The Patriot- Fall 2023 Issue 1

Tricky Transition Mental Health From High School to College

BY: ALLY KENNEDY STAFF WRITER

Transitioning from high school to college is a highly daunting task. Many are excited about the newfound freedom that they have been longing for. In contrast, others get nervous about all the responsibility. In high school, one does not have to be positive about what they want to do with their life. The classes students take are not because they are pursuing a specific career it is so they can receive their diploma. Upon entering college, freshman are expected to know what they want to do with the rest of their lives. The classes that students take go towards the degree they wish to pursue.

Picking a major can be difficult. While making this life-altering choice, Taylor Smiddy, a first-year student, explained how she “overthought it a lot” and “still do[es].” That is what it is like for many students. There are so many options to choose from that it can become overwhelming. It is not a terrible thing to have different options, either, though. Limiting options would be just as overwhelming. Beyond the first

year, students struggle to discover what they want to do in college. Even though the issues go further than freshman, everything can initially seem stressful for students.

Leaving home can be difficult for new students as well. Although moving away from home is a part of life, many can struggle with it. The transition can be strange because they can go from living with family to being put in a small room with a stranger. In every home, people do things a specific way, which can be challenging for some students to adjust to when arriving at a dorm. Some people are clean, while others are messy. Some people stay up late, while others go to bed early. When moving in, there is a fear of the unknown. Everyone wants to have a good relationship with their roommate and feel at home in the dorms. Before college begins, when students get paired together, the email of both students can be found on the housing information. This allows roommates to be in contact prior to school starting to get to know one another, and when school starts, they will have one another in case of an emergency.

Disaster Unites All

The night of August 8, 2023, is a night that Hawaii and the rest of the world will never forget. This horrific day signifies the start of the Maui fires. These fires destroyed much of the beautiful island. While nobody truly knows what caused the fires, many factors enhanced

Being at college brings on more duties. While high school students can be responsible, it differs from college. In college, students must always be on top of their schoolwork. Teachers may not accept work, regardless of the excuse. Some students even have jobs. Learning how to balance all that while trying to have a social life is challenging. While many exciting events encourage socialization, sometimes it can be difficult to attend them, especially for students with other obligations. Taking time to socialize is essential because it makes for an easier transition when there are people around.

The University of the Cumberlands offers free therapy for struggling students. There is an option to make an appointment, along with certain days when walk-ins are welcome. The professionals can help. Although some students fear seeking help, there is nothing wrong with attending therapy sessions. Everyone needs help at some point, and taking this step is no different. Although this transition is hard, keeping up with mental health is crucial.

The Importance of Accessibility Addressing the Lack of Elevators on Campus

BY: SHAYRA CAULDERON STAFF WRITER

The education system requires accessibility and adaptability. Humans, by nature, are all different and must have their needs met to learn properly. Therefore, one could say that accessibility is one of the foundational pillars of effective learning. This concept leads one to question why there is a need for elevators across the University of the Cumberlands campus. Many buildings throughout campus, such as the Bennett and Luecker buildings and nearly all the dormitories, lack some basic accessibility needs, specifically elevators. These elevators are essential for those who are injured or disabled.

Although the campus is home to a diverse group of students, a large portion of the student body is comprised of student-athletes. Therefore, injuries from games and practices can quickly happen and affect students and their ability to walk up and down stairs. In many instances, a boot, crutches, walkers, or even wheelchairs make the journey from the dorm to

class much more difficult. One senior, MaQuoia Bernabe, explains, “As an athlete myself, I had a pretty gruesome injury that required me to be in a brace and a boot. Using crutches to get around campus while going up and down stairs to class was difficult.” Injuries happen in athletes and several other students, making the trek to class rather challenging. MaQuoia, as well as other students, find the lack of consistent accessibility jarring.

