February 6, 2020

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2020

Phi Sigma Pi recruitment event gets Phi-ve stars CAITA PIERSON STAFF WRITER Minnesota State University, Mankato Honor fraternity chapter, Phi Sigma Pi, held a recruitment event Feb. 3.

This event was led by recruitment advisor Kirby Crow, chapter president Amily Smith, and vice president Katie Hawbaker. Activities included minute-win-it games such as a M&M straw game, tic tac toe table pong, and a balloon toss. Following the fun, was an informational slide show regarding what it means to be in Phi Sigma Pi. Phi Sigma Pi is a national honor fraternity with a basis in scholarship, leadership, and fellowship. Benefits to this fraternity are professional development, leadership seminars, community service, social events, a graduation cord, and potential scholarships.

Phi Sigma Pi Vice President Katie Hawbaker participates in a balloon challenge during a recruitment event in Armstrong Hall, Monday, Feb. 3, 2020 in Mankato, Minn. (Lara Peterson/MSU Reporter)

Entrance requirements to this fraternity include a 3.0 GPA, twelve completed college credits, and at least one semester left at university.

All those who meet these re-

quirements are welcome in this gender inclusive fraternity.

The initiation process takes about five to six weeks and does include a financial

commitment. Fund-raiser opportunities are available, and no one will be turned away due to financial reasons.

In an interview with chapter president, Amily Smith,

she described how she got involved within this fraternity.

“In fall of 2018 I got an email from the chapter president saying I was nominated… I liked what I was hearing. This organization really represents my personal values that I have with academics, fellowship, and also social service” She then answers how she has been personally impacted by her involvement.

“I wanted to make sure I found people who had the same values as me academically, being together, doing volunteerism… Our motto is improving humanity with honor. We are improving humanity with scholarship learning, leadership, and fellowship.”

For more information about this fraternity or to join, please email phisigmapi@ mnsu.edu or go to phisigmapi.org/mankato.

Study Abroad Fair hosted not-so-far away in CSU KIERAN KUEHN STAFF WRITER Minnesota State University, Mankato hosted its latest study abroad fair, aptly named the Study Abroad and Far Away Fair Tuesday morning.

This fair consisted of programs and organizations from across the nation, representing a global scale of opportunities. Students have the opportunity to visit countries around the world. Students may explore all around the globe for a reasonable fee and plenty of opportunities for financial support.

The fair was a long running event, totaling in four hours of informative and quality discussion with representatives from both local and national organizations. Students entering the Centennial Student

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Union and walking down the main stretch outside of Mav Ave would be greeted by a display of flags from across

the globe, table lined with pamphlets, treats, and cultural artifacts, and a variety of banners and posters de-

scribing key upcoming trips that students can become involved in.

Students have the option

to travel regardless of their respective majors or minors.

Many trips are multipurpose and can be tailored if necessary. Biological discoveries in Central America can be tweaked to help provide students with cultural experience from that region. A legal study of the parliamentary system in London can be edited if students need to fulfill some sort of language task. Simply put the possibilities are endless.

However, faculty who looked to promote a trip where present. The University of Minnesota and the University of St. Cloud both had representatives promoting the possibilities that their respective institutions

ABROAD

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2 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Upward Bound blood drive “A positive” impact HELLEN AKINYI STAFF WRITER Red Cross and Upward Bound organized a blood drive earlier this week in the ballroom.

The main purpose for the drive is to be able to collect as much blood as needed for all the patients. The hospitals have contracts for the blood taken at the drive, so they are then directly delivered to said hospitals.

The goal was to collect at least 46 units of blood on this particular drive. Each drive has its’ own goals depending on different factors such as the urgency or the need.

Amber Swing who was the collection team supervisor said, “You never know when there’s going to be a national appeal, so it is always good to have enough blood any day, anytime. Just in case.”

By national appeal she means a circumstance that may cause hospitals to be in desperate need for blood.

Swing talked about how easy the process is, as long as the tests done come back great and show that the person is healthy. They then can donate the blood.

Apart from that, the donors have to also fill out a 21-question questionnaire in order to provide background information about the particular donor before running a series of tests.

A Minnesota State University, Mankato student donates blood at anUpward Bound sponsored blood drive held at Centennial Student Union Monday, Feb. 3, 2020 in Mankato, Minn. (Prasad Pol/MSU Reporter)

“I encourage anyone who knows they are healthy to

see a great turn out,” Awing added.

“The main purpose for the drive is to be able to collect as much blood as needed for all the patients.” come and try and see if they are eligible to donate blood.

It is always nice whenever we have the blood drives and we

She continued by saying how important the whole drive is, and people may never know the impact they

cess made easier for them.

