Special Issue, Volume 122 Thursday, August 20, 2015
Rollins College’s New President During his first year, Grant Cornwell aspires to meet the people who comprise his new home. page 4
Page NEWS Page #2 •• SECTION OPINION
Established in 1894 with the following editorial:
EXECUTIVE STAFF Micah Bradley Editor-in-Chief Lauren Waymire Managing Editor Stephanie Garcia Production Manager
CONTENT STAFF Alexandra Mariano Head Copy Editor Esteban Meneses Copy Editors Raquel Leon Eric Hilton Section Editor Danielle Del Pico Staff Writers Nolan Brewer Web Assistant
DESIGN DEPARTMENT Shaayann Khalid Head Designer Carmen Cheng Marcus Camacho Designers
BUSINESS & FACULTY Greg Golden
Interim General Manager of Student Media
Taylor McCormack Business Manager
Thursday, September 11, 2014 Thursday, August 20, 2015
Letters from the editors to the class of 2019 When my RCC first met during orientation, my brilliant professor spewed out wisdom with a simple statement that has stuck with me for the past four years: “You either lose yourself or find yourself in college.” My hope is that the latter part of this sentiment rings true for the Class of 2019 during your time at Rollins. As a freshman, the timeline between orientation and the first day of classes zoomed by like a haze for me. As a senior, I cannot tell you the specifics, but I remember those words and can describe my feelings vividly. My melting pot of emotions ranged from excited to overwhelmed, nervous to eager, and energetic to exhausted. There was a fire burning inside me to make instant friends, to finally decide on a major, and to immediately find my place at this home away from home. “Find your anchor” is the
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Cover Art Designed By: Caroline Arrigoni ‘17
-Stephanie Garcia Production Manager
Allow me to be another one of many to welcome you to Rollins College: Welcome. This school is everything and nothing that you thought that it was going to be, as I suspect most colleges are. As you already know, Rollins is a small school. But it can feel large (especially at first), which can be daunting and overwhelming. What makes this place feel smaller is finding where you belong on campus, whether it be a club, a friend group, greek life, or whatever makes you happy. I love to write, a passion that brought me to The Sandspur where I remain two years later. It is not easy to adjust to something that is different from anything you have ever known, so allow me to give you some advice: Don’t be impatient, and try everything you can. Do different activities, talk to new people, get to know your professors, go off campus. Take
advantage of every opportunity until you finally find the place and the people that make you love Rollins. Then continue to explore. Don’t get comfortable once you have found your place. It is possible to have multiple places you belong, and Rollins has a lot to offer. Give it time, try everything you can, and you will find your anchor. -Micah Bradley Editor-in-Chief
Students share tips for success with freshmen Danielle Del Pico
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mantra here at Rollins, and getting involved is the best advice I can give you—but remember that adjusting to campus takes time as well. There will be times when you feel lost or homesick. There will be times when you feel stressed or impatient. However, similar to any milestone in life, you will feel challenged and accomplished in equal measures. I consider myself fortunate to have found my anchor at Rollins and my chosen family with The Sandspur. Whether you join student media, greek life, or a service club this year, the most important thing is to expose yourself to as many opportunities as you can.
