The Campus Magazine, "NYC Strong", May 2020

Over a Century of Service to CCNY & the Harlem Community

MAY 2020

A SHIFT TO ONLINE LEARNING

C S Y N

CSOM GRADUATES CLASS OF 2020 EARLY TO HELP FIGHT COVID-19 OUTBREAK ESCAPISM THROUGH ANIMAL CROSSING DURING A TIME OF CRISIS

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05/20 In This Issue

MAGAZINE STAFF

“A Shift to Online Learning”

Editor-in-Chief: Aspasia Celia Tsampas Managing Editor: Ania Wojas

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News Editor: Eric Bilach Feature Editor: Jana Makki Opinion Editor: Matthew Romano Lifestyle Editor: Sarah Logan Sports Editor: Anu Shetty Copy Editor: Joey Russo Staff Writers: Clark Adomaitis, Nate

Izzo, Jada Gordon, Sayra Ilyas, Brahmjot Kaur ,Jaquelin Bautista

Art Director: Chriscel Halili Designers: Justin Gordon, Lauren Pires, Riya Mehta

Business Manager: Raquel Palumbo Distribution Coordinator: Clark

MEMORIAM

CCNY REMEMBERS: PROFESSORS LOST [3]

NEWS CUNY SCHOOL OF MEDICIINE GRADUATES EARLY [4-5] REMOTE CLASSES THROUGH THE REST OF THE SEMESTER [6]

FEATURE HOW COVID -19 IS AFFECTING NEWS MEDIA: BOTH LOCAL, STUDENT AND NATIONAL [7]

LIFESTYLE CARE GUIDE FOR QUARANTINE [11]

OPINION TODAY‘S TO DO LIST: A PAUSED LIFESTYLE [12] ESCAPING THROUGH ANIMAL CROSSING DURING A TIME OF CRISIS [13]

SPORTS NO CRYING IN BASEBALL: A SEASON CUT SHORT [14]

A SHIFT TO ONLINE LEARNING [8-9]

Adomaitis

STUDENT UNEMPLOYMENT

Cover Art By: Aspasia Celia Tsampas

WITH QR CODE [10]

Editor’s Note ADVERTISE WITH US

CONTACT US North Academic Center 1/119 CCNYCampusnews@gmail.com CCNYCampus.org

The Campus @CCNYCampus @CCNYCampus 2

Spring has sprung!

What a crazy semester it has been and I can’t believe it’s almost over. We have arrived at our second to last edition of The Campus magazine this year, and while I am saddened that we will not finish the semester off together on campus, I still hope you take the time to read this issue and learn all about what is going on right now in relation to City College.

First, if you look to your right, you will see our memorial for the members of the CCNY community lost recently. The staff and I at The Campus give our sincere condolences to the friends and families of those lost. I had the privilege to learn under and get to know David Nocera, a mentor of mine whose presence I will miss dearly on campus when we return.

We have wonderful news reporting this issue by our very own Managing Editor, Ania Wojas, on the early graduation of the first CUNY School of Medicine class. Followed by a feature on how COVID-19 is affecting the media and your mental health.

In our centerfold, staff writers Jaquelin Bautista and Jada Gordon teamed up to tackle the move to online learning that we all have been adjusting to.

In lifestyle, we have multiple care guides during this time of social distancing. From physical self-care to mental self-care, we have it all!

While everything about the remainder of this semester has proven more difficult than the last, we are almost there! Good luck with finals and remember to stay safe!

Stay well,

IN MEMORIAM:

The Campus Remembers Those We Lost

By Aspasia Celia Tsampas

One of the hardest parts about all the changes and hazards brought on due to the Coronavirus pandemic is the inability to prop e r l y honor the lives lost during this t i m e , either from the virus or otherwise. The Campus would like to take this time, with a heavy heart, to honor the lives of those lost recently in the City College community. For now, until a proper memorial is possible, we want to celebrate the lives of three very influential lives lost, Professor Michael Sorkin, Professor William Helmreich, and Professor David Nocera. Our sincere condolences go out to their family and friends, and the many other people whose lives these great minds touched.

Distinguished Professor and Director Emeritus of the Graduate Urban Design, Michael Sorkin, one of architecture’s most outspoken public intellectuals and renowned member of the CCNY’s Spitzer School of Architecture, succumbed to the Coronavirus on Thursday, March 26th in Manhattan at 71 years old. Sorkin was a public advocate for social

justice and he inspired many in his lectures, designs, and essays. While he will be deeply missed by the entire CCNY community, his impact will be eternal with his contributions to urban design and books such as Twenty Minutes in Manhattan (2009), Exquiste Corpse (1991), All Over the Map (2011), Some Assembly Required (2001), What Goes Up (2018), Starting From Zero (2003) and many more.

Professor William Helmreich, distinguished professor and foundational member of the CCNY sociology department passed away on Saturday, March 28th from complications of the Coronavirus. Helmreich will be best remembered for his series of books in which he walked every street in New York in New York Nobody Knows (2013) and the subsequent books for each borough. An account of his efforts to walk the entire city and document what he saw and heard is a sociological masterpiece. A scholar of Judaism and the son of Holocaust survivor parents, his book Against All Odds: Holocaust Survivors and the Successful Li-

ves They Made in America (1992), highlighted the resilience and achievements of survivors.

Professor in the Media and Communication Arts department at City College, Augustine David Nocera, age 63, passed away after a sudden illness at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City on Thursday, March 26, 2020. In a statement released to CCNY, President Vincent Boudreau relayed that he had not contracted the Coronavirus. David was a man of many talents and a reserve of knowledge. In addition to being an educator, David was a proud archivist, who most

recently dedicated his time to the George Lois David Archives at City College, where he touched the lives of many students and served as a great mentor to them all. David was the kind of mentor who was willing to help a student in any way he could, always ready to write a recommendation or offer an opportunity. His life experiences and knowledge of the world were an open book to his students. David is survived by his longtime partner, Ellen Handy, an Art History professor at City College.

