UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | May 17, 2025

Month: October 2024

Expanding sports infrastructure: Win for St. George economy

by Abby AcostaPosted on

Southern Utah may soon turn into a hub for sports excellence. New facilities and projects could transform the region, attracting talent and tourism. This could lead to an increase in the community’s overall sportsmanship.

New sports complexes and facilities in Salt Lake City are already affecting athletes and organizations down here. It’s more than just a boost for local athletes. These developments can make St. George a destination for sports tourism and professional events, attract visitors and boost the economy. This ripple effect could expand opportunities for local athletes and beyond.

David Cordero, communications and marketing director for the city of St. George, said the city plans to expand its current parks and recreation projects. The city’s master plan mentions how it needs new or improved sports facilities. 

According to the master plan: “Between the growth in hosted sport tournaments and the projected population growth, the city must continue to plan for the installation of new sport fields and courts. The demand for hosted tournaments and events shall be measured, and the city will work with the county and neighboring cities to distribute the impact of these events.”

With the passing of The General Obligation Bond, St. George is set to undergo significant enhancements to its recreational infrastructure, with over 30 projects in the works. These include new trails, new parks and improvements to existing facilities like the Dixie Sun Bowl and the Canyons Softball Complex. The bond will allow St. George to build and improve sports complexes and facilities.

“The General Obligation Bond will allow funding for a variety of new trails, parks and recreation projects,” Cordero said. “Right now, our main focus is on the GO Bond projects.”

Utah Tech University can see the effects of new parks, trails and upgraded sports facilities, which will provide student athletes with more high-quality spaces for practice. The improvements will also strengthen the university’s ability to attract top talent by positioning southern Utah as the place to be for athletes.

Ken Beazer, Utah Tech’s athletic director, said the development would elevate the university’s athletics program and provide unique recruiting advantages. 

Beazer said: “The more focus you have on athletics and facilities here, the more it enhances your perception as an athletic area. It just puts that location on the map as a sports and athletic hub, and there are a lot of indirect benefits that come from that. I think directly, it is just your community is used to athletic events at a high level, and it can’t help but carry over to what we’re doing things collegiately.” 

Patrick Manning, managing partner at Black Desert Resort, spoke on how growth in this area can transform St. George into a sports haven. With events like the St. George Marathon, Iron Man races and the Huntsman World Senior Games, people are already traveling here to participate. This could help bring in economic benefits due to the spike in tourism the town would face.

Manning said: “Southern Utah was already on the map for its natural beauty, and state and national parks, plus our great weather. These tournaments will grow heightened awareness of other ways to enjoy and reasons to come to southern Utah beyond great hiking. It will become known as a golfing mecca and will continue to spread its wings.”

The impact of new sports infrastructure in southern Utah could lead to long-term benefits, and the region would be positioned as a premier destination for sports. For student athletes, this means more high-quality training and competition venues. This also could lead to better recruiting strategies. As the area gains recognition, athletes will experience increased support from local fans.

This shift would not only boost the local economy but also contribute to the area’s growing identity as a sports destination.

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A student’s guide to staying safe this Halloween

by Alyssa BaylesPosted on

Halloween might be filled with costumes and frights, but it does not have to be a dangerous day. Whether you are hanging out with friends or attending Chaos, it is important to stay safe this Halloween.

There are a lot of factors playing into safety this Halloween, all of which need to be considered. Wes LiCalzi, chief of the Utah Tech University police department, said safety tips stay the same throughout Halloween, with situational awareness being important.

“Halloween does add that element of like masks, fake weapons or people acting more foolish than normal, so you just have to be aware of that stuff,” LiCalzi said.

Even though Halloween is filled with the fun of costumes, it does not mean you won’t be held accountable for your actions. LiCalzi said it is a strange time for the officers since people do things they normally wouldn’t do, just because they have a mask on.

“Halloween is not an excuse,” LiCalzi said. “So if people are doing things that are criminal or suspicious or weird, then it would be good to report it to the police so we can go check it out.”

