vol. 79 iss. 13

Travel Safety p. 2AM

Volume 79 Issue 13

Nov. 30, 2012

AGERPVolleyball Retrospective p. 6

Attention all December graduates: this article is just for you. Dec.15 is just around the corner. The Ram Page staff would like to congratulate you on this accomplishment and wish you luck as you step into your next adventure. To make your graduation day a little simpler, here is a list of things you should know before you turn that tassel.

1) There will be two graduation ceremonies on Dec. 15: one at 10 a.m. and one at 2 p.m. Candidates are divided between the two ceremonies by major. The morning ceremony will include the College of Graduate Studies in the fields of Education and Health and Human Services, the College of Education and the College of Health and Human Services. The afternoon ceremony will include the College of Graduate Studies in the fields of Arts and Sciences and Business and the College of Arts and Sciences

2) Each candidate will meet in the Auxiliary Court inside the Junell Center 45 minutes prior to the ceremony and will be given a card with his or her name on it along with a number to help him or her line up alphabetically within each college.

3) There are no rehearsals for graduation, but staff will be present to direct candidates in and out of the stadium.

4) Diplomas will be mailed to the recent graduates approximately six to eight weeks after commencement, and replacement diplomas cost $25 each.

5) Candidates can pick up their cap and gowns at the Campus Book Store. Although there is no dress code besides wearing the appropriate cap and gown, it is requested that women wear skirts or dresses and men wear a collared shirt and slacks. Please do not bring personal items with you.

6) You can pick up graduation invitations, regalia and diploma frames at the Campus Book Store.

7) Your tassel goes on the front right side of your cap—just like high school.

8) Doors will open 90 minutes before the ceremony, and seats are on first-come, first-serve basis. Plan for your family to arrive in plenty of time to get a good seat.

9) Charles Beasley Photography will photograph each candidate on stage. Information about ordering photos will be mailed to students 10 to 14 days after graduation. If you have questions, please contact Charles Beasley at (325) 949-3310.

Know all of the ins-and-outs of winter commencement

Rachel RiggsStaff Writer

All you need to know about graduation

Photo by Rio Velasquez

Preparing for finals can be not only a stressful experience but a downright difficult one.

2012’s Study Jam is an idea that Freshman College and ASU Smart have put together to highlight the academic help centers that can aid students as they get ready for exams.

While the idea of a “Study Jam may be off- putting to some students, there are social events planned out to help take the edge off of a stressful week.

There will be out midnight breakfast the Sunday before finals and next week the Center for Student Involvement will be hosting Mochas and Massages in the university center from Dec. 5 to 7.

“Study Jam in essence is an online resource of all the support services available to students for the last week of classes in preparation for finals,” Executive Director of First Year Experience Sara Weertz said.

Most of the resources that are available to students are located on the third floor of the Porter Henderson Library, places such as the Tutoring Center, Writing Center and the Math Lab.

The math lab will hold special sessions specific to certain math courses all week long and the writing center will have their standard hours.

“The tutoring center closes with the last day of classes so we are not open to provide support

during the week of finals,” Weertz said. “That is why it is even more important that students get in ahead of time.”

Some students said they have their own way of studying that may work for others.

Junior Sean Motl said he uses different study methods depending on the class he is studying for.

“I often read through my notes and rewrite them and condense them down to a study sheet,” Motl said. “In Organic Chemistry I use a white board, and I rewrite the equations on the board over and over.”

Senior Tim Maddox said he gives himself three days to focus himself toward preparing for each test.

Study Jam has been around since spring of 2010, Weertz said. Each year she said she has seen more students take advantage of the assets ASU provides.

“Each year we have more and more resources wanting to get involved and be part of it,” Weertz said. “I do think that it is picking up and gaining speed, but it is always a hard sell.”

The goal for Study Jam is to get students to think ahead for exams, Weertz said.

“Ideally, students should be studying and planning for each week because each week you have something different to do,” Weertz said.

If students try to cram all of the information here at the end it is going to be stressful and create tension, Weertz said.

See STUDY TIPS Page3

Students prepare for final exam week

Students and faculty have the opportunity to see actors and comedians Steve Lemme and Kevin Heffernan from Super Troopers on Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m as they perform their Broken Lizard Comedy Tour here at the CJ Davidson Center.

Tickets will be available at the door. Students and faculty tickets are $2, and the public may purchase tickets for $10.

University Center Programing Council Event Coordinator Gilbert Mendoza said the best part of organizing this event was getting to see the reactions of students’ faces when he told them which comedians

would be performing.“You know Kevin Heffernan from Super Troopers

where he played Farfa, and Steve Lemme played Mac,” Mendoza said. “They also were in Beerfest.”

