Niner Times: March 1, 2016

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

NINERTIMES.COM

UNC SCHOOLS WILL INCREASE HEALTH INSURANCE RATES BY 32 PERCENT FOR FALL 2016 SEMESTER

WITCHCRAFT, FEMINISM AND NIGHTMARES RUN AMUCK IN ROBERT EGGERS’S NEW FILM, “THE WITCH”

WHY “GHOSTING” DOESN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE A GHASTLY EXPERIENCE

PG. 3

P. 12

MARCH 1 - MARCH 7, 2016

P. 14

VOL. 28, ISSUE 21

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Contents

Jordan Snyder editor@ninertimes.com

Nick Cropper news@ninertimes.com

Hunter Heilman ae@ninertimes.com

Casey Aldridge opinion@ninertimes.com

Diane Gromelski copy@ninertimes.com

News

Alyssa Fronk

3 University health insurance to

increase 32% 4 Southern Smash event raises awareness of eating disorders

community@ninertimes.com

Jared Allen

sports@ninertimes.com

John Lineberger

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Ben Robson

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Mitch Warner feature

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Mintrell McKoy feature

photo@ninertimes.com

VIDEO PRODUCER

Andrew James video@ninertimes.com

Andrew Hocutt

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layout@ninertimes.com

Sara Carson

N.C. walkout against university

MANAGING EDITOR managing@ninertimes.com

SGA update

Sports

lifestyle@ninertimes.com

Salina Dickie, Sydney Stephens, Trevor Wilt, Mia Shelton, Jasmine Taylor

corporatization and cuts

Opinion 11

ADDITIONAL STAFF Chris Crews, Ben Coon, Indira Eskieva, Kathleen Cook, John Patrick, Nicole Buckenham, Candice Kelly, Hailey Turpin, Angie Baquedano

Medieval feudalism and the modern university system

A&E 12

“The Witch” interview

Lifestyle Matt Lorenz

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Andrew Hocutt

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MARKETING STAFF Tia Warren, David Mendez, Kristen Bobeng, Madeline Lemieux

Ghosting: maybe you’re better off without them Living away from home/ 5 room simple enhancements

NINER TIMES • RADIO FREE CHARLOTTE SANSKRIT LITERARY-ARTS MAGAZINE MEDIA MARKETING • TECHNICAL

MEGAN VAN EMMERIK

www.ninertimes.com/app 2

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NINERTIMES

RISING INSURANCE RATES Student health insurance rates increase across UNC system set to rise 32 percent for the 2016-17 academic year

INDIRA ESKIEVA STAFF WRITER

The cost of Student Health Insurance will increase up to 32 percent for the 2016-2017 academic year across all UNC system schools.

The UNC System works with Blue Cross Blue Shield to offer students the Student Blue health insurance program. The last changes to the premium price, or the amount that students must pay on the insurance policy, occurred last year, when the price per semester rose from $802 to the current $863.50.

The price of the premium is anticipated to increase once again because of the steady rise in the number and cost of claims being submitted.

While in previous years there was a 12 percent cap on the claims that could be submitted, this year there was no cap, which means that the number of claims being submitted could grow even more.

The UNC General Administration (UNCGA) has proposed two new options for possible plans.

Like the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the plans are designated by the colors gold and silver.

While only one of the plans can be offered under the Student Health Insurance, the UNCGA has asked to hear recommendations as to which plan will benefit students more.

While the Gold Plan has a higher premium cost of $1140 per semester, it has a deductible, or the amount students must pay out of pocket before the insurer will pay for expenses, of only $500.

The Silver Plan has a per semester premium cost of only $1000, but the deductible is $2000.

Students that have to use their insurance if they get hurt could end up paying more with the Silver Plan than with the Gold Plan.

The rates are not final. While the Gold Plan, if chosen, might change by only a slight margin, the Silver Plan will more than likely rise by a considerable amount. This means that the Gold Plan has numbers that are more reliable and less subject to changes.

Rousmaniere met with UNC Charlotte’s Student Government Association (SGA) and with the Graduate and Professional Student Government of UNC Charlotte (GPSG) to discuss

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Student Health Center. Photo by Leysha Caraballo

the options and hear students’ thoughts. From the latter organization, Rousmaniere got only one response. To get more feedback, Rousmaniere also spoke throughout the campus and with the Student Health Center.

After much thought and deliberation, Rousmaniere recommended the Gold Plan on behalf of UNC Charlotte.

“We currently have more students enrolled in the program than any other campus, even though NC State has more students,” said Rousmaniere.

