COVID-19
Eye Communication
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Fairfield student exclaims COVID-19 restrictions are too strict and ruin the social scene.
How to utilize our most prominent facial features. Page 8
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Men’s Lacrosse Captains Named Sports Graduate student Jake Tymon, Taylor Storough ‘21 and George Elmquist ‘21 Page 16
THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper
Week of March 3, 2021
Vol. 46 Iss. 14
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Stags Strive to be More Sustainable By Andrew Murphy Staff Writer
Fairfield University’s 2015 Campus Sustainability Action Plan has served as the framework for most environmentalist efforts on campus in recent years. This initiative, a product of the University’s Campus Sustainability Committee, embodies the strong interest in environmentalism amongst university community members. “The Campus Sustainability Committee should serve as a clearing house for members to raise ideas and plan for their execution,” said David Frassinelli, Chair of the CSC and Vice President for Facilities Management. “‘Sustainability’ covers a very wide range of activities,” said Kraig Steffen, Ph.D., Head of Environmental Sciences and associate professor of chemistry. “A major goal of the original Campus Sustainability Plan was to help coordinate all these efforts. Our greatest challenge is communicating between all the different constituencies considering sustainability efforts on campus.” Both men cited the introduction of Terracycling here at Fairfield as a particularly interesting accomplishment by the CSC. This company recycles products that conventional recycling services will not such as personal care products and white board markers. Leaders for Environmental Action at Fairfield (LEAF) Club President Hope Marino ‘21 will manage the collection of these items and subsequent distribution to Terracycle. “There are a number of changes we have made to the
facilities that have impacted energy consumption significantly,” continued Frassinelli. Entities across all factions of campus-life have been producing results: the Facilities Department continues their campus-wide transition to LED bulbs, First Year Experience groups include sustainability in their educational segments and the Office of Residence Life has decided to provide recycling bins for all freshmen and sophomore dorms. “We are way ahead of where we were just ten years ago, but we still have much to do across the University to maximize our efforts,” asserted Steffen. Fairfield University Student Association Vice President Tobenna Ugwu ‘22 said, “Fairfield’s current efforts are a step in the right direction, however, there is always room for improvement. I think there is an opportunity to shift the campus climate, to ensure that sustainability is an important part of initiatives and policies. FUSA has been working with the administration to see where Fairfield can improve, in order to achieve this goal.” In the Fall 2020 semester, FUSA created their own Sustainability Committee to create a better, more unified communication between students and the Campus Sustainability Committee. CONTINUE READING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY ON PAGE 3
Photo contributed by FUSA
Service Opportunities Go Virtual By Nicole Maher Contributing Writer
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many activities across the Fairfield University campus to turn virtual, and service opportunities have been no exception. Katie Brynes, the Campus Minister for Social Justice and Community Engagement, spent the past year providing university students with service opportunities that can be done virtually while still impacting their surrounding communities. There are currently over 50 virtual service opportunities listed on the Life@Fairfield page. Certain opportunities emphasize the importance of serving local communities which has been a focus of Fairfield since Brynes began working here five years ago. Byrnes described how the poverty and wealth distinction between Bridgeport and Fairfield is the largest in the country. “This gives us an important responsibility being on the Fairfield side of that to make sure we are being of service to the world around us,” Byrnes said. She has worked to include service opportunities such as the program linked to the Reading While Remote Learning campaign. This particular program works with many students in Bridgeport to ensure they have access to the internet while learning from home. “The education programs have provided devices for the kids,” Byrnes described. “But it’s a problem if they don’t have access to free wifi.” Other virtual programs have allowed Fairfield students to serve communities previously unreachable, such as the Boston Public Library’s Anti-Slavery Manuscript Project. This service opportunity allows students to assist in the translation of hand-written documents so they can be included in the library’s searchable canon. In addition to educational and academic programs, Byrnes has also worked to include a number of creative service opportunities. “Our students like to do things with their hands,” she said. “They spend a lot of time in their heads during class.” CONTINUE READING ABOUT VIRTUAL SERVICE ON PAGE 3
Contributed by Katie Byrnes
Students drop off food donations to Prospect House. .
News
THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
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Meet FUSA’s 74th Presidential Elects Heffern and Fiori in 47 Questions In honor of FUSA’s founding in 1947, 47 questions were asked to 74th President and Vice President-Elects Tyler Heffern and Cailyn Fiori 14. What is the first thing you plan to do when you take office? T- The first initiative that we’re doing is planning Red Sea Madness. C- Planning Red Sea Madness. 15. Best food truck on campus? T- Taste of Grill - Chicken and Rice with both sauces. C- Taste of Grill - Falafel or Chicken and Rice . 16. What is one thing you have wanted to change about or at Fairfield that you can do now while you are in office? T- Make the organization more receptive to the students or even more active in the community not just on Fairfield Campus. The student body produces $2 billion in revenue for the local economy on a normal year annually and we could have a real voice in how the community runs. I think we could have a real impact within the community itself. C- I want to place water fountains in every building. 17. Favorite book? T- “The Alchemist” C- “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” 18. What inspired you guys to run? T- There were a lot of things I wanted to do and wanted to change. The way to effect the most change and most impact is by being president. I wanted to be able to do as much as I could. C- I think Danielle Rice was president her first year. One of the first people she met as a Fairfield student as a woman in power. Making a general impact on campus. Always so supportive, and always so busy. I remember thinking “what is this girl doing” and “I wanna do it.” She was one of the first people I met who was a woman in power which is super empowering to me. Also the idea of making a general impact is so inspiring. 19. Favorite class you have ever taken? T- Either my first art history class because that’s what got me into the major, or I took an introduction to political theory course or Renaissance Art in Florence. C- Digital Tools and Art Making which was the first class Photo Taken by @bottega.photography going towards my Graphic Design minor. 20. Did you always want to run for FUSA President and Heffern (left) and (Fiori) were named FUSA President and Vice President for the 2020VP? 2021 academic year. T- I didn’t always know, but it was always on my mind. C- Tyler did have to work to convince me because for years I was told to run for By Madison Gallo president and I never really thought much of it — but I didn’t really know what I was Head News Editor saying no to. By Madeline West 21. Favorite professor? Assistant News Editor T- Professor Gayle Alberda C- Professor Emily Orlando and Professor Niall Brennan. 1. What is one word you would use to describe your campaign? 22. Do you want to be involved with politics in the future? T - Passionate T- Yes, I want to be involved more in political theory and grad school. C- Inclusive C- I have thought about it, but I think as vice president I am more interested in the 2. Favorite movie? service aspect of it — not so much in the real world politics. C- Moonrise Kingdom 23. Advice to someone who wants to get more involved? T- Argo T- Don’t hesitate, just join. 3. What is a quote you live by? C- Just do it. If you want to do it, you most likely will be good at it if you have the T- “A day without laughter is a day wasted” - Charlie Chaplin drive. C- “When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestion24. What do you do if you’re having a bad day on campus? ably” - Walt Disney T- Watch a comedy special. 4. Do you have any pets? C- Go to Sasco Beach. T- A calico cat named Abigail. C- An english-springer spaniel named CJ. 5. What/ do you have your post-grad plans? T- Grad school for political science or political theory TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR FUSA PRESIDENT-ELECTS, READ THE C- Either grad school for something super niche for design, or theme park design. REST OF THIS INTERVIEW ON WWW.FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM The goal though is to work for Disney. 6. Favorite food? C- Tacos T- Pasta or sandwiches in general. I love lunch. 7. What is one thing you would tell your first-year self? T- I had a good first year and everything that has happened to me, if it had happened any differently I would not be where I am now. It has all happened for a reason. C- Keep doing what you’re doing and know that there are people who believe in you. 8. Something all Fairfield students should do before they graduate? T- Go to Pepe’s Pizzeria. C- Participate in the Campus Ministry Kairos Retreat. 9. Coolest person on campus? T- Cailyn Fiori C- Liz from the Tully 10. Favorite on-campus eating location? T- The Stag C- The Tully — pre-covid 11. Favorite Fairfield memory? T- First FUSA senator meeting. C- Kairos Retreats, Pres Ball, and trips to Sasco Beach. 12. Most important thing you learned during the campaign? T- Cailyn taught me to have more fun. I am a very serious person and she helped me relax. C- You can find a way to have fun in everything. At the end of the day we’re all college students and we’re just trying to make it through and if you’re not having fun in everything that you’re doing then I don’t know. 13. Favorite building on campus? T- Bellarmine Hall C- The chapel as a whole, but specifically Campus Ministry .
News
THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
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University Looks to Compiled by Colleen Vann Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.
2/27 1:17 a.m. There was a stove fire in a Dolan Hall apartment. The area was ventilated and the residents were then permitted to return. 2/28 1:23 a.m. Students were observed hanging around on the construction excavators located by the Barnyard Manor townhouses. They were identified by the Department of Public Safety and removed from the site. 1:30 a.m. A resident assistant in Loyola Hall reported vandalism to the first floor men’s bathroom. There was damage to several sinks, as well as the paper towel dispensers. Anyone with information on this case is asked to please contact the Department of Public Safety.
It’s a little quiet here... too quiet.
Become More Eco-Friendly CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
This action has resulted in collaborations with the LEAF Club where the two parties formed a list of sustainability tips for Fairfield students. The document was sent to students via email and posted on FUSA’s Instagram stories. “FUSA continues to work in conjunction with the Campus and Faculty Sustainability Committees to ensure that the Campus Sustainability Plan is updated and implemented, so that all members of the Fairfield community are kept up to date on this important issue,” confirmed Ugwu. Part of this ongoing work includes the push for Fairfield to hire a full-time coordinator as many other universities and colleges have done. Additionally, with the support and guidance of the CSC, FUSA has brought requests directly regarding fossil fuel divestment to the Board of Trustees. “In the Fall of 2020, FUSA analyzed Fairfield University’s portfolio of mutual fund holdings for environmental sustainability,” said Matthew Little, Chair of FUSA’s Sustainability Committee. “We sent a letter to the Board of Trustees, urging the University to divest from mutual funds that contain corporations that degrade the environment, or at least shift the University’s weight within the funds if possible.”
