VOLUME 51 ISSUE 12 ESTABLISHED IN 1968
THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO WWW.THEUSDVISTA.COM
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Images courtesy of Kevin Nelson/The Vista, Taylor Cabalse/The Vista, Ivy Guild/The Vista, Sara Fleming, and Chandler Hubbard. Ivy Guild/The Vista
Grow a mo, save a bro: Phi Kap promotes men’s health By Taylor Cabalse EDITOR IN CHIEF
The month of November has passed and the men of USD have shaved away their month long grown mustaches and beards. Some of the men simply grow their facial beard of the saying, “No Shave November”; however, the men of USD’s Phi Delta chapter of Phi Kappa Theta fraternity has spent the month promoting the importance of it. USD’s Phi Kap, along with 50 other chapters, have partnered up with Movember. Movember is
Sexual assault at USD
came to USD I didn’t know much about No Shave November and I just thought it was something everyone said and guys did” senior and Phi Kap’s Vice President of External Affairs Alex Revelle said. “This is now my third
year participating in this philanthropy and every year I learn more about the importance of raising men’s awareness about this topic.” Since Nov. 7, Phi Kap has held fundraisers at local restaurants for USD students and members of the local community to participate in. The places chosen very close to campus making it easy for all USD students to be part of. With the contribution of proceeds from these off-campus events as well was the money raised through goal for this year was to raise $7,000. Members of the fraternity have their philanthropy and understand how
it could affect those who are close to them. “Cancer is very personal. There are many members of Phi Kap and the USD community whose father, brother, cousin or friend have been affected by prostate cancer or other men’s health problems” Revelle said. “By giving to Movember, we are making a difference in these people’s lives. We are raising money for further research and raising awareness about these men’s health. We’re doing it for our fathers, our brothers, our cousins and our friends.” The last event took place on Dec. 5, and they have not had the opportunity to calculate their proceeds from the four off-campus events. From the donations raised only through the Movember
website, USD’s Phi Kap has raised $1, 300 which puts them in second on the team leader-board behind San Diego State University’s Phi Kap chapter who collectively raised an additional $300. Revelle is proud to see how far joined and the awareness they have spread through their campaign at USD, “it has allowed us to strengthen our brotherhood while raising money and awareness about men’s health. After my third year supporting Movember, I am proud of my chapter and myself for the contributions we have made to promoting such an important cause.”
Turning personal tragedy into opportunity Student Mike Girard continues life adventures By Jackson Somes NEWS EDITOR
It was three years ago when Girard boarded a train in Washington DC and travelled across the country to begin a new adventure in San Diego. Girard is
By Kendall Tich
OPINION EDITOR
As part of an initiative to combat sexual assault at USD, the university launched the CARE hotline last year to report incidents involving its students. While this resource has proven to encourage students to come forward about sexual assaults or sexual exploitations, there are still others that go unreported. This can likely be attributed to a lack of proper education and awareness, which leads to an uncomfortable atmosphere in terms of discussing this issue. The only way to prevent future occurrences is by acknowledging its existence on our campus.
See OPINION page 13
a global charity that engages in a campaign that promotes an everlasting impact on men’s health. According to Movember’s website, their goal is to provide men living with prostate or testicular cancer with the care needed to be physically and mentally well. By being part of Phi Kap, the philanthropy is something the men have become passionate about and have enjoyed being part of since they
fresh start in a transcontinental journey, but it is not the distance travelled, the starting location, or the destination that makes Girard’s journey a unique and inspiring story. Girard was the victim of a near fatal hit-and-run 13 years ago. The incident crushed his lower body, damaged his brain and left him blind. blind that I was not going to be able to walk,” Girard said. As anybody can currently observe, by watching him walk from class to class or in and out of Aromas, Girard has clearly proven this prediction wrong. Before coming to San Diego, Girard was no stranger to travel. His father worked in the Air Force and his mother worked with diplomats. The nature of his parent’s occupations meant that Girard was constantly traveling throughout his childhood. Before Girard reached the age of 13 he had seen more of the world than most people will see in their lifetime. He spent his childhood everywhere from Louisiana and Boston to many parts of Europe as well. According to Girard, the constant travels of his youth prepared him to be able to adapt to any new situation. “Which came in handy both when an accident made me disabled and last year when I was still managing some tricky health items,” Girard said.
NEWS 2-4
USD campus to be tobacco free Students come together for a discussion on creating a no tobacco policy on USD’s campus.
PAGE 2
Out of high school, Girard worked a number of jobs. He spent time in the fashion industry as a reporter, model and designer. He also worked as a senator’s aid in Washington DC. Girard was even granted a scholarship for a design school in New York. “It was I worked for politicians. That was the most fun because I felt I was making a difference,” Girard said. Any grand plan Girard had developed at this point was suddenly derailed by the hit-and-run incident that forever altered his life. As he ever walk again, Girard refused to let this incident limit him. “They told me I wasn’t going to be able to do things any more because I can’t see,” Girard said. His response to this statement was a simple “Why?” After a period of recuperation, Girard was working with politicians back in Washington DC as a lobbyist for people with disabilities. One of his accomplishments of this time was the implementation of talking voting booths. These booths allow for people with blindness to be able to vote. Unfortunately, Girard was unable to stay in Washington DC. “I had damp weather,” Girard said. When the weather is cold or damp, Girard’s body is unable to function due to the damage sustained from the hit-andrun incident. As an example, Girard recalled a particularly recent rainy day. because if the weather is extremely damp or cold my brain and my body cannot process it,” he said. “I deal with
FEATURE 8-11
Adults ask the darndest questions
Dream chasing never looked so good USD sophomore Nathan gives a look at his newly launched watch company, Yes Man Watches.
PAGE 5
a traumatic brain injury; I deal with traumatic spinal cord problems so my nervous system is not its best,” Girard added with a slight chuckle at the end. In order to escape the clutches of the cold and damp weather of the east coast, Girard uprooted himself and moved out to San Diego. After taking some time to get settled in the new area, he chose to attend USD for many of the same reasons other students chose this university. The small size of USD and
SPORTS 14-16
Volleyball on the road to greatness
Students weigh in on the nagging questions that Womens volleyball defeats UCSB their family members always seem to be asking and University of Arisona to advance them. to the Sweet 16 PAGES 10-11 PAGE 14 OPINION 12-13
ARTS AND CULTURE 5-7
Jackson Somes / The Vista
Girard is able to use a computer through a text-to-audio program
Sleep away your stress and sadness Recent studies show a direct correlation between insomnia and depression. By getting more sleep each night, you may decrease your stress and sadness. PAGE 12
the personal feel of the campus is what appealed to Girard. Currently, he is a junior pursuing a degree in sociology. From his early experiences as a student at USD, Girard was welcomed most prominently by students involved the university I was received fairly well
See GIRARD, page 3
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The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
NEWS Days of the Dead
EDITOR
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Jackson Somes news@usdvista.com
Brittany Carava news2@usdvista.com
USD campus to be tobacco free By Brittany Carava
ASST. NEWS EDITOR
By Jackson Somes NEWS EDITOR
With the end of the semester upon
Brianna Riordan, a student in
Megan Sacco /The Vista
USD discusses becoming a smoke-free campus
In response to this, Stephanie
CrossFit closes down, upsets participants By Devon Beck
STAFF WRITER
Photo Courtesy of CrossFit USD
any further on the termination of the
The CrossFit USD program will be closing down much to the dismay of current users
he said one of the main reasons he hesitant as to whether or not I want to
Urban Dictionary definition of a writer:
A plagiarist of life. So come “plagiarize” with us!
The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
3
NEWS
Upcoming Events Student Recital 12:15 p.m.- 1:30 p.m. Camino Hall Shiley Theatre Cost: Free Mariachi Ensemble Concert 7:30 p.m.- 9 p.m. Camino Hall Shiley Theatre
December
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December
Kevin Nelson / The Vista
Students gather to pray for peace for HIV/ AIDS victims around the world.
HIV/AIDS vigil held By Brittany Carava
touching and really increased my
ASST. NEWS EDITOR
As a campus full of compassionate
While many students dread the emphasized the emergence of this they can use their class for a bigger
Cost: $10 general admission $8 seniors, faculty/staff, $5 students
12
Messiah Sing & Play-Along 7:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. Founders Chapel Cost: $5 Messiah Sing & Play-Along 2 p.m.- 3:30 p.m. Founders Chapel Cost: $5 Candlelight Mass 9 p.m.- 10 p.m. Founders Chapel Cost: Free
December
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December
on Dec. 4 to promote community Murray organized the event as part of
said. “The biggest thing is education. The events we put on campus really try to promote that and we to try to get the word out there because if we don’t
component to this theology class. Students stood in a circle with While the event didn’t draw in the world for people living with
the student organizers were excited to bring this issue to the forefront
the multitude of resources for people living with the disease. Some members of the group read stories of hope from different people around the world living with the debilitating disease. “These efforts are something to get students to comprehend the immense way to outreach to different groups on Tinsley felt this enormous impact and connected on an emotional level with
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December
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Digital Audio Final Exam Concert
2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Camino Hall Shiley Theatre
Cost: $10 general admission $8 seniors, faculty/staff, $5 students
December
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Colleen Buffington/The Vista
24 hours a day. 24 issues a year.
