Newspapers / North Carolina School of … / Nov. 1, 1999, edition 1 / Page 10
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pase 10 opinions november 99 Durham: city of champions? heather fried Now that the school year is well underway, the new juniors and the returning se niors have had the opportunity to examine the community the state picked to be home to NCSSM for the past twenty years: Durham. One of the things we all appreciate about this won derful city is its excellent trans portation system. As we sit on the steps by Watts Circle we get to witness the amazing spec tacle of fifteen buses whizzing pass the school without stop ping to pick us up. The won derful men and women of the Durham Area Transit Authority are always looking out for their appreciated customers. They have no problems letting us get in an extra three hours at the mall before coming to pick us up. The drivers also show a con cern for our education, as they are always ready to take us on a scenic tour of the city before dropping us off at our destina tion three miles from the place we got on the bus. And there is such a variety of places to go; two malls and a movie theatre. DATA really is everywhere we want to be. Durham not only has great transportation, but tons of friendly neighborhoods. When walking through them it is al most certain that one will be shown a fine selection of metal lic armaments. The people are more than willing to demonstrate them too. They are very friendly, and love nothing more than to stop and offer you a ride if they see you walking down the road. They are always look ing out for their fellow citizens. Durham is also one of the most diverse cities in America. Musicians, doctors, students, and miscreants can all be seen enjoying a sub together in Jimmy John’s on Ninth Street. Jimmy John’s is just one example of the city’s fine cuisine. Ninth Street is home to many gourmet restaurants, in cluding the fine Italian tastes of I Love New York Pizza, the de lectable Mexican palates of Cos mic Cantina, and the scrumptious fine beverages of McDonald’s drug store. Every where one goes there is a wide array of fine dining to choose from. Another aspect of the city that puts all newcomers in awe is the fine architecture. An cient Rome can not even hope to compete with the sprawling cityscape of downtown Durham and the towering rocket outside the Life and Science Museum. One can only gape in wonder at the water fountain in front of the First Union bank, the city’s greatest architectural feat of this century. North Carolina really could not have picked a better location for North Carolina school of Science and Math ematics. The wide range of cul tural and social experiences the city has given us will remain with us for years to come. AJ ■.'Hi M: Unsuspecting NCSSM student dives head-first into the wrath of the change sucking dryers. The drowning of the laundry room laurapipe TTie Girls’Laun dry Room is a major spot on the North Carolina School of Science and Math ematics Flood Zone. The girls’ in Ground C can tell you, the laun dry room we girls are forced to use is next to unusable. To step in the laundry room bare footed would be unfeasible, in flip- flops is next to un thinkable. When going from washer to dryer you have to do this special little balance- hover to make sure that you don’t drop anything on the floor. One drop and your clothes are covered by everything from lent deposits to all out mud. The mud made by the combination of the unpreventable dirt brought in by shoes and the water let out by the washers. Which brings me to the idea that very soon there should be an end to the era in the girls’ laundry room. The washers and dryers can very possible; be the same washers and dryers put in when the school opened. The washers obviously leak, but half the time the dryers work the other half they don’t. And that’s just tough luck. I’ve put money in a dryer, it more than graciously took it, and after I pushed the little start button, it just sat there. It disgusts me, the thought, that I have to wash any thing in the laundry room. 1 am often left wondering if there is anything really ac complished by this little adventure of mine. Quite often 1 find myself thinking how much easier it would be to beg and pled until my mom comes and picks me up, so then 1 can wash my clothes at home. But no I still go, and I still wait and wait and wait. The laundry room is a fixable prob lem, but it has yet to be addressed. So I sit there as my clothes tumble and think of all the other glorious things I could do, but no 1 am waiting for that dryer in the middle (because it works) to finish that final spin so 1 can yet again place tlfty cents into the machine. The delay caused by the fixing of this problem would be gladly waited out. 1 can’t really see how waiting a few days to get washers and dry ers fixed is any worse than waiting for your clothes to dry on the third fluff and puff cycle. So, if anyone in the right position would dare to chal lenge this, and take on trying to fix the prob lem, we would appre ciate it. Having to wait for at least three hours for what should only be an hour-and-a-half job is becoming a quite the pain. Many girls have no alterna tive; to have clean clothes they must fight the raging wa ters and do battle with the quarter-eating ma chines. Trust me, as much money as these inefficient machines are making off us, someone can surely afford to replace them. You would think after the first flood, that reached right up to the doors of some of the girls on Ground Cs’ rooms, that the school would replace the leaking washers and unus able dryers. But no, they are left in place and the in same con dition as before and the girls in Ground C are left to wonder what will come tomor row, another flood, or another day of dry peace. Clubs: Genuine motives or self- promotion? jonathan raxter Membership in a club can provide students with fim and often rewarding expe- riences. However, there are three out standing problems concerning clubs. First, some of the clubs, new and old, are of questionable worth and should not exist. Second, some clubs that are good do not advertise enough to be known. Third, people that join clubs often do not partici pate sufficiently, which leads to diffi culty in organizing and beneficially con tinuing a club. A club should consist of group of people who have some common interest or motivation. These interests should then be ex plored with activities that are difficult to do in every day student life. For example, the Outdoors Club can go on an off campus tri, or the Step Team can organize a dance rou tine to perform. Ac tivities like these are more easily coordinat ing through a club, and, therefore these clubs are reasonable to have. However, some clubs such as Spirit Club, and Anime Club, and Re spect Club are not rea sonable. 1 don’t see the purpose of a spirit club, nor do I see ac tivities that this club could do that would be unique or greatly beneficial in any way, except to raise money. The Anime Club watches cartoons, an activity that does not require or even justify a club. Finally, the Respect Club suppos edly examines gender issues. This club seems more reason able than the previous two, but when I heard a club official lobby ing for members be cause it “looks good on my college applica tions,” I questioned the motivation of the club. Next, when a club doesn’t advertise any, it is not a club, but just a group of friends making a pseudo club. Clubs should be open to all; but when all don’t know they even exist^ this makes things difficult. For example, a list of SGA chartered clubs 1 aqcuired shows two clubs that I’ve never heard of. Inner Child Club and Tension Re lief Club. After talk ing to club officials, 1 concluded that the clubs have basically the same goals. In stead of combining, these clubs are two different, inclusive groups of friends, wasting club charter money and creating yet more paperwork. Finally, do not join a club that you will not partici pate in fully. This not only makes you a hypocrite, but it also lessens the experience for everyone else. Key club president David Angeles said, “Our club cannot confidently schedule activities if no one shows up. Because so many people have taken advantage of our club’s name, this year Key Club is try ing to initiate a mini mum requirement of hours.” Another club president, Quyen Vu of the Asian Cultures Club stated, “Last year, many people joined ACC, but dur ing Asia Fest only a few showed up to work. Yet, these non- committed people will still put ACC on their transcript.” Clearly, lack of involvement is a problem our clubs face. Joining six clubs does not appeal many to many col leges. When you join a club or organization, now or in the future, make sure that it is something that in spires or excites you, and that you are will ing to be dedicated. For those of you who are thinking of start ing bogus clubs next year...don’t. It makes you look bad, and, besides, the extra signs clutter our hall ways.
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Student Newspaper
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Nov. 1, 1999, edition 1
10
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