UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | October 03, 2025

Month: October 2015

n00b News: Avoid glitchy games this November

by Emily FisherPosted on

Polish your screens and open your checkbooks because November is here.

The month of November is famous among gamers for the yearly avalanche of game releases. According to Heavy magazine, the most anticipated titles in November are “Fallout 4,” “Star Wars: Battlefront,” and “Call of Duty: Black Ops III.” PC gamers are also preparing for “StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void.”

This month is close to my heart, with memories of chilly midnight game releases, rushing home to play all night, and being too “sick” to make it to work the next day. However, for some reason, this year the enchantment of immediate gratification is gone.

I wouldn’t have hesitated to buy every game I wanted on day one in years past, but this year I’m OK with waiting. Maybe it’s because I’m slowly becoming a boring adult with a busy schedule. Maybe I’m finally learning some patience. Or maybe I’m becoming more cynical about the big title releases.

“Assassin’s Creed: Unity” is a famous example of a release last year that disappointed thousands of gamers. Ubisoft heavily marketed the release of the title, but everyone soon realized the product they purchased was glitchy. A YouTube video made by Unspoken OUCH Gaming highlights just a few of the problems gamers encountered, including map fall-throughs and horrifying facial deformities. 

Studios releasing broken games was a huge discussion topic in the industry over the past year, and I hope we won’t experience similar disappointment this season. However, it won’t hurt to play it safe. Here are some practices you can start to avoid getting burned.

One at a time

If you are anything like me, you don’t have the attention span to get 100 percent on every game you play. It’s hard to focus on completing a title if the brand new games you just picked up are calling your name. I’ve started only buying a new game once I’ve finished the one I’m currently working on.

Although it’s nice to have two or three games in the rotation, living by the one-at-a-time rule will motivate you to get all of the achievements and give you the opportunity to appreciate every detail of the game.

Do your research

Is watching E3, YouTubing trailers and participating in the beta enough? If you want to guarantee your satisfaction with a new game, you might want to do a little more research. 

Don’t pre-order. Pre-ordering is a lame idea for many reasons, but essentially you are gambling your money when you pre-order a game. Before day one, you’ve only been exposed to what the game studio has carefully selected to market to the public.

Watching gameplay from YouTube and Twitch.tv is an excellent research method. There are a good amount of gamers who provide their honest, un-sponsored opinions on new releases. Redbox is pretty good about making new releases available within a couple of the weeks. Rent the video game you’ve been wanting to purchase, and try before you buy.

Patience pays off

Your bank account will be happier if you choose to wait. About a month after a game is released, it can be purchased used at a discount. The longer you are able to wait, the bigger the discount. Waiting gives you the time for prices to go down and time to do enough research to decide if it is worth the money.

Often after a brand new game is released, it gets patched several times before it is truly glitch-free. Waiting to buy will save you money, discourage game studios from releasing half-baked content, and ensure you get a quality gaming experience.

Making it through November will help your bank account and improve the standards of the industry.

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Try Something New: Editor leaves beauty materials at home

by Emily HavensPosted on

I’m doing something I haven’t done in years: I’m leaving my materialism at home and going out into the big, bad world looking like I just rolled out of bed.

Like Ms. Norbury in “Mean Girls” once said, “I’m a pusher,” especially when it comes to my personal growth. I’m goal-oriented, and I constantly seek to better myself. I’m confident in my academic and leadership abilities.

But my appearance is something I’ve never been confident about.

I was raised by a hairdresser mom and two older sisters, so I was introduced to cosmetics at an early age. I grew up on “America’s Next Top Model,” and I was always in a hurry to grow up. I was trained to believe my outer appearance should reflect my inner personality and beliefs, which is why I get ready every single day.

I’m the beauty industry’s typical victim.

I envy people who are comfortable showing up to class without their makeup or hair done. They look fine still, and it’s not like anyone really notices the difference anyway; however, not getting ready in the morning stresses me out to no end. That’s why I’m really challenging myself here, and I hope by the end of these next three days I can say I’m more comfortable in my natural skin. Other writers have done similar challenges for personal growth, like me, or for health reasons like trying to clear up their skin. Hopefully I can say I’ve become just as enlightened as they are.  

