High Point University's newest fine dining experience: Kazoku

 

By: Madelyn Cooper 

Q News

    Kazoku Hibachi is High Point University's newest fine dining option, that is located inside the newest dorm building on campus Panther Commons. 

    At HPU, students are allowed to use a "meal swipe" once a week at a fine dining option located on campus. Those options include Kazoku, Alo, and 1924 Prime. 

    These three fine dining options prepare HPU students for a real interview dinner, without being able to use there cellphones at each fine dining option. Out of all of our dining options Alo which is a Mediterranean style restaurant is my personal favorite. 

    Kazoku which I have been to a few times since its grand opening in October 2023, is certainly delicious and most of my close friends would agree.   

    However, since its opening there have been numerous cases of food poisoning reported, with some cases even in the past few months. Although, the most food poison cases were reported in the first month of its grand opening. 

   Even with the numerous food poisoning cases, many students still enjoy dining at Kazoku. The overall atmosphere of Kazoku is very upbeat compared to 1924 Prime which is more of a low-key and down-to-earth atmosphere.  

    At Kazoku my personal favorite part is that you can invite up to ten people as guests, whereas at the other fine dining options you can only invite up to six guests.

    The scenery at Kazoku is inspired by Japanese culture and everything that has influenced Japan. Before you enter the restaurant you are greeted by display cases of Japanese cultural wear. They teach about the significance of fashion influencing the Japanese, also at Kazoku the chefs make sure to include a unique dining experience for all guests. 

   There are several different food options to choose from at Kazoku, including a fried cheesecake dessert my personal favorite. The hibachi chicken and fried rice is also delicious. While the menu is quite short, it includes hibachi chicken and shrimp, the appetizer is a choice between miso soup and salad. Finally, the dessert includes strawberry gelato and the delicious fried cheesecake. The Kazoku dining experience is quite surreal. 

    

           

How close are you with your parents?

 

By: Madelyn Cooper  

    My parents are like my best friends in a way, no seriously. But if someone would have told me that ten years ago, I would have laughed in there face. My parents and I needless to say have not always had the best relationship. My mother and I would argue constantly when I was in middle school. There would even be days were we would hardly even speak three words to each other. Now I even have certain people in my life who are jealous of my Mom and I's relationship.        

    Now almost ten years later, in college I call my Mother every day. I honestly don't know what I would do without her or my Dad. I call my mom when I need outfit advice, someone to cry to for anything really.      

    I often remember saying the hurtful things I would say to my mother and father growing up, and I regret that more than anything now. I only now realize that my parents just wanted what was best for me. However growing up, my father and I were much closer than my mother and I were. Growing up I was much closer with my dad than my mom, people would always joke with me and tell me I'm a daddy's girl which honestly, its still true. Some of my fondest memories growing up were spent with my dad, from riding bikes together to going to UNC basketball games together.   

   My mom and dad are some of the kindest, most genuine people I have ever met. And I know it sounds cliche but yes they really are like my best friends. I know they would give the shirt off there back for someone if they needed it. 

    My parents are only getting older and older and I can see it every time I come home from school.  But I know its just a matter of life watching your parents get older.  

    My parents living close enough by to my university to be able to visit on the weekends makes me so happy, they have truly helped me grow so much as a person. Without my parents influence I would not be the person I am today. This all goes back to High School when I was going through one of the hardest periods of my life. Struggling with an Eating Disorder (ED), was not something I ever thought I would have to go through. However, my parents were there to help and support me. If it wasn't for my parents, I'm not quite sure I would still be here today. I personally think me struggling with an ED during my teens years is what brought us so much closer together.

    Overall, I am incredibly lucky to have supportive and loving parents in life. They are truly the light in my life. I am excited to take a new path in my life once I graduate college, but I will always remember my background and how my parents have influenced me to this day.                                                 

Feminist issues in male dominated sports

 

    Its no secret, females have always been discriminated against in sports. This goes all the way back to the early 1900s when it was even worse. But the main issue here is that male dominated sports such as wrestling, football, baseball, and many others. Females are almost always held to a lower standard in sports like these. 

    Most people will tell you, that the reason why "females" should not be playing male dominated sports is because of exactly that they are only for males... However there is a specific term for this called "misogyny" which in short terms mean a heavy prejudice against women. A few examples of this include but are not limited too Serena Williams being verbally attacked for the way she looks and female wrestler Ronda Rousey being constantly questioned about her sexuality. 

    There are several statistics that also show that many women once they are participating in male sports are so heavily looked down upon that many females eventually drop out of the sport. 

It is also important to note that, with this many feminism issues in sports it can also take a huge toll on females physical and mental health. For example, Serena Williams has had several issues with her own mental health in the past because of discrimination for the way she looks. 

