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The Clocktower September 2, 2020 Issue 1, Volume 95

And We’re Back!

A letter from your SA president

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ey Union Students!

It is my hope that everyone is starting to settle into their routine after these first few weeks of school. I know I was both excited and nervous to come back to school while also living through a pandemic. I‘d have laughed if you’d told me a few months ago that I’d be accessorizing with a face mask, but after a while I’ve started to forget to take it off in my own room! And think of all the perks…. morning breath and concerns about food in my teeth are a thing of the past, and I’m totally saving money on lip gloss.

The health checks seemed a little over the top at first but now I count it as a blessing. Every morning it’s

a given that I’ll pass at least one test, so hey, I’ll take that boost to the ego any day.

All joking aside, this school year is going to be a lot different than anything we’ve seen before. I have confidence that as a school we will be able to create memories together while staying safe and healthy. COVID-19 may shape our future, but it won’t deter-

Jordyn Hammond at the SA tie-dye event. ©Jay Kim

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Pop Culture

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Sports

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4 The official

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Politics

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Lincoln News Union News

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Editor – in – Chief Jovan Cross Assistant Editor Juliet Bromme Distributor Marvin Velasquez Media Manager Francisco Campos Photography Editor Joseph Lee Layout Editor Chrisheline Kalawo

mine our destiny. We are resilient and resourceful, determined to let our light shine brightly, despite the challenges we’re facing.

Your Student Association is working hard to plan some really special events for you this year and we have some super fun things in store. You won’t want to miss out. I hope to see all your faces around campus (well, at least your eyes). Just know that I’m smiling right back, even if you can’t see it! We’ll get through this together. I promise.

Assistant Layout Editor Justin Anderson

NEWS Editor Olivia Jacobs Photographer Max Lassel Adventist News Hannah Olin Union News Jade Covel Lincoln News TJ Pittenger

ENTERTAINMENT Editor Hannah Drewieck Photographer Andrew Schwartz Sports Joel Shetler Pop Culture Drew Hickman Comedy Sam Ortiz

LIFESTYLE Editor Maria Kercher Photographer Annabelle Harper Outlook Lacey Stecker Politics Alex Nesmith Love Kaitlynn Toay

Alexandre Vieira at Club Rush ©Jay Kim

Maddie Carveth is a junior business administration major from Parker, Colorado.

“The Legend of Korra” - A Rocky Reincarnation Reviewing the first season of “Avatar: the Legend of Korra” after its Netflix debut

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ou’re probably thinking, “Korra’ isn’t new! It’s been out for six years!” Yes, but it is new to Netflix, so I win by technicality! Anyways, everyone has heard of “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” I hadn’t properly watched it all the way through until this summer, but I was aware of the iconic characters and scenes. However, when I finally watched it for the first time, I became just as head-over-heels for this fantasy world as everyone else.

After its sequel series, “Avatar: The Legend of Korra,” was recently made available via Netflix, I decided to see what the show has to offer.

This show brings a lot of incredible things to the table. The most obvious is the animation – it’s as great as “The Last Airbender,” but prettier since it’s at a higher resolution. It also stands out by having flawless integration of CG elements (which is very rare for TV animation to accomplish). This great animation not only makes the action scenes nail-bitingly engaging, but also makes every character interaction feel real.

The backgrounds really sell the world of Republic City, which is great because it’s a creative setting, full of 1920s-esque imagery and machinery.

These new technologies, “pro-bending” as a sport in the world and more give Korra it’s own ideas to play with.

The political tones of the overarching narrative are fascinating: benders

The Legend of Korra

©Penguin Random House

and non-benders in conflict, main antagonist, Amon, claiming to want to level the playing field and Councilman Tarrlok using this conflict to vie for more power.

Unfortunately, the main cast drags it down a little bit. Bolin is my favorite – his voice acting brings some serious personality to his jokes. Mako is a caring older brother, but I just don’t see him and Asami together. She’s nice, rich and pretty, but that’s about it.

