The Appalachian August 2023

JENNA GUZMAN editor-in-chief editor@theappalachainonline.com

EDITORIAL

ELLA ADAMS managing editor

ETHAN SMITH sports editor

BRILEY TURPIN a&c editor

SIRI PATTERSON news editor

NADINE JALLAL opinion editor

JADE OGLE chief copy editor

SARAH KRUGER associate sports editor

BRILEY TURPIN associate a&c editor

MADISON LIPE associate news editor

LEAH BOONE associate opinion editor

MULTIMEDIA

K. SLADE visual managing editor

PRUETT NORRIS multimedia editor

ASHTON WOODRUFF photo editor

KAITLYN CLOSE graphics editor

RIAN HUGHES associate graphics editor

BUSINESS

ETHAN BACHELOR business manager business@theappalachianonline.com

JULIA WOODRING director of marketing and public relations

ELLA WILSON director of audience engagement

DR. ALLISON BENNETT DYCHE adviser adviser@theappalachianonline.com

The Appalachian is the award-winning, independent student-run news organization at Appalachian State University, published since 1934. The student staff maintains all editorial discretion, and there is no prior review by university faculty, staff or administrators. The Appalachian strives for accuracy in newsgathering and reporting. If you think we have an error, email editor@theappalachianonline.com.

Participation in The Appalachian is open to all current full-time students at the university. For more information about joining, email outreach@theappalachianonline.com.

The opinion pages of The Appalachian are open public forum. Contributiions are welcomed via email to editor@theappalachianonline.com Opinions expressed are those of individual columnists, and do not necessarily relfect the views of the news organization overall. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The Appalachain editorial board.

One copy of The Appalachian per person. Additional copies can be purchased from the newsroom for $1 each.

Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle

“WALK AROUND THE BLOCK” BY MEGHAN MORRIS

ACROSS

Letter from the Editor

Welcome back Mountaineers, both new and old! It is with great pleasure and honor to serve as your Editor-in-Chief of The Appalachian for the 2023-24 academic year, and I am thrilled for you to see what’s in store this year!

For nearly 90 years, our publication’s purpose has been to deliver fair and accurate news, while also entertaining through other content, serving as a public forum for ideas and more. Our publication also strives to champion for all those in Boone, from students to faculty and staff, to the residents of Appalachia.

Last academic year, our publication went through a few changes, but our mission stayed the same nonetheless, with a few new things for you, the reader, to keep in mind as well.

For starters, we are now located in a new space. We previously resided in room 217 of Plemmons Student Union for 30 years, but as of the spring 2023 semester, we are now located in room 235 of Plemmons Student Union. So for those wishing to either join our publication, stop by with a story idea, or with inquiries about anything, you can find us in room 235.

We also expanded the number of newsletters we published each week. We now send out two newsletters per week on Tuesday and Thursday, which you can sign up for on our website. And spoiler alert: we will now feature horoscopes in them!

As we excitedly enter our 90th year anniversary in January, we’ve reflected on our operations throughout the years and will continue to build upon them.

We will continue posting quality stories on our website, in addition to our monthly print issues. However, keep an eye out for new types of content from us, such as more multimedia and podcasts. And of course, you can expect a continuation of our crossword puzzles and bringing back games such as Sudoku in our print copies.

And of course, this paper is for you, the reader. Our publication is built on your stories, which is why we want to be as true to you as possible and make sure we are accurately reflecting the communities of Boone. I would like to acknowledge that our geographic area, as well as our student population and newspaper staff, is made up of people of all backgrounds, and that our publication is not just for one group of people. It’s for everyone. Our news organization intends to make sure everyone feels seen and heard. That’s why for almost 90 years, we have been here to listen to and share your stories. We hope you’ll join us as we continue on that mission for many more.

If you have a story idea, please submit a story idea or write a letter to the editor through our website. Or, please stop by our newsroom to chat with us. I, along with the rest of our staff, will be happy to help with whatever you may need.

And finally, new to this year, if you are part of an organization or community wishing to tell us about an event or something you would like to have covered, keep an eye out for our public calendar. This new initiative will allow you to submit your events for our staff to review. Please know that we not only want to hear from you, but we want you to know that we are available to you.

Thank you, reader, for taking the time to pick up this copy of The Appalachian — we hope it’s not the last. Without you, there wouldn’t even be a copy, so we thank you for your support or just curiosity to see “Oh what’s this?” when picking it up from a stand.

Here is to (almost) 90 years, and here is to many more! We hope you will celebrate our 90th with us.

Have a wonderful first semester, Mountaineers!

It’s that time of year again — time to pick up those textbooks (and newspapers, of course).

Meet your 2023-24 Editorial-Board

Position: Editor-in-Chief

Major/Minor: Journalism

major, multimedia minor

Favorite memory at App State? Sledding around campus in a snow storm, and of course, joining The Appalachian <3

Position: Managing Editor

Major/Minor:

Anthropology major, animal studies minor

Favorite memory at App State? Getting bundled up to go stargazing on the parkway in winter.

Position: Visual Managing Editor

Major/Minor: Journalism major, double minoring in English and Japanese

Favorite memory at App State? Experiencing debilitating food poisoning and keeping my friends hostage on Facetime for two days.

Position: Arts & Culture Editor

Major/Minor:

Communication studies major, minor in criminal justice

Favorite memory at App State? Sunsets on the parkway with a book and my friends.

Position: Graphics Editor

Major/Minor: Graphic design major, digital marketing minor

Favorite memory at App State? Walking in the Apparel Design & Merchandising fashion showcase with my friends.

Position: Sports Editor

Major/Minor: Journalism major, media studies minor

Favorite memory at App State? Storming the field after beating Coastal Carolina.

Position: Associate Graphics Editor

Major/Minor: Graphic design major

Favorite memory at App State?

Thrifting at Ram’s Rack on half off Saturday’s with my sophmore year roommates.

Position: Associate Sports Editor

Major/Minor: Journalism

major, chemistry minor

Favorite memory at App State? Halloween movie showings on Sanford Mall.

Position: Multimedia Editor

Major/Minor: Double major in electronic Media/Broadcasting and English (Film Studies)

Favorite memory at App State? When the giant Yosef statue came to life and we danced together until dawn. Wait, what do you mean that didn’t happen?

JadeOgle JuliaWoodring

Position: Chief Copy Editor

Major/Minor: Journalism major, photography minor

Favorite memory at App Sate? Spending time on the parkway with friends.

SiriPatterson Madison Lipe

Position: News Editor

Major/Minor: Journalism major, political science minor

Favorite memory at App State? Eating breakfast in the dining hall every morning with friends freshman year.

Position: Associate News Editor

Major/Minor: Journalism major, marketing minor

Favorite memory at App State? The little moments with the people that make this place feel like home, like porch time talks with my dear roommates Maggie Dougherty and Cydnee Robbins.

Nadine Jallal LeahBoone Ashton Woodruff

Position: Opinion Editor

Major/Minor: Secondary English education

Favorite memory at App State? Thriving off of absolute chaos of moving in and out of the residence halls for the last four years.

Position: Director of Marketing and Public Relations

Major/Minor: Professional writing major, digital marketing and nonprofit organizations minor

Favorite memory at App State? Groggily trudging through snow on Sunday mornings to eat breakfast in the dining hall freshman year.

EllaWilson

Position: Associate Opinion Editor

Major/Minor: chemistry

(Certified Chemist concentration) major, psychology minor

Favorite memory at App State? Late nights with my favorite people laughing until our stomachs hurt.

Position: Photo Editor

Major/Minor: Photojournalism (IDS) major, criminal justice minor Favorite memory at App State? When College Gameday came to App and we stormed the field after winning on a Hail Mary.

Position: Director of Audience Engagement

Major/Minor: Public relations major, theater minor

Favorite memory at App State? Making a family out of the marketing desk last year.

Ethan Batchelor

Position: Business manager

Major/minor: Management major

Favorite memory at App State? My first App State snow while my parents were visiting.

