Category: Opinion

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island,” Walt Disney said.

Books are some of the most valuable things in the world to me. For over 21 years, they have been both an escape in times when I’ve been at my lowest, and a place I can transport to when I am enjoying life. 

I say that I transport myself into books because when I read, I fully immerse myself in the story. The characters, scenes and emotions play out like a movie in my head. However, I understand that this is not the case for everyone. 

Reading can be intimidating or boring for some people, especially those who haven’t really gotten into it before. As an avid reader, I am always excited for new people to jump into the world of books.

Often, finding a book based on an experience you’ve had or a time period you’re fascinated with can help pique your interest and set you in motion for reading.

I have a few suggestions for those of you who want to begin your reading journey and dive into a whole new experience.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris (4 stars on GoodReads)

This short read is about a man named Lale Sokolov who is taken to the concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Sokolov speaks several languages, which leads him to the job of tattooing the prisoner’s numbers on their arms when they enter the camps. He ends up being able to guide, save and get information on the camps.

I have always been interested in World War II because it’s crazy to me how there could be such evil in the world. Even though this book isn’t based on real people, the concepts and ideas are still true, and it breaks my heart. The writing is easy to understand and even though the story moves along fairly quickly, I still cried while reading it. The emotions and heartbreak are really brought to the surface in this book.

Since this book is from the perspective of one of the prisoners, the reader is really thrown head-first into what this lifestyle was like and how intense it was. It is really heartbreaking.

The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd (3 stars on GoodReads)

If you want a book that is not scary but gives you a little bit of the heebie-jeebies, this mystery, romance and thriller themed book is for you. 

Juliet Moreau is a young woman who lives in London, but has a curiosity in science, specifically the science of humans. When Moreau finds out that her father, who was presumed to be dead, is actually still alive and is living on an island, she seeks him out, only to find out that he has been creating a whole new civilization of creatures made from different animal parts put together. These creatures can walk, talk and speak as humans do. Moreau goes through this experience with interest and horror as she decides what needs to be done, all while experiencing a romance of her own. 

The first time I read this story I was shocked. I picked up the book not knowing what it was about and was thoroughly weirded out at first. But as I continued on with this trilogy, I couldn’t put it down. It was weird, interesting, scary and it even has a little romance in it. It hits a lot of different points all while being a short and easy read. 

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (3 Stars on Goodreads)

The four books that make up this series are quick, easy reads. A girl named Nora Grey seems to be a normal student, but once she meets Patch, her world flips upside down. The romance that blooms between them has her questioning everything on earth and in heaven. The immortals have fallen into her life, changing its course forever. 

I love reading fantasy. This book has elements of fantasy with the fallen angels and demons in the real world, and that makes this series very intriguing to me. Growing up believing in God, it is an interesting take on fallen angels and how things in heaven work, especially since the romance is between a human and a fallen angel.

I reread this series so many times in 2020 and 2021. It is so easy to read and I fell in love with the characters. The whole concept of fallen angels and humans interacting fascinated me, especially since when I read it for the first time, I was about the same age as the characters. 

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone (4 stars on Goodreads)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder consumes Samantha McAllister’s life. She obsessed over her speed while driving, the way her hair looks, the words she says and more. These thoughts cause her to spiral into a dark, dark place. As a girl part of the popular school group, she feels she can’t show anything real to the world in fear of what the consequences will be. Once she meets a new friend and finds a hidden poetry club, she begins to feel at home and not scared anymore, but that could be the beginning of a whole new obsession. 

I seem to gravitate towards books that show a lot of emotions and intense concepts in the characters. I think this is because I feel so deeply and intensely that when I find characters who are the same, it makes me feel less alone.

I cried when I finished this book. The plot twist at the end was so good. The way the book was written really makes you not even question what’s going on as you read. Even if you don’t struggle with OCD or obsessions or anything like that, there are still valuable lessons and relatable elements to this book. It has a very special place in my heart. 