Rules:
   1. I will not get ready whatsoever for the next three days. Makeup, hairspray and “nice” clothes are banned.
   2. I will check in daily by recording my own thoughts and notable interactions I have with others. 
   3. I must go throughout my day like normal; I can’t skip any classes or regularly-scheduled meetings I have during this challenge.

I face the unknown tomorrow. Check back daily, and follow me on my journey while I try something new.

Day one

Leaving the house this morning in sweats, a t-shirt and flip-flops was more difficult than I thought it would be. Although I wear minimal makeup, I still felt naked and oddly vulnerable. 

I walked into my 8 a.m. class and heard the first comment of the day about my appearance.  

“Are you trying to trip people out as part of your article because of how relaxed you look?” he said.

I thought this comment was interesting because I felt more uncomfortable in sweats and a t-shirt than I do in jeans and a blouse. If I know I look OK in the morning, I usually don’t worry about my clothing or appearance at all throughout the day. I had other people tell me how “comfy” my clothing looked. To me, that’s the equivalent of someone telling me I look tired. If someone tells you you look tired, don’t take that as a compliment. 

I found myself particularly annoyed in my math class, when someone who I sit by everyday (but hardly ever talk to) said two words to me.

“Nice sweats,” he said. 

I laughed and said thank you sarcastically, but something about this exchange really bothered me. He obviously noticed my attire was out of the ordinary, but he never felt the need to compliment me on one of the many days I’ve come to class looking better. He only felt the need to bring it up when I look haggard, which makes me wonder if the “bitch” stereotype was at play here. 

Powerful, assertive women are often wrongfully portrayed as “cold” or “heartless” in pop culture. Some people are intimidated by a strong, smart and good-looking woman who has everything together.

Since I looked “lesser” today, I wonder if the guy who commented on my clothes did so subconsciously because he knew I was more vulnerable, and he was in a position of power. 

Maybe I’m reading into things too much. Honestly, the only good thing about my experience today was that I got to sleep in an extra 45 minutes.

Day two

I’m a quitter. 

First of all, I had to anchor Dixie Sun News’ news show yesterday, and I definitely wasn’t going to go on television without getting ready first. Secondly, I hated this challenge. 

Do you blame me? I don’t really care, and here’s why. 

I reflected on my challenge a lot the past few days, and I decided that in my quest to become less materialistic, I was actually being more so. To think that anyone really cares if I wear makeup or not is self-centered. Although the challenge initially was mainly about my feelings toward myself, I found I was more focused on what other people thought of my appearance. 

I just feel better when I know I look good, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Some women like to wear a lot of makeup, some like to go all-natural, and some, like me, fall somewhere in between. That’s OK. We need to stop judging each other just because we all feel more comfortable with our own beauty routines. 

So, I didn’t come out of this challenge with more confidence or being comfortable with my natural self or anything like that.

Taking three hours to get ready in the morning doesn’t have to mean you’re materialistic, and you’re not any less beautiful if you prefer to rock yoga pants, a sweatshirt and a messy bun to class. The important thing is to never let anyone influence you to be anything other than what you’re most comfortable being. 

 

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Fall baseball starts with 2 victories

by Alex WheelerPosted on

Dixie State University picked up two easy victories in scrimmages against Salt Lake Community College and College of Southern Nevada over the weekend. 

DSU smothered CSN 10-4, scoring early and often Friday. Redshirt junior outfielder Trey Kamachi scored the Red Storm’s first point in the second inning after hitting a single, and Kamachi was batted in by junior outfielder Trey Reineke. 

Kamachi struck again with a home run that scored two in the sixth inning, which tied the game at three. DSU gained the lead one batter later and never looked back. 

Senior first baseman Sam Hall, an integrated studies major from Ogden, said the team is more focused on the process of preparing for the games. 

“We’re three-time [Pacific West Conference] champions,” Hall said. “We want to take that next step and go to the World Series, so we’re not really concerned with beating these junior colleges.” 

