Oh my heavens, this is it. I’ve been thinking that same phrase for the past week and it’s hard to write about the end of my term as The Sentinel Newspaper’s editor-in-chief.

So much of my college experience has revolved around being a part of this team.
While my entire staff expects immense amounts of tears, and they aren’t far off, I’m going to use this space to explain how much writing for a college newspaper has changed my life and mentioning those that helped me along the way.

To start, let me take you back to spring 2012 when I walked into a room full of strangers and came out the editor of The Sentinel. I went in with a packet, a prayer and a good luck text from my mom ready to prove to the student media board that I wasn’t crazy for wanting to take this position. I told them I was going to do a redesign, create a styleguide and further the work of the editors before me. Thanks to a stroke of what I think is pure luck, I got the position.

I was ecstatic and it took me all of two minutes to start planning what I wanted to do with the newspaper. My next decision was my best to date as editor. I hired the best production manager I could have ever asked for, Andrea Dowis. From that point on, the two of us became an unstoppable duo and I owe all of The Sentinel’s success this year to her help. I will never be able to thank her for being my rock, my friend and my number 2.

The middle of my term involves happy tears, sad tears and exhausted tears. I owe my strength to the student media advisor, Ed Bonza. There aren’t many people that can put up with my kind of crazy, but Bonza never cared that I was overdramatic, intense and determined. He put so much time and faith into my term and I will be forever grateful for his help and believing in me.

My family is a major part of me making it through the middle. As the youngest twin, I tend to hate the spotlight and count on others to make major decisions. Lucky for
me, my twin sister Katie has always pushed me in the right direction and even convinced me to put in my application to become a writer years ago. If she didn’t make things better, my boyfriend Josh would. Without the two of them, I would have been lost without someone to talk me through all my biggest decisions.

As a daddy’s girl, I always go to Randy to share good news and to get advice on how to handle a staff. As my mother’s daughter, I’m thankful to say that I get my work ethic, attention to detail and ability to cry from Karen. As a granddaughter who can’t go a week without talking to her grandparents, I’m lucky to have a Nanny and Pop who listen to all the insane stories I have and to be my biggest fans. It was a big decision to take this job and if it wasn’t for my family agreeing to help me when I needed it, I never could have made it this far.

By the end of my term, I can honestly say that it takes a village to make a paper. Without the help of Amie, Alek and the rest of the student media staff, I would have lost my mind. I’m grateful for all the good times and being surrounded by people who truly reflect the messages that I write about them on their inspirational sticky notes. I’m a mother hen type so here is the part where I thank every section editor, designer, writer, photographer or staff member that has been a part of The Sentinel. You make a lot of friends being a part of a group, but it’s nice to choose a group that becomes a family. You all are the reason the paper goes out each week and I can never thank you enough for your dedication.

Okay, I’m done being sappy. Regardless of all the complaints and constant questioning, I will be forever changed by my decision to join my college newspaper. Thank you all for reading The Sentinel each week and I hope that you continue to find something to enjoy and consider becoming a part of the family that I’ve been happy to be a member of for the past 3 years. It’s all yours Eric.

Megan is a senior and a Communication major.

“I’m blessed with three boys (my wife says she has four, but I don’t know what she’s talking about), but if I had a daughter, I would like her to be just like Megan. A truly good person with a huge heart. I’m going to have her cloned.”

- Ed Bonza

My love for The Sentinel is like my love for frozen yogurt. Sweet, a treat to look forward to and a little messy—no, but really every time I’ve gone in the office, I know we’ll be mixing up something special—with lots of different ingredients. It won’t be perfect every time, but it’ll be an adventure in the making.

I’ll be the first to admit that this hasn’t been the easiest job in the world, but it has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my college career—and one I’ll never forget. I started my stint with The Sentinel as a production assistant in 2012 and fell in love with the atmosphere and the people I was working with to produce a paper. I always tell people that I wish I had found The Sentinel semesters earlier than I did. I was then hired on as Production Manager by Editor in Chief, Megan Emory—and together we’ve been a tenacious force.

