4 CULTURE
9 OPINION
Gallatin Sophomore Debuts Timeless Fashion Line
Why Is NYU Hiding Its Resources?
6 ARTS
Sophomore Soccer Star Shares His Insight on Success
First-Years Comment on Tara Westover’s “Educated”
10 SPORTS
VOLUME LIII | ISSUE 3
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
Some Students Welcome Ronell’s Return, Others Denounce It
COLLAGE BY SOPHIA DI IORIO | WSN
Despite a Title IX investigation finding Professor Avital Ronell sexually harassed a student — for which some have called on NYU to fire her — many students sought out her first class back from a one-year suspension. By LISA COCHRAN and VICTOR PORCELLI Contributing Writer and News Editor NYU Professor Avital Ronell — who a Title IX investigation found guilty of sexually harassing a graduate student mentee — returned on Friday to a crowd of students and one security staffer outside of her classroom. The students were not protesting, however, and the public safety officer was not there to monitor Ronell. Instead, eager students not enrolled in the class tried to sit in, and the security guard helped Ronell manage the surplus of interest, asking “Is there anything else you need?” When approached by WSN reporters following the class, Ronell declined to comment for this article, citing a gag order. Students exiting the classroom ignored requests for comment.
But not everyone at NYU was happy to see Ronell return. Last semester, members of the Student Government Assembly asked that the Comparative Literature and German professor not be reinstated after an 11-month Title IX investigation conducted by NYU found she had sexually harassed her former doctoral mentee, Nimrod Reitman. This summer, NYU’s graduate student union started a petition — still in circulation — which asked the university to fire Ronell. In a letter to the Graduate Student Organizing Committee, the university maintained that Ronell’s suspension, along with new guidelines on relationships between mentors and mentees, have been an adequate response. NYU also said that Ronell’s interactions with students will be monitored, although there was no sign of any university official inside the classroom with her on Friday.
“Speaking generally, though, the University responded promptly after hearing from the complainant; investigated the matter thoroughly; and the outcome included a substantial sanction and ongoing supervision,” university spokesperson John Beckman said in the statement. In a statement made to WSN over the summer, NYU has asserted that it does not consider Ronell a threat to students. GSOC disagrees. “[NYU is] literally permitting harassment,” GSOC steward for the Graduate School of Arts and Science Zach Rivers told WSN over the summer. “This is a permissive environment for harassment; there aren’t consequences.” NYU responded to the initial allegations at the first University Senate meeting of the 2018-2019 year, when NYU President Andrew Hamilton asked Graduate School of Arts and Science Dean Phillip
Brian Harper to examine aspects of the doctoral mentor and mentee relationship. Harper said it was his idea to update the guidelines and maintains that it was not a direct product of the Ronell investigation. The new guidelines were drafted after listening sessions for faculty and doctoral students — during which they could express their thoughts on what the guidelines should look like — held during the fall 2018 semester. Besides defining the roles of mentors and students, the guidelines emphasize that mentor-mentee relationships should operate under mutual respect and are strictly for the student to progress in their field of study. Harper said he anticipates the guidelines will be expanded into a lengthy doctoral student mentoring handbook for all doctorate-granting schools at NYU, but did not specify a time frame.
Although the university has taken punitive action against Ronell, until further notice, she is still teaching “Theories of Grievance, Stuckness” to about six graduate students. GSOC maintains in its petition that this — Ronell’s return to all but normal teaching conditions, one year after being found to have sexually harassed a mentee by the university’s Title IX Office — is unacceptable, no matter the circumstances. “NYU’s handling of the case suggests that its stated commitment to diversity and inclusion is nothing more than tokenism in place of actual institutional reform,” the petition reads. “Allowing Ronell to return to NYU demonstrates the university’s complicity in reproducing the structures that produce harassment and exclusion.” Email Lisa Cochran and Victor Porcelli at news@nyunews.com.
Washington Square News
2
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
NEWS
NEWS@NYUNEWS.COM
Edited by VICTOR PORCELLI
City Council Holds Potential Final Meeting on Rikers’s Closure
SAM CLEGG | WSN
Many gathered in City Hall on Thursday for the public hearing on the Rikers Island Closure Plan.
By YASMARIE DIAZ Contributing Writer In its only hearing on the multi-billion dollar, 10-year plan to close Rikers Island, New York’s City Council discussed the merits of the four jails planned to be built in every borough except Staten Island to replace it. At a packed meeting in City Hall on Thursday, South Bronx Councilmem-
ber Rafael Salamanca — who also chairs the Council’s Land Use Committee — explained the city’s reason for wanting to close Rikers. “There are no shortage of horror stories about the conditions on Rikers Island, heart-wrenching accounts from individuals who have experienced life on the island have led us to this moment in our city’s history,” Salamanca said. “If we are ever going to have a fair jail system in New York City, it starts
with closing Rikers.” Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was previously opposed to the idea of closing Rikers, unfolded a 10-year, $8.7 billion plan to do so in 2017. This is only possible, however, by building new jails in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. The mayor decided to have all four sites undergo the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, which allows for community input prior to beginning construction, together rather than sep-
arately. Previously, multiple sites have never shared a ULURP process. All community boards in the affected areas have voted against the plans, either because of ideological opposition — as is the case with advocates from No New Jails — or due to more specific complaints. For example, not far from NYU’s Lafayette Street Residence Hall, Chinatown community members have expressed opposition to the jail to be built in Manhattan partially
because the site shares a wall with a senior center. Residents have expressed concerns about seniors in the center — called Chung Pak — after a study by NYU’s Center for the Study of Asian American Health found that construction could increase seniors’ risk of serious long-term illnesses and even death. “One of the things we do have to look at is community impact,” City Councilmember representing Chinatown Margaret Chin said at the hearing. “One of the biggest concerns that I have is how do you protect the seniors and their caregivers during demolition and construction for [the] years that it’s going to happen?” Members of the Department of City Planning present at the hearing responded by noting that contractors are required to follow federal, state and city legislation related to noise control. They also said the city will go “above and beyond” in regard to noise, traffic and air quality control. Contractors will use monitors that stop work if noise goes above a certain level, according to the DCP members. At 45-50 stories, the jail at 125 White St. would be the tallest building in Chinatown. Chin expressed concern about this as well as the impact of construction on businesses in the area. “Small businesses are impacted,” Chin said. “They’re going to have to relocate or go out of business.” The DCP responded by saying there will be full-time, 24/7 community liaisons for each of the four sites to deal with issues as they come along. The City Council is expected to vote on the plan in mid-October. Email Yasmarie Diaz at news@nyunews.com.
Tisch and Shanghai Collaborate on Interactive Media Master’s Program By ANDY FAN Contributing Writer A new one-year master’s program in Interactive Media Arts will require students to take classes in Berlin, New York and Shanghai. NYU Shanghai and Tisch School of the Arts partnered to create the Master of Arts in Interactive Media Arts, which will begin to be offered in the summer of 2020. The MFA consists of two semesters of online curriculum combined with three residencies in New York, Shanghai and another location from NYU’s global network that will rotate annually. For the program’s first year, that location will be NYU Berlin. Students will start in Shanghai in the summer of 2020, then take an online course in the fall. During J-term, they will study in Berlin, then take another online course in the spring before finishing the masters in New York in the summer of 2021. Assistant Arts Professor and Director of the Interactive Media MFA program Craig Protzel said that the master’s exposes students to different types of learning. “With such a unique mixture of locations and contexts, the structure of the [low residency] offers an exciting opportunity to explore new modes of learning and collaboration both in-person and at a distance,” Protzel wrote in an email to WSN.
The design of the course is meant to provide flexibility for students, according to a press release. The subject matter comes from multiple fields of study, including coding, web design, graphic design and media. A collaboration between Tisch’s Interactive Telecommunications program and Shanghai’s Interactive Media Arts program, the MFA teaches students how to create virtual reality, animation and videos. “This joint low-residency master’s program builds in innovative ways on the strengths of both IMA and ITP to create something brand new that represents the best of both,” NYU Shanghai Provost Joanna Waley-Cohen wrote in an email to WSN. Associate Dean of Emerging Media at the Tisch School of the Arts Dan O’Sullivan said the program makes full use of NYU’s global network of campuses. “The strength of NYU’s global network provides an ideal opportunity for working professionals of all stripes to further explore the possibilities for creative experimentation and engender a deeper understanding of the world around us through the use of new technologies,” O’Sullivan said in the press release. Registration for the summer 2020 term begins Sept. 16. VIA NYU SHANGHAI
Email Andy Fan at news@nyunews.com.
Interactive Media Arts at NYU Shanghai.
Washington Square News | News
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
CRIME LOG
NYU Helps Sex Trafficking Victims Build Startups By JULIA SANTIAGO Contributing Writer NYU’s Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life held a summer program to equip survivors of sex trafficking with entrepeneurial skills, and it will continue to help participants throughout the year, according to a press release. Participants, who are survivors of forced commercial sex work, range from 20 to 60 years old and come from 19 different countries. The program is led by social entrepreneur Nir Tsuk, who recently also launched the Institute for Impact and Intrapreneurship at the Bronfman Center. To create the program, Tsuk partnered with the national nonprofit organization Restore NYC, which focuses on helping victims of sex trafficking access housing and employment. The women attended seminars on topics ranging from technology and professionalism to self-care and nutrition. Each subject was taught within the framework of entrepreneurship, business planning and finance. Although some of the women already had begun start-up businesses, the program focused on helping them either
further develop or launch new start-ups. “[The goal was] bringing the language of entrepreneurship to people who need it most,” Tsuk said in an interview with WSN. NYU Professor of Nutrition Lisa Sasson taught one of the courses for the program and said the women who took part in it were great to work with. “[They were] committed and eager to learn and super optimistic and positive and grateful for being there,” Sasson said. Ongoing projects by the participants include catering companies, a nail salon and a line of custom shampoos for women of color. Over the course of the next year, the participants will meet one-on-one with a business mentor every month to continue developing their start-ups and apply the skills learned in the program. The mentors serve only as guides, however, as the program focuses on empowering participants’ choices. “When they were trafficked, choice was taken away,” Restore NYC Director of Economic Empowerment Sandra Diaz told WSN. Email Julia Santiago at news@nyunews.com.
