Spice: Harmful and Habit-forming p.6confident: tHe new Skinny p.9

Summer/Fall 2013

Our first obstacle as a newborn

magazine was a dead horse named

Dubar II.

As strange as that may sound, it’s

entirely true. We had covered this

story about a legendary racehorse

buried on campus and now we had to

figure out how to design the front page

to showcase it. We discussed, debated,

plotted and debated again how we

would present our premier issue. We

even pulled a passerby in the hall into

one of our meetings to get his unbiased

input.

Ironically enough, we led with a

different story that we thought would

have more student appeal. That’s not to

say that we didn’t get mixed feedback

anyway. The important thing, however,

is that we had worked together to

create it; this magazine was ours.

Ever since, the Owl Magazine staff

has been on a tremendous journey of

struggle, hard work, and discovery.

With each issue we ask ourselves,

“Who are we as a student magazine?”

and “How can we get better?”

Answering these questions has led

us to some amazing opportunities:

interviewing Elizabeth Smart, covering

the Occupy Wall Street movement in

NYC, and discovering investments in

asteroid mining.

At the recent College Media

Association Apple Awards, Owl

Magazine won 2nd place for Best Two-

Page Spread for our “Crash Course

in Counterculture” piece from our

Summer 2012 issue and 2nd place in

the Best Magazine Cover category for

our Winter 2012 issue. It is an honor to

have all of our hard work recognized at

the national level!

We are still growing as a magazine,

discovering our “identity,” but through

dedication and the input of our valued

readers, we know we can get better.

And we prove that with every issue.

EDITOR IN CHIEFJohn Parks

ART DIRECTORBrianna Breece

CHIEF OF PRODUCTION Stephanie Perkins

MANAGING EDITOR Will Martin

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORJoshua Eller

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Laurise McMillian

BUSINESS MANAGERRachel Mitchell

EDITORIAL STAFFMatt Dippel, James Greene, Nadia

Kaczkowski

WRITING STAFF Alexandra Lotz, Nick Dement, Joey

Privett, Karen Watson

PHOTOGRAPHY STAFFJennifer Hawks, Jennifer Lewis, Leanna

Wheatley, Helen Reimand, James Trudeau

DESIGN STAFFDanielle Frater, Gabriela Kostadinova,

Grayson Karr, Tobias Pilachowski, Eliana Pisciotta, Manuel Reyes, Antwain Shaw

CHIEF ADVISERClaudia Brown

TECHNICAL ADVISERPhilip Roszak

BUSINESS ADVISERJoseph Cunningham

PRINT PUBLISHERStockson Printing Company

CONTRIBUTED IMAGESAncientKale, arcticjuniper,

EmberFiremane, Kool and the Gang

FRONT PAGE AND BACK PAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

John Morin

Summer/Fall 2013

Owl Magazine Wins National Honors

“The Owl Magazine staff has been on a tremendous

journey of struggle, hard work, and discovery.”

6

CONTACT US:Harfowl@harford.edu

JOiN The STAff

Owl magazine | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Let’s Get PhysicalOur take on the new HCC Fitness Center: reliable, convenient, and free.

4 Hungry for Sports

Confident: The New SkinnyDiscover the unlikely source that helped one student feel better about her body and ultimately herself.

9

14

5 A Night Out at The Fillmore

Spice: Harmful and Habit-FormingA student’s cautionary tale of synthetic marijuana addiction should make you think twice about using this legal alternative.

6

Proud to Be a BronyWill Martin delves into his life-altering experiences as an unexpected fan of My Little Pony.

10

Dropping Out to Rise Above the Rest

Whatever team you’re rooting for this season, enjoy our staff’s take on three great sports bars.

Being a high school dropout doesn’t necessarily hurt your future.

8 12 Challenges of the ThirdReturning to college after years out of the classroom? Find out that you’re not alone.

Share the experience of Maryland’s most bass-droppingly awesome musical venue.

4

RESTAURANT REVIEW | Summer/Fall 2013

By Matt Dippel and Joey Privett | Photography by Helen Reimand | Owl Staff

Hungry for Sports

The big game is coming on and you’re

tired of watching at home; you want to

get out and enjoy it with your friends. You

want someone to share the same excited

or depressed feelings you get when your

team triumphs or fails.

