Page 6 The Blue Banner November 21,2002 No Opinions Blue Banner Editorial Peek-a-boo There is room for a variety of serious complaints about UNCA on any given day. People actually have to walk more than a few feet to class from their gas- guzzling SUVs because the parking situation is so mediocre. We don’t have the world’s only tough-as- nails Division I liberal arts football team, and there never seems to be free doughnuts anywhere. But, it is long past time to point out another injustice happening everyday to male visitors to the great Karpen Hall. Not surprisingly, the men of the literature depart ment and the male staff members of two student pub lications (all based on the second floor) are the pri mary target of this embarrasing and ridiculous design flaw in the building’s construction plan. The men’s room in the second floor lobby of Karpen has urinals situated in such a way that passerbyers can clearly see urinal patrons whenever the door is open. That’s right. All of the women of Karpen (and anyone else for that matter) can clearly see urinary activity when properly positioned in the lobby outside of the restroom. While this may be a thrilling experience for some, the average student or faculty member is not looking to become an accidental peeping Tom on their way to another exciting Humanities 324 lecture. Some wise patrons to the pee-pee-show bathroom in Karpen have realized the design flaw, and choose the privacy of a nice stall when peeing, thus avoiding the array of interesting issues attached to one’s peers see ing the phallus at work in the john. The interesting thing here is that no one seems to have ever cared too much about it. Maybe folks don’t mind. Some guys like being seen. Some may have even had better luck dating after viewings by certain passerbyers. But, for the most part, I think that the boys tire of being gawked at by whoever happens to stroll by the men’s room every time the door opens, and most people who see the action inside the Karpen urinals consider themselves some sort of strange victims to indecent exposure. There is no need to call NASA for a new engineering scheme for the second-floor men’s room though. If somebody will please switch the door so that it opens the opposite way than it does now, there will be no more need for worry. It’s important to stay on top of important issues like this one at a progressive liberal arts school like UNCA. So go see for yourself. If you’re a guy, go arch one into the urinals on the second floor of Karpen, glance over your shoulder when the door opens and smile big when your favorite literature professor cruises by. Or if you’re not a boy-person, just hang around in the second floor lobby between classes. You never know who or what you might spy. Nothing in the Opinions section neces sarily reflects the opinion of the entire The Blue Banner staff, advisor or the uni versity faculty, administration or staff. Un signed editorials reflect the opinion of a majority of The Blue Banner editorial board. The Fall Blue Banner 2002 Staff Rachel Grumpier Editor in Chief Stuart Gaines News Editor Hollie Childers Sports Editor Elizabeth Moe Managing Editor Alan Ambrose Online Editor Ed Fickle Technical Support Dearborn McCorkle Features Editor Jon Fischoff Photo Editor Whitney Setser Copy Editor Jason McGill Circulation Manager Emily Moe Business Manager Elizabeth Moe Advertising Manager Mark West Faculty Advisor To reach The Blue Banner staff, call 251-6586 or e-maU banner@unca.edu Exam load makes the holidays seem lighter Sarah-Vance Goodman forward to taking my dog for a walk, conversing with a buddy over Columnist ice creami at The Hop and watching television late at night. Mid-seinester arrives, and I force lyself to carry my book bag to class take it c Every year about this time in the semester, I begin to really look for ward to the upcoming Thanksgiv ing and Christmas Breaks. Last Sunday, on my drive to wor ship service, I heard the first Christ- song of the year aired over the radio. The lampposts on Patton Avenue are already decorated with holly wreaths, and many of the specialty shops are offering holiday sales and festive window displays. The warm feelings surrounding the season seem to start earlier every year, and I wonder when the phrase “Christmas in July,” will become eality. Despite these wonderful events, I >egin to feel like I am carrying a little more weight - both physically and metaphorically. It probably has something to do with the events occurring between these lovely holi days. Understood by anyone in volved in education, the term ex- has something to do with the I fondly remember the beginning of the semester, still in the summer months, when I showed up for class with nothing but a pen and a piece " paper, wearing a T-shirt and sneakers. My arms were empty af- ight class when I strolled down the walk to my front door amidst lightening bugs and the sound of children still playing outside. I didn’t ask my family to leave the light on for me, and I didn’t have to fumble for my house key. I looked of the backseat when I get home for the eve ning. I shorten my walk with Happy (my dog), get in a brief