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Missing Skirt in Kimmel By CRIME BOT Robot Reporter From Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, the NYU Department of Public Safety received one report of attempted fondling / forcible touching, two reports of criminal mischief, two reports of drug law violation, three reports of harassment, 11 reports of larceny, nine reports of liquor law violation, one report of liquor law violation / drug law violation, one report of public lewdness, one report of robbery and one report of stalking. Attempted Fondling / Forcible Touching On Aug. 30 at 1:53 a.m., a student reported forcible touching in Founders Residence Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation.
Criminal Mischief On Sept. 3 at 8 p.m., an NYPD officer reported to an RA that graffiti had been found on an exterior wall in Second Street Residence Hall. The case is closed. On Sept. 1 at 1 p.m., a staff member reported witnessing property destruction in 10 Astor Place. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation.
Drug Law Violation On Sept. 5 at 10:50 p.m., Public Safety reported a drug law violation allegation and recovered a small amount of marijuana in Third North Residence Hall. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards. On Sept. 3 at 10:35 p.m., Public Safety reported to an alleged drug law violation and recovered a small amount of marijuana in Lipton Residence Hall. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards.
Harassment
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On Sept. 5 at 3:30 p.m., a student reported being harassed at two separate locations on West 4th Street. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation. On Sept. 6 at 9:46 a.m., a faculty member reported a harassment in Washington Square Park. The case is open. On August 9 at 4:23 p.m., A staff member reported a harassment in 137 East 25th Street. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation.
Larceny On Sept. 6 at 11:25 a.m., A student reported a missing shirt in the Kimmel Center for University Life. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation. On Sept. 5 at 11:40 p.m., an NYU affiliate reported a missing bike from outside Palladium Residence Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation. On Sept. 5 at 9 a.m., a staff member reported a missing jacket in Lipton Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation. On Sept. 4 at 5:32 p.m., a non-NYU affiliate reported a missing backpack from a construction site outside of Vanderbilt Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation. On Sept. 3 at 9:30 p.m., a student reported a missing laptop from an unsecured locker in Palladium Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation. On Sept. 3 at 8:41 p.m., a student reported missing sunglasses in Brittany Residence Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation. On Sept. 3 at 6:33 p.m., a student reported a missing laptop in Bobst Library. A police report was filed. The case is open and under investigation. On Sept. 3 at 6:25 p.m., an NYU affiliate reported a missing purse in Bobst Library. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation.
On Sept. 3 at 2:51 p.m., a student reported missing clothing from a laundry room in Brittany Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation. On Sept. 3 at 2:51 p.m., a student reported a missing wallet from a bench in Gould Plaza. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation. On Aug. 30 at 4:45 p.m., a student reported a missing bike from outside Starbucks at Rogers Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation.
Liquor Law Violation On Sept. 6 at 12:45 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Third North. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards. On Sept. 1 at 1:25 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Brittany Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards. On Aug. 31 at 12:15 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Palladium Residence Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards. On Aug. 31 at 12:05 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Third North. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards. On Aug. 31 at 11:28 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Founders Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards. On Aug. 31 at 10:15 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Alumni Residence Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards. On Aug. 31 at 10 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Alumni Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards. On Aug. 30 at 10:05 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Founders Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards. On Aug. 30 at 2:27 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Third North. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards.
Liquor Law Violation / Drug Law Violation On Aug. 30 at 12 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession and illegal drug possession in Founders Hall. A small amount of marijuana was confiscated. Police notification was declined. The case is closed and referred to the office of community standards.
Public Lewdness On Sept. 4 at 11:30 a.m., a student reported witnessing public lewdness on Mercer Street between East 3rd and East 4th Streets. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation.
Robbery On Sept. 5 at 10:34 p.m., a staff member reported a robbery in Washington Square Park. No injuries were reported. A police report was filed. A timely warning notification was distributed. The case is open and under investigation.
Stalking On Sept. 4 at 9:30 p.m., a student reported being stalked electronically in Rogers Hall. A police report was filed. The case is open and under investigation. Email Crime Bot at crime@nyunews.com.
Washington Square News
4
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
CULTURE
CULTURE@NYUNEWS.COM
Edited by CAROL LEE
Your Dorm Walls Are Your Canvas By SABRINA CHOUDHARY Staff Writer To tapestry or not to tapestry? String lights or succulents? Each August, the beginning of the school year brims with new opportunities — new classes, new friends and a new dorm room. For some HGTV-style inspiration, students from Gramercy to Lafayette need not look further than their classmates Arianna Adeseye and Sophia Ettin. Beautifying your room doesn’t need to break the bank. CAS sophomore Adeseye has repurposed souvenirs from her first year of NYU events to personalize her Carlyle room — and save money in the process. She’s taped Welcome Week Comedy Night and Ultra Violet Live ticket stubs on the backboard of her desk to disguise the tape marks of students past. She scored posters at a Kimmel pop-up sale last year as well as a gem of a painting by CAS first-year Abby Lamdan. “It was so beautiful that I had to buy it,” Adeseye said. Adeseye showcases her own art as well,
including paintings and drawings from her first year, but this time around she set out to create a display with help from a classic NYU haunt. “My friend and I went to the Strand and got a dollar book from outside, and I just kind of ripped pages out of it and made a collage,” she said. Vibrant art for only a dollar? Easy. In contrast, GLS sophomore Sophia Ettin spent her first year in London, so you won’t find much NYU memorabilia in her new Palladium room. Instead, she’s covered her walls with posters from London street markets and postcards from gallery openings. The collection began with a visit to New York in 2017, where she kept her first postcards from a photography event. In a way, Ettin reflected, she’s been working on this dorm room gallery ever since. “It’s kind of chaotic,” Ettin said. “But that kind of matches me as a person.” Ettin highlighted how dorm decor is not just an artistic outlet, but a layered expression of personality, values and connections with others. For instance, both
Ettin and Adeseye brought a gift from a friend. Adeseye’s roommate had given her a poster of Seattle, her hometown, which Adeseye embellished with symbols of her favorite Seattle musicians. Ettin, on the other hand, received a body pillow from her roommate — in the shape of a rainbow trout. Some of the least remarkable-looking items turned out to be the most meaningful. Ettin keeps a vase of sunflowers on her windowsill along with a print of Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” by her desk. She explained how for her, sunflowers were a positive reminder of a personal relationship. And despite Adeseye’s new Carlyle kitchen, she brought a minifridge this year. “My parents have had this since the ’80s; can you believe that?” she said. “Literally, for move-in last year we drove up with that in the car, and it somehow still works great, and you know what, I thank God every day because I don’t know how it still works!” So if detangling string lights doesn’t spark joy or you can’t afford expensive
Pressed for Success By DIVYA NELAKONDA Staff Writer The start of a new school year doesn’t just mean new classes and new school supplies. It also means preparing your best suit for a job interview and wondering how to get the coffee stain out of your shirt after the first all-nighter of the semester. Whatever it is, the Village is full of dry cleaning spots and, luckily for us, student discounts abound. Quality Plus Dry Cleaners 200 Second Ave. Boasting a five-star average from Google reviews and a four-star average on Yelp, it is safe to say that Quality Plus Dry Cleaners lives up to its name. It offers dry cleaning services for anything from blouses to evening gowns to area rugs. Conveniently, it also provides shoe repairs and cleaning, bag repairs and cleaning, zipper fixes, watch repairs and battery replacements, making it a convenient go-to for any fashion emergency. And with your NYU ID, you can get 10% off all services.
Aphrodite Dry Cleaners 30 University Place Aphrodite Dry Cleaners is an extra-convenient dry cleaning spot due to its proximity
to Washington Square Park; the owner herself affirmed that many NYU students frequent the shop for wash and press services for their clothing and bedding. Additionally, Aphrodite Dry Cleaners offers alterations — tapering, new zipper, patch — with prices based on the specific operation requested. While the prices are slightly higher than other dry cleaners’, the clean and inviting environment is an assurance that your garments will be well cared for. Aphrodite Dry Cleaners provides a 10% discount for NYU students.
SABRINA CHOUDHARY | WSN
Sophia Ettin’s Palladium room displays vibrant posters from her London study away. She also keeps a rainbow trout pillow she was given by a friend.
prints, rest easy. Not many of us have the time or inclination to create a Pinterest-perfect room with a big budget. However, tangible reminders of loved ones and loved places can be a simple and beautiful way to bring a dorm room to life
NYU students continue to make sustainability a priority, and some local dry cleaners have followed suit. Traditional dry cleaning involves the chemical “perc,” or perchloroethylene, which is considered a hazardous air pollutant by the Environmental Protection Agency. At Mercer Cleaners, they use organic dry cleaning, which is non-toxic, safe for the garments and more eco-friendly. If that does not sell you, Mercer Cleaners also offers 25% off of dry cleaning for NYU students, which is a bargain that many students could use. CHAD EVANS | WSN
Gallatin sophomore Elizabeth “Elle” Plummer debuts her fashion line, Mods in America.