Staff Writer
The start of a new school year means so many different things. New billing statement for tuition, new online searches for cheap textbooks, new clothes, new friends, new classes, and new professors. The experience can be a little overwhelming for most, but there are some things you can remember as you embark on this new journey. While you are mulling over the following words of wisdom, remember that college is what you make it and what it makes for you. It is a symbiotic relationship; one cannot thrive without the other. You might be shy. You might not want to speak up in class or think anything you have to say is worth contributing. First, actually do your homework and the readings (it is more fun when you actually know what is going on, surprisingly). Not only does raising your hand and offering your thoughts on something give your professor an opportunity to see where
you stand on things, but it gives your peers an insight into who you really are. It helps others not to judge you on superficial things like what your water bottle design is. Keep in mind that not everybody in your class is going to like you, but they sure should have the opportunity to respect you as an individual. Stewart Spears ‘15, an English major, reflects, “Don’t try to impress your peers, impress your professors. Professors see through all freshmen bull and will respect you for growing up. So will the peers who are worth your time.” The most crucial thing, as I have said before, is that your college experience is what you make it. Are you simply picking classes to just get your credits and get your degree? Do you want to take a class that makes it worthwhile to attend? Is this class an asset to your studies? Does this class challenge you? Jessica Kaufman ‘15, an English major, suggests more consideration when it comes to your course load. “Keep an open mind. Pick
classes that challenge you because they are the ones you will remember forever. If a class is easy, it’s also boring most of the time,” she said. Coincidently, college is a place where you can figure out what it is that really drives you and impassions you, and certain classes can open up whole new perspectives for you and your career path. Alex Daubert ‘16 MBA, a Crummer student, says to think outside the box. “Push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Try something new. Meet someone new. Experience something new and discover who you are,” he said. If you feel like you are simply attending a class, sitting alone eating a snack, not sure what to say at a club meeting, and are just going through the motions, just remember that attending college is like being given a whole new lease on life. You can be anybody you want to be and nobody has any preconceived notions. Notable alumni Janis Hirsch ‘72, who was a Theater major and has written for several famous
television shows, shares, “Everyone feels as alone and terrified as you do. So remember, you don’t have to make a best friend for life today, you just have to find someone to sit next to at dinner.” Most importantly, your time is valuable. Do not assume that the deadline on the syllabus is too far away to take seriously. Life happens, and working ahead is working smarter. It is very easy to get distracted and off track, and there is no worse feeling than trying to type up an 11 page paper the night prior to the due date. Not only is the work you turn in slightly embarrassing, but you also have this overwhelming guilt knowing that you could have started that paper when you went on that extreme Netflix binge a couple of weeks ago. Relish that you are definitely not in high school anymore, even though there will be instances where you meet people that are still stuck in that tragic mentality. Welcome to a place that will stoke your creativity, educational pursuits, and inspire you to be more involved with your community.
Page 3 • OPINION
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Page # • SECTION
Upperclassman offers advice for surving the first year
A senior gives some suggestions on how to navigate the social ups and downs of the first year at Rollins. Ariana Simpson
Writer
There is an incessant flow of “20 Things to Do in your 20s!” articles, “How to be Awesome at College Life” blurbs, and videos that insist that you have not been living your life correctly because ‘abc’ is the right way to ‘xyz’ on the internet and social media. I have learned to maneuver away from these with a simple scroll, but the biggest peeve I have with these sorts of articles is that there is a lack of applicability and, well, honesty. Generally they are all the same with little consideration to the varied perspectives and lifestyles reading them. I personally have found myself (as you soon will, especially come winter break) acting as a living anecdote of my experiences both at college and as a Rollins student. With this in mind, I can assure you that the advice you are about to read is not like those anxiously demanding self-help ‘Thought Catalog’ gif sets fit for a limited audience. People you meet, especially in your first year, will leave— some unexpectedly. People transferring or going back home unexpectedly without telling many people happens. It just does. It may not be your super close friend, or even your good friend, but it may be Chandler from your hall who you had two classes with. With Rollins College being such a small school, you really do get to know everyone. So, when some people seem to just disappear it leaves a kind of strange hole. No one is going to tell you at orientation or in your RCC that “some of you will make it here and stay, and some of you will go,” like they might at a larger institution. For me, it definitely would have been nice to have a warning. Enjoy every friendship, but there will be some unexpected missed goodbyes. When you see people you know, make sure to give “hellos” and ten-minute catchup talks to help add up to a
great experience and comforting closeness, especially at a smaller institution like ours. Try new things like food and create accidental traditions, which might actually be the best kind. Because I have lived in Orlando since I was five, I thought I would grow extremely bored with going to school so close to home. Yes, in some sense it still stands true, but each week I find a plethora of amazing things to try thanks to both the internet and to my friends. Allowing yourself to be open to that one thing that seemed ultra ‘meh’ could introduce you to something not so mediocre. Those things that turn out to be horrible could make for a funny story later. This is all-encompassing: try new foods, events, music, party scenes, and organizations (it is totally okay if you decide it is not for you and you do not want to go anymore; you are not usually obligated to). It is about establishing or reestablishing you and your interests. Remember that generally nothing in college is either conventional or non-conventional across the board. If Denny’s at 3 a.m. on Thursdays with your roommate ended up becoming your thing and now it is basically tradition, do it, love it, and I will probably be there too with mine. It is seriously and absolutely okay to take a break for yourself. You do not have to be with friends all the time. While we may all be experiencing this time in our lives together, we still hold parts of our being that are distinct to us and us alone. Self-care is important. “Metime” is important. Self-reflection is important. In the midst of participation and homework and everything that will be your years of undergrad, you may find yourself pulling from your core being and what you hold dear. You may find your morals changing and may just plain go outside yourself—it is okay, do not beat yourself up.