Bite into updated dining halls

While the All You Care to Eat meal plan system is here to stay, App State’s Campus Dining is changing things up in the form of renovations, increased costs and new dining options.

Executive Director of Campus Dining, Elizabeth Riede, said in an email the changes made for the upcoming year are “designed to improve the functionality, efficiency, and overall student experience as part of the All Access dining format.”

Riede said renovations will include a remodel of Rivers Street Cafe in the upstairs section of Roess Dining Hall, and an expansion in the seating areas of Trivette Dining Hall.

“Rivers Street Cafe has been redesigned to promote speed of service, ease of service, and action stations (meaning that the food will be prepared in front of you),” Riede said in an email.

Meal plan fees have increased by 5% due to significant cost increases, Riede said. However, the increase in cost is “lower than food inflation rates.”

Money from Campus Dining reserves was used to fund the

to navigate, and allergen information will be easier to access via digital signage and an updated menu website,” Riede said.

Anna Oakes, the news and media relations director for University Communications, said the redesign of Rivers Street Cafe will also change the staffing models.

“Certain stations/areas of service need more labor, and some need less,” Oakes wrote in an email. “Staffing will adapt as stations and menus change with the seasons and special events.”

As the semester begins, Oakes wrote that Campus Dining will primarily be looking to fill part-time student positions, as most full-time positions are unavailable.

Alex Pitcher, an App State graduate and employee of Campus Dining for over two years, said he supports the implementation of a reusable takeaway system and it is a “big milestone for App State, especially since we’ve been expanding the dining halls.”

The new system would give All Access diners the option to check out a reusable container to take their

leftovers in, Riede said.

“You can track your sustainability contribution and see the waste you have personally diverted and the water you have saved by choosing a reusable take-out container,” Riede said.

There will be several tried and tested favorites returning to the menu, such as the brick oven pizza, Riede said. But, many areas of the menu have been reimagined, such as the salad bar, deli station and global cuisine.

“We have also redesigned our menu, and it will include a primo pasta station, smoked barbeque, and a rotating menu of globally inspired cuisines,” Riede said, referring to changes made in food options at Park Place at Trivette Dining Hall.

Also returning will be the “Lite Bites station,” Riede said. Food offered at this station is “geared toward accommodating the top nine allergies.”

Tre Sweigart has been working for Campus Dining for around six years and said he has seen lots of changes happening throughout the summer.

Sweigart said he thinks business in the lower part of Roess Dining Hall

August 16, 2023

Navigating the roommate process

Georgia Dixon | Reporter

Every August freshmen leave their hometowns to embark on the pursuit of higher education. Armored with accolades, advanced placement credit or an abundance of App State sports apparel they are psyched up to conquer freshman year —- or at least survive month one.

Undoubtedly, schooling beyond the classroom will take place in that first month in the form of navigating living styles in the dorm, roughly the size of a one-car garage, where students may bunk across from a stranger, their first year roommate.

However, freshmen are not left alone to handle inevitable roommate conflicts as resident assistants employed by the university are ready to aid residents.

“You should always feel comfortable contacting your Resident Assistant (RA) for advice or to mediate a conversation between your roommate and yourself,” says the University

Housing website.

Will Stephenson, a senior English major and former resident assistant, stressed keeping lines of communication open with your RA. He wants residents to feel comfortable and welcome at App State.

Stephenson said RAs remain at the front line, ready to handle roommate conflict, act as intermediaries and handle roommate transfer requests.

“You want your residents to get along well and be friends and avoid conflict,” Stephenson said. “Which means occasionally people need room changes and mediation.”

Roommate change requests are considered as long as housing options remain available.

Stephenson said he only fielded a few actual roommate room change requests, and additionally piloted half a dozen conversations involving differing levels of roommate conflict.

“Don’t get discouraged if you and your roomate aren’t BFF material,” Stephenson said. “That’s a bit of a tall

ask in the first place, there is something awesome about just getting along with one another but also having separate lives. Sometimes that’s the least complicated housing arrangement.”

Senior graphic design student Julia Johnson shared a similar sentiment. Initially, she clicked with her freshman year roommate.

“I really liked her, we really clicked, it was fun,” Johnson said.

Johnson said after their first formal roommate discussion, made up of minimal communication between roommates, she discovered silence would characterize her roommate experience which at the start felt “really odd,” but would become normative over the semester.

Reflecting on her experience interacting with her roommate, Johnson additionally explained there were no major issues, rather a hard environment. She did not ever request a roommate change.

“Because by the time that it actually became an issue, I had another

semester left, and I was like you know what,” Johnson said. “It was not worth trying to go through all this and then moving my stuff out. So I just decided that I was gonna deal with it.”

Johnson said University Housing did “as good a job as they could,” pairing her by asking questions through the University Housing Portal pertaining to sleep schedules and cleanliness.

“That was what helped me match up with the right person,” Johnson said. “Everything else can’t be helped if you get a bad roommate or not.”

When determining housing placements, Brandon Nelson, director of University Housing said the university takes into consideration five factors: student year, gender, application questions, room preference and new this year, an option for students to choose their space.

Three weeks into classes, after students have settled into campus life and allowed for space to determine whether their roommate has upheld their end of the required Roommate

Agreement, students may request a roommate change. Roommate change requests are considered as long as housing options remain available.

The agreement highlights the importance of communication through the acronym YOSEF: Your Opinions, Openness, Self-Awareness, Engage and Focus on Respect.

Living with a roommate involves honestly communicating norms and expectations, coupled with an awareness of varying lifestyles.

The document issued by the university is intended to serve as a guide, rather than binding agreement, aimed at helping to initiate healthy conflict resolution. Expressing similar thoughts, Stephenson placed a similar emphasis on interpersonal communication.

“Freshmen, you silly little geese. Just be upfront and talk to your roommate if you have conflict,” Stephenson said. “I know that’s easier said than done, but 99% of the time that’s the easiest solution to your problems with each other.”

Active Minds: Mental health resource to students by students

New year, new classes, professors, assignments, tests, home, friends, jobs, commitments and changes. The list goes on. Whether one is a new or returning student, the start of another school year can mean all of these things and more, including stress, sadness or discomfort.

App State has many resources to help students get through stressful, sad or lonely times; one resource being a student-run club.

The App State chapter of Active Minds, a club run by co-presidents and roommates Larisa Eichler and Abby

Clark, is a mental health awareness club with a mission to “educate and encourage people to talk about mental health because it effects so many people,” according to their page on Engage.

“It’s important to make sure that mental health is becoming a more open conversation on our campus,” Eichler said.

Active Minds holds meetings every other Tuesday from 5- 6 p.m. in room 100 in Plemmons Student Union.

The co-presidents said during meetings they show presentations to educate and bring awareness to

certain mental health topics, such as suicide prevention, disordered eating, stress management and more; provide or direct students to mental health resources such as the Counseling Center or off-campus resources; give support to those that need it and more. The club also has brought in guest speakers from the Counseling Center and Collegiate Recovery Community.

“A lot of times mental health clubs can be scary to go to,” said Clark, a senior psychology major. “My ultimate goal, personally, is to make people feel welcomed no matter what background they come from.”

Anyone of any year or major can join Active Minds. The co-presidents shared that one can attend a meeting if they are simply interested in learning more about mental health topics, are searching for resources or just need someone who will listen to what’s going on in their own lives.

“We just have a really open space,” Eichler said. “People can just openly talk about their mental health journeys and it’s really cool.”

Clark said although people do speak about personal matters, “there is no pressure to tell us stuff you are not comfortable with.”

Along with being a space where students can share whatever is on their minds or find resources suited to them, Active Minds has shaped new ideas and changes on App State’s campus, such as the name change for the Wired Scholar and Crossroads smoothie previously named Skippin’ Lunch.

In the 2023 spring semester, Active Minds, in collaboration with App State’s Mental Health Ambassadors, set up a table in the student union to allow students to write in ideas for a new name for the smoothie.

During the two day period in which the table was there, the group offered samples of the smoothie and mental health resources, as well as displayed information about other resources on campus such as food pantries. The group also educated others as to why the name was harmful.

