The Purchase Independent - 12/14/12 by The Purchase Independent

thePurchase

INDEPENDENT

279

DECEMBER

14th 2012

NEW YORKERS LEFT DISAPPOINTED BY DISASTER RELIEF by stephanie spencer Since Hurricane Sandy, organizations such as the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have found themselves in hot water as communities begin to notice questionable behavior regarding financial priorities. One of the most recognized relief organizations around the world, the Red Cross, has provided disaster relief for many countries. Primarily focused on rebuilding communities that have been stricken by natural disasters, New Yorkers expected them to be one of the first responders when Hurricane Sandy barreled through the East Coast, devastating many homes and communities. Instead, many residents felt as if the Red Cross’s efforts were lackluster. In an interview with The Gothamist, Bushwick resident Neanna Bodycomb was perplexed at the Red Cross’s lack of effort to develop shelters for those left homeless since the storm, believing that they have more than enough money to donate to Smallwater, the local shelter. “The island needs a shelter, the fact that there’s not a shelter is crazy,” said Bodycomb. “On the 13th or 14th day after the storm, the family that lives next to [Smallwater] was living without heat or power, and they decided to go to a shelter. The closest one was in Nassau County, but when they got there, they were told it was shutting down because there wasn’t enough need. I feel like there’s a lot of ways they could be helping- they’re the Red Cross.” The community was additionally disappointed in the Red Cross’s delayed delivery of food, saying that most of the food trucks arrived at 4pm, when many people were heading home. However, according to the Red Cross, they have received $170 million in pledges since the storm struck, using 7.5 million to distribute food and blankets to the communities. Purchase senior, Michelle Trahey, faced Sandy’s devastation firsthand when her Breezy Point home was left in shambles. “Each time I’ve been home I’ve looked out to see where the Red Cross has been,” said Trahey.

“I’ve only seen them drive around in perfect white trucks and cars. The most I’ve heard they done in the Rockaways at all is give out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches weeks after the hurricane had hit.” The Red Cross has responded to these various concerns, explaining that the organization doesn’t typically work with first responders. “We’re not first responders, so we don’t send our people into an area that could be heavily impacted,” said Red Cross communications Director for the New York region, Sam Kille, according to WNYC.com. They continued by saying that the Red Cross steps in sooner during natural disasters when the country doesn’t have a strong government presence, like when Haiti experienced it’s earthquake. “Its not been a perfect response, but we’re very proud of the response we’ve had,” continued Kille. “This is the biggest response we’ve had in five years as an organization.”

thePurchase

INDEPENDENT

277

NOVEMBER

29th 2012

CABARET

y o u r. i n d y @ g m a i l . c o m by rachel weiss

What good is sitting alone in your room? Especially when you could be spending the night seeing an astounding production of “Cabaret” right here at Purchase! That’s right- “Cabaret” has officially arrived! This student-run production will making its grand debut on Nov. 29 and will be running until Dec. 2. Everyone has FIVE chances to see this incredible musical, and ordering tickets has never been easier. Just go to: www.cabaretatpurchasecollege .brownpapertickets.com and you can place your order with ease. There is even an option to purchase tickets for special seating on the stage, ensuring that you won’t miss a single swing or step by those Kit Kat Klub dancers. Your “Cabaret” experience will be enhanced with intimacy and lots of laughs, along with a “mocktail service.” So what exactly is “Cabaret” about? Meet Jesse Penber, a Junior Theatre and Performance major and the director of “Cabaret.” He called the show “the story of the Kit Kat Klub, a deliciously seedy nightclub in the heart of Berlin.” “The story of ‘Cabaret’ alternates between Cliff Bradshaw, who comes to Germany in search of something to write about,” Penber said. “He goes there to get some new experiences, and he does in the form of Sally Bowles, who is a nineteenyear old English singer performing at the Kit Kat Klub. Then there’s Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, who are in love, and it does not protect them.” He went on to explain, “It’s a very dark storyline, and between that there is commentary from the Kit Kat Klub, and the dancers have their own stories.” As this musical’s storyline treks through the history of Germany, there is so much to be said for the quality of the cast and crew of students who have put this piece together and managed to keep the historical accuracy and believability in tact. “Cabaret” stars Gina Amico, Billy Manton, Miiko Valkonen, Tony Mita, and Laura Meltzer, who play Sally, the Emcee, Cliff, Herr Schultz, and Fraulein Schneider respectively. The production team includes the assistant directing of James Mcdermott,

