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Chamber Choir fills Gray Chapel with song and applause

By: Beth Ward, Transcript Correspondent

The voices of 60 Ohio Wesleyan students filled the chambers of Gray Chapel as the Choral Art Society and Chamber Choir performed their winter concert.

The Choral Art Society and the Chamber Choir performed on Sunday Dec. 6 from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. The choir is made up of OWU students ranging from freshmen to graduating seniors.

The concert was the first performance of the choir for the 2016 school year. They will be performing again in Gray Chapel in the coming spring.

The Choral Art Society is conducted by Christopher Dent and the Chamber Choir is conducted by Jason Hiester. Each choir is made up of four groups, the bass, the tenor, the sopranos and the altos.

The Choral Art Society is an open choir for anyone who wants to join while the Chamber Choir is an audition only choir. About 15 students make up the Chamber Choir for the 2016 school year.

Each choir performed a series of songs on Sunday. The Choral Art Society sang eight songs with a small break between every two in which conductor Dent explained what the next two songs were about.

The Choral Art Society ended their part of the concert at 3:45 p.m. Leading into a 15 minute intermission before the Chamber Choir took the stage.

The Chamber Choir performed five songs from Edward Elgar, a famous composer between the years of 1857 an 1934. He composed “The Spirt of the Lord is upon me (The Apostles, Op.48),” which the choir opened with.

Elgar’s Apostle was accompanied by the organ that was played by Joshua Brodbeck. “The organ gave an interesting tone to the song. It sounded beautiful, but left me with a slight weary feeling in my stomach,” said Melissa Smith, former OWU student class of 2014.

Heister led the Chamber Choir through four more songs ending the concert with “The Dance.”

“The Dance was a more lively song compared to the first. It had a very upbeat rhythm and left the audience on a happy note, it was an excellent way to end the concert,” said Grace Ford, senior from Hayes High School.

Students studying abroad pack up, return home

By: Daniel Terman, Transcript Correspondent

As finals approach, students abroad are packing their bags and preparing for their journey home for the holidays.

Starting in early September, study abroad programs begin and students leave for their prospective countries and programs.

Junior Claire O’Keeffe is currently studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain. “One of my majors is Spanish so I had to go abroad to a Spanish speaking country. Europe seemed like a perfect fit as well because then I could travel as much as I wanted!” O’Keeffe said.

According to O’Keeffe, close to four months in a foreign country can be challenging for students in the beginning, but as time progressed it became routine.

“I actually did not want to go abroad and then my parents forced me into it. But I am extremely happy with my decision. I’ve been able to travel to Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, and even more places in Spain,” O’Keeffe said.

According to O’Keeffe, students can learn so much about the world and themselves while being abroad. “I know my limits and I am still able to push myself to do even more.” O’Keeffe said.

Sophomore Drew Singleton, is planning on studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain next fall.

“I am excited to live and coexist with a new community in a new environment for the first time,” Singleton said.

Drew Singleton. Photo courtesy of Facebook.

According to O’Keeffe, the biggest costs students will encounter are traveling costs either with friends for the weekend or to participate in excursions that the program provides.

“Other costs I came across were eating out, going to bars and cafes, and of course shopping,” O’Keeffe said.

According to O’Keeffe, the threat of terrorism abroad has not impacted her life at all.

“I have not been personally affected by any act of terrorism. I have not let it stop my adventures or enjoying my time here.” O’Keeffe said.

According to O’Keeffe, very few people have regretted their time abroad and if given the opportunity, take it.

“I would 110% recommend studying abroad to anyone! It’s an experience that will only help a person to learn about him or herself and grow as an individual,” O’Keeffe said.

Women’s rugby continues to grow and prosper

By: Ross Hickenbottom, Transcript Reporter

The OWU rugby logo for both the men’s and women’s teams. Photo courtesy of Facebook.

The Ohio Wesleyan women’s rugby club continues to expand and excel as an organization after recording a successful season, finishing 4-2 for the season.

