So I’m sitting here in my class, checking Facebook, Playing Mah Jongg, and looking at other class syllabi for upcoming assignments and all the while trying to figure out what I can write my next blog about (by the way, this class I am in is not the class which requires blog entries. This is my poetry class, so I am sure you understand my distraction). And so, why am I on my laptop in one class while working on an assignment for another? But then, I look above the top of my laptop screen to catch a glimpse of my professor when I realized, four other students in my class also had there heads hidden behind laptops as well.

Out of boredom and slight curiosity I count the number of students in my “Studies in Verse” class. Today, there are 19; the class size is 28. Therefore, 5 of the 19 students are preoccupied by their laptops. Also, my boyfriend, who is sitting to my left, is eagerly sketching an elephant. The girl two rows ahead of me is inconspicuously reading a novel and another student just pulled out his giant Sudoku book. I can vaguely hear my professor’s lecture on some poem called “The Collar” because I am not only distracted by the lack of participation by many students in the class, but also my own distraction by this laptop. Then it occurred to me that this is not the first time I have noticed students (myself included) fully consumed by their laptops while sitting in class.

As much as I love having a portable computer to bring with me to campus, I fully admit that during some classes I do not have enough will power (or interest) to strictly type notes and ignore the temptations of internet browsing. I received a laptop for my high school graduation. My mother was thrilled about my collegiate future, and found it just as necessary as I did to have a laptop to enhance my educational experience. If you would have asked my mother why she thought a laptop was the necessary option she would have excitedly told you “because Western is a wireless campus”. Of course most, if not all, college campuses are now wireless, but that is beside the point. I loved my new portable device, but I did not realize how it would change, and possibly hinder, my class participation at WMU.

I first realized the popularity of laptops around WMU when I had freshman lectures with hundreds of students. Walking into the large auditorium style classroom during my first week of classes I was nervous about the amount of attention and note taking my new university classes would ensue. I began my first couple of classes taking extensive notes, and trying to pay close attention to the Freudian theories, biological phenomenon’s, and art history slides I was learning about in my classes. It only took a couple of weeks before I noticed more and more people bringing their laptops into lecture halls with them. At first I assumed, their laptops were to take faster, organized, and more efficient notes. However, when I started snooping behind shoulders at the many screens, I realized note taking was the least desirable option.

I tried sticking to my original habit of sitting near the front so I could take hard-to-decipher hand written notes and make eye contact with the professor as much as possible. But the ever growing number of laptops that were popping up around my classes became to inviting to ignore. As the weeks and months went on I began bringing my laptop more and more while moving further and further toward the back row in my lectures. My shitty hand-written note taking ability became useless as I now had my keyboard at hand. Even though my laptop provided an easier method for taking notes, the amount of notes I took became fewer and fewer. After all, I hand the internet at my finger tips. This is when the hindrance of a wireless campus became apparent to me.

Now, four years later, I look back on my years at WMU and realized that without my laptop some college classes would have seemed unbearable. They would have been Unbearable in the sense that I would not have been able to counter my boredom with internet browsing. Even though my laptop served my entertainment needs during class time, I cannot help to think of the negative impact it may have had on my education. The temptation and distraction of having a laptop on a wireless campus is incredible.

The professors have to be aware of the distraction of a laptop even though they cannot always see what is on their screens. Do they know what their students are really doing on their laptops while they are standing among them teaching? Do the professors know that sometimes students are catching up on episodes of Family Guy while taking up space in their classroom? Or that fact that students are more interested in looking through the drunken pictures of their friends on Facebook than learning about poetic forms or chemical structures?

I am sure most professors are aware of the possibility. But after all, this is college, and we are adults so it is our responsibility to focus in our classes. Then why do students even bother going to class if they are not going to pay attention? You can check your Facebook or Myspace at home, even just go to the library, right? Well I cannot speak for everyone but I bring my laptop with full intention of taking notes. However, on the occasion where I find myself so completely bored with the goings on in class, the surfing is inevitable.

