Movie Review: Dead Poet's Society

by Keira Ballard

  “O’ Captain! My Captain!” - Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

Whether or not you have seen Peter Weir’s 1989 classic, Dead Poet’s Society, for many, the line brings to mind the great Robin William’s iconic performance as John Keating. Though this movie is now over 30 years old, the memorable lines about “finding your own voice” and “seizing the day”, as well as the themes of learning to break the mold and taking life by the horns hold true.

Starring Robin Williams as John Keating, Robert Sean Leonard as Neil Perry, Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson, Josh Charles as Knox Overstreet, and Gale Hansen as Charlie Dalton, Dead Poet’s Society is a coming-of-age drama about an unconventional English teacher and the students whose lives he flips around. Through unorthodox methods, John Keating (Williams), who recognizes the importance of individuality and expression, teaches his students to unshackle themselves from the restrictive boarding school and inspires them to become free thinkers.

I do not want to lead you the wrong way, though. This movie is not about John Keating; he is only a catalyst. It is not even really about Neil Perry (Leonard), despite what it might seem. The true protagonist of the movie is Todd Anderson (Hawke). Throughout the movie, we see many of the boys start to chase what they want. Knox (Charles) pursues cheerleader, Chris Noel, from the local public school who is dating a football player. Charlie (Hansen) publishes an article in the school newsletter insisting to allow girls into the school. Neil reveals his love for acting and gets cast in a local play as one of the main characters. Finally, Todd, with the help of Keating, breaks out of his shell and spontaneously constructs a poem in class. 

Near the end of the film, after a tragedy has befallen one of the boys and Keating is leaving the class, the last person we expect takes a stand. Todd embodies "carpe diem" and stands on his desk defiantly, exclaiming proudly as Keating leaves the class, “O’ Captain! My Captain!” Unfortunately, only half of the class stands with Todd. The rest stare blankly ahead in their seats, abandoning the teacher they had once loved. It raises the question: “Did they regret this later on? What if they had seized the day and stood with the rest of the class?”

 

Carpe diem is not the only lesson to be learned from the movie. The film is also about creativity, feeling, and passion. Neil’s domineering father, though only wanting his son to succeed where he has not, puts pressure on Neil and highly disapproves of his son’s yearning to act, despite Neil’s clear natural talent for it. What his father did not understand, was that the humanities are just as important as math and science. They are part of the foundation of our society, then and now. While math and science are constantly improving and used to further our advancements, humanities, at its core, is about the outpouring of emotion.

Dead Poet’s Society is a fantastic movie for finding inspiration and encouraging us to move. If you have not seen this classic, I urge you not to continue skimming over it; sometimes the most unlikely suspects end up being incredibly impactful in our lives.  As John Keating teaches, we should resolve to lead lives of following our passions and seizing the day. The end might already be written, but we can write the script. So go out, give a barbaric yawp, and write your verse. As Henry David Thoreau states: “I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. To put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I had come to die, discover that I had not lived.” 

How to Burn with Pyrography

­­­by Annamarie Hudson

 Have you ever wanted to play with fire? When we were children, many of us were scolded or warned about the hot stove, only allowed near flames with s'mores supplies in hand and an adult looking over our shoulders. However, now that we are adults and know how to handle fire ourselves, we can wield that heat for art. Pyrography is the ancient art of taking a heated metal tool and using it to burn images, designs, and writing into wood of all varieties. Pyrography is also an easy hobby to pick up, as it does not have a large learning curve and materials are affordable. Pyrography is a fun, easy, and creative hobby that anyone can learn even without prior experience in art.

Before we walk through the process of pyrography, it would be beneficial to learn more about the history of the practice. Pyrography is an art form that has existed since ancient times, and the remains of pyrography can be found in the history of Egypt, China, Rome, Peru, and a multitude of European countries (“A Brief History”). In ancient times and the Middle Ages, pyrography artists would use portable wood stoves to heat metal pokers that would then be used to burn wood objects including cups, bowls, chests, and other furniture (“A Brief History”). Nowadays, we use electric multitools with different attachments that allow for easier use and variation in burning techniques, an essential tool for the process. 