Some of the few benefits for donating blood include being in good health and reduced risk of cancer hemochromatosis.

It also helps in reducing damage to the liver and the pancreas. Other benefits include improvement in cardiovascular health and also reducing obesity.

If you’d like to reap these benefits, donating blood is a rewarding experience. Not only that, but you are doing your part in actively saving lives.

And the various benefits listed are all the donor’s, but the main important one is to the receiver, who gets the blood.

might have just by playing their part.

Upward Bound were the sponsors of the blood drive, as they were in charge of everything. The Red Cross team just had to come and do their role which was to take the blood, having the entire pro-

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Thursday, February 6, 2020

MSU Reporter • 3

News

Not guilty: Senate acquits Trump of impeachment charges WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump won impeachment acquittal Wednesday in the U.S. Senate, bringing to a close only the third presidential trial in American history with votes that split the country, tested civic norms and fed the tumultuous 2020 race for the White House.

With Chief Justice John Roberts presiding, senators sworn to do “impartial justice” stood and stated their votes for the roll call — “guilty” or “not guilty” — in a swift tally almost exclusively along party lines. Trump, the chief justice then declared, shall “be, and is hereby, acquitted of the charges.”

The outcome followed months of remarkable impeachment proceedings, from Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s House to Mitch McConnell’s Senate, reflecting the nation’s unrelenting partisan divide three years into the Trump presidency.

What started as Trump’s request for Ukraine to “do us a favor” spun into a far-reaching, 28,000-page report compiled by House investigators accusing an American president of engaging in shadow diplomacy that threatened U.S. foreign relations for personal, political gain as he pressured the ally to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden ahead of the next election.

Youtube video thumbnail No president has ever been removed by the Senate.

A politically emboldened Trump had eagerly predicted vindication, deploying the verdict as a political anthem in his reelection bid.

The president claims he did nothing wrong, decrying the “witch hunt” as an extension of special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian 2016 campaign interference by those out to get him from the start of his presidency.

Trump’s political campaign tweeted videos, statements and a cartoon dance celebration, while the president himself tweeted that he would speak Thursday from the White House about “our Country’s VICTORY on the Impeachment Hoax.”

However, the Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said there will always be “a giant asterisk next to the president’s acquittal” because of the Senate’s quick trial and Republicans’ unprecedented rejection of witnesses.

A majority of senators expressed unease with Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine that resulted in the two articles of impeachment.

But two-thirds of them would have had to vote “guilty” to reach the Constitution’s bar of high crimes and misdemeanors to convict and remove Trump from office. The final tallies in the GOP-held Senate fell far short.

On the first article of impeachment, abuse of power, the vote was 52-48 favoring acquittal. The second, obstruction of Congress, also produced a not guilty verdict, 53-47.

Only one Republican, Mitt Romney of Utah, the party’s defeated 2012 presidential nominee, broke with the GOP. Romney choked up as he said he drew on his faith and “oath before God” to vote guilty on the first charge, abuse of power. He voted to acquit on the second.

All Democrats found the president guilty on the two charges.

Both Bill Clinton in 1999 and Andrew Johnson in 1868 drew cross-party support when they were left in office after impeachment trials.

Richard Nixon resigned rather than face sure impeachment, expecting members of his own party to vote to remove him.

Ahead of Wednesday’s voting, some of the most closely watched senators took to the Senate floor to tell their constituents, and the nation, what they had decided.

Influential GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee worried a guilty verdict would “pour gasoline on the fire” of the nation’s culture wars over Trump and “rip the country apart. He said the House proved its case but it just didn’t rise to the level of impeachment.

Other Republicans siding with Trump said it was time to end what McConnell called the “circus” and move on.

Most Democrats, though, echoed the House managers’ warnings that Trump, if left unchecked, would continue to abuse the power of his office for personal political gain and try to cheat again ahead of the the 2020 election.

Even key Democrats from states where Trump is popular — Doug Jones in Alabama and Joe Manchin in West Virginia — risked backlash and voted to convict.

“Senators are elected to make tough choices,” Jones said.

Several senators trying to win the Democratic Party’s nomination to face Trump — Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar — dashed back from early primary state New Hampshire to vote.

During the nearly threeweek trial, House Democrats prosecuting the case argued that Trump abused power like no other president in history when he pressured Ukraine to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, ahead of the 2020 election.

They detailed an extraordinary effort by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani that set off alarms at the highest levels of government. After Trump’s July 25 call with Ukraine, the White House temporarily halted U.S. aid to the struggling ally battling hostile Russia at its border. The money was eventually released in September as Congress intervened.

When the House probed Trump’s actions, the president instructed White House aides to defy congressional subpoenas, leading to the obstruction charge.

