On Jan. 28, the game took place at home where the team faced Arcadia for the second time this season, defeating them again by 11 points with a final score of 73-62. The game was a nail-biter with the Blue Jays not starting off strong. Arcadia was in the lead at the end of the first half. Despite the score, Etown was extremely focused and attentive. The team displayed good teamwork and communication with one another throughout the entire game.

During the second half, the Blue Jays had an amazing turn around. The team was able to catch up with the help of one Kreider, who scored an astonishing 29 points for the Blue Jays. Because of her excellent play, Kreider has been selected as the Commonwealth Conference’s women’s basketball player of the week. The conference applauded her statistics – she averaged 26.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in the games against Lycoming and Arcadia.

Prior to last Saturday’s game, the women were well aware that they couldn’t expect to defeat Arcadia again just because they had done so earlier in the season. Etown learned from the past game facing these opponents and planned to apply the knowledge to this game.

“Well, I know they had a few of their girls hurt in that game, so I think it is going to be a little bit of a different game this time around. We just know that we can’t expect to go out there and win; we need to just play our normal game and play like it is any other team in the conference, and we need to win,” first-year guard Marissa Ferris stated.

The women are facing all conference opponents now, and due to all of their wins so far in this season, the team is confident they will make it to playoffs.
“The last I looked, we were tied for second in the conference, which I think may have changed since we lost to LVC, but it’s the top four teams in the conference who make playoffs, so I think our chances are pretty good as long as we keep winning like we have been,” Ferris said reassuringly.

The team has come a long way since the beginning of the season and has made improvements in its game. “Well, we obviously improved defensively, playing really good defense, and that is what’s winning games for us. But I think also our shooting percentage has gone up quite a bit too, and so I’d say that’s helped us a lot,” Head Coach Yvonne Kauffman said proudly.

The women’s spirits remained high, and they were able to accomplish their goal of winning last week’s games. Support the team at their next game this Saturday at 2 p.m. against Albright.

Teams like the Packers and Patriots performed as expected and had stellar seasons, while the “dream team” Eagles and renewed Jets sunk to the bottom, along with every prediction for Rex Ryan. On the flip side, a select few clawed back from the depths of irrelevance and became title contenders. Detroit? San Francisco? Denver? The reason I love football so much is that there is enough parity, allowing teams to turn themselves around relatively quickly.

And no turnaround story can compare with that of the New York Giants. After week 15, the Giants were holders of a mediocre 7-7 record, a clear disappointment after starting out 6-2, but then, something happened.

The defense stepped up and have not allowed more than 20 points per game during their current winning streak. The offense, led by Eli Manning, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, has been a difficult force to contain. The Giants steamrolled through Atlanta without letting the offense score any points, decisively defeating the rarely turnover-prone Packers at Lambeau Field, and passed the 49ers after an overtime field goal by Lawrence Tynes. Eli Manning now holds the record for most road victories ever during the playoffs with five victories. This team is good, and the Patriots should be concerned with stopping their potent offense.

The Patriots are one of the few in a select club that have been Super Bowl contenders for over a decade. Tom Brady already has three rings to his name and is returning for his fifth Super Bowl appearance under Bill Belichick. Having weapons like record-setting Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker will give the defensive unit of the Giants trouble throughout the entire game.

If the Patriots did not have one of the worst defenses in the league, the team could have had the chance to repeat their stellar and almost-undefeated 2007-2008 season. It’s fitting that their opponent is the same team that took the distinction of being the second NFL team ever to go undefeated in the modern era. And so we tackle the biggest aspect of the game – revenge. This is the chance for Brady and the Patriots to correct what “should have happened” in early 2008.

This is also the chance for Eli to cement his legacy and to show the world that he is ready to sidestep his older brother Peyton’s shadow and claim a stake as one of the great quarterbacks of this generation. And naturally, if the Giants win, the analysts will begin to ponder a few questions. Peyton or Eli? Do MVP awards or rings mean more? Is there some sort of exchange rate?

