ArgoVerge by Keith Goldschmidt

Who is Dean DeBolt?

Fall 2014 / Issue V

Time Management Group Fitness Remembering Ivan + MORE!

Staff

Megan Washington Content Editor/ Writer Jessica Glover Art Director/Writer Kyle Hamel Graphics/Writer Rebecca Worley Writer/Media

Executive Editor ArgoVerge has made a huge impact on the whole staff this semester. We started with a theme of change and gradually switched to a feel of individuality and creativity. With such a small group, we produced an exceptional magazine that covers everything from the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student life to the beautiful community of Pensacola. It has been a great experience, and I am so proud to have been a part of such a great team. Thank you to everyone who participated and to the ArgoVerge staff for making this publication a success!

Marsha Wood Writer Kyle Whitfield Writer Alisa Festagallo Writer

CONTENTS

Who isFindDean DeBolt? out on page 20 Student Life

Community

Features

Lifestyle

Entertainment

Job Market page 4

Time Management

Remembering Ivan

Moving In After Moving Out

Vape Vogue

page 6

page 8

page 10

Who is Dean Debolt

page 13

page 19

Going the Distance

Boots to Books

page 16

Be-you-tiful Pensacola

page 23

page 26

Hanginâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Up

HLS Center

Three-Course Meal

Group Fitness

Movie Reviews

page 18

page 30

page 33

This fifth edition of ArgoVerge is produced by students during a class in the Department of Communication Arts at the University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola, Florida, 32514. For more information, please contact Keith Goldschmidt at kgoldschmidt@uwf.edu

page 36 page 38

Holiday Reading page 42

JOBMarket

By Rebecca Worley

If you were worried about finding a job after you graduate, have no fear. You may have an easier time than you thought.

ecember 2007 was the official date that the recession started. Since then, the job market has been down, and college graduates have had a hard time finding jobs. However, things are looking up for college graduates. The job market is the strongest it has been since before the recession started. The unemployment rate has dropped to 5.9 percent in professional and business services, retail trade, and health care, according to the Bureau of Labor. The unemployment rate for a person with a bachelor’s degree is 4.0 percent. For those with a high school diploma, it is 7.5 percent according to the Bureau of Labor. The area that you are looking for a job in can have an effect on how the job market looks in that area. It is not always the same said Sarah Fox, a graduate assistant in the University of West Florida career services. The electrical engineering field currently has a 4 percent growth rate of jobs, meaning that each year, the job field is only growing 4 percent, or 4 percent more jobs are being created and

filled, which is slower than average. The average growth rate is roughly 12 percent, according to the US department of labor. However, in Florida the job outlook for the engineering field is doing well. “More than 70 percent of graduates from the University of West Florida end up working in Florida,” Mohamed Khabou, the chair of the engineering department at UWF, said. “50 percent of them working around the Eglin Air Force Base in Okaloosa County.” “There are many tech companies hiring all over Florida,” Khabou said. “For an engineering student looking for a job in the Pensacola area, a good place to start is with Gulf Power.” The nursing field is currently growing faster than average, with a growth rate of 19 percent. The median pay for a nurse is $65,470 a year or $31.48, an hour according to the labor department. “There are a lot of nurses retiring,” Angela Blackburn, an adviser in the UWF nursing department said. “We need to grow programs with people who can fill those areas.”

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Teachers are always needed

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The video game software industry is currently growing at a faster rate than expected at 18 percent and is expected to continue until at least 2017, according to the Entertainment Software Association. “The gaming industry is doing very good,” Todd Deery a communication and admission director of the University of Central Florida said. “It was one of the few markets that were not damaged much by the recession.” Fifty-nine percent of Americans play video games. Those consumers spent $21.53 billion on video games, hardware and accessories in 2013, according to the Entertainment Software Association. The elementary teacher education field is one of the average fields that are growing at a rate of 12 percent per year according to the labor department. However, this is a field where the area comes into effect. In the tri-county area of Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa county, the field is growing. “Teachers are always needed,” Carolyn Livingston, an adviser in the undergraduate teacher education department, said. About 188,400 jobs in the elementary education field are expected to be created between the years of 2012 and 2022. “The area is growing because all of the military

coming in,” Livingston said. UWF currently supplies more than 60 percent of teachers in the tri-county area. “Becoming a teacher is expensive,” Livingston said. “In addition to classes, you are taking state certification exams. Teacher’s salaries aren’t as competitive as the tech fields. It’s going to take a while to reap the financial benefits.” The average teacher’s salary is $53,090, according to the labor department. “People don’t enter teaching knowing they are going to get rich,” Livingston said. “They usually have a better reason for becoming a teacher.”

-Carolyn Livingston Another average growing field is law. The market for lawyers is growing at a rate of 10 percent a year. The average pay for a lawyer is $113,530 per year or $54.58 per hour according to the labor department. “The market for lawyers is looking better,” said Kevin McGowan the director of financial aid at the Ave Maria School of Law. Between the years of 2012-2022, 74,800 jobs in the law field are expected to be created, according to the labor department.

Time Management

By Rebecca Worley

Between work, classes and family manystudents have a hard time managing and finding time to do homework or even to relax. With so much going on, it is no surprise that college students feel overwhelmed and feel like they have no time. Fifty-nine percent of students report that managing their time to balance all activities is a somewhat or significant stressor, according to a 2013 report from the Washington, D.C. based American Psychological Association. How can students learn to manage their time? How can students balance the time they do not think that have?

1. It is OK to say no

Marissa Bellas, a senior at the University of West Florida, works two jobs. One as a service desk clerk in the university commons and as a student desk assistance in the resident halls. “Understand school comes first,” Bellas said. “Getting good grades is the priority. That’s why we are here.” Bellas also tries to stay as active with her sorority Phi Sigma Sigma and other organizations but has learned to say “no” when needed too. “There’s always another opportunity,” Bellas said.

2. Figure out where time is being spent

Dolph Todd, a registered mental health intern at the UWF Wellness Center, said tracking your daily time helps with time management. “When you plot out your time, you see where it’s being wasted,” Todd said. “If you watch three hours of TV, write it down. This helps you see where you can make your time more efficient.”

3. Put space between you and technology

Here are a few tips and tricks to consider in these stressful times. “Technology both helps and hinders,” Dupont said. “We like instant gratification instead of using the technology to do what is best. You have to keep track of what you do and adjust your schedule to it. Technology is a great tool to use but a bigger distraction.”

4. Keep a calendar Allee Millsap, a sophomore career peer in Career Services, started working there at the beginning of fall 2014. This semester is the first time she has worked and gone to school at the same time. “I’ve been told if you are in a class for one hour, you need to study two hours outside class,” Millsap said. “I use a calendar to make sure I get the time I need.” Bellas said she still utilizes the Google Calendar. “A majority of the professional world is on Google Calendar,” Bellas said. “Using Google Calendar is what I would tell students.”

Andrew Dupont, a first-year adviser and instructor, said technology is a huge time-waster.

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5. Be willing to do the work “You have to be willing to do the work for whatever the day’s priority is,” Anna Shiplee, an associate director in the first-year advising center, said. “Time management is a lifetime commitment. Self-sacrifice becomes harder, and you may lose motivation, and then your work ethic suffers.” Every day is different when it comes to your priorities, and life happens to all of us. “Identify why you are in college,” Shiplee said. “You have to have a goal to prioritize too. Work doesn’t just fall out of the sky.”

Taking breaks while studying can help improve your memory and focus, according to a study done at the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign The body becomes habituated to the feeling you get when studying, and it stops registering the stimulus in a meaningful way to the brain. Taking breaks helps the stimulus continue to register and helps you remember what you studied.

