Eva Harder
Reporter

If you’re hungry and tired of all the typical eateries, you might head to Amarillo for a few less known about tastes.

Even though Hill’s burgers on 24th  in Canyon are one of the better parts of my life, Blue Sky on 4201 W I-40, next to Olive Garden, is even better. They have the best French fries and burgers I have ever tasted for fewer than 10 bucks.

If you want something a little less casual, head downtown for some of the most authentic Italian food Amarillo has.

On 700 S. Taylor is Napoli’s, a quaint but trendy little restaurant you may have to wait for, but it’s definitely worth it. Again, this is a place where you can eat well for under fifteen bucks.

But if you want something even cheaper, louder, more authentic and more Mexican, walk a block down to Polk Street where the Vegas-esque sign of Acapulco’s will greet you. You can definitely get your fill here for under ten bucks – try the sour cream chicken enchiladas for $6.99. The staff is always really friendly and the atmosphere is inviting and charming, though it’s definitely not the place to hold a quiet business meeting.

However, if you want to have a meeting you might try the B.L. Bistro, on 2203 S Austin St. It won’t be the cheapest meal of your life, but it will be one of the best you’ve ever eaten.  I recommend the grilled quail for $17. The dim lighting and formal atmosphere make it a great place for professional or romantic occasions. Just make sure you call ahead for a reservation.

Now, before you head off to dinner, you might want to get desert first, because the Village Bakery in Wolflin Village is only open until 6:00 p.m. Likened to a European-style café, the Village Bakery has a variety of delicious cakes, pastries, breads and even a breakfast and lunch menu. It’s perfect for a mid-afternoon treat.

Alright, so none of these restaurants sound particularly healthy. Well, you can always compensate by shopping at the Eat-Rite health food store on 2425 I-40 West and cooking yourself a healthy, organic meal.

Eva Harder
Reporter

What do you want your life to be about?

This was a theme we talked about in my philosophy class last spring. Not “What do you want to do with your life?” but “What do you want your life to be about?” And here’s the thing: right now, I feel like our lives are about résumés.

College shouldn’t just be about preparing you for a job. College should be about, and I think used to be about, stretching your mind to limits you didn’t know you had.

College should drive you mad with experience.

You should feel things, see things and learn things you didn’t know existed.

But lately I feel as if we only join organizations because we know they’ll look good on a résumé. We do things, join teams and get jobs and meet people, not because we want to breathe in every crazy atom we can of this mad, insane world, but because we want to be a well-rounded individual.

I mean, when was the last time you got really pissed off about something that mattered?

When was the last time your life got gloriously, beautifully messy?

We’re so sheltered here. We live in a box.

All semester, I’ve gone to class, and I’ve gone to meetings, and I’ve gone to work, and I’ve done things that will look great on résumés, but how many times have I been enlightened?

How many times have I been challenged to think differently or oppose or agree or to fight for something?

Most people go to college so that they can get a decent job. There isn’t too much wrong with that. You need to work to eat. I get that. But before you go to your next job interview, and you’re revising your résumé to include the new organizations you’ve joined, and how high your GPA is, and how many times you’ve made the dean’s list, think about what you would put on the résumé for your life.

How many times have you had a spine-tingling kiss? How many conversations have you had, over beer or coffee, that kept you up until 2 a.m.? Have you ever seen what Paris looks like at dusk on top of the Eiffel tower? Have you ever tried to count the stars?

If I were to ever have a child, the best advice I could give that creature is this: don’t worry too much about how spotless your image is. Think about how authentic your experiences have been.

Don’t count and polish your trophies and blue ribbons. Remember the people who’ve made you laugh.

Awards, trophies, grades, are all tangible evidences of our hard work. But they are meaningless if you’ve never conquered a fear or hugged someone so hard it hurt.

Extend your learning outside the classroom. Read the books. Write the papers. If you can, get the grades. But first, first and foremost, live the life.