Now, on to my predictions. The Patriots are currently favored to win by three points, and the total points over/under is set at 55. Considering Belichick’s and Brady’s experience in Super Bowl games and the fact that at some point the red-hot Giants will have to cool off, I am picking the Patriots to defeat the Giants 27-17. And as for the first commercial after kickoff, look for an Anheuser-Busch branded product.

And through all of the news over the next two weeks, you may just be wanting the answer to one question: “What does this have to do with Tim Tebow?” Just kidding, but for a few refreshing weeks all we will hear about is how funny or awful the commercials were, the seemingly endless Manning/Brady comparisons, and which team has what it takes to win this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Though Etown ranked fourth among other conference schools, like rival Messiah College, the percentage of students on the fall honor roll has been decreasing since 2009. In 2009, 41 students out of 77 made the honor roll (53.2 percent), and in 2010, exactly 50 percent of fall athletes, 47 out of 94, made the GPA requirement. While the small discrepancy between the 2010 and 2011 fall seasons is not a cause for alarm, it is hard to tell whether this downward trend is representative of the academic standards of the student-athlete population as a whole.

As a Division III school, Etown’s athletics are designed to minimize conflicts with academics as well as to provide opportunities for student-athletes to take advantage of extra-curricular activities. Also, the Athletic Department’s mission statement claims that the department focuses on “provid[ing] Elizabethtown College students with varsity sport programs that support and enhance the students’ educational experience.” With that being said, is the culture of Etown athletics truly one that supports student-athletes in the classroom and in other areas on campus?

According to Athletic Director Nancy Latimore, “Elizabethtown College is always well-represented on the MAC Academic Honor Roll, and I believe that we’ve had more student-athletes receive NCAA post-graduate scholarships than any other school in our conference.” Latimore also pointed out that the only Etown student to receive a Rhodes Scholarship was John Learman ’95, who was a member of the men’s cross country team.

However, several student-athletes included on the fall honor roll had higher expectations of their fellow teammates. “I was very surprised to see this percentage,” junior volleyball player Holly Bubb said. “I thought honor roll would be higher than that with our student-athletes.”

Senior field hockey player Kelly Clayton agreed, stating, “I think this number is good but not good enough. Etown is known for its academic excellence and takes pride in being a well-rounded school, excelling in athletics along with academics.”

Latimore stated that coaches take adequate measures to ensure the academic success of their team members. She verified that coaches check early warning lists to see if students are struggling in a particular area. However, some of the honor roll students are in disagreement as to who is responsible for the academic success of a team.

Sophomore volleyball player Carolyn Lukiewski said, “I think coaches should emphasize that academics come first, but it is entirely the student’s responsibility to make sure they get their work done and are doing well in their classes.” Sophomore swimmer and cross country member Abby Mitchell agreed, saying that academic achievement “is primarily the student’s responsibility.”

However, senior cross country runner Russell Speiden placed a heavier burden on the coaches. “Coaches need to be aware of their athletes’ academic status and take actions to help them succeed in academics,” he said. “They need to emphasize that academics come first and should be lenient with their athletes’ academic schedules.”

It is important to note that the decreasing number of fall athletes on the honor roll may not accurately reflect a trend within the other seasons. In fact, the number of winter season athletes on the honor roll for last year’s season increased by nine, and an additional 20 athletes made the spring honor roll in 2011 as compared to the 2010 season. However, without knowing the percentages, it is uncertain as to whether these increases are accurate depictions of academic achievement.

Still, as senior cross country member Kathryn Howser stated, “Until we are at 100 percent, we should always be striving to do better. We are athletes; we love to be competitive.”

Wednesday, Jan. 25, the swim teams travelled to Westminster, Md. to swim against McDaniel College in an out-of-conference meet. “McDaniel is a bigger team. They are in the next division above us,” Head Coach Mark Wilson said.

According to Wilson, the swim team tries to swim against better teams when not in-conference in order to give Etown swimmers a challenge. McDaniel proved to be a real challenge for the Blue Jays. Out of the 22 events swam at the meet, Etown only placed first in four events.