 Acquiring this multitool, as well as preparing a proper area to work in, is the first step of the process. Many craft stores boast sections dedicated to pyrography, including different versions of the multitool and various wooden canvases to choose from. When selecting a multitool, choose one that has multiple attachments, and grab some scrap pieces of untreated wood to practice on, as well as another piece of wood for your first project. It’s very important to ensure this wood is untreated, as many sealants used on wood will produce toxic fumes if burned. You will also need sandpaper for the process, so purchase fine sandpaper at the craft store or a department store. Once these items are acquired, you need to choose a burning area. Pyrography will smoke you out of a poorly ventilated space, so choose an outdoor area or a well vented indoor area for your workstation. Ensure there is an outlet nearby, and remove anything flammable from the area.

You can also acquire the wood through natural means, such as when I gathered cut saplings from my family’s farm. I stripped the bark off the saplings and allowed them to dry in the attic for around 4 months before I was able to sand them down and burn them as walking staffs. When gathering natural wood, it will take months to prepare as the natural moisture in the wood dries, but there’s something special about collecting your own materials. Collecting your own wood for your projects will also save the cost of buying them in store; however, the wood needed for a standard project would cost anywhere from $3.00-$20.00, so the cost is not so great that I would wait months to finish most of my projects. 

 

Once you have your equipment and have selected a workspace, it’s time to prepare your wood and plan your design for your first project. Sand your wood and scrap pieces down with the sandpaper, then lightly mist them with water so that they are damp but not wet (Wilkie). Allow the wood to dry, and then repeat the process another two or three times to completely smooth out the wood in preparation for burning (Wilkie). Now that your wood is fully prepped and drying, you can move on to the design of the project. Decide what you want the end goal of the project to be, search for reference images, and grab a piece of paper and pencil. Sketch a simple version of what you want to create, and if you are pleased with the design, you can sketch it very lightly on the wood itself. However, ensure that any areas you sketch will be burned later, as you cannot erase these marks without burning over them. With a design in mind, you can now select a multitool attachment for the project.

 

Multitool attachments come in many forms, so it’s a good idea for you to become more familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of each attachment. When you begin the burning process, test different attachments in different ways, such as testing how well they create lines, circles, dots, lettering, and shading. However, a good place to start is the universal point, as it is the standard attachment and very versatile. Once you have decided on your first attachment, connect it to the multitool and plug it into an outlet to begin heating. At this point, be very careful to remove anything flammable in the area, and do not a touch the metal end with your hands. The tool will heat up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, so it is powerful enough to start a fire if you are not careful. Hold the tool by the safe end, similarly to a pencil, and take this time to test the multitool attachments on your scrap pieces of wood until you have a physical familiarity with them, allowing the tool to completely cool between changing each attachment to prevent burns. 

With both mental and physical experience with the burning process, we can now move on to your first project. Select the attachment you plan to begin the process with, and heat your multitool. Before you begin, remember that the process of burning lays down the shadows of an image or design, so leave places unburned to act as highlights as needed. The pressure with which you press the tool into the wood will also determine how dark the burns become, so a good idea is to go over your entire design lightly at first, laying down soft shadows to get an impression of the design before you go over it again with deeper shadows. You can also use sharp attachments to create lines that cut into the wood for depth, which can be useful for adding an outline to the image if desired.

 

Once your design is complete, it’s time to add the finishing touches, clean your station, and store the multitool. Look over your design for any imperfections and polish it by adding optional textures such as crosshatching or dots. You can also burn a border to the image if desired, and burn your signature into either the front or back of the wood. Set your piece aside, and turn off your multitool. While it cools, clean your station by sweeping up any chips of wood or sawdust from the process. Grab a pouch or small box to store your attachments so they don’t get lost, and once your multitool is cool, store them together for convenience. Once the tool is taken care of and the station clear, the process is complete, and you now have a beautiful brand-new piece of art of your own design.

