UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | February 16, 2025

Utah Tech men’s lacrosse eager to participate in collegiate association

When you want something, you go and get it, and that’s what the Utah Tech University Lacrosse Program has done. 

For over a decade, students at the university have been aiming to increase the popularity of lacrosse in an educational setting. What started as just a club has resulted in victory for Utah Tech athletes. 

This 2022-2023 academic school year marks the first year the lacrosse program will be participating in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference Division II Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association

Club Treasurer DJ Burton, a senior finance major from San Antonio, Texas, said: “We are the fastest growing MCLA program in the country. Other programs in the MCLA have a hard time recruiting guys in the first place, but we’re at the point where we are having to cut guys based on the talent level that we have.”

Tryouts for the team began in September and allowed anyone interested in the sport to attend. Following tryouts, the coaches and captains met to discuss roster cuts which brought the 48 athletes who participated down to 38. 

“Utah is still a developing area for lacrosse, so we were really blessed to be able to pick up a lot of guys who were hungry and driven to succeed and play,” Burton said. 

The opportunity to grow their lacrosse careers, the desire of being in a competitive team atmosphere, and a simple love of the game sparked high participation from students.

Club President Josh Gilbert, a freshman computer science major from Holladay, said, “You look at a lot of Division I programs that are getting paid to play where our club sport, we’re paying to play, and it’s truly because we love lacrosse and can’t give it up.”

As for the members of the team, creating tight-knit relationships with each other has proven to be a priority as the season comes around the corner. 

“The team already has insane chemistry and a really solid support system,” Burton said. “We have really supportive coaches too, who genuinely care.”

Head Coach Hunter Henrick, a lacrosse mentor with over ten years of coaching experience, said this year is all about creating a competitive team, recruiting members and developing a team identity. 

“The university has shown its ambition athletically, and over the long term, we want to put ourselves and lacrosse overall in a good light so that we may be under consideration when, and if, the university wants to add another men’s DI sport,” Henrick said. 

Other program goals for the following years include winning a national championship, growing the program and most importantly, becoming a DI program.

Gilbert said the steps for getting to the next level include giving 100% effort every day, gaining more recruits and receiving enough funding to continue as an MCLA program. 

Now in their inaugural season, athletes in the program practice every morning from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. incorporating weights, study hall, team bonding and more to prepare for its upcoming spring season.

The Utah Tech Lacrosse team will go on to scrimmage at Utah State University Oct. 8 to show all that they have accomplished.

Utah Tech men’s soccer team sets goals for upcoming WAC conference games

The Utah Tech University men’s soccer team begins its conference games Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the Greater Zion Stadium against Grand Canyon University.

History of Utah Tech vs GCU

Utah Tech’s record against GCU is two wins, 10 losses and zero ties. GCU was ranked in the No. 1 spot in the 2021 Western Athletics Conference men’s soccer standings with an 8-2 record. Previously Dixie State University was ranked No. 8 in the same standings.

Where the two teams have played each other before, Utah Tech is hungry for the win this time.

Utah Tech forward Larsen Rogers, a sophomore psychology major from Albuquerque, New Mexico, said: ”A lot of people, especially the conference, put us pretty low in the rankings, so I’m excited to prove them wrong. I feel like with the team we have, and the players we have, we’re going to be able to show that we’re better than what they think we can do.”

Head coach Jonny Broadhead said the environment and advantages can be in the team’s favor because GCU has never played at the Greater Zion Stadium.

”Grand Canyon is really good, we are 0-2 against them in our first two meetings, but they have never been here before.” Broadhead said. ”[Our] field’s a little bit different than theirs, so them going somewhere new should give us any advantage we can get.”

”They won’t let us beat them [by playing] anything but our best, so we will have to be at our best Friday night.” Broadhead said.

After the game against GCU, the team will continue its energy to its game Oct. 2 against United States Air Force Academy.

History of Utah Tech vs AFA

Utah Tech has a record of zero wins, two losses and zero ties against AFA. The last matchup between the Trailblazers and AFA came out on top with a 2-0 lead.

In the 2021 standings, Utah Tech ranked just below AFA. AFA had a total record of 6-5-2, compared to Utah Tech’s 3-6.

This year, AFA has started the year with a 1-4-2 record in non-conference play and got their one win against San Francisco.

Utah Tech forward Taylor Rogers, a freshman psychology major from Albuquerque, New Mexico, said “My goals are to compete, grow more as a team, get closer, and try to win.”