To Megan, my EIC and true partner in crime. We’re leaving the paper in good hands. I’m going to miss you and the work we’ve done together—so incredibly much. Through the redesign that we forged ahead with and your dedication to going above and beyond to maintain a level of consistent quality; your unfaltering spirit is truly an inspiration and I am so happy to have joined you on this journey. Through it all you’ve truly been the yin to my yang and I am honored to call you friend.

We’ve accomplished a lot and I am so proud to have been a part of this team. We are a dysfunctional, hilarious and hardworking family, each person adding his or her own special flavor to the mix that has made each Monday one of the best days of the week. I’m going to miss you all. Saying goodbye is never an easy thing to do—and next Monday will come and I’ll feel a twinge of sadness, but pride that there are good people working to keep the legacy going.

To Eric, congratulations to the new EIC! You’ve been a rising star this semester. You’ve been consistent in your work ethic and that’s going to take you far. Be encouraging, fair and persistent—you can do it!

To Laura, the up and coming Production Manager, you’re a talented designer and I know you’re going to do wonderful things for The Sentinel. Trust your instincts and you’ll nail it every time.

To all of the section editors, writers, photographer and designers—I can’t tell you how much I appreciate every single one of you. Each week you come to the plate and deliver. Literally, there would not be a paper without the effort that you put in and I am forever grateful to your dedication.

To our advertising team and our advisor Ed Bonza—where would we be without you? I have been extremely grateful to the synergy that we’ve worked toward over the past year. Your support and understanding helped fuel us and together we have created a strong team.

Words of advice: talk openly with each other, always seek truth, get the work done, but most of all have fun! Relax enjoy each other’s company and remember that you are doing a noble service for Kennesaw State University—don’t forget that and be proud of yourself…I certainly am.

Andrea is a graduate student and an Art Education major.

As I sit here putting off papers and watching The West Wing and Newsroom, I realize that Aaron Sorkin is right.

Our country is not the best country in the world. We spend more money on military than anyone else combined and we constantly bicker and squabble over petty differences when we should be striving to make our country ever better and greater. We no longer can claim that we are the shining example for the rest of the world and the fault lies in everyone. America no longer questions itself because it is no longer informed. In a way right out of Aldous Huxley’s “A Brave New World,” our country is so diluted with information that we no longer know what is important. We have an institution in this country that is tasked to bring us the most important information so we may ingest it and make informed decisions so as to properly maintain our democratic process. That institution is the press and they have failed our country.

The rise of the 24-hour news cycle has led to a dilution of our news. Now that every single bit of information can be spread across the world in rates that would make the common cold jealous, we no longer have to worry about column inches or running into commercial breaks. Now we just through in a line that says to check our website or follow us on Twitter. With the constant ratings battles of televised news and the dying media of print journalism, whatever sells the most or brings in the most ratings wins the battle of importance. That’s why our country was obsessed with Casey Anthony and not with midterm elections, rising debt or the still ongoing wars. Please tell me how the trial of an alleged child murderer is more important than anything else that was going on? It wasn’t, but because we are obsessed with gossip and water-cooler chat, we had weeks of “specialists” and “insiders” telling us the real story. I am ashamed of the journalists who betrayed their obligation to our country so they could get a quarter-point bump in the 18-25 demographic.

If we want America to be grand and beautiful again, we need men and women who will inform us! We need the men who will call out a president for his crimes or sniff out the cronyism and corruption in our system. We need men who will report on wars, not from some predetermined press-relations center, but from the front lines! Show us what are senators have voted for. Let us decide if we have the moral obligation to invade a country. Let us know when our leaders lied about weapons of mass destruction in the hands of would-be terrorists. Help us elect the men who will do great things again.

I know I am rambling on after watching two shows based off of the ideal situation. Journalists have already attacked Newsroom for showing 20/20 hindsight and perfect situations, but so what. Our ideals are supposed to be grand. No one told us that the moon was too far or communism was too entrenched. No, we set our goals and we hit them. Our fathers will always remember sitting in their pajamas watching man walk on the moon and dreaming of being astronauts. We owe it to our future children to continue reaching those outlandish ideals so they can dream to be better than us. With real men and women showing us the way, we can do it again.

