The Reporter Fall 2018 Issue 3

reporter T H E

ISSUE III

the reporter cover illustration by colette cacciola layout by hali pollard

dining in deland: the cocoa hunt cat keve & kaitlyn kocsis The best of music 2018 sam hadelman fall 2018 PSafe Reports Hannah Zeller after hours at 7/11 Kaitlyn Kocsis hats off to our december Grads Lana kaczmarek the problem with money: pt. 1 colette cacciola 7 memes that need to die hannah zeller

1 | The Reporter

5 7 9 10 11 12 14

tab of conte

issue III 15 17 19 21 25 27 29

ble of tents

treading water: swimming by mac miller Sam Hadelman horoscopes catie brumit Ampersand: Sudeep maiti Jacob Mauser Bad vibes: a review of stetson’s vibrancy office kaitlyn kocsis athletes to watch ihsaan fanusie red cups aren’t starbucks’ only problem shaylen vitale stetson’s secret: the food pantry ruby rosenthal

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the reporter staff

layout by colette cacciola & hali pollard

section editors

lead designer

photo editor

writers and designers

3 | The Reporter

copy editor

r e L tte s from the t d r o s i E layout by: hali pollard

from the editor-in-chief: Hey everyone, The countdown begins to the end of the semester! Hang in there. We are so close.

I am so proud of the Hatter Network team and everything they have accomplished this semester. We moved to our new office, Uncouth moved to the CUB Garage, the WHAT Radio radio station was finished and the Reporter added another magazine to the semester. Despite all the late nights and the multiple cups of coffee, it was all worth it.

Although this semester has been exciting, I’m always looking forward to what’s next so we can bring you students of Stetson what you want to read and hear.

Good luck with finals!

Shaylen Vitale

from the executive editor: Hi again,

I’m back. I still feel very blessed. Here I am.

The fact that I’m graduating in May has really been doing a number on me, and writing has really helped as I try to puzzle out all the things going on in my head. I’m not really here to vent about personal issues, but I think a lot of us working on The Reporter decided to do so for similar reasons. We see problems or injustices, we love culture and its intricacies, we just like stuff. And even more than that, we like writing about it all.

Words are so important to us all that we decided to make this magazine even longer than the last and still didn’t have enough room for all the stories we wanted to write. Isn’t that exciting? I don’t know, I’m excited. We are growing so quickly. With that, I encourage you not only to enjoy reading, but to keep a close eye on our website, which, although very young, is also very neat.

There is some pretty cool stuff in here, and so without further ado, dear reader, welcome to the third issue of The Reporter.

Colette cacciola

Issue III | 4

Dining in writing By Kaitlyn Kocsis Photos by Cat Keve layout by ruby rosenthal

THE COCOA HUNT

In this fierce and flavorful competition, Cat and Kaitlyn from the Hatter Network staff explore the best of DeLand hot chocolate.

BOSTON COFFEEHOUSE The mecca for art festival attendees, group project participants, and middle aged moms, Boston Coffeehouse has something to please everyone.

Hidden amongst a treasure trove of colonial-themed drinks is the humble-sounding hot chocolate. A true hidden gem on the overwhelming menu, this is our cocoa hunt winner. The intoxicating smell of melting chocolate wafts from the oversized cup as soon as it hits the table. The whipped cream topping is drizzled with chocolate syrup. The first sip transports you into the heart of winter magic. Sweet, fudgy, and warm, this cocoa is perfectly balanced. The base of the drink has the richness of an expensive chocolate bar.

The steamed milk adds notes of vanilla and a creamy texture. We heard complaints of an oily texture, but the cup we sampled had none to be found. Every sip of this cocoa is heavenly.

location: 109 E New York Ave 5 | The Reporter

trilogy

Hot chocolate is an off menu item at this minimalist cafe, but make no mistake, it’s worth asking for.

Presented with the same beautiful designs as their signature lattes, Trilogy’s cup of cocoa is equally photogenic and flavorful. A smooth milk chocolate flavor is complemented by swirls of cream. While not as rich or thick as expected, this cocoa is a simple delight.

Notes of vanilla make up for the lack of whipped cream.

Perfectly paired with a chocolate croissant and a good book, this hot chocolate satisfies without being sugarsweet. The serving temperature is ideal, a comforting warmth without a scalding shock. The cost of this drink is reasonable too given Trilogy’s usual pricing. Coming in a close second, Trilogy’s hot chocolate was edged out simply because its core is not the rich chocolatey dream we expected.

location: 136 W Georgia Ave

campus grounds

The closest stop beyond the grounds of campus, this quaint coffee shop has a fitting name. Brick walls and ambient low lightning makes Campus Grounds the perfect spot for a wintery afternoon. Their cup of cocoa is a welcomed accompaniment to a day of studying or relaxation. Served in a simple ceramic cup emblazoned with a black and white logo, the presentation is minimalist but satisfying. The cocoa itself doesn’t offer much with an initial glance, but looks can be deceiving. A rich, vibrant milk chocolate flavor accompanies a smooth and savory finish.

It is available with peppermint flavoring as well.

The temperature is ideal, as is the Stetson student discount. Campus Grounds is a quick and friendly stop, so don’t expect too many bells and whistles.

Ranked below Boston and Trilogy for its minimal-frills experience, this cup of cocoa is still worthwhile for that finals week craving.

on-campus starbucks

location: 204 N Woodland Blvd

A go-to treat during the chill of finals week, Starbucks hot chocolate is a Stetson student favorite. Visual aesthetics end with the signature cardboard sleeve, but an array of flavor options try to compensate. Available in regular, peppermint, peppermint white chocolate, and toasted white chocolate, the variations are delicious, but sadly seasonal. The traditional hot chocolate flavor is reminiscent of childhood, made simply with milk, mocha sauce, and vanilla syrup. This cocoa is complimented with a generous topping of whipped cream. A bit heavy on the sugar, this hot chocolate leaves a depth of richness and a glass of water to be desired.