Even if you do not experience that, or you change for the better, just please always remember to try and know yourself even if you do not know where that self is going. Getting lost happens, but being stuck can be a lot worse. Mental health is important. Rollins has Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and there is so much beautiful scenery that it makes it easier to go outside and breathe. It is all about being as grounded as pos-
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It’s about establishing or reestablishing you and your interests. Remember that generally nothing in college is either conventional or non-conventional across the board.
you address it as a problem—because now it has become a habit. Again, every situation is different, but please try to talk about it. It seems that there should be something about dating or Tinder or whatever. Remember the aforementioned bit about how nothing is really conventional or non-conventional in college? That pretty much applies here too. There really is no right or wrong, but remember that if you are in a situation where you might not know what is best for yourself, there are probably some really amazing friends preaching the same thing over and over again who know you very well. Do not try and squeeze yourself into some faux acceptance of what seems appropriate.
You do not want to date or have casual Tinder nights? Don’t. You want a long distance relationship with someone from back home or a from a different school? Awesome. You are a bit undecided trying to figure it out? Okay. Be safe, listen to your friends, and it is all good. Read your textbooks. Seriously. Read or at least skim your books, or do not even bother buying them. It is not only money wasted if you do not read them, but come junior year, you are going to wish you read that one thing from that one class because it is suddenly relevant. If you did not read it, keeping the book around might actually prompt you to engage with it over the summer.
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sible. It is okay to just chill. If your roommate sucks, or if you are the roommate that sucks, talk about it earlier rather than later. If you get a bad roommate, there is definitely a system you can set up to help you tolerate each other. Everyone’s situation is different, and it can help to talk to someone, especially your RA, about the situation and sort through some possibilities. As roommates, address the situation and talk about it nicely to each other at least once. This can be hard. Some people are just disgusting. Others might be the crazy roommate you cannot even think about talking to. Some might be unnecessarily passive aggressive. But just talk. The earlier the better, because if the “thing” you dislike or do not agree with goes unspoken, it can register as accepted. Then it can seem a bit out of nowhere if
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS COPY EDITORS SECTION EDITORS PHOTOGRAPHS ILLUSTRATORS AD REPRESENTATIVES APPLY AT: thesandspur.org/join-staff Open meetings are held every Monday at 6 p.m. on the 5th floor of the Mills Building.
Page 4 • FEATURES
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Photo by Rollins Flickr
WELCOME TO ROLLINS! FALL ORIENTATION • STUDENT proud2015 to be a tar SCHEDULE
OFFICE OF RESIDENTIAL LIFE & EXPLORATIONS • DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
New president outlines Wednesday, August 19 goals for future Title IX Training 2 – 5 p.m.
Various Locations Residence Hall Check-In This session will focus on healthy relationships 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Boxes barely unpacked, President Grant Cornwell and the difficult issue of sexis and gender violence. Residence Halls already
Please refer to orientation folder for location details. offering up his short and long-term goals for the College.