Pyrography is a fun activity that yields beautiful pieces of art that can be used for almost anything, and these pieces are both handmade and exactly to your taste. You can create pieces akin to paintings, create designs using patterns and shapes, or even treat it as a different form of calligraphy. The possibilities are endless for the pieces you want to create, and it’s a form of art without a sharp learning curve or expensive materials. Depending on your selection of wood, you can have a piece to hang on your wall, a customized box for jewelry, or even a walking staff with a magical feel. With so much variety under the art form, there’s something for everyone, and I would encourage anyone to give pyrography a try.

 

 

Works Cited

“A Brief History of Pyrography & Wood Burning Art [Updated].” Working the Flame, 14 June 2020. workingtheflame.com/history-of-pyrography/.

Wilkie, Brenda. “Pyrography for Beginners – Jaguar wood burning tutorial (part 1).” Pyrography Made Easy, 16 Mar 2021. www.pyrographymadeeasy.com/2021/03/16/pyrography-for-beginners-jaguar-wood-burning-tutorial-part-1/#:~:text=Pyrography%20for%20Beginners%20–%20Jaguar%20wood%20burning%20tutorial,6%20FACIAL%20FEATURES.%20...%207%20THE%20LOG.%20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making Your Own Wire-Wrapped Jewelry

by Ashlyn Averbeck

 

            Making your own jewelry is a fun and inexpensive hobby. The wire wrapping technique of jewelry making is an ancient practice that has recently made a comeback and grown very popular. The earliest findings of wire wrapping date back between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago in Egypt and South Iraq. (Dunn) Wire wrapping can be very easy and simple to learn and do in only a few steps. Or it can be complicated and intricate, taking a long time to understand and complete. I still do simple wraps and haven’t even begun to learn more complicated ones. Wire wrapping jewelry is an easy to learn but hard to master process including collecting supplies, creating a base, wrapping the item, and securing the pendant.

            Specific supplies are needed for making wire-wrapped jewelry. The first thing you need is wire. Any color or gauge can work, but the thicker the wire, the harder it is to cut and bend. For this simple style, 22-gauge or above is great. Also, if the packaging says bendable craft wire, it’s the best-still check the gauge though. Next, you’ll need something to cut the wire with. Wire cutters, pliers, and scissors all work depending on the gauge. I can cut my 22-gauge wire with a sharp pair of scissors, so it’s all up to preference. Lastly, you will need craft pliers. I like to use round nose and flat nose, but you can buy them in kits with a bunch of different kinds. Some kits even come with wire cutters, again it is all up to preference.

Supplies for making a wire-wrapped pendant.

 

            Picking the right object to wrap is the most important step of the wire-wrapping process. If you choose to learn how to do more complicated, expert-level wire wrapping, you can wrap virtually anything. This technique though can be a little iffy on what the wire will stay secure on. Raw crystals or stones, raw meaning not smooth, are easier to wrap than tumbled stones. The wire has edges to hold on to when they are not perfectly smooth. Most tumbled pieces are usually so smooth that the wire will slip off. If you can find a tumbled with a weird shape, it would probably work fine. Another good type of tumbled piece to wrap is ones that didn’t get a gloss coat, they have a rougher feeling to them kind of like how sea glass feels. Sea glass is probably the easiest thing to wrap. It is smooth but it’s also typically thin making it easier to wrap around. I’m not sure why but something about the texture of sea glass is good too, it’s not slippery like a cold tumbled stone; it feels coarse almost.

From left to right: raw amethyst, tumbled and polished rutilated quartz, tumbled (no polish) green aventurine, and white beach glass.

 

 Another easy piece to wrap is something that comes in the form of a “blade” like kyanite. It’s thin and long making it simple to wrap. If possible, try to have a few options when you are trying to wrap something because your first choice might not work very well, especially on your first try. You can always go back to something when you get more experience and try again.

            Now that you have your supplies ready, you need to make the base of your pendant. The base is basically just the loop at the top of your pendant so you can put your jewelry on chains, cords, bookmarks, or whatever you want it to be on. There are two different styles I like to use when making a base. Before you start making your base, you will need to cut off some wire to use. Cut about a foot, give, or take, depending on the size of your object- it’s better to have too much rather than too little.

