Let the Good Times Roll

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In recent months Texarkana, Arkansas city officials have voted on putting an entertainment district in a 14-block area of downtown. The timing of a state law allowing open container and the recent push for renewing downtown could not be more perfect.

The entertainment district will allow for adult beverages to be consumed outside of a business as well as allow for roads to be closed for events. 

The Arkansas state legislature approved bill 492. A bill that encourages hospitality and tourism. It will cause growth and support to already established local businesses. This boost will make an impact on not only the downtown area, but our city as a whole.

Before this will come into effect, four workshops and a hearing were necessary to cover details and concerns. One concern that was addressed was one of how trash would be handled. Public works agreed to handle the trash and cleanliness of ther area. Another concern was what the beverage containers would be and red solo cups were agreed upon.

In less than thirty days the entertainment district will be allowed. Open containers will be allowed 11 a.m. – 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday. 

 

The National Society of Leadership Success

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The National Society of Leadership & Success (NSLS)

The National Society of Leadership & Success is coming back to campus bigger and stronger than ever before on campus. It is still the largest organization on campus and the chapter still plans to outgrow themselves each semester.

 In addition to honorable distinction, the NSLS provides a step-by-step program for members to build their leadership skills through participation at their campus or online. Upon completion of the program, members receive their leadership certificate and take their place among the top student leaders at their campus and across the country. Members are able to list their affiliation on all statements of personal accomplishment, including their resume.  

Membership is for life and provides access to benefits including scholarships and awards, exclusive on-campus events, employer recruitment through an online job bank, and discounts on computers, textbooks, grad school prep courses, insurance and much more. Once you have paid your registration fee, you are considered a member (also known as pre-inducted member) with access to certain benefits. In order to become an inducted member, you must complete the following steps: 

  1. Orientation: the first meeting that occurs each semester and will give you access to all the information you need about the program in order to successfully complete the steps for induction as a member.
  2. Leadership Training Day: an interactive video training session with a workbook designed to help you identify and overcome any obstacles that may interfere with obtaining your goals. This introspective seminar helps you to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and lastly to shift your focus toward your real passions. 
  3. Three speaker broadcast events: you will watch some of the world’s most successful motivational speakers discussing topics related to leadership, identifying goals, facing challenges, personal growth, and successfully transitioning from college to career.
  4. Three Success Networking Team meetings: bring together groups of students that work together and provide peer coaching on achieving goals. You can discuss goals, desires and expectations, set timelines and hold each other accountable for achieving what you want. The Success Networking Team provides members with a support network of like-minded goal-oriented students on campus.

Once you complete these steps, you will be invited to an induction ceremony where you will receive your membership kit.

The NSLS Chapter at Texas A&M University-Texarkana currently has 324 members in total. However, the chapter expects a significant jump in that number over the next month. The chapter sent out 618 invitations this past Friday, September 6th and so far, the chapter has already 11 joins in just 3 days! Members who received an invitation have until October 3rd, 2019 to accept the invitations.  Just next month, Emily Page, Bethany Melton, and Philip Derouen to attend a conference in Houston Texas to bring back more ideas from chapters nationwide right back to Texas A&M University-Texarkana! Emily Page and Bethany Melton were two of the first inducted members on campus since the chapter started in 2018 and they both moved up to serve on the Executive Board. It will Emily’s first semester to serve on the Executive Board and she could not be more excited! “I’m so happy I said yes and I don’t regret the decision at all! I’m beyond happy and thankful to work alongside both of y’all” Emily stated. as she is getting prepared for the conference in Houston.

The NSLS is the nation’s largest leadership honor society. Students are selected by their college for membership based on either academic standing or leadership potential. Candidacy is a nationally recognized achievement of honorable distinction. 

 

Can I Have My Class Ring, Now?

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As I finish up my junior year here at Texas A&M University- Texarkana I have been counting down the days until my ring ceremony where I will receive my own class ring. While counting down the days I have also been finishing finals… i.e.: this blog post. As I sat to write about something, anything, I couldn’t stop thinking about class rings and how differently our small campus celebrates the tradition vs. the TAMU- College Station campus. I decided to investigate TAMUT traditions and why the campuses celebrate so differently.

