EXPRESSIONS
- Career Library offers tools for undecided students Alissa LaGesse
- Too cool for school: Technology to upgrade your image Laurel Wright
- 'Balls of Fury' a fast paced, mindless comedy Robert Orndoff
- Veteran Ospreys offer guidance to students Laurel Wright
- Greek Life a fit for some, not all Holli Welch
- Osprey Fencing Club sharpens skills Robert Orndoff
- Oddball Antics Mike Pinree
Career Library offers tools for undecided students
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Every freshman has faced the question "What is your major?" at least once upon entering college.
Yet many still don't know how
to answer.
From communications to engineering, there are many directions to head toward when it comes to choosing a course of study and a future career.
There is hope, though, for the undecided student.
Taking advantage of the many resources at the University of North Florida is key to getting information about what each
major entails.
"Start with the Academic Center of Excellence," said Martin Edwards, director of the UNF
Pre-Law Program. "They are
the experts."
Another on-campus resource is the Career Library.
Career counselors offer advice and analysis tests, including the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
The analysis tests help students identify their interests, personality traits, skills, and abilities.
"Interest leads the way,"
said Paula Michael Dass, a
career counselor.
Identifying the importance of personal values, salary, working with people, and other characteristics in a career is important in narrowing down choices, Michael Dass said.
Events such as the Explore-A-Major Fair give information as well as different views on the colleges and majors at UNF.
The event will take place April 1, 2008, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on
the Green.
The Career Library can
also be a resource for students who are almost sure about
their major.
Sometimes talking with a counselor and getting firsthand accounts about the different aspects of a career is the final step that students need to be sure about what they have chosen.
"Only about 15 to 20 percent of students that visit the Career Library end up taking our career tests," Michael Dass said. "Most students just need an adviser for information."
Edwards said it's important to pick a major of interest to you, rather than one recommended
by others.
"Keep in mind that many students change majors," he
said. "Talk to people in the
career fields that interest you, like the department chair
and professors."
Choosing a major takes extensive thought as well as a commitment to work, motivation, and research, Michael Dass said.
The process is extensive," she said. "You can't just walk in and walk out with the perfect major."
Edwards said taking courses that seem interesting is a good way to explore interests. It is important, he said, to choose wisely.
"Don't use electives up frivolously in your freshman year," he said.
"Don't just take courses because they seem easy or fun, because you are going to need to explore those electives as an upperclassman."
Edwards also said talking with upperclassmen is another good way for students to get a feel for the rigor of certain courses.
Upperclassmen have experienced what courses in certain majors are like, and can give useful insight.
"Network with the upperclassmen," he said. "They have been there, done that."
Edwards said although there are abundant resources available to students wondering what to study, it's up to the individuals to take advantage of them.
"UNF prides itself on its
open-door policy," Edwards said.
"Faculty members enjoy meeting with students, but it's really the students' responsibility to find the resources that
they need."
