MN Daily - 2022 Arts & Entertainment Spring Preview by The Minnesota Daily

Arts & Entertainment Spring Preview

A&E Preview 2022

MN Daily MEDIA

In defense of the University’s beauty

Around and around we go on the campus connector

Battle of the boba: UMN edition

University of Minnesota’s bar culture is a two-headed beast

The Minnesota Daily is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus.

West Bank’s creatively funky street style

The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future.

The extraordinary life of the campus squirrel

Q&A: the anonymous face behind “goldysjockstrap”

Best of Campus: Obscure Edition

The Minnesota Daily. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

A&E Preview | Tuesday, March 1, 2022 OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Hana Ikramuddin Editor-in-Chief eic@mndaily.com (612)-435-1575 Avni Tripathi Business Operations Officer boo@mndaily.com (612)-435-5772 Charlie Weaver General Manager gm@mndaily.com (612)-435-5657

BUSINESS STAFF Sonya Maier Director of Digital Media smaier@mndaily.com Account Executives Tejas Vaid

EDITORIAL STAFF Lydia Morell Managing Editor lmorell@mndaily.com Nina Raemont A&E Editor nraemont@mndaily.com A&E Reporters Isabel Moran Carly Quast Macy Harder A&E Reporting Interns Sarah Horner Harrison Madden

Camilla Breen Assistant Copy Chief cbreen@mndaily.com Copy Editors Ivan Lopez-Kne Ava Thompson Alex Steil Noah Mitchell Minnesota Daily Media strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately.

Emily Urfer Multimedia Editor eurfer@mndaily.com

The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations.

Staff Photographers Andrew Stroup Alice Bennett Ethan Fine David Stager Alexa Lewis

The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 10,000 issues biweekly.

Holly Gilvary Copy Desk Chief hgilvary@mndaily.com

All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.

MN Daily MEDIA

2022 A&E Preview

In defense of the University’s beauty According to pop culture publication Complex, the University campus “leaves a lot to be desired” — I happen to disagree. By Nina Raemont nraemont@mndaily.com The Un iversit y of M i nne s ota c ampu s, p op c u lt u re pu bl i c at ion Complex says, l eave s a l ot t o be d esired . On a list of t h e t op 5 0 ugl iest college c ampu se s i n th e c ount r y, ou r c ampu s s c o re d 18t h plac e, wit h wr i te r Ka th r y n Hende rson c it in g t h e “h eav y and imp erson al” B r u ta l i s t archit ec t u re an d an u ni nv i ti n g vibe as a few of t h e Un ive rs it y ’s archit ec t u ral wea k ne s s e s. Do wit h Complex ’s ra ti n g o f our campu s wh at you w i l l . A n d wha t will I d o wit h i t? Fl ou t it . Be c au se t hough th e c ampu s la cks arch it ec t u ral c oh e re nc e and, yes, Moos Towe r neve r nee ded t o look like th at, th e signif ic an c e of ou r c ampu s should n ot b e m eas u re d by th e ae st het ic s of ou r bu i l d i ng s, bu t rat he r som et hin g u n q u anti f iable, som et hin g a v i s i to r c an’t see up on f irst glan ce. The Un iversit y of M i nnesot a’s b eau t y is hu m bl e and

u na s s u m i ng , like M inne sotans th e ms elve s. T h e building s we re neve r meant to b e glam o rous, no. You wo n’t f ind a colle ctio n o f re d br i ck building s flash ing th e i r h i s to r y and pre stige in you r f a c e. Go elsewh e re fo r a G oth i c c ampus de sig n and p re te n s i o n . R ath e r, you’ll f ind f a ke c olu m ns o n so m e o f th e m a l l bu i l di ng s and a b ro nz e s c u lptu re o f a golde n goph e r — be c a u s e noth ing says Minnes ota m o re than m asking your gol d w i th s o m e b ro nz e. T h e c ampus’ b eauty sneaks up o n you i n sm all sips, rath e r th an a l l - c o n sum ing g ulps. L ike a f te r a s n o w f all, wh ich th is c ampu s w i tne sse s re g ularly, wh e n th e walkways are co ve re d i n a laye r o f wh ite. T h e picture s q ue w i nter sce ne o nly stays th a t way fo r a day o r t wo, but th a t ma ke s th e sight all th e m o re sp e c i al. You’ll f ind its a l lu re a s you take th e C ampus C o nne c to r fro m East Bank to We s t B an k , and in th e m iddle o f you r tr ip do w n Wash ing to n Ave nue B r i dge, your eye s strike a ba lan c e be t we e n th e Mighty M i s s i s s ipp i o n your right and th e M i nneap olis skyline ah ead. It ’s s i mpl e bliss. D i d He n de rso n eve r walk into Wa l te r L i brar y o n a Sunday m o r ni ng to f ind th e h alls f ille d w i th l i ght, t h e o rnate ce iling s sp ark l i ng an d th e study space s sp ot te d w i th early rise rs? D id sh e l ear n a b out th e m any cultu ra l o rganiz atio ns w ith th e ir o w n hu bs o f co m munity situate d w i th i n th e C o f f m an Unio n’s

