Features

Driving by, one might not notice it right away. But through the trees and up a dirt path there is a house, where each Friday at sunset, visitors arrive unannounced at an unlocked door. It is the Chabad House in Stony Brook — a place where college students can find a spiritual and social sense of belonging.

Ashley McCarthy has been battling juvenile diabetes since she was a baby. She has suffered diabetic comas and scoliosis, and sometimes faces social troubles because of her illness. But through her struggles with the disease, Ashley has found a unique strength inside herself.

"Breathe." She says it, she sings it, recites it so that it may permeate an individual’s mind, and holds out the first "e" with her teeth showing. It's like a mantra, an "om" of sorts, a reminder to attendees in her yoga, spinning, and total body fitness classes to breathe in and exhale.

The guitar, piano, drums or bass. Many Stony Brook students play these instruments and almost everyone is familiar with their sounds. But what about instruments that are more unusual, like the tabla or the harmonium? You may have never heard of them, but Priyal Bhagat plays both.

They had no names, only numbers, and bore the Stony Brook University logo on their chests. All 600 bobbed impatiently in the water ten minutes before the race. Friday, April 23, with Earthstock happening in the background, the rubber ducks had their big day.

It’s normal at first, but quickly swells, pulsing and rising as the drummers try out different rhythms and adapt to what their peers are doing. Then, in an unspoken agreement, everybody stops. The Stony Brook drum circle has begun.

To survive a down economy, most everyone is trying to find ways to cut back, and donating money does not often further that goal. But in a time of tight wallets, Rob Emmerich is working to bring funding into the school’s athletic department.

Kerry Logan has been studying at Stony Brook University’s affiliated school in Florence, Italy, for more than two months. She arrived in the city full of anticipation, and while she had heard about male attitudes there, it wasn’t until her roommate returned one night, barely able to stand after two drinks, that she realized the gravity of the situation.

Spring officially started at the end of March, and although Stony Brook has had only a handful of true spring days, the campus now has some new residents - flowers are popping up from the Staller lawn to the bus stops. Here's a look at the new blooming Stony Brook campus.

A waist-high stack of boxes filled with old video games and an entire bookcase overflowing with controllers and classic video game systems. Soon these relics of video gaming’s history will move from an office in the Stony Brook’s Humanities Building to the library, where they will be the main attraction of an upcoming video game archive.

Bandannas, Nerf guns and wild packs of students. No, you're not dreaming. The "Humans vs. Zombies" game has invaded Stony Brook, infecting the funny bones of more than 600 players. The Stony Brook Independent recently ran alongside one monster-fighting "human" to discuss the campus frenzy.

He trumped into the panel discussion about "Smack Yourself in the Forehead Moments." The tall, chocolate brown-haired man took a seat next to the two speakers at the front desk, set down a nameplate and took off his jacket. Glenn Hauman then proceeded to command the attention of the entire room.

The competition was fierce at the I-CON 29 "Yo Mama!" battle. Comedic giants fell and amateur comics fizzled, all in the space of one hour. Classics such as "Your mom is so fat, even Kirby couldn’t swallow her," garnered much applause and whoops from the audience.

Take one beaker full of the sweat of students who have failed calculus in the Old Chemistry building lecture hall. Add a graduated cylinder of costume fabric from the I-CON convention. Toss in a dash of diabolical schemes. Stir the pot and you've got the "Mine is an Eeeeevil Laugh" competition. Here is a look at two of the contestants who showed that they've got the chops to celebrate conquering the world.

From Link to the Mario Brothers and Pikachu to the Power Rangers, the thing that stands out most about I-CON is the costumes. After a year at Suffolk Community College, the convention has returned to Stony Brook, along with all the costumed enthusiasts. Here's a glimpse at the characters that are taking over the campus.