The Woods

By Shelby Richardson
Columnist

Making healthier choices in what you eat is a common New Year’s resolution. One option for people to consider is veganism.
Vegans don’t eat meat. However, they differ from vegetarians by also not eating any products that come from animals. This includes milk, cheese, butter, eggs, and, yes, ice cream.
Vegans also steer clear from  leather, make-up, or any product that contains animal by-products or may be tested on animals.
Finding food for a vegan diet is not difficult. According to PETA, you can find most vegan products at local stores.
A vegan diet consists of grains, beans, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Combining these foods can give vegans many more dishes to keep the diet interesting.
Many substitutes can be used for the foods restricted by the diet, including soy milk and tofu instead of milk and meat.There are also substitutes for everyday foods, such as hot dogs, ice cream, cheese and mayonnaise.
Vegans get protein through beans, nuts, and soy products. Many vegetables contain large amounts of protein that sustain a healthy diet without meat.  Vegans can actually consume more food than non-vegans and still maintain an extremely healthy diet. The more vitamins in a person’s diet, the better their immunity to illness.
It’s possible because vegetables, fruits, and beans are low in calories, allowing them to eat more food. Vegan.org has facts about how dairy and meat products can cause health problems such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Popularity: 48% [?]

By Shelby Richardson
Staff Writer

Many American Woods students spent winter break visiting family and friends, putting up a Christmas tree, sitting around the fireplace, and celebrating the New Year.
But for international students who cannot make it to their home countries over the break,  American travel is a highlight.
Chinese student Angel Chen planned to spend a week in Florida and two weeks in Texas. She planned to spend the last week of break staying at a family’s home in Terre Haute.
She said traveling during her time in America is a good learning experience.
“I want to go travel in many different places because I want to see more and know more about American culture and [see] lots of beautiful views,” she said.
She said she likes the adventure of traveling and being able to exchange ideas with others.
“I am willing to share my culture with others and I am interested in new things,” Chen said.
Chinese student Sabrina Nie planned to travel with Irish Woods student Joy Dreaning. The two planned to visit various places around the country, in an effort to see more of America.
“Most of us are [here for the] first time in America, so except the school time, we all want to go out see something new,” Nie said.
Unlike many American Woods students, Nie said few Chinese students planned to celebrate Christmas, since only a small minority of Chinese are Christians.
“We celebrate New Year and Chinese new year. I’m so excited about my first Christmas in the U.S.,” Nie said.
Chen said Christmas in China is one giant shopping day for most people, who rush out to shopping centers in the morning to get great deals.
“Most people in China … seldom know the tradition of Christmas,” she said.
That is not to say that China doesn’t have its own major festivals and celebrations. Chen said the scale and grandeur of Christmas reminds her of a Chinese celebration.
“Families get together and enjoy themselves together. It is like the Spring Festival in China!”

Popularity: 35% [?]

By Shelby Richardson
Staff Writer

The Sisters of Providence are known for growing much of their own food and selling yarn from their alpacas. But during Thanksgiving, poultry and other meets came from other suppliers.
It wasn’t always this way. The farming operation has changed over time. Before alpacas, the Sisters actually had cattle.  They had their own dairy farm that provided them their milk. They also received awards at shows for their cows just like they do now with the alpacas.
Along with the cows they also raised pigs and chickens. The meat that came from the animals went to both the college and sisters. There was no separation in the food between the two.
In the 1960’s, however, they had to get rid of all livestock because the forest became a persevered forestland, in spite of the Sisters’ land management to prevent over-grazing.
“After that, the only animals that were around were horses,” said Sister Ann Sullivan, S.P.
The Sisters now try to get their meat from local stores and try to buy it organically grown.
“We are very happy with our food supply now,” said Sullivan.  “It is good to have fresh food. We get greens and such that are organically grown. That is all thanks to the hoop house, green house, and the White Violet Center.”
The alpacas became part of the farm after some careful research by the Sisters.
“It all started with a look at grants for livestock,” Sullivan said. “We were looking at cows, bison, and other related animals.”
Sullivan said they decided that alpacas would be the best choice because they are easy on the land and they do not need to be killed to get their fibers.
“It also helps that they are gentle and they are adorable too,” she added.

