Monday, April 25, 2016

Monday, April 25, 2016

Vol. 126, Issue 57

BRINGS HAZE TO GROUNDS see SHENANDOAH FIRE, page 2

Courtesy Virginia Department of Forestry

QSU RESPONDS TO TRANSPHOBIC CHALKINGS PAGE 2

NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS SHARE STORIES PAGE 5

VIRGINIA BASEBALL UPSETS MIAMI PAGE 6

LEAD EDITORIAL: YES TO FORMER FELONS VOTING PAGE 9

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO BEFORE GRADUATING PAGE 15

N news

Madelyn Weingast Associate Editor

Volunteers and members of the University’s Queer Student Union held signs readings “we don’t stand for bigotry” around Grounds and passed out flyers with their message April 22.

The picket was held in reaction to negative phrases written in chalk around Grounds earlier in the week. According to the event’s flyers, after QSU chalked messages of inclusivity the group’s words were later erased, washed out and twisted from their original sentiment.

For example, in the message “we don’t stand for bigotry,” the word “don’t” was erased from the sidewalk by an anonymous person.

Second-year Curry student Brett Curtis volunteered for the event and held a sign on the steps of Old Cabell Hall.

“I was against everything that

The Cavalier Daily

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QSU pickets, protests chalkings Organization hopes to reach wider student body with picketing

[the chalkings] said,” Curtis said.

“It doesn’t represent what this school stands for and all of it was inaccurate.”

Shannon Khurana, QSU vice president for student activism, second-year College student and organizer of the event, said the majority of picketers were around the Lawn and Amphitheatre. Others were also placed at the scene of the negative chalkings in front of New Cabell Hall, Minor Hall, Thornton Hall and the Chemistry building.

“Our intention was to put people in the places almost exactly where those things were written to quite literally reclaim that space,” Khurana said.

Zoe Pettler, incoming QSU vice president of education and second-year College student, said the organization put out statements in the community following the chalking, but said those actions only reach the people already paying attention.

“We’re hoping that by putting people out in public in a bunch of different places where people can’t

miss us that people who wouldn’t necessarily get this information will have access to it,” Pettler said.

Khurana said the QSU wanted to bring a human element and real dialogue to the situation.

“This is more than just chalk, these are more than just words on the ground [and] there are people behind the statements,” Khurana said. “We’re here to come out of the night in broad daylight to tell you here is the network of people to stand up for you if someone is trying to put you down. We don’t stand for bigotry.”

Curtis said it was important to get the correct information out in public and that the negative chalkings don’t represent University ideals.

“Minority students are loud [and] proud to be here, and they can’t continue to be disenfranchised, put down or hidden, so we’re trying to make sure that those voices are heard,” Curtis said.

The QSU’s goal is to create a more inclusive space and home for

people at the University, Khurana said.

“We’re proud to come out here and put a face behind our words,”

Khurana said. “One of my personal ethics is to always put your name behind what you say and that’s what we’re trying to do out here.”

Courtesy QSU

Curtis said it was important to get the correct information out in public and that the negative chalkings do not represent University ideals.

Wildfire covers 8,952 acres in Shenandoah Park rangers believe wildfire was human-caused Kathleen Smith Associate Editor

A wildfire in Shenandoah National Park is the reason behind the smoky, hazy air that has loomed over Charlottesville for the past week.

Rocky Mount Fire 2016, the official name of the wildfire, began last Saturday and has been scorching southern parts of the national park

all week. Sally Hurlbert, a park ranger in Shenandoah National Park, said the cause of the fire is still unknown.

“It is under investigation, but is believed to be human caused,” Hurlbert said in an email statement.

Hurlbert said fuel, such as pine needles and leaves, rugged topography and the weather all contribute to wildfires.

“The temperature has been high,

Courtesy Virginia Department of Forestry

The blaze has led to multiple trail closures in the area. The Appalachian Trail is closed from Blackrock Gap to Powell Gap, and the Skyline drive is closed from Swift Run Gap to Blackrock Gap.

the humidity has been unseasonably dry and the wind speed has been variable,” Hurlbert said. “All of these factors have combined to make this fire expand rapidly and become a complex fire to fight.”

Wildfires are more difficult to put out than structure fires, largely because of the speed at which they expand, Hurlbert said.

“We can't just spray water on it to put it out like a house fire,” Hurlbert said. “When the fire was first reported to us, it was already 70 acres, so we couldn't directly attack it. We had to indirectly attack it by trying to put a containment line around it using roads, natural barriers and constructed fire lines.”

Hurlbert said the goal is to keep the fire within the containment zone. The park is currently working with partners such as the Virginia Department of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, several state forestry agencies, Rockingham County Fire and Rescue and the Grottoes Volunteer Fire Department. Additionally, over 342 personnel from 33 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have been dispatched as a result of the fire.

On Saturday, the U.S. Park Police provided their helicopter to aid with putting out the blaze. The helicopter transported fire personnel equipped with an infrared camera that would show fire hot spots needing attention from firefighters as the weather dries out this week.

A press release from the Southern Area Incident Management Red Team said the increased humidity, precipitation and lower temperatures on Saturday gave fire crews the opportunity to mop up and extend all fire lines including along Skyline Drive. The fire is burning in mountain laurel, pine and oak forests with heavier than average leaf litter and duff.

Several property owners between the Lewis Peak Trail and Madison Run Road have given permission for fire crews to improve a series of old jeep roads and trails that run through their respective properties to build a solid contingency line to hold and contain the southwest corner of the fire, should the need arise.

The blaze has led to multiple trail closures in the area. The Appalachian Trail is closed from Blackrock Gap to Powell Gap, and the Skyline Drive is closed from Swift Run Gap to Blackrock Gap.

Firefighters planned to burn out vegetation between containment lines and the main fire front to bolster containment, according to a Facebook post by the Shenandoah National Park posted Sunday. A test fire on the west side of the fire in the Big Run area was created from the ground.

The Facebook post also said the park started aerial ignition on the southeast side of the fire in the Eppert Hollow area. Residents in the area may see increased smoke as a result of the actions. Although the total fire acreage is 8,952 acres, almost 43 percent of it has been contained as of Friday.

Hurlbert said Rocky Mount, the area where the fire started, has not burned for over 80 years.

“This is a place where low level fires should occur naturally every three to seven years,” Hurlbert said.

“As a result of the fire, organic material and nutrients have been recycled into the soil, which will stimulate new plant growth.”

NEWS

Monday, April 25, 2016

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Honor audit commission to begin meeting this summer Thirteen members will respond to 2016 spring sanctioning vote David Schutte Associate Editor

An Honor Audit Commission, created by the 2015-16 Honor Committee, will convene for the first time this summer.

Honor Chair Matt West, a third-year College student, said the committee “wanted to create a mechanism to respond to not only the outcome of this spring’s vote on sanctioning, but to the heightened level of debate that’s been ongoing the past three to four years.”

The commission will set its goals for the next year and a half at its first meeting and will work toward these goals until its term concludes in the spring of 2018.

This conclusion will include an audit report that will help the Honor Committee make improvements.

“Everything is open for review,” West said. “[We] hope that the commission will con-

Fota Sall | The Cavalier Daily

Over the next year and a half, the audit commission will conduct reviews that include student surveys and focus groups to help connect the student body to the Honor Committee.

duct a thorough and comprehensive review.”

The commission will consist of 13 members: two at-large undergraduate students, an atlarge graduate student, a Board of Visitors member, the student

Board of Visitors member, representatives from the Vice President’s Office of Student Affairs and the Office of the Dean of Students, two faculty members, two alumni representatives, an Honor Committee representa-

tive and an Honor support officer.

In addition to the 13 other members, West will serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the commission in order to provide input without directly

affecting the audit commission’s reports.

The at-large student members will be selected by a five-member selection committee. West will be the only Honor Committee member on the selection committee. West said this allows the Honor Committee to have a small role in the selection committee without gaining too much influence, a philosophy like that applied to Honor’s actual role in the audit commission.

Over the next year and a half, the audit commission will conduct reviews that include student surveys and focus groups to help connect the student body to the Honor Committee.

“We hope that by giving them approximately a year and a half to conduct the review, we can ensure that they have the opportunity to simultaneously review many different elements of the system,” West said.

Hoos for Ecuador holds vigil for earthquake victims Group raising funds to help those in need Gaston Arze Senior Writer

The student group Hoos for Ecuador held a candlelight vigil for the victims of the April 16 earthquake Sunday night in the Amphitheatre. The purpose of the vigil was to inform the University community of the tragedy.

Hoos for Ecuador was organized by students to help raise funds for those affected by the earthquake. They are working with other student groups from around the world to help Ecuadorians in need.

The funds raised by Hoos for Ecuador will be distributed by three organizations: Young Presidents’ Organization, Republica del Cacao — a chocolate company — and the Ecuadorian Red Cross.

The members of Hoos for Ecuador and members of the University community both came together to place candles in the Amphitheatre before the sun went down. After a sobering recollection of the devastation caused by the earthquake, the candles were lit after sunset.

The north-western coastal provinces of Ecuador, which are popular destinations for tourists, were primarily affected. All six of these regions were immediately

placed under a state of emergency following the earthquake.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8 and was classified as severe on the Mercalli intensity scale, which measures the effects of an earthquake. Nearly 7,000 buildings were destroyed and over 26,000 Ecuadorians have been displaced from their homes.

According to the National Geological Society, the earthquake began at 7:58 p.m. and emanated from a point just over a hundred miles from the capital city of Quito.

Though University students abroad have been confirmed safe, Ecuador’s Minister of Security released a statement that stated at least 4,000 people were injured.

As of Saturday, the death toll had climbed to nearly 650 people. It was the deadliest earthquake Ecuador has experienced since a 1987 earthquake left an estimated 1,000 people dead.

The official death toll is not likely reflective of the actual number of people who were killed in the earthquake, as it continues to grow every day as bodies are pulled from the rubble.

