Niner Times: April 3, 2018

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Hunter Heilman editor@ninertimes.com EDITORIAL

Emily Hickey MANAGING EDITOR Alex Sands NEWS EDITOR Kathleen Cook SPORTS EDITOR Jeffrey Kopp A&E EDITOR Hailey Turpin LIFESTYLE EDITOR Salina Dickie COPY EDITOR Mia Shelton OPINION EDITOR Leysha Caraballo PHOTO COORDINATOR Pooja Pasupula PHOTO COORDINATOR Joshua Worley VIDEO PRODUCER Carmen Westra COMMUNITY EDITOR Natasha Morehouse LAYOUT EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITORS

Stephanie Trefzger, Angie Baquedano, Emma West, Madison Dobrzenski, Maya Shefet CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Megan Bird, Aaron Febre, Taylor Manness COVER PHOTO BY

Chris Crews

NEWSROOM: 705.687.7150

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SPORTS

Charlotte struggles against UAB

PHOTO • • •

Niner Central is now open Campus Cleanup 2018 International Womenʼs Day

• • •

A&E MOVIE REVIEW: ʻReady Player Oneʼ is Spielberg magic gone very wrong A World of Talent: Sanskrit Gallery

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MEDIA MARKETING MARKETING DIRECTOR

Fred Brown

mktdirector@uncc.edu

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Ryan Scott

production@uncc.edu

MARKETING STAFF

At Wendyʼs – “We Beefin?”

Mixtape Mini-Review

Kayla Christian, Brandon Cox, Brandon Freer, Teely Yang, Yishni Yun

LOCATED IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE STUDENT UNION

NINER TIMES • RADIO FREE CHARLOTTE SANSKRIT LITERARY-ARTS MAGAZINE MEDIA MARKETING • TECHNICAL T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N O R T H C A R O L I N A AT C H A R L O T T E

NINER MEDIA ADVISER: WAYNE MAIKRANZ MARKETING ADVISER: KELLY MERGES BUSINESS MANAGER: LAURIE CUDDY GRAPHICS & PRODUCTION: JOSHUA WOOD OFFICE MANAGER: DANNY HUFFMAN

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POLICE BLOTTER MARCH 23 - 28 ACCIDENT MARCH 28 •

Lot five, driver of vehicle two was backing from a marked parking space.

Driver of vehicle one was traveling in the middle of the roadway and struck vehicle two.

MARCH 23 •

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Mary Alexander Road, while driving on the brick walkway a truck struck a pedestrian in the arm.

Light rail bus stop, while turning out of the bus lane onto Cameron Boulevard, the rear passenger side quarter panel of unit one made contact with a fixed sign causing minor damage.

ARREST MARCH 25 •

Light rail station, subject was arrested for second degree trespass.

MARCH 24 •

Cameron Boulevard between Chancellor Place and University City Boulevard, during a traffic stop, it was determined that the subject was intoxicated. Subject was arrested for DWI.

LIQUOR LAW VIOLATION MARCH 25 •

Moore Hall, officers issued a state citation and a campus appearance ticket in reference to underage consumption of an alcoholic beverage.

For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us

What are UNC Charlotte’s rules about firearms?

Mass shootings in the U.S. and a threat to campus contributed to a nationwide debate on firearms. So, what are the UNC Charlotte guidelines?

NEWS

By Megan Bird Photos by Alexandria Sands With the recent Parkland shooting, debate over the minimum age to buy AR-15s and even a UNC Charlotte shooting threat, people are questioning the safety of our nation’s schools. Many point toward our federal gun laws as a contributor to so much violence. What are UNC Charlotte’s rules about firearms?

What action is your own school taking to protect your rights and keep you safe?

It might not shock you to learn that no one, except for police officers, are allowed to carry a firearm on campus.

What may surprise you, however, is according to university policy you can store a gun in your car.

There are some conditions, of course. You must have a concealed handgun permit, known in North Carolina as a CWP. In addition, the firearm must be stored inside a locked box within the vehicle. A locked glove compartment does not suffice. It is a felony to improperly store a gun in your car (i.e. to not lock it up). The statute was established by the General Assembly for all UNC campuses and confirmed

by Chancellor Philip L. Dubois in 2013.

All other firearms policies are in accordance with the state. It is a class 1 felony to carry any firearm, concealed or open, on educational property and a class 1 misdemeanor to carry any BB gun, stun gun, air rifle or air pistol. Even if you have a permit, it is a felony to carry in places where guns are prohibited, like UNC campuses or certain stores.