Residential students should head first to their Cornwell’s current goals for with an undergraduate student Cornwell,“because the only way assigned residence halls to meet and check-in Micah Bradley & Goodbye Parents and faculty sizeto slightly smallfor meLife to lead the college is for (RLE) Rollins span aboutDinner two years as withEditor-in-Chief the Residential & Explorations er than Rollins. Before Wooster, needs to me to really know the people of he believes that Rollins 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. staff. Students then proceed Rollins, because that’s really to the the go Cornell through a process of strategic Cornwell worked as the vice President Grant Cornwell, should Cornell Campus Center Campus Center to the check-in process. But before the college president of the university and Rollins College’s new president, soulcomplete of the place. So, I just have a planning.
series of dinner conversations will be called “At Home with the President.” He and his wife, Peg Cornwell, will invite groups of students over for dinner and dishas only been on campus for a lot of listening to do and a lot of begins that development, he dean of academic affairs at St. cussions. During freshman orientaUniversity in Canfew weeks. His temporary office learning to do.” wants to fix some of the commu- Lawrence Off-Campus Student Association College ton, New York. Prior to that, he tion, Cornwell will lead convocais still mostly empty as he Check-In waits Cornwell was chosen as Rol- nity’s foundations. Meeting “A small college like this, we worked in St. Lawrence’s Philos- tion and greet the new first years. for the president’s office–to3finish 9 a.m. p.m.lins’ fifteenth president after a ophy department. He also intends to participate in for having renovations. yearlong search by a committee should be a model 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. Cornell Center Cornwell has been known his first SPARC day. up of faculty, alumni, and high quality, open human relaIn his short time onCampus campus made Lounge Galloway Room Off-campus students proceed directly His advice to first year stufor his& commitment to the liberal so far, his goals have been to visstudents.should There were over 100 tionships that areOCSA undergirded as a way of arts and to student to take advantage of all applicants,Center but the for decision to by trust and honesty it every building on campus andCampus Meet fellow students andlife. learn aboutdents theisOffto the Cornell check-in. that Rollins has to offer because “I’ve devoted my whole life how we work together—we’re to start meeting with the college hire Cornwell was unanimous. Campus Student Association. Residential students should complete residential staff—a process he expects to He was introduced to the humans, that’s not easy or a giv- to liberal education. I have been the four years will go by fast. hall check-in before to the “What I really want to say en. And we need to work on that, called here to help rally Rollins take one year. collegeproceeding at the end of last year, campus to them is that first year students thing that around a vision of liberal educa“Beforecenter. the year is out, I will during a neighborhood event. I think that’s the first RCC Classes Meet should really throw themselves we have to do, and then we can tion for the 21st century.” He was preceded by Interim have had a Early one-on-one meeting Arrival move-ins need to attend this official 6:45 p.m. One of Cornwell’s initia- into the mission of the college.” with every single faculty mem- President Craig McAllaster. do strategic planning.” check-in. tives to engage with students Cornwell said. He added, “The Cornwell previously ber here, every single tenured McAllaster was interim presiRCC served Classrooms and tenure track faculty member dent for a year after President as the president of The College this year is to open up the pres- more they throw themselves into here. I will have met with every Duncan stepped down following of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. ident’s mansion, Barker House, that, the more they are going to Dinner Community Standards & Safety Wooster is a liberal arts school for dinners with students. The get out of Rollins.” academic department here,” said the 2013-2014 academic year.
5 – 7 p.m.
Cornell Campus Center
Enjoy a meal with your student at the Cornell
7 – 9 p.m.
Bush Auditorium & Tiedtke Concert Hall
Learn about the values and expectations of the
Page 5 • FEATURES
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Dave’s Boathouse slated to open fall semester Ongoing renovations will turn Dave’s Down Under into Dave’s Boathouse, which will serve alcohol in a pub setting. Danielle Del Pico
new dining concept to campus.
