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Show Monday, April 25, 2011 Page 5 AggieLif• Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.co The nooks and crannies of USU By GENEVIEVE DRAPER staff writer from her family. She'd never had school in English, and expected to hate it but actually loved it. Saine said when her dad built their house in Finland, she became interested in the profession. "I helped him pick things out for the house," Saine said. "And I knew I wanted to do it." Saine's classmates, like senior Jessica Watts from Salt Lake City, Utah, had similar experiences that got them interested in the major. "My dad was an architect," Watts said. "I loved design, but instead of designing the exterior, I wanted to do the interior." Senior Kylee Groskreutz from Draper, Utah, said there are many people who do not understand the demands of interior design. As finals start rearing their ugly heads, students begin the arduous last round of studies. Several students said the best places to study on campus are usually in the locations where they get the least amount of traffic. "I do most of my studying on campus. It's convenient and close to home," said Michael Otteson, a senior in history, philosophy and religious studies. Matt Fife, a junior history student, said although he has studied off campus at Cafe Ibis, Starbucks and Hastings, the small tables make it harder to study there, particularly when studying with a group of friends. Many students agree that finding a place alone is one of the best study tips. Fife was hesitant to reveal his favorite place of study, because he likes the presence of only a few people. "I can't study in halls because I people watch and can't get any homework done," said Nick Lee, a sophomore in mechanical engineering. Lee said though he prefers to study by a window, if he has to study for a couple of hours, a basement is best because he doesn't notice the hours passing. Lauren Brown, a sophomore in radiology, was discovered studying in the basement of the library at the desks located on the south end. Brown said she likes that there are so few students studying in the basement. She values the seclusion this gives. But she said the basement has other advantages. "I study better at night and I feel like it is darker down here," Brown said. Many campus buildings have areas with couches and tables. The basement of Old Main, where the Honors office is located, not only has couches and tables, but also vending machines and a microwave. Accounting sophomore Kaila Dunn said the business building also has a nice basement to study in. "I like to study in the business building basement because it is less trafficked. Makes for a nice, quiet study on the couches," Dunn said. Fife said many buildings have lounge areas to study. One he discovered is on the third floor the engineering building. Because many buildings do have areas with couches, if traditional study locations have suddenly become infused with newcomers, exploring a new building on campus may be the answer. Now that it is spring, an alternative to sequestered basements can be found in the great outdoors. Megan Hurst, a junior in international studies, said she likes spring semester because she can finally study outside. "I like to study in Adam's Park. If I need the Internet I choose the Quad," Hurst said. Although Hurst said she has not used wireless printing, the open access computer labs do have I See DESIGN, page 7 I See STUDY, page 6 THE INTERIOR DESIGN PROGRAM is ending their year with an exhibit in the Twain Tippetts Exhibition Hall. This is a way for students to show off the projects they have spent hours working on. ARMEN HOVSEPYAN photo Designing America's interior By MARIAH NOBLE staff writer Everyone has different tastes when it comes to style. Some prefer bright, bold colors while others prefer toned-down patterns. But it takes professionals to create spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. That is where USU's interior design students come in. Of the 60 freshman who will apply for the program this year, 20 will be offered spots as sophomores in the studio. These students will spend the next three years taking classes together and spending hundreds of hours on projects. During their last semester here, they'll be able to show off their hard work by putting on the annual senior exhibit. Steve Mansfield, a lecturer in the program and licensed architect, said spending so much time together unites the students. "Each year as sophomores they meet as total strangers," Mansfield said. By the end of their junior year they've become best friends. Then by the time they're seniors they're a family." Though many interior design students are from Utah and the surrounding states, some come from far away places to join this "family." Linnea Saine, senior in interior design, came four years ago from her home in Helsinki, Finland, to be a part of this design program. "I was looking at schools in the states," Saine said. "This one was on the cheaper side, and I'd heard they have a really good program. There's only one interior design program in Finland, and only about 2 percent of the people who apply get into it." Saine said it was hard to live away Take a stroll on Logan's hiking trails The river trail follows the river on the opposite side of the highway. On the river trail, one may stop by the Stokes Nature Center to learn more about Logan Canyon as he or she hikes As the school year winds down, deadlines toward Second Dam. are either here or just passing, finals are loom"My favorite trail is the Richard's Hollow ing and the sun is finally coming out to warm trail which leads down to Blacksmith Fork. If the cold, dreary landscape. This time of year, you are looking for waterfalls and pretty scenes, stress seems to increase, but luckily Bear River go there," Russo said. "The best is to hike in, Mountains and Cache Valley National Forest spend the night and then hike out the next day." are only minutes away from campus. Hiking is The Tony Grove area up the canyon is full of not only a great way to forget about finals for a hiking, cross-country skiing and fishing. while but also a way to experi"You can do the Tony Grove ence something that is unique to area but I usually snow-mobile USU. up there, I'm not sure about "My favorLogan Canyon offers hikhiking this time of year," Russo ite trail is the ing trails that are only minutes said. Richard's Hollow up the canyon. As one sets out From UtahAvalancheCenter. to experience these trails, one trail which org, the April 22 forecast from resource is the Logan Ranger the Tony Grove Snotel reports leads down to District Visitor Center, located Blacksmith Fork. that there is still 144 inches at the mouth of Logan Canyon. of snow up at the station. The If you are lookThe building itself isn't nice change of altitude from 4,465 ing for waterto look at, but the information feet in Logan to 8,400 feet at inside can help those wishing to Tony Grove tends to keep snow falls and pretty experience these hiking trails. lasting into the spring and sumscenes, go The Visitor Center offers free mer months. there." pamphlets of information on "You can do the lower eleva- Mert Russo, tion trails now, but you should hikes in the canyon and the Cache Valley National Forest. parks and recreation probably wait another month or The Stokes Nature Center so for the higher elevation trails and river trail is used all the like Tony Grove. One thing time," Utah State Parks and though, you shouldn't hike on Recreation Ranger Mert Russo said. "The Wind muddy trails because it rips up the trail, so Caves are also really popular." make sure it has dried out," Russo said. The Wind Cave trail is almost four miles The Outdoor Recreation Program (ORP), round trip. The trail leads to a "delicate triple located on campus next to the stadium, proarch and natural cave near the top of the China vides snowshoeing equipment, cross-country Wall geologic formation on the north side of the skis, alpine-touring skis, telemark skis and even canyon," stated the Cache Valley Hiking Trail avalanche probes and kits at reduced cost to Guide, printed by the Cache Valley Visitors students. The ORP also rents backpacks, tents Bureau. and sleeping bags to allow students to go camp"The river trail is a nice easy nature hike," ing without needing their own gear. Russo said. "There are a bunch of cross-country trails By ALEXANDER VAN OENE staff writer AS THE WEATHER warms up, many students are itching to get outside and hike. There are a variety of trails around Logan for hiking, and some offer spots for camping. BRECK BYINGTON photo that you can do. A popular beginner trail is Green Canyon," said Paul Reinhardt, ORP shop attendant. Located on the eastern mountainside of North Logan, the Green Canyon area is one of the groomed areas designed for cross country skiing. "The problem you have right now in spring is the avalanches," Reinhardt said. With the snow melting during the day and freezing at night, the mountain is dangerous to hike and ski on without prior knowledge. "We have a heating and freezing cycle that makes the snow brittle and leaves slabs that can fall which makes it very dangeous," he said. I See HIKING, page 6 |