Social Media - What do you think?

Time.com tweet out with a link that Taylor Swift made a break-up playlist for a recently dumped fan.

I find that social media is also a way to connect with others, like Taylor connecting to her fans. Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and stuff like that are all ways to connect with people.

Social networks give friends and family a way to connect with others. But at the same time, if you are on your phone anyways, why wouldn't you want to call that person anyways.

Can we just use our phones for what they were meant to be used for?

I stand on both sides. There is a good balance that needs to be used between social media a real life. I use social media for recreational and professional uses. So I understand the need for it, but using it nine times out of ten is way too much.

What do you think? Is social media used for good, bad, mad, or even all of them? I want to hear what you have to say.

My Top 5 Friends Episodes (seasons 1-5)

There are just some things that I love too much. Disney, pizza, and Friends.

A few years ago my mom and I would sit and watch all four episodes that Nick aired at ten at night. That's how I got into it. So my mom being awesome like always, my Christmas present that year was all ten season of Friends on DVD. So naturally, I came back to school and sat and watched every episode, including the extras on the DVD. And so my obsession started...

So now that they are all on Netflix, I have started to watch all of them again! Of course now I have a full class load, work study and a job, so it's taking a little bit longer to get through the series. But I am going strongly at it! Already halfway through the series

After reading through some other articles and blogs, I have found that everybody's favorite episodes, are not my favorite. So without further adieu, here are my top 5 favorite Friends episodes of the first five seasons only!

5. The One with the East German Laundry Detergent

Now I have always liked this one. I'm not quite sure why but it has always stuck out to me. This is the episode where Ross and Rachael share their first kiss, and of course right after that Ross turns around and smacks his head into a dryer door. I consider this the true beginning of Ross and Rachael.  

4. The One Where No One's Ready

"Could I BE wearing anymore clothes!?!" This episode is filled with Ross and his anxiety to get to the museum on time to impress his boss. Not only that but all of the friends are having a hard time getting dressed. Joey and Chandler are fighting, Phoebe gets a big stain on her dress, Rachael can't decide what to wear, and Monica is stressed over leaving Richard a voicemail. Joey is the highlight, getting dressed he decides to wear all of Chandlers clothes. So funny, so relatable!

3. The One with All the Wedding Dresses

Ross is getting married, again. Monica, Rachael, and pregnant Phoebe not having getting married at all, use wedding dresses to get over their blues. Throwing bouquets and everything. The very thought of grown women hanging around in wedding dresses just sounds like so much fun. I wanna  join..

2. The One with Chandler in a Box

After Chandler has an affair with Joeys girlfriend, his punishment was to sit in a box for eight hours or so. According to Chandler,  "The meaning of the box is threefold. One, it gives me the time to think about what I did. Two, it proves how much I care about my friendship with Joey. And three... it hurts!" Meanwhile, Monica invited Richards son over for thanksgiving! Everything gets pretty sketchy.

1. The One with the Embryos
I actually just watched this one the other and could not stop thinking about it. This is the episode where Phoebe gets Frank and Alice's eggs implanted into her. Just he pure fact of creating babies for someone else is unbelievable. Phoebe is the only one selfless enough to do so. The warm and heart felt vibe of this episode is what gets be. Also, the girls play the guys on who knows each other better, and Joey and Chandler end up winning the girls apartment, gliding in on the ugly dog sculpture. The entire episode is filled with love and fun, giving in the top spot on my seasons 1-5 countdown.

Keeping yourself safe on campus - The Collegian

Keeping yourself safe on campus

Kiersten Kiene

kiene1@tritons.iowacentral.edu

As the school year goes on, students are starting to get to know more people; therefore rumors and speculations are starting to spread more and more. It seems like every day there is new ‘information’ and ‘drama’ that is happening on campus. But lately it seems as though some of these rumors and speculations are starting to impose on how safe we feel being on campus. This is not a good way to start the school year. College campuses are supposed to be safe; a place that we can call home for the next nine months of our lives; for students and staff. But when rumors are spread around making students and staff feel unsafe, it doesn’t make campus feel like a safe place to live anymore.

