April 20, 2017 The Minaret

THE

HEALTH & FITNESS EDITION

FURRY FRIENDS: Get to know more about emotional support animals on campus

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Missing your vitamins?

Proper nutrients are vital for college students

p. 11

PIZZA DIET: What happens when you eat only pizza for a full week?

p. 14

MINARET ISSUE 83.23 | HEALTH & FITNESS EDITION | APRIL 2017

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CROSSFIT CRAZE ZUMBA INSTRUCTOR BOUNCES BACK 5 GYM-FREE WORKOUTS TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER LIFE

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UNUSUAL FITNESS CLASSES

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LET’S HANG: DISCOVERING AERIAL SILKS

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STAY GREEN, UT

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CONTENTS

DRINK UP, IT’S GOOD FOR YOU

08 17 21

ADVENTURING THROUGH FL

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FREE FALL INTO THE DEEP

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EATING HEALTHY WITH A MEAL PLAN DANGEROUS DIETING SAND VOLLEYBALL DEBUTES AT UT FROM CHEETOS TO CHIN-UPS

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MINAFAM 2016-17 Editorial Staff

Tess Sheets Editor-in-Chief

Bianca Lopez Managing Editor

Arden Igleheart News Editor

Liz MacLean News Editor

A&E/Multimedia Editor

Regina Gonzalez

Ivy Velazquez A&E Editor

Carissa Economos Opinion Editor

Andrew Foerch Opinion Editor

John Feltman Sports Editor

Katelyn Massarelli Head Copy Editor

Julia Albini Photo Editor

David Wheeler Faculty Adviser

ADVERTISING

Ryan Echevarria WRITERS

Indira Moosai Madhura Nadarajah Alexandra Tirado Cassi Manner Catherine Roddy Jenna Manto Kimberly Conroy Brooke Nakaerts Camryn Beaumont Jessica Cavelier Veronica Sansur SPECIAL THANKS John Capouya Greg LeSar

Killin’ it at crossfit At 6 a.m. on most weekday mornings, Izzy Donabed, a junior human performance major, can be found hunched in the front of a crew boat, steering the vessel and yelling into her microphone to pick up the pace. At 5-foot2-inches, most would think this is where she belongs. However, Donabed has shown that size won’t stop her from anything.

dangle from the ceiling and people stare with intense concentration at the myriad of barbells throughout the room.

After crew practice, Donabed makes her way to CrossFit 813, where she’ll train alongside other muscular college students and young people. During a workout full of handstand push ups, rope climbs, double-unders and other high-intensity exercises, it’s not uncommon for her to burn up to 700 calories.

Donabed works out four or five times a week during the school year and every day during the summer.

CrossFit was founded in 2000 by Greg Glassman and began very small, with only 13 CrossFit-affiliated gyms in 2005. Today, there are over 13,000 CrossFit affiliates around the world.

CrossFit 813, like many CrossFit gyms, is housed in what looks like a mashup between a warehouse and a gymnastics center. The walls are made of cinderblock and the edges of the main room are lined with weights and machines of all shapes and sizes. Ropes THE MINARET | PAGE 4

“It’s basically a warehouse; it’s got the big garage doors, and there are a ton of members,” Donabed said. “They have like seven classes a day, and they’re usually pretty full classes.”

Glassman, the current CEO of CrossFit, defines fitness as “increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains,” according to the CrossFit website. A CrossFit workout needs to be constantly changed so that the body doesn’t grow accustomed to the same movements, according to Glassman.

Exercises are performed at high intensities and are based on everyday functional movements.

CrossFit combines skills from gymnastics,

By Liz MacLean rowing, weightlifting, running and other fitness activities. By combining these different functional movements with increased intensity (more reps or higher weights during a certain amount of time), individuals can greatly increase their levels of fitness.

“It’s high-intensity for a short amount of time. There are so many different movements and there are some workouts that don’t even have a barbell,” Donabed said. “There’s a lot of kettlebell swings and pushups–stuff you would do at the gym normally, but more in a competitive setting. You really feel like part of a team when you do it, even though it’s an individual thing.”

Some movements found in CrossFit workouts are muscle-ups, which use the men’s gymnastics rings; kipping, which is using one’s hips to gain momentum before a pull-up; and wall ball, which is performed by squatting with a medicine ball, throwing the ball to hit a target on the wall, catching the ball, and repeating the movement. There’s also the rope climb, which isn’t as common in workouts,

but one that Donabed enjoys.

Although she doesn’t have time for many CrossFit competitions during the school year, Donabed does take part in the CrossFit Open, a five-week challenge during which a new workout is released every Thursday night. CrossFit athletes can perform these workouts and see how they rank against other competitors.

“At the end, you can see where you stack up against people in your age group, or people in your state, or worldwide,” Donabed said.

Over 324,000 participants from 175 countries competed in the CrossFit Open in 2016.

During the summer, Donabed will compete in one or two competitions near her home in Massachusetts. CrossFit athletes don’t know the competition workouts until a few weeks beforehand, so Donabed says it’s important for her to practice moves and exercises that she isn’t particularly good at in order to prepare.

“You don’t really lift as heavy during competition season, you just work on staying consistent, and then after you can start progressing and go back to doing crazy things,” Donabed said. “It’s fun; it’s how you meet people. You can really test yourself.”

While Donabed usually doesn’t physically row on the team (the coxswain’s job is to give directions to the rowers and steer the boat), she says that CrossFit workouts have definitely improved her rowing abilities.

“Rowing is mostly legs, so definitely squatting and deadlift will grow your leg muscles for rowing,” Donabed said. “Also, there is rowing in CrossFit. A lot of workouts having rowing for calories or rowing for distance.”

Despite being on the shorter side, Donabed has shown that anyone can thrive in an athletic setting. While some CrossFit moves, such as rope climbs, are more suited for taller people, there are other exercises that shorter

people excel at, such as wall balls.

Along with the misconception that only tall or big people can do CrossFit, some people also have the misconception that the sport is dangerous, Donabed said.

“A lot of people think it’s dangerous -- my parents definitely thought that,” Donabed said.

“But if you have a good coach, they’ll stop you the second they see you doing something wrong. And your body will tell you, too, ‘Oh, that didn’t feel right; I need to fix my technique.’”

After practicing CrossFit for over four years, Donabed says that the sport has helped her make new friends and become more mentally and physically strong.

“CrossFit makes you more confident, more patient, makes you conquer fears and be more open. You get as tough mentally as you do physically.”

Emotional Support Animals: They’re Fur Real

By Arden Igleheart

While campus residents live in close quarters, these students might not be aware that they could have a dog, a cat, a guinea pig, or even a hedgehog as a neighbor. Emotional support animals (ESA) have become more common at UT and there are currently no service animals that are technically off-limits, according to Elizabeth Schoepp, associate director of academic excellence programs.

An ESA is different from a service animal, which performs a specific task for a student. An emotional support animal assists with a disability, but does not perform a task. Therefore the animal would not be considered a service animal under the Americans

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with Disabilities Act, according to UT’s policy on emotional support and service animals. College dorms became required by law to accommodate emotional support animals after a 2013 court ruling that dictated that university-owned student residences are subject to the Fair Housing Act, according to Schoepp.

Kaeli, a freshman international business major who didn’t want her last name included, has a kitten as an ESA. A friend found her kitten a couple months ago as a stray near Sykes Chapel. After living in the student’s room unknown to RAs for a few days, Kaeli decided to take in

the kitten, who she named Ella, and register her with the administration as a ESA. Ella helps Kaeli with her anxiety, which got worse after she moved here from the northeast.

“Having to take care of her gives me something to do,” Kaeli said. “If I’m not doing well in some classes and I’m like, “What’s the point of being here?”

I still have her, got to take care of her, got to feed her.”

Stephen Sferazza, a junior accounting major, was recommended to get an ESA by his physician for depression.

Sferazza got a cat at the beginning of the school year, which lives with him in Brevard.

“It’s a constant source of having someone you’re familiar with close to you. At least for me in particular, my depression is the worst when it’s just alone time,” Sferazza said. “You have a constant source of love and affection, and you have another person, it feels like, with you in the room, even though it’s a cat.”

To obtain approval to bring an ESA on campus, a student must receive a note from a physician documenting a disability and explaining how this animal will assist them. The only reason she has denied a request in the past, Schoepp said, is because a student didn’t have the proper documentation.

After approving the request, Disability Services notifies Residence Life.

If the student has roommates, the roommates must sign an acknowledgment that the animal will be present, according to Schoepp.

“If anyone doesn’t want to live with an animal, we work with Residence Life to try to get that resolved,” Schoepp said. “Whether that means someone has to move, or there’s just an agreement put in place with the roommates.”

Charlotte Navarro, a senior biology THE MINARET | PAGE 10

major, lives in Palm Apartmentswith Natalia Bernstain-Mayol, a sophomore psychology major who has a dog named Cleo. Navarro was ecstatic when she found out Bernstain-Mayol was bringing a dog. Navarro said there are definitely some drawbacks of living with a dog, like when Cleo barks at night. However, Navarro said it’s worth it because Cleo is affectionate towards her.

“Sometimes, if I’m having a really stressful day, like I just got out of a really hard exam, she makes it better,” Navarro said.

Disability Services has a couple rules for how other students should act around ESA and service animals.

Students must not pet the animals without asking, and they must not ask about a student’s disability. While Schoepp said that most students don’t know that these are official rules, all of the students interviewed said that students obey them as social rules. Bernstain-Mayol said students generally assume her dog is an ESA. “Most people are very respectful,” Bernstain-Mayol said. “You can’t really ask what people have, but you respect that someone has something and they have the animal for a reason.”

Sferazza agreed that most students are respectful, but said that they often do not understand the seriousness of emotional support animals. Many students, he said, will see ESA on campus and want to bring their pet on campus, but don’t understand that these animals serve a different purpose for those with disabilities.

“It could be that it gets that person out of bed every day,” Sferazza said.

