The Minaret Valentine's Day Magazine

MINARET Valentine’s Day Edition

Dearest

Manti...

Dare to Be

SEXY

Give your Valentine’s Date a Twist

SPRING FASHION fresh and in full bloom

MINARET

ISSUE 79.16 | VALENTINE’S EDITION | FEBRUARY 2013 EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR FACULTY ADVISER NEWS & FEATURES ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT OPINION SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR ADVERTISING & PR DIRECTOR WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR HEAD COPY EDITOR

Joshua Napier Chelsea Daubar Jessica Keesee Dr. Daniel Reimold Mia Glatter Yasaman Sherbaf Natalie Hicks Kelly St.Onge Paola Crespo Annabella Palopoli John Hilsenroth Miles Parks Samantha Battersby Shivani Kanji Jennifer Bedell Nikita Hernandez

WRITERS

Connor Anthony Sloane Bâby Samantha Bloom Jackie Braje Stef Crocco Samantha Delle Shawn Ferris Zoe Fowler Griffin Guinta Alyssa Hingre Madison Irwin Jake Koniszewski Nathan Krohn Katherine Lavacca Jessie Lehrbaum Jordan Llanes Pranav Lokin Xelmarie Medina Caroline Metell Lauren Richey Paige Shallcross Mark Sugden Alexandra Townsend Avery Twible Jordan Walsh Elaina Zintl

PHOTOGRAPHERS Casey Budd Taylor Sanger

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Donny Murray Justine Parks

COLUMNISTS David Adams Alex Caraballo Hannah Webster

ONLINE

www.theminaretonline.com ut.minaret@gmail.com

ADDRESS

401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Box P Tampa, FL 33606

OFFICE

Phone - 813.257.3636 Editor - 813.257.3462 Managing Editor - 813. 258.7250

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER Boost your career credentials with a graduate degree from UT! s -"! SEVEN CONCENTRATIONS s - 3 IN !CCOUNTING s - 3 IN &INANCE s - 3 IN -ARKETING s #ERTIlCATES IN .ONPROlT -ANAGEMENT

!CCOUNTING AND "USINESS !DMINISTRATION

s - ! IN 4EACHING s - 3 IN )NSTRUCTIONAL $ESIGN AND 4ECHNOLOGY s -ASTER OF %DUCATION s - 3 IN .URSING s -&! IN #REATIVE 7RITING

All programs accepting applications now.

Go to www.ut.edu/apply or call (813) 258-7409.

Request more information at www.ut.edu/gradinfo, or to make an appointment, visit www.ut.edu/gradvisit.

CONTENTS 4 EDITOR’S NOTE 5 ROMANTIC MOVIES WE LOVE 6 SPECIALS - REVAMP YOUR DINING EXPERIENCE & IMPRESS YOUR DATE

8 PASS ON THE PITY PARTY- ENJOY VALENTINES DAY SINGLE

10 A SEXUAL BLESSING 12 SPRING FASHION: FRESH & IN FULL BLOOM

14 FACEBOOK RELATIONSHIP NO-NO’S

16 THE KEYS TO A TRUE BROMANCE

18 WEDDING PROPOSALS 19 VALENTINE’S MAD LIB 20 FOREIGN RELATIONSHIPS- THE QUIRKS AND PERKS TO DATING A FOREIGNER

22 DARE TO BE SEXY: GIVE

YOUR VALENTINE’S DATE A TWIST

24 MAP MY VALENTINE 26 A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO FANTASY BASEBALL

29 DEAREST MANTI . . .

JOSHUA NAPIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Photo by Samantha Battersby

I used to think Valentine’s Day was a ridiculous holiday; just another way for corporations to take my money in-between Christmas and birthdays or anniversaries.

In a way that’s what it has become, but I’ve realized there’s nothing necessarily wrong with that. In a study by the National Retail Federation, American men spend an average of $168.74 on flowers, restaurants and gifts for their Valentine totaling to over $15 billion annually. That’s a pretty big boost for our economy, and adding a little romance to life in the process definitely doesn’t hurt either.

But for many college students $169 is steep, and spending that on a date might lead to starvation in the following weeks.

So in this Valentine’s Day edition of The Minaret magazine, we’ve highlighted several creative ways to get around overspending without compromising on the romance.

Combine food from the cafeteria to recreate a fancy dinner for two, or give classic Valentines Day date ideas a sexy new twist. Some words of wisdom, though: don’t forget the corkscrew.

S P E C I A L S

Revamp your dining experience & impress your date

Written By Mia Glatter

that illustrates how to take

from the school cafeteria

O

n a college student’s

budget,

treating

yourself

to a nice dinner that isn’t french fries from the grill or the normal turkey sandwich

from the café seems an impossible feat, especially

with the thoughts of what to do for a special Valentine’s

Day dinner looming over

and a vision of filet mignon and crème brulee in your

head. You and your date deserve some nice together

time on V-Day, but that does not mean you have to break the bank to curb

your appetite. Students at

the bland, repetitive food and turn it into something

Ingredients: -Broccoli -Onions -Mushrooms -Spinach -Tomatos -Raisins -Chickpeas -Shredded Cheese -Marinara Sauce

unique and tasty with no extra fees and no tipping.

We have done the same

thing: Taking food easily grabbed from the cafeteria in Vaughn and using only a

microwave.

