The Alestle, Vol. 76, No. 15

Iranian students face stress and anxiety for their families back home amid protests

DYLAN HEMBROUGH reporter

While thousands in Iran have died or been arrested protesting the death of Masha Amini, Iranian students at SIUE feel powerless to help.

Maede Shahin is president and founder of the Iranian Student Association at SIUE. Shahin said her inspiration to create the association was the associations of other international students.

“I saw that some international students … have their own community, and this helped them a lot in order to support each other and have this network, so Iranian students should have something like that too,” Shahin said.

Shahin said support is something that Iranian students at SIUE, thousands of miles away from their families, could use. Since the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, protests have occurred across Iran that have left hundreds dead and thousands arrested. The morality police, an entity in Iran responsible for enforcing the country’s hijab requirement, have been widely blamed for much of the violence surrounding these protests.

“Mahsa Amini was a 22-year-old girl who … did not survive the morality police officers,” Shahin said. “There’s violence towards women in Iran because of not wearing what the government wants them to wear.”

Amini was arrested on the grounds of wearing an improper hijab, according to the Iranian government. The protests surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini are not the first in Iran, but are notable for their longevity and brutality.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has been there for about 40 years,” Shahin said. “Through all those years we have been under that violence, and it was like suddenly an activation … throughout the whole society … Through all these 40 years we have been asking for our freedom, for our liberty, for our normal life, for our human rights, but all we have gotten as a reply from them is gunshots.”

Sarina Fatahizadeh, a chemistry student at SIUE, said that when the protests kept going, the government became more brutal towards the populace.

“It got worse and worse, so they started to protest and people didn’t go to work, the stores were closed, and then the government started to … kill people in the street,” Fatahizadeh said. “Women, young people, children … In some cities it’s like war. You can see the guns and machines that are just used for war, not for protests.”

Fatahizadeh also said many of the arrests and deaths have occurred in the younger generations of Iran’s population – many not much older than college students.

“After that, they arrested a lot of people,” Fatahizadeh said. “Most of them … are young people, between 22 and 30, and now they are sentencing them to die. It was yesterday or two days ago, a young boy was killed by them. They sentenced him to die.”

Sophia Wilson is an assistant professor with the political science department, and has led a series of webinars committed

to combating misinformation and propaganda about the Russian war in Ukraine. Wilson, who is Ukrainian, said she wishes to conduct a webinar in a similar vein in order to educate people on the current crisis in Iran, but has so far had trouble organizing one.

Wilson said Iran is becoming a very important actor on the global stage, especially in its “desperate” alliance with Russia.

“2022 has been and 2023 is guaranteed to be very decisive in changing global history. Lots of things will be different after 2023,” Wilson said. “I don’t know how many people realize that, but the world has changed this year, and it will continue changing. In just a year it will be something completely different than what we had the year before in terms of [the] global system … Tens of millions of people’s lives will be affected by that directly.”

Fatahizadeh said she wished she could do more to help the protestors from the U.S., but feels powerless to do so.

“If I was there, I would go to the street and do protests with other people, but I know my family [and] what they would feel. I know they would be worried like other families for other people,” Fatahizadeh said. “I read something over Instagram [about] a teenager who wanted to go to protests, and he said he wrote a note for his mom and said, ‘I’m sorry, you might not be able to see me grow old,’ and he died. It’s like that. Nothing is good, being here or being there.”

Shahin said the influx of news from Iran, both televised and directly from their families, has caused Iranian students a lot of stress and anxiety.

“Mahsa was not only a girl who was beaten up and killed in Iran, she is a sister – she is one of us. It could be me, it could be my mother, my sister, my beloved ones,” Shahin said.

“This was really hard for all of us, and still people are protesting … So you can imagine how hard it can be for all the Iranian students who are following the news to hear or see all those videos that we get from Iran and still bearing their schoolwork or being far away from their family. [It] is so important for us to see the support or the solidarity from the school, but to be honest, we have not.”

Shahin said she has tried to take it upon herself to demonstrate solidarity for the Iranian population at SIUE.

“The government back in Iran is so powerful, [and] I myself as a student do not see that much of a power in myself to

do anything,” Shahin said. “[I want to] show solidarity so more and more people know about what’s going on in Iran in the hope of getting more international attention towards what’s happening in Iran … So the other people know that this is not the government that they want to have.”

Wilson said awareness of global events is critical, especially to U.S. voters, who have a direct impact on events that may occur on the other side of the planet.

“This college is not very large,” Wilson said. “I think SIUE should hire more people who study the countries, and then we could do more to inform people. But any kind of awareness is very important – it’s vital – because U.S. voters are the major drivers behind U.S. foreign policy, and U.S. foreign policy affects the fate of people all over the world.”

Wilson said the anti-state movement in Iran will likely be one of the defining moments of 2023, particularly for the Iranian people and government.

“Not every anti-state movement is the same, but in Iran the anti-state movement is gaining momentum. It will not be quick, because the security forces of Iran are numerous and trained and share determination to continue antisocial suppression, suppression of society, using violence,” Wilson said. “That willingness to use severe violence to suppress protestors when the anti-state awareness movements are growing at the same time … is a recipe for a very difficult situation to unfold. In the coming months, in 2023, it is going

to be very difficult for the people of Iran.”

