Dec. 1, 2021 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

Dec. 1, 2021 | thewichitan.com |Real Students. Real Stories. | Vol. 86 No. 7

ACE SUSHI: Pg 6

How has Ace Sushi done in its debut semester?

SPORTS: Pg 11

All things come to an end and student athletes know that better than most. It can be easy to view student-athletes as just participating in sports for fun; however, it is not that simple.

NEWS: Pg 5

"Men on Boats" takes on American exploration.

ENTERTAINMENT: Pg 9

STAFF GOODBYES: Pg 2

STANG STORIES: Pg 10

Go into the world of ‘Forza Horizon 5!’

The Wichian says goodbye to our editor in chief.

Hannah Reynolds talks about her last season.

@WichitanOnline

@wichitanonline

@TheWichitan

“I CAME FOR THE WRITING AND I LEFT WITH A FAMILY” Editor in chief says goodbye to The Wichitan

first came to The Wichitan in Fall 2019 about a month into my freshman year of college on a total whim. After all, I was an education major writing a book on the side, just looking for some way to keep Amos my writing skills from getting Perkins rusty. I hadn’t ever written journalistically, knew nothing about AP style or Oxford commas and thought I was in for a smooth ego-padding ride. I remember how proud I was of my first article, of my over-the-top diction and narrative style, only for the then-managing editor Kristin Silva to dissect it down to nothing. I was crushed, and that would become just the

first of many times I considered quitting the paper during my first semester. Nevertheless, I stuck with it and ended up writing 17 articles in two months. When Kristin became the editor in chief, she brought me up as her managing editor. Although I’m not sure she’d admit it, I’m fairly certain I only got the role on a technicality. At the time, the managing editor had to have been a section editor first, and I was the only one who fit that bill as I was the editor of the sports section (a section that at the time included me, myself and I). By a product of Kristin’s friendship and guidance and an admittedly excessive workload of 30 articles written in one semester, I grew into the position I had lucked into. After Kristin graduated, I was turned down twice for

the editor-in-chief position my sophomore year. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I got to learn more as the managing editor under Bridget Reilly for two more semesters. Bridget taught me more about the world, journalism and professionalism than anyone could ever expect from a university job, and she did it while also becoming a close friend and confidant. When the keys to The Wichitan were handed to me in May 2021, I knew the expectations among the current and former staff were high for the paper. We were coming off of a year of

“The Wichitan is even more of an open and inviting family than it was when I joined over two years ago.” AMOS PERKINS

Editor in chief of The Wichitan

reflecting on his time at The Wichitan

PHOTO BY AMOS PERKINS | THE WICHITAN

Amos Perkins poses with Wichitan staff at the spring 2021 end-of-semester party, April 9, 2021.

Vol. 86 | No. 7 Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

improvement in writing, photos and overall design of the issues, and we were expected to take that next step. While I can’t say I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to do as editor in chief (unfortunately there’s still no Wichitan podcast), the issues we’ve produced have been more cohesive, the design has been mindblowing, the photos and graphics have been beautiful and the writing has only gotten more in-depth and immaculate. More importantly than any of that, The Wichitan is even more of an open and inviting family than it was when I joined over two years ago. Unfortunately as cliché as the saying may be, all good things do in fact come to an end. After 36 issues and 84 articles, I’ve decided to step down in order to focus on school for my last two semesters, rededicate myself to teaching and spend more time with my amazing and supportive wife Emma, without whom I would have never had the courage to become editor-

Editor in Chief: Amos Perkins Managing Editor: Stephanie Robledo Assistant Editor: Abigail Jones Design Editor: Omar Combie Photography Editor: Colin Stevenson Business Manager: Alexis Martin Issue Staff : Jaime Alemán, Emily Beaman, Thalia Doe, Joseph Nelson, Dallas Wabbington, Soleil Weeks Advisor: Jonathon Quam

PHOTO BY AMOS PERKINS | THE WICHITAN

Amos Perkins will be taking his leave from the Wichitan after 84 articles for the paper, June 20, 2020. in-chief in the first place. I wouldn’t be able to step down if it weren’t for my absolute confidence in those who are continuing on after me. For the fourth straight semester, The Wichitan will be designed by the greatest designer in the western hemisphere (and creator of the official TIPA logo), Omar Combie. Abigail Jones, who has worn every hat the paper has to offer, is going to crush it as business manager while still somehow managing to create mind-boggling designs and graphics. We’re returning the highest number of photographers we’ve had since I’ve been here, and they’re headed by an absolute photographical genius in Colin Stevenson. Last but never least, our insanely talented roster of reporters will be led by the somehow even more talented Stephanie Robledo, the next editor in chief. While my heart hurts while writing this and thinking of leaving this family, my mind rests easy knowing they’re in the best hands possible.

Copyright ©2021. First copy free. Additional copies $1.00 each. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a email address, telephone number and address.