Contact Alissa LaGesse at features@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Too cool for school: Technology to upgrade your image
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Quik Pod: $24.95 So it may look funny, but who cares? At least you'll be in some pictures this year. The Quik Pod attaches to digital cameras and allows users to extend the camera past the usual arm's length. A mirror on the end gives a chance for alignment, and viola - no more close-up pictures of half a face! |
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Oakley Radar: $155 These sunglasses not only look tough, they are tough. The lenses are anti-everything, protecting from smudges and cloudiness, and the rubber on the nose and temple areas gets sticky when damp to prevent slippage during activities. |
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Myvu video goggles: $299.95 This lightweight eyewear with built-in video screens, headphones and battery pack is good for eight hours of video viewing time. The goggles connect to iPods, giving users portable video that can be brought almost anywhere. |
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OtterBox: $129.95 Think of the OtterBox as a swimsuit for your favorite electronics. The box comes in various sizes that can fit phones, iPods and other gadgets, protecting them from water, dust and bumps while allowing access to the keypad and buttons. |
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SwiMP3 v2: $199 Who knew bones could bust a beat? Well, not exactly, but with the SwiMP3 it's pretty darn close. The MP3 player clips on to goggles and uses bones in the skull to conduct music underwater. It has a rechargeable battery and provides about four hours of music. |
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Timberland Treeline Wapack: $155 This backpack/carry-on has enough space for any weeklong vacation or books for a day of class. The pack has built-in handles, wheels, shoulder straps and a detachable daypack. A padded panel protects your rear while carrying the pack in backpack mode. |
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Apple iPhone: $499-$599 It was hard to miss the iPhone's appearance this summer, but in case you missed it: The iPhone does it all. The phone gets service through AT&T, but that's just the start: It also has Internet, e-mail, music and movies with controls similar to an iPod. |
Contact Laurel Wright at features@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
'Balls of Fury' a fast paced, mindless comedy
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Randy Daytona (Dan Fogler) battles for pingpong bragging rights against inhaler dependent champion "Hammer" (Patton Oswalt). |
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Good: Every character is eccentric enough to have something strange or funny to say. |
Pingpong is a fast sport. Sometimes the only way to enjoy it is to ignore the rapidly flying balls and focus on the players' reactions to one another.
So it is with the movie,
"Balls of Fury."
The story focuses on a has-been world champion pingpong player named Randy Daytona who lost his fame and his father after a spectacular loss to a unitard wearing East German pro
in 1988.
Randy seeks to regain his lost dignity as well as revenge through the seedy world of underground table tennis.
This story moves so fast that characters' actions often seem arbitrary.
At one point, a trainer goes from teaching three students to fighting them - for no
apparent reason.
Later, Randy's love interest goes from hating him to wrapping her legs around his waist in about half a scene.
Toward the end, Randy is forced to play first his old rival, then his coach, then he is ordered to be killed, all before he can finish either of the two matches.
It is often difficult to keep up with this kind of movie and it is best enjoyed when focusing on
the characters.
There are plenty of them, too.
Randy is aided by a second-rate FBI agent played by George Lopez, an abrasive yet sage-like pingpong master, and a sexy hands-on coach who happens to be the master's daughter.
The German champion who defeated Randy is played by Thomas Lennon (Lt. Dangle from "Reno 911"), and the man who runs the underground tournaments along with an illegal arms trade is played by none other than Christopher Walken.
The movie also features several colorful background characters that Randy encounters on his way to the top of the tournament such as the feared Chinatown champion, the Dragon, an elementary school aged girl who wears a "Dora the
Explorer," T-shirt.
Watching these strange and ridiculous characters interact is what makes this movie funny
and watch-able.
A lot of the comedy comes just from players trash talking each other with lines like, "Tell your grandmother to bring the car around," and "Tell your dead parents I said 'What's up?'" being uttered by full-grown adults to other full-grown adults.
Though the movie isn't a funny quote factory like "Anchorman," or "The 40 Year Old Virgin," it does have some very amusing stand alone lines.
"Balls of Fury," borrows heavily from the Bruce Lee classic, "Enter the Dragon," everything from Randy's entering the tournament in order to get revenge, right down to the players spending the night with hand picked sex slaves - except that in "Balls of Fury," the players don't get quite what they expect.
When not parodying kung fu
movies, and characters are not insulting each other, the movie tries to rely on a series of go-to gags that involve either silly subtitles or blind people talking to the wrong person.
These gags are only half funny the first time, and never funny again no matter how many times they try to use it.
The only thing that really makes this movie worth watching are the characters and the things they say. These kinds of movies always go better with popcorn and would make a good Friday-night flick.
If a movie that makes some sense is more desired or a limited budget allows for only one comedy in the near future, there are funnier comedies in theatres right now.
Even a trip to the video store for a second viewing of "Dodgeball," might be a better choice.
Contact Robert Orndoff at features_staff@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Veteran Ospreys offer guidance to students
The start of the new University of North Florida school year brings about a plethora of experiences, some familiar and some not so familiar.
