The Signal Vol. 85 No. 7

OCT. 3 - OCT. 10, 2017

VOL. 85 | NO. 7

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SPORTS | PAGE 16

SOCCER SUPERSTARS

Seniors of the Georgia State soccer team share their favorite moments of the past few years, and prepare for new season.

Georgia State's men's soccer team seniors practice on Sept. 29 to get ready for their match against the University of Alabama on Oct. 3.

PHOTO BY JULIAN PINEDA & COVER DESIGN BY KHOA TRAN | THE SIGNAL

NO HARM DONE

YELLOW JACKET GRADS

TREAT YO' SKIN

CHEERING ON THE TEAM

GSUPD talks effects of Campus Carry on Georgia State's campus so far.

No excuse for Georgia State to throw our commencement ceremony on Tech grounds.

The word 'natural' can be deceiving, but that's not the case with RachelMade.

Volleyball players often have to double up as cheerleaders at their games.

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OPINION PAGE 8

News 3

ARTS & LIVING | PAGE 12

OPINION 7

Arts & Living 9

SPORTS | PAGE 18

Sports 15

NEWS

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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

BLOTTER SEPT. 27

SEPT. 29

I’ll see you at three o’clock

Two non-Georgia State affiliates were arrested for fighting in public at Pryor St.

Battery charger

Violating the trespasser

A non-Georgia State affiliate was arrested at Courtland St. for outstanding warrants.

SEPT. 28

A Georgia state student was a victim of criminal receipt of goods and service fraud off of campus.

A non-Georgia State affiliate was arrested for driving under the influence at the corner of Piedmont and J.W. Dobbs.

signaleditor@gmail.com

executive editor (atlanta) Open executive editor (perimeter) Open

You want to go to war, Rant?

A Georgia State student was a victim of simple battery at the corner of J.W. Dobbs and Courtland St.

Popping bottles

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Christina Maxouris

A non-Georgia State affiliate was issued a trespassing warning nearby Langdale Hall.

Editorial NEWS EDITOR Syrina Merilan

signalnewseditor@gmail.com ASSociate NEWS EDITOR Open signalassociatenews3@gmail.com OPINIONS EDITOR Open signalopinions@gmail.com ARTS & LIVING EDITOR Camille Bolos signalliving@gmail.com

Issa scam

ASSociate ARTS & Living EDITOr

$1,500 for the coat

Sophia Marchese signalassociateliving2@gmail.com SPORTS EDITOR Open signalsport1@gmail.com ASSociate SPORTS EDITOR Open signalassociatesports1@gmail.com copy editor Alaa Elassar, Sydnie Cobb signalcopyeditor@gmail.com

A Georgia State faculty member complained about theft of property at Langdale Hall that was for $1,500 or less.

Production design editor Khoa Tran

ILLUSTRATION BY ERIK REID | THE SIGNAL

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Associate design editor Salinna Phon signalprod2@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY photo EDITOr (atlanta) Vanessa Johnson

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

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Georgia State Athletics hosted their annual blood drive Sept. 26, 2017.

Sponsored by the American Red Cross Organization, Georgia State competes against the University of Georgia to collect the most donated blood.

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Digital online EDITOR Danny Varitek

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NEWS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2017

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DE-ESCALATION TACTICS ATTEMPT TO MINIMIZE USE OF WEAPONS Campus police challenged after incident at Georgia Tech NOAH BRITTON Staff Reporter

C

ampus police departments have faced severe criticism after the Sept. 16 death of a Georgia Tech student, which gained national attention through the controversy and protest that followed.

Scout Schultz, a Georgia Tech student whose preferred pronouns are them/they/their, was shot and killed on the university’s campus after calling 911 and warning officers of an armed man that matched their appearance.

At least four officers engaged in a stand-off with Schultz, who according to police appeared to wield a knife, and continually advanced towards officers. Schultz shouted for officers to shoot them during the standoff and was shot once in the chest by Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) Officer Tyler Beck.

GSUPD TRAINING AND MENTAL ILLNESS

The Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD) has provided assistance to Georgia Tech to maintain the safety of their campus, according to Chief of Police Joseph Spillane.

Spillane, a 29-year veteran of the Atlanta Police Department (APD), joined GSUPD in November 2016, and said situations like Schultz always pose difficulties for officers.

“For me to speculate that we would have handled that differently would be total speculation,” Spillane said.

“When an officer is in a situation where he has someone with a weapon. and you have a 911 call that says he had a knife and a gun, that officer is going to be hypervigilant.”

However, he later elaborated that Georgia Tech officers properly attempted to subdue Schultz.

“You heard them [campus police] try to deescalate in the video… they’re telling [them] to drop the knife and they’re telling [them] they don’t want to hurt [them].

Those are all the correct things to do. When someone is coming towards you with a weapon, there’s not a lot you can do,” Spillane said.

Georgia State officers are presented with these scenarios during state-mandated training at the Fulton County Police Academy. The eight-week training program involves lessons in criminal procedure and law, defensive tactics, and weapons training.

Once officers complete basic mandate training, they are placed into a field training program at Georgia State.

Graduates of the Academy are assigned to experienced officers, and spend time learning about policies on campus. These new officers carry the same firearms as their seasoned counterparts.

“As soon as officers graduate from Fulton County Police Academy, they’re certified to carry a weapon in Georgia,” Spillane said.

After 90 days in the field, officers “hit the streets” under a 12-month probationary period, according to Spillane.

Officers are evaluated on their performance every 30 days to determine their fitness with the department.

Officers at Georgia State are outfitted with both lethal and non-lethal weapons. Campus police carry Glock 9mm handguns, which are standard use for all officers, according to Spillane. Additionally, officers carry ASP extendable batons and pepper spray. Besides

handcuffs and radios, officers store additional rounds of ammunition in their belts.

“We also train them with the use of shotguns and the use of patrol rifles, and those patrol rifles and shotguns are kept in the trunks of their vehicles,” Spillane said.

“So we have certain officers that are trained in the use of those weapons in case we have something like an active shooter situation.”

Officers are trained in de-escalation tactics and crisis intervention techniques that decrease the use of lethal force. According to Spillane, the use of deadly force is “absolutely a last resort” employed only when the force applied against officers could harm them or someone else.

“There’s a continuum of force that you use. It starts with firm grip control of somebody and it escalates from there to the use of ASP baton, extendable baton, or OC pepper spray, or potentially a taser would maybe be used in a non-lethal situation,” Spillane said. “It could escalate to you having to use a firearm in a situation that’s a lethal confrontation when you’re challenged by somebody with a firearm themselves or an edged weapon that could do harm.”

During his tenure as Chief of Police, Spillane said no officer has discharged his or her weapon on campus.

Before he joined GSUPD, Spillane said the use of deadly force was rare and attributed that rarity to Georgia State’s Crime Suppression Unit.

“They’re the main people who come to a situation where someone is acting irrational. They’ve been trained in crisis intervention and they try and de-escalate the situation,” Spillane said.

The chief recently negotiated the purchase of tasers for the Crime Suppression and Traffic Units, to provide these officers with another less-than-lethal option. Spillane said that campus police receive adequate training to handle cases of mental illness, and that mental issues are properly and continually addressed by GSUPD. “We have all of our officers go through crisis intervention training, which is a 40-hour course. In that course, you learn to recognize people who may be having some type of mental health issue. We also discuss it at roll call,” Spillane said.

GSUPD work closely with the Dean of Students to recognize students battling mental illness.

“Last week, we had a student who posted something on social media about wanting to harm herself with a handgun. We were able to locate her and bring her to the counseling center and get her the help that she needed before she did anything to herself,” Spillane said.

The department also provides resources to the homeless population on campus through the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement (HOPE) Team. The HOPE Team responds to any situation where an individual may exhibit signs of mental illness, and connects that individual to mental health resources at Grady Hospital or the Atlanta VA Medical Center.

“My goal is to get them [HOPE Team] to know all the homeless people, because many homeless people have mental health issues—almost all of them. And so in dealing with the homeless population, it teaches you how to see the signs of someone in distress,” Spillane said.

PAGE DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION BY KHOA TRAN | THE SIGNAL

NATIONAL AVERAGES ON POLICE SHOOTINGS

392 102

25%

people killed since 2015 who were armed with knives, blades, or other edges weapons deaths this year alone, including Schultz of victims suffer from mental illness

According to The Washington Post

NEWS

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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

'Campus Carry' has caused no crimes yet GSUPD says no conflicts from students on campus after bill passing

'Campus Carry' allows concealed carry by students on public university campuses across Georgia.

STAFF REPORTER

T

he Campus Carry law gave students the right to carry a concealed weapon on campus, if licensed, if they are of 21 years and older. Data collected by the Georgia State Police Department (GSUPD) states that no crime involving firearms has been committed, since Campus Carry was put into effect on July 31.

“No students have been arrested since the pass of the law. We made one arrest on September 26, 2017 in front of University Commons. The guy did not attend Georgia State, he was a straggler who carried his gun unlicensed,” GSUPD Chief Spillane said. “Being that he was unlicensed on a school campus, it was an automatic arrest.”

The incidences that the GSUPD addresses are mostly from non-Georgia state affiliates versus the actual students.

“Georgia State is in the middle of Downtown so we guard anything 500 yards from any Georgia State property. We get a lot of arrest out of Woodruff Park and Hurt Park. We also assist by the Underground and parts of Auburn Ave.” Spillane said.

GSUPD did studies with other schools that have campus carry and students felt more protected with the Campus Carry being intact. He believes the trend will continue with no crimes associated with Campus Carry.

