Opinion Writing

          High Point University prides itself on its three fine dining restaurants, but it is Kazuko, a hibachi restaurant, and the newest edition to the fine dining lineup that comes out on top.  Before you walk in, the hallway outside the doors is decorated with Japanese artwork and traditional clothing. Once you step inside the restaurant, there are countless more Japanese artworks, calligraphy and artifacts lining the walls.  With about eight sets of tables with 10 seats each, the restaurant can feed the most people in the set of fine dining options, and they do. Each time I’ve been to Kazuko, tables are never empty for more than five minutes.  The food options are what you would expect from a hibachi restaurant, a salad and soup for appetizer, choosing between chicken broth and miso soup. Then moving to the entree of two of chicken, steak, shrimp, fish or vegetables.  With a range of chefs, your experience can vary, although...

“Do you believe in miracles?!” That line has become one of the most memorable lines in sports commentary, but not just from the game Al Michaels said it in. The 2004 film, Miracle , immortalized the line to describe one of the ultimate achievements in sports. Miracle is my favorite sports movie, because it transcends what sports movies can be. It doesn’t just show an underdog story, it is a film that best exemplifies the fulfillment of the concept of “The American Dream.” What Miracle has over other movies like it, such as Rocky IV or Creed , is it is based on a true story.  The film follows the coach and team of the gold medal winning United States men’s ice hockey team from the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The team was made up of college players mainly from across the country. On the other hand, the Soviet Union team was older, seasoned and tougher, considered to be the best in the world after winning four straight gold medals at the preceding four Winter Oly...

     “It’s unoriginal,” “Why are they remaking that,” or “Do we need another sequel?”      Those are the common themes of the complaints when a new movie is announced based on an existing material. That all Hollywood can make is sequels and remakes to things we already have. These critics claim all they want is an original movie. But that’s not what the problem we face is about.       Yes, a majority of the movies made today are based on existing material, but the problem is most of those are done to make a quick buck. Studios are banking on the love audiences have for the source material or preceding films to make as much or more money this time around.       What is missing is that most films are not being made with any artistic integrity or passion, original ideas or not.  Recently, comic book movies have suffered both at the box office and with critics. Audiences are tired of the same, safe stories being to...

     “Are you excited to graduate? Or nervous? It’s probably a bit of both isn’t it!”      That’s the question every college senior gets from adults they meet every time they learn they’re graduating. Usually, you laugh it off and just tell the person, “a bit of both,” to get to the next topic so you don’t have to think about it for longer than you have to. I think I’ve heard it more times than I can count at this point, but as graduation gets closer I think I have my answer.       I’m excited.      Not because I want to be done with school, or want to start paying bills. I’m excited for what is to come and what I’ll be able to do.       For most of college, I was dreading graduation. Living on my own in a brand new city, and knowing no one? No thanks, I'll stay in school as long as I can.       But in the couple first weeks of my spring semester as a senior, I started to apply for j...

               “Are you excited to graduate? Or nervous? It’s probably a bit of both isn’t it!” That’s the question every college senior gets from adults they meet every time they learn they’re graduating. I think I’ve heard it more times than I can count at this point, but as graduation gets closer I think I have my answer.  I’m excited. Not because I want to be done with school, or want to start paying bills. I’m excited for what is to come and what I’ll be able to do.  For most of college, I was dreading graduation. Living on my own in a brand new city, and knowing no one? No thanks, I'll stay in school as long as I can. But in the first weeks of my spring semester as a senior, I started to apply for jobs. And those jobs began to reply to me. Realizing that all my hard work in school and internships wasn't for nothing and that I was going to be okay. When I came to terms that this semester was potentially going to be the last se...

     People like their homes to present an image of themselves they want you to see, but how well does that image cover everything they don’t want you to see?      Not very.      When you work for a moving company you see just about everything someone owns when you pack up their belongings. And I mean EVERYTHING.       I worked for a moving company for three summers, and about 25% of that time I was packing homes. That means putting anything and everything in a box in any way you can. Meaning I would shove as many pillows as I could into a box (of course nothing that would damage someone’s items) to not make more boxes that I would end up carrying the next day.      When we get to a house, the first thing is the walk-through, and that’s exactly what you think it is. We go to each room and look to see what’s hidden in closets, cabinets, wardrobes and under furniture.       What we don’t do...