THE PAUW WOW

Serving The Saint Peter's Univeristy's Community With News For Over 80 Years

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“Life after college”

By:  Shantia Beku

The day of graduation is the end of a long journey, but the start of a new chapter. Although graduation is an exciting day, family members will ask one simple question throughout the day. “So where are you going to work?”

Unfortunately, many college students these days do not have the answer to this question. After graduation is the hard reality most people never talk about.

Students are expected to find their own means of work.  Soon after receiving their diploma, college students are expected to pay their own bills, including for many, thousands of dollars in student loans.

According to The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the average starting salary for all 2014 College graduates is $48,707.

Although students are suppose to pick a career they are interested in, a reasonable salary is also an important factor. The National Association of Colleges and Employers stated stats regarding salaries for all majors, specifically communication majors. In 2014, the average salary for communication majors was $43,924. The highest salary in 2014 was Engineering and Computer Science. Engineering salary was $61,741 and Computer Science was $62, 719.

“My initial expectations before graduation was that I’d struggle to find a well paying job in the entertainment industry,” said Kareem Gorrick, who graduated from Saint Peter’s University with a Communication degree in  2011. He was right, but Kareem thought he did everything that a student should do before graduating.

Kareem was actively engaged planning his career throughout his college years. From securing an internship with Island Def Jam to interning for a few major labels he took the proper steps to secure a job. After graduation,  he landed an assistant job for a Grammy-nominated R&B singer.

“For right out of college it was a dream job, but I wouldn’t say it’s the dream job,” he said.

After working in different fields of entertainment Kareem came to the realization that this chosen field wasn’t paying the bills. “The entertainment pay isn’t really too great starting out, everyone wants you to almost work for free. So I’m working while still pursuing my career,” said Gorrick.

He has advice for college students. Students should, “Begin building their resume as soon as they enter college. When graduating employers want five years of experience with a master's degree. Pay attention because most of the things you learn are going to be asked/expected of you when apply to these communication jobs. Try to find a specific focus in communications and build on it.”

But this isn’t always the case. For some graduates, jobs were much easier to find.

“My expectation before graduation was that I would go off and make tons of money,” said Honey German, who graduated from Long Island University with a Criminal Justice degree in 2008. “My expectation after graduation was that it would be hard to find a good paying job.”

But German was fortunate. She realized that it would take a lot of hard work and extra preparation to reach her end goal to work in entertainment. When it was time for her to seek a job after graduation she did not seek help from career services since she was working while in school. Her family, friends, and mentor were very supportive of her career choice. “I'm actually working my dream job right now with iHeart Media on Power 105.1 as a Digital Content producer,” said Honey German. This job allows her to work in both radio and in the digital world.

Her advice for college students is, “To not change your major or your direction in life if this is what you ultimately dream of doing. If you change directions and take another job that is not really what you're passionate about it is just a temporary stop in your quest and you will eventually return to what you wanted to do to begin with.”

Meanwhile, for Tiffany Wentz, it was all about having the right mentor.

“ My expectation after graduation would be that I'd work for the same restaurant group I'd worked for the summer before I graduated until I got my ‘first real job’ in Public Relations and that’s exactly what happened,” said Tiffany Wentz, who graduated from Syracuse University with Political Science and Communication degree in 1989.

During college she had an idea what career she wanted to pursue. She was interested in  Public Relations and during her spring break and was interviewed by her father’s company’s PR firm. She was fortunate to have a mentor as a guide.  

But the job search wasn’t easy.  “Took me three months to find my first ‘real job’ after graduating,” said Wentz.

As soon as she graduated she worked at several restaurants, but it took her three months to find a job she went to school for.

“I'm not presently working in-house PR for a company or at a PR agency, but I do a lot of PR/Marketing work on a freelance basis as part of my own company (Wentz Entertainment Group, LLC) and definitely use the skills I learned working in PR in my real estate business as well.”

Her advice for  college students, specifically to communication majors is that “You must take Journalism 101 classes.  You cannot be out in the world as a ‘communications major’ lacking the ability to write concisely, cohesively and correctly. If your school has them you should write for your school newspaper, get a shift on the school radio station, create a show for your school's cable station.”

And for Francisco De Jesus finding a job has been a never ending process.

“When I first graduated, I felt like I could do anything after I became the first in my family to graduate college,” said Francisco De Jesus who graduated from Saint Peter’s University with a communication degree in 2015.

Francisco interned at CUNY- TV working in a television studio. Although he didn’t know if there would be a job waiting for him at the end he believed that interning would open many doors to start his career in media. Career services at Saint Peter’s University helped him secure an internship at CUNY- TV. Post graduation Francisco is still looking for work and he currently has three freelance jobs. Francisco also has a lot of mentors at his alma mater.

“ Cynthia Walker, Ernabel Demillo, and all of the professors I know in the Communications department. They have helped me so much, and continue to even now,” said Francisco. Francisco was recently apart of WSPR Radio alumni panel along with others.

Francisco would urge all college students that “Life after college is much harder that I could have ever realized.  The worst part is that no one will ever realize it until it actually happens to him or her.  If I could say anything, I would say be prepared If you do not, you will have a hard time. I’m experiencing that right now.”

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The Hurricane That Wasn’t

By Marisa Carlucci

On Monday, October 5th, students on the Saint Peter’s University campus woke up to a partly-cloudy sky.  Tuesday morning proved to be similar to Monday’s weather, though slightly more sunny.  While this may not seem unusual, students may have been surprised when they didn’t wake up to hurricane-like conditions due to Hurricane Joaquin, a tropical storm that was supposed to hit the area early in the week.  

According to a CNN article by Greg Botelho and Ed Payne, entitled “East Coast on alert for powerful Hurricane Joaquin’s turn north”, that was published early Friday morning, Hurricane Joaquin was predicted to “be near North Carolina by Monday and possibly New Jersey a day later”.  

So what went wrong?  In other words, why were people so convinced that Joaquin would hit Jersey, when it evidently missed us by a long shot?  The same CNN article mentioned that while there was a chance of Joaquin hitting the Northeast, “Hurricane projections are notoriously unpredictable.”  This was proven when the weather at the start of the early October week was surprisingly peaceful.  