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR editor-in-chief: Róisín McCarty

layout editor: Melissa Foster

music by Juno Arreglado with piano by Rebecca Chin, choreography by Cyndi Harder, costumes by Jessica Dimartino, lighting design by Jane Dibartalo, and stage management by Helena Hadden. “Quoting the musical ‘Urinetown,’ this is not a happy musical,” Penber said. “No one has a happy ending. The best they can hope for is to escape the misery that is 1938, and not all of them do.” Along with a dark storyline, this musical is also considered pretty raunchy to say the least. Penber expressed the sexuality of “Cabaret” to be a prominent aspect, as some of the characters are actually sex addicts, and the number “Two Ladies” is a humorous ode to having two partners in

bed. However, Penber was never concerned with crossing the line while directing. “There’s no such thing as too far in ‘Cabaret,’” he said. “If humans do it, it’s not too extreme. Humans betray each other, have sex with each other for reasons other than love, humans have obsessions, and humans die.” Summing up this production in three words, Penber used, “Desire, regret, and double-edged.” Want to find out the true definitions of those words? Buy your ticket today and get ready for a thrilling performance!

senior staff writer: Alyce Pellegrino

writers:

Dylan Green Essence McClanahan Noelle Moore Jake Murphy Cara Nuzzo Mike Reluzco

I’m going to have an existential crisis, because this is going to be the shortest issue I’ve ever published. But then I’m going to remind myself that our layout is different now, so really it’s the same amount of words that I usually print in a 16 page issue. And then, after that, I’m going to write an editor’s letter about it, because it’s finals week, and I think that people care about my problems. Anyway, I hope that everyone does a wonderful job on their finals and all of those assignments that were actually due the second class that you haven’t gotten around to until now! We have provided you with a convenient to-do list, and a trusty word search in case you feel like putting off your work any longer. HaaAaapYyy HollIiiDaaaYyssS!

print manager: Tommy Roach The Purchase Independent is a non-profit news magazine, paid for by the Mandatory Student Activity fee. We welcome and encourage submissions from readers. The Independent is a forum for campus issues and events, to give students the voice they deserve. Any opinions expressed are those of the writers, not those of The Independent, its editors, or the PSGA. The deadline for submissions is every Friday before midnight, and accepted pieces will be published the following Thursday. Publication of submissions is not guaranteed, but subject to the discretion of the editors. No anonymous submissions will be considered, but we will accept use of pseudonyms on a case-by-case basis. Send all submissions and inquiries to your.indy@gmail. com. Back page quotes can be submitted to formspring. me/indybackpage or put in the Back Page Box that hangs on the office door. Our office is located on the first floor of Campus Center North, room 1011. Staff meetings are held in the office every Monday night at 9:30; anyone is welcome.

copy editor: Stephanie Spencer

artwork by: Mark Zubrovich

cover photo by: Jake Murphy

web design by: Tommy Roach Cindy Mack

thePurchase

INDEPENDENT

277

NOVEMBER

29th 2012

CABARET

by rachel weiss In This issue:

What good is sitting alone in your room? Especially when you could be spending the night seeing an astounding production of “Cabaret” right here at Purchase! That’s right- “Cabaret” has “Lincoln” officially arrived! This student-run production written will making its grand by Dylan Greendebut on Nov. 29 and will be running until Dec. 2. Everyone page 4 has FIVE chances to see this incredible musical, and ordering tickets has never been easier. Just go to: www.cabaretatpurchasecollege The Healthy Balance .brownpapertickets.com and written you can placePellegrino your order with ease. by Alyce There is even an option to purchase tickets page 5 for special seating on the stage, ensuring that you won’t miss a single swing or step by those Kit Kat Klub dancers. Your “Cabaret” experience will be enhanced with intimacy and lots of laughs, along with a “mocktail Howservice.” To Bleach Your Hair So what exactly is “Cabaret” written by Noelle Moore about? Meet Jesse Penber, a Junior Theatre page and Performance major and the director of 10 “Cabaret.” He called the show “the story of the Kit Kat Klub, a deliciously seedy nightclub in the heart of Berlin.” “The story of ‘Cabaret’ alternates between Cliff Bradshaw, who comes to Germany in search of something to write about,” Penber said. “He goes there to get some new experiences, and he does in the a meeting: form Come of Sallyto Bowles, who is aMondays, nineteen- 9:30, CCN1011 year old English singer performing the Apply for an internship: atyour.indy@gmail.com Kit Kat Klub. Then there’s Fraulein Like and us on Facebook: facebook.com/purchaseindy Schneider Herr Schultz, who are in love, and it doesBackpage not protect them.” music by Juno Arreglado with piano by Submit quotes: formspring.me/indybackpage He went on to explain, “It’s a very Rebecca Chin, choreography by Cyndi Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/purchaseindy dark storyline, and between that there is Harder, costumes by Jessica Dimartino, commentary from the Kit Kat Klub, and lighting design by Jane Dibartalo, and stage the dancers have their own stories.” management by Helena Hadden. As this musical’s storyline treks “Quoting the musical ‘Urinethrough the history of Germany, there is so town,’ this is not a happy musical,” Penber much to be said for the quality of the cast said. “No one has a happy ending. The best and crew of students who have put this they can hope for is to escape the misery piece together and managed to keep the that is 1938, and not all of them do.” historical accuracy and believability in tact. Along with a dark storyline, this “Cabaret” stars Gina Amico, Billy musical is also considered pretty raunchy to Manton, Miiko Valkonen, Tony Mita, and say the least. Penber expressed the sexuality

Cinemasai:

The Internet and Finals

Noelle Tells You Moore:

Finals & Facebook by alyce pellegrino

When it comes to the end of the semester, students tend to have two reactions. The first being joy at the prospect of time off, and the second, usually more common, is dread as finals loom closer. Why, go hop on Facebook and look at any given status between right after Thanksgiving break and finals week. Does the problem lie here? Walking around the library you are guaranteed to see students switching their computer screens from word documents to social networking sites. It went from being primarily Facebook to including Twitter and then the much less social Tumblr. But do students use these sites more frequently during finals time, and do they add to the stress or relieve it? “There is no doubt in my mind that they [social networking sites] can be huge distractions and a lot of time is spent on them that could be spent writing papers, studying, and doing other work,” said Professor Patricia Rind, a lecturer in Psychology and professor in Gender Studies professor at Purchase. “So the very fact that time is not being spent on work can greatly add to stress. However, I believe there is another side to this issue, particularly if we are focusing on stress. Staying in touch with friends is usually a stress reliever. Studying for finals can be an isolating experience and connecting with friends is, for the most part, a good thing. Similarly, ‘stalking’ on FB or exploring Tumblr can be a helpful distraction to relieve tension and provide ways to take breaks in small doses. It’s all about how able students are to manage their time and keep distractions to a minimum--or at least to the level they need them to be to succeed. As with all things, moderation is the key-finding a balance.” But if this balance is not reached, are these viral connections and study breaks hindering or helping students? Managed or timed breaks are helpful and needed, but many of us tend to end up spending more time on our breaks than actually getting our work or studying done. For those who want to eliminate the distraction completely, deleting or deactivating these sites for a period of time is an option. Jason Couvertier, a senior Sociology major, has done just this.