Korra definitely has a personality, but the amount of rash and dumb decisions she makes in the first few episodes makes her a difficult protagonist to support.

Despite an almost unbearable main character, I am interested enough in the world, politics and animation to see continued on page 6

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What happened at the Democratic National Convention Read all you need to know about the DNC with this quick recap guide

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et’s jump right into it – the Democratic National Convention took place from Aug. 17 Aug. 20. Here are some things you may have missed if you didn’t watch the Democratic Party talk to itself: Day 1: This year was the first time any national convention went fully virtual. Former First Lady Michelle Obama gave an impassioned speech about unity in America and the need for a change of leadership, referring to Biden as “a profoundly decent man, guided by faith… He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country.”

After her speech, several lifelong Republicans came forward, warning against the dangers of following leadership blindly.

Senator Bernie Sanders ripped into Donald Trump, calling out the behavior the president has exhibited: silencing doctors and scientists warning against the dangers of the virus, standing idle as reported cases pass 5 million in America, overseeing the greatest economic collapse in America since the Great Depression and blatantly disregarding any racial and class tensions that have risen since he took office in 2017.

Day 2: Joe Biden was continuously hailed as the answer to Donald Trump, the unifying savior to lead us out of the mess of 2020 – the world pandemic, protests against police brutality and

weakening ties with other countries.

Keynote speakers such as John Kerry, former Secretary of State; Bill Clinton, Former President; and Chuck Schumer, United States Minority Leader, each took their turn in biting a piece out of the current president’s already lackluster image and reputation.

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez gave a short speech seconding the nomination for Joe Biden, promising a movement to aid the people of the U.S. instead of the wealthy few.

Day 3: Michelle Lujan Grisham, governor of New Mexico, spoke on her state’s response to climate change, and how Biden can unite and lead us to a cleaner America. A major theme of the third night was about how Biden

ON THE RADAR SAT. 9/05/20 Glow Run

THURS. 9/10/20 - 09/11/20 Preview Days

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Project Impact -- No classes

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Outdoor Movie

FRI. 9/18/20 - 9/19/20 Virtual Parent’s Weekend

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Faculty vs. Student Basketball Game

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Caption for picture goes here. Include people, subject of picture, etc. Include source ex: ©CNN

wouldn’t ignore issues like the climate crisis, immigration and women’s suffrage. Biden would address problems and lead America and the world into a newer, brighter future. Former President Barack Obama gave a speech restating what a leader should be, indirectly and directly referencing the president. His speech is well worth the listen.

with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness. It is time for us, for we, the people, to come together. And make no mistake, united we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America.”

“A profoundly decent man, guided by faith… He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country.”

Day 4: In a heartfelt acceptance speech, Biden proclaimed that this election is more than just deciding who is going to be president; this election will decide the course of America’s future. “Too much anger, too much fear, too much division. Here and now I give you my word. If you entrust me

Alexander Nesmith is a junior Communication major from Calhoun, Georgia.

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where this series goes. I’m willing to put up with Korra as a character, in the hopes that her prefrontal cortex fuses over the course of the story. The pros outway the big cons for me. I wouldn’t say this show is for everybody, but it is worth trying, and I would encourage you to do that if you haven’t already.

Drew Hickman is a junior Communication major from Shawnee, Kansas.

Intramurals at Union College begin despite COVID-19 If the Lincoln COVID-19 risk meter stays in green or yellow, sports will continue

Union College Warriors logo

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frisbee. Because most people can throw a frisbee and there are no special skill criteria, it has tremendous potential.

Anyone can play!

In addition, Rosado wants to hold a tennis tournament during the ultimate frisbee season. Other sports Rosado and his team are hoping to include are volleyball, basketball, soccer and SAsponsored softball.