“The smoothie name for the act of skipping a meal can be very activating and it’s harmful to normalize because so many people are impacted by eating

disorders and food insecurity,” said Eichler, who also serves as a student Mental Health Ambassador.

The name of the smoothie was changed to Bananarama, Eichler said, and was “overjoyed” about the name change.

“It definitely is a step in the right direction with mental health awareness on campus,” Eichler said. “Our biggest goals as an organization are to bring awareness to more audiences and promote beneficial habits around our community.”

The word active is not in the name for no reason. Active Minds can be seen around campus throughout the year holding and participating in events such as a smash the scale event,

an event that brought awareness and destigmatized eating disorders during Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and during the Earth Day Expo.

“It just feels really nice that I was able to help make a difference on campus, like, through Active Minds,” Eichler said.

Eichler said both Active Minds and Mental Health Ambassadors have plans for new things in the upcoming school year.

“I just want to see what else we can do, what else we can bring attention to through the university,” Eichler said.

Clark, who is also a student Mental Health Ambassador, said she wants to do more about mental health language. The duo also said they want to do more events and "just continue to facilitate a safe space on campus,” Eichler said.

Eichler said she also hopes to “tackle” getting mental health days on campus and Clark said she wishes to bring more awareness to other things that “aren’t talked about enough and are kind of taboo.”

“I feel like as a team we can really, we can really do anything and just knock out whatever we want to and, like, put more initiative in and talk about why mental health matters and

why it should get more attention on college campuses especially,” Eichler said.

Clark, who joined the club as a freshman, said she is “super grateful” for the organization because it allowed her to find a community and a place where she belonged.

“Active Minds is that for me,” Clark said. “I’m just really grateful that there are resources like this at App State.”

Active Minds will be present at Club Expo, August 20.

Note from the editor:

For those seeking emergency mental health the Counseling Center has an after-hours emergency line for “urgent mental health concerns such as suicidal thoughts, sexual assault, and other trauma,” according to their website.

For the emergency line, one can call 828-262-3180. Press the option to speak with the counselor on-call. For non-emergencies, such as setting up consultations, one can call the center’s number during regular hours of operation– Monday to Friday from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Read more Online:

Spotlighting unique majors at App State

With the beginning of a new school year, for some students, comes the decision of choosing a major or an area of study.

Students can officially declare their major by the time they have obtained 30 credit hours and taken the required courses. However, students can wait until they have earned up to 60 credit hours to declare their major, allowing time to choose for those who are undecided.

According to the Academic Programs portion of App State’s website, the university currently offers more than 150 undergraduate majors and over 80 graduate programs.

Although there are many majors, some may not feel there is something for their interests, as some majors are more common than others. However, there are some majors that are derived from unique niches and fields of study, allowing students to study something that truly interests them. Students from these majors shared their experiences for students deciding their major.

One unique area of study offered to students, Appalachian Studies, focuses on the teaching of culture and knowledge of the Appalachian region. Appalachian Studies is offered as a minor and through the Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies as a master of arts.

Second-year graduate students

Sammy Osmond and Jesse Barber are studying Appalachian Studies and are currently working on a project related

to folklife documentation.

Osmond said his studies have changed the way he perceives the Appalachian region.

“It’s changed the framework of my mind as I travel through Appalachia to go and interview people and meet a lot of people,” he said.

Osmond said he initially did not intend to attend graduate school, but he was offered a scholarship through an outside organization to conduct interviews. He said through the program he has been able to interview people of a wide variety of professions including basket weavers, historical interpreters, musicians, potters and cooks.

He said the work is rewarding and has allowed him to form several relationships with people he interviewed.

Osmond majored in documentary film for his undergraduate degree. He said Appalachian Studies has given him experience that he will apply to his undergraduate degree and career.

“It’s a really great extension of what I was learning as an undergraduate student,” he said.

Osmond said students from numerous career paths are in the Appalachian Studies program.

“Appalachian Studies students have

decided he wanted a master of arts in Appalachian Studies after taking related undergraduate classes such as Appalachian literature.

He said one thing he has learned from his studies is how important building connections are, such as those he has formed through his interviews and photography with those from the Appalachian region.

“Wherever I go in the world, I like to create space for connections with strangers and the intimate connection to hear their stories or what’s important to them,” Barber said.

Barber offered advice to any students considering the course of study.

“Don’t be afraid to join in, you never know who you’re going to be standing beside,” he said. “There’s just so many fascinating people doing fascinating stuff and you would never know it.”

Another major with ties to Boone’s eco-friendly culture and atmosphere is sustainable development, which is offered as an undergraduate major of study.

Fourth-year sustainable development student Caila CaterEdwards said she originally wanted to go into a culinary-related field. However, after hearing about an App State student’s experience as a sustainable development major, she chose to major in sustainable development because she wanted to gain a deeper understanding of sustainability as it relates to foods and crops.

a really wide range of interests and are really kind of all over the map,” he said. “And you know, there is no prototypical App Studies student.”

Barber also commented on the community of Appalachian Studies students.

“That’s, like, the closest friends I have in my studies,” Barber said.

He said he traveled with his fellow students to an Appalachian Studies conference where he was able to meet several people studying similar topics.

Barber, who completed his undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies, said he

“I knew how to cook the food, but I wanted to learn how to grow the food that I cook and how to do it in a clean, healthy way,” she said.

Cater-Edwards also said she wants to learn how to solve problems through sustainable development.

“I feel like now we are starting to see that there is a lot of things wrong with the world and how the world is run,” she said. “We need to fix that, and I feel like those in my major especially, we are really big on trying to find ways and working to solve those issues that we’re seeing today.”

She said the major is not limited to sustainability, but also social and economic values.

“Wherever I go in the world, I like to create space for connections with strangers and the intimate connection to hear their stories or what’s important to them,”

- Jesse Barber

Sustainable development students are given the opportunity for a more hands-on learning approach by visiting a local farm where they can observe and ask questions related to sustainability. Additionally, there is a garden on campus located near the Living Learning Center where students can grow crops.

While she does not know what her exact career path will be yet, CaterEdwards says she wants to help make a change by using the information she learned through her field of study.

“I’m not sure quite where yet where I would fit, but I really want to work with communities and making sure communities that are food insecure, that they have a basic need food,” she said.

While Cater-Edwards combined her passion for food studies and helping others, junior Katie Walters combined her love for music and psychology.

Walters is a music therapy major.

She said music therapy has allowed her to combine two of her interests from different career backgrounds.

“Music is very creative and psychology’s really science-based,” she said. “So it was really just finding something that really combined all my interests.”

Walters said music therapy can benefit people of different backgrounds in many different ways, such as helping with memory loss, mobility, or in cognitive ways.

Walters said music therapy is also beneficial in settings such as schools, hospitals or assisted living facilities, as well as many other environments.

In typical sessions, Walters says, patients are encouraged to participate in music-related activities, building on personal connections formed through music and using those connections to engage and benefit the patient.

Walters said the program is very hands-on and the professors and

students are very supportive.

“Just having the ability to step back and be like, ‘It’s okay, you know, I’m not an expert. I’m still learning.’ I think they’re very supportive of that,” she said.

Walters said music therapy students must complete several music classes, such as music therapy, in addition to psychology courses.

Senior Thomas Prebeck is studying fermentation sciences. He said he wanted to study in the field after a trip to Germany with his father.

“When I went on that trip with my father, I saw how people bonded at these breweries. I’ve always wanted to create an atmosphere like that for people to go to,” he said.

Prebeck said the field focuses on the biochemical reactions that microorganisms undergo to create different products, ranging from alcohol brewing to pharmaceutical biofuels.

“It’s a pretty versatile major, I’d

say,” he said. “You’re not really stuck to just the brewing winemaking and distilling.”

Prebeck said the major requires cell biology and microbiology classes in addition to multiple chemistry classes.

He said he had the opportunity to participate in hands-on experiences in the field, such as collaborating on a project with Booneshine and attending the North Carolina Winegrower’s Association Conference.

Prebeck says his area of study would allow him to travel to different parts of the world.

