Winter is coming. Well, not actually winter, but the end of summer break is quickly approaching, with its ominous threat of class looming in the distance. Not to worry — here are some friendly reminders (and some more here!) of why the end of summer and the start of school are far from the worst things that could happen to you.

1. August and September bring the summer heat — finally. Although May, June and July constitute most of our break from school and are therefore deemed “summer,” the beautiful weather that really should accompany summertime typically makes its appearance in Berkeley beginning in mid-August and lasts through October. While there are certainly warm parts to these earlier months, we’ve all noticed by now that the weather isn’t very sunny majority of the time. But come school time, the gorgeous and highly anticipated sun shall return.

2. School isn’t starting just yet. We understand that the start of August seems to bring with it the cloud of school and the air of urgency of the end of summer. Well, school doesn’t actually start until the very end of August, so there’s plenty of time left to fit in all those summer plans that haven’t quite become reality yet. It can be especially fun if you plan on coming back to Berkeley early and have missed all your favorite places.

3. New classes mean new opportunities. Going back to school doesn’t have to be all bad; it can also bring with it an array of new additions to your life. The start of the semester brings all new classes with some new professors and the possibilities of new friends. Class doesn’t have to be looked at as something that is taking away from the fun aspects of life; rather, they can be seen as something that can add fun opportunities as well.

4. Football! While we understand that not everyone loves football (or really even understands what’s going on), the Cal home games are pretty awesome. Whether it’s the collective excitement at the beginning of every game that results in enthusiastic cheers or the stellar halftime shows put on by the marching band, the games create a sense of school spirit and collective enjoyment that can be extremely hard to come by in a school with more than 35,000 students.

5. Midterms don’t start for a few weeks. Even once school has started again, the time to buckle down and cram before midterms doesn’t surface for at least a few weeks. The start of school can still be filled with exploration and social time after class and on the weekends. Take advantage of the slightly lighter schedule while it lasts.

So while school is drawing near and the end of summer can be seen on the horizon, it does not mean that bad things lie ahead. There is still plenty of summer to be filled and excitement of the new school year to anticipate. And, personally, we can’t wait to have a little more sun around these parts again.

Image Source: ~Wei~ under Creative Commons

Contact Mackenzie Bedford at mbedford@dailycal.org.

The post 5 more ways to beat the end-of-summer blues appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Everyone’s favorite confusing, invented time-shift is here again: Daylight Savings. Except this time no one was able to celebrate the illusion of adding an hour to their day. When the clocks changed at 2 a.m. this morning, they hacked off an hour of our busy schedules instead. Now we’ve got even less time to cram in those last few pages of reading before the midterm, or the last few paragraphs of that essay we should have started weeks ago.

We at the Clog would like to lodge a formal complaint with whoever came up with the idea of messing with the system. There are loads of countries that function just fine without having to take down their clocks twice a year, so why do we have to suffer the pains of it? Sure, supposedly we’re given more daytime to work with (hence the name, of course). But does anyone really notice? The only benefit we see are those five minutes of jubilation when we realize it was 2:30 a.m. and it magically changed to 1:30 a.m. And just when we get used to that shift, we’ve got to adjust all over again. Madness, we tell you!

Okay, so it’s not really that much of a hardship in the grand scheme of things. But we thought we’d at least point out the ridiculousness of the fact that someone decided to change time. Who wakes up one morning and decides, “This system we’ve had going for the past few years or so isn’t working for me. I know! Let’s add and take away random hours to make ourselves feel better about it!” Brilliant.

Most people whip out their phone instead of actual watches nowadays, so there’s no real need to keep track of when to change the time. But we will still choose to whine over the principle of the matter. Like we said, one less hour of cramming that we college students desperately need!

Image source: peapodsquadmom under Creative Commons 

The post Daylight savings (the annoying one) is here appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Name: Launchy

Platform(s): Windows, OSX, Linux

Price: Free (donations welcomed)

Mission: Save time by launching applications and other programs with quick keystrokes

When it’s midterm season, every second counts. There is no time to waste. People aren’t even sitting to eat in the dining commons, and everyone is noticing how the hygiene of certain portions of the Cal population is suffering. Stress is flowing from every student, and even whispering a single word in Main Stacks will cause five people to turn around and “shhhhh” you. Everyone is on edge, and time is precious.

The last thing you can afford to do is waste time trying to sort through your cluttered desktop. What you really need is a quick way to launch your apps and get to work — an app launcher, to be specific.