Popularity: 21% [?]

By Shelby Richardson
Staff Writer

On Nov. 30, Students Activity Committee brought back the hypnotist, Gabriel Holmes, who has wowed the crowds at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College before with his abilities to make people do things they would never imagine doing in front of an audience.
Around nine, waiting for the show to begin, members of the audience began dancing and having fun to the music provided by S.A.C.  As the music stopped and Holmes entered Sullivan Lounge, the crowd became hushed in anticipation for what was to come.
At first he explained that everyone had been hypnotized at some point in their life and then asked for several volunteers from the crowd to participate in two of his activities.
Of course the hands flew into the air rather quickly so he chose his participants and sat them in the front row of the audience to be hypnotized.
From that point on it was one giant laugh for all in the audience watching the volunteers as they performed several activities while hypnotized.
“It was hilarious,” exclaimed Heather Ennis, freshman.  “I really liked when Britt Simmerman came up to me thinking I was Angelina Jolie.”
There was a lot of dancing, racing, posing, and weird noises from the participants and there was even the pretend delivery of a baby from one male participant.
But what people seem to have enjoyed the most was when the volunteers went into the crowd and picked random people thinking that they were the celebrity they always wanted to meet.
“Kimmy Lane, freshman, came up to me all excited. Then she was like oh my god it’s Oprah,” said Miriam Smith,freshman.  “She was talking to me all excitedly and asked if I would give her a present. I said sure. Then she started to cry!”
In response Lane said that someone would be crazy not to cry if they got a gift from Oprah!
None of the volunteers seem to remember what they did that night. They were in a complete hypnotic state.
Freshman, Michaley Kinser,  swears that she does not remember one thing she did.
“All I know is that I was really hot and light headed, but I had no idea why,” she said.
Overall the hypnotist was amazing and the show was a hit. Everyone could not stop laughing, there was even a few who fell out of their seats with laughter.
When all of it came to an end, things settled down and people were talking about what had just happened with those that had volunteered.  There was a lot of laughter to be heard because the volunteers were clueless and confused.
“It’s crazy that I can’t remember anything,” said freshman and SAC member, Lacey Henderson.

Popularity: 28% [?]

By Shelby Richardson
Staff Writer

The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College golf team went up against DePauw University and ten other schools in an invitational on Sept. 25 and 26. The invitational was hosted by DePauw at Deer Creek Golf Course in Belleville.
The team had great weather for the first day, but the second day brought low temperatures and frosty playing conditions.
The overall results for the two day event were good, but a few members of the team felt that they could have done better. The team finished 12th in the invitational.
“I know that my score for me could have been better than what it was,” freshman Faith Jones said.
Day two showed an improvement on most of the scores, despite the poorer weather conditions.
“I think we did better on the second day because we were more familiar with the course,” said Michaley Kinser, freshman.  “Instead of the course being a shock, we knew what was coming and we were more comfortable.”
The total team score for both days came out to 785, with the team total improving more on the second day.
Freshman Kelsey Fuqua scored the team low with a 185.
As for the rest of the team, sophomore Katelyn Gosnell scored 186, junior Danielle Rosselli scored 206, Jones scored 208, Kinser scored 236. Freshman Cecilia Gray scored 230 and competed as an individual in the tournament.
SMWC golf traveled to Danville, Ky. on Oct. 2 and competed against Centre College. The results were not in at press time. This will be the last regular season match for the team. The National Tournament for golf is set for Oct. 10 through Oct. 12 and is to be held in Pennsylvania.
The team will compete in two scheduled matches during the spring.

Popularity: 22% [?]