Harford County sports some great

places to eat and enjoy the game with a

choice for every taste. C.R. Wings has

the hookup for the best wings buffalo

style, The Greene Turtle provides the big

crowded bar atmosphere complete with

an unreasonable amount of giant TV’s,

and Bruce Bitner’s Café and Grille serves

up gourmet food with an “everybody

knows your name” atmosphere.

C.R. Wings is located behind Chili’s and

Taco Bell in Bel Air. They serve up the best

buffalo wings in Harford County, fried to

crispy perfection when you order them

(none of that weak, baked business from

that other wing chain in town,) and tossed

in one of their many delicious homemade

sauces. Ask for the sauce you need to sign

a waiver to eat; it’s really good.

The Greene Turtle is the perfect place

to go for a big, crowded, social atmosphere

while enjoying some standard bar food

and cold beers. They offer your standard

bar fare; chicken tenders, steamed shrimp,

fries, mozzarella sticks and the like. Being

a chain, though, the food is somewhat

lacking. If you’re looking for some good

eats and a more subdued atmosphere,

then Bruce Bitner’s is the way to go.

Bruce Bitner’s Café and Grille is an

underappreciated culinary gem in Bel

Air with a down home atmosphere of

friendliness and familiarity.

Bitner’s prepares nearly everything

from scratch, including a delicious crab

fondue appetizer that puts other bars’

recipes to shame. The cream of crab soup

is made fresh in house daily, the constantly

changing seafood selection is always fresh,

and the vegetables are locally grown.

But the real treats at Bitner’s are the

steaks and burgers. Cut from a massive slab

of top round, the steaks are individually

seasoned and grilled to order. The Deer

Creek Burgers are a specialty, and with $5

specials, you can’t go wrong with one of

the many signature burgers like the BBQ

Bacon Cheddar or Chipotle Burger.

Possibly the best part of Bitner’s is the

friendly atmosphere. A small, consistent

staff will learn your name immediately

and bring you back for more. The highly

social regular bar crowd will get you

involved in the conversation no matter if

you are a familiar or fresh face.

Harford County sports bars offer up

something different for everybody.

“Harford County sports some great places to eat and enjoy the game with a choice for every taste.”

The Cowboy Burger ($10.49) is a delicacy at The Greene Turtle, but it’s far from the only game day meal in town.

5

Owl magazine | NIGHT OUT

There is a semi-local venue that has

captured a place in my beating heart. The

Fillmore in Maryland is a great place to

kick back and relax at the bar or dance

your heart out.

Located in Silver Spring, The Fillmore

is a little over an hour’s drive away from

Bel Air, which for anyone who enjoys a

night out is quite a short drive. The venue

is fairly priced with many acts about $50

a ticket - ideal for college students who

tend to have money going in many direc-

tions such as car payments, bills, and

food.

The first thing that caught my eye

when I walked through the doors of

the Fillmore was its size. The only

word to describe it is spacey, both in

size and atmosphere; the area is large,

the air hazy. Nowhere the size for an

arena-worthy band like Queen, but also

far larger than the smaller venues in

Baltimore like the Sidebar, which is the

size of a living room.

The building is separated into three

floors. The bottom contains a bar (one

of three bars, actually) and bathrooms,

the middle houses the stage where most

of the magic happens (as well as another

bar), and the top is a balcony

overlooking the stage –

great for escaping all the

people crowded below.

(Also upstairs is another

bar!)

Despite the large area,

I didn’t feel much inti-

macy was lost. A howler

monkey screaming at

you from 30 feet is scary,

but one that is 30 inches

away is terrifying.

Although I was in the

center of the crowd, I had

a clear view of the band.

And since the Fillmore has

a huge screen behind the

stage, I felt as if I was right

there in front of them most of

the time. This also is, admittedly,

because I love Primus and their

performance is so captivating.

The frontman, Les Claypool, is

a maestro of all things bass, and

the guitar work and drumming

in between his shenanigans was

spectacular. Imagine a glowing

space gnome flying down on

you, grabbing your attention.

Now he shoots you with a vortex

gun, sucking you in. This is the

combination I felt at the time. The

twenty or so feet between was shrunk

to feel like twenty inches.

The Fillmore does not limit their

events to music, either. While I have

seen artists such as Primus, Alanis

Morissette, and Between the Buried

and Me on their fliers, they also host

comedy acts like Adam Sandler.

