050621 Finals Frenzy

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 VOLUME 95 ■ ISSUE 29

FINALS FRENZY EDITION Page 2: Experts

provide study tips for finals

Page 6:

Lubbockites

gear up for summer

Page 3: Trips

from Lubbock for summer months

2

FINALS FRENZY

MAY 6, 2021

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

STUDY TIPS

Experts provide study tips for finals

By BAO PHAM Staff Writer

Final exam week can be a rush for students. It feels like there is a lot going on at once, and sometimes it might make students fall off track and fail to keep up with everything. With a good plan on how to study for exams and handle finals week, however, it is a lot easier to make sure students are in check before the semester ends.

The best study tip for final exams is to become fully aware and ready for it to happen. Patrick Bohn, director at the Learning Center of Texas Tech, said students should get a good grasp of when their final exams will be available to get their learning plans ready.

“Some students tend to wait till the last minute to check, and in some cases, they don’t realize that their exam schedule is different from their usual class time or has been changed,” Bohn said. “When you enroll in a class at the beginning of the semester, the syllabus should usually tell you when the proposed finals are for the course. However, the university designates the

exam time, and sometimes the professors deviate from that to set up the schedule, so it is better for students to get a hold of this information.”

In addition, giving the exam information a check can also tell students what type of exam the finals could be. Bohn said preparation for an exam can vary depending on the exam type, whether it is an essay or a multiple-choice question list.

“Sometimes the professors will give you previous exams from past terms as study guides, or you can check in with them during office hours to understand better how the exam will be constructed,” Bohn said.

“Knowing how an exam is structured will make sure that you don’t come in unprepared and get confused over the format.

You do not want to show up to an essay exam after preparing for a multiple-choice test.”

Time management also plays a crucial role. Making sure other work will not interfere with studying is one good way to prepare for the exam better, Bohn said. Set out some time to study the material and other time to relax and entertain, this would be more beneficial than

having all of them at once.

“The worst thing you can do for any test, finals included, is to be completely unprepared for it,” Bohn said. “It takes only a few minutes for the student to sit down and schedule out their finals week, rather than just waking up one day and do it without a plan. The better the plan, the more chance of success.”

Making good use of Tech’s available resources is another thing that is important. Michelle Kiser, senior director at Tech Learning Center, said this is one of the things that many students fail to do, and it is the reason that hinders their performance in exams.

“There are a lot of assistance from the library, training from the Career Center and tutoring sessions here at the Learning Center. They come in both physical and virtual forms to help assist students in the best way possible academically,” Kiser said. “All of these are available to them, and yet some students did not make good use of them or did not use them at all.”

By utilizing these resources, learning and preparing for ex-

ams can be a lot easier, because the assistance can help a lot with lessening the stress while studying for exam periods, said Kiser.

“Some students can stress out a lot during exams, and you can only study well if you can manage to relief or remove the stress,” Kiser said. “Knowing where to seek assistance is one way to do that.”

After everything is settled and a student has free time to review exam materials, noting it down in a memorable manner should help with memorizing for exams. In most cases, when the exam is in a multiple-choice or true-false selection format, it is easy to create flashcard-like materials that can help with memorizing items. Victoria Gotwald, lead advisor at the Learning Center, said it is easier to memorize it by pair than reading it off a list of studying materials.

“Learning is more about what you do outside of the classroom,” Gotwald said. “You listen and take notes in class, but these notes will only be useful if you review it outside of the classroom.

Sorting your notes out to better help you with studying is a good way to memorize it.”

It can sometimes be dry to

File Photo/The Daily Toreador

Since the start of the semester, the campus library has been rearranged to accommodate social distancing precautions. As this has severely impacted attendance at the library, students still take advantage of the study space. remember items and categories to fill into a test, and sometimes motivation can get in the way of studies. In this case, Gotwald said students should find some way that can help them feel more motivated when learning.

