Swinging Bridge Magazine: March 2021

THE

THE PULSE MAGAZINE

10

STUDENT ELECTIONS AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

11

REDEFINING

FEMININITY

15

DURING COVID-19

Getting Involved on Campus

ARTS & ATHLETICS

5

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

MARCH 2021

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THE

SWINGING B R I DG E VOLU M E 1 1 6

EDITION 22

LETTER FROM THE

STUDENT DIRECTOR

ASST. STUDENT DIRECTOR

AMY LINT

EMILIE RUSH

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF BRIAN SHERMEYER MAGAZINE MANAGER CORINNE YOUNGBERG

COVER PHOTO LIAM FITZSIMMONS CORRECTION FROM PREVIOUS ISSUE: ON CAMPUS EVENTS WRITTEN BY JUDY KYEI-POKU

STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

CULTURE EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

KAITLIN MERLINO

JUDY KYEI-POKU

JULIA MARY REGISTER

BUSINESS MANAGER

BRAND MANAGER

WEB MANAGER

TAYLOR GIBSON

ANDRE FRUEH

WESLEY CHEAH

YEARBOOK MANAGER CAROLINE HOLMES

RADIO MANAGER NOLAN HOGENBOOM

EDITOR

MARCH 2021

DESIGN ASSISTANT SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER CASSIDY BARLOCK SHANNON BILLINGTON AUDIO & VISUAL MANAGER LIAM FITZSIMMONS

MUSIC PROGRAMMER RAVI AHUJA

1 UNIVERSITY AVE SUITE 3058 MECHANICSBURG, PA 17055 (Downstairs South Wing of the Larsen Student Union) The Swinging Bridge Magazine is published through The Pulse: Messiah University Media Hub, run by students. The Pulse consists of Pulse Radio (90.7), The Clarion yearbook, and The Swinging Bridge Magazine. The Swinging Bridge staff strives to publish quality student writing, photography, and design.

S

pring is starting to show.

There have been a lot of nice days of sunshine and warmth despite the cold, snowy winter that we have endured.

With spring typically comes outdoor sports, like softball, baseball, lacrosse and track. Thankfully, we are still having these sports, even though they may look a little different this year without fans.

Despite a lot of complaints and grief, the Messiah administration has done a great job of keeping us on campus and enabling us to do most of the things that students train for. Whether that be sports, dance, music or acting, the administration has come through and granted at least some type of normalcy in student life that other colleges cannot say they have.

We are over halfway through this semester with a lot of hope on the horizon. I pray with the coming of Easter in early April that we will turn a new chapter in our lives and put this pandemic behind us.

In this issue of the magazine, we showcase some of this hope in our articles, like “Student Elections and Leadership Opportunities” and “Ways to Worship (Safely).” We hope to provide you all with some enjoyment and encouragement to push through the rest of this semester and finish strong.

Soak it in,

Brian Shermeyer THE HEARTBEAT OF MESSIAH UNIVERSITY

To learn about job and volunteer opportunities, email thepulse@messiah.edu.

Editor-In-Chief

TABLE

CONTENTS

STUDENT LIFE 5

CULTURE 14

SPORTS & HEALTH 27

2

11

15

EMPOWERING WOMEN IN A CHANGING WORLD

WHY ARE THEY DIFFERENT?

CAMPUS CLOSET ECLECTIC EDITION

4

STRESS FREE SEMESTER RELEASING ANXIETIES

5

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

ADDRESSING ISSUES WITH OTHERS

7 MISSIONARY ACTION DURING COVID

HOW THE AGAPE CENTER IS NAVIGATING COVID

9

WAYS TO WORSHIP (SAFELY)

GETTING INVOLVED NEW WORSHIP PRACTICES FOR STUDENT MINISTRIES

10

STUDENT ELECTIONS AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES GETTING INVOLVED

1

OF

FEBRUARY 2021

REDEFINING FEMININITY

13

CAMPUS COVID RESTRICTIONS STUDENTS' THOUGHTS ON PANDEMIC GUIDELINES

14

INFLUENZA PANDEMIC OF 1918 SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE SPANISH FLU AND COVID

ARTS AND ATHLETICS

21

TWO SPORT ATHLETES

TIME MANAGEMENT AND BEST FRIENDS

22 ON-CAMPUS DINING NUTRITION

EATING HEALTHILY ON CAMPUS

23

STRESS ASSESSMENT QUIZ

25

START SWIMMING

THE BENEFITS OF SWIMMING

27

HEALTHY RECIPE HOMEMADE GRANOLA

STUDENT LIFE

CAMPUS CLOSET

BY TINA LAMOREUX

Eclectic edition T

his March, we are showcasing two students with eclectic tastes in fashion.

Olivia Bardo is a senior English major with a double minor in politics and gender studies.

Bardo is a student fellow with the Center for Public Humanities and the Editor-in-Chief at the Peregrine Review. In between her studies, she feeds her sense of fashion.

“In terms of fashion inspiration, I don’t necessarily have any specific people I look to for style, but I like indie styles,” Bardo said.

“I just pick pieces that I like, or base what I wear on colors that I think would look interesting together. I find my clothing just about anywhere. There’s no specific brand I search for. I just get what I like. I shop at thrift stores or I look for items on sale. I shop at H&M a lot.”

Collecting inspiration from a variety of sources, Bardo has created her own eccentric look.

“I would define my clothing style as vintage, eclectic and European,” she said.

“I think my style expresses my different interests. I like to dress artsy and reveal my creativity. I love to layer patterns and add a pop of color somewhere. It could be just my socks sometimes. I dress in a way that’s uniquely me. My favorite piece I’ve recently added to my style is the cloud earrings I have in the photo. They’re made by Field of Flutterflies, a local earring maker from Lancaster.”

Dressing in her unique style makes Olivia feel confident when tackling whatever goals in front of her. She takes ‘dress for the job you want’ to heart. In her spare time you can find her baking sourdough in her apartment or writing poems in the library.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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STUDENT LIFE

Joy Hammond is a senior Social Work major a Spanish Minor. She is involved in a lot on campus, to name a few, Social Work Club, Messiah Student Ambassadors, and volunteer writer for the Swinging Bridge magazine.

“I went to a private school for ten years before going to a public high school. We had a dress code that we had to follow at my school.

I learned how to express myself while still following in line with the rules. I coordinated my colors, jewelry, and hair accessories.”

In high school she played around with her style, getting inspiration from the Disney channel before settling on the casual classy style she wears now.

“I like to keep my fashion style simple and appropriate, whether that is a patterned outfit with no jewelry and just a hairdo or a plain colored outfit with earrings and a necklace.

I also like to wear scarves and lightweight jackets because I am always cold.”

Her mom gave her the ring to celebrate her high school graduation, it is a tradition in her family. She wears it proudly every day.

“Most of my clothes either came from Khols, thrift stores, or hand-me-downs from friends and family. Khols is a great place to buy new and trendy clothes-It's where I get most of my outfits and jewelry. Thrift stores are a lot of fun because you can get a great price on some nice outfits.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CORINNE YOUNGBERG

You can catch Hammond sitting in the sun with a chai or mentoring students around campus.

