The first COVID-19 booster is now being offered to recipients of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines six months after their second vaccination.
The Moderna booster can be given to recipients ages 18 and up, while Pfizer can be given to those ages five and up.
“We’re vaccinating for boosters at Dixie State once a month, we are still vaccinating for first and second doses,” said Matthew Supulver, vaccination tech at South-West Utah Health Department.
COVID-19 boosters are recommended for immunocompromised individuals as well as anyone who wants one. All COVID-19 vaccinations are given for free for everyone including students, faculty, and some family members of recipients at DSU. If you miss the DSU vaccination clinics, all doses of COVID-19 vaccinations are given at the South-West Health Department Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Recipients of the first two doses of any COVID-19 vaccination are recommended to get booster shots.
“The CDC has noticed a decline of immunity after the first two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, so the booster gives that added protection to our immune system,” said Lance Madigan, media relations manager at Intermountain Healthcare.
Receiving all three vaccines does not ensure immunity but can lessen the negative side effects if someone should contract COVID-19.
David Blodgett, health officer at Southwest Health Department, said, “Getting a booster can help mitigate the most severe effects of COVID-19, such as hospitalization or death.”
With the holiday break right around the corner, students are encouraged to receive their boosters before gathering around family and friends this season, especially when gathering around individuals who are unvaccinated.
“When you’re at your relative’s house and everyone has been vaccinated and boosted, I personally would take the mask off as long as they have been reasonably careful as well,” said Dr. Andrew Pavia, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at University of Utah Health. “No one’s safe until everyone’s safe; we need to redouble our efforts to help vaccinate our neighbors and our neighbors around the world.”
The vaccines website includes updated information about the vaccines. Intermountain Healthcare’s website provides scheduling information on its website.
With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas looming ahead, it’s time to get your head in the game of gift-giving.
Thinking of the perfect gift for a loved one is sometimes a difficult task. There are countless gifts to choose from, so here is a list to give you inspiration this holiday season.
Gifts for mom
Giving gifts to mothers seems like a difficult task because they already have everything they want. What else is there to get them? Most of us want to give our mothers something sentimental and meaningful, the kind of thing that will remind them of us when we aren’t in the house anymore.
“I love giving gifts that have a sentimental meaning, like pictures, letters, and blankets,” said Sydney Johansen, a junior education major from Tooele.
Oftentimes, the best thing to get them is something they’ll use every day. As college students, we don’t have a lot of money to spare during the holidays, so we need to find something cheap that will still put a smile on her face.
Etsy is a great place to go Christmas shopping for your mom. They have items that are cute, cheap, meaningful, and everything needed in a Christmas gift. The ideas are endless there, if you can think of it, it’s probably on there. Etsy is a great place for spa care items, so consider giving your mom a spa care Christmas. This is a gift that may help her relax and unwind after a long Christmas season.
It always seems so hard to shop for a father. For the women shopping for their fathers, it can be difficult shopping for the opposite sex because we don’t know what they would like.
“I like choosing gifts based on their favorite things and personalities, as well as fun personalized items that are more meaningful and memorable,” said Alex Johansen, a senior criminal justice major from Tooele.
A great and useful gift is a personalized wallet. You can engrave a cute message on the inside or a picture on the front, so he’ll always think of you when he uses it.
If he doesn’t have a ton of keychains on his keys, a personalized key ring would be a great addition. This is something small that has a picture of your family or a nice message that he can carry around with him.
Gifts for siblings
Shopping for a sibling is probably the easiest out of the family members because they usually tell us more about what they like. For sisters, find something you know they love doing or using. Jewelry is never a bad option; find a cute necklace or bracelet they can wear and think of you. Much like our mothers, they may need the chance to relax and unwind at the end of the day, so a spa kit for them is a great option as well.
Siblings can have plenty of inside jokes, so something that can remind them of that is always a winner. You can also give them a funny T-shirt or picture that they can look at and laugh with you about.
