Confessions of a Sandwich Artist - Kayla Dvorak

Confessions of a Sandwich Artist

By Kayla Dvorak

Once upon a time, I worked at the local Subway. For the first two weeks I could barely cut the bread. After about seven months, though, I became kind of a sandwich stud. (Just kidding.) I did have the job figured out fairly well, though. Working there for seven months was quite an experience, so since I no longer work there I’ll share with you my favorite and least favorite aspects of Subway.

Positives:

Free Sandwiches

Every single time you work a shift, even if you have a split shift, you get free food. You can either get a free footlong or a free six inch and your choice of chips or two cookies. It is wonderful.

Comfy Pants

Other than the obvious “don’t wear ratty or revealing clothing to work” rule, I believe the only rule was that our footwear had to be closed-toe and our pants had to be black or khaki. Do you know what that means? That means I wore comfy yoga pants to work every day. Oh, yoga pants are too revealing, you say? No. I was issued a medium shirt that covered my behind, therefore, my butt was never visible.

Nice Coworkers

Most of my friends and family will roll their eyes at this positive aspect, because I worked there with my best friend. Aside from her, though, my coworkers were generally tolerable.

Coworkers Who Were Willing to Switch Shifts

Self-explanatory, really.

Short Shifts

It wasn’t until the last few month that I was considered a professional around there, so I wasn’t given very long shifts. However, I worked quite a few shifts. The hours added up nicely without me having to spend long stretches of time there.

Not Minimum Wage

Subway is the only place I’ve ever worked where I was paid more than $7.25 an hour, and I’ve got to say, it was rewarding.

Negatives:

Bread Smell EVERYWHERE.

It was in my clothes, in my car, in my house. The smell of fresh subs never left my hair. My last day was in the first week of August and I feel like my hair still reeks.

Annoying Customers

I’m not trying to stereotype the elderly of Concordia as clueless when it comes to technology, but man oh man did some of them have issues with our new drive thru. Some would press the speaker and shout at us, “Your drive thru is not working. There is no ham on there.” Umm, yes, there is a ham option on there. You just have yet to find it. Stop yelling at me.

Okay, new stereotypical customer. The, “Add bacon, guacamole, extra cheese, double meat, oh and everything else you have.” These people also had a habit of complaining when I rang up their $15 masterpiece of a sandwich.

There’s the good ole, “Oh, I see that you’ve already put together my sandwich, piled it with veggies, drenched it in sauce, and wrapped it…..but could I add guacamole?” NO.

Little known fact: as you punch in your order on the drive thru, we’re making your food. So, when you ask for a Footlong BMT on Honey Oat, then change your mind- after we’ve added all of your veggies AND the extra mayo you requested- and ask for Italian bread instead, you’re being annoying.

Now, you would not believe the amount of people who come through the drive thru and place an order for a Cold Cut Combo salad, just to delete the entire thing because they meant sandwich.

Free Sandwiches

I’m a very picky eater. Up until the time I started working at Subway, the only sandwich I ever ordered was a Footlong Spicy Italian on Italian bread, with American cheese, no veggies and no sauce. I occasionally asked for a cup of black olives on the side. After about my first month of work there, I would also eat turkey sandwiches. Then I added turkey salads and BLTs on Flatbread to my small menu. As you can guess, I quickly grew tired of all my options. The idea of a turkey sandwich from Subway is nauseating at this point. I’m going to give it a year, and if by then Subway doesn’t become appealing again, I’m going to blacklist the entire restaurant chain.

The Actual Act of Making Sandwiches for a Living

It just kind of made me feel dumb when I thought about it. I would be sitting on my couch watching Grey’s Anatomy, and I would realize I had to be to work in three minutes. Which- in case you control freaks out there are concerned about how irresponsible I am- wasn’t a big deal because I live a block away from Subway. I would get up from my couch and head for the door, so sad that I was going to work and I would think- wait, what’s your problem, Kayla? People are getting shot at or working construction somewhere, and you’re annoyed that you have to go make a couple sandwiches? Get it together. In all fairness, though, knowing that other people had more unpleasant jobs than I did definitely didn’t make my job any more desirable.