Recently, UTPD released a new system to report crimes or suspicious activities through the myUT app under the services tab. On Halloween or not, students can report any crimes through a quick form that instantly sends out a message to all on-duty officers. LiCalzi said the form allows students unsure or intimidated to call dispatch to report a crime and still receive relatively instant feedback.

On the night of Halloween, UTPD will also be attending Chaos to ensure safety while students dance the night away. Utah Tech Student Association member and event organizer Breonna Bingham, a senior recreation and sports management major from Salina, said UTSA works alongside the UTPD and the Risk & Safety Department on campus for all events, including Chaos.

“We want to ensure students have a great time at our events, and that means prepping in advance to be conscious of student safety,” Bingham said. “By doing the small things like making sure equipment used is in great condition, tripping hazards are avoided, event rules are posted in advance, etc., we work to tackle issues in advance.”

Many precautions are also in place for the event to continue to make students feel safe. Bingham said this includes not allowing any masks into the venue, no costume props, clear bag requirements and security checks.

“Due to the nature of Chaos, we are diligent about making sure costumes are both fun and safe for all those in attendance,” Bingham said.

Attending the event will be UTPD officers and Emergency Medical Services, as well as Southern Utah University campus police to work alongside in mutual aid. UTPD corporal, Matthew Cochran, will be one of the officers attending Chaos to help ensure safety throughout the night.

“We try to watch the [students] as they’re coming in and keep an eye when we’re in the dances,” Cochran said. “We always stay separated and in corners and in those types of places where we can watch as many [students] as possible.”

With these precautions in place, participants attending the event can rest assured that safety is the top priority. While you’re out enjoying Halloween, keep these tips and tricks in the back of your mind.

In case of an emergency this Halloween, call 911 or non-emergency dispatch.

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Empowering neurodivergent adults: The story behind dinkers

by News SubmissionsPosted on

By Trevi Ogilvie

When Devon and Anna Rice graduated from Utah Tech University, they didn’t just leave with diplomas—they left with a shared dream of becoming entrepreneurs. Now, the couple is living that dream as the proud owners of dinkers, a gourmet glazed nut company based in southern Utah. 

The couple has combined their entrepreneurial spirit with a dedication to social impact. Devon and Anna are dedicated to empowering neurodivergent adults by providing meaningful employment opportunities that build career skills and independence.

“With Dev’s background at NeuroDev, a vocational school for neurodiverse adults, and my own experience with my autistic sister, we saw first hand the challenges neurodivergent individuals face in finding stable employment,” Anna said.

Providing employment through a mission-driven approach

Behind the scenes, Austin Harrison, dinkers general manager, ensures that daily operations reflect the company’s values. 

“My main goal is to make sure we’re scheduled for various events over the next few weeks, with both students and employees ready for those,” he said. 

Event planning requires patience and flexibility, as every event presents unique challenges that push the team to adapt quickly.

Additionally, one of the cornerstones of dinkers mission is creating an inclusive work environment.

“It takes patience,” Austin said. “Creating a routine, encouraging the students to have fun, be social, and preparing them for a real work environment, all of that is essential.” 

This patient, adaptive approach helps neurodivergent team members feel confident and grow in a supportive setting.

Building community through connection and fun

For the founders, dinkers represents more than just a business; it’s a chance to change lives.

“Nothing is better than being the one thing that a neurodiverse adult needs to gain that dose of confidence that they are perfectly capable of living an independent life,” Anna said. 

This is the spirit behind dinkers new sister company, Neurodivergent Nuts, an online platform where NeuroDev students gain valuable work experience, from managing social media to processing shipments.

Austin also highlights the fun side of working at dinkers, saying that being “part of a team of nuts” makes every day an adventure. 

“Just being able to be goofy, it’s so much fun,” Austin said. 

This playful, lighthearted energy fosters a close-knit community within the company, where employees are both supported and empowered to be themselves.

Looking to the future

The team is currently exploring new opportunities to expand, with plans to bring dinkers mission to North Carolina. 

“We are very ambitious to grow, but right now we are throwing out a bunch of nets and seeing what is catching,” Anna said. “We are excited to look back in five years and see where dinkers is.”

dinkers has built a strong community impact, connecting with families and individuals who share their commitment to supporting neurodivergent adults. 

