Tragedy and hardship are unavoidable parts of human life. Although there is no option in preventing the events that cause pain and suffering, there is the option on how to deal with them.

Keene State College student Arian Deihim shared his story about how multiple tragedies affected his life for the worse, but how he found himself through Jiu-Jitsu and exercise during his darkest times.

Deihim said his story began in the summer of 2005 when he lost his mother unexpectedly to a brain aneurysm. “One morning I woke to sounds of distress and found my mother’s boyfriend giving her CPR,” Deihim said. “When she had her aneurysm, she was brought to the hospital and put on life support. After a few days, the doctor declared her brain dead, which means she could not support oxygen without the aid of machines. They told us the most humane thing was to remove the life support, so my sister and I were forced to sign her life away.”  Deihim said that after his mother’s passing he found himself in a whirlwind of sorrow and self-loathing, which left him with no drive, no goals and no prospects for his life.

Photos contributed by Arian Deihim

“After my mom died, I decided I did not want to go to college. I did not want to leave my girlfriend or my house, my mom’s house. I fell into drugs and depression and ended up going to jail for a short period of time. I also lost my girlfriend, which pushed me deeper into depression. As I was afraid to get in trouble again, I cleaned up my act but this really just entailed living alone and working a lot in restaurants. It was a very lonely life,” Deihim said.

Prior to his mother’s passing, Deihim said that he had plans for his future, which included attending a culinary school. However, his mother’s passing caused him to put his plans and his education on hold.

“I was planning on going to New England Culinary Institute in Burlington, Vermont. Cooking was actually something that I fell into; I went to a tech center for half of high school and originally applied for the auto tech program, putting culinary as a second choice,” Deihim said.

He continued, “My mom helped me get accepted to school and get scholarships. I still have the acceptance letter to the New England Culinary Institute that she signed; it is a prized possession, just a piece of her handwriting that brings her back to me a little.”

Eventually, Deihim said he grew tired of being depressed and having low self-esteem, which caused him to replace his drug use and other activities with more positive undertakings.

“After I cleaned myself up from drugs I replaced them with other activities of sloth like video games. One day I was just so fed up with the way I felt and I decided that I needed a change. I cancelled all of my gaming accounts and went and bought a gym membership. For the next year I got really into bodybuilding and fitness. It was the best decision of my life,” Deihim said.

Deihim added that one of the most influential forms of exercise in his life is Jiu-Jitsu, which he said changed his life through discipline and courage. “Jiu-Jitsu provided me discipline and obvious goals. It is an art that involves a family-life training atmosphere and I received a great deal of mentorship and friendship in a time of my life where I really needed it. I could feel my body change. I felt like I got into bed differently, I felt agile for the first time in my life. I gained so much confidence and self-awareness. It turned me into a man,” Deihim said.

Photo Editor / Tim Smith

Deihim said that exercise serves as his medicine and without it he goes crazy. As he was becoming more involved with physical activities and Jiu-Jitsu, Deihim said that he then decided it was time for him to go back to school. “To get a GPA Keene State suggested that I go to a community college, so I went to live with my father for the first time in my life,” Deihim said. After a year of attending community college in Tennessee, Deihim said that he got accepted to KSC and headed back to New Hampshire.

However, as he was making the move from Tennessee back to New Hampshire, Deihim said that his father had begged him to stay, but that he decided he must stick to his own path.

“Two weeks into my freshmen year, my father committed suicide. I had to go back to Tennessee and, per a traditional Muslim burial, literally carry him to his grave,” Deihim said.

Deihim said that although it was a brutal time, he kept his nose to the grindstone and continued on.

“I was not as close with my father, but he was my dad. It was brutal. I am still dealing with the demons from his death. I was pretty angry with him at first, but at the same time, in some morbid way. He had a pretty terrible life of his own creation,” Deihim said.  Now that he was enrolled at KSC, Deihim said that school was pretty hard, especially after his father’s passing. However, rather than turning to his previous methods of mourning, Deihim said that Jiu-Jitsu not only helped him cope but also gain a great deal of confidence and skills.

“My father passed the second week of my first semester. I had just started teaching the Jiu-Jitsu Club and I realized I was really good at it. People would tell me over and over how good of a teacher I was, which brought me so much confidence. I met the best friends of my life through the club. However, there have been times when I couldn’t do Jiu-Jitsu, like recently when I had knee surgery. So the fitness end has helped me to cope when I couldn’t enjoy my hobbies,” Deihim said. Although adjusting into his time at KSC was difficult, Deihim said that his time at the college changed his life.  “The jiu-jitsu club definitely had the most impact because I handled everything to do with the logistics and teaching and it helped me mature a lot. I will say that some of my teachers and classes left much to be desired, but I’m sure you can say that about any college. Sometimes I really did feel like I didn’t fit in with your typical KSC students, but that’s okay, I found my people,” Deihim said.

In terms of the friends that he has made at KSC, Deihim said that they have been the most influential people he has met at the college because the previous feeling of being out of place was never an issue with them. “They made me feel cool; like they really wanted me around,” Deihim said. “I truly love them as my new family and hope to stay friends for a lifetime.” Apart of this close-knit friend group is Liz Christian, who said her and Deihim met in an IQL class freshmen year and have been friends ever since. Christian said that a novel wouldn’t even begin to describe her relationship with Deihim, but he’s been her closest confidant for the majority of her life here in Keene and that she has been so grateful to have him.

“There isn’t a week that goes by where we haven’t at least checked in with one another about how we’re doing, and there is not a weekend that goes by that we aren’t together. He never fails to make me laugh, to make me feel loved, to make me feel supported, or to be there when I have truly needed his guidance,” Christian said.