Cutting 22-gauge jewelry wire.

The first way will use round nose jewelry pliers. You’ll take your wire and wrap it around one of the tips of your pliers. The farther down your wire is, the bigger your loop will be.

Placing wire in the pliers to start making the base. (Using flat nose pliers)

Wrapping wire around pliers to make the base.

Two to three times is usually good. Once you finish wrapping it around, make sure the rest of your wire is sticking straight down from the loop you just made. The second option will use flat nose pliers, and it is a better option for fitting the pendant on any necklace no matter the size of the chain or clasps. You will basically do the same thing with this one, take the wire and wrap it around one of the plier’s tips. Again, the farther down the tip you go, the larger your loop will be. Two or three times will be good and make sure the wire is sticking straight down from the loop you made.

Finished pendant base.

            Wrapping your object is the most complicated part of the process. You can use your hands or your pliers for this step. This is the step where you’ll find out if your object can be wrapped or not. Take your object (for the sake of this instruction we’ll say rose quartz), place it on the wire leaving about a quarter of an inch of space between the loop and the sea glass, and make the wire flat against the back of the glass.

Placing rose quartz for wrapping with enough space for securing.

Then, fold the wire up to the front of the quartz. Take the wire around a lower corner of the stone, bringing it to the backside. Next, take it and wrap it around the object; this can be in an overlapping or stacked style. Keep wrapping it around, gradually going higher until you’re near the top of the object. Once you think you have wrapped it in the middle enough, take the wire and wrap it either around a corner, or upwards at an angle around the object. Then, instead of wrapping around the rose quartz again, take the wire and wrap it one time around the lowest part of the space you left between the object and the base.

            Securing your pendant is important to making sure your object stays in place and the wire doesn’t scratch you. Now that you have successfully wrapped your object, you can complete the last step: securing the pendant. You will now keep wrapping the wire around the wire between the base and the object. You can do this in a messy sort of overlapping way, or you can keep it clean and tight gradually going up.

Securing pendant in a stacking style.

Once you have done that enough that you can barely see the wire underneath, you can cut off any excess wire if need be.

Cutting excess wire.

Then, take your pliers and get the last little bit of the wire wrapped around securely, and you are done!

Securing the last bit of wire so it doesn’t scratch at anything. 

            Wire wrapping is a simple yet complicated art form. Once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s easy as pie. Jewelry making was introduced to me by my mom and my Aunt Colleen. They would make beach glass jewelry by wire wrapping all the time. Once I got into crystals, I started wire wrapping on my own and it’s one of my favorite hobbies.

 

Works Cited

 

Dunn, Tristan. “Wire-Wrapped Jewelry: Historical and Personal Perspectives.” Rio Grande, 21 Oct. 2019, www.riogrande.com/article?name=TristanDunn.

My African Polo Adventure: The Zambian Boys School Tournament

by Ava-Rose Hinkson

Winston Churchill once said, “Polo is the passport to the world.” and anyone who plays the sport of polo competitively will agree with that quote. Polo is one of the oldest team sports, with records of the sport dating back to the 6^th century B.C. when it was played by mounted nomads in central Asia and later Persia. The game became Persia’s national sport and was only played by nobility and the military before spreading eastward. The modern game of polo originated in Manipur in northeastern India, where a British military lieutenant saw a game being played and insisted that he and his troops learn the game. The Hurlingham rules were printed and brought back to the British Isles. Soon after, the King of Sports, Sport of Kings spread through the British commonwealth like wildfire.

The sport of polo is played on the back of highly trained, seven-foot-tall, twelve-hundred-pound running machines, known as polo ponies. It is important to note that the term “polo ponies” is a bit misleading, as the equines used are full-sized horses.  The sport would not be possible without the horses. The horses make up seventy-five to eighty percent of the game, so the equine athletes are treated better in polo than in any other equestrian sport. Each player owns his or her own “string “of polo ponies, with each string consisting of three to seven horses. Each string of horses has one to three caretakers or “grooms” assigned to them. The horses are exercised six days a week, are only fed the best grain and hay and have regular vet check-ups to keep the horses as healthy and happy as possible. The well-being of the horse is top priority in every aspect of polo.

