Mock Opinion Story: Texas State should remain a smoke-free campus

Cigarette butts found outside Derrick Hall at Texas State University

Story & Photo by: Alyson Svec

The choice to make the campus smoke-free was a smart idea.

According to an August 1 university policy and procedure statement (UPPS), Texas State is committed to a healthy and safe campus, so all tobacco products were banned on campus.

When students are walking to class or cramming in time to eat before their next class, they can do so in a cleaner environment.

The smoking ban provides the campus with less polluted air for students and the staff to breathe better. Non-smokers typically prefer to not smell cigarette smoke when walking to class.

Kara Stewart, management major, thinks the smoking ban on campus is a good idea.

“A majority of students don’t smoke and shouldn’t be subjected to second hand smoke," Stewart said. "Also, the ban might encourage those students who do smoke to quit, which would be beneficial to their health.”

According to the studies by the American Cancer Society, secondhand smoke has been linked to cancer and is more harmful for non-smokers. In the study, tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, 250 of those which are known to be harmful and 69 to cause cancer.

Students who do not smoke should not have to be more at risk for just trying to get around campus in peace. The ban allows student smokers to find another way to deal with stress if they choose to abide with the rules.

There are steps to take if a student is caught smoking on campus or violating the tobacco policy. According to UPPS on the tobacco ban, there are repercussions for not following the policy including informing the person the university prohibits tobacco products and if they refuse to stop, the student should report this violation to an authority on campus, such as University Police.

Enforcement needs to be stepped up though. Students are not taking the smoking ban seriously because few have been written up for being caught on campus, so they will continue to find hidden areas to smoke. It is easier not to abide by the rules when they are not enforced strongly.

With the ash trays removed on campus, cigarette butts have just been thrown on the ground anywhere, which is not helping the ideal standing of the university. They should leave them because now we have a littering problem!

While some smokers believe their rights have been taken away from them, they should realize they are still free to smoke whenever and wherever they please off campus.

Students should drop their lighters and ash their cigarettes when they arrive on campus. If more students embraced the tobacco-free policy, we would have a much healthier campus.

Veteran’s Adjust from the Battlefield to the Classroom

Troops return home to reunite with family. Photo by: Hungeree.com

Story by: Alyson Svec

One of the choices veterans face after returning home from the battlefield is to attend school and get a higher education.

Veteran’s lives change after serving in the military. While trying to return to their daily routines and reunite with friends and family, they still face many difficulties, especially when it is adjusting to school.

Tess Banko, former Marine, felt scared when she began college. She learned quickly what the military expected of her and developed routines, but school was different.

“By comparison, college life was unpredictable and unnerving. Each professor had different expectations that sometimes changed over the course of a semester” (9).

Parker Ormsby decided to join the Army after high school. He is now attending his first semester at Texas State. In the beginning, Ormsby had difficult experiences because of the mental state he was in.

“Adjusting is easy, it’s just a motivation thing to me,” said Ormsby. “For me, I did not fit in well at all with people at school.”

It is difficult for him to find common topics to discuss with other students because of their age differences. He noticed people grow and mature quicker in the military. Nothing bothers him anymore because he has been in the worst situations from serving in the Army. When he hears students complain in class over small issues, he knows they will never understand what he went through.

Robert B. Ellen retired from the Air Force in 2011 after 20 years of service. Currently studying Computer Science at Texas State, he feels like going to college was the right choice.

“I would have been an idiot if I wouldn’t have gone to college,” said Ellen. “I think what kept me in line was the military structure, because I listed straight out of college.”

Ellen noticed different teaching styles from what he learned in the military and at school. In the military he was taught information in order, but in school, teachers jump to different areas of study. This change has been stressful to him.

“I have to try to knock out a paper around one to two in the morning and I’m not used to that,” said Ellen.

He sets time aside from homework so he can sleep. He drinks coffee to stay awake. Since he lives an hour away from campus, he does not have extra time for school activities. Instead, he goes to church and spends time with his family.

“In the military, you learn to adapt, overcome and improve whatever needs to be done.”

Michael Flinn, former member of the Marine Corps, works, attends school full-time and is a father.

“For me going back to school is both a blessing and a curse,” said Flinn.

After serving in 2005, Flinn discovered he had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He gets paranoid in large classrooms with more than 300 students. In smaller classes, he can relax.

Murel Miller, veterans certifying assistant, deals with students with PTSD daily.

“I recognize symptoms and I’ve got some students that I’ll do some things for those I don’t do for others. We make sure we don’t push the limits. You try to make their lives the best you can.”

Flinn missed the structure of school because it is laid out black and white. After serving, he knew exactly what he wanted to study in college.

“For us, we were in the military so it’s a completely different situation,” said Flinn. “We know now what we want to do unlike other college students. It’s a huge disconnection.”

Although he likes to stay invisible during class, he plays paintball with two veterans in his class in his free time.

Veterans believe dealing with difficulties in school is worth it because they obtain a higher education in the end.

Showplace Reels in the Entertainment

Story & Photo by: Alyson Svec

Students at Texas State can go to Showplace and watch cheap movies near the Square if they missed a new release or are looking for something fun to do.

Showplace has been in business since the seventies and is the oldest theater still running in San Marcos.