Staff Writer It was the ideas of the students
This fall Rollins is getting a renovation to the Cornell Campus Center. The lower level was previously Dave’s Down Under, which was a hangout spot for students. The space was complete with a stage for live performances and tables for students to congregate. Due to be complete during the fall semester, Dave’s will be given a makeover and a new pub, serving beer and wine and giving students the option to get together on campus in a more intimate social setting. The space will be renamed “Dave’s Boathouse.” This idea has been on the table for several years and has finally made forward motion following an agreement with the SGA and the College Alcohol and Tobacco Task Force. Pat Schoknecht, Vice President of IT and Chief Information Officer & Business Services, reveals more details about the newest addition to campus. “Dave’s has been designed to be a place where students want to come together to socialize. We have designed booth seating and large community tables; we have created a zoned sound system; we have developed a fabulous menu that is going to bring a
that are being incorporated into Dave’s. Just as the library is the place where students want to come together academically, we expect Dave’s to be the place students want to come together socially,” she said. She added, “My favorite part of Dave’s is that the theme is ‘Rollins Nautical,’ and that theme came from the students. When you walk in, you are going to know you are at Rollins. Dave’s Boathouse is going to celebrate Rollins and its place on the lake.” A pub on campus has existed before, the creation of former student, current CEO of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and member of Rollins board of trustees, Michael P. O’Donnell ‘78. Professor O’ Sullivan, Kenneth Curry Professor of English, shares, “It was in the basement of the bookstore. It was enormously popular. It broke down barriers between faculty, staff, and students. The college closed it when the Federal Government forced states to change the drinking ages. Since then, even though there have been people who have raised the issue, most of the administration was too risk-averse to allow something like that.” O’Sullivan continued, explaining how the new pub could change Rollins for the better, cre-
ating a social ambiance that is much needed for the prospering of academic minds. He said, “Pubs offer a wonderful opportunity for people to
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Part of being a college student is moving from adolescence to adulthood, and part of being an adult in today’s world is being comfortable and responsible in the presence of alcohol.
gather and break bread, share experiences and socialize, and they certainly do not require anyone to drink. You can go and have a beer, glass of wine, coke, cup of coffee. It gives people a chance to share experiences, develop relationships, and connect with each other. When the first pub appeared in the world—one of
God’s really good days—I think She was smiling when that happened.” Students like Michaela O’Driscoll ‘16, a Biology major, believe Dave’s will be an asset to the Rollins campus. She said, “I’m looking forward to having a new place on campus to meet people and develop community at Rollins. I think it will be a great way for students to interact with each other and create friendships outside of the classroom. I’m definitely planning on visiting when it opens this fall.” Dallas Brock ‘17, a Biochemistry major, is anticipating Dave’s to be his regular hangout spot, saying, “I just hope I can’t buy beer/wine with my R-card money or I will be starving at the end of the semester.” The new president likes the idea of a pub, as well. “I think it’s a great idea. Part of being a college student is moving from adolescence to adulthood, and part of being an adult in today’s world is being comfortable and responsible in the presence of alcohol. So it’s not about the alcohol. It’s about having a natural environment for enjoying food and drink together,” said President Grant Cornwell. He added, “I’m really looking forward to it, I can’t wait till it opens.”
In Brief: The new pub will serve alcoholic beverages. Dave’s Down Under will be turned into a pub called Dave’s Boathouse. The renovations are ongoing and will be completed sometime during the fall semester. The restaurant’s theme will be “Rollins Nautical,” as proposed by students. Rollins has had a pub before, created by the current CEO of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. The previous pub was located in the basement of what is now the bookstore. The new pub will feature booth seating and large community tables, as well as a zoned sound system.
