Deadly Roads

The new winter’s snow has just fallen and Aristides Pereira and company were heading back from a short visit with some friends in Oosaka, Japan, but they were not prepared for the events that were to come.

Pereira recants that he was heading back with friends from Oosaka to Sendai. The long drive, which totals to 400 miles long, was switched off between Pereira and his friends so that each could get a sufficient amount of rest. One of his friends recommended going through the back roads because he said it would be faster going through there than the highways, which have more traffic. Pereira hesitant about the decision reluctantly followed his friend’s recommendation.

After driving for about 8 hours, Pereira traded seats with his friend with only around a 100 miles left until they reached their home, Sendai. The group reached a tunnel and the driver at the time sped up to 45 miles per hour, keep in mind that it was the first snow had already begun to fall, and this disturbed Pereira. Pereira feeling slight discomfort asked if his friend could slow down a bit, but his friend insisted that everything would be fine. The group had finally reached the end of the tunnel, but this was no sigh of relief for them because the situation escalated from the moment they left that tunnel.

The old Nissan vehicle they were driving was equipped with snow tires, but that was not enough to save the group from what was to happen next. The group exited the tunnel driving at an excess speed of 45 miles per hour and they were coming to a turn, fast. The driver then realized that he was not be able to turn in enough time, but even worse was that a semi-truck was heading towards the tunnel. The car skid even though it was equipped with snow tires and the group frighteningly watched as they quickly approached the semi-truck with no reduction in speed.

Then they hit. The Nissan crushed beneath the semi-truck’s side left the group in a daze. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Most of the people in the car came out of the accident with minor fractures. However, Pereira was not as fortunate to walk off with minor injuries. Pereira, who had to be rescued with the use of the Jaws of Life, suffered from a cracked vertebrae and was at the feet of death with an exposed pipe lying a couple of feet away from his face, but his seat belt saved him. Pereira was then transported immediately to a nearby hospital after he was rescued.

Pereira was unable to walk until six months later, however that was with the assistance of a walker because of the immense amount of damage dealt to his body. Even until this day, he experiences back pains from the accident. Although he was upset that they hit the semi-truck and that he suffered the worst injuries of the group, he mentioned that he was also grateful that the semi-truck was there because if it were not, then they would have plummeted off the cliff side. Pereira’s story is a reminder to be safe while driving and always wear a seat belt.

Photography: An art or an obsession?

Vintage Sunset

The myspace age is here and the usual different angled poses of faces are what make up most of the profile pictures. Where has the originality and creativity gone?

The Myspace Era is here and plastered all over people’s pages are over-exposed, weirdly angled poses of what they assume is art, but it really is an obsession. Where is the creativity or originality? Even though the camera is not a professional camera, it shouldn’t limit a person’s creative flow.

Furthermore, a little thought and time can make an excellent picture. Today’s cameras can meet the specific needs of any occasion. If it is a portrait, landscape, night-time, or action shot, today’s cameras are built with the specifications to handle these type of events; thus, giving flexibility for the user. However, despite the numerous functions of these cameras a picture can still look awful, two main factors the user should be concerned about are focus and lighting.

Firstly, focus is the epitome of the picture, without focus the subject will not be clearly seen, thus losing the picture’s aesthetics. Focus is important, especially regarding the distance between the camera and the subject. If the subject is small a macro-shot would be suitable for the occasion, thus catching the minute details; while if a person were to use a macro-shot for a larger subject, then the subject would be blurred  with only minimal detail being portrayed on the camera. Focus in a portrait-shot should be a reasonable distance away from the subject. Anything closer than two feet is going to ruin the focus of the picture, especially if the camera is on auto-focus because it will blur the subject. Focus is dependent on the event, the surroundings, and the subject, so one must know how to gauge their distance away from the subject to avoid unnecessary blur from the camera being out of focus. Another important factor to keep mindful of is the lighting.

Secondly, based on the situation a person should be concerned about the lighting of the area. Is it too bright, just right, or too dark? If it is night time, it would be wise to use flash; however, the subject needs to be a reasonable distance away from the camera because the camera will not capture the light projected from the camera if the subject is too far. If the subject is outdoors during the day, flash is unnecessary because there is enough light in the area for the camera to capture. If these two areas are covered well, the picture should turn out to be decent.

