Section A • Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Friday, October 23, 1998
Semester blues cause roommate woes
By Sarah Hale
Kansan staff writer
"I'm so sick of you," 'clean up your mess,' "keep it down" are phrases that can be heard by roommates.
As the semester rolls on and emotions and stress rise, University of Kansas housing officials said some roommates were bound to have problems.
"There's sort of a honeymoon period when residents first move in because it's new, and there's new people," said Kim Grassmeyer, assistant director of Student Housing. "Over time as weeks pass, things start to pile up and students get stressed. Pretty soon all the little things get on their nerves. It's that time of year when students lose their patience a little more."
Two roommates fight about a pair of jeans. Every semester about midterm time, students tend to become stressed and take it out on their roommates. Photo illustration by Corie Waters/KANSAN
Ken Stoner, director of the Department of Student Housing, said that students' frustrations were directly proportionate to where they spend most of their time. He said that if students spent 50 percent of their time at home, then 50 percent of temper tantrums would occur there with their roommate.
"A lot of times the fights aren't personal," Stoner said. "The student may be upset about something else and need to vent."
Angie Cicero, Kansas City, Kan., freshman, switched to a single room to help ease her housing woes.
"She'd come in and eat all my food
without asking or paying, plus she was a slob and left everything all over the place," Cicero said. "Basically, we just had a difference of opinion."
Kara Thompson, Newton freshman,
agreed that sometimes it was difficult
to get along with someone who was
completely opposite.
"It's not that my roommate and I have huge arguments and hate each other." Thompson said. "We're just really different, so it's stressful."
One thing that may have helped this year was the proactive use of roommate contracts in the beginning of the year, Grassmeyer said. She said that the number of complaints and incidents had decreased compared to previous years.
Students were asked to answer questions about their lifestyles as they moved in, instead of after a conflict occurred.
"Sometimes changing rooms seems easier than talking to a roommate," she said. "The contracts encourage communication, and communication helps find a middle ground."
Not all roommates have problems getting along, and many times they become good friends.
"I went potluck and was nervous at first," said Joanna Miller. Bloomington, Minn., freshman. "But it has been great. Actually, we both laughed at the contract and haven't had to refer to it at all."
Students who do not live in the resi
dence halls can have similar problems. The Web site www.swoon.com offers relationship advice and information. Roommate contracts also are provided at the site.
Lawrence resident who lives with four KU students. "They'll slam doors and yell at each other about it. I just sit back and listen."
"I think in roommates argue over the stupidest stuff like parking or not leaving messages," said Eric Phlegar,
If resident hall occupants have problems with a roommate and are interested in moving out, they can contact their hall director for more information.
World War II veteran talks with journalism students
By Kelli Raybern
Kansas staff writer
A World War II veteran presented a message to University of Kansas students yesterday, the same one he's been giving to young people for more than 40 years: Think positive.
Carl Christiansen spoke to three promotional writing classes in Stauffer-Flint Hall yesterday, sharing his stories as the youngest survivor of the Japanese attack on the U.S.S. Arizona in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Christiansen encouraged students to make the best of any situation.
writing profiles of veterans,
outlining U.S. military con-
Members of the classes are
flicks,
designing
informational
fliers and a
program of
veteran
information for the
Veterans
Appreciation Day
KU football
game on Nov. 7.
Christiansen:
Shared Pearl
Harbor experience.
Ashley Hock.
Topeka senior, said Christiansen's speech reminded her of speeches by her late
grandfather, also a World War II veteran, who taught her something about her own life.
"I got an emotional lesson from it: How to take an experience of that magnitude and keep applying it to everyday life," she said.
Christiansen told the story of the day Japanese bombers sunk his ship, the U.S.S. Arizona, with complete emotional control.
He said when his division arrived in the harbor, it started getting ready for Christmas.
"Christmas never came," he said.
He described hearing noises. He thought it was just
a bombing exercise until his friend saw Japanese planes flying low toward the Arizona. Christiansen was sent to his battle station and moments later the ship was hit.
"When the ship blew up, there was just a gentle motion," he said. "It went up, gently settled back down and sunk. There was no panic, just people trying to find a wax out."
Some men on board the ship choked on fumes.
captain's boat picked them up, and Christiansen awoke the next day in the hospital.
Later in his service, he said, he decided to dedicate his life to working with young people. He often speaks about his experiences to grade school students.
He said he had no idea about the amount of time that elapsed between the explosion and his escape from the ship, along with 21 other men. The
He also has worked to keep alive the memory of his shipmates who died in Pearl Harbor.
"He's dedicated to the memory of the Arizona and the men who were lost," said Diane Lazzarino, the instructor of journalism whose classes Christiansen addressed. "It's very much a labor of love for him."
Students drink too much pop, physician says
By Kolth Burnor
Kansan staff writer
Too many students drink soda pop instead of water, a University of Kansas physician says.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer watchdog group in Washington D.C., agreed.
"Pop has become more than an occasional refreshment," said Randall Rock, chief of staff at Watkins Memorial Health Center. "We need a significant amount of water on a daily basis, but in the last decade we've seen soda start to replace water as our primary source of liquid."
The group wants soda pop banned from schools and higher taxes placed on its sale. It also seeks to end ads that target children.
The group, also known for listing the risks of Chinese food and movie theater popcorn, said that soda provides a dangerous portion of the diet.
"The average American is drinking twice as much soda pop as in 1974," said Michael Jacobson. the center's executive director.
A fourth of the teenagers who drink soda get at least 25 percent of their daily calories from its sugar, Jacobson said.
While some KU students such as Adam Chase, Lenexa sophomore, did not agree with the proposed restrictions, they agreed that pop is not healthy.
"There are better things I could be drinking, like Kool-Aid," Chase said. "I hear from my dentist all the time that I shouldn't drink so much pop because it's got a lot of sugar."
Rachel Crews, Brookings, S.D., sophomore, said she tried to avoid problems by drinking less soda and more water and juice.
"College kids are pretty resilient," she said. "But I think it will catch up with them in the long run."
Only 17.5 percent of about 200 vending machines on campus sell juice or water, said Robin Love, KU Coke Representative.
"It's not unusual for a student to drink a Coke at midnight to help them stay alert while they're studying for a test," Rock said. "But at one o'clock, that same Coke will still be keeping you alert when you want to be resting for the test."
Rock said that caffeinated drinks could be a double-edged sword for students.
Jim Finkelstein, representative of the National Soft Drink Association, said the consumer group was trying to create unfounded alarm.
"Soft drinks have never pretended to be anything more than a nice refreshment product," he said. "They make no nutritional claim."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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