Sworn police officers may carry a gun anywhere in the state of North Carolina - including college campuses

- but they can only carry out their duties as police officers within their jurisdictions.

So how effective are these laws?

UNC Charlotte Chief of Police Jeff Baker thinks they promote a safe environment on campus. Since he started working here in 2009, he has never experienced any gun violence or dealt with any students violating the firearms policy. However, people unaffiliated with the university who cut through campus have

“I think the gun

safety laws in regards to college campuses are suitable as is.

”

COLLEGE DEMOCRATS

BRYAN MCCOLLOM

been caught with assault rifles in their vehicle. In his nine years at Charlotte, he says, he has only seen about nine cases dealing with firearms.

In March, a UNC Charlotte student was committed to a hospital and then arrested after threatening to “buy a gun and shoot the university up.” Police officers seized blueprints, composition books and posters from the student, but did not recover

any guns. The student has since been released from jail and spotted at other campuses, including an elementary school in Carroll County, Virginia.

The threat of school shootings has stirred the whole country. On March 24, Charlotte residents joined the millions of people across the United States marching for stricter gun control. The rally was organized by students and attended by Sandy Hook survivors Criss and Ella Berke.

What do students think of our firearms policies? UNC Charlotte College Republicans Chair Keith Maples envisions different regulations for UNC Charlotte. “I think we should have concealed carry with extreme exceptions,” he said. “There needs to be tough vetting. There need to be mental and psychological exams. We should only allow pistols. All you need to stop an intruder is a pistol. They should be allowed everywhere on campus including dorms, but students should report their weapons to officials, including professors.”

UNC Charlotte College Democrats Treasurer Bryan McCollom takes a different stance: “I think the gun safety laws in regards to college campuses are suitable as is,” he said. “[The College Democrats] would be against anything that weakens these restrictions.”

The safety of our campus is contingent on more than just gun

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FIREARMS, cont. restrictions. Blue light phones, for example, are an important part of our safety network. According to Baker, it takes 10 to 15 seconds for a police officer to show up to the site of a blue light activation. UNC Charlotte also offers the LiveSafe App, which allows students to call and text police officers, use GPS services to locate nearest buildings and utilize a location service that allows selected contacts in your phone to temporarily track your movements while you walk to your destination.

Both Maples and McCollom believe too many students are unaware of our firearms policies. While no student wants to memorize the Code of Conduct or sift through the Information Technology Policy, it is prudent students know about the policies that affect their own safety.

Young marchers participating in the Charlotte “March for Our Lives�

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BIGGER THAN SPORTS BASEBALL 8-year-old Xavier Clafee, battling a rare heart disease, officially joins the Charlotte baseball team

By Kathleen Cook Photo by Chris Crews Disney isn’t the only place that makes dreams come true. This week, the Charlotte 49ers baseball program turned one kid’s dream into a reality.

8-year-old Xavier Clafee is battling Truncus Arteriosus, which is a rare form of heart disease. With the help of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, he was brought to the 49ers. The foundation’s goal is to better the life of children who are battling diseases and cancers.

Although he is young in age, Xavier has already had three open-heart surgeries and four heart catheterizations. During his last surgery in July, a device was placed in his heart that will grow with Xavier, meaning no more surgeries for at least seven years.

Xavier came out Wednesday afternoon and signed with the program officially. He was presented with Charlotte baseball t-shirts, a hat and a jersey, along with other 49er swag. After joining the program, Xavier went down to the field, met his new teammates and participated in his first practices.

The Niners lost to in-state foe UNC 14-2 the night before Xavier signed, the sting of the loss was quickly replaced by players being grateful for simply their opportunity to be on a baseball field.

“The word I would put for it is just perspective.

It gives us a great perspective on how lucky we are to come out here and play every day,” Jackson Mims said.

When asked what position he would want to play, Xavier quickly responded with third base.

Wanting to size up the competiton, third basemen Mims quickly took Xavier under his wing.

The two were seen side-by-side during the warm-up stretches, playing a game of catch and

when Xavier was taking his first swings with the bat.

Charlotte coach Loren Hibbs welcomed Xavier into the 49er family and said he set a good example for his players.

“I think we all realize and we all understand that we are blessed to be able to be out here and be able to do what we’re doing,” Hibbs said.