It has also been found that even with younger adults, such as teens in High School many parents show discrimination about females playing on there male teens team. 

One of the most serious issues with this is shocking to me, after reading an article on how "women are treated differently in sports" it discusses how female athletes experience eating disorder symptoms due to the feminism and discrimination issues they face.  This is mostly because women are required to wear different things when playing a male dominated sport. No on should be focused on this and instead more on how well females can play. 

              

Personal Column: Madelyn Cooper

 

Struggling through an Eating Disorder through my teen years.         

        Eating Disorders are brutal and creep up on you silently; on the outside, you appear to be just fine. Smiling, happy, at least thats how it was for me. My experience with an Eating Disorder was not the typical one.      

    To this day, I can still remember most of it, it all started back in freshman year of High School.  I weighed  around 140 pounds and wanting to shave off a few pounds. At first, it started with fun workouts with friends and small diets just to "lose a few pounds". As time went on, these became more of an obsession...    

    I would start working out for 5 hours everyday and eating only eat 2 meals daily, but I loved how I  looked. I wanted to try to shave more and more pounds. My boyfriend at the time would tell me things like, "Wow, you've never looked better" or "I like you better that way you look so much healthier," or my favorite "Keep up the great work, you just need to lose a few more". But thats okay I know my worth much more now. As the next few years went on, things would only continue to get worse, not only with my weight, but also with my mental well-being.   

    By the end of my freshman year I was already down to 120 pounds which I was still above average weight for my weight. My parents would start to become worried about me and so would my close friends. At this point I was leaving school early most days due to not feeling well from not eating enough, which would of course make my blood sugar drop almost making me pass out several times. And of course, this would put me even further behind in most of my classes but as always I managed to pull through in the end. 

    My Mom and Dad at first would brush this off, but at the end they saw where I really needed help. But it seemed as though know matter how much help I got things would only continue to get worse... I was crying out for help on the inside but no one could hear me.

    By the end of my junior year of High School I was already down to 102 pounds. People often ask me why I think my ED started in the first place, its weird to say but I really can't blame anyone but myself. You see, females get all these images in their head of beautiful "instagram models" and the thoughts of needing to have the perfect "bikini body". It is so sad how this happens at such a young age. I would ask myself continuously and almost obsessively, "why can't I look like them."? 

    Over the past few years I have learned that there is no such thing as a "perfect bikini body". Every single woman is beautiful in there own way, and I have certainly learned to embrace this.    

    During the first few months of my freshman year of college, things were starting to get better slowly but surely I started eating more, working out less, and had a great friend group. But of course this means, I would start gaining my weight back. This would inhibit even worse eating habits for me alongside the pressure of school.  

    Towards the end of freshman year I was the thinnest I have ever been at one point I was down to 95 pounds. But in my unhealthy mind this wasn't a huge deal, with all the stressors of freshman year in general such as trying to make good grades and finding my friend group this is the last thing I needed.  

    Personally, most people may find this surprising but the hardest thing for me during all of this was growing out of my old clothes and having to look for new ones. Looking at myself in the mirror I barely even recognized who I once was, it was like my once bubbly, outgoing, and smiley self had been stripped away. But you see, know one else realized this because I loved to put on a facade in front of other people pretending I was okay but deep down I really wasn't. 

    Looking back as a now senior in college, I should have never put myself through something like that. My freshman year was supposed to be the "highlight" of my college years. But because of having an ED it was anything but that, I was supposed to be able to enjoy the great food options HPU offers and the weekly food trucks but instead I was keeping myself isolated most days in my dorm room. 

    As I am now ending my senior year of college, I can happily say I am doing much better than I was once was but that doesnt mean I never have bad days. However, I no longer count the calories or carbs in my food I don't work out for several hours every day, and I am finally back a weight that I am very happy with. Going through an eating disorder is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But I will say I came out much stronger in the end than who I used to be.  My only hope is that in the next several years I can spread more awareness for those struggling with an eating disorder. 

    With my intended audience for this article, I am hoping to reach both young  females and men who are ever struggling feeling uncomfortable with their weight. I am here to say you are never alone. Eating Disorders can affect anyone and everyone at any age, do not be afraid to ask for help, I know myself it is a very brave thing to do and it can be very scary. 

                   

                                

High Point University's Newest Gate: Food Lion

 

        

    In the past recent year, High Point University has recently added a new gate next to the Food Lion across from campus.   

    What was once a bustling business and shopping center is now home to only two stores. This has caused much controversy and talks both on and off campus about how students believe that since there are multiple locations that have not sold their property; therefore, this is still considered public grounds.  

    HPU is also considering starting checking students' IDs, considering there is a vape shop located on the grounds and they have been sent multiple citations for selling to underage students. However, for students that are of age many students believe including myself that they should not be told where they can and cannot shop.  

