Tuesday, December 8, 2015
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Online options abound Courses provide option for quick, condensed classes over the holiday break
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Last year, the University began offering online winter courses. They can be a suitable option for students looking to knock out a GenEd requirement, take a quick GPA booster or trying to finish a course in a short period of time. Winter courses allow students to take only one class over winter break. Amy Kruse, sophomore in Education, took ATMS 120, “Severe and Hazardous Weather,” last winter. “I enjoyed taking the winter course because it fulfilled a GenEd and helped raise my GPA,” she said. A possible downside to consider when signing up for a winter course is that it is condensed into four weeks, which can make it a little more stressful than a full-semester course, depending on the course content or how much free time a student has. “The only negative was that I had to fit a full semester in the short weeks of winter break,” Kruse said. Lisa Hong, junior in LAS, took ECON 102, “Microeconomics,” last winter. She didn’t think the condensed format was an issue. “I would recommend it to others because it’s a class that could take up your whole semester, but can so easily be compressed into one month, too,” she said. “And this didn’t make the content any more difficult. It was very doable.” Another possible con to taking a winter course is the tuition rate for the four-week
course. The University does offer financial aid to students, but at a limited quantity. According to the online winter courses website, tuition rates can range from $362 to $935. The website explains how the tuition rate is calculated: “The base rate tuition will be charged per credit hour to all undergraduates based on their residency status and when they started at the University.” Hong noted another probhlem: the inaccessibility of an instructor. “If we had any complicated questions, we couldn’t just go into his office hours or anything like that,” she said. “This didn’t impose a major problem, however, because he made himself very accessible via email and whatnot.” Despite the possible cons, Kruse said she would definitely reccomend winter courses to other people. “I had a very positive experience,” she said. The University is offering 23 courses in advertising, atmospheric sciences, astronomy, business administration, community health, earth society and environment, economics, gender and women’s studies, geography, geology, global studies, media and cinema studies and sociology. The courses span four weeks, beginning Dec. 21 through Jan. 15. For more information about the courses offered and tuition rates, visit the online winter courses website.
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For the second year, students have the option of completeing online classes over winter break.
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Yule Ball conjures a magical time ILLUSTRATION BY JULIANY NAKAZATO THE DAILY ILLINI
BY MARA SHAPIRO
T
STAFF WRITER
he ARC was transformed into a scene from Hogwarts Saturday as roughly 300 Harry Potter fans attended the Harry Potter Alliance’s fi rst Yule Ball. Jerold Macaya , freshman in LAS and
marketing executive of Harry Potter Alliance’s campus chapter, said the RSO sold 350 tickets and brought in $3,500 in revenue. “We didn’t expect that many people would want to go. We were thinking maybe 100,” Macaya said. Vidushi Rai , freshman in Engineering,
said the ball was beyond her expectations. “It was amazing,” Rai said. “I’m proud of the Alliance themselves. They had all of the Harry Potter-themed drinks and food. Even if you’re not into dancing, you could end up eating and take pictures. There was stuff on the walls and pretty lights and little Christmas trees. It lived up to its name. I thought it would be a really cool thing, but it was still better than I expected.” Macaya, who was the DJ for the event, said the music that was played was a mix of the Harry Potter soundtrack, EDM, alternative, Top 40 and wizarding rock, a Harry Potter-themed genre of music. Food and drinks included cauldron cakes, cake pops decorated to look like golden snitches, pop made to look like Polyjuice Potion, as well as other treats and confections. In addition to food and dancing, a horcrux hunt took place where students searched for hidden horcruxes and won prizes, which included handmade wands and a Harry Potter sticker book. Macaya was pleased with how the Yule Ball turned out. “Harry Potter fans are enthusiastic,” he said. “Having the whole dance floor crowded for a whole hour and a half was a great thing. There was a constant atmosphere of ‘we are here to party and have a good time.’ The theme of Harry Potter didn’t permeate the entire thing.” Nick Luedtke, junior in LAS, said he
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
enjoyed dressing up with friends and was impressed given that it was the fi rst year for the ball and that the budget wasn’t very big. However, he does see room for improvement. “I think they could have improved a little bit more on some of the music section,” he said. Macaya agreed with Luedtke about the music, as he wanted more wizarding rock songs. He also sees other areas that the Harry Potter Alliance will work to improve for next year’s Yule Ball. “We should have more involvement with people in terms of activities,” he said. “It was hard to communicate with people that the horcrux hunt was happening because people were busy dancing on the dance floor. There should be more balance of dancing and partying and Harry Potter activities. (With) it being our fi rst time, it wasn’t so bad, but for future reference we should fi nd that balance.” Rai noticed that some activities didn’t end up coming to fruition, such as a raffle or a “pin the glasses on Harry Potter” game. Both Macaya and Rai think that the venue needs to accommodate more people in the future, and Macaya said that’s a major goal for the Alliance next year. Overall, it proved to be a magical night, and Rai and Luedtke said they want to go to next year’s Yule Ball.