Losing Leah by Tiffany King (3 stars on Goodreads)

Imagine growing up in a basement and never leaving it. Leah was kidnapped when she was six years old. Her twin sister, Mia, lives her life in the sorrow of losing Leah. Her headaches get more and more prominent each day. Little does Mia know that those headaches are more than just stress. She and Leah are more connected than they originally thought. 

Books with plot twists are my favorite, especially when you have no clue that it would be a possibility. That shows that the author did a good job. This book specifically does a good job of showing the twins’ perspectives and how they still think of each other and the trauma they deal with.

I’ve reread this book at least eight times now. It gets to me every time. The suspense of reading both points of view as well as reading the drastic differences between the twins’ lives really makes you as the reader dive deep into the story. I highly recommend this to readers who want a little thrill as well as a slight mystery. 

Books have been around for thousands of years. They take readers to places that are only imagined and created by other human minds. It is fascinating to me that people’s brains are able to create complete opposite realities just by using words on a page. Books might not seem like much when you first look at them, but those little words printed on a page have the ability to change people’s lives, as they have mine.

From Live and Local to True Trailblazer, Utah Tech University is filled with a variety of traditions that unite students of different generations through shared experiences that ultimately enrich college.

Additionally, traditions are a great way for students to have a break from the crazy schedule of classes and work to instead find joy in activities among peers. As a senior at Utah Tech, these are my favorite traditions that have made my college journey worthwhile.

Live and Local

Live music, local vendors and great company are some key features of Live and Local. Every semester, the Utah Tech Student Association hosts this event to highlight local artists and provide a break for students. Without fail, I have been to every single Live and Local during my time here so far.

During my freshman year, I went to this event for the first time and loved the vibe. I remember sitting on a blanket with my new college friends, enjoying great music with the lights of the clock tower in the background. Instantly, I knew this was an event I would be returning to, and I was at the right college. If you haven’t been able to attend Live and Local so far, this is definitely something you should put in your calendar.

Foam Dance

Ever wondered what it’s like to dance in foam with thousands of other students? Just spend the night at the Foam Dance to have this unique college experience. This dance is a top tradition to make memories with your friends.

Flashing lights, a live DJ and foam covering the dance floor are what make this event so unique. Concert vibes are brought to the stage as the DJ plays crowd favorites, enticing the crowd to scream the lyrics and enjoy the foam raining down. I have attended every Foam Dance of my college career, and each one has been a memorable night spent dancing and laughing with friends.

Homecoming week

Are you ready to show your Trailblazer spirit? Well, students, faculty, alumni and community members unify to celebrate all things Utah Tech during homecoming week. With a carnival at the beginning to ending with a football game, every night offers a different event that can provide some form of entertainment. This week full of events allows students to have a much-needed break from the semester.

My favorite event within homecoming week is the Trailblazer Village tailgate. At this event, free food and swag are offered from a variety of booths. I have enjoyed attending this event to get hyped for the football game afterward.

A special feature of homecoming week is the opportunity it provides to unite current students with past generations. It is very interesting to see where past students are today and meet alumni who helped to shape Utah Tech.

Brooks the Bison statue

The last tradition on my list is the one I am looking forward to the most for when I complete it in May. During the week of Trailblazer Connections, freshmen walk through campus and touch the nose of the bison statue in front of the Holland Centennial Commons and Library. This tradition signifies the beginning of your adventure at Utah Tech.

After four years of studious work, seniors pat the behind of the statue on the way to the stadium for graduation. While this might not seem significant, it is closing a chapter for seniors at Utah Tech. I have mixed emotions about this tradition, mostly because it symbolizes the end of my time in college. Tears of joy and sadness will probably be shed as I touch the behind of the statue come May.

Whether you’re beginning your college experience or starting your last year, traditions are a way to create lasting members that will remain beyond graduation.

Question: Is doing summer sales worth it?

Dear readers,

Sweat dripping down my shirt, knuckles bruised from knocking over 100 doors, and an empty water bottle that ran out an hour into the seven-hour day of my door-to-door summer sales job.