Living above desperation Girard refuses to let disability limit his life
GIRARD, continued from Front Page
people have become accustomed to his other students have become with him.
neurological and health issues that stemmed from his accident and had blindness or disabilities a person has. Once the conversation breaches the
as a student at USD. Community
away from the topic of blindness to a topic such as how the football team is doing. “My being blind is about a one-
and the sociology department made it The support he received through
“It was clearly demonstrated to me that I was going to be an ambassador between the known and the unknown” Michael Girard uncomfort revolving around people with disabilities and understanding people with disabilities lies in sustained awareness and familiarity among a community. An annual
Writers needed!
realize that he is often the only contact other students have with people who
awareness because it only operates over a very short time frame. “As
how many people on campus are often curious about how he is able to be a nature of the beast. A situation of any relationship requires a good investment going to be an ambassador between the this role he would have to answer any questions about blindness in order
managing@usdvista.com
Editorial – 619.260.4584 Business – 619.206.4714 www.theusdvista.com
Taylor Cabalse- Editor in Chief Jordan Ondatje - Finance Director Alex LaClergue - Advertising Manager Katelyn Montero - Associate Editor Ian Rodgers - Managing Editor Ivy Guild - Art Director Jackson Somes- News Editor Brittany Carava- Asst. News Editor Kendall Tich - Opinion Editor Sara Butler- Asst. Opinion Editor Hannah Bucklin - Feature Editor
Despite the success he found challenges. Severe pain has become an everyday aspect of his life. “The periods of both sitting and standing are painful to deal with. This prevents him from returning to some of his past job experiences because they require sitting for long periods.
Khea Pollard - Arts & Culture Editor Maya Arrieta - Asst. Arts & Culture Editor Davis Jones - Sports Editor Hunter Jameson - Asst. Sports Editor Hannah Holmquist - Copy Editor Kevin Nelson - Photography Editor Shannon Henley - Web Editor Colleen Buffington - Graphic Designer Gina Lew - Student Media Advisor Marie Minnick - Operations Advisor
capacity that helps others and strongly wishes to attend graduate school. it comes to mapping out his future.
that he had two choices presented before him after his twist of fate. He could resign himself to a life of quiet desperation or continue with his convinced that a life without adventure is a life not worth living because a life still live and it has truly been a great
The Vista publication is written and edited by USD students and funded by revenues generated by advertising and a student fee. Advertising material published is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an commercial venues by the staff or University. The Vista ion in room 403B. All inquiries should be sent to: The Vista 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 all copies thereafter are 25 cents charge. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necesor of its student body. bers and writer’s year must be included in the letter. The Vista reserves the right to edit published letters. Any content sent to the editor will be considered for publication unless otherwise stated.
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NEWS December 7, 2013
Location: Missions A At 1:00 a.m. Public Safety responded to the report of an intoxicated student. Upon investigation, the student was determined to be unable to care for himself and was transported to the hospital. December 5, 2013
Location: Cuyamaca Hall At 11:13 p.m. Public Safety responded to the report of an intoxicated student. Upon investigation, the student was determined to be unable to care for himself and was transported to the hospital.
The Vista | Thursday December 12, 2013
December 7, 2013
December 6, 2013
Location: San Juan Hall At 12:58 a.m. Public Safety responded to the report of an intoxicated student. Upon investigation, the student was determined to be unable to care for himself and was transported to Detox. December 5, 2013
Location: Palomar Hall Location: San Rafael Hall At 8:41 p.m. Public Safety responded to the report of an At 1:12 a.m. Resident intoxicated student. Upon Assistants cited one investigation, the student was determined to be unable student for a Liquor Law to care for herself and was Violation. transported to Detox. December 5, 2013
Location: Jenny Craig Pavilion At 9:51 p.m. Public Safety responded to the report of an intoxicated student. Upon investigation, the student was determined to be unable to care for herself and was transported to Detox.
December 6, 2013
Location: Jenny Craig Pavilion At 9:01 p.m. Public Safety responded to the report of an intoxicated student. Upon investigation, the student was determined to be unable to care for herself and was transported to Detox.
December 3, 2013
Location: Maher Hall At 12:43 p.m. Public Safety responded to the report of a theft. Upon investigation, unknown suspect(s) stole copper pipes and tubing from the boiler room between 11/27 at 3 p.m. and 12/2 at 7:30 p.m.
Public Safety Report November 26, 2013
November 26, 2013
November 25, 2013
November 24, 2013
Location: Mission Structure At 11:56 a.m. Public Safety responded to the report of a theft. Upon investigation, unknown suspect(s) stole a laptop which was left unsecured on top of a vehicle between 11-11:50 a.m.
Location: Camino Hall At 10:53 a.m. Public Safety responded to the report of a theft. Upon investigation, unknown suspect(s) stole two decorative figurines between 11/25 at 6 p.m. and 11/26 at 8 a.m.
Location: Alcala West N. Lot At 7:53 a.m. Public Safety responded to the report of a theft. Upon investigation, unknown suspect(s) vandalized the south wall with graffiti.
Location: Missions B At 8:17 p.m. Public Safety responded to a report of an alleged sexual assault which occurred between 11/22 at 9:30 p.m. and 11/23 at 10:00 a.m.
November 23, 2013
November 23, 2013
November 23, 2013
November 24, 2013
Location: Missions A
At 5:47 p.m. Public Safety responded to a report of unauthorized possesion of a weapon on campus. Upon investigation, a student was in possession of an airsoft gun which was confiscated.
Location: San Rafael Hall At 9:10 a.m. Public Safety responded to the report of an intoxicated individual. Upon investigation, an unknown
Location: Laguna Hall At 12:08 a.m. Public Safety responded to a request for assistance. Upon investigation, one student
female urinated in another student’s residence.
was cited for minor in possession of alcohol.
Location: Olin Hall At 12:07 a.m. Public Safety responded to the report of a theft. Upon investigation, unknown suspect(s) vandalized and stole money from two vending machines at an unknown time.
Images by Saperaud/Wikimedia Commons
Colleen Buffington/The Vista
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The Vista | Thursday, November 21, 2013
ARTS & CULTURE Best of 2013
EDITOR
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Khea Pollard arts@usdvista.com
Maya Arrieta arts2@usdvista.com
Dream chasing never looked so good USD student Nathan Resnick founds company Yes Man Watches By Gamble Baffert CONTRIBUTOR
By Khea Pollard ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Some would say 2013 has been a pretty blasé year. As a matter of fact, everyone I know is hoping for a better 2014. I am as well, but I wouldn’t completely dismiss 2013. A lot of personal strides were made; a few speed bumps were hit. The end of the year is personal assessment time. What have I done well and what can I do better? For me, self-actualization is the goal. I’m coming to terms with a few regrets and discovering new avenues for personal growth. All of this selfbe quite overwhelming. I’ve lost some friends and gained some better ones. Accepted a lot of help and learned what it’s like to stand on my own. Ultimately, 2013 was the year of ‘give and take’. I had to lose some things to gain others. Maybe that’s what life is like: A continuous game of tug-o-war. You gain some ground, only to lose it within the next breath. Pretty cool things have happened around the world too: Scientists have cloned human stem cells 17 years after Dolly the sheep was cloned from mammary cells, France became the 14th nation to approve samesex marriage Apr. 23, U.S. states Rhode Island, Delaware, New Jersey, California, Illinois and Minnesota followed suit soon after. Voyager 1, the spacecraft launched into space in 1977, object to leave solar system and travel into interstellar space. tragedy: The Boston marathon bombings killed at least three people and injured more than 170 others, the Syrian civil war broke out leaving over 60,000 dead, the U.S. government shutdown leaving thousands unemployed, the recent typhoon in the Philippines is still affecting 4.28 million people in at least 270 towns. And most recently, revolutionary human rights and political activist Nelson Mandela passed away at the age of 95 peacefully recurring bouts of illness. It would appear the bad news outweighs the good, or at least, the overwhelming majority of news stories featured in major headlines are tragedies. There are small acts of kindness occurring every day, but they usually don’t qualify as “major events.” For instance, in Nov. the Make-A-Wish Foundation made 5-year-old leukemia survivor Miles Scott’s dream come true by staging scenes right out of a comic book. He paraded around San Francisco dressed as the pint-sized version of his favorite superhero. He was affectionately named “Batkid” as city. This didn’t qualify as breaking news. At least, not in the same way Miley Cyrus’s VMA performance did. As reporters of news our priorities are skewed. Perhaps it’s the human propensity to gravitate to negative news. Positive events just aren’t interesting enough. I have to consistently search for feel-good news because too much of a bad thing is just…well, bad. Judging by the abundance of negativity gaining top priority in the media we may believe 2013 was full of violence and grief. Though events are often memorable for their tragic nature, I am encouraged to hold onto the positive happenings too. Sure it sounds “campy” and “kumbaya”, but without positive thought there would be nothing to live for. The holidays are quickly approaching and my birthday is sandwiched precariously in between. I’m more than happy to celebrate another year of life because the earth could decide it wants to stop spinning at any moment. Though Dec. is we must remind ourselves to take a for a chance at tomorrow. lows is both nostalgic and scary. Reviewing these headlines forces me to acknowledge another year of history is coming to a close. Soon enough we’ll be negotiating our next set of classes all over again. It’s the same cycle with different variables each and every year. As we transition into 2014, granted we don’t experience nuclear warfare and blow ourselves to smithereens in the next 20 days, do so positively, with purpose.