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Tuesday, December 8, 2015
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Holidays are a time for family, friends and good food BY ISABELLA JACKSON STAFF WRITER
T
he ornaments can be hung and the lights can be lit, but I am not really in the Christmas spirit until I start baking cookies with my mom. For as long as I can remember, my family has made over 10 varieties of cookies each Christmas. The baking generally starts the weekend after Thanksgiving and continues each Saturday and Sunday until Christmas Eve. When we were younger, my brother and I helped cut out and decorate my grandmother’s sugar cookies. Our cookies probably were not the prettiest on the platter, but they were always colorful and topped with as many sprinkles as possible. Some, like the shortbread trees, can be done easily and quickly in an afternoon, but other recipes, including our gingerbread men and cranberry-cashew pinwheels, are more labor-intensive and keep both of us busy for most of the day. For me, food during the holidays not only tastes good, but it has the power to bring people together. After baking, we give the cookies to friends, coworkers and neighbors in the week before Christmas. Each year I get a little bit better at making the Christmas cookies. For the shortbread, the key to getting a nice, buttery cookie is to not handle the dough too much when it is being rolled out. I have the most
luck when I divide the dough into smaller sections to work with and try to cut out as many cookies as possible each time the dough is rolled out.
Raspberry Shortbread Christmas Trees Ingredients: 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 2 1/2 cups flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Raspberry jam Directions: 1. Sift flour and salt into a small bowl. 2. Cream butter in an electric mixer. 3. Add sugar, continue to beat until light in color and fluffy. 4. Add flour mixture. Beat on low until flour is incorporated and dough sticks. 5. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for 1 hour. 6. Roll dough out to approximately 1/4 inch thickness and cut out Christmas tree shapes with a cookie cutter. 7. Use a plastic straw to poke several holes in half of the cookies. 8. Bake for 11 minutes at 325 F. 9. Let cool. Spread raspberry jam on the trees without holes. Lay the trees with holes on top of the jam.
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(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart) Since coming to campus, I have met many other people who have their own family traditions and ways to celebrate the holidays. When Ross Drucker, junior in Engineering, celebrates Hanukkah with his family, latkes and matzo ball soup are always on the menu. Growing up, Hanukkah was always spent with his family, lighting the Menorah, opening presents on each of the nights and eating dinner. Drucker told me that every year, it is a family effort to make the food. His grandmother makes homemade applesauce, and other family members prepare matzo ball soup. Even with the entire family working together, the preparation takes a few hours. This winter was my first time trying latkes, fried potato pancakes that are traditionally eaten at Hanukkah. Drucker served them with applesauce and sour cream as toppings, both of which were delicious. Since Hanukkah does not fall over winter break, Drucker said that he spends the holiday at Hillel on campus with his friends.