For the men’s team, junior Ryan Hannon won the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.19. The men’s 200 freestyle relay team of Hannon, sophomore Andrew Malik, sophomore Michael Rentschler and junior Nathaniel Vanderwerff won their race with a time of 1:36.50, which was only ahead of McDaniel’s team by a little over three seconds.

Andrew Malik also finished in two very close second places during the meet – first in the 200 yard freestyle, where he was beat by only 0.23 of a second and then again during the 100 yard freestyle, in which he was beat by 0.30 of a second. The men’s team lost to McDaniel 56-37.

On the women’s team junior Erika Harold won the 50 freestyle with a time of 25.98 while her teammate junior Jennifer Malik finished second with a time of 26.37. Sophomore Abby Mitchell also took the 100 butterfly for her team with a time of 1:03.69, just 0.2 of a second before McDaniel’s Brittney Lenz.

The women’s team finished with a score of 62-33, losing to McDaniel.

Jennifer Malik commented on the loss to McDaniel, saying, “They have a five-lane pool [at McDaniel], which is very different for us because only two people counted per race, so it was a little bit of a struggle because the score system was different for us. A six-lane pool helps us to pick up more points in each event.”

Even though the Blue Jays lost, Wilson said, “It was a good meet.”

Then, on Jan. 28, the Blue Jays finally broke their five-meet losing streak, when they beat King’s College in the last meet of the regular season. Before the meet, Wilson was hopeful, saying, “We should probably beat King’s.”

The men’s team started off the meet by winning their first four events. The 400 medley team of Hannon, junior Shaun Martin, Rentschler and first-year Ryan Supplee won the relay. They also achieved a new team record with the time of 4:02.12.

First-year Frank Capria had a great day, winning both the 1000 freestyle and the 500 freestyle with times of 10:59.90 and 5:22.14, respectively. He also set a new best time with his 500 freestyle race. The men’s team won with a score of 109-68.

On the women’s side, sophomore Kimberly Cosgrove won the 1000 freestyle with a time of 11:35.79, and junior Erin Murowany finished second with a time of 11:59.00.

Sophomore Megan Leppo beat Patricia Manning of King’s in the 200 free by only 0.25 of a second with a time of 2:07.35. Harold and Malik finished first and second in the women’s 50 freestyle with times of 26.49 and 26.54, respectively. Mitchell also topped her season-best time in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:24.77. The women’s team won with a score of 121-79.

The Middle Atlantic Conference Championships are still ahead for the Blue Jays. They will take place Feb. 10 through Feb. 12. The team currently has 20 swimmers qualified for the championship meet.

“Going into the championship match my mindset was just to wrestle my match,” Meaney said. “After getting into the finals it’s all just fun. This is what we train for and knowing the opportunity I had in front of me, I didn’t want to waste it.”

Meaney grappled for the title with Adam Latella from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Going into the match, he knew Latella was going to be a challenge. However, Meaney relied upon his preparation and style to dictate the match.

Meaney muscled past Latella to notch a 5-3 victory. “I came out of a scramble and got the take down to win the match,” Meaney said. “It’s always nice to get your hand raised.”

While he is thankful for his title, Meaney acknowledges that many individuals contributed to his success. “It’s always great to have an opportunity to do something special like that, but it was a team effort,” Meaney said. “I have a solid backing from my brother, coaches and teammates, which gives me a lot of confidence going into matches.”

In the 165 lb. weight class, Eno posted a strong performance. He dominated his first bout against Mathew Tuttle of Alma College 15-7. Eno punched his ticket to the title by edging Jeff Weiss of Indianapolis 4-3. However, Cedric Gibson from Wisconsin-Whitewater defeated Eno 5-2 in the championship match.

It was a long journey to the tournament for the Blue Jays. The team drove from Etown to Washington, D.C. last Thursday where they flew out of Reagan International Airport. Once they were back on solid ground, they drove the rest of the way to Wheaton, Ill.

According to Head Coach Eric Walker, the travel tested the concentration of the team. “I believe the older guys handled it a little better than the young guys,” Walker said. “We don’t typically travel that far, so the guys weren’t in their typical schedule, which may have thrown them off a little for the tournament.”

Meaney kept himself busy by talking to Walker about strategies for each match. “We also kept each other entertained as a team,” Meaney said. “We’re really close, which definitely helps keep your cool in a tournament.”

The Jays competed alongside other elite schools from around the nation. Some of those schools included the University of Mount Union, Ohio Northern University and Wisconsin-Whitewater. According to the National Division III wrestling coach’s poll, those schools are ranked 16th, 12th and 9th in the nation, respectively. “The tournament has some of the top wrestlers in the nation competing in it and gives us an experience we could only see at the national level,” Meaney said.

Such an elite caliber of competition will prepare the Blue Jays for their ultimate goal this season. “It was nice to win the tournament, but we have bigger and better goals to achieve,” Meaney said. “As a team we would like to win the Metropolitan Conference Tournament, which is being hosted at Elizabethtown.”

Within a short span of fifteen minutes, the time it took me to walk from my car to the Jay’s Nest and from the Jay’s Nest to my office, I saw two incidents that I found very disturbing. In each case, I saw a student from a minority community (one East Asian, one South Asian) walking through the campus and being given a very blatantly angry and hostile stare by another student.

Now of course we cannot and should not pass any rules against facial expressions. Perhaps I was misreading the two staring students I saw, though I felt that their expressions were pretty clear. Maybe they were each having a bad day. Maybe they were suffering from a migraine headache. Or indigestion. Or constipation. Or all of the above.

Assuming, though, that their looks reflected what they appeared to reflect, I believe what I was seeing was hatred of another person, not for anything that they were doing, but simply for being who they are.

Again, though we cannot and should not legislate facial expressions, I think we would all benefit by being more mindful of how our thoughts and feelings manifest in our actions and in our words. What kind of community do we want to inhabit? Do we want to live in a friendly and welcoming place, where everyone feels safe to be themselves? Are we a learning community where we are curious to know about people who are different from ourselves? Or do we want to shelter ourselves in our bigoted little shells, interacting only with those who are like us in every respect? We should all answer these questions honestly.

My wife and I have been part of this community for twelve years. Overwhelmingly, we have found the students, staff and faculty to be warm and welcoming. My wife is not originally from this country, and we both practice a religion that is practiced by a small minority in this country. Yet Elizabethtown has welcomed us with open arms.

However, we too have experienced our share of glares and muttered comments by those who think we cannot hear them, or do not care if we hear them or not. (I happen to be blessed, or cursed, with very good hearing). When this happens, we do not feel welcomed at all and we wonder what kind of place we have made our home.
Of course, one could always ask, “If you don’t like it, why don’t you leave? Why don’t you and your wife go and teach somewhere else?”Believe me, these are questions that I ask myself every time I see something like what I saw the other day.

For those who are unaware of his stance on the subject, Gottfried is the former Raffensperger Professor of Humanities at the College, a Guggenheim recipient, and more widely-known as a radically right-leaning scholar and president of the H.L. Mencken Club, a group that the Anti-Defamation League has designated a “racist gathering.” At best, you could say Gottfried’s views didn’t jive very well on Etown’s campus, including in the Etownian, and we are certainly not condoning his often racist ideals of keeping multiculturalism out of the classroom. In fact, we want to embrace multiculturalism; we want the College to develop a real plan, not just a long list of immeasurable goals, outlining how we are going to incorporate diversity as we continue to seek institutional excellence.

In 1999, President Theodore Long proposed that the College institute a formal plan to increase diversity on campus. At that time our African, Latino, Asian and Native American (ALANA) student population sat just below six percent. Twelve years and three diversity plans later, Etown students still reported less engagement with diversity than their peers at other institutions, according to the National Survey for Student Engagement. As students regularly demonstrate their desire to have diversity on campus through programs like the recent MLK Day activities, the question needs to be asked: what is the administration doing wrong?

1. The College needs to develop an ACTUAL plan.

In “Embracing Inclusive Excellence: A Five-Year Plan for Strengthening Campus Diversity,” the College does a great job assessing the shortcomings of diversity at Etown. It even has a seven-page list of goals to be accomplished over the five years. But nowhere in this list does it expound on how these goals will be reached, further disintegrating the importance of diversity to just a fun idea.

2. Realize that ALANA is all about diversity, but diversity is not all about ALANA.

The new Momentum program is a fantastic step in the right direction toward gaining more diversity on campus, especially from ALANA and lower socioeconomic groups. However, the lack of support from administration for other underrepresented groups, including students with disabilities, international students and non-heterosexual students, is alarming.

Of the respondents to a 2008 campus-wide survey, a startling 37.5 percent of students said they have concealed their sexual orientation to avoid intimidation. In that same survey, 54.5 percent of respondents claim the campus has not supplied them with adequate support as a gay, lesbian or bisexual person.

Similar alarming responses were brought up by students with a disability. 31.3 percent of students claimed that they have been refused accommodations for their disability by a professor, and 40 percent claim the College has not supplied them with adequate support. We see the same lack of support for international students on campus, as the College has no English as a Second Language (ESL) service for them to utilize when they arrive. The result? Frustrated student tutors, writing consultants and often professors who do not have any specific training or support to help the international students overcome the boundaries of the language.

3. Diversity must be a primary factor in hiring practices.

Even though our region has a racial and ethnic diversity of around 11 percent non-white, only 5.7 percent of 230 faculty and staff responses to a similar 2008 survey identify as anything other than Caucasian. We must make a concerted effort to increase the overall diversity of our faculty and staff around campus, so that current students recognize diversity’s role in academia and not just student life.

2012 needs to be the year the College develops a real plan, fully-backed by the administration, faculty, staff and students that outlines the true importance of diversity. We need a plan of objectives, guidelines for how we will reach them, and how the school’s population as a whole will adjust to accommodate all the underrepresented groups with the tools they truly need to succeed. Until we do this, the administration will continue to fail in its insubstantial attempts at true diversity, as it has over the past twelve years.

Read Dr. Carl Strikwerda's Response

Many students hardly think to use their ID anywhere besides the Marketplace, Jay’s Nest and Blue Bean. Senior Heather Slifko agreed, and added, “If anywhere could offer any kind of discount, I’m sure college students would really appreciate it.”

For those who want to travel outside of Etown and take in a play, both the Hershey and Fulton Theatres offer discounts to college students. The Hershey Theatre offers tickets between $15 and $20 if you show your ID. This discount can be used on most of their Broadway shows, including “Come Fly Away,” which will be showing Feb. 16 through 19. It can also be used for the 2005 Tony Award-winning musical “Spamalot,” which can only be seen Mar. 9 and 10. The Fulton Theatre offers a special program called Student Rush, which allows all middle, high school and college students to purchase tickets for $10. However, tickets can only be purchased an hour before curtain. Both the Hershey and Fulton theatres only allow one ticket to be purchased per ID. For a list of shows and show times check out, www.fultontheatre.org, www.hersheytheatre.com, and www.ticketmaster.com.

Few Etown students know that the College already offers their own discount program. In 2001, Etown’s Student Senate created the Passport Program. They hoped it would help create stronger ties between Etown students and the community through discounts and offers. You only have to show your ID to receive the discount or offer. A full list of businesses that participate can be found at www.etownsenate.com/passport-program, as well as specific offers and locations.

After you catch a show you can stop by one of the eateries in the area to grab a bite to eat. Folklore Coffee & Co. offers not only a wide selection of coffee, espresso and tea but also a full menu of sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads and newly-featured paninis. Folklore was renovated this year, yet the atmosphere is just as great as ever. Folklore is a prime hangout spot for Etown students and is happy to offer their 10 percent student discount. “I’ve gone to Folklore. It was nice that they offered the discount, and they even had a sign that said it,” stated first-year Kellie Lotkowski. Folklore is less than a 15-minute walk from campus, and the perfect place to warm up from the cold weather.

Parents up for a visit? Be the one to take them out for a bite. My Place, Pizzatown and T.J. Rockwell’s all offer 10 percent off for students. Even Black Gryphon offers a 15 percent discount on student food purchases. But we can’t forget about everyone’s favorite weekend hangout: the Etown Diner also offers a 10 percent discount, so make sure you bring your ID for those late night runs.

Not in the mood to go out? Make something yourself, but make sure you stop at Darrenkamp’s to get 5 percent off your groceries. Darrenkamp’s is a family business with four locations in the area, including one in Elizabethtown and another in Mt. Joy.

However, your student ID can be used for more than just dinner and a show. Hair Deezigns & Tanning Unlimited offers 15 percent off hair services and 10 percent off tanning packages ($35 or more). Holiday Hair offers a 10 percent discount, while Salon 40 gives a discount of 15 percent. Both salons are conveniently located in Etown. Natural Creations Salon on West High Street offers a great 20 percent discount for students who present their ID. This is the first salon in the area to offer organic color and perms. Their services are free of ammonia, which is not only bad for your hair but also for the environment. Your student ID can earn you a discount on all their color, cutting, perming and waxing services. Owner Laura Dare explains on her website, “With all the information I found when I was researching products, I felt that it was my responsibility to share this great new and all natural system with all of my clients.”

Everyone knows the stereotype of college students having no money, but we all know that it’s pretty much true. Thanks to the Passport and Student Rush programs, it is easy to go out for a night on the town and not worry about the financial stress. Make sure you take advantage of these opportunities by carrying your ID—it never hurts to ask other local businesses if they offer any other special deals.

Everybody has their own story, but some are a bit more personal. Meet Oskar Schell: a young, gifted boy haunted by the memory of his father’s death in the World Trade Center. With his sharp, inventive mind, Oskar sets out to discover the purpose of a key his father left behind after his death, following the limited clues to what it could unlock. With firm determination, Oskar sets out on a journey across New York, embracing his sorrows as well as his fears in hopes of holding onto the memory of his father in the new film “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.”

Based on a novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” premiered on Jan. 20. Under the direction of Stephen Daldry, the film stars veteran actors Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, as well as young newcomer Thomas Horn. Hanks plays Oskar’s beloved father, who has an affinity for playing riddling mind games. Opposite of Hanks is Bullock as Oskar’s mother, who has made herself unreachable to her son after what Oskar refers to as “the worst day.” Another character who catches his interest is the mysterious man known only as “the Renter,” played by Max von Sydow. The Renter speaks only through written notes and befriends Oskar on his search through the districts of New York.

While not many at Elizabethtown College have been able to see the new flick yet, it has most definitely caught the curiosity of students around campus. “It really did catch my attention,” first-year Briena Coleman said. “I saw the trailer, and it just looks like [a movie] I really want to see.”

First-year Sarah Nanovic agreed that she is also eager to see the film, especially after hearing positive feedback about the book. “I’ve heard so many good things about it,” Nanovic said. “I would be really excited going in, and I feel like I would walk out with that same good feeling I had coming in.”

This film definitely holds one’s interest, from the serious and intense to the more heartwarming scenes. While I’m not much of a crier when it comes to movies like this (unlike my roommate who saw the film with me), I definitely got sucked into the dialogue and interpretation of a number of emotional scenes. Between Oskar’s memories of his father and his mother’s attempts to slowly reach out to him, this film definitely has a lot of heart amid the Schell family’s personal struggle to heal after 9/11.

I also found the script and plot very intriguing in how they intertwined many of the initially unanswered questions and mysteries together, mainly concerning the plausibility of the truths behind the riddles and myths Oskar’s father often posed for him to solve.