Having this cocoa as a potential meal swipe is a huge bonus for students, but it falls to the middle of our ranking. The seasonal options and nostalgic quality do not outweigh the too hot to drink temperature and lack of visual appeal. A solid middleground.

location: stetson university welcome center

Issue III | 6

20 8 1

Best Music of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7 | The Reporter

Albums Of The Year

Writing By: Sam Hadelman Layout By: Hali Pollard

Swimming Daytona Kids See Ghosts KOD Die Lit Astroworld Invasion of Privacy ye Scorpion Sweetener

songs Of The Year

Nice For What - Drake In My Feelings - Drake I Love It - Kanye & Lil Pump SAD! - XXXTentacion thank u, next - Ariana Grande Uproar - Lil Wayne Mo Bamba - Sheck Wes Ghost Town - Kanye West, Kid Cudi, 070 Shake Rockstar - Post Malone & 21 Savage Skeletons - Travis Scott

features of the year

Purity - Frank Ocean Tribe - J Cole Talk Up - Jay Z Mona Lisa - Kendrick Lamar Choppa Wont Miss - Young Thug

1 2 3 4 5

honorable mentions

? - XXXTentacion Tha Carter V - Lil Wayne NOT ALL HEROS WEAR CAPES - Metro Boomin

DRAKE FEATURES Yes Indeed Never Recover Look Alive Bring It Back Sicko Mode

Scorpion Culture II ye Drip Too Hard EVERYTHING IS LOVE

underrated albums

best newcomers Valee Lil Baby Gunna 03 Greedo Rico Nasty Juice WRLD Blocboy JB Sheck Wes J.L.D Tierra Whack

OVERrated albums

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

KTSE - Teyana Taylor Testing - A$AP Rocky Victory Lap - Nipsey Hussle Life’s A Trip - Tripple Redd Veteran - JPEGMAFIA

WYOMING ALBUMS DAYTONA Kids See Ghosts KTSE ye NASIR

mvp Drake

beat of the year

If You Know, You Know - Pusha T

producer Kanye West

Issue III | 8

fall 2018

PUBLIC SAFETY Crime & Safety report Layout by Isabel Solorzano

september

9/3 Reported criminal mischief at the Pi

Kappa Alpha house 9/8 Reported incident of Grand Theft at the Lambda Chi Alpha house 9/12 Reported incident of stalking at the Welcome Center 9/13 Reported theft of a Motor Vehicle at the Plymouth apartments 9/26 Reported attempted theft of a bicycle at Presser Hall

november

11/5 Reported incident of criminal mischief at the Delta Sigma Phi House 11/6 Arrest for drug violations in on-campus student housing 11/15 Reported two incidences of criminal mischief (within an hour of each other) at the Museum of Art 11/16 Reported conduct investigation at Holler Fountain in Palm Court

8

august

8/28 Reported missing person at Presser Hall

8/31 Reported suspicious person at the DuPont Ball Library

9 10 11

october

10/1 The fire alarm sounded at Gordis Hall 10/3 Reported hit-and-run incident at the

Delta Sigma Phi house 10/7 Reported suspicious incident at Gordis Hall 10/11 Reported incident of criminal mischief at Delta Sigma Phi house 10/17 Reported attempted bicycle theft at Nemec Hall 10/26 Incident of disrespecting a University Official at Public Safety 10/28 Reported hit-and-run accident at Chaudoin Hall

after

HOURS@

Writing by Kaitlyn Kocsis Layout by Isabel Solorzano

Ding-ding. The door opens and shuts. “I’ll take who’s next.”

Ding-ding. The smell of taquitos wafts from the oven. “Is that all for you?” Ding-ding. “Have a great night!” Ding-ding. For DeLand 7/11 worker Mikey, the action never seems to stop. The third shift, “the crazy one” as he calls it, is full of wild stories and funny memories for Mikey. I recently chatted with him, between an influx of customers, about his job.

If you were one product in this store, what would you be and why?

“Oh, a Slurpee for sure because everyone loves them.”

What’s the craziest thing you’ve dealt with while working here?

“I’ve been here since this store opened in 2007. I was part of the original crew. A good one from back then is when a customer shoplifted a big bag of Starburst. The guy on staff at the time, who is now a manager, got tackled by the dude right here by the front door for asking him about the bag in his pants. Starburst flew everywhere. Also, 7/11 day. All of it.”

What’s your favorite part of the job?

“It’s what I love and hate the most. The customers. You meet so many interesting people. Good interesting and bad interesting.”

Any thoughts on the Stetson student crowd?

“They can be rowdy when drunk. It’s honestly not as bad as what you’d think of for a college town. There’s the occasional person mad about getting ID’d. There’s always something to laugh about. It keeps it interesting.”

It’s worth noting that Mikey was decked out in a holiday-themed hat and tie that his coworker bought for him from the store. He beamed while telling me about all the decorations he brought in, from tinsel to reindeer, to make the store festive. So, if you drop in to 7/11, say hi to Mikey and be sure to thank him for his hard work!

NOTE: Hatter Network does not endorse 7/11 or any of its affiliate products and services. No profits or payments were given in exchange for this interview.

Issue III | 10

HATS OFF

to our

December graduates

As the Fall of 2018 semester comes to an end, Stetson University December graduates share their plans for the future and favorite Stetson memories.

One of Nicole King’s most memorable moments was when she gave a speech at the annual Philanthropy Dinner in February. “I was so nervous getting up in a room full of people to tell my story, but with the encouragement of the Donor Relations staff and President Libby, I was able to share the story of the obstacles that I've overcome while making my way to Stetson, and since I've been at Stetson. I was so proud of myself afterward,”

Jordan Tully, another December graduate, is going to graduate school and then law school.

Tully dreams of working as an International Human Rights Lawyer with the International Criminal Court.

“I hope through my career as a lawyer, I am able to help others,” said Tully.

Kaitlyn McEvoy plans to do a year of service with AmeriCorps and then apply to graduate school for her Master’s degree in Religious Studies. After graduating early, McEvoy is “most excited to spend more time in North Carolina with [her] family.”

Although these December graduates are excited about their future, they also are thankful for

“I’m more confident in myself as a student and as a leader because of the courses and organizations I was a part of.” exclaimed King. Although King is graduating early, she is excited to pursue a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Stetson. “I have a passion for helping people, and for advocating for those that are voiceless,” she added.

Linsey Hughes, another December graduate, is excited to save some money by graduating early and starting her fulfilling work. “I’m in the final stage in applying to work as a VISTA in AmeriCorps as a volunteer coordinator for a nonprofit in St. Louis,” said Hughes. She will also miss her friends because they were a huge part of her Stetson experience.

writing & art by colette cacciola layout by isabel solorzano

11 | The Reporter

their time at Stetson. “Stetson has definitely helped me grow as a person. High school me was really shy and not confident. I’m more confident in myself as a student and as a leader because of the courses I took and the organizations I was a part of,” said Hughes.Stetson also taught Jordan Tully a lot about herself and the person she wants to be. She said she is prepared for any situation and has become quite comfortable with herself including both of her strengths and weaknesses.

