Comets mosh at ‘Emo Nite’ Concert | November 1, 2021
Strings Attached, a student-run music club that started in December 2019 as a place for UTD’s hobbyist musicians to connect, has rapidly grown into a community that unites students from all sides of the music industry. Their largest performance of the semester to date, “Emo Nite,” is the product of several months of planning and […]
UTD Esports holds largest UTD Tailgate ever | November 1, 2021
The first-ever UTD Esports Tailgate was held Thursday, Oct. 21in the SU Green, bringing in over a thousand participants to the sponsored outdoor event, one of the largest tailgate events ever held at UTD. The tailgate celebrated Zach “grafetti” Rendulic’s victory in a summer Smash Ultimate tournament hosted by Brag House and sponsored by McDonald’s […]
Curious Comets Vol. 2: Why are there t-shirts in the Green Center atrium? | November 1, 2021
Green Center houses UTD’s Hobson Wildenthal Honors College – but to most Comets, it’s probably best known for the couple dozen t-shirts suspended above the building’s atrium. These curiosity-inducing shirts hang unapologetically from a web of wire clotheslines. It’s a striking visual, if a bit mystifying: the exhibit fulfills no discernable purpose, nor would the […]
Discrimination: one teacher’s tale | November 1, 2021
Racist! The word brands with a searing hiss. Despite the number of unapologetic bigots allowed to practice their hate, sometimes public branding is a painful enough experience to force the perpetrator of racial discrimination into the limelight. But what if the accuser is lying? The nightmarish events that haunted a UTD teaching assistant show how […]
The best and worst of esports today | November 1, 2021
Esports runs the largest tailgate at UTD Going off the front page, the team ran a massive tailgate event in the SU green, attracting at least 400 checked in Comets to get half a McDonald’s sandwich and a CokeZero to celebrate Zach “grafetti” Rendulic’s victory at the summer Brag House tournament. Digs at free food […]
Women’s Volleyball serves up wins to end the season | November 1, 2021
UTD Volleyball clinched the No. 2 seed in the American Southwest Conference postseason tournament with a three-match sweep of ETBU on Tuesday, Oct. 26. The team will use the remainder of their schedule to prepare for the postseason – beginning Thursday, Nov. 4 – where they hope to take on No. 1 seed Mary-Hardin Baylor […]
Lulu Miller’s expansive tale is a worth-whale read | November 1, 2021
David Starr Jordan discovered a fifth of the creatures we call “fish.” A full fifth. That’s thousands of specimens, years of painstaking work, all to better categorize the disorganized world we live in. Author Lulu Miller was, understandably, intrigued by one man’s determination to sort out nature’s chaos, and it’s that intrigue that makes this […]
‘DUNE’ showcases chalamet but doesn’t explain the spice | November 1, 2021
Even though Frank Herbert’s novel “Dune” is an iconic trailblazer in the sci-fi genre, the 2021 film adaptation featuring Timothée Chalamet struggled with proper world-building while focusing on the protagonist and cinematography. Despite being one of the first novels to popularize sci-fi, many people have struggled to comprehend the scope of the planet Arrakis, which […]
The rise of Korean culture around the globe | November 1, 2021
Although top Korean dramas like Squid Game are suddenly generating a lot of international attention for Korean entertainment, Korean culture and entertainment have permeated global media for several years, and top-charting Korean musicians in particular have been making an incredible impression on American media. The relationship between Korean entertainment fans and the quick spread of […]
‘Ava’s Demon’ is a standout webcomic | November 1, 2021
If you are looking for a comic that blends striking visuals and good storytelling with a uniquely digital format, you should read the webcomic “Ava’s Demon” by Michelle Czajkowski. It’s a particularly good pick-up for lovers of fantasy and sci-fi due to its interesting spin on the concepts of reincarnation and galactic warfare. At first, […]
Will ‘Uncharted’ be full of treasures or questions? | November 1, 2021
The first trailer of the Unchartedfilm, released recently by Sony Entertainment, was met with controversy surrounding its casting, timeline and possible competition that needs to be addressed to alleviate fan concerns. However, based on early promotions, the film appears to be an attempt at an original story closely mirroring many iconic moments in the franchise, […]
Recordings should be common in the modern classroom, regardless of modality | November 1, 2021
Wherever possible, recorded lectures should be made available as the latest tool that students can add to their study arsenals, not the latest excuse to miss lecture. Since UTD returned to in-person operations, some professors no longer record their lectures. While some professors see this as a return to normalcy, it only deprives students of […]
Ask Sophie: how to avoid student burnout | February 1, 2021
As college students, we are fixated on individual productivity, and we often equate our self-worth with academic success. Yet, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is pushing us to let go of our unrealistic expectations on productivity. Let’s be honest: last semester was a nightmare. The endless stream of eLearning notifications, Teams calls and Blackboard meetings kept […]
Switching up degrees takes a major plan | February 1, 2021
