USD Magazine, Winter 2004

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7:14 p.m.

9:26 p.m. "So if Monica asks Chandler to marry her on 'Friends,' is that considered a reversal of traditional gender roles?" Elyse Rohrer asks John Piranian, who answers in the affirmative. Rohrer is putting the final touches on her editorial for this week's edition of The Vista, USD's student newspaper, where she is editor in chief and Piranian is the entertainment editor. They spend up to 40 hours aweek putting together the weekly paper, hard work that Rohrer, a sophomore communications studies major, says will pay off in the future. "I've always had a passion for writ– ing," she says, "but this job is helping me with more than that. I've learned budgeting, public relations, how to deal with people, public speaking - I think these are good journalism skills and good life skills. " 11:07 p.m. Freshman Megan Doroba is frustrated. In the midst of picking classes for next semester, she finds the times for acourse and a lab she needs conflict. Fortunately, she's got Stephanie Gabbarra, one of Maher Hall's seven resi– dent assistants. Gabbarra lends a sympa– thetic ear, then goes over the alternatives. Ten minutes later,they've solved the problem, and Gabarra, asenior, leaves with afriendly wave. "People think resident assistant and they think discipline," says Gabarra, in her third year as an RA, "but that's avery small part of the job. I'mhere mainly to be a friend, a voice of experience and shoulder to cry on. "I feel like I have the best job on cam– pus,'' she adds. "I've met so many people and built so many lasting relationships. That's what you remember from college, the people. "

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W I NTER 2004