As hundreds of students flow in and out of the HJF Learning Center, the Spoonholder Café is open to serve life-giving coffee. Between classes, a line of tired students and faculty stretches to the front doors, waiting for their caffeine fix. After their coffee is brewed, many students choose to stick around the coffee bar to converse and finish homework.

Diane Nguyen, a senior at Morningside, sat nonchalantly nearby discussing just that. Coffee.

“I drink coffee so I can stay awake and do my capstone paper,” Diane said humorously. The amount of work she needs to accomplish daily can only be fulfilled by a steady flow of coffee. This usually draws her to a local Starbucks, or in this instance The Spoonholder, which serves Starbucks brand coffee.

Nguyen isn’t alone by using the caffeinated super drink as a productivity tool. Even though coffee can do so much more, many students across campus admitted to using coffee to aid in homework completion.

According to Harry Lieberman, a research psychologist, interviewed by CNN, reported that coffee improves just about any mental function.

“When you’re sleep-deprived and you take caffeine,” Lieberman said, “pretty much anything you measure will improve: reaction time, vigilance, attention, logical reasoning — most of the complex functions you associate with intelligence. And most Americans are sleep-deprived most of the time.”

Sophomore Tony Patton knew these affects of coffee well and used them to his advantage recently. “I had a stats tests one morning, so I put four cups of coffee down and went to my test,” said Patton. The results of the test turned out well, which only reinforced his drinking habits.

An article on Our Everyday Life reported some interesting information on caffeine advantages. Author Jen Saunders writes, “John Wiley and Sons in “Human Psychopharmacology” concluded [from a ‘Nutrition Journal’ study] that caffeine gave an advantage. The study indicated that higher levels of the stimulant in coffee showed increased levels of alertness and improved cognitive responses.”

The feeling of Alertness was evident for Nguyen , who just came off a full night without sleep. She finds herself pulling all-nighters occasionally to finish up assignments like research papers. She recalls the night where she stayed up throughout the night just to finish a paper for an English class. In order to get the paper done on time, she saw no other option but to pour a cup of coffee and continue writing into the early hours of the morning.

“I will drink coffee at 3 or 4 in the morning just to stay awake,” Nguyen admits.

As for Patton, he isn’t afraid to make the coffee pot percolate either. “I’ve drank coffee at 1am before just because I wanted it.”

David Elder, an associate professor of writing and rhetoric, found himself in similar situations during grad school, but has words of caution.

“I started drinking a lot of coffee [then] and I was super stressed out. I would wake up every morning with a stress headache. My breakfast would be Ibuprofen and a 12 cup pot of coffee. The detriment to that is stomach issues, I had the worst heartburn constantly. I got acid reflux because of the coffee and I’m sure the Ibuprofen didn’t help.”

Elder carried his coffee habits into his professional career at Morningside, but was determined to become less reliant on it.

“I decided I needed to cut down. I only wanted two to three cups a day, but I made a whole pot in case anyone wanted some. So I was pretty much drinking two pots of coffee a day. I got the KEURIG to help cut down on coffee consumption. I always buy the san Francisco bay pods because they are 97% biodegradable.”

What’s surprising—or maybe not so surprising—is this sort of behavior occurs across the board for college dwellers. Students in particular continue to see coffee as a simple substitution for sleep. Unfortunately, some don’t see this as beneficial to the body. An article written by University of California, Davis Campus graduate Justin Hong, uncovers a big reason why swapping coffee for sleep isn’t really beneficial.

“Consuming caffeine, we [condition] our bodies into batteries that can run longer with less time to charge. However, caffeine is not a substitute for the vital functions that sleep provides. Sleep is important for learning since information in short-term memory is moved to long-term memory during sleep. A lack of sleep also reduces metabolism and energy levels,” writes Hong.

Madison Reed, a freshman at Morningside, has seen some of the side effects that occur when coffee overtakes adequate sleep.

