A Pad Thai enthusiast, NASCAR follower, and Jon Bois fanboy, Ethan Leckie is a third-year journalism major at the University of North Florida, minoring in international studies. He first began his involvement with Spinnaker as a volunteer reporter in the fall of 2021 and currently holds the position of Opinions Editor. Ethan has always had a passion for writing and hopes to work for a newspaper one day. He enjoys watching YouTube, cooking, and visiting restaurants in his free time. If you see him on campus, ask him about his pieces- he loves to talk about them!
To no one’s surprise, college is a stressful time. According to the American Institute of Stress, eight in 10 college students experience “frequent bouts of stress.” Another study done by student marketing firm Dig In in 2020 found that more than 42% of university students had psychological issues where they felt they needed “professional help.”
Good day, everyone. This is your captain speaking. On behalf of Spinnaker, I am pleased to welcome you aboard Flight Number Five with service to Mayday Ice Cream in St. Johns Town Center.
To paraphrase a book I’ve never read, it is a truth universally acknowledged that alcohol can be bad for you. From liver damage and high blood pressure to regrettable actions and memory loss, we’ve all become aware of the adverse effects of one too many. With holiday indulgences firmly behind us, a break was in order.
Hey everybody, welcome back to another edition of Check It or Chuck It. Today, we’re going to do a quick 180. Instead of covering a one-of-a-kind restaurant, we’re switching gears to an establishment that’s one-of-many: Buffalo Wild Wings. In particular, their now-famous bargain, BOGO Boneless Thursdays.
This article expresses the views of its author(s), separate from those of this publication. Readers are encouraged to comment or submit a Letter to the Editor to share their opinions. To submit a Letter...
Hey, y’all. I hope all is well and that winter break was good for you. To ring in the new year with another review, here are my two cents on an Orlando staple I visited during the break: Beefy King.
After almost two decades of the Bowl Championship Series, the postseason for Division I FBS college football would be organized into a four-team playoff system. This system, simply known as the College Football Playoff (CFP), was created to put an end to the BCS’ antiquated, convoluted rankings system. In theory, a 13-member committee will select the best four teams each year for a chance to play for the National Championship.
Parents and students come out of the woodwork yearly to complain about the graduation ceremony. Having been at UNF for three years, this has become as much of a tradition as the graduation itself. No matter the circumstances, the masses unify to voice this one grievance year after year.
Well, I guess it’s finally over… for now.
Two weeks ago, the United Faculty of Florida (UFF) and the University of North Florida reached an agreement on new procedures concerning post-tenure review. These updated policies will ensure that faculty aren’t ranked against each other and undergo a simple review process, as well as receive financial benefits for participating in post-tenure review. In addition, faculty who meet expectations during their annual evaluations will not be at risk of losing their jobs or receiving low marks during the review process.
Konnichiwa! Welcome to the first of many more articles for my new food review column, Check It Or Chuck It. I recently visited Koushinryou - Curry and Sando, a Japanese curry house serving up authentic katsu and curry dishes. Located off Beach Blvd, Koushinryou is close enough for students to grab a post-class lunch or unwind after a long study session.
Ethan Leckie, Opinions Editor
• September 17, 2023
2023 has proven to be the year of the worker. Even with union memberships at historic lows in virtually every industry, there have still been over 250 work stoppages this year. From actors to auto workers, laborers nationwide have again taken up the struggle against corporate tyranny. This age-old fight has now reached our humble university.
Now that I’m back in the full swing of things post-summer, I want to take some time to share my thoughts on the recent removal of the Interfaith Prayer and Reflection Space. Back in March, the student-body presidential ticket of President John Grosso and Vice President Emily Sullivan ran uncontested, succeeding the previous Rodefer-Murray administration. After their election, the new Grosso-Sullivan administration listed two goals: to improve SG’s relationship with other UNF organizations and to address the university’s high transfer rates.
