File - The Tystenac

NOVEMBER 2, 2015
155 MIAMI STREET
TIFFIN, OHIO
ISSUE ONE
From Tystenac to TU Times and back again
by KELLIE GRUBER
Co-editor
Formerly known as TU Times, the
student newspaper of Tiffin University is digging back to its roots and
looking into the past.
The original name for the student
newspaper was The Tystenac, using
the letters of what the basic departments were at the time: TY for typing, STEN for stenography, and AC
for accounting. The name TU Times
did not come about until a few years
ago. After a short discussion, the
name was changed back to The Tystenac to get more people interested
and to be able to connect with the
students that came before us.
What most people don’t know is
that the student newspaper has been
around since 1933! With the original name The Tystenac, the newspaper would have been published for
82 years this year. Though the early
history of the newspaper wasn’t recorded, most of the earlier editions
can be found in Pfeiffer Library.
One of the biggest changes for this
coming year, other than the name, is
the way that the news will be published. No longer will students see
the TU Times beside the New York
Times and the USA Today, but instead they can visit TUTystenac.
com and get all of the news there.
We have news and perspective stories, sports records, and an arts and
entertainment section. The most exciting additions will be our videos
and podcasts, which will complement our written articles.
With the help of anyone who is
interested in any section(s) of this
list, we hope to bring the newspaper back to what it was in the past.
The Tystenac used to publish almost
2,000 copies per issue to send to the
Celebrating National Coming Out Day
in the gayest way
by NICK BUCHANAN
Co-editor
So, you’re gay, huh? Welcome
to the club. Your rainbow membership card and laminated copy of the
gay agenda should arrive in your
mailbox sometime soon.
As you may know, coming out as
gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender is not a one-time deal. Coming out for the first time releases
a monstrous load of stress, but the
cycle restarts when it’s time to tell
a second person, a third person,
and so on.
Since I first came out in September of last year, I’ve been on my
very own coming out tour, hitting
up nearly every one of my friends
in the countryside. Each stop on
the tour has been different, and
through these experiences, I’ve
learned that coming out is com-
public domain image
parable to ripping off an adhesive
bandage: it momentarily hurts, but
it’s ultimately relieving.
I’ve also learned that there’s no
right or wrong way to come out.
Do it anyway you’re comfortable
with. It can be as big or as small of
a deal as you’d like to make it; it’s
your time to shine.
​ Are you still closeted and ready
to make your grand reveal, but
don’t know how to do it? You’re
not alone. There are many options
out there for you; check them out
on page 2.
SPECTRUM holds Coming Out Day
events on campus
page 2
Co-editors Nick Buchanan, Andre Drew, and Kellie Gruber, and adviser Dr.
Vallo at a presidential installation event. photo by CAITLYN LARGENT
students, alumni, and other schools
as a recruitment tool.
As we are starting on a new journey this year and making a lot of
changes, we always appreciate any
suggestions or contributions from
anyone. You can contact us at [email protected] if you have any
questions or would like to contribute something to the paper.
Introducing ‘Stuey, What’s Good?’
Stuey, What’s Good is an advice column created by TU students,
for TU students. Whether your questions are about first year jitters
or nerves about facing the “real world” after graduation, from relationship drama to roommate disasters, Stuey has you covered. Even
if you just need someone to talk to, you should always feel free to
ask everybody’s favorite dragon for some thoughtful advice. Don’t
worry about having your name attached, because your submissions
can always be anonymous. So ask away, and don’t forget to close
your question with a “Stuey, What’s Good?”
You can submit your questions to Stuey via
the Tystenac website homepage at
http://www.tutystenac.com.
Again, names and e-mails are
not necessary.
See page 6 for more.
#BringChipotleToTiffin campaign is
over, but new plans take its place
page 3
Find some new local restaurants
right here in Tiffin
page 7
WANT MORE CONTENT? CHECK OUT TUTYSTENAC.COM
NEWS
PAGE 2
NOVEMBER 2, 2015
Coming Out Day events hosted by SPECTRUM
​ October marks the recognition of
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) History Month,
and student activist group SPECTRUM launched its celebration
of the month with projects for National Coming Out Day, an event
sponsored by the Human Rights
Campaign that has been celebrated
annually on Oct. 11 since the late
1980s.
O
​ n Tuesday, Oct. 5 and Thursday,
Oct. 8, members sat in the Gillmor Student Center with a door on
which students, staff, and faculty
could sign their name to show support for both those who have come
out and those who have yet to do so.
In addition, the group hosted an
open forum meeting on Oct. 8 from
8:00 until 9:00 p.m. in Main 13. Attendees had a chance to share and
listen to diverse coming out stories.
Participation was voluntary; forum
members were not forced to tell
their stories. Co-curricular credit
was offered to those who attended.
“Coming out is a significant stage
in any LGBT member’s journey. It
signifies that point in their life when
they have finally come to terms with
who they are and are willing share it
with the ones closest to them,” said
Scott Williams, SPECTRUM Public Relations Officer. “One of the
common struggles of coming out
is usually an institution in their life
that may not be accepting of them,
or there is an uncertainty to whether
they will be or not. These institutions, like family, friends, or religion, could hurt the person if they
are not accepting, and therefore,
there’s this constant struggle of ‘do
I let these people know who I am
and let them think differently of me
for it?’ or ‘do I just keep it to myself
where it’s painful?’”
Despite a monumental year for
LGBT Americans with the June 26
ruling in favor of marriage equality, the fight for complete equality
is far from over; coming out and
LGBT visibility will still serve very
important purposes in the post-marriage equality society.
Williams said, “Many people
don’t know, both in and out of the
community, that there are still 1,600
rights that members of the LGBT
community are denied. We are
still fighting to secure those 1,600
rights.”
