March, 2003

John Iannone, ed.,
Graduate Assistant

Kat Dilley, Storyboard,
Resident Assistant

Time for some fun! Spring Break is here!

Inside this Issue

Let's Be Safe Out There...
Spring Break Under $100
National Nutrition Month
St. Patrick's Day - History
Spring Break Safety
PaeTec's Corner

Click to Jump to an Article

Let's Be Safe Out There...

Letter from the Editor

Spring Break is upon us, and it's time for some relaxation and some fun. Nothing will ruin that quicker than being the victim of a crime. It doesn't take a lot of effort or even planning to be safe and well prepared when you go on Spring Break, so there's no excuse not to.

Just a couple of weeks ago, as you may have read in the UCF Future, a girl was attacked and raped on Colonial Drive. The friends she had gone to a club with had left without her. Needing to get home, she accepted a ride with a man claiming to be a bouncer at a nearby club, and the rest is all upsetting details. This should never have happened for two reasons:

1. If you're going out with friends - DON'T EVER LEAVE ANYBODY BEHIND - even if you have a fight, even if you're too drunk to remember. Make sure everyone is accountable for somebody else in the group. Ideally, you should have a designated driver, and it can be their responsibility to know that everyone who was in their car on the way out is in the car on the way back, but ideas as simple as the buddy system work also.
2. DON'T EVER ACCEPT A RIDE FROM A STRANGER. It doesn't matter who they are or who they say they are. People lie. Even people who tell the truth about who they are can have ulterior motives. Though their job may be worthy of trust and respect, they are not. If you're stranded, get a cab, take a bus, or call a friend from your cell phone or a phone in a bar.

It's easy to blame the friends for leaving her. It's easy to blame the girl for getting in the car. But I implore you, don't do it. Everybody makes mistakes, including you. Everybody thinks "it won't happen to me", but it can - especially if you keep that attitude. There's only one person to blame for this incident, and he's in jail.

Learn from this. When you go out, make sure the people in your group are guaranteeing each other's safety and return trip. Pairing people up as 'buddies' can also help against other methods of victimization. Always carry your cell phone if you have one, and always carry an extra $20 somewhere on you (preferably not your wallet or purse) so you can pay for a ride home if you need it.

For more tips on keeping yourself safe, please read Kat's article "Spring Break Safety," in this issue. Did you know that guys, not just girls anymore, neet to watch their drinks at a club (or anywhere else, for that matter)? Kat's article will tell you why, along wth plenty other good advice.

Staying safe when you go out during Spring Break is not hard, it only takes thirty seconds of extra planning to work out a buddy system. Carrying your phone and extra money, and above all being vigilant, should become habits that you don't even need to think about. Then, your spring break plans can be exactly what they're supposed to be - FUN!

There's no excuse not to plan ahead, so please, let's be safe out there...

Spring Break can be fun—even with no funds.

Look at it this way: no matter what you do, it’s a break from school!

Spring Break Under $100

Linda Heagney - Aries RA

Are funds tight these days? Do all your Spring Break plans have your wallet ducking and hiding? Maybe you’re wondering if you will even have a Spring Break this year. Well, don’t fret, there IS a way to enjoy a whole day with your friends and spend a minimal amount.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Gather some buddies and carpool up to St. Augustine for a day! It is within driving distance, so you don’t have to worry about paying for a hotel. You can even pack a lunch and have a picnic on the lawn behind the fort. There is a lot to see and do there, and you will be pleasantly surprised as the time flies by.
  
• Are we not in Florida? There are beaches everywhere, whether you want to drive up to Daytona to hang out with a Spring Break crowd, or make the trip to Cocoa…bring your checkbooks if you plan on purchasing from Ron Jon’s…you could spend $100 on just one swimsuit!
  
• Have a BBQ. Get everyone together and have a BBQ. Everyone can pitch in for food (I’ve done this, it works). If you are at the beach, play some sand volleyball, Frisbee, football and music! If you are here at P.L., enjoy the pool area and volleyball courts. You can ask the office assistants to turn the radio to a particular station, while you and your friends are BBQ-ing. They will be happy to help you!
  
• Blanchard Park: it’s around the corner off of Rouse Road (turn right on Corporate and left on Rouse). You can rollerblade, bike, walk, or even just relax and enjoy a beautiful day. The trail is four miles long and is very enjoyable; it even has a butterfly garden.