Christian added that when she first met Deihim he was more reserved and shy. “I really feel that it was as if he could not figure out where he would fit in because he is a few years older than most students,” Christian said. “Ever since he found our group of friends and solace in his yoga practice, I have seen him become more confident in himself and the person he is.”

She continued, “More specifically, I have seen him flourish in teaching others regarding their own yoga practice and even those he personally trains. I am so proud of the man he has become, because it reflects who the real Ari is and I am so honored to be apart of his growth.” Like Christian, KSC Alumni Angela Stanton said that her relationship with Deihim is one that she will cherish for the rest of her life. Stanton said that there is really no one-way to explain the relationship she has with Deihim, but that they always have a good time together and mutually grow from one another.

“His past may have affected him as a person, but who he is as a person affected me. He went from being lost in this world to giving a sense of direction to those around him. You don’t meet someone like that just anywhere,” Stanton said.With graduation approaching, Deihim said that although he is up in the air about career paths, he knows his future is bright.

“I am done with classes but graduate in May. Right now I am teaching a lot of yoga and doing personal training at the gym. When I leave Keene in August I plan to do TFL [Teaching English to Foreign Learners] in Spain. I am also looking into teaching yoga retreats in Nicaragua,” Deihim said.

In terms of what advice he can offer for other students going through similar issues with drug use and depression, Deihim said he recommends finding something tangible that you love and can dedicate yourself too.

“We always have a choice in life. We can either let our hardships beat us down or we can try every single day to do everything in our power to better our condition. For me, giving up was never an option; I had too many people counting on me,” Deihim said.

Brogan Wessell can be contacted at bwessell@kscequinox.com

This past Thursday, the Class of 2016 E-board hosted the annual 100 nights  event for the senior class in honor of their being only 100 days until the Commencement Ceremony.

According to the senior class president Mason Prata, the class of 2016 E-board made significant changes to the 100 nights event.

“Last year’s 100 nights event, as a few years prior to that, was hosted off campus at a bar. There was no ceremony of hanging the countdown banner or anything like we have done this year,” Prata said.

Tim Smith / Photo editor

He continued, “That was the main reason why we decided to change the event so much, as the way the event went last year, only about 230 students were able to attend from a class of near one thousand students.”

At this year’s 100 nights, Prata said about 100 students came through the Young Student Center, where they were able to submit photos to a timeline that the e-board created where seniors were able to re-cap the last four years at KSC, in addition to the ceremonial hanging of the Commencement Countdown Banner.

“The timeline utilized the photos people sent to us, and featured a trail of yarn leading from move-in day of freshman year all the way to Graduation in senior year. At the end of the timeline, we had a space where seniors could write on a note what the hope to do before graduation, and where they will be five years from now,” Prata said.

He continued, “There were also, at the end of the timeline, the Class Banner, which students sign and then will ultimately be kept in the Alumni Center until our five year reunion, and the filming of Senior Shout-outs, which are shown at the Commencement Ceremony for family and friends to see while they await the seniors to march in.”

Tim Smith / Photo editor

Prata added that the overall goal of this event is to give seniors a nice way to remember the fun times they’ve had along the way and to build excitement about the future.

“In doing this event we hoped to celebrate the senior class for their accomplishments and for having made it all the way to the last leg of senior year,” Prata said.

In addition to the on campus 100 nights event, Scores Sports Bar and Grille also hosted a version of the event for the senior class, where those who attended dressed in 90’s attire.

Senior Danielle Downie said that she thought the 100 nights event was a great way to celebrate the senior class.

“I think this was a good way to get everyone together. It wasn’t revolved around drinking; it was about seeing everyone, dancing and having a good time as we approach the end of our final semester of college,” Downie said.

Downie added that she did receive e-mails about the 100 Nights event taking place on campus but did not attend the event because she did not know what is was going to be like.

Tim Smith / Photo editor

“All my friends wanted to go to Scores so that is how we came to the decision to not attend the on-campus event. I am also not on campus that often so that had a lot to do with it as well,” Downie said.

Amongst the attendees of the on-campus 100 Nights event was senior Julia Bisbee, who stated that she thought this event was very fun and simple, meant to bring the senior class together.

“I only went to the on-campus event. I had to teach in the morning so I did not go out to the bars. But I heard that several of my friends had a great time out at the bar,” Bisbee said.

Bisbee said that it made her very sad knowing that there is only 100 days left to spend with the amazing people she has spent these last four years with.

“Being able to look back at the pictures from freshman year and look at current pictures from our senior year has

Tim Smith / Photo editor

made me realize how much we all have changed and grown into amazing people. The event made me excited for the future and what is to come,” Bisbee stated.

Downie added that she tried not to give graduation too much thought while she was out with her friends.

“I tried not to think of 100 Nights in a sad way but more so a happier time. We all have to make the most of these last one hundred days together. As it gets closer it will definitely set in more and there will be tears, but for now, we celebrate!” Downie said.

Brogan Wessell can be contacted at bwessell@kscequinox.com

As the holiday season approaches, the simple task of gift giving is turned into a complicated affair as people struggle with the challenge of determining who gets what.

Keene State College students weigh in on some simple tips for picking out the perfect present.

KSC senior Megan Bernard said that she begins preparing for the holiday season right after Halloween because she hates shopping in crowded malls.

“I try to do all my shopping by the first week in December, but because of my college lifestyle I need to resume my shopping when I get back home,” Bernard said.

Bernard added that she is also an avid cyber shopper, especially on Cyber Monday.

“I hate huge mobs of people at the mall and would rather get what I can online, except when it comes to picking out clothing. I like to look, feel and make sure the clothes are alright for what I have in mind,” Bernard said.

KSC senior Christy McGraw said that she usually procrastinates with her holiday shopping but this year she started fairly early.

While she is at school, McGraw said she will resort to the internet to buy holiday gifts.