“It could be that that person has had sexual abuse and overwhelming anxiety - that could be what calms them rather than having to take a Xanax. It’s a form of treatment; it’s not necessarily just a pet.”

While most ESAs at UT are cats or dogs, according to Schoepp, Jeremy Hosee, a freshman international business major, has a hedgehog named Rosie as an ESA. He got it because he likes exotic animals and thought a cat would be too much work. Petting his hedgehog does make him happier, but he said hedgehogs can’t be affectionate towards humans so they aren’t as effective for emotional support as are dogs or cats.

“If anything,” Hosee said, “don’t get a hedgehog.”

Zumba instructor bounces back from car crash By jenna manto

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Two bulging disks and a curve in her neck.

That was the official diagnosis from her chiropractor after a car crash on Jan. 30.

Sarah Borges, a junior secondary education major, also doubles as a Zumba instructor in the school’s new fitness center. She was teaching Zumba classes every Monday and Wednesday at 6 p.m. until she got in a serious car accident that stopped her from pursuing her passion for about a month.

When Borges got into the car accident, she was initially told to stop doing Zumba for two weeks, but upon her return she taught one class and she knew she wasn’t ready.

After that, she was told by her chiropractor to stop for another three weeks.

During the three weeks Borges was unable to teach Zumba, she was able to do light exercise on the elliptical and some calisthenics. She also focused on eating right, as she could not complete her usual intense Zumba workouts.

Borges is no stranger to life-altering injuries, although her past serious injury occurred in high school and she hurt her ACLs instead of her neck.

recovering, she would also often have nerve tests and MRIs. “I told the chiropractor ‘I’m having withdrawals. I can’t do Zumba.’ He was like ‘No, you just have to relax a little bit.’ It was my bad when I told him how I dance, I flip my head around a lot, so he was like ‘Now I don’t trust you with anything you do,’” Borges saidjoked.

has only been to Borges’s class a couple times but really enjoys Borges’s style of dance-focused Zumba versus the other Zumba classes taught throughout the week by other instructors at the gym.

“It’s faster and I feel like you work out more. I like the music because it’s fast and it’s intense and you just move all the time,” Safro said.

Currently, Borges holds a Zumba Instructor Membership (ZIM) to have access to Zumba’s official music and choreography, although she said she usually makes up her own choreography.

She finally came back to teaching classes at the fitness center on Feb. 27 after the three weeks off and was able to get back into her hour long classes filled with international rhythms, including hispanic music.

“I’m a little more hardcore, but I disguise it better,” Borges said. “I try to do it as fun as possible. Even if there’s a squat song I’ll spice it up to where people don’t really know they’re working on it, so it’s like fitness in disguise almost.”

“It was fun. I had a good time. Afterward I felt great. I felt fine. I felt rejuvenated. I finally got my Zumba fix back,” Borges said.

Although the calories burned per class depends on an individual’s fitness level, Borges said that her mom, who also teaches Zumba, once burned up to 800 calories in a class.

“To me it means a lot more. In high school I tore both my ACLs. It takes a year to recover so the first year I gained a little weight,” Borges said. “The second year I was really down, I couldn’t play softball again, I got really big, I gained about 30 pounds. I was kind of discouraged. I got teased. Kids would hit my crutches.”

Audrey Hoffman, a senior allied health major, has been doing Zumba for about five years and has attended two of Borges’s classes.

After her most recent injury, physical therapy sessions became a part of her new routine, which she attended three times a week for about two hours. While

One thing students enjoy about her classes is her unique Zumba style.

“It’s definitely a good workout. It’s better than just running on the treadmill,” Hoffman said.

Liza Safro, a sophomore marketing major,

5 GYM-FREE EXERCISES FOR BUSY STUDENTS

By Camryn Beaumont

1 Burpees

We’ve all heard them and we’ve all made them: exercise excuses. Students, who make up the majority of the UT community, are busy with class, work, extracurriculars and internships. We get it. Broke college students can’t afford gym memberships, personal trainers or workout equipment and gear. The excuses are endless, but there are many ways to overcome these obstacles and get your workout in whether you’re in the midst of a financial crisis or finals week.

Serista Budhram, senior international business and finance major and Athletics and Fitness Association of America certified personal trainer and spinning/functional fitness instructor, is here to help. Student coordinator for the Office of Campus Recreation, Budhram is an “overly-involved” member of the fitness community at UT, according to her. She spends over 20 hours a week at the Fitness and Recreation Center overseeing all staff, personal trainers and group exercise instructors, all while talking on fitness classes and clients.

Steps: Straighten your body to a full 180 degree angle and jump Squat down Extend your body into a full 180 degree angle and do a push-up Push yourself up into a standing position using your thighs and forearms Time: 10 reps, 30 seconds each Body Part Exercised: full-body exercise

2 Mountain Climbers

Steps: Lower yourself into a push-up position Use your upper-arm to hold yourself up As fast as you can, alternate bringing your legs up to your chest as if you’re climbing a mountain Time: 10 reps, 45 seconds on and 20 seconds off Body Part Exercised: core stability, arms

3 Sprints

“I have experienced it all–weight gain, weight loss and then bulking to shredding,” said Budhram, “And I’ve learned to discover what works for each person individually; now I want to share my discoveries.”

On a lifelong journey with personal fitness, Budhram has found success in exercise and wants to share that with the UT community. As a student who works, she has found the right regimen to fit into a busy schedule that doesn’t require much involvement otherwise; all you need is an able body.

Whether you’re neck deep in midterms or cruising through spring break, these exercises are quick, easy and for people of all fitness levels. If you can make the time for these exercises, our campus will handle the rest. The bleachers, track and field in Pepin Stadium, the lacrosse field, Plant Park, the volleyball courts, Vaughn courtyard and down by the boathouse are just a couple of the many open spaces on campus perfect for these low commitment exercises. So quit the excuses, and get started. Stop by the Fitness and Recreation Center any time during the week to speak with Serista Budhram about your fitness goals or with any questions you may have.

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Steps: Find a hard surface and measure out a 40 yard sprint Sprint Time: 10 reps, 40 yards Body Part Exercised: full-body cardio

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Frog Jumps

Steps: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart Lower yourself into a squatting position Use your upper legs to hoist yourself up in a jumping position Lift your legs up to your chest mid-jump Time: 10 reps, 30 seconds each Body Part Exercised: legs, quads

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Squat Jumps

Steps: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart Lower yourself into a squatting position Use your upper legs to hoist yourself into a jumping position Extend your arms and legs to a straight up position and reach for the sky Time: 10 reps, 45 seconds each Body Part Exercised: legs, quads

Vital Vitamins not visible in Diets

By Liz maclean

Going on a college meal plan can be akin to a pirate going out to sea: the food is minimal, kitchens are scarce, and scurvy is a strong possibility. Okay, this may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the lack of essential vitamins and nutrients among college students can be a real problem.

sleep and Salsa Rico burritos, their immune systems may not be of the highest caliber.

This is why it’s crucial for students to make sure they get the vitamins and nutrients their bodies need in order to do well on exams, accomplish career goals, and thrive during their time at college.

“College students who eat a varied diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy will get most of the essential nutrients. However, if students miss certain food groups, or eat a lot of processed foods, they are probably not getting enough vitamins and minerals for health,” said Melissa Morris, assistant professor of health science and human performance.

“All the vitamins and minerals are important for health, but some are vital for college students,” Morris said. “Vitamin D and calcium are two [of them]. Other important vitamins and minerals for college students includes vitamin C and iron.”

At home, many students have a wide range of food possibilities: farmers markets every weekend, parents who keep the fridge stocked, and their own cars to take them to restaurants. Once they get to school, however, many students live on campus and have meal plans or are operating on a low budget and have to prioritize their grocery lists.

“As a student at UT, I spend hardly any money on groceries, probably less than $50 a semester, because my meal plan gives me everything I need,” said Jodi Hansen, a junior marketing major.

Between stressing over exams, committing to events with social groups and campus organizations, and applying for summer jobs and internships, students may not have a healthy diet on their mind 24/7.

And because they’re operating on minimal

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Here are four vitamins and minerals that will keep you performing to the highest caliber at school (because we all know the melon from the cafe and iceberg lettuce from Pandini’s isn’t going to cut it): Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system and a lack of it can lead to fatigue. It also helps repair and grow the tissues in your body, which is especially important for avid gym-goers.

Not only does vitamin C keep your bones strong, it also acts as an antioxidant, which can reduce the aging process and stop the development of illnesses like arthritis and cancer.

“College students seem to get sick often and are often tired,” Morris said. “Vitamin C plays a role in immunity and iron is needed for the body for circulate oxygen throughout, which having low iron can cause fatigue and tiredness.”

If you’re looking for some foods with high amounts of vitamin C, try blackberries,

brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, cauliflower, lemon, onion, raspberries, tangerines, sweet potato, tomato or watermelon.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D can help regulate the immune system, which comes in handy when you’re an exhausted college student exposed to hundreds of germs in class every day.

“College students are in their peak bone building years, so getting enough calcium and vitamin D is vital in your late teens and twenties,” Morris said. “There is some research linking [a lack of] vitamin D to depression, osteoporosis, cancer, type 2 diabetes, immunity, muscle strength, and autoimmune disorders.”

The body can create vitamin D, but only after being exposed to sunlight -- so take your laptop outside and study in Plant Park for a bit during the day to increase the amount of vitamin D in your body.

“Generally speaking, about 15 minutes of sunlight (without sunscreen) on any part of our skin just a few times a week gives us the vitamin D we need here in Florida,” Morris said.

If you’re at home during the winter and aren’t getting adequate vitamin D from sunlight, you can eat salmon, tuna, cheese, egg yolks and fortified milk, which all have high amounts of vitamin D. Iron: Iron is the most common nutritional deficiency in the U.S, according to WebMD. Iron transports oxygen throughout the body, and without it, many people feel

fatigued and can have trouble with brain function and immune system function.

