Downtown Keene has gone three years without Pumpkin Festival, and it is making it’s debut back to town very soon.

With the arrival coming quickly, Keene State College has been taking precautionary measures to ensure this year’s festival goes smoothly. Last week, Interim President Dr. Melinda Treadwell sent an email to staff and faculty members seeking their help.

Treadwell stated in the email, “I am reaching out to ask if you would be willing to serve as a KSC volunteer. If you plan to be on campus or in town on October 28 or 29 and can volunteer to represent our community on campus and in surrounding neighborhoods, I have two requests: first, please contact Rebecca.Dixon@keene.edu by October 25 to get some tips and training on how to recognize and report situations of concern that you encounter. Second, wear Keene State colors, so that you can be more easily recognized as the College’s staff or faculty. Having you in our community demonstrates our engagement, and provides an opportunity to encourage our students to participate in healthy activities, including the many volunteer opportunities that we have arranged during both festivals.”

Treadwell said the college has been in close communication with other sources of help with the festival such as event organizers, the City of Keene, Keene Police and Keene Fire Departments.

Treadwell also suggested that if campus community members aren’t volunteering, they should become trained on how to be a responsible bystander to gain heightened awareness of how to handle difficult situations. Step Up training is available on Oct. 13 by registering online.

Treadwell anticipates this year’s events will be successful and will not result in recurrences of past issues.

Emma Hamilton can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com

Researching to give back to the field is something Associate Professor in the Health Science and Addictions option Dr. John Finneran is in the process of doing.

Finneran said he has been studying recovery literatures. “Specifically [looking at] the literature of narcotics anonymous, which is a 12-step program and to see how we might be able to use some of the principles of recovery and behavior change that is contained within some of the literature to support counselors who both work with folks who have substance use disorders and to support them in making more effective referrals to 12-step programs. This is qualitative research,” Finneran explained.

Benajil Rai / Equinox Staff

Finneran has been working on this research for the past year. He was approved for a faculty development grant last year and was on sabbatical for a semester last spring, which allowed him to able to focus on the research with professionals in the field and participants of the study.

“The process has been identifying a focus group of individuals who are  in the field and then conducting a group in which the principles of recovery contained in step one and that have been written about in a recovery book by narcotics anonymous called, ‘It works. How and why,’ which contains an explanation of their 12 steps and 12 traditions to introduce this first chapter on step one to the group and ask them to identify what behavior strategies they are noticing within the commentary and if that would be something that they could incorporate within their work,” Finneran said.

Finneran further explained that the research being conducted is going to be the creation of a documentary. The principle recording has been done at the Media Center at Assumption College, according to Finneran. He himself is from that area, and many of the participants also come from the central Massachusetts area.

“We have already done screening interviews and we have conducted the focus group and we are now in the process of analyzing the data that was recorded and see if we can come up with not only a documentary film that we can offer to counselors and to students here at the school within the addiction option, but also to see if we can publish this as a paper and maybe make a presentation at a area or national conference,” Finneran said. Finneran said the main reason he wanted to do this research was to, “give back and help the helpers.”

“As you are probably well aware there is a huge epidemic with opioids. Fentanyl has crept into the mix and it is related to a lot of the overdoses that we see. Fortunately Keene as an institution has been largely spared that, but if you go outside of the campus, a couple weeks ago, there were four overdoses in the city. The fentanyl is a big deal. Alcohol and tobacco haven’t gone anywhere and they claim a lot of lives too but this is one epidemic, so we want to help support people that are trying to do the work and we want to offer things to our students here. You guys will go forth to serve long after we have taken our basketballs and gone home for the day and then you will be the field,” Finneran said.

He continued by saying he has been in the field for a lengthy amount of time. He said, “My training is in the area of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and somewhere along the journey, I came into contact with  the 12 steps of recovery as you can see in alcoholics anonymous and narcotics anonymous.

Emma can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com.

The second annual Teach-In on Tuesday, Sept. 26, gave students and faculty the time to pause every day routines and have conversations that don’t always fit into the daily classroom schedule.

This years’ theme was titled, “Insider/Outsider Dilemma,” and presentations throughout the day were based around this.

Brendan Jones / Equinox Staff

The all-day event began in the morning in the Flag Room with opening remarks from the Coordinator of the Office of Multicultural Student Support and Success Rocio Mora, Interim President Dr. Melinda Treadwell and Student Body Vice President Sarah Dugas.

Mora was a part of the planning committee for the Teach-In.