“[I deleted] Instagram, and Facebook because they’re more fast paced,” said Couvertier. “I felt controlled, like I had to keep up on people’s lives, and I didn’t particularly care. I’ve never had a Twitter. I just don’t get it. It’s so quick. Like every thought, every funny anything; let me just write it down, and I just don’t get it ...they’re really distracting, and now when I’m bored I just do work.” So whether a break is needed or a distraction takes hold, it seems that sites like Facebook do become more appealing during finals. But, if students can manage them with a normal workload, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to when the stress levels hit high. “As a final note, I also believe that students today do have many more distractions than in previous generations,” said Professor Rind. “That’s neither good nor bad. It just is. My guess is that most have learned to manage them because it’s been a part of their lives. Perhaps it’s members of the older generations who didn’t have them growing up that find it harder to find a way to find a healthy balance. Just a thought.”

CINEMASAI: LINCOLN by dylan green Much has been made of Abraham Lincoln as our 16th President. The Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment were both passed under his presidency, and there are very few presidents who were as beloved by the public as good ol‘ Honest Abe. A man so defined by his actions has never been given the up close and personal treatment that he and his presidency deserve, outside of vampire hunting, however (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter). Steven Spielberg’s rectification piece “Lincoln” does the last thing I expected it to: get at the man under the top hat and humanize his almost godlike image. Buoyed by an awe-inspiring portrayal from Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln” overcomes its undeniably hammy biopic trappings and paints a humbling portrait of one of the most well-known political figures in American history. January, 1865: The Civil War is still raging on and the prospect of ending slavery with the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution is being endlessly debated by Red and Blue house representatives. Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) is faced with the task of finding a way to end the war, free the slaves, and negotiate peace between the Union and the Confederacy. He and Secretary of State William H. Seward (David Strathairn) are scrambling to secure Democratic support, and all the while, marriage problems plague he and wife Mary Todd Lincoln (Sally Field). What’s

a president to do? Day-Lewis is already a two-time Oscar winner (“My Left Foot,” “There Will Be Blood”), and has a reputation as one of Hollywood’s pickiest actors. He once again establishes his vast prowess here, embodying Lincoln less as a president and more as a flawed man in a position of great power, balancing his natural fatherly instincts with moments of lost control and genuine struggle in both politics and at home. Day Lewis‘ Lincoln is one both flawed and humbled, but not without a sturdy definition of right and wrong, and not above subverting the law to get done what he thinks is just. He disappears into the man, fully fleshing out the full content of his character on the screen for the first time, while still retaining the man’s imposing stature and image in one of the year’s most delicate balancing acts. Another thing interestingly different about “Lincoln” is how much its focus on the passing of the 13th Amendment involved shady transactions and under-the-table dealings. The main plot involves Lincoln approving and enacting shady dealings involving “securing the vote” of Democratic congressmen through bribes and other means, evoking the feeling of an overtly political “Ocean’s 11” more than, say, Spielberg’s own “Schindler’s List,” making for an interestingly thrilling feel. Beyond Day-Lewis transcendence of genre norms as Lincoln, the rest of the film falls to hammy biopic caricatures. With the exception of Stratharin’s H. Seward and Tommy Lee Jones’

comic fire-starter Thaddeus Stevens, the rest of the cast feel like mere plot devices rather than characters, from Fields as spunky and defiant wife figure to Joseph Gordon-Levitt as rebellious son, to Jackie Earl Haley as Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens. This has less to do with the performances themselves and more to do with these historical figures falling into generic biopic trappings. Lighting is structured so that it blatantly illuminates important figures, especially Lincoln himself, in a “Hey, look! It’s The President!” kind of way that limits the greatness of biopics in this writer’s eyes. And yet, Day-Lewis carries so much of the film that whenever he is on screen, nothing else seems to matter, which Spielberg and company may be riding on here. It’s engrossing enough to call this talented Irishman the most convincing 16th president on film and throw him his gold plated bone in February, and “Lincoln” itself is just different enough from other films like it to make it worth the trip to the theater, minus John Wilkes Booth.

