The Current Volume 21 : Issue 4
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Nova Southeastern University NSUWorks The urC rent NSU Digital Collections 9-7-2010 The urC rent Volume 21 : Issue 4 Nova Southeastern University Follow this and additional works at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/nsudigital_newspaper NSUWorks Citation Nova Southeastern University, "The urC rent Volume 21 : Issue 4" (2010). The Current. 432. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/nsudigital_newspaper/432 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the NSU Digital Collections at NSUWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Current by an authorized administrator of NSUWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Get more Obama ends combat from your Sharl<Card missions in Iraq Annarely Rodriguez Annarely Rodriguez .News Editor News Editor On Aug. 31, President Barack Campus Card Services has Obama announced that the combat expanded students' options when missions in Iraq were over. In his using the SharkCard on and off second speech from the Oval Office, campus. The most recent expansion the president recognized American is the development of an event soldiers, their families and all other tracking system. civilians, for their patience during The system is called E-Vent the war. He also said that the Iraqi and allows clubs and organizations people and its government will be to keep track of attendees at events able to count on the U.S.'s support in without the customary sign-in sheet. restoring the country. Instead students tap their SharkCard "Our combat mISSIOn is on a small device attached to a ending," said President Obama. "But President Barack Obama announces the end of the combat mission in Iraq from the Oval Office on Aug. 31. laptop and their information is our commitment to Iraq's future automatically registered. is not." Sciences said that Obama's statement "If we leave Iraq before there the establishment of a democratic The program is not only Timothy W. Dixon, associate on the U.S.'s commitment to Iraq is a functioning government, then government in Iraq," said Dixon. intended to track students, but also professor of history and legal studies could mean that troops may not leave we will not have accomplished "How do we leave with that in the Farquhar College of Arts and Iraq as soon as many think. what was presented as one goal: See SHARKCARD 2 See IRAQ 2 Rise in lDental Homesickness: It's not just about your mama's cooking illnesses for college students KerenMoros Features Editor A recent study presented to the American Psychological Association revealed that mental illnesses are more common among college students than they were a Juan Vizcarrondo, senior legal studies major (left) and Paula Castaneda, senior legal studies major (right) talk on the phone outside Parker Building. Psychologists recommend that students who experience decade ago. homesickness call home regularly. The study tracked 3,256 students who visited the counseling Annarely Rodriguez The American Academy of center at a mid-sized private News Editor Pediatrics journal published a study university between September 1997 in January 2007 that revealed that and August 2009. The percentage homesickness is not just a nostalgic of students diagnosed wjth mental When students first go to College feeling for home, but rather ' a. illness in 1998 was 3 percent higher they may experience the excitement disorder with severe symptoms that: in 2009. There was also a large of starting a new life, the familiar may hinder the way people live. jump in the percentage of students feeling of starting a school year and According to . the study, taking psychiatric drugs ' over that ·. the dread of leaving their families individuals with the disorder . same period. Researchers ' found ." behind. However, sometimes being. may . develop anxiety, sadness, turn that 13 percent more students were COURTESY OF WWW.THERUBICON.ORG homesick can into a problem. nervousness and high levels of taking psychiatric drugs in 2009 than Students sometimes have a hard time coping with the pressures of college life. "Change is really hard on some longing for home. Students may miss in i998. people, and going to college is a friends or sitting down to dinner with However, David Reitman, truly worse for students," he said. several similar studies should be big change," said Debra Goldman, their families every night. associate professor of psychology, "Or if today's students are more investigated to see if they all have LCSW, director of NSU's Henderson Matthew Lein, sophomore said that because of the study's inclined to recognize psychological the same conclusion. Student Counseling Center. "It's not psychology major from Chicago, limitations, there may be hidden disorders." "It's possible, in fact," he said. only a change in environment or said, "I miss my mom's home- inconsistencies