It seems that, according to a New 12 New Jersey article published on Saturday, with the title “Wind wallops NJ; Joaquin heads west”, the storm moved east towards the Atlantic Ocean after hitting the Bahamas.  

Though even the news proved to be uncertain about this particular tropical storm, students on the Saint Peter’s University campus report their initial predictions about a hurricane hitting the area.    

According to John Brecko, a junior, “I heard that it was not predicted to be as strong as what Sandy was, so I was obviously a little bit concerned, but not as concerned as I would have been if it was at the level of Sandy.”

Others remembered Hurricane Sandy, the October 2012 storm that closed the Saint Peter’s University campus for over a week during late October and early November nearly three years ago.  According to Kevin Seelall, a senior, “The area in general went bad.  There were a whole bunch of fallen trees, no gas, no power for a number of days, and I believe that Hurricane Joaquin was also a classified four hurricane, so it was also a big potential that could happen again.”

Despite the fact that we proved to be wrong about this particular storm, to the chagrin of New Jerseyans who fear the danger that hurricanes and tropical storms have to offer, there is always the chance of destructive weather happening in our state.   

According to Seelall, “I think it’s better to be prepared than sorry.”  

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Hillary & Carly: Divided on Issue that Unites Them

By: Christopher Flores

“It’s a huge step forward,” Michelle Perez, Student Government Association President, recently said.  “It’s an inspiration to women everywhere,” she continued.

Since Hillary Clinton’s historic 2008 run, it is no longer unconventional for a woman to run for the highest office in the land.  Seven years later, there’s not only one, but two women vying for the presidency – Carly Fiorina and again, Mrs. Clinton.

For many, it’s empowering to see strong and audacious women competing in a male dominant competition.  While many Americans have been aware of Hillary’s strong support for women’s rights, most are just learning about Carly’s tough and bold persona that illuminates when on the all-male debate stage.

Political commentators have noted that liberals have never been so enthralled with a female Republican candidate until Fiorina entered the race.  They are turned off, however, once she discusses her stance on women’s issues.

At the last debate, Fiorina received a huge applause when she responded to Trump’s remarks about her appearance when she said, “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said,” implying that women understood Trump’s sexist statement.

While Fiorina might present herself, in her appearance and personality, as a strong feminist like Clinton, she has been extremely critical of liberal feminists.

Mrs. Fiorina has said that liberals use feminism as a weapon in order to win elections.  In her opinion, she believes the definition of a feminist is, “…a woman living the life she chooses,” But Fiorina is against abortion and supports defunding Planned Parenthood.

“It’s completely going against what she defines as feminist because she said it’s the right to your own [life] but you’re taking away the rights to someone’s own body,” Kaitlyn Sitton, a student and self-proclaimed feminist, recently said.  

According to Gallup, the top three issues that women cared about during the 2012 election cycle were reproductive rights, jobs, and health care.

This is good news for Clinton as she supports a woman’s right to choose, raising the minimum wage, and upholding Obamacare.  Fiorina does not support any of the latter issues.

This begs the question: which candidate would be more effective at dealing with women’s issues while in the White House?

“I think Hillary,” Sitton said.  “I think she’s more in touch with women…,” she continued.

This does not appear to be Clinton’s only advantage.  Of women, 42% associate themselves as Democrats, while only 25% affiliate with the Republican Party, also according to Gallup.  

Although Fiorina performs like a feminist, Perez has said her policy positions don’t reflect her tone and rhetoric.

“You can look the part but that doesn’t take away from the fact that you haven’t lived the part,” she said.

Both Clinton and Fiorina exemplify how far this country has come in terms of gender equality.  But, they possess extreme differences when it comes to issues that women are most concerned about.  

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‘Fake’ News Gets Real

BY CALLAN SHERIDAN

In 2009 Time Magazine conducted an online poll to determine America’s Most Trusted Newscaster, post-Walter Cronkite era. Candidates included news anchors like Brian Williams, Katie Couric, and Charlie Gibson. The winner?

Jon Stewart.

Since taking over The Daily Show in 1999, Jon Stewart has pioneered a mainstreamed mix of entertainment, journalism, and political news that still influences media to this day.

Beyond The Daily Show, “satirical news” or “fake news” has become a news medium that viewers, particularly millennials, find appealing.

“More recently [I get my new from] satirical [sources]” said junior Kaitlyn Sitton. “When I was younger I thought CNN was the best, because you’re always taught that CNN and those ones are the big political ones, and then I kind of found out about big business and how some of those networks are owned by certain people and they can kind of monitor what their shows put out, so I didn’t really trust those sources anymore.”

Many Americans seem to be supporting this line of thinking. According to Neilson estimates, The Colbert Report ended its ten year run with a series-high 2.48 million viewers. When Trevor Noah took over The Daily Show on September 28, 2015, he hosted a respectable 1.02 million viewers in his first week, according to deadline.com.

This trend of getting real news from satirical sources appears to have beneficial results.

In a study done by the Pew Research Center measuring knowledge levels based on news source, it was found that 54% of regular viewers of The Daily Show and Colbert Report have high level of knowledge compared to 41% of CNN viewers and 35% of Fox News Channel viewers.

Communications Department Chair Cynthia Walker defends so-called “satirical news” with having legitimate qualities.

“Jon Stewart did something that I think the mainstream journalist has stopped doing” said Walker. “He would take a clip of somebody saying one thing, and then go back and find the clip of them saying something opposite and put them side by side.”

The investigative quality of some “satirical news” shows puts mainstream news outlet to shame.

“John Oliver really is an education” declares Walker, referring to the host of Last Week Tonight. “It’s a news education and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.”

Sitton admits that she will usually trust these news sources.

“It influences [my opinion] a lot if they back it up” says Sitton. “It influence me a lot but that’s only because I think they present valid arguments.”

Walker attributes the rise of “satirical news” to a blurring of lines between news and entertainment.