By CHAD EVANS Staff Writer
MIN JI KIM | WSN
Aphrodite Dry Cleaners is often frequented by NYU students because of its proximity to Washington Square.
Email Sabrina Choudhary at culture@nyunews.com.
Gallatin Sophomore Debuts Timeless Fashion Line
Mercer Cleaners 291 Mercer St.
Email Divya Nelakonda at bstyle@nyunews.com.
and to bring life into your dorm room. Your dorm walls are your canvas, so fill them with care.
Partygoers on the Upper West Side mingled and sipped vintage cocktails as moody oldies hits blared from an appropriately mod turntable. This cool Saturday afternoon launch party saw the unveiling of Gallatin sophomore Elizabeth “Elle” Plummer’s new fashion label: Mods in America. Plummer’s fashion line pays homage to the distinct styles of 1960s subcultures. It also provides a new option for consumers wary of fast fashion in favor of something more ethically made. The collection’s sweaters, outerwear, skirts and more are all handmade at Carino Bridal Boutique in Southern California, where Plummer
interned in high school. Standout garments of the collection include the woolen Sharon coat, named for 1960s starlet Sharon Tate, featuring embellished, feathered sleeves and hem, an exceptionally retro plaid-printed dress and abstract windowpane pants known as “Peggy Pants.” Plummer said she had always intended to launch her own brand but did not anticipate that it would happen so soon. She began developing the label a year and a half ago, drawing inspiration from the 1960s after she took a research seminar on the decade. “The plan is to cover different subcultures in different seasons,” she said. “Right now this is mod, but hopefully I can take on others, like rock and roll and hippie.” Plummer credited NYU’s plentiful resources with enabling her to launch the label so early. The design process began with electronic sketches in Adobe Illustrator, which she learned to create via internships she had in high school. Guests were enamored with the pieces and looked forward to being able to wear them themselves. Marymount Manhattan College sophomore Rachel Baraksky commended the brand’s effort to be ethically sourced. “I’m really against fast fashion and mass production associated with it,” she said. “Brands like Mods in America are great because they take this out of the equation and still produce high-quality clothing.” At the moment, the line will stay focused on the 1960s but may expand based on consumer interest. “There’s just so much change and inspiration in the decade to work with,” Plummer said. The debut collection will be available for purchase soon on ModsinAmerica.com or viewed on Instagram @modsinamerica. Email Chad Evans at bstyle@nyunews.com.
Washington Square News | Culture
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
5
Bite Club Gets a Taste of Independence By ELIF KESIKBAS Staff Writer Whether you’re planning your next food adventure or trying to stay on top of industry news, Bite Club is the new must-read since its official launch in May. Formerly known as Spoon
University at NYU, the team said goodbye to its chapter status this past spring and rebranded as Bite Club. Inspired by epicurean magazines and platforms, Bite Club hopes to provide a unique perspective and diverse, contemporary content on its food blog. Bite Club Social Media Man-
CECILIA CHEN | WSN
After five years with Spoon University, Bite Club transitioned away from the organization into their own publishing and social media outlet.
ager and Rory Meyers junior Ceci Chen described the logic behind this change in voice. “I know a lot of college-level foodie websites, or just foodie websites in general, like to be a little informal in the sense that they’re more geared towards likes or views,” Chen said. “We are hoping that we are stepping away and finding a different, more formal voice, but still in a way that we are young and not really established in the world.” Bite Club believes that blog content for college students should be created by college students themselves. However, Scripps Network Interactive, the owner of Food Network, acquired Spoon University in 2016 in hopes of reaching a younger audience. CAS senior and Bite Club Managing Editor Helena Gonzalez, explained the consequences of Food Network’s acquisition of Spoon University. “What happened was that Spoon had their own headquarters in New York that was completely separate from the chapters, so they basically shut down,” Gonzalez said. “What we quickly realized was that they were just subsumed by Food Network and we weren’t getting the kind of support we needed.” The lack of support hindered the team’s progress toward their goals,
as well as their operational efficiency. Spoon University headquarters provided neither funding for the team nor event spaces and Spoon University’s style guidelines also restricted the team’s journalistic freedom. Meanwhile, NYU’s policy on for-profit, third party organizations made the team ineligible for event spaces in Kimmel. Tandon senior and Bite Club Assistant Marketing Director Christy Chan interned at Spoon University this past summer. She describes the negative effects of the length limitations that came with Spoon University’s specific templates. “Your articles had to be in a template and fit those requirements,” Chan said. “It limits your creativity and your ability to include as much as you want and be as opinionated as you want.” As a result of these issues, the team of 26 members unanimously decided to part ways with Spoon University. They designed their new website, bought the domain name, switched over their social media accounts and went full steam ahead with rebranding. While their Instagram account is still blessing NYU students with delicious photos from the New York food scene, their written content has taken a step away from cookie-cutter
templates and in a direction that exposes readers to the expansive food scene of New York. “It’s definitely a line to walk between accessible, relevant content and taking the next step up,” Gonzalez said. “You are appealing to two sorts of people: people who are really into food and chef culture and who are knowledgeable about the industry [...] we are elevating our brand but not shying away from talking about sexual harassment going on in the food industry, but also talking about where you can get ramen in your neighborhood.” Bite Club is also curating campus events targeted toward NYU students. “We’ve had speakers such as rehab writers, entrepreneurs, bloggers and influencers come in to talk,” Chan said. “This year, with the rebranding, we know what kinds of events we want to do and want to change things up to keep them more engaging and interactive.” As a nascent organization, Bite Club has yet to fully demonstrate itself as the innovative and unconventional platform it promises to be. But one thing’s for sure — all of NYU’s foodies’ eyes will be on them. Email Elif Kesikbas at dining@nyunews.com.
Steals and Deals Meant for Students By CALAIS WATKINS Dining Editor As young, hungry students frequenting the Village, it can be easy to get decision fatigue from the host of restaurants around. There are so many to choose from that it’s hard to know where to begin. Make no mistake, local food providers also know this, which is why they go to lengths to fight for your attention. Lucky for you, one way in which these establishments do this is through student discounts. NYU tuition is already costing you an arm and a leg, so you might as well take advantage of these student discounts and enjoy some good food. The Kati Roll Company 99 Macdougal St. The Kati Roll Company sells kati rolls (shocking), which is a street food in India, now found in eateries all around New York City. A kati roll is a mixture of meat, vegetables and spices wrapped up in naan, making it the perfect quick bite. The restaurant offers a 10% discount to students with an NYU ID, so if you wanted to try a new culinary experience that doesn’t break the bank, this spot is perfect.
Space Market 1 University Place #1 If you’re a first-year living in Weinstein Hall, you probably already know all about Space Market. It’s a standard grocery store, complete with a deli, salad bar and hot food to-go bar. Space Market is open 24 hours and it always seems to have exactly what you’re craving at 2 a.m. after that night out or late-night study session. Space Market has so much to offer, and you can get it all at a discount with your student ID.
The Bean 824 Broadway, 54 Second Ave., 31 Third Ave.
I’d bet a substantial amount of money that every NYU student will have been to The Bean by the time graduation rolls around. The Bean is a great spot to grab coffee and study, complete with complimentary wifi and big tables (if you’re lucky enough to find an empty one). It offers a 10% discount to NYU students with their ID card, which might ease your mind when feeding that coffee addiction.
Bagel Bobs 51 University Place Though it may be small, Bagel Bobs can’t be disregarded. Friendly staff, a perfect cream cheese to bagel ratio and their 10% NYU student discount set this place apart from the other bagel shops around campus. Additionally, it sells bagels at half price every Monday from 4 - 7 p.m. Bagel Bobs has a wide variety of bagels and cream cheese flavors to choose from, as well as other menu options such as sandwiches, wraps and coffee.
Buttercup Bake Shop 61 E Eighth St. Buttercup Bake Shop sells a variety of desserts, ranging from pies to puddings to cookies. However, it’s best known for its 100% buttercream cakes. The slices of cake are huge, but perfect to share with a group of friends. If you’re just looking to treat yourself, they sell individual cupcakes as well. With its 10% NYU student discount, Buttercup Bake Shop is the perfect place to satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling too much guilt.
Okinii 216 Thompson St. Okinii is a Japanese sushi bar with an extensive menu consisting of sushi, poke, ramen and much more. The aspect that makes Okinii noteable is its sushi bar, where one can pick out all of his or her desired ingredients and then watch the chef turn them into a sushi creation.
LAURA MEASHER | WSN
A hot chocolate and vegan almond brownie on a budget, with a 10% student discount from The Bean at 824 Broadway.
This might all seem too sophisticated for your college budget, but its 10% NYU student discount makes it a little more affordable.
16 Handles 153 Second Ave. 16 Handles is New York’s resident frozen yogurt franchise, with locations all over the city. It’s not often that franchises give out regular discounts, but
16 Handles defies that stereotype with its 10% student discount. Depending on your choice of toppings, frozen yogurt can be a relatively healthy dessert, so you can feel good about what you’re eating and how much you’re spending.