Photo by Micah Bradley
Page 6 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Upcoming local concerts form first-rate lineup Columnist Jonny Scoblionko compiles list of exciting fall concerts. Greetings Music Fans, I am very happy to be back and bringing you another fantastic year at the ScoBeat. Be sure to tune in for all the latest in local concert and festival news. To get a taste of some of the good times to come, check out some of the notable shows coming up near Rollins:
August 8/21 Umphrey’s McGee at The House of Blues 8/21 Ancient Sun & The Groove Orient at the Social 8/23 Dumpstaphunk at Cafe da Vinci
September 9/5 Shak Nasti at Will Pub 9/12 Zappa Plays Zappa at the Plaza 9/12 Zach Deputy at The Social 9/17 El Ten Eleven at The Social 9/23 The London Souls at The Hard Rock 9/25 That1Guy at Backbooth
October 10/15-18 MagnoliaFest ft. The Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Avett Brothers, The Del McCourt Band, and many more at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park 10/30-11/2 Hulaween featuring The String Cheese Incident, Pretty Lights, Primus, Chance the Rapper, and Odeza, at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Summer book helps first years recognize strengths Though a little dry, this year’s summer reading book helped freshmen identify their strongest characteristics. Stephanie Garcia
self-awareness due to its indiProduction Manager vidualized approach in identifying each reader’s unique set of This year’s summer read- strengths. Strengths Quest centers ing assignment gave first-year around a personal perspective students the opportunity to and features thought-provoking build on their greatest talents to questionnaires to aid readers in succeed in college and beyond. developing a stronger sense of Developed by Gallup, Strengths self and perception of what they Quest is a life-coaching best- can achieve in the future. For first-years, the materiseller and online self-assessment that identifies a readers’ top 5 al is helpful because it provides building blocks strengths out and action plans of 34 possithat link individble outcomes. Students can ual strengths to Grounded in compatible capositive psycome away reer paths and archology, the strengths dewith a common eas of study. Students can come scribe differvocabulary to away with a coment personmon vocabulary ality traits, define their to define their ranging from identity. identity and with achiever and a common apprecompetition ciation for other’s to learner and differences. empathy. In regards to weaknesses, Strengths Quest has a capacity to build confidence and the writing style is more infor-
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mative than creative and lends itself to a dull reading experience. Strengths Quest reads more like a how-to guide than a novel. Despite this, the themes of self-discovery and self-acceptance are powerful messages within the work.
Page 7 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Summer film lineup features duds, pleasant surprises Though this summer saw several financially successful and critically acclaimed movies, ‘The Gift’ and ‘Dope’ both deserved more recognition according to critics. Nicholas D’ Alessandro
Writer
This summer was quite a mixed bag in terms of quality films. On one end of the spectrum, there were amazing movies that blew past all expectations and amazed everyone with just how good they were. On the far other end, there sits the ugly mistakes that came from various movie studios. Compared with the past couple of years, the three main months of summer had a 40% increase of profits. Thanks to the record-breaking smash hit, Jurassic World, along with the successes of Avengers 2 and AntMan, this was a highly profitable season for movies. The line-up does not end there. The next couple months have some films with the potential to make big money, all culminating in what is sure to be the biggest hit in years: Star Wars Episode VII. Sitting at the low end of the summer’s movie spectrum is the
monumental disaster that is Fantastic Four. This movie is critically panned by everyone. We have recently learned that the film’s director, Josh Trank (best known as the director of Chronicle), was a massive problem on set, and the conspiracy is its own interesting little debacle. However, amongst all the amazing successes and losses, some incredible films were nudged to the background, despite being loved by all who saw them. The Gift and Dope both deserved more recognition from the public this summer. The Gift was the directorial début for actor Joel Edgerton, who also stars as the main antagonist of the film. The Gift follows Simon and Robin, a couple who has recently moved to a new house in Los Angeles for Simon’s job. They encounter an old classmate of Simon’s, a polite yet odd man named Gordon. Throughout the film, Gordon gives the couple increasingly sinister gifts. As time goes, Robin and Simon’s relationship is strained by these gifts.
The Gift is one of those films where it is really hard to truly dive into the plot without giving too much away. This, for me, makes the film all the better. The plot is simple, but full of tension
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The studios slated and released some incredible films this year, full of life and creativity.
and detailed character choices that all feel right. This is the best kind of horror film, where there’s no real blood or gore and little to no jump scares—just suspense and discomfort. There is a constant shadow of threat, yet you are never entirely sure
where it is coming from. It is a tightly wound clock that gets in your head right off the bad and will not get out. Dope follows Malcolm, a seventeen-year-old black kid living in the bad part of Los Angeles in present day. He considers himself a geek and is a massive fan of nineties hip-hop. He also has a punk rock band with his two best friends. Malcolm desperately wants to get into an Ivy League college and has the grades to accompany that dream. Yet, just as all teenagers, he wants to fit in just as much as he wants to succeed. This film was magnificent and absolutely hilarious. It serves as an excellent counterpoint to coming-of-age films. Most coming-of-age films are about teenagers who have to start accepting responsibility and grow up a bit. On the contrary, Dope is about a teenager who is already responsible and ready for his life, but due to society’s standards for him, has to almost devolve and resort to what “he is supposed
to be.” This film is a marvelous conversation starter and makes some great points, while still being a funny movie. The summer movie season is not quite over yet. On August 14, Straight Outta Compton opened to good reviews and did well at the box office. On August 21, the horror sequel Sinister 2 and American Ultra are opening. The month of August will end with the Zac Efron led film We Are Your Friends, directed by Max Joseph, who was the sidekick on MTV’s Catfish. Compared to last year, this summer has been ridiculously impressive. The studios slated and released some incredible films this year, full of life and creativity. Personally, a top pick from myself for this summer is actually a tie between Pixar’s Inside Out and the indie film Me & Earl & the Dying Girl. Go check out both if you get the chance, and then start getting ready for the best time of the year: Oscar season.