The Reasons We Need Pessimists - Connor Reynolds

The Reasons We Need Pessimists

We are always hearing from experts that we should be always positive and happy/optimistic, but there are times when we need that negative person/pessimist.

• When people live in a false euphoria they don’t use logic. A pessimist is someone who is AWARE. They know the world can suck and they can handle it. They’re more practical than you think. They just want everyone to USE LOGIC! There’s no hiding from the truth. We need to stand up and deal with what’s going on. If we can’t do that we’re not helping society.
• Pessimists not only complain about problems but also accept them and deal with them. The world needs these people to be overcomers and problem solvers.
• Pessimists are realistic about their abilities; they know what they can and can’t do. The quote “The time we stop expecting, is the time we start working,” tells that you get done what you need to do by hard work and not by chance.
• Pessimists are the people who expect the worst or just don’t expect anything. That way they are rarely surprised or disappointed.  “Pessimist: One who, when he has the choice of two evils, chooses both.” Oscar Wilde
• A pessimist lives in the present not in the past or the future. They don’t live in the imaginary world of a possible future, but are content with what they have and work to make it better.
• Alone and lonely do not correlate when it comes to pessimists. It’s their choice to be alone and they handle their own problems, unlike an optimist who hasn’t accepted their adversities.

It may seem that pessimists hate life and don’t care about anything, but that’s not true. They, just have another outlook on the world. My teacher shared some quotes with me about pessimists. Included below are my favorites.

“I will be the first to admit that I am a pessimist by nature. It is, after all, the wisest way to be. We pessimists have everything to gain, whereas optimists have a fifty-fifty chance of being disappointed.” 
― Tamar Myers, As the World Churns

“I like pessimists. They’re always the ones who bring life jackets for the boat.” 
― Lisa Kleypas, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor

“There are moments when everything goes well; don't be frightened, it won't last.” 
― Jules Renard

“A pessimist is a man who looks both ways when he crosses the street.” 
― Laurence J. Peter

All About that Accordion - Allison Redmond

All About that Accordion

By: Allison Redmond

Recently, I found out that I will be inheriting an accordion from my grandfather. Words cannot describe how EXTREMELY EXCITED I am to receive it. I have never before played the accordion, but I am going to do my best to learn. Everyone is probably aware that accordions are used to play polka music (S/O TO TEAM POLKA BUENO), but other than that, I doubt you know much more about the instrument. Therefore, I decided to collect a list of five accordion facts you most likely did not know.

1. The accordion was once believed to be invented in Berlin in 1822, but  earlier prototypes have been found.

2. An accordion was used by the heavy-metal band Korpiklaani. This was really unusual because, like I said earlier, accordions are usually used for polka, folk, or classical music.

3. The accordion has many nicknames, including, the “squeeze box” and “one-man band”.

4. The accordion was originally only used in German polka music, but is now used all over the world.

5. Here is a list of famous people you probably did not know play(ed) the accordion:

-John Lennon

-Billy Joel

-Pete Townshend

-Sheryl Crow

-Steve Urkel

-Weird Al

-Mrs. Applebee

-(And Mr. Morris has always dreamed of playing the accordion.)

SO, if you see me over the next few months, make sure to keep me accountable and ask me if I have been practicing my accordion. Hopefully, I will catch on quickly, and be able to accompany the Chamber Choir by next semester.

*I got all of my accordion facts from http://www.ehow.com/facts_4895988_accordion-facts.html

The Pros and Cons of Living Close to the School - Mallory Thompson

The Pros and Cons of Living Close to the School

By Mallory Thompson

Pros

Sleeping Longer

If the bell rings at 7:55 I just have to leave my house by 7:52 and be there in plenty of time. That means I can get a little extra sleep. One time I didn’t leave my house until after the bell rang and made it before the final bell.  

