connection_2005_04_27 (new window)

Issue 335 Volume 43, Number 8 April 27, 2005
IN THIS ISSUE
•
STUDY TIPS AND ANXIETY, 12-13
•
Copyright protected
FINALS SCHEDULE, 14-15
page 2
04/27/05
Scholarships
The Connection Staff
Matt Foster
Managing Editor
Kat Hale
Assistant Managing
Editor
Metro Campus
La Shawn Baker
Editor
Lee Brennan
Associate Editor
Northeast Campus
Toni Hill
Editor
Emily Ramsey
Associate Editor
Southeast Campus
Lindsay Madeja
Editor
Steven Eiler
Associate Editor
West Campus
Stephen McPherson
Editor
Clinton Harmon
Associate Editor
Joey De
Entertainment Editor
Barbara Cotzias
Business Manager
Kim Spencer
Data Entry
Darlene Horner
Photographer
Allan Weintraub
Faculty Adviser
THE TCC CONNECTION
Lowes Educational
Scholarship
One of 10 scholarships will be
awarded to Tulsa Community
College students for the Fall
2005 and Spring 2006 semesters
in the amount of $1,000 for 12
credit hours, $500 for 11 credit
hours and $ 400 for eight credit
hours.
Applicants must be 18 years
of age and business, vocational
or technical majors. They must
maintain a 2.0 GPA and success-
fully complete 75 percent of Fall
2005 classes. Deadline July 1,
2005.
The DREAM Institute
Scholarship
A one-time scholarship award
of up to $250 will be awarded to
students with physical or learning disabilities, attend higher
education institutions and are in
need of additional help such as
tutoring services. Applications
can
be
obtained
at
www.dreaminstitute.org
there is no deadline.
Future Teachers Scholarship
The Oklahoma State Regents
for Higher Educations has created
the
Future Teachers
Scholarship Program to motivate
individuals to become educators
for the public schools of
Oklahoma in subject areas critically short of teachers.
Eligibility
requirements
include a high school gpa rank-
While you attempt to
keep your stress level
down from finals, try
finding these words
on the cover...
books
caffeine
campus
college
community
essay
exam
fafsa
fail
finalsscheduleissue
future
gpa
grades
graduate
headache
homework
honors
major
metro
motivation
northeast
pass
pressure
reports
scholarship
semester
southeast
stress
student
study
tests
tuition
university
west
Puzzle and cover design by Kat Hale
and
ing in the top 15% or ACT or
SAT score ranking in the top
15% or admission to a professional education program at an
accredited Oklahoma Institution
of higher education or an undergraduate record of outstanding
success, as defined by the institution. Scholarship recipients must
maintain a 2.5 gpa and agree to
teach for a minimum of three
consecutive years for Oklahoma
public schools. Deadline is May
15, 2005.
Advertising Deadlines
909 S. Boston Ave. Rm. G-3
31
Tulsa, OK 74119
Phone: (918) 595-7
7388
E-M
Mail: [email protected]
Deadline
Apr 14
Apr 28
May 26
June 16
July 7
On Stands
Apr 27
May 11
June 8
June 29
July 20
page 3
TEACHER
SPOTLIGHT:
CHRIS BROWN
Lee Brennan
Metro Associate Editor
TCC Metro has a reputation for
having educators who provide memorable learning experiences in the
classes they teach. One such educator is Astronomy and Physics
Instructor, Chris Brown.
While he is well known for being
an effective instructor in the Physics
classes he teaches, his Astronomy
courses are among the most popular
with Metro students. He teaches
field and general astronomy with a
hands on approach. Highlights in his
classes include viewing stars
through a telescope and field trips to
the Mounds Observatory.
“He is an excellent teacher,” said
student Warren Osborn. “He does a
[wonderful] job of explaining
things.”
“He is well liked. His classes
always fill up,” said Instructor
Claude Bolze. One memory Bolze
reflected on was he and Brown had
lunch with Jim Lovell, the famous
pilot of Apollo 13, when Lovell
came to Tulsa.
Brown’s career at Metro, which
spans nearly 30 years, is a testament to his commitment to the college and its students.
Allan Weintraub, who began
teaching with Brown in 1976 said,
“There isn’t anyone who has met
him that doesn’t like him. He has an
enormous tolerance for everybody.”
The effects of his course have a
positive impact on his students as
well, giving them an enhanced
view of the world and universe
they live in. “His class gives you a
whole new perspective of the universe,” said one of Brown’s former
students, Aaron Ballinger. “I really
enjoyed it.”
In addition to teaching, Brown is
also a member of the Astronomy
Club of Tulsa and is well known for
his passion for cycling and the environment. Matching that passion is a
reputation that follows Chris Brown
as an exceptional educator.
04/27/05
THE TCC CONNECTION
TCC gears up for three major construction projects
Stephen McPherson
West Editor
TCC has more than $43
million worth of construction
projects planned or in
progress.
Among the construction
projects currently underway
is the remodeling of the first
second floors of TCC’s
Metro Campus. Also under
construction are the “First
Stop” centers on the
Northeast and Southeast
Campuses, with a combined
construction total of $4.5
million.
According to a college
press release, the First Stop
Centers will provide a visible
welcome area for college visitors with access to admissions, counseling, testing and
financial aid services within
close proximity of computer
terminals used for selfenrollment. The centers are
designed to provide prospective students and visitors
with an attractive environment and easily accessible
information and enrollment
services.
Projects expected to begin
in 2005 include the Medical
and Biotechnology Learning
Center, a 47,000 square foot,
$8 million center made possible by the passage of
Vision 2025. TCC and government officials will break
ground on the facility Apr
25, on a lot adjacent to the
SEC Mathematics & Science
Building. The center is
designed to teach the latest
developments in biotechnology and help train lab assistants and nursing students to
promote growth in the
healthcare sector and serve
health facilities located in
and around Tulsa.
In 2006, TCC administrators hope to begin construction of a new $5.5 million,
30,000 square foot West
Campus Mathematics and
Science Building. Current
WC science and math classes
are already at a 98 percent
fill rate, and officials believe
lion, 70,000 square foot
Metro Campus facility called
the
Center
for
the
Advancement of Learning.
The building will house
TCC’s major mainframe
computer operations and
MC’s computer lab, and will
provide: cutting-edge labs
for programs in journalism,
digital video, and graphics
design. Also provided is a
state-of-the-art multi-media
production facility to support
TCC’s cable channel and
public programming by government and computer
organizations. Technology
housed at the center will be
available to develop and
2006 to begin construction of
a city-led Fire Training
Center on the Northeast
Campus.
TCC donated land to the
City of Tulsa so the $14 million, 360,000 square-foot
training facility could be
built next to the Northeast
Campus. The training center
will be used by area fire
departments,
specialized
units (such as urban search
and rescue teams), and private or governmental agencies who need first-response,
disaster-preparedness and
homeland security-related
training (including seminars
and conferences). The facili-
Northeast Campus’ First Stop center is part of the construction /remodeling plan.
TCC’s growing enrollment
numbers, particularly at the
WC, will only expand the
need for core classes like science and mathematics.
TCC administrators also
plan on opening a $10.5 mil-
deliver distance and online
learning programs and courses. TCC currently provides
more online and telecourse
credit courses than any other
college in the state.
Officials also hope in
ty will provide a state-of-theart lab and also training
space for students who attend
TCC through the Fire and
Emergency
Services
Program each year.
Exploring other cultures through international film festival
Steven Eiler
Southeast Associate Editor
April 12-21 students had
an opportunity to expand
their cultural horizons by
attending the international
film festival held at the
Southeast Campus. The
event, described as “a ten day
trip around the world in the
SEC auditorium,” exhibited
films from places as diverse
as China, Iran, Cuba and
New Zealand.
The event opened with
“Short Cut,” a film actually
created by TCC Film Dept.
Division Chair Dr. Vivian
Clark-Adams and her family.
Other highlights included
the Academy Award nominated picture, “Children of
Heaven,” (a heartwarming
story about an
Iranian brother
and sister innocently looking for
a lost pair of shoes
in a not-so-innocent world), and
“Sankofa,”
an
African movie.
The Student Activities
office contributed to the
event by providing the facili-
ty where the movies were
shown and snacks that coordinated with each movie. For
example, when “Children of
Heaven” was screened,
baklava (a traditional Iranian
dish) was served.