Quick Film Facts The Gift was the directorial début for actor Joel Edgerton, who had duel roles and starred as the main antagonist of the feature film.
Dope follows Malcolm, a seventeenyear-old African American kid living in the bad part of presentday Los Angeles.
The month of August will end with the Zac Efron led film We Are Your Friends, directed by Max Joseph, who was the sidekick on MTV’s Catfish. Creative Commons
Page 8 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Thursday, August 20, 2015
The do’s and don’ts of Orlando’s theme parks Danielle Del Pico
venture out into the theme parks,
Staff Writer but above all, costs and prioritiz-
“We live where people vacation.” While that saying may make your skin crawl and stir up visions of cheesy text-on-Instagram posts, it still holds true. According to VisitOrlando.Com, more than 62 million people visited Orlando in 2014. Among its many attractions, Orlando is home to some of the biggest theme parks in the world. This includes Disney World, Universal Studios, and Seaworld. There are also various water parks and smaller scale theme parks scattered throughout the city. Not to mention, neighboring city Tampa is home to Busch Gardens. One has to consider many different things when wanting to
ing are most important. There are various websites that will come up when you Google search “Theme Park Discounts.” The best thing one can do to save money is to buy tickets ahead of time instead of at the gate. Many theme parks offer Florida resident discounts or online ticket purchasing discounts. At Rollins, students can use money on their R-cards to purchase discount tickets at the Campus Center. Disney tickets are $69, Universal tickets are $68 for one park and $104 for two parks, Seaworld tickets are $60, Bush Garden tickets are $60, and Aquatica tickets are $28. Also, it may be more beneficial to purchase an annual pass for your theme park of choice.
Not only does your pass provide parking, merchandise, and dining discounts, but it may give you special access to exclusive events the park might be hosting, like Mardi Gras or Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. Also, if you are regrouping from a particularly study heavy weekend, it may just make all the difference to go have a Butterbeer at Harry Potter world, just because you can. Another important factor to keep in mind is when—time of day, day of the week, and season—that you attend the parks. For example, going to Disney World during the week on a day off from classes might be an alleviation in terms of wait time, as generally most attendees are back at work or school in the spring and the fall. Inclement weather can also surprisingly help. So, if
you see a storm brewing, attending Disney World with a poncho on a Tuesday might make for an easier stroll down Main Street USA. Despite these tricks, wait times will always be an issue, especially for new rides. As far as wait times go, some extra money can make them shorter. You can splurge on Express Pass tickets (ranging from $80-$120 per day, depending on the date) for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. At Seaworld, you can opt for a Quick Queue Unlimited pass, starting at $19 for certain rides. According to Disney World’s main website, FastPass+ is ideal for planning a trip to the park and getting the most out of your day, “You can secure up to 3 FastPass+ selections per day in advance either online or using the mobile app, or for the
same day at an in-park FastPass+ kiosk. After you redeem your initial 3 picks, head to a kiosk where you’ll be able to make another selection.” Beyond being aware of prices and wait times, the most important thing I have discovered is being well acquainted with your food options. If you have dietary restrictions, certain parks will have many options for you while others may have very minimal choices. Clearly, pay close attention to outfit choices and make sure you have a light bag of items with you. After six hours of walking and standing, you will ultimately begin to wonder why you made certain choices, and you really should reserve those thoughts for which posed face you should do for your photo on Tower of Terror.
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Some restrictions may apply. One coupon per table. Gratutity should be calculated using the total billing before the discount. Not valid for alcohol.