Txt and Tell — Technician 03/09/23

TECHNICIAN

WHAT YOU MISSED:

A quick look at the headlines in and outside of NC State

NC State alumni elected into National Academy of Engineering

Jim Goodnight, Greg Washington and Benny Freeman, all NC State alumni, were elected by their peers to membership in the National Academy of Engineering. Membership in the National Academy of Engineering is an honor; The organization has only 2,420 members in the U.S. They will be inducted into the National Academy of Engineering Oct. 1.

SOURCE: NC STATE NEWS

Two men from Cary, Raleigh charged in Jan. 6 riot involvement

Two men from Cary and Raleigh were charged with crimes connected to the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021 in the U.S. Capitol. Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested for their involvement, 29 of whom are from North Carolina.

SOURCE: WRAL

17 police and fire personnel charged with the death of Tyre Nichols

More than a dozen Memphis fire and police department employees have been charged in relation with the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in January. Legal officers said both departments had been administering investigations to determine if employees violated policy. Five officers were previously terminated and charged with second degree murder.

SOURCE: NBC

Firefighters hoist horse out of backyard swimming pool

Firefighters in Britain responded to a home in Knossington, England after a horse had fallen into the owner’s swimming pool and was unable to get out. The horse was found standing in the shallow end of the pool. The firefighters sedated the horse and lifted it out using a harness and a tractor.

SOURCE: UPI

THE RADAR

Events to keep an eye on for the week of March 9

FUSION DANCE CREW’S ANNUAL SHOWCASE

Sunday, March 19, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

STEWART THEATRE, TALLEY STUDENT UNION

$7 for students, $10 general admission

Celebrate 20 years of NC State’s multicultural dance crew at Fusion Dance Crew’s annual spring showcase. The show will feature student choreography and guest performers.

APISAA HERITAGE MONTH

KICKOFF

Monday, March 20, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

TALLEY STUDENT UNION

Free

Stop by the Talley lobby to kick off Asian Pacific Islander South Asian American Heritage Month with Multicultural Student Affairs and hear about upcoming celebratory events.

GLOBAL FILM SERIES:

SERENGETI RULES’

‘THE

Tuesday, March 21, 6:30-8 p.m. WITHERSPOON STUDENT CENTER Free

Join University Libraries in experiencing the story of the 1960s scientists who journeyed through to the wilderness to become the unsung heroes of modern ecology by discovering the natural laws that govern biological life.

ETHEREAL:

BOUNDLESS

BLACK FEMININITY

Tuesday, March 21, 7-8:30 p.m.

AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER GALLERY, WITHERSPOON STUDENT CENTER Free

Join NC State community centers to celebrate the complexity and depth of Black femininity through communitygenerated art.

Parking ticket money: where does it go?

Students on campus are no strangers to parking tickets. In one year, NC State Transportation earned $600,000 from citations. Where did all of that money go?

From July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, Transportation earned $600,000 in citation revenue, said Holt Craven, assistant director of finance for NC State Transportation. However, in an email, Craven said according to state law, the department is only allowed to keep 20% of that money, while the rest goes to the State Public School Fund. The 20% the department keeps from citations are allocated to various expenses such as personnel, repairs, technology, services and parking construction.

Although the department was still able to keep $120,000 of the $600,000 earmed last year, it actually loses money having to monitor parking and hand out citations.

“I think that one of the largest misconceptions about NC State Transportation is that we issue tickets in order to make money,” Craven said. “We actually lose money by enforcing. If Parking had its way, we wouldn’t write any tickets, but the fact of the matter is we have to write tickets, and we do that to protect our customers.”

With more and more students getting admitted to NC State every year, Transportation is always looking for ways to expand parking on campus. However, Craven said the issue is more dynamic, as NC State is constantly losing and gaining parking spaces. For example, NC State is looking to expand in areas like Varsity Drive, but other areas like the Innovation District will lose parking spaces as changes take place around campus.

Despite students’ wishes for NC State to expand their parking more and more, Craven said creating new parking space close

to campus is expensive.

“A parking lot space is about $10,000 to $12,000 a space, a parking deck space is about $30,000 to $35,000 a space and an underground parking space is about $60,000 a space,” Craven said.

Craven said Transportation’s only revenue comes from parking permits and student transit fees, which is often why the cost of parking permits increases. When big projects come up and they need money to pay for them, prices of permits go up.

Because of this, Craven said the department is more focused on managing the spaces that already exist instead of expand-

ing and constructing new ones.

Demar Bonnemere, communications manager for Transportation, said due to Transportation’s limits with parking, they try to promote modes of transportation beyond driving cars.

“Students can carpool, … [and] we also promote other buses besides the Wolfline, so if you live off campus, you can take the GoRaleigh buses or the GoTriangle buses,” Bonnemere said.

NC State has really amped up its focus on developing micromobility options on campus with a heavy emphasis on biking.

In August 2022, NC State announced a

partnership with micromobility company Spin for 300 e-scooters and 50 e-bikes to be placed around campus for students to use. Bonnemere said NC State is also working on developing infrastructures for bikes owned by students around campus.

“If we see there is an issue of bikes being parked out of compliance, we will throw up some temporary racks in that vicinity, and once those people start parking there, we realize this is what we needed and put up those permanent racks,” Bonnemere said.

Aidan Carlson Correspondent

HANNAH SHEA/ARCHIVE

Student cars parked in the Lee parking lot on Tuesday, March 14, 2018.

Dining’s new Txt and Tell service helps address student concerns in real time

Amelia Russell Correspondent

Dining services has rolled out a new program for students to provide instantaneous feedback on their meals. While students may not know about the new feature, dining services are already calling the program a useful tool to better serve the community.

Jennifer Gilmore, the director of marketing and communication for Dining Services, said the department wanted to be able to address student needs in real time rather than making adjustments based on old data.

“[Before], we were relying on annual surveys, which only give you a momentary glimpse into the student dining experience,” Gilmore said. “We wanted to be able to get a bigger sampling of what students’ sentiment was about the foods, and it would give us a better idea of what was really going on.”

To use the service, Txt and Tell, students simply need to text their comment to the number 55744 with the code for their dining location. The comment is then forwarded to the on-duty manager for immediate resolution.

“The great thing is if we do have something that needs to be addressed immediately, that manager can go to the line and address it,” Gilmore said. “For example, [if] the rice wasn’t cooked properly in a particular batch, we could make some adjustments instead of finding out four days later from social media that there was something

GRAPHIC BY SITKA MAZZAN

that wasn’t quite to their liking or cooked properly.”

