9-27-22 entire issue hi res

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Arts

Cornellians Enjoy Football and Concert for Homecoming

By NINA DAVIS Sun Contributor

During the first homecoming weekend with out any COVID-19 restrictions since 2019, the University hosted a slew of activities to go along with the highly anticipated football game and encourage school spirit.

This year, Campus Activities and the Cornell Concert Commission put on a week-long lineup of programming. Beginning on Tuesday, Ho Plaza was occupied with stands for Big Red Tie Dye, followed by free sweatshirts on Wednesday which had over an hour worth of lines.

The week continued on Friday with the Class of 2026 photo on Rawlings Green, a Cornell tradition where the first-year class creates their graduating year via a drone photo. The event also provided students who arrived before the 5 p.m. start time

with free blankets and pints of ice cream from the Cornell Dairy Bar. That night at 7:30 p.m. the Fireworks and Laser Light Show began on Schoellkopf field with a live DJ and dancing draw ing out a crowd despite the cooler temperatures.

Leading up to the Homecoming game against Yale at Schoellkopf, the Big Red Fan Festival, host ed every year by the University, offered food and free shirts to the first 3000 supporters that arrived. Both the Cornell University Cheer Team and the Cornell University Dance Team performed and rallied the crowd throughout the game. The Big Red Marching Band also helped keep spirits high, performing before the game, having single group instrument performances during the game and put ting on a great show during halftime, even featuring Olivia Rodrigo's hit song “good 4 u.”

Sports

Annual Porchfest Resumes this Year

By SOFIA RUBINSON Sun News Editor

After three years without the music festival, Porchfest returned to the Fall Creek neigh borhood Sunday, filling the streets with performances from the local community scattered across nearly 150 porches. This year marks the first Porchfest since the pandemic forced large gatherings to take a pause.

Porchfest began in 2007 when Ithaca resident Lesley Greene was playing the ukulele on her porch and fellow Ithacan Gretchen Hildreth came by to listen. They decided to create a day where everyone could come out and play music on their porches for the neighborhood. After news spread of the new event, the first Porchfest had around 20 performers. The fes tival continues to grow each year — even outside of Ithaca.

“So many people have con nections outside this town, or away from here to other plac es and they have brought the Porchfest idea with them,” said Porchfest Co-Organizer Andy Adelewitz. “There are about

“It’s so amazing to hear all the wonderful music that Ithaca has to offer. I love Ithaca music.”

Nancy Huffman

170 of them around the US and Canada, and at least one in Australia that we’ve heard about.”

Porchfest differs in nature from other festivals in that peo ple are encouraged to disperse throughout the neighborhood, with performers playing across

PORCHFEST page

By ERIN YOON Sun Contributor

With COVID-19 mandates lifted and pre-pandemic activities returning to campus, Cornellians are now enjoying their first “nor mal” semester since the beginning of the out break.

Campus is once again bustling with activity. Students gather to study or play frisbee on the lawns, sit together for

meals and — most nota bly — walk into and out of their classes maskless.

However, some stu dents, like Michael-David Nguyen ’26, feel that campus’s return to nor malcy is not yet complete.

“There are definitely COVID-19 related con cerns that still exist since people are always cough ing without masks,” Nguyen said. “It is con cerning when the person next to you in class is clearly sick.”

Nguyen said he feels that the pandemic has had a significant effect on the way in which people view their health as peo ple will now think more deeply about their health — even a light cold.

Still, Nguyen said he is generally ready to welcome post-pandem ic changes to his social and academic lives. With campus buildings once again functioning at full capacity, Nguyen

A new normal | Students reflect upon socializing, academics and campus activities this semes ter, as many previous COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted.

Game day | Current students and alumni enjoyed the big football game, as well as a series of University-run events, this Homecoming weekend.

JASON WU / SUN ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Porch performers | After a three-year hiatus, Ithaca's Porchfest returned to the Fall Creek neighborhood on Sunday.