“I have been a part of the committee since we initially thought of this idea and it has just been a joy to be a part of it. It’s really the entire community; it’s not just one or two professors or a couple staff members, it’s everyone,” Mora said.

She said the committee puts in a lot of thought about dates when planning this event, making it possible for the majority of campus to be able to attend.

Mora said, “Trying to make sure we steer clear of midterms, finals, any holidays, but clearly it’s not going to happen on the first day of school, but really what we feel would be best for the community. We pick a date based on that and then we just kind of fly with it and then we decide on a specific topic that is also general enough that really lets people be really creative in the type of sessions that they give.”

Brendan Jones / Equinox Staff

Mora said compared to last year, the committee has more program proposals than they did the previous year, which she considers “phenomenal.”

She added the programs are all varied and cover the whole spectrum.

“It’s just great, it shows how much this community is just wanting to get together and have these types of conversations in a safe way and knowing that, ‘Okay, yeah you might be complete opposite of me, you might hate everything I stand for, but we can still stand here and talk to each other and be very respectful of one another and still break brand. We can still breathe the same air and be in the same room.’ There’s so much difference in this world, why do we have to contain it?” Mora said.

Mora said she sees the importance of having the Teach-In on campus.

She said, “I think Keene State is really setting itself up for a great future in how the Teach-In is going to impact campus life. There’s going to be more students wanting to present, more faculty members wanting to jump in and say, ‘Hey I have this great idea.’ That’s what we want.”

Brendan Jones / Equinox Staff

Mora continued, “Of course, we would love for this to be a cancel all classes and we have 300 sessions going on; that would be incredibly insane for us, but that would be amazing at the same time. It’s giving people the space…to have that opportunity to say what is on their mind.”

Senior secondary education and English major Heather Bilodeau attended the Teach-In last year and decided to go again this year.

“As a future teacher, it’s really important to be a part of the community of teachers, I think. We have so many intelligent and very well-versed professors on campus; it’s important to go and listen to what their experiences are and what they have to say. They know so much more than we do and we can learn so much,” Bilodeau said. Bilodeau went to a presentation by Emily Sharpe last year and planned to do so again this year.

“It makes you really think about your identity as a student on campus and also just in the world in general. It was kind of an outsiders within perspective and is what she is kind of aiming towards in this session as well and maybe a furthering of it. She is a Canadian immigrant, so she talked about immigrants and she is also Jewish, so she kind of has the double edge sword if you will or being sort of a foreigner in the country,” Bilodeau said.

Bilodeau said she believes it’s important we have the Teach-In because of the diversity Keene State has on it’s campus.

Brendan Jones / Equinox Staff

She said, “we need to be aware and welcoming and if there are going to be more people that come on to campus whether they be a refugee or an immigrant or someone just traveling we should learn to be welcoming.”

Interim President Dr. Melinda Treadwell was able to be here for her first Teach-In at Keene State.

“For me, what’s exciting about it is, as I said in the introduction, is it’s the chance like with the topic insider outsider, it’s the chance for us to extend our classroom and to engage our students in real open conversation of topics you might not get in a class. It’s the chance to make our classroom walls fall apart, disappear and students actually getting conversation in a different way. That’s what I like about it and I’m hoping I can get to some sessions today,” Treadwell said.

She added she was very excited for the day ahead.

Treadwell said, “The topics look great, they’re all connected, but they just go deeper on topics like white supremacy [and] stereotypes; it’s just really exciting.”

In years to come, Treadwell has hopes this continues on campus.

“Our students love it from everything I am hearing. If it’s as strong for students as it is for me and my staff and faculty, then I definitely want it to keep happening,” Treadwell said.

Emma Hamilton can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com 

The sense of community has been present these first few weeks of the new academic year, and Interim President Melinda Treadwell intends to keep it here at Keene State College.

Treadwell is bringing back something that KSC use to do on Fridays.

She is encouraging campus community members to wear KSC colors and apparel. Treadwell said the staff recognition council began talking about, “Lee denim day,” or, “casual Friday,” until one council member proposed a new idea.

Photo illustration by Jacob Paquin/Photo Editor

“They said that we use to celebrate KSC Pride Day, so people, anyone on campus, can wear Keene State colors or Keene State apparel and I said, ‘That’s a great idea,’ to try help bring back some energy around the positivity of this community and I said, ‘Let’s do it again,’” Treadwell said.

She explained this is something she plans to try over the next six weeks to see how people react to it, and if it is something the campus enjoys, she plans to continue it throughout the year.