STUDENT LIFE

Stress Free Semester RELEASING ANXIETIES

BY KAITLIN MERLINO

A

t this point in the semester, we often begin to feel bogged down by the weight of our course load. No more busy work; we are now heading into the beginnings of papers, reports and team projects.

Though it may appear like an insurmountable pile of homework has plopped itself in front of our paths, it is important to take each day one step at a time. Sooner or later, you will realize you have made it to the top.

Keeping track of every due date and definition may cause your brain to feel a bit like a wet sponge: you simply cannot soak in any more information. Remember that you need to wring yourself out and allow your head to gain some of that space back.

One way to accomplish this is journaling, though maybe not in the most traditional sense. When your mind begins to fill to the brim, grab a notebook or random slip of paper and let it out. Write down each thought as it comes to your mind, never mind neatness or spelling. Then let the thoughts sit there on the paper instead of in your head. You can revisit them later but once they are out there in the ethos, you may feel relieved that they are not crowding up your brain.

On the topic of anxious or negative thoughts, it is important to either let them out or push them around, rattling them around to see if there is any grounding for those worries.

Carolyn Steber’s Bustle article, “11 Calming Questions To Ask Yourself When You’re Feeling Anxious,” recommends questioning the thoughts or the situation that brings them up. Check in and ask yourself “What’s my evidence for XYZ?” or “Based on the past, how will I end up coping with this?”

One question that I have found particularly helpful is asking “Why though?” For example, maybe I was not able to complete a task on my to-do list for the day. When I start to beat myself up about this, I ask why I absolutely had to complete it today. It can just as easily get done tomorrow and I accomplished other objectives today, so why does it matter that much if I did not get that one thing done?

For many people, figuring out their boundaries and how to set them is a difficult subject. Whether regarding school, friendships or relationships, we may find setting time and spaces just for ourselves proves tricky, especially as we lug around the heavily packed schedule of a college student.

Michelle Elman, better known by her Instagram handle @scarrednotscared, is a life coach based in the U.K. Her new book, “The Joy of Being Selfish,” outlines reasons why having boundaries actually aids your mental health.

The word selfish has developed a realm of unsavory connotations. Elman maintains that selfishness is a prerequisite for having selflove and that putting your needs first does not make you a bad person. In fact, when you continually bustle about in the name of others’ needs, you oftentimes end up forgetting to take care of yourself, which can cause internalized resentment and frustrations that get taken out on the people around you.

Elman gives specific ideas for how to allow yourself to figure out what it is that you want out of life and communicate that to and with others. This U.K. book is available on Audible and from Book Depository.

As we walk into April, make sure you continue to take care of your mental health, especially as that mountain of homework piles higher.

You have got this.

PHOTO BY JOANNA-KOSINSKA ON UNSPLASH

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

4

STUDENT LIFE

CONFLICT RESOLUTION ADDRESSING ISSUES WITH OTHERS

BY KAITLIN MERLINO College can be some of the most formative years of a person’s life, and our relationships during those times can aid in that development.

“Those stages of development are a time when we really gravitate toward our peers.

We’re forming an identity and part of that is throughout our relationships with our peers,” Messiah Professor of Human Development and Family Science Erin Boyd-Soisson said.

“There’s some evidence, especially from social psychology, that proximity fosters liking,” Messiah Professor of Psychology and clinical psychologist Valerie Lemmon said, noting that this often explains why students tend to remain close with people they lived with or had in their first year seminar.

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Lemmon added that this physical closeness is only the first step in truly forming trusting and vulnerable relationships.

“Part of the challenge is how do we really know trusting, vulnerable relationships?”

Lemmon said.

With the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting restrictions, students feel the effects of stress and mental health on themselves and their relationships.

“I do see a higher level of stress, anxiety and depression for sure,” Lemmon said. “Not just in college students; we’re having a mental health crisis in America right now.”

Lemmon mentioned that our internal, intrapersonal feelings can come to affect our interpersonal encounters and experiences.

“Anything that’s happening to us within ourselves - if we are having more anxiety and worrying, if we’re having more difficulty with feeling sad and down - that tends to come out in our relationships with other people,” Lemmon said.

Another change Boyd-Soisson noticed is the lack of visible nonverbal communication because of masks.

“Our facial expressions are really important for us in terms of determining what people are thinking or feeling,” Boyd-Soisson said.

In terms of common conflicts, Lemmon has seen disagreements over living space cleanliness become a point of tension between roommates.

STUDENT LIFE

"ANYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING TO US WITHIN OURSELVES - IF WE ARE HAVING MORE ANXIETY AND WORRYING, IF WE'RE HAVING MORE DIFFICULTY WITH FEELING SAD AND DOWN - THAT TENDS TO COME OUT IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE."

“It’s not just about the experience of what’s happening in the room, but it goes deeper to ‘this person doesn’t care about me,’” Lemmon said. “It becomes personally hurtful.”

If you do choose to actually address the conflict Lemmon suggested using “I” statements, instead of the accusatory “you” statements.

Before conflict even begins, it is important to set boundaries.

“‘I’ statements have to be about how the situation is affecting me,” Lemmon said.

“I think one of the important things would be having clear expectations and communicate those,” Boyd-Soisson said. “So anytime we can clearly communicate our expectation is important, because we might think that somebody knows what we expect or what we want but the reality of that is that they don’t.”

Rather than stating how your roommate is too messy for your liking, reflect on how that messiness is affecting you, telling them how the state of the room distracts from your studies.

Boyd-Soisson also suggested perception checking, addressing your roommate when you can tell something is wrong and being honest about your feelings.

“Instead of building a pile and pile and pile of things that annoy us, deal with them as they come, instead of waiting until we’ve reached our limit and then there’s a huge explosion,” Boyd-Soisson said.

When it comes to conflict, both Lemmon and Boyd-Soisson have certain tips, though not every situation merits the same response.

It is important to first figure out whether or not to address the conflict.

Boyd-Soisson suggested that the listener of this conversation needs to also hear this address with respect and acceptance.

“If you’re on the receiving end of it, can you listen? Can you accept how they feel? Can you take responsibility for your behavior?”

Boyd-Soisson said.

In cases where a person is reluctant to change or if the situation worsens, Boyd-Soisson mentioned bringing in a mediator, like an RD, to help to alleviate the situation.

When it comes to roommate conflicts and resolutions, remember that there is not one solution for all situations. Hopefully these tips will help if you are on either end of a conflict.

“One of the toughest places is figuring out what’s more uncomfortable: the discomfort between the two of us (or the group of us) or the discomfort within myself?”

Lemmon said.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

6

STUDENT LIFE

MISSIONARY ACTION

DURING COVID HOW THE AGAPE CENTER IS NAVIGATING COVID

BY KAITLIN MERLINO

Throughout the world, the way that missionary and ministry efforts can engage with their community has drastically morphed because of the pandemic and the resulting restrictions.

With Messiah University’s dedication to community and serving, the Agape Center had encountered many challenges trying to maintain this level of missionary efforts.