Baklava, a nutty
sweet pastry was
served during
the screening of
“Children of
Heaven.”
Each picture was handpicked by one of the film
instructors at the school, and
all those involved in the planning process made sure the
festival displayed a wide
variety of diverse cultures.
SEC Global Delegate Ann
Malloy (who teaches art, film
and humanities) organized
the event with other teachers
in the film department.
Malloy expressed her strong
feelings about the impact
films can have. “Film is the
most powerful artform in the
world. It gives us a chance to
look at a culture from its own
viewpoint, not just from ours
or through the American
mass media filter.”
page 4
04/27/05
CD REVIEW:
Let’s go far, far away with Eisley
Steven Eiler
Southeast
Associate Editor
Every
so
often, a group of
musicians comes
along that can
evoke an emotion
that other art doesn’t
commonly
reach. Eisley is
such a group, and
their debut album,
“Room Noises,”
(Reprise Records)
is a glorious paean
to childhood fantasy.
Made up of three sisters,
their brother and their best
friend, Eisley is not a typical
group of players. They grew up
in the small town of Tyler,
Texas, and without the aid of a
television or a big city for
entertainment, they chose to
pick up some instruments and
learn how to play.
If music can sound meek or
humble, this does. There are no
flashy guitar solos (or any solos
for that matter) and
every member contributes equally. All
three girls trade off on
vocal duties, and when
they sing together their
delicate voices blend
perfectly. Most of the
songs are straightforward pop-rock songs,
but through the hands or
throats of anyone else,
they wouldn’t have the
same effect.
The lyrics may best be
summed up in the line, “I shall
never grow up. Make believe is
much too fun.” The opening
tune, “Memories,” tells the
story of a wide-eyed farmer and
wife, amazed by the process of
seeds growing. The song
“Golly Sandra” could be about
an old friend or a doll. And
honestly, when is the last time
you heard someone use the
word “golly” in a set of lyrics?
“Marvelous Things” is about
just that—‘a bat with butterfly
wings’ and ‘mermaid-entwined
shrubbery.’ Even if the some of
the songs aren’t written specifi-
THE TCC CONNECTION
WIBC in town at Riverlanes
Lee Brennan
Metro Associate Editor
cally about a fantastical dream
world, they sound like they
were written by people who
live there. Even the love songs
seem to be taken from old
romantic poetry or from a children’s book.
Regardless of whether you
like the words or not, Eisley’s
music speaks emotionally
enough on its own to merit
many repeated listens.
With “Room Noises,” the
members of Eisley have taken a
trip to a faraway place that
most of us haven’t visited in a
long while, and by listening to
the album, you have a chance
to go with them.
The
2005
National
Championship for the Women’s
International Bowling Congress
is currently being held at the
Riverlanes Bowling Center. The
78-day event started on Apr. 9,
and will run until June 28.
Approximately 40,000 women
will come to Tulsa in the hope
of leaving with a championship.
The categories for the WIBC
championship are team events,
singles
and
doubles.
Competition times are 7:30
a.m., 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 7:30
p.m., and 10:30 p.m. Spectators
can come enjoy the events at
these times every day until the
culmination of the championship on June 28.
Tulsa was chosen as the site
for the championship five years
ago after bidding against
Detroit, Michigan and Salt Lake
City, Utah. Riverlanes was then
chosen to be the exclusive site
for the event.
“It’s been great,” said
General Manager Steve Inasy.
He also said spectator turnout
has been good and the events
are going well.
Riverlanes bowling center is
located at 8711 South Lewis
Ave. For more information, go
to WIBCTournament.com, or
you can visit the Riverlanes
website at riverlanes.biz. Don’t
miss the opportunity to go and
witness the exciting championship competition for yourself.
Michelle McDaniel (left) and
Kim McDaniel Wiley at
Riverlanes.
Darlene Horner
The cost of being “Normal”
Steven Eiler
Southeast Associate Editor
The
Broken
Arrow
Community Playhouse presented “Flowers for Algernon”
April 1-10. Based on the 1967
novel by Daniel Keyes,
“Flowers for Algernon” is the
sad story of a man who wants
to be “normal,” and the scientific experiment that tries to
make him “normal.”
Charlie Gordon, the main
character, is a mentally retarded man in his early thirties who
desperately wants to be smart.
When his teacher hears about a
project that a group of scientists has been developing to
drastically increase a patient’s
intelligence, she thinks it might
be what Charlie is looking for.
The operation works, and
Charlie surpasses everyone in
his genius, even the scientists
who helped him to do so. But
as time goes on, Charlie notices
that Algernon, one of the mice
tested before him, is changing.
He realizes that he may see his
fate played out in a tiny mouse,
and that he has no control over
what will eventually happen to
his mind.
James Wallace, who played
Charlie, went to school in
Oklahoma, and later received a
Master’s degree in theater from
Essex University in Colchester,
England.
His performance was outstanding from start to finish,
with convincing mannerisms
and speech that shifted along
with his character’s mental
state. When he first walked on
stage, his posture and voice,
and even a slight twitch in his
hand, were obviously those of a
mentally challenged man. As
each scene changed, so did he,
almost as if he had to memorize
not only a great number of
lines, but also a great number
of slightly different characters
to speak the lines.
The supporting cast, a group
made up of all ages and levels
of theater experience, also performed well, but Wallace carried the story. The next performance at BACP will be
“Godspell,” June 3-12. Call
258-0077 for more information.
THE TCC CONNECTION
04/27/05
page 5
American Cancer Society raises Forensics club travels to Philadelphia to
compete in national tournament
funds through Relay for Life
Toni Hill
Northeast Editor
According to the American
Cancer Society, over one million people are diagnosed with
cancer per year.
The American Cancer
Society’s signature fundraiser,
Relay For Life, helps fund over
$100 million in research each
year. The money raised is used
for research, programs and
education materials in addition
to supporting their advocacy
program, which was responsible for the lobbying of legislation such as smoke-free restaurants and workplaces.
The event, which will be
held at the Union High School
track located at 65th and
Mingo, begins at 7 p.m. on Apr.
29 and ends at 7 a.m. on Apr.
30. All TCC campuses are
encouraged to participate.
Each team will consist of
eight to 15 individuals. One
person from each team is
required to walk the track
throughout the entire event.
Each participant is also asked
to pay a $10 commitment fee
and raising at least $100 for the
cause.
Various games, refreshments and awareness activities
will be offered throughout
Relay For Life.
For additional information,
contact Kristen Taylor at the
American Cancer Society at
743-6767 or call the 24 hour
hotline at 800-227-2345 or visit
their
website
at
www.cancer.org.
ative speaking, dramatic interpretation
and program of oral
The TCC Forensics club
interpretation.
traveled to Philadelphia,
Forensics is both a
PA, Apr. 11 – 15 to particiclub and a class
pate in national competihoused at NEC
tions against over 82 other
which is open to any
colleges and universities
TCC student, and
across the nation.
involves
college
The students competing
level study and perwere Di Moore, Daniel
formance of debatSurratt,
Beka
Buster,
ing, acting and pubRebecca Roepke, Patryk
lic speaking events.
Roepke, Jennifer White and The Forensics team enjoys a visit to
Targeted students
Deborah Edwards. The Philadelphia, Pa.
Dr. Donna Goodwin include those who
team had three members
enjoy public speakplace first, four place second director said. “Everything in ing and being in the spotlight.
and two place third in the pre- the restaurant, the waiters, cos- In addition to receiving a grade,
tumes and even the dialogue, members prepare and compete
liminary competition.
“Although we didn’t make it was from the 1800s.”
in various debate competitions.
Areas of competition includto finals, we had a great experiInterested students can conence and really enjoyed visiting ed three major divisions, tact Goodwin at 595-8443 or
“The City Tavern” restaurant Debate, Public Speaking and Associate Dean Dr. Doug Price
located in the historic district,” Acting. Individual cateregories at 595-7494.
Dr. Donna Goodwin, Forensics included poetry, prose, inform-
Toni Hill
Northeast Editor
MOVIE REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS
page 6
04/27/05
THE TCC CONNECTION
Millions of reasons to see -- or not to see -- “Millions”
Steven Eiler
Southeast
Editor
Associate
Two boys jump on their
bikes and race through a
seemingly endless field of
yellow flowers. At the finish
line, an empty lot soon to be
the boys’ new home, a house
is instantaneously constructed by their imaginations.