7. “I work better under stress” is a myth

“You can’t keep up under stress,” Shiplee said. “Stress is adrenalin produced.” Students thinking they work best under stress causes them to procrastinate and wait until the last min6. Know when to take a break ute to study or get work done. “I work best under time pressure, so I’m go “A lot of people expect themselves ing to wait and study later” is listed as a self-defeating to perform at 100 percent every day,” time-management excuse,” Shiplee said. Todd said. Chronic procrastinators, compared to non-pro Without proper self-care and crastinators, spend less time preparing for tasks and sleep, time management is counterhave a hard time balancing high-performance speed intuitive. and accuracy, according to researchers at the “European “People think they don’t Journal of Personality.” have time to step away or sleep, “If you don’t learn to manage time, the results but lack of sleep starts inhibiting that are desired will not be the best,” Shiplee said. memory recall and makes tests harder,” Todd said.

Moving In After Moving Out by: Alisa Festa gallo

hether you are coming to college for the first time, or you are finally moving out on your own, feeling comfortable in your new house is necessary to having a good college experience. Having old or new friends as your roommates, paying bills, and keeping your place clean are all things that you have to take into consideration when moving in. Not to worry, below is an easy guide on living simply and efficiently. The first thing you must do as a future resident is to decide whether you want to live on or off campus. The University of West Florida offers eight different types of housing on campus that range in price and luxury. Devany Brennan, a biology major and freshman at the University of West Florida, has been living on campus since this fall and recommended a couple tips. “Moving to a new school and then living with a random person made me scared at first,” Brennan said.

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“But if there is one thing I can say about living in the dorms, it would be to try to keep a friendly relationship with your roommate and to never share your toiletries.” If campus living is not for you, off-campus living is also an option. In the fall of 2014, College Vue apartments opened right off campus. The living spaces came fully furnished with amenities like roommate matching, cable and Internet. Hugrun Elvarsdottir, a freshman psychology major, moved to Pensacola from Iceland and immediately loved College Vue. “I knew that moving to a new - Devany Brennan country was going to be an exciting experience for me, but I was unsure about who I was going to live with and if I was even going to have a bed,” Elvarsdottir said. “Moving off campus allows me to connect with people of all ages and types, and because it’s so close to campus, I can walk to each of my classes.”

. . . living with a random person made me scared at first

“

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Moving Day For: iOS only Moving day will organize all your information needed to make your big move an easier process. From keeping track of inventory and damages, the app will clearly document your entire move and make everything a lot less stressful for you.

Whether you decide to live on or off campus, below is a list of items that are most necessary for a hassle free living environment, according

College Vue Apartments

Top Ten Most Useful Items 1. Water (filters or bottles, they come in handy instead of using the sink every time) 2. 3. 4. 5.

George Foreman Grill Toaster Oven Extra Storage Bins Wall hooks to hang pictures and memorabilia

6. 7. 8.

Toolkit (tape measure) Extension cords First Aid Kit (band aids, Neosporin, pain relievers) Headphones (When you want to tune out your

9. roommates) 10.

Air Fresheners

Now that you know everything you need to bring or buy for your new place. You have to think about the people you are going to be living with, your roommates. Rachel Blakesley, UWF residence life coordinator, deals with roommate issues every day. Living with a roommate is often as good as students want to make it. Some roommates become best friends and are in each other’s weddings. Other roommates are content to “live and let live,” Blakesley said. “The key to having a good roommate experience is communicating expectations from the beginning, being willing to compromise, and addressing any conflict that arises appropriately.”

Bills: Whether you want one person to pay them

and then they get reimbursed or everyone pays their own share. You have to decide this as soon as possible in order to maintain good credit and a good relationship with your dorm or apartment supervisor.

Rules: Assign different chores to everyone for spe-

cific days. Also, be sure to get to know what each person feels comfortable doing. Senior business major Tyler Barr has lived with three girl roommates since he moved to Pensacola. Yes, how does he do it? “I ask myself that question every day,” Barr said. “The first year was tough because I never cleaned up after

myself, but once the girls chose to get our apartment on a dishwashing schedule, the kitchen has been clean ever since.”

Trash: You are used to only your trash building up,

but how do you decide who takes out the trash when it is more than one person’s trash adding up? Setting a schedule of who takes the trash each time keeps everyone on track and does not make one specific person feel like they are doing all the work. Incorporating these rules and tips into your college lifestyle will allow you to focus on your academic and social life and come back to a comfortable living space.

Remembering Ivan: A look back on the ten-year anniversary of Hurricane Ivan By Kyle Whitfield Alicia Candela was scared for her cats. While she and her family were taking refuge at her father’s office at Baptist Hospital, her three cats were at her home alone facing one of the worst storms to ever hit the Florida Panhandle: Hurricane Ivan. “Since we lived in Gulf Breeze, we couldn’t get to our house for three days because the bridge was closed,” Candela said. ”So we had no idea what happened to our house plus our three cats that we left in the house.” That was only one of the things Candela worried about that night as Ivan’s rain drenched the city streets and winds howled outside her father’s office. “I also remember being worried that the tree right by my bedroom window was going to fall right on top of my room,” Candela said. “I remember praying really hard that it wouldn’t. It took Candela three days to get home. Luckily, the only damage that occurred was a tree had fallen in their yard. After being without heat and electricity for days, she traveled to Miami to stay with family. Her cats were just fine. Alicia Candela’s story is just one of the thousands that existed after Hurricane Ivan ripped through the Florida Panhandle on Sept. 16, 2004. It might seem crazy to some UWF students who were in middle school at the time that 10 years have passed since then. When Ivan made landfall in Pensacola, it was a category 3 storm. The storm burst into the area with winds of 120 mph. It caused $18 billion in damages in the United States and cost 91 people their lives worldwide. Everyone that experienced Ivan has a story. Whether it was sleeping in a bathtub for the first time or experiencing life without technology for a few weeks, everyone has a personal memory of a time that changed the community.

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Many people remember finding out that the mighty storm was headed their way and all the steps they and their families took to prepare themselves. People lined up at gas stations to fill up their cars and canisters to have fuel for their generators. They bought tons of canned food, flashlights, and candles knowing how dear these simple items would soon become. Associate Vice President of Facilities Development and Operations James Barnett was part of the crew at UWF that prepared the school for Ivan. “There are five levels of hurricanes, and we have a standard operating procedure,” Barnett said. “ If a level one is coming we do this, and so on.” The university took down the lights at all the intersections as well as anything that would sway, had people make sure all the roof drains were open and put sand bags at entrances they thought might flood as well as many other steps, Barnett said. The University of West Florida’s Archivist Dean DeBolt remembers the steps that the UWF library took to prepare for the storm. “They did tell us to do what we normally do for hurricane preparations around here, which really didn’t amount to anything,” DeBolt said. “They tell us to cover the computers with plastic. They liberally handed out sheets of plastic. I have a whole storage room full of them.” Although the preparations at the library weren’t very extreme, they were enough to prevent any real damage, except to the elevators, which pooled up with water at the bottom, DeBolt said. After people had prepared, the only thing left to do was wait out the storm in one of the most intense nights of the last decade. As the sky roared, and winds whipped through the community tearing things apart, people bunkered up inside waiting for the morning to come.

...it was devastating and terrible.

”

(Left) Students camp out in the UWF commons area during the storm.

(Right) Community members help with cleanup between Building 12 and 37.