“This is a great major if you do want to travel,” he said.

He also said the department and the professors encourage communication and engagement.

“I would argue that we have the best department at the school,” he says. “The professors are very knowledgeable on pretty much anything and it’s really open communication between the students and the professors.”

ANSWER TO TODAY’S PUZZLE

Discovering Boone: A trail guide for Boone hikers

Abby Buckner | Reporter

The High Country is teeming with thrilling and mesmerizing scenic trails calling all hikers, regardless of skill, to experience. Bursting with life and energy, the Blue Ridge Mountains are the perfect place to make hiking a hobby and embark on new adventures. Keep in mind, this small collection of a few of the area’s most popular hikes is just a portion of the trails available, but may serve as a starting point for any eager explorers.

Bass Lake Loop

If you are searching for a relaxed and accessible trail while still witnessing some marvelous views, Bass Lake Loop is the place for you. This is a scenic 1-mile hike that circles one of North Carolina’s beautiful mountain lakes. Weaving along the lakeshore, the trail is flat and provides views of both Bass Lake and Cone Manor. Bass Lake is only a few miles from downtown

Boone and can be easily accessed via the Blue Ridge Parkway or US-221 near Blowing Rock. You can find this popular spot at the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, named after the area’s renowned “Denim King.” Bass Lake Loop is accessible for wheelchairs, baby carriages and is pet friendly. The park has restrooms and parking available off of US-221. This calm trail only takes an average of about 17 minutes and is perfect if you are seeking an easy and laidback stroll while still enjoying the beauty of a gorgeous mountain lake.

Rough Ridge Trail

This list’s Goldilocks hike, Rough Ridge Trail, is a local favorite and one of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s most popular overlooks. This moderate difficulty hike is about 1.2 miles long and is found just off the Blue Ridge Parkway outside of Boone. Parking is available at milepost 302.8 on the

climbing through rocky terrain to a dramatic opening with stunning views. There are plenty of large boulders to sit and rest at that are perfect if you want to pack a picnic to enjoy while taking in the view.

Cascade Falls

This list wouldn't be complete

parkway. The trail is short and sweet, featuring fascinating jagged rocks as you ascend to the 4,773 feet summit with breathtaking, picture- perfect views. The Rough Ridge trail is a small part of the longer 13.5 mile Tanawha Trail that takes you through a dense and shady forest before A man casts his line out into Bass Lake. July 21, 2023. Photo by Evan Bates.

without a waterfall hike, and the Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide says Cascades Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls in the region. This easy 1-mile loop hike guides you through a rich and luscious forest full of unique native plants and trees. The trail is sprinkled with informational plaques with details on the many different plant species. After wandering through the forest, the path leads you to two overlooks with captivating views of the roaring 35foot waterfall as it jets out from over the cliff above. Parking for this hike is best at The Cascades Overlook at Milepost 271.9, located about miles east of Boone. The trail begins on a paved path right next to the restrooms and picnic area. There are many signs cautioning to remain on the trail so it’s best to refrain from climbing the stone walls or

waterfall, as these areas can become slippery and dangerous.

Grandfather Trail

Hands down the most intense yet rewarding hike on this list, Grandfather Trail, is not for the faint of heart. With extreme elevation reaching almost 6,000 feet and technically challenging elements, this bad boy of a trail should only be attempted by seasoned and experienced hikers. Located on Grandfather Mountain, the trail is about 4.8 miles roundtrip and takes over five hours to complete. You can access the trail from the Grandfather Mountain Top Shop parking lot or the Black Rock Parking Area. The trail takes you along the three peaks, MacRae, Attic Window and Calloway, that require hikers to hang onto cables and climb ladders in order to progress to the peaks. Remember to exercise caution, pack plenty of granola bars and throw any fear of heights right out the window before tackling this beast. Despite the challenge, know that you

can count on experiencing some of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring views in the East.

In order to maximize your joy as you galavant through nature, try to plan ahead to be prepared for nature’s challenges. Here are some important hiking tips to remember as you explore the great outdoors.

Wear the right shoes

The right kicks can make or break your hiking experience, so it’s important to consider traction, support and protection when choosing your footwear.

Pack plenty of food and water

Food is fuel and you are going to need to replenish your energy as you explore. Bring lots of food and water to keep you hydrated and healthy on your journey.

Leave no trace

Help preserve and protect the environment by staying on designated trails, respecting wildlife and properly

disposing of any waste. Keep Boone happy and healthy by leaving no trace while you experience the region’s magic.

Expect

the unexpected

Make sure to check the weather leading up to your adventure;, Boone’s sky can change in minutes and it is important to have the proper gear in case of any surprise showers. A raincoat, extra socks and moisturewicking gear can go a long way. Consider bringing a basic first aid kit in case of any unfortunate scratches or scrapes.

Stop and smell the roses

Slow down, take in the scenery and soak in the moment. It’s important to pace yourself while hiking and if you can’t maintain a conversation you might need to slow your roll.

Nature yields perspective, freedom and innumerable awe-inspiring moments. Unplug for a day, grab some friends and get ready for a thrilling adventure through some of the many

Patrons relax along the park benches as they look out upon the Bass Lake. July 21, 2023.

ARTS & CULTURE

beautiful mountain trails Appalachia has to offer. Have fun, be safe and make some memories while exploring these trails.

At a glance: Fall events in the High Country

Ella McIntosh | Reporter

With the summer coming to its inevitable end, it’s easy to feel bummed out about starting classes again. However, with the start of each new semester comes new beginnings and endless possibilities. The autumn months in Boone bring plenty of seasonal festivities, so join The Appalachian in adding the events on this fun-filled fall itinerary to your calendar.

Wednesday, August 16: Boonearoo II

Join The Appalachian Popular Programming Society on Sanford Mall for an evening of yard games, live music and refreshments from Kona Ice. The second Boonearoo music festival of the summer features local

bands Deep Pocket and Daytona and will go from 7-10 p.m. This concert is free to attend, so bring a picnic blanket and all of your friends.

Friday, August 25:

Gatsby Gala

Having provided the citizens of Boone with quality entertainment since its grand opening in 1938, The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country will celebrate its 85th birthday with a Great Gatsby-themed gala and fundraiser. The event will last from 6:30-10 p.m. Tickets are $85, with all-inclusive food, wine, local brews and a sampling of signature cocktails. Twenties themed or semiformal attire is encouraged. Tickets for this event can be purchased on the theater’s website.

Saturday, August 26:

High Country Beer Fest

The 16th annual High Country Beer Fest will take place at 748 Roby Greene Road from 2-7 p.m. This outdoor celebration of craft beer, ciders and other brews from across the High Country will feature live music from Will Willis and Friends, Pressley Laton and Educated Guess. Come and enjoy 2 ounce samples from 42 different breweries, food and free seminars about fermented foods from around the world. Shuttles will be available to transport festival goers from App State’s campus to the High Country Fairgrounds. Overnight parking will also be available at the

6 stupendous summer cinema selections

Online:

It may be ironic that one of summer vacation’s defining experiences is settling into a dark, air-conditioned room far from sunshine and the great outdoors. However, every successful summer break needs its stupendous summer blockbusters. From spy sequels to Spider-Men, Barbies to bombs and lost loves to found families, here are six

Wes Anderson returns to his impeccably designed dollhouses with “Asteroid City,” his most personable movie in years. “City” centers around craters and creators, joining together two storylines in a blend of blackand-white and color photography. In the color sequences, Anderson

Schwartzman and Tom Hanks, to tell a tale from beyond the stars. An alien has landed at the 1955 Junior Stargazer Convention, and the small town of Asteroid City must decide how to respond.

The color plot in “Asteroid City” heavily features Anderson’s trademark blend of wistfulness and whimsicality. The story strikes a delicate balance between the earnestness of its young

parents. Johansson and Schwartzman particularly excel as a famous actress and a widowed photographer who connect through melancholic conversations out of their hotel windows. Meanwhile, their children find themselves falling in love over their mutual interest in outer space and feeling out of place. Anderson explores two kinds of falling in love with “Asteroid City,” and that part

| Multimedia Editor “Moonrise Kingdom.”