Shahin said her efforts to coordinate with others on campus to spread awareness about the Iran protests have been met with difficulty.

“Iranian students, as a part of [the] SIUE family, really need this solidarity or needed to hear something from [the] school,” Shahin said. “Some students tried emailing the chancellor asking him to show some perspectives or solidarity … But they got no results, as you can see. None of us received any emails from him. I myself went to some of the Association and they were just like, ‘You can do that, you can do this,’ but the whole thing was that we preferred the school to show that they care. Yes, I’m an Iranian student, we have our own programs – we even went to Washington, D.C. to do our own stuff – but nothing special happened here at SIUE.”

Shahin suggested starting with offering specific counseling for those affected by the Iran crisis, particularly to alleviate the signs of depression and stress she said she sees in her Iranian classmates.

“The slogan of Iranian people these days [is] ‘Women, Life, Freedom,” Shahin said. “Women have been through sexual discrimination through all these 40 years, and this discrimination is not only toward women, but also other people with any different ideas or identities from the Islamic Republic regime have been through all these difficulties.”

Fatahizadeh said she hopes to spread awareness as well, not just among the Iranian students, but among the population on campus as a whole.

“I want to, those who are into news or politics, to try to [better] understand what exactly is happening in Iran. It’s not just about women’s right, it’s about human rights. What’s happening in Iran is far [worse] than [the] death of a young woman,” Fatahizadeh said. “It’s been going on for more than 40 years in my country. It’s not just now, or five years ago. They’ve been doing this, and I don’t know, somehow the world is quiet. I don’t know what the problem is … I want the people to know that. It’s like a war – it’s worse than a war – because no one is worried about us. That’s the biggest problem.”

Prepare for winter weather with SIUE snow routes

Women’s basketball player receives award for her performance

“

I read something over Instagram [about] a teenager who wanted to go to protests, and he said he wrote a note for his mom and said, ‘I’m sorry, you might not be able to see me grow old,’ and he died. It’s like that. Nothing is good, being here or being there.”

Sarina Fatahizadeh, chemistry student

Protesters gathered in the Quad on Sept. 23 to raise awareness of Masha Amini’s death.

| Clair Sollenberger / The Alestle

12.22.22

A traffic accident was reported in Parking Lot 5G. Damage to SIUE property was also reported.

12.24.22

A traffic accident was reported at Stadium Drive near South University Drive. Damage to SIUE property was also reported.

12.29.23

An eyewash station was triggered in Science Building West. It had been activated by a student conducting an experiment and splashing non-toxic chemicals on their face.

An offensive sticker was found on a fire extinguisher in the 400 wing of the Cougar Lake Apartments. BIRT was notified.

01.24.23

Two different offensive stickers were found in the 500 wing of the Cougar Lake Apartments — one on a display case, and one on a fire alarm pull station. BIRT was notified. An iPhone was found in the MUC.

01.05.23

An offensive sticker was found on a bulletin board in the 500 wing of the Cougar Lake Apartments. BIRT was notified.

01.09.23

A wallet was found in the MUC.

The Hub prepares for annual Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon, featuring scholarships, speaker

CHLOE WOLFE photographer

Rev. Starsky Wilson will discuss his work and activism at the keynote speaker at the Hub’s Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon next week.

Lindy Wagner is the Hub’s Assistant Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence, Education and Development. She said the event will also consist of performances and an award ceremony along with Wilson’s speech.

Performances will include a dance choreographed and performed by students Leanna Lewis and Victoria Lefler, a song by community member Minister Ransom, a closing song by former SIUE student Mahlik Good as well as a dance perfor-

mance by students from the East St. Louis campus.

As a part of the luncheon, three awards will be given to members of the community, students, faculty and staff.

The first award is a scholarship awarded to full-time students of SIUE. To receive the award, students must submit an essay following the luncheon’s theme, “Making a greater nation” which was inspired by King’s Youth March for Integrated Schools speech in 1959.

The second award is the Humanitarian Award which is given to nominated faculty, staff and community members. According to the Hub’s webpage, in order to receive this award, “The person must have initiated, developed or participated in

programs, services or activities which have inspired empathy, understanding, and acceptance with regard to diversity, equity and inclusion topics and/or persons of underrepresented groups.”

The third award is the Youth Award. Wagner said there are three categories for this award; essay, poetry and visual arts. Middle and high school students are allowed to participate. Their entries must also follow the theme for the luncheon, and winners receive $100.

Depending on the year, there have been multiple winners for the Humanitarian and Youth awards, Wagner said.

This year’s theme for the luncheon is “Making a greater nation.”

The process of choosing the theme starts with the Hub’s staff

making a list of potential themes.

“We come up with several different quotes or ideas that have been attributed to MLK Jr. and then what we do is, as a group, we usually kind of decide,” said Wagner, referring to the luncheon’s planning committee as well as other subcommittees.

Wagner said they voted on ideas until they narrowed them down enough to send to the keynote speaker.

“We say ‘here’s what’s happening on campus, here’s what’s happening around the world. What do you think about these potential themes?’” Wagner said.