Finally, a person should not limit their creative skills just because everyone else is doing it. Truly creative people think out of the box and use their resources properly to efficiently and effectively make a great picture. So, will you step out of the box and be creative to make art? Or will you be just another obsessive myspace addict that lacks the creative flow and wants to be like everyone else?

Think out of the box

Local Teams to fend off Foreign Rivals

Out to Win!

Photo Courtesy of Eric Rosario, Chief Photographer of ABC 7 News.

Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, Palau, Saipan , Japan and Guam will for a short time become enemies; however, not political enemies, but enemies on water. Although, local teams will show that they are not a force to be reckoned with.

International outrigger canoe teams are making their way to Guam this October to test their skills against their rivals from all over the Pacific Ocean. The Micro Cup is an event hosted by three different countries: Palau, Guam, and Saipan and it rotates every year. Despite the title of Micronesian Cup, it is not only a race for the islands in Micronesia but also open for other countries; hence, the arrival of Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan.

Last year’s Micro Cup was held in Palau at Skotso, Meyuns where Guam’s juniors came out victorious in their division and the adult teams had a good representation too. This will be the event’s 10th anniversary and Guam has received the honor of sponsoring the first decade anniversary of the tri-island event. According to Haggan Outrigger Canoe Club Member Manager, Jane Crisostomo, the event will be held on October 18th and 19th, conveniently coinciding with Guam’s Micronesia Fair combining for a cultural, fun filled weekend.

This is a chance for young teams to step their game up and show older, experienced teams that despite age, they are equally fierce on the water. Man Hi’ta a team that started off as leisure paddlers are now the top ranked Mixed team in sprint races. Man Hi’ta, which means “Together We are One” in Chamorro, which is headed by Bennie Ann Mesa has come a far way since the beginning of this year as she says, “Man Hi’ta have established themselves as a team that can paddle as hard and with as much heart as any other older, experienced team out there.” She thinks that the team will definitely be ready for their off-island competitors this October, “We will truly show them our Chamorro prowess on water!”

The Micro Cup is consisted of three sprints and a long distance race. Membership Manager for Haggan Outrigger Canoe Club, Jane Crisostomo, adds that the sprints have three different race course lengths, which are 500 meters, 1000 meters, and 1500 meters. The long distance course is 10 miles and runs from Hagatna Boat Basin to Two Lover’s Point and back to Boat Basin. The Haggan Outrigger Canoe Club offers a carbo-loading dinner the night before the race and after the race there will be an Awards Ceremony followed by a luncheon also sponsored by Haggan Outrigger Canoe Club.

The Micro Cup is open for the general public to come, watch, and enjoy. Bobby Cruz of Man Hi’ta says “Please come down and support your local teams or islands, if you are either from Saipan or Palau!” Cruz, who is originally from Saipan is excited to challenge his native brothers and sisters this October. Yuriko Skibang, also from Man Hi’ta and originally from Palau, is equally excited because her son will be arriving with Palau’s junior team this year and she says, “Even though he is my son I will show no mercy on him because I expect the same from him and my cousins who are coming.” The public once again is invited to join in on the fun weekend and see Guam represent their island with pride.

Experience through learning

Joseph
Taitano
01/14/09
PA 233

There are ten categories that employers look for in students that went to college. All of these pieces make an ideal employee that employers will be looking for in prospective applicants. Employers are looking for people with these characteristics because it helps them see the reliability, performance, and practical application levels of the employee. Firstly, a good work ethic is needed to determine how well a person works.
I think I have a good work ethic, but I need to be on my toes constantly or else I will lose interest in the work I am doing. Currently I work as a math tutor for Student Support Services and the job is okay because I interact with students constantly which is the reason I love the job. However, I lose interest whenever the students do not come in for tutoring which results with my boss making me do his job to make up for my idleness. I am a hard working person, I just need to socialize a lot or do a lot of interactive activities to keep me interested in the job.

