ISSUE 4

A Letter from the Editor

The semester is coming to a close and everyone is ready for classes to be over. Most of us have already signed up for all of our classes for next semester, but the last thing we really want to think about is next semester. We have a break from school on our minds, not to mention Christmas and New Years.

I won’t ask you to consider all the homework you will have or all the projects lurking in next semester, but I will ask you to consider adding one more responsibility to your plate. If you have ever been interested in writing for The Knight Times, here is your chance. Next semester is just around the corner and The Knight Times is looking for energetic, involved students who like to write to be apart of our expanding newspaper.

As Editor, I have worked very hard this semester to make this paper more reader friendly and geared towards you, the students. I wish to continue doing that with next semester. The staff this semester has done a great job reporting about what is going on with Marian, sports, and the presidential election. More writers from different backgrounds could expand the different abilities we have on the paper now.

Next semester, we have plans to take The Knight Times to a printed version of our online paper and blog. The newspaper would be dropped off by the Star and Nuvo so you can pick one up while your on your way to class or the cafeteria. With this plan, we need more writers and more help on the paper. I encourage you to join our staff at the Knight Times! We would love to have you!

With that said, good luck on finals next week and have a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Holly =)

10 Inexpensive Christmas Gifts
By: Holly Hammond

The holiday season is upon us and unfortunately for those short on cash it is the season of giving. With the economy not giving shoppers much of a break this year, buying Christmas gifts can be a stressful and pocket-breaking feat this year. Don’t stress though, when it comes to gifts, it is the thought that counts. Here are 10 inexpensive ideas for Christmas gifts that won’t break your bank!

10. A mixed CD. What says we are best friends, sisters or significant others better than your favorite music? A personalized CD shows you pay attention and you care! =)

9. A framed photo. A personalized frame is even better. This inexpensive idea can be as simple or as extravagant as you choose. Either way, pictures say the 1000 words, sometimes you can’t.

8. Personalized gift baskets. Real gift baskets can be quite pricey, but if you get a small tote or basket you can fill it with all kinds of goodies. Think small. Take samples of perfumes, candy, a $5 gift card and make the basket perfect for the recipient.

7. A pretty jar filled with hot cocoa mix. Take the ingredients for homemade hot chocolate and layer them in a pretty jar. Then take an instruction card and tie it to the top of the jar with ribbon. It’s pretty and practical.

6. Candles. Who doesn’t love things that smell good? Places like Wal-Mart, Meijer and even dollar stores have tons of different candles you can pick from. Make it personal, and pick the person’s favorite scents!

5. A book. Books may not seem like a great gift, but if you want to change it up or you have a person who loves to read, a book is a great idea! Maybe the person doesn’t have a favorite author, get him or her a book by your favorite author.

4. Paint or draw a picture. Usually for the creative types, but anyone can create a masterpiece that someone else may enjoy. Make it holiday-oriented or something you just created on a whim. Either way, the homemade gifts are always from the heart.

3. Coupon book. Give I.O.U’s as a gift. A coupon for cleaning or for cooking dinner. You get the point. This book, however you spin it, could go a long way.

2. Lottery Tickets. They may seem like a simple and dumb idea, but you could give a gift that gives a lot more than you paid for it! Mix and match different kinds of tickets and hope one of them is a winner!

1. Homemade cookies. Who doesn’t love Christmas cookies? Bake all of your favorite cookies and divvy them out into special holiday tins. This gift can go a long way and it sure to bring a little holiday cheer!


Graduation Blues:
Staying on Top of Your Degree
By: Holly Hammond

The end of the semester is just in sight, coming at a painfully slow rate. As Christmas break approaches, classes are becoming unbearable, and professors seem to be getting even more long-winded. Finals are lurking in the background, standing between us and a well-deserved break. As a senior, I know that every senior is thinking about one thing: GRADUATION. We are so close to a freedom unknown to us, it’s scary. We’ve spent 16 years going to school, taking classes, and procrastinating on homework. Some of us have been more motivated than others, but most of us have just done what we need to get by. And now that we are one semester away from that freedom, we would do anything to ensure that we actually get out into the real world and start the next chapter in our lives. Whether that chapter be more school or a full-time job, we are ready to move on.

Knowing what lies ahead, and with excitement growing, here are a few ways to ensure that you will be walking across that stage to get that coveted piece of paper that says graduate of Marian College.

· Avoid codependency. Students often count on their advisors to keep track of all the classes they take, what they need to take, and any other tasks dealing with scheduling. Senior Health and Physical Education major Katie Long said she believed that her advisor had kept track of all her classes. “After I switched my major from Elementary Education, I was under the impression that my math classes were done. My advisor never mentioned one until my advising appointment for next semester.” Many students are uninformed about the different classes they need to take, and count on their advisor to know.
· Take initiative. Students should take initiative to be in charge of their own future. MaryAnn Bonner, Senior Registrar Assistant, says it is important for all students to keep track, separate from their advisor, of all the classes they have taken and still need to take. “Most advisors here at Marian have several advisees and could very often assume a student has taken a certain class. It is the student’s responsibility to know their expected courses and speak up if the advisor has overlooked a class.”
· KNOW your course catalog. Every student at Marian has access to the course catalog. The catalog not only includes all the graduation requirements for the different majors, but also for the general education program that is part of Marian’s undergraduate degree. Making a check list of all the classes you need to take and checking them off as you complete each class can help you and your advisor keep graduation on track.
· Request a DEGREE AUDIT. If nothing else, place emphasis on the degree audit. The audit gives you a list of all the hours you have taken, and a list of the classes you still need to take to qualify for graduation. All graduating seniors are required to apply for graduation and with that they receive a degree audit. Sometimes, though, that is not soon enough. Every student at Marian should plan on requesting a degree audit BEFORE your senior year to ensure you can balance your schedule and won’t have any surprises right before graduation. Bonner says, “The degree audit is an easy way for students to keep track of their classes. Often students can get bogged down when they have more than one major, a minor, or a concentration. The degree audit just puts everything down on paper for you.”

As students at Marian, we are all in charge of our own future. By avoid codependency on your advisors, taking initiative to know your classes, knowing the expected courses for your major, and requesting an early degree audit, you can ensure that you will have no surprises come second semester of your senior year. Staying on top of your education allows you to determine what is to come after graduation. I’m sure that another year at Marian isn’t on most seniors’ plans.