“In my day,” states Walker, “news was here and entertainment was here…you didn’t have the mix. So the lines between news and entertainment [have] blurred, and so it’s not surprising that satire would be in there too. I think that we do like being more entertained these days.”

In today’s multi-media format, the way news is accessed is more diverse than ever. This is how “fake news” has become the new “real news.”

[thepauwwow]

Bye Man Buns, Hello Man Braids

by: Daniela Franco

Bye man buns, hello man braids. Whether you loved or hated the man bun, you must admit that man buns did have a lengthy run. Thank You David Beckham, Shia LeBouf, Future, and Tumblr models, but a new phase is now upon us. French braids, Dutch braids, Fishtail braids, and Cornrows and all other types of braids are now beginning to influence male hairstyles.

This is not the first time man braids make themselves present in male hairstyles. Braids in women and men have been predated as far back as 3500 BCE. In history, braids have meant much more than the next big trend. Instead, braids were used to identify a person's wealth, status, tribe, kinship, and courtship. The oldest record of braids dates back to 28,000 BCE to 25,000 BCE, with the statues of Venus of Willendorf and The Venus of Brassempouy. The statues depict what historians debate to be a type of braided hairstyle. In later history, braids were also discovered in  African, European, South American, and North American culture, with each culture using braids distinctively.

Egyptian, African, and European braids helped distinguish the wealthy from the commoner; additionally, intricate designs would signify wealth and high status. The more complex the design, the higher the individual's status. This occurred because the forming the hairstyles would consume many hours implying leisure time that the commoners or peasants did not have.

Various Native American tribes had different symbols for the braids worn by both genders of the tribe. According to indians.org, the official website for the American Indian Heritage Foundation, “In the Quapaw Tribe, women who were married wore their hair down loose while single women wore their hair in braids. Often they would roll these braids in coils and fasten them behind each ear. These coiled braids would then be decorated to attract a mate.” Meanwhile, according to the same site, “In the Blackfoot Nation Tribe men were the ones in braids. Men wore three braids often with a topknot or pompadour. Women wore their hair loose or occasionally wore two thicker braids down the front.”

So the man braid may not be so new, but it is catching a lot of attention through social media; Jared Leto was already spotted rocking the new ‘do. So, next time you're at the shop and the barber asks you “what’ll it be?”, your response might be, “can you braid, bro ?”

Source

http://www.indians.org/articles/braids.html

http://www.lovelyish.com/2013/04/15/the-beautiful-and-amazing-history-of-braids/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braid

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Junk Food: Proceed with caution!!!

by Briana Benitez

After getting home from a long day at work, you hear your stomach grumbling. To quickly satisfy your hunger, you grab the bag of Doritos and pop them open. You can’t stop after just one chip. You eat the whole bag and lick your cheesy fingers after you’re done.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if current food intake trends continue, one in every three U.S. adults will have diabetes by 2050.

“I feel guilty after I eat some foods. After I eat a bag of Doritos I think ‘wow maybe I should’ve ate something healthier because no one wants to be overweight,’” said senior Zakiya Bakker. “When I eat healthier foods like cereal, oatmeal, or a powerbar, I feel like I can conquer the world. I’m about to start my life on a new page and I should be eating like this more.”

Bakker admits she eats healthier snacks more frequently than she does unhealthy foods, but says there is a timeline behind her choices.

“Around the time of my period, that’s when I crave more unhealthy foods,” Bakker said. “If I’m really stressed out, I tend to eat more unhealthy.”

The time of day doesn’t stop some individuals from satisfying their food desires.

“My favorite junk foods and snacks are Doritos, gummy candies like Swedish Fish; I have a problem with going to Exxon in the middle of the night and getting a lot of snacks,” said super senior, Blaire Conner.

“I enjoy these foods because they’re very comforting, especially chocolate; they make you feel better. If there’s a situation where I’ve had a long day or I’m going through something, I think anything sweet brings you up; it makes you a little more happy,” said Conner.

According to Authority Nutrition, the brain knows when we’re doing something ‘right’ and releases a bunch of feel-good chemicals in the reward system, such as the neurotransmitter dopamine—interpreted by the brain as pleasure. The problem with modern junk foods is that they can cause a reward that is more powerful. Eating an apple might release a moderate amount, but eating ice cream is so rewarding, it releases a massive amount of dopamine.

"My favorite junk foods are probably everything that's unhealthy on the food pyramid. I like a lot of fried foods. I don't do healthy foods mainly because I'm always out; I have work right after school so I'm busy a lot of the time. I have to grab whatever is around and the closest places are fast food like Chicken Shack and Burger King, etc. You can't really get anything healthy if you're on the run," said junior Mohammed Ahmed.

Ahmed added he feels tired and a lack of energy after eating junk food. Whereas, if he eats a home-cooked meal he gains energy.

The Center for Science of the Public Interest estimates that the fast food industry spends approximately $2-10 billion annually on marketing to children.

"I was raised really healthy, my parents didn't allow any junk food or anything like that. All of my meals were homemade; if I were snacking on something it'd be fruits or Cheerios," said junior Chelsey Forbes.

Forbes recalls her time in public school.  

"I'd get jealous of all my friends whose moms packed them Doritos and Capri Suns, while mine packed me fruit and water. I'd eat my friend's snacks and think 'oh my god I love this,'" said Forbes.

Forbes added it wasn't too hard to get back to her healthy eating habits because it was familiar to her. She limits herself to at most one sweet treat a week.

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Coming to Terms with Your Financial Aid

By Krystal Nurse

Saint Peter’s sends out students’ financial awards every summer with information such as the cost of tuition and room and board if they live on campus, miscellaneous fees, and the amount of scholarship money that was awarded to the students. These awards left some students dissatisfied and worried about where to get extra money from.

“I was okay with it,” said Grace, whose last name is withheld. “When I got it, I didn't get as much because one of my parents made more money. Then I had to redo it and put the parent that didn't make as much money, which was my father.”

