Back In Business — Technician 01/19/23

NC State professor named to National Inventors Hall of Fame

Rodolphe Barrangou, Todd R. Klaenhammer Distinguished Professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, will be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for his work using the CRISPR gene-editing system to enhance bacteria’s resistance to viruses. Barrangou is credited with over 50 issued and pending patents.

SOURCE: NC STATE NEWS

North Carolina Zoo announces death of Natalie, a southern white rhinoceros

The North Carolina Zoo announced the death of Natalie, a 30-year-old southern white rhinoceros. Zoo officials said Natalie was euthanized Jan. 10 after a period of declining health which led to a decrease in quality of life. Zookeepers said Natalie liked spending time with a fellow rhinoceros named Abby.

SOURCE: WRAL

Stray cow visits Olive Garden in Oklahoma

A lost cow was spotted wandering outside an Olive Garden on Jan. 13 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Stillwater Police Department said they questioned the cow and learned he was curious about Olive Garden’s never ending soup and salad meal. The cow was safely relocated. The cow’s origins are unknown.

SOURCE: UPI

Australian runner completes 150 marathons in 150 days

Australian runner Erchana Murray-Bartlett completed 150 marathons in 150 days to raise money to conserve Australia’s biodiversity. Murray-Bartlett ran 26.2 miles per day, a total of 3,900 miles, from Australia’s northern tip to the southern city of Melbourne.

SOURCE: CNN

THE RADAR

Events to keep an eye on for the week of Jan. 19

MARCH LIKE MARTIN: MOVE!

Friday, Jan. 20, 12:30-2:30 p.m. STAFFORD COMMONS Free

Join the African American Cultural Center and Multicultural Student Affairs to close out Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration week with a student-led march honoring King’s legacy. This year’s theme is movement.

THE BLACK

FLEA MARKET

Sunday, Jan. 22, Noon-4 p.m. THE CORNER Free

Support Black-owned businesses at the Black Flea Market on Centennial Campus featuring shopping, music and food.

GLBT CENTER 15 YEAR

SUITE LIFE

Monday, Jan. 23, 3-5 p.m.

GLBT CENTER, TALLEY STUDENT UNION, SUITE 5230 Free

Join the GLBT Center for desserts and beverages as they celebrate 15 years in their suite in Talley Student Union.

LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

Wednesday, Jan. 25, 7-9 p.m.

TALLEY STUDENT UNION, MOUNTAINS/ PIEDMONT BALLROOMS Free

Celebrate the beginning of the lunar calendar and the

with the Office of Global Engagement.

NC State student accepted into Peace Corps

Jenna Cuniowski Assisstant Sports Editor

Nico Defosse, a fourth-year studying human biology and French literature, recently earned the opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps. Defosse plans to graduate in the spring and will travel to a Cameroonian village to work alongside local leaders as an HIV coordinator for at least two years.

Defosse said joining the Peace Corps has been a goal of his for a long time. He recalls first hearing about the opportunity when a recruiter visited his high school. Ever since then, he’s made an effort to stay up to date with the organization and kept the opportunity in the back of his mind. He finally began the application process in August of 2022 and learned of his acceptance into the Peace Corps at the end of October.

In completing his application, Defosse enlisted the help of Inas Messiha, a teaching associate professor in the Foreign Languages Department who he has taken many classes with during his time at NC State. Messiha said Defosse’s desire to join the Peace Corps seemed only natural to her.

“It made a lot of sense because he was really, really interested in learning about others and really understanding how people

think and why,” Messiha said.

Defosse strongly emphasized this aspect of the Peace Corps. He said connecting with the local people in Cameroon is his ultimate goal.

“Half of my job in service is cultural exchange,” Defosse said. “That’s a part of my job description: going to local events, eating local food, spending time in the community. So alongside all the HIV work, I’m just representing America.”

Defosse said an integral part of his confidence in immersing himself into this new culture comes from his study of the French language throughout his years at NC State, which is also the primary language in Cameroon.

Both Inas and Defosse said language is among the most important tools a person can have as a college graduate, but this fact is seldom acknowledged by today’s students.

“Language is just a tool that you use to actually perform the job that you wanted to perform all along, you can just perform it in a larger environment,” Messiha said.

In fact, Defosse said he largely credits his language skills for his acceptance into the Peace Corps.

“Getting more involved in a language

makes you way more competitive,” Defosse said. “In terms of the biology aspect, I don’t really think I stood out all that much. I enjoyed maternal health, but I think what really made me competitive is my level of French. They really want you to represent America well, and if you can’t communicate, it doesn’t really matter how great at biology you are.”

Defosse said his in-depth understanding of French will not only help him deeply connect with the people he meets during his service, but also serve him well in perform-

OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

ing his job as HIV coordinator in conjunction with his knowledge of biology.

“I’m basically going to be teaching people safe sex practices and promoting knowing your HIV status,” Defosse said.

After he graduates in the spring, Defosse will go through training in Washington, D.C. with other Americans and then leave for Cameroon on June 6. In Cameroon, he’ll go through another three months of training before officially beginning his job as HIV coordinator.

Technology lending service no longer offering long-term laptop loans

Kate Denning Correspondent

Like over 900 other students, Henry Kon, a third-year studying science, technology and society, took use of the University Libraries’ technology lending service this past fall by borrowing a laptop after his personal device was stolen just weeks before the fall semester began. Kon said he was able to receive an extended loan for the duration of the fall semester while he navigated insurance disputes and attempts at data restoration. That was until the technology lending team sent an email informing him this policy of extended loans would no longer be in effect for the following semester. The maximum time students are permitted to borrow a laptop is now capped at eight hours, as it was prior to spring of 2020.

While Kon has since made other technology arrangements, he said the policy change is inequitable, particularly for commuters like himself.

“For commuter students whose laptop may be their only device, they’re already at a disadvantage because they have to pay for parking and a lot of other expenses,” Kon said. “They lose their one

machine and their only choice is to go into the library. They might not have a parking pass, they might have to pay extra, they might lose time on the bus having to get to the library just to submit an assignment, especially when a lot of assignments are now through Moodle. It’s really a step backwards that I feel unfairly impacts commuter students.”

The library team responded to an email from Kon with their condolences, but said they did not have the means to continue the long-term service.

“We simply do not have the resources that would be required to scale this service up to provide longer-term lending in an equitable manner to all of the students who may request it, particularly in the absence of a University-wide system of determining and documenting the relative needs,” said Chief Strategist for Student Success Rob Rucker in response to Kon’s email.

Carolyn Argentati, deputy director of University Libraries, said in order to offer help to as many students as possible, the libraries are largely unable to meet more specialized needs.

“The libraries just cannot scale our short-term lending service at a level

that would respond to anyone that asserted that they had that kind of need,” Argentati said. “We don’t have a way of validating someone’s status, and commuting can mean a lot of different things

to a lot of different people. We are, and have been for decades, committed to the existing short-term lending service, and

COURTESY

GRAPHIC BY RAFAEL ZINGLE/TECHNICIAN

NC State athletes take advantage of NIL activities

Heidi Reid Assistant News Editor

NC State athletes have begun to capitalize on recent changes in the NCAA’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) policies. In July 2021, the NCAA gave athletes the opportunity to earn income from NIL activities.

Madison Hayes, a third-year studying communication and member of the women’s basketball team, said NIL activities assist in supporting athletes’ educations and help them build connections for the future.

“It just adds on to helping our future,” Hayes said. “Especially with future endeavors. You could be brought in for Adidas, Nike, you could be like doing car dealerships. It could really help get you out there, not only just for endeavors with companies, it could also get you out there with WNBA even though you’re not trying to.”

Hayes said the top athletes in the country can now participate in paid promotions, such as modeling or recording advertisements.

