There are as many trends in films and movies as there are in fashion; what’s “out” one year is “in” the next. We’ve gone through our vampire obsession that began with “Twilight” and lasted until it became popular to make fun of the idea of sparkly vampires (hit right on the nose in the animated film “Hotel Transylvania”).

To many a being or beast who has traveled the world and seen lands beyond his or her own home, not one mass of land is as beautiful or as robust as that of Etheynea. Cradled between the Silver and Morwol Sea, the terrain that covers the continent is diverse. No one has seen all of it in one lifetime, not even royals of the past who built their kingdoms stone by stone. Many people from the island kingdom of Casspenia have not even crossed the channel into the port city of Kieragaros, let alone stepped foot in one of the other kingdoms. Masses of sailors and traders who drain the port taverns dry have never seen the snow-capped, ridged Brygion Mountains, or the terrible beings that lurk within the mountain caves. Villagers blessed with elemental powers, known locally as Magyrs, spread themselves all over Etheynea, and even many of their kind do not go past the borders of their own small towns. And even less people, be it a king or other, have traveled the cold, winding road through the Drakorra forest to the kingdom of Silverholt in the northern region of Etheynea.

The walk from my dorm room to the road is only about 20 yards in length, but with the heavy, strained breaths I have to take from the tightness in my knotted stomach, it feels more like a galactic stretch of space. But as I see the big, white pickup truck pulling up to the pick-up area I know I have to just white-knuckle-grip-and-go.

For most students, the air is thick with nostalgia and goodbyes this time of year, as graduation caps are donned and yearbooks are signed. Whether you’re a college student finishing your degree, a senior ready to escape the drama of high school or even a pubescent middle schooler ready to start the next four years, the end of another school year feels pretty magical.

Wimbledon, the oldest tournament in the history of tennis, might seem like any other major sporting event you come across flipping through channels. It caters to a certain crowd and usually brings in good ratings for ESPN, but to a novice, tennis is just like any other sport: predictable and skippable.

There’s no telling what each day will bring: bad weather, a rough day at work, or sometimes much worse. The best way to become proactive against what’s to come is as easy as listening to a little corny advice: eat your breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day and can change the way you handle whatever comes your way, from traffic jams to a jammed fax machine.

This past June, Christopher Capuano, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, was appointed the next president of Fairleigh Dickinson University. For the 2015-2016 academic year, Capuano “will serve as president-elect” and will then assume the presidency on July 1, 2016, according to an article posted on the FDU website.

Figuring out what I wanted to do in my life wasn’t easy (and the journey to figure it out still isn’t really over). It all started in my small town’s local library where I happened to volunteer. The Writing Club that the volunteer group ran scheduled an “author” to give a presentation one afternoon the summer before I started eighth grade.

Last week I went to the small theater in Madison to see “The Visit,” M. Night Shyamalan’s new horror movie. You know there is little expectation for a film when the attendance is below 10 people, but I had wanted to see this movie since it came out in early September. Shyamalan’s film career is exceptionally varied in what’s good and what’s not good.

Change is generally good, especially when it comes to creative people who put out art or work they’re passionate about. Change, however, is not always welcome in the music industry when it comes to the aesthetics or “the sound” of particular bands who don’t want to alter themselves when they hit the big time.

It has been slightly over a month since “The Martian” was first shown in theaters on Oct. 2, but for those of us just getting the chance to see the film, the movie is still giving off a breath of fresh air. The movie details the riveting story of astronaut/botanist Mark Watley, played by the talented Matt Damon, and his struggle to survive on Mars after his team accidentally abandons him.

Upon entering the small pink house with a tilted “7” on the white door, there was loud, high-pitched barking coming from the neighbor’s Chihuahua next door, Jimmy. Jimmy, however, couldn’t be heard once the front door was closed. Next to the front door was an eight-hook coat rack that doubled as a mirror.