A student’s financial aid is based off of what gets put into their Free Application for Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA requires that students list their income, number of people in the household who receive that income, and also their parents’ incomes. The Department of Education opens the FAFSA January 1st of every year and encourages students to complete it by June 1st in order to receive a timely response from them, the state, and the colleges notified.

According to the Department of Education, “your FAFSA helps you apply for federal, state, and school financial aid.” Federal aid comes in the form of the Pell Grant and  Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. State aid in N.J. is from the Tuition Aid Grant, or TAG.

Saint Peter’s also offers scholarships based both on merit and financial need.

“Saint Peter's University offers generous academic, incentive and need-based grants to incoming freshmen and transfer students based on previous scholastic achievement, potential for success, and demonstrated family need,” according to the Paying for College portion of the school’s website.

Some students, like Grace, were not satisfied with their aid because it meant taking out loans. Federal student loans do not have to be paid until 6 months following graduation, which can be an issue if one cannot find a well-paying job by then. There's $1.2 trillion dollars in student loan debt, reported CNBC.

“I'm worried about it because I don't know what's going to happen,” said one student. “How I'm going to pay it off, what's gonna happen after I graduate; are they going to come pursue me to pay it off?”

However, many loan servicers encourage borrowers to make payments while in school to decrease the amount owed and to boost credit.

Some students aren’t worried about paying off loans because they see college as an investment that their intended careers will pay off.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the unemployment rate for people with at least a Bachelor's degree is at 2.5%. The national unemployment rate sits at 5.1% as of October 2nd.

“If everything goes to plan with my dream job, then I should be fine,” said Kurt Espiritu, who is studying to be a physical therapist and an athletic trainer.

All students interviewed suggested that anyone who is looking to offset the cost to consider other forms of aid, such as scholarships, and speak with someone from Financial Aid.

Saint Peter’s is one of the most affordable private colleges in N.J., according to the Department of Education, with roughly 70% of students receiving aid and an average cost of $15,289 after financial aid is disbursed.

Phylicia O’Savio, a student, feels otherwise.

“Affordable where? This tuition is *$50,000 a year. Affordable where? For who? Donald Trump? No.”

*The tuition for students who live on campus can reach as high as $50,000, given that the student is enrolled in a costly meal plan and resides in an expensive building.

[thepauwwow]

What’s Your Number?

By Chelsey Forbes

“When a girl tells you how many guys she’s slept with, multiply it by three and that’s the real number. Didn’t you f&%$!rs learn anything in college?”

If this quote sounds familiar, that means you’ve seen American Pie 2, and that you have been exposed to America’s favorite womanizing teen, Steve Stifler. Like Stifler, many feel that girls (and guys) tend to lie about the number of people they’ve slept with, so as to not appear ‘loose’, and to simply just avoid embarrassment.

Chris Cowell, a twenty-two year old senior at Saint Peter’s agrees. “An ex of mine asked how many people I had been with, but I know that it was simply because of her own insecurities. She probably didn’t want me to think that her number was too high or too less. It all depends on a person’s maturity level.”

We all have it; sex, that is. Some more than others, but nonetheless, a vast majority of millennials are, in fact, sexually active. And, according to The National Center for Health Statistics, in a survey of adults aged twenty to fifty-nine, women have an average of four sex partners during their lifetime, whereas men have an average of seven. Chelsea Ramos, a twenty-one year old student at Montclair State University, concludes that most of her friends, all in her same age group, casually had sex in high school, and that four is ‘not that serious’ in the grand scheme of things.

Kayla Moore, a nineteen year old student at Bergen Community College, concludes that having sex with a lot of people during the ages of nineteen up to even thirty is normal. “When I started dating my boyfriend when we were like, seventeen, I knew he had already slept with like five girls. We grew up together, so I knew more or less who he had been with. It didn’t really bother me considering I had sex with four before him. Who am I to judge?”

From the perspective of someone not in college, Enrique Romero, a twenty-four year old bachelor from New York agrees. “I think if a girl has slept with like twenty guys it’s not that bad; she’s having fun. Once she hits like sixty, I’m grossed out.”

Evan Mandragona, a  senior at Quinnipiac University, says that asking a girl her number is irrelevant because it ‘kills the vibe’. “No body count is going to define how good you are in bed. A girl can have one body, because she was in a long relationship, and be bomb in the bedroom, or she can have slept with like twenty guys and still be a dead fish. You can’t judge someone from their past.”

So is having multiple partners somehow attractive? For Taylor O’Connor, a twenty year old student at Bergen Community College, it’s quite the opposite. “I just wasn’t raised that way. In my mind, if a guy has slept with a lot of girls, he’s a womanizer. Why would I want to be with someone who’s been with everyone?”

For many, college is a carefree time where school comes before relationships. Yet for a select few, relationships are a building block in their college career. “Having a boyfriend in high school is cliché. Having a boyfriend in college makes you feel like an adult,” says Moore.

Having sex with multiple partners can at times cause friction before a relationship can even begin. “I would definitely reconsider dating a girl based on how many guy she’s been with”, says Pat Stemway, a senior at Quinnipiac University.

Sleeping with a lot of people will inevitably cause some kind of issue, whether it be emotional or physical. A new study concluded that genetics may be a factor when losing virginity, sighting that inherited traits, such as impulsivity, can make a person more or less willing to have sex at an earlier age. This same impulsivity can lead to the wanting for more sexual partners.

Mohammed Ahmed, a junior at Saint Peter’s, says that whether you’re in a committed relationship or have a friends with benefits agreement, the infamous ‘number’ question will always arise. “The question is inevitable, it comes up. That’s something people always want to know. But if someone tells me they’ve only slept with one person in their lifetime I’m not going to define them by that one person. It’s just a number.”

Ahmed thinks that if you’re going to bring up a number, at least have a good reason. “I’m not one to slut shame; that not cool and that’s not me. There’s a stigma. I don’t ask body count to see how many people you’ve been in a bedroom with. If we have both come to the conclusion that sleeping together is going to happen, the next thing I’m going to think about is my safety and my health. That’s it.”