Vice President of security for Iowa Central, Tom Beneke, says otherwise to make everyone feel safe on campus. “[Security] is something that we don’t take a backseat to, it’s a priority for us here at Iowa Central and we’ve put a lot of resources, which I mean money, into place so that we do have a safe and secure campus...in the last two years I think we’ve spent about anywhere from one-hundred-fifty thousand to two-hundred thousand in just cameras and upgrades to make sure that we are monitoring our campus.”

Rumors a huge part as to why students are starting to feel unsafe here on campus. The more things go around by word of mouth it gets changed and skewed as to what really had happened. Tom tells how it is. “I think what you get into is what’s factual and what’s not factual. And anytime that’s reported to us the first thing that the college is going to do is get the local law enforcement involved, at that point they’re the experts as far as the investigation is concerned...we assist them in that matter, but again what’s factual and what’s not…” Campus security does their job, and looks for outside help to get the job done. However, the stories that are being told on campus may not be true; picking the right people to trust is a huge part of a student’s safety on campus.

According to the Clery Act, clerycenter.org, “Institutions are required to inform the campus community about a “significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on the campus." This means that by law the school is to report emergencies directly to the students through medias such as email, Facebook, and emergency text messages. “That warning system is in place to say don’t walk to class by yourself because this person may be out on the loose, we don’t know where he is, but this happened, so we are alerting everybody that comes to campus.” Tom explains. Therefore the school is only required to release emergency information within a timely manner. “If there was, let’s say, a rape on campus...by law if the perpetrator is still at large, we have to send out an alert. Only because the perpetrator is still at large. If the perpetrator is caught and we have the person in hand, there is no need to [send an alert.]” Tom continues on.

Although security is here to protect the campus, it is still up to the students to fully protect themselves. Although some self-protection equipment is not allowed on campus, security is still available to help. “Knives, obviously guns, anything to that sort are not allowed on campus. Even pepper spray is kind of viewed as something that can cause harm. So we don’t really allow that.” Tom clarifies. “We try very, very hard to have a very lit campus, so that people are comfortable and they can see...I always encourage students to put securities number in your phone. If you're somewhere on campus and your walking back, call them, and ask for them to walk you back. That’s what they’re supposed to do.”

Keeping yourself safe on campus ultimately comes down to the decisions that students are making for themselves. Keep yourself aware at all times and have a buddy system. Security will keep campus goers safe, as long a campus goes make the right decisions. In the end, Iowa Central is a very safe campus, and the staff is doing everything to make us feel this was. let’s keep it safe.

Early Christmas Cheer - The Collegian

Kiersten Kiene

kiene1@tritons.iowacentral.edu

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

Ho Ho Ho!

Merry Christmas!

Let it Snow!

Happy Holidays!

My first Christmas tree!

The time of year has come! It’s almost Christmas time! This means that we get to sing Christmas carols, eat pumpkin pie, decorate our homes and dorms, give gifts, and overall just experience once again that wonderful warm feeling the holidays in general! Oh this is definitely my favorite time of year. I can decorate my dorm room with smells of pine and cookies, hang up decorations, put up a tree and annoy my roommates with all of my Christmas cheer. Yes, Christmas is coming, and I love it. I listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, and I even downloaded it on to my phone to listen anywhere I please. But there are some very grumpy grinches out there this time of year. Those who say Christmas shouldn’t be celebrated or decorated for until after Thanksgiving. But hey, I started before Halloween. Who cares? I can whatever I want whenever I please with my Christmas cheer. If I want to sing and bake and decorate now, then let me be. Don’t like my Christmas decor yet? don’t look at it. Don’t like Christmas music? Don’t listen to it. And please stop your complaining on all of the social media sites. Seriously. It is my life, my home to have Christmas cheer. So in that case, it has nothing to do with any of the grumpies out there. It does not harm you in anyway whatsoever. So let me be with my Christmas cheer, I will sing loud for all to hear! (Yes, I have watched Elf already) Oh, and speaking of Christmas movies, I plan on watching the Hallmark channel and the Food Network channel to get my holiday movies and holiday baking competition in before December even comes. I wait 10 long months for the holidays to come back around, 10 long months. I will celebrate and enjoy this time of year one month early because I have waited ever so patiently for it to come back around. Besides, I bake Christmas cookies early, and whoever wants one, must not be a grumpy grinch!

