The Observer, Volume LIV, Issue 17, 2/3/23

Men’s basketball sweep Brandeis, NYU on the road

The Case Western Reserve University men’s basketball team faced Brandeis University on Jan. 27 and New York University on Jan. 29 for their sixth and seventh games in UAA conference play. After a hard loss against the University of Chicago last week, the Spartans bounced back with a dominant 91-71 win against Brandeis and a 88-82 thriller victory over NYU.

Against Brandeis, the Spartans had great ball movement and incredible shooting accuracy, leaving the Judges struggling to catch up. During the first half, the team scored 27 points from 3-pointers alone. The ball just kept going in, with CWRU shooting 64.5% from the field and 75% from the 3-point line. During the first 10 minutes, it seemed like the game might be a close one, with the Spartans leading by two with 9:50 remaining in the first half. However, after second-year forward Umar Rashid made a 3-pointer, the Spartans went on a 13-2 run to go up 38-25 with 6:32 left to go. After two minutes, three more successful shots, one by Rashid and two by third-year forward Daniel Florey, ballooned the lead to 46-27. By the end of the first half, the Spartans were up 14 points and leading the game with 16 rebounds and 10 defensive rebounds, compared to 8 rebounds and 5 defensive rebounds from the Judges.

The second half was not much better for Judges. Although they managed to cut the deficit to 10 points with 16:54 remaining, the Spartans quickly responded after a timeout called by head coach Todd McGuinness. Florey made a layup with 7:16 remaining, putting CWRU up 24 points at 81-57, the highest lead of this game. The night ended with firstyear guard Anand Dharmarajan making a jump shot for a 91-71 win for

The man in the radio booth

Shreyas Banerjee Executive Editor

“Tune in to WRUW for an absurdly eclectic mix of music. From roots music to metal. From polka to neo-classical onwards. From jazz to indie and alternative rock, and other sounds I still can’t quite identify. WRUW FM 91.1 Cleveland. More music, fewer hits.”

With this on-air promo, WRUW introduces itself not just as the college radio station of Case Western Reserve University, but as a gateway to worlds of music that you might not even realize exist. With shows that feature music ranging from vapor wave to folk, you are guaranteed to find a song playing on WRUW that you wouldn’t on any other station on your radio dial. Though radio is no longer the preferred medium of music listening for those currently attending CWRU, our

university still has a vibrant radio scene, with students managing the operations of WRUW and many of the shows featured within.

To broadcast such an array of “eclectic” music requires a mix of eclectic students. It requires students who are, first, willing to have their own radio show, but also willing to show off their own sufficiently diverse taste in music. So what kind of CWRU student would host their own WRUW show and share their music with the world?

Fortunately for me, I know just the sort of person. DavidPatrick Ryan is a fourth-year art history and history double major at CWRU and currently hosts the show “Jazz Night in Cleveland” on Tuesday

nights from 8-9 p.m. I first met DavidPatrick in fall 2019, during what was both of our first semesters at CWRU. I distinctly remember seeing him walking on Mather Quad, wearing a fedora, a long overcoat and a messenger bag. With his unique apparel, cleanly shaped beard and roundrimmed glasses, I thought he was a professor. It wasn’t until he sat down in one of my classes that I realized that he was a student. This is a fairly common occurrence around CWRU campus, with “DPR sightings,” as they are known, driving conversations at times. Sitting down with him, I was very curious to see how he felt about his own notoriety.

“I don’t think I resent it. I think I enjoy it, and I find it a little weird at the same time,” Ryan responded. “It’s amusing when everyone knows who you are,

the Spartans.

CWRU led every major statistic, collecting 33 total rebounds compared to Brandeis’ 18, 20 assists to 10 and shooting an overall 68.2% on 3-pointers and 61% from the field goal range. This team always wows the audience with their offense and this game was no different. Their 3-point accuracy was the second highest in program history where the team attempted at least 10 shots. Their field goal percentage was also a season-high for the Spartans.

After a successful game in Boston, the Spartans traveled to New York City to face the NYU Violets. CWRU had a rough start, with the Violets going on a 9-0 run within the first five minutes of the game. Rashid managed to put the Spartans on the board with a layup, but they still struggled to keep up with NYU.

With 12:07 left on the clock for the first half, the Spartans were down by 10 and the odds looked pretty grim. They proceeded to go on a 8-0 run, 2 points away from tying the game but the Violets were relentless. With 7:06 minutes left in the first half, the Violets re-established their dominant lead to 27-15. It was only after Florey made a 3-point jump shot off an assist by third-year forward Ian Elam that the Spartans started getting their momentum back. With Rashid’s defensive rebound and fourth-year forward Cole Frilling’s conversion of 2 points through a layup, the Spartans tied the game 29-29 with 1:36 left to go. It seemed like the Violets were going to finish the first half up a point when, with three seconds left on the clock, Frilling got an offensive rebound off of a missed 3-pointer and made a jumper to put the Spartans ahead 3332 at the halftime buzzer.

Continued on pg. 11

but you’ve never met before. It’s also really friggin’ weird, because you’re worried like, ‘Are people talking bad? Do people find this like obnoxious or pretentious?’ At the same time, I think I’m just also very dedicated to doing things … the way that I see fit to myself.”

As he was sitting in front of me, he was wearing a white button-down shirt with the top two buttons undone, black skinny jeans, black monk strap dress shoes and a black woolen trench coat—which is on the lighter end of DPR outfits. Describing his outfits as being akin to “an art project,” he also noted that some aspects of his wardrobe had symbolic value to himself.

Continued on pg. 3

The Student Newspaper of Case Western Reserve University

Paola Van der Linden Costello Staff Writer

Third-year guard Luke Thorburn helped bring the Spartans to victory in a close game against NYU. Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

Insight into the Office for Post-Graduate Planning and Experiential Education

Zachary Treseler Staff Writer

The start of the spring semester not only presents new classes and clubs to join, but also internships to stress about. Thankfully for Case Western Reserve University students, nestled on the second floor of Sears Library is a place to help students along with this process: CWRU’s career center, the office of Post-Graduate Planning and Experiential Education (PGPEE). Formed in 2018, the office offers many resources. One of the least intensive services is known as Career Lab, where students can meet with staff for answers to any questions or help with any issues. These services range from reviewing cover letters and CVs, to helping with answering questions on an internship application.

For students looking for a more one on one experience, the office of PGPEE allows students to schedule appointments with a member of its professional staff to explore different career tracks, develop a personal internship or job search strategies or schedule a mock interview. For interview preparation, students will come into the office with a description of the job they are applying for, their resume and cover letter, and a professional career consultant will interview them, as if it were a real interview.

As Drew Poppleton, the director of this office, notes, one can meet “in person or virtually, one-on-one or as part of a group, early in the morning or later at night; you can drop in tomorrow or schedule an appointment for next month—it’s totally up to you and we’re excited to meet you either way.”

In order to help students find their next opportunity, Post-Graduate planning hosts both large career fairs, but also smaller weekly newsletters. Poppleton calls these “career interest areas,” where students “will receive relevant communications from us featuring events, industry trends, employment opportunities and more. It’s easy to do and it helps us serve you better.” Students can sign up for this via Handshake.

