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Taryn Ziegler

Taryn Ziegler is a graduate from the University of Washington Bothell with a degree in Culture, Literature, and the Arts. She currently works as an independent content writer and literature reviewer, and she adores being able to create valuable content with the English language for a living.

The Tale of Princess Kaguya movie review

We give this spectacular anime film 5 stars

The Tale of Princess Kaguya movie review gets a staggering 5 stars from us.  With a smoking 100% critic rating and a 91% audience rating from Rotten Tomatoes, you should already be well on your way out the door to pick of The Tale of Princess Kaguya. Whether you’re an anime enthusiast or not, you’ll find this Studio Ghibli film an exquisite masterpiece of storytelling, artwork, and gravity. By the end you’ll be wondering just exactly where the time had gone and how you could ever return to normal life after living with Princess Kaguya’s alternately heartrending and uplifting story. The Tale of Princess Kaguya was directed and written by co-founder of Studio Ghibli Isao Takahata, and it is by all means a testament to his breathtaking cinematic capabilities.

You should also read: Hayao Miyazaki is a master storyteller

 

The Story

The movie is based off of Japan’s most famous folktale. The Tale of Princess Kaguya is the story of a little girl found in a shining bamboo stalk by a bamboo cutter in rural Japan. The bamboo cutter takes the little girl home to his wife where she transforms into a crying infant. From there on the girl grows rapidly into a beautiful young lady, and the story outlines a struggle of identity as Princess Kaguya is moved from her rural homeland to the civilized heart of Japan.

The Character Development

The Tale of Princess Kaguya seamlessly meshes a variety of crises, joys, and sorrows to produce character development that is little found in today’s cinema. Every character changes and ages as you watch, becoming as familiar and irreplaceable to you as your own family. Romantic undertones will catch the sentimental viewers’ attention, while elements of a coming-of-age story will intrigue the younger viewers. Magic blends with realism to combine into a story that is utterly impossible, and yet lingers with you as though it had happened in actuality.

The Artwork

This anime was hand-drawn and took decades to flesh out into the movie you can view today. It is full of extraordinary watercolor designs that take on humor, happiness, and horror as the story progresses. There’s nothing missing from the experience, and those unfamiliar with anime will quickly find themselves unperturbed by the lack of “real” images. Every detail has obviously been crafted with painstaking care and vibrates with the love that it takes to make something truly grand.

Take Time Out

It would be easy to go on and on about the movie- but, quite simply, it’s best if you go discover it for yourself. It’s a movie that will sweep you away from your ordinary life and hurl you into the unknown and the beautiful, the delightful and the dark. The music is equally extraordinary and unique to the film. Take a moment out of your busy day to experience life with The Tale of Princess Kaguya. You won’t regret it.

Also read: Toonami revival is set for May 26

How to care for orchids

Windowsill Graveyard: How you’ve probably accidentally murdered an orchid

There’s no shame in admitting that you, at some point in your life, ended up throwing what was once a magnificent and blooming orchid into a dirty trash can, which is why we want to teach you how to care for orchids. Orchids are one of those strange and wonderful gift items that can be found both in specialized shops and random grocery stores. It can magically be given for occasions ranging from romantic ventures to sympathetic greetings, and almost always comes across as both a thoughtful and artistic gesture. That means you’ve probably received an orchid at some point. Unfortunately, that also means you’ve probably thrown that orchid away by now, as most orchids don’t come with proper care sheets or expectations with handling. Here are a few reasons your orchid’s delicate life may have faltered and failed.

A Quick Lesson in Botany

“Orchidaceae” is a diverse family of plants that have exquisite blooms which are often colorful and fragrant. The Phalaenopsis orchid is the most common orchid found in grocery stores like Trader Joes or Safeway. They have large, splendid blooms that are frequently vibrant shades of pink or purple. Another crowd favorite is the Dendrobium, which is typically yellow with angular petals. Keep in mind that different species of orchids require variations in care, and the following tips apply only generally to the whole family.

Drowned by Love

Orchids are commonly thought of as tropical plants requiring significant amounts of humidity and moisture. This may lead you to believe that you need to keep your orchid brimming with water at all times- but you don’t. In fact, most orchids prefer it if you’d neglect them a little. Don’t rely on schedules when watering an orchid, as seasonal changes can cause your orchid to have different needs throughout the year. Test your orchid’s soil or bark by reaching to the lowermost level with your finger. If there is only a slight feeling of dampness or no dampness at all, you are free to water your orchid. When there is moisture readily present, you risk causing molding and rot on your orchid’s roots by watering it too soon.