Treadwell said, “It’s a way to show our connection to this community.”

Treadwell said when she rejoined our community six short weeks ago, she noticed that the culture had been changed a bit since she was last here.

“The culture wasn’t as warm, the culture wasn’t as fun as it had been in the past. We weren’t celebrating who we were in the same way or who we always have been in our history. I wanted to do something fun. We’re going to try to do light things this year to help us remember that we are a serious institution of learning, but we are also a place of community,” Treadwell said.

She continued, “And community means laughter, community means caring about one another, community means having a shared experience, so that shared experience is the Keene State experience. So this is a way to visibly manifest my hope that we’ll start living as a community in kinship and colleagueship with each other again.”

Many of Admitted Student Days and tours for prospective students fall  on Fridays. Having this school spirit on Fridays could make a difference while people are visiting.

“My hope is that they [visitors and prospective students] will see a community that is connected with one another [and shows] we care about each other and we care about this institution. We are connected with it in a way that we’re willing to say, ‘We are Keene State,’ and that is something I really hope that people will see and feel when they come here because if students are trying to decide where to go, a lot of times what makes the decision is, ‘is there a community I’m going to feel comfortable in?’” Treadwell said.

Assistant Director of Admissions Kevin Justice is on board with Treadwell’s idea. He said he loves this concept Treadwell is proposing.

“We have actually done it before. It was something we had years ago that we used to do. I think it really does bring a sense of camaraderie and togetherness and spirit [and] I think we need to improve the filling of spirit on this campus. Even if it starts with the little thing of wearing a Keene State shirt on Friday, that’s awesome,” Justice said.

Justice said when he visits other institutions and sees their community doing this that it has a presence and is very noticeable. As he works with prospective students often, he thinks this will truly make an impact on them.

He said, “I think it’ll make them [prospective students] feel like there’s a sense of spirit here. You know they have that saying, ‘fake it till you make it,’ and we’re trying to improve that aspect of Keene State as far as just getting more spirit. I think when they walk on campus and see that they’re going to have this feeling of, ‘Wow, these people really like this place.’ It’s not that it’s not true, we just really haven’t made it visible.”

Having Treadwell here at KSC is a good addition to the campus, according to Justice.

“I think everything about her [Treadwell] is Keene State. That’s what I love about the fact that she is where she is. I have known Melinda since I first got here and having her as the president has already brought people’s spirits up. I think that she lives and dies for Keene State. I mean she’s a grad from here, being a first-generation student, she was in the same situation as a lot of other students. I think that everything about her is Keene State, it’s awesome,” Justice said.

Transitions Case Manager Matthew Schmidt said having these spirit Fridays is positive for Keene State.

“I think the little things like that that bring positive energy and give people the opportunity to maybe express that spirit. Sometimes, those little things get taken for granted and so having it come from leadership and you hear, ‘We’re excited about this,’ it’s a really positive thing from around. Especially with there being a lot of challenges in higher ed right now and at Keene State, so that energy is encouraging,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said Treadwell’s presence on campus is very noticeable, especially during New Student Orientation.

“Her experience that she brings to the table with some of the different things, the goals the college has, her experiences and the way you can tell there’s a sense of confidence you get in her ability to apply those experiences here. Being an alum and an athlete here, she has this investment in Keene that also comes with a lot of trust,” Schmidt said.

Treadwell said she isn’t completely sure of a permanent name for these school spirit Friday’s.

“We’re currently calling it KSC Pride Day but I think it can easily get mixed up with the student organization. It use to be KSC Fridays. I would welcome help with picking a name for it that would be engaging and attractive to students. This is what it should be about, it’s us, it’s our staff, our faculty but it’s really about our students and potential students,” Treadwell said.

Emma Hamilton can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com

Students left campus last spring with one leader of the college, and returned this fall to an unexpected surprise.

According to the University System of New Hampshire [USNH] press release, Keene State College Former President Anne E. Huot announced on June 26 that she would be stepping down, “for personal and professional reasons.” Much of the campus community was shocked by this decision that left returning students unsure of what to expect for this fall.

Senior and General Manager of WKNH Nick Busby would classify Huot’s stepping down as, “abrupt.”

Photo contributed by William Wrobel

“She’s been here the entire time I’ve been a student here, so I kind of just expected that to continue on,” Busby said. He heard of her departure via his Facebook feed and was shocked at the news over the summer.

Senior and student body President Kenadee Cadieux agrees she was very surprised by Huot’s resignation and thought she [Huot] had at least another year of presidency for the college.

