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The Emory Wheel Emory University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Volume 102, Issue 8
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
Printed every other wednesday
Dorms return to full capacity for first time since March 2020
A lly Hom/Staff
First-year students move into residence halls on Emory University’s Atlanta campus on Aug. 21. The two day move-in period marks the first time since fall 2019 that all students were invited back to campus. “The campus itself is beautiful and it’s so cool to see everyone in blue and gold ready to help out,” Allison Silas (25C) said of her move-in experience. “It’s surreal to be here.”
Emory plans to expand graduate housing By Claire Fenton and Ulia Ahn Associate Editor and Assistant Multimedia Editor Emory University will break ground on the first phase of the Graduate and Professional Student Housing Initiative in fall 2022, a project which will erect housing dedicated to graduate and professional students. The project will add 1,000 beds to the current 400-bed graduate housing capacity in an effort to create affordable housing for the University’s graduate population of approximately 7,000 students, said Associate Vice President of Planning and Engagement David Payne during a virtual community meeting on June 23. Located on the corner of North Decatur Road and Haygood Drive near Emory University Hospital and Druid Hills High School, the building will include a mix of single, double and studio units, a parking garage, a coffee shop and a student center with various amenities. Graduate students are expected to begin living in the new housing by summer 2024, with the
EDITORIAL
The War in Afghanistan: An Abject Failure ... PAGE 4 P
Students return to campus amid national surge in cases By Madison Hopkins Senior Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of Emory University
Emory University plans to build a 1,000-bed graduate housing facility (left) across from Druid Hills High School (right) to increase graduate student’s proximity to campus. project being completed in 2027. The majority of respondents in a University survey gauging graduate student’s opinions on housing, cited the cost of housing as an important issue, with 52% calling it their “most pressing concern.” Outgoing Laney
Graduate Student Council (LGSC) President Samantha Lanjewar (24G) said she is “excited” that the University is prioritizing affordability, as the average rental rate of off-campus studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom
See FUTURE, Page 3
For many students, today marks a return to their first in-person classes since Emory University shut down campus in March 2020. The University does so as the Delta variant continues to spread rapidly across the United States, and in a state with one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. Though all students, staff and faculty are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, only about 40% of Georgia’s population was fully vaccinated as of Monday, according to Emory’s COVID-19 Health Equity Dashboard Vaccination Tracker. This puts the state ahead of seven others using this metric. As of Tuesday, 92.2% of students and 89.8% of faculty and staff at Emory have been fully vaccinated, according to the Emory Forward COVID-19 Dashboard. Emory is not requiring regular testing for vaccinated students and
employees. Unvaccinated individuals will have to get tested upon arriving at Emory and weekly afterwards until they are fully vaccinated. Emory Student Health Services held vaccination clinics on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the aim of providing required vaccines, including COVID19, to any students who had not received one previously. “[We’re] trying to make things accessible, depending on people’s timing and when they’re arriving,” Executive Director of Emory Student Health Services Sharon Rabinovitz said. “It’s a long term solution to get the vaccine for a lot of people who just haven’t had access.” In addition to mandating that all Emory community members receive a vaccine, the University is also requiring masking in indoor spaces on campus. This policy aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, updated late last month, that recommends
See UNIVERSITY, Page 3
OPINION Gustave A&E Lorde’s ‘Solar EMORY LIFE The SPORTS Emory Athletes Power’ Fights a Grim Caillebotte Defies How we Best (And Worst) Coffee Look to Profit from Supreme Define Queer Art ... PAGE 5 Future ... PAGE 7 Emory... PAGE 9 Court Decision ... Back Page
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Wednesday, August 25, 2021
EXPERIENCE OUR NEW EXHIBITION
EACH / OTHER MARIE WATT
CANNUPA HANSKA LUGER 09.25.21 – 12 .12.21
SPONSORED
The Emory Wheel REDISCOVER OUR PERMANENT COLLECTION
COME SEE THE NEW FACE OF OUR ASIAN GALLERY RENOVATED AND REOPENED
08.28.21
CAR LOS.EMO RY. EDU # CAR LOSMU S EU M
Cannupa Hanska Luger (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Lakota, European) and Marie Watt (Seneca and German-Scots), Each/Other, 2020–2021. Steel, wool, bandanas, ceramic, leather, and embroidery thread. © Cannupa Hanska Luger and Marie Watt. Photography © Denver Art Museum.
Shakyamuni Buddha, Tibet. Ca. 13th–14th Century. Gilded bronze, pigment. The Ester R. Portnow Collection of Asian Art, a gift of the Nathan Rubin–Ida Ladd Family Foundation. The renovation of the museum’s Asian gallery was made possible through the generous support of the Christian Humann Foundation and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.
Organized by the Denver Art Museum and presented with the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Robert Lehman Foundation, Stelo, and Native Arts and Culture Foundation. In Atlanta, this exhibition has been made possible with generous support from the Charles S. Ackerman Fund, the Carlos Museum’s National Leadership Board, Lauren Giles, Gail and Clark Goodwin, the Grace W. Blanton Lecture Fund, the LUBO Fund, and Sarah Hill.
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NEWS
The Emory Wheel
University prepares contingency plans as Delta variant spreads
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masking in all public spaces, whether or not an individual is vaccinated, in places with “substantial or high transmission.” The CDC reported that DeKalb, Newton and Fulton counties all have a “high” level of transmission as of Sunday as did much of the U.S. Between Aug. 9-23, the PCR testing positivity rate in Georgia was just over 16%, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. In Georgia and across the U.S., cases have been on the rise, largely due to the Delta variant. Case numbers at Emory have also been much higher than they were during the first half of the summer, with the University reporting 44 student cases and 83 faculty and staff cases since July 12, an average of more than 20 new cases a week. “We know that community prevalence has increased over the past several weeks, and so I think that is the main indicator of why we’re seeing more cases,” Rabinovitz said. “The other indicator is, we have more people on campus.” The updated CDC guidelines reversed its previous recommendation that vaccinated individuals did not need to wear a mask in most public places to remain safe. According to Colleen Kraft, associate chief medical officer at Emory University Hospital,
wearing masks in public is a way to prevent transmission and reduce opportunities for the virus to mutate. “I know that it’s very difficult, and people feel like we’re sliding backward, but I think in general, until we can get more people vaccinated, or at least stop the transmission so that we don’t have it transmitting in the community, then mask-wearing is the easiest fix,” Kraft said in a late July virtual media briefing. Kraft also said that the change in guidance from earlier in the summer makes sense, as the prevalence of the Delta variant was much lower when the original guidance was issued than it is now. The Delta variant accounted for about 86% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. in the week before Aug. 14, the CDC estimates. In the week preceding May 15, during which the CDC released its earlier guidance, it accounted for only 2.4% of cases. Emory is currently operating at a “green” operating status, with no limits on gathering size and with classes and residence halls at normal capacity. If necessary, the University is prepared to put gathering restrictions back in place and alter testing and social distancing policies, Associate Vice President and Executive Director of COVID-19 Response and Recovery Amir St. Clair said. “We’re prepared to make changes in
restrictions or placing some additional protocols in place,” St. Clair said.“But, do we anticipate needing to do that, and when would we need to do that? That’s hard for us to answer at this point in time.” If necessary, Emory could increase its testing capacity to be able to test all students weekly, St. Clair said, though the University’s response to any surges in cases will typically be more targeted. “If we see a surge or an outbreak, how we respond will be largely determined by what type of outbreak it is, who’s being impacted, where’s that transmission occurring and where’s the substantiated risk,” St. Clair explained. “That will help inform what measures we need to take, and if we do need to increase or scale up testing, we are prepared to be able to do that.” Although Emory has put policies in place, St. Clair noted that individuals’ behavior will also determine the University’s ability to operate safely in-person. “We’re committed to being in person together. We believe we’ve created safe and healthy standards to be able to do that,” St. Clair said. “It has to be done on campus and off campus… We have to live this out in all phases of our lives.”