One may assume that students mainly abuse the wireless campus privileges in large lecture classes, where they can get far back from the professor making there lack of participation less noticeable. In these classes it is easier to be inconspicuous and pretend like you are eagerly taking notes rather than Facebook stalking. However, throughout my four years the consistency of laptop users has increased and overflowed into even the smallest most intimate classes. Now, here I sit, in my class of 19 distracted by the unnecessary internet surfing and Facebooking that other screens surrounding me illustrate.

]]> http://campusantics.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/my-laptop-a-hinderance-to-a-wmu-education/feed/ 0 melwmu laptop lecturehall2 laptop2 http://campusantics.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/art-hop-my-kalamazoo-treasure/ http://campusantics.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/art-hop-my-kalamazoo-treasure/#comments Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:01:53 +0000 melwmu http://campusantics.wordpress.com/?p=26 ]]>

Yesterday my boyfriend and I were eating at Shawarma King enjoying delicious Lentil Soup, Chicken Shawarma with Hummus, and of course a side of Falafel, when it occurred to me that it was the first Friday of April: this meant ART HOP was tonight. The first Friday each month is twelve times during the year which I can particularly look forward to. It is when Kalamazoo celebrates its artists. I suspected that since ART HOP is one of Kalamazoo’s own my boyfriend would have heard of it. Much to my surprise, he had not heard of ART HOP and definitely had never been. Luckily, after a quick description of my perception of ART HOP he was more than willing to go. And off we went downtown to the HOP, even despite the unfortunately freezing wind of a Michigan April. It was finally something different to consume an otherwise predictable Friday night at WMU.

Although I have many qualms about WMU and Kalamazoo, I do thoroughly enjoy the creative energy that Western students bring to the downtown culture.

Here are a few highlights of my experience, April 3, at Kalamazoo’s Art hop.

KALAMAZOO’S “ART HOP” THROUGH MY  

We parked in Harvey’s parking lot even though there are much closer parking options. Looking at the fraternity houses, low income student apartments, and the broken beer bottles sprinkled around the WMU area gets old and I wanted to enjoy the scenery and the history of downtown Kalamazoo Avenue.  On the way to the main site of Art Hop we made a pit stop at a small but familiar art gallery. Walking into the small gallery out of the freezing cold, I was slightly stunned by the large crowds of people gathered around the famous electronically altered photographs by Norman F. Carver Jr. A group of preteens were rushing in behind us from out of the cold passing all of the beautiful pictures, hurdling over the crowd of people to get their hands on the complimentary snacks (Oreos, jumbo pretzels, and giant block of cheddar cheese, and endless amounts of Ritz crackers). Still full from my Shawarma I surpassed the goodies and dove straight into the crowd. After inspecting each photograph we decided to get moving, it was already 6:45. On our way out the door we were offered a free calendar displaying 14 of the beautiful Norman Carver photographs. The calendar was from 1987, outdated but still worth displaying.

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When we reach our main destination, the Park Trades Center, it is about 7:00 o’clock and we had two hours to meander through 4 stories of art studios. The Park Trades Center is an old warehouse of some sort. The Art students of WMU, along with teachers and students of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, transformed this once grungy warehouse to a peaceful eccentric environment for Kalamazoo artists to create. But yesterday this peaceful artist haven was fill top to bottom with kids, parents, grandparents, students, and even traveling glass blowing competitors. Oh and I ran into my mom there too.

We had already heard about the editable book art exhibit that was going on tonight in The Park Trades Center. And there it was, first thing you see when you walk into the old Warehouse, four long tables displaying numerous edible books. Most of the artists were students from Western whose cakes were inspired my famous novels such as “Naked Lunch”, “A Clockwork Orange”, and “Frankenstein”. It was quite the site; the cakes were fun to look at. I wanted to take a picture of the bakery art but my camera malfunctioned when I tried to take a picture of “The Color Purple” editable book display, and it refused to cooperate the rest of the evening. Luckily, somebody else was also fascinated by the edible art and already put pictures on the internet for my to steal and show you. I later heard that the cake artists were serving their edible art to the art hoppers after the exhibit. It seems that I missed out on some fantastical cake tasting extravaganza.