WICHITAN STAFF GOODBYES

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEXIS MARTIN | THE WICHITAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF DALLAS WABBINGTON | THE WICHITAN

Since spring of 2021, Alexis Martin worked as business manager for The Wichitan, acquiring ads for the newspaper.

Since she joined in spring of 2019, Dallas Wabbington contributed comics and articles for The Wichitan.

joined the Wichitan a year ago and this place has felt like home ever since. Coming into it, I was a little nervous because I didn’t know anyone or really what I was doing just yet but everyone on the Alexis Wichitan team welcomed me Martin with open arms and helped me find my role on the team. My worries completely disappeared. The organization as a whole is amazing. Now, I really understand what working at a paper is like. The experience has been so great. I’m thankful for my time here, I enjoyed my job as the business manager. Aside from that though, the people are amazing. I will miss them the most. I’ve cherished my short time at the Wichitan and the friends I’ve made this year. From weekly meetings and produc-

tion nights to get-togethers and hanging out with the team, I’ve loved every second of my time at the Wichitan. With graduation just around the corner, I’m taking time to reflect on my time at MSU. Being a part of the Wichitan team will always be a special time in my life and I will cherish it forever. Thank you to the Wichitan senior staff. You welcomed me immediately and made me feel like an instant member of the Wichitan family. I am grateful for your friendship and your guidance this past year. To anyone thinking about joining the Wichitan, I definitely think you should. Go to just one meeting and you’ll find amazing, kind and understanding people and you’d be a part of an amazing paper.

cannot tell you what I expected to get out of joining The Wichitan almost three years ago. I was a simple English major who wanted some sort of outlet to write freely outside of the classroom so Dallas the student newspaper seemed Wabbington like the most logical choice. Mind you, I had never written an article of any sort—never even took a yearbook class. How the heck was I supposed to write a news article when MLA format coursed through my veins? Then I discovered that I could write columns about topics I was passionate about—things I felt needed to be addressed. So I wrote a column about my experience as someone living on campus who was temporarily disabled, and the rest is history. For my first year, I felt like I was just exist-

ing and was not sure if I truly wanted to write for a newspaper since fiction was always my forte. I wanted to provide change for the good but I had to change myself first. I had to learn how to be comfortable with the fact that people were not going to be happy with what I write even though it was absolutely necessary for me to bring these subjects up. I focused on different perspectives: being black, being Indigenous, being plus-sized, being a student in a pandemic. I became known as the reporter who was not afraid to tackle “controversial” topics. It has truly been an honor serving as a reporter and cartoonist for The Wichitan. The lessons I learned while being a part of this wonderful group of people are lessons that will always stick with me. If you are wondering whether to speak up for your beliefs, remember there are people out there afraid to say the same things—you just have to be the first.

FANTASY OF LIGHTS CONTINUES 48 YEAR LONG TRADITION JOSEPH NELSON ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR he Fantasy of Lights has arrived on campus, for its annual Winter presence, where students can buy hot cocoa, ride a trolley around the neighborhood’s light fixings, and peruse the attractions and sculptures, depicting scenes from animated movies and Christmas iconography. A Wichita Falls tradition, this year is the 48th Fantasy of Lights, beginning in 1974 when the Burns family donated a pool of displays. Dirk Welch is coordinating the 48th Fantasy of Lights and says the number of displays has more than doubled since 1974. “Twenty-one displays have been added to the collection with 10 of these displays debuting in the past five years,” Welch said. “Typically a few over the past few seasons, we have been blessed to be able to add at least one new display annually.” The original Burns displays were built by the employees of the family estate, 21 displays out of the 46. Welch believes the Wichita Falls community is the lifeblood of the custom. “All expenses are paid for by the donations received each fantasy of lights season,” Welch said. “It often takes virtually every penny raised to refurbish, maintain

and showcase the displays. The generous giving of our community is vital to keeping this beloved tradition alive.” With the added restrictions due to Covid, Welch says he’s committed to solving any challenges in the way of visitors enjoying the displays. “Through the collective effort of so many contributors to the MSU-Burns Fantasy of Lights, any challenges that arise leading up to and throughout the season are met and overcome ensuring visitors to the lights have a joyful and memorable experience,” Welch said. With some complications naturally arising last year with the pandemic, Welch and colleagues have adapted to the changes and opened the Fantasy of Lights with added activities along with the attractions. “For instance, an in-person opening ceremony, a visit by Santa Claus for pictures, several food trucks, and musical performances through the season all make a return this year,” Welch said. “A carry over from last year, a refined walking route, has helped keep foot traffic moving in a more orderly manner, [leading to] better social distancing and less crowding around the displays.” Being a tradition, many MSU students