We

have

created some dishes to make your dinner time more

enjoyable that will surely impress any date without

more than a swipe or two.

Steps:

Place all ingredients on a plate or bowl.

Sprinklecheeseontopandmicrowavefor2 minutes.

Brown University run a blog

VeggieSteamer

Pasta la vista Ingredients: -Pasta -Marinara Sauce -Shredded Cheese --Parmesan Cheese -Mushrooms -Sliced tomatos Steps:

Mix pasta and sauce into a bowl. Mix in sliced tomatoandmushroom.Thensprinklebothcheesesto cover top.

Microwave for 2 minutes.

Ingredients:

-2 Slices of Bread -DicedChicken(FromtheCafeGrill) -Vegetables -Swiss Cheese Steps:

SteamthevegetablesintheMicrowavefor approx.20seconds.Slicechickenandmelt cheeseontopinmicrowaveforapprox.15 seconds. Combine all into Sandwich.

t l e M t e r a n i M

THE MINARET | PAGE 7

e h t n o y t s r s a a p P y t Pi Single’s Awareness Day, or as

most of society calls it Valentine’s Day, is upon us! So what are your plans to celebrate it? Perhaps

a date with Mr. Pinot Grigio that involves several heart-shaped

boxes of chocolates and Channing

Tatum stripping on your flat screen TV?

g y n i a y d o enj ine’s t n le e l g va sin by ten cco t i wr cro f ste

that doesn’t involve you sitting in

Gomez has a backup plan. “I’d

heart-shaped sugar candies while

friends,” said Gomez. “It would be

fat pants, pigging out on “Be Mine” having your own personal self-pity party on this Hallmark-invented holiday? And let’s be real, just because you’re single doesn’t mean you’re alone.

Alma Gomez, a freshman at the

plan a scavenger hunt with my

so cool to find things that are all around the city of Tampa.”

Arielle Speert, a sophomore

and new media production major, also has beach on her brain.

“I’d spend the day getting a

Or how about cuddling with a

University of Tampa, has a few

tan,” said Speert. “[Valentine’s

your eyes out from watching the

for Valentine’s Day, all of which

to celebrate their love, but for

couple of your cats while crying scene in The Notebook where

Noah says to Allie, “So it’s not

gonna be easy. It’s gonna be really hard. We’re gonna have to work

at this every day, but I want to do

that because I want you. I want all

of you, forever, you and me, every day.” Sounds like a good time,

right? Yeah, I didn’t think so either.

So how about finding the true

meaning of being single and do

something spontaneous or exciting

ideas that she’s contemplating involve hanging out with her friends. “I want to go to the

beach and have an awesome

photo shoot!” said Gomez. Her

Day] might be meant for couples everyone who is single, it’s a time to focus on you and to just relax and get away from everything.”

Sometimes getting away or

fun wouldn’t stop there though.

enjoying the little things in life is

single status all night long. “After

that being single isn’t the end of

She hopes to celebrate her

the beach, we would get super

dressed up and [look] hot and go dancing all night long and then pass out in one of our rooms.”

If it’s too cold for the beach,

what someone needs to remember the world. Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to get a mani-

pedi or even a massage by some muscular hunk with hands only a god could have. If that’s not how

you like to pamper yourself, then

see Safe Haven with my roomies,”

MacDintons.) And it’s better

go out to dinner,” as Liza Turill, a

communications major at UT. If

for being single, as fun as that

“spoil yourself with friends and junior and English major, said.

Tori Pavel, a freshman and

said Laura Villalobos, a junior and chick flicks aren’t your thing,

“[The] new Die Hard movie

graphic design major, also

comes out on Valentine’s Day,”

Valentine’s Day having dinner with

philosophy major.

wouldn’t mind spending her

her friends. “Somewhere fancy

said Will Roche, a junior and

If worse comes to worst and you

though,” said Pavel. “I would get

just can’t handle Valentine’s Day,

midnight bowling.” Kathy Guvercin,

“Just treat it like any other day,”

super dressed up and then maybe a junior and psychology major,

thinks dressing up and enjoying a night out with her girlfriends

is a perfect way to celebrate the holiday.

“Guys are extra willing to buy

drinks for hot girls on Valentine’s Day,” said Guvercin.

If going out and hitting the

there’s always one final option.

said Laura Howe, a junior and a writing and advertisement and

public relations major. There’s

absolutely nothing wrong with that, especially since it’s on a Thursday this year. Honestly, who goes out on a Thursday? (Besides those

enjoying their weekly $1 beers at

than wallowing in your self-pity sounds. Take some pride in your single status!

Sex and the City once said,

“Being single USED to mean that

nobody wanted you. Now it means you’re pretty, sexy, and you’re

taking your time deciding how YOU want your life to be and who YOU want to spend it with.” So instead of throwing on your pajamas and

throwing in the towel for not having a valentine, rejoice in being the beautiful, sexy single

that you are.

town isn’t for you, staying in isn’t necessarily a bad

thing either. “While I was abroad [in England], my

single housemates and other

separated folk went out for ice cream,” said Rachael McLain, a senior and a government

and world affairs major. “We

attempted archery and cooked a nice healthy dinner together before launching a comedy

film and TV night.” Watching movies on Valentine’s Day has its perks. “I know girls that watch horror movies

instead of romantic movies

and [they] imagine their ex-

boyfriends being the victims,” said Guvercin. And there are plenty of movies coming out

just in time for Valentine’s Day to choose from. “I’m going to

THE MINARET | PAGE 9

A Sexual Blessing

“

Since coming out of the closet in 2010, I have shared my story, although never written it down on paper. I have helped 14 individuals walk out of the closet proudly and held my friend’s hand as she cried, but came out to her parents. I understand that I am extremely blessed.