“When a young man like Xavier comes around here and gets a chance to be in our program and see and hear the struggles that he’s had in his very short lifetime in the eight years he’s been on this earth, it makes you appreciate everything.”

Prior to his surgery in July, Xavier couldn’t entertain the idea of playing sports. Now, with oxygen flowing easier throughout his body, Xavier can explore the athletic world. His father, Xavier Clafee, said that while he is still learning about the sport, he’s all in.

“He’s one of those kids, like, when you say something to him, it’s tunnel vision. When we said baseball, team, meet your coaches, for the last three days it has been nothing but let the sheer focus and tunnel vision on the act of what baseball is,” Clafee said.

Xavier has an open invitation for any 49er baseball activity, including practices, meetings and games.

TOP: Clafee takes a swing at the ball during practice.

MIDDLE: Clafee and Mims stretch it out during the warm-up period of Wednesday’s practice.

BOTTOM: Xavier Clafee officially signed with the Charlotte 49ers baseball program.

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Mike Hill fulfilled his childhood dream when he became the AD for the Charlotte 49ers

By Kathleen Cook Photo by Chris Crews Children often dream of being astronauts or things were going well,” Lohse said.

“I think the first weekend I was on staff, actually cowboys when they are growing up. This was not Steve Kirschner was an intern on the staff of the I remember going on a football road trip and the case for Mike Hill, the new 49ers Athletic sports information staff when Hill was a junior. scooping ice cream for the football players. That’s Director (AD). what you did, whatever you were asked,” Hill said.

“He was someone who you just knew he was Growing up in Clemson, Hill has been exposed to going to be someone who just spent his life in the Hill described a short list he made of schools college athletics his whole life. that, if he could ever end up there someday, “it sports administration. He has such a passion and “I fell in love with college sports. I discovered at would be a dream.” One of the five schools on that was so interested in soaking up every experience an early age that you could actually have a career list was Florida. and the knowledge,” Kirschner said. working in college athletics. I knew I wanted to During his time with Ball State, an entryAn internship the summer before his senior year be, I wanted to work in some capacity in college level marketing position opened in Gainesville. led to a job with the newly-formed Blockbuster sports,” Hill said.

He applied, got the job, packed up and moved to Bowl after he graduated from Chapel Hill in 1990.

Chasing that childhood dream of being an AD, His experience with the bowl showed him what the Sunshine State. He remained an employee Hill moved from Tiger Town into Chapel Thrill goes into event management and the importance of of Florida’s Athletic Department for the next 25 when he attended UNC for college. One of his first years. establishing relationships. stops on campus was to the athletic department Among many of his responsibilities with the “Working for a bowl game was not my ultimate seeking a job, but was turned away. He returned Gators was the men’s tennis administrator. Bryan goal in my career, obviously, but it was a great the fall semester of his sophomore year and once Shelton, the men’s tennis coach at Florida had start. It was a great open door,” Hill said. again was denied. nothing but high praise for Hill.

After working with the Blockbuster Bowl for two However, after hanging around long enough, Hill “I believe having Mike as a boss has made me years, Hill wanted to find a new job – this time on a was offered a position with the sports information a better coach and a person. He has the ability college campus. He got on staff at Ball State where office in Carolina’s athletic department the spring to positively influence people he is around. He he was an administrative assistant. Being at a semester of his sophomore year. has a special ability to relate to people and care small school meant wearing a lot of hats.

“I worked 30 hours a week. They had to for others. I think the way he treats people kick me out of the Smith Center because I from the bottom to the top describes his just loved being around it,” Hill said. “My life personality and sets him apart from others,” was totally immersed in sports, that’s what I Shelton said. did and I loved every bit of it.”

In a business where moving around is Dave Lohse was responsible for hiring necessary for success, Hill was expecting the student assistant staff in UNC Athletic to remain a Gator for five to seven years, Communications when Hill was with the however every couple of years he was University. During his job interview with promoted in the department, given new Hill, he said it was “clear” he would be a help opportunities to grow. around the office.

“I was at one of the best programs in the “Mike was charismatic. People were drawn country, very happy there,” Hill said. “I’ll to him and he was simply outstanding in never forget Billy Donovan, our basketball every sense of the word. We trusted him and coach at the time, told me once ‘don’t mess knew he would do a great job. We gave him with happy.’ He said ‘you’re happy, don’t mess a lot of personal responsibility. He was not with that. If you’re going to leave Florida, it’s Mike Hill (left) is joined with new basketball coach Ron Sanchez and the kind of employee you had to spend time got to be something that you’re confident you Chancellor Phil Dubois. on looking over their shoulder to make sure can enjoy,’ and so here we are.”