Within the first moments of
the film, there is a sure feeling that “Millions” (Fox
Searchlight) is going to be
something magical. In a very
unexpected turn, Director
Danny
Boyle
(“Trainspotting,” “28 Days
Later”) has created something both innocent and
beautiful.
“Millions” (written by
Frank Cottrell Boyce) is the
story of two brothers,
Damien and Anthony (Alex
Etel and Lewis McGibbon,
respectively) who unexpectedly come to possess a very
large sum of money. Damien
wants to use the money to
help the poor, and Anthony
wants to spend it and invest
it. As time goes on, the boys
learn how complicated their
newfound wealth has made
their lives. Anthony’s greed
causes him to become angry
with Damien for any slight
act of charity he performs,
and Damien’s altruism is
enough to bring a person to
tears.
Damien (perfectly portrayed by Etel) is a disarming
reminder that it is possible to
have a sense of wonder without being an escapist.
Everything is equally real to
him, from the matter-of-fact
chats he has with the array of
saints that visit him, to the
danger he is in when being
followed by a money-thirsty
criminal. His desire to help
the poor is real, his jarringly
honest questions are real and
his faith is real. His character is powerful enough to
make a person walk out of
the theater and really want to
help save the world.
This is a family film in
every possible way. It is
even, in a sense, a religious
film in the best way possible,
depicting the true power of
faith and the pain that can be
caused when that faith is
attacked. It resorts to no
moral simplification or
glossing-over of the complexities of childhood and
adult life (and the relationship between the two). But it
presents the enduring love
people can have for each
other in spite of disagreement, and the enduring faith
a person can have in spite of
the forces working against it.
Boyce and Boyle have
not simply created a delightful world for us to enjoy for
a brief 98 minutes; rather,
they’ve presented how
delightful our world can be,
so that when we leave the
theater our enjoyment will
continue.
GREAT!
Emily Ramsey
Northeast Associate Editor
If you are a fan of
mediocre acting, vague storylines, loose ends and surreal camera angles, “Millions”
is the movie for you.
For everyone else, don’t
waste your time.
“Millions,” a PG-rated
endeavor by Fox Searchlight
Pictures, offers nothing to its
viewers but cute kids, flashy
cinematography and an occasional lighthearted moment
in a sea of boredom.
The movie begins with
Ronnie (James Nesbitt) and
his two sons (Lewis
McGibbon and newcomer
Alex Etel) moving into a new
home. The viewer is never
told why but comes to find
out much later that the boys’
mother died. (From
what? That is just one
of the many unanswered questions.) The
younger boy, Damian
(Etel), deals with the
loss of his mother and
newfound life by creating a world of his own
through his imagination
and old furniture boxes.
One day, while Damian
is in his cardboard
boxes, a large duffel
bag lands right on top
of his makeshift house.
He peeks out, afraid at
what he might find, and
discovers a bulging bag
of money! Damian’s
almost unbelievable devotion
to saints and God moves him
to determine it as a gift from
above and that his purpose is
to help the poor. His brother,
Anthony, however, has different plans. This, then, sets
off a chain of events leading
up to Damian’s revelation (a
quite insightful conclusion
for an 8-year-old child, if you
ask me).
Director Danny Boyle has
a good premise in mind, but
he falls short of creating any
kind of impact with his audience. While the movie has
its exciting parts, mainly
involving a thief in pursuit of
his lost loot, and its occasional lighthearted moments,
through Damian’s childish
innocence, what this movie
lacks is substance. With its
slow pace, overly abundant
contemplative scenes, and
the children’s constant juggling of the money to keep it
a secret, the viewer begins to
wonder where the movie is
headed.
In the end, “Millions”
leads nowhere, except perhaps to a place moviegoers
have already explored time
and again—one of letdown
and confusion. Boyle takes
one hour and 45 minutes to
tell his audience that “money
complicates things,” when
most of us probably knew
that to start with.
Set in England, the movie
touts an all-English cast,
most being actors we
Americans have never heard
of before. However, this
movie’s real reliance is on
Etel. Although his performance is sweet and reveals
only a child’s naiveté, Etel is
not enough to lift this movie
out of despair.
Maybe it’s the film’s intermingling of reality and imagination that leaves the audience grasping for understanding. Maybe it’s the
film’s inability to neither
cross over into good nor traverse into the bad that may
make its viewers feel blank
afterwards. Maybe it’s those
reasons and more that
“Millions” hits a sour note
with its audience and leaves
us with more questions than
answers, including, “Can I
have my money back?”
NOTSOGREAT
“Sahara” (and especially McConaughey) thrilled this audience
Lindsay M. Madeja
Southeast Editor
My sister and I went to
the screening of “Sahara” for
one main reason… Matthew
McConaughey is adorable.
Although we weren’t thrilled
by
the
fact
that
McConaughey’s
current
real-life girlfriend Penélope
Cruz starred alongside him
in this film, it turned out to
be on of the best movies I
have seen so far this year.
This action packed adventure took the audience on a
fast paced ride with master
explorer Dirk Pitt (played by
McConaughey). In the film,
Pitt takes on the journey of
his life when he embarks on
a treasure hunt through some
of the most dangerous
regions of North Africa.
Searching for what locals
call “The Ship of Death” (a
long lost Civil War battleship
filled with coins), Pitt and
his wisecracking sidekick
(Steve Zahn) use their wits
and clever heroics to help Dr.
Eva Rojas (Cruz), who
believes the ship may be
linked to mysterious deaths
in the same area.
An unpredictable
film, every twist and
turn led the audience on
a wild goose chase of
conclusions, never allowing
the viewer to accurately
guess what the outcome
would be.
The fictional story line
wove in historical content
that made the plot much
more personal and relative to
the American citizen. The
audience was torn between
finding the treasure linked so
closely to American folklore
and history, and finding the
source of the devastating disease ravaging the North
African regions.
Any fans of last year’s
“National Treasure” starring
Nicholas Cage, will love this
more intense but just as
“edge-of-your-seat” captivating version of treasure
hunters taking on the bad
guys.
This film is rated PG-13
for action, violence (nothing
gory or too gross) and intensity. I would highly recommend this film for all types
of moviegoers.
THE TCC CONNECTION
04/27/04
page 7
Design by Joey De
Mayfest hitting the street Ye Olde Renaissance Faire is coming
Joey De
large part of the
Entertainment Editor
For the first time in more
than two years, Tulsans will be
able to enjoy the annual
Mayfest celebration without a
major nuisance to contend
with: construction.
After two festival’s worth of
a facelift, Tulsa’s main mall has
been completed, including the
installation of a new fountain,
clearing the way for the street
party’s return to Bartlett Square
on May 19 – 22.
A free celebration of food,
music and art, Mayfest 2005
will fill the streets of
Downtown with music from
three stages and artisans displaying their crafts and goods
to the public.
Festival goers can shop and
listen to the unmistakable tunes
of Tulsa’s finest while the
palette teasing scents of deepfried whatever will tempt even
the strictest dieter.
event’s charm are the
impromptu performances by anyone with a
drum or guitar).
Headlining the festival will
be Tulsa’s own “Hanson,” the
group that went on to fame
with
hits
such
as
Mayfest in
Tulsa
May 19 - 22
Bartlett Square
Downtown
“Mmmmmbop,” making their
first return to the celebration
since their 1992 debut. Other
performers include “Admiral
Twin,” “The Electric Rag
Band,” “Red Dirt Rangers,”
and “Tony Romanello” to name
just a few.
On the south end of the
street party will
once again be an
area just for kids.
Located between
Fifth and Sixth
streets in the middle
of Main. This year’s
KidZone will feature a family friendly
entertainment
stage and an ongoing mural project
with local artists.
Downtown will be hopping all night when New will be a fence
Mayfest runs May 19-22. submitted photo and large tent to protect the kiddos from
Tuning it up will be the three the elements.
main stages located at Fifth and
Running from 11 a.m. -11
Boulder in Bartlett Square, p.m. the Thur. & Fri. of the fesThird and Cincinnati and Third tival, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. Sat.,
and Boston. In the past, a few and 11a.m. - 6 p.m. on Sun.,
small performances were scat- Mayfest 2005 is sure to live up
tered throughout the streets, but to the annual event’s reputaat the time of publication, it tion. If that holds true, don’t
couldn’t be confirmed whether forget to bring a poncho. It
or not those would be present won’t be Mayfest without some
this year (even without them, a rain.