As far as app launchers go, we at the Clog really like Launchy. Launchy is simple yet highly customizable and extremely powerful. After you install Launchy, you’ll notice it’s just a simple search bar (you can change the skin in the settings or download new ones from the Launchy site). Pressing Alt + Spacebar will bring Launchy to the front of your screen if it’s buried under other windows. Launchy will remind a lot of  CS kids of the command line, and it works like a simplified version of it. By default, Launchy will just open programs in your Start menu. All you have to do is start searching the name of the program and then hit enter as soon as you see the right program pop up. This alone is quite powerful and time-efficient but might not do everything you want it to.

Launchy can become extremely powerful if you’re willing to put in a little time to set up some plugins. There are some awesome ones listed on the official site. The plugin “Killy” will let you kill currently running tasks without having to bring up the task manager. Another plugin named “Math Resurrected” lets you perform advanced math functions right in Launchy and replaces “Calcy,” the built in basic calculator. A useful one named “Taskey” allows you to switch between open windows to make jumping between tasks easy. There are also some great plugins not listed on the Launchy website.

Two of our favorites that aren’t listed are “System Power” and “Weby.” “System Power” allows you to shut down, log off and sleep through Launchy. “Weby” (which is now built into Launchy) allows you to open websites and even search through Launchy; all you have to do is type in the name of the site you want (ie. dailycal.org) and then hit enter, and you’re in. You can also search sites like Google simply by typing in “google,” then hitting Tab and typing the term you wish to search followed by the Enter key. This will bring up your search in your Web browser. Pretty awesome, if you ask us.

Launchy can be a big time-saver, plus it makes you look like a whiz kid. And while people are pulling there hair out around you in Doe or Moffitt, you’ll just be relishing in the extra seconds you’re saving by using an app launcher.

Image source: Daniel Radding, The Daily Californian

The post Thursday app of the week: Launchy appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Whether we want to admit it or not, midterm season is officially here. Within these next few weeks, stress and caffeine levels will significantly increase as we all cram for these seemingly impossible tests. Let’s be realistic here, cramming is only necessary because most of us will spend more than half of the time we should be studying stalking people on Facebook, hanging out with friends, sleeping or simply staring at the wall — because even that is more entertaining than studying. The Clog feels your pain. Procrastination is unproductive, but if you must do it, here are some ways that will leave you feeling guilt-free:

1. Go to the gym

If you can’t get yourself to build up your brain, build up your body. The RSF accommodates all types of people. Run off your anger at those confusing concepts, connect with your inner brilliance in a yoga class or dance away your study pains in a cardio dance or zumba class. Check out the schedule of classes, grab a friend, release some endorphins and feel the stress melt away as you put off your studies.

2. Clean your room

A clean space is a happy space! Take some time to go through your stuff, and clear out the unnecessary junk. It’s so much easier to get work done when you can find everything you need and there’s no clutter to distract you. Especially for those of us living in the units. The rooms are so small that even one thing out of place causes a clutter catastrophe.

3. Do your laundry

Do yourself and your roommate a favor. No one wants to deal with the impending doom that comes with putting off laundry. Plus, what if it smells — gross. Take a break from the work (or the pointless procrastinating) and get it done. Plus, sometimes doing laundry is like going shopping because we find clothes we forgot we had. Yay for new clothes!

4. Read the paper

The Clog knows we don’t all hate reading, we just hate all reading that comes in a very expensive reader. We totally suggest reading the paper or a magazine to continue to broaden your knowledge without actually learning anything about malaria or something equally as boring. You could also just keep reading the Clog right here — wink, wink.

During college, we learn all sorts of lessons, like how to justify any action we do — especially procrastination. And who knows?  Doing something productive may be inspiring enough to break out the books. Give it a try, we believe in you! Happy studying … or procrastinating.

Image Source: Pragmagraphr under Creative Commons

The post 4 ways to productively procrastinate appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Maura Chen/Staff

Contact the opinion desk at opinion@dailycal.org.

The post Procrastination appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Hand completing a multiple choice exam./File

Massive amounts of cramming, stress and lack of sleep make midterms at Berkeley a guaranteed source of headaches. Once the exam actually rolls around we’re usually pretty happy just to sit down and get it over with, until we realize there’s another midterm menace: our fellow classmates. With midterms around the corner, the Clog compiled a list of annoying types of people that make us tick during tests.