Happy Holidays everyone! From one cheerful person to another, not so cheerful person! And just know that it is the most wonderful time of the year!

Toxic Dirt Wrapped in Paper - The Collegian

Toxic Dirt Wrapped in Paper
Kiersten Kiene
kiene1@tritons.iowacentral.edu

So it was a young and dumb decision? Can’t give it up? It’s too hard? Don’t want to put in the time, or don’t have the time?

Winter Wonderland?

Excuses.

We’ve all seen them. People, students, staff, old, young; those people who break the rules and smoke on campus. There are signs, there are reminders, it is the law. According to iowasmokefreeair.gov, “In the spring of 2008, Iowa lawmakers passed legislation to protect employees and the general public. The Smokefree Air Act prohibits smoking in almost all public places and enclosed areas within places of employment, as well as some outdoor areas.” This law is put into place for everyones safety. Those who smoke and those who don’t. Yes, health experts and scientists say so many things can lead to cancer, but second hand smoke is a proven fact. The Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC), cdc.gov, states that “Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their lung cancer risk by 20–30%, and Secondhand smoke exposure causes an estimated more than 7,300 lung cancer deaths annually (for 2005–2009) among adult nonsmokers in the United States.” Smoking can kill more than just those who choose to put themselves in that place. CDC also goes on to state “Separating smokers from nonsmokers within the same air space, cleaning the air, opening windows, and ventilating buildings does not eliminate secondhand smoke exposure.” So no. Those who smoke cannot sit in their car, crack a window and smoke and think everything is just fine and dandy. They are breaking the law, and putting other students and staff in danger. This just cannot happen. Honestly, can it not wait a few hours? Does it have to be right now? Right here? On campus? Like seriously, what can the excuse be to sit in a car and smoke? Just waiting for class? No. It’s illegal. Just stop doing it. How hard could it be? Put a little time and effort into it and make difference. For everyone involved, smokers or not. Stop the excuses, put down the toxic dirt wrapped in paper and MOVE ON WITH LIFE. For the sake of everyone, but mostly, those who smoke themselves.


Just on the way to class, there are two or even three or four people that are sulking with a cigarette in their fingers in a car passing by the time. How about instead we study a little bit more, check our email, play pool in the SRC, read a book, hell even playing a game on an iPhone is better than smoking on campus; or even smoking in the first place.


We’ve all seen the pictures, the ones with rotted out teeth and gums, black lung, people with holes in their throat. SO why still do it? Doesn’t that just make everyone want to give it up and better themselves? Giving up just one or even two a day is a start, keep going! Live life doing things that need and want to be done. Don’t sit in a car and take a puff or two off of toxins.









Get out of the car, and better the life to be lived. Can’t do it? Get off campus. That simple.

No Shave November - The Collegian

Kiersten Kiene

kiene1@tritons.iowacentral.edu

No Shave November—The best things that’s happened to girls since 1920

It’s November. We all know what that means...beards, mustaches, chinstraps, and more beards. That’s right, it’s No Shave November. For the fun of it I’m going to call it NSN from now on. NSN is this totally awesome month were boys have an excuse to not touch their face with scissors or razors. I’m going to admit it, facial hair on a guy is like the touch of God upon such beautiful faces already. Well, as long as it is neatly kept and doesn’t look like their first growth of facial hair. (When freshman boys in highschool think it is the greatest thing and just let everything grow in different places, very patchy. Unacceptable in college, I will not stand for it.)