    With HPU telling students where they can and cannot shop on the grounds, personally this is only going to make them purchase from other vape shops from off campus. 

    For example, there is another vape shop located only about 2 miles from campus called "Smoky Shays",  that many several students buy from. Knowing this, shutting down just one vape shop in High Point will not do much good. 

    Therefore, once again no matter if HPU puts a stop to buying from that certain vape shop will not stop them from buying from others. While HPU is a private college campus, its understandable that they do want their students to feel as safe as possible.  

    HPU is continuously growing in students and size, meaning that they are most likely only going to start putting more gates around the town. Within the town of High Point alone not always being the safest, many students are also sometimes even afraid to leave campus.   

    The vape store not selling to underage students makes perfect sense, but sensibly the university cannot stop students that are of age from purchasing e-cigarettes. 

    After speaking with fellow student peer Sophia Corigliano on this topic she feels as though the vape shop not selling to underage students will only make students more susceptible from purchasing from other vape stores near campus. Sophia's reasoning behind this is personally she has witnessed many of her fellow peers go to vape shops off campus to purchase e-cigarette products. Sophia feels that if the vape shop were to quit selling to underage students, it would only make them more "rebellious" in the sense that many students already vape whether they are underage or not.

    Many students have also noticed that over the past few months that HPU is now becoming much more strict with gate entrances and checking student IDs, many security officers have even began to check the backs of students vehicles to make sure they there "High Point University" sticker. 

    While they are doing this mostly to ensure the best possible safety for students, at times it makes students feel as though they are stuck in a "bubble" or even some students saying a "prison". However, at the end of the day it does make sense that HPU is a very secure and safe campus considering the area of town that HPU is in. For example, last spring there was a "drive-by shooting" that occurred just outside the gates of HPU. At the end of the day, HPU is only trying to keep their students as safe as possible. 

    Lastly, HPU is growing and will continue to grow even more over the next several years. With this being the case HPU will only continue to add more gates in the town of High Point. Many High Point residents are not fond of this idea, but again it makes students feel much safer being on a gated college campus.                                      

In class editorial

 

By Q News 

The Affordable Housing Management is hoping to lower the homeless rate in Greensboro, North Carolina by adding more affordable housing and a new apartment complex. 

    The complex called Oakwood Park, will be a two story complex located in 2943 W. Vandalia Road. However the complex may not be completed until mid 2025 and it already has an ongoing waitlist. Morgan Waterman whom is a representative of the Affordable Housing Management is hoping to have the rent prices between 30 and 50% of the triads median income, but of course this will be adjusted to family size. The complex will also be located near popular restaurants and shopping center making them easily accessible. 

    The homeless rate in the triad has been an ongoing issue for several years, for example the Open Door Food Ministries located in High Point is also another one of many solutions the Triad uses to help the homeless. However, the poverty rates found on Open Door Ministries website was very alarming. In just 2023 alone, 75,000 meals were served, and 360 household were granted Emergency Financial Assistance, and lastly 1,819 homes were granted Emergency Food Aid.  

The new apartment complex is set to be very nice and featuring several ammenties but all at a reasonable and lower cost, for those looking for more affordable housing. David Levy a spokesperson for the non profit said there are four different things individuals most qualify for in order to live in the complex, such as a household at risk of losing their home and also individual residents that do not have a nighttime residence. 

It is our hope that the new Oakwood Park apartments will significantly decrease homelessness in the Triad. 

Collateral Murder (in class video)

    Before I watched the Collateral Murder video I had no idea what it would "entail", but I knew it would be very disturbing. Many of the clips throughout the video I could not even believe what I was watching. I personally find it interesting that the video starts with "The stories of most of those who were killed are unknown." Among the dead were two Reuters news employees. Saeed Chmagh and Namir Noor- Eldeen. My heart instantly wanted to break when I saw the image of Saeed's grieving son holding a picture of his late father. It saddened me even more when I learned how respected he was and passed away at only 40 years old.  Namir Noor- Eldeen was also very respected, and considered one of the best war photographers in Iraq. Personally, it has never made sense to me as to why the most innocent people are taken from us during wars.

    

   I honestly could not believe what I watching into the first five minutes of this, from hearing terrible vulgar cursing, and hearing "just keep shootin, just keep shootin", and hearing the awful words of "Look at those dead bast****". How could just a few people, kill several innocent people like that and be care-less about it? It comes down to two words Government and power...the Government in any country for that matter is all about "who has the power", and "what are we going to do next." Oftentimes, I feel that governments in many different countries are too "overpowered". 

The images I saw in this video were vastly disturbing, and I cannot imagine seeing this happen in person. Later, in the video it states "Eight minutes after the attack, ground troops arrive on the scene." I will say I do believe this video being released helped many people see the truth of what the government hides behind the scenes until videos like this are released.