Movie tickets are normally $1.50 during the week. Friday and Saturday prices are $2, and Tuesday is the cheapest day at 50 cents.

Hope Shimek, 21-year-old geography major, believes Showplace is a great place to watch movies at a discounted price.

“The theater room is just as dark, if not darker than a regularly priced theater and you still have the big screen, Surround Sound and most everything else the regular theater provides,” Shimek said.

Showplace is one of the only movie theaters that has not gone digital, unlike what most movie theaters are turning to.

Victoria Joy, general manager at Showplace for three years, said she likes how unique the theater is.

“I definitely like that we are still showing movies with actual reels instead of digital films,” Joy said. “Showplace has been around for a while, so tradition is a good thing.”

Movies are split into six or seven miniature reels that weigh between 30 to 40 pounds and build up into one full-length movie. The theater also uses flat screen projectors, rather than flat or scope screens.

Tuesday is the busiest day for Showplace, which is when many college students go. Up to 200 hundred people attend daily, including a few regulars.

“I had absolutely no money after I graduated from college, so I went there to do something cheap and fun,” Joy said.

Slowest days are on Monday’s and during the holidays when fewer than fifty people attend. It is also less busy during the fourth week when a movie will be shown for the last time.

Showplace gets at least one new movie a week, depending how popular it is in regular priced theaters. The “Twilight” series, for example, took three months to show. After a month or two, the theater changes what is showing and receives new movies.

Three separate theaters that show three to four movies at a time during the year. The front theaters are old, smaller and have fewer seats. The sound quality is decent, but not like a regular priced movie theater like Starplex.

“I would rather see a movie here then rent one though,” said Joy.

Shimek rarely goes to the movies, so she always looks what is playing at Showplace first.

“I enjoy that it is never really crowded, and I feel comfortable talking in a normal voice rather than softly when I am waiting for the movie to start,” Shimek said. “Cost is definitely a plus being a college student and the food tastes just like any other regularly priced theater.”

Concession prices are cheaper. A small drink at Starplex is $4, and at Showplace it’s $1.50 to $2 cheaper.

Aaron Davenport has been working at Showplace for a year and says it is a nice work environment.

“It’s a real relaxing job most of the time and a great place for a college student to get school work done since there’s hardly anyone here,” Davenport said.

There are also advantages to working at Showplace.

“We get to watch movies for free and are able to get our friends in free also,” Davenport said. “We got limited passes to see movies at Starplex and we can eat as much free popcorn we want.”

A future change for Showplace may include renovation into an Alamo Draft House where adults can eat and drink while watching movies.

“I don’t think they will do anything with it soon, but in five to ten years I believe they will,” Joy said. “They will need a big investment to pull through.”

For now, Showplace remains a popular and convenient spot for students to watch low-priced movies during their free time.

KTSW Blows Out Bookstore

Story by: Alyson Svec

Students can participate in a blowout before classes begin for the long semester.

Bookstore Blowout includes live music from local, acoustic bands along with free giveaways including CDs, shirts, posters, artist memorabilia and tickets for upcoming shows from KTSW, Texas State’s campus radio station.

Daniel Hughes, 27-year-old promotions director at KTSW, is in charge of managing this event.
“It gives you something to do and it provides entertainment for free,” Hughes said.

Bookstore Blowout is held all day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the first week during the long semesters and reaches between 2,000 to 5,000 people.

Lauren Mahoney, 19-year-old assistant music director at KTSW has been working the event for a couple years. She helped distribute giveaways and promote upcoming events to students.

“I loved the expression on students’ faces that seemed to scream, ‘Free stuff? Really? Wow, what a change of pace,’” Mahoney said. “Everybody seemed so appreciative of getting free CDs, posters, and other giveaways. I also enjoyed being able to recommend various CDs to people and expose them to new music.”

Previous musicians that performed at the University Bookstore during this event include: Joe Rice, David Booth, Victor Holk, Betsy Phillips and Colin Coby.

Each semester, different musicians come to entertain students as they do some last-minute shopping on books and supplies.

“I get so much joy discovering new music and all of the giveaways at the Bookstore Blowout are absolutely free,” Mahoney said. “It also helps the time go by faster when waiting in the huge long lines while buying books. Not to mention, listening to various artists performing in-store is always a great and somewhat positively unusual experience.”

Jessica Montez, 22-year-old advertising student, attended the Bookstore Blowout for the first time and said it was better than she expected.

“I got a few free CDs and other stuff. From what I recall it seemed like a lot of people waited to get their books then and people were buying a lot more things,” said Montez. “There were also a lot of people advertising things and giving away free samples. Overall, it was a good experience.”

Waterloo Records provided KTSW with hundreds of giveaways this spring.

The Bookstore Blowout is supported by the Texas Music Theater in San Marcos, a venue for Texas bands of all kinds, local and regional artists, to provide shows for the public.

“Because we are a non-profit organization, such contributions hold such significance to us,” Mahoney said.

Dan Schumacher, KTSW general manager, advises the Bookstore Blowout and other events the radio station hosts.

“A lot of my work has to deal with contracts and payments. The students are the ones who take care of everything, and they bounce ideas off me. They put a lot of effort into this program,” Schumacher said.

KTSW’s promotional efforts and funds from the Bookstore Blowout go to the station’s annual spring music festival, MR. Fest.