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Downstairs, there was an intense glass blowing competition going on. A traveling team of glass blowers were gracing the Art Hop this month. I had heard about the competition up stairs but I didn’t realize the magnitude of the event. Walking down into the dungeon of a basement to check out the badass glass art was of the highlight of my evening. I did not realize the ostentatious show that was in progress.

While I went searching for a gallery serving wine to refill my new ceramic cup, my boyfriend was becoming captivated by a glass blowing spectacle along with the 60 other people who were watching. Returning with my refill I decided I could too patiently watch the competition. As I tried to step up closer to the glass blowing action to catch up with what was going on a woman tells me to move away from the room, because the room was meant only for people “involved in the competition.”

Outside the room where I was redirected, there was a large screen displaying the progress of the competitors. A woman sporting the bright yellow shirt with a dragon logo that signified her part in the glass blowing gang stood outside the room. She was dramatically narrating the process through her headset microphone that was unnecessarily loud:

The intensity of the commentary, the large projection screen, the continuous expanding audience, and the three serious judges, made the experience  fascinating. Not to mention that both competitors made outstanding goblets.

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We wandered in and out of many art galleries in the Park Trades Center, some memorable some not so memorable. Each artist provided snacks in there studios, the better the snacks the more the people were  in that studio. Food is a good marketing bribe for the food loving Michiganders. The most popular art studios however were the ones that provided free wine. The more studios you visit, the more toasty you got, and the more you’re apt to frivolously spend your money on their art. With the wine, the snacks, the diversity of people, and the artistic atmosphere, Art Hop is enough to give Kalamazoo a little more appeal.

We Continued our Art Hop experience up the street at the Smart Shop, a metal art gallery. Feeling a bit of a sensory overload from the thousands of artworks I just saw, along with the oddly intense glass blowing competition, I was feeling that I had met my creative quota for the day. Therefore, I quickly browsed the metal art and then headed straight to the back of the metal shop where the live band and keg was. The rest of my Art Hop evening was spent, doodling with sidewalk chalk on the floors of the metal shop, drinking countless cups of free honey brown lager, and dancing to funky live music. The creative minds that I encountered during this evening were inspiring. So inspiring that I owed them a blog.

By the end of the night I felt slightly drunk and completely satisfied.

At WMU, March 17^th has become a day where the Irish and the not-so-Irish Broncos look forward to spending the entire day drinking as much a humanly possibly. During this day, ambitious students wake at earlier hours, throw on their green Tee’s with catchy slogans containing promises of becoming drunken barbarians, and tap their kegs of green beer. The past three years at this university I have partaken in these festivities. I, like many others, was somehow brainwashed with the notion that at WMU St. Patrick Day was meant to be spent fulfilling the following:

BINGE DRINKING

BEER PONG

BAR HOPPING

BELLIGERENCE

I had always experienced this ridiculous celebration as an insider. The past three years my memory of St. Pat’s Day at WMU has been just as blurry as many others. I remember feeling the unnecessary urge to keep up with the drunken sea of green that surrounded the areas of Western’s Campus, West Michigan Avenue, and the student ghetto. I remember the green beer that I continued to choke down, despite how sick and bloated it made me feel. I remember when two years ago, it was like 26 degrees. The freezing winds and temperatures of South West Michigan were not enough to stop my fellow Bronco’s and myself from staggering from party to party and still proudly sporting our green T-shirts. After all, the WMU philosophy is the more you drink the less cold you feel. My roommate that year bought a 30 dollar green hoodie just so she could make her long day of drinking more comfortable. That point is that around here students go to all lengths to make sure they can reach a level of incoherence on St. Patrick’s Day. With all of the commotion that surrounded me on this green holiday, I couldn’t help but to be a part of it.