Questions from the Ukraine matter continue to swirl. House Democrats may yet summon former national security adviser John Bolton to testify about revelations from his forthcoming book

that offer a fresh account of Trump’s actions. Other eyewitnesses and documents are almost sure to surface.

In closing arguments for the trial, the lead prosecutor, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., appealed to senators’ sense of decency, insisting “right matters” and “truth matters” and Trump “is not who you are.

Schiff told The Associated Press he hoped the votes to convict “will serve as a constraint on the president’s wrongdoing.”

“But we’re going to have to be vigilant,” he said.

Pelosi was initially reluctant to launch impeachment proceedings against Trump when she took control of the House after the 2018 elec-

tion, warning against a partisan vote.

But a whistleblower complaint of his conversation with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy set off alarms. The president’s call was placed the day after Mueller announced the findings of his Russia probe.

When Trump told Pelosi in September that the call was perfect, she was stunned.

Days later, the speaker announced the formal impeachment inquiry.

The result was the quickest, most partisan impeachment in U.S. history, with no Republicans joining the House Democrats to vote for the charges. The Republican Senate kept up the pace with the fastest trial ever.

Student Govt update MAX MAYLEBEN MEDIA EDITOR Student Government met on Wednesday with many topics discussed such as Senator elections and vacancies and a presentation from Sam Steiger from the Mavericks Adventures.

Former President of the International Student Association, Avishek Pradhan was the sole candidate for the College of Science, Technology and Engineering Senator. Pradhan was elected by a unanimous decision.

Two vacancies are open for Senator positions. A Residential Life Senator position was open for election, but due to no candidates, the vote was

postponed to next week.

A vacancy for Off-Campus Senator was also announced, with elections being held on Feb 19th and applications due the day before.

Maverick Adventures presented at the meeting, talking about their organization and plans going forward.

Maverick Adventures hopes to reopen a Rental Resource Center, which was closed in the mid-nineties. The Rental Resource Center would give students the opportunity to rent outdoors equipment in order to encourage outdoor activities. The organization is also looking to expand their space in order to better house their equipment.

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4 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, February 6, 2020

SPRING 2020 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

Latino culture taking center stage Shakira & JLo put on best Super Bowl halftime show in years

MADISON DIEMERT

507-389-5454 madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

MADISON DIEMERT

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

JENNA PETERSON STAFF WRITER Shortly after the Super Bowl 54 halftime show, there were numerous memes and comments posted on the internet about Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s performance.

While I wasn’t able to watch the concert, or the game at all when it took place, I did watch the halftime show later that night.

With all of the cultural references from the costumes, dances, set design, and songs, I’m not surprised many people didn’t understand what was going on, and honestly I didn’t either right away— until I looked more into it.

The Super Bowl was held in Miami this year, which is commonly known as the “capital of Latin America” due to the high amount of Spanish language and culture used and practiced in the city on a daily basis. The city itself has also hold a strong Latino heritage and population, so having two Latin American women perform at this Super Bowl makes a lot of sense to me.

Some of the costumes that Jennifer wore that night were used to show tribute to Selena, the Queen of Tejano music, who Jennifer also played in the 1997 biographical film.

NEWS EDITOR: Michael McShane 507-389-5450 michael.mcshane@mnsu.edu SPORTS EDITOR: Andrew Neururer andrew.neururer@mnsu.edu A&E EDITOR: Kolby Spomer kolby.spomer@mnsu.edu

Shakira and Jennifer Lopez perform during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Jennifer also brought out a reversable cape that showed both the Puerto Rican and United States flag while her and her daughter sang “Born in the USA”.

But Somehow people found a reason to be upset about this, even though Puerto Rico is a U.S. Territory.

One political statement that was shown during the performance was the kids set in the light-up cage structures, which resembled the children who are currently stuck in detention centers.

Shakira was also sure to include an array of cultural references when she took the stage with her dancing styles and use of expressions. Some

of the dancing styles that were included in the show were the salsa, belly dancing, and mapalé, which were used as a tribute to Latin culture.

One of the biggest memes from the Super Bowl was the tongue movements she did during “Hips Don’t Lie”, and while some laughed at this, there was an actual meaning and purpose behind it. What she did is called a zaghrouta, and this is used to express joy and celebration in Arabic culture.

Something that I think is incredibly hypocritical was the comments about the show not being “family-friendly” enough. Past women performers of the Super Bowl

have always been called out for the outfits they wear and the “provocative” dance moves. Yet, when performers such as Adam Levine do the same thing, people swoon over it and encourage more of it to happen.

I believe that these women are using their culture to express their pride and are using this time to encourage everyone to have self-love and be confidence in their body.

