95.16 by The Clocktower

The Clocktower March 3, 2021 Issue 16, Volume 95

uc_match A touching story

t’s no secret that this school year has been plagued by disenchantment; COVID-19, severe weather (albeit with perks), spottier-than-a-Dalmation Wi-Fi. Yet, in the midst of all this gloom, there’s been a ray of light, bringing hope and love to our little corner. uc_match first came into the scene on Aug. 30, 2020 with a mission: matchmaking. I’ll be the first to admit that I was very skeptical of the results such an account could produce. Now, six months and several couples later, I think it’s time to give credit where credit’s due. The following is a Q&A with the masterminds behind uc_match. What led to the birth of uc_match? One boring Saturday night, we started uMatch because we wanted to bring love to Union and give that extra push people need during these dark covid times (also ‘cause we’re very observant and killing the game). [Sammy’s note: it’s up to the reader to decide if a success rate of 8% is indeed “killing the game.”] What’s your thought process in making matches? We match based on what we know of

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personality, interests, recommendations … and if they look cute together lol. Your last post was Dec. 2. Should the public expect a return, or go back to creating mental scenarios? WE WILL RETURN. We’ve just been busy busy, as all students can understand. The Love Story: Nathan and Jael were matched on Sep. 25. They became official on Jan. 24. Nathan: When I first saw that I was on uc_match, I was not thrilled because I don’t like meeting new people. I decided that I would avoid this person at all costs. Jael: When I saw that I had been matched, I was excited at first, but it quickly turned to

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Editor–in–Chief Juliet Bromme Assistant Editor Hannah Drewieck Distributor Marvin Velasquez Media Manager Francisco Campos Photography Editor Joseph Lee Layout Editor Chrisheline Kalawo Assistant Layout Editor Justin Anderson

NEWS Editor Olivia Jacobs Photographer Nathan Sweet Adventist News Hannah Olin Union News Jade Covel Lincoln News TJ Pittenger

ENTERTAINMENT Editor Annika Cambigue Photographer Andrew Schwartz

panic. “He’s a sophomore while I’m a senior. Do I make eye contact with him or pretend I didn’t see the post? What do I do if he comes talk to me?” I decided that if that happened, I would stay open. Nathan: After months of avoiding her and A LOT of “encouragement” from my friends (to the point of them almost throwing me at her), I worked up enough courage to talk to Jael. It was the most awkward and embarrassing thing that I’ve ever done, but I’m glad I went out of my comfort zone. Jael: About two months after being matched, I was sitting at work when Nathan finally decided it was time to come talk to me. He apologized for taking so long to connect while I, on the other hand, had just put a cracker in my mouth and couldn’t say more than two words. Thankfully, that wasn’t the last time we talked! Nathan: It feels like society has warped our view of relationships. You’re made to believe that you can only be, or will be, happy in a romantic relationship. Unfortunately, your partner can’t always be there to make you happy. That’s why it’s important to learn to be happy alone before you can be happy with someone else. Focus on school, friends, and expanding your horizons; life is more than a relationship. Jael: My advice to someone who is single is to learn to be happy in your singleness. Work on yourself where you’re at so you can be ready to work on a relationship with someone else. More importantly, pray! Rather than telling God what you want, ask Him what He wants for you.

Sammy Ortiz is a junior nursing major from Orlando, Fla.

Sports Jacob Roney Pop Culture Sierra Lastine Comedy Sammy Ortiz

LIFESTYLE Editor Maria Kercher Photographer Robert Umali Outlook Lacey Stecker Politics Alex Nesmith Love Advice Kaitlynn Toay

Sammy’s Vine Throwback of the Week:

A picture of God

A new and exciting online evangelism resource

s a result of the coronavirus pandemic, many churches in the United States, and worldwide, have become virtual. While this is a great resource to continue worshiping together in a safe, convenient way, it has made it difficult to connect and fellowship with others, an aspect that is especially important when it comes to evangelism. Keith Bowman lll, former associate director of pastoral professional development for Adventist Learning Community, recognized the need for a more modernized approach to evangelism and Bible study. Bowman proceeded to write “A Picture of God,” a free, easy to follow, collaborative online Bible study resource now available from Adventist Information Ministry (AIM) and Adventist Learning Community (ALC). The “A Picture of God” Bible study is made up of 16 lessons, each one focusing on topics such as war, unity, hope and more. These lessons can either be collaborative or self-guided. The collaborative approach comes with the option to connect with an online or in-person spiritual mentor. Their goal is to guide, encourage and give feedback throughout the course of the study. In the selfguided approach, lessons can be completed independently. However, there are resources available to help if there are any questions or concerns along the way. “This experience was made for anyone who is interested in learning about God. It’s quite a generalized approach,” said Adam Fenner, director of Adventist Learning Community. There are already over three hundred people who have participated in these studies, and the hope is that more will join as word continues to spread. This new approach to Bible study is filling a unique niche within the church. Angel Easton, AIM’s digital media manager said, “It quickly became clear that while nearly every church has taken to livestreaming

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their worship services, many of them don’t offer much beyond that regarding interactive experiences, relationship building, and discipleship for their digital congregations.” “A Picture of God” allows for members and seekers to connect and grow together in this new, virtual world. The plan is to continue to grow this study, adding other topics such as health, relationships, stress and more. If you, or someone you know, are interested in these exciting and free Bible studies, sign up at their website at www.apictureofgod.com.

Hannah Olin is a sophomore history education major from Princeton, Ill.

What I hear in the middle of the night

And what I’d love to holler back

f you ever see me and think, “That poor girl looks exhausted. What happened to her?” allow me to explain. I live in the dorms, and many nights the girls on my floor party l-a-t-e into the night. Because of this, I tend to be kept awake with them. Occasionally, however, I won’t hear a full conversation. I’ll simply hear a sentence out of context. I’ve been dying to respond to a few of them, and I thought you, my dear readers, just might be interested to hear a little bit of what gets yelled at 2:00 in the morning. “You need to dump that jerk!” I agree wholeheartedly. There are three basic parties you should listen to when they tell you to dump your significant other: your family, your friends and your pets. If they don’t like your other, there’s a reason. Unless you’re in a situation where you know you can’t trust them, listen to your people (and pets, they really know everything). Go dump the jerk now! “I thought you were dying!” I am. But only on the inside, so it’s fine. I’m just trying to get through my mountain of homework and have suddenly realized I hate everything. What about you? How are you doing? “I love you!” I love you too, but you make it very difficult to like you when you’re yelling at me while I’m trying to sleep. Like, I appreciate the sentiment, but can you wait until an appropriate time of day to dole it out?

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Singing: Believe it or not, I do appreciate a free concert. You sing so well and it’s beautiful. I just can’t appreciate the true beauty of your voice so late at night. Please, keep singing, just wait until I’m up and moving. I want to love it, but it’s hard to love anything that prevents my precious sleep from coming. Shrieking: That was amazing! I know you’re fine because I heard your roommate laughing, but wow! That sounded like it came right out of a horror movie. I am really quite impressed with your ability to scream with so much vigor. Hearing things out of context can really stretch your imagination, and give you an opportunity to practice your improvisation skills. Even though I wish I heard these things throughout the day instead of late at night, I do appreciate the fun I have with your fragmented conversations.

Lacey Stecker is a sophomore communication major from Noblesville, Ind.

Blue Texas The cold front

n a bold move showing off his strength and resilience, Texas senator Ted Cruz abandoned his state, responsibilities and any ounce of respect he may have deserved last week. While his state suffered from the largest natural disaster in its history, Ted Cruz took a quick trip to Cancún, Mexico, with his family. Last week, the entire country was hit by a record low cold front that rewrote at least 150 new records, ranging from ‘new coldest temperatures ever seen’ to ‘most counties without power.’ Texas had record lows going down to 13 degrees. While that doesn’t sound too bad compared to our -20, the Texas power infrastructure was not equipped to handle anything near this arctic front. The Texan government privatized the power system back in 1999, as it was seen as an unnecessary expense to the government that could instead be used to stimulate the economy. The power company ERCOT took a majority of control throughout the state and has maintained a rocky relationship with the population ever since. Because of ERCOT’s lack of preparation and lack of common sense, power outages blew up throughout the state faster than a Texan can say “y’all.” Leaving for Cancún was one of the worst moves Cruz could have made. This arctic front was absolutely wretched, but it wasn’t unforeseen. The state has had a history of arctic fronts happening pretty regularly for the last 40 years. While this was harsh, it wasn’t unexpected. So why wasn’t the state government prepared or able to care for its citizens? While Cruz was caught fleeing the country and his responsibilities,

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez raised close to $4 million in disaster relief for the citizens of Texas. Cruz has made a series of interesting attempts to get out of the limelight. At one press conference, he blamed his daughter for the trip, saying it was her idea to leave for the power outage. At another point, he blamed former President Trump for the media’s response to his trip, saying, “Where they’ve attacked Trump every day for four years, they don’t know what to do so they obsess over my taking my girls to the beach.” This blunder by the GOP in the South may have been the opening that the Democratic party was looking for. Justified anger at this betrayal and appreciation for the aid given by AOC may be an indicator that Texas could flip blue in the foreseeable future. If something like this happens again, Texas may turn blue and not from the cold. Thousands of families were left without power for days, and 80 people have died so far. This failure wasn’t just a “mistake and misunderstanding.” The anger is justified and justice will be coming quickly. Alexander Nesmith is a junior communication major from Calhoun, Ga.

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The game is afoot! Do you wanna play a game?

ave you ever wanted to live the life of your favorite detective from your favorite story? Do you want to do something that is COVID-19-safe? Do you want to explore the city of Lincoln while searching for clues? I have the perfect thing for you! The Lincoln Ripper is a game that takes place all over the city of Lincoln where you have to find out who the killer is! CluedUpp is bringing their game to our humble city for the adventure. Their goal is to bring some fun into the lives of the city’s residents. I can’t tell you much about the story because of spoilers. What I can tell you is that there is a copycat of Jack the Ripper running around and it is your job to stop him. This is a game where it is you and your team’s goal to find him the quickest. You need a team of at least two people with a maximum of six players. You must come up with a clever name for your team, with the best team name actually getting a prize at the end. Players can get one ticket per team which is an incredible way to have some fun. The teams will run around the city finding different clues attempting to get to the end the

quickest. The team that finds the killer first is the winner! There are prizes of course. There is a prize for the team that gets to the end first and as mentioned earlier, there is a prize for the most creative team name. There is even a prize for the best team picture that is taken along the way! Here is the beauty of this game. The game is COVID friendly! The game is entirely outside. The number of tickets are limited along with the amount of people allowed in a group. There is also a chance that some players will never come into contact with other teams due to separate starting locations. If you are looking for something to do on April 10, I cannot suggest The Lincoln Ripper enough. It is so much fun as a group or a date. And it can be an incredible way to explore Lincoln as a group of friends!

TJ Pittenger is a junior theology major from Gilson, Ill.

The West’s best versus the beasts in the East My picks for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game

he NBA All-Star Game is an annual event that showcases the best players in basketball. This year, the star-studded weekend will take place on Saturday, March 7 in Atlanta, a change from pre-COVID-19 scheduled Indianapolis. There has been a lot of drama surrounding the All-Star this year, including potentially not having it at all and even some players possibly boycotting it due to a shortened offseason. But thankfully, the game is happening, hopefully with all the selected players. The players for the NBA All-Star Game are selected by the media (25%), current players (25%), and the fan vote (50%). This year, I participated in the vote and decided to share my biased picks for NBA All-Star 2021. Western Conference Nikola Jokić: Denver Nuggets. Currently ranked top-5 in the MVP race, Jokić has been a problem for opposing defenses this year and he has led the Nuggets back into the playoff picture. LeBron James: Los Angeles Lakers. Arguably the best player in the NBA, LeBron James is almost a no-brainer and that is why he’s also my prediction for the Western Conference captain. Anthony Davis: Los Angeles Lakers. I know this one is super controversial, but hear me out. My case for Davis is the same every year, he is ELITE on both ends of the court. He is the type of player that can be the best on both offense or defense. Stephen Curry: Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry is the best Guard in the NBA. Period. He is leading a team of scrubs into the playoff picture. Damian Lillard: Portland Trailblazers. This one was close between Lillard and Luka as both of them have been incredible, but ultimately I gave it to Lillard because he has a better record. Eastern Conference Kevin Durant: Brooklyn Nets. Kevin Durant was an absolute beast this year and is a

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lock for NBA All-Star. KD is one of the best players in the league and he has led the Nets to a top spot in the east. Joel Embiid: Philadelphia 76ers. Embiid is another player who is almost a lock for the All-Star game. He has been putting up insane numbers every night and is currently leading his team to the number one seed in the east. Jayson Tatum: Boston Celtics. Jayson Tatum has been great this year and although most people would choose Giannis for the spot, I am going to go with the player that I like better. Bradley Beal: Washington Wizards. Even though the wizards are dumpster-fire bad, Bradley Beal has been ballin’ out. He currently leads the NBA in points per game and has been an absolute terror on the offense side of the ball. Jaylen Brown: Boston Celtics. I love players who are great on both sides of the ball and Jaylen Brown fits this mold. In addition to scoring 26 points per game, Brown is also devastating on defense.

Jacob Roney is a junior business administration major from Sturgeon, Miss.

Learning how to apologize Saying I’m sorry

o matter how strong your relationship is, you will eventually make a mistake. It’s inevitable. How we respond to these mistakes strongly influences the outcome of our relationships. Apologizing is a vital component to any strong relationship. It helps repair the damage, but it can be a difficult process. Below are a few tips on how to apologize effectively. Know what you did that hurt your partner. Ask your partner what exactly it was that you did to hurt them and then spend some time working through what happened. Remember to listen for the sake of listening, not responding. Being self-aware and understanding your motives will help you avoid making the mistake again and can help your partner understand how you made that decision, even if they don’t agree. In most cases, acknowledging what you did and trying to avoid making the mistake in the future can help smooth things over. Avoid using accusatory statements. Statements like “You made me feel” or “You always say that” do not belong in an apology. These shift the blame onto someone else and take away from what you are trying to say. You are apologizing for your part in the argument. Keep your apology focused on your actions and feelings. It is you and your partner against the problem. This problem is not a member of your relationship. You and your partner are. Think of the problem as a short-term obstacle that you have to work through together. You are not arguing against each other. Now is the time to unite and argue against the problem. Come into the discussion open minded. Give yourself some time to cool off and think rationally about the mistake you made. Give your partner some space as well. When you’re both ready, you can come together and discuss. If one partner is not ready, the conversation may spiral into an emotional state very quickly and less will be accomplished. Support your partner and

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let them know you care about them but give them the space they need. Better yet, ask your partner what they need and respect their wishes. Apologizing is never easy. In fact, it’s one of the biggest obstacles in a relationship, as both sides desire to feel heard and understood. Coming into the conversation with animosity and tension will ultimately cause the conversation to go nowhere. Remember to listen to your partner and work through the problem together. Many issues can be solved with a good apology and a listening ear.

Kaitlynn Toay is a senior English major from Edgeley, N.D.

Union’s students respond to logo change

It was met with mixed reviews

ou’ve probably heard about Union’s logo change by now. If not, we have a new one! This week I posted a survey on uGroups to give you all a chance to share your thoughts on this change. Of the 28 of you who responded, 88.9% of you prefer the visual look of the old logo, vs 11.1% who prefer the new logo. When asked what your thoughts/ comments/opinions were, here’s what you thought:

the website. Union is an institution of higher education, not a grade school summer camp.” “I like it, it differentiates us from the other Unions.” “I really don’t like this new symbol. It is modern but I don’t think it flows or fits the campus. It’s not what I would picture when I picture a family friendly, small campus. I think it fits a bigger university.” “I like it! It feels new and modern.”

“It’s not bad, however, I believe the font in “Union” is a bit too tall or stretched vertically if that makes sense. Also, I’m all for the modern look, it’s important; but there could have been a better balance between modernity and the classic college look that existed in the previous logo. Like I said though it’s not bad, solid 8.5/10.”

“It doesn’t feel as serious as the old logo; it makes me feel like I went from going to a well respected college to a community college trying to be all cool.”

‘The kerning [the spacing between the letters for those of us who are not graphic design majors] is off (mainly in “college”). As a graphic design major, this was the first thing I noticed when the new logo came out. And especially considering that Union has been trying to beef up the graphic design program and attract more students to it... This isn’t good. My eye wants the large “U” to be aligned to the top and bottom lines instead of awkwardly hovering somewhere in the middle. Or at least align the top points of the “U” with the top points of the “N”... I’ve read and understand the statement the college put out about the new logo, but I don’t feel that the large “U” works in this instance. It overpowers the rest of the logo, and it creates a visually unappealing angle. At the VERY LEAST, the kerning needs to be correct.”

Jade Covel is a senior religion major from Topeka, Kan.

“It looks like a high school basics of graphic design class made it. It doesn’t fit, it’s cartoonish and cheapens the overall feel of

This selection of responses brings up some excellent points about the physical design of the logo. While the large ‘U’ does distinguish our logo from the other Union’s, it doesn’t seem to fit well with the rest of the logo. However, this logo does have a newer, more modern look to it which could be good moving forward. Next week we will look at some more responses to the new logo.

A sitcom starring Avengers? WandaVision

ad jokes and family life are not exactly the content viewers expect from Marvel. Fans are loving “WandaVision,” a strange show which is truly breaking the mold and venturing into unexplored territory for the superhero genre. It will be the first of many shows in the MCU as Disney has announced more than 50 new movies and shows based on past property, the bulk of them falling under the MCU and Star Wars. “WandaVision” is the first of the new MCU releases on Disney+, and it became the most popular show in the world after the fifth episode was released. This is partially due to Disney+’s weekly release of the episodes on Friday, which enables shows to build more support over an extended time. The show’s premise is that Wanda and Vision have mysteriously started living in a sitcom. They seem to have no or limited knowledge of their past, but the characters begin to piece it together as eerie events start occurring. The show creates an unsettling and suspenseful tone as more of the past is revealed. It contains multiple plot twists, but a lot of comic fans have already formed very accurate theories. The story is innovative for Marvel in several ways. The nine episodes are each set in a different time period. The introduction and theme song is tailored to fit what was popular in TV sitcoms at the time the episode is set in. An ad is also featured in each episode to further add to the realism of WandaVision being a show within a show. The first episode is set in the ‘50s and is very reminiscent of “I Love Lucy.” Episode seven is set in the 2010s and contains obvious nods to “Modern Family,” as well as “The Office” in the theme song. The episodes in between contain their own references to shows such as “I Dream of Jeannie,” “The Brady Bunch” and “Full House.” The show is also packed with references and easter

eggs for die-hard MCU fans. Other MCU characters appear in episodes as well such as Dr. Darcy Lewis and Agent Jimmy Woo. The only critiques I had of the show were that the constraints of a new time period for each episode made the pacing feel off at times. There were episodes where it seemed like the plot should develop more but couldn’t until the next episode, during the next decade. The episodes are also very short, with the first three being only 30 minutes each. Overall, the show was very interesting and different from anything viewers have seen from Marvel before. It was fascinating to watch the style of TV shows evolve over time and see how the industry has changed. The show also allows for a further exploration into Wanda’s character and more of her internal conflict. Actors Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda) and Paul Bettany (Vision) also get to showcase their talent with a range of emotion unexplored in previous Marvel films. It will be interesting to see where screenwriters go with the MCU characters in new shows.

Sierra Lastine is a sophomore English literature major from Grand Junction, Colo.

EDITORIAL

Why I will receive the COVID-19 vaccine

It’s not about me

hen I am offered the COVID-19 vaccine, I will take it. I myself am not at high risk for COVID-19. I am young and healthy. I wear my mask. I wash my hands. And if I were to catch the virus, the chance of it being any worse than the flu is low. But I am not receiving this shot for myself. Mass vaccination efforts, like the one we are living through right now, work on the concept of herd immunity. Herd immunity happens when people who are immune to a disease prevent those who are not from catching it. If the majority of a society is immune to a disease, then those who are not immune have a much lower chance of contracting the disease because they are less likely to be exposed to it. Vaccines create immunity by introducing harmless elements of a particular germ into the body. Some people are unable to receive vaccines due to being immunocompromised or being allergic to a component of the shot. Because these individuals are unable to become immunized, it is crucial that as many other people as possible receive vaccines to reduce the risk of spread. It is this phenomenon that allowed humanity to eradicate smallpox. If we can stop the spread of COVID-19, it will be because we reached herd immunity. Many people are concerned that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe because they were released in a fraction of the time that other vaccines are released. This seems disconcerting, but the new vaccines were subjected to the same level of testing and review that every other vaccine is. The researchers developing the COVID-19 vaccines received major amounts of funding

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that allowed them to develop vaccines without waiting for grant approval. They were also able to perform several rounds of testing at once. The COVID-19 vaccine is not new science. The technology used in it is new to the general public, but not to the immunologists who study it. This shot was built by some of humanity’s best scientists on a foundation of research stretching back almost two centuries. Is it possible that there are risks to this vaccine that we haven’t discovered yet? Absolutely. But risks are a side effect of life. None of the reasons I have listed are the most important factor in my choice to receive the vaccine. Twenty years from now, when my children ask me what I did to help during the pandemic, I want to be able to tell them that I tried my best to protect others, even when it was inconvenient. And if it turns out that our science was mistaken, that the vaccine is more dangerous than we expect or that it doesn’t work like we hope, I will not regret trying to do a good and selfless thing.

Annika Cambigue is a sophomore English major from Dayton, Ohio.

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https://www.puzzles.ca/sudoku/ The Clocktower encourages reader feedback and strives to maintain accuracy. If you have comments, please email juliet.bromme@ucollege.edu or hannah.drewieck@ ucollege.edu. ucollege.edu The Clocktower, established in 1927 and sponsored by the Student Association of Union College, is published weekly during the fall and spring semesters. The opinions expressed are the opinions of the writers and are not to be construed as the opinion of the editors, Student Association, Union College, or the Seventh-day Adventist Church.