“Basically each day, news gets worse,” Mateo Semerene, a second-year College student, said.

Celina Hu | The Cavalier Daily

Hoos for Ecuador held a vigil and lit candles after sunset in the Amphitheatre Sunday to remember victims of the recent earthquake in Ecuador.

“Most of the people who are dead are not believed to be found yet.”

Entire city blocks and some geographically isolated communities have been levelled. Semerene said family and friends of the members of Hoos for Ecuador have reported being unable to walk outside because the stench of the fetid corpses is too much to handle.

According to Hoos for Ecua-

dor’s mission statement, the organization is working with multiple international organizations in order to “ensure that the funds are quickly delivered with responsibility and efficiency.”

“We’ve raised more than $2,400 in four days, but our initial goal was $10,000,” Semerene said.

Hoos for Ecuador said the money being raised will be used

“to ensure affected people have enough food, water and shelter.”

While the earthquake has brought difficult times to the region, the people affected are working together, Semerene said.

“It’s brought the people [of Ecuador] together in an unprecedented way,” Semerene said.

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NEWS

The Cavalier Daily

QSU holds Minority Intersections and Emergency Dialogue Panel discusses minority experiences at U.Va., reactions to chalking Mairead Crotty Senior Writer

The Queer Student Union hosted a Minority Intersections and Emergency Dialogue on April 21.

Members of different student organizations gathered for a student panel and dialogue. This meeting was modeled after a smaller version of the event held by the QSU last semester.

The panel consisted of representatives from the Asian Student Union, Black Student Alliance, DREAMers on Grounds, Middle Eastern Leadership Council, Native American Student Union and the Minority Rights Coalition. The members of the panel spoke about how their racial, religious and gender identities intersect and affect their lives.

After each member of the panel spoke about their experiences, the audience broke into groups for the dialogue.

Zoe Pettler, incoming president of education for QSU and a second-year College student, said the dialogue became an “emergency dialogue” after students found racist and transphobic statements chalked around Grounds Monday morning.

“In light of recent events, we’ve decided to expand our dialogue,” Pettler said. “We’re going to start off with minority intersections

Khoa Nguyen | The Cavalier Daily

Panel members discussed how their racial, religious and gender idenities intersect and affect their experience at the University.

dialogues as planned. Moderators from Sustained Dialogue will make sure we stay on topic before we transition into discussion of current events.”

Each moderator was given a list of questions for the group to discuss. While many questions were about minority intersections, QSU provided information about the chalkings to allow group members to discuss the events of the past week.

“We’re going to have people talk about how it’s affecting minority groups at U.Va.,” Pettler said.

Pettler said the dialogue was originally planned to discuss how different identities interact and intersect. The dialogue is also a way for groups that are represented by different organizations on Grounds to work together.

“It’s trying to get different multicultural groups on [Grounds] to come together and talk about how different racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and religious identities intersect with LGBT identities,” Pettler said. “It’s about talking about how the different organizations interact with each other because

there isn’t a whole lot of dialogue between them and trying to make sure people feel welcome in different groups according to their different identities.”

In addition to discussing their own minority intersections, members of the panel addressed the importance of coalition building. Because many groups were negatively affected by the chalkings, they said they believe it is important the groups unite.

“It’s a space for people to talk because people have a lot of feelings about what’s been going on,”

Pettler said. “It’s a way for different minorities to talk and find a common solution.”

At the very beginning of the meeting, members of the QSU executive board announced that they had been planning a “ChalkIn” campaign, which took place Sunday. Participants planned to sit with a sign reading “We don’t stand for bigotry” in various places around Grounds and hand out flyers condemning the negative chalkings.

Shannon Khurana, vice president of student activism for QSU and second-year College student, stated QSU aims for the Chalk-In to be a positive ending to the “cycle of positive and negative chalkings.”

“The reason we’re doing this is because those slants have been written out of cowardice in the night,” Khurana said. “Because those people don’t want to learn and listen, we need to put our face out there, so it’s not just stuff written down. There [are] people behind this.”

The goal of the Chalk-In was to offer support to minorities who felt threatened by the negative chalking found Monday morning.

“I hope that this makes people feel safe and that U.Va. is a place for everybody,” Khurana said.

“We’re coming out of the darkness into the light saying, ‘We’re here for you.’”

F

focus Genevieve Agar Focus Writer

As the demographics of college undergraduates continue to evolve, more non-traditional students are pursuing higher education. In 2011, the National Center for Education Statistics estimated 38 percent of students in higher education were over the age of 25, and this percentage of students is projected to increase another 23 percent by 2019. Over a quarter of undergraduates now have children, many are older than 18 to 22 years old and more veterans are attending school using benefits from the GI Bill after serving in the military.

While this increase in non-traditional students is partly based on greater availability of online classes, the students pursuing higher education grow more diverse each year, and the University is no exception to this trend.

Who are non-traditional students?

Like many University students, Annie Miao, a College student, dreamed of going to college when she was 17 years old. Little did she know, it would take her 10 years to reach this goal.

Miao’s plans for her future changed drastically during her junior year of high school when her father died unexpectedly of a heart attack, leaving Miao and her family without financial support.

“It was very hard on me and my family — emotionally, financially,” Miao said. “I also fell into depression … imagine having this future planned out for yourself and then your trajectory has to change overnight.”

Miao dreamed of attending a prestigious school in California and using college as an opportunity to get away from home. However, she found herself working to support her family and attending a local community college to save money after her father’s death.

Mary St. Julien, another College student, always knew she would not follow the traditional college path.

“I was paying for college myself, and I was in a nursing program my senior year of high school,” St. Julien said. “So I was going to go to nursing school, make some money and then go to U.Va.” After studying nursing at her local community college, St. Julien transferred to the University, a common step for many non-traditional students.

“The transfer community is often a forgotten community,” St. Julien said. “I came in my third year.

Monday, April 25, 2016

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Non-traditional students share their stories How the University serves non-traditional students, challenges they face It’s been difficult, academically, to transfer in my third year when for most people … you have to decide your major, you’re taking upper-level classes.”

In addition to finishing her degree in sociology before heading to medical school, St. Julien commutes home to Stafford every other weekend to see her husband and their 5-year-old son.

“It’s very difficult, especially since my son is so young, to not be able to tuck him in every night or be there every day. That kind of sucks,” St. Julien said. “But I know that I’m setting us all up for a better future. So that's the only thing that gives me peace and that also makes me work harder because I know I’ve sacrificed a lot to be here … It also makes me enjoy the moments I have with them even more.”

Continuing and Professional Studies student Catherine Tatman, another non-traditional University student and community college transfer, is a full-time mom and has attended classes at the same time as her children. “[My kids] would come and have lunch with me,” Tatman said. “It was just adorable. They were so supportive of me.”

Tatman served in a variety of roles before going back to school, including working as a computer programmer, army officer wife, a professional volunteer and the owner of a certified organic farm in central Virginia.

“I tried to sell the farm and go back to school … that very physical farming aspect is now very cerebral, it’s very academic,” Tatman said. “I can’t believe I’m writing term papers and research papers [and] taking finals.”

Serving non-traditional needs The School of Continuing and Professional Studies, one of the first institutions for non-traditional students in Virginia, started as the Bureau of Extension at the University in 1915.

Interim Dean of SCPS Steve Laymon said it is crucial to provide education for non-traditional students.

“Many factors are contributing to the need for non-traditional programs,” Laymon said in an email statement. “Combining work with school is challenging, and flexible schedules and online classes help with that. Active duty military personnel can take our classes, even as they are moved around across the globe.”

Sarah Buchanan, an SCPS graduate who now works as an aesthetician at Oasis Day Spa, left Bard College after two years of traditional college in

order to attend skincare school. She eventually went to community college and transferred to the University.

A Charlottesville native, Buchanan said she knew she wanted to come back to her hometown and take advantage of the high quality of education found at the University. However, she was unable to enroll in the College, as it prohibits students from taking fewer than 12 credits. “[SCPS] was the only option for somebody who needs to work and go to school,” Buchanan said. “You can’t really do the traditional college, [work] functions on a traditional schedule … There’s no way to work with U.Va. as somebody who really has to have a job.”

Buchanan said the hardest part about her non-traditional education was not being able to take classes in different majors or departments, as the SCPS offers one degree — a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.

“As a non-traditional student attending U.Va. part-time, you have to attend SCPS, because then you have to get the interdisciplinary degree,” Buchanan said. “That’s limiting and things don’t build on themselves in the same way … I feel like I was able to pull things together in a way that suited my interest, so that worked for me, and then also I didn’t have any plans to use it for a particular career path.”

The lack of academic variety is a concern for SCPS administration as well. Laymon said the school is moving toward adding majors or concentrations to its undergraduate degrees.

“Students can concentrate in Business now in the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, but in the future they can also concentrate in Health Care Management and Information Technology and Human Resources,” Laymon said. “The idea is to give students the chance to combine all the benefits of a rigorous liberal arts education with a concentration in a technical or applied field.”

Buchanan also said the classes were not always as academically challenging as those she took in the College.

“Professors were often adjunct, they weren’t necessarily U.Va. professors, which was sometimes great, but in other cases it felt like … they didn’t always represent the level of expertise that you felt you might have gotten from the set of professors that are orienting you towards a major and the tenure-track professors,” Buchanan said.

Only 15 percent of faculty at SPCS are University resident faculty — the rest are adjunct.

“They are non-tenured, but have rank just like faculty members elsewhere on Grounds,” Laymon said.

“They prioritize teaching. Teaching adults and non-traditional learners requires considerable skill. In a few cases we also partner with other schools on Grounds and use their faculty for some programs.”

Challenges faced by non-traditional students Non-traditional students do not necessarily experience an easy transition to the University, and many be met with judgment from their peers. “[Other students] would judge me and think that I was too stupid to come into college at 17, [so] there must be something wrong with me developmentally or mentally,” Miao said.