(Above) Exterior damage at the Field House (Right) Interior damage at the Field House

“I remember it sounding like a train going by our house,” UWF student Damiana MacCrone said. “It’s amazing, it was devastating and terrible, but I remember feeling like it was camping indoors, and everyone was so nice to everyone else.” UWF student Davis Hagen had a terrible night as Ivan stole his special day from him. “It was my birthday,” Hagen said. “For my 11th birthday I was in my downstairs laundry room with those tap flashlights while water spouts were surrounding us because we lived on a lake.” As the storm rumbled on through the night, some people stayed inside listening to the rage, while other more adventurous people dared to step outside and experience first hand the great force of nature. Eventually, the rain died down, the winds were gone, and the sun came up. People slowly emerged from their homes to see the destruction that Ivan had left in its wake and to begin working on restoring their homes. The storm caused a lot of damage everywhere, and UWF was no exception. “It was about $2.8 million in damages,” said Barnett. “We lost over 2,000 trees. There wasn’t any area of significant damage. It was all damaged about the same. There was a lot of window damage and water damage. When a hurricane hits, it’s not just two or three buildings. It’s all around.”

their repairs people, began adapting to a new way of living. Many went without electricity for weeks, ate only canned food, and lived without their means of entertainment. Eventually though, like all things, the effects of Ivan passed. Gulf Power turned the electricity back on, leaky roofs were fixed, and thousands of trees were cleared from yards. However, there was one aspect of Ivan that never left people’s hearts, and that was the ability for a community to come together. In Ivan’s wake, people found the meaning of community again. Without their daily distractions, they looked around reached out to others. Entire neighborhoods got together to cook their remaining food. Strangers helped the elderly clean their yards. Friendships were made over playing board games and finding ways to spend the hours. The Pensacola Opera even teamed up with Pensacola State College (then a junior college) to create a play based on Ivan. “The PJC Department of Performing arts and Pensacola Opera teamed up to create an original theatre event to help overcome and understand the tragedy our communities had just gone through with hurricane Ivan,” said Bob Gandrup, a professor at PSC. “We used real stories, art work, and actual events to create a poetic representation to celebrate our collective survival, our strengths in our time of need, and our resolve to rebuild our homes and our broken lives.” That was what Ivan left the Panhandle area with. Ten years later, and people still remember their stories and how they grew from that epic storm. In Ivan’s wake, something beautiful was created, and that was the forging of a community.

a hurricane hits, it’s not just “When two or three buildings. It’s all around.” One structure that suffered heavy damage was the Escambia Bay Bridge on Highway I-10, which lost 58 spans to the storm, preventing many people from traveling to and from Pensacola. While the bridge was out many people experienced mind-numbingly long traffic jams. “We ordered and ate pizza for dinner while sitting on Davis Highway in traffic on our way home from work,” Pace resident Lisa Kantner said. After assessing the damage and starting on

Vape Vogue By Alisa FestagAllo What happened to the regular old cigarette? Why have E-cigarettes and vaping become increasingly popular in the past couple years? Only 9 percent of teens still smoke in the U.S, according to Truth.com, a campaign that uses commercials and social media to share facts with young adults on the negative impacts of smoking on their health.

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bottle of juice, which depending on the user, can last anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks. Bentley also explained how people from 18 to 78 years old

Recently I saw more people using vapes and bragging about how cool they were. . . - Darin Beauchamp

I hadn’t seen anyone smoking vapes, so I would only smoke mine when I was home or in my car,” Beauchamp said. “Recently I saw more people using vapes and bragging about how cool they were that I finally felt comfortable enough to start smoking mine in public.” Smoking vapes have made loopholes in non-smoking laws in public places. The Chick Fil’ A restaurant, conveniently located right across the street from The Vape Shop, has become more aware of these vaporizers. Rachel Lassiter, leader at Chick Fil’ A, expressed the restaurant’s stance on smoking. “There is a no-smoke policy in our restaurant, which includes our parking lot and patio,” Lassiter said. “We do not have a set policy on vaporizers, but we have yet to see anyone smoke vapes inside of our store.” The no-smoking laws loopholes are not the only things that attract vaporizer users. Some students, who started smoking at a young age, are trying to kick the habit. Vapes have helped them and others with quitting.

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The cigarette is losing its popularity to the new vaporizers because of vapes convenience, flavor and flavor variety. In addition, vapes are easing the concern of breaking smoking laws in public places that cigarettes have caused. E-cigs and vapes are growing more popular on and around the University of West Florida’s campus. Stores selling only vaporizers and supplies are appearing around Pensacola. The Vape Shop opened off campus; it sells vaporizers of all sizes, shapes, and colors. The Vape Shop sells more than 10 juice brands including Space Jam, Suicide Bunny, Gremlin Juice, and Midas. These brands put together offer about 1,200 juice flavors for use. These juice flavors range anywhere from watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe to peanut butter, marshmallows or vanilla bean. They sell for $12.99 each. Pam Bentley, manager of the shop, sat with her favorite vapor in her mouth as she talked about not only what vapes have done for her but also what she has seen them do for her customers. “My husband and I would smoke three cartons a week, which equaled about $210 a month,” Bentley said. “Switching to vapes allowed us to save money and rely less on cigarettes or nicotine to get through the day.” The Vape Shop offers its most popular package for $45. It includes a basic vaporizer and a

come into the store to purchase vaporizers for a variety of different reasons. “Vapes help students smoke on campus without affecting others, they help older people get through their work days, and they help workers deal with the stress,” Bentley said. Some students take a break during class to take out their vaporizers from their backpack and relieve some of their tension and nerves. Darin Beauchamp, a senior at UWF, transferred to Pensacola from Georgia where he would smoke vapors wherever he went. “When I first moved here,

Tyler Williams, a junior at UWF, has been trying to quit for a couple years and still has not erased cigarettes completely from his life. “I have been trying vapes for about a year now for when I run out of cigarettes or do not have the ability to go smoke,” Williams said. “I have heard that vapes have little to no nicotine in comparison to cigarettes, so I am hoping to be cigarette-free very soon.” Because vaporizers are relatively new, tests are still being conducted about their health risks. However, with shops promising that there is less nicotine in them than cigarettes, the users will keep coming around. Valerie Harris, customer service representative at the Shell gas station off campus, offers both cigarettes and vaporizers.

“I feel as if neither cigarettes nor vaporizers are healthy for customers, but we offer both so that the customer has the freedom to choose,” Harris said. “I have not seen cigarettes go down in sales, but I have seen vapes go up, and I think they will continue to do so.”

(above) A few of the many juice brands the Vape Shop sells.

FACT

•

E-cigarettes are smoke-free and tobacco-free, but not all are nicotine free even though some claim to be. • In the U.S., 60.9% of students who ever smoked cigarettes daily tried to quit smoking cigarettes. • In the U.S., about 42,000 people die each year from secondhand smoke-related diseases. • In the U.S. in 2012, 73.9% of people with at least a college degree who had ever smoked reported that they had quit successfully.

All facts are according to www.thetruth.com

Going the Distance By Marsha Wood Patrick Kwiatkowski, a sophomore at the University of West Florida, did not allow distance to come between him and his love. He met his wife, while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps in California. When his contract expired in 2012, he moved to New Jersey, and she moved back home to Florida. They stayed in touch through emails, text messages, phone calls and Skype. “It was not easy,” Kwiatkowski said. “Normally, I would have shut down the idea of a long-distant relationship because of past experiences with ex-girlfriends, but this time I decided to give it another shot. It ended up being the best shot I ever taken because I married her.” According to the “Journal of Communication,” a study published on long-distance relationships, as of 2013, there were 3 million married couples in the U.S. living apart, 25 to 50 percent college students are currently in long-distance relationships and up to 75 percent of them have engaged in one at some point. Even though, long-distance relationships can be quite challenging, they are also survivable. The following ideas from the University of West Florida licensed psychologist Kelly Meek are sure to keep your LDR sizzling during the distance.

Communicate Proactively

Communication is a good way to maintain an emotional connection needed to sustain a long-distance relationship, whether it is through telephone, emails, social media or video calls. “It’s best to plan or schedule specific times to talk on the phone or Skype,” Meek said. Talk about your future, your doubts, fears and expectations. Communicate every day, whether through phone conversations, text messages or social media. You do not always have to have long in-depth conversations, however keeping lines of communication open is very important.

