How to Fly Your Elephant into the New Year

By: Jesse Stewart, Staff Writer

One of the greatest days of my life came when I was quite young, sitting in science class. I was always a good student, but had trouble when assignments grew into multi-day or multi-week endeavors. The stress of a science fair project felt like an elephant sitting on my chest: daunting and impossible to know where to start. The Dumbos of my youth were gone, and this new pachyderm packed quite a punch.

As a child you assume that the world is either entirely orderly or pure chaos; growing older and understanding that neither is particularly true can be a demoralizing and paralyzing recognition of the challenging mountain each of us must climb. But the day I first learned about the relationship between potential and kinetic energy, in the form of Newton's First Law of Motion, I saw the peaks before me shift into ramps so that I may fly, if I flapped my wings consistently (I also had big ears, which helped).

Newton’s First Law of Motion describes ‘inertia’, the natural law that states an object in motion tends to stay in motion and an object at rest tends to stay at rest, also known as ‘momentum.’ The morning I learned that such a succinct force governed the universe, and therefore my little life as well, was the day I learned how to transform my mountains into ramps: pebble by pebble, and feeding the elephant only one peanut at a time. 

One of the most annoying tidbits passed around every Christmastime is the that gym memberships increase by about twelve percent each January, as the population attempts their “New Year’s Resolutions,” with these figures dropping off only a month or two later. I was a pedantic child, who grew up to be a very pedantic man, so at literally no point have I felt anything other than dumbfounded shock that people assign self-improvement to something so arbitrary as the calendar, probably lecturing some adults at a Christmas party, “Santa Claus is definitely real, the Easter Bunny is my best friend, and the TV says that Saddam has weapons of mass destruction…but I wasn’t born yesterday: you dorks are lazy.”

Losing weight, reading more books, and pursuing any form of self-improvement is an obviously noble goal…but what happens if you fail? How quickly and how easily will you revert to confirmation bias when you bite off more than you can chew, doze off before you finish the chapter, or grow weary of the pursuit by St. Patrick’s Day? No one will punish you for making, breaking, and then ignoring a promise you made to yourself, but to then reach another New Years and again lie, “This is my time, this is the year I do it” is an exercise in insanity, is it not?

One of the root words of ‘Resolution’ is ‘resolve,’ which is a very strong and misunderstood concept; the reason that so many New Year’s Resolutions fail is that the consequences of breaking a promise to oneself are not only unconsidered but never drafted in the first place.

When seeking self-improvement, the first rule is to not assign it to something as arbitrary as the date. Start today. Want to get into shape? Give yourself one task, like doing a single sit-up; tease the elephant a single peanut and you’ll be surprised how fast that formidable foe can move. But drop a tiny mouse behind it, give yourself a small ultimatum: if you miss a day of pursuing your resolution, you’re not allowed to indulge in your favorite food or drink for a week.

The next day, increase your measurement by one: two sit-ups. The elephant might struggle to eat two peanuts at once, but it certainly won’t want to be caught by the slightly bigger mouse you drop behind it. You will climb your mountain, because you’re only focusing on one pebble at a time and maintaining a rhythm that will enforce itself; by focusing on the momentum carried toward a goal rather than the speed, you will develop a habit, which is infinitely less stupid than a ‘resolution’ as it has a rather compelling enforcement mechanism: your happiness and state of mind.

If you start with a single sit-up and increase this action by one with each new square on your calendar, rather than each new page, in less than three years you and your elephant will be a couple of lunatics who can do a thousand sit-ups in a day and feel unhappy about missing a workout. The Grand Canyon didn’t ‘resolve’ to carve itself into something so spectacular, it did it drop-by-drop over the course of time, with the threat of not reaching the ocean as motivation.

The reason why it can be so difficult to grow up, mature, and improve is because we request results all at once and activate our attempts so abruptly. You cannot simply install an improvement into your life, it must be adopted, grown, and maintained.

Pick any improvement you seek and break it into 1% increments: in just over three months you’ll achieve it. It’s exactly that easy and exactly that difficult. But as you achieve momentum, it will be quite difficult for you to slow down or stop; setting a slow but steady rhythm of advancement will slowly transform your resolution into a trait, one which will be hard to peel from your identity. It took a long time to build Rome and a long time for it to fade; anything built brick-by-brick cannot decay any other way.