se co nd and th ird flo o rs? Has sh e eve r e x ite d No r th rop Au dito rium af te r a dance pe rfo rm ance o r a le cture to f ind th e h isto ric building buz z ing w ith life and intelle ctual co nve rsatio n? Has sh e eve r turne d o n our campus radio statio n, R adio K , th at se r ve s th e city avant- garde sounds? And th e n th e re ’s th e sillie r th ing s th at b ring our campus distinctio n. L ike th e flat ear th e rs wh o g race Unive rsity Ave nue o n warm e r weath e r days to sh are th e ir pro clam atio ns. T h e L e t tuce C lub th at m e e ts o nce a se m e ste r to co mpe te to eat a wh ole h ead o f iceb e rg le t tuce and cro w n so m e o ne th e Head o f le ut tce.

The plent y of meme p ages t hat s at irize an d highlight ou r campu s exp erien ce. I cou ld go on . When you bas e beau t y s olely on a few Google images an d ext erior app earan ces, you’re bou n d t o mis s t he p oint of a place. An d u nt il you bear witn es s t o t he won d erfu l pleas u res t his place afford s it s commu n it y members, you will n ever be able t o u n d ers t an d it s beau t y.

A&E Preview 2022

MN Daily MEDIA

Around and around we go on the Campus Connector On the happenings of the campus chariot. By Sophia Zimmerman szimmerman@mndaily.com There’s something to be said about the enduring impression left upon its riders by our campus chariot, the Campus Connector. For research purposes, I rode the Campus Connector around for as many times as I could possibly handle the monotonous rhythm of the loop from Minneapolis to St. Paul campus and documented my observations. Right off the bat, there’s a cacophony of complaints about the inaccuracies of the GopherTrip app. The timing of the bus’s arrival has a tendency to be slightly off, although there’s always the rare chance that it might show up in tandem with its miniature bus icon. Fallen leaves litter the floor, remnants of the outside world that have penetrated the walls of the bus. There’s random bits of stickiness on the ground as well — although whether they’re the remains of a fallen iced latte or something more grotesque is quite unclear. The faded maroon and gold fabric of the bus seats succeeds in concealing whatever substances might linger on their surfaces, an intentional design choice, I can only presume. Drivers mean business on the Campus Connector. I can’t say I blame them for their tendency toward sternness when it comes to kicking people off and sending them to the next parked bus in St. Paul. I imagine I might have hardened in a similar manner if I spent

my days dealing with a routine onslaught of Carlson finance bros dressed in Lululemon joggers and thin Patagonia pullovers via the Blegen Hall stop alongside every other student onboard. Their only separation from every passenger is a thin plastic partition that serves as a flimsy barrier. Save for a couple of phone calls made, a few muffled exchanges of pleasantries and the electronic voice uttering “Stop Requested,” the journey from Minneapolis to St. Paul remains largely quiet. Many passengers take Snapchat selfies as they ride, squinting their eyes and raising their eyebrows above their masks in order to convey their mouthless expressions. Others lose themselves in novels perched carefully in their laps, looking up only when they’ve reached their stop. The most common accesories are the AirPods many people wear, the noise of whatever song they might be listening to sometimes drifting my way due to a clear disregard for volume control. It’s impossible not to notice the palpable sexual tension between two masked individuals when eye contact is accidentally made from the confines of one Campus Connector to another at a stop sign. It feels a little bit like something I shouldn’t be allowed to witness, beneath the soft glow that lights the interior of the bus. Someone jumps through the doors of the bus seconds before it takes off, slightly out of breath as they select a spot to spend their ride and lean their skateboard against. Another person hauls a heavy bag of TaylorMade golf clubs onboard, leaning them oh-so-carefully against the designated handicap seat before settling into their seat. I’m shocked

(Mary Ellen Ritter / Minnesota Daily) at the amount of people that opt not to take advantage of one of the many available seats once they’re on, instead choosing to stand up and grip one of the bars extending from floor to ceiling with all of their strength. One student leans their head against a cool window, the tangled cord of their headphones resting against their chest as tears well slightly in their eyes. They’re looking slightly into the distance, body turned ever-so-slightly toward the St. Paul scenery flying past outside the window. Is it possible to understand true sadness without having had a good old-fashioned cry on the Campus Connector? Despite masks being required to ride, there

catch themselves against the bus interior. There tends to be a quiet shuffle as people gather their possessions and slip through the doors, occasionally running into others rushing on board. It’s interesting to observe the urgency as people slip on and off in comparison to the stillness of the Campus Connector journey. I’m left with the understanding that there is an entire world of possibilities made available when you ride the Campus Connector. There’s an opportunity to hover somewhere on the edge of car-sickness among the jerking turns and twists. A chance to inhale the mixture of varied scents (perfume, sweat, etc.) from the people around you. Perhaps,

are inevitably a handful of students who fail to put them on. Others made the minimal effort to loop the straps of their disposables around their ears, still ensuring that their noses peek out from above. When the bus comes to a roaring halt, those who haven’t been paying attention to things

if you’re there on a good day, you might even witness a flock of the campus turkeys, mercilessly eyeing you down and gathering on the lawn near one of your stops. Next time you ride the Campus Connector, take a look around. You never know what you might find.

MN Daily MEDIA

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Battle of the boba: UMN edition The Daily set out to find out which of the boba shops springing up on campus is best. By Harry Madden hmadden@mndaily.com Boba tea has overtaken the streets of the University of Minnesota. Although the University has a wide variety of beverages to offer, the abundance of boba options is unmatched. Because of this, I found it necessary to stop by three boba tea spots on campus to review them and find out which one is superior — so that you don’t have to, of course. The contenders include three different boba tea locations: Chatime, Tiger Sugar and Kung Fu Tea. The reviews are based on the following criteria judged on a 1-10 scale: the boba pearls in each drink, the tea, the interior design and the customer service that I experienced at each spot. Boba pearl rating: Boba pearls are made from cassava roots. These pearls should typically be cooked for about 30 minutes to give them a tender and chewy texture, according to recipe developer Hungry Huy. When a boba pearl is not thoroughly cooked it is evident, because the middle of the pearl is noticeably harder than the outside of the pearl. Chatime: 5/10; tender on the outside, but a noticeable crunch on the inside. Tiger Sugar: 8/10; the pearls were tender throughout, however the size was inconsistent. Kung Fu Tea: 9/10; the pearls were tender throughout and had a consistent size. Tea sweetness rating: Boba tea locations often offer a range

of sugar for their customers. For each drink, I used what was labeled as the “normal” amount of sugar, a judgment that is decided by each location. At each location, I ordered a different tea, based on what the workers recommended. At Chatime I received the Thai milk tea, at Tiger Sugar, their signature brown sugar bubble tea with cream mousse and at Kung Fu Tea, the honey milk tea. Chatime: 9/10; although their tea was sweetened perfectly, it tasted slightly watered down. Tiger Sugar: 10/10: their signature drink had the ideal blend of milk and sugar, making it extremely difficult to put down. Kung Fu Tea: 5/10: the recommended

amount of sugar was overdone and the milk was watered down. Customer service rating: The interactions customers have with employees are extremely important to the success of a restaurant. Walking into each restaurant, I acted like I was completely new to the concept of boba tea. Workers at each restaurant had to guide me through the menu, toppings and various sugar levels. Here are my experiences after asking each worker the same following question: “As someone who is new to boba tea, what would you recommend?” Chatime: 10/10; as soon as the employee noticed that I was new to boba tea, she enthusiastically guided me

through the menu, asking what kind of tea I was looking for and explaining the various toppings. Tiger Sugar: 8/10; the worker was great at explaining the various concepts to me and gave me great suggestions, although she did appear slightly impatient. Kung Fu Tea: 4/10; although I was eventually given a suggestion, the worker gave little explanation for various concepts and appeared agitated when I asked questions. Final Scores Chatime: 24/30 Tiger Sugar: 26/30 Kung Fu Tea: 18/3

A&E Preview 2022

MN Daily MEDIA

University of Minnesota’s bar culture is a two-headed beast One night, four bars: come with me on a mini bar crawl through some of campus’ infamous bars. By Bel Moran imoran@mndaily.com A s one of t hose poor sou ls who t ur ned 21 dur i ng t he pa ndem ic, my ex per ience w it h ca mpus ba rs is l i m ited to t he one t i me I v isited Sa l ly ’s my f resh ma n yea r on a Tuesday a f ter noon. Febr ua r y 18 wa s t he n ig ht t hat cha nged. T houg h t he a f ter noon wa s plea sa nt enoug h by Mi n nesot a’s st a nda rd s, su nset broug ht a na st y bite a nd a negat ive 14 deg ree w i ndch i l l. Weat her apps i n t he Tw i n Cit ies wa r ned of h ig h w i nd speed s. T he ever-present, late -w i nter blues were creepi ng i n. T hat wou ld n’t stop t h rongs of Un iversit y of Mi n nesot a st udent s f rom goi ng out to bi nge d r i n k t hemselves i nto obl iv ion. T h i ngs l i ke “ bei ng of age” a nd “su bz ero temperat ures” a ren’t rea l ly a concer n. A f ter a l l, when it ’s t h is cold — what else a re t hey supposed to do? My n ig ht bega n at my pa r t ner ’s house i n Como, where h is room mate’s i nd ie ba nd rehea rsed i n t heir u n f i n ished ba sement. A r med w it h