This performance was energetic from beginning to end and I’m incredibly proud of Jennifer and Shakira for putting on the show they did.

“What was your favorite part of the Super Bowl halftime show?”

Compiled by Max Mayleben

MUSASHI HIRATA, SPORTS MANAGEMENT

CONNER HATFIELD, MIS

THOMAS CARROLL, BIOLOGY

“Shakira. Her performance was very awesome and impressive.”

“Shakira’s tongue.”

“The choreography was really good.”

ETHAN SHIMOTA, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT “Booty.”

BROOKLYN SUKALSKI, CRIMINAL JUSTICE “When Shakira played the drums.”

ADVERTISING SALES: Cody VanDenEinde 507-389-5097 cody.vandeneinde@mnsu.edu Nathan Norman 507-389-5453 nathan.norman@mnsu.edu Kali Andriano-Allard 507-389-6765 kali.andriano-allard@mnsu.edu Calli Seston 507-389-5451 calli.seston@mnsu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER: Jane Tastad 507-389-1926 jane.tastad@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING DESIGN/ PRODUCTION MANAGER: Dana Clark 507-389-2793 dana.clark@mnsu.edu

POLICIES & INFO • If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the Reporter, call Editor in Chief Madison Diemert at 507-389-5454.

The Reporter will correct any errors of fact or misspelled names in this space.

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• The Minnesota State University Mankato Reporter is a student-run newspaper published twice a week, coming out on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The Reporter generates 78 percent of its own income through advertising and receives approximately 22 percent from Student Activities fees. The Reporter is free to all students and faculty, but to start a subscription, please call us at 507-389-1776. Subscriptions for the academic school year are $55.00 and subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing.

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THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE MSU REPORTER ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OR STUDENT BODY.

Thursday, February 6, 2020

MSU Reporter • 5

News

Japan quarantines cruise ship as toll of new virus grows TOKYO (AP) — Large white sheets covering them head-to-knee, people infected with a new virus were led by gloved and masked officials Wednesday off a Japanese cruise ship, while the rest of the 3,700 people on board faced a two-week quarantine in their cabins. In Hong Kong, more than 3,600 people on another cruise ship were to be screened after it was banned by Taiwan amid growing worry about the spread of an outbreak.

The ships are caught up in a global health emergency that seems to worsen by the day. The little-understood coronavirus has killed nearly 500 people, mostly in mainland China, but it has also spread panic and anger around the world as the cases grow.

As thousands of hospital workers in Hong Kong went on strike to demand the border with mainland China be closed completely, the city announced that all people entering from the mainland, including Hong Kong residents, must be quarantined

for 14 days. Tokyo Olympics organizers, meanwhile, said they are increasingly worried about the disruption the virus is causing ahead of the games, which open in less than six months.

MORE STORIES: – New virus has infected more than 24,500 people globally

lion to help countries address the expected spread of the virus. He acknowledged that the sum is a lot, but told a news briefing that “it’s much less than the bill we will face if we do not invest in preparedness now.”

Tedros said in the last 24 hours, the U.N. health agency has seen the biggest jump

“To reduce the danger of exposure for health workers, Beijing is seeking to develop a robot to administer throat tests.”

– Unknowns of the new virus make global quarantines a struggle – American Airlines halts Hong Kong flights, United to follow The director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, asked for $675 mil-

in cases since the start of the epidemic.

China has strongly defended its epidemic control measures and called on other nations not to go overboard in their responses. Countries “can assess the epidemic situation in an objective, fair, calm and rational manner,

ABROAD

Continued from page 1 have to offer. Additionally, several private institutions were also involved, catalogs full of potential trips. Such representatives where not only knowledgeable about the opportunities they were promoting, but some had experiences overseas themselves, one member happening to have visited over 40 countries personally.

But one question remains for many students. How can they fund their trip, and what can they do to get said funds? On that issue, the MNSU Financial Services office and the MNSU Center for Education Abroad and Away have the answers.

Both have offices across the college campus, Financial Services being at the Cam-

pus Hub and the Center for Education Abroad and Away being in the basement of Morris Hall 002. Both are more than willing to help financially advise and look for resources for students, including but not limited to potential scholarships and FAFSA.

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respect authoritative and professional WHO recommendations, understand and support China’s epidemic control efforts,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chenying said at an online news conference on Wednesday. “Fear is worse than any virus.”

To reduce the danger of exposure for health workers, Beijing is seeking to develop a robot to administer throat tests. Separately, Shanghai announced that all schools will delay reopening until at least the end of February, rather than the middle of the month as originally planned.

The exact date will depend on how the outbreak develops.

As examples of anti-Asian discrimination mount, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for “international solidarity” and support for China and other countries hurt by the virus.