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Though always keeping his childhood dream in mind, Hill said he was “very selective” when it came to applying for AD positions.

“I’ve declined most of those opportunities because I was happy at Florida. So, it was going to have to be the right fit for me. When this job opened up, I immediately started telling people who I’m close to, ‘Hey, this is one I think I want,’” Hill said.

One reason the Charlotte job stood out for him was that it would return Hill to his roots.

As a kid, he would come to Charlotte to visit his grandparents. However, with all his visits to the Queen City, he never made it out the Charlotte campus.

“I was stunned, blown away by the beauty of the campus. This is a big-league university and a bigleague campus. I’ve been here for a week and I’m so proud to be a part of this,” Hill said.

One of the reasons Hill stood out to Chancellor Phillip Dubois is because of his extensive history with a power five school.

“If you’ve worked in a big athletic department with a budget many times larger than ours and you have very sophisticated understanding of collegiate athletics, that’s an experience you can bring to the table when you come to Charlotte and help Charlotte grow into being a larger and more significant program,” Dubois said.

As for his vision for the 49ers in the future, Hill says he doesn’t want to “put a ceiling on what we have as a vision for this place.”

RESUME SNAPSHOT: University of Florida (1993-2018)

Ball State University (1992-93)

Blockbuster Bowl (1990-92)

“I don’t know why this program can’t be a program that’s competing with the very best athletic programs in the country,” Hill said. “I know we have a lot of work to do and I know it doesn’t happen overnight. We all want to pick up the remote and fast-forward to the end and see the end-result, but it’s that work in between is really

required to get us where we want to be.”

To capture his goal in one statement, Hill said he wants the program to “continue to grow it to a point where people are envious of our accomplishments.”

Lohse has been watching Hill’s career from the sideline ever since his time at Carolina. Seeing Hill finally fulfill his childhood dream was no surprise.

“I think he is a lot the same person he was as a student here. And that person was a remarkable human being,” Lohse said. “As I said earlier, Mike is charismatic in the good definition of the word.

People are drawn to him and that makes him a dynamic and pragmatic leader. To this day I have a strong affection for Mike as a person and I truly believe in my 41 years at North Carolina he is one of the best hires I’ve ever made – literally right up at the top of the list.”

Fellow Tarheel, Kirschner, has also had the privilege of watching Hill rise through the ranks.

He said what stood out about Hill’s career is that he’s been “very patient.”

“I think that patient career path, where he learned from great schools, all of his experiences are going to serve him well as the athletic director of UNC Charlotte,” Kirschner said. “I’ve known him for 30 years, the fact that he’s the athletic director now is probably the least surprising thing to me”

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A&E

SWINGING INTO SPRING The annual Spring Dance Concert continues to impress

by Aaron Febre Photo by Jeff Cravotta Day three has just passed for the Spring Dance Concert and the quality remains as pristine as it was for the past two days. The more I attend the events provided by UNC Charlotte’s Arts and Architecture Department, the more I’m amazed by the prospect of talent that is being nurtured here.

It’s even more fascinating that these pieces are created specifically for the students here at this school. It feels as if these pieces are designed to show the potential and talent these students have.

This is exemplified in “RONT,” a piece by Netta Yerulshalmy that brings a combination of vogueing, house music and contemporary dance music. The movements are very ethereal, precise and strangely enough, humorous. The dancers use all of the space provided by the stage and they have executed it so flawlessly that they make it look easy.

Another highlight is “Breaking Point,” a piece that sees the dancers dressed in white while Davian “DJ” Robinson wails out on a spoken word section that leaves you wondering about the things he said (I won’t reveal what he said; you have to see it). I find myself enjoying the usage of euro-techno music being used in the background and the usage of blind folds it uses as a means to break out of your boundaries.

“Bonheur at Prospérité (Happiness and Prosperity): Mamaya/Yamama” brings the concert to an explosive ending. The combined traditions of the Mandeng and Temine people got the crowd to sing along and clap their hands.

The usage of the drums from both musicians and dancers was excellent and showed the precision required to perform this piece.