— Contact Madison Hopkins at mhopki6@emory.edu
Mental Health Research at Emory The Mental Health and Development Program at Emory is enrolling participants, between the ages of 12 and 30, for an NIMH project on factors that contribute to risk for mental illness. Individuals who are experiencing a decline in functioning and other symptoms (e g., social isolation, unusual thoughts/ perceptions, suspiciousness) may be eligible for an assessment that includes diagnostic and neuropsychological evaluations, all conducted at Emory. Participants are compensated for their time and, if requested, test results can be provided to treatment providers. For further information, contact the Mental Health and Development Program at mentalhealth.research@emory.edu or (404) 727-7547 or Elaine Walker, Ph.D. at psyefw@emory.edu.
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
Future construction plans face community concerns Continued from Page 1 properties is $1,462 for those within one-and-a-half miles of campus and $1,295 for those within three miles. “We’re extremely excited because this is something that LGSC has been promoting for a long time, especially for international students,” Lanjewar said. “The big thing we advocated for is that it’s affordable because without our stipend, it’s extremely difficult to afford housing in Atlanta. There is wariness about making sure Emory makes it affordable for people but not cramming [them] into tiny spaces.” The University’s 2018 annexation into the City of Atlanta has presented potential obstacles for the project, explained DeKalb County Commissioner Jeff Rader. Although the majority of the campus is now within city limits, the surrounding neighborhoods, including the Druid Hills historic district, belong to DeKalb. The project’s proposal involves annexing an additional Universityowned house into Atlanta, a situation which Rader said could be disadvantageous to the Druid Hills community. “Formerly DeKalb would have had the authority to consider the rezoning and to work to ensure the community’s interests were addressed,” Rader said. “All of the effects of any activity at Emory continue to be felt primarily by unincorporated DeKalb stakeholders, but the entitlement authority resides several miles to the west in the City of Atlanta. That dynamic is one that compels us to be involved but does not provide us with the authority that we formerly had.” The University will file for rezoning of this property from “residential” to the “office and institutional” zoning category, which is consistent with most of the campus. Graduate housing is attractive to prospective graduate students since “[Emory] is at a competitive disadvantage with our peers with having a lack of graduate housing on campus,” Payne said. Graduate student responses from fall 2020 focus groups and surveys that indicated a desire from students to live closer to campus spurred the initiative. Respondents also advocated for single-space occupancy units and a common space dedicated to graduate students to help build community. “[We] had a 20% response rate, and one of the key points they asked for in grad housing is being able to walk to class and being on campus,” Payne said. “The key feature is that [the building] is 15 minutes from all the different academic programs on campus.” Payne added that the multi-use trails and sidewalks currently connecting the different areas of campus
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will play a crucial role not only for students navigating the campus but also for the community at large. The University funds the maintenance of the pathways in collaboration with the PATH Foundation, an organization focused on creating multi-use paths in the Atlanta area. Rader expressed three main concerns with the University’s housing initiative: increased traffic, aesthetic compatibility and the transition between the new building and the surrounding area. Maintaining a “seamless” gateway between the campus and the community is a priority, as well as minimizing a “dead zone” of unappealing, unused land on the outer border. “The edge between Emory and the Druid Hills neighborhood that surrounds it is one of the great aesthetic attractions of the district,” Rader said. Druid Hills High School representative Marshall Orson, a nine-year member of the DeKalb County Board of Education from District 2, also cited traffic congestion as one of the school district’s main concerns. Orson said that the dangerous “blind curve” drivers exiting the high school face has been a long-standing issue, noting that the University’s project could interfere with the school district’s plans to create a safer intersection. “It’s of increasing concern now because we think part of the solution to fixing the blind spot in that road would be to potentially straighten Haygood Drive out,” Orson said. “The urgency comes from the fact that if Emory now puts a building where the road might need to go we’ll never be able to fix the problem.” However, Orson is optimistic that the project will be a catalyst for increased collaboration between the University and the school district as it pertains to academic offerings and facility usage. The feature of the project most attractive to the school district is the parking deck, which Orson hopes can alleviate the insufficient parking he said plagues the “landlocked” high school. Rader said he has consulted with the University to discuss solutions and act as a conduit between residents and the University. Notably, he said that residents have voiced displeasure over the deforestation and destruction of a park currently sitting on the University’s private property allocated for construction. “People are naturally concerned about the reflex issues, but hopefully we can see improvements that will mitigate those,” Rader said.
— Contact Claire Fenton at claire.fenton@emory.edu and Ulia Ahn at ulia.ahn@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel Volume 102, Issue 8 © 2021 The Emory Wheel Alumni Memorial University Center, Room 401 630 Means Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322 Business (404) 727-6178 Editor-in-Chief Isaiah Poritz iporitz@emory.edu
Founded in 1919, The Emory Wheel is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University in Atlanta. The Wheel is a member publication of Media Council, Emory’s organization of student publications. The Wheel reserves the rights to all content as it appears in these pages, and permission to reproduce material must be granted by the editor-in-chief. The statements and opinions expressed in the Wheel are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Wheel Editorial Board or of Emory University, its faculty, staff or administration. The Wheel is also available online at www.emorywheel.com.
The Emory Wheel
O������ W��������, A����� 25, 2021 | Opinion Editors: Sophia Ling (sophia.ling@emory.edu) & Martin Li (martin.li2@emory.edu)
Biden’s Legacy is tarnished by decision on Afghanistan Joe Beare Throughout history, the achievements of certain American presidents have been overshadowed by scandals or catastrophic policy mistakes. Bill Clinton may have brokered peace between Israel and Jordan, but he is remembered for his affair with Monica Lewinsky. George W. Bush may have initiated the No Child Left Behind Act, which aimed to increase federal funding for low-income schools, but his presidency has been defined by his egregious mishandling of the Iraq war. Even though I support President Biden and will almost certainly vote for him again should he run for reelection, his decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan may be a blunder that will eclipse his successes. In October 2001, the U.S. sent troops to Afghanistan because its governing authority, the Taliban, was harbouring Osama Bin Laden and other Al Qaeda operatives who used the country as a safe haven to plan the 9/11 attacks. That’s why most public officials backed the war effort at the time, including former President Barack Obama who labeled the invasion as “fundamental to the defense of our people.” Although the U.S. military ousted the Taliban and drove most of these virulent groups out of Afghanistan shortly after its initial invasion, there is little reason to believe that Al Qaeda will not return now that U.S. troops have left. The Taliban
may have agreed to quash terrorist activity as part of its agreement with the Trump administration, but many proponents of the U.S. intelligence community do not trust the Taliban to keep their word. In fact, most have expressed fear that fully withdrawing troops this month will allow Afghanistan to reemerge as the pernicious jihadist enclave it once was, rendering the American people vulnerable to a national security nadir similar to 9/11. To be sure, the dangers incurred by the withdrawal extend far beyond the burden it imposes on those living in the west. If anything, Afghan citizens will fare much worse than Americans who will not live under a brutal Talibanic theocracy. The Taliban has already overcome the reformist Ghani-led government and most expect the incoming regime to enforce a stringent interpretation of Sharia law, which includes amputation as a punishment for theft. Yet, while the Taliban’s takeover is heart-wrenching, the Afghanistan war is not a nation-building operation and we shouldn’t maintain a military presence in the country solely to protect Afghan natives. There are many illiberal regimes in the world. It is not the U.S. 's duty, nor is it within the U.S.’s capacity, to police all of them. In February of last year, President Biden lamented that the nation cannot “solve every single internal problem around the world.” I generally agree with this
premise, though I don’t believe it is applicable to Afghanistan. We didn’t send troops to the country merely to unseat the brutal Taliban and safeguard the human rights of Afghan citizens. Instead, to slightly paraphrase Obama, the war is and has been “fundamental to the defense of our people” and it will be American citizens — not just Afghans — who will suffer as a consequence of the full withdrawal. When the Trump administration initially announced plans to withdraw all U.S. troops in May 2020 (he bears as much, if not more, responsibility for this fiasco as his successor), he attempted to pacify national security concerns by vowing to attack terrorist bases in Afghanistan without troops on the ground. There is one problem with this aspiration: Afghanistan is landlocked. In countries like Syria and Yemen, the U.S. and its coalition partners can feasibly strike targets along stretched coastlines. However, Afghanistan’s most dangerous areas are more than 700 miles from the ocean, deep in valleys only penetrable from bases inside the country or neighbouring countries like Pakistan that have refused to accommodate a U.S. military presence. Former U.S. Army vice chief of staff Jack Keane puts it most succinctly, “Giving up those bases means giving up much needed and largely successful operations against those (terrorist) groups.” Despite being told this for months, President Biden and his defense secretary have decided to go against the grain and
unwittingly hand a victory to the aggressors that seek to harm us. To be clear, I live under no illusion of the human and economic costs associated with war. In fact, I often agree with progressive critiques of American foreign policy. The U.S. has involved itself in too many morally bankrupt and superfluous conflicts abroad, resulting in great loss of life and funds that could have been diverted to needed domestic projects. Nevertheless, the cost of keeping a residual force on the ground is minimal and a wise investment given the alternative. The few thousand troops needed to fight Al Qaeda would not only represent a miniscule fraction of the federal budget, but casualties would almost certainly remain extremely low. Moreover, while I mourn every heroic soldier killed in combat, putting themselves in harm's way to protect the American populace and our allies is a job they volunteer to do. It’s a job that they’ve carried out gallantly and effectively in Afghanistan over the past two decades. President Biden is squandering the sacrifice of these soldiers, abandoning the Afghans who counted on the U.S. and unnecessarily risking the lives of the American people through this impulsive decision. It is he, along with his predecessor, who will stand in the dock of history as responsible for the bloodshed to come. Joe Beare (23C) is from London, England.