Before the Txt and Tell program was implemented two months ago, students either had to speak to someone in person or send an email to Dining if they had an issue. For a problem that might require immediate attention, this approach could be time-consuming and simply not useful.

Morgan Miller, a first-year studying animal science, said students seem to be liking the new program as well.

“I think the fact that it’s texting makes it very accessible,” Miller said. “More people are going to be likely to do it [because] it’s relatively easy to fill out.”

At the end of each month, the service sends a report to dining services with student satisfaction ratings in different areas. Students can rate food quality, service, menu variety, cleanliness and overall experience for different dining locations. Based on these reports, Dining Services know what they need to adjust and what is going well. Gilmore said most of the comments to the service are positive.

“We were pretty excited that we had more people saying positive things than negative things,” Gilmore said. “When we hear these types of things, it really does make the staff happy.”

Dining Services hopes more students will use the Txt and Tell program to help dining locations continue to serve NC State students.

Free Moms display unconditional love to students at Talley

Katie Howell Correspondent

On Thursday afternoons, dozens of volunteers meet near Stafford Commons to generate a hub for free hugs and meaningful conversations. This group of volunteers is known as Free Moms, and their goal is to comfort and support students in the form of hugs and fresh baked goods every Thursday from 1-4 p.m.

Coordinator Nancy Nelson said she was struck with the inspiration for Free Moms in early 2019. With four kids of her own and one NC State graduate, she felt the overwhelming sense that she had love to give to college students on campus. She set up camp near Talley by herself on a Thursday in February 2019.

Nelson said the initial event focused on showing students someone was in their corner and there to support them.

“One of the things I really long for is that this would connect with the kids who are struggling the most and that they would be drawn every week to it,” Nelson said.

“That way, they could get a hug. These mamas will do in a pinch.”

The mission gained traction and expanded to include free love in the form of fresh baked goods, dogs, dads and grandparents. Free Moms has received national attention and amassed 80 volunteers thus far.

Due to its rapid, recent growth, Nelson

said she has faced some difficulty when trying to organize the event. However, many volunteers have contributed in their own unique ways, via advertising, donating and coordinating. One mom started a GroupMe chat called “Free Mom Thursday,” which Nelson encourages students to join.

“I have people behind the scenes who are

helping me to build this airplane in the air,” Nelson said. “I’m not that business person, but they have been helping me to create the SignUpGenius. Somebody else has created a Google Doc for our database. In fact, we are turning into a nonprofit, and now another mom has offered to do

MOMS continued page 5

COURTESY OF NANCY NELSON

Free Moms volunteers pose behind tables of baked goods

Students face connectivity problems with campus Wi-Fi network eduroam

Internet quality on NC State’s campus has become an issue among students as the eduroam network continues having connectivity trouble.

Anina Parker, second-year studying political science, said she has experienced network issues with eduroam on several occasions, saying it frequently disconnects from her computer.

“It will go in and out, and I will try everything to get it to work, but it just doesn’t,” Parker said.

Greg James, director of Network Services of Communication Technologies, said it does not appear to be a widespread connectivity issue that the Office of Information Technology has observed or that students have reported.

“In general, our bandwidth is more than adequate for anything that we should be doing via Wi-Fi,” James said. “There could potentially be areas where there’s a lot of devices trying to connect to a singular [access point], but there does not appear to be a systemic problem that we’ve seen.”

James said there have been six Wi-Fi outages between eduroam and other wireless networks since the beginning of the academic year.

“Those outages lasted from a few minutes to several hours, and they have been from various unique causes,” James said. “One time one of our controllers rebooted. It just happened. There wasn’t any human intervention.”

Aside from the outages, students continue to have difficulties connecting to the network, which has led them to resort to using unprotected and unencrypted networks such as “NCSU” and “NCSUguest.” Anastasia Katsiada, a third-year studying political science, said this is what she does when she has a hard time connecting to eduroam.

Emma Mori, a first-year in exploratory studies, said the issue with eduroam occurs nearly every day, although it generally just takes a minute or two before she is able to reconnect. She said she

MOMS

continued from page 4

free, pro-bono filings for the 501c3.”

Despite Free Moms’ growing popularity, Nelson said she still makes it a priority to get to know students on a personal level and to be able to know them by name.

“There was one girl who was from way out west, and she asked us why we were

also sees other students struggling to connect with eduroam on social media.

“I know a lot of people have issues, and then I see on the NCSU [Snapchat] page that a bunch of people are like, ‘Why is the internet not working?’ and that happens probably at least once a week,” Mori said.

Parker said the Office of Information Technology needs to work on tackling this issue, especially considering how an unreliable internet connection can result in a faulty grade for an online homework or test submission.

doing this,” Nelson said. “We told her it’s really unconditional love. We just want to shift the atmosphere at this school with unconditional love. Then she started crying and she said ‘I just miss my family so much.’ She just kept saying over and over again, ‘Do you have any idea how important this is?’”

She wasn’t the only one touched by Free Moms’ mission.

Julia Storch, a fourth-year studying

“I think that [the Office of Information Technology] should continue to work on it so that students don’t have the added stress of not being able to connect to the internet on top of assignment due dates because everything is online now,” Parker said.

James said it’s hard for the Office of Information Technology to say what is causing connectivity issues because there haven’t been any reports on it. He said it is important for students to contact the office whenever they are experiencing issues with eduroam so the

chemistry, said she discovered Free Moms through Yik Yak. Storch said Free Moms found her at the right time last semester when she could really use a hug.

“I use Yik Yak and people were talking about Free Moms being out here today, … and I actually didn’t know they were a thing,” Storch said. “I was really sad at the time and they do the whole free hug thing, so it was a big comfort for me.”

Nelson said the volunteers have done an

office can be aware of a problem as it comes up.

“It’s very important that the students experiencing these issues of connectivity, that they reach out to the help desk,” James said. “But if we don’t know about them on an individual basis, it’s hard for us to determine if there’s something wrong with the system itself.”

Students, faculty and staff experiencing IT issues should report to the Office of Information Technology Help Desk, by visiting help.ncsu.edu or calling 919515-HELP (4357).

incredible job of reaching out. Even those who were on the timid side when first joining the group eventually warmed up and really got to connect with the students.

“It’s easy to love people in your comfort zone, but getting outside your comfort zone is where God can really show up,” Nelson said. “That’s what we see. When you are doing the unconditional love thing, it changes you and it also changes [the students].”