Well, no matter what you decide, Spring Break can be fun—even with no funds. Look at it this way: no matter what you do, it’s a break from school! And we could all use a break from everyday stress…

We all start out with a pre-disposition to being healthy. Being unhealthy is usually a condition we gradually acquire, at least when it comes to eating habits.

National Nutrition Month

Afi Pittman - Aries RA

In the age of information and education, people are still unaware of a basic element of human survival: nutrition. March is National Nutrition Month, so it’s a great time to begin to focus on one of the health factors in your life that you actually have control over!

People all over the world suffer from famine, but in America there is no widespread food shortage—yet so many Americans are unhealthy. Our attitude toward food will keep us unhealthy. Some Americans are pickier about the gas they put in their car than they are about the food they put in their mouth! Judging by the way Americans consume sugar, you’d think it was a food group. Think about some “common” health problems that plague Americans: diabetes, obesity, depression, and heart disease. These are just a few problems with links to improper eating. Do you see the point?

One would think that the United States would be the last country on earth where people suffer from health problems caused by malnutrition. Many people think our health problems are caused mainly by stress, but poor eating habits are equally to blame. Our problem may be that we think health is “fast-quick-and-easy,” like the culture we’ve created.

We all start out with a pre-disposition to being healthy. Being unhealthy is usually a condition we gradually acquire, at least when it comes to eating habits. To deprogram all of the misconceptions you’ve been taught and the habits you’ve acquired as a result, here are a few concepts to consider for starters:

1. Eat “live” foods –fresh fruits and vegetables—and drink juice or water instead of milk and soda.
2. What is good to the taste isn’t always good for the body. What is good for the body and spirit isn’t always pleasing to the taste.
3. There is a direct connection between your mental and emotional state of being and the foods you consume.

I know. It sounds crazy, right? But once you make a conscious effort, you will begin to see why nutrition is important. And I know that “healthy foods” can be expensive; But you can’t afford to abuse your body.

For more information on health and nutrition, try these sources to get you started:

Raw: The Uncook Book; Juliano
Student’s Vegetarian Cookbook: Quick, Easy, Cheap and Tasty Vegetarian Recipes; Carole Raymond
Encyclopedia of Foods: A Guide to Healthy Nutrition; Medical and Nutrition experts; Mayo Clinic
Alternative Medicine magazine (available in the UCF bookstore)

St. Patrick's Day - A Brief History

Sarah Kernan - Aries RA

Sitting at a local pub, listening to some live Irish music, sipping on a heavenly Guinness with the shape of a shamrock imprinted on the surface of the head. Yep, this St. Patrick’s Day will definitely be celebrated differently than the one described above that I spent in Brussels Belgium two years ago. There, I was able to celebrate this upcoming holiday the way that many Americans over 21 yrs of age will be doing March 17th. Whether you are drinking a green beer, wearing a green shirt, or simply watching those around you celebrate, many of you have probably wondered, but never cared enough to research, where this holiday actually got its beginning.

Contrary to what you might think, St. Patrick was not born in Ireland, but rather in Wales, around 385 AD. In addition, his given name was not Pat, Patty, or Patrick. It was Maewyn. So how did this Maewyn of Wales become the well known second bishop of Ireland, St. Patrick, to which we have dedicated a day during the year to recognize? At sixteen years of age, Maewyn (who later adopted Patrick as his Christian name) was sold into slavery when his village was raided. It was during this lonely time in captivity that he turned to God.

After six years being captive, Patrick escaped to Gaul where he studied in the monastery for twelve years. It was here that he realized that his calling was to convert pagans to Christianity. He returned to Ireland where he hoped to be appointed as the bishop to Ireland but the position instead was given to St. Palladius. After two years, however, Palladius transferred to Scotland leaving the position for Patrick. Patrick was very successful in his job as a converter. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which helped him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity. After a thirty-year mission, Patrick retired in County Down. He died on March 17th AD 461 which has been celebrated as St. Patrick’s Day ever since.

