Kayaking For a Class

Katie Geer
Journalism 325
Dr. Moore

Kayaking For a Class
The University of South Carolina is now offering a Physical Education class in kayaking as an elective for students who qualify. This new move of kayaking for a grade is a great way for students to get outside and enjoy physical exercise. The University of South Carolina’s students are making a mark on the local kayaking scene by drifting, paddling and racing down the river here in Columbia.
The Saluda River is sprinkled with small rapids and sections of placid water, this is the perfect combination for anyone who is interested in getting a little wet and experiencing a rush. From the avid to the newcomer, kayaking is a perfect sport for students.
The Universities' association with the surrounding city of Columbia is manifested by student organizations and the involvement of students in a public relation fashion. Part of the way the University is reaching out into the community to show their students local exposure is by offering a kayaking class for students that qualify. This class, taught by Professor Karen Kustafik, is a one credit elective which offers an opportunity to get out on the local river and learn the ropes of kayaking.
“The classes we offer are for beginners. Usually, at least half of the students report some prior experience in a kayak, canoe, raft or tube. As long as students are comfortable swimmers, they are good to go for this class” comments Kustafik, “Even if they do not pursue whitewater kayaking, the experience gained in class will help them to be safe and have fun on the water.”
Eric Lee, a senior in the English department, is currently taking the kayaking class. Having kayaked before, Eric found this class to be light, enjoyable and a great way to experience the outdoors.
“I've been working on how to roll, buddy assisted flips this year.  The USC class has really been helpful, and it gives me the chance to get out on some white water.”
Lee is taking part in Kustafik’s class, and he says the scene for kayaking in Columbia for students is somewhat a hit and miss situation.
“There are a couple classes offered each semester through the PE Department. They meet for about five weeks, starting the week after spring break.  Outdoor recreation used to rent kayaks regularly, but a few too many students kept getting hurt.  Now, students who are enrolled or took the Kayaking class can rent them because they have proven knowledge of the needed skills, or so my kayaking professor says.”
Though he enjoys kayaking here in Columbia, his favorite river to boat is in Rock Hill, South Carolina, but he quickly adds, “I'm heading to the Chattanooga with my Kayaking class; so I could have a new favorite place come Monday.”
One does not have to take a kayaking class to enjoy the activity. Robert Clendenin, a graduate student at USC has always enjoyed the river.
“Well, I've been kayaking for about 10 years.  I got into it when I was working at a sporting goods store selling them. I decided to buy one for myself and since then it's grown from just some recreational, paddle the lakes and such to some full on river running antics.  All in all, it's a good time that I am glad I got in to.”
Kayaking offers many different things to different people, some it gives the ability to work out frustration, and others, to regain a sense of calm. Clendenin compares the rush of the river and the adrenaline high from the rapids, against the calm parts, “It offers me the chance to get outside and get in touch with the world around me again, regain my little harmony bubble that I live in with the earth and such and reflect on life.”
Both Lee and Clendenin concluded that while students should go out and participate in physical activity, both cringe at the idea of the local river becoming over run by students out to goof off and not to really enjoy nature.
Clendenin states, “I don't want someone to be crowding me on the river for a grade honestly.  Go take golf or shag or something like that, but leave me be.  Not trying to sound uptight or possessive, but USC doesn't need to get into the kayak business,” he jokingly adds, “Unless they are going to build a wave house close by once they ruin the river.”  
Kayaking is at its hight in the summer and Adam Powell, a senior accountant at Confluence Water Sports, in Easley South Carolina, can attest to the rise in sales. Powell
has been working in the kayaking business for the past two years, and says that sales skyrocket right before the summer months hit.
While he will admit that kayaking was not a preferred sport before coming to the company, he has since, through the influence of his coworkers and his environment, become a new, up and coming kayaker.
“I never really had any desire or interest in kayaking or water sports until I became employed at Confluence in April 2009.”
Powell’s role in the kayaking business is on the production end. Confluence creates and manufactures kayaks and canoes like Mad River Canoe, Perception, Dagger and many more. Once the boats are ready they are shipped off to distribution centers and then on to retailers.
Local Columbian kayak and canoe rental shops near the river flourish during the summer. While the companies declined an official interview, stating it was not in the best interest of their company, they did acknowledge the fact that students do indeed contribute a lot of business during the warmer months. Saturday rentals along the river go up while students and locals have the time off to explore and play.
Lee commits that the river is a great place for students to get away and relax, “Getting outdoors is really important to me. Its the perfect relaxation sport.”
More students should take advantage of the nature that is right out side their door, even if it is not for a grade in a class, fun is right around the corner. Or as Powell says, “Kayaking is just a great way for students to take a breather from their busy lifestyles and head down to the water for a day and just…soak it in.” 