Regarding college fairs, Poppleton explains, “the first fair is our 2023 Spring Virtual Career Fair on 2/17 from noon to 4:00 p.m. on the Handshake platform.” This one is unique as “you can sign up for 10 minute oneon-one conversations with employer representatives or for 30 minute group sessions.” There is a second, in-person career fair slated to take place on March 3 in Veale Fieldhouse, in which employers and representatives

from graduate school programs will be present. “Both fairs offer fantastic opportunities to network, explore and learn more about experiential and post-graduate opportunities,” Poppleton highlights, further mentioning that students can register for both of these events through Handshake.

Many of these same resources, including help looking at writing samples and mock interviews, are available to students looking at applying for graduate level programs. In addition, PGPEE offers a composite let-

ter packet, where students applying to professional health science schools can request recommendation letters from their professors.

In encouraging students to visit his office more, Poppleton emphasizes that no matter where someone is in the career processes, even if they don’t know what their plans are, postgraduate planning is “here to partner with you on that journey and guide you through that decision-making process.”

The Career Fairs held by the office of Post-Graduate Planning and Experiential Education are an opportunity for students to connect with employers and graduate school representatives. Courtesy of CWRU

life

Talking art, jazz and fashion with a WRUW host

RADIO BOOTH continued from pg. 1

result of having an older car that did not have a Bluetooth or AUX option, Ryan found value in it despite admitting that “commercial radio is terrible at this point.” In a time where we have unlimited access to music choices, that choice can be overwhelming. In Ryan’s view, radio can be an avenue to more focused listening, where hosts can curate music and allow people to explore new songs that they didn’t even know were out there, rather than listening to the same playlists over and over as we do on streaming services.

“I just kind of try to play a wide variety of jazz from everything that is very traditional, very well known, to something that’s very uncomfortable and dissonant because all of it should have some airtime. And I think eventually it would be great to get to a point where I could dedicate a whole program to one style or another. But for now, what I do is try to present a wide variety of interests within jazz.”

In the WRUW studio, which is plastered with all sorts of retro stickers and filled to the brim with new and old CDs and vinyls, Ryan beams with excitement as he shows me all the different aspects of his setup.

“I especially love bringing people down [to the studio] actually, because everyone’s amazed for the first 15 minutes. Then after that, they’re like, ‘Oh, wait, there’s nothing I can do or touch. This is kind of boring.’ But I like bringing people down.”

As he prepares for the night’s set, he pulls up all the requisite advertisements and promos that’ll go before he starts, along with the actual songs for the program. Starting with John Coltrane’s “Blue Train,” continuing with newer jazz such as Snarky Puppy’s “Portal,” returning to standards by Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett and finally concluding with a series of Doris Long songs, Ryan is able to put together a diverse one-hour program. While most of his listeners, he admits, are not from CWRU but are primarily older Clevelanders, he doesn’t mind.

“A lot of jazz musicians have worn fedoras. I used to watch a lot of old cinema in high school; they’re always wearing fedoras. So just these things that kind of got built into my personality, because … that old cinema culture, and the jazz culture, are associated with nice hats. And that’s kind of a thing that I kind of carry on.”

The fedora omnipresent on his head was the namesake for one of his previous WRUW shows, “The Felt Fedora,” which he ran in fall 2021 to showcase mellow songs from the Great American Songbook of 20th century jazz standards. All of his shows, which he has consistently run since fall 2020, have had some connection to jazz, owing to his deep connection with the musical genre.

Though he is an art history and history double major, his academic interests are rooted in jazz, especially the communities of African American musicians who moved abroad through the 1920s and 1960s and spread jazz throughout the globe.

“For art history, I’m looking at the way race plays in depictions of mod-

ern art images of jazz. So yeah, it seeps into everything. Nothing is safe from the jazz bug.”

He started by listening to the famous crooner Tony Bennett through his duet albums with Lady Gaga, which then spurred Ryan to see Bennett live in Cleveland around his 14th birthday. Afterwards, he was hooked and started going to jazz shows around the Cleveland area with his high school classmates, including at venues such as the now-closed Waterbury Coach House, the under-renovation Nighttown and the Bop Stop, which is still open.

“There’s nothing more entertaining than live music,” Ryan remarked.

“But people don’t realize that they listen to recorded music, go to parties with recorded music and don’t have as many interactions with live music anymore, which I find to be the most entertaining, social thing you can do.”

By going to live shows in Cleveland, Ryan was able to develop relationships with various jazz artists from the Cleveland area, including vocalist Doris Long, whom he in-

terviewed and later conversed with. Long recently passed away at the age of 94 and, in tribute to her, Ryan dedicated the last 15 minutes of his program on Jan. 24 to her renditions of jazz standards. Since the pandemic, several jazz venues in Cleveland and Akron have shut down, making going to live performances tougher for new and old jazz listeners alike.

“[Jazz in Cleveland] is at best in a transition period,” Ryan said. “It’s very hard to sustain an entire Cleveland [jazz] scene around the Bop Stop … Now what you’re seeing is a lot of places like … bars, restaurants, whatever, having a one night a week jazz program. And that’s how musicians are probably sustaining themselves… Jazz is hard, because it’s becoming something where it’s not really like a young man’s game or young woman’s game…You really have to be into the music now.”

While Ryan’s dream is to one day open a jazz club of his own, for now he is content with his radio show as a means to spread awareness of jazz.

Having listened to the radio as a

“We do a service for Cleveland that is constant, as in 24/7, 365, and really impacts a very large, broad range of the Cleveland population,” Ryan says. “[WRUW is] an institution that is not seeking money from the radio station. And it gives space for there to be experimental music, for music that is no longer played or is not yet played.

“As much as I’d like to do something noble, keeping something that’s very beautiful alive in some very small way, I don’t know how necessary that is. Because jazz has become a musician’s game; musicians love jazz, and they have maintained a community. It’ll probably always exist, the way that there will always be a classical music community. It just might seem declined, because it’s not as popular as it was in the ‘60s or earlier … It’ll probably always survive.”

As the promos begin to end and the time to start the set approaches, Ryan stands up from his chair, puts on his headphones, leans into the microphone and says, “Hello, and welcome back to Jazz Night on WRUW FM 91.1 Cleveland.” And just like that, the show begins.

Have you seen this man on campus? He’s DavidPatrick Ryan, host of the WRUW show “Jazz Night in Cleveland,” reclining in his studio where he introduces famous and unknown jazz artists alike. Shreyas Banerjee/The Observer

New season of a teen drama to watch: “Ginny and Georgia”

Alivia Cook Contributing Writer

In just five weeks, this year has been full of new releases and seasons already. Netflix has been under fire lately for the removal of several classic shows previously in their library, amongst many other streaming services. However, the service has simultaneously been producing new seasons of fan favorite shows—one of which is “Ginny and Georgia,” a hit teen drama about a family with dark secrets living in a new small town.