Wait, did I forget to mention that no one wants you on their doorstep and the select few that are brave enough will tell you that? Did I cry? Yes. Quite often. But was it worth it? One hundred percent. 

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to sell solar door-to-door in California with a team of about 20 other summer sales bros. Never in a million years did I think that I would do this as my perspective of summer sales had me thinking it was saturated with empty promises and too much testosterone. Not to mention, knocking on doors in California by myself gave me nightmares. But when my fiancé says he’s going to sell solar in California, trust me, we are all going. 

It was a rocky start as I did not make a single sale in my first week. What I came to learn about summer sales is that it stays consistently rocky. Not many things go your way, and in a matter of seconds, everything can go wrong, and everything did go wrong many, many times. I’d be lying if I were to say that I earned more money than I lost, and I’d be lying even more if I said I didn’t cry almost every single day.

But if all of this is true and if it really was that crazy and difficult, why would I do it again? Here’s why. 

Summer sales taught me more about myself in two months than I’ve learned in my entire 20 years of living.

I learned what it’s like to be rejected 100 times a day. Being told no and having doors slammed in your face for seven hours a day, six days a week is not for the weak. But the thing about rejection is it never really goes away. Might as well get used to it the hard way. Through dealing with rejection every day of the summer, I developed thicker skin and resilience that has shaped my approach to challenges ever since.

I also learned how to be more grateful for my victories. Getting a sale in the sales industry can be hard. Some days, you go the entire day without anything. Other days you get multiple sales that make up for a month full of 9-to-5 work. Success for me was anything but consistent, which taught me to be truly humble and grateful for every win. Those moments of triumph, however rare, became even more meaningful and taught me to stay persistent and positive. 

The biggest blessing of the summer was being brought on to a team that was full of love, support and positivity. Although work took up the majority of my summer, being able to connect with the team on my days off and explore the beautiful sights of California produced some amazing memories that I will never forget. Watching fireworks on the Fourth of July. Seeing the Golden Gate Bridge. Watching grown men take each other down for an electric scooter. And being with my fiancé through it all made the experience even more worth it.

And of course, with a high-stakes job comes some pretty high-stakes rewards. Because I thought summer sales was a joke, I had the goal of only making $1,000. Well, I have far exceeded that goal and am still making money as I write this. And if you get lucky enough to be brought onto a team that makes incentives for those who perform well, you too may leave the summer with an electric scooter, a pair of Jordans and a Dyson Airwrap. 

At the start of the summer, no one could have convinced me that by the end of it all, I was going to love it. No one could have convinced me I would be good at it. No one, and I mean no one, could have convinced me that I would be able to knock on 100 doors and confidently pitch to random strangers, selling them $20,000 systems. But by the end of it all, I had become one of the top sellers on my team, proving to myself that perseverance, grit and confidence could turn even the toughest challenges into remarkable achievements.

So if you are going to take anything from this story, take this. Is summer sales insanely hard? Absolutely. But, is it worth it? Without a doubt. Not only did I leave this summer with the most horrendous tan lines, but I also left it with fuller pockets, richer memories and sharper skills. The challenges were real, but so were the rewards. And those, my friend, are worth every ounce of sweat, sunburn and sacrifice.

Sincerely, 

Angel Wood

If you are seeking advice on something, message me on Instagram at @angel.utahtech.

People are consumed by celebrities. Their names are thrown on billboards and scattered within commercials. Hardly anyone doesn’t know the names “Taylor Swift” or “Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.” They are so ingrained in our lives.

However, this has proved to be an issue. People have put celebrities on pedestals. They have become idols and obsessions with followings almost like cults.

For instance, Taylor Swift.

Swift has been very successful in the music industry and has touched many people with her lyrics. This has led to a huge fanbase that calls themselves “Swifties.”

To Swifties, Swift can do no wrong. There has even been Taylor Swift themed worship services, taking celebrity worship to a whole new level. She has gone through controversy in recent years, but they will not allow that she could be the problem.