JULIA NAGEL / SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Daybook

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

A LISTING OF FREE CAMPUS EVENTS

The Conservation and Digitization of the Yongle Dadian at the Library of Congress

Noon - 1 p.m., Kroch Library 2B48

Using Light to Engineer Beyond Equilibrium Quantum Materials with Ankit S. Disa 12:20 p.m., Clark Hall 700

Black Interdictions: Haitian Refugees and Antiblack Racism on the High Seas

2:45 p.m. - 4:00p.m., Virtual Event

2022 Zoetis Research Award Seminar with Sabine Mann

4p.m. - 5 p.m., Schurman Hall Lecture Hall 5

Entrepreneurs in Residence: Felix Litvinsky

9 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Statler Hall 189C

Public Policy to Support Landscape and Seascape Partnerships: Meeting Sustainable Development Goals through Colalborative Territorial Action

12:25 p.m. - 1:15 p.m., Virtual Event

Laboratory for Elementary-Particle Physics

Today

Behavioral Economics and Decision Research Center Workshop with David Hardisty

11:15 a.m. - 12:45 p.m., Sage Hall 106

Marie Lorenz: Travelogue 11:30 a.m., Sibley Hall, Room 157

Making Tomatoes Tastier: The Relationship Between Fruit Ripening, Nutrition and Consumer Quality

Noon - 1 p.m., Virtual Event

Sustainable Cornell Council “State of Cornell Sustainbility” Address

Noon - 1 p.m., Virtual Event

Theory Seminar: Margarita Gavrilova

2 p.m., Physical Sciences Building 401

House Dinner: Middle Eastern

6 p.m. Carl Becker House Seminar Room

Becker Cafe and Bringing Science to Becker Present: Soil Science and Curiosity

7:15 p.m., Carl Becker House Seminar Room

Independent Since 1880

SUN

Postal Information: The Cornell Daily Sun (USPS 132680 ISSN 1095-8169)

is published by the Cornell Daily Sun, a New York corporation, 139 W. State St., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850. The Sun is published Tuesday and Thursday during the academic year, and every weekday online. Three special issues — one for seniors in May, one for reunion alumni in June and one for incoming freshmen in July — make for a total of 61 issues this academic year. Subscriptions are: $60.00 for fall term, $60.00 for spring term and $120.00 for both terms if paid in advance. Standard postage paid at Ithaca, New York. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Cornell Daily Sun, 139 W. State St., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850.

COURTESY OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Conserving manuscripts | On Tuesday, Dan Paterson, senior book conservator at the Library of congress will dis cuss unique preservation challenges with the conservation treatment and digitization of 41 volumes of the Yongle Dadian. The Ming Dynasty-era encyclopedia was the largest of its kind in the world until it was surpassed by Wikipedia in 2007.

Cornellians Refect on Lessened COVID Mandates

COVID-19

from page 1

Been able to spend more time outside of his room.

“There are a lot of options around how you can spend your day,” Nguyen said. “I’m pretty much never in my dorm. I think it’s cool that you can hang out with your friends whenever, like asking if they want to go to the library or the Dairy Bar.”

Daria Badger ’26 also expressed excitement at the increase in social interactions this year.

“I love how social it is, because high school was all online for me and [I was not] able to interact with people at all and see them outside of school,” Badger said.

For Badger, learning in an in-person classroom setting has allowed her to collaborate more freely with other students for group assignments and develop meaningful relationships. Increased accessibility to resourc es around campus as well as being able to meet with professors has also contributed greatly to her academic progress, Badger said.

Students who began their first years at Cornell in the height of the pandemic are similarly thrilled to see the campus invigorated by social activities and friendly interactions.

Ryan Sheehan ’25 said that he felt early University COVID-19 guidelines, such as restrictions on the number of guests in dorm rooms, made socializing difficult.

“Even when your friends are down the hall or across the quad, you [couldn’t] really hang out with them much,” Sheehan said. “I think that was the main thing I missed. Not even a big social event, but just those little everyday things.”

Sheehan also felt that the mask mandates and numerous regulations around campus were obstacles to his first-year experience.

“Initially, it was a bit comforting to not have to put yourself out there so much,” Sheehan said. “But, I think it was most stressful to fol low the rules because everyone wanted to keep themselves safe, and got used to not leaving their room and just being in their own space a lot.”

Other students, like Mari Kramer ’23, said that improvements in their mental health as a result of experiencing a more refreshing lifestyle.

“I’ve spent more time outside after the pandemic,” said Mari Kramer ’23. “It benefits [me] in a lot of ways.”