I have a lot of self-motivation, as I have stated before, if I am interested in the job. I love my job, especially at the beginning of the semester because that is when all the students come in to sign up for tutoring. I really love helping people learn and I love it even more when they pick up the concepts because of what I taught them, it gives me a sense of accomplishment. Although, when it reaches mid semester fewer students show up for tutoring so we are stuck just doing office work, which I hate, and that is when I start losing my motivation.

I am a pretty honest person, but when it comes to work and school I am always honest. I have had Dr. Salas and Dr. Pereira both for morning classes before and whenever I would miss their class because I overslept and they asked I would tell them that I had overslept. I do not see the point in lying to people, it leaves a sense of guilt which would just overwhelm me. Even with my work I am honest because I have already established a relationship with all my superiors. I always come into work unless something important comes up and that is when I would call up my work to inform them that I will be absent due to a particular reason. I really think honesty is what helps build strong and long-lasting relationships so I believe that if I start it out that other people can hopefully catch up on it.

I believe that time management is definitely one of my weakest points. I am very bad at managing times and keeping track of schedules because it will slip my mind unless I see it on a paper because I have some photographic memory. Keeping track of schedules and having total order is something that I cannot do with perfection because I love being spontaneous and trying out new things which does not correlate well with a fixed schedule. I can follow a loose schedule which allows variation but I cannot just follow routine day in and day out.

I would like to think I have good money management skills. I have a savings account that is active and has funds in it and I also have a checkings account, which I manage properly. I will not say that I am a frugal person because I do like to buy brand names that I trust, but I am not the type of person that spends all the money I earned in the course of a week. I was raised to watch the way I spend money and it has stuck with me ever since and has really helped me be decisive with what I need and what I want.

I am a very physically active person. I love sports, but I really love outrigger canoeing or paddling in particular. Currently, I am a coach and captain for Team Man Hi’ta under the club Haggan Outrigger Canoe Club. I love paddling because it really involves team work and being interactive with teammates. The crew has to work as one because if they do not and the rhythm is off then the entire canoe will lose momentum and could possibly flip. Paddling is in the truest sense a team sport because you cannot finish without everyone being totally in sync and having the same form as the other members in the team. I know without a doubt that I am an active person and I really love interacting and working with other people as I have stated before. I can pick up on most physical skills without much difficulty. I just need to observe the skill a few times and I can pick up on it, but if I cannot then I keep on practicing until I can do it.

I think I am healthy in the physical sense, but in the emotional sense I am still trying to recover from all the traumas of this past fall semester. I always watch what I eat and keep myself balanced on junk food intake plus I constantly exercise usually around five times a week. I paddle three times a week and run twice a week coupled with a couple of calisthenic exercises in between both sessions.

However, my emotional health is not in the greatest condition because of the recent deaths of loved ones this past fall. I found out that one of my best friends had committed suicide on September 21st because of personal problems and it irked me because I could have done so much for her if I had known about her problems. I really felt that I had no value as a supportive friend because I did not even know she was going through such trials. Her family told me not to blame myself, but I did because I should have been able to pick up on her distress signals but I could not.

Secondly, not even a month later on October 19th my dad passed away and this threw me into a massive state of depression because I did not know he passed away until my sister called up and notified me. My step-mother who had ignored all of my calls to check up on my father and she did not even bother to notify me of the situation. I am a very level headed person and it takes a lot to make me angry because my tolerance is very high; however, this really set me over the edge with anger because I felt betrayed by her and I honestly tried my best to constantly check up on my father by calling every weekend. The reason I did not even go to my own dad’s funeral was because my step mother was there and I did not want to blast her in front everybody because it would bring shame to my dad’s funeral which is the last thing I wanted to do.

I remember when I found out from my sister that my dad had passed away I had just left the food court at G.P.O. and I just broke down and started tearing and my friends were freaking out because they have never seen me like that before. I told them that my father passed away and my friend came up to me, hugged me, and started to cry with me. I just broke down in a public place and I did not care because all that mattered to me at that time was the news that I had just received.