Joey De
Entertainment Editor
Hear ye! Hear ye! The tenth
annual Oklahoma Renaissance
Faire shall be convened by order
of King Henry the VIII and thou
art invited. Translation: If you
enjoy food, fun and 14th century
Europe, be sure to visit The
Oklahoma Renaissance Faire at
the Castle in Muskogee starting
on Apr. 30 and continuing
through the first three weekends
in May.
Spread over 60 acres, the
Renaissance Faire is a chance to
leave the hustle of the 21st century and be transported into the
carefree days of the 16th century
(although not too carefree since
they still have a thing for 21st
century currency).
Visitors to the Renaissance
Faire are sent to the kingdom of
Castleton and the court of King
Henry the VIII and Queen
Margaret. The king and queen
rule over a vast cast of knights,
jesters, lords, ladies, musicians
and more, who, thanks to elaborate costumes and well rehearsed
accents, create an immersive
experience for guests.
Operating from 10:30 a.m. to
6
p.m.,
the
Oklahoma
Renaissance Faire has plenty to
keep an entire family busy for the
day. Some delights include a lifesize chess match on the giant
chessboard, bands of jugglers,
and the adult only show at the
Smokin’ Dragon.
True
Renaissance fans won’t want to
miss visiting the jousting field for
demonstrations of fighting and
medieval weaponry such as birds
of prey and trebuchets (catapults). Adults can seek solace in
one of Castleton’s pubs or taverns, most of which have shows
or entertainment at some point
during the day.
If entertainment isn’t your
thing, you can shop and eat your
way through the kingdom.
Over 100 artisans around
the castle grounds sell
swords, rings, shirts, magic
carpets and more.
Food vendors offer
everything from large
turkey legs to the ultimate
mystery meat, Haggis. The
food, drink and crafts are
affordably priced so that any
family can visit the festival
without having to mortgage
their own realms in the
process.
Admission
to
the
Oklahoma Renaissance Fair
is $9.95 for adults, $7.95 for
students, and $5.95 for children and seniors. A great
Life sized chess is one of many live
value for the reduced price entertainment options.
Joey De
($12 last year), once you
enter the world of Castleton, the Card, Ye Olde Discover Card
you’ll see it’s worth it. Travelers and New World Express.”
For more information, check
without cash can expect most
vendors, as well as the gate, to out www.okcastle.com or call
accept “Lady VISA, Master of (918) 687-3625.
page 8
04/27/05
Opinion
Should anyone be less than size 0?
Lindsay M. Madeja
Southeast Editor
In a world where thin is in
and stout is out, where do those
of us not blessed with a high
metabolism or a love for exercise fit in?
Prevalent in today’s society
are actresses that wear size
twos or zeros, work out regularly, and still end up resorting
to plastic surgery and intense
daily workouts. Not only that,
but there also seems to be an
overabundance of actresses
accused (and often times rightly so) of being bulimic or
anorexic. If these movie and
television icons fold under the
pressure of a weight obsessed
society, is there hope for the up
and coming young women of
America?
With shows like “America’s
Next Top Model” sending the
message to teen girls that a size
two isn’t good enough, what is
there besides eating disorders
THE TCC CONNECTION
and a lack of self esteem? Do
we really value the person
inside so little that we are willing to overlook the intelligence,
the character, and the personalities of people who don’t fit
into the petite mold of
Hollywood?
Why not have television
shows that focus on the mental
prowess and academic greatness of teen girls – and thus
encourage them to be all they
can be scholastically and emotionally – instead of driving
them to the brink of death by
telling them they can only be as
successful as their diet?
What is it about the female
body that needs to be changed
so badly?
We
need
to
lobby
Hollywood to stop sending our
young Americans the message
that the only way to make it in
life is to lose that extra 10
pounds, or be as lean as a veggie burger. The only way we
can hope to see a change is if
we stop supporting shows and
advertisers that advocate the
too thin body and begin to be
proactive about our disgust
over the “perfect body.” Write
letters, ask questions and
demand answers.
The only way to help liberate the women that will follow
in our footsteps is to let them
know that beauty is only skin
deep, and will only last so long
(unless you can afford to dip
into the fountain of youth via
extensive plastic surgery). Not
to sound cliché, but what’s on
the inside is what truly matters.
Killing your body to be a size
two won’t matter if no one likes
you and you can’t succeed in
school or the workforce.
The most beautiful people I
know are those who are confident in who they are and know
that they can be happy no matter what they look like on the
outside.
Moments in Time
C.L. Harmon
West Associate Editor
Apr. 27, 1865 – The steamboat Sultana explodes on
the Mississippi, killing 1,700
people.
Apr. 28, 1945 – Italian
Dictator Benito Mussolini is
executed
by
Italian
Partisans and hung on public display in Milan.
May 2, 1933 – The Loch
Ness monster phenomenon
Mindset
begins when the creature is
allegedly sighted by a couple
in
the
Scottish
Highlands.
May 3, 1965 – The first
ground combat unit arrives
in Vietnam.
May 7, 1896 – Dr. H.H.
Holmes, one of America’s
first serial killers, is hanged
in Philadelphia. Over 200
bodies were discovered on
his property.
DISCOVERING OURSELVES
C.L. Harmon
West Associate Editor
The moments we spend
alone are when we discover
there is a stranger inside all
of us who begs to be known.
The hours we spend with our
friends are when we introduce pieces of our new-
found selves to the safety of
those who do not judge but
instead accept us. Last of
all, the days we spend living
among others who share our
uncertainties are the ones
where we define ourselves
as being unique creations
that have never before and
will never again touch the
world in the same way.
Students Speak Out at West
How do you relieve stress during finals week?
“Sleep and tan. It is very
relaxing!”
“Go out on the weekend and
hang out with friends.”
- Elizabeth White
- Martell Alexander
“I go to my good friend Jason
Howard’s house. He makes
me laugh.”
“Planning a trip to Galveston
Texas and go to the beach.”
“Go to the Tulsa Zoo and
Bricktown in Oklahoma City.”
- Josh Newton
- Deanna Hays
- Monica Covington
The TCC Connection invites letters to the editor. While The TCC Connection reserves the right to shorten submissions due to space constraints, letters will be published exactly
as received. In order to be published, letters must include contact information for verification purposes. Opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author and
do not necessarily reflect those of The TCC Connection or Tulsa Community College. The TCC Connection will not print anything considered potentially libelous or obscene.
THE TCC CONNECTION
04/27/05
page 9
Opinion
Chinese build-up may signal conflict China’s new viability
Stephen McPherson
West Editor
It is just a matter of time
before China takes back what is
rightfully his: Taiwan. I generally use feminine terms like
‘her’ to refer to countries, but in
China’s case—some 300 million male soldiers strong—I
make an exception.
No longer bound by a lagging economy, over the past
decade “The People’s Republic
of China” has attempted to
modernize its “People’s Army”
by employing nuclear-class
submarines, purchasing state-of-the-art
military technology
and doing everything
it can to become a military deterrent to the
U.S.
Why focus on
being a military deterrent? Because as
China has flagrantly
stated on numerous occasions
and in countless news stories:
war with the United States is
only a matter of time. This
belief, in part, is grounded in
the fact that the U.S. signed a
treaty with Taiwan back in the
‘50s, offering Taiwan military
aide if China ever threatened to
take back the island. China has
repeatedly stated its intentions
to take back the island, and
recently passed a law stating
that it can do whatever is necessary to resume control of the
island.
Modern-day Taiwan, located
just 100 miles from the South
China mainland, was formed
when members of the former
Chinese Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek and
remnants of his army
took refuge on the
island in 1949 to
escape a Chinese
Communist takeover.
A
Chinese
Communist-led plan
to invade Taiwan was
thwarted in 1950 when
President Harry Truman sent
the U.S. 7th Fleet to patrol the
Taiwan Strait, which lies
between the two countries.
A recent “Washington Post”
story cited China’s attempt to
build up their Army to become a
military deterrent to the U.S.
While its recent military technology build-up does not yet
rival that of the U.S., what they
have now is enough to give
Washington chills; and if
China’s economy continues to
boom, China could catch up to
U.S. military technology in as
little as 10 to 15 years.