The polo field is three-hundred yards long by one-hundred-and-sixty yards wide- the equivalent to nine football fields. The objective of the game is to score goals against the opposing team. Players will score by driving a 3”x3” hard-plastic ball through the opposing team’s goal with a long-handled mallet made of bamboo and hardwood. The sport is played in seven-minute periods, known as chukkers, and each game consists of four to six chukkers. Polo is an extremely complex game, and it takes dedication, many hours in the saddle and barn, and years of hard work to become an effective player on the field. A player must be able to not only know the game and hit the ball but most importantly, be an excellent rider. 

 I have grown up surrounded by horses and have been riding for a long as I can remember. My mother competed in 3-day eventing at an advanced level, and my dad is a long-time international polo player. It was only a matter of time before I became addicted to the most amazing sport in the world. I have been playing polo competitively for 5 years and it has changed me and given me opportunities I never would have thought possible. For the past three years, I have had the chance to plan polo tours around the world. Working with presidents of national polo associations to bring teams of American juniors to play in clubs around the world has been, and continues to be, an incredible experience. 

One of my most exciting and exotic opportunities was given to me when I was contacted by the president of the Zambian Polo Association. He invited me to bring an American junior team to play in the Zambian Boys School Tournament against Kenya and two teams from Zambia in late summer of 2019. Of course, I accepted this invitation without a heartbeat of hesitation.

The tournament is a historic part of Zambian polo that is only hosted by the Zambian Polo Association every few years. We would be going to play with juniors whose grandparents competed in this very event decades ago. With the roots of tradition running deep in the Zambian polo families, everyone on the team knew the competition was going to be fierce.

One of the best parts of traveling for polo abroad is meeting the people. This trip was no exception. After landing and getting settled with our Lusaka hosts, the Americans were off to meet the African teams over dinner. The first dinner was a complete success, with a night filled with laughs, some lighthearted but competitive chatter, and some incredible food. The next day we traveled to the Lumbombo polo club in Mazabuka by bus and had the opportunity to see the vast expanse of completely wild and unforgiving terrain that is Africa. (By the way, road trip drive-through food in Zambia is a cob of maze that is roasted over an open fire by villagers and it’s delicious.)

After finally arriving in Masabuka, the junior teams had pony trials and each player met their pony master- a person who oversees the mounting of a player and assisting in pony line ups. It was an exciting day of riding a number from 17 to 20 absolute machines of horses. These were the kind of horses that riders remember by name for years to come. I never thought it was possible, but at the end of the day, we had too many good horses. When the time came, the sight of the sun setting behind the cane fires was beautiful and was a relief to all of us who had such an exhausting day.

The next day we awoke to the smell of fresh coffee, crepes, and muesli. After finishing breakfast, the hosting family gave us a tour of their farm and a glimpse at the turning gears behind their massive operation. The hosting family’s massive seven hector sugarcane plantation, where we stayed, was a little oasis in the vast African landscape.

 After our touring and informative morning, it was time to head to the polo club for our six-chukker match against the Kenyans. It was our first taste of just how competitive the rest of the tournament would roll out to be. It was a hard-fought, fast-paced game. As the Americans were trying to click as a team and find our pace, the Kenyans incredibly talented players came out as the winners at the end of the game.

The second day of the tournament, USA faced off against Zambia team A. From the second the ball hit the ground in the first throw-in, the Zambians didn’t give us an inch to breathe. It was quickly determined to be an open, hit-and-run game, with the defensive players on each team consistently sending the ball 80-100 yards. Even with the American team having a better feel of their horses and their teammates' abilities, the Zambians got a three-goal lead in the last chukker and pulled off the win.