who grew up in Wichita Falls were the first to continue their annual visit. “I’ve gone to the Fantasy of Lights literally every year since I moved here,” Kyanna Grice, a nursing major, said. “I think some lights should be replaced, but I like the experience as a whole.” While the Fantasy of Lights is familiar to long-time Wichita Falls residents, many students who come from out of town have enjoyed the experience as well. Dannika Matin is an English junior who moved to MSU from Burleson. “The Fantasy of Lights was a fun memory I can share with my group of friends,” Matin said. “It was my first time going, and it definitely added to my college experience.” While students from Wichita Falls and beyond enjoy their visit to the Fantasy of Lights, Welch also enjoyed the experience of coordinating the event. “I feel privileged to be part of such an amazing and long-standing tradition,” Welch said. “Seeing the wonder and joy in the faces of young and old alike helps keep my spirits high during each holiday season.” The Fantasy of Lights will be open from November 22 to December 26th.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Characters from Disney’s “Frozen” stand on a display and move to music from the film at the 2021 MSU Fantasy Snow White and the Seven Dwarves sit on a miniature of Lights, Nov. 30. ferris wheel at the 2021 MSU Fantasy of Lights, Nov. 30.

MSU THEATER DEPARTMENT PERFORMS

‘MEN ON BOATS’

ABIGAIL JONES ASSISTANT EDITOR laywright Jaclyn Backhaus’ “Men on Boats,” a 2017 gender-bent play, was put on by the MSU Texas theater department Nov. 19 through 21. This was their second main-stage production of the Fall 2021 Semester, and the story follows 10 men charting the Colorado River for the U.S. government in 1869. 78 people attended on Friday, 75 on Saturday and 70 on Sunday. The tickets were $10 a person or free for faculty and students. Rebekah Gardner, theater senior and director of “Men on Boats” wanted the individual stories of these men to be the focal point for the audience. “Something that I hope stood out to the audience was how presentational the show was. My concept for the show was that this was a children’s game of make-believe because the whole focus of the show was that this was Major John Wesley Powell’s story, so I wanted the focus to be on the stories being told throughout the show,” Gardner said. “Men on Boats” is fictitious, but it’s based on the stories of real men. The twist is that it’s performed by an all-female cast. Gardner said the directing process involved getting the actors to have fun with their characters. “We spent a lot of time doing movementbased warm-ups and activities to get them used to working with one another, working as a unit. I had to remind them often that the reason why this play was written was to

adventurers, they need to be able to maneuver… There was a lot of [good] reception to the clothes, which made me very happy as a designer,” Whiteley said. “[There] was a struggle with the design itself [though, since] it is a lot of the same shape and, in fact, a lot of the same patterns of clothes… I wanted to give everybody an individual personality and help showcase who that character is through that costume either how they’re wearing or elements and accessories and stuff that is a part of the costume as well.” Whiteley also took into account the fact that these were female-presenting actors playing male-presenting roles. She said that the looseness of clothes helped create the look she was going for. Gardner said creating roles for female-presenting characters is essential. “I think that gender-bent shows are important for theatre because there is a severe lack, in the world of theater, in gender diverse casting and I think that shows like “Men on Boats” are very important to get audiences used to seeing that theater isn’t just meant for cis-actors. It isn’t just meant for people to portray what’s necessarily written on the paper, the script,” Gardner said. “Theater should be an opportunity for exploration, especially since a major part PHOTO COURTESY OF EMMA BROWN of the theater community is the LGBTQ community and POC community. Everyone The cast of “Men on Boats” looks out over the Colorado River, Nov. 18. should have an opportunity to play differgive a chance for feminine presenting actors to the design process for the show involved a few ent types of roles.” have a chance to play the big bold characters different types of research. That meant reading that are typically given to male presenting ac- the script over and over, finding period fabtors,” Gardner said. “So, if they wanted to pres- rics and patterns and discussing with Gardner ent that angular, masculine type of presenta- what their goal as director was. tion in their acting, they could. And I kind of “I got together with Rebekah Gardner, our wanted them to play around with that.” director, and we just kind of talked through Part of the directing process included work- what their ideas for the show were, and the ing with other students. Gardner said being in concept and what they were thinking about a learning environment and production at the different characters,” Whiteley said. “They had same time resulted in an interesting experi- talked with our set designer about giving each ence. boat a specific color and I wanted to implement “It was really interesting getting to work those colors that we were giving those boats with the design team because, similar to “The into the costumes because as the show goes on, Drowning Girls,” which was the last production some of the people lose those boats, but you are I directed at MSU, the design team was made still able to tell who’s connected from the colors up of entirely student designers. So, it was in- and stuff of the boats themselves.” teresting getting to work with people who are Whiteley also sent out a Google Form to the also learning at the same time as I am,” Gard- actors to get a sense of what they saw made ner said. “They’re getting to experience the ed- their characters unique. This, along with the ucation side of putting together a show along comfort of the clothes, ended up getting a good reaction from the actors. PHOTO COURTESY OF EMMA BROWN with me.” PHOTO COURTESY OF EMMA BROWN Reagan Whiteley, theater junior and cos“Everyone really, really liked the clothing, Theater freshman Micah McKinnie in the role of Theater junior Shelby Ochs in the role of John Colton Sumner, Nov. 18. tume designer for “Men on Boats,” said that because it’s made to be comfortable. They are Major John Wesley Powell, Nov. 18.