Students Keep Word

Failing to fulfill responsibilities hurts all members of campus groups
Summer vacation starts in a few weeks, and there is more to do now then ever. Classes are coming to a close, friends are getting together and the lucky seniors are graduating and scrambling to find their careers after school. While a plethora of things are no doubt nabbing students' attention, students should not neglect their commitments to student organizations or volunteer work.

Many organizations on campus see a swell of enthusiasm at the start of the semester as students come in, eager to get involved, and many students bite off more then they can chew. Organizations shape their projects and work ideas on the amount of sign-ups they get at the start of a semester. But more often then not, as the semester drags on, assignments, projects and lack of energy become pending factors in student participation, and organizers are left with a workload too large for those who have remained to fulfill.

The issue is not with the student organizations or the volunteer groups. It is the students' lack of commitment that hurts the organizations. Students should seriously consider the promise they are making when they sign up to be part of a student organization or volunteer group. When a student does not show up to a meeting or fulfill his or her responsibilities, it puts extra pressure and work on those who participate diligently. If the organization or volunteer group is student-run, the added pressure and work is put on top of the school work the leaders have as well. Backing out of a commitment is a selfish action, especially when the others working just as hard depend on group participation.

As part of the University of South Carolina's "public face," student organizations need to be run as efficiently and smoothly as possible. When a group is counting on individual participation and support, and those students back out as the semester wears on, there is a danger of the quality of these organizations dropping. Involvement of every individual is key, even up until the last day of school. Student-run organizations and the like are here to promote the university, not showcase its students' lack of commitment.

Many students join organizations and volunteer groups to build their resumes and look good on job applications. But if they are not willing to put in the time and effort into their commitments, then they have only gained words on a page but no experience or ability to show good work ethic.

Students should think before they sign up for too many student organizations and volunteer groups. It is immature to leave those in charge, who are dependent on their members' participation, with the extra load of doing all the work. Think before you commit.

Students and standards

Athletes, high-profile people deserve as much criticism as ‘average Joe’

Students come to USC for all sorts of reasons. Some come on academic scholarships, some because they have many friends here, some to be on sports teams and some with big dreams. All who enroll in the university are a part of the face of the university and should be held to that standard.

With high-profile students, such as sports players, there is a lot of pressure to perform a certain way and to uphold a certain code of ethics. But student-athletes and other students with similar statuses shouldn’t be the only ones held to a higher standard. We are all the face of University of South Carolina. We should all be equal.

People may argue that those who are on the forefront of the media coverage and whose names get thrown around a lot should be examples and should be cautious that their every action is being watched because the university reaps the consequences of what they do. But every student, no matter what class and no matter what student organization he or she belongs to, should still play his or her role in holding up the university and its policies.

Simply because a student’s name is known because he or she can run with a football, jump up to a hoop, engage in public speaking activities or put on a charity event should not make the student more prone to repercussions.

I am by no means suggesting that the standard by which the university expects its students to act should be lowered. I am suggesting that it be raised to the same level for all students. It seems that if a student’s name is recognized with an athletic team or prestigious university club, he or she somehow is awarded an extra honor code.

What about the students who are hard-working in and out of the classroom? These students are the ones the community has a daily connection with. These students are just as much the face of the university as others.

The university should not limit its expectations of students to those who are more well-known. Whether people are celebrities within the university or not, we all need to be familiar with and be held to the same rules and expectations. It is only fair.

The university does a good job recognizing those out there who play hard, win big and cause a scene, but the school should reach out to the little people on campus, hear their stories, see what they are accomplishing and, if need be, expose them to the same brunt of ridicule or respect as they do other students. Just because a student is gifted does not mean he or she should be judged harder or held to harsher standards.

Professors and advisement

Academic advisers unable to offer students most insightful guidance

This time of year, many students are rushing and stressing over finishing the semester. But preparation starts for the coming semester well before the end of the current one is in sight.

There are many issues that come up when a student deals with advisement and registration. My first semester here, I was advised to take a certain amount of classes. Being a transfer student, I did not have much say in my first semester load of classes. But the classes worked out great, and I really enjoyed what I was taking.

It was not until my second semester that I realized the advisement system needed to be revised. I was advised to take two classes out of order, which has set me back from being able to take an internship and graduate on time. Not being familiar with the courses and the requirements, I was unaware that I was taking the wrong classes at the time.