Their stand-up performance centers around interacting with the crowd, Mendoza said.

“In videos of their performances that we watched, they had question and answer sessions where they would call people onto the stage,” Mendoza said.

UCPC member Olivia Torres served on the street team, which meant she helped organize and promote this event on campus.

“We get to go backstage and make sure that the guys are alright,” Torres said.

UCPC member Emily Stout said she is excited to meet the comedians after the performance.

“People actually recognize these men,” Stout said. “Getting to know someone who is actually famous is pretty cool.”

UCPC member Alex Bryant said he is betting people are really excited about the event.

“I hope students make the most of the experience,” Bryant said. “Maybe the success of this event will make students look forward to other events that UCPC offers.”

Mendoza said he encourages students and faculty to take advantage of this opportunity.

“How often will you be able to see comedians of this caliber for only $2?” Mendoza said. “It is a once in a lifetime experience, and I encourage students to see them.”

Please check out the UCPC Facebook page for more information on the Broken Lizard Comedy Tour and to keep up with the latest UCPC-sponsored events.

“Super Troopers” come to campus

Graphic courtesy of UCPC

Broken Lizard comedy tour hits San Angelo for laughs


Use of campus study resources encouraged for high marks on semester ending tests

Photo by Tim PeevyStudents Mary Kate McKay and Rachel Moore take advantage of the tutoring center to prepare for the upcoming final exams. The third floor of the library also holds the Math Lab and Writing Center; both will assist students.

Dillon BrollierEditor

This is the last Ram Page issue of 2012.We will return for the 2013 Spring semester

on Jan. 18. Happy holidays and havea great new year!

- The Ram Page staff

Saying goodbye to ASU’s December graduates!

Who: The band Buster Jiggs What: Buster Jiggs concertWhere: The Party Ranch

When: 9 p.m. Dec. 8

Friday, Nov. 30, 2012 NEWS

Events CalendarGet involvedon campus!

Here’s what’s going on this week.

Friday, Nov. 30

UCPC Club Cafe featuring Broken Lizard Comedy Tour 7:30 p.m. @ Houston Harte University Center, CJ Davidson Conference Center

Saturday, Dec. 1

ASU AFROTC Det. 847: Run for the Wounded Warrior Project 8 a.m. @ Angelo State University Pavilion

San Angelo Symphony Orchestra 7 p.m. @ Mc-Nease Convention Center

Holiday Dinner Theatre: “Harvey” by Mary Chase7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. @ Carr Education-Fine Arts Building, Modular Theatre

Monday, Dec. 3

Art: Graduating Senior Exhibitions 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. @ Carr Education-Fine Arts Building, room 193

UCPC Weekly Meeting 5:30 p.m. @ Houston Harte University Center, Room 110-111

Tuesday, Dec. 4

UCPC Mochas & Massages with the CSI 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. @ Houston Harte University Center

Bowl Pick’em 7 p.m. @ Center for Human Perfor-mance

Wednesday, Dec. 5

Art: Graduating Senior Exhibitions 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. @ Carr Education-Fine Arts Building, room 193

Thursday, Dec. 6

Christmas with the Greeks 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. @University Center Lobby

Saturday, Dec. 8

Buster Jiggs will be performing @ The Party Ranch on Dec 8 at 9 p.m.

Monday - Thursday, Dec. 10-14

Finals Week - Good Luck!

Submit event requests by 5 p.m. Tuesday for Friday publication to [email protected]

Holiday time equals travel time for most ASU students. Whether it’s an hour drive or six hours on an airplane, everyone is moving with holiday spirit. The best way to move is safely—be sure to put safety first this holiday season.

Most people would say that traveling in the air is the safest method of mobility, but air time comes with a cost. After paying for a ticket there are many procedures a passenger must take before boarding a plane. There is the luggage check, the body screening, the boarding procedures and crowded airports.

“Traveling by plane can be very stressful, but statistically it is safer,” junior Sally Gore said, who will be spending her holiday break in Mississippi. “It is very tiring, and I am a lot more worried now than I was before the terrorism.”

Gore, who spent much of her childhood traveling with her father who served 40 years as a doctor in the US Army, lends her experience when it comes to air travel.

“If you are a first time flyer you should definitely stay out of airport store; in big cities they are almost like malls and everything is overpriced,” Gore said.

Limiting one’s luggage would also help one’s first plane experience go smoothly. Luggage cannot exceed fifty pounds, or fines will be issued, she said.

It is best to have multiple forms of identification on hand when preparing for a trip. Gore said it also a good idea to have some cash on hand.

“Cash is good for tipping the bag handlers and when buying from the vending machines,” she said. “Credit card swiping can get a little risky because of

the rush. It’s always the fear of losing your card in the crowd.”