We will greatly miss these graduates and look forward to seeing some return to walk in May.

the problem with money, part I Tuition went up last year, and this upcoming year it’s undergoing another, more significant, increase. Why? Is this even the right question to ask?

Writing, layout & photos

by Colette Cacciola

Last year, I began a simple investigation into what was then the recent increase in Stetson tuition, but after the historic donation by Hyatt and Cici Brown and my subsequent conversations with the associated administration and affected staff, my scope has dramatically expanded. On March 27th, 2018, Stetson’s SGA invited Melissa Peters, Associate Vice President of Budget, and Bob Huth, Executive Vice President of Finance and CFO, to give a small presentation, accompanied by a Q&A session, on last year’s tuition increase and where that money is actually going. It led to a discussion about what is contained within the budget, how that is allocated, and what kind of institution we are. It also triggered a lot of questions that were revealing of some of the misinformation distributed among the student body. Because of this, I made a later trip to visit Melissa Peters myself in order to further understand a few things about Stetson’s finance and budgetary policies.

What first needs to be made clear

is what exactly the endowment is. Prior to

SGA’s Tuition Breakdown, I still wasn’t

sure I had a clear idea, and I’ve been studying Stetson’s finances at this point

for almost four years. Melissa compared the endowment to a retirement fund—

basically, it is intended to be invested, with the goal of producing income for future

investment

and

expenditures.

In other words, the endowment is a big

lump of money made up of donations and assets, among other things, that are

constantly invested and reinvested in

order to turn a profit. Currently, Stetson’s principal endowment sits at around

$228 million (as of 2017), all of which is

accruing interest or in some way bringing in money through its investment. It is this

money that is spent—that is to say, the base endowment is never touched. For

Issue III | 12

example, if a donation were made to the endowment in

about tuition, we have to talk about the operating budget,

would never be removed from the endowment in order

and then we have to talk about retention, and the list goes

the amount of $10 million, that would never be spent and to cover expenses elsewhere. What is spent instead

is the money made on top of that $10 million: interest, profit, whatever it may be. Comparitively speaking, our endowment is small. Harvard’s is around $37 billion,

FSU’s is $652 million. However, because Stetson is not an endowment driven university, the limitations on

what the endowment is able to make currently aren’t too strenuous.

What is interesting to consider, though, is

that Stetson is reaching capacity. Stetson is a tuition dependent school. According to Stetson Admissions

data, between 83% and 94% of Stetson’s yearly funding comes from tuition and auxiliary fees (room/board,

meal plans, etc.) directly, so of our annual $130 million

budget, close to $108 million comes straight from the students. However, after an aggressive campaign of

growth executed over the past nine years, the student body has ballooned in size from 2162 in Fall 2009 to

3089 as of Fall 2016, and in terms of space, we are running pretty low.

Melissa Peters described this as a plateau,

and as the next big challenge to face. Until the recent

donation from the Brown family, it was assumed that

after the CUB renovation concluded, more construction would not begin with any immediacy. There are no dorms

in the plans for the near future, and Stetson has gone in nine years from having empty beds and unoccupied

rooms to being in contact with local hotels in the event that the freshman class is larger than anticipated.

Enrollment always drops in the Spring semester, but

Stetson is considering that for now the campaign of growth must wind to a close, and the administration,

in conjunction with faculty and staff, will have to make

important decisions about how the pattern of expenses will transform as a result.

This really took off from the seed of curiosity

about rising tuition, but this is because it isn’t just about

tuition—why tuition won’t stop going up may not be the correct question to ask. None of Stetson’s finances

stand alone, and the more I dug while compiling this, the more I seemed to uncover, and the more far-reaching everything seemed to be. If we try to have a conversation

13 | The Reporter

then we have to consider that there are multiple budgets,

on. So tuition did go up last year, around three percent.

It will go up again next year—most likely around five to seven percent, though that information has not yet been

released. The former increase is expected, as we account

for inflation, the economy, and for spending policies, as well as for the fact that Stetson is a tuition driven school.

The latter has yet to be announced to the student

body and I wasn’t able to learn much about it except that

it is an unusually large jump. This considered, though, between 95% and 99% percent of students receive aid,

so the sticker price of Stetson is in most cases largely inaccurate—on average, a student here pays around $18,000 out of pocket. While this is still a lot, considering

again that Stetson is tuition driven, it makes more sense that tuition continues to rise.

It’s annoying when tuition goes up, especially

because taking out more loans is stressful and difficult, but one has to consider that they are going to an incredibly

expensive university at what is most likely a considerably

discounted rate. There are a lot of politics at play in the decisions surrounding Stetson’s finances, and tuition is no exception—and the parties involved will never quite agree, which spurs tension and argument campus-wide,

at every level. No one is out to get anyone; it’s more a

matter of wildly differing opinions among a large bunch of professionals that are, for the most part, trying their best

to communicate, collaborate, and compromise. Even so,

I do find myself occasionally frustrated as my financial situation in no way prepared me to attend the so-called

Harvard of the South, and with the knowledge that some athletes receive 110% tuition, my $27k/year Presidential

Scholarship feels paltry in comparison—I will graduate owing the same amount several teams earned on top

of tuition in their time here. There is an entirely different

conversation there about the place of athletics on

college campuses and the valuation of athletics versus academics in a university setting, but those are certainly for a different day.

*This is the first of several pieces in an investigative series on Stetson finances.

“seven

M 12

M S E E

Writing by Hannah Zeller Layout by Isabel Solorzano

”

that need to die in 2019, and one that needs to stick around.

Tide Pods

Yes, believe it or not, this was an (early) 2018 trend. Toxic to both your system and your social media feed, the tide pod trend needs to go.

they did surgery on a grape

3 4 5

Even though the surgery happened in 2010, the “they did surgery on a grape” meme is new on the scene and here to round out the wild year that has been 2018. This meme may be new on the trending page, but its time is already up. Call me when they do surgery on a pomegranate seed.

tiktok

Musical.ly was at least visually stimulating, albeit confusing (I could never figure out how they timed those things), but this newfangled Tiktok is too much.

cancelling culture It’s important for people to own up to their mistakes and take responsibility for the things they do and say, but sometimes the “cancelling” trend takes it too far. Take responsibility and be kind to one another.

fortnite Just, Fortnite.

6 7

weird flex, but okay

and all its synonyms, including but not limited to: preposterous boast but alas, odd brag but alright, truly perplexing showboat but nevertheless...

“Don’t say it”

Anyone: “h-”

My brain: don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it

the one that needs to stay: Fast food restaurants having beef on Twitter These will never not be funny, and there’s no changing my mind.