Georgia Miller (Brianne Howey) has two children, Ginny (Antonia Gentry) and Austen (Diesel La Torraca). Georgia comes from a troubled childhood, being faced with drugs, alcohol and gangs. Season one starts with the death of her husband, Kenny. She takes the money left to her in

Kenny’s will and leaves town, trying to get away from her old life. Kenny has an overbearing ex-wife who hates Georgia and hires a private investigator to uncover anything bad about her to get the money back. Georgia brings her family up the East Coast to Wellsbury, Massachusetts, a town she had always dreamed of living in since she was younger.

Wellsbury is a very traditional town with a small and close-knit community. When Georgia arrives, she shakes things up. As the mother of two kids with different fathers, the people of the town have a few things to comment about. Across the street, there is a family with twins the same age as Ginny, and Georgia develops a friendship with their mom. Season one ends with a lot of questions un-

answered: Why did Ginny run away? Where is she going? And what happened to her life back home?

Season two was released on Jan. 5 and consists of 10 episodes, each about an hour long. Many were anticipating its release for over two years, but no one expected such a wild ride, complete with Georgia’s secrets eventually catching up to her and Ginny beginning to be affected by them, leading to conflicts within the characters’ already complex relationships.

The show has a largely unknown cast. This is Antonia Gentry’s first major role, however, Brianne Howey is no stranger to big roles, having already appeared in “The Pursuit of Happiness” and “The Exorcist.” The show also features Felix Mallard as

Marcus, Sara Waisglass as Marcus’ twin, Maxine, and Scott Porter as Paul, Georgia’s fiance. The way the cast interacts with one other adds an extra element to the show, as they very convincingly play characters who are genuinely close to one another.

The show is similar to other teen dramas like “Degrassi,” “Secret Life of an American Teenager” and “Riverdale.” It highlights and addresses important teen issues, including alcohol abuse, self-harm, divorce, race and religion, and seems to be cementing itself as a classic teen drama. There are some unrealistic moments that definitely do not portray the highschool experience totally correctly, but the drama and tension in the show will draw you in and make it worth the watch.

An album with range and raw emotion: “Waiting to Spill”

Alivia Cook Contributing Writer

Alternative and indie genres have become increasingly popular within the last five years or so, with artists getting significantly more air time on the radio and securing spots on several top hits playlists across music streaming platforms. The Backseat Lovers are one such artist, whose 2019 hit song “Kilby Girl,” gained 200 million streams on Spotify and soared to the 39th spot on the Billboard Rock & Alternative Airplay chart.

The band was formed in 2018 in Provo, Utah. Joshua Harom, the band’s lead singer, was in line at an open mic when he met the band’s guitarist, Jonas Swanson. The two then stumbled across drummer Juice Welch and current bassist KJ Ward, eventually finally forming The Backseat Lovers. In 2018, the band completed in and won a battle of the bands competition in Provo, a month before their self-released first EP, “Elevator

Days.” In 2019, they released their first album “When We Were Friends” consisting of nine songs, including hits like “Pool House,” “Kilby Girl” and “Maple Syrup.”

COVID-19 put a small dent in the band’s growth, but they were able to quickly bounce back in 2021. In July, the band attended and performed at Lollapalooza before embarking on their North American tour throughout 2022. Currently, the band is preparing for their 2023 tour across the United States, with performances in Seattle, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and more. Despite the pandemic, The Backseat Lovers continually gain new fans everyday, including their ever-growing 4.3 million monthly Spotify listeners.

In October 2022, they released their sophomore album “Waiting to Spill,” featuring 10 new tracks.

“Close your eyes,” “Growing/Dying” and “Snowbank Blues” have all been

top streamed songs on Apple Music. Their songs are raw, brutal, honest and full of emotion. Josh Harmon uses the album to express his pain over growing older, who he will be when he grows up, what he will accomplish, moving on and coping with leaving things in the past. And these messages are underscored by the album’s incredible acoustics, which eb and flow with each lyric.

“Waiting to Spill” is a must-stream album for 2023. This year is going to be full of change and will no doubt be rough. Harmon’s lyrics are especially relatable to college students, as we struggle with getting older, on the precipice of leaving our youth behind. The world is a scary place, but Harmon reflects that things will be okay, even if they don’t stay the same. If you’re looking for an album that perfectly encapsulates youthful nostalgia, this is definitely the one for you.

The strength of titular characters’ relationship is tested as secrets unfold in season two of “Ginny and Georgia.” Courtesy of Netflix

Indie/alternative band The Backseat Lovers focus on feelings of growing up and moving on in their October album “Waiting to Spill.” Courtesy of The Backseat Lovers

fun

Tarun’s LOLs

Horoscope

The signs as types of drinks offered at CWRU

Root beer

Weekly Tarot

Read by Mulan Ma

The Chariot (Reversed)

Your aggression and lack of will to change will undo all the work you’ve put so much energy into.

Gatorade

Sudoku

Medium

Mountain Dew

Pepsi

Pink Lemonade

Diet Pepsi

Page of Wands (Reversed)

There are feelings of wanting to change or start something new but there is something stopping you. Don’t let it keep stalling you from making a great decision.

Two of Cups (Upright)

There is an opportunity to connect with an old friend from a long time ago. You haven’t drifted as far apart as you thought.

Judgment (Upright)

A situation that has been causing you grief will have a fair trial and ending and you shall receive what you rightfully deserve.

Eight of Swords (Upright)

Quell your inner hater, they want nothing good for you in the future

Six of Cups (Reversed)

Life has become boring because your inner child has nothing else to do but remain dormant. Do something fun this week.

The Tower (Upright)

Dr. Pepper

Sierra Mist

Very Hard

Fanta

Lemonade Milk

A sudden change will destroy an old cycle you didn’t know you were repeating. Good things can happen in devastation.

The Fool (Upright)

Now is the time to meander yourself into a new chance and occasion to try something new.

Two of Coins (Upright) Saving up money can change your life this week and in future time.

King of Wands (Reversed)

It is best not to bite off more than you can chew right now.

The High Priestess (Reversed)

Other people’s actions should not affect your own self-image.

Lime water

Eight of Pentacles (Reversed)

Give yourself some relief over a failed plan or accomplishment, it was not meant to be nor should it affect you so much.

Word Search: African Americans with Cleveland ties

CARL STOKES

HALLE BERRY

JESSE OWENS

KID CUDI

LANGSTON HUGHES

LEBRON JAMES

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

SATCHEL PAIGE

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

TONI MORRISON

What we’ve been listening to Boléro

Maurice Ravel

Shreyas Banerjee

Fuck Tha World

Dreamer Isioma

Sara Khorshidi

Took Her To The O

Crossword

57 Pre-cable TV appurtenance

60 Establishment that serves “purr”-over coffee?

61 “Living Single” creator ___ Lee Bowser

62 Not being manually operated

63 Agree to something DOWN

1 Winter clock setting in Calif.

2 Addis Ababa’s land

4 Not too long from

5 Campus setting in the story collection “My Monticello,” in brief

6 Nuisance

7 Up to, informally

8 Spanish for “gold”

9 ___ Wednesday

10 Cause of some cling

11 New Orleans university

12 Cricket and squash, for two

14 Giant narrative that may be about giants (and elves as well)

16 Tree whose pods contain a sweet-tasting pulp

19 Luke Cage’s title in his first comics appearance

21 Turnpike payment

23 Choose

24 Chanteuse with chart-topping hits found at the tops of 4-, 14-, 16and 19-Down

26 Eyebrows and beards

31 Stately trees

35 Delta Sigma

ACROSS

1 Enlivens

7 Salutes with flutes?

13 Tried really hard

14 “Leading us off ...”