So here is your task. Stop watching the 24-hour news channels. Stop picking up trashy gossip rags. Stop letting the media betray you. When you hear about an issue, check every news site you can. Read the oppositions stuff. Read another country’s stuff. Watch the other guy’s channel. Maybe then you can get a real opinion. And when you are watching and reading this stuff, write a letter to an editor or call in to that talk show and let them know you want real journalism. You don’t want their opinion. You don’t want their spin. You want the facts laid out in an honest and unbiased way so you, the public, can make informed decisions. Oh and the next time you go and vote, make sure you don’t get your research from a campaign commercial.

And just as Will McAvoy in Newsroom says, we aren’t the greatest country anymore, but we can be.

Just a day after the bombings, Boston news station FOX 25 reported that two men were removed from an airplane and briefly detained for speaking in Arabic after other passengers onboard became worried and complained. I understand, in times of tragedy, that some people might not be thinking 100 percent clearly, but seriously? An entire plane-full of people, and no one stopped to think how wrong this is? These men were detained at an airport after having done nothing wrong except speaking one of the most common languages in the world. Panicked people need to cut the crap; just because someone is different than us it does not make them a terrorist. Even now that CNN has reported information on the suspects (whom happen to be Muslim and from the Russian Caucasus), we still can’t justify targeting others based on their appearance or faith.

One would think there’d be more rational people out there who can see how wrong racial profiling is, but just a quick glance at the comment sections on the various media websites shows how blindly ignorant some people can be.

From Huffington Post: “OK…will this convince the right people in America why we cannot allow foreigners into our country. We pay for their education and/or business so they can have a fresh start in a free country…this is our thank you!”

“Can we just stop letting Muslims into the country?”

“Its becoming apparent that Islam is one of the worlds most dangerous religions. All the left will scream and shout that it isnt but we can see the results of what Islam does to people more and more every year.”

Along with some very glaringly obvious grammar mistakes, these types of comments are fueling an unneeded hate against foreigners in America, and most of them target people of the Muslim faith. Hating someone because of their religion is a stupid ideology to possess, and I think it’s time we as a country take a good look at how this hate has affected those around us. When a couple of people can’t even get on an airplane without fear of being targeted, there’s something seriously wrong with our country. The bombings in Boston have shown that our country is still susceptible to terrorism and threats; don’t add to the tragedy by attacking each other when we should be standing together.

Steven is a senior and a Communication major. 

Every semester, students find themselves caught in the maelstrom of registering for classes, causing unneeded stress.

What classes do I need for my major? What classes that are not full can I take instead? Okay… what classes are available that do not start at ten at night? Are there even any classes left?

The process is guided by a plan that focuses on students’ needs and not financial earnings for the school. Supposedly.

Each student is given a time ticket based on their academic class standing and how many credit hours they have. These factors are the only things that determine the time of your registration ticket. The only way to determine these factors is by going on Owl Express and clicking DegreeWorks or by viewing your transcript.

However, what do you do if you need only one more class to graduate and it is conveniently full before you could register because of a hold on your account?

Many students make the mistake of going straight to the Registrar office when there is actually an alternative method.

Interim Registrar Ana Edwards said the Registrar has nothing to do with the scheduling of classes. It is the academic department head’s responsibility to determine what is offered as far as class availability. Edwards also said that as far as holds go, it depends on the type of hold. The Registrar encourages students to check their Owl Express accounts before they head out.

Although students could go directly to the department head, it is also worth the effort to get in touch with the professor who is teaching the class. In this scenario, the professor might send an override request, increasing the chances of getting into the desired class. Of course, nothing is guaranteed.

KSU Political Science Professor Lee C. Jones, Ph.D., said there are classes taught by professors, where they are allowed to schedule the times of their classes. Jones said that he is an adjunct professor that he described as appendages to the departments who have their schedules made by the departments.

When it comes right down to it, you may not even be able to take that class and might have to take a random class to take its place, but who says graduating on time is important anyway. Delaying that graduation date only allows you more allotted time to procrastinate paying off those dreaded loans.

The school is doing you a favor. So what if you have to take out more loans to cover an extra semester just to take two classes, a few more thousand dollars will not make a difference.

Beside the delay in graduation and finances, there is also the impact of stress and anxiety that can have astounding effects on students.

