Volume 124 Issue 108
kansan.com
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Its hard to love or action a temporary can only live. You just do your loved for an extent every time to school k mother and the Jayh game of the against the ways, the night. This includes Comemann and Just about day at Alk fans chant "one more way considering will decide season at K was Cole A叫 the Morris叫 Thomas Ros Robinson a decision forgo his secre NBA Draft, cause he's re tery pick, end of the steps foot on Saturday The Jay, Robinson c because he player, but by the tra grandmother The out- port that f has been tween the Robinson Arnold Schrabe, which difficult for Youb be Jayhawk be memory, loved than For a pk
co Far to t fav
For a plr college bas.
FEATURE
--becomes regular, your brain will want that reward dopamine gives you, resulting in addiction.
Despite the warnings on cigarette packs, in TV commercials and in school throughout childhood, more than 15 percent of college students smoke regularly, according to a study conducted in spring 2011 by the National College Health Association. Other non-habitual smokers include people who smoke when they drink, stress smokers and social smokers. More than 1,000 people 18 years or younger start smoking each day.
There are a plethora of reasons people start smoking, and once you start smoking, it can be very hard to quit. This is in part because of the addictive chemical known as nicotine.
ADDICTION'S MANY PERSONALITIES
As many know, nicotine is the main addictive property in cigarettes. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), nicotine increases the amount of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that increases happiness, released in the brain. These effects wear off after just a few hours, so some continue smoking to keep achieving this feeling. If your smoking
More than half of college student smokers are considered social smokers, according to the American Lung Association.
Brittany Hale, a senior from Singapore, started smoking when she was 14 years old, because her friends were smoking and it just went along with drinking. In Singapore, the legal drinking age is 18, but Hale says the bars aren't strict and let younger people in. Since Hale became addicted, she kept smoking even after her mom caught her and disapproved. In one year, she went from smoking four cigarettes each day, to half a pack, to a full pack each day.
When Hale first came to KU, she says
smoking helped her acclimate to the new environment and make friends. "Smokers stick together. You go outside and, even at bars here. You meet people when you're smoking." Hale says.
Hale says smoking relaxes her when she is stressed out, and she also enjoys smoking after she eats.
Since she smokes a pack each day, Hale says she smokes just about anywhere, anytime. She even smokes when she's drinking coffee in the morning. "Of course I smoke when I'm out drinking. I definitely smoke more then," Hale says. She doesn't mind that she has to go outside to smoke, but does enjoy places, such as casinos, where you can smoke inside. All other public places like restaurants, bars and taxis are now under a smoking ban, since the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act was passed in 2010.
SMOKING SOCIALLY
More students consider themselves social smokers than habitual ones like Hale. More than half of college student smokers are considered social smokers, according to the American Lung Association, which
ADVICE FROM HOWARD AHM, A CHICAGO SENIOR. WHO DUIT SMOKING!
"Reducing cigarettes does not help much to quit. It's better to just quit cold turkey."
Anticipate tempting situations you will face. "It's hard to resist when there are other people smoking, or when you are drinking, or after having a meal."
Avoid triggers when you can. "Avoid any situations that may trigger your desire to smoke again. Avoid places that smell like cigarettes." Ahn says.
means they usually smoke around other smokers. One of these people is Jeff, a sophomore from Iowa.
Jeff began smoking at age 16 with friends, usually at parties. He says he continues to smoke because when you smoke, you have the opportunity to meet more people.
Jeff smokes daily, but he still considers himself a social smoker because he usually smokes around others on campus or with his roommate. One in five of these social smokers become daily smokers sometime during their college experience, according to the American Lung Association. He also smokes on the porches at bars and doesn't see a problem with indoor smoking bans. "Not everyone who drinks, smokes. Typically places that are non-smoking have a back porch or designated smoking area," jeff says.
NICOTINE NOSTALGIA
Giselle, an Overland Park senior, says the main reason she smokes isn't for social reasons, and it's not because of addiction. Giselle says she just enjoys smoking. "There are so many people smoking on campus and every time someone walks by I have that nostalgic feeling," Giselle says. Giselle, who smokes an average of one pack in three days, quit smoking for a year but started again in college. She says quitting wasn't difficult for her; it's a matter of if you want to quit or not, and she just didn't want to quit.
However, most people have a tougher time quitting smoking. According to the National Institutes of Health, almost all people who try to quit smoking experi-
If you think you're going through hard times because you're struggling with class, you broke up with your partner, you're struggling with your relationships with your family and friends or undergoing financial hardship, just take a good, hard look at what Robinson has endured.
national player of the year honors after losing three of his closest family members is something to admire.
Losing your mother and grandparents at 19 is something nobody should have to go through.
He has responded to his misfortune by committing himself, whether it's by taking care of his younger sister Jayla, or being the best basketball player he can possibly be. He doesn't want people to feel sorry for him. He is a symbol of hope, determination, strength and perseverance.
I know senior day is a day to honor the seniors, but Robinson should be honored as well. If you aren't planning to attend Saturday's game against Texas, I strongly urge you to go because it's probably the last time you'll see Robinson play at Allen Fieldhouse.
Edited by Jeff Karr
Coach Ritch Price said that a tournament format allows for teams to choose who they want to throw their best arms against. In a normal three-game series format, the teams match up their number one, two and three pitchers.
Coming into the season, the Kansas baseball team knew it would be facing the best pitchers of each team it plays. That's the price that comes with being a member of the Big 12 conference.
The Jayhawks will play in their third preseason tournament, The University of Texas — San Antonio tournament, this weekend in San Antonio, Texas. In each of the three tournaments, Kansas has been one of the marquee teams.
"I told our team in a short team meeting that the advantage of playing at the University of Kansas is going to a tournament and getting everybody's best guys, Price said. "Those are the guys we're going to see in
"That's one of the big things when we start playing conference series," Eligie said. "If we can use the bulldon the first couple days, that leaves them kind of shorthanded for the weekend. The more you can do that the more you can wear them out and they can't use their best pitchers later on."
While the Jayhawks have been able to get players on base often, the clutch hit has proved elusive. Kansas has left 63 runners on base already this season, which averages to nine runners left on base a game. Senior catcher James Stanfield said the team needs to lay off sliders down in the strike zone, and look for fastballs.
focused heavily on being patient against opposing pitchers. In seven games so far, no starting pitcher for the opposing team has made it past the fifth inning against the Jayhawks. Senior infielder Zac Elgie knows that getting startings pitches out of the game early will lead to success.
Stanfield said the team has to make sure they stay patient later in the game because that's when the at-bats are the most important.
Price said the team would need to be confident and relaxed at the plate to be successful.
X
"The hardest part about baseball is that it beats you up mentally, at any level." Price said.
much, Stanfield said. "A lot of the times in the those situations you just need a ground ball to the right side or a fly ball to the outfield."
.
"Anytime you're successful offensively, you're successful one-through-nine in the lineup." Price said. "The first couple of weekends we've had two or three of our key guys who are off to a slow start, but all it takes is one good weekend to turn it all around."
The Jayhawks will look to build off of their 14-1 victory over Mississippi Valley State last Sunday in San Antonio.
Edited by Katie James
BY THE NUMBERS
63 The number of runners Kansas has left on base in seven games.
5. 0 The most innings an opposing starting pitcher has lasted against Kansas.
10 The number of runs Kansas scored in the first inning Sunday against Mississippi Valley State.
39 The number of runs Kansas has scored in seven games.
1
11 The number of runs Kansas has allowed in seven games.
1
---