GRAPHIC BY AVERY SZAKACS

Emilia Rivadeneira Correspondent

DUELING COLUMNS

Late night submissions are simply better Assignments should be due at class time

With all the courses we take and the many professors we encounter, assignment due dates are always changing. Some submissions are due right before class, some by the end of class and some by random times like 5 p.m. Out of all these, 11:59 p.m. submission times are by far the best.

Maybe it’s because I am a night owl, or because I am a deadline pusher, but I would much rather submit an assignment as late as I can.

I think there are many factors playing into this preference, though. For example, I try to squeeze all my classes into a couple days out of the week to be able to work as much as possible. On the days I have my classes, I need the rest of the day to complete my assignments and get other studies done.

My job involves me working early mornings, or afternoons to late evenings. Having this late submission deadline adheres to my schedule perfectly, especially since I tend to be more productive and creative later in the day. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for some it is favorable.

While early birds love to wake up and submit their assignments before class, daytime deadlines could mean absolute hell to people who thrive during the night and warmly hug those end-of-the-day deadlines. For a lot of college students, fluctuating and crowded schedules tend to be the norm. One course with assignments due at the start of class, the next by 5 p.m. and the next by 11:59 p.m. only complicates our studious lives.

It bewilders me to know there are others who prefer the earlier submission times. Having to submit an assignment earlier in the day adds to the pressure of everything else. I feel the late deadline allows for more time, lessens the pressure, gives students more flexibility and honestly gives more time to look over the assignment and plan

it out.

When the majority of my classes have this late-night deadline, I feel as though I have the most control over my schedule.

I have noticed — and this is not in every case — that if students submit the assignment later than the 11:59 p.m. mark, they are less likely to have their grade impacted. I guess this goes along the lines of better late than never, but if your assignment is late before the start of class, you are most likely going to see some deduction to the grade.

It comes across as pointless and ridiculous to have varying deadlines. Professors know their class is not the only one we are

Assignment submission times are vastly varied between professors. For physical submissions, work is handed in at the beginning or end of class and I believe digital assignments deserve the same treatment for students’ mental and physical health.

Professors are allowed to determine the deadlines for all assignments, meaning some choose any hour of the day. Many professors choose an 11:59 p.m. deadline a day before class, and while some students prefer this, I don’t think it is the best solution.

It’s because I’m a procrastinator myself that I find the midnight deadline unreasonable. I work long hours during the week, and I would prefer to have till class time to finish an assignment than having to submit it at 11:59 p.m. the previous night to have the maximum time possible to finish my work.

The solution seems simple to me: course assignments should be due when classes are in session. If paper assignments were still standard practice, there would be no option for digital submission chaos. Whether students worked the night before or morning of, daytime deadlines give them more freedom to manage their own time.

Staying up late disrupts most people’s circadian rhythm, making them less productive than at other times of day. Night owls can still stay up late the night before if they prefer, and don’t have to worry about asking for an extension if they need a few extra minutes to finish their work past midnight.

A further complication of midnight submissions is that to have energy to complete late-night assignments, students need to find food. Unfortunately, very few dining options are available after 10 p.m. citywide, with even less of these offering healthy choices. As the British Food Journal reports, frequent consumption of junk food contributes to feelings of burnout, so students’ meal options do not support 11:59 p.m. submission times.

taking, as well as students today juggle more responsibilities than ever before. Having the same submission time across the board, especially at 11:59 p.m., makes it easier to plan for all classes and other responsibilities in advance.

For some, it may be nice to go ahead and get things out of the way early, but it is oddly satisfying to hit submit after a long day and then get to sleep in. So, to those who wake up with the sun and get right to work — congratulations, you scare me.

College students are known to put off assignments until the last minute, with 75% considering themselves procrastinators, according to Solving Procrastination. Procrastination is not a habit to be encouraged as Journal of College Student Development reports there are many drawbacks of putting off work until the last minute.

However, knowing most students will be up late completing 11:59 p.m. assignments, we need to face the reality that this schedule isn’t better than daytime submissions.

I will die by

One downside to daytime submissions is that some students have other commitments during the day and might not be able to manage assignments around their schedules. Some course sites don’t send assignment reminders until the day of, potentially causing students to forget to do an assignment. If day submissions became the new standard, there would be no stress about remembering which assignments are due when — just have any work done by the time of that class.

Time management is an important skill to develop, and a flurry of assorted submission times is not how one learns to do so. Maybe professors aren’t aware of the hectic schedules and other assignment standards students have to deal with. Setting due dates alongside pretechnological standards at class times would be beneficial for all students and seems to be the best option.

Let’s be honest, none of us are waking up to finish our assignments before class anyways.

- Amelia Russell,

Ashley Linzey Staff columnist

Jordan Birkner Correspondent

GRAPHIC BY PEARL KNIGHT AND AVERY SZAKACS

Deadlines are a mechanism of tyranny.

- Justin Welch, Correspondent

I don’t care when an assignment is due as long as that time is consistent across my classes.

- Koen Rodabaugh, Correspondent

the 11:59 p.m or midnight deadline; it just makes so much sense.

- Mariana Fabian, Opinion Editor

Correspondent

Boys, you can wear makeup, too

No one bats an eye when a woman walks out of the house with cut crease eyeshadow and lipstick. On the other hand, if a man does the same, everyone stares, as if makeup on a man is a spectacle. However, cosmetics can and should be gender neutral.

Makeup has its origins 6,000 years ago in ancient Egypt and has historically been used for both men and women. For example, 18th century America saw upper-class men and women alike using beauty products for eyes, lips, face and nails. In modern society, though, makeup on men is taboo.

The fact that this behavior is viewed as socially unacceptable lies equally in homophobia, toxic masculinity and misogyny. Men who use cosmetics are painted as effeminate — as if being a feminine man is a bad thing — and assumed to be homosexual. Their masculinity is attacked and their sexuality falsely branded. Conversely, cosmetic advertising has been overwhelmingly targeted to women, as the patriarchy pressures women to make themselves physically attractive to the male gaze.

ed products, there is no label on a bottle of foundation or -

uct that says “for female use only.”

Just like women,cealer to cover up blemishes or dark under-eye circles.

cara or eyeliner to create their desired eye shape. They can use gel to hold their eyebrows in place and lip balm to give their lips

Men wearing makeup isn’t new — it isn’t something that entirely

gressive attitudes — so why should

ture music icons like David Bowie, Prince and Freddie Mercury were all known to wear makeup. Actors -

out the twentieth century as well. Even today, it’s commonplace for both male -

coming more accepting of makeup

on men. Beauty brands are adjusting their advertisements with the hopes of attracting consumers that identify as male. Male YouTube influencers and beauty gurus like Patrick Starrr and Manny MUA have played a significant role in normalizing these products for men. While both of these men are part of the LGBTQ community, there are other influences drawing men to the beauty industry. For example, there are cosmetic brands designed for men specifically, such as For Men.