15 W.N.B.A. All-Star Alyssa

16 Crushed-ice dessert with a reduplicative name

17 “___ been wondering ...”

18 Suffix for a long fund-raiser

20 La Brea substance

21 Three-___ sloth

King Von

Shifra Narasimhan

Enjoy The Silence

Depeche Mode

Sophia Popkin

Take Me Home, Country Roads

John Denver

Karuna Lakhiani

All My Friends

LCD Soundsystem

Beau Bilinovich

27 Counterpart of

Theta, for one

36 Shorten

37 Exit or Yield

39 Dawn goddess

41 Rival of Sam’s Club

42 Resident of Nebraska’s largest city

43 Hakuna ___ (Swahili phrase meaning “no problems”)

51 Methods

54 Fort Worth sch. whose mascot is SuperFrog

55 All ___ and no cattle

56 Mysterious sky sighting

58 “Deliver Us From ___” (2003 rom-com)

59 Plural article in French

Walkin

Denzel Curry

Clay Preusch

Weightless

Arlo Parks

Kate Gordon

Disarm

The Smashing Pumpkins

Tarun Sepuri

Editorial: How to survive the Cleveland cold as a college student

Editorial Board

This week’s weather has been hellish. It’s bitterly cold, to the point where you can see a cloud of your breath way too clearly. As we go through the waves of cold in Cleveland until the end of March (hopefully at the latest), here are a few things we can do to make this weather more bearable.

Layer up

A parent has probably nagged you before about dressing warmly with layers over the years. Even though dressing in layers can be a pain, it will make walking against the bitter wind much easier. While many people already do wear an extra shirt on top, adding a pair of leggings or sweatpants under your pants is a game changer. Furthermore, scarves and hats can lessen the sting of the wind. Our parents may have had a point about layers all these years.

Drink a cup of a warm beverage

Make yourself a little treat when doing homework or when you wake up. Even though a hot drink doesn’t have a significant effect in increasing your body temperature, feeling the warmth of the cup in your fingers or savoring that first way-too-hot sip is satisfying. A warm beverage can even have a psychological effect, creating emotional warmth or even feelings of happiness.

Have a music or podcast distraction

This is something that many people already do, but putting in headphones on your walk to class can aid in distracting yourself from the cold. If music isn’t your thing, listening to a podcast or audiobook or even calling someone can divert your attention.

Cocoon yourself in blankets

When you get home from class, all

you want to do is get warm. So, burrow yourself under a pile of blankets and just hibernate until you warm back up. This is very self-explanatory advice, but we felt that it was essential to include.

Add ambient lighting to your space

Let’s be honest—harsh overhead lighting can be depressing, especially in the darkness of winter. So, hang up some string lights or get yourself a lamp to be your source of light on cloudy days and cold nights. Ambient lighting can make your room feel cozier, making cabin fever more manageable.

Play a comfort movie or TV show

Again, when the weather is too gray and windy to bear, making your environment enjoyable might make your room feel less bleak. Reverting back to your favorite TV show or rewatching your favorite movie might brighten up your room and be the glimpse of happiness you need.

Hang out with friends

Seasonal depression hits hard during the winter time, especially when it’s numbingly cold. And while doing some self-care or drinking hot chocolate can provide moments of relief, it can be isolating sitting in your room all alone. However, while it is understandable to not want to go out in the winter freezes, once you push yourself to dress warmly and meet your friends for dinner, it will be worth it to experience some emotional warmth.

So, burrow yourself under a pile of blankets, make some tea with your friends and put on “Groundhog Day” or do whatever else to give yourself a reprieve from the six degree windchill. And hopefully, we can make the Cleveland winter a little less miserable.

“TikTok Made Me Buy It!” and why it’s also making you overconsume

Latavya Chintada Staff Writer

Have you ever bought an item you’ve seen off of TikTok? What about Instagram or Facebook? It could be an article of clothing you thought was nice on someone else, maybe a makeup product that has been going viral or even a piece of furniture that fits your minimalist aesthetic. The answer to this question is probably a resounding yes—most

of us have probably bought something we have seen on social media. Given the prevalence of social media and the amount of time we spend online, we likely come across advertisements for popular products often. A statistical study published in 2023 showed that the average time Americans spend on digital media is over eight hours daily. Looking at my own screen time, it’s

the observer

established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of case western reserve university executive editor & publisher SHREYAS BANERJEE

PRINT

director of print SARA KHORSHIDI

news editor GRACE JOHNSON

life editor JOEY GONZALEZ

opinion editor KARUNA LAKHIANI

sports editor PUNEET BANSAL

development editor BEAU BILINOVICH

engagement editor MULAN MA

copy editor SHIVANGI NANDA

copy editor LEXY JENSEN

copy editor RACHEL ALEXANDER

copy editor ELIE AOUN

copy editor KATE GORDON

DIGITAL MEDIA

director of digital media JOCELYN ORTIZ

social media editor SOPHIA POPKIN

photo editor CLAY PREUSCH

web editor COLLIN WONG

DESIGN

director of design TARUN SEPURI

layout designer SHIFRA NARASIMHAN

layout designer AUDEN KOETTERS

graphic designer TYLER VU

BUSINESS

director of business operations KHUSHALI DESAI

business manager MATTHEW CHANG

busines manager MOHIT KOSURU

business manager RYAN CHOU

The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically wri tten by the opinion editor but reflect the majority opinion of the se nior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer at (216) 302-4442 or e-mail observer-ads@case.edu.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be e-mailed to observer@case.edu or submitted on our website at observer.case.edu. Letters can be mailed to Thwing Center 11111 Euclid Avenue, Suite 01, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. For policy and guidelines related to the submission of Letters to the Editor, refer to observer.case.edu/submit-a-letter.

The Observer is a proud member of CWRU’s University Media Board. Follow The Observer on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram @cwruobserver.

definitely not too far off.

Recently, I’ve been seeing many TikTok videos of Christmas hauls, fashion trends, viral makeup products and more. While your “For You” page (FYP) might be a little different, you may also be seeing a lot of similar themes, such as bulk buying or trending items. You might also notice that TikTok and other social media platforms don’t just show videos or advertisements of random items that have nothing to do with you—rather, these apps tailor their content to align with your own interests or search history, making it a very effective way to boost business and get people to actually buy the things they see. This strategy is called neuromarketing.