Vapiano 113 University Place Vapiano is an Italian restaurant with an interesting and unique format for order-
ing food. Each customer stands in line, orders at the counter and then proceeds to watch the chef make their meal. Once the food is ready, customers have two floors of seating to choose from. Though there are many great student discounts around us, Vapiano comes out on top with 20% off. Email Calais Watkins at cwatkins@nyunews.com.
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
ARTS
ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Edited by CLAIRE FISHMAN
Unmaking Toulouse-Lautrec: An Immersive Theater Experience at Madame X
COURTESY OF BRANDON SALOY/MIA ISABELLA PHOTOGRAPHY
The cast of Unmaking Toulouse-Lautrec.
By MADELINE LYSKAWA Staff Writer Crammed together along crimson-red couches in a dimly-lit upstairs lounge at the Greenwich Village bar Madame X, audience members are invited to behold the tragic, yet intriguing life of the famous late-19th century French painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec in a performance titled “Unmaking Toulouse-Lautrec” by Bated Breath
Theatre Company. The show is set in a Moulin Rouge-inspired cabaret. Face to face with the bodies of the cast, the show strings the audience along through a series of intense, amusing and provocative vignettes, which result in a fun but somewhat confusing and disjointed performance. The play begins with a funeral scene. Immediately, the audience is made aware of Toulouse-Lautrec’s impending death, which is revisited at the end
of the performance. But despite the somber scene that sets the show in motion, Bated Breath Executive Artistic Director Mara Lieberman says that the performance isn’t supposed to be sad. Rather, she would describe it as a sexy and fun experience. As the actors remove their black funeral capes and the sound of thunder that plays throughout the funeral goes quiet, the life of Toulouse-Lautrec, played by Daniel George, resets and the
audience is guided through his troubled childhood. “Our early child influences go on to influence the rest of our lives and maybe our death,” Lieberman said in an interview with WSN. Although it’s almost uncomfortable to watch, the Bated Breath actors relay the story of Toulouse-Lautrec’s conception through a sensual scene between the two actors who play his parents, Luke Couzens and NYU alumna Derya Celikkol. They realize that Toulouse-Lautrec’s mother Adele is pregnant, however, his father declares that they have “produced genetically inferior offspring,” as his parents are first cousins. Toulouse-Lautrec is born, and the subsequent vignettes tell the story of how he fractured both of his femurs between the ages of 13 and 14. The injuries never healed properly, leaving Toulouse-Lautrec with a lifelong disability, which doctors at the time attributed to a genetic disorder possibly caused by his parents’ being so closely related . “We talked about since Henri was differently abled and kind of considered an outcast,” said Glori Dei Filippone, who plays Yves in the performance and who also graduated from NYU last May. “He was treated like, as you know, how you sort of treat service workers, where it’s like they’re there, but you act like they’re not. So you’re able to talk and do things in front of them and see them as kind of like wallpaper.” Throughout the rest of the performance, the audience follows Tou-
louse-Lautrec as he becomes inspired to start painting and eventually spirals into alcoholism. “He was both a painter and an aristocrat, but more comfortable with prostitutes,” Leiberman explains in reference to Toulouse-Lautrec. The vignette style allows the audience to learn about every stage of Toulouse-Lautrec’s life, but it can also lead to jarring narrative shifts. At one point in the show, the cabaret dancers are seen mocking Toulouse-Lautrec, calling him a “little monster.” The following vignette tells a different story, however, as one of the dancers exclaims that she loves one of his drawings of her, only to be followed by the next scene where all of the dancers are horrified by his paintings. The show, which was originally conceived and directed by Lieberman back in 2012, premiered at the Wadsworth Atheneum, a museum in Hartford, Connecticut. Originally running only 26 minutes, Lieberman adjusted the show to fit the new venue and cast, as well as extending the performance to be a 55-minute-long experience. The new rendition began on May 8 and is now continuing into its third extension through Oct. 30. Tickets can be purchased online with dates available for alternating Fridays (7 p.m and 8:30 p.m.) and Wednesdays (7 p.m. and 9 p.m.). Prices are $25 for bar/standing room and $45 for general admission. Email Madeline Lyskawa at theater@nyunews.com.
First-Years Comment on Tara Westover’s “Educated” By DANISBEL HERRERA Contributing Writer This year, all incoming first-years were asked to read Tara Westover’s memoir, “Educated,” the true story of a woman raised by Mormon survivalists in the mountains of Idaho. Readers and critics alike have attested to the overall quality of the book, but how did the class of 2023 feel about it? Did they even read it? According to NYU Reads, the goal of having an annual required reading is to “prompt students to reflect on their journeys to this point in their lives” and to discuss the new experiences and challenges they expect to encounter at NYU. The hope is that “Educated” will “spark conversation” among students regarding the responsibilities that await them in college. Tara Westover and her six older siblings were denied a formal education by their fundamentalist father. He believed that the government used public schooling as an instrument to brainwash children, and thus preferred to keep his own kids distracted by putting them to work either in his scrap yard or stockpiling for the end of the world. Tara first stepped foot in a classroom at the age of 17. Several students interviewed over Facebook Messenger reported disliking required readings because they felt forced to read books they weren’t particularly interested in. A first-year who preferred to remain anonymous said that he didn’t read the book because he
was simply lazy and “it seemed boring.” Steinhardt sophomore Chenxin Wu said that “required readings over the summer just always bring anxiety.” Stern first-year Ankit Jain was likewise unenthused about the prospect of required reading. He did acknowledge a positive aspect, however. “It’s nice to have something to talk about with all of my classmates,” Jain said. Students who enjoyed “Educated” had a tendency to mention the effect that the book had on their view of education, as well as the story’s relatability. Some said that they were glad that NYU assigned it. Liberal Studies first-year Do Young Kim said that the book made him reckon with the privilege of receiving a college education. Along the same line, Stern first-year Brian Cherifi said “Educated” made him challenge his ideas. “The program succeeded in helping me open up my mind to those who have a thirst for knowledge but have a harder time getting it,” Cherifi said. Other students focused on the way that the book applies to them on a personal level, as well as to the NYU firstyear community as a whole. First-year Nathaniel said the book touched him on a very personal level because of all of the commonalities between Westover’s life and his own. He pointed out similarities such as homeschooling, isolation from other children and “being the odd one out.” He said the book taught him that he was not alone, and he hopes to “find
the place I belong, just as Tara Westover found after her time studying.” Some students simply enjoyed the story without looking for a deeper meaning. “I thought the story was interesting,”
Gallatin first-year Ellie Ryan said. “I didn’t mind being required to read it.” “Educated” may not have been a life-altering read for every first-year, but students generally agreed that it was
an appropriate selection to introduce them to college. Email Danisbel Herrera at books@nyunews.com.
JORENE HE | WSN
NYU first-year students were asked to read Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover during the summer.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
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Amy Hempel and Casey Legler Read at NYU’s Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House By JULIE GOLDBERG Theater & Books Editor Breaking an Olympic record, in warmups at that, is no easy feat. Neither is building a career on short fiction. On Thursday, NYU’s creative writing program hosted two established authors, Amy Hempel and Casey Legler, for a reading at the historic Lillian Vernon House on West 10th Street. Darin Strauss, award-winning author and NYU faculty member, hosted the event. Since publishing her first book in 1985, Hempel has distinguished herself as a master of short-form fiction. Known for her sparse, minimalist style, she is one of the few writers in history to gain literary acclaim almost exclusively for short stories. Strauss introduced her as “a na-
tional treasure.” “I break the world record split at warmups and everyone on deck stops what they’re doing and looks over at coach,” Legler writes in her book “Godspeed: A Memoir,” which was published in 2018. It’s true: the day before the 1996 Summer Olympics, Casey Legler broke the world record in qualifying heats. Since then, she has worked as a restaurateur, model and, most recently, a writer. When Strauss asked how she’s managed to “be good at multiple things,” she replied dryly, “autism,” before breaking into laughter and saying, “that was a bad joke.” She said that while she often hated swimming, especially when she was pursuing it at the Olympic level, she has always loved writing. She said it is an honor to call herself a friend of Hempel’s;
the pair continually sang one another’s praises throughout the evening. At 6 feet 2 inches, Legler is sinewy and striking, sporting an array of tattoos, a chiseled jaw and a gracious smile. Hempel is miniature beside her, with long white hair and dark eyes. In March 2019, Hempel released “Sing to It,” her first book in 10 years. Of the 15 stories in the collection, 10 are what she calls “short shorts,” otherwise known as flash or micro fiction, many of them under a page in length. When asked if she would ever attempt to expand one of these shorter works, she responded that she wouldn’t, claiming that her longer works, such as her novella “Tumble Home,” were essentially accidents. After reading two of her short shorts,
VIA NYU
Seminal short fiction writer Amy Hempel and Olympic swimmer turned memoirist Casey Legler read and discussed their recent work at NYU’s Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House.