EDITORIALS
The war in Afghanistan: An abject failure Twenty years ago, the United States started the War in Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Yet after $2 trillion spent, along with thousands of civilian and military casualties, the American stated mission in Afghanistan — which was to root out those attackers in al-Qaeda and its supporters in the Taliban — has ended in utter failure. The news we have been exposed to for the past two weeks is a testament to this dereliction. The enormous pain and loss caused by the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. is palpable. But the rapid speed with which the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan and began implementing its oppressive, fear-based regime of brutal fighting and endless suffering is haunting. The crushing defeat of 9/11 reminds the world that the U.S. should have left Afghanistan years ago. The United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan was a slow, painful process that highlights the complicated nature of U.S. foreign policy. Initially entering Afghanistan with the intention of rooting out the Taliban, the U.S. remained for two decades and attempted to
nation-build. The war was not meant to be the longest in U.S. history and cost the lives of more than a hundred thousand Afghanis, thousands of Americans and trillions of dollars. Despite the longevity of the war, as soon as U.S. troops withdrew, the Taliban captured the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Aug. 15, cementing their control of the country. President Biden’s removal of troops from Afghanistan was inevitable. After the Trump administration reached an agreement with the Taliban in early 2020 to initiate the removal of foregin troops from Afghan soil, Biden followed through. Yet, the rapid speed with which the Taliban regained control of the country only goes to show the inevitable failure of the war. For one, the drawn-out nature of the conflict indicated just how unprepared the U.S. really was for war. After 9/11, there was widespread support among the public and Congress for the invasion of Afghanistan. In fact, only one member of Congress, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Ca.), voted against sending troops to Afghanistan. The terrorist attacks made the prospect of a swift and brutal
response from the United States appear to be the only solution. While 88% of U.S. citizens supported the war effort in 2001, only 25% today approve of Biden’s decision to withdraw, making it highly unlikely many of those same Americans would have been as gung-ho had they known a two decade-long war of attrition was to come. While some have touted the war and U.S. attempts at government building as a protection of women’s rights in Afghanistan, this is nothing but talk. The U.S. military murdered civilians and bombed hospitals, indiscriminately killing women and children. Before the U.S. funded Mujahideen took over Afghanistan and curbed women’s rights, Afghanistan was in a period of growing gender equality in which oppressive laws were repealed and women saw more representation in Parliament and universities. The U.S. is actually one of the main subjugators of Afghan women, not their liberators. Furthermore, these false narratives were emphasized by the Bush administration, and ulterior motives have been ignored in mainstream media — the truth of the war eclipsed by political rhetoric. The war in Afghanistan was never a
human rights campaign, it was simply a failed tactic which went on for entirely too long. As the campaign raged on for years with numerous defeats and little progress, U.S. officials lied to the public about the prospects of a successful Afghanistan campaign. Had the generals and government leaders told us outright that the mission would fail, this mess could have been over years ago, but they chose to not admit their own failures. The U.S. overstayed a welcome it never really had to begin with, that much is clear. What is also clear from this tragic and preventable debacle is that the supposed American military supremacy and the ability therein to police the world is complicated. All the disappointment and regret around this catastrophe of a war must galvanize widespread support for a reconsideration of the role of military spending and armed engagements in U.S. national discourse. The outcome of the war in Afghanistan shows that Americans must be ever more skeptical about the prospect of long term warfare, wherever it may be. Now, it is time we learn our lesson from Afghanistan, or be doomed to causing more disappointment and play a role in the suffering of more people across the planet.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Sahar Al-Gazzali, Viviana Barreto, Rachel Broun, Jake Busch, Sara Khan, Sophia Ling, Martin Shane Li, Demetrios Mammas, Sara Perez, Leah Woldai and Lynnea Zhang.
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The Emory Wheel
OPINION
Extend school lunchtimes. intake. Unfortunately, they are unable to compensate for the lack of nutrition outside of school and are reliant on a school system that is failing them in more ways than one.
Sophia Ling The high school I graduated from in Indiana consisted of a two-period, 45-minute lunchtime block. We had a number of lunch lines but people in them were never evenly distributed, resulting in lines that went up the stairs and through the doors. My friends and I complained frequently. When more than half of that time is spent waiting, the remaining time to eat becomes close to none. Many fast-food chains have capitalized on low budgets for school lunches at public schools, offering cheap, unhealthy food items to feed students. However, brands like Domino’s, Pop-Tarts and Cheetos should neither be staples in children’s diets nor should they be promoted as appropriate foods to eat every day. School lunches are encouraging students to develop poor eating habits and eat highly processed foods without concern for their nutritional health.
Longer lunch times can be beneficial in other ways like reducing food waste and giving students a chance to relax as well. National K-12 lunch food waste accounts for $1.2 billion a year. Giving children more time to eat can allow them to finish their food, decrease food waste and lessen its impact on the environment. Additionally, lunch time is a valuable period of time during the school day for students to socialize with friends or talk to people who are not in their classes. Eating on a restricted schedule also causes people to eat faster, overfilling their stomachs past the point of satiety, since it can take up to 20 minutes for satiety hormones to release and tell your brain you’re full.
The root of unhealthy lunch items stem from the lack of time students have to eat.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has taken admirable steps to set new standards that reduce the amount of sugary, processed and fatty foods, but schools and corporations continue to skirt those rules to match their agenda. Instead of offering fruits or vegetables, frozen juice desserts can satisfy the requirements. Similarly, the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste on pizza slices somehow also count toward a serving of vegetables. Industry giants are prioritizing themselves over the health of students, further exposing the pitfalls of privatized corporations in the U.S.
As a result, kids who do not have enough time to eat can either be prone to obesity or malnutrition due to throwing out the leftover food on their plates.
Just like students, teachers struggle to find time to eat as well. To be in compliance with the Education Law, teachers should be taking breaks for at least 30 minutes. But while students are off on their supposed lunch breaks, teachers spend this time helping students, planning for their next class or handling any existential circumstance that might have come up. Teachers deserve their break just as much as students do, and a conscious effort should be made to ease their workload. Of course, reasonably implementing longer lunch times is challenging.
Sure, the onus may be on students to choose healthier foods, but often those are the foods with more fibrous textures and harder to chew and digest in the time they are given.
Schools with too many students or small spaces to eat cannot always carve out enough time in the school day to logistically get everyone in and out and still keep up with a rigorous academic setting.