Neuromarketing is the applica-

tion of neuroscience to marketing so companies can identify user preferences, motivations and needs without the use of less-revealing traditional surveys. It allows businesses to truly understand how the user responds at the subconscious level. This isn’t a new phenomenon—it’s been around for years on Instagram, Snapchat, Google, etc. However, it’s even more prominent on TikTok, since the app does such a good job at quickly curating a FYP specific to your interests with its algorithm. It does this by measuring user interactions with a video (i.e., likes, watch time and comments) to see how engaged you are, and recommend more or less videos based off of that engagement.

Continued on pg. 9

Calling more women for STEM

Snehal Choudhury Staff Writer

I remember my professor once telling my class about a female scientist who made a major scientific breakthrough. Notably, she was one of the only women to be acknowledged for her contributions. Remarking on the lack of female representation in STEM, my professor tried to encourage the women in the room—myself included—to recognize our potential in STEM and make strides to pursue it. While his words were empowering, it made me think about the poor state of female representation in STEM today. It’s important to note that there was a time in history when women couldn’t even participate in education. However, even though many women have broken barriers in the world of STEM and our society’s attitude is shifting, the change is not fast enough. Many women still face societal hurdles and repercussions due to this egregious gender gap.

There are those who claim there’s been significant progress in closing the gender gap, and this is true to an extent. At the undergraduate level, women make up a large proportion of biological and social science degrees, but are sorely underrepresented in engineering and computer science, receiving under 20% of those degrees. In the workplace, this disparity continues. As of 2022, women make up just 34% of the STEM workforce, with even more dismal representation in engineering

(15%) and math / computer sciences (26%). Many face policies that disproportionately hinder their ability to work. And for minority women, especially Black, Indigenous and Hispanic women, and those with disabilities, this gap is further exacerbated.

I won’t continue boring you with the many statistics about this issue because we’ve heard them all before. I want to take this idea a step further.

This gender gap is an indication of the persistent systemic belief that women aren’t as capable in STEM and therefore don’t belong there. There are many people who don’t believe in this harmful idea at all. But for every person who wants to lift up women in STEM, there are many more who cling onto this outdated belief whether they realize it or not.

Even though this idea may not always be explicitly stated, it’s an invisible force that pervades everywhere— academia, the classroom and even the workplace.

There are some reasons why this is problematic. Many times, the contributions of women to STEM aren’t recognized. This leads to only a few role models for young girls to look up to. This is more true for women of color. A few role models can push young women away from the STEM field, creating a vicious cycle. Simply put, minimal recognition and representation perpetuates the idea that women

can’t do STEM. Even for the few women who do stay, they become more vulnerable to harassment and stigma. Because of this belief, it compels others to hold women to a higher level of scrutiny in order to prove themselves. Consequently, their identity is prioritized over their potential as a STEM professional. As many students will tell you, it’s already hard enough to choose and finish a STEM degree without dropping out. Facing this added scrutiny is exhausting and only discourages women from studying STEM subjects.

And honestly, it’s ridiculous people are still contending with the idea of women being in STEM. We live in a world faced with major challenges like climate change and sustainable energy, and desperately need innovation and problem-solving in the STEM field. Through the power of diversity—that is, empowering more women to lead and participate in these discussions— we improve our ability to make new discoveries and problem-solve.

I know “diversity” is a tired buzzword. But if we improve diversity in STEM, we then listen to a greater variety of perspectives. With these perspectives we can address problems in a more thorough, nuanced way to come up with the best solutions for everyone.

Now, I recognize that society’s attitude towards women in STEM will not

Public libraries are underrated

change overnight. But there are little things we can consciously do to combat the stigma. For one, too many girls and young women are socialized into thinking that they’re not smart enough for STEM by the people around them. While some people genuinely aren’t interested in pursuing these fields, many are shut down before trying.

As my mom has always told me, “Do what you want because you like it, not because of things like your gender.” If we want to change, everybody needs to believe in and encourage this idea, especially when it comes to supporting women who want to pursue STEM.

We must start by normalizing the idea of women in STEM in our daily lives. One way is to recognize those already contributing to the field. While there have been attempts by the media to showcase women in STEM, like in the 2016 biographical film “Hidden Figures,” we need to keep doing that. In the household and classroom, we need to tell girls and young women that STEM is an option, especially in fields like engineering. This way, we can nurture more women to confidently pursue STEM so they can in turn inspire countless generations to do so too.

As an engineering major, this disparity only motivates me to stay and pave the way for the next generation of women in STEM.

A slightly didactic plea for everyone to visit their local library

Sarah Karkoff Staff Writer

Ever since I was in elementary school, the public library has been a space that afforded me great solace. Even to this day, I frequently utilize the resources accessible to me through the library system. However, this experience is not ubiquitous. The average American is growing less likely with each passing year to visit their local library. As a result of this decline, I urge you to visit the library—or at least use their online resources.

From 2009 to 2019, there has been a 28% decline in visits to public libraries. Moreover, a national study from the Survey Center on American Life finds that many Americans seldom or never interact with their local library. In a wholly digital age, it is not surprising that fewer people have a need for the library. Yet, libraries are far from obsolete, even for younger generations.

Fines and fees may deter some users from owning a library card, but the Cleveland Public Library system removed late fines in 2019. “We want to remove barriers, not block people

from accessing the Library,” says Executive Director Felton Thomas Jr. “We want to connect people to knowledge and ideas, not stand in the way. This important step will help us do our everyday work of fostering learning experiences.”

Many of the Cleveland Public Library’s resources and benefits are accessible from home. Even if you do not currently have a library card, you can create an account without coming in in person; additionally, to obtain a library eCard, all it takes is a short form.

As my fellow readers know, one of the easiest and most accessible ways to read new materials is by pirating them online. Luckily, every book you have illegally read online through sketchy websites with numerous not safe for work pop-up ads is very likely available on Libby. Libby is a digital app connected to your library and library card home to a wide variety of ebooks. For each library card added to the app, you can check out up to 10 books. Additionally, books that other members are using can be put on

hold, and you are notified when it is your turn to read. Libby also includes audiobooks, so there’s no reason to give Audible your hard-earned money when you can get the same exact product for free.

However, if you prefer not to read online, there are ways to make checking out physical books easier and faster. Many public library websites have the option to search through their entire catalog of books to see whether they’re in stock before you go. In the event that the book is currently checked out or at a different library in the area, your library card allows you to put physical copies on hold. Much like the Libby app, your library will send you a message when your book is ready to be picked up.

Even if reading is not your thing, the library has many other opportunities and resources. The catalog of items that can be put on hold even include Nintendo Switch and Xbox games. Before purchasing a copy of a game yourself, you can easily save money by trying out the game beforehand.

Stop making New Year’s resolutions

Furthermore, public libraries have access to research databases that you can use for free. As a result, you may be able to access specific databases that even our Kelvin Smith Library does not offer. In the same vein, interlibrary loans are available and free for cardholders to use, although limited.

Free online classes are another valuable resource that libraries offer. For instance, Rosetta Stone language learning lessons are free if you own a library card. Additionally, the Cleveland Public Library allows members to access Linkedin Learning courses.