Hempel self-deprecatingly introduced the excerpt of an unpublished nonfiction piece she would read next, gesturing to Legler as the verifiable memoirist. One thing the two writers have in common: water. Hempel’s nonfiction piece meditates on her childhood days spent swimming in a pond by her house and discovering that her father was not really her father. Associative yet tight, sparse and cutting, it is marked with all of the Hempelian qualities of her short fiction. Legler’s connection to water is more apparent, but she also discusses it through the lens of adolescent angst, recalling showing up hungover to swim practice and breaking a record nevertheless. “I don’t know if I’ve ever wrote anything that hasn’t relied, for some part of its impact, on water,” Hempel said. Legler nodded in agreement; of the seven years she spent swimming competitively, she spent three and a half underwater — she did the math. “That has to do something to a person,” she joked. She read an excerpt from “Godspeed” about being 15 years old, a closeted lesbian in love with her best friend. Often hilarious, Legler narrates a high school sleepover with sharp wit and adolescent optimism. She then read from the end of the book — “Why not?” she said — which proves heavier in content, a moving depiction of her battle with drug addiction at 20 years old. The humor of the earlier excerpt, however, remains laced throughout. She cites the humor in her prose as her way of helping the reader “sustain the onslaught of the book.” She found it difficult at times, writing in first person, to summon the cavalier attitude of her youth. But she’s clear that she was not an easy child, teen or young adult, describing the fact that she’s so frequently referred to as “nice” in adulthood as a miracle. “That is not how anyone would have described me back then,” she said. Much time was spent uplifting the work of others. When one attendee asked
what makes a short story good, Hempel responded, “Do you write short stories?” When he said that he did, she smiled widely and cheered. “Ego is out the window when you look around these days, in any which direction,” Hempel said. Worried less about accolades than ever before, she noted her attention has been focused on the crisis at the border. She expressed her admiration for the work of Mexican writer Valeria Luiselli, especially her recent novel “Lost Children Archive.” Strauss asked both writers about their nonconformist writing styles. Legler cited an aspiration to emulate the “freedom of irreverence” she saw in the works of writers like Jack Kerouac and Charles Bukowski, but notes that when it came to actually writing, her goal was to “create a liminal, physical quality” that the reader could experience. Any disregard for traditional form was merely a symptom of this effort. Similarly, Hempel said she strives to write stories that are what she calls “headlong” and finds the most effective way to do this is often through less conventional means. Her aim is not to be subversive, but rather to get the story to do what she wants it to do. After the reading and Q&A, the audience was invited to the far room of the first floor for wine, refreshments and a book signing. The Reading Series hosts events every Thursday and Friday throughout the semester, all of which are free and open to the public. The next reading will take place on Thursday and feature award-winning poet Brenda Shaughnessy in conversation with the creative writing program director Deborah Landau. The Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House is located at 58 W 10th St. Email Julie Goldberg at jgoldberg@nyunews.com.
The Significance of Taylor Swift Re-Recording Her Discography By SIMA DOCTOROFF Staff Writer Pop music magnate Taylor Swift’s most recent album “Lover” is a far cry from her early work, but fans of teen-country Taylor are in luck: the artist recently revealed she will be re-recording every single one of her previous albums. The news comes after the singer wrote a heated Tumblr post expressing her dismay at the recent sale of her old label, Big Machine Records, to another label, Ithaca Holdings, which is owned by talent agent Scooter Braun. In her post, Swift labeled Braun as a bully and expressed frustration over his newfound ownership of nearly her entire music career’s work with the sole exception of “Lover.” Once Swift has re-recorded the albums, the master records will once again belong to her. One might think that the move was monetarily motivated, but for millionaire Swift, who famously sued a man who sexually harassed her for $1 in 2017, money does not seem to be the issue. The issue is a violation of principles, Swift’s life’s work being in the hands of a man whom she does not trust. Swift’s extremely open handling of this issue is just the latest of numerous occasions when the singer was strikingly candid with the public. It is no secret that behind the glitz and glamor of fame and
stardom lies a toxic culture of misogyny and sexism. In an industry largely dominated by men, Swift has refused to stay silent time and again. She has been involved in drama after drama, both during her rise and during her reign. When Kim Kardashian famously called Swift a “snake” on social media, launching the infamous “#TaylorSwiftisOverParty,” Swift appropriated the snake imagery used against her and made it one of the themes of her album “Reputation,” most notably in her music video for “Look What You Made Me Do.” Swift again took the power back into her own hands regarding her feud with Katy Perry, stating in a recent “Vogue” article that she personally reached out to Perry to rewrite the narrative which the media had spun about the two starlets. In Swift’s video for “You Need to Calm Down” the pair share a hug dressed as a burger and fries, a clear takedown of the trend of pitting female artists against one another. Reclaiming her power and doing as she wishes is a powerful move for Swift, but it’s also the natural thing to do. The music is hers. She wrote it, she has the artistic rights to recreate it and she doesn’t want the men of the industry to have complete control of her, so they won’t. Swift has earned the rights to her work. Really, given her past, it would be more strange
if she were to just give up and leave her music to Braun. Fans can expect Swift to begin the re-recording of her past work in Novem-
ber 2020, which is speculated to be when her contract with Big Machine ends. Until then, both fans and naysayers can expect her to keep creating new art and
speaking up for what she believes in. Email Sima Doctoroff at music@nyunews.com.
VIA BUZZFEED NEWS
Taylor Swift will re-record her entire discography to regain ownership of her back catalogue.
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OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
OPINION
Edited by COLE STALLONE and ABBY HOFSTETTER
UNIVERSITY LIFE
The Traces of Voluntourism in Project Outreach
By KENZO KIMURA Staff Writer When I applied to college, I sat at a desk for hours, crafting the most alluring answers for my application. I tried to emphasize the best parts of myself, overstating my involvement in social justice and community service. To high school students desperate to secure a spot at top colleges, using these words might feel like a gateway to
an acceptance letter. For institutions, however, the very same language might be used for advertisement, attached a false sense of social responsibility to their reputation. A week before my first-year peers moved in, I was already at NYU for a service opportunity called Project Outreach. According to their website, Project Outreach aims for participants to “gain leadership skills, build community, and engage in service throughout NYC.” Although its intentions may be good, the program made me feel uneasy at times, and my participation in it has left me with mixed feelings. I would like to believe that Project Outreach does its best at fulfilling its mission. We were only photographed during breaks out of respect for the organizations involved, and our peer mentors main-
tained an inclusive environment during discussions. Making new friends and connections helped to ease my fear of meeting new people. The discourse revolving around social justice and inequality on all spectrums demonstrated the commitment participants had to helping others, but the program itself was a genuine eye-opener to the massive privilege NYU students have. I would hope that Project Outreach never intended to present itself as voluntouristic. The idea of week-long service opportunities intended for clout makes it seem as if volunteering on behalf of the university is a way to compensate for its institutional guilt. When it comes to volunteering, the idea of community service does not lie solely on the physical change you make — it’s the intentions you have, the communities you enter and the peo-
ple you impact. One specific event that left me confused took place on our last service day; a sweaty train ride to Queens wearing bright yellow t-shirts plastered with NYU’s logo along with the title “Project Outreach 2019.” That morning, over 100 of us swarmed into a local park in Queens, ready to paint its chipping fences. As much as I enjoyed painting the park’s fences and getting curious looks from joggers and small children, the idea of promoting ourselves while also doing community service in a community that didn’t belong to us felt very forced and at times voluntouristic. Voluntourism attracts students because it makes them feel fulfilled, both service and character-wise. However, the foundational issue with voluntourism superficially engages volun-
teers and creates an unnecessary sense of collective guilt in various communities. During my time in Project Outreach, I constantly received stares from bystanders as they watched me rip weeds, paint fences and deliver meals. Sometimes I questioned if over 100 freshmen wearing uniform shirts painting a fence in Queens were doing local residents a favor, or if I was just a part of institutional gentrification — something NYU has been derided for exacerbating. Although I personally felt Project Outreach had a positive impact on my experience, the idea of doing intrusive community service while repping NYU has undeniable implications. Email Kenzo Kimura at opinion@nyunews.com.
ENVIRONMENT
Composting Isn’t a Waste
By GABBY LOZANO Contributing Writer In a world of seven — soon to be eight — billion people, it’s easy to find comfort in the statement “I’m just one person,” especially in response to the growing issue of climate change. Although this phrase is often used as an expression of hopelessness or indifference, it can also be one of ignorance. Having said that, I understand it. It can be difficult to consistently make
eco-friendly decisions as a college student due to restricted finances and other legitimate obstacles. Attending NYU makes sustainable living more feasible: NYU is carrying out its determined effort to go green through different clubs and by making commitments that cut NYU’s carbon emissions in half by 2025. But what can one more person really do? Why be proactive? The solution is in your garbage. While the idea is not new, composting reaffirms your importance and agency to combat climate change. Composting is the decaying of organic material which produces nutrient-rich soil. What’s beautiful about composting, despite its reeking odor and unorganized appearance, is its dual functionality. This practice works to enhance the quality of vegetation grown while keeping food scraps away
from landfills, a surprisingly large contributor to emissions of greenhouse gases. According to the Washington Post, food waste accounts for “8% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.” While 8% may seem insignificant, if all the food waste in the world were collected and considered as its own country, it would rank second for its impact on global warming. When conducted in an urban setting, composting fosters community. When you recycle a plastic water bottle, you’re helping the environment, but it’s a one-way action. The plastic bottle will be recycled and become reconstructed, but the process is longterm and it is unknown whether the reconstructed water bottle will ever find its way back to you. There is nothing wrong with this, but by partaking in this practice, it’s easy to get
lost in the individualistic mentality because of the distant connection you have with the bottle. Composting eliminates distance, the uncertain and the random and replaces them with a direct relationship to our waste, connecting us with our environment and other people. Since most NYU dorms don’t have their own gardens, composting means you have to walk to one of the many markets within New York City to drop off your compost. Instead of being greeted by a blue bin, you’re greeted with a warm smile. There is a social dimension to this, the relatability of “oh, you put up with this smell, too.” This is a stepping stone towards recognizing our place in the community, from which we can work together towards the goal of a more sustainable world. Community is important in a bustling
city like New York, especially for those who have never lived here before. We can find our bearings and feel a sense of security amongst many. In this scenario, you aren’t one person. You’re establishing your role within a community where you all work together toward a common goal. The same can play out on the scale of an NYU dorm. Even though the dining halls compost, there are many people within their own residence halls and apartments who don’t. All it takes is a small, three-dollar trash bin with a few pieces of moldy bread and an apple core to create camaraderie within the hall. You’re not going to be just one person, but an important piece in the puzzle of a sustainable future. Email Gabby Lozano at opinion@nyunews.com.