According to an article posted on HuffingtonPost.com, a study was done by EverFi and sponsored by the familiar Higher One, which surveyed over 40,000 first-year students across the U.S., finding that almost 80 percent of young adults worry about debt.

At one time, every college student has been a first-year student. The angst starts in that first year, but it does not disappear. That uneasiness follows you throughout your college years and most likely beyond.

There is not much one can do to deal with the stress of school and finances, well besides paying off your debt, dropping out or trying an alternative method to reduce stress. Take up kickboxing, jogging or yoga to release endorphins.

If that does not send you shout- ing for joy, there is an add/drop period at the beginning of the semester that is the silver lining for many hopefuls.

A.J. is a sophomore and a Communication major. 

On March 28, KSU officially introduced Brian Bohannon as the school’s first head football coach.

So, who’s this Bohannon guy? If you have not heard the name much in the past, you’re not to blame. Bohannon served the past five seasons as the quarterback coach at Georgia Tech. In fact, he’s spent the past 17 years under the wing of triple-option connoisseur Paul Johnson.

There’s no doubt Bohannon did a great job on the flats. He helped guys like Josh Nesbitt, who was recruited to be a pocket passer for the Yellow Jackets under Chan Gailey, and Tevin Washington into fantastic executors of the complicated triple-option system.

Unfortunately, there’s not much flash and dash that comes with a quarterback who runs that type of offensive system. While the triple-option offense is spectacular when ran correctly, Johnson’s inability to woo local players became evident as Tech’s talent dropped off in recent years.

This has led many to believe the triple-option is inherently horrible for recruiting. I adamantly defend my stance that Georgia Tech will be stuck under a low ceiling as long as Johnson is head coach. That system simply cannot leverage a brand against what other powerhouse teams have.

Running a triple-option for a mid-major team in a non- football area and winning seven games a year means job security and a rather original brand. Running a triple-option in the heart of Atlanta basically means program suicide, at least for the Ramblin’Wreck.

So what is KSU’s fate? Many believe hiring Bohannon is a terrible decision. But you have to remember that KSU will recruit and function out of a different environment than the one Georgia Tech is melting in.

Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams does not see KSU making a hardcore ascent into big-time football, which is what Georgia State will attempt to do this season when it plays FBS football in the Sun Belt.

Williams sees a more blue- collar market approach to building a football team at the FCS level. This means KSU will likely join a conference like the Southern Conference, Ohio Valley or Big South and want to marinate at that level until winning is made a reality.

Division I college football exists in many tiers. Georgia Tech and Georgia State have found themselves in the wrong tiers in recent years.

KSU might be putting itself in pretty good shape. Georgia Southern is also slated to become a member of the Sun Belt in 2014, which means KSU will be the only FCS level program in Georgia aside from Mercer and Savannah State.

When you assess what KSU’s immediate environment will be, the assumption that a non- conventional system will hinder the program doesn’t seem quite as tangible.

Many high school teams continue to run the triple- option system with much success. The reason Johnson is struggling in Atlanta right now is because he’s trying to field a specialized system against juggernauts.

Georgia Southern has run the triple-option for years with success as a smaller school. While they are moving into a new environment in their own right, the stage is set for the Owls to find their place.

As long as you don’t correlate Bohannon’s name with the negativity that has bombarded his mentor, the prospect of seeing the most fundamentally complex offensive system in modern-day football surely comes across as something to be excited about.

Whether you like bashing Paul Johnson or not, it’s time to get over the “oh crap” rhetoric and invite in KSU’s first football coach.

Michael is a senior and a Communication major. 

It seems that colleges, KSU in particular, are getting a little ban happy. That itching trigger finger is now looking at killing smoking on campus. They think that if something is banned, it won’t be around to cause harm. KSU has recently sent out a survey asking students about campus smoking.

The first problem in any discussion of banning something is that any ban infringes on the freedoms of an individual. Banning smoking is in clear language an infringement on smoker’s rights. You simply can’t say it isn’t. So from the start of the debate each side knows that our freedoms that define our country are under attack. That being said, society supports infringing on some freedoms for the greater good. So now the debate must decide if taking away a freedom from a group of individuals is worth the health benefits. It may be thought that if you ban smoking, people will smoke less. This isn’t true according to economists at the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank. The researchers found that smoking bans don’t have any significant effect on the number of smokers, according to David Nicklaus at St. Louis Today.