China unquestionably has
the largest manned army; now it
only needs the weapons and
technology to be able to com-
pete with the U.S.—or at
least make the U.S. think
twice
about
getting
involved in a Chinese
takeover
of
Taiwan.
Besides, if China could hold
off the U.S. for even a couple of days following a Taiwan
invasion, the entire island will
be in their hands anyway. Let’s
just hope that whoever is president at the time of this possible
invasion is smart enough to stay
out of China’s way; we don’t
need a 300 million-man army
marching our way, much less
state-of-the-art missiles flying
toward us at any time in the
future.
affects relations with U.S.
Lee Brennan
Metro Associate Editor
Part one of this story took a
look at how China has prospered
and speculated on the new influence on world affairs and its
growing military prowess.
This second article is a
further look into how
China has benefited from
of the U.S. and where our
relationship with them
could be heading.
Chinese exports to the
United States have greatly
advanced their economy.
There is, however, an
unbalanced trade ratio
due to the yuang currency being
pegged to the dollar, giving
them an advantage over the U.S.
in import/export markets.
Basically, if the dollar goes
up, so does the yuang and vice
versa. With their booming economy, the Chinese yuang is considered to be an undervalued
currency. Meanwhile, by refusing to allow their currency to
float in currency markets, they
are keeping U.S. exports at a
disadvantage, which is speculated to be at 15–40 percent.
China has stated that they
believe their economy is still too
weak for their currency to compete in the global market. To
deal with the burden of the
yuang, the U.S. Senate voted in
early April to threaten China
with a 27.5 percent tariff on
imports to level the playing
field. If that occurs, China could
go to the World Trade
Organization in protest. This
problem will not just go away
and a compromise may be difficult.
However, the crux of tensions between us and China
could come down to Taiwan.
China desires control over
Taiwan, but has the U.S. standing in the way. According to the
Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S.
is obligated to protect Taiwan if
China chooses to attack. With
growing political and military
power, this could be a possibility. Commander of U.S. forces in
the Pacific Adm. William J.
Fallon mentioned the Chinese
have acquired, “a lot of high
tech equipment that doesn’t particularly seem defensive to me.”
While peaceful solutions are
possible, they may not be entirely probable. Our two countries
stand in direct contrast politically, and China may not be eager
to give up their economic and
political objectives to preserve
U.S. global viability. If a peaceful balance is not met between
our two countries, an aggressive
confrontation with China could,
unfortunately, be a likely possibility within the next few years.
Why we should save the seals and other wildlife
Toni Hill
Northeast Editor
Enjoying the beauty of nature
is not only a restful and enjoyable pastime for many, but also a
healthy way to relieve tension
and stress. Tragically, however,
some people are incapable of
seeing animals as anything more
than a way to increase their
financial portfolio.
For example, over 96 percent
of the Northwest Atlantic harp
seals born each winter in Eastern
Canada are victims of extreme
and unprovoked cruelty.
Within the next three years,
over one million baby harp seals
under the age of three months
will be clubbed to death, as they
lay helpless on the ice. Even
worse, over 40 percent of them
may be skinned alive for their
beautiful white pelts. Even if
human survival depended on the
destruction of these peaceful
marine mammals, there are more
humane ways to kill them than
to bludgeon them to death. The
Canadian government is not
only allowing these hunts, but in
some cases, subsidizing them.
Unfortunately, these
inhumane and barbaric
slaughters are not limited to harp seals.
According to research
provided
by The
Humane Society of the
United States, the tiger
has been hunted almost to the
point of extinction with as little
as 2000 of them left in the wild.
These creatures are also primarily hunted for their beautiful
pelts.
Many other
animals, wild and
domestic, such as
the leopard, cheetah
and jaguar, are also
in danger. The
destruction of these
animals is not only
barbaric, but also
unnecessary with
the abundant supply of synthetic
materials available today.
Based on the above statistics,
only one assumption can be
made. Sadly, the most intelligent
and capable of all creatures-
man-has also become the most
barbaric and inhumane. To
slaughter defenseless animals
just for monetary gain-or even
worse, just for sport—is not only
morally wrong, but also cowardly and heartless.
The only hope of survival
baby harp seals, tigers, elephants
and other hunted wildlife have is
that animal lovers will unite and
take a stand against this cruel
and unnecessary practice.
Visit protectseals.org
or
thepetitionsite.com or call 800536-8173 for more info.
page 10
04/27/05
Metro
THE TCC CONNECTION
Campus
Design by La Shawn Baker
TCC student named 2005 New Century Scholar
tary education.
Siemens nominated by NE
Phi Theta Kappa, was honored by being named the
Every year The American
2005 New Century Scholar
Association of Community
for the State of Oklahoma,
Colleges, The Coca-Cola
making her eligible to
Foundation and Phi Theta
receive a $2,000 scholarship
Kappa sponsors the New
from Coca-Cola.
Century Scholars program.
TCC paid her way to Boston
Students must have a miniApr. 8 to represented TCC
mum 3.25 cumulative GPA
and Oklahoma at the
and be eligible to graduate
American Association of
with an associate degree.
Community
Colleges
This year the winner was
(AACC) convention for the
Kara Siemens (20).
awards ceremony, where she
I had the pleasure of
was named to the All-USA
meeting Siemens two years
academic third team, rankago at the Multicultural
Language Center on the Kara Siemens, 2005 New Century ing in the top 60 percent
Submitted photo nationally as well being recNortheast Campus (NE), Scholar.
ognized in “USA Today” for
while she was studying in
This exceptional young woman
the interpreting program in now attends Metro and NE her team’s accomplishment.
When asked how she was
which she has now earned an campuses to finish her
Associate in Applied Sciences. Associates in Arts, in elemen- chosen for this award she said,
La Shawn Baker
Metro Editor
Northeast
“I won because I applied to the
All-USA Academic team. My
application scored the highest
in the state of Oklahoma.”
After graduation, she plans
to transfer to The University of
Science and Arts of Oklahoma
in
Chickasha
Oklahoma
(USAO) to receive her
Bachelors in the Deaf
Education Degree Program.
In a profession that is so
often taken for granted, she
feels as if she can combine her
skills in American Sign
Language and her passion for
children to educate deaf children.
“I feel that not only is there
a need for special needs teachers but that I can make a difference in the Special Education
that can help deaf children.”
said Siemens.
On April 5th, the NEC
Horticulture Club welcomed
Jay Ross, horticultural curator
at the Tulsa Zoo, who shared
information on how to care for
different types of plants and
some of his career experiences.
“The real challenge in my
job is to get the visitors to recognize the zoo as not just an
animal place, but that plants
also play an important role.”
Ross said.
Ross’s job duties at the Tulsa
Zoo are very diversified and
include working with just about
every type of plant that exists.
Tulsa Zoo Horticultural Curator, Jay Ross, poses outside the
NEC Horticulture Building.
Toni Hill
In addition to overseeing a
full-time staff of seven, he is
responsible for the planning
and designing of each botanical
collection. He must ensure that
the plants placed in the ani-
Apr. 28 - FREE popcorn
for the screening of “KPax” in Film/Lecture room
12:15 p.m. (SC 102).
May 2 - Finals refreshments 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in the
Commons.
Discounted
tickets on sale in the to
staff today to the Celtic
Music Series presentation
of “Teada.”
May 3 - Finals refreshments at 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in
the Commons.
May 6 - Graduation at the
Mabee Center.
Campus
Tulsa Zoo curator visits Horticultural Club
Toni Hill
Northeast Editor
Metro
Happenings
mals’ living spaces will not be a
health risk due to some plants’
potential toxicity.
Ross has a bachelor’s in
Agriculture, with a major in
Horticulture from OSU, and
has worked for the Tulsa Zoo
for nine years.
During his 21 years of
employment with the Tulsa
City Parks, Ross has also
served at the Gilcrease
Museum and Woodward Park.
“I work in a unique field that
is very rewarding, though not
necessarily in a monetary way,”
Ross said. “However, money
isn’t everything. Making a difference and enjoying what you
do each day, is.”
Design by Toni Hill
Northeast
Happenings
Apr. 25 – 29 – Sexually
transmitted diseases education week. Contact NEC
Student Health Services at
595-7570 for details.
Apr. 29 – 30 – Relay For
Life, American Cancer
Society’s signature fundraising event. Contact
Kristen Taylor at 743-6767
for details. All TCC campuses are encouraged to
participate.