FUSA has additional sustainability-themed events scheduled for the near future. “This March, we will be hosting the first-ever FUSA Sustainability Week, in which we will be both educating students on how to “go green,” as well as hosting fun and engaging sustainability-themed programs,” said Ugwu. Other promising plans include the CSC’s development of a Sustainability app as well as continued Sustainability grants made available to students. The CSC also plans on having President Nemec approve the updated Campus Sustainability Action Plan before the start of the Fall 2021 Semester. In the meantime, Ugwu and FUSA encourage and invite all students to join FUSA’s Sustainability Committee and contribute to the many ways in which the University continues to implement environmentalist actions. Students interested in joining the committee can email fusa. sustainability@gmail.com.
Stags Continue Serving Virtually CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
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Some of these hands-on activities include making pillowcases for children in hospitals, constructing blankets for dogs in shelters, and writing supportive letters to first responders and teachers. Despite the large number of virtual service opportunities being offered, Byrnes has noticed a decline in student participation. “We had about 200 students a week doing work with agencies we have worked with for years,” Byrnes said, referring to student participation before the pandemic. She connected this decline in participation to Zoom-fatigue that students may be experiencing from their classes. However, she emphasized how virtual service opportunities still provide students with an opportunity to take a break from coursework and give back to their communities. Byrnes also described how virtual service opportunities can be more flexible than in-person programs. Students who used to partake in in-person service programs would have to arrive at a certain location and remain there for a designated period of time. Remote service opportunities allow students to serve their community from anywhere and complete work at their own pace. While many of the service opportunities have become fully remote, there is still one option that is being offered in-person. Prospect House, a soup kitchen located in Bridgeport, has partnered with Fairfield University for years to provide meals for the surrounding community. Prior to COVID-19, students would often aid in the preparation and distribution of dinners of Friday
and Sunday nights. While this process has been reduced to the transportation of food due to social distancing guidelines, the opportunity to help is just as impactful as before. First- year Alexander Komarynskyj recently volunteered for the Prospect House program. “After corresponding with [Byrnes] over email about participating, she gave me all the necessary instructions for dropping off the food.” Komarynskyj said. He outlined how the experience took less than two hours and was greatly rewarding. “I would recommend that students try this experience,” he said. “Watching Netflix for an hour and a half on Saturday morning is great, but helping others is even better!” While Brynes is grateful for the new virtual service opportunities available to Fairfield University students, there are certain in-person programs she is excited to reintroduce once it is safe to do so. “One of the most fun projects is a partnership with a school in Bridgeport called Bryant School,” Byrnes said. “We do a book club with the elementary students.” The service students from Fairfield University had been reading the first book in the Harry Potter series before quarantine began last spring. Byrnes especially loves this program because it allows the college students to connect with kids in their surrounding community while also revisiting some of their favorite childhood books. Byrnes hopes that the upcoming fall semester will allow for the return of some in-person service opportunities, along with the continuation of certain new virtual programs.
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The Mirror is the recognized student newspaper of Fairfield University. Opinions and ideas expressed herein are those of the individual student authors, and not those of the Fairfield University or its Board of Trustees
Contributed by Katie Byrnes
Students participate in virtual book clubs.
News
THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
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University Gamechanger: Esports Excels at Collegiate Level
Photo Courtesy of Fairfield University Website
Construction finished on Fairfield’s Esports Gaming Lab in July 2020 (left). Students on the Esports team compete in a regular MAAC season (right). Photo Courtesy of Fairfield University Website
By Max Berryman Contributing Writer The breakthrough of Esports has turned heads in the sports world. Although its roots trace back to the early 2000s, Esports coverage has vastly increased with tournaments being broadcasted on YouTube, Twitch and even mainstream channels such as ESPN. More importantly, the development of competitive gaming as a sport has garnered attention on a collegiate level. Fairfield University has taken its first steps toward building a program here on campus, especially after finishing construction of the Gaming Lab in the RecPlex last summer. Members of the gaming club could now meet in person and play on cutting edge technology. President of the Gaming Club, Eryiel Mascardo ‘21, helped to give a little more insight on just how much the program has changed in a few years. “When I was a freshman, the gaming club wasn’t running,” said Mascardo. “The program was reinstated my sophomore year.” When she became president this year, she not only fulfilled her duties towards the casual players, but ended up shouldering new responsibilities for Esports. Mascardo advises recruitment, creates practice dates, puts together competitive teams, and sees herself as a general liaison between Fairfield and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. “The Esports program started a year ago,” she recounts, “but it didn’t really take off until this year.” The program, like many others, had its fair share of struggles with COVID. Recruiting others has become more difficult with restrictions and possible members going
remote. Luckily, practices already utilize technology and many teams have been able to set up scrimmages with other schools to practice. The program has gained attention outside of campus as well. “A lot of organizations have been reaching out to me and asking if we can compete in tournaments,” said Mascardo. Other schools hoping to get into the Esports world have even reached out. “I definitely know one university has reached out to us and asked what kind of hardware we use. There is a wide range of universities in the Esports scene.” Fairfield has a number of teams for games such as Overwatch, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros, League of Legends and FIFA. The Rocket League team grabbed a big win with a 3-1 victory over Marist College in the finals of the MAAC Invitational in early February. This six-team tournament included Siena College, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University and Rider University as well. This victory was something that William Duffy ‘23, Matthew Baker ‘24 and Samuel Martin ‘24 were all chasing. This was the result of months of hard work they had been putting in since the fall after falling short in other tournaments. “We started playing back in November for the EGF tournaments and then ended up losing to DePaul in a MAAC and Big East event,” said Baker. “This was the first tournament where we pushed it and ended with the win.” Before this, the team struggled against Marist whenever they would face
them. They had been playing against similarly matched competition and found themselves stuck. “It wasn’t until we were scrimming against higher level teams that we improved,” said Baker. “It helped to fix some of the communication errors we were having.” With such a young team, the building of relationships and strengthening of teamwork would take time. “Marist has been playing for much longer than we have,” said Martin. “Maybe by about a whole year or two.” They were eager for more as winning
helps the team to get a spot in the college tournaments. The higher you climb the division, the more eyes you’ll get on your team and in the livestreams. Duffy expressed this hope to grow the audience both on and off of Fairfield’s campus as more opportunities present themselves in the EGF and beyond. Students on campus can view these EGF tournaments online and tournaments of other games using the events tab on Life@ Fairfield, searching egf.gg, or going to twitch. tv/officialegf.
Photo Courtesy of Fairfield University Website
Students practice in the Esports lab
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Opinion
THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
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Fairfield Student States Overbearing COVID Restrictions Wreck Nightlife By Brittany Misiora Contributing Writer
The emergence of the Coronavirus pandemic in March of 2020 can definitely be described as the ultimate college experience destroyer for everyone living at a university. Being stripped of friends, living in the dorm and our entire second semester was one of the most devastating experiences that many of us have ever lived through. Finding out the news that Fairfield University was opening back up for business in the fall was by far the most exciting news my friends and I had heard in a long time. Although being sent back to Fairfield was a gift from God, the overall college experience and nightlife scene has definitely taken a turn for the worst, making weekend plans both difficult to find and plan. For first-years especially, the idea of being confined to a small group of people, makes the thought of finding new friends daunting and seemingly impossible. Moving into Koska Hall in the fall, with my best friends as roommates, was the best way possible to start off the first semester. Hanging up our strip lights, putting on a cute outfit and then thinking, “wait where are we gonna hang out?” With all the new COVID regulations in place, the overall worst part was the fear of getting caught by Resident Assistants in a dorm room with too many people. My friends and I heard of numerous people we know of getting caught with a large number of people and getting sent home the first weekend of college. The one word to describe nightlife at Fairfield is: different. Compared to last year when students would walk in herds to the townhouses, meeting strangers on the way who then became our closest friends, this year has been kept to small friend groups hanging out, scared to turn on music. Not only does it limit meeting new friends and branching out, but friend groups are now forced to leave people out and are constantly in fear of getting written up. As COVID cases on campus have been going down slowly and are
now slim to none, the COVID regulations should also be slow going RA’s here at Fairfield are extremely nice and understanding. Being an RA is a hard decision because they know that they are going to away as well. Personally, I believe that the new COVID regulations in have to ruin the party. What my friends have learned is to first put place are too strict. Of course it is understandable that the Universi- on your mask when you open the door (RA’s always appreciate this and it makes the conversation ty wants to keep students safe and prevent large gatherings, go much more smoothly). The such as the parties at the townhouses and The Point, howsecond tip to remember is not ever not letting a friend group of fifteen people hang out, to lie. RA’s know that there are is overbearing and ridiculous. My friends and I are cona lot of people in your room, stantly seeing the same people everyday, and although we so quickly and respectfully love each other, meeting new people is the best part of listen to their requests and college. When every weekend consists of the same peomost likely there will not be ple in the same couple of rooms it is repetitive and soon harsh consequences. becomes boring. Fairfield University At one point in the first semester, there was a “curhas done a tremendous job few” of 11:00 p.m. in the dorm rooms. Our two neighat allowing students to return bors were over and we were hanging out, when we got back to school and trying a knock on the door. The RA’s said they had heard “guy to keep things as normal as voices” and they needed to leave. Despite the fact that possible. However, with that there were only five people in our room and they lived being said, there has been an about two steps across the hall, yet they had to give them enormous amount of restrictheir Stag Card information which could affect their stations placed upon students tus on their sports team, and leave, felt insane. and nightlife here at Fairfield. For the price that students here at Fairfield are While the prevention of very paying, students should not have fear of getting kicked large gatherings is underout for the rest of the semester if they are caught in too standable, the University has large of a group. Of course, if over thirty people are to understand that students packed into a dorm room, the RA’s should kick people living on campus are payout, however if it is small enough (around ten to fifCreative Commons/ Fairfield University ing an astronomical amount teen people), I feel they should be more lenient and of money that should allow understanding that kids in college want to hang out them to make their own deand should be allowed to. Although I feel as if the COVID regulations are too strict cisions regarding who and where they hang out at night. Fairfield and RA’s can be overbearing there are a few key things to remember should allow students more freedom in their nightlife choices, conwhen you are interacting with them. Overall, the best way to avoid sidering they are the reason why Fairfield is such an amazing school unnecessary conflict is to have respect for them. Most of the time, because they are the student body.