Shopping for our brothers can be a lot like shopping for our fathers, so something small and meaningful can be perfect. A keychain or wallet they can carry around with them every day is a good choice. Since it’s been back in style, getting them a chain to wear around their neck would be a great gift as well.
Gifts for besties
Shopping for our best friends can be the most fun but stressful thing about Christmas. There’s so much we want to do for them and how do we fit it into one gift? It doesn’t need to be a huge gift to be meaningful, so find something you know they’d love and use all the time.
Socks with your faces on them is a fun idea that will remind them of you every time they look at them. A picture frame with your favorite picture and quote is always a good idea. Something they would use all the time would be a blanket with your favorite picture on it, it’s sentimental and it’ll keep them cozy.
Gifts for significant others
Finding the perfect gift for your significant other doesn’t need to be impossible. The hard part about it is them telling us we don’t need to get them anything. So we go in blindly looking for something they would love. The best thing to give them is something with sentimental value that will always remind them of you.
A hoodie or shirt with your anniversary date engraved on it is something they would love to wear and think of you. A memory box that you can hold all your favorite memories in is something they would love because now they have a spot to put pictures, movie tickets, receipts, and many more fun, meaningful memories.
You can even start a new tradition and gift them a new Christmas ornament every year with a picture, memory or quote that you can hang on the tree.
Christmas gifts don’t need to be expensive to be meaningful, it just needs to be something you know they love. Christmas is the time of year we celebrate our friendships and family and gift them something that means a lot to them.
The sky is dark, it’s snowy outside, cookies are in the oven, and the Christmas tree is lit as you settle in to pick the first Christmas movie of the season.
If you are anything like me, then picking the movie takes about as much time as actually watching one. I have compiled 14 of my favorites and other Dixie State University students’ favorites in a list organized by genre.
Maddy Riches, a freshman design major from Herriman, said: “Christmas movies are uplifting and bring people together. I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t like at least one Christmas movie.”
Animation
The Polar Express (2004)
Fun fact, Tom Hanks voices six of the characters in “The Polar Express,” an animated movie about a boy who boards a magical night train on Christmas Eve. Hanks is the voice of the hero boy, father, conductor, hobo, Scrooge and Santa Claus.
Unlike most movies “The Polar Express” doesn’t name the main character. Does this leave more questions or does it leave the interpretation open to the viewers? That can only be answered with a personal opinion.
“Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas” is a five-part compilation adding the Christmases of Minnie, Daisy and Donald. In “Belles on Ice” Minnie and Daisy learn the importance of friendship as they compete in an ice skating competition. In “Christmas: Impossible,” Louie, Huey and Dewey try to remove their names from the naughty list when they visit the North Pole. In “Christmas Maximus,” Goofy’s son Max is embarrassed when he brings his girlfriend home for Christmas. In “Donald’s Gift,” Donald Duck forgets about the spirit of Christmas when he feels haunted by the Christmas song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” In “Mickey’s Dog-Gone Christmas,” Pluto runs away to the North Pole after a fight with Mickey.
Rom-com
The Holiday (2006)
Two women with guy problems switch homes over the holiday break. Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black and Jude Law are the stars of this holiday romantic comedy.
Unexpected love in a new location was just what Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) needed. If you want to feel pure Christmas love, then add this movie to your watch list.
Love Hard (2021)
Newly added to Netflix on Nov. 5, “Love Hard” will keep you interested with its plot twists. Natalie, a writer in the movie from Los Angeles, makes a living writing about her disastrous dates from dating apps. When the Christmas season arrives she thinks she has found a keeper but instead finds a catfish.
This romantic comedy will keep you laughing as well as teach a lesson about deceit when looking for love.
The Holiday Calendar (2018)
Christmas magic from an antique holiday calendar helps photographer Abby find love in her friendship.
In this Netflix original, each day the calendar opens to reveal a small figure that magically plays a part in her day and leads her to follow her dreams in her career and relationships.