The startup company Yes Man Watches has a new prototype that’s worth a second look. Yes Man Watches is a company built around the concept of empowering people to consider their use of time. “We’re all about making people realize that it’s your time,” founder Nathan Resnick said. “Everyone has a dream, but why do so few people chase their dreams? Our goal as a company is to help people everywhere realize their full potential-to utilize every moment and transform their time into something progressive.” Aside from the empowering ideology behind the watch, another aspect of Resnick’s company that separates itself from the competition is the watch’s buckle apparatus. This design features a row of notches sewn into the leather strap that allows for twice as many sizing options, and helps prevent wear and tear. Sophomore watch and was very pleased with this particular feature. “The experience of wearing this watch was really cool. I have a relatively big wrist so I often right and was easy to adjust,” Haupert said. As a sophomore at USD, Resnick was excited when he landed a paid summer internship. Yet after weeks working a monotonous nine-torealization. This was not what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He longed for something that could impact not only his life, but the lives of countless others who felt the same way. From this sentiment, Resnick was inspired to create Yes Man Watches. lifestyle this past summer by following his dream and starting the company in July. Utilizing his past experiences as a foreign exchange student in China, coupled with his extensive knowledge of the language, Resnick was able to connect with a reputable Chinese manufacturer to begin the process of crafting the timepiece. While most USD students spent their summer nights either sleeping or out with friends, Resnick was frequently up until 3 a.m. grinding out potential concepts and business plans. As a 19-year-old with limited business experience, Resnick had to teach himself the keys to various entrepreneurial techniques such as outsourcing, patent application, website design and nondisclosure agreements. “Growing a startup effectively is all about utilizing
Photo Courtesy of Nathan Resnick
your resources. There is an abundance of information available, people just to do with it,” Resnick said. Resnick takes this same positive approach to life outside of work. “Being a Yes Man means cherishing every moment you have,” Resnick hike with friends, or sitting down for a family dinner, I always appreciate the moment and strive to make the most of it.” Although Resnick has already spent countless hours toward the production and creation of his company, the project is only just beginning. Recently, Resnick received he describes as a “truly remarkable experience,” considering the arduous process of going from an idea to
product. He is in the midst of creating a crowdfunding video that will present the company’s vision. Yes Man Watches will be crowdfunding on Kickstarter, a funding platform for creative projects, to raise the necessary funds needed to go into production. Everything is in place to produce these one of a kind watches except the money to start the Man Watches will be launching their supporters will be able to pre-order a watch for only $99. Right now, Resnick is spending most of his time on the artistic side of the project. Whether its photo shoots in La Jolla or video shoots at his home in Mission Beach, Resnick is excited about the upcoming launch. “It has been an extremely awesome and challenging experience, much more goes into
starting a company than I ever had imagined and it is incredible to see my vision come to life,” Resnick said. “I have to thank all my friends and family that have helped me along the way and continue to support me.” Resnick seeks to get the USD community involved and frequently gives presentations to student organizations and classes. “It is mind-blowing to see Nathan go after something like this. I am amazed by his company and had no clue how far it has come. Their prototype looks fresh and I am excited to buy a watch,” junior classmate Drew Roca said. Yes Man Watches works with a few interns and is always looking to grow their team. If you want to get involved or have any questions regarding the startup process, Resnick is happy to talk.
Honoring the Virgen de Guadalupe MeCHA, ACHA and FAMA reproduce a sacred tradition
By Nancy Sandoval CONTRIBUTOR El Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe is celebrated on Dec. 12 throughout Mexico, Latin America and the United States. The celebration consists of dancing, music, food, but most importantly the remembrance of Our Lady of Guadalupe. USD students and members of the community gathered on Dec. 8 to celebrate the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The festivity began with Aztec dancers, and was followed by mariachi musicians playing as people walked to the Immaculata church, lighting the way with their candles. Sunday’s mass was devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe. USD student Jocelyne Olguin volunteered to be the Virgin Mary with Nayar Carrillo playing Juan Diego in the short play of the Virgin’s apparitions during Sunday’s mass. As the story is told, in 1531 the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to an Aztec Indian named Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac, now Mexico City. She asked him to convince the Bishop to build a basilica in her honor in order to be with the people she loves. Originally performed in Spanish, the English translation reads, “Good morning Bishop, who is beloved by the poor. The queen of heaven has called upon me. The sacred and unique Virgin Mary, mother of the true God has asked me to inform you to build a temple at the top of Tepeyac.” Carillo said. The bishop did not believe him and thought he was crazy, so he asked Juan Diego to bring him proof of the Virgin’s existence. The Virgin Mary told Juan Diego to go pick roses from the top of the hill with his mantel. “My dear son, these roses are the proof, the sign you will take to the Bishop. On my behalf, tell him to see my wish in the roses, and
with that he will believe you. I will look upon you from here, my son Juan Diego. Now go and show this to the Bishop,” Olguin said. He made his way to Mexico and begged to see the Bishop. Juan Diego unraveled his white mantle, which held Mary began to appear. After seeing this, the Bishop fell to his knees and immediately believed in Juan Diego’s message; that same day, the order was given to begin building the temple that Our Lady had requested. To this day, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City stands in her honor. After mass ended, people were given roses to take to the Virgin of Guadalupe and offer her their prayers. The celebration hosted by MEChA and AChA members continued at the UC Forums with “pan dulce,” or sweet bread, and hot chocolate. The Folklorico and Mariachi Association (FAMA) members danced Mexican “Folklorico,” which is a traditional Mexican dance where each performance differs depending on the region. The colorful handmade dresses each gave a glimpse of the culture from a region in Mexico. FAMA members danced “Jarabe Tapatio,” which is one of the most popular dances in the state of Jalisco. They used “zapateados,” which are precise and quick step heelthe song. Many people argue that generations today have lost touch with their culture, due to the popularity of social media and technology. Interest in traditional rituals is lost in favor of these material pleasures. The celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe on campus allows Chicano/Chicana students to embrace and express their traditions in an environment where not many people know or understand Mexican culture. Mexican American students here
Photo Courtesy of Nancy Sandoval Virgin Mary (Jocelyne Olguin) appears to Juan Diego (Nayar Carrillo) on the hill.
at USD are considered minorities, but through clubs like MECha, AChA and FAMA they are able to have a voice on campus. The traditional dresses used in folklorico dancing are a way for Chicano students to celebrate their rich cultural heritage. Because the overwhelming majority of USD students are white, they may not understand these particular aspects of Chicano identity. These dresses allow Chicanas to be proud of their origins as the dresses are made uniquely depending upon what part of Mexico their ancestors are from. The traditional dresses also permit for
society believes to be acceptable by demonstrating Chicano culture through performance. It is simple to fall into social norms but dancing folklorico allows these students to challenge these boundaries. The celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is an important event on campus because students and members of the community unite on one night in order to commemorate the Virgin Mary. Events such as this one remind students to stay true to their culture and identities.
The Vista | Thursday, November 21, 2013
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ARTS & CULTURE
Photo Courtesy of JT MacMillan
(L-R) Zonya Love, Javier Ignacio, Hannah Shankman, Lauren Elder and Brandon Bieber in La Jolla Playhouse’s re-imagined production of SIDE SHOW, book and lyrics by Bill Russell, music by Henry Krieger, directed by Bill Condon, choreographed by Anthony van Laast, produced in association with The Kennedy Center, running November 5 - December 15, 2013; photo by Kevin Berne.
The ‘freaks’ are center stage at the La Jolla Playhouse By Whitney Downs CONTRIBUTOR An age-old story of adversity and conformity has been turned into a fantastic musical at the La Jolla Playhouse. “Side Show” tells the true story of conjoined twins who overcame abusive relationships and discrimination to become famous on the Vaudeville circuit in during the 1930s and 40s. The play has a talented cast and executive team full of Broadway veterans. The re-imagined musical pieces are composed by Henry Krieger who is also the composer behind the Broadway hit “Dreamgirls.” The true mastermind behind the play is director
Bill Condon, the Academy Award winner who directed movies such as “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn 1,” “Chicago” and “Dreamgirls.” The play focuses on the bizarre but true story of Daisy and Violet Hilton, played by Emily Padgett and Erin Davie, who are in a traveling their “freak” label, but they continually face prejudice and isolation. Daisy is the outgoing comedienne who has a dream of becoming famous, while her sister Violet is shy and dreams of getting married and being “normal.” Eventually, they realize that their true friends and family are the other “freaks” in the circus, because they are
the only ones who do not try to change them and truly accepted them as they are. Condon has reimagined Side Show, which opened on Broadway in 1997. Approximately 50 percent of the show has been changed in order to focus on the character development of the twins, rather than aspects of show business. The musical score is fantastically written and sung. The song “Come Look at the Freaks” sung by ensemble members, opens the play and sets a dark tone, telling the audience to “Come see God’s mistakes. The freaks God forsakes.” “Typical Girls Next Door” and “1 + 1 = 3” are both new songs and serve as a
humorous take on the twin’s situation and their romantic lives. “I Will Never Leave You” is sung as a duet between Violet and Daisy when they are trying to decide if they should get surgery to separate. The most powerful song is Violet and Daisy’s “Who Will Love It is by far the most emotional number because it addresses the universal fear of being alone. The musical has a strong cult following. After several successful regional tours, the post-Broadway production grossed the professional performance company TheatreWorks record for a single production. Its
new take on individuality and societal exploitation is a possible draw for this large and varied audience. The show addresses hard-hitting issues, but still manages to be humorous without being ironic. It forces the audience to think about diversity, not only of the physical condition, but regarding race and sexual orientation as well. It evokes many different emotions in the audience, and can be uncomfortable at times because of the straightforward stance it takes on societal taboos and the damage they can cause. Even with unexpected plot twists near the end, it still manages to be a heartwarming story about two sisters who stay together through life’s trauma.
Slightly Stoopid: A Toys for Tots Holiday Event Soma, San Diego
December 13th, 7 p.m.
Image by Saperaud/Wikimedia Commons
Image by Silverback99/Wikimedia Commons
A Peter White Christmas Balboa Theatre
December 21st, 8 p.m. Image by Magnus Manske/Wikimedia Commons
Image by BalboaTheatre/Wikimedia Commons
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Old Globe, Balboa Park
November 16th-December 28th Image by Superchilum/Wikimedia Commons
The Nutcracker San Diego City Ballet
December 13th-22nd San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus Presents:
The Nutcracker (Men in Tights!) Balboa Theatre
December 15th, 3 p.m.