In Fall of 2015, 5200 students were enrolled in Student Blue. It is anticipated that the number of MARCH 1 - MARCH 7, 2016

students enrolled in the program will drop when the cost rises next semester.

Under North Carolina law, college students are required to have health insurance. Those that drop out of the plan will often choose to enroll under their parent’s plan or shop for a plan elsewhere.

UNCGA will make the final decision as to whether the Gold Plan or the Silver Plan will be implemented in the 2016-2017 academic year will be made by the UNCGA. The decision will be made in March.

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Smashing scales to overcome the struggle caused by eating disorders

POLICE BLOTTER FEB. 20-26 ACCIDENT FEB. 26

• Lot 19, driver of vehicle one failed to apply the emergency brake to the vehicle. The vehicle rolled forward and caused minor damage to both vehicle one and vehicle two. No injuries were reported.

ARREST FEB. 20

• Off campus, Officers responded and assisted Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police in an off campus arrest of a UNC Charlotte student for multiple drug related charges.

FEB. 23 Photo courtesy of Keegan Cary

NICK CROPPER NEWS EDITOR

UNC Charlotte joins the nation in raising awareness for eating disorders during the National Eating Disorder Awareness (NEDAwareness) week with a scale smashing Feb. 25.

This year marks the 29th annual NEDAwareness week, which is a national effort to raise awareness for eating disorders and body image.

It took place from Feb. 21-27 this year and is an event put on by the National Eating Disorder Association.

Over 30 cities across the nation are participating

in this year’s NEDAwareness week.

There were several different stations set up at the event for students to participate.

There were booths set up by TranscendED, which is an eating disorder counseling center in Matthews, N.C. and they were also sponsors of the event. The UNC Charlotte Counseling Center had a booth at the event also.

UNC Charlotte Dietitian Katie Powers also attended the event and was heavily involved in organizing it.

“IT’S KIND OF LIKE AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WHEN IT COMES TO OUR AGE GROUP.” EVENT HOST KEEGAN CARY

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The final station of Southern Smash and the biggest attraction of the day was a scale smashing station, where participants could smash scales, symbolically crushing the control that the scale had over them.

“That’s something that you kind of want to let go, some kind of negativity whether it’s body image or just a negative thought you had about yourself or your situation,” said Keegan Cary, host of the event and campus representative for So Worth Loving.

Southern Smash and So Worth Loving hold very similar purposes: to raise self-esteem of women all over the country.

Cary hosted the event with the help of Aubry McMahon, and the two decided to combine So Worth Loving with the Southern Smash event.

Southern Smash holds the idea that the scale doesn’t define you ... and So Worth Loving says that ‘no matter ... what you’ve been through, you’re still so worth loving’,” said McMahon.

Cont. on page 6

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• Phillips Road, driver of vehicle failed to stop at a red light. Officer pulled vehicle over and discovered that the driver did not have a license but did have four warrants for his arrest. The individual was arrested on outstanding warrants.

ASSAULT FEB. 26

• Martin Hall, officers took a report in reference to an altercation between roommates.

LARCENY FEB. 21

• Recreational fields, unknown person(s) removed items from victim’s vehicle which was left secured.

FEB. 25

• Holshouser Hall, unknown person(s) removed victim’s shoulder bag and groceries which were left unsecured in a public area.

For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us

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SGA update: Feb. 25 INDIRA ESKIEVA STAFF WRITER

The UNC Charlotte Student Government Association (SGA) had their weekly legislative meeting Feb. 25.

The meeting was kicked off by two protestors asking students to walk out of classrooms on March 1 at 11 a.m. to protest against the new UNC system president Margaret Spellings. According to the protestors, Spellings views and beliefs do not line up with the UNC system wide vision and diversity.

Messages from the Student Body President Student Body President Mitch Daratony has been working with UNC Charlotte’s Board of Trustees on campaigning for the $2 billion Connect NC Bond.

Out of the entire UNC System, UNC Charlotte has stood out for doing the most campaign work.

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Midterm feedback The deadline for submitting the midterm feedback forums was Feb. 26.

The goal of the feedback forums was for students to be able to communicate their likes and dislikes about a course so that professors would be able to make changes before the end of the semester.

While for the most part students like the idea of midterm feedback forums, a lot of professors are against it.

UNC Charlotte mascot There are talks to move UNC Charlotte’s mascot, Norm, to a more populated area.

Admission Center project The Admission Center project will be self-funded by UNC Charlotte, but it will not affect students’ cost of tuition. The cost of the project has

been raised from $7 million to $8 million.