Thus, the root of unhealthy lunch items stem from the lack of time students have to eat. When students spend most of their time in line waiting for food, they consume fewer calories and less nutrients.
Improving on the existing system is long overdue — whether it means elongating the school day or offering teacher reimbursement for the longer working hours — it’s time for us to put students and teachers at the forefront of education in every aspect.
Extending lunch times has a number of benefits, directly contributing to better academic performance and diet quality. For low-income students, school meals account for nearly half of their daily caloric
Sophia Ling (24C) is from Carmel, Indiana.
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
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Originality is overrated. Sophia Ling I’ve spent my life chasing originality — I’m obsessed with it. Originality is difficult to define, but for now I believe it can be anything that is created or recreated, so long that it encapsulates part of who you are. I know I’m not alone in feeling stressed, motivated by the thought that being anything less than original somehow represents my inability to show my authentic self. As humans who are constantly evolving and changing the world, our greatest fear is no longer the unknown; it is now banal irrelevance. Just as artists hope to be remembered, so do the rest of us: we want to leave a legacy. So, we overemphasize originality to satisfy our craving for immortality. But the truth is, originality gets boring. Trying to be unique and “never seen before” loses impact if everyone is doing it just to do it. By associating originality with creativity, people are driven to be one of a kind, so to speak, and to obsess over the belief that something only has value if it is somehow new. At its best, this mentality could change the world. Yet more often than not, artists who truly innovate are rare; holding oneself to that standard will only stifle creativity. The education system and workforce constantly pressure us to be original. From product marketers to job interviewers to teachers at school, everyone asks the same questions: what makes you stand out? What makes you different? What makes you special? Society isn’t lacking in ideas. What we’re missing is the elevation of new voices and perspectives in the world. Not every human experience is totally original, and each of us shares, to some extent, the same basic human emotions and desires. But your interpretation of them encapsulates a set of ideas, values and events in a way that no one else can truly understand. While much of our actions and decisions are influenced by other people and our surroundings, there is still a marked difference in our response, interpretation and memory of other people’s stories, words and experiences. What you create is special not because of its relative originality, but instead because it is the expression of the world and your experience of it through your
eyes. I started writing music in high school. However, I constantly berate myself up for not being able to write the next best song with unique chords and melodic lines. I kept asking myself, why am I writing songs if there are people out there doing it longer, better and more expressively than I? I don’t believe for a second that no one else has felt this way. And no wonder; it’s nothing more than a manifestation of our fear of mediocrity, and it prevents us from exploring different facets of ourselves in lieu of the status quo. Recently, a viral video on Twitter alleged that all of pop musician Olivia Rodrigo’s songs sound like popular classics from other artists like Taylor Swift and Paramore. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did, especially given that Rodrigo has frequently cited Swift, Paramore and other established artists as sources of lyrical and melodical inspiration. Her songs’ themes and melodies notwithstanding, her voice and her story remain her own. We can only relate to so many human emotions and experiences, so don’t get your panties in a twist just because another teenager is writing about love and heartbreak. We can’t assign quantitative values of originality to every new artist, new writer or new creator to determine their worth. So much of art is about blending, recombining and sometimes borrowing traditional techniques and genres to create in ways that we haven’t always thought about before, and it’s time to loosen up on our definitions. Every artist builds on their inspirations and adds their work to millennia of human creativity. Art, whether it be music, TV or movies, represent the voices of its creators. At its best, art unites people in their humanity and their experiences. Originality is only valuable to a certain extent, but meeting that standard should not be imperative to self worth. Losing your voice to seek it out is not worth it. I’d rather express my real thoughts, feelings and emotions in search of someone out there who can say, “I get you, and I feel that way too.” Be unapologetic about who you are. Be inspired by those who came before you and don’t succumb to preoccupation with originality. Create because you want to, and don’t stop because someone else has already done it before. Sophia Ling (24C) is from Carmel, Indiana.
Gustave Caillebotte defies how we define queer art Zimra Chickering Sometimes it is only safe to be queer in the most subtle of ways, with a hint of clothing or a phrase thrown into conversation. Depending on your location, the people around you and the time period you lived in, your own queer expression may have to look quite different from an Atlanta Pride Parade. In Gustave Caillebotte’s case, it is presumed by many art scholars that he expressed and hinted at his queer identity in the only way he could: through his paintings. Caillebotte was one of the preeminent French painters of the 19th century and ran with the likes of famous impressionists such as Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. As a lesser-known impressionist, Caillebotte combined techniques like natural lighting and distinct perspective with a more realistic, academic approach in line with the ethos of the Académie des Beaux Arts in Paris. Caillebotte played an important role in the impressionist movement; outside of creating art himself, he funded exhibitions, bought art and even paid Monet’s rent at one point.
The preservation and advancement of European impressionism at that time can thus be credited partially to Caillebotte, as his expansive art collection became the center of the Musée d’Orsay’s impressionist collection after his death. Some even claim that Caillebotte changed art history. You may ask yourself, “Why is it so important to ask if Caillebotte was queer?” I think the best answer I have seen to that question is from an essay by Jim Van Buskirk, a queer writer and public speaker, in which he quotes Emmanuel Cooper’s 1986 book, “Sexual Perspectives: Homosexuality and Art in the Last 100 Years in the West”, where he states: "The knowledge that an artist was or was not homosexual is not intended to ‘explain’ their work nor is it to suggest a particular context in which to view it. It is, rather, the start of a process to look again and recover what has traditionally been omitted from the history of art using this to inform the present." While there may be no undeniable written evidence of Caillebotte’s queerness, a glance at his oeuvre and a quick discussion with LGBTQIA+ viewers will have you seeing the story very
differently. In that vein, Arthur C. Stone Jr. in his unpublished 1990 essay, "The Invisible Male, or Gustave Caillebotte Gets Sexy" asks the reader to follow art historian James Saslow’s advice to "trust your eyes: the gay viewer is usually far more open to suggestions of gay emotion than the art ‘experts.’" Re-examining the work and life of Caillebotte does lead us down a path of queer exploration. First, take his subject matter: almost entirely men, and not just any men, but muscular rowers, suave suits, strong workers and nude bathers. If you look at the popular nude portraits of the time, you will note that the majority of subjects are women, but if you look at Caillebotte’s most famous nude, “Homme au bain,” it is a private and quotidien portrayal of a muscular man. The painting itself was completed on a grand scale, usually a size reserved for royal heroic portraiture, whereas this artwork depicts a truly intimate scene. Caillebotte shows his mastery of juxtaposition here, as viewers are let into this private moment in the bathroom, but the man also turns his head to one side, remaining anonymous and pushing the viewer away.
Another prime example of Caillebotte’s potentially queer appreciation of the male form is his famous Raboteurs de parquet painting. It again features the shirtless, muscular strength of working class men, this time as they scrape away at an old floor. Their faces are once again turned away from the viewer, making this public artistic display still seemingly private; there is at least some part of these paintings’ subjects hidden from the viewers, while also revealing quite a lot of the workers and their environment. Gustave Caillebotte, “Les raboteurs de parquet.” 1875. Musée D’Orsay, Paris. Caillebotte’s paintings of public life allude to a similar queer lens, but without using as much nudity. In Caillebotte’s “In A Cafe,” all the central figures are men, unlike the many cafe scenes featuring female and male couples painted by Caillebotte’s peers. Caillebotte’s artworks that did include women are often public scenes and sometimes even allude to non-heternormative standards in their own right. For example, take one of his most famous paintings, “Paris Street; Rainy Day,” in which you can see pairs of not only male-identifed and female-identi-
fied people, but also single men and women, coupled men and coupled women. Even if this might be subtle, there is still a hint at open sexual and romantic relationships between all people. Considering this was painted in 1877, there is something inherently queer about pushing those boundaries. Due to the social stigma of the time, Caillebotte could not have expressed his possible queerness as we do now, and even with that in mind he was still shunned by most family members and never married, possibly because he lived as a closeted gay man in 19th century France. Oftentimes the queerness of most things, from artworks to iconic songs to fashion trends, comes from the eye of the beholder, and I ask you to not ignore an important queer lens when looking at the famous artworks of Caillebotte and other art historical icons. Understanding and embracing the perspectives of both LGBTQIA+ artists and diverse artistic patrons can transform our experiences in museums, galleries, and in our everyday encounters with media, making them richer, more unique and more honest. Zimra Chickering (24C) is from Chicago, Illinois.