But wait. Why does such an awesome thing like this even exist in a world full of hate and judgement? There is an actual website out there to explain what NSN is and what it’s for. No-shave.org tells all about such a beautiful thing, “The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.  Donate the money you usually spend on shaving and grooming for a month to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle.” So wait.. boys can grow out their hair, look good, and have such a good reason to do so?? How wonderful, everybody should participate. Hey, what about us girls? One of the worst things about being a girl is shaving legs. I absolutely dislike, hate, despise, detest, loathe even the thought of trying to perfectly groom my legs in a shower the size of refrigerator. That may seem like enough room, but believe me, it’s not. Unless you are the size of a stick and haven’t eaten a hamburger full of cheese and bacon in the last four years, it is almost impossible. There is no sitting (unless you want butt fungus from roommates), there is no stretching out of the legs, there is no comfortable way to get every nook and cranny, in and around when shaving legs in the dorm showers. Are girls expected to look perfect everyday when given the quite small bathrooms we have here at college? That discussion will be for another day. But for real, can girls participate in NSN?? I have done it before, senior year of high school, it was the greatest thing. No cheerleading competitions, pants everyday, no shaving. I went the entire month without shaving my legs and it was by far one of my best life decisions to this point. Nobody saw my legs. I wore pants everyday, even at practices. So who cares what I do and don’t do to my legs? Even no-shave.org says I can, “Participate by growing a beard, cultivating a mustache, letting those legs get mangly, and skipping that waxing appointment.  Give back even more by picking up some sweet merchandise to show your support.  If you're not ready to sport a new shaggy look, consider donating anyway to support the cause.” See?!? We can ‘let those legs get magly’ and ‘skip waxing!’ Oh thank the good Lord, sweet Jesus! I can once again participate in NSN, having an excuse to do so is even better and one of the most awesome things, ever. So come on girls, let that leg hair grow out, wear pants everyday, who cares what anyone else thinks or says? This is your life, not theirs. Besides, two years from now, nobody is going to give two shits that you participated in NSN. In fact, they will probably start doing it too. So lets start now, join the revolution. But most importantly, skip the razor and stand up for cancer!

Pinterest Saves - The Collegian

Kiersten Kiene

kiene1@tritons.iowacentral.edu

Pinterest Saves

Pinterest saves lives. Pinterest saves the world.

No but seriously. Have you ever been on Pinterest? It’s like amazon, but filled with in 

spiration. You can literally search almost anything and get something back. There are other people having the same problems and have solutions, others have tried life hacks and know if they work or not and others have made recipes and know if they are good or not. And pinterest is also home to hilarious images.

Having problems in the dorm? Or at home? Maybe with trying to keep your budget intact? Well here’s the thing. There are people on Pinterest called ‘pinners,’ this means that they share information off of other websites onto Pinterest so everything is all on one site.Now these pinners ‘pin.’ (Obviously, right?) These pins are links to other websites and blogs and such, in this link is most or all of the information you need to know about whatever is trying to be found. Simply just search ‘how to keep a budget’ and not only thousands of results will come up, but the search can also be refined to things like DIY (Do It Yourself), organizers, and meals. This is a lady’s bestfriend for a reason, the pins that can be found are amazing help. Things like, “How to live on a budget without losing your mind,” free printables for those who need everything written down and organized, and even “How to create a stockpile” comes up when how to keep a budget was searched. AND these pinned can either be liked or pinned to a personal board so they can be quickly found when needed!

Found on Pinterest, from
cosmopolitan.com

An actual picture of my super
yummy cheesy potato soup!

There are all sorts of creative people out there that have found life hacks to share with the world wide web. Just go ahead and try it, just for funsies, search life hack and see what happens. Inspiration will be blowing out of every little crevice on that human body of yours. The search can be refined to school/college, beauty, even free. This isn’t the average Google search. “How to waterproof your shoes,” “14 money saving Starbucks hacks”, even ice cream sandwich hacks!!! Mind. Blown.

Found on Pinterst, from imgfave.com

Now for food. We all love food. Food is lyfe. Yes, lyfe. Now just imagine food being made by creative food people who have nothing better to do than make delicious food and post the pictures and recipes on Pinterest for people like us to enjoy food. Yummy, right? I, myself, have made several recipes from Pinterest (and on a college friendly budget I must add). I’ve done everything from spinach and artichoke dip, crepes, honey roasted carrots, mini pies, twice baked mashed potato casserole, so many things, but my ultimate favorite has to be cheesy potato soup. Now I made this one in my crockpot and it fed me for four days!! I spent about seventeen dollars at Hy Vee, so very budget friendly! I also hollowed out some bread bowl to hold the soup. I’d have to say it was better, and cheaper than Panera!

            So seriously, if you are in need of life hacks, imagination for a school project, cheap food that is not from the cafeteria, or just need some laughs, or cats, Pinterest is the place to go. Like I said, Pinterest saves.