There is assistance available both
on and off campus for students who
struggle with their sexuality or gender identity. The Trevor Project and
the Human Rights Campaign are
two of the most notable national
advocacy organizations. They both
offer online resources, but the Trevor Project specifically specializes in
LGBT crisis. The Trevor Lifeline, a
suicide and crisis hotline for LGBT
youth, can be reached 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week at 1-800-4887386.
Williams said, “There are several
students who also have that rainbow triangle on their doors, in their
residence halls, or wherever they
may be, who are willing to help
you. And in the worst case scenario,
just reach out to your friends.”
SPECTRUM, formerly known as
GLASS, stands for Sexuality, Pride,
Equality, Community, Teaching,
Respect, Ubiquity, and Mentorship.
The organization’s goal is to provide a supportive and educational
collective for students who identify
in the gender and sexual diversity
community.
The group meets every Thursday
at 8:00 p.m. in Main 13.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Just say it. After I contemplated for months on how to do this,
I accidentally did this at the most
awkward time possible and ruined
a night with my friends. It was neither ideal, nor planned, but it made
for quite the tale to tell nowadays.
Long story made short: I met a girl
in high school with whom I had built
a strong friendship, and I could tell
that she wanted to advance to something more last year. So on a night
that started with a backyard campfire and ended with some television
at this friend’s house, it spilled out
in the most ridiculous way possible:
during an episode of Guy Code.
It was the first time I had even
admitted my sexuality out loud to
myself let alone anybody else, and
the memory will forever be tied to a
cheap MTV show. Wonderful.
The young lady in question is
still one of my closest friends, and I
still don’t think she knows just how
grateful I am for her; she took it all
so well. It had to be one of the most
awkward positions for her, stuck
between natural heartbreak and respectful acceptance.
Tell your family or friends over
dinner. This equation is pretty great
all around because both food and
gayness are involved. It doesn’t
have to be a huge public spectacle; when I did this with one of my
friends from high school, I just slid
it into conversation at an appropriate time. It could attract attention if
coming out garners a fiery negative
reaction from friends and family, so
use this one carefully.
Send a text. This is a rather impersonal way to get things done. Text
strips away all of the emotion from
a conversation. However, it saves
the awkward silence and tears, and
it’s a private way to do it if you send
the text to a trustworthy person.
I came out to my best friend of
over a decade via text while my parents sat none the wiser fifteen feet
away from me. Considering that
she’s been one of the closest people in my life since grade school,
I always expected that she would
be the first to know. She ended up
being the third person to know, and
she became the most important person in my support system; she’s
been a guidance counselor of sorts.
If anyone is the most valuable player in all of this, she is.
Make a telephone call. Not good
with face-to-face communication?
A call will get the job done and still
convey emotion.
Write a letter. Like a text, a letter
is a bit impersonal. It’s also mind
grueling because the response isn’t
immediate. I came out in a letter to
my friend who moved to Texas. Our
schedules rarely line up for a phone
call, and I clearly do not have the
time or means to make a quick trip
to Texas to declare gayness, so a letter was the best option. Minus the
wait for a letter in return, it was a
smooth experience.
Start a conversation during a
long car ride. This one is great –
your family or friends are trapped
in a vehicle, so there’s no way for
them to exit the conversation.
I’ve tried this approach twice. The
first time was with my whole family
in the car, but I was never able to explicitly come out. We were close to
having a serious conversation about
homosexuality until my father halted the conversation with the threat,
“You better not bring home a guy,
or else.”
On the other hand, my second try
was a success. I came out to my
mother (the only person in my family who knew prior to this article’s
release) when she and I were in the
car. I must recommend that the person coming out is not in the driver’s
seat; I was behind the wheel in this
situation, and my nerves ensured
that I wasn’t even remotely paying
attention to the road.
Talk about Lady Gaga a lot and
wait for someone to ask. This one
works really well. Just trust me on
this one.
Talk about Cher a lot and wait
for someone to ask. This one works
even better. Cher is to the gays what
Queen Elizabeth II is to England. In
fact, another member of the LGBT+
community on campus asked about
my sexuality only after our conversations about Cher. Her power is
undeniable.
Make a social media post. Social media is great because it reaches many people at once. A simple
status or tweet should do the trick;
right around the time we gays were
told we can get married, I posted a
picture on Instagram with the pride
flag superimposed over the background. That seemed to do the trick
with the very few followers I have.
Write about your sexuality and
publish it. In conjunction with
that last technique, this is what I
did. I posted a variant of this story at tutystenac.com on Oct. 11 and
shared it on Facebook to come out
as gay to my family and friends,
and I couldn’t be happier.
Executive board members of SPECTRUM. From left to right: Scott Williams,
Lenah Beitshawish, Michaela Goldenstein, Claire McKenna, and Nicholas
Ditter. photo by ALANA IHSAN
by SCOTT WILLIAMS
Guest Writer
& NICK BUCHANAN
Co-Editor
Explore some ways to celebrate your gay
NEWS
PAGE 3
#BringChipotleToTiffin is over, but
Hot Head Burritos may be on its way
NOVEMBER 2, 2015
Meet Valravn: Cedar Point's
newest record breaker
Photo courtesy of HOT HEAD BURRITOS
by NICK BUCHANAN
Co-editor
Most college students love Mexican cuisine, right? They love it especially when it is cheap and served
in a quick time frame, right? Aaron
Montz, the mayor of Tiffin, knows
what his citizens (including students of Tiffin University and Heidelberg University) want and tried
his best to deliver.
In July, Mayor Montz started the
#BringChipotleToTiffin campaign.
He vowed to tweet Chipotle Mexican Grill every day until the company opened a location in Tiffin,
which he did for nearly 40 days. On
Sept. 3, he brought the #BringChipotleToTiffin to a halt in favor of
other plans.
In a statement on his Facebook
page, Mayor Montz said, “The
Bring Chipotle to Tiffin Campaign
will officially be ending as [of] today. After 39 days of [t]weeting
them, there has been little to no
movement. However[,] the Tweet
Campaign has led to another significant development. Today, executives from Chipotle rival Hot
Head Burritos spent the day in Tiffin where they were given the red
carpet treatment by our Economic
Development Team. The owners
came away immensely impressed
and dialogue will continue over the
next few weeks and months. While
there is no guarantee this deal will
happen, I felt the need to share the
wonderful news with all of you and
explain why there will be no further
Chipotle [t]weets. I promise to keep
everyone updated on how talks
progress into the future.”
Hot Head Burritos is a Dayton-based chain that bears similarity to Chipotle and serves a variety
of Mexican foods, including burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and nachos. Since its first store opening
in March 2007, the chain has expanded to over 63 locations, with a
majority of them being located right
here in Ohio.
In addition to talk of Hot Head
Burritos, it was confirmed last year
that a Buffalo Wild Wings sport bar
is slated to be opened in Tiffin; also
a company with Ohio roots, Buffalo
Wild Wings opened its first location
in Columbus in 1982 and boasts
signature chicken wings and sauces. Despite this news breaking approximately a year ago, plans have
yet to materialize.
Excited for the potential of a Hot
Head Burritos location in Tiffin?
Show the company some love via
Twitter @hotheadburritos. In the
mean time, TU students can get
their Mexican food fixes at Taco
Bell at 630 West Market St. or
Xcaret Mexican Food at 870 West
Market St., inside the Tiffin Mall.
Follow us on Facebook
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Read online at http://www.TUTystenac.com/
Virtual rendering of Valravn courtesy of CEDAR POINT
by NICK BUCHANAN
Co-editor
Known for its boundary-pushing innovations to craft bigger and
better roller coasters, the self-proclaimed “Roller Coaster Capital of
the World” is back at it again.
Meet Valravn, Cedar Point’s newest planned addition. The ride was
announced on Aug. 9 through a
live-streamed media event as the
world’s largest, fastest, and longest
dive coaster in the world. Boasting
a 223-foot tall lift hill, a top speed
of 75 miles per hour, and a vertical
drop of 214 feet, Valravn will break
ten world records when it opens at
the start of the park’s 2016 operating season. It will also allow Cedar
Point to regain the record for the
most rides offered in one amusement park (72 attractions in total).
Cedar Point has a record-breaking
history: 10 of the park’s 16 operating roller coasters broke at least one
record at the time of their maiden
rides. Perhaps most notably, the
park was the first to break the 200feet, 300-feet, and 400-feet height
barriers with Magnum XL-200,
Millennium Force, and Top Thrill
Dragster, respectively.
“When we talk to our guests,
that’s what they expect from us.
They want rides that are bigger and
better than they’re going to get anywhere else in the world,” said Jason
McClure, vice president and general manager of the park, during the
event. “We look forward to adding
to this skyline with another ride
that’s going to be the tallest, fastest,
and longest of its kind.”
Dive coasters are relatively unheard of; Valravn will be the third of
its kind in the United States. Manufactured by Swiss industry giant
Bolliger & Mabillard, dive coasters
are set apart from other breeds of
roller coasters by the angle and intensity of their initial drops.
“Right at the apex, this roller
coaster will perch and hold, and
wait in anticipation to drop,” said
Rob Decker, senior vice president
of planning and design for Cedar
Fair Entertainment Company. “It’s
that freefall that we’re after. We
want your stomach to be able to flip
three times before you [take a] 90
degree freefall drop.”
The announcement of the ride
was accompanied by the unveiling of Cedar Point’s first “virtual
experience.” Roller coaster fanatics can take virtual rides through
an animated rendering of the ride
on Cedar Point’s official YouTube
channel. While watching the video,
viewers can tilt the camera 360 deg.
to completely immerse themselves
in a panoramic, life-like experience.
The video can also be accessed by a
special app that can be downloaded
by iPhone and Android users.
The ride’s announcement was
originally slated for Aug. 18, but
it was postponed after the Aug. 13
death of one of the park’s guests.
The 45-year-old guest entered a restricted, fenced-off area under the
Raptor suspended roller coaster to
retrieve items that he lost while on
the ride, where he was struck and
killed by one of the roller coaster’s
trains. The incident was investigated and the ride has since reopened.
Cedar Point, America’s second-oldest amusement park with
history dating back to 1870, sits just
one hour away from Tiffin University’s campus in Sandusky, Ohio.
Though it operates seven days a
week during the summer, it is open
only on weekends throughout the
fall. The last day for this operating
season was Nov. 1, but the park will
reopen in May 2016.
Season passes for next season are
already on sale (with special discounts available for early purchase)
at https://www.cedarpoint.com/tickets/. More information and updates
on Valravn can be found at https://
valravn.cedarpoint.com/.
PAGE 4
NEWS
NOVEMBER 2, 2015
Celebration shares Saudi Arabian culture
by SARA PLOTT
Contributing writer
The world has a stereotype of
America, and we have a stereotype
of the world. It only takes one conversation to break down those preconceptions and make a friend.
Of the many countries represented on the Tiffin University campus, Saudi Arabia has 163 students.
While they are across the globe
from home, they celebrated their
heritage for the campus to enjoy on
Sept. 24. The celebration of Saudi
Arabia National Day attracted many
Americans, and the Saudi Arabian
students had a lot to teach.
One Saudi Arabian student, Muhannad Alghamdi, has lived in the
U.S. for three years and is respectful
not only to others, but also their religions. He broke stereotypes when
he sat down and shared information
about his culture, religion, and the
celebrated holiday.
“Movies have helped adapt to
American ways,” Alghamdi said. “I
love it here. I have many friends to
connect to.”