If you’re a man who is afraid of the makeup aisle but still wants to cover up a pimple or blemish, visit one of those brands meant for men. Still, I encourage you to shop in person and let go of the gender roles we’ve been socialized into.

Like most things in our society, makeup has been assigned a gender, when in reality, it doesn’t have one. I’m not saying that all men need to run to Walgreens and buy an eyeshadow palette. However, if a man chooses to, we need to stop thinking that it’s a commentary on his masculinity or sexuality.

Beauty products are for everyone regardless of one’s gender identity, and it’s time we normalize wearing makeup for those who have been instructed not to.

Skye Crawford Staff columnist

GRAPHIC BY HEIDI REID

Little Red Riding Hood Harrison Burstion, Staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

Trees Avery Szakacs, Staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

Weird Dream Lucy Osborne, Staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

Sweet Sun Sophie Gabriel, Staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

NC State’s fifth annual Day of Giving takes place on March 22. From scholarships to programs to campus enhancements, Day of Giving donors help make your experience extraordinary.

Show up to either Stafford Commons or The Corner at Centennial between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on March 22 to see how alumni, family, friends and fellow students of the Pack are strengthening our university. Plus you can:

• Participate in fun activities

• Enjoy free food

• Score some exclusive NC State swag

• Help your favorite area win bonus funds

• And so much more!

This Day of Giving, we’re giving forward and #GivingPack. Learn more at dayofgiving.ncsu.edu.

Season’s Pickin’s: Kumquat Madeleines Wylie Phu, Staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

A Wandering Fish: Part II Jacinto Sho Hernandez, Staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

Better than the Belltower: tips and tricks for getting the best graduation photos

As we hit the second half of the semester, soon-to-be graduates are inching closer and closer to that long-awaited, $100,000 diploma. Most students gravitate toward a graduation photography session to celebrate the occasion — something to throw up on LinkedIn or share with family and loved ones on social media.

Unfortunately, professional photography isn’t cheap. Portrait sessions from the top two Raleigh-based graduation photographers on Yelp cost anywhere from $350 to $950, which pretty much breaks the bank for any college student. Unless someone else is fronting the cost or you happen to have a spare $500, graduates might be interested in some cheaper alternatives.

Luckily, student-run Facebook groups are rife with recommendations. Some amateur photographers offer up their services for a much better price, or a fellow student knows a friend of a friend who runs a small photo-

graphy business on the side. I’d recommend Chatter at NCSU and sell ur s--- here ncsu — both accept new members quickly, and it takes less than five minutes to draft a post or scroll and search for suggestions.

And if you really want to save cash, rent a camera from University Libraries. They offer digital cameras, a clip-on phone lens and kits for all of your photography needs. Spend a weekend with a friend or two and play around with the camera settings, or consult the resources available within each rental description on the University Libraries website. Sure, they won’t be professional-grade, but it’s hard to pass up the opportunity to get some good graduation pictures for free.

Once you’ve figured out your setup, the last thing to do is take the photos. Whether you’re donning a cap and gown or a pair of jeans and a red T-shirt, location is key — after you’ve sat in front of the Belltower and popped a bottle of champagne on the Court of North Carolina, what’s next?

Talley Student Union — specifically, the seal

If you’ve faithfully avoided stepping on the seal in Talley since freshman year, now’s your time to shine. Superstitious folks should hold off until May 7 — the day after spring commencement — but if you’re willing, opt for a cheeky picture on top of the seal. It won’t matter much anymore, since you’re set to graduate in the spring.

NC State’s sprawling, 10-acre garden, located only a few minutes off campus, is already overflowing with colorful plants in bloom. Although you might run into a crowd of high schoolers taking prom photos, there really isn’t a better outdoor location for the graduating plant fanatic. I’d recommend going on a beautiful weekday afternoon since the weekends are often packed with visitors.

JC Raulston Arboretum

Sam Overton

Managing Editor

Boylan Bridge

It shocks me how few students know about Boylan Bridge. If you’re not from the area, it sits almost right above Raleigh Union Station, next to Boylan Heights — one of the city’s beautiful historic neighborhoods. The main attraction, however, is its picturesque view of downtown Raleigh. It really can’t be beat, unless you want to finagle your way to the top of a parking deck. Go during golden hour, when the sunlight is at its best but not quite in your eyes.

Carter-Finley Stadium/PNC Arena

It’s not just for athletes. Carter-Finley Stadium and PNC Arena may not be much to look at from the outside, but they’re both undoubtedly cornerstones of any student’s time at NC State. Unfortunately, Carter-Finley’s iconic sign is currently undergoing construction as a new scoreboard is implemented, but there are still plenty of photo opportunities in and around the area. If you’re a Carolina Hurricanes fan, drop by the “CANES” block letters near the east entrance to PNC.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY ETHAN RIMOLT

Poetry Fox takes unexpected route to providing personal poems on the spot

Karsyn Westerbeek Staff Writer

There’s something very personal about standing in front of someone whose mission is to write a poem perfectly curated for you based on a single word. Add a fox costume to the mix and you have a fun and interactive form of performance art open to everyone.

Chris Vitiello does just this. In human form, he is a communication strategist with NC State University Libraries. In his spare time, he transforms into a fox who writes custom poems on a vintage typewriter. People are asked to provide him with a word to spark his creativity.

“The Poetry Fox really started as just a kind of a fun spur-of-the-moment idea and has really grown into a pretty robust practice over 12 years,” Vitiello said.

Vitiello is a conventionally trained poet, getting a Master of Fine Arts from Naropa University after being involved in literature for many years. After coming across a fox costume from a family member, Vitiello had the idea to make it a part of his art practice. The costume provides a sort of informality to a typically formal activity.

“It’s a great introduction to poetry for a lot of people who might not ever read poems or who might not really think of them,” said Amy Sawyers-Williams, manager of Arts Outreach and Engagement for Arts NC State. “It’s super accessible. Give him any word and he writes you a poem.”

Sawyers-Williams originally came across the Poetry Fox at a festival and immediately thought it would be a great thing for NC State students to experience. The fox appeared most recently on campus on Feb. 16, a wellness day.