“I prefer online shopping usually if I know specifically what I am looking for. Being at school makes it harder to shop in stores because I don’t know what is around Keene whereas at home I know where I can find everything for the most part. If I don’t know what I am looking for gift wise then I will definitely go shopping in stores,” McGraw said.

Like Bernard, KSC senior Hayley Grove said that her method for holiday shopping is to avoid the crazy crowds.

“I always try to get to stores early and I will never go shopping on the weekends. The mall gets way too crowded on the weekend and I can never find any parking. I also keep an eye out for the best deal and try to find coupons before I buy stuff,” Grove said.

Before the holiday shopping can begin, both Bernard and Grove said that they try to budget their money as best they can.

“I think budgeting is good because it can never hurt to go shopping in a smart way. However, I love spoiling my family and my boyfriend just because it is something that I am not always able to do. I do not always mind spending that extra dollar,” Bernard said.

As they begin shopping, both Bernard and Grove said that their immediate focus is on their families and boyfriends.

“I usually focus on my parents, my brother and my boyfriend. I am lucky because my friends and I usually do low budget Yankee Swaps or Secret Santas with joke gifts, so I do not really have to worry about presents for the them,” Bernard said.

McGraw said that she abides by three simple methods for taking on the holiday season – don’t procrastinate, get wish lists from the people you’re shopping for and set a maximum budget.

McGraw added that she enjoys buying nice gifts for her parents and her brothers because they have done so much for her growing up and it makes her feel good to give back.

Brogan Wessell  can be contacted at bwessell@kscequinox.com

On Friday, November 20, the class of 2016 Student Government hosted the annual Red and White Night when seniors and their guests dressed to impress in Keene State College colors for a semi-formal dance event.

Red and White Night took place in the Zorn Dining Commons.

The DC was transformed from popular lunch spot to a venue that included a cash bar, a DJ and complimentary food. According to senior and Student Government member Mason Prata, an estimated 350 students attended the event.

Junior Karisa Spanos added, “I was really shocked at how many people actually went, I was not expecting that. I think everyone had a good time and I feel like everyone likes to get dressed up once in  a while,” Spanos said.

Heather O’Brien/ Equinox Staff

KSC alumna Trisha Gunning, said that she was happy to have finally attended Red and White Night since she never did her senior year.

“I had a really good time at Red and White Night. I never went to my senior red and white dance because most of my friends were younger, so I was happy that I got to go and enjoy the dance with my friends for their senior formal,” Gunning said.

She continued, “I thought Red and White Night was really well planned. There was so much food and the music was great. I think that these types of events are important to have for every senior class because it gives everyone a reason to get dressed up and have fun together before graduation.”

First time attendee of Red and White night, senior Gabriella Pace said that she had a good time at the event because she was able to be there with her friends. However, Pace added that she is not 21 years old yet so she did not like that she ended up being alone when all her friends went upstairs to the cash bar.

“I thought Red and White Night was nicely put on although I did not think it was too much fun. There are so many people you don’t know in the senior class, which makes it awkward on the dance floor,” Pace said.

Accompanying Pace to the dance was junior Karisa Spanos, who also said that the only flaw about Red and White Night was that the bar area was upstairs.

“I thought the event was really fun and not what I expected. The music and food were really good. However, the only thing I didn’t like was that the bar was upstairs. I am twenty-one and my roommate (Pace) isn’t of age yet so I felt really bad leaving her to get a drink, especially because she was the one who brought me,” Spanos said. Despite not knowing a majority of the senior class, Pace said that she thought it was nice to get dressed up with her friends and have the memory together.

Senior Matthew Pereira said that although he had been to the event before, it was really bittersweet attending Red and White Night this year since it was his senior formal. “I worked the event last year and I thought our class really stepped up their game with dressing up. Last year I felt that they did not try as hard as we did. All the guys cleaned up very nicely, and all the girls looked really elegant and showed they put in an effort,” Pereira said.

Pereira added that he thought Red and White Night was alright. “I am not really into the whole Cinderella goes to the ball type event. I also felt left out as someone who attended the dance without a date,” Pereira said.

“Next year I think there shouldn’t be a focus on this being a couples dance. It should be focused on having the entire senior class coming together for a formal event. I just personally think the fact that they advertise it to make it a couples thing makes it so other students feel left out,” Pereira said.

He continued, “It makes the night more about having a boyfriend or girlfriend instead of the real meaning of the dance, which is for all the seniors to get together as a class.”

Despite the large emphasis on bringing a date, Pereira said that he thought this was a good way to bring the senior class together.

“Although it was sort of a couple’s night, it was cool to see all of my classmates dressed up. I think it was a chance for everyone to see each other outside of a classroom or casual setting and gives us a chance to see each other when we try and look our best,” Pereira said.

Senior and second time attendee of Red and White Night, Jillian Marlowe, added that she thought the event was a nice change in scenery and something that she looked forward to attending.

“I was pleasantly surprised with how our class took the dress code seriously and spent the time to incorporate school colors in the attire. I also loved seeing new faces and bumping into old friends that I do not normally see on a daily basis,” Marlowe said.