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The Vista | Thursday, November 21, 2013
ARTS & CULTURE
EDITOR
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Khea Pollard arts@usdvista.com
Maya Arrieta arts2@usdvista.com
Tattoo Thursday: Tattoos and the stories behind them By Allison Heimlich CONTRIBUTOR
Tattoos mark the bodies of more than one-fifth of Americans as 23 percent of the population have at least one according a poll taken by the New York Times. Even some prominent historical figures such as George Orwell, Teddy Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill decided to get inked. With some investigation, the images which marked a few students at USD were discovered, and each uncovered unique details about their personal experiences. for senior Torrey Lynch this was not the case. “I knew I wanted tattoos
Lynch has multiple tattoos, but she chose to reveal one that holds the most in honor of her friend who passed away. “It’s probably my most crappy in terms of looks but it’s my favorite. It was an
Sophomore AnnaLee Barclay talked about two different tattoos she has, one on behind her ear, and the other on the side of her foot. Both are in discrete places because she prefers them to be hidden.
symbol when she came to visit USD after her acceptance in late February behind her left ear, the same side as her holds for her. year, on Friday the 13th. “Back in the
out than the second, which was a spur of the moment decision. “One is fun, and the bad spirits would leave you alone because you already were marked. But now it’s a way for tattoo shops to make
The tattoo is on her forearm where it can be easily seen. “I wanted it to be Lynch said. Freshman
Darian
Deimeke’s
value. From personal research she
year, so I made a compromise with my The decision to place the phrase on prep school that banned tattoos in places easily seen. She carefully instead.
Photos Courtesy of Allison Heimlich
visibility into consideration. “I wanted it to be somewhat noticeable, but I would still be able to hide it if I needed
the words imprinted holds personal
24 hours a day. 24 issues a year.
Writers needed! managing@usdvista.com
The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
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FEATURE
FEATURE
ART DIRECTOR
Hannah Bucklin feature@usdvista.com
Ivy Guild iguild@usdvista.com
FINALS SUR s g in v ra C d o o F t h ig N te a L s u Off-Camp down the hill from st ju d te ca lo d an /7 24 n pe O s: ut on 1. Rose D e your midnight av cr to e ac pl ct rfe pe e th is ts nu Do campus, Rose munchies. ach, Robertos is be e th at n w do e liv o wh e os th r Fo s: 2. Roberto’ tisfy your late sa to /7 24 en op is d an r te as co r lle located by the ro night mexican cravings. m 10:00 A.M. to fro en op is a zz Pi dy oa Br a: zz Pi ay 3. Broadw urant will sta re is Th . ay dw oa Br 08 10 on d te ca 4:00 A.M. and lo ise during studying. ar ay m at th er ng hu y an ch en qu ly certain st down ju d te ca lo is it as g in at od m m co ac 4. 7-11: 7-11 is very nvenient store has co e Th . /7 24 en op d an s pu m ca m the hill fro tedly serve as ub do un ill w d an s ip ch to s ie sh slu everything from er. the go-to place for finals week hung
Off-Campus Study Spots
1. Starbucks: Located just right down the hill from campus, Starbucks is a great pla ce to study for finals. O pen from 5:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Starb ucks is the perfect pla ce to caffeinate yourself during studyin g. With both indoor an d outdoor sitting and free wifi, it is an id eal place to spend you r days studying. 2. Living Room Coffe e: The Living Room is lo cated in Point Loma and open from 6 :00 A.M. to 1:00 A.M. L iving Room Coffee is a good place to stud y because it serves an assortment of coffee, teas and food. T here is also free wifi, w hich is a must when studying for fina ls. With comfy chairs a nd couches, Living Room Coffee is a cozy place to study on these cold December nights. 3. Lestat’s Coffee Hou se: A USD student favo rite, Lestat's is open 24/7, making it o ne of the most convenie nt places to study. This coffee house is lo cated in Normal Heigh ts. The food is good, but the coffee is delicious. When studyin g at Lestat’s you will find everything yo u need: food, caffeine and wifi. Studying is made easy at Lestat’s because the couches a re so inviting and the smell of coffee waft s through the air. 4. Cafe Bassam: Cafe Bassam is located in Ba nker’s Hill and is open from 8:30 A.M. to 1:00 A.M. The wifi is fre e and the food and drinks are very aff ordable. The coffeehou se is decorated with artwork and has a homey vibe that can he lp ease the stress of finals.
The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
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FEATURE
RVIVAL 101 Study Tips
1. Study in chunk s: Study in 20-50 m inute increments a give yourself a 5 to nd 10 minute break b etween each study session. For the be st results, study thr oughout one whole week. 2. Alter nate Study Spots: Instead of sta ying in one spot to study, you should s witch things up wh en studying for ex ams. 3. For m a Study G roup: Study group s can help motivate you to get started w hen it’s hard to mo tivate yourself . 4. Stay Active: Just 20 minutes of card io can help improv your memory. e 5. Manage Your Tim e: During finals we ek every minute counts, which is wh y scheduling is ess ential. It will help y stay on track and p ou rioritize which clas s you will need to study for the most.
ts o p S y d tu S s u p m a On-C
n 24/7, e p o is ry ra b Li y le p o C k e e 1. Copley: For finals w The t. h ig rn e ov ry ra b li e th at t u allowing students to camp o ption of o e th is re e th d an a e ar y d u whole library is a silent st ork. w p u ro g r fo s m o ro g in rv se re udying st r fo n o ti p o r e th o an is ry le 2. UC Gallery: The UC Gal ultiple m e ar re e th d an a e ar y d u st t as the gallery is a silen ry is next to le al g e h T . ts n e d u st r fo p u t chairs and tables se unchies m t h ig n te la if so o ad rc e M u both Frank’s Lounge and T ur hunger. yo e as e p ap to s n o ti p o d o fo emerge there are many and the ra tu n e av n e u B n Sa e th th o B 3. Campus Housing: y rooms for d u st t n ie n e nv co e av h ts n e Alcalá Vista Apartm group r fo at re g e ar s m o ro se e h T those who live on-campus. ewhere m so e n o d e b to d e e n ’t sn e o work or studying that d completely quiet. many study as h P, SL e th f o r o o fl d ir th e 4. SLIC: The SLIC, th nals week. fi g n ri u d se u to ts n e d u st r rooms that are available fo nveniently co is d an rk o w p u ro g r fo It is another great place erous good m u n e ar re e th s an e m h ic h located in the SLP, w options for food and coffee. Images by Amada44/Wikimedia Commons, Ktims/Wikimedia Commons, and Tuomope/Flickr Creative Commons. Ivy Guild/The Vista
Ivy Guild/The Vista
The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
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FEATURE
ART DIRECTOR Ivy Guild iguild@usdvista.com
Adults ask the darnd
By Taylor Cabalse, Katelyn Montero, an Editor in Chief
Associate Editor
Do you have a special someone back at school? What I typically respond with: Oh, not right now. I’m really just trying to focus on my schoolwork right now. College is a great time to be independent and get my career started. Besides, with having an internship, leadership positions in different organizations, as well as a job, I really don’t have time to commit to a relationship right now. What I want to say: Actually, I have two. Their names are Ben & Jerry and we spend a lot of weekends together. Calm down, Aunt Lisa I was joking. I am as single as always. I’m really just trying to focus on my Netflix right now. College is a great time to be independent and not feel the need to leave the house on the weekends if I don’t want to. Besides, with all of the times I wear wolf shirts to school, forget to put on makeup and watch Lord of the Rings marathons on the weekends, I really don’t think boys want to commit to a relationship with me right now.
So you’re graduating in 4 years, right? Are you parents getting their money’s worth? What I typically respond with: Yes, I am. Actually one of the reasons that I chose to go to USD was because I knew that I would be able to spend a semester abroad, complete two minors in addition to a major and still be able to graduate in four years. The price of tuition is at an all-time high nationwide, but I think that all of the skills and contacts that I have developed at USD going to give me a great leg up in my future career. What I want to say: Yes I am. Actually, one of my greatest regrets is that I go to a school where it is easy to graduate in four years because I really love college and am not ready to leave. I’m a communication studies major who has had three writing internships and wants to go into magazine publishing. So if you’re asking whether I’m going to make back all the money my parents have generously spent on me, then nope. But if you’re asking whether the investment of a college education is worth it, then I can say without a doubt that there is no school I would have rather gone to.
How are you lear you
What I typic This semeste was heavy, b well and I thi semester. My have learned learning from in other class help me once What I want Remember h school? Do y was in the to things have c is how I have for classes, e pointless. Th know this lat asked to reci interview or
The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
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FEATURE
dest questions...
nd Ian Rodgers, Managing Editor
your grades? Are rning anything in ur classes?
Looks like you are having fun on your Facebook. Do you have time to actually study and do you work?
cally respond with: er has been tough and my workload but I’ve been managing my time really ink my grades will be better than last y classes are extremely engaging and I d so much this year. The stuff I am m one class has been able to benefit me ses this semester and will definitely e I graduate and go into the real world. t to say: how I was on the honor roll in high you remember my mom telling you I op percentage of my class? Oh, how changed. The saying “C’s get degrees” e been justifying all the work I do. As everything I have done is absolutely here is no reason why I would need to ter on in life. I am never going to be ite “X” or define “Y” during an r on a typical day at work.
What I typically respond with: I am having the time of my life in college. I am developing who I am as a person, making lasting friendships and enjoying life while having fun relaxing in San Diego. I definitely make time to study though. After all, I know that’s why I am in college. I try to create a balance between doing my school work and spending time with friends. What I want to say: You know how say you are given three options: sleep, having a social life and getting good grades? Then they tell you that you can only pick two? I made my choice. Sleep is for the weak. And with that being said, I don’t think anybody on Facebook would like it if I posted statuses or pictures about me studying until 2 or 3 a.m. So yes, I do find time to study. I work my butt off. I also have a lot of fun. I learn about myself while spending time with my close friends. Just because you only see the fun side doesn’t mean I’m not investing my brain in this college thing too.
What I typically respond with: USD has given me so many wonderful opportunities that I can utilize after I graduate. Right now I am weighing the options, I am deciding whether to go right to graduate school or begin my career with an entry-level job. Either way, I am so thankful that USD prepared me so well for the real world. What I want to say: I don’t want to grow up. I don’t want to go in the real world. This whole college thing has been the best four years of my life, and I am living in constant denial that it will ever end. So to answer your question, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing with my life after college. Some of my friends have it all figured out; they may be going to graduate school or getting a job. Instead of that, I think I’ll just stay here forever.