ACE SUSHI’S FIRST

SEMESTER ON CAMPUS ment contains a blueprint for quickly implementing meal exchange options. Ace, however, does not have an agreement with Chartwells, which made it too difficult to implement an exchange program in the first semester. “Our relationship with Ace is different than the other retail dining options on campus. Chick-fil-A and Einstein’s Brothers Bagels are national brands that have standing meal exchange options available through their agreement with Chartwells. Those who run Ace are local to the Wichita Falls community and as such, there wasn’t a pre-existing agreement allowing us to initially offer a meal exchange,” Schulte said. While Ace Sushi has been applauded by some for bringing healthier and gluten-free options to campus, many have been dissatisfied

with the menu. That, along with the stigma that sushi in unformal settings can carry, has kept some, including Kevin McNeil, management information systems senior, from considering Ace as a dining option. “I’ve heard their options aren’t super great, and the idea of eating at a sushi place on campus doesn’t sound super appealing,” McNeil said. The administration at MSU is taking into account all the feedback, both positive and negative, about the newest addition to the campus dining lineup. Using that information, they have made plans to adapt and improve the campus Ace Sushi in the near future. “We are continuing to make adjustments to the program and anticipate having additional menu and program announcements in the spring semester,” Schulte said.

PHOTO BY SOLEIL WEEKS | THE WICHITAN

Ace Sushi offers grab-and-go sushi meals in an open fridge. Aug 25. AMOS PERKINS EDITOR IN CHIEF ce Sushi just wrapped up its first semester as one of the retail dining options at Midwestern State University, taking the slot in the Clark Student Center previously held by Burrito Bowl for many years. Ace has reportedly been a hit with students overall, but the new restaurant has amassed its own number of complaints as well. “Regarding... whether or not Ace has met expectations, we have increasingly heard requests from students looking for healthy options and options that meet the needs of students on gluten-free diets. Ace has been well received in its opening semester and we’re listening closely to the feedback students are providing,” Kristi Schulte, director of residence life and housing, said. Not including The Market at Legacy and the on-campus Starbucks, which primarily sell beverages and

convenience items, 15% of all diningoption transactions occurred at Ace Sushi. This ties the newcomer with Einstein’s Bagels and puts it ahead of Maverick’s Corner, which recorded 10%. Ace still trails Chick-Fil-A and Mesquite Dining Hall, which recorded 20% and 40% of transactions respectively. Notably, Ace performed considerably better than its predecessor, Burrito Bowl. “For comparison, Burrito Bowl averaged 5% of sales in previous semesters,” Schulte said. Despite the positive response, the Ace Sushi on campus has not been exempt from criticism. Among the complaints, the most common amongst students has been that there isn’t a meal exchange option at Ace Sushi, unlike the other dining options on campus. “One of the points of feedback we’ve received is a request to implement a meal exchange option at Ace. We are exploring possibilities, but I

do not have a solid timeline for when that might be accomplished,” Schulte said. Students are still able to pay with cash as well as their flex dollars. However, Ace is one of the pricier options at MSU. Many of the staple meals cost upwards of $10, meaning that if a student had the base $100 flex cash option, they could eat there no more than ten times a semester, and that was if Ace were the only option they chose to spend their flex dollars on. “I don’t think it’s worth the flex dollars I spend on it. I think I’ll only go back for the Boba tea. That’s about the only thing though, unless they had like a meal change or something and the food was not as salty,” Adriana Brown, marketing junior, said. Many of the other dining options on campus have agreements with Chartwells, a company that helps bring different dining options to campuses nationwide. This agree-

GRAPHIC BY OMAR COMBIE | THE WICHITAN

In Ace Sushi’s debut semester it is tied with Einstein Bros in percenage of total transactions from dining options (excluding Starbucks and Market Legacy), Nov. 28.

BUSINESS OFFICE EXPLAINS ONLINE PAYMENT OPTIONS FOR SPRING 2022

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

The different options offered through Touchnet are set to allow seamless payments through MSU Portal. JAIME ALEMÁN REPORTER he Business Office offers online options for student and department payments through Touchnet Bill Payment Suite and Marketplace for Spring 2022. Bill Payment Suite makes the registration payment process easier through the student portal and saves students time by not standing in line. Mustang Marketplace also improves the payment process for departments. “Over the course of the pandemic, and classes being converted to online, we did not get that face-to-face opportunity to tell our students what we have to offer. The Business Office is normally represented at orientations, Mustang Rally, those type of events. We’ve missed those opportunities, probably with the last, maybe two freshman classes coming in,” director,

student business services, Perry Griner said. “More people started mailing checks in and they didn’t realize that we have this entire system (Touchnet) out there that you could do at your desk and not have to stand in line.” The online options not only benefit students but also departments. Marketplace offers departments a place for online payments/donations for products such as camp registrations, and testing fees, fundraising events, and more. “Mustang Marketplace is available to all departments. i.e., MSU Athletics uses it for summer camp registrations, the testing department for paying testing fees and the Nursing department uses it for paying insurances and other products.” Griner said. “Donations to MSU Texas can be made using Marketplace.” Payment plans, refunds, e-refund setup