When needing a break from studying indoors, Kramer continued, she is now free to go for a walk. Running into classmates and friends around campus and exploring Ithaca has functioned as a morale booster that helps her maintain good emotional health, according to Kramer.

As masks come off and social traditions are revived, now is an ideal time to form relationships in classes, student-led organizations and public spaces on campus such as dining halls and libraries. Following the major break in social life that the pandemic forced on students in previous semesters, Cornellians agree that they are now more eager to speak to others and seek positive relationships.

“People are willing to socialize more, now that the pandemic has ended. It’s a new experience for everyone,” Badger said.

However, although things seem to be returning to “normal”, the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. While COVID-19 cases have dropped significantly since the pandemic’s peak, there continue to be spikes globally and on campus. Just this August, there was a spike in cases on campus during the move-in period, though those numbers have dropped this month.

Additionally, for disabled individuals, and those in close contact with them, getting the virus still poses a serious health risk.

Erin Yoon can be reached at ey253@cornellsun.com.

Panelists Discuss Ukraine War

Professors and journalists analyze efects of Ukraine confict

By LUCAS SANTIAGO-KERMANI Sun Staff Writer

The College of Arts and Sciences hosted Aftershocks — an Arts Unplugged speakership event on the global effects of the Ukraine war — on Sept. 22.

The event featured Fall 2022 Zubrow Distinguished Visiting Journalist Fellow and the Wall Street Journal’s Moscow Bureau Chief Ann Simmons and New York Times’ London Bureau Chief Mark Landler to share their perspectives. The journalists spoke alongside Prof. Peter Katzenstein, government, and Prof. Jessica Chen Weiss, government. College of Arts and Sciences Dean Ray Jayawardhana moderated the panel.

Simmons opened the discussion with a summary of key facts about the war. A longtime journalist, Simmons covered Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East for more than 25 years and first began reporting Russian politics for Time Magazine in the early 1990s.

The invasion began on Feb. 25, Simmons explained, under a special military operation by the Russian Military. Russian President Vladimir Putin garnered support for the attack amongst Russian citizens by referring to it as an extermination of the Nazi gov ernment in Ukraine. Simmons said she had spoken to many Russian citizens who support the war.

In addition to the military aspect of the war, Simmons commented on its energy front, through which Russia has leveraged its power over the oil and gas market, and the misinformation front, as Russia is promoting propaganda across its media outlets.

Katzenstein agreed with Simmons’s characterization of the war and expanded on his own assessment.

“I don’t think it’s a global war,” Katzenstein said. “It’s a regional war, in Europe, with global implica tions.”

Some of those implications, Katzenstein continued, include global insecurity amidst the threat of nuclear weapons and food insecurity as the war disrupts global supply chains.

Katzenstein often used his professorial lens through out the panel. He drew historical comparisons to the Soviet Union’s invasion of its other neighbor Finland — which did not work in Russia’s favor —and the current mobilization of Finland and Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization due to Russia’s aggression.

Katzenstein also commented on the panel’s analysis of the war exclusively through a realist perspective, which stresses competition and conflict within inter national relations.

Weiss spoke about China’s complicated relationship with Russia as a strategic, below-the-radar partner ship that extends only to appease the West. He also explained how China has only provided limited mili tary assistance to Russia for fear of risking its financial stability, its international reputation and secondary sanctions by the United States and other European allies.

China has, however, publically displayed unity with Putin, including in his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

To continue reading this article, please visit cornellsun. com

Lucas Santiago-Kermani can be reached at las476@cornellsun.com.

Ithaca Locals and College Students Attend Sunday’s Porchfest

PORCHFEST

Continued from page 1

More than 20 streets over six time slots. Almost every block you go down, you get to experience something new: From musical performances of all different styles and genres, to storytelling, to dancing.

Though some might be tempted to plan out their day, Adelewitz suggested wan dering the streets and seeing what you stumble across.

“You can look at the map and schedule and try to plan what you want to see, and you probably won’t make it to half of them just because there is so much going on,” Adelewitz

said. “I have learned about a lot of great music in this town from just landing across it on Porchfest.”

Jeff Lovell, member of the band Stone’s Throw Creek, has played in every Ithaca Porchfest, filling Yales St. with bluegrass and country. His band plays together “just for fun,” with their one big performance a year falling on Porchfest.

“We just like to play, and we know the people enjoy it,” Lovell said. “We have a lot of people that keep on returning every single year to listen to us.”