The team competes in a league consisting of Wittenberg University, Hiram College, Kenyon College, Denison University and Oberlin College, but competed for the title of best in the OVWRC with teams such as Findlay University, Tiffin University, Ashland University and Ohio Northern as well.

Under coach Josh Longenbaker, the organization “really grew” this year, said junior rugger Robyn Madrishin. With a team consisting of 26 ruggers, only six were veterans, meaning a lot of new players were introduced to the team and its success.

A lot of women try rugby for the first time once they enroll at OWU, and considering that, Madrishin, who has played for the past two years, said, “The new players came to every practice ready to learn and the veteran players were always ready to teach.”

As a new rugger, freshman Logan Garber tasted this sport for the first time this year, along with the toughness it takes to play it.

“I had never played rugby before OWU,” said Garber, “but after my first hard hit on a girl in my first game against Wittenberg, I knew that rugby was something I’d be trying to play for as along as my body could take it.”

The team contributed its success to the willingness to learn a new sport and play it to your full potential that the new ruggers showed all season, from the first practice to the last game and also, the “passion that our organization has,” said Madrishin.

Senior N’Toia Hawkins, who just finished her last fall season with the Bishops felt as if the team served as a “home away from home,” and she “loved spending time with them because I trust and love all of them with my life.”

As far as an old program, the lady Bishops do not have one, but a passion is something they do have. The ladies look to not only improve current players’ ability to play rugby at a high level, but also to recruit new players who enjoy trying new sports and building camaraderie among teammates to impact the future of this young and overlooked program.

OWU Mock Convention takes on the issue of student debt

Every four years, the Ohio Wesleyan Mock Convention takes place in Gray Chapel and students learn and experience the political party nomination process for the upcoming presidential election.

This year’s Mock Convention will take place on both Feb. 5 and 6. Leading up to this event, several platform hearings are held in preparation for the two-day event.

The third platform hearing was held on Dec. 1 and President Rock Jones, professor of economics Alice Simon and OWU alumnus Ben Andrews gave their views on the politics of student debt.

Simon began the hearing by discussing the benefits of achieving a bachelor’s degree and how having a bachelor’s degree is described as a need.

Simon explained that economists define necessities as good or service that when the price goes up, the demand for that need stays the same. “In 1990, 59.9 percent of high school graduates attended some sort of college education institution.”

This percentage has only increased since 1990 and the cost of a college education has also increased, which suggests that a college education is a need rather than a want.

Simon teaches classes covering the areas on economic principles, monetary and fiscal policy, consumer economics and labor economics.

Simon explained that someone with a bachelor degree, on average will make 1.3 million dollars more than someone without a bachelor’s degree over a lifetime.

Andrews spoke on how student debt affects different groups of people in different ways.

Andrews said, “According to recent studies, 66 percent of OWU students graduate within six years of college, which is higher than the national average of 50 percent.”

The typical total debt the average OWU student encounters after graduating is 27,000 dollars, with average monthly loan payments of 300 dollars.

Jones went on to explain the stigma attached to private school and the higher cost of private colleges over public institutions.

Jones said, “By examining the list price of public versus private, private is higher. However, students attending private schools don’t borrow much more than those attending public schools.”

Jones explained that the average student who has attended a public college will encounter 25,000 dollars of debt whereas private will encounter 29,000 dollars. Although the sticker price for a private intuition might be more, the average student does not pay that amount due to financial aid and scholarships provided through the school’s endowment.

Jones said, “People with college degrees contribute greatly to society and have far less need for public assistance. Society should help bear the cost of college education to benefit the entire society as a whole.”

The list price for colleges might have increased, Jones reasoned, but the actual price has declined due to scholarship and federal funding.

“People suggest sending more students to community college or making community college free,” said Jones. “This would be a risk and possible loss of educated citizen from educational establishments such as Ohio Wesleyan.”

Jones said, “Nobody is arguing that you shouldn’t borrow money to buy a house. Nobody is arguing that you shouldn’t borrow money to buy a car. With massive amounts of credit card debt, people aren’t arguing that you shouldn’t borrow money to buy holiday present, but they are arguing that you shouldn’t borrow money to get a college education. A modest student loan is the ticket to achieving much more in life.”

According to the OWU Mock Convention’s literature, this year’s Mock Convention will be Republican “to ensure there is a lively debate and competition among a number of candidates.”

The organization traditionally represents the party currently not in office.

The hill: perseverance and hard work

At my childhood home our driveway sloped down from the main road and doglegged right before it hit the garage stuffed with a tan Toyota Siena and beat-up sports equipment.

Behind the bend of the driveway, there was a short hill that angled upward starting from the cracked blacktop. I can’t recall the exact degree of the hill because my four-year-old self thought it was worthy of black diamonds, but I’m sure it’s not so severe. This hill, covered with dandelions, patches of grass, rocky dirt, mole tracks and tree stumps, was the perfect place for my dad to teach the most important lessons of life.

My sister and I spent hours trying to kick soccer balls to the top. It turned into a game, sometimes competitive. Receiving an extra point for a ball kicked to the top by the challenged weaker foot encouraged us to practice on our left leg strength. My dad supported us every step of the way.

If the ball didn’t reach the top, it would roll down only to be smacked once again. It wouldn’t roll straight down because the uneven ground so it was like Plinko, a pricing game from “The Price is Right.” We had to move along the bottom to match the ball as it bounced and weaved through obstacles on its way down.

Life isn’t about making it to the top on the first try, either. If the first attempt fails, you keep going until you do make it. It won’t be easy. The mole tracks and jagged tree stumps will make things difficult. And once the climb is made and the top reached, another hill awaits to be conquered and another point to be won. That’s life.

That hill taught us the importance of hard work. We improved every time we played and eventually we could reach the top with no problem. My sister and I both played soccer, we’re both successful and both scored goals with our left foot, but it all started at that hill with my dad playing right beside us. We were never forced to practice, we wanted to. My dad made it fun.

My dad is 56-years-old and completed his second Ironman Triathlon last month. An Ironman is a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a marathon at the end. There’s not a better person to encourage me to work hard.

He still climbs hills and challenges himself, which becomes more difficult as one grows older and goes through different phases. It’s important to him and therefore has always been important to me. He’ll accomplish his goals or fail trying, even if it takes him all day. And it nearly did take him all day because he finished in about 13 hours.

If he’s still kicking those balls to try to reach the top, so can I. If he’s still kicking after they roll down, so can I.

I’m graduating from The Transcript after this semester. I’ve made mistakes along the way, but like my dad taught me when I was four, I always made another attempt. I’ve written horrible articles but I keep writing and learning. Thanks to The Transcript and everyone involved that provided the hill for the last year and a half. The real world and another ball awaits to be booted up that dandelion-covered hill at the bend of the driveway, and I’m ready to keep kicking.

A few thoughts and a final farewell

I can’t believe I’m writing my final op-ed piece as editor-in-chief. I have been dedicated to The Transcript since my first semester freshman year. It feels as though I’m leaving my family, or someone I really, really like.

I struggled to think about what I should write about. I’ve already written about how this paper has improved my self-confidence and writing skills. I’ve also written about how thorough the journalism department and The Transcript, I found people that are now integral parts of my life.

So I’ve decided to write something about the recent issues concerning The Transcript and the faculty meeting.

Since I became editor in January 2015, I have always sent a reporter to cover faculty meetings.

Normally, nothing remarkable happens in them. In fact, they’re normally quite boring. But this semester, members of the faculty have taken issue with our presence. They think because we having a sharing agreement with The Delaware Gazette that our reporter is somehow connected to the Gazette. That is completely and utterly false.

Another issue is that some faculty members don’t feel comfortable with our pieces being published in the Gazette. That makes me roll my eyes, because we publish online. People from around the world read us. We are no long an insular publication like in years past. We are not out to get faculty members and start a witch hunt. The rationale I have behind covering these meetings is to let students, parents and families, and the shareholders and stakeholders, know what is going on in this institution. I don’t think it’s a lot to ask for a bit of transparency.

As I hurtle toward real-life, I have no regrets with how I’ve managed this paper. Actually, I’m extremely proud of everything I have done. My fellow editors and reporters have done everything, and more, that I’ve asked of them. I don’t know how I would’ve managed without them, to be quite frank.

This faculty meeting issue will not be solved in an hour-long meeting or a few weeks. This is obviously something that has touched the nerve of many, and there needs to be some sort of compromise. However, I will not back down in advocating for reporters to be at faculty meetings. I stand by all of my decisions.

I have put blood, sweat and tears into this publication. I don’t regret any of my sleepless nights, my anxiety attacks or mistakes I have made along the way. This paper has made me into who I am; how I identify myself at Ohio Wesleyan. It is probably one of my proudest accomplishments not only at OWU, but also in my life.

It’s a shame that the ending of my tenure as editor is being marred by controversy. But hey, I would rather go out with a bang rather than a whimper.

Pearl Harbor is remembered

This Blast from the Past article was first published by The Transcript in 1941 just two days after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

Senator Harold Burton. Photo courtesy of the Wikipedia website.

Pepper, Taft & Burton Express Views on Japanese War: Before Congress Vote

Repeating a technique utilized once last spring two members of The Transcript staff held person-to-person telephone conversations late Sunday night with Senators Harold Burton (Rep., O), Claude Pepper (Dem., Fa) and Robert Taft (Rep., O), all speaking from their apartments in Washington in which questions pertinent to the Japanese invasion and war were asked. The Transcript interviews were held less than twelve hours before the senators attended the joint session of congress at which war was declared

Civilization Threatened

All three senators concurred in the belief that American civilization and democracy face a definite crisis in the Japanese War, and were generally amenable to the enlisting of college students, more or less immediately in the armed forces.

Senator Pepper termed the war “the first real world war;” senator Burton saw it as a fundamental conflict between two philosophies of life and government.

We Missed These

Attempts were also made to reach Senator Tom Connally, head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, under Secretary of State, Sumner Welles, and Senator Burton K. Wheeler, Montana isolationist.

Senator Wheeler confirmed his isolationist tendencies by leaving the telephone receiver off the hook during the period when The Transcript calls were made, according to the Washington Telephone Central.

Central said that Mr. Welles could not be reached except “on business of pressing interest to the government.” Senator Connally was in bed.

The questions asked and the replies of the respective senators follow:

WHAT STANCE SHOULD THE AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT TAKE IN VIEW OF THE WAR?

Sen. Burton: This is entirely an individual problem. There is always a tremendous need for men in time of war. If a person’s affairs permit, and if he feels he will find satisfaction in enlisting, I would say he should join up.

Senator Claude Pepper. Photo courtesy of floridamemory.com.

Sen. Pepper: The college student should follow the policy set down for him by the government. However, each individual should follow the dictates of his own conscience as to whether he should enlist or not. He should consider his own personal case, taking into consideration his family situation. Upperclassman must determine whether the continuation of their college careers would be more valuable to their country than their enlistment in the armed forces. There will undoubtedly be a call for men in the Navy and perhaps freshman and sophomores might give this special consideration.

Sen. Taft: Students, like the rest of us, have no real choice. They can only sit tight and watch the developments.

HOW LONG MAY THE WAR LAST?

Sen. Burton: Nobody can foresee that: the war may reach farther than Japan; we may become involved in war with nations other than Japan.

Sen. Pepper: It is not possible to estimate just how long the war will last. It will undoubtedly be a long affair. Hitler has stated that there are two separate worlds in conflict – the “haves” and “have-nots.” There can be no compromise. One must go. This is to be a might struggle and may be called “the first real world war.”

Sen. Taft: I cannot foresee an end to the war. It will be at least a couple years.

WOULD YOU ADVOCATE SENDING TROOPS OVERSEAS?