Walking

I don’t have to worry about getting or buying the best parking spot. If I drove to school and found a parking spot it would take me longer to walk from there than from my house. When the parking lot gets icey I don’t have to be worried all day about someone sliding into my car.

Sports

When sports practice or games start, no problem! I simply leave about three minutes before the game and walk over to gym or football field without finding a parking spot.

Forgetting Stuff

It is pretty normal for me to forget homework or a jacket at home. I remember what I forget normally as I go into the band room, my first hour class. Then I can go home and get whatever it was. If I jog, I can make it to my house, grab the stuff, and make it back to school in two minutes or less. Yes, I have timed myself.

Lunch

When I get tired of school lunches? I just go home for lunch. There is not a rush to drive somewhere fast and then stuff food in your mouth without tasting it just to be back in time. My friends like to take advantage of this too. Potlucks are a great break from school at my house.

Football Games

If you don’t go to the football games you can still hear the loud speakers. Know what’s happening in the game in the comfort of your own home! You can even hear the band during halftime!

Cons

Football Games

If you want to stay home from the game to catch up with some sleep, think again. The loudspeakers are actually loud. You won’t be able to sleep.

Events

When there is an event at the school all the parking anywhere close to the school is filled up. This makes it extremely hard to get out of my driveway without hitting a car. Sometimes cars block the sidewalk too. That makes me really mad when I can’t even get out of my own sidewalk.

Bells

On the snow days, or random days off, the bells aren’t usually turned off. They just ring like normal. This is annoying when you finally get to sleep in but then a bell wakes you up. Five minutes later it rings again:(

Litter

High school means lots of teenagers. Teenagers litter. The amount of trash that is always in my yard is crazy. I don’t want to pick up your trash in my yard.

Pros and Cons of Having Curly Hair - Peyton Reynolds

Pros and Cons of Having Curly Hair

by Peyton Reynolds

    All of you that have curly hair know that there are many difficulties caused by having a wild mane. However, if you look at the bright side there are also many benefits. One of the most common things curly-haired people hear is, “Wow I love your hair! You are so lucky. Your hair is so beautiful.” Of course, we thank them with a big grin, but we also want to just pat our hair and say, “For once, good job.” Curlytops have a lot of “bad hair” days.

     One of the most annoying downsides of having curly hair is you can’t run your fingers through it without getting them stuck. Not only is it annoying, it hurts!

    Also, you can’t guess how your hair is going to look that day. All you can do is shower and cross your fingers. To be honest, you can’t even really brush your hair, unless you want to break the brush and rock the frizz hair-do all day. However, you can fix the problem by straightening your hair, but don’t plan on that taking only ten minutes. It takes over an hour, sorry.

    Don’t think that people who have curly hair hate it, because we definitely don’t...most of the time. There are many benefits to having curls. I mean what can I say, it does for sure draw attention to you and you also don’t have to worry about it being out of place, because it doesn’t have a place; it just does what it wants. In the winter you don’t have to wear a scarf because it keeps your neck warm! Most importantly it is never boring. So embrace who you are with your hair. Many people would love to have our hair, so I guess we could say we are lucky!

Three Must-see Movies - Bryson Johnson

Three Must-see Movies

by Bryson Johnson

     Hello there fellow movie lovers! Here is a list of some of the best movies I have ever seen.

     The first is a western comedy called “A Million Ways to Die in The West”. This movie is so hilariously random that it will keep you laughing to the point of crying all the way through the movie. This movie is about a wonderful and funny protagonist named Albert, played by Seth MacFarlane. “Albert” has run into a bit of a money problem and is looking for any way that he can make some money. This movie is an enjoyable 2-hour experience for teens and adults, but it probably isn’t for children.