“I get jittery, my heart starts beating faster, I lose focus. As long as I don’t drink too much I’m good, but it can affect me, Reed said. After becoming a regular coffee drinker, she has found it hard to quit. “If I don’t drink coffee I start to get headaches. I drink three or four cups of coffee a day.”

Regardless of the cons, the campus community continues to drink on, finding other good reasons beside the caffeine intake. Elder saw why.

“It’s an easy place to congregate for a few different things. It makes first dates a little bit easier. When you’re working on homework late at night, it’s a good place to meet when you’re working with a group. It’s a good place to meet for faculty. It’s a central location and everyone can get the drink that they want.”

As Diane’s interview comes to a close, she sits sipping her coffee and looking about the bustling learning center. She looks over to different groups of students sitting together and enjoying their drink of choice. Some students sit with professors that are conversing about their research. One table is piled with papers and books, surrounded by a couple students working on a project. As for Diane, she was taking it easy, but enjoyed the scene.

“It’s a casual place to go. People say you learn a lot about someone by what coffee they order,” Nguyen says optimistically. For this reason, the next time I go on a coffee date, I’m ordering tea.

Credit:

https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/blog/healthy-habits/caffeine-and-college-do-they-go-hand-hand

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/01/11/caffeine.smarter/

http://oureverydaylife.com/coffee-consumption-affects-college-students-tests-12614.html

http://oureverydaylife.com/coffee-consumption-affects-college-students-tests-12614.html

Photo Cred: http://www.processwithturnkey.com/blog/coffee-shop-pos-systems/

The clock reads 4am as Diane Nguyen, a soon-to-be graduate of Morningside College, lays in bed thinking about the climax of her college career.

A number of class assignments flash in her mind, all with deadlines quickly approaching. Her senior capstone paper quickly becomes the focus and a wave of emotion rushes over Nguyen. The capstone paper represents everything that she has been taught in college, and therefore has become a stressful topic. Even the thought of having to meet deadlines for this crucial paper sends Nguyen to tears. All the weight of her college life has come crashing down on her at 4am.

To add to the capstone paper are a number of different jobs, assignments, and relationships that have brought her to this moment. On most typical days, Diane works a shift at Hollister and Residence Life, writes for the Dakota County Star, and juggles a number of different writing intensive classes.

After all the activities were completed from the day previous, Diane laid down and realized the lack of motivation she had to complete this work. The sense of laziness flooded in through Diane, and tears flowed out.

I once took part in a one act play that required a small group of people to meet daily to rehearse. For a month straight we would meet every day to practice this play that was performed at the end of the month. Everyone involved was committed to their part and did all they could to make the production the best it could be.

That is, except for one person who was habitually late to EVERY meeting we had.

If we met outside of rehearsal to run lines: 15 minutes LATE.

A typical rehearsal on a weekday night: 30 minutes LATE.

Short break during rehearsal: 5 minutes LATE.

Every rehearsal started out on a negative tone because we sat there waiting for this girl. As the clock struck 7pm to start, I could feel each minute scrape across the clock as my life was thrown into the grave. Minutes would fly by, until the star finally decided to show ready to rehearse. Sorry, I was ready to rehearse ten minutes ago, now I’m pissed off.

Here’s a specific example. One night the actors and director were required to meet at the theatre at 5:30pm to block a few scenes. That specific afternoon I was attempting to finish up a few assignments, get a run in, and call my family to see how they were doing. Since I squeezed in everything I needed to do, I was only able to grab a bowl of cereal to eat before I rushed over to the theatre to be there before 5:30. I walked in at 5:28 to see that everyone was there… except Judy.

at 5:35pm , Judy responded to the director’s text asking where she was. She got caught up with her family, so she was going to be an hour and 15 minutes late to rehearsal (that hour and 15 actually ended up being an hour and half). The director, and everyone else, was pissed off and had to make up something to do while we waited for Judy to show up.

Not only did she not warn about being late until after we were all supposed to be there, she was insanely late! How can you be that late to something? I’m genuinely curious. At the time we didn’t know the reasoning, and I assumed maybe it was a family emergency. No, it was Judy being irresponsible.

