In the Physical Education Building, junior and black beltAndrea Barcenas teaches karate, boxing and other forms of self-defense.

Barcenas practicesKaratedo Doshinkan, which she said pulls the best aspects of other martial artsforms and incorporate it into one. While she also teaches judo, Kyokushinkarate, Muay Thai and boxing in her class, Karatedo Doshinkan is what shesbeen training in for 15 years.

I try to make [the class] as fun and incorporating aspossible, Barcenas said. One thing I didnt like when I was younger was, ofcourse, a 6-year-old doesnt want to stand for three hours. But you learn, itsdiscipline. So yeah its tough, but its also fun.

Barcenas has been involved in martial arts since she wasfour, encouraged by her father, who did martial arts when he was a child.

Barcenas said she didnt like karate until she turned 13,where she started learning more about the outside world and saw its value.

One time my sister and me were walking home from schooland for some reason someone decided to choke her, and he said it was for fun,Barcenas said. And I was like Well, why dont you do that to me since its fun,and then this is, like, elementary [school] I grabbed him and I threw himover my back, on the pavement in front of all of the security guards, all ofthe teachers, all of the parents, and then I just grabbed [my sisters] handand walked away.

Right now Barcenas studies mechatronics robotics andautomation engineering, which WSU does not offer as a major but does providethe foundations for, Barcenas said. After college, Barcenas said she wants towork in animatronics, robotics or programming.

She said she is still considering opening a dojo butbesides needing the permission of her sensei, she said she doesnt think shesat that level yet.

Even after I got [my black belt, and] after 12 years itstill wasnt enough, but I think everyones definition of enough is different,Barcenas said. I feel like my bar is all the way up here, so, unrealisticallyhigh expectations.

Ive been in situations where Ive had a gun held to my face. I never want that to happen again.

Jillian Lenicka, WSUfreshman nutrition and exercise physiology major and student of Barcenas,said she is an energetic and passionate person when it comes to self-defense.

Computer science major and president of Judo Club MatthewMolitor said he first met Barcenas while she was doing a demonstration at amartial arts symposium, where she was breaking wooden boards and cinder blocks.

I was blown away by that because she was unassuming, like 54, and a complete badass,Molitor said. It kind of gave me a respect for karate.

Barcenas said she sees karate as a spiritual activity,something that shes incorporated into her life mentally, spiritually,physically, even if she doesnt do it every day.

Im terrified of the outside world sometimes, thats whyI wanted to learn to protect myself, she said. Because Ive been insituations where Ive had a gun held to my face. I never want that to happenagain.

Barcenas calls self-defense a security blanket, andsaid its important to learn to protect oneself if a dangerous situation comesup.

If youre like me and your mind runs at a hundred milesan hour youre always thinking about what could happen, Barcenas said. Inever want to be in that situation again, therefore Ill never let myself getin that situation again. If it happens, theyre not coming out of it.

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'Like 5'4 and a complete badass' - The Daily Evergreen