And running, running, and running, running, and running, running…

Meet Simon Hoyden, a senior pre-business management major, and member of the men’s cross country team.

So what does it take to be on the cross country team? And what does he do in his spare time?

“I usually run between 70 and 80 miles per week. Practice is everyday and it is a little bit different. If you have an endurance run, a long run, it could be that I run 17 to 18 miles,” Hoyden said.

Simon is here from Germany, where he is currently a law student at Johannes Gutenberg University, which is just outside of Frankfurt. Once he completes his studies at Augusta State in June 2011, he will return Germany to take his finals.

“That’s really hard. Law studies are one of the hardest, and you have the examinations. They are not from the university; they are from the state,” he said. “So, that’s why they are so hard. You have to know everything. The university can teach you, but they don’t make the final exams.”

Hoyden’s parents and older brother live in Germany. He will not be able to go home to see them until June, but he talks to them daily via Skype. His girlfriend, Luisa, is from Germany, too, and is in school in Puebla, Colo. He will visit her in December.

Hoyden has been here for about two months, and when he first arrived, he had a lot to do.

“In the beginning, it was very hard for me because I had to study, and I had a lot of work in the first weeks to improve my English, so I had not much spare time, and was really studying or running the whole day,” he said.

When he is at home, he likes to snowboard, ride road bikes and climb mountains. He keeps up with his friends in Germany by Facebook. According to Hoyden, three things he cannot live without are the internet, his running hobby and his girlfriend, “for sure.”

So what exactly does he do in spare time besides run and study?

“I play video games with my (three) roommates. The problem is our running practice takes us between three and four hours a day, and college, and you study and you learn, and tests, so I don’t have much spare time.”

As fall begins to show its colors, the majority of sports fans turn their attention to football. However, for some, baseball still reigns supreme during the playoffs.

October signals the most exciting time of year for baseball fans. For some teams, after six grueling months, it comes down to the final week. For teams in the middle of a pennant race, every game is important to their chances of advancing to the postseason. It is a type of pitch-by-pitch suspense that is not found in any other sport, and the 2010 season was as exciting as ever.

The Yankees and Rays fought back and forth throughout the month of September. The Rays clinched the division title on the final day, while the Yankees settled for the wild card. The dominance of the Rays and Yankees was evident by their lock on the wild card early on.

“I have been impressed with both teams, and before Philadelphia’s recent surge, I felt like the Yankees and Rays were the two best teams in baseball,” said Kris Willis, writer for Atlanta Braves blog, “Tomahawk Take.” “Obviously, I think that both teams are well-equipped to make a deep run in the postseason.”

The American League Central and West were locked up early compared to the rest of Major League Baseball. The Twins pulled away to win the Central on Sept. 20, becoming the first team to clinch a playoff spot.

The Rangers clinched the West title on Sept. 25. They are an easy team to pull for considering they have not reached the postseason since 1999.

The National League provided tighter races down the stretch. The Braves held a three-game lead in the East entering September, but injuries, a slumping offense and a hot Phillies team resulted in the lead disappearing by Sept. 7. As the Phillies pulled away to a division title, the Braves fought with the Padres for the wild card berth. It came down to the final day of the season, as the Braves clinched the wild card with a win and Padres loss.

“For most of the season I felt like this could be the Braves’ year,” Willis said. “Now, due to the slumping offense and injuries, I can’t see them making a lot of noise. I will be pulling hard for them, but at this point I remain skeptical.”

The Reds clinched the Central title in late September. Their absence from the playoffs lasted even longer than the Rangers, last seeing the postseason in 1995.

The tightest race in baseball occurred in the West. The Giants and Padres fought back and forth throughout September, and the two teams swapped first place almost daily in the final two weeks. The division title was won by the Giants on the final day of the season. The Padres falling short of the postseason shows how important each game is down the stretch.