This year, the theme comes from King’s words: “Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a bet-

ter person of yourself, a great nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”

The committee originally pitched “make a career of humanity,” but Wilson suggested the current theme.

“He made a good point and said that ‘that is part of making a greater nation’ and that is really what our goal should be. It’s about making a greater nation and the actions that lead up to that. He just really made it make sense,” Wagner said.

The event will take place 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 in the Meridian Ballroom. To attend the luncheon, a ticket may be purchased on the events website until 5 p.m. on Friday. There are free tickets available for SIUE students; to receive one, email inclusions@siue.edu.

SIUE employees with signs telling students to ask them for help are a common sight at the start of each semester. Pictured here is Admissions and Records Associate Amy Mitwally from the Registrar’s Office.

| Winter Racine / The Alestle

NICOLE BOYD opinion editor

To answer questions about SIUE’s new logo, The Alestle talked to Heather Kniffel, Creative Director and former interim Executive Director of University Marketing and Communications.

Why change the logo?

Kniffel said the leadership and chancellor’s council felt like the brand needed to evolve to reflect the areas they want to highlight by establishing SIUE’s growth.

“I think there’s a lot of misconceptions about SIUE and maybe underestimating SIUE. We’re trying to reflect on that and let people know that we’re no longer the backup school,” Kniffel said. “We’re a premier institution, so in thinking of what that looks like, we want a brand that reflects that.”

Kniffel said the new logo isn’t developed yet, but the old one is being phased out while an existing brand is used in the meantime.

“With the new chancellor coming on board, it made sense as he’s putting forth a new vision along with the leadership team. It makes sense to evolve that brand along with it,” Kniffel said.

Kniffel said one of the items of feedback they received about the former little “E” was that people questioned why it was lowercase, and whether it meant SIUE was the smaller sister school to Carbondale.

“The intention of that when we created it was to stand out, it wasn’t to be less than. We consider it bold,” Kniffel said. “Yes, it’s lowercase, but it’s a lot bigger and thicker than the SIU, but also to show our youth, so it was a way to have a play on that to make Edwardsville stand out but also show our youthful side.”

How was the currently-used, transition logo designed?

The SIUE Cougars logo that can be seen on sweatshirts in the Cougar Store has been a secondary brand used by athletics for a few years, Kniffel said.

“We just adapted it since we are taking away the SIUE little E, we wanted something that people could use consistently and something that would stay,” Kniffel said. “There’s a tie to where we are now, but eventually that will not be the university mark.”

Kniffel said the font was created by a designer here and originally had the name of a sports team underneath the SIUE letters but it has been tweaked

to be open for use by all students in internal publications or school spirit.

“That won’t be going away, but it won’t be the pre-eminent mark for the university. That one’s a little sportier … so we want something that will be institutional-looking,” Kniffel said.

How much has rebranding thE logo cost?

Kniffel said since they are an internal marketing group, they are not charging anything for their services in terms of the execution of it.

“We’re not really actively spending any money on it,” Kniffel said. “It’s just a matter of when we are redoing things, replacing things, we’re going ahead and updating the brand, and the same will be true going forward.”

What will happen to the lowercase ‘e’ in front of Rendleman?

Kniffel said there are currently no plans to remove the lowercase ‘e’ statue in front of Rendleman Hall.

“Regardless of what happens with the little “e” the campus will evolve and it will grow, and there may be another kind of thing like that, but to my knowledge there are no plans to take that down,” Kniffel said.

These Metro East, St. Louis neighborhoods have higher than average carbon emissions

MEREDITH HOWARD Belleville News-Democrat (TNS)

Certain neighborhoods near O’Fallon, Mascoutah and Columbia, Illinois, likely have much higher average household carbon emissions than other, more urban St. Louis metro areas, according to a recent report from The New York Times.

The disparities align with trends seen globally, according to Serdar Celik, a professor of mechanical engineering. Celik holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and is chair of the university’s Climate and Sustainability Advisory Board.

Neighborhood density is a strong predictor of carbon emissions, Celik said, and urban areas tend to be friendlier to the environment due to multi-unit housing, smaller and more energy efficient homes and public transportation.

The NYT’s Dec. 13 report, which maps emissions by neighborhood, uses data from University of California, Berkeley research on consumption-based emissions. The data estimates typical emissions by neighborhood based on electricity use, consumption patterns and other factors. Transportation, housing, services, food and goods were included in estimates.

The neighborhood names have been simplified, and average emissions sometimes vary block to block. Many areas in St. Louis City have lower than average or average emissions, along with East St. Louis and several other Metro East areas.

West St. Louis County suburbs often have higher or much higher emissions than average, especially compared to nearby denser areas such as downtown, midtown and south city, according to the report.

Here’s how greenhouse gas emissions in the Metro East and St. Louis area localities compare to the national average, according to the NYT’s map.

Metro East carbon emissions

East St. Louis- Lower than average emissions overall, roughly average housing emissions.

Belleville- About average overall emissions. Some parts of the city have lower than average food and goods emissions, while some have higher than typical housing emissions.

Fairview Heights- Around average overall emissions, higher than typical for housing.