Anna encourages those with neurodivergent loved ones to reach out, as they aim to be a resource for others looking for meaningful ways to support the neurodivergent community.

As dinkers continues to grow, its vision remains grounded in the mission that inspired it: to empower neurodivergent adults with work opportunities that build confidence and independence. 

Through dedication, a bit of goofiness and a love for their team, dinkers is creating something special—one nut at a time. Visit dinkers.co to learn more about their mission and products.

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Sun News alumni: Where are they now?

by Curtis KeddingtonPosted on

Through working in the Sun News Daily newsroom to working with major news stations, Utah Tech University students are turning their college experiences into major headlines.

Madisyn Dwiggins, producer for KSNV News 3 in Las Vegas, first joined Sun News in her sophomore year when she started as a news editor. As a news editor, she began building skills that have translated into her time at KSNV. 

“I was able to build a news judgment which is everything when working for a news station. It helped me understand why some stories are not as strong as others and allowed me to find different angles to make a story stronger,” Dwiggins said.

Her hard work ethic prepared her to work in a professional environment, as she was always looking to get better and help others improve. Moving from Sun News to KSNV News became a relatively smooth transition due to the team first mentality she had while a part of Sun News.

“She was always working,” Kelsa Lundstedt, a senior media studies major from Boise, Idaho, and assistant Sun News show producer, said. “She was hard working for sure, and she had the go-get-it attitude. I can’t imagine spending that much time on schoolwork or real work, honestly.”

During her time at Sun News, Dwiggins was also a hard worker who lifted people up in the newsroom. Her work ethic not only played a crucial role in her success as part of the Sun News staff and after graduation, but allowed others to grow and find opportunities as well. As she brought others up around her to create a professional environment, it prepared her to go into a newsroom after graduation.

“I mean, sure, it was intimidating being in a room full of experienced producers coming straight out of college, but I eventually got to know my co-workers, and it wasn’t so scary anymore,” Dwiggins said. “Something similar I find is how, as a staff on Sun News, we would always work together and help each other with story pitches and source ideas, and that is how it is in a professional newsroom.”

In her junior year, Dwiggins transitioned from a news editor to producing “Sun News at Noon” show which later became “Sun News Blazer Beat.” As “Sun News Blazer Beat” became a new sports show, Dwiggins learned to get creative as someone who was not familiar with sports.

“I think this is where I was able to get most creative since there are a lot of moving parts in sports,” Dwiggins said. “Learning how to be creative with sports taught me how to incorporate that in every newscast. I’m thankful my job now allows me to be as creative as possible to make every newscast different from the other.” 

Dwiggins’ creativity and ability to improve the show every time had rippling effects on the current Sun News show.

“She taught me everything I know,” Zoe Hansen, a senior media studies major from Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Sun News producer, said. “Her senior year, she was the producer; I was an anchor, and she wanted me to fill the role of producer. I was so scared because I didn’t even know if I wanted to anchor yet, and then ended up taking her role as producer.”

Throughout all the lessons she learned during her time at Utah Tech and as a member of Sun News, Dwiggins continues to look for opportunities to grow as a producer while with KSNV News.

As a producer for KSNV News, a top 40 market station, Dwiggins has to get information out quickly and accurately. Despite her short time as a producer, Dwiggins has been able to work through the current election season and learn to apply the same creativity she developed while a member of Sun News.

While she is still early in her career, Dwiggins plans to hone the lessons she’s learned thus far with Sun News and KSNV to continue to perfect her craft as a producer. As she remains committed to perfecting the skills she began developing at Utah Tech, she turns her focus to getting an Emmy Award in the long run.

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Puck drops on new era of sport in Utah

by Curtis KeddingtonPosted on

As temperatures drop, the Utah Hockey Club brings action to the ice along with the other professional sports Utah already hosts, such as the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake.