chat with my friend on the phone, while scooping out the last of the Ben and Jerry’s, and catch the evening news before hit ting the books to get ready for the next day. At this point, it seems like I am just barely keeping my head above water. Now, besides the added clothing to shield my frame from the winter cold, I am carrying a lot more on my shoulders. When I get home in the evening after a late class, I get It (exam stress) signals a grand finale, the ultimate end of a college term and a new beginning. It high lights the joy I will feel, sittingover Christmas din ner with nothingto do, but drink eggnog (un-spiked, of course) and tell stories about how horrid the last two weeks of school seemed. think about turning on the televi- My book bag went from non existent to a necessity of existence on campus. I am required to haul twenty or more pounds of text books and study guides to and from class, to and from the li brary and to and from my house. At this point, these things make me feel clothed. Some how, they keep me warm be cause without them I would feel naked. What puts this my mind and body? What is this creature that plagues my be r case-, exams c narrowly defined as an overload on a human being’s short-term memory. I say that not to frustrate professors who wish I would learn their subjects and store them for angry if no one left the porch light the long haul, but to try to motivate for me. I fiimble in the dark for my keys that I have just thrown in the bottom of my heavy sack, and get frustrated when I lodge my fin ger underneath the 800-page text book I am expected to memorize. I forget about the walk with my dog. nyself and anyone else who has this problem to make things easier on ourselves next semester. For the time being, I will put up with the over-crowded library. I will deal with over-dosing on coffee and soda to keep myself awake. and would be afraid I would get hit while cramming for a Psychology by a car in t he dark anyway. I forgo test, the same material I should my ice cream, and opt for an instant have put into long-term memory at cappuccino instead. I don’t even the beginning ofthe semester. I will have to hear my chiropractor com plain about how out of whack my spine has become from carrying an overloaded pack. I tell myself, and if I were a school counselor I would tell my clients, that this is unnecessary stress. I add it to my life. It is my fault. I could have been diligent back in the sum mer when I chose to eat ice cream and watch re-runs of the “Cosby Show.” I could have made a con scious decision to change things and not get behind. But I didn’t, and here it is again, that time of the year when I feel like a bomb ready to explode. But, I can do this. I have done this before. I seem to have a gi: putting myself through this each and every semester. I do not think a semester would feel complete with out this crunch at the end. It signals the grand finale, the ultimate end of a college term and a new begin ning. It highlights the joy I will feel sitting over Christmas dinner with nothing to do, but drink more nog (un-spiked, of course) and tell stories about how horrid the last two weeks of school seemed. “Prayer” by Langston Hughes de scribes this feeling perfectly. “Oh, God of dust and rainbows, help us see / That without the dust the rainbow would not be.” Without darkness, no one would look for ward to the light, and without evil, we would not know what is truly good. Without the hectic craziness of my life as I know it in this pre exam state, I woiJd not fully be abk to enjoy the peaceful calm ofthe post exam existence - where I look forward to starting this whole cycle once again. Clayton goes Klingon COURTESY OF WWW.NEWNANBIZ.NET/EXCLUSIVELYOURS One of our favorite staff writers, Chritsina Cla)T:on (far left) shows some leg at the Beach Bash, a Trekkie convention in Myrtle Beach, S C, Nov. 8 - 10. Clayton is affiliated with House Ki’RK, where she goes by the Trekkie alias “Scarlett.” Make us laugh! Send your cartoons, comics and satire to The Blue Banner 244 Karpen Hall 251-6586 banner@unca.edu Now accepting applications for Spring 2003 positions copy editor circulation manager advertising manager advisory members technical support To hold a position v»^ith The Blue Banner, you must be a full-time stu dent at UNCA and ready to commit to at least a semester of work with the newspaper. To pick up or submit an application, come by The Blue Banner office. Applications must be submitted before Nov. 22 for consideration. The Blue Banner 244 Karpen Hall 251-6586 banner@unca.edu The Blue Banner v^elcomes submissions of letters and articles for publication. Letters should not exceed 300 words. Letters for publication should also contain the author’s signature, classification, major or other relationship with UNCA. Sorry, we will not accept submissions of anonymous letters to the editor. The deadline for letters is noon on Tuesday. If you have a submission, you may send it to The Blue Banner, Karpen 244, One University Heights, Asheville N.C. 28804 or to banner@unca.edu. Please include your name, contact information, classification and major/position. I I