October 9, 2019
@vsu_spectator
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Special Edition
FEATURED THIS WEEK WELCOMES ALL PERFORMERS
More money, more problems VSU medical students perpare for medical school
“Frights and Delights” at Terror in the Wild
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Campus Life
October 9, 2019
DIY House Welcomes All Preformers Amelia Sellars
Staff Writer ajsellars@valdosta.edu Many performers in Valdosta aren’t able to find places where they can showcase their talents, but one up and coming place is trying to change that. The Valdosta DIY House is a little hidden house space where bands, artists, poets and other performers are welcome to showcase their interpretation of art. The Valdosta DIY House was established in 2019 and started hosting shows on April 19. Alan Sifuentes, Owner and creator of the DIY House said that he started the DIY House in hopes to give Valdosta’s local artists, and traveling artists a place to perform. “The DIY House has been around for 5 months” Sifuentes
said, “but in a way this has been something 10 years in the making. I bought my first microphone when I was sixteen. It all started there.” Sifuentes has had success in bringing a wide range of acts. From April 19 to the last show, The DIY House has hosted over 25 shows in the past five months. “I’m already booked until February, and it’s been surprisingly easy to book shows right now.” This is a space where any local or traveling artists can come and feel welcome. There is no cover at the door and most of everything is donation-based. The house has a YouTube channel as well, where they record and upload the shows that have been played there.
1306 N Ashley St. and is right beside La Jalisco Supermercado.
The Valdosta DIY is located at
This house is just the start of
Look at the Stars and Back in Time Jasmin Small
Staff Writer jismall@valdosta.edu
Staff Writer imschneider@valdosta.edu
On Thursday, the Society of Astronomy Students hosted its annual “Dawn of the Space Age” event. Students and non-students of all ages, five and up, were in line to see the October night sky and learn about the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1957.
The event blasted off with a star-filled night sky above. Dr. Leake, a professor of astronomy and physics, pointed out the noticeable constellations, such as the Big Dipper, Scorpius and many more. Visitors also had the chance to see a glimpse of Jupiter as it sat under the moon. As Dr. Leake went on, she explained what was above in further depth, from zodiac constellations to the North Star and Antares, a bright star that is a part of the Scorpius constellation. As an exploration of the night sky fizzled, a history lesson about the
Photos Courtesy of Jasmin Small iconic Space Race ensued. A 3-D animation projected on the dome-shaped screen above. The audience received history lessons on the race’s birth, the trials and errors that both the United States and the Soviet Union faced and how the race has affected the world that we live in today. The Space Race started in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched the first man-made satellite into the orbits of space. Additionally, the Soviet Union sent the first astronaut into space and the first probe to the moon. Even further, it sent the first dog into space, but the dog died of heat exhaustion within just a few hours.
Photos Courtesy of Jasmin Small
With all of the Soviet Union’s overall success, it was time for the United States to also gain a win, and they did. The United States was the first to land on the moon, thus “winning” the race. Following the history clip, the audience climbed onto the Nevins Hall roof for the night’s final moment. With knowledge of our vast sky’s history still fresh in their minds, attendees gazed at the luminous moon and stars above with, perhaps, more clarity than before.
Photo Courtesy of Patrick Barry
VSU Medical Students Prepare for Medical School Isabella Schneider
Students can not only reach for the stars on campus—they can see them.
Free and open to the community, the showcase launched at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis.
bringing new artists to Valdosta and having a place where anyone can go and enjoy different live music and art each visit.
The organizations Tri-Beta and Psi Phi held an open presentation on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Special guest speakers Paven Patel, Matthew Powell and Griffin Clyatt, medical students from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – South Georgia, spoke about their experiences so far in medical school. They also shared tips to help transition into life as a medical student from undergraduate student. In undergraduate school, it’s important to take classes that are relevant to medical school like biology, organic chemistry, anatomy and other specific courses. Everyone, no matter their degree or background, will have the same opportunity and chance of getting into medical school. Powell received a history degree from VSU before deciding to go to Osteopathic school. He said to make sure that you take the required science courses before applying for medical school. It’s never too late to go to medical school.