Broadhead said defending and better quick decisions will be a significant help to winning the conference games.

Broadhead said: ”Our defending from our front three will have to have some discipline. As well as, decision making on the ball and off the ball. We need to know where we’re going. I had a hard time holding on to the ball for long enough spells to keep other teams honest defensively.”

These goals can make a big impact on the team as they head into its first two WAC games.

The teams hope to keep a higher ranking in the standings prior to last year and implement the work done in practice for the conference games this weekend.

Making History

After Utah Tech beat Gonzaga on Sept. 23, they made the 100th win mark in the Trailblazer NCAA history. The Trailblazers now hold an NCAA record of 100 wins, 126 losses, and 21 ties.

Since then, the Trailblazers ranked eighth in the Spring 2022 rankings. The team has goals to prove the rankings wrong and work hard to win games to have a higher ranking than last year.

OPINION | Swig might be the original soda shop, but is it the best?

Any direction you drive in Utah a soda shop can be found.

For those with a soda addiction, like me, this state helps me live the dream. However, not every soda shop is created the same. 

Those that do not have an experienced, diversified and elevated soda palette like me do not see the disparities between each soda shop. I have spent all of my time in Utah, especially the last few days, figuring out which soda shop is best. 

There is a lot to consider before naming a soda shop “the best.” I will be looking into the number of options, pricing, customer service, speed of service, and overall taste and experience. 

The main soda shops in St. George are Swig, Fiiz and Thirst.

Number of options/pricing

Swig offers 52 add-ins, which include syrups, purees, creams and popping pearls. There are 19 bases, including water, to start your drink off. Drinks start off at $1.50 for a plain 16 ounce soda and increase by 25 cents for each size up. Each syrup add-in adds 35 cents and creams and purees add 60 cents to the total cost. 

Swig also offers its own brand of energy drinks, hot chocolate, cookies and pretzel bites. 

Thirst has 26 bases to build off of and 61 total add-ins. A 16 ounce soda starts at $1.45. There is a 25 cents difference in price between a 16 ounce and 24 ounce and a 32 ounce and a 44 ounce. However, the difference between a 24 ounce and a 32 ounce drink is 30 cents. Water base costs do go up evenly 25 cents each size. Add-in syrups cost 30 cents per shot, purees and creams cost 60 cents, and fresh fruit cost 30 cents. 

Thirst also offers Wetzel’s pretzel bites and dog bites. Along with beignets with raspberry, chocolate and/or honey drizzle. Each order also comes with a free bag of popcorn. 

Fiiz has 21 bases, plus 10 flavors of Monsters for their energy drinks. There are a total of 80 add-ins offered when adding up the number of syrups, purees, creams, and fresh fruit. Drinks start off costing $1.50. Each size up from a 16 ounce costs an extra 25 cents, syrup add-ins cost an extra 35 cents, purees add 65 cents, and creams add 59 cents.

Fiiz also offers soft pretzels, nachos, cookie dough bites, chonuts (churro donuts), TruFru, and Icees. There is also a wide array of frozen drinks and hot chocolates offered. 

Customer service/speed

Before I made up my mind, I made sure to go drive through each soda shop in order to have a clear and timely experience to base my thoughts off of. 

I got through the Swig line in a few seconds shy of four minutes. The worker that took my order jumped right into business by asking for my loyalty number. However, that also means I was not greeted with a “Hi, how are you?” When at the window to get my drink, the workers were a little unprofessional, as they did not have their focus on the customer but rather their coworkers. 

Thirst was a faster line than Swig, with me spending about three minutes and 30 seconds there. The workers greeted me with a smile and were very welcoming. The workers were focused, yet still looked happy to be there. I love that after handing me my drink they said, “Have a happy day.” 

Fiiz took a little longer with me spending five minutes entering the line, ordering and getting my drink. However, there was a great welcome over the speaker box and the workers at the pick-up window were very nice. You could see the other workers from the window staying focused and working hard to get the drinks made. I also love how they repeated what my drink was back to me when handing it to me. 

Overall taste

When ranking the overall taste of my drinks, it has to go as follows: Fiiz as the best, Thirst, and then Swig as the worst. 

Swig had too much flavoring in the drink. I felt that I could not even tell what soda base I had gotten. I also felt like there wasn’t much carbonation within the soda which made it taste flat or watered down. My drink tasted fine but there wasn’t anything too special about it. 