The festival also has rough

ly 70 to 80 volunteers each year, with some being Cornell students volunteering through Cornell Tradition, like Skylar Webb ’26.

“I like music. I played Jazz [music] in high school,” Webb said. “I thought it would be a nice opportunity to get to know the Ithaca community a bit better by doing something I like to do: Volunteering.”

Webb and other volunteers helped navigate traffic and festival attendees, both new and old.

Even though Nancy Huffman has lived in Ithaca for 27 years, this year was her first Porchfest. Her favor

ite performances of the day included the bluegrass band Richie and Rosie and a fatherson duo playing the drums and bass.

“It’s so amazing to hear all the wonderful music that Ithaca has to offer,” Huffman said. “I love Ithaca music.”

Others, like Prof. Rod Getchell, microbiology and immunology, are Porchfest regulars. The diversity of performances keeps Getchell coming back year after year.

“I love it. It’s just such a community thing,” Getchell said. “You just don’t see com munity events like this often — this is special.”

Porchfest is also a core memory for Ithaca College student Lauren Sill. She first went to Porchfest as a fresh man in 2019 with her room mate, and the two of them returned again this year.

“It’s crazy how many people are so talented here. Everywhere you look there’s somebody that’s so good. The energy is so good,” Sill said. “Everybody just seems so con tent and happy and the time of year is perfect. Everything about it is perfect.”

Sofa Rubinson can be reached at srubinson@cornellsun.com.

Ukraine crisis | Journalists and scholars spoke about the global impacts of the Ukraine war at Aftershocks: Geopolitics since the Ukraine invasion, a speakership event organized by the College of Arts and Sciences.

JULIA NAGEL / SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Homecoming Festivities and Traditions Return

Lifted COVID-19 mandates permit gatherings

HOMECOMING

Continued from page 1

After the game at 7 p.m, the Cornell Concert Commission hosted lovelytheband, with opener Indigo De Souza at Barton Hall. Every year to close out game day, the University hosts a Homecoming Concert, this year was sure to include the tradition.

“It’s fun to have school spirit — I wish our school had more athletic spirit.”

Jillian Steinmetz ’25

Gabriella Best ’26 said that it was her first band con cert experience since before COVID-19, explaining that it felt like a normal event.

The programming allowed students to showcase their school spirit and come togeth er for the weekend, with the most emphasis on the game itself.

Some students felt ambiva lent about COVID-19 restric tions such as masking and social distancing.

“I wasn’t worried about [COVID-19], because we’re all vaccinated,” said Taylor Haines ’24. “It was a lot better than last year. I felt we were really able to celebrate as a campus more than previous years.”

The streets and campus bustled with students and alumni donning Cornell gear

and gathering in groups of families and friends.

Students were not surprised to see that Cornell lost to Yale University, but many still said that attending the game was a fun way to show their school spirit.

“Even though we lost, it can still be a fun thing to go [to],” Haines said.

Best said that she liked that she was able to enter and exit the stadium as she pleased.

“It was super fun just to be there and to be able to walk in and out so easily,” Best said.

As the year progresses, stu dents hope to keep up the school spirit, both for football

“It was a lot better than last year. I felt we were really able to celebrate as a campus more than pre vious years.”

Taylor Haines ’24

and for other sports.

“It’s fun to have school spir it, I wish our school had more athletic school spirit,” said Jillian Steinmetz ’25. “We have other really successful sports that just don’t get a lot of [rec ognition]. Men’s lacrosse last year, they were in the champi onship.”

Nina Davis can be reached at ned44@cornell.edu.

Working on Today’s Sun

Ad Layout Stella Wang ’24

Managing Desker Angela Bunay ’24

Opinion Desker Katherine Yao ’23

News Deskers Estee Yi ’24

Aimee Eicher ’24

Sports Desker Ruth Abraham ’24

Photography Desker Claire Li ’24

Production Desker Aditya Sunar ’24

Noah Cyrus Reveals ‘ T e Hardest

Part’ of Growing Up in New Album

ILI PECULLAN SUN CONTRIBUTOR

Growing up as the daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus and the sister of pop sensation Miley Cyrus, Noah Cyrus has been in the public eye all her life and undergone many trials as a result. In her first full length album, The Hardest Part, Cyrus tells the story of her struggles, which include addiction, sub stance abuse and breaking and reforming her relationships with her family and significant others. The album describes her jour ney through these challenges and marks the start of a new chapter in her life.