1. The Cougher

When taking an exam, there always seems to be that one person who sounds like they should be in the ER rather than taking a test. Although we can’t help feeling a bit sorry for these troopers who manage to get through the midterm ordeal while sporting a cold, we also think it’s hard enough to concentrate on getting the Progressive Amendments right without having to listen to the person behind us blowing their noise with a sound reminiscent of the Horn of Gondor.

2. The One Who Needs to Take it Easy

This is the person that literally can’t wait to take the exam. Identifiable characteristics include tapping the desk impatiently with a pen or pencil, bringing ten extra pencils, properly putting all other material underneath their chair and shushing other classmates as the test is being handed out. Once the test’s gotten started, you can pick out this person from the sound of their pen going to town on the paper at a speed that we suspect constitutes a serious fire hazard. To this type of test-taker, we’d only like to pass on the following message: relax — you’re kind of scaring us.

3. The Insistent Inquirer

It’s always nice to take a moment and collect your thoughts before the trial by fire known as taking an exam begins. This person, however, isn’t going to let you do that. As you take a deep breath and try to clear your mind there’s bound to be that inevitable tap on your shoulder followed by an assault of questions. “Hey, what’s the Homestead Act again? What’s the significance of the lovers reuniting at the end of the novel?” Once the exam drops down on our desk this person’s managed to make us completely confused of everything from the exam material to our mother’s name. Thanks a lot.

4. The Latecomer

You’ve gotten settled in Dwinelle 155, the midterm’s been passed around and you just figured out a genius answer for the first exam question (well, some kind of answer at least). Then the unavoidable happens. You look up to see the person that just arrived ten minutes late trying to get to the empty seat on the other side of you. Oh, you’d like to get through? Sure, we’ll just fold our stuff up, get up and awkwardly let you squeeze by, no problem. Or, on second thought, how about you just get here on time like the rest of us suckers.

Image Source: albertogp123 under Creative Commons

The post 4 people you hate to see at a midterm appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Victoria Hu/Staff

Contact the opinion desk at opinion@dailycal.org.

The post The life of a Cal student appeared first on The Daily Californian.

During a recent visit to UC Santa Barbara, I noticed, for the umpteenth time, Tibetan prayer flags hanging in the least likely of places: above a liquor store entrance or dangling from an apartment building with red cups littered in the background. Perhaps I am just oversensitive to these multicolored flags due to my interest in religion, but over the past few weeks, I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the recurring presence of these unassuming strings of fabric in my life.

Each of my daily trips down Telegraph Avenue inevitably reveals another glimpse of a Tibetan prayer flag behind a shop’s door or on a merchant’s stand. The colored flags that dance pleasantly in the wind always seem to catch my eye, and although I know what they are called, I had never officially looked into their meaning. Curiosity and coincidence got the best of me, so I started my own amateur research.

First, the flags themselves. According to an article posted on prayerflags.com, Tibetan prayer flags aim to “produce a spiritual vibration that is activated and carried by the wind across the countryside” with the intent that “all beings that are touched by the wind are uplifted and a little happier.” Contrary to popular belief — or at least contrary to what I had understood for a long time — these flags do not seem to carry specific “prayer requests” out into the vast universe.  Rather, they contribute to a more general and widespread sense of unity and prosperity.

The same article later states that, “If the attitude is ‘May all beings everywhere receive benefit and find happiness,’ the virtue generated by such motivation greatly increases the power of the prayers.” While the content of the flags’ text varies and is inspired by Buddhist tradition, these prayers are tinged with universal concepts that seem to be trying to act upon humanity and improve — however slightly or imperceptibly — the human experience as a whole.

In another particularly interesting note, the Peace Flag Project explains that the flags disintegrate organically over time in order to symbolize “the natural passing of all things.” Given the biodegradable frenzy that is especially pervasive in Berkeley culture, this last element is one of the many reasons that the meaning of the flags resonates with me, both as a Berkeleyan and a college student.

While Buddhism in general is not usually a headline-grabber, I did stumble upon a recent Daily Cal article regarding a proposed street name change in Berkeley. The proposed name “Dharma Way” — “dharma” meaning “true … correct, … the right way to act,” Berkeley resident Santosh Philip said in the article  — was not well received by the community, and the supporters have withdrawn their proposal. But I sensed an ideological link between the prayer flags and the decision to retract the renaming proposition: a greater concern for public cohesion and happiness.