Me: THIS MEME NEEDS TO CRAWL BACK IN THE INTERNET HOLE IT CAME FROM Issue III | 14

treading water

:

swimmingby

mac miller an album review writing by: sam hadelman layout by: hali pollard

Mac Miller’s music has been a constant in my life since I was 13. I can remember pretending to know who he was at summer camp in the summer of 2010 to fit in with the cool kids and then anxiously downloading his mixtape when I got home. His first project, K.I.D.S., was the first mixtape I downloaded on the infamous hip-hop goldmine, Datpiff.com. I was instantly mesmerized by the frat boy raps, detailing the lavish life of skipping school to smoke weed and skate. His early projects remind me of the simple image of success that I had conceptualized as an adolescent, when my only concern was my newly formed collection of graphic t-shirts and my developing acne. This era of music is a bookmark in how my music taste developed, from the borderline demonic raps of Odd Future to the lean-heavy content of A$AP Rocky, the mixtape era was a definitive one for me and Mac Miller was the catalyst for that chapter.

While Miller was the beginning of my modern-day music taste, he also delivered my first disappointment. I had been waiting for his debut-LP, Blue Slide Park, anxiously and borderline obsessively. I would refresh the iTunes Store everyday, before the days of Twitter and Reddit, stalking and waiting for this record to drop. Finally, on November 8th, 2011 the record dropped. This album was the first time in my music fan-hood that I was thoroughly left dissatisfied. I found the production to be lackluster and the content to be daft and dull. Though now I believe I was being a little harsh on Miller I still contest that this album is his worst and was a deafening misuse of his talent and charisma. At the time I speculated that this was the end of the road of my fandom of Mac Miller, which was obviously a incorrect assertion as time would tell.

Following the release of Blue Slide Park, Miller started on his journey of musical discovery with the experimental mixtape, Macadelic. This was the start of the most transformative career in hip-hop history. This mixtape dealt with the beginnings of his drug abuse and depressive symptoms, yet since he was still an emerging act it did not garner much mainstream attention. In the world’s eyes, he was still adolescent phenom Mac Miller. Like much of his discography, it seemed like people weren’t looking out for signs rather just skimming through his music.

Subsequently, Miller would release a slew of projects which were surrounded by the troubling themes that would eventually be the central theme of his stardom: his drug habit and deteriorating mental health. From FACES, a project mostly dealing with his own death and drug use, to GO:OD AM, a conceptual

15 | The Reporter

album about his necessary “wake up call” in his own personal life, it was obvious that Miller was losing a battle within himself. There are few thematic concepts more soul-crushing than watching someone explicitly predict their death and it come true in horrific detail. It was not until his record, Divine Feminine, that we saw a glimpse of light in Miller. The record was the most positive music he had made since the K.I.D.S. era, seeing as though in the eye of the public Miller was in the most positive position he had ever been in his adult life. He had managed to maintain a position of mainstream success and had a publicly successful and fruitful relationship with pop star Ariana Grande. On the outside, it looked like we were finally seeing the breakthrough that Miller’s fans, friends, and family had been dreaming for since he revealed his internal and external struggles.

This bliss and hope for Miller in the public spotlight was unfortunately short lived. His relationship with Grande would have a private falling out, with both parties saying nothing but positive statements about each other following the split. The only glass with which we had to look at Miller’s mental state were headlines and lyrics, and both were dark and daunting. Months before his death, he had been pulled over for a hit and run, to which he was also charged with a DUI. Following this arrest, Miller assured the public he was okay and had his recreational drug and alcohol use in check, which was a reassuring, yet obviously a false narrative.

One of the more depressing aspects of the tale of Mac Miller is this notion that because of his outwardly normative persona that he was okay. Personally, that is one of the more relatable aspects of Miller. He spoke to a whole demographic of deeply troubled millennials whose only outlets are music, recreational activities, and solitude. He was the voice of depressed extroverts everywhere and he was the model citizen for those who can maintain an active and engaging outward appearance while battling internal sorrow and emptiness. I always looked at him like a superhero, in a cinematic way, like no matter what he rapped about or the headlines that came out about him that he was invincible. Being an only child, Mac Miller wasthe big brother I always wanted. I never had anyone to show me interesting music or the cool tattoos they had, so I filled that void with Miller. I would obsessively watch his freestyles, interviews, and music videos. He filled the time I should have been studying with hours of soul-satisfying content to which I will forever be grateful. When he died, it was like the adolescent aspect of my music fanhood died with him. I will never feel the same way about

another artist ever. It felt like I grew up next door to Mac Miller; his music made me feel like he was rapping to me on my couch after a party and he was so personable that it felt like we were life-long best friends. The way his story developed and his public persona always reassured me that no matter what we personally go through, eventually things will get better. When his untimely death arrived, that threw the notion of reassurance I previously stated out the window.

There was nothing more depressing than watching my hero die fostering the internal demons, that he details so intently on Swimming, from which he saves me from everyday. That is why I listen to his music daily. My assertion is that since I could not see him reach a point in his life to where he was mentally content, that I should try to achieve that point for him, and if his music is the caravan to get me there then that is honoring his memory. I miss his presence on this earth constantly and I feel bereft of his persona in almost every avenue of my life. Hopefully, when I get more courage and see my parents less, I can finally get a tattoo to honor his memory.

Swimming was a released at such a turbulent time for music that most people glossed over it’s release. Coupled along with Travis Scott’s long awaited release of Astroworld overshadowing the album, Miller had avoided the spotlight

the time, and Swimming seemed like the curtain call for Miller’s sanity. Unlike on records like FACES and Watching Movies With The Sound Off, the depressive symptoms weren’t screaming in your face. On Swimming, the anxieties and hopelessness are wrapped in a blanket of beautiful violins and slick metaphors, almost distracting you from this musical counseling session being manifested. With a careful ear, one could understand the hopelessness in his lyrics, which reign haunting with the untimely death of Miller on September 7th of this year. I wonder if his death has made my view of this record jaded. It seemed like Miller was hoping for the redemption he deserved, like he had been sitting, sulking in his deep thoughts, and that he was preparing for a ray of sunshine to enter his life. It makes me physically sick to think that he never was able to feel the warmth he so plentifully deserved. This idea is why I listen to the record obsessively, I hope to feel the U.V. rays of normalcy that Miller was practically begging for on Swimming.