In the black-and-white segments of the film, however, Anderson pulls back the curtain. It’s revealed that the color “Asteroid City” is a television adaptation of a fictional play, and the film’s black-and-white segments follow the creative process of the artists behind the production. If the technicolor “Asteroid City” is Anderson returning to themes tackled in previous films, the black-and-white segments are explaining why. The whole thing is laboriously layered and a little self-conscious, yet Anderson makes the meta magical.

5. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”

This movie’s mission, should you choose to accept it, is to thrill

Surviving Boone: Everything you need to know

Briley Turpin | Arts & Culture Editor

Each year, as summer comes to a close, Boone is flooded with people as students flock to the High Country, signifying the start of another semester at App State. Our little mountain town comes back to life as both new and returning students make their way to campus to settle into their homes in Boone. For some students, this is their first semester in Boone, which can be scary and intimidating. Moving to a new town isn’t easy for everyone, and it never hurts to have some tips and tricks up your sleeve to make the transition a little smoother. So, without further ado, here is your Boone survival guide, full of everything you need to know while living in Boone.

The weather is never predictable.

Boone weather is all over the place. The sky can go from bright blue to dark and gloomy in a matter of minutes. Being prepared for all types of weather is essential when getting around town. A durable rain jacket is a must have while living in Boone. Unfortunately, sometimes just a rain jacket isn’t enough. On particularly rainy days, campus looks like a scene from “Mary Poppins,” with umbrellas as far as the eye can see. In the fall, it’s not uncommon for the temperature to change quickly. On days like this, layering is your best friend. Wearing clothes that are suitable for both 40 and 60 degrees can save you from discomfort as you make your way from class to class. Don’t expect class to be canceled when it snows.

On the topic of weather, Boone is no stranger to winter weather. The area is home to three ski resorts, and the winters are known to be harsh. That being said, snow is common throughout the winter months. For many people raised in the south, a light dusting of snow usually guarantees the day off from school.

In Boone, that simply isn’t the case. The university closes in cases of severe inclement weather, as stated on the website, but it isn’t uncommon for students to head to class with snow on barefoot…even in the winter. Everyone knows the old shirt, no shoes, no service.” In Boone, it seems the shoes have been left out of the equation. It is incredibly common to stumble upon people walking around without their shoes. This is a controversial topic in Boone. Some people are in full support, and others not so much. Be prepared to have class with someone who isn’t wearing shoes at least once during your time at App State. People want to be outside. Can you blame them?

The High Country is a beautiful place to live and is chock-full of plenty of outdoor activities. People want to spend their time in the great outdoors, so be prepared to become one with

nature. In the warmer months, hiking and camping are extremely popular pastimes. Students flock to Sanford Mall to lay in the sun or throw a football. Some students set up their slacklines, an activity that involves wrapping ratchet straps around two trees to create a tightrope. In the winter, many students spend their free time skiing and snowboarding. Nature is one of the things that brings the people of Boone together regardless of any differences they may have. Uber isn’t really a thing in Boone. In a college town, it’s important to know how to safely get around after a night of drinking. For most of the U.S., Uber and Lyft are reliable, safe options for transportation. While there are some rideshare drivers available in Boone, the most reliable option is called “beeping.” Instead of calling an Uber, students will get a “beep.”

Beeping is essentially the same as riding in an Uber or Lyft, but rather than just anybody driving, beeps are typically App State students who are trying to make some money and are often cheaper than a rideshare app. Lists of people actively beeping each night can be found in the Boone Student Beeper Facebook group. Beeping is not without risk, so always make sure you feel comfortable with

both drivers and passengers before beeping anywhere.

Live music is prolific in Boone.

The live music scene in Boone is a booming community. Not only is Boone home to a plethora of local bands, some composed of App State students, but the town also brings in several big-name artists each year. Most bars and restaurants in town have live music at least once each week. It’s not difficult to find a show most nights of the week, and new bands pop up all the time.

Roess Dining Hall is always referred to as Central.

Roess Dining Hall is the main dining hall on campus. Located in the center of campus, the dining hall is a popular place to grab a bite during a busy day. Despite the name on the front of the building, the dining hall is known to students as Central, the original name of the building. In 2014, the dining hall was renamed after Alice Roess, a former member of the App State board of trustees. Despite the name change, students never caught on, and the building has held on to its original name in casual conversation. So, if anyone asks if you want to grab some food at Central, they’re referring to Roess Dining Hall.

Football in the high country: how to come out on top

Good morning Mountaineers. The sun is shining over the Blue Ridge Mountains, your alarm has just gone off and it is 7 a.m. It’s time to start tailgating, which is the best way to start off the first App State game day of the season.

The game day experience is sacred. It is imperative you know what to expect and how to navigate the tailgating experience. This ensures you come out as game day royalty.

The rules of game day are timeless and known by many, but it is always good to have a refresher.

Rule 1: Never not pre-game

Honestly, sometimes it can be overwhelming getting together with friends who seem to know everything about touchdowns, passing yards and they always know where the line of scrimmage is even after the line on the TV has gone away. Even if one cannot contribute to the statistics talk, there is another way to win the love of the watching party: refreshments.

No game day is complete without

hot dogs, hamburgers, Doritos and ice-cold, condensation-dripping-offthe-can, refreshing drinks, whatever that may be for you. Actually, the game day experience should start the night before. Head to Phil’s Gastown to pick up enough refreshing beverages to quench an army of vikings’ thirst, and then head to places like Lowes Foods or Walmart to pick up greasy hamburgers and hot dogs. Now one is ready for the next day.

When one wakes up in the morning of a game day, expect the parking lots around campus to be filled with tents, pickup trucks, grills and the heavenly smell of food wafting through the air. This is where the preparations come in handy. Join friends, throw those hot dogs and burgers on the grill for everyone, turn on some music for the crowd, pop open your ice-cold one and sit back and enjoy the game day banter.

The pre-game usually lasts for a few hours in the morning and is a great place to make friends while

playing corn hole or just shooting the breeze talking about team statistics. As hour three or four rolls around, everyone starts to move, like a migration scene from “Ice Age,” towards Kidd Brewer Stadium so they can do battle with the visiting team and their fans.

Rule 2: Always leave with no voice

Football stadiums today are basically replicas of the Colosseum; a place we gather to watch as our heroes battle fiercely for the pride of their nation, or in this case, their university. We as fans have a crucial role to play in this fight: keep it hype.

The best way to keep our players going as hard as they can is to make sure you can participate in all the cheers and battle songs that get yelled out throughout the game. There are a couple you need to know and the App State Athletics website has the lyrics for you.

The student section tends to be where most of the action is on game

days. That is where you will find all the die hard fans that stand and shout all game long with hopes of making it onto the jumbotron or, even better, onto TV.

If you are brave enough, or really want to throw yourself into the deep end on the first game day, then head to the student section, but know there are some requirements.

The biggest one is decor. Students love to dress up for this section and that normally means facepaint and their favorite App State apparel. Lately, App State overalls are a fan favorite on game days. One can find and purchase them around Boone since just about every apparel store sells them. They

Another requirement is you have to know the most used cheer, which is just the two words “App” and “State.” Normally, when the crowd cheers this they split down the middle into two sections and from there, one half starts

the cheer by yelling “App” and the other side finishes the cheer by yelling “State.” It always gets the crowd hyped for the game.

In truth, it doesn’t really matter where you sit in Kidd Brewer Stadium, but rather how loud you are. After the game is over as one leaves the stadium, one shouldn’t have a voice left.

Rule 3: Make Boone a Celebration Station

The post-game celebration is very important. This is a time where the fans get to gloat over their team's accomplishments. A time where students get to solidify their new friendships with others and make plans to do it all again next Saturday.

A good celebration can range from going out for some pizza, hanging out at home or heading out to some of Boone’s best bars and breweries. For pizza, there are really no better places than Lost Province Brewing Co. and Mellow Mushroom. Both restaurants have an amazing selection

of pizza and some really great vibes for a post game dinner with family and friends.