Although the Saudi National Day
celebration attracted many American students, staff and faculty, Alghamdi believed that the religious
holiday, Eid al Adha, is supreme.
Eid al Adha was celebrated for the
anniversary of Abraham’s gift from
God. As the story goes, Abraham
was commanded to sacrifice his son
to God. When Abraham was about
to do so, God stopped him and provided a ram as a substitute sacrifice.
“God will provide,” Alghamdi
said. “We celebrate this by praying,
giving to charity, and sacrificing to
God.”
During the event, traditional dances were performed, the Quran was
read, and many thanks were given.
One speaker focused on eliminating
stereotypes of Saudi Arabia while
celebrating the culture. To Americans, Saudi Arabia is an Islamic nation that exports oil. The presentation made it clear that there is much
more to offer.
Upon graduation, Alghamdi will
travel back to a promised job in
Saudi Arabia, owing no debt for his
education.
“Saudi Arabia is good to me, they
have done so much.”
Various presentations
at the event.
all photos by SARA PLOTT
The Hajj
An explanation of a Mulism tradition
by IBRAHIM ALSAIARI
Contributing writer
Mecca
The city of Mecca welcomes
more than one-and-a-half million
Muslims from around the world
during the Hajj. Hajj is an Islamic
pilgrimage that every Muslim who
has the capacity, financially and
physically, must do at least once in
his or her lifetime. Visiting Mecca
is a goal for every Muslim, so people spend time preparing in their
visit. All Muslims must face Mecca
when they pray because it is a holy
place. Most Muslims from around
the world work very hard to pay for
their trips to Mecca to do the Hajj
before they die.
The Hajj occurs every year from
the 8th day of Dhu al-Hijjah month
in the Islamic calendar until the
13th day. Hajj is a great opportunity
that Muslims do to strengthen their
relationship with Allah. Patience is
one of the significant elements that
Muslims can learn from going to
Hajj.
countries, there are some people
who work to help the pilgrims and
provide them with anything they
need. Some pilgrims ask about the
activities of the Hajj, which include
all men wearing two white garments and women wearing scarves
and caftans. Pilgrims begin heading to the mosque called Al-Masjid
al-Haram.
Al-Masjid al-Haram
When Muslims arrive at the
mosque, some of them choose to
relax and eat at their hotels that are
located near the mosque. Others
choose to start the Umrah, which is
the first step of the Hajj that included Tawaf and Sa’y. The capacity of
Al-Masjid al-Haram has increased
to about one million worshippers.
The Tawaf
The Tawaf is where pilgrims begin circling, or walking around, the
Kaaba, which is a cuboid building in the middle of the Al-Masjid
al-Haram. People are required to
circle seven times and provide supplications and devotion to Allah.
Arriving to Mecca
It is the greatest moment for every
When Muslims arrive before the Muslim when they are doing the
eighth day at Mecca from different Tawaf to strengthen their relation-
ship with Allah.
The Sa’y
After doing the Tawaf, they proceed to start doing the Sa’y, which
is also walking between the hills
of Safe and Mariah, located in the
Al-Masjid al-Haram. The Sa’y is
not about just walking; it is about
instilling compassion in every Muslim.
Mina
On the eighth day, pilgrims move
to Mina, an area located east of to
Mecca, to spend the day in prayer.
Pilgrims spend the 8th, 11th, 12th,
13th days of Dhu al-Hijjah. During
these days, pilgrims do some rituals
of the Hajj. Mina is the first place
where pilgrims stay and prepare for
the next day activity called standing
on Arafat.
to move to an area called Muzdalifa (between Mana and Arafat) to
spend the night gathering pebbles
for the next ritual called Aljamarat.
Eid Aldha
Eid Aldha is the 10th day of Hajj,
and it is the second Islamic holiday
where pilgrims return to Mana to
spend a few days doing Aljamart
ritual and sacrificing animals, usually goat or lamb. Aljamart is a
ritual where pilgrims are stoning
three pillars that represent the devil; the story is related to the prophet
Abraham. Other Muslims around
the world celebrate by doing Eid
prayer, visiting family, and sacrificing animal. The purpose of sacrificing the animal is to help poor
people by giving them a part of it.
Farewell Tawaf
Farewell Tawaf is the last step that
Arafat
pilgrims do before they are done
In the ninth day, pilgrims proceed with Hajj, so they go back to Mecto Arafat, an area located east of ca to circle around the Kaaba seven
Mecca. Pilgrims spend the day do- times and to thank Allah for making
ing supplication and devotion, and them achieve their goals of competpraying for Allah. People who do ing Hajj rituals.
not participate in Hajj should spend
the day of Arafat fasting and praying. After sunset, pilgrims begin
PERSPECTIVE
PAGE 5
NOVEMBER 2, 2015
Creative writing program thrives ten years on
by NICK BUCHANAN
Co-editor
At roughly 10 years old, Tiffin
University’s creative writing program seems like a mere infant in
comparison to the school’s 127
years of history. Not to worry,
though: it has matured quickly.
“We have a surprisingly good creative writing program for a program
that’s really just started,” said English professor Dr. Vincent Moore.
“We’re putting out some things that
programs that have been in place for
decades have been doing, but we’ve
been doing it in no time at all.”
TU offers creative writing as an
undergraduate minor and a concentration in the Master of Humanities
graduate program. In addition, TU
boasts the Dragon Writers Guild, an
extra-curricular group with a passion for writing. Many of the university’s creative writers have the
chance to be featured in on-campus
publications like the TU Review
arts journal and the Tystenac student newspaper.
Though writing intensive, these
courses stand out from the rest: The
writing done in the four undergraduate workshops carries a less rigid
format. In Dr. Moore’s classes, students learn by writing from a blend
of their own imaginations and personal experiences.