Make plans to see each other regularly

Phone conversations and webcam are good, but a relationship cannot thrive just from that. You and your partner need to plan visits to see each other, such as planning vacations together. “Couples find it helpful to always have it planned for when they will see each other again,” Meek said. “Even if that time is several months away, it helps to have a plan and something to look forward to.”

Be creative

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“Surprises can also keep it (long-distance relationships) fun, for example, sending surprise care packages can be nice,” Meek said. You can surprise your partner with a bouquet of flowers, a gigantic stuffed teddy bear with a romantic message, his or her favorite baked good made by you, custom care package, and even you. Creativity goes a long way in long-distance relationships because it is the thought that counts. Patrick’s wife had never seen snow before, so for Christmas he sent her a card that had snowflakes in it and told her that that would have to do until they could see it together. “She would also send me little videos of cool things throughout her day to keep me knowing that she was thinking of me and making me feel like I was part of her world,” Patrick said.

Avocado For: iOS and Android

Cost: Free Avocado is the ideal app for all couples, particularly those involved in long distance relationships. It creates a private and secure social media feed between two people that can also be utilized to keep in close contact with close friends or family members who live far away.

Create Trust Without trust, an LDR can be rather challenging. Create a trust through consistency. Try your hardest to do what say you will. You need to understand and know what one another needs from the relationship. “Before a long-distance relationship begins, there needs to be a set of ground rules established and expectations discussed.” Meek said that many couples are often unclear on what the rules are. “They often need to clarify whether they would feel comfortable with their partner spending time with a friend of the opposite gender if they are heterosexual, or the same gender if they identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual,” Meek said. Another complaint or concern is regarding how much and what type of communication will occur during the long-distance relationship. “Sometimes one person is more of a texting person, while the other prefers talking on the phone or Face Time,” Meek said, “There also, needs to be a mutual goal. If couples have no idea when or if they will ever be able to live in

the same city as their partner, this can be very discouraging. Having a mutual goal will help instill hope and help the couple get through the hard times.”

Hangin’ Up

By Kyle Whitfield

Do you know what is going on around

you right now? Do you know whom you are with and what they are saying? Or are you on your cell phone reading this article and not paying attention to the world around you? Cell phones are everywhere these days, and more and more people are transitioning from their old cell phones to smartphones. The result is that people are spending more time on their phones than ever. According to a study by Nokia, people check their phones every six and a half minutes, or 150 times a day. The marketing firm Experian Americans conducted a study that showed people are now using their phones about one hour every day. That equals to doing nothing but using a cell phone for 15 days out of the year. The study shows it is - Elizabeth steel even worse for iPhone users who actually spend 15 more minutes than other users on their phone. All this usage is affecting how people behave socially. It is not uncommon now to go to a restaurant and look around at other tables and see people glued to their phones ignoring the person they are eating with. In fact, this trend is so bad that there has been a game invented to stop it.

”

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“

I deleted my Instagram for two months, and I saw my grades go up

RescueTime For: Android only RescueTime tracks the amount of time spent daily on email, social media, and websites, and identifies your top distractions. Set goals and set up alerts to let you know when you have spent too much time on things like Twitter or Candy Crush.

Pileup is a game where a group of diners pile all their phones up in the middle of the table. The first person to reach and grab his or her phone has to buy drinks for the entire table. Cell phone usage is not just affecting people socially though. It is also hurting their grades. According to a study done by Kent State University, students with high cell phone usage have an average GPA of 2.8, while low users have a GPA of 3.2. Elizabeth Steel is a junior at University of West Florida, and she has noticed a change in her grades after getting off her phone. “I deleted my Instagram for two months, and I saw my grades go up,” Steel said. UWF professor Rick Scott has a strict nophones policy in his classrooms. “ To me the issue with cell phone usage is that it’s distracting,” Scott said. “It’s distracting to try to carry on a conversational style of class when folks are obviously paying more attention to cell phones than (they are) what we are talking about. That to me is the issue. I’m all for technology in classroom when it supports the lesson, but when it distracts, it’s gone too far.” Scott is not alone, as many professors share his policy on cell phones. With all the negative affects that high cell phone usage can have on people, one might start thinking about ways to cut back on the usage. One great way was a donation campaign UNICEF conducted. During the campaign, UNICEF, a humanitarian organization helping children in developing countries, allowed people to download its app, and while it was on, it would monitor how long people went without touching their phones. After a certain amount of time, money was donated that would supply children in third-world countries with clean water. Cell phones are great in the way that they help us communicate with others, but the damages it can have on social lives and academics is dangerous. As UNICEF said in its campaign, cell phones are not like water. They are not vital.

Who is Dean DeBolt? By Megan Washington

Librarian Historian Get to know the man who has put in over 30 years of service for the Univerisity of West Florida.

here are buttons labeled one through five in the elevators at the University of West Florida’s John C. Pace library. There is also a button labeled with a simple “B” for the basement. If you happen to push the button labeled “B,” it will take you to a place that not very many students know about. When the doors open on level B, towers of boxes stacked against glass cases all full of items from the past guide your way to a set of doors. Behind that set of doors is the office to the one known as “the other dean of the library.” Dean DeBolt, who is working on his 34th year at UWF, is the head of the University Archives and the West Florida History Center. The idea of a university in Pensacola, Florida became an actual plan on June 4, 1963. In the beginning stages of the university, it was a senior university, meaning that it only provided junior and senior level classes. Florida and Illinois created senior universities. UWF and University of North Florida are the two that Florida created. In 1983, efforts were put forth to unite UWF with Pensacola Junior College. The problem was the community college receives funding from local taxes, and universities receive funding out of state legislatures. The changes needed seemed insur-

mountable, so the colleges remained separate. Then in 1984, UWF got permission from the Legislature to add freshmen and sophomore. State archives save all of the records of the state agencies and are usually located in the state capital. In Illinois, Dean DeBolt help set up a system that divided the state between regions. At the center of each region, a place was set up to receive the state archive information. On his move to UWF, DeBolt was placed in charge of organizing a system similar to this in Pensacola on the campus of UWF. The collection is called The University Archives and West Florida History Center. It is a massive collection encompassing around 800 collections. It is comprised of 1.8 million items and grows every day. The center now contains the Special Collections Department. This department is the world’s largest and most comprehensive research collection about the region of West Florida, the first Spanish settlement on the North American continent, and the largest of the 15 British colonies in North America. After receiving his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history, DeBolt received his master’s degree in library science. Having these two degrees together allows him to work especially in the archives department.

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Even though he is not a native, he knows everything about Pensacola. - Stephanie Johnson

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eBolt met his wife of 37 years at Sangamon State University in Illinois. She was working on a separate floor but attended the same staff meetings. He still remembers one of the first times she came up to him asking “Dean, Dean what happened in the staff meeting?” Seventeen years after the start of the UWF, DeBolt accepted a job at UWF. “I told my wife she would never have to work again,” which he admitted did not hold true. At this time, DeBolt helped start the organization of archival information in Pensacola. A few members of the University staff took DeBolt on a tour of Pensacola when he arrived. “They decided that I should see the beach, but it was January,” DeBolt recalls. “It was dark, and I was riding with a faculty member and could not see anything out the window. There were spotlights that showed a small view of the water crashing on the sand. That is all I saw on my first trip to the beach.” Living in Pensacola has not changed DeBolt. He is still a land lover.