When the ice hockey team Arizona Coyotes were looking for a new home after they were unable to find a permanent place to play, Utah businessman Ryan Smith saw an opportunity to bring hockey at the highest level to Utah. Smith is already the owner of the Jazz in the National Basketball League and a co-owner of Real Salt Lake in the Major League Soccer, and he believes that hockey has a chance to thrive in Utah. 

Despite the seemingly crowded market that exists in Utah with both the NBA and the MLS already in town, the Utah Hockey Club will flourish over time. Smith has proven that Utah fans are more than capable of showing out for the local teams during his tenure as the owner of the Jazz, and will continue to bring that enthusiasm to the ice.

“Utah was in a spot to do it,” Smith said. “No matter how great we are, or how well-funded we are, or how ready we are, the state is going to carry the day. The city is going to carry the day; the people showing up are going to carry the day.”

Utah, while not a huge market, has earned a reputation as some of the best sports fans. The Jazz have a 292-game sellout streak despite not making the playoffs for the past few seasons and will undoubtedly come out to support the new team on the block.

When season tickets became available, 34,000 deposits were made in the first 48 hours and only 8% of the deposits were Jazz season-ticket holders, according to Chris Barney, Smith Entertainment Group president of revenue and commercial strategy. Despite the huge following the Jazz have garnered in Salt Lake City, the Hockey Club is attracting new eyes and continuing to strengthen the sports community in Utah. 

“So we immediately became very, very bullish on the demand from the community,” Barney said. “Another really interesting nuance about that group is 63% of those people hadn’t even been to an arena event in a year. You don’t really get the chance in sports to cultivate a new audience.”

Even though the Jazz and Real Salt Lake have already strengthened the sports community in Utah, bringing the National Hockey League to Utah will only bring that further. It’s been proven that bringing the hockey team to Utah has already attracted new eyes who have not been attracted to the sports mainstays, adding to the community that will only continue to build as the team gains its footing in Utah. 

Along with building up the fandom that already exists for the other professional teams, bringing the NHL to Utah will bolster hockey as a whole in Utah. The Jazz were able to aid in the growth of basketball through programs such as the Junior Jazz, and the Hockey Club has an opportunity to do a very similar thing. Starting similar programs to Junior Jazz, hockey would have a similar effect on growing the game in Utah, especially with the support of a professional team for players to look up to.

“I think once the team starts, you’re going to see a lot of interest, and kids are going to start choosing the hockey stick over a basketball or soccer ball or football,” Paul Taylor, general manager and coach for Utah Outliers, said.

While the Utah Hockey Club has had a smooth transition to Utah, especially with their 3-1-1 start to the season, they still have a long way to go. The Coyotes had not made the playoffs the previous four seasons, and they will certainly hope to turn a new leaf in Utah. The team has also yet to pick an official name and logo, which they will decide at the end of the season.

Picking a name quickly after the season and allowing fans to take part in it will be instrumental in the growth of the team going forward. A team name and logo allows fans to build a culture around the team, something the current name doesn’t allow. Some of the currently proposed names include the Yetis, Mammoths and Outlaws.

Despite this, they have a chance to spread the NHL to a new audience of hockey viewers and help move the sport forward as a whole in the state of Utah. 

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Combatting climate anxiety with action

by Abby AcostaPosted on

From the fires in Wyoming, Hurricane Milton, earthquakes and landslides, natural disasters have been taking over headlines. Being overly aware of the climate situation at hand can lead to climate anxiety. In 2021, the Google search “climate anxiety” increased by 565%.

Students may feel a sense of helplessness due to climate change’s impact on their futures. St. George is experiencing an increase in heatwaves as a result of climate change. Average temperatures in the region have been rising since 1895. Extreme weather events caused by this, like droughts and sudden rainfall, can impact local ecosystems and water resources.

Cristina Martinez Busto, a junior environmental science major from Madrid, Spain, said: “In the very broad picture, our modern lifestyle comes with a price for the environment. Everything we buy, all the plastics we use, driving our cars; they all are related to energy consumption, which must come from somewhere.”

Education is proving to be a powerful tool. Environmental education helps students understand climate science and empowers them to take action. Students can participate in Utah Tech University’s Climate Resilience and Sustainability.