What was even more tragic about the situation is that this person was likable and easy to get along with.

I get that we are all in college and still young, but time is running out buddy. In a couple of years you will be in the professional world and people lose their jobs for showing up late. Not only is the entertainment world extremely time oriented, all jobs are time oriented, and it’s just a general curtesy to not waste other’s time. We all have a life to get on with and we all have problems we are dealing with. Please don’t create another problem.

The idea of time management is pretty straight forward, but not many people get it. It’s something that is vital to almost any group activity. If you want to be late, be late to something that only involves yourself. If you make plans with someone, be ON TIME so that they don’t sit there wasting their time waiting for you.

Coffee

you’re warm to the touch

you’re there on my worst days

you’re every student’s crutch

Coffee

the darker, the better

give me the jitters

I have to get through this class

Alive

(Chorus)

Coffee is life (life)

Coffee is love (love)

you run the world coffee

now give me a cup

Here he stood in a new place with no resemblance to home. There was an obvious problem at hand, and there wasn’t anything funny about it this time. Jaden Lux, a guy who finds humor in almost any situation, was sick to his stomach. The biggest train station in London, ringing with voices of a thousand people, continued to fill with busy travelers as it reach nearly midnight.

He was lost halfway across the world and completely alone. “What a great way to start off my trip to London,” he thought as he shuffled to a nearby wall attempting to avoid the experienced travelers.

Jaden was determined before this trip that he had to visit London. Time and time again he had heard of how amazing it was. Taking the journey alone was the goal. This would be the first time ever doing something this big alone. What a learning experience it was about to become.

Now without Internet, cell service, friends, and family to guide him along the way, he was reconsidering his decision to come alone.

As the trains continued to screech and shriek underneath his feet, he stepped into a line waiting to use a ticket kiosk. Each line held thirty or more people, all of which seemed to know exactly what to do. Not looking lost was the key to survival for him. If he can pretend he knows what he needs to do, maybe the answers will come.

“Look like a local,” He thought.

It doesn’t take a situation like this to feel completely alone. It doesn’t take physically being lost and alone to feel that. These sensations are something that comes to all people at some point in their life. Ask a college student what they want to do after graduation. The majority is going to feel a little lost.

But for Jaden, this situation was all the more real. Not making a decision in some form or another would certainly mean metaphorical death on his part. The line began to shorten until the screen was staring him in the face. Oddly enough, the reflection of his face, pale and hopeless, was all he could see. A kiosk attendant strode over to him and asked if assistance was needed.

He quickly replied, “Yes, I need help please.”

He was directed to an information desk that was able to find the correct train tickets to buy. Then after some hesitation in finding the correct platform, Jaden was aboard a train bound for Queen’s Road Peckham station.

Many students who study abroad have experienced similar circumstances. While studying abroad, many of the students involved in the Morningside In Italy program found themselves in situations that are similar to this one. Jadyn Mohr, one of the students on the trip, recalled a time when she went through something similar.

“I felt pretty lost when I traveled to Greece. We were supposed to have a flight from Rome to Athens to San Torini. With the wind conditions, our flight was canceled and we were forced to find a new route along with a place to stay. I felt extremely lost but in the end once we figured everything out it turned out as a wonderful trip,” Mohr said.

After the train arrived at the stop, the feeling of being lost sank back in. The archaic streets around the location snaked in multiple directions. Each street was packed with old brick houses that seemed to have been built centuries ago. Only a few street lamps, one here and there, decorated the streets providing little illumination.

The first train station was starting to seem friendlier than the dark paths before him.

The address that he had would lead him to the host home that was giving him a room to stay while in London. Finding the correct street was the issue. After a little hesitation, he found the street that would connect to the final destination. He took a deep breath, looked behind his shoulder, and took a powerful stride into the darkness.

Being lost in a new place brings on a wealth of new challenges. Mohr found her most difficult experience in Amsterdam because of the different signs that they had.