Movie Industry Deserves its Chance to Bounce Back By Pedro Garcia Contributing Writer
With the COVID-19 pandemic on the way to completing its first year, things are starting to look a bit more hopeful on the entertainment side of things. Fans have begun to return to sporting events, bars and restaurants are welcoming patrons, and little by little, the feeling of communal joy is making its way back into people’s lives. And yet something feels missing. As more and more numbers are being allowed into these venues, movie theatres across the country remain shockingly empty. Why such a disparity? Many places have come up with new, innovative ways to operate during the pandemic, and all the while theatres have been crushed by Creative Commons/ The New York Times regulations. After a year-long hiatus for the movie-going experience, the movies are deserving of a true push to bring back normalcy. From the very beginning of the pandemic, everyone from casual fans to market economists saw trouble ahead for those on the side of the movie industry. The moment the pandemic began to ramp up throughout the states, it was practically a foregone conclusion that the coronavirus would mark the end for not just 2020’s movie slate, but perhaps the theatre industry at large. Whether it be smaller hometown theatres or the massive conglomerate AMC theatres, movie theatres across the world have been left to sink or swim with seemingly little to no assistance by state and local governments. Stocks plummeted, theatres closed and for many, seats remain empty. Coming off of the record-setting year that was 2019, which was packed with blockbusters like “Avengers: Endgame,” “The Lion King,” “Frozen II,” “Star Wars,” “Joker” and “Spider-Man,” it is striking to realize just how much movie fans have missed in the last year. For many, the movies had been a traditional hallmark of week-to-week entertainment. Like with most forms of art, theatres were a perfect common place for friends, families and strangers alike to gather and socialize with every new major release. Without theatres to go to, many people have had to resort to heavy droughts in any form of fresh entertainment content. And the fans and theatres are not the only ones who have suffered. Movies like “Black Widow,” “Fast and Furious 9” and “A Quiet Place II” have all been battered around from release date to
release date, causing upwards of hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue for movie studios. In one COVID-19 related debacle, the studio behind the upcoming James Bond film “No Time To Die” was forced to consider undergoing extensive reshoots just to update the product placement found within the film (specifically certain alcoholic beverages, car models and smartphone models). But despite these studio’s woes, everything is not all bad from the business perspective. With Netflix’s growing dominance left unhindered by the virus, 2020’s lack of movie theatres provided a massive paradigm shift towards the new wave — the streaming market. From the older tentpoles like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, to new heavy hitters like Disney+, HBOMax and Peacock, many movie studios have turned to the streaming industry as their saving grace moving forward. While in the short term this creates a much-needed boost in entertainment for casual consumers who have been waiting for new content to release, the growing shift towards the streaming market does present an interesting question for movie theatres going forward: is streaming meant to coexist with theatres, or “kill off ” the movie-going experience? This struggle is only growing with time. The most prominent example that has arisen is the fight with streaming service HBOMax’s new “Same Day Premieres'' — a new deal that makes it so every single upcoming Warner Bros. movie releases both in theatres as well as on the service on the same exact day. This includes everything from invigorating dramas like the recently released “The Little Things” starring Denzel Washington, to family flicks like “Tom & Jerry,” to massive blockbusters like “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “The Suicide Squad” and the upcoming sequel in the Matrix franchise. While the decision to go through with this came as a surprise to movie fans, it also came as a surprise to the directors and producers behind said movies. Many who had worked on these films presuming that they would be released in theatres were completely blindsided by WarnerMedia’s decision to release their film to streaming. One person who took harshly to this move was iconic director Christopher Nolan of “The Dark Knight” trilogy, as well as fan favorites like “Inception,” “Interstellar” and “The Prestige.” In a scathing statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan remarked “Some of our industry’s biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service”. While some may view Nolan’s words as being overly critical of the user-friendly decision, his statement is not without merit. For the many people who care deeply about the movie theatre industry and wish for things to go back to normal, the move towards streaming services acts as a direct diminution of any progress being attempted on behalf of the theatre industry. With nationwide COVID rates slowly but surely progressing towards a manageable number, coupled with the increased mobilization and application of vaccines, it is not too far-fetched to see a world where movie theatres are at least an option. Like with most pandemic-related issues, there is definitely a tightrope walked when it comes to bringing theatres back to their old glory. But with bowling alleys, shopping malls and other recreational facilities available, it is safe to say that movie theatres deserve a chance to bounce back. In the coming months, hopefully theatres can receive the resources and regulations needed to reopen in a way that is safe and acceptable. Because for many people, including myself, there cannot truly be a return to “normal” without a bag of popcorn, a blockbuster movie and a theatre full of joyful people. Creative Commons/ Free SVG
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
Opinion
Put Public Shaming To Rest in the Midst of COVID-19 By Jessica Colloca Contributing Writer As we approach the one-year mark of when we were all first introduced to the ideas of social distancing, quarantining, and remote learning, many people are tired of the COVID-19 restrictions and wondering how on Earth our case numbers are still rising while other nations are seemingly corona-free. It is only natural to want to blame the rising case numbers on certain individuals; everyone wants the world to return to the time before facemasks and Zoom school, but public shaming and condemning individuals is not the right way to put an end to the pandemic. Diana Duong, a journalist for CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) news, acknowledges that public shaming is not a new response to public health crises. Anti-smoking campaigns often use shaming messages to inspire smokers to break their habit, and many brands have done this successfully, like the truth initiative. However, in other instances like obesity, HIV or fetal alcohol syndrome, the outcome is often worse for individuals as a result of shaming. Many people will try to deal with their health issues in isolation to avoid being ridiculed, which could lead to other problems like stress, depression or substance abuse. In an article by The New Yorker, Jennifer Jacquet, a professor at New York University, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has opened up, “a lot of opportunity with shaming.” Online shaming and “cancel culture,” have become extremely popular during the last year, and that can be attributed
to the countless screenshots, videos and photos posted online of people ignoring public health guidelines. Every week we see a new video of someone refusing to put on a mask while walking around in a store or photos of celebrities throwing parties without a single mask in view. Although this infuriates people, and some may think these people deserve to be shamed for putting others’ lives at risk, condemning individuals online may deter them from contributing positively to their community later on. According to the same article written by Diana Duong, Ian Culbert who is an executive director of the Canadian Public Health Association agrees, stating that when public shaming begins, “it makes the person feel inadequate or like they’ve failed at something, and therefore takes away their incentive or sometimes even their ability to make a change for the better.” With more shaming of those who contract COVID-19 comes less transparency about the path of the virus, ultimately affecting the tracing process and putting more people at risk. According to this same article once again, Steve Joordens, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough, claims, “What we want to do is convince them [the public] to want to do the right thing, so we want to strengthen any tendency they might have to do what we’re all doing and be like us, rather than draw a separation between ‘us’ and ‘them.’” Creating a division in communities does nothing to achieve the universal goal of ending the pandemic for everyone. Dr. Hertzmark, a professor here at Fairfield University in
the health studies department, agrees with Joordens. She says, “I think in most instances, public shaming creates anger and confrontation forcing people to get defensive which shuts down all lines of communication.” People live in fear of what will happen to them or their family if they get sick. Defensiveness is warranted, and everyone has a right to express their emotions, so we mustn’t suppress others’ feelings in an attempt to coerce others to follow regulations. (To read full article visit www.fairfieldmirror.com)
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Texas Shows Need for Government Prioritization of Climate Change By Kaitlyn Drake Staff Writer
Though Americans have been taking action to help Texas in the aftermath of this catastrophic snowstorm, none of the citizens, nor the government, were prepared for it in any manner. As of February 21, approximately 70 people have died from hypothermia, and many more must figure out how to pay the cost of high energy bills and maintenance issues, as well as how to get basic needs like food and clean water. Luckily, the federal government swiftly reacted with a major disaster declaration, which approves up to five million dollars to be allocated to the issue. Help has also arrived from donations to mutual aid organizations. Though we are seeing a new spirit of unity to help Texas, the aftermath of this storm is indicative of much larger issues. Though the disaster was a snowstorm, scientists have proven that the colder weather is a result of climate change. Snow is clearly not warm, but what happened in Texas is categorized as an extreme weather event due to “Arctic amplification,” which means the effects of global warming in the Arctic regions are “disrupting long-established climatic systems.” Essentially, the cold air from the Arctic has migrated south and into the United States, leading to the dramatic change in TexCreative Commons/ The Texas Observer as’s weather. Another thing to note is that, according to National Centers for Environmental Information, weather is not the same as climate: the former is a short term condition of the atmosphere, while the latter is a long established pattern of those conditions. Instead of weakening the argument for climate change, the events in Texas are further proving the disastrous effects of the acceleration of climate change. The question then becomes what we should do to make sure this does not happen again, at least on this large of a scale. According to climate scientists, the first thing we should do is recognize the looming threat of climate change as closer than we think. The amount of disinformation on the Internet regarding climate change spreads rapidly, and it is our responsibility to educate ourselves and others on these issues with research and facts. It does not take a STEM major to recognize and understand the evidence of climate change on a basic level - a simple Google search for credible
Editorial Board "Flipped Classroom Model? No thanks!" Molly Lamendola Editor-in-Chief
It took me quite a while to figure out what I wanted to write my first Editorial Board piece on. I now have a little post-it note on my desk of “Things I Have Opinions On.” But, there’s one point that stood out amongst all else, one thing that I truly believe is a problem at Fairfield University and has intensified due to the pandemic. Let’s talk about the “Flipped Classroom Model.” For those who aren’t aware of the latest teaching trends, the flipped classroom model’s intention is to “flip” the classroom. Meaning, that students are to spend time outside of the classroom learning the material, and then attend class to put it in practice. Its intention is to not waste classroom time through instructional material, but to allow the students more time to work through it and test their knowledge of the subject. This model’s use has increased slightly, as many probably see the significant benefits it provides. According to one study, the researchers discovered, “the average benefit of learning in a flipped classroom was similar to getting a 586 on a standardized math test when the average score is 550.” They state that it’s this additional active learning opportunity that gives students the leg up on their traditional classroom. It’s probably the support for the model, and the ease at which the flipped classroom is applied, that pushed many of my Fairfield professors to apply it to their own class. In college, this usually means, pages of reading and additional lectures in preparation for a class discussion on the material. I suppose my professors do it because they don’t want to waste classroom time on lectures, but I feel as though I came to college to attend
