The Woods

By Jena Thralls
Columnist

Remember the story about squishing a deer with the loser’s truck I told you about? Well it’s about time for another one. Except this story not with a deer, but a pony instead.
Don’t worry, I didn’t hit a pony with a truck. In fact, I didn’t get behind the wheel at all! Same place, same shit, and a different day. I was working at a local business and had a pretty close relationship with my boss. A husband and a wife owned the business, and at least one of them was always in and out of the office.
Jim always gave me a hard time when he came in. He was a funny guy, who over-analyzed everything. I’ve always been independent and have never really relied on a significant other for any reason. He over-analyzed this into a false assumption that I was gay.
I was taken aback by this, and I argued fervently with him that I was not gay. I explained to him that I was looking for the right person, and that he was going to be pretty much perfect for me. He’d be smart, have a good job, be able to support the family, and so on. When I finally finished rambling, there was a moment of silence, where Jim just stared at me.
Finally, he questioned, “So, you’re telling me that if a man showed up on a white horse, with roses and candy, you’d go on a date with him?”
During my explanation, he’d apparently made a lot of other assumptions too. I couldn’t even argue with him anymore. So, I just laughed and said, “Sure.”
The day went on and I didn’t think anything of the conversation we’d had. It was hardly out of the ordinary. Come four o’clock it was time to go home.  Just as I was walking out the door reality hit me like a stack of bricks. I had completely dismissed the fact that Jim had a son, who was a graduate from Rose- Hulman, working as a full-time chemical engineer. A genius. Very nice. Computer-junkie-never-had-a-girlfriend kind of guy.
And there he was standing right in front of me. Riding a stick pony with roses and a candy bar. My face turned white. I’m pretty sure I looked up to the sky and thought, “Really?”
Cody smiled behind his glasses, “So you want to go on a date?” And he was dead serious.
What could I say? Seriously, think about it. This guy went to Toys ’R’ Us, walked straight down the stick pony isle, looked for a white unicorn, picked it up, waited in line with it, and paid for it. Then he rode his brand spankin’ new stick pony to the nearest flower shop to buy flowers. And then with his flowers and stick pony he took time to pick out the best candy bar ever invented—which was a Carmello, by the way.
So yes, of course I went on a date with the kid.
Of all places, Cody chose to go to Indianapolis. I have to say it was really classy, but still not my cup of tea. We went ice-skating and then out to eat at a nice restaurant afterwards. It was the most awkward experience ever. First, he wanted to hold my hand the entire time we skated. And I mean the entire time was a long damn time. Circle, after circle, after another stupid circle. I didn’t even care that we were holding hands. My ankles were on fire. My skates were splitting them in half.
The car ride home, he (not I) talked about math equations. I never thought I’d be engaged in such a conversation. Except, I wasn’t really engaged in it at all.
When he finally brought me back to my car, I’ve never moved fast enough in my life. Nothing like trying to avoid that completely unnecessary first date kiss thing. Yikes!
Anyway, Cody and I were still on good terms at least. I mean, at least I didn’t wreck his car.  He was a very nice guy, and I actually enjoyed the date more than I thought I would. Aside from the fact that my ankles are still scarred to this day, I guess it was fun while it lasted.

Popularity: 27% [?]