When in medical school, it is expected that more time will be spent studying out of class. The Philadelphia College students all said they studied about 12 hours a day, including studying between classes. “Medical school can be overwhelming, but if a good work ethic can be built early on, it will pay off,” said Clyatt. Days begin early. classes start at 8 a.m. and can end as late as 4 p.m. The students also recommend designating one day of rest from studying. Self-care is important as well as getting enough sleep. “Medical school isn’t hard, it’s just the amount of information that comes at you is a lot,” Powell said. “Some concepts are easy and sometimes your friend next to you understands something while you don’t.” Krupesh Patel, treasurer of TriBeta and a senior at VSU, said that this presentation gave him a lot more of confidence and reassurance about going to medical school. “I do feel more confident about going to med school now than I did before their presentation,” Krupesh Patel said.
Photo Courtesy of Isabella Schneider
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 9, 2019
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The Buzz on the Hahira Honey Bee Festival Logan Gullage
Staff Writer ltgullage@valdosta.edu The Hahira HoneyBee Festival is an event that happens every year in the little neighboring town of Hahira. This parade boasts many travelling shops, food trucks, and many activities for guests to enjoy. It never fails to attract a fair number of people from all around South Georgia. With Main Street decorated with tents, bright signs, and smiling faces, it never disappoints the many people who attend it every year. The town dedicates the first full week of October solely to celebrating the historical symbol of the honeybee. According to Miss Kate Tours website, “The Honey Bee Festival pays tribute to years gone by when Hahira was considered the Queen Bee Capital of the World for its production of honey bees.”
Main Street is buzzing with activity.
Photo Courtesy of Logan Gullage
The small-town feel of the beautiful downtown Hahira is where the festivities are held for guests of all ages. The parade itself has earned a reputation of being one of the biggest parades of South Georgia. Even during a time when technology was becoming more advanced and social interactions were becoming less popular, the parade thrived. If the many eating
opportunities and happy atmosphere did not attract enough guests already, the energy of being around friendly people and the historical town feel sure will. This parade celebrates not only the historical aspect of the honeybee, but the citizens of the small town and their neighbors. With the little town still being an urban farming community, showing their appreciation for the honeybee just adds to the charm
Photo Courtesy of Logan Gullage A live model poses for the camera.
that is Hahira. The theme for this year’s parade was “Near and Far... Teachers”, which accentuated the importance of teachers, professors, and educators alike. The importance of this theme was to simply show the appreciation for the many aspects of being an educator in the
community and anywhere else. Throughout the many festivities, teachers were offered special discounts on clothes, food, and other products that were up for grabs. There is truly no better way to show appreciation for people than giving them great discounts on products they want. There was also a free live concert that was meant to solely honor the teachers of the year from Hahira Middle and Elementary school. The sense of community that this one local parade brings to their town and surrounding areas is what keeps the HoneyBee festival alive and well. Local stores and boutiques gathering more business and surrounding vendors coming to sell their food to customers keeps the small-town energy and excitement existing for Hahira. This festival is not only historically important, but important to the many people who love going every single year.
Frights & Delights at Wild Adventure’s Terror in the Wild TJ Weaver
Staff Writer tmweaver@valdosta.edu With Halloween right around the corner, Wild Adventures has opened up their annual Terror in the Wild attractions. With four new attractions designed to scare the pants off its victims, Terror in the Wild is always a fun time for those looking for a fright.
scariness and overall enjoyment. 9) Last Stop Tire Shop- This one wasn’t all that great, probably my least favorite of all the attractions. It was a cool concept with a lame execution. 8) Red’s Revenge- Another attraction that didn’t meet my expectations. The same issues I had with the previous attraction apply to this one as well, except
really that scary in all honesty. Basically, you just walked through and there were a few anticlimactic jump scares. 6) Final Harvest- Final Harvest was decent. It wasn’t overly terrifying, but it got me a few times I must admit. Definitely wasn’t a favorite of mine. 5) Happy Acres Asylum- I’m always a sucker for haunted asylums. This one was pretty good, although I’ve seen scarier than this.