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2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 CSOM Graduates Class of 2020 Early to Help Fight COVID-19 Outbreak

By Ania Wojas

With the increasing need for medical professionals in NYC to battle the rapid spread of Coronavirus, medical schools in the city, including Columbia, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the CUNY School of Medicine (CSOM) are graduating their class of 2020 early to help mitigate the outbreak. However, this early graduation does not mean that the new class of physicians can start their residencies just yet.

Match Day, which fell on March 20th this year, marked the day when fourth-year medical students were accepted into residency programs across hospitals in the US, most of which begin in July of this year. The months leading up to the start date are crucial in the current fight against Coronavirus, and they are not going to waste.

The majority of early graduates will be working in hospitals around the city with a standard PGY-1 salary under thirty-day contracts, with eligibility to renew said contracts every two weeks until the start date of their residencies. These programs will not be ACGMEaccredited (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education), to keep in line with the council’s guidelines. Dr. David Battinelli, who is the chief medical officer at Northwell Health, New York’s largest healthcare provider, explains that, “[The graduates] will be licensed house officers, with the appropriate amount of supervision…”

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The 2020 graduation is particularly salient for the CSOM as the graduates are in the inaugural class of the school. The institution reported a 100% match rate, with 78% of the class continuing their medical careers in New York City, and 48% placing into primary care specialties.

The CSOM has received permission from the CSOM curriculum committee, CUNY, the New York State Education Department, and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education to graduate the class of 2020 early. In order to graduate, students must have fulfilled the entire curriculum. Each student has been certified by the Student Academic Progress Committee on April 8, 2020, and all have been certified or provisionally certified for graduation on Friday, April 10. Of the 46 students in the graduating class, 44 officially graduated on Friday, and the remaining 2 will graduate upon completion of requirements. Dr. Erica Friedman, Interim Dean of the CSOM, said that there were not any major problems with the early graduation, explaining, “Almost all students have completed our graduation requirements and successfully achieved our graduation competencies. Since COVID-19 has prevented our students from having clinical experiences, there was little benefit to requiring they do virtual electives to complete the final weeks of medical school. It is more important that our students provide emotional and other support to their families and if possible and practical, volunteer their services as physicians.”

2020 is the inaugural class of the CSOM, since the school’s preliminary accreditation in 2016 and provisional accreditation in 2018.

When I spoke to Dr. Lisa Auerbach, the Assistant Dean for the Clinical Curriculum at the CSOM, about the first class being graduated virtually, she said, “It is bittersweet that our first graduating class had to celebrate their

wonderful match day virtually. We have not yet decided on a live or virtual graduation, but we hope to have an in-person ceremony at some point.”

I also spoke to Dr. Friedman about her thoughts on the graduates entering the workforce at this time. She said,

No one could have imagined the devastating

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New York City is the current epicenter for COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 27,676 hospitalized and 6,182 dead from the disease as of April 12, 2020.

Our students ar pared to enter t workforce and health inequitie healthcare for t

impact this pandemic has and will have on the lives of New Yorkers, especially those most vulnerable. Our students are well prepared to enter the healthcare workforce and to help address health inequities and improve healthcare for the underserved. We have all been anxiously and excitedly awaiting the day when we would graduate our first class of medical students and recognize their tremendous accomplishments and the success of the CUNY School of Medicine. We are sad that this first pioneering class and their families and loved ones will not be able to have the joy of a live ceremony recognizing their achievements.

However, we are so proud of all of them and know they will make a huge difference in the lives of their patients and communities.​ This pandemic has only reinforced the impact of social determinants on the disparities

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in care and outcomes and the importance of our school in graduating students who will address these issues.

Dr. Sandy Saintonge, Clinical Professor and Medical Student Advisor at the CSOM, added; It is quite emotional and bittersweet. The Class of 2020 represents a pivotal moment in Sophie Davis/CSOM‘s history. It would have been truly wonderful to have a live celebration where faculty, family, and friends could gather together to honor the graduates and their accomplishments. By graduating early, medical students from across the entire U.S. have an unprecedented opportunity to join healthcare providers and care for patients now instead of July when most residencies begin.

When the opportunity to graduate early was proposed, our students let us know that they don‘t want to sit on the sidelines during this pandemic, they want to do what they have been preparing for the last seven years -- to

re well pre the healthcare to help address es and improve the underserved.

Dr. Auerbach further explained the CSOM’s approach to the early graduation, as opposed to that of other schools; “What some other medical schools did, is they said that if students want to graduate early, they would have to start working to help with the COVID-19 outbreak. What we’re doing by graduating students early is giving them the opportunity to help the effort, but no one is being required to do so.” With that being said, many of the graduates are finding ways to help after they receive their diplomas.

M3 and M4 students can currently volunteer in telehealth services at St. Barnabas Hospital (SBH), communicating between the hospital and the families of patients (who are currently not allowed to see their relatives in the hospital) as liaisons. M4 students may also volunteer in the SBH ICU and round with physicians, to bring information to patients‘ families directly from the hospital. The Northwell Health System has also opened jobs as part of the ‘Graduate Physicians – COVID Response Team’ to CSOM students that have placed into its residency programs. This contract is a 4-8 week commitment with overtime pay and health insurance. In both the volunteer and paid positions, recent graduates are still being supervised to aid their transition and receive hands-on learning experiences.

Additionally, Dr. Lee has been reaching out to other hospitals in the NYC area where students are set to start their residencies in July to see if students can volunteer or work there in the near future.

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be doctors who are caring for patients in need.

