Best Places to Enjoy New Years for College Students

Author: Shyanne Sheffield

Wanting to try something different for New Years this year? Not sure where to go? No problem! I’ve provided a list for the best 5 places to enjoy New Years for college students!

5. New York City

Starting out at #5, the great city of New York. New York is one of the most popular New Years spots in the nation. Millions of people gather every year to watch the ball drop. For a college student, though, it is both expensive and semi-dangerous if they’ve never been to NYC before. With a group of friends, it will surely be something to remember!

4. Miami, Florida

At #4 is Miami. Miami is a hot spot for college students to go and have fun. New Years can be quite fun in Miami if you like to party. One downside is having to pay for the flight. Other than that, there is a big selection of air bnb’s to choose from and many things to do.

3. Orlando, Florida

At #3 we have Orlando, Florida. Orlando is similar to Miami in a sense, especially when it comes to New Years. There are lot of fireworks and drinking involved. Still, you will have to buy the flight if this is what you choose, however it certainly worth it.

2. Atlanta, Georgia

Coming in at #2 is the peachy Atlanta, Georgia. If you’re more of a city person, Atlanta is just the place for you to spend New Years. With an abundant of college students present, and parties and clubs in every corner of the city, New Years here makes for a fun night!

1. Nashville, Tennessee

Standing at #1 is Nashville, Tennessee! Nashville is perfect for New Years and not as busy as Atlanta. What could get better than fireworks and the famous strip of Broadway!? If you like country music, then Nashville is the place for you on New Years. Good vibes, good bars, and good music!

Post-Halloween Sniffles

Author: Shyanne Sheffield

Halloween has passed, sickness has arrived!

Students are finally experiencing the Fall allergies. This usually happens right after Halloween since many of them are outside all night with little to nothing on. Everywhere, students are dealing with runny noses, sneezing, and sore throats.

It is hard to adjust to the cold. Many students, including myself, will try to wear shorts until the weather drops in the 50’s. We are in a period where you could walk to class and see one girl in shorts and a tank-top and another girl in Ugg boots and a beanie.

To stay ahead of the sniffles, follow these steps:

1. Get your Vitamin C in.
2. Dress WARM.
3. Start wearing jackets instead of sweatshirts.
4. Last but not least, don’t stay out partying half-naked all night on Halloween (:

Students:

Concerts after COVID: International vs. American Artist

By: Alexis Beam

This semester I have had the privilege to have seen three different artists: Dan and Shay, Harry Styles, and Cody Johnson. One of them is an international artist, Harry Styles, leaving the other two being American artists. All three of these artists had a different view of how to deal with the Coronavirus, first let’s start with the international artist, Harry Styles. 

Shelby Halliday and I at the Harry Styles concert wearing our mask.

Styles made it known weeks before his Love on Tour started that his fans would have to either have proof of the vaccine or have proof of a negative COVID test within the previous 48 hours of the concert. His team did a great job of checking that who entered the arena had one of these two requirements. While we were in the arena, we needed to keep our masks on the whole time. The only reason people had their mask off was to take pictures and then everyone put them back on right after. This was because he wanted to ensure the safety of his fans and his tour crew, especially since he travels to different countries often he did not want the chance of unintentionally spreading the virus across the United States, let alone across countries. Some people did not want to cooperate with these guidelines, but at the show there were very few people that did not wear masks. Styles wanted his fans to wear a mask so desperately that he even made an announcement about it before the concert. Styles even has a voiceover of himself that he plays before the show saying, “ We are all taking the precautions we can to make sure that these shows can happen safely. I know things are a bit different, but in order to protect each other I also ask that you do your part by keeping your mask on while in the building and enjoying the show. I always find that you can tell the most about a person from their eyes anyway. Treat people with kindness. I love you and I’ll see you very soon. Thank you.” This is really cool because he makes it more personal by announcing this information himself and not someone else doing it. 

Taylor Williams and I at the Dan + Shay concert.

Mary Beth Charron and I at the Cody Johnson concert

The other two concerts that I attended, Dan + Shay and Cody Johnson, were American artists. While they are both American artists, they dealt with COVID-19 slightly differently from one another. Dan + Shay sent an email to the ticket holders saying that they recommended us to wear our masks, but it never said that they were required. At the concert there were a few people that had masks on but the majority of the concert goers did not wear masks. The staff never said anything about not having masks on, but it was more based on what people wanted to do. The Cody Johnson concert was a little bit different because there were no restrictions that were sent through an email. When we got to the arena I saw, maybe, three people in masks, besides the staff. It was nice to feel like everything was back to normal. Johnson even announced during the concert that he didn’t want to make the fans wear the masks. He enjoyed the feeling of getting back to normal and embracing live music again, and so did the fans. 