Arcade lights illuminate Como Tap on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. (Bel Moran / Minnesota Daily) ha nd wa r mers f rom w i nter sur v iva l ca re pack ages (sent by wel l-mea n i ng relat ives), my clu n k iest Docs a nd t wo pa irs of pa nt s, I wa s ready to t a ke on whatever t he n ig ht wa nted to blow my way.

Ma n n i ng ’s Ca fe on t he cor ner of Como a nd 22nd is a Como k id prega me st aple, a nd t houg h it does t y pica l ly have a n older crowd, it s a m bient l ig ht i ng a nd st rong d r i n k s lef t me feel i ng wa r m i nside. I met some f r iend s t here

just a f ter 8 p.m. Our ser ver, Bones, wore a t weed paperboy cap a nd a scrag g ly bea rd. “A mer ica n P ie” played u nder t he chat ter of old col lege budd ies catch i ng up.

Con f used at why we were closi ng our t a b at 9 p.m. on a Fr iday, I told Bones t hat I wa s w r it i ng a stor y a bout col lege ba rs a nd t hat we needed to move on to t he nex t place. A f ter br i ng i ng us our receipt s, he told us to wa it a m i nute. “Ca n

I show you somet h i ng for your book?” he sa id, v isi bly exc ited. He ret ur ned moment s later w it h a mout h ha r p a nd played us a l it t le jig, later add i ng t hat he’d just lea r ned how to play du bstep on it. I t ha n ked Bones prof usely, t hen reador ned my w i nter gea r for t he shor t t rek to t he nex t spot.

Como Tap, just across t he st reet f rom Ma n n i ng ’s, appea red to be our f irst stop’s cooler, you nger si bl i ng. Lit w it h neon

MN Daily MEDIA sig ns a nd a rcade ga mes, t he sprawl of t he i ndust r ia l space felt l i ke a h ipster ’s playg rou nd. T he crowd wa s considera bly you nger, w roug ht w it h sk ater boys spor t i ng ‘70 s por n st aches a nd bea n ies perched a bsurd ly h ig h atop t heir head s. A cur mudgeon-y bou ncer sh i ned h is LED f la sh l ig ht i n our eyes before a sk i ng for our IDs. More pu n k t ha n t rendy, t he menu wa s l it tered w it h pu n ny cock t a i l na mes l i ke t he K at n iss Von D a nd t he Comosa. I ordered a g i n f i z z to st a r t. One ba r tender wore k nee h ig h sock s a nd t i ny met a l l ic r u n n i ng shor t s. He weaved t h roug h t he l i ne of black pu f fer coat- clad 20 -somet h i ngs t hat sudden ly appea red to del iver our food. We t a l ked a bout t he k i nd of people who f requented Trader Joe’s.

2022 A&E Preview kept t heir coat s on; t hey ’d be leav i ng soon. A pa ir of roug h ly 4 0 -yea r- old men sat dow n nex t to us, seem i ng to leer at t he d r u n k g irls on t he da nce f loor. Not wa nt i ng to st ay a not her second, we stopped i n t he odd ly l i m i na l bat h room a nd shouted a bout where to go nex t over t he bla re of “Cra n k T hat (Sou lja Boy)” a nd dec ided to shel l out t he $7.50 cover cha rge for Kol lege K lu b dow n t he block. We wa l ked i n just i n t i me to watch a va rsit y jacketclad bou ncer ma ke a g irl i n a ma rsh ma l low pu f f, k nee -leng t h coat cr y. “I don’t f uck i ng ca re, you need a physica l copy,” he yel led i n her face, tower i ng a bove her sma l l f ra me.

T he cover i ncluded a “ f ree” d r i n k, so we waded t h roug h t he sea of ma sk less d r u n k s, t r y i ng (a nd fa i l i ng) to avoid bei ng bu mped i nto a nd shouted our orders across t he ba r. We vent ured upst a irs to f i nd a n even la rger crowd, a wa l l of paper wh ite k id s t r y i ng to escape t he cold, slur r i ng a nd st u m bl i ng a long. I a sked a bored-look i ng ba r tender a bout t he crowd. “It ’s l i ke t h is ever y n ig ht,” she yel led over t he music.

Tired a nd bu z z ed, we jog ged dow n 4t h St reet to catch t he bus back to Como just before m id n ig ht.