Potato Latkes Ingredients: 2 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise into quarters 1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters
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2 large eggs 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons course kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt) PHOTOS BY ISABELLA 1 teaspoon baking powder JACKSON THE DAILY 1/2 teaspoon freshly ILLINI ground black pepper Safflower or other oil, for frying Directions: 1. Use a food processor to grate the potatoes and onion. Transfer mixture to a clean dishtowel to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. 2. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the eggs, flour, salt, baking powder and pepper, and mix until the flour is absorbed. 3. Pour about 1/4 inch of oil into a medium pan and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, drop tablespoons of batter into the pan. Flatten the dough with a spatula. 4. Cook about 5 minutes on one side, or until the edges are brown. Then, flip the latkes and cook on the other side for 5 minutes. 6. Place the latkes on a paper towel on a plate to drain and cool. 7. Repeat with the remaining batter. (Recipe adapted from New York Times Cooking)
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Tuesday, December 8, 2015
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Students celebrate holidays around the world BY ROBIN DEAN STAFF WRITER
Lights. Lanterns. Firecrackers. From Champaign to China, the world shines bright as families celebrate various holidays. At a campus this diverse, the holiday season isn’t the same for everyone — especially for international students. Susan Koruthu, sophomore in Engineering, said celebrating the holidays back home in Singapore is a unique experience. “In Singapore, there are a lot of Indians, Chinese and Malaysian people, so with such a wide variety of cultures, there is always a lot of stuff happening,” Koruthu said. Even with many different holidays being celebrated in Singapore, Koruthu said the most prominent ones are Christmas and Chinese New Year. She described them as being full of color and decorations. “The main shopping street is completely lit up and they always have a giant Christmas tree that you can go inside of,” Koruthu said. “There are basically lights lit up everywhere from October to February.” Simran Jiandani, sophomore in Engineering, is also from Singapore.
Unlike most people from there, Jiandani primarily celebrates Diwali by lighting candles around the house and setting off firecrackers with her family. She said this tradition began as a result of the legend of a king being exiled to a forest for 14 years and when he returned, everyone filled the sky with lights to welcome him home. “Diwali is always fun because we don’t know how to burn the firecrackers properly, and one time we even made someone’s car tire burst because it went inside their car,” Jiandani said. Like many people from Singapore, people from Taiwan consider Chinese New Year to be one of the biggest holidays. Angela Lai, freshman in FAA, is from Taiwan and describes the holiday atmosphere as being full of the color red, which symbolizes good luck. She also believes the holiday is similar to Christmas in the sense that most people gather with their families for a meal and enjoy their time with one another. One of her favorite traditions is when adults gift children red envelopes that contain money inside of them.
“Chinese New Year is my favorite (holiday) because we get a break from work,” Lai said. “I’m also glad to get together with my family because that is the only time I can see the people I don’t see often.” Although she loves celebrating the holidays back at home, one thing she wishes people had more of is Christmas spirit. With this being her first time in the U.S. around the holidays, she said she enjoys being around people who are excited for Christmas. Even with this in mind, Lai said there isn’t a significant difference between the way holidays in Taiwan are celebrated and how the most prominent holidays are celebrated here. “Except it’s just in a different month,” Lai said. Jerald Chen, a Chinese junior in Engineering, agrees the major holidays there are similar to the more popular holidays here. In China, one of the most celebrated holidays is Spring Festival in February. Chen said this holiday closely resembles Thanksgiving because of its emphasis on preparing a meal to share. “The dinner is pretty important,” Chen said. “People cook together and spend a lot of time together. (The
PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN KORUTHU
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the major celebrations in Singapore and features colorful decorations. atmosphere) is pretty warm and you get more connected with your family.” Chen said what makes celebrating any holiday in China distinct is the fact that it’s more of an intimate experience with friends and family. “In America, people go out on the street to watch a countdown or live shows, which lets you hang out with different kinds of people,” Chen said. “But if you’re in China, you mostly spend your time with your family and friends, which I think is important.”
Even though different cultures may have varying traditions for the holiday season, they tend to have one major thing in common: uniting friends and family. It is this that makes the season so pleasant. “I think that (all holidays) are similar. It is just separate times and separate things that you are celebrating,” Chen said. “But (their meaningfulness) is the same; you still gather around with your families and enjoy some good food.”
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Tuesday, December 8, 2015
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Some people are worth DIY-ing for BY MILI PANDYA STAFF WRITER
‘Tis the season for gingerbread houses, movie marathons on ABC Family and, of course, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on repeat. But my favorite part, above all, is gifting. If you’re like me, you love receiving presents just as much as giving them to your loved ones. It may be hard to fi nd the perfect gift that won’t empty your wallet — maybe it isn’t a matter of fi nding it, but a matter of making it. Here are some DIYs that even the most artistically-challenged person will be able to pull of, all while saving enough money to buy yourself something, too.