In a society in which personal agenda dominates everything, I think the message behind both the Tibetan prayer flag and the retraction of the street name proposition can serve as a reminder to everyone that the world is bigger than just one person. The power of positive energy and concern for the other are two elements of Buddhism that should be applicable to every human being, regardless of one’s religious creed.

Arguably, the college experience is necessarily an egotistical span of time for students, and I am just as guilty as anyone of forgetting that the world doesn’t actually revolve around me. But I am stunned by the simplicity behind the Tibetan prayer flags, which are likely reflective of a greater Buddhist doctrine. Amid the crushing stress of midterms, wouldn’t it be nice to think that, even as you walk into your classroom, a whisper of positivity has floated into your consciousness from a prayer flag swaying in the Tibetan mountains? And, conversely, how satisfying would it be to know that your own wind-filled flags could be depositing doses of happiness and goodness throughout the corners of the Earth?

I realize this idea might be a bit too Disney for some, but, personally, I revel in the romance. Is it really that unbelievable that happiness can grow from flags? We find happiness at C.R.E.A.M or at the bottom of a really good beer, so why not simple prayer flags? Ideological gems like these emerge from many different religious traditions, continually inspiring me to not only give religion a second — and sometimes third or fourth — chance but to also keep the faith in humanity.

So, if the stress of college life is too much to handle on your own, take a cue from the merchants on Telegraph and hang some Tibetan prayer flags, or just stand in front of anywhere they might waving. Dare to let the happiness in.

Contact Hannah Brady at hbrady@dailycal.org or follow her on Twitter: @brady_hm.

The post Inspiration from prayer flags appeared first on The Daily Californian.

I used to think I had X-ray vision.

One morning while I was lying on my parents’ bed, I realized that I could see through certain things that normal people couldn’t. I could see past the the blanket that hung over my eyes to what was on the TV screen a few feet away. The image wasn’t very clear, and it was almost like I was seeing double, but a superpower is a superpower. Put that together with deja vu, and there you have it — super-vision.

So for the longest time, I toyed with the idea of telling my parents, but I never did. “With great power comes great responsibility,” and even in the ’90s era of superhero youth — with the Powerpuff Girls, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sailor Moon — the responsibility of having to suit-up every time I was called upon to save the day wasn’t all that appealing. There I was, at age 6, under the belief that I was this quasi-clairvoyant wonder-child whose secret could never be revealed.

In reality, my so-called X-ray vision was the subtler equivalent of covering one eye while still being able to look out the other. My supernatural power was my brain putting together sensory input from each eye to create a single image. It was something any average human brain could do.

Now more than ever, I lust after that quiet confidence of knowing that there was one thing, one talent, that set me apart from everyone else. People didn’t have to know — at least not yet. It was enough to know that there would be a place for me in the world, if I ever decided to take it.

Here and now, it is different. As we find ourselves waist-deep into the semester, it’s hard not to panic. Midterms have been taken and papers have been written, and the spring 2013 Tele-BEARS festivities have just begun. When you’re at a place like Berkeley, where sometimes you can’t even waitlist yourself for a class because the waitlist is also full, it’s hard to feel wanted. We’re conditioned to take what we can get and fight – peacefully — if we must. We’re all just contestants in one chaotic game of musical chairs. It’s draining to wait to pounce at the very instant that the music stops.

But there’s no rush to leave the madhouse. In fact, a lot of us just want just little more time — a little more time to bring up our grades, a little more time to appreciate the Campanile, a little more time to cushion our bottoms before we’re thrown out into the real world. Because for as long as we’re still here, as long as we haven’t decided the next step, it’s still possible. There’s still that multipronged fork in the road and that dash of hope. It doesn’t necessarily go away after college. When life is just one application after another, it’s nice to wallow in space that you’ve acquired — in the school you’ve been admitted to, in the apartment that you’ve nested in or in the crowds that know your name and face.

Still, when it does come time to move on, we will have to leave. For each step that we take, we’ll assume that the ground below us will hold our weight and push back. And just like that, we’ll push and propel ourselves forward a couple feet and catch ourselves with the other foot. We’ll inch on. What’s a little stumble or a grand fall? Each step involves a bit of falling anyway.

Image Source: Elysia in Wonderland via Creative Commons

Contact Casie Lee at clee@dailycal.org.

The post Hungry like the wolf appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Christine Villanueva/Staff

The post Midterms appeared first on The Daily Californian.