“

Written By PK Creedon

P

eople love talking about themselves.

As much of a generalization that may

be, it is indubitably true. Everyone has a unique story, an exciting tale of heroes

by Linda Ellis claims that life is all about

defeated, it is not dead. Being unique

disagree; it’s also how we share it, and

thing. Yet, the realization that you’re

how we spend our dash, what we do. I this is my story.

Growing up in a middle class

and villains, blessings and tragedies,

household was incredible with the family I

person, where the individual triumphs over

undeniably Italian father, serving as state

a unique plot that unravels in the first

those tragedies and becomes that hero of their own story.

It makes sense, why people enjoy

sharing while they can. When we come to pass away our tombstone will simply read “date of birth – date of death.” It’s almost

morbid. But I have been told, what matters most is the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time we spent alive on Earth. A popular poem

have been blessed with. My scarily fit and police officer, and my incredible mother working in the classroom, assisting

children with special needs, are two of the

most loving individuals. I had the life some kids dream about: summer vacations with

is what makes us stand out; it’s a good different in middle school is a different

story. The realization that you’re different in a way that even mainstream media

and society views you as an inferior is

incomprehensible at a young age. The

solution is easy: you conform, for fear of

losing those that supposedly care about you most. How to fit in became second nature, and I became pretty observant.

High school was filled with even

the family, playing every sport imaginable,

greater accomplishments. I gained more

friends both fulfilling in quality and quantity.

my class and the title of homecoming

good grades, solid support, insanely close In 6th grade I began a personal

struggle that although over time has been

friends, earned the number one rank in king, Mr. Phoenix, competed as a twosport varsity athlete, and devoted the

rest of my time to 16 other clubs. I was

the happiest you could be- on the surface.

Every incredible day and opportunity was

themselves. If you can’t accept who you

main accomplishment has been excelling

I said it was a blessing, too, being

community while being proud of who I am.

are, why should the rest of society?

vanquished by fear of people finding out

observant. For each of those heart-

with society and leave me as the outcast I

instilled in me, a desire to break down

who I truly was and that they would side

again and again told myself I was. At this

point, the biggest blessing and curse was how well I began to understand people:

what motivated them, how they reacted.

Being observant led to me being extremely aware.

W

hy a curse? Imagine walking

through the halls and hearing people refer to an open individual as “the gay kid.”

Imagine overhearing your mother make a comment of disapproval when two

wrenching scenarios an inner desire was barriers and stereotypes for the gay

love, but illegal. Imagine hearing stories of individuals who have taken his or her life

simply because they’re like you. Imagine wishing you could change and trying –

failing. Yet people still claim it is a choice.

Imagine friends using a word that classifies you as an insult and imagine having to laugh along with them for fear of being

out-ed. I was observant to an unhealthy

degree, the reason I devoted so much time and effort to trying my hardest, being well liked, being me while lying to my friends and family.

See, the trouble with closeted

individuals is the inability to move past the stereotype. In doing so, they let society

influence their opinion, and see themselves as a gay person as opposed to a person

that happens to be gay. Lack of confidence affects self-esteem, and they become

defined by what they fail to accept about

ince coming out of the closet in

helped 14 individuals walk out of the closet

been a brainless realization was rightfully

difficult to come to terms with. I knew what the first step was. Senior year, I turned on

that light in the closet, found the knob, and

walked out with tears in my eyes and some extremely sweaty palms into the loving arms of my best friend and family.

I opened up to my best friend, then my

the year. One night, the four of us ambled

wrong for you to marry the person you

S

you- unless you let it. What should have

to show that being gay does not define

completely avoid his best friend who found Imagine society telling you it is not only

we do with our dash, but how we share it.

2010, I have shared my story, although

sister, who was 12 at the time, followed by

enough courage to accept his sexuality.

Taking it one step further, I said it is not what

community and utilize my confidence

males kiss on television. Imagine seeing

one of your acquaintances in high school

in the classroom, work environment and

my brother, 22, at different times throughout up to my parents’ room and shared the

“news,” if you will. Truthfully, it was hard for them to understand at first. I was

bombarded with questions as I sat there

holding my sisters hand. My favorite: “How

never written it down on paper. I have proudly and held my friend’s hand as

she cried, but came out to her parents. I understand that I am extremely blessed and not every coming out story has its

happily ever after. I have been extremely

encouraging over social media outlets and an avid supporter of the “It Gets Better”

campaign. But trust me, I know it’s hard to

believe that things will just “get better.” And truthfully, what does that even mean? It’s kind of naïve to tell yourself, “Oh, it’ll get

better.” There needs to be some effort. You

have to make it better. Confidence. If you’re proud of who you are, no one can knock you down.