The university’s center integrates scientific, sociological and economic insights to better understand the local effects of climate change and drive meaningful actions.

Rico Del Sesto, professor of chemistry, said, “I think the more significant impact is through knowledge and understanding, and knowing how to find data-supported information from reputable sources.”

While initiatives like Utah Tech’s center aim to drive climate action and education, engaging students in these efforts poses challenges.

Jean Lown, a retired Utah State University professor of finance, consumer economics and leader of the St. George chapter of Citizens’ Climate Change Lobby, said: “Everything I read in the news and hear is young people are really concerned, and yet we have not been very successful… I don’t know how to get students involved. This is their future… I mean, I’m going to be dead in 20 years. I don’t know how to get them involved.”

To effectively fight climate anxiety, Dr. Lown recommends engaging in meaningful actions. Joining organizations like Citizens’ Climate Lobby and reaching out to local representatives is one simple way to make an impact. 

“The best way to combat climate anxiety is to take action. Each month, members get a text and an email. They can send the email to their two senators and their one representative in less than five minutes. Hardly anyone does it,” Dr. Lown said.

Building a sense of community helps reduce climate anxiety by providing support and a shared sense of purpose. When students engage in environmental efforts together, they feel less isolated and more empowered, turning their concerns into meaningful action and hope for the future.

Busto said: “I used to be one of those who felt lost and didn’t know how to help the environment. I realized that most of the time the hardest part is simply getting up and starting to take action.”

Addressing climate change requires more than awareness, it calls for action at every level. By doing simple tasks, like reducing waste and conserving energy to supporting local environmental groups, students can make an impact.

As students become more involved, they can shift from feeling overwhelmed by climate anxiety to finding hope through collective efforts and tangible progress.

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OPINION | Life in college movies are not accurate

by Kate PearsonPosted on

College life has been portrayed in a variety of ways. Some people focus on parties and the fun aspects of college. Others mention the hard work and studying that each college student experiences. Movies and TV shows portray college life in different ways, and they are not always accurate.

They dramatize things and add details to make it more interesting to watch. College is never completely accurately represented, but some movies and TV shows do a better job than others.

I ranked five movies that take place in college settings from least to most accurate.

“The Waterboy”

This movie stars Adam Sandler as he plays Bobby Boucher Jr., a 31-year-old water boy for a college football team and ends up becoming the star of the team. This movie is by far the least accurate to real college life.

Boucher did not graduate high school, but the coach of the football team forges his transcripts so he can play. The forgery is discovered and Boucher is only allowed to continue on the team if he passes a test. Considering Boucher had never had a day of real schooling, him passing the test is almost impossible, especially considering the short time frame he does it in. But somehow, he does. Also, forgery such as that would have gotten the coach and program in much more trouble.

The only accurate point is they play football, a common college sport. The game also gets a lot of hype which is usual for football above all other sports in American colleges.

I like this movie as a comedy, and it is funny in a stupid way. Nothing in it can be taken seriously, including the way it portrays college.

“Pitch Perfect“

“Pitch Perfect” is a comedy about an a cappella singing group called the Barden Bellas. They compete against other schools to become the national champions.

This movie is not very accurate to real college life. First off, they are never studying for class. Each girl on the team is entirely focused on the Bellas, spending several hours a day on rehearsal. The only time they mention class is at the beginning before the main character, Beca, joins the Bellas.

It is accurate in the way there is an activity fair, like club rush at Utah Tech, at the beginning of the movie. Beca also stays in a dorm with a roommate she doesn’t get along with well. This is a common issue many college students face.

This movie is a good watch as long as you are not expecting to see students in a realistic college setting. It is almost too cheesy at times, but it is hilarious and worth the watch.

“Monster’s University“

“Monster’s University” is a must-watch for any fans of Pixar. This is a prequel to “Monster’s Inc.,” showing Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan’s—Sully’s—life in college before they were friends.

This movie is surprisingly accurate to real college. The monsters are seen studying and attending classes. There are also sororities and fraternities in the movie. While those aren’t present at Utah Tech, they are a part of other colleges. They attend parties, stay in dorms and there is even a school activities fair in the beginning.