Thirst had maybe a little less ice than I would have liked, but I liked that the flavor was not overpowering the soda. The carbonation level was refreshing, not too bubbly but also not too little. 

Fiiz had a great ice to soda ratio. The syrup flavors were prevalent but not too overbearing to the extent that I couldn’t tell what soda I was drinking. I like the level of carbonation. I found myself reaching more for the drink I ordered from here rather than the other soda shops. 

The rankings

Overall, I would rank the soda shops in St. George from worst to best as…

Third place: Swig. I did not reach for my soda from here. It was not the best customer service or overall taste. Swig might be the original soda shop, but the marketing is lackluster when compared to the look of the other soda shops in town. Their treats are not original, and they have the fewest options available for drinks. 

Second place: Thirst. It was close to being first in my books. It has great treats, a great staff, and I got out of line with a drink in hand quickly. However, I found myself gravitating toward Thirst more for its snacks and less for its sodas, and that is what I am judging here.

First place: Fiiz. It has the most options, the nicest staff, and the smoothest ordering process. I found myself drinking my Dr. Pepper from here more frequently, as it had the best flavor balance. Fiiz is definitely worth the further drive in order to ensure a quality soda. 

The Battle of the Ax is revived after 60 years

The buried tradition of the battle of the ax has been revived after 60 years.

History of the Ax

In 1937, the rivalry began between the Branch Agricultural College and Dixie Junior college. In 2022, Branch Agricultural College is now known as Southern Utah University and Dixie Junior college is now known as Utah Tech University.

Ken Beazer, Utah Tech athletic director, said the tradition is something fun to bring back and there wasn’t a better time to do it.

”This is the first time the two institutions share the same conference [since] 1962,” Beazer said. “Finally, we’re back to the same conference where we are going to play each other again every year, so it just made sense to bring back the tradition.”

According to President ”Biff” Williams in the State of the University Address, there are many stories about the victory ax.

”It disappeared and showed up at Snow College. It was stolen and showed up in Salt Lake City, and people say that it was burned into the lawn of the other institutions’ grass.” Williams said. “ I know our ‘D’ was changed from a ‘D’ to a ‘C.’”

With all the chaos, controversy and disappearances of the ax, the Board of Trustees decided they ”need to cease and desist,” Williams said.

Therefore, they stopped the battle of the ax.

When the ax was finally found, the schools worked to replicate and duplicate the ax so that both universities could keep it for a historic display.

At Utah Tech, the ax is displayed in the athletics trophy cases in the Burns Arena.

Brooke Ulrich, social media and digital marketing coordinator said, ”It was the presidents of both universities that agree upon the tradition, in the archives, it was the student body presidents that organized it.”

Ulrich said, back in the day, it used to be the athletics that would have the rivalry of the ax, but with complications, it was best to keep it to football.

Where is the axe now?

On Sept. 24, the Utah Tech football team traveled to SUU to battle it out for the victory axe on its homecoming night.

The Thunderbirds came out on top with the victory over the trailblazers with the end score of 31-17. The Thunderbirds will keep the victory ax safe at its university until the next game against the Trailblazers.

On Nov. 5 at 6 p.m., the teams will compete in another rivalry game for the axe, but instead, it will be held at the Greater Zion Stadium where the Trailblazers will fight on their homecoming night to hold the ax until the next game.

OPINION | Donald Glover, an all-time talent

Donald Glover is a creative force that hasn’t been seen in years, maybe even ever. 

It’s difficult to have the ability to turn your creativity into a source of monetary gain. Those who feel they have the talent and creativity to pursue a career in this avenue dedicate their whole life to their craft. It often takes years to receive recognition, and most never even make it that far. So, the fact that Donald Glover continues to flex his artistic genius in just about every category of entertainment is nothing short of a miracle. 

He can do no wrong. 

Glover’s unbelievable abilities were showcased early through his time writing for the TV series “30 Rock.” At the age of just 23, Glover got his start in the writing room for a successful network television series. 

Glover then went on to have a role in another hit TV series, but instead of writing, he had a leading role. Glover proved his uncanny acting ability. It was around this time that Glover started his music career.  

His debut album “Camp” was released in 2011 and his stage persona Childish Gambino was born. The bodacious exploration into his life was met with low critical acclaim and commercial success. However, there was undeniably potential and it was just the start of his music career.