Potentially adding new power substation There are plans to add another Duke Energy substation in case the power on campus goes out.

wearing green shirts that say “Roamers” on them. They are there to assist students with questions they may have.

The committee is also considering making the library stay open 24/7.

There will be updates to the first floor restrooms in the library also.

OrgSync contract A two-year contract has been signed for UNC Charlotte to stay with OrgSync because switching to another system would take too long and there currently aren’t any good alternative systems.

Publicity and Outreach Committee There will be ads going up around campus that will have the perks of being a UNC Charlotte Niner listed on them. This is to increase student pride amongst students.

Atkins Library changes The Student Library Advisory Board has plans to add chat kiosks to the library. The kiosks will give access to campus maps and will allow students to reserve study rooms.

The library now has people

Senators Package The Incentives for Senators Package is currently being worked on. The goal of that package is to increase participation and retention within SGA.

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SO WORTH LOVING, cont.

“So we thought it would be great to put them together just to kind of help each other out, bring more awareness and positivity to campus,” said McMahon.

With 40 percent of college girls struggling each year with an eating disorder it was important to raise awareness about the disorder and to encourage others to help out someone who is struggling.

“It’s a bigger problem than what people perceive it to be. It’s kind of like an elephant in the room when it comes to our age group,” said Cary.

McMahon struggled with an eating disorder herself for the past six years. She was forced to drop out her freshman year of college to seek treatment.

Since transferring to UNC Charlotte, she feels that there are many students here that struggle with an eating disorder or are unsatisfied with the way they look and she hopes to help them through their situation.

“I guess when I transferred here, it was like a fresh start for me and I knew the kind of the living hell that I went through ... and I didn’t want

anybody here to be going through that,” said McMahon.

McMahon was never necessarily underweight, until just before she seeked treatment her freshman year. Her life was dictated by what the scale said and she feels that is something many other college girls struggle with.

“Getting on a scale everyday dictated my mood and what I was going to eat that day and that just wasn’t a healthy way of living and I know I’m not the only one that has lived that way,” said McMahon.

The event was originally scheduled to take place at the plaza outside of the College of Education and the College of Health and Human Services, but due to the forecast of potential storms, there was a lastminute change of venue and the event was moved to the SAC. Cary and McMahon expect for a similar event to take place in the future to compensate for the last minute venue change.

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental disorder and 30 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

Participant smashes scale at Southern Smash event. Photo courtesy of Keegan Cary

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THE MAN, THE MITCH, THE LEGEND Mitch Warner looks back on his time at Charlotte with nothing but smiles KATHLEEN COOK STAFF WRITER

Ask any student who their favorite player on the Charlotte men’s basketball squad is and there is a very high chance they will respond with the name Mitch Warner.

Warner, a six-foot-two walk-on from the Queen City is departing this season and graduating with a degree in criminal justice. Though he doesn’t rake in the rebounds like Joseph Uchebo or the points like Braxton Ogbueze, Warner does something that drives the crowd crazy: be Mitch.

“I really don’t have a major role out on the court, but I’m there to provide energy, support and encouragement wherever I can,” Warner said.

Whenever the opposing team is shooting a free-throw, there are a variety of big head cutouts in the crowd serving as an attempt to distract the shooter. One of the heads that made the cut was none other than that of Warner.

“It’s an honor to do it. I guess I’m a fan favorite,” Warner said.

A fan favorite he is. Sometime earlier in the season a fan group named “Mitch’s Maniacs” was created. Though he doesn’t know who created the twitter account, Warner still loves the fan club.

“I still don’t know who made the account, I keep trying to find out. The team loved it when they found it, I sent a picture of it into the group chat and they were all excited,” Warner said.

In Charlotte’s game against North Texas on Feb. 13, practically everyone in Halton Arena chanted “Put in Mitch.” It was even audible on the television broadcast of the game.

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“That was awesome. I got butterflies in my stomach because I didn’t want to go out there and mess up,” Warner said. “It’s a great feeling knowing there are people there that back you up and root for you. It gives me a ton of energy out there and I love it.”

Though stepping on the court was a great experience for Warner, his favorite memory at Charlotte comes from 2013. Charlotte played in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament and had made it all the way to the

championship game where they faced 14-ranked Michigan. Charlotte beat the odds and won the nail-biter, 63-61.

“I didn’t travel on the trip, but I was in my room jumping up and down screaming, yelling at the TV,” Warner said.