“It just made sense that what he does is write these really insightful poems that you wouldn’t expect based on a prompt that you give him,” Sawyers-Williams said. “It adds beauty to your day and to your life, and so that’s a form of wellness.”

The emotion that the Poetry Fox is able to bring to people is something that Vitiello values in his work. Being able to read a person and write a poem accordingly has taught him a lot over the years.

“It’s just a good feeling — to get to interact with all sorts of different people and understand everybody’s similarities, and that everyone really wants to experience joy and comfort and care no matter who their politics are or what their background is,” Vitiello said. “The Poetry Fox has just kind of opened up access to that for me, and I’m able to do something to spark a little kind-

ness and emotion in people.”

Being so involved in a performance that can involve a lot of laughs — and even tears — means that Vitiello has to find a way to deal with these emotions.

“I used to kind of carry a lot of the emotion around and not know what to do with it,” Vitiello said. “But now I think I’ve just developed the practice of having a light touch of working with somebody and then I get to go away and not carry everybody else’s emotions around with me.”

This learning process has been gradual over the time Vitiello has spent in his fox costume; he admitted that much has changed over the years. While the costume first started as a fun thing he could do, he realized that it could be a more serious endeavor.

“Seven years ago, I didn’t see this as a business,” Vitiello said. “I just saw it as a fun thing that I get to do sometimes, but over the years it’s become more substantial and I’ve thought more like an entrepreneur.”

Some may wonder how someone keeps up an act for so long. Fortunately, Vitiello has yet to experience hurdles like writer’s block, as the love for what he does keeps him going.

“I kind of never want to get out of the fox costume,” Vitiello said. “I really love doing this. I’ll have a Saturday with three events on it where I’m just performing, whipping in the car, roaring to the next thing, performing morning to late night, and those are the best days.”

Having a passion for what you do is one thing, but creating such a special and moving piece of art is another. Not only does the Poetry Fox impact Vitiello personally, but it also impacts those he reaches with his poetry.

“He’s clearly making a difference on campus; he’s making an impact,” SawyersWilliams said. “There’s just so much stress in life no matter who you are. You can have the [Poetry] Fox write you a poem and it’s like the opposite of that stress.”

To book the Poetry Fox or get a commission piece, visit poetryfox.com. To stay posted on the next time the fox will be at NC State, follow him on Instagram @thepoetryfox or follow @artsncstate.

The emotion that the Poetry Fox is able to bring to people is something that Vitiello values in his work.

Being able to read a person and write a poem accordingly has taught him a lot over the years.

The Dankery — a convenient yet expensive post-party nosh option

The Dankery’s newest location in Raleigh opened in early January, an expansion of the popular Durham food truck — now stand-alone restaurant — started by owner Ian Burris. The spot is known for selling American-style fast food offerings with a bevy of customizable options, from entrees to sides and sauces.

We headed to the new 2526 Hillsborough St. location and tried the joint’s most popular menu options, sampling chicken, subs and even cookies.

Myra Bari, Culture Editor (MB): It smelled amazing when we walked in. After ordering a massive spread of offerings, our order was completed in under 15 minutes — crazy fast! Customer service was top-notch, and a big shoutout to the patient employee that took our order. My only complaint was that the music was really loud, and we could barely hear ourselves talk.

Jameson Wolf, Assistant Culture Editor (JW): The space itself has a laid-back, late-night feel with accent greenery on the back wall and painted columns to match the classic orange metal chairs. There’s plenty of space in the back to hang out and watch the game while you eat or wait for your food.

MB: I’m usually a chicken tender girly, but these were honestly OK. I wasn’t super impressed by the sauce they were doused in. We chose the hot honey sauce, and it wasn’t as spicy as we expected, a lot more on the sweeter side. A warning about the tenders though — I got a bit peckish later on and I bit into some cartilage, so beware.

JW: My personal favorite were the wings with the Thai chili sauce. Though the wing was well-cooked, it primarily served as a conduit for the sauce which had the perfect amount of chili kick while including a hint of sweet and sour. There were six in total, plenty for a meal, especially when made into a tray with any of the several options of fries.

MB: I wasn’t expecting the queso fries to be so good. The cheese was a welcome addition. If you’re getting fries, I highly recommend you get some sort of sauce with them since the fries themselves aren’t really seasoned. We had added cajun seasoning to the fries, which honestly didn’t add too much in terms of flavor.

JW: The queso fries were fantastic. The cheese had a provolone quality that elevated it above your typical fast-food cheesy fry. I’d suggest you eat them first when the cheese is still warm and gooey.

MB: I thought the shrimp burger was OK overall, but it was a little bit hard to eat due to its size. I liked the mumbo sauce we got with it better than the hot honey sauce on the chicken tenders because it had a little bit more flavor to it. The shrimp themselves were pretty good, although there’s a lot of breading on them. By the time we ended up eating this, the bread had gotten a bit soggy, so make sure to eat it right away.

JW: The shrimp burger has good shrimp-lettuce-bun proportions, though the label of “burger” is somewhat misleading, since the entree is made of individual fried shrimp rather than a single patty. The shrimp itself was great, though, and went well with the mumbo sauce. If you’re feeling extra shrimpy, I might suggest going for the shrimp and queso fry for something a little more exciting.

MB: I might be wrong, but I thought the vegan chicken nuggets tasted exactly like the Impossible plant-based chicken nuggets. There were five nuggets in total, and I loved how crispy and saucy they were. We added the Dankery sauce to the nuggets, which tasted somewhat similar to Chick-Fil-A’s Polynesian sauce.

JW: The vegan nuggets were definitely a win. Though simple, they’re a great vegan/vegetarian option and definitely brought out the Dankery sauce, a well-deserved favorite.

MB: The dry garlic-parmesan fries were disappointing — the seasoning was not enough and only emphasized how bland the fries were without any sauce. The queso fries were far better.

JW: As a big garlic fan, I was a little let down by the lack of garlic in the garlic-parmesan fries.

MB: The chicken and steak queso subs were really mediocre and both featured ground meat. The lettuce was a nice medium between the saltiness of the queso and ground meat. I don’t think either of these subs are worth getting, you’re better off heading to Subway or Jersey Mike’s and getting more bang for your buck.

JW: Though not the biggest fan of subs anyway, neither

of the subs stole the show by any means. Both could have benefitted from some extra veggie toppings to mix up the flavors and textures. They’re definitely heavy on the meat, so they might appeal more to meat lovers.

MB: We also bought two of Ashleigh Bakes Daily’s cookies sold in the store. We tried both the cookies and cream and chocolate chip cookies, and my favorite was the cookies and cream for sure. It was super decadent and fudgey. The chocolate chip option was also pretty solid, with a nice proportion of cookie to actual chocolate chip.