and 3rd party/parent authorized users setup are options offered through Touchnet Bill Payment Suite. This allows for seamless payments through the student portal. “Touchnet has a Bill Payment Suite, and within that suite, you can make payments and you can set yourself up on the installment plan,” Griner said. “You can also set up for electronic refunds, see your holds, and print your student account information for a specific terms (and it prints out nicely). As a student you may set up authorized users, such as your Mom, Dad, or your employer, to allow them access to your Bill Payment Suite.” Registration and tuition payments can become a lot to deal with, but online options help make things smoother. Griner also said for students unable to register due to Business Office

holds, they are able to contact the Business Office for a resolution and may have payment arrangements available. “Kareen LaTouche handles our past due student accounts. This is the time of year when students are pre-registering and some students may owe for previous semesters and have holds on their accounts. With a Business Office hold students are not eligible to enroll for the next semester until they have satisfied their balance,” Griner said. “If students are having difficulties making a payment, they need to set up appointment with Kareen to see if payments arrangements are an option. To schedule an appointment with Kareen, you can go to http:// msutexas.edu/busoffice/book-an-appointment. php.”

A LOVE STORY TURNED MURDER

‘House of Gucci’

PHOTO COURTESY OF METRO GOLDWYN MAYER

Lady Gaga plays Patrizia Reggiani in “House of Gucci.”

ouse of Gucci hit theaters on Wednesday, November 24th. Although it may not be a heartwarming movie, such as Encanto, to watch with the family - if you’re like me and enjoy reThalia Doe alistic, edgy, thrilling movies with a dark twist, then this movie is for you. If that’s not enough to intrigue you, let’s take a look at this film’s extraordinary cast. First, we have Lady Gaga, an American singer and songwriter who plays the main character, Patrizia Reggiani. Though I’ve personally never seen Gaga act and can be skeptical when certain celebrities cross over to the big screen, I must admit, she had me sold throughout the entire viewing. Next, we have Adam Driver, who plays no other than Maurizio Gucci. The movie mostly focuses on these two as it is about their not-so Gucci life. Rodolfo Gucci, father of Maurizio, is played by Jeremy Irons, and though he makes an exit quite early in the film, his impact remains throughout. Next, we have someone who is more naturally suited to these types of films… because what’s a movie about a foreign family involving murder without Al Pacino? Pacino plays the uncle of Maurizio, Aldo Gucci. The last family member I’ll mention, the cousin to Maurizio and Adolfo’s son, Paolo Gucci, sheds light on the reality that not everyone born into a billionaire family is prosperous. Lastly, we have Salma Hayek, who isn’t a face that is consistently on the big screen, whose character is essential to the unfolding of the murder of Maurizio.

So, is House of Gucci a true story about the brand, Gucci? It may be silly to ask but even after viewing the trailer, I had asked myself if this was just a completely fictional movie made for entertainment about the realities of industry life. But no, this is a true story. The real Patrizia Reggiani was born in northern Italy, in the city of Vignola in 1948, to a poor Italian family that owned a mediocre trucking business. Maurizio Gucci was born in 1948 in Florence Italy to Rodolfo Gucci, the son of Gucci founder, Guccio Gucci. You can only imagine how exactly these two met. At an exclusive party, Reggiani sets eyes on Maurizio, who she mistakes for the bartender working that night. When Reggiani sees Gucci, she falls in love instantly, at least when she hears his last name. The beginning of their love story, I admit, is painful to watch. Reggiani does everything in her power to sway Gucci into taking a liking to her. Nonetheless, her efforts succeed and the two marry in 1972, despite Maurizio’s father’s disapproval. When Maurizio is studying to become a lawyer and doesn’t want much to do with his family business, and begins working for Reggiani’s family until later reconciling with his father. Though Maurizio still wants little to nothing to do with his family’s business, Reggiani has other plans. The character development in this movie was incredible. As the story unfolds around the lives of the Gucci family members – we see the development of Reggiani’s consumption with fame, money and power… and just as we see it, Gucci sees it as well, especially after the death of his father leaves him with 50% of the company’s fortune. It doesn’t help that Maurizio is not a

businessman and Reggiani sees this as an opportunity to take charge of the brand. Reggiani’s manipulative capability to turn family members against each other has to be respected in my opinion. This woman ends up being the reason that Paolo Gucci sets up his father by tipping off the IRS and exposing his father’s unpaid tax forms, landing his father, Aldo Gucci in prison for one year and a day. The most remarkable point in this film, despite Reggiani stealing the show, may be the fact that the Gucci brand walks on eggshells until nearly the end of the film. It isn’t until the last scene featuring Maurizio Gucci, forced to sell his last chair, ending the Gucci family’s involvement in the company, that we see the rebirth of Gucci. From then on, Gucci becomes what it is today, an almost $22.6 billion-dollar company according to Forbes. Again, this movie is not one that you want to miss while in theatres. It’s not the ideal family movie considering the R-rated advisory for sexual content, brief nudity and language, but is definitely worth the viewing, especially if you are a murder mystery fanatic like I am. And of course, at the end, the film shows what happened to every character in real life, one of my favorite aspects of true-story movies.