A fascinating aspect of this record is its metamorphic qualities. It has the ability to make me feel nothing and everything simultaneously. When I am in the depths of personal turmoil, I find this record to be a calming ocean of understanding in a way no person can truly deliver for me. At times when my mood is uplifted and positive, I find myself appreciating the musicality of

This record played like we were falling into the existential abyss with Miller, anxiously gripping onto a vine of positivity with little to no avail.

expertly months before. There was little to no promotion for the album, with Miller only releasing a batch of noncommercial singles. Divine Feminine was almost 2 years old and he had not put out any music since then, so his public presence was extremely low-key at the time. This atmosphere only added to the independence of the record. It felt like not only was Mac Miller tired of stardom, but actively avoiding it. His only semiradio friendly song was “Self Care”, and even that track is barely pop-centered. The record felt like it was made and specially tailored for his fans rather than for wide-spread acclaim. That is why it’s so fascinating that post-mortem Swimming is getting wide-spread acclaim; I hope that his situation highlights the idea that we should smell the flowers of someone’s creativity while they are still here to witness it.

The record itself oozes of musical self growth. Mac Miller had the greatest musical transformation I had the pleasure of witnessing in hip-hop history, and this was just the cherry on top. You can hear the progression of his MC skills as well his production, with most of the beats on the album being handled by Miller himself. He was aided by Jon Brion, the famous composer and one of the creative minds behind the orchestral sound of Kanye West’s critically acclaimed sophomore album, Late Registration. This instrumentation delivered cinematic elements to the record that added to the ever present creativity of Miller. It was another level of the presentation of Mac Miller’s talents and showed the blossoming of his career.

Through the numbing lyrics and lively production, Mac Miller takes into the depths of his personal hell, detailing the pool of insecurities, darkness, and opioids in which he was drowning in. The theme of the album, in my perception, is trials and tribulations of those who fight off plights of existence on a semi-regular basis. This record played like we were falling into the existential abyss with Miller, anxiously gripping onto a vine of positivity, with little to no avail. Though the production is upbeat and beautiful and the hooks naturally catchy, the serotonin snatching somber sentiments of Miller echo from start to finish on Swimming. I perceive albums as snapshots of an artist’s life at

the record and Miller’s ability to pen a picture that most cannot fathom. It truly is so transformative that I find myself listening to it at all times in the day. This is the reason this is my favorite record of the year. I want to say it’s objective and has little to do with his death, but that’s not true. His death made the weight of his statements on Swimming too dense to float. Rap music is so performative that it was uncomfortably sobering to see someone so entrapped in the personal hell they detailed on their record that it resulted in death.

The aspect of “swimming” is a constant theme throughout the entire record. He details this sentiment of drowning and swimming on almost every record, hence the name of the album. My favorite instance was pointed out on the record “Jet Fuel”, on which he states, “Now my head underwater/But I ain’t in the shower and I ain’t getting baptized.” The use of swimming as a metaphor for his mental state is so beautiful and emotive that it has permanently pressed in the way I categorize my own mental state. The theme entails that there are times when you are hopeless and you’re trapped by your own thoughts, hence the drowning metaphor, but at others you can weather the storm and swim through existence. This idea is what leaves me with such a divisive interpretation of the record. It is haunting and hopeless, but that is partly due to the death of Miller. The fact that this snapshot detailed his last months on this Earth is what leaves it weighing heavy on my heart.

I have not connected with a record like this since Blonde

by Frank Ocean came out. This record is so outwardly honest and expressive that it reminds me of the music that brought me into the musical place I am today, which ironically was Mac Miller. My attachment to this record will never fade, as my fanhood of Miller.

The sentiments on the record leave me surprisingly hopeful. The tide of life does drown us at times, yet that only makes us appreciate the times when our head is above water endlessly. The only thing I can hope is to keep swimming.

Issue III | 16

HOROSCOPE

holiday

edition writing by catie brumit layout by hali pollard

17 | The Reporter

aries

Mars is going into Aries, your home planet, bringing you new energy. As we also enter Capricorn season, you will start to feel motivated and your goals will become clearer.

Be patient waiting for these changes that will take place at the end of December. Focus on your family and those important to you. You will feel a strong connection to them as we approach the holidays.

taurus

Feelings of adventure and wanting to explore are on their way. You may notice that you feel very courageous, especially around Christmas. Take advantage of that. Use the approaching the new year to reflect on what you have gone through.

Stay true to your values and make peace with it so you can advance in 2019.

gemini

Mercury will be out of retrograde on December 6, meaning communication will improve and you’ll be able to get things done. This is a lucky time of year for the Gemini, especially in relationships. Speak your mind and what you’ve been holding back the past few months. Don’t carry the weight of your past into the new year.

cancer

Capricorn season will be beneficial for you as Capricorn is your opposite sign. Your true self will shine, especially in partnerships. Trust your instincts, and expect to have some restless energy toward the end of December. Use this energy and courage to find closure in what has been bothering you. Your emotional side will be very helpful in gift giving this year. Show people how much you care.

leo

sagittarius

virgo

capricorn

libra

aquarius

scorpio

pisces

This next month will bring a fun energy out of you. Use this to be festive and explore new relationships. The creativity you will experience during this time can help you find the perfect gifts for those around you. This act of giving will make you shine. You will have a secure and stable foundation for the next year. Find comfort zones and values to anchor to.

Mercury, your ruling sign, goes out of retrograde on December 6. Communication will improve and you will start to feel normal again. If you have had hard times recently, it’s not for nothing. Your strength and integrity are growing. There are exciting things happening for you as we go into the new year. Be patient and free yourself of what is holding you back. Take winter break to have some fun – you deserve it.

As we go into Capricorn season at the end of December, you will feel very tied to your home and family, which is the perfect way to feel around the holidays. Take December to rest and spend time with those who matter because the new year will be an important time for you. This is a good time for you to focus on finances, as well as career advances; you will find luck in those areas.

December has fun times in store for you.

Make the most of them, as you will have closure on personal turmoil at the end of the month. The end of December and January are a good time for a fresh start.

The new year will be a great time for you to explore new beginnings and new projects.

Embrace the mental clarity you’re now feeling.

Enjoy the time left in your home sign, as we enter Capricorn on December 21. Take the energy you feel right now to have fun and relax. Make sure you know what to bring into the new year with you and what to leave behind. You may enter the new year feeling very attracted to your goals and motivated to achieve your dreams. Let that drive you.

Get ready to be in your home sign starting December 21st. Before you ring in the new year, evaluate the baggage that has been weighing on you. Sometimes that baggage is not a thing, but a person. Know who to keep close when celebrating your home sign season and the new year. Once 2019 starts, you will feel free and ready for a new start.