While the album is not Cyrus’s first work, it is unique to anything that she has done before, which is what makes it so special. Almost all of the songs on the album are deeply personal and written by Cyrus herself. It is more raw than any of her previous music, which allows her listeners to connect to her more than ever before. The Hardest Part ’s transparency makes it incredibly relatable and shows a side of Cyrus that has never been seen before.

In the album, Cyrus included a variety of songs with elements of pop, country, folk and indie music. This versatility proves that she can nail any genre. The change in style in each song throughout the album indicates the highs, lows and the in-be tweens of the last few years of Cyrus’ life.

The first track of the album, titled “Noah (Stand Still),” describes moments of pain that Cyrus has gone through and how she has needed to “stand still” in order to get through them. The song’s slow melody and low pitch indicate the dark and som ber tone of the album, giving a preview of the theme of the rest of the songs.

Cyrus supplements her slower songs with more upbeat ones in order to truly convey the expe riences that have made her the artist she is today. In the track

“I Just Want a Lover,” Cyrus’s singing feels much more upbeat and energetic. This track differs from some of the others on the album because it doesn’t describe a personal experience of Cyrus but instead expresses her dissat isfaction with the United States. The loud, fast-paced song reveals anger that Cyrus has felt over recent political issues.

While most of the album con sists of solo tracks, Cyrus also fea tures indie rock artist Benjamin Gibbard in the track “Every Beginning Ends.” Gibbard is the

lead singer and guitarist for the band Death Cab for Cutie and also a member of the band The Postal Service. This song focuses on Cyrus’ romantic life as she mourns her failed relationships over the years. The lyrics describe a slowly deteriorating relation ship as Cyrus details her experi ence of falling out of love with her significant other. She com pares the beginning of a relation ship to its end in order to convey how her feelings have changed.

The Hardest Part ends in a track titled “Loretta’s Song.” While it has a slow melody similar to the first track, this one is much more hopeful. She acknowledges that while she is still going to experience pain, she is also able to move on from it. The song is loosely based on the words of her grandmother Loretta, who passed away while Cyrus was recording the album. Although the death of her grand mother was painful, she can use everything she has learned from her to get through both it and other difficult experiences that will come her way. The track serves as a powerful ending to a raw and emotional album.

As a fan of Cyrus’ older music, I can definitely see what makes The Hardest Part so special. It is often difficult for those in the public eye to be so vulnerable, but Cyrus’ ability to do so has enhanced her music so much and shown so many others that they are not alone in their struggles. I believe this is just the beginning of many powerful projects to come.

Ili Pecullan is a freshman in the College of Human Ecology. She can be reached at igp7@cornell.edu.

Lia Sokol

My So-kolled Life

Te Leave of Faith

focused on academics, clinging to said pipeline of scholas tic certainty. Once I arrived at Cornell, I was faced with the realization that I had little sense of where my true pas sions lay. I felt like a walking stereotype: a driven student with only a vague understanding of the world beyond the stifing pressures of the academic bubble.

As I lamented not considering a gap year more serious ly, I also realized that I may beneft personally, mentally and emotionally from a leave. But, each time I considered it, I was derailed by the same questions: How would I manage on my own? Would I still have friends on campus once I returned? And most importantly, without school flling up my days, what would I actually do?

Although it felt daunting to stray of the beaten academic path, I found immense growth and value in stepping away.

Taking time of from Cornell allowed me to start defning myself as a person, not just as a student. Without the persistent pressure of exams, papers and club obliga

change of pace, I missed my friends and classes and also regretted missing out on a semester abroad.

Nevertheless, my house in Georgetown quickly became a home, and the challenges were outweighed by the perspective I gained. I returned to campus this year with a change in priorities, a renewed vigor to learn and greater clarity on what I want from college.

Even as I advocate for taking time of, I recognize the privilege in having the resources to handle the logistical, fnancial and emotional challenges that come with a leave: I had a paid internship that allowed me to fnance the semester away, as well as friends and family that sup ported my choice.