sources, such as National Geographic and other scientific magazines, will do. Once many of us realize the precarious conditions of the world we live in, it becomes time to make tangible changes. Because climate change is a global challenge, it is safe to assume that there must be a larger contributor to the substantial differences in our atmospheric conditions other than our personal selves. This assumption has been explored and proven by scientists for decades. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has found that greenhouse gas emissions, which are composed of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases, have been linked to the usage of fossil fuels, coal, natural gases, and the destruction of our ecosystems, including deforestation. The wide scale usage of these resources is a product of our current economic institutions. Industries like transportation, agriculture, heat, manufacturing and meat production are all part of the top 10 contributors to global warming, according to CNN. Landfills, burning and gas flares are also prime contributors to this issue. This means that, even though we are told that we can do something about climate change in our personal lives, global warming is a much larger issue perpetuated by corporate manufacturing and the federal government’s poor regulation of them. Though I personally wish to be more sustainable (i.e. my choice to become a vegetarian) the best things we can do is to advocate for change on a larger scale. Pressuring the true contributors of climate change will force them to adapt to our new way of life that they forced us into. As for Texas, this catastrophe shows us that we must allocate our resources properly. For over ten years now, there have been calls for infrastructural remodeling in Texas, which have been ignored time and time again. Money is needed to remodel the systems we have in place, and considering the silver linings, this snowstorm is a chance for United States officials to reconsider their priorities. On our own ends, Rolling Stone writer Claire Shaffer suggests donating to mutual aid funds, which has shown to be an effective way to combat the issue and help those in need without flying down to the state directly. These funds offer a variety of different relief programs to support and are a way for people to take political and economic action in a way that is feasible for them. Whether it be just one dollar or one hundred dollars, donations to mutual aid go a long way. The crisis in Texas has shown us that the government needs to not only take responsibility for climate change (which America is the second largest contributor to, behind China, where much of our manufacturing is done anyway), but also for adapting to the new conditions that have arisen as a result of climate change. The federal government must support a rebuilding of the infrastructure and other systems that are no longer working to protect its citizens, and perhaps the entire world.
lectures. I have these professors with Masters Degrees and Doctorates who now act as moderators in a discussion instead of providing their insight into a discussion. I spend hours and hours preparing for class just to listen to sit and have everyone go around the circle and say their favorite part of the reading. Is this what’s truly going to be beneficial to me? To cause me the confidence to say I learned something after college? I truly don’t think so, I do not believe I learn anything from a flipped classroom model, nor do I think it’s an inclusive model for students from all backgrounds. Though a flipped classroom model might work in a high school or elementary school, university professors have to understand that we as students signed up for a specific amount of hours of classes. I personally am taking 15 credit hours this semester. Though, of course, I penciled in time for homework or studying after class, I filled the rest of my free time with activities and jobs. I know of Fairfield students working two jobs while attending school just to afford the tuition or help their parents pay the bills. And like me, they of course set aside extra time for homework and assignments for classes, that’s just part of the deal. But, the flipped classroom model doubles or nearly triples the workload of a normal semester. I find myself spending hours at my desk, reading hundreds of pages of reading or watching hours of additional content, just to sit in class for an hour and 15 minutes of no further application. The consensus around my peers is that it feels as though the flipped classroom model is taking the workload away from the professors and dumping it on the already stressed and overwhelmed student.
Part of the issue here is though my professors like to throw out the word “flipped classroom” they often are not using it the way it’s intended to be used. David C.D. van Alten, a researcher on flipped classrooms states that using long, pre-recorded lectures is a “bad flip.” Which is how, nearly all professors I’ve heard using the flipped classroom model, flip their classes. Alten says that a true flipped classroom needs interactive, multimedia materials and additional quizzes to truly make it worth it. He goes on to say that this is an expensive and timely model, and thus would recommend only teams of teachers attempting it. Even further research shows that though on the surface, this model has shown to have benefits, there just hasn't been as much research into the negative effects. The research into flipped classroom’s disadvantages has shown that there’s a possibility that the model does what I was worried about it doing. A 2019 study into how West Point students benefited from the flipped classroom model found that not only was there “no long term average effects on student learning” but the model only “broadened the achievement gap” with the white, male and higher achieving students at the top. Though I do respect my professors for attempting to find a classroom setup that seeks to increase our learning, and allow us to interact with the material in a different way, I truly do not see the benefits in the flipped classroom instruction. I think that we need to work to find something that though increases our understanding of the material, doesn’t overburden students with material and is accessible for all students in the classroom. Creative Commons/Equally Wed
THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
The Vine
By Tomas Di Leo Contributing Writer To say the least, it has been a difficult year for all of us. We are now quickly approaching the one-year anniversary that will mark the beginning of this global pandemic. A year whose hallmark has been the depletion of human intimacy across the globe. A year that has seen many of us spend much of our free time behind closed doors and suffocating masks. As such, we have been given two options: seclude ourselves indoors from the rest of humanity or connect with our peers through our eyes alone. So, we may ask ourselves, how can we surpass this colossal hurdle? How can we express ourselves using only our eyes? It may seem daunting at first, but the human species is an adaptable one, capable of overcoming any hurdle that stands in our way. You could start by accentuating your reactions by using your eyes. If you find yourself with someone who’s telling a heart-wrenching story, show them your sorrow with a melancholic glaze. When a person speaks to you about an incredible adventure filled with the most captivating narrative, express your interest with an intense stare filled with anticipation. If you’re feeling artsy, you may even want to use
your face as the canvas for your emotions. While a mask blocks you from expressing your feelings, the right colors will substitute this nicely. When you wake up feeling sleepy and apathetic, it’ll be good to put on makeup using dark and foreboding colors. Perhaps you do extremely well on a test that had you worried sick the entire night before. You could quickly head back to your dorm and apply some bright colors that signal your pleasant surprise. Maybe you had a fight with a friend about a topic you’re both passionate about. Use red, orange and yellow to show the blaze of anger that swells deeply within your soul. If you find that the examples I have given don’t fit your range of emotions, then choose whatever color you desire. In the end, it doesn’t matter what colors you choose as long as they display who you are and how you are feeling at that moment. Colored contacts are another method in which you can use colors to display your emotions. Let’s say that it’s a muggy and rainy Connecticut afternoon, and it just so happens that this rain comes just as you were about to head to the beach with your friends. Pe r h ap s a blind f u r y en-
By Tatiana Ryan Contributing Writer In 2015, 13-year-old Billie Eilish released a song called “Ocean Eyes” on SoundCloud that was co-written and produced by her older brother, Finneas O’Connell. Over 200,000 accounts heard “Ocean Eyes” in a mere two weeks. In 2017, she released her first EP, “Don’t Smile at Me,” which made it to no. 14 on the Billboard 200. But it was her debut album, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” released March 2019, that truthfully catapulted Eilish into stardom. The album debuted at no.1 on the Billboard 200 and earned Eilish five Grammy wins in 2019, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist, making her the youngest artist and first woman to ever win the four main Grammy categories in the same year. Billie Eilish’s documentary, “The World’s A Little Blurry,” directed by R.J. Cutler was released on February 25, 2021, on AppleTV. The two-hour and twentyminute long documentary dives into every aspect of the making of her debut album, the touring that comes after and everything in between. The film takes us into the very mundane home Eilish shares with her brother, mother and father. Her brother Finneas is an integral part of Eilish’s music process, from co-writing to producing to mixing and mastering. The album was made entirely in Finneas’ bedroom, show-
ing the siblings’ dynamic of complementing the other perfectly. The film paints Eilish in a very candid light: a young adult who struggles with not wanting to mess-up, not feeling good enough and trying her best to manage her newfound fame. The most mesmerizing part of the documentary is how often you’re reminded and simultaneously forget that she is only 17 years old accomplishing everything she is doing. You’re seeing her write and record the new James Bond theme song, while also dealing with injuries, exhaustion and having her friends around. Performing sold-out shows in New York City while also trying to move on from a break-up, Billie Eilish continued to surprise and impress people with her maturity and normalcy at accomplishing everything she wanted to achieve. The part of music Eilish loves the most is singing, and the documentary deeply features her breathtaking vocal ability that has been the most looked over. Her talent for harmonizing, her ability to somehow never be pitchy or off-key and the way her voice moves with the rhythm of her songs. The documentary goes into the ‘behind the scenes’ of the making of most songs on the album. The everyday sounds are hidden in “Bad Guy,” the debate about Billie’s honesty in “Listen Before I Go” and the raw harmo-
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gulfs you, so you may choose the red-colored contacts. Maybe you are a shy, well-tempered person who is saddened by the cancelation of the beach session. You may want to choose melancholy colors to reflect your sorrow. Or, on the off chance that you actually didn’t want to go, you can choose colored contacts which reflect your genuine relief at the cancellation. In all honesty, it is completely fine to think that all the options I have given you are ridiculous. I don’t expect people to play Vincent van Gogh with their face or go out of their way to purchase the entire color spectrum of colored contacts. I would rather this serve as a living example of how ridiculous the time we are living in actually is. To think we would be pushed so far away from each other that we even have to contemplate these alternate methods of facilitating human connection is incredible. Feel free to joke about this ridiculous paper, but I also hope that you use it as a reminder. A reminder that we are living in a ridiculous time that has pushed each and every one of us to the brink. A reminder that despite the restrictions, there are still ways to connect and confide in others. Most importantly, let this be a reminder to go meet and talk with your friends. Go check up on how they’re doing and allow them to check up on you.