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The High Museum’s Calder-Picasso exhibit engaging, verbose By Jeffrey Rosen Associate Editor In “Genealogy of Morals,” Friedrich Nietzsche describes the unbearable guilt that culture and language impart on humans. Our chief method of relief from this guilt, he contends, is to take part in established rituals created by our ancestors. One such way is to visit art museums. At the outset of the High Museum’s Calder-Picasso exhibition, a prominent wall of text expounds: “The artists’ grandsons Alexander S. C. Rower and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso conceived this exhibition as a compelling conversation….”. As in most museums, this exhibit is a tribute — by visiting this space, we celebrate and validate these famous artists and their achievements, which are deemed canonical by both critics and the public writ large. At its best, the Calder-Picasso exhibition displays a breadth of works made by two abstract artists from similar time periods. This content efficiently shows the ways in which European artists experimented with form, color and perspective throughout t he 1930s. In some ways, however, certain aspects of the exhibition work against the viewer’s experience. In verbose and lofty descriptions, the exhibition crafts a clear narrative — Picasso and Calder are twin spirits, somehow inspiring each other every step of their careers. These written accompaniments interweave vocabulary and ideas, which, when presented alongside two pieces of art, guide the viewer’s mind toward some enlightening conclusion connecting these two artists. The last sentence of the introduction to the exhibition reads: “ They reaffirm the revolutionary
Jeffrey Rosen/A ssociate Editor
Pablo Picasso, “Head of Man.” 1930 contributions of two artists who transformed our conceptions of form and space-and thus the very definition of art itself.” We are told that these artists “transformed” our conception of “art itself.” This is nothing less than mystification of the art. Originally co-curated by the grandchildren of these critically acclaimed artists, the exhibition stipulates that viewers should understand how the artists redefined art together. It is important, however, to be mindful of what we see for ourselves and what we’re merely being told to see. In the first room, viewers are met with a series of Calder’s sketches and small wire statues, as well as two Picasso paintings. From these works, it’s clear that both artists were interested in the circus as a means to explore the human form. Calder’s wire works show thin circus perform-
ers bending and twisting their body, while Picasso’s crammed and contorted “Acrobat” thematically follows suit. The room also features some of Calder’s early suspended wire statues, such as “Hercules and Lion” or “Aztec Josephine Baker,” which hang still in the air. As the viewer’s perspective shifts with each movement, the wire arrangements are in flux, recasting themselves into new images. Although this exhibit consists mainly of Calder, the works highlight that two artists were both preoccupied with presenting new ways of seeing the human body. The next room, titled “Capturing the Void,” details how Calder intentionally started working entirely abstractly with historic details about his early abstract exhibitions. The works flourished when allowed to function on their own; but the forceful hand of the exhibit’s narrative was too obviously felt. Calder’s geometric statues on one wall are all impersonal and elemental, dealing with basic ways of abstracting and observing shapes in space. On the other hand, Picasso’s works all remain focused on the human form. While both participated in abstraction of form in their own separate ways, they did so disparately. The exhibit descriptions, however, imply the opposite. A side-by-side comparison of Calder’s “Two Spheres Within A Sphere” and Picasso’s “Head of a Man” reveals the artists’ distinct crafts. Calder’s piece is a wire circle with two circles suspended above, while Picasso’s work is an abstracted head of a man, the molding and distortion of which is intense. The description of the Picasso reads, “Picasso thus deconstructs and
Jeffrey Rose/A ssociate Editor
Alexander Calder, “Two Spheres Within A Sphere.” 1931.
reconfigures the anatomy of a human head into a set of volumes, voids, and planes.” The exhibit’s description places a lens that spoils the viewer’s conception of the pieces, making it seem as if there is a blatant and important connection between the two works which we must clearly see. While Picasso was certainly interested in exploring space and void (as evidenced from his personal writings), the exhibit and its descriptions blatantly create an adulterated, embellished engagement with the two artists’ works. I do not attempt to assert that there exist no connections between the two artists and their oeuvres — or that the exhibit is merely a forced montage of disparate works. On the contrary, Calder and Picasso’s works seem to excellently complement each
other at certain points. In Calder’s “Little Yellow Panel,” which is juxtaposed with Picasso’s “Portrait of a Young Girl,” a yellow panel features black shapes dangling in front of it, slowly rotating while suspended in air. The work is highly dynamic, showing how visible objects constantly shift with time and perspective. Similarly, Picasso’s portrait appears to reveal the fleeting geometries of each impressionistic moment. Across Picasso and Calder’s works, the viewer peers from an angle, glimpsing into ephemeral and curvilinear shapes. Unfortunately, much of the rest of the exhibit contains an extraneous amount of sections or themes. Almost every fourth painting would introduce a new theme or historic moment to which the curators would link Calder and Picasso. These thematic connections were interesting at first, but this curiosity quickly waned as each section was truncated. With smaller sections interspersed throughout, the exhibit’s attempt to show a connection between the two artists felt increasingly empty and cursory. Despite my lasting cynicism toward the exhibit’s execution and intention, I still wholly enjoyed my time. Picasso’s catalog of art is gargantuan and continually challenging, while Calder’s features a distinct American wartime modernity. These two profound artists are together in Atlanta for a limited time at the High, and I recommend anyone interested in art to check it out — just be mindful of the museum’s guiding hand.
— Contact Jeffrey Rosen at jeffrey.dylan.rosen@emory.edu
The burden of resilience and the Kanye West fan By Noah Gentry Staff Writer
I spent Sept. 28, 2018, telling anyone who would listen about “Yandhi,” a new album by Kanye West that was slated to be released that night at midnight. There was hardly a shortage of Kanye West music at the time either. Just four months prior, West released two albums, a self-titled solo project and a collaborative album with Kid Cudi. The unreleased album’s brazen title positioned the project as a spiritual successor to West’s 2013 album, “Yeezus.” He was also expected to perform tracks from “Yandhi” that night on Saturday Night Live (SNL), where he had a storied history of boundarypushing performances. The day felt galvanizing simply because I knew that at the end of it, West had new music for me. Yet, Sept. 29, 2018 was a day of shame. Instead of an album release, fans were treated to West’s worst TV performance to date, which ended in a four-minute rant complete with a MAGA hat and a captive audience of SNL cast members. Although leaked demos later revealed the album’s promising potential, “Yandhi” was quietly delayed to an unspecified release date and has gone relatively unacknowledged by West ever since. This is just one of the many ways West’s album rollouts can end. In fact, many of West’s album announcements over the last decade have failed to end in an album release. Sometimes, they
end with a few good singles. Others, they end with a couple terrible singles. Usually, they end the same way as “Yandhi”: eagerly announced and then quietly delayed until the public discourse eventually subsides. Annually reliving this cycle of excitement and disappointment did not cause me to distance myself from West and his music, but rather the opposite. On Aug. 5, I found myself in Section 123 of Mercedes Benz Stadium, attending West’s second attempt at a launch party for his reportedly forthcoming tenth album, “Donda.” I was far from alone. Hordes of 16-year-old boys stood behind hordes of 17-year-old boys in merch lines so long they likely couldn’t see that their coveted drip resembled something you might find at a weird summer camp. I watched as people tried to explain to their dates that this was not a “concert,” it was a “listening party,” and that West would not be performing as much as he would be plugging his phone into the stadium speakers. I listened to groups of strangers going on tangents about the Wyoming sessions or complimenting one another’s Nike Off-White T-shirt collaborations. The most common matter of discussion was, unsurprisingly, whether or not the album would release at midnight as had been advertised. I remember hearing someone propose a wager of $50 through gulps of ale, with his win condition being that “Donda” would not come out until noon the following day. Two middle-aged women
Noah Gentry/Senior Staff
in the row behind me repeatedly expressed their excitement to relisten to the record all night long. The music itself was lacking. Plenty of the songs were clearly demos, with West muttering gibberish over incomplete instrumentals. At times, the album was nearly incomprehensible due to the sheer amount of rib-rattling bass that seemed to swallow up each track. It hardly mattered. West himself is an event worth marveling at. For an hour and a half, West lurched around a stage designed to resemble cramped living quarters; the very same stage that he roamed unencumbered two weeks ago. Dancers surrounded him, bouncing up and down, marching in circles and crawling on their hands and knees. During the album’s final song, spotlights erupted out of the stadium’s open roof as West ascended into the dark Atlanta sky. As
the stage emptied and the lights came up, I remember thinking there was no way the album would come out that night. I was right. Aug. 6 came and went without a (credible) trace of “Donda.” Updates became more and more sparse until a third listening party was announced for Aug. 26. In a moment of Pavlovian excitement, I felt myself perk up upon reading the announcement. Although I had already heard and been displeased with “Donda,” the possibility of new music from West was still so tantalizing. After years of publicly abandoned projects, I find myself clinging to the hope that “Donda” might one day hit streaming services. To call one of West’s album rollouts a “listening party” is an award-winning understatement. These are displays of ego, celebrity, wealth and talent, punishing in their
execution and irresponsible in regards to what they promise. Unfortunately for Kanye West fans, a Kanye West fan never fully abandons hope. Across the world, people spent Aug. 5 telling anyone who would listen about “Donda.” Those same people likely spent Aug. 6 saying things like, “Apparently, they were still doing last minute tweaks after the event,” or, “A couple guys in Kanye’s circle said it’s coming out at noon.” Even if the release of “Donda” is pushed to an unspecified date, many of those same people will still pay close attention the next time West decides to announce an album he hasn’t made yet, because sometimes — and only sometimes — album parties lead to albums.
