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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY & ANSAN
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2014
PAGE 4
TEXT FREE FOR ALL
Text your FFA submissions to (785)289-8351 or at kansan.com
Best response to someone trying to tell a knock knock joke: "Do you have a warrant?"
"So is KJHK doing anything for Valentine's Day? You know, love songs, setting the mood..." Thanks professor.
The editors probably share an evil laugh every time they print the crossword across the fold.
If avoiding people on campus that I went to high school with were an Olympic sport. I'd be a gold medalist.
You know you're in Kansas when there is snow on the ground, it's in the forties and there are people in shorts...
Once the snow and ice are gone, I can resume walking at a normal pace instead of focusing all my energy on not falling again.
so a KU bus just drove by and before I realized what it was, I legitimately looked upward for a low flying airplane. It was that loud.
Awkward moment when all the snow melts and the only thing left is sand. Do you wanna build a sandman?
I think all the men in suits for career day melted the snow more than the sun did
Stop trying to make the wooo happen. It's not gonna happen.
Embiid and I have matching sweat pants!
I just saw a squirrel. That means it's spring now right?
Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong.
People need to invest in alternative transportation. It costs $9122 a year to own a car. Good investments: bus pass, good shoes, new bicycle...
Robinson to Snow in 10 minutes?
Please. Try Oldfather
to strong in 15.
True confessions: I still do math with my fingers
Sidewalks are like driving. Keep right!
Valentine's day? Or the day I binge watch the entire second season of House of Cards?
JRPain in the ass
This substitute is blasting 'Some-
where over the Rainbow - Imagine'
mashup before class. I can dig it.
LIVING
Remember the alamo
Proper sidewalk navigation improves traffic flow
Sidewalk etiquette is a constant struggle for all of us, and my goal is to make it a problem of the past. It is debatably the root of all evil (just kidding, but it sucks). Too often people walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk, run into each other, or inconsiderately walk in groups. This slows down life for everybody. That's really annoying — especially when I'm trying to avoid frostbite or get to somewhere I need to be.
Let me explain where my deep-seeded hatred for this comes from. I worked for a few months in a large and busy buffet. At peak hours, I had to navigate through the kind of crowds you see at a concert while under
pressure to transport all of these people's dishes across the restaurant as quickly as possible. This instilled my disdain for inefficient foot traffic. It's really not a critical issue, but it is a hefty pet peeve for a lot of people. I want to share a few tips that will help everything flow smoothly while we're trying to navigate through campus.
The biggest part of sidewall etiquette is walking on the correct side. This is pretty simple to remember: The right side is the right side. Don't forget that this applies to staircases as well. Going against the flow is problematic for everyone.
While you're walking on the proper side, you can also make an effort to not
stop unexpectedly. It's like not using a turn signal: a cardinal sin. If you're going to stop, slow down or dart out to the side where you won't interrupt anyone. As is the case with any accidental bumping, apologize no matter whose fault it is. It's just common courtesy.
Another crucial aspect is using your body language to direct oncoming people. If you realize that a game of sidewalk chicken is happening, angle your limbs
towards the right and start moving that way. They will pick up on your cue and correct their trajectory, allowing for smooth travel all around. Don't wait for them to move, because they won't. Have you ever been sitting with a group of people and collectively made the decision to leave, but nobody does because each person is waiting for someone else? It's the same scenario. Don't play sidewalk chicken. Be the catalyst for change. Move to the side.
Also, consider your physical presence when in a group. Even if it's just one other person, you will likely be walking next to each other and occupying twice the space. If it's a narrow pathway
(as is the case when snow limits the walking area), then position yourself so that you can be easily passed. If it's not a simple thing to do, just be aware of the people walking behind you so that you can allow room for someone to pass if they're walking at a faster pace. When it's negative whatever outside, I don't want to be stuck behind you.
Let's act like we're civilized. It requires very little individually to keep things organized and fluid, but goes a long way in not annoying others.
Dalton Boehm is a freshman from Merriam studying journalism and informational studies.
ENVIRONMENT
Connect with nature to increase sense of happiness, energy levels
What if I told you that being outside could make you a better, happier person? If you are a debater,you might ask me to define the terms "better" and "happier."If you are a scientist,you might ask how I can measure being better or happier. If you are an environmentalist,you know exactly what I'm talking about. And if you're curious,you will keep reading.
Some of the happiest moments in my life happened outside. Lying in my Grandma's backyard reading "Junie B. Jones," hiding from the neighborhood boys in my fort and enjoying my high school graduation party. Recently, the most humbling experience of my life occurred outdoors: trekking up an Indian mountain to behold a world largely untainted by man.
Since then, I've tried to understand the feeling I had when I stood breathless on that mountain in India. After months of wondering about that feeling, out of nowhere, I experienced it again. I was sitting near the Kansas River, watching the ripples in the water, feeling the wind on my shoulders and lazing in the sun when I
felt it. All of a sudden I was blissfully happy. More than that, I felt a connection with something greater than myself while at the same time I felt a connection within myself.
Scientifically, there is a perfectly logical answer to why I experienced such joy. Numerous studies show that people who regularly experience nature report greater happiness. Happiness increases well-being, therefore, being outside causes us to feel better. Additionally, research indicates that nature increases energy and vitality levels, which in turn increases our ability to ward off illness. The reason I felt so alive while standing on the mountain and laying beside the river was because my brain was reacting to my surroundings.
Now I'm going to step away from the scientific and propose an alternate reason for my euphoric feelings: connection with nature. Individuals who have strong
social bonds are said to be happier, healthier people. But couldn't we apply that same concept to a person with a strong bond with the environment? Whether we are in a situation of love for others or for nature, we feel a sense of connectivity, desire to give and a need to protect. When we love our environment, when we understand that we are a part of it, we can experience feelings of personal happiness. And even more importantly, we can banish the feelings of dominance over nature that our society accepts, and let in a new norm of mutuality.
If you're still reading at this point and haven't abandoned my hippie-dippie writing, I suggest you find your spot in nature. I found mine on a mountain in India and by a river in Lawrence. Your spot can be anywhere. You will know you've found it when you sit down and the only thing that matters is that moment, that feeling of deep happiness for your small place in this big world.
Gabrielle Murnan is a sophomore from Pittsburg studying environmental studies.
JAKE KAUFMANN/KANSAN
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FINDING YOUR SPOT IN NATURE? WATCH GABRIELLE MURNAN'S VIDEO ON KANSAN.COM/OPINION
CAMPUS CHIRPS RACK If you could only eat on a food for the rest what type of food would
Follow us on twitter @KansanQuestion. Tweet us our opinions, and we just might publish them.
@MackenzieEckman
@KansanOpinion bagels. They're such a versatile food.
@maddienave
@KansanOpinion noodles! So many shapes and sizes. So many sauces!
FFA OF THE DAY The fact that the rec is off Missouri Street makes it that much harder to work out.
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@KansanOpinion fish tacos from Fuzzy's
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THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Katie Kutko, Alison Johns, Loren Armendariz, Anna Wnner, Sean Powers and Kolby Bots.
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