Cadieux said, “with the suddenness of Huot stepping down it has left student government wondering what is going to happen.” Though Cadieux said her organization is uneasy as to where things will go, she did note how quickly USNH filled the role of presidency at KSC.

In a press release on July 19, USNH wrote, “The University System Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Dr. Melinda Treadwell, the current Provost, and CEO at Antioch University, has been selected to serve as Interim President of Keene State College. Dr. Treadwell will be working with Chancellor Todd Leach and the USNH Board of Trustees to advance the college during this transition period.”

According to the Keene Sentinel, Treadwell will be serving as the president until a permanent replacement is named.

Senior and Orientation Coordinator Bailey St. Laurent said he was happy Treadwell was stepping in to fill the position. “I was looking forward to change, because change is good.”

He continued, “the school needed someone closer to home. Someone that was more well rounded in what Keene is about and understands the community relationship we have here. Having an alumni in this position at a very sensitive time with Keene State is a really good move and I’m happy that Melinda wanted to step up and do that.”

Treadwell was a presence on campus during Welcome Days for first-year students, according to St. Laurent. He said it was great having the President be apart of first-year move-in day.

St. Laurent said Treadwell ate lunch with the families of first-year students and helped with the move-in process.

Busby said, “there’s now the opportunity for change and I think having President Huot step down shouldn’t be a reason to look down upon her. She [Treadwell] comes in with an open-mind and everyone else should keep an open-mind too.”

Before the semester began, Busby had the opportunity to personally meet Treadwell. He said, “She was very very sweet.”

“She was doing a PSA on freshman move-in day because we were DJing it. She just came right in while I was sitting there with my co-workers and shook my hand with a smile while introducing herself. She did what she had to do and as she was leaving she thanked us for having her and told us she had fun and appreciated us for doing it. It was a very welcoming and warm experience,” Busby said.

In Busby’s past three years of attending KSC, he never once had a conversation with Huot.

On the other hand, Cadieux said student government has had what she considers, “a good working relationship,” with Huot. She said, “We are just starting over with the new president. We haven’t had a lot of experiences with her yet but from what we have seen and how willing she is getting to know students and help anyway she can I think it’s going to have a very positive impact on everything.”

Cadieux also said she feels as if there has been negative energy on campus in recent years. She is unsure whether it comes from the students or faculty but thinks the groups haven’t been coming together. “I’m hoping the new president will mesh those divides and help fill in the gaps. I hope she helps bridge the divide that has separated everyone,” Cadieux said.

Cadieux said her first impressions of Treadwell are positive. She noted that Treadwell is kind and brings good energy. “She cares about the students and that’s important when you’re the president of the college,” Cadieux said.

Busby said whenever a new person comes into office there is always the possibility for change. He continued, “She [Treadwell] brings a lot to the table for Keene State. Having the new president come up to me and be very welcoming and warm is a change in pace in a positive way.”

As students aren’t completely sure where this change in leadership could take the college, several are thinking the odds are in their favor. Cadieux said, “I’m hoping having her here with affect the college positively and that it will lighten the air and energy on campus. Hopefully it will also bring the college and Keene community together.”

Emma Hamilton can be contacted at  ehamilton@kscequinox.com

Disclosure: Emma Hamilton is a member of Student Government. To avoid a conflict of interest, Equinox editor Grace Pecci conducted the interview with Kenadee Cadieux, Student Body President. 

Grace can be contacted at gpecci@kscequinox.com.

The annual Greek Week took place last week for the fraternity and sorority organizations on campus.

Activities ranged from the beginning parade, to games and nighttime acts that could make the room laugh. Between the combined eight fraternities and sororities on campus, they all had the chance to come together with their common passion of being a part of Greek life on Keene State College’s (KSC’s) campus.

Junior sociology major and Delta Phi Epsilon president Briannah Bellot said being apart of Greek life means the world to her.

Photo contributed by Sarah Young

“My favorite part of Greek Week is definitely Airband. Airband is an event where all fraternities and sororities plan a five to seven minute routine and showcase it to the Greek community in the Mabel Brown Room. It is so amazing to see all the hard work each organization puts into this event and it is so rewarding to be a part of that,” Bellot said.

With being apart of Greek life, Bellot said she has been able to grow as a person and create connections with members of the Greek community. She said, “I have found a support system through my organization and through the Greek community and that is so important to me. Joining Greek Life has truly bettered my college experience in ways I could’ve never imagined.”