“I don’t think that we will have any issues with Campus Carry. We did a study with other universities that have it, and nothing bad has came of it,” Spillane said.

However, according to USA Today, campus carry does not increase the likelihood that students will protect themselves in a campus shooting. From 2000 to 2013 160 campus shooting were recorded and only 21 were stopped by civilians with guns.

Thought Campus Carry has not had any issues on campus, Georgia State student Ajaysa Baker still feels unsafe with in place, because you can never account for the intentions of each student.

“It is unsafe and ridiculous. There are too many petty gun crimes. With this Campus Carry Law in effect, you will never know what people’s intentions are,” Baker said. “This law is useless and gives people a reason to have a gun.”

Georgia State student Takia Carter shared the same belief that the thoughts and intentions of others can never be anticipated.

“I feel like Campus Carry would potentially put us all in a dangerous situation. You never know what others are thinking and what they are capable of,” Carter said.

Carter is worried that student that drink heavily or have depression, will now have access to guns and could potentially harm themselves and others.

“College is full of students that like to get drunk and full of students that are depressed. Drunk and depressed students with guns don’t mix,” Carter said. If there was a school shooter, I would rather have a professional law enforcement handle the situation than someone who's only experience shooting has been in a shooting range,” Carter said.

Although the law only allows student who are licensed and over the age of 21 to carry a gun, Baker said that having Campus Carry law could give undereage students a reason to play with guns.

“Guns can be used for protection but there can be younger students who feel they can have guns and play around, simply because of this law,” Baker said.

Baker said Campus Carry would continue to be safe on campus if followed correctly, but it could also create a general sense of fear for people on campus.

“Having Campus Carry is good for protection at night if someone is walking alone, but it should only be used for protection. People will not feel safe on campus, because they know there are guns everywhere,” Baker said.

Students and professors were worried that guns could be found on all parts of campus, but the law has strict guidelines on what places are not acceptable to have firearms.

“Guns are not permitted in the stadium, the two daycare centers Georgia State has. If their is a class that holds a dual enrollment high school student, a gun is not allowed in that classroom. Any area where kids are permitted, guns are not,” Spillane said.

When licensed holders enter classes at Georgia State they are in charge of making sure there are not high schoolers in their class. If so, they are not permitted to have the gun in their presence.

PHOTO BY JULIAN PINEDA | THE SIGNAL

WHERE CAN YOU NOT CARRY? Intercollegiate sports facilities: Georgia State stadium Housing facilities: Patton Hall, University Lofts, Piedmont North and Central, and University Commons Childcare spaces: Lanette L. Shuttles Child Development Center and Capitol Hill Child enrichment Center Classes where high school students are enrolled: Dual enrollment, Move On When Ready and Early College students Offices for faculty staff or administrative purposes: office suits in 25 Park Place, Sparks and Kell Hall.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2017

NEWS

5

A call for free female sanitary products Student addresses SGA on a new equality issue on campus

LAST WEEK LOCAL Outdoor burning will be legalized in Gwinnett County

According to Atlanta Journal Constitution, Gwinnett County’s burn ban will resume on Oct. 1. Gwinnett County residents will be able to burn their vegetations on their property this fall as temperatures decrease. Open burning in Metro Atlanta was not allowed through Sept.

30 to comply with air quality regulations from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division.

Student Gerardo Rodriguez speaks to the SGA body about the lack of co-sponsorships for Latino student organizations.

SYRINA MERILAN News Editor

G

eorgia State student Gerardo Rodriguez spoke to the Student Government Association (SGA) at their senate meeting on Sept. 26. He spoke on behalf of his female friends at Georgia State and said that it is unfair to offer free condoms but not free female sanitary products.

“As a male student, I know that this doesn’t bother me at all, but this actually bothers a lot of my female friends,” Rodriguez said. “At Georgia State, we are very quick to offer condoms for our students; however, we fail to provide female hygiene products for our female students who do not have any source of that.”

Rodriguez mentioned that an Honors College professor has started to supply the bathrooms with feminine products that she buys on her own. These efforts are not enough, because female students don’t usually go to the Honors College and aren’t

aware of the resources there.

“In the Honors College, a female professor goes out of her way to spend her own paycheck to provide feminine hygiene products for our female students that use the restroom in the Honors College,” he said. “How many women are in the Honors College? How many of you ever walk over to that building? How many of you ever use that restroom and know that feminine products are provided to you there?”

He advocated that Georgia State should provide high-quality hygiene products in all women's bathrooms, because it’s guaranteed that female students will have a period, regardless if they want to or not.

“As a male student fighting for this, I think it’s important for our students to feel accepted and [to feel as if] they have equality. [This] is a catalyst to equality,” Rodriguez said. “Georgia State should provide high-quality tampons, pads and any other feminine hygiene products that may be necessary to our female students because, at the end of the day, it’s not an option of whether or not they have a period. It’s a given fact.”

PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL

The Student Alumni Association (SAA) also attended the meeting to present the renewed Tradition Keeper (TK) app that SGA is partnering on. The app has Geogia State traditions that, and if all are completed, students will receive a dinner with Georgia State alums. The goal is to have 2,000 people download the app and have 1000 complete 50 percent of the traditions by the end of the school year.

However, after the app was presented, SGA senators downloaded the app and were unable to reach the traditions without a SAA membership, which costs $20. Finance Director Zuri May said SGA had contributed a lump sum of money to the recreation of the app and will be meeting with SAA to ensure that all Georgia State students, regardless of being a member of SAA, will have access to traditions.

“This is all kind of new to all of our attention, but we purchased our part of the TK app, which is $5,500 every year. That was for every member of Georgia State to be able to use the TK app, so I’m going to bring this to their attention and hope we can resolve [the issue].”

Georgia State loses Planned Parenthood to Emory Health resources relocate to East Atlanta to cater to their customers STAFF REPORTER

T

he Planned Parenthood on 75 Piedmont closed and took their services to East Atlanta for a more convenient location for their customers, while also taking services from Georgia State students. The move is to have a better location for its customers, according to Barbara Ann Luttrell.

“When our lease was up, we decided to move to East Atlanta. We loved being in our location, but we feel as if East Atlanta would be a better location for our patients. We worked with Emory College in order to find our location,” Luttrell said.

Planned Parenthood was located in the Citizen’s Trust Bank building with services for Georgia State’s housing department in the same building.

Although East Atlanta is an easier location for patients, it is a farther distance for Georgia State

students to get needed resources.

“With the lease being up, it was easy for us to pick East Atlanta as our new home. We have a lot of patients in that area, and it is easier for our patients to get there with transportation. It is a common area and easy to get to,” Luttrell said.

The Planned Parenthood often catered to Georgia State students, since it was in the heart of its campus. Students frequently came in for information about safe sex and the steps to take in order to prevent reproduction.

“While being at Georgia State, we did deal with a lot of students from the school. It was a good area to be in, and the students were really good people to work with and talk to,” Luttrell said.

Georgia State student Imoni Minger felt Planned Parenthood was a great addition to campus and provided resources like health care for students.

“Nonprofit, reproductive health-care organizations such as Planned Parenthood give students access to healthcare they probably wouldn’t get anywhere else. Since Planned Parenthood is not only for women, it would give

men necessary health treatments as well,” Minger said.

Georgia State student Gabreil Lumpkin said Planned Parenthood would give girls the knowledge needed about safe sex and would lower pregnancy rates.

“It would be very efficient and effective, [and] it would help young ladies get to know about their options and choices about safe sex. It would lower pregnancy rates only because sexually active female college students would have a safe haven to get information about safe sex,” Lumpkin said.

Lumpkin believes Planned Parenthood is more than what people stereotypically think of them.

They encourage safe sex and give both women and men advice and resources.

“People think of Planned Parenthood and think of abortion. That is not all [of] what they are about.

They offer young girls and guys the information they need in order to have safe sex and all of the things that they should be aware before having sex,” Lumpkin said.

NATIONAL 59 dead, over 520 injured in Las Vegas shooting

Since Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, the death toll following the Las Vegas shooting has risen to 59 victims, with over 527 injured. The shooter, identified by police as Stephen Paddock shot at the 22,000 crowd during a Jason Aldean concert, from his hotel window with two rifles, according to The New York Times.

The 64-year old Nevada native was found dead in his room. According to FBI, there are no ties to terrorism with the incident.

GLOBAL U.S. President rants about Puerto Rico Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz As reported by GlobalNews, Trump went on Twitter to complain about the disaster response in Puerto Rico and their mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz. The tweet from Trump stated, “such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help.” He later posted, “they want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort. 10,000 Federal workers now on Island doing a fantastic job.”

NEWS

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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Georgia State students fight for parking

A crowd of students forms awaiting the arrival of the tardy Panther Express’s Blue Route bus.

KIRSTEN WINSTON Staff Reporter

S

tudent Government Association (SGA) Sen. Luis Aleman confronted student's issues dealing with Blue Route Parking at Turner Field. Aleman spoke with Alfred Austin, the Director of Parking and Transportation, to find possible solutions.

Commuters who faithfully ride the Blue Route shuttles at Turner Field have different experiences due to arriving at different times of the day. Some students said when riding in the morning it is easier to find parking spots and the shuttles arrive very quickly.

“Most of us are on campus between 11:00 a.m. until very late in the afternoon, so finding a spot in between those times is pretty much competing in the hunger games,” Georgia State commuter Kyndal Boykin said.

Amongst trying to find parking, students complain that the shuttles do not arrive in a timely manner and when they do get there it’s constantly packed which can make the ride uncomfortable.