I am sharing my experience. Sharing

do you know?” To which I replied, “How did

it in hopes of making a difference in the

second of confusion and recognition before

difference, but together we can create

you know you were straight?” It took only a my mother jumped up and gave me a hug I can still feel today. Like I said earlier, I am lucky to have two of the most supportive parents.

A

fter this milestone, I was more

empowered than ever. I went on to study

abroad in Ireland and England through the honors program, selected as a University of Tampa diplomat while maintaining a

life of another. One person can make a change. Too many lives have been lost

and voices left unheard for us to sit back on our couch and just expect it to “get better.”

We need to accept each other. It starts with accepting ourselves. If you’re reading this and you’re stuck in that same dark closet I am all too familiar with, I hope this shed enough light through the crack for you to find the knob.

Share your story and open your ears

4.0 GPA, and took on three internships,

to that of another- and accept it. Learn

of dance a week, intramural sports, and

community; this is just my story. A story

a part-time job, 18 credit hours, 12 hours additional clubs all in one semester. I may

look great on paper, but I wouldn’t consider that as my true accomplishment. My

from it. This was not a pity party for the gay filled with more blessings than tragedies

and more heroes than villains. A story that I am proud of.

THE MINARET | PAGE 11

Spring Fashion: Goodbye winter. Hello spring! It’s time to leave behind our drab, cold weather duds and add a little life into our wardrobes. Forget dark gray sweatshirts and black suede boots. It’s time to colorize our clothes in pretty florals and pops of pastels.

Written by Jessica Keesee

Pretty Pastels Pastels are everywhere this season and offer the perfect solution to brighten up your closet. From cotton candy pink hoodies and fleeces to periwinkle sleeveless blouses and creams, let your clothing shout candy confection.

For a more literal take, Betsey Johnson’s line of candy-themed jewelry offers the perfect blend of mint green and sky blue gummy bear rings and heart candy earrings, incorporating both the pastel trend and a whimsical touch to your spring wardrobe. Bright yellows and pinks even graced the runway at the Atelier Versace show which opened the spring couture season at Paris Fashion Week.

Flirty Florals “Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking,” said Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. Florals and spring go hand in hand.

Although it is a tad on the cliché side, the budding print is always a delight after wearing drab neutrals during winter. Seen on the Paris runways in the Dior fashion show, florals were spotted in white and pastel pinks and greens with pops of sunny yellow and tangerine tango (Pantone’s 2012 color of the year). The bright colors and florals were mixed with stark silk black trousers and organza dresses to add a bit of edge to the romantic collection.

For designer florals for less, try Target’s new designer collaboration with Prabal Gurung. The collection blends florals with edgy blue leather jackets and strappy minimalist heels while mixing in bold neon greens, bright pinks, poppy reds and crisp whites.

THE MINARET | PAGE 12

Daring Denim

Blue jeans can get a bit tiring after a while so why not switch things up with a bit of colored denim? Whether you prefer distressed pink skinnies or lavender cutoffs, switching up your bottoms with a splash of color is the perfect way to transition from winter to spring.

To incorporate another spring trend, try floral printed denim. Paired with a simple cotton blouse and taupe fringe booties, floral blue jeans have spring printed all over them.

Fresh & in Full Bloom

Colorful Kicks Puckered Pink

Pops of color work great with makeup from a bright pink lip to a bold-colored liner. Emphasize one area of your face when applying these standout colors. A fresh face with some powder and mascara pair perfectly with a bright lip color like berry pink or a saturated orange. Conversely, nude lips pair well when emphasizing the eyes. The cat eye is the throwback beauty trend of the moment, but why stick with black? Add some edge with an electric blue liner, modernizing and refreshing the classic cat eye.

Don’t forget about your feet! Too many great outfits fall short when it comes to footwear, but shoes are the perfect way to add color to any outfit. Circus by Sam Edelman offers the Ava ballet flat in cherry red, neon coral, lemon yellow, spearmint blue and even a floral print.

Colorful shoes add spice to a simple getup of blue jeans and a plain fitted T-shirt.

Bright Bandeaus

Don’t limit yourself to colorful outerwear. With so many candy-colored bras and bandeaus, spring fashion also means being pretty from the inside out. Pair a pastel bandeau under low-cut dresses, button-ups or v-necks for a flirty touch.

THE MINARET | PAGE 13

Many couples express their love in cute ways on Facebook, but some get a little carried away and become annoying.

Jackie Braje breaks down online relationship no-nos.

M

facebook In a Relationship

uch like a male bird that swells its chest and rustles its feathers to display dedication to its mate, Facebook has become a place for the more human-like creatures to display their undying love and affection. In fact, somewhere in this world, at this very moment, a teen girl can be found in her natural habitat posting things like “ILY baby!” or “Happy one month xoxo!”

Some use Facebook to reconnect with old friends or to observe their wacky distant relatives’ lives from afar. Others THE MINARET | PAGE 14

use Facebook to constantly remind themselves that they do, indeed, have a love life.

It’s no big secret that PDA has become a widely accepted occurrence in this day and age. Couples are found holding hands and kissing in public all the time–– no big deal, right? But does this blasé attitude also apply to Facebook PDA? Where do we draw the line between acceptable and irritating?

Some examples of “Facebook PDA” range from sappy

wall posts to intimate photos with overused Taylor Swift lyrics stapled to them. And too often do we see photos of flower bouquets with captions like “luckiest girl ever!” or “my boyfriend is better than yours!” The issue with these very public displays of affection is that they oftentimes appear to be more of a cry for attention than an act of devotion.