He urged a stop to any stigmatization of innocent people.

In the port city of Yokohama, just outside Tokyo, health

workers, some in protective white jumpsuits, transferred 10 patients from the Diamond Princess cruise ship to a Japanese coast guard boat next to it. The 10, covered in sheets to protect their identities from cameras, were taken to a dock and put on ambulances bound for hospitals for treatment in isolation.

Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said all of the people on board will be quarantined on the ship for up to 14 days under Japanese law. The ship had 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew members. Tests were pending on 273 people who had symptoms or had contact with a man who was diagnosed with the virus after leaving the ship in Hong Kong.

Paul and Jacqui Fidrmuc from the Australian city of Cairns told Australia’s Nine Network that they are grateful they have a balcony in the cabin where they’re confined.

“We’re here for a long haul. I think it is going to get a little bit testing, obviously.

But I don’t know. What do we do?

6 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, February 6, 2020

CIEE presents opportunities at the CSU

Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE) came to Centennial Student Union Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 in Mankato, Minn. (Prasad Pol/MSU Reporter)

MSU Reporter • 7

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Have a story idea or a comment?

Minnesota State University, Mankato

EMAIL

A&E Editor Kolby Spomer

kolby.spomer@mnsu.edu

Counseling Center presents five languages of love AMANDA FILREIS STAFF WRITER The event being described this time is perfect for the month of love. The focus in this instance is on an aspect of love people don’t really think on, how expressions of love are made.

In this event which took place Monday the CSU, two interns from the Counseling Center informed their audience on what is called the Five Languages of Love.

A brief overview of the languages being discussed by Dr. Gary Chapman. The five languages brought up were words of affirmation, gift giving, service acts, quality time, and physical touch.

Dr. Chapman stated in the video that one of the main reasons behind relationship discord is that the messages of love aren’t being communicated properly due to the differences in love languages.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

This is what made him want to help other people - by informing them of a relationship aspect they might not

know about.

Before moving onto a more detailed explanation, the audience was presented

with the opportunity to create a profile on the five love languages website in order to take a quiz to help those

LOVE page 8

The 3 best video games of the past decade KOLBY SPOMER A&E EDITOR It’s that time again. Time to read about what some nerd thinks about things from the last decade. Today, you’ll be reading about the best video games of the decade.

That last sentence probably made some of you move on but trust me, you’re gonna want to get to the end of this article.

Red Dead Redemption II America is obsessed with cowboys and the west. Every form of entertainment has its share of western stories, which is thanks to this romanticism of the west. Said romanticism reached comical proportions in the 50’s thanks largely to John Wayne and his brand of tough guy, hero westerns, where the good guys are good and the bad guys are non-white people.

Thankfully, the genre has matured since then. “Unforgiven”, a movie from the 90’s, sees Clint Eastwood play an old, retired gunslinger who doesn’t want to shoot

Photos courtesy of Rockstar’s Facebook page

anyone and just wants to make a little bit of money because he is absolutely trash at farming. “Unforgiven” lands under a genre of film called “revisionist western”, a genre in which the point is to question the morals of the west and try to deconstruct the white hero narrative Old John tried his damndest to ingrain into society. The film sees the gunslinger go out for one last ride, a ride that’s about as depressing as you

Photos courtesy of Bethesda’s Facebook page

could imagine. His friend gets killed leaving the wife, who did not want him to go at all, a widow. He is forced to kill, something he tried very hard to avoid. It’s just kinda a bummer all around.

Red Dead Redemption II is the closest a video game has gotten to a revisionist western. Arthur Morgan, the game’s main protagonist, is everything you’d expect a cowboy to be. He’s tough, doesn’t have any emotions

other than angry, depressed, and snarky, and he commits crimes with little to no remorse. If you look past this surface level view of Arthur, however, you’ll find a different kind of man. Someone who is surprisingly kind, who feels deep guilt. A man who is good. The tragedy of Arthur’s story is that he doesn’t really realize he is and wants to be good until the very end of his life. He is diagnosed with tuberculosis,

Photos courtesy of Naughty Dog’s Facebook page

a fatal disease in the year 1899, and instead of sitting around and waiting to die, Arthur decides it is time to help as many people as he can before he goes. He still has his hesitations however, and still keeps a deep loyalty to his gang. That is until one

GAMES page 8

8 • MSU Reporter

A&E

GAMES Continued from page 7

Photos courtesy of Naughty Dog’s Facebook page

of the final missions of the game. In the mission, Arthur helps an army colonel escape certain death and smuggles him on a train headed to a new life. After seeing him off, Arthur hears a familiar voice.

A nun he had helped earlier in the game is on her way to Mexico, and just happens to be at the same station.