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nies between her and Finneas in “I Love You.” It was stunning to see the creation process of an album everybody knows but had no idea what went into it to make it. Whatever it is that you know or don’t know about Billie Eilish, the film takes you into parts of her life nobody has seen before. From breaking up with a boyfriend nobody knew she had, to her getting her learner’s permit, to injuring her ankles from
jumping too much on stage, it shares her experiences in the different stages of her life. As she finishes a tour, she goes straight to performing a full set at Coachella in a matter of days. Eilish shines in her unfiltered mentality with the way she approaches every aspect of her career. This documentary reaffirmed to everyone watching that Billie Eilish has earned her place in the spotlight, and all of her best is still yet to come.
Eilish poses for the cover of her album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”
THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
The Vine
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By Anwen Su Contributing Writer During the bleak, cold days of winter in New England, many of us experience some degree of seasonal depression. Fewer hours of daylight make it feel like it’s bedtime long before your night even begins. The weather is so raw and desolate most days that you avoid all contact with the outside world, including leaving your room to get food if you’re like me and privileged enough to have a room with a kitchen. And on top of all that, we’re almost a year into a global pandemic, which only worsens the negative effects seasonal depression has on our mood and mental health. But fear not! While I may not be able to snap my fingers and make the pandemic or the winter go away, I can offer a nice selection of mood boosters and outlets—whichever you need most at this moment—to help you through these trying times. It may be the last thing on your mind when you’re feeling low, but try to get some sunlight if you can. Even a quick brisk walk outside to grab lunch or say hi to a friend can drastically reduce the slump of cabin fever. If the weather isn’t looking so nice, or you just really, really hate the cold like I do, try to brighten up your room a little. I am a grateful owner of a moon lamp, but I have recently discovered that there is also such a thing as a sun lamp, a brilliant ball of luminous golden light that mimics that special star at the center of our very own Solar System. If you find yourself feeling blue after dark, you might want to invest in one of these magic little serotonin boosters. One thing you can do any time of day to boost your energy is get some exercise. Pick whatever activity you like! I personally enjoy working out in the comfort of my own room. It’s easily accessible, and you have a lot more options than you may think, even without all that fancy equipment. Some days I’m antsy from spending hours sitting at my desk and need to sweat it out. Other days I’m feeling overwhelmed and opt for more gentle movement. No matter my pre - e xe rc i s e mood, though, I always experience a surge of energy and feel less brain-foggy post-exercise. So, I can declare this mood booster tried and true! Whether you’re moving your body or just chilling on your bed, music is a wonderful addition to your activity and also great as a standalone Photo courtesy of @theorginalmoon- one. Sometimes we are
Pexels so busy that we bottle up our emotions so we can get on with our day. Music can help bring those feelings to the surface and allow us to process them. If you play an instrument, sing or maybe even create your own music, music is a great outlet for any tension and pent-up emotions you may be holding on to. I’m very thankful for my training in classical singing—it’s a workout all on its own and forces me to actually slow down and breathe for once. But you don’t have to create music to reap its soul-soothing benefits. Simply put in those earphones and get listening! This last suggestion won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Still, as contributing author for The Mirror and an eager student of creative fiction, I would be remiss if I did not include writing on this list of serotonin boosters. It is so healing for me to escape into another world for a while, especially when it’s one I have created. Sometimes writing down new story ideas brings up emotions I didn’t even know I was feeling. If you’re a songwriter, then you can smash two items on this list with one stone. If fiction isn’t your favorite focus and songwriting isn’t your jam, then try journaling. Our thoughts and feelings can sometimes be so jumbled that they seem impossible. Physically writing them down can help us process them. You have all the freedom in the world with this tactic. Journaling can be organized, but it also doesn’t have to make sense at all. So go ahead, jot it down. Let it out. I guarantee you will feel so much lighter. That’s all I’ve got for now. Do you have a go-to mood booster that didn’t make it onto this list?
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By Brooke Lathe Vine Editor Usually when it comes to Oreos, the most popular question asked is: cream or cookie? But have you ever taken the time to truly think about what your go-to flavor says about you? You’re standing in the supermarket’s fully stocked isle of Oreo cookies, and you instantly choose a specific taste. Why that one? Well, I’m here to tell you! If you automatically reach for the original flavor of Oreos, you’re a minimalist. You like the simplicity of decorations, organization, tastes and more. You may also crave a certain nostalgic feel this type of cookie gives you, whether it’s from your childhood or a fond memory. That or you might just be basic and a picky eater. For my mint Oreo lovers, you are confident. You love to speak up in a crowd and voice your own opinions. When in time of need, you are not afraid to ask others questions or for help. I also feel like every mint
fanatic spends a decent amount of time in their day to make sure their appearance is up to their internal standards. Red velvet Oreo fans are definitely very dramatic people. You crave attention when it is not given and overreact during conversations or arguments. When you are driving, you also aggressively yell at people in the other cars and take advantage of the fact that the drivers near you can’t hear. If you are an introvert and prefer reading while snuggled up in bed rather than going to a party, your favorite Oreo flavor is hazelnut. You mind your business, but you’re also a great listener if your friends need to rant to you. You keep secrets well and enjoy alone time. As a java chip enthusiast, you are a fireball. You are super energetic, chaotic, and rowdy. You enjoy doing high-energy activities like going to an amusement park, rolling skating, or running. Even more so, you have one of the biggest and brightest smiles! Only children or children at heart pick the birthday cake flavor Oreo. You have a great sense of humor and make everyone around you laugh. You’re a very goofy and were probably voted class clown. A birthday cake admirer also likes to have fun and rarely overthinks or stresses. Chocolate fans are usually very nurturing people. If this chocolate cookie on the chocolate cream combo is for you, you’re probably a really good hugger and caretaker. You’re the ‘mom friend’ of the
group where you double-check if everyone is safe and has their belongings. Carrot cake Oreos are the way to an old souls’ heart. They enjoy sitting in rocking chairs in the summer and taking in the nice weather. If you are this person, you are very wise and appreciate deep conversations with friends where you share experiences and advice. If you are adventurous, you most likely choose the caramel coconut Oreos. You’re a risk-taker and sometimes react too quickly when making a decision. Other than that, you also spend most of your time at the
beach or outdoors. Lemon Oreo lovers are 100 percent in tune with their bodies. They have a deep, calm and pure soul. If this is you, you probably also enjoy yoga, meditation, and picking fruit in the summer. The reason why you choose a particular type of Oreo may not have been something you have questioned before, but I guarantee that all of these explanations translated your cravings perfectly. However, whether you’re a java chip fiend or a caramel coconut devotee, there is no argument that every Oreo flavor is absolutely delicious.
