The Patriot - September 13, 2013

Tony Nolan returns to UC for Opening Convocation

BY NATASHA JON ES AssistantEditor

Tony Nolan, a well-known Christian speaker and author, returned to campus on Sept. 3 to speak to the students for the first convocation of the fall 2013 semester.

Nolan took the stage and warmed up the crowd with a quick joke saying, “Turn to your neighbor and tell them that they are blessed to be sitting beside you tonight.” Nolan then began to reveal his testimony of very tragic circumstances to the student body and how he had been “changed by the love of God.”

Mallory Harper, a psychology major at UC who heard Nolan speak at a convocation event last year, said, “I went the first time and he did a good job, so I knew he would do a

Photo by Natasha Jones

TonyNolanshareshistestimonytothestudentbodyofUCintheO.WayneRollinsCenteronSeptember3,2013.

good job again.”

Nolan encouraged students to not go down the difficult path that he had to, to learn.

“Listen to me carefully. This room is filled with two types of people, those that listen and learn and those that live and learn. Be a listen and learner; I came to a haunting realization, that the highs from the alcohol and drugs will never ever be stronger than the hurts. You will never smoke your way out of your funk, you will never be able to drink your way out of that person that you see in the mirror. It won’t happen.” said Nolan.

Nolan spoke encouragingly to the audience before him about listening too much to

what others thought about him. “We start believing what’s true about us is what everybody else is saying, that we can’t quite measure up. What’s true about you is what God says about you,” said Nolan.

Nolan talked about of how someone shared the verse John 3:16 with him, someone who wasn’t focused on going to church but about being the church and this changed his entire perspective about Christianity. Nolan said, “I thought Christianity was a club for the good people and I wasn’t invited.”

Nolan said he was stunned by the story of how God loved him (and us) so much; he sacrificed his only son for our sins.

“That night the love of God swallowed

me and changed me from the inside out,” said Nolan.

Samantha Vickers, a special education major at UC said, “His story was very inspiring and it touched my heart. What he said really made me think about my life and I’m thankful that he came and spoke to us.”

Nolan’s speech was so moving to students that as the student body joined in prayer, many students repeated after Nolan as they dedicated their lives to Christ. The community of campus came together and bonded as a different kind of family that night; it was a wonderful way to kick off the semester.

BY ALEX WILLIAMS StaffWriter

In the history of man, many great men have donned one. Chuck Norris kicked his way into fame while men stared at it. Walt Whitman wrote poetry while it sat in front of him. Even God is commonly depicted wearing one on his face. At the University of the Cumberlands, many men have attempted to create it. Dr. Keith Semmel, Caleb Hetrick, Alex Franklin, and Timothy Smith, among others, have succeeded in doing so. So what have these gentlemen done to be in the same ranks as Norris, Whitman and perhaps even God? They grew an awesome beard.

Dr. Keith Semmel, the chair of the communication arts department at UC, has had a beard for over 26 years. “Almost immediately after I started college, I grew my beard and I kept it,” Semmel said. Although his beard is a staple of the professor, his beard and his family have been at odds for a long time. “One of the battles I used to have with my parents was about hair length, Beatle haircuts and facial

The great beards of UC

hair,” Semmel said.

His wife, Marianne Worthington, emphasized this point. Worthington, an associate professor of communication arts at UC, said, “His mother always wanted him to shave his beard. She’d use every excuse in the world to try to get him to shave his beard.”

Worthington said that Semmel’s mother attempted to get him to shave his beard for his college graduation, while he received his Ph.D. and even for his wedding. “She always thought some big occasion would make him shave his beard and nothing did,” Worthington added. Thankfully, Dr. Semmel stayed true to his beard and kept it.

Caleb Hetrick, a graduate assistant at UC, also keeps a trimmed beard. “I like beards. I think they’re manly,” Hetrick said. He has had a beard on-and-off since 2009 and created the UC Bearded Men’s Club on Facebook in 2011, although it has been inactive for a while. Hetrick has a firm belief that everyone that can

grow a beard should.

“If someone can grow a beard, they ought to because it’s manly. If you think about it, lions have a mane, horses have a mane and those are awesome animals. Have you ever seen a horse with its mane shaved? I don’t think that’s a good idea, so I don’t think that we should shave our mane either,” Hetrick said.

Timothy Smith, the senior life assistant of Robinson-Cook Hall, agrees that everyone should grow a beard if they can. “I think that it makes men look better and it keeps your face warmer,” Smith stated. Smith, a senior at UC, has been growing beards for over seven years also thinks that beards make a man look more masculine and distinguished. However, Smith’s longtime girlfriend likes his beard, but doesn’t like it too long.