For more of a game day bar experience, one of the best places to head is Ale House. They have plenty of wings, burgers, fries and fun drinks to celebrate the win. Outside, they host a cornhole set up and inside they have live music some nights.

If one is still full from all the tailgating and just wants a couple of good cold IPAs, then the two places in town for that are Booneshine and Appalachian Mountain Brewery, better known as AMB. Booneshine provides some in-house food and a selection of craft beer. Plus, they have a beer garden with games for kids and live music. AMB hosts a beer garden and a food truck. If one just wants to turn up, or get jiggy with it, then some of the best places are Boone Saloon, Lily’s Snack Bar or TApp Room. The top of Boone Saloon is a more typical dive bar with live music. Some nights,

there are ski ball and pool tables, along with a jukebox for all the DJs who want to set the vibe, on the floor below. At Lily’s, there are a lot of cool themed drinks that taste as delicious as they all sound. TApp Room is a place to discover some new emerging local bands and have a couple themed drinks while you watch the cars drive by on the front porch. Sometimes, navigating game day activities and celebrations can be overwhelming. But, if one keeps these rules in mind, a great game day is almost guaranteed.

A new mountain to climb: App state football’s season preview

Chance Chamberlain | Reporter

Sept. 9 at North Carolina

The first game of a three-game series began in 2019, as the Mountaineers blocked a field goal to upset the Tar Heels in Kenan Stadium 34-31. The series remained on hiatus until 2022, when App State hosted North Carolina to kick off the season in a high-scoring 63-61 affair. A record breaking crowd of 40,168 watched as both teams combined for 1,216 total offensive yards.

Once again, Heisman hopeful and top NFL Draft prospect Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye will be on the opposing side. Maye dissected the Mountaineers defense for 352 passing yards and five total touchdowns. With North Carolina looking to capitalize on their last potential season with

Maye, the Mountaineers will need to slow down the Tar Heels explosive offense, which saw Maye throw for 38 touchdowns in 2022.

App State sold-out their away ticket allotment as the Sept. 9 matchup will determine the three-game series winner.

Sept. 16 vs. East Carolina

The 91-year rivalry continues as East Carolina travels to a sold-out Kidd Brewer Stadium for the first time since 1979. Two years ago, the Mountaineers and Pirates kicked off the 2021 season at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. App State won the neutral site game 33-19, extending the Mountaineers record to 20-12 against the Pirates.

Unlike the 2021 matchup, both

teams will have a new starting quarterback. Mountaineer quarterback Chase Brice and ECU quarterback Holton Ahlers both graduated in 2022. This will leave a prime opportunity for both teams to start the season off on the right foot, as both teams will have Power Five matchups before Sept. 16. The east-west rivalry will be an early non-conference test for the Mountaineers, as the Pirates held an 8-5 record in 2022. App State will also be removed from a trip to Chapel Hill the following week.

Oct. 10 vs. Coastal Carolina

Highlighting Sun Belt Conference play is a Tuesday night home matchup against Coastal Carolina on ESPN2. The last time the Chanticleers traveled to Kidd Brewer in 2021, it resulted

in a 30-27 upset over No. 14 Coastal Carolina as former App State kicker Chandler Stanton nailed a last-second field goal. Mountaineer fans stormed the field as it was App State’s first upset against a ranked opponent since No. 5 Michigan in 2007.

In each of the last two seasons, the winner of this matchup has played in the Sun Belt Championship. In 2022, the Mountaineers came up short in Conway, South Carolina, losing 35-28.

App State holds a record of 4-2 and remains 3-0 at home against the Chanticleers. In hopes of maintaining perfection at home and with a potential Sun Belt Championship bid on the line, the stakes loom large for the Mountaineers in their mid-week matchup.

Key Players to look out for this season

Ryan Burger

Burger, a redshirt freshman from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is a favorite to take over the quarterback reins for this upcoming season. If so, Burger would be taking over after Chase Brice, who started the last two seasons for the Mountaineers in 2021 and 2022.

Burger appeared in just one game last season against Robert Morris. Against the Colonials, he completed four of his six passes for 40 yards. Burger also had some action in the running game, rushing twice for 23 yards.

“I thought Ryan Burger came in and moved the ball,” said head coach Shawn Clark after their 42-3 victory over Robert Morris last season. “You can see he’s a different player than Chase, he can really beat you with his face when he has to.”

Burger was a three-star prospect coming out of Myrtle Beach High School, and verbally committed to the Mountaineers April 2, 2021.

Isaiah Helms

Helms, a fifth-year offensive lineman, is from West Caldwell High School in Lenoir, just 31 miles from Kidd Brewer Stadium. After high school, Helms was a two-year starter at Western Carolina before transferring to App State in 2021. Now, in his third season with the Mountaineers, he enters the season on the Preseason All-Sun Belt First-Team, joining teammate redshirt junior cornerback Milan Tucker on the first-team.

Helms played in 25 games for the Mountaineers and started in all of his appearances so far, just missing one game in his App State career in 2021. In an offensive line that lost Anderson

Hardy, Troy Everett and Cooper Hodges, Isaiah Helms looks to add a veteran presence to an offensive line that will do some reshuffling this season. Last season Helms played a majority of the season at right guard, but might see time at center.

Nick Ross

Ross, a fifth-year senior safety from Marietta, Georgia, is a key-returner on the defensive side of the ball for the Mountaineers.

Ross made his presence known for App State and opponents over the years, even since his true freshmen season in 2019. During that season, he had a 20-yard pick-six interception touchdown against South Carolina, a game the Mountaineers won 20-15. Throughout his career, Ross has appeared in 52 games for the Mountaineers and started 15 of them.

During that time, Ross totaled 151 tackles and two interceptions.

Ross had plenty of quality moments last season he looks to build on for the 2023 campaign. In App State’s 2022 matchup against Troy, Ross posted a career-high in tackles with 12, along with grabbing Sun-Belt defensive player of the week honors. Ross also had 11 tackles against Old Dominion and an interception against Robert Morris.

Top football headlines to think about

active FBS head coaches.

Is Head Coach Shawn Clark on the hot seat?

After an up-and-down 2022 season, the Mountaineers finished with a 6-6 record and were bowl ineligible for the first time since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2015. Clark stated the harsh reality in his last post-game press conference.

“We have to do a total assessment of our program and see who we really are,” Clark said.

Clark enters the 2023 season with an overall 26-13 record since replacing 2019 head coach Eli Drinkwitz. App State has yet to win a Sun Belt Championship during Clark’s tenure, but has won two bowl games.

After the 2021 season, Clark’s contract was extended for two years until after the 2026 season. At the time, he had a 20-6 overall record and his .769 winner percentage was sixth among

The 1998 App State alum will enter uncharted territories in 2023 with a young defense and an unproven quarterback. If the Mountaineers were to have back-to-back seasons without a winning record, questions would arise about a potential change for the future.

New faces from many places

The 2023 Mountaineers will feature a retooled group of players as 28 seniors graduated in 2022, and 14 former Mountaineers are in the transfer portal. The most significant transfer was outside linebacker Jalen McLeod, as he transferred to Auburn. McLeod was expected to fill the role of the recently drafted outside linebacker Nick Hampton.

While the Mountaineers lost many key players, they’ve made up for it in

the transfer portal with 15 incoming transfers and 19 enrolled recruits. Included in the transfers are eight players coming from Power Five programs. Four star receiver Grant Tucker, the highest recruit in program history, highlights the recruiting class.

“We're very excited about the future of App State football,” Clark said on signing day. “Today's signing class will help us compete for conference championships and bowl championships over the next four to five years. These are all outstanding young men who come from great families. They'll represent our program both on and off the field.”

10 historic moments in app state sports history

Something that makes App State quintessentially App State is its affinity for sports of all kinds; the university has 17 varsity sports teams, and even more club and intramural sports. Whether or not you’re an incoming freshman or a seasoned Mountaineer, sports can be integral to your time on this campus. To catch newcomers up on what will now become their history, here are some of App State’s biggest sporting moments to date.