Live-action
Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
The extreme Christmas fans Luther and Nora Krank decide to skip Christmas when their daughter isn’t able to spend it with them. The neighbors are furious and when the daughter changes her plans, the Kranks must set up their usual Christmas in a few hours.
Ashley Wilson, a sophomore dental hygiene major from St. George, said, “My all-time favorite Christmas movie is Christmas with the Kranks because every year I watch it with my family and it’s one of the funniest Christmas movies ever.”
The Santa Clause (1994)
Tim Allen is Scott Calvin in “The Santa Clause,” a humorous movie telling the tale of how Santa Claus comes to be. The contract called “The Clause” is signed when the Santa suit is put on by someone else.
The Santa Clause 2 (2002)
In the second tale of Scott Calvin as Santa Clause, Calvin returns home to find a Mrs. Claus and help his son get off of the naughty list.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
In the final story of Scott Calvin as Santa Claus, Jack Frost is attempting to take over as head of the Christmas holiday while Santa is focused on his wife and expectant mother Ms. Claus.
Home Alone (1990)
Kevin is left behind when his family travels to Paris for the holidays. At first, Kevin has the freedom he has always wanted, but when two burglars target his home, he sets up traps throughout his house to catch them.
The importance of family during the holidays is highlighted in “Home Alone.”
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Dr. Seuss’s story of the Grinch comes alive in the live-action version starring Jim Carrey. The classic story of Cindy Lou Who befriended the mean Grinch is told comedically in this version while still expressing the true meaning of Christmas.
Laura White, a freshman psychology major from Logan, said: “The Grinch is my favorite movie of all time. It’s so relatable and I can’t go a day without quoting it at least twice.”
Buddy, a stowaway human who grew up in Santa’s workshop, travels to New York City to find his real father. Will Ferrell, as Buddy, tries to be a part of his father’s world and conquers love, work, and Christmas.
Everything goes wrong as the Griswold family is preparing for their annual Christmas celebration.
Riches said: “Christmas Vacation is the funniest movie ever, me and my family quote it all year long. We watch it together every year when we put up the Christmas tree, it’s become one of my favorite traditions.”
Kate Hardy, a sophomore dental hygiene major from Fruitland, Idaho, earned second-team all-WAC honors for volleyball this fall.
Kamilla Hafoka, Dixie State University’s volleyball head coach, along with other coaches within the conference, nominated Hardy to receive the recognition.
Hardy said: “I’m proud of it. The whole team helped me to achieve this, so I feel like it’s a team award.”
Hardy started playing volleyball in her seventh-grade year of school. She since has played in clubs along with being part of school teams since then. During high school, Hardy was a three-time MVP and served as class valedictorian all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Hardy has two younger sisters who motivate her to lead by example.
“My family is one of my biggest motivators because I have my siblings that look up to me,” Hardy said. “I try to do my best in school and volleyball so they can have a role model to look up to.”
Hardy has not only been an example for her family but also for her team and friends.
Hannah Howard, a sophomore radiography major from Bountiful, said: “Kate is the most hardworking, dedicated person that I know. Hearing that she got the award I wasn’t even surprised. She’s a go-getter, determined and selfless person.”
Hardy has completed enough credits to be a sophomore at DSU, but is listed on the roster as a freshman because her freshman year was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“She is consistent, so when it came to game time I knew we could rely on her,” Hafoka said. “She doesn’t get super rattled when things are chaotic. Kate’s personality on the court is always calm and that is someone you want to play with especially when things are going crazy.”
This past volleyball season brought seven wins overall and Hardy played part in those wins with her blocks, kills and points.
Hardy’s friends and Hafoka expressed how much they appreciate her because she is humble and a leader by example.
Being mentally present on the court is a hard but necessary job for success. Hafoka said she knows that Hardy deserves the second team all-WAC recognition because she does a great job of being present.
“Making sure that people are good on the court and off the court is the culture we strive for on this team, and that’s all Kate,” Hafoka said.
While COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Utah, only 54% of Utahns remain fully vaccinated.
On Utah’s COVID-19 14-day case rate map, it shows that Washington County is in the red zone, meaning the cases in Utah are rising at a high rate. According to Southwest Utah Public Health Department, the weekly COVID-19 report for Nov. 24 – Dec. 2 showed: 38 Utahans are currently hospitalized, 626 new cases have been confirmed, as well as 13 deaths.
While COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Utah, Dixie State University is currently seeing a drop in COVID-19 cases.
Booth Wellness Center Director Garyn Gulbranson said he encourages DSU students, staff, and faculty to get the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and others from infection and to take the necessary precautions.
Gulbranson said, “DSU has reported an average of 11 weekly positive COVID-19 cases in the past six weeks, which compared to Fall 2020 is a significant decrease in positive cases.”
Susan Ertel, a member of DSU’s COVID-19 task force, explained that unless DSU has a major outbreak, the task force has no plans to change DSU’s current COVID-19 guidelines.
If an outbreak did occur on campus, Ertel ensures that DSU has procedures set in place to deal with an outbreak if necessary.
DSU students who are sick must stay home and fill out a COVID-19 self-report form in order to stop the spread of COVID-19 throughout
If DSU students continue to do their part by taking precautions against COVID-19, it ensures we can get back to normal a lot sooner.
A new strain of COVID-19 called ‘omicron’ was found in South Africa, this new variant has researchers unsure of just how serious it could be, for now, the variant is classified as a variant of concern.
The omicron variant has been found in 20 different countries; cases have been confirmed in the following states: California, New York, Minnesota, Colorado, and Hawaii.
The first patient to test positive from the omicron variant is from California and was fully vaccinated. Officials say the symptoms have been mild and are hoping for a full recovery.
Although research shows the vaccine is strong enough to fight off symptoms from the delta variant, researchers around the world are studying omicron cases in South Africa to determine if the vaccine is strong enough to weaken the symptoms.
In South Africa, the data shows the symptoms for vaccinated people with the omicron variant have been mild as of right now. As for the unvaccinated, the omicron variant like the delta variant may be known to worsen symptoms, however, more data is needed to confirm this.
According to the Washington Post, both Moderna and Pfizer are working to determine if their vaccine is strong enough for the omicron variant. Paul Burton, Moderna’s chief medical officer, said on the BBC that the second booster, if necessary, could be available early next year.
Until researchers know just how serious the omicron variant is, President Joe Biden, put air travel restrictions into place from South Africa as well as seven other countries. While this may slow down the spread of omicron it cannot prevent it.
Biden stated in a speech on Nov. 29 that he wants the American people to do these three things to stay protected against COVID-19: He tells Americans that this new variant is only a cause for concern and not a cause for panic, he urges Americans to get fully vaccinated, and lastly, he states if more boosters are needed the Biden administration will accelerate the development as needed without cutting any safety corners.
The Biden administration has recommended Americans get the vaccine and booster shots to slow the spread of the virus, as well as wear a mask in a public indoor setting to protect yourself and others around you.
Biden explained it will be a few weeks before they know more information about the omicron variant, but he ensures Americans will be updated when they receive enough data about the variant.
This football game has a game guarantee or known benefits for both teams. Despite being an away game for the Trailblazers, DSU’s game guarantee is to make a profit of $425,000 for the one game.
According to DSU’s W-2 financial statement, the university has a total of $55,329,463 of revenue in 2021.
Football has a higher game guarantee than other sports and this is because of higher attendance numbers.
Director of Athletics Jason Boothe said the revenue consists of ticket sales, student fees, state and institutional funding, sponsorships, donations, venue rentals, and conference TV revenue sharing (ESPN+).
The Athletics Department also participates in fundraising events and accepts donations from the community which help to produce a revenue for the department.
Using last year’s home game ticket sales as a comparison, the game is expected to bring in a couple thousand dollars at most. DSU officials will not be able to determine the exact amount of revenue until ticket sales are final.