POLITICS
Why We Don’t Understand the Democratic Debates
By ABBY HOFSTETTER Opinion Editor I get excited to watch the Democratic debates. I’m not totally sure why; nothing very exciting ever really happens unless it’s orchestrated by a moderator, which makes it less organic, which in turn makes it less exciting. But I’ve still cleared my schedule every night that the candidates have been onstage, and I’ve still sat cross-legged in front of my laptop, watching Anderson Cooper count down the seconds until the night begins. I sat with anticipation watching CNN’s live Democratic debate draw as the news anchor told me, Effie Trinket-style, that Kirsten Gillibrand would face off against Bill de Blasio on July 31. I have the third round of debates noted in
my color-coded calendar in blue ink. But as excited as I — and the rest of the nation — get for the debates, I never really feel satisfied when they’re over. I’ll admit it: I don’t know how healthcare works. I’m lucky enough to be covered by my parents’ insurance, and I pray that I’ll have a job that gives me adequate healthcare by the time I turn 26. I’m a history major; my studies don’t help me understand what’s happening on the debate stage, especially since no debate has spent a significant amount of time discussing foreign policy. In fact, unless I was studying politics, law or public policy, I’d be almost guaranteed to be confused for the majority of the debates. And it seems like that’s intentional. Political jargon is just as catchy as it is restrictive. The average citizen doesn’t understand the ins and outs of the law; aside from lawyers, law enforcement and (hopefully) politicians, nobody really does. But no one on the debate stage explains their phrasing or their policies, and rarely does anyone offstage explain them either. Instead, we watch the candidates argue over whether they’d treat crossing the border as a civil or a criminal offense, and whether “Medi-
care for All” should mean Medicare for all, and whether or not they’d support a 1970s busing policy. The only time they speak in simple terms is either when they discuss the sitting president (Trump has an office that needs to be bleached) or their marginalized relatives (like Amy Klobuchar’s Uncle Dick, who runs a deer stand). The candidates seem aware that their language isn’t quite understandable, since when they slip into their catchphrases, they revert back to colloquialisms. But as soon as the moderators try to discuss policy, the jargon returns. We hear about Section 1325 and Universal Basic Income, and we’re expected to know what these terms mean — not only on a basic level, but in such depth that we can understand the debate around them. But I don’t. Although I don’t like to consider myself an uninformed voter, I am. I get caught up in slogans and the bright promises made on debate stages. Almost everyone onstage supports the same basic policies — common-sense gun control is a necessity, the current administration’s treatment of immigrants is inhumane, universal healthcare should be implemented — but where they
differ is where they confuse us. An uninformed voter is, perhaps, what a politician wants most. By wrapping us up in jargon and legalese and technicalities, candidates distract us from the uglier details of their policies and keep us focused on what they want us to see. Andrew Yang wants to give $1,000 to every citizen every month, but he wants to give only $1,000 to every citizen every month, even if some citizens — like lower-income families — need more than that to survive. Pete Buttigieg says he’s in favor of closing the pay gap, but his policy only encompasses pay transparency, not pay equality. It’s not that the candidates aren’t honest, it’s that they’re misleading. We can only find answers once we know that we have to look for them. Some, like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vox News, have taken note of this phenomenon and gone out of their way to improve political literacy. Ocasio-Cortez has been praised for using colloquial language during congressional hearings (the most-viewed political video on Twitter is one of the congresswoman explaining U.S. finance laws, and exactly how it‘s “super legal” for a politician to be
a “pretty bad guy”). Likewise, Vox’s Netflix series “Explained” touches upon a host of subjects ranging from punctuation to the racial wealth gap, and delves into the nuances behind all of these complex issues without ever using unexplained jargon. Vox also continues to explain complex matters with simple terms in their articles, which often serve as a resource to help with answering questions that many can be afraid to ask. But this isn’t enough; an individual can’t be expected to know when they’re uninformed. We need comprehensive political education for all voters, and we need clarity from our candidates. We need the moderators of our debates to ask candidates about the specifics of their policies instead of pitting them against each other for ratings, and we need moderators to push further when candidates evade their questions. We need the debates to be conducted in words and language that we can all understand. Until we’re all informed voters, can the 2020 election be considered fair? Email Abby Hofstetter at ahofstetter@nyunews.com.
Washington Square News | Opinion
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
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TECHNOLOGY
The Dangers of Love in the Age of Dating Apps
By AKIVA THALHEIM Social Media Editor Out of all the events that occurred on my 18th birthday, one stands out: signing up for Tinder. While others may have bought a lottery ticket to celebrate their newfound freedom, my own rite of passage was creating an account on the app that promised to find me love. Up until my 18th, I was deeply envious of all of my friends who were of legal age and able to swipe their way to love. I couldn’t wait until I could do the same, motivated by the stories my friends told me about their own dates and the fun things they did with the interesting people they otherwise never would have met. I had even chosen the pictures I’d use for my profile and thought of the witty bio I’d include long before my birthday actually occurred. A year and a half has passed since that birthday — a time during which I’ve grown increasingly disillusioned by the apps I was so eager to sign up for. While I was initially in awe of the endless pool of potential dates and entranced by the possibility of them ending my loneliness, I quickly found that using Tinder and Bumble encouraged disconnection rather than promote the connection they’d advertised. With thousands of people to swipe on in New York City, I was motivated to swipe through as quickly as possible, reducing their individuality into a swipe to the right or to the left based on a glance that often lasted a few milliseconds. Searching for love became a deeply dehumanizing chore — and a highly addictive one. Parallels can be drawn to psychology studies done on rats in the 1950s. When a rat was placed in a box with a button that unpredictably rewarded it with food, the rat was quickly trained to compulsively press the button, as it never knew when food would be dispensed. Gambling and slot machines work in the same manner, as players never know when they’ll get lucky — which keeps them playing for longer periods of time and spending more money. Dating apps are addictive in the same manner, as users never know which swipe will
lead to a successful match. Dating apps are exploitative: not only are they designed to be addictive, but their owners profit off of this addiction through ads and subscriptions. Users can pay to see who’s swiped right on them on Tinder and Bumble so that they can swipe on prospective suitors quicker, or even pay to have their profile featured more prominently to other users for a few hours. Even Hinge, which brands itself as the anti-swiping dating app that’s “designed to be deleted,” offers a paid subscription that enables users to like (instead of swipe) on an unlimited amount of profiles. Ironically, Facebook — perhaps the most exploitative corporation of our time — copied many of Hinge’s features for their own dating app announced last week. Beyond just the addictive and exploitative aspects of dating apps, they’ve also seriously changed what it means to date in the first place. By promoting the myth that everyone needs to be in a relationship, much like how the jewelry industry revitalized the sale of diamonds in the 1940s by marketing them in association with love and romance, dating apps have overtaken society by becoming the new norm, even if they can be unhealthy. In this system, abstaining from using dating apps would be just as weird as not giving your fiance an engagement ring. Recognizing this problematic system, new apps are attempting to solve some of these issues. Bounce, for instance, only lets users swipe during certain hours to go on a date at a predetermined time, while on Interlace, profiles consist of a video answering three questions, and users can only communicate with their matches by sending videos in an attempt to make online dating a bit more humanizing. But it seems as if all dating apps still perpetuate loneliness — they draw us in with their claims of easing this, only to keep us hooked on swiping for love forever, feeling lonelier and lonelier. That’s what they were designed to do. This artificial sensation of loneliness is intentional: it enables companies to profit off of our alienation while also making it impossible to resist, both from a psychological perspective and a cultural one. Admittedly, I’ve been hooked to this system of compulsive affinity and have tried escaping it many times, sometimes for days and sometimes for weeks, but I keep finding myself using these loveless apps again. I know that they were designed to be addictive and that I can delete them with a tap, but that doesn’t make the choice to do so any easier — because how else will I find love? Email Akiva Thalheim at athalheim@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Why Is NYU Hiding Its Resources? Most NYU students know the phone number of the Wellness Exchange, the successful result of an intense and consistent advertising campaign to make sure students are aware of the most important mental health resources available to them. Despite this success, the Wellness Exchange is just one of the many services available — you’ve just never heard of a lot of them. There’s a lack of information about a sizeable amount of NYU’s services. Regardless of how useful the programs may be, they’re rendered ineffective by their inaccessibility. the Student Health Center, NYU must do more to inform students of their options. At best, their decision not to advertise is a huge oversight in their mental health services. At worst, this was a choice made by the university so they wouldn’t have to cover the costs of providing students with the care they need. This is not the first time NYU has had a problem with under-advertising. WSN reported on NYU’s under-advertisement of its Food Courtesy Meals program in 2018. This resource provides students with $75 Dining Dollars, no questions asked, up to two times during their tenure at NYU. The measure was introduced in 2016 but wasn’t advertised to students. Vice President of Student Affairs Marc Wais said “Our only concern is we don’t want students to view this as an entitlement or to exploit the program and consider it to be like a free T-shirt.” It is unacceptable that a school administrator preferred keeping a program inaccessible to those who needed it out of the fear of exploitation. This was only confirmed by a spike in usage the following academic year — by almost 5,000%. Prior to the announcement, only students who called the SHC with hunger issues were notified of the program’s existence. In other words, the university waited until the point of critical food insecurity before telling students about a pre-existing program specifically created to address their issue. In regard to mental health, it appears that NYU is once again waiting until the point of crisis to tell its students about their resources. Students often complain about a lack of mental health resources at NYU. However, many of these services exist — they’re just hard
to find. In response to a 2013 federal mandate forcing universities to update their sexual assault practices, NYU established “Sexual Misconduct, Prevention, Assistance, Counseling and Education.” Among other things, S.P.A.C.E. provides vital resources for victims of sexual assault, including rape kits for up to 96 hours after an assault, accompanied hospital visits and direct assistance arranged by NYU’s Title IX Coordinator. But one would be hard-pressed to find S.P.A.C.E. advertised anywhere on campus. According to a story published last year by NYU Local, all 60 students contacted for comment on S.P.A.C.E.’s services had no idea that it existed. Aside from the service’s sparse page on NYU’s website, it’s rarely offered as a resource — when university spokesperson John Beckman mentioned S.P.A.C.E. in his letter to the Graduate Student Organizing Committee regarding their protests to fire Professor Avital Ronell, it was the third time that the resource had ever been mentioned by the university directly (the second being a brief mention in the 2017–2018 NYU Student Health Insurance Guide). If the university was going to create resources like these for students who need them, why wouldn’t they tell their students about them? Before NYU began advertising its Courtesy Meals program, it spent 3,000 Dining Dollars on the program in a single academic year. After publicly announcing the program, NYU spent over 200,000 Dining Dollars over the next academic year, according to an email from Wais. While the specifics of NYU’s budget haven’t been made public, we know this: after news broke of NYU offering resources to students in need of them, NYU spent 67 times more than what they had previously been spending on the Courtesy Meals program. Despite their promise to advertise the Courtesy Meals Program, NYU has failed to mention the program in this year’s dining guide. It should not be students’ responsibility to search for programs that are readily available to them. By choosing to not advertise programs that will help students, NYU is not only failing to meet students’ needs, the administration is making an active, cost-saving choice to hide the resources that could save them.