     

     The next movie in this sequence is an old western movie called “Tombstone”. This movie is like no other western I have seen. It’s a-mazing. This movie is about Wyatt Earp who is played by Kurt Russell. Doc Holiday is played by Val Kilmer, Virgil Earp is played by Sam Elliott, and Morgan Earp is played by Bill Paxton. They have retired as officers of the law and are planning to strike it rich in a small town named Tombstone by opening a Saloon. The only problem with their plan is that Tombstone has no real law enforcement to handle the gang called the “Cowboys”. Virgil and Morgan Earp believe they should help the terrified towns- people in their fight against the gang. On the other hand, Wyatt Earp thinks that he has had enough torture dealing with the Kansas cow towns. Wyatt later decides to help is brothers with the help of the fastest gunslinger in the west Doc Holiday. I highly recommend this movie.

     

     The last movie is a Si-Fi special movie called “Avatar”. This movie is about a wheelchair bound marine named Jake Sully played by Sam Worthington. Sully is sent to an alien planet called Pandora in place of his murdered brother. Pandora is important to the humans because they are extracting a valuable mineral from the planet. This planet is also inhabited by a native culture called the Navi. The Navi are blue, giant humanoids.  Jake and his dead brother are twins which allows him to link to his brother’s avatar. Humans are making avatars to send into the native camps to learn their ways which causes a war between the humans and the natives.

    

     If you haven’t seen these three films, you need to put them on your list!

The Five Best Things About College Campuses - Julie Campuses

The Five Best Things About College Campuses

By Julie Gross

As a high school student, college seems like a magical fairy land where everything is great. I’m sure that when I’m actually in college I will think differently, but right now I have college fever. During senior year, the one thing I look forward to are the college visits. College visits are like mini vacations for seniors, and they give me a real feel for college life. This, however, is a problem. I went on my first college visits to Auburn and the University of South Carolina at the end of January and I loved them both! It definitely made my senioritis much worse, but on the bright side it also made me excited about going to college. I was very tempted to stay but my parents thought it would be better for me to graduate high school first. Here a few things that I adore when visiting a college.

1.Libraries

COLLEGE LIBRARIES. Every college library I’ve visited, even the small colleges, have dream libraries. The most impressive library I visited was the library at University of South Carolina. It had a amazing computer lab, quiet floors, and books everywhere. For book lovers like me, these massive libraries are heaven, but they are also torture. They are heaven because thinking about all the stories and knowledge in one area is overwhelming and fascinating, but torture because sadly I’ll never be able to read all these wonderful books.

2. Food Courts

Our school lunches are depressing at best (not Mrs. Rundus’ fault), so basically anything else looks like filet mignon compared to our saltless entrees . The food courts on college campuses made me have a face similar to that of a 5 year old in Candyopolis. Chick-Fil-A, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, fresh salad bars, pop machines, fooooooooood! On both the college visits I really wanted to say, “Umm, yeah. I think I’ll just stay in the food court here while the rest of you go finish the tour. Have fun!” If we had food courts like college campuses do, I would be about 20 pounds heavier.

3. The Great Facilities

Our school has decent classrooms and computers but nothing compares to college classrooms. The carpet is always spotless and cushy, the tables are big, which is great for me because I spread my stuff all over, but the best part is the chairs. In high school we have the hard plastic chairs, but in college the chairs are plush, comfy, and almost good enough to sleep in. And unlike our school, the temperatures in rooms aren’t 62 degrees here and 77 on the other half of the school. Constant temperatures. Finally!

4. The Study Spots

Even though most of us don’t like to study, college study spots make studying more appealing. The quiet floors I mentioned earlier had a great focused vibe. Also, on both the campuses I visited there were plenty of outdoor spots to study, so if I wanted to enjoy the beautiful weather but get something accomplished I could.

5. The Freedom

Like most college freshmen, I got my first taste of sweet college freedom. This is probably the one thing I’m most excited for. I don’t have to have a strict schedule, I can eat whatever, wear whatever, do WHATEVER!!! Of course, my parents were still with me on the visit, so I only had half freedom, but the free college atmosphere was what tempted me to stay the most.