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Cougar Cry Editorial Guidelines And Staff
Hie Cougar Cry is a publication of the student
activities office of Wilkes Community College.
Its objective is to keep the students of WCC
informed of issues, interests, and events related to
campus and academic life. The Cougar Cry does
not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the
faculty and/or staff of WCC
Tlie Cougar Cry welcomes articles, stories,
opinions, photographs, and artwork for
publication consideration. However, everything
that is received cannot be published and the right
is reserved to reject any material with or without
The Cougar Cry will be published as staffing and
resources permit. All submissions must include
the author s name, phone number, and email
address. Constructive criticism is acceptable,
while defamation of individuals or organizations
is not; no material which de&mes or insults any
individual or group will be published. Opinions,
editorials, or viewpoints should be clearly labeled
as such. Material that is obscene, libelous, not
in keeping with local standards of decency, or
disruptive to the instructional or administrative
process will not be published.
All submissions must be in accordance with
the above stated objective: namely, they should
be of specific relevance to WCC students. The
staff reserves the right to edit for size, content,
grammar, spelling, typographical errors, good
taste, and civility. Once an article has been
revised, it will be reviewed with the author before
it is published. Articles without time sensitive
content that are received near publication
deadlines may be published in later editions
because of time and/or space restrictions.
It is strongly recommended that the author have
her/his submission edited for grammar and style
before it is submitted to the Cougar Cry. It is the
authors responsibility to ensure the accuracy and
spelling of names, program names, abbreviations,
logos, etc. Copyrighted material will not be used
without written permission of the copyright
To submit an article to the Cougar Cry please
send email to wcc.newspaper(3)wilkescc.edu with
the article attached in word format.
Staff of the Cougar Cry
Bill Bullock'Ativtior
Chad Treadway- Advisor
Jane Weaver-AtJviior
Loni Miller- Editor-in-chief and Graphic Designer
Amanda Molesa- Graphic Designer
Ryan Segraves- Graphic Designer
Keisha Call- Reporter
Andrew Bryant- Reporter
Lynne Ham- Reporter
Adrian Taylot-Reporter
Melissa Mdjuire-Reporter
Its not very often you can catch most of the Cougar Cry Staff together. We were
able to round up enough at the Awards Reception to get a photo. From left to right:
Andrew Bryant-Reporter, Lynn Ham- Reporter, Loni Miller^ Editor-in-chief
and Graphic Designer, Adrian Taylor- Reporter, fane Owens Weaver- Advisor,
Amanda Molesa- Graphic Designer, Chad Treadway- Advisor. Congratulations
to Andrew Bryant, Lynn Hamm, and Keisha Call for the Reporters of the Year
awards, Amanda Molesa Graphic Designer of the year and Loni Miller Editor-in-
Chief of the Year. Keep up the good work Cougar Cry Staff.
The Counseling Comer
‘Ttt Walk the Line”
As graduation looms,
the sound of Johnny
Cash crooning“I walk
the line" seems stuck
in my head. I know as
WCC students, you
are greatly anticipating
graduation. You can
feel the culmination of
all your hard work; you i
can sense it. Perhaps
only your family’s
pride surpasses your own as you walk across
the podium. Tliere you go, strike a pose, you’ve
earned it! You are now a Cougar alumnus with all
rights and privileges thereof.
My hope for every one of you is that you “walk the
line" with pride. Equally, I hope that each of you
take care and responsibility in your health to earn
what you have striven so hard to achieve. With
that hope, I would like to offer a few reminders
concerning this celebratory milestone. Did you
know that graduation time can be a peak time
for binge drirJdng? Studies concerning stress
and alcohol seem to point to cyclic variables that
increase alcohol use, including stress relief.
It might be a“duh" statement to say that high
stress levels increase drinking amounts and
quantity. It takes no intellectual heavyweight to
discover that simply anticipating major stressors
increases alcohol use. But, did you know that
peak times for alcohol use also follow relief
from stress? Maybe your stressors include an
impossible job, arguments with loved ones, or
feeling overwhelmed with the tasks and expenses
Cougar Cry
of day-to-day life. Perhaps you know someone
organizing a major party before graduation to
blow off some steam, or maybe graduation is that
"relief” and parties are planned afterwards. Either
way, drinking can become the elixir of calmness,
the false friend, the siren of the emotional fix, or
the ever-present hand cozy used to gather and
chat. It is even expected at celebrations.
Your last few weeks of college seem especially
fraught with stress—papers are due, final exams
must be studied for, GPAs must be maintained,
and friendships may take time-outs as you
transfer to other universities. There will be the
incredible temptation to drink with friends, to
“live it up” one last time, to celebrate in excess.
'There will also be the incredible temptation to
drink and drive, or to watch passively as friends
attempt to drink and drive. During the showing
of the teen movie Smashed last fell, students were
able to identify a particularly strong variable that
interfered with taking a stand against drinking
and driving: the "loss of face” in front of friends.
So, if you don’t mind losing face to save fece, stop
yourself and stop your friends from drinking
and driving. If you choose to celebrate around
graduation, please drink in moderation, know
your limits, and have a designated driver. It would
be wise to manage your stress level before partying
and realize you don’t need alcohol for others to
enjoy your company. And, if there is a moment
that calls upon you to be a hero, you may want to
try this line: “Buddy, we’ve made it this far—I’ll
walk the line, and so will youf
Mike Roope, MA/EdS LPC
Counselor, Student Services, 838-6147
Email responses/questions/ideas/confidential
questions to: michael.roope@wilkescc.edu
Coh5ratuIat;oh Class of 2008
Ff'oiv) the Cougar Cfy Staff
Have a safe and fyn (5/'adqatioh
Good LucK In EvefyTh'h^ Voy Po