Email the Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. COLE STALLONE Chair ABBY HOFSTETTER Chair JUN SUNG Co-Chair DIYA JAIN Co-Chair
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
SPORTS
SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Edited by BELA KIRPALANI
Sophomore Soccer Star Shares His Insight on Success By REBECCA CHOI Staff Writer With just 16 seconds left on the clock in extra-time against Brandeis University on Nov. 3, 2018, Stern then-first-year Oliver Kleban scored a last-gasp goal that led the Violets to a 1-0 victory. That goal also stamped NYU’s ticket to the NCAA Division III tournament — the team’s first appearance since 2009. Kleban’s goal and performance highlighted his grit and skill and only begins to scrape the surface of what he contributes to the team. “On the field, I’m fast and aggressive and I think it catches people off guard because I’m not the biggest forward they’ll ever see,” Kleban said. “But I’m really good at dropping a shoulder into them and sending them into the ground. It’s my favorite thing to do, so I’d say I’m aggressive, but also pretty fast and [I] read the game alright.” Now in his second year as a forward for the men’s soccer team, Kleban has become a leader both on and off the field. Stern sophomore and defender Louie Meeks describes him as a motivator for the rest of the team. “He shows confidence in the locker room which is great because a lot of guys have their heads down,” Meeks said. “He’s a funny kid who can keep spirits up.” Liberal Studies sophomore and goalkeeper Nick Vafiadis works closely with Kleban during practices, facing
countless shots from the forward. “I think the reason why he’s such a good influence on the team is because of his work effort,” Vafiadis said. “He even says it himself, he’s not that good of a player but he works his butt off, and you see him do it.” In his first season at NYU, Kleban led the team in goals, assists and shots on goal, earning him UAA Rookie of the Year and NYU Male Freshman Athlete of the Year awards. Head Coach Kim Wyant, like Kleban’s teammates, attributes his success to his strong work ethic and big personality. “He is always at work,” Wyant said. “He’s a workhorse. He’s never going to let me down. He’s never going to let the team down in terms of the amount of work that he’s willing to do on the field.” Kleban believes that his exceptional confidence is also what allows him to succeed — even on the biggest stages. “I’ve never been on the field and been intimidated. I’ve never gone on the field and been scared,” Kleban said. “As soon as I step on the field, you can put me on with [Real Madrid] or [FC Barcelona], and I would still feel like I was the best player out there.” Wyant believes that Kleban’s mentality is crucial to his success, especially because he plays in a position that requires a lot of patience and perseverance. “Most of the time forwards and goal scorers are going to fail before they have a success,” Wyant said. “It takes
SAM KLEIN | WSN
Oliver Kleban forces his way around the opposing goalkeeper before scoring in the final minute of game with Brandeis University.
a special mentality to overcome that constant failure and to stay mentally strong and keep working in order to get points because, like I said, he’ll fail 70 or 80% of the time.” Hopes were high after last season, but the team has endured a difficult start to the season, losing its first two
games, 4-0 and 2-1, respectively. Despite this setback, Kleban believes the team will bounce back and improve as the season continues. “I feel like I’m not where I should be and the team isn’t where it should be,” Kleban said. “I also feel like we’re one of the best teams in the country
when we are naturally clicking. I mean, we had a really good practice today and we can definitely remain contenders. We will be at a better place than we are right now at the end of the year.” Email Rebecca Choi at sports@nyunews.com.
Women’s Volleyball Picks up Three Wins, Now 6-1 on the Season By BENJAMIN MICHAEL DAVIS Deputy Sports Editor Women’s Volleyball The now 6-1 Violets easily picked up three wins before narrowly falling to Springfield College on Saturday. NYU started the week with a win against Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania on Sept. 3. Team leaders included Stern first-year Haley Holz with 17 kills, Stern first-year Nicole Dao with 23 assists, and CAS junior Jackie Kupeli with 24 digs. On Friday, the Violets continued their winning streak with another fourset victory, this time against Stockton University in the Brooklyn Athletic Facility. NYU picked up the first two sets 25-22 and 25-19, fell in the third
18-25, only to come back and take the fourth set 25-17. A Saturday doubleheader was enough to slow down the Violets’ hot streak, however, as they failed to take the nightcap. NYU started the day, sweeping the now 2-4 Skidmore College. The next match against Springfield College was the longest the Violets have played this year, and resulted in the team’s first loss of the season. CAS sophomore Emily Kleck led the team with 11 kills, while Dao had a team-high 23 assists. NYU’s next competition will be another doubleheader against Gettysburg College and Moravian College in Union, New Jersey on Sept. 13. Men’s Tennis Both the men’s and women’s tennis
SAM KLEIN | WSN
Nazzarine Waldon of NYU Women’s Volleyball spikes the ball against Hunter College.
teams competed at the Lions Fall Kickoff Tournament at The College of New Jersey this weekend. On Saturday, NYU split the eight singles competitions with The College of New Jersey, with Stern first-year Alex Yang, CAS sophomore Christian Otero, CAS senior Joshua Piatos and CAS junior Rahul Das winning their matches in straight sets. On Sunday, the men were able to tack on six more singles wins from Otero, Piatos, Das, Stern junior Stefan Rodic and CAS sophomore Lucas Biondi, as well as their sole doubles win when Otero and Yang won their match 8-2. Men’s tennis will be back in action at the Stevens Invitational in Pennington, New Jersey on Saturday. Women’s Tennis The women’s tennis team played in the Lions Fall Kickoff Tournament on Sunday, and saw plenty of success. The team won six of the nine singles competitions off of strong performances from Stern junior Anna Maria Buraya, CAS senior Coco Kulle, Stern first-year Karina Jensrud, Liberal Studies first-year Anastasiia Balyk, Stern senior Rupa Ganesh and Stern senior Judy Kam. The Violets did even better in doubles, with strong performances from Kulle and Kam, Ganesh and Gallatin junior Kate Shaffer, Jensrund and CAS sophomore Ana Leonard and Buraya and Balyk, leading to seven wins when the tournament had finished. The women will next take the court at the Vassar College Scramble on Saturday
Men’s Cross Country Men’s cross country won the Ron Stonitsch Invitational on Saturday, finishing with 39 points as a team. The tournament consisted of a 6K race, at which NYU had 7 runners place in the top 15, more than any other team. CAS senior Jack Lillian placed first among NYU students and fourth in the race, crossing the line in 19:40.4. The Violets had three other runners finish in the top 10 as well: CAS junior Johnathan Sussman in sixth, Liberal Studies first-year Liam de Beaufort in eighth and Liberal Studies first-year Josh Holtzman in ninth. The team’s next meet is the Purple Valley Classic, hosted by Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts on Sept. 28. Women’s Cross Country Women’s cross country also competed in the Ron Stonitsch Invitational on Saturday, running a 5K race and finishing with 43 points. The Violets had two runners place in the top five of the race. Steinhardt first-year Siena Moran took home second place with a time of 19:07.4 and CAS first-year Leah Haley finished in fourth with a time of 19:41.3. The Violets return on Sept. 21, when they head to Annandale-on-Hudson, New York for a meet at Bard College. Golf NYU’s golf teams both finished in first place on day one of the two-day St. Lawrence Invitational this past week-
end. On the first day, the men shot 290 and the women shot 289. Men’s golf’s next tournament is the Duke Nelson Invitational at Ralph Myhre Golf Course in Middlebury, Vermont on Saturday. The women’s team return on Sept. 21, in South Hadley, Massachusetts to play in the Mount Holyoke Invitational at the Orchards Golf Course. Women’s Soccer The women’s soccer team improved their record to 3-0 on Saturday when they beat St. John Fisher College 2-0 at the Stevens Engineering Cup in Hoboken, New Jersey. CAS senior Jade Keane scored the first goal of the game on an assist from CAS junior Sam March. Later, in the 87th minute, CAS sophomore Ellie Marks, who led the team with five shots, scored her first goal of the year and NYU’s second of the game to seal the win. The Violets return to the pitch on Sunday, when they face off against St. Joseph’s College (Long Island). Men’s Soccer The men’s soccer team suffered a tight loss 2-1 in overtime to Drew University in Newark, New Jersey. In the 16th minute, Stern sophomore Oliver Kleban scored NYU’s lone goal on an assist by CAS junior Jake Velvel. NYU’s next match will be Saturday against Baruch College. Email Benjamin Michael Davis at bdavis@nyunews.com.