T he n ig ht wa s m i xed, to say t he lea st, but I st i l l felt wa r m. G ood conversat ion a nd pr i me people watch i ng oppor t u n it ies a bou nded i n our ba r scene, a nd I cou ld n’t help feel i ng l i ke a mem ber of a com mu n it y.

T he hu m of t he 10:3 0 r ush qu ick ly set i n, f i l l i ng t he w ide concrete space w it h conversat ion. We toyed w it h t he idea of just st ay i ng for t he n ig ht to cont i nue people watch i ng, but a f ter a n order of ga rl ic pa r mesa n f r ies a nd a second g i n f i z z , we beg r udg i ng ly clomped our way to t he bus stop to wa it for t he 3 towa rd Di n k y tow n. T he pla n wa s to stop at Bla r ney ’s for a s l it t le t i me a s possi ble to avoid t he crowd s. T he ma ssive l i ne of suspic iously you ng-look i ng people out side t he doors made goi ng elsewhere t he obv ious choice. A f ter speed wa l k i ng away f rom t he t h ra l l of (a ssu med) f irst-yea rs, we a r r ived at Bur r ito Loco, or Bloco, a s some prefer to ca l l it. We entered to f i nd a decept ively l ively crowd a nd a most ly empt y da nce f loor. “ T h is is no one’s f irst choice,” one of us mut tered a s we fou nd a t a ble i n t he cor ner to sk u l k at. E ven t he happiest i n t he crowd here

A crowd of students gather at the Kollege Klub in Dinkytown on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022.

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A&E Preview 2022

West Bank’s creatively funky street style

MN Daily MEDIA Step aside, East Bank or St. Paul! UMN’s West Bank campus is home to University majors known for their fashion-oriented students strutting along the campus’ snow-covered sidewalks. From thrift-savvy MIS majors to art majors sporting fairycore ambiance, we have the up close and personal view into the inspiration for the outfits that give West Bank its creatively funky reputation.

With students sporting vintage, handmade and freshly thrifted pieces of clothing on the University of Minnesota’s West Bank, their unrivaled style is something to marvel at — and we have the insights on their favorite stores, sources of inspiration and style vision. Story by Carly Quast Photos by Emily Urfur

A&E went to West Bank to find what students are wearing this winter; here’s what’s in style.

Fairycore

Jacquelyn Fay poses for a portrait on West Bank on Friday, Feb. 18. (Ray Shehadeh / Minnesota Daily)

In her frayed tri-colored jeans, ‘90s inspired mesh tank top and black beret, Jacquelyn Fay’s decayed archival look highlights the idea of fashion accentuating personality. “These beat-up Dr. Martens with the paint on them,” Fay said about her shoes, “they’re an art major staple.” The art major strikes inspiration from Korean fashion, or K-fashion, and sticks to neutral colors in order to accentuate the details exposed in her fairycore ambiance, meant to play on her last name, Fay. “I’m usually pretty focused on art, but I feel like if you are an arts student you’re also into fashion. It goes hand-in-hand,” Fay said.

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Big and bright colors Mara Westgaard, a studies in cinema and media culture major, cherishes patterns, bold colors and “always a lot of Halloween stuff all year round.” Westgaard’s look featured lavender Dolls Kill pumps with Jack-O-Lantern faces smiling on each foot, a matching lavender button-up, patterned tights with a leather jacket, black dress and white turtleneck neutralizing the finished look. She explained that her outfits focus on a specifically bold color and often utilizes neutral pieces to accentuate that color. “I try to incorporate some trends to stay relevant but I really like to base it around my own look,” Westgaard said.

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Beatnik now For this late ‘60s and early ‘70s lover, long corduroy button-up dresses, peace sign belts and turquoise-embellished jewelry are considered a few of her must-have pieces. Adriannah Popkey , a cultural studies and comparative literature major , is first and foremost a vintage shopper. With Up Six Vintage and 316 topping her favorite thrift shops, her style comes from finding individual pieces around the Twin Cities and bringing them together to create a Joni Mitchell -era inspired look. “I just like to find my different odds and ends within the city and piece them all together,” Popkey said. “Basically, those pieces make inspiration that I like to lean into.”

Southern flair Connie Pierce’s eclectic style first formed as she was growing up in Austin, Texas, and followed alongside her as she came to Minnesota for college. The dance major sported an eye-catching fluorescently detailed white puffer jacket, its body and sleeves covered in a child-like flower print, cherry red hair, loose-fitting mom jeans and a worn pair of Dr. Martens. “I mainly shop in Austin, at the thrift stores that we have,” Pierce said. Pavement, Leopard Lounge and Flamingos Vintage Pound are a few of Pierce’s favorite thrift and consignment shops in her hometown, and she recommends any thrift-lovers visit if they’re in the area.