Thalia’s Film Rating: 4.5/5 COMIC BY DALLAS WABBINGTON

J GO

INTO THE WORLD OF J

‘FORZA HORIZON 5’ SCREENSHOT BY COLIN STEVENSON

A train passes by the background as a 1965 Ford Mustang Coupé takes a turn.

arking yet another entry from the spin-off series quickly overtaking its source, “Forza Horizon 5” follows up one of the Colin most well-received Stevenson racing games in a long time. It has big shoes to fill, and it does just that, and more. The “Horizon” games always set players loose in beautiful, sprawling maps as their main mechanic, and “Horizon 5” does the same, drop-

ping us in a very condensed Mexico that still makes for the largest map ever in a “Horizon” game. This map is about 1.5 times larger than in “Horizon 4,” and considering how long “Horizon 4’s” map stayed entertaining, this increase is substantial. With the extra size, biome and terrain changes feel less jarring, which helps each map section feel incredibly immersive, from dense forests hiding ancient ruins, to sprawling deserts with dunes acting as ramps for a buggy, even to an actual volcano creating one of the most drastic elevation changes we’ve seen in this

series. It all comes together to create my favorite map in the series. My only complaint is a sometimes eerie lack of traffic on the roads. I understand not wanting to interrupt gameplay, but it would be nice to have an option to turn this up, as it adds life to a virtual world. Now, another thing the “Horizon” series is known for is its impressive graphics that push the absolute boundaries of the systems they were on, and “Horizon 5” really delivers. The tire smoke and lighting got the biggest upgrades with shiny new technologies for both. In terms of optimization, though, “Horizon 5” lags behind its predecessor, which touted impressive optimization on both the console and PC. “Horizon 5” maintains impressive optimization on the console front, maintaining a solid 30 frames per second on the base Xbox One, an eight-year-old system, and dialing the settings up with each step up in the Xbox family. On PC, things have been dicier. Day-one instability warded off many potential players, and a texture bug made it so the ultra setting looked like the low setting. Unfortunately, I had to deal with the latter version, and while I’ve only had a handful of crashes through my hours of play, I immediately ran into the texture issue. With a medium-spec gaming computer, I

manage medium-high settings at 60 FPS comfortably. And of course, with a racing game with 504 cars at launch, I had to talk about them. There’s a wonderfully wide selection from exotic hypercars that leave everything in the dust to cult classics that can’t even begin to compete, and they’re all a ton of fun and unique. Upgrading and tuning are possible on almost all cars, and you can share tunes online or use other people’s tunes if you don’t want to bother with them yourself. The cars all drive well and feel real without being so real you need to put a lot of thought into it. The rewind feature also helps with this driving, allowing one to go back a few seconds if they made a mistake. “Horizon 5” constantly receives updates as part of being a racing massively multiplayer online game. It is easy to party up with strangers and friends, though the servers do have trouble connecting people at times, which will hopefully be fixed with time. You can work together, against each other - even if you are playing on different platforms - or sometimes alone to fulfill “seasonal” objectives that are refreshed each week. These activities offer various rewards, such as “wheelspins,” which are random prizes from a cosmetic item, in-game currency or even full cars. Achieving

multiple events in a season can earn you points to work up to season reward cars that are hard to obtain otherwise. Often part of these objectives are the “Horizon Arcade” events, continuing “Horizon 4’s” “Forzathon Live.” They are quite similar; players cooperate to reach some shared goal, such as a number of drift points or a number of (not a joke) dropped piñatas destroyed. Unfortunately, while “Horizon 4’s” offering maintained a steady player base, “Horizon Arcade” feels dead on arrival. I’ve had trouble getting through these events, as hardly anyone ever joins them. It’s hard for me to tell what’s different, beyond maybe connection issues, but Arcade is going to need a heavy rework to be as fun as it promises. “Forza Horizon 4” was a hard act to follow, but with good music, great graphics, a great setting to explore, a vast map to explore and a bountiful bevy of cars to experience it all in, “Forza Horizon 5” raises the bar yet again for the open-world racing genre. I look forward to procrastinating many, many assignments with it.

Colin’s Game Rating: 5/5

SCREENSHOT BY COLIN STEVENSON

“Forza Horizon 5” contains “Expeditions” to help expand the “Horizon Festival.”