May 6 – TCC graduation,
ceremonies held at the
ORU Mabee Center at
7:30 p.m.
THE TCC CONNECTION
04/27/05
Southeast
page 11
Campus
Design by Lindsay M. Madeja
SEC helps students with good credit counseling
Lindsay M. Madeja
Southeast Editor
Mary Thomas, the education director with Consumer
Credit Counseling, paid a
visit to Southeast Campus on
Apr. 6. During her visit, she
gave students information on
how to earn and keep a good
credit record in preparation
for the future.
According to Thomas,
"earning credit may not be
easy, but it is possible if you
are persistent, responsible and
use your money wisely."
For students having trouble
establishing a credit line,
Thomas suggested getting a
secured credit card. With these
cards, you make a security
deposit that becomes your credit limit for a probation period
(usually 6-24 months).
Applying for a gas card at a
well-known chain such as
Quick Trip is also a good idea,
since they usually accept student applications.
If you already have a credit
card or two, make sure you
look for cards with
fixed interest rates
from reliable, wellknown credit institutions (Bank of
America,
First
Financial
Bank,
etc.). Choose a low
limit for your card
so that you will
avoid the temptation to spend too
freely. Make sure
that you use your
card, but unless it is
an emergency situation, only spend
what you can pay back at the
end of the month and make sure
you pay your bills on time.
One great way to increase
your credit score is to pay
above the minimum payment
amount, even if it is just five
West
dollars more. Avoid late fees
when at all possible because
they will not only increase your
bill, but also look bad on your
credit report. If you do accidentally forget to pay a bill or for
some reason the company doesn't get it on time, call a representative and inform them of
your situation. You can usually
get them to drop the charge if it
is the first time or a very rare
occurrence.
If you already have managed
to get bad credit, one way to
help improve your standing is
to get a small loan from a financial institution such as a credit
union, and pay it off within a
few months, or get a gas card
and pay your balance in full
each month.
"The bottom line for students is to remember that your
credit now is important to the
future as well, be responsible
and ask for help before you get
in too deep," said Thomas.
Southeast
Happenings
Apr. 29 - "Books are Fun"
book sale in the Gallery 9
a.m. - 2 p.m.
May 2 - "ISCREAM for
finals" FREE Ice Cream in
the Union 12 p.m. - 1:30
p.m.
May 6 Ceremony
Graduation
Campus
Design by Stephen McPherson
TCC lends a hand in job placement, recruitment
C.L. Harmon
West Associate Editor
At TCC’s annual Employer
Fair on Mar. 31, 52 employers
set up shop in hopes of luring
new hires for various positions
in their companies.
The fair was shared by all
campuses of TCC. According
to Student Employer Counselor
Sandy Van Dusen, the project
requires a colossal effort by a
great number of people for its
success.
“It is a joint effort by all four
to get it going,” Van Dusen
said. Each location takes turns
hosting the event, and this
means more responsibilities for
those involved at the particular
campus. For instance, West
Provost Dr. Peggy Dyer was
responsible for providing lunch
to all the employers.
The employers not only
came from the Tulsa area but
from as far as Norman and
Oklahoma City as well.
Companies like Cingular
Wireless, Express Personnel
Services, Mervyn’s, Bank of
Oklahoma and Anheuser Busch
Sales of Oklahoma were only a
few offering information ranging from part-time positions to
potential and possible career
moves. There were also representatives from the military,
including the U.S. Army and
the Oklahoma Army National
Guard.
A focus for many students at
the fair was finding a viable
employment opportunity in about job opportunities, stuproximity to their home and dents can contact their Career
chosen university. The fair pro- Services Office. The offices
vided such options with their can help students with skills for
availability of local employers, getting the jobs they desire with
including Tulsa Housing resume writing tips, interview
Authority,
Tulsa
Public assistance and job search techSchools, Oklahoma’s News niques.
Channel 8, Cherokee
Nation Enterprises, WalMart and even TCC.
The fair presented a
spectrum of various types
of jobs available from
Avon
to
Workforce
Oklahoma.
The medical, education, retail, corporate, corrections and federal work
force areas were all repre- Two unidentified students gather
information from a booth at the job
sented.
Submitted photo.
For more information fair.
West
Happenings
May 2 - 9 - Finals for the
spring semester.
See
pages 14 - 15 for the finals
schedule.
May 6 – TCC graduation,
ceremonies held at the
ORU Mabee Center at
7:30 p.m.
For more info on upcoming
activities, contact West
Campus Student Activities
Office at 595-8222.
page 12
04/27/05
THE TCC CONNECTION
SURVIVING FINAL S:
How to reduce stressors and study distractors God help
breaks
when
ing a babysitter can
studying to keep me, I have
save you time and
from getting tired
energy. However,
It never fails. At test time remember
a test
and restless.
to
something or someone is going
La Shawn Baker
Metro Editor
to distract you from studying.
For instance, your boss needs
you to rewrite the proposal,
your phone will not stop ringing, and two of your three children have started World War III
over the television remote. If
that’s not enough drama, you
just burned dinner.
Who could study with all of
that commotion? It’s time to
start eliminating some of your
test stress. Here are some simple steps that can help.
1. Talk with your employer
to explain that you have a final
coming up and request some
weekend hours to make up for
the time you need to study. If
that doesn’t help, try working
through lunch so you can leave
a little earlier.
2. Ordering takeout and hir-
explain to your
family that you
need time to study.
3. Unless it’s an
emergency, don’t
answer your phone.
Place a temporary
message on your
voicemail explaining that you are
studying and will
return calls after
the test.
4. Getting out of
your everyday distractions can help
your concentration.
Pack up your supplies and go to
Barnes and Nobles
or any other coffee house that
welcomes students.
5. Try not to study on either
an empty or overly full stom-
ach. Hunger can be a very distraction, while overeating can
lead to feeling sluggish.
6. Try to take frequent
7. Dr. Harry
Henslick once said
in the Intro to
Psychology class,
“If possible, try to
study in the same
seat you are taking
the test in. This
will give you a
sense of familiarity of your surroundings
and
reduce test anxiety.”
9. Try not to
rush before you
taking a test. If it’s
at all possible,
reducing
the
amount of activity
you have right before an exam
can keep you from losing
focus.
Come out of Haydn and get your brains Bach for finals
Lindsay M. Madeja
Southeast Editor
As finals draw near,
everyone is anxious to try the
latest caffeine drink (Red
Bull, Rooster Booster, etc.),
and see if they can beat last
semester’s record for going
26 and a half hours without
sleep. This semester, don’t
try to rely on sleep deprivation and caffeine to make it
through finals, just hook up a
few great composers like
Mozart and Bach, and listen
your way to better grades.
Science has proven that classical music stimulates the
growth of brain cells and can
calm its listeners. Many doctors
suggest playing soothing classical tunes (such as Pachelbel’s
Cannon in D) to unborn babies
in order to calm them and possibly give them a developmental advantage. If these kinds of
melodious compositions can
help babies develop faster,
surely it can help a frazzled college student somehow.
According to a study by The
University of Georgia and the
College of Family and
Consumer Sciences, “The
classical music pathways in
our brain are similar to the
pathways we use for spatial
reasoning. When we listen to
classical music, the spatial
pathways are ‘turned on’ and
ready to be used.”
I find when I study (or cram)
for a test, I tend to retain more
information when I have been
studying with my classical
CDs playing softly in the
background than when it is
quiet or I have other musical
styles playing.
Many people I know like to
listen to music while studying,
saying it helps keep them psyched up, but researchers propose that it is the intricacy of
the classical genres that prepare
the brain to solve problems at a
faster pace. Researchers also
believe that musical training
creates new pathways in the
brain. If this is true, I wonder if
it can create a calculus pathway
in my brain.
Now, just because listening
to classical music can have
varying positive effects on the
brain, this doesn’t mean that
other types of music aren’t
helpful as well.
According to Dr. Diane
Bales, Extension Children,
Youth, and Families At Risk
coordinator for the Department
of
Child
and
Family
Development, ”listening to any
kind of music helps build
music-related pathways in the
brain. And, music can have
positive effects on our moods
that may make learning easier.”
La Shawn Baker
Metro Editor
Finals are on everyone’s
mind but unfortunately, studying is not always as easy as it
seems when faced with the
pressures of everyday life.