The thing that all three of these artists agreed on was the fact that they were very happy to be able to perform again. All three of these concerts were amazing and fun to attend, and you could see the appreciation of live music from them and the fans in the audience. COVID may still be around, but that’s not stopping artists from performing and doing what they love.

“Falling” Out Of a Mid- Semester Slump

As the semester progresses and midterms are beginning, most students become stressed as the classwork builds up. It can become overwhelming to keep up with your personal life, mental health, and not to mention all of your classwork. As October approaches, you may find your room and study area becoming messy along with your brain which can deteriorate your mental health. However, one advantage to the middle of the semester approaching is fall! Here is a list of fall activities during the middle of the semester that can improve your student life.

1. Clean and Decorate with Fall-themed items.

It is a proven fact that making your bed every day will entice productivity and give you a sense of accomplishment. Starting off your day this way will give you the feeling being organized even if you are not. Eventually, this will transfer over into your school life making your study habits more effective. Cleaning your room and your workspace not only removes dirt but also organizes your brain. A fun part of the seasons changing is transforming your room designs to fit a certain aesthetic. Decorating with fall-themed items such as pumpkins, leaves, room lights, and candles gives you a nostalgic and comforting feeling to get you in the right mind space after a long day of school work. 

2. Take a break!

Although it may be hard to move away from the computer because you may be in a time crunch, taking a break is essential for great mental health and learning retention. October is a great month to get your social and personal life back. Fall activities are returning and can be a great treat after a long day of studying. Taking a break separates school from your personal life. Create incentives for yourself to promote productivity for school; tell yourself that if you complete all of your schoolwork for the day, your incentive will be to catch up with your friends as you go to a haunted house or corn maze. It is easy to get into a repetitive routine during the middle of the semester, but as Fall approaches, you can revamp your everyday routine with new seasonal activities.

3. Enjoy fall food items

Seasonal Fall food is back! Starbucks has released its fall drinks and snacks, as did Dunkin’. If you are like every other college student who drinks coffee for the caffeine, take a break from your regular coffee order and get into a cozy mood with a seasonal cup of coffee. This can shift your mood from stressed to completely satisfied. Grocery stores now have fall-themed cookies, cakes, and candies. Everyone needs a treat every once in a while and there is nothing better than getting a treat you haven’t had since last Fall. For each hard assignment you complete, reward yourself with a nice treat. It’s the small pleasures in life that count. 

4. Know that the semester is almost over

It might be hard to consider because you’re in the middle of the semester, but just remember you are halfway through it. All your hard work has a purpose and you are just completing a process. Continue the hard work you’ve started because you’re almost finished. Keep reminding yourself that in December, the semester will be over. You’re so close!

Weed is Too Expensive to Give Out to Your Children on Free Candy Night

Happy Halloween!

As I get ready to make treat bags, I would just like to make an announcement: no one is putting edibles in your kids trick or treat bag.

With weed being legal in many states and edibles being readily available, I understand why now if all times people would worry about laced candy and treats. However, that’s too expensive, and for what?

In Tennessee, it’s still not legal, but CBD is on the rise as a holistic health treatment for various alignments. I have started using CBD for my eczema, and it’s honestly the first thing in years that has helped me. One of the ways I buy CBD is in edible form, and let me tell you that’s entirely to expensive to be giving out willy nilly.

If you are too worried about what you find in your children’s treat bags, take them trick or treating in a better community. Let’s stop the crazy, viral, fake posts about what parents are finding in their kid’s candy, and think about how many people have approximately $2 a peach ring to give out by the handful when it would be a million times easier to buy one $15 bag of candy.

A Message from Harcek

Dr. Harcek sends a message to his students, specifically those who will be debating him as their final in his Public Speaking class.

Results of Lie-A-Palooza: Major Success or Epic Fail for Students

Author: Shyanne Sheffield

Running from sharks… Driving school busses naked… Meeting the prince of Japan! It can’t be true, or can it? True and false were the only options given for students participating at Lie-A-Palooza. Seems easy enough, right? WRONG! Students struggled to decipher Todd Harcek’s deception and pure lies.

@WaltDisney

With a total of 20 stories, Harcek had students questioning their sanity. Students were doubting gut instincts and common sense. One student commented, “I’m going crazy!” Most groups finished with only half of their answers right, so it proved to be an epic fail for most but a success for Harcek.