“For some reason, one year [in
a short story workshop], everyone was writing horror stories and
zombie stories,” said Dr. Moore.
“You’re going to learn the skills of
putting together a short story or a
novel if you’re writing about zom-
bies or if you’re writing about divorce. If it’s literary coming-of-age
or a spy novel, it’s still the same mechanics, and once you master those,
then you can start working on the
great American novel or the next
Twilight. […] When it’s your own
story, poem, or novel, it gets more
personal [than a regular essay].”
One graduate workshop requires
students to write their own 50,000word novel. It is a lot of writing,
indeed, but sometimes, this assignments ends with more than a mark
in the grade book: Some of Dr.
Moore’s students have had their
homework published via both publishing houses and self-publishing.
Jennifer Howard, who earned
her Master of Humanities from
TU in 2011, started her first novel,
That Time I Joined the Circus, as a
part of Dr. Moore’s novel-writing
course. The book was later sold to
Scholastic. Howard’s second novel, Tracers, was recently translated
into an action movie starring Taylor Lautner. While she is the most
publicized of the program’s success
stories, she is part of a growing list
of published authors who graduated
from TU.
Even without goals of becoming
the author of a New York Times
best-seller, students find there is a
lot to be learned from the undergraduate creative writing courses.
“After taking the poetry creative
writing course, I’m much broader in my ability to write. Before, I
was one of those A-B-A-B poetry
writers, or rhyme writers, and now
I have a broader horizon,” said Kellie Gruber, an undergraduate stu-
Dragon Writers Guild president Nicole Beard works on a poem.
photo by NICK BUCHANAN
dent who has already fulfilled the
requirements for a creative writing
minor.
Dr. Moore noted some skills that
will help students in their future careers; there are more lessons than
meet the eye in the study and crafting of short stories and poetry.
“Writing, whether it’s fiction, creative non-fiction, or even poetry,
really helps your writing in other
subjects,” Dr. Moore said. He said
that creative writing can also help
students “build up that thick skin
for criticism” and appropriately express themselves through words:
two vitals skills for a workplace of
any kind that cannot be taught in
seminars and orientations.
With all this in mind, do you
think you’re an eligible candidate
to undertake a creative writing
course? Chances are that you would
be a perfect fit in a creative writing
workshop here at TU; after all, creative writing is a bigger part of your
life than you think.
“A lot of people will say, ‘Oh, I
hate poetry’ because they had to
study it in school and hated it, and
then they know every word to every
song they’ve listened to, and those
are all poems,” Dr. Moore said.
“In most cases, [poetry is] just
those song lyrics without the music,
and sometimes it tells stories, sometimes it’s meant to be recited, sometimes it’s meant to be sung,” said.
Dr. Moore.
Relating it to a favorite genre
of many college students, he said,
“Rap is great for narrative poetry,
telling a story, and you don’t really
need musical skill to rap; you need
reciting skill.”
He continued, “Anybody who
likes stories, who likes to read, who
likes movies [would do well in creative writing classes], but also if
you just want to get outside of your
comfort zone. That’s always a fun
thing.”
An original Arabic poem translated to English: “Silent Pictures”
poem by RAKAN ALZEER
translated by NICOLE BEARD
​ ‫ روصلا تْبَطا‬..‫آهتملك‬
‫خ‬
‫يتدحو نع آهتثَداح‬
‫يتلحر و يقايتشا نع و‬
‫يتفهل هبيرغ هدلب يف فيك و‬
‫يتظحل يغآرف يف يضقأ نيو و‬
‫يكتشأ و حرفأ و نزحأ ىتم و‬
‫يلتخي ينيف ّمَهلا ةقيرط يأـب و‬
‫يتوفص رّكَعي و آبخلاب مهادي وأ‬
‫مَلأ ةَربنب اهتبَطاخ‬
‫يلتمم ينويع يف عمدلا و‬
“‫”يَكَح ةمحز‬
‫يكح ةمحز عومدلا يه‬
‫يفكفك يعومد نع يشومر اي‬
‫يعنما و مهروص نع يفوش ينّفك و‬
‫يلّمحت و يربصا مهلامج نع و‬
‫ كقايتشا نع و‬,,‫كلاج يللا نينحلا و‬
‫يلهاجتت نا كوجرأ‬
‫ روصلا تبَطاخ‬،،‫يتَينُم اهنم درلا و‬
‫يتخرص رهقي و حبذي آهتمص‬
‫لأسأ‬..
‫يدانأ‬..
‫تّوصأ‬..
‫بواجأ‬..
‫يفتكت يبآذع نع اهيبأ‬
‫بيغت لقألاع وأ‬
‫يلجنت يتايح نع لواحت وأ‬
‫آهتبَطاخ‬..
‫هريخألا هّرملا يف و‬
‫يترجه آهنلعأ ام لبق و‬
‫يعمسم قَهرأ سْمَهب ْتَّدَر‬
‫! اهدصق مهفأ ينتَيعأ‬
‫يتركف نّوكأ ىتح وأ‬
‫يلَعلا توصلاب ديعت اهتلواح‬
‫يفتكأ تلاق مَهبُملا باوجلاب اهّنكل‬
‫تَفَتكأ‬.. !!
‫تَعَلقأ يراوح نع و‬.. !!
‫انأ نكل‬.. !
