Newspaper Page Text
Nov/Dec 2013 SpelmanPaper@gmail.com
The BluePrint
Love, Marriage and Religion
By: Morgan-Taylor Webber C2014
Marriage is defined as the formal union of
two individuals (typically a man and woman)
recognizable by law. However, marriage becomes
more than just a union between two individuals
once the term is placed in a religious context.
Religion, characterized by a system of faith
and worship, provides its followers with rules and
practices expected to guide them towards salvation.
With the presence of these rules, marriage is extended
beyond a simple union, and becomes an institution or
act of service that varies according to faith.
Buddhists—individuals following the
teachings of Buddha— consider marriage a
personal and individual concern and not a religious
duty. Marriage to Buddhists is an institution created
by mankind to contribute to their overall well-being
and happiness. In the sacred book of Buddhism,
the Tripitaka, there are no specific rules on how one
should conduct their married life, but Buddha does
give married individuals advice on how to maintain
tranquility in their home.
While Buddhism allows each individual the
freedom to decide for him or herself all the issues
pertaining to marriage, Buddha advises married
couples to refrain from committing adultery and
advises that older men not have yonnaer wives,
buddha gives this advice because tnese issues
are considered ways to create disharmony in the
couples’ family, ruining the happiness that marriage
is supposed to bring.
In marriage between two Buddhists, there
is no distinction of who is superior between man
and woman. Buddhists believe that society grows
through the network of relationships that resemble
interdependence, meaning each individual in
a marriage is to give strength, moral courage,
support, and appreciative recognition to one
another and the skills they bring, demonstrating a
commitment to support and protect others in the
group or community.
Muslims—individuals following the
teachings of Allah—view marriage in a very
different light than Buddhists. Muslims consider
marriage one of the most virtuous and approved
institutions, one that guards modest—a significant
component of the Islamic faith. Raising a family
outside of marriage is considered going against
the religion. Marriage is considered the only way
to bring families into existence. In the Islamic
religion, marriage is sacred because it adheres to
Allah’s commandments to continue the human race
by rearing and nursing children to become true
servants of Allah. Muslims believe that marriage
shields them from the ‘evils’ of promiscuity,
fornication, adultery, and homosexuality; issues
that are thought to lead to even greater evils.
Christians—individuals following the
teachings of God, recognizing Jesus Christ as their
savior—view marriage as an institution rooted in
the divine plan of creation. They believe that God
brings two baptized Christians together to become
one body to be fertile and multiply. With marriage
thought to be a sacrament, it is believed that the
bond between two married individuals is sealed
and strengthened by God’s love. Since the hands of
God establish the marital bond, it is intended to be
iitelong and exclusive, demonstrating permanency,
faithfulness, and exclusivity. These characteristics
protect God’s purpose of marriage, which is for the
married couple to grow in mutual love and create
the generation and education of their offspring.
A constant factor found in -all of these
religions is that marriage is regarded with great
respect. It is an institution created to establish
a union between two individuals, building the
foundation for creating a family. Although the
standard for marriage differs depending on religious
beliefs, it remains a system founded on love and
happiness.
The Art of Meditation
By: Morgan-Taylor Webber C’2014
Pursuing an undergraduate career offers
several perks that can be used to create a better
future, such as knowledge, networking, and
communication skills. However, the amount
of work required to complete undergraduate
coursework successfully is an additional stress
on top of family issues, personal issues, and
other matters that you may have. Whenever
stress begins to consume your being, there are
several different ways to relieve the tension, but
meditation just might be the best.
Meditation is a practice that has been dated
back 5,000 years. Buddha is one of the biggest
meditation icons both in the past and present.
Presently, meditation has become an active
part of Western society, with people using
meditation daily to relieve stress. Meditation not
only can be used to treat anxiety, stress, and
depression, but it can also be used as time for
self-reflection. In the most stressful situations,
self-reflection allows you to take a moment to
contemplate the reasoning behind the current
situation, alleviate the tension, and prevent the
circumstance from occurring again.