What are you doing after college? Images by Australian National Maritime Museum/Flickr Creative Commons, Library of Congress/Flickr Creative Commons, National Library of Ireland/Flickr Creative Commons, and State Library of New South Wales. Ivy Guld/The Vista Ivy Guild/The Vista
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The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
OPINION Be vulnerable with your emotions
By Kendall Tich
OPINION EDITOR Are human beings inherently good or bad? This is a fundamental question that people have been asking since the regards to human nature. After a long, thought-provoking conversation with some of my close friends, I have been continuously in terms of basic human traits. The question we had proposed amongst ourselves was something like this: is it better to see the good in everyone and allow yourself to be vulnerable to getting hurt, or is it better to expect the worst in others in order to defend yourself from getting hurt? I would not go as far as to consider myself a pessimist, but I have seen enough in my life so far to know that people make mistakes and bad decisions that can negatively affect others. What continuously perplexes me though, is the fact that not all of these choices are made with bad intentions, but rather are made out of ignorance or in order to choose the best path for oneself. It is in my nature to attempt to
EDITOR
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Kendall Tich opinion@usdvista.com
Sara Butler opinion2@usdvista.com
Sleep away your stress and sadness By Sara Butler
ASST. OPINION EDITOR A cure for depression, the most common mental disorder, may be as simple as turning off the lights. Each year, depression affects more than 18 million people in our country. College campuses are not spared from its impact, and USD is no exception to the trend. According to Moises Barón, eight percent of students at our university have reported being diagnosed and treated for depression, with 25 percent experiencing depressive behavior that interfered with their daily life. Further, more than half of the people with depression also have insomnia. It is no surprise that many college students do not get enough sleep. With the responsibilities of classes, work hours in the day. According to USD Student Wellness, about 24 percent of students reported sleep problems having a negative effect on their responsibilities as a student. While decreased sleep and increased stress is a common trend among college students, this problem week is characterized by late nights in the library drinking coffee or energy drinks as we try to get everything done. Our usual routine becomes a powerful force that may change our
looking for indicators of trouble in others. As young adults, we all know how it is when you meet either a friend or person you are interested in, quickly are nothing like you had originally expected. These letdowns can lead to viewing others in a negative way, which many psychologists have deemed the “negativity bias,” stating that we are more likely to notice the bad qualities in others rather than the good ones. Admittedly, I envy those who see the good in every person and every situation. My two closest friends at USD are the perfect example of those who truly see beauty in everyone around them. They focus on people’s positive traits rather than attempting to pick out aspects of their personality that could lead to a detrimental relationship. Because of this, they learn to love and trust others in a way that makes them vulnerable to getting hurt. But is that hurt worth it if you can stay optimistic and truly see the good in others? I’d be a hypocrite if I said that I have now realized the importance of expecting the best in people, because person I meet to avoid being hurt. I don’t immediately focus on bad aspects of their personality; however, I am well aware of when it is time to call it quits on a friendship or relationship if it is heading in a direction that makes me vulnerable to getting hurt. I will say though, that after conversing with my friends on this seemingly unanswerable question, I have come to this conclusion: sometimes it is imperative that we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, for it is vulnerability that allows us to have genuine, intimate relationships with others. I know that it will always be part of my nature to be suspicious of the gestures of others but I now believe that if we can maintain those suspicions in a way that also allows us to express a sliver of vulnerability, we will be able to form more meaningful connections with each other. I’ve realized that there will always be bad people in the world and there will always be people who have the ability to hurt you. During our 20’s, some of the most developmental years of our lives, we will both hurt others and get hurt; that’s just an unfortunate reality that exists in any relationship with others. The trick to knowing real relationships with others is knowing that by letting people prove themselves as worthy of our love and trust, we are giving them the opportunity to show us that maybe the world is a little bit better than we have been led to believe it is.
that sleep is not one of the symptoms of depression; instead, it may be one of the causes. Colleen E. Carney, the report’s that these studies will change the way doctors approach depression treatment. “The way this story is unfolding, I think we need to start augmenting standard depression treatment with therapy focused on insomnia,” Carney said. As college students, we are at
“When you are feeling stressed out and overwhelmed with your college life, the solution may be as simple as turning off the light.” to link sleep with depression. These four studies are using a form of talk therapy to alleviate the insomnia of released study reporting having major success. According to Benedict Carey, a reporter for the New York Times, of a smaller pilot study, giving of the insomnia treatment are real. If the treatment of depression since the introduction of Prozac in 1987.” remaining studies are released, we may
a high risk of both insomnia and depression. By recognizing the relationship between sleep and mood, we may be able to decrease of chance of developing either of these conditions. While the talk therapy in the National Institute of Mental Health studies is proving to be very effective, it comes with a cost: about $100 to $250 an hour. However, many techniques from these talk therapy sessions are available to the public. As a college student, you can try some of these tips on your own for a cheaper and easier way to help protect yourself from developing insomnia. First, regulate your sleep schedule by consistently waking up and going to
Homeless in San Diego By Jack Kelly
STAFF WRITER
meeting them, which has led me to subsequent encounters. That does not necessarily mean I assume everyone is bad right off the
state of mind and drive us to partake in unhealthy behavior. In the past, doctors had known sleep to be associated with depression. Sleep problems, such as insomnia, were often considered to be a sign or symptom of depression. The depression was usually treated with medication, such as the antidepressant Prozac, and this treatment was thought to improve sleep among patients. However, recent studies being conducted with the help of the National Institute of Mental Health have started
Although you can’t tell by the incessant beautiful weather, the holiday season is upon us. As USD students we have plenty to be grateful for as we come close to going home to our families for the winter intersession. That being said, how can we give back to the community? And how invested should we be in helping the less fortunate? Being third in the nation to only Los Angeles and New York City, it’s hard not to notice the massive homeless population in the city of San Diego. To be exact, 10,000 of the 1.3 million residents are homeless, many of which are veterans. I can only imagine how lonely it must be to live on the streets and that holidays. Luckily, programs like the San Diego Rescue Mission are there to help out. Every Thanksgiving, Christmas
and Easter, they open their doors to offer home cooked meals to the less fortunate. So how can you help? If you’d like to help out with that particular program or others like it, there are multiple sources online. There you can donate to them in a variety of ways. you can give back in your own ways. Sometimes it’s as simple as offering a homeless person some food. I stayed here at USD this past Thanksgiving break. On Thanksgiving day, a few students in Camino and I decided to make some sandwiches and venture down into the city to give the food away. It was an awesome experience. We only met a few homeless people but it was still worthwhile. There are plenty of national and local charities that you can give to if you have a different cause you’d like to support. One cause that has been overlooked involved charities that donate to the recent disaster in the Philippines. It is easier us for to hear about natural
bed at the same time. If you’re daring enough, the therapy also recommends eliminating naps during the day. Further, try not to eat, read, or watch TV in bed; if possible, get out of bed when you are awake. A key component to this plan is to only lie in bed when you plan on sleeping. Many of us like to spend our free time during the day studying or reading in bed, but this actually hurts us when we try to go to bed that night. By separating your desk from your bed, your brain will learn when to work and when to sleep. It turns out that regular exercise during the day and avoiding caffeine or alcohol in the evening is not enough to ensure a good night’s rest. Carey reports that these measures are apart of “sleep hygiene.” Even though they are healthy habits, they must be paired with the other therapy techniques in order to treatment insomnia. It is always important to sleep well, but these studies show that sleep is an essential element in our college lives. Not only will a full night of sleep help us feel more alert and awake during the day, but it will also improve our mood and mental state. With the tips outlined from the talk therapy, you can get the sleep you need during one of the most stressful times of the year, while avoiding falling into the trap of depression. When you are feeling stressed out and overwhelmed with your college life, the solution may be as simple as turning off the light.
Mascot Cam
disasters and forget about what they can do to a place, especially if it is on the other side of the world. The Philippines is in ruins with over 5000 dead and over 1000 people missing; any bit of money can help restore their way of life. If you wish to donate to that cause, try checking out the Salvation Army’s website. But in general, why should we as USD students be active in giving? on the hill and not attempt to at least spread some of the wealth around: we are changemakers after all. No matter how much we pay to go here and no matter how broke we may be as college students, that doesn’t change the fact that we truly are lucky in the grand scheme of things. Especially because we go to a Catholic University, we should support the Christmas spirit of giving, not just to our friends and family, but to everyone. So hopefully we all have an excellent winter break involving giving something back to those we consider less fortunate.
Mascot Cam is a new iPhone app recently developed by USD. Take a picture of a person or background. Add Diego to your pictures to take him on your adventures at USD and around San Diego. Share snaps with your friends on social media.
Social media in the classroom leaves students behind By John Barnum STAFF WRITER
I’ve always taken solace in the fact that I was off the grid. If one tried, it I was, what I was doing and what I was thinking at any particular time of day. Nonetheless this makes me a weirdo, an outcast, an old person; all for not integrating into all this technology we Twitter, I do not have an Instagram and I do not have a Facebook. This personal choice has cost me some potential “friends” from around the world, but it has never affected my academics. My English teacher has made a Facebook page for our class. This then proceeded to have us share our emails with one another. I was relieved because even though I am in the dark ages, I do use email. This scenario did not lead to my destruction but, it was a wake up call that joining the system was inevitable or I would be left behind. I already feel rather left behind: everyone else already seems to be a master at manipulating the tech world. A recent Pew poll showed that 72 percent of online adults use social networking sites. It appears as though it is inevitable for social networking to weave its way into all facets of life. “Well considering that society depends on and uses social media as a method of communication and exchange of information, using it as a teaching tool is almost inevitable,” junior Elanai Alailima said. “If they use it effectively then I suppose students would be able to learn using a medium they usually don’t relate learning with.” This could possibly lead to a future where assignments are posted
Kevin Nelson/ The Vista
With an increase in social media use, some students believe introducing it into the classroom could be useful while others feel it solely serves as a distraction to learning.