‫اهتبَطاخ‬
‫يلتعي يرارصإ و اهملكأ تعجر و‬
‫يفتخت ًءيش ـف ًءيش هماركلا و‬
‫ روصلا تبَطاخ‬..‫اهتملك‬
‫يهتنت هداعلاه يبأ و‬
‫ اهتياهن نا رهاظلا و‬،،‫يتيندل هياهن‬
..‫ريزلا ناكار‬
I talked to the picture
About my loneliness
My homesickness
Where I can spend my free time when
I was sad
How I complained to the people
How the sorrows attack my calm waters and made me sad
I answered
I wanted her to stop punishing me
Or I will have to dismiss her from my
life
I spoke with the picture
In the last time round, before I announced my leaving
She whispered to me and I painfully
tried to listen
I talked to her with anguish in my
This whisper exhausted my hearing
breath
It was hard to understand her intent
My tears were packed in my eyes
Or even build my thoughts about what
Tears were the traffic of conversation
she said
I spoke to my eyelashes
I could not recognize it
Please, eyelashes, wipe my eye to get
I tried to get her to reiterate by yelling
rid of my tears
But with her silence she answered,
And shroud my sight from seeing her
‘No.’
If all you want me to see is her gorShe stopped talking
geousness, you should wait
And if you are being missed or becom- Leaving my soul behind
But I still attempted to talk to her
ing nostalgic, you should ignore her
My strong instance did not bring her
back
I talked to the picture
And her answer was my wish
I continued to speak to the picture
Her silence slaughtered my invisible
I want this habit to end
screams
But I think I will end before this habits
I asked
ends
I called
PAGE 6
PERSPECTIVE
Stuey, What’s Good?
by STUEY THE DRAGON
Advice-giving dragon
I really like this girl. She’s incredibly beautiful and smart and sweet and
funny and basically perfect. The only problem is that she likes country
music. And not just any country music, because I can handle Cash just
fine, and Chesney if I must. The problem is that she likes country rap.
Did you know the acronym for this is literally CRAP? Country rap =
c-rap = crap. I just don’t know if I can date her if I have to listen to Colt
Ford rap another verse of country girls serving chicken and biscuits.
Stuey, what’s good?
​​– Sick of Her CRAP
Dear Sick of Her CRAP,
​
Get in your car, drive to Canada, in the orange corner store 37 minutes
outside of Ontario you will meet a guy named Sam. Sam will give you
your new identity and tickets to England. You will be safe in the UK,
there is no CRAP there. But honestly, you need to get out of that before
you find yourself humming Florida Georgia Line (the gateway country
drug to CRAP). Nobody deserves that kind of disgusting nonsense in
their life. Save yourself. No person is worth that CRAP.
As much as I love the campus, the freedom to do as I will, and all of my
classes, I really miss my family. Sometimes I feel like I should have gone
to a school closer to my home instead of one a few hours away. But then
I’d feel bad about leaving my friends. I’m really confused. Stuey, what’s
good?
– Homesick
Dear Homesick,
It’s natural to feel sad and miss your family; going off to college is a
big change from living at home and everyone has problems adjusting
at first. Considering that you have already made friends and that you
love the campus and your classes, I think you made the right decision in
choosing the university. However, I am truly sorry you are having such
a hard time right now.
I suggest calling your family and friends back home. Set up times each
week that work for you both, that way you still feel connected to them
and their lives while maintaining a healthy life here on campus.
A friend of mine has recently expressed feelings for me, but I don’t feel
the same way. Stuey, what’s good?
– I Don’t Want That
Dear I Don’t Want That,
If you don’t feel the same way, you should definitely tell your friend that
you don’t have the same feelings for them. It would be unfair to both
you and them to lead them on by not immediately letting them know
how you feel.
But just because you don’t have romantic feelings for them, that doesn’t
mean that you two can’t remain friends. Let them know that you value
your friendship a lot and that you don’t want that to change. Eventually,
they will probably get over you. It’s not like you’re Beyoncé.
Online editors
Nick Buchanan, Andre Drew,
and Kellie Gruber
Print issue staff writers
Nicole Beard, Jessica Hollan,
and Brandon Utley
Print editors
Nick Buchanan and
Madison Mobus
Print issue contributing writers
Ibrahim Alsairi, Rakan Alzeer,
Sara Plott, and Scott Williams
NOVEMBER 2, 2015
Dungeons & Dragons Adventures
by KARINA CLOESMEYER
PERSPECTIVE
PAGE 7
NOVEMBER 2, 2015
An essential guide to Tiffin's local restaurants
A few of Tiffin’s many local restaurants. From left to right: Little Hugo’s, Paulette’s, Jolly’s, and the Big Dipper.
photos by NICK BUCHANAN
by NICOLE BEARD
Staff writer
Tiffin might seem like corn country to some, but it's home to some
top notch eateries that you've got to
taste to believe. So if you're looking for something to do or a place
to eat, try one of these fine establishments. Here is a food guide to
Tiffin: the top thirteen places to eat
before you graduate.
AJ’s Heavenly Pizza* - 2 Main St.
If you want to feed a hungry group
of people, AJ’s is the pizzeria for
you. With delivery directly to campus, going through your college
experience without tasting AJ’s
mouthwatering pizza is disgraceful.
Ranging all the way up to twenty
inches, AJ’s pizza can satisfy anyone. AJ’s is the college students’ answer to amazing pizza without the
drive. And best part? It can fit into
any broke college student’s budget.
Bailiwicks Coffee Company* - 62
S. Washington St.
Are you addicted to coffee? Bailwicks is your answer. Its coffee
and eateries are more than worth
the walk into town. If you need to
study or are in the mood to play a
board game, Bailiwicks has a great
hang-out area that can accommodate you and all your friends. The
coffee shop feel mixes nicely with
the relaxed décor that makes this
shop one of the top hot spots.
The Big Dipper - 380 Wentz St.,
at the junction of Wentz St. and W.
Perry St.
You scream, I scream, let’s all go
get some ice cream! With the Big
Dipper being right at the very beginning of the business strip, you
easily can! It’s a worthwhile detour
for those who want a little dessert with their fast food. Though it
might take a newcomer a while to
locate the tiny ice cream shop, the
outside eating area keeps one warm
enough to enjoy their cold scoop of
wonderfulness.