1. Conrad to Kidd BrewerStadiums over the years

Although sports history at App State began at about the same time as the university did, the first major sporting event, after the establishment of organized football in 1928, was the building of the iconic Kidd Brewer Stadium. Before the stadium was known as Kidd Brewer or The Rock, the stadium opened as Conrad Stadium on Sept. 15, 1962.

Conrad Stadium, named for former university trustee William J. Conrad initially had 10,000 seats. As the university has grown and changed, the stadium has undergone numerous renovations which have taken its capacity to 30,000 seats and has changed its name to Kidd Brewer Stadium in honor of former App State football coach Kidd Brewer.

The creation of this stadium, through all its changes, signals the beginning of the formidable legacy of Mountaineer athletics and the importance of sport in this community.

2. Baseball: Southern Conference Tournament win 1984

Another major moment in App State sporting history is the men’s baseball team winning the Southern Conference Tournament in 1984. This was the league's first championship that was held since the Atlantic Coast Conference was formed in 1953.

App State baseball was the No. 1 seed in the double elimination tournament. They won in the finals 6-1 against the Citadel, winning both the Southern Conference regular season and the Southern Conference tournament.

This win was not only the lone

title win in program history, but it secured an automatic bid for the Mountaineer’s to join the 1984 NCAA Division I baseball tournament.

While Mountaineer baseball has had some formidable seasons since then, the success of the ‘84 season, evidenced by the title win, is one of the programs most memorable.

3. Moore than a football coach

- Jerry Moore hired as football head coach

Coach Jerry Moore is one of the most iconic figures in App State football history. Moore was first hired in 1989 as head coach, a position he served in until 2012, the longest a football head coach has served in App State football history. Under Moore, App State saw distinguished players such as Armanti Edwards and Taylor Lamb.

Moore’s leadership allowed Mountaineer football to have some of their most groundbreaking performances, including, but not limited to their 2002 and 2007 victories as well as winning three straight national titles in 2005, 2006 and 2007. It is because of Moore’s success and his elevation of the college football game to new heights that he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the Southern Conference Hall of Fame in 2014.

The legacy of App State football is undeniably tied to the legacy and impact of coach Moore.

4. The 2007 victory against Michigan

If you ask any App State football fan about Michigan, they can tell you where they were and what they were doing on that day Sept. 1, 2007. This was a match played between the Mountaineers and the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan was ranked No. 5 in the Football Bowl Subdivision going into the match, and App State was ranked No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivison going into the game. With 1:37 seconds left in the match, App State drove the ball 69 yards and scored a field goal resulting in a score of 34-32 to App State.

Michigan was unable to score after regaining possession in the remaining six seconds of the match and the Mountaineers won 34-32, ending Michigan’s hope of winning a national championship.

It is still widely regarded as one of the biggest upsets in college football history.

5.

From 1928-30 App State football was designated as “independent,” meaning they didn’t belong to any conference. Eventually in 1931, they joined the North State Conference in Division II of the NCAA and stayed there until 1961.

In 1961, they joined the Carolina’s Conference where they stayed until 1967. From 1986-1971, they became independent once more until 1972 when they joined the Southern Conference, graduating them to Division I athletic competitions.

They stayed in the Southern Conference, and the FCS, until 2013-14 when App State announced they were invited to join the Sun Belt Conference, the league they still play in to this day.

It was the move to the SBC that graduated App State football from a Division I FCS school to a Division I FBS school; this increased the rigor of opponents and notability of App State football.

6. Men’s club soccer returns in 2015

At App State there are three levels of athletics that one can become involved in: intramural, club and varsity . While App State had a varsity men’s soccer team that joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2014 when the conference reinstated it, they also reestablished their men’s club soccer team in 2015.

The club was reinstated in 2015 when then senior Ryan Bateman and former team member Bradley Harrington reinstated the club with the help of App State biology professor Shea Tuberty.

season, App State women’s soccer had all of their upperclassmen players out with ACL tear injuries.

At the start of 2016 season, for the first time in four years, women’s soccer saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Not only were all of their key upperclassmen players back on the field for a full season for the first time in years, only one player was currently recovering from an ACL injury.

While the season ended with a 10-8-2 overall record and the team placing fourth in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, what this season showed was promise. Not only promise, but a building of momentum that continues in the current App State women’s soccer side.

While the 2016 season didn’t result in decisive victory, it laid the foundation upon which the current women’s soccer team still vies for success.

While three sports were cut in 2020 as a result of financial stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, only one of those sports found a way to persist in the Boone community. When the team was cut from the program in 2020, former App State men’s soccer coach Jason O’Keefe, along with soccer executive Michael Hitchcock, joined up with a number of local business owners to create Boone’s very own men’s soccer team: App FC.

App FC currently plays in the National Premier Soccer League, the fourth tier of the US soccer league system, and is in the midst of their third season.

They play at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex and are coached by Dale Parker. The conception and origin of App FC marks one of the biggest moments in App State sports history as its conception was born out of the end of a program change that changed App State athletics and the Boone sporting community.

years to come is most assuredly the mayhem that resulted from it. Sports are a significant part of the culture at App State. As a student, be sure to cherish the sporting memories that will define your university career.

Bateman went to inquire about the reason for the club’s suspension. Tuberty told him the club was suspended when previous officers of the club were not attending the mandatory twice-a-month meetings, an infraction of the requirements laid out in the club sports manual.

Additionally, Tuberty also told Bateman about an incident when a first aid kit had been returned to the school after an away game with tequila bottle caps in it.

With those two events, men’s club soccer at App State was suspended. Since the club's reinstatement in 2015, it continues to be an integral part of App State club sports, even winning the 2021 Division Championship title.

7. Women’s soccer 2016-17 season

One of the most devastating injuries any sports player can sustain is an ACL tear. Over the four years leading up to the start of the 2016

Program Changes

While 2020 was a memorable year characterized by a global pandemic, there was no area of university operations that the pandemic didn’t touch.

While App State students were packing up their dorms and heading home, getting a longer spring break than they bargained for, little did three varsity sports teams know that it would be the last time they would lace up their cleats and step onto those courts.

App State used to have 20 varsity sports teams it supported. In the wake of the financial stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, three of those sports teams were cut: men’s soccer, men’s tennis and men’s indoor track & field.

To this day only 17 varsity sports teams remain at App State and while there has been some call for reinstatement, due to lack of funding, the likelihood of this dwindles by the day.

The ceasing of these three sports marked a major change in program history, and App State athletics still bears the scars of these changes.

9. App FC Founding - 2020

10. App State beats Texas A&M

On Sept. 10, 2022 the Mountaineer’s faced the Texas A&M Aggies, ranked sixth in the week’s Associated Press poll. In an improbable feat, App State beat the Aggies 17-14. The win came as a result of a 63-yard drive followed by a 29yard field goal.

App State students celebrated by flooding down King Street and jumping in the duck pond. After videos of the pandamonium were posted online, ESPN’s College GameDay chose to visit Boone for the first time.

While the win itself is notable, often being compared to the 2007 Michigan win, what will be remembered by the App State community for

Leah’s Lens: The double-edged sword of freshman roommates

For some incoming college freshmen, having a roommate is nothing out of the ordinary, whether that be because of siblings, summer camp or another reason. But for many others, sharing a room with someone is something completely brand new. Especially with many roommates being randomly selected or someone that one has barely talked to, it could result in disaster. Going to college brings enough hardships, and a roommate should not be one of them. But fear not; there are multiple solutions to preventing or dealing with a difficult living situation.