CHEMICAL WARFARE

PSGA UPDATE

by jake murphy

by cara nuzzo

The ongoing conflict in Syria is proving to be very threatening towards the rest of the world. Syrian President Bashar Hafez al-Assad has not only stockpiled and relocated chemical weapons in a dangerous position, but this week he has prepared them for use. The weapons are being prepared in wake of the rebel uprising not ceasing, and the amount of deaths of both civilians and government officials. The world has expressed large concern over this move, especially President Barack Obama, who has said the United States will intervene with military force if the weapons are put to use. According to the Syrian government, Assad will never use the chemicals on it’s own people. However, he refuses to show this reassurance in his actions, as intelligence reports from Syria have stated that their has been activity and movements where the chemical weapons are held. Chemical weapons have been discontinued for use in warfare since the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty; six countries did not sign the treaty, including Syria. A lot of debate has been held over whether or not the United States should intervene, as it would take 75,000 troops to locate, secure, and dispose of the approximately 500 tons of chemical weapons. Sarin gas is an odorless and colorless liquid which evaporates at room temperature and makes it extremely easy

to be distributed by any means. A tenth of a gram would kill a healthy adult in seconds. Symptoms include nausea, a runny nose, lack of muscle coordination and then death. Chemical weapons are also extremely easy to mount on top of a regular missile. Most nations in the world have expressed their reluctance, but will intervene if necessary. The U.S., as well as other nations, are teaching rebels via American military aides how to deal with the Syrian army in a way to bring Assad down without direct action. There has also been an idea of launching an attack to kill Assad himself in an effort to end the conflict. This may lead to harsh differences with Russia and China who are allied with Syria, but they too have both voiced concern over chemical weapons and the almost literal suicide that would follow for Assad after doing so. There has been concern over the aftermath of Assad’s loss of power as the chemical weapons may fall in the hands of terrorists that are active in the region. This proves to be more dangerous than allowing Assad to continue to flaunt the weapons. For now, NATO is doing what it can politically to keep things under control but action will be taken if any sign of threat or the use of the weapons arise.

Donna Salter, Director of Parking and Transportation, revisited senate. She stated that the Port Chester Loop ridership was low, and that she has gotten the White Plains Loop to stay at the train station for 15 minutes so it can pick up both rounds of riders off the express trains from New York City. Salter is working hard to resolve all student complaints, but, she does not address anonymous complaints. “I get on average 15-20 complaints a day,” said Salter, “I am here for you, but I don’t take anonymous complaints. If you’re going to start a campaign please give it a name and a face.” Salter urges students to come to her with any issues they have at the Parking and Transportation Office in Campus Center North. John Fallot, Coordinator of Public Affairs, proposed creating a street team for students who wanted to be involved in the school but do not have the time to be on senate. “I feel a pressing need to have street teams,” said Fallot, “I really think it would help get people involved.” It was suggested to have an unofficial committee within PR committee so that bylaws wouldn’t have to be rewritten. “Making a new committee seems unnecessary,” says Jeff Weiss, “creating bylaws for it would be overkill.” The street team will be discussed further over winter break by Teddy O’Rourke, John Fallot, Thomas Roach, Jeff Weiss, and Brandon Burnette.

NATIVITY SCENE CHANGES by mike reluzco Sometimes I forget that Vatican City is a country. Recently, I’ve been reminded that yes, Vatican City is not only a country, but a country with a government. A recent scandal which people are calling “Vatileaks” exposed corruption, jealousy, and power struggles within the theocratic state, particularly in the Holy See. The Holy See is where all of the Roman Catholic governing happens. It’s also a separate governing body from Vatican itself, diplomatically. Supposedly. The Pope is on top of both governments. It’s hard out there for a Pope. Security is pretty tight over in the See. When your entire staff lives in a country that is country is .72 square miles, it’s not terribly hard to keep tabs on things, one would think. But somehow, an Italian journalist by the name of Gianluigi Nuzzi pushed his way through all that security and started to expose some fairly unexpected corruption within the Holy See. As it would happen, Nuzzi found himself supplied with memos and notes meant only for the eyes of the Pope and his secretary by the Pope’s butler, Paolo Gabriele. After the publication of these notes, the Pope realized that there was only one solution to the possibility of corruption: track everybody who works in the Holy See at all times.