Photo Courtesy of Wild Adventures The best summer camp any kid could hack for...Camp Hackaway.
4) The Price is Fright- This was a very good attraction! One of my favorite concepts out of all the attractions, and it was so much fun! 3) Wasteland- This was a creepy attraction to say the least. Very interesting backstory, and definitely one of my favorites.
Photo Courtesy of Wild Adventures Red’s Revenge did not live up to the hype.
2) Carn-Evil 3-D Maze- The Carn-Evil 3-D Maze was absolutely the best new attraction. It was just the right amount of creepy and fun, and I really enjoyed navigating my way through the maze.
To give you a little detail on how scary the rides are without giving too much away, here’s a ranking of all the attractions based on
1) Camp Hackaway- This is the attraction I was most excited for beforehand. I must say, this is my favorite attraction overall. I just
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I do think the overall concept of Red’s Revenge is better. 7) The Mine- The Mine was not
Photo Courtesy of Wild Adventures Final Harvest is good for a few scares
love the concept of it, and I was genuinely scared the whole way through. Overall, Terror in the Wild was an enjoyable experience to say the
least. I recommend that no matter what I think of the attractions, you should definitely get out and try them out for yourself! You never know what you may get out of an experience unless you try it!
Are you interested in writing, editing, designing or photographing for The Spectator? Come join us on Wednesday nights at 5:30 in Hopper 1238! We’re always looking for new staff members! Email adviser, Ted Geltner: tageltner@valdosta.edu
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 9, 2019
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Our Point of View...
New law may affect student athletes More money, more problems. Depending on who you ask, not in this case. On Sept. 30, California Governor Gavin Newson signed the Fair Pay to Play Act, a bill which would allow college athletes to be compensated for their name, likeness and image through endorsement deals, sponsorships, autographs, commercials, etc. This bill would go into effect in 2023. This is the biggest step towards student athletes getting what they rightfully deserve after years and years of being manipulated by top programs in the country. The NCAA amassed 1 million dollars in revenue, during the 2016-2017 academic year. During this school year, that amount has risen to 14 billion dollars. And growing.
This bill is strictly in California, one of the major sports powerhouse states in the country with nearly 40 million people living there. Here in Georgia, we are looking at 10.52 million people, according to World Population Review. Major programs like the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and others could benefit greatly from a bill like this coming to the Peach State. But what about Valdosta State Athletics? Everywhere you turn, whether it’s down the pedestrian mall, the student union, the bookstore or even the luxurious West Hall, you will find something pertaining to the sports we love. Walk into the bookstore and you will see football jerseys. No, the players name is not on the
back, but being in a sports-driven town, it’s nearly impossible to not know who wears it. Do not get the wrong perception: This is not a student-athlete getting a salary. This is simply a way for them to get some money in their pockets instead of the typical $1,500 to $5,000 given to the player once a year. If that. Valdosta State generates a boatload of money in the form of television time, sponsorships and even alumni. All of that goes directly to salaries across the board and the student-athletes don’t even get a sniff of it. If not for the student-athletes, Valdosta State would be bones. There’s no telling how much Valdosta State paid ex- football head
coach Kerwin Bell to be here, let alone move on for more money. None of that would’ve been possible without the players that helped win a national title in 2018. Bell didn’t hesitate to clear off his desk and set up shop at the University of South Florida. There’s an argument to be made that student-athletes receive full scholarships, going to school for practically free of charge. But there are those student-athletes who are not fortunate to get that big break, while they struggle to find their next meal. Some have to pick up a parttime job. This legislation would not only help the elite college quarterback or the primetime soccer star, it would be a blessing to the underprivileged player, who goes out
every game and performs like his/ her life depended on it. This would allow students to also sign agents to represent them, which is a huge plus when negotiating money. But would Georgia make the move? If so, what would be the response by VSU Athletics? How would alumni feel about it? These are valid questions. We are waiting, NCAA. And so are the players. ________________________ This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of The Spectator.