Lastly, my cousin passed around two weeks later on November 5th, he died from drowning. I was sad about this because he had only graduated a couple of semesters earlier and did not have the chance to do what he wanted to do. After this I fell into a deep depression mode and I did not really want to do anything because I had lost a lot of energy enduring these tough tribulations. However, my mom reminded me that the last thing they would want me to do is dwell on the situations and fail in school. When she said that it really brought me back to reality and snapped me out of that dark place I was sitting in, she really saved me from a situation that could have turned much worse.

I think I can type thirty five words per minute and take legible notes. Well, honestly it depends on the person who is reading my notes and I could make the notes clearer if I am taking them for someone else. I only take notes if they are absolutely necessary, because most times I do not use the notes I just memorize them by correlating them with something else. I think I can type thirty five words per minute if I have something in front of me to follow because if I have to think it might take a little bit longer. Most likely with more practice I can improve on these skills, I just need to observe or practice more.

I can communicate well if I know the other person well. I am shy when it comes to new people, but once I get to know them I can communicate much better. Most of the time I like to communicate one-on-one, however I can communicate with a group, but as I have stated, I just need to know the group well. I can present to peers that are around my age with no problem, but if it is in front of people who are older I cannot look them directly in the face because of cultural reasons, such as what happened in the Rotarian meeting this past Tuesday. I really love using visual displays because it can link the presenter with the group better since they can see the example and can comprehend the concepts more clearly.

I think another weakness of mine is communicating clearly with writing. English is not my first language so it is hard for me to communicate clearly on paper. My grammar and structure is not really that great either because sometimes I mix up structures with the Palauan structure style. I can edit and reproof work, but I would not say that I am the forefront of English structure and vocabulary however I think I can fare well on my own. I can use emails and other forms of electronic communication at an intermediate level, anything beyond basics would confound me.

I work well with people directly and that is how I prefer it. I love communicating with people, more specifically peers, better than on the phone because it is more personal and helps me read reactions better. My current job as a math tutor allows me to work with people on a face-to-face basis and helps me create relationships more easily. I work great in teams and this can be proven through paddling, which is a team-based sport. I am definitely a socialite and I love talking and sharing life experiences with other people. As a coach and captain of my paddling team I really love to teach people how to paddle and demonstrate the proper form and style of paddling. Also as a math tutor I love to teach people how to solve problems and I love it even more when the people leave fully understanding the concepts that I helped them learn.

I think I can influence people with some degree of profundity but it depends on the level of the relationship I have with them. If I have a good, personal relationship with them I believe my influence will be apparent. If I am not close with the individual then my influence will not be as apparent unless they are around me. I can manage efficiently if the situation arises because I do the same with my paddling team. I manage our practices and race rosters, who goes in what seat and what the rate of speed, style, and pace to paddle.

I think I can sell myself successfully as a person, but only if people do not judge based on appearance. I have a very friendly and approachable attitude, however most people just think I am some thief or bad person because I always wear a jacket-hoodie. Although, by having that experience it helps me weed out all the shallow people who base others off of appearance rather than character. As I have stated before, I can make decisions on the top of my feet when it is needed. I can lead effectively because being a coach and captain requires me to make decisions on behalf of the team and to lead the team to make them all into national team qualifiers.

I can gather safe, reliable information and research with ease because of the internet and the University of Guam’s EBSCO. I really make use of EBSCO because it provides reliable research for my projects also because it puts my school fees to good use. I can use the internet with ease but I am always skeptical whether the information is reliable and based off of well-done research. I can prove anything with proper research which makes it easier on me rather than just formulating a hypothesis and proving it with my own research which could be inaccurate.

I can conduct interviews which is what I did with the surveys which we just did as a class. I do not have a problem with conducting interviews with peers my age, but it is harder for me to ask those who are older than me because of courtesy issues in my culture. I have done a couple of surveys for my classes and I find statistics very interesting. I really love statistics because I can prove what the general public believes in and support causes with needed statistics. I keep good records of everything I keep my old receipts, letters from friends, and even gift-wrapping paper. I still have my notes from middle school just to keep it as reference for future projects and to see my views from when I was younger.