Iron is also important in maintaining healthy hair, nails, and skin.

also have a lack of B12, which can lead to fatigue and dizziness. Many seafoods, including clams, oysters, mussels, trout and crab, have high amounts of B12.

Vegetarians and vegans often have to make an effort to intake more iron because humans’ bodies don’t absorb iron from plants as well as they absorb iron from animals. Some foods with high amounts of iron include red meat, beans, dried fruit, peas, seafood, poultry, spinach and chickpeas.

While all these foods are a great addition to any diet, sometimes it’s just not possible for college students to consume enough.

Taking vitamin supplements is an easy substitution for anyone looking to increase their vitamin and mineral intake during the school year. Just make sure not to eat them on an empty stomach, as this can sometimes lead to nausea.

Vitamin B: Vitamin B is great for strengthening the immune system and helping your body produce energy, both of which are key for college students.

Vitamin B can be found in bananas, chili peppers, whole grains, beef, yogurt and beans. Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in animals, so vegetarians or vegans might find themselves with a lack of B12. People with digestive issues may

I ate campus PI Z Z A

for a week straight

BY ALEXANDRA TIRADO I never thought I would eat pizza everyday for a week. Not because of any lack of desire to do so, but it just seemed improbable that I could find a good reason to eat pizza for seven straight days, other than “I love pizza and you should, too.” I mean, even if there was a slight fantasy on my mind of that ever happening, I certainly never thought it would be in an effort to be healthier. And yet, here I am, having lived through a week of endless pizza and not missing the 2.2 pounds I lost while at it.

It seemed crazy at first, the idea that eating pizza, a food so adamantly advertised as unhealthy, could actually make me drop weight. It all started when I began researching the different types of unconventional diets people go through in order to lose a little weight. When I stumbled upon “The Pizza Diet,” I thought it was a practical joke. However, upon more research, I found out that people do actually employ this diet plan in order to lose weight. The menu for the diet? Exactly as it sounds: pizza.

Obviously, there are some catches to it. Various bloggers that tried said challenge, including pizza-place owner Matt McCellan and chef Pasquale Cozzolino, advise that you have some protein or vegetables accompanying the pizza, preferably as toppings. Spinach, mushrooms, ham and even pepperoni are among the acceptable choices. Furthermore, they advise that you should not remove the cheese from the pizza. The reasoning behind this is that cheese itself provides a good quantity of protein, so you don’t want to lose that. Some of the sites recommended at least 30 minutes of exercise every other day.

Here is a day-by-day catalog of my experience on “The Pizza Diet.”

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Day 1: Joy! I am thrilled to begin the challenge. I decided to ease into the pizza today, so I had an oatmeal for breakfast and prepared for the day. I went to the cafeteria that day and stuffed my face with vegetable pizza (for research purposes, of course).

At the end of the meal (three slices), I felt uncomfortably full, but pleased. I headed to the gym for 30 minutes of cardio, which made me feel great. I refrained from eating until dinner, when I decided to have one of the veggie slices I took with me from the caf. Even reheated, it tasted pretty good.

Day 2: Mild Joy! I woke up incredibly hungry for some reason. In a weird way, it felt like I’d eaten next to nothing the day before. I decided to give breakfast pizza a try. At this point, the fact that I didn’t have to feel bad about having junk food for breakfast was quite refreshing. As the day moved along, I started to feel a little bloated. However, at the end of the day and after six total slices of pizza, I managed to ignore my symptoms.

Day 3: Crash.

My body still looked (and felt) pretty much the same today.

Other than some mild bloating, I felt quite normal, but my mood had changed. I woke up with a lot less energy and felt less enthusiastic about being active. The idea of going to the gym didn’t even cross my mind this time. A little repulsed by my pizza-binge, I decided to try to take some grease out of my pizza with some napkins. This actually made me sicker. I decided to skip dinner after the napkin disaster, leaving me just with four slices of pizza in my stomach for the day.

Day 4: My face is a crater.

I. Hate. Pizza. I woke up with a huge zit on my face, which, after seeing all those greasy napkins, I couldn’t say was surprising. Since I had been eating cafeteria pizza the first few days, I decide to try Pandini’s for a change. It was actually quite good, and although it still felt a little greasy, it was warmer and crunchier than the caf ’s.

By Daina Stanley

Day 5: Nope.

After having a cold leftover slice of pizza, I decided that I wasn’t going to deal with it today. At lunch, I ate a welldeserved Rotisserie chicken and some steamed vegetables and

my body loved me for it. However, my mood didn’t improve and my energy levels remained quite low. However, my stomach appreciated the warm food. I ended the day with a chicken noodle soup.

Day 6: Almost there I never thought I would have so much trouble doing a diet of one of my favorite foods. Yet, there I was day six, despising anything traditionally served in a triangular shape. I decided to go through my day solemnly. I woke up late, so I had no time for breakfast anyway; I decided to eat at Pandini’s since it worked well the last time. At night, I resorted to another chicken noodle soup to alleviate the bloating.

Day 7: Freedom! And sadness Strangely, I woke up feeling great. The chicken noodle soup helped a lot, and my energy levels seemed OK. Even now, I still have a nostalgic feeling about this day. As lunch approached, I decided to try caf pizza one last time and, after mopping up the grease it with countless napkins, it actually tasted awesome. Way better than I remember it. I also discovered these triangle–shaped cheese breads in the salad section and decided they looked enough like a pizza for them to count. After my carb-filled lunch, I resolved to go to the gym. The cardio session left me feeling exhausted–but in a good way. When I came back, some of my friends had ordered pizza and offered me some. It felt like the perfect ending to an all-pizza week.

Conclusion: The day after I finished the challenge, I felt simultaneously great and awful–great because I was eating one of my favorite foods and awful because of the physical discomfort it caused me. My pants were loose but my stomach kept making noises and feeling strained. I now realize that it might have had to do with the fact that, toward the middle of the challenge, I was barely eating anything at all. Although I love pizza and will probably still love it after a few days of separation, I don’t think the emotional and overall physical uneasiness is worth it. Moreover, it is not a nutritional diet. A diet is supposed to make you feel great, and sadly, this was not the case.

However, I will still indulge on my occasional cheat day with some delicious pizza Just, probably not the caf ’s.

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The University of Tampa Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry

What is OURI?

Major Touchpoints of OURI

1

2 3

OffICe Of UndeRgRadUaTe ReseaRCh and InqUIRy Opened summer 2016 Created out of UT’s qeP Inquiry-based experiential education

1

Tier 1: first-year experience

2

Tier 2: Major/Course specific Inquiry

3

Tier 3: Culminating experiences and Internships

Learning by doing

Contact: Jeffrey s. skowronek, Ph.d.

Associate Professor, Psychology Director, Undergraduate Research and Inquiry

(813) 257-3350 | OURI@ut.edu www.ut.edu/inquiry #UTInquiry THE MINARET | PAGE 4

Sustainability ON Campus

By Katelyn Massarelli

are re prop susta adm seen rathe

When you accidently forget to recycle that one plastic water bottle, you feel like one of the biggest monsters in the world.

Maybe the feeling comes when you walk into your dorm and realize you left all the lights on while you were at class. It comes every time and with it you think for a moment that you’re finally going fix the habit, so you can stop feeling so bad in your environmental science class, but it fades almost as quickly as it comes.

March 24 marked the beginning of the 30 Day Sustainability Challenge that has given students the chance to get involved in making UT’s environment healthier. All month long, Sustainable UT’s Facebook page has been posting challenges every day for students to make small changes in their life or take time out of their day to make UT a little greener.

The challenge was designed to bring awareness of sustainability on campus, according to assistant professor physics Simon Schuler. Schuler also serves as chairperson of the faculty sustainability committee at UT, which brought the 30 Day Sustainability Challenge to life alongside Live Well UT. “The faculty sustainability committee has worked hard the past two years to increase activities on campus and exposure to students of what the university is doing,” Schuler said. “The 30 day challenge was a THE MINARET | PAGE 18

way we thought would motivate people.”

Students can see the challenges posted for the day on the Facebook page and can take a picture documenting their participation in that challenge to increase their odds of winning prizes. Prizes will be given away at the Earth Day Gala hosted by Roots & Shoots, an organization under Live Well UT to increase sustainability within the Tampa community. The Earth Day Gala will be on Earth Day, April 22.

Senior marine science and biology major Alana Boyles is the founder and president for Roots & Shoots and works as the student liaison for the faculty sustainability committee. Her involvement in UT’s sustainability efforts including the 30 Day Sustainability Challenge stems from UT’s lack of awareness.

“Sustainability is important to ensure we have a healthy future on this Earth,” Boyles said. “We’re only given one and we need to cherish her. I’m involved in sustainability on campus because frankly, it hardly exists. I’ve tried to increase sustainability and students’ access to it for the past four years.”

Her efforts, along with other sustainability organizations and the faculty sustainability committee, are mostly done behind the scenes and not seen by most students, according to Boyles. To make the sustainability already present on

campus more noticeable to students, the 30 Day Sustainability Challenge offers the chance to get to know different initiatives of the various organizations dedicated to improving environmental health.

The challenge offers tasks related to different sustainability organizations under Live Well UT, such as Environmental Protection Coalition (EPC) which will host a river cleanup. The challenge also dedicates every Friday to food recovery, something the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) has been dedicated to all year.

SEAC has devoted this year to decreasing the amount of food that gets wasted in the dining hall, according to president of SEAC Lauren Twele, a sophomore marine science and biology major. SEAC brings food to an after-school program for low-income elementary school students every Friday and spends time with the kids to teach them about where their food comes from.

“There’s more than meets the eye,” Twele said of sustainability on campus. “I think when people come [to UT] and see there is no recycling in their dorms, they make that first impression that UT isn’t sustainable.”

Though there is a pilot program for recycling in the Vaughn center, the recycling is student-run by Boyles, along with Twele and Jennifer Campbell, vice

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are recycling and if they are recycling properly. Audits are handed over to the faculty sustainability committee to further advocate to administration for a recycling program that is seen throughout all dorms and run by facilities rather than students.