In recent years, there has been discussion in the Ohio Senate about reducing funding to libraries—including in the 2021 budget, where the legislature planned to diminish library funding by millions of dollars. Libraries are almost entirely funded by taxpayers and state funding. One significant way to support them is by visiting and utilizing their resources. When you check out a book, online or in person, you are helping to prove to the government that people value the library system.

You’re probably not doing them right anyway

Salsabeel Salem Contributing Writer

Working out in the gym is great in theory, but terrible in execution. I found myself contemplating this dilemma on Jan. 2, as the words “2023 Resolutions” stapled themselves to the top of my Google document. “What do I want to change this year?”

I pondered. Do I eat healthier and read more books? Sure—sounds easy enough. I typed up goals two and three as a hovering voice decided to chime in. “You need to be more fun. Learn how to have a work-life balance,” my sister said, turning my watermelon-

themed Macbook towards her to add items four through six. Thirty minutes later, 15 goals enumerated my list. However, it’s already February. I have not read a single book. Wyant Athletic and Wellness Center and Veale Recreation Center have been

rather neglected. And I don’t know how much “more fun” I’ve actually become.

Like most hopeful Americans, I failed to make progress toward my New Year’s resolutions.

Continued on pg. 9

RESOLUTIONS continued from pg. 8

Lucky and unlucky for me, I am in the majority. A staggering 80% of people do not achieve their resolution goals, which makes me think I don’t need them and neither do you.

As a means of “starting off on the right foot” and “getting things right,” people rush to make resolutions as soon as the clock strikes midnight. But what about the first day of January makes someone more likely to change than any other day of the year? What’s so special about those 24 hours? Nothing. After all, Jan 1. is like any other day, but it just so happens to indicate a new calendar year. However, people tend to think that because it indicates a new calendar year, it is somehow “different.” They might say, “I did not go to the gym at all last year. But next year, I will go five times a week.” Odds are, if someone was not willing to go to the gym in the 365 days preceding January first, they probably won’t become a gym rat in the days immediately following the New Year.

TIKTOK

If you follow a certain creator, it might suggest other similar creators or content for you to view. For example, one time I searched for Tupperware containers on Google, hoping to buy some for food storage. Not even 10 minutes later, a video on Tupperware appeared on Tiktok. I don’t know for sure if TikTok utilizes your search history to curate an FYP, but I can’t deny that this instance was eerily coincidental. You may be wondering, well, if neuromarketing has been around for years, then why is overconsumption such an issue right now with TikTok?

Oftentimes, people think they can completely alter one or many aspects of their life overnight. But that’s just not true. One’s morals, beliefs and behaviors rarely change on a day-to-day basis. Thus, how they spend their time will not drastically change either. If someone typically wakes up at noon and stays up until four in the morning every day, it would be unrealistic for them to expect to get up at six and be in bed by eight starting in 2023. This routine would take time to ease into, and there needs to be some motivating factor that forces them to seriously consider why they want to change this aspect of their life. And if the goal is truly important to them, they won’t wait until some arbitrary date on the calendar rolls around to get going. They will start tomorrow.

One of the main issues I had with my New Year’s Resolutions is that they were too general. How am I supposed to measure “eat healthier?” Healthier relative to what? Goals

need to be quantifiable, realistic and focused for them to be achievable. And oftentimes, they require multiple steps to be fully realized. Many New Year’s resolutions lack the structure and specificity to meet these criteria. This makes it hard for one to track their progress throughout the year, especially if they have many goals they want to achieve.

If you’re like me and you made 15 or so resolutions, you probably won’t have time to achieve all of them. Because we are all busy college students, choosing one or two goals to focus on allows you to devote the energy needed to realize them without drastically altering your day-to-day life. This is important because temptations are everywhere, and they can be costly. If someone is trying to boost their GPA to a 4.0, work out six times a week, eat 1,500 calories of strictly protein and carbs, meet the love of their life, spend more time with family and friends and travel the globe by

from pg. 7

The problem is that TikTok is a fastpaced video platform site. Because of this, microtrends are coming and going in the blink of an eye. It seems as if just yesterday, patchwork denim, money pieces and matte makeup were in style. As a user, you see influencers participating in microtrends and seek to emulate their style. You cave and buy a bunch of items to give you some temporary satisfaction. After only a couple of months these trends have passed and are no longer in style, so you try to chase the next microtrend for another chance at fleeting satisfaction. Just in the past

month, we’ve seen a variety of different trends and aesthetics from “clean girl” to “vanilla girl” to “Stockholm style” to “coastal granddaughter”— all of which encompass the same theme of basic tops with gold jewelry. Because we are becoming so obsessed with buying the latest thing, we seek out more and more items to give us temporary pleasure, ultimately leading to overconsumption and waste. To avoid this, I personally have tried limiting my time on TikTok, but I still couldn’t escape. Even if I wasn’t on Tiktok, I saw advertisements on Instagram or YouTube; in

December, they will get burnt out. All of a sudden chicken and rice doesn’t sound as appealing as a burrito from Chipotle with a side of Mitchell’s ice cream. Temptations like this contribute to the high failure rate resolutions are infamous for, derailing long-term goals. Prioritizing the goals that matter the most will help one avoid temptations and will yield a higher chance at success.

Though the idea of a “new yearnew me” sounds enticing, reality makes this notion unrealistic and kind of overrated. Hate something about your life? That’s great. Now, do something about it. It takes six weeks to break a bad habit, and eight weeks to build a good one. Don’t wait until the first day of January. Life is too short to let artificial time markers dictate when we should carpe diem. Who knows, maybe I’ll learn to “be more fun” on the whim of a Tuesday evening, potentially on March 14, 2023? I’m looking forward to it.

the digital world, advertisements will follow you wherever you go. Instead, I tried to adopt a different mindset when it came to viewing things online: I tried to de-influence myself by asking questions like “Do I really need this?” or “Would I still be using this five years later?” As a result, I am able to limit my overconsumption and think more mindfully about my purchases. With how easy it is to be influenced on TikTok these days with its many trends, it might be useful to also consider de-influencing yourself to live more sustainably and be more financially responsible.

Eagles and Chiefs emerge from conference championships for Super Bowl LVII

Ishan Kulkarni Staff Writer

Last weekend during the conference championship games, fans turned their eyes to the final four teams that were vying for a spot in the 2023 Super Bowl, which will take place on Sunday Feb. 12 in Arizona.

The Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers, the top two teams in the NFC, looked to secure the championship title and one of the two spots for the Super Bowl. The matchup was highly anticipated as the 49ers were coming into the game with a 12-game winning streak. At the same time, the Eagles had a strong 14-3 record in the regular season, along with a dominant win against the New York Giants in the divisional round.

Both teams had unexpected performances this season, but nothing has been more surprising than 49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy. The last pick in the 2022 NFL draft and the third-string quarterback, Purdy was thrown into the starting position following the secondstring quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s foot injury in Week 13. Since then, Purdy has surpassed the expectations of many by leading the 49ers through the end of the regular season, a blowout against the Seattle Seahawks and a close win against the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs.