Brogan Wessell can be contacted at bwessell@kscequinox.com

With election season in full swing, students at Keene State College came together to form an official Democrats Club and further the political activism on campus. Senior and President of the KSC Democrats Club Kaitlyn Kelly said that, although the club has been inactive for a couple years now, she had hopes to create a more involved club that will make a difference in the February 2016 primary and November  2016 presidential elections. “As a liberal arts school in a powerful swing state, I think it’s extremely important to have a politically active and involved campus. We have an active Keene State republican club and I felt it was important to give the democratic students a voice on campus as well. We hope to raise awareness of important political issues that

Cassie Baron/ Equinox Staff

the Democratic Party focuses on, such as health care and student loans,” Kelly said. Kelly said she feels that there is a good amount of political awareness on campus but not enough involvement. She added that although there is a lot of discussion around political topics, there is not enough activism, which she hopes will change after establishing an official Democratic club on campus. “Being apart of Keene State Dems requires attending at least one meeting per month or four meetings a semester. We meet every other Monday night in the Science Center, room 127, at 8:00 p.m. but that is subject to change once we get more members and get a better idea of everyone’s schedule,” Kelly said. Regarding future events the Democrats Club could potentially hold, Kelly said they hope to have more candidates come to campus. “Since New Hampshire is a swing state and democratic candidates usually target the younger demographic, college campuses in NH is a popular place for candidates to visit. In the 2014 senate race Jeanne Shaheen, Annie Custer, Molly Kelly, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders all spoke at Keene State in the months leading up to the election,” Kelly said. Kelly added that now that the Democrats Club has picked up its active motion again, she hopes that there will be more political involvement from students as democrats, in addition to creating more and easier opportunities for students to get involved, make connections and learn about the political process. In terms of her own political background, Kelly said that she comes from an extremely political and opinionated family. “I’m originally from Northern Virginia, about twenty-five minutes outside of Washington D.C. A lot of my family members have worked in the White House, at Langley and in the Pentagon.” Kelly continued, “My dad’s family are staunch Republicans while my mother’s family has always been very liberal. I’ve been really fortunate to experience both sides of the debate because of that,” Kelly said.Senior and one of the newest members of the Democrats Club, Jacob Loyd, said that he decided to join the club because he liked that he had a place to go and discuss politics with individuals who share similar interests and beliefs that coincide with his own. Loyd said that his interest in politics sparked in high school and influenced his decision to major in political science. In terms of the political activism that he sees on the KSC campus, he said that he is not satisfied. “I think most students don’t care or at least don’t like to be involved with politics or political activism. Students could be more involved but it would require more work for them to be informed and create their own opinions. I feel that is the problem in general, people don’t want to do the work,” Loyd said. In terms of the impact the Democrats Club has on the KSC campus, Loyd said he hopes the club brings more of a political aspect to the campus. “New Hampshire itself is a very politically involved state and presidential candidates come to Keene State from time to time, so it would be nicer if more students were involved,” Loyd said.  As for his personal goals for joining the Democrats Club, Loyd said that he hopes to create a network and to share information to help people discuss openly and form opinions and hopefully inspire an interest in politics. Although she is not a member of the KSC Democrats, senior Rebecca Marquis said that when she heard that this group was forming on campus, she was surprised that a club like that hadn’t already been founded yet. “I heard about the club last week and how it was just started on campus.I’m happy to see that students are taking the initiative to get passionate about politics and get together to do something about it,” Marquis said. Marquis said that she feels there is not enough political activism on campus, which she found surprising based on how heated students get when they talk about political issues. She added that she would love to see political activism amongst KSC students increase, but no to the point where it is intimidating and too in your face where it becomes detrimental to getting new people involved. Marquis said that she thinks the Democrats Club could most definitely benefit the campus in terms of inspiring more political activism. “Clubs like these are the ones that get people talking and motivated to get active in our political community not just on the local scale but nationally. I think it’s crucial for people our age to get to know politics on a personal level as we are going to be voting for years to come and it’s important to learn early on what we consider to be the important issues and where we stand on them, no matter if you’re Republican or Democrat,” Marquis said.Marquis continued, “Students hold a lot of power with our passion for our values and opinions and it’s important we learn how to use or voices and our votes – and clubs like these are the ones that will motivate others to get involved.”

Brogan can be contacted at BWessell@kscequinox.com

Despite the controversy over the City of Keene’s cancellation of this year’s Pumpkin Festival, Keene State College has planned to stick to tradition and hold the annual Pumpkin Lobotomy event on campus.

Coordinator of Student Leadership Brandon Mathieu said it was a lengthy process in coming to the decision on whether or not Pumpkin Lobotomy should be held on account of last year’s incidents during the annual Pumpkin Festival.  “The Student Assembly Events Committee met with a variety of folks across campus, including college administration, some folks from the city of Keene and city college commission members to weigh out some ideas for the event. It was really the events committee taking feedback it has gotten from a bunch of constituencies and gearing it towards restructuring this year’s event to not look like it ever has in the past,” Mathieu said.

He continued, “It was also important to take into account some of the feelings about the things that went on last year and how we could still keep tradition, but also how we could put a different spin on it so it does not have the same connotation it might’ve had in the past.”

File photo / Tim Smith / Photo Editor

Student Body President Bobby Graham added, “A lot of passion went into this decision. Lobotomy is an event that was really important to the student body and that was our main focus in going through that lengthy process. That was the reason why it was so lengthy because we wanted to make sure that we did get all of it right to make sure that we were prepared to have a great event this year.”

“Lobotomy is now being held on November first, which is a Sunday. The idea is to give a much more fall festival-type feel rather than having a lot of the significance of the event surround the whole idea of the pumpkin. There will be a lot more apple-type food and a lot less pumpkins, but participants will have the option to either carve them or paint small sugar pumpkins,” Graham said.  Prior to reaching the decision to hold Lobotomy, Mathieu said that there was some fear regarding whether or not that they would be able to hold the event.  “Our original proposal for the event over the summer was to either hold Lobotomy on the weekend of October twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth, which is the Monadnock Pumpkin Festival, or the following weekend which would be Halloween. I think the events committee thought that would possibly leave the door open for anything to happen on either of those dates just because they are both high-profile weekends. We had to weigh the pros and cons for both of those weekends as well as take into consideration the concerns that folks had both on and off campus, which brought us back to the drawing board,” Mathieu said.

Mathieu said that taking all of the angles into consideration was really the key factor in making sure that Lobotomy did happen this year because there were a lot of concerns about the “what ifs” of what could happen during the month of October.

