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The novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) has made its way to every continent
page 6 alestle
MADISON LAMMERT editor-in-chief
JENNIFER
GOECKNER managing editor
JORDYN NIMMER lifestyles editor
opinion
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thursday, 04.09.20
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alestle view New routines call for new personal standards T H E
Like most college students, our staff has faced our shared fears about the transition to fully online classes. On one of the last nights we could come into work, our reporter John raised quite an interesting one: How awkward would it be if students felt the need to ask their instructor to go to their own personal bathroom in the middle of a Zoom class?
As unrelated as this little anecdote sounds, it actually bears a lot of merit when discussing all the changes we are going through due to the pandemic. We don’t ask permission to make normal bodily functions, especially not in our own homes, because it’s a normal bodily reaction. For all us college students, our routines have been forced to change. Naturally, this THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
will cause a shift in our bodies — both physically and mentally. So, why are we beating ourselves up over shifts in weight? Why do we automatically consider it a personal failure when we aren’t bouncing back as easily from setbacks?
Things are different now, and sometimes, there is no way around it. Our schedules inevitably look different: most of us aren’t able to work and study at the time we normally would, let alone do so in the same place as before. Many don’t have access to the same foods as before, and with the call to social distance, we are limited to the foods at home. For those who have moved from dorms back to their parents’ homes, these food options are bound to look different. Where money is tight, the only option might be cheap foods, which aren’t always the most healthy.
Add on the social distancing factor. With the closure of local gyms and the Student Fitness Center, plus not being able to see our workout buddies, motivation can be lost. For those researching ways to stay in shape at home, finding exercises that have the same desired effect as the equipment at the gym takes perseverance, and no matter how far down the fitness video hole you go, you may never find it.
In turn, many of us will experience fluctuations in weight. This is normal, and this is part of your body’s natural reaction to all the changes you’re enduring. For those who feel ashamed of the number on the scale, remember, it is only natural. You are figuring it all out, and your body is, too.
Just as your physical body is experiencing changes, your mental self is, too. For some of us, our coping mechanisms have been taken away; friends are no longer just down the hall or across campus for when we need that added support, therapy looks different (if it is still an option at all), and going out to relieve stress is no longer an option. In times of great change comes great stress, and when you’re no longer surrounded by your support system and are forced to find new coping mechanisms, progress may feel lost. It’s unrealistic to expect to feel like you have it all figured out at this point in time, so don’t feel bad if you feel lost.
It’s not fair to compare yourself to your former normal. Until the dust has settled, tailor your standards so they are reasonable for this time of transition.
Isolation is not ideal, but we can learn from it
DAMIAN MORRIS reporter
COVID-19 is on everyone’s mind, and that won’t be changing anytime soon, but that shouldn’t keep us from learning from the experience. There is plenty to hate about being stuck at home. Some people are out of work or school, struggling to transition to online courses, frustrated with not being able to get to the store often enough, or simply tired from the lack of much needed social stimulation. At first there was a large percentage of people ignoring the signs and blatantly doing the opposite of what the regulations recommend. This highlights a problem we had before, but is much more prevalent now. How many people, especially men, avoided going to their doctors before COVID-19 was even a concern? According to a 2017 survey from the American Academy of Family Physicians, one in four doctors said up to half of their male patients failed to show up for follow-ups visits, and the majority said it was because there were no noticeable symptoms. This issue is highlighted now because many with COVID-19 aren’t symptomatic, but can still spread the disease. Avoiding doctors was common for some before this pandemic, but in most cases only had an individual effect, and now has an effect on everyone around them. However, most of these people have realized the severity of the situation at this point and listened to the medical professionals who have their best interest in mind. This has forced people into learning to cooperate more in the wake of this pandemic. Not leaving the house or socializing is difficult, but necessary, and more and more people are starting to recognize this. Most people didn’t realize how serious this pandemic was until it was already here. This can happen again, but hopefully they will now be more aware of the level of negative effects ignoring medical experts can bring. This will not only hopefully lead to higher percentages of people listening to their doctors, but can teach employers things as well. Many employers have been forced to either lose business or transition their businesses to an online format. While this isn’t possible for all businesses, many have been able to make this transition, and made it easier for certain employees whose job wasn’t any different when working at an office. Some employees may prefer working from home, and it may be easier for certain employers. This isn’t true for all, or arguably most, people in the workforce, but some are now aware that it is possible to move almost entirely online. It also makes for a learning experience for jobs that, while it’s not ideal, have been forced to go online, and will be prepared to do this again if it ever becomes necessary for its workers. Organizations, be it school or otherwise, have been forced to teach themselves how to move events that were originally in-person only, to an online format. For most of these organizations, in-person was a much more ideal way to host events, but that doesn’t mean the new skill can’t be helpful. Who says they can’t run both in-person and online events in the future? For some people who may not be able to always participate in these organizations ordinarily, it would be easier to connect online, whether that be sometimes or all the time. Planners for these events are always trying to reach as many people as they can, and this allows them to do that in a more effective way. Having to always be away from home or travel can deter some people from ever participating in organizations in the first place due to not being able to be there in person. Now they can. No one is arguing that COVID-19 is ideal, or in any way a good problem to have, but that doesn’t mean no good can come out of it. There is so much negativity, and rightfully so, surrounding this pandemic. However, taking a positive outlook on dreadful situations is not only healthier mentally, but gives something to look forward to after we come out of this trench. Allowing yourself to stop worrying for a few moments and reflecting on what good can come from this will allow the people most strongly affected by this to not have struggled in vain, and to teach lessons that can be applied for a brighter future.
thursday, 04.09.20
sports
alestlelive.com
Learning to dance in the rain: Local dancers weigh in on keeping up their craft during pandemic
Dancers all across the state have taken a big hit due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Competitions have been canceled for competitive dance, and many classes rely on in-person interaction for coaching.