— Contact Noah Gentry at noah.oliver.gentry@emory.edu
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Wednesday, August 25, 2021 | Emory Life Editors: Lauren Blaustein (lblaust@emory.edu) and Kaitlin Mottley (kaitlin.michelle.mottley@emory.edu) CAILEN’S COFFEE
The best (and worst) coffee at Emory
By Cailen Chinn Chief of Digital Operations From your local coffee expert, welcome back to campus! It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to enjoy the coffee around Emory University. With the Emory Student Center (ESC) Kaldi’s Coffee and Highland Bakery closed last year, our options were certainly limited. Now that we’re back at school, you’ll need to know all the best places to get caffeinated on your way to class—thankfully, I’m here to help. As you start navigating your fall schedule, note these options while you walk around campus. Listed below are all the coffee shops on Atlanta’s campus (minus Starbucks), plus important information to help you consider where to spend your Dooley Dollars. Ebrik Coffee Room (Carlos Museum) Ebrik Coffee Room sits in a rotunda on the top floor of the Michael C. Carlos Museum, located right on the Quadrangle. Besides having a great variety of drinks with original syrups and in-house roasted beans, Ebrik prides itself on sustainably sourcing their coffee, from Africa to South America. To add to Ebrik’s superlatives (best quality, best hidden gem), I vote it as the best coffee shop to study on campus if you can snag a booth. The only downside is that they don’t
take Dooley Dollars, but occasionally splurging on their drinks is absolutely worth it. Kaldi’s Coffee (The Depot, Medical School and ESC)
Kaldi’s prides itself on being the cheapest place to get drip coffee on campus (if you pay with Dooley Dollars), while also having a host of expensive drinks, baked goods and meals on their menu. For a good, allaround coffee shop, Kaldi’s is the place to go; however, seating can be hard to come by when students set up camp to cram for exams. Order a slice of pumpkin bread or avocado toast with your latte to have the perfect “treat yourself” breakfast. Highland Bakery Coffee Lab (Chem Building) If you can avoid the 9 a.m. rush, Highland Bakery’s set up is a great option if you have a class in the Atwood Chemistry Center, the Math and Science Building or White Hall. They’re always reliable and quick when they need to be, setting you up for success in your morning classes. Their baked goods may not be the best you’ve ever had — their scones tend to be crumbly if they aren’t warmed. However, it’s hard to pass up a cheap cup of drip coffee and a slice of coffee cake or a breakfast sandwich (go with the bacon, egg and cheese bagel).
Blue Donkey (Cox Hall) In all honesty, I’ve had Blue Donkey once. It was during my first week of freshman year when they were giving it out for free outside of Eagle Hall. Their lack of dairy-free latte blends is what deters me from buying Blue Donkey coffee, but their cult-like following on campus is what sets them apart from the other coffee shops. Their sweet Summer Almond blend is a popular option among students.
With the school year finally upon us, the return to Emory University marks an even bigger transition than the start of a new year typically does. Heading back to campus after over a year of virtual schooling is incredibly exciting; however, there are of course challenges ahead. After this year of distant learning, it’s time to get reacclimated or introduced to study spots around campus. There’s never a shortage of spaces for every type of learner, and this list is only a sample of what you can expect to find around campus.
If you can make it to the top of the hill that Goizueta sits on, Highland Bakery is the reward. Whether you’re going in for a cup of coffee, a smoothie or a full meal (on real plates with silverware), Highland fuels you for all those pre-BBA classes you’re swamped with. If you’re going to make the trip to Highland Bakery, be prepared to stay a while. It might be worthwhile to bring your laptop as Highland Bakery is an ideal long-term study spot with its booth-style seating and quiet corners. Dobbs Common Table (ESC) Don’t do it, unless you’re desperate. You’ll be drinking weak coffee the color of sweet tea if you do.
— Contact Cailen Chinn at cailen.anne.chinn@emory.edu
Matheson Reading Room The Matheson Reading Room within Candler library — accessible via the bridge from the Woodruff library — is one of the most popular study spots at Emory, and with good reason. This space offers a silent study environment, which is great for focusing and getting work done. Even beyond that, the environment in the reading room is perfect for studying. Filled with large communal tables and desks, as well as some comfortable armchairs, the reading room is likely what you imagine when you think of a library on a college campus, so you’ll also feel like you’re on the set of Harry Potter. Because of the environment in the Matheson Reading Room, I find it to be one of the best places on campus for quiet study. The Reading Room is just one of many great places to study within Woodruff library. As you increase in floor levels at the library, the study spaces become more quiet. If you’re craving more collaborative spaces, head to the ground floor; however, if
you need individual space, the stacks on the top floors will likely suit you best. None of these spaces, though, will be as silent as the Matheson Reading Room, which can be accessed via the third floor or the bridge from Woodruff library.
Pitts Theology Library If you’re looking for a change up in your quiet study spaces, the Pitts Theology Library offers another great alternative. Located just off the Quad, Pitts is one of my favorite places to go when I really need to focus and get work done as there are often less students. With plenty of carrels and tables, there is a healthy balance of individual spaces and quiet group spaces. There are also outdoor tables right outside of Pitts, which are a great option when the sun isn’t too harsh. Overall, it’s one of my favorite places on campus for when I need to get some serious studying done. The Quad The Atlanta weather often does not disappoint, so it’s important to take advantage of the outdoor study spaces
Illustration by A lly Hom
By Esther Kim Contributing Writer After over a year of distant learning, the thought of returning to residential life on campus may seem foreign. If you feel like you’re missing a dorm essential but can’t figure out what, you probably are. But, here is a list of a few items that aren’t commonly mentioned though will definitely prove to be useful during your stay at the Emory University dorms. Step stool
Cox Computing Center If you’re in search of a more casual, relaxed vibe, the Cox Computing Center is the place to go. With seating options ranging from tables for group study to bean bags, as well as options for gaming and food, this is one of the most comfortable laid-back study spots on campus. Another perk of the Cox Computing Center is that it is very centrally located, making it easy access from anywhere on campus. It is a great location for studying in a group or doing work with friends.