Warner plans on using connections he made while wearing the 49er jersey to further his career after he leaves school. Former assistant coach Ryan Owen is now the head coach at Lenior Rhyne, and Warner

Mitch Warner hustles for a loose ball.

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could possibly join him next season.

“I still keep in touch with Ryan Odom,” Warner said. “I might try to go up there, do grad school and work for him.”

Though his time is drawing to an end, Warner has had an extraordinary time wearing the 49er jersey.

“It’s been amazing,” Warner said. “There have been so many experiences throughout the years, I couldn’t have asked for anything else. It’s awesome.”

Photo by Ben Coon

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THE RETURN Mintrell McKoy doesn’t plan on letting a couple of knee surgeries stop her

JARED ALLEN SPORTS EDITOR

For Mintrell McKoy, getting back on the court is scary.

It’s been nearly a year since the redshirt freshman underwent surgery that included inserting three screws into her knee. The injury that derailed her true inaugural season as a 49er robbed her of a significant amount of confidence. However, as the Conference USA tournament looms, the Fayetteville, N.C. native is out to prove that mental adversity won’t stop her pursuit of owning her role.

“I had two big knee surgeries in the span of two months,” McKoy said. “Injury-wise, I’m healed but I still need to gain back all that I

lost. I lost a significant amount of confidence too, so getting back on the court is scary right now.”

When McKoy went down last season, she knew her injury was serious. The pain was immeasurable and incomparable but trainers, coaches and teammates assured McKoy that they’d take care of her.

McKoy’s hardship was more than just personal adversity.

“Coach [Consuegra], said we’re going to take care of you,” McKoy said. “My teammates said ‘we have your back’ and my trainer’s factor in the injury played a huge part because she’s taken care of me since day one.”

Mintrell McKoy searches for a pass in the low post.

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McKoy’s teammates, coaches and trainers helped lead her through the misfortune and into a key role within the squad this season. Behind starters Alexis Alexander and Kira Gordon, McKoy is the first big to come off the bench in the wake of Kenya Olley’s nagging injuries.

“The biggest thing is Mintrell’s confidence,” Consuegra said. “She’s still even now battling confidence that when she lands, her knees will be okay. The more minutes we can give her and the more movement she can have, the more confident she’s going to feel.”

Since McKoy’s return to the floor back on Nov. 29 at Georgia State,

she’s seen a relative increase in minutes.

Her 6-foot-3 frame gives her a heightened advantage in the low post but she’s not inserted into the lineup to score or bully opponents on offense. Her contributions aren’t always highlighted on the stat sheet as she provides Charlotte with a defensive anchor during vital stretches during the game.

“I don’t feel like she’s playing as tentative as she was a couple of weeks ago,” Consuegra said. “I see the next step for her now is to get some rebounds and score a point or two here or there but defensively she’s solid.”

Before the turn of the New Year, the 49ers battled nationally ranked Missouri on the road and while Charlotte didn’t leave Columbia, Mo. with a victory, McKoy’s presence was felt.

“I think Mintrell played the best she’s played for us,” Consuegra said following their battle with Missouri.

“She played 10 good minutes, she didn’t make a lot of mistakes and she rebounded.”

Fast forward to last weekend when the 49ers took the regular season Conference USA champions to the brink, McKoy played an all-important 16 minutes, while Alexander sat due to foul trouble.

During her spell on the floor, McKoy totalled two steals and two blocks, one of which contributed to Charlotte’s late fourth quarter surge.

The redshirt freshman’s progression is the cherry on top for the 49ers at the moment. With teammates Laia Raventós and Grace Hunter’s rapid first-season growth, the freshman trio is destined for success sooner rather than later.

Photo by Chris Crews

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Seniors (Left to right) Gavin Wilson, Mitch Warner, Cam Pappas, head coach Mark Price, Bernard Sullivan and Joseph Uchebo. Photo by Chris Crews

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THE WALKOUT March 1, students are walking out of their classes across the state CASEY ALDRIDGE OPINION EDITOR

Margaret Spellings with former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service

If you read the pieces I’ve been writing recently, you’re aware that I’m not all that enthused by new university president, Margaret Spellings. There’s something about a right-wing coup d’etat, which promises to negatively impact the school and university system that I hold dear, that just doesn’t have me that optimistic.

I’m not the only one, either. Last weekend, the Raleigh News & Observer ran an editorial called: “At UNC, a drift toward University of Inc.” It’s a drift that the author points out “has been going on for years,” well before Spellings.

Spellings is merely the most recent, and, perhaps, most telling chapter in a story of austerity and privatization across the system.

