By Ashley Miller
Writer
Since 2000, CHOICE has provided its members with substance-free housing and non-alcoholic activities during the semester.
CHOICE (Choosing Healthy Options in Community Environments) includes students from diverse backgrounds who share a common desire of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. First-years and upperclassmen alike can participate in CHOICE.
“Something that many people may not know is that CHOICE has more than 300 members, which is a little less than 10 percent of campus,” said Rushtin Chaklader ’11, CHOICE Student Program Assistant (SPA).
Many first-year students say CHOICE helps them avoid the pressure to drink.
“It gives you a great opportunity that if you want to avoid [alcohol], it’s easier to avoid it,” Julie Uptegraff ’14 said. Uptegraff said many CHOICE members go to the campus-sponsored alcohol-free events.
The organization has sponsored its own alcohol-free campus events, including capture the flag, a back-to-school barbeque and a semi-formal dance.
“We have an events almost every weekend, which are open to the entire campus,” Chaklader said. “The events are a great alternative to the party scene at Bucknell, and always offer something fun to do if you don’t want to go to a party.”
CHOICE members also participate in off-campus activities as a group, like bowling or trips to Reptiland. Uptegraff says her favorite CHOICE activity was the corn maze. “It’s a tradition so it’s exciting as a freshman to take part of all the traditions,” she said.
CHOICE members, or as they’re fondly called, CHOICErs, often take part in hall or group bonding activities. Some of these are seasonal, such as the Halloween hall decorating contest. CHOICE is also helping to organize a campus-wide door decorating contest, hoping to include other students in their activities.
“CHOICE is also a very tight-knit community, and it is not uncommon for everyone in a CHOICE hall to know each other by name and hang out with each other,” Chaklader said.
Most CHOICE members live together on one of the CHOICE residence halls, either in Larison for first-years or Kress for upperclassmen. Members commit to making these halls substance-free. “It’s sort of like a res college were you get to live with people who share common ground,” Uptegraff said.
CHOICE gives its members a lot of freedom. The only requirement is that members are healthy and respectful. “It gives us opportunity to do anything on campus but have a safe environment to come home to,” Uptegraff said.
First edit: Kristen
2nd edit–Catherine — Hey guys, my laptop is currently a little broken and displays red and black as the same color. I’m hoping to get it fixed soon, but for moment would it be okay to mark deletions with a strike-through as well as red font? Thanks.
Final- Devin
Eric Weiss
In a weekend of Patriot League play at home, the women’s soccer team was defeated by Army, 2-1, and defeated Holy Cross 3-2.
The Bison knew they would be up for a challenge as Army took nine shots in the first half. In the 39th minute Christa Matlack ’11 was able to out-duel the Army goalie and give the Bison a 1-0 advantage. Army’s staunch defense tightened and refused to give the home team any more scoring chances in the first half.
Sandita McDermott ’13 helped keep the game close all night for the Bison, but with just 5:30 left in the game, the Bison were whistled for a slight push, giving Army a free kick. Army knotted the score at 1-1, sending the game into overtime.
Army then drove down the field and slipped a pass by McDermott in net, leaving the goal open for the Army striker to tap the ball in for a golden-goal win.
In their game Sunday against Holy Cross, the Crusader team came out on the offensive. Midway through the first half a Holy Cross attacker slipped behind the Bison defense and allowed the Holy Cross team to take an early 1-0 lead. The Bison were able to even the score at 1-1 with just over a minute left in the first half as Kelliann Doherty ’11 took a short corner kick and bent it into the goal.
“Our team kept the pressure up against Holy Cross, we knew that even when we were down we still could defeat them,” Doherty said.
In the second half the Orange and Blue did not give the Crusaders a chance to catch their breath. Tara Cort ’12 came through for the Bison, burying a shot past the Holy Cross keeper. Holy Cross continued with extremely physical play throughout the match and even drew a yellow caution card midway through the second half.
Doherty put the game away in the 75th minute as she was able to free herself from a skirmish in front of the Holy Cross net and bury the ball in the back of the goal. Holy Cross scored just two minutes later but could not mount an attack over the last 10 minutes, and the Bison sealed the game.
“We didn’t want to give Holy Cross the chance to get back into the game. Continuing to attack late in the game was what made us successful,” Jules Harris ’11 said.
The Bison will play their final Patriot League Conference game next Saturday against Colgate. With a win, the Bison can lockup home field advantage for the opening round game of the Patriot League Tournament. With an Army loss or tie, the Bison will be crowned Patriot League Regular Season Champions.