on Facebook and Twitter and lectures are dished out on Vines. While this is a nightmare for some, many see it as almost Utopian. “I think it can help promote the proper use of social media and give it new use rather than girls posting duck face pics,” freshman Adriana Velasco said. While it does seem that this may be the future, there are some that are skeptical and have concerns. “Social media as a teaching tool?” sophomore Rio Sastaputera said. “Depends on what subjects. Because it won’t work on all of them. But for the one’s that do, it’ll make it a lot more engaging. As it is easier for the students to relate to and comprehend.” This shaky acceptance seems to be prevalent with many students as it appears that something mainly made for recreational use has turned “useful.” However useful it has been to many students, there are others who feel it merely serves as a distraction when it
is used in classroom settings. “I personally don’t like it,” freshman Alec Bangert said. “I think it can be extremely distracting being on social media while trying to learn.” Sophomore Kelly Anderson had a similar perspective, in that she is us as students. “I don’t think it is very effective,” Anderson said. “I’ve had teachers try to get us to post tweets about class topics and teachers who communicate through Facebook and it’s pretty forced. It isn’t natural like most regular social media is between people.” However, there are many weaponization of social networking. “I think social media can be a positive thing in the classroom because so many students partake in social media,” freshman Clare Haffner said. “It also is more sustainable because it saves paper since teachers use less handouts. But not all kids have access
to social media so this might be a problem.” Haffner takes into account that there are people like me in the world, with their tight, sagging pants and their rock and roll music. As it begins to gain credibility and practicality it may be unavoidable that all of society will eventually have to play along. Social media has created a viral web that connects us all in one futuristic super organism. By resisting we become a dead limb, a dysfunctional cell that cannot aid the mass spread of information. What I thought was just a ‘fad’ may in fact be a new world order and I will have to jump on the wagon. It will not be sudden of course. Teachers did not email assignments to students when the internet was still has a Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, then it may not seem so strange. By next new ‘fad’.
The views expressed in the Opinion section are not necessarily those of The Vista staff, the University of San Diego or its student body.
The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
OPINION 13 Sexual assault goes unnoticed at USD By Kendall Tich
OPINION EDITOR
“No means yes, yes means anal.” University fraternity, Delta Kappa Epsilon, paraded through campus
be proven otherwise. As of Nov. 19, 10 phone calls have been made to USD’s Campus Assault Resources and Education hotline, which was set up by our university for students to report cases of sexual assault and exploitation. This means this year, 10 people have used this
“As of Nov. 19, 10 phone calls have been made to USD’s Campus Assault Resources and Education hotline, which was set up by our university for students to report cases of sexual assault and exploitation.” chanting this phrase. The fraternity has since been banned from participating years, but these words linger in the minds of college men and women whose perceptions of sexual assault society’s changing mindsets on sexuality. While the words chanted by the disturbing, they draw attention to an issue that is permeating across college campuses: no does not mean yes, but in college these lines are blurred, creating grey areas regarding sexual assault and violence that have yet to be properly addressed. educated and most likely come from similar backgrounds to many of us at USD, yet the words they spoke are essentially promoting sexual assault behaviors. I would argue that rape culture, a concept that links rape to our overall cultural beliefs and attitudes, has normalized incidents that could legally constitute as rape yet have become socially acknowledged as drunken mistakes. This normalization is, in part, due to the fact that we deem offensive and degrading language, like immature college behavior rather than as intolerable behavior. Because we are rarely formally told what consent means, what sexual assault entails or what it means to be manipulated into sexual acts, we mark things off as careless and move on, never to truly consider the consequences and meanings behind our actions. Many sexual assaults go unreported due to the fact that those involved are unaware of what it means to give or receive consent, blurring lines even further and making it we often pretend these issues do not affect our perfectly safe campus, it can
hotline after witnessing, being involved in or being victimized by some form of sexual assault or exploitation. However, this does not necessarily mean all these reports were determined to be legitimate cases. Moises Barón, USD’s Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs for Student Wellness, does not believe these numbers to be an indication of an increase in sexual assaults on campus, but rather a rise in the number of students who are coming forward about occurrences. While students can view Public Safety reports of sexual assaults online, the issues that are being publicized and represented on our campus typically make reference to much less serious issues such as thefts, break-ins and inebriated students. Perhaps one of the reasons why these incidents aren’t shared as public knowledge is because many of them are still under investigation. However, I would argue that the underlying reason is the uncomfortable, sensitive nature
happening to us are slim to none. This generally false idea of what constitutes rape does not account for the fact that, according to the U.S. Department of Women, two-thirds of sexual assault victims aged 18 to 29 had a prior relationship with their offender. So who are these offenders? They are neighbors, students, peers and friends and some of them are members of our campus community. Last year, one of my closest friends was sexually assaulted after an off-campus party. She was intoxicated, taken back to the Vista apartments and taken advantage of by a fellow USD student. She woke up confused, scared and ashamed of what had happened the night before without any prior knowledge as to how to recover from the trauma she would be dealing with for months to come. Because she was unaware of the next step to take following her assault, her rape went unreported, only to be remembered by her and those she told. Unfortunately, there is enough evidence to show that there are other young adults who have encountered this same pain, yet for a number of reasons, chose not to report it. According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, 60 percent of sexual assaults are never reported to the police. With such a high percentage, it can be expected that there are sexual assaults involving USD students that occur without ever being reported. Although there have not been any public displays of rape encouragement at USD, such as the incident that a mindset that exists among college students nationwide that leads to the
“We are taught to live in fear of what may happen but we aren’t taught what to do when we are actually faced with a sexual assault situation, whether that situation involves someone we know or ourselves.” of the subject and the fact that it is continuously pushed aside both in our society and on our campus for fear of instilling alarm or discomfort among As a society in general, we typically cling to contrived narratives of what it means to be sexually assaulted. We envision a young, vulnerable woman or man walking down the street late at night, being followed by a large, scary offender who later forces the man or woman to have sex with them. We hold onto this scenario in order to assure ourselves that the chances of this
normalization of phrases and behaviors that are legally unacceptable. Upon began to laugh, only to later realize the implications of their laughs to such an offensive occurrence. Those awkward laughs were proof of the fact that inside and outside of classrooms at USD, there exists an uncomfortable blanket of feelings and attitudes encompassing the topic of sexual assault. Because of this, those who have the authority to do so conceal much of the information that circulates
Finals are in the air again By Devon Beck
STAFF WRITER It’s that time of the year again. Campus yourself procrastinating more than usual. It’s the reading you haven’t done all semester, pull all-nighters and spend all your money on coffee. Finals also mean one thing: stress. Dealing handles differently and some people can’t handle at all. Everything can start to seem overwhelming and it may feel like there’s just too much to get done in too little time. Frenzy and therapy dogs to help alleviate some stress. Finals Feeding Frenzy takes place on Dec. 12 and therapy dogs will be on campus Dec. 13. According to a survey conducted by the Associated Press and MTV, 85 percent of college students feel stressed on a daily basis and 60 percent of college students have felt stress to the point of not being able to get work done at some point in time. Students at USD can relate to these Learning how to cope with stress and Junior, Kelli Hatter said she maps out her done ahead of time. Along with that, she also makes sure she has time to go on a run every day. aren’t the end of the world,” Hatter said. “Plus Christmas. I think USD does just about as good
“Once you get in the groove of studying you forget to stress. It’s weird,” junior Jonno Daly said. “So basically, whenever I am not studying, I stress.” Daly has different ways that he deals with “My top three coping strategies are praying to God, lifting weights and simply relaxing and listening to music,” Daly said. “I recommend praying as well as working out or doing something not mentally tiring that you enjoy doing.” Junior, Taylor Martin deals with the stress of
Letters to the Editor Policy
must be given or any sexual action that follows can be considered sexual assault. Another misconception is that when two people who are under the
exploitations occurring within our student body. Additionally, a new task force appointed by the president of our university and led by Dean of Students Donald Godwin, will work to further improve existing protocols as well as raise campus awareness surrounding this issue. While efforts are in fact being made on our campus, many students are unaware of their existence, which further exacerbates the mentality that these issues simply do not affect us here at USD. As a private, Catholic university, there are a number of issues that have been kept under the radar, including sexual assault cases, making to come forward if they have been sexually assaulted or know someone who has. We are never taught how to
“The only way to begin attempting to prevent sexual assaults from occurring on our campus or in our society is to expose their existence in order to open the door for further discussion and conversation.” considered consensual. In reality, when alcohol or any other mind-altering substance is involved, neither adult is able to legally give consent to any sexual behaviors. As college students in modern society, where a drunken hook-up culture has become quite prevalent, this is rarely followed or enforced and is therefore never made clear to us. I would not go as far as to say that keeping rape reports under the radar encourages acts of sexual assault, students to understand what it means and recognize when it happens. The recent efforts being made by our university in order to raise awareness and encourage students to come forward in regards to sexual assault have proven successful. This is displayed in the increase in student reports to the Campus Assault Resources and Education hotline. Unfortunately, there are still cases that go unreported. Many of the factors refrain from reporting it not only have to do with fear, shame or embarrassment, but also lack of knowledge as to how an assault. In order to address this issue, USD has opened up resources to our students to offer support and education. Last year, USD installed the CARE program in order to encourage the reporting of sexual assaults and
respond to certain situations until we are faced with them; we are not taught prevention methods or ways of coping with an assault until after it occurs. We are not taught what constitutes as rape or sexual assault and how we know if consent has been given. As young adults we are told to be careful of how we dress, how much we drink and where we go at night. We are taught to live in fear of what may happen but we aren’t taught what to do when we are actually faced with a sexual assault situation, whether that situation involves someone we know or ourselves. These issues are hidden under our picturesque university, only to be discussed in classes that focus on these issues. The only way to begin attempting to prevent sexual assaults from occurring on our campus or in our society is to expose their existence in order to open the door for further discussion and conversation. By raising awareness as to what constitutes as rape or sexual assault, we are giving people the chance to come forward and discuss these occurrences in a comfortable, receptive atmosphere. We can only eliminate the presence of these incidents by educating those who have the power to make a difference. As college students shortly entering the real world, the responsibility lies on us to prevent sexual assault from continuing in the future.
Study Tips for Final Exams 1. Set realistic expectations. Plan a reasonable schedule with breaks and sleep.