This March 17, in my fourth year experiencing the fascinatingly ridiculous student antics at WMU, I decided to forgo the craziness associated with the day. I didn’t actually do this intentionally. Maybe one could say I have grown up or I am just partied out. Whatever the case I honestly had no desire to spend this day, which happens to be a Tuesday, DRUNK. Nothing about the memories of this day appealed to me this year. Therefore, I did not drink, party, or skip class.

Interestingly to me, it was this year, the year that I experienced St. Pat’s Day with complete sobriety and clarity, which was the most memorable and eye opening. On Tuesday morning, I was awakened by the screeching sound of an individual already out celebrating. Turning to look at my clock the letters blurred something like 9:18. I had left my window open the previous night because the forecast called for sunny and a high of 68 degrees; it was going to be the spring day Kalamazoo has been waiting for, not to mention a perfect day for celebratory drinking. However, since I had decided not to have beer for breakfast this March 17, I felt I should get out and enjoy this beautiful spring day. Feeling ambitious I got ready to jog up to our recreational center with intention of using this day for healthful and beneficial things, to distract myself from the bad habits of my past years. .

Ironically my old Sacony’s that I wear to run are a greenish color, displaying a hint of St. Pat’s Day spirit that I secretly still feel. I am out the door at around 10:09 to set off on my short run up to the rec center. Making my way up West Michigan Avenue I pass a few dog-walkers, other ambitious joggers, and students hurrying toward campus to class. Blaring Incubus in my headphones I try to focus on my cardiovascular efforts and steadily make it to class. But as front doors open all around me and students begin crawling out of bed to crack a beer in the sunlight, the scene that quickly consumes my vision becomes too inviting to ignore.

Passing by my old house I glance at it to the right out of habit. In that two second glance I notice the six new residents, all wearing identical green T-shirts, who are beginning their morning playing beer pong in the front parking lot. A large clover made of green flashing lights hung in the window of my old living room. I could hear the cheering of some girl sinking a shot. I turned up my ipod volume to its max to drown her out. About one block further on the right side of West Michigan where I was running is a big red fraternity house. Here I could notice the members of Sigma Phi Whatever surround three large kegs which sat on their front porch. I crossed over to the other side of the street as soon as I could to avoid possibly getting hit by the football that is being tossed back and forth by a couple of frat dudes, or even to avoid one of the red plastic party cups that were already accumulated on the lawn.

Jogging down the left side of W. Michigan Ave I just think about getting to the rec without being bombarded by the early drinkers. As I near campus a feeling of ease comes over me because I figure that campus will be about 98 percent free of drunkards at this hour. However, before I break into the sobriety of WMU’s campus, there was a rambunctious green crowd of at least 40 individuals close ahead. This crowd of students was occupying the outside patio of a popular campus pub called The Grotto. In the distance I could make out the green mob. They were caged in by a fence where there where banner’s hung advertising the bars great St. Patrick’s Day Beer specials: Dollar Domestic Pints. I could see that most of the individuals were incredibly excited with a green beer in hand. Everybody was standing and many were leaning over the short black metal fence that separated them and me. They were like caged intoxicated animals who were hollering at those who weren’t sharing in their drunken extravaganza.

As I got close enough to recognize faces, I noticed a girl who I had in a couple of Early Childhood Education classes. She was running around the beer patio clanging cups and sharing “Woo’s” with everyone around her. I remembered her from the child psychology course I had two years ago and could picture her and I working with the third graders at Washington Elementary. It seemed weird to see her in that setting.

Once I reached the inconveniently placed patio I felt myself quickly picking up speed. The Whooping and yelling is intimidating, especially since I am a panting, red, sweaty mess. As I passed, the smell of wheat and yeast tingled my nose and I veered to the right to dodge the flailing arms that reached out toward me begging for a high five. Various screeches of “HEY’ and “yeah girl run!” sounded over my headphones. My sober reaction is to smile, nod and awkwardly wave, while continuing to run as gracefully as possible.