Secondhand smoke can cause harm. Georgians have gone to great strides limit the amount nonsmokers are forced to breathe, as we should. Smoking is no longer allowed on airplanes, in schools, or in most establishments in Georgia. Smokers are now relegated to outside areas. I can completely support that, but now some KSU students and employees wish to ban smoking on campus completely. Many people feel that they are taking in too much smoke at KSU when they walk between classes. A study by Stanford University showed that being within 18 inches of someone who smokes two cigarettes over an hour is just as bad as being in a bar filled with smoke for an hour. How many people walk within 18 inches of the smoking sections accidently? If you are walking that close to a smoker, you are voluntarily choosing to take in secondhand smoke.

KSU has a strict limited smoking campus with designated areas for smokers to use. These areas limit how much smoke the nonsmokers on campus come into contact with. So are people upset that they must walk near these areas? Michael Seiger said in his New York Times article about New York City banning all smoking to restricted areas that these bans “may actually increase exposure by creating smoke-filled areas near park entrances that cannot be avoided.” So by restricting smoking to these special areas, we may be forcing nonsmokers into dangerous secondhand smoke areas. Wouldn’t it make more sense to leave smoking unrestricted while outside so the density of smokers is lessened?

Why must we ban smoking completely? Are people upset about those students who do not obey the smoking restrictions? Are they mad at the amount of litter around the smoking sections? If that is the case, it would be better for students to seek out their SGA representative and tell them they want better enforcement of the existing campus rules, rather than KSU banning smoking completely. Banning campus smoking will be less effective than the restricted campus areas are.

Carl is a senior and an English major. 

KSU students chose Kennesaw Mountain as their favorite place to hike when compared with other popular locations such as the Silver Comet Trail and Red Top Mountain in a survey completed on Wednesday.

KSU’s namesake has been considered the best hiking spot for a variety of reasons, including the historical earthworks, natural surroundings and many different multipurpose trails. Also, with Kennesaw Mountain being only a stone’s throw away from campus, it’s no surprise this hiking spot towered above the competition.

Alongside hiking, Kennesaw Mountain offers former battlefields at the head of most trails for visitors looking to picnic or relax. It truly is a perfect place for anyone wanting a nearby outdoor adventure or just a little quiet time.

With warm weather quickly approaching, the trees on the trails provide ample shade, making a hike all the more refreshing.

Site of Civil War battles in 1864, Kennesaw Mountain is regarded as a park with great historic value. A museum and visitor center devoted to the battle sits at the mountain’s base, providing a history lesson through diagrams and Civil War memorabilia.

Amenities, such as restrooms and water fountains, are accessible at the visitor center.

The trails provide an excellent outlet for students looking to get in shape. Runners, joggers, walkers and even horseback riders are all welcome on the trails. There is a portion of the mountain that allows visitors to hop in a van and ride to the top.

Exercise health science major Amandi Cooper frequents Kennesaw Mountain, and enjoys the trails leading to the top of the mountain as well as the paved road for the vans. “I like running both but prefer the road. The trail is just a little too steep for me,” Cooper said.

Several benches are conveniently placed on the way up the main trail, providing both comfort and a scenic view of the area below.

And speaking of scenery, the view from the top of Kennesaw Mountain is one feature no other trail in Georgia can offer nature enthusiasts. A reward for having reached the top, visitors can indulge in a view of the surrounding landscape, provided with maps of the area and notes on the battle that took place at the summit.

Civil War-era cannons are still mounted at the top, a reminder of the grim battle that took place on the slopes below.

For this reason, Communication major Zach Clark chooses Kennesaw Mountain as his preferred place of hiking. “It’s very peaceful and has a nice view,” he said. “Plus, it’s close and convenient, so you don’t have to drive very far to see it.”

The experience offered for hikers at Kennesaw Mountain is unparalleled this side of the Appalachians, with open fields, plenty of shade and a breathtaking view.

Located in front of Kennesaw Hall and behind the Student Center, the large patch of lush green grass known as The Green was voted by KSU students as the best place to hang out on campus.