Every feeling and emotion lasts temporarily,
so before you carry out an action that has
permanent consequences center yourself,
meditate on the issue at hand, and then proceed
once your thoughts are clear and geared in a
more positive direction. Meditation can be
practiced alone, with a group, and in any location
you feel most comfortable.
Do not let the stresses of college weigh you
down any longer. In the Lower Level of Sister’s
Chapel every Thursday at noon, you can take a
brief break from your busy schedule to sit for
an hour and be guided through the meditation
process, giving you time to alleviate yourself
from daily anxieties. Use this ancient practice to
achieve a state of serenity, peace, and tranquility.
Tips on How to Eat Well During the Holidays
By: Kevona Belcher C’2015
With the holiday season underway, most people want
to indulge in baked goods and home cooked meals.
Unfortunately, if you’re not conscious of your eating
habits, the pounds can add on quickly. The list below
provides a few simple tips to enjoy holiday treats while
maintaining your weight.
Exercise
• If you are active on a daily basis, burning the calories
you gain from holiday dinners will be a breeze. Try taking
a nice long walk before and after dinner. This can also aid
in digestion as well.
Eat Breakfast
• A healthy breakfast on holidays will help you eat less and
speed up your metabolism. Low fat and protein is always
the best option. Whole grain toast, egg whites, and fruit
are a perfect combination that will leave you satisfied
until dinner.
Use Baking/Cooking Alternatives
• Grandma’s recipes are most likely filled with fat and
unhealthy carbs. Fortunately, there are alternatives
when making your favorite dishes. Below are some
suggestions:
- Use olive oil instead of butter when cooking
- Substitute plain yogurt for sour cream when
making casseroles or mashed potatoes
- Try fat free chicken broth to base turkey
and make gravy
Try Not to Overeat
• That old saying, “Your eyes are bigger than your
stomach” has a great deal of truth to it. Most of the time
we want more than our stomachs can handle and feel the
need to finish our plates. When you feel yourself getting
full, stop and save the rest for later. Try drinking a glass
of water before and during your meal. This can help
reduce the amount of food you take in.
FOOD & Drink
21 & UP ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
By: Chelsey Washington C’2015 & Taylor Curry C’2015
Being in college with little to no parental
supervision makes some college students feel
as though they have the green light to indulge in
alcoholic beverages. While many students have the
ability to gage their alcohol intake, others fall victim
to the effects of the over-consumption of alcohol.
For the 21 and over crowd, drinking is great
when you are safe and fun in one’s apartment or on
an extravagant night out on the town. To avoid the
embarrassment of the occasional stumble, slurred
speech, or sick moment, here are a few wines and
cocktails that prove to be a delicious alternative to
gulping down Bacardi in public.
• Chardonnay- this delicious, crisp white wine
is perfect with a light dinner of chicken and
vegetables, fish, or even light Mexican fare.
• Pinot Noire - this unusually light and airy red
wine pairs well with red meat dishes, Italian
food, and even curry.
• Mint Julep- this distinctly southern treat is
a delicious way to cool off. Gently crush ten
spearmint leaves and 1 to 2 tbsp. of Simple
Syrup in a glass with the brim coated with
2 tablespoons of superfine sugar, fill it with
crushed ice, and then pour half a cup of
Kentucky bourbon in to finish.
• Bloody Mary- a
decadent drink
perfect for breakfast
that is as spicy as
it is red. Combine 1
oz. of vodka, 2 oz.
of tomato juice, 2
tsp. of fresh lemon
juice, Worcestershire,
kosher salt and
pepper, and cayenne
pepper all to taste.
Pour in an ice-filled
Collins glass and garnish with lemon.
seconds and then
strain into a chilled cocktail glass. For garnish
and flavor, twist a strip of orange peel over the
top and drop it in.
Invite over some girlfriends, turn to a favorite
Pandora radio station and try something new. For
students aged 21 and up, now is a great time to
discover drinks that appeal to specific palettes and
lifestyles. As the popular sign-off of most alcoholic
beverage commercials advises, “Please enjoy
responsibly.”
Pictures and recipes courtesy of saveur.com.