He was far from a household name at this point in his career, but his three achievements up to this point, which pale in comparison to his eventual success, would be a lifetime achievement for most. He did all of this before turning 30. 

It didn’t take long for Glover/Gambino to flip the narrative around his musical ability. His album “Because the Internet,” was met with much better reviews and monetary success. Straying away from his usual rambunctious lyrical style, “Because the Internet” explored the complex effects the internet had on society. The internet at that time, and still is, was a fairly new world that people were just learning how to navigate. Glover did a marvelous job at exploring this issue. 

The popularity of this album has only grown, and now has a “cult” following.

He returned to the world of TV in 2016 with his masterpiece “Atlanta.” As the creator, writer, executive producer and starring role of the series, this show was Glover’s creative child. 

Through the course of the show’s run, with its final season currently airing, it has racked in awards and acclaim. Including six Emmys, two Golden Globe awards and multiple awards from the Writers Guild of America. 

The year of Donald Glover, 2016, continued with the release of his third studio album “Awaken My Love.” This experimental, R&B-centric album is his most successful to this point, winning 5 Grammys including Album of the Year. 

Since 2016, Glover has continued his rise in popularity. Leading roles in Disney films, record-breaking music videos and writing/starring in a feature film are just a few of his recent accomplishments. 

With 45 major awards to his name, anything Glover touches seems to turn into gold. His creative ability is unmatched, and at just 39, he’s surely not done. 

OPINION | The old fashioned debate: pancakes or waffles?

The age old debate: pancakes or waffles? It’s a debate that comes up often and usually there’s a clear winner; waffles.

To some, pancakes and waffles are basically the same thing but in a different shape, but when I think about the two breakfast foods, there’s only one option for me, and that’s waffles. It’s so obvious they’re better than pancakes in almost every way.

While pancakes are the healthier option, waffles are too much of a breakfast staple to part with. There are ways to make each option healthier by adding more protein and choosing healthier toppings, like bananas, peanut butter, etc.

Waffles are easier to make and students can make them in dorms without stoves. All you need is a waffle iron. Plug it in, wait for it to heat up, and you’re ready to go. It’s hard to mess that up. You don’t have to worry about flipping it before it burns because the waffle iron does it for you. Pancakes pose the risk of burning, falling apart or being completely raw on the inside. I’m sure we’ve all had the experience of trying to flip a pancake to discover it still raw. It’s not a fun experience.

While the batter is similar, the taste and texture of the two are completely different. With the divots in a waffle, it holds syrup and toppings much better than a pancake. You can’t put chocolate chips or blueberries in a waffle like you can a pancake, but waffles have the perfect divots to pile on more and they’ll melt the same way. You can do all the same things as a pancake, but make it better with a waffle. More toppings, better texture and better taste.

Waffles don’t have the mushiness of a pancake, they’re crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. That combination creates the perfect waffle.

Waffles are more structurally sound than their pancake counterpart, which means it’s easier to pile on the toppings without the worry of it falling apart. Pancakes will fold before you can add all the toppings you want to it. Waffles can have diverse flavors, too. They can be savory, sweet or even both if you want.

I grew up with pancakes as my main breakfast, my mom didn’t make waffles as often. When I moved out, though, I started making waffles because it was easier and it was one of the best changes I’ve ever made. Nothing excites me more than pulling out my waffle iron in the morning to make my favorite breakfast in just minutes.

There shouldn’t even be a debate; waffles are far better than pancakes.

Remembering the 43 exhibit is back at Utah Tech

As part of Latino Heritage month this year, the Remember the 43 exhibit features a presentation that gave insight into an ongoing investigation. 

Presentation

On Sept. 26, 2014, over 100 armed men, soldiers and police officers ambushed a bus of students attending the Rural Teachers College. Six were killed, 40 were injured and 43 were left unaccounted for. 

Eight years since the disappearance of the students, award-winning investigative journalists Anayansi Diaz-Cortes and Kate Doyle, who have followed the case for the last year and a half through their podcast, offered insight and expertise through a presentation at Utah Tech University. 

Diaz-Cortez called the investigation, “Compelling, heartbreaking, painful and universal.” 

Stephen Lee, dean of the college of humanities & social sciences, said he would like to see Utah Tech students help share this story.

“I would love to see students partnering with CHASS to more effectively engage their peers in the complexities of this issue,” Lee said.