5 underrated dorm essentials
B-School Highland (Goizueta)
Top study spots for every learner By Becca Frischling Contributing Writer
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Emory’s main quad is the perfect place for mid-day studying.
around campus. With the shade provided by the Quad, this area on campus is the perfect place to study with adirondack chairs or your own blanket to set up camp. The Quad offers prime outdoor study real estate with its vast size and mixture of sun and shade. Getting to view the beauty of campus can definitely be the perfect medicine for any stressful work. While there are many outdoor spaces on campus, there is nothing like studying on the Quad — and everyone should also take advantage of a free bench around campus when they can. All in all, you really can’t go wrong with any study spots you find around Emory. Whether you like to study in groups or in quiet, inside or outside, you’ll be able to find a space on campus to feel comfortable and get work done. Explore campus in the early weeks of the semester and find out what feels best for you — it will set you up for an easier transition and a great semester.
— Contact Becca Frischling at becca.frischling@emory.edu
Even if you lower your bed, there may still be quite a bit of height inbetween the mattress and the floor. Having to jump just to get into bed is a hassle and can be incredibly annoying, but a step stool can eliminate this problem. Stepping onto a stool is much more convenient than having to leap onto bed. As opposed to attempting to jump more than once to get into bed, a step stool is a great way to get to relaxing a little quicker. Not only will a step stool save you time, but it may even save you from some embarrassing falls. 6-foot charger While six feet may seem excessive, having an extra long charging cord comes in handy. With lofted beds often located inconveniently far from a nearby outlet, it’ll likely be difficult to use your devices in bed without the extra extension. With a 6-foot charging cord, you won’t have to worry about accidentally unplugging the charger from the wall or sitting in boredom while in bed. If you didn’t pack one, a 6-foot charger can often be found at local stores such as CVS or the Barnes and Noble Bookstore. Vacuum While vacuums can be borrowed from residential halls, purchasing a small vacuum immediately eliminates this hassle. On top of making a trip downstairs and bringing the vacuum back to your dorm, you may have to wait for a
fellow resident to finish vacuuming first. Owning a vacuum allows you to use it at your disposal with no inconvenience. Although some vacuums are pricey, there are affordable options, such as the BISSELL 3-in1 Lightweight Corded Stick Vacuum sold at Walmart. In essence, bringing a vacuum to college will certainly be convenient for your weekly roomcleaning sessions. Shoe organizer Even though you probably won’t bring hundreds of shoes to college, having a shoe rack can certainly organize your room, among other perks. It is nearly inevitable for your shoes to somehow scatter all over your room — near your bed, in between drawer and shelves or even under the sink. With a shoe rack there will be no more dispersed footwear. You will also never have to worry about finding your shoes if you’re leaving your room in a hurry. Needless to say, mastering efficient shoe organization can avert the problems of displaced shoes and wasted time. Power strip A surge protector is more than useful to have in your room — it’s necessary. The ability to plug in multiple appliances can be very useful as the amount of outlets in your room are limited. With friends over in your room occupying your outlets, it may be even more difficult to find a spare one. So, before you close out your last minute online shopping cart, consider adding a power stripr. It’ll certainly come in handy. Just remember that only power strips with a reset button are permitted in Emory’s residential halls. With the full return to campus and residential facilities, it may be your first time living in a dorm or it may have been too long since you’ve been back. Either way, hopefully this list will make your space more functional than ever.
— Contact Esther Kim at esther.kim3@emory.edu
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Women’s team not deterred by tough schedule Continued from Back Page the field on Aug. 19 for their first official practice, the team continued building on a foundation that will hopefully carry them through one of the toughest strength of schedules in the country. “One of the main goals for us this year is going to be winning the league and winning the [University Athletic Association (UAA)],” Greiner said. “It’s certainly one of the strongest leagues in Division III in the country, and if you win our league, you’re probably going to be one of the best teams in the country.” The men begin their season at Covenant College (Ga.) on Sept. 1 and return home to face Washington and Lee University (Va.) in the Sonny Carter Invitational on Sept. 3. A process-oriented approach: women look to surpass 2019 first-round exit The women’s soccer team was extremely limited in what they could do last fall. Coaches gave players skill challenges they could do individually, but without being in-person, moving the program forward was difficult. Instead, Head Coach Sue Patberg used the off time to keep the team connected. “Our biggest focus was staying in contact with our team,” Patberg said. “Keeping them together, keeping them positive, really trying to support their mental health. That was probably the biggest focus last fall.” One freshman from last year,
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defender Emma Cornejo, admitted that last year felt like a transition year because she only received a brief exposure to a typical practice schedule and team expectations. But, with a schedule now full of opponents, Cornejo no longer has to be satisfied with just a preview of collegiate soccer. “I’ve been looking up to collegiate soccer my whole life,” Cornejo said, “and I thought last year was gonna be the time when I finally experienced it, but waiting built a lot of excitement inside of me.” The women’s team also began practicing on Aug. 19. While Patberg confessed the team will begin the year as an underdog — mainly because other schools were able to play games last year — she believes the team’s “grit and determination” will quickly make up for it. This determination can stem from a variety of factors, but it mainly comes from the players. This season, two of last year’s senior captains — midfielder Samantha Hilsee and defenseman Lily Dresner — will return to add onto an already talented group. Patberg also listed senior midfielders Lindsey Breskow and Lauren Mahoney, senior goalkeeper Emma Platt and junior defenseman Peyton Robertson as other players that will play a big role in the team’s success. However, even with those standout players, Patberg knows any team accomplishment rides on their ability to never look beyond the moment at hand. “Looking past one opponent at another opponent, looking past your first preseason training to your first scrimmage [cannot happen],” Patberg
said. “You really have to be in it and immersed in what that training session is right then and there — that’s the only thing that should matter.” But while focusing on the process is important, so too is knowing how and when your team performs best. Breskow recognizes that competing against the talented UAA teams means the team has a difficult schedule, but she believes that the timing of those games falls in perfect alignment with the typical trajectory of the team. “We tend to peak mid-to-late season,” Breskow said. “It will be really good to have [nine] non-conference games in September and then our first conference game is at the beginning of October. So having those nine games, since we haven’t played in two years, will really prepare us to peak right when we start conference games, [which are] crucial to get us into the tournament.” For Breskow, just making the tournament is not good enough. As someone who has been a part of the program for four years, she knows the team has more potential. “I see us making it back to the NCAA Tournament and hopefully going further than just the first and second round like we have in the past few years,” Breskow said. “With the talent I’ve seen so far on our team, once we start meshing with each other and playing together, we could have a talented year and make it super far.”
SWOOP’S SCOOP
11
Sport
Opponent
Time
Wednesday Sept. 1
Cross Country Volleyball W Soccer M Soccer
Oglethorpe Oglethorpe Berry @ Covenant
TBA 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
Friday Sept. 3
Volleyball M Soccer
Emory Classic Wash. & Lee
4:30 p.m. & 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
Saturday Sept. 4
W Golf Volleyball W Soccer
@ Lynn Schweizer Inv. All Day Emory Classic 12:30 p.m. & 3 p.m. @ Ohio Northern 1:30 p.m.
Sunday Sept. 5
W Golf M Soccer W Soccer
@ Lynn Schweizer Inv. @ Oglethorpe TBA @ Danville, Ky.
All Day 7 p.m. TBA
— Contact Andrew Feld at andrew.m.feld@emory.edu Jessica Solomon/Managing Editor
The Emory Wheel
Sports
Wednesday, August 25, 2021 | Sports Editor: Michael Mariam (mmariam@emory.edu)
TOKYO OLYMPICS
Many pandemic protocols remain By Michael Mariam Sports Editor
Michael Mariam/Sports Editor
Andrew Wilson (17C) returned to Emory University on Aug. 24 to celebrate his Team USA swimming gold medal following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Wilson celebrated with his coach, Jon Howell (far right), and Director of Athletics Keiko Price (middle, in photo to the right).