My grandfather, both my parents, and all three of my older siblings graduated from TAMU. When my parents attended TAMU, class of ’84 and ’85, class rings weren’t a big deal but they ordered them anyways. Proof they attended “the best university in the world.” By the time my older siblings ordered their ring, class of ’11, ’15, and ’16, Aggie Ring Day had become a weekend long event with family reunions and parties. However, TAMUT holds a small ring ceremony the day before graduation with little to no celebration outside of the ceremony. What’s different from TAMU and TAMUT class rings, why does one student body seem to value and celebrate their class ring so much more than the other?

Quickly after I began my research, I found my answer. TAMUT doesn’t value the class ring any less, but it is such a small and young campus it hasn’t had time to form traditions around the milestone. We have a little over 2,000 undergrads and only 60-80 rings are purchased per year at our small campus. However, TAMU has over 53,000 undergrads and about 94% of those students order a class ring (Whitlock, 2018).

While I was investigating ring traditions I saw a quote from the executive director of alumni relations at Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi, Russel Wagon, regarding class rings; “of course it symbolizes achievement in education, but it means a little something different to everyone” (Whitlock, 2018). I was stunned at this comment for a second, how could a class ring mean something other than when and where you graduated? Then, another second went by and I completely understood. For as long as I can remember I’ve looked at my parent’s hands and seen an antiqued gold ring on their right hand; as I got older my siblings earned their identical rings one by one. I wanted one. Well, tomorrow, May 16th, I’ll get my own ring. Mine is a little different than my family members and there won’t be a weekend long celebration like there would be in College Station, but it doesn’t have any less value. In fact, mine will probably be prettier.

Curfew on the Courtyard

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When you think about college one of the first things that comes to mind is freedom. Freedom to make your own decisions and do what you want to do. So it’s pretty safe to say that a curfew is not what most people think of when they consider college. However, a curfew is exactly what Bringle Lake Village residents got when a new policy started being enforced on the courtyard at the dorms.

As of September 9, 2019, an existing policy stating that the courtyard and volleyball court would close at 10:00 p.m. started being enforced  For the past few years, the courtyard and volleyball court remained open 24 hours a day, so when the news of a curfew on the courtyard spread through the dorms, it seemed as though the world was ending for most residents.

One of the most common complaint from students is that “It wasn’t like this last year”. When asked about the sudden enforcement of the rules, Residence Life Coordinator Cali DiOrio – Saye said, “The rule has been there for years and no one has enforced it or made an effort to change it. We are just enforcing the rules.” Page eight of the Bringle Lake Village Housing Guide, on the school website, states “The courtyard and amenities are available for student use between the hours of 9 a.m.-10 p.m. daily in accordance with quiet hours. Please see the Pool Rules for other guidelines.”

The rule may seem like a nuisance for some residents, but the only way the rule is going to change is if they make an effort to change it. “Every student has a voice and every voice matters. A lot of our peers were disappointed in a decision that resulted in the closing of Bringle Lake Village’s Courtyard and its amenities by 10 p.m.,” said Student Government Association President Jarrell Lawrence. “Student Government Association and Residence Hall Association were created in order to have a direct line from student voices to the administration. It is vital that we remember times change and generations change. Every incoming class is different, and we believe that all decisions in our university should be made with the intent to enhance the student experience, while preparing us for the real world.”

Until students actively try to make a change, the rules are going to stay the way they have always been. If you want to make a change, contact a member of the Student Government Association or the Residence Hall Association and see what you can do to help.

Cowboys Hit a Speed Bump in NOLA

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Football season is here and every team is fighting for one thing, to be the best. Battling heat through constant practices everyday can be tough, but that is what makes players perform on the highest levels. At first, the Dallas Cowboys were running over teams like nothing I have ever seen. 