She calls Arthur over, and the two have a conversation that has become one of my favorite scenes in anything ever. In the scene, Arthur goes through a micro version of his entire character arc.

He starts out very guarded, making jokes with her and dismissing her wisdom. As the conversation progresses, however, Arthur starts getting more and more involved, and opens up a little. The conversation culminates with Arthur admitting, for the first time in his life, that he is afraid.

Arthur Morgan, the hardened outlaw, is afraid of dying.

The nun tells Arthur that he shouldn’t be afraid, that it happens to everyone and that all he can do is try to accept it and spread as much love as he can. Her train then rolls in, and she wishes Arthur good luck. This moment finally breaks Arthur free from his prior beliefs, allowing him to become the good man he always was.

That is, if you play the game in the way the developers intended. The beauty of Red Dead Redemption is that you can make Arthur be whoever you want him to be.

Arthur can if you so choose stay an immoral outlaw. In my opinion, no game has gotten a morality system as right as this game has. It helps you feel like you’re Arthur is unique, and for a game with a set protagonist that is very impressive.

Fallout 4 I know, I know. You think I’m a dumb stupid head for putting this on the list

considering games like The Witcher 3 and Breath of the Wild came out in the same time frame and they are considered to be two of the best games of all time. I love both of these games and came very close to putting them on this list, along with many others. The reason I chose the extremely divisive Fallout 4 is because I have, without a doubt, played it twice as much as any other game I’ve ever touched. I have sunk hundreds of hours into this post-apocalyptic RPG and will continue to sink hours into it because of one reason.

Escapism. Reality can be absolutely crushing. You aren’t the main character; you don’t make huge world changing decisions. No, you just kind of stay in your lane and try your best to have fun. In an RPG like Fallout, however, I can be the main character. I can live another life, be some adventurer who is trying to survive in an inhospitable world. It’s because of the escapism that the game allows that I love it. Fallout 4 has given me as much enjoyment as pretty much anything I’ve experienced, and trust me that’s saying a lot. It deserves it’s spot on my list, and it is going to take it no matter how upset it makes you.

The Last of Us Finally, we reach the final game. This modern classic has been written about more than pretty much any game ever, receiving unbelievable amounts of praise in every single aspect it can.

Because of this it’s become an extremely daunting task to even begin writing about it. How do you put a new spin on something as over done as The Last of Us? I don’t know if I can, but I don’t really think I have to.

Most of, if not all, of you reading have experienced this game in some capacity, be it playing it yourself or

watching someone else play it. There are no words to describe how the first play through of this game felt for me. I had been following it since before it was officially announced, clinging to any rumors I could find. The game’s developer, Naughty Dog, had created the Uncharted series prior to this game, a series that I loved.

To me, however, Uncharted had run its course. After three entries things begin to get a little stale, no matter how good that something is.

So, when I heard rumblings that Naughty Dog was going to make a post-apocalyptic story-based game, I was just a little bit excited. I followed the game all the way up to its release and on the day of release, something I had never done before, I got myself a copy and sat down to play it. I finished it in one sitting. This game is over twelve hours long, and not once did I consider stopping.

The story had me entirely enraptured. Joel and Ellie were perfectly realized characters, the writing was impeccable, and the gameplay itself was a joy to experience. I have never had such a feeling of joy before, such content. It remains to this day one of my most treasured memories, and I wouldn’t trade it for any other.

And with that, we’ve reached the end of the best of the decade series. If you’ve stuck around for the whole thing, I thank you. If you read just this one, I thank you but less so. If you’re just reading this because I said you’ll wanna see how this article ends, haha got you.

Hopefully next decade has even better games, music, and movies and moreover, hopefully I can get a job that lets me shove my opinion down readers throats again.

Thursday, February 6, 2020

LOVE

Continued from page 7 of attendance determine what their personal language was.

This could be taken as a single or couples quiz. We later found out that the website previously mentioned could provide the same information used in the interview, in case some people wanted to show this topic to their loved ones or if they had difficulties reading the slides of the presentation.

More details were brought up in order to give the viewers a better understanding of their meaning.

One point of emphasis was on the gift giving language.

The language itself isn’t meant to focus on what the present actually is, it’s about the meaning and thought behind it.

Another emphasis point was on the physical touch not being in the bedroom. These are the small amounts of contact such as hugs and hand holding meant to demonstrate romantic feelings toward a partner.

“Most people can relate to all languages of love in some way. While one is more dominant than the others, it’s certainly possible to have more than one love language attributed to a person,” said the interns.

After examples in the different categories were displayed, they introduced date games corresponding to each of the 5 love languages. It was then time for the question segment of the evening, though no questions were asked “We wanted to do a topic of interest,” said the interns, “we felt that students might benefit from this basic knowledge. This applies to those who are looking for a relationship and those who are already in one.”