Also in my second year here, I applied, at the urging of a professor, to take a semester off and study abroad. My adviser at the time told me not to do it, that I needed to hurry up and get done. The problem is that he ignored the chance of being exposed to culture and learning by experience. His view was strictly scholarly. Advisers see it as their jobs to get as many kids through the semester as fast as possible.

Sometimes the best path is ignored, or classes are assigned because they know the courses backward and forward but do not teach and interact in the classroom to know which classes are best for their students. Advisers need to understand the reasons why they assign classes to students.

The best possible way to fix the confusion and frustration is for students to be advised by their professors. The professors know what needs to be done and what extra opportunities need to be taken for advancement in the field. Students should seek advice from the professors who have been in the field of study and know when it is important to rush through school and get done and when it is important to stop and experience things like studying abroad.

Some will argue that the professors will not have time, but I believe we can work around this. There is a need for people who specialize in academic advisement, but students should not have to limit themselves to taking advice from someone who is not actively involved with in-classroom education. Advisers are good for answering the technical questions of getting in and out of classes, but students should utilize professors as guides on how their education should take course.

Thankfully, I have been able to resolve most of my advisement and course issues, but it was up to me to shop around in my department and find an adviser who knows more about what she is suggesting.

The pup pup

End of February came, and my doctor told me I was going to have minor out patient procedure. The process was painful, but I was fortunate enough that on a pain scale from 1-10, my pain was slightly over 5, so it could have been much worse. The drawback was that I was not allowed to lift anything over 20 lbs. Which is great, except I am a full time student lugging around a million pound school bag, work at a daycare with children needing to be picked up, and live on the third floor of my apartment building in which I have to lug groceries and bags up. So not lifting anything for a week became impossible.

The hardest part of this whole thing was that I felt alone. Many people try to be tough, and I find myself trying to be as well, but there are times, when even I cannot fake myself out. While I love my life here in Columbia, with school and the friends I have made, I find myself wishing I could be done, over with school, and on with the whole thing called life. The one bedroom apartment that I live in can get very quiet and at night, stupidly creepy. I can basically sit in my bedroom and see the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room, the front door...nothing could be stirring around in here without me knowing it. But still, sometimes the dark and the quiet is just a little much, and I find myself wanting noise. Warmth or something close to hold that has a heartbeat. So, a week ago, my boyfriend and I purchased a puppy. A nine week old vibrant pure bred springer spaniel. Black and white, almost a complete saddle back, we named her Pairie Madysan (Pronounced Perry Madison). Little cute precious snuggly Pairie came with her own set of personality traits. A set of sharp teeth, a bark that will echo endlessly in these small walls, and four hefty paws that will support a one day hefty dog.

I was shocked when Pairie learned almost instantly to sit on command. To not use the bathroom in the house, and to dance a jig to signal it was time to potty outside. She had an obsession with toes and a fear of climbing steps. those little droopy eyes always peering about to catch the next big thing. The first night we had her, she curled up into her bed and slept a solid 7 hours. I was shocked. The next night she trumped herself and slept 8 almost 9. I had indeed bought the miracle dog. She was an angel.

Now a week has passed. She has grown about an inch, eaten more puppy chow then I can keep up with, and spilt more water bowls then I can keep full. But after all, its only been a week, how much trouble could she have really gotten into? Let me tell you.

Well, her first experience being kept in the bathroom during school hrs gated in by a baby gate resulted in a spilt water bowl mixed with dog pee smeared all over the bathroom floor (don’t worry, she got a bath as did the floor, thankful for Clorox!); she then felt the need to attempt to demolish the ONLY thing I had neglected to put out of her reach, despite having a plethora of toys to chew and play with, she picked the toilet cleaning brush. The next thing to fall to her little mouth was the door stop. I still can’t fathom how she got the thing off the wall. But there it lay, screw and all, glistening slobbery metal with teeth marks, the rubber tip chewed to shreds.

We went for several days without a mishap due to Pairie, she barked a lot yes, but finally got the point of playing with her own toys and entertaining herself so I could get some work done in the evenings. Her spunk spirit and cute disposition made it easy to come home to, yes there was stress from her being so rambunctious and hyper, but long walks next to the river would wear her out for hours on end. Everyone at the rive seemed to love little Pairie. Often times thought there would be confusion as to her name and gender...or even her breed. To me, when people asked what type of dog she was, it would humor me, because she is obviously a spaniel. The markings, the docked tail the crimped ears, doesnt it all point to it? Maybe its not as obvious to some people, which is fine.
Everyone wanted to pet “him” and I would respond, “Oh you can pet her.”