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
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By Grace Williams Contributing Writer With almost two months under our belt in this new year of 2021, it’s no secret that some resolutions, particularly the fitness and health ones, have certainly not held up for everyone. Maybe some intended solutions haven’t even been put into effect yet. There is no need to worry; there is no time like the present to start working towards a healthier lifestyle if you’re still in the mood! With bathing suit season just around the corner, now is an even better time to kickstart that resolution and get your health grind on. There are so many trendy health fads that are circulating the internet and different social media platforms. Whether it be exercises, recipes, or any other type of health advice, the internet has us covered. The 12-3-30 challenge falls into the exercise category and is one of the most popular trends that has been buzzing around the internet. Influencer, Lauren Giraldo, brought attention to this trend through her TikTok platform a few months back. The idea is to put the incline on your treadmill to 12 while having a speed of three miles per hour and walking this for a timeframe of 30 minutes. This particular workout absolutely works as it has helped many people lose weight (even up to 30 pounds)! This exercise also spices up the gym routine and makes the treadmill a little bit more bearable. It is a great workout for the legs, glutes and of course, a total calorie burner. The 12-3-30 challenge is definitely worth the try. In terms of eating habits or diets, there are many fad trends out there on the internet that people may be intrigued to try. Intermittent fasting has been a popular one for a while now. What’s good about this trend is that there are many different methods and ways to complete this form of dieting. Research shows that there are, in fact, six popular ways to do intermittent fasting, and we are going to go through a few of them right here: The first method is the 16:8 method which is for sure one of the simpler and more effective ones. This method involves fasting for 14-16 hours and having your eating window be from eight to ten hours a day. Typically, two to three meals can be fit into this window, so this method isn’t a
By Lauren Gasek Contributing Writer It has been almost a year since we were sent home from campus because of the pandemic, and sent into quarantine for months and months. It was hard to not see friends and family members, but, on a positive note, quarantine gave us more free time than ever to start a new hobby or dig deeper into something that interests us. In my free time, I am always on Spotify scavenging for new music. So, this past year I have found several ways to find new music that I love on Spotify (sorry Apple Music users), and I thought I would share some of my tips and tricks for anyone who is currently stuck in a music rut. The high points of my week are Mondays and Fridays because of the two personalized playlists that are released on those days: Discover Weekly and Release Radar on “New Music Friday.” These playlists are available to all Spotify users under the “Made For You” tab within “Discover New Music.” They are tailored to you based on what you listen to day-to-day and your liked songs. Tip: liking songs and following artists that even remotely catch your attention help to perfect these playlists every week. Discover Weekly consists of songs from new, up-and-coming artists that sound like what you’ve been listening to lately. I also love
huge adjustment from actual daily eating. An example of how this method works would be if you finish a meal at eight p.m. and do not eat until noon the next day, then you will have fasted for 16 hours and can begin to eat within your eight to ten-hour window. You can drink water, coffee and other zero-calorie drinks while participating in this fast, which can also help reduce some hunger you may have. Next is the 5:2 diet, which involves eating normally five days a week and then restricting your calorie intake from 500-600 calories a day for two days of the week. An example of how this diet could work is that you normally eat every day of the week except for Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, women would eat 500 calories within the day, containing two small meals, while men would consume 600 calories within those days. This is
this personalized playlist because listening to these new artists and their music through Discover Weekly helps to get them noticed and gain more of a following. Your Release Radar playlist consists of music from each New Music Friday from more well-known or popular artists that you follow or listen to frequently. New Music Friday is also its own playlist that consists of various types of music that have been released that Friday or in the past week. My favorites from this week are Post Malone’s cover of “Only Wanna Be With You”, “Roots” by Cautious Clay, “It Takes Two” by Fiji Blue and “Dream No More” by Billy Davis, Ruel and Genesis Owusu! Another way to find new music is to exchange your finds with a friend by making playlists for each other and updating them regularly. I have made so many playlists for my close friends filled with songs that remind me of them or songs that I think they would love. A lot of the songs that I put on these playlists are from my Discover Weekly and Release Radar playlists each week, and my friends and I have helped each other to find such great music and even our favorite artists today. My roommate Sheila and I have been putting new music on each others’ playlists for two years now, and we even have a collaborative “greatest hits” playlist that we both add our favorite song recommendations to from each
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certainly slightly more intensive than the 16:8 method. However, this proves beneficial for some people. The next and most challenging method is the Eat-Stop-Eat method of intermittent fasting. This method entails a total of 24 fastings either once or twice a week. An example of how this could work would be to finish dinner at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday night and then do not eat again until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday night. While participating in the 24 hour fast, you may drink water, coffee and other zero-calorie beverages. However, you may not eat any solid food. Then for the other five or six days of the week, you can eat normally. This method is clearly more challenging because of the full 24 hours of no eating. However, again, this works best for some people. All in all, intermittent fasting is without a doubt a huge health trend that has been circulating for years now. The 16:8 method is definitely the least intensive yet still effective. However, everyone reacts to different methods differently. Overall, if you are looking to slim down, any of these methods you feel most comfortable with will help you maintain that New Year resolution. To end this guide, Healthline has some great tips on their website for health and nutrition that will certainly help maintain one’s figure and guide you in your journey. A big one is to stay away from drinking sugar calories. It is proven that this will make you consume more calories while you’re eating, so stay away from the soda altogether. Next, and this is important, is not to be afraid of coffee. Coffee is actually very good for you and has some proven benefits to your health, such as high antioxidants and even reducing the risk of type two diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and many other diseases and illnesses. A final tip to leave you with, which is probably the most difficult, is to avoid bright lights before going to sleep. Yes, these means do not look at electronics right before bed. It has been proven that bright lights disrupt the body’s production of the hormone melatonin, which naturally causes us to fall asleep. Now with all of these tips and tricks, try to make these next months of 2021 count and start working towards that healthier place Pexels you’ve wanted to get to. Be the best version of yourself!
other’s. Collaborative playlists are another great way to get music recommendations from your friends. Make one and tell your friends to add songs to it for a get-together, adventure, party… I made one for a 13-hour road trip with some of my friends and it was awesome to listen to everyone’s music picks and find some new music along the way. I have also found several other playlists on Spotify through social media, specifically Instagram and Tiktok. Many of my favorite artists that I have found through my Discover Weekly playlist have gained a big following and are given opportunities from Spotify to curate a playlist, such as Ruel’s feature and picks on the Listen Local playlist this past month. These new artists are also notified when Spotify features them on their playlists (some playlists that I lis-
ten to are Front Left, Pollen, and Lorem) with similar artists, and these artists share the playlists on their Instagram stories. On Tiktok, I have found many users who share my same love of music and are just suckers for finding new music. I like to follow them and their playlists to see what they’ve been listening to. Some of these TikTokers are @arijelkins, @carlasinfiniteplaylist and @hahakcoolgtgbye. In general, I always seem to find good songs through TikTok audios on my For You page. I love helping others find new music and I hope this article will help you to find music for yourself and your friends too! My Spotify is @laurengasek17, feel free to give me a follow, check out my playlists or get a deeper look into my favorite music finds!
THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
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By Tyler Zikias Film Columnist It’s been 20 years since the release of “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first movie in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” and the fact that these movies aren’t talked about more is astonishing to me. “The Return of the King” ended up winning all 11 Oscars that it was nominated for, including Best Picture, so I still question why this trilogy has fallen out of mainstream consciousness among the film community. I had the chance to see the entire trilogy in IMAX over the last few weeks, and putting it very simply, they hold up remarkably well. If you haven’t yet seen these movies, let this article be your sign to start. They are all available to stream right now on HBO Max and are all essential viewing for any fan of movies. Quite frankly, these movies are the reason that I, and other film majors that I know, wanted to make movies in the first place. Peter Jackson has been able to create a world that feels authentic with its absurd use of practical effects, that make this trilogy stand out so much more than the modern franchise films. Those that have gone down the rabbit hole of relying on CGI and green screen. This is why these movies have aged so well. The locations, props, extras and in-camera trickery is all real and not being added in post-production. The film revolutionized helicopter shots as Andrew Lesnie’s excellent cinematography sweeps through the vibrant New Zealand landscapes. If there is any aspect of the film that is made infinitely more effective on the big screen, it is how
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real and immersive Middle-Earth is. The story itself and how it was adapted from Tolkien’s book is also a major selling point as the movies are loyal to their source material. The movies, all running three hours or longer in their original theatrical form, pack a dense runtime with an absurd amount of information that makes each film also feel interesting. To touch on the runtime, as it is the most used reason to not watch the films, it makes the experience feel so much more grand and epic. The runtime is definitely a tool that sucks you in and allows you to be a part of this world for three hours or more as opposed to just making the film longer. It also serves as a device to make the journey feel like a long expedition. I don’t think that the trilogy's resolution and the finale would be as impactful if the audience didn’t feel like they were with the characters for all of their highs and lows. However, for
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me, the element of the film that is by far the best, most realized and made me feel the most invested, is the characters that were excellently adapted to the screen. Each film gives each character their own amount of shine and chance to love them. My favorite character by far is Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) because of how much he grows and changes by the end of the series. In “The Fellowship of the Ring,” Sam is just along for the ride. He’s there to help Frodo (Elijah Wood) carry the One Ring to its destruction, but we don’t truly feel the impact of his character until the second film, “The Two Towers.” Here, we see Sam as the emotional anchor for Frodo. As the burden of the Ring starts to weigh onto Frodo even more, Sam is there to remind him of their purpose and how important it is to destroy the Ring. By the time we get to “The Return of the King,” Sam can be seen as quite literally the main character as he carries Frodo to the end goal. This type of development is present for just about every other character in the film, which is remarkable. “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is the best series of films of all time. Each film works so perfectly in conjunction with each other that it feels like one massive experience rather than three individual films. Each entry takes place immediately after the previous one ends, so there are no questions or time jumps when going into the next movie. It is easily the most engrossing and immersive series of films that completely changed the film industry to the levels of “Star Wars” and “The Matrix.” They are as “must watch” as a film can be. Grade: A+
By John Bizub Contributing Writer When it comes to movie theaters, many states have reopened cinemas to the public and added extra COVID-19 guidelines to ensure every customer feels safe and at ease while having a cinematic experience. Sure, there are no new releases, but theaters have had the bonus of showing classics to even mainstream films at a low price. Many theaters have decided to go with the streaming route of showing current and classic titles for a low price to beat their competitors. The big question on everyone’s mind is: when will New York City finally open its doors to the public? Well, we finally have an answer. New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, finally announced a specific date when theaters could finally open: March 5. Many large theater chains such as AMC, Cinemark, Regel, etc., are very excited about the reopening after the detrimental effects on their economy during the ongoing pandemic. While some are opening on the previously mentioned date, Independent film cinemas and forums are pushing it back by just a bit to make sure everyone is ready to go back to the movies and that they feel comfortable while maintaining COVID guidelines. The new guidelines do not include prior Coronavirus testing before heading into the theater, but they will only be opening the theaters for 50 percent max capacity of the audience. During the COVID-19 outbreak, theater chains were getting by on creating an “on-demand” streaming service, which allowed audiences to stream new and classic films at a low price. Again, there are no new releases this far. But, the theater chains have been very gratifying by giving people the chance to witness classics in a theater with a crowd for a low cost. It is not much, but it is slowly doing wonders for these chains. As you can see from this latest update, a sense of normalcy is slowly approaching. Movie theaters are ready to be opened in one of the world’s largest cities, which means AMC and other theater chains will not have to worry about how they will manage to stay afloat financially. Hopefully, these theater chains, both big and small, will make sure to take COVID-19 precautions very seriously since the virus is not over yet. They must take safety to be their number one priority!
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
Coffee Break
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COFFEE BREAK Editor: Tristan Cruz tristan.cruz@student.fairfield.edu
The Coffee Break Team has put together a word search consisting of different streaming services! Be sure to check back next week! If you would like to submit ideas for games and different word searches, DM us @FairfieldMirror on Twitter!