The faculty sustainability committee has helped the student-led organizations and has taken other initiatives to implement small changes like water bottle filling stations and bringing LED lights to Bailey Art Gallery. Most recently, the faculty sustainability committee has brought in the new sustainability minor in collaboration with the biology department, where the minor officially exists, according to associate professor of biology Daniel Huber.

After surveying faculty, the committee found that most faculty were already implementing sustainability-related learning objectives in their courses. They also were interested in developing sustainability learning objectives and wanted to develop new courses related to sustainability.

Huber was one of the faculty committee members who worked closely in putting the sustainability minor in place. An increase in student interest in sustainability issues is something Huber has seen in recent years. That and the response from faculty was enough to show there was interest in creating the minor.

“I think [the sustainability minor] will play a large role in increasing sustainability on campus,” Huber said. “In recent years, we have seen a considerable increase in level of interest in sustainability and university support of sustainability initiatives, particularly behind the scenes in areas of energy efficiency and infrastructure. Making sustainability an official part of the university curriculum will help to increase the visibility of sustainability in the everyday lives of our community. As more and more students work on the minor, we will

be able to further justify the use of university resources for sustainability initiatives.”

Moving forward with sustainability efforts, the faculty sustainability committee and sustainability organizations are continuing to increase awareness in students, faculty and administration.

Carly Capra, sophomore international business and marketing major, is the student coordinator of Live Well UT. On behalf of the sustainability organizations under Live Well UT, Capra said that each organization puts their own spin on sustainability. She said SEAC has focused primarily on educating and going over policies, especially when working with Sodexo in food recovery. EPC has helped show ways students can get into the community and see different careers dedicated to sustainability, according to Capra.

“The coordinators of SEAC, the coordinators of EPC and Roots & Shoots are some of the most passionate and dedicated people I’ve ever met about their cause,” Capra said. “I think every day they make intentional efforts to teach UT students.”

Twele from SEAC encourages students wanting sustainability on campus to make their voices heard. She encouraged students to show support and ask for the sustainable things they want to see on campus, because enough people can make a difference when fighting for sustainability on campus.

“The best way to see change is to come out and participate,” Twele said. “If we have enough support that would be huge.”

Pound! it:

ut’s unusual fitness classes By veronica sansur

Imagine having fun while dripping with sweat, pumping with high adrenaline, getting strength in muscles and increasing cardiac rhythm. Now, students can do a full body workout with these two unusual and amusing intramural group classes that the Fitness and Recreation Center opened this semester, and will continue next Fall: POUND! and Frog Fitness. Both of these are taught by UT alumna Stephanie Biernat, ‘15.

Using drumsticks for a combination of cardio and strength as the new trend for sculpting a fit body, POUND! is an alternative group fitness format inspired by drumming. UT alumna Brittany Schrader, ‘12, who is the coordinator of fitness, said that this class is a mix of agility, coordination and a deceptive cardio workout.

“While you won’t cover much ground, your entire body will be in action. It also incorporates dance at the same time, because it is down in eight counts,” Schrader

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said. “There is also a lot of squats and butt bridges and other strength exercises. You can really take out your aggression because the whole time you are pounding with the sticks to a rhythm you can keep up with.”

Charlotte Navarro, a senior biology major, said that this class was unlike any exercise class she had ever done. It was combination of strength training, cardiovascular exercise and fat burning, while using a part of a music instrument.

“Although it is not a dance class, it has a lot of rhythm and music,” Navarro said.

“The real training is in the drum sticks; the harder you hit, the harder and more effective the training would be.”

If working out with drumsticks is not unusual enough, prepare for “frogging.”

Frog Fitness is a new way of working out that uses a machine called “the frog.” In order to use it, the person must be down on all fours with feet in stirrups and hands on a front bar. Wheels on each side propel

the frog forward, engaging the core muscles while performing the motion.

“This class combines boot camp with the frog fitness machine. It is a little intimidating, people always get afraid of using it, but it is worth it,” Biernat said.

“This is a full body workout, you are working core, arms, and legs.”

Nicole Perez, a senior criminology major said that the class was full of adrenaline. The day after she used the frog, her body hurt all over, but “in a good way.”

These classes are open to all students. There are no requirements or specific physical conditions needed.

“If you are trying to get some rhythm, increase or maintain it, POUND! is awesome,” Biernat said, “If you are looking for tone, Frog is the best option and if you are looking for fat burn both of them will do it.”

Have a drink; it's good for you The Benefits of Moderate Drinking

by MADHURA NADARAJAH

Alcohol in college is often viewed as one of two extremes: either a necessity for a good time or a vice to be avoided at all costs. It seems as if these are the only ways people can consume alcohol, but that is not at all correct. As with almost every other food or beverage in the world, alcohol provides wonderful health benefits when taken in moderation. Keeping the health benefits of alcohol in mind is great when you reach legal drinking age.

Alcohol contains a hefty amount of ethanol; ethanol is the ingredient that causes individuals who consume alcohol to feel elated, stupor, and intoxicated; in fact, alcohol’s physically impairing effects on people are why it is referred to as a recreational drug. Alcohol is classified into various groups depending on its makeup.

There are three popular categories: beer, wine, and hard liquor. From the help of alcohol friendly articles published in Men’s Health and Cosmopolitan, I’ll present

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healthy benefits of popular drinks.

Beer is a universally known and loved alcohol. It is relatively cheap (especially at MacDinton’s on Thursdays) and comes in a variety of tastes that can appeal to the mass.

To make beer, you need barley, hops, water and yeast; yeast ferments the sugars from barley, making it into alcohol. The hops and water add extra taste to the beer. According to the Men’s Health article “10 Reasons to Have a Beer Right Now,” the health benefits of beer include: lower risk of heart disease, enhanced thinking, and prevention of type 2 diabetes. “Beer is supposed to be great for your kidneys while also being high in HDL Cholesterol,” said graduate MS Finance student Mani Thangadurai.

According to the article, beer drinkers have a 42 percent less chance of being diagnosed with a heart disease compared to non-beerdrinkers. However, this does not mean it’s safe to start kicking back a handful of beers

a day. Rather, cap your beer intake by one pint a day. In a recent study published in Consciousness and Cognition, researchers tested the time it took people to solve rudimentary puzzles. One group was sober, while the other group had consumed beer - enough to get their blood alcohol content (BAC) to .075. The study revealed that the latter groups solved the puzzles faster and scored higher on creative thinking exercises. Moreover, according to Men’s Health, men who moderately (1-2 beers a couple times a week) drank beer over four years had a significantly lower chance of being diagnosed with type two diabetes.

For most college students, wine is preferred when out for dinner or a more relaxed night at home (typically paired with cheese). Additionally, wine is often thought of by casual drinkers as the healthiest alcohol. This is probably because people are always reminded of how wine helps the heart. Wine is made from fermented

and crushed grapes. According to Food & Wine magazine, red wine lowers risk of heart disease and cataracts, and increases longevity. The ingredient resveratrol is found in high volumes in wines. It is this ingredient that helps lower the risk of heart disease. Additionally, wine contains antioxidants called polyphenols, which protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart. Research conducted in Iceland found that 43 percent of moderate wine drinkers had a lower risk of having cataracts in a sample of 1,379 individuals. Moreover, the Journal of Gerontology said that individuals who consumed wine had a 34 percent lower mortality rate given a 29-year period.

Hard liquor takes a very special place in the drinking lives of not only college students, but adults as well. During college, we allow our tongues to drown in bitter vodka sweetened with some coke. As we get older, vodka occasionally gets replaced with the more sophisticated “Don Draper-ish”

whiskey. And towards the end of our lives we seem to be intaking nothing but gin and tonic. Of all the types of alcohol, it seems that hard liquor is the most artistically cultural. However, there’s more to hard liquor than its aesthetic sophistication.

According to the website Organic Facts, vodka helps lower stress and mitigates toothaches, while whiskey strengthens the immune system and helps people control a healthy weight. Cosmopolitan Magazine states that gin and tonic helps with bloating and reduces gas. Vodka is made from mashing and eventually fermenting any plant that has sugars and starches, such as wheat, rye, or corn. Vodka lowers stress because it contains sleep inducing properties that put the body at ease. Since vodka is known for its antiseptic qualities, swirling it inside the mouth and letting any ailing teeth interact with the vodka is great for helping reduce pain.

Whiskey, like vodka, is also made from

mashing grains like rye or barley, and is typically stored in barrels. The vitamins and antioxidants found in whiskey strengthen the immune system, helping the body fight off ailments and potential colds. Whiskey has no fat and very little sodium, and therefore makes it a diet-friendly drink. Gin is made from grain mashing and juniper berries. Combined with tonic, gin helps water digest quicker because of the juniper berries diuretic qualities that are needed to make the beverage. Gin and tonic also helps reduce gas because the antioxidants in juniper berries help reduces gas in the body.

It is inevitable that college students of age will order alcoholic beverages when they go out. In order to make the right choices, students need to understand both the risks and benefits of alcohol; contrary to what college stereotypes would have you think, there are ways to consume alcohol safely and healthily. Let’s start talking about the good instead of the bad, for once.

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Hanging with Kylie

By Bianca lopez

Tossing a piece of rope over a tree in Plant Park, Kylie Lowell, a junior digital arts major at the University of Tampa, laughed at what she called her recent lack of strength.

and her family owning a gym, the sport was a large part of Lowell’s life.

It had been a while, Lowell said, since she took the long blue silk outside.

Although Lowell sticks to her gymnastics roots by practicing with the UT Gymnastics Club weekly, she stopped competing when she graduated from high school.

Aerial silks made their grand television debut in 2010 when pop singer P!nk performed for the Grammy awards midair, hanging from fabrics. The silks are also common in Cirque du Soleil and similar productions, with performers twisting and spinning themselves, creating a visually appealing aesthetic. For Lowell, however, aerial silks is less of a routined performance and more of an exercise.