For instance, Swift has the highest gas emissions out of any celebrity worldwide. This is a major problem, and one that cannot be overlooked, especially for someone who has previously supported global change publicly.

Reporter Chris Panella wrote an article lightly criticizing the Era’s Tour. The article got severe backlash from Swifties, including death threats and slurs sent to his inbox. The original article did not deserve the response it got. This highlights the danger of celebrity worship, causing people to defend their idols at all costs.

Kylie Jenner also showed us the issue with celebrity worship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this pandemic, we were all under strict lockdown rules. Many celebrities, encouraged by healthcare workers, posted on their social media asking people to listen to these rules. Jenner was among them.

She urged people to stay home and told them that nobody was immune to the virus. Unfortunately, she decided she was. She visited her friend during quarantine, defying the guidelines she previously supported.

Other celebrities such as Tom Brady, Josh Brolin and Madonna also decided they were above COVID rules.

This told people that they did not need to follow the rules. The celebrities weren’t, so why should they? These celebrities are now negative role models, encouraging people to ignore the safety guidelines.

Justin Bieber is another example. He has always had a big fanbase. They call themselves “Beliebers.”

Bieber has had his fair share of scandal. He has had drug and DUI charges. He also has been accused of many accounts of assault and violence. He has posted extremely offensive racist comments and an insensitive comment about Anne Frank.

His fans have supported him throughout all of this scandal, brushing it off because his music touched them. And since his music is so good, he must be.

While he has reinvented his image in recent years, it does not change the fact that he is not a person to be idolizing. If we can excuse that behavior in him because he’s famous, what does that mean for everyone else?

Another danger of celebrity idols is comparison.

Many people are insecure and a large part of that is due to social media. We all play the comparison game. She’s got this or he’s got that. We wish we could be more like him or look more like her. This is hard enough without looking at celebrities and their seemingly perfect lives, and most of it is fake. The picture is filtered and edited. The celebrity has had extensive plastic surgery to look the way they do. They show the glamorous and leave out the in between.

All of a sudden, nothing you have is enough. Your life will never be that perfect, so you keep scrolling, scrolling and scrolling living through their posts and stories.

Celebrity worship is wrong. Everyone makes mistakes. Nobody is above doing so, despite the number of followers they have. Putting these people on a pedestal is putting them where they do not belong.

With the school year coming to an end, there have been many events that have occurred over the school year, each one unique and different and full of fun for everyone to enjoy.

Utah Tech University has put on some killer activities this school year that I have loved. Many people attended these events and had a great time. Here’s a look back at my top Utah Tech activities. 

Foam Dance

The Foam Dance took place Aug. 25, 2023, and was a great party for all students to attend. The dance was themed “Barbie” in honor of the new “Barbie” movie that came out. 

This event was put on by the Utah Tech Student Association and was held in the Campus View Suites II parking lot. 

With this dance, people got a live DJ, and tons of foam sprayed all over the venue and themselves. People could be in the mosh pit right at the stage in the heart of the loud music, or, if they weren’t into that, there was plenty of dance room outside of the mosh pit so they could avoid the jumping and dancing.

The DJ had great taste in music, and the pink foam really added to this experience. I enjoyed my time here and would definitely go back for more next year. The event was a highly recommended experience for all students to participate in and enjoy.

Chaos

Chaos was another dance held Oct. 31, 2023. But instead of foam and “Barbie,” this one was all about Halloween. UTSA put on the event and they did not disappoint in their delivery of a good time for everyone. 

During their annual Halloween dance, people got to dress up to their heart’s content and party it out. There were many activities for students to engage in, including tarot card reading, a rage room, carnival games and just enjoying the music and dancing.

I loved every aspect of this activity because not only did I get to dress up, but I also got to enjoy the various carnival games and live DJ performing dance-worthy music. A definite 10/10 rating in my book for this activity.

Kite Festival

The Dixie Power Kite Festival was held April 6 and was a fun-filled day for families, students and children to come and enjoy their time.

The festival was put on by Dixie Power to raise money for literacy to donate to the Washington County School District. Children were able to participate by reading charts and turning them in during the festival to win prizes. 