Photo Courtesy of VSU Athletics
The Blazer’s last loss came against West Alabama in 2017.
Blazers’ winning streak reaches 20 Team visits Delta State on Saturday for a shot at win no. 21 Prince Robinson, Jr.
Sports Editor parobinson@valdosta.edu Numbers never lie. VSU has won 20 games in a row, and continue as the no. 1 team in the nation. The belief is that this team is going to repeat as national champions, even just five games into the season. But that shortsighted view hasn’t seen the big picture, and there are no sure things in the continually competitive division II football schedule and playoffs. Blazers continue to win games, but how are they truly performing at the same level? Here’s a look at five statistics that paint the picture of VSU football season. VSU’s offense was historic last season, but has regressed through five games. VSU set the record in the 2018 national championship for most passing yards in a championship game. Quarterback Rogan Wells was the runner-up for the Harlan Hill trophy last season, but have fallen to no. 41 in the country to start the season. Part of that is the
down tick in attempts per game, but both Wells and head coach Gary Goff have talked about needing to find more pace in the offense to click. The Blazers were the no. 1 scoring offense in the country last season, averaging 52 points a game. While falling to no. 12 in scoring offense isn’t a reason to panic just yet, the smallest difference in efficiency could be the difference between a championship and not. Luckily for the Blazers, other areas of the field have been better so far this season. A strong defense Last season, VSU was no. 58 in total defense in the country, struggling mightily against the pass as they gave up over 209 yards per game. But through five games, the defense is playing at a high level. The defense has been dominant thus far, as they’re the no. 7 defense in the country, catapulted by the no. 6 pass defense in Division II. So what’s changed? The secondary has made itself one of the best in the country with the growth of Cory Roberts,
who leads the team in tackles and interceptions to start the year. He, Alex Brown and Stanley Dye have helped the team with 21 passes defended compared to just 58 completions. This defense can make up for the slight regression of the offense, as it has improved in nearly every statistical category, making it one of the best in the country. Penalties continue to kill the Blazers Coach Goff has preached discipline all offseason, and going into the season. Thus far, VSU continues to struggle in this department. They rank no. 126 out of 166 teams in division II with 8.75 penalties per game, and no. 131 with 330 penalty yards this season. This is a startling statistic in that the lack of discipline of a team with championship aspirations. Luckily for VSU, this isn’t something new, as they also struggled with penalties last season, and it worked out just fine. But coach Goff has been pushing this all season, and it something that
surely needs to improve as the Blazers face tougher competition. Efficiency in the red zone is lacking Last season, VSU performed at its best this season when it matters the most, in the red zone. From inside the 20-yard line, the Blazers have the no. 4 offense and no. 9 defense in the country, making it one of the best teams when it comes to scoring and preventing points. This season, they’ve struggled thus far, ranking no. 55 in offensive red zone efficiency and no. 106 in defensive red zone efficiency. Part of the struggle has been in the kicking department, with Fernando Ramirez missing two field goals to start the year, along with some failed fourth down conversion attempts. The Blazers need to rebound and be at their best again in the red zone. Converting those opportunities to touchdowns and preventing touchdowns is key in the playoffs. Jamar Thompkins is the most important Blazer
Last season as a freshman, Thompkins led the team with 1392 all-purpose yards in 14 games. Through five, Thompkins is on pace to blow that number away, as he has 691 yards through five games. So far, Thompkins has over 9 yards a carry and his seven total touchdowns. He’s a big play threat every time he touches the ball. In his last two games, Thompkins has two touchdowns over 50 yards, and has become one of the most electric players in college football. Thompkins is in the top 30 in the country in rushing yards, and he’ll be relied on heavily to lead this Blazers offense this season. Statistics don’t always tell the entire story, but they paint a good picture on actual team performance rather than team rankings. VSU has the balance on offense and defense to be one of the best teams in the country, but will need to stay disciplined and rely on their star player to realize their full potential.