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Cartoon by NATASHA HELLEIN
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Balls, tape and ice. These are the three words I struggled to remember while zoning in and out of coherency. "Just follow my finger," said the trainer. "Balls, tape and ice," I replied. Following the index was a simple task too difficult for me at that moment. "What happened?" asked the trainer. "Balls, tape and ice," I answered. No, this wasn't an episode of Turrets Syndrome. Just me straining to remember the three little words previously assigned me.
"A girl fell on me," I stated. Blank stares were all I received. After I explained the accident to the trainer, that a girl had fallen from a stunt and that I was a participant in a dog pile, I was forced to go to the hospital. I didn't want to go. I was pleading with both coaches, the trainer and my boyfriend, but needless to say, my opposing efforts were defeated considering I couldn't sit up straight, let alone argue. So a bloody T-shirt, a night in the emergency room, a bruised nose and a mild concussion later I was back at cheerleading practice attempting the same stunt that had injured all of us the day before. I wasn't my usual self at practice I'll admit. A headache, dizziness and nausea aren't the most ideal mascots. The point is that I fell off my horse and got right back on, even if I couldn't find the stirrups.
I've realized that a lack of respect and credibility given to cheerleaders by our peers has only made us strive to be the best and prove everyone wrong. What other sport requires teammates to hurl, elevate, and hold one another in the air? How about tumble, jump and dance (with rhythm) and still have energy and strength to successfully execute those stunts?
Last year we lost a couple of male cheerleaders because our sport was too demanding. They had difficulty with the physical aspect as well as the amount of time it required. They had initially joined under the assumption that it would just be an extracurricular activity. I think they realized too late in the season that cheerleading was a lot more than they bargained for. I'm sure they've now resorted to football or whatever you boys participate in. Cheerleaders are under a lot of pressure when they perform in front of an audience. If one of our girls forgets some of the choreography or one of our stunts falls, the entire crowd gasps in horror and all of a sudden the cheerleaders "suck." What happens when one of the basketball players misses a basket or one of the soccer players misses a goal? They get another chance to score. Even if they lose the game it’s acceptable because they gave it their best shot and they'll “get them next time.” Cheerleaders only get one chance to prove their ability and that is during half time. If our stunt falls we don't get a do-over.
Everyone expects the VWC cheerleaders to have the ability of the Kentucky squads seen on ESPN, however our basketball team isn't expected to perform like they are in the NBA. Unless you have a hyper-extended toe touch or can 'retake a liberty flare,’ twist down and reload into a scorpion, or perhaps execute a three high, then maybe you should just dribble, kick, and swing leaving the "balls, tape and ice" to the cheerleaders.
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Cartoon by NATASHA HELLEIN
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Friend:
According to Webster's dictionary, a friend is, "one attached to another by affection or esteem." A friend is a person that you enjoy being around and share new ideas with. You don't have to pretend to be someone you're not when you're with him. You can talk to them about almost anything and not worry about being judged. He may know things about you, but you might not always be prepared to let him see the real you.
Acquaintance:
An acquaintance is "a person whom one knows, but who is not a particularly close friend." This is a person who you may see on a daily basis, but don’t associate with outside of those daily events and probably never give them a second thought. It's OK, everyone does it, it is human nature to interact with people in a given environment. We talk to them about work or school related topics, maybe have lunch and briefly discuss what's going on in life. After the day is over there is nothing left to say; it was all just friendly small talk.
Two-faced:
Two-faced is "having two faces or double dealing." This is someone
who is capable of being your friend and your enemy at the same time. He is a
"friend to your face, foe to your rear." This kind of relationship
is very common. People don't like to be unpleasant; they would rather smile
and chat, then talk bad about you behind your back and laugh with their friends.
If people were honest they would tell others that they don't want to talk to
them or be their friends. But, yeah, like that would really happen.
Instead, we keep people around to serve our own selfish needs. It is a normal
part of society to be both friend and foe to one person without him realizing
it.
In a group, you can always be closer to a specific set of people inside that group. Since you're all part of that group, wouldn't you think that everyone would be friends? Wrong! They will tell you they can keep a secret and in the same breath can't wait to share it with your worst enemy. Think before you tell someone something private -- is he a real friend or just pretending?