The Cowboys have been a big name in football not only in the United States but also worldwide. Top name players such as Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin turned the franchise into something special by winning three Super Bowls together. That winning mentality has seemingly carried all the way to the current season. The team is focusing and working together, which definitely is paying off.

Their perfect form started slowing against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday the 22nd. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was on fire in the first two games but was trying to find his feet in this one. The Dolphins definitely came to play. As the team itself reported, Dak said that greed led to a slow first half. “One of those heat checks or whatever you call it, just trying to do too much in the first half.” The team finally kicked it in after halftime and ended up winning the game thirty-one to six.

On Sunday, September 29th, the Cowboys headed to New Orleans to face a very good Saints team. As I watched the game, I was very stressed out, but excited because of the constant battle on the field. The game kept going back and forth all night, but it ended up being the Saints that came out with the win. After the game, the quarterback Dak Prescott said that the outcome will help them come back better.

The Cowboys have gotten a lot of attention lately with the new contract made with Ezekiel Elliott. Troy Aikman, the former Cowboys quarterback, recently weighed in on the deal made with Elliott and what he thinks about the current team. Aikman said he thought the deal the Cowboys made with Zeke Elliott shows how much trust they have in him as a player to get the job done. Anyone that knows Jerry Jones knows that he is aiming for another Super Bowl title. “There is a great deal of pressure, there always is, but the expectation right now for this team is as high as I’ve seen in quite some time,” Aikman told the Dallas Morning News. “Can they meet those expectations and make it all the way to the Super Bowl? Time will tell.”

ESPN has ranked the Cowboys as one of the best in the league this year. According to Bill Barnwell of ESPN, the Cowboys should make an incredible shift to the top in the rankings by his examination of skill position groups.

 

Seek Out This Book (review)

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Looking for a great book to read? Try Hide and Seek, a book of romantic suspense full of adventure, mystery and, at times, comedy. The book is the eighth in the “Sisterhood” series by Fern Michaels but can stand on its own without the rest of the books. If you love reading about women’s power and sweet revenge, I recommend reading this book.

The Sisterhood is a group of seven women who have an unbreakable bond with each other and seek justice for those who think they are above the law. Time and time again, they are tested with courage, loyalty, and a talent for disguises to help their friends in need of what is right.

In Hide and Seek, the seven women are on the run as fugitives of the law, particularly from Mitch Riley, an assistant director of the FBI. Convinced that Judge Cornelia “Nellie” Easter, Attorney Lizzie Fox, and District Attorney Jack Emery were involved in the Sisterhood evading prison, he is set on taking them down any way he can to save his job and reputation.

The Sisterhood has been hiding in the mountains of Spain until they hear their friends need help. Their mission? To do what they must do, even if it means breaking a few laws and sacrificing their freedom for justice for their friends. They face several challenges along the way, both for their friends and for themselves.

This book will fill you with suspense with every turn of the page to find out what the women do next. This book is a mystery thriller that is empowering for women. The next time you find yourself in need of a good read, get Hide and Seek by Fern Michaels. You will not be disappointed.

Bingeworthy October Netflix Shows

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Insatiable 

Insatiable follows the story of Patty Bladell, played by Debby Ryan, as she gets revenge on those who mocked her for being overweight. After a violent altercation with a homeless man, Patty spends her summer vacation in the hospital consuming a liquid diet. After Patty recovers, and now thin as a result of her hospital day, she meets lawyer and disgraced pageant coach Bob Armstrong. Bob takes Patty under his wing and introduces her to the world of pageants. 

What follows is a season full of revenge, deceit, and betrayal by every single character on the show. Although Patty more often than not is a catalyst and throws fuel on whatever fire is happening, her neighbors, classmates, and friends need no help to be conniving when their sites on set on a goal. 