JW: Huge shoutout to Ashleigh Bakes Daily for the cookies! Both were thick, fluffy and excellent with just the right crunch to chewiness ratio.

MB: The chicken options were the star of the show. While I don’t think everything on their menu is a 10/10, the Dankery has the best customization in comparison to other latenight food options nearby. That being said, there’s definitely a trade-off in terms of cost. The Dankery is a splurge for sure — you can expect to spend at least $15 if you’re going for a complete meal.

JW: Overall, the wings, tenders and nuggets outshined the subs and burger by allowing room for the real star: the sauce. Each of the sauces we tried were excellent and there’s lots of opportunity to mix and match to find your perfect sauce-entree combo. Though definitely hard on the wallet, the welcoming space, convenient location and the food itself make for a solid post-party nosh option every now and then.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Technician staff tries The Dankery, a restaurant new to Raleigh on Thursday, March 2, 2023. The Dankery started as a food truck and then became an established brick-and-mortar location in Durham in 2019.

Myra Bari

Culture Editor & Jameson Wolf

Assistant Culture Editor

D.H. Hill Jr. Library’s Technician exhibit retired in August ‘22

able to donate the exhibit panels themselves to an organization that may want to keep them or put them on display somewhere.”

The Exhibits Program’s displays at NC State’s D.H. Hill Jr. Library are not only entertaining to students, but also a great resource. The displays introduce researchers and curious observers to all that the Special Collections Research Center has to offer.

Beginning in April 2021, the Technician 100: Celebrating a Century of Student Journalism at NC State exhibit resided in the Exhibit Gallery on the second floor of D.H. Hill Jr. Library. The Technician 100 exhibit featured prominent aspects of the paper’s history, in honor of its hundredth year of operation.

Highlighting Technician’s humble beginnings, the exhibit discussed the eightperson staff that launched the initial fourpage issue of the paper in February 1920. It then dove into the racial unrest that led to the creation of the Nubian Message, as well as the development of the paper in the decades since.

Charles Samuels, the creative director for University Libraries, said the lengthy process of researching, building and executing an exhibit takes roughly a year, the Technician 100 exhibit being no exception.

The project was underway prior to March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. At the time, Molly Renda was head of the Exhibits Program, leading the development of the Technician 100 exhibit. After retiring at an early stage of the pandemic, Renda left the half-finished exhibit in the hands of Samuels as the new creative director.

“The Exhibits Program sort of got put on hold during the pandemic,” Samuels said.

“We started to come back and do some hybrid work on the Technician exhibit again. … Generally, with exhibits at the libraries, what we try to do is use our Exhibits Program to feature the Libraries Special Collections to help connect students and researchers in the campus community to what items the library has in its Special Collections.”

In the case of the Technician 100 exhibit, this would include all past copies of the paper.

“We have the full collection of the Technician newspapers digitized and in our collection, so students and researchers can access that at any time online,” Samuels said.

Samuels said from here on out, the Special Collections department will be doing more front-end research, curation and planning of the exhibits. The External Relations department will serve as a design department. Each exhibit will remain intact until the next exhibit is ready for installation. When the time comes for an exhibit to be taken down, several things can occur.

“Sometimes, exhibits will have sort of a second life,” Samuels said. “We had an exhibit about B.W. Wells, … a North Carolina naturalist illustrator and photographer. We had some exhibit panels from that donated to a local organization. Sometimes we’re

Another aspect of disassembling an exhibit involves returning borrowed items to their owners. Samuels recalled that the library temporarily used photographic enlargers, old pictures, dated copies of Technician and other memorabilia in the Technician 100 display.

Todd Kosmerick, a University archivist, said old-fashioned printing blocks were one such example of items extracted from the University Archives for the Technician exhibit.

“We have some things like that in the archives, so we lent that to the exhibit to give people an example of what the technology [used] once was to print the Technician papers,” Kosmerick said.

Photos used in exhibit panels, such as that of the Technician 100, are often a product of the Special Collections. However, these pictures have to be protected from the elements to remain in good condition.

“[The Exhibits Program] uses a lot of images from the University Archives for many exhibits,” Kosmerick said. “What you see in the exhibit is a reproduction of that photo. The light would probably have an adverse effect on it, but it’s very easy to reproduce it.”

Although an excellent tribute to the rich history of NC State’s century of student journalism, the Technician 100 exhibit was removed in August 2022 to make room for the Dare and Do! Women’s History at NC State exhibit, which is now on display. However, the Technician 100 exhibit will remain accessible through the University Libraries website.

SARAH COCHRAN/TECHNICIAN

The NC State Libraries’ exhibit “Dare and Do! Women’s History at NC State” on Feb. 28, 2023 at D.H. Hill Jr. Library. The exhibit highlights the historic women that have made an impact at the University and the world.

Katie Howell Correspondent

Why the Tommy White breakup was a blessing in disguise for NC State baseball

They say, “if you love someone, let them go.”

Well that’s easier said than done, and NC State baseball learned this lesson firsthand at the end of the 2022 season when star freshman Tommy White decided to transfer to LSU. The news broke the hearts of NC State fans everywhere just months after taking the college baseball scene by storm in Raleigh.

By the end of his historic 2022 season, White broke the NCAA freshman home run record with his whopping 27 homers. In addition, he batted .362, tallied 85 hits and recorded 74 RBIs — all more than enough to earn him the title of 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year.

However, just a month after the Pack was surprisingly excluded from the 2022 NCAA Tournament, NC State fans were dealt another huge blow when White confirmed his decision to enter the transfer portal, trading out the red-and-white for LSU’s purple-and-gold. What would the Wolfpack do without his colossal power at the plate, and what would fans do without their beloved Tommy Tanks?

Fast forward eight and a half months, and it’s all water under the bridge for NC State.

Through the Wolfpack’s first 13 games of the 2023 season, the Pack9 is undefeated, toting a high-octane, bombs-away offense that isn’t reliant on just one freshman phenom but a diverse, capable arsenal of batters that are ready to send opposing pitches deep whenever they step into the box.

The red-and-white now totes a full-range of talent that has the potential to run up the score in the blink of an eye over its competition. With more batters that have the ability to consistently inflict damage inning-in, inning-out, No. 19 NC State is more dangerous than it ever was in 2022.