 On the day of the final tournament, we arrived at the field feeling more middle-aged than teenagers. We all had a good laugh as the battered yet determined American team limped past the stands. The last two days of extremely intense games had finally begun to catch up with us, as more than half our team was literally being held together by sports tape and ibuprofen. Our last game was against the talented Zambia team B. After some good-humored joking with the Zambians and Kenyans as we stretched our sore and aching muscles, hopped on our ponies, and the final match began.

That evening we had the after-party of our lives, and the Zambian parents went the extra mile to ensure that all the juniors would really have the opportunity to bond. This tour gained friendships that will last a lifetime. One could not have asked for a more competitive yet clean tournament. We all walked away having learned to be better horsemen, players, and people thanks to the great players that call the wild continent of Africa home. We had been pushed to our physical and mental limits as athletes and horsemen and we loved every second of it. 

 After traveling to play polo for three years, I have realized that even though we are playing polo, it is a different game everywhere you go. The techniques and training are so different in Jamaica than in Zambia, or Barbados than America.

The animals, scenery, people, and experiences were beyond anything anyone of us could have imagined. From a small farm town in central Florida to playing at a legendary polo club with some of the most passionate junior players I’ve met, I still can’t believe I was blessed enough to travel to such an awe-inspiring place. 

 

 Following our unforgettable and exhilarating three-day tournament, the Zambians sent us on a chartered flight for a photographic safari in the Lower Zambezi. The Royal Zambezi was an elegant safari camp that was meant to impress and astound. From the pure African views to the peaceful river and fishing tours to the wild and exciting safaris, the experiences at the Royal Zambezi left their fantastic impression on everyone. Nothing shakes your very soul like looking dead into the eyes of an inquisitive male lion who lounges scarcely ten feet away. Turning to gaze straight up into the snoozing face of a leopard who sprawls out in a branch directly overhead is one of the most imposing and terrifying sights. Reeling in an elusive, air-breathing Vundu catfish or netting a fearsome, fang bearing Tigerfish is the most triumphant and thrilling moment for any avid angler.  

On our flight back to the Lusaka airport on our charter flight, I found myself reflecting onto the days on the safari in the African bush. We saw everything from tiny wood doves, to some of Africa’s apex predators, to the critically endangered pangolin, unfortunately the most trafficked mammal in the world. I savored the fresh memories of fishing on the great Zambezi, scanning the banks and cliffs for any flicker of movement that might behold some approaching creature. I glanced over to my teammate Cipriano Echezarreta, who had thoughtfully been looking down upon the multitude of small scattered villages, and as we shared a knowing grin, I could tell we thought the exact same thing, “We actually did Africa.”

Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony

 by Carolyn Moore

To fully appreciate the significance of my induction into Phi Theta Kappa, it is important to know some history. Brought up in an urban middle-class home, with three older brothers, my family appeared to be picture perfect, at least from the outside. A closer look from the right angle would reveal the truth. As a young child, deception, rejection, and sexual abuse was the predominate theme in my home. As a result, I had a hard time staying focused in school and my grades suffered. Although it was a struggle to the finish line, I graduated high school with a 1.64 grade point average.

Fast forward 30 years. After raising two sons on embarrassingly low wages, I decided it was time to pursue my real career-- a Psychologist. With a passion to help others to experience healing after abuse, I fought past the thoughts of inadequacy and failure, and enrolled in my first classes in January 2020. Since then, my evenings and weekends have been devoted to studying. I will be the first to tell you, it has not been easy. As a matter of fact, after a quick examination in the mirror, I discovered my gray hair has multiplied!

When I received an invitation to join Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, I sobbed. My hard work and dedication was paying off! Immediately, I accepted the invitation and sent in my $100 one- time membership fee.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the international honor society of two-year colleges, was established in 1918. According to the Phi Theta Kappa page on the CF Portal, “The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa shall be to recognize and encourage scholarship among college students. To achieve this purpose, Phi Theta Kappa shall provide opportunity for the development of leadership and service, for an intellectual climate for exchange of ideas and ideals, for lively fellowship for scholars, and for stimulation of interest in continuing academic excellence.” Phi Theta Kappa is an international organization and the “largest in American higher education” with over 1.5 million members. To qualify students must have completed 12 hours, earning a 3.5 grade point average or higher (“Phi Theta Kappa”). As mentioned earlier, Phi Theta Kappa membership is by invitation. It was an honor and privilege to participate in the Phi Theta Kappa virtual induction ceremony.