Almost every student manages to plow their way through the challenges associated with a new school year, but take it from students who have been there before: There are ways to make the year flow smoothly.
Professors
Making friends with professors is no longer just for
brown-nosers.
While most professors don't get buddy-buddy with their students, it still pays to build a relationship with the person who gives out
the grades.
Tyley Ulmer, a senior majoring in finance, recommends talking to professors after class, "because they tend to remember you and are more likely to help you out."
Dorms
The basics of dorm living are simple: Follow the rules, be nice to your roommates and neighbors, and have fun.
But problems often arise when trying to balance having fun and following the rules.
The best way to avoid problems is to be smart. It's a good idea to make friends with the resident assistant - while they can't let students get away with everything, they are more likely to give warnings to those they know instead of automatically writing them up.
Food
After spending so much money on everything school-related, food often seems like an afterthought - but it's still important. One good thing is that being in college often means free food. Keep an eye out for clubs or organizations offering free food during their meetings.
These groups welcome new people, and even if joining the club isn't likely, you still get the chance to check it out and meet new people.
Contact Laurel Wright at features@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Greek Life a fit for some, not all
To rush or not to rush - that is the question for University of North Florida freshman nursing major Anna DeWitt and many others like her, who must quickly decide if Greek Life is right for them.
DeWitt entered UNF after leaving a close-knit family behind: her high school basketball team.
Working, playing and growing together every day formed a bond that will last a long time, DeWitt said.
These are the same types of relationships she hopes to form with Greek Life.
"I thought it would be the best way to meet people," DeWitt said. "I expect to have fun while really getting to know the girls."
For junior Ashley Parker, a member of the Delta Gamma sorority, this is the perfect time to see what Greek Life is all about.
"Everyone thinks it's like the movies, like 'Animal House,' but that is not true," Parker said. "It's really just about a close group of friends."
Both Parker's mom and dad were involved in Greek Life when they were in college, and she was always expected to follow,
she said.
Junior English major B.J. Meadows was raised the same way.
Following his grandpa, dad and cousin, Meadows pledged to Kappa Sigma his
freshman year.
"I originally decided to rush because my dad really wanted me to, and I thought it would be a great way to make friends," Meadows said.
"I didn't really know what to expect, but I didn't like the atmosphere that Greek Life provided."
A deciding factor in Meadows' decision to drop the fraternity was that his grades were slipping as he focused on the fraternity, he said.
Parker, too, mentioned time and grades, but for her it was all positive.
"Yes, Greek Life takes a lot of time, but we have study programs that ensure that we spend time working on our classes," she said.
Sororities are required to schedule time and sign in at the library to study each week, she said.
The time spent is just part of the price to pay for junior Matt Blanchard, a member of Chi Phi, who agreed that it takes a lot of work.
"It is the greatest time that you'll never want to do again because it's a lot of work," Blanchard said.
"It's worth it, though."
"All in all, you'll have a hell of
a time."
Sorority recruitment ended Sept. 2, and fraternities began Sept. 4.
Contact Holli Welch at managing@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Osprey Fencing Club sharpens skills
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Ali Timmins hopes to teach other Ospreys this classic fencing lunge. |
Every year, new groups are added to the list of University of North Florida clubs. This year, one of the newest is the Osprey Fencing Club.
Fencing is a sport played by two fully protected opponents who score by touching specific points on thier opponents body with a foil.
The club's president, Ali Timmins, has been a competitive fencer in the United States as well as in China. The Spinnaker sat down with Timmins, an international relations major to find out what she has planned for the club's first year.
Spinnaker: How is fencing played?
Ali Timmins: There are two fencers who fence on a strip that is a long narrow boundary. There is a director who says when to fence and when to stop and who also helps determine who scored a touch, sort of like a referee. Modern fencing is scored electronically. There are wires in the blades and the fencer wears a wire inside the jacket which is connected to a scoring box. When a fencer hits the opponent it registers and that's how fencers tell when touches are scored.