O’Fallon- Varies by exact location, some neighborhoods have much higher than average emissions in multiple categories, while others are average overall.

Edwardsville- Roughly average overall.

Alton- About average overall, below average for food and goods.

Glen Carbon- Higher than average emissions, much higher than average for housing.

St. Louis City carbon emissions

Downtown- Lower than average emissions overall, about average in housing.

University City- About average overall emissions, with lower than typical transportation and higher than normal housing.

Ladue- Much higher than average emissions in all categories.

Frontenac- Much higher than average emissions overall.

Webster Groves- Higher than average emissions overall.

Town and Country- Much higher than average emissions overall.

Along with neighborhood density, wealth plays a crucial role in carbon emissions. Wealthy people have more access to sustainable options, such as updated home appliances and energy-efficient cars, Celik said. But if individuals opt for larger homes, more consumption and increased air travel, they could do more harm than good.

Illinois ranked 25th out of the 50 U.S. states for the highest amount of energy consumed per capita in 2020, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Missouri ranked 27th.

The Land of Lincoln is the fifth-largest energy-consuming state overall, the EIA reports, and it is the third-largest ethanol producer at 1.5 billion gallons per year.

Missouri uses almost eight times more energy than it produces, according to the EIA. Coal provided 74% of the state’s electricity net generation in 2021, the second-highest share in the country, behind only West Virginia.

What can government, individuals do to reduce carbon footprints?

One of the reasons cities typically have lower carbon footprints compared to rural areas is buildings may be more energy efficient. But this doesn’t apply to all older construction.

St. Louis is home to a variety of iconic historic buildings, from the Cathedral Basilica, to former manufacturing plants, to the Lemp Mansion. While some legacy buildings are simpler to update than others, old construction can pose an issue when working toward energy efficiency.

When working on older buildings, Celik said it’s important to involve archi-

tects and engineers, as well as historians to promote efficiency without sacrificing a construction’s character.

Protecting green spaces is also integral to sustainability, Celik continued, and part of that effort is in investing in public parks. Another idea is to build green roofs, which offer an array of benefits, including natural insulation and reducing airport traffic noise, the urban heat island effect and air conditioning and heating needs, Celik said.

For those who are not policy makers, city planners or architects, there are still steps available to reduce personal carbon emissions. One is to use public transportation, carpool, walk or bike if any of these are options for you.

“Public transportation definitely is a big player in reducing carbon footprints,” Celik said.

Celik suggested possibly ensuring your home is properly insulated and your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is in working order. (Ameren Illinois offers a program for “low to moderate income” households in St. Clair, Madison and Monroe counties to upgrade or replace HVAC systems.)

Celik also suggested avoiding over-consumption and waste and using an energy efficient or “smart” thermostat. Ameren has $100 rebate programs in Illinois and Missouri to help residents access these.

When evaluating whether you should take a specific action aiming toward sustainability, it’s important to sort out fact from fiction. “Greenwashing” happens when companies advertise products are more sustainable than they actually are, and Celik said this is problematic.

| Clair Sollenberger / The Alestle

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alestlelive.com PAGE 4 Thursday, 01.12.23

From campus experts: Tips to start the new year off right

FRANCESCA BOSTON lifestyle editor

Setting up for success can look different from person to person, but taking stock of your mental and physical health as well as career plans can be a good way to start the year.

Jessica Ulrich, director of Counseling Services, said that part of taking care of your mental health is finding ways to help prevent burnout, which develops over time from exposure to a lot of stress or negative situations. Ulrich said that focusing on boundaries and realistic goal settings are two ways to prevent reaching the burnout stage.

“I would say making sure that you’re setting realistic goals. [If] it’s not really attainable, then you’re kind of setting yourself up for failure. Creating boundaries and you can look at that in both a personal and professional or academic sense, knowing what your capacity is and knowing that it’s different for every person,” Ulrich said.

Ulrich said that part of maintaining boundaries is creating time for fun, making time to do the things you enjoy. She also said that part of taking care of mental health is knowing what your warning signs are, and asking for help sooner rather than later.

“Knowing what your personal warning signs up for distress, so that way you can kind of do that intervention,” Ulrich said “Because I think a lot of times people wait a little bit too long. Then a lot of times, you’re more focused on kind of putting out the fire instead of actually dealing with what it is that could have been maybe more appropriately treated earlier on.”

Ulrich said help can look different for everyone. When to ask for help is a personal decision based on personal warning signs and mental health history.

“If you’re noticing a change in your mood, whether that be experiencing some feelings of anxiety or sadness, it’s important to know that having those feelings are common, everybody has those at some point,” Ulrich said. “But when you’re noticing that you’re feeling worse, instead of better, or when the feelings are lingering for maybe more than a couple of weeks, it’s definitely time to ask for help.”

Help can include counseling, medication, or other kinds of professional help, support groups or simply talking with someone you trust, Ulrich said. She said that SIUE has services for students, but knowing what resources are available is the most important part.

“On the college campus here, that could be counseling services, Ulrich said.

“We also have a platform called Together All, which is a free online peer support program that folks can engage in that is completely anonymous. We also have resources that we have on Blackboard; if you go to counseling services, my organization’s tab, then we have a whole bunch of what we call psychoeducation material.”