Stephen Daldry creates an amazing visual of the world of New York through Oskar’s eyes and those of the people he encounters throughout the film. While Oskar’s childlike innocence definitely plays a part in the way he sees his home, a contributing factor comes from implications that Oskar may have a condition similar to Asperger’s Syndrome. This adds a sense of heightened detail-orientation within Oskar’s perspective and fears, as seen through his inner monologues. It was elements such as these that I found very skillfully presented and convincingly-portrayed by Horn.

In short, I have a lot of positive feedback for “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.” Eric Roth’s screenwriting combined with Foer’s novel gave the story a lot of heart, with an occasional touching moment of humor. I also found this film to be very skillfully-shot and cast, and I was especially impressed with Horn’s breakout performance. I couldn’t find a lot to dislike about this film; however, it does focus on some very deep and emotionally-trying situations. Yes, it is a sad film, but I will say that it ends on a very uplifting and redemptive note.

One of the film’s ending themes involved the fact that, no matter who you are or what you’ve faced in life, everyone is a survivor of their own daily struggles, with their own stories to tell, and I think that is a lesson that a lot of people can take away from this film. It’s these stories and struggles that can, in a sense, define a person, and it can become a form of motivation that makes us stronger throughout our lives.

Sophomore early childhood education major Laura Killion was in the mail room of the BSC, and her style caught my eye right away. Her flowery dress and leggings combo was perfect for inserting some spring sunshine to a rainy Etown day. What I also noticed about her ensemble was the fact she was sporting Uggs. I know everyone (myself included) wants to schlep around wearing them with yoga pants and hoodies. But ladies, take note. Killion is the perfect example of how to wear these moon boot look-a-likes and still look absolutely put-together.

After asking her the basics about her outfit (the dress was from Target: obviously a great place for fun style on the cheap side!), I asked her about the inspiration for her ensemble. While Killion said she doesn’t follow the style of any celebrities in particular, perusing through magazines, especially “People,” gives her fun ideas about what to pair together.

The first thing I noticed about senior political science major Hannah Desmond was her boots. I can’t tell you how many pairs of boots I own, but I can tell you that none of them could hold a candle to her Lucky Brands. Seeing these shoes actually brought me pain; knowing they weren’t mine was excruciating. Moving on past my insatiable desires, I also couldn’t help but notice how her grey, wool coat hit her legs at almost the exact same place her dress did, and it was absolutely flattering. Combined with a scarf tied just right and black leggings, this outfit translated into the perfect example of winter wear: just because you’re covered up by a coat doesn’t mean you can’t still look amazing. (Side note: This girl’s glasses were fantastic. So chic.)

Although she is a regular reader of “Vogue,” instead of getting style ideas from celebrities, Desmond relies on the keen eye of fashion insiders like Marc Jacobs and catalogs from Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie to inspire her looks. I definitely got the Anthropologie vibe from those boots, but could also feel the UO sense evident in the perfect, eclectic mix of styles.

My fashion winner of the week was sophomore early childhood education major Rachel Goss. This girl brought a fresh face to classic American style. I first noticed her bright green peacoat, a nice variation on the typical black or navy. The best part? It was on sale at dELiA*s during Black Friday. I intended to feature another winter look, but when Goss took her coat off, the outfit underneath was just too good to be true. Her dark wash jeans, cardigan and Target boots were put together so well. Although she said essentially every part of the outfit was snatched up on sale, this ensemble looked anything but cheap.

In addition, I loved her hair. Having had long hair since middle school, the thought of chopping it all off is terrifying. Not for Goss. When work at a summer camp meant running around during hot days, she took the plunge and cut her once longer hair into a fun, chic bob (which she loves).

She’s an avid reader of “Seventeen” (what girl isn’t?), but shies away from the conventional “Vogue”-like magazines. While not a fashion follower of any celebrities, Goss did say she thinks Reese Witherspoon is “so precious” and “bubbly.” After talking to her for only a few minutes and observing her outfit, one could say the same about Goss.