One of the first things that DeBolt remembers liking about UWF is that everyone ate at the Commons, and all the buildings were close together. The Commons were set up like a high school cafeteria. “It was really great because everything was concentrated, and everyone got to know each other,” DeBolt said. Caroline Thompson, the art and science librarian, has been at UWF for 30 years. She remembers meeting DeBolt. “We were kind of the young ones back then,” Thompson said. “My first impression of him was that he was super smart. He was super close to the director. Dean was just fascinating because of his knowledge.” John Blackie, the photographer for UWF, has worked on campus for 20 years. Throughout the years, he has worked indirectly with DeBolt when the archive has needed prints from old negatives. Blackie refers to DeBolt as “like a Pensacola encyclopedia.” DeBolt’s knowledge has not only been an asset to the community and university, but also to some famous people. Clive Clusser contacted DeBolt for research on the navy of the Republic of Texas and other projects. With the importance of DeBolt’s work, it is interesting to know that there is a reason he has stayed in the basement, even after the flood had caused damage to some of the collection.

One of the reasons is that the library is built around columns that can support three more floors, and there is room for expansion all around the library. In addition, smoke is a very damaging substance on paper and old materials. If the collection were to be moved up to the fifth floor, it would be more susceptible to the elements and smoke. Stamps and the Chautauqua history are the two passions of DeBolt’s other than his collection at the library. When asked what he would be doing if he was not working, he quickly responded with excitement about his research into the Chautauqua history. Chautauqua was an educational effort in the U.S. from the late 1800s to 1930. Brooke Bowers, the digital archivist, and Stephanie Johnson, assistant archivist, work with De-

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I collect things today for tomorrow. - DeBolt

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Bolt in the basement. They make sure to keep an extra can of soup in the cabinet in case someone forgets their lunch, which is called the emergency soup of course. Both of the girls are working on their master’s in library science while learning hands on from DeBolt. “He is a plethora of information,” Johnson said. “We often have to wait for him to come back to answer questions about Pensacola history. Even though DeBolt is not a native, he knows everything about Pensacola.” Bowers and Johnson both agree that there is a contagious childlike joy that radiates from DeBolt’s enthusiasm. The same joy increases over the holidays. Halloween is one of DeBolt’s favorite holidays. He is always pulling pranks and keeps a broom on wheels handy to scare anyone who is not on their guard. “We are here. Don’t be afraid to hit the B button,” is a common statement from all the friendly faces in the basement. DeBolt continues on collecting posters and capturing the history that is all around us in Pensacola and at UWF. “I collect things today for tomorrow,” DeBolt said.

From Boots to Books

By Marsha Wood

A Veteranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Story of Transition 12-year veteran, Ebony Clark, spends her days helping military students make the transition from a structured military life to a life in the classroom.

ccording to the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, in 2014, more than 231,000 veterans from operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom called the Sunshine State home. Many are enrolling in Florida’s colleges and universities using the new post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill. Ebony Clark, a 33-year-old senior, is one of those veterans. Clark rushes through the door of the UWF Military and Veterans Resource Center, a place where she finds peace, belonging and understanding, to start her shift as a transition coach. The center exists, to support UWF’s military and veteran students, help them understand university requirements, and inform them about utilizing their benefits. The center also helps students connect with campus and off-campus resources to assist them with education, career and life goals.

That is something as, a 12-year veteran herself, Clark knows all too well. A transition coach needs to adapt to a changing environment, ( Above ) Ebony Clark completes a research assignment for her Legal know basic comResearch and Writing Course. She is a pursuing a Legal Studies/Pre-law degree at the University of West Florida. puter skills, possess Lauren Clarke states that when a positive attitude, the center was transitioning from and demonstrate proficiency in writing and speaking; Clark’s peers the old operating system to Bandescribe her personality as upbeat, ner, Clark was actively involved in learning the new system and friendly, and always smiling. As training other coaches on it. “She a transition coach, you have to is very skilled at dealing with deal with veteran students who customers who are experiencing are transitioning from wartime to problems and who are frustrated college and are trying to adapt to with the process of transitioning a new way of life. Because she is to college,” says transition coach a veteran, Clark understands the Caitlan Webster. difficulties of service members “She can easily calm moving into civilian life after the people down and help them work military and dealing with both the university system and the Veteran’s toward a solution to the issues they are experiencing.” Affairs system. Fellow transition coach

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The key to a successful transition is preparation. . . - Ebony Clark

( Above ) During a 2010 deployment, Ebony Clark poses for a quick picture in her work area. She specialized in supply logistics management while serving in the Air Force.

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( Above ) Ebony Clark helps senior Vincent Sultenfuss apply for military education benefits. Clark works as a veteran transition coach for the University of West Florida.

The importance of higher education was instilled in Clark by her parents, so she always knew that she would attend college. That can be expensive, and Clark did not want her parents to have to pay for her education. Therefore, she decided to join the U.S. Air force to pay for her college expenses. “It was extremely challenging to balance the military, life, family, and school, she says. “The military comes first, no matter what, and prioritizing life becomes a challenge because the military’s needs and demands take precedent. “You often sacrifice time with your family and social life is often sacrificed. So spending time with them becomes a challenge, and then you have school time, which is usually where you sacrifice your sleep for education. It becomes one juggling act.” Even though she enjoyed traveling and the quality of life the Air Force provided, she decided not to reenlist. Clark waited six months after separating to start

college again. “I needed to decompress,” she says. “My mentality needed to switch from following orders to making my own choices. It’s a state of mind, and the transition from one to another; if not properly executed, could be detrimental to your success after the military.” Clark did not find transitioning from the military to a college student as difficult as most other veterans today do. She planned and prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. She says she took time out for herself after separation to allow her time to “deprogram” from the military life.

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You often sacrifice time with your family and social life. . . - Ebony Clark

Clark says she has noticed many veterans feel as if they are not properly informed, and as if they were “thrown to the wolves,”

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when it came to transitioning from the military to civilian life. Therefore, they come to the Military and Veterans Resource Center for guidance. “The key to a successful transition is preparation,” Clark says. “You need to prepare yourself financially, mentally and emotionally. “You have to anticipate the best and worst possible scenarios.” Having the ability to prevent other veterans from experiencing the struggles and challenges that come with transitioning is what Clark likes most about being a veterans transition coach. The idea that she can help lower the negative perception of veterans, and the negative statistic associated with the success of military veterans after leaving the service, makes Clark feel she is making a difference. “Whenever a veteran breathes a sigh of relief when you’ve answered ‘that’ question that they’ve been getting the run around about, or they can say, ‘I’m officially a college student,’ is when I feel the best,” she says.

Be-you-tiful

PENSACOLA

Love of beauty is taste - the creation of beauty is art. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

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HLS Facility Hours Mon–Thur: 6am-10:45pm Fri: 6am–7:45pm Sat: 8am–7:45pm Sun: 12–7:45pm

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We have everything a person needs to get where they want to go

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-Karina Digregorio, HLS facility attendant

Downstairs Strength/Resistance

Check out the APP

No matter what your schedule is, the Health, Leisure, and Science center at the University of West Florida is more than willing to accommodate. Opening at 6 a.m. every weekday and not closing until at least 7 p.m. every night. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have everything a person needs to get where they want to go,â&#x20AC;? Karina Digregorio, a facility attendant at HLS center said. According to the UWF website, the HLS center is stocked with over 12 free weight lifting stations including benches and squat racks. There are assisted machines available to help you maintain technique and focus in on a particular set of muscles. The HLS has several machines that other gyms do not carry such as cable crossovers, Smith machines, fully stocked leg press, and 13 utility benches.

My Fitness Pal For: iOS and Android Cost: free Customize your fitness goals and keep your diet on track with this app. With a database full of over 350 exercises and 4 million foods, keeping track of your overall health has never been easier. Reviewing your progress is easy with daily reports and charts that track your goals.

With hosting over 600 individuals weekly, the HLS center is constantly seeing students in and out of its doors. The HLS center is available for all UWF personnel. Currently, enrolled students enjoy the facilities at no extra cost. Alumni and Household Members of Alumni can obtain a guest pass for $35/$100/$250 for the Month/Semester/Annual passes. Students, not currently enrolled, can purchase passes for $25/$75 for the Month/Semester. All guests that do not fall under these categories must pay a $5 entry fee each visit.