As far as security goes, they are a

fair bunch, allowing all the moshing

and crowd surfing one could wish

for. I left the place with a satisfied

soul and a very strong urge to find

this elusive space gnome again. I

recommend everyone to find their

space gnome experience as well,

and for 50 bucks, it doesn’t get much

better than this.

By Nick Dement | Photography by Jennifer Lewis | Owl Staff

The Fillmore A Night of Lights and Magic

“Imagine a glowing space gnome flying down on you,

grabbing your attention. Now he shoots you with a vortex gun,

sucking you in.”

5

6

Summer/Fall 2013

Harmful and Habit-Forming

By Anonymous | Photography by Jennifer Hawks | Owl Staff

How Synthetic Substitutes Nearly Destroyed Me

hat does addiction mean to

you? What constitutes being

an “addict”? A heroin user desperately

roaming the city streets, willing to commit

any petty, pathetic act for his fix? A

cigarette smoker nervously walking about,

chewing her fingernails, snapping angrily

at anyone in her path, having gone mere

hours without a dose of nicotine?

These are two of the most common

examples of addiction, but my own

experiences with substance abuse showed

me that addiction is a relative term and is

not so easy to define.

Synthetic substitutes for marijuana

are nothing new; products labeled Salvia

Divonorum have been commercially

available for over a decade, used originally

by Mazatec shamans during spiritual

healing sessions. Salvia has traditionally

been looked at as marijuana’s slightly

more psychedelic counterpart, and most

tokers will attest to having tried it.

Spice has been available for a couple of

years now, hidden about head shops and

some of the seedier gas stations around

Harford County. Spice is a psychoactive

designer drug, a combination of herbal

mixtures that produce experiences

similar to marijuana that are marketed

as safe and legal—and dubiously labeled

“not for human consumption.”

These products contain dried,

shredded plant material and chemical

additives that are responsible for their

psychoactive effects… i.e. absolutely

nothing natural like cannabis or salvia.

The reason I started smoking spice

regularly (multiple times daily) is

irrelevant, but the story I wish to tell is

anything but.

At first it was nice, really. A cheap,

legal drug that was a five minute

drive from home, no worries about

availability or illegality. It was sold two

ways as I remember it; the less potent

4g jars for around $20, the strong stuff

in 1g bags for $25 and up.

SPICE:

7

Owl magazine | HEALTH

It gave me a nice, even high for sure:

Elation, giggles, music sounded better,

and munchies. But that was the stuff

that came in the jars. You couldn’t really

smoke enough to get messed up, but it

was okay. Aside from the nasty taste it

left lingering in your mouth for hours

and headaches that came after a heavy

night of smoking.

After a while, it just stopped working.

I chalked it up to tolerance and sprang

for a bag of Spike Max: one gram for

$25 (estimated street value of marijuana

is $20/gram). This was the potent stuff

that could really f*** you up.

It was a mistake.

I vividly remember that night. It

was cold out, close to Christmas. I

tore open the bag voraciously, looking

forward to my fix (at that point it was

already a “fix,” whether I knew it or

not), and dumped a full bowl’s worth

of the herbal mixture into my glass

pipe. I flicked the lighter and inhaled,

savoring the cloyingly artificial sweet

flavor.

I finished the whole thing in about

five minutes, and felt damn good, too.

A nice heady high with some relatively

pleasant bodily effects. I remember

feeling floaty. So I smoked a cigarette

and went inside to watch TV.

Then, things got weird. The room

started spinning; I began sweating. My

vision started to blur, break, then return

to normal. My heart was racing and my

stomach turning. I vaguely remember

stripping off all of my clothes, save for

boxers, and stumbling outside to the

front porch where I collapsed in the

fetal position.

The cold brick felt so good on my face.

I vomited (a lot, and for a long time).

My heart continued to race even faster,

my vision faded to black, and I began to

cry, still feeling nauseous. I swore I was

dying. I guess this is the high that I had

been looking for.

So after that night, I threw away the

spice and went about my business and

never looked back. I was better without

it – it was dangerous.

Except, that didn’t happen. I kept

smoking, carefully gauging the amount I

smoked so as not to get sick; to get to that

perfectly intoxicated spot between reality

and insanity that spice could provide.

But it was such a thin line; I overshot

it plenty of times and relived that cold

night over and over, sweating and sick,

heart racing. I found that as the days

and weeks went by I needed to smoke

more and more to feel normal. I smoked

fewer cigarettes because they made me

nauseous while on spice.