The Major League Baseball postseason should not be overlooked by sports fans. The pennant races, as well as the playoffs itself, provide suspense and excitement that no other sport has. A 162-game season makes the reward that much sweeter when the last team standing raises the World Series trophy.

Fans are already filled with excitement and expectation as the men’s basketball season nears.

With old rivalries, Paine College and USC Aiken, the Jags are ready to maintain their bragging rights.

“Aiken is always a big rivalry,” said Caleb Brown, a senior communications major. “Every game is my last game. I’m going to be just as excited for the first game and for any other game, it doesn’t matter.”

The Jags will head back to the University of Georgia on Nov. 5 for a face-off against the Georgia Bulldogs, in Athens, Ga. Last year, the Jags were defeated in the exhibition match with a score of 81-74, but held an overall record of 29-4 and 17-1 in the Peach Belt Conference.

With a handful of players returning from last year’s team, the Jags have added seven new faces to their roster.

“The good thing is when you have success, the new guys kind of come in and follow the returning guys,” Coach Dip Metress said.

The Jags e x t e n d e d their streak to 31 wins at home and hope to build off that success.

“When you win that many games it’s great,” M e t r e s s said. “Along the same line people are ready to get you.”

As most of their size and scoring power has left, the Jags are dedicated to keeping up the winning tradition and filling in the spots where they are needed.

“Well, we’re going through individual workouts right now and we lost 82 percent of our scoring,” Metress said. “We lost everybody who started every game for us last year.”

In addition to the new players, Metress stated that the retuning players know what to expect but the team has its work cut out for them.

“We had a great run, its not so much pressure with our players,” Metress said. “I think the big thing for us will be how we handle the expectations we have as a program with ourselves and within the country.”

According to Tye Beal, junior guard and history major, he believes that it will be hard work and teamwork that sets this team apart.

“It’s a lot of teamwork and a lot of new guys,” Beal said. “So we’re looking forward to it. Everybody has a high role and everybody has to do something to help us win.”

Although the heat will be turned up this season, the Jags are ready to keep up the success of the program and defend well against other opponents.

“We’re going to have to be the team that’s outworking other teams,” Brown said. “We’re going to have to get all those loose balls, charges and 50-50 plays. It’s going to be really greedy this year.”

The Jags first home game will be Nov. 20, against Benedict and the first conference game of the season against Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah. The Jags will take on Paine College on Dec. 2 and will host USC Aiken on Jan. 24 at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

Saturday mornings are usually reserved for sleeping in for most college students, but on Oct. 2, that all changed.

In the early hours of the morning, people started gathering outside the Maxwell Alumni House in preparation for the Jaguar Jaunt 5K race.

The runners began at the Maxwell Alumni House and raced around the historical Summerville area, the Augusta State University campus and back to the Maxwell House.

The race has come a long way in the 12 years or more it has been in existence according to Wes Zamzow, director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.

“From what I understand, years ago we just had about 100 runners or so, now we have over 400 that participate,” Zamzow said. “It’s has gone from a small, quaint fun race, to a true machine for lots of people that get up to run a 5K on a Saturday morning.”

Georgann Earnest, the bookkeeper for the Augusta State University Foundation, said he has seen the race transform from a small, tiny gathering to a huge event as well.

“At the first Jaguar Jaunt there was maybe 50 to 75 people that ran and we were cooking quiche and stuff to bring out for the after snacks,” Ernest said.

Since then, the event has blossomed.

“It’s come from like 50 to 400 people,” Earnest said. “So that’s really good.”

Plenty of people came out to support Augusta State, like Kip Hamilton, chairman of the business and computer department at Georgia Military College, who said he came out to show his support for Augusta State, even though he didn’t attend the University.

“My wife graduated with her master’s, and my daughter graduated with her bachelor’s here,” Hamilton said. “But I teach at Georgia Military College.”

Hamilton said this was his first time at the jaunt, and that he and his family are also big supporters of the school.