Left: Mara Westgaard poses for a portrait on West Bank on Friday, Feb. 18. Right: Details of Westgaard’s outfit. (Ray Shehadeh / Minnesota Daily)

Geek chic Alexander Ngo , a self-proclaimed “gross” Management Information Systems major , is a St. Paul native and thrift-lover. In his vintage forest green and navy blue winter jacket, metal-frame glasses, black beanie and white sneakers hiding a camo print leaving a line-work pattern in the snow, Ngo personified the trends forged in 1980’s fashion. “My personal style … I would say it’s something between like a self-aware geek and a self-aware nerd,” he said with a laugh. Ngo shops at several different local Goodwill stores throughout the Twin Cities and highly recommends checking out My Thrift in East St. Paul.

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MN Daily MEDIA

The extraordinary life of the campus squirrel A deep-dive into the history, lifestyle, and physiology of the real face of the University. By Macy Harder mharder@mndaily.com It’s an unusually warm afternoon in spring of 2020, and University of Minnesota graduate Colin Vehmeier sits at a picnic table in Van Cleve Park, Cuban sandwich and a yerba mate tea in hand. A few bites into his meal, Vehmeier notices that he’s not alone. “This one squirrel comes up behind me … like it was probably within a foot of me,” he said. “It had its eyes on the sandwich.” To Vehmeier’s surprise, the squirrel brought reinforcements. “Now I have a squirrel on my table, a squirrel behind me and then one sitting next to me,” he said, “and I’m not doing well.” After a total of eight squirrels had surrunded his table, Vehmeier surrendered the rest of his sandwich and left the park. “That’s their turf, and I learned not to mess with them,” he explained. “I felt like their motives were sinister.” Apprehending the sandwich of an unsuspecting picnic-goer, taking off with a student’s lab notebook and cracking open a White Claw for happy hour — for a squirrel at the University, this is just another day in the life. Big, brave and bushy-tailed, the campus squirrels are far from average. Their infamy at the University can be accredited to their

Illustrated by (Mary Ellen Ritter / Minnesota Daily) mischievous antics, resulting in funny anecdotes and minor inconveniences for students. Whether they’re plotting a food heist or popping out of a trash can, it’s obvious that these city critters exhibit vastly different behavior than their rural counterparts. Nurture and nature combine in this tale of urbanization, as human influence works in tandem with physiology to create these fuzzy “urban exploiters.” Move over, gophers — the squirrels just might be the real alpha rodents on campus. Goldy gopher or Goldy ground squirrel?

The legacy of squirrels on campus extends far beyond their daring escapades. In fact, they play an interesting role in the University’s history, dating back over a century. After graduating from the University in 2008, Ryan Barland went on to become an oral historian at the Minnesota Historical Society. The intersection between his love for sports and history has evolved into a unique area of expertise for Barland, especially when it comes to the Golden Gophers. Barland explained that there’s more to Goldy Gopher — the beloved, buck-toothed face of the University — than his name might

suggest. The mystery originated in the 1800s with a political scandal, railroad tycoons and a certain discrepancy in a newspaper cartoon involving none other than the squirrels themselves. In 1857, a land grant bill was proposed to the Minnesota legislature that would authorize a $5 million loan to be used for the construction of railroads. The railroad companies at the receiving end of this grant were headed by prominent political figures, including representatives and leaders from both parties. Due to the railroad tycoons’ political prowess and hand in the legislature, the bill was

MN Daily MEDIA passed with ease. In opposition to this, a Saint Paul resident named Robert Ormsby Sweeny crafted a political cartoon depicting advocates of the bill as striped “gophers” pulling a cart across a railroad. Supporting the tracks from underneath are nine men with bags of money around their necks, which represent legislators who were allegedly bribed to support the passage of the bill. Because of this, Minnesota became known as the “Gopher State,” Barland said, which ultimately led to the University’s adoption of the moniker and mascot. But there was a major discrepancy in the cartoon that was overlooked before its circulation and subsequent infamy; although Sweeny labeled them as “gophers,” the critters he depicted were actually 13-lined ground squirrels. They’re not chipmunks, and they’re certainly not gophers — these often-misidentified ground squirrels are a species of their own. Their backs and tails are decorated with a distinct striped pattern, almost identical to that seen on the tail of the University’s fearless mascot. “I don’t think the ‘University of Minnesota Squirrels’ has quite the same ring to it,” Barland said. “The ship had already sailed at that point, and everyone was pretty on board with the gopher name.” Happy hours, heists and other hijinks Whether or not you embrace his true identity, Goldy’s backstory makes one thing clear: squirrels are a part of the University’s roots. They’re not going anywhere anytime soon, and they’re not afraid to make their presence known. “I once saw a squirrel trying to drink a White Claw that was left out on my deck,” said Alyssa Arnold, a third-year student at the University. If you’re from outside the city, this behavior might come as a surprise. Maybe you’re used to seeing squirrels hide acorns away for later, but probably not alcohol-