The logistics for intramurals are still in the works, but look for posters around campus and email updates from uGroups for information on when sports are happening and how to sign up. Begin talking to your friends now to build your team. Some intramurals are already starting.

It is very important that Union keeps following the COVID-19 guidelines so we can push the Lincoln risk meter

ear up, Unionites! Despite our current situation, intramural sports are being planned for this year. COVID-19 has done its best to postpone, ruin and stop intramurals, but Union is stronger than COVID-19.

Chris Rosado, new Union College director of student involvement, is excited to see the Lincoln COVID-19 risk meter in the yellow section and heading toward green. “As long as we are in green or yellow, we can play sports,” says Rosado. If the meter is in orange, high-contact sports, such as basketball, may be delayed or canceled.

Rosado is also excited about the new sports opportunities this year. One of the intramural sports he is introducing is ultimate frisbee – a low-contact sport that operates like football, only with a

©Union College

toward the green zone. You all are crushing it and with your help, we can some day go back to class without masks and daily health checks. We all want to play sports, so do your part in helping us keep intramurals running.

Thank you!

To laugh or not to laugh: a comedy column for humor in humorless times because 2020

T Alondra Tayrus at the SA tie-dye event ©Jay Kim

Joel Shetler is a junior Science Education major from Ruckersville, Virginia.

here is a wise saying that goes along the lines of “laughter is the best medicine.” Well, given our current situation, I would like to make that a conditional statement: “Laughter is the best medicine, except in the event of no mask-wearing or social distancing. In that case, laughter is the best spreader of COVID-19.”

I want you to picture yourself on the night of Dec. 31, 2019. Think about the misplaced excitement that you felt as the clock struck midnight, imagining the untold potential of a new year. Oh man, were we off! If there ever was a continued on page 14

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Welcome Back to Lincoln What to do?

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his is an exciting time. We are BACK TO SCHOOL! Now that you are all back, let’s talk about some things to do even with COVID-19 hanging around.

Lincoln is a foodie town. Many different local restaurants are open with seating inside. Village Inn is a great breakfast and brunch restaurant that is just down the street and has dine-in seating all day. You can also dine-in at IHOP for those late night cravings. If you like pizza, you need to try Mellow Mushroom, Blaze Pizza or daVinci’s.

They have many different pizzas and a whole bunch of other goodies with various seating options.

There are more than just restaurants open. Book stores, like Barnes and Noble on O St, are a great place to go for any books you need or if you just want a good place to relax. If you have a green thumb, visit one of the many Lincoln garden centers that sell any kind of plant you could want. Campbell’s Nursery and Earl May Garden Center are two great options. Both have outdoor areas that provide space and fresh air to make your shopping experience COVID-19 friendly.

If you are a village student, or live in the dorm and like to cook, and need to find a grocery store, Lincoln has many choices. There are plenty of places like Whole Foods, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Target and Aldi that can fit any budget.

Of course, if you have not gone to the two best places in Lincoln, you are missing out. Goldenrod Pastries and The Mill are two of my favorite

places to go and they are just across the street from Union College. Goldenrod Pastries has some of the best lemon bars, macaroons and cinnamon rolls I have ever had. It has a beautiful environment to chill in and some of the best sweets around. The Mill is an incredible coffee shop with a great vibe. The coffee is great, the people

Goldenrod Pastries, across the street from Union ©Max Lassel

are nice and it’s a fantastic place to go and study. Goldenrod Pastries is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Mill is open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Even as the pandemic persists, these are a few places around Lincoln that are fun and safe spots to go. Thank you for coming back to Union and being a part of the Lincoln community.

TJ Pittinger is a sophomore Theology major from Gilson, Illinois.

Union adjusts worship credit requirements in wake of new school year... again COVID-19 affects uGather location and uWorship parameters for all students

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here have been a lot of changes this year. COVID-19 forces us to acclimate to a new day to day life. It has complicated the back-to-school routine, including here at Union College. We all have to wear masks and social distance in buildings.

We have to wipe down our chairs and desks. We have a tape telling us which way to walk in the halls. But what are some non-COVID-19 changes at Union this year? Well, worship credits for one. Worship credits have changed yet again, and last year’s rumors about doing away with uGather turned out to be false.

The uGather location has been changed: from the CVC church to outside at the clocktower to help reduce the chance of COVID-19 transmission.

Its attendance is still required. Students must be present at 12 out of the 15, so everyone has three skips. However, in the event that students are in isolation or quarantine, Union has made an exception for them to not be docked for not attending. There is also a process to appeal required uGather attendance, although as Rich Carlson, Union College chaplain and VicePresident for Spiritual Life put it, it is for instances such as “a single mother taking a few classes who would have to drive to Union just to attend uGather.”

He continued to say that the point is to create community, not to create undue stress on students. From a 2019

Ruben Garcia at a health check station ©Max Lassel

survey I conducted, 55% of responding students and staff reported that the feeling of community had improved due to uGather.

Worship credits are required again, although not nearly as many compared to before uGather was initiated. Oncampus students are required to attend at least two non-uGather worship events a week, while off-campus students are required to attend at least one other worship event. These events can include small groups, athletics worships, dorm worships, V2 or vespers. Small groups can meet at any time and anyone can lead them, so if you need more opportunities for worship credits, consider starting your own small group. Contact student life to get it approved to provide credit.

Attendance for uWorship can also be waived, along the same principals of uGather attendance waiving. Contact student life for more information on

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waiving of attendance for both uGather and uWorship this year. Overall, there have been several changes to the way uWorship works, but the basics are quite similar to last year.

Jade Covel is a senior Religion major from Topkea, Kansas.

Lincoln area churches open as students return to school In recent weeks, Seventh-day Adventist churches adjust to COVID-19 protocols to provide safe worship environments

ŠDebby Hudson | Unsplash.com

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inding the right church for you can be hard, but connecting with a church community is important. Despite COVID-19, most of the Lincoln Seventh-day Adventist churches have announced they have opened their doors again for in-person services. While it does look slightly different now, all have adjusted to allow the safe return of members and

visitors. As you are searching for the right church, here are some of the local Lincoln congregations and what they are currently offering for worship services and Sabbath school.

College View – Located on campus, the College View Church is holding both in-person and online services at 9:15 a.m. and 12 p.m. The Well is an inperson Sabbath school option starting

at 10:30. Online services are being held through Livestream.com and Facebook.

Piedmont Park – Open for in-person services and online streaming. Sabbath school starts at 9:30 a.m. followed by the worship service at 11 a.m. Online services can be viewed on YouTube or Facebook.

Lincoln Capitol View – Open for inperson and online services depending on the degree of Lincoln COVID-19 cases. If in the “high” range, per Lincoln health requirements, in-person services will not be held. Sabbath school begins at 9:30 a.m. and worship service at 10:30 a.m. Online services are available through YouTube.

New Creation – Open for in-person and online services and Sabbath school.

Sabbath school starts at 10 a.m. and

College View Church ©Max Lassel

church begins at 11:20 a.m.

You can tune into virtual Sabbath school through Zoom and watch the worship service on Facebook.

Northside – Northside offers in-person and online church services. They are currently being held in the gym next to the church to allow for more social distancing measures.

Sabbath school starts at 9:30 a.m. and worship service starts at 11 a.m. Online services can be viewed on YouTube and Facebook.

Allon Chapel – Due to renovations, Allon Chapel is currently only offering online services on YouTube and Facebook. Sabbath school begins at 9:30 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m.

Lincoln Hispanic Church – The Lincoln Hispanic Church is holding in-person services with Sabbath school starting at 9:15 a.m. and worship service at 10:45 a.m.

All churches that are holding in-person services require masks and social distancing.

For more information about these churches or how to stream their online services, check out their websites.

Hannah Olin is a sophomore History Education Major from Princeton, Illinois.

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Become the protagonist: the one you love to hate How-to become the most despised person on your hall

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et’s face it. Popularity is overrated.

In every teen movie, TV show and book, the popular people are the bad guys. They’re pretentious, snobbish and obscenely attractive. It’s the nerds, outcasts, downtrodden and generally hated that we root for every time. So why would I waste your time teaching you how to be popular?

Instead, I’m going to give you some tips to help you become the most despised person on your hall.

1) Rearrange your room late at night or early in the morning. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Moving my textbooks doesn’t make that much noise. How would this make me a hated person?” Well my friend, you just aren’t thinking big enough!

The beds are far too heavy for one person to lift. Scrape your bed across the floor and everyone will immediately wake up ready to help…beat you senseless.

2) Slam your door every time you enter or exit your room. This is a simple, almost mindless action that will make every person on your hall cringe with anger. But who would ever stop you? It’s a one second annoyance that will ruin anyone’s day.

3) Sing as loudly as you possibly can.

This works best if you sing terribly to something overplayed like “Baby Shark.”

Sing loud and proud at 3 a.m. for maximum impact. The worse you sing and the more annoying the song, the more detested you will become.

4) Leave your alarm ringing. ALL. MORNING. LONG. You want to annoy everyone on your floor in one simple step?

Set your alarm to the loudest possible setting and let it ring the entire time you’re getting ready for class. Bonus points if the alarm tone is the song you sang at 3 a.m.

5) Burn your food. Although sound is highly conducive to annoyance, smells will drive even the most patient citizen mad because there’s nothing they can do to ignore the problem. For this tip, any food will do. The smell of anything burning causes deep loathing for the fool who ruined perfectly good food.

Remember, popularity in the present is the enemy. By following these guidelines, people will shun you now. But you’re the author of your memoir, and your future readers and watchers will love you for all your “adorkable” qualities.

©Tristan Gassert | unsplash.com

Lacey Stecker is a sophomore Communication major from Noblesville, Indiana.

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©Citypages.com

Dating during a pandemic Navigating your love life while social distancing

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ask wearing and social distancing have become social norms in recent months, and these precautions can create problems in complicated parts of our everyday lives. For instance, dating is hard enough without standing six feet apart at all times or being unable to read the lower half of your date’s face. Below are a few ideas to help you safely navigate the altered world of dating during a pandemic.

1. Take it outside The risk of coronavirus transmission is lower when outside exposed to the fresh air. That means date ideas such as walks, picnics or even grabbing lunch at a restaurant with outdoor seating would be perfect choices to get to know each other better.

2. Use Zoom and other forms of digital face-to-face interaction It’s hard to get to know someone without seeing their face, especially when so much of our human communication is through facial expressions. Though masks may make the task of getting to know someone significantly harder, using tools such as Zoom or FaceTime can help. Setting up video chat dates can help you get to know the person behind the mask and allow you both to safely communicate. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but give it some time.

3. Find your comfort level Everyone has a slightly different idea of what

social distancing means. When it comes to meeting face to face, communicate with your date about what social distancing looks like to them and respect their boundaries. Both parties should be comfortable with any plans that are made.

4. Be respectful Though canceling a date can suggest that you are no longer interested, it may be necessary under some circumstances. If you are experiencing any symptoms of the coronavirus, rescheduling the date is the best option for both of you. Reiterate that you are thinking of their safety and reschedule for sometime after your 14-day quarantine period is over.

Though the already complicated world of dating has undergone major changes in recent months, remember that dating is supposed to be fun! It’s about finding a person who you connect with and could see a future with. If you care enough about each other to manage dating during the coronavirus, then you may be well on your way to building a future together. The goal is to stay safe, be respectful and have fun.

Kaitlynn Toay is a senior English major from Edgeley, North Dakota.