“Don’t force yourself to learn it: try to make it more fun for you,” Gotwald said, “call some friends and make a Kahoot, do mix and match pairs, do anything so that it doesn’t feel like you are trying to force the information in. Cramming

is never a good thing and so is studying without motivation.”

Final exams are important, but it does not make it all that different from other exams, so students should not panic on whether they have studied enough or not.

Highlighting important notes or writing down the crucial parts again in a sticky note can still be proved useful for when extra assurance is needed, Gotwald said. @BaoPhamDT

MULTITASKING

Texas Tech professors discuss multitasking

By HANNAH ISOM News Editor

With finals just around the corner, students may be juggling studying, work and finding time for themselves. Effectively multitasking could be a way to help students be more efficient with their time.

Caroline Black, teaching assistant in the Department of Biological Sciences, said creating a list of everything that needs to done and distinguishing what tasks can be done at the same time is one method for tackling this busy time.

“Be honest with yourself about what you can actually accomplish and what you can do together,” Black said.

It is hard to be productive when stressed, so Black said being honest with yourself can be helpful. For example, Black said there are some lectures she can have on as background noise as she completes other tasks, and others she must focus on completely.

For students struggling to focus, Black said writing positive notes to encourage themselves as they study can be helpful for students. Additionally, taking breaks is important.

“Part of multitasking and part of studying for finals is knowing when you need to take breaks, and actually taking them,” Black said.

When taking breaks students should completely stop studying,

if they are watching a TV show as a break they should not study while watching it, Black said.

This is a quick way to burn out.

Regarding studying for finals, Black said students should not get discouraged if they do not get the results they want.

“Sometimes you have to learn it twice,” Black said.

Todd Chambers, academic dean in the Department of Journalism and Creative Media Industries, said it is possible for students to struggle at this time in the semester, if they do not manage their time efficiently.

Having a plan, delegating time to studying, resting, eating healthy and including time to come down mentally after studying can be helpful,

Chambers said.

“I think that’s the key, is just to get a plan ready as you go into finals,” Chambers said.

Some students may have multiple finals a day, so having a plan in place can be helpful to ensure they are prepared, Chambers said.

Additionally, Chambers said planning downtime efficiently and making sure not to go over the time allotted for it is important, as it is easy to fall into a binge-watching session.

For his students, Chambers said he always encourages them to do what they need to do to finish the semester strong and to do their best and focus on passing the class. @HannahIsomDT

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FINALS FRENZY

MAY 6, 2021

3

TRAVEL

Summer gives time for student travels

By TEA MCGILVRAY Staff Writer

As the temperature increases and the risk of contracting COVID-19 decreases, students are looking for summer vacation destinations. As vacation spots open again to the public after over a year of regulations and closures, it can be tricky to navigate planning a vacation during this transition period.

Planning a vacation during the summer can be exciting, but there are several factors to consider before deciding to go on a trip.

Students particularly have financial limitations to their travel as well as safety issues to look out for.

One of the easiest ways to plan a trip is to reach out to a travel advisor, Shelli McGee, manager of National Travel agency in Lubbock, said.

“Summer travel this year

is going to be pretty limited, the key is to plan in advance,” McGee said.

Within the U.S., students can easily plan road trips to state parks, such as Palo Duro Canyon, visit the beach in Galveston and Port Aransas or visit neighboring states’ cities, such as Taos, N.M., Roswell, N.M., New Orleans and Denver.

McGee said she recommends college students take this summer as an opportunity to explore Mexico because it is not too pricey and is easy to enter and return from with a passport and a negative result on a COVID-19 test.

Even as states open for travel, attractions may be limited or even non-existent in some areas. In this case, nature-based activities could be the best option for summer.

Buena Vista, Colorado offers white water rafting trips for beginner and advanced rafters for between $50 and

$100, and they provide any gear that will be needed, Natalie Kreski from River Runners, said.

“It’s a great opportunity to get outdoors,” Kreski said.

“You do go through the Browns Canyon national monument park, and it’s a great experience for anyone interested in outdoor activities.”