Many college students would agree that the ever-turning wheel of sappy Facebook posts some couples continue to spin on is nothing more than a hunt for attention.

“It’s easy to tell when people are close, so sometimes I feel as though the sappy posts and pictures are more of a show than anything,” sophomore Gina Piccorossi said.

Another aspect of the integration of Facebook and relationships is privacy or, rather, the lack thereof. Privacy in relationships seems to be a slowly deteriorating concept.

A friend of mine once stumbled upon a trunk full of old love letters that were sent back and forth between her grandparents for years. The letters were intimate, personal and sincere. These qualities are foreign to the modern idea of romance. Time and time again, relationships in this generation have proven to be more of a “my horse is bigger than your horse” affair rather than a cherished unity between two people.

Our generation has also introduced some new terminology to the dating sphere: “FBO” (Facebook Official). This term simply means that your relationship status is confirmed and plastered to your profile for all the world to see. A question that has frequently been probed is whether or not a relationship can be considered legitimate in these days without being FBO. “I personally believe that a relationship is legitimate in real life. Facebook does not define relationships,” sophomore Jeff Dyal said.

It has definitely become a normalcy to make the status of your relationship public, and it isn’t entirely a bad thing, either. It could even be beneficial! Say you met a guy at a party who takes an interest in you. He follows you around all night long, offers to get you drinks and is somehow fascinated by your double major in accounting and business.

He’s a nice guy, and you don’t really care to hurt his feelings, so you tell him to add you on Facebook. He finds you within the huge entanglement of the interweb and notices you are “In A Relationship.” Just like that, lover boy hits the highroad (under ideal circumstances, at least).

Though it’s true the “FBO” notion has its pros, I think it’s time we consider its cons. Many couples take their Internet privileges for granted. Of course everyone is entitled to post whatever he or she wishes whenever he or she wishes. But I’m a firm believer that this right can be exercised in a way that doesn’t make single Facebook users want to hack Sappy Suzy’s account and delete all her photos and wall posts.

What do most consider cute, and just downright annoying?

“I think pictures together are great!” said sophomore Terry Preston. “I do not, however, find the back-to-back wall posts while sitting on the same couch to be adorable. You don’t have to prove your love to other people. We believe you.”

By popular vote, the occasional picture of you with your significant other is cute and sometimes even adorable. Not everyone is a cynic. Some people even ogle over other’s romantic lives! However, by an even more popular vote, an overabundance of mush and gush can be very off-putting.

The era of social networking has undoubtedly had an impact on romantic relationships. Whether you care to display your unfaltering love on Facebook or not, just remember: We believe you.

THE MINARET | PAGE 15

Bromance

Bromance Writer Griffin Guinta explains the keys to a true bromance

THE MINARET | PAGE 16

Bromance is defined in the dictionary as a “close nonsexual friendship between men,” but any true bro knows it goes beyond just that. Since the term “bromance” was coined, it has become completely normal for a guy to share a tight, multidimensional relationship with a fellow man. While some cringe at the idea of being completely open and close with another guy, others find it completely normal to have a reliable companion to help get them through the struggles of everyday life. After a long day of classes, work and stress, you can always count on your bro to be there to cheer you up with a friendly (but not too friendly) hug or motivational comment that they heard on ESPN the other day.

Perhaps the most important aspect of a bromantic relationship is an understanding that all affection or enthusiasm shown is a result of mutual respect and loyalty to said bro.

In no way does a bromance constitute being anything more than really close friends who share a lot of experiences together. Many even adhere to the ever popular “bro code,” a guide used to educate the male species on the art of being a bro.

The bro code gives a series of rules that a bro must abide by in order to properly behave around his bros. To give some perspective, some of the rules include: Article 53- A bro will, whenever possible, provide a bro with protection; Article 150- A bro never dates a bro’s ex-girlfriend (unless granted permission); or Article 35- A bro never rents chick flicks.

As its namesake would have you believe, a bromance emulates the concept of a brotherhood. You fight, you laugh, you cry (because real men aren’t afraid to cry) and you grow together. Related by blood or not, bros act like brothers all the same. You fight each other for some girl you think is attractive and then laugh it off like nothing happened when you find out the girl is already dating someone else.

You’re constantly competing in any kind of video game or athletic related competition but won’t hesitate to pick a bro up when he has fallen.

Having a bromance with other guys is nothing to be ashamed of. Your bros help push you and help you grow into the man you’re supposed to be. Without your bros, who

would challenge you to eat an entire box of Oreos in one sitting, then push you to run five miles afterward? Some may not be as sentimental as others, but at the end of the day, saying, “I love you, man,” is purely a sign of brotherly respect.

Around the UT campus, most guys I spoke with have a favorable view of the bromance idea.

The general consensus is that it isn’t some kind of strange romantic bond but, rather, a close friendship between guys that are comfortable enough to be completely open with each other.

Senior Gordon Bonnett described the dynamics between him and his best bro, Miles Parks.

“Miles and I are the stereotypical definition of a bromance. We see shows together... We’re like family. We’ve just been through everything.” According to Bonnett, they hardly fight or get on each other’s cases, but when they do, it’s usually about “money or women––sometimes both at the same time.” The occasional fight will come up eventually because honesty is part of the bro code, after all.