Never Rehomed

The “pot” that your orchid comes in from the grocery store is not sufficient for your orchid’s long-term health. Usually these “pots” consist of a ceramic exterior that holds a plastic cup with the orchid inside. This means that there is no soil or bark for the orchid’s roots to glean nutrients or steadiness from. When you get your orchid, repot it in a pot that has holes along its sides and use an orchid-specific bark in its new home. While your orchid may survive in its original encasing, it won’t be nearly as healthy as it would be if placed in an aerated pot with nutrient-rich bark.

Ice Cube Orchids are Regular Orchids

Don’t use ice cubes to water your orchid. This might be a strange thing to have to say, but there have been a plethora of “ice cube orchids” readily available at mainstream grocery stores that claim to only need an ice cube to be maintained. It is recommended that you use room-temperature filtered water to water your plant with, and that you soak the orchid’s root systems and bark entirely when you do, straining out the excess water so that there’s no chance for water to gather. Putting a freezing cube of ice onto your orchid’s delicate roots is pretty rough, and definitely won’t promote the general health of your orchid.

You should also read: Whole Foods overcharging for Kale?

 

No Bloom Doesn’t Mean No Life

Your orchid will naturally drop off its flowers at some point. Some orchid species are prone to blooming once or twice a year, but for extended periods of time. When your orchid’s flowers begin to wilt, trim the dead blooms to make way for the new ones or the ones still living, and go so far as to even remove the stem when it is no longer producing blooms. This will make way for new stems in the future, and it helps the plant to direct its energy into growing new leaves and into being generally happy and healthy. Have patience with your orchid, as it will eventually be colorful again.

Orchid gifts are beautiful and everlasting treats when given the proper attention and affection. Make sure you repot your orchid in an appropriate pot with appropriate bark and that you water it the way that it needs. With the proper steps, you can keep that treasured gift alive with ease.

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3 Reasons Why You Should Go Ahead and Learn How to Cook

It’s no little-known fact that most young adults don’t prepare food for themselves this why we came up with 3 reasons why you should go ahead and learn how to cook. Microwaveable dinners are easier than ever to come by, and why would you ever trade a tasty Hot Pocket for a meal that takes you ten times as long to prepare? Adults, you’re not spared from this either. Sometimes it’s just too convenient to pop something into the microwave and press a few buttons to get it going. The following are a few reasons why you should reconsider having that Cup of Noodles for dinner… every night.

You should also read: The Cookie Crumbles

 

1. The Cost

It’s debatable as to whether or not microwave meals end up saving you money in the long run. What’s not debatable, however, is the value of the experience of buying your own ingredients. You’ll never know how much the things you like to eat actually cost you if you never make them for yourself. Instead of buying that microwaveable stir fry dinner, try your hand at making it yourself. Pick up some fresh produce and meat from cheap grocery stores like WinCo for your dinner. You might find that you get more bang for your buck when you prepare things for yourself.

2. The Nutrition

Microwaveable foods are not always the most nutritious way to go. That’s not to say that microwaveable meals are something that should be banned from your diet- but it is hard to compare them with fresh vegetables and meats that you cook up yourself. Studies now also show that the way microwaves cook food may in fact be detrimental to the supply of nutrients that that food should be providing to your body.

3. The Taste

Admittedly, some microwaveable treats are delicious. Even downright scrumptious. However, most microwaveable meals often present themselves as one thing and end up being another. If you’ve ever cracked open a box of Lean Cuisine that looked like heaven on the outside and ended up being a garbled mess on the inside, you understand. On the other hand, there’s nothing that beats the taste of food that you prepared for yourself and your own preferences.

The Learning Curve

This doesn’t mean that what you cook will immediately be cheaper, more nutritious, and tastier. You might disappoint yourself the first couple of cooking adventures as it takes time to develop the skills to cook the food that you want to eat. Regardless, there’s no better time to learn than the present. Get out there, do some shopping, and become a cooking whiz, benefiting yourself and the lucky hungry recipients around you.