Junior film production major and Delta Xi Phi sorority President Sarah Young said the purpose of Greek Week is to get all the Greek organizations together for fun and friendly competition. “It builds our community up and helps orgs get the opportunity to work together and get to know each other better,” Young said.

Young considers being apart of Greek life a “privilege,” to her. She said, “It means not only do I have my sisters behind me, but I have an entire community of brothers and sisters that want to see me succeed. It means I have the support to step out of my comfort zone and do things I never thought I could. It is because of my sisters that I am president of my organization and it is an opportunity that I will always be glad I was given.”

Junior dual major in elementary education and women’s and gender studies and Phi Sigma Sigma sorority President Christina Entwistle said Greek Week gives the community a chance to be able to just enjoy each other’s presence and have a little friendly competition doing so.

Photo contributed by Gianpaolo Colasacco

“It is the perfect opportunity to get to spend time with your own organization as well as the other Greek organizations on campus. It is the best week of the year and creates a positive impact on the relationships between each of the orgs by the amount of time that we get to spend together,” Entwistle said.

Entwistle said being apart of Greek life “truly means the world” to her.

She continued, “I have grown so much as a woman, as well as a leader, because of Greek life and the amazing people that I am surrounded by. I could not imagine my college career without Phi Sig, as well as the Greek community. Within this community, there are so many amazing people who push me to be the best version of myself and be the best president of my organization and I could never thank Greek life enough for the positive impact that it has made in my life.”

Entwistle and Young both agree with Bellot that Airband is the best part about Greek week.

Junior women’s and gender studies major and Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity president Gianpaolo Colasacco said his favorite part of Greek Week is seeing all his brothers all together at the events. He said, “I love Greek Week because it’s the one time of the year where everyone in the community comes together and is able to celebrate the accomplishments we complete all year.”

colton mccracken / equinox staff

He continued by saying it’s fun for all the organizations to be together. “Also, no one is perfect and when we mess up in a game, everyone laughs and has a good time together. The week-long games bring everyone together and it’s like one big family reunion,” Colasacco said.

Colasacco considers Greek life to be an important part in his college experience. He said, “Greek life means brotherhood and sisterhood. It’s all about connection and lifelong relationships. Greek life means that you will always have each other’s backs with your own organization and others as well.”

Junior geography major and Sigma Pi fraternity president Timothy Peterson said Greek Week gives an opportunity for the community to come together and thrive as a whole.

“While the competitions are structured to put organizations against other organizations, by the end of the week, we’re all in it together and willing to help people not because of the letters on their shirt [if there are any at all], but just out of the hope that they will pass on that kindness. It is one of my favorite weeks of the year and there’s something new to love about it every time around,” Peterson said.

He considers the Greek community at KSC to go “above and beyond any other family or community that I have experienced at Keene, even though there are many other notable communities.”

colton mccracken / equinox staff

Peterson continued, “It’s so far spread across so many disciplines that you’ll find it easy to make new friends anywhere and everywhere you go. There is a general trust and understanding across the community that isn’t available anywhere you go.”

Senior secondary education and history major Tau Kappa Epsilon, Lambda-Sigma Chapter, President Aaron Williams said he considers Greek Week to be essential to KSC and college campuses.

Williams said, “This week grants individuals the opportunity to meet new people through activities and competition. Although winning Greek Week is an awesome reward, it is not the only task on the agenda. For myself, I love this week because I am able to meet new faces and to build my network of friends and acquaintances. Above all, the purpose of Greek Week is to reinstate a sense of community in the fraternity and sorority life and to celebrate our active role as members in our organization.”

When Williams joined Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) in the fall of 2014, he said he knew he had joined something bigger than himself. “Since then, the opportunities that Greek life has offered me are monumental. My leadership skills have become refined, my confidence has been lifted and my understand of grit and perseverance has been redefined. TKE has perpetuated my potential for success and looking towards the future, I am confident that I will be able to overcome adversities because of my experience in Greek life,” Williams said.

Psi Upsilon and Phi Lambda Chi fraternity presidents were reached for comment and did not respond.

Emma Hamilton can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com

It’s an impulse to look at it. Being connected is a driving force. The small piece of technology able to fit in her pocket helps Dakota Umbro avoid awkward situations.

Keene State College (KSC) junior Umbro considers herself to depend on her phone. “I always have it on me and check it too many times a day,” Umbro said. Her cell phone is nothing but a distraction at work and school, according to Umbro. When it goes off in her pocket, it’s “instinct” to check it right away, or rather a habit. She finds herself on it, often ignoring the assignments she should be doing.