Each episode of Insatiable features revenge that pushes that bar just a bit further than the last, all culminating in a very surprising ending. For all the drama that fills each episodes approximately 40 minute runtime, the show’s writers seem “in on the joke.” Insatiable effortlessly alternates between what sometimes feels like overdramatic plotlines and comedic scenes in a way that leaves the viewer wanting more after the credits roll. After the 12th episode and season finale is rolling credits, fans won’t have to wait long for a new season. Netflix is premiering season 2 of Insatiable next week on October 11. 

Peaky Blinders

Peaky Blinders is a five season British crime drama originally released in 2013. Set in Britain post World War I, the show follows Tommy Shelby in his efforts to raise his family’s status from two-bit criminals to a feared, highly successful criminal enterprise. 

Fans of Boardwalk Empire will feel right at home with Peaky Blinders. The show features a mix of action, character developments, cliff-hangers, and intrigue. It’s also important to note that the show is extremely graphic in both language and violence, with portrayals of sexual assault, along with copious drug use. Some viewers should stay away. 

Netflix users won’t have to wait long to catch the newest season of Peaky Blinders, the show releases on platform this week on Friday, October 4th. 

You can watch the season five trailer for the show below: 

 

Breaking Writer’s Block

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Do you ever find yourself stuck while trying to write an essay or research paper for class?
Maybe you are trying to write a poem or a story and find yourself stumped? You could be
experiencing what is known as “writer’s block”. This term is usually associated with authors of fiction or non-fiction books, but it can happen to anyone.

Whether dumbfounded at the beginning, middle, or end of your paper, writer’s block is not a fun ordeal. You experience frustration and anxiety while trying to get through your assignment. Writer’s block happens to all of us at one time or another. As a writer and student, I have experienced writer’s block many times over the years of writing my stories and academic papers, and I have some tips on how I have overcome it.

To start with, keep writing. Even if it is a bunch of nonsense words, keep writing. You
can start by writing a list of the things you already know about the topic you will be writing
about.

Continue by asking yourself the 5 Ws and How questions. Your answers do not have to
be complete sentences, just write what comes to mind while asking yourself the questions. For example, you are writing a paper about Mark Twain, ask who is Mark Twain, what did he do, when did he begin writing? Where did he work? Why do we still read his works? Continue asking yourself as many questions as needed to get the information you need for your paper.

Once you have made your list, take what you wrote and make short sentences. When you
have written everything from your list, read it out loud. Does it make sense to you in the
direction you want to go? Keep in mind that you are not looking for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, or complete sentences. You just want enough information you can apply to completed sentences and paragraphs.

When satisfied you have enough information about your topic, walk away. Yes,
walking away from your paper for thirty minutes to an hour will help your brain acquire more ideas to apply to your paper. This works for me and Owl Purdue Writing Lab suggests doing the same thing on their website.

Now that you have rested your brain, go back to your paper and reread what you wrote.
This is the time to make complete sentences and apply those sentences to paragraphs. After you have typed or written one page, stop. Reread what you have written. Add or delete any sentences that you need to that pertain to your topic.

By now you should have lots of ideas for your paper. Continue writing, rereading, and
adding sentences to your paper. Remember grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting comes last. You just want to get all your ideas on paper right now.

The last step is to put all your completed paragraphs in the correct format. Start with the
most important idea of your topic first then finish with the least important idea. Now you are ready to edit your paper for grammar, spelling, and punctuations. Before you know it, your paper is complete.

Behind The Curtain at TexRep

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If you’re anything like me, you have always enjoyed seeing how things work. It isn’t enough just to see the outside of things, you need to crack them open and see the moving parts. You like finding out what makes things tick. It is the desire to satisfy this curiosity that lead me to discover one of my favorite activities: working backstage on theatrical productions. I have been working with the Texarkana Repertory Company (TexRep) for five years, which is where I discovered my love of working backstage crew.

While I enjoy working in the lighting booth, my favorite crew position is that of Stage Manager. Maybe you have heard that term before, and maybe you haven’t. Essentially, a Stage Manager is the person in charge of everything that happens backstage. A Stage Manager has many responsibilities. This includes, but is not limited to, assisting the director, keeping time, running book (keeping up in the script, making sure that the actors are saying their lines correctly and giving them lines if they need them), moving set pieces and scenery, setting props, helping actors with quick costume changes, directing other stage crew members, and more. In a nutshell, your job is to ensure that the play runs as smoothly as possible. This is both very exciting and slightly nerve-wracking.