There was food, live entertainment, various vendors, bounce houses and kite flying. It was a great time for everyone to come and engage with people and get out of the house. 

I loved the family aspect of this event. It wasn’t only tailored to Utah Tech students, but everyone in the community. It had an upbeat and carnival feeling to it, making it fun and inviting for anyone who wanted to participate. 

Live and Local

Live and Local, which was held April 10, allowed students to come to the Encampment Mall to enjoy live bands. They were able to sit out on the grass with blankets and enjoy food and drinks.

The atmosphere was fun and relaxing as students were able to get away from homework for the night and enjoy music and food and spend time with friends as well. 

I included this event because dances or bigger events may not be every student’s thing, so this is perfect for them. A student does not have to be into dancing or being in a huge crowd to attend Live and Local. It’s an event someone can attend alone or with friends and just sit and listen to music. 

I did not have to party or dance or be incredibly social. I was able to sit in the grass on a blanket and watch live bands perform for free. It was a much-needed break from homework. 

D-Week Carnival

D-Week is an annual week filled with various traditions, from painting the “D” on the hill to the Great Race and the Carnival.

The Carnival was held April 12 and was open to all community members who could come to play carnival games, jump in bounce houses, win prizes from games and enjoy food and drinks. 

This was a great day for children, families and students as it had something for everyone.

It was a great event because of the various carnival games students and community members could play and win prizes throughout the day. This enhanced the experience for me.

These events allowed the community and students to enjoy a day filled with fun. I look forward to the fall 2024 – spring 2025 event schedule. USTA should continue to have these events because they increase the fun college experience and allow community members to join in on the fun.

All throughout high school and even into college, I’ve always been drawn to watching my favorite childhood movies. 

I always go back to these movies because they bring me comfort when I’m stressed and give me happy feelings of nostalgia. It takes my stress away when I remember what life was like when I first watched these films. I had zero worries in the world.

I grew up watching Disney, Nickelodeon and DreamWorks. If I were making a list of my favorite animated movies, I’d have to put “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” “The Road to El Dorado,” “Tarzan” and “The Lion King.” But for this list, I will be ranking my top four favorite Disney movies, consisting of Disney Channel Original Movies and non-animated Disney movies. 

#4 “Lemonade Mouth”

At number four, I have the DCOM Lemonade Mouth, and this movie has the best soundtrack out of all DCOMs. I said what I said, and someone had to say it. 

Lemonade Mouth is a movie about five high schoolers who meet in detention and decide to start a band, called Lemonade Mouth. These students go through challenges like breakups, home struggles and loss of loved pets, all with support from each other.

This DCOM is my number four favorite Disney movie because of its theme of friendship and its fire soundtrack. When “Breakthrough” starts playing at the end of the movie, you can’t help but literally get up and dance. Bridget Mindler’s vocals are out of this world, which we all know from her song “Hurricane.”

The song “Don’t Ya Wish U Were Us” sung by the opposing band in the movie, Mudslide Crush, makes me laugh at how ridiculous it is compared to Lemonade Mouth’s music. The scene cracks me up every time I watch this movie, and it never hesitates to make me smile and have a better day when watching it. 

#3 “Hannah Montana: The Movie”

Miley Cyrus was my idol growing up, starting with the TV series “Hannah Montana.” It was my go-to show, and I even remember having a Hannah Montana duffle bag for traveling and a Nintendo DS game I’d play.

This movie is about Miley figuring out how to balance her life as a superstar, friend and daughter. Balance is something we all eventually learn in our lives.

“Hannah Montana: The Movie” gets my number three spot rating because of the guest appearances by Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift, once again having a fire soundtrack and the handsome cowboy as the main love interest for Miley. I genuinely wanted to marry the character Travis and probably still would, given the opportunity. 

Taylor Swift delivers my all-time favorite song of hers called “Crazier,” and Rascal Flatts acoustically singing “Bless the Broken Road” makes me so emotional that I cry every time. “The Climb” never ceases to shatter my worries and remind me that “life’s a climb, but the view is great.” 