“I get claustrophobic when it gets packed and I get anxious,” student Diana Massengale said.

When events are held, Georgia State closes the Green Lot down, leaving students with two options; either park at Georgia State’s blue route or at other available parking venues around the school grounds. Numerous students get frustrated when the green lot is closed because it’s even harder to find available parking. “[There’s] limited parking available and they did open the lower lot, which makes it easier but sometimes there will be days when they close it off and it’s like, where the hell are we supposed to park now?” Georgia State commuter Sudesna Baral said.

Changes students would like to see are for shuttle buses to run quicker, more drivers, better routes that are less prone for traffic, and for the school to provide more shuttles, so the waiting period isn’t as long.

“If they can, that will be great, if the university can provide it because we are a huge commuter school,” Mussie said.

Chris Connelly, the Director of Marketing and Operations said the shuttle buses arrive

as quickly as possible, but there are various factors due to Atlanta’s traffic patterns that may delay its arrival time throughout the year, such as construction and the impact of ongoing events in Atlanta.

“The University has the same number of buses on the shuttle routes. Atlanta-area traffic patterns, construction, and events impact shuttle frequency and arrival times throughout the year,” Connelly said.

He told The Signal that the changes in the bus route entry and exit points are solely for the purpose of accommodating their already limited access to the Blue and Green Lot. Turner Field lots aren't owned by Georgia State entirely and the university doesn’t have full control of keeping all Blue or Green lots open for the students to access. Therefore, when events are held they are required shut down the lower level from students.

“We have worked out an agreement to allow students access to all of the Blue Lot some of the time. However, periodically, third-party events require parts of the Green and Blue lots to be closed to student parking. This impact is entirely out of the university’s control,” Connelly stated in emailed response.

SGA TALKS SOLUTION

During their meeting on Sept. 14, Sen. Aleman brought up possible parking solutions for commuter students. Amongst many things, Aleman said students have trouble finding parking spots around Georgia State once Blue Lot is filled, because they do not know where to park or do not want to pay so much money to park.

“M Deck and T Deck fills up quick, and all these other decks fill up. Students need to park somewhere,” Aleman said.

Aleman concerns go beyond parking, he also wants to extend blue route shuttle hours.

He explained that students should be allowed more time to study.

“There is no reason the shuttles should stop at 10:30 [p.m.]. I think they should run until at least midnight. Most students might not be ready to leave and stop studying at that time,” Aleman said.

The most complaints Aleman gets from students are the availability of parking when it comes to Green Lots. Georgia States parking might send out an announcement on Twitter

PHOTO BY KIRSTEN WINSTON & PAGE DESIGN BY PHILIP DURAL | THE SIGNAL

and sometimes they update students, but at times they don’t.

“They update on Twitter, but sometimes they won’t. If they can’t do availability at least let us know. Students need to know, ‘hey there might not be parking for you’, [so they can] think of other options before you head out on your venue,” Aleman said.

There are numerous alternative parking decks on campus and Aleman wants to meet with these companies to see if they can establish a payment plan for students.

Currently Georgia State students only have the Marta budget plan and Turner Field parking.

“There is a parking deck next to Rialto and a bunch of parking decks all around campuses. I want to see if I can talk to somebody company and see if we can establish a payment plan that is similar to what we have with MARTA and M Deck,” Aleman said.

STRIDES TOWARD A CHANGE

Aleman, Alfred Austin, the Director of Leads of Transportation, and other officials sat down on Sept. 22. to find possible solutions to enhance commuter students overall experience with Turner Field.

An issue they all agreed to work on is extending the bus route hours to midnight for both commuters and for residents. Austin and other officials are already in the process of looking for new software to update the timing that the buses will arrive.

“They're already looking to get a new software, the buses that calculates how long the bus will take. Their trying to get another software that’s accurate and on time,” Aleman said.

Austin understands that more students want Turner Field to have more shuttle buses, but at this moment it’s not feasible due to the cost. The amount it takes for one shuttle bus to run the entire day is around $10,000 and Georgia State has nine shuttles specifically for the Blue Route. Parking and transportation are not federally funded and they gather all their money from M Deck.

“Parking and transportation are very self-sufficient and they don’t get federal funds. All the money they take is off of M Deck a that’s what’s used to run parking and transportation,” Aleman said.

How long does it take you to find parking?

Diana Massengale “I have classes in the morning so it doesn’t take me long. If I get here in the afternoon between five to 20 minutes.”

Rotimi Kadiri “The parking is hectic, I feel like they should open up the entire parking lot for everybody and not block off half of the section.”

The student government is trying to work with transportation to see if they can extend the hours to midnight for Blue Route. How do you feel about this news?

Gift Ogunwale “Yes, because if you’re trying to do stuff on campus like go to a game everyone trying to get to that last bus.

If they extended time more people isn’t focusing on that one bus. That would be really good.”

Marvin Siclait “I guess that’s cool for students who are here late but I’m not really here too late so not much of an opinion on it.”

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EDITORIAL

8

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

EDITORIAL We attend Georgia State, but graduate from Georgia Tech Saying goodbye to Panthers from the Jackets nest

G

raduation, oh sweet victory. Getting to walk across that stage, moving the tassel from one side of the cap to the other and receiving that diploma you stayed up countless nights for the past four years (or more) working towards. Looking up at your now alma mater for your final goodbye—but wait, Georgia State’s fall 2017 graduating class won’t be. They’ll be looking up at Georgia Tech.

Georgia State, you saw it coming. You must have known the minute you sent out that email we would have something to say. You know, the email you sent to all seniors informing them that, yet again, the Georgia State commencement will take place at a university that none of us attended.

A college that none of us put hard work, dedication, sweat, blood, tears, time, and sacrifice into. A university that none of us Georgia State students have spent tens of thousands of dollars to attend. A buzzing campus where not a single Panther can be found — Georgia Tech.

This isn’t an eighth grade ceremony confirming your right of passage into the world of adolescence. It’s not the last day of summer camp when commemorative T-shirts are handed out

and names checked off like roll call as our parents pick us up from carpool.

This is a college graduation. This is the official nod of approval and shake of the hand from the real world. It’s the end, but it’s also the beginning.

And it’s an opportunity to feel a little Panther pride as we wave to our loved ones and walk across a stage that doesn’t belong to another university.

It’s also a time for inspiration. It’s a monumental occasion when someone we look up to looks at us and tells us this is our time to shine. It’s time for a little keynote speaker motivation before heading out into the “real” world. But alas, that is one more (or less) thing that this semester's graduates will not receive.

At the very least, will this semester’s graduating class be handed diplomas instead of oversized sleeping shirts (made from cheap cotton)? Like last year’s students, will they have to decide between which grandma and grandpa gets to come due to limited ticket availability? Will they get to smile a feeling of accomplishment as they listen to their keynote speaker feed them words of wisdom?

Last year, we could understand why seniors

had to graduate from a different campus. Georgia State didn’t have a stadium of it’s own and all the other venues were already scheduled.

We know the Mercedes- Benz luxury isn’t currently accepting third-party events. And we understand that December is not the ideal time for an outdoor commencement at the Panther Stadium.

But if you can spend thousands of dollars to buy a new stadium, and we can spend thousands of dollars to attend your institution and uphold your graduation rates, then there is definitely a solution to this problem. There is a solution somewhere in this giant city of conference centers and arenas.

We can’t begin to understand what it takes to plan a graduation ceremony for hundreds of students, but we’ve all also known that this day was coming for a long time. Why is it that we are finding out in October that we will graduate on Dec. 13? Why does it feel like this is just being thrown together for the fall graduates? We love this school, but where is your love for us, Georgia State?

ARTS & LIVING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2017

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

Guide to Surviving Midterms Rules, tips and resources to abide by your legs, grab a snack or use the bathroom, take those few minutes as a time to mini-reward yourself for the process. Just don’t get too distracted (a.k.a scroll through social media for hours) and set a reminder to get back to work.

SAVANNAH ELDER Staff Reporter

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very year, midterms sneak up on students. It’s not until exams, projects and essays pile up into one big due date that we all begin to realize —oh, riiiight— it’s the midpoint of the semester.

And all the same, some students somewhere won’t be prepared, but since you’re reading this, there’s a chance that it won’t be you. Still thinking about cranking up the coffee pot or scheduling a few all-nighters? Rule number one: be nice to your mind and body this midterm season (more on that later).

Midterms are no joke. Daily assignments require some sort of function on your part as a student, but as the days run closer to the due dates, everything can get overwhelming. Good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way ever again. With a few tricks and rules, you’ll survive and thrive through midterms.

HIDING OUT IN THE LIBRARY FOR A FEW HOURS IS A GOOD OPTION

Trying to cram 500 pages of notes, books and doodles never works out how we want it to, but it’s important to study in an environment with little to no distractions. While studying at home or in the dorms may sound enticing, there are many more ways that your attention could slip away from academics and something else. Watching TV or lying in bed could definitely be enough to push back an essay submission or skip a few crucial study hours.

TAKE BREAKS WHILE STUDYING

It’s important for students to take a break while studying. Yes, the mind is a monster, almost machine-like, but it can easily get overloaded. Use the 55:5 rule. Every hour that you study, take five minutes out of that to yourself. Whether that’s to stretch

GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY’S LIBRARY HOURS Atlanta Campus

STOP STUDYING. GO TO SLEEP, SERIOUSLY

It may be obvious that you need a good night’s rest in order to perform at your best, but why does nobody seem to listen?