Alex “Wildman” Franklin, a sophomore at UC, disagrees with Hetrick and Smith. “Some men just don’t need a beard. They have

a perfectly fine life with a bare chin,” Franklin said. Franklin, who has kept his foot-long beard for two years, said that last time he has shaved was in his junior year of high school. Franklin has also earned the nickname “Wildman” not only because of his wild and rugged beard, but also because of his antics outdoors. He mentioned that he intends to join a bearwatching event with the Patriot Adventure Club later in the week.

Beards are a beautiful thing. They are adaptable, grow back easily and look great. And wherever you look, whatever the reasons, there’s no doubt beards have been making a comeback. That’s the big, hairy truth.

How to survive freshman year

(from someone who did)

BY HAYLEY DAVIS OnlineEditor

Okay. You’ve made it this far. The cap and gown are happily collecting dust in the back of your closet at home while you pack your bags for bigger and better adventures. Are you ready for the real world? (You’ve got four more years to prepare for it!)

Back when I was a freshman, (approximately a year ago), I was pumped. Equal amounts of excitement and terror were rushing through my veins, and I just want to let you know… college can be hard, especially the first few months. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to prepare yourself for the quest of secondary education.

ment can be scary, but you’re not alone!

Tip #1: Don’t Be a Hermit (Or a HomeEvery-Weekend-Goer)

College can be a little nerve-racking and some students (like me) might be introverts who don’t easily mesh into new friendships and new places. And when you’re all by your lonesome, it’s easy to just go into defaultmode and head home every weekend. While home is where the heart is, college needs to be your new home, and no matter how much you love your family, you need to experience life semi-on your own, so try to stay on campus for the first whole month of classes. Try to not call your best friends that aren’t at college with you every single day. Sit at some random tables in the cafeteria and chat with the person next to you in your Bio lab. A new environ-

There’s a ton of other freshmen around you that don’t know what they’re doing either, so join the club. Speaking of which, there are many extracurricular activities that you can get involved in – there’s the Activities Fair in the first week of school telling you all about the clubs on campus. Whatever you do, don’t avoid people and sit in your dorm room all weekend long –there will be plenty of things going on around campus for you to enjoy, but not unless you open your door! So don’t be hermit or a homebody. If you live eight hundred miles away, this is easier than if you’re just ten miles down the street. Either way, it will be really hard to get the full college experience if you are constantly going home and missing out on campus-wide events.

Tip #2: Pack Lightly, but Not Too Lightly

How you pack will depend on where you live. Unless home for you is within fifteen minutes, I would bring the most necessary and obvious items, including bed covers, books, toiletries, and microwaves. (Popcorn and hot pockets make the perfect study snack!) Regarding clothes, it’s best to just bring the clothes you need for the current season. You’ll always need an umbrella and rain jacket, but you won’t always need a winter coat. The most important thing to remember when you’re packing is that you’ll be sharing your

room with at least one other person, so your whole room can’t go with you. When you go to pack everything, take out about half of it, because that’s how much you’ll actually use. For my freshman year, I chose to bring lots of DVDs but forgot to bring my laptop charger and an extension cord. Hence, pack the bare necessities first. It’s better to get things mailed to you from home than for you to be overwhelmed with piles of stuff!

Tip #3: Prioritize: “The Bermuda Triangle” of College Life

There will always be things to do, places to go, and people to see, so plan your weekends and weeknights wisely. You’ll need some time for homework, believe it or not, but you’ll also need to get out and have fun. The problem we students run into is finding room for sleeping and eating. Social life, academic life, and physical life make up the college version of the Bermuda Triangle, and if those three portions of your life aren’t balanced, you won’t be. So be prepared to say no to some fun events and yes to some studying and/or sleeping, and vice versa. On occasion, your grades will thank you for it.

Tip #4: Use Your Freedom for Good (Not Evil)

Finally, you’re a college undergrad. Suddenly you are liberated from your parents and

think you own the place. However, just because your newfound freedom allows you to sleep whenever you want, eat whatever you want, and clean your dorm room whenever you want (for the most part), you’ll find that it’s easy to overload and, like the tip #3, get out of balance with the sync of collegiate success. Don’t sweat it. Just set some rules for yourself so that you don’t fall off the edge of glory. I made Saturday mornings my “CatchUp-On-Some-Laundry-And-Psychology” time, so that I could hang out with my friends for the rest of the day. In the words of Peter’s Uncle from the best Spiderman movie ever: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Use your amazing freedom for good.

Freshmen year is important. It’s the year you decide where to settle into for the next four or more years, and while college has tons of fun lurking around every corner, it really should be taken seriously. You’re becoming an adult! You’re going to influence the world! Call it cheesy all you want, but Dr. Seuss was totally right: “You’re off to great places! You’re off and away!”