“I got lost numerous times while abroad, but one of my favorites was while in Amsterdam. Most street signs weren’t easily visible and when they were it was impossible to understand. While on a tram I actually tired to exit through the entrance and got yelled at and was forced to ride the tram to the next stop and got off there and had to find my way back to the original stop I wanted,” Mohr recalled.

The street continued to wind back and forth with no real direction. While Jaden was originally headed in one direction, changed into another direction after two blocks. A couple walked quietly on the street in front of him, and as he approached them they nervously looked back to make sure he meant no harm. With their thick British accents clucking back and forth, it became clear that he wasn’t the only one who was scared to walk this street at night.

“According to these directions, I have only a few more blocks,” Jaden thought to himself as he quickly advanced. The numbered streets were getting closer to the desired street number.

Jaden arrived at the cul-de-sac where the host family lived. To his surprise the homes were actually a block of apartments. The next step turned into finding the correct house number to buzz so he would be allowed into the entryway. Nervously checking his paper a third and fourth time, he buzzed house number 657 and waited for a response.

Silence… more silence that seemed like an eternity.

Then finally, “Hello?” answered the intercom with a delightful accent.

“This is Jaden from Airbnb, I’m here to stay in your home for a few days?” he answered as if almost questioning whether he should really be there.

“Of course, come in!” The entryway was filled with a dim light and a bright buzz as the door unlocked for his entry.

Jaden was safe at last, and more than ready for bed. He was welcomed into the home by man a little older than himself just about to eat. The room that was prepared for him seemed like the most inviting room of his entire life.

The feeling of safety is something that is cherished in a time of crisis. For Mohr, this feeling came when she experienced the most liberating event on the trip. The group she was with finally arrived in San Torini and found a hiking trail.

“It was long and a lot harder than I expected, but it was one of the most rewarding and gorgeous experiences I’ve ever had. It was worth all the sweat and sketchy trails and I’m so happy I did it,” Mohr said with a smile.

While Jaden wasn’t fond of the emotions that he had while being lost in London, he found the experience to be illuminating. He just took on the world, by himself, and didn’t have to call anyone he knew to solve the problem. This event could have turned into an ugly one, but it didn’t. Jaden fell to the ground and then rose again stronger than he was before.

Is this not what every petrifying experience in life is? Something that pushes a person beyond the point of comfort, to a place that makes them decide to crumble under the pressure, or push back and become stronger. Jaden may not have traveled the entire world, but he became a successful world traveler that night. Fighting the elements alone in a world that many times can be unforgiving. This is surly something Mr. Lux can carry on throughout his adult life relying on the skills learned whenever a situation like this arises again.

I never understood people who were constantly negative about their life until I myself went through this same mindset. There is nothing more contagious than being a victim of your own life, and once it takes a hold of you it is extremely hard to get rid of. What does it mean to be a victim of life?

I call it the ‘poor me’ mentality.

There are two types of people in the world (Granted there are probably more, but for this rant, there are two). There is the person who takes what life gives them and uses it to become a better version of themselves. You will definitely know when you have found one of these people because they react in a very specific way. The other person is far more sinister. They see life events as a personal attack on what they stand for. For them, there is no escaping this unmistakable suffering that the universe has put on them. There certainly is nothing THEY can do to make it better.

After going through a rough patch with my passion of singing, I became very pessimistic about anything to do with it. Anything that happened to me dealing with this, or any aspect to be honest, I could just feel me metaphorically looking to the heavens asking, “Why? Why in the actual f**k, me?”

Since I’ve learned to get over this mindset, it has absolutely become my pet peeve in life. I can’t stand people who let their negative energy seep out into the open air and taint their surrounding environment. Of course, what many of those people need is someone that will listen and guide them to become a positive thinker, but there is a sad truth to this mindset.

The only person that can save them, is themselves. Until they realise this, they will continue to be a victim of their own life.