Sophomore Adrianna Dabrowski said reading all Transportation Security Administration regulations would save passengers some time and trouble.

“My favorite part of flying is the destination arrival because of the excitement that ensues,” she said. “I’ve traveled by both plane and car to California from Seattle, Wash., and flying is my preferred method.”

Taking a car skips any pat-down procedures, crowded waiting areas and the luggage search. Of course, filling up a gas tank is cheaper than buying a plane ticket. Driving also eliminates being on anyone else’s time. When traveling by car, it is safer to travel the freeway with a friend than alone. Always be sure to have a spare tire and get plenty of rest before getting behind the wheel.

Gore said it is best not to take pets on road trip that last more than a day, from her own experience driving from El Paso to Mississippi with kittens.

“It was hard trying to keep them from running when we stopped on the road and keeping them in a hotel bathroom was difficult, as well,” she said.

As a passenger, Gore said she recommends trying to read or bringing along a hand held video game if children are riding.

Upon taking a car, make sure all maintenance work is done as needed to reduce risks. It is smart to buy flares and flashlights in the case of unfortunate events.

Public transportation is also an option. Just be sure to keep all personal belongings close by and never leave items unattended. A bus will be the fastest method, but think of the money saved by doing so.

No matter the method, just be sure to be safe this holiday season.

Experienced student travelers share their travel safety tips

Mariah PowellManaging Editor

Disaster preparedness series part three: Safe traveling for the holiday break

Clint Havins explains Nov. 27 the requirements of becoming a student member of the Texas Tech Board of Regent at the State of the Student Government Association meeting.

State of the Student Government Association meeting

-Don’t text and drive

- Always watch the road

- Get plenty of rest the night before travel

- Be fully alert at all times

- Be courteous to other drivers

Tips for driving Tips for flying

- Have all personal information ready

- Limit your luggage

- Arrive at least one hour early to terminal

- Adhere to safety protocol on board

- Check what is allowed on your aircraft

NEWS Friday, Nov. 30, 2012

$1.50DRAFT BEER

midnightrodeosanangelo.com

A new course being offered next spring called “Current Trends in Terrorism and C o u n t e r t e r r o r i s m ” BOR/CRIJ 4321 will analyze terrorism and co u n te r te r ro r i s m tactics happening now across the world.

Professor James Phelps, with the assistance of Professor Jeff Dailey, will hold class on Tuesday-Thursday from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in the planetarium. The maximum capacity is 170 seats, so students are encouraged to register soon, Phelps said.

The course will teach students by providing an actual real-time analysis of current issues, he said.

According to a document released by the Center for Security Studies, the prerequisite course, “History of Terrorism” BOR/CRIJ 3320 will be waived for all upperclassmen after

they contact Center for Security Studies Secretary Amanda Shirley by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at (325) 486-6682.

“Lifting the prerequisites for this course for juniors and seniors only is a one-time thing,” Center for Security Studies Director Rob Elhers said. “If we don’t allow students to take this course without the

prerequisite, we deprive a large group of students the opportunity to take a course concerning a timely and important topic.”

Students who are not

criminal justice, political science or border security majors should be interested in this course because it is applicable to everyone, Dailey said.

“When you read the newspaper or watch CNN, you are seeing trends in terrorism and counterterrorism make the front page,” Dailey said.

Students who take this course will get a grasp at how rapidly the world changes just in a single semester, Phelps said.

“Students will be able to critically think about what they see in the news and how things evolve over a short period of time,” Phelps said.

Terrorism is one of the most serious threats facing the college-aged generation, Elhers said.

“Terrorism is going to be a long fight that our country is going to have whether it wants it or not,” Elhers said. It is really crucial to know what you are up against.”

For more information about the course, students are encouraged to contact Phelps by e-mail at [email protected], by phone at (325) 942-2167 or stop by the Center for Security Studies office in HAR 202.

The ASU Multicultural Center Wednesday held their annual Native American Month Celebration. Gifts, activity stations and artifact presentations were available to the student as they learn more about native american culture. The Multicultual Center also provided food and refreshments including Indian Taos and moose-meat stew in their event. Student were able to create earrings, necklaces and bracelets as well as corn-husk dolls as mementos of the event. Several booths were set up to showcase Native American artifacts as well as give details of their origin.

New course to teach trends in terrorism, counterterrorismClass begins next Spring

• Make and keep a study schedule. • Use daytime for study, if possible. At night, you are likely to be less

efficient. • Every time you study, spend 10 minutes in review of previous

assignments. • Set a “stopping point” at night to encourage hard work in anticipation

of being through. • Study in a suitable place and make it the same place every day to

improve concentration. • Practice over-studying: continuingto study after you have learnedthe material well enough to barely recall it. • Use flash cards or a note card to cover material you are trying to

memorize.

