Story and photo by Eric Albury | gargoyle@flagler.edu

New year’s resolutions are never easy. Nor are they always followed through to the end. But for Elijah Hayes, backup point guard for the Flagler Saints, his first resolution is already coming to a successful close.

Hayes’ aim was to abstain from meat, dairy, refined sugar, starches and flour for 21 days. No easy task when he had practice six days a week and played 1 to 3 games a week. But Hayes said it was worth it.

By Mari Pothier | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo by Dyann Busse

Taking one game at a time and looking to the future is how head coach Bo Clark is keeping morale up among his players.

The men’s basketball team is currently on an 11 game losing streak with a 6-12 overall record.

“I think the big thing is to try to keep as much positive energy as we can,” Clark said.

By Emily Hoover | ehoover@flagler.edu
Photo by Robert Heinrich

Sometimes I think I’m really paranoid. Sometimes I get the fear when I walk into a grocery store, such a deep fear from within, that I want to run back to my car, as if someone is chasing me with a blunt object.

It’s not about the sensory overload I experience when my eyes finally adjust to all the artificial lights and I observe consumers scrambling through the aisles, looking for sales, just waiting for the exchange of currency for nutrients. It’s not about budgeting, since I now live with my boyfriend and our combined income makes good food easier to afford.

The fact is: I can’t buy bagels without staring intently at the back of the package, looking for chemicals and preservatives. I can always locate xantham gum and high fructose corn syrup—oftentimes a combination of both—especially in food marked “All Natural” and “No Preservatives.” So I find myself putting products back on the crammed shelves, hunting for something not just certifiably organic, but really organic.

By Joshua Santos | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The Student Government Association meets every Tuesday at 9 PM in the Koger-Gamache Theater in the Ringhaver Student Center.

Club Considerations:

• The Chess Club, led by Junior Evan Gardiner, was unanimously approved after a short deliberation. The special interest club aims to teach beginners while providing a place for experienced players to enjoy a nice game of chess.

By Tiffanie Reynolds | gargoyle@flagler.edu

This fall, students may be filling more seats in campus events. But, it’s not because they want to, it’s because they will be required.

The co-curricular requirement is the latest proposal of the academic strategic plan to be evaluated and voted on by the faculty senate. In the last meeting, which occurred on Jan. 11, the senate voted for it to be considered in this year’s institution budget.

A committee still needs to be formed to work out details of this proposal, but, when passed, it will require incoming freshmen to attend a certain number of campus events in order to graduate.

By Josh Santos | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Winter break is a time for students to relax from the hectic school year — to visit their families and work. But I wasn’t able to accomplish any of these this break and especially not the work part.

Instead, I spent this past Christmas in a home that was rotting from the inside out, 300 hundred miles away from my family, all while searching for a job to support myself.

My first mistake was assuming it would be easy.

By Sarah Williamson | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The St. Augustine Film Festival brought us to our “happy” place this past weekend with a film by Roko Belic. “Happy” is an award-winning documentary that brings its audience around the world, trying to figure out the answer to what makes us humans happy.

The idea for this feel good film came from director Tom Shadyac (“Bruce Almighty,” “Liar, Liar”). He became interested in the science of happiness after reading an article in The New York Times about Americans being unhappy, regardless of their wealth. While sitting in his mansion somewhere outside of L.A., he got in contact with Belic and told him his idea for a documentary.

What a great idea it turned out to be.

By {Amber James} | gargoyle@flagler.edu

About 2,000 people made a stand against abortion on Saturday, walking a mile through downtown for the March for Life St Augustine. But one woman marched in her own way.

Barbara Trost sat comfortably in her wheelchair, overlooking the countless children playing on the Mission de Nombre’s grounds and the crowd that had gathered to hear speakers talk about the pro-life movement. The 77-year old Christian faithfully held a sign in her lap that read, “Abortion kills 8,000 babies every year in Jacksonville.”

With the beginning of 2012 underway, it may feel overwhelming trying to get your new year in order. Have you ever wondered what makes a resolution stick? Having trouble deciding what to keep on that resume of yours?

Here are a few tips to start your 2012 in the right direction:

By Sarah Williamson | gargoyle@flagler.edu

On this day, Martin Luther King Jr. would have celebrated his 83rd birthday. The city of Jacksonville celebrated it as school groups and organizations lined the streets with performances, costumes and signs covered with King’s most monumental quotes. There was both emotion and excitement running through the crowd as his dream continues to spread. Jacksonville’s first African American Mayor, Alvin Brown, was amongst them.

The Flagler Review, the literary journal of Flagler College, is seeking submissions of high-quality poems, short stories, creative nonfiction, screenplays, plays and artwork for our Spring 2012 issue, which may be published in print or online formats.