This isn’t to say that I’ll let a complaint slip here and there. EVERYONE has bad days, and everyone needs someone to listen to their problems, but you still have to snap out of it. the ability to take a short time to complain and then forget about it and make a difference in life is something to cherish. Never take that for granted, because it’s easy to lose it and say, ‘poor me’.

The Morningside Men and Women’s Cross Country teams look towards competing at Dakota State University’s meet on Saturday September 10th after a last minute meet cancellation.

The Mustangs were scheduled to run in Deborah, Iowa Saturday morning against some of the toughest and most diverse competition in the Midwest. During the week the meet was canceled due to impending thunderstorms and flood warnings in the area. Among the competition was Augustana, whose men’s team is ranked ninth in the NCAA III Midwestern region.

Under the direction of head coach David Nash, a Morningside Alumni and decorated track athlete, the team was directed to a meet of similar size in Madison, SD. Local collegiate teams such as Wayne State, Briar Cliff, Northwestern College, and Hastings College were all present. Hasting’s women’s team is ranked nationally ahead of the mustangs, a statistic that isn’t overlooked by Nash. Because of this, Nash believes the team is making a great last minute switch to Madison.

“Our reputation of nationally ranked teams and the integrity of what we brought has been pretty good,” Nash spoke to the men’s team as part of a pre-meet speech. “I want [our team] to be a hurricane, we have to keep this reputation going.”

Quinn Groff, a senior runner for the team, had a wealth of motivation for this meet after being able to witness his older sibling compete on this same course years before. “This meet has different competition that we don’t normally face. We are getting another opportunity to prove ourselves as a team,” says Groff adding, “Northern State is tough competition for the women, so it’s about to go down.”

Coach Nash was not only enthusiastic about the change of location for Saturday, but for how his runners have been performing lately. During the pre-meet talk he gave to the men’s team, he voiced his excitement for individual runners. “Alec [DeVries] has been one of the fastest cross country runners in Morningside history. Sean [Skillern] has transformed himself. We almost lost [Jason Kenny] to Northwestern but there’s a reason he is here,” Nash articulates with a grin spread across his face. The team joined in with laughter as they acknowledged Kenny’s crucial part on the team. “He is figuring things out,” Nash exclaims.

Morningside’s Cross Country teams are headed into this meet after a 6^th place (men’s) and 5^th place (women’s) finish last Friday in Sioux Falls at the Augustana Twilight meet. Out of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, Northwestern men finished 5^th and Dordt women finished 4^th at this same meet.

A filing cabinet fell in the Residence Life office on Tuesday while one Morningside Student was attempting to file papers.

Diane Nguyen, a senior at Morningside College, was working a usual Tuesday afternoon shift in The Residence Life office. Unaware that the school had not bolted the cabinet down to the ground, she pulled open the top two drawers causing gravity to pull the cabinet forward. Unfortunately for Nguyen, this was right where she was standing.

Nguyen described the scene in detail adding how the situation unfolded after the initial fall. “I put it back in place, and a few people stuck their heads out of their offices. They asked if i was alright,” describes Nguyen. These people included Sheri Hineman, Sam Clary, and Jordan Heim, all of which are veteran staff members in the particular office.

According to her, this time of year usually brings a high amount of virtual and physical traffic into the office as many new and returning students come with questions dealing with on campus housing.

Unfortunately for Nguyen, no one was present to witness the event, but as she describes, it was probably for the best. “I screamed the F- Word and got bruises on my chest,” Nguyen admits. Since this occurred near the end of her shift, Nguyen stuck it out until the timecard could be punched, and then went home. Regardless, Nguyen did one thing right. She didn’t stop going until the day was complete.

A trip across the world is something that comes potentially once in a lifetime for most adults. For Dominique Swanson, a Bloomfield, Nebraska native, this happened when she was no older than 16. As a sophomore in high school, Swanson had won a scholarship only given out to a select few in the nation. This scholarship gave the recipient the opportunity to study abroad in Japan for a month.

Now Swanson sits in Bob Roe’s Bar just finishing her meal elaborating on her first major travel experience.

