Features – Page 11

15Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

Tips for homework success

By JOSEPH SIML Everyone dreads WRT 101 and 102, but what’s so difficult? It’s just a few papers and some research, right? We shouldn’t be afraid of a little work. For me, the hardest part of writing isn’t researching, learning MLA or even writing the paper. It’s staying focused. Distractions are everywhere. From our phones to our friends and even YouTube, finding ways to delay work and procrastinate have never been easier. The good news is that there are ways to overcome a procrastination addiction. Over the course of my writing classes, I found some techniques for staying focused. These techniques will help maximize your writing productivity, so you can get back to other exciting challenges ... like your chemistry homework. 1. Get out of your house. Home is one of the worst place...

1Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

PATH Nurtures Agriculture Students

By DANIEL VELASCO Hidden behind a fenced wall decorated by cactus skeletons lies a secret garden home to Desert Vista Campus at Pima Community College. If you’ve ever bought produce from Desert Vista campus, chances are it was brought to you by Project PATH. “Project PATH (Plant, Assimilate, Till, Harvest) is intended to support students who are interested in various areas of agriculture-related fields, particularly those students interested in transferring to the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,” said Kathleen Marks, a program manager who oversees the grant for Project PATH. “The program offers participants academic and career advising; trips to local and regional establishments and events; work experience in the Desert Vista farm garden, or gu...

1Nov

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Features

MDMA offers potential to help PTSD

By DANIEL VELASCO MDMA, Ecstasy or Molly is a synthetic stimulant that causes hallucinogenic effects. Initially synthesized by the chemist Anton Kollisch in 1912, MDMA has become a popular party drug among youth. MDMA affects three neurotransmitters within the brain: serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Serotonin has an array of different effects such as sleep, pain and hunger. However, it’s most famous for its effect on mood. Someone with healthy levels of serotonin can experience a balanced mood with considerably less anxiety and depression. Dopamine helps regulate the brain’s emotional response. It also controls our brain’s relationship with rewards. When you accomplish something, the feeling you have afterward involves a boost of dopamine within your brain. Norepine...

1Nov

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Features

The Word

What’s the dumbest thing you have done? Dennis Lemmon Using the wifi 67 That would be something dangerous I tried to cliff dive like those acopoco divers into the ocean and I banged my head now I’m on the disability. Eron Scarbrough Chilling 18 I threw a rock and I thought it was going to go over the ledge and it did but I guess someone threw it back because it hit me in the head Hunter Bailey Psychology 21 When I was 13 i broke into a construction site a bunch of people showed up and brandished guns and chased us around this site Paloma McKenna Psychology 21 Not wear a belt I went to the movies and i needed to used the restroom and I jumped the guard rail and because my pants were loose and I wasn’t wearing a...

Testing, Testing 1 2 3. Is this thing on?

1Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

Testing, Testing 1 2 3. Is this thing on?

By JOE GIDDENS Kim Stevens has been working for Pima Community College since 2000 in registration and admission seasonally. Later, she became full time in 2003, and has been at the West Campus Testing Center and Testing Center as a student service technician ever since. We sat down with Stevens for an interview about the West Campus. Q: About how many people use the testing center? A: “It varies … sometimes we have 100 or more. During the midterms and finals, we could have 300, 400.” Q: Are there any outside groups that have your proctor their tests? A: “We do have other community colleges and universities that do use our campus because there’s a lot of online courses nowadays.” Q: So, online courses for like the University of Arizona might have you proctor an exam? A: “Yeah,...

23Oct

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

Kratom vs. opiate addiction

By: DANIEL VELASCO Deep in the rainforests of Southeast Asia lies an infamous plant. With yellow flowers and evergreen leaves, kratom induces stimulant-like effects to its users, while causing opiate-like side effects to people who use it in high doses. Kratom is primarily put into capsules and made into extracts and pills, but dried kratom leaves can be brewed into a tea. Traditionally, kratom is chewed, or in some cases eaten in food. Its side effects are where this plant gets interesting. When kratom is ingested, the chemical compounds (Mitragynine and 7-a-hydroxymitragynine) affect the brain’s four opiate receptors. These brain receptors control an array of different behavioral aspects including pain, depression, anxiety and addiction. The most famous side effects are pleasur...

18Oct

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Stomping Grounds

Donuts fit for a king

On the outskirts of town, near Old Tucson, lies a cleverly hidden little donut shop. A donut you may say is fit for a king, Queen Donuts. It’s basically your local ma-and-pa-owned donut shop. There’re no bells and whistles, no crazy outside decoration to flag you down. Just a yellow sign with their name that sits atop the coffee shop. You walk inside the bell rings and notice it’s appearance is nothing special. The décor is plain, but that in itself gives it a homely feel. The walls are plain white, aside from a couple paintings of Angkor Wat, a John Deere clock and a wall by the register covered with plaques. On the counter lie some American flags and a Cambodian riel (money). Then you’re greeted by Queen Donuts owner Sal Oum, a quiet, humble man who the community adores. Oum is a Cambod...

18Oct

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features, News

Finding yourself in Spanish translation

By AMARIS ENCINAS The Translation and Interpretation Studies program remains a hidden gem at Pima Community College. The program is centered at the Desert Vista Campus with Susan Kuenzler, program adviser with the Division of Communication, and Jeffrey Gabbitas, Ph.D. and lead faculty for the Translation and Interpretation studies program. The program has 90 students. Its lone prerequisite is to score above 601 on the WebCape placement test to assess the student’s language proficiency. Next, there’s an hourlong consultation with Kuenzler and Gabbitas to understand what the program is about and how it can work with the student’s career goals. From there, students will pick classes based on whether they would like to be translators or interpreters. The program’s mission is to have stude...

18Oct

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Features

Can you dig it?

By DANIEL VELASCO Pima Community College’s archeology program is one that consists of the best aspects of science. From working with peers to striving for greatness, Pima’s Archeology Club radiates the best things about the field. While the Archeology Club doesn’t have a specific goal, it does have separate values that the members hope to share with other Pima students. “The club itself is a way to bring together people who have similar interests in both Archeology and Anthropology,” said Brittney Sandoval, treasurer of the Archeology Club and anthropology student at Pima. Preservation is a common theme with the club. Because of the club’s preservation, many students make important connections and meet people who can help them find succes...

18Oct

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Features

Worm your way through Pima’s bookstore

By JOE GIDDENS Carla Durazo doesn’t want you to be scared of Pima Community College’s bookstore. “I think they're just afraid to come in here because of the prices, but they shouldn't,” said Durazo, who has worked at the West Campus bookstore since 2014 as the assistant bookstore manager. “We have a lot of options for them.” Those options include ebooks; textbook rentals; price matching; makeup; and even makeup. “We try to do all these things where, you know, students can have a savings,” Durazo said. “They don’t bother to look to see what is available in the store and even on our pimashop.com site.” Durazo recently sat down for a question-and-answer session about the West Campus bookstore. Q: How long have you been working for the bookstore?...