Spring Break Safety

Kat Dilley - Aries RA

Spring Break is in our near future, just a couple of weeks away…as if you didn’t already know that! I’m sure many of you have already started your countdowns; I know that in my apartment, my roommates and I are keeping a close watch as the clock ticks by seconds, rendering us closer and closer to the blessed week off of school. No homework, no deadlines, no droning teachers…and for normal people, unlike myself (I’ve chosen to use the time off as a way to get more hours in at work!) a solid nine days off to do whatever one pleases. I have friends that are making the trip to New York, another group is going all the way to Las Vegas, and countless more are going to various other places around the state and country.

I’m sure you and your friends have already set plans for your week off, whether it be heading out to Cocoa for a couple of days, flying to New Orleans, or just hanging out at the pool here at Pegasus Landing. You have NINE days, folks. Enjoy them.

Be goofy, be spontaneous, be happy, but above all, be safe. Your safety should come first and foremost in any situation, and I’m here to give you some tips and a few things to watch out for.

Situation #1: You decided to stay in Orlando for Spring Break and are at a popular nightclub downtown.

Problem: Someone has slipped your boyfriend a date rape drug and he is passed out on the floor.

Prevention: Guys may be surprised to hear that males are now using the date rape drug on other males…and not for obvious reasons. With a “drunk” boyfriend passed out, the offender has a perfect opportunity to make his move…on the girlfriend. However, girls still need to be aware that there are males who continue to use the drug to incapacitate unaware female victims as well. Keep a hand and an eye on your drink at ALL times: NO exceptions. Even if you leave your cup for just one dance, it is still not safe to drink. Don’t risk your life over a $4 Screwdriver!

Situation #2: You and a few buddies packed up the jeep and are heading to New Orleans…Road Trip!

Problem: You run over a piece of glass on the highway and you end up with a flat tire on the side of the road.

Prevention: Learn how to change a tire BEFORE you end up stranded in the middle of nowhere (Dads are really good at this kind of stuff). Don’t let your gas get too low, and look out for signs that say, ‘Next Exit 150 Miles.’ A combination of the two could be horrendous. To be extra sure, get your car checked out by a local mechanic, or at the very least, get an oil change where they check all of your car’s fluids before you go.

Just a few more tips:

1. Drink responsibly and always designate a driver. Initiate an incentive plan in which the DD doesn’t pay for his or her sodas all night.
2. Watch out for scams when booking ‘pay in advance’ trips. Go through well-known companies or use STA Travel on campus to help plan a genuine vacation.
3. Use contraception. We’ve already had the Baby Boom…we don’t need the UCF Spring Break Boom, thank you. If you think there’s a possibility you will be engaging in sexual activity, carry condoms, take birth control pills, and enjoy!
4. Be careful with your credit cards. I know some people disagree with the fact that college students are responsible enough to have credit cards, but, especially in emergencies, they can be a lifesaver. To deter theft, write Check ID on the back of the card (but be sure to sign it also - otherwise your card is legally not valid), and make sure the cashier actually checks. Don’t carry huge amounts of cash…people are watching. Don’t visit an ATM in the dark, especially if you’re alone. They’re still watching you.
5. For the females traveling alone, always act with confidence. Even if you have no idea where the hell you’re going, make other people believe you do.

Always keep with your group, use the buddy system…the list goes on, guys. It may be a scary world out there, but you have just read the Tips to Spring Break Survival. Go. See. Conquer.

PaeTec's Corner

David Forthuber - PaeTec Accounts Manager

If you’re like many students in Pegasus Landing, you use your Ethernet connection almost every day. Here are some facts about the technology which keeps you connected!

Your Ethernet is the most commonly used LAN technology in the world today, accounting for 80 percent of data installations around the planet. There are faster technologies, such as 16 and 25 Mbps (Megabits per Second) Token Rings, but Token Rings are 10 times costlier to install and maintain and are not considered a mainstream alternative.

The Ethernet reigns supreme because its operating standards are so well defined that it supports a wide variety of media products from a wide variety of vendors and permits product mixing and matching that works. Ethernet equipment allows virtually any intelligent device to connect to it.

Although all Ethernets run at 10 Mbps, not all devices on an Ethernet can actually communicate at 10 Mbps. NICs (network interface cards) must connect to the Ethernet node at 10 Mbps, but they might not communicate to their own node at 10 Mbps. It’s just something to think about while you’re waiting for data to transmit.