“For instance, Bojangles hit me up about doing a video and coming back out with the sandwiches or some meals that they wanted to promote, that they haven’t done in a while,” Hayes said. “Then they pay you for that video. I gave you something, you give something back.”

Matti Smith, director of communications for women’s basketball, men’s soccer and women’s golf at NC State, said each team’s respective communications contact assists athletes with personal branding, social media and resources to facilitate NIL activities.

“When it comes to NIL, ultimately, I think the biggest thing to remember is that the student-athletes are able to capitalize on their name, image and likeness now, but that also

puts the responsibility of carrying that heavy load in their hand,” Smith said. “From our perspective, the biggest thing that I find us doing is just helping them grow their social media following, helping provide them with resources like photos and videos of themselves to do that, getting them ideas that they can do on social media to get their brands out there.”

The communications teams can help connect athletes with potential businesses and donors that want to partner with them but cannot have any involvement in contract negotiation, Smith said.

“We aren’t allowed to have any involvement in … deciding how much money is going to be made or even helping them [with]

Maintaining a regular sleep schedule stabilizes physical and mental health

Vespa Assistant News Editor

Over half of college students get less than the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. Experts say maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is critical to one’s physical and mental health.

Shobhan Gaddameedhi, an associate professor in the department of biological sciences and principal investigator in the Circadian Clock and Genotoxic Stress Laboratory, said the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle is a circadian rhythm, meaning it is coordinated by an internal biological clock that is set by external cues. Gaddameedhi said a common disruption to students’ sleep-wake cycle is called social jetlag, which occurs when people stay up late and sleep in on weekends. This shift in one’s sleep schedule affects the circadian rhythm similar to traveling across time zones.

“By Monday, for students trying to go back to their normal schedule, it’s forcing against their biological clock,” Gaddameedhi said. “Our physical clock changes, but our biological clock doesn’t change like that.”

Disrupting the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle can influence one’s mental health because the circadian clock plays a role in balancing mood, Gaddameedhi said.

“Neurotransmitters, which connect our neurons in the brain, play a role in stabilizing the mood and behavior of an individual,” Gaddameedhi said. “When there is sleep disruption or circadian disruption such as social jetlag — where a student, because they have to study a lot, they don’t sleep well — that could affect their serotonin levels or dopamine levels, which are mood stabilizers. Students could feel de

big social media posts or executing whatever the deal is,” Smith said. “Most of it’s just like connecting them with people. Making that initial phone call or email between the two people and then letting them take it from there.”

Smith said previous NCAA policies didn’t allow athletes to use their name, image or likeness for any kind of entrepreneurship, including their own personal brands.

“At the end of the day, I think name image and likeness is really important for our student-athletes who are go-getters and entrepreneurs and want to take initiative to make their money,” Smith said. “I like to remind people that this is great for our student-athletes who just have that entre-

preneurial spirit and really want to go out and start their own business and build their personal brand.”

NCAA policy says athletes are able to hire professional services to assist in forming and managing NIL deals.

“I’ve really been just really focused on basketball, but I’ve been trying to get an agent for branding, marketing stuff,” Hayes said. “Just for branding and marketing. [They have] to go through our NC State people to make sure that they understand that I have an agent for branding and marketing. It’s like a whole process, you have to make sure that they’re only doing that, that you know that they’re doing their job. It can be really difficult.”

Adidas is one of NC State athletes’ largest partnerships, Smith said.

“With us being one of their top clients, we’ve had a couple of women’s soccer players and then also a women’s basketball player, in addition to a couple of other student-athletes being reached out to from them,” Smith said. “So that’s just a really good example of, again, a contact that we have at Adidas who just wants to figure out how to touch bases with student-athletes, so we send along that email or that phone number and then they talk from there.”

Hayes said she saves her earnings from NIL activities, but each athlete chooses to invest differently. The women’s basketball team is currently the second-highest earning athletic team at NC State behind football, Hayes said.

“I would usually save it for myself just for future references, but you know, a lot of football athletes I’m sure spend their money, most likely, because they’re the highest paid team right now,” Hayes said. “A lot of people watch football more than women’s basketball, but coming in second is not a bad thing.”

GRAPHIC BY HEIDI REID/TECHNICIAN

Emily

What to know about student loans

Esme Chiara Staff Writer

Student loans are a hot topic in the news thanks to the court cases now surrounding President Joe Biden’s loan forgiveness plan. But, how do loans work and how do they affect the students who use them?

Jamie Pendergrass, senior assistant director of enrollment management and services, in a statement via email, explained the three kinds of federal loans offered: Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans and the Federal Direct PLUS Loan or Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan.

Pendergrass said subsidized and unsubsidized loans are offered to students based on their demonstrated financial need on their FAFSA. These are offered after taking into account any scholarships and grants the student received, and there are key differences between the two. A subsidized loan does not charge interest while students are enrolled in at least half of a full-time hour load or during the six months after a student is no longer enrolled in these hours.

PLUS loans are not offered based on financial need. They can be used by parents of students or by graduate students to meet the cost of college attendance if they still have an outstanding balance, Pendergrass said. This type of loan requires a credit check and has a higher interest rate.

There are also private loans available for students, though they typically have higher interest rates than federal loans and require a separate application process with a company. Katie Birdsong, a third-year studying psychology, decided to take out private loans starting in her first year due to not qualifying for enough financial aid.

“I had to get my dad to be the cosigner since I don’t have credit or anything and I

probably wouldn’t have gotten approved,” Birdsong said. “We had to fill out a lot of documents for it, and there was a little bit of a wait process, and then you go through the disbursement to the college and all that … It’s a pretty drawn-out process, but it’s not terrible.”

In addition to college tuition, federal and private loans can also be used for food and rent while attending college. This is the case for Birdsong and for Josh Naddor, a graduate student in math and statistics education.

“Luckily, I got an assistantship in March 2019, which retroactively covered my tuition, so that was helpful,” Naddor said. “Since then, I’ve had a graduate assistantship every semester I’ve been in school and my tuition is covered by the University. The majority of my loan money goes to paying rent.”

Birdsong said while loans have allowed her to attend college, she is also hesitant to attend graduate school because of those loans.

“I probably wouldn’t be here without them because I wouldn’t have been able to afford room and board and all that stuff that goes along with it,” Birdsong said. “There’s definitely a lot of drawbacks though, like just going into college and already being in debt is kind of a little crappy. It kind of holds me back from wanting to get my master’s and stuff because I’d love to get my master’s, but I don’t want to take out more loans.”

Naddor said he considers his loans to be an investment, with the hopes of getting a job to pay them and the additional interest bill off in the future.

“Things are not in my favor, no matter what,” Naddor said. “So do I suck it up and just be miserable for the next six years of graduate school while being a full-time grad student, or do I try to live somewhat comfortably? It’s not like I can go on vacation every day, but I’m not living paycheck to pay-

is heavily influenced by light, so one strategy to help avoid disrupting your circadian rhythm is exposure to light — ideally sunlight — when you wake up.

check anymore because loans are helping me to live on my own, be able to eat actual food and stuff like that.”

Both Birdsong and Naddor said they recommend doing the research before applying for loans, especially when it comes to interest.

“I kind of knew a good amount about [loans] just because my sister went through it,” Birdsong said. “I was like, ‘OK, well, I’ll do that too.’ But it is just kind of sucky to know you’re gonna pay this back and a little extra.”

Students should also fill out the FAFSA

have a marker, and I wrote down my entire January schedule,” Desai said. “I know that if I have an assignment due on Sunday, I won’t start on Saturday or forget about it.”

every year even if they think they do not have enough need, as loans can still be offered. Birdsong said she still received small federal grants and loans despite not qualifying for much financial aid.

Pendergrass said federal loan interest rates are currently at zero percent right now due to the repayment pause. However, Naddor said federal loan interest is still an issue to be considered.