The reason it is not the most accurate on this list is because it is not a traditional college, and monsters are the students. The whole premise of the show is the “scare” program and a huge competition between different fraternities and sororities to find out which is the scariest. This is obviously not a realistic scenario for a real life college.

This movie was one of my childhood favorites. It is very well-made, and is the perfect prequel to the iconic “Monster’s Inc.”

“Legally Blonde“

This movie, starring Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, takes place at Harvard University. It is about a girl who goes to college to impress her ex-boyfriend and get him to take her back.

This movie is very similar to college in real life. Classes are shown with teachers that are harder than others. The social interactions and parties are realistic. There are relationship struggles between her and her ex and then with a different guy she meets there. There are also friendship struggles. She has a girl that she meets who hates her at first, but then they become good friends.

The unrealistic aspect of this is how Woods got into college. She was a fashion major who all of a sudden got into Harvard Law. It is not an impossible scenario, but it is unlikely.

I love this movie. Elle Woods is a great example of dedication and hard work. She not only passed but conquered law school, even though she had little to no experience before attending Harvard Law.

“Gilmore Girls“

“Gilmore Girls” is the most like college in reality. Rory Gilmore, in the show, goes to Yale University.

The show showcases struggles college students face such as homesickness. Rory is very close to her mom, Lorelei. Soon after she is dropped off, she calls her mom homesick. The show also shows struggles with relationships and coursework with Rory that has a lot of boy drama and stress with schoolwork.

Rory also joins the school newspaper. It is a very time-consuming and professional organization. This is similar to my own experience with Sun News. The news may not be physically printed anymore, but it still goes through a similar process as the show.

There is not much inaccuracy within “Gilmore Girls” and college besides dramatizing things like movies and TV shows tend to do.

Gilmore Girls is a great on-screen example of college life. This show, beyond the accuracy, is funny and touching. It is my comfort show, and I can watch it over and over again without getting bored.

There are hundreds of high school movies out there, but college movies, in comparison, are underrepresented. Considering the smaller amount of representation, the fact that there are less accurate options is understandable.

College movies and TV shows deserve more accurate representation. We, as college students, need more media that we can intimately relate to instead of loosely relating to the options we have.

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Students share jokes, speculations at Conspiracy Night

by Rainey FacerPosted on

As college students, we are no strangers to wild rumors or even the most over-the-top tea that gets circulated during those late-night study sessions or hanging out with friends. But on Tuesday, there was a conspiracy theory night hosted by Birds Aren’t Real, Psych Club and the Trailgazers.

During the night, students gathered for pizza, conspiracy theories and laughs. The event was packed with humor, campus slander and a sprinkling of ancient aliens and money laundering.

Here are some of the highlights from the night.

Provost Lacourse: “he’s innocent”

As the night progressed from one joke into another, club members presented a theory that Provost Michael Lacourse was innocent, but of what? We may never know since this theory was presented as a joke after learning that he was put on leave until January 2025.

Even the conspiracy theorists thought there was more going on behind the scenes. While the room howled at his innocence, it did highlight how people’s imagination and unanswered questions can fuel this kind of conspiracy.

Kellie Marin, assistant communications professor, said, “We are constantly trying to make sense of the world around us, so sometimes we can’t explain something that happened to us; conspiracy theories may be a useful explanation.”

King Charles is a… vampire?

King Charles III is a vampire. Why? Because he is sixteen-times removed from Vlad the Impaler.

Some of the conspiracies involved King Charles having porphyria, which is a rare disorder that can cause sensitivity to light, pain, reddening of the skin and mental health problems, even though this reporter couldn’t find any evidence that suggested he has this condition, the presenters did find that King Charles does own a house in Transylvania, Romania.

The Blue House is one of many real estate properties that the king owns, and is rumored to vacation there from time to time. With these “facts” as evidence, the room concluded that King Charles is a vampire.

Mount Rushmore’s hidden vault

As the night drew on, the audience was told the tale of the secret vault behind Mount Rushmore, specifically behind Former President Abraham Lincoln’s head.