Food and Drink
By: Taylor Curry C’2015
Let’s be honest. Very rarely have you said to
your friends, “let’s eat in the cafe tonight,” without
your stomach offering up silent protest. Not only
does the food taste bad but sometimes you just
know what they are serving probably contains a lot
of calories and not knowing exactly what you were
eating is a bit traumatizing. Jasmine Payne, the
Secretary of Student Affairs of SSGA talked, and
Spelman’s new Food Service Director, Anna-Marie
Chavers, listened.
Payne first developed her own food committee
that was made up of a diverse group of two
students from each class, some commuters, some
vegetarians, some with other culinary differences.
Payne then met with Chavers to discuss proper
food labels and allergy sensitive foods. She and
her committee soon found out that Chavers was
already one step ahead of them.
As food service director, Chavers has made
allergy awareness a huge priority in the Spelman
cafe. She encourages students with allergies and
restrictive diets to meet with her in her office so
she can help them plan personalized meals for the
week. There is also a special cooler in the cafe for
allergy students and special food available upon
request.
Vegan dietary restrictions are also a priority for
Chavers. While the vegan cooler in years passed
looked a bit like something from the Hunger
Games, the current list of options available to vegan
students has expanded exponentially. The cafe
now offers food like vegan coconut shrimp, vegan
pizza, vegan turkey burgers, queso, bread, and a
wide selection of Annie’s vegan salad dressings.
Keeping the cafe inclusive to vegetarian
students is also importantto Chavers and herteam.
Many improvements are easy to spot, like the fresh
vegetables at the stir fry station that, according to
Chavers, serve multiple purposes.
“The fresh vegetables we have here, in-house,
make the station look nice and act as a kind of
garnish, but they also let you know that these are
fresh veggies we’re using.” Chavers went on to add
that many of the food items offered in Spelman’s
cafe are now made fresh, on the premises. “We
make all our pizza dough from scratch.”
The cafe has also pledged to include more
healthy varieties of food and to work in congruence
with Dr. Tatum’s Wellness Revolution initiative.
Chavers explained that as part of the cafe’s new
Healthy for Life Campaign, there are digital boards
placed around the cafe that display how many
calories are in the food. Spelman has even changed
the way students slurp their soup: now there is
always a protein-heavy choice, and a vegetable
option available every day at the soup station. The
hot-line has also received some changes.
“Students were concerned that the hot-line
was too carb-heavy,” says Chavers. “So now
there are always two veggies, two meat options,
and only one carb option.” And with incorporating
more varieties of bread and pasta, including more
whole wheat, and, in the near future, expanding
the salad bar with ten more items, Chavers and her
team hope to work with the Wellness Revolution to
keep students healthier and happier.
Lastly, both Payne and Chavers stressed the
importance of feedback. Whether it’s a formal
request or a note jotted down on one of the yellow
“We Heard You” papers located in the cafeteria,
Chavers personally goes through all of it. Payne
even admitted to receiving feedback through word
of mouth.
“I’m a little nosy,” she joked, “I listen to regular
conversations and complaints about Spelman
Dining and make myself available to suggestions
and concerns.”
Simple things like using egg whites at the
omelet station, or serving omelets all day for that
matter have been included purely based off of
feedback. Chavers even revealed that the “Peace
of Mind” station contains improvements solely
derived from the feedback of students and faculty
dining in the cafe.
“Feedback is so important here,” says Chavers.
“It’s one thing to tell your friend about a Spelman
Dining issue, or to tweet about it, but if you actually
tell me, I can do something about it.”
For more information on Spelman Dining, visit
Spelmandining.com and receive various updates,
like the menu of the day. You can also “like” the
Spelman Dining Facebook page or download the
CampusDish app which will soon garner exclusive
access to specials for the Spelman Food Court.
After Thanksgiving break, students will have access
to nutrition information on what’s being offered in
the cafe via the Spelman dining website.
For even more information contact Anna Maria
Chavers at macko-annamarie@aramark.com or
Jasmine Payne at Jpayne8@scmail.spelman.edu.