“The Student Assembly and the Events Committee did a good job at educating folks both on and off campus about how Pumpkin Lobotomy is and has always been an independent event from the Pumpkin Festival. Last year during Lobotomy there were no issues and we do not expect to have any this year,” Mathieu said.  Graham added that Lobotomy has been a longer standing tradition at the college than the Pumpkin Festival has been with the town, which was a major reason why they felt Lobotomy needed to happen this year.

“We are not trying to pretend that what happened last year didn’t happen. We are still very cautious of the incidents that took place but we are willing to look it in the face and say we’re going to own up and have a great event this year that really evokes the kind of pride and tradition that we are looking for instead of having a repeat of what happened,” Graham said.

File photo / Tim Smith / Photo Editor

In terms of restructuring the event, Graham said that some significant changes were made in order to give Lobotomy a more fall-festival type feel so that it could be a day where students, faculty and community members don’t just stumble into it to get free things and leave, but rather spend quite a bit of time there.

He continued, “There will also be student organization tables that are going to have pumpkin displays. The idea is that participants can sign up for these from basically whenever the event starts to whenever the event finishes and those organizations have that time to set up a pumpkin display of some sort, kind of like a toned down version of a float that you would see in a parade. We are still talking about prizes but the winners will get some sort of significant prize.”

Mathieu added that one of the major changes that were made for Lobotomy was the limiting the amount of student organizations that could set up a table while the event was going on. “Student organizations’ participation is limited to a first-come-first-serve basis. They will not be able to set up shop like they have in the past to give out food, do activities or give out free items. Their involvement would be their participation in the carving contest,” Mathieu said. Although a few major changes have been made to the overall significance of Lobotomy, Mathieu said that there would still be opportunities for carvers to show off their work just as they have done in the past.

“We will have the judging piece that will take place towards the end of the event that will identify the top three winning teams and then individuals who came and carved or painted a pumpkin can take that home with them for their own personal enjoyment. The Dining Commons and the Student Center have also offered to display the pumpkins for a set time period after the event either in the windows or somewhere throughout the buildings to just kind of showcase the work,” Mathieu said.

With Lobotomy being reconstructed to address all the concerns students, faculty and community members may have had, both Mathieu and Graham said that they are confident in having a great event this year.

“One of the major changes to the event was to sort of downscale with the hope of course that should this event be successful, which we expect it to be, so that we can get back on to that historical piece that has always been, for next year,” Mathieu said.

File photo / Tim Smith / Photo Editor

Graham added, “Honestly from my perspective and where we sit with Student Government, we hope to have a large event that is really able to encapsulate everything that Pumpkin Lobotomy has always been to the school, to the student body and to alumni even. We are aiming to just harness that energy in a way where we can all come together in a very civil way that fosters community peacefully and spreads joy and energy. So everything that lobotomy has always been.”

From the student perspective, senior Kiera Bisenius said a few rumors circulated around campus about how they would still be having Pumpkin Lobotomy this year, but she was not sure if they were true or not.

“I had heard a few times that Pumpkin Lobotomy was still going to happen this year but I honestly just assumed it was not going to actually happen because of everything that went on with Pumpkin Fest. I figured that all activities tied to it would thus be cancelled too,” Bisenius said. Like Bisenius, junior Gabriella Pace said that she also assumed that Lobotomy was going to be cancelled.  “I did not know that Lobotomy was happening this year. At first, I thought that lobotomy would be cancelled since Pumpkin Fest was cancelled. Then, when I heard they were doing Pumpkin Fest in a different town, I thought they would keep it and we could donate those pumpkins to Swanzey,” Pace said.

Both Bisenius and Pace said that they are in favor for the event to continue with the confirmation that Pumpkin Lobotomy is indeed happening this year.

“I think it is a good thing that Lobotomy is still going on. It is an event that has continued to bring our  school community together as one regardless of who you hang out with, what sports you play, or the classes you take. For that single event each fall the school is together on the Fiske Quad making crazy pumpkins and simultaneously making memories. It strengthen our bonds, our school spirit and the community as a whole,” Bisenius said. Bisenius added that she thinks the decision to continue to hold Pumpkin Lobotomy is good for the school’s image as a whole because she feels that it is important for people to see all the good that the KSC student body does on campus.

Pace said that she also thinks that it is a good idea to keep Lobotomy because it has always been a fun thing to do that has stayed cordial.

File photo / Tim Smith / Photo Editor

“I think that it keeps a good image and good spirit to continue doing the lobotomy. Keene holds a special tradition and although students ruined it, this small aspect is something that can remain the same,” Pace said. Bisenius said that she  is a regular attendant of the Pumpkin Lobotomy event and plans on enjoying her last Lobotomy at KSC this year.

“I have been attending Lobotomy since freshmen year. My friends and I all get together on the quad and we make a bunch of ridiculous looking pumpkins. We have a great time filled with great people and it is moments like these that really bring us all together,” Bisenius said.

Pace added, “I have attended this event every year and I hope for it to stay the same as it always has; a good time.”

In terms of her expectations for the upcoming event, Bisenius said that she is eager to take part in her final Lobotomy with the hope that she will still be able to display her pumpkin to the public.

“I hope that they display our pumpkins still because it is always so much fun trying to find where your pumpkin is so you can show it off to everyone. I think it is a great thing that they are still having this event. My senior year at KSC would not be the same without one last Pumpkin Lobotomy to take part in with all my friends I’ve made over the past four years,” Bisenius said.

Brogan can be contacted at bwessell@kscequinox.com

According to an article published by the Huffington Post, college students are twice as likely as the general population to be sleep deprived since they are faced with the challenge of balancing academics, athletics, employment and social lives.