The game started out with the Eagles receiving the kickoff and driving down the field. On a crucial fourth-and-three attempt, quarterback Jalen Hurts completed a 29-yard pass to DeVonta Smith to keep the drive alive. They ended their drive with a touchdown by Miles Sanders to give them a 7-0 lead.

The 49ers tried to respond but were challenged by the Eagles’ strong pass rush and defense. Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick in particular gave the

49ers offensive line issues all night as he came off the edge and pressured the quarterback. The 49ers’ first drive ended on a second-and-six attempt when Reddick forced a fumble. During the play Purdy sustained an injury to his throwing arm and was subsequently forced out of the game.

The next several drives were unsuccessful for the Eagles as the 49ers defense forced them to punt. On the other side of the field, the 49ers were trying to adjust with backup quarterback Josh Johnson. In the second quarter, the 49ers successfully drove down the field with running back Christian McCaffrey catching two passes and rushing the ball in for a 23-yard touchdown. Unfortunately, that would be the only time San Francisco would score in the game.

Things got worse for the 49ers as the Eagles’ strong pass rush got to Johnson and forced a fumble right before the half, leaving enough time for the Eagles to score and take a 21-7 lead.

The second half essentially ended for the 49ers when Johnson was ruled out of the game with a concussion after hitting his head on the turf following a tackle. Purdy was put back into the game but only made short passes, allowing the Eagles to stack the box and shut down the 49ers’ running game. The Eagles finished the game with a dominant 31-7 win with two rushing touchdowns from Sanders and one each from Hurts and Boston Scott.

In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals met in a rematch of last year’s championship game. This game was nothing short of a thriller as it all came down to the last possession.

The Bengals went 12-4 during the regular season, won the AFC North di-

vision and were coming off a surprisingly strong win against the Buffalo Bills the week before. The Chiefs, who won the AFC West this season with a 14-3 record are no strangers to the AFC Championship, having played in it the last four years in a row.

The Chiefs were coming off a close win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the focus was on the health of their star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes suffered a serious ankle injury, which ruled him out of part of the game against the Jaguars. Coming into the game, all eyes were on his mobility as this would play a major part in his ability to extend plays and create magical moments that we’re used to.

The game began with the Bengals receiving the kickoff, but they were unable to advance the ball far, resulting in a punt. On the Chiefs’ first drive of the game, Mahomes elected to throw short passes from the pocket in shotgun formation and was able to drive his team down into field goal range for the 3-0 lead.

The Bengals then got the ball and were forced to punt again. When Kansas City got the ball they turned it around to give them a 6-0 lead. Being backed into a corner, Cincinnati strung together a solid drive to make it a 6-3 game.

The Chiefs responded quickly with Mahomes throwing two consecutive passes to wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for 40 yards total. On fourth-and-one, Mahomes threw a short pass to Travis Kelce who ran it in for a 14-yard touchdown.

With 2:30 left in the first half, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw an interception to Chiefs’ Jaylen Watson, but the Chiefs were unable to capitalize on the turnover and punted the ball

away. Burrow then led his team down the field where kicker Evan McPherson made a 23-yard field goal to make the score 13-6 in favor of the Chiefs going into halftime.

The Bengals came out hot on both sides of the ball to start the second half, forcing the Chiefs to punt and then scoring a touchdown to tie it 13-13. The Chiefs responded with a touchdown when Mahomes completed a pass to Valdes-Scantling for a 19-yard touchdown to take the 20-13 lead. In the Chiefs’ next drive, Bengals’ Sam Hubbard forced a fumble. Taking advantage of this possession, the Bengals scored a touchdown in a drive that was highlighted by a 35-yard pass from Burrow to receiver Ja’Marr Chase.

Both defenses then played very well, as the Bengals’ defense forced the Chiefs to punt, and the Chiefs’ defense caught an interception. With 44 seconds left in the game and the score tied at 20-20, Chiefs’ defensive lineman Chris Jones came up with a key sack on third-and-eight, forcing the Bengals to punt the ball. With the Bengals possession over, Mahomes had the chance to drive down the field and send the Chiefs to the Super Bowl.

In the penultimate play of the drive, Mahomes scrambled for five yards and when a 15-yard penalty was enforced on the Bengals, the Chiefs were within field goal range. Harrison Butcker made the 45-yard field goal to put the Chiefs up 23-20. This win is sending the Chiefs to their third Super Bowl in the last four years.

The exciting matchup in Super Bowl LVII between the Chiefs and the Eagles will take place at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Feb. 12 at 6:30 pm EST.

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles are set to face off against each other in the 2023 Super Bowl taking place on Feb. 12. Courtesy of Getty Images

Women’s basketball splits road games, stands 3-4 in UAA play

Paola Van der Linden Costello Staff Writer

tans held the lead until 5:53, but after Brandeis made a layup that tied the game, each team struggled to take the lead. With 2:22 left in this quarter, Mills made a 3-pointer off an assist from third-year forward Kennedy Boone-Sautter to put the Spartans up one point. However, the Judges scored enough points to take the lead by the end of the first half 26-25 in favor of Brandeis.

The first half of the third quarter was mostly dominated by Brandeis, but a free throw by third-year guard Sarah Mitchell with 3:11 remaining tied the game. The Spartans eventually took the lead into the fourth quarter. The game remained pretty close, but the Spartans took their largest lead (59-50) of the night with 1:21 left on the clock. With a long minute remaining, the Spartans were able to finish the game with a 6760 victory after Mills completed two free throws.

The game against the Violets in NYU was equally as exciting. NYU is ranked No. 7 in D3hoops and is considered one of the strongest teams in the NCAA DIII. Despite this, the Spartans played an incredible game and maintained a lead at the end of the first three quarters. Third-year forward Kayla Characklis led the team with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while the team overall shot 37.9% from the field and 33.3%

The Case Western Reserve University women’s basketball team finished their non-conference play with a win against Hilbert University on Jan. 1. Their overall nonconference record was 9-2, a huge improvement from last season where they ended their non-conference play at 5-6. They also kicked off UAA play strong with a win against Carnegie Mellon University on Jan 7. This game was followed with two losses against Rochester University and Emory University, a win against Washington University and a loss against the University of Chicago.

CWRU split their UAA games this past weekend with a 67-60 win against Brandeis and a 73-62 loss against NYU, leaving them with a 3-4 record in conference play and 12-6 overall. Last season, the team only won three conference games, a record the Spartans hope to overcome with their future games.

Fourth-year guard and team captain Isabella Mills said, “I am really proud of the transition our team took from last year to this year. We came out strong in non-conference [play] and have continued that on in the UAA. Our team is closer than we have ever been before and I think that really contributes to our trust

and communication with each other on the court. These have definitely allowed for us to compete in every UAA game thus for and I believe will lead to much success in the rest of this season.”

In their game against Washington on Jan 20, Mills set a new program record with 10 3-point shots to go with a career-high 34 points. Mills was named to the D3hoops. com Team of the Week, becoming the fifth Spartan women’s basketball player to be named under this award. During the game, Mills shot 10-15 (67%) overall and 10-13 (77%) from the 3-point line. She also finished the game with 11 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 blocks. As team captain, Mills has been a great leader and inspiration for all of her teammates.