HANNAH REYNOLDS P L A Y I N G

T I L L

THALIA DOE FEATURE/SPORTS EDITOR his basketball season, Hannah Reynolds will walk the stage for senior night acknowledging this one as her last being a Mustang. Reynold’s said it is an overwhelming and surreal feeling. “It’s very overwhelming in a way because I never thought basketball would end for me. Basketball has always been there, it’s always been another season; it’s a surreal feeling. At the same time, it’s exciting. I have an amazing team, as people and as players,” Reynolds said. Reynolds, a health administration first-year graduate student, said she’s never intended on continuing her basketball career professionally because she is looking forward to working in healthcare. Her passion for healthcare began when she was in high school. “I’m excited to have a job and move forward with something new. I was first exposed to healthcare in high school; we had a program that would allow us to intern at the local Prosper hospital, and we would shadow the different departments. I was able to see the clinical side of things... though I had realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do but still be involved with patients. That’s when I was introduced to the administration side of it, and it stuck with me ever since,” Reynolds said. Reynolds said her biggest goal is to make a difference and help people. She says the healthcare system can be very impersonal, and she hopes to be different. “The system can be very black and white when it comes to policies and structure, meanwhile, patients’ stories aren’t... I can’t wait to find a way to help everyone out and not just the ones that ‘fit in,’” Reynolds said. Reynolds, originally from Prosper, TX, said her town was very sports-oriented. She began playing basketball when she was just six years old. “Growing up in Prosper was amazing, it was a very sport-ori-

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Masters of health services administration junior and forward Hannah Reynolds shoots after Arkansas-Fort Smith fouls, Feb. 20, 2020.

T H E

F I N A L

ented town. I started basketball because at the time it was just something to do... along the way, I actually had quit basketball for softball, because I thought I was going to be some star softball player… I quickly found that wasn’t going to be the case, so I once again quit softball and went back to basketball. I began traveling and playing at scout tournaments and by the time I was a freshman in high school, I was interested in playing in college. I fell in love with the recruiting process, I ended up choosing MSU because the family atmosphere and I met coach Johnson [former head coach of women’s basketball]. She was actually a big reason why I chose this school,” Reynolds said. Reynolds and Coach Johnson had a close relationship. She says that coach Johnson was and still is one of the most influential people in her life. “She was really big on culture, family and God. When she passed, it was very hard on me, I even thought about transferring. However, I stayed, and with a lot of family that has been through this before, it’s been okay but I still have moments where it’s difficult. Something I took after her and really resonated with me was to be kind to everyone, I feel like that’s overlooked. It’s easy to say ‘yeah I’ll be nice to everyone’ but she really went out of her way to be nice to everyone and make sure they were heard and felt appreciated,” Reynolds said. Reynolds is the oldest veteran and only player on the team to play all five years at MSU. She says she’s appreciated each team she’s played with. “Something I’ve learned was playing with a different team every year means there will be a different dynamic with every group. What works with one group may not work with the next. However, no matter what, at the end of the day, we all came to play basketball and do what we love and I’ve appreciated that from each team,” Reynolds said. Reynolds’ favorite game was

B U Z Z E R

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Health science sophomore and center Hannah Reynolds goes for a lay-up against Wiley College, Nov. 5. against Texas A&M Commerce her sophomore year where she almost had a triple-double in blocks. She says this day was a one-time game which is what made it special. “The whole team was just playing well that day and we didn’t repeat it, it was just something special on that given day. Another game was senior night of 2019 when Coach J broke out the hospital to come watch our senior night. She came all the way from Fort Worth and it gave me chills, we played phenomenal that night,”

Reynolds said. Although Reynolds is excited and ready for her new life she says there’s no doubt she will miss being a mustang. Reynold’s said there’s been an impact made on her since she first walked in. “I am sad about it, I try to say I won’t miss it but I definitely will. The people here have made an impact on my life since day one and basketball has given me so many opportunities. I’m really trying to just absorb everything and not take anything for granted.”

THE SEASON ENDS BUT THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

GRADUATING ATHLETES REFLECT ON THEIR LAST SEASON AND FUTURE PLANS He was grateful for his time and experience with the Mustangs men’s soccer. After he graduates, he hopes to continue being involved with the sport he loves, but in a different role. “I am very glad I chose MSU. If I could go back in time, I would do it again, “ Barajas said. “A good sport memory for me was in 2018, we were down 2-0 at St. Edward’s with 20 minutes left; we came back to win the game in overtime 3-2. After MSU, I will be looking to get into coaching.” Randi Heaton (No. 26), midfielder and mass communication senior, has played four seasons for the women’s soccer team since coming from Westminster, Colorado. Heaton said the team grew as a result of the hardships of COVID. She also spoke on her own personal growth and reflected on how far she has come. “Last year… since COVID-19 limited our playing, we were able to work more through practices and we have grown a lot of a team. As a senior, I

have definitely grown as a person and a player. I have experienced way more than I have my freshman year and I believe my experiences will be able to help the team this year,” Heaton said. Delaney Locke, nursing senior, from Simi Valley, California, ran cross country at MSU for four and a half years. She is grateful for the opportunities and memories at MSU. Locke plans on moving back to California to become a registered nurse in December. “I’ve been at MSU for four and a half years and it has truly been my home away from home,” Locke said. “I’m sad to say goodbye, but very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had. One of my favorite memories I’ve had at MSU was the cross country team winning Conference in 2018, knowing that all our hard work had come together for that race and getting to race next to some amazing ladies to bring home the title was so