Students, present company
included, practice the popular
method of cramming (and
praying) as much as possible
the night before the exam,
which is not always successful.
Keisha Lee works in the
Metro Campus (MC) bookstore and has three finals to
prepare for. However, finding
the perfect time to study is not
easy when raising three children all under the age of 10.
Lee is determined to succeed and hopes that with the
aid of coffee she will be able to
study until 4 a.m. With less
than three hours of sleep, she
gets ready for work.
When asked if she finds the
study technique effective she
says, “Not always, but until I
can make more time in my day,
I have to accomplish what I
can with the time I have.
Although I want to improve
my study habits, it’s hard to
stay focused with the demands
of my family. So until I can
find a better way to study, I
will be up late cramming for
my finals.”
Unfortunately, not all students can be diligent with their
time when studying. When
faced with school, jobs and
family, making a C can be as
rewarding as an A when your
doing a balancing act, and let’s
face it, it’s better than a D.
THE TCC CONNECTION
04/27/05
page 13
A “HOW TO” GUIDE
Proactive ways to chill out before class
Lee Brennan
Metro Associate Editor
Do finals have you in the
throws of gut-wrenching and
mind-bending stress? Don’t
fret—there are tips you can follow that will help you process
the workload and, hopefully end
up with better grades in your
classes. As my time at TCC is
coming to a close, I would like
to share some advice on what
has made me a successful student and could do the same for
anyone else.
The first thing to do is realize
that, unless you are some sort of
genius, earning good grades is
not easy. Accept the fact that
there will be work involved, and
be proactive toward your goals.
Life is busy however, so how
does a person stay on top of
their studies?
Stress is your biggest enemy
when it comes to studying for a
test. To relieve the stress of
cramming
an
impossible
amount of information into your
brain, take bites out of your
study material every day.
After each class, take a few
minutes to read over your notes,
or a bit of a chapter, at some
point before you go to bed. You
can make the time to do it, and
by the time you have to sit down
and seriously digest the information, you will have confidence which will lead to a much
more relaxed study time. Trust
me, it is worth the few minutes
out of your day.
When it comes to your actual
study time, there are many popular suggestions. Again, the goal
is to keep stress down so that
your brain can process information more easily. Classical
music has had great benefits for
many people. It relaxes the
brain. However, I
like silence when I
study, so what has
worked for me is
what I call fun
breaks.
If I know I
have a long night
of study, I have no
problem whatsoever finding a
diversion for a few
Brennan says: to relieve the stress of cram- minutes to let my
ming an impossible amount of information brain soak up the
into your brain, take bites out of your study
info. I will usually
material every day.
go play guitar, lift
some weights, grab a snack, go
for a small walk or maybe just
sit there and pick my nose for a
minute. The point is to not be so
worried about the information
that you can’t take a moment to
let it simply soak in.
Anyone can do well in
school. It just takes the realization that most of us are not
geniuses, and we have to put in
the work to get the grade. You
can do it. By building good
grades, you will increase the
opportunities for your future
and build a work ethic within
yourself that will lead to a life of
standing over your responsibilities. Now isn’t that better than
being stressed out all the time?
Finals Rx: No procrastinating Relax before your test: Finals word search
C.L. Harmon
West Associate Editor
As finals rapidly approach,
minds begin searching for methods to retain the pertinent information needed to successfully
complete the semester. Finals
are synonymous with stress,
which coincidentally is one of
the main reasons why students
may perform poorly on test.
“Do not cram because it
causes stress,” said Lana Ingalls
of the Reading and Writing
Center at West Campus.
According to Ingalls’ tips,
studying in small groups is a
great way to learn the material
that will appear on the test. She
also suggests that the students
get plenty of rest before the final
and eat breakfast. In addition to
giving advice, the center will
also look at papers and answer
questions during finals week.
Students may also take
advantage of the successful test
and homework techniques
offered by the counseling services at their campus. One way of
promoting a positive outcome
for the student’s finals is by promoting overall wellness for the
student through time management and workshops. They, too,
focus on lowering stress levels
by offering suggestions of exercise and diet change. The counselors use communication as a
tool for pinpointing specific
stressors, and then help the student bring that stress to a controllable level.
Some specifics about finals
stress may include a student’s
lack of skill in test taking which
counseling can help reduce
through tips that will make the
test taker feel more at ease.
Another might involve the inadequacies of a student’s note-taking ability, again the counselors
can show positive note taking
skills and methods for studying
the notes.
The biggest stressor of all for
finals or any test is procrastination, according to the counselors. There is simply no substitute for taking the time to
study.
A list of the words that can be found is on page 2. In this puzzle, seek out as many
you can find. Look at the cover of this issue for some helpful hints!
page 14
04/27/05
THE TCC CONNECTION
Finals Schedule
INSTRUCTIONS FOR DAY CLASSES: Final examinations for DAY CLASSES will be Saturday, April 30 through Friday, May 6 during assigned examination times.
Final examinations for one semester hour courses will be arranged by each instructor during the last week of classes. Final examinations for classes taught during the
day are 1 hour and 50 minutes in length. Examinations will be given in the room assigned for the class unless otherwise notified by the instructor. The final examination for a course that meets at a time not listed on the schedule will be determined by the instructor with the approval of the appropriate Associate Dean on each campus. Students having two courses in which exams are scheduled on the same day, at the same time should contact their instructors for another exam time.
If your first DAY LECTURE
Class of the week is on:
Your FINAL EXAMINATION will be on
the Date and Time listed below:
Monday,
7:00 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
8:00 a.m.
8:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Wednesday
Friday
Friday
Monday
Monday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Monday
Monday
Monday
Monday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Monday
Friday
Monday
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
4
4
6
6
2
2
4
4
2
2
2
2
4
4
2
6
2
6:00 a.m. to
6:00 a.m. to
8:00 a.m. to
8:00 a.m. to
8:00 a.m. to
8:00 a.m. to
10:00 a.m. to
10:00 a.m. to
10:00 a.m. to
10:00 a.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
7:50 a.m.
7:50 a.m.
9:50 a.m.
9:50 a.m.
9:50 a.m.
9:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
1:50 p.m.
1:50 p.m.
1:50 p.m.
1:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
Tuesday,
8:00 a.m.
8:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
2:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
4:15 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Tuesday
Thursday
Thursday
Tuesday
Tuesday
Tuesday
Tuesday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
Tuesday
Tuesday
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
Tuesday
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
3
3
5
5
3
3
3
3
3
5
3
3
3
5
5
5
5
3
8:00 a.m. to
8:00 a.m. to
8:00 a.m. to
10:00 a.m. to
10:00 a.m. to
10:00 a.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
9:50 a.m.
9:50 a.m.
9:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
1:50 p.m.
1:50 p.m.
1:50 p.m.
1:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
Wednesday,
8:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
Friday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
May
May
May
May
May
May
6
4
4
4
4
4
8:00 a.m. to
10:00 a.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
12:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. to
9:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
1:50 p.m.
1:50 p.m.
1:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
Thursday,
9:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
May
May
May
May
May
5
5
5
5
5
10:00 a.m to
10:00 a.m to
10:00 a.m to
12:00 p.m to
2:00 p.m to
11:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
1:50 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
Friday,
8:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
Friday
Friday
Friday
Friday
Friday
May
May
May
May
May
6
6
6
6
6
8:00 a.m to
10:00 a.m to
10:00 a.m to
10:00 a.m to
12:00 p.m to
9:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
11:50 a.m.
1:50 p.m.
B
E
F
O
R
E
THE TCC CONNECTION
04/27/05
page 15
Finals Schedule
INSTRUCTIONS FOR EVENING CLASSES: Final examinations for EVENING CLASSES will be given Saturday, May 11, through Friday, April 29, through
Thursday, May 5. Final examinations for one semester hour courses will be arranged by each instructor during the last week of classes. Final exams for classes
taught during the evening will be 1 hour and 50 minutes in length. Final Examinations will be given in the room assigned for the class unless otherwise notified by
the instructor. The final examination for a course that meets at a time not listed on the schedule will be determined by the instructor with the approval of the appropriate Associate Dean on each campus.