[thepauwwow]

By Olivia Monohan Breakups are difficult for everyone. The hardest part of breakup is the time that follows. Allowing yourself to get back to your norm is something that everyone struggles with. In fact, 71% percent of people say that they still think about their exes too much.

In an environment that is drenched with social media, this can be all the more difficult. According to YourTango.com, 59% of people stay Facebook friends with their exes. Being able to see  what- or who- your ex is doing can make the process even harder. If you’re struggling to get over a relationship, here are some things that will help you get out of  “the funk”.

GO TO CLASS: Don’t let yourself fall behind in classes. Going to class and doing your homework will keep you busy and get your mind off things. According to a study done by the College Student Journal, most students who experience a breakup see a negative effect in their academics. It’s going to be hard for the first few weeks, but if you got through finals week, then you can get through this.

TAKE SOME TIME: While your ex may be your best friend, take some time away from them. It will help you heal faster if you take a break from being their friend. But don’t be bitter. If you see them on campus or they are part of your friend group, keep your distance, but be polite. It’s going to be hard, but you will feel better about yourself if you just let it go.

DON’T BE A HERMIT: When your friends ask you to go out, don’t stay inside all night listening to your Adele playlist. Taking too much time to wallow in your self-pity won’t get you very far. Being alone for long periods of time will put you in a vulnerable place and might lead you down a long path of memories. The memories will never be as fun as hanging out with your friends. Your college friendships will last so much longer than your college relationships, so take advantage of that love. Go out, have a few drinks, and enjoy your freedom.

NETFLIX AND GET OVER IT: When those lonely nights roll around when you and all your friends are too lazy to go out, plan a Netflix night. Grab as much junk food as you want, get some drinks, and watch a movie with your friends. Stay away from sappy romantic comedies and find something to laugh about.

BE CAUTIOUS OF EXCESS: Going out with your friends and enjoying yourself is one thing. Going out and getting drunk beyond the point of coherence, is another. I know it can be tempting to try to drown out your sorrows with alcohol, but it doesn’t work. Alcohol is a depressant, which will most likely lead you to thinking about your ex and eventually drunk-texting them. Have fun, but don’t put your physical or emotional health at risk.

DON’T BE AFRAID: Somewhere along the line after your relationship ends, you’re going to find someone who likes you. Don’t let the past hold you back from going out on dates and experiencing new people. It might not lead to marriage or even a relationship, but you shouldn’t let that last relationship write the story for the rest of them. You might be inclined to talk yourself out of going on that first rebound date, but then you should ask yourself: Why not?

In case you need some music to get you through tough times, here are ten songs to jam to when you’re feeling a little down:

It Is What It Is Playlist

All Cried Out (Feat. Alex Newell)- Blonde, Alex Newell

Bad Blood (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)- Taylor Swift

bodyache- Purity Ring

Who Says- John Mayer

Thnks fr th Mmrs- Fall Out Boy

Stronger- Kanye West

Hotline Bling- Drake

FourFiveSeconds- Rihanna, Kanye West, Paul McCartney

Speechless- Lady Gaga

Irreplaceable- Beyonce

[thepauwwow]

Dorm Party: Halloween Edition

BY: JOSSIE CAPON

In the hit TV show Scream Queens, the ladies of Kappa House prepare for Halloween with the classical act of carving pumpkins, approved by the main character, Chanel #1, played by Emma Roberts, all to be posted on Instagram.  The ladies of Kappa House have an advantage, though: their fundraising party is set in an abandoned house with an unstable infrastructure, cobwebs, and corpses, not to mention a disturbing urban legend attached to it.  Obviously, the Kappa sisters don’t have to worry about a budget, this is simply not realistic for Saint Peter’s students.

Planning a party is easy, but executing a themed party can be a challenge. Here are a few tips on having a dorm party while remaining on a student’s budgets.

Party Décor

You can’t a have a real party if you’re missing party decorations. With Halloween around the corner, the more decorations the better visual it will create. Target has some great decorations like a Halloween Honeycomb Centerpiece and balloons all for under $5.  

Karelys Munoz, a junior at Saint Peter’s, knows the deal with budgeting while being a full time student.

“I’d use toilet paper as [part of] decorations but toilet paper from the school,” she said.

Invitations

The invitations to people has to be limited because room in the dorms is not very spacious. You also don’t want campus safety to end your party before midnight. It should be close friends who come with their own food and beverages.

Music

You need to have a killer set list to match the theme of the party. According to iTunes Top 200, the hottest tracks include artists from Miley Cyrus to Tinashe. Music is a key element to having a successful party. Be sure to download apps such as Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music. Advise your neighbors in advance about the loud music.

Suggested playlist:

Ellie Goulding “On My Mind”

Zedd “Beautiful Now (Scout Remix)”

The Weeknd “Prisoner”

Drake “Hotline Bling”

Janet Jackson “BURNITUP!”

Clean Bandit “Show Me Love”

Timmy Trumpet “Freaks”

Food & Beverages

While a banquet at your party might be far too costly, there are some other alternatives. You can always make your own finger foods, order out (ask for group or holiday deals), or go with the basic chips and dip. Don’t have a Cady Heron moment and underestimate the number of people coming to your party.

“It is first come first serve type of thing,” Munoz said, “and if people want to drink, they have to bring their own drink, because I am not supplying.”

Netflix and Chill

To top off Halloween night, you need to showcase some classic horror films. Your Netflix has a wide variety of horror films fit for the night’s festivities. But more importantly, it’s a great way to end the night, surrounded with friends or near your significant other.

Some suggested films are:

Halloween

Scream 1-3

Saw 1-5

The Human Centipede

Halloween is one day of the year when creativity is applauded. Don’t forget to enjoy the day and have a fistful of candy!

[thepauwwow]

Halloween No No’s

By: Bridget Whitfield Halloween. The time of year when everyone strips down in a costume of their choice with little to no originality, as long as they're showing a lot of skin or don't have to buy anything. Most of us are tired of the bunny ears, cat whiskers, and white sheet ghosts. Let's try to be more original this year and put some thought into a trendy costume at this year's SPU Halloween party.