“It’s no surprise that COVID regulations and protocols have changed things within the last year. Missions/Ministries mirror much of what we’ve experienced at Messiah University,” Director of Off-Campus Programs at the Agape Center Katie Rousopoulos said. “Ministry organizations had to furlough employees, limit who is permitted in their facilities, change how services were executed, travel/ transportation is limited, health policies and practices tightened and some even have gone virtual.”

At Messiah, the Agape Center works to engage students and the community in service activities. The center even offers leadership opportunities for students looking to further their dedication.

“Over the past three years, working at the Agape Center has had an incredible impact on my experience here at Messiah,” senior peace and conflict major and Local Outreach Director Jill Cuervo said. “Not only was I able to grow as a leader, but I also had the opportunity to create beautiful connections in the Harrisburg community.”

In light of the pandemic, the center has faced more challenges than previous years, like the lack of in-person capabilities.

“The Agape Center is typically buzzing with energy due to the amount of students who would come and go – to say hi, to put in office hours, to coordinate ministry opportunities, to plan HRA events, to hang out with friends or simply do homework,” Rousopoulos said.

“Due to the social distancing regulations, that buzz around the office is dampened quite a bit.”

When serving out in the community, the team has worked to ensure that their mission isn’t entirely inhibited by COVID-19.

“The way we do service needed to be adjusted. Many of the populations the Agape Center works with were deeply affected,” Cuervo

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said. “However, I am inspired by the amount of Messiah students that recognized community needs, especially during the pandemic, and volunteered to serve.”

At the same time, the restrictions have inhibited some volunteer opportunities from happening.

“Some community partners weren’t able to uphold the same COVID safety regulations that we require at Messiah University, so we wouldn’t permit our students to serve there,” Rousopoulos said. “Some community partners have limited how many Messiah students would be allowed in their facilities, so our volunteer numbers are naturally down. It’s become evident that humans desire and need personal connection and COVID has simply made that a great challenge for all parties involved.”

That has not stopped all community efforts.

The Agape Center and its volunteers have gotten creative in discovering ways to serve while remaining safe.

STUDENT LIFE

“We currently have several community partners that we’re still serving along the side of this year,” Rousopoulos said. “Whether it be in-person with the youth at Center for Champions, Salvation Army Afterschool program, serving breakfast at the Salvation Army, or connecting with the homeless of Harrisburg through Bethesda’s Mobil Mission.”

In addition, some of the efforts have transitioned to remote experiences, with students becoming pen pals with those at Messiah Lifeways or zooming with the residents at Paxton Ministries.

While serving the outlying community, the Agape Center has also strive to apply their mission right outside its doors and throughout our campus.

“This year we have had students create goodie bags for their peers who are in quarantine and offering some virtual games/hangout times so they stay connected,” Rousopoulos said.

“Last semester we had yard signs in front of the office to simply put a smile and encourage each other that we’re in this together as students walked the sidewalks. Finally, we created a food pantry in the basement of the Agape Center called ‘Nourish’ where students who are struggling to make ends meet or need assistance in gaining access to food or hygiene products right here on campus.”

“As Christ-followers, we are anchored to the source of hope and want to continue reminding people of that. Whether that is through treating others with dignity, providing for physical needs, boosting their emotional state of mind, or being a friend to the lonely,” Rousopoulos said. “We get to do this by leaning into the challenges that COVID has brought upon us, thinking creatively, and being hopeful for what the future might one day hold for us.”

Students who want to get involved with the Agape Center and their efforts can stop by their office on campus, or email them at agapecenter@messiah.edu .

In the end, the Agape Center operates as a beacon of hope in these difficult times, mirroring the actions of Christ throughout their service efforts.

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER-LORENZO C FROM UNSPLASH THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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STUDENT LIFE

BY KENNY RUNKEL

NEW WORSHIP PRACTIES FOR STUDENT MINISTRIES

M

essiah’s Campus Ministries stands as a pillar of university life. This year, COVID-19 has afforded many challenges when it comes to worshiping on campus.

One of the biggest struggles Campus Ministries faced were the CDC guidelines for the state of Pennsylvania that prevented large gatherings indoors. In addition, all of the locations large enough to host chapel are currently converted into spacious classrooms; there would not be enough time to end chapel and set up the classroom before the class time.

Before COVID-19, Messiah’s Campus Ministries would host chapel in Brubaker Auditorium every Tuesday and Thursday. They would also host a smaller chapel on Tuesday nights and Powerhouse on Thursday evenings.

During the transition of the fall semester, the chapel requirement was removed. Powerhouse was also on hold, leaving students with a sense of loss.

“Not having Powerhouse was very upsetting because I found it really fun to go there and sing,” junior engineering major Tyler Nordblom said.

From extraneous circumstances comes the creative solutions.

Seeing the state of the student body, Worship Pastor Doug Curry petitioned to have some type of gathering of students to worship, creating Singing at the Shoe.

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Every Friday, Campus Ministries would take a few instruments down to the soccer field, and students would have the opportunity to show up and sing during that time. At one point, there were so many students that would show up that they had to have two services so they could still meet the social distancing policy.

“We would have hundreds of people show up for worship,” Curry said.

After bearing the difficulties of the fall semester, Campus Ministries sought to continue working to ensure students felt spiritually fulfilled in these difficult times.

To start the spring semester, Campus Ministries came up with a way to bring chapel back to Messiah in a way that promotes faith and safety.

This semester, students must sign up for a ticket before attending to ensure social distancing. If they do not sign up in time, they can still receive credit for that chapel.

Campus Ministries created a page under Canvas where they post recordings of each chapel. After viewing, students must complete a one-question quiz to receive attendance credit.

The biggest adjustment to chapel this semester is that students are not permitted to sing during chapel.

“If we can not sing, what are we supposed to do for the worship part of chapel?” freshman engineering major Ryan Friend said.

Campus Ministries seeks to remind students that worship is not just singing.

“One of the things that I think has been helpful in the pandemic as it relates to our spiritual lives is a reminder that worship doesn’t equal music and music doesn’t equal worship,” Curry said. “We have forgotten about some of the other practices that have constantly been a part of how Christians have grown spiritually throughout the centuries.”

There are many different ways to worship than just singing at chapel. Curry provided some amazing alternatives to singing that will still give everyone the feeling of worship during chapel and even throughout the day.

“Some alternatives of worship are simply being quiet, prayer, listening to God’s voice,” Curry said. “We live in a noisy society, so we have lost the capacity to just shut all the noise out including music and listen. Secondly, we have lost the ability to pray together aloud, for example you and your roommate.”

With all of the COVID-19 restrictions, Messiah and Campus Ministries are working to make students’ worship experiences as impactful as possible in the current situation. In the meantime, take advantage of this challenge, finding creative ways to grow in faith with your friends and peers.

STUDENT ELECTIONS & LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

BY ARRINGTON REGISTER

E

very spring, many of Messiah’s clubs seek new student leadership for the coming school year. These clubs have had to embrace many changes in their routine programming and their upcoming recruiting of new student leaders this past year.

For the Student Government Association (SGA), one of these new changes was holding meetings over Zoom every other week to limit exposure. Though there was a 10% decrease in allowed room capacity per Pennsylvania’s governor orders, the Senate and the Executive Cabinet have been able to meet in larger rooms for smaller time frames this semester, allowing them to be together in person.