Further, while my experience on a personal leave was relatively smooth, this was in little part due to Cornell’s support. Upon returning, I am still sorting through issues like ensuring that my student loans are handled correctly after time of and the annoyance of being classifed as a junior — a joke my friends got plenty of mileage out of during pre-enrollment. Tese factors vary in signifcance but all serve as a testament to the work that Cornell still faces to make fexibility in education feasible.

Itook a leap of faith by coming to Cornell. I took another one by leaving it.

After my plans to study abroad in the spring of 2022 were curtailed by COVID, I opted for a less tradi tional study away path: taking a leave of absence to intern full-time in D.C. I made the decision with a deadline of 48 hours, and although it felt like I consulted with no fewer than 48 people during those two days, I still had little sense of what the coming semester would hold. It ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made at Cornell.

In some ways, my choice to take a semester of was unsurprising: I had toyed with the idea of a leave of absence several times. During a recent procrastination scroll through the depths of my inbox, I found an email I’d sent inquiring about taking time away after my frst semester in college. When some of my friends stayed at home rather than returning to campus during COVID, I once again explored that option, only to ultimately decide against it: the pipeline of school provided a sense of certainty I couldn’t reject.

It may come as no surprise that I spent high school

tions, I discovered the space to question who I am when classes end and life begins.

At risk of glamorizing the nine-to-fve, the structure of an internship gave me valuable time at the end of each day and on weekends to read, write, cook (Trader Joe’s frozen meals), fnd hobbies, meet people and explore a new city. Moreover, as a government major, my time in D.C. reafrmed my interest in working in international afairs and gave me a more thorough perspective on my potential futures than I had before.

It was, of course, not a perfect fve months: my initial sublet fell through, adjusting to work was challenging and it took time for me to make friends and fnd my footing on my own. AltTough I appreciated the much-needed

I have more than a column’s worth of thoughts about the all-consuming nature of academics at Cornell, but I’ve come to accept it as a likely reality of the university we attend. Tus, if faced with the need and the means to do so, I would encourage any student to seriously consid er the option of time of

Leaves of absence are also more common than you might think. Once I started talking about my own, I found that many of my classmates had taken semesters to work or travel, for medical issues, for family reasons, or for personal ones.

Indeed, some obstacles can leave students with no choice but to take time of; yet, I think it is also import ant to acknowledge that needing a break from school is a valid enough reason to allow yourself to take one.

More broadly, it is important to continue normalizing pathways other than the traditional four-year degree. Whether by want or by necessity, it’s okay to step of the yellow brick road of academics which many of us have followed for most of our lives.

Tere is no one right way to experience college. So, don’t be afraid to take the path less traveled if it’s calling your name.

Here for a Good Time

as Andy Bernard would have us believe.

Noah Do Noah’s Arc

Noah Do is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at ndo@cornellsun. com. Noah’s Arc runs every other Sunday this semester.

Homecoming just wrapped up, leav ing carelessly littered streets and hungover Cornellians in its wake. Between the random, drunken screaming on West Campus, the swarm of students hungry for free merch, and the nail-biting thriller between two titans of college sport, there are few times I’ve felt prouder to attend the highest ranked school in New York state.

I found myself enjoying the weekend’s theatrics all from the comfort of the Olin basement, where I sat struggling to write this column and trying to remember which amino acids have ionizable side chains. I stayed tuned into the action via my Instagram feed and observed as groups of red-clad students traversed from block party to block party, pretending for just a few days that being a Cornellian is as great

Tose who know me or my column can probably guess that I’m not a party-goer. It would be disingenuous for me to say that I don’t see the appeal of parties, because I certainly understand the value of letting go and living spontaneously from time to time. Parties are common targets for mildly pretentious introverts like myself to rag on, as if we’ve achieved a higher level of sociological enlightenment by disliking loud music and big crowds. Claiming that I couldn’t possibly fathom why anyone likes to party is just too easy of a take for a column as renowned as “Noah’s Arc.”

My frst experience with parties at Cornell was during my freshman year, back when social stigma against parties was at an all-time high for obvious reasons (COVID). A friend of mine had invited me to a meeting for an Asian-American student club, and I hesitantly obliged. I suppose years of church youth group and high school clubs clouded my judgment, because I assumed the meeting would be a time of discussion about Asian-American culture and diaspora, exploring what it means to be Asian-American at Cornell and unpacking generations of history and adversity to discover what our heritages can say about our identities. Once we started approaching the host’s apartment and I saw that the windows were lined with booze, I fgured that my assump tion was at least slightly of-base.