"Oh, Jesus", said Marcia Senatus, a junior at Saint Peter's University. "Sexy police women, it just not original anymore."

Sexy Police Women

We get it, you're the bad ass policewoman that will handcuff all the men in the party. But we're all tired of you're cliche lines that come along with your costume, as well as the tight and revealing get up. Swat, Special Forces, Sheriff's, you're all the same. Let's let law enforcement keep this uniform.

Kaycee de Voogd, also a junior, overhears Senatus.

"Oh, and I hate the sexy nurse or the sexy ref", she says rolling her eyes.

2. Sexy Nurse

The costume that never fails to show up on Halloween. The old school red and white tight leather skirt and bustier top, covered in red crosses. Quite frankly, this costume belongs in the bedroom and not in the party.

3. The Bunny

Please, I  beg of you all, do not succumb to the Bunny costume. The beige tights, the tight unitard, and bunny ears. Do those items even sound like they result in a complete outfit? We're all exhausted from the infamous bunny costume, don't be the one silly rabbit in the group.

Gentleman, we didn't forget about you. The minimalists during Halloween, there's little to no imagination or thought put into your costumes. Boots and a cowboy hat, done! A fitted hat and a baseball bat, there's my outfit! We need some effort from you all.

4. The Jock

Putting on the shorts you sleep in, throwing on an old wife beater, and wearing a nike sweatband and calling yourself a basketball player isn't good enough. Try to step outside of your closet and get original, because athletes being athletes on Halloween is really fun.

5. Jersey Shore

"It's annoying", says senior Neechelle Ingram. "A little bit too ratchet, tired of the J-Wow boobies, Snooki hair poof, and Situation meat heads."

All of you with your fake tanner, hairspray, glitter, and jersey accents, we don't care. Please keep it far far away, the shows been over for years now, let it stay in the past with all of the other terrible MTV reality shows.

Get trendy! We're all on Twitter and Instagram. We know all of these wild celebrities, how they walk, talk, and dress. All of the new shows and the hilarious characters, political figures that are in the spotlight, and movie stars that we all love. Don't be a spooky cliche this Halloween!

Trending Costumes:

Donald Trump

"Netflix and Chill" Costume

Caitlin Jenner

Katniss

Minions

Ant Man

Justin Bieber

Miley Cyrus

Pope Francis

Orange is the New Black Cast

Bill Cosby

Empire Cast  

[thepauwwow]

Sam, taking the makeup world by STORM!

By: Diamond Reid

As of last year, she’s played in 49 softball games, tied for first on the team in RBIs, along with getting 28 hits. Samantha Storms has played softball since she was 5 years old, growing up as a tomboy in Wisconsin. Now, here at Saint Peter's and on the softball team, some people may not know that Storms isn’t as much of a tomboy as one may think; she's actually really good with a makeup brush.

When she isn’t on the field or in class, Samantha, or Sam as her friends call her, enjoys doing makeup and has made a job out of it. Sam is the makeup artist for Argus Eyes Drama Society and did the makeup for their past show “The Wild Party”.

“It’s funny, when people look at me, they wouldn’t think I can do makeup. I usually wear yoga pants and no makeup to class,” she said.

Sam began doing the makeup for Argus Eyes last semester, which was during her sophomore year. Her roommate, who is on the e-board for the Drama Society, asked her if she would like to do the cast’s makeup for the show “The Wild Party”.

“She knew how into makeup I was. So she asked me if I wanted to do it,” Storms said.

Sam grew up in Wisconsin with her mother who is a biochemist and her dad who is a police officer. She was a tomboy growing up with three older brothers and played sports all her life. Makeup was the last thing on her mind until high school. Her world was changed when one of her friends took her to the  Mac store.

“I just fell in love with makeup after that trip!” Storms said.

Growing up a tomboy and then becoming a girl who loved makeup was a change for Sam, but it was a change that she loved.

“I want to go to makeup school….This sounds cliché but I want to start my own makeup line. I want it to be environmentally friendly and all natural. I want organic ingredients; I want people to know what exactly is going on their face while looking pretty too,” she said.  

Her day starts at 6:30 AM with workouts and then comes class, leaving no time for makeup in the morning. Sam went on to explain that she chooses not to wear a full face of makeup everyday, and she likes doing this. “Even though I can do it every day, it gets more fun to do it sporadically.”

After doing the makeup for the “Wild Party”, Sam recalls having a great experience and loving the looks that she got to do. The look for the show was “dark” and “dramatic”: two types of looks that Sam loves to do. Being known for her amazing softball skills, Sam counts makeup as a hobby but also as a job.

“When I do [makeup] on myself, it feels like a hobby, but when I do it for my teammates, friends, and the cast, it’s a job, but it’s always fun when I can be artistic.”

While the Wild Party is the only Argus Eyes show under her belt, Sam looks forward to doing the makeup for the upcoming shows this semester and once again putting her talents to work.

“I’ve honestly spent thousands of dollars on buying makeup, but it’s worth it to me because I enjoy it,” she said.   

[thepauwwow]

The Best Cartoon Episodes To Watch During October

By: Danielle Pimentel 

Halloween is by far the best time for television. The best storylines come from writers who are trying to scare kids but not give them nightmares. This leaves us with episodes that are creepy, entertaining, and most of the time age-appropriate. Here are a few of the best episodes to watch during the month of October.  

Courage the Cowardly Dog, King Ramses' Curse

Courage the Cowardly Dog was one of the weirdest shows made for children. However, King Ramses’ Curse was by far the creepiest episode of the whole series. This episode is terrifying because people actually died because of the King’s Curse. The King is computer animated, making his appearance much more disturbing. The most memorable part of the episode is when the ghost of King Ramses stands in the distance and chants “Return the slab or suffer the curse.”

Hey Arnold, Ghost Bride

Hey Arnold’s actual Halloween epsiode has a war of the world's theme.However, Ghost Bride is by far way scarier. Pretty intense stuff happens and is this supposed to be a kid’s show. This episode involves a double murder, suicide, and a vengeful ghost. It has everything you want in a good horror film aimed at anyone but children. This one will definitely strike fear in you.  