When it comes to adapting to the on-campus COVID-19 restrictions, SGA Student Body President America Cervantes feels more confident moving forward after experiencing the fall semester.

“The key thing is planning ahead and when we already have those plans, we can just take a step back when something happens and restructure that plan to then keep working from there,” Cervantes said.

This semester, however, SGA has had the additional challenge of holding the Student Body President and Vice President elections in early March. Pivoting around COVID-19 and the resulting restrictions, Cervantes and her team had to enact certain changes that still allow for students to participate and get involved.

According to Cervantes, the debate, a normal part of the election process, transitioned onto Zoom, rather than in person. Typically, interested pairs of students would also need to get 200 signatures each - both for the President and Vice President - in order to run.

This year, to help aid the process and encourage participation, the pair will only need 200 signatures total.

“It's always been a little difficult to recruit people to run for presidency."

“I think it’s always been a little difficult to recruit people to run for presidency,” Cervantes said. “This semester, we’ve had more of a social media presence than in previous years, so I’m hoping that it’s for our advantage.”

Joining a club can provide students with new experiences and make their time at Messiah more memorable. It is a great way to gain leadership skills, influence change and support the community here at Messiah.

“I think no matter what you do, even if it’s your first year, getting involved is pretty important,” Vice President of Organizations Yabets Assefa said.

For students interested in getting involved in student government, running for office is not the only way they can support the campus in impactful ways.

Cervantes suggests that students interested in getting involved with SGA apply to be senators.

“It’s a good entry-way if you’re unsure. And the commitment’s a lot less as well. But you definitely get a lot of experience with the student body and administration,” Cervantes said. “You can also be a student diplomat, which represents the student body in different councils here at the university.”

STUDENT LIFE

These roles are a great way for anyone who wants to get involved in specific areas they care about and desires to create change at the university.

Beyond the SGA, there are over 70 clubs on campus, with leadership opportunities available for every interest.

Affesa’s primary role involves supporting and managing Messiah’s clubs in their programming, something that is especially relevant now. For example, this semester has looked different regarding how activities like club events are planned.

“We’ve integrated an events approval process.

We didn’t previously have this, usually clubs tend to host their own events and didn’t really need approval,” Assefa said. “This semester, we wanted to make sure we were following the CDC guidelines, the government’s guidelines, as well as the University’s guidelines in hosting and having events.”

Despite the difficulties, Assefa has seen student leaders adapt well, and encourages others to aspire to do the same.

“Our club’s leaders have taken up the role and kind of stepped up to the position that they’re in now,” Assefa said. “There are a lot of restrictions, but we’re still going to choose to operate. I think that’s been amazing to see in all the leaders I’ve seen on campus.”

With these challenges, Messiah’s student leaders have created new ways to keep their clubs growing and thriving. For Assefa, these kinds of obstacles help create strong leaders.

However, he maintains that leaders are molded and created. Sometimes, a person does not know their capabilities until they enter a situation that requires tenacity and resilience.

“One of the things I thought to myself was ‘I don’t think I’m good enough to be in a leadership position,’ but that’s not true,” Assefa said.

For those looking to expand their horizons on campus, check out Messiah’s website for listings of current clubs. For further questions about clubs and activities or to find out how to get involved in student government, contact

SGA at sga@messiah.edu.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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CULTURE

REDEFINING A LOOK AT WOMEN CLAIMING THEIR ROLES AS LEADERS

BY ROSEMARY JONES

A

ll eyes are on Kamala Harris as she begins her first term as Vice President— the first woman to ever do so. Female students at Messiah have been both inspired and empowered to see Harris— and other women—step into new positions of leadership this year. They, too, are making great strides with hopes to bring about change in the world that lays before them.

According to BestColleges, women made up only 21% of bachelor engineering graduates.

Even so, the past many years have shown a notable increase in women joining the classically male-dominated field. Amongst these women is sophomore Ruth Galyen who is looking to enter the civil engineering field after she graduates.

Galyen shares that even in this last year, she has seen the number of women in her field increasing; however, the engineering field still has a lot of room to grow.

“I think I want to see more feminine language be common in engineering… since the default is ‘oh, this is a masculine thing’ and a woman is an exception,” Galyen said. “You know,

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engineers are seen as very messy and kind of the stereotypical masculine traits so to kind of redefine what an engineer can be and to highlight some of the stereotypical feminine qualities that engineers have like their creativity, their attention to detail, all of these things— redefining that would be really cool.”

As the daughter of missionaries, Galyen lived in multiple places growing up and saw how infrastructure drastically impacts a community both positively and negatively. This instilled in her a desire to act.

“I lived in the States my junior year of high school and I was so frustrated because there’s no public transportation, and the city isn’t made for pedestrians so if you don’t have a car—if you can’t afford a car— then you can’t really get a job or do anything and it looked very unfair to me,” Galyen said. “So I think in terms of my faith and my calling, it’s kind of putting together the things that I’m naturally good at and the need that I see in the world that I think God wants me to help with.”

Jenna Walter is a junior biology major with a biomedical concentration. She then plans on entering medical school and working abroad, focusing on women’s health in a missions capacity.

“I think that God’s heart is very clear that He uses women, He empowers women, His kingdom is advanced through women just as much as it is through men,” Walter said. “I just think that sometimes it takes a woman’s perspective to understand how to help women better in healthcare.”

“I think that God’s heart is very clear that He uses women, He empowers women..."

CULTURE

FEMININITY Federie Louis, a sophomore Christian minis tries major, offers some insight into her view of women in the Bible, in the church and in our modern society.

“I feel like we undervalue women. We under value what they bring to the table... We judge them for how they’re called to live their lives for the Lord and that’s not fair. Like women are not allowed to be homemakers because then they look weak, but they’re not allowed to have careers and be single because then they’ve lost all their femininity,” Louis said.

“But no, that has nothing to do with anything.

Me fulfilling my femininity is me fulfilling my relationship with the Lord and doing what He’s calling me to do.”

She draws our attention to several women in the Bible such as Jesus’ mother Mary, Deborah and even Rahab, pointing out how each played a different role in the Bible, yet fulfilled the calling God put in their lives.

"The most important things that they could do was to be strategic women and help to gain that victory,” Louis said. “So I’m really hoping in the future, we can have a generation of women who are not afraid to just be themselves and to receive that confidence from the Lord to take their biblical womanhood back."

T

his pandemic has been rough for most people. It feels like no one can get a break from all the chaos and yet, we continue to remain hopeful for when it ends.

You Are Not Alone

BY JOY HAMMOND

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-4 We are not in this pandemic alone, but we are not facing it all together either. Some people are riding out the storm on yachts, others in paddle boats and some are holding onto driftwood for dear life. But what if you knew that Jesus was with us in the storm?

Like the two times that the disciples were caught in a storm. Naturally, they were terrified by the roaring winds and the violent waves. It was not until they focused their attention on Jesus that the storm became insignificant.

There are many situations in life that we cannot control. But, what if there was a way to feel calm and secure during the storm? The situation is not as terrifying when you realize that you are not facing it alone.

