Lifestyle

• Coming Soon: TEDx at Mason

  Lifestyle April 23, 2012 at 3:19 pm Comments are Disabled

  The world-famous Technology, Entertainment and Design conferences feature the most brilliant minds in the world discussing a wide range of topics from green technology to the changing face of humanity. The conferences have featured such speakers as Bill Clinton, Bono, Bill Gates and Richard Dawkins. The TED website features 1,050 free, groundbreaking talks that taken together have been viewed over 500 million times by people from all over the world. Their slogan, “Ideas Worth Spreading,” fits nicely with George Mason University’s tradition of innovation, which is exactly why TEDx is coming to the Fairfax campus for the very first time. TEDx is a series of licensed events under the TED brand, which takes place just about anywhere in the world that the desire exists, including many at neighboring universities in Northern Virginia. Producers of TEDxGeorgeMasonU—its official title— Andrew Hawkins and Joe Renaud, have been working hard for the last year on bringing the spirit of TED to Mason. They have brought together eight members of Mason’s distinguished faculty to give talks on Sunday, May 6. “We wanted to strive to [showcase] the brilliant minds here at Mason while bridging the gap between humanities and the sciences,” said Renaud, a co-producer […]

   

• Button Mashing: ‘The Witcher 2’

  Lifestyle April 23, 2012 at 3:19 pm Comments are Disabled

  Obviously, “Skyrim,” with its over 300 hours of gameplay, is still at the top of the games-to-beat list for many readers of Button Mashing. However, you may want to pull yourself away from it and invest your time in a game that gives you a visceral, adult-oriented good time. That game is “The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.” The original “The Witcher” was developed by CD Projekt RED and published internationally by Atari. It was released in Europe and North America in October 2007 for PCs. “The Witcher 2” contains numerous storylines and multiple endings. As in the first game, players assume the role of the stoic Geralt of Rivia, one of the few remaining witchers. Witchers are humans who have been genetically enhanced and rigorously trained to fight the vile monsters that inhabit the kingdom of Temeria. They are also given a special power, such as alchemy, magic or sword handling. “The Witcher 2” has all the elements of a great RPG, but the game is heavy on adult themes. The dialogue is vulgar, which can be shocking for some, but other gamers will appreciate this level of maturity. “The Witcher 2” also flexes its muscles with its visceral […]

   

• Chemical Reactions

  Lifestyle April 23, 2012 at 3:18 pm Comments are Disabled

  Summer’s almost here, and everyone on campus is enjoying the beautiful weather. For many Patriots, this warrants a time to rejoice. Sandals, flip-flops, gladiators and the like are all here to liberate our feet. Many people have added carefree fashion pieces such as Capri pants, sleeveless shirts and some sheer clothing to their wardrobes. However, there’s a place on campus that this freedom is forbidden: the chemistry lab. It’s already a bothersome part of most people’s week, and now the strict clothing policies add another reason to dread going to lab. Slogging through a two- to three-hour laboratory, with all of its procedures, calculations and other nuances, is tedious enough. Added to this stressful situation is the fact that missing a lab is an unforgivable offense. If one attempts to make it up, at least an hour’s worth of scheduling is involved, which ends up being so frustrating that the endeavor is often dropped altogether. A large number of chemistry students recently experienced the attendant frustrations following a missed lab because they failed to comply with the dress code. It is the purview of lab monitors to walk about the laboratory with their goggles and clipboards, inspecting our materials and […]

   

• Relay 4 Change

  Lifestyle April 23, 2012 at 3:17 pm Comments are Disabled

  It was a night to remember. It was a night to recognize. It was a night to pay tribute to those we have lost and those who are fighting. Cancer never sleeps and neither did many students during George Mason University’s Relay For Life. The relay began on Saturday and ran until 6 a.m. Sunday morning in the Field House. Countless students came out to support the cause and walk to put an end to cancer. Teams from different school organizations participated, including the women’s rugby team, university scholars and fraternities and sororities. Some teams were dedicated to specific people who were fighting the battle themselves. The event started off with the National Anthem performed by Off the Books, followed by speeches from student cancer survivors. First to the podium was freshman Emily Albis who began her battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the end of 2010. During her speech, Albis held back tears as she thanked everyone for coming out. “Cancer sucks … No one should have to go through what I have to,” Albis said. Mason graduate Evan Milberg spoke next. Milberg, currently a graduate student at Georgetown University, fought both testicular cancer and stage zero melanoma. Though he […]

   

• Bike Your Way to a Better Life

  Lifestyle April 23, 2012 at 3:16 pm Comments are Disabled

  If you’re not a bicyclist, you’ve probably noticed quite a few of your peers mounting up and heading out for a spin around campus. With the spring weather in full effect, now is the best time to see if biking is the activity for you! You can do just that in a stress-free environment at the Pedal Collective Fun Ride from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 28 on the Fairfax campus. The 10-mile route will begin at North Plaza and end at Brion’s Grille with a happy-hour. Joe Paisley, a senior communication major and organizer of the Fun Ride, has devoted most of his free time to his passion for bicycling. After becoming a member of the campus bicycling club, he paved the way for the Fun Ride in order to encourage others to bike. Even if you’ve never been on a bike before, Paisley encourages everyone to consider the advantages of the activity. “It’s more than exercising to me,” Paisley said. “It’s a social thing. There’s a whole culture to it.” Bicycling is a good way to meet up with a group of people and get some exercise while enjoying the spring weather, pollen notwithstanding. Whether you’re biking […]