In addition to being aware of local and state guidelines, McGee said it is important for college students to be prepared for any situation when traveling. She recommends for students to travel in groups, especially when visiting an unfamiliar area.

In a typical year, the Outdoor Pursuits Center on campus would organize trips for students where they can hike, camp and kayak their way through nature.

Although the OPC is not currently offering these services, students can still rent gear on a budget, Chris Peterson from

the OPC, said. OPC rentals range from $3 to $6 a day, with the most expensive item being a four-person tent.

“We can pretty much outfit you with everything but a sleeping bag, the one big thing COVID does not allow us to rent out,” Peterson said. “Most of the hard equipment that’s a little bit harder to come by, we pretty much have in stock.”

Packing extra food and water and avoiding outdoor activities during peak temperature times can be a lifesaver during the summer, and it is important to be cautious of the heat, Peterson said.

Students can visit the OPC at the Student Recreation Center on the Texas Tech campus to get travel advice from experienced explorers. While the OPC focuses on nature-based trips, Peterson recommends for students to check out

ANA ARTHUR/The Daily Toreador

Colorado is roughly an eight hour drive from Lubbock. Students have ample options for hiking and white water rafting throughout the state. local art museums in Santa Fe, N.M. and the rodeos in the DFW and Houston areas if outdoor activities are not of interest.

“We can recommend a lot of different places we’ve been out of the state, you

know, out of Texas, half a dozen times just in our time at Tech,” Peterson said. “A lot of the OPC’ers are really passionate about the outdoors and love sharing this information.” @DTMcgilvray

SUMMER COURSES

Rawls Summer Business Institute benefits students

By JAVIER BACA Staff Writer

With summer only a couple finals away some students may be wondering what type of programs can be done this summer to get more hours done or to improve upon some of their own skills. The Rawls Summer Business Institute can be a good option for students who are not in the Rawls School of Business but would like to have a better understanding of how the business world works.

Feruzan Williams is an associate professor of practice in the Rawls College of Business, Williams is also the director of the Rawls Summer Business Institute.

Williams describes what happens in the program and

what it is intended for.

“It is like a business boot camp for non-business majors,” Williams said. “It is intended to give you a background in business if you don’t already have a background in business. It goes through all the basic areas of business including management, marketing, accounting, finance and much more.”

Williams said it is a 12-credit hour program that includes nine classes, it covers all areas of business within one summer and at the end the student will receive a business certificate after completion.

Another positive aspect about this program is that if a student would want to receive a minor in business, they would only have to take one

more class to receive a minor in business, Williams said.

“I strongly believe that most people going out in the real world need to have some understanding of business and that is essential for success,” Williams said. “If you are going to go work for a company, that company is a business, so having an understanding of how their systems work is essential.”

Ann Rodriguez is an associate professor of practice of business law in the Rawls College of Business at Tech.

Rodriguez discussed what she teaches in the program and why it is important to know business law.

“When people think about a business curriculum, you often think about accounting and finance and market-

ing, but business law doesn’t spring into their mind,” Rodriguez said. “Business law is very important because whatever industry you go into there is going to be a legal component in it.”

Rodriguez said there are different rules and regulations that need to be followed, so making sure students know how to act appropriately legally and ethically is a basic knowledge that needs to be taught to students.

The program is about to go into its fourth year and originally was not online Rodriguez said. However, after COVID-19 the institute realized that having the program online was more beneficial.

“We moved online last summer out of necessity, but we ended up realizing that

it worked better for the students.” Rodriguez said. “The reason why we found it more successful online is because students otherwise had to commit the entire summer, and they were in class from 9 to 2, and that can get in the way of work or an internship.”

Alejandra Marin is an instructor in the Rawls College of Business. Marin explained why the Rawls Summer Business Institute is beneficial for students outside of the business school and why they should consider this program over the summer.

“This is our fourth year and during that time we have been constantly improving it,” Marin said. “We have been fine tuning the program to see what works, such as the online format is better because it

is flexible for students.”