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series of unfortunate events, this year was its premier. However, even in all the turmoil that these past months have brought us, not every aspect of life has been that bad.

In case you haven’t been keeping up, the internet has been gifting us with some of the best content it has had in a hot minute. From the memes to voiceover videos to cringey challenges, it’s been giving. I know that for me, being able to turn to a source where I know I will be able to laugh and get my mind off current matters has been all it has taken to make my day better, even in the most exasperating of times.

And while some may see the generous amount of time spent scrolling through memes and videos as a waste of time, my precarious state of mind would happily say otherwise.

So, it is for this reason that I will be making it my sworn (and paid) duty throughout this year to make sure that despite the very depressing Samuel Ortiz is a sophomore Nursing major from Orlando, Florida.

Dad Joke of the Week: Why doesn’t Will Smith like quantum mechanics?

Because of quantum entanglement.

weeks and months we have ahead of us — looking at my nursing majors — there will be one more source of serotonin stimulation, where you can hopefully find at least one funny thing to (safely) laugh at. Be it through jokes, satire, quizzes or any other form of entertainment that I can think of, just know that this will be the spot for you.

Should Adventists care about the environment?

Why should Adventists care about the environment?

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ecause God loves us and His world. God’s love for humanity and nature is evident in Scripture. In Genesis, Father, Son and Holy Spirit engage in God’s “good” creation of nature, humanity and Sabbath. It is by the word of the Lord that the heavens, earth and seas were made.

This is aptly illustrated in God’s command to Israel to honor a “sabbath” for their land every seventh year.

Honoring the command at Sinai to “sabbath” the land enabled Israel to care for the nation, and strangers or resident aliens in their midst. Their rejection of God’s commandment and not giving the land a sabbath rest broke their relationship with God and resulted in Jerusalem’s judgement.

God gave the land its “sabbath” during the Babylonian captivity as an act of restoration of the environment before His people returned from Exile.

God’s love for his creation is proclaimed in the New Testament.

Christ told Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” We typically identify this passage as describing human salvation, yet the Greek translates as “the world,” not, “people.” It is not only humanity that God loves, but His entire creation that He does not desire to perish.

This is stressed further in Romans 8:19-23, where Paul portrays both creation and humanity groaning together in anticipation of Christ’s return, as nature awaits freedom from deterioration while humanity anticipates final redemption as God’s children.

Colossians makes redemption apparent as God desires to bring full restoration of humanity and this natural world to Himself through Christ, who “by Him all things were created.”

Because we love God. We are called

by Christ to bring our whole being into a love relationship with the Father.

Jesus cites Deuteronomy 6:5, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The evidence of our love toward our Maker is demonstrated by how we live our lives, and in our acts of worship.

In our worship, we are called to incorporate caring for our Creator’s world as He cares for it. Revelation 14:7 summarizes this beautifully, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!”

If we do not care for God’s creation — our environment that He spoke into existence — how can we fully honor and worship Him as Creator, proclaimed in the first angel’s message?

Because He called us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Loving our neighbor — all of humanity — is directly interrelated with caring for the environment. In Matthew 25, Christ’s judgment is portrayed in terms of feeding the hungry, providing drink and clothing, caring for strangers and for the sick. To engage in these activities calls for caring for our environment. To provide food requires crop production; to offer water requires a reliable supply; to give shelter to strangers, immigrants or refugees, requires the ability to provide housing in a sustainable environment.

The apostle John reinforces care for others as evidence of our love toward God. “But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

Benjamin Holdsworth, Religion Faculty ©Max Lassel

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The Clocktower encourages reader feedback and strives to maintain accuracy. If you have comments, please email us at cltower@gma ltower@gmaiil.com l.com.

The Clocktower, established in 1927 and sponsored by the Associated Student Body of Union College, is published semi-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, Associated Student Body, Union College, or the Seventh-day Adventist Church.