The meaning of this pieces shows an uplifting message. The support from other people and the hopes of good things to come in the upcoming year, something that is very much needed for all of the students here at UNC Charlotte; especially for the three graduating students who received Professional Dance Training Certificate with Charlotte Ballet.

That last piece took me by surprise because the whole time the entire time the crowd was sitting there just watching the dance and lost in the music. I don’t think the crowd weren’t really that active until the last piece and the entire atmosphere took another direction as if we were in some sort of arena concert.

But overall, I enjoyed watching the Spring Dance Concert. I’m amazed how much hard work and effort the students put for this four-day concert. It’s not easy to perform this for four days straight and with all of the rehearsals put in. This will not go unnoticed.

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THE “GRADE A” PROBLEM

The mental exhaustion students face to get good grades

OPINION

By Taylor Maness Photo courtesy of Pixabay You stay awake all night to study, forgo social activities and your grades have become the number one thing on your priorities list. Some might consider you to be the epitome of a proactive student. Others may try to encourage your “dedication.” I, on the other hand, would caution you to stop. College is an incredibly hectic, stressful time. There’s no getting around that. The problem is how we are choosing to deal with it. We have become so accustomed to the chaos we have to come see the behaviors above as normal. In reality, it’s far from normal. At what point do you go from being a productive student, to putting your wellbeing at risk? This fine line that is often crossed by college whose priorities have been skewed due to the pressures of college life. It seems like more and more people are putting their mental, social and physical health on the back-burner in order to make a few points higher on a test. We need to start realizing that no grade is worth throwing our basic human needs out the window.

One of the first things college students sacrifice in times of stress is sleep. As much as everyone would love to get in a full eight hours of sleep at night, sometimes this seems like an impossible goal to achieve. College students are all too familiar with staying up through the night just to get that last bit of studying in before a big exam. Problems arise when the occasional late night evolves into a continuous string of caffeinefueled all-nighters. For many people this is even considered to be normal. This is a very disturbing pattern among college students. Depriving your body of sleep can be detrimental to your physical, emotional and psychological health. Students need to start prioritizing sleep over cramming for

a test. It’s something your body needs to restore itself. Also, the motives behind these all-nighters are completely counterintuitive. There is actually a link between lack of sleep and for academic performance. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, students who frequently pull “all-nighters” tend to have lower GPA’s than students who get between six and eight hours of sleep. This just proves when you don’t put your health first, all aspects of your life will falter.

Balancing school and a social life is another difficult thing to manage during college. Many think of socializing as a frivolous activity. It’s treated as if it’s something that can easily be done away with to make room for a few hours of extra studying. People tend to forget a healthy social life is critical for living a meaningful life. The Mayo Clinic states having a life rich in social activity can reduce stress levels, help individuals cope with trauma, and can even strengthen your immune system. We oftentimes forget how impactful social interactions are for our health. Aside from the numerous health benefits, there is a much deeper reason we should be more concerned with our social health. When we begin to isolate ourselves from family and friends, we are neglecting the most important things in in life. No grade will ever be worth the price of neglecting the ones you love.

These are the things that make life worth living.

Make it a priority to find time in your schedule to see your friends, call your parents and stay connected to the people you care about.

With exams, extra-curricular activities and job-searching, stress is bound to find its way into your life. This is just part of the college experience. In some cases, this can even benefit

you. An article put out by the Berkley News recognizes acute stress as a way to keep the mind alert and boosts performance. The key word in this statement; however, is the word “acute.” This means that it is experienced in small quantities.

Chronic high levels of stress can lead to fatigue, lack of concentration and, if severe enough, physical exhaustion. When we are only focused on our grades, stress levels can shoot through the roof. It’s important to realize that there is a difference between being concerned with academic performance, and being obsessed with it. When even the thought of al less-than-perfect grade brings you to the brink of a panic attack, there is a problem. Thinking about grades should not have a crippling effect on the body. At this point you aren’t concerned with learning, you’re concerned about a letter. Yes, grades are very important. They aren’t, however; worth making yourself go crazy.

As hard as it may be to believe, your grades do not define who you are or who you will become. College is supposed to be a time when you find out about yourself and he world around you. Make sure you are exploring this side of the college experience, as well.

In closing, college life isn’t the cake-walk many people believe it is. There is constant pressure to succeed in everything we do. As tempting as it may be to let our health and well-being fall at the waist side for school, we need to fight against it. There is so much more to life than making a certain grade.