In this secret room are supposedly blueprints to the hall of records, which will tell future civilizations about why Mount Rushmore was built and the secrets to mankind. The presenters also speculated why the room was purposely left unfinished so that the government could hide their secret documents and hidden technology.

Stephanie (Luan) Martinez, a senior health communications major from St. George, said: “If you think about it, why would they build four heads and not put a secret room behind it? The government always hides things in plain sight. I bet there is more going on than we will ever know.”

Ancient aliens: creators of civilizations and mankind

It wouldn’t have been a conspiracy night without someone bringing up aliens. The theory presented was aliens were the ones to throw the asteroid from space, which took out the dinosaurs to make room for humankind.

But not just any humans, these humans had their DNA mutated with alien DNA. The evidence for this claim? It was ancient glyphs that showcased spaceships and the Nazca lines that were essentially landing strips for alien space crafts.

They even claimed that biblical humans like Adam and Eve were alien hybrids that were visiting our world to ensure the rise of our civilization. To these people, we have been surrounded by alien overlords all this time.

Why we love conspiracy theories

It’s easy to laugh at these outlandish claims, but there is a deeper psychological reason why people are drawn to them.

Lisa Scott, assistant professor of psychology, said: “I think people choose to believe conspiracy theories because the harsh reality is that the world is extremely random and chaotic. Conspiracy theories create in-groups and out-groups, and humans feel comforted when we have a group to belong to.”

Conspiracy theories often create a sense of community that may share similar ideologies, and that creates this kind of human connection that fosters feelings of comfort and community. At their core, conspiracy theories are born out of fear of the unknown, the government and of the economy. As fun as they sound, they can also be unhelpful.

“They create a narrative that helps us make sense of things we fear, but they don’t really address the real causes of certain problems in our world,” Scott said.

In a world where conspiracy theories exist, sometimes one has to laugh, much like the attendees Conspiracy Night did. Whether it’s ancient aliens, secret underground rooms under national landmarks or connections between celebrities and global events, conspiracy theories will continue to keep us laughing and entertained.

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Editor’s midseason predictions: Utah State University Aggies

by Josh WoodPosted on

Hope and despair is the Utah State University football team’s unofficial motto as they look to flip the script going into the second half of the season.

The Aggies started the 2024 season off right with a win at home against Robert Morris University. USU defeated the Colonials with a final score of 36-14 in Logan. Following their win, the Aggies hit the road to face the University of Southern California Trojans in a game that would start the penultimate collapse. The Trojans outplayed the Aggies in all three facets of the game shutting out the Utah State offense and scoring 48 points of their own.

The next week brought in the in-state rival the University of Utah Utes. The game started with a promising first quarter leading at the break with a score of 7-3 and ultimately going up 14-3 before the Utes and freshman quarterback, Isaac Wilson, came back and took over the game. The Utes outscored the Aggies in the final three quarters of the game giving USU their second loss of the season—with a final score of 38-21.

Utah State quarterback Spencer Petras has not lacked in the statistical department despite the lackluster record. Petras has led the Aggies to a No. 19 national offensive efficiency rating and had a completion percentage of 66% on the season. With 1,631 passing yards and 11 touchdowns, the offense is putting up numbers.

The defense for the Aggies is where the struggle has been this season, allowing an average of 43 points per game, which has proven to be the difference in their high scoring shootouts like a 45-50 loss to the University of New Mexico Lobos Oct. 19.

The next four games had similar results as the Aggies have dropped six straight games and sit at 1-6 before a matchup with the University of Wyoming Cowboys Oct. 26. Looking at these losses, however, three of the six teams have been ranked at one point of this season, as well as the Trojans, having a top 10 win against the currently ranked No. 8 Lousiana State University Tigers.

Looking forward, the Aggies have a difficult slate ahead of them, with their four remaining conference games being with higher-rated teams like San Diego State University and Colorado State University. They also are slated to play the current Pac-12 Conference front-runner and future conference rival Washington State University.

In all, I see the Utah State Aggies finishing the year with an underwhelming 2-10, willing themselves to one last win against the University of Hawaii in a close game. This comes with losses in the other four games on their schedule.