Sen. Burton: There is no way to definitely foresee the sending of troops; this of course, depends on military strategy and tactics.

Sen. Pepper: We will have to send troops. I expect a declaration of war on Japan in the morning. And I hope it will be a declaration of war against the whole outfit. (This statement was made before The Transcript went to press Monday morning and before the declaration of war.)

Sen. Taft: I would be opposed to sending troops at the present time, but there is no reason why we should not use our troops already stationed in the Philippines.

WHAT WILL BE RUSSIA’S REACTION?

Sen. Burton: It is hard to say, I imagine they will help us; this, however, is a purely personal opinion and I have no definite basis for making this statement.

Sen. Pepper: I expect Russia to jump right into the fray on our side, of course.

Sen. Taft: There is already a rumor aboard that Russia has declared war on Japan, but it is only a rumor so far. This will no doubt be a fact within a few days.

IS HITLER BEHIND THE JAPANESE AGGRESSION?

Senator Robert Taft. Photo courtesy of www.senator.gov.

Sen. Burton: The invasion doubtless ties in with Axis military plans.

Sen. Pepper: There is no doubt at all in my mind that Adolf Hitler is the guiding hand behind the moves of Japan.

Sen. Taft: Hitler is definitely behind Japan.

WHAT FUNDAMENTALLY CAUSED THE WAR?

Sen. Burton: The immediately cause of the war was, of course, the Japanese invasion. The invasion doubtless coincides with Hitler’s strategy.

Sen. Pepper: The Axis forces are making an attempt to create an entirely new order, without attempting to appear fanatically religious. I would say there will be an effort made to subserviate Christianity to a new kind of paganism.

Sen. Taft: The answer to this question would involve a criticism of this government’s policy, which would be entirely out of order at this time. I have no comment.

DOES OUR CIVILIZATION FACE A DEFINITE CRISIS?

Sen. Burton: there is no doubt that our civilization does face a definite crisis. We are the last great nation, the last continent representative of a philosophy based on faith in the individual rather than upon faith in the state which makes the individual a slave.

The conflict is a fundamental one between a philosophy of force and a philosophy of faith in the individual. We were forced into the war by the Nippon doctrine of force.

Sen. Pepper: Without a doubt, the changes in our existing civilization will be far too numerous to enumerate. No one can predict what they will be.

Sen. Taft: It is doubtful whether there is any answer to this question in particular, but there is no doubt in my mind that many changes will result.

Cost of living in Delaware County

By: Gopika Nair, Copy Editor

Delaware County residents have a lot to smile about.

Low cost of living and a low unemployment rate make it an ideal place to live, according to interviews with a few residents.

But not only is it considered one of the best places to live in the nation, it is also one of the happiest, according to a study released in 2015.

SmartAsset evaluated the quality of life in the U.S. by examining factors such as family stability, physical health, personal financial health and economic security. Delaware County ranked second, behind Loudoun County in Virginia.

“The county’s median income is $89,757, while a three-person household in the county would need at least $34,057 to afford the necessities,” SmartAsset said in its study. “That adds up to an income-to-expenses ratio of 2.64, second highest of the nearly 1,000 counties in our analysis.”

However, residents worry about housing shortage and increase in education expenditure.

But compared to other counties in the nation, Delaware’s cost of living is cheap and hasn’t seen a significant increase in the past five years, according to a study by Bert Sperling, a demographer and researcher based in New York.

Sperling manages Sperling’s Best Places, a website that informs people about the quality of life in the U.S. and serves as a resource for those seeking relocation.

Based on a U.S. average of 100, an amount below 100 means that a county or city’s cost of living is low, while an amount above 100 indicates that the cost of living is high. Delaware’s cost of living is 94.5, which makes it cheaper than than the nation’s average, Sperling said in his study.

As of 2014, Sperling’s Best Places revealed that the average cost of food in a grocery store in Delaware is 93.1. The cost of housing and utilities, including mortgage payments, apartment and property tax, is 95. The average cost of gasoline, car insurance, maintenance expenses and mass transit fare is 98, while the cost of miscellaneous services such as clothing, repairs and entertainment is 91.