Previous chapters have included

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tuition and fee hikes, targeting by the Board of Governors of historically black colleges and universities, and the defunding of gender studies departments and centers for the study of anything remotely related to matters of importance to social justice. Western Carolina’s campus is creating a “Capital Center for the Study of Free Enterprise” funded by the Koch Brothers, despite faculty protestations that such a center would bully what can or cannot be taught in the economics department, by way of threatening funding.

When the state cuts funding to universities, school institutions have to look other places for that funding. It is groups like the Koch Foundation or coporations like Bank of America or Duke Energy that

often fill those funding voids. But the Koch Brothers or the banks or the energy monoliths never come with funding “just because.” They always come with an agenda of profit, and their funding is always conditional.

When universities are funded by foundations and corporations, there is no education or academic freedom.

There is only a factory of conformity and moneymaking. Considering that the UNC system was once the gold standard of affordable and critical education, this is all the more tragic.

Campus workers have hurt, adjuncts and full-time faculty have hurt and students have hurt because of the neoliberal privatization efforts of a right-wing political establishment in North Carolina.

Ned Bartlett, who wrote that editorial for the News & Observer,

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doesn’t blame Spellings for the privatization and austerity already behind us and neither do I. But I don’t have hope that she’ll turn things around, either— not while she’s calling students customers, not if she was selected by an extremely political Board of Governors, not while she’s drawing on her experience working with the University of Phoenix and in the Bush Administration.

Students, workers and faculty are going to have to stand up and fight back against the entire scheme of university corporatization and cuts. And we will, starting with a statewide walkout across campuses in North Carolina, March 1, at 11 p.m. in Belk Plaza.

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ALL THE KING’S MEN How the modern university system—with its chancellors and campus police—resembles medieval feudalism

JOHN PATRICK STAFF WRITER

I have a terrible habit that I cannot for the life of me seem to drop. It’s an addiction, really—a vice that runs deep. The silver lining is that this form of degeneracy is 100 percent legal and very much a victimless offense. You see, I like to play with toys. Much of my free time is not actually free, as I have to pencil in my daily dose of playtime.

Recently, I have focused most of my amusement on the medieval times.

A classic throwback to the wonder years of childhood, with all its shining armor and fire-breathing dragons, I believe the spark that ignited this historical pilgrimage can be found in a longing for what was.

Armed with nothing more than a wooden sword and a restless imagination, I set off with an honorable grit determined to right the wrongs of society, just like the venerable knight errant. Now, in order to fully play the part, mental preparation and passion is required; you cannot simply go through the motions when toys are involved.

This was what led me to an ultimate conclusion, a revelation: The feudal system is not dead but indubitably alive and well.

It’s flourishing, really. If you refute this rationale, then look no further than the present day university system, and more specifically, to our own school. Gone are the days of didactic tales scribbled in broken Middle English, granted, but what’s remaining is a set of standards, a fluid conscience that persevered and stood the test of time.

To examine this construct, we must make like feudalism’s tradition of hoarding power and start top-down.

The top of the food chain in the feudal society was the king and queen and their trusted royal family. They forthrightly wheeled the most authority and power over their respective kingdom, owning virtually everything in sight and reaping the rewards of unequivocal covetousness.

Second only to these imperial folk are the barons and nobles who remained loyal to the crown through a series of cronyism and collusion. Their aligned interests with that of the king was not by sheer coincidence, but by the grace of keeping their heads unscathed, so a mutually parasitic relationship formed between these two sects.

The next role in feudal society

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was that of the valiant knight, a profession missed by most people as they were nothing more than guns for hire. These medieval mercenaries guarded the properties of gentry and fought the aristocrat’s battles.

Lastly, an appropriate word to introduce the secondclass citizens they were, were the peasants. This group futilely worked the land owned by high-society, eternally indebted to the tyranny of the kingdom. When their efforts were successful in bearing fruit, it was sent to the higher-ups, and in return, a false pretense of protection was offered.

When examined through the lens of education, the pieces seem to fall into place. Replacing the king and queen is the chancellor and his array of cohorts, namely the deans of each college. Only an administration autocratic in nature would require classes and the vocation of skills that one need not know given their utter lack of interest in that subject, competing with the major they came to school in the first place to attain.

Under the realm of this court are the professors (barons), whose curriculum must fix itself to the rule of law and is offered tenure for their allegiance to the chancellor.

They walk a fine line between autonomy and fidelity to the court.