I rationalized this as a good thing. I

got horrible chills if I had to go more

than a few hours without a smoke. I

remember that I’d smoke an obscene

amount before bedtime, and when I

inevitably woke up to use the bathroom,

I couldn’t fall back asleep without a

couple puffs.

The first thing I did upon opening my

eyes in the morning was reach for my

glass pipe and jar of spice. Then, I’d try

to find my glasses. It made me that kind

of backwards.

This continued for months. I slowly

came to realize that I was spending

over a hundred dollars a week on a

drug that was making me hate myself.

I couldn’t sleep, eat, or socially

function without my frequent fixes. I

was sneaking behind the dumpster at

work to get a quick puff in between

cigarette breaks. I gained weight; I

began forgetting things I shouldn’t

have, and on the whole I just felt...

dull.

Every day consisted of wading

through molasses. Going through the

motions was now second to smoking

spice.

I kicked the habit after a week spent

laying in bed shivering, sweating, and

just being generally miserable. I’ve

had friends and even relatives who

have been through the same situation,

who have witnessed the side effects of

prolonged use of spice firsthand.

The irony of the whole situation

is that the general opinion on spice

is that its legality somehow lends

credibility to the product’s safety,

making it an especially attractive

alternative to marijuana.

Spice is marketed as “not for human

consumption,” and is sold in bags

marked “herbal incense” or “organic

sachets.” Regardless of the name, the

product is a blatant legal alternative

to marijuana, and many consider it a

safer alternative. This is obviously not

the case and people need to be aware

that “legal” does not always entail

“safe.”

“My heart continued to race even faster, my vision faded to black,

and I began to cry.”

8

VOICES | Summer/Fall 2013

By Stephanie Perkins | Photography by Leanna Wheatley | Owl Staff

Dropping Out to Rise Above the Rest

How do you remember your time

in high school? When I talk to most

of my friends about their high school

experience, many of them look back

with fond memories. Lunch with friends,

senior prom, graduation day – you name

it. However, I never remembered my

brief time in high school in such a way.

A majority of my time between my two

high schools was spent either relentlessly

being made fun of and bothered by

my peers or staying at home to avoid

said harassment and assignments that

I never completed. I let my depression

pretty much consume my life for about

half of my schooling career, and my

classmates who didn’t understand and

felt the need to make me the object of

their jokes didn’t really help much either.

After considering all of my options and

consulting with several adults, I dropped

out right after my 16th birthday.

There’s this ugly stereotype that

high school dropouts are moronic,

unmotivated individuals that are content

with working minimum wage jobs and

leeching off the government for the rest

of their lives.

However, many who buy into this

stereotype don’t bother to accept how

successful I am because I’m a high school

dropout. I took my GED test five months

after I dropped out. Not only did I pass

the test, but my score was equivalent

to graduating high school with honors.

After receiving my GED, I enrolled at

HCC when I was 17. I rose through the

ranks of the student newspaper staff

and became the Editor in Chief as well

as a charter member of the Journalism

club during my time in college. While

I was able to accomplish all of this, the

opportunity is dwindling for current

students in Maryland’s school system.

In 2015, Maryland will enforce a law

that requires a student to be 17 in order

to drop out; that age will increase to 18

by 2017. Maryland is currently the only

state that responded to President Obama’s

recommendation to raise the dropout age

in his State of the Union address from

January 2012.

While I understand the intention of

wanting to keep teenagers in school, it’s

not helping those who would actually

benefit from dropping out by barring

everyone under a certain age. I strongly

believe it should be dealt with on a case-

by-case basis.

If they continue to keep the dropout

age at 18, I think that anyone under that

age should be able to have a hearing

with school officials if they want to drop

out. I agree that not every student under

the age of 18 should have the right to

drop out of school, but I believe that if

they present good enough reasons and a

well-thought out plan for their future, it

should at the very least be considered.

The point is high school isn’t for

everyone. I know I wouldn’t be as

successful as I am today if I was not

given the opportunity to drop out of

high school and pursue my GED, and I

would hate for that to be out of reach for

students who would genuinely benefit

from doing so.

In 2015, Maryland will enforce a law that requires a student to be 17 in order to drop out; that age will increase to 18 by 2017.