“When people first start, if they’re really weak, it takes a really long time to get there, but I’ve seen a lot of people go from absolutely nothing to everything,” Lowell said. “So just doing it, climbing it, all gets you there. It’s a full body workout. Abs are really essential to get yourself upside down and obviously arms.”

From the age of two, Lowell participated in gymnastics. She eventually began competing. With her mother as her coach

“I was never really that great at it for how long I did it, but it was fun,” Lowell said.

“Right after I quit gymnastics, I was like, I need something productive to do with my life, so that summer I started [aerial silks],” Lowell said. “We had these hanging in the gymnastics place that my parents owned the whole time. For like years and years, and I never knew how to use them and my biggest regret is not learning sooner while I had easy access to really high silks.”

As Lowell wrapped herself into the fabric to begin her workout, a small audience began to form. Four students stopped, standing or sitting in the grass, to watch Lowell show off her skills.

Damian Wehrle, a junior economics major, was inspired by Lowell’s workout and asked her to show him a trick or two.

Lowell demonstrated a few moves, one by sitting on the silks as you would a swing, then she turned her body until she was straddling the silks, then she placed her feet in front and pushed against the silks, extending her body until it was essentially flattened. Wehrle was a quick study.

“It was incredible. It was a new experience,” Wehrle said. “It was really cool. If she would show me more I would just do all of it.”

Lowell was able to order her silks online for approximately $100, but there are also studios in the area where people can try their hand. Lowell also likes to work out occasionally in the school’s gym, but she has a personal fitness pole that she climbs to keep toned.

Lowell said she encounters some issues when using her silks, like getting yelled at by campus safety and faculty for being in the trees, but the greatest deterrent is her schedule.

“The biggest struggle is just finding the time and a place to do it in a college world,” Lowell said. “I love it so much, but trying to stay consistent with it is really tough.”

Exploring Florida

By Catherine Roddy

While the local bars and beaches often provide welcome distractions from stressful semesters, some prefer more active weekend pursuits that are off the beaten path to take their minds off school. For those who seek adventure, there are a number of spots located within a couple hours of Tampa that boast outdoor activities unique to the area.

“Coming from New York, I want to experience what Florida has to offer while I’m still here,” said Emily Stewart, a junior nursing major. “I’m dying to go to Weeki Wachee and swim with manatees.”

Weeki Wachee Springs is a freshwater spring so deep that the bottom has yet to be found. The park is located about an hour north of the city. Visitors can take a boat ride through the park, watch a wildlife show featuring Floridian animals such as snakes, alligators, and exotic birds. There are also mermaid shows

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popular among the younger guests.

Day passes for adults cost $13.

“At Weeki Wachee, you can rent kayaks or paddleboards,” said Katie Russo, a sophomore political science major. “They’ll also bus you to the water where you can swim and take pictures. I first heard about it on Instagram. You don’t need a reservation, but we called to make sure because we were going on a Saturday and usually it’s crowded.”

Another favorite of thrill seekers is Devil’s Den, located about two hours outside of Tampa. This is a 54-foot deep spring that remains a constant 74 degrees year round. The Den is only accessible to visitors via snorkeling or scuba diving, as the park prohibits open swimming.

“Devil’s Den is a tiny watering hole that you swim around in,” Russo said.

“There’s more fish than at Weeki Wachee and it’s super deep fresh water. There are divers all around you, but there’s not much to look at because it’s so deep that you can only see where the light touches.”

The costs vary depending on individual interests. For divers,

admission is $38 not including equipment rentals. Weekend snorkelers pay $20 while those who go during the week get a discount. Mask and fin rentals run $10 regardless of the day. Visitors can camp overnight in the park if they choose. There is an R.V. park as well as cabins and trailers for rent starting at $110 per night with discounts available to those who stay additional nights.

For avid campers, Fort De Soto Park in St.

Petersburg provides a weekend getaway closer to campus. The park is 45 minutes from downtown and campsites average $35 per night.

Visitors can ride bikes throughout the park, walk to the beach, kayak, fish, ride horses, and hike on one of several nature trails. The park is a popular bird watching site and the nesting place of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle.

Manatees have also been known to make an appearance in front of the waterfront campgrounds located on the Gulf of Mexico.

For those looking to get a closer look at this state’s famous marine mammal, Crystal River offers the perfect opportunity. This freshwater river, about a 90-minute drive north of Tampa, is home to over 400 manatees during the winter months, when the waters in the Gulf are too cold for the animals to inhabit.

“We took a boat offshore in Three Sisters River [an offshoot of Crystal River] and the manatees were right there,” said Ali Robinson, a sophomore marketing major. “There are designated manatee zones, and in some places you’re in people’s backyards. It’s cool because you get right in the water with them. They’re huge but very gentle.”

The lengthy drive to most of these destinations means committing at least an entire day to each outing, though students who have done so do not appear to regret the decision.

“I probably wouldn’t go back [to Weeki Wachee and Devil’s Den] unless I had friends I wanted to show them to,” Russo said. “It’s a fun thing to do for a weekend, but they’re once-in-alifetime experiences because of how far they are. Still, I’m happy I went because I am only in school here for a couple years and I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to again.”

Health tips for the stressed college student

By Indira Moosai

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It is difficult to deal with the constant stress we face as college students. Sometimes, we believe that we need to abandon other responsibilities to focus on more “pressing” issues, like our schoolwork. We may think sleeping less to cram for that big exam will be worth it in the end, or since many of us are young, we convince ourselves that eating unhealthy food is not so bad. However, the stress and unhealthy habits catch up to us and really disturb our motivation and daily productivity. There are several ways to fit healthy habits into each individual’s lifestyle, each of which have major mood-boosting, energy-lifting effects on the mind and body.

Here are some tips on how to be healthy – physically, mentally, and emotionally – while in a high stress environment such as college. Many of these tips intertwine, so even trying one at a time will result in many benefits.

Stay Active Exercise, in any shape or form, has remarkable results on both the mind and body. The gym on campus is new, stateof-the-art, and gorgeous. Many people think that it is hard to fit it into their schedules, but even 30 minutes would make a difference. If it is too hard to fit into a packed schedule, try taking a 15-minute walk around campus, swimming in the pool, or having a dance party in your room (or the club) with your roommate! A little goes a long way. According to WebMD, physical activity releases endorphins, which trigger a positive feeling in the body; regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress, ward off anxiety and depression, boost selfesteem, and improve sleep. So get active!

Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleep is truly precious in a college student’s life. We all know no one wants those 8 a.m. classes for this very reason. Everyone’s schedule is different, so try to find the one best for you. WebMD states that most adults need seven to nine hours per night, but some can function with six while others need 10. However, we know that that is sometimes difficult due to late nights. Make sure to fit naps into your schedule if need be. For the times when people down the hall are being noisy, or you simply are having trouble falling asleep, listening to white noise or rain sounds can be calming. Don’t make napping a frequent habit, though naps are an easy way to disrupt your regular sleep schedule and it’s common to wake up hours later feeling groggy and disoriented.

A NASA study found that the ideal nap time is 26 minutes, so take advantage!

Make Better Food Choices

The food choices on campus can be... interesting. Make sure you’re getting enough sustenance and eat balanced portions of protein, veggies, and starch.

What you eat affects many things.

According to eco-conscious organization One Green Planet, healthy eating can help give us energy and nourish our cells, as well as calm the mind to bring balance mentally.

Eating unhealthily can cause both physical and mental fatigue. A simple way to get nutrients in your diet is by eating fruit. The

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dining hall offers bananas and apples located right by the exit, so grab one on your way out next time and save it for later or eat it on the go. Also, try to make sure you aren’t always going for the french fries or ice cream. Instead, balance your plate. For the caffeine cravings, swap coffee for tea once in a while! According to WebMD, black tea contains powerful antioxidants that protect against cancer, heart disease, and stroke; in addition, though more research is needed, it is suggested that green tea can boost metabolism and lower body fat.

Do What Gives You Purpose

College is the time to take part in activities!

With the variety of people and accessibility of campus activities and resources, you can experiment and find what you love to partake in. Do what gives you meaning and purpose.

Some examples include creative activities, such as art and music – UT offers campus art clubs as well as beginner-level courses in painting, drawing, ceramics, guitar, piano, and much more. Other activities include spending time with people, volunteering (like with PEACE), or working on school projects. It differs from person to person, and there is nothing wrong with that! By immersing yourself in rewarding, fulfilling experiences, you create meaning in your life. This will motivate you and make you feel good about yourself, leading to a happy mind.

Use Campus Resources

Campus resources are everywhere. They are easily accessible and can help your mind and body! The gym, as mentioned earlier, has equipment and classes that get you up and active. Career services isn’t only there for interviews and job searches -- the staff can help you figure out your interests and personality, and can give you ideas on how to get what you want out of college and life in general.

In addition, counseling at the health center is a great tool. Even if you’re feeling just fine, the counselor is someone that listens to you, helps you overcome challenges, and enhances personal growth. These are facilities that you are paying for already, so making use of them is a win-win!

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Free Fallin’

By CASSI MANNER

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There are few things that compare to the feeling of being completely submerged in something that could kill you, yet never feeling more free.

This is the case with the sport of free diving. These athletes dive to depths of up to 700 feet of water on a single breath of air, with no oxygen tank handy to save them if needed.

These adrenaline-crazed individuals, such as my boyfriend and me, experience something unlike anything else on earth. One cannot be more dependent on their training and skills than at this moment. It is both an exercise for the body and the mind.

One of the most important talents in free diving is remaining calm. The calmer one is, the less oxygen their body uses, giving them maximum bottom time.

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“It’s one of the best challenges, being able to overcome your mind to be able to push your body to experience something a small percentage of the world gets to see,” said Brandon Verdura, a 24-year-old Coast Guard rescue swimmer and professional underwater photographer.

Before beginning a dive, divers practice what is called a breathe-up.