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CULTURE

STUDENTS' THOUGHTS ON PANDEMIC GUIDELINES

F

ollowing COVID-19, Messiah University has implemented a variety of restrictions and policies for the study body to follow so they may remain on campus. This semester has been especially challenging as we are dealing with multiple new variants of SARSCoV-2, that have the ability to spread easier and quicker compared to other variants. With these variants having made it to the states, Messiah University, and other universities across the country, are having to increase their mitigation practices.

Some of those are social distancing in classrooms and across campus, requiring masks when anywhere but your room, daily health screenings, random weekly COVID testing and many more. Regarding these policies, there have been many students who have voiced their view on things. Some think Messiah is restricting their freedom and others think Messiah “THE MESSIAH ADMINISis doing all TRATION HAS BEEN DOthey can.

ING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF COMMUNICATING"

and relations major, who has done a good job.

Among these students is Cody Ford, a sophomore politics international feels Messiah

“The Messiah administration has been doing an excellent job of communicating different expectations and encouragement to the student body through weekly emails from Dean of Students Kevin Villegas,” Ford said.

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Ford is currently in the Student Senate and was recently elected as Student Body Vice President. He realizes how adjusting to these new policies are difficult, but he encourages students to ask questions regarding the institution's COVID policies in order to gain a deeper understanding as to why they have these restrictions.

Others, however, felt that Messiah is not doing well with communicating to the students.

Felix Zarate, a sophomore computer science major, was fully remote in the fall semester.

Zarate felt that coming back to campus was a new adjustment for him.

Zarate said, “Messiah can better communicate to students by giving them possible dates in which they would go into the next stage of COVID restrictions.”

He felt that this allowed students something to look forward to while doing their best in keeping campus safe for everyone.

“I wouldn’t say I enjoy these restrictions, but I try to follow them because the restrictions that have been set in place serve a purpose, which is to keep the campus community safe,” Zarate said. “As someone who was remote in the fall semester, it was hard to adjust to campus life because last time I was here, there weren’t any restrictions.”

Kenesha Kelly-Davis, a sophomore politics and international relations major, felt that the

BY JUDY KYEI-POKU restrictions Messiah imposed were necessary, but she also felt a lack in their communication skills.

“I think it would be better if Messiah were more transparent. Like allowing a way for students to communicate their concerns and have people respond,” Kelly-Davis said. “It’s nice to see those that are cooperating and coming together to try and make things work but it is “I THINK IT WOULD discouraging BE BETTER IF MESto see people SIAH WERE MORE that don't take TRANSPARENT." this as serious as they should be. It’s hard to adjust to the loneliness aspect of it and overall being further from friends and family.”

COVID-19 has presented students with many challenges that are taking time to adjust to.

All students are feeling overwhelmed in some shape or form and have varying views on COVID-19 policies.

But, in the end these policies are to keep students safe and allow them to remain on campus. They are not enjoyable for anyone, but if we work together as a community and follow the rules, we can overcome this and hopefully see lesser restrictions soon.

CULTURE

INFLUENZA PANDEMIC OF 1918 SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE SPANISH FLU AND COVID

BY JUDITH KYEI-POKU As we try to figure out how life will be after COVID-19 we can look back to the past at The Influenza Pandemic of 1918, more commonly known as the Spanish Flu. As much as the two viruses are very different, the societal reactions during both pandemics are similar, and we can try to better understand COVID-19 by reflecting on the measures used 103 years ago.

In the year 1918, the world was swept with the influenza pandemic which was the most severe pandemic in recent history. The Influenza Pandemic was caused by an H1N1 virus. It is unknown the origin of the virus. There was never a universal consensus on its origin but it spread worldwide during 1918 and 1919.

It was first identified in 1918 by Military personnel in the United States. About 500 million people were estimated to have contracted the disease and 50 million dying from it worldwide. 675,000 of those deaths occurred in the United States.

The flu came in three waves that killed many young individuals. Two major issues that contributed to the gravity of the pandemic was the war effort and limited scientific knowledge.

World War I required much of the medical community to be stationed overseas. In 1918 as the disease was starting to spread there was a hard time reporting the flu outbreak while the war was happening which caused many people to be unaware of the virus.

Unlike with the Influenza Pandemic, the advancement of technology has made it easier for people to access the newest available updates on the COVID-19 pandemic from symptoms, infection rates and death tolls.

Our understanding of COVID-19 is also more advanced than the doctors from 1918. During

1918, effective treatment and prevention methods were not fully utilized. There was no vaccine and antibiotics to protect against influenza and treat secondary bacterial infections that were caused by the influenza infections.

The best way they had to control it were things like isolation, quarantine, good personal hygiene, use of disinfectants and limitations of public gatherings. This is similar to the precautions that we are taking today to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Even with our advanced technology doctors still advise in social distancing, small gatherings and good hygiene just like they did in 1918. People back in 1918 also had similar attitudes to the safety measures like people now.

Some objected to the safety precautions and wearing masks making the disease spread, but some did listen.

What we can learn from the 1918 pandemic is even though the preventative measures are difficult and limited they do help to slow down the spread of the disease. No matter how developed we might seem now as a nation and health care system there are still problems.

The Influenza Pandemic was more deadly and killed more people than COVID-19 but it did come to an end. 103 years ago, the nation celebrated when the influenza flu died down. We too with God’s grace will get to a point where we can celebrate the end of COVID-19.

500

MILLION+

INFECTIONS IN THE INFLUENZA PADEMIC

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SPORTS & HEALTH SPORTS & REC

WHY ARE THEY DIFFERENT?

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MARCH 2021

BY JULIA MARY REGISTER & BRIAN SHERMEYER

SPORTS SPORTS& &HEALTH REC

S

ports are an essential part of Messiah University’s community, even during a global pandemic. Fall sports were allowed to hold intrasquad scrimmages last semester and now competition has resumed for winter and spring sports. Most notable are high risk sports, like basketball and wrestling, that competed against other teams within a sixfoot distance and without a mask.

Many students have expressed concerns about the freedom athletes are given. They see the opportunities athletes have and are upset with the double standards in place. Athletes can leave campus to play against another school but everyone else is expected to stay on campus to preserve the safe community bubble.

Athletes can ignore social distancing and mask guidelines, yet other students can only take off the mask in their dorm or apartment.

Compared to the arts department, Messiah athletes appear to have more freedom in how they continue to train and practice. Dance, a similar physical discipline to sports, has followed tight restrictions since the beginning of the fall semester in order to keep training.

Dancers have not been allowed to take off their mask during class time, rehearsals or performances. They have also not been allowed to be within six feet or touch another dancer. These rules have limited growth in artistry and choreography.

Tacey Sauder, a sophomore dance major, has been frustrated watching athletes compete in close contact while she has had to follow strict limitations in the dance department.

said. “Right now, our dances are very limited to a certain style and emotion because of the limitations. We could almost get in a rut right now because of them.”

"Students have been asking why athletes are able to get away with breaking the universal guidelines set in place because of COVID-19."