2022 A&E Preview 11 ic seltzers. These squirrels are interested in more than just cocktails, though — they’re here to wine and dine, and in a similar fashion to college students, they’ll do whatever it takes to get their paws on some free food. Avery Wageman, a senior majoring in communication studies, said she “once saw one steal a slice of pizza out of a garbage can and then climb a power line to eat it.” Barrett Seeley, a sec-

(Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily) ond-year neuroscience major, experienced this tenacity firsthand. She was sitting outside after purchasing school supplies at Coffman Memorial Union, and decided to leave her belongings behind while she went in to use the bathroom. When she returned, Seeley said she was shocked to see a particularly “buff ” campus squirrel running away with her chemistry lab notebook. “It’s my first year on campus, so it was a bit shocking because all

the squirrels in the suburbs are super small and they don’t interact with people,” she said. Although she had to buy a new notebook, Seeley said this encounter painted the campus squirrels in a positive light for her. “It just shows their resilience when they want to complete a task,” Seeley said. To habituate or not to habituate The explanation behind this sort

of behavior boils down to the physiology of squirrels on campus. Charlotte Devitz is working toward her doctorate in ecology, evolution and behavior. Her dissertation is focused on how urbanization affects wildlife; specifically, how certain behavioral traits facilitate adaptation to urban environments. Devitz chose to conduct her research on squirrels, referring to them as “urban exploiters.” She noted that they take advantage of novel resources that being on

campus provides, like increased food availability. “They’re so used to being fed by people that they’re pretty relentless,” she said. Devitz noted that one of the larger behavioral differences in urban squirrels compared to those in rural areas is their comfort level around people. “They basically just become habituated to the presence of people,” she said. “Similarly, they’re a lot more bold with stealing food and their willingness to interact with things that aren’t natural.” According to Devitz, this habituation to people and other potential threats is beneficial for their immune system and other physiological functions. She explained that if someone walked through a rural site with a dog that started lunging at a squirrel, the squirrel would mount a stress response, which is an extremely energy-costly process. Urbanization increases the frequency at which squirrels come in contact with such threats; if they mount a stress response every time one appears, this frequency could have a “whole cascade of physiological effects.” “It can affect their ability to go on and reproduce … it can weaken immune function for them,” Devitz said. Thus, the city squirrels have to habituate and learn that these things aren’t always going to kill them. “Obviously there is still risk involved because there could be a dog that does come after them … so it’s a balancing of risks. But in most cases, it’s going to be beneficial for those animals to habituate,” she said. On the flip side, this habituation might be less of a benefit and more of a nuisance for students. But if a squirrel ever stares you down for a bite of food, Devitz has some advice. “If you ignore them long enough, and just try and run away, they might leave you alone,” she said. “You might not have to leave your Cuban sandwich for them, but who knows.”

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Q&A: the anonymous face behind “goldysjockstrap” The creator chatted about why she remains anonymous and her immersion in campus culture By Macy Harder mharder@mndaily.com The Instagram account “goldysjockstrap” has quickly become a prominent name in campus culture — it has over 2,500 followers, to most of whom the owner’s identity remains unknown. Using the text post meme structure that has come to dominate our timelines, the page provides a creative and humorous glimpse into niche aspects of the University experience that you won’t hear about on a campus tour. A&E spoke with the student behind the account about her anonymity, the impact she’s making, her campus hot takes and more. What sort of information do you disclose to followers about your identity?

followers don’t know who I am. What inspired you to create the account back in July?

There’s this app called Patio, which is sort of like GroupMe but just for the class of 2025. There were jokes going around in there, and I thought it would make for really good content. So, I just started making little Gopher jokes in my notes app. I’ve seen accounts like Barstool Gophers, which is mostly just using other peoples’ content or using meme templates that are really overdone in my eyes. So I was like, okay, I’m gonna make my own. Who are some of your Instagram inspirations? My favorite meme page is called mybloodyvirginators. It’s like the on_a_downward_spiral account, but more creative. What sort of impact do you think this account is having on its followers?

I feel a little bit like a counselor to some of my followers who are high schoolers, or just an honest voice.

When you’re in the college admissions process, there’s not a lot of transparency. You can go on student-led tours, but they’re still employed by the University so they’re not telling you what’s really going on for students. There’s obviously accounts like Barstool, but that’s mostly partying and the athletic scene, and less so what’s happening with freshman and the inner workings of the school. Is it having any impact on you personally? For almost all of the friends that I’ve made here so far, I’ve made the connection through having that account. We wouldn’t have built that relationship if it wasn’t for chatting over DMs about posts that I make, or people asking to do a small group meetup.