Take December as a time to relax and wind down. Look for new opportunities that may present themselves in your work and friendships. Go above and beyond for your friends this holiday season. You’ve worked hard this year and it shows, but make sure you have time to rest. You’ll thank yourself when the new year gears up.

You will be able to channel a lot of creative energy in December. Use this to make thoughtful gifts for those who mean something to you. This is a good time of year to use your emotions to your advantage. Enter the new year making sure the people in your life know what they mean to you. You will have a lot of luck in your professional endeavors in 2019. Make sure you take care of yourself this holiday season so you can work hard next year.

Issue III | 18

Meet Sudeep

ampers&nd writing by: jacob mauser layout by: hali pollard

19 | The Reporter

Who or what inspires you to create music?

Many things. My grandpa was a musician when I was littlehe’s always been a musician, he passed away when I was little. Ever since I started to discover more about my family’s past, specifically about my grandpa, it just motivates me to do what he did. And, just like the movements and events that are going on today, I feel like the best that I can do to do something for society or to make something for it is to make music.

How have those influences entered your music?

I believe that music is experiences- our experiences. For example, take John Lennon. He was a great musician, and he took what he saw and what he lived into music. And it was not about riches or how many houses or cars he had, it was about what he thought he could have done for society. And of course you’ve gotta start somewhere, and I feel like the best that we can do is talk about our own personal experiences at the moment so we can expand and create it into something bigger, and that’s what John Lennon did.

that, to obtain that perception of that special emotion. With photography, especially natural photography, nothing edited, you can truly capture the essence of the person and what they’re going through at the moment. I think that’s really cool. I’ve always wanted to take courses on it, and I’ve taken pictures of my friends lots of times and I truly put them in a position, when you’re behind the camera and you’re saying “do this,” or “do this,” because you know what you wanna capture, because you know what they’re going through.

What do you do when you lose inspiration?

This whole semester I’ve been trying to gain inspiration from anything, really. It’s just been so hard with schoolwork and trying to balance that out. Where do I gain inspiration from, you ask? I say performing live. It always gives me that push to write more music. It’s just a different thing, when you’re up there on stage and you see all the people looking at you or just passing by, and you can send something to them. I feel like that, to me, motivates me.

...and that’s when Which of your albums do you Can you think back to a pivotal I knew that I could think best describes you, if you moment in your artistic career? had to pick one?

Something important, an instant touch people with my where you thought, “this is what I might want to do.” music, and that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

I remember when I was performing for the first time- I was like 9 years old, and I started playing the drums- and I remember that I was at a gig, and the first time I hit the drums live, I felt like the energy of the audience really filled me up. That was the moment when I was like, “ok, I can do something with this.” And then last year, when I released my first EP, Red, one friend came up to me and said, “I cried to your songs,” and I said, “wow, really? Why?” And she said, “I dunno, I just really felt it.” And that’s when I knew that I could touch people with my music, and that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Can you speak to the challenges of putting your music out there, releasing your albums?

I feel like every time you put music out there you put yourself out there in the most personal way. You never really know how people are gonna react to it, but I think that what is important is what you think of it. You cannot be afraid of what other people think and how that is going to impact you. What you can do best is push through the deep thoughts and just go for it.

Honestly it depends on my mood. Each album or EP is like a phase. So the first phase was exploration, take for instance the song “Bells of Salem.” It’s about feeling like “ok, I finally did it.” Not as in, “I made it,” but as in, “I finally put myself out there, I showed myself to everyone,” and it’s a start. Blue is definitely a sad EP, because you can find heartbreak and incredible amounts of pain in there, but you can also find hope in it. Whereas in Pink it’s a fresh start, starting from scratch. I gotta go back to where I started. And if I had to pick one, my Pink album is my favorite one I’ve made so far. I feel like it has everything in it. The lyrics might seem too specific, since it talks about a heartbreak, but it’s really not.

Who’s your favorite artist in your field?

My favorite band of all time is Coldplay. Coldplay to me experiences everything. It’s surreal, it touches every part of my system every time I listen to them. They’re a great band for every specific mood. My favorite solo artist, at the moment, I would say is Harry Styles. His lyrics are so brutally honest that you wouldn’t even think he was in a boy band. I really look up to the way he writes his songs, and what they’re about.

Do you have any advice to someone who’s just getting as a musician? if you could do any other kind of art, what do you started Don’t think about it, just do it. The more you think about it think that would be? the more you’ll stop yourself. The more you think about it, Definitely photography. I feel like photography captures the emotions of people in a visual way, whereas with music you can transmit feelings, but sometimes it takes a while to do

the more you put barriers upon yourself to do stuff that really means something to you. You have no idea what it feels like once you put yourself out there. It’s scary, but it’s amazing.

BAD vibes A Personal Review of Stetson’s Vibrancy Office

writing By Kaitlyn Kocsis Photos provided by Kaitlyn Kocsis Layout by Ruby Rosenthal

R

eflecting on the final months of my time at Stetson, I realized something. More than the time I spent living in Chaudoin or my sorority house, my home on campus has been the upstairs of the CUB. It is the hub for Vibrancy, better known by the ridiculously long title: “Office of Student Development and Campus Vibrancy” or SD&CV (because that acronym somehow makes saying it any easier.) I vividly remember walking upstairs my freshman year, wide-eyed with curiosity about the buzzing glow that seemed to always follow its inhabitants. I knew I wanted in.

By the end of my freshman year, I was enamored with people like Erica Eddy and Nick Fuller. Leaders in every way. Their kingdom was the Vibrancy office. I started to linger around, admittedly being a bit of a weirdo, wondering what made it all so special. It was Greek life. It was Homecoming. It was FOCUS week. It was Varsity. It was LEAD Team. Everything that appealed to me about Stetson was collected into one long hallway of success. Their mission statement spoke to my innermost desire to be part of something diverse and engaging, a place where everyone belonged and had the chance to take ownership of their journey. Its

21 | The Reporter

wording is enchanting: The shared vision of the Office of Student Development and Campus Vibrancy (SD&CV) is to provide every student with opportunities to channel their passions into a meaningful purpose. Student Development and Campus Vibrancy serves as the core of student involvement and engagement at Stetson University. We are committed to providing opportunities to build a dynamic and pervasive sense of student community, while facilitating a culture of belonging and promoting an intrinsic sense of campus vibrancy. We strive to empower students through collaborative approaches to their learning experience, both in and out of the classroom, and work to deepen their pursuit of significance while taking ownership of their Stetson journey. Our goal is to continue empowering students as leaders and global learners to follow their passions, allow spaces to succeed and fail, and guide them through integral parts of their education.