Tatman also described the difficulties of identifying as a non-traditional student.

“The perception of myself by other students and faculty and [the] administration is that they don’t see me as a student,” Tatman said. “I am almost without exception — until I’ve been introduced and gotten to know someone — assumed to be a parent or a faculty member.”

Within SCPS, Buchanan often

sensed a disconnect between regular and non-traditional students.

“Because of the way that U.Va. — in some ways out of necessity — has siphoned off their non-traditional students, if you cannot go to U.Va. full-time, since [the school] schedule is so traditional and so geared towards the full-time student, you can’t really integrate,” Buchanan said.

Despite the challenges non-traditional students face, Miao said going to school at an older age gives her a unique perspective.

“As you get older you tend to develop a stronger sense of self,” Miao said, “and a lot of the insecurities I had when I was younger, I’m happy to say I no longer have or at least not to the same degree I used to have.”

Miao said she can now focus on developing herself in other ways throughout college.

“Having worked first and knowing what the real world is like and what the real-world entails … gives [me] a different perspective in how I look at education now,” Miao said. “It gives me a newfound sense of appreciation for education.”

Celina Hu| The Cavalier Daily

Annie Miao and Mary St. Julien, students in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, worked and attended community college before transferring to the University.

Courtesy SCPS

Interim Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Steve Laymon, said the school is working on expanding academic variety for its students.

The Cavalier Daily

S

Baseball upsets No. 1 Miami

sports The No. 22 Virginia baseball team took down No. 1 Miami in a three-game series this past weekend, winning the first and third games. After a close 6-5 win Friday, the team suffered a 9-2 defeat Saturday before bouncing back Sunday to win, 7-3. The series win followed an 11-5 Cavalier loss against Virginia Commonwealth.

The first game’s highlight was the Cavaliers’ (26-17, 11-10 ACC) huge first inning, batting in five runs and shutting out the

6

Runs scored in Virginiaʼs series winner against No. 1 Miami 8 7 6 5 Runs 4 3 2 1 0

Final score Virginia 7, Miami 3

Game tied 3-3

Virginia Miami

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Inning

Hurricanes (30-8, 14-5 ACC).

Virginia failed to bat someone in again until the ninth inning. Miami scored two runs in the fourth and sixth innings and found its final run of the

night in the ninth. Six different Cavaliers scored, with freshman designated hitter Nate Eikhoff batting in three.

The second game was scoreless through five innings until

the Hurricanes scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth.

After a five-run eighth inning Virginia found itself down 9-0.

The Cavaliers only managed to score two, ending the game in defeat. Miami junior outfielder Jacob Heyward had three RBIs while junior infielder Johnny Ruiz added two.

In the final game Virginia scored two runs in the fourth, sixth and ninth innings after scoring one in the second.

Miami scored two runs in the fourth and one in the sixth.

Junior catcher Matt Thaiss and junior infielder Daniel Pinero

both batted in two runs. Pinero also scored two runs himself.

The Cavaliers next play Tuesday against Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va.

Miami 30-8 overall 14-5 ACC

—compiled by Tysen Tresness

Virginia 26-17 overall 11-10 ACC Graphics by Lucas Halse

Men’s tennis falls short of tenth-consecutive ACC title Seeking their tenth straight ACC title, the top-ranked team in the nation, the Virginia men’s tennis team, traveled down to the Cary Tennis Center in Cary, N.C., this past weekend. The team won the ACC regular season championship, but knew this tournament would be a struggle, as they did not win the regular season nearly as convincingly as they had in past years. However, the Cavaliers fell short of winning their tenth-straight ACC title.

As the top seed, the Cavaliers (244, 11-1 ACC) began in the quarterfinals, taking on the eighth-seeded North Carolina State. The Cavaliers clinched a 4-1 victory over the Wolfpack (18-14, 5-7 ACC) when sophomore Collin Altamirano defeated NC State senior Thomas Weigel 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, sending the Cavaliers to the

semifinal.

The semifinal was against North Carolina, to whom the Cavaliers lost twice earlier in the season. It was yet again a hotly contested battle between these two elite teams, but this time, the Cavaliers defeated the Tar Heels (25-4, 9-3 ACC), 4-3.

In a match that was suspended for nearly three hours due to rain, Virginia played some of its best tennis of the season. The match was decided when sophomore Henrik Wiersholm defeated North Carolina junior Jack Murray 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to clinch a championship berth for the Cavaliers.

Virginia faced second-seeded Wake Forest for the title — a team the Cavaliers beat last Friday to clinch the ACC regular season title. The Cavaliers played great tennis again,

but came up short against a hungry Demon Deacon squad, losing the match, 4-3.

Dropping the doubles point hurt the Cavaliers, but the match was ultimately decided at the sixth spot on the singles ladder. It was an incredible match between Virginia junior Luca Corinteli and Wake Forest freshman Dennis Uspensky, but ultimately, Uspensky pulled out a 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (73), 7-6 (7-4) win in a match so hotly contested that it required a tiebreak for each set.

Despite the loss, the Cavaliers will go into the NCAA tournament as one of the top teams in the nation, hoping to repeat their championship effort from last season.

—compiled by Hunter Ostad

Paul Burke| The Cavalier Daily

Sophomore Collin Altamirano won a decisive match against NC State, allowing Virginia to advance to the ACC Tournament semifinals. The Cavaliers fell against Wake Forest in the finals, 4-3.

Women’s tennis falls in ACC semis against UNC

Mariana Fraser| The Cavalier Daily

Senior Julia Elbaba notched Virginia’s only win in the semifinal loss against North Carolina. The Tar Heels won the NCAA Tournament Sunday with a victory against second-seeded Miami.

The fifth-seeded Virginia women’s tennis team showed well in the ACC tournament, defeating twelfth-seed Florida State and fourth-seed Duke en route to an semifinals appearance, where they were defeated by top-seeded North Carolina, 4-1.

The Cavaliers (16-10, 9-5 ACC) couldn't afford to take any game for granted, as every ACC Tournament match would be highly contested.

Against Florida State (14-13, 4-10 ACC), the match was tied 3-3 with the outcome resting on senior Stephanie Nauta’s shoulder. The match went all the way to the wire in the third set, but

Nauta eventually defeated Seminole senior Yukako Noi, 6-1, 6-7, 7-5, and allowed the Cavaliers to pull out a 4-3 win to move on to the quarterfinals.

In the ensuing match against Duke (18-6, 11-3 ACC), seniors Danielle Collins and Julia Elbaba put in top-notched performances at the top two spots on the singles ladder to lead the Cavaliers to a 4-2 victory.

The semifinal against the Tar Heels (28-2, 14-0 ACC) was always going to be a difficult match against the ACC’s top seed — a team that did not fall in conference play this year. The Cavaliers put up a good fight, but couldn’t handle North Car-

olina, falling, 4-1. The Cavaliers’ lone victory was Elbaba’s 6-1, 6-2 win against senior Whitney Kay. The Tar Heels defeated second-seeded Miami Sunday to win the ACC title. Virginia’s NCAA Tournament fate will be announced May 3.

—compiled by Hunter Ostad

SPORTS

Monday, April 25, 2016

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Track and Field thrives at Virginia Challenge Men win five events, Lavorgna passes 7,000 points in decathlon Ben Tobin Associate Editor

This past weekend, 62 teams and over 1,200 athletes gathered in Charlottesville to participate in the Virginia Challenge — one of the most competitive meets of the season. That didn’t deter the Virginia outdoor track and field teams, though. The Cavaliers embraced the competition and their tenacious attitude led to another successful meet for the teams.

On the women’s side, athletes of all ages shone under the lights of Lannigan Field. Two of these athletes were redshirt freshman Mia Barron and junior Cleo Boyd. Barron finished fifth in the long jump with a mark of 6.22 meters. Meanwhile, Boyd placed sixth in the 5,000 meters with a time of 16:09.23. These finishes rank eighth and fifth on the program’s all-time lists, respectively. “[These finishes show] how well people progress in our program as they go on and how much better they get [versus] when they get there,” Virginia coach Bryan Fetzer said.

Meanwhile, the No. 4 Virginia men continued carrying their momentum Friday and Saturday. Junior Henry Wynne — the 2016 national indoor champion in the mile — continued his winning fashion and claimed a victory in the 1,500 meters. Posting a time of 3:38.05, Wynne broke the program record in the event and currently holds the best

time in the country.

Additionally, junior Filip Mihaljevic had a huge meet for the Cavaliers.

On the first day of competition, Mihaljevic won the discus throw. Then, on the following day, Bosnia and Herzegovina native won the shot put competition.

Sophomore Cam Collins and junior Adam Visokay also scored victories for the Cavaliers, winning the decathlon and the 10,000 meters, respectively. In total, the men’s teams won five events.

“They just continue to get better each and every week,” Fetzer said.

“I’m so excited to get down to Tallahassee, I can hardly stand it.”

Not only was this meet significant because of its competitiveness, but it also was the final home meet for Virginia seniors. For Fetzer, it was a sentimental meet,.

“It’s always emotional [to send off seniors],” Fetzer said. “They’re going to be missed, and they’ve set a great foundation for years to come for this program.”

For senior Christian Lavorgna, this meet allowed him to accomplish something he had been working on throughout his entire college career — passing 7,000 points in the decathlon.

In a decathlon, athletes compete in 10 separate events. Depending how they do in each event, they are awarded a certain amount of points.

With the completion of his last event, Lavorgna posted 7,001 points — just

narrowly accomplishing his goal.

“I’ve been chasing that 7,000 number for pretty much my whole career,” Lavorgna said. “To finally be able to do that at my last home meet was pretty special.”

Fetzer said that Lavorgna deserves this magical ending to his final track meet at Lannigan Field.

“It’s just a testament to how far he’s come over the last four years,” Fetzer said. “He embodies what we look for in a leader and in a student athlete.”