Résumés can be burned and forgotten in a matter of seconds. A well-lived life is immortal.

Be immortal. Don’t live a life easily forgotten.

Eva Harder
Reporter

Two pre-med students, Jani Manring and Chelsea Kimbrell, were chosen to receive JAMP (Joint Admission Medical Program) scholarships.

JAMP is a statewide program in Texas with 60 participating institutions.

It is a recent development, founded in 2003 by the 77th Texas legislature.

The program receives around 400 applications every year and accepts 96.

Most importantly, it provides full financial support, including tuition, books and fees, for a student wishing to attend any medical school in Texas.

As a JAMP scholar, Manring and Kimbrell will receive $1000 every semester of their undergraduate career to help them complete their pre-med curriculum.

During the summers after their sophomore year and after their junior year, each will have the opportunity, at no cost, to attend a six-week program at an accredited medical school in Texas to interact with medical students and faculty, to be able to gain first-hand experience by taking short courses during those sessions.

The program also helps students prepare to take the MCAT, the Medical School admission test, and practice with interviews.

There are, of course, a few stipulations to the award.

JAMP does not guarantee acceptance into medical school.

It helps the student prepare in every way it can, but it cannot guarantee admission.

A JAMP scholar must keep a minimum GPA of 3.25 every semester, as well as sending JAMP a transcript every semester.

Students looking to apply, whose qualifications should fulfill the two main criteria of having a strong academic record and fitting the financial aid requirements, and of course, wishing to go to medical school, should plan on applying in the fall of their sophomore year.

Other specific qualifications include being eligible for federal aid during his or her freshman year, a GPA minimum 3.25 overall and in science, and a completion of 30 hours during his or her freshman year.

Dr. Buoma, assistant professor of biology and director of JAMP, speaks of Manring with great pride.

“I met Jani last January,” Buoma said, who was Manring’s adviser at the time. “She’s one of the better ones.”

Buoma believes that these two ladies’ motivation and success boosts the image of the University greatly; she also says it speaks to the quality of the faculty preparing their students for future careers and to the quality of the students as well.

Eva Harder
Reporter

WTAMU is notorious for having opportunities that students simply do not know about or do not take advantage of, like the Readership Program, Study Abroad and the Washington D.C. Internship.

Similarly there is a person on campus that most students have not even heard of; her name is Elly Mons, and she is the Coordinator of Nationally Competitive Scholarships.

Her job is solely designed to help students prepare for national scholarships like Rhodes, Fulbright, and Truman.

Most people glance at scholarships like this and think that there’s no way they could stand a chance; Mons shows you how you actually can.

The scholarships range from the undergraduate level to the graduate level and apply to various majors.

The Rotary Scholarship, for example, is solely for students wishing to study abroad.

The Truman is aimed at students interested in public service, and the Marshall Scholarship offers two years of graduate studies in the UK or Ireland.

The scholarship benefits vary, some of them fully funding an overseas experience while some may be for $5000 dollars or more.

Whatever the fiscal benefits, Mons said that whether the student wins a scholarship or not, he or she is gaining invaluable experience simply by applying.

By having to craft research proposals, work with faculty about letters of recommendation, work with deadlines and constant revision, the student would already be prepared to apply for graduate school by applying for one of these scholarships.

Mons also said that it helps students reach a degree of self-awareness they might not otherwise gain.

Though she has only been here since April, Mons believes that this campus has students who are prime candidates for one of these prestigious awards.

Generally, if the student is an undergraduate he or she would apply their sophomore or junior year, and graduate students apply at the beginning of their undergraduate senior year.

The main requirement a student must possess is to be well-rounded; a 4.0 is not enough.

Besides having an excellent academic record, a student looking to apply should have strong experience in community service, be involved in leadership activities on campus, research, and an internship or two can only help.

Essentially, the student has to be someone who does more than just sit in a classroom, and Mons believes that WT has a plethora of students just like that.