With the mission statement as my catalyst, I soon found myself a part of it all. Joining First Year Leadership Experience as a participant and soon

LEAD Team members from 2016 and 2017, including myself, the only person wearing sunglasses, pose in Holler Fountain for a marketing photo.

after as a facilitator launched me into their world.

I signed contracts saying I would uphold their standards. Wore t-shirts with their logos. Shared post after post on my social media. I was in.

And this is where my perfect image of vibrancy began to crack. I knew my rose-colored glasses were a permanent accessory carried over from my youth, but the pride I felt in being a part of this world, this upstairs office of glory, gave me hope.

LEAD Team was in its third year when I joined.

A time of reshaping and growth, as all third year things seem to be. Our team was cliquey from the start, from top to bottom. Planning meetings grew disorganized. Marketing strategies lacked passion.

Team dynamics were ridden with relationship problems and power struggles. I felt jipped. Where was my “culture of belonging”? Where was the space to “succeed and fail”? I wrote all of this off for about eight months. Facilitating leadership training for other students was wonderful, don’t get me wrong. But the mission never quite seemed to take shape. Even still, I didn’t blame the Vibrancy office. It was a hiccup, a mix of individuals that didn’t represent the whole. I left the team, but the

Vibrancy office stayed pure and strong in my heart.

The Vibrancy office entered my life in full force once again, just as I began to feel my grasp lighten. My sophomore year, I joined Greek life.

The reestablishment of Kappa Alpha Theta, and my membership on its inaugural executive board, had me upstairs in the CUB every night for weeks. I loved working with Ryan Manning, the former advisor for Fraternity and Sorority involvement, but even in the midst of his support and sarcasm, something felt off. The glow of passionate and dynamic change that I felt in my days of outsider observation seemed more like a glint, muddled by paperwork and procrastination.

By junior year, things really began to take a turn.

Changes in staff were as frequent and jarring as the ever-beeping construction that took over my beloved upstairs. Cliques between staff members became obvious and toxic. I rarely visited the temporary office. It didn’t glow or even glint.

The narrative was one of constant complaining.

Bickering. Negativity. Anger. My closest friends dreaded their leadership meetings. One cried to Issue III | 22

25 | The Reporter

A few different views of the new vibrancy office space on the third floor of the CUB, including the SGA suite and shared spaces for collaboration

me over dinner, calling herself a failure, worthless in the eyes of the Vibrancy office. Something had, suddenly it seemed, gone very very wrong. I distanced myself from Vibrancy for awhile, hoping it would magically return to its glorious form. It did not.

Admittedly, the shiny new office space helps, but the core of the issue is still lurking behind the frosted glass walls. I think we, as the Vibrancy office, the student body, and the staff, have lost the larger vision. There should be no room for petty arguments over keys. No frustration over the finance office. Greek life should be a beacon of togetherness, not the root of dissonance.

The home of Stetson pride should be a place of passion, acceptance, and empowerment. Instead, we have allowed it to morph into something darker. That enveloping, enchanting glow must come from more than fluorescent lights.

In explaining the execution of the mission statement, the Office of Student Development and Campus Vibrancy states: We achieve this mission by committing to collaborative partnerships with students. infusing inclusivity into all aspects of our experiences and affirming the necessity for diversity and equality. educating students on how to transform abilities and skills to prepare for life-long success. supporting the formation of enriching and healthy relationships which offer personal support and professional networking. expecting students to consciously commit to ethical and responsible decision-making. encouraging students to take advantage of learning opportunities discovered through facing challenging situations and recovering from failures. celebrating individual student contributions and a shared pride in our community.

I think it’s time we revisit these points. To create vibrant, diverse, and capable leaders, we must begin within. That hallway, once the place I admired with curiosity, has morphed into something greater: an opportunity. To observe, to be involved, and to admire are all great things. But to truly commit to a mission of collaboration, inclusivity, enrichment, support, ethical decision-making, growth from failure, and a shared sense of pride is far more noble.

I cherish my time with vibrancy, all of the ups and downs, because I grew from them. I am the leader I want to be. I recognize flaws and, instead of waiting for change, I call for it.

As my time at Stetson comes to a close, I leave my final hopes for the future of vibrancy. Find once again the glow that inspired my leadership journey. Take the time to refocus and recommit. Do not settle for a glimmer or a glint. Work through the difficulties with strategy and strength. And when it is time, after the walls have come down and the dust has settled, glow, vibrantly.

WHAT

radio schedule

Layout by Isabel Solorzano

MONDAy tuesday Wednesday thursday FRiday Saturday Sunday

12:00 PM

Are You Not Entertained

Are You Not Entertained

1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM

Anything and Everything

Duly Noted The Sam Hadelman Show

The Sam Hadelman Show

Gametime

Granola (bi-weekly)

On the Rag

Jazz Culture

(bi-weekly)

The Chron Show

Gametime

Grunge to Alternative

Terrestial Sound

8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM

Appreciation of Classic Rock

11:00 PM

Godspeed

12:00 AM 1:00 AM 2:00 AM

Taking Balls

Just Jazz

Issue III | 24

ATHLETES TO WATCH Stars in stetson athletics to look out for in the 2018- 2019 school year by ihsaan fanusie layout by ruby rosenthal, graphics adapted from nounproject

BASKETBALL Sophomore Guard Christian Jones is leading the Hatters in points this season and second on the team in rebounds. Jones scored 20 points in the season opener win over Johnson University on November 7.

25 | The Reporter

softball Senior Infielder Ashly Smith is coming off a 2018 spring season in which she hit a career high .385 batting average, ranked third in the ASUN in hits, and was selected to the ASUN Second Team All-Conference.

lacrosse After a stellar 2018 season where she led the team in goals with 33, sophomore midfielder Karli Maguire looks to continue to be an important presence in Stetson’s scoring attack.

baseball Outfield defensive anchor and batting star Jacob Koos is one player to keep your eyes on during the 2019 spring season. Koos led the team in runs last season with 50 and showed a penchant for clutch hitting, posting a .571 batting percentage with bases loaded.

Issue III | 26

red cups aren’t Starbucks’

only problem

27 | The Reporter

Writing by Shaylen Vitale Layout by Isabel Solorzano

Ever go out of your way to throw away your Starbucks cup in a green recycling bin?

Think again.

It won’t matter, because they cannot be recycled anyways.

According to the International Coffee Organization, an estimated 600 billion paper and plastic cups are distributed around the world every year. Of that, Starbucks products are estimated to be one percent of that total. That equals to around six billion cups every year in landfills.

They end up in landfills because Starbucks cups cannot be recycled.