I use calculators all the times because it comes with my job as a math tutor. I think that calculators are unneeded though because I believe if a person just works the problem out instead of relying on a calculator then they can understand the concepts better. I use numbers almost everyday because of my job as a math tutor I can. I love numbers but I have no intention of becoming an accountant even though the pay is high because I would not like to sit in an office all day. I use graphs and tables to help students relate to the problem easier, however most of my students can catch up on the concept once I explain it to them more simply.

One of my biggest weaknesses is using the spreadsheet program Excel. I took BA 130, Introduction to Computer Operations, which is supposed to teach students how to use basic computer applications such as Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. I received a “C” in the class because I had very little interest in the subject, especially in Excel. I passed the class on all applications with the exception of the Excel section because I did not understand the subject and  majority of our grades were based on the Excel applications. I can use other applications with ease, I just cannot grasp the Excel program because of its complicated programs.

I think when a person asks a question it all depends on the situation and the attitude of the person who is being asked the question. There are appropriate times to ask questions and there are times that questions should be refrained. I remember when my dad passed away and people kept asking if I was okay even though it was obvious that I was not. In this situation I felt that it was inappropriate for people to constantly ask me how I was doing even though the question had good intentions, this is an example of asking a question at the wrong time.

I believe answering a question with the right answer depends on the content of the question. If a question is invasive and is not for an application then you have every right to not answer the question. Although if it is a question that is not invasive then I think that the right answer comes from being honest. Even though the person who asks the question may not like my answer, what is most important is that I answered honestly. An honest answer is the best answer a person can receive to a question.

I am not an authority on detecting lies but I think I can tell when a person is lying to me. I have experienced the damage lies can do. My brother used to gamble, steal, and do drugs and he would lie to my family that he is just working late. I could tell that he was someone different because he would always stutter when he lied and he would never look me straight in the eye when he was lying. My brother’s skin started becoming pale and chaffed because he was so dehydrated from using the drugs. I was twelve years old when I found out that he was stealing from me, it made me upset to think that my brother would take this path. I finally knew it when I found my wallet empty and sitting open on top of my bed. I confronted him about it and he started yelling at me because I was accusing him of stealing my money. I am able to detect some characteristics if a person is lying, but I am far from an expert in lie detection.

I pay attention to detail to a great extent. I am a photographer so paying attention to details is a very important factor in photography. I love all the details that make the composition of a photograph such as lighting, timing, angle, and depth. I try to apply my knowledge of photography in all of my photographs. I do the same with my work. I pay attention to detail and to some extent I am a perfectionist when it comes to details. I do not slack when it comes to my work and I try my best to make sure that my work is perfect. I always use any past knowledge to assist me in my work, which is good because I know that not all of the things I learned have gone to waste. I am a spontaneous person so it is hard for me to evaluate actions and policies because I tend to overlook those things, as I have stated before.

I love solving problems, whether it is personal, mathematical, or managerial problems. I have many close friends who tell me their problems and I love to help them and give advice. I really love it when I help solve problems because it makes me feel that I am of use. I help solve math problems all the time because of my job and I really feel accomplished when the students leave understanding the concepts. As a paddling captain and coach I have to manage my team and do administrative work to keep my team afloat, so I think I am pretty well-rounded it when it comes to solving problems and making decisions.

I think it is pretty easy identifying a problem because it is something that causes a setback from progress. A problem I had this past fall semester was that I spent the entire last half of the semester being depressed and not fully focusing on school because of the deaths that happened in my life. I totally lost all focus of everything in front of me and only focused on trying to solve the reason these people who were so dear to me passed away so quickly, however it was not the solution instead it was the problem. I never arrived to a solution.

I tried to develop a solution but in the end my mom was the one who solved it for me. I went through the entire time thinking that my world was crashing down on me but instead it was a life lesson which I had to learn. Although, I wished that these traumatizing events did not happen, I think it was a trial to test my inner strength. Thanks to my mom I survived because of her advice. She told me that I cannot spend the entire time dwelling in what had happened and that they would not want me to do bad in life because of their deaths. She told me that when my grandparents passed away within the same year she took it hard but she realized she needed to put food on the table and support us. She reminded me that they all would want me to be the best person I could possibly be.