As a Stage Manager, you need to be patient, proficient at taking and giving directions, good at listening and communicating, and polite yet firm. You also need good time management and organizational skills, and you mustn’t be easily distracted or frustrated. Besides those skills, you will need actual tools to help you be successful. I have found that it is very helpful to make checklists, and check everything on those lists at least twice. I also make myself a Stage Manager’s kit for every show. This may include bandages, pain medication, multiple small flashlights, cough drops, mints, breath freshening strips, a lint roller, tissues, writing utensils, Post-It notes, and anything else that I think might be useful to myself or my actors. If I had to offer advice, I would say that making sure your actors and fellow crew members like and respect you is key. Nobody wants to be stuck backstage with someone they cannot stand. Though it is a theatrical production, it is best that there is very little drama involved. In the words of creative director Michael Cooper, “Keep the drama on the stage”.

If you are not interested in Stage Managment, there are plenty of other volunteer opportunities available. TexRep is always looking for lighting or sound board operators, stage crew, ushers for performances, and people who are interested in set construction. If you would prefer to be on stage, auditions are always open to everyone (within the casting requirements for the play). Experience in these areas is welcome, but generally not required.

Some people might say that peeking behind the curtain ruins the magic, but to me, it only heightens it. Not only do you get to see the play as the audience sees it, you also get to see everything that they can’t. It’s like watching a live behind-the-scenes featurette and gag reel unfold in front of you. I also enjoy being a part of every step of the theatrical process. It is incredibly satisfying to see a show go off without a hitch, or see the actors nail a scene they had trouble with at the beginning. There’s no greater feeling than a job well done. I would highly recommend this activity to anyone, but especially to those who have an interest in theatre.

For more information on our season or volunteer opportunities, please visit TexRep online or on Facebook. You can also follow us on Instagram.

As set designer Chris Polson always says, “See you at the theatre!”

Slippery Slope to Purgatory

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Do you ever want a boost of adrenaline and an urge to try something new? I can tell you that snow skiing is worth a try. Who doesn’t want to put their feet in a pair of ski boots and rush down a snowy mountain? I don’t think there is anything better than that. Snow skiing may seem simple to some people, but there is actually a lot to learn and keep in mind before going down the slopes.

I went snow skiing for the very first time in March 2019 and, man, it was so much fun! Since I had never been before, my two older siblings did not let the opportunity slip away for me. The three of us and my brother-in-law packed our bags and made the trip to Durango, Colorado to meet up with our uncle and his best friend. Durango is a popular town in Colorado because Purgatory Ski Resort is right up the road.

Purgatory is a smaller resort with less runs and slopes, but since it was Spring Break for some schools, it was packed. I have never seen so many people on a small mountain in my life. The resort has condos that people can rent out for however many days they want to stay. The condo that we stayed in was very neat and old-timey. We cooked out and relaxed in our condo when we weren’t on the slopes. The majority of our time was spent trying to master skiing. My sister, brother-in-law, and I all spent the first full day in lessons and on the bunny slope.

At the beginning of the lesson, I was struggling to get the hang of it. I wanted to give up and just go to the condo, but I knew better than to give up. The second day, I was in lessons half a day then practiced on my own. On the third day, I went up the lift with my brother and uncle and they turned into my instructors. We started on a green run, which is the least difficult. I was skiing along and noticed that I was doing tremendously better than on the bunny slope.

As my confidence was building, they decided to take me on a blue run, which is a step-up from a green. Once again, I went down with some ease and a few crashes along the way, but felt good about it. At the end of the day, I was skiing all over the mountain and having a blast. After we left and got on the plane, I was already wanting to go back. I knew at that moment that I had found my new and exciting hobby. Purgatory will always have a special place in my heart.