Samantha Moore / Art Director

Most think of addiction relating to drugs, but it applies to much more than just that. The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as being, “characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response.”

Psychology major at KSC Eric Davis believes that everyone will consider the excessive use of cellphones as an addiction in the near future because most do not believe it to be an addiction currently.

Director of the Center for Internet Technology Dr. David Greenfield said around 90 percent of Americans overuse, abuse or misuse their cell phone. The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction (CITA) serves as one of the world’s preeminent resources for neurobiological and psychological research into internet and technology addiction, dependency and abuse.

According to the PEW Research Center, “67 percent of smartphone owners have admitted to checking their phone for calls or messages when their phone hasn’t vibrated or made any noise. This is one major sign of cell phone dependence and should serve as a warning to cell phone owners.” The PEW Research Center provides information on social issues, public opinion and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world.

Science News for Students reported college students use their cellphone around nine hours per day. Science News for Students is an award-winning online publication dedicated to providing age-appropriate, topical science news to learners, parents and educators.

KSC first-year student Katherine Flight said she spends much more than just nine hours a day on her phone, but probably most of her day attached to it.

Flight said, “I feel the need to stay connected to my friends and family at all times.” She said she finds herself aimlessly scrolling through social media for hours to know what everyone is up to.

While in classes, Flight spends most of the hour and 45 minutes absorbed in it. She said she knows it’s a big distraction when it comes to her academic work.

Not only do both Umbro and Flight spend a number of hours on their phones throughout the day, they are sleeping with their phones too.

Luckily for them, sleeping with their phones just got healthier. Psychologists World reported on “the new update for Apple products, including iPhone and iPads have a feature called, ‘Night Shift.’ This feature adjusts the tint of the colors on your screen to reduce exposure to the blue light that illuminates from your phone. The tint of color changes to a warmer hue, which is supposed to minimize the disruption to the sleep-wake cycle.”

Both Umbro and Flight use their cell phones for more than just a phone. They use it as an alarm clock too. Umbro said, “I find myself scrolling through social media before falling asleep and I tend to stay on my phone if I, ‘can’t sleep.’” Flight said almost every night she falls asleep while using her cell phone.

The blue light that illuminates from cell phones has a negative effect on your melatonin levels because the light tells our bodies to stay awake and alert, according to the Sleep Institute. The Sleep Institute helps people who suffer from snoring and sleep apnea.

Even with the dependency that individuals have on cellphones, day and night, when the piece of technology dies or breaks, there’s a feeling of relief.

Flight said she usually always has her phone charged, but if it does die and she doesn’t have a charger, she goes about her day without it. With it, she’s attached and without it she doesn’t mind not having it.

Umbro said without her phone, “It is a very nice break. I feel like I am underground and nothing really matters outside of my present life.”

Being glued to cell phones lessens face-to-face interaction. Look around at a restaurant and chances are you’ll see individuals sucked into their cell phones rather than enjoying time with one another. Addiction Tips said people have a higher value on staying current with what’s going on in the social media world. Addiction Tips is an online resource for everything addiction related. They have a team of writers that includes addiction specialists, as well as recovering addicts. Medical Daily said taking out your phone at the dinner table could be an indicator of addictive behavior. Medical Daily covers health and science news that matters most to the current generation.

Umbro said, “I feel as though the vast cellphone use is breaking down the ability to have verbal conversations.” She also said that she tries to be conscious about being on her phone while she’s with her significant other and family. During meals, she said she tries more to engage with whomever she is with, rather than being on her phone because she feels that it is rude to be on your phone while eating.

Flight said her parents become upset when she is on her phone at the dinner table texting rather than visiting with them.

Though these KSC students are using the handheld technology several hours throughout the day, they are still trying to use it less and less. Flight said she is trying to use her phone less because she finds herself on it for hours while she could be doing other more productive things such as homework, going to the gym or spending time with friends. Umbro said lately, she is trying to be mindful about how much she is using her cell phone.

Davis said, “I have definitely been trying to use my phone less. It’s a distraction and I found when I use social media less, I feel overall better and less anxious.”

Emma Hamilton can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com

The organization Active Minds held a mental health discussion panel on Wednesday, March 29.

The panel consisted of various individuals with various stories about their experiences with mental illness. These people ranged from students here at the college to KSC graduates.