NC State had a range of talented batters behind White in 2022, all of whom have fully come into their own this season. Sophomore catcher Jacob Cozart and infielder Will Marcy have tallied 16-combined RBIs and two home runs each so far this season, and both have become dependable players for the Pack’s explosive offense. Meanwhile, junior third baseman LuJames Groover — one of the Pack’s mostanticipated returning players entering the year — hasn’t disappointed thus far, with two home runs and 14 RBIs to his name.

But it’s been the work of sophomore shortstop Payton Green that has really impressed so far this season. Right now, Green seems unstoppable, leading the team with 26 RBIs and seven home runs. It seems like every game, Green is adding to his highlight reel. The crown jewel to that tape? His two-run walk-off blast to keep the Pack undefeated in its series-sweeping victory against NJIT.

But even though White’s departure gave some room for NC State’s established players to flourish, head coach Elliott Avent made sure to bolster his batting lineup through recruiting and the transfer portal in the offseason — and it’s made a clear difference thus far for the Pack.

Graduate outfielder Trevor Candelaria and junior outfielder Carter Trice, who transferred to NC State in the offseason, have quickly joined in on the Pack’s party at the plate. Candelaria currently has 20 RBIs, good for second best on the squad, while Trice has hit five long balls and 12 RBIs thus far.

Meanwhile, graduate outfielder Parker Nolan — a David-

son transfer — had himself a day in the Pack’s 16-4 rout of Coastal Carolina, torching the Chanticleers’ bullpen for six RBIs and two home runs.

Freshmen Cannon Peebles and Eli Serrano have also made their presence known this season. In NC State’s 21-2 thrashing of NJIT on March 4, Peebles had a monstrous day at the plate, hitting 10 RBIs and two home runs. Serrano has also quickly come into his own in his debut season hitting a grand slam against UNC-Greensboro that helped the Pack dish out another win, albeit a close one.

It seems like each and every player has had his time to shine for the Pack. Furthermore, NC State isn’t just beating its opponents but is ruthlessly running up the score with its unrelenting offense, outscoring the opposition 141-41 through 13 games.

Only time will tell if NC State can continue its batting prowess against a seemingly never-ending list of talented ACC teams, though. NC State will face a rude awakening when ACC play rolls around, especially after facing an admittedly easy lineup of teams in the first few weeks of play.

The Wolfpack wasn’t given any favors with its schedule either, undergoing a trial by fire in its conference opener at Miami and in its subsequent series against No. 17 Virginia.

For now, however, it seems as though when the dust of the White breakup finally settles, NC State might just be in a better place than it was last season. That isn’t to say that the Wolfpack’s successes can be directly attributed to his departure, but because of his absence, Avent and the Pack have adapted and adopted a healthier, more well-rounded and dependable approach to scoring.

Instead of one hitter bearing the weight of an entire team and fanbase on his shoulders, the red-and-white now bears an offense that can do damage and go yard, no matter who steps in the box.

Breakups are never easy, but most times, things just have a way of working themselves out. In this case, the WhiteWolfpack breakup was not a burden, but a boon — a blessing in disguise for NC State baseball.

LIZZY NOVELLI/TECHNICIAN

Junior pitcher Garret Payne and redshirt junior pitcher Logan Whitaker celebrate during the game against NJIT at Doak Field at Dail Park on Sunday, March 5, 2023. The Wolfpack beat the Highlanders 6-5 to sweep the series.

Ethan Bakogiannis

Sports Editor

NC State women’s basketball goes 1-1 in ACC Tournament

Throughout its season, NC State women’s basketball has certainly experienced its fair share of highs and lows. Despite initially starting the season off very strong, things seemed to unravel heading into the backstretch of the year.

As the Pack headed to Greensboro for the ACC Tournament, it had lost five of its past nine games. With its back seemingly against the wall, it certainly wanted to make some noise in the tournament in order to help further solidify its bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Round 2: Syracuse

After earning a first-round bye, the Pack met Syracuse in the second round. After a nail-biting 56-54 victory over the Orange in early January, this matchup was the opposite.

NC State had perhaps the type of all-

around performance it had been craving as multiple facets of the offense seemed to be clicking, and the Pack led the Orange for 36 of the total 40 minutes of the game en route to a comfortable 83-58 victory. As evidence of the success of shooting the ball, five players each scored in the double digits.

The Pack’s offense found a lot of success within the paint. Outscoring the Orange 5424 inside, NC State asserted its dominance. Both centers, senior Camille Hobby and graduate River Baldwin, certainly played a part in this as they combined for 30 points. Rebounding also played a key role as the Pack also won the rebound differential with 41 total rebounds. This helped lead to 20 second-chance points.

The Pack’s offense also found success from the perimeter. Heading into the game, the Pack ranked 10th in the ACC in terms of efficiency from deep. However, to the delight of many fans, NC State shot 36% from 3, which came from the likes of senior wing Jakia Brown-Turner and junior guard Madison Hayes.

All these factors helped the Pack cruise to

a dominant win. The team’s ability to fire on all cylinders provided great confidence heading into the quarterfinals.

Quarterfinals: Notre Dame

After advancing to the next round of the tournament, NC State found itself facing first-seeded Notre Dame. There certainly was room for optimism. The Irish were missing star guard Olivia Miles, who had been on the court the previous time the two teams met for a gutsy 69-65 NC State victory. Despite this, the Irish prevailed this time around in a hard-fought 66-60 ballgame.

During its previous game against Syracuse, the Pack collectively shot 60% from the field. However, this success was not replicated against the Irish; the team as a whole shot a rather measly 37% from the field. This included a second quarter where the Pack was only able to score four points after starting the first with 18. Meanwhile, despite not having the best shooting day itself, the Irish used this to their advantage to shift the momentum in their favor.

A major concern from this game was efficiency from downtown. After a solid performance in its first game, the Pack largely struggled, as it only shot 13% from behind the arc. Leading up to the 5:53 mark in the fourth quarter, the Pack had failed to hit a single shot from deep. However, BrownTurner nailed two late in the game in an attempt for a comeback.

Another area of concern lies with paint presence. In this game, the Pack was outscored in the paint 28-26 which largely stemmed from also losing the rebound differential. Whereas in the second round, Baldwin and Hobby found lots of success, this game was the opposite as they only combined for six points.

As the Pack awaits Selection Sunday to learn of its tournament destination, there are still question marks that need to be addressed. As evidenced in the ACC Tournament, lack of consistency has been an issue for the team this season. If NC State is able to play up to its potential and succeed in multiple aspects of the game, it can make a run.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Sophomore guard Aziaha James (left) and graduate center River Baldwin jump to block a Notre Dame player’s shot during the quarterfinals game of the ACC tournament in Greensboro Coliseum on Friday, March 3, 2023. NC State lost to Notre Dame 66-60.