I look back on that story and laugh, mostly because of how much my outlook has since changed to match the reality of college life (I now assume that basically all Asian-American clubs are formed as excuses to drink soju and make dumplings every now and then). As soon as I realized the situation I was in, I more or less ran for my jacket and out the door back to North

Campus, not because I felt too cool to be there, but because I didn’t know how to have fun in that kind of environment.

Parties have always held a kind of cynicism in my mind. It never feels like you have people looking after you for rea sons that aren’t self-serving. We’re already fooded with so many responsibilities to other people in our academic lives that parties are the time for indulgence and selfshness to run wild. Other people are just instruments meant to give you the best night possible. We’re assigned value in the group by how fun of a drunk we are.

A great example of this is Greek Life. Now, I won’t reiterate the many horror stories and statistics that are often used to bring light to the worst parts of Greek Life. As the small cluster of “these hands don’t haze” picket signs on the Arts Quad so powerfully (read: not very powerfully) reminded us last week, hazing is an evil practice that is about as cynical as they come. And fraternities aren’t the only groups guilty; in the 2019 fall semester, the Cornell Mock Trial team was sus pended for hazing rituals that involved pizza-eating, beer-drinking and LSAT question-answering contests — a little too much mock, not enough trial.

What stands out to me most about Greek Life is its exclusivity. Fraternities and sororities have historically been known for their prestige, but that label doesn’t mean much when you consider the standards being used to achieve these levels of competition. Te idea of interviewing for a fraternity or sorority strikes me as a particularly self-infated practice, as you’re basically interviewing to become part of someone’s friend group.

It’s one thing to be accepted to a uni versity or a project team, as those admis sions processes involve at least some form

of verifable expertise. But with the party scene and Greek Life, you’re basically touting the fact that a few random upper classmen think you’re someone deserving of their strongly-rooted brotherhood. If you couldn’t already tell, this week I’m really trying to channel the positive mind set I endorsed in my previous column.

What all these parties and Greek Life organizations are ultimately trying to achieve is community. Humans are social creatures and college students have very little time to spare, so parties have to pro vide a very fun-concentrated experience. Fraternities and sororities take it to the next level by fltering the kinds of people who get to have fun with them, ensuring that the rest of the group can have the best time possible.

Tis approach to creating fun is too commodifed for my taste. People throw parties to have fun, but they require a detachment from each of our personal identities that makes the whole afair seem impersonal. Out on the dance foor and in the fraternity and sorority houses, everyone is looking out for themselves, only interested in making their night as memorable as possible. At a school as competitive as Cornell, I spend too much of my time battling the curve to have to fend for myself at a party full of strangers.

Community shouldn’t require exclu sivity, and having fun doesn’t have to be something you’d rather your parents not see. We should strive to create groups that have fun while also uplifting one another in an inclusive and self-sacrifcial way. I’ve been lucky enough to fnd a community that provides that, no liquor chugging required. If you look hard enough and with the right mindset, having a social life doesn’t have to mean parties and red Solo cups.

Lia Sokol (she/her) is a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences. She can be reached at lbs222@cornell.edu. My So-kolled Life runs every other Sunday this semester.

More broadly, it is important to continue normalizing pathways other than the traditional four-year degree.

Fill in the empty cells, one number in each, so that each column, row, and region contains the num bers 1-9 exactly once. Each number in the solution therefore occurs only once in each of the three “directions,” hence the “single numbers” implied by the puzzle’s name. (Rules from wiki pedia.org/wiki/ Sudoku)

I Am Going to Be Small

26 A PA R TMENT FOR R ENT

We have availability for the 2023-2024 school year beginning June 1st at Hudson Heights apartments. These studios include electric, heat, water, garbage and parking.

Coin-operated laundry facilities available on site. Prices start at $850/month for a 12 month lease, with options for 10 month and semester leases with different rates.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a tour contact us by email: renting@ithacaLS.com.

Please visit our website www.ithacalivingsolutions.com for photos and more information.

Mr. Gnu by Travis Dandro

Mr. Gnu by Travis Dandro

Strings

by Ali Solomon ’01

Football Dismantled by Yale

Cornell loses 38-14 on Homecoming

By GRAYSON RUHL, AARON SNYDER and MITCH HOY Sun Assistant Sports Editor, Sun Sports Editor and Sun Staff Writer

Cornell was blown out, 38-14, in its Ivy opener against Yale on Saturday.