According to the Active Minds club, “Active Minds at KSC is a chapter from the non-profit organization that focuses on fighting the stigma, and spreading awareness, of mental illness.” The non-profit organization is national and works to increase the understanding of mental illnesses and fight the negative stigma that surrounds them.

Active Minds on campus puts on events such as the panel to promote the awareness of the social stigma that is associated with mental illness.

The counseling center was present for support of students in the audience along with the Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency.

One student who shared her story was first-year Mackenzie Donovan. There’s a good chance you have seen her on campus with her service dog, Rue.

“Mental illness has been a huge part of my life from birth. My entire family suffers from it in one way or another,” Donovan said.

When Donovan was 10-years-old,  tourette syndrome, OCD and anxiety started to impact her, and it took her family a long time to realize that mental illness is real. Donovan describes herself as not being depressed during this time, but very lonely.

Olivia Belanger / Administrative Executive Editor

“My OCD drove me to do intense stuff. I won’t go into details, but I completely tore myself apart. When I was 12, I started having delusions and I believed the government was after me,” Donovan said.

This lead to three suicide attempts before the age of 16, according to Donovan. Recently, she has just told her family about the government delusions and came out of it over winter break.

Donovan said her delusions stemmed from wanting someone to want her because she said she doesn’t have many friends. Rue is trained to mitigate her delusions to allow her to function day to day. Donovan said it is unbelievable to her that she lived and believed in her delusions for so long and just recently told others about it.

“Coming to college was a very big thing for me, and as I was slipping out of the delusions…I began to come back to reality and realize how important college and a career is. Due to my OCD, when my professor posts something on Canvas that isn’t due until the end of the semester, I will do it right away. I’ll sit on my computer and continually refresh the page in case there’s a new assignment,” Donovan said.

As much as Donovan loves Rue, she is working to learn how to manage herself on her own so she, one day, doesn’t need a service dog. She said, “As much as I love having her [Rue], people are just so disrespectful. Rue is the reason I am here today.”

Another student, junior Heather Fougere, spoke out about her struggles with her mental illness. “[To my friends] I’m classified as a mother hen because I like taking care of my flock, but I take care of flock better than I take care of myself,” Fougere said.

Fougere has to continuously fight the various stigmas in her life. She said, “I suffer from depression and anxiety. I am high functioning, but on the inside I’m not doing so hot. Recently is when I have had to focus on myself rather than other people, but I really like focusing on other people more.”

Recently, Fougere got an emotional support animal that she finds helpful in her life. Her cat, Olive, lives in her residence hall with her.

Fougere didn’t realize she had anxiety because she thought the things she was thinking were normal for everyone to be thinking about all the time. She said she is lucky to have a doctor who is very aware of who she is and they were very helpful in identifying her anxiety.

Olivia Belanger / Administrative Executive Editor

Something Fougere recently came to terms with is PTSD. Her father was in a very bad car accident that paralyzed him. It has stayed with her longer than she thought it would and getting into cars is very scary for her.

“Last year, I got to the point that if I didn’t have a commitment to go to I would be in my room in the dark and just staring out my window. Just because I do so many things on campus doesn’t mean I can’t suffer from this struggle. I thought taking medication is the worst thing ever; it took a long time for me to come to terms with,” Fougere said.

Fougere wanted to remind people, “Everything is temporary. Keep that in mind; it can always get better, even if it gets worse first.”

Lastly, 33-year-old sophomore Dante Diffendale was there to speak out about the experiences within his life. Diffendale is a transgender male and said having to hide who he really was all these years as impacted his mental illness.

“Everything bad that you can think about that can happen to a little girl happened to me. I grew up in a really crappy household. I have parents that suffered from substance misuse disorders. I was taken away from my birth family and put in a foster home. That was the first time that I felt like I didn’t fit into my surroundings,” Diffendale said.

He continued, “My adoptive father is an alcoholic and is still very active in his addiction. My adoptive mom is my warrior and my cheerleader in life.”

Diffendale is recovering not only from addiction, but other things as well such as physical and sexual abuse, self harm and injury, negative self-injury and eating disorders.

Diffendale has gone through 19 suicide attempts and three overdoses.

Diffendale said he finds it interesting that everyone on the panel had talked about being bullied. “I am going to echo the same thing. I was bullied all the way through high school until I graduated,” Diffendale said.

He continued, “If I had one penny for every time someone either directly to my face or indirectly talking to someone else called me a bad name or said something bad about me, I could probably pay for the rest of my school and probably half of your school too.”