The event lasted a little short of 3 hours. Students could choose to participate in-person or on video with their group members. Students who showed up, though, got the full effect of a truly, scattered brain. Since students were being graded, there was added pressure to perform well, however confusion got the best of most the students.

At the end of Lie-A-Palooza, Harcek asked his students, “So am I a better liar or are you all better at spotting deception?” It was a clear answer. Harcek remains King of deception… until next time of course.

@KindPNG

Skyhawk Softball Goes Undefeated for their Fall Season

Author: Shyanne Sheffield

• 

Skyhawk softball just closed an exceptional, undefeated fall season, finishing with a 8-0 record. Not only did they win every game, but they run ruled every single team.

Hopes are high for their official Spring season as they expect to come first in the conference. Star pitcher, Anna Hazelwood (left), a transfer from UT Knoxville, stated, “I think we have a good chance of taking home the OVC first place title. We’ve been working hard in the offseason and it’ll definitely show in the spring.”

Katie Dreiling (right), was asked what Skyhawk Softball’s daily routine was. She said, “Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, we wake up at 6 a.m. for weights. We practice everyday 2 hours minimum. We work hard every single day, working on little details to become a better team.”

Skyhawk Softball looks forward to transferring their hard work into the spring season that arrives in February, where they will be playing official OVC teams.

Here’s what the Spring Schedule looks like:

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Martin Softball encourages students, teachers, faculty, family, and anyone who has an interest to come see a game. They love their fans and any support they get. In Dreiling’s words, “Come help us take home the title!”

SkyHawkie Talkie Costume Contest!

Author: Shyanne Sheffield

@HalloweenWallpapers

With Halloween approaching, it is only necessary to host our annual SPOOKY SZN COSTUME CONTEST! Bring out your best fits! We will have our eyes peeled around campus deciding who deserves the Skyhawkie Talkie Costume Crown. We will judge on the following elements:

CREATIVITY– Stand out! Think out of the box! Maybe step away from the traditional fabrics and/or ideas.

ORIGINALITY– Don’t go for the basics… we want to see something different and new!

EFFORT– Take some time to create something great! Greatness is in the little details too.

You must be a student of UT Martin to participate.

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TWO WAYS TO GET SEEN/ JUDGED:

• Email shykshef@ut.utm.edu. Send as many pictures as you want! Make sure to include your name, class/ year, and what your costume is.
• Wear your costume on campus! If one of our recruiters see your costume and feel it may be a winner, we will ask for your information. You will then be in the running for best costume!

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IT STARTS NOW!

• The winner will be announced Monday, November 1st (The day after Halloween).

• Winners will be posted on the SkyHawkie Talkie and possibly in the Pacer!

• Get your costume on, show your Halloween spirit, and get SPOOKY with us!

Concerts After COVID: Harry Styles

By Alexis Beam

Harry Styles is an international music artist who is now on his tour named “Love on Tour.” This tour got canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was finally able to do this tour on September 4, 2021. I got to attend the concert in Nashville, Tennessee on October 1st. Since the Coronavirus is still around, and there are different variants, there were some regulations to attend the show. For example, Harry Styles wanted his fans to wear a mask so badly that he even voice recorded an announcement asking his fans to keep the mask on at all times. About  a month before the tour started he announced that you would either have proof of COVID vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test within 48 hours of the event. Bridgestion Arena had health checkpoints that you had to go through in order to get into the arena and they checked to see if you had one of the two requirements. I believe that because he is an international artist, and he cares for the health of his fans, that he wanted to be able to tour in the safest way possible. I only saw a few people who did not have a mask on and if they didn’t it was only for a brief moment. 

Harry Styles preforming his single Falling.

The concert itself was extremely good. It seemed as if Styles was made to be a performer. He was especially interactive with his band and the audience. He had two conversations with audience members and even kept referring back to one of them at other points in the concert. He also sounds very similar to his records, which is incredibly nice to see. An artist that sounds like the record and can put on a good show is one to remember. Styles also had his stage in a place where artists normally do not put it, in the middle of the arena. He had the main stage in the middle of the arena and had two runways that went out the front and back ends of the arena. The visuals that were used for the concert were very unique and “on-brand” for Harry Styles. He demonstrates who he is through his music and the visuals help a lot with that. 

Harry Styles singing his album title track Fine Line.

This concert was outstandingly fun and entertaining. It was nice to see everyone practicing being safe during the concert and making it to where Harry Styles can tour worldwide.

Harry Styles thanking the Nashville crowd at the end of his concert.