1. Set clear boundaries right off the bat

Advocating for one’s needs is one of the most important lessons in life, and moving in with a stranger is a great place to start learning. One of the largest issues is the potential of a very clean person living with a very messy roommate. A dorm room is supposed to be a college student’s safe place and somewhere that feels like home. If the sides of the room completely oppose one another in terms of cleanliness, it can be very hard to feel comfortable in the dorm. Setting some sort of cleaning schedule can be a helpful way to keep the dorm clean, as well as delegating certain tasks to each roommate to remain organized. Some things may need to be done daily, such as cleaning dishes, while other chores

can be more spaced out, such as taking out the trash or vacuuming. Creating a schedule can easily help maintain cleanliness. While it can be tolerated to a certain extent, there are lines that simply should not be crossed, and this should be expressed and respected right off the bat. Whether it be compromising on a time to turn lights out, rules on what can and cannot be shared between roommates or a consensus on cleanliness, voicing one’s needs and preferences is extremely important to maintain a healthy dynamic. This can be done either before the semester starts if in-person conversations are nerve wracking, or can be set on the back burner and not discussed unless an issue arises. If it comes to the point where one’s needs are not being listened to, there is a resident assistant, or RA, on every floor that is equipped to handle issues between roommates. At the end of the day, all college students are adults, and

there should be no questions about the respect of boundaries.

2. Honor the roommate contract

At the beginning of the semester, the RA sends each set of roommates a roommate agreement, which covers all the bases of preferences, personal rules and more. This agreement can be very beneficial, as well as more likely to be respected since it can be brought up to staff if the agreement is broken. While setting boundaries on one’s own can be very helpful, the roommate agreement can be a sort of contingency plan in case things turn haywire.

3. Remember that a roommate does not have to be a best friend

If college freshmen went into their first semester with the notion that they would all be best friends with their roommates, things would go wrong very quickly. Yes, there is a possibility

that some sets of roommates will absolutely adore one another and form a lifelong friendship, however, this is not the status quo. It is perfectly OK to need some space from a roommate; it is also normal to absolutely detest a roommate at some point during the year. It is also common for roommates to be in completely different majors, so making friends that one has more in common with or does not see as often is a good idea. It is necessary for roommates to be able to live comfortably together and tolerate each other’s presence, but beyond this, furthering the relationship is entirely up to the roommates.

4. Have a safe space outside of the dorm room

While college students will spend a fair amount of time in their room, it is also very important to find places around campus to feel comfortable. Whether it be a coffee shop, a secluded bench, a friend’s apartment or the library,

somewhere outside of the dorm to relax and feel safe is necessary. It is completely normal for someone to need alone time, and this can be difficult to come by with a roommate. One way to provide alone time for each roommate is to compare class and extracurricular schedules in order to know when one can have the room. A simple text saying that alone time is needed can also be a way for roommates to respect each other’s space.

5. Worst case scenario, request a roommate change

If things truly get to the point where roommates cannot tolerate one another, a roommate change is always available. This should be a last resort, as trying to talk things out with a roommate is the first step to patching things up. However, if things are not working out no matter how much compromising or communicating is done, requesting to switch rooms can be done.

Being a freshman is hard enough without the added struggle of trying to figure out what to buy for a dorm room. This guide will walk residents

are definitely not worth bringing, if residents haven’t already bought them.

To bring…

There are a few items that are absolutely essential for dorm living. First up, shower shoes. Speaking firsthand, the showers in the dorms can be gross, especially if you have communal bathrooms. Nobody wants to get athlete’s foot. Investing in good shower shoes — especially those with holes in the bottom — is going to be very important in ensuring that nothing gross comes in contact with students’ bare feet.

Going along with shower shoes, the floors in the dorm buildings can also be gross, which is why slippers or slides are necessary. Students need to have something that they can easily slide on to go to the bathroom, walk to the vending machine or leave the building when the fire alarm will inevitably go off.

The next thing students should

A guide to dorm living Freshman Etiquette 101

bring is often overlooked, and that is a full-size trash can. Students are adults, not toddlers. A small trash can will not be enough to accommodate all the trash that accumulates in a college dorm room. Unless residents want to spend an unnecessary amount of time taking trash out, get a full size trash can to put in the room.

Next up is a laundry basket with straps or wheels. The laundry rooms in the dorms are on the first floor, and many dorms have as many as six or seven floors. Even though there is an elevator, it is extremely helpful to have wheels on a laundry basket or backpack straps to make carrying laundry down to the laundry room much easier.

Moving on to sleeping in the dorms, students need a mattress topper. The beds provided by the school are not comfortable at all. Some sort of topper to put over the mattress will make it less

firm. A lot of time will be spent in bed, so it’s really important that this spot is somewhere residents can actually fall asleep. Being well-rested and ready to succeed in college requires comfort and sleep, so skipping out on a mattress topper is not a good idea.

A whiteboard may not seem like an essential item, but socially it definitely is. Making friends in the dorms will be much easier if there is a place for people to write their contact information or certain messages. Having a whiteboard on the outside of the door is a great way to make friends with the people on the same floor, or communicate with roommates with different schedules.

A kitchen appliance that is great to have is a kettle. People tend to only think of a kettle as a tool for heating water for drinks, but it can be used for so much more. Students can use the hot water to make ramen, oatmeal, soup, instant mashed potatoes and so much more.

Lastly, and arguably the most

important item, is a first aid kit. College students are notorious for carrying around various illnesses. It is probable that residents will get sick many times during the first year in college, especially living in the dorms. This is why having a first aid kit with things like cough medicine, cough drops, bandages, allergy medicine, etc. is going to be essential to making it through the year, especially if one is unable to make it off campus to purchase the medicine they need at that moment.

This definitely seems like a lot of items, but it is important to remember that a majority of these can be reused throughout college, not just this year. Investing in these items early on will make next year's move much less expensive. What can students do if they can’t afford these items?

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Freshman, please read this article. This is the time everyone is anxious but excited about their independence. Many times freshmen will learn life lessons on their own, taking what they learn and applying it as they go. However, to the current incoming freshmen, here are some tips:

#1 Know the classroom bathroom policy

This seems like a silly tip, but it is something freshmen need to know. Some students have the capability to go an entire class without using the bathroom and congratulations to those students, but most students will need to use the bathroom during class. Now, some professors do ask students to request to use the bathroom, but if the professor does not specify, freshmen should not ask. It is one of the easiest ways for a class to pick out who a freshman is. The professors can and will get annoyed relatively quickly with the constant requests to use the bathroom. Many times, the classroom is large enough that if every student was to ask to use the bathroom, the professor would never get to teach. So, unless the professor specifies or the

freshmen want to annoy a professor, do not ask to use the bathroom, just go.

#2 Get involved

One of the fun things about college is making new friends and creating fun memories with friends. It is relatively difficult for a freshman to make new memories, when they have no friends.

A freshman getting involved in a club can fix this problem. Every year, App State hosts a club expo to show off the majority of the 250 plus clubs. It can not be stressed enough: go to the Club Expo and join at least one club. With the amount of clubs, it can be overwhelming, but signing up for one club will make all of the difference. If a freshman is lost on where to start, The Appalachian, the student newspaper, is always looking for new people to join. It can be difficult to find something that can fit a person’s interests, but somehow, if a freshman looks hard enough, there is a possibility to find one.

#3 Know the campus

This might seem like an obvious one, and to the freshmen that know everything, this can be skipped over.

App State has a beautiful campus with

beautiful brick buildings, the issue is most of the buildings look the same. In fact, it is incredibly easy to get lost on campus, so it is recommended to check where your classes are beforehand. With some sophomores still getting lost on where their classes are, freshmen should not be scared to ask for help. The first week freshmen are up on campus is not just so they can party, it is also so they can get used to their surroundings. Another thing to check with people is where to eat and where to hang out. Many of The Appalachian articles, especially our Best of Boone editions, are there to assist freshmen in finding the good spots around campus. Freshmen talking to the upperclassmen is also helpful, because then they find out other popular opinions, such as the dining hall and meal plan not being a fan favorite. This tip seems obvious, but many freshmen choose to skip over it.

Overall, the incoming freshmen can already be overwhelmed with inserting themselves into a new environment, not knowing everyone or anything. These tips are meant to help freshmen, not scare them. Again,

do not be afraid to ask questions in these upcoming weeks. It is important to note that freshmen are now Mountaineers. The App State student body stands up for one another and wants to see everyone succeed. No one is going to judge anyone for not having all of the answers. Every upperclassman at App State was freshmen once too, never forget that.