“We come out almost every year for this run to support whatever they are doing,” Hamilton said. “It’s good to get out and get started walking again.”

Christine Harrison, who received her undergraduate degree at Augusta State, also attended the race, but not to out run the competition.

“My whole family is here,” Harrison said. “My dad retired from ASU, my mom and sister are on the Alumni Board and it was a great morning to come out here.”

Some of the racers even brought their K-9 friends to participate. Harrison brought her two Boxers, Brutus and Gracie.

“It’s good exercise for them,” Harrison said. “They’ll be tired for the rest of the day.”

There were many newcomers to racers that participated in the jaunt. Tanei Ricks, a junior chemistry major, decided to focus by listening to a variety of music from rap, metal, country and pop while he ran.

“It’s my first time doing one of these,” Ricks said. “I’ll probably come out next year for the next one. I felt like it would be an important thing for me to do, support the school, come out and meet some new people, get my run on. I figured it would be a good thing to do early Saturday morning.”

To some, the jaunt might have given the illusion that it’s a simple, quick event to put together because everything went as planned.

“It takes a lot of effort to plan and coordinate,” Zamzow said. “There are so many pieces that come together for such a short period of time. We started working on this race in early summer and we’ll keep working on this for the next week or so, posting times and everything like that.”

The money raised from the race goes to the foundation, which according to Zamzow, supports the academic programs on campus and scholarships

Many college students, dependant on HOPE scholarship, fear what lies ahead in the future.

Many people have always feared the day when HOPE scholarship would run out. Now this might be a reality. Georgia Democratic Legislators met to discuss the funding of HOPE scholarship. The issue that was brought up was to take the scholarship away from students who have a high family income or the option of getting rid of the scholarship all together.

I’m a senior this year and although I lost HOPE scholarship after my freshman year, due to maybe having a tad too much fun with my new found freedom, this is an issue that is still a huge debate that could potentially effect thousands of people.

The flaw in our system is basing everything on family income. Although my family has an average income, I help support myself. But, according to the state, I will still be dependent until the age of 24. How does that make any sense? I will have already graduated from college and hopefully working for two years and yet I’m dependent on my family.

HOPE aside, I’m not even eligible for financial aid. So although I’m living on a minimum wage salary, they base me on my parents income, not my own. This, almost now not being a problem for me seeing as that I’m about to graduate, is a potential problem for tons of other people.

What will those who are on their own at 18 do? Their parents don’t support them and their job at Ruby Tuesday barely pays for their rent and food, and now they have to figure out a way to pay for college. Students will then have one of two options. They can either get a student loan, and be in debt for the 10 years after graduating from college, or they can skip college all together. Education is such an important thing, and now it has become a high-end luxury.

What will happen to our economy? I know jobs are very scarce right now, but imagine if everyone had half the skills they currently possess. Where will we be 10 years from now? I guess the only positive thing about this situation is this will cut my competition in half when I graduate and am searching for a job.

Now what is the incentive for students in high school to do well? As soon as they get out of school they will have to go straight into the work field, only being qualified for the food service industry. I guess Georgia better start investing in more fast-food joints to keep people employed.

The language is spoken around campus; it’s loud, critical voices and tan conduits are near impossible to miss. I meet a new one every day. Those that look like they might just be Caucasian or African-American but have just enough dousing of flavor or a little more swing in the hips to signify the roots.

La música drowns out the giggles of Catholic kids playing in recess everyday as we drive up and down Arsenal Avenue. Bumper stickers flash our flags, “Pa’que tú lo sepas,” and we get Bs in Spanish classes because our parents never really taught us or we just don’t care.

Let’s face it, Americans want to be us. The men steal our Miss Universes and the cougar women steal our gardeners. More than half of the dances on “Dancing with the Stars” are ours: salsa, mambo, cha-cha, merengue, tango.