Fort Ball Pizza Palace* - Two locations: 91 N. Washington St. and
111 Melmore St.
With an all you can eat mentality,
Fort Ball truly fits into a strict college budget. The buffet style allows
for students to eat to their hearts
content. Another pizza place, this
one is just as noteworthy. It’s good
pizza, especially for how cheap it
is. The Famous Italian Smorgasboard offers the great Italian dishes
and pizza that makes the restaurant
worth the taste.
Jolly’s Drive-In - 1630 W. Market
St.
Not as well-known, Jolly’s is one
of the rare gems Tiffin has to offer.
Selling killer root beer, Jolly’s has
been in operation for 68 years. With
a welcoming and friendly staff, Jolly’s beer is one that all students can
enjoy when looking for a hot night
on the town. Add a little ice cream
to cool off later, and you have yourself a memorable night. Unfortunately, though, you’ll have to wait
until next spring to enjoy this one:
Jolly’s is now closed for the fall and
winter seasons.
JT’s Bagel Bar* - 14 Sycamore St.
See what a Tiffin University degree can make? JT’s is owned by
two TU alumnae who have broken
into the restaurant business with
doughnuts and bagels. Originating
from Port Clinton, Ohio, JT’s original location made such a splash that
they needed to expand and luckily
enough, they picked Tiffin for this
satellite location. With a carry-out
only policy, it makes it easy to grab
a bite on the go and is definitely a
stop that should be on any graduating student’s list. Get there early,
though; the doughnuts sell quickly!
Little Hugo’s - 410 W. Market St.
One scoop or two? This is probably
the hardest decision on has to make
when ordering from Little Hugo’s.
With their signature ice cream, Hugo’s makes the taste bud sing and
the wallet happy. Though they are
best known for their ice cream,
Hugo’s has a menu that includes
hot dogs, sandwiches and pretzels.
Figuring out what one wants from
Hugo’s is definitely worth the hard
choice.
One Thirty Eight (formerly known
as Phoebe’s)* - 138 S. Washington
St.
With little opinions in town for
vegetarians or vegan, there is an
answer. One Thirty Eight, originally called Phoebe’s, is a vegetable
heaven for the pickiest of eaters.
With all vegan meals, the service
only adds to the experience because
of the hot and amazing dishes. Even
meat lovers should be able to find
something they love at One Thirty
Eight.
Paulette’s - 238 S. Sandusky St.
Just walking by Paulette’s makes
you want to stop in and take a seat.
Focusing solely on home-style cuisine, Paulette’s is for anyone who
misses his or her mother’s homemade meals. Best known for its allday breakfast, Paulette’s is a hidden
gem in downtown Tiffin that most
students haven’t even heard of. So
if you are looking for something to
do this Sunday, head over and try
some of the best down-home cooking Tiffin has to offer.
Phat Cakes and Cafe* - 45 S.
Washington St.
Looking for pastries you can drool
over? Phat Cakes is your haven.
Known as both the best cupcake
place in town and the off-campus
hot spot, it is a TU tradition to taste
this place’s desserts. The hip atmosphere and surprisingly spacious
environment puts any stressed out
college kid at ease. Plus, it’s truly
hard to worry when cheesecake is
involved.
Rosie’s Soups ‘N’ Such - 122 Miami St., across the street from St.
Mary’s classroom building
Most of us pass it on our way to
class, but never step foot inside.
Rosie’s is not only an iconic restaurant to the town, but also to Tiffin
University. Best known for their
breakfast items, Rosie’s has always
left customers satisfied and hungry
for more. If there is one diner you
should hit up before walking across
that stage, it’s Rosie’s. With it homey feel and amazing cooking, you’ll
get addicted with just one visit.
Sabaidee Coffee House - 45 S.
Sandusky St., across the street from
Seitz Hall and Franks Hall
Right on campus, Sabaidee is a
must visit for any TU student. With
the cozy feel and the aroma of coffee in the air, it is a great place to
get inspiration and study. Having
changed owners twice in the last
four years, Sabaidee has grown into
the campus coffee shop that can revile Starbucks any day. If you haven’t made the trip to Sabaidee yet,
be sure to stop in, say hello to our
friend Delana, and order some of
the best coffee in town.
Xcaret Mexican Food - 870 W.
Market St., inside the Tiffin Mall
Make fun of the unoriginal marquee sign all you like, but this Mexican establishment doesn’t need any
bells and whistles when it comes to
their food. Though Xcaret doesn’t
have any competition, it would still
reign supreme if it did. The quick
service and tasty food hits the Mexican sweet spot right on the head.
With a large menu and a variety of
choices, it would be hard to find
nothing to like here.
*All these restaurants have discounts available for TU students
with the presentation of the Downtown Tiffin Student Discount Card.
PAGE 8
ENTERTAINMENT
NOVEMBER 2, 2015
Two TU musicians are On Top of the world
by ANDRE DREW
Co-editor
Looking for some new music to
listen to? On Top is the band for
you.
The band, composed of Tiffin University students Domenic Giovanni
and Jazz Hannah, has only been on
the scene for a year now, but it is
already drumming up a following
among the student body, including
this journalist. The band started randomly, said both band members.
“It just happened,” Giovanni said.
“It needed to. So it did.”
The sound of their band is all over
the place: “Anything and everything, all jammed into one sound,”
Hannah said. “Like a clown car
jammed packed with musical
clowns from another dimension.”
The band has released its debut
EP, and both members have had a
“grand time thus far” with a ton of
support. Hannah “would recommend it to anyone under the stars.”
When asked about what the band’s
symbol means, Giovanni said that
the translation has been lost over
time: “The more you look at it, the
more powerful you feel. I think it
connects directly to the soul. It’s
primal and tears into your basic
emotions.”
Hannah said, “It came to us in a
dream one night… Yes, Dom and I
have the same dreams some nights.”
When asked about their upcoming projects, they said that right
now, “we are working on getting
our gear ready to play a few gigs
On Top members Domenic Giovanni and Jazz Hannah.
photo submitted by DOMENIC GIOVANNI
around Ohio and Michigan. We’re
also always recording new demos
(check our SoundCloud), and making plans to begin recording another
album of sorts.”
​ You can follow them on social media at OnTopTheBand. Check
​​
them
out ontoptheband.bandcamp.com.
Halsey invites listeners to the dingy dystopia of Badlands
by NICK BUCHANAN
Co-editor
Welcome to the inner workings of
viral alt-pop phenomenon Halsey;
welcome to the Badlands. “I didn’t
ask for this. No one asks for this.
You’re born into it. You grow up
oblivious and sheltered, and one day
the evil realities of this place hit you
square between the eyes like a perfectly aimed bullet,” she tells us in
a trailer to her debut album. While
her Room 93 extended play followed misfortunes and happenings
in a hotel suite, this album is shaped
from a brand new concept: it is an
11-track journey through Halsey’s
own dystopia - an evil, rundown
area that metaphorically represents
the depths of her own mind. The
trailer’s overdone monologue foreshadows the melodrama about to
unfold as we venture through the
dirty streets of the Badlands.
Argued to be a competing record
label’s manufactured counterpart to
Interscope’s Lana Del Rey, Halsey
attempts to embody everything that
rebellious outcasts are meant to be:
she gets high on amphetamines,
trips on LSD, has one-night stands,
hopes to make it to age 28... the list
goes on and on. A feisty little ball of
vulnerability, angst, and rebellion,
she is. A few times, I could grab her
and tell her that enough is enough,
that we completely get the wayward point she tries to drive home.
But her lyrics are so fluffed-up and
pleasing to the ears that I am willing
to excuse a majority of the clichés
weaved into them.
Lead single “Hold Me Down” features what are arguably the best lyrics of the album. Over the strange-
ly-paced beat and gritty synths of
the song, she sings, “My demons
are begging me to open up my
mouth / I need them, mechanically
make the words come out / They
fight me, vigorous and angry, watch
them pounce / Ignite me, licking up
the flame they bring about.” When
the fan-favorite selection “Colors”
builds up to its billowing chorus,
we hear Halsey poetically recite,
“You’re dripping like a saturated
sunrise, you’re spilling like an overflowing sink / You’re ripped at every edge but you’re a masterpiece,
and now I’m tearing through the
pages and the ink.” And as try-hard
as the chorus of “New Americana”
could be perceived (it’s actually
a satirical song, if you lot haven’t
looked into a few Halsey interviews), it offers some substance
in its verses: “Young James Dean,
some say he looks just like his father / But he could never love somebody’s daughter / Football team,
loved more than just the game / So
he vowed to be his husband at the
alter.” Her lyrics are aesthetically
pleasing, if nothing else, eh? There
are eight other pretty songs, both
with and without a few cringe-worthy themes, stocked on the album
for your listening pleasure.
Brooding, intricate productions,
enveloping choruses, and Halsey’s
semi-raspy vocals are the driving
forces that keep the album alive;
“Ghost” and “Hurricane,” tracks
that found their way over to Badlands from Room 93, should have
been bellwethers of those facts a
long time ago. She and her producers craft immersive atmospheres
that wash over listeners like high
tides over sandy beaches. “Drive”
is the musical equivalent to a lonely midnight drive out of the city,
complete with added car sound effects. The same goes for “Coming
Down,” another song that is given
automobile ambiance and carries a
subtle acoustic touch without losing consistency with the rest of the
tracks. “Haunting” and “Roman
Holiday” are the best examples of
skillful production to bring extraordinary life to her work. The former
opens with a looped vocal pattern
that runs throughout as the song
slowly blossoms into a driving,
hopeless plead, while the latter’s
layers of smoky vocals and heavy
synthesizers emit the radiance of a
warm summer day.
Admittedly, she does tap into the
same “part-Tumblr aesthetic, partdark alt-pop, part-mainstream success” role as Del Rey, but that’s
why this album works so well and
why it sold 97,000 units in its debut week in the United States. As a
girl who gained fame via YouTube
cover videos and is only 20 years
old, she knows what the kids are
into on the Interweb. (In fact, I’m
sure that she still is a kid listening
to the newest in viral pop when not
making tunes of her own.) Tumblr
activists and young aspiring hipsters make for a dedicated cult following, but as a whole, they pick
and choose who they latch onto
very carefully. Halsey covered all
the bases to ensure success, taking
hints from Lana Del Rey’s bad girl
pout, Lorde’s sophisticated teen
shtick, Banks’ gracefully-tongued
tales of love and heartbreak, and
Miley Cyrus’ unapologetic attitude,
to name a few. She doesn’t show
signs of one who was “raised on
Badlands album cover courtesy
of ASTRALWERKS RECORDS
Biggie and Nirvana,” but instead,
she represents those who grew up
with a wide array of solid pop music at their fingertips; she is a key
player in a second-generation wave
of Internet-era alt-pop phenomena.
With her cross-breeding of so many
influences, it’s no wonder Badlands
has attracted such a wide audience.
Despite a few laughable lyrical
themes (whether meant to be ironic
or not) and a strong reliance on her
influences, Halsey delivers a likable debut album with some room
to grow later. Understandably,
some listeners may not be able to
get over the fact that her influences
are very close to being considered
her contemporaries, but perhaps I
don’t have a problem with it due
to the proximity of age and music
tastes between Halsey and me. Any
and all complaints aside, the dense
soundscapes and malleable vocals
of Badlands have the undeniable
power to transport a listener to a
murky alternate universe, even if
only for 40 minutes. (Rating: B+)
Badlands is available now under
Astralwerks Records.