Michelle Deets, the head dance coach for SIUE, was upset because the team had worked for months perfecting their routines in preparation for the National Dance Alliance College National Championship, which would have taken place April 8-12. She said this can be particularly tough on seniors, who have seen their last opportunity taken from them.
“Our girls, especially our seniors, I feel horrible for them because this is an event that we have worked hard for the entire season. The fact that we weren’t able to go is really devastating to them,” Deets said.
With the cancellation of nationals, the dance season was over before it really began. According to Deets, this was the only competition on the schedule for this season.
Senior dancer Bailey DePriest said nationals was her last chance to dance competitively with her team.
Sophomore dancer Wittni Cotton said unlike other sports where one can work to improve their performance alone, dance is a team sport that requires the team to be together to practice.
“This is a dance team and you have to dance together for this whole routine to work. You can’t dance individually,” Cotton said.
Cotton is majoring in dance, so she has also taken some dance courses on campus. Now that classes have been forced to MATT BARTELS reporter
go all-online, the dance instructors have looked to other, more creative ways to teach their students. Cotton said her professors have been sending out links of professional dancers as well as sending videos of themselves in order to help their students understand the material.
“[My dance professors] have started doing these group chats telling us what workouts to do, what dances to learn,” Cotton said. “There are so many dance teachers and instructors across the world that are offering free online classes, teachers that I would [normally] have to pay maybe $50 to $75 for like an hour class.”
Some on-campus dance instructors have required the dance majors submit videos of the students doing dances or routines for their classes. In order to submit the videos of routines for her classes, Cotton said their routines require the students to find the space in their homes or apartments to perform these dances, which may be difficult for some depending on their living situations.
“There are some challenges, because you have to take into account everyone’s space in their homes. Sometimes I have to move furniture so that I can be able to do everything I need to do,” Cotton said. BAILEY DEPRIEST senior on SIUE’s dance team “[Nationals] was my last opportunity to dance. That’s not my major, that’s not what I’m going for with my career. Me and the other seniors, we all cried. It was sad because we don’t get to compete with our team ever again. “But for me personally I try to look on the brighter side of everything. I still get to take classes.”
Similar to the dance classes at SIUE, freshman Greer Den Houter, who dances at Ballet Chicago while taking SIUE online classes, said she uses livestreams and other videos taken by professional dancers as a way to practice without being in the studio.
“What professional dancers will do is they’ll give combinations, which is like different steps. Then the people tuning in can listen to them and do what they do. So it is like a virtual class,” Den Houter said.
She also has rehearsals and shows that she prepares for that are not canceled yet, but are on the verge of cancellation, according to Den Houter.
“We have rehearsals and we practice for our two big shows of the year. The first is our Nutcracker shows and the second big show we do is our Spring Repertory performance and that is usually early May,” Den Houter said. “They are still trying to figure out what we are going to do about that.”
Den Houter believes her Spring Repertory will be canceled since it is only a few weeks away. She and her team have been rehearsing for this show since the beginning of February. She said she was especially disappointed because the team had been learning a new routine and was eager to show off their talent.
“We had one of our teachers who was choreographing a new ballet. It was new choreography and we had never danced it before,” Den Houter said. “That would’ve been really cool. We were going to do new works. [Practicing] had been really fun for us. We all definitely missed out on that.”
Den Houter hopes to be back in her studio by June but has yet to hear back from her instructors. sports in brief NCAA gives spring athletes another year of eligibility Greer Den Houter performs with her partner Tyler Bianchi during Ballet Chicago’s “The Nutcracker” at the Atheneum Theatre in Chicago in December. / Photo courtesy of Greer Den Houter MATT BARTELS 650-3527 @Matt_Alestle mbartels@alestlelive.com
Spring athletes are to receive an additional year of related competition in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the NCAA.
The NCAA announced the decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to its spring athletes.
According to the NCAA website, they also adjusted the financial aid rules, allowing teams to carry more athletes on scholarships to account for new recruits and those who were in their last year of eligibility who decide to play another year.
Colleges will also have the ability to use the NCAA’s Student Assistance Fund to help pay for any scholarships given to student athletes who take advantage of the additional year.
Previously, there was also talk of giving winter sport athletes another year of eligibility, but the voting committee declined to push it through, stating all or most of their respective seasons were complete, according to the NCAA website.
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Monday-Friday Check your answers to the quiz on page 5. We are always interested in hearing about news in our community! Submit your news at alestlelive.com. 1.False: The key word here is “accurately.” An article from CNN points out the following deficiencies: It is a mere conspiracy theory that it was created in a lab. The biological weapon “Koontz” describes has a 100 percent mortality rate, COVID-19 does not. However, COVID-19 is said to have originated in Wuhan, China. 2.True: According to The Washington Post, “Fauci’s” face has donned doughnuts in Rochester, New York, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. 3.True: As Reuters reported in February, condoms ranked as one of the most popular items purchased online in China. So much for staying six feet apart. 4.False: Bat soup, probably not — there is no evidence that bat soup caused the outbreak, according to Medical News Today. However, some scientists believe the outbreak started in animals.
5.False: Viruses are not vampires — this is not true. However, Medical News Today states garlic might help slow the growth of some types of bacteria, but limited research suggests even this.
6.False: While there is much talk of using vodka to make hand sanitizer in times of shortages, “Ben Neuman,” head of the biology department at Texas A&M University, told Huffpost that homemade ethanol solutions aren’t guaranteed to provide safety. “Neuman” said hand sanitizers must be what is equivalent to 140 proof alcohol in order to work — that’s way more than what’s in vodka.