 

We began the evening displaying patriotism for our great country. To honor our nation, we stood at attention and saluted the flag while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Afterward, Dr. Jim Henningsen, President of the College of Central Florida, congratulated all students who were receiving this prestigious award for their academic achievements. 

Dr. Charles McIntosh, Chairman for the Florida Criminal Justice Educators Association, was our first guest speaker. His topic of study was to the 7^th Generation Inheritance and Legacy. According to Dr. McIntosh, the original meaning implored us to make every decision with the future of 7 generations in mind. However, modern society has revised the meaning to include making purposeful decisions about the way we use energy, water, and natural resources to ensure sustainability for the next seven generations.

In an effort to find greener ways to bring affordable energy to our homes, Dr. McIntosh asked us to consider our personal consumption and offered sensible small steps for conservation. He suggested shutting devices off when they are not in use, turning the air conditioning off when nobody is home, and encouraged us to discontinue discarding ½ full water bottles. Dr. Charles McIntosh left me pondering, what will I leave for the next seven generations? What will my legacy be?

Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, was our final guest speaker. She talked about the differences between generations. She defined generations as groups of people born and experiencing life at about the same time. According to Dr. Tincher-Ladner, combining generations in academic settings, as well as in the work place, allows new ideas to develop due to diverse experience and backgrounds. She believes that Baby Boomers are dependable workers with a strong work ethic. She adds that Generation X are independent, abhor micro-managing, and value flexible work schedules. The Generation Y- Millennial’s are confident, ambitious, highly adaptable and achievement oriented (Tincher-Ladner). Finally, she said that Generation Z are action focused and are the first generation who does not know a world without technology. 

 

Dr. Tincher-Ladner suggested that attending a community college prepares the student for life and work in ways they may not have expected. Since the community college students range from Baby Boomers to Generation Z, she believes the diversity benefits not only the student but also the classroom and campus.

She continued by saying that Phi Theta Kappa provides participants an edge by allowing them to work in diverse groups to solve complex problems that impact our community and world. Finally, Dr. Tincher-Ladner announced the Phi Theta Kappa Generation and described us as a generation that represents the best of the best from Baby Boomers to Millennials.

Considering this was the first Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony held in a virtual setting, it was organized and inspiring. Kicking the evening off with the salutation to the flag was an excellent choice; it stirred up a sense of unity among the members and inductees. The camaraderie continued as Dr. Charles McIntosh challenged each of us to consider how we steward our resources on a personal level. It is easy to sit back passively, thinking that our personal decisions will not make a difference for future generations; however, that is untrue and irresponsible. Wrapping up the evening, Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner tied the evening together as she presented the Phi Theta Kappa Generation: A forward thinking, multi-generational honor society, working together for the good of the community. I encourage each student to do his or her best academically, connect with fellow students, and if presented the invitation, join Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Life is better together! 

 

 Works Cited

“Phi Theta Kappa.” College of Central Florida, https://www.cf.edu/go/honors/ptk/). 

The Lure of Cigarettes and the Lie they Tell

 by Carolyn Moore

For those who do not smoke, they may wonder why people light up in the first place. On a micro-level, some may have smokers in their nuclear or extended family, where cigarettes are readily available. Others smoke to feel comfortable in social situations. I was walking around with a pack of cigarettes at 6. I believed the lie that smoking was a socially acceptable behavior. Often young people feel a sense of camaraderie as they sneak a smoke with their peers.  Regardless of how a smoker's journey begins, all will agree, it is a hard habit to kick. 