It’s not just the plastic cups holding your iced latte. Paper cups for hot drinks also contribute to the problem; the inside plastic lining preventing the paper outside from becoming soggy is not recyclable by most centers. These cups take on average 20 years to decompose, according to a CNN report on the subject. The thin interior layer of polyethylene plastic is the culprit. The environmental advocacy group STAND. Earth reports, “This plastic lining makes the cups impossible to recycle because it clogs most recycled paper mills’ machinery.” As a result, the entire cup is thrown to the landfill despite it’s paper exterior.There are seven types of plastics and each is not equal in terms of their recyclability. Each plastic has its own code and recycling symbol. They are: *Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET) (1) * High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) (2) * Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) (3) *Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) (4) *Polypropylene (PP) (5) *Polystyrene or Styrofoam (PS) (6) * Miscellaneous Plastics (includes: polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene, fiberglass, and nylon) (7)

Most recycling plants are able to process the types one, two and three: polyethylene terephthalate, highdensity polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride. However, the others, including type five polypropylene plastics, are unable to be recycled. Type five includes everything from rakes, yogurt cups, disposable cutlery - and coffee cups.

Nationwide, both the hot drink and plastic cups serve as a sustainability issue. A report by the Carton Council, an industry organization committed to recycling, found that out of the over 450 paper and pulp recycling plants in the United States, only three are able to process the plastic-coated cups that Starbucks produces for hot drinks.

Volusia County is not within vicinity of one of these mills. All recycling in Volusia County is run by GEL Recycling Inc.’s branch in Orange City. According to Kandi Winfrey, the company’s Orange City sales manager, the recycling plant is technically able to process all seven types of plastics. However, they usually only process plastic types one through three unless there are special orders for the other types of plastics.

Starbucks coffee cups, however, cannot be processed by the recycling plant at all. The same

was true for the hot coffee cups. The plasticized liner made them incapable for being reusal. Winfrey said she did not know if that applied to other coffee chain cups, such as Dunkin Donuts.

Starbucks is not oblivious to its contribution to environmental pollution.

In 2008, the coffee company chain announced that by 2015, they would make a 100 percent recyclable cup and to sell 25 percent of drinks in reusable cups. According to the environmental organization Plastic Pollution Coalition, ten years later, Starbucks has failed to produce a 100 percent recyclable cup and less than 1.5 percent of drinks sold are in reusable cups.

“

For a company that appears to pride itself on awareness (their website has a tab solely devoted to ‘Social Impact’) their sustainability initiatives are surprisingly lacking. If Starbucks wishes to make a positive enviromental impact, perhaps their focus should be less on eliminating plastic straws and more on eliminating the unrecyclable drink container itself.

The material is not recyclable.

The type of plastic that is.

The mills cannot reuse that plastic. Our plant can process it, but it cannot be reused, -- Kandi Winfrey

”

With the sweeping trend to eliminate plastic straws, Starbucks announced it would end the use of plastic straws by 2020. This action would eliminate the waste of over one billion straws per year, but it does not answer the question about their unrecyclable cups. When asked about their cups, the Starbucks on South Woodland Blvd, DeLand, declined to comment. All questions were directed to their corporate level, they said.

Their corporate customer service team said they did not have access to the information regarding the type of plastic their cups were made with.

Issue III | 28

STETSON Secret: the food pantry It’s white. Shelves lining the walls are filled with nonperishable canned food and snacks with boxes and bags for travel. It’s the size of two dorm closets pushed together, and it’s used by more students than we think.

29 | The Reporter

Stetson’s Food Pantry, known as the Hatter Pantry, is open to anyone who needs it, according to Administrative Specialist, Nicole Currie, the Pantry’s founder. It began in 2013 when Ms. Currie was running the front desk of the counseling center. She had noticed that “students were mentioning that they hadn’t eaten in days, leading [her] to question why this was.” She learned that the causes were twofold: students either lacked a meal plan or had no money for food. Ms. Currie and her coworkers began bringing in small items to fill up the pantry. Later, she spread the word out to other faculty and staff on campus. Since then, the pantry has slowly grown from students using it five times in 2013 to at least 57 times since September 2018.

“It’s completely confidential, but the first time [a student] come[s] in, they fill out an assessment; it’s the demographics of a student that lets me know what type of student is needing the pantry,” Ms. Currie said. “[I became aware that] it is every type of student on our campus that is in need. When I first started doing the research on what the needs would be, I found out through asking around that when a student’s family is having difficulties, the first thing they do is drop the meal plan so that the student can continue to come.”

This year, when the Hatter Pantry moved into its current location in Griffith Hall, it received more closet space as well as shelves inside the pantry built by an organization called People Helping People. In addition, faculty members can now donate through their paycheck to the pantry--either a single donation, once a month, or every two weeks. With help from her coworkers, Ms. Currie was also able to buy can openers and bento boxes so students “can take them to keep

the food stored in their room,” a freezer, fridge, microwave, or tote bags. When she receives food, she goes through all of it and makes sure nothing is “out of date or is no [longer] good.”

Along with aid from faculty and local nonprofits, students are also able to donate to the Hatter Pantry. When students leave during breaks to go home, if they don’t want to take their remaining food with them, Ms. Currie and helpers place bins outside of housing for the food to be donated to the pantry rather than being thrown away. “Absolutely anybody [can use the Hatter Pantry],” Ms. Currie said. “Some people thought

the pantry has slowly grown from students using it five times in 2013 to at least 57 times since September 2018 it would be taken advantage of, but it’s really humbling to ask for food, it’s very embarrassing.

It’s not like we’re giving out steaks or some fancy food, it’s the essentials. It takes a lot for someone to come ask for food, so no one’s going to take advantage of this. I’ve noticed some students will only come once, and some students have been here two or three times. No one’s taken a lot or taken advantage of the program.”

Ms. Currie is still trying to figure out the best way to let students know about the Hatter Pantry. She plans to ask professors put it on their syllabi to let them and their students be aware of it, while also reminding faculty twice a year of the pantry’s existence; that way, those who are new on Stetson’s campus are aware of the program. In conjunction with this, The Commons has begun to work with the Pantry. Students are now able to donate either their Hatterbucks or eight dollars so Ms. Currie and her coworkers can provide a meal card to give to a student in need.

Writing by Ruby Rosenthal Layout by Isabel Solorzano Art by Colette Cacciola

Issue III | 30

ARE YOU A multimedia journalist

OR writer artist misfit

IF SO, HATTER NETWORK WANTS YOU Apply by emailing hatternetwork@gmail.com