Who could forget the “Hoedown Throwdown” scene? To this day, I can still do the dance exactly how Miley does in the movie, and “Butterfly Fly Away” brings me to tears every time. Seeing Miley and her dad sing together brings me an incredible amount of joy. I was obsessed with this movie when I was little and still am to this day.

#2 “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

Theatrically released, HSM 3 is the best movie out of the three-part franchise. It is my second favorite non-animated Disney movie because it has the best songs out of all the High School Musical movies with songs like “Just Wanna Be With You,” “A Night to Remember” and “The Boys Are Back.”

This movie follows the group during their senior year of high school and their struggles of moving on while also living in the moment. Throughout the entire movie, I’m rooting for Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez to sing in the spring musical. Sharpay starts off the spring musical singing “Just Wanna Be With You” while Troy and Gabriella make it in time to perform this very song. Besides the ending of the movie, this is my favorite scene.

The fact that this was filmed in Salt Lake City 40 minutes away from my hometown makes me rethink my decision to be a little kid and to not be on set with the actors. I was so obsessed with Sharpay that when I was little, I had a little kid version of her graduation dress in this movie, and let me tell you, Zac Efron was my first-ever celebrity crush. He is my day one and will always be my number one. 

Props to director Kenny Ortega for creating this masterpiece because it is cinema at its peak. Ortega should be the president of Disney for his great mind. 

The nostalgia that comes from watching this makes me emotional to think about the time I graduated high school, and it makes me look forward to graduating college with my friends. As Troy Bolton said in his graduation speech, “Once a wildcat, always a wildcat.” I believe that “Once a Trailblazer, always a Trailblazer.” 

#1 “The Parent Trap”

With HSM 3 almost tying with “The Parent Trap,” I have to choose “The Parent Trap” as my all-time favorite Disney movie to ever exist. This movie is too good to be true. 

It is about twin girls who meet at a summer camp and find out they are twins. They switch places with each other to meet the parent they’ve never met. Ultimately, the twins’ parents get remarried again.

The casting of little Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quiad and Natasha Richardson creates a family dynamic that reminds me of how much I love my relationship with my own parents. Similarly to the movie, my parents knew each other when they were younger and then later in life ended up marrying each other. 

Natasha Richardson plays the beautiful and graceful Elizabeth James, the mother of the twins. The scene when one of the twins, Hallie, meets her mom for the first time since she was younger lives rent-free in my mind. It is my Roman Empire. I think about Elizabeth and Hallie hugging each other every single day because Elizabeth James reminds me of my mom and how graceful she is. 

I watched “The Parent Trap” every day for a year straight on a VHS in my room when I was around five years old. I was absolutely obsessed then and never ceased to be amazed by how beautiful this film is now. It sends a message of hope, which we all need a reminder of every once in a while. The message of love between not only spouses but also parents and children brings me immense joy. 

If you didn’t grow up watching these iconic films, go watch them right now. If you did watch them, do yourself a favor and take a trip down the nostalgia road. 

Southern Utah University went on lockdown last Thursday due to an active shooter threat. SUU was in lockdown for three hours, which got me thinking about safety on our campus.

There are many current safety procedures in place to keep our campus safe, but these procedures need to be updated often, and many students don’t know where to find them.

While our campus has not had any recent threats, I still worry that something may happen on campus. I also fear a situation where I wouldn’t know what to do if something did happen.

SUU’s lockdown scared a lot of students, including myself. The whole morning, my Instagram page was covered in posts updating what was happening at SUU.

While I have full trust in our campus police, I feel like there’s still a lot of work to do to keep students safe.

Wes LiCalzi, Utah Tech’s interim chief of police, has been devoted to maintaining a safe campus for students. Recently, they set up a safe place for students to buy and sell things online.

“If you’re meeting someone you aren’t sure of, I want this to be a place where students can come and park or come in the lobby and meet them,” LiCalzi said. “Everyone’s safety is paramount in my mind.”