Marin said the classes within the program are beneficial and essential for students who want to know the basic foundations of business.

There are other assets that are also accessible outside of the classroom that would be available to those students who participate in the program, Marin said.

“For instance, having access to the career center, the career center is good to experience when it comes to finding a job in the business world,” Marin said. “There are workshops that go along the courses in the summer. Students also have access to professors in the Rawls College and that is important for networking.” @JavierBacaDT

OPINIONS

Page 4 thursday, April 4, 2021

COLUMN

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

Copy editor reflects on position at The DT I

never expected to have to write this column so soon. Before I even blinked, my three years at Texas Tech are almost up, and my six semesters at The Daily Toreador are almost over.

I will be leaving a very different person from when I started as a freshman news reporter, and I can thank The DT for it. But to explain how I got here; I need to go back.

My interest in journalism began in high school, and the combination of my newspaper adviser there and a poster detailing all the things you could do with a communication degree got me to tour Tech. I connected with Tech, and I also got to tour the College of Media and Communication.

While there, I got to tour The Daily Toreador. I still remember walking around our circular newsroom, in awe of what I was seeing. I had only done journalism in a

Emma Sipple is a senior journalism major from Bulverde.

classroom. This place looked like an actual newsroom. I was told to apply to the freshman apprentice position in the spring of my senior year.

After talking with the editor in chief at the time, it was decided I would be a better fit for the news staff. I was hired and was excited to start my new job as a reporter.

I immediately got to work as a news staffer, writing stories and interviewing sources on top of my course load. It was more work than initially expected, but I did my best to adapt to my new job.

Unfortunately, I hit a few snags. My health, which had always been up and down, took a turn for the worst my first semester and again in

my second semester. I ended up having to get my gallbladder removed in November and discovered I had a gluten allergy in the spring of my first year.

During that time, I was at the lowest I had ever been.

I was in and out of doctor’s offices. I was missing class and chances to make friends.

I was so very alone.

The only place I had was The DT. Even when I was sick, lonely and miserable, the editors and staffers here made me feel welcome.

None of them really knew what was going on, but they still were kind and friendly when I needed it the most. I don’t know if I would have stayed at the publication without them to encourage me.

Specifically, I would like to thank former news editors Matthew Setzekorn and Adán Rubio, former copy editor Tori McGee and current managing editor and former

La Vida staffer Mallory Rosetta for being understanding and welcoming.

Despite my first year being tumultuous, I stayed and applied for the position of copy editor. I stayed for the next four semesters and have learned so much.

I s t i l l re m e m b e r walking around our circular newsroom, in awe of what I was seeing.

When I look back on my college career, I can see how much I have grown as a person and as a writer. I can thank The Daily Toreador for both.

In terms of my writing, The DT and studying journalism improved my skills on the technical side of things and in terms of storytelling. I

am leaving Tech a better storyteller than when I arrived.

I am grateful to the publication for allowing me to get to tell the stories of so many people at Tech and around Lubbock. While I may not continue to work in journalism, I still will take what I have learned to any career because good writing is essential.

I also have grown in terms of my interpersonal skills as well. Working as an editor has taught me the importance of communicating directly and honestly with everyone. I have learned to be assertive, a skill that will serve me for the rest of my life.

Over the past three years, I have seen myself grow into the person I want to be, not the person other people have wanted me to be. I am incredibly grateful to The Daily Toreador for helping me become the person I am today.

I would like to thank the

current editorial board for this last semester. Thank you for making this semester enjoyable. Thank you for making me laugh even on bad days and for putting up with my weird music taste.

Thank you to the advisers for supporting me since I was a staffer and now as a graduating editor. Thank you for always listening and for your advice.

I also want to wish the new editors good luck. I know all of you will do great things.

To Mallory Rosetta, the next editor-in-chief, and Mateo Rosiles, the next managing editor: I am so proud of both of you and know you two will bring the publication to the next level.