Xander Tackett is a volunteer for The Patriot and a freshman transfer from Morehead State University. He had to move colleges due to the utter lack of meeting his needs. Here, he sees how people are willing to help. Like many others on campus, Xander contacted the Director of Accommodations, Shirley Stephens, to seek help. The student has had leg deformities from a young age, which inhibits him in many ways. Xander notes that having no elevators in every building “forces [him] to go upstairs and causes more pain to [his] leg than

[he] already go[es] through.”

Although the student population on campus is notable, faculty and staff comprise a large percentage of the campus community. These individuals can also suffer from injuries and disabilities, which, like students, can make

PHOTO BY BRITTANY SMITH

PHOTO BY CAROLINE BOLES

PHOTO BY BRITTANY SMITH

ACCESSIBILITY

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for a difficult time navigating campus. Employees working in Bennett and Luecker climb two or three flights of stairs multiple times a day. With so many students and staff at the university, the need for elevators may call into question how accessibility-friendly the school is.

The University’s administration has noticed and begun to remedy the issues. Recently, renovations have been finished outside the

MAUI

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mid-level of the Boswell Campus Center (BCC) entrance to allow wheelchair accessibility onto and across the viaduct. This essential change has allowed for a smoother commute for students on their way to class. Yet, many individuals still see room for improvement, with many asking themselves what they can do to help correct the situation.

On Wednesday, September 13, the

of land and hundreds of lives.

Student Government Association (SGA) announced that they have set aside $10,000 for “campus improvements.” Most of this money could go to renovating dormitories and academic buildings for wheelchair ramps and elevators. SGA meetings take place every other Wednesday night in Gatliff Chapel. Perhaps somebody should propose allocating money to creating a more accessible campus.

BY: ALLY KENNEDY STAFF WRITER

their deadly path. Before the fires started, the island was facing drought-like conditions. Hurricane Dora, a category four storm, caused sixty to eighty-mile-per-hour winds on the island, which, combined with the drought-like conditions, worsened the fire conditions. Once the fires began to spread, the people of Maui had to evacuate. Although many did not want to leave their homes behind, for their safety, they had to. When the fires finally ended, Maui was deeply affected. The island lost nearly two thousand acres

Although The University of the Cumberlands is on the other side of the United States, the region still feels the effects of the fire. Faculty members and students have loved ones who are from the beautiful island, with some people having family members affected. The citizens of Williamsburg, Kentucky, are no strangers to the repercussions of fire. The small town is only two hours from The Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, where multiple wildfires occurred within the past decade. On November 28, 2016, the Gatlinburg, Tennessee mountains caught fire. There had been a severe drought along with powerful winds, which, unfortunately, caused the fires to become uncontrolled. With sixty milesper-hour winds, trees fell on powerlines, causing more fires to begin. The high winds caused the fire to spread throughout the surrounding counties, leading to many evacuations.

The University of the Cumberlands is home to students from around the world, like Caroline Boles. Boles is a freshman from Sevierville, Tennessee. Having lived amidst the 2016 wildfire, Boles knows what being near such a horrific scene is like. While interviewing Boles, she mentioned that she has hiked up the mountains many times and even showed pictures of what

it looked like after the fire. Boles noted that the flames were visible from her house, but she did not have to evacuate. When asked if she feared the recent 2022 fires would become as bad as the 2016 fires, she responded, “You do not expect it to escalate as much as it does.” For someone who saw all the destruction from the 2016 fires, it is only natural to worry that it could happen again. While there are significant differences between the mountains of Appalachia and the island of Maui, disasters can unite all. Despite being thousands of miles apart, individuals throughout Appalachia can empathize with the people of Maui. Fires ruin land, people lose everything they have, and then something magical happens; they rebuild. The land will never be the same, but the people remain steadfast so that new things blossom. Here in the Appalachian Mountains, everyone saw the destruction in Tennessee. Nobody knew how the towns surrounding The Great Smoky Mountains would heal, and although it took time, they did recover. Maui will, too.