Being busy with classes, work, extracurricular commitments or other activities is expected, but at the end of that day, there are very few people who are going to want to sit down and study after it all. Sure, you could, but how much information will you really retain? It’s important to know your limits. Study for as long as you can, but if you nod off, it’s time to say goodnight.

PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE ACCORDINGLY

If you don’t have an agenda, your next step after reading this should be to go purchase or download one. It’s revolutionary.

Planning your days out helps with organizing your priorities in life. It can involve all of your tasks throughout the week and will help you to see the times you have left after your mandatory responsibilities or commitments. Time block your schedule with those first. Then, block out times for the following: study, breaks, sleep. Seeing everything together can be a bit dizzying, but adapting a routine of living by your time blocks will relieve a lot of stress throughout the week.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER, EAT YOUR VEGGIES, TREAT YOURSELF

Taking care of your body is essential. Eat mindfully with regards to energy boosters, and remember that everything is better in moderation. Don’t overdo it with the caffeine or “quick shots of energy.” They’ll most likely do more harm than good by making you uncomfortably anxious or worse — even more tired. We’ve always been told to drinks lots of water, eat a balanced dinner, and go to bed early the night before an exam.

Yet, we always forget to mention how good it feels to indulge in our favorite sweets or activities. Whatever it is that makes everything feel right in the world, stock up. It’s a time for healthy remedies, yet healthy rewarding as well.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONCAMPUS RESOURCES

7 a.m. - 2 a.m.

(Public Access begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 5:15 p.m.)

Curve Special Collections & Archives

9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Alpharetta Campus Clarkson Campus Decatur Campus Dunwoody Campus Newton Campus

8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

7:45 a.m. - 10 p.m.

7:45 a.m. - 9 p.m.

7:45 a.m. - 10 p.m.

7:45 a.m. - 9 p.m.

We all pay for them anyway. It can’t be said enough how much students miss opportunities for improvement because they are

too embarrassed or pessimistic about going to an on-campus resource. It could mean the difference between a C and an A, so don’t fall into a silly trend and go discover what your campus has to offer. Each and every campus has a library to study at equipped with books, computers, printers, staplers and just about every other essential item needed to prepare an assignment. Here are a few notable resources on various Georgia State campuses: Atlanta Campus • Study rooms On every floor there are glass-paneled rooms that block out the rumble of the rest of the library. These study rooms are available to rent out (free of charge) for an allotted time so that students can have a moment in peace outside the rustling of papers and clicking of pens heard echoing in the community areas. There are also whiteboards for students to use to draw out a really elaborate problem or showcase a set of questions to peers. Study rooms are a part of our fees, so set aside a time to hide out in one and watch your to-do list dwindle.

• The Writing Studio Every piece of writing has a place here in the studio. Worried about grammar or flow? This is the place to get your essay proofread or analyzed. To meet with a tutor from the Writing Studio online, you must set up an account on the website.

Then you can schedule an in-person appointment or an “Online Video/WriteChats.” On the online side, students can upload documents, receive feedback and then save the entire conversation to their computers.

The Writing Studio is located in room 2420 of the 25 Park Place Building (across from Woodruff Park).

Writing Studio Hours Fall 2017: Monday 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Friday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Georgia State Perimeter College Native Plant Botanical Garden Because this guide isn’t just focused on the importance of preparing for strenuous academics, it’s good to know where you can go to escape it for a while. Visit the garden on the Decatur campus to clear your mind and get lost in the scenery.

There are over 4,000 species of native, rare and endangered plants living in the two main garden areas – the Native Plant Botanical Garden and the Ferns of the World. Many trails wind through the shade gardens. The gardens have bog plants, native trees, shrubs, vines, ferns and perennial plants. Find your zen; stop and smell the flowers.

Askari Flewellen, sophomore at Georgia State, studies in the Plaza in preparation for midterms.

PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ & PAGE DESIGN BY DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL

VICTOR SLEDGE Staff Reporter

Eleftherios Chasanidis sings his way to Georgia State

Eleftherios Chasanidis is a Georgia State University international student and opera singer currently majoring in music with an emphasis on vocal performance.

PAGE DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION BY SALINNA PHON | THE SIGNAL

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he big city: Atlanta, Georgia. It’s the hometown of some today’s biggest stars like recent Emmy winner Donald Glover, and where many stars like Academy Award winning Julia Roberts (Georgia State Alumni) got their start. People from all over the country—and the world—come to not only Atlanta, but to Georgia State to chase their dreams and pursue the arts.

Many Panthers pursue their dreams at Georgia State after leaving small Georgia towns, others travel from other states to get to be here, but then, there are international students that leave everything they have ever known to come Georgia State.

3,076 international students from 139 countries were enrolled at Georgia State in the fall of 2016, these students are now embedded into our campus community. Statistics show that most of the international students that came wanted to pursue a degree in one of the many major art fields that Georgia State has to offer. Liberal Arts were among the most common undergraduate majors that international students chose at Georgia State in 2016.

The Signal had the opportunity to sit down with a Greek student pursuing opera who can’t take I-85 home for Winter Break.

TAKING THE LEAP OF FAITH Eleftherios Chasanidis, or Lefteris for short, is a graduate student from Thessaloniki, Greece, the country’s second largest city. “I came to the United States last year as an exchange student,” he said. “The plan for me was just to stay one semester.” Over a year later he still walks these halls, but now, ranked number one in voice performance

in Georgia.

The youngest in a musical family, Lefteris’ first passion was violin, which he started playing at seven-years-old. He initially intended on majoring in violin performance, but he never imagined he would be doing so at Georgia State. Even more surprising, just one question from his violin teacher changed his entire musical path forever: “Have you ever tried to sing?”

Chasanidis joked that he responded to that with an unquestionable “no.” He had devoted all his talents to violin his entire life. And for a young artist, the transition from violin to singing was both sudden and scary.

Even though he was very hesitant, Eleftherios’ violin teacher eventually convinced him to travel to the Greek island of Lefkada in 2015 to participate in a summer music program. There, his teacher introduced him to one of Georgia State’s very own voice professors by the name of W. Dwight Coleman, who would be directing the first opera Lefteris would ever perform in.

With the pressure of a whole new venture on his shoulders, Chasanidis looked back on his first voice lesson with Coleman and said in nostalgia, “I had a blast. It was like… wow.”

Seeing his stunning performance in the opera, Coleman offered Lefteri the opportunity to come study violin at Georgia State And despite all hesitations, Chasanidis jumped at the opportunity to come here to study his passions.

He left his family, friends, and home to pursue his dreams. Although his parents encouraged his venture, telling him “you should totally do this thing,” Chasanidis admitted he began questioning himself and his ability shortly before his trip.

Deciding not only to start focusing on a whole new artistry, opera, but also to do so in a different country proved to be intimidating to him. He said he appreciates the fact that his family supports him, but realizes, “they are missing me too.” These were just a few of the struggles Chasanidis was about to take on.

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

WE'RE NOT IN GREECE ANYMORE It is not easy being an international student. . When Lefteris gets the opportunity to go back home and visit in between semesters, the round-trip tickets are upwards of $1,500. Thinking about his first trip back to Greece after his first semester, Chasanidis remembers realizing how homesick he was when he first arrived.

“Look how much I missed my parents, my sister, my brother, my nephew—everybody,” he recalls thinking while on a trip back home, surrounded by his family after the long semester.

When he returned for his second semester here, Chasanidis felt even more homesick, after having a chance to be reacquainted with his loved ones and the only home he had ever known.

After all, his family is where his musical passion comes from. Chasanidis’ father is a chanter in church along with his brother, who is also a pianist. His sister is also a longtime guitarist. He jokes with nostalgia that when he’s away from home his family is always asking, “When are you coming back?”

GETTING ADJUSTED The silver lining in all of this, however, is that he has been fortunate to have a lot of help adjusting to Georgia

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TURNING DREAMS TO REALITY

PASSION FOR PERFORMING In less than three years, Eleftherios Chasanidis has gone from being an impeccable violinist in Greece, to mastering violin and voice performance in a country across the ocean.

He thought about the people who have helped him through his journey of adjusting to life here, and happily opened up about everyone being very friendly. He was most surprised at how willing people were to give him some wonderful opportunities to display his talents like the Kennesaw State and international choir competition.

Knowing his family is supporting him, even from across seas, and his pure zeal for performing, Chasanidis seemed resilient thinking about how he has stepped up—and across the Atlantic—to the plate that has proven his success.

“What keeps me going is that I love what I am doing. I love performing. I love singing.”

Impassioned, he describes the unique sensation of performing saying, “It’s like you’re hugging the universe.”

His voice lowered in astonishment at his love for opera and violin. He gleams, “you start to become one” with the experience of sharing music with the audience, whether it’s singing or violin.

“Please, I strongly advise everybody, get into the arts.

Your life is going to change,” he said at the end. “It’s so— extraordinary.”

GEORGIA STATE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT STATS 3,076 nternational Students That’s almost doubled from the total from 5 years ago!

6 percent of Georgia State's total student enrollment Top 5 countries out of 139 represented: 1. India 2. China 3. South Korea 4. Vietnam 5. Saudi Arabia 39.1% of those students are enrolled in graduate programs.

40.5% of those students are enrolled in undergraduate programs.

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies is the #1 choice of major amongst International Students with 991 (32 percent) enrolling.

FALL 2016

Chasanidis was delighted to share the opportunities he’s been afforded while working through Georgia State’s program. And without a doubt, Chasanidis has definitely made the most out of every one he’s been given here.