I arrived at the rec that morning successfully at around 10:28. There were fewer students than usual there, maybe the rest were at one of the numerous bars that opened early to serve the eager Bronco’s.This is just a glimpse of what one could possibly see during a day walking around the student populated areas in Kalamazoo. While on Campus, you might notice the latter: A complete lack of student involvement. Either students are off elsewhere celebrating the “holiday” or they are sitting class anticipating the fun-filled day that awaits them when they finally get out of class.

Later during this day I made my way to class, walking as usual, and contently sober. The afternoon had reached its peak and the sidewalks and streets were full of people. Most were wearing green, and most becoming exceedingly drunk. The point during this St. Pats day walk to class that is the most visually memorable was when I passed a certain crowd while crossing Howard Street. There were about 10-12 of students, men and women. I assume they were freshman because they were walking out of campus with no book bags of any sort. What was most visually memorable though were their matching green T-shirts that they wore as they excitedly gallivanted across the street. Each shirt was Kelly green with a large white clover front and center. Above the clover the words “Get Drunk” read, and below the clover displayed the words “Get Lucky”. As these 10 or so Bronco’s strode off of my campus that I have tried so hard to love displaying the slogan “Get Drunk, Get Lucky” I suddenly felt completely satisfied with my decision to forgo the annual St. Patrick’s Day WMU shenanigans.

I made it right in time for class to start, and at least half of the students in my class were missing. My professor didn’t seem at all surprised though. Has Western’s history for binge drinking on St. Patrick’s Day been so consistent that our professors don’t even expect us to show up? Either way, I am very happy that I got to experience St. Patrick’s day WMU style alcohol free. It was eye-opening, humorous, and entertaining.

]]> http://campusantics.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/st-patricks-day-shenanigans/feed/ 0 melwmu st-patricks-day http://christmasspirit.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/15-03-08_green_beer.jpg http://kylewade.com/images/Drunk_Leprechaun.jpg http://images.cafepress.com/product/110042373v8_240x240_Front.jpg http://campusantics.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/adderall-campus-crack/ http://campusantics.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/adderall-campus-crack/#comments Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:54:37 +0000 melwmu http://campusantics.wordpress.com/?p=3 ]]>

My Friend took his first little blue pill (Adderall) yesterday. Granted, it was only 5 milligrams but he still took it for the purpose of most WMU students I meet take it for; to get shit done.

He said to me, “I feel like I have done half a bump of coke.”

This wasn’t the first time I had heard the great study drug compared to cocaine. After all, Adderall is an amphetamine, a stimulant. It is amazing how WMU students frantically search for their sacred Adderall because without it, they believe they may not score as well on their test or do as good on their papers. Due to the frequent comparison of Adderall to “hardcore” ampephatamines/stimulants it makes sense why Adderall is known around WMU as “Campus Crack”.

What if there was a quick fix to perk you up and “make” you study for an exam that you’ve known about for weeks, but haven’t studied a thing? Then here it is,  11pm the night before and you can barely keep your eyes open but desperately need to stay awake and study? Apparently coffee and Red Bull are no longer a desirable fix for a lot of WMU students. I have noticed a dramatic amount of students around me looking for Adderall to give them the inspiration they need to study. I did not know about the frequent use of this wonder drug until four years ago when I lived in the dorms at Western Michigan University. When I say “did not know” I don’t literally mean that. Actually, Adderall is a very well known drug but I had always associated Adderall solely with individuals who are diagnosed ADHD/ADD. Now it seems that Adderall is in high demand in an underground collegiate market place, at least at WMU.

Do you know where I can get some Addie’s?