Americans need our culture as a relief to theirs. We offer them the laid-back, shot-of-tequila, flavoredfood, thick-accented getaways that are achievable without getting on a plane.

But with all this greatness, I sat back again, for another year, at Hispanic Heritage Month went by at Augusta State University with barely a whisper of pride and togetherness from its people.

Every February, I get slightly depressed as I watch members of Black Student Union come together for Black History Month so admirably to form programs, speeches, and show films that hype up their heritage.

This group is doing its thing, demonstrating every intricate detail from the March on Washington to the Harlem Renaissance so that students might be respectful of their culture.

The depression then forms into anger, as I remind myself of the nothingness my culture seems to put together for Augusta State every year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Where are we as a group?

Sure, the individual qualities of our cultures can be seen throughout Augusta State, but why have we not come together for the sake of sharing it.

As an entire race, Cuban to Argentinean, Mexican to Nuyorican, I am aware that laws in Arizona have us thinking about how we come across to the land that we live in currently.

Well, I can tell you that at Augusta State we don’t come across at all.

I do not demise the small beginnings we have formed in relationships with groups like Los Amigos Hispanos, setting ourselves up as the background for the growth of students trying to immerse themselves in our culture.

But where is our Latin thing?

Hopefully, it is out there somewhere residing in the hearts of our representation on campus.

It would be a great pleasure to see us come together and further integrate our history and culture into Augusta State by organizing keynote speakers to come and talk about our roots, performances of bands that demonstrate our rhythms and writers and poets that have mastered our language and use it beautifully to show it to the world.

Hecto Lavoe, a salsa singer in the 1970s, put my feelings the best.

“Mi gente ¡Ustedes! lo más grande de este mundo siempre me hacen sentir un orgullo profundo.”

My People, All of you! The greatest in this world, always make me feel a deep pride.

In our last issue, you might have read about the golf team going to the White House, maybe you did, or maybe not. Anyway, I covered that event.

As one of my fellow journalism students, you might be asking yourself how did this guy get to cover the most prestigious trip ever in the history of Augusta State University.

Well, I will tell you, it has to do with a few life lessons that I have learned along the way.

The first life lesson and by far the most important of them all, it does not hurt to ask for permission, because the worst thing that anybody can tell you is ‘No.’

This was what led me to start the ball rolling on getting to cover the story. First, I approached Clint Bryant, the athletic director of the university. I asked him if there was a way that I could cover the golf team’s visit to the White House. He replied via e-mail that it would be a wonderful idea as long as I got permission from the White House.

Next step, I talked to the White House Press Office, which led to a waiting game for a couple of weeks. This next lesson is what I like to call, being a tenacious dude. This life lesson also helped me when I actually got to Washington, when I had to make transfers on the plane and tour bus because for me, it is not easy to transfer into a bus without a lift because I am disabled.

The Friday before the trip, I called the White House Press Office once again, to find out that the deadline has passed for credentials, but if I still wanted to try to get in, they would send me the information.

Needless to say I was disappointed, but I knew that if I did not try, I would always ask ‘what if?’

This is my third life lesson, never ever put yourself in a what if situation.

Finally, it does not hurt to ask for help. I know this because I need a lot of help when it comes to climbing into a private plane or tour bus. However, asking for help also goes beyond this. If you are struggling in a class or if you are having problems writing a story, do not be afraid to ask for help.

For all the journalism students out there, these are the four things I have learned. First, the worst anybody could ever tell you is no. Second, if you want something, always be tenacious, but make sure you are not obnoxious, that is important. Third, never put yourself in a ‘what if’ situation. Finally, it does not hurt to ask for help.

I promise if you follow these life lessons, you will have an awesome picture for Facebook as well as a memory that will last a lifetime.

What does it mean to be considerate? According to Merriam- Webster’s Dictionary, to be considerate is to be thoughtful of the rights and feelings of others.

In this fast-paced, selfish world of ours, have we lost all sense of consideration and kindness for mankind? Not everyone.

I would like to take this opportunity to PERSONALLY SHOUT OUT and thank the individual who closed my driver-side door a few weeks ago. Seriously, thank you.

Anyone could have stolen something out of my car. Sure, there might not be much, but someone somewhere once said that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. To a scurvy-mouthed pirate, seeing my car would be like finding a glowing treasure chest overflowing with gold coins after desperately searching for buried booty (or a new iPod). Score!

This car-door-closing angel even felt the need to apologize for closing my door. How selfish has this world become to where a person has to apologize for doing a good deed?

I get it. It is difficult to take time out of our busy lives as students and offer someone a helping hand, but didn’t your mother ever tell you to treat others the way you would want to be treated? Gee, can’t we all just get along.

If you have not seen the movie “Pay it Forward,” I suggest you watch it immediately.

In the movie, a 12-year-old boy is determined to change the world… three people at a time. The idea is instead of paying a person back for a favor, pay it forward. Essentially, the idea is like a contagious smile. One person pays it forward, then another, then another.

I think we could all learn something from Haley Joel Osment. There are ways we can help one another here. Simple acts of kindness are contagious and it really does start with you.

We’ve all been there: searching each floor of Allgood Hall in search of a table. You spot a person packing his bag and preparing to stand. Just as you begin to swiftly walk to the table without looking like you’ve been stalking this guy for the past 15 minutes, you meet eyes with another student who has the same idea. Simultaneously, both of you turn into starving, prowling scavengers. You destroy everything in your path – tables and chairs are overturned, students are thrown out windows, papers disperse into the air.

Instead of listening to music while pretending not to witness such events occurring, why not offer the extra five chairs at your monstrous table to the pathetic procrastinator in desperate, immediate need for a place to sit down and memorize Spanish definitions (i.e., me).

Are the extra chairs at the table necessary to surf the internet? Perhaps they’re offering you some sort of company that a warm-blooded human being cannot provide. Who knows?

On your way into class you could open the door for someone walking behind you. As for the individual who walks through the opened door, say “thank you.”

Let the stalker in the car following closely behind you know that you are not leaving, but just grabbing a book for class. If you are heading to your car to leave campus, let the stalker know. We waste time, gas and tardies searching for parking spots.

If after all the facts, you still feel too self-righteous to do physical labor to help your fellow human being, why not just smile once in a while?

You know, if you keep your face like that, it might get stuck.

Dreams: What do they really mean? This was one of the questions at the Counseling Center’s Dreams Seminar on Thursday, Sept. 30.

Ginny Luke, the speaker of the seminar and associate director of the Counseling Center, began the seminar by providing multiple facts about dreams and the interpretations thereof. Luke then gave examples of common myths about sleep, for example that a person can never “catch up” on sleep. In addition, helpful tips were given on getting a good night’s sleep and getting your stress and anxiety in check.

Did you know that in dreams we see faces we already know or have come across at some point in our lives? What about the fact that a person cannot snore and dream at the same time? These were only a few of the surprising facts being shared.

Everybody dreams, according to Luke, and although the reason behind it can seem unclear, it is still a topic of interest that people do not hesitate to discuss among themselves and counselors.

“People would come in and talk about their dreams, clients would. It’s just a fascinating subject,” Luke said. “I thought there was a lot of interest, and plus the movie ‘Inception’ just came out.”

Both Luke and Robert Mays, director of the Counseling Center, said they were pleased with the overall turnout for the seminar.

“(Dreams) are a topic of area that, again, doesn’t exclude anyone,” Mays said. “We all dream and it’s puzzling at time. I’m just surprised at the number of students who attended the seminar at this particular time, it shows their interest, which is good.”

Students from all majors came together to learn more about dreams, but Augusta State University students didn’t appear to be the only ones with an interest. Even Mays decided to share his own interest he has for dreams.