DSU held CSN to only four points in the 14-inning double header.

DSU was challenged further Saturday against SLCC but still commanded most of the game.

DSU scored one run in the first inning and then took a 2-1 lead off a single shot home run from redshirt junior pitcher Kayden Porter. DSU’s bats got hot in the seventh inning, giving them a 7-3 lead.

SLCC made what would look to be a comeback on paper, but the 10-7 loss for the Bruins was anything but close. 

“The more we continue to play together, the better we’re going to get,” said junior catcher Reece Lucero, a communication major from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“It was a good opportunity for us to get out there and feel what it’s like to play against a different opponent,” Reece said. 

The key for DSU to get to the World Series is to pay the price more than other teams from the way they train to the way they eat, Hall said. 

“In the last five years, we’ve gone to the PacWest Regional championships every time, and no other team has done that,” Hall said. “We’ve yet to go to the World Series, so it’s our turn.”

DSU will play Brigham Young University Saturday at noon at Bruce Hurst Field to wrap up fall ball and will start its regular season Feb. 5.

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Women’s rugby clubs ‘emerging’ nationally; DSU club growing

by Candy RolandPosted on

The Dixie State University women’s rugby lost Saturday to the Las Vegas Slots 30-7.

The team has been the most promising since it started this year, said club president Lyndsie Thompson, a junior communication major from Tooele. 

DSU’s women’s rugby club started two years ago. When the club started, it did not compete due to its lack of players. The second year grew to having just enough girls to play, but this year the team has expanded to about 40 girls. 

Thompson said the new coaching staff has made a big difference in helping the team’s growth by being more involved and more experienced. The girls are also more committed this season. 

 Vika Havili, a senior integrated studies from Glendale, has been part of the team since it started and said this year’s team has been the most consistent from prior years.

“The team chemistry is way better this year,” Havili said. 

Like DSU, there are 347 other collegiate women rugby clubs, according to the NCAA. A few teams have been sanctioned by the NCAA and has classified rugby as “emerging,” meaning future sanctions could be possible. 

DSU’s women’s rugby club has a record of 1:2 after Saturday’s match against the Slots.

DSU started the game a foot behind the Slots, scoring its first try with only a few minutes into the half. DSU wasn’t challenging the rucks after its tackles, allowing the Slots to easily control the ball.

Havili said the first half was pretty rough. The team had injuries; it played on its heels against a team more experienced.

“There were a lot of butterflies in the first half,” head coach Michael Matalolo said.

The Slots dominated the first half scoring six tries, which went unanswered by DSU.

DSU came out pressuring the rucks in the second half and holding the Slots to just one try. Havili also scored a try and strategically placed the ball behind the field goal, then kicked the field goal for the two extra points.

The try was redeeming after injuring her shoulder in the first half, Havili said.

The Slots head coach Robert Fugate said DSU dominated the second half.

Fugate has been around rugby for 23 years and said he knows what it is like to play for an inexperienced college team.

“I hate the saying ‘losing builds character,’ but you have to get your butt kicked every once in a while to pick up your weaknesses,” Fugate said.

Fugate said DSU exposed the Slot’s weakness of fitness but said he was glad to show a younger team how an older team plays.

The final score was 30-7.

DSU started its season with a loss in a match mixed with two teams, the Vipers and the Sluggs, and the final score was 34-5. DSU won the match thereafter against Southern Utah University, finishing 15-10. 

Thompson encourages girls who are interested, and may be a little nervous to give rugby a shot, and said she first started out intimidated by the sport, too. 

“[Rugby] really isn’t that bad,” Thompson said. “It is actually a lot of fun.”

Women’s rugby has four more games. It plays about every two weeks. The team will be facing Southern Utah University Nov. 7 in Cedar City at 11 a.m. and the next home game is against SUU Nov. 21 at 11 a.m.

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Racism can be subtle, accidental

by Jalen JonesPosted on

“I don’t mean to be racist, but…” No. Just no.