Dance is not the only art form suffering because of COVID-19. Theatre and music have also been limited in how they practice and perform. All theatre department productions have been with masks and live streamed only since September. Musicians and vocalists rehearse in short amounts of time to allow rooms to air out before resuming.

Students have been asking why athletes are able to get away with breaking the universal guidelines set in place because of COVID-19. What is being done to ensure safety for the athletes and the community?

Sarah Gustin-Hamrock, athletic director at Messiah, was able to clarify the guidelines and expectations athletes are held to.

All guidelines Messiah athletics follow come from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC).

“There’s a lot of different ways in dance where you interact physically. From an artistic standpoint, we’re missing a lot of what can come across with physical touch,” Sauder

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SPORTS & HEALTH

“For the most part, we are going above and beyond what the NCAA recommendations are,” Gustin-Hamrock said. “The NCAA has given us procedures to follow as a return to play protocol. We didn’t just show up and start competing, there’s a lengthy progression.”

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“They basically go to the bus, to the playing court and back to the bus. They’re not allowed to go anywhere else,” Gustin Hamrock said.

“When we have teams visit us, we escort them everywhere they go so we know where they are at all times. We’re not letting them just wander campus and expose people.”

Depending on what level of risk an athlete’s sport is categorized as, they are tested one to three times per week. They are also tested before and after each competition. This is not the easy test Messiah uses for mass testing, but rather the PCR test that goes all the way back.

It is not a pleasant experience for the athletes.

Athletes go through a health screening before and after getting on the bus. A unique thing teams have implemented this year is a COVID car. Each team has a car that follows the bus in case someone starts having symptoms during the ride.

The athletics department is able to afford all of the extra testing necessary to keep playing because they saved money by not competing during the fall semester. The Engle Center has helped administer the tests and consult on the safety of the athletes.

Student athletes are expected to follow the same COVID-19 regulations all other students do whenever they are not at an official competition or practice. This has been a point of confusion for some athletes and reports have been made about teams not following regulations.

In regards to travel and away games, Messiah is only playing against other MAC schools following the same testing guidelines. Athletes adhere to a strict schedule when they leave campus and never stay the night.

“They say that they hold the sports teams to higher standards but I feel like it’s more they just have greater forgiveness,” Sauder said.

SPORTS & HEALTH

“I’ve seen sports teams not following restrictions like they should be but they saying that they’re being watched more.”

Gustin-Hamrock has addressed athletes and coaches on their behavior outside of practice and reinforced the rules necessary to keep campus safe.

“They know that just because they’re allowed to do some things that everyone else can’t do, it’s only when they’re with their full teams and in structured practice with their coaches,” Gustin-Hamrock said. “Otherwise, they are following everything else that every other student is following.”

During an interview with Kim Phipps on YBTV, a student asked a question about why the basketball team can get away with not wearing masks. She was quick to stress how that was not allowed.

“They are not supposed to be doing that,” Phipps said. “It has just been addressed with the appropriate people in leadership so that should not happen. That was a violation of the protocol.”

Most sports are considered risky when COVID-19 can be spread quickly in close contact. Athletes and coaches are aware of what could happen if someone became sick or symptomatic. Whole sports teams at Messiah have been quarantined because one person had symptoms.

“If someone were to test positive in the 24-48 hours after a competition, in a high-risk situation you’re likely taking out the team you just played as well,” Gustin-Hamrock said. “We’re engaging in higher risk behavior and when you do that there are certain consequences if we have a positive case. We definitely are making sure that if anything like that happens, we’re protecting campus.”

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SPORTS & HEALTH

“There is no guarantee that we’ll ever return to what we had before the pandaemic. I grieve for that, I do.”

Sports have found a way to safely continue to thrive during the pandemic despite all the setbacks from the previous year. Now the question is, why have the arts not?

Arts at Messiah and in society as a whole have been stifled and limited throughout the whole pandemic. Sports have had greater freedoms at university and professional levels.

In February, the Super Bowl was held with 25,000 fans in attendance. The NFL and NBA have found ways to continue pro sports in ways not available to others.

While sports have been able to have live games with spectators, Broadway has been shut down since March of 2020. Professional dance companies have had to make budget cuts and layoff artists. Live theatre has come to a stand still and re-opening in the near futures seems unlikely.

Richard Roberson, the dean of the school of the arts, has seen how hard the pandemic has hit artists.

“Anything that involved having a live audience has been shut down by the pandemic, which is an enormous loss,” Roberson said. “There is no guarantee that we’ll ever return to what we had before the pandemic. I grieve for that, I do.”

The lack of art in society can have a detrimental effect on people’s mental health, especially during a difficult time like this. Artists have struggled with the inability to create and perform in front of others.

“I’m a firm believer that art is an expression form for the culture,” Sauder said. “Currently, we’re not allowing most of the arts to express themselves and let other people view that as an outlet. I feel like the morale of society is being decreased by the lack of art that is being presented or created.”

Roberson has seen young graduates ready to begin working professionally but are unable to because the arts are not moving forward.

He compared artists to restaurants; both have been really financially hurt by the pandemic.

Some may say that everyone has personally

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PHOTO BY DENYS NEVOZHAI ON UNSPLASH

SPORTS & HEALTH

felt the hardships of COVID-19, and while that is true, some professions have more resources to deal with the difficulties than others.

Starting the conversation of how sports and arts can be treated equally has already been fruitful for the dancers at Messiah.

Money is a huge factor that determines whether or not sports or the arts can continue during the pandemic.

Messiah has been able to develop adjusted guidelines for the artists on campus. By working with Roberson and other faculty, safe changes have been made to the way dancers perform.

“There are funding differences that make the one possible and the other not,” Roberson said. “The arts generate a lot of money for the economy, but it’s not as visible as with sporting events. One of the reasons [professional] sports have continued is because of how much money is visibly at stake there.”

NFL players make an average of $860,000 per year. Broadway dancers make an average of around $64,000 per year. There is a significant difference in financial equality for athletes and performing artists.

Artists need support right now in order to continue their careers. Providing support for artists will benefit their personal livelihoods as well as the spirit of society.

“The students had some requests and we were able to find a way to honor those requests safely,” Roberson said.

Other students can start by supporting artists just as much as they support sports teams.

Theatre and dance can be equally entertaining as sporting events.

“Support us by going to see a show and trying it out,” Sauder said. “People should not be afraid to ask questions and also don’t be afraid to show up to performances.”

Let us continue addressing how Messiah and beyond can equally support arts and athletics.

PHOTOS TAKEN BY LIAM FITZSIMMONS AND ANDRE FRUEH PRE-PANDEMIC

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SPORTS & HEALTH

TWO SPORT ATHLETES TIME MANAGEMENT AND BEST FRIENDS

BY BRENDAN LABRA

Being a student athlete in college is certainly not an easy feat. In order to balance academics and athletics, students must strike a particular balance that is challenging to get just right.

At Messiah University, there are a few students who embrace this challenge, and because of their love for sports, double the intensity of being a student athlete. Messiah has various two-sport athletes throughout its campus who are striving for excellence in both the athletic and academic fields.

Junior athlete, Esther Seeland, knows all about reaching excellence. As a member of Messiah’s women's soccer team, Seeland helped win the NCAA National Championship recently in 2019.