People – like you – can make a difference. U of Cumberlands is here to help with that, so take advantage of the highly trained staff on board for your success. We don’t just want to survive in life… we want you to thrive in life.

Courtesy of GoUnCommon.com.

Making enemies in your dorm

BY KRISTINA SMITH StaffWriter

We’ve all been there. That brand new experience of a lifetime where you don’t really have a clue at what you’re doing. So you wing it. You say a little prayer under your breath that you don’t come out looking like a moron and let out a huge sigh of relief when you don’t get a “what the heck are you doing?” look from the person closest to you.

Perhaps one of the most nerve-wrecking experiences I’ve ever had was that first month or two of dorm life. I mean, hasn’t everyone seen some Lifetime movie about a crazy roommate? My greatest fear was that I would make the wrong person mad over a silly rookie mistake and wake up one night with somebody hovering over my shoulder.

OK, maybe my imagination is a little overactive. But there’s no way I was the only freshman with those types of fears.

This year will make my third year living in the dorms and I can confidently say I have done almost everything to aggravate those living around me. (Sorry!) However, I’ve also experienced my fair share of frustrations with dorm life. Combine these two experiences and I’ve got a great list of how to really get under

the skin of the people you’re living with.

The Bathrooms

Let’s get real. Nobody likes sharing one bathroom with 20 other people. Yet that still doesn’t give you the right to trash the place. Maybe you’re OK with it being messy and smelly, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that 99 percent of those around you are not.

University of the Cumberlands student

Jordan Johnson says that guys shouldn’t “shave their head and then just leave their hair everywhere in the bathroom” for instance.

The dorms have hard-working staff to keep these areas clean. Don’t make life more difficult on them just because you’re too lazy to clean up after yourselves. Not only are you being a nuisance to the cleaning staff but also to everyone who comes into the bathroom after you. Your neighbors will remember you as a slob. It will be a frustrating situation for all those involved. Just don’t do it. Oh, and one more thing: flush.

Your Room

UC student Debbie Walters believes that

the way to be a bad roommate is to “take my Butterfingers and mess with my things.”

One virtue a bad roommate lacks is respect. Be sure communication lines are open and you talk to your roommate before borrowing, or eating, anything that is theirs. And remember, if you break it, you buy it.

However, what is perhaps even more frustrating is breaking your roommate’s concentration when they’re writing that 15 page paper that’s due tomorrow that they procrastinated on.

UC student Shannon Whittenberg asks that roommates don’t “play loud music when I’m trying to read or write a paper.”

The same goes for when your roommate is sleeping. Nap times are more valuable than gold to college students. Interrupt that and you’ve followed the one step process to a cranky roommate.

“Nothings more annoying than having your roommates Shakira alarm clock going off at 6 a.m.” says UC student Rhyana Barker. By the way, odds are your neighbors can hear that loud music…and Shakira alarm clock, too.

General Living Areas

The laundry room, the hallways, kitchens, and lobby areas are places where you will actually have to interact with your peers as scary or mind-blowing as that may sound. These are also the areas to really prove how tolerable, or annoying, you are.

Lucky for you though it all comes down to what we’ve already discussed: respect. University of Kentucky student Claire Robb says it’s a major foul when “people take my things out of the dryer before it’s finished and replace it with their things.”

Western Kentucky University alumnus Daniel Richardson reminds everyone that “it’s not funny to set off fire alarms at 3 a.m.”

Other things that it’s not cool to do at three in the morning? “Stop with the ridiculously loud noises,” pleads UC student Jannica Brady. “We live in a dorm, not a zoo.” Lastly, UC professor Jeremiah Massengale encourages everyone, “don’t burn food.”

BY CARLEEN FLETCHER StaffPhotographer

Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

“You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So... get on your way!”

- Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Dr. Seuss had it right. Today is your day. While you find yourself in the small town of Williamsburg, Kentucky there is still a lot to get out there and see, find, do, and explore. So before you get the small town blues, here are some places to check out this month.

Milly’s On Main

Inphoto:LizGuillermo

If you are looking for a change of pace from the Caf or the Grill for lunch, take a short walk downtown to Milly’s—a local sandwich shop with a charming feel. Liz Guillermo says, “I love it because it’s local and the people are fantastic. They really care about the community and they interact in such a friendly way with each customer. The atmosphere alone is worth the trip, but the food is so good.”

Milly’s menu features a wide variety of sandwiches made right in front of you as well as fresh salads and soups.