“Ultimately, if you know someone long enough, you can have those difficult discussions and overcome any obstacle,” Bonnett said. Others agreed with Bonnett’s sentiments.

When asked about his own personal bromance with close friends Joe Dimaio and Andrew Riehm, senior Jackson Harris commented, “We just like hanging out, poking fun at each other and going to cool places… (added in jest) occasionally we’ll cuddle.” The three friends embrace their mutual bromance but also concur that not everyone respects the idea or understands it for that matter.

“Some guys may not like it because they feel like people are going to judge them for it.

Ultimately, you have to be comfortable enough with yourself to not worry about what other people think,” Dimaio said.

Riehm added, “As long as my bromance doesn’t interfere with my girlfriend, then I’m good.”

In essence, bromance, brotherhood, bro-dom or whatever you may call it is a unique bond only capable within the male species. While some may reject the glory of the bromantic bond, those that embrace it know how cool it is to have bros that you can depend on no matter what.

You fight, you laugh, you cry (because real men aren’t afraid to cry) and you grow together.

THE MINARET | PAGE 17

Wedding Proposals

Written By Chelsea Daubar

Christopher Futch is the Area Coordinator in Austin Hall and works with the office of Residence Life. Chris and his wife, Elaine, have been married for two years. The couple have been together since high school. When college graduation loomed around the corner, Chris knew the time was coming for him to pop the question. But how?

“I wanted to do something that would be totally unexpected... something different and fun. And definitely fitting with the times,” Chris said.

After brainstorming, Chris found inspiration in a very unusual place.

“I was at the gym, and my iPod was on shuffle. And then this song came on from the ‘Pocahontas’ soundtrack.” It was then that Chris decided to make a video. After coming home for winter break during his senior year at Florida State University, Chris took the time to plan and record his proposal.

When the big day finally came, Chris called Elaine and

Bruno Mars’s “Marry You” Lip-Dub One of the most viral proposal videos of all time. The lucky girlfriend sat on the back of a car and watched a lipdub performance featuring her family and friends as the car drove down the street, ending in a heartfelt proposal.

Queue the cuteness.

THE MINARET | PAGE 18

Getting down on one knee is so 2005. In a time where our world is saturated in technology, wedding proposals are getting more unique and creative––and they are going viral.

told her to check out a YouTube video that he found called “Kitty Finds A Treasure.”

The video begins with Chris looking at pictures under the tree at their high school where he first asked Elaine out.

It then goes on to show him going to a jewelry store to find the perfect ring. Finally, the video ends with Chris at the front door, dressed in his best, ready to ask Elaine to spend the rest of their lives together. Little did Elaine know that Chris was actually waiting at her front door.

“I had her dad on the phone while she was watching it, and he had a code word so I would know when I needed to knock at the right time,” Chris said.

Chris knocked on the door and Elaine answered. Of course, she said yes.

Chris is not the only groom-to-be to decide to use technology to propose to his leading lady. Many video proposals have gone viral on the Internet. Check out the top three from 2012:

Stuntman Uses His Skills to Propose This man falls for marriage... literally.

The groom-to-be stood on the ledge of a roof, proclaiming his love. However, when his best friend tosses him the ring, he takes a plunge down to fall on a pad conveniently placed on the ground below.

Pilot Plane Crash Proposal When the couple went on an airplane adventure, they hit some turbulence, and the boyfriend who is also a pilot asked his girlfriend to walk him through the emergency plans that had been left in the plane. Little did she know, each step led her to her own proposal.

To my _______ adjective

_______, noun

It is Valentine’s Day, and I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you something I’ve been meaning to say for a very long time. Ever since you _____________ my ________, I can’t get your verb (past tense)

noun

____________ out of my head. Everything about you is just so personal trait

__________, I can’t help but think you might be ___________. adjective

adjective

My _________ for you is so strong, it burns with a white-hot emotion

intensity I have never felt before. I think that you might be the most _________ person I have ever met, and every time I think about us adjective

being together, I _________ with _____________. I just wanted verb

feeling/emotion

you to know that my life has been so ___________ because of you, adjective

and whenever I think about the last time we were together, my heart fills with so much _________ that I could almost __________. verb

emotion

Please, just know that you are the reason that I ___________. verb

I wish you could see just how ___________ you are to me. Maybe, adjective

just maybe, one day you will __________ and realize that we are verb

just so ___________ for each other. I hope that day comes sooner, adjective

rather than later.

Sincerely, ___________________ name here

i THE MINARET | PAGE 21

THE MINARET | PAGE 21

THE MINARET | PAGE 23

Get crafty by decorating a pottery mug, photo frame, favorite animal, and much more.

Home to the best fresh food around, a lunch here will be cheap and give you feel-good energy for the rest of your day.

Open to the public, hit the hoops or throw a frisbee in the park, then kick back in a beautiful garden oasis.

This Valentine’s Day, head down to Hyde Park Village in South Tampa for food, fun, and romance. With all spots easily within walking distance, you can enjoy a day in the sun with your special someone without spending a fortune.

PHOTOS BY: SAMANTHA BATTERSBY GRAPHICS BY: DONNY MURRAY

Cuddle up on a bench with your partner and listen to the soothing sounds of the fountain in the heart of Hyde Park.