Study tips from StudyJam!

brought to you from the StudyJam website.

There was another debate at the final Student Government Association meeting of the semester on Monday, Nov. 19.

At the Nov. 5 general senate meeting, a bill was proposed that would change the requirements for running for an executive office in SGA, but was sent back to the Judiciary and Rules committee for discussion because it was met with debate and was postponed indefinitely at Monday’s meeting.

Instead, Senator Morgan Visk proposed two bills that would be the solution to Bill 84.13.

Bill 84.14 would establish an appeals process for applying for an executive office position and would be placed under Article 7 of the Student Body Constitution under the “Applying for Candidacy” section.

Senator Priscilla Recio said she wanted to amend the bill so that it would be placed in the bylaws instead of the Student Body Constitution because she said she was worried the student

body would not approve the new bills, but the motion was denied.

Visk said they have never had an issue with getting bills passed through the student body in the past, and she didn’t see this bill having any issues.

The second bill Visk proposed would change the requirements for pursuing an executive office position.

Visk said Bill 84.15 would change the number of required completed hours from 12 to 48. Applicants would also have to maintain 12 hours a semester and have a 3.0 GPA as well as have served two long semesters in SGA at ASU.

These requirements could be waived in the appeals process set up in Article 7 with Bill 84.14 and the candidate would have the opportunity to plead their case to the senate as to why they should be considered for an executive office position.

Senator Jared Goecker said he wanted to change the number of required completed hours from 48 to 30 because he said it is unfair to exclude the freshman, but his motion was denied.

Both bills passed in the senate without any amendments and will be sent to the student body for approval.

SGA meets for final time in fall semester

Two new bills are proposed at last semester meeting

Alix HenryContributor


“Students will be able to critically think

about what they see in the news and how things evolve over a short

period of time,”

ProfessorJames Phelps

Photo by Tim PeevySGA vice president Joshua Heimbecker has finished his first full semester as VP. He replaced Vincent Perez after Perez graduated last spring.

Friday, Nov. 30, 2012 FEATURESSenior athletes reflect on their time with ASU Athletics

Allison PriceFeatures Editor

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Photo by Tim

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Photo by Tim Peevy

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Isidro Garcia will soon begin his fourth and final season as a part of ASU’s track and field team. During his freshman year, Garcia’s favorite memory was sup-porting the women’s track team, he said.

“We were in North Carolina,” Garcia said. “The boys’ team got to celebrate with the girls’ team because they went into overall in the national championship. It was a big deal, and to be there and cheer for them

was great.”Garcia said he used to be an 800meter runner. Gar-

cia changed from an 800meter to a 400 meter with the support of his friend, Dennis Black.

“Dennis Black was the person who convinced me to switch from the 800 to the 400,” Garcia said. “He said that the 400 was more my style race. I started off the season well, and I won the state track meet in the 400. Dennis Black was in the stands when I won, and I re-call him holding his fist up for me.”

Garcia has learned that hard work pays off and that it is important to be there when his teammates need

him.“I didn’t come here to not be successful,” Garcia

said. “I came here to fulfill my goals, and that was the ultimate reason I came. I wasn’t going to come to col-lege, but being a part of my high school team pushed me to go and live my dream.”

Garcia said he will miss his teammates and friends who have come through and is planning to continue running once done with college.

“As of now, I would keep my sports career the same,” Garcia said. “I am happy where I am, and I have really enjoyed being here.”

Football, volleyball and women’s soccer have all taken a backseat as their seasons recently ended. Now with men and women’s basketball beginning along with softball, track and field and baseball starting in the spring, senior ath-

letes are realizing that their sports careers are quickly approaching an end. Although some seniors are sad to see it end, they reminisce on the countless memories they made with their teammates throughout the years.

Donovan Roberts has been a part of ASU football for two years and the mo-ment that defined his career was when he made his first touchdown for ASU against Midwestern, Roberts said.

“During my sports career here at ASU I have learned to be patient,” Roberts said. “Last year was the first year I have set out in a long time. You have to be pa-tient when you run and be patient with your grades. Learning to be patient will help me in the long run with getting a job, working with people and being in-teractive with others.”

Like his teammate, Benson, Roberts said one of the best moments as a Ram was winning against Abilene Christian University this season.

“That was my favorite game, and get-ting the win was really big for us,” Rob-erts said.

Roberts said that going professional is a dream and a goal. As far as his sports

career, Roberts said he would change his attitude.

“I came in as a freshman, and I was kind of lazy,” Roberts said. “I was not on top of stuff and thinking it was more like high school ball. [College ball] is more like a business.”

Like many of the other senior ath-letes, Roberts said he will miss his team-mates the most.