“I think the fact that interest rates exist on government student loans is kind of asinine,” Naddor said. “They shouldn’t be profiting off of us trying to better our education.”

pression symptoms. That’s why maintaining a balance of sleep is very important.”

Khyati Desai, a master’s student in engineering management, said her sleep schedule is largely predicated on the balance between her part-time job, classes and social life.

“Last semester, I used to sleep only four or five hours, and it was really bad,” Desai said. “After that, I had to pick up less shifts, and I had to work on my sleep schedule because it was affecting how I looked and how I felt.”

Gaddameedhi said the sleep-wake cycle

“It’s called ‘bright light therapy,’” Gaddameedhi said. “When you wake up in the morning, sit in front of the dining table or in the living room under a bright light and have breakfast. That really activates our circadian clock and plays a role in balancing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.”

Desai said she avoids late-night homework sessions that disrupt her sleep schedule by preventing procrastinating on assignments.

“I invested in a scheduling board and I

ing steps to redress this, referencing the funds NC State has at its disposal.

Gaddameedhi said one’s diet can play a role in the quality of their sleep.

“Our metabolism is really slow in the nighttime compared to the morning,” Gaddameedhi said. “To have a good night’s sleep, you should eat light food and less heavy food, because it digests much faster. Less fried food, more salad.”

Jasmine Khakhunmalee, a first-year studying electrical engineering, said she builds her class schedule to include time for homework, which helps her avoid staying up late and preserve time to sleep.

tion of students out, it’s not equitable.”

“I prefer morning classes,” Khakhunmalee said. “I think if you do morning classes, you have the whole afternoon. You can do homework in segments for each subject since some of them might be hard and some of them might be easy. Use the afternoon to do your assignments.”

Gaddameedhi said students should also be mindful of their exposure to blue light, as this can interfere with their sleep-wake schedule.

“For a lot of the younger generations like students, the day doesn’t pass without smartphones or computers,” Gaddameedhi said. “When you use smartphones or computers, make sure you use blue light filters on the device.”

that’s really valued and appreciated by its thousands of users every year.” Kon said the University should be tak-

“This University has hundreds of millions of dollars in endowment, it can happen somehow,” Kon said. “All I want to see, at the very least, is that they’re making an effort. You’re leaving a large selec-

As of 2021, NC State’s endowment was actually reported at $1.95 billion, according to the Office of Finance and Administration.

Technology lending services maintains that the implementation of technology

loans were not made with the intention of being a substitute for students’ personal devices, but rather to provide support for individuals’ temporary computing needs and assures students will still have access to desktop computers in the libraries 24 hours a day, five days a week.

GRAPHIC BY ANNA LEE/TECHNICIAN

The North Carolina General Assembly has busy 2023 agenda

Last week, members of North Carolina’s General Assembly met in the state Capitol for the first time as the legislative session began. State Republicans come into 2023 with a veto-proof supermajority in the Senate and one seat short of another in the House. Republicans have already begun work capitalizing on their advantage, creating a rule that would enable the GOP to hold a vote on overriding a veto without prior notice. Here are the biggest items on the docket for 2023.

Justin Welch Correspondent

Abortion

The issue of abortion access is sure to attract the most attention in this year’s session. Following the summer’s Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision, states across the country have begun adopting more restrictive abortion laws. In North Carolina, a federal judge reinstated a 20-week ban in August 2022.

House and Senate Republicans are reportedly working on a proposal that would ban abortions after 13 weeks, but allow for exceptions in the case of rape or incest. Governor Roy Cooper has vowed to veto any abortion restrictions passed by Republicans. But a vote from a single House Democrat would make the bill veto-proof, a notion that Assembly leaders have said is a very real possibility.

While these provisions would be less extreme than most of the laws passed in the last year, they would still have dire consequences for those seeking abortions. Very few abortions in the state of North Carolina are conducted after

the first trimester, and most second or third trimester abortions have to deal with the health of the parent or the fetus. Most evidence indicates that criminalization doesn’t prevent abortions from occurring and healthcare professionals warn that the legal framework for a ban would only put patients at more risk during otherwise safe procedures.

Medicaid expansion

Republican Senate and House leaders have promised that Medicaid expansion will be a part of this year’s legislative session after both chambers failed to come to a consensus on specifics in 2022. North Carolina is one of 12 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Expanding the program will extend healthcare to an estimated 621,000 low-income North Carolinians, a development especially powerful for university students. Studies show that Medicaid expansion has been linked with a general improvement in quality of healthcare, health outcomes, state economic growth and a decrease in mortality.

Medical marijuana

Another subject the General Assembly failed to get over the line in 2022 and is set to revisit is the legalization of medical marijuana. North Carolina is one of 13 states yet to legalize the medical use of marijuana despite overwhelming public support. The Compassionate Care Act entered the legislature in 2021 and passed in the Senate last year but stalled in the House. Cooper believes that the General Assembly will once again take up the issue this session and that it has a chance of becoming law.

While this potential development is good news for North Carolina, the state remains well behind the rest of the nation. Twenty-one states have already legalized recreational marijuana and more are taking up the issue. North Carolina’s partial decriminalization does not reflect the will of its population, a majority of whom support full legalization. Reversing the history of draconian marijuana laws and customs in the United States is one of the most sensible and pressing political priorities of this generation; state lawmakers who oppose these measures are out of step with the 21st century.

Sports gambling

One of the more interesting sagas in the General Assembly is the proposed legalization of sports gambling. A bill to legalize the practice narrowly failed in 2022 but lawmakers have already promised the legislation will be reintroduced in this year’s session.

In a similar vein to the usage of marijuana, the existence of sports gambling is already widespread in North Carolina. The industry has been booming underground in the state for years; befriend anyone in a fraternity and you’re bound to be offered a promotion from their bootleg bookie. Officially bringing the betting industry to North Carolina will not only generate millions of dollars in revenue and potentially create thousands of jobs, but it would also allow for formal oversight to regulate the practices of gamblers.

The issues our state legislature chooses to address illustrate the direct effect politics can play on the lives of everyday people. Staying informed on their activity enables the NC State community to absorb, react and play a part in the process. The dominating Republican majority will bring some good in efficiency and producing results but will also bring some bad in the policies they choose to pursue.

Speaker of the House debacle hints at incoming disaster for 118th Congress

On Jan. 7, Kevin McCarthy was elected as the new speaker of the House after a historic 15 rounds of voting and a series of negotiations between the representatives and Republican hardliners blocking his campaign.

this requirement delay the progress of the new Congress right off the bat, but it’s also indicative of how the Republican-controlled House will govern in the coming years.

can’t agree on a simple speaker, or even the reasons for which they disagree, how are they to come to a consensus on legislation in the future?

refusal to refresh that idea is clear commentary on the state of polarization within the Republican party in Congress.

Crawford Staff Columnist

The fight between McCarthy and his GOP colleagues began on the first day of the new congressional session and went on for four days; such a lengthy process hasn’t been seen in our history since before the Civil War, a bad omen for the future of Congress. There are several problems with McCarthy’s delayed election that we should draw attention to.

First, it’s important to note that members of a new Congress cannot be sworn in by oath until a speaker is elected. Members who haven’t taken the oath cannot vote or participate in any floor proceedings, which essentially means any legislative agenda is put on hold. Not only did

This is also a testament to this Congress’ inability to vote quickly and effectively, which could be a serious problem in the event of a national emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Second, the Republicans, with 222 seats currently, can only afford to lose four votes on any piece of legislation in order for it to be passed, because 218 is the magic number to gain a majority in the House. However, there were already 20 Republican representatives that combated McCarthy’s initiative, showing that his side is already at a disadvantage from the start.

These 20 Republicans were not unified in their disagreement. Some were looking for policy or rule changes, while others simply refused to follow others due to their contempt for McCarthy.If members from the same party

Attempting to pacify those who were holding him back has only brought McCarthy to the speaker’s gavel with a disadvantage and weakened reputation, considering the concessions he made. For example, he said he would bring more members of the House Freedom Caucus — a conglomerate of far-right representatives in Congress — to positions in the House Rules Committee, which determines how and if bills come to the floor and many other important decisions. This raises the question of how effective a leader McCarthy will truly be.

Third, former President Donald Trump resisted restating his endorsement for McCarthy as Speaker, which was possibly related to McCarthy’s condemnation of the U.S. Capitol riots that soured their relationship. Though Trump did not rescind his endorsement, his

All of that being said, we’re college students, so what are we supposed to do about what’s happening on Capitol Hill?

Now that midterms are over, we unfortunately can’t do anything about the people who are sworn in to Congress. We can’t control what will take place on the House floor, but we can prepare for later elections. The national government’s sphere of influence on issues such as abortion and LGBTQ+ rights intensely affects us — more so than other groups within society, I believe — and awareness of this influence is imperative for future elections.

For the next presidential and congressional elections, it’s important that the college student demographic gets out to vote so that we can be represented. The polarized, slight Republican majority isn’t representativeof all of us. In the coming years, hopefully we can build a Congress that is more productive with this in mind.

Skye

GRAPHIC BY ELLIE BRUNO

Therapy — easier said than done

treated in a short period of time. Granted, medication is known to effectively reduce symptoms of mental illness but more as a long-term solution, especially when coupled with therapy.

From TikTokers to some of my own professors, there’s no shortage of people who endorse the wonderful resource that is therapy. Pro-therapy rhetoric is everywhere, which is something hard to oppose. About 75% of people who receive therapy see improvements in their lives, on both an emotional and physical level. However, there is one important tidbit that tends to be lost amongst all the hype — therapy can be really exhausting.

When I say this, I’m not trying to dissuade anyone from seeking out therapy or keeping with it. What I mean is this process is oftentimes not as simple or straightforward as advocates make it out to be. Especially in chronic cases, the path to healing can lead you to some really dark, uncomfortable places, taking an incredible amount of reflection, painful realizations and self-work.

Furthermore, therapy isn’t a quick fix. As opposed to a medical injury that can be healed with an ointment or bandage, mental health problems can’t always be

It usually takes many therapy sessions before there are noticeable, significant improvements. The American Psychological Association says an average of “15 to 20 sessions are required for 50 percent of patients to recover.” While this number may vary depending on the type or severity of the problem, it’s safe to say a session or two may not be enough to cut it.

In addition to being a significant time commitment, therapy carries a heavy financial burden. GoodTherapy says sessions can range anywhere from $65 to $250, and most people can expect to pay up to $200. Many factors go into the price of therapy, such as location and insurance coverage. However, the general high cost places limitations on the kinds of care patients can expect to receive.

For all these reasons, therapy is incredibly difficult, which makes quitting tempting. If you quit, you don’t have to take a deep dive into your recent breakup or insecurities, carve time out of your busy day or make your wallet cry. It’s no surprise then why almost one in five

people decide to give up altogether. Problems of patient dropout largely have to do with patient expectations and lack of preparation. Some people join therapy even though they aren’t ready or willing to open up. Others find they’re not improving quickly enough, or they can’t collaborate effectively with their therapist. That’s why it’s important to engage in honest self-assessment, not just during the therapy process but also before it.

When you go to therapy, you’re setting yourself up for a challenging yet rewarding experience. In order to make the most out of it, you must be ready to trust someone else with your hurt, recognize your faults, accept uncomfortable feedback and put in the work — and sometimes, it’s a lot of hefty labor.

Before you jump into therapy, it might be helpful to ask yourself some questions first. Think about the current state of your mental health, whether or not you’re open to change and what goals you want to accomplish. Remember there is no rush to start therapy, so take all the time you need.

If and when you decide to go through with therapy, it’s helpful to clarify expectations with your therapist. In order to reduce the risk of dropout, try

to understand your role as the patient and what the process entails. Another important discussion point is what your ultimate goal of therapy is and how you want to get there. It’s essential to establish a strong alliance with your therapist to create a successful experience.

With that being said, NC State has pushed to make therapy services more accessible and affordable. One recent change allows students to receive 12 free sessions through AcademicLiveCare. The Counseling Center also offers a slew of other resources, such as unique drop-in sessions for those not ready to commit to ongoing counseling. Among the several available spaces, Start the Convo is one just for students looking to connect with one another and foster a sense of community.

There’s no denying therapy is excellent, but it’s important to realize just what it means. It requires time, money and a great amount of effort on your end. As students, we all may not be ready for this level of commitment right now — which is completely valid, especially as NC State is now offering a much wider range of mental health services and counseling. Your road to recovery goes at your own pace, whatever that looks like.

Nova and Comet — Hibernation

Pearl Knight, staff cartoonist

A fourth-year studying art and design

Storm of Emails Emma Reid, staff cartoonist

A second-year studying business administration

Lauren Richards Staff Columnist

Editor’s note: This article has references to mental illness.

Season’s Pickin’s: Blood Orange Cake Wylie Phu, staff cartoonist

A second-year studying art and design

Perseverance Avery Szakacs, staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

For Fun Sophie Gabriel, staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

Season’s Pickin’s: Blood Orange Wylie Phu, staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

‘M3GAN’: Killer dolls are all the rage

Mariana Fabian Opinion Editor

Spoilers ahead!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve seen or heard something about Blumhouse Productions’ latest film “M3GAN,” a horror flick about an AI-controlled, uncanny valley-type animatronic doll who has a taste for dancing, singing and murder. The film is centered around the recently orphaned Cady (Violet McGraw) who’s sent to live with her robot-making aunt Gemma (Allison Williams), who works for a high-end toy company called Funki. Gemma is developing M3GAN, short for Model 3 Generative Android, a life-sized companion doll to aid their assigned child in whatever they need whilst being incredibly loyal to them. As in many robots-gonewrong films, M3GAN (performed by the child actor Amie Donald and voiced by

Jenna Davis) becomes sentient and begins her killing spree.

What’s more striking about “M3GAN” is not the film’s actual content, albeit creative and humorous, but its guerilla-style marketing that has made “M3GAN” incredibly successful.

In fact,the film has exceeded box office expectations with its $30 million debut, already making back its $12 million budget. “M3GAN” is expected to keep its box office numbers thriving.

Some examples of this kind of marketing have ranged from M3GAN dancing TikTok edits, to groups of M3GANs appearing at NFL halftimes, red carpets, Starbucks and performing at Universal’s catwalk.

Even the @meetM3GAN Twitter account will reply to direct messages as M3GAN, automating responses, sending GIFs or videos and even providing a link for the user to buy tickets. M3GAN even beefed with Chucky at one point.

It certainly helps that the voice behind M3GAN is familiar, played by Davis. She’s appeared on Disney’s “Raven’s Home,” but of course, she’s also known for the viral meme, “Penny, Nickel, Dime.”

“M3GAN” is smart enough for its own good, like its protagonist, not driving many real world points home, minus a bit about parents yielding technology to raise their kids. Director Gerard Johnstone rightly lets the film be zany, unbelievable and generally a great time for viewers. If M3GAN wants to break out into song for Cady in ridiculous moments, she does. If she wants to brutally murder an irritating neighbor, her vicious dog or anyone else who comes in her way, she does, as is her right!

Williams and McGraw deliver as a dysfunctional duo, both trying to cope with the loss of their family. As for M3GAN, her performance actress Donald needs the most praise of all, giving M3GAN that flare of authenticity with her spider-crawling motions,

dance moves and more. Davis excels with M3GAN’s doll voice, coming off as bubbly and funny with one-liners but still delivering on the diabolical tone when needed. While the film dials back in its horror due to its PG-13 rating and cutaways during the murder scenes, it still delivers a bit of bite with its gore. According to screenwriter Akela Cooper, the original script was much, much gorier, but of course, it needed some tinkering to cater to more juvenile audiences — which proved to heighten the aforementioned box office numbers. The promising news though is that there’s an unrated, much gorier version of “M3GAN” in the works as well. According to Variety, a sequel for “M3GAN” had been discussed even before the film hit theaters, breaking producer Jason Blum’s no-sequels rule.

If you’re looking for a bit of fun, a killer robotic doll and some musical numbers, go see “M3GAN” in theaters now. If you don’t, M3GAN might just make you regret that.

Vulfpeck’s ‘Schvitz’ is a foray into funk-folk

Koen Rodabaugh Correspondent

Vulfpeck’s new album “Schvitz,” truly embodies the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. After a brief hiatus where each member (and some common additions to the group) went on distinct

solo journeys, Vulfpeck has returned with a new sound.

“Schvitz” is the culmination of broad musical journeys by all the members, and the ensuing folk album is eclectic in its musical range. From slow, somber heartbreakers to quirky, whimsical jingles, this album has

something for everyone. It portrays both a new direction for Vulfpeck as well as an homage to the band’s previous sounds.

Vulfpeck’s most notable change is heard in its new folk sounds. Songs like “Earworm” and “In Heaven” combine its bassdriven funk with folk music straight from

the ‘60s and ‘70s. In fact, one of the songs, “Serve Somebody,” is a cover of a song Bob Dylan wrote during his electric transition.

GRAPHIC BY KATE WARREN

Gregg Museum of Art and Design’s

‘True Likeness’ portraiture display

Jameson Wolf Assistant Culture Editor

“True Likeness,” an innovative portrait exhibition exploring complex representations of identity and self, opened Jan. 12 at the Gregg Museum of Art and Design.

The featured work ranges from painted, photographed and even carved portraits of physicality to more conceptual depictions of items, interactions and emotions that collaboratively represent identity.

Lia Newman, director and curator of the Van Every/Smith Galleries at Davidson College, and artist Tom Stanley co-curated the exhibition in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a contentious election year and campus-wide conversations regarding commemoration of historical figures.

“We have been having a lot of conversations on our campus about portraiture,” Newman said. “Tom and I were interested in these conversations, thinking about who gets their portrait made now, how portraits are made and the diversity of media and ideas that can be portrayed through portraiture, compared to who used to have their portrait made.”

Newman and Stanley selected work for the exhibition to intentionally expand what we often think of portraiture, emphasizing diversity and accessibility.

“We thought a lot about democratic portraits, with a small d, [and] this idea that having a phone in your pocket with a camera allows so much more access [in terms of] who gets their portrait made, how do you present yourself or what kind of agency the sitter has to present themselves the way they want to be seen,” Newman said.

Endia Beal, whose piece “Mock Interview” is part of the exhibition, said accessibility is central to her work, especially when considering viewers with little art experience. “Mock Interview” is a video installation where Beal interviews white male college students using questions that she asked Black women as well, who found them discriminatory or racist.

“I’m interested in creating videos that speak to the everyday experiences for the viewer,” Beal said. “You don’t have to have all this historical background in order to understand [my] piece. You just have to have a job. If you’re invisible one time, [you’d say] ‘Oh, yeah, exactly.’ I think that for my own practice, it’s about adding to that history, and also exposing people like myself, the ones who have never seen themselves in art … giving them a visual opportunity to see their lived experiences through the work.”

Newman said keeping diverse audiences

in mind is especially important when displaying work on college campuses.

“The exhibitions I curate for Davidson College are interdisciplinary,” Newman said. “One of my goals is to get students of different backgrounds to come to the gallery, not just studio art and art history majors. I’m hoping students find an entry point into art using whatever discipline they are most familiar with.”

Juan Fuentes is a Chicano artist whose print “Primas y Primos de Chihuahua” was included in the exhibition, displaying everyday moments of his extended family inspired by photographs he took when visiting them in Mexico. Fuentes said that growing up in California in the ‘50s and ‘60s, the school system gave him very little exposure to art until he entered college. Traditional portraits were some of his first introductions to the art world.

“I’ve always been attracted to portraits,” Fuentes said. “I love portraits, and I love the old masters and all that. Those are the first things that I saw.”

The portraiture in the exhibition goes well beyond depictions of physicality to unpack and display the components that create identity. Multiple works throughout the exhibition confront the viewer with the-

mes of family, ancestry, race, gender, loss, love and joy.

“It [“True Likeness”] takes such a broad range of what the idea of portraiture is and what it can be in terms of not just a representation of the person, but a representation of their things, a representation or their life or what they do,” said John Monteith, whose collage work using high school yearbook photos is included in the exhibit.

Art exhibitions allow individual works and messages to collaborate and conflict with one another, deepening the meaning of individual pieces and creating a cohesive theme for the whole. Bill Thelen, a Raleigh-based artist, thinks about this collaboration within his own work as well as within whole exhibitions. His piece “Maximum Joy” is a 14-foot circle composed of hundreds of quickly drafted watercolor paintings of items and people, that when viewed together, creates a kind of self portrait.

“I think about editing a lot,” Thelen said. “When we take images and put them together … your mind is going to create some narrative. … When you see one thing next to another, you start to really make these kinds of visual connections, and you kind of fill in the whole narrative yourself.”

Truth can be a complex subject in art,

but the title of the exhibit, “True Likeness,” poses a contradiction that begs the viewer to consider authenticity of emotion and identity before any physical reality.

‘‘I think the most important thing to me is that the gallery becomes a place for dialogue,” Newman said. “I think artists can be really great at helping us see something we didn’t see, highlight[ing] some sort of political or social concern. … I think the arts can empower people. They [artists] can help us solve problems. I think we should be looking to artists for creative solutions.»

In the end, the exhibit serves to encapsulate a microcosm of the diversity of American identity. Walking through the museum, viewers are asked to come eye to eye with the layered identities of the artists and of themselves.

“I think everything that artists do is a self portrait, in a way,” Thelen said.

Visit The Gregg Thursday, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. for the opening reception of “True Likeness” and “This is Not: Aldwyth in Retrospect” exhibitions. “True Likeness” will be displayed in the Gregg Museum through July 22. Entry is free to the public Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

The entrance to the True Likeness exhibit sits in the Gregg Museum of Art and Design on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. The exhibit features a multitude of contemporary portraits that highlight and celebrate diversity across the nation.

Coed fraternity Alpha Phi Omega emphasizes inclusivity, community

Myra Bari Culture Editor

At the intersection of volunteer opportunities and nonprofit outreach across the Triangle, Alpha Phi Omega is an NC State coed fraternity working with local organizations and fostering peer connections.

While Alpha Phi Omega operates similarly to traditional Greek life, the fraternity is open to all students of any demographic, especially those who love to participate in service-oriented activities.

Catie Siegling, a third-year studying communication and co-vice president of education, the group responsible for incoming pledges, said while some people think fraternities are traditionally male, Alpha Phi Omega is open to all genders.

“It’s a place for people with similar values to hang out and get to know each other and create community at college,” Siegling said. “But it’s very inclusive, so we don’t like make cuts or anything.”

According to Daniel Dryden, a second-year in international studies and co-vice president of education, NC State’s chapter, Iota Lambda, was founded in 1950 and became coed in 1976. Alpha Phi Omega can be traced back to World War I sailor Frank Reed Horton who, at a small college in Pennsylvania in 1925, became inspired by his own experience interacting with other people of different backgrounds as a boy scout.

“[Horton] noted that Jews and Christians and Russians were working together in 1925 to accomplish goals for their community by doing service and just working together,” Dryden said. “So being a sailor in World War I, he was like, ‘We could make a difference of the world without having to conflict with each other and servicing humanity instead.’”

Alpha Phi Omega has a diverse range of community service projects located on campus and the greater Raleigh and Triangle area throughout the semester with chances to participate almost every single day of the week. Events

vary from working with children at the Boys and Girls Club to nature cleanups and maintaining community gardens, all while working to complete regular hour requirements.

Emily Hall, a second-year studying sport management and vice president of external relations, said being part of Alpha Phi Omega also means completing mandatory service hours each semester.

“It truly is for people who love doing service,” Hall said. “We have certain requirements with a certain amount of service hours, and that’s definitely something APO puts forward when you first learn about it. It’s definitely not like you can slack off because, in the end, all those hours that you have left to do are going to catch up to you.”

Alpha Phi Omega’s rush is roughly two weeks long with events running every night. Events consist of several types: from informational sessions, speed-dating rounds for new members, social fellowship events and mini service projects. Potential members are required to go to each type of event, getting an invite to participate in the pledging process afterwards. This semester, rush runs Jan. 17-30 every weeknight starting at 7 p.m.

“Basically, it’s very noncommittal; people just show up,”

Siegling said. “It’s not like you register or anything. We post our rush schedule everywhere on our Instagram and send it out to people who have shown interest. And then [recruits] can just show up those nights, kind of get a feel for APO and what we do and what our brothers are like, and see if it’s something they’re interested in.”

One of Alpha Phi Omega’s biggest appeals is its nationwide anti-hazing policy, which is strictly enforced across every chapter. This policy establishes that pledges won’t be forced to do anything they’re uncomfortable with, focusing less on dangerous activities and more on learning about the history of Alpha Phi Omega and completing service hours.

Currently, Alpha Phi Omega’s biggest goal is to continue to expand it’s presence on campus to continue doing service here in the community. The fraternity’s central goal is to foster their three cardinal principles — leadership, friendship and service — no matter what.

“Another big goal is to expand our chapter,” Hall said. “Just from past stories of what other brothers have [said] and what I’ve heard from them, we’ve lost a lot of people due to COVID-19 and everything else that’s been going on. So I think another big goal is to broaden our chapter back to how big and how many people that used to be.”

For Dryden, Hall and Siegling, Alpha Phi Omega has ultimately kindled lasting friendships and meaningful connections, all while giving back to the community.

“I really liked joining APO; it’s coed, and it’s very diverse,” Siegling said. “And that makes it so that I was able to meet a lot of different people who have really helped me just learn so much about everything. So it’s been really awesome, and I just could not encourage people more to try it out and see.”

Check out Alpha Phi Omega’s website and it’s Instagram for more information on the organization and a complete rush schedule, or fill out it’s interest form.

recording and mixing is still unmatched.

VULFPECK

continued from page 9

While clearly more folkfocused, Vulfpeck still finds a way to find its distinctive voice. “In Heaven” features some subtle but impressive bass licks, a staple of Vulfpeck’s sound since the beginning. Joe Dart’s bass skills, while not as much of a focus as in previous albums, are still iconic and valuable additions to each track.

Antwaun Stanley, a singer who is not officially part of the band but has worked with the band on most of Vulfpeck’s songs involving vocals, saw particular attention in many tracks. Stanley’s vocal range is on full display, both in physical and emotional terms. The soulful feel Stanley provides on “Serve Somebody,” “What Did You Mean By Love” and “Simple Step” give the songs a layer they would otherwise not have. His

vocal range in every song is a highlight, hitting extremely high notes in “Simple Step” and “In Heaven.”

Jack Stratton, the band’s self-proclaimed polymath, displayed his truly impressive mixing skills on this album. His skills are part of the album’s imagery, as the entire album was recorded in a sauna — hence the name of the first track, “Sauna”. Embracing a unique recording space while incorporating more acoustic instruments than the band has ever used before can be daunting, but Stratton along with engineer Nick Nagurka had no problems whatsoever.

One of the most impressive tracks in terms of mixing is “In Heaven.” This track’s instrumentation is quite simple, just acoustic guitar and bass guitar. However, it’s not just one acoustic guitar, but five, one of which is used purely for the percussive elements of the song. The acoustic guitar, a generally difficult instrument to record and mix well, is the singular instrument, but the

Vulfpeck is also able to hint at more of its influences in this album, namely with its aforementioned Bob Dylan cover. However, a couple of tracks also hint at a strong influence from the Beatles. ”Earworm” draws comparisons to top Beatles tracks such as “Yellow Submarine,” “Penny Lane” and “Hello, Goodbye” through its simplistic, almost child-like lyrics. The video for the song even incorporates animations similar to “Yellow Submarine.”

“Miracle” has similar vibes to Beatles songs such as “Sun King” and “Here, There and Everywhere.” Using four-part harmonies and slowed-down, relaxed vocals gives a voice of divinity and serenity. Vulfpeck still makes the track its own through the heavy use of bass to drive the song forward, but the comparisons are clear and intentional.

Throughout the album, less-praised members of the group get their time to

shine. Beyond the showmanship and theatrics of Stratton, Dart, Stanley and other mainstays Theo Katzman and Cory Wong, two members showcase their vital musical contributions. Woody Goss, the band’s lead keyboardist, and Joey Dosik, a common contributor to the band since its inception, are true stars in this album.

Dosik yet again lays down some impeccable saxophone solos in songs like “Simple Step,” “New Guru” and “Romanian Drinking Song.” He also flexes his compositional skills, writing “In Heaven” and contributing on “Simple Step.”

Goss, one of the quieter members of the group, also flexes his musical abilities, composing “Sauna” as well as providing some invaluable contributions to other songs on the synthesizer. His licks on “What Did You Mean By Love?” and “Earworm” provide another level of musicality that truly gives those songs their signature Vulfpeck sound.

COURTESY OF CATIE SIEGLING

Armstrong vs. Morris sparking debate over NC State football’s future

Wade Bowman Managing Editor

Officially announcing his commitment to NC State on Jan. 7, Virginia quarterback turned graduate transfer Brennan Armstrong has sparked debate over what the Wolfpack’s backfield will look like in 2023.

For a team that started four different quarterbacks throughout its 2022 campaign, it’s no surprise head coach Dave Doeren and company made it their mission to go land a capable, day-one starter to revitalize a QB room that just lost Devin Leary to the transfer portal. Making the marriage even sweeter, Armstrong has proven more than capable of filling up the stat sheet under NC State’s newly acquired offensive coordinator, Robert Anae, in their time together at UVA in 2021.

During Armstrong’s aforementioned season under Anae, he set Virginia program records in single-season passing yards (4,449), single-game passing yards (554 against North Carolina), single-season total offensive yards (4,700), single-season passing touchdowns (31) and solidified his place atop various other career accolades. NC State’s offense would benefit greatly from such a seasoned passer, but what happens to standout freshman quarterback MJ Morris?

Earning his respect as what many expect to be the future of the program, Morris was responsible for a miracle comeback against Virginia Tech and torching Wake Forest for one of the Pack’s best home wins of 2022. Even though his true-freshman colors shined in an abysmal loss to Boston College, the young gun seemed primed to learn from the blow until an injury shut down the rest of his year.

Now, heading into 2023, NC State has a position battle on its hands between two very capable options under center. Arm-

strong offers years of Power Five experience, familiarity with Anae’s system and a deep ball with beautiful touch to it. Morris, on the other hand, offers superior athletic ability and a clean slate for Doeren and Anae to build upon for years to come in hopes of reducing the amount of turnover the team has seen at the position since the final days of Ryan Finley.

In the past four seasons, NC State has seen six quarterbacks get the starting nod. From Matt McKay to graduate quarterback Jack Chambers, there’s certainly been a lack of stability at the position for some time now. Morris has plenty of eligibility remaining to provide the program with its guy for the near future, but adding Armstrong to the mix is liable to increase that turnover even

more.

From a logistical standpoint, I can’t imagine bringing in a talent of Armstrong’s level in the offseason if the plan isn’t for him to take the reins immediately. Doeren likely won’t rule Morris, or redshirt freshman Ben Finley, out of the conversation, but it feels pretty clear that Armstrong is the early front runner for the job. It makes complete sense for that to be the case given his repertoire with Anae, but Armstrong is a one-year rental. Leaning his way in his last year of eligibility could push Morris out of the door and into the transfer portal given that the freshman has proved more than capable of playing at a Power Five level.

There was a time when the only thing that mattered in college football was fielding the

best team possible. Now, with the revelation of NIL deals and the subsequent increased volume into the transfer portal, programs have to look farther ahead than the year in front of them. The position battle of Armstrong vs. Morris will be a perfect summary of that notion, with NC State set up for immediate success under the Virginia transfer but potentially jeopardizing its current best option for a life after Armstrong graduates. None of this is to say it’s certain that if Armstrong is given the keys, Morris is out. The freshman has been nothing but a team player since arriving in Raleigh, stepping up to the plate whenever he’s asked to and always supporting his teammates when he can. But the man can play, and he’s proven more than ready to take that next step forward to lead a contending program to conference success.

If one of the two is playing at a clearly superior level to the other at the start of the year, I have full faith in the coaching staff to make the right decision. In the scenario where that matchup is at a much more comparable level, however, my vote is to stick with Morris for the future of the program’s sake. Let Armstrong mentor him in the system to get the most out of the new offensive coordinator’s scheme while staying ready on deck for situations where QB depth is needed like it was this past season.

There’s a lot of time for the program to find its solution between the time of writing this and the first snap of the year, and plenty is bound to change between now and then. But in the new age of college athletics, keeping young, star-level talent down on the depth chart is likely going to result in that same talent seeking playing time elsewhere. That’s something the coaching staff will have to keep in mind while evaluating all the talent available at quarterback for NC State this year.

WILLIAM FLATHMANN/TECHNICIAN

Freshman quarterback MJ Morris throws a pass during the game against Boston College University at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. Morris scored a touchdown and ran 135 yards. NC State suffered a loss against Boston College 21-1.

NC State women’s tennis sets sights on national championship run

Ethan Bakogiannis Sports Editor

If there was a school record for breaking records, the NC State women’s tennis team probably shattered it last year. NC State’s program-defining season was highlighted by a season-high 26 wins, a program-best ranking of No. 2 and a Doubles National Championship to cap it all off.

But after all those accolades, achievements, recordbreaking performances and unforgettable moments, can NC State top its best season in program history?

Head coach Simon Earnshaw thinks so, and the rest of his squad is eager to get to it.

“I think the takeaway was that there was more than we could have had last year,” Earnshaw said. “Going into this year, I think it’s the same. I think we’re at the point now where [a national championship] is the goal.”

An unsatisfied NC State team has set its sights on the one thing it couldn’t claim last season — a national championship. The Wolfpack got close to that goal in the last postseason, but those hopes were spoiled by its ACC and Triangle rival, Duke, in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

But now with a perfect mix of returning players and exciting additions, the Pack’s restructured 2023 roster just might be better than its lineup from the previous season, earning NC State the No. 3 spot in ITA’s national rankings. Earnshaw and the Pack won’t just stop there, however. They’re already gunning for the top spot before the season has even started.

“I think a lot of people talk about pressure when you have a high ranking, but I see it completely the other way,” Earnshaw said. “I think the higher the better. Our goal is to be number one, and number one is a good thing. Number one means you’re good and it also means that everybody else thinks you’re good.”

But before NC State can think about climbing higher in the rankings, it’ll have to deal with a couple of noteworthy departures from last season’s squad. Perhaps the biggest loss is that of Jaeda Daniel, who was one half of the Pack’s Doubles National Championship duo. The veteran’s invaluable on and off-the-court impact will no doubt be missed for the red-and-white in 2022.

However, reinforcements are coming for NC State in terms of veteran leadership. Graduate student Alana Smith, who was sidelined for the entire 2022 season with an injury, is hungry to compete in both singles and doubles this season.

“I think physically she’s in as good a shape as she’s ever been,” Earnshaw said. “She should be excited to play. She had to sit and watch for a full year, and that’s why she is back. … I have no worries about Alana.”

While Daniel graduated, Priska Nugroho, who was just

a freshman last season, transitioned from college to professional tennis in the offseason, and her departure leaves another large hole in the Pack’s lineup.

However, Earnshaw himself has been hard at work in the offseason and has landed a number of talented young players to create a deeper lineup. Junior Gina Dittman and freshmen Chloe Henderson and Anna Zyryanova are sure to bolster the Pack’s roster for the next few years with their extensive tennis experience. But Earnshaw has an ace up his sleeve that, if it wasn’t already, might make NC State

senior Nell Miller — the second half of NC State’s national championship pairing.

To churn through its intimidating 2023 schedule, the Pack will need its roster at top level week after week. To be the best, you have to beat the best, and NC State is currently slated to face 10 ranked teams this season. Before even thinking about ACC play, the Pack will have to contend with No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 24 Tennessee on back-to-back days in February, followed by a home match against Texas in April to round out nonconference play.

On top of NC State’s rigorous nonconference schedule, its inter-conference play only gets tougher. The ACC is arguably the best conference in college tennis, and six teams including NC State are ranked within the top 25. Three of those teams — North Carolina, Duke and Virginia — gave the Wolfpack fits last season, accounting for the red-and-white’s six losses.

It won’t get much easier against those teams in 2023, however. To close out its season in April, NC State is set to play four straight matches against No. 2 UNC, No. 6 Duke, No. 1 Texas and No. 7 Virginia. Even if the Pack can escape that portion of its schedule relatively unscathed, it’ll still meet many of those same teams again just a few weeks later in the ACC tournament, a competition where NC State has underachieved in recent years.

the most dangerous team in college tennis.

Enter freshman Diana Schnaider, a US Open Junior Champion, a regular competitor in Grand Slams for the past few years and the 106th ranked women’s tennis player in the world. Earnshaw was unsurprisingly excited about adding one of the highest-caliber and most-decorated junior tennis players in the world to an already-talented NC State squad.

“Diana is obviously an exceptional add for us,” Earnshaw said. “She grew almost out of sight in the fall. I think the biggest thing is that Diana is excited to be here. She has a very outgoing personality, she’s really looking forward to the dual-matches, and I think she wants to get her feet wet in team tennis and has done very, very well individually.”

Schnaider, who’s won three Junior Grand Slam titles in her career, will undoubtedly be a difference-maker this season and help put an exclamation point on one of the best teams in the nation that’s largely defined by its accomplished list of returning players.

Juniors Abigail Rencheli, Amelia Rajecki and Sophie Abrams are all poised to make large leaps with another season under their belts. Rencheli, who carved out an impressive run in the 2022 NCAA singles tournament, is set to keep improving and help head up NC State’s singles lineup. Meanwhile, the Pack is primed to carry on its doubles domination from 2022 to 2023, especially with fifth-year

“We need to do better in the conference as well,” Earnshaw said. “I think we’ve been a chronic underachiever in the ACC tournament, so we’ve got some things that we need to attack, and I think that if we can do better in those, then ultimately that should get us closer to what the big picture is, which is trying to win a national championship.”

NC State has a more-than-capable roster to do it, but winning a national championship will require a number of gutsy wins from the Wolfpack against the rest of the best in college tennis. With a field that’s better than ever, the road to the promised land won’t be easy, but it’s certainly possible for this team.

“I think this year women’s college tennis is absolutely loaded,” Earnshaw said. “I don’t think we’ll have seen a stronger field across the board and as many teams that can win as there will be this year in a long time or maybe even ever. I think that we’re going to have to really separate ourselves from the pack just to be there.”

If NC State is able to succeed against its stingy ACC competition, have its talented lineup play to its full potential and excel in the postseason, there’s no reason the Wolfpack can’t finish the 2023 season with a national championship title in hand.

The road there starts on Saturday, Jan. 21 when NC State takes on South Carolina on the road at 1 p.m.

ANNA HANSEN/TECHNICIAN

Sophomore Abigail Rencheli yells as she celebrates a point during the match against Notre Dame at Dail Outdoor Tennis Stadium on Saturday, April 16, 2022. Rencheli won her singles match 2-0. The Wolfpack won 7-0.

Ross, Smith lead NC State men’s basketball to OT win over No. 16 Miami

Griffin Cunningham Staff Writer

Coming off back-to-back wins against a ranked Duke team and Virginia Tech on the road, NC State men’s basketball beat the No. 16 Miami Hurricanes in a revenge game after losing 80-73 on Dec. 10. The Wolfpack is red hot and on the brink of something special.

NC State (14-4, 4-3 ACC) came out aggressive and passionate, jumping on loose balls and putting pressure on Miami’s (14-3, 5-2 ACC) guards bringing the ball up the court. This mindset, combined with shots falling in the right moments, propelled the red-and-white to a nail-biting 83-81 overtime win.

The Wolfpack knew this game would be a battle against the Hurricanes and their star guard Isaiah Wong. He was able to keep his team in it until the final seconds, but Wong’s game-high 25 points weren’t enough to beat a solid team effort from NC State.

“There was a moment in the game where Isaiah Wong took the game over,” said head coach Kevin Keatts. “He had a stretch where

we just couldn’t guard him. … This is one of those wins where you’ll look back and say it was a great win.”

Both the Hurricanes and the Wolfpack needed some time to get going, but the game opened up when sophomore guard Terquavion Smith began to attack the basket. Smith hit for the first time at the 16:42 mark of the first half after missing two 3-point shots. Smith and graduate guard Jarkel Joiner were able to generate offense for themselves after that in an effort to keep up with Miami through the first 20 minutes.

The Pack committed four turnovers in total compared to Miami’s 17. This was a trend the entire game with Miami having nine turnovers at halftime to NC State’s three.

While the defense was holding up in the first half, the offense was running like a well-oiled machine. This had a lot to do with the playstyle of graduate forward DJ Burns, who came off the bench and gave the Pack everything he had. His soft touch around the rim and outstanding passing ability make him seem like a point guard trapped in a WWE wrestler’s body, which proved to be a deadly combination.

“I don’t know that there’s another back to the basket guy in the country like him,” Keatts said. “He’s got a great touch around the basket, but he’s also a great passer.”

Burns flirted with a triple-double, recording a career-high seven assists while adding 13 points and nine rebounds.

NC State had a 10-point lead going into the second half but could never put the Hurricanes away. Miami came storming back time and time again, cutting what was a 10-point lead down to two with 12 minutes to play in the period.

NC State struggled mightily with 10 minutes left in regulation. There was a stretch where the team missed nine shots in a row, opening the window for Miami. The lid on the basket and a 12-20 day from the charity stripe in regulation made this feel like a game that the Wolfpack could have let slip through its fingers, but sophomore forward Ernest Ross wasn’t going to let that happen.

Ross had been having a good game but went from role player to superstar in the late minutes of regulation and overtime. He and Joiner were the best defensive players in this game, but Ross was fantastic on the

offensive end as well, posting a career-high in points, rebounds and minutes. He poured in 17 points and nine rebounds, six of which were off the offensive glass. Ross’ ability to keep possessions alive is what won the Pack the game.

Ross scored five of the 10 points NC State hammered home in overtime. He also pulled down three crucial rebounds in the extra session to essentially seal the victory.

“It’s a blessing,” Ross said. “Everyday, my teammates push me to be better, so I come out prepared and ready for Coach Keatts to put me on the floor.”

Wolfpack stars like Smith, Joiner and Burns are shining bright, but role players like Ross are beginning to contribute in ways many didn’t see coming. This Wolfpack team looks like it can compete with the top-25 teams in the country, and will likely be ranked at some point this season if play continues to exceed expectations.

NC State will be on the road for its next two games against Georgia Tech on Jan. 17 and North Carolina on Jan. 21 before returning to PNC Arena on Jan. 24 to face Notre Dame.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Redshirt junior forward Gregg Gantt helps his teammate, graduate guard Jarkel Joiner during the game against Miami in PNC Arena on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. The Wolfpack beat the Hurricanes 83-81.

Temper expectations, but don’t give up on NC State women’s basketball

Ethan Bakogiannis Sports Editor

I’ll come right out and say it — the NC State women’s basketball team just isn’t the same one that we’ve seen in years prior. After getting pummeled by Florida State and outpaced by North Carolina within three days and losing four out of its last six games, it’s safe to say that this team is a far cry from the three-peat ACC Championship squads we’ve seen in recent years.

As I watched NC State have a complete defensive collapse and go down by as many as 27 points to Florida State, it was clear that I wasn’t watching the same team that went blow-for-blow with the top teams in the nation for three consecutive years. I was watching something completely different.

However, I realized that it was okay. Almost every power-five program in the nation dreams of the kind of success that the Wolfpack has had in the past few years. Three seasons, three ACC Championships and a couple of memorable NCAA tournament appearances; could you really ask for much more?

It’s clear that we need to temper our expectations for this year’s women’s basketball team, but just because the Wolfpack isn’t living up to its legendary expectations, that doesn’t mean you should give up quite yet.

Head coach Wes Moore has constructed a culture within his program that requires discipline, demands excellence and expects success at every level, from practices in the offseason, to championship-level games in March. That’s why NC State’s recent struggles have been such a tough pill to swallow. When expectations are high and rigorous standards are established, it’s that much more difficult for everyone to keep their heads on straight when they aren’t met.

Furthermore, the Wolfpack is missing some of the players, but more importantly, a solidified team identity that made NC State such a formidable opponent in years prior. An experienced set of veterans formed an imposing defense and dependably scored time and again, especially when it mattered the most in big-time games. This team identity defined NC State for years, allowing the

red-and-white to dominate the ACC. Now in 2023, with many of those crucial players from previous years gone, the Pack is missing that solidified team identity — a crucial element to succeed within college basketball.

Instead of sticking with one strategy, it seems like NC State’s gameplan changes on a daily basis. Sometimes it seems like the team is trying to ride its better players such as junior guard Diamond Johnson and senior forward Jada Boyd to victory. Other times, it seems like NC State is trying to muddy-up games, disrupting other teams’ gameplans in order to sneak past opponents

— a strategy that was evident in the Pack’s recent 56-47 loss to UNC. This lack of identity ultimately makes it a tough watch for a team that seems like it’s merely treading water when on the court.

However, I’m here to tell you to not give up quite yet. Ultimately, it’s those aforementioned sky-high expectations and standards that’ll see the Wolfpack through. For lesser programs, these struggles might seem insurmountable, but for Moore and NC State, they’re obstacles that only the best programs in collegiate women’s basketball can overcome.

These problems won’t be solved overnight,

however. It might be weeks, months — it might not even be this season until NC State gets its feet back under itself again, so it’s important to pump the brakes on hopes for a four-peat within the ACC. Tempering expectations are a necessary point in the lifecycle of all great sports teams, but it doesn’t mean you completely give up, especially with a coach like Moore captaining his ship through the storm.

So don’t sell out on the Wolfpack just yet — temper your expectations, but hold out hope that one of the best coaches and programs in collegiate women’s basketball can and will get back to its championship ways.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Head coach Wes Moore yells during the game against Boston College in Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. The Wolfpack lost 79-71 to the Eagles.