“When you sleep, the little mystique that goes on with it, it’s just a continual learning experience as it relates to dreams,” Mays said. “Different kinds of dreams meaning different things, it’s fascinating.”

Some of the common types of dreams in the discussion were daydreams, lucid dreams and nightmares. According to Luke, studies are showing that people have the tendency to daydream an average of 70 to 120 minutes a day. Lucid dreams are described as dreams that occur when a person realizes they are dreaming. And nightmares have the well-known description as a disturbing dream that causes a person to wake up feeling anxious or frightened.

Whether you’re having a sweet dream or beautiful nightmare, if you are interested in remembering dreams, there are a few hints Luke gave to help. Before going to sleep, expect to remember your dreams, and keep a pad of paper and pen nearby. Upon waking, follow your dream backwards, and don’t forget the dream before you write it down, and be sure to value and accept each dream.

Among the information provided, interesting facts about famous dreams were mentioned. President Abraham Lincoln dreamed of his assassination, the melody of the song “Yesterday” came to Paul McCartney in a dream and Madame CJ Walker had a dream that informed her of the ingredients she needed to solve her problem for a scalp infection she had been suffering from. So for some, dreams really do come true.

The ongoing study of the history and theories of dreams are providing people with more understanding on the topic, but as Luke stated in her seminar, ultimately our dreams are for us to interpret ourselves.

“It’s a fascinating topic and I encourage people to further explore their own dreams on the Internet and through books,” Luke said. “and definitely start using a journal, dream journal.”

Music, comedy and magic tricks were just some of the things audience members witnessed during the Jason Bishop Show on Oct. 6 in the amphitheatre.

Bishop, who is from Fleetwood, Pa., has been touring all over the U.S. and has done such venues as the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J., as well as doing shows internationally. Bishop is the youngest person to win the Magician’s Alliance of Eastern States Stage Award, which goes to the person who exemplifies the spirit of magic.

Bishop said he has been doing magic for the last 15 years, and has done magic professionally since he dropped out of college, after studying in theatre for two years.

“I went to a magic club to learn about escapes and they did all these cool tricks, and that was it,” Bishop said. “I knew right then and there I wanted to be a magician.”

Bishop lists David Copperfield and David Blaine as people he most admires.

“Those guys took it to the highest level that you can, and they made it look great and made it accessible to the audience,” Bishop said.

One of the components of the show was audience participation. In one such trick, Bishop would have three members of the audience come on stage, and put them a sack and tie him up, and then he would be put in a box, and magically his assistant, Kim Hess would appear after the sack was untied.

Music played a big role in the show as Bishop did his illusions, there would be pop-rock music blaring from the speakers.

Another aspect of the show was the use of Liquid Crystal Display or LCD screens for “close-up magic.”

In one of these “close-up” magic tricks he made a goldfish appear out of thin air. In another, he took an empty Coca-Cola can that was crushed and magically the can was full.

Throughout the show, Bishop would joke with the audience; however, the jokes were geared toward a more mature audience. Bishop would give audience members who participated in his show nicknames, and he would also poke fun at them, regardless of who they were.

However, there was a 7-year-old boy in the audience, named Tristan, who participated. Bishop gave him the name “Jerry,” so when the audience chanted his name, it would be in honor of Jerry Springer.

In this particular trick, Bishop had a fake jail cell set up, and the boy was supposed to be able to put his head through the bars, because his head was smaller than Bishop; however, he was unable to do it, but Bishop was able to put his whole body through it.

Keri Seymour, a political science major, said she came to the show midway through, but said she liked it all, especially when Bishop did his opart trick, where he took his assistant, and made it look like she was missing her entire body except her head.

According to Joseph Ham, a sophomore pre-biology student, he did not like the language, but he loved the show.

“My favorite part of the show was during the last part, when Bishop threw out all of the playing cards to the audience,” Ham said. “Bishop was definitely a good performer.”