Which was undoubtedly followed by, “Oh its a she! What is her name?”

“Pairie.”

“Hary? What a cute name for a fluffy dog!”

“No,” I would say, “Pairie, with P, pronounced p-e-r-r-y.” I wouldn’t bother with telling them the spelling, I think it would have been to much for some of them.

She is a clumsy dog but well behaved if she has something to do. Pairie loves for her belly to be rubbed and her newest fascination is the buzzing cellphone and ice cubes. I have regarded her as a loving to play puppy, but not bad into everything. Her white crooked nose constantly twitches as sounds of cars and people mull about downstairs, but yet she has never attempted to be utterly destructive. A huge people pleaser she melts at the word no and begs for forgiveness upon being bad.

Saturday was a prime example of her mischievous side coming out apparently I hadn’t given her enough time to showcase this “cute” attribute.

We went out for a quick trip to Wal-Mart and to grab dinner. Having propped the baby gate up in the kitchen, surely, we thought, Pairie would not be able to escape and roam the house. The house was left completely un-puppy-proofed. Upon return, there sat Pairie, next to the door, excited to see us...the house...a mess. Apparently she had discovered a way to knock down the baby gate and attempted then to chew everything in site. The trash which was waiting to be taken out, now was strewn about the floor. Cascade, organic pizza packaging, napkins, empty bottles, and a bag of half eaten stale chocolate cookies. Yes, my dog helped herself to chocolate and lived. Deodorant from the bathroom had somehow made it to the living room, the bathroom towels were tossed and turned all over the floor, and the trash can, affectionately on its side. Pairie made her final grand stamp on the apartment by leaving no room untouched by peeing on a white t-shirt in the floor of my bedroom and pooping decidedly on a pair of pants. Thanks Pairie, we missed you too.

Did I fuss at the little ham basket? No, I simply laughed at her. Who could be mad at her? After all, she didn’t know she wasn’t supposed to do that. She was having a blast without us there. Oh, what I wouldn’t have given for a camera on the wall as she pranced around with her treasures and fun new toys. She is a baby after all.

Tonight, things are a bit more settled...kind-of. theres the nightly wetting of the floor the mins after I have walked her outside (she must have the world’s smallest bladder) she has found the vacuum most amusing today, the wheels especially. There is the pinecones in the basket on my coffee table, now those are really fascinating. And there was the glass of water that she knocked off the table and shattered into a million pieces about an hour ago.

But somehow thats all ok. Because right now, Pairie is snuggled up next to me, making snoring sounds, her head resting on my lap, her pudgy little belly rising and falling with her breath, her sweet tangy puppy breath.

I am one of the most happiest and luckiest girls in the world. Pairie is a handful, but there is a joy in being needed, dependent upon, loved unconditionally by something so small that makes it all so worth it. She is my silly little ham of a puppy, but she is also going to be one good life long companion.

Spring

Chalk. Pollen. Flowers. Dust. Perfume. Even the puffing lint from the tissues, irritate my nose. No doubt it is spring. I like spring, other then the allergies, its not bad! When spring is thought of, what do you think of? For me, walking the street to class, I smelled fresh cut grass in the muggy heat and reflection off the asphalt. That me riding my bike or scooter up and down the road as dad cute the grass. My bare feet skim onto of the rough black top from time to time, leaving behind specimens of skin, creating rough and sometimes red spots on my toes. Passing a Bradford Pear tree recalls thoughts of scooting up underneath the corn Pear tree on our house, scouring for caterpillars. Taking clear plastic hermit crab cages, I would create the optimal dwelling space for the little multi legged creature. Their plump elongate bodies with grey brown and yellow stripes were dropped into a maze of rocks, twigs, and leaves, with a splash of water to create humidity. There they would sit until they spun a cocoon or died. I can still smell that strong tangy smell of hovering over the cage and taking in the sight of nature taking its course. When I return to my apartment, my new puppy is sitting eagerly waiting to go out and romp around the river. Her playfulness and spunk brings back the thought of my most faithful dog, Bama. The hours he spent outside with me. The times we dressed him up, and the befuddlement of me at a young age as to why we could not name a boy dog Alison. But in the end, it all worked out, and that was simply the best dog I have ever had. I love spring. I love fall better, but spring is the next best season.