Dr. Rosa Lee, the Associate Dean for Curriculum and Assessment, talked with me about the decision to graduate the class early; “Our school decided to graduate our M4 students early in response to an urgent request from area hospitals for additional healthcare workers to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. We are proud of the ways that our first class of graduates have responded to this call and have begun to participate, either through telehealth opportunities or by signing on to work as staff physicians at hospitals where they will formally begin their residency training in July.

The hospitals, in turn, have been so appreciative of and humbled by our new graduates’ desire to help during this time of great need.”

Dr. Auerbach reflected on the past weeks with the M4 class, since they were removed from live clinical clerkships on March 16; “Clinical faculty have been amazing working with students, teaching them online, despite what is going on in the hospitals, so I think they’ve done a wonderful job maintaining the medical school experience for students.” When asked about how she thinks students will be dealing with the transition to the workforce, Dr. Auerbach explained, “When I started my residency, it was the middle of the AIDS pandemic, so I remember what it’s like to be afraid of things you’re not sure you’ll be able to cure.”

She went on to say, “I think that [the students] are 100% [prepared]. I mean, they’re graduated, they’re going to be doctors -- they are doctors.” Dr. Friedman agreed, saying, “I think our students are extremely well prepared to help with the COVID-19 outbreak, specifically because of their training in po-

pulation health and understanding of how social determinants impact health and health outcomes and also because they have excelled in empathic patient-centered care and in communication skills.” Dr. Saintonge echoed these sentiments; “The COVID-19 pandemic has obviously taken a toll on the entire world and its impact has been devastating. However, as it unfolds, there are glaring disparities with regard to access to masks and gloves, testing, and treatment. The rippling effects of social distancing have led to the highest levels of unemployment, uninsured and food insecurity.

From day one of our curriculum, our students have been learning why factors that contribute to inequities matter and how to address them. Armed with these skills and insights our CSOM students are uniquely prepared to provide exceptional medical care that considers the patient holistically.”

A graduate of the 2020 CSOM class, Dr. Malithi Navarathna, spoke to me about her experience with the situation; “For me, especially as an incoming Emergency Medicine intern, it definitely feels like a very scary time to start residency. I also didn‘t expect the end of my 4th year to be like this, with virtual match day ceremonies and spending so much time apart from my family and friends. However, seeing the medical community come together to support each other in this difficult time, just makes me realize what an amazing profession I am about to enter into, and definitely has not diminished how excited I am to start my career.”

Reflecting on the unique situation at hand, Dr. Saintonge added some final thoughts: “We are so proud of the Class of 2020! As the inaugural class, they are a part of a historic moment that extends beyond being the first class to graduate from the CUNY School of Medicine. Someday in the near future, when social distancing is behind us, the entire faculty is l​ooking forward to when we can all reunite in person and congratulate each and every one of them with warm hugs... the way it was supposed to be. A virtual graduation is no substitute for that.”

To all the healthcare professionals in NYC and around the world, we thank you for risking your lives every day in the face of this pandemic and we wish you continued courage and health -- and to the CSOM Class of 2020: congratulations and good luck.

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Covid-19 Forces Classes Online for Remainder of the Semester

By Kazi Maisha

Spring 2020 is surely an unprecedented time for all students and faculty at The City College of New York (CCNY). On March 11, President Boudreau released a statement explaining that effective the next day, CCNY would be shifting to distance learning for the remainder a semester in accordance with New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decree.

Boudreau stated that, “These are not normal times, and we are not making ordinary adjustments... We are a public institution, playing its role in a public health crisis... Let’s make sure that when we think back on these days, and the challenges they presented to us, we’ll be proud of how we responded. I know that we will be.”

With an optimistic tone, he made it clear that the adjustments made during this semester will go toward mitigating the effects of the pandemic., By transitioning 16,544 students and more than 95% of CUNY’s 50,000 courses to remote instruction, CUNY Chancellor Matos Rodríguez and President Boudreau have effectively reduced virus transmission among the student body. However, despite the great benefit of administering a virtual semester, many CCNY students have reservations about it.

A two-question survey was distributed to 30 CCNY students. The first question asked the survey taker to list two to five words regarding their sentiments on the virtual semester.

The second question asked to categorize those words as “negative,” “positive,” or “ambivalent”. As seen to the right, most people felt negatively about the school’s shutdown. The top words used were “inefficient” and “dragging.”

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When following up with the students, many explained that some of their classes were pointless as virtual classes, such as labs, and that they often felt an ineffective engagement with their professors through virtual media.

In fact, some students felt that their professors seemed to offer even more work now or remain strict with deadlines. The sentiments shared by these students intersected with the idea that the pandemic is a difficult and crazy time for a lot of us, and therefore, we have trouble completing their coursework.

Stemming from this particular issue, students have suggested that their professors should be more cognizant and respectful during this public health crisis. A heartbreaking part of this semester that has seemed to drag down many seniors is the postponement of graduation, which was declared by the Chancellor on April 3. Overall, many people seemed to miss the real-life connections and campus life CCNY had to offer, causing them to feel unmotivated and disengaged.

Regardless of these sentiments, CCNY’s shift toward a virtual semester seems pertinent due

to the high risk of virus transmission. And it appears that CUNY is doing its best to meet these shortcomings pronounced by CCNY students. For example, from March 27 to April 4, a recalibration period was enacted so that students could have time to gain the necessary equipment for remote learning, such as laptops. Furthermore, on April 1, a flexible no credit/credit policy was introduced, understanding that many students are going through very difficult times due to the pandemic. On April 8, CUNY launched the Chancellor’s

Emergency Relief Fund to help students in need.

Given that this semester is the first of its kind as we face an unprecedented public health crisis, the CCNY and CUNY community asks all members to abide by the measures enacted, so that the semester flows as smooth as possible.