You will also like: Chef: A Movie for Foodies and Anyone Who Likes To Eat

A Guide to Magic the Gathering

Magic the Gathering is not the nerdy past time you may think it is

You may have heard of Magic: The Gathering before, and it’s possible that you have also heard a host of negative stereotypes that ominously circle its good name like buzzards over a decaying carcass, this is why we created a guide to Magic the Gathering to avoid negative stereotypes. Magic is not a game exclusively set aside for fantasy enthusiasts or zealous role-players. Magic is, instead, a relatable and accessible card game that could literally be one of the most complex and outstandingly well-structured games of the century. It is a game that has enough appealing facets to capture the attention of everyone willing to wade through the bad press and take a look at its intricate mechanics and artwork. Let’s take a brief crash course on why Magic stands as one of the most impressive games ever created.

History Spark Notes

Magic: The Gathering was first published in 1993 by the company Wizards of the Coast. It claims fame as being the first trading card game ever produced, and since its conception has won numerous awards until its most recent achievement, an Origins Award, for having the best collectible card game expansion of 2012. Each year expansion packs for the game are conceived, developed, and published, keeping the game fresh and allowing for new gameplay mechanics to be explored and utilized.

Gameplay

The game is played with two or more players and consists exclusively of cards. Each player has their own deck, which must have at least 60 cards. There are spells, artifacts, and creatures, all of which may be employed in the act of defeating an enemy player. Players have “life totals” that start at 20, and when that total reaches 0, the player is considered “dead.” Given that there are literally thousands of different cards with new cards coming out every year, there are a million different ways to utilize the spells, artifacts, and creatures in tandem to successfully outwit your opponent.

Strategy Heaven

Magic is a magnificent specimen of a game simply because of its ability to provide for a limitless number of different strategies to be utilized. In other words, you get to customize your deck and make it play the way you want it to. Like using cards that feature rats with special abilities like deathtouch? Make a black rat deck. Like the artwork for angels and griffins? Design a white griffin and angel deck. Like making deaths as slow and painful as possible for players? Like destroying players as quickly as you’re able? These are all possible strategies in the wonderful, and sometimes devastating, world that is Magic: The Gathering.

You should also read: We review Magic Duels: Origins

 

The Art

It’s also completely possible to play Magic purely for its aesthetic value. Magic is, bar none, the most exquisite card game out there. Cards feature designs from different artists that range from being hauntingly grotesque to breathtakingly beautiful. No one will judge you for collecting cards that you like only because of their design.

In short, there’s no reason not to begin your Magic collection now. It may take a little while to master the basic gameplay, but once you have the fundamentals down there’s nothing stopping you from becoming an unrelenting strategist. Customize your deck to suit your personal needs and, when you’re brave enough, enter the many tournaments that are available to try your hand at defeating other serious players.

You would also like: Magic 2015 finally introduces digital deck building, releases another solid title 

Hayao Miyazaki is a master storyteller

The praised filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has created a legacy In Japanese animation

Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazak is a master storyteller. Miyazaki is a Japanese film director who also acts as a producer, a screenwriter, an author, a manga artist and an animator. He has been crafting masterwork movies for five decades and has invited such international acclaim that his name resides on the director’s podium of prestige along with Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg.

A Brief History Lesson

Miyazaki was born in Tokyo in 1941 and began his illustrious career in animation in 1963, not a moment too soon, joining the ranks of those producing work for Toei Animation. After the fantastic success of his second film in 1984, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,  Hayao Miyazaki would go on to co-found Studio Ghibli with Isao Takahata. With the release of Princess Mononoke in 1997 by Miramax Films, Miyazaki became critically acclaimed in the west as well as in Japan. His next film, Spirited Away, was the first anime film to ever win an American Academy Award, and it additionally won Picture of the Year at the Japanese Academy Awards.

So What?

You can know all the details about Hayao Miyazaki’s life, but you won’t ever quite understand Miyazaki until you experience one of his movies. Each movie is a gem in the dark caverns of the modern media landscape. Regardless of whether or not you approach Miyazaki’s works with a preconceived appreciation for anime, you will walk away with a sudden love and passion for the genre. Miyazaki works magic, bringing deceptively simple lines to life with such an incredible amount of character, style, and level of reality that you exist, for the duration of his movies, in another world foreign to your own.

How?

Miyazaki’s movies all contain his trademark thematic elements that distinctly represent his innermost contemplations of the world. Most often primary characters are ordinary young men and women who are faced with extraordinary tasks, and who triumph and persevere through bravery, honesty, and love. Miyazaki weaves fascinating stories where enemies transform into friends and friends have tinges of realistic uncertainty and deceit.