Gavin Gallimore Staff Writer

NC State women’s swim & dive gears up for tough competition at NCAAs

Sam Overton Managing Editor

More than 250 of the nation’s top collegiate swimmers will meet in Knoxville, Tennessee next week on one of the biggest stages there is, aside from the Olympics or World Championships.

The 2023 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships kicks off on Wednesday, March 15 at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center. Thirteen swimmers representing No. 4 NC State will hope to capture another top-five trophy after finishing a mere nine points behind fourth-place Alabama in 2022.

It’s only been two years since the Wolfpack captured a national title in the 200yard and 400-yard medley relays, but it’ll be a long climb to the top if NC State wants another first-place finish. The Pack’s best shot actually lies in the 200-yard medley relay, where it holds the 2-seed behind No. 1 Virginia, but it’s no surprise that the Cavaliers are going to be extremely tough to beat.

Speaking of, senior Katharine Berkoff’s national title in the 100-yard backstroke is most clearly threatened by Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh, who holds the best time in the nation this season at 49.25. Berkoff is seeded second, but Stanford’s Claire Curzan’s time sits a mere 0.01 seconds behind her. Berkoff will undoubtedly rake in big points no matter where she ends up, but

the 100-yard backstroke is NC State’s best shot at a national title. No team wants to give that up.

Freshman Kennedy Noble, on the other hand, has nothing to lose at her first NCAAs. She’s seeded fifth in the 200-yard backstroke and 12th in the 100-yard backstroke, an impressive feat for a first-timer.

She’s slated to earn 19 points for the Wolfpack, the third-highest total from any NC State swimmer.

Junior Abby Arens is in position for two top-eight finishes in Knoxville, and although the competition is deep, we could very well see the Raleigh native’s highest finish yet. Her sixth-place seed in the 200-

yard butterfly is only 1.33 seconds behind the third-fastest candidate. That may seem like a lot of ground to make up, but her best time this season is just under a second faster than last season’s mark set at ACCs.

According to Swimswam, the scored psych sheets predict that NC State will finish fourth with 301.5 points, 23.5 behind Stanford. I have slightly higher hopes for the Wolfpack, considering it beat the Cardinal handily in December, but we’ll see how the two tapered, top-five teams shake out on the national stage.

Notably, it’ll be graduate student Kylee Alons’ last meet with NC State. The 27x All-American has seen incredible success during her time with the Wolfpack, becoming a core member of head coach Braden Holloway’s tough team of swimmers. Alons was a member of both national championship relays in 2021, and although she hasn’t seen quite the same level of success in recent years, her leadership will certainly be missed next season.

On the other hand, Berkoff has elected to use her remaining year of eligibility at NC State, giving the Wolfpack another season with its star backstroker.

The Wolfpack will return to the pool on Wednesday, March 15 in Knoxville, Tennessee for the 2023 women’s swimming & diving championships.

NC State women’s club rugby offers competition, welcoming environment

Elizabeth Dull Correspondent

For nearly three decades, the women of NC State club rugby are building confidence through the sport’s encouraging and accepting environment.

Founded in 1994, Women’s Club Rugby at NC State offers a social and competitive environment for all interested. The team practices on Method Fields and invites anyone to join anytime.

The women’s rugby club is tight-knit — a product of the open and honest communication brought to practice by the club’s coaches. Head coach Jeff Sommer keeps the team working hard but is adamant about maintaining a harmonious environment.

“My rugby philosophy is ABC: always be cool to everyone,” Sommer said.

Rugby as a whole does a good job of being cool to everyone as both women’s and men’s teams play at the same level. Josie McGlynn, senior flyhalf and president of the women’s team, appreciates how women’s rugby is just as competitive as men’s rugby.

“It’s nice that the playing field is truly fair among women’s and men’s teams,” McGlynn said. “If you watch women’s rugby overseas, those stadiums are packed — they sell out just like the men’s teams.”

In addition to the sport’s equality between genders, body positivity is valued in the rugby community. Katy Walls, a women’s rugby club coach, said rugby is unique because there is space for anybody to join.

RUGBY continued page 19

COURTESY OF RAY BLACK III

NC State sophomore Abby Arens competes in the 200-yard butterfly during the NC State Wolfpack’s swimming and diving meet against the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. Arens won the race with a time of 1:58.18.

COURTESY OF THOMAS WAY

RUGBY

continued from page 18

“Everybody has a rugby body,” Walls said. “There are spaces for tiny people, and there are spaces for bigger people.”

Sophomore forward/lock Ruby Albers appreciates how rugby shows you how strong women’s bodies are and ignores the external pressure women have to fit a certain body standard.

“It gives me more of a sense of purpose with my body,” Albers said. “I’ll play a game and think, ‘Wow, my physical body just did

that. I didn’t know I was capable of that.’”

El Lawton, junior flyhalf and vice president of the women’s team, found her time on the field increased her confidence and translated into other aspects of her life.

“I’m a scaredy-cat, but in rugby, you don’t have time to be scared,” Lawton said. “It’s such a fast-paced game. … It’s training my brain that I can handle anything. If I can run 100 meters being chased by people, then I can do anything, really.”

The sport has not only increased the players’ confidence levels, but also their confidence in their other teammates’ capabilities. Paige Neiman, junior prop/8 and backs captain, knows her teammates always bring their best to the field.

“I have no worries that anyone on the field is not going to do their job,” Neiman said. “Everybody is so good at stepping up and taking care of what needs to be done. … It’s so fun to watch everyone doing so great.”

Socialization on match days isn’t limited to just the team, however. The women of NC State take part in a tradition unique to rugby, the social, in which they get to know their opponents after a game.

“In rugby, we have socials where we invite the other team to hang out after the game,” Albers said. “I’ve never experienced that in a sport. … You’re playing this rough game, but in an hour or two, you’re going to be hanging out with the other team, which is unlike the atmosphere of other sports.”

The encouraging, non-intimidating environment in the rugby community serves as a reminder that the team welcomes anyone to attend a rugby practice.

“Anyone can join,” Albers said. “If you try it and don’t like it, at least you tried something new. If you like it, you’ve got an entire family, community, support system and source of fun.”

Stay tuned on all things women’s rugby by following the team’s Instagram @ ncsuwomensrugby and checking their schedule. Feel free to donate to the team’s fundraiser as it works to raise money for new uniforms.

DEADLINE DEBATE

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