With increased student interest in exploratory major advising, two people familiar with the process share their advice for students who are considering changing their major. According to fall 2020 UTD enrollment statistics, out of 3,601 freshmen, only 92 were undeclared. But data from a study published by the US Department of Education shows that approximately […]
Beefing up a student business | February 1, 2021
For business administration and marketing junior Johnathon Jones, his beef jerky business – Jerky Jones – is more than just a side gig: it’s a connection to family and his place in the military community. Jones grew up with his father in the military, which meant frequent moves and substantial distance from extended family. When […]
Minecraft, blind dates, a relationship app – oh my! | February 1, 2021
This spring, a Minecraft server, a virtual blind date project and an app dedicated to friendship-forming are just three of the newest ways UTD students can stay connected amid the pandemic. Campus esports and the African Student Union are implementing new, experimental virtual projects intended to boost social interactivity this spring. Student Director of Esports […]
Testing Testing – for COVID-19 | February 1, 2021
As North Texas sees more than 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 per day in the DFW metroplex, the results of UTD’s proactive testing program are encouraging. Vice President and Chief of Staff Rafael Martín – head of the COVID-19 Task Force at UTD – said that while testing capabilities were limited last fall, the process […]
Springing into in-person events | February 1, 2021
UTD’s decision to relax restrictions on in-person gatherings this spring may influence some students’ choice to stay on campus. Vice President of Student Affairs Gene Fitch said that UTD is expecting more students on campus in the spring than there were in the fall. “We’re expecting 3,200,” Fitch said. “We’ve had several hundred that told […]
“We do not conduct campus celebrations of one of these state-mandated holidays: Confederate Heroes’ Day” | February 1, 2021
Confederate Heroes’ Day – a state-mandated holiday that is incorporated into UTD’s winter break – is not celebrated by the university in any way. Questions were raised after the Presidential Town Hall last June when University President Richard Benson was asked why UTD students and staff aren’t given a holiday on Juneteenth. Benson explained that […]
Comparing COVID vaccines | February 1, 2021
As the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines increase in distribution, possible side effects and storage obstacles raise potential concerns. On Dec. 11, 2020, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was approved and became the first vaccine administered to prevent COVID-19. Just seven days later, the U.S Food and Drug Administration approved the second vaccine, Moderna. According to the University […]
UTD works with UT Southwestern to vaccinate priority populations | February 1, 2021
Although UTD has not received COVID-19 vaccine doses from the state of Texas, the university and UT Southwestern Medical Clinic have been able to work together to vaccinate UTD employees that fall under Phase 1A and Phase 1B vaccine priority. According to the Texas Department of State Health, individuals prioritized by Phase 1A include healthcare […]
UTD Moot Court teams make nationals | February 1, 2021
For the first time in the club’s history, five of UTD’s Moot Court teams advanced to the American Moot Court National Competition this month. The three-day competition consisted of students from universities across the nation receiving a hypothetical case and using current U.S. case law to argue for one side or another. While the teams […]
Campus dining updates: what you need to know for spring 2021 | February 1, 2021
With fewer students living on campus than in a typical year, dining options have shifted. Approximately 5,000 students lived in on-campus housing last spring, said Director of Housing Operations and Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Matthew Grief. A year later – said Assistant Vice President for Residential Life Ryan White – this number nearly […]
Comet basketball teams start season strong | February 1, 2021
Early into their 2020-21 seasons, the UTD men’s and women’s basketball teams are entering the spring semester with several wins under their belts. With a current record of 7-2, the women’s team has seen a string of victories over long-time competitors. This includes their Jan. 7 victory against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders, who […]
Rocket League team finishes in championship quarterfinals | February 1, 2021
In UTD Esports’ second competitive “Rocket League” season, Comets finished in the quarterfinals of the Collegiate Rocket League championship on Jan. 7 after qualifying through a wildcard event. UTD’s “Rocket League” team made it to playoffs in the national qualifier then made a loser’s bracket run in the wildcard tournament to qualify for the CRL […]
Stability through civility | February 1, 2021
The Democratic Party, not just former President Donald Trump, bears much of the responsibility for the Capitol riot. Many politicians and the mainstream media may tell you otherwise, but that is not the case. It would be foolish to walk away from one of the most impactful events in recent history without pausing to consider […]
Bug Not a Feature: ‘Hades’ was robbed | February 1, 2021
“Hades” should have been 2020’s game of the year, not “The Last of Us Part II.” “Hades” is a unique take on the rogue-lite genre with a lot of heart and addicting gameplay, while “The Last of Us Part II” is yet another third-person action shooter that tries to question violence while keeping it as […]