“It’s a taste of home every time you go .” -Liz

Cumberland Falls

Inphoto:NicholasMorris

Cumberland Falls is a local tourist hotspot—many people come to enjoy the outdoors and see the falls. If you have a grander sense of adventure however, there are a variety of other trails to explore. Eagle Falls is a must see; anyone can hike the trail, but it still presents enough challenge to be fun and a good workout. Don’t pass up the chance make a pit stop up to the lookout on the way. The view is spectacular.

The Spillway

Inphoto:MarkBaker

The spillway down at the Holly Bay Marina is definitely the place to go for a relaxing time—cool breeze, lake, and soaking up some rays with friends—what more could you need, right? If you find yourself craving adrenaline over relaxation though, make sure to check out some of the cliff jumping spots. It’s definitely a good way to let go of some class anxiety and worthy of a bucket list check.

You & Me Coffee & Tea

Inphoto:WhitneyJohnson,JordanAllenandtheBellwethers(JordanAllen,CalebBlair,andJustinRiley)

If you are looking for a relaxed place to just hang out, You & Me is the place to be. This locally-owned coffee shop has a funky and eclectic style, featuring local artists’ works hanging on the walls, a wide variety of old furniture, and even a bicycle. It makes for a great place to study or to have some fun. Grab some friends and head over—they have a ton of great board games on hand and bring in local bands, like Jordan Allen and the Bellwethers. Many people are devoted to the place, like Caleb Blair, who goes for the “great coffee, creative atmosphere and unique style, and the effort and service shown by the staff.”

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Inside UC Cheerleading

BY BRANDY NORMAN

Copy-Editor

Cheerleading catches a lot of flak on whether or not it’s a “real” sport. UC students come to the football games to watch the boys of fall but they aren’t the only ones out there in uniform. As a fan, you see the big bows and dances but rarely ever do you get to see the hard work and sweat that the UC cheerleading squad puts in when they aren’t on the sidelines.

Although standing in 90 degree weather for five hours is tiring, it’s understandable how one could think that yelling involves zero athleticism. However, competitive cheerleading definitely does and once competition season rolls around, practice is more important than anything else to the squad.

“Most people don't even realize that there's a competitive side to cheerleading. They only see what we do on the sidelines and even then we have rules that don't allow us to do some of the more difficult and ‘cooler’ stuff,” said UC junior Hannah Johnson.

Between cheering football and basketball games and attending gymnastics, UC cheer is also practicing all season for the Mid-South Conference title. From experience I will tell you that while cheerleading is a whole lot of practice and a little bit of fun, the team’s connection with one another has this cheerleading season off to a great start.

“I feel that the team will go far this year. The team unity that they have built alongside their dedication during preseason is impressive. They have a long year ahead but if they can keep this mentality that they have right now, they will be awesome,” said UC cheerleading coach Beth Wooley.

The athletic side of cheerleading takes place off the field and out of sight. Practice is

five days a week and sometimes more when competitive season strikes. It’s not all lipstick and skirts and it’s not all about being a girly girl; just ask the guys on the team. From hitting the weight room, to 6 a.m. practices, the squad goes hard to ensure that they are doing everything they can to bring home another trophy.

A new member of the squad, and a fairly new member to the sport, Michael McKamey talks about UC cheerleading saying, “The workouts are pretty rough. Everyone thinks we just stand around and yell at people but I’d love to see half the athletes here do a ‘Coach Beth workout.’ It’s not fun. People think just because they can bench press 300 pounds, they can toss around a 120-pound girl but they are dead wrong. There is so much technique involved and having chemistry with your flyer is a must.”

Cheerleading is just like any other sport and team on campus. It takes time, dedication and hard work on and off the field. Forming a relationship with teammates also helps make college a great experience and is something that the UC cheerleading squad values most. “Cheerleading in college has been one of the best experiences for me while here at UC. I believe God lead me to cheer here to make the relationships with the amazing friends I have made over the years,” said UC senior Karen Latham.

The UC cheerleading squad is off to a great start and they have high hopes for the season. The hard work and dedication will continue as the year progresses and they hope to gain support and a fan base for the MidSouth Conference cheerleading competition.

BY TIMOTHY WYATT AssistantEditor

How I see it: What Johnny “Football” can teach us

Some of the best and most interesting athletes of the day are also the most polarizing. Take LeBron James, for example. Who can honestly argue against him being the most dominant, physically-gifted player currently in the NBA? OK, scratch “honest.” Who can make an effective argument? The short answer is “no one.” And there are just as few people riding the fence when it comes to their opinion of LeBron. You love him. You hate him. Period.

While LeBron has far and away ruled the media’s teeter-totter of praise and scrutiny the past several years, his large shadow has finally been eclipsed. In his place stands a very different figure. His name: Johnny “Football” Manziel. (Just to be clear, in no way am I saying Manziel’s talent is comparable to that of LeBron’s.)

Being the first freshman to ever win the Heisman has its perks. Many of which we won’t discuss for obvious reasons. But, as with most things in life, it comes with just as many negatives. A big one being the blinding spotlight Manziel has found himself in. Especially when you live the type of life he does.

An overwhelming portion of student-athletes come from broken homes or povertystricken areas. Not, Johnny “Football.” In fact, if he were to have any other nickname it would be “Money.” Speaking of which, one of the many reasons he’s become so vilified is due to all those dead presidents burning a hole in his pockets.

Within weeks of being donned the title of “best college football player of the year” he was sitting courtside of Miami Heat games and taking photos with the man whose place he took—LeBron. He was throwing parties, going to parties and getting kicked out of parties. And, man, did he sign a lot of autographs. So much so that even though the NCAA couldn’t pin any actual wrongdoing on him for allegedly selling his signature, he was slapped on the wrist for virtually being guilty by association and ruled ineligible for the first half of Texas A&M’s Aug. 31 season opener against Rice University.

Did anyone happen to catch his touchdown “celebrations” during that game? He mimed the motion of signing his name and then later held up his hands and rubbed his fingers together, mimicking the universal sign for money. That alone should’ve parted the waters of those who were indifferent of Manziel. It sure did for me. I mean, I went full-blown Icona Pop during that moment: “I don’t care, I love it.” Yet, just as many people hated it and thought it was despicable and that he was just being immature.

And he’s not even changed what he was doing. All that’s changed is the amount of eyes that are on him. Being literally referred to as “Football” is kind of connotative anyway. You would expect someone with that moniker to exude confidence and bravado, right? Manziel is just giving you what you paid for—entertainment. Not to even mention the fact that he’s doing it well, too.

Among the shuffle though, there is a lesson to be learned from all of this. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do. Yeah, some people are going to hate you for being you, but other people are also going to love you just as much for it.

BY TIMOTHY WYATT

AssistantEditor

While the phrase “all great things have small beginnings” may seem like a stretch when it comes to describing University of the Cumberlands’ foray into the world of bowling, it has never been truer for head bowling coach Kevin Reigle.

Manning the helm for the Patriots’ inaugural season will be anything but easy, especially with the University of Pikeville in the same conference, one of the premiere bowling schools in the entire country. Aside from that, it is Reigle’s alma mater, where he was a part of the 2004 national tournament team and later served as UPike’s women’s coach during two of their national title runs.

With UC’s bowling debut set for Sept. 28 at the Green River Classic in Campbellsville, Ky., Reigle is hoping to see his team come out strong. But before all those competitive juices start flowing, he took a break to sit down with me and talk about how his team is shaping up so far, some of his big and small goals for the season and even his thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan.

TW: Do you feel more pressured now that practices have started than you did last semester when you were just recruiting?

KR: No, I feel less because we have a team now. [laughs] I thought there was a lot of pressure because we got started so late and I got hired so late. Because a lot of times, like with the lacrosse team, they’re bringing in a coach

UC Bowling Coach Kevin Reigle

pretty soon and they won’t play until spring, not this one but the following spring. So, they’re going to have basically three semesters plus the summer to bring in players. You know, I had February, March, April and then the summer. I had one player sign just days before classes started.

From just the one week of practice that you’ve been through with your team, what is your biggest concern at the moment?

Focusing on the spare shooting and lane patterns will be the biggest transition for players in the first couple of tournaments. I think we’ll do really well at Campbellsville because it’s a real hooking surface and it’s a shorter pattern.

What do you foresee being your biggest hurdle this year?

I think both teams will do really well, so I believe our biggest hurdle will be Pikeville.

Speaking of UPike, what are your thoughts on facing your alma mater?

I’m excited. I think we have the potential here, certainly in a couple of years, to go by them. I think we’ll be competitive right off the bat. The biggest issue is that they have a team of juniors and seniors who have bowled 60 to 70 college tournaments. We have just as much talent but just not the same level of experience. We’ll make them show up to the tournaments and play well. It’ll be a pretty good

rivalry because nobody else in the conference has really stepped up.

What would you say is one of your more lofty goals for this first year?

Well, winning the conference would obviously be the loftiest goal and getting into the national tournament. But, I guess that’s everybody’s goal in every sport. If we can get to the title matches then anything can happen, so that’s really our goal.

What about one of your smaller goals?

To win one of the regular season tournaments or something like that would be great. And we’ll definitely have some chances. That and if we could get a couple bowlers onto the all-tournament teams. Both of those would be good.

Make a prediction: what do you think Patriots fans can expect out of this season?

Oh, like, realistically? [laughs] I honestly believe that they can expect a second or third place finish in the regular season for both teams.

What’s your average?

Right now, my league average is 207. But that’s after just one week of league. [laughs]

I know especially with sports like football and basketball, players have before-game

rituals to pump themselves up. Do you do anything like that?

Like, in league? No. When I bowl tournaments I’m always pretty focused though.

So, no music or anything?

No, not really. I just try to get into the mindset of not worrying about the score and just taking each shot at a time and focusing on the quality of each shot. You know, in football if you throw an incomplete pass or in basketball if you drop a pass it’s not like that stat is up there. You look at it later. In bowling, you miss a four pin and there it on the scoreboard for the world to see.

If you hadn’t been a bowler, what could you see yourself doing?

Probably a writer. Like, a playwright or a screenwriter, maybe. Something creative like that.

OK, then what would be your genre? If you turn on the TV, what are you watching?

Oh, I love M. Night Shyamalan. I like the thriller. I like the big twist ending. “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Twilight Zone,” Rod Serling: I like that stuff. Things that challenge the viewer are great. You don’t know what’s coming but you know something’s coming, right?

BY TYLER BIRD StaffWriter

Leviticus 18:1-5 (HCSB)

Yahweh spoke to Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am Yahweh your God. Do not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, or follow the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You must not follow their customs. You are to practice My ordinances and you are to keep My statutes by following them; I am Yahweh your God. Keep My statutes and ordinances; a person will live if he does them. I am Yahweh.”

I love the book of Leviticus, because Christ’s fingerprints are all over it. Most people do not like the book due to its “harsh” or “out of date” content. I guess I may be weird

He is all we need

or even a little old school, but Leviticus still has just as much value today as it did the day when God inspired Moses to write the book. Sure, Leviticus is full laws and commandments that may seem very inhuman and almost bloodthirsty, but the main point of the book is to prompt the reader to obey the Voice of God.

As Leviticus 18: 1-5 states, we are to follow God and to live the way He has instructed. In verse 3, the Lord told Moses to warn the people not to return to the lifestyle that they had once been a part of and to not seek a “new” way of living that is similar to that of their slavery.

I would say that the same warning that Israelites were issued by God still applies to us today. You and I must make a choice to live in slavery to sin or to follow God with all that we are and experience the freedom that He pro-

vides. God brought the Hebrew people out of oppressive slavery after about 400 years spent serving the Pharaohs of Egypt. When they had been delivered, they wanted to go back because they thought that following a God they could not physically see was too difficult. The Old Testament tells many tales of when the Israelites grew tired of following God and they went off and did their own thing, even though there were dire consequences.

Leviticus applies to us today because everyone on the planet is called to make a decision about following God. We are to make a choice this day and decide whom we will serve. My reason for writing this is to urge you to really take a look at where you stand with Jesus Christ.

In chapters 25 and 26 of Leviticus, God promises blessings and providence for those who follow Him, but for those who choose not

to heed His warning had to face many brutal consequences. Jesus created us to follow Him and to have a relationship with Him; He loved you so much that He died for You. God did not want His people to disobey, but they made a choice to. He is a God of justice and since they did wrong, He had to punish them. You too have a choice. He does not want you to have to pay the eternal consequences in hell, but He desires to set you free. He is all we need!

BY CALEB VANDER ARK StaffWriter

In our modern world, the use of technology in education is widespread and growing at an increasingly fast rate. Technology that used to be expensive and inaccessible for most people has become cheap and common. Tech devices ranging from laptops and tablets to Playstations and smartphones have all carved out their own roles in a college student’s life. However, a few tech products stand out as essential for a new (or returning) college student. Here are my top five tech products every student should own (or have access to).

1.Laptop

Owning a laptop should be the cornerstone for any college student’s arsenal of technology. Desktops are not portable, tablets are not productive. Owning a good laptop is invaluable to staying effective in a very mobile environment. Look for laptops with Intel Core series processors from Asus, Sony, Samsung, Lenovo, and Toshiba. Stay away from less reliable brands like HP, Acer, and Dell.

A guide to essential college tech

2.Cellphone/Smartphone

Every college student should have a mobile phone simply for the sake of safety. Whether it be a basic prepaid phone, a slick iPhone, or a top-rated Android phone, every student should have something. Contrary to what many people say, a smartphone is not essential. Handy? Yes. Essential? No. For anyone on an AT&T or Verizon contract, having a smartphone can cost up to $360 more each year on top of your regular phone bill. If you have a prepaid device the additional cost for a smartphone is generally miniscule, though you generally have to settle for a less than impressive phone. Need a cheap prepaid smartphone that still beats most of the crowd? Pick up Google’s Nexus 4 for only $199 without a contract.