For Lavorgna, getting to celebrate this accomplishment with his team at home made it all the more special, he said.

“We have one of those teams where everyone is friends with everybody,” Lavorgna said. “When somebody steps on the track to hit one of their goals, everybody is backing them up.”

While he reached his own personal goal, Lavorgna has one more goal for his college career — helping his team to capture a conference title.

“Personally I have one more goal to hit, and that is a team title at the ACC Championships,” Lavorgna said.

Next week, select members of the Virginia outdoor track and field teams will compete at the Highlander Invitational in Radford, Va. Then, from May 13-15, the teams will head to Tallahassee, Fla. to compete in the ACC Championships.

Courtesy Virginia Athletics

Senior Christian Lavorgna surpassed 7,000 career points in the decathlon this weekend.

Men’s golf places eighth at ACC Tournament

Courtesy Virginia Athletics

Junior Jimmy Stanger tied for 16th at even-par 216 at the ACC Championships. The Cavaliers tied for eighth after a disastrous final day of competition.

The Virginia men’s golf team tied for eighth place at the ACC Tournament, hosted this past weekend at the Old North State Club in New London, N.C. The Cavaliers struggled to keep pace with some of the top programs in the nation over the course of the weekend, suffering final round setbacks to post a team total of 6-over 870.

No. 12 Clemson took home first place in the 63rd rendition of the ACC Tournament, shooting an impressive 25-under 839 over the weekend. They were followed by Wake Forest (14-under 850), Florida State (5-under 859), Georgia Tech (even-par 864) and Duke (1-over 865) for top-five finishes.

Louisville (2-over 866) and North Carolina State (5-over 869) also finished ahead of Virginia, while North Carolina tied the Cavaliers for eighth place.

Notre Dame (19-over 883), Virginia Tech (26-over 890) and

Boston College (37-over 901) rounded out the remainder of the leaderboard.

Freshman Thomas Walsh led the way individually for Virginia, finishing tied for ninth overall with a score of 3-under 213 — the second lowest mark by any freshman in the field of 60 players. Juniors Jimmy Stanger and Derek Bard tied for 16th at even-par 216, while sophomore Danny Walker and freshman Ashton Poole tied for 46th at 11-over 227.

Louisville senior Robin Sciot-Siegrist took home individual honors with a 10-under 206 finish.

Although out of contention for first place after the first round, the Cavaliers came into Sunday poised to record a topfive finish. Following an opening round 1-under 287, Virginia was tied for third. The team remained consistent through

Saturday as well — posting an even-par 288 — which left them tied for fourth to start of the final round.

However, Sunday’s final round spelled trouble for Virginia. Although buoyed by Walsh’s 3-under 69 — the only score under 70 recorded by a Virginia golfer on the weekend — each of his four teammates had their worst day of the tournament, resulting in a 7-over 295 finish on the day. The poor showing allowed for NC State, Louisville and Duke to jump the Cavaliers on the leaderboard.

Virginia hopes to bounce back from its worst finish of the spring season in its next round of postseason competition, which will come with the NCAA Regional rounds beginning May 16.

—compiled by Grayson Kemper

8

SPORTS

The Cavalier Daily

Men’s lacrosse spoils Georgetown’s senior night, 8-7 Virginia earned a much-needed win over Georgetown Saturday night at Cooper Field. The Cavaliers (7-7, 0-4 ACC) edged out the Hoyas (2-11, 1-3 Big East), 8-7, in a game that saw 3-0 runs for both teams.

The game stood scoreless until just over two minutes left in the first quarter when junior midfielder Zed Williams put the first goal on the board. After Georgetown equalized the score, junior long stick midfielder Michael Howard scored his first career goal after the next faceoff.

The Hoyas tied the game once again at 2-2 before the Cavaliers went on a 3-0 run with two goals from senior attackman James Pannell and one from sophomore midfielder Matt Emery to close out the half with a 5-2 lead.

However, Georgetown returned the favor to begin the second half with a 3-0 run of their own, evening the score at 5-5. The Hoyas shut Virginia out

for the entire third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Pannell and Williams paired up to give the Cavaliers a 7-5 lead, before Georgetown senior midfielder Joe Bucci netted his fifth goal of the evening. Williams then added his third goal to give Virginia an 8-6 lead. The Hoyas added on one final goal with five seconds left, but it was not enough to defeat the Cavaliers.

Junior goalie Matt Barrett had 12 saves on the evening, and Virginia outshot Georgetown, 36-35, to capture the victory. The win comes at a crucial time for the Cavaliers as they try to boost their resume before NCAA tournament selection begins.

Virginia will play their last guaranteed contest next Saturday in the ACC-Brown Showcase against No. 3 Brown in Kennesaw, Ga. —compiled by Mariel Messier

Richard Dizon| The Cavalier Daily

Junior midfielder Zed Williams scored three goals for Virginia, including the eighth and final goal in the 8-7 win against Georgetown.

Women’s lacrosse defeats Hokies to finish regular season

Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily

Senior attacker Kelly Boyd netted four goals Friday in Virginia’s 14-7 win against Virginia Tech.

The No. 11 Virginia women’s lacrosse team finished its regular season with a win this past Friday in Blacksburg, defeating Virginia Tech, 14-7.

The Cavaliers (9-7, 3-4 ACC) got off to a somewhat slow start in the game, going down 2-0 just over five minutes in. However, a dominant offensive surge in the middle of the first half put Virginia in control, and the team cruised on to achieve its fourth victory in the last five games.

Senior attacker Kelly Boyd and junior attacker Kelly Reese led the Cavaliers in scoring with four goals each. Sophomore midfielder Kasey Behr chipped in two goals — she has scored at least one goal in every regular season game this year. Additionally, junior attackers Posey Valis and Besser Dyson, senior midfielder Mary Alati and freshman midfielder Maggie Jackson all chipped in one goal apiece.

Virginia outshot the Hokies (5-12, 0-7 ACC), 40-17, and also held the edge in draw controls, 14-9. With the single elimination ACC tournament

up next, the win guarantees the Cavaliers a season record above .500, making them eligible to be selected to play in the NCAA tournament.

The win also gives Virginia sports the victory over Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth Clash, an annual rivalry contest between the schools that encompasses various sports. Friday’s victory gives the Cavaliers the clinching eleventh point needed to defeat the Hokies 11-5.

Virginia Tech got off to a quick start, scoring two goals less than two minutes apart to take a 2-0 lead with 24:52 left in the first half. But the Cavaliers responded just 18 seconds later, as Boyd scored on an assist from Dyson to put Virginia on the board with 24:34 remaining in the first to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Cavaliers then rattled off six consecutive goals, which five different players scored. Boyd capped the scoring run with her third goal on another Dyson assist to give Virginia a commanding 7-2 lead with 10:27 remaining in the first half.

Virginia Tech scored to end the Cavaliers’ goal streak with 3:18 left in the first to cut Virginia’s halftime lead to 7-3.

The Cavaliers scored the first three goals of the second half.

Boyd and Reese scored to give Virginia a 10-3 lead with 22:15 remaining.

A goal by the Hokies with 11:34 left was followed by four consecutive Virginia goals, as Alati, Behr and Reese scored to give the Cavaliers their largest lead of the game at 14-4 with 4:56 left. Virginia Tech scored three straight goals after, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit as Virginia won by a final score of 14-7.

Virginia will return to Blacksburg Thursday to play No. 13 Duke (9-7, 4-3) in the first round of the ACC tournament.

The fourth-seeded Blue Devils defeated the fifth-seeded Cavaliers earlier this season, 11-8.

—compiled by Jack Gallagher

O

Monday, April 25, 2016

LEAD EDITORIAL

Felony re-enfranchisement long overdue

opinion

Restoring voting rights to felons strengthens the political process

Comment of the day “ Students are chosen to live on the Lawn based on their academic performance and contributions to the University community — that is hardly ‘elitism.’

Every student who comes to the [University] has an equal shot initially at being a Lawn resident three years later — it is what you do that counts. “

by “Publius” in response to Carly Mulvihill’s April 19 article, “Reviving the Academical Village.”

Last week, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued an executive order to restore voting rights to over 200,000 Virginians who have committed felonies and subsequently served their time. Felons have been prohibited from voting since the Civil War, and in the early 20th century these restrictions were enhanced alongside the creation of literacy tests and poll taxes aimed at disenfranchising African-Americans. McAuliffe’s enfranchisement of convicted felons is long overdue; a system that bars felons from voting unfairly limits political participation. Additionally, it fails to reintegrate former prisoners into society.

Disenfranchisement of felons is no less discriminatory than literacy tests

or poll taxes, both of which intentionally discriminated against minorities. The imposition of felon voting restrictions must be considered within, and as a part of, Virginia’s history of legally enforced, intentional discrimination.

Enfranchising those who have committed felonies, most of whom are African-Americans, reduces the disparity in political participation between white and minority populations. Here in Virginia, one out of every five African-American adult males is disenfranchised — compared to a national rate of one out of every 13.

The difference may be attributed in part to the fact that Virginia has some of the most stringent rules in the nation regarding felon voting rights.

D i s e n f r an ch i s e m e nt

of felons is increasingly at odds with society’s evolving understanding of prison systems. If individuals who have served their time are supposed to reenter society as full members, we can’t expect them to be able to do so if we don’t treat them as such.

McAuliffe has already received criticism from his opponents who view this decision to be politically expedient given his friendship with and open endorsement of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Members of the Republican Party of Virginia accused McAuliffe of making “a transparent effort to win votes.” But concerns about corrupt politicking are merely a diversion from the actual issue; McAuliffe has a demonstrated track re-

cord of reinstating prisoners’ rights, and the votes any political candidate may gain from newly enfranchised felons will be marginal at best.