S: How did the Osprey Fencing Club come about?
T: I started fencing about five years ago and I always wanted to pursue it as I went on to college. I moved to Fernandina beach a year ago and there was no fencing there but there was fencing in Jacksonville. It was too expensive, though, and way too far away. So when I came to UNF I started looking around on Facebook to see if there was anyone interested in getting a fencing club started. A few people answered me who were interested and we talked about starting a club. Using Facebook we managed to gain a lot of people who were interested and we got the club started.
S: What are the goals of the Osprey Fencing Club this year?
T: We are starting out with just a beginners' class for anybody who is interested in fencing. Then I am going to set up a beginner level competition with the Jacksonville Fencing Club. Towards the end of the year I am hoping to get some of the fencers who are interested into real fencing tournaments. There are tournaments all around Florida sponsored by the United States Fencing Association. It would be neat to see the fencing club eventually turn into a team for the university but that is far in the future.
S: What kind of equipment is necessary?
T: There is a lot of protective gear. A fencer wears a mask, a complete body suit, and a glove on the sword arm. The equipment can get expensive but we actually have quite a bit of equipment that was left over in storage from when UNF had a fencing club years ago. There is hundreds of dollars worth of fencing equipment that the club is going to get to use.
S: Is there a cost for people who want to join the Osprey Fencing Club?
T: To join the club is completely free. We do not have club dues as of right now because we want to encourage people just to try it out and also because the school had so much equipment already.
S: When will the Osprey Fencing Club be meeting?
T: Our club is going to start off meeting Thursday and Sunday evenings and depending on how it goes we may increase that or change it later on.
More information is available by emailing Ali Timmins at fencingmonkey2004@yahoo.com you can find the Osprey Fencing Club's group profile on Facebook.
The clubs first meeting will be Sept. 11 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Contact Robert Orndoff at features_staff@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Oddball Antics
Assualt with a friendly weapon
A man robbed a bookmaking establishment in Leicester, England, brandishing his girlfriend's vibrator as a weapon.
Look officer, I'm not with them, I swear
As a back-to-school prank, a college student stripped off his clothes and streaked through a park in Lodi, Calif. At that very moment, dozens of cops had converged on the park in pursuit of three car thieves who had abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot. Two of the criminals and the naked guy wound up hiding in the same back yard when the police descended on them.
So, you see, I'm actually a pedestrian now
Apparently unfamiliar with the laws regarding shoplifting, a woman who took some items from a Neiman Marcus in White Plains, N.Y. without paying screamed at a security guard who confronted her on the sidewalk, "It's too late, I already left the store!"
Uh, ok, no further questions
A woman, who worked as a forensic scientist for the state of Michigan, suspected that her husband was cheating on her, so she took a pair of his underwear to her lab and ran a DNA test herself. Asked at her divorce trial who the DNA belonged to, she replied, "Another female. It
wasn't me."
Come on Bob, stop kidding arou...whap!
During an armed robbery of a convenience store in Fort Gratiot Township, Mich., a customer, thinking the masked man was a friend of his playing a practical joke, playfully grabbed him. The robber hit him on the head with the gun and fled with the money.
Surprise!... Who the hell is she?
In a travel survey, people were asked, "What was the most unpleasant thing you found in a hotel room when you checked in?" The best answer: "My girlfriend ... while (I was) with someone else."
Ok honey I'm sorry! I really am!
An intoxicated 40-year-old woman got into an argument with her boyfriend in the driveway of their Florida home, which ended when she got into her car, hit him and drove off with him hanging onto the roof of the vehicle screaming for her to stop. Passers-by noticed this and informed the authorities.
On the bright side, we already have a coffin
To celebrate his 80th birthday, a man in Dorset, England, organized a fake "wake," inviting his friends to come and "eulogize" him. But the party had to be cancelled when he actually died.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE