TECHNICIAN
FEBRUARY 13, 2025
VOL. 105 | NO. 20
WEATHER
In partnership with the NC State Broadcast Meteorology Club
Feb. 13 - Feb. 19
Forecasted by Cal Heaphy, a fourth-year in meteorology
Editor-in-Chief
Students march down Cates Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. Organized by members of the National PanHellenic Council, the march was held in support of DEI. “When they strip DEI from our education, they are telling us that diversity does not matter, that equity is optional and inclusion is negotiable. But we know better,” said Nayah McKenzie, a third-year studying criminology and one of the march organizers.
JERMAINE HUDSON/TECHNICIAN
Wake County offers free sexual health resources, STI testing on campus
Dae Reed Correspondent
Wake County and Campus Health regularly partner to provide free and anonymous HIV and testing for infections spread through sex. This February, they are providing additional services to promote sexual health education and safer sex practices.
The program visits campus on the first and third Thursday of every month to set up shop at the Health Center. During February, which is also Sexual Health Awareness Month, there are more frequent and visible events on campus.
DeCarlo Braddy, an HIV and STI coordinator for Wake County, said the additional oncampus events are intended to address a new trend of positive HIV tests at the Health Center.
“We thought we need to do a larger, more targeted event where we have all hands on deck and more people can get tested,” Braddy said.
When going into the community, testers bring everything they need with them so they are able to work in any situation. First, they brief patients about confidentiality and have a conversation about what they are in need of. On registration forms, patients answer questions assessing their risk and what kind of testing they will receive.
Counseling services cover emotional needs and assess what kind of care fits a patient. If tests come back positive, the center does its best to get the patient treated. Treatment can be a simple prescription, but can also involve assistance with housing, food and other health care to ensure the patient is in a stable, safe place to take their medication.
Sexual health services are provided to a variety of communities across Wake County, including churches, rehabilitation facilities, homeless encampments and nightclubs.
The program targets at-risk populations, such as racial, sexual and gender minorities. There
are efforts to create inclusive environments so anyone can feel safe coming in to get tested, such as inclusive language training. There are also education services offered in Spanish.
Alongside education, testing and counseling, the program offers free referrals for PrEP, a drug which helps to prevent HIV.
Mikayla Crawford, a public health educator for Wake County, works on the program’s social media and conducts a variety of training and education sessions on topics including consent, relationships, anatomy, prevention tools and peer education training.
Crawford said young people can be hesitant to go to a clinic or ask questions. Providing education services and peer health training means students can ask questions to their peers and get accurate answers.
“My peer health educators will call me and be like, ‘Hey, I have a friend who’s dealing with X, Y and Z,’” Crawford said. “‘What should they do?’ And then I either refer them to our
CRIME ON CAMPUS
NC State’s weekly log of major incidents across campus.
STALKING TRESPASSING
University Towers Feb. 6, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.
A subject was reported showing up at the residence since a breakup and was referred to a campus partner for stalking.
D.H. Hill Library Feb. 5, 2025 at 5:55 p.m.
A subject entered the library while currently trespassed and was arrested for trespassing. He threatened the officer during his arrest and was charged with communicated threats.
testing, or try to get a tester to come with me to go on campus.”
Crawford said education ensures people know the range of options for prevention tools, like internal condoms and dental dams, and tools they have to keep themselves safe.
“I just think it’s really important that we are bringing this information to people on campus, because as they get older, sex is going to happen inevitably,” Crawford said. “Giving them the right tools and resources is hoping to help eliminate, or at least decrease those STI rates.”
Not only does education make a practical difference in people’s sexual practices, but it also makes a dent in the stigma surrounding conversations about sexual health and STIs.
Braddy said the open conversation makes all the difference in the community and the effectiveness of testing programs. The HIV/ STD Evening Clinic held at the Wake County Public Health Building, for example, has been extremely successful.
“If you go to any other health department in North Carolina, or even in the United States, they cannot draw 30 to 40 people a night to come in and get tested for HIV or STIs,” Braddy said. “I can say a lot of that is because of the atmosphere and the environment that has been created at Wake County. And when we partner with other organizations, we bring that same type of energy into that space.”
Wake County Human Services also has dozens of condom distribution sites throughout the community. They are in barber shops, salons, supermarkets and anywhere else where they might be picked up by a person in need. Crawford said these resources in accessible places makes them all the more effective.
“That’s another way that we try to connect more with the community,” Crawford said. “Letting our barbers, beauticians or wherever they are spread the message, like, ‘Hey, we are a resource to you. If you need something, whether it’s HIV or STI related or not, reach out to us.’”
Crawford said she feels sex education is important to get accurate information out there and get rid of the stigma around sexual health. “I think this partnership is going to grow,” Braddy said. “We’re going to do more events moving forward that include the campus community as well as Wake County.”
The next dates for free STI and HIV testings at the Campus Health Center are Feb. 20, March 6 and 20 and April 3 and 17. On Feb. 26, Wake County Human Services will be in Talley offering free STI and HIV testing, gift cards, PrEP referrals, counseling and safe sex supplies. On Feb. 18 , Campus Health, the Women’s Center, University Housing, the Counseling Center and the LGBTQ Pride Center are hosting Sex in the Dark. A panel of sex-perts will be answering questions about sex, sexuality and relationships.
DATING VIOLENCE
Wolf Ridge Innovation Hall Feb. 4, 2025 at 3:38 p.m.
A non-affiliated person was punched in the face by an affiliated person during an argument.
HARASSMENT
Public Safety Center Feb. 4, 2025 at 12:23 p.m.
A student reported that another student took an explicit video of them and sent it to other people without consent. The investigation is ongoing.
CONTRIBUTED BY CAMPUS HEALTH
How NC State couples navigate complex relationship dynamics
Amburose, Braden Winters Correspondents
Navigating relationships in college can already be stressful, but certain extenuating factors can further complicate these connections. Nevertheless, students at NC State in long-distance, interracial and age-gap relationships are finding unique solutions for challenges while pursuing healthy, meaningful romances.
Long-distance relationships
Haley Irwin, a fourth-year studying nutrition sciences, is in a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend. They went from living side-byside in a duplex home to being approximately 830 miles apart when her boyfriend left to pursue career opportunities in Homestead, Florida.
Irwin said technology, cost and time can all pose challenges in a long-distance relationship. Despite using various digital mediums like FaceTime, Snapchat and iMessage, it is difficult to replicate in-person interactions.
“It was very challenging to feel connected to him through a phone, because I’m so big on quality time and he is too,” Irwin said.
Travel costs are also burdensome for college students, and given the distance, spontaneous visits are nearly impossible.
“It is challenging that he’s so far away to the point where I can’t just drive over and spend a day with him,” Irwin said.
Irwin approximates that each roundtrip flight costs between $100 to $200, and having made seven visits in the past six months, the expenses add up quickly.
Despite these challenges, Irwin believes that the limitations caused by long distance have strengthened her relationship. Although they’ve had to sacrifice physical intimacy, the couple has improved when using other love languages. Irwin’s boyfriend frequently surprises her with Amazon packages of her favorite items, and she sends him love letters in the mail.
“It really will put your relationship to the test, but in the best way possible,” Irwin said.
Interracial dating
Similarly, interracial relationships can also be tricky to navigate. James Wright, a second-year studying electrical engineering, and Lesslie Hernandez Olvera, a second-year studying human biology, are in a white and Hispanic interracial relationship.
One cultural difference they’ve had to navigate is regarding family expectations in their respective cultures. Wright’s family is more laid back, but Hernandez Olvera’s Mexican American family deeply prioritizes consistent
communication and cultural preservation.
“I do think that that’s something that I’ve noticed, that his parents are a lot more relaxed compared to mine,” Hernandez Olvera said. “Like, mine have my location. I’m constantly updating them on what I’m doing throughout the day and throughout the week.”
Wright said boundaries and balance are important, and although Hernandez Olvera agrees, she said these boundaries are difficult to establish in Mexican families, especially since she is still financially dependent on her family. She said her family initially had some worries about cultural preservation given that she is in an interracial relationship.
“If I date a white man, then the culture is just going to continue diluting itself, or whatever,” Hernandez Olvera said, regarding her family’s perspective. “Not so much the skin color, but more the traditions and the values that we have.”
Ultimately, the couple emphasized the importance of acceptance in interracial relationships, noting that respecting each others’ differences has allowed their relationship to flourish.
Intercultural and queer relationships
Fernanda Duarte, a communication technology assistant professor, is 43 years old and of Brazilian descent. She and her wife have now been married for 12 years.
The legitimacy of her relationship is something that Duarte finds very important. Durate and her wife, Rachel, found it difficult to get legally married in the United States. Eventu-
ally, they were able to travel to Brazil where they were married, surrounded by friends and family.
“I like to use the qualification, I like to use the word wife instead of partner or spouse,” Duarte said. “Because we earned that title so it was really special to be able to use a very traditional form of legitimization”
Duarte said family is a crucial part of Latin culture, and it is prevalent in her own. She said her family is large, but that didn’t stop them from treating Rachel like one of their own, even trying their best to pronounce her name correctly, which is especially hard with a Brazilian accent.
“I have a large family — uncles and aunts and cousins, the partners that are married into the family,” Duarte said. “I think people were surprised when they saw me in a same-sex relationship because of Latin culture, where sexism is still pretty prevalent, but they were mostly excited to see how happy I was.”
Age-gap partners
Emma Canterbury, a fourth-year studying English, is 22 years old and is married to Joseph Canterbury, a 26-year old college graduate. Emma Canterbury said the age gap has created an interesting relationship dynamic between her and her husband, which is why their relationship probably doesn’t look like most.
Since the two are in different stages of their lives, challenges arise when they are completing daily tasks. Joseph Cantebury is a West Point graduate and now is a paratrooper for
the United States Military. On the contrary, Emma Canterbury is still a college student and needs to keep up with her studies.
“I have to come home, I have to study,” Emma Canterbury said. “I have to do all these things, which, even though it stresses me out, it kind of vicariously impacts him as well.”
Being at different stages in life can become a large challenge in age-gap relationships. Communication challenges can especially be hard with people having to deal with different chapters of their lives. However, Joseph Canterbury tries his best to give Emma Canterbury a little grace when coming to this.
“Communication really is so very important,” Emma Canterbury said. “Communicating in a way that is effective for both parties, like not arguing over text, not yelling, not belittling the other person and making their feelings feel invalidated. He’s very good about validating my feelings and making sure that I’m heard and seen in every situation.”
Legitimacy is important in relationships, and most times the perception of an age-gap relationship can damage its legitimacy. Others might assume things about age-gap relationships, and that can come off as rude and maybe even damage relationships.
“Maybe before I was in one I would have been a little bit more apprehensive and maybe even nearing judgy,” Emma Canterbury said. “But now that I’m in one myself, I can give some grace and recognize that everybody else kind of has their own things going on.”
GRAPHIC BY KRISTA PADILLA
Rose
Behind Valentine’s Day consumerism
Piper Vance Correspondent
Valentine’s Day can bring stress to students due to the pressure of consumerism, influenced by advertising and social media. However, with rising prices, some are turning to alternative mindsets and gifts this year.
Experts expect Valentine’s Day consumer spending to hit record heights at $27.5 billion in 2025 — a 6.6% increase from 2024. While this holiday may not make or break the overall economy, it can have significant effects on your budget as an individual spender.
Economics is a massive contributor to stress in America, but this holiday’s role in society diverges greatly from its origins.
The holiday itself has a cloudy history, containing vestiges from both ancient Roman and Christian traditions. This celebration often included violence in the form of animal sacrifices and a whipping ritual.
People believed these actions induced fertility, and the ceremony included a matchmaking ritual, reminiscent of the holiday’s current sentiments. However, the shift from a celebration of tradition to the commercialized day we know today occurred in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Jeffrey Dorfman, a professor of agricultural and resource economics, said this
evolution may be due in part to the rise of greeting card companies and retail marketing efforts.
“Stores that want to sell more stock advertised a whole bunch to convince us all we need to spend lots of money on Valentine’s Day,” Dorfman said.
Dorfman also weighed in on social media increasing the pressure many feel to spend on holidays such as Valentine’s Day.
“I think social media is responsible for a lot of the sort of peer pressure because even
if you don’t see those people as your peers, which I think a lot of people don’t, it creates an unrealistic expectation,” Dorfman said.
“So people think that’s normal life, but it’s really kind of not real life and mostly fake. But it makes people think that to live up to that standard, so then we probably end up spending more money.”
Anna Hirose, a third-year studying accounting, said the holiday can be a source of stress for her, but she also believes it to be valuable.
“Since I’m not generally the one paying for gifts and meals and stuff, I do feel like I have to do something in return, and I don’t know what’s adequate, or what’s enough or what’s appropriate,” Hirose said. “I think it’s important to celebrate the day, but I don’t think it should be a huge financial obligation.”
Rachel Kershner, a third-year studying business administration and international studies, said the meaning behind the holiday is the sentimental value behind actions of gift-giving.
“You don’t need to buy me something expensive if it has meaning for us. I feel like that should be the more important thing, not how much something costs,” Kershner said.
While the price of gifts are expected to rise this year, some alternatives don’t require exorbitant spending and still communicate one’s love for another. Dorfman recommended creating gifts for loved ones rather than buying flowers and chocolates.
“So I would take the personal approach — make a craft thing, bake cookies — give people coupons good for one favor or one cuddling up and watching a Netflix movie together or whatever,” Dorfman said. “I think there are lots of ways you can show thoughtfulness without spending a lot of money.”
Social connection amidst a loneliness epidemic
Grace Turschak Staff Writer
Though it is common for college students to feel pressured to be in romantic relationships during college, this generation is actually forming fewer social connections than ever before.
Megan Glancy, a sociology and anthropology professor, said that shifts in today’s society — from the economy to personal preferences — have hindered our ability to connect with others. However, Glancy said today’s struggle to find companionship is not limited to romantic partnerships.
“We’re not even making friendly relationships or having social connections,” Glancy said. “So it’s tough. And then the same folks say that when they want to date, that it’s tough for people to date, that there’s a lot of obstacles to finding suitable partners.”
Glancy said another factor that makes forming these relationships tough is that more and more young people are living with their parents because of financial instability, which can make finding a partner more difficult and less of a priority.
“There’s still a stigma in our society about living at home, especially at a certain age, and bringing home a date to your parents’ home,” Glancy said.
CHEN
love, it’s kind of they fit into that role, but they also have more responsibility in your life at the same time.”
David Garfinkle, a third-year studying business administration, had similar thoughts on the importance of friendships.
“I think having people you have been friends with for way longer than you’ve had a romantic partner adds more of a consistency, and you know what you’re going to get in security, I guess,” Garfinkle said. “Romantic relationships kind of go either way. You never know what can happen.”
Charlotte Putnam, a third-year studying genetics, said social relationships help navigate new lifestyles.
Moreover, while this loneliness epidemic is affecting everyone, women are more likely to be scrutinized for being single than their male counterparts.
“The phenomenon is called ‘the relationship imperative,’ and it’s essentially the idea that we are incentivized, we’re encouraged socially, to be in relationships, but that women are disproportionately so, because there’s a stigma for women being single,” Glancy said.
However, Glancy said students need to keep pushing to form these relationships, as they
keep us healthier.
“When we look at ways to prevent poor health, poor mental health and promote just general well-being, a lot of that is built around building up communities,” Glancy said.
Olivia Arsenault, a third-year studying English, agreed that friendly relationships fulfill needs that romantic relationships might not.
“I feel like platonic love is usually your friends and your close family, and they’re vital for your sanity, honestly,” Arsenault said. “Having people to talk to, and then your romantic
“I think both [relationship types] are really important for college-age students trying to build community somewhere where they’re not in a community they’re used to,” Putnam said.
The need for social connection cannot be understated, yet students are lonelier than ever and facing less pressure to find partners as other aspects of life take priority.
“Keep trying to make relationships, because it’s one of the few things that we have control over right now, how we treat other people and how we value what they bring to this world,” Glancy said.
GRAPHIC BY EVIE DALLMANN
GRAPHIC BY ANGEL
A tribute to David Lynch: NC State film studies students, faculty remember the filmmaker
David Lynch, award-winning director and screenwriter, died on Jan. 15 due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Nearly a month after his death, students and faculty remember Lynch’s work and weigh in on his impact on the American film industry.
Lynch began his career in the visual arts as a painter and later baffled critics with his first feature-length film “Eraserhead” in 1977. He went on to direct a number of full-length pictures including “Mulholland Drive,” “Blue Velvet” and “Wild at Heart.”
Tommy Jenkins, lecturer in the English department, said Lynch’s early work as a painter shone through in his work and possibly contributed to his influential and distinct visual style — specifically his implementation of mood lighting.
“He had a very painterly sensibility, a very painterly perspective,” Jenkins said. “That kind of visual style was influential as a way of showing others — filmmakers or wannabe filmmakers — that, ‘Hey, there’s more than one way to do this.’”
In addition to his aesthetic approach, Lynch had an interest in juxtaposing the mundane with the macabre. Some of his most popular films exposed violence within small towns and questioned the apparent innocence of suburbia.
Jenkins said this was part of a larger
theme of uncovering the truth hidden under the surface, not just in communities but also in individuals.
“It’s almost like Lynch would say people are a heck of a lot more interesting than they appear on the surface,” Jenkins said. “And for him, often that interest was something dark or maybe something sinister.”
Brandon Moore, a second-year studying business administration and a member of the film club, said another important theme throughout Lynch’s work was escapism and adapting new identities to get away from the grimy parts of life.
“I think a lot of his stuff kind of has to do with this escapism idea of trying to get
away from the bad parts about your life,” Moore said.
Lynch’s work has had a profound impact on not only the American film industry, inspiring directors like Guillermo del Toro, but also globally.
“You can just see this broad inspiration in not only just American culture but culture across the world, really,” Moore said.
Lynch’s compositions, including commentary on mainstream ideas and concepts with abstract imagery, is a major part of what made him so well known and loved.
“But I think what’s so strong about what he did was that, especially earlier on, he managed to kind of combine that abstract,
surrealness with stuff that had broad appeal,” Moore said.
Lynch’s omission of clarity from his films made his work unique. Later in life, he admitted that he had a hard time understanding where the confusion came from. But many find enjoyment in unraveling the meaning behind his nonlinear plots and dream logic.
“I really find how he forces people to engage very admirable and his refusal to really admit exactly what he means by certain things,” Moore said. “Because of the way his work functions, a lot of times very abstract in what it’s going for and what it’s saying. It kind of forces you to adopt this mindset when you’re looking at art … the deeper meanings of what the artist is going for and kind of how it appeals to your emotions and subconscious in a way, as opposed to just what’s literally happening on screen.”
Lynch became pervasive in American society and remains a household name, one that continues to inspire and influence the content we absorb.
“I think one of the best ways to describe his influence is that his name became the adjective,” Jenkins said. “It’s kind of interesting that someone who was such a critic of the culture, ultimately, kind of gets absorbed by the culture in a way — and he was absorbed by the culture in such a way that his influence became pervasive.”
New Raleigh coffee shops bring a lively twist to a typical coffee run
Kelsey Bohn Staff Writer
The Left Hook Coffee and Press Coffee, Crêpes & Cocktails are two new must-see coffee shops in Raleigh. Both encompass all the best things about a typical coffee run while also bringing a unique twist to shake up how you usually experience it.
The Left Hook Coffee is located on West Morgan Street, about a 10-minute walk from North Campus. It boasts an inspired menu, including some unique house syrups like brown sugar vanilla, honey cardamom, maple cinnamon and Nesquik.
A latte with brown sugar vanilla syrup is best suited for those who enjoy the taste of coffee with just a little added note of sweetness. A latte with honey cardamom syrup would be well-liked by coffee drinkers who have a love-hate relationship with the actual taste of coffee and want something with a bold and spiced flavor.
The atmosphere at Left Hook Coffee feels like walking into an antique store, with a
homey assortment of vintage signs, nostalgic artifacts and art from local vendors.
The bright music playing and the friendly, conversational staff enhance the warm energy and make it the perfect getaway from the cold weather.
Left Hook also has an assortment of non-coffee items, including teas, sodas
and breakfast foods. They offer house-made chai, mizuba matcha and chocolate soda and serve breakfast sandwiches and burritos Wednesday through Sunday from 8 to 11 a.m.
The establishment is located in Gussie’s bar. The majority of seating space inside is dedicated to customers of the bar, so you
may want to plan to sit outside or take your items to go. There is plenty of open seating outdoors, which is perfectly suited for enjoying a coffee on a nice day.
If you’d like to sit indoors for a full dining experience alongside your coffee, Press Coffee, Crêpes & Cocktails is the perfect place for you.
Press is located at 400 Hillsborough St., about a 10-minute drive from Main Campus. It is a European-inspired coffeehouse that encourages the enjoyment and savoring of coffee, turning it into a sit-down occasion rather than a drive-thru run.
They offer many specialty brunch items such as salmon crêpes, turkey brie crêpes and strawberry ricotta toast. If you have a sweet tooth, they also offer classic crêpes with Nutella or peanut butter, banana cream pie crêpes and stuffed French toast crêpes. Along with the brunch menu, there is no shortage of uniqueness in the variety of coffee they serve. In addition to the typical assortment of espresso and cold brew, they
GRAPHIC BY LUCY OSBORN
GRAPHIC BY KRISTA PADILLA
Piper Vance Correspondent
Find an entertaining, bloody ‘Companion’ this Valentine’s Day
A story of twists and turns, false memories and betrayal, “Companion” is a jampacked movie about a romantic, agreeable girl in a world that has set its sights on destroying her.
Iris and her boyfriend Josh go on a remote getaway with some friends. The environment starts off tense, with Iris clearly making an effort to please the less-than-kind crowd. With a cast of characters who seem suspiciously hostile, she tried her best to fit in and leave a good impression.
Her boyfriend’s instructions were simple: Smile and act happy.
After a series of off-putting interactions and sideways glances from Josh’s friends, things got bloody fast. Iris was forced to murder their billionaire host out of selfdefense. When she went to her boyfriend, blood-soaked and frightened, he powered her down.
The first twist was revealed in trailers and other advertisements — Iris is a companion robot. Her sole purpose is to serve Josh and please the people around her. She seems fully sentient and self-identifying, but
offer banana bread lattes, salted pistachio mochas and cinnamon plum orange tea lattes.
In terms of non-coffee drinks, they have chess pie hot chocolate, matcha lattes and cinnamon plum tea.
It can get pretty crowded during popular times like Saturday mornings; however, the service is still fast, and there are QR codes you can use to order, which increases ef-
things like her aggression, intelligence and language can be controlled at the touch of a button on Josh’s phone.
Iris was freaked out when she learned all of her memories, including the meet-cute grocery store scene that opened the movie, were chosen by Josh from a drop-down menu. This starts a sort of pseudo-revolt, where she must escape the plots of the other guests and find a way to get back to civilization.
Throughout the story, sinister motives are revealed, questions about the authenticity of robotic love are asked and much more blood is shed.
Iris is played by Sophie Thatcher, who showed off her scream-queen chops in the show “Yellowjackets” and recent movie “Heretic.” Now, “Companion” gives her a chance to play a role at the focal point, with many pans on her shifting expressions and color-changing eyes. She is pleasant and funny but also commanding and resilient on screen.
Jack Quaid gives a less noteworthy performance as Josh but plays the role of misogynistic boyfriend effectively.
Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guil-
ficiency as well.
The floor is lined with tables and booths, there are places to sit at the bar and there is an outdoor seating area. However, due to its popularity, the wait times usually sit at around 30-45 minutes during peak hours.
If you’re in a hurry, you can take advantage of their to-go counter, where you can order all the items on the menu for quick carryout.
lén and Rupert Friend all play young adults staying at the house with Iris and Josh, each with their own reasons for being there. They are all stereotypical and generally flat characters but contribute what they need to and are an entertaining cast of characters.
The humor was reminiscent of movies like “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” a sort of mocking of Gen Z’s priorities and attitudes. This matched one of the intents of the movie: to provide a critique of gender and sexual politics.
As the audience learns more about what it means to own a companion robot, the more it signifies about the weird people that would go through the effort to buy one. The level of customizability is off-putting and unnatural. We might have AI companions now, but it is nothing compared to the realism that these fictional bots provide.
Iris’ boyfriend rejects the idea that she is just a personal sex-bot, but the implication is reiterated often.
The film generally throws doubt at the notion of “owning” any kind of romantic companion. The gender of the bots in the movie are both male and female, and both are exploited to similar capacities, so the
Overall, Press curates an environment that makes you want to stay and enjoy each sip of coffee. The atmosphere is lively, and the conversation never stops flowing, except perhaps to ask for a refill.
The Left Hook Coffee and Press Coffee, Crêpes & Cocktails are great examples of how even within the same industry, each small business brings a vastly different experience and specialty.
gender messaging is a little more convoluted.
In terms of power dynamics, Iris is never framed as victimized or helpless. She takes her fate into her own hands, and it’s her resourcefulness that foils the plans of her human counterparts. The unexpectedness of her survival is part of what makes the movie consistently charming.
Throughout the movie, several more twists are revealed — more robots, a stash of money and unexpected recordings — which do a good job keeping the movie entertaining. Whenever the pacing did drag, the violence and suspense were ramped up again.
The bloody horror aspect was certainly the most entertaining. The movie had aspects of mystery, sci-fi, horror and romance but also a constant flow of absurd and creative kills.
It closes with a satisfying and hopeful notion but doesn’t leave the audience craving more of Iris’ story. “Companion” was a fun watch in theaters but would be just as valuable as a date night at home once it hits streaming platforms.
As consumers, we can shape our community with seemingly insignificant decisions, such as selecting a place to get a morning coffee. Being conscientious about shopping local, whether coffee or otherwise, fosters a diverse and vibrant future for Raleigh by encouraging the continued development of the specialty businesses that set us apart as a thriving, innovative city.
GRAPHIC BY EVIE DALLMANN
Dae Reed Correspondent
Love, history and sex: What to read this Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is approaching quickly, and if you’re looking for something sweet or melancholic to celebrate the holiday, look no further. Here is the ultimate guide to books featuring love.
“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
Jane Austen’s second and arguably most popular novel follows Elizabeth Bennet, a headstrong and intelligent young woman, and her tumultuous relationship with Mr. Darcy, a wealthy and proud landowner. Set in regency era England, where a woman’s economic and social security depend upon marriage, Elizabeth and her four sisters vie not only for a partner to secure their status but love and fulfillment. Austen explores themes of love, class and social expectations with radiant wit and exquisite prose.
“I cannot fix the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew I had begun.”
“The Wife” by Meg Wolitzer
In Meg Wolitzer’s “The Wife,” readers are introduced to Joan Castleman in the moments she decides to end her marriage to a renowned American author. Castleman has spent the last forty years suppressing her own literary talents to support her hus-
band through his own career. In her novel, Wolitzer questions the nature of partnership and the uncertain position of women in a male-dominated world.
“An Apprenticeship or the Book of Pleasures” by Clarice Lispector
In “An Apprenticeship or the Book of Pleasures,” Clarice Lispector delves into the life of Lóri, a primary school teacher struggling with solitude and isolation. Led into a more fulfilling life by Ulisses, a philosophy professor, Lóri explores the potential for a relationship and human connections. Lispector takes her reader on a unique and alluring journey through her character’s mind in a stream of consciousness and metaphysical style in what many call her most accessible work.
“Devotion” by Patti Smith
In this short work, author Patti Smith explores her motivations for writing and untangles her love for literature on a pilgrimage of sorts to monuments dedicated to philosophers and writers of the past. This book also includes an originally crafted short story about love and two people’s spiral into obsession. The tale follows the budding relationship between Eugenia, a young ice skater consumed by her art, and a possessive middle-aged collector. The book speaks on themes of love and self-discovery
in intricately formulated and beautiful compositions.
“Beloved” by Toni Morrison
Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison transcends genre in her spellbinding novel “Beloved.” The story takes place in both the period prior to and following the Civil War. It follows Sethe, a young mother, in her life after enslavement. Sethe is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died without a name and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word — beloved. Morrison questions the true meaning of freedom and leaves her readers to decipher truth from fiction and piece together the events that shape her characters. She tackles the cruelty of humanity and the sheer strength of hope and endurance.
“Some things you forget. Other things you never do. But it’s not. Places, places are still there. If a house burns down, it’s gone, but the place — the picture of it — stays, and not just in my rememory, but out there, in the world.”
“Rewitched” by Lucy Jane Wood
Rewitched, Lucy Jane Wood’s debut novel, combines fantasy with romance in a splendidly cozy exploration of self-love and growth. The book follows Belladonna Blackthorn, a burnt-out witch working in a bookstore. Her 30th birthday triggers a
summons from her coven, one that will test her magical abilities and if she fails, take them away. Confronted with the possibility of losing her magic, Blackthorn is forced to decide what is important to her. In a story that reads like a ‘90s rom-com, readers are invited to investigate what it means to truly love oneself.
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
In her warmly crafted novel, Louisa May Alcott weaves a story of love and friendship following the lives of her beloved March sisters — Amy, Jo, Beth and Meg. The story chronicles the sisters as they grow from children into adults and struggle to survive in the midst of the American Civil War. The story explores the conflict between personal ambition and familial responsibility in a timeless and beautiful manner.
“Atonement” by Ian McEwan
On a summer night in 1935, 13-yearold Briony Tallis accused her sister’s lover and the son of her family’s servant, Robbie Turner, of a terrible crime — a crime that’s repercussions will follow Tallis into adulthood and through the terror and carnage of World War II. At its core, this novel is an analysis of class and how it can impact the lens through which one is both seen by and sees their world.
GRAPHIC BY ANGEL CHEN
Piper Vance Correspondent
No Valentine?
Jordan Ramsey, Staff Cartoonist A fourth-year studying art and design
Their Loss
Alyssa Phillips, Staff Cartoonist
A fourth-year studying art and design
Making the Bed
Emma Reid, Staff Cartoonist A fourth-year in design studies
10 TECHNICIAN
Valentine’s Day is more about marketing than meaning
In the last few decades, we have seen Valentine’s Day — a traditionally religious holiday — take a turn for the worse. Not only has it become commercialized, but it has also evolved into nothing more than a performance. Many couples use it purely as an excuse to showcase their seemingly everso-perfect relationship when, in reality, it’s not all roses.
To be clear, I am not a bitter single here to moan and complain about Valentine’s Day, but it’s true — the holiday is not celebrated how it should be. It’s more of a promotional strategy for businesses and couples than a day to truly celebrate love.
Something that often goes overlooked is the surprising origins of Valentine’s Day, as most people don’t know why we celebrate. The holiday originated as a feast to celebrate the martyrdom of two saints, both named Valentine, who were executed on Feb. 14.
Many historians also believe Valentine’s Day can be tied to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which celebrated the coming of spring annually on Feb. 15. Lupercalia was a pagan festival involving animal sacrifice, random coupling and violent rituals, including the random whippings of women. This sexually-charged festival was eliminated by Pope Gelasius I in the fifth century and replaced by a day to celebrate the martyrdom of St. Valentine.
In today’s world, the festival and saints are rarely associated with Valentine’s Day. Instead, we associate the holiday with romance and relationships, which is only loosely tied to its origins.
In addition to overlooking most of the religious meaning, we’ve also taken some of its romantic meaning away by making the holiday about material gifts and a false sense of perfection.
Valentine’s Day has transformed from a personal celebration of love to a day dominated by consumerism. Overpriced flowers, chocolates and jewelry — is that really what
love is made of? The holiday seems more like an obligation than a true expression of affection.
What was once a celebration of love has now turned into an annual retail frenzy. This is a common theme with holidays. I mean, take a look at Christmas. It’s one of the most commercialized holidays out there, seemingly more about purchasing gifts and putting them under a tree than celebrating one of the most important events within the Christian faith.
Moreover, the presence of social media has turned Valentine’s Day into a way to promote relationships; it’s a PR stunt that ultimately sets unrealistic expectations for romance.
Social media posts often show lavish dates, expensive gifts and perfect smiles, but in many instances, this is a false representation. Your relationship doesn’t have to fit into that narrative because the reality is that most relationships don’t.
Valentine’s Day should be a happy occasion, but societal expectations create un-
necessary anxiety and pressure for couples, not to mention how excessive posting exacerbates the loneliness many singles already feel.
The constant comparison to what others post online can distort the true meaning of companionships. When relationships are reduced to pictures and likes, the deeper emotional connection that makes them special is overlooked. Valentine’s Day should focus on meaningful moments, not on curating the perfect image to show the world. The essence of Valentine’s Day is genius; it’s a day to celebrate the people you love. However, it’s important that we keep it authentic.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t need to be a public declaration. It should be a sincere expression of love towards the people you care about. It’s not about outdoing others or keeping up with trends. It’s about appreciating the people who matter most.
You can’t find love in a bubble
“Reality” dating shows have staked their success on a beautiful myth. The fantasy that there is someone out there perfectly made for you, but by some mistake of the universe, you haven’t met them yet. Dating apps have profited from this same delusion — that relationships can be formed remote from the constraints of daily life.
When the reality show couple inevitably breaks up, we aren’t shocked. We might pretend to be; their chemistry was so undeniable, right? You’ve never seen two people more head over heels; they were like teenagers in love.
In my case, watching The Bachelor in high school, you could always tell by the hometown dates and the uncanny performance of mundanity within the setting of a franchise television program.
Suppose I extrapolate the unsettling experience of watching Nick Viall attend a predominantly Black church to the torture of meeting someone on a vacation or the decision by some individuals to set their dating app locations to another city
or country.
In that case, the psychology is a dead horse beaten.
Love and attraction are two very different things. Perhaps our society has been starved for so long that we’re beginning to confuse the two, but a loving relationship can’t be formed without considering class and cultural differences. Certainly not without seeing a person in their regular environment, practicing their daily habits.
To clarify, texting about daily habits over the apps isn’t the same as seeing them in real life. Before entering the dating sphere, you might draft a list of wants from your potential partner. You want someone who exercises regularly, is driven and cares for themselves. It might impress you to receive texts at 6 a.m. post-workout from the person you met on Hinge. Will it impress you down the road when you have to hear them making protein smoothies at 6:15 a.m.?
Maybe you want someone intelligent and well-versed in current events. You’re tired of dating idiots. Do you really want to have a news round-up at dinner every night? Are you ready for the conversation to always lead back to the current admin-
istration?
This long-winded series of Socratic questioning aims to make you consider whether your ideal person is just that — an ideal. The personification of traits you lack cannot be transmuted into signs of compatibility. Socioeconomic conditions will naturally influence an individual’s personality and way of interacting with the world, including dating. No study claims that two people who grew up in opposing classes can’t be in a relationship, but plenty of studies suggest they will have different values. These pathologies can be related to attachment theory, which indicates that a child’s initial relationship with their caregivers will affect their development and ability to form bonds.
A decade before Bowlby’s work on attachment theory. An American sociologist, Melvin Kohn, published “Class and Conformity.” His work aimed to discover how class conditions affect a person’s personality, specifically their values.
One may be naive to assume that similar values are the hallmark of compatibility. At the very least, I hope people consider it when entering relationships. Unfortunately, I don’t remember a con-
versation I’ve seen on television that was more substantive than who would move in with whom. Nary an utter of “Are we raising our children with religion?” Let alone “Would you stop working to raise children?”
The insanity of getting engaged on television seems evident to most of the population, but can we say we’re any less fantastical with our dating aspirations? Sure, high standards are necessary, but status markers and standards are two different things. On the flip side, the depth associated with someone who faced significant adversity doesn’t automatically equal emotional intelligence or maturity. Realistically, you have to look at actions and how similar those actions are to yours. Not how you want to act or how you want them to behave, but now in the present. I’ve asked enough questions; I want you to ask yourself: Does this person live a life similar to yours? Does their future life look like the one you, as an individual, see for yourself, regardless of whether they’re in the picture?
Answer honestly, and I think you’ll find the kind of love formed in a bubble always pops.
Sophia Robertson Staff Writer
Rocky Berhe
Assistant Opinion Editor
Love is not a bad word
Words have power. They start and end wars, inspire generations and expand knowledge. And — sometimes scariest of all — they express our deepest vulnerabilities.
Some of the most powerful words, like “I love you,” leave a lot of us cowering and hesitant.
More and more often, I come across the objectification of love. We stick to rigid timelines, aim for unrealistic expectations and try to put love into a one-size-fits-all box. Think of the “three-month theory” or “If he wanted to, he would” comments.
We overanalyze love like we overanalyze everything else — and it makes sense.
We live in a world of gray areas and overwhelming amounts of information, words bombarding us day in and day out. We analyze the world around us to the extent that
it’s unnatural; never in history have we had so much information readily available. Honestly, scrolling through Instagram or TikTok can feel like Sisyphus and the boulder. To deal with it, our ever-human minds turn to categorization. We create objectives for how to integrate this information into our lives.
We constantly compare ourselves to “perfect” couples and influencers who seem to have it all figured out. We try to fit the internet’s social rules into our worldviews.
In the process, we try to define the most undefinable thing in the human experience: love.
Who should say “I love you” first? When is it “OK” to say it? How should we say it?
We focus so much on the “right” way to do things rather than actually just doing it.
It’s the exact reason we’re such a lonely generation. We crave connection and reject the vulnerability necessary to achieve it. We spiral in our heads with situationships and
worry about commitment.
A relentless self-consciousness holds us back; we fear being rejected as ourselves. You can’t filter or edit your soul.
Love becomes a daunting task, an almost impossible maze. It’s hard to be a 20-something but it’s even harder to be a 20-something and faced with love.
We expect so much from the word “love,” but it doesn’t mean it’s unapproachable. Because love is so undefinable, in practice, it can easily be more freeing than it is frightening. The only way you can love is simply by loving.
We’ve lost our tenderness — not just in romance but in all of our relationships too. To say “I love you” is to offer tenderness to another, all the while requiring a distinct self-reflection. You have to sit with yourself quietly amidst the onslaught of information and feel. You need to look at yourself.
Tenderness is not weakness. It’s courage. It should be offered to your romantic part-
ner but also to your friends. To your family. To yourself. There is a reason that the pen is often compared to the sword: words are some of the influential tools we have at our disposal. To use them is a gift, especially when it’s for good.
Some of the great stories that have endured for centuries have been stories of love. Stories, I may add, of professed love. Romeo and Juliet didn’t twiddle their thumbs and play hard to get over text for five months.
Mr. Darcy in “Pride and Prejudice” was a little dramatic, saying, “You have bewitched me body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you” after prancing across a dewy morning field, but he was honest, and he and Elizabeth Bennet bickered a little less after that. Love will always be scary; it’s a risk and a sensitive one at that. But to engage the human spirit is to be courageous — and tender. Say “I love you” and mean it. Feel it.
GRAPHIC
Logan Lowery Correspondent
12 TECHNICIAN
North Carolina teens are being set up for failure in sex ed
Jacob Smith Staff Writer
Remember that one scene from Mean Girls where the gym teacher says, “Don’t have sex, ‘cause you will get pregnant and die”? That’s not too far from what some students hear in school.
The scene is humorous because of its absurdity — but what’s not funny is that for many students in the U.S., their actual sex education isn’t much better.
Across the country, and especially in states such as North Carolina, students are taught misleading or incomplete information about sex, sexual health and sexual communication. Many are left utterly unprepared for real-life situations — especially considering the fact that most people have their first sexual experience at around 15-19 years old, according to a 2017 report by the Demographic and Health Surveys Program.
In North Carolina, curriculum requires instruction on pregnancy prevention, STDs and HIV, but it does not have to be “comprehensive.” Teachers must explain the benefits of abstinence and teach that a faithful monogamous heterosexual marriage is the best way to prevent STDs.
Only 56% of schools in the state reported teaching students how to correctly use a condom. The nonprofit organization Sex Ed for Social Change gave North Carolina a D+ rating for sex ed content; a comparably high rating in a country where many states don’t even require sex education.
This unpreparedness can lead to higher rates of teen pregnancies, transmission of sexually transmitted infections and sexual violence. Rather than giving students the knowledge
they need to make informed decisions, sex education in many public schools relies on fear tactics and outdated moral arguments.
So, why is sex education in America still failing us, and what can we do to fix it?
The primary practice in sex education in most public schools is called the “abstinence only” approach. This method teaches that abstinence is the only acceptable form of preventing pregnancy and STDs.
This method is often based on moral or religious motivations rather than empirical factors. The idea of “waiting until marriage” is frequently a key part of this form of sex education, and oftentimes notions of harm reduction — such as education on contraception use — are left out of the curriculum.
These methods are just as ineffective as they are outdated. That is, abstinence-only education doesn’t prevent teen sex, it just prevents teen education.
Moreover, those who are educated under abstinence-only programs are less likely to use contraception or understand sexual health, which can lead to a higher risk of teen pregnancies. North Carolina consistently remains ranked in the top 50% of states with the highest teen birth rates.
Our current method of sex education also fails to teach students the importance of sexual communication, most prominently the importance of consent.
Sexual violence is extremely prevalent, especially on college campuses. RAINN reports that sexual violence is more common on college campuses than other crimes, such as robbery. During a student’s first few months in college, they are placed at an increased risk of being subject to sexual violence; a period called the “red zone.”
Many abstinence-only education programs fail to address consent, as well as stress its importance when approaching sexual activities. This leaves students vulnerable to sexual coercion and violent encounters that we, as students, are then susceptible to at the college level.
This can severely damage a student’s relationship with others, themselves and their relationship with sex itself.
The emotional, mental and physical trauma associated with sexual assault is oftentimes further fed into by the teachings of abstinenceonly education programs, such as the “purity” narrative, one that shames students, especially female students, for sexual activity.
Another major failure on the part of our current system of sexual education is the absence of education for queer individuals.
Our current programs often exclude LGBTQ+ relationships, leaving many students without relevant information to ensure their sexual safety. This leads these individuals to turn to their peers or the internet for crucial information, which is not always the most reliable source of information, especially for more personal matters.
Studies have shown that LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk for STIs, and this correlates with the inadequate education that they are given.
The exclusion of LGBTQ+ topics reinforces the idea that non-heterosexual orientations are “wrong” or “deviant,” something that can negatively impact a person when they grapple with identity in college. Moreover, this contributes to a cycle of stigmatization and negativity that has a severe impact on a large group of youth today.
Sex education is supposed to prepare students for the realities of life, but in many
schools — especially in schools in North Carolina — it achieves the opposite. Abstinenceonly education leaves students unprepared and misinformed.
The consequences of this form of education are clear: Failing to teach young people about their bodies and relationships doesn’t prevent them from having sex — it prevents them from making informed decisions that keep them safe.
While the prospects seem grim, change is possible. States can adopt comprehensive sexual education curricula that result in fewer instances of unsafe and uninformed sexual activity. North Carolina can do the same, but we must demand this change.
With the election of Mo Green as the State Superintendent in the previous election, North Carolina has been set on the right track to begin working toward a more comprehensive and equitable system of sexual education. As students who were once a part of this flawed educational system, we must look within ourselves and understand to what degree our education has set us up for failure and in what ways we need to educate ourselves to be able to make well-informed decisions to remain safe during this crucial time in our lives. While we aren’t in the age group that needs to be educated on these matters anymore, many of us have siblings, family members or friends who have or will go through the same deteriorating system that we did, and we need to stand alongside them to work towards a system that prepares students for real-life actions with real-life consequences.
Because when it comes to education, ignorance is never the right answer.
Fritton, Willadsen’s potential return to form could define NC State baseball’s season
Colby Trotter
Sports Editor
NC State baseball head coach Elliott
Avent isn’t one for cliches or coach talk. Avent tells it how it is. He’s quick to point out something he doesn’t like but also quick to praise. So it was no surprise Avent had an honest assessment of his team heading into the season.
“We’re going to need pitching,” Avent said. “We lost 70% of our offense.”
Fortunately for the Wolfpack, there’s a consensus it boasts one of the best pitching staffs in the country. In D1Baseball’s Top 100 relievers list, NC State was the only school with two pitchers in the Top 10 — sophomore Jacob Dudan at one and junior Derrick Smith at seven — and sophomore Cooper Consiglio cracked the Top 50.
Plus sophomores Jaxon Lucas, Heath Andrews, Ryan Marohn and Camden Wimbish are all expected to be key cogs in the rotation after showing flashes of brilliance in their freshman seasons. Then there are veterans like junior Andrew Shaffner and senior Carson Kelly who’ve proved they can get the job done.
“I’d say we were pretty deep last year, and I think we might have even more guys this year,” Kelly said.
The players mentioned above already make up one of the most formidable pitching staffs in the country. But if two other players can return to peak form, NC State has the chance to boast the best arm barn in the nation.
The pitchers in question? Graduate right-hander Matt Willadsen and junior left-hander Dominic Fritton. Willadsen is coming back from injury after missing all of last season while Fritton is trying to bounce
amount of walks.
Fritton had the option to enter the draft after last season, but he chose to return to NC State because of the faith the coaching staff showed when they stuck with him last season despite the struggles. Going into this season, Fritton said he has a lot more mental clarity.
“Don’t put too much pressure on the moment, not try to do too much,” Fritton said. “If you can just put all the mental blocks by and just go out there and play, that’s the best thing to do.”
Now that Fritton is more at peace with who he is as a pitcher, there’s hope he can replicate his freshman season. His coach believes he has what it takes to get back there, pointing to a moment from the day’s earlier scrimmage as evidence of his belief.
Avent said Fritton didn’t have his best stuff during the game, but it was Fritton’s response to adversity that gave Avent the confidence his starting pitcher is back on track.
back from an underwhelming sophomore campaign.
Pegged as the Wolfpack’s top pitcher going into 2024 after leading the team in innings pitched and strikeouts the year prior, Willadsen’s season ended before it began when he injured his elbow on the first day of spring practice.
Willadsen said he should be ready to go on opening day, but Avent said he will start the season in the bullpen, allowing Willadsen to gradually work his way back to form. While Willadsen coming out of the bullpen will be a welcome sight for the Pack, at some point it will want to see him as a starter.
In 2023, Willadsen produced seven quality starts — an outing of at least six innings while giving up three runs or less. If Willadsen can replicate that this season and then hand the ball off to Dudan and Smith, the Wolfpack will be tough to beat.
Then there’s Fritton, who started 17 games last season but is trying to put 2024 behind him. After leading the Wolfpack in opponent’s batting average and ERA in 2023 on the way to First Team Freshman All-America honors, Fritton regressed his sophomore season. His ERA went from 3.59 to 7.64, he struck out fewer batters despite pitching 10 more innings and nearly doubled his
“His body language, his professionalism on the mound showed not only me, but it showed every player in that dugout how you’re supposed to act when you’re playing at a program like this,” Avent said.
With a clear-minded Fritton and a healthy Willadsen, both have the opportunity to reconjure their 2023 selves — something that could take NC State’s already lethal pitching staff to new heights.
If Fritton and Willadsen can reach their full potential then the Wolfpack’s arms will be more than capable of carrying an inexperienced offense back to the Men’s College World Series.
Pack women’s tennis is learning lessons, planting seeds after first month of play
Ethan Bakogiannis Managing Editor
Sporting its youngest squad in seasons, No. 19 NC State women’s tennis has returned from a three-week road trip. After the Pack’s 5-2 win against Old Dominion on Saturday, let’s go over a few key takeaways from head coach Simon Earnshaw’s team after the first month of play.
Road trip lessons
After an impressive win against then-No. 10 Pepperdine to start its 2025 campaign,
NC State took to the road to compete in the ITA Kickoff Weekend against Texas and SMU in a pair of nonconference matches. While the Wolfpack pulled off an impressive win over Pepperdine, NC State fell flat while competing at the all-important ITA Kickoff Weekend. With a chance to play more valuable, resume-building matches against ranked teams on the line, the Wolfpack fell to then-No. 15 Ohio State and was upset by Texas Tech in the event’s consolation round.
Earnshaw said the loss against the Buckeyes was because of a lack of execution —
something pivotal for a high-pressure match such as this.
“We try to play very proactive and moving forward, and we were super passive and we just didn’t give a good show of ourselves against a very good team,” Earnshaw said. “So that was disappointing. And then Texas Tech, it was kind of more of the same — people not handling the outcome of the Ohio State match well.”
NC State’s roster currently consists of seven underclassmen and just one upperclassman in junior Anna Zyryanova. For almost every Wolfpack player, a road
match against Ohio State was the first highpressure environment of their collegiate careers — something tough to acclimate to and emerge with a victory as a young team early in the season.
It seems if the Pack’s young team internalized its performance at the ITA Kickoff Weekend — the red-and-white played then-No. 10 Texas to the brink in its next match. A close 4-3 loss to the Longhorns came down to the wire and while Earn-
GRIFFIN BRYANT
Sophomore pitcher Dominic Fritton pitches during the Wolfpack’s home game against UNC-Chapel Hill on Doak Field at Dail Park on Friday, April 19, 2024. Fritton, the starting pitcher for the Wolfpack Friday night, pitched for a season high six innings giving up four hits for four runs on 99 pitches. The Wolfpack beat the Tar Heels 5-4.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
continued from page 13
shaw said losses like this do count as lessons learned for this young team, there’s a balance between winning and taking your lumps after losses.
“It’s important and it’s a great experience, but you can’t take too many punches until you can’t get back up off the floor,” Earnshaw said. “So it’s a balancing act.”
NC State did manage to get back up off the floor with back-to-back wins at SMU and against Old Dominion, hoping it can extend the streak to three against No. 6 Michigan on Friday.
Laki leads the way
The brightest spot for the Wolfpack this season has been No. 52 standout freshman Michaela Laki. The Greece native has upset
not one, but two Top-10 ranked opponents in her team’s matches against Pepperdine and Old Dominion.
Laki quickly earned Earnshaw’s approval to command Court 1 at the beginning of the season and she’s proven why she deserves it with a pair of big-time wins. Former players such as Amelia Rajecki, Diana Shnaider and Alana Smith, have owned the Court 1 spot for the Pack’s past few seasons, and though it’s early, Laki could be on track to joining those players as some of the most impactful in program history.
However, while she’s shown potential, Laki will have to show she can play at her highest level week-in, week-out. With plenty of tough tests ahead, she’ll have lots of chances to keep proving herself against the nation’s toughest opponents.
Like Laki, many of the Pack’s players are underclassmen. While she’s leading the bunch, both Laki and the rest of her teammates are learning their way through college tennis one match at a time.
Even players such as sophomores Gabri-
ella Broadfoot and Kristina Paskauskas, who saw limited playing time last season, are still learning as they go.
“In many ways, they’re first-year starters this year, and they’re still very early in this and you can see it,” Earnshaw said. “It’s still a little bit weighty for them — a lot of responsibility. The matches will help us get there.”
Planting seeds
Earnshaw’s message to the team after its win over Old Dominion centered around staying positive. More specifically, not letting negative thoughts creep in, or not ‘planting a seed’ during matches.
“Sometimes when you plant a seed, no matter where you plant, it might start growing,” Earnshaw said. “And if it’s a weed, you got to cut that thing out as soon as possible. Yeah, we just need to do a better job with game management.”
Earnshaw emphasized this concept when gearing up to play teams such as Michigan
COLUMN
in just a few days where there is little to no margin of error for his team.
“If you allow something to happen, it might just happen,” Earnshaw said. “And I felt like we were acting a little too much when things didn’t go our way and maybe not allowing the tennis and the score or maybe the positive pieces to be the kind of the narrative of the match.”
NC State’s third ranked test of the season is set for Friday against the fearsome No. 6 Wolverines. Earnshaw said NC State will have to play its best match of the season to beat them — one with little to no mental slips from his team.
“We’re going to have to really show what we’re capable of against Michigan, because they’re no joke,” Earnshaw said. “Brutally efficient so far in most of their matches, but every day is a different match.”
First serve against the Wolverines is set for 3 p.m. at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center in Raleigh.
Rylee Wyman must be NC State softball’s go-to pitcher in 2025
Aidan Carlson Assistant Sports Editor
Coming off a season where she led the team in innings pitched, appearances, starts, saves and ERA, junior right-handed pitcher Rylee Wyman will carry an even heavier workload in 2025 for NC State softball. In her third season with the team and on the mound, Wyman will need to dominate the strike zone more than ever in order for the Wolfpack to find success this season.
As a freshman in 2023, Wyman was thrust into a starting role and had limited success. In her first year, Wyman finished with a 2-9 record, 74.1 innings pitched, 45 strikeouts and an 8.48 ERA — the worst of three pitchers who averaged one inning pitched per game.
Wyman had to sit back and watch as fellow freshman at the time, junior righthanded pitcher Madison Inscoe, took on that lead spot. In her first year, Inscoe led all NC State pitchers with 130.2 innings pitched and 25 starts.
Luckily for Wyman, Inscoe’s versatility as a two-way player has benefitted her. In 2023, Inscoe appeared in one game as the designated hitter, but in 2024 she appeared in 33 games as DH. From 2023 to 2024, Inscoe’s batting average jumped from .160 to .313 on one less at-bat.
As a result of Inscoe’s usage in spots other than the mound, Wyman’s innings pitched and starts jumped from 74.1 and 15, respec-
tively, in 2023 to 111 and 19 in 2024. Inscoe on the other hand, saw her number of innings pitched reduced by 42.1.
Wyman’s evolution began in 2024 when first-year head coach Lindsay Leftwich trusted her to start big games and she rewarded that faith. In the series opener
against then-No. 15/13 Virginia Tech, Wyman pitched a complete game, only allowing four runs as the Pack went on to upset the Hokies for its first ACC win of the year.
At the end of the season, Wyman notched two more complete games against No. 5
Duke, only giving up 12 hits in 14 innings pitched as the Pack fell by a combined three runs in those two games.
One of Wyman’s best performances from last year came against UConn early in the season. In another complete game, Wyman totaled 11 strikeouts — a career-high.
“She had a phenomenal performance,” Leftwich said following her team’s game against UConn. “She spent a lot of time working on her mental game this week and just really showed up and competed a lot better than she has before.”
Mental toughness will be key, not just for Wyman but for the whole team. Every pitcher will have their back against the wall at some point in the season, and the Pack’s success will come down to how they respond. Wyman is now a veteran pitcher for the Wolfpack and will be looked to as a leader.
The junior has pitched 10 innings in 2025, a complete game against Cal State Bakersfield and three innings against UCF. With mixed results, Wyman has played well but the team is going to need her to be better. NC State is coming off a season to forget from a record standpoint but is a team that returns a lot of its starters from last year, including Wyman. If the whole team can find its footing as a middle-of-the-standings ACC team, don’t be surprised if it’s Wyman leading the way.
EMILY PEEDIN
Sophomore pitcher Rylee Wyman hurls the ball in the game against North Dakota State at Dail Softball Stadium on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. Wyman pitched for four innings and had two strikeouts. The Wolfpack beat the Bison 6-4.
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NC State athletics overreactions this week
Lee Staff Writer
Every game at NC State produces new narratives that mold the foundation of programs, for better or worse. Is it too early to reach a verdict, or is it time to panic? Let’s judge some of the biggest overreactions for the Wolfpack with romance in the air.
“NC State women’s basketball is flirting with an ACC Championship.”
Head coach Wes Moore and NC State women’s basketball have ripped off eight straight wins, climbing back into the AP top 10 and reentering the ACC Championship conversation.
In the last ranking update on Feb. 9, the Wolfpack surpassed No. 12 UNC-Chapel Hill and No. 13 Duke, who it bested a week ago. NC State now sits firmly in second place in the ACC standings, only behind No. 2 Notre Dame, who is 12-0 in ACC play.
After the pivotal win over the Blue Devils, Moore refocused the narrative surrounding the turnaround.
“I’m proud of what they did in January,” Moore said. “Now, February is brutal. Five out of six [games] against ranked teams, three of them on the road and the two at home are Duke and Notre Dame, two top 10 teams. … We still have a lot of speed bumps ahead of us, but this is obviously a big win tonight.”
In an offseason where the team’s top questions surrounded its frontcourt, the Wolfpack have found consistency with 6-foot-6 freshman center Tilda Trygger. The emergence of the Swedish sensation has ignited the offense since her first start in December, averaging 83.4 points.
Most recently, Trygger scored 16 points plus a team-leading 14 rebounds and three blocks in a 97-74 smashing of No. 23 Florida State, the ACC’s highest-scoring offense.
The interior spark puts the Wolfpack in the thick of the hunt, even among the likes of Notre Dame.
NC State has a pair of litmus tests on back-to-back Sundays. The team travels to Chapel Hill to take on the Tar Heels and hosts the Fighting Irish on ESPN one week later. As February unfolds, the Wolfpack’s ability to navigate these high-pressure matchups will determine whether this “turnaround” is the beginning of a con-
ference championship run. Conclusion: Not an overreaction
“NC State men’s basketball loves Kevin Keatts enough to keep him.”
Amid an eight-game losing streak, athletic director Boo Corrigan has a dilemma on his hands — keep the coach who’s out of answers or fire the coach who led the program to the Final Four.
NC State men’s basketball has looked helpless offensively, going on grueling stretches where there seem to be no quality shots. Head coach Kevin Keatts recognizes that every team is going to throw a 2-3 zone his way and dare the Wolfpack to respond.
In fairness, the head coach and star of a basketball team, specifically in college, often is given too much credit, whether positive or negative. In football, it’s the quarterback and coach who are given too much praise in wins and too much blame in losses. In basketball, the outline is the same.
However, without a primary scorer or “face” like former forward DJ Burns was last year, it’s difficult to point the finger in any other direction as fans feel the heat of a 2-10 conference record. The Wolfpack have yet to win a game outside of Raleigh and now have less than a month to sneak into the ACC Tournament.
In an expanded ACC landscape, three teams will be left out of the conference tournament. Keatts’ Wolfpack currently
sits second-to-last and would miss the tournament if it started today. At 2-10, it needs two wins to tie Notre Dame for the final seed, a team it holds a head-to-head win over this season.
Just under a year ago, Technician’s former senior sports writer Ben Ellis wrote a piece on Keatts, claiming that he deserved another chance regardless of the season’s results.
“Keatts has proven that he can maximize the potential of his players, and he has even proven that he can compete with Duke and UNC, beating each three times,” Ellis wrote. “He’s a stand-up guy who runs his program the right way.”
Ellis was proven right after an unforgettable March, but a year later, as NC State struggles through one of its worst conference stretches under Keatts, does that argument still hold?
Four of the Pack’s eight losses during this stretch have been by one possession, hinting that the Wolfpack could be a player away from a more palpable record.
The banners hanging from the Lenovo Center rafters still loom as fresh reminders of a former time when the Memorial Bell Tower shone red night after night. That recent history — and a fully guaranteed six years left on his contract — will be enough to secure Keatts another year in Raleigh.
Conclusion: Not an overreaction
“Gabriella Broadfoot and Maddy Zampardo are doubles soulmates.”
NC State women’s tennis has been brilliant this season, particularly the doubles duo of No. 2 sophomores Gabriella Broadfoot and Maddy Zampardo.
In late September, the two won the ITA All-American doubles championship, setting the stage for magnified winter expectations. Broadfoot and Zampardo have answered, rising to No. 2 nationally with a 23-4 record in which all four losses have been to top 6 ranked opponents.
Zampardo was part of a duo that reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament with recently graduated superstar Amelia Rajecki, who won ITA Senior Player of the Year this past spring and is now a British tennis rising star. Zampardo and Rajecki were 28-9 on the court together.
Despite the departure of Rajecki, a First Team All-American, NC State found another formidable pairing with Broadfoot and Zampardo, who have maintained the program’s standard of doubles excellence. The two became the 14th Pack pair to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in November.
So far this winter, the two have won two of three matches against ITA top 10 opponents, including a 6-2 victory over Pepperdine’s No. 7 ranked duo. Their on-court chemistry has been undeniable, with each player anticipating the other’s moves like a well-synced duo.
NC State has five games remaining featuring top 25 doubles opponents, including the No. 1 ranked Virginia duo and a potential rematch with No. 5 UNCChapel Hill. Pivotal matches like these will provide key tests ahead of the NCAA Championships.
Broadfoot and Zampardo hope to become the second Wolfpack duo to claim the NCAA Doubles Championship, joining 2022 champs Jaeda Daniel and Nell Miller. The NCAA National Championships take place May 15-18.
The pair would likely be a top seed in May based on their resume in the fall and matches against other top-tier opponents. With an ITA championship already secured and NCAA Tournament experience in hand, the duo aims to make another title run and join the Wolfpack’s growing legacy of doubles champions.
Conclusion: Not an overreaction
KAELA BELINGON
Head coach Kevin Keatts communicates with NC State players on the court during the Wolfpack’s game against the Duke Blue Devils in Cameron Indoor on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. The Blue Devils beat the Wolfpack 74-64.
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