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.  ~Charles Dickens

He said it best. Thats this time of year in a nutshell. Summer in the light, winter in the shade. Its that time of year where a sweater it needed in the morning and a tank in the afternoon. When last night rolled around, a warm thick breeze blew as I walked Pairie around the dog walk. The air smelled heavy of purple Wisteria, small snowflake grapes hanging down from a vine. Nothing seems to be complimenting the night, its meshes, but doesn’t reflect the darkness. Illuminated and warm, nothing like the cold black nights that have been the norm as of late. Later that night a spring shower flowed through. Being on the top floor I was able to hear the patter of water splattering on the top of my building and windows. The last walk of the night was ushered in with a cooler breeze. The rain had brought the lower temperatures. But soon, all will be hot and muggy, thick and pasty. Warm in the day, morning, evening and night. It will be a heat that suppresses yet stirs to action bugs and aunts.
So enjoy the spring. The sneezing and the coughing, because soon the allergies will be gone, and the heat stroke will be here to stay.

Stop writing your future!

March the 17th. It is the year 2011. It is also St. Patrick's day. I'm sitting in history class, am I paying attention...probably not as much as I should be, but after all, it so pretty outside, and she is rambling on and on about WWI and WWII.

I feel like this spring is going to bring so much more greatness then I had originally expected. The plan, (who ever really follows the plan anyway?) was to be in Europe. To be productive. To be growing academically and bursting into a creative writing frenzy and passion. Yeah, well long story short, none of that happened. Now the tables have turned, the pages of this plan have altered, and I am more excited then ever to be embracing the new “plan” which is more like a pencil sketch with plenty of holes and eraser marks.

There is a saying someone close to me tells me often.

“Stop writing your future.”

This phrase usually passes between us when I am stressing out over “the plan” of life. He simply wants to bring me back to the realization that life is best served as a covered dish, unordered and full of zesty surprises. This has done me a great deal of good to shake off the stresses of “having to” and “must do” life is now about learning to enjoy what I am doing, embrace it, and attitude is everything. Even if you have to do it, feeling happy about doing it will make the deed more enjoyable.

I feel lucky, somewhat spoiled, and majorly blessed, to have someone in my life thats patient with me and teaches me to laugh at the stupid and serious alike. It’s go with the flow time. Nap when tired. Pile the clothes up, no need to stress about them being unwashed just yet. Eat the cupcake. Take the walk outside. Beat the history paper. Buy the puppy. Wave at the random person. Excessively wear stretchy pants.

It is all such a wonderful way to view the little fleeting moments we call life. Do I still catch myself stressing, oh ya betcha! But its not about not being under pressure, it is about taking it as it comes. Running wild and throwing that pen away that I used to use to etch the ending. I had so many endings to small things, to big things, splurging in a whole lot of question marks a long the way. But now, sometimes I’ll sketch it in pencil, but it doesn’t get grained into a stone wall.

So what are the things that I feel able to conquer this Spring and Summer? Well there is school to wrap up, the doggy to house train, the house to finish getting together. There is an internship to hope for and fulfill. A possible trip to Alabama to spend time with family. Rivers to kayak. Book to write. Many things. New little people to meet. Walk around happy and proud. And maybe land a little bling bling (hoping!!) One never knows.

Things are sketchy. Not in the sense that they are unsure and bad, but its a large piece of paper with small pencil sketches of what my life could be.

There is a house. There is a dog, a family, a writing studio. The house has a beautiful red wooden door, arched at the top, doorknob in the middle. Flowers bloom around a swing in the left hand side, and inside small bare feet tap against a hard wood floor. On the back porch a spaniel lies in the sun, soaking it up, passed out from the day’s romps. There is a bookshelf in the writing studio, full of my favorite books, Sylvia Plath, present on my desk. My leather journal from Italy sits at a slight angle on the edge. John Mayer plays in the background. I am lost somewhere in the house, barefoot, and more then likely in stretchy pants. Maybe I am bent over an amateur painting I’m slopping away at; maybe I’m playing a game with kids; maybe I have my bare feet snuggled between those of my husband’s on our big oversized couch reading, talking, watching television, my head fitting perfectly between his chin and chest.

There is an ideal sketch in the making! But thats the future, this is now. I will get there I am sure, but right now, it is more placid, sometimes lonely, but always interrupted with surprise flowers, great hugs, and humor to make me laugh until I cry.

But even now nothing is for certain for tonight’s events. The only one sure thing is that I will be eating a bowl of Lucky Charms. After all, everyone needs a rainbow and pot of gold on St. Patrick’s Day. Happy Spring everyone!