Upstairs It’s my job to help them strive for better and keep them motivated with results. - Ryan Lynn Personal Trainer

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Cardio/Endurance

(Below) Lynn pays close attention as Salina Randall works hard to reach her goals.

The upstairs area is a cardio lover’s paradise. The center carries over 15 treadmills and elliptical machines, row machines, upright and recumbent bikes, and much more. Not to mention, there are 32-inch LCD monitors in front of the cardio machines to help take your mind off the run. If strong endurance is your goal, the HLS center has you covered. “I am not very big into weightlifting,” says Cole Brunner, a UWF student. “I used to run in high school and I could not have asked for a better facility to help me keep my endurance on point. They have everything I need and even things I don’t.” The HLS center has personal trainers for hire that will sit down and make a personalized regimen that will fit your wants and needs. Lifting goals, nutritional objectives, weight loss, and anything you want to form a better you is what these trainers are there for.

“I am here from 6:30 a.m. to my last appointment every day to make sure I am ready for my clients,” says Ryan Lynn, an HLS personal trainer. “It’s my job to help them strive for better and keep them motivated with results.”

UWF Group Fitness At the University of West Florida, there are a wide range of activities and facilities available to help students, faculty, and people of the community to stay in shape. One thing many people are not aware of is that there is group-fitness classes offered at the Health, Leisure and Science center on campus. by Megan Washington

Only 49.6 percent

Check out the APP

of adults over the age of 18 met the Physical Activity Guidelines for aerobic physical activity as of 2012. In addition, 23.6 percent of adults met the guidelines for muscle-strengthening activity and only 20.3 percent met both muscle-strengthening and aerobic physical as of 2012. Regular physical activity can produce positive effects such as relieving stress, increasing energy and improving sleep. All three of these things would be very beneficial to a college student. At the University of West Florida, there are a wide range of activities and facilities available to help students, faculty, and people of the community to stay in shape. One thing many people are not aware of is that there is group-fitness classes offered at the Health, Leisure and Science center on campus. The classes are open and free to students. There is no rigid registration process, attendance is not mandatory, and there is no homework. A variety of different classes are offered at different times Monday through Saturday. The university provides all of the equipment. Just be sure to wear appropriate athletic clothing including sneakers. Water is necessary if you want to bust out a good workout.

MINDBODY Connect

For: iOS and Android Cost: Free Find information on local yoga and pilates classes, salons, spas, chiropractors, and more. Schedule appointments and pay for them directly from your mobile device and sync your classes to your calendar. You can receive reminders for each visit and leave reviews about your experience.

Why should a student try out a group fitness class? A few positives to group fitness include a social and fun environment, safe and coordinated exercise, and a consistent and flexible schedule. It is a great way to add fitness into a student’s schedule. There is always a ton of variety to choose from. “Why wouldn’t you?” asks Liz Hendrich, one of the graduate students in charge of group-fitness classes. “Keep an open-mind, be respectful, and come willing to learn,” is what Hendrich advises anyone wanting to try the classes. Henrich is working on her master’s degree in strategic leadership. She has been interested in group-fitness for three years. She got started in the field through her passion for fitness and achieving fitness in different ways. Hendrich’s passion is in Tabata, but she likes cycle and yoga to round out her exercise schedule. Tabata is high-intensity interval training. One exercise is performed at a high intensity

“Try as many as you can,” said Warren when asked what she would suggest to anyone interested in group-fitness classes. Warren has been teaching group-fitness classes at UWF for almost five years. She still believes that the classes are a great way to exercise and they help build camaraderie and motivation. Jennifer Johnson is the assistant director of group fitness at UWF. Since 1999, she has cultivated the program to the needs and wants of the students. “She’s like gold,” said John Harding, an adjunct professor of exercise science and group-fitness instructor. Harding has been teaching at UWF since 2002. He started attending group-fitness classes at the downtown YMCA in Pensacola. Harding is known for his Rock Hard Abs class, which started at the Y as a 15-minute class in the hallway. “People in the class bond through the hardship,” Harding said. “If you have a buddy

power yoga. McCoy’s favorite part of group-fitness classes is that they bring people together and help cultivate and raise self-esteem.

In the variety of classes offered, there is also a variety in the level of each class.

Level 1

: For those who are new to group-fitness programs and/or exercise programs.

Level 2

: For those who are familiar with group-fitness programs and have some experience with exercise programs.

Level 3

: For those who are active in group-fitness programs and are currently involved in exercise program.

McCoy plans to be a yoga extraordinaire when she graduates, but until then plans to continue to help women feel secure in life especially when in any gym. “There is a social competition,” said Connor Wagner, a group-fitness instructor since 2012. “Group-fitness classes are really motivating, a lot more than just walking in the gym.” - Sonia Miller There is an overall feeling of family in the you are more likely to go to class again.” gym and a mutual support in the group-fitness When Harding is not busting out 30 min- classes. Each class offers different exercises, but utes of ab sculpting workouts, he teaches Yoga they all offer the same motivation. One and Yoga Fitness, which are both courses “I like group-fitness classes because it offered as curriculum at UWF. is like military pt,” said Wayne Abrahamson, a Yoga and zumba are two other kinds of group fitness regular. “You don’t have the option group-fitness classes available. Both of these class- to get lazy.” es like all of the others offer a good workout with “I would never exercise alone,” said Sonia Miller, instruction and safety. an alumni of UWF who still comes back for the “Group-fitness classes are great for people group-fitness classes. who can’t workout unless someone is telling them If fitness is something that you would like what to do,” said Megan McCoy. to add to your schedule but need a flexible sched McCoy, another graduate student who ule and motivation, give group-fitness classes a works alongside Hendrich, has been interested try. They are free. since 2010 when an instructor introduced her to

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You don’t have the option to get lazy

Are you craving some delicious food? Meet the man running the scenes behind the restaurants you love:

Hopjacks Tin Cow Pot Roast and Pinot

any students at the University of West Florida are familiar with restaurants that Joe Abston owns in Pensacola. There is a different variety of food at each restaurant. For pizza, beer and appetizers, there is Hopjacks located on Nine Mile Road and downtown on Palafox Street. If burgers and milkshakes are more your style, try Tin Cow that is located a few blocks down from Hopjacks downtown. However, if those do not sound appetizing and good old home cooking is your style, there is Post roast and Pinot that offers everything from Shepardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pie to liver and onions. Maybe you feel like trying your hand at creating some of the chef â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classics. Here are three recipes from the three different restaurants:

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS 1 whole lobster 12 eggs, hard-boiled and peeled 3 oz. heavy cream Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp. minced fresh chives 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves

FOR LEMON CONFIT: 12 lemons, scrubbed and quartered ½ cup salt ½ cup sugar 1 gallon water

Bring 3-4 inches of water to a boil in a large pasta pot. Add the lobster, cover and steam until fully cooked, and the shell is bright red, 8-10 minutes. Remove the meat from the shell and dice into ½ inch` chunks. Cut the egg in half lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks and push the yolks through a fine mesh strainer before placing in a bowl. Add heavy cream, chives and thyme to the yolks. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the yolk mixture into the cavity of each egg white half, mounding it slightly. Top each egg half with a lobster chunk and a piece or two of lemon confit (recipe follows). Arrange the deviled eggs on a plate. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

INGREDIENTS

DEVILED EGGS FOR LEMON CONFIT: Combine salt, sugar and water in a container and place the lemons that have been cut in quarters. Submerge lemons in liquid and hold for at least 30 days. To use, rinse the lemons well and trim the zest from the flesh, and then julienne.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

½ cup roasted duck or chicken ½ cup fresh mushrooms, chopped ½ cup cooked Italian sausage Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place ½ cup thin asparagus, raw baking sheet or pizza stone in oven. ¾ cup tomato sauce Spread tomato sauce on tortilla first. Top with rest of the toppings except ½ cup shredded cheese blend cheese. Be sure to precook any meats and keep vegetable toppings to ones that do not need a long cooking time. Top pizza with cheese. ROASTED DUCK, MUSHROOM Move to pre-heated baking sheet or & ASPARAGUS FLATBREAD pizza stone for about 12 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup soft-serve or softened vanilla ice cream 1 tsp. caramel syrup 2 tsp. brown sugar 1.25 oz. Cathead Maple Vodka 1 tsp. chopped pecans 1 tsp. graham cracker crumbs

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS Combine first 4 ingredients. Blend with an emersion blender or regular blender. Top with whipped cream, pecans, and graham cracker crumbs.