First-year Anna O’Brien said that the transition from high school to college drastically hindered her sleep schedule, making it so she rarely gets a good night’s sleep.

“On a typical night I usually get four to six hours of sleep. I tend to procrastinate with my course load and end up having to stay up late to do it. The added stress of trying to get all my work done before morning also contributes to why I can never fall asleep,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien added that, since she is involved with both the Women’s Rugby and Women’s Lacrosse team, finding time during the day to get all her work done between classes and practices gets pretty challenging.

“I have rugby practice Monday through Friday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. with games on Saturday. For lacrosse, we have practices Wednesday and Thursday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. with weekend practices on Saturday’s from noon to 2:00. On top of my class schedule and trying to fit in some sort of downtime, getting my homework done at a reasonable hour to ensure a good night’s sleep is almost impossible,” O’Brien said.

In terms of managing her time between classes and practices, O’Brien said that her biggest time management strategy is avoiding naps during the day.

“My biggest thing is not taking naps, even when I am extremely tired. When I have downtime I try to make the most of it and get some piece of homework or studying done so I don’t have to stay up as late that night doing it,” O’Brien said.

She continued, “Since I do not take naps I am pretty exhausted by the end of the day, which makes falling asleep somewhat easier when I finally go to bed. I also make it a point to wake up at the same time every morning, even if I have a late afternoon class, so I can spend that time working on anything I have to do.”

Aside from course loads, stress and hectic practice schedules, O’Brien said that technology also factors into her sleep deprivation.

“When I am laying in bed I am constantly looking at something on my phone. I don’t have too much time to check it during the day, so when I finally do I spend a lot of time texting and checking social media,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien added that Netflix is another form of technology that distracts her from sleeping at night. “I can watch Netflix for hours. At the end of the day when I don’t have homework or practice, I like to just lie in bed and find something to watch,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said that her lack of sleep will affect her mood as well as her ability to focus and get her work done the following day.

George Amaru/ Art Director

“After not getting a good night’s sleep, sometimes I will wake up and just automatically be in a bad mood and that’ll really stop me from being able to get anything done that day. Since I have so much going on I cannot afford a day where I don’t cross off anything from the list of things I have to do,” O’Brien said.

Like O’Brien, senior Rachael Levy said that stress as well as a heavy course load make it so that she only gets three solid hours of sleep at night,since she is constantly thinking about the work she has to get done the next day.

“I try not to stay up too late doing homework because then when I try to go to bed my mind is still awake and thinking about school. I think that it is important to take some time to unwind and relax before going to bed, otherwise it is impossible to fall asleep,” Levy said.

Levy continued, “I think that having a different schedule every day contributes to people’s sleep schedule because you can’t get on a cycle that you can repeat everyday. Some days I have to stay up late and then I can sleep in late and then there are other days where I have to get up early so that messes up my sleep schedule.”

Senior Kiera Bisenius also weighed in on how academics prevented her from having a solid sleep schedule.

“Balancing my time between school work and everything else I have going on is difficult, but I always manage to get my work done. Sometimes I procrastinate with any homework or studying that I have to do, which causes me to stay up later than I wanted to,” Bisenius said.

Bisenius said that, although she ends up having to stay up late to get her work done, she uses her mornings to finish any other assignments that she couldn’t get to the night before.

“Waking up early the next morning and spending a few hours in the library are the best ways in which I get stuff done. If I sleep badly the night before, I’ll most likely have trouble focusing the next day but I always manage to complete all my assignments because I know not doing them is not an option,” Bisenius said.

When it comes to technology, Levy said that she has to silence her cell phone completely and make sure her television is completely off in order to fall asleep.

“Sometimes I don’t turn my phone on silent and then I get distracted by the noise it makes when it rings, which causes me to stay up later than I anticipated. If I try to fall asleep with my television on the noise and lights will also keep me from falling asleep,” Levy said. Bisenius added that her cell phone, as well as Netflix, easily distracts her when she is trying to go to sleep.

“When I finally stop working on homework and get into bed I’ll end up playing on my phone or watching an episode or two of something on Netflix. Even if I am exhausted at the end of the day, I’ll manage to get distracted from being on my phone or watching a TV show and stay up even later,” Bisenius said.

She continued, “Sometimes I can easily fall asleep with my cell phone on and my TV still running, but there are other nights when I need to turn everything off in order to fall asleep.”

As a result of having poor sleeping habits, Levy said that she sometimes finds it difficult to stay focused in class or get anything done the next day.

“When I am really tired in class and can’t focus, I find that my exhaustion really impacts my note taking skills along with preventing me from studying to my full ability,” Levy said.

Levy continued, “I try and push through the day and get everything done, but doing so on three or four hours of sleep is very difficult.”

In terms of changing any daily habits to ensure a better night’s sleep, Levy said that she does not see a way where she could alter anything in her life because she has such a heavy course load.

“Now that it is my senior year, this first semester is by far one of the busiest I have had. I would like to be able to change parts of my daily schedule so I can have more downtime and go to bed at a reasonable hour, but I know right now that isn’t too realistic. Poor sleeping habits just comes with being a college student,” Levy said.

Brogan Wessell can be contacted at bwessell@kscequinox.com

While the term “work study” implies that students who are eligible for specific on-campus positions will be able to do their homework while they are on the clock, that is not the case for all work study jobs.

Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations Deborah Nichols weighed in on the work-study process.

Nichols revealed that only a portion of students are able to become eligible for work-study, while others are able to apply for on-campus jobs through student-hourly.

“A student finds out if they are eligible for work study through their Expected Family Contribution. When students submit their FAFSA, there is a specific range of EFC that will determine if a student qualified for work-study,” Nichols said.

Nichols said that the purpose of a work-study position is not necessarily for students to be able to do their homework while they are on the job, but for their work schedules to be more flexible to work with their academic schedules while also being able to earn a bit of money.