Codename: Kids Next Door, Operation: G.H.O.S.T.

KND fulfilled every kid’s dream of being a spy. Most of the episodes revolve around adults who are abusing their power and KND stopping them. Operation: G.H.O.S.T. is not one of those episodes. This episode was like the PG version of poltergeist, but with the spirit of deceased hamsters. It even started with a funeral, led to mislead the viewer into thinking one of the kids had died. However, the creepiest part is that the souls of all the hamsters that had passed are trying to take their owner to the underworld with them.

Spongebob Squarepants, Graveyard Shift

This episode is a classic and far better than the actual Halloween episode. Just like the title suggests, Spongebob has to work the graveyard shift at the Krusty Krab. The shenanigans begin when Squidward decides to tell Spongebob a ghost story about the “Hash Slinging Slasher”.  However, soon after he tells the tale, details from Squidward’s story start to come true, unsettling our protagonists. This one ends on a lighter note, since there were no actual supernatural occurrences, just strange coincidences.   

Gravity Falls, Summerween

Gravity Falls is like the kids’ version of Supernatural, without any religious undertones. The whole series is based on paranormal events, but this episode deals with a monster who consumes children. When the main character insults the kid-eating monster, he must find a way to destroy him before the night ends. It’s a pretty great watch, especially the plot twist at the end.  

[thepauwwow]

Top Ten Multiplayer Games For College Students

By: Christopher Brabson

With the recent opening of the game room, many students have made their way to the fourth floor to hang out and relax in between classes. One of the more popular activities students partake in to pass the time away is video gaming. There are a lot of gamers on campus and there are a lot of variations of games and consoles. Here are the top ten multiplayer games for students to play.

Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros. is a fighting game that puts everyone's favorite nintendo characters against each other in a brawl to see who is the best. The latest version, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U, has all of the classic characters from past games including childhood favorites Mario and Donkey Kong. “It's the Characters that we grew up with” says Mike Moran, 21, a Saint Peter’s University senior. “ All we want is to see our beloved childhood characters fight each other,” explains Francis Ramos, 20, a junior at Saint Peter’s. The game is currently out for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, but there are other versions for past generation Nintendo game consoles.

NBA 2K

With the basketball season just around the corner, NBA 2K is sure to hype everyone up. With every team in the NBA represented, you can pick up, find your favorite team, and start playing. “Everyone uses a team with an all star player,” says Amir Washington, a senior here on campus. Lebron James, Steph Curry, and Kobe Bryant are all at your fingertips. The latest version, NBA 2K16, is out right now on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360.

Call Of Duty

Call of Duty is a fast paced shooter game that anyone can pick up and play. The game is still a staple in most people's arsenal. The latest version, Call of Duty Black Ops 3, will be released this November and is sure to have everyone killing zombies.

Halo

“I can't wait for the new Halo!”, exclaimed Mike. Halo has been around since the Original Xbox. Halo 5 is coming out this month, and the buzz is overwhelming. Halo is a first person shooter game that sparked the multiplayer phenomenon for Xbox. Halo 5 will be on Xbox One.

League of Legends

League of Legends is a free-to-play PC game that allows players to use strategy and teamwork to overwhelm their opponents. While a lot of people play video games on consoles, such as PS4 and Xbox One, there are a lot of PC gamers as well.  This game is a popular one for the PC gamers on campus. “It’s a lot of strategy, and you have to outsmart and use teamwork to overwhelm your opponents. The characters are well-designed and make the game fun to play,” explains Junior Kalvin Sepulveda 19, an avid League of Legends player. The game is out on PC and you can play for free.

Pokemon

‘90s Kids rejoice: Pokemon is still a thing. Since 1996, Pokemon has been a go-to game for many teens. With Pokemon Showdown already out and the highly anticipated Pokemon Go coming down the pipeline, lovers of the series everywhere have a heaping number of choices to play. People who play it love the nostalgia, but Pokemon Go, is taking the game to an entirely new place. You can essentially now catch Pokemon in the real world. This new game is bringing back people who left Pokemon gaming back in the early 2000s . “I really just play for the nostalgia, but I am not a major fan. But Pokemon Go? That is a different story. I am really excited for that,” says 21-year-old Diony Dominguez, a Saint Peter’s University senior. Now college students can relive their childhood.

Destiny

With the new Taken King expansion pack out, the Destiny's lifespan has grown. The multiplayer first-person-shooter has been a major hit with the gaming community. “Unlike a lot of multiplayer games, it is team based,” Diony, 21, says. Another distinctive feature this game prides itself on is the input of the community.“The community has a lot of input in the game. Recently, there were secret puzzles that the community had to find and figure out to unlock items and weapons,” explained Diony. The game is out for PS4 and Xbox One.

FIFA

“Put in FIFA and people will come.” That's what Amir had to say about the critically acclaimed soccer game. With the number of soccer fans on campus, it is no surprise that this is a really marvelous game to pick up and play with friends. FIFA 16 is out now.

Mortal Kombat

This is a fighting game that has been around for decades. Mortal Kombat is a fighting game that focuses on blood and gore. Household character names like Scorpion and Sub-Zero come from this game. Mortal Kombat is still a classic multiplayer game. “It's one of the last games left where you have to be in the same room with someone to play,” says Heather Helsel, 23, a gamer. The latest version, Mortal Kombat X, is out on all current generation systems.

Star Wars Battlefront

Star Wars Battlefront has yet to come out. However, the buzz is what puts the game on the list. Star Wars Battlefront is a multiplayer game created by the developer of DICE games and published by EA games. Star Wars Battlefront will be a major hit on campus. “You are re-living every Star Wars fight, blaster shot to blaster shot,” Says 20 year old Senior Endy Sorto. The game will be released mid-November, which is roughly a month away from the Star Wars movie release date. The trailer for the game started the buzz. “Nothing will compare to running on Hoth and hearing snow crinkle under your feet. The ground shakes with every step the AT-AT takes. After firing your last shot you look up and see Vader himself and he force chokes you from a distance,” Sorto thoroughly explains, referring to the recent trailer. The game comes out on November 20th in North America.