Mons said that the best part of these programs is that if you do get selected, “You are getting to pursue a dream.”

With the Fulbright, for instance, you are crafting a proposal about work you really want to do in another country that you wouldn’t be able to do anywhere else, not to mention the very prestigious accomplishment to be put on a resume.

Though the process may seem daunting, Mons said that the surest way to not get selected is not to apply.

“We know we have great students,” Mons said. “If we get selected we get to show the world we have great students as well.”

Mons is located in Killgore 124 and urges students who have any questions or interests to email her at ncs@mail.wtamu.edu.

Since I’ve been back from Italy, I’ve probably spent a little too much time catching up on pop culture; but in the process, I’ve discovered and rediscovered some amazing music, movies and books.

In the literary world, I’ve immersed myself in some old favorites like “Fahrenheit 451” and the “Da Vinci Code.” If you don’t read too much into the conspiracy theories, it’s quite an entertaining and educational read.

And “Fahrenheit 451?” Who doesn’t need a reminder about the dangers of censorship and too much government interference?

But one of my all-time favorites that I never mind returning to is “The Lost Diary of Don Juan.” Usually portrayed as a diabolical seducer of women, the novel portrays the young man as merely being so in love with the entire female entity that he simply can’t help himself. The book delves into the oppression of the Spanish Inquisition and the grey areas of morality. I firmly believe it should be read by every woman, and every man, for that matter.

As far as movies go, I’ve been indulging in the Oscar nominees. Though the “Curious Case of Benjamin Button” was a bit long, it was visually beautiful and classically told.

“Slumdog Millionaire” was filled with stunning cinematography with an intriguing and even heart-warming premise.

And my favorite was “The Reader.” Though the film was a bit slow in the story’s falling action, the performance wrought by Kate Winslet was nothing short of phenomenal. Perturbing questions are brought up by her complex character, Hannah Schmitz, as quoted in the book the film was based on by the same name, “I wanted simultaneously to understand Hanna’s crime and to condemn it. But it was too terrible for that. When I tried to understand it, I had the feeling I was failing to condemn it as it must be condemned.”

All three of these films, along with other Oscar-nominated films along with “Milk” and “Frost/Nixon” are currently playing in Amarillo.

And an old, favorite whose stunning lyrics you may want to rediscover, is the amazing “Iron and Wine”. The mellow vocals and insightful lyrics got me through a very long flight. Some favorites by the band include “Resurrection Fern,” “Flightless Bird, American Mouth,” and the nearly 10 min. long track, “The Trapeze Swinger.”

Eva Harder
Prairie reporter

“As Christians, we cannot stand by and watch 67,000 of our neighbors walking through the gates of hell.”

This is the mission statement of “Repent Amarillo,” a new source of local controversy that is sparking debate all across Canyon and Amarillo.

The group is dedicated to cleansing Amarillo of pagan, sexual and homosexual affiliated businesses and events. Its web site lists a “spiritual mapping” of businesses they intend to target, including Planned Parenthood, the Route 66 Swingers’ Club, the Hindu Temple of Amarillo, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Polk Street United Methodist Church and many others.

The group is creating an outrage among many citizens of the Panhandle, some arguing the infringement of basic first amendment liberties, such as “prohibiting the free exercise [of religion]; or abridging the freedom of speech.”

Students are creating Facebook groups in protest of “Repent Amarillo,” such as “We the People” and “Freedom Amarillo.”

While many may be 100 percent behind the forces of “Repent Amarillo,” and others are shocked and appalled by the mere idea of the group, I would like to point out one quite simple observation: the ideology of “Repent Amarillo” is quite similar to the ideology of Adolf Hitler.

Not only is “Repent Amarillo” making a goal to shut down businesses with any “pagan” affiliation (much how the Nazi Regime began denying the Jewish people the right to own a business) their arguments are fundamentally the same: “Repent Amarillo” is attempting to purge the panhandle of what they deem sinful, in the name of God.