Stability over the kingdom requires a great deal of strength and might. For this purpose, the school established a militant police influence to quell the assimilation of students’ beliefs if it is deemed as riotous to the establishment. Just like the knights of old, campus police will not hesitate to enforce the arbitrary order of the schools doctrine.

The final mirroring of the past are the students, whose identity can be reflected from the peasants. Forever stuck in a state of constant worrying, studying and abuse, students can only hope to live within commonwealth guidelines or pay the consequences.

Make no mistake about this faction, the elite would not be able to operate and profit it were not for the backs of their labor. Still, they are governed by the system, simpleton subjects to absolute reign.

And as for me, I’m content with being a jester.

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Photo courtesy of A24

Nightmares, witchcraft and feminism A closer look inside ‘The Witch’ with writer/director Robert Eggers HUNTER HEILMAN A&E EDITOR

As “The Witch” terrifies audiences across the world, the Niner Times was lucky enough to sit down with writer and director of the film, Robert Eggers, to discuss the many different aspects and themes that went into crafting this modern horror folktale.

You’ve spoken in many, many interviews before talking about how the genesis and inspiration of the film has come from your upbringing in New England, New Hampshire in particular. With all this prior knowledge and all of the extensive research you put into the film, what was the most shocking piece of research that you came across that you didn’t necessarily know before starting pre-production and did that piece of information make it into the final film?

Well, there’s some shocking details about witchery that did not make it into the film. Those mainly have to do with genitals and so that’s why they didn’t make it into the film. But I think all the other kinds of particularly shocking things did. It came down to just really understanding that the real world and the fairytale were over the same thing in the early modern period. That if people called you a witch, they really believed that you were a fairytale ogre that’s capable of

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doing the things that the witch in my film does.

You being from New England, and knowing the entire history of witches and growing up with all that, how do you think that you singlehandedly created almost the ultimate puritan nightmare?

I just read a lot of books, really. I think what it comes down to is that my philosophy is that if you are going to make a film that’s actually transportive, everything about it has to be so personal. It’s not enough for me to set up a shot with the director of photography and say “that looks cool” and like “the light’s nice.” Every image in the film needs to be an articulation of my memory.

So it has to be so personal, as if this is a memory of my puritan childhood and what my father smelled like in the corn field that day. And sort of having a familiarity with like every little bit of dust in the floorboards of the house like they’re my own.

That’s sort of a little bit precious sounding, but that’s my approach.

Many people are saying that “The Witch,” is a masterpiece of the horror genre, but it’s very approachable to mainstream audiences who maybe haven’t been introduced to films that inspired you. What do you think about MARCH 1 - MARCH 7, 2016

the possibility of “The Witch” connecting mainstream audiences to other films like this?

I think it’s great. There’s definitely some people who totally hate the hell out of this movie, which is also great. And there’s even some genre people that are disappointed, saying it’s not a true horror film. But, there are a lot of people and a broader audience who are connecting to it and that’s really exciting.

You can get the context of the story through the images, even if the language is a hurdle. I don’t really know the right answer to any of these things, but I will say that it’s extremely gratifying to get e-mails from teenagers who’ve visited the the first art-house film they’ve seen and it’s really something special to them. I didn’t get to see a lot of films like this when I was a teenager, so I’m super excited to be able to share this with people.

What were the reasonings behind the choice to shoot the film in the now uncommon ratio of 1.66:1. What was the purpose behind shooting that way?

It’s very funny that you asked me this question, because my DP was just texting me, saying that he didn’t like how I explained this in some other interview. But the point is because because that frame is taller and I think that because we’re

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Photo courtesy of A24

used to widescreen formats, seeming like epic and all this. Some people kind of think I’ve shortened the view or cut the sides off. But, in fact, I’ve actually increased the frame height, so that the trees are taller and more imposing. It also creates a more intense and claustrophobic atmosphere in the house.

And, also because the Arri Alexa, the camera that we’re using, the native aspect ratio is 4:3 and it’s like that so you can shoot in scope.

But, for us, using circular lenses, we’re actually like using more of the sensor than we would have if we were just if this were 1.85:1, so we actually also have increased resolution.

About Black Phillip, it’s very hard to come up with a monster that’s refreshing nowadays.

His character is quite unique because throughout the whole film, you’re wondering if he really is evil and capable of something. What was your inspiration for Black Phillip?

If you Google Image search “witch woodcut” or “witch engraving,” you’ll find goats galore and they’re very much part of the witch mythology – the European witch mythology.

Did you know right away that you wanted him to be more than just a goat? Or did that develop over time?