My pronouns are she/her, and I’m a first-year Carlson student planning on majoring in either finance or marketing. Why do you prefer to keep the account anonymous? I would like to not have it infringe on my professional career going forward. It’s also really nice to walk around and see my followers in public but they don’t know it’s me, which is a really weird but kind of cool experience. Do any of your followers know your true identity? Yeah, it’s probably about like 5% of people that follow me, so it’s quite a big chunk. I started the account back in the beginning of July, and by the time the school year started it spread just a little bit but the majority of the

Taken from @goldysjockstrap Instagram feed

I also always have someone to go to for advice, like I can easily use the account to get to someone in every community at the U and ask them a question. It’s really nice.

You share a ton of campus-related opinions on the account, so what are some of your best campus hot takes? Superblock as a whole is overrated. My favorite dorms are Sanford and Comstock, and then Middlebrook because I like the people there. When I’m in Superblock, I feel like I’m in Edina. Sometimes I’ll go in Pioneer and I’ll get elitist vibes from people. Another hot take is that psychology majors are as bad as business majors. Business majors get a lot of hate, rightfully so, but I’d say that female psychology majors are the equivalent of male business majors in my eyes. It’s like “womansplaining” versus “mansplaining.” Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Best of Campus: Obscure Edition Forget the quidditch club fact and the gopher-shaped Coffman Union tidbit you learn when you tour the University. Here’s a comprehensive list of the best places and situations for your obscure campus needs. By Nina Raemont, Carly Quast and Bel Moran When you tour the University of Minnesota’s campus for the first time, tour guides will be sure to tell you about the campus quidditch club (a club I haven’t heard anyone actually attend) and how Coffman Union looks like a gopher. That’s cute, but wouldn’t you rather hear about the liminal space vibes of the Gopher Way, or the best classes for sneaking peeks at dramatic text conversations? We’re giving you all the best of campus — but make it obscure. From the best campus for meeting a crypto bae to the best bathroom to cry in, we’ve got it all. Best place to romanticize life: Walking west on the right side of Washington Avenue Bridge during sunset Main character syndrome never felt this good! Best spot to meet a sugar daddy/mommy: Hanson Hall Caribou Coffee We see you, finance majors. Best spot for meeting a camping/ outdoor exploring buddy: The St. Paul campus 121 bus stop Find a CFANS friend while waiting to go back to the mainland (East Bank). A match made in Teva heaven. Best spot for finding the next cryptocurrency developer: Keller Hall Hey CSE kids. Best place to overhear gossip:

Dinkytown Starbucks Pair your pumpkin cream cold brew with some good, old fashioned overheard dirt. Best lecture/class to read juicy conversations off of others’ laptops: Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics The West Bank’s larger-thanlife lecture halls bode well for plenty of distraction, from lengthy text convos to Shein perusing. Best bathrooms to cry in: The Graduate and Northrop’s third floor bathroom If you’re going to ugly cry, why not do it in a gorgeous bathroom? Best view of the Minneapolis city skyline on campus: University Avenue (between 14th and 13th Avenue over train tracks at sunset) Picture this: You’re heading down University Avenue towards your apartment in Marcy-Holmes, minding your business when you look to your left and downtown Minneapolis is shining back at you. Well, you don’t need to picture it because that view exists and you should check it out. Best liminal space: The Gopher Way If you think this underground transitway is only for avoiding the cold, think again. Best library for cramming: Walter Library The building with its cool

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ceilings and studious aura permeate academia vibes. Best library for online shopping: Wilson Library In the words of Joe Biden: “Guess what? It grows the economy. Benefits everybody. Hurts nobody.” Best campus influencer: Butter the Chemistry Corgi Nothing says influence quite like a scientific campus hound. Best spot for having an unexpected mental breakdown: fountain behind Murphy Hall Hidden between Murphy Hall and Vincent Hall on the East Bank, the water fountain surrounded by bike racks and oddly shaped benches offers hideable shelter to shield yourself from other students while the noise of the water covers any much-needed screams — this advice comes from personal experience. Best spot for an existential crisis: windowseat of Campus Connector by way of St. Paul

Something about the University of Minnesota Transitway and some sad music (“Liability” by Lorde) blasting in your headphones on our beloved gopher chariot makes me deeply existential. Best place to watch a break-up unfold: Bordertown Coffee Preferably in one of the cubbies by the fireplace. Best random campus staple: Washington Avenue Bridge shoe tree Every college campus has its quirks and charm, and at the University, one of those staples is located on the southwest end of the Washington Avenue bridge. At least one hundred pairs of weather-worn sneakers dangle from the branches of a barren tree. A little strange? Maybe. A University staple? Absolutely.

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