PECAN PIE SPIKED MILKSHAKE

s w e i v e R e i v o M le Oscar nominations & possib

Gone Girl On the fifth anniversary of their wedding Nick Dunne’s wife, Amy, goes missing. As the search for Amy draws out the media begins to speculate that Nick is the cause for Amy’s vanishing.

How is it?

Director David Fincher is back and in fine form. I would not have thought from the trailers for “Gone Girl” that I would be saying it was my new favorite Fincher movie, given his past record with “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “The Social Network.” However he has knocked this one out of the park, and he does it by doing all the things we have come to love from a Fincher movie. The film has a deliciously slow burn of a pace. Throughout the first half of the movie you feel like you’re figuring out a puzzle piece slowly. Every scene gives you another small piece of evidence to sway your opinion one way or the other about who is the cause for Amy’s disappearance. The tension is palpable. However at the movie’s turning point a crucial moment happens that flips the movie on its head, and leaves audiences at the edge of their seats waiting to find out what will happen next. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and has Fincher written all over it. Jeff Cronenweth is without a doubt in the Oscar race for Cinematography after this film. The entire atmosphere of the movie is dark and sullen, and perfectly matches the mood of this spousal thriller. However what really makes the movie come to life is the performance of its actors. There are no weak links in this ensemble cast which includes Ben Affleck, Rosamond Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tyler Perry. Affleck gives one of his best performances as Nick, who has to be the character the audience identifies with, but at the same time must have some suspicion towards. Harris and Perry also give strong supporting turns, but the absolute stand out of the movie is Pike. To go deep into what makes Pike’s performance as Amy so wonderful would risk divulging spoilers, but I’ll go as far as to say she is an absolute lock for the Best Actress category. All of the actor’s performances are helped by a solid screenplay adapted by Gillian Flynn who is also the author of the novel, and who may soon find herself on the nominee list for Best Adapted Screen play. “Gone Girl” is a masterful film by one of Hollywood’s greatest modern directors. Fincher does his best at being Fincher, and it shows in a movie that delivers on everything one could want in a thriller, and even goes deeper than that commenting on relationships and marriage. It will be a hot contender come award season

Possible Oscar Nominations Best Lead Actress: Rosamond Pike Best Adapted Screenplay: Gillian Flynn Best Director: David Fincher Best Film Best Cinematography: Jeff Cronenweth

Movie Reviews

Fury

Set during the final stages of WWII as the allies make their final push into Germany, a veteran tank crew is tasked with an impossible mission as they cut through Nazi Germany.

How is it?

Telling a story about war can sometimes lead to falling into stereotypical plot points. After films like “Saving Private Ryan,” “Platoon,” and “Full Metal Jacket,” one might wonder if all other movies are doomed to just be copycats. Thus is the case with director David Ayer’s “Fury,” The film tells a war story that is by the books and therefore, at times, predictable. However, the film is saved by strong performances from its main cast, its depiction of war, and its atmosphere. The cast of “Fury” is amazing. There is not one phoned-in performance in the bunch. The actors must all work well off of each other to create a believable bond, and this was done exceptionally well. Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Pena, and Jon Bernthal all turn in stunning performances. What makes their performances really stand out, and what helps the movie as a whole, is that they are all playing similar characters, but each has his own defining traits that show the different ways war changes men. Bernthal’s character has become broken and has almost completely forgotten what normalcy is. LaBeouf portrays a character that is clinging to his belief in God when faced with a world that resembles hell. Pitt plays a man who must be strong and lead his men but who is constantly fighting emotional turmoil inside. All of these performances bring the characters to life and show that there is no perfect soldier. The standout performance to me, however, goes to Lerman. Lerman has been making a name for himself recently as the next actor to watch, and his performance in “Fury” might just push him into the spotlight. Throughout the movie, we see his character break down as he is put under emotional stress no one should ever have to endure. His performance is Oscar worthy, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he nabbed a supporting actor nomination. The film does a brilliant job of walking the tight rope of showing war for how it is versus glorifying violence. “Fury” shows some horrific violence and gore, but it is never for the sake of showing how violent it can be. It all serves the theme of war being miserable. The tone is just right, and the atmosphere is very sullen and bleak. The problem with “Fury” is its plot. The story just meanders too much. There is no real sense of plot until the movie is in its final act. For most of the movie, the audience is just watching these men go about their lives. This is not all bad because it serves the purpose of strengthening the bond between the characters, but the film feels very directionless at times. The film also has a very predictable start, middle, and end, which will hold it back from any real Oscar love. Overall “Fury” is a solid war movie, but nothing more. The performances are fantastic, and the atmosphere is just right, but there are too many similarities to other war movies that keep it from becoming something truly special.

Possible Oscar Nominations Best Supporting Actor: Logan Lerman E CONC

Movie Reviews

Interstellar

As the Earth dies, mankind must embark on a mission to the cosmos in search of a new home. How is it?

In many ways “Interstellar” is the most frustrating movie I’ve seen all year. With an insane budget and visuals that were rumored to be breathtaking, “Interstellar” was hyped up to be one of the best movies of the year. Unfortunately, the movie has split audiences down the middle with people who loved it and people who weren’t so hot about it. For me, the flaws in the movie were a little too much to overlook. To begin with, the film takes too long to get off of Earth and get the real story going. Once it does, the pace doesn’t feel so slow, until the middle of act two where the action and momentum of the movie comes to a standstill. The movie is like a rollercoaster that has a million hills you have to wait to climb, only to have a small dip that wasn’t worth the wait. I ended up feeling like I was being dragged slowly through a gorgeous desert at times. Yes, the film is gorgeous. I saw it in IMAX, and if you’re going to see this movie, that is the way to go. It is beautiful to look at, and often the way things were portrayed was thought provoking, like the wormhole or black hole. The problem is that there isn’t a whole lot going on underneath the pretty pictures. Nolan seems to have taken a back seat because “Interstellar” isn’t making me think. It is trying to make me think, but it wasn’t like “Inception” where the film was haunting my thoughts for days. “Interstellar” has two themes to it, and they are very simple: love is a powerful force, and humans should continue to be pioneers. Yes, I can get onto both of those ideas, but they seem a little simple for a film this grandiose. Speaking of the themes, the writing in this film is another frustration. A high science fiction film will, of course, have some technical babble that will get confusing, but “Interstellar” is a nightmare of exposition. So much of the dialogue in this film is just exposition of how science and space work, or how Earth got so bad agriculturally. Nolan is telling and now showing here. He trusts that his audience can understand scientific concepts, but not if he doesn’t explain it thoroughly. It’s frustrating, and it leads to the characters not talking like humans at times. For a film that spends so much time explaining things, it sure did leave a lot of plot holes in the mix, and near the end Nolan uses a plot device to save the day that literally is ridiculous. The ending of the film is going to be what breaks it for many people. I can’t go into it too much without spoiling it, but some odd stuff goes down on a dimensional plane. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and there will be a point where many people give up on trying to understand what is going on. “Interstellar” isn’t a bad film despite everything I’ve just listed. It has a grand scope and swung for the fences, and sometimes in the film you can overlook its flaws and admire the ambition that went into making it. However, the film doesn’t deserve a free pass to greatness because it tried so hard to be great. Every film ever made as tried to be great, and many of them have done it without an extensive budget.