2. Eat well and 3. Utilize resources exercise. Don’t fall available to you. out of your healthy Study with peers routine even if you’re stressed. review sessions.
fun. study breaks by going to get frozen yogurt, creating elf Christmas videos with our faces in them and being told to stop having so much fun by the librarian,” Martin said. While USD students have their various ways to deal with stress, US News offers its own set Some of their tips include getting rid of some commitments, studying with a group only when it makes sense and cramming with a professor or T.A. Along with Finals Feeding Frenzy and therapy dogs, USD also offers tips on how to cope with stress. These tips teach students how to manage stress and seek help if it gets to be too much to handle. These tips can be found on USD’s website. Finals can be a stressful time for any college going to the stacks in club copley away from it all,” junior Alex Gallagher said. “I sometimes kneel down and shed a few tears. After that, I blow up all my social media feeds by venting my
universally stressful event and there isn’t any offers great resources to de-stress; people just need to take advantage of them.” Some students stress when they aren’t
in regards to this topic. By doing so, it puts students in a position where they are unaware of how to handle situations that can be considered sexual assault. Two of the biggest misconceptions in regard to sexual assault lie in beliefs surrounding what it means to give consent. While it may be a common assumption that actions speak louder than words, this expression does not hold true to sexual behaviors. In order for someone to give consent, they must verbally agree to any sexual action that follows. Just because the word “no” is never spoken, does not mean that
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cleaning and doing laundry. By the time I am done with that it is time for bed, and I realize I have got nothing productive done.”
The Vista strongly encourages letters to the editor from students, faculty, staff, administration and the community.
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Correspondence should be sent to editor@ usdvista.com with the subject line “Letter to the Editor.” Letters for the up-coming edition are due Saturday by 6 p.m.
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Submissions should be limited to 500 words and must include verifiable contact information. Letter content is subject to editing for clarity and style.
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14
The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
SPORTS Who Cares?
EDITOR
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Davis Jones sports@usdvista.com
Hunter Jameson sports2@usdvista.com
Volleyball on the road to greatness The Toreros advance to the Sweet 16
By Hunter Jameson ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
By Davis Jones
SPORTS EDITOR The title of this could be misleading in a USD sports section. There’s certain protocol to follow when writing end of the year columns, and it starts with the notion of caring. After I make some vague generalization in the intro, I could walk this column down memory lane and highlight the good times we’ve had together, all which plays off of an indigestional discomfort somewhere deep down that to write any other way would break important and untouchable recap traditions. I feel compelled to cap off the year ‘the right way,’ or to tie the year in a neat little no regrets. I feel like you would, too. Who cares? We all do, in this case. I don’t go long through my day without hearing some mention of how poor our school spirit is, especially with regard to our sports teams. Not nearly as frequent, though, are suggestions of how to change it. Those few that do come up once in a full moon usually involve an impassioned student movement that shows promise but unfortunately doesn’t carry enough steam to roll forward. Last Thursday’s men’s basketball game against San
Last Saturday, the No. 9 seeded Torero Women’s volleyball team advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament. With victories over the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos and the University of Arizona Wildcats, USD continues to prove why they are one of the best teams in the country. The Toreros are now 26-3 and are heading to Nebraska to face the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers for a spot in the Elite 8. Santa Barbara, the Toreros had no trouble taking control over the Big West Conference champions, sweeping the match 3-0. With scores of 26-24, 25-18, and 25-14, USD was able to the NCAA tournament and show how dominant it can be. Senior middle kills and four blocks, while committing no errors. She has been the leader all season and continues to do so in the tournament. Senior middle hitter Katie Hoekman and senior outside hitter Taylor Hollins each contributed 11 kills, with Hollins also having eight digs. Junior setter Jianna Bonomi led the team with 23 assists, followed by senior Rachel Alvey with 15. Senior libero C’Era Oliveira had 17 digs, the most among any player on either team.
I’ve had of a sporting event’s reception here. For once, it was weird if you
for the Toreros, which was tied up at 24 when the Gauchos took a timeout. This proved to be a bad decision, as Hollins hit two kills in a row, giving USD the
that aren’t headliners will tell whether all this enthusiasm will continue or if it will slow to a weary crawl before it dies out again, like it unfortunately has for most of my four years. I guess my last thought for you is this: think of the athletes who care enough to play for you. While they don’t actually play for us in the way they would for a coach, they do play on our behalf. Athletes act as a school’s primary representative across the country, for one, and they
USD earned a 17-10 lead that proved to be too much for UCSB, ultimately losing 25-18. The Toreros also won the third game with ease, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament with a 25-14 win in the third set. The Toreros hosted the University of Arizona Wildcats in the second round, a tough opponent because of their size and strength of schedule. They have very tall players and playing in such a tough conference
decisions than any college fair scout ever could. I guarantee that many
of the season. Freshman outside hitter
our men’s basketball team’s 2008 NCAA Tournament upset against the University of Connecticut. Consider tournament in 2010, Butler University saw its applications jump from 6,700 to 9,518. Students care about standing behind the names of its athletes. It’s why you need two years on the waiting list before you get a season pass to watch the University of Alabama football team. Fans want to associate themselves with a winning student athletes win games. We’ll pay them do it. Many freshmen enroll just so they can Roll Tide. the question, then, of what the athletes themselves see in the schools they choose. For the big names like Alabama, and for big sports like football, many view the school as a launching pad for a professional career in the League. The statistics for those who’ll actually make it are pretty low. That doesn’t mean kids won’t think they will, as probably most of the kids on these teams were recognized at a young age as special and were told by recruiters that, with the right program as their noble steed, they could ride into the sunset of glorious dollar bills not the students. I acknowledge that USD is not one of these places. That reputation will change. With the success of our programs during these past few years, I see this happening sooner rather than later, all of which can be attributed to the work our athletes put in every day, running sprints until they’re sick and forsaking individual grades for the sake of their teams. These kids have enough skill to play at the highest collegiate level in the world. Some could’ve picked almost any other program they wanted. It makes the reality that they picked USD so thrilling and, sometimes, so confusing at the same time. Until we consider that, for whatever reason, our student athletes cared enough to come here over all the others. Elite athletes cared enough to represent us as students, both at our best and at our worst. Like when we make fun of their losses. And when we jeer at the lack of attendance at games, even though we can only blame ourselves for not being there and for not standing by the ones who stand for us. It might not matter. That’s your loss. You might not care. In the meantime, respect our athletes who do.
Kevin Nelson / The Vista
Senior outside hitter Taylor Hollins lines up a shot against BYU. USD beat the Cougars in its WCC finale and gained home court advantage in the first two rounds of the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Ashley Harris stands 6’8, middle blocker McKenzie Jacobson at 6’6 and junior outside hitter Taylor Arizobal is 6’2. The Pac-12 conference also had
digits in kills for the second straight game. Jianna Bonomi also had another impressive showing, recording 24 assists and 16 digs for the Toreros.
the Pac-12 is a lot tougher than the West Coast Conference, the Toreros ignored the big name and dominated for a second straight match, 3-0. USD put themselves in a very comfortable
Lincoln, Nebraska to play against the No. 8 seeded University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. With a record of 25-6, the Cornhuskers look to be the toughest opponent in the tournament so far for the Toreros. They are one rank higher than USD, giving them the home court advantage for this match. The outside hitters, senior Kelsie Robinson and freshman Kadie Rolfzen lead the way for the Cornhuskers. Robinson has 495 kills this season and Rolfzen with 356. In order to get to the Sweet 16,
14 and 25-19. In the third and ultimately and never looked back. Holding off a late Arizona run, USD would go on to complete the sweep with a 25-22 win, advancing to the Sweet 16. Ferrari and fellow senior outside hitter Alaysia Brown powered the offense with 13 kills each. Taylor Hollins had another strong performance, getting into the double
University and the University of Oregon. Similar to the Toreros, Nebraska won both of these matches
3-0. They have played numerous Top 25 teams, with the Big 10 being one of the strongest Volleyball conferences in the nation. At the time, University of Minnesota, Michigan State, University of Illinois University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, Ohio State, University of Michigan, and Penn State were all ranked in the Top 25 at the time they played the Cornhuskers. were the highest ranked opponents of the Cornhuskers’ season. This will likely be the toughest match of the season for the Toreros considering the implications of the match, and a victory will give them a spot in the Elite 8 against either No. game against Nebraska will be on ESPN3 Fri., Dec. 13 at 8:00 pm. ET.