This is a really big step to ensure students stay safe, and I hope more things like this keep coming.

The meeting spot was initially set up so that students wouldn’t have to give somebody their address if they bought something from Facebook Marketplace or even meet somebody they met online for a date. This way, students can stay near the officers on campus and meet where multiple cameras can record.

Another change that should be made is an active shooter drill. We have an emergency plan for every type of emergency, including a map; however, the map is really hard to read and needs an update.

The one place that I don’t necessarily feel safe, however, is in the Holland building. It’s not because it’s an unsafe building, but because every room is made of glass. I constantly wonder what would happen if we were in a lockdown.

Recently, high schools around St. George have had quite a few active shooter threats similar to SUU’s.

Snow Canyon High School had quite a few active shooter threats during the fall semester, and a student was arrested recently for calling in the hoaxes.

Hurricane High School had an active shooter threat April 1 serious enough that multiple police departments responded, including UTPD. It seems like these threats have become a trend in our community, making me fear that our school could be next.

Because of these threats, LiCalzi said he hopes to create more safety drills for students in the event of an active shooter.

I feel safe on campus knowing that the police department is dedicated to our safety and is constantly changing and learning new ways to stay safe.

Staying vigilant and prepared for an emergency can keep students safe. LiCalzi said even small incidents should be reported because you never know if it’s related to a bigger issue.

Another way to keep campus safe is through communication. Currently, the only way to contact UTPD officers is through dispatch, and many students don’t feel comfortable with that.

”I want people to feel like this is a home, not a castle,” LiCalzi said. “If they feel like something is weird, even if there isn’t necessarily a reason or if they just need somebody to walk them to their car, I want them to feel like they can call us.”

LiCalzi said he is currently working on a messaging service that may connect to the myUT app. He also hopes that this could be a way for students to easily message and get an officer to them faster in non-emergencies.

This is a great addition to safety on campus. It could allow students to feel more comfortable reaching out to the police, and having it right on our phones would make it much easier to stay safe.

The current changes to campus safety are a safe meeting place and a messaging service. LiCalzi said he has more ideas in the works, and I’m really curious to see what those will be.

With these changes, students including myself, could feel a little safer on campus knowing that there are multiple actions in place to prevent lockdowns that schools around us have had.

Aside from these, I do feel safe on campus. I feel confident that the police department will continue to make changes that keep us safe.

As finals approach, we will be graded on our work from the entire semester. It’s time we implement a grading system for our instructors.

We’ve all had teachers who didn’t communicate well or seemed to grade unfairly. What if we could have graded them based on their course, the homework, their attitude or their behavior and how they ran their class?

As students at Utah Tech University, we already have some power to grade the courses in a basic way, with the annual course feedback that is sent toward the end of the semester. But this does not allow us to really grade our teacher. We can rate their communication and how the course was, but what if we could give our teachers a letter grade and notes on their performance? 

This would be beneficial for instructors and the management of the schools. It would provide first-hand experiences from students that could help teachers better their environment, coursework and overall attitude with the class.

It would also be good for the students. They could use this to expose a teacher who refuses to be fair or communicate with their students. Obviously, there could be students who wouldn’t take it seriously or would grade the instructor poorly out of retaliation for their own bad grade. There is no set way to ensure students won’t do this, but if guidelines are set, it can help the data be more accurate.

But the power to grade teachers would be beneficial for everyone. It wouldn’t be used as a tool for harm or to be used when we don’t like the coursework or the teacher. It would be used for constructive criticism so the course can be better and beneficial for the students.

It would be a great option to not only help students but also the instructors and school to make necessary improvements or changes as needed to a course.

I know if I had the power to grade my teachers, I would use it fairly. I wouldn’t want to make a teacher’s life harder. They already have a hard enough job.

In high school, I had the opportunity to take college courses. In one of the courses, I had an instructor give me a low grade on an assignment because she did not agree with my point of view on an essay.

It was not because I did badly on the assignment, but rather, it was based on my personal viewpoint of the topic that she did not respect. A difference of opinion should not dictate a grade; we all have different views and opinions.