Ashley Tocco, fitness programs coordinator with Campus Rec, said that working out is not only great for physical health, but consistent exercise is a good way to help improve mental health.

“School is hard. It’s overwhelming. Working out is one way to reduce your anxiety and depression and just improve your overall mental health,” Tocco said.

Tocco said it can be hard to find time, but short consistent workouts can be just as effective as longer, more intense workouts.

“You really don’t need a whole lot of time to have an effective workout. Just something as little as 30 minutes can go a long way if you’re consistent,” Tocco said.

Campus Rec is adding new classes to the schedule this semester, which Tocco said is a great way to get into a routine, as classes are free and have a wide variety of

“We’re going to have a ton of classes,” Tocco said. “ The one I’m most excited about is cardio kickboxing. We will be having two [weightlifting] training groups starting. One is ‘Ladies who Lift’, so it’s geared towards females that don’t really know how to lift. It will be led by a female-certified personal trainer. Then we also have one that is Uplifting that is open to male and female, just to show them how to lift,” Tocco said.

Setting yourself up for success means creating a definition of what success looks like to each individual, including what professional success looks like.

Carrie Viehweg, a career counselor with the Career Development Center, said that finding a path to a career that is fulfilling and enjoyable is part of finding professional success.

“What I want students to get out of it is a career where they feel valued, and their input is taken into consideration. There’s a work-life balance and that they have a

| Winter Racine / The Alestle

chance to be their authentic self, and they feel stable,” Viehweg said.

Viehweg said she sees a lot of students who think they have a plan, but then change their mind a couple years into school. She said that it is okay to change your mind, but creating a plan is the best way to go forward.

“People change their mind, and it’s okay to decide not to pursue something,” Viehweg said. “But we do want you to have a definite plan moving forward in a different direction. That’s what we would help with. It’s okay if you’re going to change your mind, but let’s plan it out.”

Viehweg said if she had to give one piece of advice to students, it is that students tend to underestimate the importance of a resume, as it is the first step to most career steps and updating your resume often is a good way to set yourself up for success.

Be prepared for bad weather – know campus snow routes

Campus snow routes are ADA-accessible routes that are cleared first in case of snow. Here’s a map of those routes so you can get to class safely (and on time).

exercise classes available.

EMILY STERZINGER editor-in-chief

With contributions from several staff members, these are the Alestle’s top songs of 2022.

‘About

Damn Time,’ Lizzo

2022’s self love anthem and temporary TikTok trend deserves its place as one of the most popular songs of last year.

‘Beg For You,’ Charli XCX, Rina Sawayama

For many pop music fans, very few artists can top Charli XCX and Rina Sawayama. This song is a prime example of why.

‘Should’ve Been Me,’ Mitski

Mitski has never shied away from upbeat instrumentals with sad lyrics, and this is certainly a key example of that. I found it just as enjoyable as I did when I reviewed the album it came out on early last year.

‘As It Was,’ PREP

Yes, I chose a cover in

place of the original version of this song. The original is good, but it’s not my fault that this is the better version.

‘Boyfriend,’ Dove Cameron

From Disney Channel starlet to queer icon, this song trended this year for a reason. It’s powerful, dramatic, and oh so catchy.

‘Swan Upon Leda,’ Hozier

Gentle instrumental and impassioned vocals aside, this song has a really interesting connection to Greek mythology that’s worth looking into if you’re a fan of that sort of thing.

‘ALIEN SUPERSTAR,’ Beyoncé

Another contender for best pop song of the year is this one, a remarkably catchy tune from an artist who rarely misses.

‘Pass The Nirvana,’ Pierce The Veil

Former and current emo kids rejoice, Pierce The Veil is still releasing absolute bangers in the year of our lord 2022.

‘Angels On Vacation,’ Weezer

This song has range, especially in its vocals, switching from religious, to energetic, to soft and sweet, back to energetic. It shows dedication that a band can still release bops 30 years after its conception.

‘N95,’ Kendrick Lamar

Though we don’t really need any reminders of the pandemic, masks or otherwise, we’ll let the title of this song slide, because it’s truly one of the best rap songs of last year.

‘Settle Down,’ Ricky Montgomery

Though he’s one of TikTok’s favorite sad indie boys, Ricky Montogmery’s music isn’t always sad. Sometimes it’s upbeat and loving, like this bop.

‘Stick Season,’ Noah Kahan

This choice is kind of somber, but nonetheless, it’s a very well written song. The way it provokes a nostalgic, emotional response in the listener

makes it one of our favorites of the last year.

‘Grapejuice,’

Harry Styles

Sure, I had something else on the same album on here. But for one, this is sung by a different artist, the original this time. Secondly, it’s a good album.

‘The Main Character,’ Will Wood

Though this song came out in 2022, you should use this bop to exude confidence and embody main character energy throughout 2023.

‘Golden Age,’ J. Maya

If you’re looking for a contemporary girl power anthem, look no further than this. It’s pumped up, energetic and references several powerful women throughout history. Who could ask for more?

‘Very

Few Friends,’ Saint Levant

This multilingual jam flows beautifully despite the fact that it has to flip between three languages, a testament to the skill of Saint Levant as a musician.