The only sector that is not cheaper than the U.S. average is the health care cost, which was 100.

Even so, Delaware County’s low cost of living was one of the reasons why Jerry Plak moved from Dayton in Montgomery County to Delaware city on Oct. 22.

“I’m originally from Ohio, but I wanted to move back [to Delaware], retire here and live more affordably,” Plak said.

The county’s low unemployment rate also influenced Plak’s decision to relocate. Delaware County has an unemployment rate of 2.7 percent, according to data by Delaware County Regional Planning Commission.

“Even during the period of high unemployment, Delaware was still the lowest,” Plak said. “[The jobs available] may not have been for everybody, but there was employment.”

Alice Simon, an economics professor at Ohio Wesleyan University, said the central Ohio area as a whole has a low unemployment rate.

“It’s the capital, so it has government,” Simon said. “It has agriculture, it has a lot of low-tech industries and it has a very large financial sector.”

In fact, JPMorgan Chase & Co., a banking firm, is the top private sector employer in Delaware County, according to Delaware County’s profile on the Columbus 2020 website.

The professional and business services sector is one of the highest employed industries in Delaware County, the county profile reported. But nearly 75 percent of employment opportunities lie in retail, government, education, health, manufacturing and transportation.

“Because [Delaware County] is so diversified, it weathers any kind of economic downturn …and is also able to keep people employed,” Simon said. “Ohio is also one of the Midwest states that’s still growing. That, in itself, attracts labor.”

Simon said one of the main reasons why people move to Delaware County and seek employment is the low cost of living.

Both Simon and Scott Sanders, executive director of the Delaware County Regional Planning Commission, agreed that the biggest expense is housing.

“Once you include the payment, the taxes and the interest, the biggest chunk [of money] goes toward housing,” Sanders said.

But as of 2014, the median home cost in Delaware County was $161,100, while the cost was $179,667 in Columbus. In 2015, housing expenses in Columbus went up to $194,758, according to the monthly residential statistics on the Columbus REALTORS website.

Another concern for residents of Delaware County is education, Sanders said. The population of residents who are three years or older and are enrolled in school is 123,101 as of 2015, according to the data on Delaware County’s regional planning website.

According to Sperling’s Best Places, the school expenditure per student here is higher than the U.S. average. Delaware residents spend $12,544 as of 2014, while the U.S. average is $12,435.

Though the cost of living in Delaware County is low compared to other counties in Ohio, not everyone is optimistic about the next five years.

Ryan Wince, who has lived in Delaware for the past four years after moving from Worthington, said the cost of living will increase as the economy grows.

But Holly Quaine, president of Delaware Area Chamber of Commerce, said the likelihood of the cost of living in Delaware increasing significantly is slim.

“The culture of Delaware is [one that doesn’t aim] to outdo the guy next to you,” Quaine said. “So even though we have excellent schools and health care, it isn’t an expensive place to live. It’s not a waterfront community, it’s not a downtown community and it’s not so urbanized that there’s a shortage for places to live.”

Simon also said Delaware will see an increase in the cost of living, but won’t become unaffordable. The addition of a mass transit system, however, might affect the cost of living.

“If they had a better mass transit system and a better rail system, you’re going to see massive increases in the cost of living,” Simon said.

Dan Charna, an assistant economics professor at OWU, said if interest rates go up and inflation starts to rise, then the cost of living will increase not just in Delaware but everywhere else.

Relative to Franklin County and other surrounding areas, he does not think that the cost of living in Delaware will increase dramatically.

Though some residents of Delaware County believe that the cost of living is going to increase over the next five years, most are still content living here.

Allan Wise, a resident of Delaware County for 23 years, said, “I’m thrilled [to be living here],” because he has been able to live comfortably due to the county’s low cost of living.

Marriage is in the air

If love hit you in the face, would you notice?