He also has a tremendous grasp on the tender years of childhood, and often uses this delicate understanding to convey important themes through relatable and heartwarming children characters. Mystery, adventure, romance, and friendship are melded together into fascinating blends of fantasy and normalcy. And the artwork? Breathtaking. Every scene from a Hayao Miyazaki movie could easily serve as a poster on your wall, bringing out the nostalgia of having experienced the movie and taking you back to its world for just the brief moment that you pause to take it in.

Movie List

Convinced that you need to see a Miyazaki classic yet? If not, do it anyway. You may find yourself suddenly in raptures over Miyazaki’s infinite wisdom and skill in storytelling and moviemaking without ever really realizing how you got there. The following are popular Miyazaki movies that can be easily dug up and enjoyed, in no particular order of preference.

·       Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

·       Castle in the Sky

·       My Neighbor Totoro

·       Kiki’s Delivery Service

·       Only Yesterday

·       Porco Rosso

·       Whisper of the Heart

·       Princess Mononoke

·       Spirited Away

·       The Cat Returns

·       Howl’s Moving Castle

·       Ponyo

·       The Wind Rises

·       From Up on Poppy Hill

·       The Secret World of Arrietty

You see you have some work to do. There is so much to enjoy, and those who have already watched Miyazaki’s films know the envy of seeing someone else experience them for the first time. Hayao Miyazaki finished his career with The Wind Rises, and has left behind a bittersweet legacy of awe-inspiring films bursting with intelligence, creativity, and heart which will, undoubtedly, withstand the test of time.

You should also read: The Tale of Princess Kaguya movie review

5 Halloween activities for adults

These Halloween activities for adults solve being too old to trick-or-treat

Your pain is real, and many young adults and no-longer-young adults feel it nationwide, thankfully we have these 5 Halloween activities for adults. You’re not alone in feeling the pit of emptiness taking the place in your stomach where once the excitement of trick-or-treating thrived. You’re not alone in jealously watching children stroll from door to door, blissfully unaware that their trick-or-treating days will one day be over. You might not be alone, but it might be time to move on. The realm of Halloween activities does not close its doors to you entirely once you leave middle school (or for some, high school). Instead, relish in the delights that these five Halloween activities for adults have in store for you. The day has come to throw off your mantle of melancholy during the October season and celebrate your more seasoned and mature age.

You will also like: Top 10 costume ideas for Halloween

 

1. Pumpkin Carving Contest

Remember when you weren’t even allowed to hold a carving knife? Now’s the time to really get into the Halloween spirit with pumpkin carving as a main Halloween activity for adults. Your hands may have greedily clutched free candy once, but those hands were also tiny and frail. Today you have adult hands, and you might amaze yourself at what you can craft when you really put your mind to it and get sawing. Make the whole pumpkin adventure an event and take a crew of friends and family out to a farm to pick out the gnarliest pumpkins to make into gloriously hideous sculptures.

2. Horror Movie Night

Duh. You couldn’t watch these types of movies as a child without having traumatic dreams for the rest of your life- at least, most of us couldn’t. Save up a playlist of movies that you’ve been waiting to watch, and invite a group of scare-hungry friends over to gnosh on snacks and be willingly terrified. Rotten Tomatoes is an excellent place to start on your scary movie hunt, and make sure that you’ve picked movies that will genuinely be horrific. Second-rate horror movies on Halloween? No, thanks. If you’re going to commit to a marathon of awful cinematic scenes, they’ve at least got to be of high quality gore and terror.

3. DIY Haunted House

Maybe you’re a little more than jealous. Maybe you’re a little angry. Maybe even a little… scary. If you live in an area where you might have trick-or-treaters, feed that rage into a creative outlet like designing your own haunted house. Even if you don’t have kids in your neighborhood, you could still design a scare-tastic adventure and then invite your friends over to horrify them to death. Not literally.

4. Turn Halloween into Thanksgiving

You heard me. Everyone knows why Thanksgiving is so great, right? Food, food, and more food (and pilgrims). Halloween is known for its candy and gruesome treats, but it’s not necessarily known for being a time where you produce gigantic meals and then gorge yourself to the point of being sleepy and swollen. Why should Thanksgiving get all the credit for being a belly-filling festival? Turn your Halloween into a potluck with your friends and family by cooking up treats, appetizers, dinners, and desserts that are spooky-themed which can end up being a Halloween activity within itself. And then eat all of it. In one night. You’re welcome.