On top of soccer, Seeland is also a runner for both the indoor and outdoor track teams, where she won her first NCAA National Championship in the spring of her freshman season. Her experience as a twosport athlete has been full of highs and lows.

“Being on two sports teams can definitely be a lot to handle and manage at times,” Seeland said. “It can sometimes be an overwhelming commitment, but it’s really been an awesome experience.”

Being a part of both the track and soccer team has allowed her to meet her closest friends and teammates.

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“I’ve really loved getting to see how both my teams function and pursue their goals while both trying to honor and glorify God in their own way,” Seeland said.

Leah Springer, a graduate athlete, has had similar experiences to Seeland. Springer has been a member of the women’s basketball team for the entirety of her collegiate career and was also a member of the track team up until her junior year.

“I met a lot of wonderful people and found meaningful, lasting relationships in my teammates,” Springer said. “Even though it was very time-consuming and tasking, I am grateful for my experience as a twosport athlete.”

Springer and Seeland have both enjoyed a plethora of athletic success. Both constantly face challenges and push themselves athletically over the course of the year to grow in their sports. However, both Springer and Seeland found that time management is often the biggest challenge they face.

In order to combat this challenge, the two athletes have incorporated various time management strategies over their years at Messiah in order to keep up with both sports.

Seeland writes down assignments and events happening in the coming weeks, as well as checks in with professors to make sure she stays caught up.

She also makes it a goal to avoid procrastination. Seeland believes it is imperative to be on top of her academic workload in order to handle her busy lifestyle.

For Springer, it all comes down to prioritizing what is important. This helps her find balance during a hectic schedule.

“Time with God is first and it can look many different ways - I believe getting alone time with Him is invaluable in my day,” Springer said. “Then, I make sure I dedicate time to my sport and to school, usually planning out my week early.”

Both Springer and Seeland see the immense value in putting God at the forefront of their academic and athletic lives.

They strive to use the strengths and skills God has given them to glorify Him through all aspects of their lives.

“Ultimately,” Springer said, “the time I get is a gift from God and I want to use it diligently and in a way that honors Him.” Participating in two sports during college can be exciting and fulfilling, if students have the goal to do every practice and game for God’s glory.

PHOTO BY DAMIEN-GAUDET FROM UNSPLASH

SPORTS & HEALTH

EATING HEALTHILY ON CAMPUS

S

tudents sometimes find eating a healthy, balanced diet is a difficult feat to conquer when only having on-campus dining options available. While that may mean skipping warm cookie days or the dessert bar, it is entirely possible to eat healthily at Lottie, The Falcon and The Union.

“At Lottie, we always offer a salad bar,” restaurant manager Jeffrey Roman said. “There are always dishes such as rice, tofu and steamed or roasted vegetables available. But most often, when chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders or popcorn shrimp is offered, the salad bar and other healthier options are slow.”

While these chicken and shrimp options may be the most popular, that does not mean they are healthy. This goes for the grab and go items at The Falcon, Cafe Diem and The Union as well.

“I think quick and easy can be healthy and I think our retail locations offer healthy grab and go options,” Roman said. “It is a matter of students being in the habit of selecting carrots or celery or hard-boiled eggs instead of a candy bar or a bag of chips.”

Roman recommends that students check out and take advantage of the university’s nutritional information and personnel.

“One of our best resources is Nicole Benner,” he said. “Nicole is a registered dietitian nu-

BY BRIAN SHERMEYER

tritionist and can work directly with students concerning nutritional information, food allergies and eating disorders.”

If you are looking to eat healthy, but do not know where to start, Roman suggests to start with your attitudes.

Not only are Benner’s services free to students, but she will also walk you through a specific food plan and communicate with dining services for you.

“I would have to say that desire to choose healthy options is what keeps most students from eating healthier. Our busiest days are often when something like Falcon Filet sandwiches are on the menu,” he said.

“She will work with students to create specific eating plans,” Roman said, “and she will act as a liaison between a student with food issues and the chefs at Lottie to ensure that our students’ needs are taken care of.”

Sometimes those needs are intolerances, like gluten and lactose. If you are affected by one of these, do not worry because Lottie takes this into consideration.

“At Lottie, our gluten-free area is full of fresh vegetables and other healthy items that are naturally gluten-free,” Roman said. “Students who are looking for healthy alternatives should definitely give that area a look.”

This means that if you do not have to have an intolerance to enjoy delicious, healthy foods from the gluten-free section in Lottie. If you are looking to move to a vegan diet, the chefs have you covered as well.

It all starts with the inclination to eat healthily. If you want it, it is there. If you only go to on-campus dining options to eat things like cheeseburgers, chicken tenders and Falcon Filet sandwiches, the healthy eating factor is thrown out the window.

“In general, the kitchen staff offers healthy alternatives to students looking to eat healthier, while at the same time providing delicious, well-balanced food that satisfies the needs and desires of the university community,” Roman said.

Healthy options are not the most popular, but in order to live a good, healthy lifestyle they must be considered. Food is the fuel for the body and if what you put in is not good, what you get out of it will not be either. Keep that in mind next time you have the option to choose a salad over another unhealthy meal.

“Our hot lines have vegetarian or vegan items that are typically not made with cheese or butter,” Roman said.

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SPORTS & HEALTH

QUIZ

Stress Assessment

BY JULIA MARY REGISTER

How well are you handling the stress in your life? Complete the six questions below, provided by biopsychology professor, Jennifer Thomson, to help gauge the amount of stress in your life during the semester.

In her ninth year teaching at Messiah, Thomson enjoys instructing students on mental health and providing them healthy tools for dealing with stress.

“Stress can be incredibly beneficial and motivating but only if we know how to manage it well,” Thomson said. “When we do stress right, we can overcome challenges and succeed at our goals. When our stress overwhelms us, it can have negative effects on our health.”

1. Over the past week, how often have you felt overwhelmed by all that you had to do?

4. Over the past week, how often were you

Never - 0

able to get a full night (at least 8 hours) of uninterrupted sleep?

Sometimes - 1

Every night - 0

Often - 2

Most nights - 1

Always - 3

Some nights - 2 Never - 3

2. Over the past week, how often have you

felt supported by your friends, family and others in your community?

find it difficult to stay focused or motivated?

Never - 3

Never - 0

Sometimes - 2

Sometimes - 1

Often - 1

Often - 2

Always - 0

Always - 3

3. Over the past week, how often have you

6. Over the past week, how often have you

Not at all - 0

Every day - 0

Some days - 1

Most days - 1

Most days - 2

Some days - 2

Every day - 3

Not at all - 3

experienced headaches, muscle aches or digestive issues (unrelated to a cold or illness)?

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5. Over the past week, how often did you

MARCH 2021

engaged in self-care activities (meditation, prayer, exercise, healthy eating)?

SPORTS & HEALTH

Tips and Tricks, provided by Thomson: The most effective way to cope with stress is through

a walk with a friend and you can accomplish social con-

social connection. God designed us to be in community

nection, exercise and time outdoors all in one stress-re-

with one another and research shows that we release

lieving activity.

hormones during the stress response that prompt us to seek out the support of our community. While this may look different because of COVID, it is incredibly important to continue spending time (either in-person or virtually) with our friends and family.