Doesn’t that sound a little silly? Well, four years ago I believe I answered my fellow Henry Hall resident with a confused, “some what”? Now you can ask me where to get Addies, Jollies, or Amps I would know of three people to call who use their Adderall prescription as a source of income; feeding the average sleep deprived, unmotivated Western Student.

$$$

Apparently the going rate for ONE Adderall pill around WMU’s campus is from 3-5 dollars, depending on the milligrams. In my personal experiences I have seen 5, 10, 20, and 30 milligram tablets/capsules. As one would assume, the greater the milligrams the higher the price.  This is just my assumption, but it seems most college students are still covered under their parents medical insurance and therefore not paying much or anything for their prescriptions. This leads me to believe (reasonably so) that many who were prescribed ADHD medication in their youth are no longer taking it. Instead, they have the opportunity sell them to the non-prescribed late night study bug. My neighbor has been prescribed Adderall since he was 8 years old, we will just call him neighbor Joe. Neighbor Joe is now 24 and says that he hasn’t been taking it for about 5 years. However he still gets his prescription filled habitually every month. He knows that if he keeps them around, sooner or later somebody will call needing to buy a few of his pills. Neighbor Joe graduated last year but still has his many dedicated Adderall Junkies who call him frequently, especially during exam time.

SCENARIO: One individual goes to Walmart to get their Adderall prescription filled for the month. Most prescriptions at Walmart are $4, and one prescription is 30 pills (in many cases). If they sell 30 pills in the month before their next prescription they have made from 90-150 dollars. Plenty of each cash for a monthly bar tab.

Adderall and other ADHD stimulant drugs have become a part of this incredible underground prescription drug phenomenon at WMU. About Three weeks ago my roommate received a gift from his older lady friend. He was very excited about it. As he proudly held it up in my direction to show me a cheesy clay jar labeled “Bad Habits” he explained that he would:

“Use it to keep his drugs in”!!

As charming as this gift was, I was concerned with his proclaimed use for it. I mean, I think I would notice if my roommate was doing drugs, so i found his comment irrelevant because as far as I know he didn’t even have drugs in the house. So to this regard I had to be nosy and ask him what drugs he was referring to. Of course, I said it in a joking manner but I seriously was anticipating the answer.

“I can keep my Adderall,Vicadin, Xanax, and Zolloft in here. hahaha.”

I realize how ridiculous his answer seems. But this was, in all seriousness, his answer. Before I realized to what magnitude my fellow Bronco’s used prescription drugs I would have assumed that my roommates previous comment regarding his brand new “Bad Habits” jar would be referring to something like marijuana, cocaine, or mushrooms. Aren’t these what DRUGS are anyway? These are what I used to believe the kind of drugs I thought my colleagues were doing. But now, 4 years in, I have had a dramatic Revelation. The drug/s of choice for many WMU scholars are those which are prescribed (to some) legally. Maybe the thought of abusing prescription drugs is less concerning. Or maybe they are just easier to get your hands on.

Whatever the case may be, one should understand that this minor underground prescription drug operation around WMU is spreading like wildfire.  It is also important to understand that the people who partake in this illegal drug activity are most likely aware of the consequences and fully acknowledge that it is illegal. However, when dealing with prescription drugs many people feel more safe. Also,  most of the students who seek out the aide of Adderall do intend to use it for mainly scholarly purposes. They are good students who have hopes of high achievement and honor. Many of the students whoI know use it, myself include, take it for the purposes of being able to study better, longer, and harder. Hopefully recieving a descent grade in return. It seems like a harmless but helpful drug.

All of these presumptions that I have construed are all from personal experience and personal discussions with acquaintances. I am 22. I have lived in many different student dorms, apartments, housing, etc. I have made friends with many people. And from each and every one I have gathered small details of conversations I have either taken part in or over heard. From these details and experimental stages of my personal young adulthood I believe I can personally make valid assumptions of the growing abuse of adderall and precription-like drugs.

However, Going beyond personal experience and the quiant campus of WMU, I decided to see if my current perseptions of Adderall abuse were valid elsewhere. First of all, I began my quest with my beloved search engine, Google. By typing in “Adderall abuse” in the search bar, over 2 million results came up. I recall that when scrolling over the first Google results page the phrases “Addiction”, “Overdose”, and “High” stuck out to me. Mainly because people usually associate such intense language to drugs more commonly recognized as illegal substances. This provides information that Adderall is addictive and it can be potentially dangerous.

Here is a short video I stumbled upon on YouTube. It is some news station in Atlanta reporting Adderall abuse on college campus.