By Jena Thralls
Columnist

Growing up, I was always terrified of planes.  But when I entered college and met my friend Sondra Blake, we made a pact that we would not graduate college without skydiving.
Sondra did some research and found a small place in Franklin where it would be cheapest to skydive. My first thought was, “Great, it’s going to be a dingy little garage with a tiny creepy plane with creepy people who have no freakin’ clue what they’re doing. Awesome.”
So the entire way there, on those back roads surrounded by cornfields, my heart was only racing faster.  I was absolutely terrified and could not believe that I had $140 in my pocket that I was going to give to some dude so I could literally sign the possibility of my life away.
There were four of us: Sondra, Jay, Nikki, and myself. When we finally got there I was pleased to find that it wasn’t the dingy, creepy garage that I had imagined. Instead, there was a huge blue barn with two small airplanes inside.
Because there were only two small planes, we had to go one at a time. If anyone knows Sondra Blake, they know that she is pretty much fearless. So I wasn’t surprised when she volunteered to go up first. I, being the only one who had never stepped foot on a plane, decided to go last.
So we were all waiting on Fearless Sondra to land in this cornfield. I expected the usual crazed girl I’ve always known. When you land from a tandem skydive (with someone attached to your back), you are supposed to hold your feet straight out so you can slide in on your rear.
Cameras ready, we hooted and hollered for Sondra as she was getting closer to the ground. But something wasn’t right. She wasn’t lifting her legs up. Instead she was limp, and several instructors leapt to help her so that she wouldn’t break her legs when they landed. She passed out! She literally passed out in mid-air!  Approaching her, I noticed that she was sheet white and her lips were blue. Of course, I was on the verge of hyperventilating now.
The instructors then informed us that people pass out at least once a week as a result of the tight straps that are to be fastened around your legs. Sondra would admit that she did enjoy the experience, but she only remembers the free fall.
When it was finally my turn to step onto the plane, I was in a dreamlike state.  When we were leaving the ground, I was eager. Watching everything grow smaller was fascinating. It was sunset by then, and the earth looked as if it were dusted with gold.
The entire time we were up in the plane, the pilot and my instructor were playing pranks on me. They would open the window to startle me or, better yet, turn the plane upside down.
When we finally reached our designated height, they opened the door. Right then I thought, “What did I get myself into?” We were flying so fast, and the wind was so strong, I was numb from the coldness despite the hot weather.  They counted to three and I jumped.
Flipping out of the plane, adrenaline overtook my entire body. I was flying. I have never felt so free in my life. It was a little difficult to breathe, because I was falling so fast. But I didn’t care, because it was the time of my life. When we pulled the chute, everything seemed to click into slow motion. It was, again, very dreamlike. I kept saying, “I just jumped out of a plane,” to my instructor. I had almost forgotten he was there during free fall.
When we landed, I remember looking up to the sky, where I had just literally fallen from. I saw the plane that I had just threw myself from and realized that I had not only gotten on a plane, but had jumped out of it too!

Popularity: 14% [?]

By Jena Thralls
Columnist

I could feel the beads of sweat forming on my forehead. Seriously? Did she just say she wanted to hook me up with her son? I struggled for words. I should have just said no.
I had been working at this local tanning salon for a while and I saw a lot of the same people every day.  We’ll call her Susan. She had been coming in for a long time now, and she’d obviously taken a liking to me.  So here she was, looking at me as wide-eyed as a toddler on Christmas Day. I was still trying to look for an excuse to turn her down. I had nothing.  Hell why not. I was 18 and feeling adventurous.
When I was finally at the date, all fantasizing was done and I met the tall lanky Adam. He was very polite and… average. I’d hate to admit, but I could already tell we probably wouldn’t go on another date.
We went to The Outback and enjoyed a nice dinner and he was really easy to talk to. Maybe a little too easy. He soon informed me that his ex-girlfriend was pregnant—by him. I felt my face turn white because I was so shocked. He then added that she was “crazy”.  Great. I believe I said something like, “Oh, wow. Eh, congrats!”
We then headed to the movies, but the cheesy zombie movie that Adam wanted to see wasn’t going to be on for another hour so he decided he wanted to drive on back roads and look for deer. Alrighty then. So we’re driving around on back roads and he decides to pull over his truck. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and plotted how I would kick him right in the—“So do you want to drive?” he asked.
If anyone knows a country boy, they know that if you decline the opportunity to drive their truck it would be the biggest ego-buster ever. I mean the truck was just okay. Sigh. I should have just said no.
So I drive his “okay” truck. I was having a horrible time. He was just too into this whole thing. Talking my ear off about his crazy pregnant ex-girlfirend…
And then it happened. It was like slow motion. It was almost as if this deer was skipping with joy as it frenzied across the road and straight into the front of his “okay” truck. Clump. I heard it as it tumbled underneath the engine and eventually I ran it completely over.
I slammed on the breaks and jumped out of the truck, and Adam did the same. I stood there looking at the damage I had just done to his stupid “okay” truck.  I was humiliated and so ashamed I couldn’t breathe. I noticed Adam was missing. I turned around to see that he was over in the ditch looking at the deer. Of the entire night, he looked the dumbest right then and there. He breathed, “I think it’s alive.”
I felt my face get hot. I didn’t give two shits about the deer.  I totally should have just said no.
Adam wasn’t really all that upset about his truck, thank God. But he did call me for the next three weeks non-stop, even when I didn’t answer—which was never. And I heard about it every day from his mother just as well. To top it all off, he showed up to my work one day with a dozen roses and food. Aw. How sweet. Not. It was one date. One terrible, literally wrecked date! Though I wish him best in everything, I have not seen or spoke to him ever since.  True story.

Popularity: 21% [?]