Thank you to the staffers and editors of The Daily Toreador and La Ventana past and present. Thank you for making this newsroom my home these past three years. @EmmaSippleDT

COLUMN

The DT creates impactful experience, memories As graduation approaches and I begin to close this chapter in my life, I want to take this moment to reflect on my time here at Texas Tech.

Graduating is such an interesting time because it is a transition of two phases in our life: the closing of one chapter and the opening of another.

In one sense, you are in a place where everything feels safe and comfortable while at the same time, you feel tentative and un-

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EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Chase Seabolt (806) 742-3395 editor@dailytoreador.com Managing Editor Mallory Rosetta managing@dailytoreador.com News Editor Hannah Isom news@dailytoreador.com La Vida Editor Amanda Hampton features@dailytoreador.com Sports Editor Zach Richards sports@dailytoreador.com Opinions Editor Mateo Rosiles opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Chase Seabolt photo@dailytoreador.com Digital Content Manager Ana Arthur online@dailytoreador.com Copy Editor Emma Sipple online@dailytoreador.com

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COPYRIGHT INFORMATION © Copyright 2020TexasTech University Student Media/The Daily Toreador. All DT articles, photographs and artwork are the property of The DT and Student Media and may not be reproduced or published without permission. The DailyToreador is a designated public forum. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

Ana Arthur is a senior creative media industries major from Cedar Park.

certain of the opportunities that lie ahead.

Before coming to college everyone would tell me, “Oh you’re going to learn so much,” or “You’re going to grow so much as a person”.

I never truly understood what they meant. I would just stand there nodding my head and agree with them, but it never dawned on me until now, what they intended when saying that.

Not only have I dived deep into my education, but I have grown and developed so much an in-

dividual during my four years at Tech. I look back at every mistake I’ve made with so much gratitude, if it wasn't for those hard times or challenges that I went through I wouldn't be the person that I am today.

Tech has not only helped establish my professional skills, but it also has bolstered growth within myself. I have learned to be independent, to have discipline and most importantly strengthened my integrity.

I am proud of the woman I have become, and I thank Tech for helping with that.

If it wasn’t for those tough professors and job positions pushing me out of my comfort zone, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Change is difficult and a bit unnerving. While

graduation marks the end of school, I know there’s more to come along my journey, and I’ll still have other obstacles to overcome that will shape my life even more.

Saying farewell is quite hard when the bonds I’ve made have turned into lifelong friendships.

As I reflect on the past four years, I won't take for granted all the little moments that have led up to this big milestone, graduation.

Dear The Daily Toreador, My time spent here working for The DT was

truly special. I am so thankful to have worked alongside some of the hardest working students I know.

It was the student’s dedication and passion for what they did that kept me going when the job got tough.

If I'm being completely honest, there were times when I wanted to quit and get another job. Moments where I would ask myself why I’m continuing because journalism isn’t my passion.

However, I told myself to stick it out till the end, and I’m so glad I did. If I were to quit when I did, I wouldn’t have been able to be pushed to my fullest potential and eventually being promoted to Digital Content Manager.

I also would have missed out on the making

the amazing connections and friendships on the editorial board.

My advice to all those out there is not stop at something just because it’s hard or challenging. Keep pushing because you never know what’s ahead.

Saying farewell is quite hard when the bonds I’ve made have turned into lifelong friendships. My emotions are mixed with sadness and happiness, and saying goodbye is something I am terrible at.

Yet aside from that, I thank Texas Tech and The Daily Toreador for the moments I will hold on to and cherish forever.

Thank you, Texas Tech and The Daily Toreador for an incredible four years. @AnaArthurDT

COLUMN

Looking back on the past year as an editor Amanda Hampton is a senior public relations major from Houston.

When I was a high school student, and even as a college student, I never thought I would work as a reporter for a newspaper, let alone become an editor because I never saw myself as what I considered a strong writer.

Despite these doubts, here I am a year later, after starting out at The Daily Toreador as a features reporter with zero confidence in my writing skills.