‘SUPERMODEL,” Måneskin

Måneskin has recently been putting out hit after hit, and this is no exception. The sultry vocals and jamming instrumental cements this as one of the best songs of last year.

‘Kill Bill,” SZA

To top off this list, this song has been a recent TikTok trend, which is because it absolutely slaps. Sure, it’s about murdering your ex, but what good song isn’t?

To listen to this playlist, check out our Spotify.

Alestle’s Guide to layering to stay warm in the Midwest winter

1st Layer 2nd Layer 3rd Layer

Where to Start?

Base shirt, long sleeve or turtle neck for maximum warmth or a T-shirt in a pinch

Long insulating pants such as leggings, tights or longjohns.

Tip:

Fuzzy thick socks layered over help keep your toes warm.

Where to start?

Thicker top, such as a hoodie, sweater.

Add another warm pair pants. Jeans are a good option, but are best layered in snowy weather.

Tip:

If it is snowy outside, it is best if your pants can go over your shoes to prevent snow from getting in your shoes .

Where to start?

Add a coat and acessories, gloves, hat, ect.

Make sure you have a hat, hood or ear covering to keep your head warm.

Waterproof shoes, best if they are a type of boot!

Tip:

Cloth masks are great to keep to your nose warm and repurpose masks that you may have traded in for a medical mask.

Emily Sterzinger / The Alestle

Cougar Controversies

EMILY STERZINGER Editor-in-Chief

GABRIEL BRADY Managing Editor

FRANCESCA BOSTON Lifestyles Editor

BRUCE DARNELL Sports Editor

DAMIAN MORRIS Multimedia Editor

NICOLE BOYD Online/Opinion Editor

O’LOUGHLIN Graphics Manager

TAMMY MERRETT Program Director

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Don’t feel pressured to become a new person this new year

hobby and other aspirations of personal betterment.

The fresh start of the new year can make us feel like it’s time to do everything we’ve been procrastinating or have been too unmotivated to accomplish. However, we forget that whether we like it or not, we remain the same people.

Many of us are often thinking about our resolutions and goals for the new year far before the clock strikes midnight. These can vary from lifestyle changes such as reading more, drinking more water, eating healthier or working out, to picking up an instrument, adopting a new

New Year’s resolutions can be beneficial in setting guidelines for yourself over the course of the year and are an exciting way to challenge your current habits. However, be careful not to expect instant results or radical change come the first week of January. It is completely OK if your life and actions seem the exact same — because in reality, they still are.

We expect that the flip of a calendar will give us the boost of energy, resources, time or money to finally get to the things we have been putting off, but that may be putting ourselves in a position where we are bound to fail.

These various goals may very well be an overload of responsibilities, seeing as how our lives haven’t changed from the previous day. Expecting too much and criticizing or becoming harsh on yourself when you cannot reach every resolution you’ve set can quickly become unhealthy.

When you attempt to drink seven additional cups of water, work out for several hours a day, change your diet and grow frustrated that crocheting wasn’t as enjoyable as you expected, several changes all at once can cause you to give up on your goals from the get-go. Where these habits can gradually become introduced in your day-to-day life is when you

work on them one by one.

Instead of expecting yourself to check off your entire list right away, choose the one or two you feel would be the most manageable and realistic, and begin implementing them. Habits take at least two months to form, so if you don’t feel motivated or particularly good at something right away, don’t give up until you’ve given yourself time to try it.

The new year comes with its own set of anxieties and expectations separate from personal resolutions—so no matter what you’re hoping to accomplish, give yourself grace, be patient and try not to feel the pressure to transform into someone else.

Take it easy on the people behind the pharmacy counter

DYLAN HEMBROUGH reporter

We’ve all been there before: you wait in line at your local Walgreens or CVS just to be told by one of the technicians why your medicine isn’t ready yet.

Pharmacy technicians have no hand in the prescription of medications, nor do they decide if a medication is covered by a particular insurance company. What technicians are ultimately responsible for, in the retail arena, is maintaining a service in which patients can pick up a medicine they were prescribed. Misunderstanding this role and its nuances can and does lead to unnecessary confrontations between patients and employees.

It sounds easy enough, but there are a number of hoops technicians must jump through in order to convert a paper prescription into a bottle full of pills. The first of these hoops is knowing how to read prescriptions, which are often written in a shorthand language called sig codes due to the number of prescriptions the doctor writes every day. Despite

many of these prescriptions being sent in electronically, there are still a number that come in paper form, sometimes with the added challenge of deciphering a doctor’s handwriting.

After the pharmacist approves the prescription, it gets printed behind a queue of anywhere from a few to hundreds of other prescriptions. I am a technician at a Walgreens in my hometown of Springfield, Illinois, and even though there are eleven Walgreens spread out across the city, any one pharmacy still services hundreds of patients every day. Especially with short staff, it is a rarity for a retail pharmacy to have a prescription ready within fifteen minutes after it is called in.

Besides filling prescriptions, technicians have a load of other duties to attend to behind the counter, such as working through a list of dozens of calls each day to remind patients to pick up their medications or refill them. Technicians have to vaccinate patients against the flu and COVID-19, and the pharmacist themselves can vaccinate against a variety of

diseases including shingles, pneumonia and tetanus.