By January 1st of 2013 there will be new identification cards issued to the workers at the Holy See (read: the better part of the country). These will not only be used to track who enters and exits the building, but also contains microchips which feed back to their superiors. So I’m going to straighten this out for you. The Holy See is big on secrets-- issues regarding their government transparency have come up before. It would seem, however, that the moment some facts start to leak through, it’s about time to start tracking everybody in the country. This isn’t about religion-- it’s about government. It’s easy to stand back and think it reasonable to track government employees. But take a step in the shoes of a low cleric in the Holy See. The Pope and all the Cardinals know where you are when you sleep. They know when you go to pee. The opaque government has suddenly made the lives of its entire governed body transparent. If you can’t see it, think about the Eye of Sauron, except significantly less evil. The potential for abuse by papal officials, and conniving computer technicians is endless. The worst part comes when none of the international community wants to say anything about it. The last thing they need is to start shit with the international governing body of all Roman Catholics. Aren’t politics great?

thePurchase

INDEPENDENT

277

NOVEMBER

29th 2012

CABARET by rachel weiss

We have internship positions open for the Spring 2013 semester!

8 8

Writing

Copyediting

Photography

Paleontology

Graphic Design music by Juno Arreglado with piano by Rebecca Chin, choreography by Cyndi Harder, costumes by Jessica Dimartino, lighting design by Jane Dibartalo, and stage management by Helena Hadden. “Quoting the musical ‘Urinetown,’ this is not a happy musical,” Penber said. “No one has a happy ending. The best they can hope for is to escape the misery that is 1938, and not all of them do.” Along with a dark storyline, this musical is also considered pretty raunchy to say the least. Penber expressed the sexuality of “Cabaret” to be a prominent aspect, as some of the characters are actually sex addicts, and the number “Two Ladies” is a humorous ode to having two partners in

PR/Marketing

Email a resumé and relevant samples to your.indy@gmail.com.

word search

facebook bleach vatican pope altclinic internships cramming the loop

lincoln cinemasai ecigarette mayan monster coffee all nighter winter break

stinson library solstice dinosaurs moodle madness latkes morsi

NOELLE TELLS YOU MOORE: by noelle moore

Bleach is the Voldemort of the hair world. The word itself is somewhat cringeworthy because you immediately think of the worst scenario when you hear it. Worst case scenario being that aall of your hair falls out. Make no mistake, bleach does damage your hair. It is stripping pigment and leaves the hair vulnerable. Anything where your hair undergoes chemical processing is to be handled very carefully. You bleach your hair by adding bleach, usually powdered, to cream developer and mixing it using the specified quantities. Developers come in a range of volumes such as 20, 30, and 40. The higher the volume equals the higher level of lift you will achieve, aka the higher in volume you go, the lighter your hair will get. It begs the question, if bleach does damage to your hair, and when you must routinely apply you exacerbate the 10 damage, why you would continue to dye your hair? First, the necessity for bleach depends on your hair color, if your hair is fair enough that it can take dye and you can be satisfied with the shade, then bleach doesn’t have to be in the equation. Second, whenever bleach must be applied to new hair growth, if it is applied carefully it won’t come into contact with the prelightened strands. Some people are more comfortable with letting a professional stylist bleach their hair, which is totally understandable. But it can be expensive to go to a salon routinely. I have never had my hair bleached by a professional and, while daunting, the task is possible and you get better at it the more frequently you do it. It is a learning process. If you plan on bleaching your hair at home, have a friend help you out. Chances are, you are not going to get all the roots at the back of your head so save yourself the frustration. Also, make sure you have latex gloves. Bleach burns are not fun, kids. Almost everyone has had a bleach-mishap, and though it can feel like it when your hair is on the line, it is (not) the end of the world.