surreal.” Dillon Sterling-Cole (No. 6), quarterback and sports administration fifth-year senior, transferred to the MSU football team from Arizona State University in the Spring 2020 semester, but he didn’t play for the Mustangs until Fall 2021 due to injury. Despite his late arrival, SterlingCole meshed with the energetic locker room and helped lead the team to a 7-3 record. He said it was important to leave behind a strong culture for the underclassmen. “[I transferred because of] the opportunity that was here for me. They told me I have the opportunity to play quarterback and that’s all I wanted,” Sterling-Cole said. “It’s definitely a brotherhood in the locker room. [The seniors are] leaving these younger guys with the right tools so they can continue to move forward and keep the program high.”

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Pre-law senior and middle blocker Lissette Lefforge jumps for an attack on Eastern New Mexico, Sep. 10. THALIA DOE | JAIME ALEMÁN FEATURE/SPORTS EDITOR | REPORTER ith everything in life, there comes a time when things come to an end. For the senior athletes of volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, cross country and football, their last semester with their sport has now came and left. However, many of these athletes’ careers began long before they stepped on MSU soil. MSU not only offered them an opportunity to continue these careers but also provided scholarships, experiences of friendship and bonding with teammates and intimate relationships between them and the Wichita Falls community. Lissette Lefforge, (No. 14), volleyball pre-law senior, says her life as a college athlete has been rewarding and will be going on to play professional overseas. Lefforge, a transfer, said her time at MSU was fast. How-

ever, her moments here, she will cherish for a long time. “My life as a college athlete has been very rewarding. I’ve met some amazing people and have gotten some incredible opportunities. It’s my last season as a college athlete and that’s bittersweet, but I’m excited to continue to represent MSU at the professional level. I signed a contract with the country of Montenegro So, I am ready to see what the professional life looks like,” Lefforge said. “Looking back I would describe my time at MSU as fast and something that I will cherish for a long time. My favorite memory would be the bus rides from this last year. They were always filled with so many laughs, jokes and games.” Julian Barajas, (No. 20), midfielder and kinesiology senior on the men’s soccer team, played since 2017 at MSU for just over four years.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Kinesiology senior and midfielder Julian Barajas sends the ball towards Cal Poly Pomona’s goal while keeping ahead of two opposing players, Nov. 21.

THOUGHTS FROM

GRADUATING MUSTANGS

WICHITAN STAFF

s the curtain draws on the Fall 2021 semester, MSU Texas says goodbye to a host of graduating seniors. As they look forward to what the future has in store for them, these Mustangs reflected on their years of hard work and bittersweet memories at MSU.

Kaylee Sanderson

Baylie Bradshaw

“I believe that I made the right choice going to MSU. At MSU, I have been able to learn more from my faculty members due to the small classes. MSU also has many opportunities to be involved on campus. I was able to meet new people and take advantage of these opportunities by being involved in the student nursing association, and the Area Health Education Center. After college, I will be working at United Regional Health Care System. I have accepted a job offer as a registered nurse intern in the surgical ICU. In the future, I plan on attending graduate school at MSU to obtain my family nurse practitioner degree.”

“I am going to miss learning in general. I’m the type of person that constantly wants to know more, and Midwestern’s atmosphere has allowed me to thrive in that aspect. Other than that I am going to miss the Priddy Scholars and those associated with it SO much. They have been a constant rock throughout my college career. I believe that MSU was the right fit for me. Again, the Priddy Scholarship made my experience at Midwestern unbelievable, and I would not have gotten such a great opportunity anywhere else. My plans are to find a job that I love, and eventually go back to graduate school.”

Nursing

Kayleigh Stone EC-6 Education

“I’m going to miss the community feeling that MSU has. I definitely made the right choice going to MSU. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I had not had the resources and community MSU has. My plans after college is teaching 5th/6th grade science and social studies at Sheppard Elementary.“

History

Jake Ly Marketing

“[I will] definitely [miss] my friends, the memories made, and being a part of campus and feeling like a community... I took a gap semester off after (my) first year to decide where I wanted to attend. I had doubts then but looking back now, I know I made the right choice coming back because there is no other place like Wichita Falls and it’s people... I plan to continue being a real estate agent, and investor while working full time as a procurement supply chain manager.”

A’Lya Figueroa

Business Management “I am going to miss people the most about MSU. I thought about this the other day, everyone has bad days, everyone has good days but almost every day that I have been at MSU someone has always smiled or waved at me. This community is so special to me! After college, I am staying in Wichita Falls and working for a manufacturing company.”

Dec. 1, 2021

Articles inside

STAFF GOODBYES

ACE SUSHI

STANG STORIES