If your first EVENING LECTURE
Class of the week is on:
Your FINAL EXAMINATION will be on
the Date and Time listed below:
Monday,
5:00
5:30
6:00
6:30
7:00
7:30
8:00
8:30
9:00
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
Monday
Monday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Monday
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
2
2
2
4
2
2
4
2
2
5:30
5:30
5:30
5:30
7:30
7:30
7:30
9:30
9:30
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
11:20 p.m.
11:20 p.m.
Tuesday,
5:00
5:30
6:00
6:20
6:30
7:00
7:30
8:00
8:30
9:00
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
Tuesday
Tuesday
Tuesday
Tuesday
Thursday
Tuesday
Thursday
Thursday
Tuesday
Tuesday
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
3
3
3
3
5
3
5
5
3
3
5:30
5:30
5:30
5:30
5:30
7:30
7:30
7:30
9:30
9:30
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
11:20 p.m.
11:20 p.m.
Wednesday,
5:00
5:30
6:00
7:00
8:00
8:30
9:00
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
Wednesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5:30
5:30
5:30
7:30
7:30
9:30
9:30
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
11:20 p.m.
11:20 p.m.
Thursday,
5:00
5:30
6:00
7:00
7:30
8:00
8:30
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5:30
5:30
5:30
7:30
7:30
7:30
9:30
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
11:20 p.m.
Friday,
Friday Evening Classes meeting after 4:30 p.m. will have the final
examination during regular class time on Friday, April 29, 2005.
Saturday,
Final Examination Schedule
Final exam will be scheduled during the last class on Saturday, April 30.
Eight Week and Less than Eight Week Classes Final Examination Schedule
(Day & Evening Classes)
Final examination will be scheduled during the last class meeting.
Place your ad
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page 16
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THE TCC CONNECTION
t hose Amazing Pets!
by Toni Hill
Enjoy a safe summer with your pet
however, that the water level is
not too high, to prevent drowning.
Toni Hill
Northeast Editor
Summer is a great season
to spend quality time outside
with your favorite feline or
canine. Below are a few tips
to help you and your pet have
an enjoyable and carefree
break. Also, since spring and
summer are typical mating
seasons, please have your pet
spayed or neutered.
During cookouts and picnics, do not allow them to eat To adopt Phoebe, a friendly 9
chicken bones, because they month old brown and black shepcan splinter inside the ani- ard mix, contact the Tulsa Animal
mal’s throat, causing them to Shelter at 669-6299.
Pete Papen
choke. In addition, because
their digestive systems are not
To ensure your pet’s safety,
designed to properly digest make sure your fence is high
sugar, feeding your pet choco- enough to prevent anyone from
late or other sugary treats can stealing your cat or dog to use
be fatal. Also, be careful when as bait to train fighting dogs.
treating lawns with pesticides
If your animal is missing or
and planting certain types of if you suspect there is dogfightflowers or plants to avoid acci- ing (which works much like
dental poisoning.
cockfighting) occurring in your
If your animal lives outside, area, contact the authorities
provide them adequate shelter immediately. This brutal and
as well as plenty of fresh water inhumane activity can only be
twice a day. To help keep your stopped if people are willing to
canine cool, purchase a cheap report suspicious activity.
plastic kiddy pool and fill it
Additionally, when taking
with fresh water. Make sure, your animal for a walk, make
sure they are leashed. Frequent
breaks may be necessary as
they can also suffer from heat
induced strokes and heart
attacks. Schedule rest periods
and take plenty of refreshments.
Keeping your pet’s fur
clipped and brushed during the
summer will also help them
withstand the heat as well as
prevent any insect infestations.
Also, invest in good flea and
tick protection, such as
Advantage or Revolution, and
keep your yard free of beehives, wasps, red ants and other
potentially harmful insects.
If despite all your precautions, they should become
injured or ill, do not administer
human medications such as
aspirin or Tylenol, which can be
fatal.
In an emergency, contact
your veterinarian immediately
or for after hours care, contact
the Animal Emergency Center
at 665-0508.
Information supplied by
Tina Scantling, a registered veterinary technician at the West
Campus Veterinary Technology
Program.
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THE TCC CONNECTION
04/27/05
page 17
page 18
NICIO
04/27/05
THE TCC CONNECTION
Ta k e a B r e a k Pa g e
UNIVERSAL CROSSWORD
by Lionicio Perez
BOONDOCKS
HIGHER ED
by Aaron McGruder
by Ernie and Phyllis Raynor
TEXT MESSAGING PUZZLE
by Matt Foster
9 444 555 555 #
88 777 #
333 444 66 2 555 7777 #
2 # 44 2 777 3 ?
Answer on next page
THE TCC CONNECTION
04/27/05
page 19
Hoodoo Horoscopes *
(Jan 20 - Feb 18)
(May 21 - June 20)
With finals looming on the
horizon, you may find yourself
losing focus. You just want to
be done, while taking a deep
breath and closing that calculus
book for the last time. Be
patient and stick to your guns.
All your perseverance will pay
off in the end.
- Lindsay M. Madeja
Lately life has not been as
active and joyous as you
would prefer. This may mean
that it is time to reevaluate
your current relationships.
Instead of just hanging with
whomever, perhaps you
should focus on quality versus
quantity. However, until you
are able to establish new
friendships, you may have to
spend some time alone. Use
this opportunity to just chill or
to visit family members you
may have not seen in awhile.
Stick to your resolution, and in
time you will reap the fruits of
your sacrifice.
-Toni Hill
Pisces
(Feb 19 - Mar 20)
Your astrological forecast
holds hail. Yes you read right,
big chunks of frozen shrapnel
falling from the sky, tap dancing all over your car. There is
however
some
sunshine
around the corner, but to get to
it you’re going to have to drive
very slowly through flood
water.
-C.L. Harmon
Aries
(Mar 21 – Apr 19)
Okay, Aries. Let’s get real.
You like to have a good time
and don’t want to disappoint
your friends, but finals are
around the corner. Do you
honestly think anyone will be
mad if you don’t do “It’s
Raining Men” at karaoke
because you’re studying? Hit
the books!
-Joey De
Taurus
(Apr 20- May 20)
The whispering winds carry
secrets about your future. It
whistles at your good fortune,
howls at the bad fortune and
screams at the chaos that
seems so often to be your life.
There is hope though. When
those tornados come beating
down your door, just close
your eyes and ask the “Wizard
of Oz” the location of the nearest shelter.
-C.L. Harmon
Cancer
things. It is through these
hoops that we learn and
encounter the things we need
to not only survive, but even
live well.
-Matt Foster
Libra
(Sept 23 – Oct 22)
Better a thousand nights in
the rain than a day in the grave.
Life is too short to squabble
over “what could have been,”
and too fragile to pursue selfish, worldly lusts. Good things
are not to be gambled, nor
should bad things be tested.
Learn to enjoy and be content
with what you have—or risk
losing everything you could
every want.
- Stephen McPherson
(June 21 - July 22)
Lots of exciting stuff going
on in your life right now. Keep
your enthusiasm on the down
low or else you could cast
some bad karma into your
aura. Also, don’t get so caught
up with paying attention to the
urgent stuff that you forget to
tend to the important stuff, like
your relationships with friends
and immediate family.
-Kat Hale
Leo
(July 23 - Aug 22)
Your strong personality and
compassionate heart makes
you a formidable opponent and
a strong advocate for justice.
Pick a cause, and then donate
your time, energy and talents
to make a difference. Your perseverance, empathy and
unbeatable charisma will guarantee success and enable you
to speak for those who can not
defend themselves.
-Toni Hill
Virgo
(Aug 23 – Sept 22)
Jumping through hoops is
just part of the big scheme of
Scorpio
(Oct 23 - Nov 21)
Be grateful that things in
life have begun to look up. As
you continue your journey
through school and life,
remember that although there
may be bumps in the road, you
will be stronger through facing
these challenges
-Matt Foster
Sagittarius
(Nov 22 - Dec 21)
Regardless of the world’s
troubles, you know that you
will be all right. Keep your
optimism, but don’t lose your
ability to relate to those who
may not feel so hopeful.
- Steven Eiler
Capricorn
(Dec 22- Jan 19)
Your heart is open to
change, but your mind is putting up a fight. Try to find a
happy medium, by compromising the two, you just might
find a happy solution.
-La Shawn Baker
Answer to the puzzle:
Gemini
WILL UR FINALS B HARD?
Aquarius
Metro Student Activities
Good Luck On Finals!
April 30 - May 6
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