• • • • • • • • •
Netflix Hulu Amazon Prime Peacock Tubi HBOMax YouTube ABC Philo
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Vudu Apple TV Disney Freeform ESPN FuboTV CBS SlingTV Starz Showtime
Creative Commons / Pixabay
Puzzlemaker / Discovery Education
Applied Ethics Students Contemplate Morality of Syllabus By Nathan Schmidt
This week, students in an Applied Ethics course decided collectively to write about the morality of the course’s syllabus for their upcoming midterm assignment. The course, AETH 20139 Ethics of Party Fouls, is a new, highly flexible course where students are able to do whatever they want as long as they do not commit any wrongful gaffes. So far, none of them have actually written anything about party fouls. The course has also been known for attracting an upper crust of students from across multiple disciplines. It has focused on applying ethical theories to practical issues that affect every student, like partygoers getting destructively drunk on premises, or couples loudly going through breakups in the living room. But instead of focusing on their work, this semester’s class has focused instead on the work’s presentation. “I just don’t see why we have to have a midterm,” said Gerard Robespierre ‘22, while on a Zoom call and practicing his beer pong game with a Solo Cup perched on his pet cat’s head. “We already know the basics. Also, according to an ethic of deontology, where the moral good of an action can be found within that action, it’s better for us to not do a midterm than to do it badly.” Other students in the course shared similar opinions. Julia Somersell ‘21, cycling through different virtual backgrounds of underwater coral reefs on the same Zoom call as Gerard, said, “I think if we’re going to do a course like this, we should at least focus on the party fouls that matter. Biggest one: Syncing your phone to the stereo and playing, like, a Miley Cyrus album. I mean, what is this, 2012?” Philosophy professor Jerry Flamberge, who runs the course, had little to say about his students’ complaints. “Most of them will be beyond partying age anyway by the time Covid is over,” he commented over an alarmingly large coffee mug that later turned out to be filled with nothing but mocha frappuccino. “The important thing is getting a theoretical basis for sensibly tackling everyday issues in life, and then ignoring it and doing something that gets DPS involved.” Sources also indicate that the reason for the students’ lack of interest in party fouls is because none of them were getting invited to parties before the pandemic anyway.
r ape em p s h newheck t l a tiricre to c a s is a be su n o i at us, so n g Sta camp on t! ou
SPORTS Sports
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
Sports Editors: Julia Lanzillotta and Tommy Coppola >>julia.lanzillotta@student.fairfield.edu >>thomas.coppola@student.fairfield.edu
Upcoming This Week: Saturday, March 6th -Men's Golf MAAC Spring Kickoff, All day -Women's Tennis at Lehigh, 12 p.m.
Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk
Based on the vote of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s 10 head coaches, the Fairfield University women’s rowing team was ranked seventh in a preseason poll. Six out of the ten first place votes were handed to Marist College who were ranked first, and Iona College fell to last in the MAAC in terms of this poll. The women’s rowing team will depart to New Jersey on Sunday, May 16 to participate in the 2021 MAAC Championship, where they will compete with other conference teams to prove their ranking wrong and take home the championship title.
-Men's Tennis at Merrimack, 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 7th - Women's Volleyball vs. Rider, 12 p.m. & 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 9th -Field Hockey vs. Albany, 3 p.m. -Women's Soccer vs. Rider, 6 p.m. -Men's Basketball MAAC Championship TBA -Women's Basketball MAAC Championship TBA Wednesday, March 10th -Men's Basketball MAAC Championship TBA -Women's Basketball MAAC Championship TBA -Men's Lacrosse vs. Lafayette, 4 p.m.
Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk
Cross country runners at Fairfield University are not only committed to their respective sports, but their studies as well. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference put out their list of the runners who were able to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20 over two semesters. Both the men’s and the women’s team each had six runners added to the list, proving the resilience and effort that our Stags show day in and day out. The runners featured on the list from the men’s team are: Devin Flores ‘23, Nick Rispoli ‘21, James Vizzard ‘23, Pacifico Flores ‘23, Connor Secora ‘21 and Bryce Zapusek ‘23. For the women’s team, the runners listed are: Miranda Curto ‘23, Courtney Kitchen ‘23, Mia Melao ‘22, Jane Frawley ‘22, Rachel Martin ‘22 and Anna Weissenberg ‘23. Both the men’s and women’s cross country squads are gearing up for the 2021 MAAC Championship on Friday, March 5. The women’s team will race at 11:00 a.m. and the men’s team will follow right after at noon.
In this week's issue... - Men's Basketball Has History With Manhattan (Page 14) - Nicolini and Team Receive Preseason Accolades (Page 15) - Opinion: MLB Player Rankings Have Hits and Misses (Page 15) - Men's Lacrosse Captains Named (Page 16)
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
Men's Basketball Has History With Manhattan
Photo Courtesy of FairfieldStags.com Photo Courtesy of GoJaspers.com
The Fairfield University men's basketball team is schedule to play their last regular-season games against the Manhattan College Jaspers on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5.
By Julia Lanzillotta Head Sports Editor, Managing Editor On Thursday, March 4 at 6:00 p.m., the Fairfield University men’s basketball team will embark on their last road trip for the 2021 season. They are prepared to take on the Manhattan College Jaspers for a pair of games to round out conference play ahead of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship. The second game is slated for the following day on Friday, March 5 with tipoff at the same time as the day prior, scheduled for 6:00 p.m. The Stags last faced the Jaspers in regular-season play on March 6, 2020 in Riverdale, NY, and won 66-50. Their most recent matchup was on March 10, 2020 at the 2020 MAAC Championship tournament just before the Coronavirus halted play. The Stags lost that game 61-43, but the defeat was not reflective of the two teams’ history together. In fact, since January 29, 1997, the Stags and Jaspers have played each other a total of 46 times. Of those matches, the basketball programs have reached a stalemate, with an even tally in the wins and losses columns with 23 in each. Manhattan will look to break their two-game losing streak while Fairfield is poised to build on last week’s win against Canisius College. Of the last ten games, the Stags have gone 6-4. Additionally, in those last ten games
Weekly 4x5 Because we have witty things to say ...
Fairfield has marked a record of 2-3 for non-home games, and 4-1 for home games. This doesn’t necessarily bode well for the Stags, considering they’ll be playing at Manhattan’s Draddy Gymnasium, but the Stags have added a handful of fresh faces to the roster with the potential to rewrite history as a team that does as well on the road as they do in the familiar comfort of Fairfield, Conn. Manhattan sits in last place currently in the MAAC, just below Rider University with a 5-11 conference record and a 6-11 overall record. The Stags (6-10 MAAC, 6-15) are in a more desirable standing, in seventh place overall in the conference. In terms of Conference Championship titles, the Stags only have three, with the last being from over two decades ago in 1997. The Jaspers also have three Championship wins under their belt, but their victories were more recent, with the last one being in 2012. These final two games will be telling, going into the championship, but all-in-all they are sure to set the tone for what will be a challenging championship tournament to fight for a long sought-after ring. The Fairfield-Manhattan contests will be available to watch live, as they will be streamed on ESPN+ and ESPN3. The MAAC Championship will take place in Atlantic City, N.J. and will last from Monday, March 8 to Saturday, March 13.
Your 2020-2021 4x5 Columnists:
Julia Lanzillotta, Catherine Santangelo, Sheila McCombs and Molly Lamendola
What are your MAAC Basket- Do you prefer randomly seWhen do you think Alumni ball Championship prediclected testing, or weekly testing Hall will be done with contions? for all students? struction?
If you could renovate one building on campus, what would it be?
Should The Mirror office be moved to the Media Center, as considered by the University?
Iona will take it for the men’s side and Marist women’s basketball will win it all, mark my words.
Definitely weekly testing. Hopefully that’ll prevent the many outbreaks that we had on campus last semester.
It’s hard to guess considering they’ve barely started, but I’d say it won’t be done for at least a full two years from now.
Donnarumma Hall. As a CAS student, I am first to say that it is in desperate need of fixing.
Absolutely not. It is a studentrun newspaper, so where else is a better place to have it then in the hub of all student life: the BCC?
For men’s, Siena is taking it. Tommy Coppola For the women, Marist is a Assistant Sports lock. Editor
Weekly testing for sure. It’s basically a part of my weekly routine now.
Everyone’s been saying it’ll be ready by 2023, but at this point, who knows.
Regis Hall. It was built in the mid 1960s...seems like a pretty easy choice to me.
No way. It’s the voice of the students at Fairfield, just like FUSA and WVOF...it fits right in.
Rider Broncs, not a big fan of Molly Lamendola horses, but love an underdog. Editor-in-Chief
Weekly for sure.
2056.
McAuliffe would be so lovely all done up right. Gatsby party senior year baby!
Nope. Nice try everyone, we’re staying put.
Oh, definitely weekly!
I think like 2025 to be honest, it is a huge project!
Donnarumma and its lack of windows is actually shocking, and I hate having to go there all the time!
No way, we have to be where the people are and that means staying in the BCC!
Julia Lanzillotta Head Sports Editor
I have to say Iona for men’s and Rider for women’s! (I hate Sheila McCombs to disagree with both of the Executive Editor sports editors!)
Sports
THE MIRROR | Week of March 3, 2021
Page 15
Nicolini and Team Receive Preseason Accolades
Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk
Graduate student Manuela Nicolini has been an member of the volleyball team since 2016.