Spending time in prayer causes changes in the brain that can help us cope with stress and reduce anxiety. Try to make time with God part of your everyday routine.

You can also turn to prayer when you are

feeling overwhelmed or anxious. "Don’t worry about

The stress response creates tension in our muscles

anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God

that can be relieved through exercise. Exercise also re-

what you need, and thank him for all he has done,"

leases endorphins and other helpful brain chemicals.

Philippians 4:6 (NLT).

Make exercise part of your regular routine to help cope with stress.

Engage in self-care. It is important to make sure that you are getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods that

Spending time outdoors in God's creation has been

nourish your body, staying active and taking time out of

shown to lower levels of cortisol (a stress-related hor-

your day to do things that you enjoy.

mone) and lower blood pressure and heart rate. We are blessed here at Messiah to have access to the Yellow Breeches and so many wonderful walking trails. Take

Scoring: 0-6 points - You are handling stress well!

7-12 points - You have moderate stress and good coping skills 6-18 points - You are experiencing a lot of stress and should implement positive coping strategies

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SPORTS & HEALTH

START SWIMMING

BY MORGAN BATHGATE

When most people think of cross-training, cycling, rowing and weight lifting often come to mind. However, swimming is one of the most beneficial forms of aerobic exercise and athletes from a variety of sports can benefit from incorporating swimming into their cross-training regiment.

For twin sisters, Evangeline and Abigail Soerens, swimming is the perfect cross-training option, especially for those who already have athletic experience.

Before attending Messiah University, both sisters ran track and swam for Northern York High School. Participating in both activities greatly improved their skills and enhanced their aquatic performance. Even though they are runners first, they still agree that swimming provides excellent cross-training and physical therapy options.

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“Since [swimming] is a non-impact sport, it helps you recover and stay active,” Evangline Soerens said. “It’s a great way to get the extra cardio volume without getting hurt.”

Sources such as RunnersWorld and Underwateraudio report that swimming also helps with strengthening muscles that are not often used by the body. The most common injuries that swimming can help with include arthritis, sprains and tears.

After multiple leg injuries from track, the Soerens twins found swimming to be therapeutic and easy on their injuries. Even though they tried many forms of physical therapy, both claim that swimming was the form of cross-training that helped them recover physically and mentally.

“This past year, we did a lot of weight training but we also ran track in high school and ended up with a lot of shin splints,” Abigail Soerens said. “Swimming absolutely helped, especially because our training options varied so much.”

For the Soerens, getting shin splints often forced them to intensify or change their training routines. Luckily, swimming was an adjustable exercise that helped keep them in shape without putting further stress on their legs.

If there is one person who knows about the perks of swimming, it is Messiah’s swim team coach, Katie McComb.

SPORTS & HEALTH

“In all honesty, I could see every kind of athlete benefiting from swimming,” McComb said. “You hear a lot about runners and cyclists training to swim, but I can see it as an incredible form of therapy, or even time to yourself.”

Swimming as a form of cross-training can work for those who play volleyball, basketball and even field hockey, as these are all generally non-impact sports. Doing anaerobic activities like heavy weight lifting can cause tension in the muscles — a factor that can both injure someone and lead to fewer results.

“For some people, I think that focusing on weight training can help with their strength, but not endurance. There are benefits to swimming that can’t be found in anything else with lasting effects that can take place even during an everyday workout,” Michelle Lombana, professor of athletic education at Fordham University, said. “Why would you waste your time creating new injuries when you could actively fix one?”

it helps treat and prevent injuries, it can get athletes out of exercise ruts and it brings swimmers closer to God. Swimming is unique because it uses muscle groups that are more commonly used for rotation and flexion of the body. It also exercises the heart and increases blood flow through your body. Sprinting 100 meters four laps - will make your heart race for sure.

Water buoyancy reduces impact and stress when exercising, supporting injured muscles and joints during recovery. Water presses on injured areas, reducing swelling and improving motion. Swimming increases cardio during the workout but also provides rest to stressed joints.

Workout ruts are intermittent periods where workout routines are either halted or decreased in terms of intensity. It can happen to anyone, and for a variety of reasons.

Swimming is perfect for escaping an exercise rut because it can give athletes the option to stay in shape while also retaining a resting period from higher impact sports. This can even give a boost to your mental health.

Additionally, there are a variety of strokes to help break up the monotony. Freestyle does not have to be the only option: breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly are all options swimmers can use to mix it up.

Swimming also offers a new look at the individual relationship one can have with God. Looking into swimming as a cross-training option gives an individual’s mind a break from their stressful lives. Swimming laps can make the world slow down, especially if life seems crazy.

“Even during a global pandemic, God has a place everywhere— including the pool,” Evangeline Soerens said.

Visit Messiah’s pool to give swimming a shot. It does not have to just be for recovery or sport— just take a swim. You will not regret it.

There are four main ways using swimming to cross-train can boost physical and mental health: it significantly improves cardio,

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

26

SPORTS & HEALTH

Healthy Homemade Granola Ingredients:

Homemade granola is the perfect option for an easy breakfast or quick snack on the run. Pair with milk, yogurt, or trail mix to have sustaining energy throughout the day. This recipe is gluten free with no processed sugars.

1/4 cup pure maple syrup 3 TBSP melted coconut oil 2 TBSP honey

Directions:

1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, honey and salt.

3.

4. Use a silicone spatula to help pour the granola onto your parchment-paper lined baking pan.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pan (180 degrees) for even toasting, then bake for an additional

6. Once you remove your granola from the oven, allow it to cool on the baking sheet until completely

Add your oats and sliced almonds and fold the mixture together.

1/4 tsp sea salt 1.5 cup sliced almonds 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

If you want large chunks of granola (the best!) flatten the mixture into an even layer with your spatula, adding pressure so the granola is nice and compact.

10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy. Oven temperatures vary so just keep an eye on it and yank once it's your degree of golden perfection!

cooled. This will give it some time to get that signature crunch we all know and love!

Recipe from: https://peasandcrayons.com

It won't crisp up until it cools!

27

MARCH 2021

Earn your

Accreditation

Physical therapy is consistently ranked as one of the top, fastest-growing job opportunities in the U.S. Messiah University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is designed to prepare competent therapists for meaningful careers as practitioners, educators, administrators and consultants in a variety of professional settings including hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, homecare programs, schools and private practices. Our DPT program can equip you for the national physical therapy examination and to serve patients of all ages by helping them restore and maintain physical function.

Effective October 31, 2018, Messiah University has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org). If needing to contact the program/ institution directly, please call 717-796-1800, ext. 2126 or email Valerie Olson, DPT Program Director at volson@messiah.edu.

Messiah’s DPT program has a locked in tuition rate. rate your career

APPLY TODAY 717-796-5061 messiah.edu/DPT

pulse.messiah.edu @MessiahPulse Open Hours: Monday - Friday, 1 - 5 pm thepulse@messiah.edu | 717-691-6081

THE HEARTBEAT OF MESSIAH UNIVERSITY