This is where they slow their heart rate and prepare to fill their lungs to maximum capacity, to dive for as long as possible. Special fins reaching over three feet in length, are used to provide maximum bend and thus propel the diver downward with as much force as possible with minimal energy so oxygen is not wasted on the descent, but rather exploring what lays beneath the surface.

Want to give it a go? You’re in luck.

Florida offers many options for perfectly conditioned dive locations year-round. Some locations within driving distance of UT include Ginnie Springs, Seven Sisters, Wekiwa Springs, Blue Springs and more. All Florida springs pump out crystal clear fresh water at a constant temperature of 72 degrees, making it swimmable all year, although a wetsuit is advised due to the chilly temperatures, which can drastically cut breath-hold time.

Our personal favorite is Ginnie Springs. We try to make the two-hour drive to North Florida every couple of months to dive their multiple springs, caves and, of course, enjoy the lazy Santa Fe River. Ginnie Springs offers beautiful camping facilities for just $22 a night per person.

Our favorite hole to dive is Devil’s Ear. This particular dive spot offers a true natural phenomenon. The tannins in the river mix with the fresh water pumped out of the spring at this interception point to create rainbow water color. However, this beautiful wonder can only be truly viewed and appreciated from about 15 feet below the surface where you pass the river floor and enter the hole where the spring is located.

As I dive straight down, my only guide is the floating buoy that is anchored in the spring to mark the spot in the murky water. I’m unsure what I should be looking for. But as I descend to about 15 feet, the hole opens up and

the water is crystal clear. As I dive further, I see plants growing on the walls of the cave and a giant tree trunk wedged across the hole. As I hook underneath the horizontal tree and begin my ascent back to the surface what I see is breathtaking, no pun intended. The surface appears a mirage of colors. The view is so unbelievable that many viewers of my boyfriend’s photography work say it’s photoshopped. But those who have done it themselves are quick to correct the skeptics. As we perform our breathe-up at the surface before another round of photos, a young free diver pops up, amazed by the colors, exclaiming that it is like nothing she’s ever seen before and I wouldn’t

doubt it. Free dive courses are offered throughout Florida to teach free divers how to safely push the limits of their capabilities and experience an even more secluded depth of up to hundreds of feet.

Few people dare to risk their lives for something only personally pleasing, but that’s what makes this sport so unique. The experience one has beneath the surface, completely on their own, is special to them in a way only a limited number of people can relate to.

SUMMER 2017

EXPLORE

2-Week May Term May 8 – 19 6-Week Terms May 22 – June 30 July 3 – Aug. 12 12-Week Term May 22 – Aug. 12 Classes Still Available!

CATCH UP

Learn more at www.ut.edu/summer

GET AHEAD

HEALTHY

DINING ON CAMPUS by kimberly conroy

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Many students at UT believe that healthy options on campus are impossible to find, especially while eating on the meal plan.

However, after conducting some research, it is actually pretty easy. Below is nutrition information found on the UT Dining website. Starbucks, Einstein’s and Chick-Fil-A information is also available on each company’s webpages. For some dining choices on campus, such as Ultimate Dining, Fresh Creations, La Havana, The Grille and Asian Bistro, there is no information listed online.

For these options, caloric information is listed on the menus at each location.

Sodexo’s UT officer manager, Alex Love, suggested that students could download the app Bite by Sodexo in order to obtain additional nutritional information. Unfortunately, upon downloading the app, The Minaret found that due to what dining staff called “technical issues” the application does not yet include UT as a location option.

As of the Fall semester, due to federal law, all dining locations on campus will be required to provide nutritional facts, according to Dining Services.

Ultimate Dining There is no information on the UT website about nutrition information for Ultimate Dining. Probably because the menu is always changing. At Ultimate Dining, better known as the caf, you can make a healthy meal if you try. The fresh deli sandwiches and salad bar are open daily, along with Boris’s grilled chicken or steak. A healthy option here would be making a fresh salad, and adding chicken, tofu, or hard-boiled eggs on top. According to Fitness Magazine, a salad with iceberg lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, chicken, and croutons, and low calorie caesar dressing, has just about 190 calories. And on the magazine website you can calculate what your salad ingredients calories are.

Einstein’s Bagels At Einstein’s, the healthiest bagels are plain and the honey whole wheat. For example, the honey whole wheat bagel has 260 calories, 3 grams of total fat and 440 milligrams of sodium. Of course, that is only half the meal because you also need to keep in mind your calorie intake from the topping you choose. For schmears, your best bet is to order any of the reduced fat options.

They offer Honey Almond, Plain, Blueberry, Garden Vegetable, Maple and Strawberry reduced fat cream cheese. The strawberry reduced fat cream cheese has 140 calories, 90 calories from fat and 30 milligrams of cholesterol. Einstein’s coffee, no matter the flavor is 5 calories with 0 calories from fat, 0 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams trans fat.

Fresh Creations There is no nutrition information listed on the UT dining website about Fresh Creations. Here, mainly everything is healthy as long as your wrap or salad is not drenched in dressing. According to Everyday Health, Italian or balsamic are good options because they are less in calories compared to Ranch or Honey Mustard.

According to Fitness Magazine’s salad calorie counter, a salad at Fresh Creations with: romaine, black olives, cucumbers, carrots, onion, tomato, mushrooms, chickpeas, cranberries, sunflower seeds, parmesan cheese, hard boiled egg and balsamic vinaigrette, THE MINARET | PAGE 36

has just under 500 calories.

Chick-Fil-A Though Chick-Fil-A may not seem like the healthiest option on campus, there are some options offered by the fast food chain that won’t ruin your health kick. The healthiest option would be the eight count chicken nuggets, which, according to the Chickfil-a website, only has 270 calories. The issue with using a meal swipe at Chick-fil-a is that the fries are full of calories. The Waffle Potato Fries are a total of 400 calories (without dipping sauce) with 24 grams of fat and 43 grams of carbs. So if you’re looking for a healthier lunch, walk past Chick-fil-a and head to Fresh Creations.

La Havana There is no nutrition information listed on the UT website about La Havana. Though, each month they offer a specific healthy option meal. For the month of April, there is a Roasted Portobello Cobb Salad with Pita, which includes: chicken, turkey bacon, mesclun mix, tomatoes, avocado, parmesan cheese, egg whites, whole wheat pita, mushrooms, garlic, pepper, balsamic vinegar, thyme, oregano, and apple cider vinaigrette. This meal has 430 calories, 148 calories from fat, and 16 g of total fat.

The Grille There is no nutrition listed on the UT website about The Grille.

However, the menu features calorie estimates for the meals that are offered. The healthiest option calorie-wise is the grilled chicken sandwich basket which ranges from 273-789 calories, swap the fries for veggie sticks and skip the bun or sauce to stay on the lower end of the range.

Jazzman’s Cafe Bakery When you look at the nutrition facts for Jazzman’s, many of the products on the website are not served at UT, such as breakfast sandwiches, biscotti, and cakes. The healthiest option would be a blueberry muffin. This muffin includes 430 calories, 17 grams of fat, and 7 grams of saturated fat. Stay away from the cookies though, because they are loaded with calories, total fat and sodium. Drink wise, if you are planning to order any drink with milk in it, go for skim milk. Coffee is also a low calorie drink, unless you add milk and sugar yourself. Iced or hot coffee served at Jazzman’s only 5 calories, so since you’re keeping your intake low, treat yourself with a muffin.

DQ/Orange Julius If you are going to be using a meal swipe at DQ, your obvious healthy choice would be a smoothie. They serve two variations of the smoothies, so stick toward the light calorie ones and aim for smaller sizes. For example, a small light strawberry banana smoothie has 160 calories, 0 grams of saturated fat, and 10 milligrams of sodium. While a small premium strawberry banana smoothie contains 250 calories, 5 mg of cholesterol, and 70 mg of sodium. Overall for smoothies, the healthiest is a small light orange smoothie with 140 calories and 15 milligrams of sodium.

A small cone, no matter the flavor, is 240 calories, 4 grams of saturated fat, and 25 milligrams of cholesterol. For Blizzards, since most are mainly unhealthy, your best choice is a small Oreo Cheesecake Blizzard. This dessert has 570 calories, 22 grams

of total fat, and 65 milligrams of cholesterol. Every meal swipe includes a hot dog (if you’d like it) which has 260 calories, 15 grams of total fat, and 40 milligrams of cholesterol. To save some calories at DQ, opt for no hotdog and just stick to dessert.

Gourmet Grocer The healthiest option here would be sushi and a water bottle.

Sushi is healthy because of the rice that wraps it, brown rice is higher in fiber, which makes it more filling than white rice, and eating whole grains lowers your risk of diabetes and heart disease, according to heart.org, sponsored by the American Heart Association. Sushi is a quick and easy source of protein. If you’re looking for a high-protein meal or snack, choose tuna or salmon, which can have 20 or more grams of protein per roll.

Salsa Rico Based off of the meal plan options offered at Salsa Rico, though burrito bowls may seem like the healthiest option, nutrition information is not listed on the nutrition website. In this case, chicken tacos would be the healthiest option with 370 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 54 grams of protein. Of course this does not include any of the toppings, so keep that in mind when placing your order. Aim for healthier options such as grilled vegetables, lettuce and pico. The chips and salsa here are the most unhealthy option with 710 calories, 730 milligrams of sodium and 33 grams of fat.

Asian Bistro Ralph Beyrouti, Sodexo’s retail operations manager on campus, suggested that if students are looking to eat healthy, this should

not be their first stop. No nutritional facts are currently offered for the asian sensation, so stay mindful when ordering and limit sauces/white rice. Opt for veggies.

Pandinis At Pandini’s, everything is pretty high in calories. A plain pizza is 700 calories followed by the 800 calorie pepperoni pizza.

According to the nutrition website, a chopped caesar salad is 730 calories, but the site does not include what ingredients are in the salad. But a pandini’s employee explained that a typical caesar salad would include: lettuce, parmesan cheese, chicken, croutons, dressing and a side of bread. You then have the option of adding other ingredients however you please. The chicken broccoli alfredo with whole wheat pasta is the healthiest pasta option. The meal has 960 calories, 25 grams of fat and 39 grams of saturated fat. The libretti’s that are listed on the site advertise including 750 calories, 300 calories from fat and 50 grams trans fat.