Allison Deidre Anders Singer, of Sunbury, fought back. She attended a class at Title Boxing Club in Westerville and met the one she married.

“I went in for a class one day and he was the instructor. I think we both knew instantly,” she said.

“Sounds cheesy, but we have literally spent everyday together since that first class I took.”

For the other 73 Delaware county couples who married between the months of August and September, it wasn’t quite as punchy.

Did they meet in a park as the leaves fell, a library as the pages flipped or a restaurant as the candles were lit?

Perhaps an exciting, adrenalinepumping situation like a roller coaster can help the process.

Ivonna Dunnavant met her husband at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. She and her husband both were working at the park.

“I am from Serbia and last year I got a chance to come to Cedar Point in Sandusky to work there for four months. That is where I met my husband,” Dunnavant said. “I decided to go back to Serbia and finish my studies. I came back to Ohio in July and got married in August.”

For Dunnavant and her husband Ben, things moved quickly after spending time together at Cedar Point.

Of course, these are two specific examples. Places vary from the Delaware career center to Indiana Wesleyan University to restaurants.

Out of recently married couples in Delaware, no two met in the same exact spot. Although, colleges, job fairs and friends’ houses were amongst the top of the list.

Luke Gabbert, of Delaware and a student at Ohio Wesleyan University, was surprised there was not a common spot to meet the right person.

“I’d be surprised if you told me there wasn’t at least two couples that met up in the same spot,” Gabbert said. “The county isn’t that big and I feel like downtown Delaware, along with some other spots, are good places to meet people.”

Shanon Cain, of Sunbury, combined both a job hunt and a friend’s house to start dating her husband Willy.

“We met at the Delaware area career center but never really talked,” Cain said. “About two years after we were at a friend’s house and started talking and eventually started dating about a week later.”

Kyle Smith, associate professor of psychology at Ohio Wesleyan University, said it’s not always a coincidence where you meet the person you marry.

“Similarity is one of the best predictors of attraction,” Smith said. “So going on the first date and finding out you’re attracted to someone is a lot of finding out you have the same views, you’re both from a small town, things like that. That’s the building blocks of initial attraction and building a long-term relationship.”

Smith explained making someone like you may be as simple as liking them first.

“Finding out somebody likes you is a very attractive trait for them to have. Especially finding out that somebody likes you more than you thought. We like being liked, but we like being liked more, even more than that.”

Lastly, Smith said having a first date at a coffee shop could be a good idea, but he also said not to rely on the espresso to increase someone’s heart rate and help them fall in love with you.

“There is data that suggest physiological arousal has impact on emotional experience,” Smith said. “The size boost you get from the caffeine is probably going to be small relative to the excitement you get from the interaction or psychical attraction you’ll get from somebody. Those will be much more impactful than if the person is just having a shot of espresso.”

The war on Christmas or just marketing?

Before reading further, I might suggest you put down your red Starbucks cups and take a seat because things are about to get real.

Every year, people eagerly await the unveiling of the infamous “Christmas” cup. The Christmas cup that usually is red and covered in snowflakes, snowmen and everything winter, not so much Christmas.

The recent unveiling of the Starbucks coffee cup has enraged many of the company’s coffee addicts, but could this be just a genius marketing stunt concocted by the worldwide caffeine providers?

By Starbucks providing a cup that completely abandons the idea of “Christmas” and “Holiday,” by not printing any graphic of the cups, they were attempting to represent the point of being “politically correct.” This enraged many and bloggers continuously shared their opinions over all forms of social media, whether in support or not.

Regardless of whether or not people believe that Starbucks was contributing to the “War on Christmas,” Starbucks did something only some can find as brilliant. With little to no further advertisement, the company received an incredible amount of publicity.

By producing a plain red cup, the awareness for company and the issue they are supporting has increased and so have the sales throughout the holiday season.

Much like Coca Cola’s sly advertisement campaign of putting names on the bottles and cans, Starbucks captured the same concept. Whether people support the campaign or not.