By Jena Thralls
Staff Writer

The current generation has become the generation  of spending money. Students that have loans are everywhere, and America is in an economic turmoil.
On Wednesday, Oct. 20 a nationally recognized group, Money Smart, visited Saint Mary-of-the Woods College to advise the community on how to better manage money. This event was a part of Indiana’s Money Smart Week sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. It was held in Hulman Hall in the Hayes Auditorium.
College students as well as high school students attended the all-day event.  Speakers presented from 9:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Amanda Vester, an SMWC graduate and marketing director at the Indiana State University Credit Union, opened the event by sharing her personal experience during and after college and how she dealt with credit card debt and finding her job.
“Yes, I over-drew my checking account.  Yes, I had credit cards with astronomical interest rates,” Vester admitted. “I finally had to come up to the surface for air and ask my parents for help.”
Vester advised students and staff with three main points: stay away from store credit, read the fine print, and be smart about your credit. Vester said there should never be a time restraint and that reading over a contract is always necessary.
The organization Money Smart has come together to help make a better financial future. It is usually held in Indiana and Wisconsin and West Virginia has most recently joined the organization.
Several speakers followed Vester throughout the day including SMWC’s Susan Gresham, director of Career Development, who offered job hunting tips. Darla Hopper, director of Financial Aid, also spoke and warned students about loans and offered advice for payment options.
The program was closed with Karla Bensinger from Old National Bank. Bensinger was introduced as a “favorite” returning spokesperson.
Bensinger explained the benefits of good credit and talked about how to build good credit.
“Most of us might agree that we’ve come to a generation of spending money,” Bensinger said.
She also strongly encouraged IRA and 401K plans.  Bensinger promised brochures with more information about opening checking accounts at Old National Bank that can be found in the bookstore in Hulman.

Popularity: 23% [?]

By Jena Thralls
Staff Writer

Mary Bungum graduated last year with a major in Equine Business Management and Equine Science. Nervous to get out into the real world, Bungum had no idea what she wanted to do or where she would end up. Within just days, Bungum’s life seemed to fall right into place when she received phone call for a job interview at Kent Feeds.
Bungum is now an account manager for Kent Feeds, a feed company that specializes in animal nutrition.
The job itself was not anything Bungum ever expected she would do.
“This was way off my radar—I never dreamed of doing this,” said Bungum. However, Bungum said she hopes for permanence in the business.  She said Kent Feeds is caring and dedicated to its customers and employees. “I really, really love this company. It’s small and family-based—sort of like The Woods,” she said.
Chris Marks, profesor and department chair of equine studes, said students always need to keep an open mind when they are seeking success in the Equine field.
“I have to say the classes that I took really helped give me a great knowledge base for getting into the business,” Bungum says of her education from SMWC. Her Equine Science background has given her a strong knowledge base for what she does every day.
On a daily basis Bungum travels to horse farms with feed dealers across the state to sell their products. When a horse is ill or injured Bungum provides the customers with options of how they can maintain their horse’s health. She then suggests a type of feed which would be most beneficial to the horses health.
“It’s a hands on job when you’re deciding what the horses need,” Bungum said.

Popularity: 34% [?]

By Jena Thralls
Staff Writer

Being locked up in a dorm room all winter long can get old pretty fast. When school work is overwhelming and money gets tight, it seems so easy to become stressed, irritable, or maybe even a tad bit blue. Here are some of the most random things recommended to keep in your dorm room during the school year:
Plants:  One study at Washington State University showed that people in a room with Chinese Evergreen had a 4-point drop in their systolic blood pressure. The minor and routine care that is needed to take care of the plant can help ease your mind. Plus the presence of a plant is calming and welcoming to the mind. On the days you want to hide under a blanket all afternoon, it gives you encouragement to open up curtains for some sunshine.
The right scent:  The scent you chose for your dorm room can affect your mood every day. If you’re not a morning person, perhaps you might try showering with a citrus or peppermint scented body wash. The scents trigger your brain cells to wake up. If you are stressed during finals week, consider a lavender scent. It is one of the most relaxing of scents.  For more information on calming scents visit http://www.essortment.com/all/aromatherapysce_tund.htm.
The right color: Red might seem warm and may be your favorite color, but when it comes to stress this color is a no-go. It is an exciting color, and triggers the brain to react with spunk. Colors like green, blue, and even pink can help balance and stimulate the human brain. For more details on behavior and colors visit http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/stress-and-color.html.
Chamomile tea: This tea has been used for thousands of years to relieve stress. It was well-known for its curative properties. It can relax muscle tissue and relieve your body of tension and nervousness. It also helps with many other health factors. It may help regulate periods, induce sleep, soothe skin irritation, improve digestion, alleviate common cold symptoms, and even more. So when you are feeling the jitters, have a cup of tea!
Almonds: Almonds are a crunchy and nutritious snack. Enriched with magnesium, zinc, vitamins E and B2, they are sure to help relieve stress. If you’re not much for almonds, try digging into blend of trail mix. Dried fruits and nuts can not only relax your nerves, but they can grant you a day full of energy.
A journal: You might not be the writing kind of person, but keeping a journal can help you stay organized and relieve your stress. When you have those days when you just want to explode and feel like there’s no one to talk to, take it out on your journal! The chances are that when you’re finished, you’ll feel a sense of contentment. Some people don’t keep journals as a result of the fear that someone will hack into them and read, but who cares! If they care enough to read it, then they must be intrigued by your lifestyle. Take it as a compliment and do the “write” thing.
Invest in these six things and enjoy your upcoming stress-reduced winter months. Also keep in mind that exercise is vital in maintaining a stress-free lifestyle.