Voting rights in Virginia are moving in the right direction. Allowing more Virginians — in this case, over 200,000 — to cast votes in the upcoming elections should not be seen as controversial. Considering this country’s poor history of barring suffrage for African-Americans, we should do all in our power to ensure voting is accessible to as many Americans as possible. While this executive order can’t remedy hundreds of years of discrimination, it’s certainly a start.

THE CAVALIER DAILY The Cavalier Daily

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The opinions expressed in The Cavalier Daily are not necessarily those of the students, faculty, staff or administration of the University of Virginia. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board. Cartoons and columns represent the views of the authors.

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No part of The Cavalier Daily or The Cavalier Daily online edition may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the editor-in-chief.

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10

OPINION

The Cavalier Daily

Remove your blinders was recently (and unsurpris- institutional knowledge regarding ingly) lamenting the lack of the participants, the demands and activism on Grounds as compared the effects. to our peer institutions But chances are if of higher education. A you’re not a member CLARA CARLSON of the campaign or you fellow activist replied Guest Writer optimistically that while have not attended one this may be the case, of our interest meetings, the activist community present on you won’t have heard of it. Why grounds is stronger than it ever has not? It took place not too long ago, been. in the spring of 2012, though that This is a strength I can attest to: first-year class has now graduated. a few of my friends were arrested In fact, it took place right before the over just a month ago during spring infamous Sullivan ouster, which I’m break for protesting the dumping of sure many of you have heard of. coal ash water into Quantico Creek, But the ouster itself is problemand I witnessed large scale protests atic with respect to activism on after both the Rolling Stone article Grounds — why is it hundreds of and the Martese Johnson arrest in students, faculty, and alumni (in the my first year. However, this does summer no less) were able to rally not mean these issues or the pro- around a woman who makes over tests arising are in any way new to half a million dollars but can barely the University. While my fellow lift a finger to sign a petition for fair activist had all the right intentions wages for the University employees in declaring activism on Grounds they see on a daily basis? Why is to be at its strongest, he was clearly there a Cavalier Daily article decryunaware of the history of activism ing the lack of females in top paying on Grounds. And if we as activists positions at the University but none don't know our own history, who looking at the demographics of will? those on the bottom? I doubt they Take, for example, the infa- would find white males to be so mous 13-day hunger strike put on dominant in this group; it is not difby the Living Wage Campaign in ficult to see that many of the lowest the spring of 2012, with support paid positions are held by women from faculty, students and other of color. Yet apathy abounds; many activist and non-activist CIOs on students remain unconcerned with Grounds. Coming into the Cam- the workplace conditions of those paign as a first-year, I would oc- employees they interact with every casionally hear the words “hunger day on Grounds. Yet they rallied strike” whispered in reverent tones. around a president they likely have As I became more involved with never spoken to who can most certhe campaign, I accumulated more tainly afford such luxuries as sav-

ings and vacations.

While these distinctions are valid, the question remains: Why is the hunger strike no longer a part of our collective memory but the ouster is? The strike made national news too — there was a University football player fasting and there was national media attention and widespread support for the strikers.

And in the end, there was no living wage. Where was our uproar?

Where was the triumphant march down the Lawn?

At a recent retreat with the Liv-

for a full time employee, just not to the level of a living wage in Charlottesville. But for a team that gave their all to a plan that didn't pan out, the question was: what now?

If this didn't work, then what will it take? In twenty years of a campaign, what have we not done?

As someone who is fairly knowledgeable about the history of the campaign, I can confidently say there isn’t much. But what we haven’t done well is carry the conversation and the history across the years. Typically, undergraduates are at the University for four years, a turnover rate that administrators use to their benefit. Sure, we passed a referendum with 77 percent of students in support of a living The breakthroughs, protests and fights of past wage for University activists matter, and we cannot let this part of workers in 2006 (before a campaign sitour University’s history escape us.” in in Madison Hall to demand a living ing Wage Campaign, I had the op- wage), but that class of students is portunity to hear one of the mem- gone and no one is held accountabers who had participated in the ble. hunger strike speak. He described Thus, in order to drive legititheir year-long escalation plan, the mate institutional change we first minute details that went into plan- need to hold ourselves accountaning, the medical repercussions, the ble; we need to be the forces who various tactics involving media and change the dominant conversation the dedicated members that formed among the student body. The “we” the core team, among other things. refers to activists — but everyone The results weren't completely non- on Grounds has the potential to be existent: they got national attention an activist. Sometime during your to their cause. And the University four years here, I recommend you did raise the minimum hourly wage take your blinders off and ques-

“

I

Students should take a larger role in educating themselves about activism on Grounds tion something. Whether it’s the heteronormative “Bachelor”-esque “snap story” or the role of slavery in Jefferson’s visionary academical village or why exactly almost every member of the Board of Visitors was nominated by a governor to whom they donated tens of thousands of dollars — the conversations we have matter.

The breakthroughs, protests and fights of past activists matter, and we cannot let this part of our University’s history escape us. Of course, it helps to know basic facts about the campaign first, ideally before making a comparison between fair wages on a University level and proposed increases on a federal tax credit as in a recent Cavalier Daily op-ed (which also wrote off the “pithy stickers living wage stickers… adorning every other MacBook in Alderman Library”).

A frustrating op-ed such as this one simply brings home the importance of taking an active role in educating yourself. As much as activists reach out to educate our fellow peers, our circles are only so large and we can only table so often. Even if it’s an action as little as asking one of the MacBook owners in Alderman about their “pithy stickers,” it’s something.

Clara Carlson is a second-year in the College.

Break new chalking terrain

The Cavalier Daily can go further to explore the origins, not just contents of the chalk messages And for outlets such as The Cavalier Daily, promoting them seems prim and proper. The environment of “trust, mutual respect and di-

coverage, I’m left wanting something more. Combating racism and transphobia is admirable and necessary in today’s society. But should we be engaging these perspectives further, even if the culprits mean to only incite our worst feelings?

Can’t we attempt at critical conversations about why they Though The Cavalier Daily has followed this exist, and what can [chalking] story with steady coverage, I’m left be done to make sure they do not rear their wanting something more.” ugly heads?

These kinds of versity” at the University makes messengers, of course, hunger for it a unique space where commu- emotional responses. Their objecnication must fit these tenets. Yet tive is to anger their targets from these anonymous chalkers bypass a distance. The QSU and the BSA them. They use their right to freely quickly answered these with words speak in a manner meant to pro- of love and acceptance. They have voke rather than discuss race and reinforced the University’s values gender here. of “trust, mutual respect and diverThough The Cavalier Daily has sity” with aplomb. But how else can followed this story with steady we talk about these? Besides the

“

Controversial chalkings showed community’s collective actions. up once again last week. On April The “quick rebuke of the chalk18, University students ings,” they wrote, “was woke to find more entirely appropriate.”

SASAN MOUSAVI controversial stateMuch like the proPublic Editor ments scribbled on Trump chalk talk some their sidewalks, timed weeks ago, this incident for the last of the Days brings the freedom of on the Lawn events. Parents and speech on college campuses into a prospective students might have new light. There are lots of quesseen racially charged and trans- tions without real answers. Can phobic messages while touring students anonymously write whatGrounds. ever they feel without facing the How did the institution re- consequences? Rather than trying spond? Swiftly and seriously. A to engage with provocative voices, joint statement from University should we censor them and their administrators appeared online demeaning words? Must we prothe next day to roundly criticize mote proactive, discursive speech the acts. But organizations like instead in order to sustain the Unithe Queer Student Union and the versity’s “community of trust”?

Black Student Alliance answered We might look toward other the culprits by chalking messages schools for comparison, as many of of their own to reinforce diversity them have faced similar outbursts and equality for everyone at the of controversy. For most, there University. The Cavalier Daily also seem to be a set of “values” that covered the issue at length, and the contradict the spitefulness of propaper’s editorial board lauded the Trump, anti-diversity messages.

battlegrounds that the University’s sidewalks and bricks have become, where else can we hold them?

The Cavalier Daily is in a prime position to promote discourse on the subject, and I’d like it to trend in that direction. If it means an uptick in guest columns from myriad critics, then so be it. But such coverage should not be a weekly phenomenon. It must not merely believe that “this week’s messages were unquestionably condemnable.” Rather, it should question them for their origins, not for their contents.

Sasan Mousavi is the Public Editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at publiceditor@cavalierdaily.com or on Twitter at @CDPublicEditor.

OPINION

Monday, April 25, 2016

11

PARTING SHOTS Fourth Years reflect on their experience as Cavalier Daily Editors

I

have been trying to write this column for a long time. It’s just that now I’m putting words on paper.

At least I’m not pushing the deadline. Lord knows I’ve done that.

In my lower moments, I wondered what I could say in this column, and I wondered whether I should even write a parting shot. It’s what we learn when we’re young, though we don’t always abide: If you don’t have something kind to say, keep your mouth closed.

But at other times, I could hardly wait for this day, because the newspaper had me feeling whole.

Writing for The Cavalier Daily will do that you — whip you back and forth. I guess anything will, if you care enough.

I always cared. I couldn’t not care — for a variety of reasons, some of them run-of-the-mill. In the end, I couldn’t not care because at The Cavalier Daily I became more than I’d been before.

I know that’s true, but what it means has been harder to pin down.

The Cavalier Daily was many things for me. It was my outlet —

What a challenge, but what fun

MATTHEW MORRIS 126th Sports Editor

what I did when I wasn’t studying.

It was a place where I met new people, some of whom became important to me. It was a newspaper, and I’d wanted to write for a newspaper since I was maybe 10 years old. The Cavalier Daily reeled me in my first semester of college and, for better or worse, I never got off the hook.

At information sessions and open houses, my co-editors and I sold the Sports section with this pitch: Write for us and you might one day interview Malcolm Brogdon, sit in on a Tony Bennett press

you will visit The Cavalier Daily website again and again, throughout the day, because there it is, up online where your parents and friends may read it. Or you will play basketball with your editor at the AFC, and you will know that at The Cavalier Daily, you can also make friends.