Emory Athletes look to profit from Supreme Court decision By Ryan Callahan Editor-at-Large Roughly two months after the Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA violated antitrust laws by restricting the compensation opportunities provided to its student-athletes, Emory University became the first Division III school to connect its athletes to those opportunities with INFLCR, a content-creation platform. INFLCR will help athletes profit off of their name, image and likeness (NIL), a legal concept that was once restricted by the NCAA’s strict rules on athlete compensation. After the Supreme Court’s ruling, however, student-athletes everywhere now have the opportunity to use their popularity to make money through business partnerships and advertisements, a potentially overwhelming change that INFLCR will help facilitate.
“INFLCR will… be able to help us so that the student-athletes understand the marketing and business side of these opportunities,” Director of Athletics Keiko Price said in an interview with the Wheel. INFLCR will not pay athletes directly, but instead provide educational resources and tailored technological services to help Emory’s 400+ student-athletes use their platforms to “monetize and disseminate photos, videos and graphics,” according to an Aug. 13 press release announcing the partnership. Price hopes that Emory and INFLCR will allow Eagles to flex their creativity and capitalize on their NIL to not only profit in the short term but develop their entrepreneurial skills that will hopefully prove fruitful down the road. “I think every school in the country is sort of looking at NIL as an oppor-
tunity to give athletes resources and support that they weren’t able to take advantage of,” Price said. “What I’m really looking forward to is how we can give them resources where they can use their mind and their intellect to really build some equity and to make money.” In addition to the help that INFLCR will provide, Price said that Emory hopes to establish its own NIL infrastructure in order to help Eagles maximize on the financial opportunities now afforded to them. “What we are planning to do is work with different units on campus — faculty, staff — to put some educational curriculum together to really help the student-athletes with entrepreneurship, innovation, building their brand … This is the start for us,” Price said.
— Contact Ryan Callahan at rjcalla@emory.edu
Over the last year, Emory Athletics, the University Athletic Association (UAA) and the NCAA have explored all options to resume competition as safely and as soon as possible. Studentathletes held out hope each semester that their sports could return in some capacity, whether it was returning to practice with their teammates or travelling to play against other schools. However, after 18 months of irregular sports seasons after the pandemic ensued in March 2020, all Emory Athletics teams are back in business this year and have been given the green light for UAA competition, full-strength practices and team gatherings. Although on-campus sports are back, the pandemic is not gone. Emory and the athletics department are continuing to take precautions on campus, requiring students to be fully vaccinated unless there’s an exception and wear masks indoors. In an interview with the Wheel, Director of Athletics Keiko Price outlined the protocols in place to ensure a safe return to play. “We are going to be following the same guidelines and safety measures that the campus is enforcing,” Price said. “We’re also adding additional measures, and all of this is really about trying to mitigate any sort of risk.” Those additional measures apply to student-athletes and athletics staff that are not vaccinated. The NCAA released a document on Aug. 4 with updated COVID-19 guidance for fall sports. Vaccinated student-athletes won’t need to undergo regular COVID testing. However, those that are unvaccinated will be subject to the NCAA’s recommendation of testing three times a week, in addition to needing a series of negative antigen tests over five days before they can participate in sports, according to Price. The NCAA released this information close to the beginning of athletics
preseason. As the Delta variant spread rapidly across the world this summer, the extra time taken to outline the protocols was crucial in creating the best guidelines to keep everyone safe. “Every athletic department in the country was eagerly awaiting to hear what their guidelines were,” Price said. “And I think part of that delay was tied to the variant, but also just wanting to see how the COVID landscape was unfolding across the world.” As vaccines became widely available in the spring, teams returned to practice and played against local schools for the first time in over a year. Now, traveling up and down the east coast will resume with the restart of UAA play. Airports and planes are seen by many as an increased threat with hundreds of people gathered in tight spaces. “We are going to be following whatever guidelines are being established by the airlines,” Price said. “We’re going to require the athletes to wear masks during travel, so whether that’s not just the plane, but bus rides, vans, any sort of shared spaces, they’re going to have to wear masks. So as of now, we’re just following whatever guidelines are established by the CDC for travel.” With all protocols in place, Emory Athletics looks forward to hosting competition on campus beginning Sept. 1. Price is also eager for a full athletics return not only for athletes but for the entire Emory community. “I’m really excited for the athletes to be in their element, to be able to do what they love, to be able to thrive in a space that they’ve been unable to thrive in for a while,” Price said. “I know some of our spring sports were able to compete in the spring. But for everyone else, it’s been a while. And just to be able to compete at a high level excites me.”
— Contact Michael Mariam at mmariam@emory.edu
Men’s and women’s soccer returns after missing 2020 season By Andrew Feld Staff Writer In the first round of the 2019 NCAA Division III Women’s soccer championship, Emory midfielder Lindsey Breskow kicked the ball past the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas (Calif.) goalie into the lower right corner of the net. She didn’t know at the time, but it would be the last official goal scored by an Emory soccer player in almost two years. The last goal by a member of the men’s soccer team came a few days before from midfielder Jun Tsuru (20B), a senior then, who headed a cross past University of Rochester (N.Y.) goalie Hugh Curran to put the Eagles up 1-0. A lot has changed since then. For starters, nine women and six men listed on the 2019 rosters have graduated and no longer play with the team. Sophomores and the incoming freshman class have both never played a collegiate game. And even current
juniors, who are typically seen as experienced upperclassmen, have only one season under their belt. However, despite the changes in player personnel over the last two years, the biggest and most exciting change is that Emory soccer is back. On Aug. 5, the women’s soccer team released their 2021 schedule. A day later, the men released theirs. The most notable date on the schedule is the women’s first home game, which will be against Berry College (Ga.) on Sept. 1, marking the first collegiate soccer game played on Emory’s campus in 659 days. Let’s take a look at how both teams are preparing for the upcoming season as well as what can be expected out of the Eagles this year. The new and the old — men’s soccer to utilize depth of roster While they were unable to play any games last year, the men’s soccer team was still able to practice in a limited capacity. Last fall, the team broke
into positional groups and analyzed game footage from the previous year. However, the team was able to get more on-field work once COVID-19 restrictions loosened in the spring. “We were practicing four days a week as we normally would for a fall,” Head Coach Cory Greiner said. “We usually played intrasquad scrimmages, [and because] we had a large returning group of players, I was happy we were able to at least play some full-sided matches each week.” Besides the opportunity to compete in those inter squads, many Eagles are also excited to compete against other opponents. For senior midfielder Will Tichy, returning to competition after such a long period feels like a new start. “It’s amazing,” Tichy said. “To actually have a schedule coming up, it feels like I’m a freshman again. Coming from a year off, it felt like I wasn’t even in college for that year playing college soccer because obviously we weren’t. So it just feels like it’s a new lease on playing, and we’re all super excited to
get back.” As the team returns to the field, there will be some familiar faces. Out of the seven seniors on the 2020 roster, five decided to return for a fifth year, including three captains: defensemen Josh Berman and Max Mehlman and forward Nate Samson. While Berman understands his extensive playing experience can help younger players on the field, he also noted that his knowledge of the program can help his teammates off the field. “We have a lot of new guys coming in,” Berman said. “And if you look at the freshmen coming in now, and the ones who were here last year but didn’t get a chance to play, they now have a lot of fifth-years to look up to and learn from. I know that all of us fifth-years have recognized our position and are sure to use that experience to help out the future of the program.” While that experience is invaluable to the team, the caliber of the underclassmen also plays an important role in the team’s success. Fortunately for Greiner, the extra time in the last year
has allowed him to recruit talented players that may not have otherwise committed to Emory. “There’s a lot of players in general for the 2021 class that have flown under the radar of Division I and other programs in terms of the recruitment,” Greiner said. A talented group of underclassmen paired with the fifth-year players’ wealth of experience should be two winning ingredients. And returning after a canceled season, their focus and dedication are through the roof. The renewed focus has junior midfielder Alejandro Gomez confident in the team’s ability to record a solid regular season and postseason. “It’s not even just the talent that’s on paper — that’s a whole other subject,” Gomez said, “but simply the competitive attitude that everyone has and their commitment [to the team].” In 2019, the men went 9-5-4 and missed the NCAA Division III Championships. When the Eagles took
See WOMEN’S, Page 11