“People don’t understand how close you become when you spend so much time with these guys,” Roberts said.

Alex Woosley has been with the ‘Belles volleyball team for four years and reminisced on having fun with all of the girls on her team who are like her sisters, she said.

Woosley said she learned that she had to follow before she could lead and it was a hum-bling experience.

“You have to accept whatever role you have in your life and do your best to fulfill that role in your life,” Woosley said.

One of the best mo-ments in her sports ca-reer was beating Abilene Christian University in a tournament her sopho-more year, Woosley said.

“Besides beating [A C U] my sophomore year, beating [West Texas] this past October was awe-some,” Woosley said.

There has not yet been a defining moment in her personal sports career, but the team has made several accomplishments as a whole, she said.

“Our team has made it to regionals, and I think once we make it past regional’s, that will be my defining mo-ment,” Woosley said.

Woosley said she is thinking about playing profes-sional volleyball but will have to wait until after her college career is over.

Danielle Edwards is rounding out her second year with ASU athletics and the ‘Belles soccer team. Edwards said her sports career ended perfectly. The moment that defined Edward’s career was the team’s last LSC game, she said.

“I made some really good saves during the game,” Edwards said. “My team kept telling me how proud they were of me. We were able to hold our third place spot in the conference because we won the game.”

Out of all the valuable lessons Edwards has learned from her time with ASU athletics, she has best learned how to be part of a team and to be a leader, she said.

“As a senior, you have to be a role model to ev-eryone else,” Edwards said. “Being a leader helps you to deal with people and work with a group of people later on in life.”

One of Edwards’ favorite moments was when she was with her teammates.

“Our team was stretching and walking outside before our game,” Edwards said. “The coaches told us to run down to the movie theater, which was about 100 yards from our hotel. As soon as we started run-ning, sprinklers turned on and all of us girls started screaming because we were soaking wet. Our coach-es were watching us from the hotel window, and they were laughing at us.”

With the soccer season over, Edwards said she plans to focus on graduating and not playing profes-sionally.

“I don’t think it would get any better than it was this year,” Edwards said.

Austin Benson, football player, has been a part of ASU athletics for five years and will miss his teammates the most when he graduates, he said.

“A lot of these guys are like my brothers, and I hope to stay in touch with all of them,” Benson said.

While being involved with athletics, what Benson has learned most is standing on what he believes in and putting his name on every-thing he does, he said.

“Don’t act impulsively,” Benson said. “Always put yourself second to others.”

There are two favorite moments that was not only a personal victory for Benson, but for his team as a whole, he said.

“In [2009] we beat the ranked Midwestern team and this past year’s victory was when we beat [ACU],” Benson said.

Benson dreams of playing professional football one day but iit might not happen, he said.

“I see nothing wrong with trying,” Benson said.

K a t i e Coleman has been a part of the ‘Belles volleyball team for

four seasons. From her time at ASU, Coleman has learned to be patient and manage her time wisely, she said.

“We always have a new group of girls com-ing in that have to learn the ropes,” Coleman said. “I plan to go to physical therapy school, so I will be able to apply my time management skills to my three years of grad school.”

The moment that Coleman recalls as her fa-vorite is when the ‘Belles beat West Texas A&M leading up to the Lone Star Conference Tourna-ment, she said.

“We have always lost to [West Texas] and we didn’t want that to happen again,” Coleman said. “Beating [West Texas] was the most rewarding experience because that is something that [our team] wanted to do before we graduated.”

Now that the time has come for Coleman to step off the court and continue her education she cannot believe the time has gone by so fast, she said.

“Now as a senior, I am seeing it come to a close, and I think I took it for granted when I was younger,” Coleman said. “It is bittersweet. [The team] is ready to start their next chapter, and volleyball has been a big part of all of our lives.”

This is the end of Coleman’s career as she is not planning to go professional, she said.

“As a freshman I never thought it would end and now it is ending,” Coleman said.

Austin Benson

Alex Woosley

Donovan Roberts

Kaite Coleman

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Austin Slone was involved in track and field for four years and has learned the importance of discipline and time management.

“Those are two things that you need in life regardless of your profession,” Slone said. “The earlier you learn it, the better.”

One of Slone’s favorite moments during his sports career was during his sophomore year, he said.

“Out in Turlock, Cali., I placed fifth in Nation-als in triple jump as a sophomore,” Slone said.

The moment that defined Slone’s career, to date, was jumping 51 feet 7 inches at the confer-ence tournament last year, he said.

Even though the track season does not begin until spring, Slone is going to miss jumping the most, he said.

“I love jumping,” Slone said. “Just [being outside] for 1:30 p.m. practice and then getting ready for meets during the week is what I will miss the most.”

