HOMECOMING 2022

DART CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 we now have additional DART services in the areas adjacent to campus. For example, the new 232 route runs west/east along Frankford Rd, Synergy Park North Blvd and Renner Rd,” Jamison said in an emailed statement. “We have many students that live at apartment complexes near the Frankford/Coit intersection, and this new route passes immediately by these apartments.”

Moreover, those new services allow students using the 883 East bus route to transfer to the 232 and go west without passing through the UTD Transit Center at the front of the University. That should help to de-densify the 883 Comet Cruisers.

Comets for Better Transit president and history junior Daniel Yahalom is looking forward to the benefits these updates may hold for UTD students looking to get around town.

“The GoLink expansion was great, and a step in the right direction,” Yahalom said.

GoLink is a service that allows users to request rides, similar to Uber or Lyft, while within the newly-expanded GoLink service zone. While that area, even after expansion, still does not include UTD’s main campus, it begins nearby—just south of Campbell Road, about halfway to Arapaho—and is accessible in various areas around Dallas.

DART seems to be keeping well in touch with campus, even without direct GoLink connection. Jamison emphasized the collaborative re-

Renovation

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 win further said that the SU was going to be adaptable to whatever usage the students deemed necessary.

“The Student Union has always adapted to student needs; it looks very different today than it did 10 years ago,” Goodwin said.

As the project is still in its earliest stages, Comets may have to wait some time for the results of the feasibility study to come to light. Barraza said that the initial stage for planning would take a few months, and that lationship between UTD and the transit service.

“We work with DART to service the 883 routes as a 50/50 partnership. DART in turn is very flexible with our scheduling needs and route coverage to ensure that we are able to represent our campus in an appropriate way as UTD best understands the needs of the campus community,” Jamison said.

“We have seen enormous progress from zero buses in 2008 to more than 1.5 million riders pre-pandemic,” he said. “We are the fastest growing route in the DART system.”

Literature junior Jack Sierputowski, having learned his way around public transit from his hometown, Cleveland, has been using DART to get around town since his first semester on campus. From weekly grocery runs to Dallas daytrips, Sierputowski recommends Comets take advantage of public transit whenever available.

“Definitely get the school GoPass, because, you know, it’s free for us. Make sure you request it early, so you don’t get stranded at the airport,” Sierputowski said.

Past stranding mishaps aside, he pushed back against the stigma that is sometimes associated with using public transit- especially fears of robbery and physical harm.

“You’re not going to get mugged on DART trains, I promise. It’s probably the worst place to rob someone, considering it has fixed stops. By the time you get to the next one, they’re going to arrest you,” he said.

Students may obtain their free, unlimited-ride pass through the approval and construction afterward would be up to the university.

“The idea behind the feasibility study is to put an idea on paper that describes the size, the basic components, those program spaces and creates a vision with some images and a budget for an expected renovation cost,” Barazza said.

“The university can then decide how they want to move forward and what it’s going to take in terms of a funding mechanism.”

Fitch said that the project would come out of existing University funds if approved and that opera-

University. Once your request is processed, the GoPass mobile app can be used to explore the entire DART Service Area.

Expanding transit access is not set to end with the DARTzoom program, either. Jamison reported that UTD has finalized an agreement to complete a DART station and a “Park & Ride” area at Northside.

A Silver Line, connecting campus with the DFW airport, Addison, Carrollton and other destinations, is also planned to open for use by late 2024. DART is hosting Community Meetings for areas affected by the Silver Line project throughout its construction, both in-person and online; see the expansion’s page on DART’s website for upcoming events.

Despite the wait, students like Sierputowski are looking forward to the new rail system.

“The Silver Line is very exciting!” Sierputowski said. “It’s supposed to be fast... ‘Whoosh’ fast.”

Still, a lack of publicity on the expansion and familiarity with how to use public transportation could prevent students from taking full advantage of the system.

“We appreciate better frequency and more lines, but the biggest obstacle DART has in UTD right now is that most students don’t know to use it,” Yahalom said. “They don’t know how to get their DART pass, how to plan a commute, when and where buses are available, et cetera… and the big DART launch, unfortunately, didn’t do much to address that.” tional costs would be financed by the space itself, whether from hourly fees for PC usage or some other method. At this point, just about anything seems to be a possibility –even a second floor atop the existing space and courtyard is currently under consideration. The university has also looked at other similar spaces to use as references, and Fitch and Goodwin will visit a gaming space at the University of California, Irvine in April as part of their research.

DART representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

“We want to make the best esports/gaming lounge in the nation that’s on a college campus,” Fitch said.

With the roar of a chainsaw and rotting flesh dangling from the jowls of a killer, Leatherface returns with a vengeance — and newfound hatred of Gen Z. “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022) is an example of what horror movie sequels should be, with nods to the first film without relying solely on nostalgia to drive the story.

The film opens with a group of young adults venturing deep into Texas. Social media influencer Melody (Sarah Yarkin) drags her sister Lila (Elsie Fisher) to an abandoned town in hopes of persuading other young business owners to capitalize on the “vintage aesthetic” of the Deep South. Before the bidders arrive, Melody and her business partner Dante (Jacob Latimore) are shocked to see a Confederate flag posted on the town’s abandoned orphanage. They go inside to tear it down, only to find that an elderly woman and her terrifying companion are still inhabiting the building.

Upon first glance, a plot surrounding online influencers seemed to be a lazy and corny way to modernize an old concept, but this was not the case. Introducing the characters as youthful, online personalities contrasted greatly against the setting and Leatherface himself, making it perfect for new audiences. Leatherface, naïve to the outside world, is suddenly placed amongst a world of smart phones and youthful liberals — and is outraged by the intrusion.

Melody has the most anxiety-inducing run-ins