Grits, Grace, and Grades The Story of a Small- Town Entrepeneur

BY: SYDNEY SCHWENKE STAFF WRITER

Lily Hamilton balances an open, considerate personality with a no-nonsense attitude while working hard on her recently opened café. Why is she managing and running a breakfast café? She explains, “God uses girls who have no idea what they are doing.” The business idea came to Hamilton in February because she had a lot of free time. The young student applied to work at various restaurants, but everyone turned her down, so she brainstormed some ideas. One of these was a restaurant called Grits and Grace.

Hamilton reflected during a worship night hosted by UC, creating a clearer idea of what she wanted her business to look like. Afterward, she became determined to bring her vision to fruition and explained that “[she is] really stubborn. When [she gets] the idea for something [she wants] to do, [she will] make it happen.” Hamilton was 19 then and worried nobody would take her seriously because “[she] talked to a couple of people about buildings and spaces that [she] could use, and they told [her] ‘no,’ which was discouraging.” However, Hamilton persevered and won second place in the Cumberlands annual Student Entrepreneurship Pitch contest and got the contact number for one of the owners of The Game Café. The owners offered her the space during the morning and arranged to get a percentage of her earnings. Hamilton mentioned that despite “the early hours [taking] getting used to and it being challenging to get the word out,” the owners of “The Game Café have been great and really easy to work with.”

Hamilton is a Christian, and her faith is a huge part of her life. Even through the difficulties of starting Grits and Grace, “[she has] seen God show up in many ways to support [her] restaurant. [she] kept expecting something to happen to shut my idea down. [She] had the space and supplies, but on opening day, [she]

worried that people were not going to show up. When [she] prayed, [she] realized that if no one showed up, then that was not in God’s plan, and whether people came or not was not up to [her]. With each step, [she tries] to trust that it is all in His plan.”

When asked about her original idea for how Grits and Grace would be, Hamilton says, “[she] definitely [felt] like [she] compromised on lots of things, but the ultimate vision of providing delicious food at hours that normally are not open to the community, has been accomplished.” When asked how she balances her school and work responsibilities, she explains, “So far, it has been easy with how flexible… classes are since [she mostly has] online classes. That is why [Hamilton] had so much free time last year and knew [she] needed to do something worthwhile with [her] time.”

Hamilton shares what she considered before her grand opening: “The goal was always to make [the menu] reasonably priced.” The practical young woman felt that many of her customers would be college students. While creating the menu, Hamilton thought about people’s various likes and dietary restrictions: “There is something for everyone on the menu, the pancakes are sweet, and there are glu ten-free options.” She mentions that she has

four brothers who love meat, and after creating the meat lover’s croissant specifically for them, they constantly wanted more meat on the product.

When asked about the future of Grits and Grace, Hamilton said, “[she] would love to see it continue for the next two years and maybe even after [she] graduate[s]. If it is successful, I would love to pass it off to someone else. Maybe a student, I am not sure, but if the restaurant closes in a week, I do not see it as a waste of time or effort or anything. I would say it is still worth something”. Overall, the way Hamilton balances Grits and Grace alongside her grades is admirable, to say the very least.

She began reflecting on what is to come and recognized that if the café is successful, she “would pass it off to someone else.” Hamilton would even consider handing her work over to a student. If the business does not work out as planned, the current student acknowledged that her efforts were not “a waste of time” because what she built “is still worth something.” The way Hamilton balances Grits and Grace alongside her grades is commendable. This female entrepreneur is admirable, to say the least.

PHOTO BY RACHEL LONG

PHOTO BY BRITTANY SMITH

PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH SPIRES

BY: KAMRYN KEITH STAFF WRITER

Borderline Bored

There Are So Many Fun Things To Do on Campus

Many students commonly sit in the dorm at night after classes end. Yet, there are so many things on and around campus to do and try out. The Boswell Campus Center (BCC) has various fun games and activities for students. Recent renovations have equipped the campus center’s mid-level with pool, ping pong tables, and air hockey. This area is great for gathering with friends and hanging out between classes or the evening before another event.