My year as co-Sports editor was the busiest of my life, and now, in my final semester at the University, I wouldn’t go back — I have more free time now (and less responsibility) and I certainly write fewer emails. But I also wouldn’t rewind to last February and — in light of what I know now — decide against taking the position.

That’s because serving as Sports editor pushed me to new heights.

Quiet by nature, as an editor I had to speak — in meetings, over email and at those info sessions. I had to be, as best I could, what my former editors had been for me. I had to be like them because they’d been vital to me, starting at this university, and I would’ve felt I’d failed had I not at least tried to measure up to them.

I’m running out of words after

who knows how many articles, some better than others, but before I close I’ve got to say thank you to the people who’ve meant the most to me at this paper.

Daniel Weltz, thank you for helping me to believe in myself and for always being available. You were the editor I wanted to be, and you were one heck of a writer.

Zack Bartee, Peter Nance, Ryan Taylor, Robert Elder and Matt Wurzburger: Thank you for making my two years as part of the Sports editing team a joy despite all the hard work. I’m glad to have known each and every one of you.

Fritz Metzinger, thank you for writing Sports columns that could’ve been published anywhere — they were that good — and for pushing us all in the process.

And Ashley Robertson, you are long gone now, but thank you for giving me a ride to my first Cavalier Daily interviews, with the women’s tennis team when I was a fall-semester first-year, and for making me feel welcomed at The Cavalier Daily thereby.

I’ve never forgotten that day and won’t forget it anytime soon.

My metamorphosis

T

he other day I was cleaning out my filing cabinet hidden in the depths of my closet. At the back of one drawer, there was a single piece of printer paper, scrawled all over in colored pencil. I smiled as I looked at a copy of “The Schoolhouse Weekly,” the first publication I had the honor to be a part of. This edition was circa approximately 2003. My name was written near the top, in bright yellow, next to the title "editor-in-chief."

The front page and only story was headlined: "Extra Extra! Luna Moth Caterpillar [sic] Sited!"

After announcing that the "siting" had occurred on Wednesday, the hard hitting story concluded with, "So, there will be a beautiful Luna moth flying around soon!"

When I arrived on Grounds the day after I had been accepted into the University, I was still very much a caterpillar. That afternoon, when I walked into the basement of Newcomb, my metamorphosis began. I looked into the office of The Cavalier Daily, at the plaque carrying some of Thomas Jefferson's many wise words, the comfy couches in the corner and a big cut out poster of Jay Bilas’s head hanging from the wall. I looked into that beautifully chaotic newsroom, and I made my college decision: I

conference or watch Virginia baseball from the press box at Davenport Field. I could say those things because they happened to me — I asked Brogdon a question during a post-game interview, and if I hadn’t been so shy I could’ve asked him a whole lot more.

But writing for the Sports section and working for this paper is not really about those things. We misled prospective students at our information sessions and open houses, though we meant only to persuade them.

If I had told a prospective Sports writer why he or she should join The Cavalier Daily — if I had told him or her as truthfully as I could — I would’ve said that at the newspaper you learn, learn and learn. Sometimes you will work more than 20 hours in a week, your classes will suffer and you will walk around tired. In those moments you will ask yourself: Why am I doing this?

But then you will meet a new writer who can’t wait to get started, and his or her enthusiasm will remind you that what we do is cool and that it is also fun. You will write an article that you actually like, and

PORTER DICKIE 126th Photo Editor 126th Video Editor

wanted to be a part of something, and I knew it was going to be that newsroom.

Summer was gone in the blink of an eye. Soon I had moved out of my house, purchased a pile of textbooks and got expertly lost in a place I thought I already knew so well. I was 17 years old and couldn’t be more shy. I was ready to get involved, meet people, try new things and grow in my confidence. I can say one thing for sure: I had just no clue the scope of newfound people, interests and self confidence in store for me, all to be found in that beautifully chaotic basement newsroom.

I initially joined the paper as a Photo staffer, having only a mere interest in photography. I had hopes of majoring in politics and becoming a political commentator. About a month into school, I realized I didn't want a career in politics. About two weeks later, I stepped out onto the sidelines of Scott Stadium with my press credential in one hand and a Cavalier Daily camera in the other. It was one of the most exciting places I had ever been, and I wanted to come back as many times as I could.

The moment I knew I wanted to be a sports journalist was a day not too much later, the day of the 2014 men's basketball game against Syracuse. On the sideline for The Cavalier Daily, I was able to capture the magic of that win, the excitement of the players as they saw their teammate, Thomas Rogers, hit his first three pointer on his Senior Day. I decided that day I never wanted to stop capturing that magic, that emotion, that excitement.

Soon, I was writing for the Sports section and the newest recruit for one of the newest sections: Video.

Somehow, over the course of the next year, I became the editor of the Video section and co-editor of the Photo section. I became one of the Sports

section's main writers, leading the feature content initiative. Over that year, I stayed up late at night in the basement of Newcomb and spent more hours in that office than in my bed.

My metamorphosis was in full swing.

Being a student journalist is hard when there is a student death or a scandal or a horrific and graphic assault. In 2014-15, we covered them one after the other. I remember crying through press conferences during the disappearance of Hannah Graham, editing photographs of the ensuing turmoil following the “Rolling Stone” story and the heartbreak I felt when I opened another message in my Breaking News group chat about a student death. I will never forget March 18, 2015, the day I stayed in the basement of Newcomb from 8 a.m. til midnight, working feverishly as I realized the significance of the video of Martese Johnson's attack I had posted as it garnered tens of thousands of views every hour.

It was late nights in that newsroom where I grew up. I realized life is hard, but we all have a battle face we put on as we push through, and that the sun always rises even after the darkest days.

It was late night in that newsroom where I made close friends. Julia, thank you for being the most fearless of leaders throughout the best of times and the worst of times. I cannot think of many women stronger than you. To the entire 126th Managing Board, thanks for showing the world how much a group of kickass women can accomplish. Marshall, thanks for always being there whenever anything was ever needed by anyone — you are one of the most dependable people that newsroom has ever seen.

Lianne, thanks for being a friend I can always lean on. Courtney, thanks for carrying on what I began and fighting just as hard to keep my baby thriving.

To all my staffers, thanks for always being there with helping hands.

Now, mere weeks from graduation, my metamorphosis is complete.

I have become the Luna moth I always hoped one day I could be.

I have earned my wings and I am ready to soar to new heights. My cocoon served its purpose well and is responsible for the success of my metamorphosis. Thanks to The Cavalier Daily, for turning a shy and unsure caterpillar into a strong, confident, sports-reporting, video-loving Luna moth.

PU ZZLES

The Cavalier Daily

12

April 25, 2016

WEEKLY CROSSWORD

UPCOMING EVENTS

By Sam Ezersky The Cavalier Daily Crossword Puzzle by Sam Ezersky, Class of 2017

ACROSS

1

1. "Ah, that makes sense": 2 wds.

5. Prez on a penny 8. Stare open-mouthed 12. Make some notes?

13. Peaceful pasture 14. ___ Office (where the president works) 15. Weed-out class for some pre-med hopefuls, briefly 16. "Time to clear the air": 2 wds.

18. Anticipated occasion late in the UVA school year: 3 wds.

20. 1989 "Weird Al" Yankovic film about a TV station 21. Lashes grow from it 25. Team picking first in the upcoming NFL draft, informally: 2 wds.

28. Praiseful poem 29. Anticipated occasion late in the UVA school year: 2 wds.

33. Co-ed service frat at UVA 34. Question asked after someone claims to have streaked the Lawn, maybe: 2 wds.

35. Response to "Gracias": 2 wds.

39. Controversial driving video game, briefly 40. Anticipated occasion late in the UVA school year: 2 wds.

45. 2,640 feet: Hyph.

48. Wheel-to-wheel rod 49. Trendy berry used in smoothies 50. ___ stripe (bar on credit cards) 51. Get to one's feat 52. "Come Sail Away" band 53. Curvy letter 54. Abbr. used in citing multiauthor sources: 2 wds.

2

3

5

4

12

13

15

16

6

9

10

11

22

23

24

14 17

19

18 20 25

21

26

27

29

28 30

33

31

32

34 36

35

37

38

46

39 41

40 45

8

7

42

43

44

48

47

49

50

51

52

53

54

Monday 4/25 McIntire Department of Music Presents: Chamber Music Series, 8-10pm, Old Cabell Hall Career Center Presents: Search Smart: Utilizing Internship and Job Resources, 3-4pm, Newcomb 182 Career Center Presents: Resumes, Cover Letters, and References Workshop, 5-6pm, Newcomb 182 Tuesday 4/26 Career Center Presents: Search Smart: Utilizing Internship and Job Resources, 2-3pm, Newcomb 182 College Council Presents: Dessert with Deans, 3:30-5pm, Garden IX Wednesday 4/27 Softball vs. George Mason, 4pm, The Park Softball vs. George Mason, 6pm, The Park Career Center Presents: Design Your Career Path with Creative Problem Solving, 5-7pm, Open Grounds Studio B Career Center Presents: Resumes, Cover Letters, and References Workshop, 1-2pm, Newcomb 182

© April 25, 2016

DOWN

1. "Time ___ the essence!": 2 wds.

2. Tech assistant who says that "42" is the meaning of life 3. ___ 1620 (mandatory firstyear E-school class) 4. Google oneself, say 5. John Legend hit of 2013: 3 wds.

6. Feud, in modern slang 7. "Oh, screw off!": 2 wds.

8. "Somebody That I Used to Know" singer 9. DuVernay who directed "Selma" 10. Friend 11. Antlered animal 17. Utter 19. Cuisine featuring lemongrass 22. Sets of mathematical points 23. Did a bouncer's job at Boylan, informally 24. ___ Moines, Iowa

25. Bound along 26. Nerve cell transmitter 27. Full of trickery 29. Macarena or Beanie Babies, once 30. Canine-sounding golf course challenges 31. Boring routines 32. Computer program that blocks viruses 36. Stick on, as a stamp 37. Not very bright 38. Genre similar to manga 41. "Woe is me..."