Relax and enjoy this local coffee shop to shake up the Starbucks routine. As one of four locations in Tampa, Indigo Trading Co. has that small, cozy feel that will be sure to keep your fire burning.

WHATEVER YOU DO...

DON’T REACH

For The Cl ser A Beginner’s Guide to Fantasy Baseball WRITTEN BY

Miles Parks

I

f you’re reading this article, you are probably at least intrigued at the idea of fantasy baseball. Maybe you’ve tinkered in fantasy football before, you might’ve even won your league.

Maybe you love America’s pastime yet have been intimidated by the geeks with their calculators and sabermetrics.

Whichever the reason, this guide is here to give you every tool you need to decide if this fake sport is right for you, and enough information to give you a shot at winning the damn thing.

The Format For our purposes, I’m going to stick with the most common of fantasy baseball league formats: The five-by-five head-to-head 12team league. This might sound complex but it truly couldn’t be simpler.

The “five-by-five” means that there are five hitting categories and five pitching categories that will be tallied up each week.

The most common hitting categories are runs, home runs, RBIs, stolen bases, and batting average.

In pitching, ERA, WHIP (walks+hits per inning pitched), strikeouts, wins, and saves are most prevalent.

The “head-to-head” portion of this type of league refers to the fact that you pit your lineup against a different player’s each week.

The opposite of this is a rotisserie league, which pits your squad against every team in the league by way of their end-of-season totals. Head-to-head creates more rivalries and gives more of a “this week really matters” mentality.

The 12-team portion of the title just refers to how many managers you will be competing against, and this also affects how close your draft picks will be to each other.

Expert’s Note: If you want to incorporate some newer baseball theory, substitute on-base percentage in place of batting average, and quality starts (6+ innings pitched, less than three earned runs allowed) in place of wins in your league.

This better represents a player’s value as opposed to rewarding players who aren’t patient or pitch for powerful offenses.

Photo Credits listed on page 30 Though Fernando Rodney had one of the greatest seasons in relief pitching history in 2012, he still stands as a risky investment from a fantasy perspective.

The First Pick

round regardless, even one who made history last season.

So what do you do with your first round pick?

The beginning of your fantasy baseball season.

This will determine the fate of your team for the rest of the year, right? This player needs to lead your squad to the promised land.

Your pick will change the direction of the first round for other managers, and will truly determine how your team finishes come October, right?

Wrong.

In one of my leagues last season, the player who nabbed Albert Pujols (infamous for his slow start, at one point going 5-for-54 in April/May) ended up winning the championship handedly.

Don’t over-think your picks boys and girls.

The two biggest things you look for in a firstround pick are consistency and multi-category production.

While many players are drooling to throw their first overall pick at Mike Trout, I think I might play it safe. Ryan Braun and Andrew McCutchen provide similar skill-sets (power/ stolen base potential) but also have played more full seasons than Trout, providing a safer bet for a return of first-round value.

It’s hard to sell me on a leadoff hitter in the first

Expert’s Note: Don’t place too much stock in positions. Though I love Robinson Cano because he’s the only second baseman worth nabbing in the first two rounds, I don’t mind picking up a pair of first basemen or outfielders with consecutive picks. In the long run, you’ve got utility spots for a reason. Pick the talent.

The Go-To-Sleepers A typical post-draft conversation: “Wow, Bobby… Your team really sucks.”

“Whatever dude. You haven’t done the research. I nabbed a bunch of sleepers.”

Don’t be the second guy. “Sleeper” is a fun word the fantasy community throws around for any player with high upside who’s gotten little attention from the mainstream media.

The eighth round is the time for Sleepers, not the third.

I’ll admit, I got burned last season on this one.

I was stubborn. I had a chance to grab Derek Jeter early, and I held out. I knew the Angels had a stacked new lineup, so I went into my drafts with one shortstop on my mind: Erick Aybar.

THE MINARET | PAGE 27

Needless to say, Jeter finished with 15 homers and 99 runs, while Aybar was dropped to the lower third of the Angels order and was out of my fake lineup by week six.

Pick a few guys who you’d like to nab toward the second half of your draft but don’t build a team around them.

Players with big names and big contracts got both for a reason.

The Pitchers Most of this article has been about hitting, which stands to reason that picking hitters is the most important part of your draft and season.

Plain and simple: good hitters don’t sprout up on the waiver wire very often. Injuries to hitters are much rarer (making their odds of success greater) and performance doesn’t vary year to year nearly as often as it does for pitchers.

That being said, in a five-byfive league, half the categories stand to be won by the guys

on the mound even if the whole ordeal is more of a crapshoot.

Drafting pitchers is stressful.

One reason I advocate counting quality starts over wins is because this category rewards good starters while taking the stress out of picking pitchers on very bad hitting teams.

There is no reason why Felix Hernandez should’ve been picked below just about anyone other than Justin Verlander over the past three seasons. But in a world where you can pitch to a 2.27 ERA and go just 13-12, crazy things happen.

The Starters 3 Tips For Picks 1. Look at the WHIP, not the

ERA. Counting walks and hits is a much better indicator of sustainability than counting runs allowed. For a pitcher, it’s much more difficult to have an outlier in the ERA conversation. Just ask Clay Buchholz (2.33 ERA in 2010, 3.93 ERA for career).