I took the advice that my mom gave me and put it into reality. When I recovered partially, I started to open up again and slowly turned back to normal. This was not something easy for to do because I was so close to these people and it hit me hard. However, the lesson my mom taught me helped me see the errors of my ways. I have truly found the solution for life and it is not to live in regret or wallow in sorrow.

Photography: Different Strokes for Different Folks

There are many different types of photography that exist out there. Portrait, nature, and conceptual are just a few general categories. However, just because there is a certain category, i.e. nature, that does not mean that all the pictures will look similar because just as every person is different, every picture is different too.

Through these categories a person can find their niche and go with it. Although, there are some pretty flexible photographers who can shoot just about anything and make it seem as if they had been shooting that category for centuries. One has to remember it’s not the brand of the camera, i.e. Nikon, Canon, Leica, Pentax, and Sony, or the equipment, i.e. filters, lens, and tripods, that makes a picture look great, it is the creativity and skill of the photographer that determines the outcome. Many factors determine the structure of a photo such as lighting, focus, depth, cognitive value, and much more.

Portrait photography, in a nutshell, is taking photographs of other people or even oneself. The basic composition of a portrait photograph can be incredibly simple, such as a family photograph or school picture, or it can be extremely complex depending on the creative flow of the photographer. However, there is a difference between portrait photography and Myspace profile pictures and the difference lies within the composition of the picture. Myspace profile pictures, for the most part, are usually overexposed, weirdly angled, and sometimes involve some sort of gang insignia being represented in the picture, i.e. “W” for West-side, “Peace Sign” for the anime fans, and the oh-so islander “Hang Loose” sign. But just as mentioned before it is all dependent on the creative flow and skill of the photographer, which determine the complexity or composition of a photograph.

Nature photography encompasses everything that deals with nature, i.e. flora, fauna, and structures of the Earth, and can include the sun and the ocean. From the Siberian snow-filled tundra to the dry deserts of Australia to the luscious rain-forests of the Amazon to the tropical paradise of Palau all these places carry some form of life that can be subjects to the watchful eye of the camera. The variety makes this category very popular because it becomes the eyes for the viewers of the particular place and helps their imagination flow or possibly help sway a destination choice for a vacation.

Conceptual photography is the center of creative flow and technical thought. These photographs have meaning beneath the initial photograph, they represent a story that the photographer is trying to tell. Some photographs have apparent concepts and are easy to understand, but some of the best conceptual photographs rely heavily on the interpretation of the photograph and require deep thought to fully understand the concept. However, there are some apparent conceptual photographs that can be striking as well, such as a picture of a starving child which envokes a feeling of guilt and pity to the viewer. Conceptual photography is a category that can really help photographers build their photography skills with careful thought.

Remember, the equipment does not capture the viewer’s eye, it’s the creative originality of the photographer that determines a great photograph. Do not be afraid to try something new or different because it helps set a photographer apart from another. With that said, people will always be different, so there will always be “different strokes for different folks.” Also, “a picture can tell a thousand words.” Finally, can you set yourself apart from the rest and dare to be different?

Living in School

A CHamorro from Tini'an and a Palauan

The dormitories are the residence halls for the University of Guam. People from all over Micronesia, the United States, Asia, Europe, and Australia come to live at the dorms, which helps build the diversity of the University.

The dormitories are really diverse in cultures and lifestyles. At the dorms there are CHamorros from the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, Palauans, Carolinians, Chuukese, Pohnpeiians, Kosraeans, Marshallese, Yapese, Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, and Germans and these are just a fraction of the nationalities that live there. The people are friendly and get along well with each other. There are many activities that the residents engage in throughout the semester, examples are: Wine and Cheese Tasting Night, Karaoke Nights, Movie Nights, and parties just to name a few. Essentially, the dorms is a melting pot where different ethnicities come to mingle.