Adolf Hitler’s goal was the same, as illustrated by his following quotations, mostly taken from “Mein Kampf:”

“Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator… I am fighting for the work of the Lord.”
For this, to be sure, from the child’s primer down to the last newspaper, every theater and every movie house, every advertising pillar and every billboard, must be pressed into the service of this one great mission, until the timorous prayer of our present parlor patriots: Lord, make us free! …”

The anti-Semitism of the new [Christian Social] movement was based on religious ideas instead of racial knowledge.”

And though “Repent Amarillo” may not have an equivalent to Joseph Mengele, the group seems adamant about creating its own sort of Aryan race; a people caught under a blanket of religion that stifles instead of frees.

Just like the Spanish Inquisition, the Laramie incident, and the Holocaust, “Repent Amarillo” is telling the world that Christianity is not founded on love, but on hate and intolerance.

I find it quite ironic that the center of Christianity, Jesus Christ, was purportedly a friend of tax collectors and prostitutes, yet groups like this can do nothing but write any diversity off as strictly hell-bound.

Perhaps this is why Christianity is quickly beginning to be considered one of the largest hate groups in the world; and for a religion that is supposed to be based on love and redemption…c’mon, there’s definitely something wrong here.

“Repent Amarillo” advises you to call the Potter County District Attorney, Randall Sims’ office and make a complaint if you have are unhappy with any of the businesses they are attempting to shut down; I wonder if you can make a complaint to the D.A. about “Repent Amarillo” itself.

Eva Harder
Prairie reporter

It’s been almost one year since I received that email. I remember very ordinarily sitting at my computer last spring and reading the words that went something like “Do you want to go to Italy?”

I thought ‘sure,’ and made my way to the Study Abroad office to fill out the paperwork that was both overwhelmingly daunting and incredibly simple.

Through every step, I anticipated that something would go wrong, that something would keep me from visiting, from living in, this beautiful country.

But, as form after form was completed, as scholarships and financial aid slowly began arriving in my account, after I finally received my visa in the mail, I was still waiting for the plane to crash.

It really hadn’t been as hard to study abroad in a foreign country for four months as I thought it would.

It’s not as if living in Italy definitely didn’t have its challenges; I quickly discovered that when I first arrived and it took me almost five minutes to get the door to my apartment open.

But for all of the challenges I encountered, there was always a new epiphany.

Initially, I felt guilty for choosing such a decadent country to study in; I felt that I should be in a country with less fortune, a country that was struggling and starving, a country that would make me a better, stronger person.

And though I would love to have been able to do more service, and still plan to, going to Italy gave me an indelible realization. Simply: it’s a country I’ve always wanted to visit.

It’s always been my dream. It’s an incredible feeling to know that you’ve lived out one of your dreams.

Whatever it is, doing what you have always wanted to do but never knew you could do gives you the most incredible sense of validation.

Since I’ve returned to the States, not only do I feel more capable after exploring Rome by myself or asking for directions in Italian, not only do I feel more knowledgeable of and more empathetic to the world around me, but I feel calmer.

If Italians know how to anything, it’s how to live their lives. Though I’ve learned to smell more wine than roses, I’m living and relaxing so much more than I ever have in my young adult life.

While a lot of college students don’t need anyone telling them to relax more than they already do, there is a plethora of students, and teachers, who are so overloaded with minute by minute tasks they can’t remember the last time they took a bath or read a book without feeling guilty because they weren’t doing more.

America is an ambitious country. I am an ambitious person. And I can truly, honestly, surprisingly say that I have missed this country.

I have missed movies and music. I’ve missed supermarkets and heating and wireless internet.

But coming back into this ambitious country, where every finger is either on a laptop or a blackberry, I have to remind myself there was only one Italian who’s ever been really ambitious, and he was murdered.

While I may not be able to be as languid as the Italians, with their two-hour siestas and extravagant meals, I hope that I will never be so American that the best conversations I have are in a text message. I’ve learned balance.