“I know I wouldn’t be as successful as I am today if I was not given the opportunity to drop out of high school.“

Confident: The New Skinny

9

Owl magazine | VOICES

In high school, I felt like I did not fit

in. While other girls would wear brightly

colored, tight-fitting clothes from stores

in the mall, I would sit in class wearing

the same hoodie every day to cover up

the fact that I was ashamed of my body.

Today, I am a different person.

My “transformation” began when I

discovered the blog Chubby Bunnies on

Tumblr, a blogging platform. The blog

features tons of pictures of “chubby”

women who show off their style and

confidence. The bloggers are a great

community of people who support

body positivity, the school of thought

that accepts all body types as healthy,

beautiful, and worthy.

After scrolling through a few pages

of the site, I decided to follow the blog.

At first, I felt awkward and ashamed

because I thought I would never be

as confident as those girls on Chubby

Bunnies, but the longer I followed the

blog, the more confident I became.

While I found comfort and

encouragement in fellow chubby

bloggers, I know many people who have

fallen prey to just the opposite.

At least three of my friends have been

diagnosed with anorexia. Two of these

friends have recovered from it, but the

other friend has been struggling with it

for over a year.

Another friend’s mom took drastic

measures to lose weight and decided to

undergo gastric bypass surgery. Now, she

is severely malnourished and eating a cup

of food makes her ill. Her daughter, who

is very close friends with the anorexic

girl, has been on-and-off dieting ever

since I met her in the third grade.

It’s a shame that we push each other

to points where we are so unhappy

with ourselves, and then we blame that

pressure on society. Newsflash: we are

society, so it is time to make a change.

Bodies can do amazing things. Our

bones may break, our tissues may tear,

and we may go through a great deal

of pain, but our body handles all those

things and then heals itself. And here we

are, spending our time worrying about

how much we weigh.

Back in high school, those things

didn’t even occur to me. Instead I was

too busy feeling ashamed that my

torso was thick and my butt was big. I

feel much more confident today than I

did when I was 16. Now, when I wear

a hoodie in class it’s not because I feel

insecure; it’s just because the classroom

is a little chilly.

By Alexandra Lotz | Photography by John Parks | Owl Staff

Confident: The New Skinny

Instead of obsessing over personal appearance, embrace your own personal style with pride.

“I thought I would never be as confident

as those girls on Chubby Bunnies, but the longer I followed the blog, the more

confident I became.”

10

onder the following: a Flash-animated television

series intended for six-year-old girls reboots a long

derided 1980’s property about colorful ponies. The series ends

up several thousand times better than it has any right to be. It

comes to the attention of a bitter, cynical young man and in a

very short time enraptures him and alters his very outlook on

humanity.

Would anyone truly believe such a story upon initially

hearing it? Perhaps not, but I intend to provide proof. Living

proof in fact, for I am that young man. I am a Brony.

Something that began with a few online jokes has evolved

into a cultural phenomenon: a loyal fanbase of adult men and

women, animation enthusiasts, artists, writers, and musicians

whose open-mindedness, bizarre sense of humor, and desire

for quality entertainment brought us together in a way perhaps

only the Internet could. We are Bronies.

My introduction to Bronyism brought me out of, as

mentioned prior, a very dark place. Familial issues including

alcoholism and divorce tore my family apart. Political and social

conflicts seemed to divide the world beyond repair. The future

seemed hopeless, with acts of kindness regarded as futile and

attempts to bridge humanity’s rifts not only failing but also

seemingly undesired. I wept for the future day after day.

Then, everything changed out of nowhere. In late 2011, I

was visiting my best friend and he mentioned that My Little Pony

had been rebooted into a legitimately good cartoon, My Little

Pony: Friendship is Magic, airing since late 2009 on The Hub.

Looking back, what could be more fitting than to be introduced

By Will Martin | Photography by John Parks | Owl Staff

How My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Changed My Life

P

proud to Be a Brony

11

through a friend’s advice? Trusting his

judgment, I sat down to watch the two-part

pilot online and, by the end, realized I was

not only laughing harder than I had in a

while, but also feeling bliss.

By 2012, I was watching regularly, my

love for this series only strengthening. I

began keeping contact with many Bronies

on official forums and even had the golden

opportunity to meet a multitude of them at

a meetup at Baltimore’s Otakon in July of

that year.

But a funny thing happened: as I became

a hardcore Brony, I found my whole attitude

changing. My astonishment at the show’s

character depth and hilarity was matched

only by lasting elation, a feeling brought on

by the attitude the series presented. I’m also

far from the first to feel this way.