The Red (1-1, 0-1 Ivy) could not keep up with the Bulldogs (1-1, 1-0 Ivy) on either side of the ball. Cornell struggled to move the chains on offense and had no answers to Yale on defense.

The huge loss was a stark contrast to last week’s impressive win over VMI, when Cornell scored four touchdowns and was dominant on defense.

“It’s a disappointing result, and certainly a surpris ing one to me given what I saw from our team the first week,” said head coach David Archer ’05. “I didn’t think we were going to be pushed around.”

“I think we should start with the short game a little more,” Laboy said. “We’ve gotta get the passing game going a bit more.”

The long drive evened the score at 7-7 after Yale had marched down the field and scored easily on its first pos session. It was the closest Cornell came to competing with the Bulldogs all afternoon.

On the other side of the ball, the Red’s defense regressed after a dominant showing last week against VMI. Bulldogs quarterback Nolan Grooms carved up Cornell’s defense with his legs and passed for 180 yards in the first half.

“I think that’s the worst game you’re going to see us play all season,” said senior defensive lineman Max Lundeen. “It’s the worst game I’ve played in college. We can only go up from here.”

rushing touchdown on its second.

The stalled Cornell offense was forced to rely heavily on the run game, unable to manage another touchdown until Wang found sophomore running back Eddy Tillman for a six-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth to cut Yale’s lead to 38-14.

Despite facing a 24-point deficit with just under 13 minutes to play, Cornell did not attempt an onside kick and Yale bled the clock as it ran the ball down the field. The Bulldogs eventually gave the ball back to the Red, but junior quarterback Luke Duby could not cut into the deficit.

By the time the final whistle sounded, Cornell suffered an embarrassing defeat in front of a homecoming crowd. 14,821 fans were in attendance on Saturday.

“Great crowd, great energy, great Hall of Fame class,” Archer said. “Just disappointed by the result.”

“It’s a disappointing result, and certainly a surprising one to me given what I saw from our team the first week...I didn’t think we were going to be pushed around.”

The bright spot of the day on offense was a 99-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter. Backed up on his own goal line, sophomore quarterback Jameson Wang scrambled for a 43-yard gain on third down before finding junior receiver Nicholas Laboy for a touchdown pass a few plays later.

Aside from the 36-yard touchdown pass to Laboy, Wang never really got going in the passing game, fin ishing 9-14 for 68 yards.

“I like that he didn’t force the ball,” Archer said. “But we have to keep creating opportunities where he can get the ball down field.

The touchdown was the first of Laboy’s career.

“There’s nothing better than that. It’s always good to put points on the board for the team,” Laboy said.

It was Laboy’s only catch of the day, but he finished as the team’s leading receiver.

Yale scored again on its second drive, converting on fourth and one at midfield and slamming it in a few plays after a 29-yard completion.

The teams exchanged punts before Yale added to its lead with an 83-yard touchdown drive to take a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Cornell continued to struggle on offense, as its receivers were unable to find separation. After punting back to the Bulldogs, Yale found the end zone once again with less than a minute left in the half. The Red headed to the locker room trailing 28-7.

Cornell converted just four first downs in the first half, going two of seven on third down. The Red generated 112 yards of offense to Yale’s 288.

In the second half, Yale continued to extend its lead, kicking a field goal on its first drive and scoring a one-yard

David Archer ’05

After Cornell’s convincing win over VMI, the loss raises questions about how Cornell will fare against Ivy League opponents this season.

“They’re a heck of a measuring stick,” Archer said. “But it wouldn’t have mattered if it was a good opponent or a bad opponent, we didn’t [make the right plays.]”

Cornell will have an opportunity to make adjustments against an out-of-conference opponent next week when it faces Colgate.

Grayson Ruhl can be reached at gruhl@cornellsun.com, Aaron Snyder can be reached at asnyder@cornellsun.com and Mitch Hoy can be reached at mhoy@cornellsun.com.

JULIA NAGEL / SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Bulldogs beat bears | The Red, unable to hold up against Yale’s offense, lost 38-14 on Sept. 24 at Schoellkopf Field.