Popularity: 31% [?]

By Jena Thralls
Staff Writer

She sat in class feeling confused and frustrated for the majority of her days in elementary and junior high school years. She was segregated from the “normal kids” with a group of other disabled students.
“They treated us as if we all had the same disability,” says Jennifer Richards, a senior at Saint Mary-of-the Woods College. Born with a detached retina in one eye, Richards has dealt with a life-long experience of vision impairment.  She says she believes her teachers lied to her parents about her behavior in class. Teachers told her parents that she wasn’t asking for help when she needed it.
“I was asking for help, but they would refuse me,” Richards says.
But when Richards was 10 things changed. On Aug. 1, 1990 the American Disabilities Act was passed. The Act legally protected Americans with disabilities from discrimination. The ADA also promised equal opportunity for employment and proper accommodation for those who are disabled in schools or on work sites.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 36 million Americans have a disability.
“When the disabilities act passed, things got a lot easier,” she said.
Today, a child with vision impairment would not be segregated from an average class of students.
“Because of this act I have the right to more time on tests and assignments, and the right to request ‘accommodations as needed’,” she says.
She also has the right to be treated as any other student.
“When I auditioned for the music department at SMWC, everyone made me feel that I belong here and they wanted me,” Richards says.
Music is her passion. She dreams of being a professional recitalist one day. For a challenge, she has most recently taken up piano lessons.  She spends most of her spare time reading.
SMWC Learning Resource Center assures that Richards and other students with disabilities have the accommodations they need. Students meet with Kimberly LaComba, ADA Advisor, in order to discuss proper accommodations.
“We recognize these needs and support them,” LaComba says.
Students receive a letter to present to their instructors.
“It is very important for a student to submit this information so that she receives the accommodations she deserves,” LaComba says.
Richards says Saint Mary-of-the Woods, the fourth college she has studied at, has been willing to work with and understand her. She says she has earned a valuable education.
“In 7th or 8th grade they told me I would never make it through high school, and then in high school I was told I would never make it through college,” Richards says. “It has taken me longer than most other people, but I have made it through, and I have learned more than I ever did even in high school.”

Popularity: 26% [?]

By Jena Thralls
Staff Writer

College is a new chapter in your life, and you are going to see a lot of different things. You will meet a lot of new people—including your roommate.
Most colleges, especially those in Terre Haute, do not allow freshmen to choose their roommates. They are matched up randomly with another classmate. You have a 50/50 chance that you and your roommate will have a whole lot in common.
Regardless, you still need to be a good roommate. Here are some easy tips on how to be a good roommate:
•  Get to know her: When you are a roommate, you have to remember that you will be living with this person for at least seven months out of a year. Whether or not you are anything alike, you have to try to be her friend. Listen to what she have to say. You will have a better relationship all together if you understand her background and who she is as a person. Surely you’ve been preached to, “Treat people as you would like to be treated.”
•  Be understanding of her hobbies: Always remember to be respectful. If you are interested in reading a book on your spare time, and she prefers playing a loud instrument or music, try to have patience with her. When someone is doing something they love, that is when they are at their best. Remember that because you live with them, you may be one of the few who actually get to see them like that. If they become a little obnoxious, don’t be afraid of a mature confrontation. Say something like, “I really like the way that sounds, but I need to study.”
•  Clean up after yourself: This is one of the most common arguments among roommates. Keep in mind that it makes life easier for both of you if you simply clean up dirty dishes right after they’re used.  Also, remember to take the trash out regularly. Don’t leave your clothes thrown around the room as if no one else lives there; chances are your roommate doesn’t want to see your dirty underwear lying beside her bed.
•  Keep your guests to a minimum: Although you are allowed to have guests, remember that you are not the only one living in the dorm. Before having a guest (particularly a significant other) always ask your roommate if she is okay with it. At the least, tell her you’re having a guest ahead of time. That way she can know what to expect. And, hey, maybe they’ll go somewhere else and let you have alone time.
•  Keep noise and lights down at night:  You might be a night owl and she might be an early bird, or vice versa. Either way, keep lights and noise down when the other is sleeping.
•  Include her in your activities: Whether it’s class or socially related, just ask your roommate if she is interested. It will show her that you are willing to create a friendship.  It doesn’t have to be every day, but one day out of the week you could include your roommate to keep intact with her.
•  Show her that you appreciate her: When holidays come around, get her something little. Even if it’s just a candy bar. Find out her birthday and be one of the first to greet her.
There are experiences in your life that you have to have, and one of them is having a college roommate at some point. Make it worth the experience. If you have to live with someone else, you might as well make the best of it by being a good roommate.