It developed over the writing period. Actually, in England, it was very uncool to be a goat farmer, you were considered very backward if you were a goat farmer. But in New England, during the beginning of the great migration and also the Plymouth pilgrims, they all brought goats with them, because goats will eat anything, making them very

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efficient in clearing new land and they’re smaller than cows to bring over on the boat.

The film has gone through like a series of film festivals and it’s had eight nominations and won six of them. How did you feel winning the directing award at the Sundance Film Festival?

You know, never in a million years would I have thought I would’ve won. It really was quite shocking. I thought we might win for cinematography and when we didn’t, I thought “All right, cool. Well, I can sit tight.” But then I won and it was pretty wild.

While reading about the film, many people are talking about the empowerment of a teenage girl, the character of Thomasin – Can you elaborate on that in the writing?

The evil witch in the early modern period was men’s fierce desires and ambivalences about women and female power. And, sadly and horrifically, she was also women’s own fierce desires and ambivalences about themselves and motherhood in this extremely male-dominated society.

That’s clear when you start reading all this primary source material. I didn’t intend to write a piece about female empowerment, but I realize that in writing a witch story that they’re one and the same thing. So, these themes about feminism rise to the top.

One of the large marking points for the promotion of the film is that the Satanic Temple came out and officially endorsed the movie. What are your thoughts on that?

It’s nice to have fans.

ACROSS 1 Frequent-flier no., e.g.

5 Rental agreement 10 Many GRE takers 13 Big, fancy dinner 14 Finalize, as a comic strip 15 Tiny pest 16 Mideast protest movement that began in 2010 18 Mount St. Helens outflow 19 Cloud computing giant 20 Crotchety oldster 21 Postpone 22 “Little Broken Hearts” singer Jones 24 Cash cache 27 Win-win 29 Tall tale 30 Run fast 31 Bond or Bourne

MARCH 1 - MARCH 7, 2016

32 [Oh, well] 36 E-tailer’s address 37 February 29th ... and, based on the ends of 16-, 24-, 49- and 60-Across, this puzzle’s title 40 Cow sound 41 Sailboat staff 43 Will Ferrell holiday movie 44 Really into 46 Makeover 48 14-legged crustacean 49 Morally obliged 53 Dull finish 55 Laura’s classic “Dick Van Dyke Show” wail 56 Dubliner’s land 58 Golfer’s double bogey, usually 59 Put on weight 60 TV actor who played the Maytag repairman 63 Sound-off button

64 Headache relief brand 65 Part of town 66 Ginger __ 67 Take care of 68 Second to none DOWN 1 “Encore!”

2 Rich pasta dish 3 New England shellfish sandwiches 4 It’s picked up in bars 5 Cosmetic surg. option 6 Dress like Judge Judy 7 Curly-tailed guard dog 8 Envy or lust 9 An official lang. of Hong Kong 10 Big mess 11 “Bolero” composer 12 Set in motion 15 Collects bit by bit 17 Where subjects are taught 21 TiVo, for one 23 Every bit 25 “Cagney & Lacey” law-enforcing gp.

26 Paddled boats 28 Swim team swimsuit 30 Orbit, e.g.

31 Sunscreen letters 33 Uncertain words 34 Happy days 35 Sweetie 38 Baseball’s Felipe or Moises 39 Naval petty officers 42 “Have a sample” 45 Org. concerned with pesticides 47 Tidal retreat 48 “Ta-da!”

49 Religious doctrine 50 Ryder rival 51 All too familiar 52 Timid person’s lack 54 Yank in China, maybe 57 Chewy caramel candy 60 __ station 61 Flowery poem 62 Quick punch

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Ghosting: Maybe you’re better off without them NICOLE BUCKENHAM INTERN

“Ghosting” is a new form of ending a relationship. Ghosting has probably happened to you a lot, and you might not have even known it is a thing. Seriously, when was the last time the person you were seeing straight up said to you that they no longer want to see you anymore?

No one ever just calls things off anymore in person or even on the phone. People just kind of disappear from your life and it is never talked about.

Ghosting does not really happen in the form of serious relationships, but rather when casually seeing someone. Maybe when you kissed that person for the first time it just was not quite what you were expecting. Or maybe you did not like something small they did, but it was a big deal to you. With tech-savvy communication these days it is really easy to just stop replying when you don’t want to be with someone anymore. If someone stops replying, you just get the hint that it is over and that’s it. So with all this in mind, why is this a trend? Is this the right thing to do? And maybe being ghosted isn’t so bad.