New Year’s Resolutions so often fail or fade because they exist without balance: the hope of improvement must be propelled by a consequence of failure. Never again wait until the Januarys of your life to address the elephant in your room. It’s not sitting on your chest, it’s nudging you. Scratch it behind the ears, hop on the saddle, scale the mountains before you, and prance over the edge. No matter how heavy it seems, you have my (and Newton’s) word: anything with a running start can fly.

Holidays in the Time of COVID

By: Morgan Jacobus, Editor in Chief

COVID has made so many dramatic changes to so many different aspects of our lives, but something that affected me more than I thought it would was the effect of COVID on the holidays.

For me and my family, we normally have a simple holiday, just the three of us. We never threw any parties, or hosted any get-togethers, we just spent time together; me, my mama, and my dad. Since we usually have a rather isolated holiday already, I didn’t think I would feel that affected come time for the holidays. However, there were subtle things that I missed that made a big difference.

Something I loved being a part of last year was Regis’ annual tree lighting ceremony. The air was filled with joy and merriment, a true community event. Not only were Regis students and faculty invited to see the ceremony, but families from surrounding neighborhoods were able to be a part of it as well. There was a cute train that took kids on rides around the quad (I was jealous I couldn’t fit, because it looked like a blast). Inside the student center was decorating gingerbread men and writing letters to Santa, and outside around the tree was hot cocoa, and even a Santa Claus. Honestly it was one of my favorite memories from my freshman year.

However, this year this was impossible, because of not only restrictions on gatherings, but also because of our longer than normal winter break. The main hall building had red and green floodlights like last year, but there wasn’t the glow of the lights on the trees on the quad. There wasn’t the ceremony, there wasn’t any kind of celebration on campus that put me in the holiday spirit. After all, we went home before Thanksgiving, so it would’ve been a waste if Regis had done anything festive, but that was something I truly missed.

Even before I was in college, when I was in high school there was a feeling of Christmas approaching, usually a fun day in class, perhaps meeting with friends to do a gift exchange… something. However, this year that was not present. My friends and I agreed to do our cookie exchange in lieu of bought gifts once again, but because of the long break we will do it toward the end of January when we come back. I’m sure it will still be fun, but it won’t be the same.

While some people opted to decorate early to bring joy, our house was a little late to the party. Holiday decorating is an undertaking, and not something you can, or should, rush through, so it took a while for my mama and I to find a good time to decorate.

Even though the virus didn’t directly affect Christmas Day with my family, I could tell there was a definite shift from the year before. We wanted to go to the Christmas Eve service at church, but because of capacity and distancing, the tickets sold out quickly, so we watched from home. Even the overall mood was different, because of all the stress and frustrations from how COVID has affected our lives. There wasn’t the same mood or feeling, even on such a usually joyful day.

Though my holiday wasn’t what I expected it to be, I did find joy. For instance, something that really uplifted me was driving around with my mama, wearing my Christmas jammies (a festive onesie) and drinking hot chocolate while we looked at lights. It was a cool and dark night, the night of Christmas Eve, we had made some hot cocoa, we listened to our favorite Christmas music, laughed, and enjoyed the time together. That is something I will cherish for years to come.

I hope that even with everything else feeling different, the presence of family still brought nostalgic reminders of times before COVID for you and your families. Though there are more challenges, more things to bring us frustration, and changes that try to dampen our spirits, it is more important now than ever to find the joy. I hope and pray you all find joy, even though the holiday season is ending.

Travel Guide to Colorado

graphic by Hannah Ury

With our campus being in such a beautiful state, we thought that we should share some of our favorite places to go in Colorado. You might want to add these places to your Colorado bucket list. 

Sarah Gomez: 

A personal summer favorite of mine is Breckenridge, it's an hour and a half drive from campus but it is absolutely amazing. This is an autumn must see for the changing leaves, and if you're looking for a fun halloween activity, there are ghost tours offered both during the day and evening. 

Amy Reglin: 

If you are looking for a weekend getaway or a quick day trip then Leadville is the place for you. Once an old mining town, the feel is still there. I love Leadville for the fact that it is just over 2 hours from campus, and an easy drive. Mountain High Pies has some of the best pizza and wings I have ever had. Leadville is also home to the world's largest saloon. Check AirBnB for some super cute tiny homes, too. 

Photo Credit: Carly Compesi One of the lakes on the trail to Sky Pond.