Diffendale describes his life as “climbing hurdles.” He said, “I have done a lot of physical activity because being busy and having something to do cuts down on my brain being able to negatively talk to me.”

Taking the step to come to college wasn’t easy for Diffendale. “When I came to Keene State, the stigma I faced and what society told me was that I wasn’t going to have friends, be able to do anything and I was going to live the life of being miserable. My mental illness proves to me that these thoughts are so far off,” he said.

Though he is 33-years-old, Diffendale believes he is really just starting his true life. He claimed he gets to dictate how society sees himself, but even more so how he sees himself.

As Diffendale has been in the process of transitioning, he said naming yourself isn’t as easy as you would think it would be. “I spent three weeks looking through names and I could not find something that felt right. So I reached out to friends and we researched names. Having supportive friends helps in every aspect of my life. It’s an amazing feeling to have people who completely support who I am,” DIffendale said.

He continued, “Dante has rich history. In the poem ‘Dante’s Inferno,’ he walked through the gates of hell and came out a new person.”

Emma Hamilton can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com

Fitting time into your schedule to eat breakfast can be difficult. Ensure you are able to have something on the go by making these muffins ahead of time.

Ingredients:

Photo by Cookie + Kate

• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
• 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1 cup packed mashed ripe bananas (about three)
• 1/4 cup milk of choice (I used almond milk)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top
• 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats, plus more for sprinkling on top
• 1 teaspoon turbinado (raw) sugar or other granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). If necessary, grease 11 cups of your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray (my pan is non-stick and didn’t require any grease).
2. In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and maple syrup or honey together with a whisk.
3. Add eggs and beat well.
4. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon.
5. Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined. If you’d like to add any additional mix-ins, like nuts, chocolate or dried fruit, fold them in now.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the 11 muffin cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full.
7. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a small amount of oats (about one tablespoon), followed by a light sprinkling of sugar (about one teaspoon).
8. Bake muffins for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
9. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. You might need to run a butter knife along the outer edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan.
10. Enjoy muffins as is or with a spread of nut butter or regular butter.

Emma can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com

Spring Break has finally come yet again for the Owls of Keene State and other colleges around the country.

Plans always range for students- some include tropical vacations, while others may be in the comfort of their own home.

As the stress continues to pile, Spring Break gives students the opportunity to put it on hold for one short week.

Junior Abbey Barr is able to escape the cold and hit the beach for the week.

Samantha Moore / Art Director

Barr is traveling to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic with four of her closest friends from home.

“We planned our trip online and had help from travel agents,” Barr said.

Barr said she and her friends decided to go on the trip to get away and because they will be celebrating a friend’s birthday together.

“I’ve never been out of the United States before. As far as safety goes, I’m a little concerned about traveling through foreign airports.”

Having Spring Break is a nice way to alleviate stress, especially being an upperclassman, according to Barr.

Rather than staring at palm trees, first-year student Madison Olsen plans to spend her Spring Break with students.

Olsen plans to return to her hometown and substitute teach for the week.

“It’s nice being able to make money and see my family and friends at home because I miss them terribly,” Olsen said.

Olsen said she is looking forward to the mental break of having the week off from her studies and being able to come back refreshed and ready to finish the semester.

Traveling as a team over Spring Break is popular at Keene State.

The baseball, softball and both men’s and women’s lacrosse teams have the opportunity to go to Florida each year.

The Ultimate Frisbee team is making their way south too, just not as far.

The team will be spending their week together in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Junior Louis Graeve is one team member looking forward to the trip.

“We decided to go on the trip for two main reasons. One is it is an opportunity to bring the team much closer. They say you don’t really know anyone until you live with them, and it’s the same case for Myrtle Beach. Everyone also gets so close with one another and are able to bond while building up the chemistry for the spring season,” Graeve said.

He continued, “It’s a great way to kick off the season because players get so much better playing for four days straight. It’s a great practice for the beginning of a competitive journey for our team.”

KSC was able to help the frisbee team figure out the logistics and financial planning of the trip, according to Graeve.

He said it’s a lengthy process that the captains work on, which the team appreciates tremendously.

There are about 20 students and players going on the trip.

Graeve said, “When not playing frisbee, you’ll catch the team playing spike ball on the beach, riding the waves, playing mini golf and most importantly, eating at the Waffle House all the time.”

Whether getting away for the week, returning home, working more hours or traveling with your sports team; Spring Break is an opportunity for a mental break for students to get away from schoolwork.

Emma Hamilton can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com