THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
THE UNIVERSITY DAHV KANGAN
eS
a little skill.
add button-
sence minigames
in pop up during
tests, giving the
the a unique
hm-style twist,
identitionally, well-
aligned puzzles are
erserved throughout
game's areas just
enough to keep
presentation is aacter models and detailed environ- graphical pack- wonderful sound- best cutscenes in of War is truly a
1. it is so good that it's
2. the bar has been
standard for action
Andrew Campbell
combos to deal heavy damage to opponents.
The fighting environments have also improved. Now when you crash into obstacles, not only does it still take away some health, but it also ment, leaving broad pavement.
add a new feature that deserves of Virtuus Fighter 4: customize characters; as, buying them new their appearance. Also win, you have the enn and fight harder
the first three Tekken
game called Tekken:
you take control of din
of Rage-esque game
of the Mishima fam-
her great all-around
sh the character end-
ut it's still worth pur-
Chris Moore
My younger siblings turned me into a responsible older sister, even at the age of 6
Illustration by Scott Drummond
The little mother in me
By Lynn Hamilton, Jayplay writer
The
TIC day my brother was born my life changed forever. I was not quite 6 years old, but his little life influenced mine tremendously. I drew a heart poster nearby the size of my body to give to him in the hospital. I used markers to fill the poster with sporadic squares of red, blue and green around the words, "I Love My Little Brother Seth." From the moment I met him I became his big sister and little mother.
In some ways my childhood stopped then. Some little growup in the 6-year-old me wanted to take care of this other person. I did my own things too; I had my friends and was an aspiring gymnast. But my driving purpose was to be a role model for Seth. I did the same things two years later when my sister Rachel was born.
My mom appreciated my help. She had remarried a few years before Seth was born, and then after Rachel was born we had six kids living in the house — a seventh was at college. She never asked me to help with the kids; I just wanted to. By the time I was in third grade, I baby-sat Seth and Rachel and could cook mac and cheese for dinner. My mom still tells people that at the age of 10, I could take care of two babies, change diapers, cook dinner and clean. I wasn't the youngest anymore, and I loved the responsibility.
Rachel and I shared a room when she was 1 and I was 9. I didn't mind making space for her crib and I loved to bathe her, put her in her pajamas and tuck her in. Seth adored me and love my attention. We played games together, read books, and I entertained him with my latest gymnastic moves. Seth and Rachel's lives gave mine purpose and made me feel important.
Eight years of taking care of my brothet and sister turned me into a full-blown perfectionist by the time I reached high school. I wanted to get good grades and succeed in sports. I accomplished both of these goals. My cross-country team won state my sophomore year, and I was valedictorian of my class. I never got a detention at school or a grounding at home. My mom didn't have to remind me to do my homework or laundry. She didn't have to pack my lunch, remind me of school pictures or sign me up for the ACTs. I decided to come to the University of Kansas on my own. I sent in my application, scholarship essays and financial aid without help. I didn't need it. I was different than a lot my high school friends who needed their moms to organize their lives. I was my own person.
During orientation at the University, while most parents browsed the information fair to learn about campus services for
their kids, my mom sat outside and waited on me to come back from enrolling. It never occurred to her to get information for me because I always did it for myself. Now she acknowledges, "I wasn't the parent, you were." I don't feel resentment about this because it's who I am.
I am confident, independent, organized and responsible. I don't miss deadlines or forget things. I rarely ask people to do me favors. Every winter I dread the snow because my car tends to get stuck, and I hate having to ask someone to drive me. I hate the feeling that I need someone else to help me. I like to take care of myself and everyone else because that's the way I grew up.
Seth just turned 16. He can drive now. I tell him every day to wear his seatbelt and be careful. I drive the three hours home to Oxford to watch him run the football in his high school games and am his bigest fan and loudest cheerleader when he hurdles during track every spring. Rachel is 14. She is a KU fanatic and will become a Jaya-hawk in less than five years. She is a scraper on the basketball court and a leader to her teammates, I do everything I can to support them. They are like my children, and my mom will tell you that I raised them, too. I must admit, they turned out pretty dam good.
Ihamilton@kansan.com
03.31.05 Jayplay
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