Carly Compesi: 

One of my favorite hikes that I did this year was Sky Pond, which is part of Rocky Mountain National Park. We arrived early enough to see some amazing stars in the morning and watch the sunrise while on the trail, which I highly recommend for those of you with headlamps. To get to the very top, you have to climb up the side of a waterfall, but even as someone with a fear of heights, I consider the view to be worth the climb.

Photo Credit: Morgan Jacobus

Morgan Jacobus: 

A fun place my roommate and I went to is the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. It is a beautiful area, and there are different trails and hikes you can go on depending on how far you want to hike and what you want to see. It was about an hour and a half from campus, so it is not too far, but makes for a fun day adventure. Bring some water and snacks, and enjoy the beautiful scenery. 

An Interview with Kalon Creators (Part 2): Monse P. and Kayla R.

photo credits: Alaina Valdespino. Monse P. and Kayla R. pose for the Kalon Cultural Magazine.

By: Carly Compesi, Staff Writer

Carly: Why do you find this project important?

Kayla: I would say I find this project important because I think there’s not enough representation here at Regis. I think we need more of it and I think being able to unite all of us affinity clubs and being able to represent all of them is what matters.

Monse: I would say this magazine was important to allow people to represent who they are and what they think makes them them. And seeing people light up after they [have] their pictures taken, when they were trying to get approval from the photographer, and then them getting more into it and striking different poses and stuff just shows what this magazine is about. It’s just focusing on the individual and who they are, and that’s what Regis is made of.

Carly: Nice. And you two are dressed up. Do you want to talk a little about why you choose what you choose?

Monse: So for me, it’s a little weird ‘cause my family is from Mexico and Mexico is very big and has very different traditions, and so, with a lot of Hispanics, especially from Mexico (like the ones being represented in the magazine), I was going to go with the traditional route at first since my family is from Mexico City. But then, I decided to go with more ranchero style—which is like “Western” when translated in English—just to make sure that every part of Mexico is represented, because I know people are from there and I wanted their clothing to be shown as well.

Kayla: Yeah, so I came in traditional Mexican clothing, but one of the things that I found really cool about my outfit was the Virgen de Guadalupe. She plays a really big role in Mexican culture and I would say that, usually, if you grown up Latinx, you also grow up being some part of a religion—mostly Christianity or Catholicism—so being able to have her as a part of my outfit really brought a lot of representation to people within the Latinx community, and within my family as well.

Carly: So what are your goals for this magazine? Or what are your goals for the future, since I know you want this to be continuous?

Monse: I guess my goal for this one [magazine] is to, like Kayla said, show what Regis is made up of because, sometimes, the diversity gets hidden within the crowd and this just allows people to see all the different types of individuals we have at Regis, and how everyone is special and unique and beautiful in their own way.

Kayla: Yeah. And I would agree with Monse, and then I would say that, [a goal] for the future would be to get more people to come out and represent who they are and be excited about that and hold pride in it. We hope to [make it] a tradition and allow more people to be involved every year, and for them not to be shy and afraid but for them to have pride about where they come from and who they are. 

Carly: Hold on. Celine, there’s a question I just remembered to ask you. Why fashion? Why is fashion the premise?

Celine: Well, initially, we tried a fashion show just to make it a more “live” type of thing, but with COVID, we couldn’t do that, so we had to adjust it to be a magazine. But I think fashion—you’re not necessarily saying it yourself but you’re conveying it through what makes you you. Fashion for everybody is different and incorporating your culture, your heritage, your religion, any sexual orientation, or any symbol that you want—you could do that through fashion. So you’re not necessarily stating it. It’s [stated] through, I guess, two perspectives: one, what you’re representing, and two, through how you go about your normal days, because everyone wears different clothes. Monse has a completely different style than me. Kayla has a different style. I feel like we all have different styles. Representing that through fashion seemed fun. 

Carly (to Monse and Kayla): You have anything you want to add to that?

Monse: I think Celine said it very well. I think it allowed people the opportunity to dress a way they would like to dress every day but it’s just unconventional—it’s just not realistic with the weather and things like that, so this allowed them to wear what they would wear once every year.

Kayla: Yeah. I think one thing I would add would be that I think it’s really cool how, depending on where you’re from, like Celine was saying, Monse and I have completely different styles, and depending on where you’re from, everyone else has different styles as well, so I think that’s really cool, and being able to represent that is pretty awesome.