One audience member said, “It was helpful since I wasn’t aware of this before.”

Another commented, “The website and the free quiz were the most useful. I’ll be sure to look at it later.” Based on these comments, the presenters managed to accomplish what they wanted.

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Thursday, February 6, 2020

Where are some of the better places both on and off campus to study?

I personally like to rotate where I study and do my homework depending if I’m by myself or with other people. If I’m on campus between classes I like to study at the tables by the fireplace in the CSU, where it’s quieter than on the first floor. When I’m

with a group of people I like to go to the library because I’m in a setting that’s motivating and I can leave my things if need be and I won’t worry about them being stolen. There are times when I want to be as far away from campus as possible, and this is when I’ll go to different coffee shops to do my homework. My top two coffee

MSU Reporter • 9

A&E

shops in Mankato are Coffee Hag and Fillin’ Station Coffeehouse; both of these places have an environment that makes me comfortable to get work done and have coffee that I enjoy, even though my drinks of choice are pretty generic. When I can’t spare the $5 on coffee, I’ll stay at my apartment and do my work there.

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10 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, February 6, 2020 Have a story idea or a comment?

Minnesota State University, Mankato

EMAIL

Sports Editor Andrew Neururer

andrew.neururer@mnsu.edu

Men’s hockey tackles Northern Michigan

The women’s hockey team will host the No. 1-ranked Wisconsin Badgers at home ANDREW NEURURER SPORTS EDITOR The No. 3-ranked Minnesota State Mavericks men’s hockey team will be hosting the No. 15 Northern Michigan Wildcats at home this weekend.

The Mavericks come into play with a 24-4-2 record and a conference record of 18-3-1. They’re coming off a road series against Alaska Anchorage in which they won the first game in dominating fashion and tied their final game on Feb. 1.

As for the Wildcats, they’re entering play with a 16-84 record and a conference record of 14-5-1. When on the road, Northern Michigan holds a 7-3-3 record. NMU is coming into play winning its last three games, two of which were against Ferris State.

This season, the Wildcats are averaging 3.50 goals per game, while giving up 2.66.

There are a lot of offensive weapons for the Wildcats, with their main attacker being Griffin Loughran, a

Minnesota State defenseman McKenzie Sederberg (9) shoots the puck against Lindenwood at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center Friday, Jan. 30, 2020 in Mankato, Minn. (Mansoor Ahmad/MSU Reporter)

sophomore who has a teamhigh 20 goals and has added 14 assists.

Behind him are four players who have at least 20 points, with freshman Andre Ghan-

tous coming in right behind them with 19 points. Senior Philip Beaulieu has recorded a team-high 17 assists this season. The Wildcats have many players on their roster

that can put up goals in a hurry and the Mavericks defense must be on its toes.

While Northern Michigan holds a lot of players who have been good offensively

this season, so too have the

HOCKEY page 11

Men and women’s basketball takes on Eagles and Beavers JENNA PETERSON STAFF WRITER After a weekend of tough losses, the Minnesota State Mavericks men’s and women’s basketball teams are looking to change up their game plans in order to prepare for their upcoming games.

Both teams will be hosting Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State in the Taylor Center on Friday and Saturday.

The men’s Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles basketball team has been struggling this season, with a conference record of 5-11, compared to the Mavericks who hold a 9-7 record.

Looking at the game record between the two teams, the Mavericks hold the upper hand, taking nine of the past 10 games, with the one loss being within five points. If the Mavericks can work hard on defense and control things

on offense, they should have no trouble taking another win.

On Saturday, the Mavericks will take on the Beavers, who are also struggling this season with a conference record of 6-10. Once again, the Mavericks have had the upper hand when it comes to the history between the two teams, with Minnesota State taking seven of the past 10 games.

The women’s team is also looking to make a comeback this weekend when they play against the Golden Eagles and the Beavers. Much like the men’s team, the Golden Eagles aren’t having a great season, with a conference record of 3-13, compared to the Mavericks who hold an 8-8 record. Looking at the history between the two teams, the Mavericks have won seven of the past 10 games. With work on their defense and keeping their head in the game, MSU has a chance of taking another win.

Minnesota State guard Malik Willingham (2) dribbles the ball against Wayne State at the Taylor Center Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 in Mankato, Minn. (Mansoor Ahmad/MSU Reporter)

The Beavers are also having a difficult season, which is seen in their conference record of 4-12. With this, the

Mavericks have won nine of the 10 most recent games, giving them a confidence boost going into this week-

end. With determination and focus, the Mavericks have a chance of coming out victorious.