Possible Oscar Nominations Best Visual effects: Double Negative

Movie Reviews

Night Crawler A determined young man who is looking for a job stumbles into the world of “stringers,” underground freelance journalists who prowl the streets of Los Angeles looking for the best footage they can find to sell to networks. As he becomes more engrossed in this world, his ethical boundaries begin to disappear.

How is it?

Great performances from strong actors can sometimes elevate a mediocre film to surpass its initial quality level. However, when a fantastic performance is given by an actor in a fantastic film, suddenly the words “Oscar nomination” begin to float around. So it should come as no surprise to anyone that Jake Gyllenhall has found himself heavily involved in the discussion for the best actor award for this year’s Oscars. In “Nightcrawler,” Gyllenhaal gives his best performance to date. His performance alone is enough to garner the film critical acclaim, but with support from a strong script and captivating world, Gyllenhaal is now the star of one of the best pictures of this year. Gyllenhaal plays a mysterious young man named Louis “Lou” Bloom. What makes the character of Bloom so great is just how little we know about him. From the very first scene, we see him committing a crime, which would make one instantly connect him with the behavior fitting of a criminal. This is juxtaposed, however, by the way Bloom conducts himself. He is strictly business and is determined to find himself at the top of the corporate ladder of some kind. Bloom almost feels like an alien. His discussions with people, and the way he deals with them, often shows little empathy or understanding of human nature. Gyllenhaal makes this character work. He is not a character we can really root for, but Gyllenhaal makes him fascinating. The way he calmly delivers his lines make it so enthralling when he breaks out and has to yell. Gyllenhaal also lost 30 pounds for the roll in order to make the character like a hungry scavenger, which in many ways he is. Gyllenhaal makes this strange character that is nobody’s hero come to life, and it makes the whole story just work. The story is another great aspect of the film. While it isn’t super intricate, and there aren’t many scenes that leave you breathless, the film does have a deliciously slow buildup. As we are introduced to this man and slowly try to figure him out, we also get to see this dark world of underground video journalism. The writing is very strong, and the story really shows the media as a monster. The quest for ratings and success for networks causes ethical deterioration in people, and I think the film is saying that this is the same with any addictive thing, especially a job. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved “Nightcrawler.” It is a film that is elevated because of the strong performance from its lead actor, but at the same time is deserving of praise for many other factors in its production. I won’t be surprised if it makes it onto some awards lists come January.

Possible Oscar Nominations Best actor: Jake Gyllenhaal Best Script original screenplay: Dan Gilroy.

ArgoVerge Staff’s Top Picks:

Seven Best Christmas and Holiday Reads for You The year seems to be flying by, and the holidays are just around the corner, time for visiting friends, family, relaxing, and most of all, no school! Reading is vital to being a student, and reading during the holidays can be quite beneficial, as you may want to keep up the momentum of exercising and stimulating your mind, even during the holiday break. The “ArgoVerge” staff has picked some of its top holiday reads, and every pick is a New York Times best-seller. Whether you are flying, riding in a car or waiting on a bus, these holiday picks are sure to keep you entertained and captivated.

“Fireproof” by Eric Wilson “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger “The Time Traveler’s Wife” is a love story between Clare, a strong-willed, beautiful art student and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes him to jump back and forth through time. Clare, now Henry’s wife, has to put up with his frequent absences and dangerous “trips.” Niffenegger, frustrated in love at the time, wrote this novel as a metaphor for her failed relationship. The novel looks at issues of love, loss, and free will and uses time travel to explore miscommunication and distance in relationships while investigating deeper issues. If you enjoy romance and sci-fi, check out “The Times Traveler’s Wife”. You will not regret this pick.

“Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert Romance, adventure, and self-discovery fill the pages of Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir “Eat, Pray, Love.” Elizabeth, who is in her early 30s, has everything most American women dream of. She has an adoring husband, the country home, and an amazing career, but she is still unfulfilled. She gives up everything and takes us on this spiritual journey to find her inner peace, purpose, and true self. If you have seen the movie, the book is even better! Take a journey with Elizabeth from Italy to India and on to the Indonesian island of Bali. This colorful memoir is sure to give you an incredible adventure, full of great food and culture. You will not even have to leave your couch!

“Fireproof ” is a story of love, commitment and resilience. If you are married, or in a relationship, failing or not, this book will take you on an emotional and spiritual journey. Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the firefighter’s motto: NEVER LEAVE YOUR PARTNER. Yet his life is another story. Caleb and his wife have been married for about eight years, but arguing one minute and not communicating the next. They are on the brink of divorce. Caleb speaks to his father about the situation, and his father gives him a book called “The Love Dare” to save their marriage.” Well, his wife does not believe him, and she meets a man where she works and likes him. Caleb wants to save their marriage, but his wife Catherine wants no part of this “Love Dare.” Is it too late? “Fireproof ” is a powerful story with an even more powerful message.

“Where Angels Go” by Debbie Macomber One of today’s most popular writers, Debbie Macomber, gives us this heart-warming Christmas story of three tantalizing angels. Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy absolutely adore their assignments on Earth. They especially love bringing peace, love, and joy to people who send prayer requests to heaven. Mercy brings peace of mind to Harry, a dying elderly man. Goodness oversees Beth, a divorcee who is afraid of getting hurt again. Shirley has the mission of granting the Christmas wish of a little boy named Carter. However, completing their assignments is not a smooth process when it comes to these charming three. If you want a feel-good, spirit-lifting, holiday read, this book would do the trick.

Continued... “The Paris Wife” by Paula McLain Have you ever loved someone, but know in your heart that he or she was not right for you? In “The Paris Wife,” Hadley, wife of famous writer Earnest Hemingway feels just that. The story begins when Hadley, 21, meets Hemingway, who is nearly eight years her junior, while visiting friends in Chicago, whom Hemingway lives with. After dancing all night and having the time of her life, Hadley’s smitten by Hemingway’s charm. Kate, Hadley’s friend, notices this and warns Hadley that Hemingway is quite the womanizer and to stay away from him, but the warnings are ignored. Hadley marries him, and they move to Paris, considered the writing capital for American artists. Hemingway makes connections with many famous American authors live in Paris. From there, he and Hadley’s relationship begins to change, and strain is put on their marriage. She sees his interests in other women and his self-interested attitude about his career, not to mention his over-indulgence in alcohol. A novel of love, betrayal and tattered loyalty, “The Paris Wife” is a must read.

“Call Me Mrs. Miracle” by Debbie Macomber

In this story, we are introduced to Jake Finley, who works for his father in their family-owned department toy store in New York City. After losing his mom and sister in a tragic accident on Christmas Eve many years ago, the holidays are full of nothing but painful memories for Jake and his dad. Now Christmas means just one thing to him, and that is profit. When Mrs. Miracle appears as a seasonal worker in the toy department at the financially troubled Finley’s Department Store, she gives Jake and his dad more than a Merry Christmas. She gives them a “miracle”.

“The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren The holidays can be a celebration for some and depressing time for others. If you are feeling down, erratic, confused or unwanted, “The Purpose Driven Life” will give you hope and peace this holiday season. The book guides you through a 40-day spiritual journey that could transform your life and answer the most important questions: “Why am I here, and what is my purpose?” Knowing God’s purpose for creating you will reduce your stress and anxiety, focus your energy, give meaning to your life and prepare you for your future. This year, awaken your life’s purpose with “The Purpose Driven Life.”

The Department of Communication Arts at the University of West Florida 11000 University Parkway Building 36 / Room 178 Pensacola, FL 32514 850.474.2874