I will be the first to tell you, millennials (myself included) are a generation of people who are more sensitive when it comes to the feelings of others. You can hardly make any kind of joke without “triggering” a 69th wave, pizza-sexual feminist considering all of the different upbringings of young individuals in today’s society.

However, in some instances it is important to be politically correct not only to spare the feelings of those around you but also for your own protection. Social media has become a way for people to actually be fired from jobs for thoughts that were initially meant for small audiences but instead got blown up into something bigger.

Imagine that, losing your career and having your reputation besmirched because you couldn’t keep something stupid to yourself. That just goes to show you being a keyboard warrior for your own pride isn’t worth it.

With that being said, some people’s lack of political correctness is not necessarily their fault. Some of us are products of our environment, and as a result, what we grow up around is all we know.

This, however, should not be an excuse for not attempting to take the time out to learn the right things to say and when to say them.

Racism is not as blatant as it once was, but that does not mean it does not still exist. These days, racism exists in the form of micro-aggressions, which are described by Columbia University professor Derald Sue as “brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults towards people of color.”

If that flew over your head, no worries. Here are a few examples to show you the big picture.

As a black person, if I see you speaking to someone with zero types of slang involved but when you speak to me you all of a sudden start throwing in words like “homie,”  “yo,” and “dawg” unnecessarily into your sentences because that’s how you see us talk, please don’t. My English is just as fine as my Ebonics, and I’d prefer you speak to me like you regularly would as if I was anyone else.

Have you ever asked a person where they are from and then after they give you a response you ask, “No, where are you actually from?” Well, they just told you and you’re insisting a negation on a fact they just told you because you don’t know how to properly ask about their ethnicity? Way to go.

“Can I touch your hair? It’s so different.” No.

Talking about slavery in a history class and automatically looking at the only black person in the class? No.

“You talk so proper for a ______ person.” No.

“I don’t see you as _______. You’re basically white.” NO.

Look, in some places, people of color are a very small minority and stick out enough already. Some of us just want to be able to fit in without having to worry about being treated different because of what we look like. Stuff like this just makes that process more difficult for us.

Don’t get it twisted. I’m not saying us people of color are asking for special privilege. We know we are different and we are aware you know we are different, but that doesn’t mean you should treat us any differently than you would anyone else. We try our best to understand you don’t mean to be offensive, but with that you have to at least try and meet us halfway. If you know you lack knowledge of a certain subject, don’t be afraid to ask rather than make an assumption and make a fool of yourself.

Life can be a hell of a ride already. The last thing we need to do is put each other through detours. At the end of the road, all we have is each other, so find someone to carpool with for the commute — you’ll need them sooner or later.

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Storm swats competition in NorCal

by Porter LarsenPosted on

Dixie State University women’s volleyball continued its strong conference play this week by notching three road wins in just four days. 

DSU came into the week with a two-game winning streak after a month-long homestand. The Storm faced the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific University. 

The Sunbirds fought valiantly, but the Storm’s towering front line proved to be too much to handle. Four DSU strikers finished the game with 10 or more kills, led by freshman outside hitter Taylor Duryea’s 15. 

“We came into this week with a lot of confidence,” said Duryea, a communication major from Logan. “We believed we were the better team, and we came in and got it done.” 

Senior libero Alex Anderson recorded a game-high 32 digs and junior setter Kailey Frei had 50 assists en route to the 3-2 win. 

The Storm moved onto another conference matchup against Holy Names University in Oakland, California. Unlike the FPU match, this one was not close. 

DSU dominated from start to finish against the conference bottom feeder Hawks, winning 3-0 in consecutive sets, 25-14, 25-22 and 25-10. 

At .409, the Storm tallied their second highest hitting percentage of the season in the win. Head coach Robyn Felder said she was happy with the way her team played. 

“We are playing as a team so well right now,” Felder said. “Our goal from the start of this trip was to go 3-0, and this was a good start for us.” 

DSU achieved that goal on the following night against Dominican University. This game, however, was not quite as easy as the last. 

Although the Storm swept the Penguins, they didn’t do it effortlessly. The 25-21 set one win was in doubt early on as Dominican led the way before DSU turned the tables. 