Aside from winning the competition at Kennesaw State last fall that gave him his number one ranking, Chasanidis also had the pleasure of travelling back to Europe for another title. At an international choir competition in Germany this past semester, he and Georgia State’s University Singers took home first place against choirs from all over the world. He has also gotten the chance to hold a principal role in an opera and perform a concert

solo. But out of all of these incredible opportunities, the most thrilling to Chasanidis was the chance to sing next to Andrea Bocelli.

“I’ve done other big things, but this was the biggest,” Chasanidis marveled reflecting on the concert. At this point, he had gone from focusing on violin in Greece just a couple years ago, to now singing in front of nearly 24,000 people with Andrea Bocelli, an incomparable classical tenor.

1,010 Georgia State Students studied abroad 748 Undergraduate Students 245 Graduate Students Top 5 Destinations 1. China 2. United Kingdom 3. Italy 4. France 5. Mexico

2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR

State. Chasanidis received a tuition waiver and is allotted a stipend from his graduate assistant position for his professor, as well as working the front desk at the School of Music’s media center. Chasanidis humbly admits, “if I didn’t have this, I wouldn’t be able to support myself here.”

Stepping out of his comfort zone, and onto Georgia State’s campus, Chasanidis explained, “While I was here, I did something kind of different—I double majored in Violin Performance and Voice Performance.”

He said that he loved the program Georgia State offered, which is why he ultimately decided to stay here. “The thing in Greece,” he pointed out, “we don’t have so many schools that promote opera.” Although his school in Greece did happen to maintain a voice performance program, there were only 15 students enrolled in the program, compared to approximately 80 (undergraduate and graduate) students in Georgia State’s program.

GEORGIA STATE STUDY ABROAD STATS

ARTS & LIVING

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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

The beauty of organic cosmetic products Does your daily routine have negative health effects?

Rachel Pearson, founder of RachelMade Products, sells her lush line of organic, small-batch skin care, completely free from harmful chemicals.

SOPHIA MARCHESE

Associate Arts & Living Editor

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magine washing your face at night with your regular skin care product. A little quarter-sized dab in the palm of your hand and a splash of water as you rub the product into your cheeks.

Now imagine walking to the cabinet where you keep your household cleaning products, grabbing your kitchen counter degreaser and spraying yourself directly in the face—washing away the day’s grime as you scrub your cheeks with industrial chemicals.

The ugly truth is that there’s a very inadequate difference between these two situations. A lot of your routine products are tainted with the same chemicals you use to clean your floors and wash your windows.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t enforce skin care companies to advertise all of their dirty little secrets. In fact, the FDA doesn’t enforce the testing of ingredients in personal care products whatsoever. This is largely due to the fact that the federal law regulating cosmetic safety is ancient. It hasn’t been updated in almost 80 years.

The effects of these products can go much further than skin deep. There is very little getting in the way of a product that has cancer-causing ingredients or long-term negative health risks making it onto shelves—it’s highly likely that your favorite moisturizers are among those.

COSMETIC CORRUPTION

Companies in the cosmetic and personal care industry are self-policing and jumping through legislation loopholes, monetizing Americans’ overall health and well-being.

Rachel Pearson, creator of organic skincare line RachelMade Products, found the current state of our cosmetic industry extremely troubling. She did her research and discovered that everything you put on your skin soaks into the bloodstream.

This means that, if chemicals are present, they will soak in and eventually be processed by your internal organs.

Hormonal imbalances, cancer and a slew of other yucky internal side effects are all a daunting possibility. Not to mention the number of chemicals that dry out the skin and hair follicles, despite what the packaging may suggest.

That’s right, some products that claim to fix skin issues are actually causing what they “intend” to prevent or cure—such as silicone-based moisturizers that are actually suffocating our pretty little pores. The free market is a playground for cosmetic corruption and mainstream manipulation.

Pearson also found that many self-care ingredients that are permitted in the United States are strictly banned in other countries. That doesn’t stop consumers from buying their routine lotions or best smelling shampoos though.

That’s because we are trusting and loyal. We are putting money into the deep pockets of the cosmetic industry while they are preying upon our health. The livelihood of well-known

and mass produced skin care is heavily based upon their devoted customers.

“We’re still undergoing an evolution of consciousness of what is good for your skin and what is bad,” Pearson said.

“People are still going to buy these products because they are still ‘trusted brands,’ but when the consumer is educated, they will no longer buy products that contain these ingredients.”

THE TRUTH ABOUT ‘NATURAL’

As the intrigue of conscious-living bleeds into today’s consumer reports, the word “natural” is tossed around like a hot potato. Trusted brands, such as Neutrogena, use the word “natural” to fabricate good intentions and bypass accusations from health-conscious communities.

“The world ‘natural’ is not regulated by any sort of agency,” Pearson said. “You don’t have to meet any standards to use the world ‘natural.’”

It’s no surprise that with such an unregulated industry, these types of buzz words are exploited to trick the customer into purchasing. Unfortunately, as soon as you flip that bottle around, you’ll see a long list of synthetic chemicals that are nearly impossible to pronounce.

“A good rule of thumb for beginners is if you can’t pronounce it and if you don’t know what it is, then don’t put it on your skin,” Pearson said.

She also believes that if you wouldn’t consume it, then you probably shouldn’t use it as skin care either.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA MARCHESE | THE SIGNAL

THE DIRTY DOZEN Sometimes reforming a routine is much easier said than done. Baby steps. The Dirty Dozen is a list of 12 toxic chemicals that are often used in today’s big brand cosmetics.

Parabens - Widely used as an antifungal in cosmetics and heavily absorbed through the skin. They have been detected in breast tumor biopsy samples.

Formaldehyde – Banned in many countries, but not the U.S.! It is used as a preservative in cosmetics—and in taxidermy—and known to be carcinogenic.

BHA and BHT – Also used as preservatives, these synthetic antioxidants mimic estrogen and interfere with reproduction. They can cause allergic outbreaks and issues with blood coagulation, among health hazards.

Read the full list at www.georgiastatesignal.com

RACHELMADE WITH LOVE

RachelMade products are handmade, fully organic goods made in small batches. Pearson whips up scrubs, balms and soaps with a whole lot of love and nothing but natural, beneficial ingredients. And when she uses the word “natural,” she really means it.

The skin care creator endorses each one of her products because she has seen and heard the results.

“I’ve gotten several emails in the last two weeks alone from clients telling me how my products have helped their skin,” Pearson said. “One woman reached out and let me know that her eczema and her rashes were gone, and she no longer needed to go to the dermatologist all the time. She reduced her visits thanks to my products.”

Not only do these products put you at absolutely zero risk of health hazards, they also impact a greater good. A portion of each of Pearson’s sales goes towards Inheritance of Hope, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting families that have a terminally ill parent.

Using brand name products may be the cheaper option, but the risks cost so much more in the grand scheme of things. Using falsely labeled skin care is a never ending cycle of redundancy and frustration.

Take care of your skin. After all, it is the largest organ in your body.

ILLUSTRATION BY TYPHANIE HALL | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2017

ARTS & LIVING

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MOVIE REVIEW

The Kingsman 2

Action-packed with British slang TYLER BATES Staff Reporter

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umping right into a film's sequel without the backstory can be quite a turn off.

However, in this case, it was hard to resist.

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” is the sequel to the previous Matthew Vaughn film of 2014, “Kingsman: The Secret Service”. Although I have not seen the first movie, following along with the second was not too tough of a feat.

The film was full of action, top secret missions and cool British slang — what’s not to love?!

“Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle” stars Taron Egerton as Eggsy. Eggsy is a young man who is a member of the secret British organization, the Kingsman, who pretty much go around trying to make all things right in the world…British style. The film is full of seasoned actors including Colin Firth (Harry Hart), Halle Berry (Ginger), Channing Tatum (Tequila) and Julianne Moore as the evil villainess Poppy. The film even features an extended cameo role by Elton John, who plays his part extremely well. The legendary singer can be seen belting a few tunes throughout the beginning of the film,which brings so much light and personality early on in the film.

Of course an action film can’t be an action film without a little peril, so that's where the plot comes into play. In the film the Kingsman headquarters is destroyed by an evil opposition led by Julianne Moore’s character, Poppy. This unanticipated disaster forces whoever is left of the Kingsman to partner up with an allied spy organization in Kentucky known as the Statesman. With the Statesman

headquarters being planted in Kentucky it is not a surprise that the filmmakers felt the need to play off of that with an emphasis on the country twang and accents. Watching Channing Tatum transform into and an agent with one of the world’s hardest accents is a sight to see and a sound I didn't quite expect.

The two organizations, consisting of members with varied skills (such as managing a super-human-like lasso to fight off enemies), band together to save what is left of the world. Once again, Eggsy is out on a mission to save the world from destruction and evil domination.

Besides the serious issue of saving a world in peril, the cool British vibes and hip roadman talk (21st century London slang) have you leaving the theater planning your next vacation across the pond. Hearing words like “bruv” (our equivalent of “bruh” or “bro”) and the way words were precisely pronounced brought back a bit of nostalgia from my interaction with close British friends. For an individual who may not be savvy in international slang, this movie is the perfect start!

The lingo, top-secret missions and all of the heart-throbbing action would not be complete without Elton John’s extended cameo seen throughout the film. Ironically enough, John plays a captive of Poppy who is being held hostage and is constantly forced to sit around a piano and entertain her as a part of her malicious plan.

Eventually, towards the film’s triumphant ending, the audience had the pleasure of seeing a feisty, no-nonsense side of John that have viewers everywhere cheering him and the Kingsman on with a wink and a smile.