My cigarette story begins at the local C&E drug store, at 6. My mom was a school bus driver and always took me to work with her to avoid sending me to a babysitter. On a middle level, between high school and elementary school runs, the school bus drivers would gather to socialize in the café, at the rear of the drugstore. Although my mom didn’t smoke, most of the school bus drivers were smokers and smoking was permissible inside establishments. As a young, impressionable girl, I watched intently as the men would respectfully light the women’s cigarettes as they shared their stories and laughed.  

On a micro-level, from time to time, as a special treat, my mom would take me down the drug store candy aisle and allow me to pick out something. There it was, right at my eye level, Victory candy cigarettes!  I wanted to fit in with my mom's friends and join in on their morning fun. With no qualms, mom purchased the candy cigarettes. Immediately, I imitated the school bus drivers. Gracefully, I would pull out a candy cigarette from the very realistic cigarette package, and I would pretend to inhale the cigarette and exhale the smoke. I felt a sense of belonging as they positively reinforced my behavior. 

Fast forward about eight years, I was a teenager who was overweight, introverted and trying to deal with more than my share of family issues. In my mind, I only wanted three things, and that was to feel loved, to be thin and to fit in. On a macro-level, the tobacco industry’s glamorous, exciting, and portrayed-as-safe magazine advertisements had a large influence on me. I fantasized about a different future as I viewed the Newport “Alive with Pleasure!” magazine advertisements. They claimed, “After all, if smoking isn’t a pleasure, why bother?”  The marketing executives knew what they were doing as they grabbed the viewer's attention with their sexual innuendo’s, leading the reader to read between the lines. The beautiful and playful women, accompanied by the hottest men, were laughing, and having a great time. They had the life that I wanted.  

On the middle-level, at 15, I found myself drawn to the crowd of kids who hung out on “the wall.” The wall was where all the cool kids hung out at my high school. Others argued that they were better known as the rebels. They all met before school, just off the school property, to hang out and smoke. Desiring to fit in, I purchased my first pack of cigarettes and pretended to inhale. It reminded me of my younger days at the C&E drug store, only this time I was smoking the real thing.  I remember the first time I inhaled; there was a burning in my throat, and I coughed uncontrollably. I even threw up the first few times that I inhaled the tobacco. 

By my 16th birthday, I would be considered a closet smoker. My cigarette smoking had grown from meeting with peers outside the school grounds to sneaking outside my bedroom window.  Nobody in my nuclear or extended family smoked and although, on a micro-level, my mother bought me my first candy cigarettes, they strongly disapproved of my smoking nicotine-packed cigarettes. When I graduated high school, I was smoking a pack of cigarettes a day and using nicotine to sooth and numb my emotions. They appeared to distract me from the stresses of everyday life. I believed that cigarettes made my life more manageable, and smoking was socially acceptable behavior. I developed ritualistic habits with plenty of triggers. With my unquenchable cravings for a cigarette, I believed that no meal was complete without one, and a cup of coffee and a cigarette went hand in hand. If I had one option, I preferred cigarettes over food. 

As I moved into my single thirties, I found pleasure dressing with class and elegance while sipping wine with influential men, as we smoked fine cigars at five-star food establishments. I used smoking as a socialization tool, as is portrayed in the middle- level. I was reinventing the Newport advertisements in my life, without even recognizing it. To outsiders, I was well put together and a social butterfly. I was no longer in control of the cigarettes; they had taken control of me and my life. I planned my day around smoking cigarettes. My addiction sadly had become central in my life. They were my idol. After the lure and seduction of smoking dissipated, I found myself chained to the guilt of my addiction and covered with the shame of the deception that I bought into. 

 

Transitioning from my thirties to forties, I had a religious experience and examined the effects of cigarette smoking. I noticed the fine lines had formed around my lips, the smell of tobacco that infused my clothing, and the shortness of breath that had me reaching for my inhaler.  Wanting to escape the death grip of cigarettes, I tried self-help suggestions. I bought nicotine patches, received hypnosis, and tried to quit cold turkey without success. When I finally had come to the end of myself, I called out to Jesus for help. He rescued and delivered me from the stronghold that nicotine had firmly established in my life. With a big thank you to Jesus, I am celebrating 5 years of being smoke free.