The second was more friendly to the Storm, as they led throughout and won 25-20 before the battle that was the deciding third set. 

Both teams battled throughout, but the Storm came out on top 30-28, icing the Penguins rally. Duryea and junior outside hitter Delayne Daniel each led the Storm with 11 kills. 

With eight kills and seven blocks, six-foot-two junior middle blocker Lindsay Jones paced DSU defensively as it held the Penguins to a season-low opponent hitting percentage of .044. 

With the victory, DSU extended its winning-streak to five games and now sits just one win out of first place in the Pacific West Conference. 

The Storm will round out their conference road swing next week against Azusa Pacific University Oct. 30 and Concordia University on Halloween night. 

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Chamberlain, Storie pace the Storm in PacWest finale

by Porter LarsenPosted on

Dixie State University cross country went the distance in Southern California Saturday for the Pacific West Conference Championships hosted by California Baptist University.  

The men came out of the event with a sixth-place finish, as Cal Baptist took home the gold. 

Leading the way for the Storm was freshman Hunter Chamberlain, who finished 21st overall and broke the school record in that race with an eight kilometer time of 25:46.83. Chamberlain was subsequently named third team all-conference for the performance. 

“We didn’t anyone finish as high as we were hoping, but we ran so well as a team,” head coach Justin Decker said. “We broke our own record for fastest team cumulative time so that will be something to build on going into regionals.”

Junior runner George Barlow finished in 28th place, about 20 seconds behind Chamberlain, logging a time of 26:04.93. 

Also finishing in the top 40 for the Storm were junior Shi-Quan Nottingham and sophomore Yonas Desta, who crossed the finish line within a second of each other, finishing 39th and 40th respectively. 

As she has all year, junior Skyler Storie led the women’s team with a five-kilometer time of 22:37.77. Her time was good enough for an individual finish of 21st place and another third team all-conference. Freshman Megan Sidwell was the next Storm runner to cross the line, finishing in 36th place.

“Skyler didn’t run her best race,” Decker said. “Her main goal this season was to run well at regionals though, and she still has a chance to do that.” 

No other Storm runner finished in the top 50 at the event, and the team finished ninth out of the 12 teams in attendance. 

Next up for DSU is the NCAA Division II West Regionals in Monmouth, Oregon. Both teams qualified for the event, which begins Nov. 7.

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Trending Now: Stop socks and sandals

by Nick AndersonPosted on

Your life will get immensely better when you stop wearing socks and sandals.

I’m talking about those brown, rubber Jesus sandals, Air Jordan slippers, Birkenstocks, flip-flops and basically any derivation of sandals that only have straps across the top of your feet.  They’re making your life harder. And for some reason, many people have decided it’s okay to pair these with socks, which just adds to the problem.  

Nothing about this wardrobe decision is a good idea.

First of all, I’m not just saying this because I think wearing slipper-type sandals with or without socks looks dorky. I definitely think that, but I truly believe my life is better and more fulfilling because I wear normal shoes like an adult who isn’t at the beach or lounging around the house in a robe.

As I type these words, I’m wearing some sandals I recently bought to investigate this phenomenon. I’m also wearing socks. I don’t think I am going to be able to keep this up very long.

Just walking around in these stupid sandals takes extra effort. Normally when I walk, I don’t have to think about how I walk to keep my shoes from slipping off, but with these, there’s some amount of attentiveness needed just to keep them on my feet. Any amount of energy I spend readjusting my gait because my shoes are constantly in danger of falling off is energy I’ve wasted. Do you like living a life of never-ending struggle?

What if I was walking around town and almost stepped on a rattlesnake and had to quickly jump back to avoid its venomous strike? Or what if I had to run into a burning house to save a child and there was broken glass on the floor? Or what if I had to do karate in a street fight or be in a dance off? What if I just had to walk backward? I would feel like such a dummy if in any of those situations I happened to be wearing shoes that weren’t secure on my feet. Have fun trying to get your sandals back from right next to a rattlesnake after jumping backward out of them.