Against Brandeis on Jan. 27, Mills led the team with 30 points and 10 rebounds. It was a close game, with six ties and 12 lead changes throughout the game. The first half started with first-year guard Emily Plachta making a 3-point shot. However, Brandeis quickly caught up and took their largest lead of the night with 7:32 left in the first quarter after hitting a 3-pointer for the 9-3 advantage.

In the second quarter, the Spar-

BASKETBALL contd. from pg.1

The Spartans never lost their lead in the second half. The closest the Violets got was with a score of 42-41 after NYU player Clark Quinn made a layup. With 6:08 left in the game, Elam made two free throws to extend CWRU’s lead to 11 points. Despite this lead, NYU fought until the very last second. With 1:28 left in the game and a 10-point difference, the Violets made a push to tie the game. After graduate guard Mitch Prendergast split a pair of free throws, NYU hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 8. With 51 seconds left in the game, the Violets managed to score 9 points

but it was not enough, as the Spartans came home with the 88-82 win.

Florey was excited about what this win meant for the team and said, “It was a great trip to bounce back after a tough loss and get two huge wins to put us in great position in both the UAA and the NCAA tournament.”

With these two wins, CWRU stands in third place in the UAA, with a 4-3 conference record.

The team will host Brandeis on Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 pm and NYU on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 12:00 p.m. in the Horsburgh Gymnasium.

from the field goal range. The game had 10 ties and 11 lead changes.

After a tight first quarter, and the Spartans up by only one point (1312), Characklis kicked off the second quarter with a layup to continue the Spartans’ lead. The game was tied with 1:42 left in the quarter, but after second-year forward Lucy Vanderbeck made a 3-point jumper and Characklis made a jump shot, the quarter ended with the Spartans up 32-28.

The Spartans led for most of the third quarter, with their largest lead of the night at 8:38, putting the score at 36-28. However, the Violets tied the game again with 6:01 left. Though the Spartans had a 3-point lead at the end of the quarter, they struggled to score during the last quarter which ultimately led to a loss. NYU tied the game 59-59 with 4:44 left after the Violets made a jump shot. The Violets went on a 14-3 run to finish the game at 62-73.

The Spartans will have a rematch against these two teams on home court at Horsburgh Gymnasium on Friday, Feb. 3 against Brandeis at 5:30 pm and on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 2:00 pm against NYU.

Given the games this past weekend we can expect the upcoming games to be equally as exciting so make sure to come and show your support!

CWRU Film Society

Friday, February 3, 2023

7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.

The Shawshank

Redemption (1994)

Rated PG (120 mins.)

Directed by: Frank Darabont

With Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton Andy Dufresne is a young and successful banker whose life changes drastically when he is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. Set in the 1940s, the film shows how Andy, with the help of his friend Red, the prison entrepreneur, turns out to be a most unconventional prisoner, with the power of patience, dedication, and hope. (Local history trivia: Shawshank exteriors were filmed at the defunct Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, about halfway between Cleveland and Columbus, with other filming locations elsewhere in Ohio!)

Saturday, February 4, 2023

Free Admission 7:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m.

Wanted (2008)

Rated (94 mins.)

Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov

With Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, James McAvoy Wesley is an anxious, clumsy, and abused office clerk who finds out his long-lost father is an assassin. When his father is murdered, Wesley is recruited into his father’s old organization and trained by a man named Sloan to follow in his dad’s footsteps and develop his latent superhuman abilities. Have you ever wanted to bend the bullet?

General Admission $4.00

Strosacker Auditorium, CWRU Campus Quad

Free Parking: Lot 44 at Adelbert Rd and Murray Hill FILMS.CWRU.EDU

Senior guard/forward Isabella Mills scored 30 points against Brandeis to lead the Spartans to victory. Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

Cavs hover in top 5 in Eastern Conference playoff race

Jack Martin Staff Writer

With the NBA All-Star break quickly approaching, the Cleveland Cavaliers are sitting comfortably with a 31-22 record as of Jan. 31. With only 29 games left in the regular season, the Cavs are No. 2 in the Central Division and No. 5 in the Eastern Conference.

All-Star starting guard Donovan Mitchell leads the team in scoring, averaging 27.6 points per game, along with 4.9 assists and 1.5 steals. Center Jarrett Allen leads the team with 9.7 rebounds per game, followed closely by forward Evan Mobley, who is averaging 8.9. Rising star guard Darius Garland is averaging an impressive 21.8 points per game to go with a team-leading 8.1 assists per game.

In addition to the team’s impressive statistical performance so far, the Cavaliers have experienced several milestones as a team. On Jan. 2, fans watched as Mitchell scored a careerhigh 71 points in a 145-134 overtime win against the Chicago Bulls. It was the twelfth 70-point game in NBA history, as Mitchell joined a group of legends such as Kobe Bryant, David Robinson and Elgin Baylor.

On Jan. 10, fan-favorite center Kevin Love climbed to sixthw on the Cavalier’s all-time rebounds list, surpassing Anderson Varejao and his 4,454 rebounds. At 34, Love is likely to pass Cavs’ legend John “Hot Rod”

Williams (4,669) to move up to fifth place in the team records.

Also this past month, the team saw the long-awaited return of veteran guard Ricky Rubio, who in his nine games back has averaged 15.3 minutes per game and helped alleviate some of the depth issues that have plagued the team all season.

Although the team is in good shape to make the NBA playoffs, they still

have some weaknesses to address. Recently, the team has lost several winnable games to inferior opponents such as the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder. Furthermore, the team has struggled on the road, sporting a 10-16 record as opposed to their 21-6 record at home.

Injuries have also been an issue for the team. In addition to having gone without Ricky Rubio, the team

has seen moderate injuries of players such as Darius Garland, Dean Wade and Kevin Love. These frequent injuries have resulted in healthy players needing to play longer minutes. Fortunately, there have not been any severe season-ending injuries.

The final few months of the season provide the Cavs with an opportunity to fix their glaring issues and prime themselves for a deep playoff run.

Scores and Upcoming Games

Women’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

Wrestling

CWRU vs Pete Willson Invite (1/27-28)26th place (17.0 pts)

CWRU at Hiram, CWRU vs Heidelberg

CWRU vs Cornerstone (2/4)

CWRU vs UAA Championships (2/11)

Swimming & Diving

CWRU vs Oberlin (1/27) -

Men’s team: W 140-85

Women’s team: W 179-58

CWRU vs UAA Championships (2/8-11)

CWRU vs Midwest Invitational (2/17-18)

Indoor Track & Field

CWRU vs Dr. Taraschke Team Challenge (1/28)Men’s team: 3rd / 6 (70 pts)

Women’s team: 1st / 6 (87.5 pts)

CWRU vs 14th Annual Battle for the Obelisk (2/4)

CWRU vs GVSU Big Meet Friday (2/10-11)

The Cavs celebrate their victory against the Bulls on Jan. 2, in which Donovan Mitchell (center) scored a Cleveland record-breaking 71 points. Courtesy of Getty Images