“My outlook on life…is changed,” says

sixteen-year-old Dominic Rotter of Texas,

who was also introduced via friendly

conversation. “Being a part of something that

is so hated or looked down upon by others

has honestly helped me learn to tolerate

things more. If something bothers me, I just

let it pass by. Just because someone is into

something I’m not, or vise versa, doesn’t

mean we still can’t get along.”

Then, there are some who simply found

an outlet for creativity. Angela Jacklin, 20,

of Wyoming says, “I kind of don’t like the

majority of full on Bronies; they…freak me

out sometimes. [But] I was surprised how

good the show was – animation, characters,

writing, music.”

Thousands have already “joined the herd”

due to how varied fan activities are, not

to mention recognition by outside parties.

Besides the show’s staff having nothing but

respect for us, various Brony conventions

have been meticulously (and expensively)

organized in major cities.

The counterculture has swept the globe;

between 4.0% and 6.8% of the Internet-

using U.S. population presently identify as

Bronies, with the highest age range standing

between 21 and 29, according to survey

results on herdcensus.com. By experiencing

a culture with nurturing acquaintances living

by an unwritten policy of “love and tolerance”

(an oft-debated phrase but one I highly

appreciate), my days of anger and depression

seem mostly behind me. MLP: FiM is more

than cute escapism. The moralistic aspect of

it has genuinely helped many, from struggling

students to active-duty soldiers, cope with

problems and deduce means to fix them.

There will, of course, always be those

who do not understand us. But as more

continue to “join the herd,” I perceive that

wide acceptance of disparagement may

actually be dying. Some might call me

overly optimistic, but all it takes is perusing

some wonderful pony fan art, fan fiction,

and forums to understand why so many

are attracted to this immense following. To

those that are, brohoof!

Meet the herd

Carly WhiteMajor: General Studies

Best Pony: Rainbow Dash“She is fun and

outgoing just like me.”

Devin KonstansMajor: General Studies

Best Pony: Twilight Sparkle“She highlights a realistic

consequence of being praised for talent rather than effort.”

Thomas EbelMajor: Mass Comm.Best Pony: Fluttershy

“She protects what she cares about fiercely.”

“All it takes is perusing some wonderful pony fan art, fan fiction, and forums to

understand why so many are attracted to this immense following.”

proud to Be a Brony

12

Summer/Fall 2013

ou might think of college as

an explosion of youth, but

according to the Office of

Institutional Research, one third of the

student body at Harford Community

College is over twenty-five years of

age. However, as a new student in my

thirties, I had no idea if I was going to

be accepted by my peers when I first

began my journey at HCC.

After jumping from one warehouse

job to another, I realized that I was not

getting any younger. With each passing

year, this type of work became more

taxing on me and I realized I needed

to do something else with my life.

My dreams of being a teacher were

slipping through my fingers, and with

two children at home looking at me for

more, I had to make a decision.

So I enrolled into Harford Community

College as an English major.

During my time at HCC, I have faced

ups and downs. I enjoy being a member

of this community. I have met a lot of

people I have come to admire, and I

have learned so much. However, it is

not easy when I have been away from a

school environment for over ten years

and the challenges faced are not always

familiar.

I had forgotten most of the math-

ematics I learned in high school. I not

only had to learn new concepts, but

also refresh my mind to what I had

already been taught years ago. I had

to remember what an adverb was and

in which way it should be used. I had

never used Microsoft Word before now!

I knew what a book report was, but not

an essay. I had to learn the “new ways”

of a school environment.

These challenges that I have faced

are not subject to one individual,

though. Kelly Walbeck, a former U.S.

Marine who is also a first time student

at HCC pursuing a major in Paralegal

studies, began attending college after

working construction jobs for many

years. Although she is grateful to be

back into an educational environment,

the experience comes with a new

problem. “They did not have Internet

the last time I wrote an essay. Now

they expect me to know what I am

doing, but I don’t. I need help through

that process.”

Kelly had to learn the mechanics

of being a college student. She adds

that the professors at HCC have been

very helpful in aiding her in the right

direction to correct this problem. She

visits the Tutoring Center in Fallston

Ha l l and rece ives he lp f rom her

professors during their office hours.