I guess you could argue those situations don’t come up all that often, but I swear I’ve done all but one of those things this week. (I never walk backward.) But if they did come up, you’re seriously unprepared. 

So functionality in everyday life is pretty much non-existent. With real shoes, this is never a problem.

And my socks are so vulnerable now. Socks are meant to be protected by shoes. Now my socks are way more likely to get dirty, wet or ruined. I hate wearing dirty, wet or ruined socks. Do you all think socks grow on trees or something, like I can just go get brand new socks whenever I feel like it? I’ve got bills to pay.

Fortunately, I wear shoes that protect my socks from danger, so I can spend my would-be sock money on things that make life better like candy or a Spotify account.

I’m giving up and putting real shoes on. It hasn’t even been a full day.

I guess I care too much about my socks and living a life with meaning.

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Zombie look-alikes dress up, wander campus to benefit local animal shelters

by Spencer RicksPosted on

Zombies roamed the Dixie State University campus Saturday, disrupting soccer games and collecting supplies for local animal shelters. 

The first annual DSU Zombie Walk was presented by the criminal justice club, sustainability club and science fiction fantasy club. Many participants dressed in tattered clothing and were covered in fake latex wounds and theatrical blood applied by makeup artists. The suggested admission price was $10 worth of supplies to be donated to local animal shelters and animal rescue groups. 

Gary Cantrell, assistant criminal justice professor, started the event as another way to celebrate Halloween at DSU and help local charities. 

“I love Halloween, and I get really into it each year,” Cantrell said.

Wearing a ragged suit and caked in zombie-themed makeup, Cantrell said he was happy with how the event turned out despite the short notice he had to plan and advertise it. 

“Overall, it was well attended and we received a lot of donations,” he said.

The zombies started their stroll outside the Jeffery R. Holland Centennial Commons and walked through the south encampment mall, moaning and dragging their feet. The community youth soccer games in the encampment mall didn’t slow the hoard of zombies.   

“I took an anti-drug approach — running up to kids at the soccer games and telling them if they did drugs, they’d look like me,” said Jeff Meacham, a senior information technology major from St George. “That sounds kind of creepy, but it was fun.”

Meacham wore four layers of makeup on his face and blackened his teeth with food dye to win the honor of “first place zombie” at the event.

Cantrell said he estimated they received over $400 in donations for animal shelters. Some of the supplies donated included pet food, dog beds, leashes and pet toys. The bulk of the donations came from Orgill, a manufacturing company in Hurricane. 

The donations went to the Homeless Animal Rescue Team and Providing Animals With Support, a nonprofit that works to provide homeless animals with homes.

“We’re grateful for the help and donations [from the Zombie Walk],” said Tevin Freitas, a volunteer for HART. “All the donations will be given to help dogs in need.”

Organizers of the event said they hope to continue the Zombie Walk each year and to increase attendance and participation. Tracey O’Kelly, a paraprofessional in the DSU library and advisor for the sustainability club, said she wants the Zombie Walk to become an annual tradition at DSU.

“I want all the students to come out, get into it, and really go ‘zombing’ around campus next year,” she said.

As for administration’s current search for a new mascot for DSU, Meacham said he had a suggestion for them to consider.

“Go Dixie State zombies,” Meacham said.


Students, faculty and community members wander around campus Saturday morning dressed as zombies. The first annual Dixie State University Zombie Walk benefited local animal shelters. Photos by Jake Brown. 

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DSU women’s rugby club loses 30-7 to the Las Vegas Slots

by Candy RolandPosted on

The Dixie State University women’s rugby club lost to the Slots, a Las Vegas club team, Saturday.

DSU women’s rugby has a record of 1:2 after this match, losing 30-7. 

DSU started the half a foot behind with the Slots scoring its first try with only a few minutes into the game. DSU wasn’t challenging the rucks after its tackles, allowing the Slots to easily control the ball. The Slots dominated the first half scoring five times, unanswered by DSU.

“There were a lot of butterflies the first half,” head coach Michael Matalolo said.

DSU came out defending the rucks in the second half and held the Slots to just one try. DSU also scored a try of its own, followed by a field goal. 

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