42. Lighted sign in an auditorium 43. Anna's sister in "Frozen" 44. Topple (over) 45. Possesses 46. Play the part?

47. ___ of the land

*THE SOLUTION TO THIS PUZZLE CAN BE FOUND IN THURSDAY’S ISSUE

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Monday, April 25, 2016

L

Year: Third Major: Computer Engineering U.Va. Involvement: HackCville, Engineering Guides, Madison House, LOTL Light Show Hometown: Mechanicsville, Va. Ideal date personality: Funny, talkative, involved, passionate.

Ideal date activity: Coffee and Bodo’s on the Lawn and then an intense game of Super Smash Brothers.

Dealbreakers? Talking too much, cursing a lot, not motivated or dedicated to something.

Hobbies: Watching Netflix; hanging out, throwing a Frisbee, or just chatting on the Lawn; playing sports especially basketball, lacrosse, golf; coffee chats.

What makes you a good catch? I’m a great listener!

Whenever you have a problem or want to talk about something, I’ll give you 100 percent attention What makes you a less-than-perfect catch? I’m super nerdy/geeky, so most girls have no idea what I’m talking about when I talk about my hobbies.

What is your spirit animal? Koala — very cute and nice, but can kick some [butt] if need be.

What is your favorite pick-up line? “Are you the square root of -1? Because you can’t be real” Describe yourself in one sentence: I don’t look for open doors, I look for closed doors and I open doors.

life

LOVE CONNECTION:

MIKE

TINA

13

MIKE Courtesy Mike

Does a shared love for sports mean true love?

Eric Dotterer Love Guru

Mike and Tina met on Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. and went to The Virginian.

Mike: I signed up for Love Connection because my friend was looking for guys to sign up to go on a Love Connection date, so I thought I’d sign up!

Tina: My roommates and I all agreed to sign up on Valentine’s Day. After I filled out and turned in my application, my friends all told me that they were kidding and that they’re not going to do it.

Mike: I was kind of excited when I found out I was chosen. I didn’t really think that turning in an application would stem into anything. I had never been on a blind date before, so I was a little nervous. I didn’t really know how it was going to pan out or what kind of conversation was going to occur.

Tina: When I found out I was chosen, I was nervous and wasn’t sure if I wanted to actually do it. I had never been on a blind date before and thought it would either go really well or really bad.

Mike: I got to the Rotunda early because I didn’t want to be the person who has to go up to her asking if she was my date.

But then it turned out that she showed up early as well wanting to do the same thing and sat down on the bench across from me. In the end I still had to go up and introduce myself.

Tina: He was already sitting there, but obviously I didn’t know it was him. I was a bit early and didn’t want to walk up to him, so I sat on another bench, looked at him and thought, “Maybe that’s him?” He got up and came over, introduced himself and we left.

Mike: We were both pretty indecisive, so I asked her to list her top three favorite

Year: Third Major: Finance and Marketing U.Va. Involvement: Delta Zeta sorority, Madison House Big Siblings, Students Helping Honduras Hometown: Annandale, Va. Ideal date personality: Down to earth, adventurous, charming, intelligent and has a good sense of humor.

Ideal date activity: Something outdoorsy and low key, followed by dinner that definitely includes dessert.

Dealbreakers? Too self-absorbed, rude, doesn’t like football.

Hobbies: Watching/playing sports, pretending that I can actually sing, narrating life through snapchat and eating.

What makes you a good catch? I think I’m a really good listener and pretty easy to get along with. I’m always down to try new things and I genuinely care about others. And I’m kinda funny.

What makes you a less-than-perfect catch? I can be picky when it comes to what I’m looking for in a guy.

What is your spirit animal? Hedgehog What is your favorite pick-up line? Wanna get some coffee, because I like you a latte.

Describe yourself in one sentence: Life’s a beach and I’m just playing in the sand.

TINA Courtesy Tina

places to eat on the Corner. She said Basil, [the] Virginian and Lemongrass, and since the Virginian is one of my top three that’s where we decided to eat.

Tina: The conversation was a little awkward at first. I think I probably talked more because I was afraid of awkward pauses, so I kept talking a lot. The conversation was pretty balanced, and it got easier and more casual as the date went on.

Mike: I think the conversation was pretty balanced — there were no awkward moments at all. There was a lot of typical, “We both have a mouthful of food and there’s 10 seconds before we can respond” moments, but we both did a lot of listening and a lot of talking which was really good.

Tina: We talked about sports, academics, extracurriculars, families, etc. We laughed about how we both ended up on Love

Connection. I think it’s funny that we didn’t figure out that we had a lot of mutual friends until the end of the date.

Mike: We had a lot more in common than I thought. We had tons of mutual friends, we talked about sports and families, and I was able to understand a lot of what she was talking about academically because my friend is in [the Commerce] School, and I knew a lot of what is happening there in terms of projects and work.

Tina: From my perspective it was more of a friend vibe, but I would definitely hang out with him in the future — we got along really well!

Mike: I got more of a friend vibe — we connected and had a good conversation, but I didn’t make any moves. I could definitely see myself hanging out with her again.

Tina: He told me he would pay right when they asked for the check, and I thought that was very nice of him. We got up and were heading in different directions, so we gave each other a hug. I thanked him and told him that I’m sure we’ll run into each other. He then friended me on Facebook later.

Mike: I paid of course — I wouldn’t let her.

We hugged goodbye and went our separate ways.

Tina: [I rate the date an] 8.

Mike: I would rate the date an 8.

14

LIFE

The Cavalier Daily

Pi Beta Phi hosts first Miles for Margaret 5k Race honors memory of Margaret Lowe Sarah Ashman Feature Writer

This Saturday, roughly 650 runners participated in "Miles for Margaret," the first 5K race of its kind hosted

by Pi Beta Phi Sorority, Camp Kesem and ADAPT, in memory of Margaret Lowe, a fourth-year College student who passed away Sept. 1, 2015.

Pi Beta Phi President Jodie Ehlers, alongside members Kaelyn Quinn, Taylor Puhl and many others began planning the event, which would become their new spring philanthropy, in October 2015.

“The idea originated when I was talking to Kaelyn Quinn, a fourthyear in Pi Phi and one of Margaret’s closest friends,” Puhl, a second-year College student and philanthropy chair, said. “We decided that this spring we wanted to do something to memorialize the amazing life Margaret lived, and since she loved the outdoors and being active we thought a 5k was the best way to show her passion.”

Though Lowe loved being outside in many capacities, including biking and hiking, running was an activity she loved as well as something she and her friends did to spend quality time with each other.

“We always knew that we wanted to do something to remember her, but when the question came about what to actually do, the race is an obvious choice because she was such

a big runner,” Quinn, a College student, said. “She would run all around Charlottesville, and she had so many routes that she created. A race is so accessible … all you have to do is sign up and bring your two feet.”

Accessibility, in addition to uniting the University and local Charlottesville community, was a priority in planning the event.

“We knew we wanted to put on an event that everyone who wanted to be involved could come to and participate in — whether that is U.Va. students or Kesem campers,” Ehlers, a fourth-year College student, said.

“We toyed with different event ideas, but ultimately felt that races were the most inclusive, had the most potential for growth and, of course, Margaret loved to run.”

Lowe’s friends have worked diligently for the past seven months to make Miles for Margaret a reality and success.

“I was vice president [of] philanthropy last year for Pi Phi and knew if we wanted to put on a huge event in Margaret’s honor that it needed to be planned far in advance,” Ehlers said.

Race-day registration opened at 8:30 a.m. at the Amphitheatre, where participants came to pick up their race bibs and t-shirts. The race began at 10 a.m. after a few words from Lowe’s parents, who flew in from Nashville. After the race, participants were welcomed to gather in the Amphitheatre to hear live music performed by Louis Smith and enjoy

refreshments.

Margaret’s friends in Pi Beta Phi chose to collaborate in planning and splitting the proceeds evenly between Pi Beta Phi's Read, Lead, Achieve Foundation supporting literacy, Camp Kesem and ADAPT to reflect Lowe’s vast effect on the community.

“Margaret was the president of ADAPT and deeply involved in Camp Kesem, and she was a committee member of Pi Phi … if we were going to host an event in her memory, it should be bigger than Pi Phi and encompass how broad and deep her impact at U.Va. was,” Quinn said.

Lowe’s participation in many organizations was characteristic of who she was as a person: someone with a wide range of interests and passions as well as a great capacity for action.

“Our first conversation happened at dinner at the Pi Phi house one night last year,” Puhl said. “I asked about what she was studying and she told me she was majoring in Classics.

Quickly after she told me about how she was also pre-med, and I think that’s a great snapshot of Margaret.

There was always so much more to her than I ever expected, and every time I learned something new about her I was amazed all over again.”

Phi Phi had many short-term goals for their year, as well as longterm goals looking forward for the execution and growth of Miles for Margaret.

“I honestly think that the goal this

Courtesy Miles for Margaret

Organizers of the event said the race was a great way to honor Lowe and her passion for the outdoors.

year, especially with it being our first race and it being so soon after she passed, is for us to be able to remember her in a way that is happy and joyful,” Quinn said. “We hope that it just continues to grow every year.”

In the future, the Miles for Margaret team hopes the race will continue to have increasing participation, raise awareness for the organizations it supports and above all, continue to

allow the community to remember Lowe, as well as challenge students to consider what impact they wish their lives to have. “[I hope] that it will go on forever,” Ehlers said. “Forty years from now I will come back [to] U.Va. and it will still be happening in the same spirit … to celebrate the life of Margaret Lowe and our one ‘wild and precious life.’”