If given the opportunity to do his sports ca-reer over again, Slone said he would have been more focused as an underclassman. As for going professional, Slone said he will keep jumping until the day his legs say no more.

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Photo courtesy of Danny Meyer

Hanna Horeis just ended her fourth year with the ‘Belles soccer team and ASU athletics. Horeis said she was selected to be team captain this year.

“Being a leader helped me to come out of my shell,” Horeis said. “I have a continuing passion for the sport, and I have met many new people by playing,” Horeis said.

During her sophomore year, Horeis described her favorite mem-ory as playing against Midwestern on Senior Day, she said.

She said she will miss the road trips and her teammates the most.

“These girls are not just team-mates, but great friends off the field,” Horeis said.

The defining moment in Horeis’ sports career was against West Tex-as as she made a goal 35 yards out, Horeis said.

“It was a great way to end my ca-reer,” Horeis said.

Horeis does not plan to contin-ue playing soccer, but instead will continue her education at graduate school.

“I have enjoyed my last four years, and I wouldn’t change anything about it,” Horeis said.

Hanna Horeis

Isidro Garcia

Danielle Edwards

Photo courtesy of Kendra Guerrero

OPINIONS Friday, Nov. 30, 2012

You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here

PUBLISHING POLICYPublished every Friday and available to students, one copy per student, the student newspaper of Angelo State University is a public forum, with its student editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents. Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the editorial board.Ram Page welcomes all letters. Please include your name, classification/position and a phone number and/or e-mail ad-dress for verification purposes. Letters must be signed and be no more than 350 words. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel and privacy. Deadline is 5 p.m., Monday. Submission does not guarantee publication. Letters may be mailed, e-mailed or submitted at the newspaper’s of-fice, Room 324 on the third floor of the Porter Henderson Li-brary. Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the staff, nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be con-strued as the opinion or policy of the administration, unless

Ram Page Staff

2012-2013A n g e l o S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

Editor: Dillon BrollierManaging Editor: Mariah PowellCopy Editor: Lisa DeesFeatures Editor: Allison PriceOnline Editor: Riley MashburnStaff Writer: Stephen CoganStaff Writer: Rachel Riggs Circulation Manager: Mariah PowellPhoto Editor: Rio VelasquezPhotographer: Tim PeevyAdvertisingManager: KaitlynnGlendinning Adviser: Dr. Cathy Johnson

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“My favorite memory was when I took the self defense class. It

was very interesting.”

“The bonfire with AMAS. We danced,

laughed, ate and sang. It was fun.”

“When the interna-tional students got together and we all

met.”

“My favorite memory was being supervi-

sor for international education week.”

“During a football game I dressed up

as a super hero and I was SuperRam.”

Angel ChavezSophomore

Myung-Sin Oh Junior

Bobby GardnerSenior

Myriam BarrerFreshman

Vanessa MirandaJunior

What is your favorite memory this semester at ASU?

First semester freshmen perspectives, erasing doubt

For once, I honest-ly have no idea how to put what I want to say into words, so I will do my best. It is such a surreal feeling to have a life-time of work finally come to an end. Graduation is a few weeks away, and while I absolutely cannot wait to get

this whole school thing over with, there is a small unsettling feeling I have. Enter the cliché, “One journey ends, another be-gins” speech, but that is really what life is isn’t it? Think about it, you get done with one thing just to move on to another. You finish one assignment and move on to the next. You finish one school, then move on to the next. You finish your degree, then move on to your career. That is what I am doing at graduation in a few weeks, and the funny thing is, it is only here at the end do I really see all of the great things college has to offer. I mean the real world sucks, guys. I am excited to get on with it and face whatever challenges life thinks it can beat me with, but the fact of the matter is simply that the safety net is gone. It is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Not only that, but the relationships I have formed over this semester, never mind the past four years,

have been the best I have had and I really don’t want those to suffer when I leave. True friendships endure a pesky little obstacle like distance and I am not worried that my true friend-ships will suffer, but the day to day faces that I see have been somewhat calming to me. I suppose it is just me getting used to the way of life here. San Angelo has been my home for the past four years and I can honestly say that it has been very good to me. This summer I got to see sides of this town that I had no idea existed and those experiences just en-riched my opinion of San Angelo. Dallas will always be my hometown, but San An-gelo will always be my second home. As far as the Ram Page goes am I glad my time is over? Yes, without a doubt. Do I wish I could have had a whole semester to plan out and really see what I could do as an editor? You better believe it. But the paper is in good hands. I said it when I took over that this is the best group that I have worked with, and I will say it again. Even though some... err most of them irritated me to no end at least one time. This job was made so much easier because of all of y’all, so thank you. My friends and family who have seen the best and worst of me, thank you for putting up with all of my insecurities, worries, cranky episodes and all other sorts of annoying traits I have. Thank you all.