The diversity of the dormitories are immense. There are CHamorros from the Northern Marianas Islands, which includes Saipan, Tini’an, and Rota that are staying at the dorms, some are fluent in the CHamorro language and they show great pride that they are from the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. There are the Palauans from all over Palau from the Northernmost Island, Kayangel, to the Southernmost – Palauan-speaking island – island, Angaur with their betelnut baskets and spitoons, or “olbaol” in Palauan. There are the Carolinians from Saipan and the other Carolinians from the Southern Islands west of Chuuk and East of Yap. There are the Chuukese from all over the lagoon most speaking the varied dialects of the lagoon. Pohnpeiians from all over are residing at the dorms that are from Pingelap, Kapingamangari, the lost island of Polynesia, and the main island of Pohnpei. There are also people from “The Jewel of Micronesia,” or Kosrae, residing at the dorms. There are also Marshallese and Yapese residing at the dorms with their colorful cultures. There are other ethnicities such as Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, and Germans that have been residing at the dorms and are just as lively as the Micronesians. With all these different nationalities residing there, who wouldn’t want to stay and experience the thriving cultural melting pot?

There are many activities that the dorms takes part in. The dorms has Wine-and-Cheese Tasting Night, basically, it’s an outlet to share the creativity of the people of the dorms through different mediums, such as art, photography, poems, essays, songs, and etc. They hold Karaoke Nights with the help of Magic Mic and a a few brave people who are willing to sing first, which usually end up being a success with everyone having a lot of fun at the end of the night. There are Movie Nights, as well, that are usually held every other Friday night and most of the movies are fairly recent with the exception of themed nights, such as Halloween where they were showing such classics as Poltergeist, The Excorcist, and Nightmare on Elm Street. The dorms also has a lot of parties, they have a Welcome Party in the Fall semester to welcome all the new students and to welcome back all the old students. They have End-of-the-Semester bashes to celebrate the completion of the semester where people can wind down and enjoy themselves without having to worry because the semester is over. The dorms is definitely a great place to live with such diversity and color.

So why would you not want to stay at the dorms?

Perfecting the Art of Procrastination

Kyla Marie Aquino doesn’t do her homework until 15 minutes before it is due, she doesn’t gas until the light is on, and she claims that procrastination is hereditary; thus, revolutionizing this sacred art.

Are you one of many people, such as Kyla, who suffers from chronic procrastination?

Kyla Marie Aquino first donned this Earth on October 4, 1988 and graduated from George Washington High School in 2006. Furthermore, she has 11 siblings. Right now you may be asking “what is the significance of these pieces of information?”.

Well, since October 4, 1988 she has carefully honed her skills in procrastination, the best start training when they are young. This graduate from George Washington High School Class of 2006, had to help mother her 9 other siblings, while her older brother was off accomplishing his dreams. This mighty gecko had to master procrastination in order to handle the massive amount of siblings she had to care for compounded with school work, house work, and part-time work. These factors helped establish her as a leading procrastinator.

Here are some examples of her crafty procrastination:

1.) Kyla said that losing weight is a problem she has. She says she always postpones the time she is supposed to go running. She says she would do it the next day, but as we all know that “tomorrow” never comes: an example of cunning procrastination and avoiding evil “deadlines.”

2.) In most cases, many people gas their cars when the gas light goes on. She usually says “I’ll gas on the way home” or “I’ll gas it early in the morning before class.” She said “One time, my car died out but luckily 3 feet away from the gas station … my brother had to push the car into the station.” She felt it was really embarrassing. She waits until the very last moment to gas her car, which has always proven successful, except for that one time she died in front of the gas station.

3.) She says she is also terrible with homework. She is the type of student that waits 3 hours before the deadline to start on the assignment. She says “Unless it comes to presentations because I usually enjoy doing more than what is needed.” For example, last year in her EN111 class, her class had to write a 25-page paper which was due at the end of the semester. However, being the master of Procrastination, she waited 24 hours until assignment submission before she began to work on the paper. Luckily, she finished the paper and was able to turn it in on time. A testament to her awesome skills.

Kyla recommends those who are skilled in the art of procrastination to continue to practice the art. She has come thus far with her brilliant skills and she believes that if anyone puts their mind to it, that they can do it too. However, she warns those who are new to procrastination to proceed with caution because it is a dangerous skill and should be used with utmost concentration. She claims that if a person is “laid-back” enough and has many priorities to juggle that individual may become the next “Master of Procrastination.”

Below: Kyla, the Master of Procrastination.

The Master of Procrastination