The room goes silent, except
I can faintly hear the soft ticking noise
once again. I nod yes.
“If I’m in a quiet room with other people, they can hear the ticking. It’s the
cusps opening and closing from the
carbon aortic valve in my heart. I live
with that sound in my head every moment of my life ... It took me about a year
to block out the sound.”
I listen closely again in awe. I had
never met anyone who had gone
through so much and remained so
mentally strong. Every audible beat of
his heart reminds John not only of his
condition, but also of his strength and
all he has overcome.
CURRENTS 61
Let the awakening be the renewal.
[sixwordstory]
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
MONIQUEBATAC
Everyone responds to
change in a unique way.
Some struggle with the
darkness that tries to
consume them, while
others embrace the
awakening. In the end,
all we are left with are
learned experiences, a
fresh start and a feeling
of hope.
CURRENTS 63
HOW TO
CONFRONT
POST-GRAD
ANXIETIES
WRITTEN BY:
JENNAWELSH
What's your major? We've all been asked
this question at least once (OK, probably a
hundred times) throughout college. Then the
dreaded following question: What are you
going to do with that? It's a question that
tends to send a shiver of fear down your spine
... or maybe that's just me. For some, the idea
of graduating is exciting — the world is your
canvas on which to paint your unique future.
But let's be real. For most of us, it's just plain
scary. Top fears include securing a job, paying off student debt, finding a place to live,
coping with living completely independently
and leaving the predictability of college and
classes. For Pepperdine in particular, the 712
seniors who currently comprise this academic
year's graduating class are charged with the
impending task of confronting these fears
CURRENTS 70
head-on. Yet their post-graduation anxieties are fears they may have been confronting
since their first year of college. Although the
emotional whirlwind accompanying these seniors' upcoming graduation is likely bringing
such anxieties to the forefront, confronting
them actually doesn't have to be too scary.
Below are some of the common anxieties
echoed by Pepperdine students along with
some tips on how to handle them.
"Oh crap, where am I gonna go
from here?"
- Freshman Michelle Sastraatmadja
Freshman Michelle Sastraatmadja expressed a broad fear with her first thought on
post-graduation. So if you're like Michelle
and still have no clue what you want to
do when you graduate, just breathe and
remember the world is vast. You have
time to explore different internships
and opportunities — this will help build
your resume while also exploring what
you're genuinely passionate about.
"The thought of actually
managing my own money and
finances really freaks me out."
- Freshman Rachel Hews
Calling yourself a "broke college student" is a common joke throughout college, but once you graduate, that laughter quickly escalates to tears. Managing
your money and other responsibilities,
however, isn't as scary as it seems. The
biggest tip for alleviating the stress of
money management is to start now.
Excel has some very straightforward
templates specifically for college students to use when creating their first
budget. By learning such budgeting
skills now, you'll be in the habit of creating a manageable budget, and by the
time you graduate you'll be in the habit
of balancing your finances. See: http://
office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/
college-student-budget-TC102264317.
aspx
"I watch my friends internships
turn into their dream jobs, but I'm
worried that my internship won't
do the same."
- Michelle Sastraatmadja
Sometimes it can be hard to look at
people who seem like they have it all together, while you feel utterly lost and a
complete mess. Just remember, even if
your internship doesn't turn into your
dream job, it's the experience that matters. It's something on your resume that
wasn't there before. Experience is experience, which always adds value to you
as a future employee. Also, enjoy each
step of your life, breathe, and realize
what you're doing right now isn't necessarily what you'll be doing a year or
even a month from now.
"I'm most nervous about
starting all over again."
- Freshman Max States.
The idea of starting over is a really
scary one. But just think back to when
you were in high school coming to Pepperdine. Even if you knew some people
here, the whole idea of finding classes,
making friends and fitting in were all
things that probably ran through your
mind. With each new step in life, there
are new challenges and lessons to be
learned. But you made it this far, so you
are clearly adapting to your life as you
grow. Again, breathe — probably the
easiest and most useful tool for getting
through anything — and allow yourself
to learn and fully experience everything.
"The struggle to be actually
successful and respected in my
job is what's really
nerve-wracking."
- Junior Kevin Daniel
Competition and success are two
things that drive our society (I know, I
know, I'm playing the let's blame society card). This can either be helpful or
utterly terrifying. Just keep in mind the
reason why you're going after the job
you are, and focus on setting short-term
goals to help you achieve your longterm dream of success. Think about
what you struggle with the most. Do
you have trouble staying motivated with
your schoolwork? Start out by setting a
weekly goal of how many pages you're
going to study for your political science
quiz or how much work you're going to
tackle on that English paper each day
until the deadline. Take small steps at
first, and soon these goals will just become part of your second-nature.
Be cautious though and try not to
think too far ahead. Take time to enjoy life. Go to the beach, dip your toes
in the warm sand, take a deep breath of
fresh air and find a reason to smile —
because life is scary, but it can also be
a blessing. It all depends on your perspective.
CURRENTS 71
LET’S
GET
CRAFTY
WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
ALEXANDERHAYES
CURRENTS 72
CURRENTS 73
Hot glue the twigs tightly
side-by-side to your jar or
tin can. Try painting the
jar or can for extra color to
show through.
CRAFT
Secure the twigs with twine
or any other fabric you may
find lying around. This step
is optional as the glue will
fully secure the twigs, but
you may want to add your
own touch.
WHAT YOU
NEED
CURRENTS 74
•
•
•
•
used jar or tin can
bundle of twigs
hot glue or twine
flowers
Accent with the flowers to
your liking. Mix it up by adding unique flowers, plants
or foliage you find. Keep an
open eye — beauty is all
around you.
CURRENTS 75

Currents Magazine, Spring 2014 - Seaver College

Transcription

Similar documents

Pepperdine Vacation Lectureship-

Welcome Guests Thanksgiving in April Today at Conejo... Randy

May - Malibu/Bel-Air Republican Women Federated

Volume 4, Number 2 - Pepperdine Digital Commons

mooncake order form final print no trim

careers in public policy - School of Public Policy

Currents Magazine, Spring 2012 - Seaver College

Pepperdine University 2015-2016 Guide for Parents

You`re invited to the 3nd annual Weenie Roast

BROCHURE-ACQUALINA MIAMI