B+ VERDICT “Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle” is a great film that crosses over international boundaries and displays talents from America as well as across the pond. The action is everything and I will say, if you have never seen the first film, watching the sequel will make you anxious to see the genesis that started it all.

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Flash Trading Deerhoof

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Detroit hardcore band delivers five tough songs on new EP

etroit-based hardcore punk band Freedom has returned with another EP, Never Had A Choice. Following their first attempt at an LP, which fell a bit flat and suffered from a healthy amount of fluff, Freedom has delivered five scorching tracks clocking right under 11 minutes.

They take heavy influence from the golden age of New York hardcore punk in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

Right out the gate, Freedom hits hard with opening track “Never Had A Choice.” Every fast part is relieved by a groovy break but only for a second. The guitars sound thick but gritty, backed by a sharp rhythm section, and a mean, articulate vocal delivery. This continues throughout the rest of the EP with some breaks in speed but no breaks in aggression.

Since their debut in 2014, Freedom has been a band that followed the straight edge lifestyle. This lifestyle includes abstaining from drugs and alcohol and has gone hand in hand with some aspects of hardcore punk since its inception in the early 80’s. Freedom had multiple songs on previous projects having to do with being straight edge, including “AntiPoison” and “My Choice.” On this new EP, they seem to stray a bit from the straight edge

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Freedom’s 'Never Had A Choice' slams Staff Reporter

Blockhead Dent May

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ALBUM REVIEW

JALEN JENKINS

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GRADE

anthems, but choose to focus on relationships and what impact drug use and alcohol had on the relationship instead.

For example, on “Retrace the Lines,” a relationship has been strained to the point where it needs to be reconsidered. “I think the time has come for you and I to retrace the lines / It’s clear that we will never see eye to eye / I pull your weight, stay out my way,” the vocalist grunts out before some punchy guitar chugs. Also on “The Alleyways,” the vocalist issues a call to action with a stop and start break and the lines, “The choice is yours / Take or be taken / You’re running out of time so make up your mind / Don’t be mistaken”.

The overall vibe of this EP is tough. This is partly because of the production style, which makes the fast parts hit just as hard as the slow ones. The toughness also comes from the calculated songwriting of this EP. They make a great effort in emulating the sound of New York hardcore bands such as Madball, while separating themselves and cementing exactly how they want to sound. Some idea of their sound was lost on their LP, but it seems like they have taken the songs that worked and molded it into a formula they can use to move forward.

Taking the straightforward approach at songwriting might seem like an obvious choice for hardcore punk, but it takes effort to make it work and takes even more to make it stylish.

Freedom has done that with this EP.

VERDICT Freedom makes Never Had A Choice short enough to make the listener want more with lyrics that are straight to the point and easy to recite back after just a few listens. These quality songs are a great start for someone who has never taken the time to listen to hardcore or punk.

Dasher V/A - Antinote

A SAFE PLACE TO TFCF BE NAKED Liars S. Fidelity

EUCALYPTUS SATURN OVER SUNSET Avey TareSister Midnight

MELLOW WAVES ORC Cornelius Oh Sees

SUMMERSET (SIDE B) ONISM V/A - Lush Selects Photay

ACROSS THE FRENCH KIWI JUICE MULTIVERSE

FKJ Dent May

ARTIFICIAL THE GOLDENBEACH MILE EP Shimano Moki Flash Trading

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FIVE YEARS OF SODIUM LOVING NOTES

FIVE OFFROM SOFTYEARS SOUNDS ANOTHER PLANET LOVING NOTES

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1. “Never Had A Choice” 2. “Carry the Name” 3. “Victimized”

RIPE & MAJESTIC INTERSTATE VISION TOBACCO Lomelda

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BEST SONGS

THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN MOVES MILE

NOTHING IS EASY, RIPE & MAJESTIC EVERYTHING IS (...)

TOBACOO

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GRADE

ACROSS FUNERALTHE BALOONS MULTIVERSE

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Futility Music

Japanese Breakfast V/A - Antidote

MURDER OF THE MELLOW WAVES UNIVERSE

Cornelius King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

A SAFE PLACE ART SCHOOL JOCKS TO BE NAKED Art School Jocks S. Fidelty

DADA EUCALYPTUS B Boys Avey Tare

SHADOW EXPERT SUMMERSET (SIDE B)

Palm- Lush Selects V/A

DE MIM, PRA FRENCH KIWI VOCÊ JUICE Sango FKJ

ZONEZ V.3: THE WORLD ARTIFICIAL BEACH UWINDS ME BUT (...)EP

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Shimano Moki Suzi Analogue

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Cigarettes After Sex King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

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MURDER OF THE CIGARETTES AFTER SEX UNIVERSE

NOTHING IS EASY, SOMERSAULT EVERYTHING IS (...)

Beach Fossils Futility Music

CALENDAR & GAMES

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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

things you don’t want to miss Wednesday

More events and info at georgiastatesignal.com

Friday

Thursday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

A3C Festival, A3CATGSU

A3C Action Summit

Stimulate Your Mind

Running of the Bulls

For the Adults (21+)

We Like it Local!

Magic in the Air

October 4

October 5

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It’s opening night of A3C Music and Conference Festival! Georgia State’s Panther Entertainment Group has the next top charting artists playing at Mammal Gallery tonight. Free with student ID!

The Auburn Avenue Research Library will be a platform for activists, academics and artists to speak on social justice issues. It’s a two day event, plenty of time to swing by! It is free and open to the public.

TEDxPeachtree will be at the Rialto Center for the Arts.

A dozen brilliant minds discuss topics such as design, medicine, cartoons, architecture and space exploration.

Watch it live online for free.

Ever wanted to run with the bulls in Spain? Wear white and tie something red around your waist and get chased

by Rollergirls for a mile instead at Piedmont Park. It’s weird. It’s fun. You want to do it.

Dreams are coming true at Suntrust Park with the Great Atlanta Beer Fest. Sample over 150 beers, wines and ciders with live music and college football on the TV. Get tickets now before prices go up!

Celebrate 10 years of local, fresh produce and food with Peachtree Road Farmers Market at the Hyatt Regency off Peachtree St. All proceeds go right back into keeping the farmers and markets strong!

Peter Morrison is a professional magician here to spread the magic to us from now until Nov. 25. Among other talents he is also a comedian.

Go down to Atlanta Magic Theatre to enjoy comedy and a show!

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HARD

SPORTS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2017

www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports

THE UNUSUALLY LONG HOME GAME GAP Georgia State goes an unprecedented 51 days between home games

The Georgia State Panthers enter the new stadium for the annual FanFest, Aug. 17.

JERELL RUSHIN Staff Reporter

G

eorgia State opened the football season and the brand new Georgia State Stadium with a home game against Tennessee State University on Thursday, Aug. 31.

Fifty-one days will have passed before the Panthers’ new home, formerly Turner Field, will host another game.

“I don’t think I ever have [been through a home gap this long] in any sports I’ve ever played to tell you the truth. It’s a long time.

We just hope people don’t forget about us around here,” Head Coach Shawn Elliott joked.

Twenty-one days of summer remained after the season opening loss to Tennessee State.

When it’s all said and done, 30 days of autumn will be tacked onto the home hiatus before Georgia State Stadium welcomes another fan into the Atlanta Braves’ former home of 20 years.

The reason for the extremely long gap: Hurricane Irma.

Metropolitan Atlanta faced winds of forty miles per hour which left many Georgia residents without power for several days.

Hurricane Irma caused the largest evacuation in United States history due to a natural disaster. Government officials ordered over 5.6 million Florida residents to leave the state, in fear of severe damage.

In January 2015, Georgia State and Memphis reached an agreement to play a home-and-home series, beginning in Atlanta during 2017 and ending in Memphis in 2018.

The 2017 matchup was scheduled last Saturday, Sep. 30, which would have ended the time away from the newest stadium in Atlanta at 30 days. However, Memphis cancelled the game due to scheduling adjustments made by the American Athletic Conference, in lieu of Hurricane Irma’s effect on Florida.

Playing a complete American Athletic Conference (AAC) schedule was the top priority for AAC commissioner, Mike Aresco. Memphis’ game against Georgia State was frankly just a roadblock to the AAC’s goal.

Georgia State will receive $1.1 million from the University of Memphis in cancellation fees. The Panthers’ Sep. 18, 2018 game in Memphis will still take place as scheduled.

The University of Central Florida cancelled its Sept. 9 home conference game against Memphis in preparation for the tropical storm’s landfall in Florida the next day. UCF cancelled another

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON & PAGE DESIGN BY SALINNA PHON | THE SIGNAL

home game against Georgia Tech the following weekend.

Fellow American Athletic Conference member, the University of South Florida, cancelled its away conference game against UConn on Sept. 9. The need to combat the Atlantic Ocean’s strongest storm since the turn of the century took priority over traveling to play the game.

The American Athletic Conference rescheduled Memphis’ Sept.

9 meeting at UCF to Sept. 30, the date which would have been arguably Georgia State’s toughest game at home in school history.

In week three, Memphis defeated #25 UCLA and quarterback Josh Rosen, who has been tabbed worthy of the first overall pick during the 2018 NFL Draft by analysts.

Previously, the longest gap between home games in program history was 35 days in 2014, Georgia State’s first year of bowl eligibility. After the first ever meeting with Georgia Southern, the Panthers didn’t play in the Georgia Dome again until they faced South Alabama to wrap up a 1-11 year.

Fans may call it a week off but it was hard to tell at the Georgia State Football Facility. Shouting coaches were very audible only a few steps onto the field, while the Panthers huddled up to wrap the first day of practice for the week.

“Every Monday is different. Every Tuesday, we’ve got to get better,” Elliot said as he stressed that just because the team no longer has a game this weekend, the goal for his football program still never changes.

“We’ve got some guys dinged up, so it gives us a chance to get some guys back, and relax a little bit. The season can be tough and it can be stressful on players and coaches. It gives us a little time to catch our breath and improve as a football team.”

Georgia State closed out the week prior to cancelled Memphis showdown, with their 28-0 victory over Charlotte, their first win out of three tries.

2015 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, Penny Hart took a medical redshirt last season after a season-ending injury. The offense’s most explosive player has seen the offense grow boatloads within the first month.

“The first game, it was a lot of missed assignments, a lot of turnovers. And the next game [against Penn State] a few less missed assignments, but still the same amount of turnovers. Then last game, you know, barely any missed assignments, and no turnovers. And we see what happens,” Hart said.

Every football coach in the Sun Belt and America would love to see their team implement the message that Elliot and his staff preach. The message is limiting turnovers, missed assignments,

and penalties.

“We can win any game from there,” Hart said.

The coaches gave the players a less strenuous week, specifically on their legs according to Hart. But at the same time, having the same mentality throughout every week, preparing like they have a game every single week.

2017 is Georgia State’s fifth year of playing football, still in its infancy years of being a program. When a team is new to football or to the FBS, it’s common for them to play more away games than an established program.

In Georgia State’s first season, they played just five games away from the standard twelve game FBS schedule. Never have the Panthers traveled seven times during a season, an anomaly for football teams new to the FBS classification.

Within the state of Georgia, fellow infant FBS member Georgia Southern will have went on the road seven times each of the past two seasons, at the conclusion of this year. Georgia Southern only hosted five games compared to seven away games in 2014, the team’s first year as an FBS and Sun Belt school.

Georgia Southern’s 2017 home opener against Maine, scheduled for Sept. 9, was moved to Birmingham, Alabama due to Hurricane Irma’s impact on southeast Georgia.

Georgia Southern did not receive any cancellation fees and will only bring in revenue for four homes games this season.

Fans will be able to take home bragging rights on Nov. 4, when both teams meet for the fourth time. This will be the second meeting in Statesboro, Georgia.

Elliot would like to see his team continue what they displayed at Charlotte moving forward.

“The play of our defense. Not giving up the big play, and then controlling the ball offensively. The time of possession was huge for us. We kept it for over 40 minutes and really controlled the game from the get-go,” said Elliot.

Homecoming will be the occasion for Georgia State’s next home game. The Troy Trojans will be the opponent for the Saturday, Oct. 21 matchup.

“It’s gonna be amazing. I can’t wait. Hope the crowd is everything that we expect it to be, but most importantly, giving these fans something to come out to see and get a win in that new stadium,” Hart said.

Despite the 50-plus day absence of a game, excitement remains around the football program because they finally have something to call their own in Georgia State Stadium.

SPORTS

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CHRISTIAN CRITTENDEN Staff Reporter

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he Georgia State men’s soccer team has eight seniors on this years team. These eight players have had tons of success during their time here at Georgia State, and they’ve also accomplished some good things. This group has won 38 games and counting on top of making it to two straight Sun Belt conference championship matches. The group is determined to end this season on a different note than the previous seasons when they lost in the Sun Belt championship match.

Leading this year’s charge is Rashid Alarape. Alarape has been on an absolute tear this season, leading the team in goals with six, which puts his career total at 15.

“I feel like since this is my senior season, I’ve just put more focus into everything, all aspects of my life, just taking better care of my body and just being more involved with the team,” Alarape said.

Alarape has had a pretty good career at Georgia State. As a freshman, Alarape was named All-Sun Belt Conference first team. He also won College Sports Madness Sun Belt Freshman of the year.

“Georgia State has definitely grown since I’ve been here as a freshman, soccer wise I had a really good freshman year,” he said.

“My sophomore and junior year weren’t the best but now I’m getting back on the right foot and getting back to who I know that I can be and being the best player that I can be.”

Alarape is a native of Stone Mountain, GA and is excited that he has been able to see Georgia State grow. He is especially grateful that he was able to be a part of the university’s growth.

The Panthers have several international players on the roster and a few of them are seniors.

One of those international seniors is goalkeeper Yannic Horn.

Horn is a native of Gross-Zimmern, Germany.

“So far it's been a tremendous experience for me. The decision

to come over here to pursue soccer and education has been the best decision of my life,” Horn said.

When Horn was 20-years-old, he was playing in Germany and tore his ACL. Knowing that he had to be realistic with himself, he packed up his bags and moved to America. He played at Montevallo before transferring to Georgia State.

Horn looks at the injury in a positive light. “Everything happens for a reason. Without that injury, I would not be here standing here talking to (you) right now,” Horn said.

Horn has only been at Georgia State for two years and has been nothing but a successful addition to the Panthers. During his first year with the Panthers, Horn recorded 71 saves, which ranks him ninth in program history. Horn was also named to the All-Sun Belt first team last season.

Luke Oesterle is a senior goalkeeper for the Panthers. He has seen some action in many important games for the Panthers over his career. He was the starter for the Panthers in their first Sun Belt Conference championship match. He was a big part of the team making it to the championship match because he had two saves in the shootout, helping preserve the win for the Panthers.

“My favorite moment in my time at Georgia State has to be the penalty shootout victory against Georgia Southern in the Sun Belt semi-finals two years ago, “ Oesterle said.

His record that season was 3-2-1 and he saved 17 shots for a 5.86 saves percentage.

“I'm happy that I was given the chance to play soccer at the division one level,” Oesterle said. “Although I didn't play as many games as I hoped, I still was able to be around the sport I love, which was great.”

Jad Elkhalil has been a productive member for the Panthers throughout his career. Elkhalil played in 38 career games during his first three years. While that total would have been higher, he was injured during his junior year and had to miss out on most of

the season due to the injury.

My time at Georgia State has been very important to my growth in becoming the person I want to be in my life,” Elkhalil said.

Elkhalil gets it done in the classroom as well as on the field. He has been named on the Dean’s list five times, the Commissioner's list and the Dean's honor roll. Elkhalil was also a semi-finalist for the 2017 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Award.

“It's all about time management. I've had to make a lot of sacrifices to study and play simultaneously but in the end, I know they will have been worth it,” Elkhalil said.

Nenad Smiljanic is a redshirt senior from Barnsley, England.

Smiljanic has battled injuries during his time at Georgia State.

He was forced to miss five games during the 2015 season due to injury, but he was still productive that season, scoring three goals with two assists. He missed the 2016 season due to a pre-season and decided to use that season as a redshirt year.

Before transferring to Georgia State, Smiljanic played at the University of District Columbia. Smiljanic scored a total of 13 goals during his time at the District of Columbia. He played professionally for Manchester United FC and Barnsley FC over in England.

“My favorite moment from my career was playing in tournaments abroad against the best European teams in the world, for Manchester United,” Smiljanic said.

Georgia State also has three other seniors, Nick Hague, Andrew Thompson, and Solomon Lorezano.

Hague was named the 2016 Sun Belt Newcomer of the year. He scored one goal that season, and helped the team to seven shutouts.

One thing that was common among the seniors regarding their favorite moments has unanimously been the win over thenranked No. 2 Wake Forest.

“They were a highly ranked team, we played them before in my career and we lost (5-0),” Alarape said. “So to be able to beat them when they were No.2 in the country was real exciting.”

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2017

Panthers run through drills at Georgia State's Football Practice Facility.

D'MITRI CHIN Staff Reporter

A

fter being shut out 56-0 to Penn.

State (Sept. 16), the Georgia State Panthers bounced back with a shutout win of their own, beating Charlotte 28-0. The Panthers played good quality football for four full quarters and showed their true potential on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, the Panthers were not one-dimensional by any means. Conner Manning was able to find key targets in Penny Hart through the air, and running back Glenn Smith ran the ball effectively.

The defense obviously played a significant role in securing the team's first win by forcing Charlotte to commit three turnovers, while

also being the first team in Georgia State football history to record a shutout.

So what does all of this mean?

Well, moving forward, the Panthers can certainly feel good about themselves after a dominating performance, but it's all about consistency.

With the cancellation of the Memphis game (Sept. 30), the Panthers find themselves with another open week, though they play their next game on the road to begin the Sun Belt.

The Panthers' next match is October 7 against Coastal Carolina, who is having a subpar season thus far. In fact, I expect the Panthers to extend their winning streak and continue to gain momentum as they get deeper into this season.

It's also worth noting that, as it stands today, the combined record of the teams in

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PHOTO BY AZAM LALANI & PAGE DESIGN BY SALINNA PHON | THE SIGNAL

the Sun Belt Conference is 16-27. That alone speaks volumes regarding the possibility of the Panthers being able to be competitive in the conference. But it won't necessarily be an easy task. The Panthers must be able to show that they can win the games that aren't in their favor. A prime example of this was the game played against Troy on Oct. 21.

The Panthers were supposed to beat Charlotte, a team that was 0-3 when they faced the Panthers. They apparently were outmatched and didn't have enough talent on both sides of the ball to compete with this Georgia State team. But teams such as Troy, Appalachian State and Idaho are capable of beating the Panthers, and this is where the Panthers will need quarterback Conner Manning to take his game to another level.

The reason why I single out Manning

in this situation is because he tends to be careless with the ball, which puts the Panthers’ defense in tight situations.

Manning must be more accurate when throwing the deep ball in particular. On short and intermediate routes, he is arguably the most accurate quarterback in the conference.