BLEACH

Something else to keep in mind is that if you wash the bleach out too soon, or your volume of developer isn’t strong enough and you are not satisfied with the quality of your bleached color, you should seriously consider whether or not you think you should bleach it again right there or wait. Multiple successive bleachings are very damaging. If you feel your hair is strong enough, then the choice is yours, but the point is that when chemicals are involved you have to be careful. I’ve known people who have had their hair turn green, fall out, and had to have nearly the entirety of it chopped off because they over processed their hair and killed it. If you have bleached, or are planning to bleach, your hair, some products you should consider using to nourish your processed hair are deep conditioners and hair masks. Your hair has to be healthy before it can successfully pull off a neon color. Bleach can leave hair dry and fried, and the best way to help get your hair healthy again is to give it the moisture it needs. Deep and leave in conditioners are great for that. Argan oil, which has seen a surge in popularity recently, helps repair hair and is usually one of the main ingredients in these treatments. My thoughts on bleach: I routinely do this and while I understand the dangers it proves, I personally think it can be done over a long period of time so long as you are smart about it, take care of your hair, and do what you have to do to keep it healthy.

OWN YOUR FINALS WEEK

THE ESSENCE OF PURCHASE: Winter Break RomanceS

by mike reluzco

by essence mcclanahan A welcome reprise from the daily grind of reality television and procrastination that burden the days we spend here on campus, winter break is often the hardest struggle for budding campus romances. Basically a month long test of your relationship in “the real world,” winter break can often make or break a relationship. This is exactly why I’ve taken the time to come up with a few daily do’s and don’ts that will help your relationship continue to blossom in the spring!

I'm sure you're aware that finals start next week. It's time to start giving a shit. If you can't find a shit to give, I have compiled a list of three incredible tools that you can use to motivate yourself to excel on your finals. SPITE: The professors here are great. That doesn't mean that they are not currently making your life a living hell. Only a handful of professors realize that your class is only one of several, and their class is clearly the most important of all of them. They may as well be plotting against you. Academia is plotting against you. Prove to yourself, your professors, and the rest of the world that you aren't a piece of shit. You are a student of Purchase College, and you came here to fuck shit up. Envision everybody who has ever treated you like shit in your life, and prove those motherfuckers wrong. FEAR: Fear and anxiety can be crippling, and it feels awful, but you know you need to do well. The fear of failure is all the more reason to do well. Nobody likes to fail, and nobody else likes it when you fail. I failed a class once, and I feared going home the way I fear things like being hit by a train, or being slathered in face-melting acid. So, pretend that if you don't do well you will be hit by a train, or be slathered in face-melting acid. You'll get that shit done. NOSTALGIA: This is for veteran college students. This is not your first finals week. It's also not the first time you've passed finals week. Think back to the last final you took and feel, once again, the feeling of freedom after you finished that last paper, or took that last test. It's kind of like being drunk, except pleasant. All you have to do is pass your finals, and you can breathe freely again. It's an addicting feeling, isn't it? So, Purchase College, go out there and wreck those motherfuckers. I believe in you.

1. Don’t be over dramatic. Realistically it is only 32

days, not eternity, and acting as if it is only makes it worse and more likely to become a mental strain. Try thinking about the time in terms of weekends, this year you can enjoy five weekends with your close friends at home. 2. Text, and quite often. However, not to whine about

the celebration but rather take the time to learn more about your partner. Take this time to learn about the things they may like that aren’t displayed on their dorm room walls. 3. Don’t become clingy. Truth of the matter is, you and

your mate won’t always live within a short walk through an underground tunnel or a parking lot away of each other. This time apart should be used to develop trust and a boundaries system, one that will make partying on the weekends back less stressful in the long run. 4. Take time out for one another. Before you leave for

break next week, take the time to schedule and choose a date when you can meet. Even if it is the only time that you see one another over break, it will give you something to look forward to and help the time pass by.

to-do list

itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the end of the semesterâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; time to get to work!