Supporting sustainability Eighth annual Earth Week draws high community involvement Allison Turner Feature Writer

Last week, students, faculty, staff and community members came together to celebrate the Earth and sustainability during the eighth annual Earth Week. This year’s theme was “Experience Sustainability” and featured more than 20 events throughout the week.

Nina Morris, outreach and engagement program manager in the University Office for Sustainability, said there was something for everyone at this year’s Earth Week.

“This year we tried to come up with events where people could really get their hands dirty and experience sustainability,” Morris said.

“We wanted people to walk away with a tangible thing they could do in their community or in their daily lives.”

To start off the week, the Big

Spring Thing was held April 17 in the University Community Garden. “[The Big Spring Thing is] a celebration of spring, and we [had] lots of local food grown by local farmers, we had four acts of live music and we had a container gardening workshop,” fourth-year Architecture student Love Jonson said.

The gardening workshop allowed students to walk away with their own potted plant to remind them about Earth Week beyond the events.

“People could either plant snap peas or sunflower seeds in their little pots and take them home with them, so we [gave] people an opportunity to check off ‘plant in the community garden’ off their list of things to do before they graduate,” Jonson said.

After the kickoff Sunday, there were a number of events planned for each day of the week, including the annual SustainaBanquet,

the Earth Week Expo and SustainaPitch Night.

“From talks about climate change to clothing swaps, from free yoga classes to the Earth Week Expo, there was something for everyone,” Morris said.

The Earth Week Expo on April 20 featured diverse community members. Participating organizations presented interactive tabling activities, demonstrations and green projects for those in attendance. Attendance exceeded 300 students.

“The Expo is about 25 different groups hosting various different interactive tables,” Morris said.

“We had Black Bear Composting there talking about how to compost, we had Madison House doing vegetable prints, [and] we had EcoGrounds doing fantastic free trade coffee tastings. There was just so much happening.”

With over 20 events and activi-

ties, Earth Week required extensive planning.

“Basically, it’s actually pretty cool, we start planning for the next Earth Week literally during Earth Week,” Morris said. “It takes a full year.”

Morris said the planning is a very collaborative process and is a result of coordination between the Student Earth Week Committee, the Outreach Events Task Force and the University Office for Sustainability.

“There are 30 to 40 different partners involved with U.Va.’s Earth Week,” Morris said. “It’s a lot to coordinate, which is why we have to start so early.”

After a full year of planning, Morris said this year’s Earth Week was a success. Drawing students with a diverse array of activities, each event furthered widespread understanding of sustainability.

“Every event thus far has been a

super success,” Morris said.

Overall, the planners of this year’s Earth Week wanted to get more people involved and broaden sustainability. With high student turnout, the events of the week proved fun and engaging.

“We’re trying to make it so that everyone can find a home in sustainability,” Morris said.

Focusing on community, Jonson said the week is based on collaboration. At the end of the day, all organizations involved hope to engage the student body in sustainability.

“It was really great to get not only our regular gardeners but also sustainability-related groups and people who had never [been involved] before all together to celebrate,” Jonson said.

LIFE

Monday, April 25, 2016

Top 10 underrated things to do before you graduate Annie Mester Life Columnist

1.

Get the last ticket at Bodo’s

Getting the first ticket at this carbohydrate-obsessed institution is a feat in and of itself. But who really wants to wake up that early when he or she can enjoy such a holy (get it?) treat later in the day? As a fourth-year, anything that requires more than the bare minimum effort is almost unacceptable, so getting the last ticket at Bodo’s is a more achievable feat. By 8 p.m., there’s no way you’re hungover anymore — rather, a bagel can be seen as a balanced part of your dinner, or as an adequate substitute for the random peanut butter and jelly sandwich you were inevitably going to make yourself when you realized you hadn’t been grocery shopping in three weeks. Plus, the number 1,000 seems way more impressive than number one, right?

2.

Eat at the White Spot in the day time

Again, another game changer in the food world. Though I can’t admit that I’ve ever craved a burger with a fried egg on it before the hour of 2 a.m., my father swears by the White Spot’s quality every time he visits.

Having attended U.Va. in the 1980s, he claims he “had a summer meal plan” at the restaurant and that the food is really not too terrifying while sober. When I was seven, he took me there at 11 a.m., where I witnessed the swim team performing some sort of sacred and necessary ritual of attaching spaghetti to the bald heads of 10 first years.

Needless to say, I was traumatized and vowed to never return if I ever attended this University. Fourteen years later, I’ve had my fair share of Gus Burgers and think I should probably test my allegiance to its integrity as a food staple when I can actually remember eating it.

3.

Visit your first-year dorm

Though everyone raves about the “awesome location” and the “sense of friendship” formed from Old Dorms halls, I can’t really express too much excitement for the abundance of stink bugs and lack of air conditioning in Hancock 312. Though I did truly benefit from being able to

roll out of bed ten minutes before the start of Elzinga’s Microeconomics class, I can’t vouch for any of the other “unbeatable qualities” of dorms built in the 17th century. This was especially true after I visited friends in Watson-Webb and Kellogg and realized that not everyone had to suffer through showers that were hot only 60 percent of the time. Though I wouldn’t trade my first-year experience for the world, I can’t say I was excited to share the same dorm room as my grandfather.

4.

Talk to your first-year roommate

It may be easy for some, it may be awkward for some. Regardless, rekindle whatever sort of friendship you had with your first-year roommate for posterity’s sake. After all, you two spent ten months in a three square foot room, so there’s no way you couldn’t have shared a secret or two worth reliving. Personally, my roommate and I frequented The Castle more than we did our own room. Once, we went out to Rugby Road, came back to eat at The Castle and went back out to the Corner just to grab a Gus Burger — if that’s not extreme dedication to both each other and the First-year Fifteen, I don’t know what is, but here’s to hoping we have outgrown those tendencies and could just grab a casual dinner now.

5.

Hike something that isn’t Humpback

And while you’re at it, visit a vineyard that isn’t Pippin or Trump. Though I know he promises to Make America Great Again, there are a lot of vineyards and hikes that can make the USA just as great as if you tasted an entire bottle of Cru at Trump Winery. Truth be told, Humpback isn’t even that fun — it’s three in the morning, dark and hilly, you’re out of breath and when you get to the top, there’s an entire pledge class of some fraternity blocking your Instagram of the sunrise. While the ritual I happened to accidentally witness last time I climbed Humpback was sort of touching, I was absolutely not supposed to be there, and my follower-to-like ratio on Instagram suffered from my lack of a true sunrise picture.

Go somewhere else where you’re guaranteed to be alone, and take a bottle of wine from Blenheim or somewhere more alternative.

6.

Go to the Safari Park

Central Virginia’s greatest attraction, the Safari Park outside Lexington, is worth a visit. Part drive-through zoo and part actual animal exhibit, one is able to take his or her car around a full loop of the park and have animals like zebras and emus come right up to the window.

You’re able to buy food to feed such “wild” animals, but do so at your own risk — my friend and I are still finding food pellets in her car six months later. Another word of advice: actually read the instructions, and don’t feed the bison because they’ll stick their entire bodies in your car, and you’ll think you’re about to die. Bison are huge, and zebras are vicious, and I’m betting if you’re anything like me, you’ll be a little bit traumatized after your adventure. But, it’s cheaper than a flight to Africa, and you can tell all your friends you touched a zebra once. What’s cooler than that?

7.

Do a library crawl

You were thinking I’d say Corner bar crawl, right? Wrong.

According to the U.Va. library website, this University is home to 12 libraries. That’s a lot more than the number of bars on the Corner, and we all know that quantity beats quality when it comes to this sort of thing. To make things interesting, take out a book at every library — you’ll have a hard time remembering which book came from where, so returning each one will be somewhat of a scavenger hunt. Here’s hoping the scavenger hunt doesn’t drive you too insane — if you’re feeling too overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge you’re gaining inside each building, maybe resort to that Corner crawl I mentioned in the first sentence. The way I see it, nothing is too bad after a Virginian Trash Can or 12.

8.

Crash an admissions tour

Remember how young you were when you sat down in the quad by Old Dorms, listening to stories that may or may not have been true from an excitable UGuide? Relive those glory days by jumping in on a tour for potential first-years and their families, freaking them out by throwing in your two cents about what U.Va. is really like.

When I took a tour as a senior in high school, my father — who

had attended U.Va. in the ‘80s — decided it was appropriate to interrupt the entire tour to tell stories about what he had done as a first year. Not only was this extremely embarrassing, but it made me mistrust my guide for the rest of the tour as I questioned the authenticity of his stories regarding wholesome fun in the AFC post-midnight.

Enlighten the prospies with your harsh realities, but let them learn about Gus Burgers themselves. They’ll feel proud of their “unique” discovery.

9.

Sit in on a class you are not enrolled in

Still bitter you didn’t get off the waitlist for Coppock’s Macroeconomics class? Really feeling like learning about the history of the women poets of the later half of December 1942?

Don’t let college pass you by without exposing yourself to such critical knowledge. Who cares if the class is five, 10 or 300 people — the party definitely don’t start ‘till you walk in. This class didn’t even know what it was missing all semester.

Bring an apple or something to appease the professor, as your presence in her class might be severely frowned upon. Bonus points if you sit for a test. Don’t forget to check Collab for that week’s readings!

10.

Break into JPJ

Wanna shoot like Anthony Gill? Hit a three like Malcolm Brogdon? Why not practice where the greats do — in the center court of John Paul Jones Arena, home to both the male and female basketball teams as well as the inexplicably large amount of WWE wrestling events and random Addams Family concerts. You’re paying tuition here for a reason, and that reason probably includes an invitation to the most famed, hardwood floor at this University. If someone tries to kick you out, tell them you’ve been recruited as a manager and flash the “hot boi” face, like that one kid who did it on ESPN. Whoever you’re talking to will be so confused by your constant chin rubbing that they’ll have to let you in — practice your half court shot, so you can have a chance of winning thousands of dollars the next time College Gameday comes to Charlottesville.

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