in the results. Reitman said that any study living situation - it's a change in ''We don't know if things are is worthy of careful review and See MENTAL ILLNESS 2 everything." -- - - • - - - - - - ... - - - . See' HOMESICK 2 2 News September 7, 2010 I nsucurrent.nova.edu SHARKCARD from 2 MENTAL ILLNESS from 2 "That students today are not worse off than they were a decade ago. I'm not saying they're wrong, but don't necessarily rely on one study." Gene Cash, associate professor of psychology, agrees that one study cannot tell the whole story and this study has limitations. However, he believes that there are useful generalizations that can be made from the study. "One thing that is significant is that students are seeking help for PHOTO BY A. RODRIGUEZ mental health problems at a higher The NSU ID card. Campus Card Services plans on making the card usable off-campus. rate," he said. "That may mean that more students have mental health increase student involvement and The office is · . also working problems or it may mean that there's participation. Students who are on other initiatives involving the less stigma associated with it and tracked using E-Vent receive points ShardCard like bringing back bike they are more willing to admit that. for attending campus events. The rentals. Students will be able to I think it's probably both." more events they attend, the more check out a bicycle to get around Although more students may points they get - eventually earning campus. Vernol Robinson, director have mental illnesses, Cash said that enough to win prizes including of Campus Card Services, said that there is no need to worry about them. College students are prone to impUlse-control disorders such as substance abuse, gambling and sexual addiction. NSU apparel. the bike program would go with "Mental illness means a lot of E-Vent also offers organizations NSU's green initiative and would different things," he said. "And so I quicker options when offering prizes work like checking out a book from don't think it should inspire fear as vary from mild disorders such as mental illness include isolating and raffles at events. the library. much as it should inspire a healthy having difficulty dealing with stress oneself, giving away possessions, Student organization members The office also plans to make respect for the need for interVention." to life-threatening ones such as losing touch with reality, having are already excited and impressed the card usable for off-campus Tara Jungersen, professor of mental psychosis. Students are particularly major changes in sleep and eating with the new system, which was used purchases. Robinson said several health counseling, said that she prone to impulse-control disorders patterns and increasing pleasure for the first time at Sharkapalooza on businesses close to campus have believed the more people were such as substance abuse, gambling, seeking activities. Sept. 27. expressed interest in accepting the educated about mental illnesses, the sexual addiction and other repetitive "Call the counseling center if "I think it's great because card as a form of payment, but the less stigma they attached to it. and compulsive behaviors that Cash you see those symptoms in a friend," it allows NSU to see how many program is still in the develop "In all my classes," she said. said can get people into trouble. Jungersen said. "Sometimes, just students are involved and what mental stage. "I stress that a person with a mental Jungersen said that only talking to them helps as well." events they should continue putting illness is a person just like anyone." severe mental illnesses should on," said Marlysa Mathurin, junior Cash said mental illnesses can cause concern. Symptoms of severe nursing major. HOMESICK from 2 IRAQ from 2 cooked meals so much, and my bed, too." rCurrent The study also noted that The Student-Run Newspaper of Nova Southeastern University homesickness gets easier with time. According to the study, children who have experience spending time away 3301 College Avenue from their families, like at summer Athletics and Student Affairs (ASA) Building, Room 105 camps are less likely to experience Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796 severe homesickness in college. nsucurrent.nova,edu Lein agreed. He said it is a little easier now that he is in his second year of college. NEWSROOM BUSINESS & ADVERTISING "It takes getting used to," he Phone: (954) 262-8455 Phone: (954) 262-8461 Fax: (954) 262-8456 Fax: (954) 262-8456 said. "I talk to my parents every [email protected] [email protected] three days and I talk to a girl I like every day." However, students don't have to Joydel Trail Editor-in-Chief [email protected] live far from home to miss it. Susie Annarely Rodriguez News Editor [email protected] Ruiz-Achong, senior marketing major, is from Plantation, but lives Keren Moros Features Editor [email protected] on campus.