With this experience, I would have loved to be able to grade her and expose the way she graded in a biased way. I would have graded her on content, workload, communication, feedback, bias, attitude in class and overall fairness.

These aren’t the only areas you could grade a teacher on. Grading could also be done on their class environment, content knowledge, student development and more.

Universities and colleges need to incorporate a more intense grading system. The end-of-the-year survey is not sufficient. But, there would need to be guidelines and pre-determined questions to go along with the survey. This would ensure fairness and the quality of the grade.

As college students, we pay for our schooling and classes, so we should be involved in the feedback on the instructors as a whole. Not just a quick survey.

Both students and teachers need to be held accountable for their performance. Having a grading system would be a great checks and balances system for teachers.

Many are skeptical of any third-party candidate because of the age-old mantra that a vote for a third-party candidate is a wasted vote, but that does not have to be the case. 

Nowhere in the constitution, or any other foundational document to this country, does it state that our democracy must only be run through two political parties.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is not only fighting to break that stigma, but he is also fighting an uphill battle to attempt a bid at the White House in this upcoming election. 

Kennedy Jr. is the nephew of the 35th president, John F. Kennedy, and his father, Robert F. Kennedy, was the attorney general for JFK. Many do not know, but both were tragically assassinated.

Running as an independent candidate with no current party affiliation, Kennedy Jr. would have to go through a process that varies by state to get on the ballot of every state. 

Each state has different requirements to get Kennedy Jr. on the ballot. Some require a petition with a certain number of signatures from registered voters, some only require a certain number of signatures and others are far more difficult, like California, which requires a petition with at least 1% of the total number of registered voters in the state.

Kennedy Jr. was able to qualify for the presidential ballot in January; however, the first state he was able to get on the ballot for in November was Utah.

Many have little faith in Kennedy Jr., but if there was ever a time that he could win, it is now. The justification for him not being a viable candidate is because there are only two viable parties, and that is just the way things are.

Why are things that way? Would change not be exciting to see? Would you be wasting a vote on Kennedy if he ended up winning? 

The reason that votes are viewed as being “wasted” on a third-party candidate is because of the chokehold the Democratic and Republican parties have on our political system.

Kennedy Jr. is far more popular than both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, the two presumptive candidates for each respective party for the upcoming election. Favorability polling of candidates in the November election shows Kennedy being the only candidate with an over 50% favorability rating. That happens to be a double-digit lead compared to any other presidential candidate. 

Both Trump and Biden are very polarizing candidates. A lot of people love both, but an equal amount, if not more people, hate both candidates as well. Many “double haters,” do not want to vote for either. 

If there was ever a presidential election where an independent candidate had a chance at winning 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for the next four years, this is definitely the election. 

Winning the presidency is not an easy task, but it will be impossible without getting on the ballot. It almost goes without saying, but Kennedy Jr. cannot win the presidency without being on the ballot across the nation.

Right now, Kennedy Jr. says that he has enough signatures to be on the ballot in only 7 states. Common sense tells us that it is impossible to win the presidency by being on the ballot in less than 15% of states. 

Although Kennedy’s last name is one of fame, politically he made his career as an environmental lawyer and activist. He is currently a centrist politician and is only running for office because he thinks the nation needs someone who is not a career politician: an outsider.

No matter how you swing politically, having more viable candidates can never hurt. Having a candidate running that has similar views to you is important, and with more than two candidates, it is far more realistic to expect that that happen. 

Truly supporting third-party and independent candidates can be a catalyst for change like never before.

Kennedy Jr. may very well not win. He may not even get on the ballot in every state, but all he needs to do is win one state. If Kennedy Jr. is able to find any type of success, then that can cause serious political changes.

Kennedy Jr. winning one state will be the key to unlocking the gridlocked political system that we are currently in because it will prove to everyone that votes outside of the Democratic and Republican parties are not “wasted.”

It’s beyond time that elections are not only fought between two candidates that represent a minority of voices in the country.