[thepauwwow]

TOP 5 SHOWS TO WATCH THIS SEASON

By: Gabriella Robles

Grandfathered

John Stamos takes on this hilariously funny role as Jimmy Martino, a confirmed bachelor that not only finds out he’s a father- but also a grandfather! Turns out that one night stand he had 20-something years ago ended a little differently than Jimmy originally thought… The show follows the crazy antics Jimmy, his son, and his new granddaughter get themselves into. Did I mention Stamos’ son is played by Josh Peck? (Yup, from Drake and Josh!) You can watch Grandfathered on ABC at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Limitless

If you were a fan of Bradley Cooper’s 2011 movie Limitless, then this next tv show adaptation is definitely something worth watching! In case you haven’t seen the movie, here’s a quick recap: a man develops the superhuman ability to use every part of his brain after taking a mysterious drug called NZT. (Can I get some of that in time for midterms?) Limitless plays on CBS at 10:00 p.m. on Tuesdays.

The Grinder

In case you’re a Rob Lowe fan (because I surely am), this next show provides a whole lot of Lowe-lovin’. The series follows a TV actor (Lowe) who returns to his hometown to work as a lawyer after his television series, The Grinder (which he played a lawyer on), gets cancelled. Fred Savage is also a familiar face, playing Lowe’s brother. You can watch The Grinder on FOX at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Code Black

For all you Grey’s Anatomy fanatics, there’s a new medical drama that started this season that has gotten stellar reviews so far. Code Black follows the emergency room department at a Los Angeles hospital which treats patients in “special and extreme circumstances”. Code Black is on CBS at 9:00 p.m on Tuesdays.

The Muppets

This new show introduces those quirky puppets we all grew up loving in a more adult-oriented fashion. The series takes place in Los Angeles, on the set of Miss Piggy’s talk show. Kermit the Frog is the executive producer of Miss Piggy’s show and her ex-lover. As you might guess, this duo causes some trouble on the set. Not to mention, some of our favorite characters from the original Muppets make appearances on the show. The Muppets plays on ABC at 7:00p.m. on Tuesdays.

[thepauwwow]

Balancing Life and School

By: Joseph Hill

Life has so many requirements. You have to maintain grades, bills, chase your dreams, and still find a way to eat.

You can endure obstacles anywhere from divorces to family deaths. And as a student, even though you encounter such things, you start learning that the world doesn’t stop for you.

You start to learn that even though you are going through things individually, everyone else isn’t, so things must go on.

As a student here at Saint Peter’s University myself, I’ve been through my fair share of battles. And with every single battle that I encountered, I was expected to perform normally.

In the spring sophomore year here at college, I was finally adjusted to being a college student, and my parents had gotten a divorce.

The divorce had an emotional strain on the family, and therefore, I was forced to be home to take care of things, and while taking care of things, I still had to keep in mind that I had responsibilities as a student.

Constant communication with my professors helped me get through the situation, but nonetheless, I still couldn’t come to a complete stop.

A Harvard study shows that only 46% of Americans completed college once they’ve already started it.

Looking at that statistic showed me that I have to strive and grind to become the other 54%, and here I stand today still pushing along.

Balancing life and school may not be easy but it is sure to be worth it in the end.

[thepauwwow]

College & Curse Words

By Jenna Carbin

Imagine walking to your regular first class on an average Monday morning and as you pass by crowds of students in the quad, you hear someone say in conversation "I don't have a F****ing clue what was going on with that test!" The funny thing about it is, you just keep walking to class without any thought about it.

On a regular basis it has become impossible to not hear at least one curse word in a day from someone in passing, conversations you've become a part of, or ones that have come from your own mouth. According to a study done in 2002 "...college-aged informants reported daily use of swear words by their mothers (30%) and their fathers (34%) in the presence of their (college-aged) children."

Victoria Lundin, 22, disagreed with these findings,"I grew up in a house where cursing was seen as almost illegal. My mother was completely against it and would give my father the cold shoulder even if he said the word ‘damn’ or ‘ass.’ She thought cursing should only be reserved for low life, uneducated people, and we certainly were not either of those. But as I got older, I realized that cursing was really was not this huge deal my mother made it out to be. Around age 13, I started cursing more and more, but before then I did not at all. I was not uneducated or low life, and I was not trying to rebel against my parents. I just liked to curse."

          Parents cursing in front of their children is one of the reasons it is believed that our generation and younger have adapted to using cursing as fillers in our conversational style. Students find that cursing is normal and not that offensive unless put in an aggressive manner.

Diony Dominguez, 21, said, "Cursing depends on the context of a conversation. Anyone can curse depending on tone, context,  and their audience. For obvious reasons there are situations where cursing is not acceptable, such as business settings."

Although since cursing is expected within a student conversational style, how does it seem to a student when a professor curses?

Dominguez said, "Cursing by professors, as long as mutual respect is maintained,  just leads to a slightly more relaxed classroom that in some cases even leads to more student participation. I have been in classes where the professor has cursed and in these courses, the professor and the students have more of a two sided conversation than the standard of a professor lecturing. This is not a result of the professor cursing, but rather the fact that the professors that lecture in this relaxed manner I have seen curse."

Lundin agreed, "I think a student automatically sees a teacher as being ‘proper.’ If a high school teacher curses, students go wide eyed and open-mouthed. It is not expected behavior from a teacher. College students still view their professor as such, but the reaction is not as surprising as it would be in high school. College students would probably see the professor as ‘awesome’ or ‘cool.’".

Nicholas Dawybida,19, explains that even in high school, he has experienced teachers cursing. "In high school, one of my teachers cursed regularly while teaching. Personally, I was not bothered by it at all, and I noticed that many kids actually paid more attention when his lectures were riddled with curses."

Cursing is a natural function in college and is becoming more and more prevalent among teens. This isn't bad nor is it good; it just is how it is, and we have all grown to accept it as the years have gone on.