Diaz-Cortez and Doyle defined the term “forced disappearance,” which is what they believed happened to these students. 

Doyle said: “Kidnapping is a crime. It’s a common crime, a terrible crime, but it’s still considered a common crime. Forced disappearance is a crime of kidnapping that takes place in a specific political context… a kidnapping of someone and the secret killing of that person by some member of the state.”

Members of the state include titles such as police officer, soldier, government figure, etc. The investigators believe this was an attempted coverup by the Mexican government, and they have a mountain of evidence to support that claim. 

Doyle and Diaz-Cortez said they came to the conclusion, through the help of a lifelong DEA agent Mark Giuffre, that the students were riding a bus meant to transport heroin. 

They said the connection was made after similar buses were found with heroin stashed in them being serviced in Chicago. 

Doyle said damning evidence, such as the former mayor sending a text saying, “We need to get our material back, get it back first and get rid of those guys,” helps support the theory that some believe a rival gang was coming into town to steal the contraband. Getting caught in the crossfire of a potential gang war, the students were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Exhibit

Utah Tech also paid tribute to the missing students through an art installation on the second floor of the Jeffrey R. Holland Centennial Commons building on campus. 

This includes portraits of the missing students, donated by Jan Nimmo to the Sears Art Gallery, and 43 silhouette cutouts representing the students.

Lee said he hopes to see the memorial to them evolve and grow. 

“In the coming years I hope to build an academic symposium that will occur in September each year,” Lee said. “We also will continue to bring to campus people deeply involved in the tragedy.” 

This is the second straight year Utah Tech has brought in a journalist for a presentation on the case, the first being John Gibler. 

More information on the Remember the 43 Students organization can be found on their website

Sept. 23 Board of Trustees Meeting: ‘This is the beginning of an amazing era in our history’

The Board of Trustees held its first meeting for the 2022-2023 school year on Sept. 23.

General session – welcome

“This is the beginning of an amazing era in our history,” Board Chair Tiffany Wilson said. 

The meeting began with four Trailblazers receiving Board of Trustees Service scholarships.

Recipients of the scholarship: Brynn Swavely, a senior media studies major from Redding, Pennsylvania; Nicole Parkin, a junior communication studies major from West Jordan; Emilee Nelson, a junior pre-nursing major from St. George; and Megan Maller, a sophomore pre-dental hygiene major from Calgary, Alberta.

Welcoming new faces to campus

Brian Thornton, Western Athletic Conference commissioner

Thornton gave a few remarks on the growth of Utah Tech University, specifically on athletics and the transition to the WAC conference.

Thornton complimented the university’s leadership and how it has become a fixture in the WAC conference. 

“Athletics can be a tremendous vehicle for the growth of any institution,” Thornton said. “It’s often the front porch of what is seen nationally when there is success that takes place.”

Thornton said the WAC fought extremely hard to make the transition to Division I shorter for the student-athletes at Utah Tech and give them the opportunity to compete at the national level. 

“From the national standpoint, that transition has not been shortened,” Thornton said. “We do have an opportunity as a conference to allow your student-athletes to be a part of all championship opportunities because that’s what’s deserved.”

Rod Zundel, director of broadcasting and media content

“We are thrilled to have him here as the voice of the Trailblazers,” athletic director Ken Beazer said.

Zundel’s goal is to implement shows, interviews and stories during his broadcasting presence. He also wants to bring players’ and coaches’ stories to life.

“We all have stories, and some of them are incredible… It’s my job to tell those stories so the people in the community and around the country know what we are all about,” Zundel said. 

Benjamin Tyrel, director of arts programming

Tyrel’s said his goal with celebrity concert series and UT life is to elevate and engage the community and students through the arts.

“We are excited to announce that we will be hosting 16-time Grammy award-winning composer and producer David Foster here in February along with his wife Katharine McPhee who you may have remembered from American Idol and Broadway,” Tyrel said.

Other new faces included: Bruce Tebbs, associate athletic director of business operations; Westley Petty, assistant to vice president for event services; Josh Thayn, executive director of university safety and risk management; and Jeffrey Stewart, interim director of Atwood Innovation Plaza and business resource center. 

Swearing in of new trustee

Student body president Devon Rice, a senior marketing major from Bountiful, was sworn in as a board member.

Heritage Committee recommendations

The Heritage Committee recommended strategies in three parts to continue to contribute to the Dixie heritage.