Last year’s athletic revenue was skewed due to the limited attendance policy because of COVID-19. DSU is hopeful with the increase of seating available more fans will also be in the stands.
As the university begins to transition and rebrand to Utah Tech University, the Athletics Department also needs funds for rebranding.
However, the money brought in from these games will most likely help to cover annual expenses rather than rebranding.
The Athletics Department’s annual expenses include things like uniforms and gear. These expenses are budgeted yearly and will not be considered an “extra-expense” with the rebranding of the university.
The money DSU profits from games versus bigger universities, such as BYU, help to cover these expenses.
“There will be some larger expenses such as the logos in the turf field and the basketball court that will be an added expense,” Boothe said.
The university has not finalized the cost for the rebranding of the turf field and basketball court yet. It has begun collecting bids.
Focus on yourself, focus on your thoughts, and be in tune with your feelings — this is how you can achieve the best mental state possible for you.
According to Mindful, “Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”
It’s about being in tune with yourself, your body, your mind, and what is going on around you. Being aware and “in the moment” will be powerful which can make a difference in your life for the better.
Having a sense of awareness will improve your mental health by reducing your stress which, likely, most of your stressors are about future situations. If you’re able to be in and accept the present moment, you will not worry about future happenings.
Psychology Today states: “As mindfulness shifted into mainstream science and medicine, it became a pivotal therapeutic technique; it was integrated into Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, among others.”
The ability to be mindful is a quality all humans have, it is something you can find within yourself. We all have the ability to practice mindfulness. It may take practice and repetition to fully get it down and notice a difference, but everyone has the ability to partake in mindfulness.
According to Help Guide, mindfulness is about accepting the current state of you, not judging your emotions, feelings or thoughts. The ability to be accepting of your current state is so healthy and will allow you to feel happier and more present in your day full of activities.
“Being mindful makes it easier to savor the pleasures in life as they occur, helps you become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events,” Help Guide states.
Here are a couple of the ways I like to add mindfulness to my day.
YouTube is a great resource to find guided meditations. In the search bar you can type in “mindfulness meditation.” In the video there will be a voice guiding you through mindfulness practices. It includes specific meditations for bedtime, morning time, middle of the day, etc.
Journaling is a way to get the thoughts that are swirling around in your head out of there and on paper. Whether you use a gratitude journal or a journal of your day, it can help you to be in-tune with your feelings and emotions. This is also a great way to have self-care time as you are essentially self-talking when you journal.
Going on walks can do wonders for you, mentally. Whether you like to go with a friend, by yourself and listening to the sounds of nature, or tuning into your favorite podcast to listen to while walking, all will be beneficial and make a difference. This is also a great way to add physical movement into your day which will also improve your mental health.
Be in tune with your breathing patterns. Focus on your breathing if you are feeling overwhelmed because this is the best way to recuperate yourself and be mindful of your body and the energy it is releasing.
According to Mayo Clinic, practicing mindfulness exercises can help you direct your attention away from all of life’s stressors and engage with the world and space around you.
Mayo Clinic states: “Aim to practice mindfulness every day for about six months. Over time, you might find that mindfulness becomes effortless. Think of it as a commitment to reconnecting with and nurturing yourself.”
Adding mindfulness practices to your day will increase your mental health state immensely. Start today, begin the journey of acceptance and peace. Once you find and realize there is a safe headspace for you to be where you can forget all of the things circulating in your head like planning, problem-solving and negative thoughts, you have achieved mindfulness.
Dixie State University’s College of Education prepares for a change of scenery coming in August 2022.
With the science department moving into the brand new Science, Engineering and Technology building, the construction team started renovations on the old science building. The renovation began in the fall of 2021 and is expected to be completed by August 15, 2022.
Sherry Ruesch, assistant vice president of facilities management, said, “The former science building is a great structure and will provide the department of education a permanent home.”