“It is wrong for students to assume that they can do their homework

Cassie Baron / Equinox Staff

while they are at their work-study job. Work-study positions are similar to regular jobs that students would have out on the town with private companies. Through work-study, students are gaining experience in doing a job while balancing their education,” Nichols said.

She continued, “Another important thing about a work-study job is that it is not so much that students can do their homework on the job, but rather that the school is aware that when midterms and finals come up, hours can get changed.”

Nichols added that there is a limited number of work-study jobs that allow students to do their homework.

“It is up to the supervisors of work-study jobs about whether or not students can do their homework. If you can do your job and be able to study too than it is usually okay. If not, students need to accept that they are there to do a job,” Nichols said.

In terms of what students may get out of the work-study experience, Nichols said that she believes students are gaining valuable real-world experience and time management and communication skills that will benefit them in their future careers.

“When I went back to school I got a work-study job in the Financial Aid Office. I eventually got an office position and worked my way up to become the Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations,” Nichols said.

Senior Emily Conrad stated that she has had her work-study job as a facility supervisor at the KSC Recreation Center for four years.

“My responsibilities at my job include filling out memberships for faculty/staff/alumni. I am also in charge of swiping IDs for access to the facility and give out sport equipment and cubby lockers,” Conrad stated.

Conrad stated that the Recreation Center does not allow work-study staff to do their homework while they are on the clock, even when their shifts are four hours long on the weekends.

“At times work can interfere with my school work. I have five classes this semester and usually work in between them during my free time which can cause difficulties in getting assignments done, or studying,” Conrad stated.

Conrad added that the gym did not always have a no-homework policy for work-study staff, “When I started this job freshmen year, the staff was allowed to do homework. When the rules changed, I was shocked and disappointed. Although I was working, it was nice to have the time if there was downtime to be able to study or do some homework.”

With juggling work, academics and a social life, Conrad stated that her time management skills have become stronger throughout her four years at KSC.

“I have to make daily schedules to know when I can fit in school work and making time to actually use the gym and exercise. In terms of having a social life, I have to really plan on staying up late some nights throughout the week to be able to enjoy the weekends,” Conrad stated.

In terms of seeing other work-study students who are able to do their homework while they are working, Conrad stated she finds it frustrating that they can and she cannot.

“I know of a few students who have work study jobs that allow homework while working. I find it frustrating that some campus jobs do not allow homework when we are here to be students first, but then some jobs can be lenient about doing school work,” Conrad stated. Although Conrad is amongst the group of work-study students who cannot do their homework, senior Rebecca Marquis revealed that her job in the President’s Office does.

Marquis said that she has had her work-study job as a Student Assistant in the President’s Office for two years.

“My duties mostly include clerical work. I help clean up and organize around the office, run errands, answer phones and take messages, help out with campus wide mailings, update files, etc.,” Marquis said.

Marquis added that her job is pretty flexible in terms of doing homework while she is at work and that her boss has always told her to bring work with her in case they have a slow day.

“Sometimes I have been pretty stressed out about getting things in on time when I am at work. My work schedule doesn’t interfere with everything as much as it just adds to my day. When I work it just makes my days pretty long going from work in the morning and then straight to classes for the rest of the day,” Marquis said.

Although Marquis is allowed to work on her assignments at her job, she said that it is still necessary to prioritize her time between her course load, work schedule and friends.

“When I am allowed to do homework at work, I have to make sure that all my other tasks at work are done. If something comes up I have to put my homework aside and do my job, which makes something like reading or studying hard to do in the office, but I am lucky enough to be able to bring things into work on,” Marquis said.

She continued, “Academics come first obviously. I always make time for studying and getting homework done before I let myself do anything else with friends or clubs.”When she first started her job at the President’s Office, Marquis said that she did not expect them to allow her to do homework during downtimes.

“Being able to work on homework while I am at work has definitely helped me stay on top of my academics. If I weren’t allowed to work on stuff I think I would struggle a lot more with getting everything done on time and done well. Especially with my senior seminar classes, I have a ton of reading to get done each week so being able to do that while I am at work is a blessing,” Marquis said.

Brogan Wessell can be contacted at Bwessell@kscequinox.com

As students take the leap from high school to college, they are expected to take on a newfound sense of independence.

With their final year ahead of them, Keene State College seniors weighed in on how such a transition shaped them for the real world.

Senior Jillian Marlowe said that prior to college she would rely on her mom to wake her up, remind her of upcoming appointments and other tasks that she now has to depend on herself to remember.

“When I was in high school I would have class at eight in the morning. I would never have to set an alarm clock because I knew my mom would wake me up. She would wake me up if I took a nap and would also be there to remind me of any appointment that I had coming up,” Marlowe said.

She continued, “Now that I am responsible for being up when I have to and remembering any upcoming appointment, I started having to write almost everything down.”

Marlowe said that although she took on way more responsibilities when she came to college, she had always been pretty independent.

“I have always done everything on my own, like cook food, do homework, etc. It was just different coming to college because there wasn’t that extra eye or reminder about something. I’m wicked forgetful,” Marlowe said.

Kendall Pope / Managing Executive Editor

In terms of going home for weekends and breaks, Marlowe said that after living on her own for the duration of the school year going home wasn’t what it used to be.

“Its definitely different when I go home. I hate having someone tell me what to do and ask me what I am doing, constantly. At school you can do whatever you want, when you want and how you want to do it. At home it all depends on what your parents want and what they approve or disapprove,” Marlowe said.

With every new school year, Marlowe said that being on her own and having to do everything by herself got easier and had a positive impact on the person that she is today.

“I definitely think that having to take on the responsibilities that I normally wouldn’t had a positive change on the type of person that I am. I think it is more you find who you are and what you want to be since you have more opportunities to do things how you want without asking for approval,” Marlowe said.