We need to prioritize our health and well-being above anything else. This is the only way to live a happy life.

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ACROSS 1 Smallest chess piece 5 Intl. alliance with a phonetic alphabet 9 Test for fit 14 Where to find Columbus 15 Surrounded by 16 Like a wolfman 17 Made it possible (for) 20 Bit of campaign ugliness 21 In a jittery way 22 Food storage cover 24 Big pic from a small neg.

25 Reason for “Fahrenheit 451” fires 31 Yr.’s dozen 34 Smoothie berry 35 Pet store cry 36 Resell exorbitantly, as tickets 38 Iowa crop 39 Extreme fear 41 First website page 42 Last Greek letter

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44 Lucy’s sitcom partner 45 Neighborhood 46 Stark in “Game of Thrones” 47 Achieved desired results 50 Math basics: Abbr.

51 Tweeter’s titter 52 White ursine critter 58 Hand prettifiers 62 It’s designed to elicit a certain answer ... or where the end of 17-, 25- and 47-Across may be found 64 Dickens’ Drood 65 Garage goop 66 Opponent 67 Hit __: ran into trouble 68 Wise, as advice 69 Twice-monthly 7-Down DOWN 1 Seasoned senators, say 2 “If I may say something ... “

3 Edith, to Archie 4 Teacher’s “Shh!” 5 “Uh-uh” 6 Confirmation from the congregation 7 Ocean phenomenon 8 Reason for a diaper change 9 Big crowds 10 Phantom’s rival, in “The Phantom of the Opera” 11 Pet store cries 12 Baseball’s Hershiser 13 Big Apple address letters 18 Chicago paper, for short 19 Toaster __ 23 Dilapidated joint 25 Breakfast partner of 55-Down 26 “__, all ye faithful ... “ 27 Rowed 28 Verify, as totals 29 Octet plus one 30 “If only” 31 New Zealand native 32 Early Mesoamerican 33 “Bark, Bowser!”

37 Phony 40 Sky over Paris 43 Loving and devoted, as fans 48 Library vol. ID 49 Gobbling guys?

50 Gymnast Comaneci 52 Ardent request 53 Voluminous syn. and etym. sources 54 Mowed expanse 55 See 25-Down 56 Water color 57 Ladder step 59 29-Down count 60 Kappa preceder 61 Barbershop sound 63 Barely make, with “out”

EASY WAYS TO HELP LEARN A LANGUAGE

LIFESTYLE

By Hailey Turpin If you’re anything like me, I have always been fascinated with other languages and the people that speak them. I spend several hours at a time watching people speak other languages (with subtitles), so I am more than willing to learn a language. But how does one have the time or the resources? I’m here to give you some tips I have learned in my discovery of other cultures and languages around the world.

1. Look for apps.

This may seem a little cheesy or crazy, but trust me. When I took spanish in high school and continued it through college, I used several apps to refresh my memory and help me learn further. If you’re curious, Duolingo and Rosetta Stone are a great place to start. They are easy to use and with practice, they really work.

2. YouTube.

The world is your oyster and the internet allows you to find and learn anything.

A simple YouTube search could help you perfect your french, as well as start another language for completely free. If you are struggling financially but find time to learn a new language, YouTube will be one of your best friends. Not only limited to YouTube, search the internet and find the ways to learn for free. It’s completely possible if you look hard enough. Even while I am writing this article I have watched four videos of polyglots (people who speak several languages) fluently moving from one language to the other.

3. Be patient.

You will not learn a language in a week. Each one has many words and verb conjugations, so understand that the process is hard and takes a while. But persistence and patience is the best way to stay on track with your progress. There are times when we we get busy and it’s hard to stay on track, but knowing that it is a long process will help you know that it’s worth it.

4. Start a language journal.

I have a love for both journaling and learning languages, so if you feel most inclined, write down your words and phrases so that you can refer back to them and remember them better. Adding drawings and cool layouts make the experience more fun and easier to continue.

5. Join a club.

Especially for college students, we have language learning opportunities on every single place on this campus. UNC Charlotte values and strives for diversity, so take a look at some of the clubs and organizations that are offered on campus and join! Meeting and talking with native speakers of a language will help you learn to speak it.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert on learning languages or languages in general.

If you know what works for you, do that. However if you are struggling in your language learning journey, hopefully these tips will help you with your learning!

Duolingoʼs home page for French mastery.

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