Thursday, February 6, 2020

MSU Reporter • 11

Sports

Maverick spotlight: MSU softball’s Courtney Potter AARON YOUNG STAFF WRITER Junior Courtney Potter has been playing for the Minnesota State Mavericks softball team for two years.

She was a catcher but has since transitioned to the outfield. Potter is from the heart of the Cornhusker state of Nebraska and came to Minnesota State to be a part of the prestigious softball program.

In the morning, she’s preparing for class in the afternoon. By night she is studying at her apartment or at the student center. Above all, she is always prepared to lace on the cleats, put the softball glove on and hit the softball field.

Outside of being a softball player, Potter wants to be remembered for her true identity before anything else.

She said, “What I would like people to remember about my career as an athlete is that I understood that my identity lied in so much more than just my sport. My worth lies far beyond my accomplishments in my sport and this took me a long time to realize.”

Potter exemplifies courage and diligence while inspiring her peers, whether they are on her team on in the classroom. She is a role model to her community and that translates into her role on the softball team.

The Mavericks softball team is a storied franchise with a championship to solidify their success. Potter explained how her coach’s

game plan has an immediate impact on the team.

“Coach Meyer’s game plan has always been to win. It is important for each of us to contribute to the success of our team in any way that we possibly can, whether that through playing time, practicing, cheering, recording stats. We all possess this understanding and it is this mindset that allows us achieve our goals.”

Softball is one of many successful sports in Maverick athletics.

Photo courtesy of MSU Athletics

When it comes to what Potter sees in MSU athletics, she said, “MSU is a school that respects athletics inside and out. From the faculty willing to be flexible with our traveling schedule, to our equipment staff always having our gear and uniforms ready, there is support from all areas.”

She continued further, saying, “Each sport takes pride in wearing our school name across our chest and it’s something that unites us all.

As athletes, we understand

that it is a gift to be a Maverick athlete and it’s something that we take a great amount of pride.”

One last statement she wanted to add was an inspirational message to college students and athletes alike.

“My advice to anyone who lacks confidence in themselves is to remember that you are so much more than just your sport or your grades. There are so many other things that make you who you are and that makes you so special. That is some-

rightfully so with a 25-2-1 record. Since Wisconsin last played Minnesota State on Nov. 16, 2019, UW has gone on to lose just one game over its last 16. Their most previous loss came against the Bemidji State Beavers on Jan. 11. In their last series against the St. Cloud State Huskies, Wisconsin defeated them by a combined score of 16-1.

The Badgers offense and defense has been stout, averaging 5 goals per game and giving up just 1.6. On top of that they have three players in the top four in total goals this season

throughout Division I women’s hockey.

There are a handful of players that have had a large impact in UW’s impressive offensive performances.

Daryl Watts is the team’s leading offensive threat with 22 goals and 42 assists.

Those 42 assists put her No. 1 in women’s hockey.

Following that, Sophie Shirley has 25 goals and 27 assists and right behind her is Abby Roque, who has 21 goals and 27 assists.

Minnesota State enters play with an overall record of 2-88-3 against Wisconsin and lost their last two games

thing that my team understands. We are all different and unique and we each bring something different to contribute or make us a team. It is when we embrace these differences and truly be ourselves that we are best able to contribute to the group as a whole,” said Potter.

This season will be Potter’s third season as a softball player. The softball team will begin its season this Friday against Northwest Missouri State.

HOCKEY

Continued from page 10 Mavericks.

Senior Marc Michaelis enters play with a team-high 33 points, scoring 16 goals and 17 assists. Behind him is senior Parker Toumie, who has registered 17 assists and is tied for the second most on the team.

Minnesota State has five players with at least 20 points this season. Freshman Lucas Sowder has a teamhigh 19 assists to go along with his four goals.

Sophomore Dryden McKay has been a big reason the Mavericks are giving up just 1.5 goals per game this season. Currently, he holds

a 22-3-1 record and has stopped 94% of his shots.

These games will take place this Friday and Saturday night at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.

On the women’s side of things, they will be taking on the Wisconsin Badgers at home.

The Mavericks come into play with a 10-14-5 record and a conference record of 3-12-3. They are entering the weekend winners of their last two games after defeating Lindenwood by a combined score of 7-2.

The Badgers are the No. 1 team in the nation and

this season, 3-2 and 6-1.

The Mavericks leading player on offense is sophomore Anna Wilgren, who has five goals and 15 assists.

Freshman Kelsey King has 18 points, with most of her points coming from her 14 assists.

The Mavericks continue to use two goalies, freshman Calla Frank and sophomore Abigail Levy. Levy has a save percentage of 91.4% and Frank has stopped 89.9% of the shots.

Minnesota State will host the Badgers this Friday and Saturday at home.

12 • MSU Reporter

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