“We were given a mandate by the state legislature that if the name were to be changed, they would give us 500 thousand dollars to preserve the heritage of Dixie and the area,” Wilson said.

  • First, create the Dixie Heritage Center at the Utah Tech Library.
  • Second, produce a broadcast quality film titled “In Search of the Dixie Spirit” (proposed title). The purpose of this film would be to promote community and give a background of the area and institution.
  • Third, designate a site and request proposals for a physical monument or statuary on campus to define and commemorate the name “Dixie.”

The remainder of the meeting

The action items of the remainder of the meeting included academic department reports and new degree program announcements. This includes a bachelor’s science degree in special education and MS in nursing education and leadership.

There will no longer be a biology education minor. The computing and design department will be referred to as the computing department. There will be a new humanities center and a new institute of race, gender and identity.

Reports were given by Rice, Brad Last, vice president of advancement/ development; President Richard ‘Biff’ Williams; faculty senate Glenn Webb; Shane Blocker; vice chair Colleen Kvetko; and Danny Ipson, Dixie Technical College chair.

The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held Friday, Jan. 27.

From strangers, to roommates, to friends

Would you ever pay thousands of dollars to move away from home, room with a handful of strangers, and be forced to share everything?

Sounds crazy, yet this is what a majority of the students at Utah Tech do every year.

Learning how to adapt to roommates can be hard as you also have to strategize how each of you lives in a new space. For college freshmen, this can be new and exciting. However, it does take time to adapt to living with one another.

Some would say it can be intimidating to live on your own, but rooming with friends may make it less so. There may be a challenge trying to figure out how to live with one another no matter the situation. Creating the foundation of the friendship may make dealing with roommates easier. Some may find it better to room with strangers or their close friends.

Mary Anderson, a sophomore general studies from Millcreek, said, “For me I have learned the easiest way to adapt to roommates is patience while learning their living habits.”

Many student housing complex managers will assign people based on their similarities. You may have to take a quiz or tell about yourself when applying to housing. This can create a possibility of rooming with others that are similar to you. Some may find their best friend while rooming with others that were first strangers to each other all because of their similarities they listed.

Sophie Anderson, a junior business major from Pleasant Grove, said one of the most difficult chores to manage was laundry turns.

Anderson said, “Our laundry room seems to always be getting used and I feel that I can never do mine as much as I need.”

Disagreements can be solved before others get angry with one another. Anderson had not communicated her problem therefore, it hadn’t gotten solved. It is common for roommates to create rules, expectations and habits with each other. These all can affect in the rooming situation. Being respectful to your roommates way of living is essential. Solving how everyone’s habits work creates less tension.

When becoming friends instead of acquaintances the living situation may become easier. There could be tension living with brand new people. Being a respectful and helpful roommate can help the tension between each other. Having the sense that you can be there for one another will mean a lot to your roommates.

Cameron Turner, a sophomore nursing major from Ramstein, Germany, said: “Set a common ground and treat them how you want to be treated. You don’t need to be their best friend, but it doesn’t hurt to have a friendly living environment.”

Becoming friends with your roommates doesn’t happen over night. It’s a big step to go from knowing nothing about someone to considering them your friend. It may sound silly, but sometimes the little things are what matters most and can be great building blocks in a new friendship. It can be something as simple as cleaning their dishes they didn’t before class, complimenting their outfit or helping them study for a test you know they are stressed for.

Setting expectations will allow for one another to live in the apartment the way they want to but also agree with one another. When setting expectations, realize that you may not agree on some of the expectations. However, settling with decisions that matter to everyone is important. You may sit down and be altogether while talking about expectations or even going out and having dinner or grocery shopping can help bond your roommates.

Ruby Thorsen, a sophomore business major from Draper, said: “Being with each other doing daily grocery runs or dinner runs have let us talk to one another about our living expectations along with being able to bond with one another.” 

Chores can create a big expectation that may need to be set when first living with one another. Having the rules set on who does the dishes or cleans the bathroom can become a problem easily. Many apartments have cleaning checks that will show how you are taking care of your place. Roommates can either accept the responsibility to clean or not. Think about the responsibly you give and what you want back. Responsibility may create a factor in adapting to living with others you may or may not know.

You can learn a lot by living with roommates and you will learn about yourself the most. It teaches you life lessons that you can take with you in future living situations.