Hey everybody, I’m back. I’ve had a good summer because ChatGPT hasn’t taken my job (yet). Now, let’s dive into something that I found interesting over the break.
So, we’ve all heard about...
After witnessing the return of the infamous proselytizers for an entire year, UNF finally has taken a stand. Sort of.
“Generally, outdoor areas of our campus that are accessible to the public are...
Ladies and gentlemen, I have good news: we have gone through an entire week without clock app, and the campus has not devolved into anarchy. Now watch as I accidentally jinx us all.
Last Wednesday,...
Ladies and gentlemen, we got him… maybe.
The former United States president Donald J. Trump was in New York City for his arraignment on Tuesday, where acting New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan...
[This article was corrected on Thursday, March 23, 2023, to reflect that the UNF Board of Trustees has not made a statement regarding proposals by the Florida legislature and DeSantis administration.]
I...
Four years ago, surrounded by administrators from colleges and universities across the state, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called on them to adopt a “free speech resolution” similar to the University...
In my time as a student journalist, I’ve learned that there is tremendous value in having a free student press. One of the core tenets of journalism is to hold people and institutions accountable.
The...
Kings, Queens, and Regals In-Between,
February 14th is upon us. For some, the day might be spent with their one and only, happily frolicking together and filling our feeds with their whereabouts (or...
Ethan Leckie, Opinions Reporter
• January 20, 2023
Well, hasn’t this been quite the playoffs? It only seems fitting that one of the craziest NFL seasons in my recent memory has had an equally unpredictable postseason to match. However, for us Floridians,...
A new year brings many new things. Sometimes, however, we get a chance to witness continuity from the previous year. In our case, Gov. Ron DeSantis’s political theater has been renewed for another season...
Ethan Leckie, Opinions Reporter
• December 2, 2022
Unless your name is Patrick Star, you’ve probably heard of “canceling.” You know, where someone does some kind of reprehensible act, and then the public shows their disapproval by ostracizing them?...
Ethan Leckie, Opinions Reporter
• November 18, 2022
As Thanksgiving break approaches, I’ve been getting the feeling that pretty much everyone on this campus needs a chance to catch their breath (especially after course registration).
Let’s face...
Ethan Leckie, Opinions Reporter
• November 3, 2022
[Updated Nov. 4: A previous version of this article mistakenly reported that Student Government would begin their Spring 2023 semester with 18 senators total. A total of 19 senators are running in the...
Ethan Leckie, Opinions Reporter
• October 17, 2022
Finally. UNF has answered (at least some) of our many, many prayers: we now have a different on-campus dining option in Qdoba.
I’ll be honest- seeing the empty space Slice occupied day in and day...
Now that Hurricane Ian has passed Florida, it’s time to assess the damages. Thankfully, my home back in Orlando suffered only minor damage. Although my family’s home lost power, it was only for one...
Ethan Leckie, Opinions Reporter
• September 26, 2022
There are three constants at UNF: The Starbucks line will be long, the cold weather won’t come until November and parking will be impossible to find. I didn’t take any polls before writing this piece,...
Ethan Leckie, Opinions Reporter
• September 20, 2022
It’s no secret: Generation Z — as a whole — does not like country music. Hip-hop was the top genre among respondents to a Ypulse 2021 survey. In fact, country didn’t even crack the top three genres.
This...
With the upcoming election, the Unity Party announced Nathaniel Rodefer and Joshua Murry as their Student Government (SG) presidential ticket, with Rodefer for Student Body President and Murry for Vice...
Ethan Leckie, Volunteer Reporter
• January 21, 2022
For the last week, UNF Shakespeare has been performing Hamlet to audiences in MOCA Jacksonville and UNF’s Lazarra Theater, respectively. Their production is unique in that students were integral in every...
Ethan Leckie, Volunteer Reporter
• October 8, 2021
Lurking in the back of the Osprey Café, there sits a machine— an ice machine. Uttering its name will make even the longest-tenured students tremble in fear. From Aug. to early Oct., it would dispense...