5. Embrace Nature’s Natural Terror

If you have a safe area in which to do so, go for a midnight hike outdoors. Equip yourself and some friends with headlamps, flashlights, and maybe even a candle or two to keep yourselves relatively-well illuminated. Even the most harmless hike can turn into a terrifying affair when the moon, instead of the sun, runs the show. Make sure to do this somewhere that you or a friend is already familiar with to avoid any accidental injuries- and bonus points for convincing that friend to act as a less-than-friendly intruder on the hike.

6. Backsliding

You thought there were only five options? Well, you and I both know that there are really six. And you and I both know that six can only be: going trick-or-treating. No judgement. No matter what you do, you’ll have an excellent Halloween as long as you remain positive, and yes, realistic, about your age. Maybe trick-or-treating can be a Halloween activity for adults.

Also read: Top Five Haunted Campuses

David Dooley: University of Rhode Island's president defends football team's violence

Dooley defends an altercation between URIs football team and a group of boys in the fraternity

Following the Umpqua Community College shooting in Roseburg, Oregon, it’s a bit surprising to find any university official defending violence on their own campus grounds. Christopher Harper-Mercer’s recent rampage at the Oregon community college resulted in 10 fatalities, including his own suicidal death. Just a week later a threatening note was discovered at the Ashland Campus of the Southern Oregon University, causing a campus-wide shut down the next day and increased security presence. Now, David Dooley’s defense of the general safety of his University of Rhode Island institution comes as an unfortunate after-wake in allegations against violence committed by his football team.

The Allegations

Allegedly, students involved in the URI football team engaged in a fight with a group of students involved in a fraternity. Two of the football players have since been charged with assault and the fraternity brothers have been treated for a variety of injuries including broken noses. According to recent reports, two players have been removed from the football team due to their actions. There has been no indication that the fraternity students have been legally charged with crimes, and there is no information regarding the status of the football team players’ injuries after the encounter. While conjecture may lead to false assumptions, it seems probable that the football team initiated the physical aspect of the conflict and ultimately finished it as well.

Dooley’s Perspective

URI’s president David Dooley took a firm stance on the issue, claiming that the issue was not in the structure or the culture behind his university or his football team. Rather, the incident was due to poor decision-making on the part of the individuals, not the systems in place. He did state that it was a disappointing event for the university to have to have hosted, given that it offers violence prevention strategies and a more community-based policing policy. Dooley, nonetheless, still has positive views of his football program and its role in community service and leadership on campus.

Perhaps if this did not immediately follow Oregon’s serious violence issues on college campuses, Dooley’s opinions would be more normative and expected. Given the broken state of modern violence-prevention systems, however, it is possible that Dooley may undergo some backlash for his seeming nonchalance regarding the potential issue of student safety on his campus.

Kim Jong-un impersonator entertains University of Illinois students

Kim brings shock and laughter to the University of Illinois

A Kim Jong-un impersonator You may have seen Kim Jong-un on the news, or you may have heard of him in class- but have you ever seen him in person? Not many Americans can say that they have, but there’s an entire population of college students in Illinois who claim more than just having seen him: in Illinois, “Kim Jong-un” strolls college courtyards, plays on basketball courts, and involves himself in the local bar scene.

The Real Deal

Kim Jong-un is the declared supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. He is the son of the late Kim Jong-il and the grandson of Kim Il-sung. After the death of his father in 2011 Kim Jong-un was declared his immediate successor and since then has made waves in international press for his variety of hairstyles and his continuation of the worshipped dictatorship over North Korea.

The Impersonator

Also called “Dragon,” Minyong Kim is an international student who has been bringing Kim Jong-un to South Korean and American audiences since 2012. Wholly dedicated to his task, Minyong Kim is a 25-year-old native of Seoul willing to pack on weight, cut his hair, and wear clothing all designed to transform himself into a walking and talking Kim Jong-un. Minyong Kim has been enrolled at the University of Illinois since 2009, but due to national service and financial reasons has had to return to South Korea twice since his original enrollment. While working at an educational facility in South Korea he dressed up, for the first time, as Kim Jong-un- which would lead to his rapid ascension to fame, including involvement in movies, commercials, and South Korean dramas.