Popularity: 20% [?]

Jena Thralls

Staff Writer

When Lynn Hughes left Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College as the Public Relations Professional nearly a year ago and moved to the Children’s Museum to become the Executive Director of the museum, the museum was still an empty, bare shell.
“The building was literally a shell of a structure with concrete floors, beams still showing, and we still had no prospective open date,” Hughes said.  “It’s been more than seven years that they’ve been trying to get this up and going and here we finally are.”
Despite the museum’s enormous space of 23,000 square feet, it was crowded with an estimated 1,000 excited children and their parents awaiting the days’ events and the presentation of Bill Nye the Science Guy on Sept. 25.
Children fluttered throughout the crowded streets and when Nye finally entered the stage, the crowd roared with excitement.  There were guards that stood around caution-taped areas in order to keep a large crowd at distance.
Seats were in rows and several children piled on top of one another in the aisles in order to get a better view of Nye.
Some onlookers dared to pass the caution tape in order to see. When a volunteer saw the many children crammed just outside the caution-taped off boundaries, she allowed the children to go inside the taped off section with her just so they could get a better view.
Nye demonstrated several science experiments throughout his presentation and included volunteers from the audience as well.
He used humor and a catchy “get rich” scenario throughout his entire presentation.
Nye encouraged the youth to study in school so that they could “get rich.” He repeatedly exclaimed, “You could, dare I say it, change the world!”

Nye provided knowledge and ideas on how the Terre Haute community could “change the world”.
He suggested a more green-living lifestyle.
“I want you to do more with less,” Nye said.  “That’s all you have to do.”
Over the entire course of the opening weekend of the Children’s Museum there were approximately 7,000 people total; 1,800 people on Friday, 4,000 people on Saturday, and another 1,500 on Sunday.
Rich Dunkin, a board member of the museum, said, “Four thousand people through the door is unbelievable.”
The museum closed on the following Monday in order to let the staff clean and recover from the busy weekend.
A great number of volunteers signed up to help over the weekend. Outside there was a volunteer tent where people signed up to assist the staff of the Children’s Museum on all three days.
There are three floors to the museum. The staircases are boldly colored and there are bathrooms on each floor. Multiple exhibits fill each floor with one floor even decorated in a “Farmville” theme.
Along with farm equipment, a life-sized cow exhibit takes its place nearly in the center of the room. Children could literally milk the cow exhibit.
The enormous tree house in the center of the museum was among the most popular exhibits over the weekend. It takes up most of the room stands out in comparison to the rest of the museum.
With holes and nets to climb through, children scurried throughout the tree house with joy during the weekend.
Hughes said that the equipment for the museum was brought in from all over the U.S. including major pieces from Alaska.
Driving by the museum there is a view through the large windows of a very large bone structure of a Tyrannosaurus-Rex dinosaur.  This is among the three exhibits brought in all the way from Alaska.
“We’ve really put a lot into this. And it’s great to see the success we’re having,” said Hughes.
Hughes said that the expected number of visitors for the new Children’s Museum in Terre Haute is about 40,000 to 60,000 in the next year.
While children played and enjoyed their time inside the museum there were several activities set up outside including the Terre Haute Street Fair that was located at the Clabber Girl Festival Marketplace at Ninth and Cherry streets.
On Friday and Saturday, the Arts Illiana of Terre Haute hosted the Crossroads Artsfest at the Street Fair.  Some local artists brought their tools with them to demonstrate their work that ranged from weavers to woodcarvers and painters.
Local food venders set up shop near the stage and displayed the local cuisine and the artists brought pieces of artwork to sell and display.

Popularity: 22% [?]