It seems like ghosting is the new trend because it is just so easy to do. You no longer have to have an awkward confrontation. You don’t have to give reasons. It is just so easy to simply walk out of a person’s life and never speak to them again.

Also, ghosting is made easy because all we do is text, call and use social media with the person we’re into. Talking through texting is so vital these days that if the other person doesn’t text back enough, there really is not going to be a relationship. It is so easy to just stop replying to someone or be short worded enough that

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a relationship is obviously called off. Also, if someone is posting pictures through social media of them seeing someone else or doing something you don’t like, it is so easy to be done with a relationship that way as well.

Now, the real question is, is this the right thing to do? When you are doing the ghosting it may seem like the right thing to do at the time.

You don’t have to face confrontation or have tough conversations. In this case it actually may be good for your health and self-esteem.

You’ll never know what you did wrong, and that sometimes can be a good thing to just not know. On the other hand, not knowing will seriously drive someone crazy. You will question everything. It’s not good for the person who just got ghosted unless they’re okay with the whole thing. It is not that hard to send a text message or Facebook message about why you’re simply not into that person anymore. It would help the person’s sanity for them to get some closure.

So, if someone just ghosted you, that means they are too cowardly to tell you the real reason they decided to vanish on you out of nowhere.

If someone can’t own up to what is bothering them, why would you want a relationship with them anyway? Yes, it can be scary to be that honest with someone, but they probably have bigger problems as to why they just cut you off like that. Think about it, you don’t really want someone with bigger underlying issues with why they feel they need to avoid confrontation.

Relationships are based on communication and trust. If you’re being ghosted, maybe it’s actually a blessing in disguise.

MARCH 1 - MARCH 7, 2016

NINERTIMES

DORM ROOM DESIGN TIPS CANDICE KELLY STAFF WRITER

Dorm rooms all start out the same, but that doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. Here are a few simple tips to transform your space from drab to fab.

HANG SOME LIGHTS

Christmas lights are an inexpensive way to brighten up your dorm. They sell for $8-20 online and last for about three years. Hang a colorful string to wrap around your ceiling using command hooks to give the place a warm and cozy feel.

PUT UP SOME PICTURES

Having photos of friends and loved ones can really make your space feel like home. Fill your dresser with framed family photos or pictures with a significant other. You can put up posters of your favorite band or movie star. Cover your walls with

things that you love. It will make you much more excited to be in your space.

SCENT CONTROL

To help avoid the lain drywall smell, keep your room smelling fresh with these tips. Put a car freshener on your air vent, so every time it bows you will be hit with the sweet smell of Hawaiian paradise.

If you don’t have a vent in your room, you can use a wall plug in. It sells for about $6 and can freshen your dorm for around 60 days.

INVEST IN A GOOD COMFORTER

Living away from home HAILEY TURPIN STAFF WRITER

As we grow into the people we are supposed to be and leave home to attend school or work, we might see that the dream was not be everything we had first intended.

Sure, you know you want to be independent, do you own thing and not live under your parents’ rules anymore, but when you leave and move away to school, especially a school that’s several hours away, you learn about how easy you had it back at the nest.

From my personal experience as a first-generation college student, I left home with everything I owned and moved to a place I had never been. The first few weeks were torture, learning my schedule and still doing things so I could live was an eye-opening experience. After a full semester, it finally got better as I took on the roles of buying my own food, doing laundry and keeping myself responsible. The stress slowly

started to fade.

Growing up with my family beside me for the first 18 years of my life and suddenly leaving it all behind was both a refresher and terrifying.

Family was a big part of life, but the distance has made us stronger. They made me who I am,and encouraged me to be independent. They taught me the skills to live on my own and prepared me for the world around me.

College life isn’t as bad as they make it out to be. The things you learn from all of your experiences at school help to become more independent, mature and responsible. Eventually you learn to do the laundry, buy groceries or do your finances as an everyday act.

College is the best time of your life because you find who you are and learn valuable lessons that you will take throughout the rest of your adulthood.

Your comforter can make or break your space. Pick a design that is sturdy, soft and represents you.

Target sells many different designs of comforters for a good price.

Photo by Candice Kelly

NINERTIMES.COM

MARCH 1 - MARCH 7, 2016

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ANGIE BAQUEDANO STAFF WRITER

“The universe is so big it creates mystery. Mystery creates wonder, and wonder is the basis of a man’s desire to understand. So here I am leaving the library at 2 a.m. after a full night of studying in hopes that one day I’ll also be able to understand.”

Photo by Angie Baquedano

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MARCH 1 - MARCH 7, 2016

Jorge Roque

NINERTIMES