OPINION Page 10
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
NTDAILY.COM
FINAL WORD
One final word: Opinion staff weighs in on life in Denton The Opinion Staff North Texas Daily
though there are some who have called for us to be defunded, labeled us as biased hacks and told us to pack our things and get the hell out – let it be understood we intend to do no such thing. We’ve been kickin’ for now over 100 years, and we’ve got our sights set on the next 100. Thanks for the memories, UNT.
a way, it is a foreshadow of Denton’s expansion from a small town to a major college hub. The people have only slightly changed. The Anthropologie-draped vape-champions blowing fog as they walk through campus bare foot can still be seen, but the hipster movement has waned in recent years. This isn’t to say they haven’t always been here, but the culture of the Urban Outfitters buying retro cassette players is on its way out right now and I wonder what will replace that when I’m gone. Denton, it’s been real. Your carefree, liberal-heavy, inclusive and multicultural environment has changed my outlook on small towns. My only word of advice: Please stop saying you’re a “small Austin,” it’s just not a good look, and you already have plenty going for you.
The Daily Shall Live On Harrison Long The opinion section of North Texas Daily was an experiment conceived by some of the editors at the end of last semester. We weren’t really sure about where we’d be going, or what challenges were to Denton needs to stop trying so come, we just knew that we wanted hard to change Sidney Johnson to start a conversation. When I arrived in Denton in the To be clear, the progress made by North Texas Daily has been the spring of 2012 I was taken back by result of a collaborative effort across its peculiar mixture of cozy vibes so all sections, a seamless cohesion of perfectly aligned with a large-scale driven individuals working toward university buzz. The hometown a common goal. The addition of the feelings of random conversations opinion section has only added to the with total strangers was different for conversation that has been generated me -- I’m not used to people walking on campus, and we were proud to up and spilling their life story to me do our part, but we would have gone unannounced. I’m a Dallas-born city boy. I love unnoticed had it not been for quality parking in Denton the hustle and bustle of the town: Bad of work done by our colleagues. We’ve reveled in the response the loudness and, like a small child, synonymous with UNT experience we’ve received over the past few feel a strange paranoia when things Morgan Sullivan As a nearly telltale sign of any months – the reactions have been are too quiet when you have your more than we ever could have back turned. Denton has given me city’s growth, Denton has acquired anticipated, and we hope to keep this an openness that I didn’t have before a major parking problem. Whether going as long as we remain a part coming here, and “Little D,” the town you’re trying to park for class or of this newspaper. Though we still I have grown to love seems to be simply trying to grab some overpriced question whether some individuals changing as I get ready to seek other coffee at Starbucks, it’s like “The Hunger Games” everywhere you go. are able to grasp the concept of a horizons. Perhaps Denton is desperately The change is reminiscent of section solely made up of opinions, one that exists independently of the old union I walked into upon clinging on to its “hipster” roots, factual news and enlightening arrival. It was quiet, dreary and a hastily hanging on to the last threads DR POMERANCE APR 25, 2016 - JUN features, we have enjoyed getting to place to lie down from the pressures of its suburban identity, before the DENTON is swallowed up by the know the personalities of those in our of class. Now, the union seems more entire cityPOM1DENTAPR16 constraints of big city life by offering like a modern museum with its SH community. 1/2 We aren’t going anywhere – giant windows and edgy design. In as little parking as possible. I-35 is
probably the city’s largest parking lot, with the construction bringing neverending traffic. Whatever the case may be, somehow the parking in Denton has become a metaphor of the college experience. You pull into the parking lot with a hopeful outlook. You creep up and down the rows, exasperated, your faith in UNT parking services - and yourself - weakening. You have a slimmer of hope at the end of one row, but it’s just a ridiculously small car, not an empty spot. Defeated, you decide to park in the first spot you find, regardless of the repercussions. The process of parking has left you tired, overwhelmed and with little to show for all of your hard work. It’s like one giant meme for the entire college experience, we just wish they’d try to be more original. Denton is great, let’s ease up on construction Preston Mitchell Prior to enrolling at UNT, I was told stories about the campus’ unconventionality. My friends teased me about attending a university that was infamous for its tepid football, especially since the bulk of them chose Baylor University, Texas A&M, and the University of Texas instead. Nevertheless, I heard even more 1,encouraging 2016 anecdotes reflected Denton’s Austin-ian nature, and how the community attracts individuals that are passionate about the arts,
culture and everything else. Looking back on my experiences since then, having become a full-time Denton resident, I’ve witnessed numerous changes to the city. Football coaches have been swapped, the Union has been updated, the Square has been subject to vandalism, and the new Raising Cane’s is now a major hotspot. So much has changed about Denton except for one single attribute: the construction. Before the Union was unveiled, I spent my time beforehand rushing to classes, having to dodge tractors and closed ranges to avoid architectural creation. Countless other students shared my dilemma, which became apparent during every #UNTFollowTrain. Contrary to what we all thought about it, Denton construction is key right now to making our city more exciting in the future. Part of the reason we’re called “Austin Lite” is because of how much our amazing bars, bookstores, restaurants and entertainment centers enculturate different humanities from around the world. Foremost, we attend a great university and Denton’s new sites throughout the next 10 years will cement it as a top tier college town. The only people that can realize Denton’s potential is us, and it’s about time we started recognizing that by finishing our current projects before we start new ones.