However, I believe Manning will find his rhythm and improve in that department.

If Manning and company can score points at a high rate as they did against Charlotte, and the defense continues to play as if their lives are depending on it by not giving up any points and creating turnovers in bunches, this team will indeed have a chance to win the Sun Belt conference.

It certainly won't be an easy task, but the Panthers surely have a legitimate shot at being the Sun Belt champions.

SPORTS

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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Volleyball: the tale of two sports in one

When cheerleading team can't make it, players take on the task themselves JERELL RUSHIN Staff Reporter

T

he Georgia State volleyball team isn’t on scholarship for cheerleading—that should come as no surprise. But, they are the loudest cheerleaders during their games.

Football and basketball teams at most levels have cheerleaders at nearly every game.

Volleyball games cannot always be the top priority for cheerleading squads across the nation. Georgia State is not an exception.

The Panthers faced the UL-Monroe Warhawks on Friday Sep. 22, in their first Sun Belt contest of the year. Two cheerleaders stood at the end of the court that Georgia State occupied for the set. Ten stood on the bench.

“Love it. Love it. Everyone is ready to come into the match and they’re engaged,” said Head Coach Sally Polhamus.

“It’s like our sixth man in basketball. It’s our seventh person in volleyball. It’s awesome.”

It takes little time to notice the difference between a volleyball match and some of America’s most watched sports.

Teams may huddle after every play in football to call the next play, but volleyball teams huddle after each play to celebrate each other’s efforts. Every. Single. Time.

“Honestly, it’s what keeps our team calm and keeps the energy up,” said outside hitter Morgan Hash.

“If we get the point, then we’re hyping each other up ‘what are we going to do next’ it gets us ready for the next ball.”

The Panthers also use the moment to constructively criticize the product on the floor when things go askew.

“After a point that we lost, we come in and say ‘I’ve got that next one.’ [We] talk about something that we are going to do for the next one, rather than looking backwards,” setter, Sarah Renner said.

Collegiate volleyball games are not a mustsee event for most people, but the noise made by the teams enhances the atmosphere inside the arena.

High school competitors typically have

The volleyball team is proactive in cheering each other during their games.

more elaborate celebrations than at collegiate competitions, but Georgia State has the entire team involved in plenty of cheers.

During the Scenic City Showdown, a preconference tournament on UT-Chattanooga’s campus, the Panthers put their cheering abilities on full display for southeastern Tennessee.

“We took an hour and we sat outside and we came up with a cheer for everyone on the team. And it’s great because even when you’re on the bench, you’re excited to do it. When you’re on the court and you hear it, it just hypes everything up,” Hash said.

Renner explained that if a player scores one point, the entire team knows her celebration, and enacts it in unison. Renner said that it felt as if every member of the team was on the court at once during the tournament.

With both elbows pressed onto your side, Hash’s unique celebration is to say “wow” extremely slow, while moving both your hands

in a clockwise motion.

“Have you ever seen that vine where it goes “wow,” Hash said in a nasally imitation. “I say that all the time. It’s literally stuff that you notice because we hang out with each other so much, and we’re a family. You know each individual person, and every weird little thing that they do, so it’s very unique and specific to the person.”

Volleyball is played in sets, and each time the ball falls on the side of one team’s court, their opponent receives a point. As one team goes on an extended streak of landing points, the psyche of the opponent can get disturbed.

Momentum is the name of the game when it comes to volleyball, and anything can light a fire underneath a team.

Bench noise is to volleyball as crowd noise is to football. Seeing a team celebrate can make things appear as if you are outmatched and the deficit is too much to overcome.

PHOTO BY AZAM LALANI | THE SIGNAL

This is heightened during road games, when the Panthers don’t have any cheerleaders on their side. Except for their sisters, they are on a mission with no band, fan-base, nor companions.

Georgia State is currently in the midst of a four-game road stretch, and have another stretch in late October. Hash said that her teammates are all that is needed during those taxing trips.

After UL-Monroe handily won the fourth set of their matchup in Atlanta, the Warhawks proudly celebrated.

Not much cheering was done after the Panthers went on to win the fifth set, 15-9.

Georgia State paced themselves towards the net, to shake each Warhawk’s hand, as the vast majority of the celebration was taken care of during the previous sets.

Opinion: What Penn State techniques taught us

The first shutout in history gives team momentum going into Sun Belt JERELL RUSHIN Staff Reporter

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hree Saturdays ago, Georgia State faced its first ranked opponent in #5 Penn State since their bout with Wisconsin last September. No. 9 Wisconsin’s narrow 2317 win over the Panthers was a close matchup, contrary to the 56-0 loss to Penn State.

The visit to Penn State ended in one of the strangest ways that you will ever see in a football game. While Penn State was up 56-0, Georgia State was set up with an opportunity to score points with 11 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Panthers’ placekicker, Brandon Wright, lined up for a 31-yard field goal attempt and nailed it. However, Penn. State Head Coach James Franklin called a timeout before the ball

was snapped, in an attempt to “ice” the kicker.

The Panthers left Penn State’s Beaver Stadium scoreless after Wright missed. Penn State may have been influenced by the icing of a kicker, a strategy used to make the opposing kicker nervous. This strategy is almost always reserved for tight game situations. Many sports journalists across the country criticized Franklin’s decision, most notably historic broadcaster and radio personality Mike Francesa.

After Francesa and others gave Georgia State more national attention than usual, Head Coach Shawn Elliot and his squad began preparing for the Charlotte 49ers.

Georgia State corrected most of the red flags at Charlotte, capturing their first win of the season a week after losing big. The 28-0 win was the first shutout victory in program history, and moved the Panthers to 1-2.

Georgia State undoubtedly looked far

more effective in Charlotte in comparison to Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. After suffering a tough loss while being at the ugly end of a questionable decision, completing a shutout could have been the beginning of weekly improvement from the Panthers.

Convincing wins after overcoming situations has the potential to change any team’s season.

Georgia State possessed the ball for 38 minutes against Penn State, which was a result of quick, efficient offense by the Nittany Lions.

The next week, Panthers doubled the 49ers time of possession because their stingy defense forced three turnovers and limited the 49ers to 3-15 on third downs.

Georgia State would have experienced another test last Saturday, but rescheduling adjustments by the American Athletic Conference canceled Memphis’ visit to Georgia State Stadium.

The Panthers committed zero turnovers and was flagged for one penalty for five yards at Charlotte, in comparison to five and two respectively logged 200 fewer yards of total offense at Penn State.

The biggest drop-off between the two weeks was that a Panther running back did not crack the 100-yard rushing mark.

Georgia State can use this momentum to get off to a fast start in the Sun Belt Conference action. Their next matchup is against Sun Belt newcomer Coastal Carolina.

Should the Panthers pick up another win on their four-game road trip, they would have their first winning streak since late 2015.

The Panthers clinched bowl eligibility in 2015 after they defeated Georgia Southern 34-7. In their inaugural game, The Cure Bowl invited Georgia State to play San Jose State.

Georgia State fell to the Spartans 27-16.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2017

PANTHER OF THE WEEK LOTTE MEYBERG

Cross Country Fresh on the Georgia State team, Meyberg claimed first place in last week’s JSU Foothills Invitational— the first individual win of the season. She finished the 5K run with 18:25 as her time. A middle distance sophomore from Buetterlborn, Germany, Meyberg joined the Panthers in January 2017, but she has been running since 2014. Meyberg intends to major in management, and she earned outstanding performance honors for her math and biology graduation exams before even attending Georgia State.

PHOTO BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

SPORTS BRIEFS volleyball

cross country

bringing the Panthers to 1-3 in Sun Belt play.

Invitational of nine Division-I schools.

Student Lotte Meyberg scored first place in the 5K, the first Georgia State individual win of the season.

— Lost to the Troy Trojans in five sets,

men's soccer

— Placed second in the JSU Foothills

— Fell to Jacksonville 2-1, bringing the

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS JERELL RUSHIN Staff Reporter

Georgia State vs.

Coastal Carolina

GEORGIA STATE

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

Louisville vs. NC State

LOUISVILLE

West Virginia vs. TCU

TCU

Alabama vs. Texas A&M

ALABAMA

Miami vs. Florida State

MIAMI

Michigan State vs. Michigan

MICHIGAN

Panthers down to 6-4 overall, and 3-2 on the road.

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VOLLEYBALL

TENNIS OCT. 6

OCT. 6 APPALACHIAN STATE

women's tennis SMU TOURNAMENT DAY 1

Dallas, Texas

TBA

men's tennis MERCER INVITATIONAL DAY 1

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Macon, Georgia

6:30 P.M.

OCT. 8 COASTAL CAROLINA

Conway, South Carolina

12:30 P.M.

SOFTBALL

OCT. 7

OCT. 7

women's tennis SMU TOURNAMENT DAY 2 9 A.M.

Dallas, Texas

men's tennis MERCER INVITATIONAL DAY 2

Boone, North Carolina

TBA

TRUETT-MCCONNELL

Robert E. Heck Softball Complex

1 P.M.

FOOTBALL

Macon, Georgia

OCT. 7

OCT. 8

Conway, South Carolina

COASTAL CAROLINA

6:30 P.M.

women's tennis SMU TOURNAMENT DAY 3 9 A.M.

Dallas, Texas

OCT. 9

men's tennis MERCER INVITATIONAL DAY 3

Macon, Georgia

WOMEN'S GOLF

TBA

HOST: COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON

Pinehurst, North Carolina

ALL DAY

illustration of the week:

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX BROOKS | THE SIGNAL