Dillon BrollierEditor

Allison Price, Rachel Riggs, Riley MashburnFirst semester freshmen

Did we make the right decision by coming to this college?

Is making friends really this hard or are we just socially-repellant?

Are we making the right choice with our majors?

Should we have gone to a college closer to home?

Will we find a job after college or will we have to work at Best Buy with all of the art majors? Should we get our masters – scratch that – can we even attempt to afford getting our masters degree?

College definitely keeps you busy, even when you are a lonely freshman.

After high school it is time for us to leave the nest and move into the next chapter of our lives.

We have grown to love ASU. We love that we have the opportunity to work for the collegiate newspaper as a fresh-men. We love that professors know our

name. We love feeling like a human being and not a campus ID number. We love that there have been very few mean-spirited people here; everyone is so nice – almost too nice. Rachel loves that she has an awesome roommate who shares her obsession of coffee and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

The typical stereotypes of college portrayed in movies are completely different from what college is really like.

Although, you will find yourself walking down the sidewalk and see a group of students laughing and having a good time similar to what you see in the (sometimes cheesy) brochures for the college.

Once here and settled, it is as though all your troubles have lifted away and you are given a clean slate.

Of course, like most of the other freshmen, some of us were completely

nervous our first days walking into a room full of 50 students that appeared to be staring at you.

Over time we understood that every person in our classes had a moment of weakness like we did. We weren’t the only one who regretted coming to col-lege two weeks after we had arrived. It is a big transition, but a much needed one.

To the freshmen who still haven’t fully adjusted,we promise it gets better with time. If you are impatient, here are some tips: 1) ask the people in your classes about their weekend (although sometimes you will get bar stories); 2) hang out in the lobby area of your dorm; 3) sit with other loners in the cafeteria; 4) join a random organiza-tion or club; and 5) get a job to keep you occupied.

When you think about it, we only have four years left before the real

world kicks in. In four years, we will have to pay back those pesky student loans, reevaluate if our relationships are meant to be, get dressed for work every morning (it’s like having an 8 a.m. class Monday-Wednesday-Friday and Tuesday-Thursday) and start mor-phing into boring adults.

Our very first college semester is ending in two weeks. Time has flown by and while it has been fun getting to know people, hanging out in the UC and attending all of the events with free food, we can’t take our time at ASU for granted.

Basically, we have four years until the end of life as we know it.

We have learned during our first se-mester that there is no need worrying about the tough questions.

There is plenty of time for that later.

Friday, Nov. 30, 2012 SPORTS

The Rams are now 2-3 after Wednesday night’s 76-67 loss to Eastern New Mexico University and they are moving into the core of the regular season.

The Rams finished their non-conference matchups in the beginning of their season with a 2-2 record and now are 0-1 in Lone Star Conference play.

Freshman Jovan Austin scored 20 points to set a new career high and gives the rookie guard 64 points on the season.

The Rams fell into a deep 24-9 hole by the 10-minute point in the first half, but soared back to close the gap to 30-29 at the half.

The Rams couldn’t take control of the second half and suffered their first conference loss of the season.

The Rams opened their season at home against Lubbock Christian University with a close and exciting 75-61 win that followed with a 95-68 blowout at home over Arlington Baptist College.

The LCU win featured a stat sheet that had junior guard Bryan Hammond and junior forward Ryan Marsh with 14 points each to lead the team with sophomore Dakota Rawls chipping in 10.

Senior guard Antonio Dye said after the game one could see the

balance in scoring and that they all shared the ball.

Since the first win, junior guard/forward Chris Talkington got his share.

Talkington, who didn’t play a minute against LCU, erupted for 25 points against ABC and now leads the team in scoring with 67 points and has played in four of the team’s five games.

Before the season began, Rams Head Coach Fred Rike said that he didn’t exactly know what to see from his players because 12 of the 15 players are brand new to ASU including Talkington.

The Rams went on the road to the St. Mary’s Invitational Tournament following those two wins and came up with two losses in San Antonio.

On the first day, the Rams lost 68-71 against the University of Minnesota Deluth on a neutral court where Austin, Dye, and Talkington combined for 50 of the Rams points.

On the second day, the Rams lost to St. Mary’s on its home floor 76-84 where the Rams could not keep up despite four players posting double digit points.

The Rams are undefeated 2-0 at home, 0-2 on the road and 0-1 at neutral sites.

The Rams’ first two losses will not affect them when it comes to conference seeding, but from here on out each game determines their standing in the LSC.