Starbucks On the meal plan, there are a number of healthy options to choose from. A butter croissant is 240 calories, with 12 grams of fat and 28 grams carbs. An egg and cheddar breakfast sandwich is 280 calories, with 13 grams of fat and 27 grams carbs. There are healthier options, but those would be for Spartan dollars. Each meal swipe also comes with a hot coffee, tea, or milk. Starbucks coffees are all 5 calories, with no fat, carbs or fiber. But keep in mind, if you add milk or sugar to your coffee these numbers will change. The tea choices have 0 calories, and no fat, carbs or protein, but this again is with nothing else added.

DISASTrOUS DIETING

BY BROOKE NAKAERTS

Dieting–it’s been an epidemic since before time. Looking slimmer, feeling better and being better; it’s all the rage. Being fit is important for many people when they think of going home for summer break and seeing their family and old friends, but taking dieting to the extreme can be fatal to your health, says Healthline.

Healthy dieting is important because it is a matter of either hurting or helping your body. Accepting the fact that there is no safe way to lose 20 pounds in a week is the first step–dieting takes time.

Eating healthy and working out is the basic way to diet, however, some people who procrastinate may wish to take an alternative route. There are two popular diets that have become very well known to those who wish to lose weight fast: the Master Cleanse and the Military Diet–both

THE MINARET | PAGE 38

promise to help you lose a noticeable amount of weight in less than a week.

The Master Cleanse diet has been ranked

by The LIVESTRONG Foundation as one of the top five most dangerous diets of today. This diet is also known as the Lemon cleanse and the Maple Syrup diet.

The Master Cleanse is a 10-day program that was designed by Stanley Burroughs in 1941. The idea of the diet is to detoxify your body and lose a substantial amount of weight quickly.

The Master Cleanse instructions tell dieters to squeeze one lemon into a glass of water, add half a cup of maple syrup and some cayenne pepper and stir. Instructions say to drink a minimum of six to 12 glasses per day for 10 days and not to eat or drink anything else. At the end of each day you are also required to take a laxative.

“When I looked up a fast easy way to lose weight, I came across the Master Cleanse and it seemed like something that could work for me,” said sophomore pre-dentistry major Carly Ramirez. “I needed to lose the weight for summer break before I went home, but this cleanse only worked long enough to help me lose five pounds and make me extremely tired and run-down with very little energy to get through the day.”

Many young adults are looking for fast and easy ways to lose weight and to keep it off long-term, but the reality is there is no proven or healthy way to do that.

“There is really no healthy way to lose weight fast and keep it off,” said Melissa Morris, UT health science professor. “Most rapid weight loss is due to water, which

could lead to dehydration potentially.”

Another diet that has become quite popular in the diet community is the Military Diet.

Online, you can find this diet set with strict guidelines of minimal calorie intake for each day and each meal is planned out ahead of time for you.

This diet claims it will help you lose 10 pounds in three days. The diet calls for an intake of less than 1,500 calories a day, only allowing 3 ounces of meat for dinner, strict guidelines on bread and fatty foods and coffee with no cream and no sugar is allowed in the mornings.

According to Morris, even though this diet is strict and a healthier alternative for those who wish to lose weight quickly, it will not last. In order to keep the weight off that you lose, you must commit to dieting afterward.

This means a strict workout regimen and a healthy diet.

time, keeping your body’s long term health in mind is important.

“I started and completed the Military Diet recently so I could lose some weight for spring break,” said junior marketing major Amanda Dragomer. “After I came back home, I easily gained the weight back that I lost, but it worked for the time I needed it to. It was hard to do, but better than starving myself for a week in an attempt to lose some weight.”

“There’s no secret or magic pill for safe, effective weight loss,” Morris said. “Some people have success with just tracking their food intake, but making healthy food choices and being active are the best ways to ensure you are losing fat and maintaining lean tissue.”

In some instances, diets like the Military Diet can be a smart option in order to lose the body’s water weight in a short period of time, but may be difficult and possibly dangerous to keep up for a longer period of time.

Even though some diets offer quick and easy ways to lose a lot of weight in a little

At the end of the day, students and young adults are more than able to maintain a healthy, long-term diet without putting their bodies at risk if they set their minds to it. Extreme dieting can take a toll on your body, physically and mentally, and can also cause long-term damage. Learning how to diet correctly–even though it is a pain–is worth it

serving

It UP

BY KIMBERLY CONROY

The University of Tampa Athletics Department has announced the addition of women’s beach volleyball as a new intercollegiate sport beginning in Spring 2018. With the addition of the new sport, Tampa now sponsors 20 intercollegiate teams through the NCAA, including eight men’s and 12 women’s athletic programs.

Spartans director of athletics, Larry Marfise, is excited for the addition of the new sport. “The goal is that we get the program off its feet, we want the team playing well, not necessarily winning, but most importantly that

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we have students participating well academically as well,” Marfise said.

Beach volleyball, an emerging NCAA sport has made the quickest transition from an emerging sport to a championship sport in NCAA history.

Over 40 NCAA four-year colleges and universities, four National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) institutions and more than 20 twoyear colleges sponsor varsity sand volleyball programs across the country. According to the American Coaches Volleyball Association (AVCA) as of January 2015, 50 schools nationwide sponsored the

sport. The Spartans indoor team have played in sand volleyball tournaments in the past, but it is during the off season throughout the spring and mixed into the normal spring practice schedule.

The beach volleyball team is a completely separate program from the two-time National Championship winning indoor team. Women’s volleyball assistant coach, Jeff Lamm, will be head coach for the new team.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to build beach volleyball into a nationally competitive program here

at UT,” Lamm said. “I plan on taking the strengths I’ve learned coaching indoor onto the beach.”

Spartans have won 14 Sunshine State Conference (SSC) championships and had 11 NCAA Elite Eight appearances.

He has been with the volleyball program here at Tampa for 15 years.

He has also been with the team for each of the National Championships won in 2006 and 2014. Lamm runs the offense, helped with practice planning along with game plans and trained specific players.

The team will play on the new courts that were added next to the Fitness and Recreation Center. The team will be practicing in preparation for dual matches running from late February into mid-April 2018.

“I plan on taking the same culture of work ethic and the drive the indoor program has been known for and translate that into the beach team,” Lamm said. “We want to be our best and give 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. If we enjoy the process and give max effort the rest will fall into place.”

The only other team in the SSC who has both a sand and indoor team is Eckerd College. There are currently 10 other schools in Florida that offer beach volleyball as a collegiate sport.

Eckerd introduced sand volleyball to their athletic department in the 2014-2015 academic year. Along with UT, Florida Southern, also in the SSC, will be adding sand volleyball to their department in 2018.

Additionally, in 2011, Lamm was named AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year. Since Lamm’s addition to the program, the

According to Marfise, the sport was a good fit for three reasons: It provides the opportunity for additional students to play a sport, several

other Florida schools have added the sport and the university is expanding recruitment to California, where the sport is extremely popular.

The 2017 beach volleyball roster will consist of a few members of the 2017 indoor team.

These members are able to participate in both sports because the sand volleyball season runs during the spring, with the championships held in early May. The other part of the team will be strictly beach players.

The team will hold 15-20 total players.

In NCAA sand volleyball, team competitions consist of five player pairs playing best two-out-of-three set doubles matches against one another, with the winner being the first to claim three of the five matches.

Teams are required to take part in a minimum of eight matches on a maximum of 16 playing dates.

serving

Working it out

BY JESSICA CAVELIER

Being 5’6 and 122 pounds, I’ve never really felt the need to workout often.

I work out here and there and never understood how people get up and do it everyday. I’m not lazy, I just don’t have too much time on my hands being a full time student and working over 30 hours per week.

Being in college probably isn’t the best time to not workout. I’m a senior now, and I have definitely gained a few pounds since my freshman year. I also tend to eat an excessive amount of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Yes, I’m obsessed. I recently went to New Jersey for a concert and tried the

THE MINARET | PAGE 42

famous Flamin’ Hot Cheetos bagel with ghost pepper cream cheese. My mouth was on fire. I loved it.

I decided to kickstart a healthier lifestyle, one with more chin-ups and less Cheetos.

The day after being assigned this task I woke up at 8:30 a.m, which is early for me since my earliest class this semester is at 11:30 a.m, and I went to my apartment gym. I started off slowly since I hadn’t worked out in about two months, and made sure I stretched.

Since I hadn’t really worked out properly before, I just went on Google and looked around for workouts, that is where I got most of the workouts I do now. I used websites such as Pinterest and womenshealthmag.com.

I began walking fast on the treadmill, then went into a jog and ran for about 15 minutes. After the treadmill, I went and got an eight-pound medicine ball and did three sets of 10 squats, 10 lunges and 10 calf raises. After those that, I got 15 pound weights and sat and did three sets of five tricep extensions, where you hold a weight above your head and lower it

down and back up again (I’m weak, I know). I then took a five minute break to get water and stretch a bit more.

After my break, I went into the studio and put a mat down and worked on abs. I did three sets of 15 crunches, 15 bicycle crunches and 15 heel touches.

I then did three sets of 10 reverse push-ups, ten push-ups and a 15 second plank. Holding the plank was probably the hardest thing to do, I was shaking.

During these two weeks I realized what’s the use of doing all this if I have no idea what it is truly doing for me? I asked Melissa Bess, an Health Science and Human Perfomance professor at the University of Tampa.

“The benefits are numerous and include less risk for cardiovascular/ heart disease, lowers blood pressure, less risk for Type 2 diabetes, weight management, improved bone mass, better sleep, stress management, improved mental well-being, more energy and improved general wellbeing,” said Bess.