COVID-19 AND THE MEDIA:

How it is affecting the media and your mental health

By Sarah Logan

As the number of Coronavirus cases in the United States rises, news organizations in New York and the U.S. are struggling to keep up. Every day, thousands of articles are written about the virus highlighting distinct topics and lenses. With the state of the virus changing rapidly, the media is trying to provide the public with a wealth of information.

Through this crisis, The Campus is working to produce as much content as possible for its readers. Lauren Pires, a writer for The Campus, has written an article on the closing of The Towers dormitory due to the virus. Our Editor-in-Chief, Aspasia Celia Tsampas, has written a Quarantine Reading List to follow if you are looking for your next read. Both articles can be found on The Campus’ website.

You can find other helpful articles within this month’s magazine.

Students studying at The City College of New York (CCNY) have been covering the virus by utilizing their own experiences and angles.

The news outlet Harlem View has recently posted articles on the Coronavirus. Another student writer, Sajina Shrestha, covers the effect of the virus on a local restaurant in her neighborhood of Jackson Heights, Queens.

Another student writer, Samir Dominguez, recounts the past month as he cared for his mother who was sick with COVID-19.

Focusing on how the Coronavirus is affecting single mothers and their children’s education, Ariana Cruz also discussed how the virus is affecting her local community.

Nationally, the news has been bursting with new stories each day. The articles range from a wide variety of topics, anything from the virus’s economic effects to the capacity of mortuaries in New York. On cable television stations like CNN and CBS, breaking news is played for most of the day to notify the public on the progression of COVID-19.

Statewide, Governor Andrew Cuomo has press conferences to update New Yorkers and Americans on COVID-19 and its effects on New York State specifically. More official

Social media has also participated in the wide spread of information. news from the governor can be found on the website: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news Platforms like Facebook have a page titled Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center.

There, users can find helpful resources like links to the CDC’s Facebook page and tips for when you are feeling disconnected from the world. Political figures are also utilizing Twitter to reach out to the American public.

If you are beginning to feel like the overabundance of information is beginning to take a toll on your mental health, you are not alone. According to the Pew Research Center of Journalism & Media, 51% of surveyed adults feel that they are following the news about COVID-19 closely.

feeling uneasy, stressed, and anxious.

However, it is important to remain calm and mindful about the situation. The American Psychological Association has provided some tips to follow when the incessant media coverage of the virus starts affecting you.

It can be found here: https://www.apa.org/ helpcenter/pandemics One tip states to keep the virus in perspective by reminding yourself that a large population has survived the virus.

Another tip is to keep connected with family members and friends virtually.

Keeping calm during this crisis is essential.

Consuming media in a mindful way is important when information is being pumped out daily. Therefore, make sure that you are taking care of your mental health, as well as your physical health, during this crisis.

According to a study conducted by Karin Wahl-Jorgensen of NiemanLab, out of 9,387 stories about the outbreak, 1,066 of the articles mentioned the words “fear” or similar frightening language like “afraid.”

About 50 articles used the phrase “killer virus.” Wahl-Jorgensen’s article can be found here:https://www.niemanlab.org/2020/02/ feeling-panicked-about-coronavirus-mediacoverage-of-new-epidemics-often-stokesunnecessary-fear/.

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By Jaquelin Bautista and Jada Gordon

By Jaquelin Bautista and Jada Gordon On March 11, in light of COVID-19 becoming more of a threat to New York City, President Vince Boudreau transitioned CCNY to online learning. Although this news was imminent with email alerts discussing the increasing severity of COVID-19 dating back to March 6, it was a crushing blow to students, teachers, and faculty. A barrage of updates stating that events will be canceled, and graduation postponed was another sad reminder that COVID-19 is not only killing people, but drastically changing public life and how we interact.

Every day seems like the world is getting smaller. Especially when each day comes with a new set of restrictions and bans on interaction. Safety, however, remains essential through drastic changes. Students are losing valuable education and moments that come with the college experience, however, professors are tasked with the objective of reconstructing their syllabi to match the new distance learning and adapt to the new normal of how classes are going to be held. So how are professors during City College’s distance learning?

For Brandon Judell, a lecturer of Theater and Speech for seventeen years, he experienced minor technical difficulties “For one class, it took 15 minutes and my running from 8

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one computer in one room to another in my bedroom. Finally, I was heard, and the dulcet tones of my students came through.” As a lecturer, he teaches four classes and three of them back to back, so between teaching, grading, and preparing lesson plans, the technical issues may pose a threat to the learning process.

“To be honest, I knew it was going to happen; it was just a matter of the time and then it was just okay, how are we going to do this?” says Marisol Diaz, an Adjunct Lecturer at City College and an educator for seventeen years. The questions that followed President Boudreau’s announcement was imminent. For students and professors whose main mode of education was in-person learning, this transition is a difficult one. It has been handled with a series of instructional and helpful alerts via email. There was a recalibration period from March 12 to 18, where teachers could fix their syllabi to fit the status of how classes were going to be run. Additionally, the school offered free computers and help wherever there would be potential problems for any student.

Distance learning is in full effect, but with that comes a positive aspect, students get to learn and professors get to educate. Distance learning, however, is not the same as learning in the classroom. “How do we keep the students

engaged?” asks Professor Diaz, whose transition felt like, “entering a world of newness.”

She explained, “It’s truly not normal times.

There’s a pandemic out there and somehow the students have to try and find something normal to hold onto.” This sentiment is an obstacle that occurs more when doing distance learning. In class, a way to keep students engaged is by presenting interesting content and delivering that content in a specific way. With distance learning, keeping students engaged might pose more of a problem. “I wondered if online instruction would work in my classes.

Since I felt I had a personal connection with about 95% of the students, I suspected I could keep that connection alive, but I have no idea how I would have coped if I had never met the students beforehand,” says Professor Judell.

What could affect keeping students engaged in the wave of recent Zoom hackings called “Zoom Bombings,” where Zoom meetings were interrupted by random people who put content onto the meeting. These situations affect students and teachers trying to stay engaged in classes and robs students of class time. Professor Diaz states, The only thing you can do is have security precautions in place. The powers that be have their job at fixing those problems and all we can do is report them and ask for help. We

follow their recommendations and move forward. If we begin to get stuck on those kinds of things we don’t move forward. It’s not our job. We do our job and trust that others are doing theirs and that is how we will get through this, Zoom, Blackboard or any other online teaching/online meeting tool.

For improvements to procedures in distance learning, Professor Judell says, “Students should expect to keep their cameras on. Some of my students have trouble with bandwidth. I feel CCNY is doing its darndest to answer all of our technical questions. In a month or two, we will all sadly become whizzes at this.”

Distance learning has its difficulties, but it is what the professor and the student makes of it.

“To be honest, CCNY has done the best that they can do with the situation at hand. Their first priority was the health of the students and faculty, and then the continuation of the education of the students.” says Professor Diaz.

Instagram (@CCNYCAMPUS) gave insight on how students managed the transition. Out of 60 votes, 12% had taken online classes before, while 86% had expressed feeling unprepared for the online transition. CCNY had an extensive communication effort with students and staff to ease the transition. CCNY rapidly developed solutions for students, but no one could prepare students for the mental and emotional burden students would battle. This same poll found that 95% of voters experienced mental, emotional, or academic challenges.

Neel Sawhney is one of the several counselors at the CCNY AccessAbility Center/ Student Disability Services (AAC/SDS).

Sawhney is a social work intern as part of an internship program at the Columbia University School of Social Work. Since January of 2019, Sawhney has worked with the AAC/

learning, and to discuss them with people whom you feel comfortable sharing with.” expressed Sawhney.

While every student is having a unique experience adapting to the transition, Sawhney explains that, “The biggest concerns [she] understand[s] are coordination of accommodations for students and faculty.” For students who require academic accommodations, needs that are able to transition online are being made, “such as the use of our dedicated testing room, these have been adjusted to fit with the new at-home testing dynamic.” Mazhar emphasizes that students need assistance “for various things such as registering for classes next semester, academic advising, club registration, housing, etc.” Yet her efforts to get help did not receive responses. While CCNY is doing its best to meet the needs of all students, all departments are feeling the stresses of new challenges prompted by the online transition and are making improvements with each day.

“We are mandated to move to distance learning for the rest of the semester.”

While professors are trying to rework their classes, students are facing a major transition from the classroom to their homes. As one of the few CUNY schools with a campus, students have enjoyed the luxury of engaging with peers, friends, professors, advisors, and counselors on campus. Today, students find themselves attending classes, club meetings, and more through their screens.

-Vince Boudreau,President of City College of New York

Nabiha Mazhar, a Communications and Arts Major, who had only once taken a hybrid course at CCNY, one which still allowed her to have an in-class experience once a week, found that the hybrid course could not compare to the online transition evoked by COVID-19. “My greatest challenge would be the organization of my classes. Knowing what is due and when. Having to pinpoint and set specific due dates on my own.” states Mazhar. She also shares how the channels of communication are flooded with information which makes it difficult to receive every message from each of her classes. Some students, however, face challenges that are intensified by the quarantine.

A poll conducted on the Campus Magazine

SDS to provided services and engage with the community. Studies on online transitions during viral outbreaks, including H1N1 and the Influenza Pandemic “share that social distancing and distance learning can exacerbate already-present academic difficulties. Students who learn best when physically present in the classroom can experience new barriers to learning and engagement due to the new distance learning structure.” states Sawhney.

Students now face the challenge of organizing their work and play within the walls of their homes. Sawhney explains that while students may have taken advantage of on-campus resources to establish a workplace, “For students who live in spaces that do not allow for a separation of work/personal spaces, it can be difficult to avoid distractions and dedicate time specifically for completing assignments.” Learning and working from home can lead students to experience additional stress, which can “create tension or strengthen family or partner relationships [at home].

My recommendation for all CCNY students is to continue to explore their feelings related to COVID-19 and the transition to distance

Nonetheless, students, professors, and all staff should be taking the proper steps to establish healthy living practices. By setting up a schedule and alarms to keep daily routine individuals can ease some of the challenges the temporary lifestyle presents. Sawhney shares some fun online activities including “making at-home tasks into group projects (i.e. cooking), creating a daily regiment/routine (setting an alarm), and limiting exposure to COVID-19 related news (taking time to enjoy a book or TV show), and my favorite: online concerts and discussion forums to promote community.” If any student is experiencing issues, it is recommended that they speak to a counselor.

To contact the AAC/SDS office reach out to disabilityservicese@ccny.cuny.edu.

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Working Around the Coronavirus: Student Unemployment in the Wake of the Pandemic

By Eric Bilach

May 27, 2020 -- a day once meant to be forever etched in the collective memory of the 2020 City College graduating class. However, if recent events are any indicator, plans can change at the proverbial drop of a dime.

wealth of employment opportunities post-graduation. Unfortunately, with the emergence of COVID-19, those once promising job prospects may be in jeopardy.

For the uninitiated, from the perspective of New York City, COVID-19, the disease caused by the Coronavirus has led to the temporary closure of non-essential businesses, as well as cancellation and postponement of social events and large gatherings. Among the cancellations include City College’s late-May festivities for graduates and their families.

Although the short-term effects have been both brutal and sudden, a return to normalcy is projected to occur as early as May (according to recent statements made by President Trump). In the United States, discussions about the long-term societal effects of COVID-19 typically center around economic recovery, escalations in xenophobia, and preparations for future pandemics. Nonetheless, an interesting part of the conversation that has gone relatively silent is the issue concerning student employment (or the lack thereof) in the wake of COVID-19.

As New York state’s unemployment totals climbed to, at last count, 791,840 (roughly 8.3% of the labor force), it is safe to say that undergraduate students have endured the brunt of this economic strain. In the United States, the three largest employment industries populated by student workers are, in order, food services, retail, and work-study and on-campus jobs. Consequently, as state and local governments continue to implement social distancing measures and shelter-in place orders in response to the worsening condition of the pandemic, these industries are among the most likely to be affected. While some positions in these industries are easily retained via telecommuting, the overwhelming majority are not. Even for those who have already completed their undergraduate studies, the national unemployment rate for this particular demographic rose by 0.6% during the month of March. Despite being a record-setting statistic, this figure pales in comparison to the increases in unemployment among undergraduates and those with only a high school diploma.

More than just the customary caps and gowns, graduation signifies a changing of the guard.

In the months following the big ceremony, bright-eyed graduates enter the workforce competitively for the first time. This influx of new hires ultimately shapes the economic landscape for years to come. As of 2014, the employment rate for people between the ages of 20 and 24 who had obtained, at the minimum, a Bachelor’s degree was approximately 85%. The data show that this trend had been consistent since at least the year 2000, proving that a college education generally leads to higher job security. This fact coupled with a projected 13.7% increase in jobs between 2016 and 2026 in New York City alone was set to provide City College’s 2020 class with a 10

F E A T U R E

In speaking with both senior Kimberly Velazquez and junior Stephanie Nunez, it appears that the economic repercussions of COVID-19 on undergraduate students are two-fold. Velazquez revealed that, prior to the pandemic, she was poised to begin an internship in the health care industry following graduation. Unfortunately, health and education services were affected tremendously during March (second to only the construction industry), resulting in rampant hiring freezes and the elimination of nearly 459,000 jobs

across the country. Velazquez’s plans to take her Graduate Record Examinations (the GRE) were also disrupted, ultimately complicating her process of applying to graduate school.

While she has maintained her on-campus job by working remotely, Velazquez is wary of the additional obstacles COVID-19 may present along her journey to becoming a clinical neuropsychologist.

Nunez finds herself in the opposite camp. Although her plans of attending graduate school remain relatively intact, her work-study job was suspended at the time of CUNY’s initial shift toward “distance learning.” As is the case for the thousands of displaced undergraduates in New York City, a once steady source of income for Stephanie has since dried up.

College students, even those who are claimed as dependents by their parents, rely heavily on their part-time endeavors to afford rent, food, tuition, and other necessary expenses.

As evidenced by Velazquez and Nunez’s respective situations, COVID-19 showcases the power to manipulate the present and future alike. No employment opportunities, whether they be ongoing or potential prospects, are safe from the wrath of the pandemic.

On a more positive note, maybe the world will emerge from COVID-19 with the understanding, experience, and ability to better accommodate both students and workers in the event of a subsequent crisis. Perhaps further economic devastation can be avoided by embracing new and innovative methods of remote instruction and employment. Possibly, this shift can help preserve the aspirations of the 2020 City College graduating class going forward.

Taking Care of Yourself During Quarantine

By Lauren Pires Amidst the chaos occurring around us, it is important to stay healthy and take care of ourselves. It is true that everyone has more time on their hands, but it is important to use that time wisely. Although it is hard to step into a routine, one of the easiest ways to stay healthy during quarantine is to establish a schedule. Here are some simple ways to improve yourself during the quarantine.

Skincare Of course, we all (at least hopefully) have some sort of skin regime that we follow; however, the circumstances of quarantine can mess with our skin. Being locked up inside means less sunlight and the lack of outdoor activity means there is less oil in pores. These factors mean that people with typically more oily skin may find their skin drier during the quarantine. Here are some recommendations: If your skin feels drier, skip out on most face scrubs and on face washes that have salicylic acid. Although this acid is usually highly recommended because it helps clear out pores, it can be too harsh on dry skin.

For those with acne and dry skin, avoid exfoliating because this harsh contact will suck out all the essential oils in your skin. A simple daily moisturizer from brands such as Cetaphil are a good option.

A way to nourish your skin without adding too much to your routine is to skip out on branded makeup remover and just to use coconut oil.

Doing so will not only hydrate your skin and remove your makeup, it will also leave your entire face and body smooth and scented.

As for the body, one of the quickest things we will notice is our tans will begin to fade and our skin will become much drier. So, stay lotioned. One of the best ways to do so in-

cludes using Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula.

This lotion is best to use every night because, although the scent is quite nice, it is a bit powerful.

Feeling pale?

It’s okay. Soon, this quarantine will all beover and summer will prevail. Do not waste your money on fake tan and just take vitamin D supplements to keep your immune system strong.

Exercise How can we do it from home? Going to the gym is impossible, but there are ways to stay active during the pandemic. It may feel crazy to worry about exercise while so much is happening around us, but fitness is especially important when even the most active lifestyles are quickly turned sedentary.

If you want to burn a lot of calories from home, add one of these to your schedule: Zumba, Pilates, or aerobics. Find YouTube videos that fit the level you can handle, and you will be on the right track to staying fit.

Another reason to keep exercise in your routine is because the lack of it can cause insomnia. It is evident that everyone’s sleep schedule has been affected by the quarantine, but exercise can help you sleep at night and feel more well rested.

Hair and nail care

The salons are closed and our roots and nails are overgrown and begging to be touched up by a specialist. Although we are out of luck until at least the end of April, there are ways to keep ourselves clean cut.

One simple step would be to start taking biotin. This vitamin helps your hair and nails grow thicker and stronger and can be found at any CVS or Duane Reade.

For those with bleached hair, it’s important to keep the brassiness out and to keep the color intact. One of the best products out there that will not break the bank is the Matrix Toning Brass Off Color conditioner. It will keep blonde hair from turning gold or orange.

For those going dark, an excellent hair mask to keep dark colors rich would be the Matrix Brass Off Neutralization Hair Mask. Instead of making the hair brighter, it will remove vibrant pigments and subtle them down.

Cannot go without a root touch up? Do not be afraid to mess around with hair dye. You are stuck inside anyway, and it seems like the best time to experiment with colors.

For those who are not very good at painting their own nails, starting with sparkly polish can make your nails look beautiful and it is much easier to paint than a solid color.

As for the girls who get a full set every one or two weeks, there are three options. Go without it and just take care of your nails. Just flex your clear polish nails and remember your biotin. Or, buy press-on nails. Although these are not ideal, the kits that come with glue and acrylic are affordable and easy. One of the most popular brands is Kiss, which can be found at CVS and Duane Reade.

There are many ways to take care of yourself beyond your exterior. Read a book, take a nap, watch a movie, Facetime your friends, cook, listen to music or a podcast, make a TikTok, and WASH YOUR HANDS!

LIFESTYLE

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A LIFE ON PAUSE T O DAY ’S T O D O L I S T:

By Sayra Ilyas

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly caused life to temporarily pause. Now, if you are most people, you are probably wondering what meager lifestyle we are forced to succumb to without the joys of eating out at restaurants, buying tickets to see the latest Marvel movie, or watching the Houston Astros get belted with 90 mph fastballs. But the choice to live as a pessimist during this entire situation is entirely up to you. With all this free time on your hands, you can finally clean out that drawer you said you would “when you got the chance.” Rather than sulk over missing some of life’s many milestones, take this time to rebuild yourself and focus on the parts of your life you normally would not because of school, work, etc. Without further ado, here are two ideas to make the most of your time in quarantine!

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EXERCISE How many times are you going to postpone your New Year’s resolution to get into shape?

The hardest part of going to the gym is not the actual workout (well depending on if you are asking the wannabe Instagram model or the jacked bodybuilder), but getting yourself to go to the gym. Now that all fitness centers are closed to adhere to the new social distancing norms, there is no excuse not to work out. It is as easy as pulling up a video on YouTube and simply following the workout! You can even go for a run outside, just remember to keep your distance. If you are worried about losing muscle gains, just get creative! You can use a 12 O P I N I O N

case of water bottles as makeshift weights. All jokes aside, take advantage of this free time to get yourself in the habit of working out, and once quarantine is over, you can take that

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EDUCATE new-found motivation to the gym and show off your post-quarantine bod.

Another item on your agenda should be to push yourself to learn new information. Just because classes are online, that should not mean you should start slacking. One great way to learn new information is through podcasts. If you are tired of hearing the same drab daily coverings over COVID-19, that is understandable. The key to getting into podcasts is finding one based on your interests. If you are someone who likes crime stories, Serial is an award-winning investigative journalism podcast that will have you binge-listen the entire series. For those of you who enjoy taking part in social-activism, Pod Save the People is an excellent political podcast that unveils the everyday social injustices that never make it to the front pages of newspapers. For sports fans, The Bill Simmons Podcast is the most downloaded sports podcast of all time. And, of course, Barstool Sports has its collection of podcasts. Finally, a personal favorite of mine is Stuff You Should Know, a series that releases content on a wide variety of topics. From epilepsy to break-ups, you can pick up knowledge on just about anything from this series.

During your time in quarantine, it is import-

ant to remember that you should not feel obligated to occupy every minute of your day.

The constant need to be productive can be mentally exhausting. Sometimes you need to just sleep and lounge in your bed all day, play video games, or gawk over Jordan Baker from All American. As important as it is to have hobbies, it is just as important to take a breather. Running back and forth between school and work, you rarely have the time to just sit back and take a moment for yourself.

Without much running around outside these days, now is the perfect time to master that skincare routine, get back to playing some piano, or even making TikToks for the fun of it. There is no “to-do” list anymore. Time is finally not of the essence, and how many times in your life will you get the chance to say that? Make the most of your time in quarantine, or do not. The choice is yours, but remember to be mindful of others and practice social distancing to the best of your ability.

E

M S I P A C S E THROUGH

By Brahmjot Kaur CUNY announced the closings of all CUNY campuses citywide in mid-March, days after private universities like Columbia, NYU, and Fordham shutdown. Since then, CUNYs have transitioned to distance learning and students have been gathering for classes through online platforms like Zoom and Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. With a lack of personal schedules and the deterioration of everyone’s emotional and mental health, it comes to no surprise that everyone is looking for their personal form of escapism during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons, released on March 20, 2020 from Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch, has served as the perfect tool for escapism during the quarantine.

What is Animal Crossing?

For those who are confused about the references that have suddenly began sweeping the internet, Nintendo explains the premise of New Horizons as an “escape to a deserted island [where you] create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize.”

Your purpose in the game is to turn a deserted island into a flourishing home and travel experience for other islanders in the game.

Previous versions have been popular on different consoles like the Nintendo Cube and the Nintendo DS. New Horizons requires more effort to have resources like the Abel Sisters, Nook’s Cranny, and even the museum on your island. Previously, most of those landmarks were already there when you moved in. Now, you have the opportunity to pick a location for each establishment. There is no end to any Animal Crossing video game. Unlike other

games that require you to complete levels that would allow to win the game, Animal Crossing is a life simulation. As you play, your island (or village if you are playing New Leaf) will continue to flourish, but there is no “The End” or final mission.

Why is Animal Crossing a Good Choice for Escapism?

Watching the news, reading headlines, and even seeing memes about the pandemic has personally affected me horribly. It is stressful knowing what is going on globally. Sometimes, I just want to go somewhere else and forget about current state of our world. Animal Crossing allows me to do that for as long as I want every day. Animal Crossing forces a routine that many of us are lacking. Every day, the game enlists you with tasks you need to complete. You have to check into the Nook Terminal for your daily points, hit rocks with your shovel to find bells (the currency in Animal Crossing) and other resources, shake trees, pull weeds, interact with all of your islanders, fish, catch insects, and sell items to continue paying your mortgage and the construction of bridges and inclines on your island. As you catch new species of fish, insects, and fossils, you can donate them to Blathers at your island’s museum. Along with your personal list of catches, you can go and see the specimen any time at your museum.

When you begin the game, you pick your islander’s name, what they look like, the map of your island, and finally the name of your

island. Animal Crossing is in real time so it is a great game to start when all we have is time.

When you arrive, you will also learn what fruit is indigenous to your island. If your friend has different fruit, you can visit them and bring back fruit to plant on your island. My island, JuniperLux, has cherries. I recently planted oranges and coconuts, too.

Due to my parents’ health and age, I leave my house as little as possible. I was feeling bored and lacked motivation to do anything. I cannot see my friends, and even Facetiming was starting to bore me. With Animal Crossing: New Horizons, your friends can visit your island and vice versa through online play! You can have multiple people at your island and you can visit random islands to find different resources your island may not have.

As you read this, you might realize how invested I am in Animal Crossing. Like for many, it is a game for me that lets me look at the wholesome and happy things in life. It lets me feel proud of my accomplishments and gives me purpose to wake up. I want JuniperLux to look great and I want my islanders to appreciate the effort I put into the game. Lately, it has felt a lot better to be on a deserted island than in whatever mess is going on right now in the world.

Stay safe, stay inside, and play Animal Crossing!

O P I N I O N

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NO CRYING IN BASEBALL:

By Anu Shetty On Sunday, March 8th, unaware of the events the future would hold, cocaptain Cooper York walked up to the home plate to swing his bat for the last time as a member of the City College of New York baseball team.

At this point, New York state had 106 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus, but the only thing York and the seniors on the team had on their minds was finishing the season strong. Today, as York sits at his family’s house in Wisconsin, abiding by the state’s stay-at-home orders, he finds himself missing his teammates and the game he has loved his entire life.

With 25 games left in the regular season, co-captain Stephen Peters thought back to Friday, March 13th, the day the team was told that their season would no longer continue, and remembered, “The first word that came to mind was ‘frustrating.’ The season was already bittersweet because I knew my college career was coming to an end at the end of the season, but I expected to have a lot more time to compete with 14

S P O R T S

my team, and losing out on two months of the season was frustrating.”

After the emotional team phone conference where the players found out their season was over just five days after their last game, some of the players did not feel the enormity of the news immediately hit them. Was a pandemic, that was about to hit New York harder than any other state in the country, going to be the reason the graduating seniors were being told that their last season with the team they had been playing with for the last four years was over? One of the team’s pitchers, Jacob Schwartz, recounts, “We hoped we could still play the game, but it just wasn’t an option.

Still to this day, I don’t think it’s hit me yet. Not just that the season is over, but my baseball career as well.”

For the seven seniors on the team, this final season was about more than just playing the game, it was about mentoring, playing together as a team, and changing the culture of baseball at City College. When reflecting on the season that could have been, York explains,

“I was looking forward to helping the young guys figure out baseball at the college level. There’s more to expect from the game, and just helping them become comfortable with that change was important to me.”

The bond shared between the players and their ability to work together are integral to their success on the field.

Though playing the “what if” game is a fun way to pass the seemingly endless amounts of time nowadays, it will never be clear how this season would have unfolded. However, many players, like Schwartz, had a hunch that, “We had our strongest team since I’ve been at CCNY and we had a very good chance to win the CUNYAC this year.”

The CUNYAC is the athletic conference for the schools in the City University of New York system. The championship games usually take place at the end of the season in

T O W E R S 15

Tips Routine on Keeping While at Home

We are all at home. Have you been vibing? Do you have more or less free time than you do normally? If you have more free time, what do you find yourself doing? Watching movies or TV? Listening to music? Playing games?

Eating? Drinking water? Pursuing a passion? Enjoy the time how you want‌ however, a lot of us still have schoolwork. With the distance learning model, we lack the structure of physically being on campus at a scheduled class, being surrounded by other students, and surrounded by helpful resources like libraries. We must figure out new tactics to stay productive and motivated‌ that is just how it is. Here are some ideas you can keep in mind when trying to make time for school stuff:

1

Allot a specific block of your day for schoolwork.

Only make it a few hours, not all day, if you can help it. Taking a break from it can help keep you sane.

2

When you complete a task or successfully stick to a routine, reward yourself. Eat a dark chocolate granola bar.

3

Make time for self-care and fun each day if you can.

Be clear with your professors. If they are overworking you, tell them immediately! Shoot them an email.

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If you make a routine and fall off it, it is okay. Try not to get mad at yourself. Instead, clear your to-do list for the rest of the day. Take this as a message that you need a break. Try to get back on the routine tomorrow.

It is easy to get sidetracked, especially when there are distractions at home. If you need to finish an assignment, give yourself a few days to do it. Perhaps allot an hour per day for the assignment.

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Allow yourself to have breaks. Snacks are fun, coffee is cool, tea is totally rad.

By Clark Adomaitis

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When you go to bed, write down what you plan on working on and achieving tomorrow.

This will help you visualize and actualize what you need to do the next day.