Their next game will be their home opener on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Rams strong in home play as season moves onConfernce play begins, as does new tests for Rams

Stephen CoganStaff Writer

Photo by Tim PeevyAbove: Sophomore, Ryan Marsh (5) shoots a free throw in the second half of a game.Right: Junior Bryan Hammond (3) runs the ball down the court in the first half of the game.

It is hard to believe this issue of the Ram Page will make it a year that I have spent c o v e r i n g sports at ASU.

I t seems just yesterday I

got the job, and I interviewed my first player and it was awkward just like the whole semester was.

Because I had no one to show me how to do the job, I played pioneer and made my own trail.

I oversaw two Lone Star Conference Championship wins, made friends with the entire baseball team and found a great friend in Wes Bloomquist; the assistant director in Athletic Communications.

Not bad for a first semester, huh?But this second semester as the sports

guy was completely different because I had to cover two new sports: football and volleyball.

I’ve played semi-pro football and won a championship ring, so covering football was like drinking water; it was natural, but I was a little anxious about covering the volleyball team.

I never really played volleyball in my youth, and I didn’t know anything about the game except players hit the ball over the net, so I didn’t know what to expect or who I would meet.

What I encountered was, in my

mind, the best team I have ever had the privilege of covering and that is no disrespect to the teams I have covered whether here at ASU or the professional teams I wrote about on blogs.

As a sportswriter, you look for that team that has the “It” factor, that inner chemistry, that feeling of a true oneness where they aren’t individuals, but one person spread out in different bodies.

ASU’s volleyball team is one person who doesn’t care about anything except when the clock hits triple zeros. She is the one that has the most points. She doesn’t care about the stats, the glory or the popularity. All she cares about is winning the game.

I know this because I interviewed so many of the players, spent so much time watching their games and even was hit up for money by them outside the University Center for a donation.

I gave them the seven bucks I had left in my wallet with a smile, and I never knew why until now.

It was because every single one of them had the “It” that a coach desires in his or her players and it seemed to radiate off of them whether it was Alex Woolsey making a set, Emily Booth making a block or Shelby Wilt diving to keep the ball in the air.

There isn’t a single one on that team that doesn’t love her teammates and a lot of that is due to the “It” they have and the great guidance that Head Coach Chuck Waddington and Assistant Coach Qi Wang gives.

I don’t care how this team ends their season as they go on the NCAA Division II South Central Regional as the fourth seed in the tournament. I’ll always tell people that they are the team that made me a volleyball fan.

And proud to be an ASU Ram.

The ‘Belles tune-up preseason is over and their real season of playing for the Lone Star Conference Tournament began Wednesday, Nov. 28 with a 72-64 win against Eastern New Mexico University.

Junior forward/center Lauren Holt dominated inside the paint and tied a career high in points with 23 and added three blocked shots and 16 rebounds for good measure.

Senior Leah LeMaire scored 18 points and had one steal in the ‘Belles first Lone Star Conference victory to give them a 1-0 conference record.

The ‘Belles are now 3-3 with all of their losses being margins of three points or less and all of them were on the road at neutral courts.

Holt leads the team in three major categories with 82 points scored, 71 total rebounds, and 14 blocked shots.

Sophomore point guard Cassi Stegall and sophomore forward Haylee Oliver have been successful on the offensive as well with scoring 54 and 51 points respectively.

In addition to returning 10 players, the ‘Belles have deployed four freshmen into the game with Faith Hunt getting the most minutes with 127.

The three other freshmen, Amanda Weaver, Jennifer Lapp and Bria Platenburg have played 63, 28 and 18

minutes respectively over the season. Faith Hunt has struggled with 21

turnovers, but has scored 32 points and made 17 defensive rebounds.

The ‘Belles began their season at home against St. Edwards University with a 57-47 victory in the nonconference matchup.

After the 1-0 home start, the ‘Belles went on the road to a pair of tournaments: the Texas Woman’s University Tournament held in Denton on Nov. 17-18 and the West Texas A&M Tournament held in Canyon on Nov. 23-24.

The ‘Belles split their games 1-1 at Texas Woman’s with a 64-67 loss to the University of Central Oklahoma on the first day and then winning 53-43 over Texas A&M-International on the second day.

The ‘Belles went 0-2 at West Texas A&M with a 62-65 loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State on the first day and then a 60-61 loss to McMurry University.

None of those three losses mean anything in the grand scheme of the LSC Tournament because they are not games against conference opponents that affect seeding at the end of the season.

The ‘Belles next game is their Alzheimer’s Awareness Game that will be played at home in the Junell Center on Saturday, Dec. 1 in the against West Texas A&M University.

A year to remember; the “It” factor that drove ‘Belles volleyball



They all matter now; ‘Belles basketball ready to make early season run toward conference‘Belles continue solid play behind star forward

vol. 79 iss. 13

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