Another adult student, Maureen

Forbes, shares a dif ferent kind of

chal lenge for older s tudents . She

explains, “College can be challenging

because of adult responsibilities. I have

two jobs, a mortgage, and many other

bills. I am no longer living a carefree

life under my parents roof.” This tends

to be a problem for any student that is

holding a job, raising children, paying

bills, and going for a degree.

Though if students work hard and

give it their all, they can not lose.

By Karen Watson | Photography by Joshua Eller | Owl Staff

“Older students often have

more outside responsibilities

than their younger classmates, but this tends not to

prevent them from doing their work

on time and well.”- Professor Andrew Kellet

Challenges of the ThirdBalancing School, Work, and Family as a Returning Student

Owl magazine | COMMUNITY

Assistant Professor of History Andrew

Kellet adds, “Older students often

have more outside responsibil i t ies

than their younger classmates, but this

tends not to prevent them from doing

their work on time and well.” He says

that students who take their education

seriously will succeed in college, which

is what I think we all aim for.

Hopefully, through our challenges,

older students can set an example for

some of our younger peers. Although

adult students do face some challenges

that younger students may not, that

does not mean that we cannot learn

from each other. All students have

a goal of receiving their degree and

having a solid, desirable future.

Harford Community has set all of

their students up for success. Whether

one gets aid from their professors

or through resources available on

campus, help is only a building away.

HCC has many resources available to

all students that are in need of help

through gaining their degrees.

RESOURCES

* The Tutoring Center in Fallston Hall

offers free tutoring in writing, math, and

any subject as needed. Contact Diana

Pinargotte at 443-412-2427 for additional

information.

* Student advising in the Student

Center can assist with scheduling classes

to fit your busy lifestyle. Walk-in hours

are Monday-Friday or contact by email

through www.harford.edu.

*College Life offers an adult orientation

each semester. Contact Sharon Adams at

443-412-2140 for details.

14

15

Owl magazine | SPORTS

LET’S GET PHYSICAL

By James Greene | Photography by James Trudeau & John Parks | Owl Staff

New Harford Fitness Center Now Open

No matter what time of year it is, it can be tough for busy

students to find time to get to the gym, not to mention facing the

challenges of a tight budget. While local gym memberships vary

in price, the HCC fitness center offers a free alternative.

Conveniently located in HCC’s Susquehanna Center attached

to the new APGFCU arena, the fitness center is open to students

and employees alike. The interior of the new center increased in

size to about five thousand square feet, which is about 50% more

space than the old center.

Among the equipment are new, professional weight machines

to allow for a dynamic strength workout. There are bench and leg

presses, several pull-up bars, two professional squat bars, and so

much more.

Treadmills, rowing machines, exercise bikes, and other

machines allow for a superior cardio workout. In addition, there

is a new swimming pool and auxiliary gym.

The staff of the fitness center is there to provide guidance and

assistance for maintenance and equipment use. Tim Schneider,

a facilitator, says that the abundance of windows allows for

more natural light to come through. “The light allows for a more

positive mood and workout,” says Schneider.

HCC student Kirby Kelbaugh appreciates the approachability

of the fitness center staff. “They showed me how to use the

equipment and helped make a fitness plan,” shares Kelbaugh. He

also agrees that the new center has everything mainstream gyms

do at nowhere near the cost.

Criminal Justice major Kyle Condon adds, “It’s a great place to

work out and nicer than any gym I’ve ever been to.”

Don’t forget that there is no charge for the multiple benefits

that the fitness center offers; just remember to bring your student

ID. So whether you’re preparing for swimsuit season or getting in

a last-minute workout to prepare for the holidays, it’s not too late

to get into the best shape of your life at no cost.

“It’s a great place to work out and nicer than any gym

I’ve ever been to.”

ADULT UNDERGRADUATE VisiT oppoRTUNiTiEs: First Thursdays May 2, June 6

Register at ndm.edu/firstthursdays

Get the essential credential Degree Completion Program for Adults

Notre Dame of Maryland University makes it easy to transfer credits and complete your degree. Our renowned programs in business, communications, education, nursing, psychology and more offer convenient locations and flexible scheduling.

Get the essential credential—a degree from Notre Dame of Maryland University.

Go to ndm.edu/academics for a full list of our programs and locations.

4701 north charles street Baltimore, Maryland 21210 ndm.edu | 410-532-5500

Owl Magazine’s staff thanks the Harford Community College Foundation for a Gifts of Innovation grant for attendance at the

National College Media Association Convention in New York City.

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