According to Swanson, living in Japan required a lengthy commute to school each day. After preparing for the day, Swanson departed from her host family’s home for a 15-minute walk to the train station. After a drawn-out metro ride, she hops off of the train and continues from the station with another 15-minute walk to the school.

Back at her Nebraska home, the school building was less than a quarter-mile away. This was an obvious change for Dominique.

Surprisingly Japan is not this Nebraskan minor’s only stop. Swanson has taken trips to Mexico, Germany, and various locations in the country. In fact, she won’t forget to point out her long awaited study abroad program next semester to Italy.

Today Dominique, a 20 year-old college junior at Morningside, has a whole new set of experiences she’s completed that keep her constantly thinking about the future. While a multitude of travel would seem to have made many life choices clear, For Dominique this isn’t the case. Choosing a career has been a difficult decision.

As she ponders her career choices and how she’s applying her course work, she grabs her nearly empty glass and fumbles with the ice at the bottom. “I’m learning some interesting and valuable things, but none of it is directed towards what I want to do. I can say that simply because I don’t know what I want to do.”

Swanson flashed through a number of different career choices which involved being an event planner, Peace Corps participant, and working with a non-profit animal outreach organization.

Schoolwork is not the only thing that matters in college though, social life can make or break your higher education experience. Having traveled extensively at a young age, many would think that Swanson would constantly be outgoing. On the contrary, being an introvert or an extrovert may seem too categorical for Swanson. With confidence Dominique speaks about seeing herself as a well-balanced mix of both.

“There are times where I want to sit in my room and be alone, but I’m still a social being. So in the cafeteria I’ll go around and talk to everybody. I enjoy the perks of both sides and I accept the situation that I’m in.”

Sheri Hineman, the assistant director of Residence Life at Morningside College for 6 years, saw the more extroverted and positive side out of Swanson. Dominique is a full time Residence Assistant at Morningside College and was hired as one during her sophomore year.

“She’s happy and willing to do the job with a positive attitude. She genuinely cares about her residence and that’s what we look for in Residence Assistance. My memories of Dominique are of her being very social and friendly.”

Hineman is one of the many that see the opportunity and work ethic in Swanson, even when she herself finds her future to be unpredictable.

Back at the restaurant, Swanson recalls more events in her life that have truly conditioned her into the woman she is today, one series of events in particular involving her father.

During her middle school years, Swanson’s father, Robert, suffered from a series of severe strokes that caused him to become physically disabled.

As Swanson describes this time in her life, she took on a more serious tone. With an awkward chuckle to try and lighten the mood Swanson says, “It was a very depressing time when Dad got sick.”

According to Dominique, it was the night after the Father-Daughter dance at high school that something seemed to be going wrong. The next day, Robert Swanson was taken to the local hospital, and then soon after a life-flight to Lincoln.

After the tragedy, Robert needed the help of both his spouse and daughter to help him live day to day. With more assurance in her voice, Swanson described this as a true wake up call to life. “Having to take care of your dad instead of being taken care of. Having to talk to mom about the realer things of life like financial responsibilities. I was already mature for my age, but this made me grow up ten times faster.”

With so much emotional strife within the life of this young woman, Dominique keeps pushing along. According to the people around Dominique, she always finds ways to take the focus off of her life and on to others.

Anna Hart, a long time friend of Dominique, couldn’t agree more with her view of Swanson’s personality.

“Dominique is one of the most positive, selfless people I know. She loves giving celebratory gifts just to see someone’s reaction and enjoys spending quality time with those she loves. She’s a very open person with a kind heart. I’m lucky to know her as well as I do.”

While the world has definitely given Dominique her fair share of practice and lessons for the adult world, in the end, she’s still alright with being a young adult.

“I have constant mini-melt downs on a regular basis, but I think of how blessed I am to have so many options. Life has been good to me.”

GOOD EVENING

STORY I – A PASSENGER JET HAS GONE DOWN INTO RESIDENTIAL OHIO KILLING SEVEN.