Carly: And then I asked Celine already: What would you say to people who were interested in participating, especially if they’re on the fence or don’t know what to wear?

Monse: I would say that this is just [an opportunity] to be yourself. Like I had a lot of people be like, “Well, I don’t know. I don’t have anything traditional.” And I told them, “Just wear what makes you you, like what you think represents you.” And honestly, this is just something fun for you to remember your time here at Regis and who you were. It’s supposed to be something fun, and so you do you.

Kayla: Exactly, yeah. I would totally agree with Monse. You do you, Be who you are. Of course, it’s nice to come out and represent something bigger than yourself, right? But it’s something that’s fun. You can be part of history, pretty much. It’s our first year and we’re going to continue with it, and then, you can always come back, look at it, remember those memories and show that pride.

Going Home for the Holidays

By: Morgan Jacobus, Editor in Chief and Sarah Gomez, Staff Writer

For many students, this may be the first time they are preparing to go home for winter break, while for others it is a different experience because of the nature of this particular break. This year, rather than a Thanksgiving Break then a Winter Break, students are going to be home from November 20th through at least the 16th of January; a break of over 50 days. Additionally, there is the added element of finals taking place remotely when students are at home, so on top of preparing for being home, students also have to prepare for their finals. It can be a daunting task to figure out what one should pack and how they should prepare, so we have offered a number of tips along with important information to keep in mind. 

Information from Dean to keep in mind:

• You must check out of your room by 8:00 pm on Friday, November 20th

• First-year students will check-in Saturday, January 16th

• Upper-class students will check-in Sunday, January 17th

• No guests/ helpers will be allowed to assist with move out/ move in for the spring semester

How to leave your room:

Prior to leaving for the semester, the following is cleaning is required of you:

• Clean room, including micro-fridge

• Remove trash and recycling from room

• Unplug all appliances

The two big things can be checked off in one dedicated day. If need be all three can be done in a single sitting, however, you are strongly encouraged to get this done sooner rather than later. When cleaning your room, make note of where each thing goes, this will help avoid just moving the mess from place to place. Additionally, throw out the trash from cleaning your room the day you finish cleaning to avoid trash piling up. 

As for unplugging appliances, save that for the day you leave, to avoid unnecessary hassle. The last thing you need the morning of your flight is to wake up and realize your phone didn't charge overnight. 

Additional (Optional) things to do before you go:

It is important to remember that you are coming back to your space as you left it. The state you leave your room in will be the same state it will be in when you return. You do not want to start off next semester with any unnecessary stress, though it is already required to be clean on the surface level, a deeper cleaning will be rewarding come the spring. Because of this, you should consider doing these additional errands:

• Wash your dirty clothes

• Clean any/all dishes

• Vacuum 

• Wash your towels and shower caddy 

What to pack: 

I recommend starting to think about what you want to bring home sooner rather than later. If you try to pack everything at once the day of or the night before, if you are anything like me, you will forget something. Try preparing a list or making a pile of things to bring home. 

When thinking about what to bring home, I would recommend first thinking about what you have at home, what you have at school, and what you are going to be doing at home. For instance, something to keep in mind is the climate of where you will be going. For me, I live in Colorado, so I know I need to be sure to bring my boots, heavy coat, and other winter wear. Additionally, I anticipate working while I am at home, so I am going to bring comfy shoes to wear during my shifts. Lastly, I thought about what I already have at home that I don’t need to bring, and what I have at school that I will need at home. 

Some items to be sure to bring home include: 

• Medication

• Any personal care items you use daily (face wash, face lotion, retainer, toothpaste, etc.)

• Toiletries you brought from home that you don’t have at home

• Your wallet (IDs, money, cards)

• Plants/ fish (if you have them)

Clothes you should consider bringing home:

• Jeans/ leggings/ pants 

• Underwear/ socks 

• A handful of shirts (depending on what you have at home/ what you think you will need)

• A few pairs of shoes (I am bringing boots and slip ons that I wear almost every day)

  • Wear the bulkiest shoes when you are leaving 

In addition to personal items, you will want to consider what school materials you will need to take your finals, such as: 

• Laptop & charger

• Notebook/ related notes

• Any course materials like textbooks/ books that could help with studying/ taking the final

Have a safe trip home and good luck with your finals!

Hang in There

By: Armando Covarrubias, Writer/ Cartoonist