By Zachary Stevens Contributing Writer The Fairfield University volleyball team has been selected for the top spot in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll. The Stags are the defending MAAC champions, bringing back a strong team with a wide variety of talent. Individually, graduate student Manuela Nicolini, was named the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year after a stellar perfor-
mance in the fall of 2019. The setter has had a decorated career for the Stags, which includes three MAAC Championships, and rising to fourth place on the Stags' career charts with 3,052 assists. Nicolini was also named the MAAC Player and Setter of the Year in 2019, to become the first student-athlete in conference history to win two major awards in the same season. The Italian athlete is a two-time Setter of the Year and two-time All-MAAC First Team, but has been a consistent performer since her first year, being a member of the MAAC AllRookie Team in 2016. Nicolini, who was honored and flattered by the award, is not a big fan of individual titles. She thanks her teammates and coaches for developing her into the player she is today. “I know that I can’t do anything without my teammates,” said Nicolini. “Volleyball is the ultimate team sport. I would like to thank my coaches and teammates, I truly do nothing, they just make me shine.” Nicolini is excited for the upcoming season and believes that the Stags have added to their already strong roster. The team has not played in over a year and a half, making them eager to get back on the court. “It is my last season so I'm very excited, I have a lot of goals,” explained Nicolini. “Our team is looking really good, the freshmen this year brought a very high level of standards to the team and the older players are doing great, we're getting better every day so I'm very optimistic and excited about the season. I think we have very good chances to get another ring.” A championship ring would be a historic sending off for Nicolini, ensuring that she would be one of the most celebrated volleyball players to come through Fairfield University. She feels no added pressure with the preseason ranking or award, explaining the only thing on her mind is winning. “I don't care if I win individual awards, I just want to win as a team,” said Nicolini. “I know all my teammates are 100% self motivated and self driven, our goal is to win the MAAC championship.” Like a true leader, Nicolini has gained admiration from her teammates and also her coaches. Head coach Todd Kress has watched Nicolini grow as a player throughout the years and believes there should be little doubt that she deserves the preseason player of the year award. “So much of what Manuela does is pretty evident on the court and on the stat sheet, but she also does a lot that may go unnoticed,” said Kress. “She gets all of our hitters involved and makes great decisions running our attack, she is one of the best blockers in our conference, and she is one of our toughest servers.” Along with Nicolini, teammates Joelle Battles ‘23 and Kaylie Butts ‘21were selected to the All-MAAC preseason team, showcasing the elite talent this Fairfield team has. The Fairfield University Volleyball team looks to build on last year's conference championship, with another dominating campaign. Last season, they went 24-6 overall, and 17-1 in the MAAC. The Stags will open the season with a match on Sunday, March 7 against Rider University on the George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall. The double header will mark the final matches being played at this venue before the new Arena and Convocation Center will take its place.
Opinion: MLB Player Rankings Have Hits and Misses By Tyler Zikias Contributing Writer If there is an entity who is constantly making eye-rolling rankings for professional athletes who need to stop, it’s the Major League Baseball Network. They usually garner a lot of controversy regarding their annual MLB rankings by position, mainly for a lack of real ranking criteria. That trend of theirs has seeped into their official Top 100 player rankings and it is mind-numbingly bad, not only because players don’t seem to be in the right spots or have been given proper consideration, but also because it feels lazily put together. The list was revealed in groups of 20 every couple of days until the list was completed, so naturally, I kept myself updated on which players were placed where in comparison to other players on the list. Just about every time new players were announced I had some type of issue with it. Though, I couldn’t really place my finger on what it was, there was definitely something not right about how this list was constructed. I did a deeper dive into the list and was able to pull out two major points as to why this is a miserable attempt at an MLB Top 100. MLB Network can’t help but rank by position even when they’re not ranking by position. I started noticing this trend with catchers, but then realized it was all over the list. There are clusters of players who play the same position everywhere, showing that MLB Network was just too lazy to actually rank players based on actual merit and simply just recycled their position rankings. To illustrate this, of the 11 shortstops that made the list in some capacity, only three of them are ranked without another shortstop either directly in front or behind them, leaving the other eight in clusters to be directly compared to one another. The point of a Top 100 list should be to actually compare players of different positions to stir some sort of debate. Recycling positional rankings and scattering them across a larger list is lazy and throws any type of credibility out the window. Looking at numbers 30 through 28 on this list will always make me ask the question, “What is this based on?” The players ranked from 30 to 28 are Yu Darvish (second in 2020 National League Cy Young voting), Trevor Bauer (2020 NL Cy Young winner), and Max Scherzer (three-time Cy Young winner), respectively per Baseball Reference. I don’t even know where to begin, so I will start with the imposter here: Trevor Bauer.
Bauer has had a pretty average career thus far, posting a career 3.90 earned run average with one All-Star selection in 2018. If before 2020 you had told me Bauer would be ranked 29 on the MLB Top 100, I would have thought you were insane. Lo and behold, Bauer had himself a fantastic 2020 season, which should have given him a boost in the rankings, right? I would agree if the 2020 season wasn’t already such a small sample size for pitchers to take advantage of. Bauer’s free agency fiasco along with the amount of money he ended up getting is absolutely astonishing to me. Not only is he one of the ten highest paid pitchers in baseball, but most agree that his 2020 season was a fluke. That being said about Bauer, to have him ranked so close to an all-time great like Max Scherzer is insulting. Scherzer, who is still performing at a high level, is a three-time Cy Young winner, seven-time All-Star and 2019 World Series winner. However, his 2020 season was definitely not as good as Bauer’s was. So, I ask the question again: “What is this based on?” If it were based solely on 2020 stats, then Bauer should be ranked a lot higher than Max Scherzer. But since it clearly isn’t based on just last year, Scherzer’s last two seasons alone are a lot better than Bauer’s. If it isn’t based on last season, I see no reason why Scherzer shouldn’t be ranked a lot higher than Trevor Bauer. Enter Yu Darvish. Darvish, being one spot behind Bauer, makes a strong case for this list being heavily based off of last season, as they finished number one and two in Cy Young voting. But again, since Scherzer is rawnked higher than both, we have to assume that there are other factors being considered as well. In that case, Yu Darvish has stronger “other factors” than Trevor Bauer does. Darvish is a four time All-Star and has placed second in Cy Young voting twice in his career. Not to mention, he holds an all-time record for the highest K/9 (strikeouts per 9 innings) in MLB history, making him one of the best strikeout pitchers ever. With all these additional stats in mind that dwarf Bauer’s career numbers, why isn’t Yu Darvish ranked higher than Bauer? I never thought I would get this frustrated about numbers 30 to 28 on an MLB Top 100, but I’ve also never seen one great year (in a shortened season no less) be rewarded so much. MLB Network has a lot of work to do to improve their Top 100 lists. There should really be a strong criteria that lays the groundwork for more conversation and debate so that it isn’t the most plain, uncontroversial list out there. These should
be built for out of position debates or even a scale for how to draft a fantasy team. It takes a little bit of thought, but I think MLB Network should get some better guys on it next year.
Photo Courtesy of @maxscherzer31 on Instagram
Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals.
@Fairfield Mirror Week of March 3, 2021
fairfieldmirror.com
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Men's Lacrosse Captains Named
Photos Contributed by the Sports Information Desk
Graduate Student Jake Tymon (defense) and seniors Taylor Strough (midfield) and George Elmquist (defense) will all assume the role of captains for the Fairfield University men's lacrosse team.
By Thomas Coppola Assistant Sports Editor With the brand new men’s lacrosse season peeking over the horizon, Fairfield University team has been making the final preparations necessary to take home a victory in their first game of the season against Providence College on Wednesday, March 3. After a rugged fall and winter of seemingly endless stops and starts, the team will finally be able to hit their stride during their upcoming season. Each and every player has been yearning for a normal season, and it seems like that dream will become a reality. Graduate student and returning captain Jake Tymon is particularly ready to get going, even if it means starting the season with an away game. “On the road or at home doesn’t matter all too much. I’m just excited to be able to get out there and compete,” Tymon said. Captain Taylor Strough ‘21 feels a similar sentiment to Tymon, he went on to say, “I know our team would be eager to play wherever the game was set to take place.” Coming off of a smooth preseason, the team hopes to transition this energy into the regular season and eventually the Colonial Athletic Association playoffs. “We’ve been having good flow,” Tymon said. “There haven't been any disruptions as of yet, and we’re going to try to keep it that way.” According to Tymon, the team is fully ready to take the field, as they have had ample time to hone the smaller details of the game. “Everyday, our team is striving to be the best version of ourselves,” Strough agreed. However, the pandemic has made comradery much more difficult for the team, one item that the captains hope to focus on as the season progresses. With gathering size restrictions and student-athletes being scattered around residence halls and beach houses, it has been extremely difficult to make the normal face-to-face connections between upperclassmen and new players. Captains Tymon, Strough and George Elmquist ‘21 are very confident that as the country begins to heal again, they will be able to continue creating these connections with their teammates. For now though, they will have to settle for proving the CAA wrong and working to take home a championship. Among the class of 2024, there are many faces that have and are hoping to continue making a huge impact on the team. “Those guys are sometimes the most dialed in during our mental performance sessions, and they ask really great questions,” Tymon said. The young nature of this team is destined to not only provide a fresh set of legs, but a fresh set of eyes into the strategic side of lacrosse. This is key heading into the March 3 bout against the Providence Friars, who are undoubtedly working just as hard to face our Stags. The team’s day-by-day philosophy, constructed by none other than head coach Andrew Baxter, is now in full swing. The next workout, practice and film session are the most important events to the team; there is no point in worrying about a game that is weeks away. Come gametime, each player will be in the correct headspace to be the best they can be. Before taking on the Friars, the Stags must focus and make the finishing touches to their gameplan. “By hitting our details, it will put us in a position to be successful,” Strough said. This upcoming game is the culmination of everything that the team has worked for over this long, sports-less winter season. Although the game is taking place in Providence, R.I., the Stags will be stepping onto the Conway Field turf at Rafferty Stadium on March 6 to take on the University of Delaware Blue Hens.
Photos Contributed by the Sports Information Desk
Players Strough,Tymon and Elmquist who are pictured here have been named the three captains for the Spring 2021 season, and are seasoned members of the Fairfield lacrosse program.