   

• A Visceral Thrill Ride

  Lifestyle April 16, 2012 at 4:30 pm Comments are Disabled

  Reviewing “The Cabin in the Woods” without divulging the plot of the film feels like an impossible task. To speak to the movie’s plot would be to possibly deny potential viewers of one hell of an experience. That being said, “The Cabin in the Woods” is quite possibly the most entertaining movie of the year so far. You’ve probably seen in the trailers, what little plot details can be safely revealed without spoiling the flick. Five college kids, all of whom fulfill their own cliché roles, head out to — you guessed it — a cabin in the woods for a weekend of boozing and sexing. But things soon go horribly wrong. It’s a formula you’ve seen before, but much as “Scream” deconstructed the slasher genre in 1996, “Cabin” is a game-changer that takes what you know about the genre, spins it on its head and then says, “Here, have some more.” One of the reasons this film shines is that all of the characters are quite likable. Yes, they do happen to fall into familiar roles for the genre, but the formulaic aspects of the characters account for only the thinnest layer of each person’s identity. Many people will […]

   

• Button Mashing – ‘Final Fantasy’

  Lifestyle April 16, 2012 at 4:29 pm Comments are Disabled

  The central conflict in every installment of the “Final Fantasy” series pits an assembly of characters against some evil and, sometimes, an ancient antagonist who wants to destroy the world. The stories usually begin with a sovereign state battling a rebellion comprising the game’s protagonists. The heroes are often fated to defeat the evil force dominating their world, which is what causes the main heroes to unite. You would think that after twelve installments (and a few sequels) with essentially the same basic plot, players would begin to think it’s the same game over and over. Well, actually, it’s not. Created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and developed and owned by SquareEnix, the series blends of science fiction and fantasy. The enterprise began with the 1987 release of “Final Fantasy” in Japan and in America three years later. Two sequels, “Final Fantasy II” (1988) and “Final Fantasy III” (1990) were also released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Subsequent titles are numbered, usually with an unrelated story. (Think of them as volumes instead of sequels.) The series was a huge success, branching into other genres such as third-person shooter, tactical role-playing and action role-playing. Although the series remains successful, it is beginning […]

   

• Get Thrifty

  Lifestyle April 16, 2012 at 4:28 pm Comments are Disabled

  What’s old is new again. Thrift shopping is becoming a more popular form of purchasing clothing and it can be especially useful for those of us college students who are on a budget. It seems that people either enjoy or strictly avoid thrift shopping. Though it can be fun rummaging through racks of clothing, some find the thought of wearing someone else’s clothing unappealing. But as long as you know how to search through all of the items in the store, it can actually be fun and easy to find some great deals. “You can find clothes that are barely worn and in perfect condition. It’s a great deal,” said Vicenta Tran, a freshman chemistry major. For those who have a slightly higher fashion standard, the store Plato’s Closet offers cash for gently used, name-brand clothing and sells the items at a generously discounted price. The closest Plato’s Closet store to campus is in Chantilly. “It’s a good way to find nice clothes that are pretty cheap, but you have to do a lot of scavenging,” said Jake Chavara, a freshman government and international politics major. It is beneficial to check out many local thrift stores and larger chain thrift […]

   

• Mason Makes College a Family Affair

  Lifestyle April 16, 2012 at 4:27 pm Comments are Disabled

  As students leave home and travel to college, it can be difficult for siblings to stay in touch. Hoping to keep students and siblings connected, the Office of Orientation and Family Programs and Services will host its first annual Siblings Day weekend on Saturday, April 28. All George Mason University students are invited to participate and register their siblings for the fun-filled weekend. In order to attend the event, students must register their siblings on or before Wednesday, April 25 at masonfamily.gmu.edu. The signed registration form must be submitted to the office of orientation and Family Programs and Services via mail or by emailing a scanned copy. The event is open to siblings aged 12 to 18. While the office hopes to accommodate younger siblings in the future, they have planned this year’s weekend for adolescent siblings. As the graduate assistant to the Office of Orientation and Family Programs and Services, Jennifer Burns is excited to watch this event come to fruition. “We hope that this will be a way that siblings and teenagers can stay connected after one goes off to college,” Burns said. Sibling attendees must pay the registration fee of $20. The fee will provide a T-shirt, […]

   

• Say ‘Yes’ to Less Stress

  Lifestyle April 16, 2012 at 4:25 pm Comments are Disabled

  It could be dueling for a parking spot or attempting to get through a three-hour lecture after pulling an all-nighter at Ike’s. It could be accidentally spilling drinks on a customer’s table or having an ex bash you on Facebook — George Mason University students deal with a lot of stress. In a population of approximately 31,000 students, young people at Mason can get lost in the shuffle and may struggle at times to manage school, work and interpersonal relationships. “Due partially to stress, a surprisingly high percentage of college freshmen don’t go on to graduate,” according to an about.com article by wellness coach and health psychology specialist, Elizabeth Scott. “Many students keep crazy hours from staying up late to study, getting up early for classes and trying to cram in all the work and fun that can possibly fit.” But there’s a simple answer to relieving all of this stress from the challenges that college students face. All one has to do is say yes. YES Plus, which stands for Yoga Empowerment Service Plus, is an organization at Mason that focuses on helping students effectively manage different aspects of their lives through meditation, intellectual discussions, breathing techniques and interactions. […]