Marlowe added that although she is going to continue to need her parents help financially, doing chores, remembering appointments and getting her work done on her own has been beneficial because she learned how to be more responsible for  the stuff she had to get used to doing without her parents.

Senior Matthew Pereira also weighed in on how he has embraced adulthood.

“My responsibilities have changed drastically moving to college, especially when I moved off campus. I am now responsible for paying my bills, buying my groceries, as well as keeping and maintaining my apartment so I do not get evicted,” Pereira said.

He continued, “I am also more responsible for myself. My parents aren’t here to make sure I do all of those things, so if something doesn’t get done or goes wrong I have to be held accountable.”

Pereira said that adjusting to doing everything on his own was not that hard because his parents held him accountable for a lot of things when he was in high school.

“It was my responsibility to do laundry, do the dishes, clean my room and make my bed. If I didn’t clean my room or anything like that my parents would be like ‘oh okay that’s your problem,” Pereira said.

Pereira said that he progressively noticed changes in himself as he started taking on more responsibilities.

“I began to see that not only do I hold myself to a higher standard of responsibility, but I hold others [to that responsibility] as well. I can’t stand when other people cannot be responsible for themselves or rely on others to get things done. We are adults, we should be accountable for getting things done, and getting them done right,” Pereira said.  As Pereira prepares for graduation, he said that the responsibilities he had taken on and learned throughout his four years at KSC have trained him for the real world.

“I know how to pay my bills, get rent in on time, and meet deadlines. I also know how to live on my own without relying on my parents to do things. I will be ready to live right on my own after I graduate for sure,” Pereira said.

Senior Hayley Grove stated that although she would call her mom with a million questions about how to do things, her adjustment to adulthood was less difficult than she expected it to be.

“When I got to college I definitely had to start taking care of myself. I realized I would get sick a lot because I wasn’t eating right. I also had to start paying for a lot of things on my own without the help of my parents, so that was tough,” Grove stated.   She continued, “I have always been very independent, so it was not hard having to do things by myself.”

Similar to Marlowe, Grove stated that when she goes home she continues to act independently and do everything she needed on her own.

“When I go home now I still pay for everything on my own. I rarely ask my parents for money and I can get by comfortably with my summer job. I have noticed that I tend to keep my distance from my parents now, just because I feel as though I am almost ready to move out and be on my own for good,” Grove stated.

As far as change goes, Grove stated that the biggest adjustment she had to make as a result of her newfound independence had to do with her financial situation.

“I have to pay my own bills now, so that is pretty stressful. I don’t think much else has changed though,” Grove stated.

With one year left at KSC, Grove stated that she is very ready to take on the real world.

“Living off campus has taught me a lot about how to take care of a home, how to cook since I don’t have a meal plan, how to pay bills, and [all] of that adult stuff. It’s a little scary being on my own, but I know my mom is always just a phone call away,” Grove stated.

Brogan Wessell can be contacted at bwessell@kscequinox.com

After three years of serving custom hot dogs to the late night crowd, Alpha Dogs closed down their previous location on Winchester Street with future plans to create a food truck that will travel throughout campus as well as other places.

Alpha Dog’s owner, Ali Taylor, stated that the idea for the relocation from storefront to food truck came

Photo Illustration by George Amaru/ Alpha Dog logo courtsey of Alpha Dog Facebook

about after it had become clear that they were never going to grow past the late night crowd. “It is taking time to get the food truck plans up and running. We want to do it justice right out of the gate. When you see the big yellow food truck roll through town you know it’s time to decide F-Bomb or the Bizzness,” Taylor stated.

Taylor added that Alpha Dogs also plans on becoming mobile with the hopes to target a larger crowd.  “Alpha Dogs has always had the plan in place to be mobile. Now it’s time to put that in motion,” Taylor said. She continued, “With having a food truck instead of just a store-front, Alpha Dogs can expand into functions and events, as well as target a bigger late night crowd,” Taylor stated.

In terms of student’s reactions to the news of the relocation, junior Paul Bourque said that he was not happy when he first heard about the move.

“At first I was mad because I thought that they closed for good. However, now that I heard that they have a food truck I think it is a better idea because people will be more likely to get Alpha Dogs if they are all around campus,” Bourque said.

Senior Christy McGraw also weighed in on her initial reaction to the relocation.

“I was disappointed because Alpha dogs was a huge late night hit for Keene’s college students. It’s sad that the incoming freshmen and transfer students currently have not experienced Alpha dogs. I know a lot of returning students were looking forward to stopping by when they moved back into Keene,” McGraw stated.

She continued, “Personally I think their business was fine just how it was before. It was always packed whenever I went there, which is a great thing for their business.” Prior to their relocation, Bourque said that he would visit Alpha Dogs at least once a week.

“I would go to Alpha Dogs all the time, usually late night when I was coming back from a party,” Bourque said. Bourque added that he would choose to go to Alpha Dogs rather than other late night food establishments because of the great customer service, good prices and quality of food.

With the future plan of relocating to an Alpha Dog’s food truck, McGraw stated that her original impression was that it was a bad idea because she questioned how students would know where to find it.

“Honestly I think it could go either way for the food truck. If they find a successful way to get the word out to students where the truck will be and [if] it’s convenient then I think they will do fine. On the other hand, if it’s not close to campus or easily accessible, then I’m sure many students will not make the effort to walk around and find it late at night,” McGraw said.

McGraw added that despite her original impression of the food truck, she felt that with knowing Alpha Dogs’ reputation she’s sure that it’ll be successful.

“If the truck is easily accessible and convenient to campus and the majority of the college’s population then students will still go find it.” McGraw said.

Brogan Wessell can be contacted at bwessell@kscequinox.com