While working out for two weeks, I realized that I really was getting better sleep, even after working a late night shift and having class the next morning. Before, I was always stressed because I knew I should have been working out, but never had the energy to get up in the morning after working the night before. I have learned how to balance my time a lot better now and getting up at 8:30 a.m everyday to workout has bettered my schedule.

The best thing about getting up early and working out is that I still have the rest of the day to complete school work and still have some free time before I go to work. Bess also said that we can only reap the benefits when we are active, so that’s why it’s important to incorporate physical activity into your lifestyle.

“When we don’t use it, we lose it,” said Bess.

This saying is something that is going to stick with me. I believe working out should be in everybody’s daily routine because it truly made me feel a lot better about myself and the way I feel on a daily basis, giving me more energy and more motivation everyday.

Going to the gym is now a priority.

I have set my clock for 8:30 a.m everyday and will stick to it. Hot Cheetos have been virtually erased from my diet, and I’ve switched to making my own smoothies in the morning for breakfast. In fact, I’ve cut out processed snacks from my diet through this process, switching instead to a fruit or vegetable to hold me over until meals if I’m hungry.

This process has not only taught me the mental and physical health benefits of working out on regular basis, but has also forced me to be a better manager of my time, and to make room for the activities that promote a healthy lifestyle.

I foresee more yoga and rollerblading in my future as I look toward more ways to stay active.

SENIORSENDOFF TESS SHEETS EDITOR IN CHIEF truly shaped my entire college experience.

I changed my major and career aspirations because I found my passion in journalism after the first month of writing for this paper. More than the job itself, though, I found my people at The Minaret.

Journalism, in my own personal opinion, holds the most creative, hilarious, reliable and trustworthy individuals. There aren’t many of us, we have to stick together. The group of journalists on my staff this year have become my family, and like a family, we all play roles that are vital to the overall dynamic and the disfunctionalness that glues us together.

I began this year writing you, reader, telling you to rip up our Orientation magazine. I told you to dog-ear pages, pull out the ones that interested you. I told you to scribble notes on my magazine. I told you to use it as your guide to survive this past year at UT. I kindly ask you to just read the stories and admire the pretty photos this time around. I worked really hard on this Health and Fitness magazine and I know some of you already got a little too carried away with trashing a certain THE MINARET | PAGE 38 Minaret issue this year.

Without sounding too cheesy, The Minaret

THE MINARET | PAGE 44

For example, Bianca is our goofy mom who we’re kind of embarrassed of sometimes because she gets overly excited about the smallest aspects of our day. But, she is incredibly supportive, organized and always makes sure the bills get paid.

John is the older brother who is generally embarrassed by the rest of the family, but still laughs at our lame jokes because he loves us. Arden and Liz are the set of twin sisters that have polar opposite personalities (think Tia and Tamara on Sister Sister), but seem to have twin telekinesis that makes the dynamic work.

This opposites attract situation keeps them

balanced. Carissa is the fun cousin who is always down to get weird in public– e.g. taking pictures of raw steak in the back of Publix at 9 p.m. while wearing lunch lady hair nets. Andrew is the cool uncle who’s always trendy and chilled out. You go to him to talk about life when your parents just don’t get it. Ivy is the scatterbrained younger sis who’s too busy reading 12 books to worry about your problems.

Regina is the crazy aunt who beats to the sound of her own drum and comes into town just to tell you about her ridiculous adventures hopping on yachts and dating members of the Chainsmokers. Julia is the trendy older sister whose aesthetic we all want to emulate. Katelyn is the calm, level-headed sister that keeps the family running semi-functionally. She calls people out on their B.S., but does it out of love.

Finally, I like to think of myself of The Minaret dad. I am self-realized enough to admit I dance like a middle-aged man with a knee replacement (a lot of fist pumping) and my jokes are generally followed by a pity chuckle or crickets. However, I am incredibly proud of my family and hope I have passed down my wisdom to the next generation Mina-fam.

bIANCA lOPEZ MANAGING EDITOR (I’ve been told it’s good for that). Maybe The Minaret covered your event or organization, maybe you love it, maybe you don’t. While many students may feel this paper had no effect on them, it has encapsulated the most cherished moments of my college career.

My closest friends all got used to my most popular excuse for not having time to hang out: “deadline.”

I cannot believe that I am writing this. I remember reading the senior send-offs as a freshman thinking my time would never come. As I type, I am sitting at one of my last RA duty shifts. That alone is bittersweet, but even worse is the fact that I’m essentially crafting my resignation, my goodbye from The Minaret.

To you, The Minaret is a thing to flip through (or scan through online), maybe it’s just the lining to your cat’s litter box

I sat in my office on the second floor of Vaughn with my fellow editors as the fate of the nation was announced in the form of the 2016 election. I ran through the streets of Atlanta in Halloween costumes with the “Mina-fam” during a newspaper conference. I’ve cried in my office, I’ve spent nights sleeping on the couch in my office, I’ve studied for the LSAT in my office, I’ve spent way too much time in my office. I’m not sure I’m ready to turn over my key and no longer get to call it “my office.”

The time has come to pass on the reins and graduate. The thing everyone tells

you about graduating a year early (but you never listen to) is that it’s the worst decision you can make. I was told to make college last. However, I honestly feel as though I’ve lived a thousand lives in my three years. I’ve been perfectly responsible and horribly irresponsible. I’ve done all that I can to make the paper something I’m truly proud of and I feel fulfilled.

This newspaper has given me opportunities that I don’t think I could receive anywhere else. From sending me to big name concerts for coverage to introducing me to members of the campus community outside of my social circle.

To The Minaret, we were just another generation of editors in a series of 83 editorial boards since 1933. To me, The Minaret was a stress-inducing, crazylovable family.

I can only hope that the legacy Tess and I strived to build upon can continue to grow and become better than it has ever been.

Thank you, to my Mina-family for constantly inspiring me. We did it!

JULIA ALBINI PHOTO EDITOR scattered across the room to exchange laptops in the midst of meeting deadlines, and running endless fact checks. Our meeting that night introduced me to The Minaret in its most raw and candid form.

Needless to say, nothing changed from then to now.

I walked into my first Minaret meeting my sophomore year confident, eager and slightly overwhelmed. Pandemonium broke lose as writers and photographers

I started out as a writer and enjoyed the chaos of scheduling interviews, as many journalists do. It wasn’t until my junior year that I was persuaded by The Minaret’s advisor at the time to get involved with photography to carry out a rather unestablished hobby. By the time senior year rolled around I became the Minaret’s newest photo editor.

My last year working for The Minaret

carried out very similar to the years prior.

I was constantly stressed, exhausted, and taking on way too many stories a week than I’d ever imagined. Despite the mayhem, these past two semesters taught me to keep my head high and to work hard because determination always pays off in the long run.

I walk away from The Minaret with my heart heavy knowing this is the last student publication I will ever partake in, but blissful looking back at all the experiences I’ve been exposed to along the way.

Thank you to our outstanding staff for making these last two years unforgettable.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Chicken is not Vegetarian Anna Sterlacci Ultimate Dining has done a lot to cater to the needs of students with a variety of dietary restrictions, namely vegans and vegetarians. Featuring vegan proteins such as quinoa and beans, a variety of vegetables, and creative innovations such as vegetarian meatloaf, much has been done to ensure proper nutrition and variety for all students.

However, while there have been efforts to appeal to knowledgeable vegans and vegetarians, mislabelling of foods has made it difficult for students making the transition to a cruelty-free lifestyle (and for students with allergies and health issues). Pictured above is a recent menu from Ultimate Dining labelling chicken tortilla soup as vegetarian. Pictured to the right is a menu from earlier in the semester labelling bacon corn chowder as vegan.

This is troubling for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it poses a hazard to people with allergies to animal byproducts such as milk, eggs, and cheese. Labelling something as “vegan� implies that there are no animal byproducts in that particular dish, and thus the mislabelling could ultimately lead to an allergic reaction. Second, students watching their health (especially cholesterol) may adopt a vegan or vegetarian diet for the health benefits, and the false advertising can be harmful to them. Third, many students adopt a vegetarian/vegan diet based on religious principles, ethical reasons, and the environmental issues of the meat industry. As a university that promotes free thinking, we should support and respect these decisions through proper labelling.

Conclusively, Ultimate Dining’s efforts to accommodate dietary needs of all students would be much more effective if they were to put more consideration into the labelling of the

foods. The expectation is that busy students should be able to quickly look at the menu and know what they are putting in their bodies in order to fuel themselves for excellence in the classroom, in athletics, and in life.

Letters to the Editor may be submitted to ut.minaret@gmail.com This letter has not been edited by staff of The Minaret THE MINARET | PAGE 46

COVER

DRINKING | Page 21

Photo by Bianca Lopez

Photos by Carissa Economos

CROSSFIT | Page 4

KYLIE | Page 24

Photos courtesy of Izzy Donabed

Photos by Bianca Lopez

ANIMALS | Page 6

EXPLORING FLORIDA | Page 26

Photos by Bianca Lopez

Photos by Catherine Roddy

ZUMBA | Page 8

SUSTAINABILITY | Page 28

Photos by Jenna Manto

Photos courtesy of Alana Boyles and Lauren Twele

WORKOUTS | Page 10

FREE FALLING | Page 31

Photos by Camryn Beaumont

Photos courtesy of Cassi Manner

Graphics by Bianca Lopez

CAMPUS DINING | Page 35

VITAMINS | Page 11

Photos by Arden Igleheart and John Feltman

Photo by Liz MacLean

DIETING | Page 38

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Photos by Bianca Lopez and John Feltman

PIZZA | Page 14

VOLLEYBALL | Page 40

Photos by Alexandra Tirado and Carissa

Photos by Bianca Lopez

Economos

WORKING IT OUT | Page 42

HEALTH TIPS | Page 17

Photos courtesy of Jessica Cavelier

Photos by Harsh Rokad

SENIORS | Page 44

UNUSUAL FITNESS | Page 20

Photos by Andrew Foerch, Julia Albini and Bianca

Photo by Tess Sheets

Lopez

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