With phones ringing off the hook, doctors constantly sending prescriptions and insurance companies to work with, it is no wonder pharmacies can look like chaotic places. A well-run pharmacy requires a lot to go right, and while I have been fortunate enough to work in one of these well-run pharmacies, the stress of the job still sometimes gets to me.

Over Christmas break this year, I worked 81 hours at Walgreens, and I had some nasty patient interactions. I was flipped off and cussed out for relaying to a patient that Walgreens has not been contracted with their insurance company for years, and that same day, another patient accused me of tampering with their profile because they had not seen a text informing them that their prescription was ready.

I have been threatened over a prescription for famotidine (which is available over the counter as Pepcid), I have been pressured to commit insurance fraud, and I have been pre-emp-

tively blamed by patients for their own hypothetical death by stroke because their blood pressure medicine is on backorder and Walgreens cannot buy any. One time a customer asked me for Sudafed explicitly for the purpose of starting a meth lab. I consider myself lucky to have the coworkers I do, because they help me get through the chaos of any given day.

Pharmacy workers experience enough stress on the daily, so it is not much to ask that customers be patient with and respectful to the people responsible for giving them their medicine. We have no problem helping patients out with insurance troubles, but we do not like when a patient blames us for something their insurance company is responsible for.

Probably the simplest thing anyone can do when picking up medicine at a retail pharmacy is say hello, thank you and have a nice day. They are little things, but pharmacy workers are people too, and we appreciate any patient who makes the effort to treat us as such.

THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

The name Alestle is an acronym derived from the names of the three campus locations of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Alton, East St. Louis and Edwardsville.

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h r sc pe

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)

Today is an 8 — Put your action and energy where your heart is. Passions are on the rise, with Mars stationing direct. Romance and creativity flower anew.

PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20)

Today is an 8 — Energize home renovation, beautification and repairs. Develop domestic projects for satisfying results, with Mars direct. Paint makes a big difference. Nurture your nest.

ARIES (March 21 - April 19)

Today is a 9 — Communication lines flow more freely, with Mars direct in Gemini. Get the word out. Polish and edit public statements. Creative projects flower. Connect and network.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)

Today is a 9 — Get an income turbo boost, with Mars direct. Discover new markets and efficiencies. Tap into rising demand and growing momentum. Lucrative projects unfold.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

Today is a 9 — A personal ambition flowers, with Mars direct in your sign. Use your superpowers for good. Pour energy into realizing a dream. Dress the part.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

Plan your moves in detail. Clean, sort and organize, with Mars direct. Pursue reflection, introspection and peace. Meditate on dreams, wishes, wants and prayers.

LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22)

Today is a 9 — Coordination amplifies your reach, with Mars direct. Teamwork fans spark into flame. Community participation generates results. Direct energy for a passionate cause.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)

Today is an 8 — Advance an exciting project. Your professional stature and influence rise, with Mars direct. Pour energy into moving your career to the next level.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)

Today is an 8 — Widen an exploration. Travels, studies and investigation reveal new possibilities, with Mars direct in Gemini. Research clues abound. Make brilliant connections and discoveries.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)

Today is an 8 — Cash flows in with renewed vigor now that Mars is direct. Pay debt and build savings with this surge. Contribute for shared gain.

SAGITARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)

Today is an 8 — Your partnership feels supercharged, with Mars stationing direct. Collaborative actions have greater power. Take on big goals and dreams. Together, you can do anything.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)

Today is an 8 — Power into physical activities and practices, with Mars direct. Steady action gets fabulous results. Nurture your health with good food, rest, medicine and nature.

Nancy Black Horoscopes: January 12, 2023

New women’s basketball transfer gets first accolade as Cougar

AHMAD LATHAN reporter

The Ohio Valley Conference honored KK Rodriguez as the conference Newcomer of the Week for her performance at the Husky Classic. During that contest, Rodriguez scored a career-high 19 points after knocking down 11 out of her 12 free throws.

KK Rodriguez, senior from St. Louis, said it felt good to receive an accolade like this.

“It was a really good feeling because I had not received any accolade like that at my old school,” Rodriguez said. “To have this and then have all my teammates before me, it just made it an amazing moment.”

Rodriguez said the team’s tough non-conference schedule helped gear them for the Ohio Valley Conference action.

“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs when it came to the non-conference season, but it prepared us for the OVC,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said the team has many other talented players on the team to use, which makes them a tough team to play.

“We all bring something different to the table, which is amazing because you never have too much of any one thing,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez believes this individual award demonstrates how

the team is progressing upward in the second half of the season.

“I just think it shows how hard work we’ve all been putting in as a team,” Rodriguez said. “We’re just trying to continue building for the next game.”

Rodriguez said she stepped up in multiple ways on the court when the team needed her to.

“It was just that whenever my team needed me to be in that moment, that’s when I thought I had to step up and do it whether it’s scoring, rebounding or anything else,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said she knows that the team’s overall record is not a reflection of how good their team is in the conference.

“Our record doesn’t reflect how good of a team we really are, and it makes other teams nervous in the OVC,” Rodriguez said.