North Texas Daily Editorial Board
Editor-In-Chief Nicholas Friedman nicholas.friedman1@gmail.com @NMFreed News Editor Dalton LaFerney laferneyd@gmail.com @daltonlaferney Arts & Life Editor Matt Payne mattpayne1994@gmail.com @MattePaper Sports Editor Scott Sidway s.sidway@gmail.com @ScottyWK Visuals Editor Kristen Watson kristenwatson2@my.unt.edu @kbwats Visuals Editor Meagan Sullivan meagansullivanphotography@ gmail.com @meagansullivan_ Opinion Editor Harrison Long harrisonlong@my.unt.edu @HarrisonGLong
Production Design Editor ...Hannah Lauritzen Copy Editor.....Linda Kessler Copy Editor......Chelsea Watkins
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Letter from the editor: It’s really been a year already? By Nicholas Friedman Editor-In-Chief @NMFreed After more than 20 years, I was the first North Texas Daily editor to
stay on for a full school year. It was a scary thought at first, but I grew into it, and I think it all worked out. Don’t you? We told a lot of stories this
year, ranging from the tragic to the uplifting. We covered the city and its plans for the future. We covered a gay couple’s quest to adopt a child. We met celebrities, experienced
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things for the first time and had a blast doing it. But it wasn’t always easy. With a lot of structural changes, a new website, a digital-first mindset and a ton of staffers, there was a lot to keep together. With the support of some wonderful editors and advisors, we made it through. So, what does the North Texas Daily mean to me? Well, it means a lot of things. The Daily was my first foray into newspaper work, really. I was a yearbook kid in high school; so moving to the big leagues in college was a big deal. I was coming off of a pretty terrible injury where I had broken my jaw and left wrist at the same time. So, with my mouth wired shut and painkillers in my belly, I interviewed for the Daily. I suppose it worked out. My first semester as a staff writer was a rough one, as I started to carve out a little niche for myself here in Denton. I wrote a lot about technology and put together some cool profiles. I also made some great friends too, other writers and photographers, and they helped shape me into the journalist I am today. After that, I worked a summer as a senior staff writer building a beat and getting to know the ins and outs of production. This led to my promotion to design editor for the fall of 2014. In that role, the seeds
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Nicholas Friedman were sown for the design the Daily has today. It has a classic feel, but it’s easy to read and easy to jump into. We won some awards, too. Then onto features editor, where I finally felt what it was like to have a staff. And my underlings were fantastic. By the end of the semester, many of them had become seasoned reporters and writers. Heck, some of them make up the editorial board this year. Of them, I couldn’t be more proud. And at last, I was named editorin-chief for the fall 2015 semester. I had been preparing for it, but it’s sort of like going on a first date, there’s no way to predict it. But my first date went smooth, and they decided to bring me back for the spring semester, and my staff came with me. We built upon the platforms we created, including The Dose, a pop
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culture brainchild I developed that has grown into an award-winning print product. We made our writers stronger and they, in turn, made us stronger. I was given wonderful opportunities at the Denton RecordChronicle and The Dallas Morning News this year, and I’m grateful for that. For this year, and my career as a whole, I can’t thank my colleagues enough. To Dalton and Harrison, the paper is in good hands. I can’t wait to see where you go with the groundwork we all placed together, and you know I’ll be following along and trying not to read the comments. But if there’s one thing I can say about this paper, it’s thank you. Thank you for this year, and the years before. Thank you for helping me to start my career. Thank you for making me a journalist.