Nelson Cruz is atop my list of players I wouldn’t even trade Heath Bell for, thanks in part to his involvement in the most recent PED scandal. He joins Alex Rodriguez, Jacoby Ellsbury, James Shields, and Jose Reyes on my do-not-draft list.

2. Look for complete games.

Lots of innings will lower your team’s ERA, even if the complete games are eightinning losses or games with a few runs allowed. Remember that nine innings of two-run ball is just as useful as five-innings of one-run ball. Cliff Lee is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball heading into this year’s draft because of his ability to eat innings.

3. Don’t be afraid to look at

career numbers. As I mentioned before, the tendency for pitchers to fluctuate season to season is too great to bet on a “breakout” year. I’ll be reluctant to pick Yu Darvish over Madison Bumgarner (3.20 career ERA in four seasons), even if Darvish’s strikeout numbers and record last season were a bit flashier.

Lastly

, and possibly most importantly, we come to the title of this article: Don’t reach for a closer.

You want saves? You want to get a star closer early so you don’t have to worry about it? You want to gamble on unsustainable success? Please go invest in Enron. Fantasy baseball isn’t the place for you.

Mariano Rivera, Heath Bell, Drew Storen, Andrew Bailey. All names in the Closer’s Carousel.

Jordan Walden, Ryan Madson, Carlos Marmol.

If you draft a closer early, you’re asking for heartache.

Wait it out.

Draft mid-level players with job security and good fastballs.

Grant Balfour, Jason Motte, and Chris Perez. Gravitate toward guys who will still provide you with saves, but without the drama. uuu

Dearest Manti, A Satire

I’m sorry for what’s happening to you. When I was created as a figment of your imagination, I never in my wildest fake dreams believed this would happen.

Every night, you talked and I listened. I never could get a word in, but I understood, I didn’t have much to say anyway. Maybe God had a plan, or maybe you did. We’ll never know. Because I don’t exist. Kevin Garnett thinks I taste like regular Cheerios.

Seriously, can I ask you a couple questions? If I was so beautiful, the love of your life, everything you ever dreamed of, how come you never tried to see me? I mean, I’m all for sexting, but a woman has needs you know?

But now that I’m gone, I have to come clean. I was jealous of your right hand. I was worried you were cheating on me with her because I knew she was always doing things for you, like playing video games, changing the channel on the television remote, and pouring you orange juice. She wasn’t there for you the way I was though.

When you needed her most in the National Championship with Eddie Lacy running toward you, (and ultimately, through you), she failed you. I never failed you.

All that aside, I’m worried about you. Why couldn’t you be more like A.J. McCarron?

That man is a winner, has a real hot girlfriend, and doesn’t have to lie to make himself more prominent in the public eye. I’m kind of glad I don’t exist though, otherwise Brent Musburger would have been all over me.

What were you thinking when you played this over in your mind? The tooth fairy is more real than I am, at least young children believe in her. The only person that believed in me (supposedly) is you. Have you ever even talked to a girl? At least awkwardly stared at one in the lunch line? Are you aware that when you’re in the next year’s Madden video game, your awareness rating is going to be zero? Your shoelaces will be constantly untied, your jersey will be on backwards, and you’ll lumber across the field in a frightening whirlwind of indiscretion, lining up offsides multiple times a game.

I’d buy you a clue, but to do that I need a credit card. I don’t have a social security number, let alone a bank account.

Manti, all I have to say is that I’m glad you didn’t get away with this, killing me off and trying to be the feel good-story of the year. At least I can take solace in the fact that Lance Armstrong won seven Tour de Frances without so much as a single shot of performance-enhancing drugs…

By Shawn Ferris

Love,

Lennay Kekua

THE MINARET | PAGE 29

SOURCES Pass on the Pity Party - Pg. 9 Chocolates - Quinn.Anya/flickr.com Wine - Deejay23/flickr.com The Notebook - ASDXX/flickr.com Tissues - Salihan/flickr.com Valentine’s Mad Lib - Pg. 19 Courtesy of Samantha Bloom Don’t Reach for the Closer - Pgs. 27-28 Fernando Rodney - Keith Allison/flickr.com Nelson Cruz - Keith Allison/flickr.com Dear Manti . . . - Pg. 29 Scroll - Pixelbuzzdesign/flickr.com GRAPHIC CREDITS Donny Murray (conversation hearts - pg. 8) PHOTO CREDITS Mia Glatter (Pgs. 6-7) Taylor Sanger (Pg. 10) Casey Budd (Pgs. 12-13, 16-17) Samantha Battersby (Cover, pgs. 14-15, 20, 22, 25) SPECIAL THANKS Thank you to Joey Marrone and Allie Quintyne for being our cover models, and to Taylor Valentine for being our fashion model.

ADVERTISE WITH US. EMAIL minaret.ads@gmail.com OR CALL (813) 257-3636 FOR RATES *Ask about our student organization discount

SUMMER 2013

Explore REGISTER ONLINE :

www.ut.edu/summer

2-Week May Term May 13 – 25 6-Week Terms May 28 – July 6 July 8 – Aug. 17 12-Week Term May 28 – Aug. 17

Registration Starts Feb. 25.

Catch Up

Register Online: www.ut.edu/summer

Get Ahead