3.Microsoft Office

Whether or not you like Microsoft, the Office suite of products remains the number one choice in academics today. However, the

price tends to be a bit of an issue. If you are a student, buy the University edition. For only $80, you get the Microsoft Office suite for four years. Not only that, but you can install it on two different devices as well as your tablet and smartphone! Still too much? Check out openoffice.org or libreoffice.org. Both sites offer free alternatives that are not quite as powerful, but they are fully compatible with Microsoft Word.

4.Cloud Storage

As computing takes to the proverbial skies, several companies have started offering free cloud storage. The best solutions let you actually specify a folder on your computer to automatically sync with your online account. Basically, anything you put in that folder will be accessible from any computer with an internet connection. This is incredibly useful for school papers. By default, I save all my documents to my cloud folder. That way, I can print them off on the other side of campus if I

need to. Google Drive is one of the simplest solutions, Microsoft’s Skydrive is pretty good as well.

5.Anti-Virus Software

Let me get one thing straight: Never pay for antivirus software. Many free and effective solutions exist. The first thing you should do when you get a new laptop is uninstall the preloaded antivirus software (usually Norton or McAfee). Next, activate or download Microsoft Security Essentials for free. Then, go to malwarebytes.org and download MalwareBytes, another free security program. If you have an Apple computer, download “Avast!” antivirus software (also free). It is important to note that, contrary to popular belief, Apple computers are susceptible to viruses. If you have any questions about technology, send your questions for Caleb to thepatriot@ucumberlands.edu. Your question (and answer) could appear in the next edition of The Patriot.

The Google Chromecast – what smart TV should be

BY CALEB VANDER ARK

StaffWriter

Back in July, Google announced a slew of new products and services. Most of the announcements were expected, run of the mill sort of things. However, the reveal of the Google Chromecast took nearly everyone by surprise. Google ventured into the smart TV market with Google TV a few years ago. The platform really never caught on, and suffered from poor manufacturer implementation and high prices. In contrast, Apple TV provided a simplistic, refined, and cheap solution. Google needed an answer. The result? Chromecast.

The Chromecast is an incredibly simple product. It consists of an HDMI-dongle and a USB power cord. That’s it. When I con-

nected mine to a TV, I couldn’t even tell it was there. The basic idea behind the Chromecast is to turn any device (be it laptop, desktop, smartphone, tablet, etc.) of any brand (Windows, iOS, Android) and turn it into a remote for your TV. Most smart TV applications, as well as the Apple TV, use a small, keyboardless remote for navigation. This makes typing in movie names on Netflix or spelling out YouTube searches an incredibly tedious task. On top of the poor navigation, the interfaces are usually unbearably slow and full of input lag. By having the Chromecast rely on devices with keyboards already present, Google automatically overcame one of the biggest flaws in most smart TVs.

So what does the Chromecast actually do? Unfortunately, not much. As of right

now, it can only play Netflix, Youtube, and Google Play videos and music. However, it can also stream tabs from any device running Google’s Chrome web browser. Streaming tabs from Chrome to mirror on your TV is cool, but may not have much practical application for many people.

For only $35, it really is a good deal. Being able to use your laptop or smartphone to control Netflix is extremely useful, and you can even run games or other applications while controlling Netflix. Google is working on expanding the apps that can be used with Chromecast, and the next app scheduled to launch is Pandora Radio.

One thing that is important to note about the Chromecast that sets it apart from other devices that stream content from your laptop or

smartphone is that any Chromecast App (like Netflix or YouTube) actually uses the Chromecast to run, rather than relying on your laptop’s power. Thus, the video signal is sent directly to the Chromecast from Netflix, rather than going to your laptop first. Most traditional devices that stream video and applications from laptops experience heavy amounts of stuttering and input lag, much like most smart TVs.

All in all, the Chromecast is an excellent device for anyone who likes to roam around and watch Netflix on different TVs. Even if you just use it for your own TV, the ability to just walk into the room and already have your device connected to the TV via Chromecast is pretty nifty.

BY SOLOMON WHITAKER

StaffWriter

Prompt: You had planned to attend a friend’s birthday party and plugged her address into your GPS system, but the system guided you to somewhere else. Oddly enough, there was a man waiting for you at this mysterious place. “Sorry I had to rig your GPS, but this is urgent,” said the person.

I stared at the man profoundly. He was dressed in a black suit and wore slick, black sunglasses, handcuffs clinging in his hands. A black sack came over my face, turning every-

thing to thick darkness. The cuffs were clasped on my hands and I was led to a vehicle.