The way I got involved with The Daily Toreador had nothing to do with journalism. Rather, I was struggling to find an internship that was actually based in public relations and not

marketing or sales.

Not only was finding a public relations internship in Lubbock difficult, but it was also during the peak of COVID-19, which made finding any internship nearly impossible.

It was during quarantine when I remembered the student newspaper on campus was hiring staffers for the fall semester. I remembered how I had considered applying my freshman year for a job but ended up not applying because I didn’t think I was qualified.

Due to the challenges I was having finding an internship, I decided to apply despite having absolutely no journalism experience. And to my luck, I received a position as a features reporter.

One of the first articles I wrote for the paper was covering a City of Lubbock COVID-19 news conference.

My editor at the time asked

if anyone on our features staff would be able to cover it, and for some reason, without thinking, I volunteered.

I submitted my article covering the news conference feeling completely terrible about what I submitted and wanted to quit, but about a week later my editor came back to me and asked if I would continue covering the conferences.

I am so thankful for everyone I have gotten to learn from during my time at The Daily Toreador.

While it was a flattering compliment, a part of me to this day feels like the editors at the time were lying to me just so they didn’t have to cover the news con-

ferences themselves.

From that point on, I covered the news conferences and wrote, probably too many, COVID-19-related articles describing how any and every department or organization on campus was adapting to the pandemic.

While COVID-19 coverage did get pretty repetitive, I enjoyed my articles and interviewing sources, mostly because I grew up as a nosy child always eavesdropping on the “adult” conversations and wanting to know everything going on.

I started the 2020-21 school year feeling bitter that COVID-19 had so drastically altered my college years. I felt cheated out of a typical college experience given that my freshman year would be the only full “normal” year of college I would have.

Working for The Daily Toreador this year is what helped me get past the

bitterness I was holding against my senior year of college, mainly because it made me so busy, I didn’t even have the time to feel upset about it, but also because of the people I got to meet and work with.

As I move on to my internship next semester before graduating in December, I will cherish the moments I got to spend in the newsroom and the opportunities I received by working for this publication.

I can confidently say that working here has made me more suited to graduate. I am so thankful for everyone I have gotten to learn from during my time at The Daily Toreador.

The one thing I would like to leave you all with, please do something about the sun shining on my desk, so Téa doesn’t have to deal with that like I did. @AmandahamptonDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Biden pushes for diversity in transition to renewable energy As the nation pushes to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and use cleaner energy sources, President Joe Biden’s administration says it wants to ensure diversity among the communities that benefit from the transition and the people who are hired to do the work.

The administration says it wants more solar arrays erected in communities that have suffered from pollution

LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

caused by fossil fuels. It's also directing research grants and opportunities to students and faculty members at historically Black colleges and minority-serving institutions.

The Department of Energy on Tuesday announced $15.5 million in new funding to deploy solar energy in underserved communities and to build a more diverse, skilled workforce to help reach the

signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be w to dailytoreador@ttu. edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

administration's ambitious goal of 100% clean energy by 2035.

Another $17.3 million, announced Monday, was awarded for internships and research opportunities designed to connect students and faculty in science, technology, engineering and math with resources at the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories.

Biden has set a goal that

40% of overall benefits of federal climate and clean-energy investments goes to disadvantaged communities.

“This administration is really committed to making the transition to clean energy an inclusive transition, offering benefits to every community, because not every community has benefited up to this point,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a discussion

GUEST COLUMNS The Daily Toreador accepts submissions of unsolicited guest columns. While we cannot acknowledge receipt of all columns, the authors of those selected for publication will be notified. Guest columns should be no longer than 650 words in length and on a topic of relevance to the university community. Guest columns are also edited and follow the same guidelines for letters as far as identification and submittal.

at Howard University, a historically Black college, Monday.

“In fact, some communities, particularly communities that are indigenous and Black and people of color, have disproportionately been negatively affected by pollution, and so we want to make sure that voices are at the table that are representative of communities who can benefit from this transition.”

EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

FINALS FRENZY

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

MAY 6, 2021

5

CAMPUS

Tech prepares for in person graduation

By HANNAH ISOM News Editor

As the end of the semester approaches, so does graduation and with COVID-19 still impacting daily life, some may be wondering how an in-person graduation will be COVID-19 friendly while still celebrating the graduating students effectively.

Rob Stewart, senior vice provost of Academic Affairs at Texas Tech, said the improvement in the pandemic, as well as requests from students and families, largely contributed to the decision to have graduation in-person.

“There are still protocols in place,” Stewart said.

“We’re still going to have social distancing, masks are going to be required and, so its not like our pre-pandemic graduation ceremonies we still have those precautions in place.”

Most of the graduating students will be seated on the field, some will be seated in the band and student sections of the Jones AT&T Stadium, Stewart said. The stage will be at midfield, so only half of the football field will be in use.

“That leaves the rest of the stadium open for guests, and the number of tickets takes into consideration social distancing,” Stewart said.

There are an estimated 10,000 guests attending the graduation ceremony, Stewart said.

Wi t h t h e M a y 2 0 2 1 graduation being the largest ceremony, some may be wondering why it has not been hosted at Jones AT&T Stadium instead of the United Supermarkets Arena, Stewart said this is primarily because of the unpredictability of the weather. It became a priority consideration because of the pandemic.

Amiee Dixon, commencement coordinator at Tech, provided an outline of the graduation ceremony and how they are making it COVID-19 friendly.

Graduating students will enter the stadium through the Sports Performance Center and will check in using GradPass, which is a virtual printable reader card, Dixon said.

“This is just to help so that the graduates don’t have

FILE PHOTOS/The Daily Toreador

Left: The Seal at Texas Tech on Saturday, March, 2, 2019 placed at the Broadway and University entrance. The Seal was created by William Ward Watkin in 1924. Right: Texas Tech University graduation stoles used for the university’s 2020 graduating class. 2021 graduation ceremonies will be May 7, 14 and 15. to interact with anybody at check in,” Dixon said.

Graduates will seat themselves by college, and then Tech President Lawrence Schovanec will enter, and the graduation will commence, Dixon said. Graduating students’ seats will be social distanced.

Each student has received 12 tickets for their friends and family, Dixon said.

Clear bag policies will be implemented for guests, and they can bring unopened, store bought water bottles with them, Dixon said. Water will be provided for the graduates and they are encouraged to wear sunscreen.

“We’re really excited to have it at the Jones,” Dixon said. “We’re going to try and make it as big as we can.”

For Tech faculty and staff attending the graduation ceremony, according to an email sent by Dixon, they are required to reserve a ticket for themselves in advance of the ceremonies and a printable parking pass has been made available to them.

In addition to the class of May 2021 ceremonies on May 14 and 15, all 2020 graduates, including August December and May 2020 graduates will have their own graduation ceremony on May 7, Dixon said.

Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said the most exciting aspect of this semester’s graduation is that it will be offered face-to-face.

“I was very struck by how difficult it was for those

students too be denied that experience last spring and then again in the summer,” Schovanec said.

Additionally, Schovanec said it is exciting the graduation ceremony is being done at Jones AT&T Stadium.

On May 14, over 1600 students will walk the stage, Schovanec said, on May 15 almost 2200 students will walk the stage and on May 7 nearly 1100 May 2020 graduates will return to Tech to walk the stage for graduation.

“I think the fact that they would come back to campus a year after graduating says a lot,” Schovanec said.

There will be no speakers

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at the graduation ceremony, Schovanec said he will speak a little longer than usual and someone from the Texas Tech Board of Regents will give a welcome on behalf of the Board.

“I think this is maybe the way of the future,” S c h o v a n e c s a i d . “ We ’ r e trying to reduce the length o f t h e c e r e m o n y, a n d I wouldn’t be surprised if going forward we have it outdoors.”

