Tag Archives: Carowinds

student life

Popular Places to Spend Time Off Campus

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By: Claudia Puente, Staff Writer

It is common to find Wingate University students taking  road trips outside of Union county. From the beaches to the mountains, North Carolina is home to endless activities all seasons. 

One of senior Luis Aguilar’s favorite spots to catch a new film is at a traditional drive-in movie in King’s Mountain, only an hour and 15 minutes away from campus. Hound’s Drive-in provides the audience with a unique viewing experience from the comfort of their car, all with a wide variety of movie snacks in the concession stands.

“The drive-in is a refreshing way to watch a movie compared to sitting quietly in a theater, I love being able to come with friends and sit in lawn chairs in front of my car or tailgate in the back.”

Asheville is another favorite spot of many students for a day trip. The historic city, which is only a two hour drive away, houses many activities such as touring the Biltmore Estate, hiking the blue ridge parkway, or even just enjoying brunch in one of the small surrounding towns.

Sophomore Yami Peral says “I never get tired of going to Asheville because there is always so much to explore, it’s a beautiful city to experience a wide variety of culture and art no matter what you do.”

Thrill-seeking students often find themselves at the GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, an hour away from Union County. This outdoor karting facility reaches speeds up to 55 mph on an 11-turn track.

Junior Maria Perez says, “It’s an adrenaline rush to race against friends on a track that has sharp turns, I’m not a good driver and constantly spinning off track but it never gets boring.”

Topgolf, the popular driving range provides students with a high-tech experience. This sports entertainment complex gives a spin on traditional golf that players of all levels can enjoy. Sophomore Shawn Simmons exclaims “I never played golf until I came here and yet I still have a good time, especially because the food is so good. It’s such a go-to hangout spot with friends.”

This venue is most popular in the evening and even hosts special events such as “College Night” on Wednesdays after 7 p.m. for only $15. Topgolf is located only 45 minutes from the University and provides the guests with innovative technology that tracks the golf ball and the target it enters.

Not just a favorite of Wingate students, but a Carolina favorite is the amusement park, Carowinds. Located adjacent to the Interstate 77, Carowinds is lively throughout all seasons. Every October the park is transformed into Scarowinds with haunted attractions and over 500 monsters roaming the park.

Sophomore Jordan Locke says, “I’ve been to Scarowinds so many times and yet the mazes never fail to scare me, it’s also fun to watch my friends get scared easily.”

Wingate University students can often be found adventuring off-campus to popular spots outside of Union County. Whether it is catching a movie at the drive-in, learning how to golf at the driving range, or even walking the haunted mazes of Scarowinds, the Carolinas are home to endless activities that students love to explore.

Edited By: Rachael Robinson

Carowinds, Halloween

A Haunting at Scarowinds

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Tyler Smith, Staff Writer

Scarowinds

Walking through the gates of Scarowinds is the equivalent to stepping into Disney’s famed Halloween movie, “Halloweentown.” Except this is the MTV version, where the friendly ghosts and goblins seem to have taken the wrong turn and became the receivers of endless torture and mad scientist experiments.

For a couple of weeks throughout the year, usually spanning from the end of September to the end of October, the family amusement park, Carowinds, is less concerned with high action thrills than it is with providing scare-seeking chills.

Scarowinds is an adventure within itself, but if you are looking for a little added entertainment, do what I did. Find ten of your closest, loudest friends to partake in the adventure with you, and you will be in for an interesting time.

“As soon as you step in the park you know it was a bad idea but you’re still excited to see what’s going to be there when you turn the corner,” said Wingate junior Abby Saehler.

Whether you are a self proclaimed scare enthusiast or you get dragged to Scarowinds by your persistent friends, the variety of attractions is broad enough for everyone to find a scare to their liking.  There are four main types of attractions: mazes, rides, scare zones and shows.

There are seven different mazes, each with a different theme to cater to each individuals’ worst nightmare: a psychiatric hospital, creepy corn maze, a toy store where the toys are created with human parts, a fun house filled with demented clowns, the land of the zombies and a slaughterhouse where homeless people are mixed in with the livestock.

Mazes are not the only place that you will see monsters. Every walkway is transformed between rides into “scare zones”. Employees lurk around in full costume and sneak up on people before venturing through their next maze or riding the next roller coaster.

“Honestly the best part is that the employees who are dressed up refuse to leave you alone,” sophomore Katie Bludau said. “If they pinpoint you as one of the ones who wants to be left alone, you’re done for.”

Carowinds is usually a go-to family friendly option in the Carolinas, however the coming of the fall season brings with it something wicked in the air. Scarowinds becomes the place to be for horrors and haunts alike. Whether you are interested in riding North America’s longest roller coaster or searching for a scare, the opportunities for thrills are endless at Scarowinds.

Edited By: Kyndra Sanden and Meredith Lalor