A run to remember for lady Toreros Women’s cross country team looks back on 2013 season
By Allison Heimlich CONTRIBUTOR While most college athletes seem to be well known around campus, there are many athletic individuals who may be overlooked due to the sport they chose to participate in, especially for the University of San Diego cross country team. Cross country has never been a major spectator sport, with some kids even being described as the “chess club with sneakers” according to Mitch Stephens, a writer for the San Francisco Gate newspaper. Despite its sometimes negative outlooks and the lack of attention drawn to it, the cross country team at USD should not be overlooked, as runners for the women’s team give people good reason to notice the sport. There are some inaccurate preconceptions people hold about cross country, one of the main ideas being that it is solely an individual sport. Since each runner performers to the best of her ability, with no correlation to the speed of other teammates, people assume the sport consists primarily of a single runner’s effort. “People underestimate the teammate aspect of it. We are all out there working hard for each other. It’s a lot more of a team sport than it may seem to be,” Sophomore Ashton Padberg said. Another common misconception is the actual distance the runners race. While practices may consist of runs that last 10 or more miles, the typical which translates to 3.1 and 3.7 miles respectively. The reason these races are drastically shorter than the ones runners partake in during practice is due the speed of the race. Typical female runners at USD race at an average time that ranges from 5:45 to 6:30 minutes. Another aspect of cross country that separates it from other sports is the predictability in outcomes of runners’ times. “We all know what we are capable of. We might not always do it, but no one is ever shocked [at race outcomes]. We didn’t have unrealistic
in,” Ashton said. Though many results are easily foreseeable, as in any sport there are bound to be some situations no teammate could anticipate. As the season progresses, so does the to students and the various germs that circulate amongst them. “One of wasn’t able to run” Sophomore Olivia Houser said. Watching girls get injured who heavily desire to compete is another unpredictable disappointment teammates face. Despite some downfalls, the athletes went on to describe some of the highlights that this past cross country season held. Preseason is one of the favorite times of the season, even though the runners are not in the middle of competition. “During preseason we get to enjoy a summer in San Diego and not do school work,” said Sophomore Kalin Padberg. Possibly one of the most notable accomplishments for an individual this season took place on the Haggins Oaks Golf Course in Sacramento, CA, where Senior runner Gillian Gorelik broke a USD school record running a it at all. I can’t believe it happened. Going into it, I thought there was no way I would break the record,” Gorelik said on breaking the school record. “I remembered thinking that it was not real. It didn’t feel like I was running that fast, I was smiling out there, having a good time, instead of taking it super seriously and being stressed,” Gorelik said. Another memorable meet was the Bronco Invitational, which took place in Santa Clara, CA. Where the Sacramento race was distinguished for a single runner’s accomplishment, this race consisted of many individuals’ peak performances, as 11 out of the 16 women set personal records and the While some of the competitors set PR’s earlier in the season, the results of the season from NCAA Western Regionals in Sacramento, CA this November unfortunately did not accurately represent the team as a whole. As a team, USD competes at
Photo courtesy of Adam Hicks
Senior Gillian Gorelik competing in the 2013 Stanford Invitational
the West Coast Conference meet with every other team from the WCC, where the top nine runners are selected. From there, since there is no qualifying from the WCC, the top seven competitors are selected to race at Regionals. Finally, the top two teams at Regionals are selected to advance to Nationals. “Our coach chooses [the runners] based on whoever has run the fastest that year on various courses throughout the season,” said Senior Jessica McCarthy. Out of 20 runners, seven went on to compete in Regionals: Gillian Gorelik, Ashton Padberg, Andrea Hughes, Ashley Olagary and Stephanie Lapidus. “If everyone had a good day on the same day we would have done better than we did. In a perfect world we would have all raced to the best of our ability in that one day,” Ashton said. Along with the runners on USD’s team gaining speed comes the improvement of other teams. When competitors gain speed, it poses although their times may improve, their ability to place higher may remain stagnant. “I think our team is a lot
stronger this year, but other conference teams got better. Our team got better, even though we didn’t score better,” Houser said. runners are proud of their own as well as of their teammates’ accomplishments this season, and are more than happy to represent USD. “We didn’t necessarily get the place that we ideally wanted, but I wouldn’t have wanted to be on the second place team. I wanted to be on our team,” Ashton said. cross country is more than a sport for these women; it is a family. “It’s like the sorority we were never allowed to have,” Ashton said. Being a part of team empowers these athletes and creates instant connections amongst participants that no metal could take the place of.” “[Cross country] gave us our friends. It’s like a weird bond we make with people where you form instant friendships. We understand each other on a different level because we see each other at our absolute worse,” Kalin said.
The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
SPORTS
Women’s basketball off to historic start
15
By Davis Jones
SPORTS EDITOR Early in its game against the Seattle University Redhawks, the USD women’s basketball team fell to a quick play. But it wasn’t that Cindy Fisher thought her squad played timidly. In a turn that epitomizes the success of this women’s team, the ninth-year head coach believed that her squad might have, in fact, been playing too aggressively. “I thought that when we started out 8-0, I was a little concerned that we were out pressuring on the defensive end a little too much and just opening up passing lanes that were giving them too many easy buckets,” Fisher said. a little bit of an adjustment and just made sure that we were keeping them in front of us and that we were putting good pressure on the ball. I thought our players really responded to that. I thought that they really kept their composure and didn’t get too frustrated at the beginning.” Fisher and her players have little to be frustrated about so far as they begin the 2013-2014 season. The team has won a perfect nine games on the year and is undefeated in nonconference play, the best start in program history. Sunday’s game against Seattle would follow a similar outcome, as the team fought to tie the game at 17 midway With just over two weeks to go until the West Coast Conference regular season begins, coach Fisher stresses that her players need to treat every nonconference game with regularseason urgency. “When we get these leads [in nonconference games] and we get into a lull, I really try to hammer the fact that, hey, we need to go against what we’re going to see in two weeks. We can’t just go against what’s in front of us. And that’s hard. That’s hard for players,” Fisher said. “But I think that some of our veterans are really starting to understand what that means.” One of those veterans is junior forward Katelyn McDaniel, who recorded her third double-double in
Photo courtesy of Michael Foster
Freshman guard Katherine Hamilton drives to the basket against Seattle. USD won the game 79-56 and improved to 9-0 on the season.
four games against Seattle. Coach Fisher credited her six points within a major spark for the team’s offensive momentum, which the Toreros would McDaniel’s 17 total points were her team-leading 12 rebounds. “I think it’s been our goal all along to stay undefeated during preseason, and now it’s actually our mindset that we can do it and that we can go undefeated in conference, too, if we want to,” McDaniel said. Frightening for recent opponents has been a USD roster that returns an experienced starting lineup of three seniors and two juniors. Even more frightening are clear signs of statistical improvement from the team’s programbest 22-10 record last year, both at the individual and the collective level. McDaniel’s 32 offensive rebounds through nine games, for example, currently rank as the highest total on her team; she has already moved past the halfway mark from last season’s
to establish career highs in the category. On the defensive end, the team has already caused over 180 turnovers, forcing the Redhawks to commit an incredible 28 in Sunday’s game. “I think we really knew that we had to come out super aggressive on defense,” McDaniel said. Our defense is all about effort. As long as everyone is doing their job and helping when things get out of hand, I think we’re really strong in that. And I just think we have a lot of chemistry on defense.” That defensive chemistry has led to a boom in offense. The Toreros have beaten each of their opponents this season by an average of almost 17 points per game. Combine that with their opponents’ per-game turnover rate of just over 20, and Fisher’s team has created plenty of opportunities to capitalize on opponents’ mistakes. 32 of them came from baskets off of turnovers alone. Fearing strong offensive outputs from scorers like senior guard Amy Kame, sophomore forward Malina Hood and senior forward Felicia
Wijenberg, who along with McDaniels average more than 10 points per game, have resorted to zone defense, a set formation in which a defender is assigned to cover a section of the court rather than an individual player. A zone on-one matchups are problematic for a defense. Fisher said that the team has grown comfortable with working against these sets, moving the ball well and drawing defensive pressure basket. “I think [other teams we’ve played] have a lot of respect for certain players,” Fisher said. “We’ve been able to work the ball around and get into gaps and not settle for the outside shot [in these situations]…We do a good job of not settling for that, and making a couple of extra passes and trying to get into the interior of the zone.” McDaniel told of a similar plan concerning the game against the Redhawks. had to keep attacking them and keep
going at them, because then the stepups from the posts would be open or the backdoor would be open. So really, coming in and knowing that [Seattle] was a zone team, we were excited to just go at them,” McDaniel said. The Toreros look to keep their undefeated streak alive on the road against the Long Beach State University
Jan. 4 and the start of league play, including a highly anticipated contest against the Saint Mary’s University Gaels on Jan. 2. As her team’s numbers will soon be put to the test against other WCC powers like the Gonzaga University Bulldogs and the Brigham Young University Cougars, McDaniel knows that aggressive play must be an everyday mentality. “I think that every time we come out, if we say, no matter who the team we just want to keep going at them like we’re playing them every single game.”
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The Vista | Thursday, December 12, 2013
SPORTS
16
Kevin Nelson / The Vista
Junior guard Johnny Dee shoots a floater over a San Diego State defender. The Toreros lost a close game in front of a packed crowd at the Jenny Craig Pavillion, losing 65-64.
Aztecs outlast Toreros to claim city bragging rights Toreros lose to No. 24 SDSU in a thriller
By Matthew Roberson STAFF WRITER
scoring 22 points against San Diego have struggled with thus far in the attack, with three players (Thames, sophomore forward Winston Shepard
and senior guard Xavier Thames of SDSU made all four of his free throw
The San Diego State Aztecs snuck out of USD’s raucous Jenny Craig Pavilion with a one-point victory over its city rivals, the game
After Duda Sanadze earned a jump
leading scorer Xavier Thames said of this current group of Toreros, “USD is
with Thames for possession, it looked as though the Toreros would have a teams were enjoying excellent starts to success was on display during the city championship, as they were tied 3232 at halftime and found themselves
the offensive end, allowing the Aztecs to pour in 29 points off of offensive
in addition to Davis who averages over What this exciting game showed was that this Torero squad has potential to win games against some of the
Unfortunately for USD students who rush the court, Sanadze’s three pointer
win for the nationally ranked Aztecs,
the Toreros captured only six offensive
forty minutes and gave themselves an program turn around drastically after going in…He’s a good shooter, and we
Despite
out victorious after USD sophomore shooting guard Duda Sanadze missed a potential game-winning three
the
overwhelming The Toreros came into the game winless in their last seven chances
Pepperdine University Waves, the Toreros should hope to kick off a against conference foes like the Saint
crosstown rival moved the Toreros’ record to 7-3 while SDSU now sits witnessed USD play a tremendous game and show a lot of promise for the rest of the season, as a hard fought
famous for his years spent as the head coach of the University of Michigan, four NCAA Tournaments, SDUS is a two-time defending regular season
shooters went cold, scoring only one including a win over a South Dakota State program that has appeared in the NCAA Tournament each of the last two
should provide some excitement for The story of this game was
majority of the scoring for this Torero team, with junior Chris Anderson
capture a third straight Mountain West on top of several nationally recognized teams including the Colorado State University Rams, the University of
Kevin Nelson / The Vista
Junior forward Simi Fajemisin fights for a rebound.
Toreros will reach March Madness
Kevin Nelson / The Vista
Junior guard Chris Anderson directs the Torero offense.