The Aggies have a hill to climb as they conclude their final season as a member of the Mountain West Conference and look for new beginnings in the Pac-12 next fall.

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OPINION | BookTok is not the safe space it needs to be

by Alyssa BaylesPosted on

“5/5 stars…couldn’t put the book down.”

“1/5 stars…don’t waste your time.”

“Why would you ever read that?”

“Why would they ever cast that actor as the character?”

From creating videos on book reviews to sharing recommendations, #BookTok is becoming a known platform with 38.5 million posts. When scrolling through TikTok, more specifically BookTok, it is slowly fading from joyful book reviews into rude comments that are destroying the once vibrant community of book lovers.

It started as a simple way to recommend and discuss your favorite books, but it has now turned into a toxic community with more negatives than positives.

As an avid book reader, I have often turned to BookTok to help find my next read. Recently, I have noticed how harsh the comment sections have been toward the content creator. If a review is against the common opinion of a book, the commenters are not afraid to let the creator know their opinion is not wanted.

Another issue that always stands out to me is the over-hype for certain titles, which leads to a sole focus on popular books that overshadow lesser-known authors and titles. I don’t want to see anymore Colleen Hoover recommendations, and I think many readers would agree. It is getting to the point where every book recommendation is a book I have already read before or seen multiple times on my feed. Yet, the same book recommendation videos continue to get countless likes, while the more unpopular titles struggle to get a couple of likes.

Going back to the hateful comments, this is becoming a contributing factor to why a diverse collection of books is not being recommended. People who’ve never even read the book are speaking out against titles based on assumptions provided by top creators. Oftentimes, the hate for these books is based on a blurb of information that was provided.

If you’re gonna hate on something, at least read the book first before you start talking trash about the title.

Additionally, I have often felt compelled to read a certain book just because of its reoccurrence on my feed. However, I am not always impressed by the book that was overly hyped to read. More times than not, the book is poorly written and has an easily predictable storyline. This is why a wider variety of books needs to make its way onto BookTok.

Even when I dislike certain books or authors that seem to have taken over my feed, I am not waiting to write a hateful comment that trashes the content creator for liking a book that seems to be written for Wattpad. Instead, I keep those opinions to myself because, guess what? Everyone likes to read something different, and that’s completely fine. So, instead of writing hateful comments, can we as BookTok agree to keep our harsh comments to ourselves because not everything needs to go online—that’s what your friends are for.

Continuing the talk about hateful comments includes strong opinions about the casting of actors or actresses for a book’s characters. A perfect example of this was the recent casting of Blake Lively for Lily Bloom in “It Ends with Us.” Despite your opinions surrounding this book or movie, I was embarrassed by the way BookTok reacted to the casting for it.

Once the cast was released, countless videos were made hating on the portrayal of Lily Bloom. Was Blake Lively how I pictured the character as I read the book? No. But each person has a unique interpretation of a book character that is shaped by our imagination, so of course, we can’t all have our ideal book character come to life.

There are certain characters I am so excited to see come alive on the screen, and that means I’m not going to hate the actress portraying the character. Instead, I’m going to appreciate the fact that there was an actual adaptation of one of my favorite books. It’s one thing if the plot of the book changed due to the movie and another if it’s a picture-perfect actor portrayal. Let’s choose our battles wisely because no matter how much you complain, it’s not going to be the deciding factor that changes the actor.

Don’t get me wrong. It is so cool to see all of these new readers inspired to read just from a video on TikTok. I am a firm believer in the importance of literacy… yes I’m an English major. With BookTok, discussions about literature are more easily accessible to create or even participate in. In a way, it has now created one big book club, for better or for worse.

Luckily, not all of BookTok is falling into this toxicity. One of the greatest things to come out of BookTok is the opportunity it provides to rising authors to promote their books. Alex Aster is a great example of a content creator promoting her book through TikTok.

There are still BookTok creators whose sole purpose is to promote and recommend a variety of different books. So, fellow book nerds, let’s encourage a positive side of BookTok that promotes literature and is a safe space to share all of our unique book tastes.

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