1. Cover the Nutella label by cutting and taping a piece of paper over it. 2. Cut the picture into a square and tape it onto the jar. 3. Write “Spread some love” underneath the picture. 4. Tie the piece of ribbon into a bow on the neck of the jar. 5. Tuck the spoon into the ribbon You may need to tape it to hold it in place.
(Adapted from Seventeen Magazine)
Mason jar snow globe Difficulty level: Medium Items needed: Mason jar Plastic tree or other figurine Hot glue gun Glitter Glycerin (can be found at
“Spread some love” Difficulty level: Easy Items needed: Jar of Nutella Spoon Ribbon Paper Picture
drugstores) 1. Glue the plastic tree or other object onto the inside of the Mason jar lid and let dry. 2. Fill the jar with water and add in glitter along with a few drops of glycerin. 3. Glue the lid onto the jar and screw on the cap. 4. Turn it over and shake! (Adapted from Lauren Conrad)
of any air bubbles. 3. Do this for all the pictures, paying attention to placement and overlap. 4. After all photos are glued on, let them dry, and then apply a layer of Mod Podge over all of the photos. (Adapted fromHouse on the Way)
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Photo collage letter Difficulty level: A little hard, but I believe in you! Items needed: Wooden or cardboard letter Mod Podge Paintbrush Scissors Copies of pictures 1. Decide how you are going to arrange the pictures. You may need to cut some of them depending on the shape of the letter. 2. After you have arranged them, start gluing on the pictures by applying Mod Podge to the letter and placing the photo on top. Smooth the photos out to get rid
PHOTOS BY MILI PANDYA THE DAILY ILLINI
Shop ‘Til You Drop! Take MTD. MTD can take you to all the great places to snag those bargains and shop for the holidays. Hop on a bus on campus for a quick trip to downtown Champaign or Urbana, North Prospect in Champaign, Market Place Mall, or anywhere else you would like to go. Visit cumtd.com and use the Trip Planner to learn how to get there or give us a call at 217.384.8188.
gottaget there.
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Tuesday, December 8, 2015
7
Five cheap, easy holiday decorations BY BROOKS BERISH STAFF WRITER
T
he holiday season always seems to catch us by surprise after Thanksgiving with the sudden abundance of bright decorations and potpourri. Some staple traditions of the holidays include decorating a Christmas tree, lighting a menorah and creating fluorescent displays of Christmas lights. Such decorations may not be permitted or accessible at your current living space, but don’t fret.
Cover your door in wrapping paper
This not only costs very little to do, but it takes very little time as well. You can choose whatever wrapping paper you want and then hang it using some tape. The final product will no doubt reflect your holiday spirit to everyone who walks by.
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Orange clove pomanders
These require whole cloves, an orange, though a clementine will suffice, a ribbon and some kind of small sharp tool to cut holes in the orange. You can probably find your orange at your dining hall, but the whole cloves will probably require a little more expenditure to get. First wrap the ribbon around the orange, insert the cloves into the orange holes and finally hang them up in your room. The scent is surprisingly pungent and evokes the holiday spirit perfectly.
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Make some snow flakes out of paper
This is a classic decoration that will provide some wintery vibes to your room if the freezing snow outside isn’t enough for you. You can look up tutorials on how to make them, then hang them up on your walls. The only things you need are a decent supply of paper, a high tolerance for paper cuts and an equally high holiday spirit.
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Hang stockings.
City of Champaign
It also couldn’t hurt to get a few stockings from the local dollar store to hang up either inside your room or outside your door. You could put whatever you want in your stockings: perhaps some potpourri or your favorite class syllabus.
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Holiday lights all over the room Holiday lights can be bought in bulk, and they are relatively cheap. Rooms decorated with lights are mostly noticeable at night, and they are very cool to look at. They provide a warm atmosphere to the room, both aesthetically and literally, depending on what kind of wattage your lights use.
BROOKS BERISH THE DAILY ILLINI
Cover your apartment or dorm room door with wrapping paper for an affordable, quick way to spread holiday cheer to all who pass by.
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