Washington Square News | Sports
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
UNDERTHEARCH@NYUNEWS.COM
By HAYDEN HOWARD Contributing Writer The first day of spring is always the same. It’s something we don’t experience where I’m from. Here, when the cold finally subsides, it’s like a physical rebirth. It is that college-on-the-east-coast experience that my parents always wanted me to have. They were right; it is glorious. Students from every school at NYU can be found meandering through Washington Square Park, some huddled into groups on the grass, others sitting side by side near the fountain. College is the time of fleeting youth, of making mistakes and learning, of innocent (or not so innocent) romances that you will one day remember with a bittersweet pang in your chest. This year spring feels different. That spontaneous and carefree young adult that I was just a year ago is now a
stranger to me. As I walk through the park, the thick orange sunlight gifts richness to everything I see. I am watching my peers from above, removed from my own skin, detached from the legs that now carry me across this leaf-covered path. Upon finally returning to NYU this academic year after a year-long medical leave of absence, I found out that I was living with HIV. I had no symptoms, and I went for my routine STI check at the Student Health Center with the utmost confidence, as I have for years. I could never have HIV. I will never have it.
UNDER THE ARCH
It’s like seeing a devastating natural disaster on the news. You think, “God, that is horrible. But it wouldn’t happen to me.” For the weeks that followed my diagnosis, I knew in my heart that my time on earth was coming to a close. I hated the fact that it had to be so soon, but I knew that there was nothing I could do. I was unable to comprehend how this could be the universe’s plan for my life. I had envisioned so much more. I cried as though I was mourning my own short life. I can barely think about the cold, fluorescent-lit medical office, the way I was surrounded by unknown faces and almost 3,000 miles away from my home. That day, October 3, summer stretched its long arms into the new season. I wore a tight crop top and little shorts to that appointment. Feeling the last bit of warmth on my exposed skin. I can still see the nurse’s eyes looking me up and
down, how they read “slut” when I came in to get tested. How disgusting, trashy, and worthless I felt after being diagnosed with HIV, desperately trying to cover up my body in front of the medical staff and the men that passed me by on my way back home. Six months later, these are the memories that still make me cry. With the incredible advancements that have taken place in HIV research and modern medicine, people with HIV now have the opportunity to live long and healthy lives. Gone are the days of taking two handfuls of pills; today I am blessed to only take one pill, once a day. While my immune
system will always be somewhat compromised from the initial contraction of the virus, and small illnesses like a cold or sore throat have now become causes for alarm, my body will survive with the right care. I can regain my strength. Where HIV tends to be the most damaging is the mind. I attend therapy twice a week, frequently reach out to my personal support systems, and yet, nothing can quite sooth the pain, loneliness, and confusion that my diagnosis has left me feeling. By the fountain in the park, the number of handsome faces and healthy wbodies appears limitless. The human beauty before me almost matches that of the spring foliage. I see them there, the boys reading books by the edge of the water, how they flip their long hair and skate smoothly by, throwing nonchalant glances wherever they so choose. Imagine. My own imagination tempts me with images of making out under the fresh spring moon. I don’t stop myself. Recently these dreams are all that I have. In real life, in this world of one-second attention spans and immediate gratification, the thought of getting to know someone long enough to disclose my status feels like climbing Mount Everest with no ropes. I am often nervous that disclosing my status will push my partner away, leaving me with misplaced notions of guilt and shame. I resent the fact that I must reveal something so personal to somebody that I am only just getting to know. I’m 21 years old and I feel as though young love is a luxury that I cannot afford. Though I wish I could, to have sex after months spent recovering from my diagnosis would feel like a terrible crime. Even if I use a condom, he could give me an STI, and if I get another sexually-transmitted infection, I would not want to live. I dream of soon being able to enjoy sex and love as a young adult, but I keep those thoughts far away, just in case they never come true. In this detachment comes isolation, a self-imposed quarantine. After HIV, I cannot afford to be hurt again. Perhaps, for those who don’t have it, one of the most detrimental and forgotten effects of living with HIV is the profound isolation that comes with it. I walk quickly through the park, wanting to be invisible and seen at the same time. Loneliness doesn’t mean not having friends, loved ones, and a support system. I am blessed with all of those things. But living with HIV has left me feeling alone even when I
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Edited by GURU RAMANATHAN
am surrounded by friends. The pressures of stigma carry heavy effects. You ask yourself every night, why me? Does an HIV diagnosis mean that I must become a different person? You attempt to understand what this all means in your life. You wonder who else might be positive. All of a sudden, you belong to a new social grouping. A medical statistic. But most of all you are constantly afraid, even when you feel healthy. It’s hard to explain to others what it’s like to live with fear. Although my doctor reassures me of my overall great health, I sometimes find myself overcome with terror and dread at the thought that I may die soon. There may be nothing in particular that triggers these thoughts, nor any reality behind them. Yet my mind can sometimes convince me that I will be gone before my time. I have felt close to death decades before most of my friends. Fear also exists in my anxiety of losing friends from being too emotional, or sharing too much. Making new friends in college is hard when they ask you how you are, and you can’t
human interaction and social factors, and it is soothed and cared for through these same things. The effects of loneliness and isolation are particularly dangerous for people living with HIV, since they have been proven to lead to other high-risk behaviors such as drug use. Drug overdoses take as many as 29% of HIV positive lives, while non-drug related suicides hover around 7%. These statistics are unacceptably high. We must take a social approach in order to effectively combat the often life-threatening challenges that can arise after a diagnosis. Community-oriented support is especially valuable at the university level, where students are living through the most vulnerable chapters of their lives. Only through healing our connections to others and to our own bodies can we finally stop blaming ourselves for contracting HIV, something that was never our fault to begin with. As students living with HIV, we must allow ourselves to feel worthy of the possibilities that life has to offer us, and to participate unapologetically in society. We do not
even pretend to be good. How do I explain why I sometimes need to miss class in order to get my blood drawn or discuss tests results with a specialist? Or share how it feels to leave my HIV medication at home after spring break: a crushing, debilitating panic, a deep and relentless fear of death? Since my diagnosis, “community” at NYU has remained an impenetrable avant-garde concept reserved for the lucky few. In my experience, NYU has proved itself to be one of countless top-rank universities in the United States that severely drops the ball when it comes to providing sufficient mental health resources for students living with HIV. While individual counseling exists on campus, I have yet to encounter any community-based support programs for positive students. People living with HIV face a much higher chance of developing mental illness, and are more likely to commit suicide than the general population. A study on the effects of HIV on mental health in France also concludes that HIV positive individuals who report feelings of social discrimination and isolation are much more likely to take their own lives. Getting diagnosed with HIV during college, already one of the hardest periods in a young adult’s life, without being offered adequate support systems of professionals and peers within the school itself is, on the university’s part, irresponsible and even negligent. I am lucky enough to be able to receive treatment outside of NYU. I’m not sure where I would be, had I only been left with the resources available to positive students on campus. Devastating consequences appear when we expect a university student to simply deal with a new HIV diagnosis, most likely far away from home and family, compounded by the stress of homework, jobs and social dynamics. HIV is a social epidemic. It arises from
move forward from HIV by crying alone in our rooms, or talking to an HIV-negative “HIV counselor” that we have never met before. We survive through community and connection. Every time somebody is diagnosed with HIV, there is a chance that we may lose them. If we don’t lose them to death, there is a much greater chance that we will lose them to life. Many individuals with HIV struggle to be present in their daily lives out of fear of confronting the overwhelming pain; they have convinced themselves, aided by social isolation, that their lives are not worth living. Every single person who receives this life-altering diagnosis deserves the chance to experience post-traumatic growth, not just survival. We need to be there, as a school and as a community, to catch those of us who can no longer carry the weight of the world, to let other positive students know that there is a chance of happiness after HIV, a possibility of falling in love with yourself and with life again, even after convincing yourself that being alive is no longer an option. Hayden Howard is a current sophomore at NYU Gallatin studying the social and historical factors that shape the development of queer and marginalized identities. On campus and in his personal life, he is dedicated to giving a voice to young adults living with HIV, particularly in the university setting. Contact positivegroupforchange@gmail. com to find out more about his current community-based support project for students living with HIV and their allies. Email Hayden Howard at underthearch@nyunews.com.
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