Another fantastic place on campus is the hammock area at Patriot Park. The location is excellent for kicking back and enjoying the fresh air near the tennis courts. Hammocks are inexpensive and an excellent investment for those who love to spend their time outside. Patriot Park offers many other things to do besides the hammocking. The park provides a large field to play games on, a row of swings, a space to eat lunch or study, and a sand volleyball court. Several students enjoy working out at the fitness court behind the swings. This fitness area has many workouts, allowing students to enjoy the warm weather.

The community has several fun activities and places to visit, allowing stu

dents to get away from campus for a few hours. Williamsburg has several restaurants downtown, such as The Brick Oven, The Game Café, and The Coffee Spot on Main. All these restaurants are within walking distance from campus. Each restaurant offers a unique atmosphere and culture for everyone who visits. Exploring the downtown area may seem daunting, but it can make for an exciting afternoon. Following @ whatsupwilliamsburgky can help everyone on campus stay up to date on all the exciting events and activities happening in Williamsburg.

Cumberland Falls is a great place, a little further away from campus. The beautiful destination is deep within the Daniel Boone National Forest in Corbin, Kentucky. This magnificent waterfall offers an array of free activities for students to get involved in. When visiting Cumberland Falls, you can make a campfire, learn about the local ecosystem and history, and hike several trails. Visiting the Falls later in the evening makes for a great experience because there is a chance that a Moonbow will appear. This exciting event occurs in only two places worldwide, making Cumberland Falls one of the most notable waterfalls.

However, students choose to spend their free time, it is essential to remember that taking breaks from studying is important. Whether playing pickleball at Patriot Park or getting lunch at The Brick Oven with friends, remember to relax and rejuvenate before returning to studying.

A Commuter’s Guide to the College Experience How Commuters Can Stay Involved on Campus

BY: ALLY KENNEDY STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY RACHEL LONG

Experiencing the social scene of college is an opportunity given to all students at the University of the Cumberlands. The school does an excellent job planning and executing exciting events like Bingo, Study Breaks, and the annual Patriot Party. These events are highly successful and have become essential events in the calendars of many students. However, one group does not get to participate in the events: the commuters. Considering they have the same opportunities presented to them, people may wonder why they do not attend such gatherings. The answer is simple: sometimes, after a long school day, they want to stay home. While some are open to the idea, others do not want to drive home and back more than once a day. Five commuting students noted how long their drive was to get to school, with their answers ranging from fifteen minutes to an hour.

This situation urges the question: Why not just live on campus? Because living on campus costs about the same as tuition. Many com-

muters feel that spending that extra money does not make sense because they live so close. Some of the students decide to make the sacrifice of just missing out. Instead of meeting people at social events, they are limited to meeting them during classes. Many commuters are not actively involved in any clubs either. Commuting sophomore Charli Pierce, who lives an hour away, says, “I only go to the UC Engage events.” UC Engage events are essential for students taking the UC Engage class because they count as part of one’s grade.

Commuter life can feel stressful for some students. Driving to and from school daily may feel like a burden. With everything else going on in a student’s school life, incorporating driving into the schedule can make it seem like one is always busy. An on-campus student

hang out with friends or study between classes. Some commuters study in the library, while others play ping pong in the Boswell Campus Center’s middle level to pass the time.

Despite the lengthy drive commuter students face daily, these students should plan to attend campus events. Downloading the PATS Rewards app is one great way for commuter and residential students to become involved on campus. Students must plan their week ahead of time to attend any events they may find fun or exciting. Regularly checking one’s email is another brilliant way for students to stay updated on campus events and functions. Often, the Student Government Association, the Campus Activities Board, or many other organizations on campus will email students to remind them of certain events. By planning and staying aware of events occurring on campus, commuter students will be able to attend more functions on campus. Attending more social events will increase friendships and decrease stress due to less focus on school and more focus on creating lifelong relationships.

has the same responsibilities as a commuter, yet they do not have to schedule lengthy morning or evening travel time. Due to these long commute times, many commuters find spots on campus to

Patriot Puzzles

BY: XANDER TACKETT

ILLUSTRATOR

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