Usually highly populated in the later part of the spring semester, The Green definitely sees its share of ultimate frisbee players, runners, dog walkers and even the occasional LARP (Live Action Role Play) excursion.

“I voted for The Green because it is a great place to relax during class breaks. The trees are great for hammocks,” senior communication major Sarah Huff said.

Frequently, students will create makeshift hammocks between the multiple trees that surround the perimeter of the green and take a catnap in-between class. An attempt was made to interview some of these people, but you never want to wake someone up, right?

The green is host to many of KSU’s outdoor activities, such as the annual KSU Day, which features amusement rides and fun obstacle courses, and other campus events like the end of last year’s Homelessness Awareness Week, when participating students slept on the green for the duration of the weekend.

Frequently, in the warmer months, various clubs and organizations will place informational tables on the green during high traffic hours to spread the knowledge of their  organization and hopefully attract new members.

“The green is the best place to hang out on campus because of the versatile crowd of people you get to surround yourself with.” said Pashonia Robinson, a junior communication major.

The Green is a wonderful spot to people watch and is often an ideal place for an artist to sharpen their skills.

“I come out here to sketch because it’s usually so nice and quiet,” said Stephanie Funk, a KSU graduate and teaching assistant.

Health and fitness practices are no stranger to activity on The Green. People frequently run, walk or jog the circular brick path that surrounds the green, part of it hidden by the shade of the trees.

“Sometimes, after class, I come out here to run laps if it’s nice enough outside” junior communication major David Murphy said.

The versatility of what can be done on the green coupled with the now warming temperatures and frequently bright skies give more than enough explanation to why KSU students voted this the best place to hang out on campus.

The Horace W. Sturgis Library has been voted the best place to study. The library offers extensive archives and special collections such as the Bently Rare Book Gallery and Special Collections that are housed on the ground floor, along with the Difazio Children’s Literature Collection and the Robert B. Williams Teen Literature Collection, located on the second floor of the library.

Upon entering the library, students have numerous locations where they can carve out their own space. They can settle in to complete homework, write that last minute paper or begin researching for class projects or papers.

The third floor of the Sturgis Library has been repurposed into the graduate library.

“It is a dedicated space with staff especially trained to help graduate students with their research,” said Rita Spisak, Librarian and Library Instruction/Outreach.

For those serious students who seek out the quiet solitude of the library, the third floor graduate library is the best place to escape any distractions and focus on their studies.

Shannon Hawks, sophomore and international affairs major, said, “I study at least twice a week for about three hours in the library, because when I’m there, I know that I shouldn’t be on Facebook or my cellphone.”

Early Childhood Education major and junior Esra Gharim agreed with Hawks regarding the library’s new title of Best Place to Study.

“You’re in an environment where everyone else around you is studying and you feel more motivated to study,” Gharim said.

Students can call, text, visit a librarian in the research clinic, schedule a one-on-one session with a librarian or use the live chat service, which is available 24 hours a day.

“Research help is always available,” Spisak said.

The library currently has a total of 15 study rooms; 10 of these rooms are available by reservation only and are located in the graduate library.

“I prefer to study on the third or fourth floor because that is where most of my research mediums are. The Library is probably the best place on campus to study due to the availability of private rooms for group studying, cubicles and materials” senior American history major Michael Macius said.

OwlSpace houses the other five rooms, which are located on the ground floor. Students can use this area to take a break and enjoy a collection of popular magazines such as People, Cosmopolitan, Men’s Heath, PC World, Vogue and Wired. In case a student needs a quick snack or a caffeinated beverage, there are also vending machines available to help provide the last burst of energy needed to finish an assignment. These rooms are open and available on a first come, first served basis.

KSU’s library not only wants to assist students with their academic endeavors, but they also strive to provide a way for students to “Paws and Relax.” On April 30, from 11:30 a.m- 1:30 p.m., the KSU Center for Health Promotion and Wellness collaborates with the library so that “Stressed out students can take a break and pet a pup,” Spisak said.

Students can also look forward to the upcoming renovations for the library. According to Spisak, the state legislature recently approved $4.4 million for library renovations. Plans are to makeover the first and ground floors.