POLICE CONFIRM THAT ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON, A SMALL PLANE CRASHED INTO A SMALL COMMUNITY WITHIN AKRON, OHIO. FROM THE INCIDENT, SEVEN OF THE NINE PEOPLE ON THE PLANE PERISHED.

THE JET CRASHED INTO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, WHICH IGNITED A MASS AMOUNT OF FLAMES. THE JET ALSO CLIPPED MULTIPLE TELEPHONE WIRES BEFORE IT HIT THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

LISA STROCHEIN (STRO – SHEN), AN EXPEREIENCED PILOT FOR SKYWEST AIRLINES, GAVE HER THOUGHTS FOR THE PLANE MALFUNCTION.

“THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND BANKED LEFT JUST BEFORE THE CRASH, SO ITS HIGHLY PROBABLE THERE WAS A MECHANICAL ISSUE.”

SUZANNE LUX, A FLIGHT ATTENDANT FOR SKYWEST AIRLINES HAD A FEELING THE WEATHER PLAYED A LARGE PART IN THE DISASTER.

“IT’S VERY PROPABLE THAT THE WEATHER COMPLICATED THE FLIGHT, LEAVING THEM STRUGGLING TO MAINTAIN THE AIRCRAFT. WHEN THERE IS POOR VISIBLIITY THIS COULD CAUSE THEM TO BE FLYING TOO LOW AND CLIP THE [TELEPHONE] WIRES BY ACCIDENT”.

THE PLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY PEBB ENTERPRISES; A REAL ESTATE COMPANY OUT OF FLORIDA. WORKERS FOR PEBB WERE HEADED TO AKRON, OHIO TO SURVEY REAL ESTATE IN THE AREA

Story II – SPORTS HISTORY WAS MADE AT MORNINGSIDE LAST WEEK.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, BOTH THE MEN AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM ARE HEADED TO NATIONALS.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CAME JUST DAYS AFTER THE GPAC CHAMPIONSHIP MEET LAST SATURDAY IN CRETE, NEBRASKA.

MORNINGSIDE JUNIOR TIFFANY SHEPARD LED THE MUSTANG WOMEN TO A SECOND PLACE FINISH IN THE GPAC WHILE MARK ABRAMS PACED THE MEN TO A THIRD PLACE FINISH. MARIAH WILLS, A JUNIOR WHO WAS A PART OF THE CONFERENCE TEAM, GAVE HER THOUGHTS.

“AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR NOT MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE IT, AND NOW WE’RE ON OUR WAY TO NATIONALS!”

THE MEN’S TEAM CAME TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP MEET WITH THE PRESSURE OF TWO FIRST PLACE FINISHES THE LAST TWO YEARS. IN 2013, THE MEN NARROWLY BEAT OUT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, AND IN 2014 THE TEAM WON THE MEET BY OVER 20 POINTS.

WHILE BOTH NEBRASKA WESLYAN UNIVERSITY AND NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE BEAT OUT MORNINGSIDE MEN IN THE TEAM STANDINGS, THE TEAM STILL HAD HOPE. TONY PATTON, A FRESHMAN STANDOUT, WAS ABLE TO WITNESS THE MEN’S PERFORMANCE IN CRETE.

“IT WAS EXCITING! WE HAD A BIG STUDENT SECTION THERE AND WE WERE MAKING A LOT OF NOISE.”

WHEN THE RANKINGS CAME OUT, PATTON WAS ELATED.

“IT’S A PRETTY BIG DEAL, WE’RE LIKE FAMILY ON THIS TEAM. WHEN ONE OF US HAS SUCCESS, WE ALL HAVE SUCCESS. I’M REALLY PROUD OF THE GUYS THAT MADE IT, AND I’M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO.”

MORNINGSIDE WOMEN ENTER THE MEET AT 20th IN THE NATION WITH MEN RANKED 21th. THE NATIONAL MEET WILL BE TAKING PLACE AT MCALPINE CREEK PARK IN CHAROLETTE, NORTH CAROLINA ON NOVEMBER 21^ST, 2015.