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Lubbockites gear up for summer

By ZACH RICHARDS Sports Editor

The semester is wrapping up for students of all ages, and the transition into summer 2021 is underway.

The year following a summer that was rendered relatively house-ridden due to COVID-19 concerns, this summer will likely be more action packed.

Students are already gearing up to make the most of their summer, especially Texas Tech students in Lubbock.

Liam Kelly, a junior communications major from Houston, is looking to make the most of his final summer.

“It’ll be my last summer really, since next year will be my senior year, then onto adulthood,” Kelly said. “The fact that we’re coming off COVID, too, so we really had last year’s summer taken from us.”

Kelly transferred to Tech in the spring of 2018, and has yet to spend a summer here.

However, with the semester ending, he has a few places he likes to go.

“Monomyth is probably my favorite spot right now,” he said. “I’ll grab a coffee from there and then go to the park right next to it; everybody that visits Lubbock, I bring them to that place.”

Opened just a few years ago, Monomyth Coffee is relatively new to the Lubbock area, located at 2024 Broadway, just down the street from Tech’s campus.

But for those seeking a cool-off in the summer while also wanting a cup of coffee, HE-BREWS is the place.

Perhaps one of the most versatile coffee shops in Lubbock, HE-BREWS lays host to numerous activities for the family, friends and visitors.

One of the most unique, though, is their water activities.

Just off the edge of Buddy Holly Lake, HE-BREWS of-

Photo Courtesy of Adventure Park

Adventure Park has reopened their facilities as COVID-19 precautions begin to lift. Lubbock residents can go zip lining, go-karting, mini golfing and climb the Adventure Tower. Patrons can purchase day passes for one day in the park or season passes for the entire summer.

fers kayak and paddle rentals for individuals looking to take to the water.

“We actually just began doing kayak rentals again ahead of the summer,” Emily Girgis, a junior kinesiology major from Keller said.

Girgis has seen a steady increase in people at HEBREWS, she said, and a lot of the shop still is not in use.

“The patio in the back is used for live performances and stuff, we also have a lot of people bring their dogs here, its like a 5-in-1 type place,” she said.

The shop is located at 2700 Marshall Street.

For more of a family at-

mosphere, though, Lubbock’s Adventure Park is back open after COVID-19 closures to ensure safety.

“It will be a lot busier than last year. We’ve been big on keeping things clean and sanitized,” Chance Bilbrey, assistant general manager at Adventure Park said. “Everything is back open and running, 100 percent.”

Adventure Park features a ropes course, an arcade, bumper boats, go-karts, a laser maze, mini golf and several other amenities across their multi-acre set up for all ages.

A day pass is available for purchase as well as a

season pass.

“We like to keep the prices affordable so everyone can have fun,” Bilbrey said. “Especially college students since I know Lubbock is a college town.”

The park hosts a college day, where every Friday, with proof of a college ID, for the price of $14.99 students get two go-kart rides and an automatic all day pass, which includes access to several amenities.

Adventure Park is located at 5110 29th drive.

But not everything is by Tech’s campus. One of the farthest potential Lubbock summer spots comes at Buf-

falo Spring Lake, which offers campgrounds, fishing, boating and a nature trail.

It is about a 20-minute drive from Tech, located at 9835 FM 835 Buffalo Springs, Texas.

Their gate is open for admission all day, every day, year-round, according to their website.

The lake also features a beach-themed environment, with sand and easy access to the water.

“I actually found out about Buffalo Springs the year I transferred to Tech,” Kelly said. “Its kind of weird seeing something like it in Lubbock.

I mean, its like a getaway

type thing; no tumbleweeds, it’s like a beach.”

For those looking to get away for more than just a few hours, the lake offers R.V. camping, as well.

There are also bath houses located around the lake for access to restrooms and showers, according to their website.

For those looking to hunker down in Lubbock over the summer, there are several options that could potentially pass the time. From kayaking to camping and even coffee, Lubbock is gearing up for the summer time. @ZachRichardsDT