The trip seemed to last forever and then we finally stopped. The bag was lifted off my face and I was staring at three men, the one in the middle was the man I had seen earlier, the one who had seemingly rigged my GPS.

“You are Dr. Logan Dundon, the cardiovascular specialist, are you not?”

“I am,” I replied with fervent confusion.

“Good, we need you to cut open this man and find out what killed him,” the pointed to a table and a light came on, showing the dull paleness of a dead body. The man uncuffed me

Amethyst PhD Comics

and handed me a scalpel. I slowly walked to the table and bent over the body.

“There seems to be lacerations in the mouth, the marks are typical of a … of a tentacle,” I stated, my confusion turning to puzzlement. I opened up the cadaver’s chest only to find no heart, nor kidney, nor lungs.

“All of his organs are missing,” I explained. Just then, I felt something slither up the back of my shoulder. I turned my head to see a purple tentacle, which was attached to a purple head with black eyes, coming toward my mouth. In that moment I knew we as a sentient species were not alone, nor safe.

Want your piece of fiction to appear in a future issue of The Patriot? Send your response to the following prompt to thepatriot@ucumberlands.edu. Entries (500 words or fewer) must be received by September 23rd.

Prompt: You are walking to your car when you pass a boy selling newspapers on the street. You buy a copy, only to discover that it’s dated a week from today. And one particular story makes you realize you need to take action—now.

BY EMILY HEMPHILL

StaffWriter

A few years ago, it was easy to see that the number one hit subgenre of young adult fiction was what became known as “paranormal romance” – books about normal girls get-

BY WHITLEY WEST

The Dystopia obsession

ting swept off their feet by normal-looking boys who turned out to be vampires, werewolves, ghosts, or any number of other nonhuman entities. Now that the times have finally changed with fading of “Twilight,” what is taking its place in the hearts and on the bookshelves of today’s readers? A clear answer has articulated itself, and it is the fantasy/science fiction realm of the dystopia.

The opposite of the sought-after utopia –or perfect world – a dystopia is a universe in which everything has gone about as bad as it can go. This subgenre includes everything from the post-apocalyptic settings in popular TV shows like “The Walking Dead” and “Revolution” to the plots and themes of the few movies that interrupt comic-book hero cycles, such as “World War Z” and “The Hunger Games.” The later of these is, of course, based on the book trilogy that pushed the dystopian craze in young adult fiction to the forefront.

For anyone who has read “The Hunger Games” and watched these shows and is still

looking for more to read in the same vein, there are a multitude of options available. Michael Grant’s “Gone” series was completed this year with the publication of the sixth book, so this is a good option for someone looking for a long story who doesn’t like to wait for books to come out. Set in a small

town on the coast of California, “Gone” focuses on many important characters struggling to survive when an impenetrable opaque globe appears around their beach town, and they discover that they cannot climb, fly, or dig their way out. Simultaneously, everyone inside the area of this globe who was older than fifteen years of age disappears, leaving the children fourteen and younger to fend for themselves for food, medicine, and other essentials. A sort of blend between the 1990s “Left Behind” books and an “X-Men” movie, some of the children begin to develop unusual abilities that make them powerful and frightening, often when they are only attempting to help. The good news is, if this doesn’t sound like a

Around UC: What did you do over summer break?

Public Health major

took his first trip out of the country this summer on a cruise to the Bahamas. While there he visited Atlantis, beautiful beaches, saw dancing lizards, and rode a water slide that took him through a shark tank in Atlantis' water park. The rest of the summer he spent working and relaxing.

good fit, there are plenty of other options. “Divergent” by Veronica Roth, “Delirium” by Lauren Oliver, Legend by Marie Lu, and “Matched” by Ally Condie are just a few examples of dystopia series, and some of them are yet to be finished.

The best news of all, however, is that when these books become boring or finished or have too much romance, there’s always a phenomenal list of dystopian classics to go back to! Books like Lois Lowry’s “The Giver” and its sequels, the “Ender’s Game” sequence, and single books such as ”Brave New World,” “1984,” “Fahrenheit 451,” Ayn Rand’s “Anthem,” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood remain excellent reading.

Although the genre is becoming hugely popular, these books show that dystopian fiction is not a new invention. Why is it coming back around? What makes today’s dystopian novels different from those written in the twentieth century? I guess the only way to find out is to read a little bit (or a lot) of both.

Health

spent their summer contributing to the work study program. They also went on a week long vacation to Gulf Shores, Ala. During their stay they spent the majority of their time relaxing on the beach and eating way too much seafood. They also went putputting and dolphin watching.