The Controversy

Since his return to Illinois, Minyong Kim has been regularly performing as Kim Jong-un to the delight and astonishment of his fellow classmates. The South Korean native is taking a risk by making such serious jabs at the supreme leader of North Korea. He claims to do it purely for fun, and only for the result of making people happy. However, there are many people who say that making fun of Kim Jong-un in such a way will detrimentally de-sensitize global citizens to the very serious issue that is the oppression of North Korea. Regardless of your political stance on the subject, Minyong Kim’s talent at impressions is undeniable and it is likely he will gain a foothold in America’s media landscape just as he has in South Korea’s.

Wednesday classes cancelled due to threatening note

SOU Ashland Campus was shut down due to threatening note

University officials in Oregon are on high cautionary watch following Christopher Harper-Mercer’s rampage at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg just a week ago, in which there were nine fatalities, ten including his own suicide. 80 miles away in Ashland, a threatening note was discovered in a women’s bathroom at the campus of the Southern Oregon University. Following the finding of the note, the reaction of the school’s officials was so dramatic as to warrant the closure of the Ashland campus the next day.

The Note

So far, the note itself is mostly a mystery. It was found Tuesday evening at the Ashland campus and by the next day the campus was closed. Somewhat ironically, the Education Psychology building was where the bathroom was located that had the note. The Southern Oregon University refuses to release what was written on the note, but Ryan Brown, head of media and community relations, did tell NBC News that the investigation was ongoing. The handwritten note contained what is being referred to as a “potential threat,” and the university’s seemingly extreme reaction is no surprise after the previous week’s Roseburg shooting.

The Repercussions

The Wednesday following the discovery of the note saw that no students had been evacuated from dorms- however, students had been asked to remain in their rooms. The university’s satellite campus in Medford, named the Higher Education Center, stayed open while all non-essential personnel was requested to not be on the main campus. These staff members included those responsible for campus public safety and food services for the Southern Oregon University. Classes and activities were cancelled.

The Re-Opening

The campus was slated to open again the following Thursday morning, and so far there have been no negative updates regarding the matter. There is an increased presence of policemen and security staff members on the university grounds, but other than this comforting change there have been no other alterations on campus. Students have been released to their regular activities and it would appear that, whatever the mysterious note contained, it was an empty threat. It is likely that similar reactions will be utilized in the future towards threatening messages, given that the amount of school violence has been increasing over the decades and that there have been many cases where threats indeed were followed through.

RECESS: The College Music and Ideas Festival Now Powerfully Backed by Mark Cuban

The festival has returned for a fall season

Get ready, college students, for the traveling festival happening this fall that could literally change your life. What was once only a music festival hosted by the Indiana University has morphed into an enormous opportunity to share collegiate ideas and to empower young and entrepreneurial students. Mark Cuban, after haphazardly having been emailed about the original event, decided in 2012 to invest in its well-being. Thereafter, the RECESS festival evolved into a roving business jubilee with an entourage of some particularly impressive names.

The Mission

RECESS features similarities to the South by Southwest event, mirroring its desire to foster an inspiring environment where innovation and celebration can be successfully united. Co-founder of the event, Deuce Thevenow, described the festival as being geared towards highlighting the next generation of entrepreneurs during the day half, and then scheduled to celebrate the student body’s achievements during the second half. Mark Cuban, star of Shark Tank, is an Indiana University graduate himself, and his involvement with the festival has undoubtedly helped in its surge in popularity and relevancy. L’Oréal Paris shares credit for partnering with the festival to make it a lasting achievement as well.

The Events

The traveling festival features four sections of each event, those being Concert, Pitch, Playground, and Office Hours. The concert portion consists of a celebration involving performances by leading artists of the time. Last year Flo Rida, T-Pain, The Chainsmokers, and other superstar musicians made appearances. The Pitch is a business pitch competition, which is a Shark Tank-style affair that gives students the chance to transform their ideas into real, life-changing start-ups. The winning team from each event moves on to a second event held in Los Angeles where they can pitch themselves to major investors and make connections with industrial giants. Playground is a networking fair where students can interact and meet people, and Office Hours is a speech series involving a string of prestigious speakers, including David Grutman and King Bach.

This Fall’s Line Up

RECESS is scheduled to run from October 1st to October 24th, with a variety of different landing zone campuses. Schools that will be visited include the University of Miami, UNC Charlotte, the University of Pennsylvania, Babson College, Harvard, USC, UCLA, SMU, RICE, and UT Austin. The festival is slated to bring once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to active, engaged, and passionate college students ready to shake up the business world with their own ideas and plans.