True friend:
A true friend is by far the rarest of the bunch, but when found, will last a lifetime. There is no one definition for a true friend, but there are thousands of interpretations. My interpretation of a true friend is someone who likes you for who and what you are on the inside, where it counts. This special person may not always be able to be around, but when you need him he’ll always be there. These people know who you are and all of your secrets. They still love you, no questions asked.
A person can always pick out his or her true friend when faced with a bad experience. Knowing that they are there, and that you don't have to speak to communicate what you are thinking, is a comforting feeling to be cherished. Maybe you need someone to vent to, hug or comfort you. To have a true friend is the greatest gift one could have., next time you’re out and about to take notice of that other person. You never know when a true friend could be just around a corner.
First, it was the rice and beans every day in the cafeteria. Then it was the vegan pizza in the Marlin Restaurant. Now it's the vegan Boca Burgers in the cafeteria every day and the occasional tofu in the salad bar. It is a great time to be vegan at Virginia Wesleyan. If you don't know, a vegan is someone who does not eat or wear any kind of meat or animal bi-products. Not all of them are angry animal rights activists and usually get extremely excited when they find out that they can eat more than plain pasta and salad at the cafeteria (or maybe it’s just me).
The biggest reason that I am overjoyed with this is that I did not even ask for the increase in vegan foods on campus. The head of food services Tim Lockett found out that I was vegan and came up to me almost every day, asking what I wanted to see in the cafeteria. "There are a few people here with very specific dietary needs and we are here to accommodate their needs," said Lockett. "The reason I come to work every day is to satisfy the needs of our customers. That's what gets me up in the morning."
Dan Murphy is the executive chef at of dining services. He has also done quite a few things to help keep me happy. For example, he made a vegan pizza for me in the cafeteria. "If I've got the product in the back, I'll make it," said Murphy. "Like pizza, it only takes five minutes to put together and five minutes to cook."
If you talk to them, getting new things in the salad bar is not difficult either. Lois Ford is not only the director of the salad bar, but also the head of most cold foods in the cafeteria. Ford said that they are willing to bring in new things and cook things that the students are used to at home but cannot get here.
"We brought in tofu because we were thinking about getting you something different," said Ford. I feel tofu is the greatest, most interchangeable food in the world, I could not have been more pleased to find it on the salad bar. They even asked if I would give them some ideas on how I cook it for myself. I am not the only person for whom they have done this. Recently, a student's mother called and asked if the dining services would bake him a chocolate mayonnaise cake for his birthday.
It seems that people, for the most part, like the cafeteria. "The Grille doesn't serve toasted bagels at 10:25, just untoasted," said senior Craig O'Neill. "[At the Cafe] I can also get a multiple variety of drinks at the same time: milk with my desert, juice with my eggs, and soda with my hamburger."
Not everyone is particularly happy with the cafeteria, though. Business Professor Frank Weiss eats in the cafeteria every day, but like others, he gets tired of the lack of variety. "I like it fine, but I don't like it nearly as much as I did two years ago," said Weiss. Senior Genna Stargell did, however like the "Action Station" which served certain foods to order.
"They would make-to-order your stir fry or caesar salads right in front
of you," said Stargell. "It's not that the food is bad, there's just
no variety." One possible solution to try to solve the lack of variety
problem is to talk to or place a comment on the comment board. I don't think
anyone has the right to complain about dining service's refusal to serve different
things if they have not at least talked to the people in the kitchen. According
to both Stargell and Weiss, however, they have both offered suggestions.
Lockett, on the other hand, says that not one comment has been put on the board.
Nothing can be done unless those who have complaints or suggestions present
them.
"I can't accommodate everyone's different tastes, but if we can please as many taste buds as we can, we're happy," said Lockett. "We are your food service." I know that there will never be a time that everyone will be completely happy with our dining services. I, however, am absolutely satisfied because, since becoming vegan, I have been forced to lose any pickiness over what I eat. This means that as long as they have rice, beans, Boca Burgers, tofu, and just about everything else that is vegan, I am experiencing absolute bliss for which I do not have to pay.
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