Once the renovation is complete, the College of Education is going to move into the remodeled building.
“I find it exciting that we are giving an older building a new life,” Ruesch said. “It will be very nice inside and feel new.”
Brenda Sabey, dean of the College of Education, said the faculty offices will be located on the first floor of the building.
“My favorite part of the project is the faculty office area,” said Jon Gibb, director of planning and construction. “This office space promotes collaboration and invites students and others in with areas to communicate and work together.”
The second floor will have an open area for students to sit and study.
Sabey said, “As of now, it [the building] will have a preschool, an instructional kitchen, and an instructional sewing room.”
The college is currently in the Edith S. Whitehead education building which is located at 849-885 E. 100 S. The Edith S. Whitehead building has a playground attached on the north side. The playground is used for the preschool program that students can participate in.
The College of Education is planning on continuing its preschool program in the new location. The preschool will be located in the northwest corner of the building with a playground attached.
“Access will be convenient for parents to come and go,” Gibb said.
The Edith S. Whitehead building is going to be torn down and converted into a parking lot.
The college plans on having classes in the new building starting fall of 2022.
Next in the series of re-released and re-recorded albums, Taylor Swift has releasedRed (Taylor’s Version) much to the delight of her fans across the world.
Swift is currently re-recording her previous six albums after the masters to her albums were purchased by Scooter Braun in 2019. Red (Taylor’s Version) is Swift’s latest release and according to Paper Magazine, the album has become the “most-streamed album in a single day by a female on Spotify.”
Swift broke her own previously held record by receiving a total of 90.8 million global streams in one day for Red (Taylor’s Version). The previous record was also held by Swift for her album, Folklore, which received 80.6 million streams in one day.
“The song resonates with people who know all too well (pun intended) the painful experience of reliving memories from a past relationship after a heart-wrenching breakup.”
Grayce Payne
Similar to her release of Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Swift included songs on the album that were not released in the original version of Red. Swift also brought on well-known singers, like Phoebe Bridgers, Ed Sheeran and Chris Stapleton, to perform songs with her for the album.
One of the songs from the album, “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” has become a fan favorite despite being a 10-minute and 13-second long song. According to Guinness World Records, Swift’s 10-minute song has become “the longest song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.”
Swift accompanied the release of the song with a 14-minute short film, All Too Well, starring Dylan O’Brien and Sadie Sink. Swift directed the film and within less than a month since its release, the short film has gained more than 50 million views on YouTube.
I’m not usually one to enjoy long songs, but “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” has quickly become one of my favorite songs on the album. The song is much angrier and less restrained than the previous version of “All Too Well” that was released on the original Red album. Swift doesn’t hold back and everyone is thanking her for it. The song resonates with people who know all too well (pun intended) the painful experience of reliving memories from a past relationship after a heart-wrenching breakup.
Another song that I’ve been playing on repeat is “Nothing New (Taylor’s Version).” Swift performed the song with Phoebe Bridgers, one of my favorite artists who is known for her songs “Motion Sickness” and “Kyoto.” The song discusses the naivety of being young and the unnerving burden of growing older. The lyrics, “How can a person know everything at 18, but nothing at 22,” adequately captures the sense of competence we have when we’re young that we lose when we grow older and realize we aren’t sure of anything anymore.
Swift told Billboard she wrote this song to serve as a “tongue-in-cheek” take on a breakup to balance out the more “stoic and heartbreaking” songs on her album. She said this song highlights the stage you arrive at after a breakup where you just lose the ability to care about what anyone thinks about you. Swift released a music video for the song featuring herself and Miles Teller in a playful revenge sequence that takes place at a wedding.
Red (Taylor’s Version) re-establishes Swift as a lyrical genius who has managed to reinvigorate old songs with new meaning. Whether you are mourning the loss of a romantic relationship, feeling bitter after a nasty breakup, or you are simply a self-proclaimed Swiftie, Red (Taylor’s Version) has a song that everyone can jam to, or more likely, cry to.