Molly Sheehan, sophomore guard from Hinsdale, Illinois, said she was elated after hearing about Rodriguez being awarded the OVC newcomer of the week.

“I probably had the most animated reaction out of all of my teammates,” Sheehan said. “The last two weeks she has elevated her game and has been a big part of our success.”

Sheehan said Rodriguez has stepped up for the team by being a positive leader.

tion due to her solid play for the team.

“She stepped up as a captain on our team, she’s really just the glue and always pushes everyone to play their best,” Sheehan said.

Coach Sam Smith said she was excited once she found out Rodriguez received her OVC award.

“I would say a lot of the work she’s put in and to see some of those results recognized, people respect it,” Smith said.

Smith said that it was a special moment for Rodriguez because she’s transferred back into her hometown area and to have a newcomer make a difference for the team is nice to see.

“To have people join your roster that start to make an immediate impact in your conference that’s great,” Smith said.

Smith said Rodriguez has shown some leadership qualities while playing this season.

“We’ve had a tough non-conference schedule and I would say she’s someone as a veteran player who recognizes that it’s not our identity,” Smith said. “She’s having that knowledge and it can translate to not only on the court but to leading our younger players.”

Sheehan said this award is one of the first but not the last time KK will receive recogni-

Basketball teams offer Ohio Valley Conference early season predictions

GABRIEL BRADY managing editor

Coaches for the men’s and women’s basketball teams expressed excitement for the coming season after winning against Tennessee State University last Thursday, and are looking forward to the remainder of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Both games were hardfought and drew quite a crowd. The score at the end of the women’s game was 76-69, and 81-72 for the men’s game. Though Tennessee State held the lead very briefly in the women’s game, they never held it once in the men’s game.

Men’s basketball Head Coach Brian Barone complimented Tennessee State’s team’s playing.

“I think we were playing against a top-tier team in our league,” Barone said. “I think they’re very well-coached, they’ve got a lot of talent and to be in control of the game on the scoreboard from start to finish is a great accomplishment for us.”

In both the men’s and the women’s team’s games on Jan. 5,

both teams had plenty of strong assists. Frequently, different players on both teams would take the difficult but selfless opinion to make weak shot at the basket, only for another player to jump up and guarantee it makes it.

In fact, the women’s team their season-high of 20 as sists in the game. Wom en’s basketball Head Coach Sam Smith said assists have always been a key part of the game that she’s taught the players.

“I say this to our four kids at home that sharing is caring, and you can show how much you care for a teammate and love a teammate by making an ex tra pass, by running on offense through and multiple players on our team touching the ball,” Smith said. “That kind of playing makes us really, really difficult to guard. You only get to that by making extra passes, by shar ing the basketball throughout

an offense.”

Barone said assists represent a very important, central part of any sport — playing for the team, not yourself.

“[The team] never wavers on their support for one another,” Barone said. “They always want their teammate who’s on the court to have success. When there’s someone out there supporting you from the bench, or even right next to you, I think you can just play the game better overall.”

Smith believes that with Rodriguez playing at a high level she will be a great example and role model for the rest of the team going forward into the season. but a had asWomhave exthrough and multiple players ball,” Smith said. “That shar-

as an there’s some As well as assists, Sopho

As well as assists, there were quite a few rebounds throughout both games. Sophomore guard Damarco Minor from Chicago

is in the midst of his first season at SIUE, but in this game, he established a new career high for rebounds.

“I’m really just still trying to learn,” Minor said. “I just try to find a role, do what I’ve got to do to win the game. If it’s rebounds, assists or whatever I do in the game, I try to do it.”

Redshirt sophomore DeeJuan Pruitt from Sacramento had his season high of rebounds during the game as well.

“I like getting good rebounds, and that’s a big part of winning for this team, and I just thought coming out strong with those tonight would help us win, and it did,” Pruitt said.

Another record broken was from senior guard KK Rodriguez from St. Louis, who got the most points she has yet in this season in the women’s game.

Looking at the season for both teams as a whole, the women’s team had a tough non-conference season, winning only one game and losing 10. However, Rodriguez said this was actually somewhat beneficial for the team in the long run.

“I think that just overly prepared us for when it comes to the

conference. I’m not saying that anyone is not as good, but being able to roll with the punches is so important,” Rodriguez said. “If we get knocked down, we need to be able to come back. And I feel like, a lot of the time, in those big games, that we did. We may have not won, but we fought and tried to come back.”

Smith also said that although the non-conference season is important, ultimately, the actual conference games are what decide the winners.

“Going into January and February, you want to be playing your best basketball,” Smith said. “You want to be sharing the ball. You need to know when it’s your time and when it’s your moment. Whether it’s [sophomore guard Sofie Lowis] in the three-point range, or if it’s [senior forward Ajulu Thatha] and we need her underneath to make a big play, we all have our strengths and weaknesses, and it’s good to learn how to use them.”

The women’s team’s next home game is 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14 against Lindenwood University, followed by the men’s game at 5:30, also against Lindenwood.

Senior guard KK Rodriguez from St. Louis drives the ball around Tennessee State at the Jan 5 game.

| Damian Morris / The Alestle