Pro by Lia Grabowski

Consider this: A criminal, for whatever twisted reason his dark mind spins, decides to commit a murder. Is he going to change his mind because guns aren’t allowed where he plans to go? If he’s in a mindset to commit a horrific crime, the illegality of his weapon in a gun-free zone probably won’t deter him. Is he going to choose a place where people could be armed or where civilians have no means of defending themselves? Average citizens are being set up for failure.

Those against the idea of concealed carry, especially on college campuses, often worry this allowance would create more gun-related incidents. However, the nationwide rules for owning and carrying a concealed weapon still apply on campuses. According to South Carolina law, this includes: being over the age of 21, completing a handgun education course, providing a complete set of fingerprints for a background check and renewing the permit every four years.

Although South Carolina has passed a bill that legalizes the carrying of firearms in certain establishments that provide alcohol, it is still illegal for a person to carry if they are drinking. With all of these considerations, those who choose to carry a concealed firearm would likely be qualified and using it for the correct purpose, self-protection.

Many states have already begun to change their laws. Five states specifically allow concealed carry on college campuses, and 23 states have left the decision to each university. Allowing concealed carry on college campuses certainly doesn’t mean that every person will carry; however, even the small percentage that would choose to would provide a much greater line of defense against any senseless acts of violence towards our students. If someone is considering attacking a student, he may think twice knowing that there are or could be other armed people nearby.

Con by Tilden Brighton

If the school shootings continue to be glorified on every media outlet accessible to mankind, somebody with a gun will do it again.

The proximity of both recent and tragic school shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary and Coastal Carolina University shake me to the core. My hometown is two hours away from Sandy Hook, Conn. and USC is only two hours away from CCU. Schools are losing recognition as safe environments for students and staff, who depend on higher learning for education and employment.

In regards to these recent shootings, the idea of concealed weapons on campuses gives me an uneasy feeling. It is difficult to distinguish who will use a weapon, like a gun, for defense purposes or as a threatening device. Many prominent authorities have been discussing safety in schools since December, and many seem to worry that another school shooting will happen in the near future. If something is not done to prevent the easy obtainment of weapons, it is likely that more shootings will happen.

No, I do not like the idea of concealed weapons on campuses. The shooters who had weapons in their possessions did not use and were not inclined to use their weapons for defensive purposes, but rather as threats and murderous tools. It may take a brave act of someone, other than authority, to show the country that having a gun can be used to prevent devastation and/or save a life. Until then, it is too risky to allow concealed weapons on school grounds.

With the most stressful time of the semester upon us, the preparation weeks for these “grade determiners” seem limited. This is the ideal time for stress and anxiety to build up and completely control the minds of college students. Never fear, these simple organizational tips will help minimize the frustration and give you a more optimistic approach when studying for finals.

• Make “to-do” lists.  It helps a lot to have everything that needs to be completed written out in front of you in one place. You can organize these lists chronologically in order of due dates and specify days to get certain tasks done. Sometimes, lists can relieve the apprehensive student when they realize they don’t have as much work to do as they anticipated.
•  Use a studying schedule.  Plan to dedicate certain days to each class so you don’t feel compelled to do everything all in one day.  If you plan ahead, you can limit yourself to 3 tasks per day so you are not overwhelmed when due dates creep closer.
•  Create study outlines for classes with a lot of material that needs to be memorized; these are extremely beneficial for history and vocabulary-heavy classes.  This enables you to have all of your important notes and information on separate sheets of paper and eradicates the constant note flipping and backtracking.
• Look over old tests and quizzes for cumulative exams that require you to regurgitate everything you've crammed into your brain since August.  Re-writing the exams and taking them over again often triggers your memory to recall certain information.  If you get questions wrong, make a separate test comprised of the questions you missed and try again until you get them right and understand them.  It is a tedious process, but it can eventually lead you to understanding the material better than you did when you first learned it.
• Flash cards are best when it comes to remembering important people, events or vocabulary terms.  Color code them by chapter, time period or any other organizational strategy so you can remember and relate them to other terms more easily.
• Try to study in groups of people with your same class or section.  Group study indicates whether you know enough to teach the material or need to study a lot more.  It also helps to hear others explanation things out loud so you can remember or understand them better for the exam.

If you follow these simple techniques and habits, studying for exams won't seem nearly as challenging.  Remember to start early and prepare ahead of time to avoid stressing yourself out and procrastinating until the night before an exam.  It's only one hell week that requires your full attention and commitment, so give it all you got.

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Contrary to popular belief, there are many college students who have a predisposition that they will find their “true love” at college.  Hearing stories of their parents meeting as undergrads or friends who have found their carbon copy during their school years puts a subconscious mental strain on the college brain.

Most students mask the thought of wanting to find Mr. or Mrs. Right in front of their peers, but it can't be argued that the thought hasn't passed through almost every student’s mind. If you are a firm believer that the right person is awaiting you in school, here are some things to keep in mind when you think someone may actually show potential:

• Remember to stay true to who you are.  Pretending to be someone you aren't with hopes of impressing somebody is only masking your real personality.  You will find the right person doing the things YOU like to do.

•  Be happy with where you are presently.  If you are overwhelmed with past relationship memories, schoolwork or any other personal issues, and think focusing on making a relationship with someone will drive those feelings away, you’re wrong.  All it does is build up more emotion you don’t need.  A relationship should be an added bonus to your life, not a stress factor.

•  Everybody has flaws, including YOU.  It comes down to a matter of which flaws you can tolerate and which you cannot. Be aware of the double standard; criticism not only comes from you, but can also be directed your way.  As long as you and your significant other can compromise and accept each others' pet peeves, you'll be fine.

•  Remember the “Golden Rule” we learned as children; treat others the way you would like to be treated.  In terms of relationships, the person you want to invest your admiration in must treat you with the same respect that you entrust in them.  A strong relationship has equal dedication coming from both sides.

Keep in mind that all relationships are different, but every person deserves the best with what they are willing to offer.  As cliché as it is, listen to your heart.  If you don’t feel happiness in a department that is important to you, be strong enough to let go.  There are more opportunities out of college, don’t lose hope.  Settle for the best, not less.

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Unfortunately, there is a limited amount of healthy options in Russell House for students trying to avoid the infamous “Freshman 15.” For those of you that find it difficult to choose something appetizing that isn’t coated in grease or butter on campus, here are some suggestions:

On the main floor, the salad bar and sushi cases for leafy lovers can satisfy a vegetarian craving.  If you would rather go with something a little more filling, the Horseshoe Deli offers plenty of sandwich options that you can custom order to fit your appetite.  If a fruity option is what you’re searching for, Freshens offers several smoothies that include boosters of your choice, ranging from Focus to Energy.

Although the upstairs can appear to be a fast food paradise, there are healthy options hiding amongst the fluorescent Burger King and Chick-Fil-A signs.  Santorini’s gives students the cultural option of Greek salads and entrees, including grilled chicken wraps, pita chips with hummus and steamed vegetables.  Over at Einstein Bagels, flat bread and lower calorie sandwiches can also prove to be satisfying meals.

If you happen to live off campus, enjoy cooking and have access to a kitchen with an oven or stove, I recommend you check out this site for simple, quick dishes and this link for the more advanced chef. Sally Kerr-Dineen, a culinary artist and mother of two college students, created these sites for beginners and more advanced cuisiniers. Her inspiration stemmed from wanting to teach her children simple recipes so they would not go off to school and be left to survive on fast food.  These recipes are sure to spice up your kitchen and your palate, and may even have you expanding your culinary talent.

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